Not all theories can explain the black hole M87* FRANKFURT. As first pointed out by the German astronomer Karl Schwarzschild, black holes bend space-time to an extreme degree due to their extraordinary concentration of mass, and heat up the matter in their vicinity so that it begins to glow. New Zealand physicist Roy Kerr showed rotation can change the black hole's size and the geometry of its surroundings. The "edge" of a black hole is known as the event horizon, the boundary around the concentration of mass beyond which light and matter cannot escape and which makes the black hole "black". Black holes, theory predicts, can be described by a handful of properties: mass, spin, and a variety of possible charges. In addition to black holes predicted from Einstein's theory of general relativity, one can consider those from models inspired by string theories, which describe matter and all particles as modes of tiny vibrating strings. String-inspired theories of black holes predict the existence of an additional field in the description of fundamental physics, which leads to observable modifications in the sizes of black holes as well as in the curvature in their vicinity. Physicists Dr Prashant Kocherlakota and Professor Luciano Rezzolla from the Institute for Theoretical Physics at Goethe University Frankfurt, have now investigated for the first time how the different theories fit with the observational data of the black hole M87* at the centre of the galaxy Messier 87. The image of M87*, taken in 2019 by the international Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) collaboration, was the first experimental proof of the actual existence of black holes after the measurement of gravitational waves in 2015. The result of these investigations: The data from M87* are in excellent agreement with the Einstein-based theories and to a certain extent with the string-based theories. Dr Prashant Kocherlakota explains: "With the data recorded by the EHT collaboration, we can now test different theories of physics with black hole images. Currently, we cannot reject these theories when describing the shadow size of M87*, but our calculations constrain the range of validity of these black hole models." Professor Luciano Rezzolla says: "The idea of black holes for us theoretical physicists is at the same time a source of concern and of inspiration. While we still struggle with some of the consequences of black holes - such as the event horizon or the singularity - we seem always keen to find new black hole solutions also in other theories. It is therefore very important to obtain results like ours, which determine what is plausible and what is not. This was an important first step and our constraints will be improved as new observations are made". In the Event Horizon Telescope collaboration, telescopes from around the globe are interconnected to form a virtual giant telescope with a dish as big as the Earth itself. With the precision of this telescope, a newspaper in New York could be read from a street cafe in Berlin. ### Video: Testing different theories of gravity with the data obtained https:/ / youtu. be/ Xf8He6Z1eQU The EHT collaboration involves more than 300 researchers from Africa, Asia, Europe, North and South America. The international collaboration is working to capture the most detailed black hole images ever obtained by creating a virtual Earth-sized telescope. Supported by considerable international investment, the EHT links existing telescopes using novel systems -- creating a fundamentally new instrument with the highest angular resolving power that has yet been achieved. The individual telescopes involved are: ALMA, APEX, the IRAM 30-meter Telescope, the IRAM NOEMA Observatory, the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope (JCMT), the Large Millimeter Telescope (LMT), the Submillimeter Array (SMA), the Submillimeter Telescope (SMT), the South Pole Telescope (SPT), the Kitt Peak Telescope, and the Greenland Telescope (GLT). The EHT consortium consists of 13 stakeholder institutes: The Academia Sinica Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, the University of Arizona, the University of Chicago, the East Asian Observatory, Goethe-Universitaet Frankfurt, Institut de Radioastronomie Millimetrique, Large Millimeter Telescope, Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy, MIT Haystack Observatory, National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics, Radboud University and the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory. Goethe University is a research-oriented university in the European financial centre Frankfurt am Main. The university was founded in 1914 through private funding, primarily from Jewish sponsors, and has since produced pioneering achievements in the areas of social sciences, sociology and economics, medicine, quantum physics, brain research, and labour law. It gained a unique level of autonomy on 1 January 2008 by returning to its historic roots as a "foundation university". Today, it is one of the three largest universities in Germany. Together with the Technical University of Darmstadt and the University of Mainz, it is a partner in the inter-state strategic Rhine-Main University Alliance. Internet: http://www. uni-frankfurt. de This story has been published on: 2021-05-20. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. RTHK: Singapore closer to tracking down source of outbreak A Covid-19 outbreak at Singapore's airport may have initially spread through a worker who helped an infected family arriving in the country, authorities said on Friday, as they further ramped up their testing regime. The airport cluster which involves about 100 cases, is part of a resurgence of infections in the Asian business hub and highlights the challenges of keeping the virus out, despite rigorous testing and quarantine measures for travelers. It is Singapore's largest active cluster. The civil aviation regulator and the Changi Airport Group in a statement said test results from a batch of staff were similar and were of the B.1.617 variant, first found in India, suggesting they "originated from a common source". "Preliminary investigations indicate that the initial transmission could have occurred through an airport worker who was assisting a family from South Asia," it said. The family arrived on April 29. Earlier this month, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said many infected airport staff worked in a zone that received travelers from high-risk countries. The workers may have infected others in the airport's food outlets, he said. The airport has since tightened measures by ringfencing teams working with arrivals from higher-risk countries. It also segregates travelers from different risk profile countries, so they use different immigration halls, baggage belts and toilets. So far about 90 percent of frontline aviation workers have been vaccinated against Covid-19. Authorities on Friday said there would be more testing for passengers from very high risk countries and airport workers in higher risk roles. The B.1.617 variant has been found elsewhere in Singapore, which has recently tightened restrictions. Though Singapore's cases are only a fraction of those recorded in neighboring countries, the outbreak follows months of reporting few or no local cases each day. The city-state has recorded 190 cases over the past week. Teo Yik Ying, dean of the Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health at the National University of Singapore, said the B.1.617 variant was much more transmissible. " This means the strategies for border control and infection prevention, which previously have worked well for the past six months, are proving to be insufficient," he said. (Reuters) This story has been published on: 2021-05-21. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Ex-owner of Promsvyazbank challenges seizure of assets worth $1.5 billion RAPSI, Vladimir Burnov 12:57 21/05/2021 MOSCOW, May 21 (RAPSI) Ex-owner of Promsvyazbank Dmitry Ananyev has lodged an appeal against court refusal to overturn seizure of his monetary assets and other property worth over 113 billion rubles ($1.5 billion), according to the Moscow Commercial Courts records. In April, the Moscow Commercial Court, at the request of the National Bank Trust, seized funds and other property of the Ananyev brothers, as well as those of ex-top managers of Avtovazbank. Taking into account that the failure to take interim measures might complicate the execution of this judicial act, as well as in order to prevent damage to the claimant, the court found it necessary to seize the property of the defendants. The decision to take interim measures was made in the framework of a lawsuit the Trust Bank filed to recover more than 113 billion rubles ($1.5 billion at the current exchange rate) from the Ananyevs, Oleg Vdovin and Nikolai Taran. In October 2020, the Russian Supreme Court dismissed Dmitry Ananyev's complaint against the ruling on declaring him bankrupt. The objections set out in the complaint do not indicate the presence of any significant violations of substantive law and (or) procedural law and cannot serve as sufficient grounds for canceling the contested judicial acts, the Supreme Court noted then. The Ninth Commercial Court of Appeals declared Ananyev bankrupt on June 15, 2020 at the request of Nastyusha Grain Company, and a debt restructuring procedure was introduced with respect of that person The board of appeals canceled the determination of a first instance court of November 25, 2019, by which the proceedings on the banker's insolvency sought by the company were terminated. In a complaint submitted by Ananyev to the Supreme Court, he asked to cancel the decision of the Court of Appeals and refer the case for a new trial. In also worth noting that in September 2019, the Russian Supreme Court dismissed Ananyevs move to cancel the decision on the initiation of the respective bankruptcy case. Earlier, in June 2019, the Moscow Commercial Court dismissed a request to seize Ananyevs property worth 2.8 billion rubles ($36 million) when examining his bankruptcy case. At that time the court established that the applicant had not presented evidence proving that the failure to take interim measures could complicate or make impossible the execution of the respective judicial act. However, on May 29, 2019, the Moscow Commercial Court satisfied an application of Promsvyazbank seeking to seize the property of the former owners of the bank, Alexey and Dmitry Ananyevs, in the amount of 282.2 billion rubles ($3.6 billion) in the framework of a claim to recover losses in the amount of 282.2 billion rubles from twelve former top managers of the bank. On December 15, 2017, the Central Bank of Russia introduced a temporary administration for the management of Promsvyazbank. The functions of the provisional administration were entrusted to the Management Company of the Banking Sector Consolidation Fund. As a measure aimed at improving the financial stability of the bank and ensuring the continuity of its activities in the banking services market, it is planned that the Central Bank will participate as an investor using the funds of the Banking Sector Consolidation Fund. In October 2019 the Moscow City Court upheld the arrest of Alexey and Dmitry Ananyevs in absentia in a criminal case over embezzlement on an especially large scale, as the press service of the court informed RAPSI. Moscow, ID (83843) Today A mix of clouds and sun early followed by cloudy skies this afternoon. High around 70F. SSE winds shifting to WSW at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Cloudy skies with periods of rain late. Low around 50F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. An ABLE account is different from a basic checking/savings account because it allows an Alabamian with a disability to save and protect financial resources without jeopardizing the individuals access to important public benefits they need to live life independently, said James Tucker, Director of Alabama Disability Advocacy Program. Alabama ABLE Savings Plan helps protect individuals independence in a very real way. The Alabama ABLE staff is collaborating with many local organizations to bolster the plans benefits and reach those in the disability community who may not be aware of the new program. Often this community faces predatory guidance from those seeking to exploit their limited financial resources, explained the Director of Montgomery ARC (MARC), Paul Brown. Having access to an ABLE savings account provides a sense of financial security and supports MARCs mission to facilitate independence and self-determination for those we serve. For several years the State Treasurers Office has offered a similar ABLE program. However, the new program, Alabama ABLE Savings Plan, is the official and only ABLE program sponsored by and associated with the State of Alabama. The Alabama ABLE Savings Plan allows the Alabama Savings Board that oversees the program to pursue additional benefits for Alabamians. The Enterprise City Council approved a bid seeking request for sidewalk improvements and the final date of the 2021 Christmas Parade at Tuesday nights meeting. In the councils work session, Public Works Director/City Engineer Barry Mott discussed his request to seek bids for the repair and refurbishment of various sidewalks throughout the city. He said the estimated cost of the repairs is estimated around $150,000. Mott said this would only be phase one of improving city sidewalks, but he would like to take care of it first as both sides of the sidewalks are in need of repair. What we did was took the area along College Street and started walking the streets to see what we had, Mott said. We had a good bit of blocks there that were uneven, where the blocks had been raised and were tripping hazards Theres some that were broken and just completely destroyed. The request was later approved by the council with Council President Turner Townsend saying sidewalk improvements have been a stated goal of the council. Weve had a couple of senior citizens in our neighborhood to actually trip and fall and injure themselves seriously, so I am really looking forward to this, Councilman Eugene Goolsby said. In continuing with the Enterprise Ledgers coverage of the 45th annual JRTOC Awards Day program, we recognize the award recipients for the Military Officer Association of America Award, the Military Order of the Purple Heart Award, the Veterans of Foreign Wars Medal, the American Veterans Award and the Reserve Organization of America Medal. The recipients, as well as a description of each award, are as follows: Military Officer Association of America AwardThe Military Officer Association of America Award is presented annually to the most outstanding cadet who is in the top 50% of his or her academic class and displays outstanding military leadership, citizenship, discipline and esprit de corps. The recipient of the Military Officer Association of America Award was Cadet Captain Marissa Tripp. Military Order of the Purple Heart AwardThe Military Order of the Purple Heart Award recognizes demonstrated leadership ability in a cadet enrolled in a JROTC program. The cadet must have maintained a B or better GPA, be active in school programs and the community, have held a leadership position and have a positive attitude toward JROTC and our country. Members of Congress and advocates have called for the closure of the Georgia facility since last year after women held there told of being forced into unnecessary gynecological procedures amid unsanitary conditions. DHS and the Justice Department are investigating the allegations of medical mistreatment, which a doctor involved in their treatment has denied, and Mayorkas said that steps will be taken to preserve evidence. Immigrants held at Irwin also had broader complaints about overall conditions, alleging that authorities at the detention center failed to take adequate measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Given its extensively documented history of human rights violations, Irwin should have been shut down long ago, said Azadeh Shahshahani, legal and advocacy director for Project South, an advocacy group that has pressed for ICE and the company that runs the facility to compensate any women subjected to unwanted procedures there. The facility in Ocilla, about 200 miles (320 kilometers) south of Atlanta, has been used to house men and women for ICE as well as inmates for the U.S. Marshals Service and Irwin County. Its run by the private LaSalle Corrections, a Louisiana company. Over 300 academics, scholars, and writers from across the world have endorsed a statement expressing solidarity with two co-founders of Hindus for Human Rights (HfHR) and other individuals who have been targeted by the Hindu American Foundation (HAF) with a SLAPP (strategic lawsuit against public participation) lawsuit. via Hindus for Human Rights Blog, May 20, 2021 Over 300 academics, scholars, and writers from across the world have endorsed a statement expressing solidarity with two co-founders of Hindus for Human Rights (HfHR) and other individuals who have been targeted by the Hindu American Foundation (HAF) with a SLAPP (strategic lawsuit against public participation) lawsuit. o o o STATEMENT: We stand in solidarity with Hindus for Human Rights (HfHR) and deplore efforts to silence an important alternative and inclusive Hindu voice in the diaspora. We are alarmed by the news that Hindus for Human Rights (HfHR), specifically co-founders Sunita Viswanath and Raju Rajagopal, have been sued by the Hindu American Foundation (HAF). They, along with Indian American Muslim Council executive director Rasheed Ahmed, Federation of Indian American Christian Organizations of North America chairman John Prabhudoss, and Rutgers University professor Audrey Truschke, have been accused of defamation and conspiracy to defame HAF. Viswanath and Rajagopal exercised their right to free speech by commenting on the matter of disbursement of federal COVID relief federal funds to several Hindutva-aligned organizations. (See HAFs complaint here: https://tinyurl.com/5hcxdrnk) Almost every minute, Indias Covid stories send us deeper into grief, but Covid is not the only poison attacking India. Equally troubling is the drive of Hindutva, or Hindu nationalism. Going directly against constitutional guarantees of equality and democratic rights, Hindutva wants supremacy for Indias Hindu majority and acceptance by Muslims, Christians, and others of second-class citizenship. Moreover, Hindutva is an authoritarian ideology, having no tolerance for peaceful dissent or debate, the very qualities that underline a democracy. Many are aware that the Hindutva thrust is worryingly similar to the rise of white supremacy in the U.S. But a clear majority of Indian Americans believe in equal rights and voted for a change in the US administration. And now, a considerable section of Indian Americans also oppose Hindutva and demand equal rights for all citizens of India. HfHR is a crucial voice on their behalf. Unfortunately, given the support for Hindutva in influential sections of the Indian American community, attempts are being made to legally harass or discredit HfHR. These efforts must be resolutely opposed. In the U.S. and in India, forces working for exclusionary and majoritarian forces must be resisted and defeated. In particular, the resources of the U.S. should not be allowed to directly or indirectly aid the anti-democratic project for Hindutva-supremacy in India. HfHR and other organizations are fully justified in asking for scrutiny to ensure that aid from U.S. tax payers, whether for Covid-related assistance in India or for any other purpose, to U.S.-based community organizations, do not end up supporting supremacist causes in either country. The parallel battles in the U.S. and in India to preserve democratic rights are very closely interconnected. Everyone in the U.S., including Hindu Americans, must have the fullest freedom to support efforts for equal rights and democracy everywhere, and especially in India, the country where Hindu traditions emerged. We applaud the steps taken by the Biden administration to aid of India as the second wave of Covid is threatens to destroy the social fabric of India. Speaking out against the threat to human rights and religious freedom in India are no less important. We strongly condemn any efforts to curb or restrict HfHRs activities or to silence HfHR and its allies, and we earnestly hope that the courts will quickly rule in favor of HfHRs First Amendment right to free speech. Full List of 300+ Endorsements Please endorse this statement here: https://forms.gle/DEZwDKzas8DnV2Th9 ATLANTA (AP) With rank-and-file Republicans in arms over fears that their public school students are being indoctrinated that the United States is inherently racist, Gov. Brian Kemp signaled Thursday that he shared their concerns. Georgia's Republican governor wrote a letter to the state Board of Education, whose members he appoints, urging them to take immediate steps to ensure that Critical Race Theory and its dangerous ideology do not take root in our state standards or curriculum. There is little evidence, however, that the state is sanctioning such teaching for any of Georgia's 1.7 million public school students. Richard Woods, Georgia's elected Republican state superintendent, said as much in a May 11 Facebook post for his campaign. The second Veterans Affair bill passed is to help clean up the VA and its issues with IT and communication. Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} Moore also addressed immigration issues plaguing the border right now. He spoke about the process where he believes the cartel is charging people $10,000 to $20,000 to be taken across the border, or by smuggling in drugs. One thing I want to do legislatively is work on that, Moore said. We need to put some type of wire fee for money leaving America to Mexico right now. We can start recovering the revenue streams that are flowing south. Moore alleged its projected there will be around two million people to cross the border by the end of the year. The immigration process should be fair and equitable, Moore said. We shouldnt let these people on our southern border get ahead of those people who have been doing it right the whole time. Moore said he also worries about the multi-trillion dollar COVID relief act and how the money is being spent. Henry County Probate Judge David Money said Henry County will be receiving $3.34 million, but he said the act is hard to understand. Money is concerned that local elected officials may not know how to correctly spend the money and end up facing consequences for it. Minority farmers who for decades have faced systemic discrimination will begin to receive debt relief beginning in early June under what Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack called Friday one of the most significant pieces of civil rights legislation in decades. In an op-ed piece published Friday in USA Today, Vilsack also called the debt relief a major civil rights victory," saying it responds to systemic discrimination perpetrated against farmers and ranchers of color by the Agriculture Department. It is a historic move that will symbolize that USDA actually cares and that the Biden administration is doing whatever they can to mend fences and show the minority farmers that they do care about them during his administration, said Abraham Carpenter, a 59-year-old Black farmer whose family grows fruits and vegetables on about 1,500 acres near Grady, Arkansas. Carpenter expects the debt relief will pay off about $200,000 in farm loans, freeing up money that can now be put toward farm operations like buying seed and equipment instead of making loan payments. Associated Press Georgia Daybook for Friday, May. 21. The daybook is for planning purposes only and is not intended for publication or broadcast. You should verify any event you plan to cover. Please keep the AP in mind when news develops. The Georgia bureau is reachable at 404-522-8971. Send daybook items to apatlanta@ap.org or georgia@applanner.com. To see your Daybooks and events for Georgia and other States up to 12 months ahead, speak to your bureau or sales rep about access to AP Planner, or visit http://applanner.com. -------------------- The Gaza Health Ministry says at least 243 Palestinians were killed, including 66 children, with 1,910 people wounded. It does not differentiate between fighters and civilians. Twelve people were killed in Israel, all but one of them civilians, including a 5-year-old boy and 16-year-old girl. Celebrations erupted in Gaza, the occupied West Bank and east Jerusalem at 2 a.m. when the cease-fire took hold. In Gaza City, thousands took to the streets, and young men waved Palestinian and Hamas flags, passed out sweets, honked horns and set off fireworks. At noon prayers at Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, hundreds held similar celebrations, waving flags and cheering Hamas. It was unclear what sparked the ensuing violence, in which police fired stun grenades and tear gas, and Palestinians threw rocks. Israeli police said they arrested 16 people. Similar clashes broke out in parts of the West Bank. Gazans had a day of recovery after 11 days of Israeli bombardment. Shoppers stocked up on fresh fruit and vegetables at a Gaza City open-air market that reopened after being closed during the fighting. Workers swept up rubble. A medical staff take samples of a worker at Quang Chau Industrial Park in the northern province of Bac Giang. Photo by VnExpress/Giang Huy. Authorities are scrambling to contain Covid-19 outbreaks in industrial parks to ensure the operations of manufacturing giants like Samsung, Canon and Foxconn are not affected. In Bac Giang, 60 kilometers northeast of Hanoi, authorities have shut down four out of six industrial parks after the province recorded hundreds of cases in two big clusters: the factories of South Korean auto parts stamping tool maker Shin Young and Japanese electronics manufacturer Hosiden Vietnam, which employs 6,000 people. The industrial parks that have been shutdown also house production facilities of Taiwanese giant Foxconn, an Apple supplier. Bac Giang Chairman Le Anh Duong said shutting down the parks was a difficult decision but necessary to increase safety in the province and beyond. Since these parks host many global manufacturers with 240,000 employees from 57 cities and provinces, Bac Giang only made the decision to shut them down after the province registered 411 Covid-19 cases, including 326 in industrial parks. The decision aimed to limit the spread the virus as workers return to their respective hometowns. 140,000 workers have tested for the novel coronavirus. Provincial authorities plan to test a total of 300,000 samples. "The best weapon to fight the pandemic now is faster and wider testing," said Bac Giang Party Secretary Duong Van Thai. The province has prepared 900 beds in five hospitals, bracing itself for more cases. The figure can go up to 1,600 beds if needed. In the neighboring province of Bac Ninh, Covid-19 case have been detected in three industrial parks Thuan Thanh 2, Que Vo and Yen Phong. Among the infected are workers of Samsung Electronics and Canon. Authorities have conducted random tests among 28,000 workers of Goertek Vina, an assembler for Apple, which is located in Que Vo. Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade, Dang Hoang An, has said that preventing Covid-19 contagion in industrial parks, factories, malls and markets have to be accorded top priority. Vietnam has nearly 400 industrial parks and 50 economic zones that employ nearly 4 million people. "These crowded facilities still need to operate to ensure the economy is not disrupted. Therefore the situation will become dire if we fail to prevent Covid-19 spreading in these facilities," he said. Ho Chi Minh City, a port city and manufacturing hub, has been conducting random tests on 16,800 workers at export processing zones and industrial parks, and plans to test 20 percent of the 280,000 workers there. Tests have been done on workers of Taiwanese footwear producer Pouyuen, the citys biggest employer, Furukawa Automotive Parts, and another automobile parts manufacturer Nidec Tosok. The city has issued the highest risk warning of Covid-19 contagion in manufacturing zones and industrial parks. It has 17 such facilities with 1,500 companies. The northern localities of Hai Phong, Hung Yen and Vinh Phuc and the central localities of Da Nang and Phu Yen have all called for strict imposition of safety measures at industrial parks and factories. Some major companies have also initiated strict measures to ensure safe operations during the ongoing outbreak. Starting May 10, Vietnam Electricity (EVN) has confined some of its employees within its premises to avoid contact with outsiders. The Binh Son Refining and Petrochemical Jsc (BSR) got 138 employees tested before sending them to the Dung Quat Oil Refinery in Quang Ngai Province. It has also set up facilities for 200 staff to stay near the refinery in case of emergencies, with enough food stored for 30 days. The spurt in community transmissions under the new wave that struck April 27 is led currently by the northern province of Bac Giang (683 cases), followed by neighboring Bac Ninh (378). In both provinces, most of the cases have been detected in factories. Six people involved in a hitchhiking incident to South Korea in 2018 stand before the Hanoi People's Court, May 20, 2021. Photo by VnExpress/Danh Lam. Six people were sentenced to jail Thursday for a 2018 incident where several Vietnamese illegally hitchhiked onto a private jet to South Korea with a former National Assembly chairwoman. Le Thi Lieu, 35, was sentenced to five years in jail; Trinh Bang Dung, 53, was sentenced to three years in jail; Tran Phuc Hung, 33, and Tran Thi Tuyet were each sentenced to two years in jail for "organizing illegal immigration." Ngo Xuan Hieu, 52, was sentenced to 20 months in jail, and Nguyen Thi Luong, 37, to 18 months for "brokering illegal immigration." Tran Phuc Hung, 33, was sentenced to 16 months and 11 days in jail, but due to his detainment period already equal to his sentence, he was set free after the trial. Le Thi Xuan, 43, got a suspended sentence. Lieu, former director of a Hanoi-based company and determined to be the mastermind behind the incident, said she made contact with another Vietnamese living in Germany through social media in 2018, learning that several people wanted to travel to South Korea for work and that the man offered to get them visas for $10,000 each, according to Hanoi People's Court. Lieu then contacted the man's uncle, Dung, to find customers for the service. Hieu, Xuan, Luong and Hung also took part in the process of finding prospective clients. They said they offered a service for $11,500 each so they could profit off the discrepancies. In August 2018, the National Assembly's foreign affairs committee requested the Ministry of Planning and Investment organize a group of businesspeople to accompany then-National Assembly chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan to China and South Korea from Dec. 4 to 7 the same year. The invitation was applicable for businesspeople dealing with investment and commerce. Requirements to join the group included visas, personal documents, business registration licenses and employment contracts, among others. In September, Lieu used her connections to acquire several companies and put the names of her customers into their ranks. She also instructed customers to masquerade as businesspeople, then told them to fake reasons and separate from the group once in South Korea. On Dec. 4, Lieu and four of her customers flew to South Korea with the National Assembly entourage. Two of them were busted by South Korean authorities at the end of 2019 and were deported, while one has managed to remain till now. Using the same scheme, Hung and Tuyet also managed to sneak two people onto the flight. One of the people who successfully entered South Korea has yet to return to Vietnam. Lieu was said to have illegally received over VND700 million ($30,429) throughout the ordeal, Hung was said to receive VND91 million, Tuyet over VND48 million, Dung VND210 million and Hieu VND31 million. The United States announced visa restrictions against an official of the Peoples Republic of China for involvement in gross violations of human rights, in particular, the arbitrary detention of Falun Gong practitioners due to their spiritual beliefs. Yu Hui, former Office Director of the so-called Central Leading Group on Preventing and Dealing with Heretical Religions of Chengdu, Sichuan Province, was barred from entry into the United States, along with his immediate family members. The announcement was made May 12, just as the State Department published its annual report on religious freedom around the world. In its section on the PRC, the State Department noted that authorities reportedly arrested more than 7,000 Falun Gong members over the past year, and many were subjected to severe abuse. Falun Gong practitioners are not the only victims of religious persecution by Beijing, as Daniel Nadel, the State Departments senior official for the Office of International Religious Freedom, explained at the reports release. We also cannot look away from the ongoing crimes against humanity and genocide the Chinese government is perpetrating against Muslim Uyghurs and members of other ethnic and religious minority groups in Xinjiang. This can be seen as the culmination of decades of repression of religious adherents, from Tibetan Buddhists to Christians, to Falun Gong practitioners. Mr. Nadel noted that the PRC government stopped denying outright its targeting of the Uyghur population in Xinjiang. Instead, the PRC shifted to the false defense that its horrific treatment of the population, including turning the entire region into what Mr. Nadel described as an open-air prison, is necessary for security reasons. Of course, the world isnt buying it. We see quite clearly what it is. What it is is an attempt to erase a people, a history, a culture from the Earth, and thats unacceptable. Over the past year, the United States responded to the abuse of the Chinese peoples fundamental human rights, including their right to religious freedom, through a variety of means. The United States, Senior State Department Official Nadel said, is committed to using all available tools, both positive and punitive, to advance this universal right. For the many people and communities around the world whose stories fill this report, our message today is clear: We see you, we hear you, and we will not rest until you are free to live your lives in dignity and in peace. Elko City Manager Curtis Calder, however, urged commissioners to renew the franchise, citing factors such as the city owning Elko Regional Airport and counting on revenue from leases, fees, and fuel to ease the amount the city must subsidize to keep the airport operating. He said REACH has been at the airport many years, employs 20-25 people and is considered one of our major tenants. If REACH goes, there will be a loss of jobs as well as the lease, he said. Based on their solid performance to date, I cant see why the county wouldnt renew the contract, Calder said. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} He also said REACH is looking at investing $1 million in a new facility at the airport, and a two-year lease may not provide time for capitalization to start the project. Liebman said in a phone interview before the Wednesday meeting that the company is prepared to invest $1 million for a super base at the airport for fixed wing aircraft and helicopters, including building a hangar and crew quarters, but probably would not do so without a franchise. Bernice Jensen of REACH stressed the importance of the air ambulance service when people are in remote areas. ELKO -- In response to Elko High School being closed due to an increase in COVID-19 cases, the FEMA Mobile Vaccine Units are hosting a vaccine clinic this afternoon for all community members 12 and older. Vaccines will be available from 2-6 p.m. at the school, 14550 Lamoille Highway. No appointments are required and both the Pfizer and Janssen (Johnson and Johnson) vaccines will be available. A second dose location will be provided for those who receive the Pfizer vaccine. The federal government is providing the COVID-19 vaccine for free to everyone living in the United States, regardless of immigration or health insurance status. Masks must be worn at all times. Elko Countys number of active cases of COVID-19 topped 100 yesterday for the first time since the end of February, prompting the closure of Elko High School today. Widespread vaccination will end this pandemic, the way it ended smallpox, polio and measles, said the announcement. Immunization with a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine is a critical component of the state and countrys strategy to reduce COVID-19-related illnesses, hospitalizations and deaths. Seguin, Texas (78155) Today Some clouds this morning will give way to generally sunny skies for the afternoon. Hot and humid. High 93F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Clear to partly cloudy. Low 74F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph. The bill is being fast-tracked through the few remaining days left in the legislative process it was introduced on Monday, and quickly passed out of committee after its first hearing on Wednesday. The speed of the process irked Republican senators, who voted against the bill and said school districts should have to go back to the voters before extending bonds based on potentially decades-old votes. Math in my head is about $15 to $20 billion of spending potential here, we literally just heard the bill, the bill was just dropped, Sen. Ira Hansen (R-Sparks) said. With that kind of volume of dollars, Im exceptionally uncomfortable with supporting a measure like that, and absolutely something of that magnitude, that is all going to be paid for in property taxes by somebody. Because voters approved school districts bonds at different times, school districts are not on the same schedule, Cannizzaro said. She noted that the Clark County School District is coming to the end of its 2015 bond extension and already has a list of projects ready to go, while adding that rollover bonds must be reviewed by the oversight panels for school facilities, which were set up by the Legislature in 1997. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} RENO (AP) One of the leaders of Nevadas fight to halt the spread of COVID-19 said Thursday the states goal of vaccinating 75% of the eligible population may not be realistic but that progress toward that goal is continuing to pay dividends with the average number of new cases being reported statewide dropping to its lowest level since June 2020. The states positivity also rate fell to 4.8% on Wednesday. Thats higher than an all-time low of 4.2% reached March 28, but down from 5.7% April 21 and far below the peak high of 21.3% in mid-January. The improvement comes despite the fact that the 14-day average for the number of people getting vaccinated has fallen to its lowest level since the end of January. The rolling average of 10,915 reported on Wednesday is less than half the peak of about 25,000 reached in mid-April. Of all Nevadans age 12 and older, 46% have had their first shot and 37% are now fully vaccinated, officials said Thursday. Kyra Morgan, the state biostatistician, commented Thursday on the possibility Nevada will never reach the 75% goal believed to be necessary to reach herd immunity to ultimately stop the spread of the virus. G20 health summit looks to boost vaccine access Leaders of the world's largest economies kicked off a global health summit on Friday, where drugmakers were expected to promise cut-price supplies of vaccines for poorer nations to help end the Covid-19 pandemic. The Group of 20 nations looked set to call for voluntary licensing and technology transfers to enable a rapid increase in vaccine production, but will sidestep a push from the United States and other nations to waive valuable patents for shots. The European Union will also promise to set up vaccination manufacturing hubs in Africa, which faces a dearth of doses. The one-day virtual event, hosted by G20 president Italy and the European Commission, is billed as the first major summit to focus on ways to overcome the health crisis, which has killed millions, and prevent future such disasters. "As we prepare for the next pandemic, our priority must be to ensure that we all overcome the current one together. We must vaccinate the world, and do it fast," Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi said in an opening speech. While inoculation campaigns are in full swing in many developed nations, helping trigger a dramatic fall in new cases, very few shots have reached less developed countries, where the virus is still raging, sometimes out of control. An array of leaders, including the presidents of China, India, France and South Africa, are due to address the meeting along with the heads of multinational organisations, the US philanthropist Bill Gates and numerous health experts. However, US President Joe Biden is not listed among the speakers, organisers said. The Biden administration earlier in May backed calls from many developing countries for a waiver of patents for Covid-19 vaccines, in the hope that would boost production and allow for a more equitable distribution of shots across the globe. Looking to broaden supply chains, Europe will announce during the meeting that it will set up at least three manufacturing hubs in Africa this year to boost long-term production of vaccines, one EU official told Reuters. The official said drugmakers including Pfizer and BioNTech would announce large supplies of at-cost Covid-19 vaccines to poor nations to try to redress a global imbalance. Recent figures from Texas show that there has been a worrying drop-off in vaccine uptake, leading local health officials to look for more creative ways to encourage residents to get a covid-19 vaccination. At the start of the year the NRG Park vaccine clinic was administering up to 6,000 doses a day, but by the end of April the daily total had dipped below 3,000. This trend is born out in state-wide figures with only 33% of Texans now fully vaccinated, compared to the national average of 37%. In January, we couldnt get the vaccine out fast enough. We had our phones ringing off the hook, said Roberta Schwartz, executive vice president of Houston Methodist Hospital. My concern was always for this day and time where we had more vaccine than people who were anxious to get it. Texans offered incentives to receive covid-19 vaccines As is the case in many states across the country, Texas residents can pick up some freebies after receiving a covid-19 vaccine with incentives from a wide range of businesses. If you need a refreshing beverage to take the edge off after receiving your vaccination, you can get a free drink from Budweiser and Sam Adams just for showing your vaccine card. If youre feeling a bit hungry after the vaccine you can also pick up some great freebies from a number of leading fast food chains. White Castle are offering a free dessert-on-a-stick for anyone with the vaccine, while Krispy Kreme are providing complimentary glazed doughnuts. To help those who want a vaccine to get to their appointment, ride-hailing apps Uber and Lyft are offering free or discounted rides for customers in underserved areas. For some isolated rural residents getting to a vaccine centre can be tricky, but both companies are allowing anyone with a vaccine appointment to apply for free rides. Lyft spokesperson Danielle Adams told NBC News that the company would provide a total of 60 million rides to and from vaccination sites for low-income, uninsured, and at-risk communities. Local authorities approve vaccine incentive spending Alongside these initiatives introduced by various companies, local authorities in Texas biggest county have given the greenlight to a burst of spending to encourage more people to sign up for the shot. In late April the Harris County Commissioners Court approved a total of $250,000 of public money to be spent on gift cards, events and other incentives. That money will be taken from the countys Public Improvement Contingency fund and will go towards various things. The Houston Chronicle report the Commissioners suggested vaccine-promotion concerts, gift cards to local businesses, firework shows and Jose Altuve bobblehead dolls as incentives. County Judge Lina Hidalgo said that the vaccination effort would be crucial to hopes of returning to normality in the near future, saying We desperately need these people to get vaccinated, particularly the young people. She also issued a call to residents who have an idea for an incentive that they would like to see, and the county will consider it. She said: Put your thinking caps on and reach out to pursue what ideas any of us have. Viewers around the world prepare to watch the final of Eurovision 2021 this Saturday 22 May. Since the competition began in 1956, some countries have delivered winners much more frequently than others. After a one-year hiatus, many are anxiously awaiting the final this year. The pandemic made 2020 the only year the competition was not held. Which countries have won the most? Ireland Artists and groups from Ireland have one Eurovision seven times. In 1970, Dana became the first Irish contestant to win. Other winners from Ireland include Logan James who won in 1980 and again seven years later. James is the only competitor to have won the competition twice; the two songs performed by James that won him the competition were "What's Another Year" (1980) and "Hold Me Now"(1987). The two-time winner also wrote the song that won Linda Martin the competition in 1992, Why Me. Wins 1970 -- Dana -- Dana 1980 -- Johnny Logan -- Johnny Logan 1987 -- Johny Logan -- Johny Logan 1992 -- Linda Martin -- Linda Martin 1994 -- Paul Harrington and Charlie McGettigan -- Paul Harrington and Charlie McGettigan 1996 -- Eimear Quinn Sweden The Scandinavian country of Sweden has won the competition six times. In 1974, ABBA was the first Swedish group or artist to win with their hit song Waterloo. The song later went on to become one of the highest-grossing singles in modern music history. Luxembourg Luxembourg is one of three countries that have won the competition six times. Strangely, the country has not participated since 1993. Various individuals and groups within the country have proposed returning, but a program never materialized. Which countries have competed the most times? Germany is the only country that has competed in every single Eurovision competition since its founding in 1956. However, Germany has only won the competition twice, far fewer than other countries that have competed in few competitions over the years. Sweden has competed sixty times and won six. France and the United Kingdom have competed in all but one Eurovision and both won five times. France: Barbara Pravi Voila Germany: Jendrik I Dont Feel Hate Sweden: Tusse Voices United Kingdom: James Newman Embers Which countries made it to the finals after the first semi-finals? The first semi-final held on 20 May saw performances from, Lithuania, Slovenia, Russia, Sweden, Australia, North Macedonia, Ireland, Cyprus, Norway, Croatia, Belgium, Israel, Romania, Azerbaijan, Ukraine, and Malta. The contestants from Australia, Ireland, North Macedonia, Croatia, Slovenia, and Romania were eliminated. As for night two of the semi-finals, Albania, Serbia, Bulgaria, Moldova, Portugal, Iceland, San Marino, Switzerland, Greece, and Finland landed a stop in the finals. Some of the most watched performances included Russia, Cyprus, and Serbia. Eurovision 2021: how to watch In Europe, the final will be broadcast through participating nation's national television broadcasting services with online and digital platforms carrying the broadcast. Viewers in the US can follow the event via the official YouTube channel with the aid of a VPN service. Current Chinese COVID-19 vaccines can offer protection against the mutated variants found in India, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said on Thursday. Shao Yiming, a leading physician-scientist and immunologist at the China CDC, said at Thursday's press conference that China is studying the mutated variants found in India and collecting data from the study. "Related Chinese institutions have studied the variants, and preliminary results showed current Chinese vaccines can offer protection against them," Shao said. The coronavirus is in a constant process of mutation, and existing vaccines may not offer protection for future variants, "we can produce new vaccines simply and quickly without changing the techniques," Shao said, noting that the new virus just needs to be added in production. "Chinese authorities are closely tracking the virus, and as soon as there are mutated variants that the existing vaccines can't deal with, we will have new vaccines available," Shao said. In a recent case, five Chinese travelers were confirmed to be infected with variants detected in India after returning from Vietnam. The five cases were confirmed to be positive during their quarantine, which started on April 28 in Pingxiang, South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, after returning from Yen Bai, Vietnam, the Xinhua News Agency reported on Tuesday. The World Health Organization has labeled the mutation identified in India as "a variant of global concern," which shows that it may be more transmissible, more likely to cause infections and more resistant to current vaccines. A medical worker takes out the recombinant COVID-19 vaccine (adenovirus type 5 vector) which requires only one shot from a cooler at a temporary vaccination site in Haidian District of Beijing, capital of China, May 20, 2021. (Xinhua/Ren Chao) 5 1 [ Editor: SRQ ] People view an industrial robot at the World Intelligence Congress in Tianjin, north China, May 20, 2021. The fifth World Intelligence Congress, a major artificial intelligence (AI) event in China, kicked off on Thursday, highlighting frontier AI technologies and applications. (Xinhua/Zhao Zishuo) TIANJIN, May 20 (Xinhua) -- The fifth World Intelligence Congress, a major artificial intelligence (AI) event in China, kicked off in north China's Tianjin Municipality on Thursday, highlighting frontier AI technologies and applications. The four-day event, with the theme of "New Era of Intelligence: Empowering New Development, Fostering New Pattern," has attracted the participation of over 240 AI companies and institutions. A series of activities, including forums, exhibitions and competitions featuring smart cities and transportation, smart manufacturing, and IT application and innovation, will be presented during the event. The development and application of the new generation of AI require cross-border and inter-disciplinary scientific research, which necessitates the participation and cooperation of all countries, said Wan Gang, chairman of the China Association for Science and Technology. Over the past four years, more than 10,000 scientists, entrepreneurs, educators and financiers from home and abroad have participated in the event to discuss the trends and future of smart technology. Enditem 13 1 [ Editor: SRQ ] Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi chairs the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) open debate on "Peace and Security in Africa: Addressing Root Causes of Conflict in Post-Pandemic Recovery in Africa" via video link on May 19, 2021. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu) BEIJING, May 19 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Wednesday called on all capable countries to urgently provide COVID-19 vaccines to Africa while chairing a United Nations Security Council (UNSC) open debate via video link. "The international community should give more help on anti-pandemic supplies, medicines, technology and funding, especially through ways including non-reimbursable assistance, preferential procurement, technology transfer, and cooperative production, so as to ensure the accessibility and affordability of vaccines in Africa," he said. In the face of the once-in-a-century pandemic, China and Africa are willing to jointly launch a partnership initiative to support Africa's development, Wang said. He called on the international community to beef up support for Africa in such areas as fighting the pandemic, post-pandemic reconstruction, trade and investment, debt relief, food security, poverty reduction and alleviation, coping with climate change, as well as industrialization. "China welcomes more countries and international organizations, especially Africa's traditional cooperation partners, to join this initiative, adhering to the principle of 'Africa-led, equal-footing, and openness', strengthening coordination and cooperation, committing to real multilateralism, so as to gather the strong force to support Africa's development," he said. As the president of the UNSC for May, China convened a UNSC open debate on Wednesday on "Peace and Security in Africa: Addressing Root Causes of Conflict in Post-Pandemic Recovery in Africa". Enditem [ Editor: SRQ ] An Israeli rescue team member works at a site hit by a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip, in Ashkelon, southern Israel, on May 20, 2021. Both Israel and Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip, have accepted an Egyptian-brokered deal to cease fighting at 2 a.m. Friday local time (2300 GMT Thursday) to end the 11-day bloodshed. The heaviest fighting between Israel and Gaza militants since 2014 has so far killed 232 Palestinians, including 65 children and 39 women, and 12 Israelis. (Ilan Assayag/JINI via Xinhua) JERUSALEM/GAZA, May 20 (Xinhua) -- Both Israel and Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip, have accepted an Egyptian-brokered deal to cease fighting at 2 a.m. Friday local time (2300 GMT Thursday) to end the 11-day bloodshed. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office announced that the Israeli security cabinet approved on Thursday night the Egyptian-brokered ceasefire with Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The decision came after a 2.5-hour discussion and was "unanimously" approved by the ministers, according to the office's statement. "The political echelon emphasizes that the reality on the ground will determine the continuation of the military campaign," the statement noted. Hamas politburo chief Ismail Haniyeh was informed of the timing of the truce by Egypt, Hamas spokesman in Gaza Hazem Qassem said. The Egyptian mediator informed Hamas that Israel had agreed to a mutual ceasefire, "and therefore we also agreed to the ceasefire," a Hamas source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity. "We have obtained guarantees from the mediators that the aggression on Gaza will stop," Hamas leader in Lebanon Osama Hamdan told the news website Al Resala. Taher al-Nouno, the media advisor of Haniyeh in Gaza, said the Palestinian armed resistance will be committed to the agreement as long as the Israeli side is. Israel has been launching massive raids on the Palestinian enclave with airstrikes, artillery shellings and drone attacks since May 10, in response to the rockets fired by Palestinian militants in Gaza to retaliate for Israel's violation of the sacred Islamic holy site of Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. This is the heaviest fighting between Israel and Gaza militants since 2014, which has so far killed 232 Palestinians, including 65 children and 39 women, and 12 Israelis. Egypt, which has been leading the international mediation to end the Israeli-Palestinian bloodshed, will send two security delegations to Israel and Palestine to ensure the implementation of the truce, Egypt's official MENA news agency reported Thursday. "Cairo will send two security delegations to Tel Aviv and the Palestinian territories to follow up the implementation procedures," the report said. Enditem 3 1 [ Editor: Zhang Zhou ] Working Together to Build a Global Community of Health for All 2021/05/21 Remarks by H.E. Xi Jinping President of the People's Republic of China At the Global Health Summit 21 May 2021 Your Excellency Prime Minister Mario Draghi, Your Excellency President Ursula von der Leyen, Dear Colleagues, It gives me great pleasure to attend the Global Health Summit. Last year, the G20 successfully held an Extraordinary Leaders' Summit on COVID-19 and the Riyadh Summit. Many important common understandings were reached on promoting global solidarity against the virus and boosting world economic recovery. The past year and more have seen repeated resurgence and frequent mutations of the coronavirus. The most serious pandemic in a century is still wreaking havoc. To clinch an early victory against COVID-19 and restore economic growth remains the top priority for the international community. G20 members need to shoulder responsibilities in global cooperation against the virus. In the meantime, we need to draw on experience both positive and otherwise, and lose no time in remedying deficiencies, closing loopholes and strengthening weak links in a bid to enhance preparedness and capacity for coping with major public health emergencies. Here, I want to make five points on what we need to do. First, we must put people and their lives first. The battle with COVID-19 is one for the people and by the people. What has happened proves that to completely defeat the virus, we must put people's lives and health front and center, demonstrate a great sense of political responsibility and courage, and make extraordinary responses to an extraordinary challenge. No effort must be spared to attend every case, save every patient, and truly respect the value and dignity of every human life. Meanwhile, it is also important to minimize the potential impact on people's life and maintain general order in our society. Second, we must follow science-based policies and ensure a coordinated and systemic response. Faced with this new infectious disease, we should advocate the spirit of science, adopt a science-based approach, and follow the law of science. The fight against COVID-19 is an all-out war that calls for a systemic response to coordinate pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions, balance targeted routine COVID-19 protocols and emergency measures, and ensure both epidemic control and socio-economic development. G20 members need to adopt responsible macro-economic policies and step up coordination to keep the global industrial and supply chains safe and smooth. It is essential to give continued support by such means as debt suspension and development aid to developing countries, especially vulnerable countries facing exceptional difficulties. Third, we must stick together and promote solidarity and cooperation. The pandemic is yet another reminder that we humanity rise and fall together with a shared future. Confronted by a pandemic like COVID-19, we must champion the vision of building a global community of health for all, tide over this trying time through solidarity and cooperation, and firmly reject any attempt to politicize, label or stigmatize the virus. Political manipulation would not serve COVID-19 response on the domestic front. It would only disrupt international cooperation against the virus and bring greater harm to people around the world. Fourth, we must uphold fairness and equity as we strive to close the immunization gap. A year ago, I proposed that vaccines should be made a global public good. Today, the problem of uneven vaccination has become more acute. It is imperative for us to reject vaccine nationalism and find solutions to issues concerning the production capacity and distribution of vaccines, in order to make vaccines more accessible and affordable in developing countries. Major vaccine-developing and producing countries need to take up their responsibility to provide more vaccines to developing countries in urgent need, and they also need to support their businesses in joint research and authorized production with other countries having the relevant capacity. Multilateral financial institutions should provide inclusive financing support for vaccine procurement of developing countries. The World Health Organization (WHO) should speed up efforts under the COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access (COVAX) facility. Fifth, we must address both the symptoms and root causes as we improve the governance system. The pandemic is an extensive test of the global health governance system. It is important that we strengthen and leverage the role of the UN and the WHO and improve the global disease prevention and control system to better prevent and respond to future pandemics. It is important that we uphold the spirit of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, fully heed the views of developing countries, and better reflect their legitimate concerns. It is also important that we enhance our capacity of monitoring, early-warning and emergency response, our capacity of treatment of major pandemics, of contingency reserve and logistics, of fighting disinformation, and of providing support to developing countries. Colleagues, In this unprecedented battle against the pandemic, China has, while receiving support and help from many countries, mounted a massive global humanitarian operation. At the 73rd World Health Assembly held in May last year, I announced five measures that China would take to support global anti-pandemic cooperation. Implementation of those measures is well underway. Notwithstanding the limited production capacity and enormous demand at home, China has honored its commitment by providing free vaccines to more than 80 developing countries in urgent need and exporting vaccines to 43 countries. We have provided 2 billion US dollars in assistance for the COVID-19 response and economic and social recovery in developing countries hit by the pandemic. We have sent medical supplies to more than 150 countries and 13 international organizations, providing more than 280 billion masks, 3.4 billion protective suits and 4 billion testing kits to the world. A cooperation mechanism has been established for Chinese hospitals to pair up with 41 African hospitals, and construction for the China-assisted project of the Africa CDC headquarters officially started at the end of last year. Important progress has also been made in the China-UN joint project to set up in China a global humanitarian response depot and hub. China is fully implementing the G20 Debt Service Suspension Initiative for Poorest Countries and has so far put off debt repayment exceeding 1.3 billion US dollars, the highest deferral amount among G20 members. In continued support for global solidarity against COVID-19, I wish to announce the following: - China will provide an additional 3 billion US dollars in international aid over the next three years to support COVID-19 response and economic and social recovery in other developing countries. - Having already supplied 300 million doses of vaccines to the world, China will provide still more vaccines to the best of its ability. - China supports its vaccine companies in transferring technologies to other developing countries and carrying out joint production with them. - Having announced support for waiving intellectual property rights on COVID-19 vaccines, China also supports the World Trade Organization and other international institutions in making an early decision on this matter. - China proposes setting up an international forum on vaccine cooperation for vaccine-developing and producing countries, companies and other stakeholders to explore ways of promoting fair and equitable distribution of vaccines around the world. Colleagues, The ancient Roman philosopher Seneca said, "We are all waves of the same sea." Let us join hands and stand shoulder to shoulder with each other to firmly advance international cooperation against COVID-19, build a global community of health for all, and work for a healthier and brighter future for humanity. BERLIN, May 20 (Xinhua) -- Germany's top three candidates vying to succeed Angela Merkel as chancellor in the September federal elections held their first televised debate hosted by the public broadcaster WDR on Thursday. Annalena Baerbock, the candidate of the Green Party, which is currently leading in the polls with around 26 percent ahead of the governing Christian Democratic Union/Christian Social Union (CDU/CSU), emphasized environmental issues and recalled that a recent ruling by Germany's Constitutional Court was necessary for the country to take immediate climate action. Baerbock described the NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) target, which requires allies to spend at least two percent of their gross domestic product (GDP) on defense each year, as "absurd" and called for the withdrawal of all nuclear weapons stationed in Germany. The CDU/CSU's candidate, Armin Laschet, whose recent nomination has led to a significant drop in the polls to around 24 percent, defended the record of the previous governments and said it was "silly" to believe that a single court order was responsible for Germany's climate action. Laschet criticized the "opportunistic" approach of certain European countries to their relationship with the European Union (EU). "When things go wrong, the EU is always to blame, but when things go well, member states claim success for themselves," he said. Olaf Scholz, finance minister and chancellor candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SPD), which is currently a good ten percentage points behind the leading Green Party, called for solidarity within the EU. "Everyone must do their part," he said. Discussing the EU's decision-making processes, Scholz suggested that it should be made possible to "abolish the principle of unanimity for certain areas." He was committed to NATO's military spending target but dampened hopes that it could be achieved quickly. Enditem [ Editor: Zhang Zhou ] TEHRAN, May 20 (Xinhua) -- Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said on Thursday that the "main agreement" to revive the 2015 nuclear deal has already been reached in the Vienna talks, and Iran's counterparts have agreed on the need to lift "all main sanctions." "The other parties ... agree that they will lift all major sanctions, including sanctions on oil, petrochemicals, shipping, insurance, and the banking sector," Rouhani said as quoted by official news agency IRNA. Iran's president said that his administration has "done the job," and only some remaining "details" are being discussed to reach a "final agreement" in the talks between Iran and the P4+1 (Britain, France, Russia and China plus Germany). On Wednesday, the fourth round of negotiations of the Joint Commission of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) ended in Vienna, and the participants agreed to reconvene next week. The U.S. administration under former President Donald Trump withdrew from the JCPOA in May 2018 and unilaterally re-imposed sanctions on Iran. In response to the U.S. moves, Iran gradually stopped implementing parts of its JCPOA commitments from May 2019. However, the incumbent U.S. President Joe Biden has vowed to return to the deal and ease sanctions against Iran. The JCPOA Joint Commission began to meet in offline format on April 6 in Vienna to continue previous discussions in view of a possible return of the United States to the JCPOA and on how to ensure the full and effective implementation of the JCPOA. Enditem [ Editor: Zhang Zhou ] XI'AN, May 20 (Xinhua) -- A giant panda was released into the wild on Thursday in the Foping National Nature Reserve in northwest China's Shaanxi Province, after being rescued last year. On Dec. 7, 2020, protection station staff of the nature reserve found an injured wild giant panda while patrolling the area. A wound on the female panda's shoulder blade was found to have festered. The staff members carried the panda back to the station for treatment. It was later named "Tangtang" after the surname of the veterinarian at the station. On Jan. 19 this year, Tangtang was transferred to the Qinling Giant Panda Research Center for further treatment. The panda was released into the wild after wildlife experts conducted a thorough physical examination and evaluated her survival ability in the wild, according to the reserve administration. Tangtang was fitted with a satellite collar before release through which its living condition in the wild can be monitored. Ding Haihua, director of the reserve's administration bureau, said that the staff members had rescued Tangtang after overcoming many challenges such as complex environments and poor medical conditions, which is rare in the history of giant panda rescue in China and provides valuable experience for the protection and rescue of wild giant pandas. Enditem [ Editor: Zhang Zhou ] The downing of a Ukrainian aircraft of Ukraine International Airlines (UIA) by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in January 2020 in Iran was a deliberate act of terrorism, the Ontario Superior Court has ruled, according to the Global News. "The plaintiffs have established that the shooting down of Flight 752 by the defendants was an act of terrorism and constitutes 'terrorist activity'," the Global News said, citing judge Edward Belobaba. The judge found "on a balance of probabilities that the missile attacks on Flight 752 were intentional." In the ruling, the Ontario court judge relied on two experts, one of whom concluded that the Revolutionary Guards "knew Flight PS 752 was a civilian airplane and purposefully shot it down with the intent to destroy it." The judge issued the default judgment against Iran in a civil suit brought by four families of those killed aboard the Ukraine International Airlines flight on January 8, 2020. It is also noted that Iran was served with the court papers through Global Affairs Canada, but did not defend itself in the proceedings. The case names Iran, the Revolutionary Guards, the Iranian Armed Forces and Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, among others, as defendants. The decision effectively allows the families in Canada to seek damages from Iran. While the State Immunity Act would normally shield Iran from Canada's courts, under the Justice for Victims of Terrorism Act, that immunity does not apply for acts of terrorism. As reported, the UIA Boeing 737-800 passenger plane, which was supposed to operate flight PS 752 on the Tehran-Kyiv route, was shot down near the Imam Khomeini International Airport in Tehran immediately after takeoff early in the morning on January 8, 2020. There were 167 passengers and nine crew members onboard. They all died. Among the dead there were 11 citizens of Ukraine (including nine crew members), 82 citizens of Iran, 63 citizens of Canada, 10 citizens of Sweden, four citizens of Afghanistan, three citizens of Germany and three citizens of Great Britain. Iranian authorities on January 11 admitted that Boeing was shot down by the Iranian military mistakenly. Later, commander of Aerospace Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Amir Ali Hajizadeh said that he was taking full responsibility for the crash of the Ukrainian plane. At the end of July, negotiations were held in Kyiv with the Iranian side to pay compensation for the downed UIA plane. On October 20, Ukraine and Iran completed the second round of talks on the downed UIA plane near Tehran. On January 5, 2021, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said that Ukraine had received from Iran a draft technical report on the circumstances of the UIA Boeing 737 crash, which occurred near Tehran on January 8, 2020. In February, the media released an audio recording of a man identified by sources as Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif discussing the possibility that the downing of Flight PS 752 was a deliberate act. Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Yevhen Enin said that the pretrial investigation bodies and the Prosecutor's Office of Ukraine were examining the audio recording. The Verkhovna Rada calls on the U.S. Congress to impose sanctions against all participants in the construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline. Some 292 MPs voted for the corresponding appeal to the U.S. Congress (draft resolution No. 5520) at a plenary session on Friday. "The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine calls on the House of Representatives and the Senate of the 117th United States Congress to use all the available tools stipulated by American legislation to completely and irreversibly stop the construction of a gas pipeline within the framework of the Nord Stream 2 project by applying blocking sanctions against all participants in this Russian geopolitical project, including Nord Stream AG," the appeal says. MPs expressed concern that the additional sanctions proposed by the U.S. Department of State in a report to Congress on May 19 do not include measures against the key company of the Nord Stream 2 construction, Nord Stream AG. The appeal notes that the Nord Stream 2 geopolitical project is another attempt by the Russian Federation to use energy as an instrument of a hybrid war and directly threatens the energy security of both Ukraine and Europe. MPs recalled that Ukrainian and international courts are considering several cases on the involvement of officials of the Russian Federation in organizing terrorist acts, committing crimes against humanity and war crimes on the territory of Ukraine. In particular, it is about the facts of the illegal seizure of oil and gas production enterprises in the Ukrainian territories occupied by Russia, as well as the supply of gas to illegal armed groups and terrorist organizations. According to MPs, the concentration of Russian pipelines in the Baltic Sea may give Russia a reason to actively protect Nord Stream 2, starting with formal procedures for controlling the movement of ships in the Baltic Sea, and then, as in the case of Ukraine, and more aggressive behavior blocking ships and influencing trade in the region. MPs are convinced that the only long-term mechanism for ensuring that Russia does not use Nord Stream 2 as an energy weapon is to completely block the possibility of its completion and commissioning. "The implementation of Nord Stream 2 will finally embolden the Russian Federation and allow the continuation of the Russian military invasion of Eastern Ukraine," the appeal said. As part of the celebration of the 30th anniversary of Ukraine's independence in August this year, the original version of the Constitution of Pylyp Orlyk will be brought to our country from Sweden, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has said. "I promised a surprise and now it is no longer a secret: for the first time in 311 years, the original version of the Constitution of Pylyp Orlyk will be brought to the Ukrainian state. We are returning Ukraine to Ukraine. The presence of the original Constitution in an independent state is another step in restoring our historical continuity from the times of Kyivan Rus, Cossack glory, and the Ukrainian People's Republic to this day," Kuleba wrote on Facebook on Friday. He noted that, on behalf of President Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukrainian diplomats asked Sweden to provide the original Latin version of the Constitution of Pylyp Orlyk (1710) for its temporary display in Ukraine as part of the celebration of the 30th anniversary of independence. "These were very difficult negotiations, we were offered a copy, but we wanted the original only, which had never been in Ukraine. And therefore, I am especially grateful to Sweden for showing real solidarity with Ukraine and mutual readiness to further develop millennial ties between our peoples," the Foreign Minister said. He also thanked the head of the Swedish National Archives Riksarkivet for "the opportunity to present this extremely important for the history of the Ukrainian state relic to Ukrainians and numerous foreign guests." In addition, he also expressed gratitude to the Swedish Foreign Minister and a number of Ukrainian diplomats and officials. "By the way, Orlyk Constitution will not be the only Swedish exhibit Linkoping City Library has agreed to provide a hetman mace for temporary display in Ukraine, which, according to a legend, belonged to hetman Pylyp Orlyk after hetman Ivan Mazepa," Kuleba said. The presidents of Ukraine and Russia Volodymyr Zelensky and Vladimir Putin will meet when Kyiv is convinced that the conversation between the two Presidents will concern Donbas and Crimea, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has said. "The meeting will take place when we, Kyiv, are convinced that at this meeting we will be able to substantively discuss the issues that are the key for us," Kuleba said in an interview with Radio NV. He said that the Ukrainian president will not meet with Putin "in order not to talk about Donbas and Crimea." "Basically, this meeting is being arranged very hard. However, we confirm that we are ready for a conversation, and the main topic of conversation is, of course, the end of the war and peace in Ukraine. There should be no external suspicions about this conversation, because we must talk with Putin, we understand that decisions are made in Russia by Vladimir Putin, and no one else. But I am absolutely sure that if this meeting takes place, then the President of Ukraine will very toughly and fundamentally protect Ukrainian interests," the Foreign Minister said. MP of Ukraine of the Opposition Platform - For Life faction Viktor Medvedchuk says that he did not pass on secret information about the location of units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine to the Russian special services, as the prosecution claims, and generally does not have access to state secrets. On Friday, journalists in Kyiv in front of the entrance to Kyiv Court of Appeal, where an appeal against a measure of restraint in the form of house arrest will be considered, asked Medvedchuk whether he passed on classified information, he said "I have never owned classified information all these years. I had access to classified materials of all forms of secrecy until 2004, when I worked as the head of the administration [of the President of Ukraine]. After that, for 15 years, I have never had access to classified data." When asked if he had any informal contact with militants in Donbas in 2014, Medvedchuk said: "I negotiated in accordance with the powers that were given to me regarding a peaceful settlement." According to him, he also negotiated economic issues, including electricity. "I was negotiating on the principal supplies of electricity to Ukraine, and such an agreement was signed and concluded by the authorities. I never took part in the negotiations on the conclusion of the contract and the signing of the contract itself," he said. Medvedchuk also said that he did not transfer any guarantees to the leaders of the "LPR" and "DPR" from Ukraine, since he had no authority to do so. "I took part in the negotiations in order to reach agreements, the main strategic goal of which is a peaceful settlement in Donbas," he said. Speaking about his meetings with fifth President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko, Medvedchuk noted: "I met with Mr. Poroshenko in 2014, 2015 and subsequent years, until 2018, until we disagreed on the exchange of detainees." In the context of the upcoming consideration of appeals against house arrest and his expectations from the trial, Medvedchuk said: "I know that there is nothing new, the evidence that was the subject of suspicion, the subject of justification of the preventive measure remained the same, inadmissible. They do not speak of objectivity and fairness in the process of preparing a suspicion." He said that he considers the suspicions reported to him to be illegal and subject to cancellation, as well as the measure of restraint in the form of house arrest chosen by the court of first instance. The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) to challenge the decision of the Prosecutor of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) to close the Rotterdam + case again. "The decision of new senior of prosecutors' team Denys Demkiv to close the so-called Rotterdam + case on May 20, 2021 raises doubts about its objectivity. [...] NABU to challenge the decision to close the criminal proceeding against the SAPO acting head," NABU said on its Facebook page on Friday. According to the statement, the decision to close the criminal proceeding was made outside office hours, without consulting the detectives or properly reviewing its materials. "The fate of the Rotterdam + case must be decided by the court. This is the only way to investigate the completeness and persuasiveness of the evidence collected by NABU detectives and provide them with a fair assessment," the bureau said. Zelensky to take part in Ukraine 30. Land All-Ukrainian Forum on May 24 President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky will take part in the Ukraine 30. Land All-Ukrainian Forum, the forum's press service said. "Participation in the Ukraine 30. Land Forum will be taken by the President of Ukraine, representatives of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, the Verkhovna Rada. Foreign experts, representatives of diplomatic missions will share their experience of how other countries have managed to implement a free land market, and how it contributed to development," the forum said on Facebook. The Ukraine 30. Land Forum will be held on May 24 to May 26. Mayor of Kyiv Vitali Klitschko has declared that pressure on the Kyiv's authorities continues: on Thursday evening, law enforcement officers again came to search the communal enterprise Kyivteploenergo. "Yes. Checks and searches continue. For example, yesterday in the evening the prosecutor's office and the tax police came to communal enterprise Kyivteploenergo, after looking for something in the Department of Housing and Utilities Infrastructure of the Kyiv City State Administration (KSCA) in the morning. Structural units provide all documents, even those that do not concern the proceedings that law enforcement officers come with. I emphasize again that such massive sudden raids and staged actions are manipulations to discredit the city authorities. An attempt to destabilize the situation in Kyiv," Klitschko said at an online briefing on Friday. The mayor said that he again appealed to law enforcement agencies with a requirement to provide a detailed report on the status of cases, in which the Kyiv City State Administration passed documents based on the results of audits. "Let me remind you that since 2015 the Department of Internal Financial Control and Audit of the Kyiv City State Administration has performed 385 inspections. Only now they get time to tarnish Klitschko and Kyiv's authorities?" Klitschko said. MP of Ukraine from the Opposition Platform - For Life faction Viktor Medvedchuk reiterates the political underpinnings of the suspicions put forward against him, and asks Kyiv's Court of Appeal to overturn the measure of restraint in the form of round-the-clock house arrest applied by Pechersky District Court. "I fully support the complaints of attorneys [...] I am opposed to sustaining the complaint of the prosecutor's office," Medvedchuk said, speaking at the Court of Appeal. He again said that he considers the criminal prosecution politically motivated, since the party he represents opposes the political course of the current government. "Over the past years, our party has been advocating a peaceful settlement in Donbas. We have consistently advocated not only a peaceful settlement, but also in defense of the Russian language [...] in defense of the Russian-speaking population, for the renewal of relations with Russia, since this is the prerogative and basis for further economic and social development of our state," Medvedchuk said. At the same time, he told the court: "I completely reject accusations of so-called pro-Russianness, since our party received millions of votes in the elections [...] This gives us the right, as the second party in parliament today, to defend interests [...] no accusations of pro-Russianness or other useless labels, who are trying to hang other political forces, including national radicals, cannot be perceived as illegal and interfering with the current course of power." In his opinion, "the point of view or mentality inherent only to a part of the population cannot be imposed." Kyiv's Court of Appeal upheld the round-the-clock house arrest of the Ukrainian MP from the Opposition Platform - For Life faction Viktor Medvedchuk. The court made relevant ruling on Friday, having considered appeals against imposing measure of restraint in the form of round-the-clock house arrest on Medvedchuk by Pechersky District Court of Kyiv. "The decision of the investigating judge of Pechersky District Court dated May 13 [...] who chose a preventive measure in the form of round-the-clock house arrest [...] to leave unchanged. The appeals of the defenders [...] and the prosecutor's appeal [...] to be dismissed," the court said in the ruling. The court also refused to sustain the statement of the MPs to bail Medvedchuk. The Court of Appeal read out only the operative part of the ruling, the full text will be announced on May 26. The ruling of the Court of Appeal is not subject to appeal. The press conference entitled "Political parties' ratings, socio-political sentiments, COVID-19 vaccination" previously scheduled for Monday, May 24, at 11.00, has been cancelled. KYIV. May 21 (Interfax-Ukraine) President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has concentrated in his hands the political power in the country, while starting to try on the role of the monarch, expert of Hardarika Strategic Consulting Corporation Kostiantyn Matviyenko said. "Obviously, Zelensky was able to become the center of power. Moreover, he starts to behave like a monarch. Even at yesterday's press conference following the results of two years of his presidency, he allowed himself to say that the head of Kyiv administration is his vertical of power. Let us remember his words, that in order to search for the killers of journalist Sheremet, he is ready to break the law or the words that he deliberately interferes in the activities of Naftogaz, the National Bank of Ukraine. In conditions when this is contrary to the Constitution," MatviYenko said during a press conference titled "Ukrainian politics in May: Is it far from escalation climax?" hosted by Interfax-Ukraine. According to the expert, the presence of such a center of power in Ukraine during the crisis could be positive, but it is not used in the interests of society. "We saw at yesterday's press conference that extremely little attention was paid to the issues of poverty, rising unemployment and other social threats, including the pandemic. But this is also a problem of journalists, the problem of the isolation of power and media from society," he said. Director of the Ukrainian Barometer sociological service Viktor Nebozhenko said "Zelensky's press conference was not a serious account of two years of his presidency." "He did not touch upon the important things over these two years, did not say what he would do next. He talked a lot about himself and spoke little about the problems of Ukraine," Nebozhenko said. "The impression was that the president is trying to blow up the political situation in Ukraine, saying that he alone will cope with everything, while not knowing how to do it. His speech was not about the important: the prime minister, the Verkhovna Rada, voters, but about personal political will, where he says that he declares war on everyone oligarchs, politicians," he said. "Taking into account the recent events, the arrest of [Viktor] Medvedchuk, the dismissal of three ministers, the situation with [Vitali] Klitschko, it seems that we are heading for a very strong political acceleration. Something like a guard's valve in a lonely carriage that goes on rusty rails. One gets the impression that this guard's valve was torn off by our president," Nebozhenko said. According to Head of the Ukrainian Politics Foundation, historian, political analyst Kost Bondarenko, "Zelensky can bring surprises." "I would not be surprised if this year the President of Ukraine follows a rather unusual path, and surprises can be expected from him, and soon he may come up with the idea of holding an early presidential election, as long as he has a high rating, there are no serious opponents. Accordingly, he can win them and then come for seven and a half years, not five," Bondarenko said. Director of the Institute of Global Strategies Vadym Karasiov said "Zelensky wants to become the center of the Ukrainian political universe, which is much broader than the status of the president." "He, as a person who did not come from politics, believes that it is possible to solve many important public and geopolitical tasks in turbo mode. He took it and did it, what is the problem? Dictating the rules himself. The people also do not want to wait, they want changes, justice, that de-oligarchization. Zelensky is doing it in spite of everything and in spite of it. Hence the feeling that he is waging a war with everyone on several fronts," Karasiov said. "The war against Akhmetov, Avakov or the same Klitschko. And here the question is whether some kind of resistance front will be formed. And whether the same Klitschko will become the 'frontman' of this resistance. And how much, in general, is the old ruling class who is trying to dismantle Zelensky, will continue to simply observe," the political scientist said. In its May analysis on the economic outlook of ASEAN economies, sent to Nhan Dan Online, global analysts FocusEconomics state that Vietnams effectiveness in reining in COVID-19, and its pro-business policies and regional trade and investment commitments are expected to enable the nation to continue topping the region in terms of economic growth for 2021 and 2022 (see figure). The economy is forecast to expand rapidly this year, with growth set to outstrip its regional peers on strengthening domestic and foreign demand dynamics, according to the FocusEconomics report. Our panelists expect GDP to expand 7.1% in 2021, and 6.8% in 2022. Looking ahead, the economic recovery should gather pace later in 2021, with Q2s output projected to be significantly higher than in the first quarter of the year. The Vietnamese economy grew 4.48% in Q1, the highest in the region. The government are targeting a 6.5% growth rate this year. Leader in economic growth Once among the smaller economies in ASEAN, Vietnam has emerged as a country poised for economic modernisation and is participating actively in competitive, export-oriented and service industries. Since joining ASEAN, Vietnam has enjoyed years of robust growth and macroeconomic stability, a relatively stable exchange rate, and strengthened external trade relations. Registered foreign direct investment (FDI) reached a record high in 2019 of US$38.2 billion up 7.2% year-on-year ,among the strongest in the region, while sitting at US$28.53 billion in 2020 as COVID-19 ravaged the economy. As of April 20, the figure was US$12.25 billion. According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Vietnamese economys total GDP is estimated to have been US$340.6 billion in 2020. In late March, the then Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, while talking about the countrys socioeconomic development plan for 2021-2025, stated that Vietnam could rank second in ASEAN in terms of its GDP scale. Vietnams GDP scale is among the worlds top 40 largest economies and fourth in ASEAN, with a per capita GPP of over US$3,500. Vietnam is also among the top 10 nations worldwide with the highest growth, and among the 16 most successful emerging economies in the world, he stressed. Recently, UK-based leading data and analytics company GlobalData, released a forecast that ASEAN economies are poised for a robust recovery with 6% in GDP growth in 2021. With the continued expansion of trade and a gradual recovery in the tourism sector and construction activities, Singapores GDP growth is forecasted to increase to 5.8% in 2021. Similarly, Malaysia is set to witness a growth of 7.1% in 2021, a big upturn from -5.2% in 2020. GlobalData forecasts Vietnam to be the fastest growing economy with real GDP growth of 8.5% in 2021. Vietnams growing trade with the EU and its robust fiscal policies have helped the economy witness an upturn in manufacturing and service sector growth. Strong demand, effective vaccine rollouts and resilient supply chains have put the economy on a faster recovery path. The IMF also projected Vietnam will achieve the fastest GDP growth in ASEAN in 2022, at 7.2%. Jonathan Ostry, deputy director of the IMFs Asia and Pacific Department, said Vietnam has been performing much better than virtually all countries in the region last year. A rare positive growth number in a sea of negatives. Now, for 2021, the IMF is projecting very healthy growth for Vietnam. I think in the order of 6 or 7%. And you know, the message we have is to make sure you are continuing to support those who are vulnerable in your economy, as you have been doing, and continue with the vaccine rollout which has just started in Vietnam and is, hopefully, going to be accelerated very, very soon, Ostry said. In its Vietnam macromonitoring report released last week, the World Bank also said Vietnams economy is trending upwards. The industrial production index increased by 1.1% month-on-month and 24.1% year-on-year in April 2021. The continued expansion also reflects recovering domestic consumption in addition to solid external demand for high-tech manufacturing products, said the report. The most dynamic sub-sectors include beverages, clothing, and home appliances, basic metals, electronics, computers and optical products, and machinery. The Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) index rose from 53.6 in March to 54.7 in April, the sixth consecutive month of continuous expansion in manufacturing. The World Bank has projected Vietnams economy will grow about 6.8% in 2021 and, thereafter stabilise at around 6.5%. Trade facilitation This year, Brunei is acting as ASEAN chair, with the whole region remaining stuck to implementing initiatives proposed by Vietnam as ASEAN chair last year and approved by the blocs leaders and partners. Initiatives on establishing an ASEAN COVID-19 Response Fund, ASEAN Regional Reserve of Medical Supplies, and an ASEAN Regional Centre on Public Health Emergencies and Emerging Diseases have received donations from many countries. Notably, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) was inked last November. China, Japan, Thailand and Singapore have approved the deal. Vietnam is expected to followed suit this year. On November 15, the 10 ASEAN member states were among the 15 Asia-Pacific nations that signed RCEP. Together with China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand, RCEP marked the worlds largest free trade agreement (FTA) by population and GDP, as well as being the first time China, Japan, and South Korea have entered into an FTA together. The RCEP seeks to eliminate up to 90% of import taris between member states within 20 years of its coming into eect, as well as promote the ow of services and investment, while setting out regulations around rules of origin and intellectual property. According to the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI), another enabler for Vietnam to further deepen its trade and investment ties with ASEAN is the ASEAN Comprehensive Investment Agreement (ACIA). In February, the country approved the fourth protocol amending the ACIA. The ACIA aims at promoting trade and investment in the ASEAN region by building a free, open, and transparent investment regime. Vietnam has a significant opportunity to benefit from enhanced trade activities in the region. Without restrictions or discrimination, other member states will be more willing to participate in trade with Vietnam, and vice versa. Moreover, the ACIA focuses on five major sectors namely manufacturing, agriculture, fishery, forestry, mining, and quarrying, all of which are developing sectors with a high degree of potential in Vietnam. Thus, Vietnams trade and investment activities are expected to benefit as a result of the ACIA and its fourth amendment, said pan-Asia consultancy Dezan Shira & Associates. Big beneficiary According to experts, under the ACIA and RCEP, investment from the Republic of Korea, Japan, and Singapore, now the three largest foreign investors in Vietnam, will increase in Vietnam and beyond. Statistics from Vietnams Ministry of Planning and Investment show that as of April 20, registered investment capital from South Korea, Japan, and Singapore into Vietnam totaled US$71.57 billion, US$62.9 billion, and US$61.46 billion respectively. According to analysis by the Peterson Institute for International Economics, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam stand to benefit the most from the RCEP, which will add between US$2-4 billion each year to their respective economies by 2030. Meanwhile, panelists surveyed see Vietnam as the ASEAN country set to benefit most from the RCEP, likely due to its highly competitive export sector that will benefit from being plugged even more tightly into regional value chains, FocusEconomics said. It cited Somprawin Manprasert, chief economist at the Bank of Ayudhya - the fifth-largest bank in Thailand in terms of assets, loans, and deposits as saying, Vietnam would benefit from integration under a number of eective FTAs, including the RCEP, the EU-Vietnam FTA, and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership. The harmonisation of taris and rules of origin and simplifying of customs obligations under the RCEP present the principal benefit to ASEAN economies. As a result, manufacturing is set to gain from a relocation of labour-intensive industries to ASEAN countries, particularly those with competitive labour costs such as Vietnam. Vietnam is now considered a global manufacturing hub for South Koreas Samsung, which is focusing its funding into manufacturing electronics products in the northern provinces of Bac Ninh and Thai Nguyen, as well as Ho Chi Minh City, with total capital of over US$17.5 billion, in addition to a US$230 million research and development centre under construction in Hanoi. ASEAN is now Vietnams fourth-largest export market, after the US, the EU, and China. Vietnams export turnover to the region surged to US$24.7 billion in 2018 and US$25.3 billion in 2019, and US$23.1 billion last year. The figure in the first four months of 2021 was US$8.8 billion, up 13.3% on-year. Meanwhile, Southeast Asia is also Vietnams third-largest import market. The countrys import turnover from other member states totaled US$32 billion in 2018, US$32.1 billion in 2019, and US$30 billion last year. The figure hit US$14.1 billion in the first four months of 2021, up 48.2% on-year. As of April 20, Vietnam had attracted US$88.32 billion in registered investment capital from ASEAN member states, including Singapore (US$61.46 billion), Thailand (US$12.7 billion), Malaysia (US$12.94 billion), Indonesia (US$613.7 million), and the Philippines (US$615.1 million). Economic growth forecasts in Southeast Asia for 2021 and 2022 (%) Source: FocusEconomics A flight of the ROKs Asiana Airlines on May 20 night brought 24 Vietnamese labourers to the ROK under the agreement re-signed by the Vietnamese Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs and the Korean Ministry of Employment and Labour in March. This is the result of joint efforts by both countries relevant agencies amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Many Vietnamese workers are expected to be sent to the ROK this year, as the country said that it would receive 8,200 Vietnamese labourers, with 8,000 working in the manufacturing industry and 200 in the fisheries sector. Son Sung Won from the Korea Federation of Small and Medium Business (KBIZ), who has engaged in supporting Vietnamese labourers since 2001, said that the ROKs small- and medium-sized enterprises appreciate Vietnamese labourers as they work hard and are skillful. He suggested Vietnamese agencies pay attention to helping labourers quickly finish all necessary procedures to seize post-pandemic opportunities. According to the Management Board of Vietnamese Labourers in the ROK, from March 2020 to April 2021, 5,000 Vietnamese were chosen to sign contracts with Korean employers. The Korean side will at first receive 290 employers who signed their contracts last year and completed visa procedures. Vietnamese labourers will be quarantined for 14 days and tested for COVID-19 twice under the host countrys regulations. Voters should be well aware of their role and right to mastery, he told the media in an interview ahead of the general elections, set to take place on May 23. The selection of voters is the factor that decides the quality and efficiency of elected bodies, contributing to building the legal framework, improving the investment and business environment and promoting socio-economic development as well as to ensuring national defence-security, social welfare and the right to mastery of the people, he said. More than 69 million voters will go to 84,767 polling stations across the country to elect deputies to the 15th NA and all-level Peoples Councils for 2021-2026 on the day. Given the COVID-19 spread, Hue, who is also head of the National Election Council (NEC), urged voters to observe pandemic prevention and control regulations on the election day. Regarding preparations for the important political event, the top legislator said the NA and its Standing Committee, the Government, the NEC, the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF), Peoples Councils, Peoples Committees and Election Committees, and the entire political system have given the top priority to the work, especially after the 13th National Party Congress in January. Notably, personnel preparations have been carried out in line with regulations, ensuring democracy, in order to choose appropriate candidates who have capacity and qualifications to undertake assigned tasks, he added. NA Chairman Hue also highlighted efforts made in organising meetings between candidates and voters, information and communications work, and ensuring order, safety and security. The NA Standing Committee and the NEC have sent groups to supervise preparations in localities, asking them to draw up election scenarios in case of natural disasters and pandemic outbreaks, according to the chief legislator. The top legislator said he highly values the quick, thorough and effective preparations by localities, which will greatly contribute to the success of the event. All voters and people are looking forward to the election day, the leader said, expressing his belief that voter turnover will be high and the most eminent deputies will be selected. Asked about response to COVID-19, Hue said the NA Standing Committee, the NEC, the Government and the VFF Central Committee have issued documents instructing localities to set forth scenarios for pandemic outbreak and natural disasters during the preparations as well as the election day. Competent forces are working round the clock to trace contact, seal off and stamp out epidemic clusters, and carry out COVID-19 vaccination, the NA Chairman went on. Early voting has been held in certain localities like Quang Nam and Ba Ria-Vung Tau, with voter turnout reaching 100 percent, and pandemic prevention and control as well as security and safety ensured. NA Chairman Hue also added that full-time deputies in the NA, who will account for at least 40 percent of the total deputies under the 2020 Law on Organisation of the NA, will play the core role in law building, supreme supervision and decision making regarding the country's important issues, helping reforming and enhancing the professionalism of the legislature in the time ahead. U.S. President Donald Trump, flanked by House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), participates in a roundtable discussion about trade in Duluth, Minnesota, U.S. (Photo : REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst) A week after House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy gambled he could unify his caucus by ousting a prominent critic of former President Donald Trump, a new Trump-inspired rift has raised questions about his leadership. Thirty-five Republican representatives in the U.S. House of Representatives - or one out of every six - joined the 219 majority Democrats in voting https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-house-set-vote-commission-probe-deadly-jan-6-capitol-attack-2021-05-19 to create a bipartisan commission to investigate the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol riot, when hundreds of Trump supporters stormed the building, fighting with police and leaving five people dead. Advertisement That was more than three times as many Republicans as voted in January to hold Trump's second impeachment trial, on a charge of inciting insurrection. The vote followed a series of gyrations in which McCarthy gave Representative John Katko the go-ahead to negotiate the bipartisan deal https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-lawmakers-seek-form-bipartisan-panel-jan-6-attack-2021-05-14, then rejected it after it became public and tried to persuade his fellow Republicans to vote against it. The vote would appear to weaken McCarthy, a California lawmaker who hopes to become speaker of the 435-member House if his party can assemble a majority with just five more seats in the November 2022 congressional election. Loyal to Trump, McCarthy, 56, with 14 years in Washington, last week led his party in ousting Representative Liz Cheney from a House leadership role for denouncing Trump's false claim his election defeat was the result of fraud. "Representative McCarthy may have put his own ambition above loyalty to our Constitution," said party strategist Kevin Kellems. "It eventually will harm him and his followers." McCarthy himself denied any loss to his leadership. When asked where the Cheney ouster and commission vote left him, he said: "Just stronger." He told reporters that he had expected a larger number of Republicans to break ranks. Several Republicans who spoke on condition of anonymity said they had not expected a commission deal that would reach the House floor. Some lamented that the deal between Katko and Homeland Security Committee Chairman Bennie Thompson, a Democrat, had not been put to a party conference vote before a final agreement. "It would have been good for us to have voted on it," Representative Thomas Massie, a staunch conservative, said without mentioning McCarthy. Republican hopes of blocking the bipartisan commission now rest with McCarthy's Senate counterpart, Mitch McConnell, who has also come out against it. McConnell has the easier job, as that 100-member chamber's rules require 60 votes to advance most legislation, meaning 10 Senate Republicans would have to break with their party to pass it. Republicans worry the commission would keep public attention on the violence that played out in the Capitol after a fiery speech by Trump filled with falsehoods, and could reveal new details about Trump's handling of the response that might sour voters on Republicans. EYES ON SPEAKER'S GAVEL With a Democrat in the White House, history favors Republican chances of breaking Democrats' 219-211 majority in the House in the 2022 midterm election. McCarthy, who has spent a decade in the upper echelon of House Republican leadership, has been sharply criticized for voting to block Democratic President Joe Biden's election, reversing course after saying Trump bore responsibility for the Capitol attack and visiting the former president at his Florida resort in a move seen as helping to rehabilitate Trump's image in the aftermath of the violence. He justified the ouster of Cheney, the daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney, as an effort to forge party unity. Multiple Republicans defended McCarthy's position. "Kevin puts the team first. This is a difficult and stressful time. I think he's making the best decisions that anyone could make in a super-charged atmosphere," said Representative Tom Cole. But Republicans who oppose Trump criticized the action, saying it cemented the former president's hold over the caucus. They voiced concern that the vote could undermine hopes of capturing the House majority in 2022, if it leads Trump-inspired primary challengers to unseat incumbents in swing districts where many voters dislike the former president. Republicans who voted for the commission included lawmakers such as Mariannette Miller-Meeks of Iowa, who won a contested election by just six votes, and Don Bacon, whose Nebraska district chose Biden over Trump in November by 52% to 46%. "What it really boils down to is how President Trump is going to react to Republicans supporting this measure," said Republican strategist Ron Bonjean. "If they don't show Trump that they're against this, there's potentially going to be issues for many Republicans in their primaries." Trump in a Thursday statement lashed out at what he called "35 wayward Republicans." "Sometimes there are consequences to being ineffective and weak," Trump said. "The voters understand!" China says U.S. warship illegally enters its territory in S. China Sea The U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyer USS Curtis Wilbur patrols in the Philippine Sea (Photo : Navy/Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Declan Barnes/Handout via Reuters) China said on Thursday an American warship had illegally entered its territorial waters in the South China Sea and was expelled, which the United States denied in the latest salvoes over Beijing's claims in the busy waterway. In a statement, the Chinese military's Southern Theatre Command said the USS Curtis Wilbur entered the waters near the Paracel islands without permission, adding that its ships and planes followed the U.S. vessel out. Advertisement It said the U.S. action violated China's sovereignty and undermined regional peace and stability. However, the U.S. Navy's 7th Fleet said the vessel "asserted navigational rights and freedoms" near the Paracel islands, over which China, Taiwan and Vietnam all claim sovereignty. The Chinese military's comments were false, it added. "USS Curtis Wilbur was not 'expelled' from any nation's territory," it said. "USS Curtis Wilbur conducted this Freedom of Navigation Operation (FONOP) in accordance with international law and then continued on to conduct normal operations in international waters." The South China Sea has become one of many flashpoints in the testy relationship between China and the United States, with Washington rejecting what it calls unlawful territorial claims by Beijing in the resource-rich waters. U.S. warships have passed through the South China Sea with increasing frequency in recent years, in a show of force against the Chinese claims. On Tuesday, the USS Curtis Wilbur had sailed through the Taiwan Strait, angering China, which claims self-ruled Taiwan as its own territory. In a statement addressing both that incident and Thursday's flare-up, China's defence ministry described the U.S. warship's movements as a serious provocation. "China's military will take all necessary measures to deal with all threats and provocations," it added. Courts St. Vincent Ltd., with headquarters on Bay Street, Kingstown, now has to honour a debt that could have been settled for less, may be, had it not decided to object to an audit. After a legal battle that had dragged on for the better part of seven years, Unicomer Courts St. Vincent Limited has found itself on the losing end of its appeal against increasing its tax liability, following an audit done by the Inland revenue Department. High Court Judge Nicola Byer ordered Courts SVG Limited to pay up monies owed to the Inland Revenue Department for increased tax liability amounting to just over EC$13 million and other attendant fees. The amount ordered for payment represented tax assessment and other liabilities for the period 2007 to 2011. The matter as reported had its genesis in Court SVG Limited objection to increasing its tax liability following an audit done. The matter was advanced to the High Court for resolution at the same time that it was forwarded to the Income Tax Commissioners for their ruling. The Commissioners had ruled that Courts should pay up but the furniture and household appliance retailer refused. And even as Comptroller of Inland Revenue Kelvin Pompey told the local media that his Department was confident of winning the case even if it was the defendant, he also noted that it is never the first intention of the Department to take matters to the court. They, instead, would try to work in house with dissatisfied companies and defaulters toward working out amicable resolutions, which have in the past allowed defaulters time to settle any outstanding payments and/or arrears. Small toy figurines are seen on representations of the Bitcoin virtual currency displayed in front of an image of China's flag in this illustration picture, (Photo : REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration) China's latest salvo against cryptocurrencies has driven a brutal selloff in bitcoin markets but retail traders, miners and even crypto finance firms reckon Beijing's bark is louder than its bite. China's announcement on Tuesday of a tougher ban on banks and payment companies offering crypto-related services furthered a selloff that briefly wiped $1 trillion off crypto market capitalisation. Advertisement But fears that the rules would cripple cryptocurrency markets and mining on the Chinese mainland appear baseless. Cryptocurrencies could still be bought from China on Thursday and investment schemes promising juicy returns for mining them remained operational. Bobby Lee, founder and CEO of Ballet, a cryptocurrency wallet app, said he thought the announcement was merely an attempt by regulators to protect retail investors from volatile markets, but that it would be a challenge for banks to identify crypto-related dealings. "If you look at the banking activity in China, millions or maybe billions of transactions happen on a daily basis. From all that ... how many are actually really crypto services versus dining or e-commerce? It's almost unknowable," said Lee, formerly CEO of BTC China, China's first bitcoin exchange. It's not the first time China has banned crypto-related financial and payment services. Beijing issued similar bans in 2013, and in 2017, though the latest one has expanded the range of prohibited services. The repeated bans highlight the challenge of closing the loopholes. On Thursday, Reuters found it was still possible for Chinese individuals to buy bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies and trade them on overseas crypto exchanges such as Binance. Yuan payments for these purchases could be made via banks or commonly-used online payment platforms in over-the-counter (OTC) markets. "If you have bitcoin or ethereum, and I want to buy some, I can just send money to you through banks. Just don't write down anything like bitcoin or ethereum," said Mr Li, who sells cryptocurrencies on behalf of miners. "Of course, banks have internal risk-management. If the transaction volume is too big, you might be caught," said Li, who was unwilling to give his full name because of the sensitivities of the issue. MINERS UNDAUNTED Players in China's crypto mining industry were also broadly unfazed by the latest crackdown, again citing the difficulties regulators would have in identifying transactions. China-based miners have the opposite problem to investors, as they already have bitcoin which they need to change for yuan to pay their electricity costs. Mining is big business in China, which accounts for as much as 70% of the world's crypto supply, according to some estimates, although others say that proportion has come down in recent years. "The Chinese government does crack down from time to time, but currently it is not overly challenging to convert mined coins to RMB for Chinese miners," said Thomas Heller, chief business officer of Compass Mining, using another word for China's currency. Although the new rules ban crypto-related investment products, such schemes are still sold online. One platform offering retail investors a chance to quadruple their money over three years by buying computing power for miners of a smaller cryptocurrency, Filecoin, which has surged in popularity in China, still seemed to be accepting money on Thursday. Flex Yang, chief executive officer of Babel Finance, a cryptocurrency financing firm, remained bullish. "Bitcoin prices dropped more than 50% last year in March but eventually rebounded back to a new record high," Yang said. "In the long run, bitcoin still makes for an excellent asset class for portfolio managers seeking growth." A healthcare worker prepares a dose of China's Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine in La Paz, (Photo : REUTERS/David Mercado/File Photo) Bolivia's immunization drive against COVID-19 is being hit by anti-vaccine misinformation that is stoking scepticism and leaving inoculation centers half empty, a challenge for the government facing a wave of new infections. Health workers and officials have raised concerns about low turnout at some vaccination sites, saying jabs are going to waste. They blame fake news campaigns that have included leaflets saying vaccines contain "satanic" material. Advertisement "We read some pamphlets in El Alto from anti-vaccine groups about the presence of a substance in the vaccines from Lucifer and because of that the vaccines were satanic," said Maria Rene Castro, deputy minister of epidemiology. "Global disinformation has come to our country and it has had an impact on people who are avoiding getting vaccinated." Bolivia, like much of South America, is being hammered by a deadly new wave of coronavirus infections, with recent daily cases at 98% of the country's peak set in February. So far a total of 340,000 people have been infected and 14,000 have died. (Graphic on cases and deaths) https://tmsnrt.rs/34pvUyi The region has also struggled with a scarcity of vaccines, though Bolivia has started to see more doses flow in after deals for Russia's Sputnik V, China's Sinopharm and with India's Serum Institute for AstraZeneca shots. However, many vaccines centers in major cities have continued to face low turnout, with empty sites and queues. "I don't want to get vaccinated, I don't want to die and I don't want to get sick," said El Alto resident Rogelio Mayta. Health worker Patricia Almanza said that organization around the vaccine campaign had been poor, which had not helped encourage people to come to get their shots. "It's criminal that during this time of the pandemic we have to discard vaccines," she said. "There are places where the vaccines are being discarded, or health workers are going out to look for people to vaccinate so that something so precious is not being thrown away." Bolivia has given at least one shot to just 7% of its population, far behind the 32% in the European Union and 48% in the United States. (Graphic on vaccinations) https://tmsnrt.rs/3tUM8ta Wealthier Latin Americans have traveled overseas, especially to the United States, to get vaccinated, which has created a stark divide between the rich and poor. Vaccine scepticism risks widening that even further. "For me the COVID-19 vaccine is not credible," said Ismael Blanco on the dusty narrow streets of the highland city. "I don't trust the vaccine." Air India flight 185 arrives from New Delhi, narrowly beating the cut-off after Canada's government temporarily barred passenger flights from India (Photo : REUTERS/Jennifer Gauthier) India's national airline Air India said on Friday a cyber attack on its data processor in February affected about 4.5 million passengers around the world. Air India, a member of global airlines consortium Star Alliance, said the breach involved personal data, such as name, contact, passport, ticket and credit card details, registered between Aug. 26, 2011 and Feb. 20, 2021. (https://bit.ly/3hL9z5A) Advertisement Earlier in March, the airline said its data processor, SITA PSS (Passenger Service System), had informed about a cyber attack it was subjected to in the last week of February. SITA serves the Star Alliance of airlines including Singapore Airlines, Lufthansa and United. (https://bit.ly/3bJyPVX) Last year British Airways incurred a 20 million pound fine after failing to protect data that left more than 400,000 of its customers' details the subject of a 2018 cyber attack. Other major cyber incidents in the recent past include another London-listed airline, easyJet, which last year said hackers had accessed the email and travel details of around 9 million customers. People gather during a demonstration to express solidarity with Palestinian people amid a flare-up of Israeli-Palestinian violence, in Tehran, Iran (Photo : Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS) Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Friday called on Muslim states to support Palestinians militarily and financially and help rebuild Gaza after an 11-day conflict with Israel, Iranian media reported. Iran, which does not recognise Israel, supports the Islamist militants of Hamas, who rule the Gaza Strip while President Mahmoud Abbas's Palestinian Authority controls Palestinian-populated areas of the occupied West Bank. Advertisement Hamas and the Islamic Jihad group fired hundreds of rockets into Israel before Friday's truce, although Israel said its "Iron Dome" defence system had shot down the majority of them. "Muslim states must sincerely support the Palestinian people, through military...or financial support ...or in rebuilding Gaza's infrastructure," Khamenei said in a statement. He urged Muslims to demand that their governments back Palestinians. "All influential elements of (Israel's) regime and the criminal (Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu must be prosecuted by international and independent courts," Khamenei said. Iran's Foreign Ministry earlier said Palestinians had won a "historic victory" over Israel. "Congratulations to our Palestinian sisters & brothers for the historic victory. Your resistance forced the aggressor to retreat," ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh tweeted. Iran's Revolutionary Guards said in a statement: "The intifada (Palestinian uprising) has gone from using stones to powerful, precise missiles ... and in the future the Zionists (Israel) can expect to endure deadly blows from within the occupied territories." Leaders of Hamas and Islamic Jihad have praised Iran's financial and military support, but Tehran has rarely confirmed its weapons supply. But Khamenei last year hailed Tehran's supply of arms, saying Iran had transformed the military balance of power between Israel and the Palestinians. Iran on Friday displayed an Iranian-made combat drone that it said had a range of 2,000 km (1,250 miles), naming it "Gaza" in honour of the Palestinians' struggle against Israel, state media reported. [nL2N2N8163] South Korean President Moon Jae-in delivers remarks with U.S. Vice president Kamala Harris before participating in a bilateral meeting (Photo : REUTERS/Sarah Silbiger) U.S. President Joe Biden and South Korean President Moon Jae-in hailed the strength of the U.S.-South Korea alliance after the strains of the Trump era on Friday to kick off a day of talks expected to be dominated by North Korea, China and COVID-19 vaccines. Shortly after Moon arrived at the White House, he and Biden joined together to award the Medal of Honor to 94-year-old Korean War veteran Ralph Puckett, a retired U.S. army colonel, for his valor in a 1950 battle over a strategic hill. He was fighting Chinese troops in North Korea. Advertisement It was the first time a foreign leader had attended a Medal of Honor ceremony, which Biden called a testament to the strength of the U.S.-South Korean alliance. Moon said Puckett was an example of the strength of the alliance, which he called "a linchpin of peace and security on the Korean peninsula and beyond." The two leaders were to hold a joint news conference at 5 p.m. EDT (2100 GMT). Moon began the day by meeting U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris and in that session he took an apparent jab at Biden's predecessor, Donald Trump, who had badgered Moon as a weak leader and threatened to pull U.S. troops from South Korea. Moon referenced the Biden team's work in COVID-19 vaccine distribution and the U.S. economy. "My congratulations on how the Biden-Harris administration is building back better with the world's most successful vaccine deployment and fastest economic recovery, and blazing a trail for inclusiveness and unity by restoring the soul of America," Moon said. Trump oversaw a strong economy until the novel coronavirus struck in early 2020 and was credited for encouraging the quick development of vaccines. Harris told Moon that she and Biden would work together with South Korea for a "free, open, and prosperous Indo-Pacific region - a region that is unconstrained by coercion and anchored in international rules and order. "Today we will discuss a broad range of issues, including our strong partnership, as well as the challenges that exist on the Korean Peninsula," she said. As well as the perennial issue of North Korean nuclear weapons, the allies will discuss regional security more broadly, cooperation in high-tech industries such as microchips, efforts to contain the coronavirus pandemic and stronger action on climate change. Moon, under pressure at home over his COVID-19 response, will be hoping to secure an agreement with Washington for stopgap supplies of vaccines, while the Biden administration is looking for enhanced climate commitments from Seoul. Moon approached his Washington visit hoping it would provide fresh impetus to his dream of building peace with North Korea, but U.S. officials have played down the prospect of a dramatic fresh initiative. South Korean officials were heartened by Biden's North Korea policy review, which called for a focus on practical diplomatic steps to reduce tensions while maintaining a final goal of persuading Pyongyang to give up its nuclear weapons. A South Korean presidential official said a joint U.S.-South Korean statement will embrace a 2018 agreement between Moon and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un that vowed to improve relations and work for complete denuclearization of the peninsula. "We had made much contribution to the U.S. policy review, and endorsing the agreement could be a sign of their respect and acknowledgement," the official told reporters in Washington. Moon and Biden will also discuss abolishing a U.S. guideline limiting the range of any South Korean missiles to up to 800 km (500 miles), and ways to boost civilian nuclear plant exports together, the official added. But the pandemic, economic and political challenges, as well as crises elsewhere, have shifted the North Korea issue to the back burner, complicating Moon's hopes of cementing a peacemaker legacy before leaving office next year. Washington would like to see a forthright statement from Moon on China's ever more assertive behavior in the region. Last month, when Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga visited, Biden sought to present a united front toward Beijing. Seoul has been cautious for fear of angering China, its top trading partner. In a visit to Capitol Hill on Thursday, Moon stressed the importance of stable Washington-Beijing ties and China's importance in connection with Korean Peninsula affairs. Representations of the virtual currency Bitcoin and Ethereum stand on a motherboard in this picture illustration taken (Photo : REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration) When Brjann Bettencourt rolled out of bed on Wednesday morning to find the assets in his cryptocurrency portfolio slammed in their biggest selloff in years, he knew exactly what to do: buy more. "Investing in crypto is not for the faint of heart," said Bettencourt, a 32-year-old photographer in Toronto who has owned bitcoin and ether over the last year-and-a-half to complement his stock portfolio. "I'm looking at this as a serious long-term investment." Advertisement This week, cryptocurrencies were buffeted by factors ranging from critical tweets by Tesla Inc CEO Elon Musk to governmental controls in China. The price of bitcoin, the world's biggest cryptocurrency, tumbled as much as 30% before retracing some losses. It is down some 40% from its highs of the year. Leveraged positions in bitcoin and ether futures fell sharply last week, said Vanda Research, which tracks retail trades. This indicates that some retail traders probably have folded their tents."(The) crypto bubble has started to unravel and data from different exchanges suggest that retail investors are capitulating," Vanda researchers said. But other retail investors have been happy to ride the turbulence out or trade around it. "In crypto talk, when stuff like this happens, people say it shakes out all of the weak hands and the people ... who maybe bought because they saw it on the news," said Ethan Lou, author of "Once a Bitcoin Miner: Scandal and Turmoil in the Cryptocurrency Wild West," due this autumn. As retail investors piled into cryptocurrencies, bitcoin surged around 345% in the last year, ether soared 1,219% and dogecoin skyrocketed 15,480%, according to Coinbase data. Crypto-exchange Coinbase said its more than 56 million users accounted for $335 billion in trading volume in the first quarter: $120 billion retail and $215 billion institutional. That compares to $30 billion in total a year earlier, of which $12 billion was retail, the company said. Retail interest this year also scooped up shares of "meme stocks" such as GameStop, pushing prices through the roof and punishing hedge funds that had sold the shares short. Some retail investors have embraced the wild price swings in hopes of catching some of the next big rally. Users on Reddit's popular WallStreetBets forum have popularized the term "diamond hands" https://www.reuters.com/article/us-retail-trading-slang-factbox/factbox-stonks-in-washington-deciphering-reddits-wallstreetbets-lingo-idUSKBN2AI0JFas shorthand for their willingness to hold an asset through thick and thin.INCREASED SCRUTINY Increased mainstream adoption has drawn the attention of regulators. The U.S. Treasury Department on Thursday called for new rules that would require large cryptocurrency transfers to be reported to the Internal Revenue Service. The Federal Reserve said cryptocurrencies pose risks to financial stability. On Friday, China said it will crack down on bitcoin mining and trading activities. Cryptocurrencies have been notoriously volatile throughout their history. Bitcoin plunged 94% in 2011, and dropped 82% between late 2017 and the end of 2018, causing many investors to back away. Lily Francus, however, has tried to take advantage of the big swings. The 25-year-old, who lives in San Diego and works as a quantitative researcher at a crypto hedge fund, first traded cryptocurrencies in 2017, but got out before the price crashed. Then last month she put about 1% of her net worth into various cryptocurrencies, joining a rally she saw as partly fueled by social media hype. She liquidated her ether and cut her bitcoin position when Musk hosted Saturday Night Live on May 8. She later bought 40% of her ether position back at a lower price. The Tesla CEO has flip-flopped on whether the electric carmaker would accept bitcoin as a payment, and has often moved the price of dogecoin with his tweets. "When you see ... people diving into the markets for fear of missing out, that's usually a good time to get out," Francus said.Doug Liantonio, 31, of Deerfield Beach, Florida, said he owns dogecoin and ethereum classic. With dogecoin prices down 50% from their highs, he is waiting for another rally before selling. "I don't think I will wait for Elon's PR stunt for his rocket, that would be too late," he said. Musk recently announced that his company SpaceX will launch a rocket to the moon next year, funded with Dogecoin. For Bettencourt, the photographer, the ups and downs of crypto are part of its appeal. Investing in cryptocurrencies "feels like that scary rollercoaster," he said. "You're riding it up and riding it down and feeling every twist and turn, which to me is exciting and fun." Palestinians hold flags as they stand at the compound that houses Al-Aqsa Mosque, known to Muslims as Noble Sanctuary and to Jews as Temple Mount, (Photo : REUTERS/Ammar Awad) Israel and Hamas both claimed victory on Friday after their forces ended 11 days of fighting, but humanitarian officials warned that the damage to Gaza would take years to rebuild. After working behind the scenes for days to reach a truce, the White House said Washington had received assurances from the relevant parties that they were committed to the ceasefire. Advertisement As Palestinians and Israelis began to assess the scale of the damage, one Gazan said his neighbourhood looked as if it had been hit by a tsunami. "How can the world call itself civilised?" Abu Ali asked, standing next to the rubble of a 14-storey tower block. Palestinian officials put the reconstruction costs at tens of millions of dollars, while economists said the fighting could curb Israel's economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Five more bodies were pulled from Gaza's rubble, taking the death toll to 248, including 66 children, with more than 1,900 wounded. The Israeli military said an Israeli soldier had been killed as well as 12 civilians, including two children. Hundreds were treated for injuries after rocket salvoes caused panic and sent people as far away as Tel Aviv rushing into shelters. World Health Organization spokeswoman Margaret Harris said Gaza's health facilities were in danger of being overwhelmed by the thousands of injuries. She called for immediate access into the Gaza Strip for health supplies and personnel. "The real challenges are the closures," she told a virtual U.N. briefing. Gaza has for years been subjected to an Israeli blockade that restricts the passage of people and goods, as well as restrictions by Egypt. Both countries cite concerns about weapons reaching Hamas, the Islamist group that controls Gaza and led the rocket barrage. Palestinians say the restrictions amount to collective punishment of Gaza's 2 million population. Fabrizio Carboni, regional director of the International Committee of the Red Cross, echoed WHO's call for urgent medical supplies, adding: "It will take years to rebuild - and even more to rebuild the fractured lives." U.S. President Joe Biden said on Thursday that aid would be sent quickly to Gaza, but coordinated with the Palestinian Authority - Hamas's Western-backed rival in the occupied West Bank - "in a manner that does not permit Hamas to simply restock its military arsenal". DUELLING LEADERS Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made a televised address to Israelis, saying the operation had damaged Hamas's ability to launch missiles at Israel. He said Israel had destroyed Hamas's extensive tunnel network, its rocket factories, weapons laboratories and storage facilities, and killed more than 200 militants, including 25 senior figures. "Hamas can't hide anymore. That's a great achievement for Israel," he said. "We eliminated an important part of Hamas's and Islamic Jihad's command echelon. And whoever was not killed knows today that our long arm can reach him anywhere, above ground or underground." Israel said Hamas, Islamic Jihad and other militant groups fired around 4,350 rockets from Gaza during the conflict, of which around 640 fell short into the Gaza Strip. The Israeli military said that 90% of those that crossed the border had been intercepted by the Iron Dome missile defence system. Iran, which does not recognise Israel but supports Hamas and says it has transformed the Palestinian fighters' arsenal, said they had won a "historic victory" over Israel. The Iranian Revolutionary Guards warned Israel to expect "deadly blows". Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh cast the fighting as successful resistance to a militarily and economically stronger foe. "We will rebuild what the occupation (Israel) destroyed and restore our capabilities," he said, "and we will not abandon our obligations and duties to the families of martyrs, the wounded and those whose homes were destroyed." Haniyeh expressed gratitude to Egyptian, Qatari and U.N. mediators, and to Iran, "which has not given up on providing the resistance with money, weapons and technology". Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei urged Muslim states in a statement to "support the Palestinian people, through military ... or financial support ... or in rebuilding Gaza's infrastructure". Ezzat el-Reshiq, a senior member of the Hamas political bureau, told Reuters in Doha the movement's demands included protection for the Al-Aqsa mosque, and for Palestinians threatened with eviction from their homes in East Jerusalem. RAMADAN CLASHES The Israel-Hamas hostilities were set off on May 10 in part by Israeli police raids on the Al-Aqsa compound and clashes with Palestinians during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Thousands gathered there again for this Friday's prayers, with many demonstrating in support of Gaza. Israeli police fired stun grenades towards demonstrators, who threw rocks and petrol bombs at officers, and Palestinian medics said some 20 Palestinians were wounded. The confrontations died down within about an hour, with Israeli police pulling back to the compound's gates. Civilians on both sides of the Gaza border were sceptical about the chances for peace. "What is truce? What does it mean?" said Samira Abdallah Naseer, a mother of 11 children sitting near the wreckage of a building near Beit Hanoun in the north of the Gaza Strip. "We returned to our houses, and we found no place to sit, no water, no electricity, no mattresses, nothing," she said. In a cafe in the Israeli port city of Ashdod, north of Gaza, student Dan Kiri, 25, said Israel should continue attacking Hamas until it collapsed. "It's only a matter of time until the next operation in Gaza," he said. The truce, mediated by Egypt, appeared to be part of a two-stage deal, with Cairo sending security delegations to Tel Aviv and the Palestinian territories to agree on measures to maintain stability. White House spokesman Jen Psaki said that "our engagement with the leader of Egypt was a key part of that discussion and a key part of bringing an end to the conflict, given their important relationship with Hamas". Biden on Thursday made his first call to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi as president. The biggest obstacle to securing a deal was concern from Israel and Hamas about the public reactions from their own side, and their opponents, if they accepted a ceasefire, two Egyptian security sources said. "In our negotiations with the two parties, we depended on the need for each of them to see the scale of the damage done to civilians, and we charged each party with its criminal and international liabilities towards civilians," one of the sources said. Egypts Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly visited on Thursday Cairo's International Exhibition Centre, which has been turned into a centre for mass COVID-19 vaccinations in Cairo, where he inspected the preparations made by the health ministry. According to the cabinets statement on the visit, the prime minister was accompanied by Health Minister Hala Zayed, who stated that 96 clinics are being prepared at the venue, which can accommodate 10,000 people daily, and features a large waiting area to ensure social distancing. The centre located in Nasr City will be opened from 9 AM to 9 PM all everyday except Friday, the minister said. There are currently 600 people working to provide the service in Cairo from healthcare workers to support teams to help citizens. Minister Zayed revealed that the ministry was currently working on finishing preparing the final lists of citizens who registered to receive the vaccine, adding that similar mass vaccination centres will be inaugurated in highly populated governorates in the country like Giza soon. Madbouly stated that expanding these mass vaccination centres comes as part of the states plan to face the coronavirus pandemic, as well as protecting citizens and public health. Madbouly called on citizens to register themselves for vaccination to protect themselves and society. UNICEF Representative in Egypt Jeremy Hopkins attended the tour with Madbouly. Egypt has started rolling vaccinations to citizens in February. According to health ministry officials, opening mass vaccination centres aims to accelerate the process of administering the doses. Short link: . US President Joe Biden on Thursday welcomed a ceasefire announced by Israel and Hamas as a "genuine opportunity" for peace after 11 days of bombing and rocket strikes "I believe we have a genuine opportunity to make progress and I'm committed to working toward it," Biden said at the White House, highlighting Egypt's role in brokering the truce. He said he had spoken Thursday with both Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi. Biden had notable words of thanks for President El-Sisi. "I extend my sincere gratitude to President El-Sisi and the senior Egyptian officials who have played such a critical role in this diplomacy," Biden said. Biden, who has come under criticism from many within his own Democratic party for not pushing US ally Israel more publicly to call a ceasefire, touted his administration's "quiet, relentless diplomacy." Echoing a line taken by the White House throughout the 11-day conflict, Biden indicated that the US goal, involving "incredible efforts," was above all to limit the duration of the bloodshed. The aim was "avoiding the sort of prolonged conflict we've seen in previous years," he said. Biden referred to the casualties on both sides, and said "Palestinians and Israelis equally deserve to live safely and securely and enjoy equal measures of freedom, prosperity and democracy." He also pledged US humanitarian aid, while emphasizing that this would be channelled through the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank, not Hamas so that the organization could not "simply restock its military arsenal." Biden put particular weight on a pledge to back "Israel's right to defend itself against indiscriminate rocket attacks from Hamas and other Gaza-based terrorist groups." In a rejection of some Democratic members of Congress who are pushing to stop an imminent US arms sale to Israel, Biden said he had assured Netanyahu of his "full support" in replenishing the Iron Dome anti-missile system used to shoot down Hamas' projectiles. Short link: Volunteers responded positively to a request to assist with cleaning the main drain in the town. (Photo courtesy Freewinds) Volunteer Ministers from the Freewinds, along with volunteers from the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Red Cross, travelled to the Chateaubelair area earlier this week, to distribute, among other items, much needed bottled water, blankets and hygiene kits. These were the first relief supplies to reach this area since the eruption of the La Soufriere Volcano. A few days prior to the distribution a request was made of the Volunteer Ministers by the SVG Red Cross Society to do assessments in the area so as to gather information on the current state and needs. This request was made based on the fact that the team of Volunteer Ministers on St. Vincent are experienced disaster relief specialists, having done similar work during a number of disasters elsewhere. The date garnered informed a work plan that included what materials and the quantities of materials should be taken to the area. A return visit saw the passing out of 300 hygiene kits, over 100 blankets, 600 masks and some tool kits (including shovels, hammers, crow bars, and more). Additionally, the Freewinds volunteers immediately moved into actions when asked to assist with cleaning up the main drainage ditch running down the main street, in the most populated part of town. Bernard Morgan, Director General of the SVG Red Cross Society commented: "The input of the Volunteer Ministers has been invaluable. They went into two different areas to do assessments to find out what was needed. Therefore, when we went into these areas we were already quite well informed. . . Very professional. It is a real pleasure to work with them. (Source: Freewinds) An Egyptian-sponsored ceasefire deal has been reached between Israel and the Palestinian factions to end an 11-day military operation in the Gaza Strip. The "simultaneous and mutual ceasefire" will come into effect as of Friday 21 May at 2am (23:00 GMT) Palestinian time. Egypt will send two security delegations to Tel Aviv and the Palestinian territories to follow up on the implementation of the ceasefire and to negotiate measures to ensure the stability of the situation permanently as per directives issued by Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi. The Egyptian efforts were praised and welcomed by various regional and Arab countries. Over the past several days, Egypt sent a delegation to Ramallah city in the central West Bank and Tel Aviv more than once to mediate an immediate ceasefire. US President Joe Biden on Thursday welcomed a ceasefire announced by Israel and Hamas as a "genuine opportunity" for peace after 11 days of bombing and rocket strikes. "I believe we have a genuine opportunity to make progress and I'm committed to working toward it," Biden said at the White House, highlighting Egypt's role in brokering the truce. He said he had spoken Thursday with both Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi. Biden had notable words of thanks for President El-Sisi. "I extend my sincere gratitude to President El-Sisi and the senior Egyptian officials who have played such a critical role in this diplomacy," Biden said. The Israeli bombing of Gaza has claimed over 250 Palestinian lives, including many women and children, while over 8,000 have been wounded. The recent escalation was sparked on 10 May when Israel cracked down on Palestinian demonstrators protesting Israels plan to forcibly expel Palestinian families from the Sheikh Jarrah district in East Jerusalem. Short link: Egypt has reiterated its rejection of any "unilateral" measures on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) by Addis Ababa as the latter still intends go ahead with the dam's second filling in July despite the lack of an accord with Cairo and Sudan. A statement released by the Egyptian foreign ministry on Thursday said Ethiopia's anticipated step would cause great risk to the two downstream countries, especially if it coincides with periods of natural drought. The statement comes in response to recent remarks made by the Ethiopian Foreign Minister Demeke Mekonnen, in which he said his country intends to complete the filling of the GERD's reservoir even if the three countries did not reach an agreement. The Egyptian foreign ministry asserted that Ethiopia's continued intent to fill the GERD's reservoir unilaterally is an "irresponsible act and is a clear violation of the Declaration of Principles (DoPs)." The DoPs is an agreement signed between the three countries in March 2015 that obliges Ethiopia to cooperate with Egypt and Sudan in filling and operating the dam. The agreement also mandates the use of mediated negotiation in the event of a dispute arising from differences in the interpretation or application of the declaration of principles. The decade-long negotiations between the three countries have been on hold due to Addis Ababas refusal to sign a legally binding deal on the rules for filling and operating the controversial dam to ensure the downstream countries water rights. Egypt's foreign ministry spokesman Ahmed Hafez stressed that "Egypt has displayed patience and acted wisely and responsibly, and negotiated for a full decade in a serious manner and in good faith to reach a fair and legally binding agreement on the dam." "However, the Ethiopian side pursued a policy based on procrastination that led to the collapse of all negotiation tracks over the past years," Hafez added. Hafez also added that Egypt stands with Sudan as filling the GERD unilaterally may inflict harm on Sudanese dams, which are close to the Ethiopian dam. "The Egyptian state is committed to preserve and protect its water rights and interests, and ward off any harm to them," he stressed. He noted that Egypt has already taken precautionary measures to deal with the second filling to limit its potential effects. It will also continue to "monitor closely" the Ethiopian actions to ensure that no harm is inflicted on Egypt's water interests or its rights upheld by international laws, conventions and norms, he added. Ethiopia plans to store 13.5 billion cubic meters of water in the dams reservoir during the second filling. Egypt fears that the massive $4.8 billion Ethiopian hydropower project will significantly diminish its crucial water supply, which is already in scarce supply. Sudan warned last month that it would take legal action if Ethiopia moved forward with the second filling of the GERD in July without first signing a legally binding agreement. Short link: Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi has expressed his appreciation to the US president Joe Biden for the role he played in rendering the Egyptian ceasefire deal in Gaza successful, the Presidential spokesman said on Friday, only one hour before the truce goes into effect. Egypt has mediated a ceasefire deal between Israel and the Palestinian factions to end an 11-day military operation in the Gaza Strip, which claimed over 250 Palestinian lives and injured hundreds. The "simultaneous and mutual ceasefire" came into effect as of Friday 21 May at 2am (23:00 GMT) Palestine time, while Palestinian residents of the Gaza Strip have taken to the streets to celebrate the step. El-Sisi said he exchanged views with Biden on finding a formulation to de-escalate tensions in the Gaza strip over a phone call on Thursday, noting that he and the US president were on the same page regarding the need to manage the conflict through diplomatic means. "The visions between us were consistent concerning the need to manage the conflict between all parties through the diplomatic means, a matter that demonstrates the depth and strength of the strategic relations between Egypt and the United States," El-Sisi noted. The Egyptian president expressed his aspiration to promote bilateral ties with the US and achieve more common interests and spaces to establish just and comprehensive peace in the region, the statement added. Biden also extended thanks to El Sisi over the Egyptian efforts exerted to reach the ceasefire agreement. "I extend my sincere gratitude to President El-Sisi and the senior Egyptian officials who have played such a critical role in this diplomacy," the US President said. Biden's statements were made during a press conference he held to comment on the Palestinian-Israeli truce. The recent escalation was sparked on 10 May when Israel cracked down on Palestinian demonstrators protesting Israels plan to forcibly expel Palestinian families from the Sheikh Jarrah district in East Jerusalem. Gaza infrastructure was devastated by Israeli airstrikes. Also, twelve people in Israel were killed during the 11-day action-reaction loop, while thousands were sent into shelters for fear of the Palestinian rockets. Egypt, over the past several days, sent a delegation to Ramallah city in the central West Bank and Tel Aviv more than once to mediate an immediate ceasefire. Egypt is set to send two security delegations to Tel Aviv and the Palestinian territories to follow up on the implementation of the truce's measures as per directives issued by Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi. Short link: Palestinians rallied by the thousands early Friday after a cease-fire took effect in the latest Gaza war, with many viewing it as costly but clear victory for the Islamic militant group Hamas. Israel vowed to respond with a new level of force to any further hostilities. The 11-day war left more than 200 dead the vast majority Palestinians and brought widespread devastation to the already impoverished Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip. But the rocket barrages that brought life to a standstill in much of Israel were seen by many Palestinians as a bold response to perceived Israeli abuses in Jerusalem, the emotional heart of the conflict. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday warned against any further attacks, saying if Hamas thinks we will tolerate a drizzle of rockets, it is wrong. He vowed to respond with a new level of force against any aggression anywhere in Israel. The Israeli leader, who has faced criticism from his hawkish base for ending the offensive prematurely, said Israel had done daring and new things, and this without being dragged into unnecessary adventures. He added that Israeli forces had caused maximum damage to Hamas with a minimum of casualties in Israel. Israeli strikes killed more than 200 militants, including 25 senior commanders, and hit more than 100 kilometers (60 miles) of militant tunnels, Netanyahu said. Thousands took to the streets of Gaza as the cease-fire took hold at 2 a.m. Young men waved Palestinian and Hamas flags, passed out sweets, honked horns and set off fireworks. Spontaneous celebrations also broke out in east Jerusalem and across the occupied West Bank. An open-air market in Gaza City that was closed throughout the war reopened and shoppers could be seen stocking up on fresh tomatoes, cabbage and watermelons. Workers in orange traffic vests swept up rubble from the surrounding roads. Life will return, because this is not the first war, and it will not be the last war, said shop owner Ashraf Abu Mohammad. The heart is in pain, there have been disasters, families wiped from the civil registry, and this saddens us. But this is our fate in this land, to remain patient. There was little to celebrate in the hard-hit northern town of Beit Hanoun, where residents, many of whom had lost loved ones, surveyed the wreckage of their homes. We see such huge destruction here, its the first time in history weve seen this, said Azhar Nsair. The cease-fire is for people who didnt suffer, who didnt lose their loved ones, whose homes were not bombed. Like the three previous wars between the bitter enemies, the latest round of fighting ended inconclusively. Israel claimed to have inflicted heavy damage on Hamas with hundreds of bruising airstrikes but once again was unable to halt the rockets. Hamas also claimed victory, despite the horrifying toll the war took on countless Palestinian families who lost loved ones, homes and businesses. It now faces the daunting challenge of rebuilding in a territory already suffering from high unemployment and a coronavirus outbreak. At least 243 Palestinians were killed, including 66 children and 39 women, with 1,910 people wounded, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which does not break the numbers down into fighters and civilians. Twelve people in Israel, including a 5-year-old boy and 16-year-old girl, were killed. In Gaza, rescue workers were still recovering bodies from areas that had been too dangerous to enter. The Red Crescent emergency service said it recovered five bodies in the southern town of Khan Younis on Friday, including the body of a three-year-old child. The fighting began on May 10, when Hamas militants in Gaza fired long-range rockets toward Jerusalem. The barrage came after days of crackdown by the Israeli police against the Palestinian protesters at the Al-Aqsa Mosque, a flashpoint site revered by Jews and Muslims. Heavy-handed police tactics at the compound, and the threatened eviction of dozens of Palestinian families by Jewish settlers had inflamed tensions. The competing claims to Jerusalem lie at the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and have repeatedly triggered bouts of violence in the past. Tens of thousands of Palestinians attended Friday prayers at Al-Aqsa. A couple thousand joined a celebratory demonstration afterward, waving Palestinian and Hamas flags and cheering Hamas. The cease-fire was brokered by neighboring Egypt after the U.S. pressed Israel to wind down the offensive. Netanyahu announced that Israel had accepted the proposal late Thursday, while emphasizing that the reality on the ground will determine the future of the campaign. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken plans to visit the region in the coming days to discuss recovery efforts and working together to build better futures for Israelis and Palestinians. the State Department said. Hamas and other militant groups fired over 4,000 rockets at Israel throughout the fighting, launching the projectiles from civilian areas at Israeli cities. Dozens of projectiles flew as far north as Tel Aviv, the countrys bustling commercial capital. Israel, meanwhile, carried out hundreds of airstrikes targeting what it said was Hamas military infrastructure, including a vast tunnel network. The United States, Israels closest and most important ally, initially backed what it said was Israels right to self-defense against indiscriminate rocket fire. But as the fighting dragged on and the death toll mounted, the Americans increasingly pressured Israel to stop the offensive. Biden welcomed the cease-fire. He said the U.S. was committed to helping Israel replenish its supply of interceptor missiles and to working with the internationally recognized Palestinian Authority not Hamas to provide humanitarian aid to Gaza. Netanyahu faced heavy criticism from members of his hawkish, nationalist base. Gideon Saar, a former ally who now leads a small party opposed to the prime minister, called the cease-fire embarrassing. Itamar Ben Gvir, head of the far-right Jewish Power party, tweeted that the cease-fire was a grave surrender to terrorism and the dictates of Hamas. In a potentially damaging development for the Israeli leader, the Palestinian militants claimed Netanyahu had agreed to halt further Israeli actions at the Al Aqsa Mosque and to call off the planned evictions of Palestinians in the nearby Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood. An Egyptian official said only that tensions in Jerusalem will be addressed. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was discussing behind-the-scenes negotiations and provided no details. Some 58,000 Palestinians sought shelter in crowded United Nations schools at a time of a coronavirus outbreak. Thousands returned to their homes as the truce took hold. Since the fighting began, Gazas infrastructure, already weakened by a 14-year blockade, has rapidly deteriorated, and airstrikes have damaged schools and health centers. Medical supplies, water and fuel for electricity are running low in the territory, on which Israel and Egypt imposed the blockade after Hamas seized power from the Palestinian Authority in 2007. Since then, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has governed autonomous areas of the Israeli-occupied West Bank and has limited influence in Gaza. Short link: Two Egyptian security delegations assigned to monitor the ceasefire between Israel and Palestinian factions in the Gaza Strip arrived in Gaza and Israel this afternoon. Egypt sent two security delegations, one to Gaza and the other to Tel Aviv, to follow up on the implementation of the ceasefire and to negotiate measures to ensure permanent stability, as per directives issued by Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi. The delegations requested the Israeli and Palestinian parties commit to the ceasefire agreement. Meanwhile, the delegation in Gaza began talks with Palestinian factions to stabilise the ceasefire. On their side, the Palestinian factions expressed their appreciation for both the Egyptian efforts to reach a ceasefire and President El-Sisis directives to open the Rafah crossing to treat Palestinian casualties in Egypt and allow the delivery of humanitarian aid. Both the Israeli and Palestinian parties asked Egypt to follow up and monitor the ceasefire agreement reached on Thursday, which ended 11 days of military operations in the Gaza Strip. The "simultaneous and mutual ceasefire" came into effect as of Friday 21 May at 2am (23:00 GMT) Palestinian time. According to the latest count released by the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza, 243 people were killed in the latest attack against Gaza including 17 women, 66 children and 17 elderly people. In addition, 1,910 people were injured. Short link: Egypt and the UAE started on Friday the activities for a joint military exercise dubbed 'Zayed 3' with the participation from the two countries' special forces, the Egyptian Armed Forces announced. According to the Egyptian Armed Forces' spokesperson, the two-week military drills, which kicked off in the UAE, include several activities: the transfer and exchange of military training expertise between the two sides, as well as managing joint combat work between the participating elements. The military exercise comes in light of the Egyptian Armed Forces keenness on fostering military cooperation and exchanging relevant expertise with brotherly and friendly countries amid the current challenges facing the region, the Egyptian army added. Short link: Head of Hamass political bureau Ismail Haniyeh thanked Egypt on Friday for its effort mediating a ceasefire in Gaza between Palestine and Israel. We thank Egypt which exercised its leading role and curbed the Israeli attack on Gaza Haniyeh said in a press conference in Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thanked Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi on Friday for his important role in restoring calm and regaining security and stability to the region. "Thank you President El-Sisi for your important role in restoring calm and advancing security and stability in our region," Netanyahu posted on his official Twitter account. Egypt managed to reach a "simultaneous and mutual ceasefire" between Israel and the Palestinian factions including Hamas, which came into effect as of Friday 21 May at 2am (23:00 GMT) Palestinian time. Egypt sent two security delegations to Tel Aviv and the Palestinian territories to ensure implementation of the ceasefire. US President Joseph Biden extended thanks on Thursday to President El-Sisi over the Egyptian efforts to reach the ceasefire agreement in a press conference in Washington. "I extend my sincere gratitude to President El-Sisi and the senior Egyptian officials who have played such a critical role in this diplomacy," the US President said. Over the past several days, Egypt sent delegations to Ramallah city in the West Bank and Tel Aviv more than once to mediate an immediate ceasefire. The recent escalation was sparked on 10 May when Israel cracked down on Palestinian demonstrators protesting Israels plan to forcibly expel Palestinian families from the Sheikh Jarrah district in East Jerusalem. According to the latest count released by the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza, 243 people were killed in the latest attack against Gaza including 17 women, 66 children and 17 elderly people. In addition, 1,910 people were injured. Gaza infrastructure was devastated by Israeli airstrikes. Also, twelve people in Israel were killed during the 11-day action-reaction loop. Short link: Egypt's humanitarian aid, that was sent for the Palestinian people, reached Rafah early Friday to help the Palestinians following the Israeli attacks. Food and medical supplies were included as well as other kinds of humanitarian aid. This comes on behalf of the Egyptian people to the Palestinian people, said a group of Egyptian Parties in a statement issued about the aid. The parties participating in the aid are Mostaqbal Watan (Future of the Homeland) party, Guardians of the Nation, Peoples Republican and The Egyptian Coordinations Committee of Parties' Youth Leaders and Politicians (CPYP). Headed by 27 MPs and the Leader of the Mostaqbal Watan party MP Ashraf Rashad, the aid includes 80 trucks. President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi already announced on Tuesday the allocation of $500 million as part of an Egyptian initiative for the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip. Egypt has also opened the Rafah crossing to receive injured cases from Gaza and to treat them in North Sinais hospitals. According to the latest count released by the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza, 243 people were killed in the latest attacks, including 17 women, 66 children and 17 elderly people. There were also 1,910 injured people. Moreover, Gaza's infrastructure has been devastated by Israeli airstrikes. Short link: Ethiopia on Friday for the first time accused Eritrean troops of killing 110 civilians in a massacre in the war-hit Tigray region. The attorney general's office sharply contradicted law enforcement officials who claimed earlier this month that the "great majority" of those killed in the city of Axum were fighters, not civilians. The killings in Axum in late November represent one of the deadliest incidents of the six-month-old war in Ethiopia's Tigray region. The Tigray conflict erupted in early November, with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed sending in troops to detain and disarm leaders of the regional ruling party, the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF.) Abiy said the move came in response to TPLF attacks on federal army camps. In earlier reports on what happened in Axum, both Human Rights Watch and Amnesty blamed Eritrean troops fighting in Tigray and said the dead were mostly civilians. Amnesty said the Eritreans "went on a rampage and systematically killed hundreds of civilians in cold blood." In Friday's statement, the attorney general's office said the Eritreans engaged in reprisal killings after pro-TPLF forces attacked them. "The investigation indicates that 110 civilians have been killed on these dates by Eritrean troops," the statement said, referring to November 27 and November 28. "The investigation shows that 70 civilians have been killed in the city while they were outdoors. On the other hand, 40 civilians seem to have been taken out of their homes and killed in home-to-home raids conducted by Eritrean troops," it said. Eritrea's information minister did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday. Eritrean troops, who teamed up with the Ethiopian military, have been implicated in multiple massacres and other atrocities during the Tigray conflict, allegations Asmara denies. The US and EU have repeatedly called for the Eritreans to withdraw. "The continued presence of Eritrean forces in Tigray further undermines Ethiopia's stability and national unity," US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement last week. "We again call upon the Government of Eritrea to remove its forces from Tigray." Short link: . Palestinian residents of the Gaza Strip are taking to the streets to celebrate the cease-fire reached after an 11-day war between Hamas and Israel At 2:00 a.m., just as the cease-fire took effect, frenzy of life returned to the streets of Gaza. People went out from their homes in the night for the first time since the war began, shouting ``Allahu Akbar,'' whistling from balconies, and many firing in the air. More rallies are expected across the Gaza Strip later Friday. Short link: Floyd Patterson, Resident Partner at Grant Thornton (2nd from right) hands over cheque to Hermia Neehall, Executive Director of NDF, in the company of Roger Clifton, NDF Director (left) and Clifford Edwards, Rep of Grant Thornton. The National Development Fund, this countrys leading small and micro business lending institution, on Wednesday, received a cash injection of $50,000 to assist farmers and others from the Red and Orange zones, to get back on their feet following the eruption of the La Soufriere volcano. The donation came courtesy independent Audit, Tax and Advisory service provider Grant Thornton and the donation was, as per its purpose, a diversion from the general line of relief assistance. It also brought the firms contribution to the La Soufriere volcanic relief and rehabilitation efforts to date, to a total of $200,000. During a presentation at the NDF headquarters at Mc Kies Hill, Floyd Patterson, Resident Partner at Grant Thornton, confirmed that to date Grant Thorntons contribution to the La Soufriere volcanic relief and rehabilitation efforts was in excess of $200,000, including food stuff and other tangibles. And speaking specifically to the donation to the NDF, Patterson underscored a hope that " the contribution would be a catalyst in the recovery process. According to Patterson, following the April 9th eruption of La Soufriere, the regional partners and representatives of Grant Thornton International (GTI) held a Microsoft Teams meeting, to discuss the adverse impact of the eruption on the local staff and people of St Vincent and the Grenadines. He said that during the meeting he highlighted the needs by presenting graphic photographs of the devastation wrought on communities in the Red and Orange Zones. The regional partners from offices in the St Lucia, Antigua, St Kitts, Barbados, Trinidad, Curacao, Cayman Islands, the BVI, and representatives of Grant Thornton International immediately pledged assistance to the St Vincent office and the persons displaced by the eruption, Patterson revealed. On April 30, 2021, Mr. Patterson handed over three cheques amounting to $145,000, to NEMO, the St Vincent and the Grenadines Red Cross Society, and St Marys R. C. School for the children of the St Benedicts Day Nursery, Wednesday presentation to the NDF was again on behalf of the regional partners of Grant Thornton. Executive Director of the NDF, on accepting the donation, expressed gratitude on behalf of NDF. "We are very, very grateful to the partners of Grant Thornton. The National Development Foundation has been here since October 1983 and we have been serving person involved in the agricultural and fishing sectors, Neehall informed. She committed her Foundation to spending the funds wisely in helping those who have been badly hit. "The funds will be used to try to bring them back on their feet, the Executive Director noted. Roger Clifton, a Director of NDF, who was also on hand for the presentation, expressed thanks to Grant Thornton, highlighting that the donation will go a long way in helping with the recovery process in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The NDF was established to foster the development of small and micro business through the provision of credit, technical assistance and training, towards improving socio-economic well-being of its clients, and to make a positive contribution to national development. Currently the entity caters to approximately 175 clients. . A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, the Islamist movement which controls the Gaza Strip, came into force early Friday after 11 days of deadly fighting that pounded the Palestinian enclave and forced countless Israelis to seek shelter from rockets Celebrations were heard on Gaza streets in the minutes after the truce began as cars honked their horns and some guns were fired in the air, AFP journalists said, while no alerts were sounded to warn of Hamas rockets being fired into Israel. The ceasefire brokered by Egypt, that also included Gaza's second-most powerful armed group, Islamic Jihad, was agreed following mounting international pressure to stem the bloodshed which erupted on May 10. US President Joe Biden welcomed the deal. "I believe we have a genuine opportunity to make progress and I'm committed to working toward it," Biden said at the White House, hailing Egypt's role in brokering the agreement. A statement from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said the security cabinet had "unanimously accepted the recommendation of all of the security officials ... to accept the Egyptian initiative for a mutual ceasefire without pre-conditions". Hamas and Islamic Jihad also confirmed the ceasefire in statements. The Israeli statement said its aerial campaign had made "unprecedented" achievements in Gaza, a territory it has blockaded since 2007, the year of Hamas's takeover. "The political leadership emphasises that it is the reality on the ground that will determine the future of the operation," it added. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Thursday he would be "prepared at any time to go to Israel, to the Middle East, if that would serve the purpose of moving beyond the violence and helping to work on improving lives for Israelis and Palestinians alike". - Egypt to monitor- Fighting erupted earlier this month after weeks of tensions in Jerusalem, notably over planned evictions of Palestinians from their homes in east Jerusalem to make way for Jewish settlers, and clashes at the sensitive Al-Aqsa mosque compound. The Israeli occupation army said Hamas and other Islamist armed groups in Gaza have since fired more than 4,300 rockets towards Israel, but the overwhelming majority of those headed for populated areas were intercepted by its Iron Dome air defences. The rockets have claimed 12 lives in Israel, including two children and an Israeli soldier, with one Indian and two Thai nationals among those killed, the police say. Israeli strikes on Gaza have killed 232 Palestinians, including 65 children, as well as fighters, and have wounded another 1,900, according to the Gaza health ministry. Vast areas have been reduced to rubble and some 120,000 people have been displaced, according to Hamas authorities. Diplomatic sources told AFP in Cairo that "two Egyptian delegations will be dispatched to Tel Aviv and the Palestinian territories to monitor its (the ceasefire) implementation and procedures to maintain stable conditions permanently." UN chief Antonio Guterres, who also welcomed the deal, said Israel and the Palestinians now had a responsibility to have "a serious dialogue to address the root causes of the conflict." He also called on the international community to work with the UN on a "robust package of support for a swift, sustainable reconstruction and recovery". Britain also welcomed the ceasefire, with the UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab saying: "All sides must work to make the ceasefire durable and end the unacceptable cycle of violence." - 'Stay home' - Before Israeli officials met Thursday to approve the ceasefire proposal, rocket fire had continued towards southern communities near the Gaza border. The Israeli army had ordered the area's residents to stay in their homes "until further notice." Shortly after the truce was announced, Islamic Jihad boasted it had "managed to humiliate" Israel. The group also vowed to remain the defender of Palestinians in Jerusalem, holy to both Muslims and Jews. Netanyahu said the campaign set Hamas and Islamic Jihad back "many years". Palestinian and international groups accused Israel of recklessly hitting non-military sites during the campaign. The unrest also sharply heightened tensions and sparked violence between Jews and Arab-Israelis, while Palestinian protesters in the West Bank and east Jerusalem have repeatedly clashed with security forces. Short link: The top United Nations envoy to Israel and the Palestinian territories is welcoming the cease-fire in the latest war between Israel and the Hamas group that rules Gaza. Tor Wennesland said early Friday on Twitter that he extends his ``deepest condolences to the victims of the violence & their loved ones.'' He also thanks Egypt and Qatar for their work with the U.N. in brokering the deal that ended 11 days of fighting. He adds that now ``the work of building (hash)Palestine can start.'' Short link: . Fresh clashes between Palestinians and Israeli police broke out at Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa mosque compound on Friday, two weeks after unrest at the sensitive religious site triggered deadly hostilities in Gaza Israeli police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said "riots broke out" at the Al-Aqsa esplanade which is Islam's third holiest site and also revered by Jews, who call it the Temple Mount. "Hundreds of people threw rocks and petrol bombs at police officers who responded at the scene and began dispersing the rioters," Rosenfeld said in a statement. "Police units (are) at the scene," he added. AFP reporters at the compound in Jerusalem's Old City said clashes were ongoing. Police have fired rubber bullets and used stun grenades at the site, according to an AFP reporter. Days of unrest at Al-Aqsa during Islam's holy fasting month of Ramadan led Hamas, the Islamist group that controls, to demand Israeli forces vacate the compound by 6:00 pm (1500 GMT) on May 10. Hamas then fired rockets at Jerusalem when the deadline expired. Israel then commenced a heavy aerial campaign targeting Hamas and other armed groups in Gaza. A ceasefire to end the Gaza hostilities appeared to be holding on Friday. Short link: World leaders and top diplomats welcomed an Egyptian-mediated ceasefire between Israel and Hamas that was in place Friday, while urging a long-term political solution to the Middle East conflict. Here are reactions from around the world: - European Union- The EU welcomed the ceasefire and insisted that working toward a "two-state solution" was the only viable option. "We are appalled and regret the loss of life over these past 11 days," EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said in a statement. "As the EU has consistently reiterated, the situation in the Gaza Strip has long been unsustainable." - Russia- Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said while Moscow was satisfied with the truce, more needed to be done. "This is an important but still insufficient step," she said. "In order to avoid a resumption of violence, we must double international and regional efforts on relaunching direct political negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians." - China- Beijing welcomed the truce and said the international community now needed to "extend helping hands" to the region. It said it would commit $1 million in emergency aid and a further $1 million to UN relief efforts for the Palestinians. "The international community should promote the resumption of peace talks between Palestine and Israel, and achieve a comprehensive, just and lasting solution to the Palestine issue on the basis of the two-state solution," foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told reporters. - United States- President Joe Biden said the ceasefire marks a "genuine opportunity" for peace following the unrest. "I believe we have a genuine opportunity to make progress and I'm committed to working toward it," Biden said at the White House, highlighting Egypt's role in brokering the truce. - Germany- "Good that there is now a ceasefire," Foreign Minister Heiko Maas tweeted, a day after he visited Israel and Ramallah for talks. "Now we have to deal with the causes, rebuild trust and find a solution to the Middle East conflict." - Britain- Britain called on all sides to the conflict to ensure the ceasefire is lasting. "All sides must work to make the ceasefire durable and end the unacceptable cycle of violence and loss of civilian life," UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said on Twitter, adding that Britain supports "efforts to bring about peace". - France- France welcomed the ceasefire but said the violence underscored the need for a relaunch of the peace process. Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian warned that barring negotiations, "cycles of violence will be repeated". - Hezbollah- Lebanon's Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah, which has close ties with the Islamist movement Hamas, said the ceasefire marked a "historic victory". "Hezbollah congratulates the heroic Palestinian people and its valiant resistance on the historic victory achieved... against the Zionist enemy," the Shiite group said in a statement. - Kuwait- Kuwait's foreign ministry said "the agreement is a step to help save lives and end the violence for which the Israeli occupation authorities bear responsibility". "Achieving stability in the region requires concerted international efforts to resume the peace process in the Middle East and to establish an independent Palestinian state with east Jerusalem as its capital," it said in a statement carried by the official Kuwait News Agency. - Pope Francis- Pope Francis hailed the ceasefire and urged the entire Catholic Church to pray for peace. "I thank God for the decision to halt the armed conflicts and acts of violence, and I pray for the pursuit of paths of dialogue and peace," he said. "May every community pray to the Holy Spirit 'that Israelis and Palestinians may find the path of dialogue and forgiveness, be patient builders of peace and justice, and be open, step by step, to a common hope, to coexistence among brothers and sisters'." Short link: . The war between Israel and Palestinian group Hamas in Gaza has killed 243 Palestinians, displaced thousands from their homes and ravaged key infrastructure Here is a recap in numbers. Gaza 243 Palestinians including 66 children killed in Israeli air strikes in the besieged coastal enclave since May 10, the health ministry says. Two doctors were among those killed, including the head of internal medicine at the Shifa hospital, the main one in the Gaza Strip. More than 1,900 people including 560 children wounded in that same period, according to the same source. 91,000 people have been forced to flee their homes, the UN humanitarian agency says. 1,447 homes -- houses or flats -- hit, according to the Hamas group running the enclave. 205 residential blocks completely destroyed, Hamas says. 75 governmental and public facilities damaged, it says. 14 kilometres of water pipes, 50 water wells, and 17 kilometres of sewage pipes have been affected, Hamas says. 31 electrical substations and 79 kilometres of cables affected, nine main lines cut off, it estimates. 454 cars or means of transport destroyed or badly damaged, according to the same source. Three mosques completely destroyed, 40 mosques and one church damaged, according to Hamas. Israel 12 killed in Israel, including one Israeli child, one Arab Israeli teenager and her father, one Indian, and two Thai nationals, Israeli medics say. 357 people have been wounded by rockets. Of 4,070 rockets fired by Palestinian armed groups towards Israel, around 90 percent were intercepted by Israel's air defence system, the military says. 2,061 claims received for homes hit by rockets and 1,367 more for cars in southern and central Israel, according to the Israel Tax Authority, which deals with compensations. West Bank 25 Palestinians killed by Israeli forces since the outbreak of hostilities in the occupied territory, Palestinian health authorities say. The Israeli army says at least five of them had attempted to ram or stab Israeli forces at checkpoints. Short link: . The UN agency for Palestinian refugees said Friday its priority following the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas was to identify and help those left homeless in the Gaza Strip Matthias Schmale, UNRWA's Gaza chief, said it would start by assessing physical damage to infrastructure. But he said the agency must also help rebuild the lives of a "terrified, traumatised population". The ceasefire appeared to be holding Friday after 11 days of fighting that pounded the Palestinian enclave and forced Israelis to seek shelter from rockets. Schmale voiced an "enormous sense of relief" that a ceasefire had been reached, but said the truce felt "fragile". "I am convinced after being here three and a half years that we will be back in a war if the underlying causes are not addressed," he told reporters in Geneva via video-link. Schmale said UNRWA in Gaza was moving from an emergency response mode to early recovery, as he spelled out three priorities, the first of which was to identify and support those who were now homeless. "Overnight, most of the 66,000 people that had sought refuge in our 59 schools have gone home. There's only a few hundred left. Those are likely people who've lost their homes," he said. The second priority was to begin serious damage assessment, and the third was "to recognise this is a terrified, traumatised population. This is a level of trauma added onto others. "We cannot just look at this as physical rebuilding. We need to rebuild lives, or help rebuild lives," the aid director said. As for the cost of recovery and rehabilitation, it was "too early to put a price tag" on it, Schmale added. Regarding the Covid-19 situation in the territory, he noted that the second wave of the virus there had begun to wane before the conflict erupted. "Many of us are very worried that during these 10 days of war, we may have in fact seen the beginning of the third wave because of course precautionary measures and so on were not adhered to," he said. Short link: Thousands of Yemenis took to the streets in the rebel-held capital, Sanaa on Monday to denounce Israeli attacks on Gaza. Protesters carried Palestinian flags and banners calling for the boycott of Israeli and American goods. They also chanted: `Death to America!' and `Death to Israel!' Many protesters were seen carrying AK-47 assault rifles. The protests are called by Houthi rebels, who are allied with Hamas. Both groups have close ties with Iran, the archenemy of Israel. Palestinian witnesses say at least two people were killed in an Israeli airstrike at the upper floor of an apartment building in Gaza City. The witnesses say the bodies of man and a girl were brought to the Shifa hospital in the city. There was no immediate comment from the Health Ministry. The latest airstrike occurred Monday in the same neighborhood at Wahda street where a series of conservative air raids had flattened three buildings and killed as many as 42 Palestinians early Sunday. Meanwhile, a fresh airstrike has flattened a five-story commercial building housing the headquarters of the Hamas-run religious affairs ministry. The armed wing of Hamas said Israel has resumed hitting houses Monday afternoon and said it would fire rockets toward Israel's heartland in retaliation. Greece says its foreign minister will head to Israel and the Palestinian territories on Tuesday for talks with his Israeli and Palestinian counterparts. Nikos Dendias is to meet with Gabi Ashkenazi and Riad al-Maliki before heading later the same day to Jordan for talks with Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, the foreign ministry announced Monday. The minister will travel to Egypt on Thursday for a meeting with his Egyptian counterpart, Sameh Shoukri. In the past Greece, which has long had good relations with both Israel and the Palestinians, has attempted to play a mediating role in their conflicts. Chancellor Angela Merkel spoke Monday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about the Israeli's crackdown on Palestine and emphasized Germany's solidarity with Israel and the country's right to self-defense. She condemned the continued rocket attacks from Gaza into Israeli and voiced her hope for a swift end to the fighting in light of the loss of civilian life on both sides. Merkel's office said she also stressed that the government will `continue to act decisively against protests in Germany at which hatred and antisemitism is spread.' One of the leading contenders to succeed Merkel in Germany's national election this fall, Annalena Baerbock of the center-left Greens, likewise condemned the Hamas rocket attacks and backed Israel's right to self-defense. She called for Germany and the European Union to support efforts by US President Joe Biden to mediate between the warring parties. Asked about Israel's destruction of a high-rise building in Gaza used by international media, including AP, Baerbock said the principles of international humanitarian law, which bans attacks on civilians apply in the war. Israel alleged the airstrike targeted Hamas, which it claimed was present in the building, but didn't offer proof. Lod saw some of the worst Israel violent crackdown on the Arabs that wracked Israeli cities last week. Police said that a total of 190 people were injured in the war, 10 of them seriously. Yehoshua was the first confirmed death. Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said `operations are continuing across the county to prevent and respond to incidents' with additional reinforcements in Lod. French President Emmanuel Macron and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sissi stressed the `absolute need' to cease Israel agression on the Palestinians, the French presidency said. During a working meeting in Paris on Monday, both leaders shared `strong concerns' about the Israeli crackdown on Palestine and deplored the numerous civilian victims, the statement said. Macron reaffirmed France's support to Egypt's mediation in the war. Both leaders agreed to continue to coordinate their actions in favor of a `rapid cease-fire' and prevent the escalation of war in the region, according to the French presidency. The European Union will redouble its efforts to end the upsurge in violence of the Israeli occupation forces on Palestinian militants, and seek progress during a special meeting of its foreign ministers Tuesday, the bloc said. The EU also called the weekend destruction of a building housing major international media `extremely worrying' and said safe working conditions for journalists were essential. The EU has never had the impact Washington can wield in the region and no immediate breakthrough was expected from Tuesday's meeting. Ever since the outbreak of war last week, the EU has been calling for restraint and condemned attacks that hit civilian populations. The British government says Israel must ensure that its occupation forces activities against Hamas are `proportionate,' and it is deeply concerned by the destruction of media offices and other civilian targets in Gaza. Prime Minister Boris Johnson's spokesman, Max Blain, said Britain is `in contact with our US and UN counterparts and urgently seeking more information from the Israeli government' on Saturday's attack, which destroyed a high-rise building housing the offices of The Associated Press and other media organizations. `We are deeply concerned by UN reports that 23 schools and 500 homes, as well as medical facilities and media offices, have been destroyed or damaged in Gaza,' Blain said. He added that `Israel must make every effort to avoid civilian casualties and occupation forces activity must be proportionate.' Blain also said the UK was concerned about Hamas using civilian areas as cover. Israel says the media building was also being used by Hamas, though it has not offered evidence. Egypt's chief diplomat has warned against expanding the war between Israel and the Palestinians, urging all parties to strike a cease-fire. Foreign Minister Sameh Shukry said in televised comments that Egypt is working with international partners to reach a truce and embark on political negations aiming at achieving a `permanent, comprehensive and just' solution to the Palestinian cause. He said Egypt hopes the U.S. administration will engage in such an effort to relaunch the political process in order to avert war and destruction in the region. He called for Israel's government to reduce tensions in Jerusalem and stop efforts by extremist settlers to change the nature of the city. German officials have condemned the ongoing rocket fire by Hamas on Israel and demanded that the militant group immediately end those attacks. `This is terror, which is intended to kill people indiscriminately,' German government spokesman Steffen Seibert told reportes in Berlin. `The German government stands by Israel and its right to protect its population and defend itself.' Seibert added that it was `tragic that so many human lives need to be lamented on both sides' but accused Hamas of `holding the Palestinian population in Gaza hostage' by launching its rockets from densely populated civilian areas. Asked about the destruction of a Gaza building housing several media outlets, including AP, by Israel over the weekend, Seibert said it was important that journalists should be able to report from war zones, but again cited Israel's right to self-defense. Israel has claimed the building was also used by Hamas, though it has not offered evidence. The ambassador of the Czech Republic to Kuwait is apologizing over an image posted online of him draped in the Israeli flag, amid anger in the small, oil-rich nation over the death of Palestinians. Martin Dvorak wrote an open letter posted on the embassy's Twitter account on Monday after Kuwaitis posted angry messages to his Instagram account. Dvorak wrote that his post inspired `understandable outrage and indignation among many people with regards to the current, deeply dramatic situation in the Gaza Strip.' He added: `It was absolutely not my intention to express any manner of disrespect towards the innocent Palestinian victims and casualties whose loss we are currently witnessing.' The Kuwaiti Foreign Ministry summoned Dvorak on Monday over the post to express `its categorical rejection and strong disapproval.' While some Gulf Arab nations now recognize Israel, Kuwait has not done so in a decades-long support of the Palestinians' efforts to have an independent state. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov says Russia is `extremely concerned' about Israel's destruction of a building in Gaza City that housed the AP's longtime Gaza bureau and offices of other media organizations. `We are extremely concerned about the growing number of human casualties,' Peskov added during a conference call with reporters. Peskov said that Russian President Vladimir Putin hasn't had any contacts with `neither the Israeli, nor the Palestinian side' in recent days, but such contacts `can be organized, if necessary. The Kremlin spokesman added that `very energetic efforts are now being made both through the Quartet (of Middle East mediators, which comprises the UN, the US, the European Union and Russia), and various countries are now in constant contact through bilateral channels with both the Israelis and the Palestinians in order to stop the exchange of strikes.' The Vatican has confirmed that Pope Francis met with the Iranian foreign minister and spoke by telephone with the Turkish president amid the spiral of violence between Israel and the Palestinians. The Vatican said Francis spoke by phone around 9 a.m. Monday with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Later, he met with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, who was in Rome on a previously announced visit. The Vatican provided no comment on the content of the talks. On Sunday, Francis appealed for calm and international help to open a path of dialogue. Speaking during his Sunday blessing, Francis said the deaths of children in the latest surge of violence was a `sign that they don't want to build the future but want to destroy it.' Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has asked Pope Francis to support sanctions against Israel, saying Palestinians will continue to be `massacred' as long as the international community does not punish Israel. During a telephone telephone call Monday with the pope, Erdogan also said that `continued messages and reactions' from Francis in support of Palestinians would be of great importance for the `mobilization of the Christian world and of the international community,' according to a statement from the Turkish presidential communications directorate. During their conversation, Erdogan also renewed a call for the international community to take concrete steps to show Israel the `dissuasive reaction and lesson it deserves,' according to the statement. The Turkish leader has been engaged in a telephone diplomacy bid to end Israel's use of force. Gaza's mayor says Israeli airstrikes Monday on the Gaza Strip have caused extensive damage to roads and other infrastructure, while the Israeli military says they destroyed 15 kilometers (nine miles) of militant tunnels and the homes of nine alleged Hamas commanders. `If the aggression continues we expect conditions to become worse,' mayor Yahya Sarraj told Al-Jazeera TV. The UN has warned that the territory's sole power station is at risk of running out of fuel, and Sarraj said Gaza was also low on spare parts. Gaza already experiences daily power outages for between eight and 12 hours and tap water is undrinkable. Mohammed Thabet, a spokesman for the the territory's electricity distribution company, said it has fuel to supply Gaza with electricity for two or three days. Airstrikes have damaged supply lines and the company's staff cannot reach areas that were hit because of continued Israeli shelling, he added. The war broke out last Monday, when the Hamas militant group fired long-range rockets at Jerusalem after weeks of clashes in the holy city between Palestinian protesters and Israeli police. The protests were focused on the heavy-handed policing of a flashpoint sacred site during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan and the threatened eviction of dozens of Palestinian families by Jewish settlers. Since then, the Israeli occupation military has launched hundreds of airstrikes that it says are targeting Hamas' militant infrastructure. Palestinian militants in Gaza have fired more than 3,100 rockets into Israel. At least 188 Palestinians have been killed in the strikes and 1,230 people wounded. Eight people in Israel have been killed in rocket attacks from Gaza. The Israeli occupation military says its airstrikes on the Gaza Strip have destroyed 15 kilometers (nine miles) of militant tunnels and the homes of nine alleged Hamas commanders. Residents of Gaza awakened early Monday by the overnight barrage described it as the heaviest since the war began a week ago, and even more powerful than a wave of airstrikes in Gaza City the day before that left 42 dead and flattened three buildings. There was no immediate word Monday on the casualties from the latest strikes. A three-story building in Gaza City was heavily damaged, but residents said the military warned them 10 minutes before the strike and everyone cleared out. They said many of the airstrikes hit nearby farmland. Short link: KYODO NEWS - May 21, 2021 - 17:09 | All, World, Japan Japan's Cabinet approved Friday a one-year extension of the participation of the Self-Defense Forces in the U.N. peacekeeping mission in South Sudan at its headquarters until May 31 next year. The move came after the U.N. Security Council decided in March to extend by one year the mandate of the U.N. mission in South Sudan, or UNMISS. National flags fly at the United Nations headquarters in New York on April 6, 2021. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo With the security situation in South Sudan still volatile, the Japanese government hopes extending the participation of its SDF members will contribute to peace and stability in Africa. Japan has dispatched personnel since November 2011, and four people are currently working with the mission. The mission is designed "to advance a three-year strategic vision to prevent a return to civil war, build a durable peace, and support inclusive and accountable governance," the U.N. Security Council said in a March press release. In 2017, Japan ended its five-year deployment of Ground Self-Defense Force civil engineering units to UNMISS but has kept SDF members stationed at the headquarters. Japan has participated over the years in peacekeeping operations under the restrictions of its war-renouncing Constitution, but UNMISS is the only U.N. mission in which SDF members are currently engaged. Related coverage: Japan to make 1st SDF dispatch to non-U.N. peacekeeping force in April Japanese troops complete pullout from U.N. mission in S. Sudan KYODO NEWS - May 22, 2021 - 00:34 | All, Japan A lawmaker of Japan's Liberal Democratic Party said being lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender goes against the preservation of the species at a party meeting on Thursday, participants said Friday, drawing rebuke within and outside of the ruling party. Kazuo Yana, a three-term House of Representatives member, was also quoted by participants as saying at the gathering that LGBT people resist the basis of biology. The meeting was held to discuss a cross-party bill to promote understanding of sexual minorities. Another LDP member, Mio Sugita, came under fire in 2018 for saying in a magazine article that the government should not support sexual-minority couples because they cannot bear offspring and thus are not "productive." Responding to Kyodo News in writing, Yana said, "I will refrain from commenting about the (LGBT) remark as it was a closed meeting," but added, "It is necessary to promote understanding of sexual minorities." In the meeting, Yana repeatedly said he does not intend to discriminate against LGBT people, according to a participant. His remark comes after Eriko Yamatani, another LDP member, said in a party meeting on Wednesday, "Some foolish things are going on" regarding sexual minorities, citing a case where a person born a male but identifies as a woman wanted to use a women's restroom. "Yana and Yamatani are both open to criticism for having a discriminatory attitude. The remarks were foolish," said a senior LDP lawmaker. LDP member and former economy minister Hiroshige Seko told a press conference Yana should thoroughly explain his remarks. Main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan lawmakers Kanako Otsuji and Taiga Ishikawa, who are both openly gay, criticized Yana's comments. "I demand he retract the remarks," Otsuji said. "How much does he have to hurt (LGBT) people and neglect their human rights to be satisfied?" Ishikawa said Yana's remarks represent an "extremely stereotypical view." Ryosuke Nanasaki, 33, head of a body supporting sexual minorities who has come out as gay, said he felt "a sense of void" after hearing of another discriminatory remark by a politician. Nanasaki has protested every time such a remark was made but said, "Such remarks are made over and over. I feel hopeless thinking that this will continue." Japan Alliance for LGBT Legislation, comprised of groups aiding sexual minorities, said in a statement Yana's remarks, which "hurt not only (LGBT) themselves but also their families, friends and acquaintances, cannot be overlooked." Pride House Tokyo Consortium, an entity promoting better understanding of sexual minorities in cooperation with sponsors of the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, including Panasonic Corp., said it will soon deliver a letter of protest to the LDP over Yana's remarks. In the letter, the consortium will criticize Yana's "intolerable" remarks as going against the Olympic Charter that bans discrimination of any kind, its officials said. Related coverage: Assemblyman in central Japan reveals same-sex couple's address online Nearly 60% of Japan municipalities say current LGBT system inadequate Tokyo ward responds to controversy by certifying LGBT families KYODO NEWS - May 20, 2021 - 23:26 | All, Japan The Japanese government has issued warnings to Sumitomo Heavy Industries Ltd. and a subcontracted firm after the latter leaked blueprints for parts of a military-use prototype machine gun to a Chinese company, the company and the government spokesman said Thursday. The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry issued the warnings on April 28 on the grounds that the subcontractor had violated Japan's foreign exchange and trade control law, as the weapons were to be procured for Japan's Ground Self-Defense Force if selected in a tender. Sumitomo Heavy had bid to procure the machine guns in the tender opened by the GSDF in fiscal 2019 but withdrew its participation in March as the number of machine guns to be produced was small and the project lacked business prospects. In order to manufacture prototypes of the weapon ahead of its adoption, some component blueprints given to the subcontractor were provided to a Chinese firm without authorization. The subcontractor has told Sumitomo Heavy it was not aware the parts were for weapons. Sumitomo Heavy pledged to enforce thorough oversight of its subcontractors moving forward. "It is regrettable that such a case has occurred, and we will endeavor to deal with it appropriately," Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato, the government's top spokesman, said at a press conference on Thursday. Left: Sydney Pumpkin Joseph, Peer Animator and Treatment Advocate for HIV/AIDS, is alarmed that the regularly prescribed antiretroviral treatment could be replaced just like that. Right: Zidovudine is considered the most widely prescribed and used antiretroviral drug in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Persons here who suffer from HIV/AIDS have been made uneasy by indications that their regular antiretroviral drug- Zidovudine, is now in short supply, if not exhausted. They understood this after their prescriptions were changed. One dismayed individual expressed, "To just switch to a next treatment would be a death problem for me. Plus, I have other peers whose treatment was switched and they having all kinds of complications from diarrhea to hallucinations, belly pains, and cramps. According to www.webmd.com, Zidovudine, used with other HIV medications, helps control HIV infection; decreasing the amount of HIV in a persons body, creating a better-working immune system, and lowering chances of getting HIV complications. Persons should continue taking this medication (and other HIV medications) exactly as prescribed by the doctor: no doses must be skipped; refills should be secured before drugs run out. THE VINCENTIAN spoke with Mr. Sydney Joseph, better known as Pumpkin, who is employed with the Ministry of Health and the Environment as a Peer Animator for HIV/AIDS and Treatment Advocate for Anti-retroviral drugs in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. He acknowledged that he has been living with HIV/AIDS and taking antiretroviral drugs for the past eighteen years. Pumpkin expressed that while the situation affects him too, he was overly worried about his peers. "You could imagine on a daily basis, my peers been confronting me and asking me if my treatment change because apparently they went to the clinic and theirs was changed, he posited. "I was somewhat in a state of mind to tell them, Yes, my treatment changed too, but what they dont know is that I will not be taking any change of treatment. But, I couldnt just tell them to do that too, he added. He explained that although he was a Peer Animator with the Ministry of Health and receiving a stipend, he was not really included in the process. He said that since the onset of the COVID-19 virus he has been advocating for treatment adherence, but no-one ever involved him in the process. He said, as a result, many survivors are bombarding him with questions. He lamented, "I find for persons who are calling me now, it appears that they havent been allowed any conversations with or direction from the doctor in charge. For his case, he recalls that on getting to the clinic and getting his (new) prescription, all the pharmacist told him was that if he started getting any problem with the medication, he should report back to the doctor. This, he later learned, was told to all HIV/AIDS positive persons who use the national service. "I find that is unsatisfactory because when on these treatments you need proper nutrition and real support, so I really dont know what is the reason why we were just pulled off this treatment and left on our own. With that conversation concluded, questions still remain as Pumpkin expressed: "Where are those living with HIV/AIDS now where treatment is concerned? If the treatment change is warranted, are they going to be educated on the whys and wherefores of the new treatment? Is this difference something to be feared? Proper and timely answers just might help to alleviate the tension these persons are experiencing. Efforts will be made to have the relevant authority address this issue and the results of same will be published in THE VINCENTIAN. KYODO NEWS - May 22, 2021 - 00:10 | All, Japan, Coronavirus The Japanese government granted fast-track approval to COVID-19 vaccines developed by Moderna Inc. of the United States and Britain's AstraZeneca Plc on Friday, taking a major step toward speeding up its sluggish inoculation drive. The health ministry said it confirmed both to be safe and effective, bringing the number of available vaccines in the country to three, including one developed by U.S. pharmaceutical company Pfizer Inc. and its German partner BioNTech SE already in use. The Moderna vaccine, greenlit for use in people aged 18 or older, is slated to be administered at mass vaccination centers run by the Self-Defense Forces in Tokyo and Osaka, as well as similar facilities being set up by some prefectures and municipalities. The AstraZeneca shot, however, will not be used immediately amid lingering concerns over rare cases of blood clots being reported overseas, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare said. Japan's vaccination program is lagging behind other developed countries. Since its launch in February, beginning with health care workers and later expanding to people aged 65 or older, only around 4 percent of the country's population of 126 million has received at least one dose. Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, whose public support has fallen amid criticism over his pandemic response, has vowed to ramp up to 1 million shots a day and finish inoculating the elderly by the end of July. A government survey released Friday showed 7.2 percent of municipalities expect to miss that deadline, due in large part to a dearth of doctors and nurses to administer shots. Technical issues with taking reservations have also hampered the effort. Calling vaccines an "ace in the hole" in bringing the pandemic under control, Suga told reporters Friday he will strive to deliver them to as many people as possible, as quickly as possible. Japan has supply agreements to receive 50 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine from Moderna by September, 120 million doses from AstraZeneca, and 194 million doses from Pfizer. On Thursday, a drug safety panel at the health ministry signed off on the vaccines developed by AstraZeneca and Moderna, which had applied for approval in February and March, respectively. The Moderna vaccine uses a new technology called messenger RNA, or mRNA. Pfizer's is the same type, while the AstraZeneca vaccine uses a harmless version of a common cold virus. The AstraZeneca vaccine has a slightly lower efficacy rate than the other two -- 70 percent compared with 94 percent for Moderna and 95 percent for Pfizer. That is still higher than between 40 and 60 percent efficacy for influenza vaccines, and the AstraZeneca shot has the advantage of being storable in refrigerators between 2 and 8 C, making it easier to distribute than its rivals, which must be kept in freezers at temperatures as low as around minus 75 C. But some countries have temporarily suspended the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine or restricted its use on younger people due to the rare instances of blood clots. Given Japan has already secured enough of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines to cover people aged 16 or older, the health ministry will also consider imposing age limits after further review. Meanwhile, a senior government official said the mass vaccination center in Tokyo, originally slated to open Monday and run for three months, will stay open after August. The center is set to serve residents of the capital and neighboring Kanagawa, Chiba and Saitama prefectures, administering up to 10,000 shots per day. By Miya Tanaka, KYODO NEWS - May 22, 2021 - 14:54 | All, World WASHINGTON - U.S. President Joe Biden and his South Korean counterpart Moon Jae In agreed Friday to engage in "pragmatic" diplomacy with North Korea over its nuclear weapons, while seeking a tie-up in supply chain and technology issues as the region faces China's growing military and economic assertiveness. The two leaders also affirmed the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and noted that trilateral cooperation involving Japan is of "fundamental importance" in addressing North Korea and bolstering the rules-based order, according to a joint statement issued after their talks in Washington. Speaking at a press conference with Moon, Biden said the two leaders are "deeply concerned" about the situation regarding Pyongyang's nuclear and missile programs. "Our two nations also share a willingness to engage diplomatically with the DPRK to take pragmatic steps that will reduce tensions, as we move toward our ultimate goal of denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula," he said, using the acronym of North Korea's formal name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Moon became the second foreign leader after Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga to visit the White House for a face-to-face meeting with Biden, who took office in January, signaling the U.S. leader's emphasis on relationships with long-standing allies in Asia. Moon's trip also came as the Biden administration has completed a months-long policy review on North Korea, setting the stage for what it calls "calibrated and practical" diplomacy aimed at increasing the security of the United States and its allies. Details of the new U.S. approach remain unclear. But the joint statement signaled that dialogue with North Korea should build on the 2018 agreement between Biden's predecessor Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, as well as other past commitments. Moon said the U.S. policy is a "welcome direction" and that he will work to achieve a "virtuous cycle" in which progress in inter-Korean ties will advance the U.S.-North Korea dialogue. The South Korean president, now in his final year in office, is apparently hoping to leave a legacy with his commitment to pursue inter-Korea peace. U.S. experts on North Korea have noted the Biden administration may not be working on the same timeline as Moon, as its policy plan indicates an incremental approach toward denuclearization. But Moon insisted that the two countries are on the same page on the issue. Biden, meanwhile, left open the option of meeting the North Korean leader, saying that for any such talks to take place there would have to be a commitment from Kim "that there's discussion about his nuclear arsenal." Biden announced during the press conference that Sung Kim, who has served as acting assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, will serve as U.S. special envoy for North Korea. While the Biden administration is seeking to enlist U.S. allies to counter China's assertiveness in the region, the joint statement did not explicitly name Beijing apparently because South Korea has been cautious about antagonizing its largest trading partner and an important player in inter-Korea peace talks. Still, it said the United States and South Korea "oppose all activities that undermine, destabilize, or threaten the rules-based international order" and commit to maintaining a "free and open Indo-Pacific." It also said that Biden and Moon "emphasize the importance of preserving peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait," where concerns are growing over China's stepped-up military pressure toward Taipei. Beijing regards Taiwan, a self-ruled, democratic island as a renegade province to be reunited with the mainland, by force if necessary. Moon highlighted Seoul-Washington cooperation expanding in "new emerging areas that are relevant for the changing times," citing a plan to work to boost global vaccine supplies by bringing together U.S. technologies and South Korea's production capabilities. The two leaders also agreed to cooperate in industries such as semiconductors, as the Biden administration looks to create what it calls a "secure" high-tech supply chain with an aim of reducing reliance on China. Four major South Korean companies, including Samsung Electronics Co., the world's largest memory chip producer, announced on Friday plans to invest a total of $39.4 billion in the United States in areas such as semiconductors and batteries for electric vehicles, according to South Korea's Yonhap News Agency. The leaders also agreed to enhance cooperation to address climate change, with Biden making the issue a key part of his foreign policy efforts and encouraging countries to put forth ambitious goals to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. Prior to their summit meeting, Biden and Moon took part in a medal-awarding ceremony for a retired U.S. Army colonel who fought in the Korean War, an event that showcased the significance of the bilateral alliance forged during the 1950-53 conflict. New Delhi: After losing party symbol case to Nitish Kumar, Rebel JD (U) MP Sharad Yadav received another jolt on Monday night when he was disqualified from the Rajya Sabha. According to a communication from the chairman of the House M Venkaiah Naidu, Sharad Yadav and another Rajya Sabha MP Ali Anwar were disqualified from the Upper house of the Parliament. The Rajya Sabha chairman in his communication said they cease to be Upper House members with immediate effect. The Rajya Sabha chairman agreed to the JDUs contention that the two senior leaders had voluntarily given up their membership by defying their partys directives and attending events of opposition parties. The JDU had sought their disqualification on the grounds that they had attended a rally of opposition parties in Patna in violation of its direction. Yadav had joined hands with the opposition after JDU president and Bihar chief minister Nitish Kuamar dumped the Grand Alliance in Bihar and tied up with the BJP. Yadav was elected to the House last year and his term was scheduled to end in 2022. Anwars term was to expire early next year. The former JDU president, who is at present in Gujarat to campaign against the BJP, is expected to respond to his disqualification tomorrow. (With PTI Inputs) For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. London: The extradition trial of Vijay Mallya, wanted in India on charges of Rs 9,000 crores fraud and money laundering on Monday began at a UK court here, with the prosecution asserting that the embattled liquor baron had a case of fraud to answer. The trial, however, was briefly halted as the courtroom had to be evacuated due to a fire alarm. The 61-year-old tycoon and others waited outside the Westminster magistrates court during the fire drill. The trial began with the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), arguing on behalf of the Indian government, presenting its opening arguments in the case which focussed on loans totalling around Rs 2,000 crores sought by the erstwhile Kingfisher Airlines from a consortium of Indian banks. The CPS admitted that there may have been irregularities in the internal processes of the banks sanctioning some of those loans but that would be a question to be dealt with at a later stage in India. The focus of our case will be on his (Mallyas) conduct and how he misled the bank and misused the proceeds, said CPS barrister Mark Summers. He then went on to lay out a detailed chronology of events, with specific focus on a loan sought by Kingfisher Airlines from IDBI bank in November 2009. The loan sought amounted initially to Rs 950 crores but was later reduced to Rs 750 crores, after it had received Rs 200 crores from UCO bank. Meanwhile, Mallya was also sanctioned a loan of Rs 150 crores from IDBI in advance of the larger loan sought from the state-owned bank to meet critical obligations to overseas vendors. The CPS noted that in all the loans sought, loss-making Kingfisher Airlines had relied on nearly the same set of security pledges, which included the UB Group?s reputation, Kingfisher's own brand value, a promised infusion of equity funds and a projected return to profit by the airline by February 2011. The airline had claimed that it had put proactive measures in place to improve performance, the CPS noted. However, it was also a time when according to an industry analysis, the state of the airline industry was described as grim and as being in intensive care. It was not a scenario in which a state bank would have entertained such loan requests, the CPS added. Court was told that loans acquired in the name of rescuing Kingfisher Airlines were in fact used to pay off other debts, including paying the rent on a corporate jet owned by Kingfisher but operated for the defendants (Mallya) own benefit. The CPS presented an email written by Mallya in December 2009 justifying the use of loans to achieve round robins, confirming that he was open to using money received from banks for Kingfisher Airlines to repay other banks to settle overdue bills and charges. This was expressly prohibited as part of the agreed terms of the loans provided to the then struggling airline, it said. The first day of the trial is expected to be taken up entirely by the CPS setting out the Indian governments prima facie case against Mallya, a fact that was not welcomed by his defence team. Mallyas barrister, Clare Montgomery, told the judge that she had hoped to set out the defences opening arguments on the first day as well. But the CPS said it will not be rushed as it lays out the complete chronology of events. Meanwhile, Mallya watched the proceedings from behind a glass-windowed dock. His defence team tried to get the judge to allow him to sit outside the dock near his defence team to access some of the complicated paperwork being relied upon, but the judge denied that request saying all defendants are expected to sit in the dock. However, the judge has directed that a table be provided to Mallya for easier access to his paperwork. Earlier, Mallya looked relaxed when he entered the court to stand trial on charges of fraud and money laundering related to his erstwhile Kingfisher Airlines owing several Indian banks around Rs 9,000 crores. These (allegations against me) are false, fabricated and baseless, Mallya told reporters outside the court ahead of the hearing. A four-member CBI and Enforcement Directorate (ED) team from India had also arrived at the court ahead of the trial, one of whom nodded when asked he they were confident about their case. Mallya, who has been out on bail since Scotland Yard executed an extradition warrant in April this year, will be in the dock for the duration of the trial scheduled to end on December 14. A judgement in the case, being presided over by Judge Emma Louise Arbuthnot, is unlikely until early next year. The CPS will need to demonstrate a prima facie case by producing evidence to show that the criminal charges against Mallya are justified and that he should be extradited to face the Indian courts. Prison conditions in India are expected to be at the forefront during the hearing, with the Indian government providing assurances of protection of Mallyas human rights. The tycoon has been on self-imposed exile in the UK since he left India on March 2, 2016. While on strict bail conditions, which include providing a bail bond worth 650,000 pounds, surrender of his passport and a ban on possessing any travel documents, the former Rajya Sabha member has been based at his Hertfordshire estate Lady walk in the village of Tewin, nearly 50-km from London. The CPS had presented supplemental charges of money laundering to previous charges of fraud against the businessman at an earlier hearing in October. The judge had agreed to effectively re-open a fresh case so that all charges can be heard concurrently in court. If the judge rules in favour of extradition at the end of the trial, the UK home secretary must order Mallyas extradition within two months. However, the case can go through a series of appeals in higher UK courts before arriving at a conclusion. Judge Arbuthnot and her colleague, Rebecca Crane, at Westminster Magistrates Court have recently rejected two other long-pending extradition requests from India. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Bengaluru: Kavita Lankesh, sister of slain journalist Gauri Lankesh on Monday claimed that she is in touch with the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Karnataka Police and as per her information, Gauri Lankesh murder case will be cracked within 10 days from now. Kavita said, "I am satisfied with the way investigation is going on. I am in touch with SIT and I am hopeful that within 10 days Gauri murder case will be cracked." Kavita was speaking at the inauguration ceremony of Gauri Memorial Trust which will be run under the leadership of freedom fighter HS Doreswamy. The trust will have 14 members which will include people like social activist Teesta Setalvad, Dinesh Amin, media advisor to Karnataka CM. "The purpose of starting this trust is taking forward Gauri's work," said Teesta. Speaking on the occasion, journalist Siddharth Varadarajan said, "This trust will also take the work of the Gauri Lankeshs newspaper Patrika forward." Gauri was shot dead outside her house in Rajarajeshwari Nagar, Bangalore on September 5, by three unidentified men. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Washington: Facing dark warnings of a historic misstep and widespread unrest, US President Donald Trump delayed a decision on whether to recognise Jerusalem as the Israeli capital and move the US embassy there. The White House said Trump would miss a deadline to decide on shifting the embassy from Tel Aviv, after a frantic 48 hours of public warnings from allies and private phone calls between world leaders. The mercurial president has yet to make his final decision, officials said but is expected to stop short of moving the embassy to Jerusalem outright, a central campaign pledge which has been postponed once already by the new administration. The president has been clear on this issue from the get-go: Its not a matter of if, its a matter of when, said White House spokesman Hogan Gidley, who said a declaration on the move would be made in the coming days. Domestic politics may, however, push Trump toward recognising Jerusalem as Israels capital instead, in a gesture towards conservative voters and donors. The status of Jerusalem is a key issue in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with both Israelis and Palestinians claiming the city as their capital. ALSO READ: US Supreme Court allows Trump's travel ban to go into full effect With Trumps decision looming, leaders from across the Middle East and elsewhere ramped up public warnings against any shift in decades-old US policy. French President Emmanuel Macron was among those who warned Trump that Jerusalems status must be decided within the framework of negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians. Amid internal White House disagreements, several US administration officials were unable or unwilling to say with certainty what Trump would decide. The presidents going to make his decision, his Middle East peace envoy and son-in-law Jared Kushner said. Israelis defense minister Avigdor Lieberman urged Trump to grasp a historic opportunity. But from elsewhere in the region the message was clear: dont do it. If the status of Jerusalem is changed and another step is taken... that would be a major catastrophe, Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdag said. It would completely destroy the fragile peace process in the region, and lead to new conflicts, new disputes, and new unrest. ALSO READ: US, South Korea begin largest-ever joint air drill For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Apple Inc. does not give much reason to consumers for complaint. With the release of an update from iOS 11.1.2 to 11.2, the tech giant has brought smiles to consumers of iPhone, iPad, and iPod. The need to update iOS 11.1.2 was felt when users of Apple devices, came across a bug that was crashing iPhones, iPad, and iPod. What is iOS 11.2? The entire look and feel of your Apple device will now appear to be more polished with major changes in Apple Pay Cash and faster charging for iPhone 8 and X. The bug in the calculator app made the user wait for long animations to play out. Like if one hits 6+7+8, you would get 79 because the second plus sign was not registered. The major update: iOS 11.2 Beta 6 has made major changes in the Apple Pay Cash application which is Apples new peer to peer payment service. The iOS 11.2 has put the Apple Pay Cash inside the iMessage wherein users can send money while messaging. Once transferred, the receiver gets the amount deposited inside the Apple Pay Cash card inside the Wallet app on iOS 11.2. The cash can then be used for any kind of online purchases and other bank transfers, through Apple Pay. Users of iPhone 8 and X will now be able to fast charge their phone with 7.5-watt speeds through Qi-based charging pads. Apart from these two major updates, iOS 11.2 update also includes new live wallpapers. How to get iOS 11.2? Users facing the bug problem is highly recommended to get the iOS 11.2 as soon as possible. An automatic notification will emerge in, compatible devices. For manual upgradation users can go to Settings > General > Software Update. iOS 11.2 is out this was on the iPhone X hope it solves the minor UI lag that I am noticing at times, share your experience if you had updated your iPhones to iOS 11.2 pic.twitter.com/MGRbo14fsI Ranjit (@geekyranjit) December 2, 2017 For iPhone X the size of the iOS 11.2 update is 430.7 MB. For those who want to switch from iOS 10, will have to make room in the internal memory as it will be a little more than 2 GB. New Delhi: The Supreme Court began final hearing in the long-standing Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title dispute from Tuesday, a day before the 25th anniversary of the demolition of medieval-era structure. A specially constituted bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices Ashok Bhushan and Abdul Nazeer took up the case in which a total of 13 appeals filed against the 2010 judgement of the Allahabad High Court in four civil suits. The high court had then ruled a three-way division of the disputed 2.77 acre area at Ayodhya among the partiesthe Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and the Lord Ram Lalla. A sect of Muslims, under the banner of Shia Central Waqf Board of Uttar Pradesh, had earlier approached the court offering a solution that a mosque could be built in a Muslim-dominated area at a reasonable distance from the disputed site in Ayodhya. However, its intervention was opposed by the All India Sunni Waqf Board which had claimed that judicial adjudication between the two sects had already been done in 1946 by declaring the mosque, which was demolished on December 6, 1992, as one which belongs to the Sunnis. Recently a group of civil rights activists also moved the apex court seeking intervention in the Ayodhya dispute and urged it to consider the issue saying it is not just a dispute over property but has several other aspects which would have far-reaching effects on the secular fabric of the country. In pursuance to the apex courts earlier direction, the Yogi Adityanath government has submitted English translation of exhibits and documents likely to be relied upon, as these were in eight different languages. A battery of high profile lawyers including senior advocates K Parasaran and C S Vaidyanathan and advocate Saurabh Shamsheri will appear for Lord Ram Lalla, the deity, and Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta will represent the Uttar Pradesh government. Senior advocates Kapil Sibal, Anoop George Chaudhari, Rajeev Dhavan and Sushil Jain will represent other parties including All India Sunni Waqf Board and Nirmohi Akhara. The top court had on August 11 asked the UP government to complete within 10 weeks the translation of the evidence recorded for adjudication of the title dispute in the high court. It had said it would not allow the matter to take any shape other than the civil appeals and would adopt the same procedure as was done by the high court. BJP leader Subramanian Swamy, an intervenor in the matter, had attempted to raise the issue of fundamental right of religion of the Hindus under Article 25 of the Constitution. Many of the original plantiffs and defendants in the matter including Mohd Hashim, who was the first person to take the matter to the apex court, have died. A three-judge bench of the Allahabad High Hourt, in a 2:1 majority ruling, had said the land be partitioned equally among three partiesthe Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and Ram Lalla. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Beijing: China today declined to directly comment on the launch of the strategic Chabahar port in Iran but hoped that the project, which enables India to directly trade with Afghanistan besides rivalling Pakistans Gwadar port, is conducive to regional peace and stability. The first phase of the Chabahar port on the Gulf of Oman coast was inaugurated yesterday by Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, opening a new strategic route connecting Iran, India and Afghanistan while bypassing Pakistan, and reflecting growing convergence of interests among the three countries. The port in Irans Sistan-Balochistan province on the energy-rich nations southern coast is easily accessible from Indias western coast and is increasingly seen as a counter to Pakistans Gwadar port, which is being developed with Chinese investment and is located around 80 kms from Chabahar. Asked how China views the launch of the project, considering that China is investing heavily in Gwadar as part of the USD 50 billion China Pakistan Economic Corridor, foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang declined to comment on it directly. As for the (Chabahar) port, I want to give you a principled answer. We welcome the development of friendly relations between the regional countries and conduct mutually beneficial cooperation, he said. We hope the relevant cooperation can be conducive to maintaining regional peace and promoting regional stability and prosperity, he said. The Chabahar port is being considered a gateway to golden opportunities for trade by India, Iran and Afghanistan with central Asian countries besides ramping up trade among the three countries in the wake of Pakistan denying transit access to New Delhi. For all the Latest Business News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi : Rahul Gandhi was today hailed as the "darling" of the Congress by former premier Manmohan Singh after he was poised to become the party president and was also described as a "capable leader" who would make a "very good" prime minister. As Congress leaders heaped praise on the 47-year-old scion of the country's most fabled political dynasty after he filed his nomination for the post of party president, Anand Sharma and Kapil Sibal described it as a "historic moment." "Rahul ji has been the darling of the Congress...Rahul Gandhi will carry on the great traditions of the Congress party," the normally taciturn Manmohan Singh told reporters at the All India Congress Committee (AICC) headquarters here after Rahul Gandhi filed his papers. Noting that Sonia Gandhi as Congress president has served the party and through it the country for the last 19 years, Manmohan Singh said Rahul Gandhi will carry on the great traditions of the Congress party. Terming Rahul Gandhi as a "capable" leader, Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad exuded confidence that he will turn out to be a "very successful" leader. "And under his leadership, the Congress will regain power," Azad added. Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh said Rahul Gandhi would make a very good prime minister. "If you ask me, I think he will make a very good prime minister," said Amarinder Singh. Lok Sabha polls are due in 2019. Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu called Rahul Gandhi a "special leader with character" who, he said has come to the forefront during times of crisis. "He has become matured, showed his character. The general is standing at the forefront alone and on the other hand there is this entire government. This is the sign of a leader," Sidhu told reporters here. Also read: Rahul files nomination for Cong president's post, Manmohan Singh calls him party's darling Jyotiraditya Scindia, a party MP from Madhya Pradesh, dubbed Rahul Gandhi's imminent elevation to the top post as a "new wave of hope". Rahul Gandhi has been Congress' vice president since January 2013. Also read| Rahul Gandhi: 7 Interesting facts about Congress Vice President All India Mahila Congress president Sushmita Dev dubbed Gandhi a "symbol of strength, compassion and integrity" and said it was an honour to be led by him. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Dr. Godwin Friday is bent on keeping the issue surrounding Senator Ashelle Morgan on the national agenda and the call for her removal from the House of Assembly pending the outcome of the ongoing investigation. The matter is unresolved and according to the Leader of the Opposition, Dr Godwin Friday, he intends to continue pressing the issue. That issue is whether Senator Ashelle Morgan ought to remain in her positions as Senator and Deputy Speaker of the House, while named in an ongoing investigation into an alleged criminal offense. "For me as the leader, I have an obligation to deal with issues that are deemed important, he said. He had addressed the incident during the May 11 sitting of the House of Assembly, from which he was eventually suspended having ruled by the Speaker to be out of order. According to Friday, he got to his feet at the first available opportunity saying that he did so with the Speakers permission under Standing Order 81 of the Rules of the House, to address the matter of whether Senator Morgan ought to step down or her refusal to should result in her appointment being revoked until the matter was cleared. He contended that the decent thing to do was to withdraw until the matter was resolved. "And this is what I proposed and before I could finish, the Speaker rejected my idea and wanted me to sit, to discontinue the objections I was raising in the Parliament at the time, the Opposition Leader said. While addressing the incident on the May 17 edition of his New Democratic Partys New Times programme on NICE Radio, Friday said that he got to his feet because he was sticking to what he believed was the principled decision for Morgan to make, and for the Speaker of the House Rochelle Forde to rule on. But the Speaker ruled to have him suspended. He thanked the members of his team, particularly Parliamentary Representative for Central Kingstown St Clair Leacock, saying that they continued with their support on a point of order. "Nobody is accusing, we are saying that this is an allegation, this is a serious matter and for it to be resolved. "I am obliged to give a voice and representation to that in the House, but I am also a citizen before a Member of Parliament and I believe the stance we took was proper and that the end result ought not to have happened, Friday said. Friday feels assured, given the reports he has received, that the position the opposition has in relation to the senator Morgan matter, is the same as the majority of people. New Delhi: In a gruesome incident, a 42-year-old woman and her 12-year-old daughter were found murdered at their apartment in Greater Noida on Tuesday night. The 15-year-old son of the woman, who is missing after the last night incident is a suspect in the case. The police are searching for him, Station House Officer (SHO), Bisrakh, Ajay Sharma said. The bodies were found wrapped in a blanket by a police team. They were beaten with a bat and stabbed with a screwdriver. The motive behind the murder is yet to be established. Read more: Guwahati: Girl's charred body found, three arrested In a similar incident on November 27, a priest of a temple in a village of Mathura was murdered by unknown assailants, police said. The incident happened in Burja village, under the jurisdiction of Mant police station, Deputy Superintendent of Police Rakesh Kumar Yadav said. New Delhi: Security forces gunned down three Lashker-e-Taiba militants, including two Pakistanis in an encounter in South Kashmir, police said on Wednesday. The militants killed in the encounter were allegedly responsible for carrying out an attack on Amarnath pilgrims in July this year. One militant, who had managed to flee from the encounter site, was also arrested by the police from a maternity hospital of Anantnag district of South Kashmir, they said. The encounter broke on Monday afternoon when the militants opened fire on an Army convoy, on its way to Srinagar, at Qazigund on Jammu-Srinagar national highway. One soldier was killed in the attack while another sustained injuries. The security forces cordoned off the area and launched a hunt for the militants. The search operation turned into an encounter with militants which ended at 2 AM this morning, the police said. The police identified the dead militants as Yawar Basir, who is a local militant, Abu Furqan and Abu Maviya (both foreign terrorists). Basir, hailing from Habiash of Kulgam, joined ranks with Lashker-e-Taiba this year in February after snatching weapon from a policeman. Furqan had taken over as the head of Lashker-e-Taiba in South Kashmir after the death of Abu Ismail, who had led the attack on Amarnath pilgrims in July this year. Police said that all the three, killed today, were part of the squad that carried out the attack on yatris on July 10. Eight pilgrims were killed and 19 others injured. Police said the group headed by Furqan, was involved in a series of terror crimes in Anantnag and Kulgam area, which included the Yatra Bus Attack case at Bantingo, few attacks on security forces at Lower Munda on the national highway, attack on police party at bus stand in Anantnag. Furqan had replaced Ismail in South Kashmir and was responsible for the recent attacks carried by LeT, police said. Pursuing the leads available at Qazigund encounter, one individual Rashid Ahmed Allai of Hamzapora sangam Bijibehera was arrested from Janglatmandi maternity hospital with a Chinese pistol and live cartridges last night. He was missing since last two days from his house and had joined the Yawar group of LeT. The police said that he was part of the militant group when they carried out attack on army at Qazigund on Sunday but managed to escape from the site when encounter broke. He had taken shelter at the hospital in Anantnag with the help of one of his associate. According to the police, he along with his associates were intending to snatch weapon from the policemen by attacking them. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi : After leaving a trail of destruction in the southern coast, Cyclone Ockhi is expected to make landfall in coastal Gujarat tomorrow midnight with squally winds, which may cause heavy rains in several parts of the state during the next two days. An India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast said, "The severe cyclonic storm Ockhi is now laid centred about 850 km south-southwest of Surat and is likely to cross south Gujarat and adjoining North Maharashtra coasts near Surat as a deep depression by mid-night of December 5." Following the IMD prediction, Gujarat Chief Secretary J N Singh today took stock of the administrative preparedness to deal with any eventuality. Revenue department's Principal Secretary Pankaj Kumar told reporters in Gandhinagar that the authorities concerned in the coastal region of the state have been directed to take all precautionary measures. Two National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams each have been deployed at Surat, Navsari, and Rajkot. The officer said the Army, Navy, and the Border Security Force (BSF) have been alerted in the view of the cyclone's landfall. "According to the IMD forecast, Cyclone Ockhi would enter south Gujarat tomorrow midnight. This will the impact coastal areas from Umargam (in south Gujarat) till Gir Somnath district (in Saurashtra). "We have directed local civic officials as well as the collectors to remain prepared and take all necessary steps for the safety of the people," Kumar said. The principal secretary said collectors of the coastal districts have been asked to ensure that fishermen do not venture into the sea as it will remain rough. "Those fishermen who have already gone into sea should return now. Many such fishermen are already on their way to the coast," he said. Kumar said according to the IMD forecast, wind velocity would remain between 50 KMPH to 70 KMPH when the cyclone would make landfall. In view of the adverse weather conditions, the RoRo ferry service between Ghogha and Dahej across the Gulf of Khambhat has been suspended. The service, inaugurated recently by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, would resume on December 6 subject if the weather conditions are suitable. According to the IMD, Gujarat is very likely to experience a wet spell during the next four days. Also read| Cyclone Ockhi: Navy engages helicopters to rescue 69 fishermen in Indian Ocean "Heavy rainfall might occur in Valsad, Surat, Navsari, Bharuch, Dang, Tapi, Amreli, Gir-Sonath and Bhavnagar districts on December 5," it said. In a port warning issued here, the MeT Centre said, "Sea condition would be rough. Fishermen (have been) advised not to venture into the sea till December 6. Hoist Distant Warning Signal Number 2 at all ports". According to an official release, Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani held an urgent meeting with senior officials to take stock of the preparedness. During the meeting, he was apprised that as many as 50 boats from Kerala had drifted towards Gujarat's Veraval coast due to the cyclone, it said. On the other hand, the Maharashtra government has declared a holiday for schools and colleges in Mumbai and adjoining districts tomorrow due to "serious weather predictions" in view of Cyclone Ockhi. An official at the Mumbai office of India Meteorological Department said on account of the cyclone, the megapolis has started receiving rainfall due to spread of clouds. The disaster management unit of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has issued an advisory against visiting beaches in view of the high tide alert issued for tonight and tomorrow morning due to the cyclone. "Precautionary holiday declared on 5/12/17 for schools and colleges in Mumbai Metropolitan Region, Sindhudurg, Thane, Raigad and Palghar Districts for the safety of the students due to the serious weather predictions on Cyclone Ockhi," state Education Minister Vinod Tawde tweeted. Also read| Cyclone Ockhi: Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in Tamil Nadu; massive destruction in Lakshadweep According to the IMD official, a warning of heavy rainfall was issued in north Konkan and north Madhya Maharashtra. "The centre of the cyclone is around 600 km from Mumbai but its cloud band has spread along the coastal areas. Hence, light rainfall has started in Mumbai. The intensity of rains will increase as the cyclone approaches," the official said. He said as the cyclone approaches Maharashtra, the clouds would become denser and wind velocity would increase. "We are expecting wind velocity of around 50-60 km per hour over the next two days," the official said, adding that in view of the cyclone, the IMD has forecast a drop in maximum temperatures by two to three degrees and a drop in minimum temperatures by about one to two degrees. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Mumbai : The ED has issued a fresh order attaching assets worth Rs 20.41 crore in connection with its money laundering probe against former Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal and others. The zonal office of the central probe agency said it has issued an order for provisional attachment of assets under sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). With this fresh Rs 20.41 crore assets order, the total attachment of properties in the case stands at Rs 178 crore now, it said. The former Deputy CM and NCP leader is in jail after he was arrested by the agency last year. Bhujbals son and NCP legislator Pankaj and his nephew Sameer are also accused in this case. According to the ED, the Bhujbal family allegedly had conspired along with several others to divert or launder kickbacks received by Chhagan Bhujbal, when he was state Public Works Department minister. The money laundering charges against them relate to the contract for construction of the state guest house- Maharashtra Sadan - in Delhi and the Kalina land-grabbing case in Mumbai. (PTI) For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Mumbai: An Air India flight to Ahmedabad was delayed by nearly seven hours due to non-availability of pilot, after which agitated passengers created ruckus at the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport on Saturday. The flight, AI 031, was scheduled to depart for Ahmedabad from Mumbai at 0135 hours but left at 0820 hours after a delay of nearly seven hours, a source at the airport said. There were over 200 passengers on board the Boeing 777 aircraft. "The flight was first delayed by one hour. Then the carrier further delayed it as there was no pilot available to operate the aircraft. When it did not take off till early morning, the agitated passengers created ruckus in the boarding area and tried to obstruct staff members handling other flights," the source said. As the delay was notified in a staggered manner, the passengers had to spend the night in the boarding area itself, the source added. Also Read: Air India CMD Rajiv Bansal gets three-months extension "The flight was delayed due to the flight duty time limitation (FDTL) issue and crew constraints," an Air India spokesperson said, adding that the flight departed for its destination at 0820 hours. Also Read| Air India: No formal interest from Tatas, clarifies Jayant Sinha Duty hours for pilots and cabin crew are regulated by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and they are barred from operating a flight beyond specific flying hours. Bhubaneswar: Odisha Police have arrested at least six people after a video of a girl being molested on road in broad day light went viral over the internet. Six persons were arrested by the Odisha Police on Tuesday. According to the state police, the incident took place on October 4 in Bargarh districts Paikmal town. On learning about the video, we registered a case and started a manhunt to nab the culprits, a senior police officer of Bargarh district police said. According to police, the girl was molested by the accused while she was returning home from college along with a male friend. Also read| Delhi: Youth gropes, molests 32-year-old woman in Connaught Place The video that went viral on the internet a few weeks back shows, men numbering between six and eight with faces covered molesting a girl. The girl can be heard pleading to the men in Odiya. In the video, you can see the girl repeatedly requesting her perpetrators to let them go. The accused youths ignoring her plea continued molesting her and assaulted her friend. Odishas director general of police RP Sharma said, An FIR under relevant Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections and IT laws have been lodged. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Seoul: The US and South Korea on Monday kicked off their largest ever joint air exercise, an operation North Korea has labelled an all-out provocation, days after Pyongyang fired its most powerful intercontinental ballistic missile. The five-day Vigilant Ace drill involving 230 aircraft, including F-22 Raptor stealth jet fighters, and tens of thousands of troops began Monday morning, Seouls air force said. Pyongyang over the weekend blasted the drill, accusing US President Donald Trumps administration of begging for nuclear war. The annual exercise comes five days after the nuclear-armed North test-fired a new ICBM, which it says brings the whole of the United States within range. As tensions surged, US Senator Lindsey Graham, an influential Republican and foreign policy hawk, warned that the US was moving closer to preemptive war with the North. If theres an underground nuclear test (by the North), then you need to get ready for a very serious response by the United States, Graham told the CBS show Face the Nation. The isolated and impoverished North has staged six increasingly powerful atomic tests since 2006 -- most recently in September. The preemption is becoming more likely as their technology matures. Every missile test, every underground test of a nuclear weapon, means the marriage is more likely, he said. ALSO READ: North Korea blasts 'dangerous' US-South joint military drill Grahams remarks echoed those of Trumps National Security Adviser HR McMaster, who told a security forum on Saturday that the potential for war with the North is increasing every day. The North has boasted that the Hwasong 15 ICBM tested on Wednesday is capable of delivering a super-large nuclear warhead anywhere in the US mainland. Analysts agree that the latest test showed a big improvement in potential range, but say it was likely achieved using a dummy warhead that would have been quite light. They say a missile carrying a much heavier nuclear warhead would struggle to travel as far. They are also sceptical that Pyongyang has mastered the sophisticated technology required to protect such a warhead from the extreme temperatures and stresses encountered as the missile hurtles back to Earth. The Norths widely-condemned nuclear and missile programmes have made significant progress under leader Kim Jong-Un, who has overseen four nuclear tests and dozens of missile launches since taking power in 2011. The months-long nuclear standoff between Kim and Trump as well as their trading of personal insultshas fuelled concerns of another conflict, more than six decades after 1950-53 Korean War that left much of the peninsula in ruins. But even some Trump advisers say US military options are limited when Pyongyang could launch an artillery barrage on the South Korean capital Seoulonly around 50 kilometres from the heavily-fortified border and home to 10 million people. ALSO READ | Tremor felt near North Korea nuclear test site: South Korean officials For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Ambassador Gil Haskel, the Head of MASHAV Israels Agency for International Development Cooperation will hold an official visit to New Delhi, Bangalore, and Mumbai, December 4-7. His visit will be highlighted by the launch of the three-year action plan for the Indo-Israeli Agricultural Project (IIAP). On the occasion of the visit, Ambassador of Israel in India, Daniel Carmon said, The IIAP is MASHAVs biggest project outside of Israel, and it holds a significant portion of our bilateral relations. The success story of our agricultural cooperation is second to none, and it is only the beginning. We hope to see the same achievements in the fields of water, innovation and academia. Ambassador Haskel will meet with MIDH and state government officials, the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and MEA. He will also inaugurate a Center of Excellence for flowers in Thally, Tamil Nadu. Ambassador Haskel will award two $10,000 grants to MASHAV Alumni to continue their projects in women empowerment and farmer empowerment in India. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. The havoc of Covid-19 is currently going on all over the world. A team of scientists and doctors is busy making rapid efforts to overcome this. Corona is changing its appearance every time and its drug has not developed so far. Corona affects the human body, but a 93-year-old woman from Kolkata has donated her body to find out how. Yes, the woman is said to have donated her body to medical research on covid. The woman who donated the body is Jyotsna Bose who was born in Chittagong in 1927. Let me tell you that Chittagong is currently in Bangladesh. According to some media reports, 93-year-old Labour leader Jyotsna Bose from Kolkata has donated her body to ascertain the impact of corona virus. Tell you that Jyotsna Bose has become the first woman in the country to donate her body to Covid Richards. Gandarn, an NGO in Bengal, informed that "Jyotsna Bose's body will be useful in covid research and the impact of corona virus on the human body will be revealed. '' On the other hand, Dr. Teesta Basu, granddaughter of Jyotsna Bose, said, "She was admitted for treatment on May 14 at a hospital in Belaghat area of Kolkata where she passed away two days later. Her autopsy was done in RG Kar Medical College and Hospita." Dr Vasu further explained that ''We don't know too much about corona virus till date. We need to know how the corona virus affects human organs and human systems. Pathological autopsy can answer this question to a great extent." The Indian lady Jyotsna Bose is the second person in West Bengal to donate her body for covid research. Also Read Teachers will be treated as frontline workers and offered jobs on priority: Rajasthan Govt PM Modi gets emotional interacting with doctors, frontline health workers of Varanasi Bhopal Singh appealed to farmers to postpone farmer protest amid corona crisis Online marketing experts are spending a lot of time in building the reputation of brands over the digital space. With everything going digital, many businesses have made their presence over the web where content travels like the speed of light. Digital marketing maestro named Mohi Uddin, based in Dhaka,Bangladesh provides the best of social media services to brands and influencers. He started at a young and has his own company with a well-established team. The emerging social media expert with a team of talented people has done various online campaigns for the clients in Dhaka. Mohi Uddin, who is a 28-year-old guy is studying engineering and is even working as a digital marketer. His interest in doing social media campaigns made him an expert who has managed the pages of many public figures and celebrities. Social media has become a part of everyones lives and many young people including me are marketing themselves over the internet, quoted Mohi Uddin. He started his journey by becoming a social media handler. He Is Also Co-Founder Of Fuhad Media Partners. Fuhad Media partners Is a well known Bangladeshi Media agency. Besides helping the brands to build their online presence, Mohi also holds expertise in giving technical support to well-known names from different industries. With specialization in YouTube marketing, SEO building, online advertising through Google AdSense, the 23-year-old offers everything to the clients in terms of marketing services. Besides this, he considers himself a self-learner and is thankful to the internet for providing multiple business opportunities. People see what you show them. Marketing yourself over the web has become very important as it helps in creating the impression of the brand, said Mohi. In the present situation of lockdown,Mohi is utilizing his time in learning different social media skills. With a major focus on providing quality over quantity, he said, Quality content will always give you higher reach in terms of numbers. Take time for your input and give extraordinary output. Apart from this, Mohi is currently working on many other plans to take his works across the borders in the next 3 years. Also Read: Alia goes live! Ranbir Kapoor snapped shirtless in live session Rajiv Gandhi did not have any interest in politics, know more about his life Cyber Frauds: Rise in cyber scam amid Covid, Airtel working on user safety: CEO OU researcher identifies new mode of transmission for bacteria OKLAHOMA CITY AND DENMARK - Campylobacter infection, one of the most common foodborne illnesses in the Western world, can also be spread through sexual contact, according to a new research discovery by an OU Hudson College of Public Health faculty member, working in conjunction with colleagues in Denmark. The team's research has been published in Emerging Infectious Diseases, a journal published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and is the first known study to prove this mode of transmission for Campylobacter. During a time when COVID-19 has dominated news about infectious diseases, the research is a reminder that many other pathogens affect lives around the world every day. The study was led by infectious disease epidemiologist Katrin Kuhn, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology in the OU Hudson College of Public Health. "This research is important for public health messaging and for physicians as they talk to their patients about risks associated with sexual contact," Kuhn said. "Although Campylobacter infection is usually not a serious disease, it causes diarrhea, which can result in people missing work, losing productivity or perhaps losing their job. It poses an additional risk for people with underlying health conditions." Campylobacter infections usually occur when people eat chicken that has not been cooked thoroughly or when juices from uncooked poultry make their way into other food. Infections can also be caused by drinking unpasteurized milk or water that has been contaminated by the feces of infected animals. However, those didn't account for all cases of infection, Kuhn said, and she wondered if there was another route of transmission that remained unproven. An outbreak of Campylobacter infections in northern Europe among men who have sex with men prompted her to study that population of people in Denmark, where she was working when the research began. The study results showed that the rate of Campylobacter infection was 14 times higher in men who have sex with men than the control subjects. Although the study focused on men who have sex with men, the results are relevant to people of any sexual orientation who engage in sexual behavior that may involve fecal-oral contact, Kuhn said. Two other bacteria, Salmonella and Shigella, were used as comparisons in the study. Salmonella is spread primarily through infected foods, while Shigella can be transmitted through food or sexual contact. Salmonella has a high infectious dose, meaning people must ingest a significant amount of the bacteria before they become ill. However, Shigella and Campylobacter have low infectious doses, which makes transmission easier. "That's an additional reason why we believe Campylobacter can be transmitted through sexual contact like Shigella is - because people can become infected when only small amounts of the bacteria are present," Kuhn said. Campylobacter infections are probably more prevalent than the numbers show. For every one person who goes to the doctor and is diagnosed, epidemiologists estimate that 20 more people are infected, Kuhn said. Although treatment is usually required only for severe cases, complications can occur, especially in people who have compromised immune systems. In some cases, infection can result in reactive arthritis, in which the body's immune system attacks itself, causing pain in the joints. Infection can also lead to Guillain-Barre Syndrome, a serious nerve disorder that can cause paralysis. "This is an interesting time because COVID-19 has made people more aware of the importance of monitoring infectious diseases in general, not only during a pandemic," she said. "There are many infections like the one caused by Campylobacter that make people sick. It's important that we spotlight the fact that these diseases exist and that we continue to conduct research on their effects and modes of transmission." Before arriving at the OU Hudson College of Public Health, Kuhn served as a senior infectious disease epidemiologist at Statens Serum Institut in Denmark. Her work focused on food- and water-borne infections, and she was responsible for the national surveillance of Campylobacter and Shigella. She began this study while in Denmark and completed it after moving to Oklahoma. Statens Serum Institut is the Danish national institute for infectious diseases and the primary institute for surveillance of and research on infectious diseases in Denmark. "A formal collaboration between OU Hudson College of Public Health and Statens Serum Institut will build a solid foundation for strengthening transatlantic research and, not least, improving the way that we monitor, understand and prevent infectious diseases in Oklahoma," Kuhn said. ### OU HEALTH SCIENCES CENTER One of nation's few academic health centers with seven professional colleges -- Allied Health, Dentistry, Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Public Health and Graduate Studies -- the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center serves approximately 4,000 students in more than 70 undergraduate and graduate degree programs on campuses in Oklahoma City and Tulsa. For more information, visit ouhsc.edu. OU HEALTH OU Health -- along with its academic partner, the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center -- is the state's only comprehensive academic health system of hospitals, clinics and centers of excellence. With 11,000 employees and more than 1,300 physicians and advanced practice providers, OU Health is home to Oklahoma's largest physician network with a complete range of specialty care. OU Health serves Oklahoma and the region with the state's only freestanding children's hospital, the only National Cancer Institute-Designated OU Health Stephenson Cancer Center and Oklahoma's flagship hospital, which serves as the state's only Level 1 trauma center. Becker's Hospital Review named University of Oklahoma Medical Center one of the 100 Great Hospitals in America for 2020. OU Health's oncology program at Stephenson Cancer Center and University of Oklahoma Medical Center was named Oklahoma's top facility for cancer care by U.S. News & World Report in its 2020-21 rankings. OU Health was also ranked by U.S. News & World Report as high performing in these specialties: Colon Surgery, COPD and Congestive Heart Failure. OU Health's mission is to lead healthcare in patient care, education and research. To learn more, visit ouhealth.com. This story has been published on: 2021-05-21. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. MP St. Clair Leacock took umbrage with the Speaker of the House for not exploring the options available to her to deal with the Opposition Leaders position. The Speaker of the House did not fully exhaust the options available to her during an incident which resulted in Leader of the Opposition, Dr Godwin Friday, being ejected from Parliament on May 11. So said Parliamentary Representative for Central Kingstown and a Vice President of the main opposition New Democratic Party (NDP) St Clair Leacock on the May 17 edition of the NDP New Times programme, adding that the Speaker, Rochelle Forde, could have opted to discuss the issue with the Leader of the Opposition. She could have then instructed the House based on that discussion, he suggested. Instead, the Opposition Leader was asked to leave Parliament following a brief, heated exchange with Forde during the Questions for Oral Answers segment of the Sitting of Parliament, May 11. Friday had raised the issue involving Government Senator Ashelle Morgan and an ongoing investigation in which she is a party of interest. "There needs to be the understanding that the Speakers of the House need to put away their political narrowness and understand that they are Speakers for all of us, Leacock said. "And the Speaker has to get that in her head; that we are not junior to her we are equals, he continued. According to the opposition Parliamentarian, there were a number of instances where if they were handled differently, the outcome would have differed. "But every time they have an issue, [they say] let me go for the gun, let me show you who is boss. Leacock referred to the process for the appointment of Speaker of the House in the Westminster System saying that the both sides are given the opportunity to discuss candidates for the position before going to the vote. But that was not done here, Leacock maintained. "The conventional practice of the Westminster System does not come out in our Parliament and then so much goes downhill after that, he said. "We must bring back some respect to the role of Speaker of the House, and they must be trusted that is what is missing, Leacock added. Rajiv Gandhi was born in Mumbai on August 20, 1944 to Indira and Feroze Gandhi. In 1951, Rajiv and Sanjay were admitted to Shiv Niketan School, where teachers said rajiv was shy and introverted, and "he was very interested in painting and drawing. In 1954, he was admitted to Welham Boys School, Dehradun and Doon School, Dehradun, where Sanjay joined him two years later. Rajiv was sent to London in 1961 for A-level studies. Rajiv was also educated at Ecole d'Huminite, an international boarding school in Switzerland. From 1962 to 1964, he studied engineering at Trinity College in Cambridge, but did not pursue a degree. In 1966, he started a course in mechanical engineering at Imperial College London, but did not complete it. Gandhi was not really studious enough, as he later admitted. Rajiv Gandhi was not interested in politics and was a pilot in an airline. After the Emergency, when Indira Gandhi had to give up power. Then, in 1980, Rajiv Gandhi entered politics to help Mother Indira after the untimely death of his younger brother Sanjay Gandhi in a plane crash. He reached the House after winning the Lok Sabha elections from Amethi and rajiv gandhi became the next Prime Minister of India after terrorists assassinated PM Indira Gandhi on October 31, 1984 and remained the prime minister with the highest majority in the next general elections. Opposition parties also accused Rajiv Gandhi of carrying out the Rs 64 crore Bofors scam and the allegations prevented the Congress party from getting an absolute majority in the next election. The second major charge against him was in the Shahbano case when he misused the congress' overwhelming majority in Parliament and passed the bill contrary to the Supreme Court order. Rajiv's statement in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots was also widely criticized. At that time, Rajiv had said, "When a big tree falls, the earth moves. Let me tell you that about 17,000 Sikhs were killed in these riots. This was followed by the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi in a massive bomb blast at Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu while campaigning in the General Elections on May 21, 1991. Madhya Pradesh police in full form to punish curfew violators, made to do frog jumps Calling for digital mental health assistance over in-person assistance: Meru Health survey Cyber Frauds: Rise in cyber scam amid Covid, Airtel working on user safety: CEO The North African country of Sudan is the latest to ban travel from India. Sudan has decided to ban travellers who have been to India in the last two weeks. The countrys health emergency committee has confirmed this since the COVID-19 situation in India has hit morbid proportions. Sudan is also equally worried about its own COVID-19 situation, as the health emergency committee has warned the country could exceed the 100000 mark by mid-June, if proper restrictions were not in place. India on the other hand has already recorded 25 million cases this week, as the spread of the highly contagious B.1.617 variant becomes a cause of concern. India is also seeing a large number of deaths due to this new variant. Sudans health system is under massive stress as the pandemic is resulting in a shortage of hospital beds, medications, and even oxygen. Other restrictions are also in place, such as travellers coming from Ethiopia, and Egypt are to be re-tested. Furthermore, it has been reported that schools and universities are to be closed for a month in Sudan, while large gatherings, and mass prayers are to be strictly restricted. All these rules are being put in place with the hope that the virus will be contained. Masks are mandatory in Sudan now, at workplaces, public transports, and in markets. National Endangered Species Day 2021 Turkey introduces 'safe tourism' concept amid COVID-19 pandemic Portugal declares itself safe to travel with minimum restrictions The Dura-Europos church in Syria is the oldest surviving church building in the world, while the archaeological remains of both the Aqaba Church and the Megiddo church have been considered to be the world's oldest known purpose-built church, erected in the Roman Empire's administrative Diocese of the East in the 3rd century.... 01. Old world charm Europe's reputation as a travel destination stems from the fact that it is home to some of the most historic sites. Often one can find the answer to a lot of historical questions here in Europe. Europe is home to some of the most ancient buildings in the world, dating all the back to a different time. While it is considered to be a great destination for World War buffs, there are things you can see in Europe that far precedes the wars. As old as time. 02. Cathedral of Saint Domnius, Croatia Considered to be the oldest Catholic church in the world, this imposing architecture is a prime tourist attraction in Croatia. Dating back to the 4th century it is named after the Patron Saint of the city of Split. It is one of the best preserved ones in the world, and the exterior still has the original colonnade of 24 columns. 03. Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran, Italy This beautiful Baroque and Neoclassical style church is one of the most important churches in the Diocese of Rome. It is the highest ranking of the papal major basilicas, and is just beautifully maintained to this day. It dates back to the 4th century. Its central dome is made of bronze, and the church is full of beautiful statues, and frescoes. 04. Church of Saint George, Bulgaria This beautiful round-shaped church is considered to be the oldest building in the city of Sofia. This one too was built back in the 4th century, and is currently under the Bulgarian Orthodox Church. The church has some beautiful frescoes in the Byzantine, and Bulgarian style inside the central dome. Today the church is surrounded by government buildings, but is open to public. 05. High Cathedral of Saint Peter, Germany The oldest church in Germany, it finds a spot in UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The church was completed in 1270, and today it is an integral place of interest in the country. The interior has beautiful Gothic vaults, and of course the eye-catching relic of the Seamless Robe of Jesus. Spanish PM delighted as country lifts restrictions on UK travelers The myths of Shangri-La INDIAS BEST PLACES FOR WATER SPORTS New York, NY (May 21, 2021) --Women who were highly exposed to ultra-fine particles in air pollution during their pregnancy were more likely to have children who developed asthma, according to a study published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine in May. This is the first time asthma has been linked with prenatal exposure to this type of air pollution, which is named for its tiny size and which is not regulated or routinely monitored in the United States. Slightly more than 18 percent of the children born to these mothers developed asthma in their preschool years, compared to 7 percent of children overall in the United States identified as having asthma by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Other types of pollutants are routinely monitored and regulated to reduce potential health effects, such as larger-size particulate pollution and gaseous pollutants such as nitrogen dioxide. These have been associated with asthma risk in children in prior research. This study controlled for exposure to these other types of pollution and exposure to pollutants following birth, and it still found an elevated risk of asthma in children born to mothers with heightened exposure to ultra-fine particles in pregnancy. Ultra-fine particulate pollution--particles that are smaller than the width of an average human hair--can get deeper into our lungs and pass into our circulation to cause various health effects. Because of this, the researchers said their toxic effects may actually be greater. "One reason ultra-fine particulates are not routinely monitored is that there have been a number of unique challenges to measuring them accurately. Fortunately, recent methods have been developed to provide such exposure data which allowed us to conduct this study," said lead author Rosalind Wright, MD, MPH, Horace W. Goldsmith Professor in Children's Health Research, Professor of Environmental Medicine and Public Health and Co-director of the Institute for Exposomic Research at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. This study included 376 mothers and their children, most of them Black or Latinx, who live in the Boston metropolitan area and were already being followed to assess their health. Mount Sinai researchers partnered with a group of scientists at Tufts University in the Boston area who had developed a way to provide valid daily estimations of ultra-fine particulate exposure which could be linked to the area of the mothers' and children's homes. Many of these women were more likely to live near major roadways with higher traffic density where exposure to these tiny particles tends to be higher. The researchers followed up with the mothers to find out whether the children were diagnosed with asthma. Most of the diagnoses of asthma occurred just after three years of age. Pollution's effect in utero can alter lung development and respiratory health. This can lead to pediatric disorders like asthma. How this happens is not completely understood but pollution can alter certain bodily regulatory systems like neuroendocrine and immune function that have been linked with asthma in other studies. While both boys and girls were affected by prenatal ultrafine particle exposure, this study found that girl babies were more sensitive to ultra-fine particle pollution's effects on asthma risk when exposed in late pregnancy. The reason for this phenomenon is also unclear, but studies show it is possibly due to endocrine-disrupting effects of the pollution exposure. "This research is an important early step in building the evidence base that can lead to better monitoring of exposure to ultrafine particles in the United States and ultimately to regulation. As we advance methods for measuring these tiny particles, we hope for replication of these findings, both within different geographic areas across the United States as well as globally. Childhood asthma remains a global epidemic that is likely to grow with the anticipated rise in particulate air pollution exposures due to effects of climate change," Dr. Wright said. ### This research was funded by grants from the National Institutes of Health including the Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program. About The Institute for Exposomic Research The Institute for Exposomic Research at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai is the world's first research institute devoted to the intensive study of the exposome, or the totality of environmental influences on human health. The mission of the Institute is to understand how the complex mix of nutritional, chemical, and social environments affect health, disease, and development later in life and to translate those findings into new strategies for prevention and treatment. For more information, visit http://icahn. mssm. edu/ exposomics . About the Mount Sinai Health System The Mount Sinai Health System is New York City's largest academic medical system, encompassing eight hospitals, a leading medical school, and a vast network of ambulatory practices throughout the greater New York region. Mount Sinai is a national and international source of unrivaled education, translational research and discovery, and collaborative clinical leadership ensuring that we deliver the highest quality care--from prevention to treatment of the most serious and complex human diseases. The Health System includes more than 7,200 physicians and features a robust and continually expanding network of multispecialty services, including more than 400 ambulatory practice locations throughout the five boroughs of New York City, Westchester, and Long Island. The Mount Sinai Hospital is ranked No. 14 on U.S. News & World Report's "Honor Roll" of the Top 20 Best Hospitals in the country and the Icahn School of Medicine as one of the Top 20 Best Medical Schools in country. Mount Sinai Health System hospitals are consistently ranked regionally by specialty and our physicians in the top 1% of all physicians nationally by U.S. News & World Report. Workforce CDC mask guidelines and the federal workforce The federal government looks to be one step closer to reopening workplaces for vaccinated workers, contractors and guests without masking and distancing requirements. The White House-led Safer Federal Workforce Task Force updated its information on mask-wearing and physical distancing to reflect recent changes from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). "In most settings, fully vaccinated people generally do not need to wear a mask or physically distance in Federal buildings or on Federal lands, except where called for by Federal, State, local tribal or territorial laws, rules and regulations," reads the updated Frequently Asked Questions on the task force's website. The update also instructs agencies to "communicate with employee representatives and satisfy any bargaining obligations prior to implementing changes to policies regarding mask wearing and physical distancing." People are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after the second dose of a Pfizer or Moderna vaccine or 2 weeks after the single-dose Johnson and Johnson vaccine. Unvaccinated people will still need to mask and distance, the FAQ says. Finally, the updates also make clear that these changes don't alter current occupancy limits or telework guidance set in an earlier OMB memo issued in January to implement Biden's executive order. That January memo encouraged agencies to maximize the use of telework and capped federal buildings at 25% of normal capacity during significant or high community transmission. Rep. Jody Hice (R-Ga.), ranking member of the Subcommittee on Government Operations, has pointed to the change in CDC masking guidelines in his push for feds to go back to the office. An OPM spokesperson told FCW via email that the current "maximum telework" posture is still in place. "As a co-chair of the Safer Federal Workforce Task Force, OPM is working closely with other members of the Task Force to ensure agencies are protecting the health and safety of the Federal workforce, and updating their plans and procedures as CDC guidance evolves," the spokesperson said on Wednesday. Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) chairman of the Government Operations subcommittee within the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, asked acting OPM Director Kathleen McGettigan on Thursday, urging her to prioritize safety in planning. About the Author Natalie Alms is a staff writer at FCW covering the federal workforce. She is a recent graduate of Wake Forest University and has written for the Salisbury (N.C.) Post. Connect with Natalie on Twitter at @AlmsNatalie. "We must ensure that administration officials are cautious and prudent when requiring federal employees and contractors to return to federal office buildings," Connolly wrote in a May 20 letter . "I believe that federal employees who need to be in offices should be allowed to return as soon as is practicable. Yet we must balance the needs of continuing government operations with the equally important obligation to protect the health and safety of federal employees." Comment How to fund security and modernize at the same time In our last article, we argued that the government's FedRAMP cybersecurity program was a reasonable and effective tool for reducing cybersecurity threats, but after 10 years, it remains under-funded and insufficiently scaled to address the universe of 18,000 cloud-based commercial products. We argued for increasing funding and setting up a robust FedRAMP shared service model that could serve the entire government. We believe relieving individual agencies of pursuing their own FedRAMP authorizations is an efficient approach to break the current authorizations bottleneck. Two days after publication, Colonial Pipeline shut down its gas transport operations because of another criminal ransomware attack. Then on May 12, the White House released a long-awaited executive order designed to improve the "Nation's Cybersecurity." In the wake of the Office of Personnel Management, SolarWinds, and Colonial Pipeline breaches, it appears the government is ready to take a serious stand on enforcing cybersecurity through enhanced procurement regulations designed to block and purge unsafe software. Fortuitously, the new executive order touches on some of our recommendations for FedRAMP by explicitly requiring its "modernization" and encouraging better security through increased cloud adoption. Importantly, most of the specific safety directives address implementing National Institute of Standards and Technology Special Publications 800-160 and 800-53, which already exist and have always been part of FedRAMP process. In other words, if agencies follow existing FedRAMP protocols, they will also be largely complying with the new executive order. The Biden White House's new guidance, with some exceptions, puts significant teeth and enforcement into what already exists. There is a lot of important administrative work to be done and deadlines to be met, but largely the underlying security framework will likely remain the same, for the immediate future. Unfortunately, even if the FedRAMP Project Management Office is modernized, there is still a need to address a staggering problem. The cost of pursuing a FedRAMP authorization for a software company range from $500,000 to $1 million for a single product. Obviously, this is especially burdensome for small companies -- the same firms that often drive the innovation and modernization the government seeks. Imagine asking a small company to expend $1 million before it sells a single product to the government. Imagine the cumulative money spent to ensure that every single cloud-based product used by the government has gone through this process. There have always been two sides to the cybersecurity regulatory problem. The government hasn't properly resourced the security authorization side, thereby creating an approval bottleneck. And the cost to meet compliance on the industry side has been exorbitant, chasing away small players. The government wants to modernize, but with the high cost of security compliance, it may have effectively built a moat -- thwarting innovation and creating an oligarchy of software suppliers. Only well-established incumbents, with significant resources, are equipped to cope with the cost of security compliance. What can be done? In order to keep smaller software innovators engaged and to prevent the creation of a software oligarchy, the government should look at creative options to provide small businesses with access to FedRAMP. One approach might be for the government to fund authorizations by paying fully or partially for the third-party accreditation process. Currently, a collection of expert firms called Third Party Assessment Organizations (3PAO's) are critical to the undertaking. These are private firms, and their primary function is to closely examine the artifacts provided by software companies to demonstrate compliance with NIST standards. 3PAOs provide the government with the authoritative proof of compliance. Perhaps the government could run competitions to select promising innovative software products and set aside funds for 3PAOs to be paid by the government. Alternatively, perhaps there can be a few 3PAOs fully funded by the government and dedicated to working with software companies of a certain size. In a sense, this could be a vertical integration, bringing a few 3PAOs "in-house," exclusively for the purpose of driving FedRAMP authorizations for promising products from smaller companies. Rigorous contracting competitions could be set up to control access to the government's 3PAOs, perhaps funded through the TMF program. Additionally, the government could use the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program for funding to allow software companies to apply for an incremental approach to FedRAMP. SBIR grants could be provided in tranches that match typical FedRAMP phases. A promising small business with a useful innovative product could be awarded a Phase I increment of funding to demonstrate it can meet FedRAMP "ready" status. Another block of funding could be awarded to complete the full Authority to Operate (ATO), once an agency has determined it would like to utilize the product. Likewise, for the Department of Defense, Other Transaction Authorities are potentially a perfect fit to provide funding to secure promising software applications. OTAs are explicitly to be used by DoD to lower the entry barriers for commercial companies to develop prototypes that enhance mission effectiveness. It seems with the proper budget, OTAs could accelerate a significant volume of FedRAMP authorized products. These are just a few options. The important thing is for the government to recognize that while it is obviously critical to secure the information technology estate, it must do so in a way that doesn't lock out modernization, innovation, and competition. Modernization and security are not mutually exclusive. In fact, a modernized IT infrastructure would be beneficial for the enhancement of security -- but it is imperative for the government to appreciate its current dilemma. It needs to simultaneously expand its ability to provide FedRAMP authorizations and at the same time lower industry's cost of compliance. It is possible to achieve both of these, but it requires a plan. Acquisition Unfunded mandates in the cyber EO? Tucked inside President Joe Biden's cybersecurity executive order is a plan to modernize and streamline federal procurement policy, which experts said lacked critical funding and resources to adequately implement within its ambitious timeframe. The order in part seeks to overhaul a current patchwork of regulations and guidelines for the private sector and commercial marketplace around federal contractor cybersecurity requirements. This plan will require agencies and contractors to address numerous issues at once under short timeframes, from developing standards for software supply chain security to removing barriers to sharing threat information. While private sector leaders expressed enthusiasm for improving cybersecurity requirements governmentwide as outlined in the order, they said the new policies may also yield duplicative, burdensome requirements and potential pitfalls in areas like information-sharing. Megan Petersen, senior director and counsel at Information Technology Industry Council, said federal agencies will "almost certainly" need additional appropriations in order to implement a new multi-sector cybersecurity standard. "On the whole, federal agencies have woefully underinvested in modern and secure technologies instead relying on legacy systems that may be incapable of complying with cybersecurity best practices," Petersen said. "Many agencies have also neglected developing mature data and access management policies and procedures, or they exist largely on paper." The cybersecurity policy goals outlined within the order will also require "significant investments in modern, commercial technologies and the adoption of commercial best practices across government agencies," Petersen added. The White House released discretionary budget requests for fiscal 2022 in April which featured a $750 million reserve for federal IT enhancements. However, the administration has not provided additional details on how those funds would be spent. But even with that reserve, the government remains unequipped in its mission to overhaul cybersecurity and procurement policy across the board, according to Matthew Cornelius, executive director of the Alliance for Digital Innovation and a former senior advisor for technology and cybersecurity policy at the Office of Management and Budget. "Given the timing of the cybersecurity executive order, it seems unreasonable to expect that the forthcoming President's Budget will have any resources directly tied to agency implementation," he said, describing the issue as an "unfortunate and unforced error." "Even if there is some $750 million for the cybersecurity 'reserve fund' mentioned in the previously released 'skinny budget,' that money is not going to help the entire executive branch accomplish the several dozen objectives outlined in the executive order," he added. "That said, there is plenty of support in Congress for providing robust, necessary cybersecurity funding." Should Congress choose to appropriate additional funding to support the cybersecurity order, the government would still be forced to grapple with tight deadlines amid a sea change for daily operations in most agencies. In one example, the order outlines a 60-day deadline for the Office of Management and Budget to review the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement contract requirements, then provide recommendations for requirements and language in contracts with IT and OT service providers in consultation with agency leaders. In another, the Secretary of Commerce has just 30 days to solicit input from the government and private sector to develop criteria which can be used to assess software security and evaluate various security practices. Some experts said coordination between sectors will effectively determine whether the Biden administration can successfully reform government cybersecurity practices in such short notice, at a time when both the federal government and industries are increasingly becoming the target of major cyberattacks. "This executive order lays out a lot of different rules and responsibilities for government agencies in very short time frames, so in order to be successful, we have to find a way to be more successful than we are today," said Alan Chvotkin, partner at Nicholas Liu LLP and former executive vice president and counsel of the Professional Services Council (PSC). "It will start with meaningful outreach to the private sector, government contractors and the commercial marketplace to see what kind of short-term and longer-term solutions we can find." David Wennergren, CEO of the American Council for Technology and Industry Advisory Council (ACT-IAC), said that while industry is "eager" to work with the government to develop consistent cybersecurity approaches which leverage best practices from across the private sector, he noted "collaborating with industry will be crucial to the success of this work." Wennergren added: "Changes in technology, to include moving to the cloud, IT modernization, operating in a virtual world, mobile solutions and the rapid adoption of new technologies all require that government collaborate with industry to understand best practices and new approaches, like zero trust." Industry leaders said they were excited about the prospect of collaborating between sectors to establish new rules and regulatory structures. The National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA) has already formed an internal task force to respond to the executive order and provide feedback throughout the implementation process. "Coordination between public and private actors and coordination across the public sector will be equally important to achieving the executive order's goal of increasing cyber fortifications," said Corbin Evans, principal director for strategic programs at NDIA. "This order has a lot of aspirational goals that are going to require a lot of work by the regulators to successfully implement." The Office of Management and Budget declined to provide comment on the question of additional funding to support the implementation of the executive order. Workforce NARA seeks DOD's help in addressing records request backlog A bipartisan group of lawmakers are backing the National Archives and Records Administration in their request for help from the Department of Defense in tackling the backlog of requests for veterans records needed as part of veterans compensation and benefits claims. In a letter sent to DOD Secretary on Thursday, they asked him to "prioritize" a request made earlier this month by NARA for help in pandemic recovery operations at NARA's National Personnel Records Center (NPRF) in St. Louis. "Veterans and their families depend on timely access to personnel records in order to receive life-saving medical care, emergency housing assistance, proper military burials, and other vital benefits earned through service to our country," the lawmakers wrote. "We urge DOD to support the NPRC's work and to ensure that we uphold our solemn pledge to care to care for our nation's veterans" House Oversight and Reform Committee Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) and Ranking Member James Comer (R-Ky.) and House Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman Mark Takano (D-Calif.) and Ranking Member Mike Bost (R-Ill.) are among the signers of the letter. The records in question play a key role in the process of determining disability compensation and pension claims for veterans. Veterans Benefits Administration has seen its backlog of pending claims double during the pandemic. Pandemic workplace protocols at NARA facilities slowed NARA's processing of paper military records. The St. Louis facility is now operating at 25% of its workforce capacity in-person, the NRPC website says. NARA announced it would pursue a phased-in expansion of onsite workers on March 8. NPRC has a backlog of 500,000 delayed public reference requests, most from veterans applying for federal benefits, and 400,000 official military personnel folders needing to be filed or refiled, wrote NARA's Chief Operating Officer William Bosanko in a May 10 letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. He requested personnel support from DOD for these efforts. At a hearing on May 12, a Veterans Benefits Official told lawmakers that the agency is under pre-pandemic working inventory levels of records claims. The Department of Veterans Affairs worked with NARA during the pandemic on solutions like adding additional high and weekend shifts to address the VBA's need for records, said Thomas Murphy, the acting under secretary for Benefits at the VBA. VBA wants to use funding from the American Rescue Plan for record scanning so that paper-based requests can be processed more quickly, he said. NARA's chief has also said that the agency is working with the VA to digitize records so that they can be accessed remotely. FCW Insider: May 21, 2021 The White House-led Safer Federal Workforce Task Force is incorporating recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updates on COVID protocols into their guidance for agencies looking to accommodate vaccinated workers. CISA received $650 million from the American Rescue Plan Act, but the agency's top officials have described that as only a "down payment" to move the government's cybersecurity efforts. In the waning days of the Trump administration, only a relative handful out of hundreds of eligible agencies and department responded to an executive order that looked to reclassify vast swathes of the federal civil service as at-will employees. Quick Hits *** Paul Cunningham, the chief information security officer at the Department of Veterans Affairs, told lawmakers on Thursday that compromised SolarWinds' patches delivered malware to agency networks but said that so there are no indications that "would suggest successful exploitation of the vulnerability. Cunningham testified at a hearing on VA cybersecurity held by the Subcommittee on Technology Modernization of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee. *** The Senate Commerce Committee advanced the nomination of Eric S. Lander to serve as director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy by a voice vote on Thursday. Lander's nomination proceeds to the full Senate. *** The House Homeland Security Committee will hold a hearing with Colonial Pipeline CEO Joseph Blount on June 9 to discuss the ransomware attack against his company. Some lawmakers are not happy with Blount's defense of paying the ransom. "Paying cyber criminals $4.4 million, while freezing out" law enforcement and cybersecurity agencies is not "good for the country," Rep. Jim Langevin (D-R.I.) tweeted. *** A group of leading House Democrats asked the Chief Administrative Officer of the House to examine whether expanding employee benefits to include first-time homebuyer assistance, eligibility for loan forgiveness programs would improvement competitiveness and retention. The May 20 letter comes from House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), chair of the House Democratic Caucus, and Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.), chairwoman of the committee on House Administration. Berwyn, Pennsylvania--(Newsfile Corp. - May 20, 2021) - Annovis Bio Inc. (NYSE American: ANVS), a clinical-stage drug platform company addressing Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD) and other neurodegenerative diseases, today announced CEO Maria L. Maccecchini , Ph.D., will participate in the Alzheimer Disease Panel, presented by Maxim Group LLC and hosted by M-Vest, on Wednesday May 26th, 2021, at 11:00 a.m. ET. The panel discussion, led by Dr. Jason McCarthy, Maxim's Senior Managing Director of Biotechnology Equity Research, and including other voices in the healthcare industry, will cover exciting topics in AD drug development. To access the panel discussion, please RSVP . Webinar Details: Panel Session Title: Alzheimer Disease Panel Date and Time: Wednesday May 26th, 11:00 a.m. Eastern time (8:00 a.m. Pacific time) Presented by: Maxim Group LLC | Hosted by: M-Vest Moderated by: Dr. Jason McCarthy Click Here to reserve your seat About Annovis Bio Headquartered in Berwyn, Pennsylvania, Annovis Bio, Inc. (Annovis) is a clinical-stage, drug platform company addressing neurodegeneration, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD) and Alzheimer's in Down Syndrome (AD-DS). We believe that we are the only company developing a drug for AD, PD and AD-DS that inhibits more than one neurotoxic protein and, thereby, improves the information highway of the nerve cell, known as axonal transport. When this information flow is impaired, the nerve cell gets sick and dies. We expect our treatment to improve memory loss and dementia associated with AD and AD-DS, as well as body and brain function in PD. We have two ongoing Phase 2a studies: one in AD patients and one in both AD and PD patients. For more information on Annovis, please visit the company's website: www.annovisbio.com. Forward-Looking Statements Statements in this press release contain "forward-looking statements" that are subject to substantial risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release may be identified by the use of words such as "anticipate," "expect," "believe," "will," "may," "should," "estimate," "project," "outlook," "forecast" or other similar words, and include, without limitation, statements regarding the timing, effectiveness and anticipated results of ANVS401 clinical trials. Forward-looking statements are based on Annovis Bio, Inc.'s current expectations and are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Further, certain forward-looking statements are based on assumptions as to future events that may not prove to be accurate, including that clinical trials may be delayed. These and other risks and uncertainties are described more fully in the section titled "Risk Factors" in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Forward-looking statements contained in this announcement are made as of this date, and Annovis Bio, Inc. undertakes no duty to update such information except as required under applicable law. Story continues Investor Relations: Dave Gentry, CEO RedChip Companies Inc. 407-491-4498 Dave@redchip.com SOURCE: Annovis Bio, Inc. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/84719 St. Vincent Electricity Services Limited (VINLEC) has provided support to persons who have been displaced after the explosive eruptions of the La Soufriere volcano. The donations are in keeping the Companys mandate to contribute towards the wellbeing of our people. The Company recognises that in times of disaster that banding together is even more important. Over the past three weeks, VINLEC made donations to seventeen Emergency Shelters across the island with the aim of providing some relief and comfort to the residents. The care packages included water, toiletries, personal items, food items, masks, hand soap, toys, pillows, laundry and cleaning supplies, adult and children diapers, The gift baskets were distributed to fourteen employees who evacuated to the safe zone. The donated items are valued at thirty thousand EC dollars. The activities at the volcano have impacted the lives of many persons and the damage, displacement and relocation, and disruption to infrastructure and economy will affect us at the national level. VINLEC remains committed to supporting our people throughout this challenging time. (Contributed by VINLEC) TORONTO, May 21, 2021 /CNW/ - CIBC (TSX: CM) (NYSE: CM) CIBC Asset Management Inc. today announced the May 2021 cash distributions for CIBC ETFs, which distribute monthly and quarterly. CIBC (CNW Group/CIBC) Unitholders of record on May 31, 2021, will receive cash distributions payable on June 3, 2021. Details of the final "per unit" distribution amounts are as follows: CIBC ETF TSX Ticker Symbols Cash Distribution Per Unit ($) CIBC Active Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF CACB $0.05 CIBC Active Investment Grade Floating Rate Bond ETF CAFR $0.024 CIBC Flexible Yield ETF (CAD- Hedged) CFLX $0.055 CIBC Conservative Fixed Income Pool - ETF series CCNS $0.053 CIBC Core Fixed Income Pool - ETF series CCRE $0.056 CIBC Core Plus Fixed Income Pool - ETF series CPLS $0.059 CIBC Canadian Bond Index ETF CCBI $0.041 CIBC ETFs are managed by CIBC Asset Management Inc., a subsidiary of Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce. Commissions, management fees and expenses all may be associated with investments in exchange traded funds (ETFs). Please read the CIBC ETFs prospectus or ETF Facts document before investing. To obtain a copy, call 1-888-888-3863, ask your advisor or visit www.cibc.com/etfs. ETFs are not guaranteed, their values change frequently and past performance may not be repeated. CIBC ETFs are offered by registered dealers. Morningstar Canada Core Bond Index is trademark or service mark of Morningstar, Inc. and has been licensed for use for certain purposes by CIBC Asset Management. CIBC Canadian Bond Index ETF is not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by Morningstar, and Morningstar makes no representation regarding the advisability of investing in the CIBC Canadian Bond Index ETF About CIBC CIBC is a leading North American financial institution with 10 million personal banking, business, public sector and institutional clients. Across Personal and Business Banking, Commercial Banking and Wealth Management, and Capital Markets businesses, CIBC offers a full range of advice, solutions and services through its leading digital banking network, and locations across Canada with offices in the United States and around the world. Ongoing news releases and more information about CIBC can be found at www.cibc.com/en/about-cibc/media-centre.html. Story continues About CIBC Asset Management CIBC Asset Management, Inc. (CAM), the asset management subsidiary of CIBC, provides a range of high-quality investment management services and solutions to retail and institutional investors. CAM's offerings include: a comprehensive platform of mutual funds, strategic managed portfolio solutions, discretionary investment management services for high-net-worth individuals, and institutional portfolio management. CAM is one of Canada's largest asset management firms, with over $148 billion in assets under administration as of April 2021. SOURCE CIBC Cision View original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/May2021/21/c9820.html The U.S. will keep Chinese telecom giant Huawei on a trade blacklist, take no immediate action toward social media platform TikTok, and continue to evaluate tariffs, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo told Yahoo Finance on Thursday in a wide-ranging conversation about U.S. policy toward China. Raimondo outlined an urgent U.S. economic response to China that includes significant domestic investment as well as defensive action against Chinese companies that threaten U.S. security. "We need to keep our defenses up," she told Yahoo Finance's editor-in-chief, Andy Serwer. The policy comes as global chip shortage caused by supply chain disruptions in Asia slows U.S. economic production and heightens tension with China. The Biden administration in February shelved plans to force the sale of TikTok's American operations to a group of U.S. companies including Oracle (ORCL) and Walmart (WMT), the Wall Street Journal reported. But the company remains under evaluation by the Committee on Foreign Investment for potential national security threats. Meanwhile, Huawei will keep its place on the U.S. entities list, which prohibits the sale of critical technologies to the company, Raimondo said. In a sign of its ongoing concern, the Commerce Department added seven Chinese supercomputing entities to that list last month. "I have no news to break on TikTok," Raimondo says. "Huawei remains on the entities list, and there's no reason to think that they'll be coming off." "Since I have been here in the job, we've put another five or six Chinese companies on the entities list, including a computing company," she adds. "So I think we need to keep our defenses up." Tariffs worldwide remain under 'evaluation' President Joe Biden on Friday will urge South Korea President Moon Jae-in to sign a forceful statement of concern about China during the foreign leader's visit to Washington, where South Korean business leaders are also expected to announce investments in U.S. semiconductors, the Financial Times reports. Story continues The move marks the latest step in the U.S. economic response to China, which includes a bill making its way through the Senate that calls for a $120 billion investment in the U.S. technology sector to compete with China. At least for now, the Biden administration has carried over several key China policies from the Trump administration, which started the trade war with China. Tariffs on Chinese goods remain in place and the U.S. reaffirmed its label of the Chinese government's mass detention of minority Uighur citizens as "genocide." Speaking to Yahoo Finance, Raimondo said U.S. tariffs on countries worldwide remain under "evaluation." Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo testifies before the Senate Appropriations Committee during a hearing in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., U.S., April 20, 2021. Chip Somodevilla/Pool via REUTERS Leaders from the U.S. and China have exchanged firm public statements in recent weeks, escalating a rivalry between the world's two strongest economies. Last month, Chinese President Xi Jinping took an emboldened posture toward the U.S. Speaking to a virtual gathering of leaders in business and government at the Boao Forum for Asia, he warned: Bossing others around and interfering in other countries internal affairs will not be well received. While Xi did not mention the U.S. by name, the remark was widely perceived to be directed at the country. Meanwhile, Biden has struck a firm but measured tone toward China, acknowledging economic and diplomatic challenges posed by the country while avoiding sharply inflammatory rhetoric. The approach marks a departure from former President Donald Trump, who repeatedly blamed the coronavirus outbreak on China, referring disparagingly to the disease as the "China virus." When asked by Yahoo Finance Editor-in-Chief Andy Serwer whether the U.S. economic response to China should include an offensive approach of domestic investment or a defensive posture that protects against Chinese companies, Raimondo says, "You definitely need both." She pointed to the Biden administration's $2 trillion infrastructure proposal, The American Jobs Plan, as an example of U.S. investment that can help address the economic threat posed by China. "The president's jobs package is a lot of offense, and I think we need every bit of it," she says. Read more: Follow Yahoo Finance on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Flipboard, LinkedIn, YouTube, and reddit. (Bloomberg) -- A federal district court wont force the Dakota Access pipeline to shut down while federal regulators conduct a new environmental analysis. The oil project -- at the center of a years-long battle between oil companies and the Standing Rock Sioux tribe -- may remain in service even though it lacks a valid federal easement for a water crossing in North Dakota, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia said Friday. The pipelines easement was scrapped in an earlier court ruling for inadequate environmental review. The ruling, which may be appealed, is a relief for operator Energy Transfer LP, which has faced an unending stream of legal threats to Dakota Access since 2016. Its also seen as a rare victory for the pipeline industry as a whole amid rising opposition from environmental watchdogs and activists over the past few years. However, its a discouraging loss for the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and other Indigenous opponents of the pipeline -- already reeling after the Biden administration announced April 9 that it wouldnt order a shutdown. We are pleased the court correctly recognized that the continued operation of the Dakota Access pipeline presents no risk of harm to others and appropriately denied the efforts to shut down this vitally important pipeline, Energy Transfer said in an emailed statement. But government officials could change their minds, leaving some lingering threat for Dakota Access, according to James Coleman, an energy law professor at Southern Methodist University. Its not a comfortable position, but its a lot more comfortable than it was yesterday, he said of the pipelines status. High Bar The Dakota Access pipeline, also used by drillers such as Continental Resources Inc., has been shipping oil from North Dakotas Bakken oil field to Illinois for four years. Judge James Boasberg determined the tribes hadnt met the high bar for shutting down the pipeline under a legal standard set out by a federal appeals court last year. Story continues Whether framed in terms of likelihood or imminence, Plaintiffs have not made a successful showing of irreparable harm based on the threat of an oil spill at Lake Oahe, the judge wrote, referring to the body of water the pipeline crosses near tribal land. Boasberg scolded the Biden administration for refusing to take a clear stance on the pipeline. The Army Corps of Engineers declined to shut it down, but also failed to formally approve its ongoing operation without an easement. The Army Corps has said it expects to finish a court-ordered environmental impact statement for the project in spring 2022. Earthjustice lawyer Jan Hasselman, who represents Standing Rock, said the tribe will continue to press the Army Corps to closely review the projects risks. The unacceptable risk of an oil spill, impacts to Tribal sovereignty and harm to drinking water supply must all be examined thoroughly in the months ahead as the U.S. Army Corps conducts its review of this pipeline, he said in a statement Friday. Free of Political Pressure He declined to comment on the next steps in the case, including whether the tribes will pursue an appeal. Pipeline opponents could also raise a separate Hail Mary play under the Administrative Procedure Act targeting the Army Corps inaction, said Christi Tezak, analyst at ClearView Energy Partners, in a note to clients Friday. Energy Transfer reversed early losses and jumped as much as 2.7% following the news. The stock settled up 1.7% in New York. Phillips 66 Partners, which owns a minority stake in the project, gained 6.3% at the close. Energy Transfer didnt immediately respond to a request for comment. The Army Corps referred questions to the Justice Department, which didnt immediately respond. We hope that the administrative process is allowed to move forward allowing the Army Corps of Engineers to complete its work -- free of political pressure, said Craig Stevens, head of the pro-pipeline GAIN Coalition, in a statement. (Adds company statement in fifth paragraph.) More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com Subscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source. 2021 Bloomberg L.P. ATHENS, Greece, May 21, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Diana Shipping Inc. (NYSE: DSX), (the Company), a global shipping company specializing in the ownership of dry bulk vessels, today reported a net loss of $1.3 million and net loss attributed to common stockholders of $2.7 million for the first quarter of 2021. This compares to a net loss of $102.8 million and net loss attributed to common stockholders of $104.3 million reported in the first quarter of 2020, including a $93.1 million impairment loss. Loss per share for the first quarter of 2021 was $0.03 compared to loss per share of $1.21 in the same quarter in 2020. Time charter revenues were $41.1 million for the first quarter of 2021, compared to $43.8 million for the same quarter of 2020. The decrease in time charter revenues was due to the decreased ownership days compared to the prior year period, resulting from the sale of vessels. This decrease was partly offset by increased average time charter rates that the Company achieved for its vessels during the quarter and a better utilization rate. Fleet Employment Profile (As of May 19, 2021) Diana Shipping Inc.s fleet is employed as follows: Vessel Sister Ships* Gross Rate (USD Per Day) Com** Charterers Delivery Date to Charterers*** Redelivery Date to Owners**** Notes BUILT DWT 11 Panamax Bulk Carriers OCEANIS $9,200 5.00% Phaethon International Company AG 9-Jan-20 27-Feb-21 1 2001 75,211 1 PROTEFS A $9,900 5.00% Phaethon International Company AG 30-Nov-19 8-Feb-21 $10,650 5.00% Reachy International (HK) Co., Limited 8-Feb-21 10-Mar-22 - 20-May-22 2004 73,630 2 CALIPSO A $8,250 5.00% Uniper Global Commodities SE, Dusseldorf 13-Apr-20 22-Jan-21 2 $10,400 5.00% Viterra Chartering B.V., Rotterdam 22-Jan-21 1-Oct-21 - 15-Dec-21 2005 73,691 3 NAIAS A $10,000 5.00% Phaethon International Company AG 26-Jan-19 27-Jan-21 $11,000 4.75% Cargill International S.A., Geneva 27-Jan-21 17-May-21 3 $25,000 5.00% Nasshipping Inc. 17-May-21 6-Jun-21 - 16-Jun-21 4 2006 73,546 CORONIS $8,000 5.00% Koch Shipping Pte. Ltd., Singapore 20-Feb-20 31-Dec-20 5 2006 74,381 4 MELIA $10,000 5.00% Ausca Shipping Limited, Hong Kong 20-Aug-20 31-May-21 - 20-Jun-21 6,7 2005 76,225 5 ARTEMIS $10,250 5.00% Glencore Agriculture B.V., Rotterdam 30-Nov-20 5-Jan-22 - 30-Mar-22 2006 76,942 6 LETO $9,000 4.75% Cargill International S.A., Geneva 21-May-20 15-Jul-21 - 30-Sep-21 2010 81,297 7 SELINA B $11,000 5.00% ST Shipping and Transport Pte. Ltd., Singapore 5-Jul-20 5-Jul-21 - 5-Sep-21 2010 75,700 8 MAERA B $8,600 5.00% Ausca Shipping Limited, Hong Kong 11-Jun-20 1-Jul-21 - 30-Sep-21 2013 75,403 9 ISMENE $10,800 5.00% Phaethon International Company AG 10-Jan-20 11-Mar-21 $16,500 5.00% Tongli Shipping Pte. Ltd. 11-Mar-21 15-Oct-21 - 15-Dec-21 2013 77,901 10 CRYSTALIA C $8,750 5.00% Glencore Agriculture B.V., Rotterdam 22-May-20 1-Jul-21 - 30-Sep-21 2014 77,525 11 ATALANDI C $9,300 5.00% Uniper Global Commodities SE, Dusseldorf 14-Jun-20 14-Jul-21 - 14-Oct-21 2014 77,529 5 Kamsarmax Bulk Carriers 12 MAIA D $11,200 5.00% Aquavita International S.A. 31-Jan-20 31-May-21 - 15-Jun-21 7 2009 82,193 13 MYRSINI D $11,500 5.00% Ausca Shipping Limited, Hong Kong 4-Dec-19 11-May-21 $27,750 5.00% Bocimar International N.V. 11-May-21 15-Oct-21 - 30-Nov-21 2010 82,117 14 MEDUSA D $11,000 4.75% Cargill International S.A., Geneva 19-Nov-20 10-Jan-22 - 20-Mar-22 2010 82,194 15 MYRTO D $10,000 4.75% Cargill International S.A., Geneva 3-Apr-20 1-Jul-21 - 15-Sep-21 2013 82,131 16 ASTARTE $11,750 5.00% Aquavita International S.A. 18-Jan-20 20-May-21 8 $25,000 5.00% Mitsui O.S.K. Lines Ltd. 20-May-21 1-Nov-21 - 15-Dec-21 9 2013 81,513 5 Post-Panamax Bulk Carriers 17 ALCMENE $8,500 4.75% Cargill International S.A., Geneva 2-Apr-20 30-May-21 - 2-Jul-21 7 2010 93,193 18 AMPHITRITE E $10,250 5.00% SwissMarine Pte. Ltd., Singapore 21-Mar-20 1-Jun-21 - 21-Jun-21 7 2012 98,697 19 POLYMNIA E $12,100 5.00% CLdN Cobelfret SA, Luxembourg 22-Nov-20 15-Oct-21 - 25-Dec-21 2012 98,704 20 ELECTRA F $10,250 5.00% Oldendorff Carriers GMBH & Co. KG, Lubeck, Germany 21-Nov-19 4-Jan-21 10 $12,500 5.00% SwissMarine Pte. Ltd., Singapore 4-Jan-21 23-Mar-21 $23,500 5.00% Refined Success Limited 23-Mar-21 28-Apr-21 $21,000 5.00% Tongli Shipping Pte. Ltd. 28-Apr-21 10-Feb-22 - 10-Apr-22 2013 87,150 21 PHAIDRA F $9,400 5.00% Uniper Global Commodities SE, Dusseldorf 29-May-20 1-Jun-21 - 29-Jul-21 7 2013 87,146 12 Capesize Bulk Carriers 22 ALIKI $11,300 5.00% Koch Shipping Pte. Ltd., Singapore 23-Apr-20 18-Mar-21 11 $20,500 5.00% Solebay Shipping Cape Company Limited, Hong Kong 18-Mar-21 15-Jan-22 - 15-Mar-22 2005 180,235 23 BALTIMORE $13,000 5.00% Koch Shipping Pte. Ltd., Singapore 21-Dec-20 20-Jul-21 - 5-Oct-21 2005 177,243 24 SALT LAKE CITY $9,750 4.75% Cargill International S.A., Geneva 24-Mar-19 9-Jan-21 $13,000 5.00% C Transport Maritime Ltd., Bermuda 9-Jan-21 1-Apr-22 - 30-Jun-22 2005 171,810 SIDERIS GS G $12,700 5.00% Oldendorff Carriers GMBH & Co. KG, Lubeck, Germany 7-Mar-20 15-Jan-21 12,13 2006 174,186 25 SEMIRIO G $16,000 4.75% Cargill International S.A., Geneva 30-Jun-19 1-Jan-21 $13,500 5.00% SwissMarine Pte. Ltd., Singapore 1-Jan-21 5-Oct-21 - 20-Dec-21 2007 174,261 26 BOSTON G $15,300 5.00% Oldendorff Carriers GMBH & Co. KG, Lubeck, Germany 7-Jun-19 2-Jun-21 - 30-Jun-21 7 2007 177,828 27 HOUSTON G $12,400 5.00% C Transport Maritime Ltd., Bermuda 13-Apr-20 1-Jul-21 - 30-Sep-21 2009 177,729 28 NEW YORK G $14,000 5.00% EGPN Bulk Carrier Co., Limited, Hong Kong 29-Dec-20 16-Apr-22 - 30-Jun-22 2010 177,773 29 SEATTLE H $12,300 5.00% Pacbulk Shipping Pte. Ltd., Singapore 27-Apr-20 1-Oct-21 - 31-Dec-21 14 2011 179,362 30 P. S. PALIOS H $12,050 5.00% C Transport Maritime Ltd., Bermuda 24-Mar-20 2-Jun-21 - 24-Jun-21 7 2013 179,134 31 G. P. ZAFIRAKIS I $13,200 5.00% Koch Shipping Pte. Ltd., Singapore 31-May-20 1-Oct-21 - 31-Dec-21 2014 179,492 32 SANTA BARBARA I $17,250 5.00% Pacbulk Shipping Pte. Ltd., Singapore 28-Dec-19 9-Jan-21 $17,250 4.75% Cargill International S.A., Geneva 9-Jan-21 5-Jan-22 - 5-Mar-22 2015 179,426 33 NEW ORLEANS $15,500 5.00% Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha 3-Dec-20 25-Jan-22 - 25-Mar-22 2015 180,960 4 Newcastlemax Bulk Carriers 34 LOS ANGELES J $14,250 5.00% Engelhart CTP Freight (Switzerland) SA 6-Jun-20 1-Oct-21 - 31-Dec-21 2012 206,104 35 PHILADELPHIA J $14,500 5.00% BHP Billiton Freight Singapore Pte. Ltd 5-Feb-20 22-Apr-21 $28,500 5.00% Classic Maritime Inc. 22-Apr-21 1-Mar-22 - 1-May-22 2012 206,040 36 SAN FRANCISCO K $16,000 5.00% Koch Shipping Pte. Ltd., Singapore 5-Mar-19 11-Feb-21 15 $17,750 5.00% Olam International Limited, Singapore 11-Feb-21 27-May-21 $24,700 5.00% 27-May-21 15-Jan-22 - 15-Mar-22 2017 208,006 37 NEWPORT NEWS K $18,400 5.00% Koch Shipping Pte. Ltd., Singapore 8-Sep-20 16-Oct-21 - 30-Dec-21 2017 208,021 * Each dry bulk carrier is a "sister ship", or closely similar, to other dry bulk carriers that have the same letter. ** Total commission percentage paid to third parties. *** In case of newly acquired vessel with time charter attached, this date refers to the expected/actual date of delivery of the vessel to the Company. **** Range of redelivery dates, with the actual date of redelivery being at the Charterers option, but subject to the terms, conditions, and exceptions of the particular charterparty. 1 "Oceanis" sold and delivered to her new owners on March 15, 2021. 2 The compensation for the overlapping period from December 31, 2020 until January 22, 2021, which is beyond the maximum contractual period, is still pending to be agreed between Owners and Uniper Global Commodities SE, Dusseldorf. 3 Vessel sold and expected to be delivered to her new owners at the latest by July 30, 2021. 4 Redelivery date based on an estimated time charter trip duration of about 20-30 days. 5 "Coronis" sold and delivered to her new owners on January 13, 2021. 6 Charter includes a one time ballast bonus payment of US$500,000. 7 Based on latest information. 8 Expected redelivery date from the charterers. 9 Expected delivery date to the charterers. 10 Charterers have agreed to pay the average of the daily published rates for p3a-82 route of the baltic panamax index for the days that index was published (i.e. 21/12-24/12 and 04/12) for the excess period commencing from December 21, 2020 till January 4, 2021. 11 The compensation for the overlapping period from March 15, 2021 until the actual redelivery date, which is beyond the maximum contractual period, is still pending to be agreed between Owners and Koch Shipping Pte. Ltd., Singapore. 12 "Sideris GS" sold and delivered to her new owners on January 20, 2021. 13 The compensation for the overlapping period from December 31, 2020 until January 15, 2021, which is beyond the maximum contractual period, is still pending to be agreed between Owners and Oldendorff Carriers GMBH & Co. KG, Lubeck, Germany. 14 Vessel currently off-hire for drydocking. 15 Charterers have agreed to pay US$18,000 per day, for the excess period commencing from January 20, 2021 until February 11, 2021. Story continues Summary of Selected Financial & Other Data (unaudited) Three months ended March 31, 2021 2020 STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS DATA (in thousands of US Dollars) Time charter revenues $ 41,051 $ 43,760 Voyage expenses 1,780 3,734 Vessel operating expenses 18,552 21,317 Net loss (1,295 ) (102,823 ) Net loss attributed to common stockholders (2,737 ) (104,265 ) FLEET DATA Average number of vessels 38.2 41.8 Number of vessels 37.0 41.0 Weighted average age of vessels 10.1 9.5 Ownership days 3,434 3,801 Available days 3,434 3,518 Operating days 3,387 3,391 Fleet utilization 98.6 % 96.4 % AVERAGE DAILY RESULTS Time charter equivalent (TCE) rate (1) $ 11,436 $ 11,377 Daily vessel operating expenses (2) $ 5,402 $ 5,608 Non-GAAP Measures (1) Time charter equivalent rates, or TCE rates, are defined as our time charter revenues less voyage expenses during a period divided by the number of our available days during the period, which is consistent with industry standards. Voyage expenses include port charges, bunker (fuel) expenses, canal charges and commissions. TCE is a non-GAAP measure. TCE rate is a standard shipping industry performance measure used primarily to compare daily earnings generated by vessels on time charters with daily earnings generated by vessels on voyage charters, because charter hire rates for vessels on voyage charters are generally not expressed in per day amounts while charter hire rates for vessels on time charters are generally expressed in such amounts. (2) Daily vessel operating expenses, which include crew wages and related costs, the cost of insurance, expenses relating to repairs and maintenance, the costs of spares and consumable stores, tonnage taxes and other miscellaneous expenses, are calculated by dividing vessel operating expenses by ownership days for the relevant period. Conference Call and Webcast Information The Companys management will conduct a conference call and simultaneous Internet webcast to review these results at 9:00 A.M. (Eastern Time) on Friday, May 21, 2021. Investors may access the webcast by visiting the Companys website at www.dianashippinginc.com , and clicking on the webcast link. An accompanying investor presentation also will be available via the webcast link and on the Companys website. The conference call also may be accessed by telephone by dialing 1-877-407-8291 (for U.S.-based callers) or 1-201-689-8345 (for international callers), and asking the operator for the Diana Shipping Inc. conference call. A replay of the webcast will be available soon after the completion of the call and will be accessible for 30 days on www.dianashippinginc.com . A telephone replay also will be available for 30 days by dialing 1-877-660-6853 (for U.S.-based callers) or 1-201-612-7415 (for international callers), and providing the Replay ID number 13719492. About the Company Diana Shipping Inc. is a global provider of shipping transportation services through its ownership of dry bulk vessels. The Companys vessels are employed primarily on medium to long-term time charters and transport a range of dry bulk cargoes, including such commodities as iron ore, coal, grain and other materials along worldwide shipping routes. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements Matters discussed in this press release may constitute forward-looking statements. The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides safe harbor protections for forward-looking statements in order to encourage companies to provide prospective information about their business. Forward-looking statements include statements concerning plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events or performance, and underlying assumptions and other statements, which are other than statements of historical facts. The Company desires to take advantage of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and is including this cautionary statement in connection with this safe harbor legislation. The words believe, anticipate, intends, estimate, forecast, project, plan, potential, may, should, expect, pending and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements in this press release are based upon various assumptions, many of which are based, in turn, upon further assumptions, including without limitation, Company managements examination of historical operating trends, data contained in the Companys records and other data available from third parties. Although the Company believes that these assumptions were reasonable when made, because these assumptions are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies that are difficult or impossible to predict and are beyond the Companys control, the Company cannot assure you that it will achieve or accomplish these expectations, beliefs or projections. In addition to these important factors, other important factors that, in the Companys view, could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements include the severity, magnitude and duration of the COVID-19 pandemic, including impacts of the pandemic and of businesses and governments responses to the pandemic on our operations, personnel, and on the demand for seaborne transportation of bulk products; the strength of world economies and currencies, general market conditions, including fluctuations in charter rates and vessel values, changes in demand for dry bulk shipping capacity, changes in the Companys operating expenses, including bunker prices, drydocking and insurance costs, the market for the Companys vessels, availability of financing and refinancing, changes in governmental rules and regulations or actions taken by regulatory authorities, potential liability from pending or future litigation, general domestic and international political conditions, potential disruption of shipping routes due to accidents or political events, vessel breakdowns and instances of off-hires and other factors. Please see the Companys filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for a more complete discussion of these and other risks and uncertainties. The Company undertakes no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statement, or to make any other forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. (See financial tables attached) DIANA SHIPPING INC. FINANCIAL TABLES Expressed in thousands of U.S. Dollars, except share and per share data UNAUDITED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE LOSS Three months ended March 31, 2021 2020 REVENUES: Time charter revenues $ 41,051 $ 43,760 EXPENSES: Voyage expenses 1,780 3,734 Vessel operating expenses 18,552 21,317 Depreciation and amortization of deferred charges 10,049 11,547 General and administrative expenses 6,697 9,546 Management fees to related party 449 517 Vessel impairment charges - 93,137 Loss on sale of vessels 206 1,078 Other income (106 ) (241 ) Operating income/(loss) $ 3,424 $ (96,875 ) OTHER INCOME / (EXPENSES): Interest expense and finance costs (4,636 ) (6,354 ) Interest income 28 436 Loss from equity method investment (111 ) (30 ) Total other expenses, net $ (4,719 ) $ (5,948 ) Net loss $ (1,295 ) $ (102,823 ) Dividends on series B preferred shares (1,442 ) (1,442 ) Net loss attributed to common stockholders (2,737 ) (104,265 ) Loss per common share, basic and diluted $ (0.03 ) $ (1.21 ) Weighted average number of common shares, basic and diluted 83,572,221 86,473,606 Three months ended March 31, 2021 2020 Net loss $ (1,295 ) $ (102,823 ) Other comprehensive loss (Actuarial loss) - (7 ) Comprehensive loss $ (1,295 ) $ (102,830 ) CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET DATA (in thousands of U.S. Dollars) March 31, 2021 December 31, 2020* ASSETS (unaudited) Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash $ 86,035 $ 82,909 Other current assets 27,383 41,752 Vessels, net 698,693 716,178 Other fixed assets, net 21,700 21,704 Other non-current assets 8,893 9,867 Total assets $ 842,704 $ 872,410 LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY Long-term debt, net of deferred financing costs $ 411,445 $ 420,314 Other liabilities 19,162 23,526 Total stockholders' equity 412,097 428,570 Total liabilities and stockholders' equity $ 842,704 $ 872,410 * The balance sheet data have been derived from the audited consolidated financial statements at that date. OTHER FINANCIAL DATA (unaudited) Three months ended March 31, 2021 2020 Net cash provided by operating activities $ 6,419 $ 7,290 Net cash provided by/(used in) investing activities 22,558 (1,164 ) Net cash used in financing activities $ (25,851 ) $ (23,214 ) CONTACT: Corporate Contact: Ioannis Zafirakis Director, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Strategy Officer, Treasurer and Secretary Telephone: + 30-210-9470100 Email: izafirakis@dianashippinginc.com Website: www.dianashippinginc.com Investor and Media Relations: Edward Nebb Comm-Counsellors, LLC Telephone: + 1-203-972-8350 Email: enebb@optonline.net To NASDAQ Copenhagen Executive Board Lers Parkalle 100 DK-2100 Kbenhavn www.rd.dk Tel. +45 70 12 53 00 Fax +45 45 14 96 22 21 May 2021 Company announcement No. 45/2021 Drawing rates for bonds issued by Realkredit Danmark A/S Pursuant to 24 of the Capital Markets Act, Realkredit Danmark A/S hereby publishes drawing rates as at 21 May 2021 for the following payment dates. 01 July 2021 (bonds with two annual settling periods), and 01 October 2021 (bonds with two annual settling periods). Please find the data in the attached file. The information will also be available on www.rd.dk. Please note that DK0004616950 appears on the attached list even though the publication date has been changed to 28 June 2021 due to a negative coupon. It means, that The withdrawal amount is fixed, but the negative coupon will be set off against the amount withdrawn before payment to the investor If the withdrawal amount is not sufficient to cover the payment of the negative coupon, an additional withdrawal will be made on the basis of market price (without payment) corresponding to the remaining amount No preliminary drawing rate will be calculated in the above ISIN until the publication date Yours faithfully, The Executive Board of Realkredit Danmark A/S Any additional questions should be addressed to Hella Gebhardt Rnnebk, Chief Analyst, phone +45 4513 2068. Attachments VANCOUVER, BC, May 21, 2021 /CNW/ - New Found Gold Corp. ("New Found" or the "Company") (TSXV: NFG) (OTC: NFGFF) is pleased to announce assay results from an additional four holes drilled at the Keats Zone ("Keats"). These holes were drilled as part of the Company's ongoing 200,000m diamond drill program at its 100%-owned Queensway Project ("Queensway"), located on the Trans-Canada Highway 15km west of Gander, Newfoundland. Highlights Highlights include: Highlights Table (CNW Group/New Found Gold Corp.) *Note that the host structures are interpreted to be steeply dipping and true widths are generally estimated to be 60% to 80% of reported intervals. Infill veining in secondary structures with multiple orientations crosscutting the primary host structures are commonly observed in drill core which could result in additional variability in true width. Intervals are calculated at a 1 g/t Au cut-off grade; grades have not been capped in the averaging. This table shows highlight intervals, a number of these holes returned additional intervals of gold mineralization as reported in Table 2 below. The interval of 146.2 g/t Au over 25.6m in NFGC-21-182 is a 65m down-plunge step-out to the south from the previously furthest south high-grade intercept (hole NFGC-21-143, 63.7 g/t Au over 8.4m and 16.9 g/t Au over 2.5m, see New Found news release April 27, 2021) and is the deepest assay interval returned to date at Keats (see Figure 1). The high-grade zone at Keats has now been drill defined over 425m in the down-plunge direction. The zone remains open and step-out drilling is continuing to the south, vertically above and below this zone, and to the north. Denis Laviolette President of New Found, stated: "The interval of 146.2g/t over 25.6m in hole NFGC-21-182 has a grade x width of over 3,700 g/t Au x m, the highest to date on this metric at Keats, benchmarked against a long list of outstanding holes. Very significantly, as a step out 65m down plunge and as the furthest down-plunge hole and the deepest assay interval returned to date at Keats, this hole demonstrates that the outstanding zone of high-grade gold at Keats is continuing and perhaps strengthening with depth. We couldn't be more excited to be continuing to intercept such a phenomenal interval on such a large step-out down plunge at Keats and this continues to build our confidence that Keats is a very significant high-grade gold discovery." Story continues Figure 1. Keats Main Zone Long Section (CNW Group/New Found Gold Corp.) Note: Au g/t x m calculations include all Keats Main intervals for each hole as reported in Table 2. Figure 1. Keats Main Zone Long Section (table) (CNW Group/New Found Gold Corp.) Figure 2. Keats Plan View (CNW Group/New Found Gold Corp.) Core Photos, Hole NFGC-21-182 Figure 3. Example gold mineralization from NFGC-21-182. From drill core interval between 285m and 321m down hole. Note that these photos are not intended to be representative of gold mineralization in hole NFGC-21-182. (CNW Group/New Found Gold Corp.) Figure 3. Example gold mineralization from NFGC-21-182, From drill core interval between 285m and 321m down hole. Note that these photos are not intended to be representative of gold mineralization in hole NFGC-21-182. (CNW Group/New Found Gold Corp.) Figure 3. Example gold mineralization from NFGC-21-182. From drill core interval between 285m and 321m down hole. Note that these photos are not intended to be representative of gold mineralization in hole NFGC-21-182. (CNW Group/New Found Gold Corp.) Drillhole Details Table 2: Summary of results reported in this release. (CNW Group/New Found Gold Corp.) *Note that the host structures are interpreted to be steeply dipping and true widths are generally estimated to be 60% to 80% of reported intervals. Infill veining in secondary structures with multiple orientations crosscutting the primary host structures are commonly observed in drill core which could result in additional variability in true width. Intervals are calculated at a 1 g/t Au cut-off grade; grades have not been capped in the averaging. Table 3: Location details of drill holes reported on in this release. (CNW Group/New Found Gold Corp.) Sampling, Sub-sampling and Laboratory True widths of the intercepts reported in this press release have yet to be determined but are estimated to be 60% to 80% of reported core lengths. Infill veining in secondary structures with multiple orientations crosscutting the primary host structures are commonly observed in drill core which could result in additional variability in true width. Assays are uncut, and calculated intervals are reported over a minimum length of 2 meters using a lower cut-off of 1.0 g/t Au. All HQ split core assays reported were obtained by either complete sample metallic screen/fire assay or standard 30-gram fire-assaying with ICP finish at ALS Minerals in Vancouver, British Columbia, or by entire sample screened metallic screen fire assay at Eastern Analytical in Springdale, Newfoundland. The complete sample metallic screen assay method is selected by the geologist when samples contain coarse gold or any samples displaying gold initial fire assay values greater than 1.0 g/t Au. Drill program design, Quality Assurance/Quality Control and interpretation of results is performed by qualified persons employing a Quality Assurance/Quality Control program consistent with National Instrument 43-101 and industry best practices. Standards and blanks are included with every 20 samples for Quality Assurance/Quality Control purposes by the Company as well as the lab. Approximately 5% of sample pulps are sent to secondary laboratories for check assays. Qualified Person The technical content disclosed in this press release was reviewed and approved by Greg Matheson, P. Geo., Chief Operating Officer, and a Qualified Person as defined under National Instrument 43-101. Mr. Matheson consents to the publication of this news release dated May 21, 2021 by New Found. Mr. Matheson certifies that this news release fairly and accurately represents the information for which he is responsible. About New Found Gold Corp. New Found holds a 100% interest in the Queensway Project, located 15km west of Gander, Newfoundland, and just 18km from Gander International Airport. The project is intersected by the Trans-Canada Highway and has logging roads crosscutting the project, high voltage electric power lines running through the project area, and easy access to a highly skilled workforce. The Company is currently undertaking a 200,000m drill program at Queensway. Seven rigs are currently in operation at Queensway with the drill count planned to increase to ten rigs by Q2 2021. With a current working capital balance of approximately $79 million, New Found is well funded for this program. Please see the Company's website at www.newfoundgold.ca and the Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com. Acknowledgements New Found acknowledges the financial support of the Junior Exploration Assistance Program, Department of Natural Resources, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. Contact To contact the Company, please visit the Company's website, www.newfoundgold.ca and make your request through our investor inquiry form. Our management has a pledge to be in touch with any investor inquiries within 24 hours. New Found Gold Corp. Per: "Craig Roberts" Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-Looking Statement Cautions This press release contains certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation, relating to further the exploration and drilling on the Company's Queensway gold project in Newfoundland. Although the Company believes that such statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts; they are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "intends," "estimates," "projects," "aims," "potential," "goal," "objective," "prospective," and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will," "would," "may," "can," "could" or "should" occur, or are those statements, which, by their nature, refer to future events. The Company cautions that forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company's management on the date the statements are made, and they involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Consequently, there can be no assurances that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Except to the extent required by applicable securities laws and the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements if management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change. Factors that could cause future results to differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements include risks associated possible accidents and other risks associated with mineral exploration operations, the risk that the Company will encounter unanticipated geological factors, the possibility that the Company may not be able to secure permitting and other governmental clearances necessary to carry out the Company's exploration plans, the risk that the Company will not be able to raise sufficient funds to carry out its business plans, and the risk of political uncertainties and regulatory or legal changes that might interfere with the Company's business and prospects. The reader is urged to refer to the Company's reports, publicly available through the Canadian Securities Administrators' System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval (SEDAR) at www.sedar.com for a more complete discussion of such risk factors and their potential effects. VIEW PDF (CNW Group/New Found Gold Corp.) Cision View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/new-found-intercepts-146-2-gt-au-over-25-6m-in-65m-step-out-to-south-at-keats-extends-high-grade-zone-to-425m-down-plunge-301297086.html SOURCE New Found Gold Corp. Cision View original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/May2021/21/c8025.html DUBLIN, May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Biological Seed Treatment Market - Forecasts from 2021 to 2026" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. Research and Markets Logo The biological seed treatment market was evaluated at US$747.832 million for the year 2019 growing at a CAGR of 11.43% reaching the market size of US$1,595.283 billion by the year 2026. Biological seed treatment refers to the application of biological agents for the protection of seeds against harmful organisms. The growing preference for organic food among individuals as a result of the increased awareness regarding the health benefits of consuming organic food is anticipated to be one of the major factors driving the biological seed treatment market. Also, the concerns regarding environmental degradation are increasing around the world and the fact that the use of chemicals during crop production contributes to it is also one of the prominent factors positively impacting the biological seed treatment market and is expected to propel the market growth during the forecast period. Looking at the benefits that biological seed treatments provide over conventional seed treatment methods, various companies are coming forward and launching new biological seed treatment products. For example, Advanced Biological Marketing (ABM) in July 2020 announced that it is going to launch a new product for biological seed treatment in 2021. The product is the first non-living biological seed treatment and is a metabolite derived from Trichoderma. The recent outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease is anticipated to positively impact the market growth. The key factor supporting the positive impact is the rising health consciousness among the individuals that the Covid-19 pandemic brought in. Due to the increased focus on health among people, there is an increased demand for organic food, which is considered to have a positive impact on an individual's health. Hence, the Covid-19 pandemic led to a long-term change in the preferences of individuals which led to a boost in organic food preference which is expected to positively impact the biological seed treatment market growth and is anticipated to boost up the market growth even further during the forecast period. The biological seed treatment market has been classified based on type, crop, function, and geography. By type, the market has been segmented into microbial and botanicals. Based on crop, the segmentation has been done into corn, wheat, soybean, cotton, vegetable crops, and others. By function, seed protection and seed enhancement have been analyzed thoroughly. North America, South America, Europe, Middle East, and Africa, and Asia Pacific are the five regions covered as part of the geography segment. Growing preference for organic food owing to increased awareness of its benefits. One of the key factors supplementing the Biological Seed Treatment market growth includes awareness among consumers regarding the health benefits of organic food leading to an increased number of people preferring organic food. Organic food does not use chemical-based seed treatment methods and indulges in biological seed treatment practices for crop protection. According to a 2001 study published in the National Library of Medicine, National Center for Biotechnology Information, United States, the organically grown carrots, spinach, lettuce, potato, and cabbage contained higher levels of vitamin C, iron, phosphorus, magnesium, and fewer nitrates compared to the conventionally grown ones. A meta-analysis published in the British Journal of Nutrition in 2014 showed that the organically grown crops had significantly higher levels of antioxidants compared to the conventionally grown crops, with 19% higher levels of phenolic acids, 69% higher levels of flavanones, Story continues 28% higher levels of stilbenes, 26% higher levels of flavones, 50% higher levels of flavonols, and 51% higher levels of anthocyanins. Another meta-analysis published in the British Journal of Nutrition in 2016 concluded that approximately 50% more omega-3 fatty acids are found in organic meat and dairy which is the result of animals being organically fed. According to a study by American Medical Association's medical journal JAMA Internal medicine in 2018, people who eat organic food are less likely to develop cancer compared to the people who eat conventionally grown food. Various such studies have found the advantages that organically grown food provides over food grown with other methods, giving way to the popularity of organically grown food, which is expected to surge the biological seed treatment market growth during the forecast period. Concerns regarding environmental degradation due to the use of chemicals. The increasing concerns for environmental degradation due to the use of chemicals in crop production and threats related to climate change and countries vying for sustainable development are some of the prominent factors which are expected to drive the biological seed treatment market growth in the coming years. According to a journal published in 2019 in the US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, biological seed treatment helps alleviating the abiotic stress conditions like drought and salinity and the role of plant-based microbes for seed treatment has become increasingly significant as the concerns regarding climate change have been increasing. According to a study published by India's Centre for Agriculture and Bioscience International (CABI) and UK Aid, the use of chemicals like cyantraniliprole and thiamethoxam for seed treatment can damage the biodiversity of crops, and hence the institutes recommended against using the chemicals for seed treatment. According to Bio-Integral Resource Center, United States, biological seed treatment can reduce the use of fertilizer and pesticide use, hence reducing the use of chemicals, and thereby helps in reducing environmental pollution. Looking at the environmental degradation that the chemicals do, the government of India under the National Food Security Mission (NFSM) provides biofertilizer (Rhizobium/PSB) at 50 percent of the cost. North America to hold a prominent share in the market Geographically, the North American region is anticipated to hold a significant share in the market owing to the advancements in the agriculture sector there. The preference for organic food among people of the North American region is increasing significantly which is also one of the major drivers which are anticipated to have a positive impact on the biological seed treatment market and are anticipated to propel the market growth in the region. Also, the Asia Pacific region is anticipated to grow at a noteworthy pace due to the government support in the region for biological seed treatment. For instance, the government of India has launched Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North Eastern Region (MOVCDNER) in which the farmers are assisted with 25,000 rupees per hectare for three years for organic inputs which include bio-fertilizers for biological seed treatment. Competitive Insights Prominent/major key market players in the Biological Seed Treatment market include BASF, Bayer AG, and Syngenta, among others. The players in the Biological Seed Treatment market are implementing various growth strategies to gain a competitive advantage over its competitors in this market. Major market players in the market have been covered along with their relative competitive strategies and the report also mentions recent deals and investments of different market players over the last few years. The company profiles section details the business overview, financial performance (public companies) for the past few years, key products and services being offered along with the recent deals and investments of these important players in the Biological Seed Treatment market. Key Topics Covered: 1. Introduction 1.1. Market Definition 1.2. Market Segmentation 2. Research Methodology 2.1. Research Data 2.2. Assumptions 3. Executive Summary 3.1. Research Highlights 4. Market Dynamics 4.1. Market Drivers 4.2. Market Restraints 4.3. Porters Five Forces Analysis 4.3.1. Bargaining Power of End-Users 4.3.2. Bargaining Power of Buyers 4.3.3. Threat of New Entrants 4.3.4. Threat of Substitutes 4.3.5. Competitive Rivalry in the Industry 4.4. Industry Value Chain Analysis 5. Biological Seed Treatment Market Analysis, by Type 5.1. Introduction 5.2. Microbials 5.3. Botanicals 6. Biological Seed Treatment Market Analysis, by Crop 6.1. Introduction 6.2. Corn 6.3. Wheat 6.4. Soybean 6.5. Cotton 6.6. Vegetable Crops 6.7. Others 7. Biological Seed Treatment Market Analysis, by Function 7.1. Introduction 7.2. Seed Protection 7.3. Seed Enhancement 8. Biological Seed Treatment Market Analysis, by Geography 8.1. Introduction 8.2. North America 8.2.1. North America Biological Seed Treatment Market, By Type 8.2.2. North America Biological Seed Treatment Market, By Crop 8.2.3. North America Biological Seed Treatment Market, By Function 8.2.4. By Country 8.2.4.1. USA 8.2.4.2. Canada 8.2.4.3. Mexico 8.3. South America 8.3.1. South America Biological Seed Treatment Market, By Type 8.3.2. South America Biological Seed Treatment Market, By Crop 8.3.3. South America Biological Seed Treatment Market, By Function 8.3.4. By Country 8.3.4.1. Brazil 8.3.4.2. Argentina 8.3.4.3. Others 8.4. Europe 8.4.1. Europe Biological Seed Treatment Market, By Type 8.4.2. Europe Biological Seed Treatment Market, By Crop 8.4.3. Europe Biological Seed Treatment Market, By Function 8.4.4. By Country 8.4.4.1.1. Germany 8.4.4.1.2. France 8.4.4.1.3. UK 8.4.4.1.4. Others 8.5. Middle East and Africa 8.5.1. Middle East and Africa Biological Seed Treatment Market, By Type 8.5.2. Middle East and Africa Biological Seed Treatment Market, By Crop 8.5.3. Middle East and Africa Biological Seed Treatment Market, By Function 8.5.4. By Country 8.5.4.1. Saudi Arabia 8.5.4.2. UAE 8.5.4.3. Others 8.6. Asia Pacific 8.6.1. Asia Pacific Biological Seed Treatment Market, By Type 8.6.2. Asia Pacific Biological Seed Treatment Market, By Crop 8.6.3. Asia Pacific Biological Seed Treatment Market, By Function 8.6.4. By Country 8.6.4.1. China 8.6.4.2. India 8.6.4.3. Japan 8.6.4.4. South Korea 8.6.4.5. Others 9. Competitive Environment and Analysis 9.1. Major Players and Strategy Analysis 9.2. Emerging Players and Market Lucrativeness 9.3. Mergers, Acquisitions, Agreements, and Collaborations 9.4. Vendor Competitiveness Matrix 10. Company Profiles 10.1. BASF 10.2. Bayer AG 10.3. Syngenta 10.4. DuPont 10.5. Italpollina 10.6. Koppert 10.7. Incotec 10.8. Plant Health Care 10.9. Precision Laboratories 10.10. Verdesian Life Sciences For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/pzcc1b Media Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager press@researchandmarkets.com For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1904 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 Cision View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/global-biological-seed-treatment-market-2021-to-2026---featuring-basf-bayer-and-syngenta-among-others-301296843.html SOURCE Research and Markets Table 1 Regional Use and Production of Molybdenum. Source: IMOA Regional Use and Production of Molybdenum. Source: IMOA Figure 1 Molybdenum Uses Molybdenum Uses TORONTO, May 21, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Greenland Resources Inc. (Greenland Resources or the Company) is pleased to provide an update on the following developments: upcoming summer environmental and engineering field program; molybdenum market outlook, exploitation license progress and on other corporate initiatives which include marketing and progress on the sale of its subsidiary Copenhagen Minerals Inc. Summer Field Program The Company submitted an application to the Greenland authorities to conduct field work on the Malmbjerg Molybdenum Project in east-central Greenland during the month of August 2021 as well as for entry dispensation under current COVID 19 quarantine rules to facilitate the site visit. A helicopter with Air Greenland as well as a vessel to accommodate up to 15 people has been secured for the entire month of August. The Company has been working with the various consultants on the logistics and scope of work. The environmental work, which is part of the requirements to obtain an exploitation license, will be conducted by the Danish teams from Golder A/S and COWI A/S as well as the Greenlandic consultants from Inuplan. The environmental activities will overall cover: i) botanical survey that will include the collection of lichens from a number of transects; ii) marine survey that will include hydroacoustic survey for bathymetry and a intertidal survey with collection of sculpins, blue mussels, aquatic vegetation and sediment; iii) freshwater survey with macro habitat types that will be registered, and sampling of aquatic macro-invertebrates and arctic char. None of these activities include any disruptive elements such as drilling, blasting or driving. The results will be an integral part of the final Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) which will aim to confirm results of similar work that has been extensively conducted in the past decade in the area. Story continues The engineering work which is part of the feasibility study and mineral resource optimization, will be conducted by geoscientists and engineers from Denmark, the US/Canada and Greenland, many of them were involved in the 2008 feasibility study. Some of the companies in addition to our management team that will be participating include Tetra Tech, DRA, Knight Piesold, Paterson & Cooke, RPA and, Moose Mountain Technical Services. The work will cover: i) optimize tunnel alignment surveys and geometry; ii) confirmation of previous geotechnical inspection of the areas proposed for installing the crusher infrastructure at the mine site; iii) conduct hydrology analysis at the mine site for supplying plant process water; iv) confirm the layout of the marine, barges and harbour infrastructure at Mestersvig inlet; v) confirmation of the Noret inlet tailings management facility (TMF); and vi) confirm the route of the hydraulic ore transportation pipeline from the crusher mine site to Mestervig inlet infrastructure and to the TMF. Dr. Ruben Shiffman, Executive Chairman commented: molybdenum futures are in contango breaking a new seven-year high and are positioning the economics of our project in a very positive light. Overall, we remain cautiously optimistic as the development of the project and demand outlook is looking good and we continue to work with our European friends on future capex needs and more. Molybdenum Market Outlook The molybdenum market is following the bullish trend in prices of industrial metals. We identify Green Energy, Infrastructure projects and China as the long-term catalysts for molybdenum supply and demand. On green energy, the World Bank Group, in its 2020 Report on Minerals for Climate Action: The Mineral Intensity of the Clean Energy Transition, estimates a 119% demand increase for molybdenum from electricity generation technologies through 2050. The International Energy Agency estimates a 290% growth in demand for molybdenum from clean energy technologies in 2040 relative to 2020 levels on its May 2021 report The Role of Critical Minerals in Clean Energy Transitions. On Infrastructure, the dramatic economic contraction worldwide caused by COVID-19 is forcing governments around the world to speed up infrastructure investments to spur growth. In the US alone, the American Society of Civil Engineers rated the US C grade infrastructure with a US$2.6 trillion gap, an amount that is currently being discussed in the US Congress. On China, the country represents close to 28% of global use and production of molybdenum. China has kept in the past decade fairly balance molybdenum trade in terms of net exports. However, in 2020 China had a deficit on exports minus imports of 116 million pounds of molybdenum, representing 20% of global supply. Furthermore, early this month, Chinas Custom Statistics agency reported a Q1-2021 net export deficit of 16.7 million pounds, equivalent approximately to 11% of global supply. In addition, from April 21, 2021 to May 21, 2021 prices for the molybdenum one-month futures contract traded at the London Metals Exchange rose 30% to US$14.20/lb Mo. Table 1 below shows regional use and production of molybdenum for 2019 while Figure 1 highlights the importance of molybdenum in the steel industry worldwide. The most vulnerable region in terms of sourcing molybdenum in the event of market disruption is Europe, because of the lack of production, their large needs of molybdenum to service the steel industry and the upcoming Green Deal. Specifically, countries at higher risk are Germany, Italy, Sweden and Finland that in 2019 use 21, 18, 15 and 14 million pounds of molybdenum, respectively. Table 1. Regional Use and Production of Molybdenum https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f628aff3-fa11-4388-bfea-ca617237691f Figure 1. Molybdenum Uses https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/046de4da-7526-46e4-8604-10da36615473 Europe is the second largest steel producer in the world and therefore uses approximately 25% of global molybdenum supply and has no domestic molybdenum production. To a greater degree, Europe steel dependent industries like the automotive, construction, and engineering, represent around 18% of Europes US$15.5 trillion GDP and steel needs molybdenum. According to current estimates, the Greenland Resources Malmbjerg Molybdenum Project will be capable of supplying approximately 25 million pounds per year, of environmentally friendly molybdenum in and to Europe from a responsible source, for decades to come. Exploitation license progress The Company submitted the Terms of Reference for the EIA and SIA, concluded the pre-consultation meetings required and incorporated the few comments received in the White Paper. The Company continues to follow the exploitation license process as planned and within the expected timeframe. Also, as part of the exploitation license requirements, the Company incorporated a wholly-owned new Greenlandic subsidiary called Greenland Resources A/S and initiated the transfer of the mineral license 2018/11 that holds the Malmbjerg Molybdenum Project, into the new subsidiary. Other Corporate Initiatives Last month, the Company presented the Malmbjerg Molybdenum Project at the European Raw Material Alliance (ERMA) Cluster 2 mid-term meeting. The audience included investors, representatives from industry, RTOs, and others. ERMA was created last year by the European Union as part of an action plan to secure access to critical and strategic raw materials, advanced materials, and processing know-how for the European Industrial Ecosystems. In addition the Company published an article in the Government of Greenland 2021 Mineral Exploration Newsletter (Minex) on work at the Malmbjerg Molybdenum Project. The Company continues to work on liquidity alternatives for its shareholders and in the sale of its subsidiary Copenhagen Minerals Inc. and the Storo gold project announced on January 28, 2021. Qualified Person Statement Mr. Jim Steel BSc, MBA, P.Geo., a director of Greenland Resources and a Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed and approved the technical disclosure in this news release. About Greenland Resources Inc. Greenland Resources is a Canadian reporting issuer regulated by the Ontario Securities Commission, focused on the development of its world class Climax type pure molybdenum deposit located in central east Greenland. The Malmbjerg molybdenum deposit has pit-constrained Measured and Indicated Resources of 247.1 million tonnes at 0.180% MoS 2 , for 587 million pounds of contained molybdenum metal (RPA, 2018). The Project benefits from a 2008 Feasibility Study completed by Wardrop (now Tetra Tech), an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (SRK, 2007), an engineering optimization Concept Study (DRA 2019) and had a previous exploitation license granted in 2009. With offices in Toronto, the Company is led by a management team with an extensive track record in the mining industry and capital markets. For further details, please refer to our web site (www.greenlandresources.ca) as well as our Canadian regulatory filings on Greenland Resources profile at www.sedar.com. For further information please contact: Ruben Shiffman, PhD Executive Chairman, President Keith Minty, P.Eng, MBA Engineering and Project Management Jim Steel, P.Geo, MBA Exploration and Mining Geology Nauja Bianco, M.Pol.Sci. Public and Community Relations Gary Anstey Investor Relations Corporate office Suite 1410, 181 University Av. Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5H 3M7 Telephone +1 647 273 9913 Web www.greenlandresources.ca CAUTIONARY STATEMENT: No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained herein. Certain statements in this news release are forward-looking and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Such forward-looking statements are within the meaning of the phrase forward-looking information in the Canadian Securities Administrators National Instrument 51-102 Continuous Disclosure Obligations. Forward-looking statements are not comprised of historical facts. Forward-looking statements include estimates and statements that describe the Companys future plans, objectives or goals, including words to the effect that the Company or management expects a stated condition or result to occur. Forward-looking statements may be identified by such terms as believes, anticipates, expects, estimates, may, could, would, will, or plan. Since forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Although these statements are based on information currently available to the Company, the Company provides no assurance that actual results will meet managements expectations. Risks, uncertainties and other factors involved with forward-looking information could cause actual events, results, performance, prospects and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Forward looking information in this news release includes, but is not limited to, the anticipated size of the Offering, the Offering price, the anticipated closing date and the completion of the Offering, the anticipated use of the net proceeds from the Offering, the receipt of all necessary approvals, and the Companys intentions regarding its objectives, goals or future plans and statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from such forward-looking information include, but are not limited to: an inability to complete the Offering on the terms or on the timeline as announced or at all; and those risks set out in the Companys public documents filed on SEDAR. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking information in this news release are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information, which only applies as of the date of this news release, and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed time frames or at all. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, other than as required by law. No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained herein. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of any of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful, including any of the securities in the United States of America. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the 1933 Act) or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for account or benefit of, U.S. Persons (as defined in Regulation S under the 1933 Act) unless registered under the 1933 Act and applicable state securities laws, or an exemption from such registration requirements is available. LOS ANGELES, May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Law Offices of Frank R. Cruz announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed on behalf of persons and entities that purchased or otherwise acquired Credit Suisse Group AG ("Credit Suisse" or the "Company") (NYSE: CS) American Depositary Receipts ("ADRs") between October 29, 2020 and March 31, 2021, inclusive (the "Class Period"). Credit Suisse investors have until June 15, 2021 to file a lead plaintiff motion. (PRNewsfoto/The Law Offices of Frank R. Cru) If you are a shareholder who suffered a loss, click here to participate. On March 1, 2021, Credit Suisse froze $10 billion in funds that were invested in financial products from Greensill Capital ("Greensill") and held by its supply-chain investment funds. On March 8, 2021, Greensill filed for insolvency protection, and more than 1,000 investors in the Greensill funds marketed were unable to exit their positions. On March 10, 2021, media reports revealed that Greensill investors had retained counsel and intended to sue Credit Suisse for their losses because Credit Suisse continued to market the biggest of the funds as a fully insured, low-risk product despite a decision by insurers during the summer of 2020 not to renew coverage. On this news, the Company's American Depositary Receipts ("ADRs") fell $1.85, or 12.5%, to close at $12.85 per ADR on March 12, 2021, thereby injuring investors. On Friday, March 26, 2021, several banks began liquidating billions of dollars' worth of shares that Archegos Capital Management ("Archegos") had swap positions on at fire sale prices after Archegos had failed to meet a margin call. By the time Credit Suisse tried to liquidate its own holdings of stocks underlying Archegos' swap contracts over the following weekend, prices had collapsed and Credit Suisse amassed billions of dollars in losses. On March 29, 2021, Credit Suisse conceded that "the loss resulting from this exit . . . could be highly significant and material to our first quarter results." The Financial Times then pegged Credit Suisse's estimated losses at between $3 billion and $5 billion, more than a year's worth of the Company's net profit. Story continues On this news, the market price of Credit Suisse ADRs fell another nearly 20%, from a close of $13.21 per ADR on March 25, 2021 to close at $10.60 per ADR on March 31, 2021. The complaint filed in this class action alleges that throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and/or misleading statements, as well as failed to disclose material adverse facts about the Company's business, operations, and prospects. Specifically, Defendants failed to disclose to investors: (1) that Credit Suisse's co-mingling of its lending, asset management, and private wealth management functions and imprudently aggressive pursuit of fees had materially diminished the Company's ability to properly assess and manage its own risk exposure to high-risk clients and potential liabilities from client losses; (2) that Credit Suisse had ignored numerous red flags in connection with the Greensill funds, such as suspicious shipment activities during an internal compliance check, and overrode the concerns of the Company's in-house credit-structuring team in packing and selling billions of dollars' worth of Greensill-linked securities to investors; (3) that Credit Suisse had conspired to allow Archegos to covertly take on billions of dollars in excessively concentrated and risky positions by utilizing highly leveraged total return swaps, placing the risk of loss associated with these positions on Credit Suisse and its investors; (4) that Credit Suisse was understating its exposure to risk and thus overstating its Tier 1 capital ratios in its public statements; and (5) that Credit Suisse's internal controls were inadequate to ensure that the Company's potential liability to customers and losses arising from its exposure to customer losses were properly accounted for, managed and disclosed to investors. Follow us for updates on Twitter: twitter.com/FRC_LAW. If you purchased Credit Suisse securities during the Class Period, you may move the Court no later than June 15, 2021 to ask the Court to appoint you as lead plaintiff. To be a member of the Class you need not take any action at this time; you may retain counsel of your choice or take no action and remain an absent member of the Class. If you purchased Credit Suisse securities, have information or would like to learn more about these claims, or have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests with respect to these matters, please contact Frank R. Cruz, of The Law Offices of Frank R. Cruz, 1999 Avenue of the Stars, Suite 1100, Los Angeles, California 90067 at 310-914-5007, by email to info@frankcruzlaw.com, or visit our website at www.frankcruzlaw.com. If you inquire by email please include your mailing address, telephone number, and number of shares purchased. This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules. Cision View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-law-offices-of-frank-r-cruz-announces-the-filing-of-a-securities-class-action-on-behalf-of-credit-suisse-group-ag-cs-investors-301296688.html SOURCE The Law Offices of Frank R. Cruz, Los Angeles /NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRES OR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES/ VANCOUVER, BC and ATLANTA, May 21, 2021 /CNW/ - Liberty Defense Holdings Ltd. ("Liberty" or the "Company") (TSXV: SCAN) (OTCQB: LDDFF) (FRANKFURT: LD2), a leading concealed weapons detection company, is pleased to announce that due to significant market demand, the Company has increased the size of its previously announced brokered private placement from C$5 million to C$6.2 million. The upsized offering (the "Offering") will consist of up to 12,400,000 units of the Company (collectively, the "Units") at a price of C$0.50 per Unit for aggregate gross proceeds of up to C$6,200,000 (the "Offering"). Canaccord Genuity Corp. will act as lead agent (the "Lead Agent") on behalf of a syndicate of agents (the "Agents"). Liberty Logo (CNW Group/Liberty Defense Holdings Ltd.) Each Unit will consist of one common share of the Company (each, a "Common Share") and one-half of one common share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a "Warrant"). Each Warrant will entitle the holder thereof to acquire, on payment of C$0.75 to the Company, one common share of the Company (each, a "Warrant Share"), subject to adjustment in certain circumstances, for a period of 24 months from the closing date (the "Closing Date"). The Offering will be conducted pursuant to the terms of an agency agreement to be entered into between the Company and the Agents on or prior to the Closing Date. The Company has agreed to pay the Agents a cash fee equal to 8.0% of the gross proceeds of the Offering (or 2% of the in the case of subscribers identified on the Company's president's list) and to issue that number of compensation warrants (each a "Compensation Warrant") equal to 8.0% of the number of Units sold under the Offering (or 2% of the in the case of subscribers identified on the Company's president's list). Each Compensation Warrant will be exercisable to purchase one Common Share for a period of 24 months from the Closing Date at an exercise price of C$0.50. Story continues The Company has granted the Agents an option to increase the size of the Offering by up to 15%, exercisable in the discretion of the Agents, in whole or in part, at any time up to 48 hours prior to the Closing Date. The net proceeds from the Offering are intended to fund development of the Company's latest technology that was recently licensed from the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory as well as further development of the Company's HEXWAVE technology. The securities issued pursuant to the Offering will be subject to a four-month hold period from the closing date. Completion of the Offering remains subject to the receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals, including the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. A portion or all of the Offering may be completed pursuant to Multilateral CSA Notice 45-313 Prospectus Exemption for Distributions to Existing Security Holders ("CSA 45-313") and the corresponding blanket orders and rules implementing CSA 45-313 in the participating jurisdictions in respect thereof (collectively with CSA 45-313, the "Existing Security Holder Exemption"). As at the date hereof, the Existing Security Holder Exemption is available in each of the provinces of Canada, with the exception of Newfoundland and Labrador. Subject to applicable securities laws, the Company will permit each person or company who, as of May 18, 2021 (being the record date set by the Company pursuant to CSA 45-313), holds common shares as of that date to subscribe for the Units that will be distributed pursuant to the Offering, provided that the Existing Security Holder Exemption is available to such person or company. Qualifying shareholders who wish to participate in the Offering should contact the Company at the contact information set forth below. In the event that aggregate subscriptions for Units under the Offering exceed the maximum number of securities to be distributed, then Units will be sold to qualifying subscribers on a pro rata basis based on the number of Units subscribed for. Insiders may participate in the Offering. In addition to the Existing Security Holder Exemption, a portion or all of the Offering may be completed pursuant to Multilateral CSA Notice 45-318 Prospectus Exemption for Certain Distributions through an Investment Dealer ("CSA 45-318") and the corresponding blanket orders and rule implementing CSA 45- 318 in the participating jurisdictions in respect thereof (collectively with CSA 45-318, the "Investment Dealer Exemption"). As at the date hereof, the Investment Dealer Exemption is available in each of Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and New Brunswick. Pursuant to CSA 45-318, each subscriber relying on the Investment Dealer Exemption must obtain advice regarding the suitability of the investment from a registered investment dealer. There is no material fact or material change of the Company that has not been disclosed. In addition to conducting the Offering pursuant to the Existing Security Holder Exemption and the Investment Dealer Exemption, the Offering will also be conducted pursuant to other available prospectus exemptions. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities in the United States. The securities described herein have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") or any state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. Persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available. This press release is not for distribution to U.S. newswire services nor for dissemination in the United States. Any failure to comply with this restriction may constitute a violation of U.S. securities laws. On Behalf of Liberty Defense Bill Frain CEO & Director About Liberty Defense Liberty Defense (TSXV: SCAN, OTCQB: LDDFF, FRANKFURT: LD2) provides multi-technology security solutions for concealed weapons detection in high volume foot traffic areas and locations requiring enhanced security such as airports, stadiums, schools, and more. Liberty's HEXWAVE product, for which the company has secured an exclusive license from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), as well as a technology transfer agreement for patents related to active 3D radar imaging technology, provides discrete, modular, and scalable protection to provide layered, stand-off detection capability of metallic and non-metallic weapons. Liberty has also recently licensed the millimeter wave-based, High Definition Advanced Imaging Technology (HD-AIT) body scanner and shoe scanner technologies as part of its technology portfolio. Liberty is committed to protecting communities and preserving peace of mind through superior security detection solutions. Learn more: LibertyDefense.com FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS When used in this press release, the words "estimate", "project", "belief", "anticipate", "intend", "expect", "plan", "predict", "may" or "should" and the negative of these words or such variations thereon or comparable terminology are intended to identify forward-looking statements and information. Although Liberty believes, in light of the experience of their respective officers and directors, current conditions and expected future developments and other factors that have been considered appropriate, that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements and information in this press release are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on them because the parties can give no assurance that such statements will prove to be correct. Such statements and information reflect the current view of Liberty. There are risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in those forward-looking statements and information. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or other future events, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. There are a number of important factors that could cause Liberty's actual results to differ materially from those indicated or implied by forward-looking statements and information. Such factors include, among others: currency fluctuations; limited business history of the parties; disruptions or changes in the credit or security markets; results of operation activities and development of projects; project cost overruns or unanticipated costs and expenses; and general development, market and industry conditions. The parties undertake no obligation to comment on analyses, expectations or statements made by third parties in respect of their securities or their respective financial or operating results (as applicable). Liberty cautions that the foregoing list of material factors is not exhaustive. When relying on Liberty's forward-looking statements and information to make decisions, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events. Liberty has assumed that the material factors referred to in the previous paragraph will not cause such forward-looking statements and information to differ materially from actual results or events. However, the list of these factors is not exhaustive and is subject to change and there can be no assurance that such assumptions will reflect the actual outcome of such items or factors. The forward-looking information contained in this press release represents the expectations of Liberty as of the date of this press release and, accordingly, are subject to change after such date. Liberty does not undertake to update this information at any particular time except as required in accordance with applicable laws. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release. SOURCE Liberty Defense Holdings Ltd. Cision View original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/May2021/21/c2993.html During his participation in the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2021 in Dubai, and the inaugural of Egypts pavilion, Dr. Khaled El-Enany, Egypts Minister of Tourism and Antiquities highlighted the countrys credentials as an ideal destination for holidaymakers looking for a safe travel experience as the world continues to tackle the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. Emphasising Egypts tremendous tourism potential, the Minister provided an overview of the countrys comprehensive action plan for safe tourism and infrastructure development, as well as its diverse tourist attractions from lively and sunny beach resorts to newly opened museums, archeological projects and, recent important discoveries. Egypt Pavilion at ATM showcases the countrys safe tourist offerings, as well as opportunities for business, medical, adventure, leisure, spiritual, cultural, archaeological and other types of tourism. Through its participation in the event, the Ministry seeks to connect with travel and tourism stakeholders from across the Arab world, exchange experience, and explore opportunities for collaboration to boost mutual tourism with the aim of addressing the urgent need to revitalise the sector. Located in Sheikh Saeed Hall 2, the 305-sq-m pavilion presents 14 exhibitors, including EgyptAir, hotels, and tourism companies. Two giant screens are showing promotional videos of Egypts iconic tourist sites and footage from special events, such as the recent Pharaohs Golden Parade in Cairo. Over the past few months, Egypt has witnessed a significant increase in inbound tourism. Since the resumption of international tourism in July 2020 till now, it has welcomed 3 million tourists from more than 20 countries (1.8 million since January 2021). Currently, around 17,500 tourists a day arrive, 65 per cent of them at airports located in touristic coastal cities such as Sharm El Sheikh, Hurghada and Marsa Alam, which have consistently reported one of the lowest Covid-19 infection rates in the world. Speaking at the event, Dr. El-Enany said: ATM provides a perfect platform to capture the attention of visitors from the Arab region one of the most important tourist markets for Egypt that accounted more than 20 per cent of inbound tourism pre-Covid-19. In addition to the proximity factor, pleasant weather all year round, and distinctive tourist attractions, Arab tourists feel at home in our country due to our shared language, culture, and customs. And of course, this feeling is mutually shared by Egyptians. He added: Since the coronavirus outbreak, we have implemented stringent regulations to protect the health and safety of our visitors and staff. In recognition of our efforts, the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has granted Egypt its Safe Travels stamp. In closing, he said: Egypt boasts a perfect blend of leisure, adventure, history, and culture. Its favorable climate, plentiful sunlight, fresh air, and abundance of open spaces in popular tourist spots, in addition to the robust precautionary measures in place, have contributed to a notable rise in tourist numbers, especially since beginning 2021. We look forward to welcoming a steady influx of visitors in the coming months and having them enjoy the many attractions our country has to offer. The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities has issued the Regulations for the Resumption of Tourism to Egypt that are applicable to all tourist facilities across the country. Hygiene Safety Certificates are a pre-requisite for hospitality establishments, airlines, airports, archeological sites, and museums to receive visitors. All workers in the tourism sector have undergone compulsory Covid-19 awareness training. The country has also launched a Covid-19 vaccination drive for all employees in the tourism sector, with most of the tourism staff in South Sinai and Red Sea governorates, the two top tourist destinations, are vaccinated (other touristic governorates will follow). Furthermore, Egypt has introduced temporary incentives with the aim of reviving its tourism and aviation sector, and motivating holidaymakers to consider the country for their next vacation. To achieve optimum value addition for everyone, Egypt is closely collaborating with industry partners, such as tour operators and airlines, in this regard. In October 2021, the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities plans to launch a three-year international promotional campaign that seeks to attract visitors from target markets to Egypt, and consolidate the countrys reputation as one of the leading global tourist destinations. Furthermore, we are planning to open new hotels and resorts, and many new museums, such as the Grand Egyptian Museum overlooking Giza pyramids. Running from May 16 to 19 at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), the 28th edition of ATM features exhibitors from 62 countries. Held under the theme A new dawn for travel and tourism, the global event is putting a spotlight on the latest Covid-19-related updates from around the world. - TradeArabia News Service OTTAWA, ON, May 21, 2021 /CNW/ - The National Gallery of Canada Foundation has received a transformational gift that will, in part, commemorate the important work of Dr. Shirley L. Thomson, Director of the National Gallery of Canada from 19871997. The announcement comes on the 33rd anniversary of the official opening of the Gallery's building at 380 Sussex Drive in Ottawa, which was overseen by Dr. Thomson. The National Gallery of Canada is renaming its Abstract Expressionist Gallery the Shirley L. Thomson Gallery, in honour of the woman who led the institution from 1987 to 1997. Known for her visionary insight, Ms. Thomson led some of the most controversial acquisitions in the history of the National Gallery of Canada, as well as the construction and opening of the Sussex Drive building in Ottawa. Photo: Brian Willer (CNW Group/National Gallery of Canada Foundation) The new $3 Million anonymous donation establishes a Canada Pavilion Maintenance Fund to support ongoing and future upkeep costs for the Canada Pavilion in Venice, Italy, owned by the National Gallery of Canada. Since 1958, the pavilion has been used as the official site for Canada's participation in the Venice Biennale for art. Inspired by the 2018 successful restoration project, the Maintenance Fund will provide for the ongoing preservation and care of this important building and ensure that Canada's artists and architects have a beautiful and functional venue for representing the country. Karen Colby-Stothart, former Foundation CEO, was responsible for co-ordinating the restoration and securing the Maintenance Fund. Ann Bowman, Chair of the Foundation, said: "On behalf of the National Gallery of Canada Foundation, we are deeply grateful for this remarkable and strategic gift which ensures the longevity of the Canadian Pavilion in Venice to continue to showcase Canadian artists on the world stage ". The donor has used the naming opportunity associated with this and other gifts to highlight and celebrate the remarkable leadership of the late Dr. Thomson. Esteemed for championing curatorial excellence, artistic daring and public discourse around art during her tenure, Dr. Thomson remains deeply respected for her professionalism, diplomacy, generosity, and humour. Renowned for her visionary insight, Dr. Thomson led some of the most contentious acquisitions in the National Gallery of Canada's history. Most notable were the purchase of Barnett Newman's modernist painting, Voice of Fire and Mark Rothko's No. 16, both of which sparked debate about the public's role in supporting the presentation of modern art in a national museum. Story continues In recognition of the donation, the National Gallery of Canada will rename its Abstract Expressionist Gallery the Dr. Shirley L. Thomson Gallery. It is a fitting tribute to her legacy that Voice of Fire, one of the Gallery's most visited works, is displayed prominently in the gallery which will bear Dr. Thomson's name. "Dr. Shirley Thomson is an example to museum directors across Canada and around the world because she was a fearless champion of artistic freedom. I've often said the National Gallery provoked exciting conversations about art because of her leadership, something that I aspire to as well. It's so fitting that her leadership will be commemorated by naming this particular Gallery," said Dr. Sasha Suda, Director and CEO of the National Gallery of Canada. Dr. Thomson also led the presentation of popular exhibitions showcasing the works of artists such as Degas, Emily Carr and Renoir, as well as more controversial exhibitions, like Jana Sterbaks' Vanitas: Flesh Dress for An Albino Anorectic (1987), which although offensive to some, provoked important discourse about not only what should be recognized as art, but the government's role in funding the arts. The Dr. Shirley L. Thomson Gallery marks the first time a National Gallery space has been named for a former director. The National Gallery of Canada, founded in 1880, is the home of Canada's most important collection of Indigenous, Canadian, and European art with a national mandate to share the visual arts with the entire country. Founded in 1997, the National Gallery of Canada Foundation is an independent not-for-profit registered charity dedicated to achieving sustained private financial support for the Gallery. Since inception, the Foundation has raised more than $75 million in financial contributions and has facilitated donations of art to the National Gallery valued in excess of $62 million. Commissioned by the National Gallery of Canada in 1957 and still owned by the Gallery to this day, the Canada Pavilion was designed by Milanese architects, Studio BBPR and is now a designated Heritage structure by virtue of its architectural importance. The Pavilion hosts Canada's finest artists and architects at the Venice Biennale in alternating years. Thanks to the financial support of Reesa Greenberg and the guidance of the Foundation, a major historic architectural restoration was completed in 2018. The National Film Board produced a documentary film about the Pavilion and its restoration: Open Sky: The Canada Pavilion in Venice, released in 2020. National Gallery of Canada logo (CNW Group/National Gallery of Canada Foundation) SOURCE National Gallery of Canada Foundation Cision View original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/May2021/21/c6042.html Microsoft says that companies that don't allow employees to work from home at least part of the time will miss out on top talent. (Getty) Goldman Sachs (GS) CEO David Solomon and JPMorgan (JPM) CEO Jamie Dimon recently summoned bankers back to the office, but one Microsoft (MSFT) executive says business leaders that tether employees to their work desks could actually be missing a big opportunity. "If you're a leader, and you just think this is going back to the physical office, you are missing the point, Jared Spataro, senior vice president of Microsoft 365, told Yahoo Finance, you're missing the big opportunity." Spataro's comments come as Microsoft is releasing its Hybrid Work playbook and Hybrid Flexible Work guide. The documents, which Microsoft is making available publicly, provide a blueprint for how the company set up its own hybrid work environment. Speaking to Yahoo Finance, Spataro noted that the past year of remote work has given employers a chance to rewire their operating models. If you don't do it well, I can guarantee you your competitors will be, and those folks are going to emerge from this state in better shape than you will and you'll find yourself at a competitive disadvantage," he told Yahoo Finance. Microsoft's philosophy for the new work environment incorporates three principles: people, places, and processes. First, Microsoft tries to give people managers freedom to determine whether employees can work from home, embracing flexibility to attract talent. Microsoft also wants its places i.e., its physical office to accommodate those who are both in the room and dialing in virtually. Microsoft is giving employees the option to work remotely less than 50% of the time. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan) Finally, Microsoft says its crucial for companies to have processes in place to ensure theyre connected to the cloud something Microsoft benefits from with its own cloud offerings and mandating a zero-trust security strategy to prevent breaches by hackers and malicious software. Microsoft is currently operating its offices at 20% capacity worldwide, and the company has already indicated that it will allow most employees to work from home less than 50% of the time moving forward. With flexible work options now as important to some employees, companies across the U.S. may also embrace hybrid work situations. Story continues "We've actually taken our own decisions, and the people leading those decisions in the company and we just are like literally surfacing them up," explained Spataro. "So when it comes to places, for instance, we have Michael Ford, who's our leader for real estate facilities, and we have all the details of what are the key decisions he's made so far." With more than a year of working from home under their belts, more employees are looking for opportunities to continue the practice at least to some extent. At least some companies have said they will allow their employees to work from home completely even after the pandemic is over including Twitter (TWTR), Square (SQ), and REI, whose workers can work remotely indefinitely. In March, Microsoft released the results of its first-annual Work Trends Index, which surveyed 30,000 people from 31 countries, and found that 73% of workers want their employers to continue providing flexible remote work options. At the same time 67% of respondents wanted to have some kind of face-to-face interactions with their colleagues. While some industries may hesitate to allow their employees to work from home, a working paper, co-authored by Jose Maria Barrero of Instituto Tecnologico Autonomo de Mexico; Nicholas Bloom of Stanford University; and Steven J. Davis of The University of Chicago Booth School of Business, found that employee productivity could increase by as much as 5% if employees work from home. That fits in with a January survey by PWC of 133 executives and 1,200 employees in the U.S. that found 52% of employees and 34% of executives felt more productive working from home. While plenty of businesses will likely stick to an in-office work environment, those that do offer flexible opportunities will not only attract top talent but could end up boosting productivity, too. Sign up for Yahoo Finance Tech newsletter Got a tip? Email Daniel Howley at dhowley@yahoofinance.com over via encrypted mail at danielphowley@protonmail.com, and follow him on Twitter at @DanielHowley. More from Dan: Follow Yahoo Finance on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Flipboard, SmartNews, LinkedIn, YouTube, and reddit. The "Middle East And Africa Hand Sanitizer Gels Market Size, Market Share, Application Analysis, Regional Outlook, Growth Trends, Key Players, Competitive Strategies and Forecasts, 2021 to 2029" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. Incidences of Disease Outbreaks and Higher Infection Control in the GCC Nations Will Drive Market Growth Healthcare and personal hygiene is one of the most promising growth areas in the MENA (Middle-East and North Africa) region. The field has witnessed growing investment to meet the demand elevated by high population growth rate and fear of periodic outbreak of threatening diseases like COVID-19, Ebola, H1N1, SARS, Influenza, and Avian flu among others. This has had positive impact on the overall hand sanitizer manufacturing industry and related disinfectant products in the region. Thus, demand for hand sanitizer gels and other disinfectant products in Middle-East and Africa is expected to witness an upsurge, offering strong growth and investment opportunities for manufacturers during the forecast period. This represents a huge opportunity for hand sanitizer gel suppliers and related players across the value chain of hand sanitizer industry in Middle East and Africa. By Sales Channel Based on sales channel hand sanitizer gel market is segmented into department stores, supermarkets and hyper markets, convenience stores, e-tailers and retail pharmacy stores. The supermarket and hypermarket segment accounted for the largest revenue share in the Middle East and Africa hand sanitizers market by sale channel in 2020. The segment is accounted for 35% of revenue share in 2020 and is - expected to increase by 1.1 to 3% through the forecast period 2021 - 2029. This growth is primarily attributed to shifting trends towards modern retailing. In addition, these store offers products at lower price compared to other types of sale channel which is attracting buyers to purchase products from these stores. Similar trend is observed in Middle East and Africa. The online sales segment is expected to witness the fastest growth with increasing popularity online shopping. However, the online sales segment for hand sanitizers is expected to remain the smallest segment as customer doesn't find its convenient buy for product like sanitizer. Story continues By Geography The hand sanitizer market in Middle East and Africa is expected to witness significant growth with rising awareness hand hygiene and increasing prevalence of periodic diseases such as H1N1, flu, Ebola and SARS. In addition, promotional campaign in African and some Middle East countries to increase the awareness about hand hygiene is also influencing the demand for hand sanitizer gels in the region. Hospitals, hotels and restaurants are some major end use segments for hand sanitizer gels in Middle East and Africa. In addition, business organization are also started to provide hand sanitizer gels to their employees in order to maintain hygiene at office premises. Saudi Arabia is the largest market for hand sanitizers with significant amount of per capita healthcare spending and increasing awareness about the benefits of hand hygiene. South Africa, UAE, Israel and Qatar represent major market for hand sanitizers due to increasing awareness about the benefits of hand sanitizers. Promotional campaigns and periodic breakout of Ebola, H1N1 and other diseases expected to increase the demand for hand sanitizer gel in the region. Top Company Profiles Reckitt Benckiser Group Plc. 3M Company Sanofi (Chattem, Inc.) PROCTER & GAMBLE CO Unilever GOJO Industries, Inc. L Brands (Bath & Body Works, LLC) Deb Group Ltd. Henkel AG & Company, KGaA Kimberly- Clark Corporation Bath & Body Works, LLC Best Sanitizers, Inc. Medline Industries, Inc. Dial Corporation Key Topics Covered: Chapter 1 Preface Chapter 2 Executive Summary Chapter 3 Market Dynamics 3.1 Product Insights and Market Overview 3.2 Market Inclination Insights 3.3 Market Drivers 3.3.1 Periodic Outbreak of Virus Epidemic Diseases 3.3.2 Growing Awareness Regarding Hand Hygiene 3.3.3 Increase in Number of Hospital Acquired Infection Cases 3.4 Market Challenges 3.4.1 Availability of Substitutes and Market Competition 3.4.2 Ineffectiveness and Health Risks Associated 3.5 See-Saw Analysis 3.6 Value Chain Analysis 3.7 Attractive Investment Proposition 3.8 Competitive Analysis 3.9 Key Brands by Country Chapter 4 MEA Hand Sanitizers Gel Market Analysis, by Sales Channel Chapter 5 Middle East & Africa (MEA) Hand Sanitizers Market Analysis, By Country Chapter 6 Company Profiles For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/xx1635 View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210521005190/en/ Contacts ResearchAndMarkets.com Laura Wood, Senior Press Manager press@researchandmarkets.com For E.S.T Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call 1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 Middlefield Canadian Income PCC Net Asset Value Middlefield Canadian Income PCC Middlefield Canadian Income - GBP PC (a protected cell company incorporated in Jersey with registration number 93546) Legal Entity Identifier: 2138007ENW3JEJXC8658 Net Asset Value As at the close of business on 20 May 2021 the estimated unaudited Net Asset Value per share was 122.63 pence (including accrued income). Investments in the Companys portfolio have been valued on a closing price basis. Enquiries: JTC Fund Solutions (Jersey) Limited 01534 700 000 OTTAWA, May 21, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- It is no longer news that India is in the grip of a COVID catastrophe caused by criminal acts of omission and commission by the national Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government of Prime Minister Modi. Disregarding science and concerns expressed by numerous epidemiologists and other medical experts, they allowed millions to gather for religious ceremonies and held election rallies of thousands across several states. The solidarity statement recognizes that the current COVID situation is the most recent example of callous disregard that this government has shown for the people of India, ever since they came to power in 2014. The statement calls on the Indian government to IMMEDIATELY REPEAL the farm laws passed in September 2020 so the farmers can protect themselves from COVID and return to their homes, secure in the knowledge that their families futures are not jeopardized. RELEASE ALL POLITICAL PRISONERS being held under draconian laws and now also facing COVID infection PROVIDE FREE COVID-19 VACCINATIONS for all in India The farm laws referred to were passed in September 2020 by the Modi government, without consultation or debate in the midst of the first wave of the COVID pandemic. This farmers movement is the largest and longest non-violent peaceful protest in world history. It is entering an unprecedented sixth month. The farmers oppose these laws because they will empower corporations to seize their land, jeopardize their livelihood and deepen the agrarian crisis facing the country. Since November, hundreds of thousands of farmers have camped at the borders of the capital New Delhi, in the bitter winter cold and now, the searing heat of summer, despite police tear gas, water cannons and barricades. Several hundred of them, young and old, men and women, have perished due to weather, disease, police violence and traffic accidents. Many have been injured by vigilantes of the ruling party. Yet the struggle continues and grows. But the Modi government does not budge. With the current wave of COVID, it is feared the government will opportunistically invoke public health and attempt to demolish the camps. While the farmers know the health risk they face by staying encamped, they remain resolute because its a devils bargain between the threat of COVID or farm laws that spell death for them. Story continues The farmers protest has garnered amazing support from all sections of Indian society and outside the country as well. In Canada, city councils from Vancouver to Brampton, along with many Canadian labor organizations, including Canadian Labour Congress, Canadian Union of Public Employees, Federations of Labour, and UNIFOR, have passed resolutions or issued statements in support of the demands of the farmers. In the last few weeks, the world has watched in horror as thousands die in India because of COVID-19 and lack of oxygen in hospitals. Yet despite the risks, myriad Indian farmers and farm workers continue their protest. They have no option if they are to save their lands and their livelihoods, said Hassan Yussuff, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. On behalf of the Canadian labour movement, I call on the Indian government to repeal the agriculture laws so that farmers and farm workers can safely return home. Statement of solidarity with farmers of India in PDF: http://ml.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/c2a696c1-92a3-41b6-be63-0d329bccc992 CONTACT: CERAS (Montreal) cerasmontreal@gmail.com SANSAD (Vancouver) sansad@sansad.org English (514) 885-5976 Francais (514) 834-7120 TSXV | MPM TORONTO, May 21, 2021 /CNW/ - Millennial Precious Metals Corp. ("Millennial" or the "Company") (TSX-V: MPM) is pleased to announce today that Ms. Sara Heston has been appointed as a director of Millennial and that Mr. Eric Tremblay has been engaged as a technical advisor to the Company. Millennial Precious Metals Corp. logo (CNW Group/Millennial Precious Metals Corp.) Ms. Heston has been an Associate Director, Center for Entrepreneurial Studies at the Stanford Graduate School of Business since 2020. Prior to her role at Stanford, she was the Vice President of Investments for ASA Gold and Precious Metals Limited where she managed a global portfolio of publicly listed, precious metals investments from 2010 - 2019. Ms. Heston is currently a director of The Denver Gold Group, Inc., Spanish Mountain Gold Ltd. and Dore Copper Mining Corp. She holds a BA in Economics from Vanderbilt University and an MBA from Columbia University. Mr. Tremblay is a seasoned mining professional with nearly 30 years of mine building and mine operations experience. He is currently the Chief Operating Officer with Dalradian Resources Inc. and previously held the role of General Manager at Canadian Malartic, Canada's largest open pit gold mine where he was responsible for building the operations team, establishing operating procedures and standards, expanding stakeholder engagement and subsequently managing an internal team of 700 employees and 400 contractors. Previous positions include General manager at Cambior's Sleeping Giant mine, Underground Superintendent at Mouska Mine, Underground Captain/Project and Engineer/Senior Supervisor over a seven-year period at Cambior and Barrick's Doyon Mine, where he was involved in mine-planning, construction, development and production. Mr. Tremblay began his career working with mining contractor Ross Finlay Ltd., from miner to project engineer on multiple projects owned by Agnico Eagle, Placer Dome, Barrick and Cambior, among others. Mr. Tremblay is currently on the board of Nighthawk Gold Corp, Talisker Resources, Osisko Development and is a technical advisor for the Maritime Resources board. Mr. Tremblay graduated from Laval University with a B.Sc. in mining engineering and mineral processing. Story continues Millennial CEO Jason Kosec stated, "We are extremely excited to welcome Sara and Eric to the Company. Sara's wealth of financial experience and business acumen will be invaluable to management and our Board as we continue to grow, and Eric's technical expertise will be an incredible asset in our mission of becoming a multi-million ounce, multi-asset development company. Millennial became a stronger and more dynamic company today." Market Making Services and Investor Relations Agreements Subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange (the "Exchange"), Millennial is also pleased to announce that it has entered into the following agreements: ITG Agreement Millennial has entered into a market making services agreement (the "ITG Agreement") with Independent Trading Group, Inc. ("ITG") pursuant to which ITG will provide market-making services in compliance with the policies and guidelines of the Exchange and other applicable legislation. ITG will trade the Common Shares on the Exchange with the objective of maintaining a reasonable market and improving the liquidity and stability of the Common Shares. The engagement is effective May 21, 2021 and has an initial term of three months. Thereafter, the engagement will automatically renew for successive one-month terms until terminated by either party upon 30 days prior written notice. Under the terms of the ITG Agreement, ITG will receive $5,000 per month, plus applicable taxes, payable on the first business day of each month. There are no performance factors contained in the ITG Agreement, and ITG will not receive Common Shares or options as compensation. To the knowledge of Millennial, neither ITG nor its principals own any securities in the capital of Millennial. ITG is an independent, privately held broker-dealer based in Toronto, Ontario, that provides a wide range of financial and investment services, and is registered with the Canadian Securities Exchange, NEO, Toronto Stock Exchange and the Exchange along with the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada (IIROC). Hybrid Agreement Millennial has entered into a marketing agreement (the "Hybrid Agreement") with Hybrid Financial Ltd. ("Hybrid") pursuant to which Hybrid will provide marketing services in compliance with the policies and guidelines of the Exchange and other applicable legislation. The engagement is effective May 21, 2021 and has an initial term of six months. Thereafter, the engagement will automatically renew for successive three month periods until terminated by Millennial upon 30 days prior written notice. Under the terms of the Hybrid Agreement, Hybrid will receive $15,000 per month, plus applicable taxes, payable within 10 days of receipt of invoice. There are no performance factors contained in the Hybrid Agreement, and Hybrid will not receive Common Shares or options as compensation. To the knowledge of Millennial, neither Hybrid nor its principals own any securities in the capital of Millennial. Hybrid is a sales and distribution company that actively connects issuers to the investment community across North America. Using a data driven approach, Hybrid provides its clients with comprehensive coverage of both American and Canadian markets. Hybrid has offices in Toronto and Montreal. Machai Agreement Millennial has entered into a digital awareness services agreement (the "Machai Agreement") with Machai Capital Inc. ("Machai") pursuant to which Machai will provide certain digital awareness services (including branding and content and data optimization) in compliance with the policies and guidelines of the Exchange and other applicable legislation. The engagement is effective May 21, 2021 and has an initial term of six months. Thereafter, the engagement will automatically renew for successive six month terms if not cancelled within 15 days after the expiry of the first 6 month period. Under the terms of the Machai Agreement, Machai will receive $3,500 per month, plus applicable taxes, payable quarterly at the beginning of each quarter. In addition, subject to the approval of the Exchange, Millennial shall issue 50,000 options to Machai as additional consideration under the Machai Agreement. Each option is exercisable into one Common Share at an exercise price of $0.56 for a period of five years. The options granted pursuant to the Machai Agreement will vest quarterly over a 12-month period, in accordance with the policies of the Exchange and the Company's Stock Option Plan. To the knowledge of Millennial, neither Machai nor its principals own any securities in the capital of Millennial. Machai is a marketing, advertising and public awareness firm based out of Vancouver, British Columbia, specializing in the mining and metals, technology and special situation sectors. It assists companies in branding, content creation and data-optimization to create powerful marketing campaigns. Machai is able to track, organize and execute its plan through Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Search Engine Marketing (SEM), Lead Generation, Digital Marketing, Social Media Marketing, Email Marketing and Brand Marketing. ABOUT MILLENNIAL PRECIOUS METALS CORP. Millennial Precious Metals (TSX.V: MPM) is a Nevada-based development company focused on unlocking quality ounces through the responsible expansion of its seven gold projects. The Company plans to accelerate the development of its two flagship projects, Wildcat and Mountain View. The Wildcat Inferred Mineral Resource estimate contains 776,000 ounces of Au oxide (60.8 million tonnes at 0.40 g/t gold; effective date of November 18, 2020) and the Mountain View Inferred Mineral Resource estimate contains 427,000 ounces of Au oxide (23.2 million tonnes at 0.57 g/t gold; effective date of November 15, 2020). Each of the technical report titled "NI 43-101 Technical Report Resource Estimate for the Wildcat Project, Pershing County, Nevada, United States", dated November 20, 2020 with an effective date of November 18, 2020 prepared by William J. Lewis, B.Sc., P.Geo., Rodrigo Calles-Montijo, MSc., CPG, and Leonardo de Souza, MAusIMM (CP) and the technical report titled "NI 43-101 Technical Report for the Mountain View Project, Washoe Country, Nevada, USA", dated November 25, 2020 with an effective date of November 15, 2020, prepared by William J. Lewis, B.Sc., P.Geo., Rodrigo Calles-Montijo, MSc., CPG, and Leonardo de Souza, MAusIMM (CP) is available on Millennial's issuer profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Millennial Precious Metals is led by an experienced management team and board of directors with a proven track record of success in financing and developing mining assets. The Company is well positioned to create value for all stakeholders by applying a systematic strategy to develop all seven gold projects over the next few years. Leonardo De Souza, P. Geo., is the Qualified Person for the scientific and technical information contained in this press release and is an independent Qualified Person within the meaning of National Instrument 43- 101. CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION Certain statements in this news release are forward-looking statements, which reflect the expectations of management regarding the business development objectives and plans of Millennial. Forward-looking information contained in this news release are based on certain factors and assumptions. While Millennial considers these assumptions to be reasonable based on information currently available to it, they may prove to be incorrect. Forward looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. Such factors include risks inherent in the exploration and development of mineral deposits, including risks relating to changes in project parameters as plans continue to be redefined, risks relating to variations in grade or recovery rates, risks relating to changes in mineral prices and the worldwide demand for and supply of minerals, risks related to increased competition and current global financial conditions, access and supply risks, reliance on key personnel, operational risks, regulatory risks, including risks relating to the acquisition of the necessary licenses and permits, financing, capitalization and liquidity risks, title and environmental risks and risks relating to health pandemics and the outbreak of communicable diseases, such as the current outbreak of the novel coronavirus, COVID-19. Further, these forward looking statements reflect management's current views and are based on certain expectations, estimates and assumptions which may prove to be incorrect. A number of risks and uncertainties could cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including: (1) a downturn in general economic conditions in North America and internationally, (2) the inherent uncertainties and speculative nature associated with mineral exploration, (3) a decreased demand for precious metals, (4) any number of events or causes which may delay exploration and development of the property interests, such as environmental liabilities, weather, mechanical failures, safety concerns and labour problems, (5) the risk that the Company does not execute its business plan, (6) inability to finance operations and growth, (7) inability to obtain all necessary permitting and financing, and (8) other factors beyond the Company's control. These forward looking statements are made as of the date of this news release and Millennial does not assume an obligation to update these forward looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results differed from those projected in the forward-looking statements, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider, as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange, accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. SOURCE Millennial Precious Metals Corp. Cision View original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/May2021/21/c7115.html New Orleans, Louisiana--(Newsfile Corp. - May 20, 2021) - Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC ("KSF") and KSF partner, former Attorney General of Louisiana, Charles C. Foti, Jr., remind investors that they have until June 28, 2021 to file lead plaintiff applications in a securities class action lawsuit against Peloton Interactive, Inc. (NASDAQ: PTON), if they purchased the Company's securities between September 11, 2020 and May 5, 2021, inclusive (the "Class Period"). This action is pending in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York. What You May Do If you purchased securities of Peloton and would like to discuss your legal rights and how this case might affect you and your right to recover for your economic loss, you may, without obligation or cost to you, contact KSF Managing Partner Lewis Kahn toll-free at 1-877-515-1850 or via email (lewis.kahn@ksfcounsel.com), or visit https://www.ksfcounsel.com/cases/nasdaqgs-pton/ to learn more. If you wish to serve as a lead plaintiff in this class action, you must petition the Court by June 28, 2021 . About the Lawsuit Peloton and certain of its executives are charged with failing to disclose material information during the Class Period, violating federal securities laws. On May 5, 2021, the Company disclosed two separate recalls of its Tread+ and Tread treadmills following numerous reports of injury, advising that it had stopped sales and distribution and that "[c]onsumers who have purchased either treadmill should immediately stop using it and contact Peloton for a full refund or other qualified remedy." On this news, shares of Peloton plummeted 14%, or $14.08 per share, to close at $82.62 per share on May 5, 2021. The case is Wilson v. Peloton Interactive, Inc., et al., 21-cv-03299. About Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC KSF, whose partners include former Louisiana Attorney General Charles C. Foti, Jr., is one of the nation's premier boutique securities litigation law firms. KSF serves a variety of clients - including public institutional investors, hedge funds, money managers and retail investors - in seeking to recover investment losses due to corporate fraud and malfeasance by publicly traded companies. KSF has offices in New York, California and Louisiana. Story continues To learn more about KSF, you may visit www.ksfcounsel.com. Contact: Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC Lewis Kahn, Managing Partner lewis.kahn@ksfcounsel.com 1-877-515-1850 1100 Poydras St., Suite 3200 New Orleans, LA 70163 To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/84799 LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / May 21, 2021 / The Schall Law Firm, a national shareholder rights litigation firm, reminds investors of a class action lawsuit against Ebang International Holdings Inc. ("Ebang" or "the Company") (NASDAQ:EBON) for violations of 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Investors who purchased the Company's securities between June 26, 2020 and April 5, 2021, inclusive (the ''Class Period''), are encouraged to contact the firm before June 7, 2021. If you are a shareholder who suffered a loss, click here to participate. We also encourage you to contact Brian Schall of the Schall Law Firm, 2049 Century Park East, Suite 2460, Los Angeles, CA 90067, at 310-301-3335, to discuss your rights free of charge. You can also reach us through the firm's website at www.schallfirm.com, or by email at brian@schallfirm.com. The class, in this case, has not yet been certified, and until certification occurs, you are not represented by an attorney. If you choose to take no action, you can remain an absent class member. According to the Complaint, the Company made false and misleading statements to the market. Ebang directed the proceeds of its public offerings into low yield, long-term bonds and to related parties instead of developing its operations and infrastructure. The Company inflated its declining sales through schemes such as selling defective units. The Company's prior attempts to go public in Hong Kong failed due to allegations of embezzlement and inflating sales figures. The Company's purported cryptocurrency exchange was actually the purchase of an out-of-the-box crypto solution. Based on these facts, the Company's public statements were false and materially misleading throughout the class period. When the market learned the truth about Ebang, investors suffered damages. Story continues Join the case to recover your losses. The Schall Law Firm represents investors around the world and specializes in securities class action lawsuits and shareholder rights litigation. This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and rules of ethics. CONTACT: The Schall Law Firm Brian Schall, Esq., www.schallfirm.com Office: 310-301-3335 info@schallfirm.com SOURCE: The Schall Law Firm View source version on accesswire.com: https://www.accesswire.com/648608/SHAREHOLDER-DEADLINE-NOTICE-The-Schall-Law-Firm-Reminds-Investors-of-a-Class-Action-Lawsuit-Against-Ebang-International-Holdings-Inc-and-Encourages-Investors-with-Losses-in-Excess-of-100000-to-Contact-the-Firm The COVID-19 pandemic has led to widespread economic distress throughout the South East region. The pandemic has had a profound impact on the food systems, including food security and nutrition, food and livestock production (including upstream input and credit provision), food safety, food supply chains, and regional food trade. New York, May 21, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Vietnam Food Service Market - Growth, Trends, COVID-19 Impact, and Forecasts (2021 - 2026)" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06074770/?utm_source=GNW It has also impacted trade flows due to international logistics and transportation disruptions, and in some cases, due to policy responses, like import or export restrictions. There were about thirty-two trade flow interruptions that affected both food and agriculture inputs, including the foodservice market. However, on the other hand, the foodservice industry catering fresh and healthy meals through online food delivery further had stabilized the flow of revenue in the market studied during the COVID-19 period in the country.? The rapid growth of the fast-food sector in the country has led to an expansion of more food chains in the fast-food sector, thus, benefitting the overall market studied. This growth of the sector can be attributed to factors, such as convenience and availability of foods at lower costs, which are expected in independent full-service restaurants. Franchising and sub-franchising have become very popular tools for multinational and local players in the country. Foodservice chains, like KFC, are prominent examples of the largest QSR chains in the country. In order to compete with global foodservice restaurants, independent foodservice companies are introducing new offerings as per the local taste and preferences for Vietnam consumers. Also, companies are focusing on introducing new and innovative healthy foods with organic and natural ingredients in order to overcome the challenges faced by players in the industry. Moreover, increasing preference for street food by both local consumers and tourists is aiding the independent foodservice providers in the country to grow. Key Market Trends Growing Presence of International Fast-food Restaurants in Vietnam In recent years, international fast-food restaurants have been marked by large-scale growth in the Vietnamese quick-service restaurant market due to increasing western influence that gave rise to fast food culture in the country, which is anticipated to undergo further growth over the coming years. As per industry experts, the Vietnamese out-of-home consumption share from western food accounts for approximately 35%, driven by overseas chains and western franchises establishing their brands in Vietnam. The western restaurants are mainly located in District 1 of Vietnam, attract a strong presence of ex-pats and travellers, and higher average basket size transactions. Vietnam has been experiencing incredible economic growth over the past decade, which is one of the major factors behind the expansion of international fast-food restaurants in the country and thus driving the market forward. According to the Ministry of Investment and Industry (MOIT), 183 foreign brands have been granted a franchise in Vietnam, mostly from the United States, Australia, South Korea, and the European Union. Increasing Influence of Fast Food Foodservice Channel in Vietnam The growth in quick service restaurants, coupled with the increasing out-of-home consumption, is mainly attributed to the working-class population seeking grab-and-go meals at a reasonable rate. Also, the increasing number millennial population seeking budget-friendly spaces to enjoy meals with their companions is boosting the market growth. In 2018, according to Dcorp R- Keeper, there were increasing (7,000+) fast food outlets in Vietnam, compared to the 540,000 food and beverage businesses comprised of 430,000 street vendors, 80,000 restaurants and 22,000 cafes and bars. Foreign fast-food chains are underperforming and are experiencing stiff competition from the domestic players in this category, due to high consumer preference for local taste and lower prices. However, few foreign brands, such as Jollibee, Lotteria, and KFC, who were early market entrants, are performing much better in comparison to the new players, such as McDonalds, Burger King, or Subway. Competitive Landscape The leading players in the foodservice market enjoy a dominant presence in this region. It is dominated by players, like Jollibee Foods Corporation, McDonalds, and Yum! Brands, and among others. There is stiff competition among the foodservice providers, based on pricing, quality of foodservice, calorie intake per meal, and healthier menu options. Restaurants across several foodservice channels have started changing their business strategies. Moreover, several players are boosting their sales by venturing into home delivery and online foodservice channels that are gaining popularity, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Reasons to Purchase this report: - The market estimate (ME) sheet in Excel format - 3 months of analyst support Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06074770/?utm_source=GNW About Reportlinker ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place. __________________________ Story continues CONTACT: Clare: clare@reportlinker.com US: (339)-368-6001 Intl: +1 339-368-6001 A man who was arrested in King George County after he scammed at least eight women out of more than $267,000 while pretending to love them pleaded guilty to mail fraud Friday in federal court in Richmond. Eugene Lewis Johnson Jr., 39, of Leonardtown, Md., will face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison when he is sentenced Sept. 17. Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} According to federal court documents, Johnson used online dating sites to run a romance scam from December 2014 until January 2018. He led women to believe he was interested in marrying them and made up stories to get them to loan him money that he had no intention of repaying. Johnson used false reasons such as tax and health problems and frozen bank accounts in explaining his need for the money, and promised to repay the debts from things he didnt have, including military savings, lottery winnings and an expected settlement stemming from the death of his childs mother. Johnson was arrested in King George in January 2018 after a woman called the Sheriffs Office and reported her suspicions that she had been conned. She gave police a description of Johnson and his vehicle, the false name he was using and the address of the motel where shed been meeting him. Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 As horrible as the images are of COVID-19 running rampant in India, members of the FredericksburgNepal Exchange fear whats happening in the country next to it is even more devastating. Their outbreak is even worse than Indias, if you can believe it, but its not getting as much attention, said David Rettinger about Nepal, which is experiencing upwards of 8,600 new cases a day as almost half of all people tested for the virus have it. The news is getting worse and worse with each passing day, and Nepals health care system is not prepared for this pandemic. Rettinger is a professor at the University of Mary Washington and the public relations chairman of the Sister-City Program that pairs Fredericksburg with partners in Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal. Hes spreading the word about the local effort to raise money, through an online fundraiser, to purchase vital medical supplies such as oxygen concentrators and nasal tubes that deliver the much-needed air supply to patients. Because Nepalthe home of Mount Everestis landlocked between India and China, shipping costs can climb as high as the equipment costs. Thats why the Sister-City partnership is working with established groups that have the necessary know-how and connections, Rettinger said. Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} You dont realize how ingrained Mary Washington Healthcare is in our community and how theyve built this network, she said. Its pretty much everybody we see, and to stop all that, what do I do now? Drive to Richmond? She was livid to learn that in a matter of days, shed either have to stop going to offices where shes gotten medical care for 30 years or pay more in out-of-pocket costs if she stays with the same people. She was even more aggravated to look at Cignas website and still see all the Mary Washington Healthcare providers listed without so much as a footnote warning them of possible changes. This is going to leave thousands of people in a horrible place until they get new insurance, she said, wondering how many will choose, as she probably will, to absorb extra costs so she can continue to see the same providers. In the middle of a pandemic, people dont have extra money for this. Differences between what insurance companies offer and health providers accept have been increasing since 2019, according to an article posted in February 2020 by the Center on Health Insurance Reforms, part of the Georgetown University Health Policy Institute. WASHINGTON (AP) President Joe Biden on Friday said he and South Korean President Moon Jae-in remain deeply concerned about the situation with North Korea, and announced he will deploy a new special envoy to the region to help refocus efforts on pressing Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear weapons program. Moon, meanwhile, welcomed Americas return to the world stage and said both leaders pledged in their meeting to work closely toward denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. Biden told a joint news conference with Moon that he was dispatching career diplomat Sung Kim, who previously served as ambassador to South Korea, to serve as the special envoy to the region. Moon said the move by Biden reflects the firm commitment of the U.S. for exploring diplomacy and its readiness for dialogue with North Korea. Biden also announced that the U.S. would vaccinate 550,000 South Korean servicemembers who serve alongside U.S. forces on the peninsula. Dr. Danny Avula, the state's vaccine coordinator, said in a call with pediatricians this week that the lack of supply or appointment constraints indicates the trend could continue. But shifting to on-site vaccinations at doctors' offices will be crucial. "Clearly a lot of opportunity left," Avula told providers. "You all as pediatricians will be a big part of that." Rates among 16- and 17-year-olds have faltered, Avula said, adding how about 37% of that population is vaccinated while being eligible for months. The most infections linked to variants, which are a more transmissible COVID-19 strain, are among the 10-to-29 age group, according to VDH's Friday update. One in 5 of the state's total cases, the most of any population, were people in their 20s. When tacking on residents between the ages of 0 and 19, that number jumps to being more than a third of all infections. One of them was Carolyn Loftin's daughter. Loftin, 38, is the Director of Housing for Urban Hope and a part-time case investigator for VDH. She has five children in Richmond Public Schools. Four are in the 12-to-15 age range. The pharmaceutical companies did not specify if their pledges would be fulfilled under any particular umbrella. But Draghi said the commitments made Friday in some measure reflect a desire to remediate the injustices and inequities when in the most difficult moments some closed themselves and ignored the rest of the world. Both he and von der Leyen expressed confidence that the pledges would be honored. These companies have committed their whole reputations to this. It is a very, very important move that really will change the landscape, Draghi said, adding that international organizations like the World Health Organization and the World Trade Organization would have a role in ensuring the commitments. Von der Leyen said the doses pledged by European countries were carefully considered, so we feel responsible and accountable. As vaccination campaigns continue to progress in the Western world, poorer countries are struggling to acquire supplies. The U.N. Security Council expressed concern this week about the small number of doses that have reached Africa. Use the lessons learned in 2020 to improve education Spotsylvania County Schools is offering kids a choice to attend in-person or virtually. I think this is a great idea, although we do need to expand internet access to the rural districts. How can we apply lessons from 2020 to benefit even more kids? These are my top two suggestions: 1. Different schools offer different electives currently based on teacher availability. Why cant we have a French teacher at one school simultaneously broadcast to kids at home and other schools in the district? We can do the same with other languages and offer all options to everyone. 2. Lets expand our offering of classes to those families who have selected to home-school their children. If the parent has a hard time teaching math, why cant we allow that child to enroll in just the math class on a virtual basis? This would give the home-school parent a teacher who can support the student while respecting the parents choice. In the interview, a major scoop for Bashir, Diana famously said that there were three of us in this marriage referring to Prince Charles relationship with Camilla Parker-Bowles. Her candid account of her failing marriage with Charles was watched by millions of people and sent shockwaves through the monarchy. William alleged that the deceitful way the interview was obtained substantially influenced what my mother said." He went on to say that Diana would have known that she had been deceived had the BBC properly investigated the concerns first raised in 1995. Harry, meanwhile, said the issue was bigger than just the BBC - and that the ripple effect of a culture of exploitation and unethical practices ultimately took her life. To those who have taken some form of accountability, thank you for owning it. That is the first step toward justice and truth, he wrote. Yet what deeply concerns me is that practices like theseand even worseare still widespread today. The two brothers' relationship has been strained since Harry stepped down from royal duties and moved to the U.S. with his family last year. But both share an almost lifelong difficult relationship with the media, and their statements on Thursday were coordinated for release at the same time. "The relationships that I have with the kids, the parents and fellow staff members was an unbelievable blessing these last five years and I'm hoping that wherever I end up next that I'll be able to establish new relationships and people can be a blessing to me again and I can be a blessing to others," he said. After five years at the helm of Trinity Lutheran, Rathke said he found the position could be stressful. That ultimately led to Rathke stepping down from his position. "It's a very stressful position," he said. "I'm looking for something where maybe I don't have to manage people quite as much and I'm confident that the Lord is going to provide something for me and my family." Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} When Rathke took over as principal in 2016, he knew he would need to adapt to a completely new environment. Thanks to the help of fellow administrators, including Fremont Public Schools Superintendent Mark Shepard and Archbishop Bergan Catholic Schools Principal Dan Koenig, Rathke always had a wealth of experience to turn to. "I'm so thankful for each and every one of those people," Rathke said. "It created a situation where Trinity really has built some momentum in the last five years. It's not my doing. It definitely has the Lord's handprint all over it." With three kids under age 6, Peters is due to receive up to $900 per month, and all of it is welcome. Her construction worker boyfriend has been out of work due to the pandemic, she said, her government subsidized housing voucher has expired and only the national eviction moratorium has protected her. Armani requires a special kind of baby formula that she can't buy with her government nutrition program benefits. "Sixteen dollars a can, and he goes through it in two or three days," she said. Democratic New Mexico Sen. Martin Heinrich said the philosophy behind the payments is to treat child poverty as an avoidable traumatic event one that has been proved to impact future academic performance, emotional stability, earning power and legal record. "It affects your ability to have positive relationships, both professionally and in your home life. ... The more of these stack up, you're more likely to have problems with the legal system, unsuccessful relationships, lower lifetime income," Heinrich said. Besides a basic acknowledgement by the government that raising children is expensive for almost anybody, advocates said the payments are an expression of faith in the judgment of struggling families. PITTSFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) On the outside, the electric version of Ford's F-150 pickup looks much like its wildly popular gas-powered version. Yet the resemblance is deceiving. With its new battery-powered truck, Ford is making a costly bet that buyers will embrace a vehicle that would help transform how the world drives. Branded the F-150 Lightning, the pickup will be able to travel up to 300 miles per battery charge, thanks to a frame designed to safely hold a huge lithium-ion battery that can power your house should the electricity go out. Going from zero to 60 mph (97 kilometers per hour) will take just 4.5 seconds. With a starting price near $40,000 (before options), Ford has calculated that an electric version of America's top-selling vehicle will appeal to the sorts of buyers who favor rugged pickup trucks prized for strength and durability. If it succeeds, it could speed the nation's transition away from petroleum burners a cornerstone of President Joe Biden's broad effort to fight climate change. Its a watershed moment to me, Ford CEO Jim Farley said of the electric truck, which was formally unveiled Wednesday night. Its a very important transition for our industry. Taliban fighters have overrun another district in Afghanistan's central province of Maidan Wardak after heavy fighting with government forces. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said on May 21 that control of the Jalrez district was now in the hands of the group's fighters. Some 25 government soldiers surrendered to the militants after running out of ammunition, Jalrez district Governor Khalil-ur-Rehman Yadegari told RFE/RL, adding that the his compound and the police headquarters were under Taliban control. Provincial lawmaker Mahdi Rasikh confirmed that the two buildings have fallen to the Taliban after heavy attacks by the group for the past three days. Infographic: Taliban Control In Afghanistan Rasikh said at least seven government soldiers were killed in the fighting, while more soldiers are missing. Rasikh blamed the loss on the lack of support from Kabul, saying "no action was taken by the central government to help the district." Jalrez is located in the west of Maidan Wardak, some 60 kilometers southwest of Kabul. Jalrez is the second district in Maidan Wardak to fall to the Taliban in less than two weeks and also the second Afghan district overrun by the militants in two days, adding to a string of recent gains made by the group after President Joe Biden announced the start of the withdrawal of U.S. forces from May 1. On May 20, Dawlat Shah district of the eastern province of Laghman was captured by the Taliban, according to lawmakers from the province after having been besieged by the Taliban for at least a month. Local officials said they negotiated the retreat of the government forces from Dawlat Shah with the Taliban, but the Defense Ministry said its troops made a tactical retreat in the district. Violence has remained high in the country despite peace efforts. The Afghan forces and the Taliban observed a three-day cease-fire from May 12 to May 15, but a day after the truce ended, the Defense Ministry reported clashes in 18 provinces. With reporting by tolonews.com NATO says it will continue to train Afghan security forces outside the country after the international military withdrawal in September. As we end our military presence, we are opening a new chapter, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told reporters in Paris after talks with French President Emmanuel Macron on May 21. Stoltenberg said NATO's new role would involve giving advice and capacity-building support to Afghan security institutions, as well as continued financial support. He said NATO also plans to provide military education and training outside Afghanistan, focusing on Special Operations Forces. It was not immediately clear where the training would take place. There are fears that the Taliban is likely to overrun Afghanistans battered security forces, which have relied heavily on NATO air support, intelligence, and logistics to keep the Taliban at bay, after the withdrawal. The Taliban has launched major offensives in northern and southern Afghanistan since the start of the troop pullout on May 1, seizing districts and overrunning military bases. The United States has said it will continue to offer support to the Western-backed Afghan government through funding and military backing from U.S. bases and ships located hundreds of miles away -- the so called "over the horizon logistics." With reporting by AP City Editor Tom Roeder is the Gazette's City Editor. In Colorado Springs since 2003, Tom has covered the military at home and overseas and has cover statehouses in Denver and Olympia, Wash. His main job, though, is being dad to two great kids. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Though clusters in K-12 schools grew yet again this week, Colorado experienced a decline in COVID-19 outbreaks for the first time since late March, according to state data released Wednesday, providing additional evidence that the state's fourth wave is beginning to subside. A proposed ballot initiative to require fingerprinted identification cards for voting, abolish universal vote by mail, and prescribe fines and incarceration for failing to follow election law was dismissed on Wednesday after the Title Board determined the initiative's proponents did not follow the law themselves. Heidi Ganahl is a businesswoman, entrepreneur, author and at-large member of the University of Colorado Board of Regents, to which she was elected as a Republican in 2016. Some neighbors are concerned allowing up to 247 homes on 61 acres near Powers Boulevard and Old Ranch Road in addition to the hundreds of other homes planned for the area could cause traffic problems in an evacuation. The Kettle Creek North project is bordered by the North Fork at Briargate neighborhood, background, and the steep banks of Kettle Creek to the north, foreground, in May 2020. Thank you for reading! Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue. Education alert featured North Iowa districts scramble in reaction to mask mandate ban GARY KRAMBECK Reynolds Editor's note: This story has been updated to reflect the correct number of new COVID-19 cases recorded on Wednesday. Mason City and Clear Lake school districts will no longer require their schools to wear masks on school grounds. "Staff, students and visitors may make the choice to wear a mask when the individual feels it is appropriate," noted an email the Mason City district sent to families early Thursday morning. The note comes three days after Superintendent Dave Versteeg told the school board he planned to require them for the remainder of the school year. Iowa schools are no longer able to require staff or students to wear face masks during the school day, thanks to a new order that was passed in the final hours of the 2021 legislative session and signed into law by Gov. Kim Reynolds just after midnight Thursday morning, mere hours before the next school day was to start. Last week, Clear Lake told its families it was requiring masks for the remainder of the year, only to also have to reverse direction this morning with a 6:30 a.m. note saying they were not required. The district has four days of school remaining. LISA GROUETTE, Globe Gazette A masked audience watch as Sawyer Berg accepts an Outstanding Senior Student Award at Mason City High School at its senior awards event. Until Thursday morning, the school district had mandated its students and staff wear masks. The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends schools continue to use COVID-19 prevention strategies -- including face masks -- for the remainder of the 2020-2021 school year. The state of Iowa is putting parents back in control of their childs education and taking greater steps to protect the rights of all Iowans to make their own health care decisions, Reynolds said in a statement. I am proud to be a governor of a state that values personal responsibility and individual liberties. I want to thank the Iowa Legislature for their quick work in bringing this bill to my desk so that it can be signed into law. Several North Iowa school districts avoided the early morning scramble. Belmond-Klemme, Hampton-Dumont and Central Springs had already been following state Department of Health guidelines, which made mask-wearing a choice. Osage voted at its May 14 meeting to make masks optional, except on school buses, until the end of its school year on Friday. Forest City followed suit on May 18. Northwood-Kensett mandated masks until May 17. West Hancock began going maskless in January, starting with pre-K, Kindergarten and first-grade students. Two months ago, in reaction to the district's policy, school board member Rene Abels resigned from the board. Darwin Lehmann, superintendent at Central Springs and Forest City had high praise for district nurses and for students and staff. WANT TO RESPOND?: Use this form to write a letter to the editor "We didn't miss a day of school," he said. But Mason City's Versteeg said the governor's middle of the night move hampered his ability to communicate with families. "Selfishly, I would have preferred the matter have been dictated in another six and a half days -- after our school year was over," he wrote in an email. Osage's Barb Schwamman agreed. I was surprised at the timing of this, and the fact were this close to the end of the school year, Schwamman said. At the time the Legislature enacted this, it was the middle of the night. We had just changed our policies as of Monday, so it doesnt affect Osage much, other than what were doing on the school buses. Versteeg said the lack of a coordinated pandemic response from federal and state health agenices, as well as the governor's office and the Legislature has been frustrating. Mason City plans to announce further revisions to its safety mitigation plan in the next weeks, and make any changes for the upcoming school year in August. "We have all experienced some amount of pandemic whiplash the last fourteen months and there is likely more to come," he said. The measure was introduced in an amendment to House File 847, and passed both chambers on party-line votes, with Republicans supporting and Democrats opposing. This is just more politics over science, Sen. Joe Bolkcom, D-Iowa City, said Wednesday night as lawmakers debated the provision. Masks have saved lives. We should continue to let this decision be made by local officials. COVID-19 activity has plummeted in Iowa since the deadly winter surge, but the virus is still spreading in the state and new variants continue to emerge. On Wednesday, 200 new cases were recorded, according to state public health data. $5 for 5 months to support local journalism WASHINGTON (AP) The Trump administration Justice Department secretly obtained the 2017 phone records of a CNN correspondent, the network said Thursday in revealing the existence of another apparent leak investigation aimed at identifying a journalist's sources. The revelation comes two weeks after The Washington Post disclosed that the Justice Department had last year seized phone records belonging to three of its journalists who covered the Russia investigation. CNN said the Justice Department informed Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr in a May 13 letter that it had obtained phone and email records covering a two-month period between June 1 and July 31, 2017. CNN strongly condemns the secret collection of any aspect of a journalists correspondence, which is clearly protected by the First Amendment, CNN President Jeff Zucker said in a statement published by the network. We are asking for an immediate meeting with the Justice Department for an explanation. NEW ORLEANS (AP) Beaten and shackled by Louisiana state troopers, Black motorist Ronald Greene desperately tried to roll over in what may have been a struggle to breathe but was ordered to stay on his belly, according to body-camera video newly obtained by The Associated Press. And the long-secret autopsy report, also newly secured, cited Greene's head injuries and the way he was restrained as factors in his 2019 death. It also noted he had high levels of cocaine and alcohol in his system as well as a broken breastbone and a torn aorta. I beat the ever-living f--- out of him, choked him and everything else trying to get him under control, Trooper Chris Hollingsworth can be heard telling a fellow officer in the newly obtained batch of video. All of a sudden he just went limp. ... I thought he was dead. You all got that on bodycam? the other officer asks over the phone, at which point Hollingsworth switches his camera off. The footage and the autopsy report add to the growing wealth of details about Greene's death, which has long been surrounded by allegations of a cover-up and is now the subject of a federal civil rights investigation. Louisiana State Police initially blamed his death on a car crash and made no mention of use of force by officers. Mobile vaccination clinics Virginia's latest effort to get shots in the arms of residents will roll into the Dan River Region starting this weekend. The first clinic will be stationed from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday at the farmers market at the Olde Dominion Agricultural Complex in Chatham and later from 3 to 7:30 p.m. at a car show in Chatham. Other sessions are planned places like churches and fire stations through the week. The clinics on wheels will offer COVID-19 vaccines for those 18 and older via the one-dose Johnson & Johnson shot. The Pittsylvania-Danville Health District is coordinating the clinics with the help of the Virginia Department of Emergency Management and other agencies. These are being established in rural and underserved areas "where vaccine access can be challenging," a news release stated. It's part of an effort to boost the vaccinate rate by providing a more convenient option for the shots closer to residents. It is but one of several strategies to help all our community members to receive the vaccine, but we consider this an important one," Dr. Scott Spillman, director of the local health district, said in a news release. "It is as close as we have been able to get so far to where people work, live, play and pray. LONDON (AP) Environment ministers from seven leading industrialized nations agreed Friday to accelerate efforts to slow global warming, including a commitment to end government support for new coal-fired power plants by the end of this year. The pledges were part of a wide-ranging communique issued by Group of Seven environment ministers after a two-day virtual meeting hosted by the U.K., which holds the G-7s rotating presidency. At the heart of the document is a commitment to limit global temperature rises to 1.5 degrees Celsius over pre-industrial levels, compared to the previous goal of 2 degrees. The ministers also promised to combat deforestation and overfishing, to promote biodiversity and to tackle the scourge of ocean plastic, while seeking to prevent future outbreaks of diseases like COVID-19 that spread from animals to humans. We acknowledge with grave concern that the unprecedented and interdependent crises of climate change and biodiversity loss pose an existential threat to nature, people, prosperity and security, the ministers said in the communique. We recognize that climate change and the health of the natural environment are intrinsically linked and will ensure that the actions we take maximize the opportunities to solve these crises in parallel. The deal drew opposition from many of the companys journalists in an unusual spate of employee activism. They set up rallies, tried to find local buyers and begged for a rescue in their own newspapers. They had rooted for a higher bid from hotel mogul Stewart Bainum in the belief that it would be better for local journalism, although that never came to fruition. They lobbied Tribune's No. 2 investor, Los Angeles Times owner Patrick Soon-Shiong, to vote no and scuttle the deal. In a blog post, the president of the union representing Tribune journalists lamented that Tribune's shareholders had let everyone down by approving the deal, but said the union would continue to hold Alden Global Capital accountable. Confusion arose earlier in the day when a spokeswoman for Soon-Shiong said he abstained from the vote. According to Tribunes April 20 proxy statement, which states that approval of the deal required the votes of at least two-thirds of shares not owned by Alden, an abstain vote counted the same as an against vote. Then the mayor learned of a way to team with the U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife to repair the dam and more through the weir construction and restoration of the river site. The $2.5 million project was funded largely by the USDFW and supplemented by funds from the North Carolina General Assembly, bringing Madisons cost to zero, officials said. Myers said he is excited about the parks potential to stimulate major economic development for the town and county. He said similar projects in Pennsylvania and Colorado had generated as much as $20 million in annual tourism revenue, And economic development officials here estimate Madison River Park could see about 250,000 visitors annually, Myers said. That kind of traffic could produce tourism dollars of about $20 million, Myers said, noting the park is at an advantage being easily accessible from larger Triad cities, such as Greensboro, Winston-Salem and High Point. Madison downtown business owner Daniel Joyce said hes already seeing new business and economic growth at his downtown coffee shop Mad Bean. Hes also doing good business at Steam Works, a music venue in the second story of the Mad Bean. CARY U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona and North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper toured a child care center in Cary on Thursday to promote a national plan to give two years of free preschool to all children. President Joe Biden is proposing spending $200 billion on universal preschool for 3- and 4-year-olds as part of his American Families Plan that hes pitched to Congress. Cardona and state leaders said Thursday that two years of preschool will help give children the skills they need to prepare them for school and life. We know that theres benefits for all children to attend, Cardona said after touring Bright Beginnings Child Development Center. We want to make sure that were providing opportunities for all students to attend good 3- and 4-year-old programs while giving families choice. The American Families Plan in all would spend $1.8 trillion, which would be covered by higher tax rates on the wealthiest and other IRS enforcement changes, the Associated Press reported. Despite obvious financial struggles, Blocker said it really didnt click right away that Johnson was facing a serious addiction, because he seemed to be just on the bright side of everything. Last fall, Johnson came to a point where he realized he needed to get clean. He moved to Asheville to live with a close friend who helped him get a job as an electricians apprentice. He was sober. Blocker, who had moved to Michigan at the start of the pandemic, would hear from Johnson occasionally and got the feeling he was doing well. Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} Blocker said he does remember a time when Johnson called him and told him hed been thinking about it all the time. He was referring to heroin, Blocker said. It should have been a red flag. Blocker said he wishes he would have been more open in discussing Johnsons opioid use with him, but when it comes to talking about hard drug use, people just shut down. People will praise those for their recovery, Blocker said, but no one offers the same positive support when it comes to the uncomfortable conversations about relapse. Its terrible were not more open about it, he said. A lot can be solved if were talking. Both Guilford County Schools and Notes for Notes wrote project endorsement letters to the City Council. "Under one roof you will have the ability for everyone, whether adults or youth, to receive instruction, to practice and rehearse, to record, to do video production, sound engineering, vocal recordings, podcasts," said Nichols, who partners with Spitsen, his wife, in Nichols Properties Group. "In addition, if you are a musician who aspires to bring your creations to performance, you will be able to do that as well in the same venue," Nichols said. Zimmerman said he hopes that Rhythm Works will be in operation by year's end. Traditionally, Notes for Notes has operated in Boys and Girls Clubs and community centers. It provides musical instruction and instruments to youth at no cost. Notes for Notes partners with county schools for a similar program at Penn-Griffin School for the Arts. Under its proposed agreement with Rhythm Works, it plans to provide programming and staffing for youth engagement. County schools will provide students, and Rhythm Works provides the facilities. It plans for fundraising and grants to cover the cost. SAN GABRIEL, Calif. (AP) A man with a history of arson-related arrests pleaded not guilty Thursday to setting a fire that caused millions of dollars in damage to a historic Southern California Roman Catholic mission. John David Corey, 57, is charged with breaking in and setting a July 11 pre-dawn blaze that engulfed the rooftop and most of the interior of the San Gabriel Mission, east of Los Angeles, as it was undergoing renovations to mark its upcoming 250th anniversary celebration. No one was hurt. Prosecutors said the flames caused millions of dollars in damage but firefighters managed save the mission's altar and historic paintings. Corey, who has been described as homeless, entered pleas in Los Angeles to two counts of arson of an inhabited structure and one count each of arson during a state of emergency, first-degree residential burglary and possession of flammable material. The church was the fourth in a string of Roman Catholic missions established across California by Junipero Serra an 18th-century Franciscan priest who was canonized by Pope Francis in 2015 during the era of Spanish colonization. While many credit Serra with spreading Catholicism along the West Coast, he has long been a symbol of oppression among Indigenous activists. ELIZABETH CITY Civil rights leaders gathered in Elizabeth City Friday to call on the federal government to begin a criminal investigation of the April 21 killing of Andrew Brown Jr. by Pasquotank County Sheriffs Office deputies and to launch a broader probe into the law enforcement agencys conduct. We are not satisfied in Pasquotank County, said Keith Rivers, president of the Pasquotank County NAACP. We are not satisfied with Sheriff (Tommy) Wootens lack of structural integrity, decision making, inability to enforce his own policies. We will not be satisfied until he resigns. We are not satisfied with District Attorney (Andrew) Womble and his inability to do his duties without prejudice and concern for the Brown family. Deputies killed Brown as they attempted to serve arrest and search warrants at his Perry Street home. Brown attempted to flee in his car, and deputies opened fire, hitting him several times in the arms and killing him with a shot to the back of the head. Womble, the district attorney for the region that includes Pasquotank County, announced this week that the deputies who fired at Brown would not face criminal charges in the incident. On May 10, 44 U.S. attorneys general sent a letter to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg asking him to abandon plans for the new app. All they can do is urge Facebook to reconsider, because no laws prevent it. (The Children's Online Privacy Protection Act is quite limited in scope.) Laws to prevent harm often are passed only after harm has been demonstrated. When new technologies come along, we often dont know what dangers they present until it is too late. For example, today there are plenty of laws aimed at protecting children from lead exposure. But those laws came about only after millions of people had the quality of their lives severely and irreversibly diminished. Our situation regarding social media today is comparable to that with lead poisoning 50 years ago. We know it is probably bad for kids in all kinds of ways, but we dont have absolute proof, and there are so many desirable uses for it, and so much money to be made from it, we seem content to just wait and see. Thats morally unacceptable. We actually know quite a bit about the dangers posed by social media; we are just focusing on the wrong ones. When firefighters gave Arianne Wing permission to enter the Taoist Temple Museum after a devastating fire on the night of May 12, she received instructions to go down into the basement of the building to save anything of value from incoming water damage. This included documents chronicling the history of the immigrants who came to Hanford from southern China as laborers in the 1800s. They were stored in the basement where a lot of the paper documents are kept, Wing said. And when we were allowed to go in the building, one of the things they said was, you need to check the basement, because if theres any water, thats where it would collect. While the fire claimed many priceless artifacts and treasures, the story of Hanfords China Alley was not so easy to erase. The papers were found in the basement, along with a small puddle of water, and moved to a safe location. The cause of the fire is under investigation, and insurance is working to determine the damage in dollars. Wing, one of the proprietors of the China Alley Historical District, says the sight of the damage to the temple and museum was enough to bring her to her knees. She and her husband, Steve Banister, are still taking stock of their inventory and will be working with a Los Angeles conservator to see what can be salvaged and whats been lost forever. This wasnt a Disneyland temple, Wing said. The artifacts are all real, and the furnishings, and it was true museum quality because we have for instance with the Hong Kong Museum of History we have in the past given them artifacts on loan for their own exhibition. The old, wooden building itself which dates back to at least 1879 is still intact and structurally sound. According to Banister, the windows shattered just as firefighters started putting water down on the flames, letting oxygen inside. Were so lucky that somebody called it in so soon because it was on the cusp of turning into an inferno when the Fire Department was on the scene, Banister said. As they sort through the damage, the community of Hanford has come forward with an outpouring of support for their local history. Outside of Hanford, the National Trust for Historic Preservation in Washington, D.C. called to tell Wing and Banister that theyd run a segment on them to help them raise donations, while other Chinese historical societies in California have been reaching out as well. China Alley is hurting from the fire. However, just like the building and the documents that chronicle the communitys history, the alley remains intact. Its a story thats still being written. It now has another chapter, Wing said. This is the May 12-13 fire part residue, where this is why this looks this way. Thatll be another page for our tour book. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close Harry's self-work may be relatively recent but he and older brother William, The Duke of Cambridge, have long championed the importance of mental health. In 2016, Harry, William and his wife Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge, launched Heads Together, an initiative to speak up and not be ashamed to ask for help when mental well-being is at stake. Their collective work led to interactions with people across the globe, from all walks of life, and they recognized a common thread. Sharing your story in order to be able to save a life or help others is absolutely critical," said Harry. Harry is practicing what he preaches and laying bare his own struggles with trauma and grief. He describes in The Me You Can't See, the instances of feeling helpless as a young boy while riding in the car with his mother, Princess Diana, who cried as they were surrounded by paparazzi and she struggled to drive. Years later, Diana was killed in Paris after the car she and friend Dodi Fayed were riding in, crashed during a high-speed chase to flee cameras. Harry was 12 and suppressed his own feelings to meet the mourning public gathered outside Kensington Palace. Cameras rolled and snapped away as he walked behind her casket to Diana's funeral, alongside William, father Prince Charles, Philip and Dianas brother Charles Spencer. Under GNA, the Forest Service performed environmental planning and laid out Brooklyn Bridge. DNRC then took over advertising and administering the timber sale, which includes burning slash piles and post project surveys. This partnership is critical for improving forest conditions and improving the odds of our fire responders, Bill Avey, Helena-Lewis and Clark Forest supervisor, said. Like so many other fire behaviors we see across the West, it does lay that fire down and give us an opportunity to respond in a way with tactics and strategies you cant use if that work hasnt been done. DNRC and the Helena-Lewis and Clark completed some of the first GNA projects when the program began in 2014. Now the state has projects with all seven national forests in Montana. Marks Lumber in Clancy successfully bid on the sale. Steve Marks recalled riding his horse into the area before bidding, remarking about the amount of deadfall that made assessing the value of timber a challenge. It was difficult to bid because every time we came in here after a wind more trees were down, he said. Marks said he was able to make the sale profitable by diversifying the wood products produced, from lumber to firewood. The bill passed mostly along party lines, although it picked up the support of about half the Democrats in the Senate. After making gains in both the House and Senate last election, the GOP firmly controlled both the House and Senate during the session. Democrats criticized several provisions added to the must-pass legislation late in the session, including language that clarifies legislative intent to end continuous eligibility for the state's Medicaid expansion program. They argue this can kick qualified people off the program, while Republicans say checking enrollment eligibility more than once a year will keep people from defrauding it. The budget also contains $100,000 in funding for lawsuits filed over new laws that tighten access to voting and $285,500 to pay for a committee formed by Republicans to investigate allegations of bias and improper behavior in the judiciary. Theres also $1 million for the Montana University System to implement legislation that legalized concealed carry of firearms on public college campuses, but only under the condition that MUS doesnt challenge the legality of the measure. Each week, bureau reporters Seaborn Larson and Sam Wilson, along with deputy bureau chief Tom Kuglin, bureau chief Holly Michels and host Thom Bridge, will take their work off the printed and digital page. Theres only so much that can fit into a report, and theres always much more tell. As a candidate in 2016, Gov. Gianforte promised not to back a discriminatory bill that prompted threats of corporate boycotts in other states. As governor in 2021, he broke his promise and signed the bill, despite the possibility it could be used to show bias against LGBTQ Montanans and that Montana has received a letter from the NCAA that we will not be able to host any tournaments. Governor-approved legislation has also prompted a lawsuit from a company alleging the state interfered in its private contract. The Republican majority tried three times to force Montana ratepayers to pay the costs for replacement power when a Montana energy company makes poor decisions. Again and again, the legislature tried to hamstring the advocate for ratepayers, the PSC, trying to take their power to review any rate increases on behalf of Montanans. So much for promises of private sector-leadership from a politician who campaigned on the basis that his business experience is what the state government needed. Perhaps worst of all, Republicans at the Capitol launched a concerted attack on Montanans ability to push back on all these radical changes. They tried to make it harder to testify at the legislature and the governor himself signed into law sweeping restrictions on voting rights and changes to the citizens initiative process on the basis of false claims of fraud and conspiracy theories. Sen. Jon Tester co-sponsored Senate Bill 1 the so-called For the People Act. Designed to rewrite election law, this bill puts the federal government in charge of elections. It would actually make it easier to cheat and harder to vote. Sen. Tester knows nationalizing elections is not in line with the Constitution. Plus, it doesn't make common sense. What we Montanans want is different than what Californians want. This bill would allow your tax dollars to be placed into campaign accounts of various candidates. This means your money could be spent by candidates you don't support and worse, buying ads to attack candidates you do like. Ballot harvesting would be allowed making tampering with ballots a temptation for those collecting them. We've all heard the stories! But, among the worst ideas is gutting voter ID laws. Recent polling shows Americans including a large majority of Black people and Hispanics favor voters having an ID. No one favors having their vote canceled by someone not eligible to vote. Write or call Sen. Tester today. Tell him you are not in favor of Senate Bill 1 which is simply a partisan power grab that would destroy the integrity of our elections. Al Smith Vaughn Love 11 Funny 7 Wow 2 Sad 0 Angry 7 Please log in to keep reading. Enjoy unlimited articles at one of our lowest prices ever. DECATUR Zef Walker, 10, had fished in the past. But I dont get to do it a lot, he said. The fourth-grader and his classmates at Dennis School were invited to go fishing Thursday morning at Fairview Parks Dreamland Lake. Zef understands some of the tricks to be a successful fisherman. When youre patient, it pays off, kind of, he said. Early Bird Kiwanis member Herb Drier invited third and fourth graders to go fishing. As a retired employee of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Drier wanted the students to understand the importance of the recreational activity. Our goal is to have each student catch at least one fish, he said. If they get interested in fishing, this can be a lifelong hobby for them. After some instruction from Drier, the students found a spot around Dreamland Lake in hopes of catching as many fish as possible. The fourth-graders were taught how to take care of the fish, the equipment and the environment. When they go fishing they should know the rules and regulations, Drier said. We hope to teach the family how to do it. Many of the students had never touched a live fish. Thursdays fishing trip was a first for 10-year-old Tevyn Ridley. He expected to catch at least one fish. Or I might accidentally hit one of these geese, he said. No matter how successful he was, Tevyn said he was happy to be with his classmates. It feels good to see all of the people and the fountain, he said. It looks beautiful. Please log in to keep reading. {{featured_button_text}} Enjoy unlimited articles at one of our lowest prices ever. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} Dennis fourth-grade teachers Jennifer Parks, Sarah Smith and Brianna Fink brought their students to Fairview Park for their first in-person, outdoor field trip for the year. In the fall, the teachers conducted virtual Field Trip Fridays. They took a laptop to film their own visits to the Scovill Zoo, the animal shelter, Department of Agriculture in Springfield and other places. But it was just us, Parks said. The kids were online with us. Meghan Gregurich attended Thursdays field trip with her daughter Adelle. The last activity for the school year was an enjoyment for the two and the other fourth-graders. We havent had a lot of opportunities to engage, Gregurich said. Shortly after her daughter cast her line, the child had caught a fish, and then another. Youre on fire, Adelles mother said to her. Touching the fish and the worms was a challenge for the fourth-grader, but with the help of the volunteers she had become accustomed to the slimy creatures. Adelle was able to release the fish back into the lake herself. They are teaching her how to hold it correctly, her mother said. According to Drier, the goal for the field trip was to catch a fish. We try to move them around to try and catch one, he said. Even if the fish is only two inches long, its a hundred times better than nothing. History photos: Fun on Lake Decatur Contact Donnette Beckett at (217) 421-6983. Follow her on Twitter: @donnettebHR Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Ive tried cases from child abuse to kidnapping, sexual assault, first-degree murder, she said. And ... each case is different, each aspect of the law is different. Nelsons first priority when she starts July 1 will be tackling the backlog of cases created by the COVID-19 pandemic, she said. The court system is just overwhelmed. Its almost like a tidal wave of cases because of the delays, Nelson said. Thats probably the biggest priority for all the judges across the county, is to try to alleviate the cases ... and get them to a manageable position. Nelson said that shell miss working with Sullivan County District Attorney General Barry Staubus and his staff and that shell work hard to give both victims of crime and people accused of crime fair hearings. West Ridge property Later that evening, the county commission also agreed to let the Sullivan County Board of Education spend $300,000 from its existing funds to purchase a piece of property beside the new West Ridge High School. Authorities recovered a handgun from inside the room, the release states. Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} Snapp said he was unable to make any statements regarding specifics of the shooting. Once the investigation is complete, the VSP will provide its findings to the county commonwealths attorney for review. The major said he believes the officers were in danger. Based on what I was advised and the information I was given, I feel that the officers acted within the choice they had left to make, Snapp said. It wasnt known Thursday night whether the individual was alone at the motel. The body was transported to the Office of the Medical Examiner in Roanoke for examination and autopsy. State Police investigators were still in the process of locating and notifying next of kin. No deputies were injured. Snapp said the involved officer, who also had not been identified late Thursday, will be placed on leave until they are able to return to duty. As is typical, Snapp said the department will recommend counseling. ABINGDON, Va. A man from Bristol, Tennessee, has been identified as the person that died Thursday in an officer-involved shooting in Washington County, according to the Virginia State Police. On Friday, VSP identfied the man as 31-year-old Brandon S. Odell. The investigation by the Virginia State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigations Wytheville Field Office into Thursday's shooting remains ongoing. Once State Police completes its investigation, the criminal investigative findings will be turned over to the Commonwealth's Attorney for final review and adjudication of the incident. Shortly after 11 a.m. on Thursday, Washington County Sheriffs Office deputies were dispatched to a motel in the 15,500 block of Lee Highway. The call for service was concerning a guest, who was suspected of being in violation of a protective order, VSP said. When the deputies arrived at the motel room of Odell, he gave consent for both the room and his pickup truck to be searched. The searches resulted in the deputies recovering a firearm from the pickup truck and illegal narcotics from inside the motel room. During the course of taking Odell into custody, Odell reached under a mattress and pulled out a handgun, VSP said. There was a time when deadly attacks in the Middle East such as those the world has witnessed in recent days including the destruction of a high-rise building in Gaza City housing offices of two international media organizations would demand high-profile U.S. intervention with an envoy shuttling between representatives of Israel and the Palestinians, and a renewed emphasis on the two-state solution. But that was back when the U.S. still had some credibility as being a somewhat neutral arbiter, when Israel was less attached to hard-right policies and Palestinians had a more functioning government. Those days are past for a variety of reasons. But its still disappointing how little President Joe Biden has done so far in making an effort to assert pressure for a ceasefire on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose administrations efforts to evict Palestinian families from East Jerusalem appear to have touched off the latest wave of violence. Biden spoke with Netanyahu via telephone Monday afternoon, and expressed support for a ceasefire, according to the White House. But were beyond the expressing support stage. The current COVID-19 fuss has caused adverse effects on the business industry. However, as businesses transform seamlessly to accommodate changes caused by the pandemic, the e-commerce industry has experienced a boom for a niche of products. Even in a marketplace platform such as Amazon, sellers have noticed at least 8 products that customers frequently add to their carts. Buying Trends in 2021 Industry influencers often determine buying trends, and the current customer behavior is fast shifting towards trending products. Thankfully, social media has a hand in promoting buying trends for most products in 2020 and 2021. 8 Amazon Items That Are Flying Off The Shelves With thousands of products today, some people rely on social media recommendations and reviews that back bestsellers in the online market. In this regard, let us explore 8 Amazon Items you can feel confident purchasing this spring. 1. Little Green Machine For the administration and its supporters, the answer is pulling out of stalemated, costly wars, and managing Middle East diplomatic efforts so that foreign policy efforts don't rack up air miles in years of fruitless shuttle diplomacy in peace processes that combatants often don't want. When it comes to Yemens war, for example, At some point you have to accept what the facts on the ground are telling you, said Sen. Chris Murphy, a Connecticut Democrat who met with Gulf and U.S. officials in a tour of the region this month. The United States was involved for six to seven years, and Yemen during that period of time moved further and further away from peace. Since 9/11, all we have done through fighting war after war in the region is to make our country less safe, Murphy said. So yeah, it may take some adjustment if the United States decides to remember how it protected its interests prior to 2001." The Biden administration points to intensive efforts by its diplomats for Yemen peace talks despite the end of military support. On Thursday the U.S. imposed sanctions on two Houthi leaders in the offensive on Marib. That's OK, that's human, he said. What is not OK is to take that out on innocent people, on groups of folks who are dining, because of who they are, to try to target and chase people down because of their religion, or what you think they look like. On Monday, two motorists chased a Jewish man who was on foot. The man, a Hasidic Jew and a father of six, was forced to literally run for his life, according to Rabbi Abraham Cooper of the Simon Wiesenthal Center in Los Angeles. The next night, pro-Palestinians in "a similar caravan of cars" got out and attacked Jewish diners who were seated outside a sushi restaurant in the Beverly Grove area, police said. Witnesses said members of the caravan were flying Palestinian flags. Both crimes were captured on video, officials said. Cooper called the incidents attacks by latter-day Nazis. Hedab Tarifi of the Islamic Center of Southern California, who is a Palestinian and was born in Gaza, decried the violence against the Jewish bystanders in LA. " " Modern movies have made fun of them. Even medieval cartoons made fun of them. So what's the real story behind the chastity belt? 20th Century Fox There's a scene in Mel Brooks' 1993 comedy "Robin Hood: Men in Tights" in which the villainous Sheriff of Rottingham kidnaps Maid Marian, our hero's love interest, and spirits her away to a tall castle tower. His nefarious intentions are clear. His plan, however, is thwarted when he encounters the ultimate defense: her "iron underwear," a padlocked Everlast chastity belt (see above). It's a silly take on a cornerstone of medieval lore. But it might not be too far from the device's actual history. The chastity belt is a lot of things: provocative, misogynistic and deeply absurd. It is also, almost certainly, a myth. Chastity belts were supposedly used by men in the Middle Ages to protect their wives' virtue while they were away on business trips. These metal bikini bottoms could be locked around a woman's hips; they featured two openings for latrine purposes, which were occasionally patterned after hearts or flowers. As scholars have pointed out, the entire getup would have been both inhumane and very unsanitary. But were they real? " " This richly decorated metal chastity belt is from the 15th to 16th century. It consists of two panels hinged together. But was it actually used as intended? Nobody really knows. Science & Society Picture Library/SSPL/Getty Images Advertisement An Ironclad Jest Probably not. It's a "typical male sexual inferiority complex, translated into a joke," says Albrecht Classen, a medieval scholar and professor at the University of Arizona. Classen would know; he literally wrote the book on this subject. "The Medieval Chastity Belt: A Myth-Making Process" details the device's history notably, its lack of historical evidence. "Male poets wrote about it, male artists presented the evidence," he says, "but there is no hardcore fact." The earliest recorded mention of a chastity belt comes from Konrad Kyeser von Eichstadt, a German engineer known for designing siege technology. In the early 15th century, von Eichstadt wrote about the device in a manuscript titled "Bellifortis," (which means Strong In War) that is mainly a catalog of military gadgets. However, Classen points out, there is strong evidence that von Eichstadt conceived of the contraption in jest. Von Eichstadt seems to have relished a good joke; "Bellifortis" is bursting with other tongue-in-cheek inventions, including a cat-shaped chariot and a fart-powered propulsion device. By the late Middle Ages, chastity belts had become a popular subject for satirists. One German print from the late 16th century illustrates an older lord bidding farewell to his beautiful young wife, depicted in the nude save for a padlocked metal belt. Unbeknownst to her husband, her lover is hiding just behind a canopied bed curtain, clutching a chastity-belt shaped key. The punchline? The lord's hat has sprouted a conspicuous pair of donkey ears. " " This satirical cartoon from 16th-century Germany shows a naked woman with a chastity belt sitting on a bed. Unbeknownst to her husband, her lover, who is in the shadows just behind the bed, actually holds the key to unlock her belt. British Museum/(CC BY-NC-SA 4.0) Advertisement Forging the Evidence The chastity belt as we know it was most likely a 19th-century invention. "It seems to have been a part of the whole Gothic revival," says Lisa Bitel, a professor of history, gender and religion at the University of Southern California. As industrialization swept across Europe, materials like iron and steel became more widely available. The majority of these metals were used to craft things like railroads and bridges. But some smiths found a slightly bawdier use for their skills. "There was a certain branch of English manufacturers," Classen says, "who realized that there was a huge market on the continent and elsewhere for chastity belts." That market was museums and curiosity shows. The tight-laced Victorian crowd was willing to pay top dollar for a glimpse of any salacious Dark Age torture device, which were lovingly (and extravagantly) crafted to fit their notions of medieval barbarism. Thus, the chastity belt was forged. While phony belts have since been removed from many museum displays, there are still a few collected in places like the British Museum in London. But they are now exhibited with caveats. For example, the British Museum's display reads: "There is evidence for the existence of chastity belts from the beginning of the fifteenth century onwards...The evidence for their use in the Renaissance period, however, is largely anecdotal or in burlesque fiction." " " This 17th-century piece, which is part of the collection at the Musee de Cluny, National Museum of the Middle Ages in Paris, looks more like a torture device than a chastity belt. Musee de Cluny Advertisement A Tall Tale As Old As Time Ultimately, it's probably best to think of the chastity belt as a medieval urban legend, not unlike present-day tales of poisoned Halloween candy or hook-handed serial killers. It has stuck in the public consciousness thanks to a combination of outrage and sex appeal. And, like many modern urban legend fans, people in the Middle Ages were likely in on the joke. "They had different logics and different ideas about how nature worked," Bitel says, "but they were quite sensible about distinguishing between stupid stuff." So then, if the chastity belt is a myth, what was life the Middle Ages actually like? "It's a nice place to visit, but you wouldn't want to live there," says Jennifer Wollock, a professor of medieval studies at Texas A&M University. As Wollock points out, there was no modern medicine, no electricity, very little indoor plumbing. But medieval society was not a completely backward, misogynistic culture full of maidens trapped in windowless towers, either. "There were lots and lots of cool female writers in the Middle Ages," Wollock says, "and not just 'Anonymous'." Just look at writers like poet Marie de France and Christina Pisan, a proto-feminist and contemporary of Chaucer's. "It was nothing to sniff at." Now That's Interesting A male chastity belt, designed to inhibit masturbation, was patented in 1870 by Daniel P. Cook of Hartford, Connecticut. Representative Image Toronto [Canada], May 21 (ANI/Sputnik): A group of Canadian parliamentarians and senators is urging the government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to employ the diplomatic tools used in pressure campaigns against Russia and China, in support of Palestinian civilians caught up in the conflict between militant groups in Gaza and Israel. "In pursuit of upholding the rights of Palestinians, we ask that Canada apply the same diplomatic tools that Canada has used in condemning China's behavior in Xinjiang Uyghur [Autonomous] Region, and in sanctioning Russian officials involved in the annexation of Crimea," the Canada-Palestinian Parliamentary Friendship Group, consisting of 24 Members of Parliament and two Senators, said in a letter addressed to Trudeau on Thursday. The multi-partisan parliamentary faction, consisting of members of the governing Liberals, opposition New Democrats, and independents, emphasized that the so-called two-state solution is made unfeasible by evictions of Palestinians and the establishment of Israeli settlements on lands intended for a Palestinian state, calling for Canada to insist that Israel respects international law. The group added it is carefully watching the ceasefire reached by Israel and Gaza Strip-based Islamist groups, Hamas and Islamic Jihad, and hope that it endures. Earlier in the day, Canada's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Bob Rae said that Ottawa welcomes the news of a potential ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinians. Rae said Canada stands with both, the Israeli and Palestinian peoples, in their right to live in peace and security and reiterated Ottawa's call for both sides to exercise restraint. The conflict began during the holy month of Ramadan boiled over after Israeli police and Palestinian protesters clashed at Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem's Old City. Separately, an Israeli court sparked anger when it backed Jewish settlers' legal effort to evict several Palestinian families from their homes in East Jerusalem. Tensions reached have since boiled over with Israel and Palestine's Hamas exchanging hundreds of rocket strikes. At least 217 Palestinians in Israeli airstrikes, according to Palestinian authorities, meanwhile Israel has reported 12 fatalities as a result of rocket fire from Gaza. (ANI/Sputnik). Ambassador of India to the UN TS Tirumurti New York [US], May 21 (ANI): Ambassador of India to the UN TS Tirumurti on Thursday (local time) said that India supports the rapid operationalization of special political mission UNITAMS, as part of continued UN support for the Sudanese transition. Addressing a UNSC briefing on UN Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS), Tirumurti said, "UNITAMS, functioning with an integrated country team, and working together with partners like the African Union, should remain committed to working closely with all components of the transitional authorities." Tirumurti noted that Sudan is making confident and steady progress in its democratic transition. "The authorities have outlined broad parameters of the federal system in line with the Constitutional Document and the Juba Peace Agreement (JPA). The expanded transitional Government has also announced its strategic vision focusing on five priority areas," he said. On the economic front, India welcomes the reforms undertaken and hopes these will bring stability to the economy and address social issues effectively, the envoy added. "The Sudanese authorities have also launched a cash-transfer program to shield the most vulnerable segments of the population from the impact of subsidy removal, which is a noteworthy development. The support of the international community in ensuring Sudan's peaceful and sustainable future will be crucial," Ambassador Tirumurti said. On the security front, he said the transitional government has been swift in addressing the continuing and worrying inter-communal clashes in Darfur. "It has also enhanced security measures including through the deployment of joint security forces. These are positive developments which reflect the broadening of governance structures and the sustained commitment of the authorities to implement the National Plan for Civilian Protection," Ambassador said. "With respect to the drawdown of UNAMID, we take note of the high level of coordination between the Sudanese Joint Task Force and UNAMID and the commitment to facilitate the administration process. We hope that at both the central and state levels, all efforts will be made by the Sudanese authorities to make this drawdown and liquidation an example of effective collaboration between the UN and Sudan," the envoy Tirumurti added. (ANI) Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif Moscow [Russia], May 21 (ANI): Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif and EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell on Friday exchanged views on the progress made at the ongoing negotiations on the revival of the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), held in the Austrian capital of Vienna. In a telephonic conversation, Zarif and Borrell discussed the latest developments pertaining to the Vienna talks and the considerable headway made with the negotiations, reported Sputnik, quoting the Iranian Foreign Ministry. "The fundamental change of the approach, as a prerequisite for making Vienna talks successful, is the political decision that the US president must make to this end," Zarif told the EU's foreign policy chief, reported IRNA news. Thanking Burrell for his efforts, Zarif criticised the continuation of "US economic terrorism" over the past five months and the prolonged violation of its obligations. A new round of talks to revive the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) began in Vienna on April 6 between Iran and the remaining members of the nuclear deal, namely the UK, France, Russia and China plus Germany. The US left the JCPOA in 2018 and restored the economic sanctions that the accord had lifted. Tehran retaliated with remedial nuclear measures that it is entitled to take under the JCPOA's Paragraph 36. The current negotiations examine the potential of revitalisation of the nuclear deal and the US' likely return to it. (ANI) Representative Image Beirut [Lebanon], May 20 (ANI/Sputnik): The Syrian ambassador to Lebanon demanded on Thursday that the government punish those who attacked Syrian refugees heading to the embassy in Beirut to vote in the presidential election. "The Lebanese authorities must find and punish everyone who attacked Syrians heading to the embassy to cast ballots in the presidential election," Ali Abdul Karim told reporters. One of the Syrian voters told Sputnik that a mob of youths associated with the right-wing Lebanese Forces attacked a dozen buses and cars carrying refugees to the embassy. They smashed windows, broke inside and beat up the refugees. Thousands of Syrians queued outside the embassy on Thursday to cast votes in the early election. Voters in Syria will go to the polls on May 26. Lebanon is hosting some 1.5 million Syrians, according to UN estimates. (ANI/Sputnik) Crime-and-courts featured Prosecutor: 15-month-old girl smothered to death when she wouldn't stop crying after being burned by a cigarette Forsyth County Detention Center Perkins A Clemmons man smothered his girlfriends 15-month-old daughter to death with a pillow because she would not stop crying after she was burned by the mans cigarette, a Forsyth County prosecutor said in court Thursday. Dressed in an orange jail jumpsuit, Jesse Wayne Perkins, stood in front of Judge David Hall of Forsyth Superior Court on Thursday morning and pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in the August 2018 death of the toddler, Carolina Rose Dodd. The plea saved Perkins from a possible sentence of death if the case had gone to trial and a jury had convicted him of first-degree murder. Forsyth County prosecutors had declared last year that they would pursue the death penalty. The only other sentence for a first-degree murder conviction is life in prison without the possibility of parole. Thats exactly what Hall sentenced Perkins to after his guilty plea to murder and several unrelated charges, including attempted possession of controlled substances while incarcerated at the Forsyth County Jail awaiting trial. The other charges were consolidated into the murder charge. Before handing down the sentence, Hall said there was no excuse for what Perkins did. It is astounding that an adult male would treat a 15-month-old, 19-pound child in such a manner, he said. Forsyth County District Attorney Jim ONeill said in a statement that he talked to Carolinas family about the two possible options in the case a life sentence or the death penalty. North Carolina has a death penalty but due to a myriad of legal issues, the state has not executed anyone in the last 15 years. After much thought, Carolinas family asked us to consider allowing the defendant to plead guilty to first degree murder and accept a sentence of life in prison without parole, he said. This request played an important role as I carried out my solemn responsibilities in this community, as well as my duty to Carolina Dodd. He said he hoped that the plea would provide some closure to Carolinas family. Todays sentence will ensure that (Jesse) Perkins will never harm another child, ONeill said. The case was prosecuted by assistant district attorneys James Dornfried, Kia Chavious and Anna Hughes. According to Dornfried, this is what happened: Deputies with the Forsyth County Sheriffs Office and EMS personnel responded to a 911 call on Aug. 22, 2018, about a child who was unresponsive at an apartment in the 4700 block of Penrose Road in Pfafftown. When they got there, they found Carolina, who was cold to the touch. Perkins, his girlfriend, Amanda Vanzant, and her daughter, Carolina, lived together in the apartment. Perkins is not the childs biological father. Both Vanzant and Perkins initially denied involvement in the childs death. But Perkins later told investigators that he was caring for Carolina while Vanzant was at work. When Vanzant came home, Carolina was in her Pack-n-Play and Perkins told Vanzant that Carolina was asleep. Vanzant took a nap. When she woke up, she went to check on Carolina and found the toddler cold and unresponsive. Perkins told investigators that he was watching movies and smoking a cigarette. Carolina walked into the cigarette and got a burn on her chest and started crying. Perkins said he tried to calm the toddler but she wouldnt be quiet. Thats when he said he snapped and grabbed a pillow and smothered her. According to an autopsy report, he placed Carolina facedown in the Pack-n-Play at 10:30 a.m. on Aug. 22, 2018. Perkins said Vanzant was in no way involved in her daughters death. Dornfried said Carolina died from asphyxia from being smothered. An autopsy report said she had spots near her eyes, nose and mouth that indicated bleeding. She also had blunt-force injuries, including contusions and abrasions, on her head, neck, chest, abdomen, one of her arms and her legs. The autopsy report also indicated that her doctors had noted problems during visits. On Jan. 31, 2018, during her 9-month checkup, doctors found an uncleaned open wound on her left big toe. Doctors, concerned about neglect, contacted Forsyth County Child Protective Services, but a skeletal scan done on Carolina found nothing unusual. When Carolina returned for a follow-up on March 22, 2018, the pediatrician had concerns for the decedents safety and called CPS to voice her concerns. Then on Aug. 14, 2018, Carolina went to the emergency room for evaluation of possible sexual abuse after being in the car with someone who lived with a sex offender. The autopsy report did not say whether any sexual abuse was confirmed and Dornfried did not mention it at the hearing on Thursday. Carolina also fell down two to three carpeted steps while in Perkins care. The Forsyth County Department of Social Services was contacted after seeing bruising and recommended that the decedent get evaluated. Then on Aug. 18, 2018, Carolina was taken to a clinic for facial bruising that was a concern because there was a possible hand print. It was recommended that Carolina stay with her mother until DSS finished an evaluation. The report didnt say whether DSS placed any restriction on Perkins caring for Carolina. Dan Anthony and Keith Hanson, criminal defense attorneys, represented Perkins. Anthony said that Perkins is remorseful for what happened. Dornfried read a statement from Vanzant and other family members. In her statement, Vanzant said, All I want for my daughter is to rest in peace and to get justice for what happened to her. Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} Perkins, his girlfriend, Amanda Vanzant, and her daughter, Carolina, lived together in the apartment. Perkins is not the childs biological father. Both Vanzant and Perkins initially denied involvement in the childs death. But Perkins later told investigators that he was caring for Carolina while Vanzant was at work. When Vanzant came home, Carolina was in her Pack-n-Play and Perkins told Vanzant that Carolina was asleep. Vanzant took a nap. When she woke up, she went to check on Carolina and found the toddler cold and unresponsive. Perkins told investigators that he was watching movies and smoking a cigarette. Carolina walked into the cigarette and got a burn on her chest and started crying. Perkins said he tried to calm the toddler but she wouldnt be quiet. Thats when he said he snapped and grabbed a pillow and smothered her. According to an autopsy report, he placed Carolina facedown in the Pack-n-Play at 10:30 a.m. on Aug. 22, 2018. Perkins said Vanzant was in no way involved in her daughters death. Dornfried said Carolina died from asphyxia from being smothered. Winston-Salem police have arrested a man on charges that he possessed child pornography and that he sexually abused a child. Stephen Daniel Lintner, 63, of Montgomery Street, has been charged with one count of first-degree sexual exploitation of a minor, one count of indecent liberties with a minor, felony child abuse involving a sexual act, and 10 counts of third-degree sexual exploitation of a minor. Winston-Salem police said in a news release that its Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force received a tip on Feb. 12, 2020, from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The tip said that a person was possibly in possession of child pornography. Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} Police said they conducted a lengthy investigation and then the police and the State Bureau of Investigations Internet Crimes Against Children unit executed a search warrant on part of the house that Lintner used to rent. On Wednesday, Lintner turned himself into the Winston-Salem Police Department. He was placed on a $50,000 bond and he is scheduled to appear in Forsyth District Court on June 4. Winston-Salem police said it would not be releasing any additional information because of the sensitive nature of this investigation. Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} In addition to changing the buildings name, Wake Forest said it plans to put up a memorial affirming the humanity and dignity of those previously not remembered or honored in Wake Forests antebellum history, according to the universitys announcement from two weeks ago. Ever since Wake Forest announced the name change on May 7, the 161st anniversary of the auction Black alums have been talking and texting among themselves and on a private Facebook page. The general consensus seems to be that Wake Forest needs to pick another name maybe a prominent Black graduate of the university or perhaps a notable Black person from Winston-Salems history. The enslaved persons auctioned off by the college should be acknowledged in some way, said Kwamine Gilyard, a 1992 graduate whos now a school administrator in South Carolina. But she believes a building name is meant to be an honor a way to celebrate someone who played an important role in the universitys history. I dont think (that date is) an appropriate name for a building ... Gilyard said. Its a date to be remembered. Its not a date to celebrate. Cydney Meadows, a 2020 Wake Forest graduate whos now in law school, added: Naming a building after a slave auction date is not the best way to honor Black people. Investigative journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones tenure application at the University of North Carolina was halted because she didnt come from a traditional academic-type background, and a trustee who vets the lifetime appointments wanted more time to consider her qualifications, university leaders said Thursday. The trustee who leads the subcommittee that considers tenure applications, Charles Duckett, chose in January to postpone the review of Hannah-Jones submission, said Richard Stevens, the chairman of the board of trustees for the Chapel Hill campus. It was never brought before the full board for approval, and instead the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist accepted a five-year appointment to the faculty of the journalism school. Were talking about a lifetime position here, so theyre not entered into lightly, Stevens told reporters. And its not unusual for a member of the board, or in particular the chair of the committee, to have questions for clarification about background, particularly candidates that dont come from a traditional academic-type background. In this case, Chair Duckett asked for a little bit of time to be able to do that. Ardagh Group, a global supplier of metal and glass packaging, will add 94 new jobs in Forsyth County, Gov. Roy Cooper said Friday. The news came one day after the Forsyth County Board of Commissioners approved $2.75 million in economic development incentives, and less than a week after the Winston-Salem City Council approved $2.4 million. The state also provided incentives. The company will invest at least $195 million to expand its current beverage can metal manufacturing facility in Winston-Salem. The plant currently has 230 employees. This is an exciting investment in Forsyth County and our state, Cooper said. Ardaghs decision to expand in North Carolina speaks to our skilled talent, strong community partnerships and manufacturing economy. Based in Luxembourg, Ardagh Group has 57 glass and metal production facilities around the world and has produced aluminum beverage cans and can ends in Winston-Salem since 1975. With six production lines, the Winston-Salem site is the companys largest can manufacturing facility in the United States. This latest expansion will include building improvements and convert warehousing space to production space with two new modern high-speed can manufacturing lines to the existing site. Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} In Rutherford County, she said, when Partners took over from another agency (not Cardinal), Partners hired all but one of the people from a former provider. We anticipate a lot of care coordinators will need a job and look to possibly transition to Partners, she said, noting that one enticement may be Partners participation in the state retirement plan, something that work at Cardinal does not offer. Robinson said Forsyth County can also benefit from watching what goes on in Cabarrus and Union counties, which are ahead of Forsyth in the process of switching from Cardinal to Partners. If there are hiccups along the way, we will benefit from that process, Robinson said. The county is switching from Cardinal to Partners after years of complaints about service gaps and other problems that people have brought to the board of commissioners. Now, the focus is on creating a smooth transition between the health-care managers so that the lives of those who get services are disrupted as little as possible. Arnita Miles, community activist and former Winston-Salem police officer, accused Tonya McDaniel, a Forsyth County commissioner, of misappropriating about $47,000 in grant money meant for the Winston-Salem NAACP and pocketing it into a personal bank account. No criminal charges have been filed. Blueprint NC, a nonprofit, said it gave the grant money based on an application made on behalf of the local NAACP, but the past president of the chapter said he was never aware that a grant request had been made and he never saw any of that money come through the Winston-Salem NAACP. "We have customers who literally cuss at us," said Bartlett, recalling an incident where a man stormed out of the store shouting obscenities after Bartlett pleaded with him to wear a mask. "The country should just have one policy. It would make it easier because we wouldn't have deal with customers who are so rude and awful to us." The Biden administration had faced pressure to ease restrictions on vaccinated Americans, in part to show the benefits of getting the shot at a time when vaccine demand has started to plateau. Companies are also trying to incentivize their employees to get vaccinated with measures ranging from bonus payments to on-site vaccination drives. It's unclear if the relaxed mask restrictions will motivate unvaccinated workers to now get their shot. Some may feel more at risk of contracting COVID-19 but others may believe they can enjoy the same privileges as vaccinated workers because no one is checking. But worse than all of that is the heartache of the mother or father whose child wont be returning home. In a candid address posted on his official Facebook page on Wednesday, Kimbrough talked about gun violence and asked for members of the community to partner with him to tackle the issues that contribute to it. Social issues become criminal issues, he said before referring to a report from the YMCA's REACH (Resources for Economic Development, Academic and Community Health) Center that highlighted some of the social factors that exacerbate crime in our area. Among them are that Forsyth County is the third worst county in the United States for economic mobility people born poor tend to stay poor only outdone by two counties located on American Indian reservations. Winston-Salem is also the third most segregated city in North Carolina, Kimbrough said. He cited a study that shows that adverse childhood experiences can have negative and lasting effects on children's health and well-being. All of these trends are factors in gun violence, he said. We would love to have you come back, Commission Chairman Ken Meyer told Kyle Anderson, a representative with Pilgrim Productions, during the meeting. Asked why Street Outlaws sought to use the Mitchell location again, Anderson said, The racers prefer it, though he wasn't sure why. We raced both (in Gering and Mitchell) and we didnt have any complaints (from the racers). However, Meyer said he had received many complaints from residents affected by the noise and other nuisances while Street Outlaws filmed near Mitchell last year, while Charlie Knapper said he had gotten complaints as crews filmed near Gering. Knapper said people were offered hotel rooms and ear plugs to use during filming, so he questioned the validity of complaints. Is it really a nuisance or they just want to complain? Meyer said, "We want you ('Street Outlaws') to have the surface that you guys need to do what you need to do, but then to keep in consideration the folks that are going to be up all night. The first time they ran, I bolted straight up in my bed. I thought they were in my front yard. Its that loud, one man said. Check out some foods that can help boost your mental health, why you should start saving for retirement in your twenties, and more videos to i A Lincoln judge sentenced a 30-year-old registered sex offender from Kansas City, Missouri, to 40 to 50 years in prison for sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl he met on social media. Rezzaire Martin, formerly Travon Sandee, pleaded no contest to first-degree sexual assault as part of a plea deal, which reduced his charge from an enhanced charge. On July 30, 2019, Lincoln police took a report from the girl's caregiver, who had discovered a Snapchat conversation with someone purporting to be a 19-year-old man about the two having sex a few weeks earlier. In an interview at the Child Advocacy Center, the teen said she sneaked out to meet the man after developing a relationship over Snapchat. Police tracked down Sandee, as she knew him, and arrested him early Dec. 25, 2019, at a hotel near the Lincoln Airport. Lancaster County District Judge Jodi Nelson sentenced him Thursday. Martin previously had been convicted of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old in Kansas City in 2010. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 1 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. With an assist from the Lancaster County Sheriff's Office, the Lincoln Police Department on Wednesday arrested a 34-year-old woman who police say stole a handgun from a neighbor whom she had befriended. Officer Luke Bonkiewicz said a Lincoln resident called police May 6 to report a burglary at her apartment in the 1600 block of D Street. The resident reported roughly $900 worth of items missing from her home, including a .38-caliber handgun and a tattoo gun. Bonkiewicz said the resident provided surveillance footage from inside her home that showed Natasha C. Graham forcing her way into the apartment through the front door and leaving with the property. As LPD conducted its investigation, Bonkiewicz said, sheriff's deputies stopped Graham at 8:45 p.m. Wednesday and discovered police were searching for her. Sheriff's deputies held Graham at the scene of the traffic stop until police officers arrived and arrested her on suspicion of burglary. Bonkiewicz said police are still looking for the missing items. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Lori Pilger Public safety reporter Lori Pilger is a Norfolk native and University of Nebraska-Lincoln graduate who has been a public safety reporter for the Journal Star since 2005. Follow Lori Pilger Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today YORK -- Students at York College now have a pathway to complete a nursing degree in four years. York College and Creighton University are forming a 3+1 nursing partnership in which students complete three years as a York College student followed by a 12-month accelerated nursing program on the CHI Health St. Francis campus in Grand Island. The accelerated Creighton nursing program utilizes community-based education in a program that fills a need in many Nebraska communities. "I am extremely excited about this 3+1 nursing partnership with Creighton University, said Dr. Bryan Kretz, assistant professor of biology and chair of the division of science and mathematics. I believe the combined education and experiences received at York College and Creighton University will amply prepare our students for their future nursing careers." Incoming and current students are now eligible for admission into the program. Once admitted, students must maintain a minimum GPA and complete a core of prerequisite courses. The accelerated portion of the program enrolls students for 12 months in which they will take 58 credit hours in three semesters. Those who complete the program will graduate with two degrees: a Bachelor of Science in Biology (health services concentration) from York College and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Creighton University. Empty Bowls to go Friday is the last day to buy tickets online for Empty Bowls to go, the Food Bank's pandemic-friendly version of its annual fundraiser. What: Each ticketholder receives a pre-packaged, to-go cup of soup from a Lincoln restaurant. When: June 1, between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Where: Pinnacle Bank Arena Festival Lot, 900 V St. Cost: $15 per ticket, which includes cost of a hand-thrown pottery bowl, sales tax and $10 donation to the Food Bank. Online: lincolnfoodbank.org WINDSOR, Calif. (AP) After refusing to quit for more than a month, the mayor of a California wine country town who has been accused of sexual assault by nine women has resigned from the job. In a statement addressed to residents of the town of Windsor, Dominic Foppoli continued to deny the women's claims and suggested that a new allegation made against him by a former reality TV star was driven by the San Francisco Chronicle's reporting on him. "I have no doubt she is making these allegations in an attempt to leverage the situation to her advantage, the statement said. Police in Palm Beach, Florida, are investigating claims that Foppoli sexually assaulted Farrah Abraham, 29, in March when he was visiting the area. The Chronicle said Abraham contacted police six days before it published its investigation detailing some of the other women's accusations, which include forced oral copulation and rape. Abraham starred in the MTV reality shows 16 and Pregnant and Teen Mom more than a decade ago. Her attorney said she turned over evidence to police to support her account. Nakhaleh was referring to thousands of missiles and rockets that Gaza militants have fired toward Israel. Nakhaleh said that after Israels moves that threatened the eviction of dozens of Palestinian families by Jewish settlers in east Jerusalem, we were in front of two choices, to surrender and to give them everything or fight them over everything. JERUSALEM Israels Foreign Ministry says foreign ministers from Germany, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia will arrive in Israel on Thursday. The ministry said in a statement Wednesday that the diplomats were invited by Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi to express their solidarity and support for Israel during its campaign against Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip. The visit comes as Israel faces mounting international pressure to de-escalate hostilities after 10 days of heavy fighting between Israelis and Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. JERUSALEM Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he is determined to continue this operation until its aim is met, despite U.S. President Joe Bidens call for a de-escalation of hostilities in Gaza. HOLLENBERG, Kan. A Nebraska man died when he was intentionally hit by the driver of a car in Kansas during an argument, authorities said Friday. Washington County Sheriff's deputies were called Thursday to a home in Hollenberg, in northeast Kansas. They found James Hicok, 32, of Steele City, dead in the street, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation said in a news release. A preliminary investigation determined that Hicok and another man were arguing with the driver of a vehicle who drove past the home several times. During the argument, the driver, Aaron Milldyke of Hollenberg, turned the vehicle around and intentionally hit Hicok, authorities said. Milldyke drove to a nearby home and called authorities to report the incident. He was booked into the Washington County Jail on a possible charge of second-degree murder. Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 0 The report is critical of both Bashir's behavior and of the way the 1996 probe was carried out by the BBC. It concludes that "without justification" the BBC "covered up... facts as it had been able to establish about how Mr Bashir secured the interview." Dyson added that the BBC also "failed to mention the issue at all on any news programme and thereby fell short of the high standards of integrity and transparency which are its hallmark." The BBC's former director-general Tony Hall, who was in charge of news and current affairs at the time of the controversy, said Thursday that he was "wrong to give Martin Bashir the benefit of the doubt," according to PA Media news agency Last week Bashir stepped down from his role as the BBC's religion editor, citing health reasons. On May 14, Jonathan Munro, the BBC's Deputy Director of News, sent an email to staff confirming that Bashir would leave the corporation. "He let us know of his decision last month, just before being readmitted to hospital for another surgical procedure on his heart," the email read. "Although he underwent major surgery toward the end of last year, he is facing some ongoing issues and has decided to focus on his health. We wish him a complete and speedy recovery." Im working with Hoppe Development alongside dad (Fred) and Uncle John, he said. Were working to help Lincoln and other communities across Nebraska provide affordable housing. We have a project under construction in the Telegraph District, and we just received City Council approval for another housing project near 36th and Vine. Jake added, Getting involved in the city is part of the DNA of my family. My mom (Barbara Hoppe) helped start the Bright Lights program in 1987. Today that Bright Lights program offers elementary and middle school students summer learning opportunities. Dad Fred has been involved in affordable housing for a number of years, not just in Lincoln but across the state. One thing I learned from both of them, and my involvement in Youth Leadership Lincoln, is that if you show up and you say youre interested, youre encouraged to get involved. When asked about Youth Leadership Lincoln, Jake shared that he was in the third group of high school sophomores that participated nearly 20 years ago. That was a real growing and learning experience for me, he noted. We grew to understand how the community works, and through that understanding, we could identify how we could plug in and make a difference. According to the complaint, an agent went through Crocketts garbage outside the home in Racine, collecting things like drinking straws, water bottles and a disposable coffee cup and sending those to the Wisconsin Crime Lab in Milwaukee. Those tests showed a match to Crockett, according to the complaint. In the first of the two assaults charged Thursday, a then 20-year-old woman said she was walking on the 2300 block of 61st Street on her way to a friends home on the afternoon of Nov. 10, 2014, when a man grabbed her and pulled her into a white vehicle and raped her. She indicated that she ultimately fought the male subject off of her and ran out of the vehicle, the complaint states. In the second case, a then 39-year-old woman reported that she was walking home from the Kenosha County Job Center in April 2015 after going there to use a computer to look for work. According to the complaint, she told an investigator she was walking looking at paperwork when a man grabbed her from behind and pulled her into a car, then raped her. She said that after the assault she got out of the car and ran away. 1:11 Watch Now: How to safely shop online Tips for protecting personal and financial information when shopping online. Support Outside the Kenosha County Courthouse Friday, Tanya McLean, founder of Leaders of Kenosha, said What happened with Clyde is just another example of the injustices that Black men face in this country. We had a 17-year-old (Kyle Rittenhouse) who came into our town and murdered two people with weapons and harmed another one. The worst thing possible happened in our town, it turned our town upside down. One thing that it did do was uncover all the ugliness and the injustices that continue to happen in this town that were, for many, many years covered up and shielded just by everyday life. Clyde came up immediately to stand in solidarity with the people in Kenosha. We appreciate Clydes actions and what hes done here to try and bring all the injustices to the forefront. Whats happening to Clyde is just wrong, and the charges should be dropped, McLean said. McLean and Justin Blake, Jacob Blakes uncle, claim that McLemore was trying to close the door, not injure any officers with it. MADISON Within the next two weeks, just about anywhere you travel in Wisconsin will no longer have a public mask requirement in place, even if some businesses still require them. There are now no mask mandates anywhere in Racine County. The City of Racine had been the only one to ever have such a local mandate for inside most buildings, but that stopped being enforced last week and was official repealed Tuesday. However, Racine County had been requiring masks in all county-run buildings with some exceptions, but that is not longer being enforced either. City of Racine buildings remain closed to the public, as they have for about 14 months. City spokesman Shannon Powell said in a text Employees working in the buildings who are vaccinated do not have to wear masks. Scattered responses After the Wisconsin Supreme Court struck down Gov. Tony Evers statewide mask mandate in late March, it was up to Wisconsin cities and counties to impose their own COVID-19 related restrictions. Only a fraction of Wisconsins counties and municipalities opted to impose any mask mandates or other rules. The hearing itself lasted 11 minutes. Abundant security and media Outside the courtroom, there was a large security presence, with dozens of Kenosha County Sheriffs Department deputies on hand both in the hallways and outside. In front of the steps to the building a small number of people were protesting, but they were focusing on another case happening at the same time, that of Clyde McLemore, a Black Lives Matter protester charged with a felony for an incident at the Public Safety Building during a protest following the Blake shooting. There had been protests regarding Rittenhouse outside the Lake County Courthouse in Waukegan, Ill., during Rittenhouses extradition hearing. But none occurred here on Friday. Both inside and out, there were a large number of television cameras and photographers covering what has become one of the most politically divisive criminal cases in the country. At the hearing, Schroeder set July 1 deadline for attorneys to file motions in the case, and an Aug. 1 deadline for the defense to disclose any expert witnesses they plan to call for the trial. Richards said during the hearing that two of the expert witnesses he hopes to call are medical examiners. Rittenhouse is, for now, next expected to appear in court Sept. 17 for a motion hearing 1. Yes. Its important to keep my child as safe as possible. We plan to take advantage. 2. Yes. With the school district dropping its mask mandate, its a necessary step. 3. No. Local COVID cases are dropping. There is no good reason to vaccinate my child. 4. No. There hasnt been enough data on vaccinated children. I think Ill hold off. 5. Unsure. I havent decided yet whether to take part in the vaccine clinics. Vote View Results A 22-year-old La Crosse woman was charged Friday in La Crosse County Circuit Court after allegedly punching a woman in the face and knocking her unconscious. Arielle G. Thompson faces a felony charge of aggravated battery with intent of bodily harm, along with two misdemeanor counts each of criminal trespass to dwelling and disorderly conduct and a single misdemeanor count of battery. According to the criminal complaint, La Crosse police were called May 1 around 3:30 a.m. to a report of a fight at the corner of Mississippi Street and Fourth Avenue South. As police canvassed the area, they encountered a woman holding a bloody towel against her forehead. She was transported to the emergency room of Gundersen hospital, where she was interviewed by police. The woman said Thompson and a man entered her residence uninvited. She said Thompson pushed her to the ground and pulled her hair before Thompson was pulled away by the acquaintance. The woman said she followed Thompson to a nearby parking lot to fight it out and get the dispute over with. During the fight, the woman said Thompson struck her in the face, causing her to hit her head as she fell to the ground. The woman estimated she was unconscious five to 10 minutes. Police report that the woman sustained injuries to her temple, jaw, right elbow and left knee. Twenty-two area students nominated by their schools received scholarships Thursday night in the 25th annual ceremony of the La Crosse Tribunes Extra Effort Awards. The ceremony was virtual again this year, and it can be viewed in its entirety at lacrossetribune.com. Individuals, organizations and colleges stepped up again to provide the scholarships in a program that has honored high school seniors who have overcome obstacles or provided exemplary service to the community. The La Crosse Tribune is proud to tell the stories of these remarkable students and humbled by their perseverance. These students are a reflection of this community, said Sean Burke, publisher of the River Valley Media Group, And special thanks to our donors who once again extended their generosity toward making this all happen. This community cares. We want to congratulate the Extra Effort students and thank the donors, who make these awards possible every year, said Bob Heisse, executive editor of the River Valley Media Group. This was a most challenging year for the schools but they again worked with us to nominate outstanding students that so deserve a boost to further their education. The host of CNN's Cuomo Prime Time encouraged his brother to take a defiant position and not resign, the Post said, quoting two people present on one of the calls that the newspaper did not identify. CNN said in a statement that Chris Cuomo has not been involved in the network's coverage of the allegations, either on the air or behind the scenes, because he could not be objective and often serves as a sounding board for his older brother. However, it was inappropriate to engage in conversations that included members of the governor's staff, which Chris acknowledges, the network said. He will not participate in such conversations going forward. The network did not announce any disciplinary action against its show host. On his show Thursday night, Chris Cuomo said being involved in the calls was a mistake. I put my colleagues here (at CNN), who I believe are the best in the business, in a bad spot, the anchor said at the top of his show. I never intended for that, I would never intend for that, and I am sorry for that. Asked about the Post story, Cuomo press secretary Richard Azzopardi said that there were a few phone conversations, with friends and advisers giving the governor advice. The number of wasted doses through spoilage of the highly perishable vaccine was still a minute fraction of the states vaccine allotment. The state is currently administering an average of about 144,000 vaccinations daily. Even so, that was less than half of the 290,000-vaccination-a-day peak last month. Just one in three Texans were fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as of Thursday, mostly with the two-dose Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, while 42% have received at least one dose. More than 51,000 people have died of COVID-19 in Texas during the 15-month pandemic out of the more than 3.2 million positive test results reported to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. RENO, Nev. -- Nevada health officials admit the states goal of vaccinating 75% of the eligible population may not be realistic. But they say progress toward that goal is continuing to pay dividends with the average number of new cases being reported statewide dropping to its lowest level since June 2020. The states positivity also rate fell to 4.8% on Wednesday. Thats higher than an all-time low of 4.2% reached March 28, but down from 5.7% April 21 and far below the peak high of 21.3% in mid-January. An assessment by an outside group indicated substantial need for programming of this type in the Wausau area, he said. Projections show strong, sustained enrollment and graduates starting salaries would fall within the range of $75,000 to $90,000. Meyer said the contract was pretty vague but that expectations were fully discussed with Cross and the work actually began when he was still serving as chancellor. He said he personally covered his travel expenses, received no employee benefits through the System other than his salary and was also subject to a salary reduction through the System furloughs. Meyer saw himself as the jumper cables to kick-start the program and pass the torch on to the Stout and Stevens Point chancellors, both of whom are relatively recent new hires. He worked with local employers to discuss their needs and also on securing accreditation for the program. The project holds tremendous economic and educational benefit for the Wausau region, and Mr. Meyers unique background, credibility and skill set were critical to developing it, System spokesperson Mark Pitsch said. Meyers background includes five years as Stouts chancellor, time as dean of the universitys engineering college and a stint as president of a technical college in northwest Wisconsin. A River Valley High School teacher was charged Wednesday in a case involving alleged sexual assault of a child that was reopened after first being investigated in 1995. Michael J. Hill, 63, of Cross Plains, was charged with three counts of first-degree sexual assault of a child. The charges each carry up to 60 years of combined prison and extended supervision. Hill is a science teacher at River Valley High School, according to the school districts website. River Valley district administrator Loren Glasbrenner said Hill is on leave through the end of the year when he will be retiring. An Aug. 30, 2017, Facebook post said Hill had been a district employee for 40 years. According to the criminal complaint, officers with the Spring Green Police Department initially investigated a childs claims of sexual assault. In March 1995, the child told then-Officer Eric Beyer that Hill behaved in a way that made the child uncomfortable. The child said Hill would rub against the child and in one instance groped the child. A pretrial hearing in the Kyle Rittenhouse homicide case was remarkable more for the media circus outside the courtroom than for the legal proceedings inside. Rittenhouse, 18, is facing the possibility of life in prison for shooting three men, killing two and injuring a third, during protests in Kenosha following the shooting of Jacob Blake by a Kenosha Police officer last August. At Fridays hearing in Kenosha County Circuit Court the first in-person appearance for Rittenhouse since he was extradited to Wisconsin in November attorneys discussed scheduling for the case moving forward. Rittenhouse is scheduled to go to trial Nov. 1. Before that happens, the court will hold hearings on legal motions to be filed later, decide on which expert witnesses will be allowed to testify at trial, and create questionnaires aimed at finding jurors who have not already formed an opinion on the high-profile case. Rittenhouse, who is free on a $2 million bond donated by supporters, arrived in the courtroom through an entrance usually closed to the public and entered the courtroom through the rear doors of the courtroom with his attorneys Mark Richards and Corey Chirafisi. The hearing itself lasted just 11 minutes. If it is something that is covered under the PRT umbrella then we would be able to do something with that, Terry said. Wisconsin Dells and Lake Delton are scheduled to receive an estimated $295,000 in federal funds from the American Rescue Plan. Wisconsin Dells portion is split between three counties with the city overlapping into Sauk, Columbia and Adams County. No city residents live in the Juneau County portion of Wisconsin Dells, which is why that portion of funding is at zero dollars, Terry said. Columbia Countys portion of Wisconsin Dells has the highest amount of funding at over $266,000. Terry the city has not yet received the federal funds. Based on guidance shes received, Terry is waiting for the state to receive the money to disperse to every municipality in the state thats eligible to receive funds. Once the state receives the funds, it has 30 days to give it to the municipalities. Shes expecting the city might receive the money in one lump sum rather than being split over two years due to the population of the city. Follow Erica Dynes on Twitter @EDynes_CapNews or contact her at 608-393-5346. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 As the weather warms, a visit to one of the handful of alpaca farms in and around Lancaster may be the perfect way to beat the cooped-up feeling that dominated the last year. Between the bucolic farmland, fresh air, and arguably some of the cutest faces on four legs, meeting a herd of alpacas is balm for the soul for young and old alike. We just want people to have a good time and get the full alpaca experience, said Kevin Zurin of Eastland Alpacas in Mount Joy. They will leave here not liking alpacas, but loving them! That is no exaggeration standing among a docile group of colorful, calm alpacas. Each alpaca has a distinct personality, explained Donna Longnecker, from her female-run, family farm Graystone Ridge Alpacas in Manheim. She keeps her herd below 30 animals, so I know each one and can pick up if something is a little off. She said they are stoic animals and hide everything until the last minute so its important to know whats normal behavior for each animal to keep them healthy. Activities for kids (and adults) Longnecker, a retired nurse, has been in the alpaca business since 2004. Her barn was built with her height in mind, so the hay holder and tables are a bit low to the ground. She does an alpaca head count each morning and sometimes the resident deer give me a couple extra momentarily, she chuckled. Chickens also meander among the alpacas. Graystone Ridge Alpacas offers several interactive events like Date Night and Ladies Night, which include feeding the alpacas and taking them on a nature walk and making a nifty craft with alpaca fiber. Alpaca Summer Camp for Grown-ups is on July 3. The ever-popular Summer Camp for Kids, is a weeklong immersive experience from 9 a.m. to noon daily in June. Longnecker said that kids learn in a hurry to walk slower and keep their voices lowered around the alpacas. They do their chores (at camp) and get dirty, she said. Some kids tiptoe around the first day, but by the next day they slide into it. Filled with felt-making crafts and snuggling with alpacas, it can be a game changer for kids. Theyll be walking their alpaca with one hand with a chicken in the other hand they like the chickens too, she added. About alpacas Alpacas are a member of the camelid family, which also includes camels, llamas, guanacos and vicunas. Alpacas are bred for their dense, soft, hypoallergenic, fiber called wool on other animals which is used in a broad array of products. The animals get sheared once a year, and the fiber is cleaned and sorted. It can be used in crafts, clothing, yarn, rugs, blankets and winter gear. Males produce about 8 pounds and females about 5 pounds of marketable fiber from their coats each year, according to the National Zoo. There are no wild alpacas they are considered domesticated versions of vicunas, a South American ruminant that lives high in the Andes Mountains, making them well adapted to Pennsylvania winters. While the heftier, taller llama may be used as pack animals, alpacas are primarily raised for their prized soft fiber. Alpacas weigh between 120 and 200 pounds with a life span of 20 years. When they are feeling frisky, alpacas may pronk, a joyful skipping behavior. One burning question many people have about alpacas is: Do they spit? Yes, they do, but rarely, and mostly just at each other when theres a tussle or they feel threatened. However, if you should get caught in the spray, you may experience an unmistakable odor. Once you smell it, you cant unsmell it, said Christy Deihm, owner of Positively Alpaca Farm in Mohnton, Berks County. Deihm specializes in private farm tours with her herd of seven animals. Guests join a mom alpaca and her youngster in a pen, and even little kids enjoy the experience she said. Her farm is nestled in the woods. Its a great opportunity to take a break from the craziness of life she said. Being with the alpacas, why we have them, why theyre important, and all the products that come from them are all part of the guest experience, Deihm says. How to visit Eastland Alpacas, run by Sue and Kevin Zurin, is a 30-acre full-service farm providing friendly, tame, leadable animals that are easy to work with from top-notch bloodlines for sale, as well as follow-up support, according to their website. Buyers often come back to get feed and hay as well, said Kevin. Currently, they have 85 alpacas, along with a gaggle of affectionate barn cats. They offer engaging tours on Saturdays, sharing alpaca facts like there are 22 different colors of alpaca; gestation is about 11.5 months; females give birth to a cria weighing 16 to 22 pounds; they are weaned in about six months. They love to be moms, Sue said. Our oldest alpaca had a baby when she was 20 years old we named it Chance. Another burning question: Whats the difference between a llama and an alpaca? Eastland has two llamas that illustrate two major differences. Llamas have large, banana-shaped ears and they are significantly larger than the alpaca. Sue said that occasionally, guests on tours are so enamored of the animals that they end up buying a couple alpacas for their kids. Alpacas make excellent pets for someone with enough space and shelter for them. It should be noted that they are herd animals and need companionship of at least one other alpaca to thrive, according to the National Zoo. They easily learn to walk on a lead, jump in and out of vehicles, cush (sit down), and obey other simple commands. Every alpaca farm is different, but one thing they have in common is that they all require an appointment before you drop in. An online search for alpaca farms near me will get you headed in the right direction. We all have different niches, each farm complements the others, Longnecker said. Register for events online and contact us ahead of time before showing up. This story contains links that will take you to our archives site on newspapers.com. This content is free for LancasterOnline subscribers who are logged in. Click here for more information about how to subscribe. The building at 201 W. Orange St., at the corner of Orange and Water streets right in the heart of downtown Lancaster, is thought to be one of the oldest taverns in the city. According to LNP archives, taverns occupied that spot as far back as the 1700s. But the history of the Tally Ho, which soon will be ending after more than half a century at that location, began in 1966. The first ad for the new tavern, announcing its opening that night, ran in the March 11, 1966, New Era. The Tally Ho would take over the spot most recently occupied by Pip's Place. In 1974, owner George Centini opened a small restaurant called the Loft on the second floor of the tavern. Three years later, the Loft was expanded into a larger space with a bigger kitchen that would allow it to evolve into a mainstay of Lancaster's fine dining scene. As the '70s turned to the '80s, the Tally Ho became a busy spot for area nightlife. (Here's an Intelligencer Journal article from 1983 about the neon lights adorning the ceiling over the Tally Ho dance floor, which were recycled from the old Comet Drive-in.) But it also became a target for neighbors and other city residents, who complained about noise and disruptive behavior late at night. The Sunday News published a front-page story with the headline "City neighborhood turns into playground for gays" in 1986. According to Centini, who was interviewed for the story, groups of underage gay men would gather outside his bar soliciting sex. Also, anti-gay people would often walk or drive by and loudly harass the people outside the bar. The article proved to be something of a flashpoint. After it appeared, Centini no longer allowed "female impersonators" - drag performers - into his bar. Banned from the Tally Ho, a group of those performers calling themselves Nous Cagelles undertook an effort in 1987 to put on charity performances wherever they could, not only to raise money for good causes, but also to "promote a more positive view of homosexuals in Lancaster." Also in 1987, Centini sold both the Tally Ho and the Loft to Gunter Backhaus, a renowned chef who had formerly served as executive chef at the Host Farm Resort in Lancaster County and the Grove Park Inn in Asheville, North Carolina. Backhaus brought a long career in fine dining to the already well established Loft, and intended to raise the bar even farther in terms of cuisine and reputation. However, the Tally Ho continued to be a focus of anti-gay sentiments, which by the early 1990s, had turned from verbal abuse to "gay-bashing" physical violence. But the tavern persisted, and gradually times changed around it - by 2000, drag shows were advertised in the newspapers. In 2007, Lancaster's first-ever Pride celebration was cancelled, but a fundraiser for the next year's festivities was held at the Tally Ho. The next year, the inaugural Lancaster Pride event took place as planned in Buchanan Park - with an after-party at the Tally Ho. That after-party has become an annual tradition for Lancaster Pride events every summer. Lancaster County is continuing to see improvements in its pace of new COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations as the number of vaccinated residents grows, state Department of Health data show. The pace of COVID-19 deaths, meanwhile, is slightly higher this month than it was in March and April, according to data from Lancaster Countys coroner, Dr. Stephen Diamantoni. Here are eight data points that show the countys status 14 months into the coronavirus pandemic: 1) Nearly a quarter million (249,654) Lancaster County residents have been at least partially vaccinated against the coronavirus. Thats nearly 46% of the countys total population of 545,724. 2) Nearly an identical number (249,577) of people here have been tested at some point for COVID-19. 3) One in 10 county residents (54,738 total) has tested positive for COVID-19 since March 2020. 4) One in every 527 Lancaster County residents has died of COVID-19, which has claimed 1,036 lives here since March 26, 2020. 5) The current pace of COVID-19 deaths here is far below its December peak, but it is slightly higher so far in May than it was in March and April. The county recorded 26 deaths in the first 19 days of May, which would put it on pace for about 42 deaths for the full month. That compares to 30 deaths in March and 33 in April. 6) Over the past week, the county has averaged 37 COVID-19 patients in its hospitals. That's down from 98 in late April, and it is now at its lowest level since late March. 7) The number of new COVID-19 cases has averaged 49 per day here over the past week. Thats the lowest level in seven months, and it has been falling steadily since hitting a spring peak of 219 per day in mid-April. The declining case and hospital numbers give hope that the pace of deaths will also begin to decline soon. 8) The total number of people either partially or fully vaccinated here has increased by 1,600 per day over the past week. At that pace, it would take another 83 days or until mid-August to have 70% of the countys population at least partially vaccinated. A 95-year-old woman died nine days after she was injured in a May 10 crash on New Danville Pike in Pequea Township. Thats according to township police who said Elizabeth Budnick, of Chester, died Wednesday. Police said they were called about 4:30 p.m. May 10 to the area near New Danville Pikes intersection with Arrowhead Circle, where a single-vehicle crash was reported. There, a 70-year-old woman, driving a 2003 Buick Sedan, crashed into a utility pole, according to a news release. Police did not reveal the 70-year-olds name but said she also was of Chester. Police said the vehicle was heading south on New Danville Pike, when it left the roadway and crashed into the pole. Budnick was a passenger in the vehicle, police said. Emergency medical responders transported both Budnick and the driver from the crash scene to Lancaster General Hospital with injuries, according to the release. Budnick succumbed to those injuries Wednesday, police said. On Friday, a Pequea Township officer said the crash is still under investigation. Lancaster Countys top government leaders are in agreement that a farm just south of Lancaster city should be the location of a new prison. The seven-member Lancaster County Prison Board -- whose members include the district attorney, controller, sheriff and president judge -- unanimously recommended Thursday that the county purchase a 75-acre tract of land along the Conestoga River owned by Clyde and Shirley Kreider. The resolution is a non-binding recommendation that the county move forward with the proposed property acquisition, which was announced earlier this month. Related data: What is the incarceration rate in Lancaster County? The countys board of commissioners, whose three members also sit on the Prison Board, will take up the matter next Wednesday and are expected to approve the deal. Under the proposal, the county would pay the Kreider family $3 million for the property. Approval by the commissioners next week would start the clock ticking on a 90-day due diligence period. If the property cannot be zoned for use as a prison or if other problems are discovered, the county can back out of the deal. Commissioner Ray DAgostino said the county put together a team in January 2020 to find a site for a new facility to replace the aging prison in Lancaster city. County Engineer Mark Lauriello, of Rettew Associates Inc., said the criteria for the new site was that it be at least 45 acres and have minimal impact on residential neighborhoods. It also could be no more than five miles from the county courthouse in Lancaster city; should sit within a designated growth area; have access to a road, public water and sewer service; and not already be subject to an active development project. Lauriello said nine properties fit the criteria, and the Kreider property was the preferred site due to its location, proximity to the courthouse and limited residential impact. Design of the new prison has not started, as county leaders insist that the property acquisition be completed first. But commissioners and others have discussed a 1,200-bed facility that could cost between $100 million and $200 million to build. It would replace the countys existing 1,085 bed prison in Lancaster city, portions of which were built in the 19th century. Neighbors opposed Three people who live near the proposed site spoke at Thursdays hearing to voice their opposition to the plan. Austin Beiler, who lives on Willow Street Pike near the Kreider property, said he was surprised to hear the site was being eyed as a new prison location. Had we known that, we never would have purchased the property, he said. Ive spoken with a bunch of neighbors and Im just asking if we can take a step back before we vote on this. Michelle and Meade Stoner, who live on Highland Avenue, said building a prison at this location would mark a dramatic change for their family. Over the last 20 years behind our house, where the cemetery is and where that field lies has been a sanctuary for our family, Michelle said. We ride our bikes back there, we sit on the hill that overlooks the field and rest. I know that is not going to change the decisions you are making here about purchasing that property, I just want you to hear and to know that that has been a very integral part of our lives, that space. Commissioner Parsons said that he appreciated the residents input. These are really constructive comments, I especially wanted to thank the neighbors who came today, he said. It is incumbent upon us to listen to their concerns, to hear them out legitimately. I think this is obviously a concern to them and I just want to say that is legitimate and I appreciate the constructive way they have approached it. Hannah Deboer, a Millersville University sociology and philosophy student who described herself as a prison abolitionist, spoke as well. She raised the issue of individuals in pretrial detainment, who make up about 70% of the county prisons population, and the harm of incarceration in general. She suggested a moratorium on prison construction and a shift in resources to community programs for rehabilitation outside of a prison setting. The board members did not respond to Deboers suggestions. Police in the Greater Seattle Area say they have no evidence that a former Ephrata man was killed because of his race, following a verbal altercation with another person because he was not wearing a mask. John Huynh, a 29-year-old Ephrata High School alumnus, was fatally stabbed on April 25 outside his apartment building, according to Bothell Police, a police force in a suburb of Seattle, Washington. Ian Williams, 25, has been charged with second-degree murder in Huynhs death. Two GoFundMe campaigns have raised more than $84,000 to support Huynhs family following his death. Huynh is Asian American, with many within the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities -- plus Huynhs family -- calling for Williams to be charged with a hate crime. Anti-Asian hate crimes increased by nearly 150% in 2020 over the previous year, according to a March report by the Center for the Study of Hate & Extremism at California State University, San Bernardino. Police, though, said Thursday they have not determined Williams motive. They have shared with us their fears, police said in a release. They have asked us if this violence was race related, if John Huynh was a victim of Asian hate, and whether the defendant will be charged with a hate crime. Unfortunately, these are questions we cannot, conclusively, answer at this time. Our detectives continue to investigate all possible motives. Williams had no previous record, and allegedly never had any contact with Huynh prior to the altercation on April 25, though the two did live in the same apartment building where the altercation occurred. Police said they have no evidence that Williams has any links to racist organizations. Following interviews and statements from more than 20 witnesses, police say the following occurred: While Huynh walked to a friends car, Williams appeared to flip off the friends. As the friend continued to the car, Huynh turned back to ask Williams if he had made the gesture to him. No witnesses heard the verbal exchange, though witnesses saw Williams pull out a knife and stab Huynh in the chest one time, before running back into the apartment building. Video footage released Thursday shows an obstructed view of the conflict, in which Williams and Huynh speak for about a minute before Williams is seen bursting through the apartment building door and running toward his mothers apartment, who he lived with. Williams then told his mother hed been attacked by an anti-masker, police said. When his mother asked where hed been hurt, Williams said he had not been injured but he had hurt the other person, police said. Police later obtained the folding knife allegedly used to kill Huynh from Williamss apartment. Huynh graduated from Ephrata High School in 2010. He was remembered by friends and family in the Ephrata area as someone with a goofy sense of humor and a smile that was guaranteed to light up the room. When: Manheim Township School District board committee meeting, held virtually May 13. Board President Nikki Rivera was absent. What happened: Superintendent Robin Felty recommended the board appoint the districts chief operating officer, Donna Robbins, as treasurer to collect school taxes. The district claims its more efficient to collect taxes themselves. In fact, Felty said during the meeting that collecting taxes in-house will be free. The board typically does not take action during its committee meeting, and this meeting was no exception. Why it matters: Patricia Kabel, Manheim Townships elected tax collector, has not secured the required bond to collect school taxes, though she is bonded for collecting township and county taxes. Kabel previously asserted the district has held up her ability to obtain the bond. Background: The district spent $162,000 defending a lawsuit brought by Kabel to settle whose role it is to collect taxes. Many Pennsylvania school districts collect taxes themselves, but state law says tax collectors should do that work instead. Kabel won rounds of court challenges, and in January the state Supreme Court refused to hear the case. Proposed final 2021-22 budget: Robbins presented a budget with $107.7 million in expenditures and $106.4 million in revenues, with a deficit of $1.26 million. She recommended increasing the real estate tax in the range of 1.5% to 3% to pay the debt. Why now: Robbins said last year was not the time for a tax hike because of the negative economic impact on residents. But now, Robbins said, the district must plan ahead for the future. Quotables: With no increase in state funding, we need to plan for the challenges of 2022-23, when COVID funds run out, Robbins said. Without additional tax dollars, we will need to make additional cuts. We need to keep a strong credit rating because borrowing is much more expensive if our credit rating is not strong. Meanwhile, board member Janet Carroll said, I hope we can decrease some cyber school costs as we build up our own program. Board member Curtis Holgate said a 1.5% increase is prudent and reasonable. Whats next: The board will vote on the final budget in June. Editor's Note: A previous headline on this article incorrectly stated that the Penn Manor school board approved a tax increase. The board signed off on a proposed budget but will not vote on the final budget until June 21. When: Penn Manor school board meeting, May 17. What happened: Nearly 60 unmasked district residents attended the meeting to call for action from the school board on student mask-wearing. Parent Ashley Boyer started off a round of comments asking the board to reconsider its policy requiring face masks for students, citing research from the Mayo Clinic stating that children younger than 10-14 are less likely to become infected with COVID-19. Five other parents called for the board to end student mask-wearing, arguing it raises health risks a myth that has been debunked by medical professionals. They were particularly opposed to mask-wearing while playing sports, and also said the rule infringes on personal choice. Board response: As the seventh parent rose to speak, board President Carlton Rintz asked to end comments on masking to respect everyones time. Normally, Rintz said the public comment portion of the meeting is a time for board members to hear from district residents without formal response. The board allowed four more residents to speak on masking. Return to in-person learning: School officials were required to sign an attestation form ensuring they will implement and enforce the universal mask mandate from the state Department of Health. Despite the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations on mask-wearing for fully vaccinated individuals, the board said the requirements under the attestation form are in effect until May 31. If the district violates this agreement, Rintz said, district Superintendent Mike Leichliter could lose his superintendent license. Race curriculum in the schools: Resident Quay Hanna spoke out against what he called "critical race theory" in school districts as a representative of the Penn Manor Community Alliance. Hanna said the alliance is a newly formed group of parents and community members. Critical race theory is an academic concept built around the idea that inequality and discrimination are embedded within society rather than the products of individual opinions and choices. Quotable: We encourage you to push for curriculum that is honest about Americas failures but also the incredible ways we have overcome those shortcomings to continue moving forward in creating a nation that focuses on the content of our character and not the color of our skin, Hanna said. Budget update: The board approved a proposed budget of $98.55 million with a 3.8% tax increase. With the proposed real estate millage rate of 17.62, a homeowner of a property assessed at $180,750 would pay $3,186 in taxes. The school board will vote on the final budget on June 21. Flexible instructional days: After receiving unanimous approval from the board, the district will be submitting a three-year application for flexible instructional days to allow remote learning when school buildings are prevented from opening due to hazardous weather, disease or epidemic, a law enforcement emergency, damage to the school building or temporary circumstances that render the use of the building unsafe. Whats next: The board will meet at 7 p.m. on June 7 in the Manor Middle School auditorium, 2950 Charlestown Road. Watch remotely at youtube.com/pennmanorschools. When: West Lampeter Township Supervisors meeting, May 10, in person. What happened: Supervisors voted unanimously to allow the West Lampeter Township Police Department to pursue accreditation through the Pennsylvania Law Enforcement Accreditation Commission. Background: Accreditation is an intensive process that examines police practices and measures them against statewide standards. Chief Brian Wiczkowski said there are 139 standards, each of which requires two proofs of compliance. The process includes an initial assessment of the police building and a final assessment once standards are in place. The cost is $1,000 annually with charges starting the year following accreditation achievement. Quotable: Wiczkowski said the process takes more than a year but that department personnel can handle the workload without diminishing street patrols. Its heavy work, but its good in the long run. From a professional standpoint, its the right thing to do. Related: West Lampeter Friends of the Force agreed to purchase for three years a data management system that will capture department policies. Policies are currently being updated to conform with accreditation guidelines. Also reported at the meeting, the group agreed to pay for body cameras for the departments 17 officers at a cost of $24,450. Other items: Supervisors approved the final land development plan for Snyder Funeral Homes and Crematory at 2421 Willow Street Pike. Also, Township Manager DeeDee McGuire informed the board of a meeting with property owners in the Hayward Heath development where stormwater infrastructure needs repair. The township will repair the parts of the infrastructure it owns; homeowners must pay to fix pipe that is on their properties. On Jan. 6, supporters of then-President Donald Trump tried to violently overturn an election that he legitimately lost. Sixty-four Republican Pennsylvania state legislators had previously signed a letter urging Congress to vote against certifying the states election results part of a disinformation campaign contributing to the January insurrection. Now it seems that many Republicans are trying to make us forget this, through distraction and changing the subject. Pennsylvania public radio station WITF is, in my view, is doing a great service by not letting us forget that these elected officials either knowingly spread disinformation or outright lied in an effort to keep Trump in office. When such an elected official is in the news for whatever reason, the WITF news team simply reminds people, in an aside, how this legislator acted in an attempt to overturn the election. An example: In a WITF story about Lancaster County state Sen. Ryan Aument and COVID-19 vaccines, the news report mentions that he was a signatory to the letter urging Congress not to certify Pennsylvanias election results. If you watch or listen to the news both cable and broadcast please notice how the topic of the insurrection hardly ever comes up. Republican politicians who are guests, or who are speaking, are not called out on their contributions to the anti-democratic election fraud lie. An exception is WITF. They are doing this for us. They remind us. If you value our democracy, be sure to thank them for their brave journalism in helping us to fight for it. Elaine Gross West Lampeter Township In response to the May 1 letter The irony of criticizing Trump: The writer compares former Democratic presidents from modern history and their flaws to former President Donald Trumps flaws. So, the Republican presidents during this time were not flawed? Do you remember Richard Nixon? The writer states that John F. Kennedy indulged in extramarital affairs. Trump has, as well, to the point of paying hush money to one of his sexual partners. The writer also states that Lyndon Johnson had a foul mouth, along with bad eating habits. Trump checks that box. The writer goes on to label Bill Clinton as immoral, and Barack Obama as anti-American and opposed to biblical values. Remember Trump gloating about grabbing womens genitalia? And when Trump was asked what his favorite Bible verse was, he stuttered and stammered and couldnt name one. And then, of course, the writer describes Trump as a hard-hitting savior who fought to preserve religious liberty, protect the southern border and save us from socialism. At least the writer did add vulgar to the description of Trump. The writer states that the criticism of Trump is unwarranted. Attacking a free and fair election the backbone of democracy. Inciting an insurrection on the U.S. government because he lost the election. Downplaying COVID-19 by claiming it will go away while thousands died. The only president in our nations history to be impeached twice. Unwarranted criticism? I believe Trumps former chief of staff, Gen. John Kelly, described Trump best when he reportedly told friends: He is the most flawed person I have ever met in my life. D.G. Root East Hempfield Township China Insists at UN Security Council, Supporting Africa Now Against COVID Is Our Defense Line May 20, 2021 (EIRNS)Speaking as host at a virtual meeting of the UN Security Council on May 19, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi called on the international community to ensure the accessibility and affordability of vaccines against COVID in Africa. The event was called Peace and Security in Africa. Wang declared: The international community should give more help in pandemic prevention materials, medical supplies, technology and funds, especially through free assistance, preferential procurement, technology transfer, cooperative production and other means to ensure the accessibility and affordability of vaccines in Africa. South China Morning Post further quoted Wang as saying: Africa is an important part of the global anti-pandemic effort. An urgent task now is to build a defense line against the pandemic in Africa ... China calls on all countries with the ability, to provide vaccines to Africa urgently. Wang continued: China welcomes more countries and international organizations, especially Africas traditional cooperation partners, to join this initiative, adhering to the principle of Africa-led, equal-footing, and openness, strengthening coordination and cooperation, committing to real multilateralism, so as to gather the strong force to support Africas development. Also speaking at the event, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said that, of the 1.4 billion COVID-19 vaccine doses administered around the world, only 24 million, or less than 2%, had reached Africa. Equitable and sustainable vaccine roll-out worldwide is the quickest path towards a fast and fair recovery, Guterres said. This requires sharing of doses, removing export restrictions, ramping up local production and fully funding the ACT-Accelerator and its Covax Facility. Wu Peng, the director of the Chinese Foreign Ministrys Africa department, told a press conference on the same day that China had provided vaccines to nearly 40 African countries at favorable prices. In a not-so-veiled reference to the U.S., Wu compared Chinas actions to those of some countries that have said they have to wait for their own people to finish the vaccination before they could supply the vaccines to foreign countries. We believe that it is, of course, necessary to ensure that the Chinese people get vaccinated as soon as possible, but for other countries in need, we also try our best to provide vaccine help. South China Morning Post reported that the figures from Beijings Bridge Consulting show that African nations have ordered about 33 million vaccine doses from China and have been outright donated another 5.45 million by Beijing. China has also donated 10.5 million vaccines to countries in the Asia-Pacific region. Facing U.S. Sanctions Threat, El Salvador Turns to China and Russia To Back Its Sovereign Development May 20, 2021 (EIRNS)All over the world, nations are beginning to recognize that an alternative to the dying old order of geopolitics, colonialism, and usury is coming into being, with sovereign nations joining together for mutual development. Central America is no exception to the process. We are very enthusiastic about strengthening the relationship with Russia, we are facing a world with new challenges and opportunities, and we want to take advantage of those opportunities, Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele told Russian Ambassador Alexander Khokholikov yesterday, in receiving the new ambassadors credentials. Bukele declared that El Salvador recognizes the importance of Russia in the world. Khokholikov responded in the same spirit, assuring President Bukele that the Russian government also wishes to increase cooperation. We are going to work bilaterally and multilaterally, he said, because that is how it should be to maximize mutual benefit, both of Russia and El Salvador. Today Chinas Embassy in El Salvador issued an important communique, reiterating that the agreement signed with El Salvador for China to oversee the construction of four development projects requested by the Salvadoran government, spells out that China is covering the costs of the project (see accompanying slug). President Bukele immediately posted the communique to his Twitter, much followed by others in the region, as well as Salvadorans at home and abroad. The Biden administration, which has supplied neither vaccines nor economic development aid to the region, is publicly threatening to overthrow the governments of El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras if they break with the old order. This is being done in the name of fighting corruption in Central America. The State Department included in its list of corrupt officials in those countries which it released on May 18, for example, two top Bukele administration officials: the Presidents Chief of Cabinet Carolina Recinos and Minister of Security and Justice Rogelio Rivas. The charges are preposterous: Recinos is accused of engaging in significant acts of corruption during her term in office (no further details), while Rivas significant acts of corruption were that he allegedly awarded his own private construction company several noncompetitive and unadvertised contracts to build police stations and other buildings that fall under his official capacity and inflated the cost of materials. U.S. Rep. Norma Torres (D-CA), head of the Central American Caucus in the House of Representatives, and a close ally of Vice President Kamala Harris, proclaimed on May 18 as she released the list: I will be relentless in demanding accountability from our governmentif we know someone is corrupt, I expect our government to use all levers at our disposal, including sanctions, visa restrictions, withholding support to deter future acts of corruption, and dismantling the systems that allow corruption to occur. Ayazudin Hilal worked as an interpreter alongside U.S. soldiers on hundreds of patrols and firefights in eastern Afghanistan. He earned a medal recognizing his work and an American commander also praised his efforts in a letter. But when he asked for one of the few special visas that would permit him to go to the United States, he was told no. Now, as American and NATO forces prepare to leave the country, he and thousands of others who worked with American troops are afraid. They fear they will be targeted by the Taliban. We are not safe, the 41-year-old father of six said. The Taliban is calling us and telling us, Your stepbrother is leaving the country soon, and we will kill all of you guys. The future of interpreters after the troop withdrawal is one of the many uncertainties surrounding the withdrawal. Will the Taliban return? Will women lose the rights they have gained? Will the countrys security situation worsen and terrorist threats rise? Interpreters and other Afghans who worked for the U.S. government or NATO can get what is known as a special immigrant visa, or SIV. The visa program was created in 2009. It is similar to a program that was created for Iraqis. Both SIV programs have long received criticism. The paperwork is long, with security concerns slowing the process even more. The pandemic has made the whole system even more difficult. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said last month that the U.S. is committed to helping interpreters and other Afghans who aided the war effort. Many, he said, took great risks to help the U.S. The Biden administration has launched an investigation into SIV programs. Investigators are looking at reasons for the delays, as well as possible corruption and other issues. Former interpreters are becoming increasingly public about what they fear would happen under Taliban leaders. They absolutely are going to kill us, Mohammad Shoaib Walizada said after joining others in a protest in Kabul. He is a former interpreter for the U.S. Army. At least 300 interpreters have been killed in Afghanistan since 2016. The Taliban have made it clear they will continue to be targeted, said Matt Zeller. He is a co-founder of No One Left Behind, an organization that works for the rights of those who aided the U.S. Army. He also served in the country as an Army officer. The Taliban considers them to be literally enemies of Islam, said Zeller, adding Theres no mercy for them. Members of Congress and former service members have also urged the U.S. government to fix the SIV process, which now takes more than three years. State Department spokesperson Ned Price said last week that the U.S. Embassy in Kabul had increased employees to help with the visa requests. In December, Congress added 4,000 visas. That brings the total number of Afghans who can come with their family members to 26,500. About 50 percent have been given out and 18,000 more have been requested. Critics and those who work with refugees said the need to help Afghans could sharply increase if the country falls into chaos. As it is, several warlords that were supported by the United States and NATO threaten the countrys future, along with the Taliban. Afghan security forces are weak and poorly equipped to fight both threats. Noah Coburn is an expert on Afghanistan at Vermonts Bennington College. While praising the Biden administrations attempts to fix the visa system, he told The Associated Press he thinks the entire program needs to be rebuilt. If they are not willing to sort of rethink the entire thing, they are not going to actually start helping those Afghans who are most at need, Coburn said. He estimates there could be as many as 300,000 Afghans who worked for the U.S. or NATO in some form over the last 20 years. Recently, there have been killings of Afghan government workers, reporters and others. The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for some of the deaths, while the Taliban and the Afghan government blame each other. Former interpreters have support in Congress, in part because many also have the support of former American troops. Walizada, for example, provided a letter of support from an Army sergeant who worked with him in many patrols, including one where the interpreter was wounded by Taliban gunfire. I cannot recall a linguist who had a greater dedication to his country or the coalition cause, the sergeant wrote. At first, Walizada was approved for a visa. But then the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services told him it had harmful information you may be unaware of, in a letter he showed the AP. His visa was denied. Walizada has appealed the decision. Im Susan Shand. The Associated Press reported this story. Susan Shand adapted it for Learning English. Bryan Lynn was the editor. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story interpreter n. a person who translates the words that someone is speaking into a different language literally adv. having the real or original meaning of a word or phrase mercy n. kindness that makes you forgive someone chaos n. a situation in which there is no order warlord n. the leader of a military group who is not officially recognized and who fights against other leaders, groups, or governments linguist n. someone who is good at learning foreign languages dedication n. a willingness to give a lot of time and energy to something because you believe it is important We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section, and visit our Facebook page Israel and Hamas militants announced a cease-fire Thursday. The move ended an 11-day war that caused widespread destruction in the Gaza Strip, killed at least 230 Palestinians there and halted life in much of Israel. The office of Israels Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel accepted an Egyptian proposal after a late-night meeting of his security cabinet. Hamas quickly followed and said it would honor the deal. In a statement, Netanyahus office praised the significant achievements of the military operation. It also warned Hamas that the reality on the ground will determine the future of the campaign. Taher Nounou, a Hamas official, confirmed the deal. The Palestinian resistance will commit itself to this deal as long as the occupation is committed, he said. Egypts state-run MENA news agency said the truce would take effect at 2300 hours UTC. That is about three hours after the announcement. The agreement would end the heaviest fighting between Israel and Hamas since a 50-day war in 2014. Speaking at the White House on Thursday, U.S. President Joe Biden thanked Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi for his part in negotiating the cease-fire. Biden also praised Israel for ending the hostilities. Biden added, the United States fully supports Israels right to defend itself. And he said the U.S. will work with international partners and the Palestinian Authority, not Hamas, to provide humanitarian aid to people in Gaza. Both Israel and the United States officially consider Hamas a terrorist group and Hamas government is not internationally recognized. The war started on May 10. Hamas militants fired rockets at Jerusalem after hundreds of Palestinians were hurt in clashes with Israeli troops during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. At the same time, Israel was planning to remove Palestinian families from an east Jerusalem neighborhood that its military captured after the 1967 Arab-Israeli War. The Israeli military said Hamas and other armed groups had fired more than 4,000 rockets from Gaza over the past week. Israel's missile defense system intercepted most of them, it said. Twelve people in Israel, including a five-year-old boy, a 16-year-old girl and a soldier, were also killed. The Gaza health ministry said at least 230 Palestinians were killed, including 65 children and 39 women, with 1,710 people wounded. Hamas and the militant group Islamic Jihad said at least 20 of their fighters were killed. Israel said the number was at least 130. An estimated 58,000 Palestinians also fled their homes. Many sought shelter in crowded United Nations schools. International organizations reported that the Israeli bombing has also damaged schools and hospitals across the territory. Im Mario Ritter, Jr. Hai Do wrote this report for VOA Learning English with additional material from the AP and Reuters. Mario Ritter, Jr. was the editor. ____________________________________________________ Words in This Story significant adj. very important; large enough to be noticed or have an effect achievement n. something that has been done or gained through effort or hard work determine v. to decide, to be the cause of intercept - v. to stop and catch something before it gets there We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. Some scientists say there is growing evidence that yearly booster shots may not be needed to protect people against COVID-19. Vaccine developers have been advising that the world will need yearly booster injections to remain protected. Vaccine producers have also suggested that new vaccines might be necessary to fight new virus versions, also called variants. But these suggestions were disputed by more than 12 influential disease and vaccine development experts who recently spoke to Reuters news agency reporters. Some of the scientists expressed concern that public expectations around COVID-19 boosters are being set by drug company executives rather than health specialists. Still, many agreed that preparing for such a need as a precaution was reasonable. The scientists fear that a push by wealthy nations for repeat vaccination as early as this year will deepen the divide with poorer countries that are struggling to buy vaccines. In some nations, it may take years to vaccinate their citizens even once. "We don't see the data yet that would inform a decision about whether or not booster doses are needed," said Kate O'Brien. She is director of the Department of Immunization, Vaccines and Biologicals at the World Health Organization (WHO). O'Brien said the WHO is forming a group of experts to examine available data on virus variants and the effectiveness of vaccines before issuing advice on future vaccination programs. The chief of Pfizer, Albert Bourla, has said people will likely need a yearly booster of the companys vaccine to keep high levels of immunity against COVID-19 and its variants. Such a booster would be similar to yearly shots many people are urged to get to protect themselves against influenza infection. Dr. Tom Frieden is the former director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). He disagrees with that idea. "There is zero, and I mean zero, evidence to suggest that that is the case," he told Reuters. "It's completely inappropriate to say that we're likely to need a (yearly) booster, because we have no idea what the likelihood of that is," Frieden added. Frieden is now head of the international public health campaign Resolve to Save Lives. Pfizer reacted to the criticism by saying it expects a need for boosters while the virus is still spreading widely. That need could lessen when the pandemic is more fully controlled, a company spokeswoman said. Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel said his company aims to provide a vaccine by the autumn that targets a variant first identified in South Africa. He said he expects repeat boosters will be needed. The United States is preparing to have booster doses available for Americans. The European Union, Britain and Israel have ordered new supplies of COVID-19 vaccines to deploy as protective boosters. Some health experts say vaccine makers are right to plan for boosters since no one knows what will be needed in the future. Richard Hatchett is the chief executive of the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), which has financed many vaccine projects. He told Reuters that if the vaccine producers have the doses on hand, governments can then decide for themselves whether to buy the products. Im Bryan Lynn. Reuters reported on this story. Bryan Lynn adapted the report for VOA Learning English. Susan Shand was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. ___________________________________________ Words in This Story booster n. a small amount of a substance given to increase the effect of the same substance given sometime before, to continue to protect a person from getting sick precaution n. an action that is done to prevent something unpleasant or dangerous from happening dose n. the amount of medication to be taken at one time immunity n. the power to keep yourself from being affected by a disease inappropriate adj. not suitable On an overcast Friday morning, 25 kids lined Tadmor Lake ready to catch fish with the help of police officers. This was the Lebanon Police Departments 14th annual Cast with a Cop day on June 22. LPD officers, along with Linn County Sheriffs Office deputies, showed older kids how to tie hooks and cast-off. Younger kids had an officer do this part for them. One of the officers casting off for kids was LPD interim chief Ben Silverman. Once he got a fish on the hook, he handed the pole to one of the kids to reel it in. Josh Bower, 6, is one of several kids who caught a fish with Silvermans help. I like to catch the fish, Josh said. Later, Josh said he found a crab, though a little while later he claimed it was a lobster. It was actually a crawdad trying to eat the caught fish that were hanging on a line in the water, Silverman said. Joshs brother James Bower, 7, also caught a fish with the chiefs help. But it wasnt his first time catching a fish. Hillary Clinton criticized President Donald Trump on Thursday for failing to implement Russian sanctions that Congress passed earlier this year, arguing at a Democratic women's event that the President is shirking America's responsibility. Clinton, in an on-camera conversation with California Sen. Dianne Feinstein, also faulted the Trump administration's policy on contraception, arguing that restricting women's rights to abortion and contraception is saying "women have no right to control their own reproductive capacity." Congress reached a deal earlier this year to slap fresh sanctions on Russia and restrict the President's veto power to block any easing of those sanctions. The agreement headed to Trump's desk, where the sanctions have yet to be implemented. The State Department -- 25 days after guidance on the sanctions were due -- issued direction on which Russian individuals and entities will be subject to sanctions under the newly passed legislation. The lack of guidance had drawn bipartisan scorn. Lewiston, ID (83501) Today A mix of clouds and sun early followed by cloudy skies this afternoon. High 79F. SE winds shifting to W at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Cloudy skies with periods of rain late. Low 57F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%. Lewiston, ID (83501) Today Partly cloudy skies this morning will become overcast during the afternoon. High 79F. E winds shifting to WSW at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Cloudy with occasional rain late. Low 57F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%. Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Life featured A Lifetime of Service: Eastview celebrates pastors birthday, 50th year in the ministry GARY STALLARD/For The Lufkin Daily News/ David Hunt, pastor at Eastview United Pentecostal Church in Lufkin, has served in the ministry for 50 years. Eastview on Sunday will celebrate both his long-time service and his 70th birthday. David Hunts first big break in the ministry occurred when he was in high school. It was an actual break. He broke his arm. An avid baseball player with career aspirations, Hunt was talked into playing football as well. In his first game on the gridiron, he suffered a broken arm. No big deal, he thought. Ill still be ready for baseball season. But the arm didnt heal correctly. Hunt, a catcher, learned hed permanently lost the mobility necessary to make the plays hed always made. That signaled the end of his athletic dreams. Now what? Before then, Hunt said, hed basically avoided attending church. There were other things for a teen to do on those Friday evenings when youth groups gathered. With his Fridays now free from athletics obligations, Hunt finally attended a service still wearing his cast. There, he met Luetta Brown, who wore bandages courtesy of a recent car accident. Clearly, they were meant for each other. Hunt felt the pull toward the ministry around the same time he met his future wife. From there, his life started taking the form it would follow for the next 50 years. This Sunday, Eastview United Pentecostal Church will recognize Hunt, the churchs pastor for the past 20 years, for both his 70th birthday and his 50 years of serving in the ministry. Throughout those 50 years, the Hunts have followed the steps David says God laid out before them. He first obtained his ministry licenses in 1970. In the same year, he began attending Texas Bible College, receiving his local licenses with the United Pentecostal Church International. Hed marry Luetta in September 1971. Hunt graduated TBC in 1974 and, with Luetta and daughter Kimberly in tow, moved to Brenham the next day. There, the Hunts would establish the First Pentecostal Church of Brenham and the Brenham Christian Academy. Theyd welcome their youngest daughter, Rachel, in Brenham. David served on various committees and organizations to help spread his ministry. Fifteen years later, David said, the family felt called to return to Texas Bible College, where David served as an instructor and Luetta served as a college registrar. They supported students ministries through various mission trips around the world. In 1995, the Hunt family moved to Center, where David served as pastor of the Center Pentecostal Church. Finally, in 2002, the Hunts relocated to Lufkin, where David began his time as pastor of Eastview United Pentecostal Church. Over these nearly 20 years, Eastview has seen its church population more than double. The Family Life Center opened, and the churchs outreach has expanded considerably to locations as far as the Solomon Islands. And now, Hunt serves as vice president of his beloved Texas Bible College. TBC is very important to me because I feel I have a debt to pay, Hunt said. When I started TBC in 1970, I didnt have any direction in my life. I just knew I wanted to do work for God. While I was there, through the classes, the chapels and the work of the Spirit, I got direction. Hunt said his focus as a pastor isnt just about getting people to attend church. In his mind, church exists outside the pews. To me, coming to church is very essential to our walk with God, Hunt said. But its for a purpose. Its not just so we can mark off something on our calendar. We come to church to become equipped to be effective in our community, to take our Christian walk out of the doors of this church and into the streets, into our jobs, into our families, so they can see Christ through us. My responsibility as a pastor is to equip the saints to do the work of the ministry. Too often, we get it backwards. We say, OK, Preacher, you take care of the spiritual stuff, and Ill take care of the natural stuff. Its not that way. Its pastor, can you equip me to be a more effective Christian in my community? That, to me, is my responsibility. Hunt credits his wife for walking every step of these past 50 years right alongside him even when it meant making personal sacrifices, including less-than-ideal living arrangements in some of the areas they resided. I could not have done what Ive done without her support, Hunt said. She has been open and willing to every direction and move God has given us in our ministry. After all these years, we finally have the home shes always dreamed of having. I feel God has rewarded her for putting up with me. As for his current church home the longest the Hunt family has stayed in one area since David began his ministry David said hes reaping the benefits of those long-time relationships. This church family is such a wonderful group of people, Hunt said. Ive watched them grow and develop; Ive watched children born, grow up and get married. Not long ago, we had about 12 weddings in the summer, and it was an entire group of kids Ive watched. Now theyre grown and having babies, so our church is growing that way, too. Thats been my greatest reward. Thats why Im still here. I love the people. We have great unity and a good church body. They love the Lord, and they want to do great things in this community. The idea is that after five years your home will have gained enough equity to recoup those expensive closing costs when you sell. Closing costs, which include a sizable real estate commission, can devour up to 10% or more of the sale price. That means in order for you to break even, your house has to sell for 10% more than what you bought it for. If you sell before the value outstrips the closing costs, you could end up spending more money on selling your house, which is not a position any homeowners wants to be in. But if a local market is particularly hot (as were seeing in many areas across the country today), home values can rise exponentially in a short period of time. Another reason why the five-year rule is batted around might have to do with capital gains tax rules, says Shashank Shekhar, CEO at Arcus Lending. That rule says that in order to avoid a capital gains tax of up to $500,000 (for married homeowners), the homeowners would need to live in their homes for two of the last five years. But then the homeowners could just live in the home for the first two years and avoid paying capital gains tax, Shekhar says. In which case, they dont have to necessarily live in the home for five years. Staying In Your Home Could Cost You Money Great Wolf Lodge is evaluating its face coverings policy in light of the CDCs announcement, according to Jason Lasecki, vice president of corporate communications. The resorts current face mask requirement policy for all public areas still remains in effect until further notice, he said. Throughout this pandemic, we have prioritized the health and safety of our guests and pack members, and we will continue to evaluate and update our face covering policy with this as our guiding principle, Lasecki said. According to the Great Wolf Lodges website, the resort mandates all guests ages 5 and over wear a face covering in all public areas of the resort except while dining, visiting outdoor areas where a physical distance of six feet is maintainable or at water park attractions. A representative from Kalahari Resorts was not available for comment on if its mask policy. Chula Vista Resort Vice President Krissy Kaminski Sigmund said the resort did not have any comment at this time on the topic. Wisconsins current unemployment rate is 3.9%, compared to 3.1% in March 2020 before the coronavirus hit, and 14.1% in April 2020. The U.S. average is 6.1%. Sen. Chris Larson, D-Milwaukee, rejected the premise that people are refusing to return to work because of their unemployment benefits. If they make more on UI than by working, that says a hell of a lot more about the kinds of wages employers are willing to pay than the work ethic of our Wisconsin neighbors, Larson said in a statement. DWD Secretary-designee Amy Pechacek noted during Wednesdays administrative rules review committee hearing that low-wage workers, women and people of color have had higher rates of job loss and slower rates of economic recovery related to the pandemic attributed in part to family caregiving needs and employment in the service and hospitality industries. Access to affordable child care has impeded some peoples ability to return to work, she said. Wisconsin election law makes voting extremely accessible for voters with disabilities. Republican election reforms will make our election processes more transparent and more consistent while also protecting and strengthening accommodations for voters who are truly disabled. Last year a widespread misinformation campaign spearheaded by the Dane County clerk urged voters to claim indefinite confinement as a means of bypassing Wisconsins voter ID law. While the Wisconsin Elections Commission and the Wisconsin Supreme Court both rebuked the clerk for the misinformation, serious damage was done. The number of indefinitely confined voters in Wisconsin increased 238% over the course of last year, with roughly 243,900 residents claiming indefinite confinement by the November election. The indefinite confinement statute is an important mechanism for those who are truly indefinitely confined due to illness, disability or age. When thousands of Wisconsin voters claimed indefinite confinement last year without actually deserving the status, it was extremely disrespectful to those who are disabled and who use the special accommodation to cast their ballot. Biden and Netanyahu's talks were just a small sample of the furious diplomacy that the White House conducted. The president and senior aides had over 80 engagements -- by phone or in person -- as it looked for an endgame to the fighting, according to the White House. Biden's speech celebrating the cease-fire lasted just 3 minutes delivered just in time for evening news broadcasts. He reiterated his belief that Israel has a right to defend itself, expressed condolences for Palestinian civilians who died in the Israeli bombardment and promised that humanitarian aid to Gaza Strip was on its way. It was an enigmatic, and perhaps fitting, bookend to the sort of messy Middle East crisis he had hoped to avoid, particularly early in a presidency already oversubscribed with managing the public health and economic tumult caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The conflict had also exposed a rift between Biden and members of his own party. The president who over nearly 50 years in national politics has burnished a reputation for unwavering support of Israel leads a Democratic Party that has trended toward a far more divided outlook on the correct path to peace between Israel and the Palestinians. And Republicans, for their part, were all too eager to use the raging violence as ammunition against Biden's presidency. Today is Friday, May 21, 2021. Let's get caught up. These headlines are in the news this morning: Palestinians celebrated after a cease-fire took hold in Gaza, halting the 11-day war with Israel; White House infrastructure negotiations with the GOP reach a critical stage; and the Cuomo brothers are now both under fire. Read on for these stories, other top headlines, celebrity birthdays and more. TOP STORIES Palestinians claim victory as Gaza truce faces early test GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) Palestinians rallied by the thousands early Friday after a cease-fire took effect in the latest Gaza war, with many viewing it as costly but clear victory for the Islamic militant group Hamas over a far more powerful Israel. The 11-day war left more than 200 dead the vast majority Palestinians and brought widespread devastation to the already impoverished Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip. But the rocket barrages that brought life to a standstill in much of Israel were seen by many Palestinians as a bold response to perceived Israeli abuses in Jerusalem, the emotional heart of the conflict. CEUTA, Spain (AP) Officials in Ceuta, a Spanish enclave in North Africa, faced complications Friday in reuniting worried Moroccan parents with hundreds of children and teenagers swept up in a diplomatic standoff between Madrid and Rabat over migration and the disputed territory of Western Sahara. So far, authorities have confirmed 438 unaccompanied minors were among more than 8,000 people who arrived in Ceuta from Morocco between Monday and Wednesday by scaling a border fence or swimming around it. Social service workers were checking the ages of many more young people who are in shelters or roaming the streets, Mabel Deu, a spokesperson for the autonomous city, said. A hotline set up Thursday had received 4,400 calls by a day later from desperate relatives seeking information, she said. Many of the inquiries were about minors. Our goal is that they reunite with their parents as soon as possible because we understand the anguish and worry of many families who dont know where their children are, Deu said. Morocco has already taken back over 6,600 of the migrants who made it to Ceuta, Spanish authorities said. Entering the city put them in European Union territory. Hundreds of thousands of asylum-seekers attempt to reach Europe from Africa each year. A 31-year-old man from Beloit was injured and taken to a hospital after a drive-by shooting Friday morning, the Rock County Sheriff's Office said. Rock County Sheriff's deputies responded along with Beloit police and fire to a report of the shooting on the 1800 block of Milwaukee Road near the bridge over the Turtle Creek flood plain at around 9:40 a.m., Sgt. Josh Lund said. The initial investigation found that two cars were traveling west on Milwaukee Road from Willowbrook Road when a dark-colored sedan believed to have had two men inside pulled up next to the 31-year-old man's car and fired multiple rounds into it, Lund said. The two men then fled the area westbound on Milwaukee Road. The shooting does not appear to be random, Lund said. The 31-year-old man turned around and traveled east, stopping at Leeson Park Road, where he called 911 to report he had been shot. He was taken to a local hospital with what are believed to be non-life threatening injuries. Multiple shell casings from a handgun were found along Milwaukee Road near the Turtle Creek bridge, and some marijuana was recovered from the weeds near Leeson Park Road during a K9 search. Milwaukee Road was closed for more than three hours after the shooting. Wisconsins U.S. senators on Friday recommended a federal prosecutor and a private practice attorney as candidates to be the lead federal prosecutor for the Madison-based Western District of Wisconsin. The bipartisan Wisconsin Federal Nominating Commission headed by Sens. Tammy Baldwin, D-Madison, and Ron Johnson, R-Oshkosh nominated Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane Schlipper and Sopen Shah, an associate attorney in the Madison office of the law firm of Perkins Coie, to succeed Scott Blader as U.S. attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin. Schlipper was an assistant district attorney in Dane County for nearly five years before joining the U.S. Attorneys Office in 2016. She is a 2011 graduate of the UW-Madison Law School. She also has a masters degree in social work from Loyola University of Chicago and previously worked in social services before attending law school. Shah is a 2015 graduate of Yale Law School. At Perkins Coie, she specializes in business litigation and in appeals, issues and strategy, according to the firms website. Recently, she represented the Democratic National Committee and the Democratic Party of Wisconsin in a voting case which, in a span of three weeks, went from U.S. District Court in Madison to the U.S. Supreme Court. Republicans on the committee said several items proposed by Democratic lawmakers could come before the Legislature in the form of individual bills. In addition, Republicans said the $2.5 billion in federal stimulus funds, of which Evers has sole discretion over as governor, could also be used toward homelessness programs. We know there was a significant investment made, we know that some of those funds have already been distributed and we also know that a lot of new funding is going to be coming our way and there are going to be options to invest more in some of these programs, said Rep. Amy Loudenbeck, R-Clinton. Republicans hope to send a finalized budget to Evers by the end of June. As governor, Evers has partial veto power, which he could use to make adjustments. Body cameras rejected Another item in Evers budget that Republicans rejected Thursday would have allocated $100,000 over the two-year period to buy 35 to 50 body cameras, and provide data storage, for Capitol Police officers. The committee also voted to allocate $1.56 million, split over the biennium, toward ongoing marketing by the states tourism department. JEROME Hempitecture, a Ketchum-based manufacturer of sustainable building materials, will build a plant in the Magic Valley, cofounder and CEO Matthew Mead announced Thursday. The company turns industrial hemp into fiber batting that could potentially replace fiberglass insulation and other toxic building materials. Its products HempWool and Hempcrete are sustainably sourced from farmers who legally grow hemp. Idaho farmers have been advocating for their ability to grow the plant which contains less than 0.3% of THC, the compound that gives its cannabis cousin marijuana its high since the 2018 federal farm bill legalized it, Mead told members of Business Plus on Thursday at the groups quarterly meeting at the Mountain View Barn. Just last month, Idaho became the last state in the U.S. to legalize its production and transportation. Idaho growers have a long way to catch up to other states hemp production levels. But in the long run, Mead is confident the product will become a staple in the Magic Valley. Montana is the main source of Hempitectures product, he said. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} Hemp is naturally fire- and pest-resistant, he said. BURLEY Cassia County jurors in the Gilberto Flores Rodriguez first-degree murder trial were excused on Friday while attorneys and the judge had a Zoom hearing. Rodriguez is charged in connection with the murder of teen Regina Krieger, who disappeared from her Burley home in 1995 and was later found dead along the Snake River. During the Friday meeting, Judge Michael Tribe asked Cassia County Prosecutor McCord Larsen to facilitate getting a copy of a Greeley, Colorado, police report to keep the trial moving forward after a motion was filed by Rodriguezs attorney, Keith Roark. Is this solely for the purpose of impeachment? Larsen asked. Roark confirmed that it was. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} At trial, impeachment is the process of attacking the accuracy of a witnesss testimony. On Thursday, Larsen had called Idaho Department of Correction inmate Carlos Tena to testify during the trial. Tena testified that Rodriguez, whom he knew during the 1990s, had confided in him that hed disposed of or killed Krieger. He also told the court that hed been with Rodriguez when Rodriguez committed murder by shooting a man in Greeley and another man after a fight in Ogden, Utah. After two bills aimed at curbing his authority during an emergency reached his desk, Little issued a statement that included support from four previous governors announcing his intention to veto the legislation. A few weeks later, after the Legislature failed to override his veto, Little signed four versions of these bills that he said were compromises. I made a commitment, even last summer at the beginning of the (special) session, that said Look if we want to reexamine how the Legislature is involved, thats fair, Little said. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} Little also discussed a proposed constitutional amendment the Legislatures pushed through this session that would give lawmakers to call themselves back to Boise for a special session. Idahoans will vote on the amendment in the November 2022 election. Lawmakers pursued these changes after becoming frustrated with not being involved in some of the decisions Little made during the COVID-19 pandemic, such as how to spend $1.25 billion in federal assistance. The question is, Little said, do you need 105 people (in the Capitol) making these determinations when the state of Idaho; we had a gun to our head from the federal government. That money had to be spent by December. We saw this session, it took 122 days to do the appropriations (bill). NEW BERN, N.C. (AP) The world's largest fishing and recreational boat builder on Thursday announced its acquisition of North Carolina-based Hatteras Yachts, with plans to upgrade Hatteras operations in New Bern as White River Marine Group seeks to boost saltwater vessel sales. WRMG, a subsidiary of the company that operates Bass Pro Shops and Cabela's, aims to create 500 new jobs at its proposed Craven County operations by 2025, according to state Commerce Department officials. With Hatteras rich heritage of craftsmanship and access to some of the worlds best offshore angling, our aim is to help solidify New Bern as the worlds capital for saltwater gamefish and boat building, Bass Pro Shops CEO Johnny Morris said in a news release from Gov. Roy Cooper's office. Morris, Cooper, House Speaker Tim Moore and others joined White River Marine leaders for the announcement at Hatteras operations near the Neuse River. WRMG, whose corporate parent is Missouri-based Bass Pro Groups, was looking for a coastal location to shift its saltwater manufacturing from the Midwest. The Ranger Saltwater and Mako saltwater boat brands will now be built in New Bern, according to Coopers news release. Georgia will provide job training, but will not provide any discretionary incentives, Gordon said. Braselton and Jackson County could give property tax breaks. Economic Development Commissioner Pat Wilson said the plant shows how a flagship company like SK Innovation can bring other suppliers in its wake. In Georgia, were focused on growing the entire electric mobility supply chain, Wilson said. SK Innovation announced Thursday that it would form a joint venture with Ford Motor Co. to make batteries and related equipment starting in 2025 to meet Ford's battery needs. The joint venture, called BlueOval SK, would make enough batteries to require about two jointly owned plants. Ford said that it will need the capacity of 10 factories worldwide by 2030. SK said it would spend about $5.3 billion to build the plants, on top of the $2.6 billion it said it is spending on the plant in Commerce. The U.S. International Trade Commission decided in February that SK stole 22 trade secrets from LG Energy, and that SK should be barred from importing, making or selling batteries in the United States for 10 years. The dispute was settled in April with SK agreeing to pay $1.8 billion and an undisclosed royalty, allowing it to move ahead with production in Commerce. Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Congress has voted to let large cruise ships sail directly from Washington state to Alaska without stopping in Canada, a step that could clear the way for cruises later this year. The legislation approved by the House on Thursday goes to President Joe Biden, who is expected to sign it. This legislation is literally a lifeline for so many of Alaskas small businesses that were struggling, and it means jobs for more Alaskans this summer," said Sarah Leonard, president of the Alaska Travel Industry Association. Carnival Corp. said it expects to resume sailing to Alaska in late July and running until early October. The company said its Carnival, Holland America and Princess lines will each operate one ship on round-trip voyages between Seattle and Alaska for fully vaccinated passengers. A longstanding federal law prohibits foreign-flagged ships typically the big cruise liners from carrying passengers between two U.S. ports without stopping in another country. With Canada forbidding any cruise operations through next February, the law threatened to eliminate Alaskan voyages on large ships this year. It's the most powerful test reactor of its kind in the world, producing 250 megawatts at full power. China has a test reactor that can produce 125 megawatts, followed by a test reactor in Belgium that can produce 100 megawatts. The Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee has one that can produce 85 megawatts. The advantage with more power, O'Kelly said, is that fuels and materials can be tested to their limits. You don't want fuel that is designed for 100 megawatts, and the first time you go to 103 megawatts, it fails," he said. "You build a safety margin in, and we have to test to that safety margin. Additionally, the ATR has what OKelly describes as the ability to maintain a constant gradient of neutron flux throughout the core. ATR has this constant curvature of flux, so the experimenters have a fixed power and they know exactly what the power is in that region. He said other test reactors can be more challenging for experiments because the environment is changing during the experiment. The Advanced Test Reactor has been used to develop reactors and fuel that can last the 30-year lifespans of nuclear-powered U.S. warships. Because they don't need refueling, the ships can spend more time on their missions, meaning the Navy needs to build fewer ships. Ive worked in several states, including Pennsylvania and Missouri (also Tennessee), and usually the only option that counselors had to connect high school seniors to opportunities was by purchasing a canned system from a third-party company. Idaho offers free, up-to-date, localized resources through Next Steps Idaho and it has changed the way I work with students. Several years ago, prior to Next Steps, a student approached me for help getting started as a welder after graduation. At the time, the only option I had was to call someone I knew from the Idaho Department of Labor and ask if they had any contacts that could find an apprenticeship. Thankfully, we found a program with an available spot. The student had felt comfortable approaching me for help and I was lucky enough to know who to call. It should never be that difficult for a student to seek the credentials they need for their desired career, thankfully students can now use Next Steps Idaho to easily find apprenticeship opportunities. Speaking from CNN's UN office in New York, Qureshi said of Israel: "The point is they have a lot of influence, and they get a lot of coverage. Now what has balanced that is the citizen journalist who has -- who has been reporting, sharing video clip(s) and that has jolted people and that has woken up people, and people who were sitting on the fence are today speaking up." "Do you see how in different capitals of the world, in London and Madrid, in Michigan, Chicago, every place from Sydney to the European capitals, people have come out and (are) saying put an end to this insanity. They're calling for an immediate ceasefire. The Security Council has failed in... coming out with a joint statement and forging a consensus." While there have been peaceful protests across the world regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, there have also been reports of a rise in anti-Semitic acts in countries such as Germany, the United States and the United Kingdom in recent days. When pressed by Golodryga as to whether he could support calls for peace without anti-Semitic rhetoric, the Pakistani foreign minister said that he would not condone rocket attacks and "the aerial bombardment that is taking place." DETROIT (AP) A student sued the University of Michigan on Thursday to try to force changes in how the school protects the campus from sexual misconduct, the latest strike after a year of scandals involving a doctor and the chief academic officer. The class-action lawsuit seeks a series of reforms, including the appointment of an independent monitor to enforce the steps. There is a difference between having policies and having policies that are empty and not being enforced, Josephine Graham, 21, told The Associated Press. We've seen U of M policies have not been effective in protecting students, she said. A lot of times students have been ignored. There is room for them to improve. The school has been rocked by allegations from hundreds of men who said they were molested by the late Robert Anderson, a campus doctor who spent nearly 40 years at the school. He died in 2008. Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain Seriously ill COVID-19 patients in African countries are more likely to die than those on other continents, which could be because of a lack of critical care equipment, a study published Friday said. Africa's populations have so far been less badly hit by the pandemic than other regions when it comes to total number of cases and deathsbut the authors suggest the mortality rate of those who do get sick could be even higher than their figures suggest because of a lack of data. "Our study is the first to give a detailed and comprehensive picture of what is happening to people who are severely ill with COVID-19 in Africa," Bruce Biccard from Groote Schuur Hospital and the University of Cape Town said in a statement. "Sadly, it indicates that our ability to provide sufficient care is compromised by a shortage of critical care beds and limited resources within intensive care units," Biccard, who co-led the research, added. The study followed 3,000 coronavirus patients admitted to intensive care units across 10 African countries between May and December last year. Almost half of them died within 30 days of admission. When the researchers compared their findings with corresponding studies from other continents, they found the mortality rate was lower elsewhere. On average 31.5 percent of critically ill patients died after admission to intensive care in Asia, Europe and the Americas, compared to 48.2 percent in African countries. Insufficient data "Poor access to potential life-saving interventions... could be factors in the deaths of these patients, and may also partly explain why one in eight patients had therapy withdrawn or limited," said Biccard. The authors estimated that access to treatments such as dialysis and ECMO, a treatment that pumps and oxygenates a patient's blood outside of the body, was between seven and 14 times lower than what is required to treat severely ill patients. Unsurprisingly the study also showed that patients with other health issues such as diabetes, AIDS or kidney problems were more at risk of dying than those without. The authors hope their study, published in The Lancet medical journal, will begin to fill a void of data on critically ill COVID-19 patients in Africa. But noting the limitations of their research, they suggested the situation on the ground could be even worse. The majority of the 64 hospitals in which the study was conducted were state-funded university hospitals, which are generally better equipped than others. The study looked at patients in Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Libya, Malawi, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria and South Africa. Some of thesein particular Egypt and South Africaare among the better medically resourced countries on the continent. A total of nearly 130,000 people have died from COVID-19 in Africa, compared with more than 1.1 million in Europe and over 3.4 million worldwide, according to the latest AFP tally from official sources. But the economic cost has been devastating, and the slow vaccine rollout has raised fears that variants could emerge on the continent that would hit Africans and then spread worldwide. Explore further Follow the latest news on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak 2021 AFP Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain From an ethics perspective, it has been a bad couple of weeks for media coverage of COVID-19. First, there was a highly questionable story in The Australian about China allegedly weaponising coronavirus, with the headline "'Virus warfare' in China files" splashed across the front page. The author of the article, Sharri Markson, claims a document written by Chinese scientists and Chinese public health officials in 2015 discussed the weaponisation of a SARS coronavirus. According to the article, the document was headed "The Unnatural Origin of SARS and New Species of Man-Made Viruses as Genetic Bioweapons." Markson reported the US State Department had obtained the document in the course of investigating the origin of COVID-19. In her article and others that followed, there was talk of a third world war in which biological weapons would be deployed. However, Chengxin Pan, an associate professor at Deakin University, offered a different explanation for the document's origins. He said in a tweet the document Markson cited was in fact a book, the contents of which could be found on the internet or at a Chinese online bookstore. The Chinese 'paper' or 'document' referred to in this report may lead the reader to think this is a leaked document from Chinese military, but in fact it's a published book and here is its full text if ANYONE is interested to know about this 'secret." https://t.co/miuXM1iNQg https://t.co/r08b0geXw3 Chengxin Pan (@ChengxinPan) May 8, 2021 Dominic Meagher, an economist at the Lowy Institute with an extensive China background, tweeted the book was "pretty clearly an idiotic conspiracy theory about how the US and Japan had introduced SARS to China." The ABC program Media Watch raised these questions and more about the article's credibility. Markson has replied that the Chinese Foreign Ministry and Global Times newspaper viewed the document as legitimate and not a conspiracy theory. She said while none of the critics quoted by Media Watch were bioweapons experts, she had interviewed multiple high-level specialists in biological weapons compliance. The ethical problems here are twofold. First, there are clearly questions about the provenance of the document. Was the document uncovered by a US State Department investigation or is it a book available for public sale? It is a basic fact that colors the entire article, and the questions are not resolved by Markson's response. Second, the way the story is framed as revealing Chinese weaponising of biological material is highly alarmist. This generates further public anxiety about COVID-19 and adds to the climate of Sinophobia in Australia. The justification for doing so is, on the available evidence, highly questionable. In a pandemic or any other emergency, the first ethical duty of the media is to report accurately and soberly, and specifically not to induce unjustified anxiety or panic. Naming and shaming In another major ethical lapse, the Australian Financial Review ran a story that named and shamed a Sydney man who had tested positive for the virus. To make it worse, the newspaper put his photo on the front page. This was wrong and irresponsible for several reasons. The man had visited several barbecue shops across Sydney while unknowingly positive. When this became known as part of the media's general contact-tracing publicity, he was dubbed "Barbecue Man" by the Sydney media. So he was already a figure of fun when the Financial Review identified him. Its excuse for naming him? He was a financial analyst doing due diligence on the Barbecues Galore chain. The AFR's editor-in-chief, Michael Stutchbury, claimed this meant it was in the public interest to identify him as carrying COVID. That is absolute drivel. There is no rational connection between the man's health and the health of the barbecue business. Other media, including the Daily Mail and news.com, jumped on the bandwagon and named him, too. Both outlets even ran a photo grabbed from Facebook of the man and his wife. No moral compass whatever. If the media go on doing this, it will discourage people from coming forward for testing. Who wants to see themselves plastered over the front page and given names like Barbecue Man? That is where the irresponsibility lies. The Age was guilty of something similar a couple of months ago when it published a map of the weekend movements of a young man who was unwittingly COVID-positive and wrote an article holding him up to ridicule. This kind of media behavior is medieval: like putting people in the stocks and chucking rotten tomatoes at them. And it is a gross breach of privacy. A person's health is among the most private classes of information that exists. To breach it for the sake of a cheap laugh is indefensible. Avoiding misleading information These weren't the only problematic reports. On May 13, the Australian Press Council found a subhead in the Herald Sun saying "Six People Died During Pfizer Trial" was misleading because it implied the vaccine caused the deaths, when in fact the deaths were not related to the vaccine. Four of the six deceased had been given a placebo during the trial, and the other two deaths were not related to the vaccine. The Herald Sun defended the subhead on the basis the story said the US Food and Drug Administration had been told about these deaths because they occurred during the period of the trial. That is materially different from implyingas the headline clearly didthat the vaccine caused the deaths. The press council said that newspapers needed to take more than usual care to avoid misleading the public in the midst of a pandemic. And by failing to do so, the Herald Sun had breached two of the council's principlesone concerning accuracy and the other concerning fairness and balance. In an atmosphere where there is already a degree of resistance to being vaccinated, the Herald Sun subhead was clearly a beat-up with the potential to harm the public interest. So, in the space of a couple of weeks elements of the print media have sought to capitalize without justification on public anxieties about China and the safety of COVID vaccines, and have pilloried an innocent man while at the same time committing a gross breach of his personal privacy. In an age when the public must rely increasingly on the mass media for reliable and responsible informationsince social media has shown itself to be unreliable and irresponsiblethese newspapers have abrogated their first duty to the public. Explore further Follow the latest news on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Brazil has detected its first six cases of the so-called Indian variant of the COVID-19 virus, in crew members who arrived aboard a Hong Kong-flagged cargo ship, officials said Thursday. Tests "identified the B.1.617.2 variant of the COVID-19 virus in samples taken from crew of the MV Shandong Da Zhi," which arrived from South Africa, the health ministry for the northeastern state of Maranhao said in a statement. "In all, 15 crew members tested positive for COVID-19 and nine negative. Of the six samples with the highest viral load sent for genetic sequencing, all came back positive for B.1.617.2." The 360-meter ore carrier is currently in quarantine, anchored off Brazil's coast. Brazilian health officials have instructed the crew to isolate themselves in their cabins. But three with serious symptoms were taken ashore for treatment. Two have since returned to the ship, while one is in intensive care in the state capital, Sao Luis, the ministry said. "At this point, no local transmission of the Indian variant has been identified," it said. All health professionals who have had direct or indirect contact with the patients are being tested and monitored, it said. "We are going to fully trace everyone, around 100 people in all," state health secretary Carlos Lula told journalists. "Not everyone had contact with them, but we have to be sure." Brazil is already struggling with one of the world's deadliest outbreaks of COVID-19fueled in part, experts say, by the so-called Brazil variant, which emerged around the Amazon rainforest city of Manaus in November and can re-infect people who have had the original strain of the virus. Like that lineage, the mutation first spotted in India has been dubbed a "variant of concern" by the World Health Organization. Scientists say both may be more dangerous than the original strain. Since the Indian variant was first reported in October 2020, COVID-19 has battered India, which has now reported nearly 290,000 deaths and more than 25 million infections in all. The variant has been detected in more than 40 countries. Brazil has meanwhile recorded more than 440,000 COVID-19 deaths and 15 million infections. Only the United States has suffered more deaths and infections in the pandemic than the two countries. Explore further Follow the latest news on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak 2021 AFP Credit: CC0 Public Domain In a new study for the journal Surgical Innovation, Associate Professor Toby Gordon of the Johns Hopkins Carey Business School addresses the ways in which the pandemic, as she writes, has "severely weakened the surgical innovation pipeline and ecosystem." Gordon, a member of the Carey faculty since 2010, also has had a four-decade association with the medical institutions of Johns Hopkins University as both an administrator and an instructor. In the following Q&A, she discusses some of the findings in her new paper, applying the expertise she has developed over a long career at the heart of the health care industry. Your central argument in the paper is that the pandemic "severely weakened" surgical innovation. How and why did this weakening occur? The shutdown due to the pandemic had a huge effect. Before research can happen, ideas have to happen. During COVID, stay-at-home orders and the shutdown of elective medical and surgical care and research laboratories eliminated most opportunities for the informal interactions that are part of the innovation process. For innovations from research, laboratories have to be up and running, and successful bench-to-bedside translation requires participation of patients in clinical studies. COVID created a pause. This prolonged the length of time for creation, adoption, and diffusion of new products and services into the market. When you mention the loss of opportunities for informal interactions, what kinds of communications are you referring to, and how has the pandemic prevented them from happening? Informal communications are those conversations that take place among colleagues, in the hallways, during meetings, or, most typically, at the coffee bar. Caffeine is thought to be the jet fuel for idea exchange. Lack of face-to-face meetings and social distancing doused these casual conversations. You cite a lack of trust in science among some members of the public. How has this lack of trust affected medical innovation during the past year, and what do you expect its impact to be in the months and years ahead? We saw a lack of trust around vaccines before COVID, and it has only gotten worse with COVID vaccines, along with a lack of trust in public health measures such as masking. I attribute this to Trumpism, and social media coverage has amplified the anti-science message. There is also a historic lack of trust about science from the epically racist Tuskegee syphilis study in the 1930s, and the Henrietta Lacks experience. When people are afraid to avail themselves of new and life-saving drugs, devices, or policies because they don't believe the science, they miss out, and in business terms the market is smaller. Market-size potential drives investor interest in new technologies, and such investments are critical to cover market costs. What can be done to overcome this lack of trust? Many people are working on vaccine hesitancy issues, and we can learn and apply those lessons to other areas. Health care and medicine in the United States have a long way to gobeginning with community engagement at the start of the research process until the end, a more diverse and inclusive approach to clinical research participation, and dissemination in a culturally competent way. This means working through trusted community organizations, engaging community leaders to help share the message with appropriate messaging. You note that the shift to a more managed form of health care in recent decades led to a lack of hospital beds when they were sorely needed during the early stages of the pandemic. (In fact, as a recent Yale study showed, the lack of ICU beds was tied to thousands of excess deaths from COVID-19.) How should hospital administrators respond in the wake of such tragic yet unusual circumstances? Is it reasonable to expect hospitals to maintain reserve bed space for a possible recurrence of pandemic conditions? I don't believe hospital administrators can solve this problem. What was seen as excess costs has been squeezed out to reduce health care expenditures in the U.S. Excess capacity, also known as surge capacity, is a cost. You have to build and equip and staff beds you may not routinely need. Staffing is a challenge in ICUs; it requires highly trained nurses, respiratory therapists, intensivists. Some possible approaches would include coordination across hospitals, a pooling of excess capacity, but then patients would have to be moved around, which has many challenges. We saw the field-hospital surge approach as well. I think the place to start is to look at the national plan from the Obama administration and go from there. We've heard a lot during the past year about canceled elective surgeries. How have these cancelations affected the innovation pipeline? It's a parable like the children's book, If You Give a Mouse a Cookie. If you cancel elective surgery, the hospital loses revenue. If the hospital loses revenue from its highest-margin businesselective surgeryit loses money for capital investments and new programs. If it loses money for capital investments and new programs, it doesn't buy new products. If it doesn't buy new products, then the companies that sell new products lose revenue. Without revenue, investors won't invest. The pipeline gets more competitive, and fewer innovations will get funded. Despite the setbacks to medical innovation, can you cite any unexpected discoveries and advances that resulted from the scientific community's response to the pandemic? There are several good examples. We saw companies cross over into health care to make ventilators and PPE; Under Armour, for instance, started making face masks. Technologies and people were adopted for new uses: 3D printing was used for some PPE creation, operating rooms were used as ICUs, and specialized nurses and doctors were redeployed in new roles. A new approach to help lung function was developed, called proning [turning patients onto their stomachs], to better position patients in the ICUs. Drive-through medicine led to mass vaccination sites and drive-through diagnostics and treatment. Some surgeries were moved out of hospitals to alternative settings. At the same time, there were fewer routine screenings; the results of which are still to be determined. Telemedicine and digital health care took off. And we saw the development of new drugs, diagnostics, immunotherapies, and vaccines. Explore further Lack of ICU beds tied to thousands of excess COVID-19 deaths More information: Toby Gordon, The COVID Pandemic and Surgical Innovation in the United States, Surgical Innovation (2021). Toby Gordon, The COVID Pandemic and Surgical Innovation in the United States,(2021). DOI: 10.1177/15533506211005364 Dr. Nav Persaud, a scientist at the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute of St. Michael's Hospital. Credit: Unity Health Toronto Free access to essential medicines increases patient adherence to taking medication by 35 percent and reduces total health spending by an average of over $1,000 per patient per year, according to a two-year study that tested the effects of providing patients with free and convenient access to a carefully selected set of medications. The findings, published May 21 in PLOS Medicine, come as advocates urge Canada to carve a path toward single-payer, public pharmacare. Canada is the only country with universal healthcare that does not have a universal pharmacare program. A group of researchers led by St. Michael's Hospital of Unity Health Toronto recruited a total of 786 patients across nine primary care sites in Ontario who reported cost-related non-adherence to medications. Most of the study participants were recruited from St. Michael's Department of Family and Community Medicine and others were recruited from three rural sites. Participants were randomized into two groupshalf received free medications via mail, the other half had their usual access to medications. Two years into the study, adherence to all appropriate prescribed medicines was 35 percent higher in the free distribution group compared with the group that had usual access to medications. Free distribution of medication also showed to reduce healthcare costs, including hospitalization, by an average of $1,222 per patient per year. "The cost savings are substantial, but they are less important than people simply being able to afford taking lifesaving medications," said Dr. Nav Persaud, a scientist at the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute of St. Michael's and lead author of the study. "This is the first study of providing people with free access to a comprehensive set of medicines, and hopefully it will be the last one needed before policy changes," said Dr. Persaud, who is also a family physician at St. Michael's Hospital. In June 2019, the Advisory Council on the Implementation of National Pharmacare recommended a universal, single-payer, public pharmacare, estimating such a program would save Canada an estimated $5 billion per year. The report cited a list of medicines like the one used in the CLEAN Meds study as "a starting point" for determining which drugs all Canadians should have free access to. The CLEAN Meds Trial focused on 128 essential medicines, adapted from the WHO Model List of Essential Medicines and removed treatments not needed in Canada. The medicines in the study included treatments for acute conditions, such as antibiotics and pain relievers, as well as chronic conditions, such as antipsychotics and HIV-AIDS medications. The paper is the final result of the CLEAN Meds Trial. Preliminary results of the trial after one year of free medication indicated improved adherence, improvements in some health outcomes, and that free distribution of essential medicines led to a 160 percent increase in the likelihood of participants being able to make ends meet. Explore further Distributing essential medicines for free resulted in a 44% increase in adherence This scanning electron microscope image shows the characteristic spiral, or corkscrew, shape of C. jejuni cells and related structures. Credit: De Wood; digital colorization by Chris Pooley/ Public Domain Campylobacter infection, one of the most common foodborne illnesses in the Western world, can also be spread through sexual contact, according to a new research discovery by an OU Hudson College of Public Health faculty member, working in conjunction with colleagues in Denmark. The team's research has been published in Emerging Infectious Diseases, a journal published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and is the first known study to prove this mode of transmission for Campylobacter. During a time when COVID-19 has dominated news about infectious diseases, the research is a reminder that many other pathogens affect lives around the world every day. The study was led by infectious disease epidemiologist Katrin Kuhn, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology in the OU Hudson College of Public Health. "This research is important for public health messaging and for physicians as they talk to their patients about risks associated with sexual contact," Kuhn said. "Although Campylobacter infection is usually not a serious disease, it causes diarrhea, which can result in people missing work, losing productivity or perhaps losing their job. It poses an additional risk for people with underlying health conditions." Campylobacter infections usually occur when people eat chicken that has not been cooked thoroughly or when juices from uncooked poultry make their way into other food. Infections can also be caused by drinking unpasteurized milk or water that has been contaminated by the feces of infected animals. However, those didn't account for all cases of infection, Kuhn said, and she wondered if there was another route of transmission that remained unproven. An outbreak of Campylobacter infections in northern Europe among men who have sex with men prompted her to study that population of people in Denmark, where she was working when the research began. The study results showed that the rate of Campylobacter infection was 14 times higher in men who have sex with men than the control subjects. Although the study focused on men who have sex with men, the results are relevant to people of any sexual orientation who engage in sexual behavior that may involve fecal-oral contact, Kuhn said. Two other bacteria, Salmonella and Shigella, were used as comparisons in the study. Salmonella is spread primarily through infected foods, while Shigella can be transmitted through food or sexual contact. Salmonella has a high infectious dose, meaning people must ingest a significant amount of the bacteria before they become ill. However, Shigella and Campylobacter have low infectious doses, which makes transmission easier. "That's an additional reason why we believe Campylobacter can be transmitted through sexual contact like Shigella isbecause people can become infected when only small amounts of the bacteria are present," Kuhn said. Campylobacter infections are probably more prevalent than the numbers show. For every one person who goes to the doctor and is diagnosed, epidemiologists estimate that 20 more people are infected, Kuhn said. Although treatment is usually required only for severe cases, complications can occur, especially in people who have compromised immune systems. In some cases, infection can result in reactive arthritis, in which the body's immune system attacks itself, causing pain in the joints. Infection can also lead to Guillain-Barre Syndrome, a serious nerve disorder that can cause paralysis. "This is an interesting time because COVID-19 has made people more aware of the importance of monitoring infectious diseases in general, not only during a pandemic," she said. "There are many infections like the one caused by Campylobacter that make people sick. It's important that we spotlight the fact that these diseases exist and that we continue to conduct research on their effects and modes of transmission." Before arriving at the OU Hudson College of Public Health, Kuhn served as a senior infectious disease epidemiologist at Statens Serum Institut in Denmark. Her work focused on food- and water-borne infections, and she was responsible for the national surveillance of Campylobacter and Shigella. She began this study while in Denmark and completed it after moving to Oklahoma. Statens Serum Institut is the Danish national institute for infectious diseases and the primary institute for surveillance of and research on infectious diseases in Denmark. "A formal collaboration between OU Hudson College of Public Health and Statens Serum Institut will build a solid foundation for strengthening transatlantic research and, not least, improving the way that we monitor, understand and prevent infectious diseases in Oklahoma," Kuhn said. Explore further Significantly more Danes infected with campylobacter in 2019 More information: Katrin Gaardbo Kuhn et al, Sexual Contact as Risk Factor for Campylobacter Infection, Denmark, Emerging Infectious Diseases (2021). Journal information: Emerging Infectious Diseases Katrin Gaardbo Kuhn et al, Sexual Contact as Risk Factor for Campylobacter Infection, Denmark,(2021). DOI: 10.3201/eid2704.202337 Workers unload a shipment of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine at the FedEx hub at Pearson International Airport in Toronto on Thursday, May 20, 2021. Credit: Cole Burston/The Canadian Press via AP Canada's most populous province is resuming use of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, but only as a second dose for those who'd received it initially, officials said Friday. Ontario and several other provinces stopped giving out first doses of Oxford-AstraZeneca earlier this month on concerns over reported links to rare blood clots, which previously led some European countries to restrict its use. The Ontario government said that decision was also based on the increased supply of alternative vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna and a downward trend in cases. The province also has delayed giving second vaccine doses in order to get as many people covered by a first shot as possible. While protocols initially called for a three-week interval, studies found a longer gap often was more effective. Ontario's chief medical officer for health, Dr. David Williams, said "informed consent" is needed to get the second dose of AstraZeneca. Those who got the first dose between March 10 and March 19 will be eligible as soon as next week for the second shot. The government said data from the U.K. strongly suggests a much-reduced risk of the rare blood cots in second doses of AstraZeneca. Williams said it is one in 600,000. Ontario has more than 50,000 doses of the vaccine set to expire at the end of the month and officials don't want to waste them. The province said nearly a million Ontarians aged 40 and over received the AstraZeneca vaccine as their first dose between March 10 and May 11. Canada has overtaken the U.S. in the percentage of people with at least one dose, but Canada has only fully vaccinated about 3% of the population. Second doses are expected to be administered for most adults in June and July in Canada. Canada has relied largely on the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. Plans to distribute the first 300,000 doses of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine in Canada remain on hold after Health Canada learned part of them were manufactured at a Maryland facility where the U.S. Food and Drug Administration had uncovered manufacturing violations. Meanwhile, federal Transport Minister Omar Alghabra said Canada is extending the ban on direct passenger flights from India and Pakistan for another 30 days until June 21. There had been a disproportionately higher number of positive cases among those traveling on flights from India and Pakistan. Explore further Follow the latest news on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. The Italian and the EU flags are displayed outside Villa Pamphili as Italian Premier Mario Draghi and EU Commission President Ursula von Der Leyen arrive on the occasion of the Global Health Summit in Rome, Friday, May 21, 2021. Credit: AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia American pharmaceutical company Pfizer and German company BioNTech pledged Friday to deliver 2 billion doses of their COVID-19 vaccine to middle- and low-income countries over the next 18 months, amid international calls for more vaccine solidarity. The companies, which together developed the first vaccine to be authorized for use in the United States and Europe, made the announcement at a global health summit in Rome co-hosted by the European Union's executive arm and Italy. Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said they expect to provide a billion of the doses this year and another billion in 2022. It was unclear whether the deliveries would take place through the U.N.-backed COVAX program, which aims to ensure equitable access to COVID-19 shots for low-and middle-income countries, or if countries would get the doses at a reduced price directly from the companies. Bourla said his company last year adopted a three-tiered pricing policy guaranteeing that low-income countries get the shots at cost and to have middle-income nations pay about half the price wealthier nations are charged. Earlier this week, the COVAX effort suffered a major setback when its biggest supplier, the Serum Institute of India, announced it would likely not export any more vaccines until the end of the year due to COVID-19 crisis on the subcontinent. As vaccination campaigns continue to progress in the Western world, poorer countries are struggling to acquire supplies. The U.N. Security Council expressed concern this week about the small number of doses that have reached Africa. Last week, World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus urged rich countries to donate their vaccines before immunizing younger populations, including children. Experts warn that allowing the virus to spread unchecked anywhere in the world could lead to the emergence of potentially dangerous variants. The Pfizer logo is displayed at the company's headquarters, Friday, Feb. 5, 2021, in New York. Pfizer and BioNTech have pledged to deliver 2 billion doses of their COVID-19 vaccine to middle- and low-income countries over the next 18 months. The companies made the announcement, Friday, May 21, 2021 at a global health summit in Rome.Credit: AP Photo/Mark Lennihan During Friday's global health summit in Rome, Italian Premier Mario Draghi said that nearly 1.5 billion vaccine doses have been administered in over 180 countries worldwide. Yet only 0.3% were in low-income countries, while richer countries administered around 85%. "The differences in the vaccination rates are staggering," Draghi said at the event, which drew representatives from the Group of 20 industrial and emerging market nations and the heads of international organizations. "Not only are these disparities unacceptable, they are also a threat so long as the virus continues to circulate freely around the world it can mutate dangerously and undermine even the most successful vaccination campaign." To address inequalities and contain the pandemic, the head of the World Trade Organization said on the eve of the summit it's also crucial to diversify vaccine manufacturing and to have more production taking place in Africa and Latin America. The European Union raised many of the same points WTO Director-General Okonjo-Iweala made, specifically looking to increase manufacturing production in Africa. "Today, Africa imports 99% of its vaccines, and this has to change," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. "And therefore, team Europe is launching an initiative with African partners to develop vaccine production in Africa. The initiative will develop a number of regional hubs distributed across the continent and it will draw on the full toolbox of team Europe, including 1 billion euros ($1.2 billion) of investment." Despite a recent call by the United States to waive COVID-19 vaccine patents as a way to increase supplies, participants at the summit were expected to insist that intellectual property rights were an important tool to boost vaccine production. But EU parliament member from Italy, David Sassoli, said that sharing patents is a necessity during the health crisis. "The entire international community must take shared responsibility. This is why we support the call to negotiate a new global treaty to strengthen the common system for monitoring and responding to epidemics," he said. Sassoli's views are not widely shared; there is a lack of consensus among EU countries on a temporary waiver of patent rights for COVID-19 vaccines. EU officials have argued that waiving patents would yield no short-term or intermediate improvement and could even have a negative impact. Draghi said Italy is open to the idea on the condition that the any waiver measure is "targeted and time-limited and does not undermine incentives for pharmaceutical companies to innovate." Explore further Follow the latest news on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Credit: CC0 Public Domain New moms of color face racial inequality around the time of birth. Unfortunately, so do newborns. One group of infants is particularly vulnerablethose who need to be hospitalized for long periods in neonatal intensive care units, often after premature birth. More than 10% of infants born in the United States arrive at least three weeks early, putting them at risk for problems with breathing, vision, digestion, hearing and brain development. Prematurity is even more common in Black and Native American populations. Recent research has uncovered race-based gaps in the care that babies receive in California's NICUs, and in how these infants fare, leading to the unsettling conclusion that racismwhether because of individual bias or unfairness baked into the medical systemis hurting hospitalized newborns. A 2017 Stanford study of racial inequity in the smallest preterm babies found that California hospitals tended to deliver better care to white infants, and that Black and Latino infants were more likely to receive care in lower-performing hospitals. The study appeared in Pediatrics. "People used to think that all the disparities for neonates were because of poverty and social determinants of health, and that there would be no difference in how we take care of these babies. I think we've kind of blown the lid off that comfortable space," said the study's senior author, Stanford neonatologist Jochen Profit, MD, associate professor of pediatrics at the School of Medicine. "Now it's time to accept it and see whether we can fix it." For instance, 89% of white infants, 87% of Latino infants and 85% of Black infants in the study received steroids before birth to help their lungs mature. Ideally, all of these premature infants would have been given steroids. "People used to think that all the disparities for neonates were because of poverty and social determinants of health, and that there would be no difference in how we take care of these babies. I think we've kind of blown the lid off that comfortable space." To change the trends, Profit and his colleagues at the California Perinatal Quality Care Collaborative, founded in 1997, are providing every neonatal intensive care unit in the state with its own real-time equity data. Hospital leaders can view a dashboard showing how babies in each racial and ethnic group are faring and highlighting areas of medical care with inequalities. The dashboard also shows how each hospital compares with statewide averages. "It turns out some hospitals do really well and others don't," Profit said. "We're trying to figure out what's driving this." One key factor: Babies in intensive care fare better when their families are at the hospital. But inequality persists here, too. Profit and his colleagues have published studies documenting racially biased treatment of parents, and neonatologist Henry Lee, MD, professor of pediatrics, has research underway, funded by the Stanford Impact Labs, to explore the issue. "In California, health disparities cross many aspects of our diversity. It's not just race/ethnicity, but that is a large component," said Lee. About half of babies in intensive care in California are Latino, and their parents are more likely than non-Latino parents to have language barriers and to have jobs that don't allow for time off. "It's important for us to make an extra effort to understand that for many families, life is very, very difficult beyond the acute stresses that we would think everybody would have in the NICU setting," Profit said. "When families are not at their baby's bedside, it's not because they don't want to be." One final baby care inequity came to light when Stanford scientists examined referrals to the California Children's Services High Risk Infant Follow-Up program, a statewide partnership with the quality care collaborative. The state requires that each NICU ensure babies at high risk for neurodevelopmental delay or disability receive follow-up care after they go home from the hospital. Clinics across the state provide a range of services for eligible children until they turn 3. But in birth years 2010-11, only 80% of very-low-birthweight infants in California were referred to the program, Stanford scientists found. Those with Black or Latina mothers were two-thirds less likely to be referred than babies with white moms. "Obviously that was incredibly concerning, since every one of these children should have been referred to follow-up" said Susan Hintz, MD, professor of pediatrics, who led the research. Starting in 2013, Hintz and colleagues led a program through the collaborative to educate caregivers about eligibility, providing each hospital with data on their referral rates and requiring follow-up referral at NICU discharge. The efforts helped. Referral rates for 2014-16 increased to 94.2% for white babies, 94.6% for Black babies and 95.6% for Latino babies, and they continue to rise. Still, as in other aspects of maternal and infant care, there is more work to do, said Hintz. "On an individual level, it is heartbreaking if we are not hearing the story of every family so we can respond to what they need," she said. "Big data for the whole state may show us areas we need to focus on, but it really comes down to, "What are the stories of individual patients and families that we are not hearing? How are we not serving them?'" Credit: CC0 Public Domain Two virus researchers in China are recommending security measures after seven Russian farm workers became infected with a crossover flu virus last year. In their Perspectives piece published in the journal Science, Weifeng Shi and George Gao, both of whom are affiliated with multiple institutions in China, suggest that the makeup and history of the H5N8 strain of avian influenza virus threaten the possibility of another pandemic. As Shi and Gao note, the new strain of influenza virus was first discovered in a duck in China back in 2010. By 2014, outbreaks had been seen in Japan and South Korea in both domestic and wild birds. And by 2016, it had been found in birds in India, Russia Mongolia, the U.S. and parts of Europe. By 2020, outbreaks had been seen in 46 countries. Shi and Gao note that this history indicates that the virus is able to spread very rapidly. Even more concerning was a report of crossover infections in seven Russian farm workers this past December. The authors note that the infected workers did not have any symptoms (they were tested for safety reasons) and there was no indication that the virus was transmissible from one person to the next. But they point out, that once a crossover has been made, it generally does not take a virus long to adapt to spread to other victimsthey note how quickly the virus mutated to jump from duck to duck and then to other bird species. They also note that the virus has been found to be quite lethal, with massive die-offs in multiple outbreaks. The Russian workers were tested, for example, after 101,000 hens died. On a more optimistic note, Shi and Gao note that it is not too late to take preventive measures that could prevent a pandemic. They suggest that vigilant surveillance of farms, live markets and wild birds, along with the implementation of standard infection control measures, could slow the spread of the virus, giving pharmaceutical companies time to develop a vaccine for it. Explore further Tracing and controlling high pathogenicity avian influenza More information: Emerging H5N8 avian influenza viruses, Science 21 May 2021: Vol. 372, Issue 6544, pp. 784-786. science.sciencemag.org/content/372/6544/784 Journal information: Science Emerging H5N8 avian influenza viruses,21 May 2021: Vol. 372, Issue 6544, pp. 784-786. DOI: 10.1126/science.abg6302 2021 Science X Network Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain You might want to remember this during your next visit to a bar. A new study from the University of Oxford concluded that drinking alcohol had affected the brain's gray matter area, "important bits where information is processed," according to the study's lead author, Anya Topiwala. The study delved into the relationship between alcohol intake of nearly 25,000 United Kingdom residents, and their brain using brain scans. "The more people drank, the less the volume of their gray matter," Topiwala said to CNN. "Brain volume reduces with age and more severely with dementia. Smaller brain volume also predicts worse performance on memory testing." The most intriguing part of the study's conclusion was that consumption of any type of alcohol was worse than not drinking it all. "So many people drink 'moderately,' and think this either harmless or even protective," Topiwala said. "As we have yet to find a 'cure' for neurodegenerative diseases like dementia, knowing about factors that can prevent brain harm is important for public health." In 2016, alcohol was the No. 1 rise factor for disease and death for both men and women between the ages of 15 and 49. Nearly 10% of all global deaths were attributed to alcohol according to a 2018 study in The Lancet. "While we can't yet say for sure whether there is 'no safe level' of alcohol regarding brain health at the moment, it has been known for decades that heavy drinking is bad for brain health," Sadie Boniface, head of research at the UK's Institute of Alcohol Studies, told CNN. "We also shouldn't forget alcohol affects all parts of the body and there are multiple health risks," added Boniface. 2021 New York Daily News. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Dr Marco Gerlinger and Dr Louise Barber in the lab. Credit: Institute of Cancer Research Scientists can use genetic 'weather forecasting' to predict how long it will take for bowel cancer to evolve resistance to a drug before a patient has even started treatment, a new study has shown. Researchers made long-range forecasts of how cancers would evolve drug resistance by applying similar principles to those used in meteorology to predict which mutations might arise, and how they would undergo selection. Their findings could help doctors anticipate how patients will respond to treatmentallowing them to stay one step ahead of cancer. A team at The Institute of Cancer Research, London and The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust analyzed 42 tumor samples from patients with advanced bowel cancer treated with a drug called cetuximab, an anti-EGFR antibody, which blocks growth signals to cancer cells. The study is published today in the journal Nature Ecology and Evolution and was funded by the European Research Council under the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program. Identifying 'mutational signatures' Scientists used genetic profiling to measure how new mutations were generated in bowel cancers prior to treatment with cetuximab. These so-called 'mutational signatures' are distinct footprints left by the different processes that alter the DNA sequence of cancer cells. They can be more or less active in tumors and drive the generation of further mutations. By understanding the complex interplay between active mutational signatures before treatment, the DNA alterations they drive, and resistance mutations that occur in response to this treatment, the researchers developed forecasting models to make precise, long-term predictions about how the cancer would evolve. Several cancer drugs are highly effective for bowel cancer but their effects are often short-lived, with resistance developing within months. This is a consequence of cancer's ability to adapt to new environments through Darwinian evolution. Making long-term predictions A specific mutational signature detected before treatment, called SBS17b, indicated that tumors would quickly develop resistance to cetuximab. Much like long-term weather forecasting which simulates fundamental atmospheric processes to generate accurate predictions, the study modeled how mutational signaturesthe fundamental processes that fuel evolutioninfluence the development of resistance. They showed that the SBS17b signature leads to specific mutations which cause drug resistance. A specific group of mutations, referred to as KRAS/NRAS Q61H, was particularly common in cancer cells that developed resistance to cetuximab. These mutations only evolved in tumors that already had an active SBS17b signature before treatment was started, suggesting that SBS17b could be used to predict that someone will develop resistance quickly. Knowing when drugs are likely to stop working could give clinicians more time to prepare for the next step in a person's treatment, and to consider offering them alternative therapies or to enroll them in clinical trials. "Allowing us to stay a step ahead of cancer' Dr. Marco Gerlinger, Team Leader in Translational Oncogenomics at The Institute of Cancer Research, London, and Consultant Medical Oncologist at The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, said: "Over the last few years, we've developed ways of tracking early signs of drug resistance by taking blood samples while patients are receiving treatment, and assessing which resistance mutations are starting to evolve. Our new study goes several steps further, by instead making long-range forecasts about the development of drug resistance in bowel cancer before patients have even started on a drug. "Our approach is similar to weather forecasting as it analyzes the most basic processes that enable cancer evolution in order to make longer-term predictions. This new technique will allow us to predict before a patient starts treatment how long it will take for a cancer to evolve resistanceallowing us to stay a step ahead of their cancer, and shape their treatment accordingly." "The biggest challenge we face in cancer medicine' Professor Paul Workman, Chief Executive of The Institute of Cancer Research London, said: "Cancer evolution is the biggest challenge we face in cancer medicine. This new study assesses mutational signatures like a meteorologist measures long-term weather patterns and could offer a completely new way to predict how and when bowel cancers will evolve to evade treatment. Being able to make accurate long-range forecasts could be hugely valuable in planning a patient's treatment, and ensuring we keep patients alive and healthy for much longer." Professor David Cunningham, Director of Clinical Research at The Royal Marsden, said: "Colorectal cancer is a common disease with relatively few treatment options for advanced stages. Identifying a biomarker to predict cetuximab resistance is an important step towards improving outcomes for patients with advanced colorectal cancer. "This research demonstrates how findings from clinical trials can have a tangible and rapid impact on patients. Improving our understanding of tackling tumor mutations and drug resistance, before they occur, may enable us to develop more effective treatment plans and offer patients more timely options to stay well for longer." "More time to spend making memories together as a family" Tim Morgan was diagnosed with stage 4 bowel cancer in 2015. He underwent operations, several rounds of chemotherapy and immunotherapy and a new targeted treatmentbut none of the treatments worked for long. He died in November 2019, aged 48. In 2016, while Tim received the experimental targeted therapy, he and 10 of his friends and family took on the Dartmoor Demon race, a grueling 90km cycle ride. This punishing challenge raised more than 270,000 to the ICR to support Dr. Marco Gerlinger's research into bowel cancer. The current study was dedicated to the memory of Tim Morgan. Tim's wife Hilary says: "Tim was determined to raise awareness of bowel cancer, and also to raise money to support Dr. Gerlinger's work. The discoveries being made at the ICR are very exciting, and the advances in research gave us more time to spend making memories together as a family. It is so important that the ICR continue to improve our understanding of bowel cancer, so future patients have a better chance of being cured or living well with their cancer." Explore further New bowel cancer model uncovering how it avoids immunotherapy drug More information: Andrew Woolston et al, Mutational signatures impact the evolution of anti-EGFR antibody resistance in colorectal cancer, Nature Ecology & Evolution (2021). Journal information: Nature Ecology & Evolution Andrew Woolston et al, Mutational signatures impact the evolution of anti-EGFR antibody resistance in colorectal cancer,(2021). DOI: 10.1038/s41559-021-01470-8 In this May 18, 2021, file photo, a health worker administers a dose of the Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine to Buddhist monk at Priest Hospital in Bangkok, Thailand. Thailand on Friday said it had detected its first locally transmitted cases of the coronavirus variant first found in India, even as it announced the formal rollout of its national vaccination plan from next month. Credit: AP Photo/Anuthep Cheysakron,File Thailand on Friday said it has detected its first locally transmitted cases of the coronavirus variant discovered in India, as it announced the formal rollout of its national vaccination plan next month. The Ministry of Public Health said 36 cases of the Indian variant were found in a camp for construction workers in Bangkok. Of those, 21 are Thai, 10 are from Myanmar and five from Cambodia, said Dr. Supakit Sirilak, chief of the Medical Sciences Department. The government has banned the arrival of any non-Thais from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal in an effort to prevent the spread of the variant. Thailand reported 3,481 new coronavirus cases and 32 more deaths on Friday. Its total number of confirmed cases has now grown to 123,066 since the outbreak started, including 94,203 reported since a surge broke out at the beginning of April. It has reported 735 deaths, including 641 since April. The Center for COVID-19 Situation Administration said a nationwide state of emergency will be extended to the end of July to help contain the virus. The government also announced it will begin its national vaccination campaign on June 7, and that foreign residents will be allowed to sign up. The government had for weeks see-sawed on whether foreigners would be included and had said they would be vaccinated last. Thailand hopes to vaccinate 70% of the estimated 70 million people living in the country by the end of the year. Natapanu Nopakun, deputy spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said foreign migrant workers, who number more than 1 million, would be vaccinated separately by the labor ministry. Thailand has already started vaccinating some of the 150,000 Chinese citizens living in the country. China has supplied Thailand with millions of vaccine doses. About 200,000 other foreignersfrom Australia, Japan, Europe, the United States and elsewhereare mostly professionals and retirees. Thailand largely contained coronavirus cases last year by closing its borders, enforcing mandatory quarantines and actively tracing contacts of those found to be infected. The measures devastated its lucrative tourism industry but kept the pandemic at bay, for the most part, until early April. Then a surge that began in high-end nightspots in central Bangkok spread rapidly as people were allowed to travel during a mid-April national holiday. A partial lockdown in recent weeks has made limited headway in containing outbreaks, especially in Bangkok and in prisons. Camps for construction workers have recently become another major cluster. There are 409 construction camps across Bangkok housing 62,169 people. Of that number, 26,134 are Thai and 36,035 are migrant workers. About 87% of the cases detected recently in Thailand are from the coronavirus variant first found in Britain, Supakit said. Explore further Follow the latest news on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain The French city of Bordeaux will fast-track vaccinations for residents in one neighbourhood after nearly 50 people tested positive for a "very rare" variant of COVID-19, health authorities told AFP on Friday. All adult residents of the city's northern Bacalan neighbourhood will be granted "unconditional" access to jabs, "this weekend or at worst early next week", said Patrick Dehail, medical advisor to the regional health authority. "We are working with the (health) ministry to obtain the extra doses required," Dehail said, adding that the boosted local effort will then be expanded to the wider Bordeaux area. "We are talking about a variant that has already been identified at the national level but which has been very rare until now," he added. At least 46 people have been infected with the variant in the Bordeaux neighbourhood, with mass testing launched Friday to track down further cases. None of those infected so far have been hospitalised. Labelled VOC 20I/484K, the strain is related to the British variant of COVID-19, but with an additional mutation. This mutation, (E484K), is also carried by the South African and Brazilian variants and is suspected of reducing the immunity acquired by either a past infection or by some vaccines. However, Dehail said there was as yet "no reason" to suggest that the variant is resistant to mRNA vaccines such as those made by Pfizer or Moderna, or that it causes a more serious form of COVID-19. The variant has been detected in the northern Paris region as well as Bordeaux in southwest France. In France as a whole, vaccinations have so far been limited to the over-50s, although people outside this age group can book unused slots advertised at short notice. All adults will be eligible for vaccinations in France from May 31. Explore further Follow the latest news on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak 2021 AFP Ambassador of Belarus L.Marynich meets the First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan On May 21, 2021, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Belarus to the Republic of Uzbekistan Leonid Marynich met with First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan Farhod Arziev. During the meeting, the parties noted the positive dynamics of trade and economic cooperation between the two countries, as well as the successful implementation of joint projects in the humanitarian sphere. Plans for holding events aimed at enhancing the political dialogue between Belarus and Uzbekistan, issues of expanding the bilateral legal framework and the interaction between the business circles of the two countries were considered. print version Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) is asking for help from the public in reporting snapping turtle sightings in west-central Montana. Snapping turtles are a native species east of the continental divide in Montana, but they are non-native west of the divide and can cause significant harm to native populations of pond-dwelling species like frogs, turtles, snakes, ducks and fish. Snapping turtles likely end up in waterways in western Montana through illegal releases of animals kept as pets. In 2018, FWP received a report of a snapping turtle in a backwater at Milltown State Park just east of Missoula. In 2019, FWP responded to a reported snapping turtle in the Rattlesnake Creek area just north of Missoula but was not able to locate it. In 2021, FWP is ramping up its efforts to find and remove snapping turtles, and reports of turtle sightings from the public are critical for this effort to be successful. FWP would like to get a better sense of areas where snapping turtles may be living so biologists and managers can work to minimize the potential negative impacts. FWP is primarily concerned with snapping turtle sightings in the Clearwater, Bitterroot and Blackfoot watersheds as well as the Clark Fork watershed upstream of the confluence with the Flathead River. City Council member Heather Harp, who is also the executive director of Habitat for Humanity of Missoula, said she's spoken with Mayor Engen about the issue. "I think as a whole, our community was just utterly flummoxed by the decision of Western Montana Mental Health Center to sell their property in today's unbelievable housing prices," she said. Housing officials and advocates around town sent each other a "flurry" of emails this week after the Missoulian article came out, Harp said. "I had a meeting with the mayor earlier today and he told me he is in negotiations to purchase the property," Harp said. "And that there are still lots and lots of details to be worked out and that's not necessarily something the city has done in the past. But he saw this was an emergent need considering there weren't any other willing buyers to take care of these people and that it was the right thing to pursue." Harp hasn't been told how the city would finance such a purchase, she said. She expects there will be people who will be critical of any plan by the city to purchase housing units. "If they do I'd like to hear what their solution is," she said. "I'm always open to hearing people with their concerns, especially if they come prepared with a solution." "A lot of pressure. Pressure to abort a baby. I got to tell you. I wasn't going to do it, and neither was she," he said. "And there was pressure to have her banished from their family. Just pressure. Pressure to go hide somewhere. And the only thing I could see as the right thing to do was to get married and take care of him." Bouchards ex-wife killed herself when she was 20, he said. Online records list a woman with her name as being buried at a Jacksonville, Florida, cemetery in 1990. The Star-Tribune is choosing not to identify her. She had problems in another relationship. Her dad had committed suicide, Bouchard said in the video. After his ex-wife died, Bouchard said he continued to raise the couple's son, whom he briefly references in the video. Sadly, he's made some wrong choices in his life," he said. "He's almost become my estranged son. Some of the things that he's got going on his life, I certainly don't approve of them. But I'm not going to abandon him. I still love him. Just like when he was born. Going public BRUSSELS (AP) NATO will continue to train Afghan special forces outside the country after it winds up 18 years of security work in conflict-torn Afghanistan in coming months, the military organizations top civilian official said Friday. As we end our military presence, we are opening a new chapter, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told reporters in Paris after talks with French President Emmanuel Macron that were focused on preparations for a summit of the alliances leaders next month. Stoltenberg said NATO's revised role would involve giving advice and capacity-building support to Afghan security institutions, as well as continued financial support. He said NATO also plans to provide military education and training outside Afghanistan, focusing on Special Operations Forces. It was not immediately clear where the training will take place. U.S. military leaders are still grappling with how best to carry out President Joe Bidens order to withdraw all American troops from Afghanistan by September while helping Afghan forces and monitoring the threat that prompted the U.S. invasion of the country after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. The Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Act currently being debated in Congress is a piece of legislation that is critical in order to further protect and sustain Montanas public lands for recreational enjoyment for all Montanans. Specifically, the bill authorizes protection of an additional 79,000 acres of land in the vicinity of the Bob Marshall Wilderness area, opens an additional 3,800 acres for mountain biking, 2,000 acres for snowmobiling, and authorizes further access of recreationists to Lolo National Forest through a new, updated comprehensive trail plan. As Montanans, we are very passionate about public lands and outdoor recreation opportunities that allow us to appreciate and experience the natural beauty endemic to our state. Public lands are essential to everyday life in Montana and our culture, and are major sources of revenue for our state. It is essential that we raise awareness of the Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Act and ensure that all of Montanas congressional delegation is on board with enacting further protection of state lands that must remain open for all Montanans to enjoy. Go to blackfootclearwater.org to submit your comment in support of the BCSA and protecting Montanas public lands. ALEXANDER COUNTY A Taylorsville man has been identified as the employee killed at a worksite in Taylorsville on Wednesday, an Alexander County Sheriffs Office news release says. The man was identified as Shane Anthony Sharpe, 38. At about 1:50 p.m., Wednesday, a call came into Alexander County Communications about a possible trench rescue at a business on Highway 64/90 West in the Ellendale community. Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} Units from Ellendale Volunteer Fire Department arrived a few minutes after the call was given out. Firefighters found that dirt and asphalt had fallen onto Sharpe, who was in a trench that was about 10 feet deep, the release says. Firefighters and volunteers were able to free Sharpe. CPR was immediately administered, but he was pronounced dead at the scene. Dolores Quesenberry, public information officer with the N.C. Department of Labor, confirmed that the state Occupational Safety and Health Division has opened an investigation. It will include collecting evidence at the site and interviewing employees and witnesses. The process can take from a few weeks to six months, depending on the complexity of the accident. WASHINGTON (AP) President Joe Biden spent Thursday morning in a star-studded meeting with this years Kennedy Center honorees. The president met at the White House with the recipients of the lifetime artistic achievement awards: country music legend Garth Brooks, dancer and actress Debbie Allen, violin virtuoso Midori, folk music icon Joan Baez and actor Dick Van Dyke. They were joined by the honorees guests, the chairman of the board of trustees and the president of the Kennedy Center, and Bidens sister, Valerie Biden Owens. The meeting marked a return to tradition after former President Donald Trump avoided the celebration during his tenure. He dropped the traditional White House invitation for honorees and skipped the ceremony after a number of the 2017 honorees said they would boycott the White House reception in protest against Trumps policies. The event itself will be much different from those in years past. The centerpiece event for Washingtons Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts normally happens in December, but it was postponed last year amid the pandemic. Cheryl Eagle felt a surge of fear when she read the letter from Butte High School about graduation. In a sentence written in bold and underlined type, the missive warned, DO NOT decorate your cap in any manner; they will be confiscated if you do. It also advised that decoration of a graduation gown would not be tolerated. As soon as I got that letter, I thought, Oh, no, Eagle said. She worried that her son Ethan, 18, would be prohibited from wearing a cap and gown decorated to represent his cultural heritage as a member of the Blackfeet Nation. Ethan worried too. I got really scared because I thought it was going to be an issue, he said. Eagles first attempt to talk to BHS Principal John Metz was foiled because he was out of town. As it turned out, her worries were unwarranted. Metz assured her Monday that Ethans beaded cap and his gown with ribbon applique would be fine because Ethan has a tribal affiliation. Eagle said she was relieved after the meeting with the principal. He was really supportive, she said. Butte police reports Felony drug arrest At 8:42 p.m. Wednesday, officers were called to the Days Inn Hotel, 2700 Harrison Ave., on a report of a disturbance. During the investigation it was determined that the boyfriend of Tiffany Tyan Berger, 46, of Butte had damaged the door and that Berger was wanted on a felony probation warrant. During a search of the room and Bergers belongings, cash and methamphetamine were found. She was placed into custody and transported to the Butte Detention Center where she was jailed for felony possession of dangerous drugs, felony use of property subject to forfeiture and felony probation violation. Not ready to leave Officers were dispatched to McDonald's in Rocker just before 7:30 p.m. Wednesday regarding a suspicious male. An officer advised Darrin Ray Hess, 56, of Missoula that he had to leave the area and not return to McDonald's. Hess apparently did not taken the officer seriously because officers, still in the area, were called back to McDonalds where Hess again refused to leave. We specifically want land around the Blaine School so we can do something with that because its just been sitting there since we shut it up, he said. For years now, Ries has been on a committee that has raised money and worked to keep the St. Lawrence church in good shape. Built in 1897, its one of the oldest and most ornately decorated churches in the area and became Walkervilles decades ago when the Catholic Diocese in Helena slated it for demolition. There are no longer regular church services in the building but the committee rents it out for weddings and other gatherings and puts the money toward upkeep. The church got a new roof in 2014, but it needs a new coat of paint now among other things. Ries wants to make sure the committee keeps going so the church keeps standing. A lot of people who are on that St. Lawrence committee are getting up in years like I am so we may need to reconfigure that church committee so theres a group of people to make sure it is maintained and cleaned before weddings and all that, he said. Ries also wants to get storm-water improvements made and said he hopes to land grants to build a fire hall where the towns volunteer fire department can house all four of its vehicles. Theyre in a few locations now. He attended Thursday nights meeting and called the boards action a missed opportunity for Butte and for the people of the state of Montana. The power reliability need for the Copper Energy Storage project is not going away, he told The Montana Standard. This advance energy storage facility will help avoid blackouts in the community while delivering local tax revenue. Plus Power has said the facility would have added $17 million to $25 million in property taxes to Butte-Silver Bow over the 20-year life of the facility. Shaffer said the local tax revenue was about the only benefit he could see to the project. I believe that this potential benefit comes at the detriment of surrounding property values in the area, he said before the vote. I believe that there are probably better places to locate this project. The proposal was drawn up and pitched with NorthWestern Energy in mind. It faces increasing demands for capacity at a time coal-fired plants are being shut down. It can purchase power if needed, but market prices are volatile and added costs eventually get passed onto ratepayers. A Missoula man has been sentenced to seven years at the Montana State Prison for forcing a man at gunpoint to call the Jefferson County Attorneys Office and say he no longer wanted to pursue charges in an alleged carjacking. District Judge Robert Whelan sentenced 27-year-old Taylor Allen Kaufman on Wednesday to five years for felony tampering with a witness and an additional two years for using a gun in the act. The actual sentence was 12 years, but five were suspended. The victim said Kaufman and another man had carjacked him in Jefferson County in March 2020 and two weeks later, on April 1, he showed up at friends residence in Butte with a gun. Kaufman pointed the gun at the victims head and forced him to call a woman in the Jefferson County Attorneys Office and tell her he no longer wished to pursue the complaint for the alleged carjacking, according to charging documents filed in Butte. The Jefferson County official confirmed to police that the victim had indeed called saying he wanted to drop charges against Kaufman. But the victim called back a short time later saying Kaufman forced him to call and had a gun to his head. in their conduct, should conform to the requirements of the law, in professional service to clients; should use the laws procedures only for legitimate purposes and not to harass or intimidate others; should demonstrate respect for the legal system and for those who serve it, including judges, other lawyers and public officials; have a duty, when necessary, to challenge the rectitude of official action, but also a duty to uphold legal process; should further the publics understanding of and confidence in the rule of law and the justice system because legal institutions in a constitutional democracy depend on popular participation and support to maintain their authority; as officers of the court, have a duty to engender trust in the profession and the rule of law. Trust in the integrity of the system and those who operate it is a basic necessity of the rule of law. One can only wonder how these principles are honored when the Attorney Generals office, ostensibly retained by the Legislative leadership, states in its April 12, 2021, letter to the Acting Chief Justice of the Montana Supreme Court that its client does not recognize a particular order of the Supreme Court as binding and will not abide by it. Bad voter bill Senator Jon Tester co-sponsored Senate Bill 1 the so-called For the People Act. Designed to rewrite election law, this bill puts the federal government in charge of elections. It would actually make it easier to cheat and harder to vote. Senator Tester knows nationalizing elections is not in line with the Constitution. Plus, it doesn't make common sense. What we Montanans want is different than what Californians want. This bill would allow your tax dollars to be placed into campaign accounts of various candidates. This means your money could be spent by candidates you don't support and worse, buying ads to attack candidates you do like. Ballot harvesting would be allowed making tampering with ballots a temptation for those collecting them. We've all heard the stories! But, among the worst ideas is gutting voter ID laws. Recent polling shows Americans including a large majority of Black people and Hispanics favor voters having an ID . No one favors having their vote cancelled by someone not eligible to vote. Write or call Senator Tester today. Tell him you are not in favor of Senate Bill 1 which is simply a partisan power grab that would destroy the integrity of our elections. Al Smith, Vaughn Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 4 TOKYO (AP) As she struggled to breathe, Shizue Akita had to wait more than six hours while paramedics searched for a hospital in Osaka that would treat her worsening COVID-19. MUSCATINE In 2019, 61 percent of Muscatine County third grade students could read at or above grade level, a critical measure of future success. To try to improve that, Muscatine County will join the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading, a nationwide effort launched in 2010 to boost early literacy for students. Aligned Impact Muscatine County (AIM) is coordinating the local efforts, supported by United Way of Muscatine, the Muscatine Community School District (MCSD), Community Foundation of Greater Muscatine, Iowa College Aid and StriveTogether. We found out about CGLR probably a few years ago, and AIM Leadership Council recently underwent some strategic planning and decided to focus more on third grade reading than they have been. So, now seemed like the time to join, Kim Warren, director of AIM said. (Muscatine's) commitment to this vital mission comes at a critical time when too many children are falling beyond the reach of schools," Ralph Smith, managing director of CGLR, said in a press release. "By taking up this challenge, each of these communities commits to do more, to do better and to make a difference in assuring more hopeful futures for the next generation. DES MOINES Statehouse Republicans are halfway to bringing an abortion issue before Iowa voters. State senators spent their 129th calendar day of this years session debating House Joint Resolution 5, a measure which would put an amendment on the ballot as early as 2024 to allow Iowa voters to decide whether the Iowa Constitution provides a right to abortion. The resolution, approved by the Iowa Senate on a 30-18 party-line vote, must be approved in exactly the same form by both chambers in the 2023-24 General Assembly before it can be placed on the ballot. The Iowa House approved the resolution, 54-38 Tuesday night, with two Republicans voting against it. The amendment reads: To defend the dignity of all human life and protect unborn children from efforts to expand abortion even to the point of birth, we the people of the State of Iowa declare that this Constitution does not recognize, grant, or secure a right to abortion or require the public funding of abortion. Senate President Jake Chapman, R-Adel, said the amendment is needed to correct a feckless, fabricated and negligent Iowa Supreme Court decision in 2018 that found the Iowa Constitution provided a right to an abortion. Vedika Jawas mission to sweeten the lives of those in need began when she was just 13, on a family trip to San Francisco. She could not help but see the multitudes living on the streets. She returned home to Fremont, California, determined to help. Reaching out to homeless shelters, she offered to bake sweet treats. Some managers ignored her; others told her to come back when she was older. But she persisted. Jawa organized a neighborhood bake sale, collected ingredients in her school and contacted a shelters CEO, who eventually allowed her to bake for residents. That was the start of Bake4Sake, her student-run nonprofit that distributes desserts to those in need. During the pandemic, the project expanded from a handful of friends who helped her bake in her hometown to more than 100 volunteers who now work with 15 homeless shelters in 10 locations across the United States. Even though these people get access to meals from food banks and shelters, they often dont have access to desserts, said Jawa, now a 16-year-old high school junior . Thousands of people turned out in a county and state where only about a quarter of the population is fully vaccinated. Many went without masks, though health officials had urged personal responsibility. The parade marks the commissioning of the Navys new ship USS Mobile, a shallow-water combat vessel manufactured in Mobile. - BATON ROUGE, La. A medical center in Louisiana said Friday that it has identified the states first two cases of a COVID-19 variant which has spread widely since being identified in India. Britain and the World Health Organization consider it a variant of concern because experts think it may spread more easily than the original virus, LSU Health Shreveport said in a news release Friday. The health system said the two samples were among more than 2,600 for which its Center for Emerging Viral Threats has decoded the genome. That represents 56% of all viral genomic surveillance data from Louisiana, the news release said. Overall, the lab has processed 331,000 tests, and 7,600 were positive. Thats less than 5% of Louisianas total tests and less than 2% of the positive tests in the state. As of Friday, Louisiana has reported 7.3 million tests and 467,800 cases of COVID-19. Pacific Islands Club general manager Ben Ferguson, who's also senior managing director for the PHR group of hotels on Guam, gestures as he talks about getting the island's tourism moving again at the Rotary Club of Guam meeting on Thursday, May 20, 2021, at Three Squares Guam restaurant in Tamuning. Photo by Haidee Eugenio Gilbert/The Guam Daily Post A representations of virtual currency Bitcoin is seen in front of a stock graph in this illustration taken on May 19, 2021. REUTERS A United Airlines passenger jet takes off with New York City as a backdrop, at Newark Liberty International Airport, New Jersey on Dec. 6, 2019. REUTERS Federated States of Micronesia President David Panuelo poses with FSM and World Bank officials during an Aug. 1, 2019 courtesy call. FSM Information Services photo Mobile network operator Rain plans to accelerate its 5G network rollout to cover an estimated 5,000 new households each day for the rest of the year, the company has told MyBroadband. Based on these figures, it aims to add over 1 million households to its 5G coverage area over the next seven months. Rain is also planning to expand its 5G coverage to smaller towns. Rain was the first to launch a commercial 5G service in South Africa in September 2019, offering a single uncapped, unthrottled package at R999 per month. At the time, the service was only available in selected areas in Johannesburg and Pretoria, with 250 Rain 5G towers covering an estimated 500,000 households. Rain has now revealed that it has expanded its 5G coverage almost six-fold since then. It now covers approximately 3 million households in Pretoria, Johannesburg, and Cape Town. Commenting on its original plans to launch 5G in Durban in 2020, Rain said it is in the process of deploying its 5G network in the city. Network upgrades Rains engineering team, in partnership with Huaweis Research and Development department in Shanghai, had implemented a number of upgrades to the 5G network. Multiple upgrades led to significant performance enhancements and customer experience improvements across the network, Rain said. One of the major upgrades has been 5G standalone which further improved 5G network performance with increased data rates, lower latency, and improved reliability. Rain has also aggressively scaled customer service with the growth of the network and deployed the following initiatives to address support issues: Employed more than 600 additional customer support agents across the country. Upgraded call centre systems and infrastructure. Extended operating hours from 08:00 to 20:00, 7 days a week. Launched the myrain Android app as a self-service platform for our customers. Implemented a device management system that allows it to remotely manage 5G devices in the field. The company added it has invested significant capital into upgrading its systems with back-up power to reduce the impact of load-shedding, and continued to add back-up power to its 5G network. Rain coverage The maps below show the current coverage areas of Rains 5G network in Johannesburg, Pretoria, and Cape Town. Napa County District Attorney Allison Haley announced that Napa Special Investigations Bureau has invested $10,000 of asset forfeiture funds back into the Napa community by way of a gift to the nonprofit If Given a Chance. NSIB is an investigative collaboration made up of team members from the Napa Sheriffs Department, Napa Police Department, Napa County Probation, California Highway Patrol, St Helena Police Department, Calistoga Police Department, and the Napa County District Attorneys Office. Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help. Subscribe today! Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Napa Valley Register. Special offer: $1 for your first 6 months! Asset forfeitures occur when the police takes a persons property because the property was used in committing a crime or was obtained by way of criminal activity. This property can include secured assets like a house or boat or can include money found in association with organized crime. Funds derived from asset forfeiture can be used for investigative expenses or invested back into the communities they came from, as is this case. If Given a Chance is a local nonprofit that identifies Napa County youth who have faced significant hardship and demonstrated resilience and promise as they seek to pursue a post-high school education or job trade. Award recipients receive personalized school counseling, mentoring in their professional interest areas, and financial support as they seek post-high school training or formalized education. The one option we were given was that we could have taken an appeal to the state Supreme Court, but that would cost over $200,000 to do that, which was way beyond our means, he said Thursday. They only choose a tiny percentage of cases to rule on, so even if we did appeal, there was only a small chance that court would take it up. The nonprofit that has operated the model train exhibit will stay in existence during the search for a new display location, according to Monger, who predicted the group may pursue temporary small-scale displays to keep the hobby in the public eye. Most rolling stock at the Expo was owned by group members and was reclaimed early in the process of vacating the Expo, and members also have removed sections of the diorama, often to meld into their own train collections, Monger said. However, about half of the rail backdrops cannot be relocated and will be left in place when the clubhouse closes for good. On his final day inside the rail exhibit building, Monger chose to remember the personal connections forged by members over years of a passion shared with visitors and one another. Napa County won't rescind its mask mandate until June 15, county public health officials say, mirroring a timeline announced by state officials earlier this week. The county's mask mandate, first announced last May, requires individuals to wears masks in businesses and workplaces when interacting with any person while social distancing may not be possible in order to prevent spread of COVID-19. Both Napa County and Caifornia are delaying by a month the implementation of new masking guidelines that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced May 13. The CDC said that fully vaccinated Americans would no longer need to wear masks, even indoors. California intends to keep its mask mandate in place until June 15, the same date it aims to fully reopen its economy, according to state guidelines. Napa County will follow that timeline, Napa County Public Health Officer Karen Relucio said in an interview Thursday. Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help. Subscribe today! Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Napa Valley Register. Special offer: $1 for your first 6 months! He has said the case against Becker was not about reproductive rights but about stopping a woman who repeatedly abused narcotics while pregnant. Becker gave birth to two other babies who tested positive for meth. Becker's attorneys say it's a travesty she had to stay in jail for more than a year, unable to post $2 million bail, until she was transferred to a drug treatment facility earlier this year. There is no evidence that drug use results in stillbirths, her attorneys say, and allowing murder charges would have a chilling effect: preventing women from seeking needed prenatal care. Numerous medical and public health groups, including the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, oppose punishment for drug use while pregnant. Becerra, who is now U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, filed a friend of the court brief stating that the law was never meant to apply to pregnant women and urging that charges against Becker be dropped. The judge in the case declined and two higher courts said it was too early in the legal process for them to intervene. At the same time, a local council in the affluent Pacific Palisades, also in Bonins district, opposed putting a tent village in a beach parking lot down a steep hill from the main part of the area. If Bonin should be recalled, there could be major consequences all around California. This would warn other local officials that okaying new quarters for the homeless in almost any residential or commercial location might lead to their political demise. Another significant recall-in-progress hits at Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon, who ran successfully last year promising to ease criminal sentencing and eliminate cash bail. Some Gascon critics claim he won mainly because the husband of former D.A. Jackie Lacey was arrested on firearm charges after pointing a gun at unruly demonstrators outside the couples home. Lacey also took heat for allegedly being soft on police violence. Critics say Gascon went far beyond his campaign promises in ordering his many hundreds of deputies not to seek death penalties. He also told deputies not to try for sentencing enhancements for most repeat offenders. Should Gascon be recalled and removed, it would carry implications for the 2022 election bid of appointed state Attorney General Rob Bonta, who shares many Gascon beliefs, and for other ultra-liberal D.A.s. We thank the reader for their comments and concerns about tree work in the Browns Valley Road / Mount Veeder area (Tree removal program will cause more problems, May 14). We understand how important trees are to our customers, communities, and the environment. Trees are important to us too. We want our customers to be informed about our vegetation management work and encourage them to communicate with inspectors who visit their property or contact us at (877) 295-4949 or wildfiresafety@pge.com. To protect public safety, we take steps every day to improve the safety and reliability of our electric system. This includes working with our customers and communities to manage vegetation located near power lines that could cause a wildfire or power outage. As an example of our work with local communities, PG&E has provided nearly $17 million in grant funding since 2014 to support local Fire Safe Councils in their efforts to improve fire safety, including the Angwin and Mount Veeder Fire Safe Councils in Napa County. I am a homeowner in the Bel Air neighborhood in North Napa, which has been brought to the headlines recently because of the street that is claiming so much notoriety from the neighborhood protest of a potential co-ownership home at 1627 Rainier. People have asked me why my family chooses not to post any protest signs in our yard and it is not because we support the co-ownership home in our neighborhood, it is because we are a household that strives to model conflict resolution in a mature fashion to our children. My five-year-old daughter is in Kindergarten at the Catholic school that intersects with Rainier and Diablo and I thank my lucky stars that I have the opportunity to walk her home from school on most days. When we walk past the bright and colorful chalk writings that read, TIMESHARE directly in front of the co-ownership home, she always asks why people are writing angry things in front of just one home on the street. As a mother, it breaks my heart that I must explain to her that its because the neighbors are angry, but that is not acceptable behavior from adults (or anyone), nor how we handle conflict in our home. Vintage Switch You order what the waiter tells you is a 2019 Rose or 2020 Sauvignon Blanc, but the wine seems a lot more tired than it should be. With older wines sitting around unsold for a year or more, buyers must be alert. Appellation Switch The by-the-glass list shows that a Pinot Noir is from the Russian River Valley, but the aroma shows no hint of that regions famed strawberry or raspberry. Maybe the appellation isnt RRV but Sonoma County, a big difference. Brand Switch We once had glasses of a famed Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc at a rooftop San Francisco bar. But when we ordered a second round, the wine that arrived was clearly not the same. After mentioning this to the waiter, he came back and said the bar was out of the first wine, so another was used. I rejected the second round and prepared to leave. Then the waiter reappeared, David Copperfield-like, with two glasses of the first wine! He said the barkeep had serendipitously found another bottle. Oh, how fortuitous! I cannot count the number of times this brand switching has happened to me, and after I saw it was a regular tactic, I began fighting back. Armenia acting MOD receives Head of ICRC Delegation Gagik Tsarukyan: Armenia needs to develop the economy by using resources of country and people Gagik Tsarukyan: Russia is Armenia's main ally, and this can't be altered Armenia MOD: Azerbaijanis try to carry out engineering works in Kut border section, Armenian side counters Armenia 1st President's nephew and his son involved in brawl in Yerevan Snap elections online voting starts, Azerbaijan continues 'trial' of Armenian POWs, Jun 11 digest Armenian former high-tech industry minister, member of ruling party on June 9 brawl in Yerevan Robert Kocharyan: If Armenia wants a peaceful settlement of Karabakh conflict, it needs to give Azerbaijan hope Armenia acting PM: During campaign meetings hundreds of mothers thanked me for signing Nov. 9 document Citizens are demanded to applaud Armenia acting PM Armenia ruling party lawmaker, MP candidate: Civil Contracts election promises are continuation of 2018 promises Armenia villager to Nikol Pashinyan: Yard of Turk's house is in front of our military post Opposition Prosperous Armenia Party assures that it's not expecting ministerial positions Robert Kocharyan: "Armenia" bloc will restore and deepen country's ties with allies Czech Rep. parliament committee calls on Azerbaijan to release all Armenian captives immediately "Armenia" bloc member Armen Gevorgyan holds meetings with diplomatic corps and international organizations Dollar still dropping in Armenia Azerbaijan announces names of 26 Armenian servicemen it intends to "put on trial" Armenian publishing house to print 66,925,000 ballots for upcoming snap parliamentary elections "Armenia" bloc member: There are reports that over 10 police buses escorted acting PM yesterday Gallup: "Armenia" bloc records slightly higher indicator than ruling party Armenia acting PM has been obligated to publicly apologize to Khachatryan family "Armenia" bloc: Robert Kocharyan and ARF-D resolved crisis that Levon Ter-Petrosyan created in 1998 Intellectual Armenia Party to support "Armenia" bloc in snap parliamentary elections Armenia ruling party MP's powers terminated Brawl takes place during Armenia ruling Civil Contract Party's campaign meeting, case launched Armenia acting premier: We also have enclave under Azerbaijan rule Holy Etchmiadzin: We express regret for unwise, inappropriate statements of acting PM "I have the honor" bloc member: Armenia acting PM has instructed his voters to go to polls by afternoon Prosperous Armenia Party MP: Enemy does not divide Armenians into "blacks" and "whites" Bright Armenia Party leader: Acting premier will not be able to get 60% of votes Armenia acting PM: There are people in media who are more like "killers" than journalists Ex-President Kocharyan: 2009-2018 I did not agree with Armenia authorities on many issues Armenia has new millionaires Armenia President visits Russia embassy, meets with ambassador Artsakh search continues Friday for remains of Armenian soldiers killed in war Armenia ruling party election offices heads being paid by provincial halls? Armenia emergency ministry preparing for a new cooperation with USAID US, Turkey top defense officials discuss regional issues 95 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia G7 leaders pledge to share 1bn doses of coronavirus vaccine with world Armenia snap parliamentary elections online voting starts Trump tells Biden to give Putin his warmest regards Newspaper: Pashinyan is both Armenia acting PM and not Newspaper: Why is Armenia arms dealer released from custody? National Geographic officially announces 5th ocean Armenia MP candidate is detained Armenia Prosecutor General receives OSCE/ODIHR election observation mission's delegation France's Macron intends to discuss situation in Nagorno-Karabakh with Turkish counterpart Armenia 3rd President on Nikol Pashinyan: People look at him and say 'greetings, son of a b**ch' US Department of Commerce intends to impose sanctions against Armenia's Armenal aluminum foil producer/exporter Armenia 1st President recalls his "remedial secession" formula for Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement "I Have the Honor" bloc to Armenian authorities: Let them try to use force or threaten anyone Armenia 2nd President: Everything that makes us Armenian has been destroyed over past three years Azerbaijan continues obscene farce, "investigation" into case of another 26 Armenian POWs is over Ex-governor presents situation in Armenia's Syunik Province Armenia 3rd President doesn't know why Nikol Pashinyan hasn't signed the pro-Armenian document he's talking about Armenia's Pashinyan: If I'm guilty, execute me, and I'll submit Armenia acting PM holds march with twice as many security and police officers in Vanadzor (PHOTO) Armenia acting MOD attaches importance to transparency of procurement and supplies in Armed Forces Remains of 4 more Armenian servicemen found and removed from Artsakh's Jrakan region Enigmatic incident takes places in Yerevan, semi-decayed body of man found under bridge Philip Reeker: Azerbaijani Armed Forces need to return to positions of May 11 Armenia opposition party leader says he's ready to form coalition with all forces, except for ruling party Armenia MOD: Azerbaijani side opens fire at military posts in border section of Gegharkunik Province Head of Armenia's Mission to OSCE: Goals of OSCE and CSTO serve as ground for their cooperation Azerbaijan shares documents on 8 Armenian POWs, COVID-19 in Armenia, Jun 10 digest Azerbaijanis open gunfire at military posts in Armenia's Gegharkunik Province for nearly 30 minutes Armenia acting justice minister expresses gratitude to US for supporting government's reforms agenda Philip Reeker: US will continue to press for the return of Armenian POWs and detainees Armenia 1st President: Russian peacekeepers won't leave Nagorno-Karabakh after 5 years Catholicos of All Armenians receives newly appointed Ambassador of Kazakhstan Armenia Parliament Speaker also attending ruling party's campaign meeting in Odzun (PHOTO) Zakharova: Russia makes essential contributions to post-war demining in Nagorno-Karabakh 160,000,000 children are involved in child labor around the world Dollar loses value in Armenia Biden, Johnson underscore close ties between US and UK Armenia attorney general forwards video recording of ex-FM's sensational statement to National Security Service Ex-President Kocharyan: Armenia must stand on its feet to conduct effective negotiations on Nagorno-Karabakh Armenia 2nd President: Border with Azerbaijan needs to be constructed as soon as possible Armenia 1st President proposes to acting PM to publicize recording of their conversation about Karabakh Armenia President congratulates Portuguese counterpart on National Day of Portugal Iranian Ambassador to Armenia acting minister: Iran has already developed roadmap and timetable for joint programs People are brought in vans to Lori Province village for meeting with Armenia acting premier Karabakh rescue squad searching for remains of deceased servicemen in Fizuli and Jabrayil Karabakh President appoints new chief of staff Armenia 1st President doesn't rule out formation of coalition with Robert Kocharyan and Serzh Sargsyan after elections Armenia former President Kocharyan: Only way to work with external partners is being straightforward, honest Acting US Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs visits Armenian Genocide Memorial Armenia 1st President: If we Armenians miss this moment as well, very bad things will happen "I have the honor" bloc is in Armenias Syunik (PHOTOS) Horsemen lead Armenia acting PM Pashinyan motorcade in Lori Province village Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan: I have reasonable doubts that Shushi was deliberately handed over Azerbaijan provides documents on 6 captured Armenia soldiers health condition Police apprehend 16 ARF youths near Armenia government building Ex-President Kocharyan on acting PM idea to exchange son for Armenian captives in Azerbaijan: Primitive stupidity Armenia acting premier receives acting US assistant secretary of state ARF youth close off downtown Yerevan street Yerevan police forcibly apprehend protesting ARF members Armenia acting PM in Lori Province, he is accompanied by State Protection Service head (PHOTOS) The European Parliament has voted to freeze the ratification of the EU-China investment deal due to the sanctions that Beijing has imposed on five members of the hemicycle, Euronews reported. In a resolution passed on Thursday afternoon, the Parliament also deplores what it calls the "crimes against humanity" that are taking place against the Uyghur Muslim minority in the Xinjiang region and the crackdown on the democratic opposition in Hong Kong. The latest development represents a new blow to the EU-China Comprehensive Agreement on Investment (CAI) that European leaders reached during a video call with Chinese President Xi Jinping less than five months ago. The agreement's main goal is to increase market access and ensure fair treatment for EU investors and companies doing business in China. The text wants to create a so-called level playing field and contains provisions on state-owned enterprises and subsidies. The ratification of the investment deal by the European Parliamenta necessary step in the EU legislative cyclewas in doubt from the very moment the draft text was published, but tensions escalated rapidly when, in late March, the European Union decide to impose the first sanctions against China in more than 30 years. The raft of measures, designed in coordination with Western allies, targeted four Chinese officials and one entity believed to be involved in the human rights violations against the Uyghur minority. China reacted swiftly and furiously: in an almost instantaneous counter-strike, the Chinese Foreign Ministry slapped sanctions on ten European individuals, including five Members of the European Parliament, and four entities, among which was the Parliament's subcommittee on human rights. Beijing also blacklisted elected officials from the UK, the US, and Canada. In total, more than 30 individuals and entities were sanctioned. The Chinese counter-sanctions have infuriated the European Parliament and soured the mood for ratification. In the joint resolution approved on Thursday with 599 votes in favor and 30 against, MEPs lambaste Beijing's response, calling it "an attack against the European Union and its Parliament as a whole, the heart of European democracy and values, as well as an attack against freedom of research." "While the EUs sanctions target human rights violations and are based on legitimate and proportionate measures embedded in international law, Chinas sanctions lack any legal justification, are entirely unsubstantiated and arbitrary and target the criticism of such human rights violations," the parliamentarians wrote. The MEPs say that any discussion around the investment deal "has justifiably been frozen because of the Chinese sanctions" and refuse to open the debate as long as they remain in place. They argue their ability to scrutinize the agreement has been "significantly hindered" by the restrictions placed on the subcommittee on human rights. Moreover, the Parliament "considers the sanctions to be part of an effort to police speech about China worldwide and to determine what kind of speech and discussions would be allowed globally, and sees this effort as part of a totalitarian threat." The lawmakers took the opportunity to push the European Commission, which acts as main negotiator of the deal, to "improve the protection of human rights and support for civil society in China" and underlined that other trade and investment agreements with regional partners, like Taiwan, "should not be held hostage to the suspension of the CAI ratification." MEPs also urged the Chinese government to ratify and implement several conventions of the International Labour Organization (ILO), including those related to forced labor, freedom of association and the right to organize. China and the United States are the only big economies that have not ratified the 1930 convention that abolishes forced labor in all its forms. China hasn't ratified either the United Nations' International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Reacting to the move from Brussels, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said the investment deal is a "win-win" for both sides and asked for "positive efforts" towards an early ratification. Spokesperson Zhao Lijian defended the Chinese counter-sanctions as a "necessary, legitimate and just reaction to the EU's moves of imposing sanctions and seeking confrontation." "China has every sincerity in developing its relations with the EU. That said, we will firmly safeguard its sovereignty, security and development interests. Sanctions and confrontation cannot solve the problems; dialogue and cooperation is the right way forward," he said. YEREVAN. Zhoghovurd newspaper of the Republic of Armenia (RA) writes: Yesterday ArmLur.am published a document around which Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Russia are currently negotiating. Later in the parliament, RA acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan confirmed that this very document is being negotiated today, which he also called pro-Armenian. Let us note that after the signing of this document, a process of demarcation and delimitation must begin. And as RA independent MP Taguhi Tovmasyan voiced in the parliament yesterday, it may contain risks in terms of Artsakh [(Nagorno-Karabakh)], too, and it may mean that we are closing all the opportunities for the solution of the Artsakh issue, for the liberation of the occupied territories of today. After all, what will this document mean in terms of Artsakh? And what risks does it have? Zhoghovurd daily tried to get the answers to these questions from Artsakh Foreign Minister David Babayan. "I have not seen the original of that document; I do not know what points there are [on it]. But the point is that Artsakh has never been, and it should not be considered that it can be part of Azerbaijan. Now Azerbaijan has occupied about 80 percent of the Artsakh region, and we see what its condition is. Azerbaijan's territorial integrity cannot extend to Artsakh," he noted. According to Babayan, countries can recognize each other without resolving border and other issues. "We [Artsakh] do not consider it a border, but a line of contact; any Artsakh resident believes so. The people of Armenia must have their own vision and single approach," he added. Tall Ship Pinta Docked in Grand Rivers for Tours GRAND RIVERS - Tall Ship Pinta in Grand Rivers thru June 1The Pinta, a replica of Christopher Columbus famous ship, is open for public tours in Grand Rivers.The ship is docked at Green Turtle Bay Resort until her departure on June 1st.The original Pinta was the first ship to sight land on Columbus' voyage to the New World in 1492. Historians consider the caravel the Space Shuttle of the fifteenth century.The Pinta replica is on tour as a sailing museum. The public is invited to visit the ship for a self- guided tour. The ship will be open every day from 10 am to 5 pm from May 21-31. No reservations are necessary.Admission charges are $6.50 for adults, $6 for seniors, and $5.50 for students ages 5-16 years-old. Children 4 and under are free.Teachers or organizations wishing to schedule a 30-minute guided tour with a crew member can call 1-850-686-3612 or visit: ninapinta.org and click take a tour. Minimum of 15 for group rate at $4.50 per person. Baku has wanted access to American weaponry. The statement came from Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. "We [Azerbaijan] did not have such an opportunity before because of the [Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh)] conflict with Armenia. But now, after the end of the conflict, we expect to be able to do that," he added. According to him, in general, Baku expects a development of relations with the Biden administration. Also, the Azerbaijani president noted that the US can contribute to the normalization of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan. "During the meeting with the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs, I said that I expect new proposals from them. Therefore, I believe this organization is currently at the phase of seeking new proposals. New proposals can be put forward for the normalization of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, for the coexistence of the people of the two countries," Aliyev added. Armenia acting MOD receives Head of ICRC Delegation Gagik Tsarukyan: Armenia needs to develop the economy by using resources of country and people Gagik Tsarukyan: Russia is Armenia's main ally, and this can't be altered Armenia MOD: Azerbaijanis try to carry out engineering works in Kut border section, Armenian side counters Armenia 1st President's nephew and his son involved in brawl in Yerevan Snap elections online voting starts, Azerbaijan continues 'trial' of Armenian POWs, Jun 11 digest Armenian former high-tech industry minister, member of ruling party on June 9 brawl in Yerevan Robert Kocharyan: If Armenia wants a peaceful settlement of Karabakh conflict, it needs to give Azerbaijan hope Armenia acting PM: During campaign meetings hundreds of mothers thanked me for signing Nov. 9 document Citizens are demanded to applaud Armenia acting PM Armenia ruling party lawmaker, MP candidate: Civil Contracts election promises are continuation of 2018 promises Armenia villager to Nikol Pashinyan: Yard of Turk's house is in front of our military post Opposition Prosperous Armenia Party assures that it's not expecting ministerial positions Robert Kocharyan: "Armenia" bloc will restore and deepen country's ties with allies Czech Rep. parliament committee calls on Azerbaijan to release all Armenian captives immediately "Armenia" bloc member Armen Gevorgyan holds meetings with diplomatic corps and international organizations Dollar still dropping in Armenia Azerbaijan announces names of 26 Armenian servicemen it intends to "put on trial" Armenian publishing house to print 66,925,000 ballots for upcoming snap parliamentary elections "Armenia" bloc member: There are reports that over 10 police buses escorted acting PM yesterday Gallup: "Armenia" bloc records slightly higher indicator than ruling party Armenia acting PM has been obligated to publicly apologize to Khachatryan family "Armenia" bloc: Robert Kocharyan and ARF-D resolved crisis that Levon Ter-Petrosyan created in 1998 Intellectual Armenia Party to support "Armenia" bloc in snap parliamentary elections Armenia ruling party MP's powers terminated Brawl takes place during Armenia ruling Civil Contract Party's campaign meeting, case launched Armenia acting premier: We also have enclave under Azerbaijan rule Holy Etchmiadzin: We express regret for unwise, inappropriate statements of acting PM "I have the honor" bloc member: Armenia acting PM has instructed his voters to go to polls by afternoon Prosperous Armenia Party MP: Enemy does not divide Armenians into "blacks" and "whites" Bright Armenia Party leader: Acting premier will not be able to get 60% of votes Armenia acting PM: There are people in media who are more like "killers" than journalists Ex-President Kocharyan: 2009-2018 I did not agree with Armenia authorities on many issues Armenia has new millionaires Armenia President visits Russia embassy, meets with ambassador Artsakh search continues Friday for remains of Armenian soldiers killed in war Armenia ruling party election offices heads being paid by provincial halls? Armenia emergency ministry preparing for a new cooperation with USAID US, Turkey top defense officials discuss regional issues 95 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia G7 leaders pledge to share 1bn doses of coronavirus vaccine with world Armenia snap parliamentary elections online voting starts Trump tells Biden to give Putin his warmest regards Newspaper: Pashinyan is both Armenia acting PM and not Newspaper: Why is Armenia arms dealer released from custody? National Geographic officially announces 5th ocean Armenia MP candidate is detained Armenia Prosecutor General receives OSCE/ODIHR election observation mission's delegation France's Macron intends to discuss situation in Nagorno-Karabakh with Turkish counterpart Armenia 3rd President on Nikol Pashinyan: People look at him and say 'greetings, son of a b**ch' US Department of Commerce intends to impose sanctions against Armenia's Armenal aluminum foil producer/exporter Armenia 1st President recalls his "remedial secession" formula for Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement "I Have the Honor" bloc to Armenian authorities: Let them try to use force or threaten anyone Armenia 2nd President: Everything that makes us Armenian has been destroyed over past three years Azerbaijan continues obscene farce, "investigation" into case of another 26 Armenian POWs is over Ex-governor presents situation in Armenia's Syunik Province Armenia 3rd President doesn't know why Nikol Pashinyan hasn't signed the pro-Armenian document he's talking about Armenia's Pashinyan: If I'm guilty, execute me, and I'll submit Armenia acting PM holds march with twice as many security and police officers in Vanadzor (PHOTO) Armenia acting MOD attaches importance to transparency of procurement and supplies in Armed Forces Remains of 4 more Armenian servicemen found and removed from Artsakh's Jrakan region Enigmatic incident takes places in Yerevan, semi-decayed body of man found under bridge Philip Reeker: Azerbaijani Armed Forces need to return to positions of May 11 Armenia opposition party leader says he's ready to form coalition with all forces, except for ruling party Armenia MOD: Azerbaijani side opens fire at military posts in border section of Gegharkunik Province Head of Armenia's Mission to OSCE: Goals of OSCE and CSTO serve as ground for their cooperation Azerbaijan shares documents on 8 Armenian POWs, COVID-19 in Armenia, Jun 10 digest Azerbaijanis open gunfire at military posts in Armenia's Gegharkunik Province for nearly 30 minutes Armenia acting justice minister expresses gratitude to US for supporting government's reforms agenda Philip Reeker: US will continue to press for the return of Armenian POWs and detainees Armenia 1st President: Russian peacekeepers won't leave Nagorno-Karabakh after 5 years Catholicos of All Armenians receives newly appointed Ambassador of Kazakhstan Armenia Parliament Speaker also attending ruling party's campaign meeting in Odzun (PHOTO) Zakharova: Russia makes essential contributions to post-war demining in Nagorno-Karabakh 160,000,000 children are involved in child labor around the world Dollar loses value in Armenia Biden, Johnson underscore close ties between US and UK Armenia attorney general forwards video recording of ex-FM's sensational statement to National Security Service Ex-President Kocharyan: Armenia must stand on its feet to conduct effective negotiations on Nagorno-Karabakh Armenia 2nd President: Border with Azerbaijan needs to be constructed as soon as possible Gor Abrahamyan, Adviser to the Prosecutor General of Armenia, went on Facebook to present details about the recent incident nearby the village of Shosh in Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh). Accordingly, a criminal case has been opened in connection with the Azerbaijanis shooting at a resident carrying out engineering works near the aforesaid village and at the servicemen of Artsakh. At around 5:05pm on May 17, a group of Azerbaijani servicemen firedfor about seven minutesat the excavator being operated by a resident of the village of Sos in the Martuni region, who was conducting engineering work at a military post under the protection of the military unit, and at the personnel of that military post. As a result, the front and left side door windows of this excavator were completely damaged. The working civilian and conscripts were able to take shelter during this shooting. The aforesaid criminal case is under investigation. YEREVAN. As of Friday morning, 140 new cases of the coronavirus were confirmed in Armenia, and the total number of these cases has reached 221,699 in the country, the National Center for Disease Control and Prevention informed Armenian News-NEWS.am. Also, seven more deaths from COVID-19 were registered, making the respective total 4,371 cases. Three more cases of coronavirus patients dying from some other illnesses were recorded in Armenia in the past one day, and the corresponding overall death toll in the country is 1,072 now. The number of people who have recovered over the past one day is 484, the total respective number so far is 210,464, and the number of people currently being treated is 5,792a drop by 354 from the previous day. And 2,932 COVID-19 tests were conducted in Armenia over the past one day, while 1,053,007 such tests have been performed to date. This microscope image made available by the National Cancer Institute Center for Cancer Research in 2015 shows human colon cancer cells with the nuclei stained red. Americans should start getting screened for colon cancer earlier, at age 45 instead of waiting until they're 50, according to new guidelines from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, released on Tuesday, May 18, 2021. PHOTO:NCI Center for Cancer Research via AP, File Americans Urged to get Colonoscopy at 45 By The Associated Press WASHINGTON - Americans should start getting screened for colon cancer earlier -- at age 45 instead of waiting until theyre 50, according to guidelines released Tuesday.The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force said it's time for the change because colorectal cancer increasingly is appearing in younger adults.Colorectal cancer is one of the nations leading cancer killers, claiming about 50,000 lives a year. Overall, cases and deaths have inched down in recent years, thanks in part to screening tests that can spot tumors early -- or even prevent them by removing precancerous growths.Colorectal cancer is most common in older adults and the task force has long recommended that people ages 50 to 75 get screened. But the rate of new cases before age 50 has been rising since the early 2000s. So the new guidelines say adults at average risk of colorectal cancer should be screened from ages 45 to 75.The decision, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, means most insurance plans would have to cover the checks with no copay. The change brings the task force in line with the American Cancer Society, which lowered its recommended screening age to 45 in 2018.The new advice shows "45 is the new 50 for this important cancer prevention screening intervention, Dr. Kimmie Ng of the Dana Farber Cancer Institute, who wasnt involved in the task force deliberations, wrote in JAMA.How often people need to get checked depends on the type of screening they choose. There are a variety of options, including yearly stool-based tests or colonoscopies that may be done every 10 years.But about 1 in 4 people between ages 50 and 75 have never been screened for the disease. The topic of preservation of historical and cultural heritage in Nagorno-Karabakh [(Artsakh)] and adjacent regions is always discussed in our contacts with both Baku and Yerevan. Maria Zakharova, the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, told this to a press briefing Friday. "The topic, in particular, was touched upon during the working visit of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to Armenia and Azerbaijan in the first half of May. We [Russia] are in favor of the immediate organizing of a UNESCO mission to the region. We are working also along the lines of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs," she added. Zakharova recalled that the April 13 statement adopted by the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs notes that the preservation and protection of religious and cultural heritage are among the issues that require additional efforts from both Azerbaijan and Armenia. To note, however, Azerbaijan distortsunder the pretext of "repair work"the Armenian historical and cultural monuments in the Artsakh territories it has occupied as a result of the 2020 war. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Ky., right, speaks to the media next to Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., Tuesday, May 18, 2021, after a meeting with Senate Republicans on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) PHOTO:AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin House Backs Commission on Jan. 6 Riot; GOP Objects By The Associated Press WASHINGTON DC - The U.S. House voted Wednesday to create an independent commission to study the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol. The bill passed the House on Wednesday 252-175, with 35 Republicans voting with Democrats in support of the commission, defying House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy. Modeled after the investigation into the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, the legislation would establish an independent, 10-member commission that would make recommendations by the end of the year for securing the Capitol and preventing another insurrection. Democrats say an independent investigation is crucial to reckoning what happened that day when a mob of Trump's supporters stormed the Capitol. Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell is trying to prevent defections among his own ranks, echoing McCarthy's opposition in a Senate floor speech Wednesday morning. Both men claimed the bill was partisan, even though membership of the proposed commission would be evenly split between the parties. Former president Donald Trump issued a statement urging Republicans to vote against it, calling the legislation a Democrat trap. NATO leaders must clearly and unequivocally commit to values and rules at next month's summit, French President Emmanuel Macron said, subtly hinting at Turkeys behavior within the alliance, AP reported. Speaking to reporters in Paris alongside NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, Macron said leaders, including US President Joe Biden, should openly discuss cohesion within NATO at a June 14 summit in Brussels. According to him, it is important for countries not to focus on national interests that contradict the security of other allies, as it has been in recent years in Syria, the Eastern Mediterranean, Libya, and the Caucasus. He also noted interoperability of weapons, which is absolutely essential for NATO. The French president did not name Turkey, but the latter has been criticized for its exploration activities in the Eastern Mediterranean. Last year, Turkish warships also prevented a French frigate from inspecting a freighter bound for Libya. As a result of Turkey's purchase of Russian S-400 systems, which NATO says could threaten its own defenses, the United States has excluded the country from its F-35 stealth fighter program. All Stoltenberg said was that the leaders will strengthen our unity and solidarity in the future. This means more consultation within NATO on all issues affecting our security, reaffirming our fundamental values and strengthening our commitment to collective defense, including through increased investment, he said. BEIJING, May 20 -- The US warships passing through the Taiwan Strait and trespassing into China's territorial waters off the Xisha Islands within several days is a serious provocation and very bad in nature, China firmly opposes and strongly condemns it, said Senior Colonel Tan Kefei, spokesperson for China's Ministry of National Defense (MND) on Thursday in a written statement. The US missile destroyer Curtis Wilbur passed through the Taiwan Strait on May 18 and consecutively trespassed into China's territorial waters off the Xisha Islands on May 20 without Chinas approval. In response, the relevant theater command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army sent naval vessels and aircrafts to track and monitor and warn off the US destroyer in accordance with the laws and regulations, said the spokesperson. Tan pointed out that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China, Taiwan question is purely China's internal affairs and concerns China's sovereignty and territorial integrity and is the most important and sensitive issue in China-U.S. relations. The frequent passage of US warships through the Taiwan Strait to show off force and create crisis sent erroneous signals to the "Taiwan independence" secessionist forces, which is extremely irresponsible and dangerous, nothing short of playing with fire," warned Tan. Tan stated that the Xisha Islands are an inherent part of the Chinese territory, and the Chinese government announced the baseline of the territorial waters off the Xisha Islands in 1996 according to the Law of the People's Republic of China on the Territorial Sea and the Contiguous Zone. The US warships trespass into Chinas territorial waters off the Xisha Islands goes against the Chinese law and relevant international law, has seriously infringed upon China's sovereignty and security, and disrupted peace, security and order of the relevant waters, Tan said. The spokesperson urged the US side to have a clear knowledge of the situation, stop provocation and abide by the one-China principle and provisions of the three China-US joint communiques, contribute more to regional peace and stability and stop creating obstacles and stirring up troubles for relations between the two countries and their militaries. The Chinese military will take all necessary measures to respond to all threats and provocations and firmly safeguard Chinas national sovereignty and territorial integrity, the spokesperson stressed. Armenian News - NEWS.am presents the daily digest of Armenia-related top news as of 21.05.21: There is still a tense situation at the Armenia-Azerbaijan border in the Syunik and Gegharkunik provinces of Armenia. Despite the agreement reached last week with Russian mediation, Azerbaijani troops are still inside the Armenian state border. On Thursday evening Armenian Syunik Province governor noted that 30 more Azerbaijanis have trespassed the state border. According to the governor, the adversary is constantly inciting a war, even though the Armenian side has declared several times that its preparing to solve the issue peacefully. Meanwhile, the mayor of Khoznavar village of Armenias Syunik Province noted that the Azerbaijani military on Thursday advanced another 1.5 km in the direction of the village. And today on Friday, Gor Abrahamyan, Adviser to the Prosecutor General of Armenia, went on Facebook to present details about the recent incident nearby the village of Shosh in Artsakh. According to him, on Monday, Azerbaijanis fired shots near Artsakh village for 7 minutes. The working civilian and conscripts were able to take shelter during this shooting, he noted. Armenian defense ministry noted that the situation after the provocations carried out by the Azerbaijani armed forces on the Armenia-Azerbaijan border on May 12 and 13 has not changed considerably as of noon Friday. On Thursday evening, a quarrel took place near Sev Lake region over videos showing Armenian and Azerbaijani servicemen. The dispute was settled by the efforts of the superior command. The defense ministry on Thursday organized a visit to Syunik Province for the military attaches of the foreign embassies in Armenia to familiarize them with the situation on the ground as a result of Azerbaijani servicemens incursion into Armenia. These military attaches were nearby Sev Lake. hey recorded the presence of the Azerbaijani military in the territory of Armenia, and observed the deployment of Armenian and Azerbaijani forces in the area. On Thursday, acting PM Nikol Pashinyan confirmed he is negotiating a new document with Azerbaijan and Russia which is 100% in line with the interests of Armenia. The paper was first published by Armenia's former ambassador to the Vatican Mikayel Minasyan. According to Minasyan, Pashinyan was going to sign a new agreement that would damage the interests of the country. In turn, the acting PM noted that Armenia has reached some agreements with its international colleagues. According to him, those solutions are 100% in line with the interests of Armenia. Meanwhile, Russian president's spokesperson Dmitry Peskov commented on the alleged text of a statementby acting Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan, as well as Presidents of Russia and Azerbaijan Vladimir Putin and Ilham Aliyev. According to him, random publications should be treated with cautiousness. Azerbaijani president Ilham Aliyev has announced readiness to establish trade relations with Yerevan. "Baku is ready to establish trade relations with Yerevan; but for that, Azerbaijan and Armenia must recognize each other's borders," he noted. According to him, 30,000 Armenians live in the Nagorno-Karabakh [Artsakh] territories which are currently under the monitoring of Russian peacekeepers. "We consider them citizens of Azerbaijan, who have been brainwashed by the Armenian propaganda," the Azerbaijani president added. Maria Zakharova, the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, noted that Moscow supports organizing the UNESCO mission to Nagorno-Karabakh [Artsakh] and surrounding areas. Zakharova recalled that the April 13 statement adopted by the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs notes that the preservation and protection of religious and cultural heritage are among the issues that require additional efforts from both Azerbaijan and Armenia. However, Azerbaijan distortsunder the pretext of "repair work"the Armenian historical and cultural monuments in the Artsakh territories it has occupied as a result of the 2020 war. A conscript has died in an Armenian road accident. At around 7 pm on Thursday, an armored personnel carrier of a military unit rolled about 100 meters into a gorge while traveling. An investigation is underway to find out the details of this incident. As of Friday morning, 140 new cases of the coronavirus were confirmed in Armenia, and the total number of these cases has reached 221,699. Also, seven more deaths from COVID-19 were registered, making the respective total 4,371 cases. The number of people who have recovered over the past one day is 484, the total respective number so far is 210,464. The response of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe to Azerbaijans obvious violations of its statutory and conventional obligations has not been adequate. This is what acting Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia Ara Aivazian said in statement he made during the session of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe. The statement reads as follows: "Mr. President, dear Minister Maas, Germany held the Presidency of the Committee of Ministers in challenging times, not least due to the continuing and crippling pandemic. I join the previous speakers in appreciating the efforts made by your country to confront these challenges. Mr. President, We welcome the Strategic Framework prepared by the Secretary General, which is a solid foundation for a longer-term vision and continued reforms of the organization. We would also like to thank the Secretary General for her Annual Report, rightly assessing the state of democratic security in Europe. Secondly, Mr. President, this year marks the 20th Anniversary of Armenias membership to the Council of Europe. Throughout these years the Council of Europe has contributed to the democratic consolidation in Armenia, and it continues to do so. We remain committed to the ideals and values of the Council of Europe with strong ownership. But on the other hand, we see degradation and the moral defeat of these values in a larger context of European democratic security. Last year Azerbaijan waged a bloody war against the people of Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh). The war was accompanied with massive violations of human rights and international humanitarian law. These transgressions are well documented not only in Armenian sources, but also internationally: by organizations such as Amnesty, the Human Rights Watch and Freedom House. Our own European Court of Human Rights indicated interim measures to Azerbaijan with relation to hundreds of persons confirmed to be captured by that country, requesting information about them, but not receiving any. The Court went to the length of publicly notifying the Committee of Ministers that Azerbaijan is not cooperating. Last PACE plenary expressed its grave concern as well. By refusing to hand over the remaining prisoners of war Azerbaijan continues violating international human rights law and international humanitarian law to this very day. We see an important role for the Council of Europe in addressing the devastating humanitarian consequences of the war in Nagorno-Karabakh including displacement, destruction of cultural and religious sites and continued captivity of hundreds of prisoners of war and civilians. We believe that our Committee should bolster its efforts in this respect, also by providing its full support to the Court, Parliamentary Assembly, Commissioner for Human Rights and other relevant bodies. So far, the response of the Committee to Azerbaijans obvious violations of its statutory and conventional obligations has not been adequate. Lack of strong response to massive and grave human rights violations in Nagorno-Karabakh further emboldened Azerbaijan to project the same policy towards Republic of Armenia by making attempts to seize borderline territories and deprive the local population of their livelihood. Mr. President, The Council of Europe was established with the aim of achieving greater unity among its Member States. And the Council has been successful in bringing almost the entirety of Europe under one roof and in devising legal standards guiding many aspects of the cooperation between its Member States. Yet, there is a great divide between some of our Member States. And while the perpetrators of atrocious crimes are allowed to be on equal footing with those who still believe in the values of democracy and human rights, this divide is only going to widen. Unless we reinvigorate our efforts in ensuring democratic security throughout Europe, and particularly for those living in areas of conflicts and confrontations, our overarching goal of greater unity in Europe would remain illusory. Thank you." The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) has issued a statement welcoming the adoption of the resolution of the European Parliament following the urgent debate, demanding the immediate and unconditional release of all Armenian prisoners of war captured during and after the war unleashed against the people of Artsakh by the Azerbaijani-Turkish tandem. The statement reads as follows: We welcome the adoption of the resolution of the European Parliament (EP) on 20th of May following the urgent debate where inter alia the European Parliament demands the immediate and unconditional release of all Armenian prisoners, both military and civilian, captured during and after the war unleashed against the people of Artsakh by the Azerbaijani-Turkish tandem. We commend the efforts of the overwhelming majority of EP members to address this issue of humanitarian emergency by keeping constant pressure on Azerbaijan to ensure that Azerbaijan respects its own international obligations, particularly, with regard to ECHR and Geneva Conventions. This resolution is a significant contribution to the collective efforts of the international community to return the Armenian prisoners back home. We also note with satisfaction that the resolution attaches great importance to the security of Artsakh and the protection of its cultural heritage in territories currently under Azerbaijani occupation. It is commendable that the European Parliament insists that Equal Rights and Self-Determination of Peoples are imperative principles for determining the future status of Nagorno-Karabakh. We also welcome the resolution adopted on May 19th by the European Parliament on May 19 calling on the EU and its Member States to add the racist right-wing extremist Grey Wolves movement to their terrorist list, to ban their associations and organisations in EU countries. The resolution is a crucial step toward fighting extremism and racism in the region. It will also be a clear and important message to rogue states that the international community stands up to their genocidal policies." If any political force continues to carry out activities for political dividends and fails to support the claim to annul the document to be signed between Armenia and Azerbaijan at this moment, that political force will deprive itself of the right to defend Armenia tomorrow. This is what founding director of Armenian Knight Charitable Foundation for Education and Upbringing Karin Tonoyan said during a conversation with Armenian News-NEWS.am. It doesnt matter to me who will come to power, but what will they rule over, if there is no land? Once again, we Armenians are dealing with a professional liar who is carrying out all the instructed programs with blurred politics and by deceiving the people. Its clear that his goal is to collaborate with Aliyev. Is there anyone who doesnt understand that Aiyev is the chief of staff of Nikol Pashinyan? The reason why is because Nikol Pashinyan is more than favorable for the Azerbaijanis and their leadership. Whoever the next leader will be and no matter how much he loves the Azerbaijanis, he will have to carry out other activities in order to maintain his position. Im more than certain that Nikol Pashinyan has an agreement with Aliyev, and the trespassing of the border was an agreement according to which the Azerbaijanis will cross the border, exert psychological pressure on the people, and Armenia will be forced to give consent to all agreements since the people will be afraid of war. Otherwise, why has Nikol Pashinyan ordered not to open fire? The people are to blame more than Nikol Pashinyan because if you are deceived, you are to blame. I want the people to understand that the fate of Armenia depends on them. What else needs to happen for the people to stand up? she said. According to Tonoyan, the process of demarcation of the borders between Armenia and Azerbaijan that the authorities of Armenia are planning to launch, will pose serious dangers for Armenia. According to her, as a result of demarcation, Armenia might be deprived of strategic roads and even water resources. They lowered the level of education of the people to the degree that people dont understand what the authorities are doing to them. The people listen and say, its ok, things will be clear after a few years, weve been adjusting borders with Georgia for 30 years, well live with the Azerbaijanis too, the authorities say Armenia will retrieve Artsvashen. However, in exchange of Artsvashen, Armenia will transfer a few villages. Armenia will transfer the main villages of Tavush Provinces, along with lakes, reservoirs, forests, and half of Tavush Province, not to mention Tigranashen village of Ararat Province, which is on a strategic road that will cut Armenia from Vayots Dzor and Syunik. The only road left will be the road to Vedi, and we know what it means to have only one road, especially in a country that is doomed to be in a war constantly, she stated. According to Karin Tonoyan, the newly established 5165 Movement that she is leading is aimed at awakening citizens and making them realize that Armenians are losing their homeland. We will guide the people and reach a point where the document will not be signed. In addition, we have set up a border protection committee, which has been joined by various initiatives. We have developed a clear-cut plan that shows how we will help soldiers on the border and how we will demand the Ministry of Defense to perform its functions. We will also find solutions through which we can liberate our country from the incumbent authorities, she added. The Movement will hold a rally at Charles Aznavour Square in Yerevan tomorrow. The decommissioning ceremony is underway. BEIJING, May 21 -- The decommissioning ceremony for the Chinese naval guided-missile frigate Dandong (Hull 543) was held at a military port in the PLA Southern Theater Command on May 19. The service members assigned to a frigate flotilla of the Navy under the PLA Southern Theater Command lined up to bid the final farewell to frigate Dandong, which had served in the PLA Navy for 36 years. The frigate Dandong was independently designed and built by China in the 1980s. Since being commissioned, it has completed major tasks of combat readiness patrol, maritime rights protection and overseas visits, and has participated in various kinds of drills and exercises for hundreds of times, making outstanding contributions to protecting Chinas maritime rights and interests and safeguarding Chinas territorial sovereignty and security. Early last year, the frigate Dandong created a record of keeping combat readiness at sea for consecutive 103 days when performing combat readiness patrol in a particular sea area. After decommissioning, the frigate Dandong will be handed over to Dandong City, Liaoning Province, serving as a patriotism and national defense education base in the city. For the past several years, Emory has engaged in a nonpartisan effort, with a diverse set of leaders representing major economic sectors, to enhance our nations competitiveness and drive inclusive prosperity for all Americans. Since 2018, Emory leaders have worked closely with the Council on Competitiveness, composed of industry CEOs, university presidents and national lab directors. The council has a long history of working to identify and advocate for recommendations that promote U.S. innovation capacity and capability. C. Michael Cassidy, director of the Emory Biomedical Catalyst, who was Georgia Research Alliance (GRA) president and CEO before joining the university in 2018, is a council advisor. In his role at Emory, Cassidy leads efforts to enhance innovation, entrepreneurship and development of intellectual property, as well as identifying and developing areas of frontier research. Cassidy has been deeply involved with the council across two decades and was named a senior fellow when he retired from the GRA. By providing real-world perspective to Washington policymakers, the councils private-sector network impacts decision making across a spectrum of key issues, including the cutting edge of science and technology, the democratization of innovation, resiliency and the future of education and work, as well as the shift from energy weakness to strength to support U.S. manufacturing, Cassidy says. Not long after his arrival in August 2020, Emory President Gregory L. Fenves agreed to be a commissioner on the council and to renew the universitys membership. Joining him in representing Georgia are the presidents of Georgia State University and the University of Georgia. I am grateful to Mike Cassidy and other Emory leaders for building a strong relationship with the Council on Competitiveness, says Fenves. Research universities like Emory are at the heart of the American innovation ecosystem. Our faculty and researchers make breakthroughs across a wide range of fields while helping to train the entrepreneurial workforce of the future, which supports the economic vitality, quality of life and health of the nation. The councils evolution The Council on Competitiveness traces its roots to 1986 and the Reagan-era Commission on Industrial Competitiveness, chaired by Hewlett-Packard CEO John Young. When that commission ended its work, Young created the private-sector Council on Competitiveness. A high-water mark for the council was the 2004 report Innovate America: Thriving in a World of Challenge and Change. Three years later, President George W. Bush signed the America Competes Act legislation that in part arose from the Innovate America report and the work of the councils National Innovation Initiative. The act has had broad-ranging impact on scientific and technological advancement in the U.S., particularly in STEM education and research. The 10x push The councils flagship effort currently is the National Commission on Innovation and Competitiveness Frontiers, a multiyear effort begun in 2019 to focus on the challenges and opportunities associated with American innovation and competitiveness. Among the commissions goals for the next decade are to provide government leaders a policy-recommendation roadmap; accelerate annual productivity growth and push U.S. living standards to the top of global rankings; and address, propose and potentially launch private, public and public-private solutions to specific national and global challenges. Alongside Cassidy are five other Emory faculty and staff members, who serve on the following working groups or committees: Developing and Deploying at-Scale Disruptive Technologies Cassidy co-chairs this group, which includes Carolyn Meltzer, William P. Timmie professor and chair, Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, and executive associate dean of Faculty Academic Advancement, Leadership and Inclusion, School of Medicine Cassidy co-chairs this group, which includes Carolyn Meltzer, William P. Timmie professor and chair, Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, and executive associate dean of Faculty Academic Advancement, Leadership and Inclusion, School of Medicine Exploring the Future of Sustainable Production and Consumptio n Ciannat Howett, associate vice president, Resilience, Sustainability and Economic Inclusion; and Paul Root Wolpe, director, Emory Center for Ethics, and Raymond F. Schinzai Distinguished Research Chair in Jewish Bioethics n Ciannat Howett, associate vice president, Resilience, Sustainability and Economic Inclusion; and Paul Root Wolpe, director, Emory Center for Ethics, and Raymond F. Schinzai Distinguished Research Chair in Jewish Bioethics Optimizing the Environment for the National Innovation System Rob Kazanjian, Asa Griggs Candler chair and professor in organization and management, Goizueta Business School, as well as academic director of the Roberto C. Goizueta Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation Rob Kazanjian, Asa Griggs Candler chair and professor in organization and management, Goizueta Business School, as well as academic director of the Roberto C. Goizueta Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation Outreach and Engagement Committee Cameron Taylor, vice president, Government and Community Affairs For Howett, working with the National Commission on Innovation and Competitiveness Frontiers has brought with it the rare opportunity to work alongside other national leaders in sustainability from the corporate sector, national labs, health care, governmental agencies and academia. It has been an honor and a pleasure to craft recommendations for the administration and Congress to boost our countrys innovation in green chemistry, renewable energy, alternatives to plastics and other new materials, policies, processes and devices across a range of sectors that reduce consumption of limited resources and the impact on our global community, she says. Among key issues the working groups have identified are the needs for the U.S. to strengthen its resiliency in the face of COVID-19; for universities to amplify a culture of technology transfer, commercialization and industry engagement; and for the U.S. to secure its capabilities in strategic/critical technologies. Kazanjian describes the process of serving on the National Innovation System working group as both challenging and rewarding to work with leading academics and business executives to address the most critical impediments to innovation at the firm, industry and global levels, and then to propose responsive national policies. The focus throughout has been to put forward pragmatic approaches that would foster increased competitiveness over the long term. In December 2020, the commission released Competing in the Next Economy: The New Age of Innovation, a call to action for local, state and national policymakers to join the private sector in optimizing the U.S. for a new and challenging innovation reality. According to Taylor, policymakers depend on the advice and guidance of experts to further national objectives. The Council on Competitiveness plays a central role in convening thought leaders and ensuring that they emerge with the type of groundbreaking policy recommendations seen in Competing in the Next Economy, Taylor says. She cites three recommendations in the report that are reflected in Bidens infrastructure plan namely, supporting a return of federal research-and-development investment to 2% of gross domestic product; developing a public-private, nonprofit American Innovation Investment Fund at the $100 billion level; and investing at least 2% of infrastructure stimulus on innovation infrastructure. Additionally, she notes, policymakers on both sides of the aisle appreciate the councils expertise and focus related to pro-growth economic policies. Emory can contribute so much to this conversation, says Cassidy, especially in the areas of sustainability and resiliency; diversity, equity and inclusion; and disruptive technologies. It is a privilege to be involved in helping government and private-sector leaders strengthen the nations innovation capabilities and drive long-term productivity growth and inclusive prosperity. Singapore closer to tracking down source of outbreak A poster on social distancing and coronavirus tracing app is displayed prominently at a Singapore restaurant. Singapore has been working to trace the source of its latest outbreak. File photo: AP A Covid-19 outbreak at Singapore's airport may have initially spread through a worker who helped an infected family arriving in the country, authorities said on Friday, as they further ramped up their testing regime. The airport cluster which involves about 100 cases, is part of a resurgence of infections in the Asian business hub and highlights the challenges of keeping the virus out, despite rigorous testing and quarantine measures for travelers. It is Singapore's largest active cluster. The civil aviation regulator and the Changi Airport Group in a statement said test results from a batch of staff were similar and were of the B.1.617 variant, first found in India, suggesting they "originated from a common source". "Preliminary investigations indicate that the initial transmission could have occurred through an airport worker who was assisting a family from South Asia," it said. The family arrived on April 29. Earlier this month, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said many infected airport staff worked in a zone that received travelers from high-risk countries. The workers may have infected others in the airport's food outlets, he said. The airport has since tightened measures by ringfencing teams working with arrivals from higher-risk countries. It also segregates travelers from different risk profile countries, so they use different immigration halls, baggage belts and toilets. So far about 90 percent of frontline aviation workers have been vaccinated against Covid-19. Authorities on Friday said there would be more testing for passengers from very high risk countries and airport workers in higher risk roles. The B.1.617 variant has been found elsewhere in Singapore, which has recently tightened restrictions. Though Singapore's cases are only a fraction of those recorded in neighboring countries, the outbreak follows months of reporting few or no local cases each day. The city-state has recorded 190 cases over the past week. Teo Yik Ying, dean of the Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health at the National University of Singapore, said the B.1.617 variant was much more transmissible. " This means the strategies for border control and infection prevention, which previously have worked well for the past six months, are proving to be insufficient," he said. (Reuters) SIU professor receives Fulbright Scholar award to compare Taiwanese and U.S. math teaching methods by Christi Mathis CARBONDALE, Ill. Cheng-Yao Lin is passionate about math. But for the mathematics education professor at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, its not just about learning and teaching math, its about helping people really get what math is and why it matters. Thats why hes especially excited to receive a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program Award, for which less than 10% of the applicants are chosen. In spring 2022, he will travel to Taiwan to compare the mathematics education methods of Taiwan and the United States. While overseas, Lin, who is also coordinator for the elementary education program, will teach as well as research. This recent Fulbright award follow his term as a U.S. Fulbright Specialist from 2014 through 2019, another selective honor, and during that time, he received a U.S. Fulbright Specialist Program award in 2017 to conduct short-term research and teaching projects in Taiwan and Australia. He said this time, hes happy hell get a more in-depth look at the research hes working on as he spends several months in Taiwan. Different approaches to math instruction Lin will examine the differences in the way teachers in the two countries present math concepts to their students. In particular, he will look at whether Taiwanese instructors use the constructive method to teach procedural and conceptual knowledge of fractions, decimals and percentages. This philosophy of learning is based on rethinking or experience and building our own understanding of the world we live in, Lin said. Think of it this way, Lin explains. We know 1+1=2 or that if you want to divide by , you invert and multiply so after the calculations are completed, the answer is 2. The constructive perspective explains why these equations work this way. Its a philosophy about how to help people better understand the math concept in a simple way instead of feeding them a formula and testing them. Teaching math isnt like training a robot. Were teaching human beings, Lin said. We want them to understand the reasoning behind a solution and how they got an answer so they can apply that reasoning to future problems in life. Its not just about earning a test score. Perhaps surprisingly, he said, people often get excited about math once they get the hang of it with this philosophy. For instance, he said there hundreds of ways to prove the accuracy of the Pythagorean Theorem, the formula for determining the length of a side of a right triangle based on the lengths of the other two sides. But by using a simple hands-on activity, someone can discover a method of proving the theorem themselves, and they likely will never forget it. As a faculty member who helps educate future teachers, he said its an important lesson. In a constructivism classroom, the students work together to come up with the formula and the answers. They learn problem-solving skills and procedural knowledge, Lin said. Both are important. While he and SIU colleagues have come to this conclusion as they teach the teachers of tomorrow, that philosophy is not universally held, Lin said. Many places and countries still teach with the goal of assuring students score well on standardized tests. As he teaches graduate and undergraduate courses at the National Taipei University of Education, he will examine their mathematics teaching methods. He will also design a course that fosters the constructive approach to learning philosophies. Returning to his roots The immersive teaching and research visit to Taiwan will be a homecoming of sorts for Lin as well. He earned his bachelors degree in gifted education at the National Taipei University of Education in 1991, and he is eager to see how teaching methods there have changed or remained the same. He also taught mathematics at the National Jen-Ai School in Chang-Hwa, Taiwan, for several years in the 1990s. Lin subsequently completed his masters in mathematics education at the University of Northern Colorado in 1998 and his doctorate in mathematics education at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2003. He joined the SIU faculty in 2004. Expands ongoing research The study Lin will conduct in spring 2022 at Taipei is an extension of his ongoing research and creative interests. A member of the Mathematics Education Research Group, he was part of an extensive effort to collect and analyze data about math education over a period of many years. He has long researched math, math education and the use of technology in teaching math. He previously studied and compared the computational skills and the knowledge of fractions for pre-service teachers in the U.S. and Taiwan. He also established a Mathematics Education Lab in the School of Education to help SIU students better understand mathematical concepts and explore an outside-the-box, hands-on approach to learning. In addition, Lin serves as department editor of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics: Mathematics Teacher: Learning and Teaching PK-12. Lin said he is thankful and humbled to now see his dream of securing the Fulbright for his most recent research come true. He is working collaboratively with colleagues at both universities on the project. Investigators are looking into the cause of a massive blaze that broke out at about 5:30 am at Wilson and McKinley Avenues, near Fresno High School. Video Transcript JESSICA HARRINGTON: Well crews faced several obstacles today, including access, downed power lines, and wind. Helmet camera video shows just how large those flames were. At one point, more than half of the city's firefighters were on scene trying to put it out. [TRAFFIC SOUNDS] - As firefighters rushed to the blaze in Central Fresno, Thursday morning, a large plume of black smoke can be seen from blocks away. - This is going to be a working fire. We are one home to the North. With a well, involved, there's a fire that is expanding into the second homes to the south. JESSICA HARRINGTON: The first crew to arrive at the scene on Wilson near McKinley Avenue called a second alarm for more resources. With flames shooting from the roofs of both homes, a third alarm was called and a fourth. The first responders quickly confirmed everyone had made it out safely before deciding on their strategy. - At this point, we are going to be defensive, just keeping the fire from spreading any further than these two homes. JESSICA HARRINGTON: 45 Fresno firefighters, more than half of all city firefighters, were at the blaze. Crews had trouble accessing the back of the home and downed power lines caused safety issues. - Be advised, we do have power lines down in the rear of these structures. JESSICA HARRINGTON: Winds, also a challenge as firefighters tried to keep the flames from spreading. - We had a slight rizos extending fire into the backyard and spreading it out on to [INAUDIBLE]. JESSICA HARRINGTON: Despite the challenges, officials say they were able to stop the flames from reaching nearby homes. And once they got control of the fire, crews carried out some of the items from inside one home that weren't heavily damaged. Firefighters say this is a good reminder to check your smoke detectors because they can save your life. - Especially in the middle of the night, smoke detectors, they will wake you up. Smoke in your house won't necessarily wake us up, smoke detectors will. JESSICA HARRINGTON: Fire officials say they are still trying to determine if these homes had smoke detectors. Three adults were displaced and are being helped by the Red Cross. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. In the studio, Jessica Harrington, ABC 30 Action News. Apple CEO Tim Cook Roy Rochlin / WireImage Four Republican lawmakers have called on Apple CEO Tim Cook to reassess his dealings with China. They said Apple's customers in China had "zero protections" from government use of their data. They criticized what they called Apple's "gradual and near-total capitulation" to Beijing over customer data. See more stories on Insider's business page. Four US House Representatives have criticized what they call Apple's "gradual and near-total capitulation" to China over access to its customer's data, and called on CEO Tim Cook to reassess Apple's business dealings with the country. Republicans Ken Buck, Scott Fitzgerald, Burgess Owens, and Dan Bishop said that Apple "continues to concede to the Chinese government's demands," in a letter to Cook sent on Thursday, and later shared on Twitter. A New York Times investigation published Monday said that Cook had approved the use of servers owned by Chinese state-owned companies to store user data, and had agreed to remove encryption technology from Apple's data server centers, according to current and former Apple employees who spoke to the publication. Apple also agreed to censor about 50,000 apps from its App Store, and company employees were tasked with identifying apps that might offend the Chinese government, according to the paper's sources. The congressmen said that the company "has entwined itself with the very rights abuses it claims to oppose." "We urge you to consider Apple's position as a pawn in China's malfeasance," the letter said. When contacted for comment, Apple pointed Insider to a statement it made to the NYT responding to its investigation. The tech giant said that it has "never compromised the security of our users or their data in China or anywhere we operate," in the statement. "We retain control of the encryption keys for our users' data," the company said in the statement. "Since our Chinese data centers are our newest, they feature our very latest and most sophisticated protections." Story continues Apple said that it had removed apps from its App Store to abide by China's laws. "These decisions are not always easy, and we may not agree with the laws that shape them," it said in the statement. Read the original article on Business Insider Associated Press Efforts by Cambodia to assuage U.S. concerns about China's right to use a naval base on the Gulf of Thailand suffered a setback Friday when an American diplomat invited to inspect it was allowed only limited access, according to the U.S. Embassy. The embassy said Defense Attache Col. Marcus M. Ferrara traveled to the Ream Naval Base in coordination with Cambodian authorities, but was denied full access to the facility, leading him to cut short his visit and ask for it to be rescheduled without any limits to what he could see. Cambodian government spokesman Phay Siphan said Cambodia fulfilled its commitment to allow a visit as requested, and if U.S. officials were not satisfied, they could request another visit as long as it did not involve spying or violating Cambodian sovereignty. - By GF Value The stock of Alamo Group (NYSE:ALG, 30-year Financials) is estimated to be significantly overvalued, according to GuruFocus Value calculation. GuruFocus Value is GuruFocus' estimate of the fair value at which the stock should be traded. It is calculated based on the historical multiples that the stock has traded at, the past business growth and analyst estimates of future business performance. If the price of a stock is significantly above the GF Value Line, it is overvalued and its future return is likely to be poor. On the other hand, if it is significantly below the GF Value Line, its future return will likely be higher. At its current price of $155.24 per share and the market cap of $1.9 billion, Alamo Group stock gives every indication of being significantly overvalued. GF Value for Alamo Group is shown in the chart below. Alamo Group Stock Is Estimated To Be Significantly Overvalued Because Alamo Group is significantly overvalued, the long-term return of its stock is likely to be much lower than its future business growth, which averaged 7.9% over the past five years. Link: These companies may deliever higher future returns at reduced risk. Investing in companies with poor financial strength has a higher risk of permanent loss of capital. Thus, it is important to carefully review the financial strength of a company before deciding whether to buy its stock. Looking at the cash-to-debt ratio and interest coverage is a great starting point for understanding the financial strength of a company. Alamo Group has a cash-to-debt ratio of 0.30, which is worse than 71% of the companies in the industry of Farm & Heavy Construction Machinery. GuruFocus ranks the overall financial strength of Alamo Group at 6 out of 10, which indicates that the financial strength of Alamo Group is fair. This is the debt and cash of Alamo Group over the past years: Story continues Alamo Group Stock Is Estimated To Be Significantly Overvalued Investing in profitable companies carries less risk, especially in companies that have demonstrated consistent profitability over the long term. Typically, a company with high profit margins offers better performance potential than a company with low profit margins. Alamo Group has been profitable 10 years over the past 10 years. During the past 12 months, the company had revenues of $1.2 billion and earnings of $4.94 a share. Its operating margin of 8.17% better than 68% of the companies in the industry of Farm & Heavy Construction Machinery. Overall, GuruFocus ranks Alamo Group's profitability as strong. This is the revenue and net income of Alamo Group over the past years: Alamo Group Stock Is Estimated To Be Significantly Overvalued Growth is probably the most important factor in the valuation of a company. GuruFocus research has found that growth is closely correlated with the long term stock performance of a company. A faster growing company creates more value for shareholders, especially if the growth is profitable. The 3-year average annual revenue growth of Alamo Group is 7.9%, which ranks better than 66% of the companies in the industry of Farm & Heavy Construction Machinery. The 3-year average EBITDA growth rate is 8.1%, which ranks in the middle range of the companies in the industry of Farm & Heavy Construction Machinery. One can also evaluate a company's profitability by comparing its return on invested capital (ROIC) to its weighted average cost of capital (WACC). Return on invested capital (ROIC) measures how well a company generates cash flow relative to the capital it has invested in its business. The weighted average cost of capital (WACC) is the rate that a company is expected to pay on average to all its security holders to finance its assets. If the return on invested capital exceeds the weighted average cost of capital, the company is likely creating value for its shareholders. During the past 12 months, Alamo Group's ROIC is 7.24 while its WACC came in at 6.75. The historical ROIC vs WACC comparison of Alamo Group is shown below: Alamo Group Stock Is Estimated To Be Significantly Overvalued In conclusion, the stock of Alamo Group (NYSE:ALG, 30-year Financials) gives every indication of being significantly overvalued. The company's financial condition is fair and its profitability is strong. Its growth ranks in the middle range of the companies in the industry of Farm & Heavy Construction Machinery. To learn more about Alamo Group stock, you can check out its 30-year Financials here. To find out the high quality companies that may deliever above average returns, please check out GuruFocus High Quality Low Capex Screener. This article first appeared on GuruFocus. AOC reveals trauma from Capitol riot (AFP via Getty Images) Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez says she is in therapy following the "all-out, attempted coup" at the Capitol on 6 January. Speaking to the weekly public radio show Latino USA on Friday, Ms Ocasio-Cortez said members of Congress effectively "served in war" during the traumatising event that had "deeply affected lawmaking" and impacted the legislative process. "After the 6th I took some time and it was really Ayanna Pressley when I explained to her what happened to me, like the day of, because I ran to her office and she was like, you need to recognise trauma," Ms Ocasio-Cortez said. "And I feel like I learned this the hard way after my father had passed away when I was a teenager That happened at a young age and I socked it away. You have to live with it for years." Asked if she was in therapy, she replied: "Oh yeah, Im doing therapy but also Ive just slowed down. I think the Trump administration had a lot of us, especially Latino communities, in a very reactive mode." In the near aftermath of the pro-Trump riot, Ms Ocasio-Cortez released an Instagram live video saying she hid in the bathroom fearing for her life as police knocked on her door with "huge, violent bangs". It became another flashpoint in the culture war as right-wing media said she exaggerated her level of danger and left-wing media attempted to debunk the criticisms as downplaying the severity of the attack. Ms Ocasio-Cortez told Latino USA host Maria Hinojosa those criticisms were an attempt to maintain white supremacy and that no one wants to discuss the politically sensitive fallout or "say boo hoo", but that she recognised it as a traumatising event. "Ive had to take a beat. If I take a couple months now and just be really good then I dont have to live with this thing festering and lingering with me like a roommate in my apartment for years, she said. Ms Ocasio-Cortez said the "terrorists, insurrectionists got into the Senate chamber" 60 seconds after vice president Mike Pence left and that lawmakers werent protected. Story continues Pence was the one person, arguably, that had one of the most important roles in making sure that procedurally the Electoral College counts went on as proceeded. Sixty seconds could have meant potentially the difference between what we have right now and a martial state, Ms Ocasio-Cortez said. This was an all-out attempted coup. If 60 seconds went differently, if a different door was opened, if a chair wasnt barricaded in a certain way, we could have a completely different reality right now," she said. We dont want to acknowledge that thats how close we got, but that is how close we got." She said: They were looking for us, and we were not protected, adding that Republican criticisms of her were attempts to maintain the myth of American exceptionalism and white supremacy. White supremacy in and of itself is a mythology and you have to protect it in order to protect that political power, which has now become a very important base in the Republican party, she said. The House voted 252-175 on Wednesday to approve an 11 September style commission into the 6 January riot in a vote showing the partisan divide between Democrats and Republicans into the severity of the event. Only 35 Republicans crossed the aisle in the House, and whether the bill will pass the Senate remains unclear with minority leader Mitch McConnell indicating he will vote against it. The House also narrowly approved legislation for $1.9bn emergency funds to increase security at the US Capitol, despite efforts from Republicans and progressive Democrats to block the bill. In the razor-thin 213-212 vote, Ms Ocasio-Cortez voted "present" on the increased security measures, as did fellow progressives Rashida Tlaib and Jamaal Bowman. Three other Democrats Ilhan Omar, Cori Bush and Ayanna Pressley voted against the measure. Read More Man goes viral for punching seagull in the face after it tried to steal his prawns Hour-by-hour: Biden's behind-the-scenes push for cease-fire Gun control campaigner David Hogg says unstable Marjorie Taylor Greene is security risk to Congress Associated Press Dan Lawrence and Mark Wood helped to push England to 303 runs in its first innings before New Zealand bowled out the hosts on the second morning of the second test at Edgbaston on Friday. Wood, resuming on 16 not out, swung away and entertained a lively home crowd with six boundaries before edging a delivery from Matt Henry (3-78) onto his stumps to finish on 41. England reached 303-9 on Lawrences four after Stuart Broad lasted just four balls for his 37th duck in test cricket. Meeting the "Scholas Occurrentes", Francis connected online with the young people of Valencia, Spain, gathered in the Levante stadium, with the new Scholas offices in Washington and Sydney, and in Argentina with the young people participating in the addiction prevention program in the area of El Impenetrable, province of Chaco. Vatican City (AsiaNews) - "Different opinions" are "key in politics" which must always aspire to "unity and harmony," said Pope Francis responding to a young man who asked him how young people can change politics during the meeting - partly in presence and partly in streaming - with Scholas Occurrentes from all over the world. At Palazzo San Calisto, in Rome, yesterday afternoon Francis met, among others, the First Ladies of ALMA (Alliance of spouses of heads of state and representatives), Fabiola Yanez from Argentina (in the photo with the Pope), Michele Bolsonaro from Brazil, Cecilia More from Chile, Ana Garcia de Hernandez from Honduras, Yazmin Colon de Cortizo from Panama and Raquel Arbaje de Abinader from the Dominican Republic. The First Ladies reaffirmed their commitment to continue promoting the work of Scholas' youth around the world. Founded in Buenos Ares on the initiative of the then Archbishop Jorge Bergoglio, Scholas Occurrentes is an international organization of pontifical right present in 190 countries that offers over a million children and young people a culture of encounter. Italian teacher, Stefania Macaluso, highlighted the "formative experience" the organisation offered, thanks to which, in a difficult moment, it was possible to "activate the vital energies in the students" and "rethink, we teachers, as peacemakers with ingenuity and audacity . In streaming, the Pope connected with the young people of Valencia, Spain, gathered in the Levante stadium, with the new Scholas headquarters in Washington and Sydney, and in Argentina with the young people participating in the addiction prevention program that Scholas carries out in the area of El Impenetrable, province of Chaco, with a team of educators who have moved to the place on a permanent basis to be close to young people and implement activities to support them. And speaking of politics, Francis said: "The test on politics is war, the test on the honourability of a nation for me is: do you produce weapons? Do you favour wars? Do you make your wealth because you sell weapons so that others kill themselves? And there we will know if a nation is morally sound. Me too - he added - I say it sincerely; it hurts my heart when I see priests blessing weapons. The instruments of death are not to be blessed. "Love is political, that is, social for everyone. And when this universality of love is lacking, politics falls, gets sick or becomes bad. When they talk to me about how politics is in the world, I say: look where there are wars, there is the defeat of politics ", he says, inviting dialogue because" different opinions "are" the key in politics "that it must always aspire to "unity and harmony". "Parliaments are key, because things work there but always bearing in mind that unity is superior to conflict. Politics is not an arrival, no! It is a journey, a process ... Mistrust in politics comes because it is confused with a business: 'I need this, what it gives me, what it does not give me'. Politics is walking, even if the politician gets burned along the way, the important thing is to arrive ". At the end of the meeting, Scholas educators from all over the world thanked Pope Francis for his testimony and trust, giving him the book "Que te pa", (What happened to you?) Which fully expresses the result of the experiences lived by the young participants from the five continents. The various connections and moments also saw the participation of, among other civil and ecclesiastical authorities, the ambassadors to the Holy See of Argentina, Maria Fernanda Silva; Australia, Chiara Poro and Spain, Carmen de la Pena. The meeting was accompanied in person by Cardinal Carlos Aguiar Retes, the primate archbishop of Mexico and by Cardinal Juan Jose Omella, archbishop of Barcelona and president of the Spanish Bishops' Conference, Monsignor Lucio Ruiz, secretary of the Dicastery for Communication, Monsignor Marcelo Sanchez Orondo chancellor of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, the Italian ministers of public education Patrizio Bianchi and of health Roberto Speranza. The cry Allah Akbar rings out from the loudspeakers of the mosques of the Strip. Tens of thousands of people in the Strip and Palestine celebrate the ceasefire. In 11 days of fighting 232 Palestinian victims, including 65 minors. In Israel 12 dead, two children. Satisfaction from the UN and the United States. Jerusalem (AsiaNews / Agencies) - Overnight, with the mediation of Egypt, Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas reached an agreement for a truce after 11 days of intense bombing that caused hundreds of deaths, including children. In recent days, a leader of the extremist movement that dominates the Strip had announced that the ceasefire would be reached "in days", while on the ground in Gaza the situation appears dramatic with collapsing hospitals for war victims who add up to Covid patients. The shout "Allah Akbar" (God is great) rang out from the loudspeakers of the mosques of the Strip, while tens of thousands of people poured into the square to celebrate the end of yet another lightning conflict. Several Arab broadcasters showed the images of people celebrating on the streets. The celebrations also involved several cities in Palestine, with fireworks, carhorns, trumpets and gunshots in the air. The Egypt-brokered ceasefire, which also includes Islamic Jihad, the Strip's second fighting group, is the result of growing international pressure in an attempt to stop the bloodbath. Since the fighting began on 10 May, there have been at least 232 Palestinian victims in Gaza, including 65 minors, and over 1,900 injured. Israel believes it killed at least 160 enemy fighters in the bombing. On the other hand, the Israeli victims are 12 in all, with hundreds of injured, following rocket launches by Hamas and Islamic Jihad. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed the ceasefire, which went into effect at 2 am local time (1 am in Italy), but at the same time asked the leaders to initiate a "serious dialogue" on roots of the conflict. He appealed to the international community to join the UN efforts for a "robust support package" aimed at "recovery and reconstruction". US President Joe Biden said:" I believe we have a genuine opportunity to make progress and Im committed to working toward it, Biden said at the White House, hailing Egypts role in brokering the agreement. A statement from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus office said the security cabinet had unanimously accepted the recommendation of all of the security officials to accept the Egyptian initiative for a mutual ceasefire without preconditions. Hamas and Islamic Jihad issued a statement confirming the acceptance of the ceasefire, after having launched over 4300 rockets towards Israeli territory, most of which were intercepted by the "Iron Dome" defense system. BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) Argentina is imposing its first strict coronavirus lockdown of the year starting Saturday due to surging levels of coronavirus infections and a soaring death toll. The measures, due to last until the end of the month, will limit circulation and suspend social, business, educational, religious and sporting activities. Workers with essential jobs will be exempted. We are living the worst moment since the pandemic began, President Alberto Fernandez said in a televised message Thursday. We are seeing the highest numbers of cases and deaths. We must take this critical situation seriously." At the start of the pandemic, Argentina imposed one of the world's longest quarantines between March and July. The negative impact that imposed on the economy and the national mood left the government with little room to maneuver. But a combination of vaccine scarcity and more contagious variants of the virus has put Argentinas health sector again on the verge of collapse. On Tuesday, the South American country exceeded its daily record of virus infections and COVID-19 deaths with 35,543 new cases and 745 deaths. The subsequent two days saw similar high infection rates. Overall, Argentina has seen 3.4 million confirmed coronavirus infections and more than 72,000 deaths. Fernandez said that after May 31, pandemic limits will return to their current level: a curfew from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. and social, recreational and commercial activities prohibited in closed spaces. In addition, strict confinement will be mandatory for the weekend of June 5-6. It is vital that the authority of each jurisdiction apply the rules that we are dictating. There is no room for speculation or doubt, said Fernandez, criticizing governors for not ensuring compliances with measures previously ordered. The president promised economic aid for sectors affected by the new restrictions and confirmed that more than 4 million does of Sputnik V and AstraZeneca vaccines will arrive in the next few days. By Nicolas Misculin BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) -Argentina will tighten pandemic lockdown measures to combat a severe second COVID-19 wave, President Alberto Fernandez said on Thursday, underscoring concern as daily cases and deaths have broken records over the last week. The strict "circuit-breaker" measures will come into force on Saturday and last until May 31. They include school and non-essential commerce closures and the banning of social, religious and sporting events in the nation of 45 million people. "We are living the worst moment since the pandemic began," Fernandez said. "Today as never before we must all take care of ourselves to avoid all the losses that we can." Citizens who are not classed as essential workers will be allowed to be out close to their homes between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m.; otherwise, they must stay at home. The restrictions come as the government accelerates a vaccination campaign that has lagged ambitious initial plans. So far, only 4.7% of the population has been fully inoculated and 18.4% has received at least one dose, according to a Reuters analysis. Fernandez also announced an economic rescue package for sectors worst-hit by the pandemic, which has exacerbated a crisis that has plagued the country for the past three years and left millions of Argentines in poverty. Argentina posted 35,884 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday after hitting a record high 39,652 on Wednesday. Total infections number some 3.45 million, which puts the country ahead of hard-hit Brazil on a per capita basis and has pushed hospital intensive care units to near-saturation. There have been 72,699 confirmed deaths. (Reporting by Nicolas Misculin; Writing by Aislinn Laing; Editing by Leslie Adler) Audi has unveiled an interesting high-speed, premium "charging hub" concept that will allow Audi EV owners to make a reservation for up to 300 kW charging speeds. The stations will be powered by lithium-ion batteries that are themselves recharged at night so they don't impact peak power demands in cities or regions. It plans to pilot the concept in Germany by late summer. The automaker plans to release up to 20 fully electric vehicles over the coming years and noted that a robust charging infrastructure will be key to their success. In effect, hundreds of thousands of new electric cars trying to charge at peak times could play havoc with power grids. At the same time, charging stations and other infrastructure may not be in place by the time all those cars arrive. Audi is testing high-speed battery-powered EV charging hubs To address that, Audi came up with the idea of a charging hub based on flexible container cubes. Those will house second-life lithium-ion batteries delivering a storage capability of up to 2.45 MWh, allowing for six charging stations with outputs of 300 kW. The idea is that the batteries would recharge at night when electrical grids are lightly taxed, then charge vehicles during the day, supplemented by solar panels. Audi notes that the hubs could be "transported, installed and adapted to the individual location quickly largely independent of local network capacities." Each station would have a "premium" lounge with snacks, drinks etc., giving you something to do while your vehicle charges. (It takes the Audi e-tron GT about 23 minutes to go from 5 to 80 percent battery capacity at its maximum 270 kW charging limit). Audi drivers would be able to make reservations, but the hub could be used by drivers of other brands if a charger is not reserved. Audi plans to launch a pilot in late summer after it finds a location in Germany and will use the results of the test to decide on future implementation. "We are testing what the optimal technical solution is in a very realistic way. The focus in doing so is firmly on the needs of our customers," said Audi board member Oliver Hoffman. By Kirsty Needham SYDNEY (Reuters) -Australia has asked for its officials to be given access to the trial of an Australian pro-democracy blogger detained for two years in Beijing on spying charges when he goes to court on May 27. In a statement, Foreign Minister Marise Payne confirmed Australia had been notified by Chinese officials that Yang Hengjun will face trial next Thursday. "This has been a closed and opaque process to date. As a basic standard of justice, access to the trial for observers should be a bare minimum to conform to international norms of transparency," Payne said in a statement. She added that Chinese authorities have not provided any explanation or evidence for the charges against Yang to Australian officials. China's embassy to Australia said on Saturday it felt regret about the statement from Payne. "Chinese judicial organs handle cases in accordance with the law and fully protect the legal rights of relevant personnel," it said on its website. "Australia should respect China's judicial sovereignty, and must not interfere in the handling of cases by Chinese judicial organs in any form." Yang has denied the charges in statements previously released to his family, who have been unable to visit him since he was arrested in January 2019 after arriving at Guangzhou airport from New York. "It will be a closed-door trial," Feng Chongyi, a friend and former academic supervisor based in Sydney, told Reuters. Yang's trial, which had been due to proceed by January, has been delayed by four months. The 56-year-old pro-democracy blogger faces a lengthy jail sentence after Chinese authorities charged him with endangering national security by joining or accepting a mission from an unidentified espionage organisation. Yang has had no access to family and "limited, delayed access" to his lawyers since he was detained, Payne said. Diplomatic relations between Australia and China have deteriorated in the past 18 months, after Australia called for an international investigation into the origins of the coronavirus pandemic and barred Chinese company Huawei from its 5G network. Story continues China has imposed a series of trade sanctions on Australian products, but it is reliant on Australian iron ore imports. Yang told Feng in a 2011 letter that before studying at university in Australia he had once worked for China's state security agency for a decade, in Hong Kong and Washington, but left before moving to Australia in 1999. He later wrote spy novels that were published in Taiwan, and amassed a large online following in China as a democracy blogger before moving to New York. (Reporting by Kirsty Needham; additional reporting by Beijing newsroom; Editing by Michael Perry, Hugh Lawson and Lincoln Feast.) In this Sept. 15, 2020, file photo, Dawn Wooten, left, a nurse at Irwin County Detention Center in Ocilla, Georgia, speaks at a news conference in Atlanta protesting conditions at the immigration jail. AP Photo/Jeff Amy, File ICE will cut ties with two immigration detention centers, officials announced Thursday. The Georgia and Massachusetts facilities have both come under federal investigation in the last year. Those who remain will be transferred out of the facilities. See more stories on Insider's business page. The Biden administration will close two Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention centers - one in Georgia and one in Massachusetts - that came under federal investigation for allegations of mistreatment of immigrants, officials said Thursday. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas directed ICE to discontinue the use of the Irwin County Detention Center in Georgia, which is operated by a private contractor, and the C. Carlos Carreiro Immigration Detention Center in Bristol County, Massachusetts, which is operated by the Bristol County Sheriff's Office, with which the agency will also cut ties. The move comes months after the Massachusetts attorney general released a report finding authorities used excessive force against detainees and violated their civil rights during a May 2020 clash over COVID-19 testing. Last fall, a whistleblower who had previously worked at the Irwin Detention Center in Ocilla, Georgia, alleged medical neglect against the institution in a complaint filed to the Homeland Security inspector general. Around the same time, NBC News reported that multiple women at the center were accusing a gynecologist who worked at the facility of performing unnecessary hysterectomies on them. The inspector general has launched a review into the Irwin allegations. Federal officials chose the two centers in particular because their rosters have decreased and are "no longer operationally necessary," a DHS official told The Washington Post. Irwin is holding 114 detainees out of nearly 1,000 beds, while Bristol is holding only seven detainees out of almost 200 beds, the outlet reported. Those who remain will be transferred out of the facilities, as the administration plans to take a different approach to immigration detention, according to CNN. Story continues In a memo obtained by The Post, Mayorkas told acting ICE Director Tae Johnson that "we will not tolerate the mistreatment of individuals in civil immigration detention or substandard conditions of detention." The American Civil Liberties Union applauded the Thursday decision, after having previously pushed for the closure of 39 detention centers. "By shuttering detention facilities with a track record of problematic conditions and ending local collaboration with ICE, we can work together toward a fairer and more humane immigration center, Carol Rose, executive director of the ACLU of Massachusetts told NBC News. Bristol County Sheriff Thomas Hodgson, an outspoken Trump supporter, responded to the order with disdain. "Shame on Department of Homeland Security Sec. Alejandro Mayorkas for putting his left-wing political agenda above public safety by ending the Bristol County Sheriff's Office contracts with Immigration and Customs Enforcement," he said in a statement. "While Sec. Mayorkas and the Biden administration are turning their backs on the people of our great country, I will not." Since taking office, the Biden administration has seen the number of immigrant arrests and deportations drop, as well as detention population. According to ICE, there were still 20,430 immigrants in detention as of May 14. Read the original article on Business Insider President Biden announced Friday the appointment of Sung Kim as U.S. special envoy for North Korea. Why it matters: Kim, currently a senior official at the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, has a long career in diplomacy with Asia. Biden said he and South Korean President Moon Jae-in are both "deeply concerned" about the situation in North Korea. Get market news worthy of your time with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free. His background: A South Korea native, Kim previously served as U.S. special representative for North Korea policy. At different points in his career, he was ambassador to South Korea, Indonesia and the Philippines. He was also the U.S. special envoy for the Six-Party Talks, a series of meetings with other countries aimed at addressing security concerns as a result of North Korea's nuclear weapons program. The big picture: At a press conference Friday with Biden, Moon called denuclearization the most critical issue for the U.S. and South Korea. He welcomed Kim's appointment, calling it the "firm commitment of the U.S. for exploring diplomacy and its readiness for dialogue with North Korea. Go deeper: Biden's Korean War diplomacy Like this article? Get more from Axios and subscribe to Axios Markets for free. President Joe Biden acknowledged Friday there is no easy path to getting North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons but reaffirmed his "iron-clad" commitment to the US alliance with South Korea after talks with President Moon Jae-in. "We're under no illusions how difficult this is -- none whatsoever. The past four administrations have not achieved the objective. It's an incredibly difficult objective," Biden told reporters at a press conference with his South Korean counterpart at the White House. The US leader also announced he had named veteran diplomat Sung Kim, the former US ambassador to Seoul, as his special envoy for North Korea. Facing a nuclear-armed North Korea and an increasingly assertive China, Biden stressed his faith in traditional US alliances. Biden called the US-South Korean partnership "the linchpin of peace, security" and promised a "shared approach" to the stand-off with North Korea. He said that during their talks at the White House he and Moon discussed "freedom of navigation" for international shipping in the South China Sea, as well as "peace and stability" around Taiwan, which has been subjected to growing Chinese sabre-rattling. Moon called denuclearization of the Korean peninsula "the most urgent common task." US relations with historic allies in Asia and Europe suffered turbulence under Donald Trump, who recast long-standing partners as cutthroat business competitors and freeloaders. Biden has worked quickly to restore the previous balance, with an eye on the challenge from China. Moon came to Washington as Biden's second foreign guest and Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, who visited last month, was the first. "It should send a clear message about the importance of these partnerships and alliances that the first bilateral meetings the president has had are with Japan and South Korea," White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki told reporters Friday. Story continues - War hero - Upon his arrival for the talks with Biden, Moon declared that South Korea and the United States share the "same soul," forged in their bloody Cold War-era conflict with North Korea at the start of the 1950s. Symbolizing the deep, complex history behind those bonds, Moon was invited to witness Biden awarding the Medal of Honor -- the highest US military decoration for bravery -- to a 94-year-old US veteran of the Korean War. Then first lieutenant Ralph Puckett was wounded in 1950 while leading US and Korean soldiers in the desperate defense of a hill against an overwhelming force of Chinese troops -- an early episode in Beijing's decisive entry into the war. The White House said this was the first time any foreign leader had taken part in a Medal of Honor ceremony. - Biden-Kim meeting unlikely - Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and her South Korean counterpart held separate talks involving a raft of CEOs with a focus on high-tech manufacturing -- battery technology, semi-conductors and 5G wireless. But the bulk of the Biden-Moon meeting was on China and the North Korean nuclear arsenal. Reflecting the scale and complexity of both issues, however, it was no surprise that little concrete emerged -- in public at least. The White House says it is abandoning former attempts to reach a so-called "grand bargain" with Pyongyang or simply showing what diplomats termed "strategic patience." Now the White House is touting "a calibrated practical approach" -- diplomatic jargon, it seems, for being realistically low-key, while open-minded. "We understand where previous efforts in the past had difficulties and we've tried to learn from those," a senior White House official said. Asked if Biden would consider following up Trump's headline-grabbing but ultimately fruitless summits with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un, the US president said it would have to be on entirely different terms. Biden said he "would not meet" unless there was a concrete plan for negotiating on the nuclear arsenal. And he made a clear criticism of Trump's chummy relationship with Kim, saying he "would not do what had been done in the recent past. I would not give him all he's looking for -- international recognition." sms/dw President Joe Biden addressed the key international issues of the nuclear capabilities of North Korea and the Israeli-Hamas conflict in the Middle East at a joint news conference Friday with South Korean President Moon Jae-in. The two leaders addressed the press after meeting for several hours Friday in what was Mr. Biden's second in-person meeting with a foreign leader since he's been in office. Asked if there has been a shift in the Democratic Party's approach to Israel, given that some progressives are trying to block the Biden administration's sale of $735 million in weapons to Israel, the president insisted his party's support of Israel is as strong as ever. "There is no shift in my commitment to the security of Israel. Period. No shift, not at all," Mr. Biden said. "But I tell you what there is a shift in: The shift is that we have to, we still need a two-state solution. It is the only answer. The only answer. ... My party still supports Israel." Still, he told reporters that he had stressed to the Israelis "that I thought it was very important that they stop in Jerusalem, this intercommunal fighting that has extremes on both sides. It has to end." The president also said that his administration would try to work with other nations on a package to help rebuild the homes destroyed in Gaza without providing Hamas with the opportunity to rebuild its weapons systems. "They need the help, and I am committed to get that done," he said. Mr. Biden said he and Moon made progress in addressing the threat of North Korea, with the goal of moving toward a denuclearized North Korea. But it's unclear exactly how much progress has been made, and he also said that he is "deeply concerned" about North Korea. In response to a question from CBS News chief White House correspondent Nancy Cordes, Mr. Biden said that he hasn't ruled out a meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, but there would have to be a commitment to discussion about the North's nuclear arsenal and denuclearization, as well as an agreed-upon outline on how to proceed. Story continues For his part, Moon said through a translator that the most urgent common goal the nations share is establishing a denuclearized and peaceful Korean Peninsula. The Biden administration recently completed a review on policy related to North Korea and according to a senior administration official, the policy "will not focus on achieving a grand bargain, nor will it rely on strategic patience." Instead, it's aiming for "a calibrated, practical approach that is open to and will explore diplomacy with the DPRK to make practical progress that increases the security of the United States, our allies, and our deployed forces," the official told reporters Thursday. Last month, the White House said that Mr. Biden would take a different tack with North Korea than his two immediate predecessors, adopting neither former President Trump's personal efforts nor former President Obama's hands-off approach. Moon said earlier this month in a press conference that he would press Mr. Biden to reopen diplomatic discussions with North Korea during their meeting. "I will not be pressed by time or become impatient during the remainder of my term," said Moon at the time. "However, if there is an opportunity to restart the clock of peace and advance the peace process on the Korean Peninsula, I will do everything I can. I look forward to North Korea responding positively." Mr. Biden also announced during the news conference that Ambassador Seung Kim, a career diplomat and with deep policy expertise, will serve as U.S. special envoy to the DPRK. Moon announced that the Biden administration has committed to giving 550,000 vaccine doses to Korean service members, as his country struggles with vaccine supply. Earlier Friday, Moon attended a ceremony earlier Friday in which Mr. Biden awarded the White House Medal of Honor to Korean War veteran, retired Colonel Ralph Puckett Jr. After the presser, fielding a few reporters' questions, Mr. Biden was asked if he would prevent his Justice Department from seizing reporters' phone records. He responded, "Absolutely, positively it's wrong. It's simply simply wrong. I will not let that happen." Arden Farhi contributed to this report. Travel boom expected this summer as states lift COVID-19 restrictions Biden: "There is no shift in my commitment to the security of Israel" Woman reunited with fishermen 35 years after they rescued her President Biden at a press conference on Friday evening pushed back on Republican claims that the Democratic Party is anti-Israel. Why it matters: A number of Democratic lawmakers became frustrated with Biden this week for his behind-the-scenes approach to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, as well as the administration's sale of weapons to Israel. Some lawmakers said they thought the White House should be more publicly forceful in its efforts to de-escalate the crisis. Get market news worthy of your time with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free. Driving the news: Biden said at a joint press conference Friday with South Korean President Moon Jae-in that he told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday there needed to be an immediate ceasefire. "He never broke his word with me," Biden said of Netanyahu. One day after the ceasefire in Gaza, Israeli police forcibly dispersed a protest at the al-Aqsa Mosque compound, or Temple Mount, the site of last Monday's police raid that Hamas cited in launching its initial rocket attacks. Biden said he again made it clear to Netanyahu it is important to bring an end to the intercommunal violence in Jerusalem. "This has to stop," Biden stressed. What he's saying: The president added he is committed to a two-state solution, which he called the only viable fix to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. "There is no shift in my commitment to the security of Israel," Biden said. "Period. No shift. Not at all." He added that, "Until the region says unequivocally they acknowledge the right of Israel to exist as an independent Jewish state there will be no peace." Of note: On Thursday the president said, "I believe the Palestinians and Israelis equally deserve to live safely and securely and to enjoy equal measures of freedom, prosperity and democracy." More from Axios: Sign up to get the latest market trends with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free President Joe Biden (L) and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (R). Mike Blake/Reuters Biden's upcoming budget won't include his campaign promise of forgiving student debt, WaPo reports. Biden said he would support canceling $10,000 in debt per person, but none of his proposed spending has that provision. Democrats want Biden to go bigger and cancel $50,000 per person through executive action. See more stories on Insider's business page. When he was campaigning for president, President Joe Biden said he would support $10,000 in student debt cancelation per person. It looks like he's not planning on following through on that promise anytime soon. The Washington Post reported on Friday that in Biden's upcoming budget proposal, many of the health care promises he made during his campaign, like cutting prescription drug costs, won't be included, per four people familiar with the matter. Another major promise - canceling $10,000 in student debt - also didn't make the cut. The proposal will include more specifics than Biden's "skinny budget" released in April. "The President's budget will focus on advancing the historic legislative agenda he's already put forward for this year," Rob Friedlander, spokesman for the White House budget office, told the Post. "The budget won't propose other new initiatives but will put together the full picture of how these proposals would advance economic growth and shared prosperity while also putting our country on a sound fiscal course." Insider reported on April 7 that Biden has yet to follow through on two student-debt promises from his campaign: to cancel $10,000 in student debt per person, and to cancel student debt for undergraduates at public colleges and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). In a speech on November 16, Biden said that student loans are holding borrowers up, and forgiving $10,000 in student debt "should be done immediately." His campaign website also said the president would work with Democrats to "authorize up to $10,000 in student debt relief per borrower" as part of COVID-19 relief, but the $1.9 trillion stimulus package he signed in March didn't include that. Story continues Read more: Forgiving student loan debt is a no-brainer, and Biden could do it tomorrow if he wanted to Neither did his $4 trillion infrastructure proposal. And while he said he would support legislation brought to him to cancel $10,000 in student debt, Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts said in a press call last month that doing so is lengthy and expensive, and while she has legislation to do it, there's no reason Biden can't use executive action to provide the immediate relief he had promised. Warren is one of the leading lawmakers calling on Biden to cancel $50,000 in student debt per borrower through executive action, and while Biden said he doesn't believe he has that authority, he has asked the Education Department and Justice Department to review his ability to do so. So far, Biden's Education Secretary Miguel Cardona has taken three distinct steps to confront student debt: he canceled debt for about 72,000 borrowers defrauded by for-profit schools, he canceled debt for over 41,000 borrowers with disabilities, and most recently, he expanded the scope of the payment pause to 1.14 million borrowers with private loans. But no information has been released from the administration on additional student debt cancelation measures. "Cancelling $50,000 in federal student loan debt will help close the racial wealth gap, benefit the 40% of borrowers who do not have a college degree, and help stimulate the economy," Warren and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said in a February statement."It's time to act. We will keep fighting." Read the original article on Business Insider by Willy Wo-Lap Lam Hong Kong (AsiaNews) - The 100th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese Communist Party is an opportunity to churn out books and films on the subject with some peculiarities: there is no mention of the mistakes of Mao Zedong and the Cultural Revolution; Xi Jinping is exalted as a god. Anyone who does not agree with this interpretation is eliminated: intellectuals, entrepreneurs, military, ... The analysis of the expert Willy Wo-Lap Lam. Courtesy of the Jamestown Foundation. Introduction The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) General Secretary Xi Jinping has taken multiple measures to consolidate his position as core for life of the CCP leadership in the run-up to the centenary of the partys establishment on July 1. Firstly, he has firmed up his status as the most authoritative interpreter of CCP history and hence a new helmsman for shepherding the party down the path initiated by Chairman Mao Zedong (China Brief, November 3, 2020). He has redoubled efforts to clamp down on dissent among intellectuals and even former top cadres while also reining in leading private entrepreneurs whose wealth and influence may detract from the all-embracing powers of the party. Finally, Xi, who is also chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC) that oversees the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA), has masterminded a housecleaning of the nations military and police forces. Consolidating a Correct Narrative of Party History A series of official books and journal articles have whitewashed the tyrannical regime of Chairman Mao Zedong and lionized the contributions of Xi, now deemed an equal to Mao in the CCP pantheon. Contrary to former chronicles of party events, the recently published An Abbreviated History of the Chinese Communist Party (, Zhongguo Gongchangdang jianshi) made no reference to the iniquities committed by Mao during the Cultural Revolution (1966-76). Instead, the First Generation leader was given credit for setting the foundation of socialism with Chinese characteristics and providing ideological enrichment of the nation with valuable experience, theoretical preparation and material foundation during the 1949-1976 period. An account of the nine years under Xi Jinping (2012 to 2021), during which the supreme leader fine-tuned socialism with Chinese characteristics for the new era, took up one-fourth of the book (Radio Free Asia, April 30; CNA.com.tw, April 12). Senior cadres close to Xi have underscored the imperative of wholeheartedly following the party cores dictums by citing examples of how deviant CCP leaders in the 1930s had tried to split the party by challenging the party central authorities (, dangzhongyang) led by Mao. In an early May article in the theoretical journal Seeking Truth titled The partys rise and fall depends on upholding party unity and concentrated and unified [leadership], the First-ranked Vice Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference Zhang Qingli () recalled how factionalism and disunity in the partys history had dealt a body blow to the CCP. Zhang, a former party secretary of Tibet who is seen as close to President Xi, argued that in 1935, one early party leader, Zhang Guotao (), used the powerful troops under his command to blackmail the central authorities and to go down the road of splitting the party and the Red Army. Another traitor pilloried by Zhang Qingli was Wang Ming (), a protege of the Soviet Union-backed Communist International (Comintern). Zhang Qingli wrote that Wang tried to use his position as Moscows plenipotentiary to refuse to follow orders from the central leadership and severely disrupted the implementation of the correct views of Comrade Mao Zedong and the party central authorities (Xuexi.cn, May 8; Qstheory.cn, May 1). The CCP authorities have also kicked off a nationwide campaign to study party history whose goal, in Xis words, is to establish the correct view about the partys past events. The Partys propaganda department released the latest Xi book, titled, On the History of the Chinese Communist Party (, lun zhongguo gongchangdang lishi). Compiling a selection of Xis articles and speeches in the past nine years, the book stresses how Xi has made history by mapping out major developmental game plans for socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era. One previously unpublished article spotlighted Xis late 2012 prescription for realizing the grandiose dream of the great renaissance of the Chinese nation. Of more relevance to Xis power play is his insistence on the right of princelings imbued with the correct view of history to inherit well the red DNA and to pass on the red jiangshan [heaven and earth] from generation to generation (Peoples Daily, April 21; Ming Pao, February 22). Crackdown on Intellectual Dissent In the run-up to the centenary of the partys establishment on July 1 and a pivotal plenum of the Central Committee slated for October this year Xis inner circle and propagandists are sparing no efforts to bolster the Maoist one voice chamber in society. Liberal professors at elite academic units such as the Central Party School and Tsinghua University have been given gag orders. Last month, the courts upheld a 14-year jail term for Internet activist Niu Tengyu () for publicizing a picture of Xis daughter Xi Mingze () and Xis brother in law Deng Jiagui () (Apple Daily, April 24; Radio French International, April 23). More human rights lawyers have been detained and struck off the official registry for legal practitioners (Radio Free Asia, February 11; VOA Chinese, February 8). Even a casual essay by former premier Wen Jiabao in memory of his mother was removed from official and social media after it first appeared in late April in an obscure news outlet in Macau. Wen wrote that the China in my heart should be a country that is full of justice and righteousness, where there is respect for peoples hearts, humanitarianism and humaneness (, ren de benzhi). He added that China should be forever filled with the spirit of youth, liberty and struggle [for improvement] (HK01.com, April 24; BBC Chinese, April 19). Wen, an advocate of selectively adopting universal norms, is well-known for being an opponent of the Maoist values that Xi has embraced. Targeting Private Sector and Military Power Despite the Xi leaderships anxiety to maintain a relatively high rate of growth, the supreme leader has cracked down on a number of top performers in the private sector. More party cells have been installed in the upper echelons of world-famous enterprises such as Alibaba, Tencent and Meituan. These giant companies are deemed potential threats to the CCPs monopoly on power, particularly if they are backed by party factions not favored by Xi (VOA Chinese, December 15, 2020, Wall Street Journal Chinese, December 14, 2020). Last month, Alibaba was fined 18.2 billion RMB (.75 billion) for allegedly infringing upon the nations anti-monopoly laws. The groups legendary former chairman Jack Ma disappeared from public view for several weeks (New York Times Chinese, April 12; BBC Chinese, April 10). While the prevalent theory for the companys comeuppance is a speech given by Ma last October that criticized Chinas financial regulatory regime, another reason could be Mas connection to the so-called Shanghai Faction once led by ex-president Jiang Zemin. For example, Jiangs grandson Jiang Zhicheng is said to be a major shareholder of the Ant Group, an Alibaba subsidiary whose IPO late last year was apparently stopped on Xis orders (Radio French International, February 18; Ming Pao, February 17). Wang Xing (), the billionaire Chairman of the internet technology (IT) sales platform Meituan, also ran into trouble after Wang posted a Tang Dynasty poem called Burning the books and burying the scribes to the company website on May 6, which described the cruel reign of Chinas first emperor Qin Shi Huang (259-210 BC). While the censors did not take immediate action, it was widely perceived by even ordinary Chinese investors that the poem could infuriate Xi, who, like Chairman Mao, is considered a fan of Emperor Qin. A few days after Wang posted the poem, the price of Meituan shares dropped by nearly 10 percent on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (Deutche Welle Chinese, May 12; Radio Free Asia, May 10). Given the famous Mao adage about power growing out of the barrel of the gun, Xi has also taken out corrupt or disloyal cadres in the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA). A March document issued by the PLA Commission for Disciplinary Inspection instructed that all army officers must unquestionably follow the party leaderships instructions. According to CMC Chairman Xi, soldiers must be absolutely loyal, absolutely pure and absolutely reliable (China News Service, March 14). In April alone, at least two senior military-related officers were detained for alleged anti-disciplinary and illegal activities, including General Song Xue (), the Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the PLA Navy and Yin Jiaxu (), former Chairman of the mammoth arms manufacturer and trader Norinco (Guancha.cn, April 30; Peoples Daily, April 4). In the past two years or so, numerous members of the top brass were arrested for disciplinary infractions. They included the Deputy Commander of the Strategic Support Force General Rao Kaixun (); Political Commissar of the Hainan Military District General Ye Qing (); Political Commissar of the Jiangsu Military District General Meng Zhongkang (); Deputy Commander of the Ground Forces of the Western Theatre Command General Xu Xianghua (); and the Chairman as well as the General Manager of the China Shipbuilding Industry Corp., respectively Hu Wenming () and Sun Bo () (Finance.sina.cn, May 6; Caixin.com, May 19, 2020; HK01.com, January 1, 2020). The PLA housecleaning has gone hand in hand with a thorough reshuffle of high-level personnel in the Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of State Security last year. Conclusion In addition to being extolled as a master theoretician of finance and economics, foreign policy, and party construction, Xi is also now recognized as the custodian of the correct view of party history. In a recent national conference on studying and teaching history, the paramount leader noted that every party member must have the correct view of party history. We must establish a mega-historical outlook (, da lishi guan), urged Xi, with the intent to explore the laws of history, put forward corresponding strategies and policies, and boost the systemization, foresightedness and creativity of our work. Xi added, We must further get a grip on the laws and trends of historical development, and seize the historical initiative (, lishi zhudong) in the development of the party and countrys enterprises (Peoples Daily, April 27). The Beijing-based political scientist Wu Qiang () told Hong Kong media earlier this year that the CCP will publish a major historical document on July 1. It will glorify Xis position as the [partys] uppermost decision-maker to the extent of deifying Xi and turning his teachings into a religion (Hong Kong Citizen News, February 21). Yet by refusing to admit the many grave errors made by the party leadership since 1921and by praising the dubious tenets of MaoismXi runs the risk of ignoring the lessons of the past and committing both the party and state to the wrong side of history. The governors of more than 20 states have elected to stop paying workers supplemental federal unemployment benefits and there likely isn't much the Biden administration can do about it, one Labor Department official said Thursday. The agency isn't expected to issue a formal decision on the legality of intervening until later Thursday or early Friday, the official said. But so far, DOL staff has concluded that the administration has little practical or legal ability to continue providing expanded jobless benefits over the heads of governors. Nearly two dozen Republican governors in states including Arizona, Texas and Georgia have elected to stop providing federally supplemented unemployment insurance to jobless workers in their states in response to business complaints about a labor shortage, though experts are divided over whether and to what extent generous benefits are keeping workers on the sidelines. The decision means that unemployed workers in those states will stop receiving an extra $300 a week beginning in June. The program, created in response to Covid, is slated to run through Sept. 6. Practical problems: Over the last few weeks, advocacy groups including the National Employment Law Project have attempted to make the case to the agency that it has an obligation to intervene and make sure the cash from Congress makes its way into the hands of the jobless. But, the DOL official said, there likely isn't much the Biden administration can do. For one thing, DOL doesn't have the technology to pay out jobless benefits, the official noted. And given that it takes states as long as three months to stand up their own systems when they already have all the information required, creating a system from scratch that includes workers in 20-plus states would likely take much longer. On top of that, the federal government does not have access to the information needed about individual claimants. To obtain it, they would have to request it from governors who, having elected to not pay out the benefits, would likely be loathe to provide it, the official said, let alone share it with other states. Story continues Legal obstacles: Practicality aside, the agency may not have the legal ability to intervene, the official said. The U.S.' unemployment insurance system is a federal-state partnership, predicated on an agreement between states and the federal government; if the states decided to opt out (which they are entitled to do), then there is no agreement, the official said. As soon as one governor had opted out of paying federal jobless benefits, agency staff anticipated it would become a trend, the official said. The only enforcement authority the DOL's Employment and Training Administration has is to take away federal unemployment insurance funding, the official noted. The Telegraph A British woman who was bitten by a crocodile in Mexico is out of her coma and is able to breathe without medical assistance, her twin has said. Melissa and Georgia Laurie, both 28, from Berkshire, were swimming in the daytime in a lagoon in Mexico, around 10 miles from Puerto Escondido, when Melissa was attacked by a crocodile. Georgia saved Melissa by punching the crocodile in the face when it attacked her sister three times. Both of the twins were taken to hospital in Mexico, where Melissa ha US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will travel to the Middle East "in the coming days," the State Department said Thursday after Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire halting 11 days of fighting. Blinken spoke with his Israeli counterpart Gabi Ashkenazi, who "welcomed Secretary Blinken's planned travel to the region," State Department spokesman Ned Price said in a statement. The top US diplomat "will meet with Israeli, Palestinian and regional counterparts in the coming days to discuss recovery efforts and working together to build better futures for Israelis and Palestinians," Price said. The announcement came after Blinken spoke twice Thursday with Ashkenazi ahead of implementation of the ceasefire, which was brokered by Egypt and followed mounting international pressure to stem the bloodshed. "Both leaders expressed their appreciation for Egypt's mediation efforts, and the secretary noted that he would continue to remain in close touch with his Egyptian counterpart and other regional stakeholders," Price said. Blinken was headed home Thursday following an Arctic tour overshadowed by the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Working from hotel rooms and the airplane in the scramble for a ceasefire, he spoke to leaders on both sides, as well as from Arab nations with influence over Hamas. The secretary "welcomed the (Israeli) foreign minister's confirmation that the parties had agreed to a ceasefire," Price said. Earlier in the day Blinken announced that he was prepared to go to the Middle East "at any time." US President Joe Biden welcomed the ceasefire as a "genuine opportunity" for peace in a speech from the White House. "I believe we have a genuine opportunity to make progress and I'm committed to working toward it," Biden said. The Israeli army said Hamas and other Islamist armed groups in Gaza have fired more than 4,300 rockets towards Israel, which have claimed 12 lives, including two children and an Israeli soldier. Story continues Israeli strikes on Gaza have killed 232 Palestinians, including 65 children, as well as fighters, and have wounded another 1,900, according to the Gaza health ministry. The truce also included Gaza's second-most powerful armed group, Islamic Jihad. bfm/dw An 11-year-old boy with autism did how to hide searches online before he disappeared earlier this week, police said. Ryan Larsen went missing Monday morning after he walked out of La Vista West Elementary School between classes, La Vista police said during a news conference Tuesday. La Vista is southwest of Omaha. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Before disappearing, Ryan searched how to hide from the police, how to hide underground, and how to avoid being spotted, Capt. Jeremy Kinsey, a spokesperson for the police department, said. He could very well be watching us right now, laughing at us, Kinsey said during the news conference. Hes the king of hide-and-seek right now. The police department announced Thursday evening it is working with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children as well as the FBI. The Nebraska State Patrol issued an Endangered Missing Advisory Monday. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Ryan, described as 5 8 and 125 pounds, has autism and a history of running away, but he is high-functioning, police said. He is mostly non-verbal when it comes to strangers, Kinsey said. Authorities are becoming more worried as the search enters the fourth day, since its unclear how Ryan is getting food or water, KETV reported. We have to look at, Is this a criminal matter? Is he playing hide-and-seek? Is this a little boy who got in trouble and unfortunately has passed due to that? Were looking at all angles, John Francavilla, a spokesperson with the police department, told the TV station. Anyone with information is asked to call 911 or the La Vista Police Department at 402-331-1852. Minnie Pearl, the dog, was missing more than 200 days. Shes now back with NC family Not knowing is so hard. Hiker rescued after 5 days without food in California forest Fort Worth leaders contributed to Atatiana Jeffersons death, sister says in $10M lawsuit EU commissioner Yvla Johansson said Friday the bloc was working to relaunch negotiations with Libya on migration amid a rise in crossings to Europe from the North African country. Several hundred migrants have died since January in perilous Mediterranean crossings, while 26,000 others have succeeded in reaching Europe, the United Nations says. Around 9,000 of those embarked from Libya, a hub for irregular migration toward Europe, along with neighbouring Tunisia. Mired in chaos for a decade, a ceasefire in Libya has held since October and a new unity government was established in March. "We have a new opportunity in Libya and I am ready to engage with the new Libyan government in talks on how we can have a better and closer cooperation, including when it comes to managing migration," EU home affairs commissioner Johansson told AFP during a two-day visit to Tunisia. Asked about cooperation with the Libyan coast guard, which is responsible for intercepting migrants but some of whom have been prosecuted for human trafficking, the commissioner said their role was key. "It is important that the Libyan coast guards do search and rescue and prevent people from losing their lives at sea," Johansson said. "It is equally important to make sure that those that are being disembarked (in Libya) are treated properly and being in proper facilities, that is something we need to discuss," she added. The European Union has for years supported Libyan forces to try to stem migration, despite often grim conditions in detention centres in Libya. International agencies have repeatedly denounced the return to Libya of migrants intercepted at sea. Johansson said the EU was engaged in parallel support of legal migration, which diminished during the Covid-19 pandemic. "Investing in legal pathways is part of the solution," as Europe "needs immigration", she said. "But the willingness to welcome more people legally also depends on the possibility to return those not eligible to stay -- these are linked," she added. cnp/kl/awa/sw/hc A California city has formally apologized to early Chinese immigrants and their descendants for the historic injustices suffered at the hands of Antioch's founding community. Why it matters: A rise in anti-Asian hate has focused attention on the United States' legacy of racism against Asian Americans. The treatment of Asian Americans today is directly connected to those early years, Antioch Mayor Lamar A. Thorpe said. Stay on top of the latest market trends and economic insights with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free Background: Chinese who immigrated to California in the 19th century repeatedly faced racism, scapegoating and xenophobia, which the city says was at its peak between 1850 and 1870. During that period, Antioch officially became a "sundown town," banning Chinese residents from walking city streets after sunset. To commute between work and home, Chinese residents built a series of tunnels connecting the business district to their homes. Like most of U.S., Antioch participated in "The Driving Out" and forcibly removed Chinese residents. On one particular day in 1876, white mobs gave Chinese residents until 3 p.m. to leave the city before burning Chinatown to the ground "no exceptions," the city said. What they're saying: "[T]he story of Chinese immigrants and the dehumanizing atrocities committed against them should not be purged from or minimized in the telling of Antiochs history," the city said in its resolution. The city also said it "must acknowledge that the legacy of early Chinese immigrants and xenophobia are part of our collective consciousness that helps contribute to the current anti-Asian-American and Pacific Islander hate." Antioch is the first city in the U.S. to officially apologize for mistreatment of Chinese people, Thorpe said in a news conference last month. Of note: Mexico's president also issued a formal apology this week for a 1911 massacre in which revolutionary troops slaughtered over 300 Chinese people, AP reports. Go deeper: The centuries-long history of anti-Asian racism and violence in the U.S. More from Axios: Sign up to get the latest market trends with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free The nation was well-served when a (barely) bipartisan House passed legislation to create a 9/11-style commission for conducting a deep-dive investigation into the Jan. 6 insurrection that overran the U.S. Capitol. Sadly, it remains an open question whether the Senate will vote to make that commission a reality. If enough GOP senators follow the disappointing guidance of Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and vote to reject the bill, denying a filibuster-proof majority for creating the commission, there will be plenty of blame to go around for that failure. Republican fealty to Trump Most damning will be the ruthless fealty that too many Republican politicians continue pledging to a disgraced former president who provoked the violence Jan. 6 with lies about a stolen election and who now wants his role in that dark history swept under the rug to preserve a vice-like grip on the GOP. But the Democrats are not without a measure of blame. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on May 20, 2021. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's over-the-top opening demand for Democratic control over any newly created commission caused precious weeks of delay in negotiating a compromise that more accurately mirrored a true 9/11 commission. She allowed the trauma of Jan. 6 which left Democratic and Republican lawmakers alike shaken to their core when their lives were threatened to fade. And former President Donald Trump used the interlude to reassert supremacy over the GOP, holding court in Mar-a-Lago when House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy showed up to pay homage Jan. 28. America Talks: Take the survey and register to participate now During several weeks immediately after Jan. 6 there was a true bipartisan clamor to create a commission for investigating events that precipitated the first attack on the U.S. Capitol in more than 200 years. GOP co-sponsors on commission Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., an ardent Trump defender, issued a statement a week after the riot calling for an independent commission. He was joined by Trump ally Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., who told Fox News that we need a 9/11 commission to find out what happened and make sure it never happens again." Story continues Six days after the riot, Rep. Rodney Davis, R-Ill., gathered 30 Republican co-sponsors to introduce legislation that would have created a commission similar in design to the one Congress mandated after the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. The commission would have been made up by five Republican and five Democratic party elders. Davis' legislation evidently went nowhere in the Democratically controlled House. But a month later, Pelosi announced legislative plans of her own to form a panel of seven Democrats and four Republicans. Talks dragged on, even as Pelosi eventually said she was willing to compromise. Republican political calculus But time was wasting. The shock of Jan. 6 was evidently wearing off for Republican lawmakers immersed in the cold, political calculus that two-thirds of GOP constituents in key battleground states still believe and follow Trump. By this week, only 13 of the 30 Republican co-sponsors of the commission proposal remained loyal when votes were cast on an identical idea. They were joined by Davis and 23 other House Republicans for a total amounting to only a sixth of the GOP caucus. The Senate may still vote to approve the proposal as soon as next week. But it will require 10 Republican senators to end the debate. There are seven Republicans who were willing to impeach Trump in February. An eighth, Tommy Tuberville of Alabama, told USA TODAY he supports creating the commission. Only two other GOP votes would be required. If Congress had acted more quickly in the weeks after Jan. 6, when Republican anguish over the event momentarily outweighed political posturing, creating a commission to investigate the Capitol riot could have been a near certainty. USA TODAY's editorial opinions are decided by its Editorial Board, separate from the news staff and the USA TODAY Network. Most editorials are coupled with an Opposing View, a unique USA TODAY feature. To read more editorials, go to the Opinion front page or sign up for the daily Opinion email newsletter. To respond to this editorial, submit a comment to letters@usatoday.com. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: U.S. Capitol riot: Don't blame commission vote on just Republicans Yahoo Entertainment Viewers of Wheel of Fortune were blown away Thursday by just how terrible of a guess one contestant made. Matt, despite having just asked for an N, of which there were three on the board, guessed The Best Buttercut. Viewers immediately took to Twitter to share their disbelief, though there was some confusion as to what Matt actually said. Some heard The Best Buttercup. One viewer tweeted that they were in stitches, while another asked Pat Sajak how he didnt crack up laughing or make a hilarious face. Sajak was off camera, so what face he made is a mystery. But his low-key sarcasm was clear. Following Matts guess, Sajak responded, Uh, no. Oddly enough, no. But despite having to go through life with the embarrassment of guessing The Best Buttercup when that was clearly not even close, Matt won, and took home a nice chunk of change. The Tianzhou 2 cargo spacecraft had technical problems: it was to refuel the Tiangong space station, which is nearing completion. First images of a Beijing robotic vehicle from Martian soil. China is the first country after the US to explore the red planet. Beijing (AsiaNews / Agencies) - China yesterday postponed the launch of a cargo spaceship intended to supply its Tiangong space station. Without providing a new date, the Space Agency justified the decision with the need to solve unspecified technical problems. The Tianzhou 2 self-guided transport rocket was to take off from the launch station in Wenchang (Hainan) with the support of the Long March 7 carrier: the second of 11 missions to complete work on the Tiangong, after the launch of its first module in April. It was carried by the Long March 5 vector, the destruction of which in contact with the Earth's atmosphere - and the related spreading of debris - has sparked protests from many governments. Once completed, the Tiangong will be able to operate for 10 years and host three full time and three fixed term astronauts. It is the first permanent Chinese space station: Beijing planned its construction after being excluded from the International Space Station. However, the setback of Tianzhou 2 is offset by the success of the Chinese mission to Mars. The Zhurong space rover yesterday broadcast the first images it captured on the Red Planet. The Beijing spacecraft landed on May 16, but China is not the first country to successfully send and operate a robot from Martian soil. The US boasts several missions to Mars, the last of which was conducted by the Perseverance rover, which explores the planet with the support of the Ingenuity helicopter. Beijing on Friday welcomed a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, the Islamist movement which controls the Gaza Strip, saying China hopes there will be a "cessation of violence" and a return to peace talks. A ceasefire came into force early Friday after 11 days of deadly fighting that killed hundreds of Palestinians and 12 in Israel. Beijing said the international community now needs to "extend helping hands" to the region, and will commit $1 million in emergency aid and a further $1 million to UN relief efforts for the Palestinians. It will also provide 200,000 doses of the Covid-19 vaccine to the Palestinians. "China welcomes the ceasefire between both sides in the Palestine-Israel conflict, and hopes the relevant parties will earnestly implement the ceasefire and cessation of violence," foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said at a press conference Friday. "The international community should promote the resumption of peace talks between Palestine and Israel, and achieve a comprehensive, just and lasting solution to the Palestine issue on the basis of the two state solution," he added. Beijing -- which has invited the two sides to hold direct talks in China -- has also used the conflict as an opportunity to hit out at the US, including criticizing Washington for earlier blocking a joint statement on the crisis at the UN Security Council. Zhao said that China was willing to work with the international community to "promote further easing of the tense Palestine-Israel situation." The escalating conflict has been a divisive topic on Chinese social media, where there is a large amount of Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian sentiment, as well as sympathy for Palestinians. Earlier this week, the Israeli embassy in Beijing hit out at China's state broadcaster for what it said was "blatant anti-Semitism" in a report on US policy during the ongoing deadly violence. tjx-rox/oho Clarksville fire chief gives update on massive blaze at historic site Video Transcript BRANDON SKAGGS: --Skaggs, B-R-A-N-D-O-N S-K-A-G-G-S, Clarksville fire chief. - Can you just give us a rundown of what happened out here and what we're looking at. BRANDON SKAGGS: Yeah. Shortly after 6:00 PM, I was notified, as well with other departments, that we had several fires in the South Clarksville area, one being the Clark cabin behind us here. The cabin's been here since about 2001, and when firefighters arrived on scene, it was fully engulfed in the flames. - We've been hearing just from people who frequent this area in the park. Do you guys have any indication that this could be arson? BRANDON SKAGGS: We're under investigation right now, so we're not ruling anything out. However, I do have several agencies assisting in the investigation. Jeffersonville Fire Department and the Indiana State Fire Marshal's office, along with Clarksville Fire Marshal's Office-- we are doing investigations, and we did have several active scenes going on at one time. - Gotcha. How many active scenes, if you want to-- BRANDON SKAGGS: Four. We do have Clarksville Police, Clark County Sheriff's Office, and state police also helping us in this area, as well as several other agencies that help with the extinguishment of these fires. - Is that four aside from this, right? BRANDON SKAGGS: Three aside from this. This is the fourth. - We're hearing of people talking about a guy on a skateboard with red hair. We heard of a BOLO go out in New Albany for a similar description. Can you confirm that that's related to this? BRANDON SKAGGS: I cannot confirm or go into any detail on that. - When you think about the historical nature of this cabin, which we know as the McGee cabin, as a person who frequents this area-- I'm not sure if you need it-- but I talked to neighbors who are here. BRANDON SKAGGS: I could see the fire from my house. That's how much I'm in tune with South Clarksville. And it's terrible. It's tragic for this area to lose the cabin. Like I said, it's been here since 2001, and it was brought here from Osgood, Indiana, part of a centennial celebration. Story continues They built a cabin here just for people to come to our area, and this is a destination. So we're sad that we lost that cabin. But right now there's no injuries reported, firefighters or civilians, so that's the positive. Outside of that, it's just a very busy time, several active fires going on, and that was what made it challenging for our firefighters to extinguish all these fires. - Where the other fires that were reported-- obviously, not a cabin fire, but similar in nature? BRANDON SKAGGS: This was the only structure. The other three were wild or brush fires. And there was one about 150 yards from this area. - Where were the other two? BRANDON SKAGGS: They were close in proximity along the nature trail, or the greenway, is what someone would say, one being a riverbank fire, the other two being grass brush fires. - Do you know, were they all in the state park or in the park [INAUDIBLE]? BRANDON SKAGGS: Various. Some town properties and some state properties and even some private properties. So this is a state property here. It's managed by the DNR. May 21NEW LONDON The U.S. Coast Guard secured its close ties with the city on Thursday with a ceremony to mark New London's re-designation as a Coast Guard City. Established by Congress in 1998, a Coast Guard City is an honorary five-year designation recognizing a community's special efforts to celebrate the service and the sacrifice of Coast Guard men and women. There currently are 28 cities designated by Congress as Coast Guard Cities. New London first received the designation in 2015 the first and only city in the state to earn such recognition. Related story: OPINION: How about a public hearing on downtown Coast Guard museum plans? Under a tent at City Pier with the cutter Spencer docked in the background, Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Karl L. Schultz on Thursday talked about the historical beginning of the Coast Guard Academy nearby and the hundreds of Coast Guard officers who have been in New London. New London donated the land for the present site of the Coast Guard Academy and more recently donated a waterfront parcel to accommodate the construction of the future National Coast Guard Museum, to be built not far from where Thursday's ceremony was held. "There's a lot of goodness when we thicken the ties of collaboration and cooperation between our service with 231 years of history and this great waterfront community here in New London," Schultz said. "The New London community puts forth tremendous effort to support our Coast Guard," he said in prepared remarks. "By embracing Coast Guardsmen and their families, the New London Community fosters morale and contributes to Service excellence." U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy and U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney, D-2nd District, said they expected to be back in New London for the ribbon-cutting for the museum in the near future. New London is home to the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, Coast Guard Station New London, the Coast Guard Research and Development Center and International Ice Patrol. The city recently signed an agreement with the Coast Guard that provides a berth for the iconic Coast Guard barque Eagle at City Pier near the museum site. Story continues New London Mayor Michael Passero credited Rain Daugherty, the city's former director of development and planning, for work that led to the Coast Guard City designation and also to secure the city as the home for the museum. "This is the highest honor the United States Coast Guard can bestow upon any city," Passero said in a statement. "We are proud of our partnerships with the Coast Guard and honored that the city continues to be recognized as a Coast Guard City." g.smith@theday.com May 20TUPELO After 35 years, the Committee for King (CFK) found an additional way to carry on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy beyond his birthday weekend. Since January, the organization has been hosting monthly discussions, posted online, covering systemic racism in education, health/wellness, banking/finance, and criminal justice. The series was made possible through a partnership with the William Winter Institute for Racial Reconciliation. The series concluded May 16 with a panel discussion about systemic racism's impact on the criminal justice system. It featured FWD.us Mississippi Director Alesha Judkins, Southern Poverty Law Center Staff Attorney Leslie Faith Jones and MacArthur Justice Center Director Cliff Johnson. Over the course of about 90 minutes, panelists discussed their personal journeys with criminal justice work, how history continues influencing the penal system in the South, and what Mississippi and local communities can do to address issues within the justice system, such as Mississippi having one of the highest incarceration rates in the nation, with a disproportionate amount of those locked up being Black people. "To the extent that we think about our next steps, what do we invest in?" Jones said during the panel. "If we're investing in root causes to try to minimize and mitigate for better outcomes, then it's no different than thinking about your health care system, it's no different than thinking about your educational system, it's no different than thinking about your banking system. All of it makes you a stronger community, so it's worth it." The panel was indicative of the kinds of conversations CFK sought to facilitate when they first launched the series in January, said CFK chairperson Shawn Brevard. Since 1986, Tupelo has celebrated the late U.S. Civil Rights leader with a birthday weekend celebration each January. As it did for most events, COVID-19 changed those plans. The pandemic forced CFK to revamp their keystone weekend celebration for 2021 and also provided an opportunity to do things differently, Brevard said. Story continues Ever since the 2020 protests against police brutality and racism in the wake of George Floyd's death last May, communities across North Mississippi like Tupelo have hosted community forums and panels addressing systemic racism within their own communities. The CFK series started with a panel in January introducing future topics. Every third Sunday, from February to May, CFK covered one of the four topic areas in more detail. The purpose was to provide an opportunity to understand how each topic relates to the community and consider ways to be better community members with each other. Join the discussion The entire Committee for King five-part series is available at https://www.committeeforking.org. Organizers invite members of the community to share their thoughts and comments with CFK on their Facebook page, Committee.For.King. "Our purpose was not to hit anyone over the head with a definitive answer on things. This was to have an open panel discussion with individuals, both local and regional, who have expertise and experience in these specific topic areas," Brevard said. "It's important to have dialogue and consider how different people's lived experiences affect their quality of life." Each panel was recorded and made available live via Zoom and CFK's Facebook page, or posted shortly after on the CFK website, in order to make the content widely available while allowing people to participate in the topics on their own time. The need for dialogue William Winter Institute Youth Engagement Manager Von Gordon served as moderator for all five panels. One of his priorities was to create a space where people could be honest without fear of castigation. Gordon's goal was to foster constructive conversations that recognized how racism can operate without people's full knowledge. "Racism is a very corrosive form of oppression. It will not just go away," Gordon said. "Individuals must transform how they understand humanity and institutions must root it out of policy and practice. Only then will there be systemic progress. But none of that happens without dialogue, especially among neighbors." Quote Cathy Grace, co-director of the Graduate Center for the Study of Early Learning at the University of Mississippi, was invited to participate in the education forum to discuss how early childhood is a key time in the development of children's beliefs around difference and acceptance. During the panel, Grace sought illuminate how prejudice and expectations plays out in preschool expulsion rates, with the U.S. Department of Education federal data showing that Black children are expelled at higher rates than their white peers. She also emphasized the importance of early childhood education, and how she encourages other educators to reflect. "In my role as a teacher educator, I try to put forth some questions that would result in there being self reflection in terms of where we all stand in our own personal biases and how we acknowledge those internally so that when we are teaching or engaged with other people that we are mindful of the fact that we need to be open and really listen to what folks are saying," Grace said. "This way we can start the communication that leads to acceptance that leads to true understanding and friendships and relationships." The panel helped bring out issues for consideration and discussion while revealing current issues around ensuring an equity of services and treatments for kids based on their needs. She hopes by having these kinds of conversations with a larger audience can lead to changes in public schools and the community in general. "If you want a strong community, you've got to invest in your people," Grace said. "The community would invest in whatever it takes so that all the children in the community have access to a program that prepares them for school so that they are successful when they start school." During the education panel, Gordon said he appreciated hearing from Tupelo Public School District leaders such as superintendent Dr. Rob Picou and TPSD Board of Trustees member Kenneth Wheeler on how racism affected education in the area and how decisions by local leaders can either change or perpetuate that cycle. A key takeaway from the panels was how leadership would be important in ensuring the gains of the last 50 years are not taken for granted, Gordon said. Gordon hopes forums such as CFK's can open doors to be honest, truthful, and learn in communities like Lee County. "Racism has destroyed a great deal of human potential and possibility globally," he said. "Imagine Lee County as a boat. If racism keeps poking holes in the boat, your side might not sink first but it won't be long. Tupelo is a relatively small boat. Take on racism or take on water." When it came to discussing systemic racism in Tupelo, Brevard was inspired by William Winter Institute public policy coordinator and Rethink Mississippi editor Jake McGraw to question the idea of Tupelo being regarded as a harmonious community, but not always a just one. "The push was, are we settling for harmony over justice? That's sort of the concept, is it surface or is it below the surface? Are we really being fair, being equitable, or are we just trying to be satisfied with not fighting with each other and being harmonious but being separate but unequal," Brevard said. When organizing the discussion, CFK wanted to acknowledge each topic was deep, layered, interconnected topics, and that " there is no single one solution," Brevard said. "The hope would be that individuals and organizations can think about the systems that have been in place over long periods of time that have been damaging to people of color," she said. "Quite honestly, if they damage our neighbors, they damage us. Whether we recognize it or not, we're all connected. So how do we help each other? I think we have to take some responsibility for our fellow man, woman." Brevard hopes the community valued the experience and will continue to value it. "We hope to share with our community more ways that we can work on these topics," Brevard said. "This is an ongoing community dialogue that has begun." danny.mcarthur@djournal.com May 20The state Supreme Court this week denied the appeal of Sergio Correa, charged with murdering three members of a Griswold family, to consider whether he's been unconstitutionally denied the right to a speedy trial. Correa and his defense team, public defenders Joseph Lopez and Corrie-Ann L. Mainville, filed new documents with the state Supreme Court on May 14 questioning whether pandemic-related court closures infringed upon his and others' constitutional right to a speedy trial. Chief Justice Richard A. Robinson on Wednesday denied the appeal, just one day after the state's chief court administrator announced that jury trials will resume June 1. Correa has been awaiting trial for three years, held in lieu of a $3.5 million bond. His case was set to go to trial on March 16, 2020, just a few days before jury trials were suspended statewide for about 14 months due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The resumption of jury trials means he should expect to face a jury soon. Correa is accused of murdering three members of the Lindquist family in Griswold and setting their home on fire with his sister in December 2017. He faces charges of murder, arson and home invasion. t.hartz@theday.com (Bloomberg) -- Credit Suisse Group AG senior banker Tim McKessar is joining UBS Group AG, becoming the latest to leave the embattled Swiss lender following the collapse of hedge fund Archegos Capital Management. McKessar will start at UBS in August and run the telecommunications, media and technology advisory team in Sydney, partnering with Brendan Mulheron, according to an internal memo obtained by Bloomberg. McKessar had been at Credit Suisse since 2007 and most recently led its local TMT team. Hes among a slew of staffers exiting Credit Suisse businesses around the world in the wake of debacles involving Archegos and supply-chain finance firm Greensill Capital. The Swiss lender last month slashed the amount of money set aside for employee bonuses, using the savings to limit the financial hit from the implosion of Archegos. The bank is now being forced to consider retention bonuses for staff to stem the bleeding, but thats come too late for some of its Australian bankers. McKessar wasnt the only one to head out the door this week, with Bank of America Corp. on Monday snaring Karl Rozman to lead its natural resources advisory team. Rozman, a managing director, had worked at Credit Suisse for 11 years and most recently co-headed its Australia natural resources, energy and infrastructure team. Earlier this month, Credit Suisse lost its head of Australian mergers and acquisitions, Kierin Deeming, to JPMorgan Chase & Co. More Departures The Australia departures added to more than 10 other senior bankers who left the firms U.S. offices in recent weeks. They came on top of other recent exits in Europe and Asia. Read how Credit Suisse is weighing retention bonuses to stem talent flight Matthew Russell, a Credit Suisse spokesman in Sydney, declined to comment on McKessars move but said the bank has a deep bench in investment banking and continues to hire across the Asia Pacific region. A spokeswoman for UBS confirmed the contents of the memo. Story continues McKessars addition is part of a fresh hiring spree at UBS, which has been on the hunt for staff after losing a string of bankers to new rivals in Australia. Some senior bankers who helped establish UBS as the top investment bank in Australia are now in leadership roles at two new advisory firms, Barrenjoey Capital Partners and Jarden Australia Pty Ltd. Theyve poached teams of bankers and research analysts from UBS, and raided local units of Wall Street banks including JPMorgan, setting off a massive reshuffle and race for talent. (Updates to add detail from fourth paragraph) More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com Subscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source. 2021 Bloomberg L.P. Candace Owens wrote an op-ed article Wednesday demanding "accountability" from Chrissy Teigen. George Pimentel/Getty Images; Jason Davis/Getty Images Candace Owens wrote an op-ed article Wednesday demanding "accountability" from Chrissy Teigen. The Daily Beast editor who resurfaced Teigen's cyberbullying past called Owens a "terrible person." In an interview, Courtney Stodden told the editor that Teigen sent Stodden DMs encouraging suicide. Visit Insider's homepage for more stories. Marlow Stern, the Daily Beast editor who resurfaced Chrissy Teigen's cyberbullying past in his profile of Courtney Stodden, called Candace Owens "a truly terrible person" after she wrote an op-ed article calling for a takedown of Teigen over Teigen's previous behavior. Owens has been outspoken in her criticism of Teigen since Stern published his interview with Stodden on May 10, in which the former reality-TV star said Teigen sent them messages saying "I can't wait for you to die" after they married the actor Doug Hutchison. When the former couple married in 2011, Hutchison was 51, while Stodden was 16. The marriage catapulted Stodden to national prominence and made them tabloid fodder. Owens, in turn, responded to Stodden's interview allegations by starting a social-media hashtag, #survivingchrissyteigen; demanding that brands like Macy's and Target reconsider their partnerships with Teigen; and, most recently, writing an op-ed article about the model published Wednesday on The Daily Wire. "I've led a campaign for people to examine the long history of abuse that Teigen has directed at young women," Owens wrote in the essay. "We're not talking about mean tweets - we're talking about Teigen harassing teen girls and even encouraging suicide." Owens, who misgendered Stodden throughout her essay, wrote that Stodden was "groomed for this disturbing relationship, and the cameras couldn't look away," and reiterated Stodden's Daily Beast revelations that Teigen had messaged Stodden at that time and encouraged suicide. Story continues Stern responded to Owens' op-ed article by tweeting Thursday that, despite Owens' support for Stodden, the conservative-media personality had herself "mocked" public figures who had died by suicide. "Candace owens claims she's going after chrissy teigen because she cares deeply about suicide," Stern wrote in his tweet directed at Owens. "When she openly mocked meghan markle for having suicidal ideations and kurt cobain for taking his own life." This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. In a reply to Stern's tweets criticizing her op-ed article, Owens sarcastically tweeted, "Me saying that teenagers should not idolize Kurt Cobain bc he was drug-addicted and committed suicide is EXACTLY the same at an adult woman direct messaging teenagers and telling them to kill themselves." When reached for comment, Stern told Insider via an email statement that Owens was "name-dropping" Stodden because "it's in service of a strange form of revenge against Chrissy Teigen, who [Owens] views as an enemy due to her liberal politics." "Candace Owens has a long history of mocking those who've tragically taken their own life (or had thoughts about doing so)," Stern continued in his email statement to Insider, echoing his Thursday-morning tweets. Insider has reached out to representatives for Owens and Teigen. Before Owens' article was published, Teigen said she was 'mortified' and apologized to Stodden When Stodden and Hutchison got married, the then-16-year-old Stodden became widely discussed in media. "It took me a really, really long time to understand what happened to me, and I'm still going through the repercussions of being groomed," Stodden told Stern about their now-ended marriage to Hutchison. In their Daily Beast interview, Stodden said they'd received negative attention from several media personalities, including Teigen, after their 2011 wedding to Hutchison. "She wouldn't just publicly tweet about wanting me to take 'a dirt nap,'" Stodden, who's now 26, told Stern of Teigen, "but would privately DM me and tell me to kill myself." Insider's Kim Renfro previously wrote that screenshots of Teigen's tweets that were sent publicly to Stodden in 2011 and 2012 show Teigen (who would have been 26 years old at the time, roughly a decade older than Stodden) calling Stodden "effing weird" and "an idiot." Teigen also tweeted: "go. to sleep. forever." Teigen publicly apologized to Stodden two days after the Daily Beast interview was published, adding that she'd also privately reached out to Stodden to apologize. "Not a lot of people are lucky enough to be held accountable for all their past bulls--- in front of the entire world," Teigen said in a Twitter thread. "I'm mortified and sad at who I used to be. I was an insecure, attention seeking troll." She added that she was "ashamed and completely embarrassed at my behavior" but said it was "nothing compared to how I made Courtney feel." Stodden responded to Teigen's public apology by saying they'd never heard from Teigen's team and uploaded a screenshot on Instagram appearing to show that Teigen had blocked them on Twitter. "I accept her apology and forgive her," Stodden wrote in the caption of the post with the screenshot. "But the truth remains the same, I have never heard from her or her camp in private." "All of me wants to believe this is a sincere apology," they continued. "But it feels like a public attempt to save her partnerships with Target and other brands who are realizing her 'wokeness' is a broken record." Page Six reported Monday that Teigen's cookware brand was "unavailable" on the Macy's website, though, according to the same report, Macy's didn't respond to the publication's questions about why that was the case. A representative for Target told Page Six, in another story published May 13, that Target and Teigen "made the mutual decision in December to no longer carry the cookware line, given our continued focus on brands we develop and that can only be found at Target." Read the original article on Insider EMS-FORSTER-PRODUCTIONS/Getty Images Major dating apps such as Tinder and OkCupid will be adding vaccine verification tags to profiles. Vaccinated users will get exclusive content and access to features that you normally have to pay for. The White House announced they hope the features will encourage more people to get vaccinated. Visit Insider's homepage for more stories. The White House announced some of the largest dating apps in the world will be adding COVID-19 vaccine verification tags to dating profiles. Apps such as Tinder, OkCupid, BLK, Chispa, Plenty of Fish, Hinge, and Bumble will allow users who are vaccinated to indicate their status on their profiles and get exclusive content. Announcing the move on Friday, White House advisor Andy Slavitt said in a press conference that these apps are going to "help people meet people with that universally attractive quality: they've been vaccinated." The move is part of a broad push to vaccinate more than 70% of the US population - a goal that could curtail the spread of COVID-19. Currently, about 38% of the US adult population is fully vaccinated. Slavitt shared data from OkCupid that found people who are vaccinated have received 14% more likes on their profiles than those who are not. The apps are adding pro-vaccine features in the hope that they will encourage more people to get vaccinated. President Joe Biden plans to have 70% of the US population vaccinated by July 4. "The truth of the matter is, people do want to get back to their normal lives, they do have questions about making sure that they can do that safely," Slavitt said. "I applaud the initiative on these companies' parts, I think it's their effort, and we have conversations with them, but this is things that they were doing because they saw a need in their audience base." Read the original article on Insider The FBI is looking into the possibility of a hate crime in connection with the unsolved slaying of an Asian American Colorado 17-year-old found dead in her burned-out home in Bailey, three and a half years ago. Investigators unveiled the new layer of the probe into Maggie Longs Dec. 1, 2017 slaying in a statement to the Denver-based KCNC. Park County Sheriffs Office deputies responded to a house fire at 3763 County Road 43, about 45 miles southwest of Denver, on that day after a 911 caller told the dispatcher that people were inside the home breaking things. Firefighters doused the flames and found Longs body inside. Investigators said they found signs that there had been a physical altercation in the home before the fire broke out. FBI RESPONDS TO CONGRESSIONAL BASEBALL SHOOTING SURVIVORS, DUBS GUNMAN DOMESTIC VIOLENT EXTREMIST An autopsy ruled the death a homicide, and Park County Sheriff Tom McGraw said at the time that Long had been "purposely set on fire and burned alive." Authorities have released composite sketches showing three possible suspects. In addition to killing Long, they are accused of stealing a Beretta handgun, an AK-47-style rifle, 2,000 rounds of ammunition, a safe and other valuables from her home. The suspects still have not been publicly identified, and it was not immediately clear what prompted investigators to consider the possibility of a hate crime. But such attacks targeting Asian Americans have recently been on the rise across the U.S. The victims sisters have said they did not notice any overt Asian discrimination when they lived in Bailey and that looking at the case from a new perspective could help solve it. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP "This is an angle that wasnt looked into in the past, and at this point, it is no stone left unturned," Lynna Long told the Associated Press. "Looking at the extent of violence in this crime that is certainly an angle to look more closely into." Story continues The FBI is offering up to $20,000 in reward money for information leading to arrests and convictions, and Longs family announced $75,000 in December, according to 9News. Long was last seen at Platte Canyon High School, where she was organizing an evening concert, according to the outlet. She went home after class to pick up supplies for the event and is believed to have walked in on a home invasion in progress. The Associated Press contributed to this report. By Alexander Marrow MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian cybersecurity firm Positive Technologies is pressing ahead with plans for an initial public offering (IPO) next year, despite the imposition of U.S. sanctions in April that ban it from working with U.S. financial institutions. The U.S. Treasury in April blacklisted Positive Technologies and other IT firms for supporting Russian intelligence services, which the company described as "groundless accusations", while Chief Operating Officer Maxim Pustovoy said the blacklisting was based on "a misunderstanding and a mistake". The company wrote to the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) to lay out its position, Managing Director Denis Baranov told Reuters at a Positive Technologies-organised event on Thursday, but has yet to receive a response. In an interview with Reuters, Pustovoy shrugged off the impact of sanctions on Positive Technologies' business and said a plan to initially float around 10% of the company's shares in 2022 was still in place. "Around 97% of our clients are based in Russia, so the damage done to our U.S. business does not have a huge impact on revenue or growth," Pustovoy said. After increasing sales by 51% to 6.2 billion roubles ($84.5 million) in 2020, Positive Technologies is aiming for 20%-40% growth this year and even stronger performance from 2022 onwards. Russian firms that go public usually list in Moscow and abroad, with London and New York the most popular destinations. The sanctions ban any U.S. entity from working with Positive Technologies, a restriction that Russian banks can help bypass. A representative of one of Russia's largest banks told Reuters the bank was interested in working on the Positive Technologies IPO deal. The United States has also accused Positive Technologies of using hacking conventions as recruiting events for Russian intelligence agencies, the FSB and GRU, a notion Pustovoy described as ridiculous. Story continues This year's Positive Hack Days took place on Thursday and Friday, with the main attraction pitting attacking and defensive hackers against one another to seize control of a miniature town's systems. ($1 = 73.4015 roubles) (Additional reporting by Maria Tsvetkova; editing by Barbara Lewis) by Nirmala Carvalho The priests and religious affected in a higher percentage than the rest of the population. The capuchin Fr. Mathew who is collecting the data: "Many even the 40-year-olds. Many nuns who died from the pandemic worked in rural areas where there is no adequate health care". Mumbai (AsiaNews) - In India, the pandemic has so far killed 168 priests and 143 nuns. The figure is provided by Father Suresh Mathew, Capuchin friar and editor-in-chief of the Indian Currents magazine. He is keeping the count of the victims of the clergy and religious which continue to grow because the number of deaths in the country remains high: even today the Indian government speaks of 4,209 victims of Covid-19 in the last 24 hours; the country is now very close to the threshold of 300,000 deaths since the beginning of the pandemic. In this general framework, Fr. Mathew tells AsiaNews about his investigation: During the first wave, we kept reading details of priests who lost their lives in to the Covid 19, however, during the second wave especially after Easter, every day we received news of priests dying of the Corona virus. Being a Missionary priest, I wanted to know the number of the confreres who died, was it due to pastoral service. With journalist interest, I began compiling the list of priest who died in the second wave, I approached deputy secretary general of the CbCI who gave me around 20 names of priests, but Jose Kavi Editor Matters India, gave me the names of numerous priests who succumbed to the virus. Initially I complied a a list of 117 priests, who died, and sent the list out to all the bishops of India, a few replied stating that the particular priest did not die of covid. Today my data record 168 priests - including 3 bishops - and 143 nuns who died from the coronavirus." Beyond the overall numbers, there are some striking elements: The mortality rate among priests - continues Fr. Mathew - is higher than the national average, perhaps because they still exercised their pastoral ministry during Easter time. An important fact is the fact that many priests who died of Covid-19 were aged around 40, so they were in their prime. They weren't vaccinated, as doses were only given to those over 45 in April. We need to understand why they are dead, they can't just be numbers. These deaths - comments the Capuchin friar - are the highest form of Christian charity: they died while serving others. Some contracted the virus by presiding over the funerals of confreres, while following all anti-Covid protocols. Many nuns have died in rural areas, where there are no adequate health care facilities. They worked among the poor and the marginalized where there is not even a basic medical centre. One of the dead priests had to travel 450 kilometres to be transferred to a hospital in Ghaziabad, many nuns in the north have died because of this lack of infrastructure. Some congregations were particularly affected: At least 23 priests who died of Covid-19 - comments Fr. Mathew - were Jesuits, while 12 are the sisters of the Missionaries of Charity, the congregation founded by Mother Teresa. Although elderly or with other illnesses, they continued to carry out their service to the community, especially among lepers. Covid-19 was a silent preacher who reminded us of Jesus' message: give your life or you will already be dead. It has offered us a new look at prayer and devotion. It takes very little to return to ashes and then let's focus on compassion, generosity, kindness towards others. This is the testimony of the love of Christ that the priests and nuns who died as a result of Covid-19 in India offered to the end." A dispute between two powerful Senate committees effectively scuttled an effort to step up federal scrutiny of foreign donations to U.S. research universities, Axios has learned. Why it matters: Chinese influence in higher education has fueled espionage and human rights concerns. But an effort to address it within a sprawling Senate package of measures designed to boost U.S. competitiveness against China sparked a jurisdictional spat that spiked the legislative language. Get market news worthy of your time with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free. What's happening: The version of the United States Innovation and Competition Act the Senate took up this week explicitly bars the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) from monitoring large foreign gifts to U.S. universities. Despite that prohibition, the legislation includes a measure passed out of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee authorizing that work by CFIUS, an interagency body chaired by the Treasury secretary that vets foreign investments for potential national security concerns. The bill, though, was amended Tuesday with additional language explicitly prohibiting CFIUS from performing that work or appropriating federal funds for that purpose. While both provisions remain in the overarching bill released by the office of Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), the most recent language barring that CFIUS authority appears to be the operative provision. The big picture: The original CFIUS language was championed by Sen. Jim Risch (R-Idaho), the top Republican on Foreign Relations. It was designed to address concerns that the Chinese government, in particular, uses its influence at large research institutions to monitor or steal U.S. technology, develop tech to repress Chinese Muslim minorities and seed ideologically aligned campus groups. In a statement to Axios, Risch called the measure "a small investment, given the large cost of the (legislation), to protect our ideas, research and intellectual property before its too late, which is often the case. Between the lines: Three sources with knowledge of the situation told Axios the change in language was the result of a dispute between the Foreign Relations and Senate Banking committees. Story continues "The provision is designed effectively to nullify the (Foreign Relations) CFIUS provision, because we believe, along with CFIUS, that it is completely unworkable," one of the sources said. "CFIUS is not designed, staffed or structured to assess potentially tens of thousands of university gifts." The two other sources said the dispute also had to do with jurisdictional turf. CFIUS falls under Banking's purview, and the sources, who requested anonymity to candidly discuss the matter, said Sens. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) and Pat Toomey (R-Pa.), the committee's top members, felt they weren't adequately consulted. Yes, but: The legislative package does include language that would require universities to disclose large foreign gifts. It also contains provisions designed to safeguard research by U.S. labs and agencies from foreign theft and espionage. CFIUS's role in the process, though, appears to have been excised. More from Axios: Sign up to get the latest market trends with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free A Dominican politician arrested in Miami on cocaine trafficking charges will remain locked up before trial, a federal magistrate judge ruled Friday. Miguel Andres Gutierrez Diaz, a member of the Chamber of Deputies of the Dominican Republic, agreed to be detained rather than fight a request by prosecutors to keep him behind bars. They said the 58-year-old is a flight risk and danger to the community. Gutierrez Diazs defense attorney, Dennis Urbano, said his client would address the detention issue at a later date. It was unclear why the Dominican congressman, who flew to Miami on Monday to attend a sons graduation, did not want to seek a bond from the judge and proceed with the detention hearing. But he might have wanted to avoid generating any further publicity about his cocaine trafficking indictment, which accuses him and three others of being members of an international drug ring that operated in the Dominican Republic, Colombia and the United States from 2014 to 2017. On Friday, Magistrate Judge John J. OSullivan called out certain news media in the Dominican Republic for illegally recording Gutierrez Diazs first appearance in federal court Tuesday after his arrest. OSullivan said audio and video recordings of court proceedings are strictly prohibited and that he would consider issuing sanctions. The defendants attorney, Urbano, told the judge that Gutierrez Diaz is a target of just about everybody in the Dominican press. The indictment charges Miguel Andres Gutierrez Diaz, Miguel Emilio Gutierrez Diaz, and brothers Endy De Jesus Nunez Marmol and Danny Nunez Marmol with conspiring to distribute cocaine, knowing that it would be imported into the United States. It is not clear from the court record if the two Gutierrez Diaz defendants are related. All four defendants are also charged with conspiring to import cocaine into the United States and conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine. The indictment was unsealed Tuesday, so Gutierrez Diaz had no idea he had been charged by the grand jury when he arrived at Miami International Airport Monday night. Story continues Gutierrez Diaz, who faces up to life in prison if convicted, is being held at the Miami Federal Detention Center following his arrest by agents Monday night at MIA. According to Dominican news accounts, Gutierrez Diaz entered politics in 2018, the year after the alleged drug-trafficking conspiracy ended. Campaign videos available on Facebook indicate that Gutierrez Diaz is a member of the Dominican Republics Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM), which is described as a liberal/progressive party. The countrys president, Luis Abinader, is also a member of the same party. Gutierrez Diaz was elected to the Chamber of Deputies, the lower house in the Dominican Republics bicameral legislature. JOHANNESBURG (AP) Ethiopias military prosecutors have convicted three soldiers of rape and pressed charges against 28 others suspected of killing civilians in the ongoing conflict in the northern Tigray region, the attorney general's office announced Friday. In addition, 25 other soldiers are charged with rape and other forms of sexual violence, the statement said. The six-month-old Tigray conflict is blamed for the deaths of thousands of people and atrocities including rape, extrajudicial killings, and forced evictions, according to local authorities and aid groups. The statement by the attorney general's office also confirmed reports of two massacres in Tigray. It said that 229 civilians were killed in the town of Mai Kadra at the beginning of November. And it said that 110 civilians were killed in the city of Axum on November 27 and 28 by Eritrean troops. The investigation shows that 70 civilians have been killed in the city (of Axum) while they were outdoors, said the report, adding that some of those killed might have been irregular combatants. Forty civilians seem to have been taken out of their homes and killed in home-to-home raids conducted by Eritrean troops, said the report. The deadly Tigray conflict started on November 4 after Ethiopia accused former leaders of the Tigray Peoples Liberation Front, or TPLF, of ordering an attack on an Ethiopian army base in the region. Ethiopias leader, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, sent troops that quickly ousted the TPLF from Tigray's major cities and towns but a guerilla fight is widely reported to be continuing across the region. Reports of atrocities have led U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken to allege that ethnic cleansing is taking place in the western Tigray area. On Thursday, the U.S. Senate passed a resolution condemning all violence against civilians in Tigray and calling for the withdrawal of troops from neighboring Eritrea, which also sent troops to Tigray to support the Ethiopian government. Story continues On Friday, some Ethiopians both at home and abroad staged a Hands Off Ethiopia social media campaign in which they urged foreign countries to stop meddling in Ethiopias affairs. Abiy, who came to power in 2018 and introduced sweeping democratic reforms for which he won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2019, has promised that the upcoming parliamentary elections on June 21 will be free and fair. His Prosperity Party must win a majority of seats in Ethiopias parliament for him to remain prime minister. In addition to the Tigray conflict, Abiy's government is struggling to contain ethnic violence in several regions of Ethiopia. The opposition Oromo Federalist Congress has pledged to boycott the vote, saying it is being harassed by the authorities. Several of its leaders are still in prison following a wave of violent unrest sparked last summer by the killing of an Oromo musician. Ethiopia on Friday for the first time accused troops from neighbouring Eritrea of killing 110 civilians in a massacre in the war-hit Tigray region. The attorney general's office sharply contradicted law enforcement officials who claimed earlier this month that the "great majority" of those killed in the city of Axum were fighters, not civilians. The killings in Axum in late November represent one of the deadliest incidents of the six-month-old war in Ethiopia's Tigray region. The Tigray conflict erupted in early November when Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed sent troops to detain and disarm leaders of the regional ruling party, the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF). Abiy said the move came in response to TPLF attacks on federal army camps. In earlier reports on what happened in Axum, both Human Rights Watch and Amnesty blamed Eritrean troops fighting in Tigray and said the dead were mostly civilians. Amnesty said the Eritreans "went on a rampage and systematically killed hundreds of civilians in cold blood." In Friday's statement, the attorney general's office said the Eritreans engaged in reprisal killings after pro-TPLF forces attacked them. "The investigation indicates that 110 civilians have been killed on these dates by Eritrean troops," the statement said, referring to November 27 and November 28. "The investigation shows that 70 civilians have been killed in the city while they were outdoors. On the other hand, 40 civilians seem to have been taken out of their homes and killed in home-to-home raids conducted by Eritrean troops," it said. Eritrea's information minister did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday. Eritrean troops, who teamed up with the Ethiopian military, have been implicated in multiple massacres and other atrocities during the Tigray conflict, allegations Asmara denies. The US and EU have repeatedly called for the Eritreans to withdraw. Story continues "The continued presence of Eritrean forces in Tigray further undermines Ethiopia's stability and national unity," US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement last week. "We again call upon the Government of Eritrea to remove its forces from Tigray." - Ethiopians investigated - Ethiopia has said it is committed to investigating human rights abuses committed during the conflict. Friday's statement said that while Ethiopian troops had tried to minimise civilian casualties, "several allegations concerning the killing of civilians, sexual violence, [and] the looting and destruction of property have since been reported." It said the government takes those allegations "seriously" and has begun prosecuting suspects. Military prosecutors have pressed charges against 28 soldiers "suspected of killing civilians in a situation where there was no military necessity," it said. "The trials of these suspects are underway and the verdicts are also expected to be handed down shortly." An additional 25 soldiers have been charged with "committing acts of sexual violence and rape." Three soldiers have already been convicted and sentenced for rape, while one soldier has been convicted and sentenced for killing a civilian, the statement said, without providing details. rcb/ach By Pushkala Aripaka (Reuters) -The second shot of the COVID-19 vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford must not be given to anyone who has had blood clots with low blood platelets after receiving the first, Europe's medicines regulator said on Friday. The advice for healthcare professionals was provided by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) as part of an ongoing review into rare, but severe blood clots possibly linked to inoculation after the shot and also to Johnson & Johnson's coronavirus vaccine. The EMA has been looking into such clots in the abdomen and brain since March and has recommended that both vaccine labels carry a warning on the clotting issues while maintaining that the overall benefits outweighed any risks. Both the AstraZeneca and J&J vaccine use different versions of a cold virus to deliver instructions for making coronavirus proteins into cells to produce an immune response. "While blood clots with low blood platelets following vaccination are very rare, EMA continues to advise people to be aware of symptoms ... so they can receive prompt specialised medical treatment if needed," the EMA said https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/news/vaxzevria-further-advice-blood-clots-low-blood-platelets on Friday. The watchdog said people should be on guard for any signs of any blood clots or low platelets within three weeks of receiving the first shot of AstraZeneca's vaccine, Vaxzevria, and that the latest recommendations will be added to the vaccine's product information. AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford had no immediate comment. The new guidance adds to the problems that have dogged the AstraZeneca vaccine, including supply cuts, production snags and legal action from the European Union for under-delivering on promised doses. At the same time, evidence is mounting that it is effective. On Thursday, a British study suggested that two doses of the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine may be around 85% to 90% effective against symptomatic COVID-19. A media report this week also said a study found that a third booster dose of the vaccine could increase antibodies in people. (Reporting by Pushkala Aripaka in Bengaluru; Editing by Ramakrishnan M. And Barbara Lewis) Ceasefire In Gaza Palestinians celebrate in the streets following a ceasefire, in Gaza City May 21, 2021. Credit - Photo by Majdi Fathi/NurPhoto via Getty Images Whatever Israels recent war with Hamas (which just started a ceasefire) means for the countrys struggle to finally establish a functioning governmentand the third Gaza war in the last nine years already has scrambled the outcome of Israels fourth election in the last two yearsone thing will not change: Israels shift to the right. For all the attention on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, it is the evolving dynamics within Israels sprawling and segmented right-wing political camp that will determine where the country goes next. Netanyahus future is indeed uncertain. The current round of Gaza violence is the third major escalation on his watch. And this time many of Israels cities erupted into violence between Israels own Jewish and Arab citizens. Voters may will hold Netanyahu accountable. In 1992, after five years of the first Palestinian uprising, Israelis replaced a hardline leader with the dovish Yitzhak Rabin. On the other hand, violence can also rally citizens to the nationalist, militarist right-wing, as it did following the far more violent second Intifada in the early 2000s. Today, the only alternative to Netanyahus rightwing governance is a center-led coalition, but a coalition that will require right-wing parties. That means the next government, and the direction of the region, still depends on the Israeli right. Its a question of math. Ideologically right-wing and religious Jewish parties have 72 out of 120 parliamentary seats todaya clear majority. But the camp also splintered. The right wing of the 1990s and 2000scall it the old righthad a clear agenda: Stop the Oslo peace process and prevent further land concessions to Palestinians. Be tough on security, expand settlements, entrench Israeli control over the occupied territories. The old right was furious when in 2005, their erstwhile champion former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon withdrew Israels settlements from Gaza. In response, the right wing fought to bring the settlement project from the fringes into mainstream consensus in Israel. By the 2010s, this camp began advocating sovereignty, or extending Israeli law over parts of the West Bankmeaning annexing it to Israel. Story continues Read More: Israeli Is Bleeding From Within. Restoring the Peace Shouldnt Mean a Return to the Way We Lived Annexation would become the next right-wing idea to move from the fringes to the party in power, Likud. By 2019 numerous Likud figures already supported the idea; including Netanyahu. In 2020 the Trump plan would make the aim of annexation official. By this time, Netanyahu had ushered nationalist populist politics to Israela different kind of right. The emerging populist right still campaigned for settlements and annexation; but rebelled also against any political or legal constraints on their plans. The new right took on democracy itself. Right-wing activistsbut also politiciansdenounced the left-wing in Israel as enemies and traitors. Netanyahus governments passed legislation targeting the Arab minority, left-wing civil society, migrants, political protest. Populist right-wingers, from politicians to columnists, talk of restoring sovereignty to the people, by which they meant unrestrained majority rule, taking it back from unelected elites or bureaucrats. Demonstrators against the Supreme Court have chanted slogans such as the people are the sovereign, or called to end the dictatorship of the High Court. The signature campaign of Israels newer right has been to weaken the Israeli judicial branch. Ayelet Shaked, the justice minister from 2015 to 2019, worked vigorously to constrain the Supreme Court, override judicial review, and deepen the image of the judiciary as an elite cabal that tramples the will of the people. For a time, her party was called the New Right. Fewer legal constraints would give Israel a freer hand to expand its control in the West Bank. For example, in 2017 the Knesset passed law intended to legalize Israeli settlements on private Palestinian land; in 2020 the court struck it down. If the right-wing had its way, the court wouldnt have that power at all. Demonization of the courts required judges to get security protection to protect themselves from death threats, anonymous warning letters, and small vandalization presumably by inflamed citizens. As Netanyahus corruption investigations closed in, he personally lashed out at the state prosecutor, the police, and the attorney general too. Some of the threats are likely from Netanyahus supporters who believe he is the victim of a political-legal witch hunt. Israelis seem worried; optimism about the future of democratic governance fell 17 points between 2019 and 2021and with good reason. This new form of populist, semi-authoritarian right is the political camp that has backed Netanyahu, along with ultra-orthodox parties. If the war pushes either additional coalition partners or voters to favor him, the next Netanyahu government will be more extreme than any before. The Jewish supremacist Religious Zionist party, heirs to the racist Kahanist movement of the 1980s, would be key coalition members. Israels chief of police reportedly said that one of its leaders, Itamar Ben Gvir had sparked the riots within Israel last week with his incitement. Its conceivable that another figure from the party, the rabid anti-judiciary crusader Simcha Rothman, would be justice minister. No court would block a law legalizing settlements ever again, and incitement could make Israels internal strife worse. But in 2021, two right-wing parties also broke from Netanyahus camp. These challengers, Gideon Saar and Avigdor Lieberman, represent the old nationalist, security-oriented right. They are less committed to undermining institutions and attacking the judiciary. Gideon Saar speaks of judicial reform, but has avoided the aggressive tone that is the hallmark, or dog-whistle, of the newer right-wing. Should they form a coalition alongside center, left-wing and Arab parties the resulting policies might be more balanced, though this option appears to be receding. Such a government might broadly preserve judicial independence, rein in racist jingoism of Netanyahus political cronies, and perhaps advance separation of religion and state, since most members of such a coalition would be secular. Either way, both coalition options will be anchored by the right wing, new or old. These parties will do everything possible to preserve Israels dominance in the regional conflict. They share the aversion to concessions and rejection of a Palestinian state. And without a final status political agreement, Israel and Palestine can look forward to future rounds of war. PARIS With fresh backing from a new investor, Officine Generale is embarking on an expansion drive and plans to take on the U.S. where it will set up stores in New York and Los Angeles. They came with a very fresh approach and also a very deep knowledge of the brand without getting into the data, without having much information on the brand, they had a point of view that was extremely reassuring, said Pierre Maheo, designer and chief executive officer of Officine Generale, speaking to WWD about his new investors from the labels showroom in Paris. More from WWD Maheo, who retains a majority share of his contemporary French label, has sold a minority stake to Untitled Group, a New York-based investment fund founded by Josh Rowan and Adam Freed. The group joins BPI France, the French public investment bank that first invested in Officine Generale in 2015 and has decided to stay on for the next level of development. They were totally in line with the values that I have been working on for the past years since I first started the quality, fair production, producing in European countries with the best materials, added Maheo, describing the new investors who came to know the label at Barneys New York, where they shopped. Maheo launched the brand in 2012 with a focus on tailoring for men, and later introduced a womens line. Known for carefully controlled proportions and high-quality materials from Italy, Japan and England, the designers easy, modern take on classics has earned him a loyal following with an urban crowd. With support from BPI France, which helped Maheo shape his initial five-year plan, the label has built an international e-commerce platform, set up half a dozen stores in Paris with one in London and embarked on international expansion with LF Group in South Korea. We view this as an opportune time to invest in direct distribution channels, while pursuing a more global expansion strategy, said Rowan in a statement. The executives at Untitled Group, who focus on emerging consumer brands in fashion and apparel, also cited their confidence in Maheos approach, the labels products and resonance in the U.S. market along with the global potential. Story continues The deal was forged over half a year, a process Maheo described as intense and demanding, that entailed days of online meetings the designer, who was used to frequent trips to New York before the pandemic, could no longer travel there. We did the whole process through Zoom meetings, day after day and week after week, he said. Through the new partnership, plans are to open 10 stores in the next three years. In the U.S., New York is first on the list, slated for the fall, followed by Los Angeles perhaps next spring. At a later stage, San Francisco and Chicago. The U.S. has been the labels leading export market and Maheo has been planning to open a store in N.Y. for years. Reflecting on consumers on the West Coast, Maheo noted they are pretty understated guys, not the ones to wear extreme logos theyre not running after the shiny, gold, splashy logo, they want quality product. In France, plans are to open new stores in Paris, including a space on the Left Bank featuring a new concept this fall, as well as other French cities, including Lyon and Bordeaux. Elsewhere in Europe, the label is eyeing Munich, Geneva and Brussels. We have some of our best customers on the e-shop in Germany, enthused Maheo, noting the label has good wholesale accounts there, too evidence that customers there are waiting for us. The label has begun to recruit new employees for positions in e-commerce and digital marketing and recently brought back Vanessa Bonnefoux, who had previously served as the labels chief financial officer and now becomes chief operating officer. Maheo said he expects the number of employees to grow from around 40 a couple of months ago to 75 this time next year. While stores were closed during the pandemic, Officine Generale drew on its e-commerce to build business, doubling turnover through online channels to post its best year overall by 20 percent, said Maheo who declined to provide further figures. We are grateful the Parisians have been very supportive, he said, noting that locals stepped in to fill in for business lost from the absence of foreign visitors, who normally make up around a quarter of sales for the label. Its also a sign of the times, people want real productsthey want fair production, they want real material and they want a price point that is decent, in line with the product, he said. Thats a recipe Ive been working on for eight years now and that recipe is more accurate than ever, added Maheo. By John Davison and Ahmed Rasheed BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iran has hand picked hundreds of trusted fighters from among the cadres of its most powerful militia allies in Iraq, forming smaller, elite and fiercely loyal factions in a shift away from relying on large groups with which it once exerted influence. The new covert groups were trained last year in drone warfare, surveillance and online propaganda and answer directly to officers in Iran's Quds Force, the arm of its Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) that controls its allied militia abroad. They have been responsible for a series of increasingly sophisticated attacks against the United States and its allies, according to accounts by Iraqi security officials, militia commanders and Western diplomatic and military sources. The tactic reflects Iran's response to setbacks - above all the death of military mastermind and Quds Force chief Qassem Soleimani, who closely controlled Iraq's Shi'ite militia until he was killed last year by a U.S. drone missile strike. His successor, Esmail Ghaani, was not as familiar with Iraq's internal politics and never exerted the same influence over the militia as Soleimani. Iraq's large pro-Iran militia were also forced to adopt a lower profile after a public backlash led to huge mass demonstrations against Iranian influence in late 2019. They were hit by divisions https://www.reuters.com/article/us-iraq-militias/fractures-grow-among-iraq-militias-spell-political-retreat-idUSKBN21J5EZ after Soleimani's death and seen by Iran as becoming harder to control. But the shift to relying on smaller groups also brings tactical advantages. They are less prone to infiltration and could prove more effective in deploying the latest techniques Iran has developed to strike its foes, such as armed drones. "The new factions are linked directly to the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps," an Iraqi security official said. "They take their orders from them, not from any Iraqi side." Story continues The account was confirmed by a second Iraqi security official, three commanders of larger, publicly active pro-Iranian militia groups, an Iraqi government official, a Western diplomat and a Western military source. "The Iranians seem to have formed new groups of individuals chosen with great care to carry out attacks and maintain total secrecy," one of the pro-Iran militia commanders said. "We don't know who they are." The Iraqi security officials said at least 250 fighters had travelled to Lebanon over several months in 2020, where advisors from Iran's IRGC and Lebanon's Hezbollah militant group trained them to fly drones, fire rockets, plant bombs and publicise attacks on social media. "The new groups work in secret and their leaders, who are unknown, answer directly to IRGC officers," one of the Iraqi security officials said. The Iraqi security officials and the Western sources said the new groups were behind attacks including against U.S.-led forces at Iraq's Ain al-Asad air base this month, Erbil International Airport in April and against Saudi Arabia in January, all using drones laden with explosives. Those attacks caused no casualties but alarmed Western military officials for their sophistication. Iranian officials and representatives of the Iraqi government, the pro-Iran militia and the U.S. military did not reply to requests for comment on the record. The U.S. Department of State said it was not able to comment. BATTLE WITH WASHINGTON Iran is the preeminent Shi'ite Muslim power in the Middle East, and its leverage over Iraq, the Arab world's biggest Shi'ite-majority country, is one of the main ways it spreads its sway across the region. It has been jockeying for influence in Iraq with the United States since U.S. forces toppled Sunni Muslim dictator Saddam Hussein in 2003, empowering Iraq's Shi'ites. After Islamic State fighters swept into a third of Iraqi territory in 2014, Washington and Tehran found themselves on the same side, both helping the Shi'ite-led government defeat the Sunni Muslim militants over the next three years. The United States, which had withdrawn from Iraq in 2011, sent thousands of troops back. Iran, meanwhile, backed large militia groups such as Kataib Hezbollah, Kataib Sayyed al-Shuhada and Asaib Ahl al-Haqq, each able to deploy thousands of armed fighters and given quasi-official status to help fight Islamic State. But after Soleimani's death, and with protesters turning against groups publicly linked to Iran, officials in Tehran became suspicious of some of the militia they had promoted and grew less supportive, according to the militia commanders. "They (Iran) believed leaks from one of the groups helped cause Soleimani's death, and they saw divisions over personal interests and power among them," said one. Another said: "Meetings and communications between us and the Iranians have reduced. We no longer have regular meetings and they've stopped inviting us to Iran." The Iraqi security officials, a government official and the three militia commanders all said the Quds Force began splitting trusted operatives away from the main factions within months after Soleimani's death. The shift from supporting mass movements to relying on smaller, more tightly controlled cadres reflects a strategy Iran has pursued before: at the height of the U.S. occupation of Iraq in 2005-2007, Tehran created cells that proved particularly effective at deploying sophisticated bombs to pierce U.S. armour. DIPLOMATIC REOPENING Since President Joe Biden came to office, Tehran has reopened diplomatic channels with both Washington and Riyadh. One of its main sources of leverage in those talks is its power to strike its foes. The drones its allies now use for attacks are far harder to defend against and detect than regular rocket fire, increasing the danger posed to the remaining 2,500 U.S. troops in Iraq. General Kenneth McKenzie, head of U.S. Central Command, said in April after the Erbil attack that Iran had made "significant achievements" from its investment in drones. Last year, previously unknown groups began issuing claims of responsibility following rocket and roadside bomb attacks. Western officials and academic reports often dismissed these new groups as facades for Kataib Hezbollah or other familiar militia. But the Iraqi sources said they are genuinely separate and operate independently. "Under (Soleimani's successor) Ghaani, they're trying to create groups with a few hundred men from here and there, meant to be loyal only to the Quds Force, a new generation," the Iraqi government official said. (Additional reporting by Baghdad newsroom; Writing by John Davison; Editing by Peter Graff) JERUSALEM (AP) The cease-fire that took effect Friday appears to have halted 11 days of fighting between Israel and Gaza's militant Hamas rulers, without resolving any of the underlying issues in the decades-old Middle East conflict. Almost no one on either side expects this war which was triggered by protests and clashes in Jerusalem will be the last. Israel carried out hundreds of airstrikes against what it said were militant targets across Gaza, destroying homes and damaging vital infrastructure in the impoverished territory, which has been under a crippling blockade since Hamas seized power there 14 years ago. Palestinian militants, meanwhile, fired more than 4,000 rockets at Israel, with some reaching as far as Tel Aviv, bringing parts of the country to a standstill. At least 243 Palestinians were killed, including 66 children and 39 women, with 1,910 people wounded, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Twelve people in Israel, including a 5-year-old boy and 16-year-old girl, were killed. Here's a look at what comes next: ___ ANOTHER STALEMATE Palestinians across Gaza, east Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank celebrated what many saw as a victory by Hamas against a much more powerful Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meanwhile faced criticism from his hawkish base, with many accusing him of ending the war prematurely without vanquishing Hamas. Netanyahu said Israel inflicted major damage on Hamas' military capabilities, killing 200 militants, including 25 senior commanders. He says it struck more than 100 kilometers (60 miles) of militant tunnels as well as rocket launchers and other military infrastructure. But Israel never managed to stop the rocket fire. Palestinian militants launched massive rocket barrages that at times seemed to overpower Israel's formidable air defenses. The Israeli military says it had an interception rate of 90% and that hundreds of rockets fell short into Gaza, with one killing a Palestinian family of eight. Story continues ___ ANOTHER FRAGILE TRUCE As with the last three wars, the fighting was ended by an informal cease-fire brokered by Egypt and other mediators, the exact terms of which were not made public. Hamas claimed that Israel agreed to halt police actions at the flashpoint Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem and the threatened eviction of Palestinian families from the nearby Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood. Both had sparked Palestinian protests and clashes with police that eventually ignited the war. But there was no confirmation from Israel or mediators. Previous cease-fires have stopped major fighting but proved shaky. Israel and Hamas have fought four wars and exchanged fire countless times since the Islamic militant group seized control of Gaza from forces loyal to the Palestinian Authority in 2007. Scattered clashes at Al-Aqsa after Friday prayers were an early test of the truce's durability. No cease-fire has addressed the underlying issues, including Israel's occupation of lands the Palestinians want for a future state and Hamas' refusal to recognize Israel's right to exist. Israel and the Palestinians have not held substantive peace talks in more than a decade. ___ ANOTHER ISRAELI ELECTION? Netanyahu's political opponents were on the verge of forming a government and ousting him following four inconclusive elections in two years. But delicate coalition negotiations with Arab parties were put on hold when the fighting erupted. The war initially seemed to bolster Netanyahu's political prospects, allowing him to present himself as tough leader who was punishing the country's enemies. But since the cease-fire took hold, he has faced renewed criticism. It was never clear whether Netanyahu's opponents, who span the political spectrum from erstwhile right-wing allies to Arab parties would be able to set aside their differences to push him out of office. Another election later this year is a distinct possibility. Israelis have been deeply polarized over Netanyahu in recent years as he has faced allegations of corruption for which he is now on trial. In the months before the war, activists had organized weekly protests outside his residence. Those are now set to resume. ___ ANOTHER US INTERVENTION The Biden administration, which had hoped to extricate the U.S. from the region's intractable conflicts to focus on a rising China and climate change, was caught flat-footed and has now been dragged back into the dispiriting role of Mideast mediator. From the start of the latest war, the U.S. repeatedly affirmed Israel's right to defend itself while quietly encouraging cease-fire efforts. On Wednesday, however, President Joe Biden told Netanyahu he wanted to see a significant de-escalation. Netanyahu initially seemed to brush him off, saying he was determined to continue the offensive until its objectives were met. But he agreed to the cease-fire the following day. The exchange marked an early test of the relationship between the two leaders, who have had moments of tension over the years. Biden meanwhile faces domestic pressure from a Democratic base that increasingly sympathizes with the Palestinians. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken plans to visit the region in the coming days. MEPs freeze the ratification process by an overwhelming majority vote. Even Angela Merkel's Christian Democratic MEPs elected with the European People's Party back the resolution; the German chancellor is the real sponsor of the agreement. The European Commission is criticised for its weak stance vis-a-vis China, especially over human rights in Hong Kong and Xinjiang. Brussels (AsiaNews) The European Parliament has frozen the ratification process for the investment agreement with China. This decision will remain in place until Beijing lifts sanctions against European individuals and entities. The European Parliament adopted a resolution to this end yesterday afternoon by an overwhelming majority: 599 votes in favour, 30 against and 58 abstentions. The European People's Party, which includes Germanys Christian Democrats (CDU) led by German Chancellor Angela Merkel, also voted in favour of the resolution. Driven by her country's exporters, the German Chancellor is the real sponsor of the agreement reached with China last December following negotiations that began in 2013. MEPs strongly condemned Beijing's punitive measures, which were seen as an attack on fundamental European freedoms. China has imposed sanctions on five MEPs, the European Parliaments Subcommittee on Human Rights, as well as a number of European academics. Beijings move came in response to EU sanctions against four senior Chinese officials, believed to be responsible for suppressing the rights of Turkic-speaking Muslims in Xinjiang. Supporters of the resolution have made it clear that lifting sanctions is a condition for starting the ratification debate, not for giving the green light to the agreement. MEPs have reminded the European Commission which is responsible for the negotiations that they will take account of the human rights situation in China if they have to give their opinion on the deal. This will also involve Hong Kong. Many MEPs have criticised the European Commission's inaction vis-a-vis the suppression of pro-democracy movement in the former British colony, especially its inability to overcome Hungary's opposition to targeted sanctions against Beijing. The government of Viktor Orban is Chinas best ally in Europe, as well as one the beneficiaries of its financial largesse. Most MEPs also want the EU Commission to open trade negotiations with Taiwan, which China consider a rebel province, and address Beijing's cyber and hybrid threats. In a tweet, Reinhard Butikofer said that yesterday's overwhelming vote is not only a signal sent to Beijing, but also to the European Commission. The Green leader, head of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, is one of five MEPs blacklisted by the Chinese Government. EU Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis appears to have heeded the message. Yesterday, at a press conference, he said that Chinas retaliatory sanctions are certainly not a conducive environment for working towards the ratification of the deal. China's Foreign Ministry has called on MEPs to reflect deply and ratify the agreement as soon as possible. However, Europeans seem bent on taking a tougher approach to Beijing. Earlier this month, the Commission announced a new law against foreign investors subsidised by their government and a review of industrial strategy to reduce dependence on imports in strategic sectors two clear jabs at Chinas large government-owned corporations. The ceasefire has held for 12+ hours, but people in Israel worry that they'll be back to a conflict in several months. Why it matters: Israel doesn't have a stable government that can make a meaningful change in policy. Get market news worthy of your time with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free. At a press conference on Friday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would respond with "a new level of force" to further Hamas aggression, warning that if the Palestinian militant group "thinks we will tolerate a drizzle of rockets, it is wrong." Netanyahu said all of his phone calls with President Biden were warm and friendly, and that Biden gave Israel full backing during the operation. The big picture: The Israeli middle class in Tel Aviv and surrounding cities felt the conflict in a much more direct way than in the past. This wasn't the first time Hamas fired on Tel Aviv. But this time, the number of rockets was massive. Millions of Israelis felt it directly, and realized how those who live in southern Israel, close to Gaza, have felt over the last 15 years. For many Israelis, the most shocking thing was the violence between Jews and Arabs inside Israel. It surfaced hatred among part of the Arab minority against the state that people didn't think existed. And it exposed deep racism among part of the Jewish population toward Arabs. This wound will take a long time to heal. What to watch: Secretary of State Blinken will travel to Israel and the Palestinian Authority in the coming days, his first trip to the region. The visit will focus on stabilizing the ceasefire and discussing humanitarian relief and reconstruction in Gaza, where over 200 Palestinians have been killed and thousands have seen their homes decimated. Go deeper: Like this article? Get more from Axios and subscribe to Axios Markets for free. (Removes extraneous material from the lead paragraph) By James Pearson HANOI (Reuters) -Fewer independent candidates than before are standing in an election in Vietnam on Sunday to a largely rubber-stamp legislature that is dominated by the Communist Party but which has taken on a growing role in discussing social issues. Despite increasing openness to social change and a plethora of free trade deals, the party - one of the last ruling communist parties in the world - retains tight control over Vietnam and its media, and tolerates little dissent. Some 92% of candidates standing for the 500-seat National Assembly are party members. Of the 868 candidates, 74 are independents, down from the 97 in the previous elections in 2016, while local media say the number of assembly deputies who were not party members halved over the last three elections. Independents must be vetted by the Vietnamese Fatherland Front, which the party essentially controls. Still, the southeast Asian nation's legislature occasionally rejects proposals from the party-dominated government. "While historically the National Assembly largely played a confirmatory role, it has asserted itself more frequently in recent years and provided a more critical policy review of the government's legislative proposals," said a Vietnam-based analyst who asked not to be named, citing the sensitive nature of discussing Hanoi politics. Candidates include most of the party's decision-making politburo and all 180 members of its Central Committee, including party chief Nguyen Phu Trong, the oldest candidate at 77. 'HOSTILE FORCES' The legislature has become a more open forum for discussion. In 2014, it lifted a ban on same-sex marriages, paving the way for gay and lesbian couples in Vietnam to hold relationship ceremonies - but not officially recognised marriages. It also votes on the performance of its highest-ranking members. Officials who score badly are offered the option to resign, although most do not. Story continues Despite the party's decades of firm control, its government portrays itself as embattled in the elections, which are held every five years. "As election day nears, hostile forces and political opportunists have increased their propaganda, abusing democracy and human rights to combat the election," To An Xo, a security ministry spokesman, said in a statement this week, adding there were conspiracies to "undermine the party and the state." Vietnam's foreign ministry, which handles enquiries from international media, did not respond to a request from Reuters for comment on what hostile forces Xo was referring to. The assembly elections follow the party's selection at a congress earlier this year of a new slate of leaders. Official data show that 99% of Vietnam's 67.5 million registered voters participated in the 2016 elections. The ballot is anonymous, but each voter's name, age, occupation, ethnicity and address are posted outside polling centres. One independent candidate is Luong The Huy, 32, a social activist who has stirred debate on social media as Vietnam's first openly LGBT candidate. "I hope with my participation in the highest legislative branch, inclusiveness and minority rights will play a more important role in policy discussions," he told Reuters. (Reporting by James Pearson; Editing by William Mallard) May 20When wildlife biologists retrieved a set of tree-mounted cameras from west Chelan County in late April, they were under the impression that their effort to get footage of a female fisher with its young had failed. To their delight, they found instead that the cameras had captured something groundbreaking: One of the 89 fishers that had been released into the North Cascades had given birth to four offspring or kits marking the first confirmed reproduction of the species since releases took place from 2018 to 2020. "We got really excited," North Cascades National Park Service Complex Wildlife Program Supervisor Jason Ransom said. "We had five cameras and looking at the time stamps you could see how many times she came down (from a den in a tree) with a baby in her mouth, and in all, we got four." Fishers are cat-sized carnivores related to the weasel and the wolverine. They were eliminated from state forests in the early 1900s through trapping and habitat loss, and the species was listed by the state as endangered in 1998. In addition to this particular fisher called F105 or Luna after being released into the forest near Darrington in December 2018 being the first of the transplants to be seen with young, her kits are the first to be documented in the North Cascades in decades. "There were lots and lots of surveys looking for them, even back when wildlife cameras were film cameras, and nobody ever found any," said Ransom, who participated in regional carnivore studies in the early 2000s that failed to locate any signs of the species. This spring brought the first opportunity to attempt to monitor females with their offspring since the North Cascades releases took place. Using data from radio transmitters attached to the fishers before their release, the research team watched for changes in their use of habitat. While in general female fishers might use habitat covering between 8 and 12 square miles, Ransom said when they are pregnant their movement tends to shrink to within less than a square mile. Story continues Finding Luna's den and setting up surveillance was a race against the clock, given that the radio transmitters aren't expected to last much longer than two years. "We got really lucky. Her transmitter is really weak because it's at the end of its battery life," Ransom said. "We were pretty desperate to narrow her down before she blinked out." As wildlife biologists hiked closer to her transmitter signal, they discovered a tree with a hole several stories off the ground and scratch marks on the trunk both indications a fisher was calling it home. The cameras were set up April 14 and retrieved about two weeks later, after the one set up to ping the research team had sent an image of Luna leaving the area. Luckily, what that camera missed, the four others captured. Images reveal that Luna was visited by a second fisher and audio recordings suggest the pair mated nearby. Shortly after, under the cover of darkness the evening of April 18, Luna spent several hours moving her brood to a new den. Ransom said that behavior syncs up with previous research suggesting females relocate in order to avoid males coming back to kill their young. "The whole thing was fascinating," he said. "She moved three kits in a row 20 minutes apart, and then a couple of hours went by before she moved the last one and it was a total whiner. "We never saw it but we could hear it in the distance, like a crying baby, so we think that was the high-risk kit and so she moved it last." Based on the grayish color of the kits in the grainy photographs, Ransom believes they were 5 weeks old or younger at the time they were moved. Other wildlife biologists involved with the project are celebrating Luna's new family. "Seeing one fisher kit born in the wild North Cascades is a wonder; photos showing a group of wild kits is phenomenal," Conservation Northwest Science and Conservation Director Dave Werntz said in a news release that announced the discovery Monday. The fisher is an important part of the forest ecosystem and is one of the few carnivores to prey on porcupines. Restoring fishers to the North Cascades is part of a broader effort that includes several releases in the South Cascades and Olympic Mountains since 2015. In the South Cascades, one female was documented with one kit in 2017, and another female was documented with one kit in 2018. That Luna gave birth to four kits may suggest the North Cascades is prime fisher habitat. "Seeing her and her kits is a wonderful first indication that the North Cascades Ecosystem can support a reproductive population of fishers, and it's a great sign for fisher recovery in Washington," state Department of Fish & Wildlife Biologist Jeff Lewis said in the release. The North Cascades research team is attempting to monitor eight other female fishers in the region this spring. At least one of them is believed to be with its young in Skagit County. "We're hoping for more good news in the months to come," Ransom said. Reporter Kimberly Cauvel: 360-416-2199, kcauvel@skagitpublishing.com, Twitter: @Kimberly_SVH, Facebook.com/bykimberlycauvel May 21A jury found former Las Vegas, N.M., Mayor Tonita Gurule-Giron guilty of two felony counts Thursday in a trial stemming from allegations of bid-rigging and abuse of power while she was in office in the small Northern New Mexico city. Matt Baca, a spokesman for the state Attorney General's Office, said Gurule-Giron was convicted Thursday of receiving an illegal kickback and violating New Mexico's Government Conduct Act. Both are fourth-degree felonies. She faces a sentence of up to 18 months on each conviction, or 36 months total, Baca added. Four counts against Gurule-Giron were dismissed by 4th Judicial District Judge Abigail Aragon. A sentencing date has not yet been set, Baca said. Gurule-Giron, who resigned in January 2020, was accused of pressuring employees to award contracts to her boyfriend's construction company, in which she also was a business partner. She received kickbacks from the boyfriend, Marvin Salazar, according to the complaint filed by the Attorney General's Office. "Prosecuting public corruption is difficult, yet our office will always take appropriate action to ensure the public's confidence in government is restored," Attorney General Hector Balderas said in a statement. A message left with Gurule-Giron's lawyer, JoHanna Cox, was not immediately returned. Gurule-Giron's time as mayor she was the first woman in the city's history to hold the office was marked by controversy almost from the beginning, with the allegations spurring her resignation just before the Las Vegas City Council was set to discuss removing her, not long before her term was set to end. At the time, she said she did not plan to run for reelection. "Those who know me personally know I am a fighter," she wrote in her resignation letter. "However, I believe the citizens of Las Vegas deserve to have city government operate without the distractions that undoubtedly will ensue if I remain in office for the last two months of my term." Gurule-Giron was well known to many even before becoming mayor, having graduated from West Las Vegas High School and obtaining bachelor's and master's degrees from New Mexico Highlands University. She was elected to the City Council in 2010 and unsuccessfully ran for mayor in 2012. She took office in March 2016 after winning a recall election by just 23 votes. She faced two recall campaigns early in her term, battling with the city's police chief and City Council over spending and ethics. By fall in 2017, she faced a special audit over alleged conflicts of interest and purchasing irregularities. An Indian court Friday acquitted the former editor of a leading news magazine accused of raping a female colleague seven years ago in a high-profile case that made headlines across the country. Tarun Tejpal was acquitted of charges of rape, sexual harassment and wrongful restraint, public prosecutor Francisco Tavora said in the coastal state of Goa. "Seriously aggrieved. The State will be assailing the judgment," Tavora told AFP in a text message. Tejpal, the 58-year-old founder and former editor of Tehelka magazine, was accused of raping a female journalist in the lift of a five-star hotel in Goa in November 2013. He was granted bail in 2014. The case came at a time when India's record on sexual assault was under the scanner following the fatal gang-rape of a New Delhi student in December 2012 that sparked widespread protests and resulted in the strengthening of anti-rape laws. Tehelka magazine had reported forcefully on gender inequality in the country, highlighting police and judicial insensitivity to rape victims as well as the misogynistic attitudes of many Indian men. Women's rights campaigners attacked the court's decision, with activist Kavita Krishnan calling it "very unfortunate". "This is a case where there was an enormous amount of evidence and courageous action on the part of the complainant who lost no time in telling people what happened," Krishnan told AFP. "I am aware of how torturous the trial has been for the complainant. The entire process of the trial has put her in the pillory and subjected her to all kinds of cruelties," she added. Tejpal, who has consistently denied the allegations, welcomed the ruling, describing it as "a long-fought for vindication" in a statement read out by his daughter Cara outside the court in Goa. The victim, who has since quit the magazine, cannot be named for legal reasons. str-ng-amu/mtp By Ayenat Mersie NAIROBI (Reuters) - Three Ethiopian soldiers have been convicted of rape and one of killing a civilian in Ethiopia's Tigray region, the government said on Friday, the first public statement that soldiers had been found guilty of crimes against civilians in the conflict. Twenty-eight more soldiers are on trial for killing civilians and 25 for acts of sexual violence and rape, the statement from the attorney general's office said. Awol Sultan, the spokesman for the attorney general's office, could not immediately be reached for comment for further details or whether the records would be made public. Neither could military spokesman General Mohammed Tessema. Ethiopia's government has come under increasing pressure to demonstrate accountability as reports of atrocities in Tigray mount. The European Union has suspended budget support payments amid reports of brutal gang rapes, mass killings of civilians and widespread looting in the northern region. Conflict erupted more than six months ago between the federal government and the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), the political party that previously ruled Tigray. Days after fighting began, forces from the neighbouring Amhara region to the south and Eritrea to the north sent in troops to support Ethiopian soldiers. The U.N. has said that war crimes may have been committed by all parties to the conflict. Ethiopia's military and federal prosecutors are also investigating other instances of alleged crimes, including in the city of Axum, the statement said. In February, Amnesty International said Eritrean troops killed hundreds of Tigrayan civilians there from Nov. 28-29 and described the incident as a potential crime against humanity. "The investigation indicates that a total of 110 civilians have been killed on these dates by Eritrean troops" in Axum, the government statement said, including 40 who were killed in home raids. The statement differed sharply from a statement earlier this month on the Axum killings. On May 10, the attorney general's office said preliminary evidence indicated 93 people were killed and that the "great majority" were TPLF combatants out of uniform. Story continues Friday's statement, however, noted only that "some of these individuals might have been irregular combatants." Suspects in the ongoing Axum investigation will soon be identified, the statement said, without providing detail on the level of cooperation from the Eritrean military, whose troops stand accused of the killings. Both Ethiopia and Eritrea denied Eritrea's presence in Tigray for months despite dozens of eyewitness accounts. Eritreas Foreign Minister Osman Saleh declined to comment on the report's findings or on whether Eritrea had plans to start its own investigation into possible wrongdoing by its soldiers. Last month, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Eritrean troops were committing human rights abuses in Tigray and urged Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed to push for their withdrawal. (Reporting by Ayenat Mersie; Editing by Katharine Houreld, William Maclean) PARIS (Reuters) - France's Constitutional Council struck down a bill allowing schools to teach the majority of the day in minority languages such as Basque, Breton and Corsican, saying the plan was unconstitutional. State-funded schools can already provide bilingual education, but in April France's parliament approved a bill allowing primary schools to teach the majority of school subjects in a regional language, while also teaching French. But the education ministry appealed the bill, arguing that so-called "immersive teaching" could mean that children do not reach the required level of French language skills. The "Molac bill", named after MP Paul Molac from Brittany who championed the legislation, was aimed at boosting regional languages, which also include Catalan and Creole. "The Council's censure is incomprehensible for the regions. We must stop being afraid of regional languages, we should protect, cherish, and save them," Molac said on his Twitter feed. The Council, France's highest constitutional authority which must approve all new legislation, ruled that the bill was out of line with article two of the French constitution, which stipulates that the language of the French republic is French. For the same reason the council also struck down the bill's proposal to allow non-French so-called diacritical marks such as the tilde, in official documents. The French language has several such diacritic marks, such as the acute, grave and circumflex accents and the double-dot trema on several vowels, as well as the cedilla under the letter c, notably in the word francais. (Reporting by Geert De Clercq, Editing by Angus MacSwan) Israeli and Palestinian activists and scholars are critical of the escalation of the conflict, which leaves the main issues unresolved. For a Palestinian Catholic, internal conflicts and tensions [in Israel and Palestine] mirror the failure of political leaders. The two sides must change leadership. Israeli activist says military victory is no way to achieve peace. Jerusalem (AsiaNews) Days of violence, rockets and bombs raining down on helpless civilians in Israel and the Gaza Strip have killed hundreds, including scores of children. In the Palestinian enclave, which is more like an open-air prison, fragile structures are collapsing after the 11-day conflict. Now both Israel and the extremist Hamas and Islamic Jihad claim victory over the enemy, when in fact there are no real winners. The issues that seemingly triggered the violence Israels political crisis, the property dispute in Jerusalems Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood, free access to Haram esh-Sharif (Temple Mount) are far from finding a solution, exacerbated by domestic tensions. Bernard Sabella, a former Fatah representative and currently executive secretary of the Palestinian Refugee Service of the Council of Churches of the Middle East, is convinced that both sides have lost. In this situation, what is left is a deep sadness for the victims, who were senselessly killed. After 11 days of war, we are still at the starting point, Sabella told AsiaNews. We need more international cooperation to continue peace negotiations, but the rift remains unchanged: the Israelis say that the Palestinians do not want peace, while the Palestinians accuse the Israelis of not wanting it. When news of the truce came, I was live on a television programme and some Israeli leaders were against it, because they wanted to continue until Hamas was completely eliminated. Yet, for Sabella, No one has won; everyone has lost, and internal conflicts and tensions [in Israel and Palestine] mirror the failure of political leaders to develop a peace project. I do not think that dialogue can start again under these conditions; the leaders of the two peoples are weak, for different reasons, and lack a vision, even on the Palestinian side. One cannot discuss without developing a unified approach to regulate relations with Israelis in the future. Palestinian weakness does not help; failure is linked to flaws on both sides. For the Palestinian scholar, there is some hope on the horizon emerging from groups of young people who are calling for solutions to the conflict and are fighting for peace. However, as Palestinians we must renew our political leadership and return to the negotiating table based on international law and a stronger post-conflict and land-sharing vision. In this sense, support from Europe and the United States is needed. So far, this has been missing, thus implicitly or explicitly favouring the land grab by Jewish settlers. Jeremy Milgrom, an Israeli rabbi and member of the NGO Rabbis for Human Rights, slams the latest round of fighting, a conflict without winners. In his view, it has fuelled propaganda on all sides, that of Hamas in the Strip and that of Netanyahu who only wants to keep control of the government to bypass his legal troubles. For the rabbi, All this is terrible. It will not lead to anything good for the civilian population. We need to change the way we think and stop seeing military victory as a way to achieve peace. I am convinced that many Israelis are happy that the violence is over; some of them are really sorry for the injuries inflicted on the Palestinians. However, the many unresolved issues, including security in southern Israel near the Strip, as well as access to places of worship for prayer could lead to more violence in the future. After the latest elections, steps had been taken towards greater integration into the government of [Israels] Arabs, Milgrom said, but the rockets slowed things down, and perhaps nipped the process in the bud. Ultimately, for Sabella, injustices and violence only generate further instability and do not help the process of change. Faced with a difficult situation, we must not lose hope; instead, we must continue to work for peace and justice. Tell Steve Harvey I dont want her/One thing I never seen was a b*tch to leave, Future rapped about Lori. Rapper Future is still thinking about Lori Harvey. Harvey had a short relationship with the rapper last summer and although its unclear why they parted ways, Harvey has moved on to dating actor Michael B. Jordan. But Harvey still may be on the Atlanta rappers mind because he mentioned her famous name on a new verse. Magic City, Im the owner, Future raps on a track called Maybach on 42 Duggs album Free Dem Boyz. He followed up with, Tell Steve Harvey I dont want her/One thing I never seen was a b*tch to leave. Lori is the stepdaughter of the famous host. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for 20th Century Fox) Read More: Ciara, Russell Wilson share sweet birthday message to son Future During a sit down with Ellen DeGeneres Show in March, Steve Harvey dished on how he feels about his stepdaughters very public dating life and his thoughts on her new boyfriend. I have tried not to like him, said the comedian of Jordan. I have tried to find something wrong with him that I could dig in and gocause I done got rid of all of them. All of them. Some of them snuck in the back door on me and lasted a lot longer than I wanted it to. But this guy, is such a good guy. He is one of the nicest guys. Ive met his father. Ive sat up with him, weve talked for hours. I just cant find nothing wrong with him. Social media users reacted to the bar on Twitter and said it sounds like Future has not moved on. Lori Harvey: minding her business in a totally different relationship Future: tell Steve Harvey ion want her She obviously dont want you either Nayvadius, added a user. (Photo by Leon Bennett/Getty Images for Essence) This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Future: Tell Steve Harvey, I dont want her Lori Harvey:, added another. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Future may not be interested in Lori anymore but Jordan is more than interested. The two made their relationship public back in the winter and the Creed actor opened up on why. As reported by theGrio, from glamorous winter trips to romantic tropical getaways, the couple has let their followers into their passionate romance, and fans seemingly cant get enough. Story continues Read More: H.E.R.: Absolutely going to be an EGOT in my future Jordan recently sat down with People Magazine, and shed some light on exactly why he chose to make such a personal relationship public to his millions of fans. The actor explained, Im still private, and I want to protect that, but it just felt like it was a moment of just wanting to put it out there and move onI am extremely happy. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. The Tom Clancys Without Remorse actor also explained that his many years of experience in the public eye ultimately led to his decision. He shared, I think when you get older, you feel more comfortable about the [public nature] of the business that were in. So for me, it was a moment to, I guess, take ownership of that and then get back to work. Jordan was also recently on the cover of Mens Health, where he also spoke to why he is choosing to open up his private life after so many years. He told the magazine, People that know me know my heart. But people that know me for my work . . . they know what I allow them to know. The fact that Ive been so closed off about a lot of parts of my life was a personal choice. As Ive gotten older and a little more mature and comfortable in my own skin, Ive become less concerned about it. Have you subscribed to theGrios podcast Dear Culture? Download our newest episodes now! TheGrio is now on Apple TV, Amazon Fire, and Roku. Download theGrio today! The post Future calls out Lori, Steve Harvey on new track Maybach appeared first on TheGrio. Georgia has seen more than two dozen tornadoes so far this year, ranking among states with the most twisters in 2021. The Peach State placed fifth in the nation for reported tornadoes, according to an annual report by the National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center. To date, there have been at least 30 tornadoes, including a destructive EF-4 that leveled homes, schools and businesses in Newnan in late March. Storms also unleashed at least six twisters in North Georgia earlier this month, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. Texas, the nations second largest state by area, took the top spot for the number of reported tornadoes this year 79 in all, data show. But the next five states are all in the Southeast, lending to the thought that tornado alley could be moving east. Alabama has had 77 twisters, followed by Mississippi with 66, Louisiana with 37, Georgia with 30 and Tennessee with 27. The NWS report is based on preliminary data and is subject to changes. Other than Texas, Georgia has already seen more tornadoes than other states in tornado alley, a region of the southern Plains known for a disproportionately high frequency of tornadoes, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. To date, Georgia has had at least 285 reports of severe weather. The regions boundaries are arguable, but usually include the area stretching from central Texas through Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska and parts of the upper Midwest, As of May 19, there have been seven reported tornadoes in Oklahoma, four in Kansas and eight in Nebraska, according to the Storm Prediction Center report. Peak tornado season differs from region to region, however. States in tornado alley typically see a higher frequency of twisters between May and early June while tornado season in the Southeast begins earlier in the spring. Tornadoes can happen any time of year in Georgia, but things tend to ramp up starting in February through April, said Dave Nadler, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Peachtree City. Story continues It starts to come down in May, Nadler told McClatchy News in an interview. And then in June, we start to transition to more of a summertime pattern that just lowers the probability of seeing tornadoes across the state. On average, the state sees about 35 reported tornadoes per year, Nadler said. However, that number can vary and Georgia has seen a few anomalies in recent years. Back in 2017, we had almost 150 [twisters] and in 2018 we had below 35, he recalled. Nadler said NWS Atlanta has yet to release an official count of documented tornadoes in the state through May, and noted that preliminary data can take months to be verified. Deadly flash floods swamp parts of Louisiana. Videos and images show the destruction Woman shaves head in fake cancer scam to swindle $15,000 from donors, Georgia cops say Three of the nations best hotels are in Georgia, Tripadvisor says. Heres where Voting booths are set up in Waterloo, Iowa. Scott Olson/Getty Images A Georgia judge will allow absentee ballots from the 2020 election to be unsealed for an audit. Judge Brian Amero on Friday agreed to open 145,000 absentee ballots from Fulton County. Proponents of the audit are claiming, without evidence, that there were irregularities in the election. See more stories on Insider's business page. A Georgia judge will allow absentee ballots from the 2020 election to be unsealed to have them examined for possible fraud. In granting the motion on Friday, Henry County Superior Court Judge Brian Amero agreed to open 145,000 absentee ballots from Fulton County as part of a review into the 2020 election, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. One of the plaintiffs requesting to do an audit of Fulton County's results is Garland Favorito, the co-founder of a group called Voters Organized for Trusted Election Results in Georgia. Favorito is currently soliciting donations to fund the effort on social media, and on Thursday tweeted, "Dear #VoterGa supporters, Please send money. Thanks! Garland." The review of ballots will not overturn the results of the 2020 election, but plaintiffs who requested the review say it could help them understand what they claim is unusual and possibly malicious activity at State Farm Arena, an Atlanta ballot-counting site. Georgia election officials have extensively refuted claims that any malicious activity occurred at the arena, which was monitored via surveillance cameras. Former President Donald Trump and his allies baselessly claimed that widespread fraud led to his 2020 election loss in the state. They said that footage from State Farm Arena showed workers pulling ballots out of suitcases and counting ballots multiple times. There is no evidence to support their allegations. "I wanted to scream - well, I did scream at the computer, and I screamed in my car at the radio talking about this because this has been thoroughly debunked," Gabe Sterling, Georgia's voting systems implementation manager, told reporters in a January press conference. Story continues The results of the 2020 election in Georgia were already verified as accurate by a statewide risk-limiting audit that involved a hand recount of the 5 million ballots cast in the presidential election and a separate machine recount requested by Trump's campaign. Both confirmed President Joe Biden's victory in the state. A separate investigation by the Georgia secretary of state's office last year found no evidence of fraud in the state's ballot counting, and numerous lawsuits challenging Georgia's election results have been dismissed. On top of that, officials conducted an audit of signatures on absentee ballot envelopes in Cobb County and found that 99% of signatures matched the voter. The push to reexamine the results in Georgia comes amid a highly controversial exercise currently ongoing in Maricopa County, Arizona, where Trump and his supporters similarly lodged false claims of fraud in the 2020 election. Even after two official audits confirmed Maricopa County's results as accurate and voting equipment as sound, the GOP-controlled state Senate turned over millions of ballots and hundreds of voting machines to a private firm, Cyber Ninjas, to conduct another recount. The recount effort has been accused of mismanagement, sloppy counting procedures, and violating the chain of custody of the ballots by Arizona's Democrats and Republicans alike. Unlike in Arizona, however, the judge in Georgia ruled that Fulton County official must have full custody of the ballots during the review, according to the Journal-Constitution. Read the original article on Business Insider Texas congressman Louie Gohmert (C-Span/Twitter/@Acyn) A Texas Republican was mocked for admitting that people think he is the dumbest guy in Congress, after a speech also ridiculed for its stupidity. On Thursday, Louie Gohmert stood in front of Congress and rambled on about college admission tests (SATs), Black Lives Matter campaigners destroying western-style families, and Democrat senator Bernie Sanders sending American billionaires to gulags. We were doing better on our SATs until president Carter created a department of education, Rep Gohmert told the House, [and] when I took it I did very well, it got me into the honours program at [Texas] A&M. Im sure that shocks people that think Im the dumbest guy in Congress. Rep Gohmerts complaints about the department of education were afterwards ridiculed, because SATs scores, in fact, begun to fall before its creation in 1979. According to statistics from PrepScholar, average American scores for maths and critical writing fell from 521 and 505 in 1974, to 512 and 498 in 1975 four years before Jimmy Carter, a Democrat, founded a department of education. Joy Reid, a correspondent and TV anchor for MSNBC, wrote: Submitted without comment.... He's lying about the time frame of SAT scores falling so he's probably lying about his scores also, another critic wrote on Twitter, SAT scores started falling in the sixties at about the same time Gohmert was taking his. Any grown ass middle aged man who still feels compelled to brag about his SAT score is indeed the dumbest man in Congress, added another. If Louie Gohmert has the self-awareness to know that people say he's the dumbest guy in Congress, a Twitter critic wrote, does that make him no longer the dumbest guy? Or just the most aware dumbest guy? This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Also on Thursday, the Texas Republican told Congress: I read last year that one of the basic goals of Black Lives Matter was to destroy western style families. In fact, it removed a section of its website about "disrupt[ing] the Western-prescribed nuclear family structure., and according to PolitiFact, did not call for the destruction of western style families, but a move away from relying on it. Story continues Rep Gohmert also accused the Democratic party and senator Sanders who has called for a tax on wealth of taking money from US billionaires to win, and then youll either go to a gulag, or youll be put to death. The false allegations were also ridiculed, with a Twitter user writing: Louie Gohmert gets crazier every year. I'd say that you can't make this s**t up but he does it every time. Read More Marjorie Taylor Greene shreds letter from Nancy Pelosi Republicans rebel against mask requirement in House chamber Trump critic Cheney cautions Jan. 6 riot could happen again "For every single food business that's struggled through this past year and is figuring out how to survive and rebuild, any sort of relief money especially when it doesn't come with stipulations or caveats or strong requirements is so meaningful," says Heather Sperling, co-owner of Silver Lake restaurant Botanica and a founding member of RE:Her. (Alan Gastelum) Restaurants and bars are reopening across the state, but 14 months of back rent and other debt incurred during the pandemic have left the industry increasingly desperate for any form of aid. Earlier this month, restaurateurs could start to apply for a grant from the $28.6-billion federal Restaurant Revitalization Fund, but within 10 days, more than 266,000 people in the hospitality industry had requested more than $65 billion . Lobbying organizations such as the Independent Restaurant Coalition are calling on Congress to increase the fund, which was made available through the American Rescue Plan. Meanwhile, on a local level, smaller, grass-roots grants are helping restaurants make ends meet. On Monday, Regarding Her, or RE:Her, a nonprofit made up of female restaurateurs and chefs, opened the application process for a new grant program, which will award $10,000 to 15 restaurants of female-identifying owners. Its funded by DoorDash and is open to L.A. County independent restaurants that are at least 25% women-owned. (None of the founding members of the nonprofit can apply for a grant.) RE:Her was founded last fall to support women-owned restaurants and bars across Los Angeles. In January, the group staged a 10-day food festival and fundraiser offering collaborations and specials from female chefs and businesses. The [federal] restaurant relief fund is incredibly oversubscribed, said Heather Sperling, co-owner of Silver Lake restaurant Botanica and a founding member of RE:Her. I am personally waiting with bated breath to see if we end up getting our [federal] grant, but really have no expectations for it. With these smaller, local grants, frankly, every dollar helps. For every single food business thats struggled through this past year and is figuring out how to survive and rebuild, any sort of relief money especially when it doesnt come with stipulations or caveats or strong requirements is so meaningful. The culture of applying for and awarding grants is familiar in the greater nonprofit world, but when it comes to the hospitality industry, Sperling said, the words no-strings-attached restaurant aid werent heard very often prior to the pandemic. Story continues An independent grant committee of restaurateurs and other industry professionals including Los Angeles Times food columnist Jenn Harris will select the grant recipients in a blind process, which removes applicants names, their restaurants demographics and other identifying information. Grant recipients will be notified by June 14. Sperling said the RE:Her food festival will return in 2022, and the grant program might return as well. Applicants for the RE:Her grant must apply by June 2. In addition to being of 25% female or female-identifying ownership to qualify, restaurants must also employ a staff of 50 or fewer; have opened in 2019 or earlier; have lost 25% or more of their pre-COVID-19 gross revenue in 2020; currently be in a lease or mortgage agreement; and have an annual pre-COVID-19 gross revenue of less than $2,000,000 per restaurant (or maximum $4,000,000 per restaurant group). Other organizations are launching their own grant programs to help restaurants. This month the California Restaurant Foundation, a nonprofit associated with the California Restaurant Assn., announced 318 grant recipients from its own relief fund, which launched in March. (The program is funded by the Southern California Gas Co., Pacific Gas & Electric, and San Diego Gas and Electric.) The foundations new Restaurants Care Resilience Fund is administering $3,500 apiece to independent restaurants across eight counties in California: Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, Sacramento, Kern, Alameda, Fresno and San Joaquin. More than 130 of the recipients are located in L.A. County, and to qualify, the restaurants had to be currently operating in some form, employ fewer than 50 people, be a single-unit business, and have experienced at least a 20% loss of revenue in 2020, compared to 2019. One of L.A.s businesses that qualified and received a $3,500 grant was Hop Woo BBQ & Seafood Restaurant, a mom-and-pop operation that opened in Chinatown in 1993 and has, like so many others in the hospitality industry, suffered financially since the start of the pandemic. For Mary Liang, the daughter of Hop Woo owners Judy and Lupe Liang, applying for grants has become part of her routine, and the process of gathering information to apply feels constant. A lot of times when there are grants or even the loans whenever the application goes up, I just set an alarm on my phone, and Im applying with only one eye open and Im still in bed, she said. She estimates that shes applied to at least 20 grant programs to help her parents, who have been paying 50% of Hop Woos rent each month since April 2020. With every month, the bill for back rent increases. To help make rent, the Liangs started an online fundraiser, but the restaurant, Mary Liang said, has relied on a variety of smaller and more localized grants sometimes for amounts as small as $500. That amount could be a utility bill, she said, adding, I dont think we would have been able to make it if we didnt get any help. Sometimes, Mary Liang said, shell apply for grants and hear nothing back for so many months that she forgets she applied. Often, she investigates grant leads eagerly and urgently sent by her parents, only to discover they dont qualify; for many programs, including the second round of the federal Paycheck Protection Payment aid, restaurants and bars must have lost a minimum of 25% of their profits in 2020, compared to 2019. Hop Woos losses during that time fell at roughly 23%. This 2% shortfall also disqualifies the restaurant from RE:Hers grant program, but if they did qualify, the Liangs say there is no doubt they would apply. The family recently received notification that Hop Woo was awarded a piece of that federal, highly competitive Restaurant Revitalization Fund, but no money has been deposited yet and until it appears in their bank account, Mary Liang said, shes learned not to get her hopes up. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Dartavius Barnes reacted with horror after police tested his daughters remains for meth or ecstasy (Springfield Police Department) A grieving father is suing the city of Springfield, Illinois after police tested his deceased daughters ashes for drugs. Body camera footage shows how the disturbing moment unfolded. Dartavius Barnes was driving on 6 April, 2020 when Springfield police officers pulled him over, allegedly for speeding. When officers asked if they could search his car, he complied. About 20 minutes later, an officer told Mr Barnes he had found ecstasy or methamphetamine in his vehicle. Confused, Mr Barnes asked to see what the police officer was talking about. When the officer showed him what he meant a small, gold-coloured vial of ashes Mr Barnes voice rose in horror. No, no, no, thats my daughter, bro! he shouted. Give me that, bro! Thats my daughter! What the officer had tested were the remains of TaNaja Barnes, Mr Barnes two-year-old daughter, who died in 2019. TaNajas mother, Twanka Davis, was convicted of causing the girls death through starvation and neglect. Mr Barnes is now suing the City of Springfield and the six specific officers involved in the traffic stop. In the lawsuit, he says the police unlawfully searched his vehicle, opened the urn without his consent, and desecrated his daughters remains. Police have denied any wrongdoing. In court papers , they admitted Mr Barnes account of what happened was accurate, but denied that his rights were violated. In a report that police wrote on the incident, one officer wrote, I have seen similar items like this before utilized to contain narcotics. In the bodycam footage , however, police can be heard grumbling over their mistake. Im just going to give him a notice to appear on the weed, one officer tells another, referring to marijuana theyd found in Mr Barnes car. Aside from p***ed-off dad and testing the dead baby ashes, another officer replies. Mr Barnes lawyers are seeking compensatory damages and a trial by jury, which a judge has set for August 2022. Read More Story continues Nigel Farage announces launch of Americas Comeback Tour Chicago mayor faces dashed hopes of her backers Capitol rioters make questionable claims about police Eric Cabacungan helps sixth-grade student Melanie Ortiz during a math class at Stephens Middle School in Long Beach in 2019. (Gary Coronado/Los Angeles Times) California is preparing to overhaul the way math is taught to 6 million kindergarten through 12th graders, the first major changes since 2013. Here are essential elements of the draft Mathematics Framework, which is drawing scrutiny from educators and parents across the state: What are some key features of the plan? A major element of the framework emphasizes grouping students with different levels of preparation through the 10th grade. So, instead of putting the most accomplished students together to accelerate their learning, these students would be dispersed among regular classes. The academics who wrote the framework say such "heterogenous" groups will function more effectively than such classes in the past. Students, for example, might be learning about the same "big idea," but they would approach it at their own level. The teacher would challenge the more advanced students with more complex work. This is called differentiated instruction and, to some degree, it happens all the time in class. Supporters say this structure opens the on-ramp to advanced math at all times to students with unrealized potential. But others worry that well-prepared students will be held back rather than progressing appropriately at their more advanced level. The framework also builds on the state's existing push toward integrated math, which sets aside the traditional sequence of math instruction: computation, algebra, geometry and ultimately advanced algebra, trigonometry and calculus. Instead, concepts from all areas are introduced early on and brought together to solve problems as might happen in a real-world use of math. In addition, the framework emphasizes pathways in advanced math that lead to subjects other than calculus. Instead, students could aim for statistics and data science, which most are more likely to use in their careers than calculus. How would this new approach work in an actual classroom? The draft framework offers "vignettes" of these practices in action and members of the state's Instructional Quality Commission have asked the writing committee to add more for further clarity. Story continues One vignette presents to students the problem of balancing the survival of endangered bowhead whales, decimated by commercial whaling, with the needs of a native population that has relied on hunting whales for food, economic sustenance and cultural traditions. Students must develop a plan that would allow hunting while also permitting the whale species to survive and thrive. The variables with mathematical components would include the growth rate and life cycle of the whale and the food yield and economic impact of the hunt. Commissioners suggested that the mathematics could be deepened further by bringing in variables related to climate change, which could affect whale fertility and food sources as well as migration patterns. While the exercise was designed for high school students, it could be adapted to younger grade levels or to less mathematically adept students within a class. Students could work for mathematically derived solutions individually or in groups. The writers also suggest that individualized learning such as a student working independently on a computer could allow for advanced students to move faster than classmates. Math is fundamentally an objective science. Why have racial issues been brought into an instructional framework? The traditional math sequence and teaching practices have worked well for some students, but math-related fields continue to be dominated by white males, supplemented by workers who learned math in other countries or who grew up in a family or culture that emphasized math attainment. In the Los Angeles Unified School District, only 24% of 11th graders scored as proficient in math on state standardized tests in 2019, the most recent test given. The district's enrollment is 74% Latino and 8% Black; 80% of students qualify for subsidized meals because of family poverty. The proposed framework declares war on low achievement with a math-for-all premise. "All students deserve powerful mathematics," the guidelines state. "We reject ideas of natural gifts and talents ... and the 'cult of the genius.' And the fault for low math attainment lies with structural inequities, influenced by racism and sexism, according to the framework. "The subject and community of mathematics has a history of exclusion and filtering, rather than inclusion and welcoming," the framework states in Chapter 1. "There persists a mentality that some people are 'bad in math' (or otherwise do not belong), and this mentality pervades many sources and at many levels. Girls and Black and Brown children, notably, represent groups that more often receive messages that they are not capable of high-level mathematics, compared to their White and male counterparts." What do the critics say? They fear the new approach will limit opportunities for gifted and well-prepared students to reach advanced math, and that, once they do, there will be less time for them to master advanced concepts. Some argue that tracking, as long as it's not used to exclude students by race, ethnicity or gender, can put students in groupings where their individual needs can be addressed most directly, allowing all students to learn faster. Another concern is that many top colleges still place an emphasis on whether applicants get to calculus and how well they do in that course. Some critics also worry about math being watered down or instruction being dragged astray by political beliefs. Is the new approach the law of the land? Will my school and school district have to do things differently? Not yet. The Instructional Quality Commission has asked for revisions. When they're done, a second public comment period will begin. The state Board of Education could take up the 800-page document as soon as November. Once approved, the guide is not mandatory and it explicitly allows the old course sequence leading to calculus to continue. However, the guide's preferences, including for non-tracked classes, will influence teachers, school districts, teacher training and curriculum publishers. And it would be challenging for schools to offer both the old way and new way. Don't students need calculus and other high-level math to get into the most selective colleges? That is an issue, although an increasing number of colleges are putting data science or statistics on par with calculus. With college admission tests like the SAT and ACT no longer required for the University of California and falling out of favor at some other colleges, admissions officers are increasingly turning to other benchmarks to evaluate applicants. Performance in Advanced Placement math courses will still be considered in college admissions, as will the rigor of courses and grades. I thought that math reformers want to get more students into higher-level math sooner. What happened to the push for eighth-grade algebra? In 2008, state officials decreed that all students needed to take algebra by eighth grade if not sooner because all students needed access to the high-level math track. In fact, the state's rating system for schools was affected by what percentage of students made it to algebra by eighth grade. At the time, advocates called the early algebra imperative a civil rights issue, similar to the language being applied today toward a strikingly different approach. Now there are experts including those involved in writing the state's draft framework who discredit that algebra push. They say that pushing higher-level math at an unprepared student can turn that student off from the subject. They also say a rush through mathematical concepts deprives all students of the deeper understanding they need to succeed in advanced curriculum. They also question the goal of reaching calculus or at least reaching it as quickly as possible. The move toward and away from eighth-grade algebra is one of many examples of pendulum swings in education-improvement efforts. Generally, there are committed supporters behind a range of strategies, each able to cite research to back their preferred direction. It's too early to tell if the math framework's major elements will be widely accepted or if the pushback will be broad and forceful. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. HONG KONG (Reuters) -Hong Kong said on Friday its suspension of operations at its Taiwan representative office was motivated by Taipei's "gross" interference in internal affairs, including with its offer to assist "violent" protesters, accusations Taiwan rejected. Tension between Hong Kong's Beijing-backed government and democratically-ruled Taiwan has risen since pro-democracy protests erupted in Hong Kong in 2019 and China responded by imposing a sweeping national security law in the city that prompted many activists to leave, some for Taiwan. On Tuesday, Hong Kong said it suspended operations at the Hong Kong Economic, Trade and Cultural Office, adding only that the decision was not related to the recent rise in coronavirus cases in Taiwan. A spokesman for the Hong Kong government said in a statement on Friday that "in recent years, Taiwan has grossly interfered in Hong Kong's affairs on repeated occasions and created irretrievable damage" to cross-strait relations. The statement singled out Taiwan's move last year to open an office in Taipei to help people who may want to leave Hong Kong following the imposition of the security law. It said the office offered assistance to "violent protesters and people who tried to shatter Hong Kong's prosperity and stability" and called Taiwan's actions "provocative." All staff members of the city's representative office in Taiwan have returned home, the statement said. Taiwan's China-policy making Mainland Affairs Council said in response that China had forced the security law upon Hong Kong's people, bringing "catastrophe" to democracy and human rights in the city. Like other democracies, Taiwan has supported Hong Kong's people in their "struggle for democracy and freedom", and the government provides humanitarian care and necessary services to Hong Kong people who come to Taiwan legally, it added. Story continues "The Hong Kong government has misinterpreted this as a provocation by our side. This mentality of contempt for democracy and the rule of law reflects the Hong Kong government's guilty conscience." Last year, Taiwan officials in Hong Kong were told their visas would not be renewed unless they signed a document supporting Beijing's claim to Taiwan under its "one China" policy. Taiwan said this month there were only eight Taiwanese staff members left at its de facto consulate in Hong Kong, and that all their visas were due to expire this year. China has proposed that Taiwan be brought under Beijing rule under a similar "one country two systems" arrangement it offered to Hong Kong when it returned to China in 1997. All of Taiwan's main political parties have rejected the idea. (Additional reporting by Ben Blanchard and Yimou Lee in Taipei; Writing by Marius Zaharia, Editing by William Maclean) Deputies are investigating a shooting that took place Thursday in Kuna during which at least one person was assaulted, and likely at least one other person was injured. At around 2:30 p.m. Thursday, Ada County sheriffs deputies were sent to a home in the 1500 block of Harem Way in Kuna after hearing reports of gunshots being fired, according to a news release from the Sheriffs Office. When deputies arrived, they found shell casings and blood on the ground. They later learned that a maroon BMW drove away from the scene. Despite spotting a vehicle matching that description driving fast in the eastbound lanes of Interstate 84, deputies could not catch up to the car. Deputies did find one man inside the Harem Way home who was assaulted, but was not shot. No one was found in the home or in the area who had a gunshot wound. The blood on the ground could have been related to another injury, deputies suspect. Investigators found a significant amount of narcotics inside the home, including cocaine, methamphetamine and marijuana. A 33-year-old Boise man, Sean French, was booked into the Ada County Jail on two felony drug charges. Deputies are still working to identify who fired the gunshots, as well as the suspect or suspects who fled in the BMW. If you have information regarding this shooting, call Ada County Dispatch at 208-377-6790. Francis today received the ambassadors of Singapore, Zimbabwe, Bangladesh, Algeria, Sri Lanka, Barbados, Sweden, Finland and Nepal for the presentation of their credentials. I think, he said, of the need to confront such pressing global issues as migration and climate change, as well as the humanitarian crises that they often bring in their wake. Vatican City (AsiaNews) Pope Francis received the ambassadors of of Singapore, Zimbabwe, Bangladesh, Algeria, Sri Lanka, Barbados, Sweden, Finland and Nepal for the presentation of their credential letters. In his address, the pontiff spoke about the announcement of the truce between Israel and Hamas, thanking God for the decision to halt the armed conflicts and acts of violence, and I pray for the pursuit of paths of dialogue and peace. He went on to announce that the Ordinaries of the Holy Land would come together at the Church of St Stephen in Jerusalem to pray for the gift of peace. May every community pray to the Holy Spirit so that that Israelis and Palestinians may find the path of dialogue and forgiveness, be patient builders of peace and justice, and be open, step by step, to a common hope, to coexistence among brothers and sisters. Francis also noted that As a result of the pandemic, the social and economic crisis worldwide has become all the more severe. On a personal level, many have lost loved ones and their means of livelihood. Families in particular are facing grave economic difficulties and often lack adequate social protection. The pandemic has made us more conscious of our interdependence as members of the one human family and our need to be attentive to the poor and the vulnerable in our midst. As we seek to emerge from the present crisis, our societies are challenged to take concrete, and indeed courageous, steps to develop a global culture of care (cf. Message for the 2021 World Day of Peace) that can inspire new relationships and structures of cooperation in the service of solidarity, respect for human dignity, mutual assistance and social justice. Sadly, the pandemic has also made us acutely aware that the international community is experiencing a growing difficulty, if not the inability, to seek common and shared solutions to the problems of our world (Address to the Diplomatic Corps, 8 February 2021). In this regard, I think of the need to confront such pressing global issues as migration and climate change, as well as the humanitarian crises that they often bring in their wake. I think too of the economic debt that burdens many countries struggling to survive and the ecological debt that we owe to nature itself, as well as to peoples and countries affected by human-induced ecological degradation and loss of biodiversity. These issues are not simply political or economic; they are questions of justice, a justice that can no longer be ignored or deferred. Indeed, they entail a moral obligation towards future generations, for the seriousness with which we respond to them will shape the world we leave to our children. In the development of a global consensus capable of responding to these ethical challenges facing our human family, your work as diplomats is of paramount importance. For its part, the Holy See, through its diplomatic representations, and its activity within the international community, supports every effort to build a world in which the human person is at the centre, finance is at the service of an integral development, and the earth, our common home, is protected and cared for. Through her works of education, charity and healthcare worldwide, the Church seeks to advance the integral development of individuals and peoples, and in this way contribute to the cause of peace. Finally, the Pope urged the diplomats to convey his sentiments of esteem and gratitude to their heads of state and assured them of the collaboration and help of the offices of the Holy See in their mission. Rep. Ilhan Omar , D-Minn., claimed that Israeli police "attacked" Palestinians in Jerusalem on Friday, during clashes with demonstrators who reportedly had thrown Molotov cocktails at officers outside a holy site. The firebrand "Squad" member tweeted that Palestinians were being assaulted at the Al-Aqsa Mosque during prayers by the Israeli police. "Palestinians are being attacked in their holy site during Friday prayers," Omar tweeted. "This level of indignity, injustice and cruelty is unacceptable." "Israels military functions with impunity because the world lets it," she added. "This has to change." ILHAN OMAR SAYS ISRAEL-HAMAS CEASE-FIRE NOT ENOUGH: WE NEED ACCOUNTABILITY FOR EVERY WAR CRIME COMMITTED What Omar left out was that the clash actually happened after Friday prayers at the Abrahamic holy site and that young Palestinian demonstrators reportedly provoked a law enforcement response by throwing rocks and Molotov bombs at police officers. Omar also falsely identified the Israeli police forces responding to the makeshift incendiary grenades as being members of Israels military. Palestinian demonstrators waved flags as they clashed with Israeli police on Friday outside of the Muslim holy site in the Holy City. Israeli police used stun grenades in response but did not enter the mosque like they had in a previous confrontation . The clash came a day after Israel and Palestinian terror group Hamas agreed to a cease-fire after 11 days of military conflict. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Omar said on Thursday that the cease-fire between Israel and Hamas was not enough and accused the Jewish state of "war crimes" and "crimes against humanity." "We should all be grateful that a ceasefire will prevent more civilians and children from being killed," the Minnesota Democrat tweeted. "But now what? We need accountability for every war crime committed. And we need to stop underwriting crimes against humanity while doing nothing to end the occupation." Rep. Ilhan Omar said Thursday she is happy a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas was agreed to after a week-and-a-half of fighting, but insisted there needs to be "accountability for every war crime committed." She also accused the U.S. of tacitly supporting those alleged crimes with its support for Israel. "We should all be grateful that a ceasefire will prevent more civilians and children from being killed," Omar, D-Minn., tweeted. "But now what? We need accountability for every war crime committed. And we need to stop underwriting crimes against humanity while doing nothing to end the occupation." Her reaction was just one of several comments from members of Congress after Israel announced it agreed to a cease-fire, which was brokered with help from neighboring Egypt. Reaction from other members of the liberal "Squad" was just as harsh against Israel, although some Democrats including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., took a more conciliatory tone. LIVE UPDATES: ISRAEL'S NETANYAHU WARNS HAMAS AGAINST FIRING FURTHER ROCKETS AS CEASE-FIRE GOES INTO EFFECT Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., an ally of Omar and other Democrats who are highly critical of Israel, launched a broadside against the Jewish nation and called on the U.S. to potentially withdraw its foreign aid to the country. "A ceasefire is necessary, but will not alone achieve freedom, justice, and equality for all who live under Israel's apartheid government," she said. "The U.S. must condition funding to uphold human rights, and end the funding entirely if those conditions are not met." Democratic Rep. Betty McCollum of Minnesota released a similar statement on Twitter. "A ceasefire temporarily halts Hamas rockets and Israeli missile strikes, but this isnt peace," she said. "@POTUS: The Palestinian people deserve rights and freedom, not the daily repression of Israels ongoing military occupation. " Story continues Biden pressed for a cease-fire behind the scenes this week as the fighting between Hamas, which was shooting rockets indiscriminately into Israel, and the Israeli Defense Forces intensified. But his administration blocked a cease-fire resolution at the United Nations that would have been a rebuke to Israel as the president tried to strike a balance between calling for peace and standing by the traditional U.S. ally. He said after the cease-fire that "Palestinians and Israelis equally deserve to live in safety and security and to enjoy equal measures of freedom, prosperity, and democracy." Pelosi echoed that in her statement on the cease-fire. ISRAEL-HAMAS CEASE-FIRE GOES INTO EFFECT, LIFE RETURNS TO GAZA "The announced ceasefire between Israel and Hamas is welcome news, and we thank the Biden Administration for its extensive engagement and diplomacy," Pelosi said in a statement. "America remains committed to supporting the security of Israel, our friend and ally. We believe it is critical for the security of Israel for Israelis and Palestinians to both be able to live in peace." She added: "Now, with this essential ceasefire, it is incumbent upon leaders in the region to respect Israeli and Palestinian lives and strive for a lasting peace." Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, also had placatory comments. "A ceasefire is welcome news," Castro said. "More than 200 civilians were killed, including children, thousands are displaced in Gaza, and millions of Israelis and Palestinians are trapped in conflict. Now we need to see meaningful movement toward a two-state solution." VP KAMALA HARRIS, NOT BIDEN, CALLED JORDAN'S KING ABDULLAH ABOUT ISRAEL-GAZA DEAL Congressional Republicans as of Friday morning had been relatively quiet on the cease-fire news, after attacking Democrats for calling for one earlier in the week. Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., said those calling for a cease-fire were engaged in the equivalent of "Hamas propaganda" because "The belligerents in this conflict arent morally equivalent." House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., however, did say Thursday that he hoped the cease-fire would result in peace. "After 11 days of unrest, I am praying Israel's call for a ceasefire will help bring peace to the region," he tweeted. The back-and-forth of rocket fire from Hamas and airstrikes from Israel left more than 200 people dead in Israel and Gaza. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Israel claimed to inflict heavy damage on Hamas but once again was unable to halt the Islamic militant groups nonstop rocket barrages. Meanwhile Hamas, the Islamic militant group sworn to Israels destruction, also claimed victory despite widespread destruction of its tunnels and other operating points. The aftermath of the conflict will pose yet another major foreign policy challenge for Biden as he aims to keep relations strong between the U.S. and Israel while avoiding angering Democrats at home who support Palestinian rights. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken will soon travel to the region to meet with counterparts in Israel, Egypt and others. By Aditya Kalra NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India's information technology (IT) ministry has written to all social media companies asking them to take down any content that refers to an "Indian variant" of the coronavirus, according to a letter issued on Friday which was seen by Reuters. The World Health Organization said on May 11 that the coronavirus variant B.1.617, first identified in India last year, was being classified as a variant of global concern. The Indian government a day later issued a statement saying media reports using the term "Indian Variant" were without any basis, saying the WHO had classified the variant as just B.1.617. In a letter to social media companies on Friday, the IT ministry asked the companies to "remove all the content" that names or implies "Indian variant" of the coronavirus. "This is completely FALSE. There is no such variant of Covid-19 scientifically cited as such by the World Health Organisation (WHO). WHO has not associated the term 'Indian Variant' with the B.1.617 variant of the coronavirus in any of its reports," stated the letter, which is not public. A senior Indian government source told Reuters the notice was issued to send a message "loud and clear" that such mentions of "Indian variant" spread miscommunication and hurt the country's image. The IT ministry could not be reached for comment. Around the world, coronvirus variants have generically been referred to by doctors and health experts on the basis of where the are identified. This includes South Africa and Brazil variants. A social media executive said it would be difficult to take down all content using the word as there would be hundreds of thousands of such posts, adding that "such a move would lead to keyword based censorship going forward." The Indian government is facing increased criticism over its handling of the coronavirus pandemic, with Prime Minister Modi and state authorities being blamed for not adequately planning for the ongoing second wave of coronavirus infections. India has the second-highest tally of COVID-19 cases in the world and has been reporting around 250,000 infections and 4,000 deaths daily. (Reporting by Aditya Kalra in New Delhi; Editing by Angus MacSwan) JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) More than a thousand Muslims rallied outside the U.S. Embassy in Indonesias capital on Friday to denounce American support for Israel and demand an end to Israeli airstrikes in the Gaza Strip. The protesters marched from several mosques after Friday prayers to a major street outside the embassy, which was under heavy police guard. They halted traffic along the way as they chanted Allahu Akbar, or God is Great, and Save Palestinians. Authorities with loudspeakers warned protesters to maintain social distancing during the demonstration, organized by the Islamic Student Association and several other groups, to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. More than 3,000 police, many wearing hazmat suits, were deployed to secure the embassy and the nearby presidential palace and United Nations mission. Indonesia, the worlds most populous Muslim-majority nation, does not have formal diplomatic relations with Israel and there is no Israeli embassy in the country. It has long been a strong supporter of the Palestinians, and President Joko Widodo has condemned the Israeli airstrikes. Media reports said similar protests were held Friday in at least 10 provincial capitals and cities across Indonesia. Israel and the Islamic militant group Hamas have agreed to a cease-fire that took effect Friday, halting a bruising 11-day war that caused widespread destruction in the Gaza Strip and brought life in much of Israel to a standstill. At least 230 Palestinians were killed, including 65 children and 39 women, and 1,710 people were wounded, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Twelve people in Israel, including a 5-year-old boy and 16-year-old girl, were killed in rocket attacks launched from civilian areas in Gaza toward civilian areas in Israel. JAKARTA (Reuters) - Indonesian authorities on Friday summoned state insurer BPJS Kesehatan, which provides universal health coverage, as part of an investigation into an alleged breach of personal data involving millions of people, the communications ministry said. News this week that a trove of social security data was posted on a hacking forum has caused unease in the country of 270 million people, with some experts saying the breach points to Indonesia's weak cyber security infrastructure. The ministry said the data were being sold and that the data sample involved 100,002 people, despite the seller claiming to have access to the data of about a million people. It included information on families and payment status "identical to BPJS Kesehatan's data", spokesman Dedy Permadi said in a statement. "The communications ministry has summoned the directors of BPJS Kesehatan as the manager of the personal data allegedly leaked," he added. Dedy said some host sites had removed download links to the data. A spokesman for BPJS Kesehatan said its technicians were working to uncover the cause of the breach. Satriyo Wibowo, a cyber security expert and secretary of Indonesia Cyber Security Forum, said the leaks could cause a lot of public worry. "It's personal data that could have implications sensitive to the owner's security and comfort," he said, adding that the data could be used for fake online loan applications. "With this breach that largely went undetected, the seriousness of data protection is now questioned." (Reporting by Stanley Widianto; Editing by Martin Petty) DUBAI (Reuters) -Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Friday called on Muslim states to support Palestinians militarily and financially and help rebuild Gaza after an 11-day conflict with Israel, Iranian media reported. Iran, which does not recognise Israel, supports the Islamist militants of Hamas, who rule the Gaza Strip while President Mahmoud Abbas's Palestinian Authority controls Palestinian-populated areas of the occupied West Bank. Hamas and the Islamic Jihad group fired hundreds of rockets into Israel before Friday's truce, although Israel said its "Iron Dome" defence system had shot down the majority of them. "Muslim states must sincerely support the Palestinian people, through military...or financial support ...or in rebuilding Gaza's infrastructure," Khamenei said in a statement. He urged Muslims to demand that their governments back Palestinians. "All influential elements of (Israel's) regime and the criminal (Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu must be prosecuted by international and independent courts," Khamenei said. Iran's Foreign Ministry earlier said Palestinians had won a "historic victory" over Israel. "Congratulations to our Palestinian sisters & brothers for the historic victory. Your resistance forced the aggressor to retreat," ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh tweeted. Iran's Revolutionary Guards said in a statement: "The intifada (Palestinian uprising) has gone from using stones to powerful, precise missiles ... and in the future the Zionists (Israel) can expect to endure deadly blows from within the occupied territories." Leaders of Hamas and Islamic Jihad have praised Irans financial and military support, but Tehran has rarely confirmed its weapons supply. But Khamenei last year hailed Tehran's supply of arms, saying Iran had transformed the military balance of power between Israel and the Palestinians. Iran on Friday displayed an Iranian-made combat drone that it said had a range of 2,000 km (1,250 miles), naming it "Gaza" in honour of the Palestinians' struggle against Israel, state media reported. [nL2N2N8163] (Reporting by Dubai newsroom; Editing by Kevin Liffey and Angus MacSwan) DUBAI (Reuters) - Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Friday called on Muslim states to support Palestinians militarily and financially and help rebuild Gaza after an 11-day conflict with Israel, Iranian media reported. "Muslim states must sincerely support the Palestinian people, through military ...or financial support ...or in rebuilding Gaza's infrastructure," Khamenei said in a statement carried by media outlets. He urged Muslims to demand that their governments back Palestinians. (Reporting by Dubai newsroom; Editing by Chris Reese) MILAN (Reuters) -Italy's government revived hopes of producing the country's own COVID-19 vaccine on Friday when it said it was ready to finance the ReiThera project despite a court ruling rejecting a plan to pump public funds into the local biotech company. Italy's state audit court on Friday raised objections to the public financing for the project, throwing its future into doubt. The court said of the 50 million euros ($60.96 million) of public money directly pledged for ReiThera, too little was dedicated to the research and production of the vaccine and too much to a general strengthening of the company, including the purchase of its headquarters. "The industry ministry is ready to contribute to the ReiThera vaccine project in the forms and ways allowed, using different and innovative tools ... provided by the new rules," Industry Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti said in a statement on Friday. ReiThera's vaccine, developed with Germany's Leukocare and Belgium's Univercells, has concluded Phase II trials and the firm is in early talks with Brussels to supply the European Union. However, the project needs public funding to start Phase III trials. Italy said on Thursday it will introduce tax breaks of 20% for companies conducting research and development for innovative drugs, including COVID-19 vaccines, provided they grant non-exclusive licences, according to a draft decree seen by Reuters. ($1 = 0.8202 euros) (Reporting by Maria Pia Quaglia, editing by Gavin Jones and Louise Heavens) But Dr. Joshua Sharfstein, vice dean in the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, said Maryland struggled during the first phase of the campaign, which required distributing doses quickly and in an organized way when theres more demand than there are vaccines. For example, he cited the complex maze of online sign-ups created by the range of vaccinators the state chose to rely upon from the start. The incident took place on the Tokaido Shinkansen railway line A Japanese train driver faces possible punishment after he left the cockpit of a speeding bullet train for several minutes to go to the toilet. He had asked a conductor, who did not have a driver's licence, to man the train which was travelling at 150km/h (93mph), according to local media. The Hikari 633 was carrying 160 passengers at the time. The incident reportedly did not affect the journey. But the railway company has reported it to authorities and apologised. The Central Japan Railway Company (JR Central) said the incident took place on Sunday morning while the train was travelling in the central Shizuoka prefecture. The 36-year-old driver, who has not been named, had suffered a stomach ache and needed to use the toilet urgently. He called a conductor into the cockpit to man the controls, and then left for about three minutes to use the lavatory in a passenger cabin, JR Central said. The company's rules state that if drivers feel unwell they must contact their transport command centre. They are also allowed to ask a conductor to take over the controls, but only if the conductor has a driver's licence. The driver and the conductor now face possible disciplinary action, said JR Central. Senior official Masahiro Hayatsu told reporters: "It was an extremely inappropriate act. We apologise." Japan's famously efficient railways are strictly regulated with high safety standards, and rail accidents are rare. The last major incident happened in 2005 when a train derailed in the western city of Amagasaki, killing 107 people. The Shinkansen, which is Japan's bullet train rail network, has never had an accident in its 57-year history. You might also like: Isao Makibayashi, one of the bullet train's first drivers, spoke to Witness History about his excitement at working on the Shinkansen railway line. TOKYO (AP) A Japanese journalist who was freed from a Myanmar prison said Friday that military and police interrogators repeatedly asked him about his friends, clients and made-up allegations. Yuki Kitazumi, a freelance journalist and a former reporter for Japans Nikkei business news, also said other inmates told him about abuses they suffered at the hands of authorities, including repeated beatings during nonstop, dayslong interrogations. Kitazumi was detained at Yangons notorious Insein prison for a month before his release and return to Japan last week. He was arrested by authorities while in the country covering the aftermath of the February's military coup and accused of offenses including violating the terms of his visa. The ruling military junta said he was released as a gesture of friendship toward Japan. While in prison, Kitazumi said he met political prisoners who he became friends with. He said they shared news and discussed their concerns about developments in Myanmar and the country's future. They also asked him that once he returned to Japan to report whats happening in Myanmar to the rest of the world. With no stationary, he dipped a bird feather into instant coffee or grape juice to write a memo on scrap paper. They also told tales of abuse. The Feb. 1 coup that ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi reversed years of progress toward democracy in Myanmar after five decades of military rule. It was met with widespread public opposition that the military has tried to silence through force, including killing people protesting on the streets and imprisoning activists and journalists. Even during civilian rule Myanmar's security forces were accused of abuses, most notably against minority Muslim Rohingya who were forced to flee the country by the hundreds of thousands to escape what the U.S. has called a campaign of genocide. Although I was released, none of the problems in Myanmar have been resolved, Kitazumi said at an online news conference hosted by the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan. Story continues Kitazumi said other prisoners told him about abuses they suffered before coming to Insein. He said they described being blind-folded, handcuffed behind their backs and forced to kneel on concrete floors while being interrogated in that position, sometimes for days without sleep or rest. He said any negative comments about the junta led to being beaten. Ghastly interrogations are going on," Kitazumi said. Kitazumi said he was given far better treatment during his own interrogations and suffered no such abuse. He said his interrogators only went as far as banging on a desk and yelling. Officials repeatedly asked him about what he said was an untrue allegation that he had bought and given a video to his local friend. He said he repeatedly denied the allegation, but nevertheless said a confession presented to him said he didn't clarify otherwise. He refused to sign it. Myanmars army-run Myawaddy TV has said Kitazumi was arrested for inciting anti-military civil disobedience and riots. Kitazumi also became the first foreign journalist charged with violating visa regulations under a new statute that the state press has described as aiming at fake news. Despite the charges, Kitazumi said he was never asked in his court hearing about details of his stories or footage he mostly sent and published in Japan. He believes his arrest was a warning to other foreign journalists. With his release, all charges were dropped, he said. About 80 journalists have been arrested since the coup. Roughly half are still detained. Japan has criticized the military governments deadly crackdown on opposition but has taken a milder approach than the U.S. and some other countries, which have imposed sanctions against members of the junta. Local leaders are calling for tolerance as tensions in the Middle East between Israel and Palestine appear to be spilling over in Southern California, with at least two attacks against Jewish people in Los Angeles. Video Transcript - Tensions in the Middle East spilling over here in Southern California, with at least two attacks against Jews in LA, local religious leaders now calling for tolerance. Eyewitness News Reporter Rob Hayes has more, as the victims demand justice. - For the past couple of weeks, images of missile strikes, street brawls, and hundreds of casualties have been pouring out of the Middle East, Israel and Palestine trading deadly fire. And now that violence is bleeding over into Southern California, investigators now looking into attacks against Jews here. DOMINIC CHOI: We are treating them as hate crimes. ROB HAYES: The LAPD holding a news conference this afternoon, bringing together leaders of LA's Jewish and Arab communities, calling for tolerance in the face of the Middle East conflict. ABRAHAM COOPER: Go to synagogue. When the service is over, do not remove your talit. Wear it all the way home. HEDAB TIRIFI: Violence against Jewish bystanders on the streets of Los Angeles is not acceptable. It doesn't further the Palestinian cause or any cause. ROB HAYES: The call for peace coming after local violence, this case showing two cars bearing Palestinian flags chasing a man as he was walking to his synagogue on La Brea Tuesday. He described the scare to Eyewitness News, but didn't want his face shown. - All along they were screaming [NON-ENGLISH]. I was able to get into synagogue and just lock the door behind me. This was the scare of my life. ROB HAYES: That same night on La Cienega, a violent brawl when several men jumped out of cars and attacked a group eating dinner outside. - They stopped the car. They started yelling. They were cussing at Jews. Three, four guys came at me. They started hitting me. ROB HAYES: The Anti-Defamation League reporting a nearly 50% jump in anti-Semitic incidents since the conflict in Israel broke out. Meantime, the pro-Palestine group, Jewish Voice for Peace, will be hosting a vigil at 6 o'clock in Santa Monica tonight. They'll be mourning the more than 200 Palestinians killed in the recent conflict. A judge in Lori Loughlin and Mossimo Giannulli 's college admissions scandal case has given the couple the green light to head to Mexico for a family vacation. In a court documented filed on Thursday obtained by Fox News, U.S. District Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton signed off on the actress and her fashion designer husband's separate requests filed last week. In both requests, Loughlin and Giannulli shared their desire to travel to San Jose Del Cabo, Mexico to "spend time with family." The couple's vacation will mark the first time they will travel internationally since completing individual prison sentences for their involvement in the nationwide scandal. CANDACE CAMERON BURE STILL TALKS TO LORI LOUGHLIN FOLLOWING PRISON STINT FOR THE COLLEGE ADMISSIONS SCANDAL In their separate requests, attorneys for Loughlin, 56, and Giannulli, 57, argued that both have "presented respectfully and cooperatively in all interactions" with their probation officers. Giannulli's lawyer informed the court the $250,000 fine he owed per the terms of his sentence has been "satisfied" and he is "actively working on completing his community service requirement." Similarly, Loughlin's attorney confirmed she has paid her $150,000 fine off in full and already completed her community service requirements. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The couple plan to depart the U.S. for Mexico on June 16 and plan to return on June 21. It's unclear if they will be joined by their daughters Olivia Jade and Isabella. Loughlin was released from the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) in Dublin, Calif., back on Dec. 28. Meanwhile, Giannulli spent five months at a federal prison in Lompoc near Santa Barbara, Calif., and was released in early April. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER East End Preservation Society: The Bethnal mulberry is the oldest tree in the East End, surviving plague, fire and blitz. We hope it will flourish for centuries to come to inspire us all - The Gentle Author A 400-year-old mulberry tree that survived the Blitz and was set to be bulldozed for flats has been saved by a judge for its historical links, whether theyre proven and not. Campaigners have won a High Court challenge over plans to move what is believed to be one of the oldest trees in Londons East End to make way for flats. Geoffrey Juden, of the East End Preservation Society, led a legal challenge to preserve the veteran black mulberry tree, which was left with scarred bark when a chapel which stood next to it was destroyed by a bomb during the Second World War. Mr Juden took Tower Hamlets Council to court to overturn its decision to grant planning permission for flats to be built at the site of the former London Chest Hospital in Bethnal Green. Planning permission to demolish part of the site, excluding the main hospital building and sanitation tower, to build 291 residential units, was granted in October 2020. In a judgment delivered on Friday, Sir Duncan Ouseley said the tree had historical associations, some proven and some not, and had survived significant bomb damage during the Blitz. He ruled that the councils planning committee unlawfully misinterpreted national planning policy when they considered the risk the tree would die or deteriorate if it was moved. The judge said members of the committee did not take into account the policy which they were advised they were taking into account, and which they were advised had been met. The tree is not the only mulberry in London fighting a battle to not be cut down. Campaigners are also working to protect a 70-year-old tree at the entrance of Park View estate, in Highbury New Park. Delight for conservation campaigners Following Fridays ruling, a spokesperson for the East End Preservation Society said they were overjoyed by the decision, and said the development would have blighted the Victoria Park Conservation Area in East London. The Bethnal mulberry is the oldest tree in the East End, surviving plague, fire and blitz. We hope it will flourish for centuries to come to inspire us all, they said. Story continues A Tower Hamlets Council spokesperson said they acknowledged the High Court decision to quash the development of 291 new homes, of which 35 per cent were affordable, at the London Chest Hospital site. The application to challenge our decision was based on five legal grounds, of which the High Court dismissed four. The fifth relating to the mulberry tree, has been upheld, they said. Crest Nicholson and Clarion Housing Group commented: We are surprised and disappointed by the ruling passed down from the judicial review regarding the redevelopment of the former London Chest Hospital. We remain fully committed to the development and we will be reviewing the judgement. A federal judge has begun an investigation into leaks to newspapers about the secret grand jury that indicted four former Minneapolis police officers for violating the civil rights of George Floyd. U.S. District Judge Patrick Schiltz ordered the U.S. attorney's office and the Minnesota attorney general to provide a list of every person to whom they disclosed grand jury activity. He also ordered the U.S. Attorney's office to explain why he shouldn't appoint an independent prosecutor to investigate and file criminal contempt of court charges for the disclosures. Schiltz wants the responses filed under seal no later than June 4. At issue are stories published by the Star Tribune and the New York Times detailing the possibility of federal charges against the former police officers for Floyd's murder. On April 29, the Star Tribune published a story with the headline, "Feds plan to indict Chauvin, three other ex-officers on civil rights charges." On Feb. 23, the New York Times published a story about the grand jury with the headline, "With New Grand Jury, Justice Department Revives Investigation Into Death of George Floyd." The New York Times story came out just days before the beginning of jury selection in the state trial of Derek Chauvin, the officer who knelt on Floyd's neck and was convicted in April of second-degree murder, third-degree murder and manslaughter. Former officers J. Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao face charges of aiding and abetting second-degree murder and manslaughter. The three are scheduled to stand trial in state court next March. Days after Chauvin's conviction, the Star Tribune story revealed that the Justice Department had been working to indict him on federal charges and if he had been acquitted in state court, the feds planned to arrest him at the courthouse, the story said, citing an unidentified source. But Chauvin was convicted in state court and on May 8, the four former officers were indicted by the federal grand jury. Story continues In his five-page order signed May 5, Schiltz cited the U.S. Supreme Court's reasons for protecting the secrecy of grand jury proceedings: preventing the escape of those indicted, influence on deliberations, perjury or jury tampering. "In order to safeguard the secrecy of grand jury proceedings, federal prosecutors are generally prohibited from disclosing matters occurring before a grand jury," Schiltz wrote. In this case, federal prosecutors were given permission to provide information to Attorney General Keith Ellison's office, which is handling the prosecution of the four former officers. Ellison's office then was prohibited from disclosing the information for anything other than investigative or prosecutorial reasons, Schiltz noted. Jane Kirtley, professor and director of the Silha Center for Media Ethics and Law, said Schiltz appears to be conducting an investigation to find the source of the leaks without compelling journalists to divulge their sources. "There's always a risk they'll conclude they have no recourse other than to go to the journalists," she said. "Let's hope that doesn't become necessary." Star Tribune managing editor Suki Dardarian said, "I have no comment on the court's actions, but I will say that the Star Tribune stands resolutely behind its pledge not to reveal the identities of anonymous sources." A similar leak investigation is playing out in state court where Hennepin County District Court where Judge Peter Cahill ordered attorneys for all the parties to file affidavits attesting that they weren't the source for a New York Times story earlier in February. In that story, the Times cited anonymous sources in reporting that in the days following Floyd's murder, Chauvin was prepared to plead guilty to third-degree murder and go to prison for more than 10 years but then-U.S. Attorney General Bill Barr rejected the deal. Many of the numerous attorneys have submitted sworn and notarized affidavits. Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman, however, submitted a general letter saying no one in his office was the source of the leak. Officials from Ellison's office and the U.S. Attorney did not provide comment for this story. Tilda Swinton played the Ancient One in "Doctor Strange." Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures In "Doctor Strange," Tilda Swinton played the Ancient One, who is an Asian man in the comics. At the time, the filmmakers said they wanted to "subvert stereotypes, not feed into them." Feige has now said the casting was a mistake and the subsequent backlash was a "wake up call." Visit Insider's homepage for more stories. Kevin Feige has said he regrets the decision to cast Tilda Swinton as the Ancient One in 2016's "Doctor Strange," which many called an example of Hollywood whitewashing at the time. In Marvel comics, the Ancient One is an elderly Asian man, but Feige and the movie's director Scott Derrickson elected to cast Swinton in the role instead so as to avoid contributing to negative stereotypes. Now, in an interview with Men's Health, Feige, who is the Marvel Studios president, said that they were wrong to cast Swinton. "We thought we were being so smart, and so cutting-edge: 'We're not going to do the cliche of the wizened, old, wise Asian man,'' Feige told Men's Health editor Evan Romano. "But it was a wake-up call to say, 'Well, wait a minute, is there any other way to figure it out? Is there any other way to both not fall into the cliche and cast an Asian actor?' And the answer to that, of course, is yes," he added. At the time, the movie was criticized for whitewashing what is one of the Marvel comics' most iconic Asian characters. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. However, in a 2016 interview with The Daily Beast, Derrickson defended the casting. He explained that after he decided to make the role a woman, when he "envisioned that character being played by an Asian actress, it was a straight-up Dragon Lady." "I just didn't feel like there was any way to get around that because the Dragon Lady, by definition, is a domineering, powerful, secretive, mysterious, Asian woman of age with duplicitous motives - and I just described Tilda's character," he said. "I really felt like I was going to be contributing to a bad stereotype." Story continues Meanwhile, in another 2016 interview, with IndieWire, Swinton herself spoke about her casting, saying that she thought people would understand the decision and embrace her casting once they saw the movie: "There's a kind of misunderstanding, which I hope the film will make clear when people see the film." Feige himself previously defended Swinton's casting, saying that the Oscar-winning actress was cast to "subvert stereotypes, not feed into them." "We didn't want to play into any of the stereotypes found in the comic books, some of which go back as far as 50 years or more. We felt the idea of gender swapping the role of The Ancient One was exciting," Feige told Deadline in 2016. "It opened up possibilities, it was a fresh way into this old and very typical storyline. Why not make the wisest bestower of knowledge in the universe to our heroes in the particular film a woman instead of a man?" However, Feige clearly feels differently now - as does director Derrickson, who, according to Entertainment Weekly, wrote in a May 2016 tweet: "Raw anger/hurt from Asian-Americans over Hollywood whitewashing, stereotyping & erasure of Asians in cinema. I am listening and learning." Swinton reprised her role in "Avengers: Endgame" in 2019, but is not expected to appear in next year's "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness." As part of a major push for diversity within the MCU, Marvel Studios will release its first movie with an Asian lead later this year with "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings," which releases on September 3. Read the original article on Insider May 21Aviation pioneer Eugene F. Kranz got his first look Thursday at his name gracing the terminal at Eugene F. Kranz Toledo Express Airport as the business jet that brought him from Houston paused for a few minutes before arriving at the TOL Aviation hangar. The veteran of NASA Mission Control, who directed the first lunar landing and helped guide the damaged Apollo 13 capsule safely back to Earth, is in town for the new airport name's official unveiling this weekend. "It's good to be here," Mr. Kranz said as he stepped off the jet onto the tarmac, where he was greeted by Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz. "Welcome to Gene Kranz Airport. We're so excited to have you here," the mayor said when the group deplaned before discussing the landmarks of Mr. Kranz's old hometown. "We're going to have to go and get some Tony Packo's," Mr. Kranz said. He was then informed that the legendary East Toledo eatery will be catering a lunch after the event Saturday for the airport renaming. Mr. Kranz grew up near Willys Park on Berkeley Drive, just across the Ottawa River from what was then the Willys-Overland Jeep factory, at a time when I-75 wasn't in the way. Mr. Kranz said they used to drive the Jeeps sitting in the factory's parking lot. Mr. Kapszukiewicz said Toledo has been home to other luminaries who might also have merited having their name on the airport, but none identified with flight the way Mr. Kranz is. "Our thought was none of them are aviation icons," the mayor said. Mr. Kranz flew to Toledo on a jet owned by Block Communications Inc., which publishes The Blade. Mr. Kranz, 87, flew in with his daughter Joan Kranz; granddaughters Valerie Green and Hayley Krueger; and Blade Publisher and Editor-in-Chief John Robinson Block, who flew on the Cessna jet from Toledo to pick up Mr. Kranz and take him back. Toledo owns the airport and city council voted to rename the facility, which is operated under a long-term lease by the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority, after Mayor Kapszukiewicz suggested the idea in 2019. Story continues The mayor was Toledo's representative at Mr. Kranz's arrival, but no one from the port authority headquarters was in attendance. After arrival, the group went to lunch at J. Alexander's restaurant, which happens to be located near where Mr. Kranz had his first experiences with aviation, the former Franklin Field later redeveloped as Franklin Park Mall. "I've been in aviation and space since I was born. I started off with Franklin Field, right by where that mall is," he said. Ms. Green, 22, said even with all Mr. Kranz's renown as flight director for some of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's most storied missions, it was thrilling to see his name on the tarmac side of the airport's main terminal building. "We're just so excited and honored for him," Ms. Green said. "The way his name fits with aviation, it's just awesome, and the fact that it's his hometown too." The two family members said they were looking forward to visiting Central Catholic High School, which Mr. Kranz attended, and exploring Toledo and visiting places that were formative in their grandfather's upbringing. They also said they hoped for a reunion at their hotel during Mr. Kranz's visit with other relatives who still live in Ohio. Mr. Kranz and his entourage more of whom are expected on Friday are scheduled to visit his high-school alma mater, where he will speak to a senior honors assembly. Mr. Kranz graduated from Central Catholic in 1951. He has been back twice in recent memory in 2007 to dedicate a moon rock display and in 2012 to discuss his book, Failure Is Not An Option, which was assigned as a school-wide reading project. Mr. Kranz left Toledo after high school to attend Parks College, an aviation college in Cahokia, Ill. He retired in 1994 after a 34-year NASA career and lives in Dickinson, Texas, with his wife, Marta, who was unable to join him on the trip because of illness. An invitation-only ceremony is planned for 10 a.m. Saturday morning to rededicate the airport with its new name. It can be viewed on the toledoex press.com website. Mr. Kranz has received the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his role in the space program as well as four Presidential Ranking awards, the highest recognition a U.S. civil-service employee can receive. First Published May 20, 2021, 6:09pm A Kentucky man who pleaded guilty to abusing a person at a facility for vulnerable adults has been sentenced to five years in prison. Daniel L. Wright II, of McCreary County, also will be placed on a registry of caregivers with a confirmed finding of abuse. Agencies can use the registry in screening potential employees. Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Camerons office announced the sentence Friday. Weight, 39, worked at a residential facility in Pulaski County for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. It was operated by a company that was called New Vista Behavioral Healthcare at the time, based in Lexington, according to a court record. In May 2019, Wright repeatedly kicked a vulnerable adult, severely injuring him, and then tried to convince other staffers to help him cover up the abuse, according to the release from Cameron. Wright pleaded guilty to a charge of wanton abuse or neglect of a vulnerable adult. Circuit Judge John T. Prather Jr. sentenced him. Kentuckians trust residential facility staff to provide proper care for their loved ones, and it is our job to hold accountable those who abuse, neglect, and exploit our most vulnerable, Cameron said in the release. Anne Arundel also has mobile crisis teams, not to be confused with police crisis intervention teams, that respond to emergencies that are not violent. Patrol officers without training or who need backup from licensed professionals are encouraged to call a crisis intervention or a mobile crisis team a pair of two county clinicians when interacting with people contemplating suicide, suffering delusions, struggling with substance use or have an intellectual disability that requires patience and a nuanced response. Violence broke out outside a sushi restaurant in LA as Jewish diners were attacked (CBSLA) Los Angeles mayor Eric Garcetti has declared the city stands against antisemitism after jewish diners were attacked outside a Sushi restaurant on Tuesday. The attack allegedly saw assailants shouting anti-Israel slogans before becoming involved in a physical alteration with diners at the Beverly Grove eatery. Los Angeles stands against antisemitism, said Mayor Eric Garcetti, the LA Times reported. We stand against the ideas that Jews should be singled out and attacked because of who they are. It mirrors what we have done too many times together, when we have stood up against Islamophobia or racism. Mayor Garcetti had earlier in the week tweeted that the violence was an organised antisemitic attack and pledged that the police would respond with the full force of the law. The incident took place amid prior to the ceasefire announced between Israel and Hamas, and following 11 days of violence that left at least 232 people in Gaza dead, and 12 people in Israel. A witness at the scene said the LA attack, which is being investigated as a hate crime, came after a convoy of cars waving Palestinian flags pulled up outside the Sushi Fumi restaurant and passengers began asking if any of the diners were Jewish. After two people responded that they were, they were reportedly attacked by the men. Footage of the attack has since been circulating online. The incident was also condemned by Islamic Center of Southern California, with a representative from the centre stating that the attack was unacceptable. I know how it feels to be alone, calling for peace and justice for your people, said Tarifi, who is Palestinian. Violence against Jewish bystanders on the streets of Los Angeles is not acceptable. It doesnt further the Palestinian cause or any causes. Lawmakers are urging for accelerated action from the State Department, Department of Defense, and White House in granting special immigration visas for Afghans who supported U.S. troops in Afghanistan. The request comes ahead of the planned U.S. withdrawal of troops in Afghanistan by September 11. The Special Immigration Visas for Afghans, SIV, is designated to provide a path for Afghans who aided American troops in Afghanistan to come to the United States. In a letter to the White House on Wednesday, Senator Jeanne Shaheen and 19 other senators asked for an increase in allotted SIVs, citing the increased Taliban threat to Afghan allies. "There are already reports of Taliban threats targeting those who helped the U.S. once troops are withdrawn," Shahen wrote in the letter. "These threats cannot be ignored. As Afghans face renewed security concerns due to their work with the U.S., we must ensure that the SIV program has the capacity to bring them to safety." In this Friday, April 30, 2021, photo former Afghan interpreters hold placards during a protest against the U.S. government and NATO in Kabul, Afghanistan. / Credit: Mariam Zuhaib / AP Currently, there are approximately 18,000 applicants in the pipeline, not including spouses and children. As the countdown for the U.S. withdrawal in September begins, there are fears of the imminent danger posed by Taliban for those left behind. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs General Mark Milley said this month that the United States with the State Department in the lead has a "moral imperative" to "take care of those that have worked closely with us if their lives are in danger." However, he cautioned against speculation of what the outcome will be once the U.S. leaves. "There are some obviously bad outcomes that have been discussed, but none of that is preordained, none of that is absolutely inevitable," Milley said, adding, "I think it's a bit early to really sound the alarm on getting everybody out just yet." The 14-step Special Immigrant Visa process takes on average 996 days to process according to a joint State and DHS 2021 quarterly report. Part of the visa process requires applicants to receive an HR letter from the Chief of Mission, a step that will be more perilous for applicants after the U.S. withdrawal. Story continues "To put it very bluntly none of us want to see one of those individuals that have worked with us have their head cut off on the internet. That's a real threat. That's not hyperbolic," said Representative Brian Mast, a veteran of the war in Afghanistan, at a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing on Tuesday. The White House says it is in the midst of an "intensive policy process to improve and surge resources, including adding capacity to process applications at Embassy Kabul, while continuing to ensure the integrity of the program and safeguard national security," a National Security Council spokesperson said in a statement to CBS News. U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation, Zalmay Khalilzad, said the State Department is "expediting processing" for SIVs during a hearing on Tuesday. But with average processing taking approximately 3 years and the U.S. leaving in less than four months, Afghans are concerned. "The system is incredibly opaque, the decision making process is unclear and feels haphazard at best," Dipali Mukhopadhyay, senior expert on the Afghanistan peace process for the U.S. Institute of Peace, told CBS News. "This idea of America abandoning Afghanistan, there is nothing inevitable about that. But it will be perceived that way if we mismanage this, it will be perceived that we have abandoned our friends, and people who took great risks for us," Mukhopadhyay said. "And frankly people who didn't ask us to intervene, but upon whom we intervened. That matters. That matters for America's reputation in the world and it matters for ongoing national security interests and equities in the region." SIVs apply to Afghans who had direct relations with helping the U.S. military in roles such as translators or contractors. However, there are individuals who affiliated themselves with the American cause, which many saw as their own, who are not eligible for SIVs. "They represent an obstacle to the Taliban, and so those people are also vulnerable. It's important to say most of them have absolutely no desire to leave home," Mukhopadhyay told CBS News. For this second group of individuals, Mukhopadhyay says the U.S. has to continue investing on the humanitarian front in Afghanistan, as well as the opportunity to apply for asylum. According to the nonprofit No One Left Behind, over 300 interpreters and their family members have been killed because of their association with the United States. The State Department says they are processing SIV applications "as quickly as we possibly can." The department says it "has identified process improvements and directed additional resources to the program, including by augmenting staff in Washington to process applications." They also approved a temporary increase in consular staffing at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul to conduct interviews and process visa applications according to a State Department spokesperson. For those not within the threshold of an SIV, David Helvey, acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs, said the Defense Department is looking into other tools "whether that's significant public benefit or humanitarian parole or other types of mechanisms." On SIVs, the Defense Department will look at "biometric data, which can also help to provide information and insight on who may qualify for that type." In response to his statements, Senator Jim Inhofe said "I don't get a lot of comfort out of those answers. I'm very much concerned about this." The results of SIV approvals, and the manner of the U.S. withdrawal, will impact how the U.S. is perceived by its international partners. "The Afghans I knew didn't see the Americans as occupiers, they saw them as partners, as enablers of their own wish to defeat the Taliban. I think they will have felt used. I think that creates dangerous opportunities for rivals of the United States, whether it's the Russians, the Chinese, or the Iranians. They can say 'the Americans let you down. We will be there to support you,'" said Mukhopadhyay. Hiker found alive after 5 days in California wilderness Feds seize 68 big cats from Tiger King animal park Pandemic leads to dire delays in medical care A leader of a multi-million dollar criminal enterprise was sentenced in federal court Friday after pleading guilty to directing the distribution of thousands of pounds of cocaine in the Kansas City area over the course of about four years, according to federal prosecutors. Jose Luis Armendariz-Rascon, 40, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison without the possibility of parole, the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Western District of Missouri announced Friday. He must also pay $56 million in proceeds from the drug-trafficking ring to the federal government as a condition of his punishment. The drug ring brought in an estimated 2,600 kilograms, or roughly 5,750 pounds, of cocaine, federal prosecutors said. Armendariz-Rascon, of Kansas City, Kansas, is among 13 people from the Kansas City area who were brought up on criminal charges related to the long-running drug ring. Investigators alleged Armendariz-Rascon was in charge of coordinating cocaine shipments from El Paso, Texas and sending money back as payment. One cash supply run of nearly $500,000 was seized by law enforcement in May 2017, federal prosecutors said, after a surveillance operation that began in the Northland in the 4700 block of North Mulberry Court. Twelve of the 13 accused have been sentenced in the conspiracy, according to federal prosecutors. One is Howard Walters, 43, of Lees Summit, who received a 25-year sentence last month for participating in the scheme as a money launderer. He was the owner of a Kansas City auto dealership when he was criminally charged. His wife, Nina Walters, was also sentenced for a role in the crime. The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, Lees Summit Police Department and the Internal Revenue Services criminal division. Eric McCandless via Getty Leah Remini is headed to New York University this fall! The PEOPLE Puzzler host, 50, revealed on Thursday that she was accepted into an associate's program in liberal arts at NYU, posting a copy of her admissions letter that she received Thursday. "I am so excited, in tears and wanted to share this with you guys," she began in an Instagram post. Describing herself as "a person who desperately wanted a higher education and options in my life," Remini said that her being accepted into the prestigious school "is a very big day for me." Remini continued, "This didn't come easy." Bryan Bedder/getty RELATED: Leah Remini Opens Up About Her Newest Role as PEOPLE Puzzler Host: 'I Love Connecting with People' Remini also addressed her own personal doubts that made her wait before applying to college. "It took a lot for me to take this step, for fear that I was not smart enough, not worthy enough, not able to do the work that will be required, my age.... I did it anyway with a lot of encouragement from a very special person in my life," she wrote. "I am ready to do the work and honestly, I'm scared sless! And I am excited to start on my journey. It's just never too late is it?" RELATED: N.J. High School Senior Who Grew Up in Nigeria Is Accepted to 7 Ivy League Schools The actress thanked NYU for believing in her as well as her friend John who is a part of the tutoring organization Innovative Education Solutions. "You are an amazing man and anyone needing someone to cheer them on, to walk them through this (sometimes) intimidating process, who are scared to take this first step, should choose you!" she said of her friend. "Thank you from the bottom of my heart." She added the hashtags: "Go After Your Dreams" and "Dream Big" RELATED VIDEO: Leah Remini Felt 'Inspired' by Jennifer Lopez's Inauguration Performance: 'On So Many Levels' Story continues Remini's former Dancing with the Stars castmate Maksim Chmerkovskiy commented, "I'm so proud of you my love!!!" The actress' friend and producer Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas also posted a heartfelt tribute. "In true Leah fashion she took it on, faced her fears, and applied to NYU for fall semester 2021. And guess what? SHE GOT IN!!!!! SHE GOT IN!!!!," Thomas wrote in part. Robert Alexander/Getty New York University Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. The Fosters producer added, "To all of the people out there who are wishing or waiting or dreaming of second chances, just remember every day you wake up you have a second chance to be whomever you want to be- the only thing stopping you is YOU!" Welcome to the Local Heroes series, where we highlight inspiring stories by people in Singapore who are using their skills to do good. With Singapore going into Phase 2 (Heightened Alert), which comes in effect from 16 May to 13 June, it is now prohibited to dine-in at food and beverage establishments, including hawker centres and food courts. This inevitably caused an increase in the demand for food delivery service, but brings along another dilemma for delivery riders. It has become challenging for food delivery riders, taxi, and private hire drivers to find a place to eat during their shifts as dining at eating places are not allowed. However, for Yishun delivery riders, Bao Logistics is offering their space for you to rest and consume your meals. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. In a post on their Facebook page on 19 May, the company shared that they have designated food delivery riders rest area with specific motorbike and e-bike lots. On top of an air-conditioned area for rest, Bao Logistics is also offering a space for prayers for Muslim riders with the right direction to face the qibla. The company also added five important notes for those who are coming over to use the rest area, including Trace Together scanning and temperature taking required before entering, while individuals with Exposure Alert are highly recommended not to enter, and head home for isolation in preventing any unforeseen incidents. They also requested for riders to keep masks on unless they are eating or drinking, and maintaining a 1-metre distance at all times. We provide toilet access, aircon utility, prayer area, charging points and free WiFi, Bao Logistics wrote in their post. Located at Northpoint Bizhub 2 Yishun Industrial Street 1 #07-09, the space is open every day from 12pm to 10pm. Similarly, Member of Parliament (MP) Tan Chuan-Jin shared on his Facebook that they have arranged for sports/function halls in our Kampong Kembangan Community Club and Kampong Ubi Community Club for our food delivery riders and SDAs to have a space to take meal breaks. Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle drivers are welcomed too! Story continues This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. On his Facebook post, MP Melvin Yong said that his team has set up a rest area at the sheltered multi-purpose hall next to Radin Mas CC specifically for the food delivery riders. He shared that it is so that our sisters and brothers performing this essential service can have a dedicated space to rest and have their meals. MP Baey Yam Kang also shared on his page that they had set up an area at Blk 475 void deck in Tampines N4 Neighbourhood Centre for the food delivery riders to dine in. MP Seah Kian Peng shared Braddell Heights Constituency post that they have opened up our Braddell Heights Community Clubs Multi-Purpose Hall for the same purpose. Local Heroes: Photographer in Singapore launches project to showcase local artists and creatives in their own unique light amidst pandemic Meet the woman behind Its Raining Raincoats, a charity making a difference for migrant workers May 20NEW LONDON An authentic, gritty, blue-collar, socially and culturally diverse city with affordable waterfront housing and numerous entertainment venues and an art scene. That's how New London is described in a new rebranding effort and marketing campaign that includes a new website and nationally televised marketing video to air next week to highlight the city's attributes. The campaign, managed by the New London firm Quinn & Hary Marketing, is part of a renewed effort to promote business growth, economic development, tourism and community pride in the city. Part of the initiative will focus on marketing New London as an affordable option for families relocating because of the COVID-19 pandemic, investors looking for opportunities and tourists seeking unique experiences. "We're excited to begin marketing the city as a lively, authentic, culturally diverse destination," Mayor Michael Passero said in a statement with the kickoff of the campaign. "I am thrilled at this opportunity to show everyone all that New London has to offer." RELATED MEDIA As a preview of the new initiative, the city will be featured in a New London-specific episode of "Behind the Scenes with Laurence Fishburne." The segment, shot in 2020, features Passero and New London resident Lonnie Braxton II. The video promises to raise awareness, on a national scale, of New London's unique culture, opportunities and community. The segment is scheduled to air on May 27 in major markets and CNN's Headline News. The three-minute version of the video is being distributed to Public Broadcasting Television affiliates across the country. The campaign is being conducted in coordination with video partners Astor Place and ReelE Media. Other partners include Socialike, a social media agency, and consultant Dante Piacenza. Piacenza, in an address to the City Council earlier this year, said more people are working remotely and New London stands out as a city with the amenities and affordability not attainable in a larger city. Story continues Quinn & Hary, which is contracted for public relations work for the city, has partnered with the state Office of Economic and Community Development "to raise the profile of New London as a regional hub of experience and economic opportunity." Felix Reyes, director of the city's Office of Development and Planning, said the initiative "taps into all of the creative energy that is a big part of what makes New London stand out from other small to mid-sized cities in New England." The campaign, he said, helps to better define New London and show off its many attractions, which in turn will help visitors understand what it has to offer. The initiative is funded with $100,000 from the city and $100,000 in matching grants. A matching $25,000 grant for tourism was awarded to the city from the Eastern Regional Tourism District. The city received a matching $75,000 from Thames River Innovation Place, an alliance of public, private and nonprofit sectors in Groton and New London. A new website, visitNewLondon.org, features highlights of restaurants, local businesses, events and attractions like Ocean Beach Park. DevelopNewLondon.com also has been rebranded, with more examples of investment opportunities and a higher-profile social media presence. g.smith@theday.com May 20AUGUSTA, Maine Democratic leaders in the Maine Legislature voted to require masks when lawmakers return to the State House in June even after Gov. Janet Mills' mandate expires, sparking anger from Republicans and hinting at further resistance. The Legislative Council, the 10-member panel of leading lawmakers that set the policies governing the capitol building, easily reached agreement to begin holding chamber meetings in the State House after using the Augusta Civic Center to do so since December and allow the public in the building for the first time as of Monday since it closed for most in March 2020. But a fissure immediately developed along party lines about the issue of masking in the State House for lawmakers' remaining meetings. It was driven by the Democratic governor's decision to rescind an indoor mask mandate for fully vaccinated people and end indoor distancing requirements starting Monday in keeping with new federal recommendations. After a long and fraught debate, Democrats approved the policy changes on a 6-2 vote with Assistant Minority Leader Joel Stetkis, R-Canaan, abstaining, and another Republican having left the meeting after indicating opposition. People will be able remove masks in outdoor spaces and lawmakers abolished a strict guest policy that allowed lawmakers to set up appointments with constituents. Contact tracing will be conducted for non-credentialed members of the public. Republicans argued it defied federal public health science recommendations on masks. It could lead to further division in the State House after the minority party was frustrated by Democrats bypassing the need for a two-thirds vote on an initial two-year budget in March "My question to you, Mr. Speaker, is what are you going to do when members of my caucus and possibly myself enter that building and we're not wearing a mask?" House Minority Leader Kathleen Dillingham, R-Oxford, told House Speaker Ryan Fecteau, D-Biddeford. "Is there going to be a two-thirds vote to expel me?" Story continues Democrats argued the measure would protect those who are unable to be vaccinated and indicated concern about how many people could be coming in and out of the building. Fecteau noted the U.S. CDC recommends wearing a mask if a person is not vaccinated and recommends them in crowds. Not requiring them could put the Legislature in the position of surveying if members are vaccinated, something he "wasn't particularly interested in." "I would be very regretful if a decision I made here at Legislative Council led to someone getting very ill, and I could have made a decision otherwise," Fecteau said. Committee work is likely to continue into next week as lawmakers finish voting on bills. The Legislature is scheduled to meet nearly daily from June 3 to June 16 as it tackles three key spending proposals from Mills: a new $8.8 billion two-year budget, a borrowing plan and another on how to allocate $1.1 billion in federal aid. The State House has been largely closed to members of the public since last year when the pandemic caused the body to vote to adjourn early. Only lawmakers, staff and third party groups like the media, deliveries and contractors have been allowed in. Initial spotty compliance with face covering mandates caused concern among nonpartisan staffers. The Legislative Council firmed up masking requirements early this year after one staffer quit. McDonalds has been hit with a $10 billion racial discrimination lawsuit from media companies owned by Byron Allen. The lawsuit alleges the Chicago-based burger chain pays higher prices to advertise with general market media companies than it does Black-owned companies, which submit pitches through a separate tier for content targeting African American audiences. The suit was filed Thursday in Los Angeles Superior Court by Entertainment Studios Networks, which owns a series of lifestyle television networks, and Weather Group, which runs The Weather Channel. Allen, a comedian, actor and media mogul, started Entertainment Studios in 1993 and purchased the Weather Group in 2018 for $300 million, according to the complaint. In addition to calling out McDonalds two-tier advertising structure, the suit alleges the company has falsely labeled Entertainment Studios as an African American media company even though its content is directed to a general audience with networks like Pets.TV and Comedy.TV. McDonalds assumes that because Allen is African American, his content must target that audience, the complaint alleges. That is a false assumption and is blatant racism. The company has refused to advertise on ESN Lifestyle Networks, which reach more than 180 million subscribers across the U.S., or The Weather Channel despite taking out ads with similar white-owned networks such as Animal Planet, Food Network or Travel Channel, the complaint alleges. Being excluded from McDonalds general market budget has caused Allens companies to lose out on critical advertising dollars, the suit alleges. In 2019, McDonalds spent $1.6 billion on television advertising in the U.S., with $5 million, or less than 1%, going toward Black-owned media, according to the lawsuit. This is about economic inclusion of African American-owned businesses in the U.S. economy, Allen, CEO of Allen Media Group, said in a statement Thursday announcing the lawsuit. McDonalds takes billions from African American consumers and gives almost nothing back. Story continues The same day the lawsuit was filed, McDonalds announced an initiative pledging to increase its advertising spending over the next four years with companies owned by people from diverse backgrounds, a group that includes Blacks, Hispanics, Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders, women and LGTBQ individuals. The company pointed to that initiative when asked to comment on the lawsuit Friday, saying it has doubled down on those relationships. This includes increasing our spend with diverse-owned media from 4% to 10% and with Black-owned media from 2% to 5% of total national advertising over the next four years, the company said in a statement. We will review the complaint and respond accordingly. The suit alleges McDonalds has violated federal and California state law prohibiting racial discrimination in contracting and seeks actual and triple damages, along with attorneys fees and costs, with the total estimated at more than $10 billion. jallison@chicagotribune.com Amazon Skincare Buys Shoppers Say Are 'Miraculous' for Anti-Aging Getty Images There arent enough miracles in this world. There are those brief flashes of beauty that restore your faith in goodness, like the rain clearing up just before an outdoor wedding, a street cat deciding youre worth trusting, or running up to a bus right before it pulls away and leaves you stranded for 28 minutes. In the beauty realm, dubbing a skincare product a miracle-maker is the highest compliment which is why weve compiled all the Amazon purchases that shoppers say give religion a run for its money. The resulting mix is a hit list that can tackle any skincare issue of the day, whether its hands so dry they look like they touched the sun, or a smattering of dark marks that wont move for love or money. Anti-aging treatments also represent in the form of serums and moisturizers so effective, they might as well be time in a bottle. Everything comes with the assurance that multiple people were so impressed, they felt drawn not only to leave a glowing review, but to compare it to a godly touch of unearthly wonder so yes, wed say its worth your money. Intrigued? Take a scroll and hear it from the shoppers themselves. Their finds might not guarantee youll win the lottery (thats a miracle of a different color), but theyll definitely give you happy skin. La Roche-Posay Double Repair Face Moisturizer Amazon skincare Courtesy If youre not familiar with the lore of French pharmacies, allow me to explain: Picture your corner deli, but brimming with over-the-counter skincare that youd need a prescription for in the U.S. and stewarded by wise chemists. The French system might be 99 percent unattainable without overhauling our healthcare system, but brands like Avene and La Roche-Posay are the 1 percent we can get our hands on. Story continues Let me tell you, this product will straight-up reverse age you, an Amazon shopper writes of LRPs Toleriane Double Repair Face Moisturizer. My face is so smooth, my fine lines are less noticeable, my acne has improved. My face is no longer dry and has a nice glow to it. I am in love with this product. Look no more for your miracle moisturizer! Even a shopper going through chemotherapy says that after trying it at the behest of a nurse, they felt instant relief and saw their face turn soft, smooth, and a spitting image of its former self. Shop now: $20; amazon.com Ancient Greek Remedy Oil Amazon skincare Courtesy Next up is a virtual detour into Greece, this time for an Ancient Greek Remedy face oil that over 17,000 Amazon shoppers have rated five stars. The reason? Its made from a blend of olive, almond, grapeseed, lavender, and vitamin E oil, a five-ingredient mix that delivers wild results for your skin and hair. I have sensitive skin and psoriasis, [and] this is truly a miracle, a shopper writes of the solution thats seen them ditch all other body products. They use it after showers, on their elbows, knees, heels, and hands, as deodorant, on dry patches and flaky skin, and on stretch marks, and say that their skin has never been better. Another person asserts that its a liquid miracle for their hair, giving their strands a natural shine without any hint of grease. Shop now: $15; amazon.com Bloommy Collagen & Retinol Cream Amazon skincare Courtesy Given the hundreds of thousands of skincare options on Amazon, when a product ranks as the sites best-selling neck and chest moisturizer, thats a high compliment indeed. So while you may not have seen Bloomys push-top jar of retinol cream in drugstores, take it from the 10,000+ shoppers who rated the product five stars: The formula is gangbusters for tightening skin and leaving it smoother in just five minutes. Dozens of shoppers dub the cream a miracle. You simply have to try this miracle in a jar. Try it and watch the years melt away right before your eyes, one person writes. Another shopper, 49, says that the miracle product has left them looking like theyre in their mid-thirties again, their skin feeling 15 years younger after a few weeks of daily use. Shop now: $20 (Originally $22); amazon.com Cosmedica Skincare Pure Hyaluronic Acid Serum Amazon skincare Courtesy Not to be outdone, Cosmedicas hyaluronic acid serum takes the cake with dozens of reviews speaking to its miracle status. An 81-year-old with deep wrinkles around their mouth and fine ones on their cheeks says that using the serum so effectively tightens their skin that it takes 10 years off their age. Those in their 50s say that the serums helped plump up their skin so much that theyve seen no need for fillers, and people with acne, eczema, and milia see likewise fabulous results. It's a miracle. I just love it, another person writes. I cant believe what I see in the morning. It plumps my cheeks immediately, made my smile lines disappear, [and] brightens my face. Thank you, inventor. Within two weeks, a different shopper adds that they watched their eyebrow area wrinkles disappear, and didnt see a single breakout in the time span. Dream skin. Miracle in a bottle, my babes. Shop now: $13 (Originally $15); amazon.com Vanicream Gentle Facial Cleanser Amazon skincare Courtesy Finding a good cleanser can be the difference between skin thats dehydrated and irritated and a face that feels like smiles, and Vanicreams Gentle Facial Cleanser lands your skin firmly in the second category. Ceraves formulas might have TikTok under their thumb, but the Vanicream is more eco-friendly without any added parabens and is just as dermatologist-recommended. If we didnt know any better, wed think the formulas taken a do no harm oath its just that gentle, yet easily removes makeup, sunscreen, and grime without stripping your skin or aggravating contact dermatitis. End result: Clear skin, shrunken pores, and reviews extolling praise for the miracle in a bottle cleanser. Shop now: $9 (Originally $10); amazon.com InstaNatural Vitamin C Serum Amazon skincare Courtesy Without fail, the most spectacular skin transformations (outside of the doctors office) are thanks to vitamin C. The era before vitamin C infiltrated medicine cabinets across the nation might as well have been filmed in black and white, because after Skinceuticals dropped its groundbreaking CE Ferulic serum in 2005, nothing was ever the same. The brands $166 serum encapsulates 40 years of groundbreaking research, and its fully worth the price tag but if you cant afford both it and rent, InstaNaturals Vitamin C Serum with hyaluronic acid and vitamin E delivers phenomenal brightening and anti-aging results. Once I started using this, my skin absolutely started to glow and my tone looked so even and peachy, an Amazon shopper writes of the under-$20 formula. Plus, I have stopped having any sort of acne whatsoever. The smell is also heavenly like fresh oranges. I feel like it took five years off of my face, and even [my] skin seems a little tighter and firmer. It's nothing short of a miracle. Shop now: $18; amazon.com Baebody Eye Gel Amazon skincare Courtesy Amazons best-selling eye treatment gel features peptides aplenty, which are specifically-engineered proteins that communicate with your cells to up their collagen production (thus paving the way for under eyes that bounce like an inflatable castle). And its not just marketing copy: According to over 100 shoppers who name-dropped the miracle compliment, the puff- and line-reducing gel isnt messing around. At age 52, Ive been on a two-year search for something to repair the damage I likely did in the sun when I was younger, one shopper writes of the eye bags that they felt made them look perpetually ill. After 30 days of this eye gel, I'm completely in love! It actually works, and some days I look in the mirror at 10x magnification and am pleasantly surprised. It's like a miracle. Another reviewer says that using it before bed makes their dark circles wholly disappear, and the treatment is so potent, one more person says theyve taken to using it across their entire face. This has changed my skin! I used this on my eyes and saw dramatic results, they write. The crepiness under my eyes is completely gone. It's taken 10 years off my appearance! As a 45-year-old woman dealing with vanity issues, fine lines, and wrinkles, this is my new best friend. Shop now: $25; amazon.com Nivea Skin Firming and Toning Body Gel-Cream Amazon skincare Courtesy The minutes after you coat your body in lotion and are waiting for it to dry are a special kind of annoying, since youre incapacitated yet more often than not, cold and damp. Not fun! If that sounds familiar, Niveas gel cream is the next-generation formula you have to try. Its loaded with all the long-lasting moisture youd expect from the brand, yet comes with a light-as-air consistency that sinks in within a few blinks to deliver miraculous tightening. The combinations won the formula over 9,000 five-star ratings on Amazon, where shoppers delight in how soft, firm, and smooth their skin looks after a few days of use. Those with an innovative streak even use it on their face and under eyes, to remarkable effect: The tightening is so pronounced that one persons coworker asked if theyd had work done, jowls-in-the-making disappear, and jawlines tighten up like they went to military school. Shop now: $9 (Originally $13); amazon.com Remedy Soap Tea Tree Oil Body Wash Amazon skincare Courtesy Tea tree, mint, and aloe who knew the trio of plants could create such a stir? Yet 13,000+ Amazon shoppers wouldnt lie, and thats how many have deemed Truremedys $15 bottle of body wash deserving of a full five stars. Its abilities are awe-inspiring: According to reviewers, it dispels itchiness, rashes, eczema, and acne, whether pimples or cystic. Discolored skin clears up, pores shrink, dandruff leaves town, and even scars fade. Take it from a love-struck shopper: My intention for this soap was to have an antifungal foot wash, but instead I've discovered a self esteem booster. It has me feeling so much more confident. Their face doesnt look like a war zone anymore, deodorant in frequently chafing spots is no longer necessary, their pain from varicose leg veins is solved, and the soap banishes sore muscles and feet. I have never in my life believed in a product so much and so fast, they continue. It has brought me to tears when looking in the mirror and starting to recognize myself again. My elbows look unbelievable. My pedicures last longer. Where has this been all my life? Thank you, Remedy soap, for remedying my soul. Shop now: $15; amazon.com O'Keeffe's Working Hands Hand Cream Amazon skincare Courtesy If you can believe it, this $8 tub of hand cream bests even the Baebody for miracle praise. Of the recipes 21,000+ five-star ratings and 8,500+ glowing reviews, a square 300 people call the cure a miracle. Shoppers starting from hands bleeding from cracks write that a week of use leaves their skin crackless, younger-looking, calm, earning it an A++++ in their book. Even people with seemingly permanent peeling skin around their fingernails and cuticles say its banished the problem, while shoppers with severe eczema explain that it gives them hands that look like the 25-year-old they are, rather than a 100-year-old myth. I have had this awful section on my thumb that cracks and develops this skin that looks like a callus, a miniature Grand Canyon that I get to carry on my thumb, a shopper describes of their painfully cracking skin. I have tried everything, except this. Wow, wow, wow, wow!!!! I wish I took pictures. For the first time in almost nine months, my thumb is almost back to normal. I was to the point that I was just guessing it was some crap I had to deal with as I got older. Thankfully I was not disappointed. Shop now: $8; amazon.com Latisha Monica Adams, 33, was in the passenger seat as her boyfriend drove the car and Ronald William Smith, a 48-year-old man from Laurel, rode in the back seat with a handgun, Anne Arundel County police said. As Smith manipulated the handgun, it fired one round through the seat and into Adams, he told police. BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany has committed a further 100 million euros to the COVAX global vaccine initiative and will directly donate up to 30 million surplus vaccine doses to poorer countries, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Friday. Merkel urged other EU countries to follow Germany's example in giving any left-over vaccines to countries that lack their own supplies. She was speaking at a news conference after a G20 summit on COVAX, which aims to ensure less developed countries can also vaccinate their populations. "We want to strengthen the role of the World Health Organisation," she said, adding that there would also be a leaders' meeting on this issue in coming days. (Reporting by Thomas Escritt; Editing by Paul Carrel) Microsoft said it is retiring Internet Explorer, the browser it created more than 25 years and which is now largely abandoned as people instead use competitors like Google's Chrome or Apple's Safari. "We are announcing that the future of Internet Explorer on Windows 10 is in Microsoft Edge," the company said in a blog post Wednesday, referring to its other browser. "Not only is Microsoft Edge a faster, more secure and more modern browsing experience than Internet Explorer, but it is also able to address a key concern: compatibility for older, legacy websites and applications," Microsoft said. People ribbed Internet Explorer in tweets on Thursday. "RIP Internet Explorer, I never used it, but after it dies we can't make fun of it anymore," wrote someone with the handle Arcader UwU. "I still fondly remember how I used it to download Chrome on every new Windows system," said Hrishikesh Pardeshi. "This browser might seem old and outdated nowadays, but back in the day, everyone needed it. RIP Internet Explorer 1995-2022," said someone called TheCool_ColdMan. Microsoft said that as of June 15, 2022 Internet Explorer will be retired and no longer be supported by the company. But Internet Explorer-based websites and applications will work with Edge at least until 2029, Microsoft said, because many organizations have websites based on the now-doomed browser. Chrome, Google's browser, controls 65 percent of the market, said Statscounter. Safari, created by Apple and available on Apple computers and devices, is second with nearly a 19 percent market share as of April of this year. Firefox and Edge are in third and fourth place with 3.59 percent and 3.39 percent respectively. juj/led/dw Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison's office is set to lead the prosecution of Kim Potter, the former police officer charged with fatally shooting Daunte Wright. Ellison announced Friday his office is taking on the case at the request of Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman, with the Minnesota attorney general saying he is not doing so "lightly," Axios reports. This comes after Washington County Attorney Pete Orput returned the case to Freeman's office, according to The Associated Press. "Daunte Wright's death was a tragedy," Ellison said. "He should not have died on the day that he did. He should not have died the way that he did." Potter was charged with second-degree manslaughter after fatally shooting Wright, a 20-year-old Black man, during a traffic stop in April. The Brooklyn Center Police Department said Potter apparently intended to use her Taser but fired her gun instead, and video showed Potter saying, "Holy s---. I just shot him." Wright's shooting sparked protests amid the murder trial of Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer who was ultimately convicted of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter in the killing of George Floyd. Ellison's office led the prosecution of Chauvin, which Axios notes resulted in a "rare conviction of a police officer." "I promise the Wright family and all Minnesotans that I will handle this prosecution responsibly and consistent with the law, and that I will be guided by the values of accountability and transparency," Ellison said Friday. "No one, however, should expect this case will be easy to prosecute. History shows that this case, like all cases of officer-involved deaths by deadly force, will be difficult." More stories from theweek.com 5 riotously funny cartoons about GOP resistance to the January 6 Commission Biden and Russia's Putin are reportedly aiming to hold 1st summit in Geneva in June A bold, fresh sauce to put on everything More hospitals and health systems nationwide are requiring their health care workforce to get the COVID-19 vaccine. Driving the news: RWJBarnabas Health in New Jersey announced a mandate on Thursday, saying supervisors and those of higher rank must get the vaccine by June 30. They will eventually require the system's 35,000 employees to do the same. Stay on top of the latest market trends and economic insights with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free Philadelphia's six-hospital University of Pennsylvania Health System also extended requirements Thursday to its 44,000 employees and clinical staff. In April, Houston Methodist, was one of the first hospital systems to announce a mandate, said it would require its 26,000 employees to receive a COVID-19 vaccine by June 7, MedPage reports. Why it matters: Whether hospitals will require a COVID-19 vaccine in the workplace is a polarizing issue among health care workers, according to a Washington Post/Kaiser Family Foundation poll. Nearly 6 in 10 said they would support their boss requiring vaccination for all employees who work with patients. Most who work in hospitals (66%) and outpatient clinics (64%) say they have received a vaccine. The state of play: Even in health care settings, vaccine mandates raise questions of ethics and workers' rights. Health care facilities have long required workers to get other vaccines, including flu shots. In December, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission said mandating coronavirus vaccines would not violate federal disability law or civil rights statutes on discrimination as long as there are options to apply for a religious or medical exemption. Still, other health systems have decided not to mandate the vaccine until a shot is approved by the FDA. "What were hearing from many hospitals is that they will likely make determination of requirement of the COVID-19 vaccine for their own employees at the time the vaccines receive full approval from the FDA, which has not happened yet, but will likely happen soon," Nancy Foster, the American Hospital Association's vice president of quality and patient safety policy, tells Axios. Story continues What to watch: Those who do require shots risk having to dismiss those who won't comply when health care staffing for many systems is tight. Nearly two in three health care workers who don't plan on getting vaccinated or haven't decided said they would rather quit than get a shot, per The Post/KFF poll. What they're saying: As an institution grounded in the science and art of healthcare, we believe it is imperative for Penn Medicine to take the lead in requiring employee vaccinations to protect our patients and staff and to set an example to the broader community as we work together to end the COVID-19 pandemic, University of Pennsylvania Hospital System CEO Kevin Mahoney said Wednesday in a statement. Like this article? Get more from Axios and subscribe to Axios Markets for free. The widow of former Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe has been ordered by a traditional court to give away five cows and two goats for improperly burying her husband, the family said late Thursday night. The court, which cannot compel the accused but whose decisions have a strong symbolic impact, met on Thursday morning in the absence of Grace Mugabe, according to a source close to the family. The former first lady is accused of burying her husband, who died in 2019 at the age of 95, in the courtyard of his home in Kutama, some 90 kilometres (56 miles) west of the capital Harare. The customary court met in nearby Murombedzi with only about 15 people present and journalists excluded because the traditional leader's entourage said he wanted "some privacy". Chief Zvimba, born Stanley Mhondoro, said Mugabe was supposed to be buried in a place chosen by his mother or immediate family. He called for the body to be exhumed and reburied according to custom. The current president, Emmerson Mnangagwa, would like for Mugabe to be interred in the National Heroes Acre burial ground and national monument near Harare. But the former leader's nephew told news outlet SABC last week that the idea was out of the question for the family because Mugabe had made it clear during his lifetime that he did not want to be buried there. Until his last breath, Robert Mugabe, who ruled Zimbabwe with an iron fist for 37 years, harboured a strong grudge against his former vice president Mnangagwa, who was placed in charge of the country after Mugabe was forced to resign in November 2017. "He was not buried at Grace's home but at her estate and we accepted that as a family," Mugabe's cousin Dominic Matibiri told AFP. str-ger/nrh Political prisoners in a notorious Myanmar jail told a Japanese journalist briefly detained with them that they were tortured with beatings and sleep deprivation, he said Friday. Yuki Kitazumi was detained by authorities in Myanmar last month and was held in Yangon's Insein prison until being freed last week. Speaking to reporters in Tokyo, he said he had met political prisoners transferred to Insein after detention in military prisons. "I was asked to convey messages from them, because they said even if they were released, they wouldn't be able to talk freely," Kitazumi said. "The kinds of torture I often heard about included being blindfolded with your hands handcuffed behind you, then forced to kneel on a concrete floor," he said. "I also heard (interrogators) tortured prisoners while drinking alcohol, and there was one case where a prisoner was asked to choose a knife or a gun," he said. "If you chose a gun, the interrogation continued with a gun pointed at your head." He said prisoners told him they were "beaten with a stick" if they denied the accusations against them, and were sometimes deprived of sleep. "The suspect couldn't sleep at night while interrogators were rotated during long hours of interrogation," he said. "You weren't allowed to use a bathroom and if you wet yourself that would become a reason to be beaten," he added. The journalist said he had not been tortured himself while kept in a four-metre by two-metre (12-foot by six-foot) cell dating from the colonial period. Kitazumi was initially arrested in February but was quickly released. He was then detained again in April along with dozens of other reporters held during the junta's crackdown on anti-coup dissent. He was charged over allegations of spreading "fake news" but the charges were dropped when he was released. Myanmar state broadcaster MRTV said the decision to free him was "in order to reconcile with Japan and improve our relationship." Story continues The decision coincided with an announcement from Japan that it would offer Myanmar $4 million in emergency food aid via the World Food Programme. Japan has suspended all new aid to Myanmar and its foreign minister has raised the possibility of halting even ongoing projects. Kitazumi urged Tokyo to use its longstanding ties with the military in Myanmar to help political prisoners. "More than 4,000 political criminals are said to be detained," he said. "I hope the power of the Japanese government that got me released will be used for people in Myanmar." kh-sah/mtp Civil rights leaders gathered in Elizabeth City Friday to call on the federal government to expedite their investigation of the April 21 killing of Andrew Brown Jr. by Pasquotank County Sheriffs Office deputies and to launch a broader probe into the law enforcement agencys conduct. We are not satisfied in Pasquotank County, said Keith Rivers, president of the Pasquotank County NAACP. We are not satisfied with Sheriff (Tommy) Wootens lack of structural integrity, decision making, inability to enforce his own policies. We will not be satisfied until he resigns. We are not satisfied with District Attorney (Andrew) Womble and his inability to do his duties without prejudice and concern for the Brown family. Deputies killed Brown as they attempted to serve arrest and search warrants at his Perry Street home. Brown attempted to flee in his car, and deputies opened fire, hitting him several times in the arms and killing him with a shot to the back of the head. Womble, the district attorney for the region that includes Pasquotank County, announced this week that the deputies who fired at Brown would not face criminal charges in the incident. Civil rights leaders called Friday for the U.S. Department of Justice to launch pattern-or-practice investigations into potential discrimination or civil rights violations by both the Pasquotank Sheriffs Office and the Womble-led District Attorneys Office in the First Judicial District, which spans seven counties in Northeastern North Carolina. During a press conference, Womble characterized the shooting as tragic but justified, The News & Observer reported. Womble said the deputies believed they needed to use force to protect themselves and others from Brown. At Fridays press conference, Rev. William Barber responded. I dont know normally cuss, he said, but what the hell kind of fools do you think we are? The Rev. T. Anthony Spearman, president of the NC NAACP, said he has been haunted by Wombles portrayal of Browns death, as well as by Pasquotank County Sheriff Tommy Wootens decision to keep the deputies on the force. Story continues For far too long, and on far too many occasions, we have stood by and watched the obstruction of justice unfold before our very eyes, Spearman said, while the justice that was sought for the dead gets buried in the graves of those that have been killed by law enforcement. ...How long will it take before those who are called to uphold justice finally uphold justice? The Federal Bureau of Investigation has launched a federal civil rights probe into Browns killing. Shelley Lynch, an FBI spokeswoman, previously told The News & Observer that agents will work with the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina and the U.S. Justice Departments Civil Rights Division to determine whether deputies violated Browns rights. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Civil rights leaders also want the Justice Department to open a pattern-or-practice investigation, which would include an investigation into patterns of misconduct or discriminatory policing by the sheriffs office while also trying to determine why those practices are taking place. The investigations, which include input from community members and law enforcement, end with a public report. In North Carolina, the Department of Justice opened a pattern-or-practice investigation into the Alamance County Sheriffs Office in June 2010, concluding that deputies participated in unlawful discrimination by stopping and searching Hispanic drivers without cause, violating the drivers Fourth Amendment rights. A federal judge ultimately dismissed the governments claims, but Sheriff Terry Johnson entered into a settlement. That agreement required the department to collect data about who deputies stop and search, and required deputies to receive anti-bias training, The News & Observer has reported. Dorothy Langston of Elizabeth City, N.C. carries her Black Lives Matter flag during a press conference at the Pasquotank Public Safety Building where Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II called for the United States Justice Department to do a full investigation of the Pasquotank County Sheriffs office, and the district attorney in the handling of the death of Andrew Brown Jr. on Friday, May 21, 2021 in Elizabeth City, N.C. Protests have taken place in Elizabeth City every night since deputies shot Brown one month ago, generally starting at the Pasquotank County Public Safety building. Protesters have chanted Browns name and called for the release of the entire, unedited body-camera footage of the incident. Womble allowed Browns family to view about 20 minutes of footage and played a portion of that at his press conference, but none of the recordings have been made available to the public or the media. The Elizabeth City protests have remained peaceful. Wednesday evening, however, law enforcement declared the protest an unlawful assembly after a man jumped on a police car, according to the Staunton News Leader. That led police to make multiple arrests, including of activists who were working to bail people out of custody and of journalists from the USA Today Network. News & Observer Washington bureau reporter Brian Murphy contributed to this story. California Gov. Gavin Newsoms anti-recall campaign received a $3 million donation from Netflix co-CEO Reed Hastings, a Thursday filing to the California secretary of state said, according to reports. It was the Stop The Republican Recall committees largest donation to date, according to Politico. Newsom, who is expected to face a recall vote in the fall due to an effort started by Republicans and others who criticized his coronavirus restrictions, has an advantage over his challengers in that state law allows him to raise unlimited amounts of money. Conversely, his challengers are limited to $32,400 in their direct accounts because of campaign laws. State law views Newsoms defense of the recall effort as a ballot issue, not a run for office, according to Politico. A February filing showed Hastings also donated $32,400 and $29,600 to Newsoms campaign. His wife donated identical amounts. NETFLIX CEO MAKES HUGE DONATION TO GAVIN NEWSOM CAMPAIGN AS RECALL BATTLE INTENSIFIES In 2018, Hastings reportedly donated $7 million to a charter school-related political action committee that backed Antonio Villaraigosa, one of Newsoms primary opponents, before Newsom advanced to the general election, Deadline reported. Hastings is a longtime Democratic donor. Newsom has received other big-name donations from celebrities like filmmaker J.J. Abrams; San Francisco 49ers CEO Jed York and billionaire couple Stewart and Lynda Resnick, according to Politico. Republican challengers to Newsom include John Cox, who lost to Newsom in 2018; former U.S. Rep. Doug Ose; former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer and reality TV star and former Olympian Caitlyn Jenner. State election officials announced last month the recall effort had garnered more than the 1.5 million valid signatures needed make the ballot. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP If the Newsom recall formally qualifies for the ballot, as expected, voters would be asked two questions first, whether the governor should be removed from office. If more than 50% support removing Newsom, the second question would be a list of candidates running to replace the governor. MANAGUA, Nicaragua (AP) Nicaraguan journalist Cristiana Chamorro, daughter of a former president and a potential challenger to President Daniel Ortega, met with authorities Friday regarding allegations of money laundering. The previous day, national police raided the offices of the Violeta Barrios de Chamorro Foundation for Reconciliation and Democracy, the nongovernmental organization named after her mother and led by Chamorro until recently, as well as the offices of the independent news outlet run by her brother Carlos Fernando Chamorro. Cristiana Chamorro met with officials at the Interior Ministry Thursday and on Friday entered the public prosecutors offices. Her lawyer was not allowed to accompany her. I come with my head held high to defend Nicaraguans, because this is not an accusation against Cristiana Chamorro; it is an accusation against all Nicaraguans who want democracy and want a change in the system in the next elections, she said, surrounded by journalists. Several political opposition leaders said Friday police kept them from leaving their homes to go support Chamorro. The Nicaraguan government announced Thursday that Chamorro was under investigation for alleged financial irregularities and money laundering related to the foundation. After her nearly three-hour meeting Friday, Chamorro said authorities had explained they were investigating, but gave no indication of how long that could last. Candidates have to register for the elections by Aug. 2. This is another act by the dictatorship against the people of Nicaragua, freedom of expression, human rights and public liberties, she said. Chamorro denied the government's allegations and called for the political opposition to united behind a single candidacy. Ortega is scared to death because united we are going to defeat the dictatorship in these elections, she said sounding more like a potential candidate. Cristiana Chamorro has not ruled out the possibility of running for president in the Nov. 7 elections. In January, she stepped down from her role at the foundation. A month later, it closed its operations in Nicaragua after passage of a foreign agents law that aimed to track foreign funding of organizations operating in the country. Story continues She said the new accusations are Ortegas attempt to keep her out of the race, in which he is seeking his fourth consecutive presidential term. U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price said via Twitter Friday: Actions against (Cristiana Chamorro) and the Violeta Barrios Foundation as well as the arrests of journalists are another alarming step away from democracy in Nicaragua. Free and fair elections are undermined when independent media are under siege and opposition leaders cant run. Nicaraguas Supreme Electoral Council and congress have been narrowing the space for maneuver for the countrys opposition. On Tuesday, the council cancelled the legal status of the Democratic Restoration Party, which was expected to potentially be a vehicle for an opposition coalition bid against Ortega. Violeta Barrios de Chamorro beat Ortega to win the presidency in 1990 and served until 1997. Her husband Pedro Joaquin Chamorro ran La Prensa, his family newspaper, and was jailed and forced into exile multiple times before his assassination in 1978. Cristiana Chamorro is the vice president of La Prensa. The killing of Chamorro, a noted critic of dictator Anastasio Somoza, galvanized opposition and propelled the Sandinista revolution led by Ortega that ended the dictatorship. Shanghai (Gasgoo)- HOZON Auto, the Chinese EV startup owning EV brand Nezha, recently set up a subsidiary engaging in production of new energy vehicles and auto parts. According to the business information provider Tianyancha, the new company, named Nezha New Energy Vehicle Manufacturing Co.,Ltd., was founded on May 18. It involves a registered capital of 1 billion yuan ($155.258 million) and is wholly controlled by HOZON Auto. Nezha V; photo credit: HOZON Auto The new subsidiary has licensed business items including the production of on-road motor vehicles, the import & export of technologies and goods. Its general business items cover the R&D and manufacturing of auto parts, the industrial engineering service, and the software development. The startup said on April 26 it had initiated its Series D financing, which was intended to raise roughly 3 billion yuan ($465.773 million) and was strategically led by Qihoo 360, the largest provider of Internet and mobile security products in China. Upon completion of the funding, 360 would become the second largest shareholder of HOZON Auto, said Zhou Hongyi, Chairman and CEO of Qihoo 360. Aside from the investment, 360 will also support HOZON Auto in technologies, according to Zhou Hongyi. For instance, it will continue invest in or acquire some business units dedicated to autonomous driving and smart cockpit, and combine them with HOZON Autos R&D forces to help the latter improve its intelligence and connectivity technologies. HOZON Auto said last week its cumulative vehicle outputs reach 40,000 units on May 10 at the car manufacturing plant in Tongxiang, Zhejiang province. The startup saw its first production vehicle roll off the assembly line at the Tongxiang plant in July 2018. The automaker is intensifying efforts to construct the car plant in Yichun, Jiangxi province, which is set to start production at the end of this year. By that moment, HOZON Auto will feature a total capacity of 150,000 vehicles per year. On Monday, the mayor and Sens. Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen, along with Rep. Kweisi Mfume and other Democrats pitched their vision of at least two paths toward addressing this long-standing abomination. The first would steer a portion of President Joe Bidens proposed infrastructure spending, the $2 trillion American Jobs Plan, toward ameliorating the highways worst effects. And the second would turn to the federal Reconnecting Communities Act, which would similarly finance efforts targeted to address transportation projects that did more harm than good of which the Highway to Nowhere is clearly one. As it happens, both of Marylands senators, as well as Rep. Anthony Brown of Prince Georges County and Representative Mfume, are prominent co-sponsors of the measure, which would promote more inclusive, equitable infrastructure nationwide. By Ismael Lopez MANAGUA (Reuters) - Nicaragua announced on Thursday a money laundering investigation against presidential hopeful Cristiana Chamorro, who seeks to challenge longtime President Daniel Ortega in the national elections in November. The Interior Ministry said in a statement that "clear evidence of money laundering was obtained" from a review of the 2015-2019 financial statements of a foundation Chamorro headed until February. Government opponents blasted the probe as "persecution" by Ortega, who will seek a fourth term in November. Chamorro is the daughter of former President Violeta Barrios de Chamorro, whose election in 1990 ended Ortega's first 11-year run as president. She is the vice president of Nicaragua's largest newspaper, La Prensa, and her bid is supported by a network of businessmen aiming to end Ortega's second 14-year stint in office. "It seems to me that it is a macabre accusation, part of the monstrosity that this regime mounts to prevent citizens from working for Nicaragua and ultimately to prevent us from voting freely in November," Chamorro told journalists outside the Interior Ministry. Also on Thursday, police raided the offices of Chamorro's brother, Carlos Fernando Chamorro, one of the country's most influential and critical journalists, and detained one of his cameramen for hours. The police did not respond to a request for comment. The foundation, founded by Violeta Barrios de Chamorro, was dissolved in February, after two laws took effect restricting the operations of non-governmental organizations. (Reporting by Ismael Lopez; Editing by Leslie Adler) DEAL, N.J. (AP) New Jersey's wide, sandy beaches have been paid for by taxpayers across the U.S., from wheat farmers in Kansas to fishermen in Alaska. But for decades, local governments in some Jersey Shore towns and elsewhere around the country have used a variety of tactics to keep outsiders off their sand. One of the most effective methods has been restricting parking near the beach. The practical effect in shore towns like Deal, a wealthy enclave popular with New York doctors, lawyers and business executives, has been that people who don't live within walking distance of the sand are often not able to use it. This is happening despite numerous requirements that the state's beaches be equally accessible to all, including a state law incorporating a legal concept stretching back to the Roman emperor Justinian that the tidal waters are the common property of all, held in trust by the state. And the ongoing federally funded replenishment of beaches along the coast by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers comes with a requirement that adequate parking be provided near the taxpayer-funded sand. But Deal has a long history of wanting to keep its beaches to itself. It would ticket or arrest surfers before a court decision ended the practice. It has vacated street endings that terminate at the beach and sold the land to adjacent property owners, in some cases closing off access points to the beach that the public had long used. It toyed with selling parking permits for streets near the beach for $100 apiece before backing down. And it is trying, yet again, to restrict summer weekend parking in streets closest to the ocean; residents would be given placards to put on their dashboards indicating their right to park on the street. Everyone else would have to park several blocks away, needing to cross a busy main street known for heavy traffic in the summer. The only way to the beach for the rest of us is walking, in sometimes dangerous situations, said Patty Verrochi, who lives in a nearby shore town and likes to take short trips to Deal's beach. She questioned the policy's effect on people who are disabled, have young children in strollers or are carrying accessories like coolers and chair for a day at the beach. Story continues "I had a couple incidents last year when I just gave up and went home, she added. That, according to Deal's critics, is precisely what the tony seaside enclave wants. There is a long and shameful history of beach towns trying to keep people off their sand, said Tim Dillingham, executive director of the American Littoral Society, which is suing Deal over its sale of a street end popular with surfers to an adjacent homeowner. The law in New Jersey is clear: you cannot deny people access to the shore. This is becoming a big public issue, and the people in these residential areas are some of the most wealthy and powerful people in the state. This is getting to be an annual thing every spring, added John Weber, a councilmember in Bradley Beach and an executive with the Surfrider Foundation, which sued Deal over its prosecution of surfers for violating a no swimming ordinance. Deal's mayor and administrator did not respond to numerous requests for comment. Their proposed residents-only parking law is up for a final vote June 2. Deal has a year-round population of just over 500, but its summer population swells to more than 10 times that amount. It is over 90% white; the average property is worth $2.2 million. The state Department of Environmental Protection, which is in charge of enforcing New Jersey's beach access laws, says it has spoken with Deal officials about the proposed law. I land conceptually on the side to make sure everyone has access, Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy said. Two state lawmakers recently wrote to Deal's leaders asking them to scrap the parking ordinance, writing that the beaches belong to everyone, equally." "No government body has a right to restrict access to the ocean and beaches to provide exclusivity to people who are fortunate enough to live along the beachfront, they added. Deal is far from the only town in New Jersey or the country, for that matter to impose onerous parking restrictions near its beaches. Although it has a public parking lot at its main beach, Sea Bright bans public parking along a majority of its nearly 5-mile (8-kilometer) oceanfront sea wall; the only ones allowed to park there are people who own homes on the opposite side of Ocean Avenue, and who can easily walk to the beach. Parking on many side streets is also restricted to residents. California is rife with tales of conflict between Pacific coast homeowners clashing with surfers, and towns prohibiting parking in ritzy beach areas. In New York City's Rockaway section, designation of one beach neighborhood as a fire zone prohibits all on-street parking. Other nearby areas ban all weekend street parking from May 15 through Sept. 30. It's not just ocean beaches, either. Elsinboro is a Delaware River township in the southwest corner of New Jersey that's popular with bird watchers. Its beach was recently widened with material dredged from the river, but public parking is scarce, and violations can range up to $1,000 and six months in jail. The situation is so bad for public parking that the Audubon field guide to bird watching advises people who can't find a spot in one particular site to give up and go somewhere else, rather than risk a parking ticket. Elsinboros mayor, Sean Elwell, said the Army Corps of Engineers, DEP, and township worked together to ensure appropriate access to the beach. Jim Grant, who owns a local inn, says some signs pointing out public access points have disappeared and unauthorized no parking signs have been placed by residents in some spots. We have one vigilante that goes out and puts stickers on people's cars, or his family parks all their vehicles on the street, he said. It's one big Keep off sign near this beach. ___ Follow Wayne Parry at http://twitter.com/WayneParryAC After the Israeli-Hamas cease-fire went into effect at 2 a.m. Friday morning, local time, Palestinians celebrated in the streets of Gaza City and Hamas declared victory. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office boasted of "significant achievements" in its 11-day battle against Hamas, "some of which are unprecedented." Tempering those claims of wins were heavy losses of life, property, and infrastructure. At least 230 Palestinians were killed in 11 days of Israeli airstrikes, including 65 children and 39 women, and 1,710 more were wounded, The Associated Press reports, citing the Gaza Health Ministry. Twelve people were killed in Israel, including two children, as Hamas, committed to Israel's destruction, attempted to get more than 4,000 rockets past its Iron Dome missile defense system. "Like the three previous wars between the bitter enemies, the latest round of fighting ended inconclusively," AP reports. "Israel claimed to inflict heavy damage on Hamas but once again was unable to halt the Islamic militant group's nonstop rocket barrages," and almost immediately, "Netanyahu faced angry accusations from his hard-line, right-wing base that he stopped the operation too soon." And Hamas, despite its taunts about Israel losing the fight, suffered significant losses and "now faces the daunting challenge of rebuilding in a territory already suffering from poverty, widespread unemployment, and a raging coronavirus outbreak," AP says. Israeli airstrikes damaged at least 18 hospitals and clinics and destroyed one health care facility, the World Health Organization says, and Save the Children reports that Israeli bombs damaged more than 50 schools, disrupting education for 42,000 students. About 58,000 Palestinians fled their homes during the conflict, and Gaza, already limping after 14 years of blockade by Egypt and Israel, is running low on water, electricity, and medicine. It could have been worse. More than 2,200 Palestinians and 70 Israelis were killed in 50 days of fighting in 2014, while at least 160 Palestinians and six Israelis died in an eight-day fight in 2012, Politico reports. The Biden administration, drawing lessons from those two battles, decided a quiet and mostly behind-the-scenes effort to help Egypt broker a truce would be the most effective way to keep the fighting short, closer to 2012 than 2014. "No one expects the truce to last forever," Politico says, "but it's a start." More stories from theweek.com 5 riotously funny cartoons about GOP resistance to the January 6 Commission Why Emily Wilder got fired and Chris Cuomo didn't A 60-second COVID-19 breathalyzer test is provisionally approved in Singapore By Victoria Klesty and Nerijus Adomaitis OSLO (Reuters) - Norway will allow larger groups of people to meet from next week and let most bars and restaurants serve alcohol up to midnight as it takes its next major step in unwinding COVID-19 curbs, Prime Minister Erna Solberg said on Friday. The capital Oslo and its surrounding region will also relax some of its stricter localised restrictions, allowing gyms, cinemas, theatres and restaurants to reopen and children to resume indoor sports, authorities added. "We're ending the social lockdown of Oslo that has lasted since early November," city council chief Raymond Johansen told a news conference. "This will allow many people to get back to work," he said. Norway has had some of Europe's lowest rates of infections and deaths since the start of the pandemic. But it tightened measures after a rapid increase in hospitalisations in March triggered by more contagious variants of the coronavirus. Since then, rates of new infections have declined steadily, raising hopes that a third wave of infections has been brought under control. (Graphic: Norway weekly COVID-19 infections, https://graphics.reuters.com/HEALTH-CORONAVIRUS/NORWAY/jznpnroolpl/chart.png) The relaxations are the second phase of a four-step plan to unwind the national lockdown. From May 27 in most of Norway, up to 200 people will be allowed to attend indoor events with fixed seats, up from the current 100, the government said. Many restrictions on participation in recreational sports will also be lifted. "This means that we can advance the work of getting Norway back up to speed," Solberg told a news conference. The stricter localised restrictions covering Oslo and its region will be eased a day earlier from May 26. There, bars and restaurants will now be allowed to serve alcohol until 10 p.m., and up to 20 people to meet for indoors events, ending a ban on such gatherings. National advice against domestic travel will be lifted immediately on Friday, the government said. Story continues Norway is not part of the European Union but is part of the single European market and of the Schengen travel zone. About one in three adults have received a first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and roughly 15% of adults are fully vaccinated, according to the Norwegian Institute of Public Health. (Editing by Terje Solsvik; Editing by Robert Birsel and Andrew Heavens) A complaint from child services about a middle-aged man sending photos of naked women to an underage girl led investigators to a stash of secret recordings featuring dozens of students at a high school in Tennessee, officials say. The suspect 40-year-old Leon B. Hensley was the school nurse, according to federal prosecutors. Hensley was charged with attempting to produce child pornography in a criminal complaint unsealed Thursday in federal court, the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Middle District of Tennessee said. He was arrested near his home in Florida and was expected to make his first court appearance Thursday afternoon. Prosecutors said he faces a minimum of 15 years in prison and a possible life sentence if convicted. Hensley worked at Northeast High School in Clarksville, Tennessee, from August 2017 to November 2019, the government said. He was reportedly fired after the Department of Child Services reported him to local police when he was accused of sending inappropriate photos to a minor. Northeast High School is just south of the Kentucky border in the Clarksville-Montgomery County School System. Administrators issued a statement on April 28 regarding the federal governments investigation into Hensley. This former employee was terminated in November 2019 due to a CPD investigation at that time for exploitation of a minor, the school district said. CPD has informed CMCSS that law enforcement is currently contacting other potential victims. The safety and well-being of our students is our top priority, and CMCSS is fully cooperating with CPD as they investigate these heinous crimes. Naked photos The investigation into Hensley started with a photo of a naked woman wrapped in caution tape, according to an affidavit filed with the criminal complaint. Hensley sent the picture to an underage girl in a conversation about a posing for a photo shoot, prosecutors said. Child services reported it to the Clarksville Police Department. Story continues Investigators discovered Hensley worked as a nurse at Northeast High School and brought him in for an interview at the police station, according to the affidavit. He reportedly admitted to texting the girl and gave police permission to search his cell phone, where they found a folder of images showing post-pubescent minor childrens exposed genitalia, the affidavit states. Further searches net a folder labeled NEHS containing random first names and naked pictures. Officials said detectives were able to match the photographs to students using the high school yearbook. When they interviewed the students, two said they thought they were sending the pictures to other students. The other three believed they were sent to a modeling agency. None of the child victims knew they were sending images to Hensley, the affidavit states. Police subsequently obtained a warrant to search Hensleys house and seized several electronic devices including a small black video camera the agent described as a hidden spy camera. Over 700 images from single bathroom It reportedly took investigators months to sort through the trove of images on Hensleys devices, some of which showed nude women and girls in hospital rooms and tanning beds, authorities said. Police ultimately contacted the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to assist in the investigation in April, and agents uncovered at least 700 pictures and videos from a single bathroom where a hidden camera had been placed. In all of the images, the minor girls were in various stages of undress and/or utilizing the bathroom facilities, the HSI agent said in the affidavit. The camera was also positioned directly across and in front of the toilet seat, at toilet seat level, he said. Investigators linked the bathroom seen on the tapes to the private student restroom at the nurses station where Hensley worked at Northeast High School. At least 40 students have been identified in the pictures and videos only half of which have been examined, officials said. All of the students were between 12 and 18 years old. Homeland Security also learned Hensley had previously worked as a nurse at Tennova Hospital and Healthcare in Clarksville, where investigators believe the hospital room pictures were likely taken. Hensley is accused of attempting to delete all of the images after his interview with police in early November 2019 but before investigators searched his house. Anyone who believes they may be a victim or who has information about the investigation is asked to call the Homeland Security Hotline at 1-866-347-2423 or email specialvictimscase21@cityofclarksville.com. Officer enters home with gun, Louisiana cops say. It was fake and so was her badge Georgia teacher emailed himself photos of children at nudist colonies, feds say SC school resource officer arrested, charged as part of child sex trafficking case The Massillon school board unanimously approved using $140,000 of $5.6 million in emergency relief to bump up pay. Video Transcript ALYSSA PLAKAS: The vote shows us one thing, and that's that our board of education and superintendent have valued themselves above any student, staff member, parent, or teacher in the district. - Massillon Education Association spokesperson Alyssa Plakas speaks out against a Wednesday night School Board decision. Board members unanimously approved giving about $140,000 in bonus pay to 31 administrators. It comes from a $5.6 million allocation of federal COVID relief funds for schools. ALYSSA PLAKAS: They have emergency relief funds that are supposed to be used to bridge the learning gaps that have developed because of the pandemic. But instead, they've decided to pay themselves, who are already the highest paid employees in the district. - In a statement, Superintendent Paul Salvino says the district has and will continue to allocate millions of dollars to the district for items, such as 4,200 new Chromebooks, increased wages for teachers for after-school and summer programming, district-wide classroom technology and software upgrades, as well as cleaning/sanitizing products and other PPE to combat the current pandemic, among other things. ALYSSA PLAKAS: We have so many more needs that maybe they are planning down the road, but using $140,000 today is not the purpose of the federal funding. - Superintendent Salvino says it is not unusual for administrators to work longer than scheduled, but says the 10 days of extra pay extends back to March of 2020. He added, quote, "the pandemic and our need to address the reopening of the '20-'21 school year, as well as maintaining an all-in five days a week learning model throughout the school year, posed an even more extensive amount of time for these tasks. ALYSSA PLAKAS: My hope would be that they would give that money back and earmark it for our students. An Oklahoma City police employee heard a strange noise emanating from the engine. Police and fire crews then freed the friendly feline, who has already found a new home. Video Transcript - Well you've heard of cats stuck in trees, but this next case is a little different. This all started when the Oklahoma City Police Department says one of their employees heard an odd noise coming from under the hood of her car. Now, that noise turned out to be a kitten stuck inside her car's engine, poor cat. Surveillance video from police headquarters shows employees looking under the hood moments before the fire department showed up to help free the adorable little feline. Police and firefighters worked together to free the cat and the kitten has already found a new home. So to my husband at home who was worried about me adopting this one too, don't worry. found a home for the-- No reporters were present when Quintin Jones, 41, was executed (AP) When Quintin Jones died by lethal injection on Wednesday, no one from the news media was there to witness it. Thats because they werent invited. According to the government of Texas , where Mr Jones was executed, prison officials accidentally neglected to bring in the reporters scheduled to bear witness, as is customary for executions in the state. As a result of a miscommunication between officials at the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, there was never a call made to summon the media witnesses into the unit, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice said in a statement. We apologise for this critical error. The agency is investigating to determine exactly what occurred to ensure it does not happen again. When Mr Jones died, journalists from the Associated Press and the Huntsville Item were reportedly waiting at an office across the street. A prison employee was supposed to come and get them, but never did. Mr Jones, who was 41, was convicted of murdering his great-aunt , Berthena Bryant, in 1999. His execution was the first in 40 years to take place without journalists present. Critics of the death penalty blasted the error. The American Civil Liberties Union has called for an investigation into what went wrong. Robert Dunham, director of the Death Penalty Information Center, questioned the competence of Texas justice system. If the state with the most experience carrying out executions lacks the competence to carry out this most basic execution function, what does that tell us about what else in the execution process states cant be trusted to do properly? he asked The Washington Post . If you can botch that, there really isnt anything else in the process, short of executing the wrong person, that you cant botch. One of the journalists who was supposed to be in the room was Joseph Brown, editor of the Huntsville Item. He objected to the oversight as well, pointing out that the press provides important accountability for executions. Story continues It is vital that we are there, because they are not going to record nuances, like someone saying, Its burning, or taking deep breaths, Mr Brown told The New York Times . Relatives of Mr Jones, including ones who were close to Ms Bryant, had begged Texas government to spare his life, but were denied. Because I was so close to Bert, her death hurt me a lot, Mattie Long, Ms Bryants sister, wrote in a letter to the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles. Quintin cant bring her back. I cant bring her back. I am writing this to ask you to please spare Quintins life. In lieu of the journalists, the Texas prison system recorded Mr Jones final words. I hope I left everyone a plate of food full of happy memories, happiness and no sadness, he said shortly before his death. Read More UK weather: The latest Met Office forecast Mexican president draws US into dispute over governor facing money laundering and organized crime charges Veterans slam sedition-loving traitor Ted Cruz after he mocks woke, emasculated US military May 20Jesse L. Kelebrew, 29, has pled guilty to the murder of Robert Kirk Stanley, 58, of Palestine. Represented by Attorney Josh Liles, Kelebrew pled guilty to first degree murder on April 16 in the court of District Judge Pam Foster Fletcher and was sentenced to 50 years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Kelebrew has waived his right to an appeal and has agreed to testify about circumstances of murder against Daniel Wayne Terry and Kali Terry. Kelebrew was arrested with Daniel Wayne Terry and charged with murder Nov. 7, 2019. Kali Terry, Daniel's wife, was also arrested for tampering with evidence in the murder of Stanley. At 9:07 a.m. on Nov. 6, 2019 the Anderson County Sheriff's Office received a report of suspicious activity at a residence on County Road 448. After investigating Wednesday night, Nov. 6, 2019 and into Thursday morning, Nov. 7, 2019, sheriff's deputies and members of the Texas Rangers found Stanley's body in a rural location in the north end of the county, miles from the scene of the murder. According to former Sheriff Greg Taylor, the cause of death was from assault, and it appeared that Stanley "was beaten to death." By the time we arrived at the end of the runway, there was only one remaining. Once cleared for takeoff, we lined up on the runway and added power. As the aircraft accelerated, we noticed that the cicada had maneuvered his body so as to face into the wind. To our surprise, he hung on until right before we rotated the nose for lift-off, approximately 120 miles per hour. Tenants of the Midwood International and Cultural Center have been notified that the building will be sold and leases will not be renewed after 2023. The building, at 1817 Central Ave. in the heart of Plaza Midwood, has been home to the cultural center, including the International House and several other immigrant, cultural and arts nonprofits since 2013. It is the former Midwood High School and currently is owned by Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. Last week tenants were notified CMS plans to sell the building by September to boutique development company Charlotte-based Conformity Corporation, said Autumn Weil, executive director of the International House, which offers immigration law and citizenship programs, language classes and other cultural events. As part of that upcoming deal, tenants will be given a two-year notice period, meaning they could stay no longer than September 2023, according to the notification Weil and others received. Were very grateful... for the arrangement weve enjoyed creating this international and cultural center. We hope we can maintain that in the future, she said. It is quite a tragedy that Plaza Midwood is facing gentrification just like many of the areas in Charlotte, Weil said. Unfortunately our clients are being pushed out further and further. Midwood International and Cultural Center has been on Central Avenue since 2013 and is home to several arts, immigrant and community groups. Tough to replicate The former high school building, built in 1939, sits in the middle of the fast-growing Plaza Midwood neighborhood. It has more than a dozen tenants, according to Weil, including the Light Factory, the League of Women Voters, Charlotte Lit and Mosaic Church. A CMS spokeswoman did not respond to questions from the Observer about the sale. Representatives from Conformity Corporation did not immediately respond to a request for comment Thursday afternoon. Details about the proposed sale price or timing were not immediately available. According to Observer reports in 2013, CMS leased the 45,000 square-foot building to the Midwood Cultural Arts and International Center for $1 per year for five years. Story continues Other organizations then sub-leased space from the cultural center. The International House also rents out auditorium space for events and recently held vaccination events, Weil said. Even after the initial five-year term, CMS leased the space for at least half of market rate for the rapidly-growing neighborhood, Weil said. Those terms made it feasible for her organization and other nonprofits focused on immigrant and cultural issues to afford the area. Weil said her organizations board will decide in the coming months if it will try to find a new space where a hub of international and community-minded groups could be under the same roof again, but admitted it might not be possible financially. The property was valued at $9.3 million in the last county revaluation, according to Mecklenburg County records. Weil said her organization had hoped to inquire about buying the building from CMS. Unfortunately, were just not going to be able to do that. We cant compete with a private development firm, she said. Maybe a benefactor will come out of the blue and provide us with similar opportunity moving forward, but itll probably be tough to replicate. Two teenagers have been arrested and charged with misdemeanors after they were found in possession of multiple firearms while on school grounds, Boise police officials said in a news release Thursday. Jaymen Miller, 19, and an unidentified 17-year-old are each charged with one count of possession of a firearm on school grounds. Police said they received reports Thursday afternoon of a suspicious vehicle and potentially armed individuals in a parking lot at a school facility in the 8000 block of Salt Creek Drive near Maple Grove and Victory Roads. There are multiple school facilities in the area: West Junior High School, Frank Church High School, the Idaho Digital Learning Alliance and Boise School Districts district services building. It wasnt immediately clear where the teenagers were when they were arrested. Officials said a school resource officer located the suspects, who were quickly detained. Boise police said a school was put on lockdown. The Boise School District later said in an email that Frank Church High School was told to shelter in place around 1:35 p.m. Thursday while police investigated. Around 1:50 p.m., police notified the school that the scene was secured. The school resumed normal activity for the remainder of the day. Law enforcement found multiple firearms in the vehicle. No other details were given on how many or what type of weapons the teenagers reportedly had. Police said there is no evidence at this time that the subjects intended to bring the firearms into the school. The incident comes just two weeks after a school shooting at Rigby Middle School in East Idaho injured two students and a school custodian. Fisker Pope Francis approved plans for a new electric popemobile made by Fisker. The modified Ocean SUV will feature an all-glass cupola for maximum visibility When Pope Francis took over the papacy he opted for a Hyundai popemobile. See more stories on Insider's business page. Fisker, an American electric car startup, reached an agreement with the Vatican to design a new electric popemobile for Pope Francis. Co-founders Henrik Fisker and Geeta Gupta-Fisker held a private audience with Pope Francis in Vatican City to show him the designs for a modified version of the company's Ocean SUV, the company said. "I got inspired reading that Pope Francis is very considerate about the environment and the impact of climate change for future generations," Henrik Fisker said in a press release. "The interior of the Fisker Ocean papal transport will contain a variety of sustainable materials, including carpets made from recycled plastic bottles from the ocean." Ocean will be "the world's most sustainable automobile," the company has said, with EV technology that will cut emissions by 80%. In 2020, the price for an Ocean SUV started at $37,499. The current plan is for the SUVs to roll out to customers in late 2022 or early 2023; current customers have reserved their Fisker cars via pre-order. This will be the first time a "popemobile," which is the colloquial term for the specially equipped vehicle that transports the pontiff and allows for him to see congregants from behind bulletproof glass, will be an electric vehicle. Fisker said the design presented to the pontiff included a modern, all-glass cupola for maximum visibility. Mercedes-Benz was formerly the typical manufacturer of the vehicle, according to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. However, Insider reported that in 2015, after Pope Francis took over the papacy, he broke Mercedes-Benz's 80-year streak of making popemobiles and went for a Hyundai instead. Story continues In November of 2019 during a papal visit to Japan, Pope Francis used a Toyota-designed carbon neutral vehicle to underscore his environmental platform, according to the AP. "Pope John Paul II was the first Pope to use a Popemobile. However, the idea originally stems from a mobile version of the papal throne used for centuries," the USCCB noted. Read the original article on Business Insider Tamika Haynes, 27, was the mother of an eight-year-old son and three months pregnant with her second child. A 27-year-old pregnant woman died in Hemet, California after being struck in the head by a stray bullet. Tamika Haynes was sitting in a car, an innocent bystander as a fight broke out nearby in the street. The young woman who was the mother of an eight-year-old son and three months pregnant with her second child was airlifted to a trauma center following the shooting, but she died of her injuries. Tamika Haynes, a pregnant bystander sitting in a car as a fight broke out nearby, died in Hemet, California after being struck in the head by a stray bullet. (GoFundMe.com) A relative, Stevlyn Sandridge, told KTLA a piece of us died yesterday with her. She has a lot of family, shes very loved, and we dont understand the details or anything, Sandridge said. We dont know anything about why she was killed and why was they shooting into a crowd of innocent people. The family was already grieving the death of Haynes 13-year-old sister, who passed away only one week ago after collapsing. Read More: George Floyds family plans marches, events for anniversary of death Five people, including Haynes, were injured in the Hemet shooting that happened when two women started fighting just before 6 p.m. Tuesday. According to investigators, more than a dozen rounds were fired from multiple firearms. Several wounded people were found by officers who were en route, responding to calls about the fight. Upon reaching the scene, they found Haynes and two other injured people, including a man with serious injuries to his leg and back. Read More: Olympic gold medalist Cindy Brown living in car after identity theft We will definitely want to see someone held accountable for what happened to her, Sandridge told KTLA. She was taken away from her family. Hemet is located in Riverside County, California and has a population of nearly 80,000 people. While the city has had issues with gang violence, investigators have said there is not yet an indication that this shooting was gang-related. Read More: A Soul Prophecy: How Whats Going On still, sadly, resonates 50 years later Story continues In a successful GoFundMe campaign to support Haynes memorial expenses, her loved ones wrote: If you knew Millie, you knew love. She was vibrant, had no judgment, and took everyone in as a family. She lifted everyone around her with generosity and a pure heart. Calling her a selfless person, they said shed always put others before herself. Millie was the bright light in any room she walked in, bringing in pure happiness, good energy, and love! they wrote. Someone you could always come to for love and care. If you knew Mille, you knew a true friend. Have you subscribed to theGrios Dear Culture podcast? Download our newest episodes now! TheGrio is now on Apple TV, Amazon Fire and Roku. Download theGrio.com today! The post Pregnant mom killed after being shot in the head by stray bullet appeared first on TheGrio. Pro-Israel and Pro-Palestinian protesters clashed in New York City on Thursday even after Israel and Hamas militants agreed to a cease-fire. One video shows a device exploding after being thrown at a crowd of people on a midtown Manhattan sidewalk. The New York Police Department told Fox News that two commercial fireworks were thrown from a car and one person suffered minor burns. The NYPD's Arson Investigation Squad was probing the incident. Other videos posted by independent journalist Leeroy Johnson show multiple fights breaking out in the middle of Times Square as police try to dispel the scuffles. An NYPD spokesperson said multiple arrests were made during the protests. ISRAEL OFFICIALS APPROVE CEASE-FIRE WITH HAMAS FOLLOWING 11 DAYS OF GAZA VIOLENCE Pro-Palestinian protesters have marched in America's biggest cities for the last week and a half. Last Tuesday, thousands of protesters shut down traffic as they marched down 42nd Street in Manhattan. Violence escalated around Israel at the beginning of last week, with Hamas firing a reported 4,000 rockets and the Israeli air force launching airstrikes throughout the Gaza Strip. Thursday's Times Square clashes came just hours after a peace deal was announced between Israel and Hamas that Hamas said would take effect at 2 a.m. Friday. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP President Biden said he commended Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu for "the decision to bring the current hostilities to a close in less than 11 days." "The United States fully supports Israel's right to defend itself against indiscriminate rocket attacks from Hamas and other Gaza-based terrorist groups," Biden said. "I believe the Palestinians and Israelis equally deserve to live safely and securely and to enjoy equal measures of freedom, prosperity and democracy." Prosecutors denounced and denied Thursday a claim of witness coercion made by a fired Minneapolis police officer expected to stand trial next year in George Floyd's murder. Tou Thao's allegations are "specious" and "just the latest iteration of his desperate smear campaign against the state," prosecutor Matthew Frank wrote in the sharp 15-page response on behalf of Attorney General Keith Ellison's office. In a filing two weeks ago, Thao's attorneys Robert and Natalie Paule claimed that the Hennepin County chief medical examiner, Andrew Baker, was coerced into altering his autopsy results and that prosecutors knew this. In response to prosecutors, Paule said, "I stand behind every word in my motion. I'll do my talking in court." The lawyers said former Washington, D.C., medical examiner, Dr. Roger Mitchell, coerced Baker into including "neck compression" as part of Floyd's cause of death. The lawyers said the state did nothing and allowed Baker to testify in the trial of Derek Chauvin, who was convicted of murder and manslaughter in Floyd's death in April. Thao, along with former officers J. Alexander Kueng and Thomas Lane, is charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and manslaughter in Floyd's death. They are set for trial March 7 in Hennepin County District Court. Thao is the officer who kept the increasingly upset onlookers away as the others held Floyd on the ground. Frank outright denied Thao's allegations and accused the defense lawyers of bad faith. "To make false accusations of coercion against the state in an attempt to tarnish professional reputations, taint the jury pool and advance defendants' interests in the public eye is beyond the pale," he wrote. Frank encouraged Judge Peter Cahill to "remind defense counsel of his obligation to refrain from frivolous motion practice." In the defense motion, Thao's lawyers asked Cahill to dismiss the charges against him and find that Mitchell coerced Baker. The lawyers also wanted Ellison and six other attorneys who met with Mitchell to be barred from working on the case. Story continues Frank noted that this was Thao's fourth attempt to seek sanctions against members of the prosecution team, an effort that he called a smear campaign. "This motion is part of an ongoing pattern by defendant Thao of submitting requests for relief without any valid legal basis in order to manipulate the narrative and influence public opinion," Frank wrote. The facts Thao laid out in his motion disprove his accusations, Frank wrote. As Thao's motion said, Baker testified in Chauvin's trial that no one had pressured him or influenced to say anything other than the truth, the response said. "Baker's own sworn testimony makes clear that he was not coerced," Frank wrote. "He did not change his findings in this case, and there is no factual basis to claim otherwise." In closing, Frank noted that Thao has plenty of time to investigate and prepare for his trial. "Instead, however, he has launched a frivolous motion practice campaign to unfairly prejudice this prosecution in the public domain, replete with gratuitous and unfounded personal attacks on the prosecution," Frank wrote. Frank then made a personal attack on the defense, calling the motions "unbecoming of any attorney, let alone one with decades of experience. A criminal defense attorney's obligation to zealously advocate on behalf of his client does not give him carte blanche to harass prosecutors with frivolous filings, to repeatedly attempt to taint the jury pool or to baselessly accuse the prosecution and other professionals of committing misconduct." Thao and the other three officers also have been indicted by a federal grand jury for deprivation of Floyd's civil rights. That trial has yet to be scheduled. Rochelle Olson 612-673-1747 MOSCOW (Reuters) - Authorities in Russian-annexed Crimea on Friday sentenced a local man to 11 years in prison after he was convicted of passing state secrets to Ukraine. The Supreme Court in Crimea, a peninsula Moscow annexed from Ukraine in 2014, said it had convicted Ivan Yatskin of state treason and sentenced him to 11 years in jail. "Being a Russian citizen, the defendant was found guilty of handing information that constitutes a state secret to a representative of a foreign country," the court said in a statement. It did not disclose further details of the offences. The trial was held behind closed doors. Prosecutors had accused Yatskin, who denies guilt, of passing state secrets to Ukraine's special services, TASS news agency reported. A number of Russian scientists, soldiers and officials have been charged with treason in recent years after being accused of passing sensitive material to foreign countries. Critics of the Kremlin say the charges are often unfounded and cannot be scrutinised because they are classified. (Reporting by Gabrielle Tetrault-Farber and Vladimir Soldatkin; Editing by Giles Elgood) Gyrating with gusto to the sounds of "Girls Just Want To Have Fun", a group of middle-aged Poles is fighting off lingering Covid symptoms with gym circuits. But this is no ordinary fitness workout. It is taking place 130 metres (427 feet) underground in a cavernous space next to a dark green brine lake in a former salt mine in southern Poland that dates back to the 13th century. "When I came down here, I was enchanted by this place," particpant Jadwiga Nowak told AFP, as other tracksuit-clad attendees raise fitness balls in the air, ride exercise bikes and jog on the spot. "I felt this atmosphere, this calm, this silence and this air is totally different from the one on the surface. There is magic here," said the 60-year-old, who was on a ventilator for 16 days with Covid after being hospitalised in October. One of the world's oldest salt mines, Wieliczka is recognised by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. Over the centuries, miners turned it into a unique work of art, carving out a maze of tunnels leading to chambers and shrines complete with salt chandeliers. It is a tourist attraction, but also a health resort that has been offering salt therapy -- mostly inhalation but also brine baths -- to patients with pulmonary issues for nearly 200 years. It is now also taking in former Covid patients who have been referred through the public healthcare system for three-week stays, as well as private paying customers. - Blowing soap bubbles - Visitors go down the former mine shaft in a lift in groups of 10 or 15 and walk along salt-encrusted tunnels, following the tracks once used by mine trains. Once inside the Wessel Lake Chamber, which is 15 metres high and covered in wooden decking, patients are put through a series of breathing and stretching exercises and monitored by a doctor. "As a rule, patients who had Covid have far worse symptoms than those with normal asthma. But former Covid sufferers can regain their normal health. On average, there is a 60- to 80-percent improvement in their physical tests" after their Wieliczka stay, said physiotherapist Agata Kita. Story continues Scientists estimate that 10 to 15 percent of former Covid sufferers get long Covid, with symptoms of fatigue, impaired concentration, body pain and breathing problems. Poland has taken a lead in rehabilitation programmes and research into long Covid, launching its first facility for post-Covid patients in September. One of the hospitals taking part in the effort is in Glucholazy on the border with the Czech Republic, where patients are also offered mental health care and virtual reality games to test their reaction skills. Doctors there told AFP during a visit this week that they had found more than 50 distinct lingering physical and psychological symptoms for people who had Covid. "Apart from the pulmonary symptoms, there are also muscle and joint pains, trouble with balance and coordination, memory and concentration loss and symptoms related to stress and depression," said Jan Szczegielniak, who works on rehabilitation at Glucholazy. Among the patients is Piotr Zyjewski, a taekwondo trainer who had to self-isolate at home for 37 days after contracting Covid in October. "Before, I would start every day with a run of at least 20 kilometres (12 miles) and do taekwondo courses in the evenings. That went on all week, I had a very high endurance level. "Now it's difficult for me to accept that I have trouble walking for 20 minutes," he said. - 'I feel better' - Back at Wieliczka, the chamber echoes to the sounds of loud breathing exercises. With its little alcoves carved in the rock, the place has the air of surreal theatre. In one corner, patients can be seen blowing soap bubbles or pinwheels to test their breathing. There is plenty of joviality and even giggling during one exercise which appeared to be a form of "tag" -- but many of the participants were severely ill only recently. Salt therapy, or halotherapy, is popular in Central and Eastern Europe, although the international scientific community is divided over its true benefits and some scientists believe it has only a placebo effect. But Magdalena Ramatowska, a doctor at Wieliczka, said she has seen beneficial effects. "Above all, the air is pure here. Without any allergens. This environment is excellent for respiratory tracts. "There is high humidity, very little current and a lot of salt air which acts against inflammations and bacteria," she said. Lucyna Szulc, who went into hospital in March with Covid and spent 20 days on a ventilator, is also convinced the salt mine is doing her good. "When I came out of hospital, my breathing was very weak," the 59-year-old said. "Now, I feel better. I also feel my physical condition is improving. It is easier to exercise faster and keep up with the people who had Covid well before me," she said. dt/mas/kjm It is precisely for this reason that we need to be as adept at relaxing as we are at gearing up. We cant be on red alert all of the time it isnt sustainable. I am beginning to fear that a sizable number of us will struggle to do this. The pushback against recent changes in masking guidance is testament. For those of us who felt it was important to follow the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions guidance when they recommended masking, for those of us who suggested that anyone who wouldnt do so was either ignoring science or was letting political biases get in the way of the common good and respect for others, its time to put our money where our masks were (Some fully vaccinated people are choosing to keep their masks on maybe forever, May 17). May 21SANTA FE After months of litigation, the First Judicial District Attorney's Office and most defendants in the case against demonstrators who helped topple an obelisk that stood at the center of Santa Fe's historic Plaza for 152 years have come to a resolution. District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies offered all obelisk defendants the option to participate in a restorative justice initiative for first-time nonviolent felony offenders. Seven of the eight obelisk defendants chose to participate in the program. Only defendant Stephen Fox declined the initiative. Fox didn't return the Journal's phone calls on Thursday and he currently doesn't have an attorney. The defendants Dylan Wrobel, Lauren Straily, Melissa Rose, Dawn Furlong, Ryan Witt, Lily Schweitzer and Zachary Young faced a variety of charges ranging from criminal trespass and destruction to evading arrest. "We've tried to use it in the past in a couple of different cases and, for various reasons, it hasn't worked," said Jennifer Padgett Macias, chief deputy district attorney. "But this particular case was just right for the opportunity to explore some creative alternatives outside of the formal criminal justice process." Carmack-Altwies said the justice system must stop over-criminalizing and over-punishing nonviolent felonies. The announcement drew criticism from Union Protectiva de Santa Fe, a Spanish fraternal organization. "What a shameful day for New Mexicans and all Hispanics that District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies cut sweet plea deals for the people who destroyed and desecrated one of the Hispanic community and northern New Mexico's most treasured cultural icons," Virgil Vigil, president of Union Protectiva, said in a statement. On Indigenous Peoples Day protesters toppled the obelisk, known as "Soldier's Monument," because of what it stood for. Originally dedicated to soldiers who fought Civil War battles in New Mexico many of them New Mexicans of Spanish heritage an inscription was later added to honor the "heroes" that fought against "savage Indians." The word "savage" was chiseled away by an anonymous Native American man in the 1970s. Story continues "When the obelisk came down the way that it did, it became a criminal justice issue," Carmack-Altwies said. "But, even prior to that, it was very clear that it was an emotionally charged, highly charged issue for two different sides." Restorative justice was the only way to get reconciliation for both sides, Carmack-Altwies said. The defendants have to take responsibility for their actions and participate in the program run by Common Ground Mediation Service for six months to two years. Carmack-Altwies said this may include community service and meeting with those they've caused harm to, such as police officers. The District Attorney's Office put up $1,500 in seed money for the program and the defendants are responsible for the rest of the program's cost. Eric Sirotkin, defense attorney for Wrobel, said he feels the restorative justice program was a good resolution for the case. He said the process gives everyone a chance to have their voice heard. "I feel like the message it sends to the community is that we will take every case on a case-by-case basis," he said. "I think that we can be creative in our resolution of conflict within a city and that we value human relationship over property." Defense attorneys for other defendants either declined to comment or didn't immediately respond to phone messages on Thursday. Meanwhile, the city's Arts Commission met Thursday to discuss the idea of temporarily replacing the monument with an artwork. About two dozen people spoke during the public comment period of the meeting to share their thoughts and ideas, but the commission put off a decision until a later date. The City Council will ultimately decide on a permanent replacement for the monument. A school in Michigan is facing backlash for charging unvaccinated students $80 to attend prom when admission is free for their vaccinated peers. (Photo by Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images) Students are headed back to class amid the coronavirus pandemic, and to keep you posted on whats unfolding throughout U.S. schools K-12 as well as colleges Yahoo Life is running a weekly wrap-up featuring news bites, interviews and updates on the ever-unfolding situation. Michigan high school plans to charge unvaccinated students to attend prom Southfield Regional Academic Campus in Southfield, Mich., is coming under fire after stating that it will charge unvaccinated students to attend prom. According to a flyer posted on the school's website about graduating events for the class of 2021, the June 14 prom will be free to vaccinated students. Unvaccinated students, on the other hand, will need to pay $80 to attend. Some families are speaking out about the policy on Facebook, even threatening to sue the school. A protest, dubbed #PromGate, is scheduled to be held at the school from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Friday. "SOUTHFIELD REGIONAL ACADEMIC CAMPUS should be ASHAMED of themselves!!!!" wrote Jayme Ansel McElvany, adding that the policy is "full out discrimination against those who have chosen not to give their child the experimental, highly suspicious, approved for emergency use only shot!! WHO DO THEY THINK THEY ARE???!" McElvany, who did not respond to Yahoo Life's request for comment, continued, "We WILL be taking this to court." Many others expressed their outrage in the comments. "This is clear discrimination!" one said. "Sue the superintendent & the district! That is BS!" Others pointed out that having unvaccinated students attend, even if they do pay $80, wouldn't necessarily reduce the risk. "So, if you're unvaccinated but pay your $80, suddenly their concern of spreading Covid goes away? Who knew $80 could do that? Must be in a scientific journal I haven't read yet," someone wrote. "The parents of the unvaccinated should rent a place and hold their OWN prom," another person wrote and offered to help host the event, before later admitting that they don't live in the area. Story continues School principal Dwayne Eason did not respond to Yahoo Life's request for an interview. "We're seeing mostly carrots in terms of getting people vaccinated, but this is a bit of a stick" Dr. Thomas Russo, professor and chief of infectious disease at the University at Buffalo in New York, tells Yahoo Life. "Whether this will encourage people to get vaccinated or avoid prom ... I'm not so sure." Proms, in general, "have the potential to be riskier" and, even if masks and social distancing are required, "there will likely be a significant breakdown as the night goes on in following public health measures," Russo says. But the risk of attending prom right now is really to unvaccinated students, infectious disease expert Amesh A. Adalja, senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, tells Yahoo Life. "The vaccinated do not have anything to fear from the unvaccinated and vice versa," he says. Still, Adalja says, this move may encourage some children to get vaccinated. "Prom is something important to many kids, and making it more expensive to attend if you're unvaccinated could prompt some to become vaccinated," he says. But, Adalja adds, it could have unintended consequences: "What you don't want to happen, however, is an alternative clandestine prom for the unvaccinated." Public schools in Texas are forbidden to have mask mandates Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issued an executive order this week banning governmental entities in the state, including counties, cities, school districts, public health authorities or government officials, from requiring or mandating that masks be worn. "Public schools may continue to follow current mask-wearing guidelines through June 4. After June 4, no student, teacher, parent or other staff member or visitor can be required to wear a mask while on campus," the executive order reads. Beginning Friday, any local governments or officials that attempt to impose a mask mandate or limits that conflict with the order will be subject to a fine of up to $1,000. "The Lone Star State continues to defeat COVID-19 through the use of widely-available vaccines, antibody therapeutic drugs, and safe practices utilized by Texans in our communities," Abbott said in the order. "Texans, not government, should decide their best health practices, which is why masks will not be mandated by public school districts or government entities. We can continue to mitigate COVID-19 while defending Texans' liberty to choose whether or not they mask up." "The bottom line is that this will probably result in more cases because, if you can't mandate masks, that will mean you'll have individuals that will be in school that are infectious and asymptomatic," Russo says. However, he adds, "masks will largely protect individuals that wear them," so students and staff who plan to continue to wear face coverings should be at a lower risk of contracting the virus than those who are unmasked. Peer pressure becomes a potential issue for compliance with lifted mandates too, Dr. Daniel Ganjian, a pediatrician at Providence Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica, Calif., tells Yahoo Life. "Wearing masks can protect from COVID-19 and a lot of other spring and summertime viruses as long as kids don't feel socially pressured to take off their masks," he says. Schools in Idaho will not require COVID-19 vaccines for students and staff The state of Idaho does not plan to require that school students and staff get vaccinated against COVID-19. "There are currently no plans for the state of Idaho to make COVID-19 vaccination mandatory," Zachary Clark, public information officer at the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, tells Yahoo Life. Idaho Gov. Brad Little previously issued an executive order banning government entities, which include public schools, from requiring people to show proof of a COVID-19 vaccination to enter buildings or receive services. The governors in Arizona, Florida, Montana and Texas have issued similar orders. But Russo says that he "fully anticipates" that some states and school districts will mandate COVID-19 vaccines for students after they receive approval from the Food and Drug Administration. (Currently, the vaccines are authorized by the FDA, but not approved.) "We require mandatory vaccinations for diseases that are far less damaging and lethal than COVID-19," Russo points out. "Not only do these vaccines provide protection for the children, but they have significant community benefit." Ganjian says the latest CDC data that shows COVID-19 cases dropping across the country is a good indication that the vaccine works. "Because we're seeing such an amazing response with the vaccine, I would encourage all school systems to require vaccinations to help bring down the numbers even more than they are now," he says. Students are suing the University of Delaware over remote learning A federal judge ruled this week that lawsuits filed by former and current students at the University of Delaware who were unhappy with charges they faced during remote learning can proceed. The students say they should be granted refunds for services they did not receive when the school shut down its campus in spring 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The lawsuits have been consolidated and are now seeking reimbursements on behalf of all University of Delaware students who paid for the school's spring 2020 semester, according to the Associated Press. Roy Willey IV, a lawyer for one group of students, told the Associated Press that the school shouldn't keep money for services it didn't provide. They promised one thing, and didn't deliver it," he said, citing closed services such as the gym, student health and counseling center and other campus facilities that students paid to use. "All we are saying is that, based on what we paid for and what you actually did, we're entitled to a reasonable, fair, prorated refund," Willey told the AP. Willey did not respond to Yahoo Life's request for comment. James Taylor, a lawyer for the University of Delaware, argued that the school catalog makes it clear that students are required to pay tuition and fees when they register. "This is a contract and agreement," he said. Ultimately, Judge Stephanos Bibas ruled that, while the students may not be entitled to full tuition refunds, they can at least try to get reimbursements for fees that covered services they didn't receive. "At a minimum, the fees claims are going to survive and proceed," he said. Read more from Yahoo Life Want lifestyle and wellness news delivered to your inbox? Sign up here for Yahoo Lifes newsletter. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has won the right for foreign assistance in the ongoing battle against Ripple. Earlier, the technology company was trying to block the government body from getting further regulatory information from overseas. The blockchain start-up is currently battling a lawsuit from the SEC for allegedly conducting an illegal securities offering. Ripple co-founder Christian Larsen and CEO Brad Garlinghouse were charged with conducting an illegal securities offering. The motion had been made to deny Ripples request for an order requiring the plaintiffs to stop using foreign requests for assistance for discovery purposes and [] turn over all material already collected. Now, Judge Sarah Netburn has ruled in favor of the SEC and stopped Ripples request in its tracks. The request commanded the SEC to cease reaching out to regulators from other countries to gain knowledge on Ripples XRP transactions and that Ripple must produce all obtained documents. The SEC contacted foreign regulators to know if transactions made through overseas accounts were changing the price of the XRP token. The technology company argued that the SEC must cease its contact with outside regulators, because the move was not in line with the Hague Convention. Ripple also argued that the SEC was using intimidation tactics by reaching out to foreign regulators, but Judge Netburn did not believe this allegation was based on evidence. The Defendants argue that use of the Requests is improper because (i) they operate outside of the scope of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, letters rogatory, and Hague Convention processes for obtaining foreign discovery, and (ii) their effect is to intimidate or harass the Defendants foreign business partners. No evidence suggests that the SEC issued its Requests in bad faith. As such, the Court examines the first point only, Netburn said in her verdict. Story continues The Court concludes that the SECs use of the Requests is permissible and not an affront to the Courts jurisdiction, the document further read. In a recently submitted memorandum of law in reply to Plaintiff, Securities and Exchange Commissions opposition of Proposed Intervenors Motion to Intervene, XRP holders said that the existing parties did not adequately represent their interest. They claimed that the SEC was using red herrings, personal attacks, and irrelevant case law to distract the court from XRP holders meritorious request for intervention. At dawn, Mame Mor Anta Ly washes his chestnut-coloured horse beneath a noisy overpass on the outskirts of Senegal's bustling capital. Dozens of other horses are tethered to the ground around him, feeding from troughs improvised from oil drums or rusting bathtubs. Ly, 40, is waiting to be hired for the day to transport iron rods or bags of cement on his horse-drawn cart. "Sometimes I wait all day," he said, prayer beads dangling from his neck. Hailing from a farming region about a hundred miles (160 kilometres) south of the seaside capital, Ly is one of a growing number of rural-dwellers who come to Dakar looking for work with their horses in tow. Horses are ubiquitous in the booming West African city of 3.5 million people, where carts weave through traffic-clogged streets and squeeze down narrow sandy alleyways. Drivers carry goods and people at a cheap rate, and increasingly, also collect garbage in neighbourhoods unserved by rubbish trucks. The work is a lifeline to many rural poor who normally earn little apart from the harvest season, according to Alphonse Sene, the director of equine development at Senegal's livestock ministry. He estimated the number of cart drivers in Dakar at about 7,000 -- and rising. "It's growing because there's an employment problem in rural areas," he said. Though part of the fabric of the city, many motorists and municipal administrators view carts as a nuisance that cause congestion and accidents. There is a risk municipal authorities will eventually ban them, according to Sene. Cart driver Malick Seck, standing with his white mare outside a construction supplies depot, said he both struggles to make money and faces hostility from other road users. "No one considers us. People think we're low class," said the 45-year-old. - Horse permits - Drivers interviewed by AFP said that police can move them off roads arbitrarily and that residents place obstacles in the city's rare open spaces to stop drivers from keeping their horses there. Story continues "We are insulted all day long and mistreated," said cart driver Assane Ndiaye, echoing a widely held grievance. In a bid to ease pressure in urban areas, Senegal passed legislation in 2016 requiring drivers to have permits and tail-lights, and limiting when they are allowed to operate. But in practice the rules are ignored. Responsibility for enforcing them is also split between three government ministries. Sene, the director of equine development, acknowledged the disarray. But he said that his department is conducting a study of the horse-transport sector in Dakar with a view to revising the legislation. With about one million horses and donkeys, Senegal has an unusually high equine population for the region, said Emmanuel Boure Sarr, from the animal-welfare NGO Brooke. "Horse-drawn transport is a reality that cannot be ignored," he said, underlining the economic importance of the sector. - 'No alternative' - Most drivers, unaware of government attempts at regulation, pointed to money as their main concern. Senegal is a poor nation of 16 million people, where about 40 percent live on less than $1.90 (1.70 euros) a day, according to the World Bank. Cart drivers can earn comparatively well if they find clients -- between $8 to $12 a day, according to several -- yet most said they struggled after paying feeding costs. "It's very difficult. It costs about $4.50 a day to feed the horse," said Ly. Many of Dakar's cartmen are Serer people from the lush Fatick region about 140 kilometres (90 miles) southeast of the capital, where a strong traditional horse culture holds sway. "You are born into it," said Fatick native Diodio Niamen, 51, explaining that horses are one of the few ways to earn money. Leaning against his cart on a beach in the north of Dakar, Niamen said he wishes he could stay in his village and farm all year round. When I come to Dakar, it's because I have no money," he said. "There's no alternative." eml/nrh/ach Spray bottle. (PHOTO: Getty Images) SINGAPORE - A 56-year-old man and a 48-year-old woman were charged on Friday (21 May) for harassing their neighbours, including a male nurse. These alleged acts involve Cheang Eng Hock and Lim Sok Lay hurling vulgarities and insulting remarks at the neighbours, and spraying disinfectant at them. He is also said to have splashed water along the common corridor. Cheang and Lim, who is said to have committed some of the offences from the same residence, were each handed two charges. Both are said to have shouted Covid, Covid spreader, virus or virus family and spraying disinfectant solution at the neighbours, between 13 and 15 May last year at a block along Edgefield Plains. Another charge involves them uttering at a victim, this nurse gangster, this nurse no good and this Malay nurse very bad, on 8 January this year at Sengkang General Hospital. Lim faces four more charges, including using vulgarities against the same neighbours on 11 November last year and spraying disinfectant liquid at them on 21 October and 10 December last year. She also allegedly shouted continuously at Ngee Ann City's second floor on 21 February this year. She was allegedly given several warnings by a police officer at the scene. May have more charges The prosecution asked for an adjournment for Cheang as it may be referring two more charges against him. The new offences are said to be against the same victims. Cheang was offered bail with the condition that he was not to commit offences while on bail or contact the victims directly or indirectly. For Lim, the prosecution asked that she be remanded at the Institute of Mental Health for psychiatric assessment. Cheang said he is considering whether to engage a lawyer. He will return to court on 18 June for a further mention while Lim will return on 4 June. According to previous media reports of the alleged incident, one of the victims is a Sengkang General Hospital nurse. Story continues The police received a report of the harassment on 15 May last year when the partial lockdown period was in force. After investigations commenced, the police received several more reports between last October and January this year about similar harassment by the pair, despite mediation sessions at the Community Mediation Centre in June last year. Lim is also being investigated over fresh offences said to have been committed last month. The police said that it has advised all parties involved to minimise contact with each other. If convicted of intentionally causing harassment under the Protection from Harassment Act, each may face a fine of up to $5,000, and a jail term of not more than six months, or both. If convicted of being a public nuisance, the woman faces a jail term of up to three months, a fine of up to $2,000, or both. More Singapore news: Stay in the know on-the-go: Join Yahoo Singapore's Telegram channel at http://t.me/YahooSingapore Other stories: Man, 70, linked to TTSH cluster dies from COVID-19; 32nd fatality COVID: POFMA orders issued over false 'Singapore variant' claims Diving superintendent who forged qualifications jailed over death of commercial diver LGBT policy is for 'only Singaporeans to debate and decide': MFA to US Embassy From sleeping in his truck to becoming class speaker at his college graduation, a Chaffey College graduate is hoping his story can inspire others to overcome the odds and chase their dreams. Video Transcript - From sleeping in his truck to class speaker at his college graduation, a Chaffey Community College graduate hoping his story can inspire others to overcome the odds and chase their dreams. Eyewitness News reporter Leo Stallworth has the story. DAVID LEON: It has always been a dream of mine to be your class speaker. My story, much like many of you, is one of overcoming many obstacles. LEO STALLWORTH: This Chaffey Community College graduate's biggest obstacle-- being homeless. DAVID LEON: I think my message is just self-belief. LEO STALLWORTH: Even during his darkest days of the cold, thirsty, and scared, being homeless the last two years, 25-year-old David Leon staying in school. He hopes his virtual speech to its graduating class inspires them. DAVID LEON: Having the odds stacked against you and despite being in a global pandemic, still having the determination and optimism to keep moving forward and never give up. Class of 2020 and class of 2021, we've made it. We really started our journey throughout our college experience. We went after something, and we didn't know if we would succeed or not. But it was our first step. And I think we can all take away as graduates self-belief. LEO STALLWORTH: David getting an associate's degree in business administration from the community college of Rancho Cucamonga. He says his family had to leave their home in Upland for the high desert several years ago. He vowed to stay behind and finished community college. DAVID LEON: I just had the decision to just live in my truck and struggle it out as a college student. LEO STALLWORTH: David plans to get his bachelor's degree in business administration from either San Diego or Long Beach State, both schools accepting him. He credits his family for his perseverance. Story continues DAVID LEON: I just looked at my past generations, and I seen great men, including my father, who worked very hard to keep me housed as a child. And I just had to continue forward being a great man the best I can. LEO STALLWORTH: Sadly, David lost his father in March, but he believes his dad smiles on him from the heavens. DAVID LEON: And my dad would say you could be the president of the United States one day. And I've had that since I was little, so I could see myself doing something like that. LEO STALLWORTH: There's no limit to what David can achieve. WASHINGTON (Reuters) - South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Friday said his country would work closely with the United States to achieve a complete denuclearization of the Korean peninsula. Moon, speaking to reporters after a private meeting with President Joe Biden, said the world welcomed the United States' return to leadership. He said the two allies would work together on combating the COVID-19 pandemic, rebuilding the global economy and addressing climate change. (Reporting by Jarrett Renshaw; writing by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Leslie Adler) (REUTERS) Spain will allow British travellers into the country without a negative PCR Covid test from May 24, the countrys government has said. The UKs favourite foreign holiday destination is following Portugals lead to allow in British tourists. However, the country still remains on the UKs amber list. This means the UK Governments official advice still remains that people should not travel there unless for an essential reason. Those who do, must self-isolate for 10 days on their return and take two COVID tests. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said they would be more than delighted to receive British tourists back into the country and without health controls. Despite the UK government telling people not to travel to amber destinations, analysis by the Telegraph suggests that up to 270,000 Brits will fly to amber list countries by the weekend. Yesterday, UK Transport Secretary Grant Shapps revealed he is pushing for the green list of countries to be expanded and hinted it could happen within weeks. People are allowed to travel to green list countries on holiday and do not have to quarantine on return because those regions are considered to pose the lowest coronavirus risk. However, the next review of the system is not expected until the first week in June. More follows Read More Holidaymakers wanting to visit amber countries urged to have more patience Holiday advice crystal clear, Hancock says after ministerial mixed messages Where can I go on holiday? Unfortunately, as this bill was vetted by the public, it became clear that it could put renters into a situation where they had to pay a monthly deposit fee, and then still pay any alleged damages to the property owner when they left, with no recourse before a court. The mayors veto was applauded by many community advocates, including myself, and we all hope for a better piece of legislation in the near future that offers real alternatives. CEUTA, Spain (AP) Officials in Ceuta, a Spanish enclave in north Africa, are getting flooded with calls from Moroccan parents and trying to speed up family reunions after hundreds of children and teenagers were swept up in a diplomatic storm between Spain and Morocco. Mabel Deu, a local government minister and spokesperson for the autonomous city, said Friday that a hotline set up the day before had received 4,400 calls from desperate relatives seeking information. So far, authorities have confirmed 438 unaccompanied minors were among more than 8,000 people who arrived in Ceuta from Morocco between Monday and Wednesday by scaling a border fence or swimming around it. Social service workers were checking the ages of many more young people who are in shelters or roaming the streets, Deu said. Our goal is that they reunite with their parents as soon as possible because we understand the anguish and worry of many families who dont know where their children are, she said. Morocco has taken back over 6,600 of the migrants who made it to Ceuta, Spanish authorities said. Entering the city put them in European Union territory, and hundreds of thousands of asylum-seekers attempt to reach Europe from Africa each year. Many of the worried relatives calling the hotline are just a few miles across the border, in the Moroccan city of Fnideq. But stepped-up vigilance along an 8-kilometer-long (5-mile-long) border and the overwhelmed resources on the Spanish side making the reunions difficult. Fatima Zohra told The Associated Press that other girls pushed her 14-year-old daughter to cross the border without her mother's knowledge. Zohra said she spotted her daughter on social media in photos from inside the warehouse where Spanish officials are keeping the minors while they process them. Please help me find my daughter, she said. We always provided for her. We have money. Her father works in a private company. Spain is legally obliged to care for young migrants until their relatives can be located or they turn 18. Authorities are deciding where in the Spanish mainland to distribute 260 of the ones in Ceuta, who are being transferred to make room for new arrivals. Story continues But reunions are also proving difficult bring about, Deu said. Some of the children told social services they really want to stay, even against their parents' wishes. Others can't get home soon enough. I want to leave this place. I dont want Ceuta. I want Morocco," AP reporters heard a girl crying at a center where makeshift cabins have been installed for the children. Save The Children, an international non-profit, said in a statement that speeding up the return of the minors should be done on a case-by-case basis and upholding the child's safety and interests above everything else. The humanitarian crisis started as Morocco and Spain were at odds over Spain quietly agreeing to provide COVID-19 care to a prominent Sahrawi leader fighting for the independence of Western Sahara, a territory once under Spanish control that Morocco annexed in the 1970s. While blaming Spain for creating a diplomatic dispute by hospitalizing the leader of the Polisario Front, Moroccan authorities deny that they encouraged this week's mass crossings to Ceuta. Witnesses and reporters, including AP's, have described seeing the border guard relaxed. But at least two Moroccan officials have separately attributed the massive surge to favorable weather or a consequence of troops being tired following Ramadan celebrations. This was not improvised, it was planned. Morocco benefits by sending us and clearing people out," an 18-year-old who crossed this week into Ceuta told AP. "They are clearing (pushing us out). We are Moroccos experiment. We are like lab rats." The young asked for his name not to be disclosed for fear of deportation and other reprisals. There was no immediate comment from Moroccan authorities to questions submitted by AP. Adult migrants remaining in Ceuta were scattered between makeshift shelters and a migrant holding facility where some asylum seekers were taken. Many, especially Moroccans, were also roaming the streets, hiding from police patrols rounding up migrants and trying to find a way into the European mainland. No more migrants arrived in the city without authorization for the third day in a row after Moroccan authorities stepped up vigilance on their side. However, security forces on both sides of the fence separation Morocco from Melilla - another Spanish territory in northern Africa - repelled groups of youths trying to reach Spanish soil. The government said at least 30 of them made it in. Sovereignty claims over Ceuta and Melilla by Morocco have been an intermittent flashpoint between the two Mediterranean neighbors. But relations dipped to a low this month over Spains decision to provide medical treatment to Brahim Ghali, who leads the Sahrawi's fight against Morocco's annexation of Western Sahara. ___ AP journalist Aritz Parra in Madrid contributed to this report. ___ Follow APs global migration coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/migration The Toronto District School Board's (TDSB) consideration to rename a downtown public school originally named in honour of Queen Victoria is receiving criticism from several politicians. Student council at Parkdales Queen Victoria Public School, along with a group called the Black Student Success Committee have requested a school renaming committee be established to come up with a name that better reflects their community. The school has been a target for racist behaviour and incidents in the past. Last year, hate mail was sent to a Black school administrator that singled out Black and racialized teachers at the school, as well as parents who were members of the Black Student Success Committee, which was formed in the fall of 2019. The incident led to a police investigation, as well as one by the TDSB. An online petition titled Disrupt Anti-Black Racism at Queen Victoria Public School in Parkdale was also launched. The request for a school renaming committee put forward to the TDSB states that initial discussions about a new name started in October 2020 and again in January of this year, and inspired excitement from the school council. The desire to have a new name is representative of a fresh start for the school community amongst a range of other positive changes, it reads. Given the concerns expressed by students and staff at Queen Victoria Public School, it is believed that engaging in the school renaming process without delay, and in partnership with community members, will support the rebuilding of trust given what has transpired in the school community. The School Council and the Black Student Success Committee are requesting the school be renamed early in the 2021/2022 school year as a critical moment for moving beyond recent negative incidents at the school. A motion approved by TDSB in April, titled Renaming Schools Celebrating the Diversity of Toronto, notes few schools are named after celebrated Indigenous or Black Leaders or Leaders of colour and that some schools are named after people with a racist legacy Story continues The motion has been approved by the Planning and Priorities Committee and must now go the regular meeting of the Board next Wednesday or final approval. Some politicians not happy about name change to Queen Victoria school The news drew some critical reaction from a conservative MPP, as well as a senator. MPP David Piccini, who represents Northumberland-Peterborough and works as Ontario Premier Doug Fords assistant minister of colleges and universities, posted a since-deleted tweet bemoaning: The woke cancel culture has found its next target! The tweet included several emojis of facepalm. Senator Linda Frum tweeted out Now the mob is coming for Queen Victoria .... This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. On Wednesday, Vaughan Secondary School was officially renamed in honour of late Somali-Canadian journalist Hodan Nalayeh, who once lived in the area. Advocates for the change noted that the school was originally named after British parliamentarian, Benjamin Vaughan, who enslaved Africans in Jamaica and was in favour of slavery. Ted Cruz speaks during a news conference on 12 May 2021 in Washington, DC (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) What was Ted Cruz thinking? Ive been asking myself this question with increasing frequency. Perhaps it began when the Texas Senator took a sinfully ill-advised trip to Cancun while his state was in the midst of a dire weather emergency in February. Then, there was the recent occurrence in which he attempted to make light of that trip eliciting reactions that can be best summarised as a resounding NOPE. And now, Cruz has apparently convinced himself it would be a good idea to go after *checks notes* the US military. On Thursday, Cruz shared on Twitter a TikTok video contrasting two clips: one which appears to be a recruitment ad for the Russian military, and another ad for the US Army. The former video features a string of short-haired, muscular, at times shirtless men doing push-ups, jumping out of an airplane, and aiming weapons. The US Army clip, on the other hand, is an animated video in which a real-life corporal shares her personal story of being raised by two mothers, watching one of her parents learning how to walk again after an accident, and eventually joining the force. In other words, both videos riff on the same topic, apparently with similar aims. The main difference is that one is heavily masculine-coded, while the other involves all-female characters and goes beyond a brute show of force, delving instead into a personal narrative. What did Cruz have to say about that discrepancy? The answer is right here on his Twitter feed. Holy crap, he wrote. Perhaps a woke, emasculated military is not the best idea To say that his remarks backfired is like saying that Jimi Hendrix was OK at the guitar. In just a few words, Cruz managed to get it wrong on so many levels its actually kind of impressive in a twisted, broken sort of way. Illinois Senator Tammy Duckworth, a veteran who lost both of her legs after being injured in Iraq, put it this way in a tweet: Holy crap. Perhaps a US Senator shouldnt suggest that the *Russian* military is better than the American military that protected him from an insurrection he helped foment? Story continues Charlotte Clymer, also a veteran and a director of communications and an occasional contributor to The Independent wrote: Am I surprised that Ted Cruz is mocking our military as emasculated? No. This is the coward who wouldnt even stand beside his own wife when Trump publicly talked s*** about her. There is a lot to unpack here, starting with Cruzs obvious optics failure. Beyond that, there is something so basic, so obvious in attacking the ad featuring the woman raised by two other women. Sexism and homophobia? From Ted Cruz? Thats about as groundbreaking as florals in spring. But of course, our man Ted isnt one to back down from a fight, even when its obvious hes lost it (that seems to be a theme with the GOP these days). He attempted to paint the blowback to his original message as lefty blue checkmarks losing their minds over this tweet, dishonestly claiming that Im attacking the military. Uh, no, he added. We have the greatest military on earth, but Dem politicians & woke media are trying to turn them into pansies. The new Dem videos are terrible. OK, first of all, dont use the word pansy. Ever. Its heinous. Second of all, the animated video isnt a Dem video. Its a US Army video, unattached to a specific political party. It was shared on the YouTube channel for GoArmy, a recruitment platform. Whats worse, though, is that Corporal Emma Malonelord is a real person. Ditto her mothers. Its their familys story in the video, and its that same story that Cruz has chosen to ridicule. This entire situation is made all the more maddening by the fact that military recruitment ads have always made me feel somewhat uncomfortable. Because theyre well, you know! Recruitment ads! And my feelings about the US militaryindustrial complex are complex, and a topic for another day. But doing what Cruz did, ie mocking a real-life corporal for the sole purpose of owning the libs? Thats a no-go. None of this is very surprising. This is, after all, the same Ted Cruz who in 2016 suggested it would be nuts to draft women into military combat. He has made his stance on women in the military very clear for a good amount of time now. Listen. If your commitment to machismo is such that it causes you to alienate veterans, thats your problem. Just maybe dont try to be a political leader especially not in one of the countrys top three states with the largest veteran populations, and definitely not if youre toying with the idea of running for president in 2024. Now that would be a problem. Read More Ted Cruz shares video comparing US and Russian military recruitment adverts Clearing the patient backlog isnt enough its time the UK became cancer science pioneers once again Im going to keep wearing a face mask after the pandemic is over but its not to protect me from coronavirus (AP) Tennessees Republican governor has approved legislation banning gender affirming hormone treatment in children, despite such a practice being virtually nonexistent. Governor Bill Lee signed the bill into law on Tuesday, forbidding doctors from prescribing hormone treatments to prepubescent minors with immediate effect. But LGBTQ+ advocates have condemned the measure, saying that it addresses an invented problem and is a slap in the face to young transgender people. Michael Reding, a practice manager at Rager Adolescent Health a Nashville-based medical office that specialises in healthcare for young LGBTQ+ people told The New York Times that codifying the current standards as prepubertal doesnt affect anything we do or anything that the state does. Offering hormone treatment to children is not done by anyone that were aware of in the state, he added. This is the accepted position of the World Professional Association for Transgender Health, which recommends that children should begin experiencing puberty before receiving hormone treatments such as puberty blockers. The bill is the second of its kind to be signed into law in the United States. In April, Arkansass Republican governor Asa Hutchinson attempted to veto similar legislation, but was overridden by the State Legislature. Arkansass law takes a broader approach than the one signed in Tennessee, banning both gender confirming hormone treatments and surgery in minors. According to the Human Rights Campaign, more anti-LGBTQ bills have been enacted into law this year across the US than in the last three years combined. In Tennessee, Governor Lee has signed a slew of bills relating to transgender people. On Monday, he approved a measure which requires businesses that allow transgender people to use the bathroom associated with their gender identity to post a sign indicating this on the premises. He also signed a bill which puts schools at risk of being sued if they allow transgender people to use bathrooms or locker rooms that reflect their identity, and another which requires children over the age of 10 to submit legal documents that show their assigned sex before they can compete in school sports. Story continues His actions have been condemned by LGBTQ+ campaign groups. Chris Sanders, the executive director of the Tennessee Equality Project, told the NYT that this latest measure is another example of the state government saying it doesnt trust trans youth and that it is a slap in the face to young transgender people. Read More UK Covid-19 vaccinations: Latest figures Powerful US nuclear test reactor getting rare major overhaul Seller of vaccine disinformation has YouTube channel removed Shocked to hear that Capital Pipeline paid over $4 million to ransomware attackers? Now Bloomberg reports that one of the largest insurance companies in the US, CNA, paid $40 million after a similar attack on its systems in March. The company refused to make any kind of detailed comment on the incident, saying only that it followed the law. WASHINGTON, USA - MAY 12: Gas pumps closed after ransomware cyberattack causes Colonial Pipeline to shut down, resulting in shortages in Washington D.C, United States on May 12, 2021. (Photo by Yasin Ozturk/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images) According to experts, that figure is larger than any ransom payout disclosed so far, made just as attacks have increased exponentially over the last few months. And with that money coming in, I wouldnt expect to see things slow down any time soon. Richard Lawler I mean, it has a laser. Its not a great feeling when a product shines a light on your deficiencies as an adult. Mat Smith, while putting Dysons V15 Detect through its paces, came to realize his floors were pretty filthy. And they had probably been that way for a while. With a laser-attached cleaning head, and a particle counting sensor that adjusts the power of the vacuum to deal with messier spots, the V15 is a powerful, expensive stick vacuum. Continue reading. More hydrogen stations needed. The 2021 Toyota Mirai fuel-cell vehicle cruising through a city environment. Toyotas 2021 redesign of its hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle, the Mirai, resulted in a more efficient and more stylish vehicle. The only issue is that without an established hydrogen fueling infrastructure, the Mirai is trapped in California. There are reasons to still be interested, though. With a lower starting price of $50,000, which includes $15,000 (or six years, whichever comes first) of free fuel, its tough to deny the Mirais appeal if you happen to live next to a fueling station. Continue reading. 'Overwatch 2' will change from six- to five-person teams Its changing the rules. Overwatch 2 won't arrive until 2022 at the earliest , but it will change the way you play the hero shooter. New Game Director Aaron Keller announced the series is moving to a five-on-five player-versus-player format. Youll be losing one of your tank characters, so teams will consist of two damage dealers, two support heroes and a single tank. Continue reading. Story continues Belkin's $100 Soundform Connect dongle adds AirPlay 2 to any speaker Like an Apple Chromecast. The Morning After Belkins Soundform Connect aims to match the features of Googles Chromecast, but for Apple hardware. The $100 dongle can connect to any traditional home speaker and turn it into an AirPlay 2-compatible smart speaker you can cast audio to from iPhones and iPads running iOS 11.4 and iPadOS 11.4. What it has over existing Chromecasts, though, is the inclusion of a 3.5mm headphone jack, making it compatible with a huge array of speakers. Continue reading. But they aren't for sale. The Morning After Snapchat just showed off its long-rumored augmented reality-enabled Spectacles. The latest glasses are the fourth iteration of Spectacles, but the first to have augmented reality features built in. CEO Evan Spiegel unveiled the new glasses at the companys annual Partner Summit event, saying they now have the ability to realistically ground digital objects in the physical world. Theres a lot packed into these glasses: two cameras, four microphones, two stereo speakers and touchpad controls. The displays are dual 3D waveguide displays, which allow the wearer to view and interact with AR elements. The Snapchat boss said the company has been testing the glasses with a handful of creators and artists. But unlike other versions of Spectacles, the new glasses arent for sale at least not yet. Continue reading. But wait, theres more... 'Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart' will let you slow down the action up to 70 percent Kobo's 10.3-inch Elipsa is the company's biggest e-reader to date Google and Qualcomm are making neural network API updates easier on Android HP's newest gaming laptops include an Omen 16 and the mid-tier Victus line Yamaha announces new receivers ready for 8K, 4K/120 and the Xbox Series X TimeSplitters returns with a new game from the original developers Epic's Mega Sale is back with discounts, coupons and a free copy of 'NBA 2K21' Virgin Galactic's next rocket-powered test flight confirmed for May 22nd FTC sues Frontier for 'misrepresenting' internet speeds Twitter is reopening public verification 'Hocus Pocus 2' will premiere on Disney+ in fall 2022 Tim Cook arriving at court in Oakland, California - Reuters Tim Cook has warned that the iPhone risks becoming a toxic mess if Apple loses control of how apps are downloaded, as the tech giants chief executive defended the company in a high-stakes monopoly lawsuit. Mr Cook, appearing on the last day of evidence of a three-week US trial brought by the maker of the video game Fortnite, defended the companys grip on how iPhone users can buy and install apps. Epic Games, the company behind Fortnite, claims Apple illegally exploits a monopoly over how iPhone apps are downloaded to charge excessive fees, barring alternatives to its multi-billion dollar App Store. Apple argues that it is not a monopoly, and says allowing rival app stores and payment services would put users at risk in comparison to the companys control over what apps are allowed onto its store. Mr Cook, in the first public courtroom appearance in his 10 years as Apple chief executive, said that allowing alternatives would jeopardise users safety and that the companys strict review system protects security and privacy. We review thousands of apps a week; you can imagine if you turned app review off how long it would take for the App Store to become a toxic kind of mess, he said. An artist rendering of Cook on the witness stand - Vicki Behringer/AP We could no longer make the promise [to protect users]. If you think about how we make the promise of safety, security, privacy, a large part of it depends on app review, we believe customers want that. Apple kicked Fortnite off the App Store last year after Epic attempted to circumvent Apples payment system, which takes a commission of up to 30pc on purchases such as digital items within video games. It is asking a judge to force the company to allow rival app stores and alternative payment systems. Victory for Epic, which is seeking to launch its own app store, could affect tens of billions of dollars in app spending. Mr Cook warned that other companies would be less likely to protect users. [They are] not as motivated as Apple is, for us the customer is everything... I dont think you [get] that with third parties, he said. Its an experiment I wouldnt want to run, he said about the possibility of rival stores. Story continues Mr Cook said he did not know how much money the App Store makes, saying that Apple did not assess how profitable the store alone is, although he disputed Epics claims that its profit margins were 80pc. However, he said that Apple did not have a dominant market share, saying it competes fiercely with other smartphone makers, and that users were able to switch between different systems. The trial is expected to conclude on Monday, although a judges decision is not expected for several weeks. It comes as Apple is under investigation in multiple countries over how it manages the App Store. The American Rescue Plan became law two months ago, and already weve seen hunger drop more than 40%. The unemployment rate has fallen by more than half thanks to the creation of more than 1.5 million new jobs. Those $1,400 checks have allowed families to pay down debt built up over the pandemic. And federal dollars have brought safe, effective COVID-19 vaccinations to nearly 160 million Americans across the country. For Black and minority farmers, the American Rescue Plan could represent one of the most significant pieces of civil rights legislation in decades. Thats because deep within the law is a provision that responds to decades of systemic discrimination perpetrated against farmers and ranchers of color by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The law directs USDA to pay off the farm loans of nearly 16,000 minority farmers and begin to address longstanding racial equity challenges that have plagued farmers of color for generations. Today, after months of planning, USDA begins this historic debt relief program. For much of the history of the USDA, Black, Hispanic, Native American, Asian American and other minority farmers have faced discrimination sometimes overt and sometimes through deeply embedded rules and policies that have prevented them from achieving as much as their counterparts who do not face these documented acts of discrimination. For example, in 2020, USDA distributed tens of billions of dollars to farmers due to COVID-related market losses. But those payments went primarily to white producers while socially disadvantaged producers a legal term for Black, Hispanic, Native American, Asian American and farmers of color received just 1% of the aid. America Talks: Should the U.S. have stricter laws on the sale of guns? The reason the payments went so overwhelmingly to white producers is because the system is stacked against farmers of color. Most farm programs are based on size of an operation and its history of output. Story continues From the late 1800s until the turn of the 21st century, Black families lost nearly 98% of their land, and the number of Black farmers fell from more than 1 million to fewer than 50,000 today. White farmers have advantages, including more land and larger farms which have produced more crops and livestock over a longer, documented period of time. And because those farms are larger, better capitalized, and producing most of the crops and livestock, they get most of the USDA payments when payments are distributed. As a result, socially disadvantaged farmers continue to fall further and further behind. Black farmers lost their land Owning land is a major advantage. Land owned by Black farmers all but disappeared in the 20th century due to federal dispossession and systemic discrimination against Black farmers. From the late 1800s until the turn of the 21st century, Black families lost nearly 98% of their land, and the number of Black farmers fell from more than 1 million to fewer than 50,000 today. In 1990, Congress sought to address discrimination by creating programs for socially disadvantaged producers a term identifying people whose members have been subjected to racial or ethnic prejudice because of their identity. In the 1990s, USDA also began settling civil rights cases to compensate minority farmers for specific acts of discrimination by the department against them. Yet, the settlements and programs did not change the system. The cumulative impacts of discrimination had taken hold, evidenced by the 1% example. And then COVID hit. On top of the economic pain caused by the pandemic, socially disadvantaged communities experienced a disproportionate share of COVID infection rates, hospitalizations, death and unemployment or underemployment. It became even harder for socially disadvantaged farmers to pay their debts, putting them further behind again. $5 billion targeted for debt relief The American Rescue Plan sought to address cumulative discrimination by giving USDA new tools and resources. The law provides an estimated $5 billion to deliver historic debt relief to socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers who hold a qualifying farm loan. The Rescue Plan provides also provides additional money and direction to USDA to begin a long-term effort to advance equity and remove systemic discrimination from its programs; part of this long-term effort will be led by an independent equity commission. The loan payments will clear the debt in full as well as offer additional resources to pay tax liabilities and other fees associated with clearing a debt. Any socially disadvantaged borrower with a qualifying USDA loan is eligible for the debt relief and any assistance provided to the borrower by USDA is free of charge. The process beginning today is truly historic. It represents an opportunity for a historically marginalized group to more fully participate in a fairer, more equitable system of American agriculture. It is long overdue. Tom Vilsack is secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. 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: Why debt relief for Black, minority farmers is a civil rights victory Former President Donald Trump is reportedly being sued for his repeated use of China virus among other phrases in reference to COVID-19 while he was still in office. Anti-China rhetoric: Blaming China for unleashing the coronavirus, Trump routinely used terms such as Chinese virus, Wuhan virus and Kung Flu during his term, arguing that it is not racist to refer to the pathogens geographic origin. Whos suing: Trump is reportedly being sued by the Chinese American Civil Rights Coalition (CACRC) for defamation and infliction of emotional distress. The organization claims that Trumps use of those terms contributed to the surge of violence against Chinese and other Asian Americans, according to TMZ, which obtained a copy of the suit. They also said the former president should not have used Chinese virus, since its not entirely clear where the virus actually originated, TMZ noted. The CACRC wants Trump to give every Asian American $1 for an estimated total of $22.9 million, which will be used to build a museum showcasing the history and contributions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders to the U.S. Trump, who has launched his own communications platform, has not responded to the news of the suit. Featured Image via Gage Skidmore (CC BY-SA 2.0) Story continues Enjoy this content? Read more from NextShark! BREAKING: Teen Suspects Arrested, Charged After 89-Year-Old Woman Set on Fire in Brooklyn Viral TikTok Accuses Casetify of Copying Designs Designer Responds California Swears in the First Asian American Sheriff Japanese Politicians Are Pushing to Give Everyone 4-Day Work Weeks By Lewis Krauskopf NEW YORK (Reuters) -As U.S. stocks are hit with a bout of volatility, some investors are looking to European equities, attracted by lower valuations and the regions nascent emergence from the COVID-19 pandemic. European equity funds have notched their longest streak of net inflows in more than three years, according to data from EPFR, while fund managers globally surveyed by BofA Global Research said they are more overweight European stocks than at any time since March 2018. Morgan Stanleys strategists, meanwhile, have named holding European stocks as one of their top trades. The focus on Europe comes as the regions benchmarks have kept pace with their U.S. counterparts after years of underperformance. The STOXX 600 is up 10.7% year-to-date, broadly matching the S&P 500. The S&P 500 was off 1.7% from its record high as of Thursday, while the European index has slipped 0.8% from its peak. "We have been more exposed to the U.S. over the past years and now we are becoming more interested in foreign equities," said Brent Schutte, chief investment strategist at Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company. Investors see an opportunity as Europe's recovery begins to take root while the U.S. economic growth rate is expected to soon peak. European indexes are also more heavily weighted in the types of stocks expected to perform particularly well as the global economy bounces back, such as financials and industrials. Vaccinations are ticking up, you are likely to see restrictions come off and that should mean a decent economic recovery which will bleed into the markets in the euro zone, Schutte said. After contracting in the first quarter, the euro zone's gross domestic product is expected to increase in the second quarter and post its fastest growth in the third, rising on an annualized basis by 9.2%, according to Oxford Economics. U.S. GDP, meanwhile, is expected to post its peak growth rate of 13.3% in the second quarter, after it expanded in the first quarter. Story continues Meanwhile, nearly 48% of the U.S. population had received at least one vaccine dose as of Wednesday, compared with almost 28% of the European population, according to Our World in Data https://ourworldindata.org/covid-vaccinations. The story for the first few months of this year has been around U.S. exceptionalism," said Mona Mahajan, senior U.S. investment strategist at Allianz Global Investors. "As we look through to the next three to six months, that may fade a bit especially if Europe continues to play catch-up. Many European stocks are also trading at relative discounts to their U.S. counterparts. The S&P 500 trades at nearly 21 times forward earnings compared with 16.7 times for the STOXX index, according to Refinitiv Datastream - a wider gap than on average over the past 10 years, although that difference has recently narrowed. Part of the gap stems from the fact that U.S. indexes are more heavily skewed towards tech and other growth stocks that tend to carry higher valuations. Those stocks have helped propel the U.S. stock market since the financial crisis a decade ago and helped push S&P 500 performance ahead of European markets, but could fall out of favor as rising bond yields and inflation fears cut into their valuations. Several factors could complicate the decision to shift into European stocks. With tech and internet giants such as Apple and Amazon continuing to put up strong profits, investors may be reluctant to cut back on a trade that has worked for years. As inflation worries have hit U.S. stocks in recent weeks, there are also some concerns about euro zone inflation, which is approaching 2%, its fastest rate in years. Any setbacks to Europe's COVID-19 response and economic rebound also could undermine the case for equities there, investors said. So could a reversal in the dollars recent weakening trend, which would hurt U.S. investors seeking to convert profits in their euro-denominated assets back into their home currency. The dollar is down about 4% against the euro since the start of April. "The next move we make is probably going to be to decrease the U.S. and increase international just because of the forces that we are seeing in the market," said John Traynor, chief investment officer of Peoples United Wealth Management in Bridgeport, Connecticut. But, Traynor added, "when the dollar is moving up, that hurts you if youre investing internationally." (Reporting by Lewis Krauskopf; Editing by Ira Iosebashvili and Marguerita Choy) KYIV (Reuters) - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy extended sanctions against companies and politicians blamed by Kyiv for involvement in Russian aggression against Ukraine, his office said on Friday. The list of hundreds of entities includes Russian television channels, news agencies, newspapers, consulting companies, online payment system WebMoney, and leaders of pro-Russian separatists. They are prohibited from conducting business in Ukraine, using their assets or withdrawing capital. Relations between Moscow and Kyiv collapsed after Russia annexed the Ukrainian region of Crimea in 2014 and Russian-backed separatists took control of a chunk of eastern Ukraine that same year. Kyiv says the fighting in the eastern region of Donbass has killed 14,000 people in seven years. Tensions have flared again in recent months after the two countries traded blame for a violation of a ceasefire agreement in Donbass, and Russia, in what it called a defensive exercise, massed troops on its western border with Ukraine and in Crimea. Zelenskiy said Russia had deployed more than 100,000 military personnel near the Ukrainian border and continued to maintain them despite a promise to withdraw troops. (Reporting by Natalia Zinets; Editing by Angus MacSwan) None of the 147 have recanted their position of objecting to the certification, and the party seems to be all-in on Trumps legacy, Pinkham said. That makes it hard for a company that, for whatever reason, might want to resume contributing to one of the 147, he said. Speaking on NPRs Fresh Air, Barry Jenkins, the director of The Underground Railroad, noted that before making this show I would have said Im the descendant of enslaved Africans. I think now that answer has evolved, he continued. I am the descendant of blacksmiths and midwives and herbalists and spiritualists. As a scholar interested in how modern representations of enslavement shape our understanding of the past, I am struck by the ways Jenkins seeks to change the way viewers think about and talk about Black American history. In doing so, he takes the baton from scholars, activists and artists who have, for decades, attempted to shake up Americans understanding of slavery. Much of this work has centered on reimagining slaves not as objects who were acted upon, but as individuals who maintained identities and agency however limited despite their status as property. Pushing the boundaries of language In the past three decades there has been a movement among academics to find suitable terms to replace slave and slavery. In the 1990s, a group of scholars asserted that slave was too limited a term to label someone a slave, the argument went, emphasized the thinghood of all those held in slavery, rendering personal attributes apart from being owned invisible. Attempting to emphasize that humanity, other scholars substituted enslavement for slavery, enslaver for slave owner, and enslaved person for slave. Following the principles of people-first language such as using incarcerated people as opposed to inmates the terminology asserts that the person in question is more than just the state of oppression imposed onto him or her. Not everyone embraced this suggestion. In 2015, renowned slavery and Reconstruction historian Eric Foner wrote, Slave is a familiar word and if it was good enough for Frederick Douglass and other abolitionists it is good enough for me. Despite such resistance, more and more academics recognized the limitations of the older, impersonal terminology and started to embrace enslaved and its variants. Story continues The new language reached another pinnacle with the publication of The New York Times 1619 Project. In the opening essay, project editor Nikole Hannah-Jones eschews slave and slavery, using variants of enslavement throughout. However controversial the series may be, it is setting the terms of current discussions about enslavement. Enslaved person at least among people open to the idea that a fresh look at American chattel slavery necessitated new language became the new normal. What, then, to make of Barry Jenkins saying he wants to push past this terminology? In that same NPR interview, Jenkins notes that right now [Americans] are referring to [Black slaves] as enslaved, which I think is very honorable and worthy, but it takes the onus off of who they were and places it on what was done to them. And I want to get to what they did. I think that Jenkins is onto something important here. Whichever side you take in the ongoing terminology debate, both slave and enslaved person erase both personality and agency from the individuals being described. And this is the conundrum: The state of enslavement was, by definition, dehumanizing. For artists, writers and thinkers its difficult to reflect on the dehumanization of masses of people without diminishing some of the characteristics that make them unique. And once you step onto that path, its a short journey to reducing the identity of the collective group including their ancestors to one thats defined by their worst experiences. Seeing slaves on screen In some ways, because of the nature of their medium, filmmakers have fared better than their fellow artists at balancing the challenges of portraying the horrific experiences of enslaved people as a whole and elevating the particular experiences of enslaved individuals. So where does Jenkins fit in the lineage of cinematic depictions of enslavement? From the start, comparisons to Roots the first miniseries about American chattel slavery abound. Roots, which appeared in 1977, was the first miniseries on American television to explore the experiences of slavery on multiple generations of one Black family. It also created powerful opportunities for interracial empathy. As critic Matt Zoller Seitz notes, for many white viewers, the miniseries amounted to the first prolonged instance of not merely being asked to identify with cultural experiences that were alien to them, but to actually feel them. Some Americans might remember those eight consecutive nights in January 1977 when Roots first aired. It was a collective experience that started and shaped national conversations about slavery and American history. By contrast, The Underground Railroad appears in an age replete with representations of enslavement. WGNs underappreciated series Underground, the 2016 remake of Roots, 2020s The Good Lord Bird, Django Unchained, 12 Years a Slave and Harriet are just a handful of recent innovative portrayals of slavery. The best of these series push viewers toward new ways of seeing enslavement and those who resisted it. The Good Lord Bird, for example, used humor to dismantle ossified perceptions of John Brown, the militant 19th-century abolitionist, and opened up new conversations about when using violence to resist oppression is justifiable. A delicate dance between beauty and suffering Looking at The Underground Railroad, I can see how and why Jenkins vision is so important in this moment. In Jenkins films Moonlight and If Beale Street Could Talk, the director made a name for himself as an artist who can push past narrow, constraining visions of Black identity as one marked solely by suffering. His films are not free from pain, of course. But pain is not their dominant note. His Black worlds are places where beauty abounds, where the characters in the stories he tells experience vibrancy as well as desolation. Jenkins brings that sensibility to The Underground Railroad as well. Critics have commented on how Jenkins uses the landscape to achieve this beauty. I was struck by how the sun-soaked fields of an Indiana farm create a perfectly fitting backdrop for the rejuvenating love Cora finds there with Royal. In The Underground Railroad, slavery for all its horrors exists in an environment nonetheless imbued with beauty. The curtain of Coras vacant cabin flapping in the breeze and framed by the rough timbers of the slave quarters evokes the paintings of Jacob Lawrence. In other scenes, Jenkins juxtaposes radically different landscapes and actions to emphasize the complexity of these characters experiences. For example, Cora works as an actor at a museum, where she plays an African savage for visitors; in one scene, she changes out of the costume and into an elegant yellow dress. Walking the clean, orderly streets of Griffin, South Carolina, she transforms into a picture of middle-class propriety. Scenes portraying the manners and reading lessons offered by the faculty of the Tuskegee-style institute where Cora and other fugitives find shelter demonstrate the allure of these middle-class values. On first glance, it all appears promising. Only later, when Coras pushed by her mentor to undergo forced sterilization, does it become apparent that shes landed in a horror show. These vignettes are but a few examples of the thoroughgoing power of Jenkins aesthetic. Every episode yields moments of beauty. And yet at the flip of a switch, serenity can devolve into savagery. Living with the recognition that calm can instantly and unexpectedly become carnage is part of the human condition. Jenkins reminds viewers that for Black Americans both then and now this prospective peril can be particularly pronounced. This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit news site dedicated to sharing ideas from academic experts. It was written by: William Nash, Middlebury. Read more: William Nash does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment. United, Delta and American said Friday they are resuming flights to Tel Aviv after Israel and Hamas agreed to a cease-fire in violence that had included rockets fired at Ben Gurion International Airport. Delta Air Lines plans to operate its first flight from New York to Tel Aviv since early last week on Friday night, with the first return trip on Sunday. Delta will closely monitor the security situation and will make adjustments to our flight schedules as necessary," spokesman Morgan Durrant said. United Airlines also said it expects to resume service Friday night, with a flight from Newark, New Jersey, to Tel Aviv. A spokeswoman said the airline plans to also resume flights from Chicago and San Francisco over the weekend. United halted flights from all three U.S. cities to Israel on May 12. American Airlines said it plans to restart New York-Tel Aviv flights on Monday. The truce between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas appeared to be holding Friday, after an 11-day war that left more than 250 people dead, mostly Palestinians. WASHINGTON As he seeks to return to his old job, former Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe was focused far more on November's general election than his Democratic opponents in a televised debate less than three weeks before the June 8 primary election. McAufliffe's opponents tried to frame the front-runner as a politician of the past during Thursday's virtual exchange, sponsored by NBC Washington. But instead of mixing it up with his party rivals, McAuliffe peppered many of his answers with digs at Republican Glenn Youngkin, the former private equity executive who won the Republican nomination earlier this month. He also took regular swings at former President Donald Trump, looking past the primary by trying to define Youngkin as an extension of Trump while repeatedly mentioning his own "friend," President Joe Biden. "The Republicans have just nominated an extreme, right-wing billionaire to be their nominee," McAuliffe said, noting Trump's endorsement of Youngkin. "We cannot let Glenn Youngkin do to Virginia what Donald Trump did to our country," he said. McAuliffe has emphasized the general election as he holds a commanding lead in fundraising and public polling, and he has taken criticism from Republican groups and Youngkin along the way. While the virtual debate, moderated by NBC News' Chuck Todd, largely lacked fireworks, former state Del. Jennifer Carroll Foy and state Sen. Jennifer McClellan tried to contrast themselves with McAuliffe. They did so largely without mentioning him directly and by pitching themselves as new leaders who could bring Virginia into the future. McClellan or Carroll Foy would be the state's first Black female governor. Carroll Foy tacitly pushed back against the idea that McAuliffe is the nominee-in-waiting, arguing that the GOP wants Democrats to "recycle the same old policies and politicians of the past" instead of picking a "new leader with a clear vision and bold ideas." Story continues "So many people have told me all my life that it's not my time and not my turn. Millions of women out there know exactly what that feels like, having our experience undermined and our credentials questioned," she said. "I'm not here to ask the patriarchy for permission," she said. "I'm here to get things done for the people of Virginia." McClellan pointed to her experience in the Legislature to frame herself as the compromise candidate who "has the experience but also brings a fresh perspective." "As a working mother, as a Black woman who has seen how our state government has left many communities behind, I have worked to address those problems for the past 15 years," she said. "I have more governing experience than any other candidate running for governor, all of them combined. And I've used that experience to lead." McAuliffe, who largely focused on Youngkin instead of his opponents, fended off his opponents' criticisms by promising "bold" policies. "We need experience now to lead us out of this very tough crisis. I did it before. I'll do it again. And I have big, bold plans," he said. "We've tinkered around long enough. It is time to lead the country." State Del. Lee Carter staked out the party's more progressive lane, arguing that the Covid-19 pandemic underscored the need to re-evaluate how the commonwealth provides for its people. "We are in a pivotal moment in the history of this commonwealth, one where we have to decide whether we will return to the status quo," he said. "Or if we will transform this commonwealth into a place where wealth is common." Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax, whose bid has been marred by allegations of sexual assault, celebrated the work of the current state administration and his role in breaking tie votes in the state Senate as Lt. Gov. on issues like Medicaid expansion and legalization of recreational marijuana. "You pair that with the experience that we've had, the success that we've had over the last four years, and that's a vision that I think Virginians support," he said. The debate also spanned issues from the pandemic to the economy, police reform and health care. Speaking about the pandemic, McAuliffe and Fairfax backed businesses' requiring customers to show proof of vaccination for Covid-19 before they enter. "If you want to come into my business establishment, I want to see a vaccination, because I want to keep my customers safe. Absolutely," McAuliffe said. Carter, Carroll Foy and Fairfax all said they supported Biden's proposal to raise taxes on people making more than $400,000, with McClellan backing "comprehensive tax reform" and McAuliffe saying he supports Biden's idea of "raising money to fund infrastructure." Eloina Feliciano begged her mother not to sell her into marriage aged 14 under an ancestral tradition in their indigenous community in southern Mexico, but her pleas were in vain. "I don't want to be sold," she remembers telling her mother at their home in the mountains of Guerrero state. "We're not animals. Animals are the ones who are sold," added Feliciano, now 23, who lives in the municipality of Metlatonoc in one of Mexico's poorest areas. She became one of many girls from her Mixtec community subjected to a tradition that critics say traps women in abuse and leaves the groom's family mired in poverty. Today such agreements are still made in dozens of communities in Guerrero, but calls are growing for an end to the practice of selling daughters. The payments demanded by the brides' parents, who will only consider men from the region for their daughters, range from $2,000 to $18,000, residents told AFP. "The girls are completely vulnerable. Their new family enslaves them with domestic and agricultural tasks" and sometimes "in-laws abuse them sexually," said anthropologist Abel Barrera, director of the Tlachinollan Center of Human Rights of the Mountain. Due to the "growing precariousness" of these communities, he added, "the indigenous ancestral ritual of giving away maidens in return for a dowry from their first menstruation has been lost and girls are now being commodified." Indigenous people represent around 10 percent of Mexico's population of 126 million, and almost 70 percent live in poverty, according to official figures. More than 94 percent of Metlatonoc's 19,000 inhabitants do not have basic services in their homes, and nearly 59 percent have difficulty feeding themselves, according national statistics institute INEGI. - 'Make you suffer' - Maurilia Julio, a 61-year-old midwife, was also sold as a child and made sure her own daughters avoided the same fate. Story continues "They make you suffer for the simple fact of having bought you," she said in her earthen floor home made partly of mud and animal dung. "Many women say 'I'm going to sell my daughter for 110,000, 120,000 pesos ($5,500-$6,000) because I want money,' but it makes me very sad to hear because they're their children," she said. Next to a grayish, smelly river, a woman who did not want to be named for fear of reprisals from her neighbors condemned the practice. "Women who are sold have to take care of their father-in-law. 'I'll pay for you and I can do whatever I want to you,' is what they say," she said. A mother of two adolescent girls, she fears that her husband will repeat the tradition. - 'Help us' - More than 3,000 girls between the ages of nine and 17 gave birth in Guerrero last year, some of them after being sold into marriage, according to official figures. "We want it to change but people say 'I do what I want because I have my daughter and no one is going to tell me what to do," said Victor Moreno, a 29-year-old resident. "We would like someone to help us, to pass a law so that this changes," he added. Moreno married under the same kind of arrangement and although he does not mistreat his wife, he opposes the tradition because he had to move to northern Mexico to work as a day laborer to pay the debt. "Here we're poor people. We cannot afford to buy a daughter-in-law to marry our sons and we struggle a lot to pay," said the father of two. Benito Mendoza, a member of the non-governmental organization Yo quiero, Yo puedo (I want to, I can), gave awareness raising workshops until the group ran out of funds in February. Brides' parents ask for money "because they believe that they must recover what was spent bringing up their daughters," he said. So far only around 300 people in the area have agreed to stop the tradition, according to a community leader. "Most continue to sell their daughters," said Feliciano. jg/dr/ft Clay Enos/Netflix What do audiences want out of a zombie movie? Is it stirring, character-driven plots about blood, family, and sacrifice? A sharp-toothed satire aimed at the mindlessness of modern society? A subversion of genre tropes, maybe, into a winking variety show juggling horror, humor, and romance? Maybe a musical?? Would the people, perhaps, be into a cameo from Sean Spicer? The latter, Im pretty confident, is the rottenest little dash of flavor in the cannibal recipe of late. (Though maybe it isnt the most puzzling: People have noted since his days behind a podium lying to the press on the presidents behalf that ex-White House press secretary Spicer looks like the guy in a zombie movie who wont tell you he got bit until its too late.) Army of the Dead, director Zack Snyders second entry in the zombie canon, tries just about every other spice, too, in its attempt to serve up something fresh. Some of it is irresistible. A lot of it falls flat. But before you ask, no, Spicer doesnt get mauled alive by undead hordes. There are so many missed opportunities in this movie. Chief among them might be jettisoning the living flesh bags entirely, as no human character here approaches the fascinating presence of their enemies: a king and queen of the dead who ride atop desiccated horses, command hulking armies from inside a Las Vegas casino, and skulk around their desert kingdom with a lethal, loping grace. They even each have a discernible sense of style, she in her glittering goth-showgirl regalia and he in a protective steel headpiece and tattered cape. In place of the other characters stilted dialogue and comedic flat-liners, these two just hiss and roar and purr at each other monstrously. Theyre perfect. Stephen King on Scary Stalkers, Being Canceled by J.K. Rowling, and Navigating Trauma The king and queen are the highest-ranking of the alpha class of zombiesa smarter, more organized, more nightmarish strain than your average ghouland one of the movies most striking innovations. I wish Army of the Dead were just about these two; who knows, it might have succeeded as a black-hearted romance more than as the stuttering rehash of Aliens it slowly, inexplicably wills itself into becoming. (Keep Tig Notaro in the aviators with the cigar, though. Just two lovestruck zombies and Tig.) Story continues What we get instead, after a winning opening sequence, is a cumbersome melodrama and empty, splattery fun. Which is fine enough for a mindless Netflix night in. But Army of the Dead so often seems on the verge of having something more to say about the world we live in today and the ways weve responded to crisis. Then right when youre leaning in to listen, it explodes a brain. Or worse, hands the mic to Sean Spicer. A zombie outbreak in the Nevada desert turns Sin City into hell in the movies opening, launching a darkly funny bacchanal of destruction on the Strip. To the tune of a Liberace impersonators jaunty cover of Viva Las Vegas, Snyder revels in the citys signature hedonism gone awry. Topless showgirls devour satin-robed men alive. Bachelorettes descend like banshees on the slots. A dazed Elvis shuffles into the early morning light after a seemingly wild nightevidenced by the blood dripping from his mouth. Snare drums burst in time with machine-gun fire, and lyrics like if I wind up broke and one-arm bandits crashin find wryly grim new meanings. The musical montage swallows up the conventional start to a story like this, where the human resistance makes its last stand. Instead, we see just flashes of the carnage and human toll as the song ascends into an elegy sung by Snyder favorite Allison Crowe. When the sequence ends, a wall has been erected around the perimeter of Las Vegas to keep the dead contained, Escape From New York-style. Several years blur by. And as the camera pans up to a breathtaking panorama of a broken Las Vegas skyline and a Strip overrun by death, the visual joke tells itself: What dies in Vegas, stays in Vegas. The sequence is a lot of fun and an effective reminder of Snyders unimpeachable strengths as a director (though he kindly refrains from laying on too much of the slow-mo this time). The story that unfolds is in the signature Snyder style, too. It reveres mythology and Joseph Campbell. Its full of audacious, on-the-nose needle drops (its use of the Cranberries Zombie here is so brazen, you have to respect it). And it roots for a central group of rag-tags who band together against innumerable enemies. Plus, a number of self-references to his 2004 Dawn of the Dead remake. You liked that zombie baby last time around? Get ready for a zombie fetus! It also gestures at politically-charged imagery in a plot that somehow lands nowhere in particular. A quarantine camp outside the Vegas perimeter seems to hold people indefinitely, supposedly out of concern they may be infected. Hmm, you think. Seems bad. Suddenly were ambushed with Sean Spicers face as he debates Donna Brazile on some cable network. He argues that detainees should be grateful for the camps free health care solution. Brazile counters that the camps are unnecessary since no one has emerged from them infected, and claims they are being used to turn liberals into political prisoners. Spicer purses his lips into a weird little smile. You, at home, scream. This plays out on a TV in the background as our main character, Scott Ward (Dave Bautista), decides whether or not to take a billionaire up on his once-in-a-lifetime offer. If he agrees to stage a heist and help crack open a safe in the heart of infected Las Vegas, he takes home a cool $50 million. Thats worth more than the Medal of Honor he took home for his heroism in the zombie wars, and its enough to keep him from flipping burgers for the rest of his life. Hes in. Next up is assembling a crew of mostly working-class folks: a car mechanic (Ana de la Reguera), a helicopter pilot/mechanic (Tig Notaro, green-screened in to replace Chris DElia, who was accused of violating child pornography laws last year), a locksmith (Matthias Schweighofer), an old war buddy whos great with a buzzsaw (Omari Hardwick) and uh, a YouTuber (Raul Castillo)? There are Reddit forums devoted to this guy, we are told. His buddy Chambers (Samantha Win) tags along, done up in a red bandanna and military-issue tank top in an explicit reference to Vasquez, Jenette Goldsteins iconic role from Aliens, in one of the movies many, many, many nods to James Camerons 1986 sequel. Then theres Scotts daughter, Kate (Ella Purnell), a volunteer at the camps who elbows her way into the mission. Shes on one of ye olde white savior quests to find the mother of two kids, an Indian woman named Geeta (Huma Qureshi) who snuck into the city via a coyote (same name as the smugglers who get people across the Mexican border; charming), hoping to find enough money to keep her kids out of the camps forever. Women of color get very little to say in this movie and, naturally, end up helpless or straight-up zombie chow long before most. Chinese-Canadian martial artist Win, at least, finds a way to create a story and emotion in her characters mostly-wordless final scene. The film owed its Vasquez tribute more. Clay Enos/Netflix Theres a Burke proxy, too, in Garret Dillahunts soulless company drone, who lies to and sells out the others at every opportunity. Together, Oceans 11 this group is not, and the film starts feeling as bumpy as Soderberghs heist flick is smooth. No ones roles or specialties seem to matter apart from the locksmith. (Why did we need two mechanics?) Time begins to flow in wonky ways. Thats a problem when our understanding of the plot hinges on a tight timetable: the president (never named and never shown) has decided to nuke the city in only a few hours, just in time for the Fourth of July holidayone of the films funniest jokes. The stakes become strangely blurry, too. One of the women abruptly becomes a love interest, as if in a hasty attempt to make us feel something for her underdeveloped character seconds before her doom. Scott wants to reconnect with his daughter, in a plot the film kind of forgets about until its final minutes, like a half-hearted imitation of Train to Busan's masterful final act. Kate wants to save Geeta, meanwhile, for the sake of Geetas children. But those kids and their mothers faces are never present for more than a few seconds of screen time; their purpose is not to be people so much as it is to make Kate feel good. The real joy of the film, of course, is in its set pieces, which relish the extravaganzas of gore with which Snyder first made a name for himself. Exploding heads, zombie-tiger maulings, the most spectacular body-crushed-into-goo special effect at a booby-trapped bank vault. Buzzsaw hackings (though none as majestic as Snyder's first), ritual executions, a fashion-forward zombie royal coupleits all here, all executed with an undeniable eye for style and suspense. The only thing missing is meaning to it all. Dawn of the Dead had unbeatable zombie effects and clever, often terrifying ways of raising the stakes with every set piece. It had deaths so dazzling and morbid, you couldnt look away. It also adapted the Romero tradition of zombie satire for a post-millennium America. But it resonated emotionally, I would argue, because the people in it felt like people. They made choices most of us entertain only in our darkest thoughts, blown up on a screen for everyone to see. Their stories asked us to consider the difference between survival and really living: connecting with other people, trusting them, the stuff that makes us human and not shambling meat bags. Army of the Dead doesnt seem to care much about all thator for people. Its only lifeless when the living are onscreen. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now! Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) Wyoming state Sen. Anthony Bouchard, a Republican trying to unseat U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney next year, revealed that he impregnated a 14-year-old girl when he was 18, describing the relationship as like the Romeo and Juliet story in a description that drew a rebuke from a sexual assault prevention group. Bouchard vowed not to drop out of the race and blamed "dirty politics for bringing the story to light. Bouchard, 55, initially disclosed what he described as a typical teenage relationship in a Facebook Live video to supporters on Thursday. He later confirmed the girl's age to the Casper Star-Tribune. Its a story when I was young, two teenagers, girl gets pregnant, he said in the video. Youve heard those stories before. She was a little younger than me, so its like the Romeo and Juliet story. Bouchard married the girl when she was 15 and he was 19, when both were living in Florida. They divorced three years later, he told the newspaper. She killed herself when she was 20, Bouchard said. Online records list a woman with her name as being buried at a Jacksonville cemetery in 1990. The newspaper chose not to identify the woman. Bouchard, a gun rights activist who co-owns a septic system servicing business with his wife, did not immediately return a phone call from The Associated Press seeking comment. Framing it as Romeo and Juliet is wrong and dangerous, said Kristen Schwartz, executive director for the Wyoming Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault. Laws exist to protect young people involved in these situations, Schwartz said. Theres a reason we have laws against sexual abuse of a minor and its because the brain of a 14-year-old is not developed enough to make mature decisions about sex and sexuality." Schwartz added: Any language that would minimize things that are a crime is harmful. Its harmful to survivors and its harmful to our greater community. Bouchard and the girl were able to legally marry because Florida at the time allowed marriage at any age with a judges approval if a pregnancy was involved and a parent consented. Story continues Bouchard is among at least eight Republicans running against Cheney in 2022 after her vote to impeach former President Donald Trump over the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. Bouchard said he decided to post the video to get ahead of a story about his previous marriage. In the video, He claims an unnamed reporter and a political opposition research company were driving the effort together. Bouchard said he didn't think Cheney was involved in the disclosure and Cheney spokesman Jeremy Adler denied any involvement. He said he and the girl were under pressure to have an abortion, which they refused. The son, now an adult, has become almost estranged from him after making some wrong choices in his life, Bouchard said. A lot of pressure. Pressure to abort a baby. I got to tell you. I wasnt going to do it, and neither was she, Bouchard said. And there was pressure to have her banished from their family. Just pressure. Pressure to go hide somewhere. And the only thing I could see as the right thing to do was to get married and take care of him. Bouchard said the disclosure wouldnt stop him from seeking higher office. Bring it on. Im going to stay in this race, he said. Were going to continue to raise money because my record stands on its own. HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) Zimbabwe's vice president has announced the government is imposing a two-week lockdown on the central city of Kwekwe because the COVID-19 variant dominant in India has been detected there. Constantino Chiwenga, who is also the country's health minister, issued a statement Friday saying activities in Kwekwe, a city of more than 100,000, will be restricted for two weeks starting Friday. Bars and beer taverns have been closed and there is a night curfew from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. The lockdown also bans public gatherings such as weddings and health officials will supervise all funerals. Businesses will only be allowed to operate from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m., according to Chiwenga's statement, which was distributed by the ministry of information. "Travelers through Kwekwe are strongly being advised to spend as little time as possible during the two weeks, said Chiwenga in the statement. Zimbabwe has generally eased restrictions nationwide after the rate of infections started slowing after a devastating resurgence in December and January. The southern African country of 15 million people has recorded 38,635 confirmed cases, including 1,585 deaths, according to health ministry figures. The country has vaccinated 615,296 people with a first dose of vaccines, mainly the Chinese Sinopharm and Sinovac vaccines, while 252,100 had received a second dose, according to official figures. Please register or log in to keep reading Stay logged in to skip the surveys. News Around the Republic of Mexico After 3-Month Delay, Mexico to Start Shipping Vaccine Foreign Relations Secretary Marcelo Ebrard said the first lots of the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine should be ready May 24 or 25 and would be shipped domestically as well as to other countries in Latin America. The vaccine is produced in Argentina, but the active ingredient is shipped to Mexico to be mixed and bottled. Mexico, Argentina and other countries in Latin America were expecting millions of doses to start flowing in March, but probably won't begin getting them until June. Mexico's top diplomat said Wednesday that the Liomont plant had problems getting in special filters and other equipment. "They have fought a lot to obtain filters, inspection stations. They brought in very advanced equipment. That took time to be able to get them working," Foreign Relations Secretary Marcelo Ebrard said during a visit to the plant. Ebrard said the first lots should be ready May 24 or 25 and would be shipped domestically as well as to Argentina and other countries in Latin America, one of the regions worst hit by the pandemic. Previously, Ebrard had said there had been delays "for various reasons" in bottling the AstraZeneca doses in Mexico. The project is supported by a foundation run by business magnate Carlos Slim. In February, Mexican officials had said they expected to get 10 million AstraZeneca doses in March, 15.7 million in April and the same number in May, for a total of 41.1 million shots. Instead, by May 18, Mexico had received only about 4.6 million AstraZeneca doses from abroad. Mexico already bottles the Chinese-developed CanSino vaccine at another plant, a process that went off with fewer hitches. Original article Mexico City (AP) - Mexico said Wednesday it expects to finally start shipping AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine from a private fill-and-finish plant by the end of May, after a delay of nearly three months.The vaccine is produced in Argentina, but the active ingredient is shipped to Mexico to be mixed and bottled.Mexico, Argentina and other countries in Latin America were expecting millions of doses to start flowing in March, but probably won't begin getting them until June.Mexico's top diplomat said Wednesday that the Liomont plant had problems getting in special filters and other equipment."They have fought a lot to obtain filters, inspection stations. They brought in very advanced equipment. That took time to be able to get them working," Foreign Relations Secretary Marcelo Ebrard said during a visit to the plant.Ebrard said the first lots should be ready May 24 or 25 and would be shipped domestically as well as to Argentina and other countries in Latin America, one of the regions worst hit by the pandemic.Previously, Ebrard had said there had been delays "for various reasons" in bottling the AstraZeneca doses in Mexico. The project is supported by a foundation run by business magnate Carlos Slim.In February, Mexican officials had said they expected to get 10 million AstraZeneca doses in March, 15.7 million in April and the same number in May, for a total of 41.1 million shots. Instead, by May 18, Mexico had received only about 4.6 million AstraZeneca doses from abroad.Mexico already bottles the Chinese-developed CanSino vaccine at another plant, a process that went off with fewer hitches. Site Map Print this Page Email Us Top LANEXA, Va. Washington Republicans may be rushing to embrace former President Donald Trumps falsehoods about fraud costing him a second term, but next door in Virginia the GOP candidate in the years only major election is doing the opposite. Former private equity executive and political newcomer Glenn Youngkin, the Republican nominee for this Novembers gubernatorial election, once dodged questions about whether President Joe Biden was fairly elected. But now he acknowledges Bidens win. He campaigned for days with Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, a key leader of a congressional effort to overturn the election results. Cruz is unlikely to headline events this fall, an advisor said. By Will Weissert and Bill Barrow. SENT: 1,090 words, AP Photos. Should white professors be allowed to use the N-word in class, especially when it is an essential element of the lesson that is being taught? That question caused an uproar at the University of Illinois at Chicagos John Marshall Law School this past winter that still hasnt quite gone away, the professor at the center of the controversy told me. They put me on this ridiculous indefinite suspension, law professor Jason Kilborn told me. But it was leave with full pay. So, at least I got a vacation for this entire spring semester. Still, he said, hed rather teach his classes, which were canceled during the investigation. Students had called for Kilborn to be disciplined after he wrote a Civil Procedure exam related to employment discrimination that included redacted versions of the epithets n- and b, which he described as profane expressions for African Americans and women. What bothers me is that we are not only incapable of having intelligent conversations about these issues (employment discrimination in this case), he said, but if we cant even bring up a respectfully abbreviated version of a word that comes up in the employment discrimination context, then where are the boundaries? So far in 2021, McAuliffe is far outpacing his Democratic rivals $9.9 million compared to $3.69 million for Jennifer Carroll Foy and $1.78 million for Jennifer McClellan, his two nearest fundraising competitors on the Democratic side. Youngkin, though, is already at $7.6 million and keep in mind that Youngkin didnt enter the race until January. We can probably safely assume two things Youngkin will outspend McAuliffe and this will be the most expensive governors race in Virginias history. Now for the flip side: What kind of money could Democrats raise if either Jennifer Foy or McClellan were their nominee? Its not that either is known as a prodigious fund-raiser as you can see from the figure above, theyre not but the prospect of electing the first Black female governor in the country might well excite Democratic donors across the country. Then again, Stacey Abrams unsuccessful 2018 campaign for governor of Georgia excited Democratic activists across the country but her fundraising topped out at $27 million. That might have set a record in Georgia but in Virginia would still be less than what Gillespie raised four years ago. In other words, $27 million wont cut it for Virginia Democrats in 2021. If, as Randy Newman once sang, its money that matters, then McAuliffe has the clear advantage over his Democratic rivals. 2. McAuliffe is Japan, its very often said, is a lonely country crowded, certainly, and friendly too, in its own quiet way; famous for a unique brand of hospitality known as omotenashi, and yet lonely all the same, unforgiving of failure and despair, indifferent to appeals for help. The more desperate the appeal, the more pronounced the indifference. Its a fact reflected in a chronically high suicide rate, which after a slow but steady decline after peaking in 2003 at 34,000 is now rising again, 2020s 20,919 recorded suicides representing the first year-on-year increase in 11 years. The COVID-19 pandemic had a lot to do with it, but Keio University student Koki Ozora discerns a deeper cause: loneliness. If only people could talk to one another, he thought talk openly, candidly, without shame. They need, first of all, a platform, a place. Ozora, 22, created one an online chat site called Anata no Ibasho (A Place for You). Its free, open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and anonymous. Volunteer experts help, but the main idea is non-expert talking and listening. Clearly it fills a need. In its first eight months of operation from April through December 2020 it hosted 42,000 consultations, sometimes as many as 350 a day. Writing in President (June 4), Ozora distinguishes between two solitudes good and bad, chosen and endured. Humans are hybrids social up to a point and solitary up to a point. We need company, Ozora says, as we need food and drink as sustenance. But just as you can eat and drink your fill, you can also socialize to a point at which you must withdraw and be alone. To be alone when you need solitude is fundamental to well-being. To be alone when you need company or help is loneliness. In its most acute form, it can be deadly. Ozora cites a 2018 international survey which suggests something of the quality of life in Japan. Twenty-three percent of respondents in the U.S., and 11 percent in the UK, see loneliness as a purely personal problem. Crudely put, if youre lonely its your own fault and your responsibility to do something about it. Among Japanese respondents, 44 percent feel that way. Japan, apparently, prides itself on self-reliance. Conversely, it has little tolerance for those who fail to help themselves. Thats ironic in view of a growing recognition around the world that personal problems are in fact not purely personal but at least partly social, even political. Japan shares that recognition. In February, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga appointed Tetsushi Sakamoto loneliness minister more formally: Minister for Promoting Dynamic Engagement of All Citizens. Sakamoto claims to know a thing or two about loneliness. A politician who loses an election is cast into a wilderness whose depths you maybe have to be a politician to know. New Horizon Presbyterian Church, 30 Valley View Drive, has traditional services at 8 and 11 a.m. with praise service at 9 a.m. We will have a church service posted on our Facebook page on Sunday at 9 and 11 a.m. at facebook.com/NewHorizonPC. In light of recent CDC announcements, the Session of New Horizon will be reviewing our COVID-19 guidelines for church. We strive to strike a balance between the comfort and safety of our church family. We will announce any changes in protocols at church once they have been approved by Session. Children are welcome to attend worship but the nursery will not be available. Food, coffee and water fountains will be unavailable. Avoid congregating in groups in order to maintain social distancing. If you are ill or have a cough, fever, sore throat, shortness of breath, or have been in contact with someone suspected of having COVID-19 in the last 14 days, worship from home. Starting on May 30 and running until Sept. 5, the 11 a.m. service will move to 10:30 a.m. One service on June 13 will be outside with fun family activities to follow. Missouri River Relief is hosting community and equipment-based river cleanups today, Saturday and Sunday along a 15-mile stretch of the Missouri River. Pre-registered volunteers will sign in at 8:45 a.m. each day and board boats at 9 a.m. for passage to predetermined locations along the river to pick up flood debris, illegally dumped trash, tires and white goods for proper disposal, according to a press release from MRR. These events will take place at key locations in the downtown and surrounding area, optimizing our effectiveness. Friday and Saturday we will focus our efforts out of Tom Hanafan Rivers Edge Park. Sunday we will move our operations downstream, cleaning up the stretch of river along Manawa Bend south of Omaha. To ensure the safety of volunteers and staff, MRR has adapted and expanded their cleanup model, meeting and exceeding local and state guidelines for COVID safety. MRR will use small groups each day. Boat capacity will be reduced to 70% or less to allow for social distancing, and face coverings will be required. Ample disinfectant, sanitizer and handwashing stations will be present. When it comes to ballot harvesting anybody can just walk up and grab it under what was the previous law, Smith said. Theres no security when someone can knock on your door and say, Yeah, Ill return your ballot. You dont know who it is and they can open it up, they can change the vote, they can throw it away, they can shred it. Democrats said the measure perpetuates lies from President Donald Trump that the past election was fraudulent. Im tired of this. ... Your noses are getting longer, said Democratic Sen. Tony Bisignano during floor debate. Seven million votes separated our candidates. Ive not seen a hundred people charged with election fraud. If it was so rampant, we ought to be seeing it on a daily basis and were not, so why do we play this game? Ballot collections have come under intense scrutiny this year from Republicans who claim that the practice is rife with fraud or potential problems. Generally, ballots are collected when a voter is unable to return it in person due to disability, distance from an election office, or other issues that would prevent ballots from reaching destinations on time. Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} 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. News Around the Republic of Mexico Mexico-US Border Restrictions Extended to June 21 While tourists haven't been permitted to walk or drive into Mexico since the early days of the pandemic, flights have continued, and thousands of U.S. travelers are flocking to Mexico. (Photo: Mike Blake / Reuters) El Paso, Texas - The U.S. and Mexico will keep non-essential border travel restrictions in place for another month, Foreign Secretary Marcelo Ebrard said Tuesday. However, the two countries are holding talks to bring about a prompt reopening, given the economic strain the restrictions have put on merchants on both sides of the border, he said. "We are holding talks with the Department of Homeland Security, with (Alejandro) Mayorkas and (U.S. Customs and Border Protection). They made the decision to prolong restrictions because they have not fully immunized border cities" against COVID-19, Ebrard said Tuesday morning. "They are close to doing that (but) their criteria is not to do it (lift border travel restrictions) until they finish vaccination." Ebrard said Mexico would like to see the economy of border cities in both countries back to normal. "We are on our way to getting the situation back to normal. Vaccination rates would suggest taking away the restrictions very soon. ... I don't know the exact date. We have said we would like to see that before the summer," he said. Later Tuesday morning, his office tweeted binational talks are proceeding to "relax border crossing restrictions beginning on June 22," taking into account COVID-19 infection rates and the number of vaccines applied in border cities on either side. As of Monday evening, Mexico had applied 15.7 million vaccines to 19 percent of its adult population - almost doubling the rate from last month. The United States has administered 274 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines, with 124 million Americans or 37.7 percent of the population fully vaccinated. In El Paso, Mayor Oscar Leeser and County Judge Ricardo Samaniego highlighted their community's successes when it comes to COVID-19 vaccinations. As of Tuesday, 53.5 percent of the population was fully vaccinated and 68.8 percent of those 16 and over had received at least one shot. El Paso merchants who have been severely affected by the lack of Mexican clients have told Border Report they'd like to see the border reopen as soon as possible. The county judge agrees that El Paso won't be back to normal until full economic and social ties are restored with Juarez and the state of Chihuahua. But he said that will only happen if Juarez can manage the pandemic. "We want our neighbors to the south to be coming here as soon as possible. When we talk about normalcy, we can't be normal until we have a relationship between Juarez and Chihuahua the way we had it before," Samaniego said. "The elephant in the room is that we're not peer ready until Juarez is ready and we're able to work together as a community... The minute the bridges are open I would like for them to feel they're coming into a community where we're wearing masks and they're wearing masks, too, because it'll start all over again if we're not careful." Original article - The U.S. and Mexico will keep non-essential border travel restrictions in place for another month, Foreign Secretary Marcelo Ebrard said Tuesday.However, the two countries are holding talks to bring about a prompt reopening, given the economic strain the restrictions have put on merchants on both sides of the border, he said."We are holding talks with the Department of Homeland Security, with (Alejandro) Mayorkas and (U.S. Customs and Border Protection). They made the decision to prolong restrictions because they have not fully immunized border cities" against COVID-19, Ebrard said Tuesday morning. "They are close to doing that (but) their criteria is not to do it (lift border travel restrictions) until they finish vaccination."Ebrard said Mexico would like to see the economy of border cities in both countries back to normal. "We are on our way to getting the situation back to normal. Vaccination rates would suggest taking away the restrictions very soon. ... I don't know the exact date. We have said we would like to see that before the summer," he said.Later Tuesday morning, his office tweeted binational talks are proceeding to "relax border crossing restrictions beginning on June 22," taking into account COVID-19 infection rates and the number of vaccines applied in border cities on either side.As of Monday evening, Mexico had applied 15.7 million vaccines to 19 percent of its adult population - almost doubling the rate from last month. The United States has administered 274 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines, with 124 million Americans or 37.7 percent of the population fully vaccinated.In El Paso, Mayor Oscar Leeser and County Judge Ricardo Samaniego highlighted their community's successes when it comes to COVID-19 vaccinations. As of Tuesday, 53.5 percent of the population was fully vaccinated and 68.8 percent of those 16 and over had received at least one shot.El Paso merchants who have been severely affected by the lack of Mexican clients have toldthey'd like to see the border reopen as soon as possible. The county judge agrees that El Paso won't be back to normal until full economic and social ties are restored with Juarez and the state of Chihuahua. But he said that will only happen if Juarez can manage the pandemic."We want our neighbors to the south to be coming here as soon as possible. When we talk about normalcy, we can't be normal until we have a relationship between Juarez and Chihuahua the way we had it before," Samaniego said. "The elephant in the room is that we're not peer ready until Juarez is ready and we're able to work together as a community... The minute the bridges are open I would like for them to feel they're coming into a community where we're wearing masks and they're wearing masks, too, because it'll start all over again if we're not careful." Site Map Print this Page Email Us Top SCRIBNER - More information and the names of those involved in a two-vehicle crash that killed four has been provided. KEARNEY When Aliana Schoone was a preschooler, she would don small pink scrubs and pretend to be a doctor. She had no idea that shed be doing that for real before she graduated from high school during the COVID-19 pandemic. Schoone, a senior at Kearney High School, became a certified nursing assistant at CHI Health Good Samaritan in April 2019. I always had an interest in helping people. Ive wanted to be a nurse ever since I was little, she said. Good Sam assigned her to the Nursing Resource Team, or the float pool. She did basic nursing skills wherever she was most needed, doing whatever patients needed to make them happy, she said. Then came COVID-19. At that time, COVID had closed schools, so she could do her school work online and work at Good Sam the rest of the week. Initially, Schoone helped nurses get in and out of their personal protective equipment. Working three 12-hour shifts each week, she mopped floors every two to four hours. Once they decided to allow CNAs into the rooms, I would put on PPE and help turn patients. It was intimidating for a while, but I helped people who really needed help, she said. A: I really do think so. This is a really significant event. Its not really black swan events, Renesas is, but it's really more kind of dealing with the realities of a different supply chain focused on electronic components. Silicon is a big part of every vehicle. I do think that everythings on the table. Weve also learned that you have to engineer flexibly for these components. You may have to have a design on the shelf in case something runs lean. Q: You have said you may move from having huge inventories on dealer lots to an order-from-the factory business model? A: Most of our customers do their shopping online now. We just are expanding our e-commerce platform. There are a couple of pieces that are now starting to come together. The first is a reservation system, so that people are more likely to order what they want versus going into the dealership and ordering off the inventory. We have to make it easier. We've done that. The next thing is, our order-to-delivery has to improve. The next thing is very large-scale remote pick-up and delivery. Q: Dealers say that people would embrace four weeks from order to delivery. Is that realistic? The two sides seem further apart than when negotiations began, according to a statement from an aide to Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., the lead negotiator for the group of six GOP senators. The White House and the Republican senators have been in talks ever since Biden met with a core group of Republican negotiators over the possibility of working together on an infrastructure plan. The White House dispatched the transportation and commerce secretaries and top aides to Capitol Hill to meet with the Republicans earlier this week, and they had a follow-up video call Friday. According to a memo obtained by The Associated Press, the administration's new approach is cutting more than $550 billion from the presidents initial offer. But the memo makes clear Biden is not interested in the Republicans idea of having consumers pay for the new investments through tolls, gas taxes or other fees. Instead, the administration is sticking with his proposal to raise corporate taxes to pay for the new investment, which is a red line for Republicans. Our approach should ensure that corporations are paying their fair share, said the memo from the administrations negotiators to the GOP senators. Part of the resulting increase in total nonresident permit fees would have been dedicated to improving Game and Parks facilities at the lakes on either side of Kingsley Dam. Hughes, who lives within an hours drive of Lake Mac in Perkins County, simplified his bill after Game and Parks leaders said having two types of nonresident permits would be difficult to manage. If Ricketts signs LB 336, the commission could set nonresident permit fees at no more than twice the fees for Nebraska residents. That duplicates a cap on nonresident fees in the federal Land and Water Conservation Act. Game and Parks has used federal funds under that law in the past to upgrade its facilities statewide, including at Lake Mac. Game and Parks leaders have said theyll use some of the bills potential additional permit fees at the Kingsley lakes, Hughes has said. Current annual resident permits cost $30, with nonresident permits set at $45. LB 336 would cap the latter at $60 if resident fees dont change, but nonresident fees could rise in proportion to boosts in resident fees. Despite still more periodic filibusters, the Legislature finished a three-day push of final-reading votes Friday to set up another early end to a 90-day long session. Three bills offered or including measures by west central Nebraska senators were sent to Gov. Pete Ricketts on the 82nd day of the session, which had been set to end June 10. Senators instead will adjourn next Thursday six days early after considering possible veto overrides Wednesday, said Sen. Matt Williams of Gothenburg. All 49 senators personal priority bills received at least their promised first-round floor debate, he said. Lawmakers, who also adjourned six days early in 2019, will return for a fall special session to redraw state election districts. Delays in receiving 2020 U.S. Census data forced that decision. Bills winning passage Friday included an omnibus Revenue Committee measure (Legislative Bill 432) including an extension of a tax-credit program for beginning farmers and livestock producers. LB 432s 42-1 adoption finished another perfect session for Williams, who saw all 10 of the bills he introduced in January pass on their own or as amendments to other bills. Gov. Eric Holcomb unveils his 2021 legislative agenda at the virtual Dentons Legislative Conference Thursday. Holcombs priorities revisit many goals promoted by his administration over the last four years with a new emphasis on the impact of COVID-19. Every single thing on this agenda is very important to the growth of our state, Holcomb said. Photo by Erica Irish, TheStatehouseFile.com. The journalist-operative Mark Hollingsworth. Photo-Illustration: Intelligencer This article is adapted from SPOOKED: The Trump Dossier, Black Cube, and the Rise of Private Spies by Barry Meier, now on sale. When a consortium of reporters released the Panama Papers in 2016, they wanted to block one group from plundering the database which contained records disclosing the owners of thousands of off-shore companies used to hide enormous sums of wealth: corporate intelligence operatives, or private spies. The private spying industry has boomed in recent years and operatives-for-hire are increasingly invading our privacy, profiting from deception, and manipulating the media. For hired spies, information is currency and within the industry there is a lucrative underground trade in documents, including ones that are hacked, stolen, or obtained under false pretense. The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists knew that spies-for-hire wanted to exploit the Panama Papers for their own purposes and profit so it limited access to the database to media organizations collaborating in the project. But the group would discover years later that one operative found a way into the Panama Papers and soon began offering them to other spies-for-hire, including Christopher Steele, a former MI6 spy and the author of the infamous Donald Trump dossier. The operative who beat the system was a hybrid journalist/spy-for-hire named Mark Hollingsworth. For more than a decade, Hollingsworth, who lived in London, freelanced for The Guardian, The Financial Times, and other British newspapers, and consulted with the BBC. At the same time, he worked as contractor for private intelligence firms including Orbis Business Intelligence, Steeles company, and Fusion GPS, the firm run by two ex-Wall Street Journal reporters who hired Steele in 2016 to investigate Trumps ties to Russia. Hollingsworth also dealt in documents and in the early 2010s he gained access to hundreds of sensitive records belonging to a controversial mining company called Eurasian Natural Resources Corporation, or ENRC, which was under investigation by British regulators for suspected bribery. ENRC, which has denied the allegations, would claim years later in a lawsuit that those records had been stolen from it by a freelance computer expert it employed. Whatever the case, Hollingsworth was soon hawking the ENRC documents to other hired operatives including Glenn Simpson, a founder of Fusion GPS. Our mutual friend Magic has obtained new documents, he wrote in an email to Simpson, using his nickname for the computer expert. When the Panama Papers emerged, Hollingsworth saw another opportunity for profit. And to get around the roadblocks barring private spies, he turned to a strategy he often used an operative he put on his journalists hat. Hollingsworth contacted reporters with whom he had collaborated previously on ENRC-related articles and who had ties to the ICIJ, suggesting they work together on new stories about the company, which was still under investigation. The catch: They would need access to the Panama Papers. You may recall that we did stories together on ENRC and so I thought we would revisit this one if you have the time, he wrote a Guardian reporter in 2016. One of the priorities is to obtain documents from the Panama Papers. The reporter, Simon Goodley, remembered that earlier article but one thing he didnt know was that Hollingsworth in 2013 had shared a pre-publication draft of it with Simpson, in case the Fusion GPS operative wanted to edit it. Please check for accuracy but also feel free to insert details and material that we have missed, Hollingsworth wrote Simpson. Goodley took a pass on Hollingsworths latest approach. But Hollingsworth was soon in business because he found other British journalists who agreed to help him get into the Panama Papers, though they thought he wanted them for journalistic reasons. Hollingsworth told one private investigator in Washington, D.C., that he needed money up front to get the Panama Papers documents he wanted. My source will not accept anything less than $2,000 for the documents and so please talk to your client, Hollingsworth wrote. I think that is quite reasonable. He offered more liberal terms to a friend who was a spy-for-hire. Please email me your hit list of individuals and companies and I will run searches for you on the Panama Papers databasehappy to do some gratis but I would hope that we can get paid for some, he wrote. In April 2016, Hollingsworth told Steele in an email that he had gained access to the Panama Papers through a BBC producer with whom he was consulting on a project and could run searches for companies of interest to the ex-MI6 spy. (Told of the email, a BBC spokesperson said the network would never knowingly pass confidential documents to third parties.) Hollingsworth told Steele he asked his BBC contact to search the Panama Papers for an obscure firm called Novirex Sales. As it turned out, the shell companys principals included Paul Manafort, whom Steele was then investigating on behalf of a Kremlin-connected oligarch, Oleg Deripaska. Hollingsworth told Steele that he hoped his efforts on the ex-spys behalf would cancel a business debt he owed him. Since we spoke on the phone tonight, there is a possibility of more access to the Panama database and so I may get more hits on the second list you sent me, Hollingsworth wrote. If I have success, then it will resolve my problem of payment on Project Scooter. I dont know how many records, if any, Steele got out of the Panama Papers because he didnt respond to my emails. As for Hollingsworth, things havent ended so well for him. Recently, ENRC, for whom Hollingworth also worked as a spy-for-hire, sued him, claiming he had reneged on their deal. It also accused him of trafficking in the documents that were stolen from it years earlier by Magic, the computer expert. Someone also gained access to Hollingsworths emails and released them. For his part, Hollingsworth has insisted that he hasnt done anything wrong, that he worked as an operative because his wife was very ill and he needed money, and that any ENRC records he obtained were in his capacity as a journalist. But either way, his days as a journalist and private operative appear to be over. We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form The Centers for Disease Control CDC has announced that people who are fully vaccinated for COVID-19 can ditch their masks in most public places; however, Alabamas hospitals and nursing homes are still under federal mask requirements. As a result, masks will still be required at all facilities under the East Alabama Health umbrella, even for people who are fully vaccinated, according to EAMC spokesman John Atkinson. The EAMC umbrella encompasses the hospital, EAMC-Lanier in Valley, and its nursing homes, clinics and physicians offices. State, local numbersCOVID-19 infections continue to lag across East Alabama and the rest of the state, keeping in line with conditions since late winter. As of Wednesday afternoon, 540,891 cases have been reported statewide since the outbreak of COVID-19, with 11,045 deaths. Nearly 1.3 million residents have been vaccinated. Chambers County has reported 3,616 cases overall, with 123 deaths. It has reported 46 new cases over the last two weeks. Lee County tops East Alabama in reported overall cases with 16,011 and deaths, with 172. It has reported 94 new cases over the last two weeks. SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) The former leader of the state Workforce Solutions Department that oversees unemployment benefits said Thursday his resignation in April was linked to threatening messages and incidents at the agency and elsewhere. In a string of Twiter posts, former Cabinet Secretary Bill McCamley disclosed the reasoning behind his decision to resign from the agency. He did not respond to calls and texts to his cellphone seeking further comment. I left the position for no other reason than the safety of myself and my family, McCamley, a former state legislator and county commissioner, said in one tweet. I have received threats before as a public official, but this time seems different. McCamley indicated that he intends to relocate his home outside of New Mexico as a safety precaution. The statements were made the day after state analysts reported that New Mexico may have overpaid unemployment insurance benefits by as much as $250 million during the pandemic amid a backlog in investigations of claims. McCamley said his concerns about personal safety grew after a state-owned car was destroyed by an incendiary device and a possibly deranged man called the state labor agency to blame McCamley for unemployment problems and to ask for his address. Thank you for Reading! We hope that you continue to enjoy our free content. the gworlz will not let go of Into You Reply Parent Thread Link Glad this is the first comment, Everyday is still such a bop (as is Into You) Reply Parent Thread Link justice for into you, her magnum opus Reply Thread Link I listen to it a couple times a week and I just cant get over how good it is. Reply Parent Thread Link This is my first time hearing it and it's instantly the best song I've heard by her (and I have really tried getting into her work, it just never takes for me) Reply Parent Thread Link i believe we're only beginning to see the butterfly effect of allowing that single to flop Reply Parent Thread Link The only good thing her career produced tbh. Reply Parent Thread Link that song is so FRESH still Reply Parent Thread Link i put together a no skips playlist of women in pop recently because something made me think of this song. it's so damn good. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link it's still so good, her best song Reply Parent Thread Link probably overall my least fave album of hers along w/ positions but into you is a masterpiece Reply Thread Link her marriage will last a year or less. wildcard for making it to 2. Also, looking forward to her and the Weeknd at Billboard awards! The other iterations of the Save Your Tears live were dope af. Reply Thread Link Into You, followed by Be Alright Reply Thread Link Now THIS - this was an album honey! Everything is so good but since Into You gets its proper flowers I instead will send love to 'let me love you', Be alright, Greedy, Sometimes, Bad Decisions, Knew Better/Forever Boy and the live vocal performance she did at that photoshoot of 'dangerous woman' Reply Thread Link Into You is the only answer!! it's such a bop! plus i love Greedy because of the Valentina/Nina BB lip sync....messy and iconic lmao Reply Thread Link "seven words in that chorus, girl" Reply Parent Thread Link Guest aside, side to side >>>> Reply Thread Link Greedy is EVERYTHING, plus it gave us an iconic drag race moment. Reply Thread Link Into You but Dangerous Woman is the song that made me actually take her seriously. I bought a couple of her records last summer while the colored vinyl was still in her webstore and I ended up having a VERY hard time getting the webstore to actually send this one to me, but it was worth it because it's pretty lol. Reply Thread Link I will never forgive the general audience for letting Into You flop only for Side to Side to become the breakout hit of this album Reply Thread Link Yeah I dont know how Into You wasnt a smash. Pop perfection. Reply Parent Thread Link I liked Side to Side at first but gradually grew to hate it. Reply Parent Thread Link Side To Side is SOOOO bad, the general public has no taste what-so-ever. Reply Parent Thread Link Ew I take that personally Reply Parent Thread Link Side to Side is a fine song to be a single but it was overplayed on radio stations which is why I grew to hate it. Reply Parent Thread Link Side to Side is a bop tho. Nicki and Ariana do work well together tbh. Into You is a bop but it feels overrated and very dated to the sound of that time. Reply Parent Thread Link TOUCH IT >>>>>>>>>>>> Thinking Bout You Reply Thread Link TASTE Reply Parent Thread Link Yes!! Touch It never ever gets old to me. Reply Parent Thread Link this is why we vibe, "touch it" by a mile! Reply Parent Thread Link YES!!!!! This, then Dangerous Woman. Reply Parent Thread Link aside from this Be Alright legit always makes me feel better and the bridge in Touch It whew i just feel like this was overall v cohesive and i like the sultry vibe it has, i wish she'd brought more of that with r&b influences to positions Reply Thread Link This is my favorite version of Dangerous Woman. I used to watch it like everyday lol. Reply Parent Thread Link When I was truly miserable at my job last year I had to listen to be alright every day before work lol Reply Parent Thread Link Befooooore I make a move ooooOOoooooOoo Reply Thread Link can't stand ha anymore, but 'touch it' is honestly one of the pop songs to ever exist. she really put her foot in this whole album and hasn't topped it since for me. Reply Thread Link remind me why we're taking a break, it's obviously insane, cause we both know what we want so why don't we fall in looooove Reply Parent Thread Link CHILLS Reply Parent Thread Link The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act Passes in the House The bill that protects pregnant workers and their unborn children now heads to the Senate. The U.S. House of Representatives voted to pass the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, requiring reasonable accommodations for employees limited by pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions. The vote was 315-101. The PWFA was introduced by Jerry Nadler in 2012. Its a bipartisan proposal to guarantee basic workplace protections for pregnant employees, this includes bathroom breaks and stools for workers to sit on. "Over the nearly nine years since I first introduced the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, I have met with countless pregnant workers and listened to their heartrending stories of having to make the impossible decision between staying at work or protecting the health of their pregnancy. That's a choice no one should ever be forced to make and it's why I have fought tirelessly to advance the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act," said Representative Nadler. The Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978 was past. However, many workers still face discrimination, which includes being denied reasonable accommodations, being fired or not hired in the first place. A survey shows 62 percent of workers witnessed pregnancy discrimination on the job. According to an article, the bill requires private-sector employers with 15 or more workers to make reasonable accommodations for their pregnant employees. The bill also protects workers from retaliation after making requests and from being forced into taking unpaid leave. "It is so vitally important that mothers receive quality healthcare during their pregnancy, without the risk of discrimination," Rep. Lucy McBath said. "I am proud to support this legislation that will help protect pregnant women and their families, because no mother should ever have to choose between the health of themselves and their child, or their paycheck." The PWFA has support from more than 250 advocate and business groups. The eventual death of oil and thermal coal won't come from environmentalists or even directly from renewable energy--it will come when big banks decide to stop financing it, rendering it 'unbankable'. Two years ago, one of the biggest financiers of fossil fuels, Goldman Sachs (NYSE:GS), made history after becoming the first big U.S. bank to rule out financing new oil exploration or drilling in the Arctic, as well as new thermal coal mines anywhere in the world. GS' environmental policy declared climate change as one of the "most significant environmental challenges of the 21st century" and pledged to help its clients manage climate impacts more effectively, including through the sale of weather-related catastrophe bonds. The giant Wall Street bank also committed to invest $750 billion over the next decade into areas that focus on climate transition. Months later, the world's largest asset manager, BlackRock Inc. (NYSE:BLK), declared its intention to increase its ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) investments more than tenfold from $90 billion to a trillion dollars in the space of a decade. BlackRock followed that up last year, issuing a chilling update on its approach to engaging with companies, essentially saying it will abandon its traditional modus operandi of siding with boards of directors at companies but will instead start favoring shareholder resolutions. But just in case investors thought these companies were playing their usual renewable energy lip service, there's now solid evidence that they actually mean business. For the first time ever, the world's largest investment banks are backing renewable energy investments more than their fossil fuel brethren. According to Bloomberg data covering almost 140 financial-service institutions worldwide, at least $203 billion in bonds and loans have gone into renewable projects through May 14, compared with $189 billion to businesses focused on hydrocarbons. That marks the first time in the history of modern fossil fuels that such a shift is occurring. A Powerful Tipping Point How significant is this development? Consider that in 2019, banks invested $737B in fossil fuels but only $238B in clean energy. The trend remained unchanged in 2020 at the height of the pandemic, with banks pumping $688B into fossil fuels but only $323B in renewables. Since 2015 when the world agreed to limit warming temperatures in the Paris Climate Accord, banks have poured more than $3.6 trillion into fossil fuel investments, nearly 3x more than total bonds and loans that have gone into green projects as per Bloomberg data. Cumulatively, investment banks have pocketed ~$16.6 billion from arranging bonds and loans for energy companies since the Paris agreement compared to just $7.4 billion garnered from green bonds and loans. The latest development could very well be a new trend in the making, with some clean energy buffs declaring that we have reached 'a powerful tipping point' in the clean energy transition. Exxon Slammed Early this year, U.S. oil giant Exxon Mobil Corp. (NYSE:XOM) was targeted by angry activist investors as well as CalSTRS (California State Teachers' Retirement System), one of the country's largest pension funds. But it did not stop there. New York State's $226 billion pension fund recently announced plans to divest from oil and gas stocks in the coming years. Exxon has been slammed for its half-hearted commitment to lowering its carbon and greenhouse gas emissions. Exxon has joined the rapidly growing number of U.S. oil and gas producers that have promised to cut greenhouse gas emissions. Unfortunately, activists and analysts have mostly lambasted Exxon's announcement as "underwhelming," "inadequate," and "baby steps." "A 15%-20% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions intensity over nine years is not an ambitious target - it's essentially business as usual," said Raymond James energy analyst Pavel Molchanov. Related: U.S. Shale Is Finally Giving Shareholders A Payday "What's really lacking from [Exxon's] announcement is there's nothing about capex or strategy or investment. It's all sort of tinkering around the edges," said Andrew Logan, director of oil and gas at Ceres, a sustainability nonprofit that works with investors on climate change. Meanwhile, Engine No. 1, one of the shareholder groups engaged in an activist campaign to shake up the company, has concurred, saying, "...while reducing emissions intensity is important, nothing in Exxon Mobil's stated plans better positions it for long-term success in a world seeking to reduce total greenhouse gas emissions." Also, Ceres has announced a consortium of investors managing $9 trillion in assets that has fully committed to investing along net-zero carbon goals. ESG Momentum Indeed, there's no denying that ESG investments are rapidly gaining momentum, with investors actively demanding environmentally and socially responsible choices. Indeed, over the past half-decade, ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) investing has emerged as the single biggest global megatrend. Even the Big Banks are feeling the ethical squeeze keenly. ESG inflows have been killing it this year, hastened exponentially by the COVID-19 pandemic, and showing no sign of backing off even once we have a vaccine. Life will not return to normal in the world of finance, and this is shaping up to be the biggest transfer of wealth we've ever seen. Sustainable investing assets now total $17.1 trillion. That's up 50% just from 2018. Within a year, 77% of institutional investors will completely stop buying products that aren't in some way sustainable, according to PwC. Blackrock itself says its clients will double their ESG assets in just five years. In fact, money managers say climate change is their No. 1 concern and the "leading criteria" determining where they put their money to work. And this isn't about morals or ethics. It's about the free market. By Alex Kimani for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Crude oil prices are likely to remain sensitive to bearish news such as progress on the Iran nuclear deal with the United States and the latest on Covid-19 in Asia until at least the start of summer driving season in the United States and the opening up of Europe. Prices are "in a holding pattern until we get to June, because that's when Europe's going to start to reopen and the U.S. driving season will have officially kicked off," Bloomberg quoted the CEO of Infrastructure Capital Management, Jay Hatfield, as saying earlier this week. On the good news front, the European Union agreed on the terms for issuing so-called green certificates that contain information about whether a traveler has been vaccinated, has a negative PCR test result, or is immune to the coronavirus after recovering from the disease. This should spur a lot more travel within the 27-member bloc. The Iranian nuclear deal, however, remains a major headwind for prices, severely limiting upside potential in the immediate term. "There continue to be positive statements out of Vienna from various participants, including Iran, that a deal is at hand," John Kilduff, a partner at Again Capital, told Bloomberg. "Even though we know they have already been ramping up their exports, it is adding to negative market sentiment." Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said yesterday that the United States was ready to lift oil and banking sector sanctions. "The talks in Vienna are about minor issues. They have accepted to lift sanctions on Iran's oil and shipping sectors as well as sanctions on the Central Bank and others," Rouhani said as quoted by Reuters. An Iranian government official, however, told Iranian media that it was not a done deal yet, with the U.S. still reluctant to "completely lift any sanctions on the oil, banking, finance and energy sectors". Meanwhile, Covid-19 cases are on the rise in some parts of Asia, rekindling worry about oil demand in the key region. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Chinese authorities have banned government employees with Teslas from parking them inside government compounds, Reuters has reported, citing unnamed sources which noted the ban was on security grounds. Tesla cars have cameras aimed at facilitating driving but so do many other cars, the report noted. Even so, the ban is on Teslas only, according to the sources. Cameras and sensors on cars are there to capture the vehicles surroundings to make it easier for the driver to navigate said surroundings. Yet how this data is used has become a contentious issue, and the Tesla ban is the latest sign it is getting hotter. The ban on Teslas parking on several government compounds comes a couple of months after another ban, that one concerning military compounds in China. In March, Reuters reported Chinese authorities had banned Teslas from even entering military compounds on security grounds. The bans are not the only Chinese problems Tesla is having. Soon after the March ban, the company had to assure the authorities that the eight cameras featured in a Tesla are not there for spying. The assurance seems to not have worked, but then things got worse when a Tesla owner used the Shanghai auto show to publicly accuse Tesla of putting faulty brakes in some cars. Related: The $87 Billion Chinese Car Maker That Hasnt Sold A Single Car The video of the woman standing on her car and shouting at the Tesla booth went viral and even prompted a reaction from the Chinese Communist Party, which grabbed the opportunity to criticize Tesla for being arrogant after the company said, We wont respond to unreasonable requests from customers. It appears the lady in the viral video was not the only one having problems with her cars brakes, judging by internet reactions to her video. These reactions led to Tesla releasing a statement that said, Tesla complies with and obeys the decisions of relevant government departments, respects consumers, abides by laws and regulations, and actively cooperates with all investigations by relevant government departments. According to a VOA report that cited unnamed experts, the pressure China is exerting on Tesla has to do less with any actual problems than with the authorities' desire to have Tesla share its technology with Beijing. By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: The oil royalties which producers pay landowners should be calculated at the well, not at a higher price at some point downstream, the North Dakota Supreme Court said this week in a win for the oil industry. The Supreme Court of one of the largest U.S. oil-producing states was asked by a lower court to clarify language in landowners contracts with oil companies. The plaintiffs David and Paula Blasi have argued that they had been underpaid royalties that oil firms owe them to pump oil on their land. The plaintiffs and their lawyers argued that as per the oil royalty contract clauses and the presence of the word pipeline in those contracts, oil royalties should be calculated at a point downstream at a connection with an actual pipeline. Since this place is closer to markets, it makes royalties higher. The Supreme Court of North Dakota was asked to clarify the contracts by a North Dakota federal court. The plaintiffs argued that the valuation location is independent of the wells location. Blasi argues the valuation point is the pipeline, the justices wrote in their decision. The justices who were asked to interpret the oil royalty clause at issue said that The royalty provision is unambiguous. It establishes a valuation point at the well. The response of the North Dakota Supreme Court to the certified question from the lower court will now affect at least six separate class action lawsuits brought by the Blasis as trustees of the Blasi Living Trust, according to Bloomberg Law. In each of those class action lawsuits, the plaintiffs argue they have been underpaid oil royalties from oil producers in the state. The plaintiffs are seeking millions of dollars of what they say is underpaid royalties. The Supreme Courts clarification of the lease contracts and their oil royalty clauses may lead to courts dismissing the class actions, Reuters notes. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Tanzania and Uganda have signed a fifth and final government agreement that will greenlight the construction of a $3.5-billion pipeline that will carry crude pumped in western Uganda to the coast of Tanzania and international markets. The agreement follows another one, signed with partners French Total and Chinese CNOOC last month. The East-African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) project will be a 1,443 kilometer-long (897 miles) pipeline expected to transport oil from Uganda to the Tanga port in Tanzania. Totals subsidiary, Total East Africa Midstream is the developer of the project. Ugandas oil fields could give Total and CNOOC access to more than a billion barrels of crude and will cost some $5.1 billion to develop. The oil, however, is viscous, so the pipeline will need to be heated in order to keep it liquid enough to flow. This will make the EACOP the worlds largest heated oil pipeline. According to Ugandas president, Yoweri Museveni, the reserves in the Lake Albert fields that Total and CNOOC are operating, currently estimated at 6.5 billion barrels of oil, could be a lot greater, Tanzania Daily News noted in a recent report. Yet the pipeline could become crucial for more countries with as of yet untapped oil reserves, according to the Ugandan president, with Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo among them, along with South Sudan, which is already an oil producer. Construction works on the pipeline should begin quickly and last about 36 months, according to Tanzanian officials, despite strong opposition from environmentalist groups. In March, a group of 260 organizations wrote an open letter to 25 banks calling on them to not take part in the $2.5-billion loan financing for the EACOP project, which, according to them, was manifestly irresponsible. The signatories to the letter also noted the threats that the infrastructure would pose to local communities, water supplies, and biodiversity. Further, they said that the project would either prove financially unviable or produce unacceptable climate harm. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Students, faculty and staff who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 no longer will be required to wear face masks on the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and University of Nebraska at Omaha campuses. The changes at UNL took effect Friday as the City of Lincoln dropped its mask mandate. UNOs guidance takes effect Wednesday. Omahas mask mandate expires at 11:59 p.m. Tuesday. The changes come after last weeks announcement from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that updated COVID-related guidance for fully vaccinated people. Individuals are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after receiving a second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines or two weeks after receiving the single dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. UNL officials also announced that social distancing no longer will be required on campus and that all venues will return to full capacity. Those who are not vaccinated still are expected to wear face masks and practice social distancing on both campuses. At UNO, masks still will be required of everyone, regardless of vaccination status, on campus shuttles and buses. In April, Hawhee was found and arrested in Nicaragua. He was brought back to Omaha just this month. Beninato asked for a $25 million bail on each case. The purpose of the high bail, she said in court, is to ensure not only Mr. Hawhees appearance in court, but also the safety of not only our children in the community, (but) the children everywhere. I realize that that is a large amount of money, she said, but I think its necessary. Hawhees attorney, Michael Tasset, argued that the extreme bail amount essentially amounts to withholding a bail to which Hawhee is entitled. Lets just be realistic with the amount of money that is being set in connection with both of these matters, to comply with the interest of the statute, so as to permit Mr. Hawhee a bond that is not functionally equivalent to no bond, Tasset said. Tasset added that he hadnt yet had a chance to meet with Hawhee in person since Hawhee was brought back to the States. He said he may ask Derr to review the bail again later. Kleine said the effort and resources to locate and retrieve Hawhee in Honduras cost a significant amount of time and money, which also is why the high bail is proper. A foundation launched by prominent Asian American business leaders earlier this month said Thursday it has raised more than $1 billion to support Asian American and Pacific Islander communities. The announcement from The Asian American Foundation, or TAAF, came minutes after President Joe Biden signed legislation aimed at curtailing the rise in hate crimes against Asian American and Pacific Islander communities in the United States. Sonal Shah, the foundation's president, and TAAF board members were also at the White House, where they briefed administration officials, including domestic policy adviser Susan Rice. They discussed how the foundation plans to spend the $1.1 billion in donations to fight back against hate crimes directed at these communities, according to a statement from the foundation. Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris dropped by the meeting to express their support, the foundation said. NEW YORK (AP) First lady Jill Biden on Thursday told young immigrants who were brought to the U.S. illegally as children that she feels inspired by them because they didn't just receive a college education, they "fought for it." "Your journey from this day forward will be both heartbreaking and hopeful, bruised and beautiful. But you already know that the inner strength that got you here will serve you well," the first lady said during a virtual commencement ceremony. Jill Biden, an English and writing teacher at Northern Virginia Community College, delivered the keynote speech at a ceremony organized by TheDream.US, a scholarship providing organization for young immigrants often described as dreamers." Her speech took place nearly a week after president Joe Biden met in the Oval Office with six young immigrants who benefited from an Obama-era program that protected those brought to the U.S. illegally as children. Biden held the meeting as part of his efforts toward overhauling the nations immigration laws. The president has renewed his call for Congress to codify the program, called Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals or DACA. State and federal officials have repeatedly said there was no evidence of systemic fraud in the 2020 election. The plaintiffs wanted to take the absentee ballots to a private company for scanning and inspection, the newspaper reported. But Amero cited federal and state law Friday in saying that county election officials must retain custody of the ballots during the audit. That could avoid issues like those raised during an audit in Arizona. Georgia election results were certified months ago, and this audit cannot change the results. Before certification, the state did a full hand recount of the presidential race to satisfy a new audit requirement in state law. Another recount, in which the ballots were run through scanners to be tallied again, was done at the request of former Republican President Donald Trump's campaign after he lost by a narrow margin to Democrat Joe Biden. In a brief filed in court last month, Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger argued the law allows for the public disclosure of ballot images, not the ballots themselves, and therefore asked the judge to allow the inspection of only scanned ballot images. Our goal is to create the necessary conditions for restoring dialogue between Sofia and Skopje via concrete positive steps, including at the highest level, which can serve as a foundation for a future regular government to work on returning the relations between Bulgaria and the Republic of North Macedonia to the appropriate level, Stoev said. Bulgaria, which joined the EU in 2007, has been an active supporter of letting the six Western Balkan countries into the 27-nation bloc, which could help improve living standards and insulate the region from the influence of Russia and China. The EU officials also visited North Macedonia after their talks in Bulgaria. North Macedonias prime minister, Zoran Zaev said they presented a proposal which he said provided a good basis for resolving the dispute and paving the way for the country to start accession negotiations. It is especially important for us that this draft solution does not touch or encroach our Macedonian identity issues, which satisfies our crucial position," Zaev said, without revealing any details of the proposal. Also, he does not seem to understand the difference between the Catholic Church and some bishops in the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) who would favor a national policy regarding Catholic politicians and euthanasia, abortion and other moral evils. These bishops would use communion as a bargaining chip. Regarding this, the USCCB has been reminded by the Vatican (Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith), in a May 7, 2021 letter, that their policy cannot usurp the authority of an individual bishop in his diocese on the matter. Additionally, the Vatican warned the USCCB to be careful what it asks for. Furthermore, Mr. Strohmeyer needs to understand that the core of the Churchs teaching is not about womens health, although some of the faithful might easily be confused given the preeminent concern of some bishops regarding some health issues. Finally, will the USCCB consider lying to overthrow the duly elected government on Jan. 6, 2021, to be a preeminent moral evil? It should. Mary Ruth Stegman, Omaha People the priority The African Union Development Agency NEPAD (AUDA-NEPAD) and its strategic partner Ecobank Group (ecobank.com) on the development of the 100,000 Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Initiative, are set to launch the financing component on 27th May 2021. AUDA-NEPAD launched the 100,000 MSMEs Programme to accelerate African economic transformation, provide the needed skills, and build resilience against the economic shock triggered by the global pandemic. The 100 000 MSMEs initiative seeks to build the capacity of 1,000,000 enterprises in Africa through entrepreneurial and business training to improve access to finance and new markets while establishing networks for support and incubation to bolster their success. Across the globe, MSMEs are the biggest and the best engine of innovation, social transformation and economic development and growth. AUDA-NEPAD is deeply convinced that Africa structural transformation will be driven by youth and women-led businesses and innovations, said Amine Iddris Adoum AUDA-NEPAD, Director of Programme Delivery & Coordination Directorate. AUDA-NEPAD and the Ecobank Group announced their collaboration in May 2020 and agreed to tackle three main pillars in supporting MSMEs in coming out of the devastating economic impact of COVID-19: namely, MSME Academy, MSME Finance and MSME Marketplace. The MSME Academy was launched in August 2020 in 8 countries. Both institutions will now proceed to launch the MSME Finance pillar in the same countries, namely Chad, Cote dIvoire, Ghana, Kenya, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, and Togo. A total sum of $ 2.0million will be extended in the form of working capital to beneficiaries who meet the set criteria across the eight (8) countries in this first phase, Amine Iddris Aduom stated. After an unprecedented year in 2020, the impact of COVID-19 continues to be felt across African economies with an increased and urgent need to support MSMEs Businesses which are the backbone of our economies. As a financial institution, we reaffirm our commitment to support the 100,000 MSMEs initiative. Following the successful launch of the MSME Academy, we are now going ahead with the financing component. We look forward to celebrating the businesses who will successfully go through this training program and who will meet the criteria for financial support said Josephine Anan-Ankomah, Ecobank Group Executive Commercial Banking. Objectives of the 100,000 MSME Finance Expand the reach of the 100,000 MSMEs initiative to youth across the continent and enable linkages into the wider entrepreneurship ecosystem that benefit the youth after training; Generate relevant data on MSMEs to enhance evidence-based policy recommendations to AU decision bodies as well as facilitate engagement with ecosystem partners such as financiers and links to trade and markets; and, Enable bottom-up engagement with youth and women entrepreneurs to ensure that youth and gender development policies benefit from their voice and participation as citizens of the continent. MSMEs can now register here https://ecobank.com/gh/commercial-banking/msmefinancing. Registrations close on 21 May 2021. 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 The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Mr Samuel Abu Jinapor has called on the National House of Chiefs to support the governments effort to weed out illegal mining (galamsey) activities and sanitize the countrys small-scale mining sector. He said given that traditional rulers were custodians of lands within their jurisdiction, their role in curbing the galamsey menace would be crucial. "Illegal mining activities continues to degrade many farmlands, destroy our forest reserves and water bodies. We need your support, cooperation and partnership to efficiently manage the natural resources of our country," he said Meeting with chiefs The minister made that call at a meeting with members of the National House of Chiefs in Kumasi Thursday (May 20, 2021). He was accompanied by the two Deputy Minister designate to the Lands Ministry, Mr Benito Owusu-Bio and Mr George Mireku Duker and some key officials from the ministry and its agencies. Seventy-four members of the National House of Chiefs were present at the meeting. They were led by the President of the House, Ogyeahoho Yaw Gyebi II. Appeal Mr Jinapor said the fight against illegal mining had got to the point where chiefs needed to rise and be counted to save the country's resources. He said he was ready to cooperate with the chiefs to deal with the menace. "We need to win this fight together because the beauty of any country is evident by its landscape and its forest and we cannot sit idle and lose it," he added. Commitment The chiefs declared their readiness to fully support the government in the renewed galamsey fight to protect the environment. Ogyeahoho Gyebi II said they will support the government to curb illegal mining and also lead their subjects to plant trees on the Green Ghana Day to be held on June 11, 2021. 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 Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has resumed its debt distress action to recoup accumulated petroleum taxes from some Oil Marketing Companies (OMC). As part of the exercise the GRA Thursday morning, [May 20, 2021] locked up two oil marketing companies. They are Grid Petroleum Ghana Limited and Sonnidom Petroleum. According to the GRA, the two OMCs have defaulted in tax payment of more than GH1.2million and GH862,000 respectively over a period of two years. The team locked up the premises of the companies after several attempts for them to honour part payments was not successful. Other companies the tax force chased were Santol Limited for owing GH57.39 million in taxes; Life Petroleum, GH1.14 million; Sawiz Petroleum, GH5.12 million; Delian and Co Limited, Ghc11.63 million and Petra Energy, Ghc20.73 million. The debt was accrued as a result of failure to pay petroleum taxes and levies to the state. Apart from the two companies that were locked up, the others after hours of deliberating with a team from the Debt Management Compliance and Enforcement Unit of the GRA separately reached a payment agreement. In line with a court warrant obtained by the Commissioner General of the GRA to effect the exercise, the team locked up a fuel service station, offices and supermarket belonging to the Grid Petroleum Ghana Limited at Dome. The management of the Grid Company engaged members of the special task force in a lengthy discussion which hit a deadlock. Before locking the company fuel attendants who were busy serving customers were stopped and the pumps turned off after which the team used padlocks and chains to lock up the company's assets. Assets seized "Now these assets partly belong to the Ghana Revenue Authority," said the leader of the team, Chief Revenue Officer, Nathaniel Nii Okai Tettey. He said Grid had defaulted taxes to the tune of GH1, 253,169,51 while the authority had made numerous attempts to get the management to pay the tax debt including putting in place arrangements to get them to pay in instalments. The scenario was similar at Sonnidom Petroleum. Later when the team went to another fuel service station known as SAWIZ Petroleum Limited where it projected to collect a tax debt of more than GH5 million it was discovered that a new company had taken over hence the inability of the GRA team to carry out its mandate. Mr Tettey explained that the team would track the company and recover the debt. He said oil marketing companies after lifting oil were to pay the petroleum taxes and levies within 21 days and a grace period of four days after taking their profit margins. "Unfortunately some of them decide to add the government taxes to their profit margins and deny the state of the needed revenue," he said. The task force also went to the offices of the other service stations where the management agreed to clear the debt based on a payment plan. 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 District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF) is financing the construction of infrastructure projects in some metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies (MMDAs) in the Ashanti, Greater Accra and Eastern regions. The projects involve the construction of new physical structures (mainly administration blocks and staff bungalows), as well as single court edifices. The fund is expending a total of GH94.7 million on 30 administration blocks, GH13.6 million on senior staff bungalows for the assemblies as well as GH15.9 million on 11 court buildings. Out of the 30 administration blocks, which come in the form of two-storey structures for district assemblies and three-storey for municipal assemblies, the Ashanti Region will have 14 projects, the Eastern Region, seven, and the Greater Accra Region, nine. Beneficiary The assemblies benefiting from the administration blocks in the Ashanti Region are the Suame Municipal Assembly, Ahafo Ano South East District, Atwima Mponua District, Old Tafo Municipality, Asokwa Municipality, Juaben Municipality and Amansie South District. The rest are Obuasi East District, Adansi Asokwa District, Adansi Akrofuom District, Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly and Oforikrom District. In the Eastern Region, the assemblies that are enjoying similar projects are the Abuakwa North Municipality, New Juaben South Municipality, New Juaben North Municipality, Fanteakwa District, Akim Manso District, Okere District and the Atiwa East District. Court buildings The court edifices, which are to provide conducive spaces for staff of the Judicial Services as well as bring justice closer to the doorstep of the people, are located in the Kwadaso Municipality, Juaben Municipality, Suame Municipality, Sekyere South District, Asante Akim South Municipality, Adansi Asokwa District, Afigya Kwabre District, Atwima Nwabiagya North District and Atwima Kwanwoma District, all in the Ashanti Region. Staff bungalows For the staff bungalows, the projects are taking place in the Kwadaso Municipality, Adansi Asokwa District, Suame Municipality, Afigya Kwabre District, Amansie West District, Ejisu Municipality, Ahafo North District, Atwima Nwabiagya Municipality, Juaben Municipality, all in the Ashanti Region. Those ongoing in the Eastern Region are located in the New Juaben North Municipality, and Akuapem South Municipality, while those for the Greater Accra Region are located in the Ablekuma South Municipality and Ayawaso East Municipality. Inspection These came to light when a seven-member Local Government Committee of Parliament inspected the progress of work on ongoing DACF-funded projects in the Ashanti Region last Friday. The inspection by the team, led by the Ranking Member on the committee, Nii Lante Vanderpuye, was to allow the members to know at first hand progress of the projects as well as the challenges facing contractors. Commencement of project Leading the team round some of the projects in the Ashanti Region, the Project Manager of Eco-Planners and Engineering Consult, Mr Daniel Yeboah, said work on the new administration blocks for the assemblies started in November 2019 and were projected to be completed within seven months of commencement. We have so far completed seven of these projects, while the remaining are between 70 per cent and 90 per cent complete on the average and they will be completed by the end of this year, he said. For the court structures, he said the percentage of completion on the projects, most of which had been roofed, was about 65 per cent. With regard to the court complex which started in December and would be completed by August this year, he said most of the structures had been roofed, with most of them beyond 65 per cent complete. Work on the staff bungalows are far ahead and I can say that on the average the progress of work on these projects is about 70 per cent complete, 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 The St. Gallen Symposium, an annual gathering of current and future leaders from across the globe, celebrated its 50th anniversary this year. At the event, 1,000 participants took part in the three-day cross-generational dialogue, joining from the University of St. Gallen campus, an international hub in Singapore, ten Swiss Embassies around the world, and elsewhere online. Catherine Chen, Corporate Senior Vice President and BOD Member at Huawei, addressed the student-led initiative on the morning of May 7. Other top speakers from the private sector include Christophe Franz, BOD Chairman at Roche, Ola Kallenius, Chairman of the Board of Management at Daimler, Satya Nadella, Chief Executive Officer of Microsoft, and Roshni Nadar Malhotra, Chief Executive Officer of HCL Corporation. The participants, which also included political leaders, such as Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, and representatives of transnational organizations, like Chairwoman of the Swiss Digital Initiative Doris Leuthard, gathered to exchange their views on the theme of this year's symposium, "Trust Matters", something to which Huawei is deeply committed. Chen believes this will require the joint efforts of policymakers, regulators, and the private sector. "As more devices feature connectivity, more services go online, and more critical infrastructures rely on real-time data exchanges, so must governments worldwide ensure that everyone is protected by the highest security standards. Only a common set of rules can guarantee a level of security that creates trust in technology," she said. This year's St. Gallen Symposium kicked off on May 5. The event's participants agreed that trust is inherently built on openness and transparencyd and that it is time to take concrete, actionable steps to address the common challenges and risks that have emerged in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Public trust in political and economic institutions, emerging technologies, and the media has recently been eroded, especially among the younger generations, and this has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. "We, as members of the younger generation, are connected to a greater number of people through social media, but this does not correspond to a circle of people we can trust," said Simon Zulliger, a member of the team of 35 students from the University of St. Gallen that organized this year's symposium. The team expressed their view that finding ways to preserve and strengthen trust is critical for a sustainable recovery. Chen hoped that the next generation of leaders would build trust and shape a world of pervasive connectivity. "I urge them to continue developing the positive relationships between communities, individuals, and their environments. We must build strong trust in technology, enabled by a common set of rules, innovations, and progress. Only then can we commit to the sustainable and trustworthy use of technology," she said. Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Director of Elections for the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr Evans Nimako, has charged the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) from using the outcome of the 2020 election petition as the reason for boycotting IPAC meetings organised by the Electoral Commission (EC). According to him, inasmuch as the opposition has the right to boycott IPAC meetings, it should consider the interest of Ghanaians to see credible elections being organised in the country as it aspires to lead Ghanaians one day. Speaking on Okay FMs 'Ade Akye Abia' Morning Show, Mr Evans Nimako insisted that the NDC should not make an excuse with the ruling of the 2020 election petition to boycott IPAC meetings as the opposition had every opportunity and ample time to make their case in the Supreme Court particularly when the Chairperson of EC, Mrs. Jean Mensa decided not to mount the witness box. You went to the Supreme Court with a petition and the accused person in the case says she has nothing to say in defence and so the court should pronounce its judgment based on the petition. When the woman said she was not going to talk, the NDC should have been happy because you had ample time to narrate your case to the Supreme Court, he averred. He further stated that the opposition NDC is still creating the impression that the EC cheated them in the 2020 general election. The NDC National Chairman, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo after winning the position stated that the NDC was going to set up an election task force in all the polling stations in the country. The Director of Elections, Mr Elvis Afriyie Ankrah announced that they are going to send lawyers to all the collation centres, he mentioned, asking how they failed to ensure that they get fair results. Asiedu Nketiah's sleepless nights He, however, blamed the General Secretary of the NDC, Johnson Asiedu Nketia who coordinated the Presidential Election for Mr John Dramani Mahama for the second defeat of their Presidential Candidate in the Supreme Court. He said that the NDC Chief Scribe misled the NDC Flagbearer, John Dramani Mahama into believing that he has a chance to overturn the declared 2020 Presidential results announced by the Electoral Commission (EC) in the Supreme Court. The Director of Elections for the ruling NPP intimated that the General Secretary of the opposition NDC cannot sleep after he assured former President John Dramani Mahama of a sound victory in the Supreme Court, but turned out to be the worse star witness. Asiedu Nketia cannot sleep because of the assurance and the motivation he gave to John Dramani Mahama; he misled and pushed him to go to the Supreme Court. When they went to court, Asiedu Nketia was the star witness and so whatever he said in court was what the 7 Supreme Court judges based on to give their verdict on the petition. And so, Asiedu Nketia cannot sleep for disappointing John Dramani Mahama, he claimed. Assessment of the 2020 general election The Electoral Commission at a two-day workshop which ended on Wednesday, May 19, 2021 conducted an assessment of the 2020 general election, stated its achievement and also made certain electoral reforms. But addressing a press conference in Accra on Thursday, 20 May 2021 in reaction to the statement put out by the EC, NDC National Chairman, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo disclosed that the NDC has established its own committee to propose electoral reforms which it will put out soon for further deliberations. The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has proposed six reforms the party thinks the Electoral Commission (EC) should consider. They are the need for a legal backing to the Inter Party Advisory Committee (IPAC). According to the NDC, the legal backing, should be such that it will not encroach on the constitutional independence of the EC. As of now, IPAC is only an advisory body and decisions taken at IPAC meetings are not binding on the EC and the NDC is proposing a legal framework which will ensure that IPAC decisions do not only remain as an advise. Speaking at a press conference in Accra on Thursday, (May 20, 2021) the Director of Elections of the NDC, Mr Elvis Afriyie Ankrah said the party was also proposing the adoption of an equitable voting formula for political parties at IPAC deliberations based on their representation in Parliament. 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 Governance Expert, Dr. Benjamin Otchere-Ankrah, has asked President Nana Akufo-Addo to sack any District Chief Executive (DCE) who allows for galamsey activities in his or her district. According to him, the President should warn all his DCEs and government officials not to misconduct themselves but support the fight against galamsey. Dr. Benjamin Otchere-Ankrah expressed disgust over the galamsey activities in Ghana. He sought to find out how the illegal miners got access to the lands if they had no assistance. "No poor person is doing galamsey. It's the rich people who are doing it. How do they do it? They go for the lands belonging to farmers and Chiefs and use them, then we turn around to say the lands have been destroyed. We, ourselves, are the ones destroying the lands," he fumed. "Let's hold people accountable. Let's hold people responsible," he stressed. 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 Vallarta Living Nuestro Orgullo Vallarta Pride Events Support SETAC 'Nuestro Orgullo Vallarta' is a Pride celebration that goes beyond typical circuit parties to include cultural, artistic and recreational events in support of the SETAC Community and Wellness Center. Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - A new pride organization has emerged in Puerto Vallarta. Nuestro Orgullo Vallarta (Our Vallarta Pride), is an LGBTQ+ festival developed by and for the local community that is separate from Vallarta Pride, which has been organized since 2013 by ACT LGBT, a non-profit organization representing the various interests of LGBT owned and managed businesses. So, this year, there are more Pride events for locals and visitors to enjoy. Pink & Proud Puerto Vallarta is partnering with both organizations for their pride week. Check out In celebrating Gay Pride in Puerto Vallarta, Nuestro Orgullo goes beyond typical circuit parties. Cultural, artistic and recreational events outside of the club scene are part of this first edition. These events, which support The global COVID-19 Pandemic hit SETAC particularly hard, like so many other nonprofits around the world, because they have relied so much on financial support from Vallarta's LGBT business community since they began more than 11 years ago. This community saw its revenues dry up virtually overnight when the tourist trade shut down completely in Spring 2020. Since then, with so many in the businesses struggling not to go bankrupt, SETAC has had to rely on occasional donations from international supporters just to keep the doors open. They're predicting that it will be well into 2022 before the local economy recovers enough for businesses to be able to start supporting them again in the ways they traditionally have. So, while tourism is now picking up and is expected to continue expanding this year, they are not yet out of the woods by any means, and are still counting on donations from U.S. and Canadian friends and supporters to help them provide HIV medication, PrEP, counseling services, lab work, and transgender support to the over 2,500 locals that make use of SETAC services. Cultural, artistic and recreational events that support the SETAC Community and Wellness Center. Their Pride Week events run from May 24-May 31, 2021, and include: May 24-31 - an exciting campground experience at Rancho Mi Abuelo Friday, May 28, 7 pm-2 am - Celebration of Life Dance Camp Night Friday, May 28, 2 pm-12 am - Pink & Proud Pool Party Women Only Saturday, May 29, 8 pm-LATE - Red Dress Party with the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence Sunday, May 30, 2 pm-LATE - SETAC Sunday: Lip Sync, drag shows, DJ spinning dance tunes & more For more information about these and other Nuestro Orgullo 2021 events hosted by Casa Cupula, The Palm Cabaret, Located at Aldanaca 178 4A & 4B, in the Colonia Versalles of neighborhood of Puerto Vallarta, SETAC is a non-profit community and wellness center whose mission is to reduce HIV and other sexually transmitted infections in the greater Banderas Bay region through education, detection and prevention. Free counseling, testing, treatments and referrals for HIV and other sexual transmitted illness are just some of the free services SETAC provides to the entire population, without prejudice or discrimination. For more information, follow SETAC on Facebook, visit the website, call (322) 224-1974 or email contacto(at)setac.com.mx. Click HERE to learn more about Centro Comunitario SETAC. - A new pride organization has emerged in Puerto Vallarta.(Our Vallarta Pride), is an LGBTQ+ festival developed by and for the local community that is separate from Vallarta Pride, which has been organized since 2013 by ACT LGBT, a non-profit organization representing the various interests of LGBT owned and managed businesses.So, this year, there are more Pride events for locals and visitors to enjoy. Pink & Proud Puerto Vallarta is partnering with both organizations for their pride week. Check out pinkandproudpvr.com for their full schedule of events.In celebrating Gay Pride in Puerto Vallarta, Nuestro Orgullo goes beyond typical circuit parties. Cultural, artistic and recreational events outside of the club scene are part of this first edition. These events, which support SETAC - a non-profit community and wellness center whose mission is to reduce HIV and other STDs in the Banderas Bay region through education, detection and prevention - range from camping experiences to a Red Dress Party, and everything in between.The global COVID-19 Pandemic hit SETAC particularly hard, like so many other nonprofits around the world, because they have relied so much on financial support from Vallarta's LGBT business community since they began more than 11 years ago.This community saw its revenues dry up virtually overnight when the tourist trade shut down completely in Spring 2020. Since then, with so many in the businesses struggling not to go bankrupt, SETAC has had to rely on occasional donations from international supporters just to keep the doors open. They're predicting that it will be well into 2022 before the local economy recovers enough for businesses to be able to start supporting them again in the ways they traditionally have.So, while tourism is now picking up and is expected to continue expanding this year, they are not yet out of the woods by any means, and are still counting on donations from U.S. and Canadian friends and supporters to help them provide HIV medication, PrEP, counseling services, lab work, and transgender support to the over 2,500 locals that make use of SETAC services. Amaria Villas , a resort hotel nestled in the hills of Puerto Vallarta along the Rio Cuale, is among the businesses that will host a series of Pride Week events supporting SETAC and Nuestro Orgullo Vallarta.Their Pride Week events run from May 24-May 31, 2021, and include:May 24-31 - an exciting campground experience at Rancho Mi AbueloFriday, May 28, 7 pm-2 am - Celebration of Life Dance Camp NightFriday, May 28, 2 pm-12 am - Pink & Proud Pool Party Women OnlySaturday, May 29, 8 pm-LATE - Red Dress Party with the Sisters of Perpetual IndulgenceSunday, May 30, 2 pm-LATE - SETAC Sunday: Lip Sync, drag shows, DJ spinning dance tunes & moreFor more information about these and other Nuestro Orgullo 2021 events hosted by Hotel Mercurio Act2PV and other LGBTQ businesses and community members, visit setac.com.mx. Site Map Print this Page Email Us Top Former President John Dramani Mahama has, in a letter to the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, withdrawn his acceptance of the continental bodys appointment as its High Representative for Somalia. While thanking the AU for the confidence reposed in him, Mr Mahama noted that, the high political importance of the proposed assignment requires that the High Representative enjoy the unalloyed support and co-operation of all political stakeholders. A statement issued by the former Ghanaian leaders special aide Joyce Bawah Mogtari on Thursday, 20 May 2021, said Mr Mahama, whose appointment as the AU envoy has been roundly welcomed by the Council of Presidential Candidates of Somalia, and the Coalition of Somalias Federal Member States, further cautioned in his letter to the AU Chairperson, Moussa Faki Mahamat, that the lack of support by the federal government could jeopardise the whole process and undermine the hopes that the entire world has in bringing peace to the esteemed land of Somalia. The statement said Mr Mahama, who continues to receive requests from various international bodies and groups and is widely respected for his commitment to democratic consolidation, peace-building and development, used the opportunity to reaffirm his commitment to the African Unions vision of an integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa, that includes Somalia. Background About a week ago, Somalia rejected the appointment of Mr Mahama as the AUs special envoy to help mediate its political impasse with Kenya. Somalia argued that the former head of state has extensive links with Kenya, and has written to AU Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat, notifying him that Somalia will no longer support Mr Mahama in his new role. 'Not impartial' Mohamed Abdirazak, Somalias Foreign and International Cooperation Minister, said the Ghanaian ex-leader is closely associated with the leadership in Kenya, without specifying who in particular. Based on this alone, he said Mr Mahama cannot be trusted to be impartial and deliver an acceptable solution. In a letter riddled with grammatical mistakes, Mr Abdirazak claimed that the AU did not thoroughly scrutinise Mr Mahamas background before appointing him to the role. It is, indeed, surprising that a candidate with extensive links with Kenyas leadership has been chosen by the AU to facilitate talks on a political impasse partly engineered by those the Kenyan leadership has supported, the letter dated May 9 but which was circulated among diplomats on Tuesday says. Given the politically sensitive nature of the task of a high representative in any case, I am certain you will appreciate the importance of any candidate for such a post to be seen as impartial and without any links to the region. Mr Mahama, who ruled Ghana between 2012 and 2017, was named the High Representative of the African Union for Somalias political mediation. A statement from the AU said he "will work with the Somali stakeholders to reach a mutually acceptable compromise towards an all-encompassing resolution for the holding of Somali elections in the shortest possible time." In fulfilling his mandate, the High Representative will be supported by Amisom to ensure that the mediation efforts and the peace support operation work together seamlessly. It is likely that the continental body picked Mr Mahama based on its own assessment of his qualities as a mediator. In 2017, he led election observers for the Commonwealth Observer Mission at the Kenyan polls. However, he angered a number of Kenyan opposition leaders for endorsing the vote as credible and inclusive, but the election was later overturned by the Supreme Court. He became an unpopular figure in Nairobi after that. But Somalias accusation now means that he cannot take up the role. Mogadishus argument is also a longshot that prevents Mr Mahama from ever engaging in the countrys political mediations. No longer necessary According to Mr Abdirazak, the decision to name a special envoy has been overtaken by events, given that Prime Minister Hussein Roble had already brokered a deal to have parties resume discussions for holding indirect elections. It is my concern, [that] deploying an envoy in the process now will only confuse the present amicable arrangements and at worse risk the politicisation of the process further than necessary, he wrote. Last week, Qatars Special Envoy of the Foreign Minister of the State of Qatar for Counterterrorism and Mediation of Conflict Resolution, Dr Mutlaq bin Majed al-Qahtani, helped broker a deal between opposition groups and the Federal Government of Somalia. Qatar, previously loathed by opposition groups, also beat the AU to the Somalia-Kenya mediation role after deploying the special envoy earlier and getting the Horn country to reconsider severing ties. Shortly after his visit, Somalia announced that it would be restoring diplomatic ties with Kenya. The UN, however, had endorsed Mr Mahama as mediator for the African Union. In a statement, Stephane Dujarric, the Spokesperson of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, said the global agency would give full support for this African Union initiative. Source: classfmonline.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 National Democratic Congress (NDC) has proposed six reforms the party thinks the Electoral Commission (EC) should consider. They are the need for a legal backing to the Inter Party Advisory Committee (IPAC). According to the NDC, the legal backing, should be such that it will not encroach on the constitutional independence of the EC. As of now, IPAC is only an advisory body and decisions taken at IPAC meetings are not binding on the EC and the NDC is proposing a legal framework which will ensure that IPAC decisions do not only remain as an advise. Speaking at a press conference in Accra on Thursday, (May 20, 2021) the Director of Elections of the NDC, Mr Elvis Afriyie Ankrah said the party was also proposing the adoption of an equitable voting formula for political parties at IPAC deliberations based on their representation in Parliament. The third proposal for reform is for the EC to comply "with the use of the legally-prescribed statement of Poll/Pink Sheet (Form 8A and 8B) provided for in our Election Regulations to prevent the omission of BVD entries so as to preserve the ballot accounting process and makes it possible to check multiple voting, ballot stuffing, impersonation and other forms of rigging." Mr Afriyie Ankrah said the NDC also wants the EC to address the high level of rejected ballets recorded in the 2020 elections through the use of appropriate ink pads and that same should be stipulated in the regulations. The party also wants the EC to employ and train highly competent staff to accurately fill election results forms and also collate results so as to forestall the "reoccurence of the widespread cases of arithmetic errors recorded in the 2020 general elections. Lastly the NDC also the EC to revert to the time-tested election security arrangement where the deployment of security for election purposes is reserved to the Ghana Police service, acting within the framework provided the EC. He said these security arrangements should have minimum involvement of the military and no interference whatsoever by so-called National Security operatives as recommended by the Emile Short Commission. He said the NDC has constituted a committee to come up with a comprehensive document on electoral reform proposals. 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 Former Speaker of Parliament and Chairman of Africa Public Policy Institute (APPI), Hon. Prof. Aaron Michael Oquaye has stated emphatically that he has nowhere endorsed anyone as the 2024 flagbearer of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP). He issued a rejoinder to some publications suggesting that he (Michael Oquaye) said "Bawumia should be NPP's 2024 Flagbearer". According to him, he granted an interview on Monday, May 17, 2021, to Okyeman TV's host, Raymond Kumah and that interview was not about flagbearship of the party. He stated that: It centered on NPP and what it stands for from ancient to modern, including Ghana's Digitisation Progress. It must be emphasized that no comparison was made with any of those interested in flagbearship. It featured President Kufuor prominently in specific areas. No endorsement was suggested to me and I did not endorse anybody. Hon. Prof. Michael Oquaye also stated that when he was asked about the progress of Ghana's digitization initiative under Dr. Bawumia, he answered by indicating categorically that, "It will be fantastic if we are able to continue with this digitization, automation and ICT. This complements the good work being done by Hon. Ursula at the Ministry of Communications." According to him, he considers Dr. Bawumia as an 'A Plus' performer so as other NPP stalwarts, including Hon. Kyerematen, Dr. Akoto, Hon. Ursula, Dr. Prempeh. These are all excellent material and I will continue to say so in context. The Trade Minister is today a global authority on International Trade, Business and Investment. The headquarters of the Africa Trade Organisation, etc., exemplify him. Also, Dr. Akoto complements development in our agro-based industry for our food both home and abroad. His work stands unprecedented in Ghana. The brilliance of Hon. Ursula in the application of ICT for national development must be spoken about, entirely without prejudice. She is also 'A plus'. Similarly, Dr. Prempeh is managing the challenges in the Energy Ministry just like he did in the Education Ministry and we are all looking up to him and other brilliant stars which we the elders are proud of. The rejoinder noted that, similarly, while he was going to deliver the Re Akoto Lectures, some well-wishers called to say his involvement might be misinterpreted as support for one particular aspirant but undeniably, the story about the good NPP tradition must be told. He stated that, we should be able to extol the President's men and women to show what the NPP is doing and is capable of. If the NPP fails to tell the world about the great achievements of President Akufo-Addo and his Ministers, we shall be heading for disaster in 2024. He however cautioned the party against pitching people against each other saying, Let us not be pitching people against each other and I will never do this. To have misconstrued and misrepresented the comment on Ghana's digitization progress as an indication for a particular individual to be the Flagbearer of the NPP in 2024 is not only inaccurate but a complete falsehood. He called on the general public to disregard the misleading publication in the media. Source: modern 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 A bride had to marry a wedding guest after her groom suddenly disappeared from the ceremony in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India. The Tribune reported that the incident took place on Monday, May 16, in the town of Maharajpur, in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. According to the news outlet, the couple had just completed their jaimala, or exchange of garlands, when the groom went missing. At the time, their families were getting ready for the main ceremony. After a search by the brides family, they concluded that the groom did not just disappear, but intentionally fled the scene. Following several deliberations, the bride then tied the knot with one of the baraatis, a member of the marriage party from the grooms side whose family also agreed to marrying him off to the woman. After the ceremony, the brides family reportedly lodged a complaint against the groom and his family. An official later released a statement on the matter. "We have received a complaint in this regard from both the bride and groom sides. While the bride's side has sought suitable action against the groom and his family members, the groom's father, Dharampal, in his complaint, has sought police help to trace his missing son. Investigations are continuing in this regard." Source: The Tribune 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 Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain Despite the increasing frequency and severity of floods, storms, wildfires and other natural hazards, some firms in disaster-prone areas prepare while others do not. That issue was examined in a new study by Jennifer Oetzel, professor, American University and Chang Hoon Oh, William & Judy Docking Professor of Strategy, University of Kansas published in the Strategic Management Journal (SMJ). "Due to the increased frequency and severity of floods, storms, epidemics, wildfires and other natural hazards anticipated over the coming decades (according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), there is growing pressure on managers and their firms to develop strategies for managing natural disaster risk," write the researchers. "Preparing for future events that may never occur is challenging. Day-to-day events tend to crowd out long-term planning, but business continuity depends on managers anticipating and planning for large scale disasters. For these reasons, our goal in this study was to understand the antecedents associated with disaster preparation so that managers can better prepare for natural disasters." They defined disaster preparedness as the acquisition of the skills and capabilities needed to reduce damage to a firm, to minimize disruption to the supply chain, and business activity more generally, and to save lives and protect employees. Disaster preparedness can entail a wide variety of initiatives including conducting an assessment of firm vulnerability to natural disasters, establishing a natural disaster response plan, training employees about natural disaster preparedness, purchasing insurance, developing a business continuity plan, and arranging to move business operations temporarily to another location, among others. Emergency preparedness pays off. A review conducted by the Wharton Risk Center that focused on floods suggested that for every dollar spent on flood risk reduction, on average, five dollars is saved through avoided and reduced losses. But despite the documented value of preparing, most firms fail to do so. "Since not all firms located in disaster prone areas prepare for disasters, what are the antecedents to disaster preparation? To answer this question," write the authors, "we looked at several factors that are likely to affect whether or not businesses will prepare. The first factor is organizational experience with disaster, which can be a transformational and powerful motivator for change when managers see the value of disaster preparation and planning." The mechanisms driving the relationship between experience and preparedness are multifaceted. Managers may fail to learn from past experiences if they do not consider a recently experienced disaster as representative of future events. Even when managers learn from experience and see preparation as valuable, they may lack the organizational influence and find that they are unable to leverage learning to inform decision-making. Aside from experience, strategic decisions around disaster preparation are likely to be affected by managers' subjective judgments and/or knowledge about disaster risks. Depending upon the nature of their experience, managers may either over- or under-estimate disaster risk and thus over or under prepare. Research has also shown that willingness to learn from other organizations about how to manage natural disaster risk is also important. External sources of information provide different perspectives and may help organizations to avoid internal biases in decision making. "Another set of factors that are presumed to affect preparation are the characteristics of disasters, including their type, frequency, and impact," write the researchers. "Historical records and scientific data indicate whether or not a given location is subject to natural disasters and, if so, of what type. "Natural scientists examining climate change trends are raising concerns, however, that past experiences may not be predictive of the future. In certain geographic areas (e.g., Houston, Texas), the frequency of major disasters may be increasing substantially, deviating significantly from the past." In conducting two studiesan international survey in 18 disaster-prone countries and a U.S. survey in New York City and MiamiOetzel and Oh found that managers are more likely to prepare when their companies experienced prior disasters. The likelihood of preparedness is even higher when companies work with and learn from other organizations and stakeholders. "Managers operating in locations characterized by high impact, low frequency disasters are more willing to learn from others," they wrote. "In contrast, managers in areas characterized by low impact, high frequency disasters, are more likely to prepare alone. Since effective disaster preparation typically entails working with, and learning from others, those companies that choose a go-it-alone strategy may misjudge disaster risk." The SMJ is published by the Strategic Management Society (SMS), comprised of 3,000 academics, business practitioners, and consultants from 80 countries, focuses on the development and dissemination of insights on the strategic management process, as well as on fostering contacts and interchanges around the world. Explore further New training program enhances disaster preparedness for healthcare personnel More information: Jennifer Oetzel et al, A storm is brewing: Antecedents of disaster preparation in risk prone locations, Strategic Management Journal (2021). Jennifer Oetzel et al, A storm is brewing: Antecedents of disaster preparation in risk prone locations,(2021). DOI: 10.1002/smj.3272 Provided by Strategic Management Society In this undated photograph, provided by Boston-based RR Auction, shows a letter written by Albert Einstein, in which he wrote out his famous "E = mc2" equation, that sold at auction for more than $1.2 million. Archivists at the Einstein Papers Project at the California Institute of Technology and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem say there are only three other known examples of Einstein writing the world-changing equation in his own hand. Credit: Nikki Brickett/RR Auction via AP A letter written by Albert Einstein in which he writes out his famous E = mc2 equation has sold at auction for more than $1.2 million, about three times more than it was expected to get, Boston-based RR Auction said Friday. Archivists at the Einstein Papers Project at the California Institute of Technology and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem say there are only three other known examples of Einstein writing the world-changing equation in his own hand. This fourth example, the only one in a private collection, only became public recently, according to RR Auction, which had expected it to sell for about $400,000. "It's an important letter from both a holographic and a physics point of view," Bobby Livingston, executive vice president at RR Auction said, calling the equation the most famous in the world. The equationenergy equals mass times the speed of light squaredchanged physics by demonstrating that time was not absolute and that mass and energy were equivalent. The one-page handwritten letter in German to Polish American physicist Ludwik Silberstein is dated Oct. 26, 1946. Silberstein was a well-known critic and challenger to some of Einstein's theories. "Your question can be answered from the E = mc2 formula, without any erudition," Einstein wrote in the letter written on Princeton University letterhead, according to a translation provided by RR Auction. In this undated photograph, provided by Boston-based RR Auction, shows a letter written by Albert Einstein, in which he wrote out his famous "E = mc2" equation, that sold at auction for more than $1.2 million. Archivists at the Einstein Papers Project at the California Institute of Technology and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem say there are only three other known examples of Einstein writing the world-changing equation in his own hand. Credit: Nikki Brickett/RR Auction via AP In this undated photograph, provided by Boston-based RR Auction, shows a letter written by Albert Einstein, in which he wrote out his famous "E = mc2" equation, that sold at auction for more than $1.2 million. Archivists at the Einstein Papers Project at the California Institute of Technology and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem say there are only three other known examples of Einstein writing the world-changing equation in his own hand. Credit: Nikki Brickett/RR Auction via AP The letter was part of Silberstein's personal archives, which were sold by his descendants. The buyer was identified by RR only as an anonymous document collector. The rarity of the letter set off a bidding war, Livingston said. Five parties were bidding aggressively at first, but once the price reached about $700,000, it became a two-party contest, he said. The auction began May 13 and concluded Thursday. Explore further Einstein letter fetches $100,000 at Jerusalem auction 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Maasai women conservation project in Kenya. Credit: Joan de la Malla An international study led by the ICTA-UAB states that recognizing indigenous peoples' and local communities' rights and agency is critical to addressing the current biodiversity crisis Policies established by the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) could be ineffective if the rights and agency of indigenous peoples and local communities are not recognized and fully incorporated into biodiversity management. This is supported by an international study led by the Institute of Environmental Science and Technology of the Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona (ICTA-UAB) and recently published in the journal Ambio. The Convention on Biological Diversity is now working to formulate the goals that will frame global biodiversity policy in the years to come. This will be done through an ambitious international plan commonly known as the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework. The objective of this framework is to promote a profound transformation at the social level that allows halting biodiversity loss at global level. Unfortunately, the framework, as currently written, still has a long way to go towards fully recognizing Indigenous Peoples' rights and agency, scientists argue. "Indigenous Peoples' and local communities' understandings of nature align perfectly well with the Convention on Biological Diversity's vision of Living in Harmony with Nature," says ICREA Research Professor at the ICTA-UAB Victoria Reyes-Garcia, leader of the study. "It seems paradoxical that global discussions on the collective future of the planet do not heed the voices of Indigenous Peoples' and local communities, one of the groups of actors that has contributed the most to safeguarding the planet's biodiversity." The study, signed by 21 scientists from all over the world, presents a set of arguments why foregrounding Indigenous Peoples' and local communities' rights and agency is essential to the success of future biodiversity policy. Based on an in-depth review of literature, the study highlights that Indigenous Peoples and local communities hold critical knowledge for setting realistic, legitimate and effective biodiversity targets. "The Global Biodiversity Framework should recognize and address the views and perspectives of Indigenous Peoples and local communities," states Dr. Alvaro Fernandez-Llamazares, co-author of the study and researcher at the University of Helsinki. "There is crystal-clear evidence that their knowledge systems, practices and values have so much to offer in addressing the current biodiversity crisis." The authors argue that Indigenous Peoples' and local communities' participation in biodiversity policy contribute to recognizing and upholding human rights, and call on the Convention on Biological Diversity to fully recognize Indigenous Peoples' and local communities not only as stakeholders, but also as rights, agency and knowledge-holders. Explore further Indigenous lands: A haven for wildlife More information: Reyes-Garcia, V., Fernandez-Llamazares, A., Aumeeruddy-Thomas, Y. et al. Recognizing Indigenous peoples' and local communities' rights and agency in the post-2020 Biodiversity Agenda. Ambio (2021). Journal information: AMBIO Reyes-Garcia, V., Fernandez-Llamazares, A., Aumeeruddy-Thomas, Y. et al. Recognizing Indigenous peoples' and local communities' rights and agency in the post-2020 Biodiversity Agenda.(2021). doi.org/10.1007/s13280-021-01561-7 Credit: IPGP/Nicolas Sarter, CC BY-SA China's rover Zhurong, named after the mythological fire god, successfully touched down on Mars on May 14the first time that China has successfully landed a rover on the red planet. On May 19, China's National Space Administration issued the first images the rover had taken on Mars. After a summer of Mars launches in 2020, and with 2021 shaping up to be a successful one for landers and orbiters, it might seem like landing on Mars is routine. Yet to understand why a first successful landing is such a huge achievement, we need to look back at the complicated history and legacy of landing on Earth's smaller neighbor. Seven minutes of terror "Mars is hard" has become a meme now, thrown around during Mars landings. It's also terrifyingly true. Three things make Mars landings difficultthe planet's gravity, Mars' atmosphere and our distance from the red planet. FIRST PHOTOS FROM THE CHINESE MARS ROVER ZHURONG IS OUT! pic.twitter.com/6K8RQQqjPy Cosmic Penguin (@Cosmic_Penguin) May 19, 2021 Mars is less massive than Earth, but its atmosphere is also perilously thin. The Moon has almost no atmosphere so landers can use retrorockets - rocket engines that provide thrust in an upwards directionto slow their descent to the lunar surface. Earth's atmosphere is thicker than that of Mars and that allows craft to glide gently down to the surface. Mars' atmosphere is too thin for that sort of Earth-like gentle gliding, but as a craft plummets towards the Martian surface it can reach speeds of more than 12,000 mph. Trying to use retrorockets would subject a lander to so much turbulence that the craft could be ripped apart. What's more, any craft trying to land on Mars suffers from the effects of friction as it hurtles through the atmosphere, risking burning up. The rover Mars 3 landed on Mars and worked for two minutes. Credit: NASA Finally, because the distance from Earth to Mars is so huge, scientists and engineers on Earth can't send commands to a craft instantaneously. Instead, they have to pre-program a sequence of actions that the craft will perform as it descends through the Martian atmosphere. From entry to landing takes about seven minutes. Here, scientists and engineers have no control over the craftthey have to trust that everything will go right and the craft will land safely. If it doesn't, a crash landing could quite literally shatter thousands of hopes and dreams. It's a nerve-racking experiencewhich is why it's been dubbed the "seven minutes of terror." Today, scientists model, simulate and track every aspect of a Mars missionbut there are some things they can only learn through landing on the red planet. From crashes to Curiosity The first Mars launch was in 1962, five years after the space age began with the launch of Sputnik. The then Soviet Union tried to launch a satellite into orbit around Mars, but problems with the rocket that launched it meant the satellite never left Earth's orbit and ultimately decayed in our atmosphere. First panoramic view by Viking 1 from the surface of Mars, 1976. Credit: NASA It wasn't until 1971 that an artificial satellite landed on Mars. The Soviet Union launched its Mars 2 probe, consisting of an orbiter and a descent module. While the orbiter sent back data successfully, the descent module didn't work as planned and crashed on the Martian surface. The same year, the Soviet Union's Mars 3 probe successfully sent a lander to Mars without it crashingbut it only worked for two minutes. Mars 6 crash landed, while Mars 7 didn't land at all. It was only in 1976 that the US sent anything to Mars. Viking 1 and Viking 2 both landed successfully on Mars, becoming the first two operational landers. The 1980s saw the Soviet Union's two Phobos missions, both of which failed because of computer issues. The 1990s weren't particularly good for Mars landings, either. Russia's Mars 96 failed during launch. Happily, Nasa's Sojourner rover touched down in 1996, becoming the first Martian rover success story. Unfortunately, America's Mars Polar Lander failed just before touching down on the planet in 1999. The 2000s didn't start out much better. On Christmas day 2003, the UK's Beagle 2 touched down on Mars, but one of its solar panels failed to open and the mission was lost. Fortunately they improved, with the successful landings of Spirit and Opportunity in 2004 and Phoenix in 2008. The 2010s also started well, with the Curiosity rover touching down in 2012. Sadly Schiaparelli, the European-Russian lander, was lost in 2016. Now, five years later, the perfect landings of Perseverance and Zhurong are a bright start to the new decade. Landing on Mars is hard, but scientists are learning all the timeand just as they build on their successes, they also learn from their failures. Now our computers are better than ever, and concepts from failed missions help scientists to build the successful missions of tomorrow. Landing might never be routine, but we learn more and more each time. Explore further Chinese Mars rover beams back first photos This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Masked owl (Tyto novaehollandiae), one of many birds of prey at great risk of secondary poisoning. Credit: Belinda Davis, Author provided It's the smell that hits you first. The scent of urine and decomposing bodies. Then you notice other signs: scuttles and squeaks, small dead bodies leaking blood, tails sticking out of hubcaps. If you've lived through a mouse plague, you've seen this, and smelled the stench of mice dying of poison baits. As a desperate measure to help combat the mouse plague devastating rural communities across New South Wales, the state government yesterday secured 5,000 liters of bromadiolone. This is a bait that's usually illegal to roll out at the proposed scale. This is a bad idea. While bromadiolone effectively kills mice, it also travels up the food chain to poison predators who eat the mice, and other species. And these predators, from wedge-tailed eagles to goannas, are coming out in droves to feast on their abundant prey. When your prey is everywhere Animal plagues in Australia are fuelled by the "boom and bust" of rainfall. We have natural, flood-driven population explosions of the native long-haired rat, with accompanying booms of letter-winged kites, their predator. We also have locust plagues when the conditions are right, leading to antechinus or mice plagues which eat the locusts. The mouse plague just gets worse- mice pour out of a temporary silo and into an opportunistic trap near Dubbo. Sarah Pye was horrified by the sceneshe says she's "devastated, disgusted and done." She says "after such a boomer of a season after drought, to lose it all is awful" pic.twitter.com/6bfzprY67j Lucy Thackray (@LucyThack) May 18, 2021 Since at least the late 1800s, we've had terrible plagues of the introduced house mouse (Mus musculus). But rarely has it been this bad, with conditions currently seeming worse than the last plague in 2011, which caused over A$200 million in crop damage alone. Wedge-tailed eagles are among the predators that take advantage of the house mouse plague. Credit: Shutterstock High numbers of birds of preynankeen kestrels, black-shouldered kites and barn owlsare often reported feasting on plague mice. Snakes, goannas, native carnivores such as quolls, and feral cats and foxes, also take advantage of the abundant food. Pets, especially cats and some dogs, are highly likely to consume mice under these conditions, too. Poisoning the food web Laying out poison baits is one way people try to end mouse infestations and plagues. So-called "anticoagulant rodenticides" are divided into first and second generations, based on when they were first synthesized and the differences in potency. Second generation anticoagulant rodenticides have higher toxicities than first generation, and are lethal after a single feed. First generation rodenticides, on the other hand, require rodents to feed on them for consecutive days to be lethal. But mouse-eating predators are highly exposed to second generation rodenticides. For most animal species, the lethal doses of rodenticide aren't yet known. A scientific review from 2018 documented the poisoning of 31 bird, five mammal and one reptile species. Second generation aniticoaugulant rodenticides were implicated in the death of these animals. Bobtail skinks dont eat poisoned mice, but theyve still been found with poison in their systems. Credit: Shutterstock Our research from 2020 found urban reptiles are highly exposed to second generation rodenticides, too. This includes mouse-eating snakes, called dugites, which had up to five different rodent poisons in them. We also found poisons in frog-eating tiger snakes, and in omnivorous bobtail skinks which eat fruit, vegetation and snails. This is even more concerning because it shows how second generation rodenticides can saturate the entire foodweb, affecting everything from slugs to fish. Bromadiolone is particularly dangerous, even to humans The NSW government secured bromadiolone baits as part of its $50 million mouse plague support package for regional communities. Five thousand liters of the poison can treat around 95 tons of grain, and the government will provide it for free to primary producers once federal authorities approve its use. Bromadiolone is usually restricted to use in and around buildings. But given the widespread impacts on wildlife, using bromadiolone at the proposed scale will do more harm than good. Past research on bromadiolone has shown residues persist for up to 135 days in the carcasses of voles (another rodent species). In international studies, bromadiolone has been found in the livers of a host of birds of prey, including a range of owl species, red kites, sparrowhawks and golden eagles. And it's not just a problem for wildlife, humans are also at risk of exposure. For example, we can get exposed from eating eggs from chickens that feed on poisoned mice, or more directly from eating other animals that may have ingested poisoned mice. A 2013 study looked at chicken eggs for human consumption, and detected bromadiolone in eggs between five and 14 days after the chicken ingested the poison. It's not yet clear how many of these eggs we'd have to eat for us to get sick. Humans can be exposed, too, by eating the eggs of chickens that ate the mice. Credit: Shutterstock So what are the alternatives? There are highly effective first generation rodenticides that provide viable solutions for managing mouse plagues. They may take a little longer to kill mice, but the upshot is they don't stick around in the environment. A 2020 study found house mice in Perth didn't have genetic resistance to first generation rodenticides, which suggests they're effectively lethal. Another approach has been to use zinc phosphide, a poison which is unlikely to secondarily poison other animals that eat the poisoned mice. However, zinc phosphide is still extremely toxic and will kill sheep, cows, pets and even humans if directly eaten. Rolling out double-strength zinc phosphide may be the lesser of the evils in causing secondary poisoning, but only if used very carefully. Even if grain's in silos, mice can get to it. Like Tyler Jones discovered in Tullamore when cleaning out the auger and it started raining mice #mouseplague #mice #australia pic.twitter.com/mWOHNWAMPv Lucy Thackray (@LucyThack) May 12, 2021 And another way to help control the mouse plague is to limit food resources for mice on farms. Farmers can minimize grain on ground, and Australia should invest in research for grain storage facilities that are less permeable to mice. Mouse plagues are a regular cycle in Australia. Natural predators not only help create healthy, natural ecosystems, but also they help with mouse control. Second generation rodenticides will only destroy and weaken the predator populations we need to help us combat the next plague. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. This look back at a dune that NASA's Curiosity Mars rover drove across was taken by the rover's Mast Camera (Mastcam) on Feb. 9, 2014 the 538th Martian day, or sol, of Curiosity's mission. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS A NASA team has found that organic salts are likely present on Mars. Like shards of ancient pottery, these salts are the chemical remnants of organic compounds, such as those previously detected by NASA's Curiosity rover. Organic compounds and salts on Mars could have formed by geologic processes or be remnants of ancient microbial life. Besides adding more evidence to the idea that there once was organic matter on Mars, directly detecting organic salts would also support modern-day Martian habitability, given that on Earth, some organisms can use organic salts, such as oxalates and acetates, for energy. "If we determine that there are organic salts concentrated anywhere on Mars, we'll want to investigate those regions further, and ideally drill deeper below the surface where organic matter could be better preserved," said James M. T. Lewis, an organic geochemist who led the research, published on March 30 in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets. Lewis is based at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. Lewis's lab experiments and analysis of data from the Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM), a portable chemistry lab inside Curiosity's belly, indirectly point to the presence of organic salts. But directly identifying them on Mars is hard to do with instruments like SAM, which heats Martian soil and rocks to release gases that reveal the composition of these samples. The challenge is that heating organic salts produces only simple gases that could be released by other ingredients in Martian soil. However, Lewis and his team propose that another Curiosity instrument that uses a different technique to peer at Martian soil, the Chemistry and Mineralogy instrument, or CheMin for short, could detect certain organic salts if they are present in sufficient amounts. So far, CheMin has not detected organic salts. Finding organic molecules, or their organic salt remnants, is essential in NASA's search for life on other worlds. But this is a challenging task on the surface of Mars, where billions of years of radiation have erased or broken apart organic matter. Like an archeologist digging up pieces of pottery, Curiosity collects Martian soil and rocks, which may contain tiny chunks of organic compounds, and then SAM and other instruments identify their chemical structure. Using data that Curiosity beams down to Earth, scientists like Lewis and his team try to piece together these broken organic pieces. Their goal is to infer what type of larger molecules they may once have belonged to and what those molecules could reveal about the ancient environment and potential biology on Mars. "We're trying to unravel billions of years of organic chemistry," Lewis said, "and in that organic record there could be the ultimate prize: evidence that life once existed on the Red Planet." While some experts have predicted for decades that ancient organic compounds are preserved on Mars, it took experiments by Curiosity's SAM to confirm this. For example, in 2018, NASA Goddard astrobiologist Jennifer L. Eigenbrode led an international team of Curiosity mission scientists who reported the detection of myriad molecules containing an essential element of life as we know it: carbon. Scientists identify most carbon-containing molecules as "organic." "The fact that there's organic matter preserved in 3-billion-year-old rocks, and we found it at the surface, is a very promising sign that we might be able to tap more information from better preserved samples below the surface," Eigenbrode said. She worked with Lewis on this new study. This is the first photograph ever taken on the surface of Mars. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech Analyzing Organic Salts in the Lab Decades ago, scientists predicted that organic compounds on Mars could be breaking down into salts. These salts, they argued, would be more likely to persist on the Martian surface than big, complex molecules, such as the ones that are associated with the functioning of living things. If there were organic salts present in Martian samples, Lewis and his team wanted to find out how getting heated in the SAM oven could affect what types of gases they would release. SAM works by heating samples to upwards of 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit (1,000 degrees Celsius). The heat breaks apart molecules, releasing some of them as gases. Different molecules release different gases at specific temperatures; thus, by looking at which temperatures release which gases, scientists can infer what the sample is made of. "When heating Martian samples, there are many interactions that can happen between minerals and organic matter that could make it more difficult to draw conclusions from our experiments, so the work we're doing is trying to pick apart those interactions so that scientists doing analyses on Mars can use this information," Lewis said. Lewis analyzed a range of organic salts mixed with an inert silica powder to replicate a Martian rock. He also investigated the impact of adding perchlorates to the silica mixtures. Perchlorates are salts containing chlorine and oxygen, and they are common on Mars. Scientists have long worried that they could interfere with experiments seeking signs of organic matter. Indeed, researchers found that perchlorates did interfere with their experiments, and they pinpointed how. But they also found that the results they collected from perchlorate-containing samples better matched SAM data than when perchlorates were absent, bolstering the likelihood that organic salts are present on Mars. Additionally, Lewis and his team reported that organic salts could be detected by Curiosity's instrument CheMin. To determine the composition of a sample, CheMin shoots X-rays at it and measures the angle at which the X-rays are diffracted toward the detector. Curiosity's SAM and CheMin teams will continue to search for signals of organic salts as the rover moves into a new region on Mount Sharp in Gale Crater. Soon, scientists will also have an opportunity to study better-preserved soil below the Martian surface. The European Space Agency's forthcoming ExoMars rover, which is equipped to drill down to 6.5 feet, or 2 meters, will carry a Goddard instrument that will analyze the chemistry of these deeper Martian layers. NASA's Perseverance rover doesn't have an instrument that can detect organic salts, but the rover is collecting samples for future return to Earth, where scientists can use sophisticated lab machines to look for organic compounds. Explore further Geobiologist Roger Summons on finding organic matter on Mars More information: J. M. T. Lewis et al, Pyrolysis of Oxalate, Acetate, and Perchlorate Mixtures and the Implications for Organic Salts on Mars, Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets (2021). Journal information: Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets J. M. T. Lewis et al, Pyrolysis of Oxalate, Acetate, and Perchlorate Mixtures and the Implications for Organic Salts on Mars,(2021). DOI: 10.1029/2020JE006803 A 1961 photo that shows a Styrofoam igloo in the Inuit community of Kinngait. Credit: Library and Archives Canada/Charles Gimpel The COVID-19 pandemic and outbreaks in several communities across Nunavut have brought the Inuit housing crisis into focus. Inadequate and unsafe housing is endemic in many Inuit communities and has been blamed for poor health outcomes and susceptibility to infectious disease for decades. And these problems have historical roots. Canada has been running federal government housing programs for 65 years in the North, including experimental Styrofoam igloos that were tested at Kinngait, Nunavut from 1956 to 1960. The only reporting of the Styrofoam igloo project was in the children's section of The Age, a newspaper in Melbourne, Australia on Sept. 9, 1960. The headline read: "Eskimos Find Plastic Igloo Better Than Snow Houses!" The article informed its young readers that the plastic version of the traditional Inuit housing structure was made from 18 inch by 36 inch Styrofoam blocks, held together by wooden meat skewers and adhesive. The idea of housing people in Styrofoam huts seems laughably inadequate and even callous today, particularly when compared to housing standards for non-Indigenous Canadians. But the use of Styrofoam igloos is one of the few instances where the Canadian government tried providing Inuit with culturally sensitive housing. Where did Styrofoam igloos come from? Until the 1950s, it was federal policy that Inuit communities should continue their traditional ways of life with little interference. By 1955, however, there was a growing consensus that the government should provide a basic standard of living to all people living in Canada, convincing the government to change its policy. Experimental styrofoam igloo constructed in the community that was known then as Cape Dorset, Northwest Territories. Credit: Library and Archives Canada/National Film Board of Canada fonds/a114847 Over the next five years, a number of experimental housing structures were tested in Inuit communities, including the Styrofoam igloos, Styrofoam quonset-style huts built in Iqaluit, and double-wall canvas tents. These projects were intended to solve high instances of illness and infant mortality associated with traditional self-built structures while maintaining existing forms of Inuit housing. The Styrofoam igloos were the brainchild of James Houston of the Department of Northern Affairs and National Resources, who, according to The Age, came upon the idea of using Styrofoam, a petroleum-based product developed in the 1940s, to build a more moisture resistant igloo. An Inuit man named Pitsulak, who was "famous as a fast builder of snow igloos," The Age wrote, was brought south to Ottawa to cut the Styrofoam blocks for a test igloo, built "on a circular floor of two layers of plywood with Styrofoam inlaid between them." The resulting 18-foot (5.5 meter) diameter structure was then disassembled, shipped to Kinngait and reassembled by Pitsulak. Designed to fit traditional mobility The Styrofoam igloos and other housing models tested in the 1950s were designed to fit in with traditional Inuit mobility, subsistence practices and mimic existing forms of Inuit housing. They were also developed by people with experience living and working in the Arctic. Houston had traveled throughout the Canadian Arctic and regularly visited Inuit communities as a promoter of Inuit art and printmaking. He considered himself familiar with Inuit housing needs. The involvement of Pitsulak also brought significant knowledge and experience to the project. A visitor to Canadas far north stands beside a Styrofoam igloo. Credit: Library and Archives Canada/Rosemary Gilliat Eaton fonds/e010836042 The Styrofoam igloos are also a reflection of the post-war ideology of "high modernity," a belief that science and technology could be used for social benefit. "Suddenly the white man jumped ahead," The Age declared, producing a Styrofoam igloo "so superior to the one of snow blocks that the Eskimo has even praised the efficiency of the new invention." But what the Inuit community at Kinngait actually thought of the plastic structures is unknown. And it was exactly because the Styrofoam igloos were designed to align with Inuit culture that they were discontinued. At the end of the 1950s, the government had begun to encourage Inuit communities to abandon the mobility and subsistence practices that culturally sensitive housing supported, and live in permanent settlements where they believed it would be easier to administer social programs and bolster Canada's Arctic sovereignty claims. The structures also failed to meet cost-efficiency and durability standards and did not conform to national building codes. Three types of housing: a Styrofoam igloo, a wooden pre-fabricated house and a canvas tent. Credit: Library and Archives Canada/Rosemary Gilliat Eaton fonds/e010835896 Credit: Rosemary Gilliat Eaton The case for relevant housing Housing built in Inuit communities after 1960 mirrored structures found commonly in Canada's south. But this form of housing has proven ill-suited to Inuit needs. Early models lacked space for butchering, storing food, repairing hunting equipment and were not built to withstand Arctic weather. Housing designed for southern families was ill-suited to Inuit cultural values like extended family cohesion and preference for open domestic space. Structures were also quickly over-crowded and failed to solve health concerns. A 2017 Senate report showed that many of these issues persist in Inuit communities, with structures similar to those built in the '50s and '60s still being occupied today. The COVID-19 pandemic has only exacerbated the issue. The Styrofoam igloos may not have been "Better Than Snow Houses," as The Age boldly stated, but they are an eccentric example of what can happen when Inuit housing projects are developed with cultural sensitivity and lived experience in mind. Solving the Inuit housing crisis will require cultural consultation and well-funded housing that once again reflects Inuit needs. Explore further A sustainable Arctic has to include Indigenous groups This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Credit: Shutterstock With some universities returning to face-to-face teaching this year, ANU Vice Chancellor Brian Schmidt noted that, while his university was one of them, lectures would be much less common and not a "crutch for poor pedagogy". Since then many have discussed the issue of lectures, including the deputy vice chancellor of University of Technology Sydney and the director of the National Center for Student Equity in Higher Education in Western Australia, with ideas ranging from embracing the lecture to removing it entirely. Condemnation of lectures is nothing new. However, the sudden, massive shift to reliance on technology due to COVID has brought increasing calls for ending the venerable lecture. Lectures will, we are told, be replaced by superior, technology-enhanced substitutes. Underlying these messages are two tacit assumptions: that lectures make for bad teaching and that using technology improves it. But are these reliable assumptions? Rather than simply rejecting lectures and embracing technology, perhaps we should be looking more closely into both, and their relationship to each other. The "is the lecture dead?" debate again. My view is that its more complicated than that. https://t.co/9CLcHC0pD9 Shirley Alexander (@SAlexander_UTS) February 14, 2021 Our love-hate relationship with lectures Discussions about getting rid of lectures follow predictable patterns. The most common complaints center on lectures as didactic, learner-passive and boring. Accompanying these critiques is the oft-cited rule that students' attention span has a limit of 10-18 minutes. While there is little to no evidence for this claim, we can all identify with struggling to remain awake as we are droned at from a lectern. But most of us can also recall times we were spellbound by a lecture. Anyone who has attended a great TED Talk or even watched one on YouTube knows what it's like to be captivated for that 3-18 minutes. Can lectures hold people's attention beyond 18 minutes, though? The late Professor Randy Pausch was well known for the power and quality of his lectures, especially his final one, "Randy Pausch's Last Lecture", which he delivered after receiving a terminal diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. That lecture comes in at a little over one hour and 15 minutes, and many consider it to be a masterwork of powerful teaching and communication. Clearly, extended lectures can have great impact. Achieving that impact, however, requires understanding what makes for good lecturing and then committing to improvement. Randy Pauschs Last Lecture. Push the boundaries and reflect on your practice Pausch challenges the stereotype of what a lecture is. He uses physical props, multimedia and other resources to push the boundaries of the lecture beyond a typical, didactic engagement. The result is a lecture that periodically shifts how the audience is engaged and, in doing so, captures and keeps the audience's attention. Lecturing at this level requires more than just experience. We must reflect on our teaching practice, evaluate the quality of our lectures in relation to our intentions, and then commit to developing both our lectures and ourselves. Professor Eric Mazur describes how, while teaching physics at Harvard in the 1990s, he came to the painful realization that his lectures were failing to keep his students engaged or serve the educational objectives of the subject. He used this realization as a springboard to improve his lectures and develop his pedagogical knowledge and skills. Since then, Mazur has become a recognized expert in improving student engagement. He has created a variety of solutions for academics to keep students actively engaged in lectures, even those that go beyond the apocryphal 18-minute limit. The techniques Mazur advocates range from integrating peer instruction into lectures to using a high-tech, collaborative platform to promote students' pre-lecture preparation. Lose the assumptions, not the lectern So then what about the claim that technology is making the lecture obsolete? This seems doubtful for a couple reasons. Pausch and Mazur's methods can be transferred to an online space, even if we don't label the result a lecture. We see many examples of how this works in well-regarded online learning platforms like Khan Academy or LinkedIn Learning (formerly Lynda). However we label these engagements, it's obvious technology can actually help lectures rather than just supplant them. A didactic, boring lecture is poor teaching whether delivered online or in person. Credit: Shutterstock Now let's turn the question around: does using technology guarantee or even increase the likelihood of good teaching? Technology can make good practices easier, like the use of polls and break-out rooms and timers. Technology can even open new possibilities and paradigms for teaching. But there are no guarantees. The list of ed tech failures is long and dismaying. Examining what goes wrong, we see some common misunderstandings. One of these is that adding technology equals enhancing teaching. Technology carries no inherent pedagogical value. Swapping an iPad for a lectern does not, in itself move learning from a boring, didactic experience to interactive, lively engagement. Just like lectures, our uses of technology and the resulting impact must first come from thoughtful commitment to improving both teaching and teacher. Be critical, be reflective, be better Technology can never substitute for critically reflecting on the pedagogical value of our practice. And while technology can assist a major transformation, it should never be a requirement for improving how we teach. Whether you're a high-tech or low-tech teacher, you can give a good lecture or find useful alternatives if you remember to put the pedagogy before the technology. We need to reject the notion that lectures will sink our students and technology will save them. Instead, let's dig deeply and critically into both, reflect upon how to improve our practices, and apply sound teaching methods and practices to create learning engagements that are captivating and profound. Explore further Technology in higher education: learning with it instead of from it This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. U.S. Food and Drug Administration Approves Opdivo (nivolumab) as Adjuvant Treatment of Completely Resected Esophageal or Gastroesophageal Junction Cancer in Patients who have Received Neoadjuvant Chemoradiotherapy Details Category: Antibodies Published on Friday, 21 May 2021 13:39 Hits: 909 Opdivo is the first and only immunotherapy approved in this patient population In CheckMate -577, Opdivo doubled median disease-free survival versus placebo for these patients1 Approval expands the role of Opdivo in earlier stages of disease, with two indications in the adjuvant setting across three types of cancer1 PRINCETON, NJ, USA I May 20, 2021 I Bristol Myers Squibb (NYSE: BMY) today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Opdivo (nivolumab, injection for intravenous use) for the adjuvant treatment of completely resected esophageal or gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) cancer with residual pathologic disease in patients who have received neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT).1 The approval is based on results from the Phase 3 CheckMate -577 trial that evaluated Opdivo (n=532) compared to placebo (n=262) in esophageal or GEJ cancer patients with residual pathologic disease following neoadjuvant CRT and complete resection.1,2 In the trial, among patients who received Opdivo, median disease-free survival (DFS) was twice as long as in those who received placebo (22.4 months [95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 16.6 to 34.0] compared to 11.0 months [95% CI: 8.3 to 14.3]).1Opdivo reduced the risk of disease recurrence or death by 31% compared to placebo (Hazard Ratio [HR] 0.69; 95% CI: 0.56 to 0.85; P=0.0003).1 In an exploratory analysis, among patients with adenocarcinoma (n=563, 70.9%), mDFS was 19.4 months (95% CI: 15.9 to 29.4) with Opdivo versus 11.1 months (95% CI: 8.3 to 16.8) with placebo (unstratified HR 0.75; 95% CI: 0.59 to 0.96), and among squamous cell carcinoma patients (n=230, 29%), mDFS was 29.7 months (95% CI: 14.4 to NE) with Opdivo versus 11.0 months (95% CI: 7.6 to 17.8) with placebo (unstratified HR 0.61; 95% CI: 0.42 to 0.88).3 Locally advanced esophageal and gastroesophageal junction cancers are aggressive tumor types that often require multiple approaches to address the disease, including chemotherapy, radiation and surgery, said Ronan J. Kelly M.D., MBA., director, Baylor Scott & White Charles A. Sammons Cancer Center, and W.W. Caruth Jr. Endowed Chair of Immunology at Baylor University Medical Center.3,4,5,6,7,8 Even after neoadjuvant CRT followed by surgery, there may be a high risk of recurrence for patients who do not achieve a pathologic complete response.2,3,7 In the CheckMate -577 trial, we saw a doubling in median disease-free survival compared to placebo, which suggests that Opdivo could become a new standard of care for these patients.1,9 This is exciting news, providing renewed hope. Opdivo is associated with the following Warnings and Precautions: severe and fatal immune-mediated adverse reactions including pneumonitis, colitis, hepatitis and hepatotoxicity, endocrinopathies, nephritis and renal dysfunction, dermatologic adverse reactions, other immune-mediated adverse reactions; infusion-related reactions; complications of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT); embryo-fetal toxicity; and increased mortality in patients with multiple myeloma when Opdivo is added to a thalidomide analogue and dexamethasone, which is not recommended outside of controlled clinical trials.1Please see the Important Safety Information section below, as well as select safety information from CheckMate -577. Esophageal and GEJ cancer patients with residual pathologic disease following neoadjuvant CRT and complete resection face a high risk of disease recurrence; however, the predominant option for these patients has been surveillance, said Adam Lenkowsky, senior vice president and general manager, U.S. Cardiovascular, Immunology and Oncology, Bristol Myers Squibb.3,7,9 Todays news marks an important step for patients as well as meaningful progress toward our commitment to pioneering immunotherapy treatment options in earlier stages of disease where there is the potential to reduce the risk of recurrence.1 This application was reviewed under the FDAs Real-Time Oncology Review (RTOR) pilot program, which aims to ensure that safe and effective treatments are available to patients as early as possible.10 The review was also conducted under the FDAs Project Orbis initiative, which enabled concurrent review by the health authorities in Australia, Canada and Switzerland. About CheckMate -577 CheckMate -577 was a Phase 3 randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, multi-center trial, evaluating Opdivo as an adjuvant treatment in patients with esophageal or GEJ cancer with residual pathologic disease following neoadjuvant CRT and complete resection.1,2 The trial excluded patients who did not receive CRT prior to surgery, had stage IV resectable disease, autoimmune disease, or any condition requiring systemic treatment with either corticosteroids (>10 mg daily prednisone or equivalent) or other immunosuppressive medications.1 The primary endpoint of the trial was DFS (investigator assessed).1 Following neoadjuvant CRT and complete tumor surgical resection (also known as trimodality therapy), a total of 794 patients were randomized to receive either Opdivo 240 mg (n=532) or placebo (n=262) by intravenous infusion every two weeks for 16 weeks, followed by Opdivo 480 mg or placebo by intravenous infusion every four weeks beginning at week 17.1,2 Treatment was until disease recurrence, unacceptable toxicity, or for up to one year in total duration.1 The FDA-approved dosing for Opdivo (injection for intravenous use) for adjuvant treatment of patients with resected esophageal or GEJ cancer is 240 mg intravenous infusion over 30 minutes every two weeks or 480 mg intravenous infusion over 30 minutes every four weeks until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity for a total treatment duration of one year.1 Select Safety Profile from CheckMate -577 Study Opdivo was discontinued in 12% of patients and was delayed in 28% of patients for an adverse reaction.1 Serious adverse reactions occurred in 33% of patients receiving Opdivo.1 A serious adverse reaction reported in 2% of patients who received Opdivo was pneumonitis.1 A fatal adverse reaction of myocardial infarction occurred in one patient who received Opdivo.1 The most common adverse reactions reported in 20% of patients treated with Opdivo were fatigue (34%), diarrhea (29%), nausea (23%), rash (21%), musculoskeletal pain (21%) and cough (20%).1 About Esophageal and Gastroesophageal Junction Cancers Esophageal and gastroesophageal junction cancers are classified as upper gastrointestinal cancers.11 Esophageal cancer is a type of gastrointestinal cancer that starts in the inner layer of the esophagus (the mucosa) and grows. 11 In the United States, it is estimated there will be approximately 19,260 new cases of esophageal cancer diagnosed and 15,530 deaths resulted from the disease in 2021. 12 The two most common types of esophageal cancer are squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma. 11 is a type of gastrointestinal cancer that starts in the inner layer of the esophagus (the mucosa) and grows. In the United States, it is estimated there will be approximately 19,260 new cases of esophageal cancer diagnosed and 15,530 deaths resulted from the disease in 2021. The two most common types of esophageal cancer are squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma. The gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) is the area of the body that connects the lower part of the esophagus to the stomach.11 The prevalence of GEJ cancer has continued to rise.13,14 INDICATIONS OPDIVO (nivolumab) is indicated for the adjuvant treatment of completely resected esophageal or gastroesophageal junction cancer with residual pathologic disease in patients who have received neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT). OPDIVO (nivolumab) is indicated for the adjuvant treatment of patients with melanoma with involvement of lymph nodes or metastatic disease who have undergone complete resection. Clinical Trials and Patient Populations Checkmate 577adjuvant treatment of esophageal or gastroesophageal junction cancer; Checkmate 238adjuvant treatment of melanoma Bristol Myers Squibb: Creating a Better Future for People with Cancer Bristol Myers Squibb is inspired by a single vision transforming patients lives through science. The goal of the companys cancer research is to deliver medicines that offer each patient a better, healthier life and to make cure a possibility. Building on a legacy across a broad range of cancers that have changed survival expectations for many, Bristol Myers Squibb researchers are exploring new frontiers in personalized medicine, and through innovative digital platforms, are turning data into insights that sharpen their focus. Deep scientific expertise, cutting-edge capabilities and discovery platforms enable the company to look at cancer from every angle. Cancer can have a relentless grasp on many parts of a patients life, and Bristol Myers Squibb is committed to taking actions to address all aspects of care, from diagnosis to survivorship. Because as a leader in cancer care, Bristol Myers Squibb is working to empower all people with cancer to have a better future. About Bristol Myers Squibbs Patient Access Support Bristol Myers Squibb remains committed to providing assistance so that cancer patients who need our medicines can access them and expedite time to therapy. BMS Access Support, the Bristol Myers Squibb patient access and reimbursement program, is designed to help appropriate patients initiate and maintain access to Bristol Myers Squibb medicines during their treatment journey. BMS Access Support offers benefit investigation, prior authorization assistance, as well as co-pay assistance for eligible, commercially insured patients. More information about our access and reimbursement support can be obtained by calling BMS Access Support at 1-800-861-0048 or by visiting www.bmsaccesssupport.com. About the Bristol Myers Squibb and Ono Pharmaceutical Collaboration In 2011, through a collaboration agreement with Ono Pharmaceutical Co., Bristol Myers Squibb expanded its territorial rights to develop and commercialize Opdivo globally, except in Japan, South Korea and Taiwan, where Ono had retained all rights to the compound at the time. On July 23, 2014, Ono and Bristol Myers Squibb further expanded the companies strategic collaboration agreement to jointly develop and commercialize multiple immunotherapies as single agents and combination regimens for patients with cancer in Japan, South Korea and Taiwan. About Bristol Myers Squibb Bristol Myers Squibb is a global biopharmaceutical company whose mission is to discover, develop and deliver innovative medicines that help patients prevail over serious diseases. For more information about Bristol Myers Squibb, visit us at BMS.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, Facebook and Instagram. Celgene and Juno Therapeutics are wholly owned subsidiaries of Bristol-Myers Squibb Company. In certain countries outside the U.S., due to local laws, Celgene and Juno Therapeutics are referred to as, Celgene, a Bristol Myers Squibb company and Juno Therapeutics, a Bristol Myers Squibb company. References Opdivo Prescribing Information. Opdivo U.S. Product Information. Last updated: May 2021. Princeton, NJ: Bristol-Myers Squibb Company. Kelly RJ, Ajani JA, Kuzdzal J, et al. Adjuvant nivolumab in resected esophageal or gastroesophageal junction cancer following neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy: first results of the CheckMate 577 study. Poster presented at: 2020 European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Virtual Congress. September 19-21, 2020. Kelly RJ, Ajani JA, Kuzdzal J, et al. Adjuvant Nivolumab in Resected Esophageal or Gastroesophageal Junction Cancer. N Engl J Med. 2021;384:1191-203. Kamarajah S, Navidi M, Wahed S, et al. Signicance of Neoadjuvant Downstaging in Carcinoma of Esophagus and Gastroesophageal Junction. Ann Surg Oncol. 2020;27:3182-3192. Myint ZW and Goel G. Role of modern immunotherapy in gastrointestinal malignancies: a review of current clinical progress. J. Hematol. Oncol. (2017) 10:86, Shah AB, Sommerer KR, Almhanna K. Immune checkpoint inhibitors in gastrointestinal malignancies: what can we learn from experience with other tumors? Transl Gastroenterol Hepatol 2019;4:73. Murphy MB, Lianchum X, Patel VR, et al. Pathological Complete Response in Patients With Esophageal Cancer After the Trimodality Approach: The Association With Baseline Variables and SurvivalThe University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Experience. Cancer 2017;123:4106-13. Saeed NA, Mellon EA, Meredith KL, et al. Adjuvant chemotherapy and outcomes in esophageal carcinoma. J Gastrointest Oncol 2017;8(5):816-824. National Comprehensive Cancer Network. NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines: Esophageal and Esophagogastric Junction Cancers. https://www.nccn.org/professionals/physician_gls/pdf/esophageal.pdf2021. Updated March 9, 2021. Accessed April 27, 2021. U.S. Food & Drug Administration. Real-Time Oncology Review Pilot Program. https://www.fda.gov/about-fda/oncology-center-excellence/real-time-oncology-review-pilot-program. Updated March 31, 2021. Accessed April 26, 2021. American Cancer Society. What is Cancer of the Esophagus? https://www.cancer.org/cancer/esophagus-cancer/about/what-is-cancer-of-the-esophagus.html. Updated March 20, 2020. Accessed April 26, 2021. American Cancer Society. Key Statistics for Esophageal Cancer. https://www.cancer.org/cancer/esophagus-cancer/about/key-statistics.html. Updated January 12, 2021. Accessed April 26, 2021. Murphy AG, Lynch D and Kelly RJ. State of the art management of metastatic gastroesophageal cancer. Ann Transl Med. 2015;3(16):236. Bhurwal A, Brahmbatt B, Choudhry A, et al. Incidence of GE junction cancer continues to rise - analysis of SEER database. Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. 2019;89(6):AB362.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gie.2019.03.522. SOURCE: Bristol Myers Squibb NEW YORK New Yorks attorney general is proposing legislation to overhaul the use of force by police, in many cases requiring de-escalation tactics and other measures before officers take lethal action. Attorney General Letitia James said Friday the bill introduced recently in the state legislature would codify a use-of-force continuum that some departments, including the NYPD, use. It will mandate that an officer only use deadly force when they truly believe it is necessary, James said. James, a Democrat, highlighted the legislation at a news conference days before the first anniversary of the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police on May 25, 2020, which led to nationwide protests against police brutality and a reckoning on officer accountability. The new legislation would give prosecutors wider latitude to charge officers for killing civilians by eliminating loopholes, James said. She pointed to an exception currently on the books that allows police to use lethal force on people suspected of certain crimes even if those people are not actively posing a threat. The legislation wouldnt prevent officers from taking action when lives are at risk, James said. Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} This is getting to be an annual thing every spring, added John Weber, a councilmember in Bradley Beach and an executive with the Surfrider Foundation, which sued Deal over its prosecution of surfers for violating a no swimming ordinance. Deals mayor and administrator did not respond to numerous requests for comment. Their proposed residents-only parking law is up for a final vote June 2. Deal has a year-round population of just over 500, but its summer population swells to more than 10 times that amount. It is over 90% white; the average property is worth $2.2 million. The state Department of Environmental Protection, which is in charge of enforcing New Jerseys beach access laws, says it has spoken with Deal officials about the proposed law. I land conceptually on the side to make sure everyone has access, Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy said. Two state lawmakers recently wrote to Deals leaders asking them to scrap the parking ordinance, writing that the beaches belong to everyone, equally. No government body has a right to restrict access to the ocean and beaches to provide exclusivity to people who are fortunate enough to live along the beachfront, they added. As we gain more understanding of the test results, their meaning, and how to respond to those results, we may find that testing becomes useful, it said. Until then, we recommend getting vaccinated and continuing to exercise precautions to reduce the risk of exposure. Also still to be determined: How the general public will react if immunity seems to be fading and testing remains inconclusive, particularly if or rather, when, epidemiologists say new outbreaks arise. The economic impact is likely to be limited in countries with high vaccine uptake because any new outbreaks are likely to be localized, said John Ricco from the Penn Wharton Budget Model, which has been analyzing the economic impact of vaccines. But the prospect underscores one consistent finding, he said: Dollars spent on any sort of vaccine research at this point have a very high return on investment. Research on new tools for measuring immunity is rapidly advancing, said Harvards Mina, whose lab is working on them and runs tens of thousands of antibody tests a week. He envisions mass testing to monitor immunity for COVID and other viruses both for individual awareness and for public health. But for that, antibody tests would need to be much cheaper than the current $120 or so, he said. Attempts to reach Mathis for comment were unsuccessful. As the reconstruction project reached the intersection of Amherst and North Clermont at the beginning of February, residents noticed the work being done by Komatsu excavators and dozers was not only loud but shaking their homes. Pumps also were running to remove water from the soil. While the machine noise, house shaking and torn-up streets were annoying, its the constructions ancillary effects that residents say they should be not forced to accept. I should not have all these damages, said Neil Weitz, a North Clermont resident. Two homeowners hired attorney Mitchell Waldman of Pleasantville to represent their interests. Four residents reached out to attorney Marc Friedman for legal representation. Waldman and Friedman have each filed tort claims with the city. Friedman said he filed his tort claim within 90 days to protect his clients interests, but no formal complaint has been filed yet even though there has been structural damage to all of their homes, Friedman said. The property damage is yet to be properly assessed or determined. These people deserve to be compensated, Friedman said. The homeowners are 0% at fault. THE FACTS: An unprecedented, partisan audit of the 2020 election in Arizonas largest county is being used to spread false information about the vote. Though a partial hand recount and two extra audits found no issues in the election that gave Biden a margin of victory of less than 10,500 votes in the battleground state, Republicans in the Arizona state Senate used their subpoena power to take possession of all 2.1 million county ballots, the machines that counted them and hard drives full of data, and hired a Florida-based cybersecurity firm to comb through it. The firm, Cyber Ninjas, is run by a supporter of former President Donald Trump who has promoted election conspiracy theories. On May 12, Senate President Karen Fann sent a letter to the chairman of the Republican-controlled Maricopa County Board of Supervisors accusing county officials of deleting election databases. The letter also questioned why there were discrepancies between certain batches of ballots and log sheets, and why broken seals were found in ballot boxes. Trump released a statement echoing Fanns letter, which also spread on social media. It read, in part: The entire Database of Maricopa County in Arizona has been DELETED! This is illegal and the Arizona State Senate, who is leading the Forensic Audit, is up in arms. Additionally, seals were broken on the boxes that hold the votes, ballots are missing, and worse." At a meeting Monday, county officials refuted the allegations and issued a 14-page response to Fann, calling her accusations false, defamatory, and beneath the dignity of the Senate. The letter, along with a separate technical memo, detailed the procedures around the vote and explained how they had been misunderstood by those behind the Senate's audit. In refuting the claim about deleted databases, the county listed a number of technical mistakes that may have been made by the firms running the audit when they configured a copy of the data and searched for the files in question. Furthermore, Megan Gilbertson, communications director for Maricopa County Elections Department, told The Associated Press that the county backs up and archives all of its election data. On Tuesday, Ben Cotton, the founder of a computer forensics firm working on the audit, told key senators the data in question had been deleted from the server he copied but he also acknowledged he had recovered the data and had access to it -- thereby undermining the claim that the database had been permanently destroyed. Seals were not improperly broken on ballots, as was alleged. They were opened before the tabulated ballots were put in long-term storage, which is standard procedure, according to county officials. As for the allegation that ballots were missing: If a ballot cannot be read by the tabulation machine, it must go through a distinct process to be duplicated and is tracked in a separate set of logs. Liz Howard, senior counsel for the Democracy Program at the Brennan Center for Justice, said those running the audit are basically looking at the wrong tracking sheets, the wrong documents." Election integrity experts who reviewed the countys documents said the evidence indicates the county followed established protocols, but those conducting the audit lacked professional election experience to understand what they were examining. Experts have raised concerns over how those conducting this review would not know what they were looking at and that they would draw incorrect and malicious conclusions to support their own agendas, said Tammy Patrick a former Maricopa County official and senior adviser to the elections program at Democracy Fund. Fann did not respond to a request for comment. Womens reproductive rights particularly the right to a medically provided abortion have been protected in New Jersey for 48 years by the Roe v. Wade U.S. Supreme Court decision in 1973. But those rights were never codified in state law, said Gov. Phil Murphy and a group of women leaders who held an online presentation to increase support for the proposed New Jersey Reproductive Freedom Act. Its time to give New Jerseyans statutory rights, Murphy said, especially since the Supreme Court recently agreed to hear a case that could threaten the Roe v. Wade precedent. Folks, lets stay at this. Lets get this on the rails sooner rather than later, Murphy said. This is not abstract anymore. This is a real and present danger. The legislation (A4848/S3030) would guarantee state residents the right to choose or refuse contraception or sterilization, and to choose whether to continue a pregnancy or have an abortion. It was introduced in October but has not been moved in the Legislature. +2 Texas governor signs law banning abortions early as 6 weeks AUSTIN, Texas (AP) Republican Gov. Greg Abbott on Wednesday signed a law that bans abortions in Texas before many women even know they are pregnant and differs singularly from similar efforts nationwide: leaving enforcement to private citizens, who can sue doctors or anyone who helps a woman get an abortion. Not everyone supports it. TRENTON The New Jersey Democrat-led Assembly on Thursday passed five bills borne out of a criminal investigation into what the state attorney general has said was an attack by guards on inmates at the states only womens prison, as well as a history of abuse there. Five of the six bills that cleared a committee earlier this week passed the full Assembly on Thursday and head next to the state Senate, also led by Democrats. A spokesperson for the Senate president has said the chamber plans to take the bills up. The sixth measure is still under review, according to Assembly Democratic spokesperson Regina Wilder. The measures require body-worn cameras for corrections officers, bar retaliation against inmates who filed complaints, broaden guard training to include treating inmates with dignity, expand residential community release programs commonly called halfway houses and mandate officers assigned to special investigations in state prisons get training on sexual abuse inquiries. The measure that got held required county jails to give inmates documents on reentering society before their release, among other changes. Cape May County detective charged with conducting unauthorized investigation Criminal charges were filed Thursday against a suspended detective in the Cape May County Pr A bill to create an administrative law unit to handle special education cases easily advanced through a state Senate budget committee Thursday, according to a news release. Students with disabilities too often are left in unfortunate positions and do not get the educational services they need for months due to continuing lengthy delays in court cases, said Senate President Steve Sweeney, D-Salem, Gloucester, Cumberland, one of the bills co-sponsors. This bill would establish a dedicated panel of judges who have the understanding and experience to review and handle special education cases, Sweeney said. These judges will be able to expedite hearings to ensure that students with disabilities are able to receive the services and education they need in a timely manner. Atlantic City school board extends investigation into child sex abuse case ATLANTIC CITY The Board of Education late Tuesday night voted to extend a contract with a S-2160 would require the director and chief administrative law judge of the Office of Administrative Law to create a unit consisting of judges who have expertise in special education law. The number of administrative law judges in the unit would be proportional to the number and complexity of special education cases referred to the office. The legislation was a recommendation of the bipartisan Economic and Fiscal Policy Workgroup set up by Sweeney. The proposed rule also praises Ibram X. Kendi, one of the nations best known CRT trainers, who has written, The only remedy to past discrimination is present discrimination. The only remedy to present discrimination is future discrimination. This, one therefore assumes, is what the Biden administration wants American children to be taught. The rule also approvingly cites the New York Timess 1619 Project, a mendacious series of essays on race that historians spanning the ideological spectrum have denounced. The project derives its name from its misleading contention that Americas birthdate is not signified by the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776, but by the arrival of the first enslaved Africans in 1619 on the shores of what would later become the United States. The project rejects the document that outlines Americas creed that all men are created equal. The project couldnt even meet basic standards of accuracy. Spanish conquistadors first brought slaves to what are today South Carolina, Florida and New Mexico starting nearly a half-century before 1619. Another of the 1619 Projects errors one from which The New York Times later backed away was its claim that the Colonists fought the Revolution because they feared that Britain would end the practice of slavery. This is flatly false. Lets hope the president and his education secretary werent fully steeped in the tenets of CRT when they issued their proposal to subsidize this anti-American propaganda. Lindsey Burke is the director of the Heritage Foundations Center for Education Studies, where Jonathan Butcher serves as the Will Skillman Fellow in Education. Mike Gonzalez is the conservative think tanks Arredondo E Pluribus Unum fellow. Over 51 years in politics, Biden has always positioned himself at his partys center which has required a steady evolution toward the left. The Biden of 2008 who ran as Obamas running mate was more progressive than the Biden of 1994 who voted for Clintons crime bill. The Biden of 2012 who declared himself a fan of same-sex marriage was more progressive than the Biden of 2008. When he pondered entering the 2016 presidential race, he intended to run to Hillary Clintons left and Bernie Sanders right a classic Biden gambit to seek his partys center point. Biden for President was going to go big, Biden wrote of the plans for that never-launched campaign in his 2017 memoir. A $15 minimum wage. Free tuition at our public colleges and universities. Real job training. On-site affordable child care. Equal pay for women. Strengthening the Affordable Care Act. A job creation program built on investing in and modernizing our roads and bridges. ... We needed what I called an American Renewal Project. Sound familiar? By the time Biden ran in 2020, two things happened to push him even further. Companies and other public and private institutions have many factors to juggle when hackers shake them down for money, of course. The Institute for Security and Technology, a private cybersecurity consortium, said in a recent report on ransomware that chief concerns include whether companies have cyber insurance policies and high-quality data backups. They also worry about the anticipated expense of paying for a prolonged system shutdown. One obvious conclusion from that observation: All institutions in the digital era should have appropriate backups in place. Thats not a complex fix. Also, companies should think about the expense associated with a shutdown the same way Atlanta and Baltimore did proactively rather than reactively. As for cyber insurance, well, that feels a lot like the disaster insurance that companies keep giving to homeowners who rebuild in flood and hurricane zones. Sure, it insulates against disaster, but it also encourages risk-taking. If an insurer is going to foot the bill for your ransomware payment, maybe you just find it easier to pay up rather than making your networks more resilient? Thats certainly not lost on insurers. At least one top insurer, AXA S.A., is reportedly planning to stop underwriting new policies for that reason. Companies and other institutions can avoid all of this by practicing good cyber hygiene in the first place, and they should bear that in mind when they demand that the federal government do a better job of protecting them from hackers. But once theyve been burglarized, the last thing they should consider doing is paying off the burglars. Fund conservation corps to restore NJ coast, wildlife Ive seen this first hand here in New Jersey. Take for example a project that New Jersey Audubon has been working on at Cape May Point, which supports as many as 364 different bird species. When Hurricane Sandy hit the East Coast in 2012, a restoration project had just been completed to widen 2 miles of the beach, build an 18-foot-high dune, and restore nearby freshwater wetlands. Cape May Point suffered virtually no damage, while surrounding areas sustained $640 million is losses. A host of birds have flocked to the restored wetlands and beach, and ecotourism from birders is estimated to add more than $310 million per year to the countys revenue. Bahena Riveras defense lawyers made the case Friday that the confession was false and coerced as a result of sleep deprivation and harsh interrogation techniques. They played videos for jurors showing their client sleeping during the 11-hour interrogation. Investigators initially searched Bahena Riveras car on Aug. 20, 2018, after he gave his consent and submitted to the interrogation. Criminalist Amy Johnson testified that investigators initially overlooked the blood stain on the trunks rubber seal, but found it during an additional search two days later. Scott said that stain was the first match for Tibbetts DNA. Later analysis of blood found on the trunks liner also was a match for Tibbetts, whose DNA had been collected from one of her water bottles during the investigation into her disappearance and from her body when it was discovered in the field, she said. Other blood spots found in the trunk and on several items in it did not have enough material to compare for DNA purposes, she said. Members of the jury of 15 people, including three alternates, appeared to pay close attention during the DNA testimony, with at least three jotting notes in their court-issued notebooks. The state borrowed $1.2 billion from the Fed in June and another $2 billion in December. As of May 10, the state had $400 million remaining on the initial loan, with a June 5 due date, according to the Fed. The deadline for paying off the second loan is in December 2023. The governors budget office said last week that the state was on pace to bring in nearly $1.5 billion more than expected in the current year and another $842 million in additional revenue in the budget year that begins July 1. Pritzker has already promised to use a portion of that revenue to boost school funding by $350 million next year to meet a threshold established in states education funding formula. Sign up for The Spin to get the top stories in politics delivered to your inbox weekday afternoons. The comptrollers office, which manages the states checkbook, says it will use a combination of the better-than-expected revenue and effective cash management to repay the Fed by June 30, 2022, saving an estimated $100 million in interest. Negotiations over how to plug a projected $1.3 billion hole in next years budget of roughly $42 billion are ongoing ahead of the legislatures scheduled May 31 adjournment. How the new debt repayment plan affects those negotiations remains unclear. Next week is the last week of the National Guard-assisted COVID-19 vaccination clinic. In a news release Hill said the Rock Island Health Department will outline its new vaccination plans next week. More on local vaccination sites The Scott County Health Department unveiled plans earlier this week for walk-in vaccination hours at the Scott County Administrative Center, 600 W. 4th St. The one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine is available from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. All individuals age 18 years and older are eligible, no drivers license or state identification required, and you are not required to be a resident of Scott County or Iowa. We hope that by making COVID-19 vaccine routinely available and easy to access, that we will see individuals in our community take that step to become vaccinated and enter their summer breathing a little easier, said Amy Thoreson, Director, Scott County Health Department. "Individuals already make their way to the Scott County Administrative Center for other business, and getting a vaccine might be easy to fit in while they are there. Anyone 18 and older can stop in and mark getting vaccinated off of their list. The defense attorney noted Edwards had called in a false accident report to distract police from the situation downtown. Mr. Edwards was doing everything to keep police officers away; he never had any intention of killing them, he said. Fulton said shots fired at two officers in the movie theater across the street from the apartment Edwards was occupying landed below the second floor where the officers were in the marquee and in the ground floor door further evidence he wasn't trying to kill officers. He also said Det. Joe Bedford wasn't truthful about being fired upon while taking a photograph 2 1/2 feet across a brick barrier into the apartment through a skylight. He also said a second officer had said the skylight was tinted and kind of dirty and a person could barely see through it. Assistant State's Attorney Stephanie Barrick countered that it's unknown whether a person could reach far enough across the skylight for a clear shot because different people have different abilities. It's like saying everybody jumps in the air the same distance, it's sheer speculation, she said. Retiring County Treasurer Tim Wells spoke to the board as part of a three-office presentation of the tax process. He said this year was the first time the county had collected less than the year before $34,000 less out of $8,400,000. "It's the first time it's happened since I've been in this chair," he said. During an audit presentation, it was noted that the county's fund balance is up $3.5 million over last year to $29.8 million. The county is 99% funded for its pension liability, and it has a little over six-months cash in its general fund reserves. Finance chairman Kelli Parsons said the county should be at 42% of revenue and expenditures and had 40% of revenue, expending 38% of budgeted expenditures. "We continue to sit in a pretty good spot considering we have yet to collect any tax money," she said. Hillcrest Home currently has no positive COVID cases and is allowing people of all ages to visit, making scheduled appointments. Health and social services chairman Jan May said the new activity therapy room was a great place for families to come in and eat with their loved ones. "It turned out to be a real godsend," she said. The current census is 73 with two admits pending; levels are low because of lower staffing. The board also approved signs prohibiting excessive engine braking and a policy for placement of such signs after an issue came up near the Cleveland Quarry. Transportation chairman Jeff Orton said a vice president of Riverstone had called him in favor of the signs, noting trucks were coming uphill to enter the quarry and there shouldn't be any need for a lot of braking. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Others highlighted environmental concerns, like efforts to locate a scrap shredder in a low-income, predominantly Latino neighborhood on Chicagos Southeast Side What is the citys agenda? asked activist Oscar Sanchez. Because if they wanted to, they would. If they wanted to prioritize education, they would, not another juvenile detention center. If they wanted to prioritize mental health, they would, not the corrupt system we know as the Chicago Police Department. Before the march, Carla Langston said the mayor had been a big disappointment, especially to Black women. She definitely has gone back on campaign promises, Langston, 56, said. And its one thing to go back on those promises, but shes actually continued on with things were tired of from previous administrations. Langston questioned the transparency surrounding the fatal police shooting of 13-year-old Adam Toledo in March and the botched raid on the home of Anjanette Young, who was handcuffed naked after police executed a search warrant at the wrong address. She also said she felt the mayor had come down hard on teachers. Laches refers to the defense used against a party who has knowingly slept upon his rights and acquiesced for a great length of time, the opinion states. The second element of laches is whether the party being sued would suffer prejudice as a result of the delay in filing the action. The court found both elements were met to satisfy the laches doctrine in this case. (Tillman) offers no excuse for why he waited 2 years (in the case of the 2017 bonds) and 16 years (in the case of the 2003 bonds) to file his action challenging the constitutionality of the bonds, the court wrote in its opinion. The justices also decided that it is patently obvious that the State will suffer some prejudice if relief is granted at this extremely late stage. Enjoining the State from meeting its obligation to make payments on general obligation bonds will, at the very least, have a detrimental effect on the States credit rating, the opinion states. In a written statement, Tillman said he is disappointed in the Illinois Supreme Courts ruling and is evaluating his options as to how to proceed from here. Since then, the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation has given those who didnt make the cut a chance to amend their applications, and it plans to go through a second scoring process before determining which ones will qualify for the lottery. Fords proposal, meanwhile, calls for establishing two more lotteries in which a total of 110 dispensary licenses will be available. One of those would be for applicants who received a score of 85 percent or better on their initial application and did not receive a license in the initial lottery; the other would be specifically for applicants with similar scores who have personally been convicted of a marijuana offense or has a family member with such a conviction. Former state Sen. Toi Hutchinson, who now serves as Gov. JB Pritzkers cannabis policy advisor, said during a House Executive Committee hearing Thursday that lowering the cut score for applicants to get into the other lotteries would open the way for about 65 percent of the applicant pool to have a chance for a license. Ford acknowledged that even with the additional lotteries, some applicants still will not get a license, but he said it was important to give more people from disproportionately impacted communities an opportunity to get into the new industry. During questioning at the cornfield, Bahena Rivera told Romero that he followed Tibbetts, who was going for a run, in his car, got out and started running behind her. Bahena Rivera said that Tibbetts noticed him and attempted to use her cell phone to call police. "He said that Mollie tried to slap him and was screaming at him," Romero testified. "Mr. Rivera said this is when he became angry." Bahena Rivera told Romero that he remembered that the two started fighting but then he blacked out. He said the next thing he recalled was driving in his car and seeing the earbuds Tibbetts used while running on his legs, and that her body was in his trunk, Romero testified. Bahena Rivera told Romero that he did not remember how she got in the vehicle, but he recalled carrying her body on his shoulder to the cornfield, covering her with leaves and leaving immediately. He said her body felt "like a person that had just fainted" and was bleeding, pointing to his neck when asked why. He said he had taken his shirt off because of the blood. The company admitted that top executives, including Pramaggiore, had conspired with McClain to make off-the-books payments to lobbyists and consultants who were close to Madigans political operation to attempt to influence him regarding ComEds legislative agenda. Madigan has not been charged in the case and has denied wrongdoing. He has said he did not agree to such an arrangement and would have stopped it if he had known about it. In the filing Thursday, Doherty argued the charges against him were flawed because prosecutors are applying criminal statutes too broadly. In particular, the indictment was brought against Doherty without presenting evidence to the grand jury that the ComEd jobs, internships going to families in the Madigan-controlled 13th Ward and a seat on ComEds board of directors were indeed bribes, according to the Doherty motion filed by Michael Gillespie and Gabrielle Sansonetti. The motion said no prosecution should be commenced where the alleged corrupt transaction involves a bona fide job in the usual course of business. The otherwise obscure races for secretary of state will matter as well. In Georgia, where Raffensperger refused Trump's request to "find" extra votes, the former president has already endorsed a challenger, Rep. Jody Hice, who is casting himself as a Trump loyalist. "They are trying to lay the groundwork [for 2024] to make sure local officials will jump if Trump tells them to jump," Foley said. "They didn't jump last time, but they might the next time." Do Republicans really want to win a presidential election this way? Probably not; any political party would rather have a clear and convincing majority, without any need to resort to chicanery. But Trump clearly has no such scruples and his supporters like House GOP leader Kevin McCarthy of California, who hopes to be speaker of the House by 2024, have fallen in line. McCarthy signed on to a pro-Trump lawsuit that asked the Supreme Court to invalidate Biden's electoral votes in four states, and was one of 126 GOP House members who voted against accepting the electoral votes from Arizona and Pennsylvania, which Biden won. When voters choose governors, legislators and secretaries of state next year, they need to realize that there is far more at stake than what happens within the boundary of state lines. The outcome of the 2024 presidential election may be on the ballot, too. Doyle McManus is a columnist for the Los Angeles Times. This was distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Love 0 Funny 4 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 We do a lot of pools and a lot of structural elements on homes like decks, and additions, pool houses, Jobman said. We work primarily in western South Dakota, he said. We do a lot of projects on the Front Range of Colorado. We are licensed in Montana and we have done development work up there as well recently. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} Jobman Studio is known for its use of South Dakota-inspired fusion style. The Black Hills has definitely got a distinguished style of design I like to call modern mountain West, and thats the style we implement into many of our designs, Jobman said. Modern mountain West is what we usually work with in Deadwood and the Northern Hills. That style is much more Alpine mountain style, not necessarily Western style, but you bring in more of the mountain elements into the design. Jobman is originally from Hill City and, after moving away for a few years to work in Nebraska and Iowa, he returned to Rapid City in 2010. Many of his current clients are people seeking to relocate to South Dakota amid the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, Jobman said the region will see some new fusion styles emerging. "I don't want anyone that's watching this or anyone that's here to think or get the impression that the mayor has held back anything from any member of the city council who had the gumption to ask him what's going on," Strommen said. "I've never not received a call back or a text back or response from the mayor almost immediately. If you want to know what's going on, ask the mayor what's going on. Don't come to the meeting later and say, 'Gee, I don't know what's going on so I'm against it.' You have the responsibility, especially those of you who are more experienced council members, to go in there and ask the questions. If you don't do it, don't try to go in here and paint the mayor as the bad guy because he's not. He's doing his best for the city, he's doing this to see if we can try and improve the city, and if you don't want to improve the city or don't think this is an improvement, you can just vote that way." I believe that their relationship to the families and our community is absolutely as important as our role in this community. So it just seemed like a natural fit for us to work with them and support their services, Brock said. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} YFS sent staff members Thursday to pick up the remaining 16 beds. YFS Communications Coordinator Brianna Nelson said the organization was really excited to deliver the beds to children in the community who need them. YFS staff who work directly with families receiving services identified families in need of beds, so all of the beds that were donated already have a place to go. The beds will be delivered to the individual programs, and from there, program staff will distribute the beds to those who can use them. This is a tremendous gift for Monument Health; we are so appreciative of that. Weve got families who, especially [need] twin-sized beds theyre a good size bed, theyre great for kids but theyre also okay for adults and for older kids, Nelson said. We have a lot of families whove got lots of siblings who were previously sleeping on the floor and had no [bedroom] furniture. So this is a huge gift for kids who maybe have had to share beds or didnt have one to have their very own bed. Last Friday, I had the opportunity to attend the Black Hills Association of County Commissioners for their countywide meeting hosted by the Oglala Lakota County at the Prairie Wind Casino. We had the honor of meeting with tribal officials including Close to Earth (Kevin Killer) Oglala Sioux Tribe President and Representative, Peri Pourier, from District 27. Close to Earth, a former state representative, encouraged our rural areas to work together as good neighbors and build rural South Dakota together. I appreciated their warm welcome, and support. This was a great opportunity to meet with our west river commissioners and get their insight and feedback on the current issues facing all of our countys west river. Several issues were addressed including the new soil survey in relation to agricultural re-assessments and the American Rescue Plan Act funds. Stacey Martin from Fall River County, Geological Information Systems (GIS) Coordinator presented and excellent overview of information to the commissioners and guests regarding the flaws in the states new reassessment formula and how it drives tax assessments up higher than we have seen in over a decade. In a nutshell, the states new formula moves damaged soil over to cropland status doubling and, in some cases, tripling the value of the land and the rate it is taxed at. Donations came in and the group sent them out. We tried to figure it out as we were doing it, Rohrbach said. We got tons of applications. We set up a website where people could learn about the program and submit an application. We just asked some basic criteria to make sure we were being responsible, but we always had a quick turnaround to get money out quickly. Claire Kemp, then the executive director of the Hamilton Downtown Association, said the community stepped up with big donations. The final total was $85,338.36 and the Hamilton Business Relief Fund helped well over 50 local businesses. Kemp said they started the same day the stay-in-place order was given. We just thought people need help and weve got to do something, Kemp said. Lots of small businesses cant go two weeks without an income, or a week even. How can they pay rent, employees, power bills and supplies that they ordered? This was before the governor stepped in with relief, that took a couple of months and at that time we didnt know if he would. The initial goal was $20,000 but donations quickly went beyond expectations. THACKERVILLE, Okla. (AP) Federal authorities have seized 68 big cats from an animal park in Oklahoma featured in Netflixs Tiger King. The U.S. Department of Justice announced Thursday that the seizure of the federally protected lions, tigers, lion-tiger hybrids and a jaguar as part of a court-approved agreement to resolve a DOJ complaint against Jeffrey and Lauren Lowe over the animals care. The civil complaint, filed in November, accused the Lowes of recurring inhumane treatment and improper handling of animals protected by the Endangered Species Act. The couple has received numerous citations for failing to properly care for the animals following three inspections of the Tiger King Park in Thackerville since December 2020. During a hearing last week, a judge found the couple in contempt for failing to comply with court orders to employ a qualified veterinarian and establish a program of veterinary care for the animals. Daniel Card, an attorney for the couple, told a federal judge that the Lowes want out completely. A new low-cost airline from the founder of JetBlue is setting up operations in Virginia and will offer nonstop flights from Richmond International Airport to three Southern destinations, including New Orleans, as well as open an operations center in Norfolk that is expected to employ more than 100 people. Breeze Airways, which was founded recently by airline entrepreneur David Neeleman, is planning to start flights from Richmond International Airport on July 8. Neeleman previously founded JetBlue, as well as Brazils Azul, Canadas WestJet and Utah-based Morris Air, which was later purchased by Southwest Airlines. Salt Lake City-based Breeze is expecting to start in the Richmond area with service between Richmond and Charleston, S.C., offering flights four days a week Thursday, Friday, Sunday and Monday. Flights between Richmond and New Orleans Louis Armstrong International Airport are expected to start July 15, followed by flights between Richmond and Tampa International Airport in Florida on July 22. Breeze, which is the second new U.S. carrier announced in a month as airlines try to profit from an anticipated rebound in air travel, started selling tickets Friday. Every variant of concern has now been detected in Erie County, say the UB scientists doing genomic sequencing on coronavirus With these variants of concern, the coronavirus is evolving in a different genomic landscape than we started with different combinations of mutations may end up being really important in terms of transmission of the virus going forward. Jennifer A. Surtees, PhD, co-director, Genome, Environment and Microbiome Community of Excellence University at Buffalo BUFFALO, N.Y. Locally and nationwide, the number of COVID-19 cases is plummeting and the predominant message seems to be that the worst of the pandemic may be behind us. Yet while vaccinated individuals are enjoying returning to many normal activities, University at Buffalo scientists doing genomic sequencing of COVID-19 samples note that the actual picture locally is more nuanced. The virus is still out there and it is different than what we started with, said Jennifer A. Surtees, PhD, co-director of the Genome, Environment and Microbiome Community of Excellence at UB and associate professor of biochemistry in the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at UB, who leads the sequencing team. If you were in close contact with someone who tested COVID-19 positive, you should get tested and quarantine as recommended by the Department of Health. She noted that all of the variants identified as variants of concern by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are now present in Erie County. Over 90% of cases sequenced in April in Western New York were variants of concern, she said. Variants of concern are those mutations of the virus that are more easily transmitted, which cause more severe disease, and which are less able to be neutralized by antibody treatments. Vaccines protect against all variants The great news is that all of the vaccines available in the U.S. the Pfizer vaccine, the Moderna vaccine and the Johnson & Johnson vaccine they all protect against all of the variants of concern, said Surtees. So the best way to protect yourself, your loved ones and your community is to get vaccinated. If you are not vaccinated, you are at significantly higher risk and should wear a mask and avoid traveling to places with high rates of disease. We want this information to get out to the public because even though case numbers are down, especially with the un-masking that is now allowed, it becomes really critical for people to be aware of whats out there and to further encourage vaccination, she added. New variant novel coronavirus strains are circulating in our community, said Gale Burstein, MD, MPH, Erie County Commissioner of Health and clinical professor of pediatrics in the Jacobs School. It is absolutely critical for those who are not yet fully vaccinated to continue to wear a mask in public places to protect themselves and to protect others who cannot yet be vaccinated, such as children, and those who are immune compromised. Variants of concern now dominate The B.1.1.7 variant of concern, originally identified in the United Kingdom, is now dominant in Erie County, accounting for roughly half the cases in April. About half of them were B.1.1.7, originally referred to as the UK variant, which is more transmissible, can make antibody treatments less effective and can make you sicker than the original virus, she said. The other variants of concern detected here are B.1.351 (South Africa), B.1.427 (California) and P.1 (Brazil). Also detected are five other so-called New York variants of interest, which so far have not demonstrated more transmissibility or disease severity. The incidence of variants of concern in Erie County jumped dramatically to 62.9% in March from 12.2% in February, a trend that has continued. In April, the variants, and particularly B.1.1.7, had taken over in Erie County, said Surtees. Although increases in both variants of concern and variants of interest have been observed nationwide, Surtees noted that there are clearly regional differences in the types of variants observed. For example, in Western New York, B.1.1.7 and B.1.427 are the variants that were primarily observed, she said. This is in direct contrast to the situation downstate in New York City, where cases were dominated by B.1.526 lineages (a New York variant) in addition to B.1.1.7. Smaller numbers of B.1.351 (originally detected in South Africa) were observed both upstate and downstate. This highlights the importance of regional surveillance to provide the most relevant data to clinicians in an area, said Surtees. She added that the increased genomic surveillance locally has allowed for more sequence information to be generated from Western New York, increasing confidence in the ability to detect variants of concern and variants of interest locally. John Tomaszewski, MD, SUNY Distinguished Professor and chair of the Department of Pathology and Anatomical Sciences, stressed the importance of COVID-19 whole genome sequencing data in the greater Buffalo area. Without this robust UB pipeline for identifying the variants of concern which are circulating in our community, we cant anticipate new directions that this disease might take in Western New York. The UB sequencing resource for COVID-19 is one of the few labs in New York State that can accomplish both the sequencing and the bioinformatics required to efficiently identify COVID variants. Since the start of the pandemic, genomic sequencing of COVID-19 samples in Western New York has been done by Surtees and her colleagues inthe Department of Biochemistry in the Jacobs School and in the Genomics and Bioinformatics Core in UBs New York State Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Life Sciences (CBLS). The team has significantly ramped up its sequencing capacity from about 150 initially up to approximately 700 since January. The Erie County Public Health Lab provides samples, and the UB team recently began receiving samples from Kaleida Health and Erie County Medical Center as well. What do variants of concern mean for the future? It's really hard to predict anything about what will come next, said Surtees. With these variants of concern, the coronavirus is evolving in a different genomic landscape than we started with different combinations of mutations may end up being really important in terms of transmission of the virus going forward. The No. 1 thing to do is reduce the capacity of the virus to continue to evolve, and the best way to do that is to restrict infection, she continued. The mutations we are seeing occur as the virus replicates its genome. Less infection means less replication and less opportunity for mutations. A man who romanced at least eight women in three states that he met through dating websites and conned out of $267,361 pleaded guilty to mail fraud in federal court in Richmond on Friday. Eugene Johnson Jr., 39, of Leonardtown, Md., faces up to 20 years in prison when sentenced Sept. 17 by U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson. Federal sentencing guidelines, not binding on Hudson, will likely call for a lesser term. Johnson ran the scam from December 2014 to January 2018, lying about having a romantic attachment to the women and then asking them for money after falsely claiming pressing financial needs. Johnson allegedly used websites including Plenty of Fish to meet women in three states including Virginia. Using aliases, Johnson obtained the telephone numbers of his victims and communicated with them over the telephone or via text messages. In at least one case, he falsely posed as a U.S. Marine and the father of a child whose mother had died. Johnson falsely claimed that he wanted to marry each woman, buy a house with her, and raise his son and any children she might have together, according to authorities. Census tracts with lower income levels had between 14% and 16% of residents vaccinated. Others with high median household income had roughly 65% to 75%. Data provided by Richmond and Henricos health districts showed nearly 70%, or 21 of 31, census tracts in the city had low vaccination rates. The average family income in Richmond is about $47,000, roughly $27,000 lower than the state average. In Henrico, where the average family income is about $70,000 a year, five of 20 census tracts had low vaccination rates. All five were among the countys poorest areas, with one having 2 out of every 5 residents living below the poverty line a figure more than four times the countys poverty rate. This census tract also houses Richmond Raceway, one of the largest vaccination clinics in the region. The three census tracts in Richmond with high social vulnerability, high case burden and low vaccine uptake are more than 87% Black or Latino. One of them is in the Jackson Ward area, where 58% of residents live in poverty and have a median household income thats a third of the citys average. Even in Richmond, white residents are vaccinated at higher rates than Black populations, Popovich said. State and federal officials last month reopened a historical evaluation process to determine whether the project may negatively impact the site. Its a nuanced situation, because the exact boundaries of what remains of that cemetery are unknown, said Julie Langan, director of the Virginia Department of Historic Resources. Its hard to know how much of that cemetery actually still survives because of all of the projects and mistreatment of it over decades. We know that it has been adversely impacted by ... multiple projects. What we dont know is what is the integrity of whats left. While inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places would not prevent the rail project, it would require state and federal officials to give the site greater consideration and negotiate terms to mitigate the impact the project would have on the site. As officials and community members are starting to think of how to commemorate the site, McQueen said one concept shes thought of is a sculpture wall or statues that would bring to life the scenes of two funeral processions that Frederick Law Olmsted, a park designer known as the founder of American landscape architecture, witnessed in 1853. In his account of them, he described what people were wearing, a carriage carrying a casket and riding horses that were part of the procession. It could be a way to honor and respect the lives of people the city mistreated and tried to forget, she said. Selected by VMIs top administrators, Meredith, who doesnt think of herself as a female commander but as a commander who is female, said that with the investigation, the school will demonstrate as it has before, sometimes grudgingly that it can adapt. She attributes that to a military culture that relies on a firm discipline to instill the flexibility demanded on the battlefield and in the board room. Meredith, an affianced, aspiring Marine intelligence officer in the Class of 2022 and who follows by 40 years the first Black regimental commander at VMI, the last Virginia college to desegregate, isnt the only sign that things are different in Lexington. They could be very different after investigators submit their findings to the Northam administration June 1, if not sooner. Since December, VMI has been led by its first Black superintendent: Cedric Wins, a 1985 graduate and retired two-star Army general. He stepped in when Binnie Peay was, in effect, kicked out after 17 years, criticized as wedded to VMIs old ways by Gov. Ralph Northam, a 1981 alumnus hyper-woke after his racial embarrassment in 2019, and Black political leadership. When the pandemic took hold of Virginia in March 2020, shutting down businesses and large child care centers, the in-home day care that Jermeisha Justiniano runs in Chesterfield County stayed open. Like the owners of many family home day cares across Richmond, she decided to risk her health in the midst of a pandemic to serve her families who had young children and needed to work. It was a difficult time, she said. She struggled to purchase food for the 12 children in her care, ages 1 and up, like gallons of milk or fresh beef and chicken, which were being rationed at stores. Then, she couldnt find basic supplies that were in short supply, like toilet paper, soap and bleach. When her parents were shopping and saw an extra pack of toilet paper or some disinfectant, theyd grab it and drop it off. But then some parents started losing their jobs and their children dropped out of care. That affects you as a provider, with less money coming in, she said. Team McClellans frustration with Carroll Foy hit a boiling point on Thursday. McClellan issued a news release during the broadcast saying the statement by Carroll Foy, who served just three years before quitting office in 2020, was false. Carroll Foy, first elected to the House in 2017, announced in December she was stepping down in order to focus on her campaign for governor. And McClellan aide Jared Leopold tweeted a challenge to reporters: Go find one person in Richmond who thinks Jennifer Carroll Foy is one of the most effective legislators in Virginia history. Just an absurd thing to say. Although the debate happened in the morning, Carroll Foys campaign tried to give the appearance it was happening live in the evening. Im preparing for another debate tonight and I can tell you the pressure is on, she wrote in a fundraising email Thursday afternoon. Before the broadcast, she posted a photo of herself on Facebook, sitting in front of her open laptop with the caption, (Virtual) debate ready. Earley, son of former Virginia Attorney General Mark Earley Sr., lived with his family on West 24th Street in Richmonds Woodland Heights neighborhood. That house is not in the 68th District. Earley Jr. told The Times-Dispatch he moved in with his parents in the Huguenot Farms area which is in the district. But on March 16, he signed a required form for candidates that asked if he owned any real estate valued at over $5,000 outside of his principal residence. He checked no. Asked by The Times-Dispatch why he didnt list the house he owns, Earley said he made a paperwork mistake and filed an amended form. Earley is running for the GOP nomination in the June 8 primary against Mike Dickinson, a far-right candidate and former Democrat. Somebody brought this information to us, Dickinson said, saying he shared it with state police. I dont know how youre a lawyer and you make an oversight on a form. Everybody else that ran for office or is running for office this year apparently had no problem with it, Dickinson said. It even says on the form right where its notarized, it is a felony to misrepresent things on here. Widespread vaccinations in the community should allow the school to return to classrooms and negate the need for virtual classes. We expect that most classes will be offered in-person only, without a concurrent virtual option, the administrators said. We recognize that some small number of students or instructors may have unique circumstances that will make it impossible to return to in-person instruction on Grounds. The Provosts office is working with schools to develop accommodations for those unique situations. Although they stopped short of requiring vaccinations for employees, administrators said they expect any worker without approved religious or medical exemptions to get their shots. Vaccination of our employees is critical to preventing the spread of COVID-19 and the return to regular, in-person experiences, the administrators said. Any UVA employee who is not vaccinated will be subject to mandatory prevalence testing. Officials said they will monitor employee vaccination rates and consider whether to mandate vaccines for all employees. Besides getting their vaccines, most employees who previously worked at home during the pandemic will be required to return to their offices, at least for now. McAuliffe's support to LGBTQ+ rights lauded Editor, Times-Dispatch: As states around the country seek to restrict LGBTQ+ rights, particularly for transgender people, Virginia can and should be a leader in protecting these communities. We must elect a governor who will build on recent progress and ensure that Virginia is an inclusive place. I am excited to support Terry McAuliffe because I know he will champion LGBTQ+ rights. McAuliffe has been a leader in promoting LGBTQ+ rights. As our 72nd governor, he fought tirelessly to make Virginia a more welcoming commonwealth. He was the first Virginia Democratic candidate to aggressively run on a pro-LGBTQ+ marriage equality platform. On his first day as governor, he signed Executive Order 1, prohibiting discrimination against any LGBTQ+ state employee, and he pledged to veto every bill that undermined the constitutional rights of LGBTQ+ individuals, a promise he kept. When same-sex marriage became legally recognized, McAuliffe signed an executive order directing state agencies to comply with the court ruling. He is proud of the fact that he was the first Southern governor in the nation to officiate a gay wedding. Campus News UBs latest Boren winner brings diversity to food security and national security Boren scholarship recipient Dalanda Jalloh will spend part of her senior year in Senegal studying the language and working as an intern with a local organization related to her chosen area of study. Photo: Douglas Levere By CHARLES ANZALONE By serving the U.S. government, I will be representing a true image of what being American means and represents around the world. I am diplomacy; I am America. A child of African immigrants whose years of homelessness strengthened her resolve to succeed is UBs latest recipient of a Boren Scholarship, a prestigious international award that sponsors U.S. undergraduates to study abroad in areas of the world critical to U.S. interests and underrepresented in study abroad programs. Dalanda Jalloh will spend part of her senior year in Senegal studying the language and working as an intern with a local organization related to her chosen area of study. Jalloh also has been selected to receive a scholarship award from the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program, which funds study abroad for undergraduate students. She brings a distinctive identity to her honors, first for her passion to fight food insecurity, which she calls a catalyzing agent for political and economic instability. Jallohs professors stress her ability to bridge the gap between her humanitarian interest in establishing equitable food systems in local communities and understanding how food insecurity can derail progressive governments and humanitarian reform. Food insecurity must be addressed as a U.S. national security concern, says Jalloh. Senegal plays an important role in promoting peace and security throughout the African continent. Addressing food security in Senegal is imperative to avoiding political and economic instability, and establishing lasting peace and prosperity in sub-Saharan Africa. Jallohs perspective on the role of food insecurity in international relations is just one reason for the deep and detailed admiration from her academic mentors. Jallohs academic preparation, research as an undergraduate at UB and work in the local refugee community are all the more instructive, they say, because of the adversity she endured before coming to UB. Dalandas accomplishment in receiving this award is another perfect example of how a UB education can empower an individual. Education can change lives, says Elizabeth Colucci, director of UBs Office of Fellowships and Scholarships, which identifies, sponsors and supports UB students applying for internationally competitive and recognized scholarships such as the Boren award. The fact she went through that personal and academic growth at UB, right here with us, is even more reason to celebrate. Dalanda was able to engage in meaningful research around the topic of global development and planning through her work with Dr. Frimpong Boamah and UBs Community for Global Health Equity, Colucci explains. Dalanda sees how food security has international, as well as domestic security implications. This is why she was such a strong candidate for the Boren Scholarship African Flagship Languages Initiative. The Henry County Sheriff's Office on Friday announced it made dozens of drug-related arrests after an undercover investigation. Seventy-two adults were indicted Monday and 36 people arrested Thursday, a news release said. Among the drugs seized during the investigation were pills, fentanyl, heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine and marijuana, the news release said. Cash and vehicles were seized as well. The news release gave no details of the investigation or what prompted it. The sheriff's office credited the Virginia State Police, Martinsville Police Department, Henry County Department of Public Safety, U.S. Marshals Service, the federal Drug Enforcement Administration, and Henry County Commonwealth Attorneys Office with aiding in the investigation and arrests. Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. As his problems mounted, Fisher continued to attribute them to health problems and to having too many clients. Fisher has osteogenesis imperfecta, also known as brittle bones disease. He walks with forearm crutches and has said he has had more than 50 broken bones. The repeated injuries left him with post-traumatic stress disorder, Fisher said in January. Called to account by judges and the bar during the past two years, Fisher said repeatedly that he was paring down his caseload so that he could better keep up with his schedule. At the bar hearing in January, where his license was suspended for the months of February and March, Fisher said that he was finding relief in a new program of counseling and medication, and that record-keeping measures he adopted in 2019 let him better keep up with clients money. But by April, clients were demanding refunds, saying Fisher had left them in the lurch when his license was suspended. Chris Tuck, a Blacksburg lawyer who testified Friday about Fishers problems, said he was surprised to hear how many clients had been affected including a man who paid $750 to Fisher, then was convicted of reckless driving when he ended up in court without an attorney because Fishers license was suspended at the time, Tuck said. He served on the board of Sweet Briar College and was president of Longwood College, and he served as the head of the State Council for Higher Education when it was formed. He died in 1975. The reason his name has come up in discussions about renaming the school is because of his role during the period after the U.S. Supreme Courts 1954 decision in Brown v. Board of Education. Lancaster was a segregationist. He was once quoted as saying, Well fight it from the housetops, from the street corners, in every possible way. We are going to maintain our way of life. Lancasters position at the time was for localities to have the local option to desegregate even if meant there would be some integration of schools rather than the state control. Lancaster was named the director of the State Referendum Information Center, which was created to spread awareness of the need to vote in favor of a statewide referendum to allow for tuition grants so parents could send their children to segregated private schools. Virginians overwhelmingly voted in favor of changing the Virginia Constitution to permit this. But when the Arlington School Board voted to integrate, segregationists worried it would spark more integration. The American Red Cross is seeking volunteers to help with blood drives in Roanoke, Lynchburg and Montgomery County. COVID impacted our faithful and committed workforce, said Betty Whittaker, the Virginia Regional volunteer services officer. The need for blood never stops, and these volunteer positions are critical, ensuring the collection and delivery of blood. Whittaker said 25 people are needed to volunteer as blood donor ambassadors. The ambassadors support the registration process and help donors by responding to questions and providing information about how to sign up for future blood drives, Whittaker said. The need is great, she said. Volunteers should be available Monday through Friday in five- to six-hour shifts, and they must complete an online application and background check. Volunteers are required to work at least one shift a month. The Red Cross also needs five volunteers who can transport blood from the Roanoke Valley Chapter in downtown Roanoke to area hospitals. These volunteers should have been driving at least three years, be able to lift 45 pounds and be available to work three to seven shifts. Applicants also will need to complete an online application/background check. WASHINGTON (AP) An FBI employee has been indicted on charges that she stored classified documents and other national security information at home over the course of more than a decade, the Justice Department said Friday. Kendra Kingsbury, 48, is accused of having unauthorized possession of a broad swath of sensitive government documents, including materials that describe sources, methods and operations and that contain information about operatives such as a suspected associate of Osama bin Laden. Kingsbury worked as an intelligence analyst in the FBI's Kansas City office for 12 years until her suspension in December 2017. The two-count indictment, filed in the Western District of Missouri, alleges that during that time, Kingsbury illegally removed documents she was granted access to at work and stored them at home. Though Kingsbury held a top-secret security clearance and was assigned to squads covering a range of crimes and threats, she did not have a need to know the information in most of the documents, prosecutors say. A man who romanced at least eight women in three states that he met through dating websites and conned out of $267,361 pleaded guilty to mail fraud in federal court Friday in Richmond. Eugene Johnson Jr., 39, of Leonardtown, Md., faces up to 20 years in prison when sentenced Sept. 17 by U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson. Federal sentencing guidelines, not binding on Hudson, will likely call for a lesser term. Johnson ran the scam from December 2014 to January 2018, lying about having a romantic attachment to the women and then asked them for money after falsely claiming pressing financial needs. Johnson allegedly used websites including Plenty of Fish to meet women in three states including Virginia. Using aliases, Johnson obtained the telephone numbers of his victims and communicated with them over the telephone or via text messages. In at least one case he falsely posed as a U.S. Marine and the father of a child whose mother had died. Johnson falsely claimed that he wanted to marry each woman, buy a house with her, and raise his son and any children she might have together, according to authorities. Now, that was certainly better than the 36% who disapproved, but the key number is that it wasnt 50% or more. Virginians seemed to think McAuliffe was OK, and better than any alternative, but they didnt seem wildly enthusiastic about him. Northam went on to win the next election with 53.9% of the vote which suggests that voters werent so much voting because they loved what Democrats were doing but because they despised what Donald Trump was doing. That same poll shows that only 36% of Virginians approved of Trump while 53% disapproved. The challenge for Youngkin will be to avoid coming across as a Trump Republican, which would surely be political death in Virginia. Hes done a pretty good job so far he defeated candidates who were far more aligned with Trump for the Republican nomination. Its hard to imagine a Republican nominee coming out of the Republican nominating process less encumbered than Youngkin is, which means hes free to present himself however he thinks most convenient in the general election. McAuliffes campaign has called Youngkin Trumps hand-picked candidate, which is plainly false except to the extent that Trump endorsed Youngkin after he won the nomination. Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. 05:22:28 AM Today Plenty of sunshine. High 76F. Winds E at 10 to 15 mph. Tonight Mostly clear. Low 52F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph. Tomorrow Sunshine. High 87F. SSE winds shifting to N at 10 to 15 mph. President Joe Biden is hailing the impending cease-fire in the fighting between Israel and Hamas, saying he sees a genuine opportunity toward the larger goal of building a lasting peace in the Middle East Email Thomas Elias at tdelias@aol.com. His book, "The Burzynski Breakthrough, The Most Promising Cancer Treatment and the Governments Campaign to Squelch It" is now available in a soft cover fourth edition. For more Elias columns, visit www.californiafocus.net As part of the program the PaYS partners agrees to interview the soldier for a selected position providing that the soldier receives an honorable discharge after one enlistment, is otherwise qualified and a job vacancy exists. Darryl Davids, vice president of human resources at McCall Farms, said soldiers will be granted interviews if their MOS match their openings. He said McCall Farms is excited to enter this partnership. He said there is currently a shortage of workers in most areas of their operation. He said the Army provides veterans with many of the skill sets required to do the jobs available at McCall Farms from forklift operators to maintenance specialist. He said they want these veterans to become a part of the McCall family. We are very excited about this partnership, Davids said. We support our troops. He said veterans make fantastic employees for their safety training, work ethics, their ability to be promoted and their company loyalty. He said veterans are some of the first employees to work and the last to leave. Thomas Hunter, co-president of McCall Farms, said at the presentation that the company is looking forward to deepening its relationship with veterans in the community. The rural business centers would provide education, training, and technical assistance to rural minority businesses. Specifically, the centers would assist with adoption of broadband internet service, digital literacy, and e-commerce, promoting manufacturing in the United States, meeting gaps in the supply chain of critical supplies and essential goods and services, improving transportation and logistics, promoting trade and export opportunities and facilitating entrepreneurship in rural areas. The United States has already pledged more money than any other country toward global vaccine efforts, Scott said. President Bidens willingness to cave to the World Trade Organization instead of guarding one of our most valuable assets from getting into the hands of bad actors is concerning. The president needs to draw a clear line in dealing with Beijing, and releasing our data ensures that China will benefit off the hard work and innovation of American workers, and will also ensure our next vaccine takes longer to develop. The Supreme Court this fall will hear a case from Mississippi that bans most abortions after 15 weeks, except in cases of rape when the crime has been reported to police, or the life of the mother is in danger. Lower courts have rejected the law as unconstitutional because of the precedent set by Roe v. Wade in 1973 and reaffirmed and expanded in subsequent rulings, even as the abortion lobby has continued to press that the procedure be legal at any stage and for any reason. Pro-lifers are encouraged because of the three justices named by former President Donald Trump, all of whom are Catholic, and one, Amy Coney Barrett, who has made public statements about her opposition to abortion. Barrett has also said she would not let her personal views affect her interpretation of the law. Watch for the left and their media allies to begin lobbying the justices through one-sided TV stories, editorials and op-ed columns about how any restrictions will lead to back-alley abortions. They have similarly behaved on this and other issues favored by the left. "But Who Oversees the Overseers?: The Status of Prison and Jail Oversight in the United States" | Main | Notable data on BOP resistance to compassionate release requests from federal prisoners May 20, 2021 Rounding up a lot of interesting new news and commentary Many days it often seems like there is just too much notable news coverage and good commentary on sentencing matters for me to keep up. Today was one of those days, and so I will catch up with a round-up of headlines and links: From Brittany K. Barnett via USA Today, "Release people incarcerated under draconian marijuana laws" From the Christian Science Monitor, "What Supreme Courts jettisoning of precedent may mean for future" From Daniel Nichanian at The Appeal, "Wins for Larry Krasner and New Allies Signal Reformers' Growing Reach" From the Desert News, "Sen. Mike Lee and Orrin Hatch: Botching criminal justice reform comes at a steep cost" From NorthJersey.com, "NJ allows non-violent drug offenders to apply for new sentences" From NPR, "Congress Wants To Set Up One-Stop Shops To Help Ex-Inmates Stay Out Of Prison" From Udi Ofer at The Hill, "President Biden can prevent over 4,000 people from being sent back to prison" From WSB-TV (Georgia), "Some local judges offering sentence reductions to offenders who get vaccinated" May 20, 2021 at 10:31 PM | Permalink Comments Post a comment WASHINGTON -- President Joe Biden said Friday there has been no shift in his commitment to Israels security, but insisted a two-state solution that includes a state for Palestinians remains the only answer to that conflict. UNITED NATIONS The United States opposes a draft U.N. Security Council resolution calling for a cease-fire in the conflict between Israel and Gazas Hamas rulers. The U.S. says it could interfere with the Biden administrations efforts to end the hostilities. UNITED NATIONS The United Nations chief is urging Israel and Gazas Hamas rulers to observe their cease-fire, and he says the international community must develop a reconstruction package that supports the Palestinian people and strengthens their institutions. A frequent thought among those who can be skeptical about the true intentions of politicians is that the only political party that truly cares about government spending, debts and deficits is the party that is out of power. Given the Iowa Legislatures recent history, it appears local control suffers from a similar ideological malleability. In other words: Iowa state lawmakers think local control is great until they are in control and another government body is doing something they dont like. For recent evidence, look no further than the 2021 session of the Iowa Legislature. With Republicans in complete command of the state-lawmaking process, local control was an oak leaf in a tornado as state lawmakers enacted new mandates that limited the governing options of local school boards, elections officials, county supervisors and city councils and mayors. A bill that was passed in the 11th hour (and signed into law in the 12th) prohibits local governments from enacting public face mask requirements that exceed the states requirement, if any. So if the COVID-19 pandemic flares up again in any corner of the state, those communities will not be allowed to enact face mask requirements unless the state has one. MOVILLE, Iowa -- When Gov. Kim Reynolds signed into law that staff and students no longer needed to wear masks during the school day, she made things a bit easier for Woodbury Central Community School District Superintendent Doug Glackin. "I had scheduled a special session of our school board (for Thursday night) regarding masks," Glackin said. "The governor made the decision for us." The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, meanwhile, recommended that schools continue to use COVID-19 prevention strategies -- including face masks for the remainder of the 2020 - 2021 school year. "The state of Iowa is putting parents back in control of their child's education and taking greater steps to protect the rights of all Iowans to make their own health care decisions," Reynolds said in a statement. "I am proud to be a governor of a state that values personal responsibility and individual liberties. I want to thank the Iowa Legislature for their quick work in bringing this bill to my desk so that it could be signed into law." Districts across the state that still had face mask requirements in place sent alerts to parents and students Thursday morning with the news that masks were no longer required. The first officers to respond to the shooting were skeptical of Jay Lee Neubaum's explanation of what happened. Monona County Sheriff's Deputy Robert Maule testified he saw no broken concrete on the floor to indicate a ricochet. The forensic pathologist who conducted Hopkins' autopsy had testified that after observing the gunshot wound, she didn't believe the slug had ricocheted off the floor. The bullet path had a downward trajectory through Hopkins' head, she said, rather than traveling upward after bouncing off the floor. She doubted that had the slug ricocheted, it would not have had enough energy left to penetrate his skull. And based on metal found inside Hopkins' wound, the slug passed through the car before striking Hopkins. Evidence presented Wednesday showed a bullet hole near the radiator of the car the boys were working on. The hole would have lined up with where Hopkins was crouching when the shotgun was aimed at him, DCI special agent Lynn Olesen said when showing jurors a computerized re-creation of the crime scene. Jaxon Hopkins, 15, and fellow 15-year-old Trace Schroeder testified that Joseph Hopkins was holding the 20-gauge shotgun when he was shot. Investigators found the blood-covered gun, along with Aron Neaubaum's 12-gauge together, across the garage at the crime scene. Lead had several attributes that made it a seemingly ideal component of paint before the health risks were known, while asbestos is fire-resistant and strong, but later became widely known for its carcinogenicity. "Every site can have its own -- kind of its own resume or history, so if it was an auto salvage operation, you might be concerned about petroleum, heavy metals, if it's an old building like across the street (the old auditorium), it could be asbestos or lead-based paint, just as part of the construction," Pins said. "It's fine as it is, but if you remove that material, you've got to treat it with kid gloves." The assessments likely won't begin for at least a few months. The city has up to three years to complete them. The assessments themselves will be performed by contractors. There are essentially two steps to the assessment process, said Charlie Foley, EPA Region 7 brownfields projects officer. The first is sort of a historical assessment of the building and any associated documentation to determine the risk of contamination. The second is physically taking samples from the building or soil. Further assessments may be conducted "as needed." "Nine times out of 10, the assessments say, 'There's really not much here'" Foley said. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Giuliani has maintained through his lawyers that prosecutors had no reason for the raids last month because they had already accessed materials from his Apple iCloud account in 2019. On the same day of the Giuliani searches, a third search warrant was served on a phone belonging to Washington lawyer Victoria Toensing, a former federal prosecutor and close ally of Giuliani and Trump. Her law firm has said she was informed that she is not a target of the investigation. In the letter posted publicly Thursday, prosecutors said the device seized from Toensing was brought to the Southern District of New York, which includes Manhattan, on April 28 and the government sought and obtained a warrant to search for device for evidence of enumerated offenses. Prosecutors also withdrew redactions that had referenced search warrants they obtained in November 2019 for iCloud accounts for Giuliani and Toensing and for an email account belonging to Toensing. They said the government has used a filter team composed of prosecutors and FBI agents who are not part of the criminal probe to review the 2019 materials to safeguard materials protected by attorney-client privilege. Biden and Netanyahu spoke twice Thursday, first after the Israeli Cabinet decided to accept the Egyptian proposal, according to an official familiar with the matter who spoke on the condition on anonymity. There was still about 2 hours to go before the cease-fire went into effect and both U.S. and Israeli officials were concerned that Hamas could fire another barrage of rockets and unravel the agreement. As the deadline drew near, Netanyahu called Biden again to let him know he believed the cease-fire was moving forward. The cease-fire was announced one day after Biden told Netanyahu in a telephone call that he expected significant de-escalation of the fighting by days end, according to the White House. But the prime minister came right back with a public declaration that he was determined to continue the Gaza operation until its objective is achieved. Hours before the cease-fire agreement was reached, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said the Israelis had achieved significant military objectives in their strikes intended to degrade Hamas military capabilities and reiterated that Biden expected the Israelis to start winding down their operations. WASHINGTON (AP) President Joe Biden on Friday said he and South Korean President Moon Jae-in remain deeply concerned about the situation with North Korea, and announced he will deploy a new special envoy to the region to help refocus efforts on pressing Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear weapons program. SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) California workforce regulators will aim for a mid-June easing of workplace mask and social distancing requirements to conform with a broader state order, postponing a vote on whether to revise coronavirus safety rules for employees. Supporters of the bill said short-term plans are mainly for people who are between jobs, employed but trying to find insurance on their own, waiting for an employers coverage to start, or retiring before they're eligible for federal Medicare coverage for people 65 or older. They said companies are up front about what's covered and what's not and are regulated by the state. It is a very much a niche product," said Senate Insurance Committee Chair Jeff Longbine, an Emporia Republican. It really comes down to the consumer being able to choose what they can afford, and if this is what they can afford, it's certainly better than being uninsured. State Sen. Beverly Gossage, a Eudora Republican and insurance agent who championed the bill, said Kelly misunderstood the measure and the issues involved. She said the measure improves an existing option for consumers. She said about 1,800 Kansas residents have short-term plans, and they're in middle-class families that don't qualify for enough of a subsidy to make comprehensive plans in the federal government's online insurance marketplace affordable. Gossage argued that even people wary of short-term plans should support the measure. The statement said Abbas appreciated U.S. efforts to provide humanitarian aid and mobilize the international support necessary for the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip, in coordination with the Palestinian Authority. The U.S. State Department has said that Blinken would visit the region next week to discuss recovery efforts and working together to build better futures for Israelis and Palestinians in the wake of the truce. Blinken and Abbas are to meet during the visit. The cease-fire was brokered by neighboring Egypt after the U.S. pressed Israel to wind down its campaign on Gaza. UNITED NATIONS The United Nations has allocated $18.6 million to Gaza for emergency humanitarian needs and plans to launch a flash appeal next week for funds to cover needs over the next three months. U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said humanitarian chief Mark Lowcock allocated $4.5 million from the U.N.s emergency relief fund for Gaza on Friday, following the cease-fire between Israel and Hamas militants who control the Gaza Strip. Earlier in the week, Lowcock released $14.1 million from the fund. Duluth, MN (55816) Today Scattered thunderstorms developing this afternoon. High 56F. Winds ENE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Cloudy skies after midnight. Low 51F. E winds shifting to WNW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%. It was not clear how Peterson's decision would affect the case against Anthony Fox, which is before a different judge and has not yet gone to trial. He is also Black. The officers worked for the Jackson Police Department at the time. Fox and Barney currently work for the Clinton Police Department. Lampley has been doing desk work in the Jackson Police Department but attorney Francis Springer said he expects Thursday's decision will let him return to patrol duty, the newspaper reported. The officers smiled and hugged their attorneys immediately after the ruling. They were looking at decades in jail, and they didnt do anything wrong, Springer told the newspaper. Their stories never varied, and unfortunately, they werent able to get their story out until now. Hinds County District Attorney Jody Owens said the decision surprised him, WLBT-TV reported. Significant evidence was presented. ... Three eyewitnesses identified that officers did body-slam Mr. Robinson. Medical professionals ... acknowledged that Mr. Robinson died of blunt force trauma, he said. MINNEAPOLIS (AP) A prosecutor who was co-counsel in the case against a former suburban Minneapolis police officer charged in the fatal shooting of Daunte Wright resigned Monday, saying vitriol and partisan politics have made it hard to pursue justice. EMMITSBURG, Md. (AP) Prosecutors in Maryland have found that a sheriffs deputy and Pennsylvania state trooper mistook a 15-year-old bystander for an attempted murder suspect they were chasing last year and fired shots in the teens direction eight times. The teen was not struck. But The Frederick News-Post reports that in a report released Wednesday, prosecutors investigating the October 2020 incident found the use of deadly force was not objectively unreasonable." The Frederick County States Attorneys Office wont pursue criminal charges against the unidentified county deputy or trooper. It was unclear why the shooting involving the teen was not disclosed until seven months after the incident. Frederick County Sheriff Chuck Jenkins said authorities did not intentionally withhold the information. But with the passage of Medicaid Expansion, Plaintiffs and more than 275,000 other Missourians gained the promise of health care benefits under the MO HealthNet, the plaintiffs' attorneys wrote in the lawsuit. They argued that the administration has broken that promise. The plaintiffs also asked that the lawsuit cover the rest of the estimated 275,000 adults who are newly eligible for the program. Spokespeople for Parson and fellow Republican Attorney General Eric Schmitt declined to comment on the pending lawsuit Thursday. Missouris Medicaid program currently does not cover most adults without children, and its income eligibility threshold for parents is one of the lowest in the nation at about one-fifth of the poverty level. Plaintiff Melinda Hille, who has diabetes and thyroid disease and is unable to work, has to choose between medical treatment and food, according to the lawsuit. Stephanie Doyle, who works full time and has three children, can't afford treatment for her eczema and has been hospitalized for severe flare-ups. The last plaintiff is Autumn Stultz, another single mother who works a part-time, minimum-wage job. She can't afford to go to the doctor and has untreated asthma, according to the lawsuit. Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) A gunman killed one central Illinois police officer and wounded another before he was fatally shot during a shootout at an apartment complex early Wednesday, authorities said. A Stinner amendment adopted by the Legislature and attached to the bill (LB64) introduced by Sen. Brett Lindstrom of Omaha provides for a future Legislature to reconsider the reductions at the halfway mark. Total elimination of the state income tax on Social Security benefits in Nebraska would result in a projected $168 million loss in annual state revenue when fully implemented. Linehan said she "thought I was working in good faith with everyone" in developing this year's package of tax bills. "The tax code is a mess," she said. "We are not competitive." During the interim before the 2022 Legislature convenes next January, the Revenue Committee "will look at all our taxes" with an eye to developing proposals for tax reform, Linehan said. Sen. Justin Wayne of Omaha told senators during the debate that he plans next year to raise the issue of what he called "the Black tax" that African Americans pay because they are Black, costs that are measured in terms of economic gaps that impact health care costs, insurance premium rates and opportunity. Paul Trombino has resigned as director of the Iowa Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management four months after taking the job. Gov. Kim Reynolds said Thursday she had accepted Trombinos resignation, effective June 3, as Trombino leaves to pursue other opportunities. From devastating floods in 2019 to the 2020 global pandemic, Paul has worked around the clock to coordinate Iowas emergency response, Reynolds said in a prepared statement. I appreciate his willingness to challenge the status quo to improve efficiency and functionality in state government. I am excited for him as he pursues his next opportunity. An interim director will be named a later date. Trombino, an engineer by training, started as Iowa Department of Transportation director from 2011 to 2016 under Gov. Terry Branstad, Reynolds predecessor. In January 2019, Reynolds brought Trombino back to state government as her chief operations officer. In this position, Trombino coordinated, among other things, the states $50 million contract with Workday, a California software company. Lawmakers criticized the deal for sidestepping traditional competitive bidding. Mexico & Banderas Bay Area News 2021 Vallarta Pride Festival Offers a Week Full of Fun The Organizing Committee of the 'Vallarta Pride 2021' celebration has been busy adding events to the week-long Gay Pride festival, which will be held from May 24th through 31st in the Puerto Vallarta Romantic Zone. Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - The 8th edition of Vallarta Pride, Puerto Vallarta's annual gay pride festival, is set to take place in La Zona Romantica from May 24 to 31, 2021 with a variety of events designed to honor the vibrant LGBT community that live in and visit this popular tourist destination. Non-profit associations, local businesses and the entire LGBT community have joined together to organize this event that celebrates the lifestyle diversity of our city through a variety of fantastic events. However, the famous parade starting the festivities will not happen this year, nor will other events that could draw a large crowd. After last year's event was held virtually due to the pandemic, this year, Puerto Vallarta will welcome some of the hottest international performers and DJs from round the globe. Bianca Del Rio, Crystal Waters, Shangela, Effie Passero, Cecille, Tony Moran, Ben Bakson, Enrico Meloni, Isis Muretech, Brian Kent, Oscar Velazquez, Alberto Sago, Alex Acosta, Jesus Montanez, Liza Rodriguez and Erik Vilar are among the well-known personalities that will be part of this year's Vallarta Pride celebration. Pride celebrations include arts and cultural events, concerts, movies, beach parties, and a variety of fun outdoor performances. They are integral in showing the world Puerto Vallarta's fabulous diversity. For a full list of events and updates, visit the According to Javier Jimenez, vice president of the organizing committee, they will be very respectful and responsible in strictly following all Covid-19 health guidelines in the restaurants, bars, and clubs where the parties for this iconic event will be held. Puerto Vallarta is renowned as a premier LGBT vacation destination in Mexico. The country's first IGLTA member, PV was also honored as the first city in Mexico to be granted Gay Travel Approved status by GayTravel.com. Vallarta Pride has become a staple on the international Pride calendar, and now brings a considerable influx of visitors to the city during what used to be the end of "high season" for tourism. For more information, and to get your tickets for all of the exciting events set to take place during the 2021 Vallarta Pride celebration, visit - The 8th edition of Vallarta Pride, Puerto Vallarta's annual gay pride festival, is set to take place in La Zona Romantica from May 24 to 31, 2021 with a variety of events designed to honor the vibrant LGBT community that live in and visit this popular tourist destination.Non-profit associations, local businesses and the entire LGBT community have joined together to organize this event that celebrates the lifestyle diversity of our city through a variety of fantastic events. However, the famous parade starting the festivities will not happen this year, nor will other events that could draw a large crowd.After last year's event was held virtually due to the pandemic, this year, Puerto Vallarta will welcome some of the hottest international performers and DJs from round the globe. Bianca Del Rio, Crystal Waters, Shangela, Effie Passero, Cecille, Tony Moran, Ben Bakson, Enrico Meloni, Isis Muretech, Brian Kent, Oscar Velazquez, Alberto Sago, Alex Acosta, Jesus Montanez, Liza Rodriguez and Erik Vilar are among the well-known personalities that will be part of this year's Vallarta Pride celebration.Pride celebrations include arts and cultural events, concerts, movies, beach parties, and a variety of fun outdoor performances. They are integral in showing the world Puerto Vallarta's fabulous diversity. For a full list of events and updates, visit the Vallarta Pride website or Facebook page. According to Javier Jimenez, vice president of the organizing committee, they will be very respectful and responsible in strictly following all Covid-19 health guidelines in the restaurants, bars, and clubs where the parties for this iconic event will be held.Puerto Vallarta is renowned as a premier LGBT vacation destination in Mexico. The country's first IGLTA member, PV was also honored as the first city in Mexico to be granted Gay Travel Approved status by GayTravel.com. Vallarta Pride has become a staple on the international Pride calendar, and now brings a considerable influx of visitors to the city during what used to be the end of "high season" for tourism.For more information, and to get your tickets for all of the exciting events set to take place during the 2021 Vallarta Pride celebration, visit vallartapride.org. Site Map Print this Page Email Us Top "For many, this opportunity to live more freely is one of joy and relief," he said. "It's also a moment that came sooner than some expected." But, there is a caveat. Those who haven't been vaccinated will still be expected to use a face mask and practice social distancing while on campus. "It is very important to note these changes only affect those who are fully vaccinated," Green wrote. "As. Dr. (Anthony) Fauci stated, 'It's an assurance to those who are vaccinated that they can feel safe, be they indoors or outdoors.'" Green encouraged members of UNL's community to get vaccinated university officials have said they won't require students to get a shot before returning to campus for the fall semester, however and asked for "goodwill" towards those who continue to wear masks. "Our UNL community successfully navigated this pandemic thus far not only because of our ingenuity, hard work and flexibility, but also because of grace," he said. Reach the writer at 402-473-7120 or cdunker@journalstar.com. On Twitter @ChrisDunkerLJS COLOMBO, Sri Lanka Sri Lanka halted passenger trains and buses for four days as authorities imposed a fresh travel ban across the country, in its latest efforts to curb the escalating number of COVID-19 infections and deaths. Back in March, doughnut chain Krispy Kreme announced that it would give one free glazed ring of dough a day to anyone who got the COVID vaccine for the rest of 2021. As in, you could go back and get one every single day for the rest of the year. The news inspired its own little outrage cycle for a few days there. Now months have passed, a flurry of potentially more exciting freebies has been announced, and it seemed like a good time to ask: No one has actually been going to the trouble of getting a free doughnut every day, right? Wrong. Joe Caramagna, a 45-year-old comics writer in northern New Jersey, has gotten 31 free Krispy Kreme glazed doughnuts since getting vaccinated and has no plans of stopping anytime soon. Between bites, he agreed to speak to Slate about it. Our conversation has been edited and condensed for clarity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Heather Schwedel: How did this promotion with the free Krispy Kreme doughnuts first cross your radar? Joe Caramagna: I heard about it the way everyone did, through social media, through their Twitter account, which I follow very, very intently. I got very excited, of course, and a bunch of tweets were sent my way, given my reputation. Yes, Ive gathered that youre known for being something of a doughnut connoisseur. Its always been my thing. Every time I travel to different cities for comic-cons or whatever, I always Google doughnut shops near me and I try the local doughnut place. This one shop, Broad Street Dough Co. in Oakhurst, New Jersey, they actually let me create my own doughnut special called the Joenut. Advertisement Are there a lot of Krispy Kremes in your area? I didnt even have one within reasonable driving distance until about a year ago. Whats funny is that they built this new Krispy Kreme that Ive been going to. It just opened up the week before my second Pfizer shot, and its within walking distance. Its a mile away. Its kismet, right? When you heard about this, did you know right away that you wanted to try to get a free doughnut every single day? Advertisement Well, when I first heard about it, the Krispy Kreme thats a mile away hadnt opened yet, and all that was there was a sign saying, Coming soon, Krispy Kreme. So I didnt think it would be possible for me to go every day. Ive been taking long walks every morning for the past couple of years to kind of clear my head for work. When they opened the new Krispy Kreme store, its right near my walking route, so that became an added motivator to keep my routine going so Im productive with my job and get more stories written. So it just became, Yeah, of course Im going to go and do this every day. Why wouldnt I? It would be weird not to. Advertisement How did it go the first time you went in for your free doughnut? I just walked in and I just asked for one original glazed doughnut, please, and then proudly held up my little card. They see it, and they say, Oh, vaccination card, OK. And then you see the little screen shows zero dollars and zero cents and they ask you to pick up your free doughnut across the counter on your way out the door. Advertisement And then you just kept going back. The first time I went to get the doughnut, they actually gave me more than one, so I skipped the next day. I didnt want to seem greedy. And I missed a day on the weekend here or there. So far, Ive gotten 31 free doughnuts, and Im on my 40th day of being vaccinated. Advertisement So it hasnt been quite every single day, but Im trying to get as many as I possibly can before the end of the year when the promotion runs out. My goal is to get at least 125. I only came up with that number because when I happened to look at the calendar, I saw there were 250 days left in the year, and I figured that a doughnut every other day would be attainable and somewhat reasonable. Not reasonable to the normal person, but reasonable to me. Are you sure you dont want to up your goal? Maybe go for 200? I have a couple of trips coming up, so I cant really guarantee that Ill get 200. I spend a lot of time at the Jersey Shore in the summer, and they dont have any Krispy Kremes near there, I dont think. I remember checking on a map, and I think the nearest one is about an hour from where I usually am, so thats going to make it difficult. Advertisement Advertisement I wonder if Krispy Kreme is going to regret opening that new store near you. I thought that same thing, but you know how when you go into Krispy Kreme and you can watch the doughnuts being made? Theyre on this conveyor belt and they go through this glaze waterfall to get glazed. Ive seen people back there finding weird shaped doughnuts or doughnuts that didnt flip and get glaze on both sides and they take them off the conveyor belt. I think theyre throwing them out, so I dont feel too bad anymore. At this point, do the employees recognize you? Whats funny is they havent said a word to me. They recognize me, surely, because Im there every day. And sometimes they give me an extra. Theyre like, Oh, I gave you two today. I say, Oh, thank you. But no one asks me, Hey, what are you doing? or Why are you here every day? I gave you two yesterday so you wouldnt be back today. Why are you back today? Advertisement There was one day where I didnt have to order. I walked up to the counter and they said, Will that be all today? before I even said anything. It made me feel a little bit guilty. That was all today. Advertisement Advertisement Have you observed other customers taking advantage of the free doughnuts? Ive seen other people do it. But I havent seen the same person twice do it. Im probably the only one. Im curious to see when this piece runs if anyone reaches out to me and theyre like, Well, thats nothing. Im going twice a day to different Krispy Kremes in disguise. When I first heard about this promotion, I figured theres probably people that go to Krispy Kreme every morning on their way to work, even just to get a coffee. I imagine that a lot of those people are just getting their free doughnut every day, unless they have shame and theyre not like me. Advertisement Do you ever get anything else? Most of the time, just the doughnut. Yesterday, I got a coupon in my email, because of course I have the Krispy Kreme app and I get a notification on my Apple Watch every time my local store turns on the Hot Light, which is exciting Wait, whats the Hot Light? Oh, Krispy Kreme, when the glazed doughnuts are fresh and theyre coming down the conveyor belt and theyre warm, they turn on a light outside that lets you know that the doughnuts are hot. Thats why theres certain times of day where you see cars lined up at the Krispy Kreme drive-thrus. So when Im on my way to Krispy Kreme and I get that little ding on my watch, its the most exciting thing you can imagine, because then I get my Krispy Kreme warm. Advertisement Advertisement Whoa. But finish your story. I get promotional emails from Krispy Kreme because I have the app, and the other day they had a special promotion for Cinco de Mayo where you could get a dozen glazed doughnuts for $5, and I got them, even though I get a doughnut every day. Plus the free one. I always get the free one. Do you eat all these doughnuts? It could get to be a lot of doughnuts. Thats an understatement, right? Its a lot of doughnuts. I dont normally eat the doughnut that I get in the morning for breakfast. I save it for a reward at the end of the day if I feel I had a healthy day and didnt have any fast food or anything that day. Unless the Hot Lights on, then you just got to. Advertisement I let them accumulate. They pile up. Sometimes I have two or three because I didnt eat yesterdays doughnut, so Ill eat it today. I also have three kids. Sometimes one goes mysteriously missing, and I ask around, Hey, who ate my doughnut? And everyone says, Not me. How have people in your life reacted to this doughnut quest? Advertisement My sisters like to make fun of me, either publicly on Facebook or in text. My mom thinks Im ridiculous. And I think it was about the fifth or sixth doughnut that I got from Krispy Kreme where I tossed my little bag of free doughnut onto the kitchen counter and my wife looked at me and said, OK, so this is what were doing now every day? Advertisement Your poor wife. Though Im sure she benefits from the free doughnuts sometimes. My wife does CrossFit, so shes actually in very good shape. She hates that I bring these doughnuts home every day because they tempt her. Shes at the gym every day, unlike me. Well, youre walking. Thats good exercise. I mean, weve done the math, and according to my Apple Watch, I burn 96 calories walking each way to Krispy Kreme, and the original glazed Krispy Kreme doughnut has 190 calories, so Im working on this two-calorie deficit. This is actually good for me. No, there is no war; there is fighting, Israels former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon once told an interviewer in 2001, in the midst of the second intifada. There are daily shooting attacks, roadside bombs, mortar fire. But there is no war in the way that we have known war previously, where the danger is existential and the whole nation is involved. In other words, the violence was a regrettable but manageable long-term state of affairs, rather than a distinct rupture. Advertisement One reason its hard to think of what just transpired in Israel and Palestine as a war is there was never any question of either side winning or even meaningfully shifting conditions on the ground. This makes it all the more grotesque when Israel and Hamas choose to escalate violence. It was clear for the past two weeks that this latest confrontation would end with a return to the status quo. The only question was how many people would die before it happened. Assuming a cease-fire that went into effect at 2 a.m. Friday morning holdsand for the moment it seems likely tothe answer to that question is 232 Palestinians and 12 Israelis. 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. Israeli commanders use the grim metaphor mowing the grass to refer to their periodic assaults on Gaza in the name of killing Hamas militants and degrading the groups arsenal. Implied in the metaphor is an expectation that, before too long, the grass is going to grow back. As for Hamas, theres no hope of any rocket offensive ending the blockade of Gaza or the occupation of the West Bank, or evenin the era of the Iron Domeinflicting serious damage on Israel. Advertisement All the same, while there was no victory in this confrontation, the leaders involved all got more or less what they wanted out of it. For Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the fighting torpedoed a coalition deal among his opponents that was on the verge of finally ousting him. He will now likely stay in power at least until Israel holds its fifth general election in less than three years, when he will run in the aftermath of a military show of strength. The recent violence also makes the prospect of a Jewish-Arab political coalitionthe anti-Bibi blocs best hopeless likely. Netanyahu still faces significant political obstacles, including allies from the right who are now criticizing him for agreeing to a cease-fire too quickly, and governing without a majority from election to election doesnt seem like the most durable long-term political strategy, but it would be foolish to bet against his political survival at this point. Advertisement Advertisement Hamas took the decision on May 9 to begin firing hundreds of rockets at Israel in response to a police crackdown on Palestinian protesters in Jerusalem, knowing that it was likely to provoke a devastating military retaliation from Israel. All in all, despite the carnage in Gaza, the groups leaders and supporters are probably satisfied with what they accomplished over the past two weeks, as evidenced by the celebrations in the streets of Gaza City on Thursday night. While the vast majority of the rockets fired from Gaza were intercepted by the Iron Dome, Hamas did accomplish a milestone by demonstrating an ability to hit Tel Aviv, Israels typically secure commercial capital. And while the group no doubt incurred heavy losses from Israeli airstrikes, its military chief, Muhammad Deif, survived multiple attempts by the Israel Defense Forces to kill him. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, the groups West Bankbased political rival, looks more isolated and irrelevant than ever, and Hamas has inched closer to being the de facto leader of the Palestinian resistance. Advertisement As for the U.S., the Biden administration took some criticism during the conflict for what seemed to be a low-key approach to the violence. Despite pressure from congressional Democrats who are far more comfortable criticizing U.S. support for Israel than they used to be, Biden didnt even call for a cease-fire until eight days into the fighting, and the U.S. vetoed a resolution calling for one at the U.N. Security Council. Secretary of State Antony Blinken spent the week about as far from the Middle East as he could possibly get, focused on Arctic issues on a trip to Iceland and Greenland. Advertisement But all the while, Bidens aides were reportedly making dozens of calls to Israeli and Palestinian officials, as well as governments like Egypt and Qatar that have relations with Hamas. It was Egypt that eventually mediated the cease-fire. Its hard to know from the outside how much these calls accomplished, but what Biden called quiet, relentless diplomacy now looks somewhat vindicated as the fighting stopped much more quickly than many feared it would. At the very least, Blinkens calls from Reykjavik seem to have accomplished as much as John Kerrys high-profile shuttle diplomacy did during the last major round of Gaza fighting in 2014, which lasted for seven weeks, killed more than 2,000, and involved multiple failed cease-fires. Advertisement In the end, all the leaders got more or less what they wanted, while the overall situation continued to deteriorate. The direct casualty numbers for Gaza understate the humanitarian toll for the strip, which is already under a stifling Israeli blockade and the rule of a Hamas government more interested in building its military than caring for its people. Water and sewage systems have been badly damaged. There are shortages of medicine, and the only COVID testing lab was destroyed. Israel is more isolated on the world stage than ever. The IDF did no favors for its coverage in the international press by destroying Associated Press and Al-Jazeera bureaus as well as intentionally deceiving the press to trick Hamas. (Though American right-wingers are still more than willing to bully news outlets into submission or spin wild conspiracy theories on its behalf.) If Israeli leaders hoped when they signed the Abraham Accords with several of their Arab neighbors last year that the Palestinian issue would simply fade from the world stage, they miscalculated. Any illusions that the conflict could be shunted away behind the separation barrier and the Iron Dome were shattered by the rioting that erupted in streets of mixed Jewish-Arab cities. Advertisement Disturbingly, the backlash against Israel has been directed at Jews as a whole in many places, with a spate of recent antisemitic incidents in the U.S., U.K., and elsewhere. Pakistans foreign minister even employed antisemitic slurs, accusing Israel of having deep pockets and controlling the media, in an interview with CNN. The occupation and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict remain as intractable as ever, with dire consequences for those who live there and destabilizing effects on the rest of the world. The fact that outbreaks of extreme violence like we saw this month nevertheless seem to serve the interests of those responsible for them doesnt bode well for them ending anytime soon. On Thursday morning, I heard a woman in Gaza painfully describe how her terrified child clings to her during Israeli strikes. That was followed shortly thereafter by an Israeli Jewish woman describing how her parents were killed in a terror attack as they drove home from a childs birthday party years ago. On Thursday afternoon, I heard from a woman whose Palestinian Christian grandmother fled Haifa for Lebanon in 1948, and from the Jewish French son of Holocaust survivors, who had lived lives of gutting trauma. Later, I heard from an American Palestinian woman who talked about her trips to visit family in Palestine, where she faced multiple IDF checkpoints and searches and harassment unimaginable to most Americans. Advertisement The conversation was happening in an online chat room called Meet Palestinians and Israelis on the Clubhouse app. The room is presently on its fifth day, running continuously since Monday. Clubhouse is audio only. You can see photos of the speakers and their brief bios, but thats all. Mostly on Clubhouse, you find yourself listening. For those of us who cant even with the new apps, this room alone may change your mind. Advertisement Advertisement For most of the day Thursday, there were between 800 and 900 people in the room as I listened in. When I asked on Friday morning, the moderators told me that 105,000 unique people have cycled through, staying on average for four hours. These 18 moderators, mostly young Israelis and Palestinians, but with some facilitators who are neither, are working unbelievably hard to keep the conversation away from relitigating history or from political posturing. Largely they encourage only Israeli Jews and Palestinians to speakto tell their personal stories, without trying to score points. The use of jargon and slogans is gently discouraged, as is whataboutism (they explicitly ask participants not to compare suffering to suffering). Talk of feelings is welcome, although occasionally speakers apologize for appealing to feelings as opposed to fact. An Egyptian Jewish woman described being forced out of Egypt as a child, and relocating to England without her possessions, and a Palestinian man thanked her for telling her story. A Lebanese man furiously described growing up in refugee camps. Some speakers vociferously objected to the idea of hugging it out. Some speakers were in tears because what else is there? Advertisement To say moderating a room filled with raw Israelis and Palestinians during wartime is daunting is an understatement. Midday Thursday, the question of how parents are explaining the situation to their children arose and launched several hours of discussion. Moderators changed their profile pictures to their own childhood photos. A Palestinian man and a Jewish man, both in Brooklyn, realized they must live a few neighborhoods away. A woman whose Indigenous tribe in Central America has now been wiped out altogether talked about what it means to be in this room. A man from Kashmir described growing up in intractable conflict. He has a 1-month-old son. My teenage son, who had been listening next to me for an hour, lit up when a speaker said that children will play with anyone. Just give them Legos and they will play. Advertisement Advertisement Asking pointed questions is encouraged. Does Hamas represent your views? Why cant my family go back to Jerusalem? A Jewish woman said her parents have been warned not to go outside this weekend, because they look too Jewish, while a Muslim man talked about being Muslim in Canada after 9/11. Moderators, who take shifts throughout the days and nights, ensure that questions receive responses. News of the cease-fire toward the end of the day Thursday was taken with a fat grain of salt. One of the moderators noted that everyone will be picking up the pieces for a long time. Another observed that this Clubhouse chatroom is the most well-attended peace negotiation since Oslo. I had the chance to catch up with one of the moderators, Hamza Khan, on Thursday night. To say moderating a room filled with raw Israelis and Palestinians during wartime is daunting is an understatement. Khan is not Palestinian or Israeli; hes a longtime Muslim American peace activist who has worked with Palestinians and Israelis for years. He explained to me that the room is moderated by a team of Palestinians, Israelis, Jews, Christians, and Muslims, with non-Palestinians and non-Israelis acting as third-party neutrals who have broad authority to interrupt and interject during conversations to help settle nerves and reset. No matter how fraught the conversation, one speaker after the next thanks the moderators, who say they have been briefing elected officials and diplomats about their progress in this room. Advertisement Advertisement Reminding everyone that trauma isnt owned by any one narrative or any one constituency is key to help keeping the conversations going and constructive, Khan tells me, but it has to be done with the right tact that reflects the cultural dynamics of the communities we are hoping to build bridges between. His background with Mizrachi and Ashkenazic Jewish communities, as well as his experience mentoring and working with Palestinian youth for the past decade, has helped him through two sleepless night of powerful conversationsthat, plus his love of freshly brewed coffee. I had the Clubhouse room playing on my phone all day Thursday and Friday. My husband and sons have been eavesdropping. Theyre not alone. My children are listening, one woman said. They are listening to this room, to the tone you are taking. You are giving them comfort. But it is not always comfortable. The word triggering surfaces several times every hour. Speakers explain which words set them off and why. This discussion is literally rewiring my brain, said one man. It is an extraordinary thing that technologyits just code someone saidallows a room of 900-plus listeners to come together with gifted, empathetic moderators, across security fences and checkpoints and oceans and generations to talk. Advertisement Longtime peace activist Rabbi Alana Suskin and another moderator, Natalyia Eidelman, told me in an email Friday afternoon that although the original plan was to shut down the room when a cease-fire happened, the decision was made to keep going. Over the days, this event has proven to be a history-making moment of emotional conversations and intimate exchanges, they told me. We now want to continue running this room until there is peace. At one point, an Israeli man who recalled seeing, as a teenager, photos of massacred Palestinians, said that the purpose of this room is to see other people, and also to be seen by others. He is correct, which is ironic, of course, because its all audio. A friend of mine who spent the day in the room on Thursday sent a note: This app, she said, frees people to speak courageously but with some anonymity. Semi-anonymous conversations across the globe permit a certain amount of both vulnerability and bravery. Its what talk radio should be, she wrote. Its somewhere between talk radio and a telephone call. Listening to these disembodied voices describing their own lives, as though they are on an intimate phone call, made me think harder about accusations of both sidesism. Whatever that phrase has come to mean, it sometimes flattens the fact that there are, yes, actual human beings on both sides. That there is, in this bottomless, vicious cycle, a place where two sides can listen to one another, feels both like a miracle of modern technology and also an ancient, nearly lost art. Welcome to this weeks edition of the Surge, your weekly newsletter ranking the top seven figures in Washington that swarms of cicadas are most likely to devour to the bone this summer. This week, we start with a few entries hatin on the GOP, who should have structural advantages heading into the midterms but also cannot go a single week without melting down over how to deal with the aftermath of the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. What a bunch of bums, our Democratic readersany Democrats read this?will say. Then we turn to the Democrats, though, whose leaders have responded to questions about conflict in the Middle East by shutting off all the lights in their offices and hiding under the couches, and also still have no path toward getting anything done on voting rights. This structure is a self-conscious attempt to mimic the course routing of the PGA Championship in Kiawah this weekend, where a lengthy stretch of downwind holes (fun!) abruptly turns into a lengthy stretch of holes into the wind (pain). For those who didnt unsubscribe and report us for abuse after that last sentence, lets talk some Mitch. This article is part of the Free Speech Project, a collaboration between Future Tense and the Tech, Law, & Security Program at American University Washington College of Law that examines the ways technology is influencing how we think about speech. After 11 days of fighting, Israel and Hamas agreed to a cease-fire on Thursday, with both groups claiming victory. At least 243 people, including children participating in a program intended to help them deal with trauma, were killed in Gaza. In Israel 12 people, including two children, were killed. During the violence, social media platforms allowed some voices to be heard, while others were silenced. On May 11, Twitter temporarily restricted the account of Palestinian American writer Mariam Barghouti, who was reporting on protests against the expulsion of Palestinians from their homes in East Jerusalem. Twitter later said it was an accident. Twitter was also the platform where Israels official account tweeted more than 3,000 rocket emoji and said they represented the total amount of rockets shot at Israeli civilians. Each one of these rockets is meant to kill. A user replied with more than 100 children emoji, the number of Palestinian kids killed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Instagram also made significant mistakes. The platform removed posts and blocked hashtags about the Al-Aqsa Mosque, the place where the conflict started, because its content moderation system mistakenly associated the site with a designation the company reserves for terrorist organizations. Facebook, which owns Instagram, announced Wednesday that it had set up a special operation center that will be active 24 hours a day to moderate hate speech and violent content related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. To learn more about how platforms have struggled with posts around the latest Israel-Palestine violence, I talked to Dia Kayyali, a researcher who focuses on the real-life impact of content moderation, and related topics. They are the associate director for advocacy at Mnemonic, an organization devoted to documenting human rights violations and international crimes in Syria, Yemen, and Sudan. Our conversation has been edited and condensed for clarity. Advertisement Delia Marinescu: Do you think Twitter should have taken action on Israels rocket-emoji tweets? If so, what would you have liked to see? Dia Kayyali: That tweet specifically is offensive, but I dont think that it necessarily should get removed. It doesnt necessarily constitute a threat, so I dont think that on its surface that it actually necessarily violates Twitters rules. And also its not necessarily spreading misinformation, so it doesnt necessarily need to be labeled. Now, there are other tweets that Ive seen where they are justifying their actionsfor example, Im sure you saw the YouTube video that got removed. Advertisement Thats the sort of thing platforms need to be paying attention to and probably need to be labeling some of that content as misleading. Advertisement Last week, Instagram and Twitter blamed technical errors for deleting posts mentioning the possible eviction of Palestinians from East Jerusalem. Instagram said in a statement that an automated update caused content reshared by multiple users to appear as missing, affecting posts on other topics as well, and said it was sorry to hear that Palestinians felt that they had been targeted. Do you buy that explanation? Does this tell us anything about how these content moderation algorithms work more broadly? I absolutely do not buy this explanation. If you are going to do some sort of update and you know how people are using your platform, thats the moment you chose to do it? Absolutely not. Its also not how they roll out updates. You dont just roll out an update without testing it in different places, so every time, for example, that Facebook or Instagram makes some small change, like they change the reporting flow, they test that in small place. Even if it were a mistake, which I dont believe, it still reflects just total negligence toward human rights of Palestinians. Advertisement Advertisement So do you think it was censorship? Yes, I absolutely believe it was censorship. Censorship means government action, so its hard to talk about censorship when were talking about platforms. But in this case we know how close Facebooks relationship is with the Israeli governmentwe know how rapidly they respond to Israeli government requests. Every public indication is that its happening because theyre listening to one side of the story and agreeing with it. Last week, Instagram also removed posts and blocked hashtags about the Al-Aqsa Mosque because its content moderation system mistakenly associated the site with a designation the company reserves for terrorist organizations. How was that possible? How does content moderation work in a situation like this? Advertisement This is, again, unfortunately not a new issue. There is an ongoing issue where they associate certain words that are pretty well-known in our community with terrorists and violent extremists. The fact they keep making that claim over and over again when they are such a huge company with practically limitless resources is really disingenuous. Al-Aqsa Mosque is not the only phrase that has been associated that way. For example, Shaheed appears on the slur list, but its also a common name in the region. Advertisement Earlier this week, a group of 250 Jewish Google employees called on the company to increase its support of Palestinians amid Israels deadly bombing campaign in Gaza. Among other things, they ask Google leadership to reject any definition of anti-Semitism that holds that criticism of Israel or Zionism is anti-Semitic. Why is this letter important, and how do you think Google should manage this situation? Advertisement I was incredibly overwhelmed with gratitude to see that letter. I hope that Google responds. Unfortunately Im not very [optimistic]. Google has kind of been willing to have a lot of bad PR lately around issues like this. Israeli extremists have formed more than 100 new groups on WhatsApp in recent days to target attacks. Since WhatsApp cannot read the encrypted messages on its service, what kind of measures could this platform and Telegramwhich is similartake? I think thats one of the hardest questions to answer in this whole situation. Because we saw something really, really similar in India, where Ive done a lot of work. Content really encouraging violence is being spread in these sorts of groups. I think some of the same things that were helpful there will be helpful here. In India I think in certain times they put limits on how many times you can forward things, so that helps in the spread of misinformation. But I dont think there is a technical solution right now that doesnt harm encryption. To be frank, we know that when law enforcement cares about extremist violence, they are able to infiltrate those groups, and it would not be difficult here. So, it shouldnt have to be a WhatsApp solution. People want the solution to be in the technology, but this is also a human problem. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As far as Facebook is concerned, most Palestinians are Hamasthats how they treat content coming from the region. Dia Kayyali Theres no question that encryption is completely necessary for a lot of human rights defenders. Particularly right now, people inside of Palestine are using heavily surveilled and controlled internet connections. So its one of those tools thats incredibly important and also can be harmful. Facebook set up a special operation center that is active 24 hours a day to moderate hate speech and violent content related to the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict, a senior Facebook executive said Wednesday. What are the most urgent solutions they can implement? In sort of typical fashion, myself and other advocates who are working on this found out when they made the announcement. To be honest with you, hearing about this feels a bit like whats the point of having a special operation center if youre going to continue to have these incredibly close relationships with the Israeli government and not take the other side of the conversation seriously? It doesnt feel like its going to be helpful. It feels like itll probably result in more removal. Advertisement I think they should be a little bit clear on what theyre trying to do with this special operation center. We know that Facebook failed horribly in Myanmar, but once they got a lot of bad press, they did work with Myanmar civil society and they instituted some tools and policies that were helpful. Here, they said they are working with native Arabic and Hebrew speakers. Having appropriate language capacity is always an issue, so its good they will have native speakers, but they need to have people that actually speak the appropriate dialect. Arabic, its not one language. Advertisement As far as Facebook is concerned, most Palestinians are Hamasthats how they treat content coming from the region. Its great if theyre putting more resources on this, but its not going to help if theyre not doing it conscientiously to address the problems that civil society keeps bringing up. Advertisement Whats needed is really some co-design of policies and more transparency into the policies. So understanding where automation is being used in the process, where automation makes a decision, and where it is a person. So at what point is the bias creeping in? I mentioned the specific example of the word Shaheed appearing to trigger their automated removal. Thats one of the places where they should be working with civil society to make sure they are not accidentally or on purpose capturing things that are going to include a lot of protected speech. I am curious if the special operation center is intended to rapidly respond to user appeals. That would be something really helpful. Would you like to add something that I didnt ask you and you consider important? Advertisement The International Criminal Court announced in March that it was going to be conducting an investigation into human rights violations in Palestine-Israel. And Israel made it clear that they are not going to cooperate with the investigation. They are not a member of ICC, but just a few weeks ago the prosecutor warned against potential crimes against humanity taking place. The ICC doesnt have all of the traditional tools of a court to get evidence. So it has increasingly been considering the use of social media content as evidence. And in fact, in 2017 they issued a warrant for a war criminal based on videos that they found on Facebook. So the point is that this content is useful and important for a lot of reasons, and one of them may be for actually prosecuting crimes that are happening, or for conducting a thorough ICC investigation. And that type of content is also getting deleted. Its actually evidentially content that we are talking about. Update, May 21, 2021: This article was updated out of concern for safety. Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University that examines emerging technologies, public policy, and society. The girl moved in with Pennington and her mother on Feb. 21, 2020. It was unclear why the girl did not move in when her mother did about one week prior. At some point in the late evening Feb. 21, Pennington said he didnt like the way (the girl) was acting and sat her down to have a talk. according to the affidavit. Pennington spanked the child off and on throughout the night and until the next morning, according to the affidavit. The mother claimed she tried to stop Pennington, but he told her that the child had bruises from the assaults and if she tried to leave she would be arrested for allowing him to abuse the child. Throughout the night and next day Pennington spanked (the child) dozens of times approximately every few minutes, according to the affidavit. Over the ensuing weekend, Pennington also bound the childs hands together and her abdomen to a table with a belt or strap while he continued to assault her with a piece of wood multiple times, according to the affidavit. Pennington put a shock collar around the childs neck on Feb. 24, 2020, according to the affidavit. Two Clifton Forge residents were charged with abducting Noah, and Commonwealths Attorney Bobby Lilly said the abduction was not connected to Graves case. At Wednesdays bond appeal hearing, which Graves attended via a video link from jail, attorney Chris Tuck of Blacksburg argued that his client needed to be freed so that he could assist in his own defense. Graves is being held in special protective custody within the jail and does not get to use a telephone until 10:30 p.m., which has kept Graves and Tuck from communicating, Tuck said. Tuck noted that Graves is a lifelong resident of Giles and Montgomery counties, that he has no past criminal history, and that if allowed out on bond, he would live with relatives in Montgomery County and have no contact with his alleged victim. But Assistant Commonwealths Attorney Anthony Needham ran through a description of the accusations against Graves that added numerous details to what had been said publicly about the case. Needham said Graves had asked the boy, a member of his church youth group, for pictures of the boys penis and called it a trust-building exercise, Needham said. Comment Policy Calaveras Enterprise does not actively monitor comments. However, staff does read through to assess reader interest. When abusive or foul language is used or directed toward other commenters, those comments will be deleted. If a commenter continues to use such language, that person will be blocked from commenting. We wish to foster a community of communication and a sharing of ideas, and we truly value readers' input. LIMON, Colo. (AP) A sheriffs deputy was in serious but stable condition Thursday after being hit by a hail of gunfire while trying to stop merchandise from being stolen from a truck parked along the highway during a foggy night on Colorados eastern plains, authorities said. The suspected gunman was later found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot about 1,000 yards (914 meters) away after officers from around the sparsely populated but close-knit rural region poured in to help, Capt. Michael Yowell of the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office said. Deputy Michael Hutton, one of just 10 deputies who work for the agency, was approaching the back of an open tractor-trailer as items were being pulled off it when he was wounded multiple times, Yowell said. Hutton retreated, hid and stayed upright until help arrived but was not able to communicate with responding officers and was taken to a hospital in the Denver area. Other officers were able to download the footage from his body camera to see what had happened and use that information to help the search for the gunman, Yowell said. Gonzales also pushed back on the content of the study, noting that there have been conversations about the role of law enforcement in community, extremism and the role of the First Amendment but none have been inward looking on those topics. Where is the place to have the conversation around extremism within law enforcement? she said. I raise the question because last summer, community members were coming to me having the conversations around Three Percenters who were within the National Guard, Three Percenters who where in law enforcement agencies. The Three Percenters are an anti-government militia group who were among the extremists who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6. Stephen Schulz, president of the Colorado Fraternal Order of Police, said he did not know whether extremism within law enforcement would be included in the State Patrol-led study. Gonzales also asked the witnesses if it was an issue worth talking about. If theres any bad actors in law enforcement ... if its brought forward, those are investigated by the agencies and matters are handled the way that they should be appropriately, Schulz said. As far as extremism in law enforcement, I dont have an answer for that. When I was growing up, my mother would constantly tell me to mind my attitude. This most often occurred while I was doing household chores at her request. What she meant was for me to not only respect her but also be gracious and grateful, even while doing chores. I heard what she was saying but did not understand what she was asking, nor did my attitude approve -- for years. How, I asked myself, could I be anything other than aggravated, peeved, irritated and upset? Wow, was I wrong. It was not until decades later that I understood what she meant. Jackie Gingrich Cushman Jackie Gingrich Cushman writes a weekly human-interest column for Creators Syndicate that focuses on current events and political issues. While we cannot control our circumstances, including the chores of life and the friction created by our interaction with others, we can control how we think and what meaning we give to the actions and activities of others. This frames how we react to those actions and activities; our change in attitude then creates changes in those around us. As a teenager, I sometimes cleaned the baseboards in our house, but I lived in a house that provided shelter. I sometimes washed and dried the dishes, but I had food to eat. Decades later, I have come to realize that the way we approach life influences the way life unfolds before us. We each get to choose to be grateful for what we have or be frustrated by what we dont have. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Balloons and birthdays go hand-in-hand, but the balloon Tom Postons family surprised him with Wednesday was a little bigger than usual: a hot air balloon. Its a once in a lifetime experience that I will remember for the rest of my years, Poston said. And a beautiful evening enjoying Gods creation. The 100-year-olds birthday was May 5, but the weather didnt cooperate with his familys plans, pushing this unexpected gift back until the conditions were right for his short flight. The family came out to Big oh! Balloons in eastern Iredell County for Postons flight at the Cool Spring Balloonport. Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} It was something hes never done. He was in the Air Force and flew there as a flight engineer, his daughter, Carolyn Bartlett said about their surprise. We thought wed send him back up in the air again. While it was the former Iredell Schools superintendents first hot air balloon ride, he said he had flown over Catawba and Iredell in the past on smaller aircraft with a friend of his. We almost didnt get off the ground because he forgot to set the stabilizer, Poston said while recalling his previous adventure. New England the most heavily vaccinated region in the U.S. is giving the rest of the country a possible glimpse into the future if more Americans get vaccinated. Church thankful for program support Bethany Lutheran Church thanks the following programs supporting our Weekend Go Bags for Hungry Kids in Kelso, Kalama and Longview. We have partnered with the Faith Food Bank in Kelso, the Eat and Thrive Program and the Family Community Resource Center in Longview, and the United Methodist Church in Kelso, who together are providing more than 600 bags of food per month children can eat on weekends at home when there is no free school lunch available. Evangelical Lutheran Church of America has provided more than $16,000 over three years. The Longview Healthcare Foundation has provided $4,000 over two years. Amerigroup has provided more than $5,000 this year. United Way Phase 38 has provided $3,000 this year. Finally, the Firstenburg Foundation of Vancouver has just granted us $10,000 for the coming summer and school year. We also thank the Kelso and Longview school districts administration and their homeless counselors/liaisons for supporting this program and distributing the food bags. We are deeply grateful for the support that helps keep our children healthy, fed and prepared to learn in our schools. Barbara J. Clausen, Crypto markets are showing signs of recovery after Wednesdays dramatic selloff. Bitcoin hovered near the $42,000 mark and Ether rebounded as investors tried to make sense of the crash that wiped away billions and shattered the notion of crypto as a maturing asset class. You cant keep a good dip buyer down for long in the financial markets these days, and cryptos are no different, said Jeffrey Halley, a senior market analyst at Oanda. The mass liquidation yesterday will have thinned out the ranks of believers. Volatility has dominated crypto markets, with Bitcoin plunging and surging more than 30% within a few hours on Wednesday. The carnage kicked off last week, when Tesla Inc. billionaire Elon Musk criticized Bitcoin for wasting energy and backtracked on a decision to allow crypto transactions. Losses accelerated after China warned that digital tokens cant be used for payments. It is still our best-performing allocation so far this year even after, you know, a 30% to 40% dislocation,Troy Gayeski, co-chief investment officer at Skybridge Capital, said on Bloomberg TV. The key is whatever size at cost youre comfortable with, let the bull market play out, tolerate the volatility and have confidence that ultimately by the end of this year you will be at a meaningfully higher price. While all were proximate causes cited for the rout, the liquidation frenzy Wednesday morning was sentiment-driven and disorderly, with the coin dropping thousands of dollars in a matter of minutes. Selling gave way to more selling as investors lured into crypto in search of a quick buck bolted for the exits. It all accelerated when Bitcoin fell below its average price for the past 200 days. On Thursday, the mood in the market was quieter, with traders looking for the next technical levels and speculating whether prices have become oversold. Bitcoin gained 11% to $42,013 as of 9:54 a.m. in New York. Ether added 15% to $2,919. Halley at Oanda said Bitcoins round numbers will be important to watch. $30,000.00 is the line in the sand now, and another capitulation wave will follow if it breaks, he said, adding that if prices can hold above $40,000, then itll draw investors looking to get back into the action. This market presents opportunities for people now, but I think you will see people wait and let it settle, said Todd Morakis, co-founder of digital-finance product and service provider JST Capital. Reliance Retail and Reliance Fashion have approached the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) seeking its permission to hold meetings of their shareholders and creditors to consider and approve the proposed merger with Future Group's retail, logistics and warehousing business in a 24,713 crore deal. The Mumbai bench of NCLT had on Wednesday reserved its order over the application moved by the step-down firms of Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL). "The court (NCLT) has reserved the order. It will pass it on June 21," said senior advocate Janak Dwarkadas, who represented Reliance in the matter before the tribunal. The application was filed by Reliance Retail and Reliance Fashion seeking approval to call meetings of their respective members and creditors for the purpose of considering the scheme by which the retail, logistics and warehousing business of the Future Group would be merged into these Reliance companies, Dwarkadas added. On August 29, 2020, Future Group had announced that its retail and wholesale business would be sold to Reliance Retail in a 24,713 crore deal. The deal, which is being contested by Amazon, is facing legal hurdles. A decision by the Supreme Court is pending over a petition filed by the US-based e-commerce major. Amazon declined to comment on a query sent by PTI on the development, saying the matter is sub-judice. Future Group did not respond till the time of filing of the story. Future Group has already moved NCLT seeking its permission to call a meeting of its shareholders to approve the deal. The tribunal has reserved its orders over its plea. The scheme of arrangement entails the consolidation of the Kishore Biyani-led Future Group's retail and wholesale assets into one entity -- Future Enterprises Ltd and then transferring it to Reliance Retail Ventures Ltd (RRVL), as per the deal that was announced in August last year. Earlier in April this year, Reliance Retail extended the timeline to complete the deal by six months till September 30, 2021. The Future-Reliance deal, which was announced on August 29, 2020, has already received clearance from regulators such as CCI, SEBI and the bourses. The scheme of arrangement is now awaiting nod from the NCLT and shareholders. Though the Supreme Court has granted a go-ahead to the NCLT for its proceedings, it has asked the tribunal not to pass any final order sanctioning the scheme. Amazon and Future Group have been locked in a bitter legal tussle after the US e-commerce giant dragged Future Group to arbitration at the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC), arguing that the latter had violated their contract by entering into the deal with rival Reliance. Amazon had invested in Future Coupons in August 2019 with an option of buying into the flagship Future Retail after a period of three to 10 years. On October 25, 2020, an interim award was passed in favour of Amazon with the single-judge bench of V K Rajah barring Future Retail from taking any step to dispose of or encumber its assets or issuing any securities to secure any funding from a restricted party. A woman speaks on her phone near the logo for Douyin in Beijing on Wednesday, March 31, 2021. China's internet watchdog said Friday, May 21, 2021 it had found Bytedance's Douyin, Microsoft Bing, LinkedIn and 102 other apps were engaged in improper collection and use of data and ordered them to fix the problem. Credit: AP Photo/Ng Han Guan China's internet watchdog said Friday it had found Bytedance's Douyin, Microsoft Bing, LinkedIn and 102 other apps were engaged in improper collection and use of data and ordered them to fix the problem. The Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) said that the 105 apps violated laws by excessively collecting and illegally accessing users' personal information, according to a statement posted on its site Friday. Other companies it named included short video app Kuaishou, search engine Sogou and Baidu. The watchdog said companies had to fix the problems within 15 working days or face legal consequences. The CAC has stepped up scrutiny of Chinese apps as authorities beef up protection of personal information protection and seek to prevent breaches of online privacy. One concern in China and elsewhere is that many internet companies have collected excessive user information to target consumers with advertisements. The crackdown comes even as the Chinese government itself collects information about its citizens on a massive scale. Critics accuse the authorities of using facial recognition to profile and track Uyghurs in Xinjiang, where over a million have been detained in "re-education" camps. Provisions outlining how apps should collect personal information came into effect May 1. They hold app makers accountable for excessive data collection and collection of information without users' consent. In this Jan. 25, 2019, file photo, Microsoft Corp.'s Bing search engine page is seen on a computer screen in Beijing. China's internet watchdog said Friday, May 21, 2021, it had found Bytedance's Douyin, Microsoft Bing, LinkedIn and 102 other apps were engaged in improper collection and use of data and ordered them to fix the problem.Credit: AP Photo/Andy Wong, File A woman speaks on her phone near the logo for Douyin in Beijing on Wednesday, March 31, 2021. China's internet watchdog said Friday, May 21, 2021 it had found Bytedance's Douyin, Microsoft Bing, LinkedIn and 102 other apps were engaged in improper collection and use of data and ordered them to fix the problem. Credit: AP Photo/Ng Han Guan The internet watchdog earlier ordered security apps developed by Tencent Holdings and Alibaba Group Holding to stop gathering information from users without their consent. Technology companies in China are facing increasingly harsh scrutiny as authorities seek to counter the influence of giant companies like Alibaba and Tencent. The broad range of services they provide, from payments and e-commerce to gaming and messaging has made them ubiquitous in everyday life. Earlier this year, authorities imposed a record $2.8 billion fine on Alibaba for violations of anti-monopoly rules. Food delivery company Meituan is currently under investigation for alleged anticompetitive behavior. Dozens of other internet companies including Baidu, Tencent and ride-hailing firm Didi Chuxing have also been fined for not properly disclosing investments or acquisitions. Explore further China regulator fines 12 firms over anti-monopoly law 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Named after the Baltic goddess of the sun, Saule Technologies makes sheets of solar panels using a novel inkjet printing procedure invented by company founder Olga Malinkiewicz. A Polish company on Friday launched the world's first industrial production line of solar panels based on groundbreaking perovskite technology, which could revolutionise access to solar power. Named after the Baltic goddess of the sun, Saule Technologies makes sheets of solar panels using a novel inkjet printing procedure invented by company founder Olga Malinkiewicz. "We're scaling up, going from laboratory to production line," said Malinkiewicz, whose firm is based in the southern city of Wroclaw. The cutting-edge technology has been in the works for close to a decade but the plant opening comes at a fortuitous time, as the EU member is experiencing a solar boom. Poland has long relied on coal for most of its energy needs but under an EU plan to cut emissions, its mines are set to shut by 2049. Photovoltaic panels coated with perovskite film are light, flexible and can easily be fixed to almost any surface to produce electricity even inside buildings. Manufacturing costs are down thanks to the inkjet printing procedure for perovskites, which makes it possible to produce the panels under lower temperatures. Malinkiewicz developed the processing method in 2013 while still a PhD student at the University of Valencia in Spain. Saule Technologies has received funding from Poland's green energy leader Columbus Energy and multimillionaire Japanese investor Hideo Sawada. Her discovery earned her an article in the journal Nature as well as an award from MIT and top spot in a competition organised by the European Commission. Now, "we're opening the world's first factory of perovskite solar cells," she told AFP. She said "demand already exceeds production capacity", which is estimated initially at an annual 40,000 square metres (430,550 square feet). In the Himalayas and outer space The first commercial orders have come in from the Internet of Things and construction sectors. The technology involved consists of printing layers of photovoltaic cells onto transparent plastic sheets. The panels can be made very small or large, and can also be cut down in size or glued together to cover greater surface areas. "We use synthetic perovskites that can achieve considerable efficiency and power and which we don't have to extract from nature," Malinkiewicz said at the factory's inauguration. Photovoltaic panels coated with perovskite film are light, flexible and can easily be fixed to almost any surface to produce electricity even inside buildings. She told AFP that the perovskite solar modules were tested in outer space simulators, "to excellent results". A pliant perovskite solar panel the size of an A3 sheet of paper "proved successful as a phone charger and other kinds of electronic equipment during a Himalayan expedition, under extreme weather conditions," she said. The company, whose team numbers 70 people from 15 countries, has received funding from Poland's green energy leader Columbus Energy and multimillionaire Japanese investor Hideo Sawada. Olga Malinkiewicz, founder of Polish firm Saule Technologies, says a a pliant perovskite solar panel the size of an A3 sheet of paper "proved successful as a phone charger" during a Himalayan expedition. The firm is now preparing to launch on the Warsaw Stock Exchange and is also mulling new factories in Europe or perhaps Japan. "Of all the photovoltaic systems in Europe, only four percent are manufactured on the continent," said Malinkiewicz. "We're on the same page as the European Union when it comes to the importance of building them in our region," she added. Explore further Coal-fired Poland turns toward the sun 2021 AFP Credit: Rafapress / Shutterstock The massive digital platform market has until recently been dominated by a handful of US-based companies such as Facebook and Google. However, as foreign governments and competing platforms try to erode this domination, platforms are becoming a new sphere of geopolitical maneuvering. The European Union wants to gain more control over international tech companies and achieve more independence in the digital arena. India has banned 177 Chinese apps on the grounds they are "prejudicial to the sovereignty and integrity of India". And in 2020, the then US President Donald Trump spent months attempting to ban the Chinese-made video-sharing platform TikTok or force its sale to an American owner. While some claimed Trump was piqued by a supposed prank against him by teenage TikTok users, a look at statements from US government officials over the course of the year shows geopolitical concerns were the main driver. If governments are continue to be driven by "digital nationalism", the US-based big tech companies are likely to continue to dominate. TikTok is the first major non-US platform TikTok is the first social media platform born outside the United States to become a significant rival to Silicon Valley incumbents such as Facebook and Instagram. The short-form video platform rose to prominence in 2019 and, by early 2020, was the most downloaded app globally. Since its rise, TikTok has come under intense criticism from governments around the world, who question whether ByteDance, the company that owns TikTok, sufficiently protects users' data against access by the Chinese state. However, the way TikTok treats user data is not very different from what its US counterparts do. There is little to suggest the platform poses any singular national security threat. The company releases transparency reports similar to those of Google and Facebook. A CIA assessment reportedly concluded there was no evidence the Chinese government had intercepted TikTok data. TikTok's Chinese origins can be used to oversimplify the platform's actual territorial connection to China. ByteDance was founded in China but it is incorporated in the Cayman Islands and operates as a multinational with subsidiaries in Australia, the US, the UK and Singapore. Platform geopolitics The backdrop to Trump's stance towards TikTok was an intensifying contest between the US and China over the strategic value of the digital environment. Who gets to extract economic value from the platform economy? Who gets to exert ideological influence through vast sociotechnical systems? Who enjoys strategic advantages from control over and access to data and infrastructure? As today's global tech platforms have developed, they have largely mirrored the shape of classical geopolitics: the US has dominated. Recently, however, Chinese technology firms have flourished, expanding China's economic and strategic capacities. Trump's TikTok challenge TikTok teens may have successfully pranked Trump, but his actions and rhetoric fit within a geopolitical agenda articulated by others within the administration. On June 24, 2020, US national security advisor Robert O'Brien spoke publicly on the topic of the Chinese government's "ideology and global ambitions". He warned China posed a threat to US citizens and explicitly implicated TikTok. Two weeks later, on July 6, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo suggested TikTok should be treated like Huawei, the Chinese telecommunications company that is effectively banned in the US. On July 31, 2020, Trump announced he was planning to ban TikTok. Several days later, Microsoft released a statement explaining that its representatives had spoken to Trump directly regarding the acquisition of TikTok. When questioned about his talks with Microsoft, Trump stated: "[] it can't be controlled, for security reasons, by China. Too big, too invasive, and it can't be." On August 5, 2020, the US Department of State announced an expansion of its Clean Network program, which has the stated objective of "guarding our citizens' privacy and our companies' most sensitive information from aggressive intrusions by malign actors, such as the Chinese Communist Party". Expansions to the program included five policies aimed at reducing the presence of China in the US. These policies limited the use of Chinese telecommunication carriers, applications sold in app stores and pre-installed on devices, cloud services and undersea cables. The following day, Trump issued an executive order forcing the sale of TikTok to a US company on the grounds that TikTok posed a threat to "the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States". Ultimately Trump's executive orders were blocked in the courts and the ban and forced sale never implemented. The rise of digital nationalism TikTok provides welcomed competition to the platform incumbents. If real competition in the sector were to increase, requiring the incumbent platforms to compete for users, we might see further innovations in the platform market and a less concentrated tech sector. So far, however, the US government has explicitly focused on the geopolitical implications of the rise of a Chinese platform. Whether the Biden administration will continue this approach remains to be seen. Both the US and China have a long history of shielding strategically important industries. For those concerned with increasing competition and diluting the concentrated power of the dominant technology firms, the rise of digital nationalism is a new obstacle. Moving forward, policymakers may need to overcome nationalistic impulses if they are to increase global competition in the international platform market. And both US and Chinese rule must be rejected if we are to decentralize power within the digital environment. Explore further TikTok taps new CEO from Chinese parent firm This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. In this Friday, May 14, 2021 file photo, activists of the campaign network Campact demonstrate in front of the headquarters of the internet company Facebook in Hamburg, Germany, under the slogan "Stop the WhatsApp data theft". Turkey's competition watchdog said Friday, May 21, 2021 it was told by WhatsApp that the chat app won't apply a controversial privacy update following an investigation, but the announcement was contradicted by the Facebook-owned app, which said it still plans to roll out the update for Turkish users. Credit: Daniel Reinhardt/dpa via AP, file Turkey's competition watchdog said Friday it was told by WhatsApp that the chat app won't apply a controversial privacy update following an investigation, but the announcement was contradicted by the Facebook-owned app, which said it still plans to roll out the update for Turkish users. It's a fresh sign of the confusion between regulators and the tech company over the update to WhatsApp's terms of service and privacy rules, which has raised concerns that users are being forced to agree to share more of their data with Facebook. Germany last week ordered Facebook to stop processing WhatsApp user data over concern about the changes. The changes were initially announced at the start of the year but delayed after a backlash sparked by a wave of confusion and misinformation among users, including those in Turkey. Users were given a May 15 deadline to agree to the update. Turkish users, worried about the possible sharing of their personal information, began downloading alternative messaging applications such as Signal, Telegram or the Turkish app, Bip, which was developed by mobile phone operator Turkcell. Many chose to close down their WhatsApp accounts even though the messaging app assured that the content of messages would remain encrypted. Turkey's Competition Board, meanwhile, had launched an investigation into Facebook and WhatsApp over a possible violation of Article 6 of Turkey's competition laws, which bar companies from "abusing their dominant positions." In a brief statement Friday, the competition watchdog said it had been notified by WhatsApp that the update "will not come into effect for any user in Turkey, including users who approved it." WhatsApp however, disputed the Turkish notice. "It is not the case that we no longer intend to roll out the update in Turkey," it said in a statement. "We continue to discuss next steps with the relevant authorities and we remain fully committed to delivering secure and private communications for everyone." WhatsApp insisted that the update does not "expand our ability to share data with Facebook and does not impact the privacy of personal messages with friends or family." "We continue to roll out our update gradually around the world and the majority of people who have received it have accepted," it said. The company has pointed out previously that the update is related only to messages between businesses and customers. A week ago, a German privacy watchdog issued an emergency order banning Facebook from gathering data on WhatsApp users, over concern the updated policy was in breach of stringent European data protection rules. Explore further German watchdog bans Facebook from processing WhatsApp data 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. The two biggest Golden Isles Chamber of Commerce fundraisers of the year, Chamber Experience and Business & Bites, have been combined into one event for the first time. And it wont be the last. Looking for in-depth reporting on labor issues? You're in the right place. Subscribe to The Chief and get stories that cover every side of civil service in New York City and beyond. You can sign up in minutes for immediate access. Some Texans are also struggling to find a job that accommodates their child care responsibilities, especially if their children are learning virtually or need to be home-schooled. Other Texans still have fears of going back to work in-person and catching COVID-19 themselves or spreading it to their high-risk friends and family members. Gabrielle Mcginnis, a server and bartender in San Antonio, said she has had to home school her son, who has autism and is non-verbal, when he faced difficulties learning remotely. She said shed like to get a job working from home, but shes been unable to find one that pays enough to cover her bills and works with her sons schedule. I'm definitely getting less on unemployment compared to when I was working. I've had to cut back a lot and just make do with what we got. We're not starving, but our quality of life has gone down for sure, Mcginnis said. Next month, it's gonna be really bad because my partner just got laid off from his job, too. I'm not really sure what we're gonna do. Mcginnis said shes gone back to being a bartender for one night a week, but she said customers can be rude and she is now looking for other opportunities. While she is vaccinated, she said she is still nervous about getting sick and infecting her vulnerable family members with the coronavirus, not all of whom are vaccinated yet. Abbott has said he would sign into law a "constitutional carry" proposal. Schaefer's House Bill 1927 would eliminate the requirement for Texas residents to obtain a license to carry handguns if theyre not barred by state or federal law from possessing a gun. Permitless carry, long sought by gun rights activists, saw a breakthrough in April when the House passed HB 1927. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick initially said the Senate did not have the votes for it, but he created a new committee, referred HB 1927 to it and got it to the floor, where it passed earlier this month. Before approving the bill, though, the Senate tacked on several amendments to address concerns by law enforcement groups that have historically opposed permitless carry. Those amendments at first alarmed some supporters of the proposal, with Schaefer saying he was "very concerned" they could lead to procedural issues in the lower chamber. It was not immediately clear Friday whether the amendments survived the conference committee. However, Tribune Publishing officials confirmed that proxy ballots registered to Soon-Shiong had been submitted without the abstain box being checked, and those votes were tallied as a yes vote. If a proxy ballot is submitted with no box checked for, against or abstain then the ballot is counted as being in support of the boards recommendation, according to the voting instructions on the ballot. A special committee of the board recommended the sale to Alden. As the first 100 days of the Biden administration recede in the rear-view mirror, we see a president who has surpassed self-imposed benchmarks for vaccinating Americans, who has signed into law an essential relief bill in the American Rescue Plan, who has laid out specifics for both infrastructure and helping regular Americans in his American Jobs and American Families plans, and one who understands the necessity of passing critical democracy reforms. As we compare this set of accomplishments to other historic presidential achievements, the common thread is the sense of urgency: the idea that from crisis comes opportunity, which must be seized before it dissipates. There is a recognition that this is no time to be cautious and is, instead, the time to use quick successes to build belief in government and, by so doing, make still greater leaps on policy. Whether or not Biden earns his slot in the history books with LBJ and FDR may depend upon his next moves, and whether he can keep the momentum going. His administration and the evenly split Congress face tough challenges around the passage of his next two economic and recovery plans as well as the For the People Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act to fix our democracy. These are two areas where, for the good of the nation, Biden simply cannot fail and must continue to build his legacy in the mold of previous great leaders. Beware, GOP, or the Democrats will impose their left-wing causes Donald Trump served an outstanding term in office with his tax roll backs, and tough stand with China despite some serious gaffes with the Corona Virus. Operation "Just Cause" was a good plan that brought vaccines to the USA and saved many lives. Following his defeat, his behavior degenerated into an endless whining with the false claim of "Stolen Election" repeated ad nauseam. Trump's own Justice Department said there was no evidence of any fraud significant enough to question the outcome. His behavior on Jan. 6 was treasonous. He told his followers that Vice President Mike Pence was a traitor for doing his job by ensuring that the Electoral College could complete its mission. He fomented an insurrection against the government of the United States that led to the overrunning of the Capitol by a vicious mob. Police officers were attacked. One hundred forty people were injured and two committed suicide. I have been a conservative Republican all of my life, but Trump's actions are beyond the pale. The Republican Party appears ready to sell out to him in order to garner votes. America deserves better. U.S. insurance giant CNA Financial reportedly paid $40 million to a ransomware gang to recover access to its systems following an attack in March, making it one of the most expensive ransoms paid to date. The development was first reported by Bloomberg, citing "people with knowledge of the attack." The adversary that staged the intrusion is said to have allegedly demanded $60 million a week after the Chicago-based company began negotiations with the hackers, culminating in the payment two weeks following the theft of company data. In a statement shared on May 12, CNA Financial said it had "no evidence to indicate that external customers were potentially at risk of infection due to the incident." The attack has been attributed to a new ransomware called 'Phoenix CryptoLocker,' according to a March report from Bleeping Computer, with the strain believed to be an offshoot of WastedLocker and Hades, both of which have been utilized by Evil Corp, a Russian cybercrime network notorious for launching ransomware attacks against several U.S. entities, including Garmin, and deploying JabberZeus, Bugat and Dridex to siphon banking credentials. In December 2019, U.S. authorities sanctioned the hacking group and filed charges against Evil Corp's alleged leaders Maksim Yakubets and Igor Turashev for developing and distributing the Dridex banking Trojan to plunder more than $100 million over a period of 10 years. Law enforcement agencies also announced a reward of up to $5 million for providing information that could lead to their arrest. Both the individuals remain at large. The development comes amid a sharp uptick in ransomware incidents, in part fueled by the pandemic, with the average ransom payment witnessing a massive 171% gain year-over-year from $115,123 in 2019 to $312,493 in 2020. Last year also saw the highest ransomware demand growing to $30 million, not to mention the total amount paid by victims skyrocketing to $406 million, based on conservative estimates. CNA Financial's $40 million ransom only shows that 2021 continues to be a great year for ransomware, potentially emboldening cybercriminal gangs to seek bigger payouts and advance their illicit aims. According to an analysis by ransomware recovery firm Coveware, the average demand for a digital extortion payment shot up in the first quarter of 2021 to $220,298, up 43% from Q4 2020, out of which 77% of the attacks involved the threat to leak exfiltrated data, an increasingly prevalent tactic known as double extortion. While the U.S. government has routinely advised against paying ransoms, the high stakes associated with data exposure have left victims with little choice but to settle with their attackers. In October 2020, the Treasury Department issued a guidance warning of penalties against companies making ransom payments to a sanctioned person or group, prompting ransomware negotiation firms to avoid cutting a deal with blocked groups such as Evil Corp to evade legal action. "Companies that facilitate ransomware payments to cyber actors on behalf of victims, including financial institutions, cyber insurance firms, and companies involved in digital forensics and incident response, not only encourage future ransomware payment demands but also may risk violating [Office of Foreign Assets Control] regulations," the department said. The surge in ransomware attacks has also had an impact on the cyber insurance industry, what with AXA announcing earlier this month that it will stop reimbursing clients in France should they opt to make any extortion payments to ransomware cartels, underscoring the dilemma that "insurance firms grapple with successfully underwriting ransomware policies while confronted with rising payout costs that threaten profitability." Indeed, a report released by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) on Thursday revealed that the soaring demand for cyber insurance has driven insurers to raise premiums and limit coverage. The amount of total direct premiums written jumped by 50% between 2016 and 2019, from $2.1 billion to $3.1 billion. Higher insurer losses stemming from debilitating ransomware attacks are also a factor, the agency said. "The continually increasing frequency and severity of cyberattacks, especially ransomware attacks, have led insurers to reduce cyber coverage limits for certain riskier industry sectors, such as health care and education, and for public entities and to add specific limits on ransomware coverage," the government watchdog noted in the report. To defend against ransomware attacks, it's recommended to secure all modes of initial access exploited by threat actors to infiltrate networks, maintain periodic data backups, and keep an appropriate recovery process in place. "Organizations should maintain user awareness and training for email security as well as consider ways to identify and remediate malicious email as soon as it enters an employee's mailbox," Palo Alto Networks' Unit 42 researchers said. "Organizations should also ensure they conduct proper patch management and review which services may be exposed to the internet. Remote desktop services should be correctly configured and secured, using the principle of least privilege wherever possible, with a policy in place to detect patterns associated with brute-force attacks." GEAR UP GIPS and the College and Achievement Center, which provides programming for students and provide a place for our community partners to plan events, Bailey said, are going to be another instrumental facet of the building and students educations. Events included are student interviews, which before were held in classrooms. Also occupying part of the buildings space will be Hall County Community Collaborative (HC3), which currently has office space in the Kneale Administration Building. While HC3 doesnt necessarily provide direct programming, it fosters effective relationships between community partners in the interest of children and families and the community itself. GIPS Superintendent Tawana Grover said in a release: Its fitting that this is the first announcement regarding the use of this space since weve long said that the purchase of this property was made to benefit all in our community. The purchase also will give virtual school for grades 6-12 a centralized location for its administrators and teachers. These initial residents of the Principal building will begin moving in on July 9, with hopes of the moving process being completed by the time the 2021-22 school year begins. Ideas for use of the remaining space are being sought. Every Nebraska State Patrol vehicle soon will be equipped with enhanced life-saving capabilities thanks to a partnership with The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust, the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, Nebraska Game and Parks and the Nebraska State Patrol. The effort is part of a $6.4 million grant to equip law enforcement agencies with the next generation of automated external defibrillators. The State Patrol will receive 457 AEDs, to be placed in both marked and unmarked patrol vehicles throughout the state. Using Wi-Fi connectivity, the self-monitoring devices can send near real-time event data, including a patients heart rhythm and delivered shocks, to incoming emergency services or receiving hospitals, thus allowing for post-event evaluation to improve care delivery. Seconds count during a cardiac arrest, Walter Panzirer, a Helmsley trustee, said in a news release. We know in Nebraska first responders often have great distances to cover. This funding will ensure those who get to the scene before EMS arrives give patients a better shot at survival. Grand Island Public Library has become a Family Search affiliate library. The Family History Library is a nonprofit based in Salt Lake City and has partnerships with libraries across the country. As an affiliate, GIPL patrons now may access 400 million original records available in a digital format via the Family Search website that previously could be accessed only at a Family History Center. Library Director Celine Swan called the new status a great honor. I am very excited to have this service available for patrons that do research, Swan said. Before COVID and even more so since, people are interested in learning about their family history and they have more time. We have a lot of resources here at the library and people are taking advantage of them. The affiliate status is the result of efforts by Shaun Klee, the librarys adult and technical services librarian. A genealogy enthusiast, Klee discovered the resources online, learned about the nonprofits partnership program and pursued it. NEW YORK (AP) An incoming first-year student at Stanford University has been named the new National Youth Poet Laureate. Alexandra Huynh, 18, is a second-generation Vietnamese American from Sacramento, California, who sees poetry both as a means to self-expression and social justice. I spend a lot of time in my head, so poetry is for me a sort of survival mechanism, Huynh said Thursday night during a telephone interview from her home. I wouldn't be able to move through the world with the same amount of clarity had I not worked it out first on the page. Her appointment to a one-year term was announced Thursday during a virtual ceremony presented by the Kennedy Center and by the literary arts and development organization Urban Word, which established the national youth laureate program in 2017. In her new position, she will visit with students and hold workshops around the country. She counts among her goals passing on her own experiences to others. Huynh was selected from among four regional finalists for a position first held by Amanda Gorman, who became an international celebrity in January after reading at President Joe Biden's inauguration and for Huynh became an inspiration. Kelly kept a stay-at-home order in place for five weeks last spring, defending it as necessary to prevent a surge in COVID-19 cases from overwhelming hospitals, as it had in Europe. She later sought a phased reopening of the economy, but lawmakers forced her to accept local control of such decisions to keep a state of emergency for the pandemic in place. Ryan Kriegshauser, an attorney for a Wichita fitness studio and its owner, who sued the state in December over pandemic restrictions, said the federal law cited by Kelly is incredibly ambiguous." He said the bill also had a provision nullifying its contents if they were found to violate federal law. Supporters of the bill were short of the two-thirds majorities in both chambers necessary to override a veto when the bill passed earlier this month because Republicans were split and Democrats opposed the measure. Lawmakers have been out of session since May 8 and have only one more day scheduled for possible business this year, Wednesday. She could have let it go into law, and all of this would be sorted out, Kriegshauser said. She is using this as an excuse to play politics. Kelly did sign budget legislation Friday that included several provisions favored by Republican lawmakers. When I create a design, I try to limit myself in my approach and be aware of how it looks, Carson said. If I was looking at it up close or 100 yards away, would I still come away with the same understanding of what the mural is trying to say? That might mean choosing simpler words or using bigger and bolder lines, just so the image is the same no matter where you are looking at it. Charlotte Kaeding, Carsons art instructor at Kearney High School, acknowledges her students desire to create art as well as his influence on other students and the school. Carson is a positive driving force in our art department, his teacher said. He loves to be creative and share that with the people around him. Anytime he can use his artistic skills to be helpful, he is all about it. Currently, I have Carson in Bearcat Design, our in-house internship for graphic design. Carson is a huge part of this class. He is always willing to jump in and do projects and is a great collaborator. On his website, Carson writes about his passion for art along with his cognitive challenges. Its difficult almost next to impossible to predict the outcome of the Kentucky Derby, the jewel in thoroughbred racings Triple Crown. There are many variables. Jockeys and their horses are under pressure to perform in a marquee race, the field of runners is the largest they will ever see, track conditions vary and are uncertain until race day, and its the first time any of the 3-year-old horses have run in a mile-and-a-quarter competition. But Bob Baffert, one of the sports most prominent trainers, has been a consistent Derby winner for decades. I interviewed him in 1996 after one of his horses, Cavonnier, almost won the race before being nosed out at the finish line by Grindstone, a horse that had competed in only five races before that and had never won a Grade I stakes race. That was Bafferts first Derby, and the loss crushed him briefly. Will we ever get back here again? Baffert told me. Ill never suffer a beat like this again in my life. Baffert won the Derby the next year with Silver Charm and the year after that with Real Quiet. His horse won again in 2002. He came close in subsequent years and then won the Triple Crown in 2015 and 2018, with American Pharoah and Justify. Last year, his horse, Authentic, won. Another Baffert thoroughbred, Medina Spirit, won a $1.8 million victory on May 1. The mass vaccination site at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis is accepting appointments. A limited number of walk-ups will be accepted from 9 to 11 a.m. Wednesday through Sunday. People are encouraged to get an appointment to ensure a vaccine will be available. To schedule an appointment, go to onestop.md.gov/preregistration. The White House is moving forward judiciously in pursuing President Joe Bidens goal of conserving 30% of the nations land, fresh water and ocean areas by 2030. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland delivered her report on the 30x30 initiative at the end of April. A statement of core principles followed, signed by the four Cabinet members charged with fulfilling the conservation vision of the president. While we dont know specifics, Haalands report surely includes significant recommendations for Utahs red rock country. If America is truly committed to 30x30, well need to protect vast portions of the Colorado Plateau, the canyon country spanning the Four Corners between the Rockies and the Southwest deserts. In southern Utah, park planners have recognized the worthiness and wildness of these one-of-a-kind canyonlands ever since they proposed a gigantic Escalante National Monument in the 1930s. That dream failed, but our elected leaders have since vindicated its boldness by establishing preserve after preserve within the expanse of the original proposal: Capitol Reef and Canyonlands national parks, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Labyrinth Canyon Wilderness, and Grand Staircase-Escalante and Bears Ears national monuments. Few places on Earth have such interconnected extraordinary scenery, cultural history, barely tapped scientific research potential and healthy ecosystems. Science & Engineering Education BrainPOP Releases Middle School STEM Tool BrainPOP has released BrainPOP Science, a new tool for grades 68 designed to help teachers navigate changes in standards, assessments and learning environments in science, engineering and technology. The new tool offers scaffolded investigations, embedded assessments and actionable diagnostics, according to BrainPOP. According to the company: Each BrainPOP Science investigation includes student-driven activities: examining phenomena, collecting evidence, articulating claims and reasoning, and checking for understanding along the way. BrainPOP Science was designed with the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) in mind and can be aligned to all state standards. Districts will also have the option to align BrainPOP Science units to their unique curriculum needs. Other features include: Student-level reports for teachers; School- and district-level reports; Embedded formative assessments; and Alignment with NGSS and state science standards. Complete details can be found at science.brainpop.com. remaining of Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. The Texas Legislature wrapped up this years lawmaking session on Sunday. Although members of the House and Senate touted wins for both Republicans and Democrats, tensions are rising between the legislative bodies amid criticism from Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick. What would you grade this years legislative session? You voted: The best bang for your buck! This option enables you to purchase online 24/7 access and receive the Sunday, Tuesday & Thursday print edition at no additional cost * Print edition only available in our carrier delivery area. Allow up to 72 hours for delivery of your print edition to begin. Print edition not available for Day Pass option. A shortage of cooks is forcing her to close the restaurant on Mondays, a day it has traditionally been open, so as to not overwork her staff. It is not only Masons cafe that is looking for people. Stephanie Bishop, of the West Frankfort-based Moreland-Bishop organization which includes 14 Southern Illinois McDonalds locations is looking to hire for each of her restaurants. Its a trend for a couple of months. We are seeing an impact on applications coming into the restaurant, she said. She said her restaurants are trying a variety of tactics to entice applicants even calling former employees to gauge their interest in working just a few hours each week. Around the region, both locally owned and chain restaurants are increasing wages and offering sign-on bonuses to new employees. Bishop said while her restaurants can function with lower staff numbers, smaller teams can be challenging. It impacts our folks who are working. When our managers are not able to staff lunch peaks or other times where they would want to be, its hard. They can get through a tough week, but once you get two, three, four weeks of that, it really starts to wear on your people, she said. Ojewuyi said he is motivated by the colleges potential a unique, forward-looking college of artiste-scholars, conceptualized and birthed by its faculty. The confluence of creative activity, scholarship and teaching will sit squarely at the core of the new college, with students, faculty and staff engaged in collaborative, multidisciplinary creative activities and research with a much needed dialogue between theory and practice, just as you have in the Schools of Medicine and Law, he said. Our students should be active participants in the innovations, and dialogues of the 2020s and beyond, not of yesterdays, he said. Competitive edge Ojewuyi said the college presents an opportunity to really, truly be focused and engaged with the future. We must come to pace with the new technologies in our schools and the trends in the creative industry that we belong to, he said. This will make us competitive in our recruitment of students and faculty. We also want to be nationally and internationally current in our research and creative productions. While these can be seen as the advantages of newness, they are also the challenges of the years of infancy. Several goals already set Republicans questioned Hernandez in floor debate about the cost of implementing the measure. She said it will also not have a cost for the State Board of Education. Rep. Avery Bourne, R-Morrisonville, said school districts are already doing this and the bill takes away local control and is a blanket mandate that will not only be expensive, but reach beyond what the amendment even intends to do. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} Bourne said they should have faith in local school districts to provide for students' needs in these scenarios. Rep. Andrew Chesney, R-Freeport, said he was mostly concerned about the language requiring the products to be available in all bathrooms, which would include male bathrooms. There have been male and female bathrooms a hundred years plus in this country and nobody has had a problem taking care of the sensitive nature of being a certain gender, Chesney said. But to perhaps put female products in male bathrooms is not only confusing to a sixth grader, but completely inapplicable. I would really appreciate it if the sponsor would stay the hell out of my bathrooms, he added. "There aren't any clean cut answers to any of these different nuances," she said. "We have to take it on a case by case basis. What are the circumstances of the family? Of the child?" The vast majority of school districts are now operating with in-person or hybrid plans, which includes in-person and remote components, according to data from ISBE. Districts were required to provide remote options for students because of COVID in the 2020 2021 school year. Not all kids can get vaccinated yet About half of Illinois students, including pre-kindergarteners, are not yet eligible to receive the vaccine because of their age, based on 2020 enrollment data. While three different brands of the COVID-19 vaccine have been widely used in the U.S., only the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine has been authorized for anyone under the age of 18. It was authorized for children as young as 12 last week, and youth vaccinations began in Illinois and across the country soon after. The clinical trials for both the Moderna-NIAID and Johnson & Johnson vaccines have been expanded to include children, but neither has yet been authorized for expanded use. The Washington Post reports that acting U.S. Attorney Jon Lenzner said that coordinating prosecutors efforts will help law enforcement deal with carjackers across the region. Carjackers have been driving stolen cars to neighboring jurisdictions, where they take different cars and then ditch those cars in another jurisdiction, Lenzner said. Chaveas, who has an undergraduate degree in biological science from Virginia Tech and a masters in environmental science and public administration from Indiana University, said hes been impressed by what hes seen in his two weeks in Southern Illinois. The level of engagement and how highly the National Forest is valued to the local communities is obvious, Chaveas said. With good reason, there are some really treasured places out there. Ive hiked a few trails and they are all jaw-dropping beautiful. A trip to Rim Rock, located on the eastern edge of the forest, left him particularly impressed. I couldnt believe what I was seeing, Chaveas said. That really comes out to the fore. The employees we have here are top notch. Ive been impressed with the work they have been getting done. The Let the Sun Shine In program is getting some national attention now. Although he said it was too early in his tenure to make specific recommendations, Chaveas outlined some general plans. Mercury will look like a bright star in the morning sky from June 27 to July 16 and October 18 to November 1. It will shine in the night sky from August 31 to September 21, and November 29 to December 31. Venus, our closest neighbor in the solar system, will appear in the western sky at dusk in the evenings from May 24 to December 31. It's the second-brightest object in our sky, after the moon. Mars makes its reddish appearance in the morning sky between November 24 and December 31, and it will be visible in the evening sky through August 22. Jupiter, the largest planet in our solar system, is the third-brightest object in our sky. It will be on display in the morning sky through August 19. Look for it in the evenings August 20 to December 31 -- but it will be at its brightest from August 8 to September 2. Saturn's rings are only visible through a telescope, but the planet itself can still be seen with the naked eye in the mornings through August 1 and in the evenings August 2 to December 31. It will be at its brightest during the first four days of August. Binoculars or a telescope will help you spot the greenish glow of Uranus on the mornings of May 16 to November 3 and the evenings of November 4 to December 31. It will be at its brightest between August 28 and December 31. And our most distant neighbor in the solar system, Neptune, will be visible through a telescope in the mornings through September 13 and during the evenings September 14 to December 31. It will be at its brightest between July 19 and November 8. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 This subscription will allow existing subscribers of The World to access all of our online content, including the E-Editions area. NOTE: To claim your access to the site, you will need to enter the Last Name and First Name that is tied to your subscription in this format: SMITH, JOHN If you need help with exactly how your specific name needs be entered, please email us at admin@countrymedia.net or call us at 1-541 266 6047. In recent weeks, the state has seen the spread of COVID-19 decline significantly and now more than 67% of adult Marylanders have received at least one shot of a vaccine. As of Thursday, Baltimore Citys seven-day average positivity rate was at 1.87% and about 34.53% of the citys population has been fully vaccinated. Today Scattered thunderstorms. High around 85F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%. Tonight Variably cloudy with scattered thunderstorms. Low 68F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%. Tomorrow Partly cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 88F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Health breaking top story EXPANDING MEDICAID Medicaid expansion could mean 2,000 new jobs, $1.5B boost for Wyoming, new report says Cayla Nimmo, Star-Tribune Medical Assistant Casey Garrison inputs patient information on a form at the drive through respiratory clinic Oct. 9 in Casper. A new report says the state of Wyoming could improve its economic output by $1.5 billion over five years if it expanded Medicaid. Expanding Medicaid could create nearly 2,000 Wyoming jobs and grow the states overall economic output by $1.5 billion in five years, according to a new report published Thursday. The report predicts major economic gains for states that leverage a temporary federal incentive to expand Medicaid to cover more low-income residents. It comes just over a week after a legislative committee backed reviving the expansion debate in Wyoming. The new estimates come from national think tank The Commonwealth Fund, which analyzed how a special federal bonus being offered to non-Medicaid expansion states through the American Rescue Plan Act could bolster those states economies. Medicaid is a government health insurance program that in Wyoming mostly covers pregnant women and low-income children. Expansion would allow many low-income adults to enroll as well. All but 12 states have elected to expand their programs, but lawmakers here have debated for nearly a decade whether to take that step. Cost has been the main concern. The Biden administration is hoping to entice the holdouts by offering a two-year bonus in the federal money those states receive to pay Medicaid costs. Wyoming policy analysts estimate that bonus would save the state $34 million over the next two years after subtracting the $20 million it would have to contribute. The report predicts expansion will stimulate the economy in a number of ways, resulting in higher economic output by the state and a growth in average personal income particularly because of increased employment, the report reads. Legislative panel backs new attempt at Medicaid expansion in Wyoming Medicaid expansion will get another debate before the Wyoming Legislature. In Wyoming, economic output, meaning manufacturing and retail activity, would grow by $1.5 billion by 2025, according to the think tank. Overall statewide personal income is estimated to grow by $37 million. The report also affirms testimony from the states various health care associations that expansion would reduce the amount of unpaid bills hospitals are left to pay. Expansion will yield other savings for states that we have not included in our estimates. For example, as Medicaid coverage rises and the number of uninsured falls, state and local governments can reduce the amount spent on charity or uncompensated care for those without insurance and for mental health and substance use services, the report reads. Not all of the estimates jibe with local analyses, however. The Commonwealth Fund predicts expansion would enroll 34,000 new residents in Wyoming, 21,000 of whom being previously uninsured. Medicaid expansion has never gotten this close to becoming law in Wyoming. Here's what it could mean if it does. Advocates say they're cautiously optimistic as lawmakers consider a bill to expand government health insurance to thousands more Wyomingites. That outpaces the Wyoming Department of Healths prediction of 24,000 new enrollees, but it is within the departments statistical models, 90% of which anticipate enrollment between 13,000 and 38,000. The report also estimates a higher share of costs for Wyoming (as well as more enrollees) at $49 million for the first two years, but it estimates the state would receive an additional $300 million in federal dollars. The health department in a report to lawmakers this March had a more conservative estimate, writing for State Funds, we are 90% sure costs will be $14-$27 million over the first two-year period. The health departments estimates were derived through more aggressive modelling than this report, according to both methodologies. Both entities acknowledge uncertainties in the modelling. While the exact numbers cant be known unless and until Medicaid is expanded, the federal incentive did sway several lawmakers during the March legislative session who had long been opposed to expansion. Longtime opponent of expansion, former House Speaker Rep. Steve Harshman, R-Casper, gave an impassioned speech to the committee that ultimately killed the bill this March asking its members to advance the legislation. Ive always prided myself as the most pro-life speaker in the history of Wyoming, Harshman told the committee. These are lives too. While that bill died, lawmakers are hoping to get another chance to debate the federal bonus. The Legislatures Joint Revenue Committee on May 11 voted to revive the previously killed bill at either a special session in July or a budget session in February. Exactly when will depend on legislative leaders who set the session agendas. Economic indicators suggest Natrona County still has a ways to go before returning to pre-pandemic strength. According to a new report from Wyoming Economic Analysis Division, the Casper Economic Health Index fell by 0.4 percentage points from February to March. That drop to 99.4 is down from 101.1 in March 2020. The index is generated by four county-level economic indicators: monthly unemployment rate, monthly total non-farm employment, monthly sales and use tax collections, and the monthly median home sales price. Two of those metrics actually increased in Natrona County from March 2020 to March 2021: sales and use tax collections, which were up 7.4%, and the median home sales price, which was up 2.1%. Employment rate and total non-farm employment, however, are weighted make up 81% of the score, and each of those figures were down. Employment rate or the inverse of the unemployment rate was down 1.8%, and total non-farm employment was down 5.9%. Prosecutors say Rittenhouse, who was 17 at the time, shot and killed two people and wounded a third in August after traveling from his home in Antioch, Illinois, to Kenosha. The city was in the throes of several nights of sometimes violent demonstrations after Officer Rusten Sheskey shot Blake, leaving the Black man paralyzed from the waist down. Rittenhouse and his attorneys have said he went to Kenosha to protect businesses. Video shows Rittenhouse, armed with an assault-style rifle, shooting Joseph Rosenbaum, Anthony Huber and Gaige Grosskreutz. Rosenbaum and Huber died. Grosskreutz survived his wounds. Cellphone footage shows Rittenhouse, who is white, walking past police lines with his hands up and his rifle still slung over his shoulder even as protesters screamed that he had just shot people. He turned himself in to police in Antioch several hours later, maintaining that the three men attacked him and he fired in self-defense. BILLINGS A 31-year-old woman accused in the killing of a Wyoming man camping in Billings denied charges on Friday. Kristy Lynn Chavez pleaded not guilty to deliberate homicide by accountability in the April 23 death of Dennis Gresham, 33, of Sheridan. The charge carries a penalty of between 10 and 100 years in prison, plus an additional two to 10 years for the use of a weapon. Yellowstone County District Judge Ashley Harada continued bail at $500,000. Defense attorneys could argue for a reduction in front of Chavezs assigned judge at a later date. Chavez and Michael McClure, both armed with handguns, approached Greshams van while he was parked at the Yellowstone River RV Resort & Campground shortly before 6 a.m., charges state. Chavez later told investigators she asked Gresham at the drivers side window for cigarettes and a ride, and that he said no. We started in two-oh-nineteen, he said. I could count, and my wife would count these final days. Ever since when I came here, we count, Year One, Year Two, Year Three. And then when I entered my fourth year, I was like, Nine more months, nine more months. Then COVID-19 hit. Hed been scheduled for an interview as part of the process in 2020, but then he received an email informing him that it had been canceled. I dont know how to explain how painful that is, but you know what? Bahige said. The main thing which keeps me pushing is I know, legally, Im here. I know that its not happening when I want it to happen, but I know it will end up happening. So I just keep the faith. The calendar turned to 2021, and he got the news that he had a new interview date. They give me two to three weeks, Bahige said. Its happening. Feb. 12. In Denver. We have to drive down there. This is the crazy part about it, my wife think Im crazy about it. Every time when we go to Denver, we have sister there, so we spend time with family. Details surrounding age of consent laws in Florida in the early 1980s are unclear, but the states current age of consent is 18. The Star-Tribune reached out to the Florida State Bar, Florida State University College of Law, the Florida attorney general, public defenders, current and former prosecutors, and multiple law firms, and none of them were able to offer substantial answers on Floridas laws concerning age of consent at the time. Bouchard said he was never charged with a crime in connection with the relationship. The lawmaker said he was pressured to abort the baby. I wasnt going to do it, and neither was she, he said. And there was pressure to have her banished from their family. Just pressure. Pressure to go hide somewhere. And the only thing I could see as the right thing to do was to get married and take care of him. They got divorced approximately three years later. Bouchards ex-wife killed herself when she was 20, he said. Online records list a woman with her name as dying in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1990 and being buried in Georgia. The Star-Tribune is choosing not to identify her. She had problems in another relationship. Her dad had committed suicide, Bouchard said in the video. Do the commission without them. If the insurrectionist abetters are not part of the probe process, it frees up the Democrats to be more firmly in charge, with full subpoena power to unearth which House GOPers were in backstage cahoots with the MAGA rioters. Who knew what when? And in the White House, what exactly was the lame-duck loser doing while the besieged Capitol Police were waiting for military assistance? What did the insurrectionist-in-chief know during that three hour gap, and when did he know it? If a Democratic-led commission were to ultimately deliver a devastating verdict which is likely where the facts will indeed lead it then of course the Republicans would try to discredit it as partisan. Let them do their thing. Better to have them scream at top volume from outside the probe, than to have them working to sabotage the probe from the inside. Because you know that if a bipartisan commission were to ultimately be created, McConnell and McCarthy would be free to appoint GOP members who wear the Trump armband and take their marching orders from Mar-a-Lago. The former prosecutor has helped unearth millions of dollars in waste related to the water system shared by the city and county, and earlier this year found the county squandered $1 million on a program at the Center for Maryland Agriculture in Cockeysville that was meant to provide food to those in need. POWELL (May 11) Next to parents, teachers have the hardest job imaginable. They supply young minds with a plethora of information that they will need to make their way in the world. But that world is so far beyond reading, riting and rithmatic as to be unrecognizable to a student from 100 or even 50 years ago. But good teachers are up to the challenge. They can comfort kindergartners who are away from home for the first time, explain how a run-over-rise mathematical formulas mean a stairway will be properly constructed and why neat handwriting today translates to accurate field notes as a college student. Truly great teachers and Powell schools are graced with many outstanding teachers can do all that even as they inspire their students to think independently and figure out what questions they need to ask to solve the situation in front of them. The hours are long, the summers short, the social needs of their students ever-growing. Educators must continue to be life-long learners themselves just to keep up with this constantly changing world and continue to meet the needs of their pupils. They put a certain amount of their own money into helping meet those needs and they do it without regret. Tobagonians are being urged not to show up at the health centres to request Covid-19 vaccines as vaccinations are being done by appointment only on the island. Speaking at yesterdays Covid-19 news conference in Tobago, general manager of primary care at the Tobago Regional Health Authority (TRHA) Dr Roxanne Mitchell said some people descended on health centres on Wednesday, demanding to be vaccinated on a walk-in basis. Ninety-four-year-old Lionel Duncan arrived at the La Romaine Health Facility at 6 a.m. yesterday, eager to receive the first dose of his Covid-19 vaccine. He had followed the advice of Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh that people over the age of 60, with surnames starting from A to E, would be facilitated at vaccine centres across the country. Do you have a news tip? Want to share good news story, or do you have information that should see the light of day? Then we want to hear from you. More here My son, in his ever-increasing efforts to make sure Im relatively safe during this pandemic, sent me two packets of masks from the USA. His concern is especially so since I am over 80 and live alone. He has no degree from Hopkins, and it wasnt because he wasnt smart, Mr. Tang said. He was so smart and good at so many things, and the many aspects of his work were appreciated by his department. The work was more stimulating and it made it easy to prove himself. He got excited by it and he made very scholarly contributions. Rich said Tucson must seize upon the opportunity to become the top choice of people and companies relocating in a post-pandemic world. No one here thought it would happen on its own we knew we had the opportunity before us that other communities didnt have, Rich said. Sun Corridor CEO Joe Snell said Tucsons economy was booming before the pandemic, adding a string of new employers since Caterpillar announced in 2016 that it would build the headquarters of its surface-mining and technology division near downtown Tucson. When the pandemic hit, we saw an overnight change, Snell said. Sun Corridor began taking a closer look at what business site selectors consultants who scout sites for relocation or expansion are looking for, and is working to capitalize on Tucsons strengths in an aggressive marketing campaign, he said, noting that the groups investment in marketing tools such as drone footage is now paying off. Some new ideas in the playbook are still in their early stages, with details and formal programs still being worked out. Heres a look at the five Pivot Playbook focus areas: Recruit companies The HALO life support system is optimized to meet the specific mission requirements established by NASA and Northrop Grumman and its going to do so efficiently, safely and affordably, Barry Finger, Paragon vice president of engineering and chief engineer, said in prepared remarks. Paragon founder and CEO Grant Anderson said NASAs HALO program is an indication of Americas refocus on long-duration space and a renewed commitment to human space exploration. The HALO program will provide the precursor to extended missions to Mars, and should be inspiring to all Americans and the world community, Anderson said. In February 2021, NASA awarded Elon Musks SpaceX a $331 million contract to launch the HALO and a propulsion unit for the Gateway as soon as 2024. Paragon has been providing environmental space systems to NASA, military and commercial customers around the world for more than 28 years. A water-purification device designed and made by Paragon is currently in testing aboard the International Space Station. Moon lander on indefinite hold Meanwhile, Paragons effort to supply life-support systems for a new lunar lander system is on indefinite hold. It starts with an apology. On Aug. 22, 2017, Tucson police detectives re-interviewed the survivor of a 2002 sexual assault, apologizing first, then listening as the woman recounted details of the attack she endured as an 18-year-old. The woman told them that on Sept. 1, 2002, Ramon Pena, then 19, held her down on a bed in an apartment and sexually assaulted her, court documents show. The woman managed to escape from Pena and was taken to the apartments security office by a Samaritan. Officers searched the area, but Pena was gone. The woman was taken to a nearby hospital and underwent a sexual assault exam, which revealed physical injuries. Detectives later located Pena in Laredo, Texas, and he told them he was getting ready to leave for the military. He told police the sex was consensual, and during a confrontation call a few days later denied hearing the woman tell him no and offered other excuses for his behavior. To detectives, it appeared the two agreed the entire episode was a misunderstanding, court documents say of the 2002 call, and a few days later, the woman called to say she didnt want to press charges. The case was closed. Fast-forward to 2017, when the womans sexual assault kit was finally processed under a federal grant, causing the case to be reopened. While all the recordings made during the initial investigation had been destroyed, detectives re-interviewed the woman, who pointed out several inaccuracies in the previous detectives report as well as new details. She told police that she spoke to Pena in Spanish and the original detectives in English, but there was no way anyone could misunderstand that she had made it clear she did not consent to having sex with Pena. Detectives called Pena, who was living in Chicago after leaving the military on an other than honorable discharge. In the years since his separation, hed also racked up two felony and three misdemeanor convictions, one for a violent and sexually motivated act, court documents show. When detectives called Pena in December 2017, he claimed the woman was fine with having sex and said, I thought we ended up with her saying she was lying? I know I didnt do anything wrong. Detectives told him they were preparing a warrant for his arrest and in November 2018 more than 16 years after the woman first told her story to police Pena was booked into the Pima County jail on a single charge of sexual assault. Pena fought the charge for years, until his June 2020 trial was put on hold because of the pandemic. In August, he pleaded guilty to aggravated assault on an incapacitated victim and was sentenced to probation. The woman said shes had persistent symptoms that include depression, loss of sleep, anxiety and fear, according to a victim impact statement filed in court. She also said that as so much time had passed since the assault, she did not know that she would ever see justice. This woman was one of some 130 sexual assault survivors who have now gotten answers from Tucson police about their cases, even though it often has taken years, under a federal grant that funds testing of backlogged sexual assault kits. In September of 2019, Pima County was awarded $2 million as part of the Bureau of Justice Affairs National Sexual Assault Kit Initiative, or SAKI, grant. The funds came on the heels of a $1 million grant in 2015, that helped the Tucson Police Department tackle its backlog of nearly 2,000 sexual assault kits. When TPD finished testing the 1,900 kits, the end result was 915 DNA profiles that generated 464 hits, which means the identity of a potential suspect is revealed. One of those suspects was Nathan Loebe, who was sentenced to 274 years in prison in 2019 after he was convicted of 12 counts of sexual assault, five counts of kidnapping, three counts of stalking and one count of attempted sexual assault. Several women were victimized by Loebe between 2003 and 2015, but their cases went unsolved until law enforcement was able to build a case using DNA evidence obtained from kits tested under the DANY grant. The grant also allowed for the hiring of two victim advocates at the Pima County Attorneys Office to assist police with victim notification and support. The 2019 SAKI grant, which has allowed TPD to continue its work on these cold cases, are a bit more involved, with funding supporting teams that test unsubmitted kits; collect and test DNA from offenders; produce protocols and procedures to improve collaboration among police, labs, prosecutors and victim support providers; create resources to assist survivors during the investigation and prosecution process; and enhance victim notification protocols and services. The money is shared by the County Attorneys Office, TPD and the Sheriffs Department. It funds the salaries of four detectives, two sergeants, two prosecutors and four advocates. The team meets regularly to review cases, and the results of the collaboration have been eye-opening on both sides, according to victim advocate Colleen Phelan. Law enforcement has seen how helpful advocates can be in the process, said Phelan, who added that advocates help facilitate conversations between victims and detectives. TPD Cold Case Sexual Assault unit detectives Mary Pekas and Dallas Wilson agree, saying that these days, when they notify victims of activity in the case, we pretty much lead with an apology. The initial apology for showing up at their door is followed by more apologies either that it took so long for police to contact the victim, or even for how that victim was treated when he or she first reported the assault. Detectives say these apologies are often better received with an advocate on hand to help the victim process his or her feelings and offer options for support. Fixing what we should have done At the start of 2020, project participants hunkered down for a SAKI boot camp, spending the week building protocols and figuring out the best way to make notifications in these delicate situations.The group quickly decided that in-person notifications were important, Phelan said. Other notifications didnt allow a survivor a chance to ask questions or see us, Phelan said. When youve been failed by the system, you are not going to so easily trust a voice at the end of the phone. Notifications had to happen in person and lead with the appropriate apology for each situation. The apology for me is one of most important pieces of notification, Phelan said. For years, survivors have rightfully felt ignored and minimized by the system, through law enforcement or the county attorney. The criminal justice system has not served survivors. The grants have focused on people trying to do better and figure out where the system failures happened years ago, and fixing what we should have done, Phelan said. In February 2020, the group got started making in-person notifications, and a month later the coronavirus arrived in Tucson. Thats been the biggest challenge so far for us: How do we prioritize community safety? Phelan said. The already-delayed notifications and the difficulty of doing a notification with face masks its hard to convey that youre being empathetic and personal when a victim only sees your eyes. They also didnt want to re-traumatize people by bringing up a case that many had thought over and done, and then exposing them to the coronavirus in the process. So we halted until everyone was vaccinated, Phelan said. But the clock on the grants three-year timeline didnt stop with COVID-19. The team started working on the cases that had hits on potential suspects, and reviewing cases every two weeks so that detectives could start to move forward. (The results are) only one small piece of what goes into the cases, Phelan said. After a potential suspect is identified through a test, detectives have to pull the original case report, some of which dated as far back as 1989, along with any evidence that could still be on file. Because public safety was still the priority during the pandemic, the team continued making notifications in cases involving serial offenders. And despite the pandemic, the County Attorneys Office still filed charges in a handful of serial offender cases, which meant the office was dealing with multiple victims, and conducting in-person interviews in as safe a manner as possible. We worked with each of the survivors to make sure they were as comfortable as possible, Phelan said of the process, which included notifications in the victims homes and interviews in safer spaces. To date, TPD has identified more than 30 suspects with DNA hits from more than one kit, and it has handled more than 140 cases involving a suspect who had either multiple DNA hits or was named as a suspect in another sexual assault case, according to data provided by the department. Pekas said data collection has improved under the SAKI grant, with the addition of two more detectives herself included to the unit. When Wilson was working on his own under an earlier grant, he tackled the most urgent cases first, including Loebe, whose case took a significant amount of time. After Loebes case was over, Wilson went to work going through cases with more than one DNA hit and identifying potential suspects. Then the newer SAKI grant kicked in, which led to more advancements, more detectives and more survivor notifications. Crimes committed by opportunists The grants have changed the way Tucsons criminal-justice system treats sexual assaults in a number of ways. Police and prosecutors have learned the value of testing all sexual assault kits, even in cases where a suspect had been identified by the victim. Previously, law enforcement refrained from testing those kits, believing that they wouldnt lead to new information. Theyve since learned that it allows them to link cases and identify serial offenders. Theyve also learned sexual offenders dont fall into specific buckets. For years, theres been a misconception that people who commit these offenses are two types of people: Stranger rapists or acquaintance rapists, and they dont cross over, Phelan said. Testing these kits has shown us thats false. Perpetrators of these types of crimes are opportunists. They will sexually assault people they know and people they dont know. Their MO is vulnerable people. Wilson said detectives on his team learned a lot from reading old reports from the 1980s and even in the early 2010s. With developments in the neurobiology of trauma, police are approaching victims differently with the understanding that the brain responds to trauma in a variety of ways. (There was) lot of old, traditional victim-blaming and basically writing victims off, Wilson said. Were trying to do better this time around. They do deserve an apology. Pekas said that reviewing those old cases has also forced them to take a hard look at the future and try to build their cases with the understanding that even if they cant be closed now, developments in DNA and other types of technology might allow detectives to solve them in the future. While we cant predict whats going to happen next, I can at least predict that somebody might need me in collecting as much evidence as possible, whether thats testimonial or forensic or physical evidence, so that in the future as they have other opportunities to identify people or get better evidence in these cases, that Ive done the best I could to facilitate that, Pekas said. Phelan said that working on a team helps the group keep one another on track with all the new findings and revelations. Its easy to fall back into old patterns of thinking, Phelan said. We need to have team approach to keep us focused on that were still learning and still improving Under SAKI, TPD has closed nearly 250 cold case sexual assaults through a variety of methods. In some cases, the suspect has been arrested or his case was previously adjudicated. In others, the victim or suspect has died, or the victim has declined to reopen the case. The team is also notifying all survivors, regardless of if the statute of limitations has passed or if the suspect is deceased. Situations like that, along with an offender already being in custody for another crime, drive which cases Wilson and Pekas prioritize for notification. Even though people express differently, theres a level of devastation that we feel from them, Pekas said. But then to a degree, theres also some hope and gratitude for getting an answer. Wilson said that every survivor is appreciative of getting information and of the compassion detectives and advocates are trying to show, even if they werent happy with the way law enforcement treated them before. It kind of feels like a healing moment, Pekas said. I guess the most universal concept is this idea of being believed and being respected and valued and treated with dignity. Having advocates on board for notifications has been so helpful that it will shape police dealings with victims in the future and has changed how TPD does notifications in other types of crimes, Pekas said. It kind of felt like we worked in silos, she said. We knew about these resources but we didnt understand them. Right to testing and notification A variety of task forces are now in place to tackle aspects of sexual assault, ensuring the backlog doesnt return, protocols, training, addressing disparities in the Spanish-speaking and LGBTQ+ communities, and overall community engagement. As part of that last portion, the County Attorneys Office is preparing a series of public-service videos, with topics including how to obtain a sexual assault kit. Phelan said that when they first started making notifications, survivors often said that because police hadnt contacted them after reporting an assault, they believed theyd done something wrong or that nothing had happened with the case. There are lots of reasons cases didnt get investigated the way they are now, but these victims have rights to testing and notification. A basic right is to know the status of their case, Phelan said It wont always be the news that we can prosecute, but it will be one step closer to closure on the case. Phelan added that the process isnt always fair, but that the goal is to always be as honest as possible and prepare victims for the next step. Most people actually dont want to discuss their case with advocates, but rather how its affected their lives and how theyre managing the process. The goal is to create an opportunity to have someone in that victims life who can say, I have no personal investment in the next steps. My investment is that your voice is heard, Phelan said. Its important that Pima Countys team reaches out to survivors in its cases so they know what to expect going forward, Phelan said. We want people to know that were all choosing to do this. We genuinely want to help, we genuinely want to listen and to hear, Phelan said. We will not always have the outcome people deserve or be able to provide an explanation for everything that happened, but people deserve to have answers Contact reporter Caitlin Schmidt at 573-4191 or cschmidt@tucson.com. On Twitter: @caitlincschmidt Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. The Democratic field running for the seat in Gabrielle Giffords old area will be populated by candidates connected to her. Rep. Daniel Hernandez Jr. announced Thursday that he will run for the Democratic nomination in Congressional District 2, or whatever the district becomes when redistricting is complete. Thats the same area Giffords represented when it was Congressional District 8, before she stepped down in 2012. Famously, Hernandez was an intern for Giffords on Jan. 8, 2011, when Giffords was shot in an assassination attempt at a Congress on Your Corner event on the northwest side. He helped stanch her bleeding after the shooting and before she and other victims were taken to University Medical Center. UMC is where Rep. Randall Friese, working that day as a trauma surgeon, treated Giffords. He also is running for the Democratic nomination in CD2. The other candidate in the race, Sen. Kirsten Engel, doesnt have such direct connections to Giffords or Jan. 8, but her daughter goes to the same high school Giffords attended, University High. For Hernandez and Friese, the Jan. 8 experience led them to start political careers. The role Roberts currently holds in KTT is as co-leader of the Family Unification Team, partnered with Zulema Martinez, originally from Magdalena, Sonora. The teams objective is to help residents slated for removal. Its very gratifying, Roberts says, to find legal ways to keep families together. In a phone conversation last week, Martinez praised Roberts. I am an immigrant, she said. I had a long, long wait to get my documents. Thats why she does the work. But Roberts has no such personal history; she just helps. Sarahs a fighter, Martinez said, and she knows a lot of things. She does everything to help the families. The COVID-19 pandemic put a halt to in-person clinics, but a new campaign has emerged from KTT: Pima County Justice for All. Its goal is to put on the 2022 ballot an initiative to grant access to public defenders to indigent Pima County residents who face detention or deportation. Proponents report that Tucsons immigration court processed nearly 24,000 cases last year, and 98% of them went to court without legal representation or counsel. Most of them ended up deported. If you are driving around and notice the American or Arizona flags flying at half-staff, you may wonder why. Sure, you know when a former president has died, but sometimes these are done in memory of a tragic event. For all of 2021, we are going to tell you when and why the flags for the United States of America, Arizona or any other state or territory of the U.S. are flown at half-staff. The source for much of this information is FlagSteward.org According to USFlag.org, which links to a copy of the United States Code, when the flag is flown at half-staff, it should first be hoisted to the peak and then lowered to half-staff. At sunset the flag should be raised back to full-staff and then lowered slowly all the way down. The U.S. flag must be flown at half-staff for the following office holders or former holders: President of the United States or former president: 30 days from the date of death. Vice President, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, retired Chief Justice or Speaker of the House of Representatives: 10 days from the date of death. Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, a member of the Cabinet, a former Vice President, President pro tempore of the Senate, Majority Leader of the House of Representatives and Minority Leader of the House: From the day of death until the date of interment. Unites States Senator, Representative, Delegate or the Resident Commissioner from the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico: In the District of Columbia the flag will fly at half-staff on the day of death and the following day, in the state, congressional district, territory or commonwealth of the deceased, the flag will fly at half-staff from the day of death until interment. Governor: Within the state, the flag will fly at half-staff from the day of death until interment. The Old Farmers' Almanac was also used as a source. He called it the start of a new era, adding, My momma had the COVID and it was like three months before I got to see her before she got over it. She made all of us get our vaccines. Christopher Robinson, a longtime Mobile resident and a king of one of the parade groups called krewes said he was raised on Mardi Gras in this port city and was just glad to be able to celebrate again after such a year. Oh, we hate the pandemic, Robinson said. But you know what? It brung us back to a great season to be able to celebrate and come back even louder than before. Celebrations, friends, family, having a good time. This May 21st is bringing us back together as we would normally do it. Police officers on the parade route cheerfully picked up beads and trinkets from the streets and handed them to children in the crowd, which was kept back behind barricades. The booming high school marching bands, together with shouts from the crowd, provided a soundtrack for the party. The events of the day included a ship commissioning and nighttime fireworks. AP prohibits employees from openly expressing their opinions on political matters and other public issues for fear that could damage the news organization's reputation for objectivity and jeopardize its many reporters around the world. We have this policy so the comments of one person cannot create dangerous conditions for our journalists covering the story, Easton said. Every AP journalist is responsible for safeguarding our ability to report on this conflict, or any other, with fairness and credibility, and cannot take sides in public forums. In an interview, Wilder said that she had received social media training from the AP and had taken it seriously. She said she had even taken down a reference to supporting Black Lives Matter from her Twitter profile. Because I have an opinion about an issue that is deeply political and personal doesnt mean that I am incapable of fact-based, contextual and fair journalism, she said. She also said: "There's no question that this was all precipitated by an onslaught of harassment against me. When they augment you, youre not doing your job that youre hired for, said Jonathan Zumkehr, the union president at the federal penitentiary in Thomson. If youre a counselor, youre not able to counsel the inmates. If youre a case manager, youre not able to do the First Step Act. Those are two days that youre not going to get back. The issue came up when wealth financier Jeffrey Epstein took his own life while in one of the most secure jails in the country, the Metropolitan Correctional Center in New York. One of the two prison workers assigned to guard Epstein the night he killed himself was a warehouse worker who was augmented to work as a correctional officer. Both were working overtime because of staffing shortages. Union officials have raised the alarm about staffing problems, even holding a rally this week outside a medium-security prison in Mendota, California. But federal efforts to attract more workers with 25% recruitment bonuses have, so far, barely made a dent. Starting salary is just under $43,500, with some promises of making up to $62,615. But thats much less than what even some other federal agencies are offering, not to mention competition from police departments, state prisons, oil refineries, factories and warehouses. Iraqi leaders earlier this year talked about repatriating some of their citizens, but did not follow through. So the plans for next week have been met with a bit of skepticism, and it appeared unclear whether it might be more than a one-time deal. The al-Hol camp is home to as many as 70,000 people mostly women and children who have been displaced by the civil war in Syria and the battle against the Islamic State group. As many as half are Iraqis. About 10,000 foreigners are housed in a secure annex, and many in the camp remain die-hard IS supporters. Many countries have refused to repatriate their citizens who were among those from around the world who came to join IS after the extremists declared their caliphate in 2014. The groups physical hold on territory was ended in 2017, but many countries balk at repatriating their citizens, fearing their links to IS. In late March, the main U.S.-backed Kurdish-led force in northeast Syria conducted a five-day sweep inside al-Hol that was assisted by U.S. forces. At least 125 suspects were arrested. Since then, McKenzie said, security has gotten better at the camp. But, he added, security has no real impact on the radicalization of the youth there. Last night while I was out with work colleagues, a male stranger aggressively biked towards me and two female friends and shouted into my unmasked face, she said in a statement. As he biked off, I responded the way any normal woman would to a threatening strange man. No woman elected or otherwise should be expected to put up with that type of behavior from a man. The Court acknowledges the Tribes plight, as well as their understandable frustration with a political process in which they all too often seem to come up just short. If they are to win their desired relief, however, it must come from that process, as judges may travel only as far as the law takes them and no further. Here, the law is clear, and it instructs that the Court deny Plaintiffs request for an injunction. Boasberg wrote. The Standing Rock tribe, which draws its water from the Missouri River, says it fears pollution. The company has said the pipeline is safe. We believe the Dakota Access Pipeline is too dangerous to operate and should be shuttered while environmental and safety implications are studied but despite our best efforts, todays injunction was not granted, Jan Hasselman, the EarthJustice attorney representing Standing Rock and other tribes, said in a statement. The pipeline was the subject of months of sometimes violent protests in 2016 and 2017, during its construction. U.S. regulators havent approved any major railroad mergers since the 1990s, and officials have said that any deal involving one of the handful of Class 1 railroads, a group that includes Kansas City Southern, must enhance competition and serve the public interest. This week, a major Canadian National shareholder urged the railroad to abandon its bid for Kansas City because of regulatory issues, including a procedural setback this week. On Monday, The Surface Transportation Board rejected Canadian Nationals plan to set up a voting trust that would acquire Kansas City Southern and own the railroad while regulators review the deal. The STB said it couldnt review Canadian Nationals plan because it didnt include a detailed merger agreement. Canadian National said Tuesday that it would resubmit the voting trust plan this week. It was unclear Friday if the company had resubmitted its plan with the details sought by the STB. London-based investment firm TCI Fund, which owns nearly 3% of Canadian National, cited uncertainty early this week about whether U.S. regulators would approve the acquisition under rigid rules for railroad mergers that havent been tested since they were written 20 years ago. COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) A South Carolina Army trainee charged with hijacking a school bus full of children is likely to face new charges after failed escape attempts, according to authorities. Earlier this month, Jovan Collazo, 23, assaulted a guard at the Richland County jail and tried to escape, Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott told The State newspaper. Collazo broke his ankle during that incident and was taken to a hospital, from which he also tried to escape, Lott said. We have additional charges that well eventually be placing on him, Lott told the newspaper. According to an incident report Lott read to the paper, Collazo was being moved to a restraint chair when he pushed a guard away, ran for a door, then up stairs to a higher floor. From a railing, Collazo jumped to the floor below, landing on his feet and then his side, the report said. Fielding Pringle, Collazos defense attorney, told the paper Thursday her client was not trying to escape during the incident, which happened while he was handcuffed, on suicide watch and unclothed. While Hilton allowed the lawsuit to move forward to the next stage, he denied a request for an injunction that would have barred the school system from using the new policy for the incoming class of freshmen. He said it would be too disruptive to order a change at such a late date Raphael said the school system is nearly completed with its review of applications for the upcoming fall semester, and that students will find out in June whether they have been admitted under the new process. Julia McCaskill of Herndon, a Coalition for TJ member who has an eighth grader waiting for word on whether she'll be accepted to TJ, said she was disappointed that the judge declined to issue an injunction. She said her Asian American daughter attends a middle school that has a large number of high-performing students and typically sends large numbers of students to TJ. With all but 100 of the 550 slots in the freshman class reserved for just the top 1.5 percent of students at each school, she said the new rules diminish her daughter's chances of acceptance. She said the school system needs to improve student performance at all of its schools, rather than imposing a rule requiring TJ to accept equal numbers of kids from each middle school. They need to bring up everybody to make it better, she said. The TJ admissions lawsuit reflects a national debate over admissions and racial composition of elite public high schools. Similar lawsuits and debates have emerged at top-tier schools in New York, California and elsewhere. Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. In 1955, Chuck Berry recorded his first single, Maybellene, for Chess Records in Chicago. In 1972, Michelangelos Pieta, on display at the Vatican, was damaged by a hammer-wielding man who shouted he was Jesus Christ. In 1979, former San Francisco City Supervisor Dan White was convicted of voluntary manslaughter in the slayings of Mayor George Moscone (mahs-KOH-nee) and openly gay Supervisor Harvey Milk; outrage over the verdict sparked rioting. (White was sentenced to seven years and eight months in prison; he ended up serving five years and took his own life in 1985.) In 1982, during the Falklands War, British amphibious forces landed on the beach at San Carlos Bay. In 1991, former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated during national elections by a suicide bomber. Ten years ago: Shackleford won the Preakness, holding off a late charge from Kentucky Derby-winner Animal Kingdom to win as a 12-1 underdog. Five years ago: President Barack Obama departed on a weeklong, 16,000-mile trip to Asia, part of his effort to pay more attention to the region and boost economic and security cooperation. The U.S. conducted a drone strike in Afghanistan that killed Taliban leader Mullah Mansour. Defendants claim to use a proprietary ionizer apparatus to apply an electrical current to this mixture, which allegedly creates positively charged and negatively charged solutions, the complaint says. It says the negatively charged solution is marketed as E2 Concentrate taste-enhancer for coffee, tea and wine and diluted in tanks and packaged for home delivery and commercial sales as alkaline Real Water. The complaint alleges the manufacture and distribution of adulterated and/or misbranded bottled drinking water and chemical concentrate that may have been rendered injurious to health. The consent decree requires the company to recall and destroy all the product produced before Wednesday; to turn over to the FDA records about processing, bottling and distribution; and to submit to unannounced inspections of company facilities in Las Vegas, suburban Henderson, Nevada, and Mesa, Arizona. The company is committed to paying the cost of FDA activities at a rate of more than $100 per hour, and it must notify the agency before any change of ownership, reorganization or bankruptcy. PHOENIX (AP) Daniel Hernandez Jr., the intern hailed as a hero for helping save the life of then-U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords following an attempted assassination a decade ago, announced Thursday he's running to represent her former district in Congress. Hernandez was a 20-year-old college student in his first week interning for Giffords when he went to her Congress on your corner constituent event where a gunman opened fire killing six and injuring 13, including Giffords, in 2011. He kept the congresswoman conscious and applied pressure to her head wound until paramedics arrived. His actions were widely praised during a period of shock and unity that gripped the nation. Then-President Barack Obama called Hernandez a hero at a memorial for the victims and also while he a guest at the State of the Union address weeks later. A Democrat, Hernandez currently represents parts of Tucson in the state House of Representatives. He's developed a moderate profile as one of a handful of Democrats who occasionally cross the aisle to work with Republicans, sometimes to the frustration of more progressive members of his party. Gabby Giffords continues to inspire me and I strive to follow her example of service for our community, Hernandez said in a statement announcing his candidacy. But Shope said language in HB 2190 extending it to businesses goes too far. I believe in private property rights, Shope said. I believe in the rights of the sole proprietor, the barber who may be immunocompromised who cannot get a vaccine who would just want to put a sign up in the front of their shop. With Shope unlikely to fold, that leaves Roberts to instead try to appeal to Senate Democrats. Roberts said after the vote he is hoping to convince some to see this as a matter of individual civil rights. Even the American Civil Liberties Union has expressed concerns about a vaccine passport that people might be forced to show, he noted. The vote put many Republicans, who have tended to be champions of the rights of businesses, in the position of having to argue that there is a more important consideration. I think its really important that we understand that theres a difference between business rights and personal rights, said Sen. Kelly Townsend, R-Mesa. For example, she said, a business can deny entry to someone without shoes. But Townsend said thats designed to protect the business from liability should a patron cut her or his feet. NEWS PROVIDED BY Catholic League May 21, 2021 NEW YORK, May 21, 2021 /Christian Newswire/ -- Catholic League president Bill Donohue comments on Jews being attacked at diners: There is nothing new under the sun about protesters on opposite sides clashing in the streets. There is something different, however, when innocent people who are minding their own business get attacked simply because they are of the same racial, ethnic or religious stock of one of the parties to the protest. This happened in Los Angeles on May 18 and in New York City on May 20. In both cases the victims were Jews and the attackers were Palestinians. In the Los Angeles neighborhood of Beverly Grove, Palestinian protesters asked diners whos Jewish, and then started screaming "death to the Jews." The mob turned over tables, beat up the dinersone was knifedand hurled glasses at others. In New York, Jews who were dining out in the Jewish business district were called "F***ing Zionists," spat upon and assaulted. This did not just happen in the Times Square Diamond District; it happened at several restaurants in New York City. The big media ignored what happened. While ABC and CNN covered the clash between protesters in Times Square (the CBS and NBC New York affiliates did as well), only Fox News covered the assault on Jewish diners. There has been nothing from the Associated Press, the New York Times or the Washington Post. Dov Hikind, a well-respected leader in New York's Jewish community, blasted New York Mayor Bill de Blasio and Governor Andrew Cuomo for their silence. Subsequently, de Blasio issued a tweet saying "anti-semitism has NO place in our city." Cuomo said he "unequivocally condemn[s] these brutal attacks." Neither man said a word about Jewish diners being assaulted. If we don't distinguish between protesters who clash in the street, and a mob that descends upon diners in a restaurant, we will only abet more of this savagery. The onus is on leaders in the Palestinian community to condemn these barbaric acts against innocent Jews. She said the vehicle has gone through a checklist of safety measures and has driven on multiple public roads. The van had a normal steering wheel and driver seat where Kyle Hernandez, a test/quality engineer for Perrone, was sitting. He took his hands off the wheel but kept them close as the van went into autonomous mode. It turned by itself and even went through a four-way traffic stop on its own. But state Elections Director Bo Dul told Capitol Media Services there is no realistic way to be certain of that. Dul said it would be one thing if the equipment had been hacked through a cyberattack. At that point, she said, the drives could be wiped clean of any code that doesnt belong there and the software could be reinstalled from scratch. This, Dul said, is more akin to people breaking into a company and getting physical access to the equipment. When you lose physical custody of the equipment, its not just the software that youre worried about, she explained. Even if you wipe everything, theres still certain pieces of firmware for the equipment that its impossible to completely wipe. More to the point, Dul said, there is no way to actually test for those kinds of alterations. We can put the machines through all sorts of state-of-the-arts forensic analysis to identify if theres been any tampering, she said. But we dont know what we dont know. So we dont know that the list that theyre testing for and checking for covers everything. ISTANBUL (AP) A Turkish court ruled Friday to keep a leading philanthropist behind bars during his retrial over accusations that he organized and financed mass antigovernment protests in 2013. Human rights groups have denounced the case as being politically motivated. Businessman and civil rights activist Osman Kavala has been jailed in Turkey for more than three years despite not having been convicted of a crime. He is on trial again with 15 other defendants, charged with attempting to overthrow the government through the nationwide demonstrations that started at Istanbuls Gezi Park. Kavala and eight of the defendants were cleared of the charges in February 2020, but an appeals court overturned their acquittals earlier this year. Seven of the defendants, including journalist Can Dundar and actor Mehmet Ali Alabora, have left Turkey and are being tried in absentia, after they were added to the case for the retrial. Kavala, 63, also is charged with espionage and attempting to overthrow the government in connection with a failed military coup in 2016. He has denied all the accusations, and faces a life term in prison without parole, if convicted. Stacey James, a Patriots spokesman, said the team played no direct role in the vaccines delivery and dismissed suggestions it was picking sides in a geopolitical fight. Last year, at the start of the pandemic, Patriots owner Robert Kraft brokered a deal with China using one of the teams two planes to transport 1 million N95 masks from Shenzhen to Boston. The plane, when not in use by the team, is leased for chartered flights by Philadelphia-based Eastern Airlines, James said. Its great to be associated with positive missions to deliver vaccines where theyre needed, said James. But this wasnt a political mission. As part of its vaccine diplomacy, China has pledged roughly half a billion doses of its vaccines to more than 45 countries, according to an Associated Press tally. And just four of Chinas many vaccine makers claim they are able to produce at least 2.6 billion doses this year. U.S. health officials haven't certified the Chinese vaccines as effective and Secretary of State Antony Blinken has complained about China's politicization of its vaccine sales and donations. Meanwhile Democrats and Republicans alike have harshly criticized Chinas human rights record, predatory trade practices and digital surveillance as a deterrent to closer ties. OPINION: Biden acting as a crisis manager and Kyrsten Sinema and the filibuster are in the forefront of letter writers minds today. See what they are saying and join the discussion at tucson.com/letters. If you're someone who wants to try a little bit of everything, flights are a great solution. Here are seven food and drink flights to get in Tucson, from places such as Reforma, The Screamery and Bawker Bawker. For the 2021 Summer Reading Challenge we have nine different categories with a total of 18 books that have some connection to Tucson or Arizona. We're releasing the list on May 26, but #ThisIsTucson members can access the list a week early. Additional programming highlights include: Anchoring MSNBCs Cross Connection live from Tulsa, Tiffany Cross will speak with those on the frontlines seeking justice for survivors and descendants of the massacre. Cross will also examine the fight for reparations, voting rights and police reform. On NBC Nightly News, Holt will report on the ongoing efforts to unearth possible victims of the massacre. On TODAY, NBC News correspondent Harry Smith will focus on the latest information regarding the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre graves investigation. On the third Hour of TODAY, anchor Sheinelle Jones will report on what Oklahoma schools are doing to teach students about the massacre and its impact on gentrification, generational wealth, racial tensions and the rebuilding of Black Wall Street. On Weekend Nightly and Sunday TODAY, NBC News NOW anchor Morgan Radford will speak with two of the three remaining survivors, Violet Fletcher and Hughes Van Ellis. Radford will examine the economic ramifications of persistent historical neglect and the generational after-effects Black Tulsans still face today, including the concerns of Black entrepreneurs who say they are being shut out and priced out of prestigious development projects. State authorities shut down an illegal pill manufacturing lab based out of a liquor store near 63rd Street and Peoria Avenue, the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics said in a news release. Two people, Alto Ramon McDonald, 44, and Atya Latrice Thierry, 36, both of Tulsa, were arrested in connection to the illegal drug operation and have been charged in the Tulsa County District Court. The five-month investigation began on Jan. 6 when Alcoholic Beverage Law Enforcement Commission agents were inspecting the liquor store at 6318 S. Peoria Ave. and found evidence of illegal drug activity, OBN said. OBN agents responded to the location, after being notified by ABLE, and confirmed the presence of an illegal drug lab, OBN spokesperson Mark Woodward said. The agents reportedly found a pill press in the back room of the liquor store capable of producing more than 3,000 pills an hour, as well as powder residue that tested positive for meth, Woodward said. Editors note: At 5:41 p.m. on Sunday, May 22, 2011, a tornado touched down on the western edge of Joplin and destroyed roughly one-third of the city along its 13 mile-long path to the eastern edge of town and into the neighboring town of Duquesne and rural Jasper County. The EF-5 rated tornado, with wind speeds exceeding 200 mph at times, killed 161 people and injured more than 1,000 others, and damaged or destroyed 7,500 homes and 531 businesses. Lane Moss was 26-years-old and working at Highland Park Christian Church in Tulsa when he heard news reports that Joplin had just been bulldozed by a tornado. He and other Tulsa-area youth ministers who had attended Ozark Christian College in Joplin loaded up and arrived in Joplin at 3 a.m. Man, I will never forget the scenes coming into that. The sun hadnt come up yet. It was still night and trying to come in, it became pretty clear pretty quick that emergency vehicles couldnt get in. So we found some chainsaws and started clearing trees out of the way. We heard rumors of a family with a baby trapped in a closet. We found them and were able to get them out of there. His experience altered the course of his future. Tulsa provided every conceivable kind of neighborly support, from search and rescue and law enforcement, to medical and hospital care, and the human, financial and material support of countless non-profits, businesses, churches, schools and scores of Good Samaritans, like Moss and his friends. Ahead of the 10th anniversary of the tornado, the Tulsa World sought out the remembrances of some of those Tulsans, past and present. Lane Moss grew up going to church and worked for religious organizations right out of college. But what he witnessed in Joplin reinforced and renewed his faith like nothing before. That first day in particular and in the couple of days following is when I fell in love all over again with the church and the way the church serves people, said Moss, when asked for his reflections. It was everybody from every kind of background. There is nothing that separates us, there is just this thing and the immediacy. The Muskogee native said hed always dreamed of living and working and raising a family in Tulsa. But when he was approached about a job in Joplin less than two years after the tornado struck, he and his wife were led down a whole different path. We had seen the hearts of the people, Moss said. I knew thats a group of people that I dont mind helping me raise my boys, watching the way they loved those families on those days. Moss, a program director at Joplin-based Christ in Youth, has witnessed a night and day transformation of the Joplin community in the decade since. But there have been near-daily reminders of what happened. The first house we lived in is in whats known as the tornado zone, and it was the only house left standing on the block. The metal frame of a trampoline is wrapped around the top of a tree that survived, Moss said. Every day I was in the backyard playing with my sons or mowing, it was a constant reminder of the day that was. You think about it whenever you go to Home Depot or Walmart places where many people died. But there is no greater reminder of what Joplin has endured than the onset of each new storm season and the palpable sense of alertness and anxiety it elicits among the citys residents. Every year here, this part of the spring, the people that lived through that are like a shark diver with a nose bleed, Moss said. There is this communal PTSD that Joplin has and theyve earned this tension. ***** City of Tulsa Pipes and Drums Pipe Major <&rdpStrong>William Tetrick has been performing at memorials and remembrances in Joplin ever since the very first one, held in the immediate aftermath of the deadly twister. They were still clearing up, the wreckage of the hospital was still standing nearby, said Tetrick, who said he returns every time hes invited. Its just such a tragic event. Im honored to be part of the memorial remembering those who lost their lives and those that were injured. Tetrick is set to perform Amazing Grace, at a 10-year commemoration ceremony set for Saturday evening in Joplin. ***** Karen Parsons-Bieligk and her family became Tulsans a few months after losing their Joplin house and all their belongings when the tornado hit. She and her husband and their three youngest children escaped with just their dog and their lives after riding out the storm in a room in their basement. Their oldest child was away at college at the time. Practically their only memento is their old street sign which they found lodged in drywall on one of the few remaining upright portions of their house. Our biggest treasure is from a couple months after the tornado. My nephew was getting married back east and we all posed for a family photo. Every time I look at that picture, I remember the tornado and Im always just so grateful because all four of my kids are happy and healthy. Some moms dont have that. Relocating to Tulsa gave her then-minor children a fresh start in a place where they could get professional help working through their traumatic experience and the grief from lost classmates and friends. For Parsons-Bieligk, it brought new perspective and a new passion getting involved with the American Red Cross. When youre cut off from the world instantaneously, you feel like youre on an island of terror, all alone, she said. Then people showed up in masses from all over the world, people just driving down I-44 would stop and say, Im going to help for the day. It blows my mind to this day the kindness of strangers. I dont think Ill ever forget that or ever stop being able to pay that forward. Her other remembrances are the difficult ones. I think about it every year. I can still smell it and hear it and feel it and see it, Parsons-Bieligk said. I think about my daughters friends who died, how their families are doing. I think about that. I really cant help but reflect on the people who died. ***** Capt. Terry Sivadon, now rescue coordinator for the Tulsa Fire Department, led 35 members of Oklahoma Task Force I, the states urban search and rescue team, into Joplin about four hours after the tornado struck. We could have been there sooner, but we had to wait for a governors signature to cross state lines, said Sivadon, a seasoned veteran. What I remember is just the devastation that EF-5 tornado had done. I was just in awe of the devastation. Arriving amid a veritable sea of volunteers waiting at the Joplin fire station they reported to, Sivadons team needed no oversight or help establishing communications. We are very organized and very self-sufficient. All we need is an assignment, a division to search and a parking lot to put our equipment. We search every inch of it and we dont leave until everyones accounted for. We were there for two days. The difficult part of the task was not finding anyone to rescue, but they helped walking wounded they encountered and left no stone unturned in their grid search, which included the tornado-ravaged main hospital in Joplin. You think Joplin, Missouri, another state but theyre just right there, he said. We were ready to go and we were requested. The Joplin Fire Department sent a kind-of badge with the date to our task force, thanking us. Its a unity of adversity medal. They were really grateful that we came. ***** Myrna Jones, a certified volunteer and trainer with Childrens Disaster Services, cared for children from displaced families in Joplin for the first two weeks of disaster response. Her first stop was a youth center quickly set up as a multi agency resource center where those affected could seek assistance from a host of organizations such as the Salvation Army, American Red Cross, and other non-profits and emergency relief ministries. Her second assignment was at a full-blown shelter, where mostly low-income families with nowhere else to go were temporarily housed. We are not only background checked and trained in caregiving, but we are trained in how to support them in their play. Its very self-directed. They are often acting out what theyve experienced, Jones said. It was hard for them to come to us and for their parents to leave them with us because of what they had just been through. We had children playing tornado, being spun around in boxes, and a child talking about an uncle who died in the bathtub. Jones got involved because of her professional background in child care and development, including 18 years as director at Bethany Community School in Tulsa. But she is quick to point out such a background is not necessary to provide the vital support needed in disasters and other emergencies. And she is a big advocate of emergency volunteer training, because she said you just never know when your services could be needed, including in your own backyard. Her volunteer work has taken her to the scenes of the Oklahoma City Bombing, and tornadoes and flooding throughout Oklahoma, Texas and Louisiana. Jones carries with her unique memories from every circumstance, including Joplin. Sometimes we would have the kids 15-20 minutes, or sometimes we would have the same children two or three days in a row, she said. It was extraordinary it was a wide-range of children, and one of the main things I remember is just the commonality of people and how people came together, and how siblings cared for each other in the situation. It was very, very special. Featured video: Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. OKLAHOMA CITY Gov. Kevin Stitt on Friday signed legislation that lowers income taxes on individuals and businesses while increasing investment in education. House Bill 2962 cuts individual income tax rates by 0.25%, lowering the top rate to 4.75% from 5%. It also restores the refundability of the earned income tax credit, which benefits low-income individuals. Restoration had been a key issue for Democrats for years. Stitt also signed House Bill 2960, which lowers the corporate income tax to 4% from 6%. Both tax changes are effective Jan. 1, 2022. I am proud to sign legislation that lowers taxes and lets hardworking Oklahomans keep more of their money, Stitt said in a press release. Ive pledged to make Oklahoma a Top Ten state for business and making our business taxes among the lowest in the nation is another tool that will help us continue to recruit and retain companies. Sen. J.J. Dossett, D-Owasso, said the state has cut its revenue sources in the past and underfunded important things such as education. A tax cut is incredibly difficult to restore, he said, because Oklahoma law requires a supermajority of votes in both legislative chambers to raise taxes. Starlipers next chapter includes more schooling. After graduation from McDaniel, hes headed to graduate school in August at the University of Maryland School of Social Work in Baltimore with the goal of being a therapist to help other veterans. He said there are a lot of issues in the veteran community, and many do not want to seek help from people who cannot relate. Tulsans are generally supportive of immigrants those in the country legally, anyway Mayor G.T. Bynum said Friday during a Zoom panel discussion sponsored by New American Economy, a national advocate for immigration policies focused on the economy and jobs. The biggest lesson Ive learned is the level of support for helping the immigrant community is high, Bynum said. But for the most part, Bynum framed that acceptance in terms of properly documented immigrants. While the other two panelists, Republican lawmakers from Nebraska and South Dakota, were quizzed about how their states were handling DACA residents people brought to the country illegally as children Bynum repeatedly made reference to swearing in ceremonies for new U.S. citizens. Nothing I post (on social media) gets broader support than those ceremonies, Bynum said. He was asked primarily about his administrations New Tulsans program, which seeks to integrate immigrants into the community. Among other things, Bynum said, the program provides legal assistance for those seeking citizenship, and it also seeks to involve them in city government. Its important to me that we make sure (immigrants) are represented on boards, he said. Tulsa provided every conceivable kind of neighborly support, from search and rescue and law enforcement, to medical and hospital care, and the human, financial and material support. Photos: Ten years ago, Joplin, Missouri EF-5 tornado and aftermath Federal legislation ostensibly offering relief from statutes of limitations for claims resulting from Tulsas 1921 Race Massacre has been introduced by Georgia Democrat Hank Johnson. The bill, which had not been assigned a number Friday morning, follows Wednesdays appearance of three elderly massacre survivors and their attorney before a U.S. House of Representatives subcommittee. Johnson said at that time that he would file the legislation. It is similar to a 2009 bill filed by the late Rep. John Conyers of Michigan. That bill passed out of a House subcommittee but got no further. Johnsons bill would assure that massacre claims are not unfairly barred by statutes of limitations or laches or other similar provision of any applicable law relating to the timeliness of the filing of claims that might prevent a claim from being heard on its merits. The bill does not define unfairly barred. Federal courts dismissed a 2003 lawsuit seeking restitution for massacre damage because of the statute of limitations on such cases. Events and gatherings of 500 people or more in Tulsa will no longer be required to submit a COVID-19 safety plan for approval by the Health Department after Mayor G.T. Bynum ended the citys civil emergency declaration on Friday. The declaration has been in place since the onset of the pandemic in March 2020 and also included a mask mandate Bynum removed in late April amid operable COVID-19 hospitalization levels. Bynum said that same data influenced his most recent decision after consultation with the Tulsa Health Department leadership and members of the Mayor-Council COVID Working Group. All of our trends continue to look good following the end of the mask ordinance, Bynum wrote on his Facebook page. In January, over 25% of hospitalizations in Tulsa were COVID patients. On Wednesday, it was 1.1%. The order, which is effective at midnight, also rescinds the mandate that all businesses within the city follow the guidance of the Oklahoma Department of Commerces Open Up & Recover Safely Plan. Dr. Mary Clarke, president of the Oklahoma State Medical Association, said in a statement Thursday that the decision to relocate the Public Health Lab has been fraught with difficulties from the outset, the newest of which is the leadership change. While we remain hopeful the Oklahoma State Department of Health can work through these ongoing challenges, we would once again like to underline how important it is to have a fully operational lab that can turn around tests quickly and accurately, Clarke wrote. For some of our patients, these test results are truly a matter of life and death. The Health Department announced in December that it was contracting out operations of the Public Health Lab and Oklahoma Pandemic Center to Prairie One Solutions, a nonprofit subsidiary of the OSU Research Foundation. Kenneth Sewell, president of Prairie One Solutions, said in a statement that Kayser agreed to stay on as lab director until a new clinical director is hired. Sewell said Prairie One Solutions will conduct a national search for both the Public Health Lab director and executive director of the Oklahoma Pandemic Center. Stitt, in announcing the projects in October, called the day a milestone for public health response in the state by combining agriculture, human medicine, food safety and animal health. Kirt argued against the corporate tax cut, saying it would not benefit everyday Oklahomans. Tax cuts do not stimulate the economy, she said. We have learned again and again that trickle-down economics do not work. She said corporations look for good roads, good schools and healthy employees in determining where to locate. While corporations will benefit, homegrown businesses, some of which compete with the corporations, will not benefit, she said. Critics also pointed out that under state law it would take a supermajority in each legislative chamber to increase taxes even back to the current rate in the future. Thompson said corporations make huge investments in the state that improve the quality of life for residents. The states top individual income tax rate, 5%, would be reduced to 4.75%. Most Oklahomans are in the top income tax rate. For those with a federal adjusted income between $50,000 and $54,999, the savings would be $82 in tax year 2023. For those making $100,000 to $124,999, the savings would be $179. The individual income tax cut also restores the refundability of the earned income tax credit. "In establishing the truth of January 6th, this Commission will protect our temple of democracy and our democracy itself, and it will ensure that such an attack will never happen again, she said. Bice typically votes with the rest of the all-GOP Oklahoma delegation, though she has broken away at times, including on her vote for the Violence Against Women Act. In an interview in April, she said some Democratic lawmakers had refused to work with her because she voted on Jan. 6 to reject Electoral College results from Arizona and Pennsylvania. But she recently announced she was co-sponsoring legislation with key Democrats on the House Armed Services Committee to expand parental leave and child care opportunities for military personnel. On Thursday, all Republicans voted against an emergency spending bill to fortify Capitol security. The bill passed by just one vote, as three Democrats opposed the measure because they said it lacked reforms of the U.S. Capitol police. Cole spoke out against the legislation this week and cited several concerns, including the bill's establishment of a rapid response team that would be under the control of the D.C. National Guard. The increase in jobless claims follows Gov. Kevin Stitts announcement Monday to cancel the states participation in temporary federal pandemic relief jobless programs. Chief among the programs to get the ax effective June 26 are Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, which provided benefits to the self-employed, contract workers and so-call gig economy workers and the $300 extra weekly benefit that went to all unemployment benefit recipients. About 90,000 workers qualified for the $300 weekly benefit, about 18,600 of which received assistance through the PUA program at last count. Stitt said thousands of Oklahomans were making more money in unemployment relief than they were by working, while some employers have expressed difficulty hiring workers as the state emerges from the pandemic. Stitt also touted an incentive plan to pay certain workers who qualified $1,200 to return to work. Democrats criticized the cancellation of federal benefits, noting that the states unemployment rate is 4.2%. But Zumwalt noted in a written statement that Oklahoma has 37% more job openings than before the pandemic as well as the most employment opportunities since job opening data began to be collected in 2001. Does the vaccine work as well on youth as adults? Dr. Tyungu: Actually, the Pfizer vaccine has been shown to have a higher rate of efficacy on adolescents ages 12-15 than on adults. For adults, the efficacy during trials was approximately 95%, while it was shown to be almost 100% effective. Both Pfizer and Moderna are testing the vaccines on younger children to not only measure effectiveness amongst this age group, but also to determine what is the best dose. Its estimated that Pfizer will apply for an EUA expansion to these younger groups in September. If children tend to be asymptomatic or not get as sick, why get it? Dr. Tyungu: The reason is simple: to keep them healthy. While many children may not show active symptoms, they can still infect others. In addition, children under 17 are still susceptible to serious illness, long-hauler COVID symptoms and even death. Also, newer variants have increased ability to cause more serious consequences of infection in younger age groups and so far our vaccines protect against all major circulating variants at this point. To be sure, there are still plenty of people who are barred from voting by state laws. Some states dont let convicted felons vote; many states deny the vote to people with psychiatric disabilities, and sometimes, poll workers impose their own competency standards, regardless of what the law says. Most states impose a residency requirement often, you have to have lived there at least 30 days and though all states allow homeless people to vote, sometimes they have trouble meeting the registration requirements. These days, the battles tend to revolve less explicitly around who should be able to vote and more around ease of voting. There is a strong argument to be made that this is just a different way of restricting the vote: Democrats made effective use of absentee ballots in the 2020 elections, for instance, so Republican legislatures have imposed limits on their use for next time though there are states, like Florida, where absentees were a prime GOP electoral tool in earlier elections. The suit also alleges that the Association of Public School Administrators and Supervisors of Harford County the organization for non-certified and administrative staff collected dues from the four women even though it was defunct and Gerringer, its then-president, knew. It also says she represented herself as being the head of the association, even though it was not permitted to operate in the state of Maryland at the time, accusing her of fraud and misrepresentation. I read with interest the letter One party (April 22), expressing relief the Democrats now control all three branches of government and things can get done. What kind of things does the writer long for? Maybe open borders, long gas lines or Portland, Oregon, style mob rule? That's an interesting idea. I would call attention to the sovereign country of Venezuela. When Venezuela wasnt under the control of one party, it was a flourishing bastion of freedom and democracy. Venezuela was oil rich, had a prosperous workforce and companies. Venezuela (as are Cuba, Argentina, the Congo, Vietnam, Somalia, Russia, China) is now proudly under one-party control. And what a blessing! Now the oil must be bought from other countries, except Venezuela can no longer pay for it. Now the peasants are frantically fleeing the utopia of one-party control because toilet paper isnt available, jobs disappeared and gangs run the countryside. Ho Chi Minh City authorities have suspended express boat services from District 1 to Can Gio and Vung Tau over recent COVID-19 outbreaks in the southern metropolis. The route, operated by GreenlinesDP Technology Company, runs from Bach Dang Wharf in District 1 to suburban Can Gio District in Ho Chi Minh City before reaching its final destination of Vung Tau City in the southern province of Ba Ria - Vung Tau. The suspension will be kept in place until the COVID-19 outbreak in Ho Chi Minh City has eased and authorities allow social activities to return to normal. The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Transport has requested that GreenlinesDP Technology Company inform its passengers of the service suspension. The department also hailed the express boat operator for properly implementing measures to prevent and control COVID-19 and asked that the firm remain vigilant against the virus. Ho Chi Minh City has recorded six local coronavirus cases during the current wave of infections. This fourth wave, which erupted on April 27, follows a month without any known community transmission in Vietnam. The country has so far registered 1,836 domestic infections in 30 provinces and cities during the current wave, according to the Ministry of Healths data. The Ministry of Health has confirmed 4,833 local and imported coronavirus cases, including 2,689 recoveries, since the virus first hit Vietnam on January 23, 2020. The pathogen-related death toll stands at 40, with most having suffered critical pre-existing health problems. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Truong Hai Auto Corporation (THACO) Group, the Vietnamese assembler and distributor of several automobile brands, has issued a recall of tens of thousands of Mazda cars over faulty fuel pumps. According to the Vietnam Register, the state agency in charge of vehicle registration, THACO has ordered a recall of 61,517 Mazda vehicles belonging to five models Mazda 2, Mazda 3, Mazda 6, Mazda CX-5, and Mazda CX-8 all assembled domestically, as well as Mazda 2 cars imported from Thailand. The company will fix the fuel pump error on all cars from these models that are brought in during the recall. The recall began on May 17 and will last until December 31, 2025. There were a total of 3,369 imported Mazda 2s brought into Vietnam between June 4, 2018 and August 21, 2019. The number of domestically assembled Mazda vehicles subject to the recall mounts to 36,285 Mazda 2, Mazda 3, Mazda 6, and Mazda CX-5 cars produced between October 21, 2017 and December 28, 2018. An additional 21,863 Mazda 3, Mazda 6, Mazda CX-5, and Mazda CX-8 units manufactured from January 4, 2019 to December 30, 2019 qualify for the recall. Mazda, Honda, and Toyota have recalled tens of thousands of vehicles over faulty fuel pumps in Vietnam this month, according to statistics. Beginning May 24, Mitsubishi Motors Vietnam Co. Ltd. will recall 312 Outlander, Outlander Sport, Pajero, and Mitsubishi Colt units due to faulty fuel pumps and handbrakes. According to the Vietnam Register, the vehicles subject to the aforementioned recalls are equipped with a low-pressure pump placed in the fuel tank to provide fuel for the electronic fuel injection system. The impellers of these low-pressure pumps can be manufactured with a low material density, which may cause cracks due to drying during production, leading to the possibility of deformation resulting from the impact of gasoline during operation motion at high temperatures. During operation, the deformed impeller may collide with the pump body, causing the fuel pump to stop working and the engine to shake, not to start or to stall. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! What you need to know in Vietnam today: COVID-19 Updates -- The Ministry of Health reported 24 local coronavirus infections in Vietnam on Friday morning, taking the country's tally to 4,833 patients, including 2,689 recoveries and 40 deaths. -- Ho Chi Minh City is isolating eight sites liked to five COVID-19 cases that have been detected since Tuesday. Society -- Hanoi chairman Chu Ngoc Anh presented certificates of merit on Thursday to local customs officers and other forces to laud their cooperation in seizing 127.5kg of drugs and arresting 16 people from April 6 until now. This racket dealt in drugs in Hanoi, Hai Duong Province, Binh Duong Province, and Ho Chi Minh City. -- Ho Chi Minh City authorities have suspended express boat services from District 1 to Can Gio and Vung Tau, and vice versa, over recent COVID-19 outbreaks. -- A whale, three meters long and 300kg in weight, died washing up on a beach in Quang Nam Province, located in central Vietnam, on Thursday, according to Tran Van Siem, a local official. -- A Hanoi court sentenced Le Thi Lieu, 35, to five years in jail on Thursday for masterminding a scheme to have four people pose as business owners to accompany Vietnam's legislature chairwoman and her entourage during their working trip to South Korea in 2018. The four then hid themselves in the country. -- Police in Ho Chi Minh City said on Thursday that officers were dealing with a group of Chinese people they caught illegally entering Vietnam on Tuesday to allegedly scam locals via 'investments' in securities and cryptocurrencies. Business -- Mazda, Honda, and Toyota have recalled tens of thousands of vehicles over faulty fuel pumps this month, according to statistics. World News -- Belgian authorities rescued 49 migrants off the coast on Wednesday, most of them of Vietnamese origin and probably seeking to reach England by boat, AFP reported, citing Bruges' prosecutor. -- "India's output of COVID-19 shots for August-December is likely to be lower than the government's public estimate," Reuters said, quoting internal projections two sources shared with it. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! The source of infection of a new COVID-19 family cluster in Ho Chi Minh City came from Da Nang, as one of the patients had previously traveled to the central city, according to Nguyen Thanh Phong, chairman of the former city. The Ho Chi Minh City Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control convened a meeting chaired by chairman Nguyen Thanh Phong on Friday morning. Phong said that local authorities had been able to identify the infection source of a COVID-19 family cluster which was detected on Thursday. The cluster includes a 58-year-old woman who sells noodle soup down the alley at 287 Nguyen Dinh Chieu Street in District 3 and her two children. The vendor first tested positive for the novel coronavirus at Pham Ngoc Thach Hospital in District 5 on Wednesday, after visiting Medic Medical Center in District 10 on account of respiratory symptoms. Her retest came back positive at the Ho Chi Minh City Hospital for Tropical Diseases on Thursday morning. Her two children also tested positive for the virus later the same day. The three family members were confirmed as COVID-19 patients by the Ministry of Health on Thursday evening. Epidemiological investigation eventually revealed that one of the womans two children had visited Da Nang, a beach city in central Vietnam, during the holiday marking Reunification Day (April 30) and International Workers Day (May 1) and returned to Ho Chi Minh City on May 3. The child likely got infected with COVID-19 in Da Nang and spread the disease to the mother and the other sibling, Phong hinted at the meeting. More than 1,860 people who had contact with the three patients have tested negative for the novel coronavirus so far. Aside from this family cluster, a 63-year-old man in Go Vap District also tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday, but he has yet to be confirmed by the health ministry. His second test is being conducted by the citys Hospital for Tropical Diseases. His 32 direct contacts have been tracked down and tested negative. Chairman Phong required the Ho Chi Minh City Center for Disease Control to promptly determine the infection source of this suspected case. Earlier this week, two employees working at a company in District 3 were also confirmed as COVID-19 patients. Their infection source came from the northern city of Hai Phong, health authorities said, citing their analysis of clinical signs, epidemiological investigation, and test results. Ho Chi Minh City has detected six local COVID-19 infections while Da Nang has reported 147 cases since the fourth transmission wave hit Vietnam on April 27, statistics showed. A total of 1,836 domestic infections have been recorded in 30 provinces and cities during the current wave, according to the Ministry of Healths data. As of Friday afternoon, Vietnam had registered 4,883 virus cases, with 2,689 recoveries and 40 deaths. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! A businesswoman has been sentenced to five years in prison for organizing the illegal exit of nine people on an outbound flight of the then-Vietnamese National Assembly chairperson in 2018. The Ho Chi Minh Peoples Court on Thursday tried Le Thi Lieu, former director of GVA Joint Stock Company, and her seven accomplices in the case. Lieu, determined to be the mastermind of the illegal sending of nine people under the cover of business people to South Korea, was charged with arranging for people to flee abroad illegally. Two other defendants indicted for the same offense as Lieu included Tran Thi Tuyet, a former official of a magazine under the Ministry of Planning and Investment, and Luong Manh Hung, former director of TD Vietnam Education Consulting and Training Joint Stock Company. Tuyet and Hung got 20 months in prison each for their offenses. Five others received terms ranging from 18-month suspended imprisonment to three years in jail for brokering so the nine could go abroad. The acts of the defendants affected not only social order but also the diplomatic relations between Vietnam and South Korea, the jury said. As shown in the indictment, on August 6, 2018, the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National Assembly (NA) asked the Ministry of Planning and Investment to make a list of enterprises accompanying the NA chairperson to China and South Korea. After hearing the news, Lieu made contact with Hoang Anh, who was living in Germany, and discovered that many residents in Anhs hometown -- Nghe An Province -- wanted to travel to South Korea for work. Through her uncle Trinh Bang Dung, Anh introduced Lieu to some of these people, who had to pay US$10,000 each to be taken to South Korea. Lieu directed her staff to prepare all necessity dossiers and procedures so that the nine people, under the guise of entrepreneurs, and her could accompany the NA delegation. The nine paid $11,500 each for their illegal trip so that Dung could earn a profit. Due to schedule changes, the NA delegation later visited South Korea only, from December 4 to December 7, 2018. After arriving in South Korea on December 4, 2018, the nine impersonators managed to separate from the delegation and fled away to find jobs. Police have identified six of the nine people, of whom four have been deported by South Korea while the remaining two have hidden themselves away. At the court, Lieu told the jury that she had advised these so-called business people not to flee. She also rejected the allegation that she had earned $30,000 from them, saying it was too high while the actual amount was very little." Investigators will handle the case of Anh later as she is now living in Germany. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! A pit bull has been put down after fatally attacking a person and injuring his owner in Vietnams Mekong Delta. The incident took place in Thu Thua District, Long An Province at around 11:00 pm on Thursday, according to preliminary information. H.T.H., 37, was then walking his two pit bulls, a male weighing 52 kilograms and a female weighing 30 kilograms, with a friend along a street about two kilometers from his house. Both of the dogs are about two years old. As H. and his friend joked around, the male dog attacked the friend and repeatedly bit multiple parts of his body until the victim was killed. H. was also injured by the pit bull as he tried to intervene. He was admitted to Long An General Hospital as his hands and face were badly lacerated. H. had been in a stable condition as of Friday morning. Police officers stated that the male dog ran away following the attack, while the female headed back to H.s house. Local authorities and some residents joined hands to euthanize the male put bull on Friday morning. Further investigation is ongoing. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Hundreds of young volunteers in Vietnam are lending a hand to their country's efforts to quell the fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Pham Tuan Vu, a university student in Hanoi, and 50 of his peers have spent the past few weeks making thousands of face shields they hope to distribute to the local community in order to slow the spread of COVID-19 in the capital city. The fourth wave of COVID-19 struck Vietnam late last month after a super-spreader in Dao Ly Commune, Ha Nam Province, some 51 kilometers from Hanoi, caused an outbreak that led to authorities locking down the locale. In the following days, dozens of residents in Ha Nam, Hanoi, and nearby Vinh Phuc Province began testing positive for COVID-19. The country has registered 1,836 domestic infections in 30 provinces and cities during the current wave, according to the Ministry of Healths data. Vu, 21, felt it was his duty to step up and help his community in its efforts to ward off the virus. He quickly assembled a group of friends and set about making plastic face shields. We are students from a medical university, said Vu. Although we do not have much money, we still want to contribute to the fight against the virus. We want to make sure that medical staff on the front line have the protective equipment they need. It took the group just two days to make 1,000 face shields a particularly impressive feat given that they are full-time students with little time to spare between classes and clerkships at local hospitals. We hope the pandemic dies down soon so we can return to a normal life, Vu told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper. In addition to making masks, Vus group is also trying to help improve the quality of life for their fellow Hanoians currently trapped in lockdown areas. On Sunday, they visited K Tan Trieu Hospital a medical facility currently under lockdown to distribute congee to the residents. Vu has also assembled a team that is offering support to frontline workers by making 2,000 anti-droplet caps. They are also collecting medical supplies, such as masks and hand sanitizer, to send to local hospitals. Volunteer students In Ha Nams Ly Nhan District, a group of volunteers have been struggling to help residents manage the fallout of the pandemic. Between 7:00 am and 2:00 pm each day, the volunteers spend their time transporting vegetables, food, hand sanitizer, and other necessities to the district's frontline workers and 2,500 households. Watching our hometown struggling against COVID-19 gave us a sense of responsibility, said Vu Quang Huy, 31, the leader of a volunteer group in Ly Nhan. Trinh Thanh Tam, 36, the leader of the Thanh Tam charity club, said she felt a similar urge to support the community. Her group has spent the past several days calling for aid for the public and working with donors and other charity clubs to support frontline medical workers with vegetables and other necessities. So far, Tam has delivered over 1,000 kilograms of winter melons, sweet cakes, fresh milk, instant noodles, and water to the community. They have also distributed hundreds of servings of congee, hundreds of bottles of sanitizer, protective suits, and more than 51,000 medical face masks to nearby restricted areas. I often receive text messages from people thanking our club and donors for the lovely bowls of congee they received, Tam shared. It warms my heart and inspires the group to keep working in support of hard-hit areas. Battling COVID-19 in Vietnams remote areas In the mountainous province of Yen Bai, more than 1,000 young people, including many members of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union, have been deployed to 180 different teams to fight the pandemic. According to Trieu Tri Loc, deputy secretary of the Yen Bai Youth Union, the campaign was launched after two coronavirus cases were registered in the province. In urban areas, volunteers use social media as a platform to share information and guidelines, but in mountainous communities, residents rely on speakers placed in their neighborhoods for news and announcements. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! A man from Vietnams Central Highlands has been indicted for stabbing his friend to death after the victim wanted to leave a drinking party to check on his pregnant wife. The Peoples Procuracy in Ea Kar District, Dak Lak Province confirmed on Thursday it had issued an indictment against Do Viet Duong, 38, who was charged for murder. The indictment showed that Duong invited Nguyen Xuan Quyet, 36, Le Van Cuong, 35, and some other friends to his house to drink alcohol on December 16. While most attendees left at 9:00 pm, Duong, Quyet, and Cuong stayed to continue their party. They moved to the cafe that Duongs family operates on the premises of the house to drink beer and sing karaoke. Cuong left at around 11:00 pm, and Quyet also said he needed to go home to check on his pregnant wife. Duong insisted that Quyet stay, before throwing away the latters motorbike key. He then took out a knife from his car and threatened his friend. Quyet came closer as he thought Duong was just joking, and ended up be stabbed in the left chest. The victim passed away on his way to the hospital. Meanwhile, Duong stayed at his home and later threw away the murder weapon in another location. Officers said Duong had had several criminal records prior to the stabbing. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Lynette Wallworth, Cherie Romaro, Mitch Torres. World-renowned VR artist Lynette Wallworth, broadcasting innovator Cherie Romaro and pioneering broadcaster and filmmaker Mitch Torres have received Honorary Degrees from the Australian Film Television and Radio School. They were presented at the AFTRS annual graduation ceremony yesterday, which saw 137 students graduate from the 2020 academic year. Ms Wallworth said: I am thrilled and honoured to receive an Honorary Doctorate from AFTRS. The school has supported my work for over a decade, it has been a fruitful association and this honour is another milestone. I really appreciate the recognition for my work with its focus on emerging tech and immersive story telling. I am extremely honoured to be awarded an Honorary Doctorate Arts, Radio. I can hardly believe this has happened to me, I never could have imagined it in my wildest dreams. I am privileged to work in an industry I love, and over the years I have had some extraordinary mentors, people who have really believed in me such as Rod Muir, Rhett Walker, Mike Willesee, Patrick Delany and John Williams. I have always believed in giving back and this amazing training facility AFTRS allows me to pass on my experience and knowledge to the students, Ms Romaro said. I am honoured and humbled to receive this Honorary Doctorate from the AFTRS. I stand on the shoulders of many inspiring members of my family: my grandparents, parents and children and film media community who inspired me to craft our stories together. I also honour them as I receive this acknowledgment. I thank them for being a central part of my creative journey, and look forward to continuing and creating stories that matter, Ms Torres said. AFTRS Chair, Russel Howcroft, said: An AFTRS honorary degree is only awarded to the highest achievers and it is one of the highest honours that can be conferred on a creative screen arts and broadcast practitioner in Australia. Lynette, Cherie and Mitch are each inspiring leaders and innovators in their fields who continue to make outstanding contributions to the screen and broadcast culture in this country. Ms Wallworth will receive a Doctor of Arts, Film and Television (honoris causa) 2019 Honorary Degree, which was not presented last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Ms Romaro and Ms Torres are recipients of the 2021 Honorary Degree, with a Doctor of Arts, Radio (honoris causa) and a Doctor of Arts, Film and Television (honoris causa) being awarded respectively. Lynette Wallworth who, last year, was AFTRS inaugural Artist-in-Residence, is an Emmy and AACTA award-winning Australian artist/filmmaker whose immersive installations, VR and film works reflect on the connections between people and the natural world. Ms Wallworths work has been shown in galleries and festivals worldwide and in film festivals including Sundance, Venice, London, IDFA, CPH:Dox, HotDocs, Sheffield and Sydney, Adelaide and Melbourne film festivals. Her works include the interactive video installation Evolution of Fearlessness; the award winning fulldome feature Coral, with accompanying augmented reality work; AACTA award-winning documentary Tender; Emmy award-winning virtual reality narrative Collisions which premiered at Sundance Film Festival and the 2016 World Economic Forum, Davos; and XR work Awavena, which premiered at Sundance and was in competition at the 2018 Venice Film Festival. Ms Wallworth has been awarded a UNESCO City of Film Award, the Byron Kennedy Award for Innovation and Excellence, in 2016 she was named by Foreign Policy magazine as one of the years 100 Leading Global Thinkers. She received the inaugural AFTRS Creative Fellowship, the Joan and Kim Williams Documentary Fellowship and the inaugural Sundance New Frontiers VR Fellowship. Cherie Romaro began her executive career in commercial radio at a time when women were generally employed only as receptionists and executive assistants. Cherie broke that mould with an exceptional career through the world of radio, television, journalism, digital and podcasts. Australias first ever (commercial radio) female Music Director, she went on to become Music Director at 2SM in Sydney when the Top 40 station ruled the airwaves. Ms Romaro pioneered FM formats in Australia and, after co-authoring three successful government submissions for FM licenses, she became the inaugural Content Director for rock station 2MMMFM, later crossing to 2DAYFM working for the high-profile board consisting of Michael Willesee, Graham Kennedy and John Laws and creating one of Australias most celebrated radio brands, the first ever soft adult contemporary format. Ms Romaros programming and management successes continued internationally with consultancies in Paris, NRJ (formally known as Pacific FM Network) 54 radio and television stations, News, Talk, Classical, French, CHR and Soft AC. Returning to Australia to ARN she launched the MIX and Gold FM networks across the country before redirecting her talents to television, to reposition Arena and The Weather Networks, later eturning to Radio with EON Broadcasting to reposition Classic Hits 2CH. Ms Romaro continues to apply her many talents to the world of media. Mitch Torres was SBSs first Indigenous presenter (1988) and went on to do her journalism cadetship with ABC TV news, later becoming the first presenter and field journalist for GWNs long running magazine program Millbindi. Ms Torres became a broadcaster with Indigenous radio stations Goolarri in Broome and WAAMA 6NR in Perth, before joining ABC Kimberley as the morning shows presenter and producer. In the mid 1990s, she turned her talents to visual storytelling and made her first short drama for the Shifting Sands Short Drama Initiative (SBS TV). She then began making documentaries, including the award-winning Jandamarras War and the heartbreaking Whispering in our Hearts, a historical documentary about the Mowla Bluff Massacre in the West Kimberley. Ms Torres has directed and/or written a range of dramas and documentaries and theatrical plays. Ms Torres current focus is on drama and she continues to create, research and produce projects to grow her own film company Nagarra Nagarra Film and to help nurture and grow the next generation of talented Indigenous West Australian filmmakers, by offering creative opportunities and partnerships, such as the co-production with Ramu Productions on the supernatural series Seven. Also today, 137 students will graduate from four AFTRS courses Graduate Diploma in Radio; Batchelor of Art Screen: Production; Master of Arts: Screen; and Master of Arts Screen: Business & Leadership. A significant achievement across all courses are the screen productions and radio broadcasts that students have completed during the COVID pandemic. Amongst the first productions to go ahead in the COVID environment, AFTRS and its students notably led industry best-practice in COVID safe protocols. AFTRS CEO, Nell Greenwood, said: Graduation is a significant moment in our school year where we celebrate our students learning and we formally mark their transition into industry. I couldnt be prouder of our graduates and our Schools achievements. Ninety-three percent of AFTRS 2020 graduates are currently working in the screen and broadcast industries. Over the past year weve also had wins at international festivals and two of our graduates films, made while at AFTRS, secured international distribution deals. AFTRS is here to serve and support the Australian industry and up skill our graduates to make work that entertains and connects audiences at home and around the world. This week also saw the annual AFTRS Graduate Showcase, a hybrid of both in-person and virtual programming with screenings, information sessions, networking, exhibitions and more, with graduating students presenting their works to leading Australian industry representatives, including broadcasters, producers, acquisitions and development executives. Related Poteets career goals include either working at a think tank or in academia, with a focus on research, specifically about equity in education for women and girls throughout the world. Her desire to work in the research and international affairs fields has been shaped over four years at UMBC, through various internships with organizations such as the Brookings Institution in Washington D.C., as well as forming friendships with peers of different backgrounds. US breakfast show CBS This Morning will shift to a new studio in New Yorks Times Square later this year. The facility is located in the corporate headquarters of CBS News corporate parent, ViacomCBS, and once hosted the long-running MTV program TRL. The show already broadcast from the location for a week last year, when the network set up its Election Night coverage. It can also be seen from the windows of rival show Good Morning America, which operates a few blocks away. The network said that co-hosts Gayle King, Anthony Mason and Tony Dokoupil will have new ways to conduct interviews and the facility will also be geared to blending feeds from the networks news division and affiliates. Shawna Thomas, who came aboard as executive producer in January said, This gives me more options for movement and more options to play. Hosted by Gayle King, Anthony Mason and Tony Dokoupil, it screens in Australia on 10. Source: Variety, Deadline Related Language, language! Who can ever forget the TV supervillain that was Deni Hines in Celebrity Apprentice 2012? Ill never forget having to moderate a flood of heated comments from viewers across the country. Even Nine stars such as Tom Steinfort, Leila McKinnon and Ed Phillips took to social media to complain, in ways they would probably never dare repeat today. Hines would probably acknowledge it killed her career for years (Ed Phillips you were correct). This 2011 parody, using the German film, The Downfall: Hitler and the End of the Third Reich (aka Der Untergang), suggested Hines had at least one big fan. For the record the other names referenced here are Jason Coleman, Jesinta Campbell, Max Markson, Shane Crawford and Julia Morris the eventual winner whose career boomed thereafter. Related By Ahmi' Moore '24 Listen to Podcasts: Interview with former Dayton City Commissioner Dean Lovelace Interview with UD Professor Richard Stock Suffering from the effects of the relentless pandemic beginning in 2020, the year 2021 continues to prove how crucial it is to have conversations surrounding the concept of human rights. At the University of Dayton, we value the critical study and understanding of these concepts, whether it be through ones own research or a classs collective study. The University started its undergraduate human rights studies program in 1998 with a minor and now offers a major and a minor in human rights. In Spring 2021, students enrolled in Dr. Caroline Waldrons Introduction to Human Rights (200) course - a class required of all human rights studies majors - discussed everything from the origin of human rights to the present condition of these concepts. At the end of the course, students were tasked with conducting research on Living Wage in Dayton and how it is intertwined with human rights. Students were given the opportunity to meet with experts from the University of Dayton and the Dayton City Commission Office. After concluding their research, students were asked to formulate a podcast that illustrated the data they collected. In this blog, we highlight two of the podcast episodes from the class. The first was created by Ahmi Moore, Kinsleigh Jones, and Christianna Surratt and focuses on information obtained from Daytons City Commission Office about former City Commissioner Dean Lovelaces fight for economic rights to be enacted in law in Dayton, in accordance with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) articles 23-25 & 27 and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 1, 3, and 8. In this episode, we underscore the idea that people are entitled to an adequate life, which requires an adequate living wage. The second podcast was created by Nathan Campbell, Elizabeth Brahler, and Brock Begesha, and showcases insights from the Universitys own Professor of Economics, Richard Stock. His research informs us of the disparities between economic classes and their impact on access to education. The interview highlights how this issue could possibly be resolved by enacting a higher living wage. Both podcasts demonstrate how the rights enshrined in the UDHR transcend the original 1948 draft and have, since then, been embedded within todays social structure. This is exemplified in the United Nations recent proposal of the SDGs. The reinforcing nature of the two agendas emphasize the ways in which economic rights are human rights. As mentioned in our podcast, there is a direct correlation between UDHR articles 23-25, & 27, which establish the rights to work, join unions, rest and leisure, social security and an adequate standard of living, and to culture and scientific progress- including benefits from ones work, and SDGs 1 on poverty reduction, 3 on health, and 8 on decent work. Following the correlation between the two agendas enables us to gain a more critical understanding of how economic disparities are just as much a human rights issue as disparities in gender or other areas. Please enjoy our podcasts for an in-depth overview of how economic rights are human rights and what that means in a place like Dayton, Ohio. LISTEN TO PODCAST Interview with former Dayton City Commissioner Dean Lovelace Interview with UD Professor Richard Stock Ahmi Moore is a sophomore human rights studies and English major from Xenia, Ohio. As an Abolition Ohio intern at the HRC, Ahmi' focuses on furthering anti-trafficking efforts through education, advocacy, awareness-raising, and research. Podcast Creators in Human Rights 200 "Introduction to Human Rights" class: Kinsleigh Jones, Ahmi Moore, Christianna Surratt, Nathan Campbell, Elizabeth Brahler, and Brock Begesha Dr. Caroline Waldron is an Associate Professor of History at UD and Faculty Research Fellow with the HRC. During the academic year of 2015-16, she served as the Special Advisor to the Provost on Gender and Equity. She was the first person to hold this important position at the University of Dayton. Twelve major opposition political parties of India (barring Mayawatis Bahujan Samaj Party and Arvind Kejriwals Aam Aadmi Party) wrote a joint letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier this month, demanding that the Centre take immediate action to mitigate the ferocious second wave of COVID. They suggested a series of measures that include distributing free vaccines, and even stopping work on the Central Vista project and repealing the farm laws. After Mamata Banerjees grand victory against the Bharatiya Janata Party in Bengal, Opposition parties have gained confidence. They feel they now have a template to defeat the BJP. They have used the surging coronavirus cases to join forces and launch a united attack on Modi 2.0 dispensation for its failure to rein in the pandemic. The camaraderie between Congress and Trinamool Congress was visible in the Bengal elections, where the grand old party despite having an alliance with the Left parties in the state, seems to have systematically transferred its votes to Didi to checkmate the BJP. For Congress, the clear enemy number one is the BJP, and it doesnt mind sacrificing a state where it had no great hope anyways. The party also tied up with AIUDF in Assam and put up a good fight against the BJP. The Mahajot recorded just 1.5% less vote share than National Democratic Alliance. The Congress showed intent and strategy, took the risk of allying with a so-called communal party, though it lost in the end. In Tamil Nadu, Congress agreed to fight on a fewer number of seats for the sake of alliance and recorded a good strike rate. In 2019, after the declaration of Maharashtra results, the party which is called as lethargic, slow to react, etc, swung into action (though coaxed by NCP boss Sharad Pawar) when it saw an opportunity due to the falling out between the Shiv Sena and the BJP. This led to the installation of an anti-BJP government in the state which has completed 1.5 years in office. Story continues For regional parties too, the BJP and not the Congress is the main opposition. The BJP is officially the number two party in Bengal and Odisha. It is slowly and steadily taking over from Congress to emerge as the main player against KCRs TRS in Telangana. The BJP has tied up with Jana Sena and is attempting to dislodge TDP from the number two slot in Andhra. In few North Eastern states, regional parties and not Congress have emerged as the main challenger to the BJP. However, we have seen in the past (including in 2014 and 2019 general election) that forging a united front to defeat the BJP is easier said than done. Some regional parties like Naveen Patnaiks BJD, KCRs TRS and Jagan Reddys YSRCP do not consider BJP as untouchable. They have helped the saffron party pass important Bills in the Rajya Sabha where it lacks majority. These parties may want to be in the good books of the central government. For regional parties, many of whom have been founded on an anti-Congressism plank, being on the same side of the grand old party means a big transition which could be opposed by their cadre and supporters / voters. While the Congress may be willing to play second fiddle to the dominant regional party in the state elections (like RJD in Bihar), it may wish for a quid pro quo in the national elections, thus demanding that it contest a lions share of seats. This could be a tricky point. Another issue which the Congress faces is that in the process of tacitly helping the better positioned regional party to win against the BJP (like in Delhi, the AAP and in Bengal, the TMC), it runs the risk of losing its support base forever in the state. The question of who will be the leader of the grand alliance in the national polls is the stickiest point. Logically, Congress should allow regional parties to lead the alliance in states, and regional parties should allow Congress to be the leader in general elections. Seven state elections, including the big ones Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat, are due next year and will test the feasibility of a grand alliance. Out of these three Goa, Gujarat, Uttarakhand are mainly Congress versus BJP contests. In UP, which is in many ways the gateway to Delhi, the Opposition is divided. The Samajwadi Party and the BSP, which had formed a Mahagathbandhan to take on the BJP in 2019 general elections, has failed to live up to its promise. One of the reasons was they kept the Congress out of the alliance. The Congress contesting separately led to the defeat of 10 MGB candidates in UP. There is no way the opposition can defeat the BJP in the 2022 state polls without SP-BSP-Congress coming together. Can the leaders of these parties shed their egos and join hands? With a low index of opposition unity, the BJP, despite a loss in panchayat polls, appears well placed as of now. It remains to be seen whether this bonhomie among opposition parties lasts long and crystallises into a formal front to take on the might of BJPs election machinery, in states and general elections. DONT MISS: Ford has challenged Britains smallest town Fordwich, in Kent to go all electric as the firm launches its new Mustang Mach-E EV. It follows on from research which showed that a large majority of those who live in the countryside, small towns and villages say that they would not feel confident purchasing an EV as their next car if the ban on petrol and diesel vehicles were to come into force next week. To showcase the merits of an EV, Ford is allowing all 380 residents of Fordwich to try out its new Mustang Mach-E as part of a three-day mass test drive around the Kent countryside. Fords survey of 2,000 people also discovered that just 55 per cent of those living in small towns, villages and the wider countryside felt that they had enough information to make an informed choice about buying an EV. This contrasts with 85 per cent of those living in cities, urban areas and large towns who feel the same. Lisa Brankin, managing director, Ford of Britain and Ireland said: We are incredibly excited to introduce our all-electric Ford Mustang Mach-E. Ford is committed to helping our current and future customers to go all-in on the road to a fully electric future by supporting them on that journey. Over the next few days, we want to show how even the smallest town can make the electric switch! A new charge point has been installed in the town of Fordwich as part of the event Ford has also partnered with British Gas to install an EV charge point at the towns Fordwich Arms pub, allowing residents to access quick and easy charging. Philip Lewis, local councillor and Mayor of Fordwich added: What a fantastic way to get people to try out an electric vehicle. We are so proud of our town and preservation is something that is incredibly important to us so we were keen to see how simple it would be to switch over to a more environmentally friendly vehicle. Its great to see so many people signed up over the next few days and we are thrilled to have a local charging point installed for long term public use. Suspected Gangster Arrested in $1M Home Robbery of Chad Power May 21 2021 Jason Glatzer On Feb. 10, high-stakes poker pro Chad Power reported to the police that two men stole a safe containing $750,000 in cash and $250,000 in poker chips from his home in Henderson, Nevada. Months later, Henderson police have identified and arrested one of the suspects in 32-year-old Las Vegas resident Brock Brewer, who was booked on Tuesday at the Southern Nevada jail on multiple felonies, including theft of $100,000 or greater, conspiracy and home invasion. The authorities believe that Brewer, who was mentioned in the arrest report as a "known gang member", and another individual followed Power home after observing him at a casino. They further believe based on originally from statements made to police back by Power in February that the duo waited for Power to leave home before breaking in and stealing Power's high-value safe. Brewer was booked in the Clark County Detention Center and is due to be in court on June 1. Related: Darren Elias and Family Safe After Attempted Robbery by Poker Player No Masks and Prior History Surveillance tapes caught two men walking out of Power's home with one clearly carrying his safe. Despite mask regulations around the globe, the two robbers inexplicably had their masks down while on tape. Both suspects had lowered/removed their facemasks at this point and their faces were visible, police said according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, adding Power did not know the burglars. Despite the tape, the police didn't make any immediate arrests. Brewer was identified as a possible suspect when a Henderson detective looked back at similar crimes. The detective discovered Brewer, who had three prior felony convictions, was identified as a suspect in a case back in 2006 where a robber followed a poker player home before stealing $15,000 in cash and chips. Telephone records also placed Brewer in the area of Power's home at the time of the robbery. WSOP Returns to Las Vegas Sept. 30-Nov. 23 The WSOP will take place at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino this fall! More Info Suspicious Cars The photos matched up with the surveillance tapes and the police went to Brewer's home only to discover him driving a 2021 Dodge Charger Hellcat. The car was traced to a purchase made in Brewer's mother's name where a $30,000 cash down payment was made to a California dealership on Feb. 15 or just days after Power was robbed. A short while later, the police served a warrant and seized the Charger along with two other cars including a 2018 Maserati Levante SUV that was paid in full with a $60,000 payment in Arizona and also registered to Brewer's mother. Whether Power will be made whole and whether the second robber will be identified and arrested isn't known at this point especially considering Brewer immediately invoked his right to remain silent when arrested. PokerNews will provide any updates as this case continues to develop. Jonathan Little on How Phil Ivey Crushed in a 100K Poker Tournament May 21 2021 Jonathan Little To this day, Phil Ivey is still one of the most feared players at the poker table, and this hand highlights exactly why. He floats on a flop with no real backdoor equity and then goes for the bluff on the river against Orpen Kisacikoglu in a 100,000 poker tournament. Most players, myself included, would have snap-folded on the flop, but Ivey proves time and again that he is always thinking ahead and has plans for everything that he does. The hand took place in a 100,000 No-Limit Holdem Triton Super High Roller with the blinds at 500/1,000/1,000. Ivey (334,000) raised to 3,000 from the cutoff with the and Kisacikoglu (121,000) three-bet to 11,000 from the button holding the . Why so big? When you are playing deep stacked with an ante in play you should use bigger bet and raise sizes. Both blinds folded and Ivey opted to call. If your opponent is three-betting aggressively, which Kisacikoglu is known to do, they will have a wide range that king-ten suited will do well against. Phil Ivey On the flop, Ivey checked and Kisacikoglu continued for continuation-bet of 8,000. To me, it seems like a pretty easy fold, but Ivey had something else in mind. He check-called and the peeled off on the turn. Ivey checked for a second time and it was on Kisacikoglu. What would you do in this scenario? Do you check and give up? Do you go for a bluff, and if you do, would you bet small (15,000) or big (35,000)? This is a dicey one because its pretty easy for Ivey to have a very wide range when he reaches the turn due to the small flop bet size and how coordinated the board is. I would bet for a small size with all of my strong spades, and a small bet will often fold out a lot of one-pair hands that Ivey could have. Additionally, if Kisacikoglu were to check the turn he would most likely face a bet on the river from Ivey and would have to fold even if he was winning. Kisacikoglu will not win the pot very often if he checks the turn, but a bet could win him the pot even against marginal hands that he is losing against as they would frequently fold. For those reasons, I like a small bet from Kisacikoglu. However, in this hand, Turkeys all-time money leader checked behind and the completed the board on the river. Orpen Kisacikoglu With 40,500 in the pot, this seemed like a great spot for Ivey to bluff. He doesnt need to bet too big as Kisacikoglu will likely fold any hands that do not contain a spade. If Kisacikoglu were to have a strong spade he will still call a big bet which is why it doesnt make sense to opt for a large size. Ivey bet 20,000 and that got the job done as Kisacikoglu snap-folded. That is Phil Ivey, he gets it done, battles hard, and picks up a lot of pots other players do not. For a more thorough breakdown of this hand, check out my thoughts in the following video used with permission from partypoker: Jonathan Little is a professional poker player and author with over $7,000,000 in live tournament earnings. He writes a weekly educational blog and hosts a podcast at JonathanLittlePoker.com. Sign up to learn poker from Jonathan for free at PokerCoaching.com. You can follow him on Twitter @JonathanLittle. The fighting erupted on May 10, when Hamas militants in Gaza fired long-range rockets toward Jerusalem. The barrage came after days of clashes between Palestinian protesters and Israeli police at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound. Heavy-handed police tactics at the compound, built on a site holy to Muslims and Jews, and the threatened eviction of dozens of Palestinians by Jewish settlers had inflamed tensions. The Biden administration waived sanctions on the company behind Russias Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline to Germany and its chief executive, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Wednesday (19 May), a move decried by critics of the project in Congress, Euractiv reports. A State Department report sent to Congress concluded that Nord Stream 2 AG and its CEO, Matthias Warnig engaged in sanctionable activity. But Blinken immediately waived those sanctions, saying that it was in the US national interest. The decision came as the Biden administration seeks to rebuild ties with Germany, after relations deteriorated under Republican former President Donald Trump. The waivers have no specific end date, but can be rescinded by the secretary of state. The State Department imposed sanctions on four Russian ships, including the Akademik Cherskiy, which began pipe-laying for the project in Danish waters in April. It also imposed the measures on five other Russian entities, including the Russian Marine Rescue Service. Todays actions demonstrate the administrations commitment to energy security in Europe, consistent with the Presidents pledge to rebuild relationships with our allies and partners in Europe, Blinken said in a release, issued as he met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Iceland for an Arctic Council conference. President Joe Biden, a Democrat, has opposed the $11 billion project that would take Russian gas from the Arctic to Germany, saying it is a bad deal for Europe. The United States is an exporter of natural gas to Europe in the form of LNG, but Russian gas is cheaper. Washington fears Russia could use Nord Stream 2 as leverage to weaken European Union states by increasing dependency on Moscow. Russias state energy company, Gazprom, and its Western partners are racing to finish the pipeline to send natural gas under the Baltic Sea. The project, now about 95% complete, would bypass Ukraine, depriving it of lucrative transit fees and potentially undermining its struggle against Russian aggression. A US official conceded that stopping the project would be difficult but that Washington would keep trying. We inherited a pipeline that was over 90% complete and so stopping it has always been a long shot, the State Department official said. At the rate it is being constructed, Nord Stream 2 will be finished before the end of the year, if not sooner, analysts said. US lawmakers from both parties who oppose the project said the sanctions did not go far enough, as Russia could likely continue work. Senator Jim Risch, the senior Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said the waivers will be a gift to Putin that will only weaken the United States leverage in the lead up to the impending Biden-Putin summit. Biden should do everything possible to accomplish what the Trump administration failed to do for four years: stop the completion of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline for good, said Senator Bob Menendez, a Democrat and chair of the committee. Yuriy Vitrenko, the new CEO of Ukraines state-owned energy company, Naftogaz, said Nord Stream 2 is Russias most malign and dangerous geopolitical project and that Ukraine would ask Washington to fully apply its laws and impose sanctions to stop the pipeline. US officials hope the waiver will give time for discussions with Germany on potential negative effects of the pipeline and provide some leverage to deepen cooperation on broader issues, such as the pandemic, climate change, the economic recovery and dealing with China and Russia. The waiver also provides space for diplomatic engagement with Germany to address the risks that a completed pipeline would pose to Ukraine and European energy security, the State Department official told reporters. Germany has been pressing for the United States to drop its opposition to the project, arguing that the overall relationship was too important to sacrifice over what Berlin has described as a commercial project. We see this as a constructive step, which we are happy to further discuss with our partners in Washington, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas told reporters. Russian officials signaled on Wednesday that waivers could help mend Washingtons fraught ties with Moscow. Two months later, on July 20, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will go to Cyprus, more precisely, to its Turkish part. The day before, he said that he was preparing to make an appeal from there to the whole world. What important thing will Erdogan tell the world, Vestnik Kavkaza asked Turkologists. Top Turkish officials visit the self-proclaimed Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) annually on July 20. On this day in 1974, the Turkish army entered the northern part of the island. The Turks living there did not want the island to be annexed to Greece, as the authorities in Athens wanted, so Ankara used force. There are still two months before Erdogan's trip, but the Turkish president has already made political analysts ponder, saying that his appeal from North Nicosia concerns not only the island divided between Greeks and Turks, but the whole world. Doctor of Historical Sciences and visiting professor at the Institute of Asian and African Countries of the Lomonosov Moscow State University, Mehmet Perincek, believes that the Turkish leader will urge the partner countries to recognize the independence of Northern Cyprus. "The accession of Northern Cyprus to Turkey is not on the agenda, Ankara does not have such a plan yet. Now Ankara will try to call on other countries - Russia, Iran, its potential partners and allies - to recognize the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus," he said. The historian drew attention to the fact that in the Mediterranean Sea a large coalition was formed against Turkey, consisting of the United States, France, Greece, Cyprus and the United Arab Emirates. They are conducting military exercises to deprive Turkey of the ability to extract gas and, in general, to block its freedom of action in the region. Ankara resists the penetration of the Atlantic powers into Eurasia. "Turkey stands at the gates of Eurasia. It should be emphasized that Turkey is resisting in the Eastern Mediterranean and on the Cyprus issue not only for the sake of its national interests, but also in the name of security and stabilization of the entire Eurasian space. The United States surrounds Turkey in the Eastern Mediterranean and threatens Russia. Washington has a strategy aimed against Russia and Turkey in the Black and Mediterranean Seas, "he says. Therefore, Perincek believes that Ankara and Moscow have a common interest in containing Washington, which is trying to lay siege to them. "Moscow and Ankara need joint action to counter this threat. The Eastern Mediterranean and the Black Sea have become part of a united front on which a geopolitical confrontation is taking place. Polarization in the region is observed not only between Turkey and Greece, but also between Russia and Ukraine. For the Atlantic camp Greece and Ukraine are nothing more than pawns. Therefore, Moscow and Russia should consider the Cyprus, Crimean, Eastern Mediterranean and Black Sea issues together, and they should find a common language. If Russia decides to recognize Northern Cyprus, then Turkey can recognize Crimea as part of the Russian Federation ", - said the historian. Yashar Niyazbayev, editor-in-chief of MK Turkey, author of the telegram channel Turkey's Agenda, has two versions as to what Erdogan will say on July 20. The first is the need to support the independence of Palestine, the second is the status of Northern Cyprus. "President Erdogan has created an intrigue. This means he will say something important. Considering that he warned that this applies not only to Turkey, but the whole world, thoughts come to mind, first of all, about the status of the Turkish part of Cyprus and about Palestine. But also the possible discovery of natural resources off the coast of Cyprus, although this does not quite attract the interest of the whole world. Therefore, there remain two topics Palestine and Cyprus, he said. As for Northern Cyprus itself, the expert does not exclude the annexation of part of the island to Turkey: "Will Erdogan be able to announce the annexation of Northern Cyprus to Turkey? Anything is possible. But will Ankara be ready to face a reaction, with sanctions, with pressure from the world community now, when is the country trying to get out of the protracted economic crisis? These are the main questions that remain a mystery to Erdogan's plans. " We will remind, in November 2020, when visiting Northern Cyprus, Erdogan said that the solution to the conflict between the Turks and Greeks is possible on the basis of the principle of two states. "Cyprus has two different peoples and two separate states. The decision on the two states should be discussed on the basis of sovereign equality," the politician said then. At gathering last week in central China, Foreign Minister Wang Yi promised his Central Asian counterparts all sorts of investments and new initiatives. But nothing on his list promises to be as symbolic as the nature of the meeting itself, Eurasianet reports. Held in Xian, the traditional starting point of the ancient Silk Road, the May 12 get-together was the first time the foreign ministers of the six countries met in person without other mediators. The meeting signaled a new chapter in how Beijing approaches Central Asia: Confidently, and with little concern for what Russia thinks. Top of the agenda was Afghanistan. The timing the meeting was announced only two days before was almost certainly influenced by President Bidens decision last month to withdraw from Afghanistan. With U.S. forces departing the region, Chinas stakes in Central Asia are now higher for two reasons. First, the world is outraged by Chinese policy in Xinjiang, where reports of forced labor, internment camps and demolished mosques are undermining Beijings image and breeding resentment in the Muslim world. Second, China now has the Belt and Road to protect. The BRI depends on the stability of the Eurasian hinterland. To that end, Beijing has been trying to contain potential spillover from Afghanistan by opening an outpost in Tajikistan and training a so-called mountain brigade to patrol the Wakhan Corridor, the thin slice of Afghanistan bordering China. Beijing has also apparently stepped up its espionage inside Afghanistan. So it is not surprising that one of the main outcomes of the meeting in Xian was a joint statement of concern on Afghanistans rapidly deteriorating security, underscoring Chinas push to coordinate a common position with the Central Asian countries. In this regard, its worth keeping in mind Washingtons current efforts to open a base in Tajikistan or Uzbekistan, something guaranteed to irk Beijing. As the only major power at the table, China set the agenda, announcing new initiatives and coordinating policy responses with all five countries at once without having to compromise with other regional players. This is new, and comes at a time when some analysts believe the Shanghai Cooperation Organization a forum where Moscow and Beijing together meet most of the region is in deep crisis. Beijing already wields unparalleled economic heft in Central Asia. By gathering all five countries at the same time, this new format promises to become Central Asias most important regional forum. In many ways, policy coordination and cooperation through smaller groups of countries is the zeitgeist of the current era. The Quad is a good example. This U.S.-led group including Japan, India and Australia tries to check Chinas maritime ambitions in the Indo-Pacific. Moreover, by being the latecomer to the +C5 format (Japan, the EU, the U.S., India and Russia have all done it), Beijing has effectively protected itself from Kremlin ire. However, the China+C5 grouping should not be seen in isolation. It comes on the heels of similar minilateral initiatives Beijing has recently launched. Each is a hand-picked group of countries friendly to China; taken together, these serve as a new tool to help Beijing manage its borderlands. As elsewhere, the content of the meetings matters as much as the symbolism In Xian, China promised a number of new projects, further boosting cooperation in areas spanning archaeology and agriculture, health and education, trade, energy and transportation. Beijing also promised to help Bishkek with its debt pile and encouraged Kyrgyzstan to approve a railroad tying China directly to Uzbekistan. With each project comes an agreement; with each agreement the region is more closely aligned with China. While pushback from local civil society should not be discounted and public support is far from guaranteed it is now hard to envision a structural obstacle that would block Chinas steady march into Central Asia. There is little hope for a BRI alternative; there is no Quad-like coalition coming to aid the region. Instead, it is becoming increasingly apparent that we are witnessing a unipolar moment in the heart of Asia. The latest China-Russia cooperation on nuclear energy has drawn the spotlight as a ground-breaking virtual ceremony for the bilateral nuclear power plant project took place on Wednesday. The ceremony initiated the construction of units 7 and 8 of the Tianwan Nuclear Power Plant in east China's Jiangsu Province, as well as units 3 and 4 of Xudapu Nuclear Power Plant in northeast China's Liaoning Province, CGTN writes. It is of significance as the four units are in a package deal for cooperation on nuclear energy between China and Russia. It was signed with a witness by the two heads of states in June 2018. The project is the biggest China-Russia nuclear energy cooperation project to date, according to Zhao Lijian, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson. The total amount of the deal exceeds 20 billion yuan ($3.1 billion) as the construction cost reaches over 100 billion yuan. Nuclear energy cooperation is a traditional priority cooperation area for the two countries, said Zhang Jianhua, director of China's National Energy Administration, cited by Xinhua. Zhang pointed out that the cooperation between the two nations on major nuclear power projects can be dated back to the 1990s, as the first four units of the Tianwan Nuclear Power Plant are the fruits of the collaboration. In 1992, China and Russia signed a package deal to embark the cooperation on nuclear power. Units 1 and 2 of the Tianwan Nuclear Power Plant have been under construction since 1999 and put into operation in 2007. In 2018, Tianwan Nuclear Power Plant's units 3 and 4 jointly built by China and Russia were put into commercial operation. Once the units 7 and 8 are completed, Tianwan Nuclear Power Plant will become the world's largest nuclear power plant with the largest installed capacity. As the world shows signs of slowing down the pace of building new nuclear power plants, the new nuclear projects will help boost worldwide confidence in such cooperation in the energy field. Hong Tao, head of energy policy research at the resource and environmental policy institute of Development Research Center of the State Council, said, "the collaboration between China and Russia on nuclear power is a highlight when global nuclear development is experiencing a low tide." All four units, jointly built by China National Nuclear Corporation and Russia's Rosatom State Nuclear Energy Corporation, will adopt the third-generation VVER-1200 reactors developed by Russia. Compared to its precedent VVER-1000 reactor, the latest VVER-1200 reactor features advantages in many aspects, according to the Rosatom. The new reactor enhances the performance and safety, increasing 20 percent in capacity. The lifespan of the main equipment, including the reactor pressure vessel and the steam generators, is doubled from 30 years to 60. The application of new technologies has helped reduce manpower by 20-30 percent, compared to the old model. When completed and put into operation, the annual power generation will reach 37.6 billion kilowatt-hours, which is equivalent to reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 30.68 million tonnes per year. As China has pledged to reach CO2 emissions peak before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060, the new nuclear power units would effectively help contribute to reducing carbon emission and achieving the goal. Deng Hao, secretary general of the China Center for Shanghai Cooperation Organization Studies, said this cooperation project demonstrates that China and Russia take the same stand on combating global climate change and realizing green development. "It also shows China's firm determination to peak its carbon dioxide emissions and achieve carbon neutrality, and its commitment as a responsible major nation." Zhao Long, a researcher at Shanghai Institutes for International Studies with expertise in Russian issues, said the areas of China and Russia's cooperation have been extended from mainly in petro and gas to new energies such as nuclear or hydrogen power. Nuclear power is not just crucial to China in achieving neutrality but also a key step for energy transformation in Russia. The projects are due to be completed by 2026 and 2028, AP reported. In the spirit of the 20th anniversary of the signing of the China-Russia Treaty of Good-Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation this year, the cooperation between the two countries is not limited to energy. In the last months, China and Russia announced they will jointly build an international scientific and research station on the moon, and it is open to international partners interested in the venture. On May 18, the east route of the China-Russia natural gas pipeline has started excavation from Nantong, east China's Jiangsu Province. The pipeline goes through Shanghai, Jiangsu, Shandong, and Hebei, and is estimated to be put into operation in 2025. U.S. President Joe Biden called Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Thursday to discuss steps to end fighting in the Palestinian territories, the Egyptian presidency said. The call is the first Sisi has received from Biden since the U.S. president took office in January, and comes amid intensifying efforts to secure a Gaza truce after 11 days of violence between Israel and Hamas. "The call dealt with discussions and an exchange of views in order to stop the violence and escalation in the Palestinian territories in light of the latest developments," a statement from Egypt's presidency said. "It was agreed by the two sides during the call to continue regular consultation and exchanges of points of view, and to reinforce mutual fruitful coordination between responsible agencies from the two countries during the coming period." Egypt has contacts with both Israel and Hamas and has been a key mediator during the current and past conflicts in the Gaza Strip, which borders Egypt's Sinai peninsula, Reuters reported. U.S. President Joe Biden promised to replenish Israel's supply of Iron Dome interceptors and to help rebuild the Gaza Strip in a brief address he delivered at the White House shortly after the announcement that a truce had been reached to end 11 days of IDF-Hamas conflict on Thursday evening. "The U.S. is committed to working with the UN... and other international stakeholders to provide rapid humanitarian assistance and to marshal international support for the people of Gaza and the Gaza reconstruction efforts," he said. "We will do this in full partnership with the Palestinian Authority, not Hamas, the PA, in a manner that does not permit Hamas to restock its military arsenal," Biden said. "Palestinians and Israelis equally deserve to live safely and securely. My administration will continue our quiet relentless diplomacy toward that end. We have a genuine opportunity to make progress," Biden said. The president explained that over the last two weeks, he had held six conversations with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, including on Thursday. The two men had spoken of the Iron Dome system, which had saved the lives of countless Israelis, both Arabs and Jews, Biden explained. Israel has said that the system had a 90% success rate. "I assured him of my full support to replenish Israel's Iron Dome system to ensure its defenses and security in the future," The Jerusalem Times cited Biden as saying. I believe that altogether free community college would be a mistake; that there needs to be an investment by the student. I also appreciate the need of many people to build their education in order to properly, independently support themselves and their families as part of the broad community. A ceasefire between Israel and Palestinian groups controlling the Gaza Strip entered into force on Friday at 2 a.m. local time. Al-Aqsa TV reports that the "resistance victory" is being celebrated in the Gaza Strip, while hundreds of people took to streets in Ramallah with Palestinian flags to mark the end of the hostilities, fireworks are being launched. The truce was achieved after 11 days of intense rocket fire between the parties under Egypts active mediation. On Thursday, Israels Security Cabinet adopted a unilateral ceasefire at its special session, while Hamas agreed to the ceasefire with Cairos mediation. According to Egypts state TV, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi gave instructions on Thursday to dispatch two delegations to Palestine and Israel to monitor the ceasefire. An official source in Cairo said, "one group is already in Ramallah, it was conducting contacts with the Palestinian side to achieve a ceasefire, the second will urgently head off to Tel Aviv." Egyptian envoys will observe and monitor the implementation of the agreements as well as discussions over the next steps which will make it possible to maintain stability permanently, TASS reported. Meanwhile, the parties were exchanging fire until the very last moment as the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported more rocket strikes from Gaza just 12 minutes before the ceasefire started. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen welcomed the truce and urged both sides to consolidate it and stabilise the situation in the long term. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also welcomed a cease-fire between Gaza and Israel on Thursday and urged all sides to observe the truce. European Council President Charles Michel had similar words, tweeting: Welcome announced ceasefire between Israel and Hamas ending the 11-day conflict. Opportunity for peace and security for citizens must be seized. While welcoming a unilateral ceasefire by Israel, Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki said it is not enough because Jerusalem remains the key issue. The exchange of rocket fire between Israel and the Gaza Strip began on May 10 and was triggered by riots at Jerusalems Al-Aqsa Mosque. Clashes between Palestinians and Israeli police erupted after an Israeli court had ruled to evict several Palestinian families from the citys Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood and hand the property over to Jewish settlers. According to latest data, 232 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and at least 12 Israelis have been killed. The European Parliament and the member states reached a provisional deal on COVID-19 certificates designed to facilitate travel and help revive tourism in Europe. Once the political compromise on the EU digital COVID certificate, previously known as the European digital green certificate, is approved by the Parliament and by the Council representing the 27 EU countries, it will come into force on 1 July. The agreed text will be put to the Parliaments Civil Liberties Committee (LIBE) on 26 May. If confirmed, it will be tabled for adoption during Parliaments plenary session on 7-10 June. In parallel, the Council will have to confirm the agreement as well, Euractive reported. "This will obviously will mark summer 2021. [] We wont be repeating the nightmare of summer 2020, Parliaments rapporteur, Spanish lawmaker Juan Fernando Lopez Aguilar, told a press conference on Thursday evening, after the negotiations were finalised. Georgia and the U.S. have signed a grant agreement earlier today through which Georgia will receive $330 million via USAID over the course of five years to promote the countrys sustainable development, create jobs, strengthen accountable governance and Georgias democratic achievements. Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili has stated that at the initial stage Georgia will receive $67 million. According to him, the crucial agreement with [our] strategic partner covers different fields and issues, including conflict resolution, agricultural and private sector development, the rule of law, human rights, democratic governance, civil society, basic education, social services and the environment. The PM said that USAIDs support to Georgia has already amounted to $1.8 billion. "About 335 programmes have already been implemented in the fields of agriculture, energy, infrastructure, environment, education and health. The US support will ensure the creation of jobs and assist the countrys pandemic-affected economy," Agenda.ge cited Garibashvili as saying. Following the end of the Second Karabakh war, Azerbaijan already made very important proposals and initiatives, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said during the video conference entitled South Caucasus: Prospects for Regional Development and Cooperation held by Nizami Ganjavi International Center. The president said the proposals and initiatives were reflected in the joint declaration of Nov. 10, 2020 (between Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia to end the hostilities). Ilham Aliyev said the prepositions were made with respect to opening of communications, new transportation corridors. "Work has already started on the implementation of this project," he said. "Azerbaijan has already allocated technical and financial resources for that. "When Zangezur corridor is opened, it will open new opportunities for countries of the region," the president stressed. Kazakhstan and Tajikistan have agreed to boost bilateral strategic ties to maintain good neighborly relations and ensure sustainable development in the region, a joint statement said. Kazakhstans President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, who arrived in Tajikistans capital Dushanbe on a two-day visit on Wednesday, met with his Tajikistans counterpart Emmomali Rahmon. In the meeting, Tokayev and Rahmon discussed regional issues as well as perspectives on deepening cooperation in political, commercial, economic, cultural and humanitarian spheres. Aiming to increase the bilateral trade volume to $2 billion in the next five years, the two expressed readiness to develop cooperation in areas such as the establishment of joint production facilities in the industrial field, infrastructure and logistics. They also decided to support Kazakh and Tajik diasporas living on the border of the two countries and to double the scholarship quota for students studying at universities, Anadolu agency reported. Moscow welcomes the move to declare a ceasefire between Palestine and Israel, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said at a briefing on Friday. "It is with great satisfaction that Moscow welcomes a ceasefire in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, launched at 02:00 am on May 21," she pointed out. According to Zakharova, the move is "important but not enough" to prevent tensions from escalating further. "At this stage, international and regional efforts should focus on creating conditions for reviving political talks between the Israelis and the Palestinians in order to resolve fundamental final status issues based on the UN resolution and the two-state solution," TASS cited her as saying. According to Zakharova, Moscow particularly commends the mediation efforts on the part of Egypt and the United Nations. "Finding a sustainable and fair solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is crucial for ensuring comprehensive stability in the entire Middle East," the Russian diplomat added. The exchange of rocket fire between Israel and the Gaza Strip, which had been raging since May 10, was triggered by riots at Jerusalems Al-Aqsa Mosque. Clashes between Palestinians and Israeli police erupted after an Israeli court had ruled to evict several Palestinian families from Jerusalems Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood and hand the property over to Israeli Jews. According to Gazas Health Ministry, 232 Palestinians were killed in the coastal enclave and 1,900 suffered wounds. In Israel, at least 12 people were killed (nine Israelis and three foreign workers). The ceasefire was brokered by Egypt. Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili has said that his meeting with his Spanish counterpart Pedro Sanchez has been 'very productive. "Met my colleague, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, as part of my visit to Spain; spoke of developing economic, business and cultural relations between Georgia and Spain; discussed the effect of the pandemic on our countries and underscored the need for the equal distribution of vaccines," Garibashvili said, adding that he has invited Pedro Sanchez in Georgia. "On his two-day official visit to Spain, Irakli Garibashvili has attended the opening of the Madrid International Tourism Fair - FITUR - where Georgia participates in the status of a partner country,' the Georgian PM has tweeted. Having attended the opening of the fair, PM Garibashvili said that FITUR is 'a message heralding the world's gradual return to normal life, and we, among others, must be ready to host tourists actively'. U.S. President Joe Biden meets South Korean President Moon Jae-in at the White House on Friday to underscore a strategic focus on Asia, while playing down chances of quick progress on the two biggest challenges facing the United States. The rising power of China as a rival for leadership in Asia and the powder keg of nuclear-armed North Korea loom over the talks. "The goal here is to understand that this process is likely to be challenging and to give ourselves maximum flexibility," a senior White House official said about dealing with North Korea's nuclear arsenal. Against that backdrop, Washington's main emphasis is on rebuilding traditional U.S. alliances in the region, especially with South Korea and Japan. Moon comes to Washington as Biden's second foreign guest. Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, visiting in April, was the first, Reuters reported. The US-South Korean relationship "is the lynchpin of security and prosperity for northeast Asia and a free and open Indo-Pacific," the White House official, who asked not to be identified, said. "President Biden will reaffirm that ironclad commitment." The White House said this would be the first time a foreign leader has taken part in a Medal of Honor ceremony. Commercial ties will be high on the agenda. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and her South Korean counterpart will hold separate talks involving a raft of CEOs with a focus on high-tech manufacturing - battery technology, semi-conductors and 5G wireless. Five female provincial Party Committee Secretaries have made strong commitments and shown their priority issues while running for election to the 15th National Assembly (NA). Thai Nguyen provincial Party Committee Secretary Nguyen Thanh Hai Of 40 provincial Party Committee Secretary standing as candidates for the posts of the 15th NA Deputies, five are women. They are Ninh Binh provincial Party Committee Secretary Nguyen Thi Thu Ha; Thai Nguyens Nguyen Thanh Hai; Bac Ninhs Dao Thi Hong Lan; Vinh Phucs Hoang Thi Thuy Lan; and Lai Chaus Giang Pao My. Ninh Binhs Nguyen Thi Thu Ha committed to contribute to the institutionalization of the Party's guidelines in building the political system, especially cadres at all levels, if she is elected. Ha also wishes to contribute to the development of legal system and policies to promote growth and take care of people's lives. She promises to contribute to continuing the innovation and improvement of supervision activities, with focus on monitoring major and pressing issues in socio-economic life such as the supervision of land and resources use management, and environmental protection in industrial parks and urban areas. Ha, who was once chair of the Vietnam Womens Union, has great concerns about the issues related to womens advancement, gender equality, families and children. As head of the 14th Delegation of NA Deputies, Ha promises to continue acting as the bridge between the province and ministries, central branches and departments. Thai Nguyen Secretary Nguyen Thanh Hai commits to focus on research and actively participate in the development of policies and laws that fit local conditions and social life, thus contributing to the development of the home province which targets becoming one of the modern economic and industrial centers of the Northern midland and mountainous region and the Hanoi region by 2030. Hai commits to spend adequate time to meet, listen and collect opinions, thoughts, aspirations and legitimate recommendations from voters. At the same time, she will supervise the implementation of the Party's guidelines, State laws, NA resolutions, and issues of voters concern such as health, education and other policies, and the fight against corruption. Five female provincial Party Committee Secretaries have made strong commitments and shown their priority issues while running for election to the 15th National Assembly. The Thai Nguyen Secretary also wants to contribute to finding solutions to overcome shortcomings, limitations, and obstacles in socio-economic development in the locality; actively participate in building policies to protect the legitimate rights of women and children, including training, fostering, planning, rotation, promotion and appointment of female cadres. She also cares about accelerating administrative procedures and digital transformation, and wants to build a contingent of cadres, civil servants and officers at all levels, who are capable and prestigious, and regularly practice public service quality and ethics. She will strictly handle cases of violating public service ethics to minimize and eliminate harassment and wrongdoings in public service performance in Thai Nguyen province, taking people's satisfaction as a goal for public services. It is also one of the criteria for assessing cadres, civil servants and public employees. Bac Ninhs Secretary Dao Hong Lan pledges to always be a faithful and reliable representative of people in the country and voters in the province; and regularly stick with units, agencies and voters in the province to listen, collect and truly reflect the people's thoughts, aspirations and intelligence for submission to the NA, the Government, Partys agencies and government at all levels. Regarding matters under her responsibility and authority, Lan will settle problems urgently and resolutely, ensuring the legitimate and lawful interests of people. She also promises to try to understand the general situation of the province well; strengthen the connection between the central authority and Bac Ninh province; improve the leadership capacity and fighting strength of the Party, build the Party and administration, the Fatherland Front and socio-political organizations, and make them pure, strong and effective. She will also apply solutions to continue economic restructuring, focusing on agriculture and new-style rural development, together with industrial development as well as create breakthroughs in trade and service development. In the immediate future, the province will focus on implementing measures to prevent and control the Covid-19 epidemic. Vinh Phucs Hoang Thi Thuy Lan will propose strategic content initiatives for the development of Vietnam in general and Vinh Phuc in particular towards sustainability, and inclusion, creating opportunities for all people to participate and contribute to the construction, development and mastery of the economy. She pledges to put people at the center, not to leave anyone behind in development, especially disadvantaged groups in society. Lan pays special attention to social security, health care, education, transportation infrastructure development, clean water, especially in rural and urban areas. She also commits to support initiatives to create stable jobs with high incomes for people. She plans to reform the social insurance policy, especially the pension system for old people, all-people health insurance. In the immediate time, she will propose expanding health insurance to children aged six to 16 under the Law on Children. Lai Chaus Secretary Giang Pao My promises to fulfill the responsibility assigned to elective deputy well. She wishes to improve the quality and effectiveness of the 15th NA Delegation's activities, affirming that she will maintain contacts with voters as needed, especially voters in remote, border, and ethnic minority areas; and spend time listening to voters' thoughts and aspirations to forward to the NA, the Government, ministries, central branches and local competent agencies. At the same time, she will monitor and urge the timely settlement of legitimate petitions of voters; strive to perform the duties as the representative of voters interests, will and aspirations, thereby contributing to improving the lives of the people, making the province richer, more beautiful and more civilized. Thu Hang Newly-elected Hanoi Party Secretary faces great responsibility, high expectations To succeed, the first breakthrough a nation needs is institutional reform and laws. For Dinh Tien Dung, who has been elected as Hanoi's Party Secretary, this coincides with his view. Many e-commerce firms still hold a traditional business mindset that does not keep up with the 4th industrial revolution as the companies lack interactions with customers. In early 2021, Mr. Nam Truong (Hanoi) wanted to buy a new washing machine. Searching on the Internet, he saw that prices were different, so he used a price comparison tool to find the most reasonable price. Through two price comparison websites (websosanh and sosanhgia), Truong was led to a list of sellers. However, when placing an order on the supplier's page, he did not receive any confirmation by email or phone from the seller. Calling the phone numbers on their website, he failed to reach one and one was available but the seller said the product Truong ordered was out of stock and recommended another product that was more expensive. The seller even said that the price posted on their website was for advertising only. The final price that customers have to pay for the product is equal or higher than the similar product on e-commerce sites of the sellers in the TOP 50 largest retailers in Vietnam. This is not that common, but with some tricks, such businesses still remain at the top of search pages or are recommended. This is the biggest weakness of Vietnamese e-commerce: lack of transparency and unfair competition. The most common behaviors are acts of unfair competition or dumping, blinding competitors, taking advantage of online advertising and marketing channels to provide false information about products, quality of goods and services, and about prices of businesses, especially small and medium sized. Unprofessional customer care Many e-commerce businesses still have a mindset that has not kept up with the 4.0 era. They lack interaction with customers through online support, customer care call centers or online chat tools that can answer customers questions about products and services or solve complaints. Many Vietnamese businesses have set up customer service call centers, but customers have to pay a fee. A survey of the top 10 most prestigious banks in Vietnam in 2020 showed that 8 of these 10 banks have a fee-based customer service number. A survey of the Top 15 e-commerce floors in Vietnam in 2020 also showed that, (except for Mobile World, Bach Hoa Xanh, FPT Shop, Cellphones, Nguyen Kim, Juno that have free-of-charge customer care switchboard systems), the remaining e-commerce businesses/e-commerce trading floors all have fee-based customer service call centers (Shopee, Lazada, Tiki, Sendo, Cholon Electronics, Meta, Hoang Ha Mobile, Mediamart). According to another survey conducted of local airlines Vietnam Airlines, Vietjet Air, Bamboo Airways, Vietravel Airlines, these airlines all use the number 1900xxxx to collect charges when customers call, and some carriers do not specify the call charge per minute. At many e-commerce websites, employees usually check products after receiving them from the manufacturer, claiming that they are checking whether products are correct and complete (eg at Mobile World, Cellphones,... ). Businesses can argue that this is necessary and is their sales policy, but for customers, when receiving a product with the product stamp removed or even with all packaging removed, accessories replaced or trialed, and the warranty activated, then it is clear that the product is no longer an original one. The sellers argue that they do so to protect customers but in fact there are manufacturers who require delivery of the original products, with the seal intact to customers, so that the customer can directly check the product. If there is any error, the manufacturer is ready to exchange it with a new one. The argument that the product may be broken or lack accessories does not comply with the enterprise's commitments when setting up, announcing or registering an e-commerce website with the Ministry of Industry and Trade. The Department of E-commerce and Digital Economy said that in order to create a healthy environment and support e-commerce activities, the agency is urgently completing policies and legal documents on e-commerce and digital economy. The Ministry of Industry and Trade has developed and submitted to the Prime Minister Decision No. 645/QD-TTg dated May 15, 2020 approving the National E-commerce Development Master Plan for the 2021-2025 period. The Ministry of Industry and Trade is compiling a decree to amend and supplement a number of articles of the Government's Decree No. 52/2013/ND-CP dated May 16, 2013 on e-commerce in order to build and perfect an ecosystem for the development of e-commerce and the digital economy, to have solutions to support businesses operating in this field, build markets and improve consumer confidence in e-commerce, and strengthen the capacity of infrastructure and supporting services for e-commerce. But above all, e-commerce firms must improve their own capacity and improve themselves. Large investments and professional policy enforcement are needed to enhance its reputation and image with customers. That is the only way to survive and grow in the fiercely competitive e-commerce environment. Lawyer Le Minh Toan (Le Minh Law Firm) The case of a man infected with Covid-19 from someone who sat 10m from him. This case in Vietnam reinforces the evidence that the SARS-CoV-2 virus is transmitted through the air. Vietnam is experiencing the 4th wave of Covid with complicated developments and increasing number of locally-transmitted cases rapidly. Since April 27, the country has recorded 1,538 patients in 28 provinces and cities. This particular outbreak has had the highest number of patients in Vietnam so far. The two strongest strains of SARS-CoV-2 sourced in India and the UK have been found in Vietnam. There is increasing evidence that the SARS-CoV-2 virus can be transmitted through the air. More than 37% of workers in a factory of Hosiden, a company based in Quang Chau industrial park of Bac Giang province, one of the countrys largest Covid-19 hot spots, tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. Duong Chi Nam, Deputy Director of the Health Environmental Management Department of the Ministry of Health, said that Covid spread quickly there because workers sat very close to each other, the room used air conditioning, the ceiling was very low, and the environment was closed. Medical staff take samples for testing at Quang Chau industrial park, where Hosiden company is located. In Hanoi, according to the Hanoi Center for Disease Control (CDC), a 40-year-old man was infected with Covid-19 after attending a 2-hour meeting with a Covid-19 patient, who sat 10m from him. The man tested positive 1.5 days after the meeting. Another example: up to 11 passengers on a flight from Da Nang to Hanoi on April 29 were infected with Covid-19 by two Chinese experts although their seats were not near the Chinese experts. Similarly, another flight from Da Nang to Hanoi on May 2 also recorded the same phenomenon. A couple transmitted Covid-19 to a man whose seat was far away from them. In fact, the information that SARS-CoV-2 is transmitted through the air has been buzzing in the scientific world since last year. On May 8, the US Center for Disease Control confirmed this information and updated its guidance on how SARS-CoV-2 is transmitted. Accordingly, in addition to transmission by inhaling droplets, touching the infected area and then bringing it to the nose and mouth, the SARS-CoV-2 virus is also transmitted through microscopic particles suspended in the air, especially in a closed environment. That is, a person who is more than 2m away can still contract the virus. The new guidance replaces the US CDC's original assumption that infection occurs by close contact, not by airborne transmission. At the meeting of the National Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control on May 10, Health Minister Nguyen Thanh Long emphasized that Vietnam is in a state of high alert due to the strong infectious ability of the virus variant. The British variant of SARS-CoV-2 virus spreads 1.7 times faster, but the Indian variant spreads even faster that that strain, especially the ability to infect through the air," the Minister said. Professor Nguyen Van Kinh, Chairman of the Vietnam Infectious Diseases Association, added that the world has now recorded more than 4,000 variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, but only a few strains have an impact on the spread and increased virulence. Prof. Kinh also confirmed that the SARS-CoV-2 virus is transmitted through the air and droplets. However, experts recommend that the 5K measures are still effective with new strains. Thuy Hanh With the return of COVID-19 community infections up and down the country, health authorities have once again stepped up messaging to encourage everyone in society to keep each other safe by wearing masks and other measures. COSY SPACE: The spacious, well-located restaurant in the city centre. A side sandwich bar provides some great stuffed baguettes for those who do not like noodles. "Please hold back your personal joy and happiness for the common good health of our greater community," read messages from national anti-COVID-19 task forces on online platforms. Weddings have been delayed, public gatherings shifted online, classes and even exams are online, and office workers work from home. Only a month ago, before the resurgence, we went to Da Nang for a family wedding that had been postponed a few times due to the pandemic. The humid air and spring drizzle in the north weighed heavily on everyone's mood. We really looked forward to this wedding and wanted some sunshine in the country's most livable city. Da Nang has a world of delicacies to offer but the signature dish is My Quang, or noodles of the land of Quang (Quang Nam and Quang Ngai provinces). The dish is more of a mixed noodle salad with a generous serving of broth than a hot noodle soup like other dishes. In Vietnamese, my and pho both translate as noodles in English. TOP CHOICE: The signature noodles served on a bamboo tray with a hotpot with two frog legs sticking out. My Quang is a species of its own: made of rice flour like the noodles in pho, but dyed in yellowish galanga flour and dabbed with peanut oil, but called my, like other angel-hair noodles made either from rice or wheat. My Quang can be served with chicken, pork, shrimp or fish and hard-boiled eggs. The fish can be snakehead, tuna or mackerel. If you already tried My Quang before, or if you like anything with frog, then a frog topping might be the best way to go. When the restaurant My Quang Ech Bep Trang offered frog as a topping, many locals raised their eyebrows as they were very sceptical. Famous for being hard-headed, every person from the land of Quang would argue with those living next door that their mother's My Quang is the best. This means everyone in Da Nang has a strong opinion on where serves the best My Quang. "Never go there!" was one of the extreme reviews I saw when looking for a nice place to have dinner. It was only one meal, and we have already had so many traditional bowls of great My Quang before, and if the price was a little higher for a nice setting with colourful lanterns and spacious tables, it'd be worth it. When we arrived at the restaurant, it was very pleasant from the first impression due to the subdued lighting, pretty lanterns of all sizes and colour and comfortable hardwood tables and chairs. Browsing through the menu, we all loved the drinks section. They had chosen very good drinks that my teenage dining companions knew well and love: corn milk, lotus seed and aloe vera, and sour-salted xi muoi. For the main course, we decided to try the most elaborate dish: assorted My Quang with chicken, shrimp, quail eggs and of course, the frog legs. This special dish is served in a hot stone bowl (VND120,000). This is the top in size and quality as the mixed flavours blend in very well, especially when you want to try it all. The tender meat of frog legs went well with chicken broth. We also chose a fish noodle dish (VND60,000). I love fish so I was happy. A one-frog noodle dish costs VND70,000 and a special two-frog dish can be ordered at VND120,000. Frog and eel are some of the more creative toppings for My Quang which are certainly worth checking out. FISHY DISH: Quang noodles with tuna topping and a mixed green salad. Conveniently next door to the restaurant at 26 Le Hong Phong St, is a sandwich counter. I've tried the world-famous Banh my Phuong in Hoi An and was very much unimpressed. Banh my, or sandwiches, in Da Nang are very delicious, but the bread and the filling are completely different from its sisters in Hanoi or Hai Phong. I chose a sandwich with roasted pork belly and salted egg sauce, with lots of veggie and chilli sauce. It was very good, crispy fresh bread with flavourful stuffing. All sandwiches were priced at VND20,000 - 25,000. It's great to have a table full of dining companions as you can always share and have one bite to try the new dishes. Due to the current pandemic situation, sharing meals is no longer recommended and My Quang Ech Bep Trang is now shut due to the virus. Luckily, we ate there in March. With new cases reported, tested and treated at hospitals, we very much hope the new wave can be under control and life can cautiously return to normal soon. When that happens, the beautiful beach city of Da Nang will still be waiting for you, bursting with a smorgasbord of culinary delights at affordable prices. VNS Handmade my Quang noodles keep Phu Chiem going strong My Quang (Quang Nam-style flat rice noodle) restaurants can be easily found throughout the central province of Quang Nam. Vietnam welcomes Israel Hamas ceasefire and wishes that it would be carried out and prolong in reality, said head of the Vietnams Permanent Mission to the United Nations Ambassador Dang Dinh Quy. Scene of the destruction after an Israeli air strike on Khan Younis city, Gaza Strip (Photo: Xinhua/VNA) The deal was reached at a time when the UN General Assemblys urgent meeting was taking place on May 20 to discuss Palestinian situation. Speaking at the event, Quy expressed his deep concern over tension and violence between Israeli and Palestinian people, that killed civilians and destroyed key infrastructure in both nations. Vietnam condemns wild attacks targeting civilians, especially children, he said. He called on parties concerned to immediately end escalating violence and refrain from actions that could further complicate the situation. He reiterated a call to Israel to end the excessive use of force and unilateral actions, including settlements in occupied Palestinian territories, deportation of Palestinians and destruction of their houses. The ambassador also welcomed efforts of the international community, regional countries, UN Secretary General, UN Security Council and its member states to ease tension. Expressing his concern over serious humanitarian situation in Palestine, Quy hailed efforts of humanitarian relief agencies in the field. The Vietnamese diplomat also reaffirmed Vietnams stance that the only sustainable path to peace issue in the Middle East is a two-State solution that envisions an independent State of Palestine living in peace with the State of Israel within internationally recognised borders on the basis of the pre-1967 border lines and negotiation agreement, in accordance with international law, the United Nations Charter and the UNs relevant resolutions. Participants at the event also called for ceasefire and end to acts of violence./.VNA According to the Thai ethnic peoples custom, a bridegroom lives with his wifes family for three to five years before taking her to his house. A representative of the bride's family receives wedding gifts from the bridegroom's family. When a young Thai man wants to marry a girl, his family pays at least four visits to the girls family before the wedding. On the first visit, his mother and another female relative meet the girls female family members and exchange general information about the families. The second time, the mans family brings sweet bananas and aromatic sugar as a gift and the two families discuss preparations for the wedding. The third time, the mans family invites a matchmaker to go with them to the girls family for a more detailed discussion of the wedding procedures. They bring with them liquor, steamed sticky rice, grilled fish, and two cooked chickens. The last meeting between the two families will include the girls neighbours. The two families meet to agree on wedding procedures, gifts for the brides parents, and the length of time the groom will stay with the brides family, says Cam Vui, an artisan from the Vietnamese Folklore Association in Son La Province. They also choose a good day for the wedding. At the fourth meeting, the matchmakers from both sides sing Khap, a Thai call-and response singing style. At the wedding ceremony, the matchmakers and guests have a Khap singing session that lasts all night. After the wedding, the husband stays with his wifes family to work and pay tribute to her parents for raising her. During these years, the couple save up for a home of their own. The wifes parents decide how long time the son-in law will live with them, from one to five years, elaborates Tong Van Hia in Son La City. Then he is allowed to bring his wife to his home. If the husbands family has few people, he can ask his parents-in-law to allow him to bring his wife home after one year. According to Ca Thi Thinh, a local resident of Son La City, both daughters-in-law and sons-in-law must wake up earlier than the rest of the family. They must follow the familys rules. Daughters-in-law must work hard, cook for the family, and weave headscarves and fabric. Sons-in-law do heavy work, repair farm tools, and work in the field, says Thinh. As society evolves, the custom of the groom living with the wifes family has become less compulsory. Many Thai families still honor the tradition but make it easier for the couple to start their own household. VOV5 Chance encounter with a Thai wedding Hoa Village is home to Black Thai people, with stilt houses made of cement and metal frames resembling those in Doi Village. Dak Lak proposed to add 1,500MW instead of 490MW in the period of 2021-2025, the same number is proposed for the period 2026-2030 instead of 448MW as in the current draft. The increase in... The crossing of Business 77 under Interstate 35 will remain closed into next week as crews demolish the northbound I-35 overpass. The crossing closed Thursday as Webber Construction, contractor for the $341 million I-35 reconstruction project, worked to remove the bridge decking. I-35 northbound traffic in the area was shifted to the southbound side of the freeway earlier this year. Westbound lanes of Business 77 are scheduled to reopen Tuesday morning, while eastbound lanes will remain closed until May 28. In the meantime, westbound Business 77 traffic will be detoured to the northbound I-35 frontage road and to the I-35 bridge at U.S. 84/Waco Drive. Eastbound Business 77 traffic will be directed down the southbound frontage road to the Forrest Street crossing. In coming weeks, Webber will remove the steel support structures and then the concrete piers. Motorists can visit waco4bmap.org to see a real-time map showing construction and traffic on the Waco I-35 project. Westphalia vet clinic The Knights of Columbus is sponsoring a vet clinic from 8 to 11 a.m. Saturday at the Westphalia Hall Pavilion on State Highway 320. Dogs, cats and other small animals can be vaccinated for rabies, parvovirus and any other ailment they may have at a nominal cost by Dr. Jared Ranly. For information, call 512-927-6581. Shower to benefit CareNet American Heritage Girls Troop TX-4123 will host a shower for Care Net, 800 Waco Dr., from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday. The shower is come-and-go. Attendees may stay for refreshments and a tour or just drop off a gift. Care Net needs any size Pampers, especially sizes 5 and 6, formula and wipes, or any item a new mother would need. Clients who attend appointments and classes earn points to shop in the CareNet Store. Gifts may be dropped off at any time. For more information, call 254-722-1330. Free vision screenings Saturday More than 400 Lions Club members will attend the annual Texas State Lions Convention at the Waco Convention Center. White was placed on leave in February after The Boston Globe raised questions about allegations found in court documents that White pushed and threatened to shoot his then wife, a fellow police officer. A judge issued a restraining order against White in 1999, ordering him to stay away from his wife and children and surrender his service weapon, the newspaper reported. The report released by the city said witnesses alleged that White's ex-wife was subjected to physical and mental abuse." Among the allegations included in the report is that White burned her hair, put her face to a stove and threw a television at her. The report said White was also involved in what he described as a heated fisticuffs with a young woman in 1993. White admitted striking her with a full swing of his arm and open hand, but says he was acting in self-defense, the report said. White denies abusing his ex-wife or ever threatening to shoot her. In an affidavit filed in court this week, White alleges that she was looking for a financial advantage in the divorce and she got it. I believe I am entitled to a hearing before this Court where I can present evidence, including witnesses, and can confront and cross-examine any witnesses against me in order to challenge my termination and to restore my reputation, White wrote. "Unless I am allowed such a hearing, my reputation and ability to work in my profession will be irreparably destroyed." Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. The pace of vaccinations in Kansas peaked at an average of 29,380 shots a day for the seven days ending April 7. They've declined since and averaged 7,530 a day for the seven days ending Wednesday, according to state data. Department spokeswoman Kristi Zears said a general consensus is that reaching herd immunity requires 75% to 80% of the population to have COVID-19 antibodies, either from vaccinations or previous infections. The state's data suggests that if vaccinations don't pick up again, that would not happen for months. Herd immunity can differ by disease. For example, it's 80% for polio and 95% for measles, said Dr. Sanmi Areola, director of the health department in Johnson County, the state's most populous county. The more people that we vaccinate, the more that we break the cycle of transmission, Areola said. The state reported that 43.7% of Johnson County residents had received at least one vaccine shot as of Wednesday, the fourth-highest rate among Kansas' 105 counties. In Stevens County, the figure is 22.8%, making it one of four counties below 25%. Public health officials said mass clinics were effective in managing immunizations when vaccine supplies were limited and demand was high and later when many people remained eager to get immunized. The board briefly discussed an absentee ballot system in which voters would be mailed an application to fill out and return to receive a ballot by mail but opted for the simpler process of mailing ballots directly to all voters on the citys rolls. Maryland moved to this version, along with opening all polling sites after the primary. Gov. Larry Hogan cited long-lines, poor election planning and other issues as the reason to move away from direct mailing ballots. Evans' campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Just before Warren's first inauguration in 2014, she faced questions about her husband's involvement in a jewelry store robbery that took place when he was 17. Granison received five years of probation in connection with the 1997 robbery, while two other men were sentenced to prison terms. In a statement, Warren had said Granison was judged as a youthful offender and his file was sealed, and that he did not have a criminal record. She pointed to him as an example of someone who had turned his life around and said he had learned from the experience. State police investigators want to interview the mayor as part of the current probe, Chase said, and were awaiting her attorney's response to their request. Granison and a passenger were stopped at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday by members of the state police's violent gangs and narcotics enforcement, who suspected there were drugs in the vehicle, Chase said. City Court documents indicate Granison is accused of possessing 31 grams of cocaine. He was charged with two counts of possession of a controlled substance, including one with intent to sell. Mask opponent I recently visited the new Pet Supplies Plus on Hewitt Drive. I was pleasantly surprised to see a sign on the door which stated, No mask, no problem! The sign noted that you could wear a mask if you wanted to, and that you could ask employees to wear a mask if it made you more comfortable, but there was no requirement to wear a mask. It was direct and it made sense. And for the first time in over a year, I wasnt made to feel like a criminal for not wearing a mask in a place of business! People continue to wear this political symbol of submission because they fear they will be tossed out of the store if they dont. If you choose to wear a mask, fine, but dont expect me to wear one just because it makes you feel better. To all businesses in the area, let me just say that if you take those silly signs off your doors, you will have more customers come to you, your employees will be happier and you might actually get people to apply for those jobs which need to be filled. Stop wearing a cloth petri dish on your face. God gave us mouths so that we could inhale and exhale, so that we could naturally rid our bodies of impurities, and so that we could speak to and smile at each other. Karen Lane, Hewitt Waco Drift Wow! I didnt realize Hollywood has come to Waco to film Fast & Furious Waco Drift, the latest movie in the franchise, on Valley Mills at Bosque and Cobbs drives. I got to witness all the screeching tires, speed-shifting transmissions and rapid accelerations on my drive home. And Im so pleased to know theyre filming with the blessing of the Waco Police Department, because you sure dont see any cops around to stop any of this fast-paced, fun action. Im assuming by the complete lack of police presence that any wrecks, accidental run-ins or life threatening injuries due to high rates of speed resulting in ambulance calls are sanctioned by the city. Hooray for Hollywood! Gayle Stone, Waco Check paid An amazing thing happened recently at Trujillos restaurant in Waco. I am a member of a national fraternity of military aviators called Daedalians. I want to express how grateful we are because of an unexpected event provided by an unknown person at our last two meetings. We are mostly older retired military members who flew all types of airplanes in all branches of the military in war and peace. Thats a good example of how comfortable they are with police officers, Leedom said. Im pretty sure if something bad happened to them like inappropriate touching, violence or any kind of abuse (they would say something). The non-profit initiative and Police Club, which is an organization that provides fun activities for youth to learn about law enforcement, both partner with Saunders County Youth Services Juvenile Justice Coalition. Youth Services Program Director Amber Pelan has been one of the biggest supporters of the program, Leedom said. A lot of the juveniles that we have on the program have had negative experiences with law enforcement, whether theyve seen their parents, arrested, or theyve been arrested themselves, Pelan said. Pelan said knowing this, the ultimate goal is to not only build relationships, but also see a decrease in juvenile crime delinquency. This initiative also helps young people know who to reach out to for help which is a benefit Pelan has already seen since the establishment of Ice Cream for Safety and Police Club. They know who to talk to and they know where to go, Pelan said. Its hard to get help if you dont know where to go. RAYMOND Raymond Central Schools Board of Education approved a paid day off for district staff during the boards meeting on May 12 in response to a request made by Raymond Central Education Association (RCEA) President Carolyn Enevoldsen on April 14. Enevoldsen asked the board to consider recognizing teachers by forgiving one to two of contract days that need to be made up due to the five snow days in light of the unexpected progress in student learning shown in the MAP Growth results from fall 2020 to spring 2021. It will be highly evident that our teachers have done a stellar job in making sure our students have bridged the achievement gap we were anticipating due to COVID, said Enevoldsen. The school board tabled the agenda item until May 12 in order to set a schedule for the five days after students get out on May 14, they wont be able to approve any forgiveness. I would agree with everything that has been said today, Superintendent Dr. Derrick Joel said on April 14. I think our teachers have worked extremely hard in an unprecedented year and if we can make it work with the work that we know that we have started to schedule, I think everybody wants this school year to be over. Vedika Jawas mission to sweeten the lives of those in need began when she was just 13, on a family trip to San Francisco. She could not help but see the multitudes living on the streets. About This Page This "Under Construction" page is an automatically generated placeholder Web page for a domain that is not yet attached to an active Web site. This page replaces the "Not Found" error pages and notifies visitors that a Web site is coming soon. How Do I Replace This Page? Publishing your Web site, updating the name servers, or forwarding to another domain name will automatically replace this default page. If you do not have an existing Web site hosting package or web forwarding, further information to get your Web site online can be found by clicking the following links. If your Web site is not ready to be published and you would like to replace this page, you may do so by configuring your under construction page. JESUP A Jesup man convicted of stabbing his 3-week-old son to death in 1982 has died in prison. Michael Cecil Craney, 68, died of natural causes around 11:30 a.m. Wednesday at the Anamosa State Penitentiary, according to the Iowa Department of Corrections. Authorities said Craney threw his infant son, Matthew, to the floor and attacked him with a kitchen knife as the childs mother struggled to save the baby on May 5, 1982. The child sustained numerous stab wounds, a fractured skull and a slit throat, and died, according to court records. During trial the October 1982 trial, the defense argued Craney was insane at the time of the slaying. Court records show he told his wife that night he was possessed and thought the baby was possessed. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} He would later tell a psychiatrist he through the baby was subhuman and said even if I spend the rest of my life in prison, there wont be a devilish force unleashed in the world, according to Courier archives. A jury found Craney guilty of first-degree murder, and he was sentenced to life in prison without parole a month later. WATERLOO The Waterloo Career Center on Thursday celebrated sending students into the workforce this summer through registered apprenticeships. A total of eight students will participate in the work-based learning opportunities, it was announced at the event. Five will be at John Deere and one each will be at DC Industries, Criterion Manufacturing and K&W Electric. Waterloo Schools is on an absolute mission to make sure we prepare our kids for life after high school, said Superintendent Jane Lindaman. While we can teach them and give them opportunities within these beautiful walls, she said the employers are needed for the real-world experience. She added that Waterloo Community Schools is one of the first districts to provide preschool through 12th-grade career development by offering students exposure to and awareness of the wide range of job fields available to them followed by planning and work-based experience. Apprenticeships, provided in partnership with Hawkeye Community College, get students into workplaces learning on the job. Courses at the career center start building some of the skills they need. Miller-Meeks would not say how she voted with regard to stripping Cheney of her leadership position, but reiterated the House GOP caucus has lost confidence in her ability to present a unified message ahead of next years midterm elections. If I wanted you to know what I had for dinner, Id invite you over to eat, Miller-Meeks said. I think its irrelevant, adding the focus should be on President Biden regards to government spending, jobs and the economy, border security and instability in the Middle East. Asked how voters in Iowas 2nd District will react to her vote, especially Republican voters in Scott County, where the former county GOP chairman was forced to step down after criticizing Trumps comments leading up to the violent Jan. 6 insurrection on the U.S. Capitol, Miller-Meeks said she is willing to defend her decision and conservative voting record on the issues that are important to Republican voters. The law, which became effective in March, makes numerous changes, including shortening the early voting period to 20 days from the current 29. It also requires most mail ballots to be received by Election Day, rather than counting votes postmarked by Election Day that arrive by noon on the Monday following the election. Voting sites will close at 8 p.m. rather than 9 p.m. and voters will be removed from active voting lists if they miss a single general election and dont report a change in address or register as a voter again. A lawsuit has been filed to challenge portions of the law as unconstitutional. POLICE Republicans passed a bill that offers extensive new rights to law enforcement officers in Iowa. The measure goes to Reynolds, who proposed much of it in her Back the Blue proposal announced earlier this year. While Reynolds and lawmakers promised Iowans last summer that they would work on substantial criminal justice reform measures this year, Republicans instead drafted a bill that protects officers by giving them immunity from prosecution and makes rioting a felony. Republicans refused to support Reynolds' proposed ban on racial profiling by law enforcement. Democrats claim the bill is an attack on those who protested against racial injustice for months last summer. Democrats also opposed a portion of the bill that requires motorists to pull over for plain-clothed police officers in unmarked police cars or face enhanced criminal eluding charges. Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Lubbock, TX (79423) Today Sunny. Near record high temperatures. High 107F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Clear to partly cloudy. Low 71F. Winds ENE at 10 to 15 mph. Wine Country's top music festival is on this fall and new additions to lineup just dropped. Plus, the Eagle is about to become an official landmark; Hunter Pence is launching a coffee pop-up at Oracle Park; a new circus is dropping in at Club Fugazi; and more local headlines to send you skipping into the weekend. Rare Corpse Flower Shows up at Abandoned Gas Station In Alameda, and Residents Line up for Photos, SFist When nursery owner Solomon Leyva's rare Amorphophallus titanium plant bloomed for the first time in years, he decided to share it with his community. Read more. BottleRock adds Megan Thee Stallion, Guns N' Roses, Foo Fighters to 2021 festival lineup, Datebook Ready to rock out with wine in hand? Check out the new lineup for BottleRockalso including Black Pumas, Brandi Carlile, and Jon Batistewhich will take the stage at last this September. Three-day passes are on sale now. Read more. Hunter Pence retired from the Giants, but he's more committed to San Francisco than ever, SF Chronicle The former Giants outfielder isn't shy about sharing his love of all things SFthink art, restaurants, and nature. This week, the Giants "Reverend" and his wife are hosting an Oracle Parkadjacent coffee pop-up. If things go well, a permanent coffee shop could be in the works. Read more. SF Eagle expected to become first leather bar named a city landmark, SF Chronicle Though SoMa's longest operating leather bar hasn't been open for business since March 2020, the Eagle could become SF's second gay bar to receive landmark status. Read more. Stanford researchers help paralyzed man write using just his imagination plus microchips in his brain, Hoodline With two baby Asprin-sized microchips and artificial intelligence software, he could communicate 18 words per minutenearly matching the texting speed of non-paralyzed people his age. Read more. Next Up at the Home of 'Beach Blanket Babylon'? A Circus, of Course., The New York Times In the fall, Club Fugazi will be open once again with a production by Montreal circus collective, 7 Fingers, celebrating SF's history. Expect scenes exploring the Summer of Love, the 1906 earthquake, and a cabaret-style setup. Read more. SOPA IMAGES/GETTY IMAGES The roller-coaster ride for digital currency investors has been wild, and the recent plunge in prices has certainly left many with a big headache. But there's a larger, underlying problem that could have you reaching for the extra-strength aspirin. Some cryptocurrency investments are phonier than $3 bills. They are scams from the get-go. And investors who plunk down their hard-earned dollars in these shams can be left empty-handed. Losses grew more than 10-fold Almost 6,800 consumers reported more than $80 million in cryptocurrency-investment scam losses during the six months ending March 31, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) warned this week. The median loss was $1,900. As for the $80 million-plus that went down the drain, that represents more than a 10-fold jump in losses from the same period a year earlier, when there were 570 complaints and $7.5 million in losses reported to the FTC. Here are 10 things the consumer protection agency wants people to know if they don't want to lose their shirts to crypto scammers. 1. Some scammers impersonate Elon Musk, the billionaire entrepreneur whose tweets can stir the crypto market. The FTC received reports of more than $2 million in such losses due to Musk impersonators between October 2020 and the end of March 2021. A common scam involves a promise that a celebrity associated with cryptocurrency will multiply any cryptocurrency you send to their wallet and send it back, the FTC cautions. 2. Government agencies have had their identities hijacked, too. Many victims reported loading cash into a Bitcoin ATM (a kiosk lets you buy and sometimes also sell Bitcoin) to pay crooks claiming to be from the Social Security Administration. Its Office of Inspector General issued a related warning early this year. 3. Crypto scams start in a variety of ways. They may begin with offers of investment tips or secrets in online message boards that lead people to bogus websites touting what appear to be chances to invest in or to mine popular cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum. 4. The bogus websites sow confusion. They use fake testimonials and cryptocurrency jargon to appear credible, but promises of enormous, guaranteed returns are simply lies, the FTC states. These sites even may make it appear that your investment is growing. But consumers who have been ripped off have complained that when they tried to withdraw the purported profits, they are told to send even more crypto and end up getting nothing back." Massive masterpiece At 11 feet by 14 feet, the massive bronze relief depicts a row of lifelike soldiers marching with their bedrolls, canteens, drums and rifles, led by a stoic Shaw on horseback. An ethereal female allegorical figure floating above the gritty realism below carries an olive branch for peace and an armful of poppies, symbolizing death. Note that it wasn't until 1982 that the Friends of the Public Garden raised funds to restore the monument and finally inscribed the names of the fallen Black soldiers who died alongside Shaw. "One thing I always like to call attention to are the individual faces of the soldiers, says Quigley. It's a masterpiece when you look at the entire monument, but the painstaking detail is where I think the genius of Saint-Gaudens really shines." The sculptor hired men to pose for the monument, so that he could create individual soldiers rather than generic idealized figures. Quigley points out that some are old, others young, some have beards, others are barefaced. Whenever I have folks on a tour, I always ask them to look at these individual faces and describe the emotions they see, he continues. I think it's important to point this out because, in 1897 when the monument is completed, the men captured in bronze by Saint-Gaudens are not the typical late-19th-century depiction of African Americans." A trail of Black history Today, the memorial is part of the Boston African American National Historic Site, a collection of pre-Civil War structures sprinkled throughout Beacon Hill and connected by the 1.6-mile Black Heritage Trail (BHT). Stops along the way many now private residences you can only view from the outside include the 1807 Charles Street Meeting House, a ormerly segregated church that went on to host speakers such as Frederick Douglass and Sojourner Truth; the 1824 Phillips School, one of Bostons first integrated schools; and the residences of abolitionists, Underground Railroad conductors and Black militia leaders. At the end of the BHT, youll find the Museum of African American History (MAAH), which comprises two historic structures that are open to the public: the 1806 African Meeting House, the oldest Black church building still standing in America; and the 1835 Abiel Smith School, the first public school for free Black Bostonians. The church has been restored to its 1855 look, while the school now houses exhibits and a museum shop. While the Robert Gould Shaw Memorial has stood for more than a century, its still very much a living part of Boston history. Last summer, when George Floyd protests ignited debates about the role of monuments, some in the city questioned the memorials continued relevance. Is it, for instance, perpetuating a white savior narrative? And why should the white officer be given such pride of place over his Black soldiers? Its important to look at the difference between Shaw on his horse and the men marching, Quigley points out. The memorial speaks to the fact that these men are fighting to end slavery but doing so in a regiment that is segregated. Friends of the Public Garden has just completed a $3 million restoration of the monument in partnership with the City of Boston, the MAAH and the National Park Service. As part of the overhaul, conservators spruced up the bronze relief in a studio in Woburn while stone conservators in nearby Lexington worked on the granite and marble base. Over the years, the monument has inspired composer Charles Ives orchestral work Three Places in New England (1911-1914) and Robert Lowells poem For the Union Dead (1964), and appeared in the end credits of Glory. The restoration ensures that Robert Gould Shaw and, perhaps more importantly, the groundbreaking Black soldiers of the Massachusetts 54th Regiment will stand as beacons of hope and heroism for generations to come. Clay Center, KS (67432) Today A few isolated thunderstorms developing this afternoon. High 89F. SSW winds shifting to NNW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 30%.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 63F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph. NJ General Assembly votes 75-0 to pass Fixed Odds Bill Sydney, May 21, 2021 AEST (ABN Newswire) - The Board of BetMakers Technology Group Ltd ( ASX:BET ) ( FRA:T07 ) is pleased to announce that the full floor of the General Assembly in New Jersey has unanimously passed Bill A4909 ("authorises fixed odds wagering on horse races through fixed odds wagering system").The vote was 75-0 in favour of the Fixed Odds Bill. The unanimous vote, which is a final passage in the Assembly, took place yesterday in New Jersey (in the early hours of this morning AEDT).The next step in the legislative process is for identical Bill S3090, which was passed unanimously in the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee in New Jersey on 9 November 2020, to be voted on by the full floor of the Senate.If approved in the Senate, the Bill will go to the Governor of New Jersey for approval to become law.As previously announced to the market, BetMakers has secured an exclusive 10-year agreement with New Jersey Thoroughbred Horsemen Association and Darby Development LLC., the operator of Monmouth Park racetrack, to deliver and manage Fixed Odds horse racing into New Jersey. Please see the Company's announcements dated 5 February 2020 and 3 July 2020 for further information regarding this agreement.BetMakers' 10-year agreement to distribute and manage Fixed Odds horse racing in New Jersey is conditional on regulatory approvals, including the legislative process. The Company believes that the unanimous vote (overnight) in the New Jersey General Assembly is a significant milestone toward attaining that approval.BetMakers Chief Executive Officer Todd Buckingham said:"We can feel the support for Fixed Odds as a solution to facilitate growth in the horse racing industry in the United States gaining momentum throughout the industry""The Company is working closely with various industry stakeholders including; racetracks, wagering operators and regulators, to ensure we implement a sustainable growth model for horse racing in the North American market. We are pleased with the progress and the consideration that has been given to the Bill (to authorise fixed odds wagering on horse races through fixed odds wagering system) since it was introduced to the New Jersey Legislature in November last year and look forward to it progressing through the final stages of approval."About Betmakers Technology Group Ltd Betmakers Technology Group Ltd (ASX:BET) (FRA:T07) is an ASX-listed holding company and a global provider of online wagering products and services to both wholesale and retail markets through its various wholly owned subsidiaries. The Company operates a retail wagering business, offering consumers wagering, fantasy tournament and content products and services. Vietnam confirms 50 more Covid-19 infections in Friday noon report Vietnam has recorded 50 more Covid-19 infection cases, raising the total number of patients in the country to 4,883, the Ministry of Health reported at noon on Friday. Illustrative photo According to the ministry's report, all of the 50 newly-confirmed patients are locally-transmitted cases most of whom were detected in quarantine sites or areas under lockdown in some northern provinces, including 45 in Bac Giang, two in Hung Yen, and one each in Hai Duong, Dien Bien, and Hanoi. The 45 cases in Bac Giang were recorded at some industrial parks of Van Trung, Dinh Tram, Song Khe-Noi Hoang, and Quang Chau which have reported a large outbreak over the last few days. Earlier on Friday morning, 15 infections were also reported in the province. Local authorities have temporarily closed these four industrial parks for Covid-19 prevention and control. As of Friday noon, 1,835 locally-transmitted cases have been reported since the new outbreak occurred in the country on April 27. The outbreak has so far spread to 28 cities and provinces nationwide. With these new infection cases, the number of Covid-19 patients in Vietnam has increased to 4,883, including 3,405 locally-transmitted cases. As of 6 pm on May 20, a total of 2,689 Covid-19 patients had recovered and been discharged from hospital. So far there have been 40 deaths, most of them being the elderly with serious underlying diseases. At present, over 129, 000 people who had close contact with Covid-19 patients or returned from virus-hit areas are being monitored at hospitals, quarantine facilities, and at home. On May 20, an additional 4,897 people were given Covid-19 vaccine in Vietnam, raising the total number of vaccinated people in the country to 1,021,085 including 28,821 people having received two doses. WENN/Avalon TV The 'Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again' actor is reportedly in talks for the upcoming 'Green Lantern' series while the 'Music' actress is added to the second installment of Daniel Craig's movie. May 21, 2021 AceShowbiz - Jeremy Irvine is reportedly in talks to take on a major role in HBO Max's upcoming "Green Lantern" series. According to Variety, "Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again" star Irvine will play secretly homosexual FBI agent Alan Scott in the show - the first-ever Green Lantern - alongside Finn Wittrock, who is said to have been cast in the lead role of Guy Gardner. "The story spans decades and galaxies, beginning on Earth in 1941 with the very first Green Lantern, secretly gay FBI agent Alan Scott, and 1984, with cocky alpha male Gardner and half-alien Bree Jarta," a synopsis of the show reads. "They'll be joined by a multitude of other Lanterns - from comic book favourites to never-before-seen heroes." The HBO Max show, based on the DC Comic books, was first announced back in 2019, and ordered to series last year (20). Meanwhile, Kate Hudson has been added to the all-star cast of the "Knives Out" sequel. The "Almost Famous" star will join Daniel Craig, Kathryn Hahn, Dave Bautista, Janelle Monae, Leslie Odom Jr., and Edward Norton for the comedy thriller, which has been picked up by Netflix. Rian Johnson will return to film back-to-back sequels with Craig reprising the role of quirky detective Benoit Blanc. Little is known about the plot or characters, but filming is set to start in Greece over the summer (21). Jamie Lee Curtis recently revealed none of Craig's supporting cast from the 2019 film would be returning for the new "Knives Out" and it is not yet known if his sidekick, Lakeith Stanfield, will be back as Lieutenant Elliott. Buckly said she hopes her photos travel worldwide to bring attention to the crisis. WENN/BBC Celebrity The Duke of Sussex and his older brother William react after journalist Martin Bashir admits to faking bank statements before the bombshell interview with Princess Diana. May 21, 2021 AceShowbiz - Prince Harry has blasted journalist Martin Bashir and the BBC following an independent inquiry into the 1995 Panorama interview with his late mum, insisting the U.K. TV exclusive led to her death. The 1995 TV sit-down remains one of the most explosive royal interviews in BBC history, and it helped turn Bashir into a much-respected broadcaster, but on Thursday (20May21), former Supreme Court judge Lord Dyson concluded that Bashir made a "serious breach" of the BBC's editorial guidelines by creating false bank statements to manipulate the then-Princess of Wales and her brother, Earl Spencer, into giving the interview. Lord Dyson said Bashir "deceived" his way to the interview and suggested BBC bosses "fell short of the high standards of integrity and transparency which are its hallmark." BBC bosses and Bashir have apologised for their conduct, and now Prince Harry has weighed in with a damning statement, suggesting the explosive interview was the beginning of the end for his mother, who died in a mysterious car crash in Paris, France two years later. "Our mother was an incredible woman who dedicated her life to service," Harry said in a statement. "She was resilient, brave and unquestionably honest. The ripple effect of a culture of exploitation and unethical practices ultimately took her life." "To those who have taken some form of accountability, thank you for owning it. That is the first step towards justice and truth. Yet what deeply concerns me is that practices like these - and even worse - are still widespread today. Then, and now, it's bigger than one outlet, one network, or one publication." "Our mother lost her life because of this, and nothing has changed. By protecting her legacy, we protect everyone, and uphold the dignity with which she lived her life. Let's remember who she was and what she stood for." Harry's brother, William, also offered up a statement at a press conference, adding, "It is my view that the deceitful way that the interview was obtained substantially influenced what my mother said." He also accused Bashir's interview of wrecking his parents' relationship. "The interview was a major contribution to making my parents' relationship worse, and has since hurt countless others," Prince William said. "It brings indescribable sadness to know that the BBC's failures contributed significantly to her fear, paranoia and isolation that I remember from those final years with her." The royal family is under the spotlight again - as it was following Diana's BBC interview - thanks to remarks Harry and his wife, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex have made in recent months about their decision to step down as official royals and move to California. Harry went so far as to claim he was estranged from his father, Prince Charles, for a time, who stopped taking his calls, because he made a decision to break the cycle of pain passed down from parents to children in the royal family. "There is no blame. I don't think we should be pointing the finger or blaming anybody," Harry said during an appearance on Dax Shepard's "Armchair Expert" podcast, "but certainly when it comes to parenting, if I've experienced some form of pain or suffering because of the pain or suffering that perhaps my father or my parents had suffered, I'm going to make sure I break that cycle so that I don't pass it on, basically." "It's a lot of genetic pain and suffering that gets passed on anyway, so we as parents should be doing the most we can to try and say, 'You know what, that happened to me, I'm going to make sure that doesn't happen to you.' " Speaking directly about his relationship with Charles during a controversial recent TV chat with Oprah Winfrey, Harry added, "When we were in Canada, I had three conversations with my grandmother and two conversations with my father, before he stopped taking my calls. He knows what pain feels like. Of course I will always love him but there's a lot of hurt that's happened and I will continue to make it one of my priorities to try and heal that." Instagram Celebrity The Queen member gives update on his condition as he is recuperating after going under the knife for an eye surgery in an effort to fix his 'stereoscopic vision.' May 21, 2021 AceShowbiz - Queen star Brian May has undergone eye surgery to improve his vision. The 73-year-old guitarist took to Instagram on Thursday (20May21) to share a mirror selfie of himself wearing a facemask and hospital gown and assure fans he was going to be fine. "One Vision! All prepped and waiting... for a little bit of eye surgery," he wrote, quoting the title of Queen's 1985 hit. "I'm in good hands. No need to worry. All in a day's work... it should really improve my focus - AND my stereoscopic vision." He returned to social media later in the day to share another selfie - this time featuring a bandage over his left eye. "And... all done!!" he wrote. "I really didn't feel a thing. It was all done with local anaesthetic and a tiny bit of sedation - So I was conscious throughout the whole thing - and fascinated by this amazing procedure. Only about 20 mins." "The patch stays on until tomorrow morning. It's an iPatch! So obviously I'll soon have to take it off and put it back on again. Big thanks to my eye surgeon the brilliant Robin Hamilton, and my anaesthetist Con, and all the lovely folks at the London Clinic who have taken care of me so kindly." May's eye surgery is the latest in a long line of medical procedures - in 2020, the rocker suffered a heart attack, a stomach haemorrhage, and other complications. WENN Celebrity Suing the former president for roughly $22.9 million, the Chinese American Civil Rights Coalition reasons that his use of the derogatory terms in place of COVID-19 harmed Chinese Americans. May 21, 2021 AceShowbiz - Donald Trump is facing legal trouble over his constant use of "China virus" term in place of COVID-19. Amid the rising violence against Chinese and Asian Americans across the country, the 45th president of the United States was uncovered to have been slapped with a lawsuit by the Chinese American Civil Rights Coalition (CACRC). In its lawsuit, the organization expressed their believe that the former POTUS imposed harm on Chinese Americans by constantly referring to coronavirus as "Chinese virus," "Wuhan virus" and "Kung Flu" during his time at the office. They reasoned that he should refrain from using such term since the origin of the virus was unclear. The CACRC, per reported by TMZ, is suing Trump for defamation and infliction of emotional distress. They sought to get $1 for every Asian American and Pacific Islander living in the United States from the husband of Melania Trump. Should that be true, he would look at a rough $22.9 million payout. On what the money is for, the CACRC claimed it would contribute to the establishment of a museum that showcased the history and contributions of Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI). This lawsuit came more than one year after Trump was captured on camera during a White House coronavirus task force press briefing, reading notes in which the word "Chinese" replaced a crossed-out "corona." The adjustment made appeared to be in the former president's own handwriting. The March 2020 photo was taken by a Washington Post photographer. This was not the only legal trouble Trump is dealing with after he left the White House. In March 2021, the former president was sued for inciting the violent insurrection by two Capitol police officers. 17-year veteran James Blassingame and 11-year veteran Sidney Hemby claimed in their lawsuit to have suffered horrific injuries during the January 6 riot. On the reason why they held Trump responsible for the riot, Blassingame and Hemby blamed it on his December 19 tweet that read, "Big protest in D.C. on January 6th. Be there. Will be wild!" Both officers reasoned that the tweet was "taken by many of [Trump's] supporters as a literal call to arms." They were seeking unspecified monetary damages. Celebrity The former 'Full House' star and Mossimo Giannulli have been granted permission to go on a trip to San Jose Del Cabo in June since they have been abiding by the conditions of their supervised releases. May 21, 2021 AceShowbiz - Lori Loughlin and her husband will soon take a summer trip following their college admissions scandal. The Rebecca Donaldson-Katsopolis depicter on "Full House" and Mossimo Giannulli, who previously asked permission from court to travel to Mexico next month, were unveiled to have gotten their requests approved by a federal judge. U.S. District Judge Denise J. Casper signed off on the disgraced couple's pleas on Thursday, May 20. Insider further reported that the 56-year-old actress and the fashion designer are now allowed to spend time with their family in San Jose del Cabo from June 16 to June 21. Loughlin and Giannulli filed their requests around a week prior. In the legal papers, they claimed that they have been abiding by the conditions of their supervised releases. "Ms. Loughlin has remained in compliance during her term of supervised release. According to the Central District of California, Ms. Loughlin has presented respectfully and cooperatively in all interactions with her Probation Officer," so read the document. In May 2020, the former "Fuller House" star and her 57-year-old husband pleaded guilty to paying $500,000 bribe to get their daughters Olivia Jade Giannulli and Isabella Rose Giannulli accepted into the University of Southern California. She was then slapped with a two-month prison sentence, a $150,000 fine and 150 hours of community service. The Mossimo founder, meanwhile, received five months in jail, a $250,000 fine and 250 hours of community service. Loughlin was released from the Federal Correctional Institution in Dublin, California in late December 2020. She has also satisfied her fine and completed her community service. Her spouse, on the other hand, was released from Federal Correctional Institution, Lompoc in early April this year. He has also paid his fine and is reported to have been "actively working on completing his community service requirement." WENN/John Rainford Celebrity In the second episode of his and Oprah Winfrey's new docuseries, the Duke of Sussex recalls how the racist attack on his then-girlfriend Meghan awakened painful memories of his mother's death. May 21, 2021 AceShowbiz - Prince Harry, who previously said that he stepped down as a senior member of the British royal family for the sake of his own family, has opened up more about what prompted him to make the decision. On his and Oprah Winfrey's new docuseries "The Me You Can't See" that launches on Friday, May 21, the royal redhead reveals that his requests to his family for help amid Meghan Markle's struggles "were met with total silence or total neglect." In the second episode of the Apple TV+ unscripted series, the soon-to-be-father of two first recalls the racist attack by British press on his then-girlfriend Meghan after they went public about their romance back in 2016. "Within the first eight days of our relationship being made public was when they said, 'Harry's girl is (almost) straight outta Compton' and that her 'exotic DNA will be thickening the royal blood,' " he shares. Harry says seeing the flashing of cameras made his "blood boil" and reminded him of how his late mother Princess Diana was treated by the press. "I felt completely helpless," the 36-year-old admits. But it was his family's total ignorance of his and Meghan's struggles which became the last straw. "I thought my family would help, but every single ask, request, warning, whatever it is, just got met with total silence or total neglect," the Duke of Sussex divulges. "We spent four years trying to make it work, we did everything we possibly could to stay there doing the role and doing the job. But Meghan was struggling." On the docuseries, Harry also reveals that Meghan opened up about her suicidal thoughts to him before they attended a charity event at London's Royal Albert Hall in early 2019, when the duchess was six months pregnant with their son Archie. "Meghan decided to share with me the suicidal thoughts and the practicalities of how she was going to end her life," he says. "The thing that stopped her seeing it through was how unfair it would be on me after everything that happened to my mom, and now to be put in a position of losing another woman in my life with a baby inside of her," Harry further shares of Meghan's thought at the time. While Harry did seek therapy following the scrutiny over his relationship with Meghan, he claims he was "ashamed" to go to his family for help at the time. "Because, to be honest with you, like a lot of other people my age can probably relate to, I know I'm not gonna get from my family what I need," he explains. Instagram Celebrity Having revealed that she has chopped off Danny Fujikawa's long locks, the 'How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days' actress shares a slo-mo video of him flaunting his shorter do in a swimming pool. May 21, 2021 AceShowbiz - Kate Hudson turned hairdresser for her rocker boyfriend Danny Fujikawa on Wednesday, May 19 as she chopped off his long locks. The "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days" star shared a photo of herself standing behind a shirtless Fujikawa as she held up a pair of scissors to his long ponytail. "It was time!" Hudson declared in the Instagram caption. "Seriously," commented comedienne Chelsea Handler, while actress Uzo Aduba remarked, "WHOA!" However, pals like Gwyneth Paltrow, Liv Tyler and Michelle Pfeiffer weren't as keen on the style makeover. "Nooooooo," bemoaned Paltrow, as Tyler wrote, "Omg (Oh, my God)!!!!!" and Pfeiffer simply posted a grimacing emoji. Hudson later added a slow-motion video clip of Fujikawa emerging from their swimming pool as he shook out his new mane and showed off his shorter style. She captioned it, "....and nothing was ever the same again..." The couple has been dating since 2016, and shares two-year-old daughter Rani Rose. Hudson is also mum to sons Ryder, 17, from her marriage to The Black Crowes star Chris Robinson, and nine-year-old Bingham, with her ex-fiance Matt Bellamy. The posts came weeks after Hudson and her Fabletics partners cut ties with a Taiwanese company behind a manufacturing plant in Lesotho following claims of sexual and physical abuse. Close to 40 employees have accused Hippo Knitting officials of abuse. Some of them additionally alleged to be sexually assaulted by male supervisors. In response to the allegations, Fabletics issued a statement calling the claims "absolutely horrifying." The company continued, "Immediately after receiving the report, Fabletics suspended all operations with Hippo Knitting. One of our senior leaders is now on the ground in Lesotho and is running a comprehensive investigation in collaboration with an independent investigator." WENN/Sheri Determan Celebrity Setting the record straight on reports of him leaving 'my house not yours' note to homeless outside his mansion, the 'Crocodile Dundee' star claims to have just written his house number for access point. May 21, 2021 AceShowbiz - Paul Hogan has made it clear that he wasn't the one leaving an angry warning in front of his Los Angeles home. Setting the record straight on reports that he was having issues with the homeless people outside his mansion, the "Crocodile Dundee" star stressed that he has "great empathy" for them. Via his representative, the 81-year-old actor informed Channel Seven's "The Morning Show" that he "did not leave a note outside my house in Venice Beach aimed at the homeless or anyone else." In his statement, he continued insisting, "I didn't write it. I didn't place it there. I didn't understand it." The actor went on to claim, "I have great empathy for the homeless and have never had any issues with vulnerable people near my house and assist them where possible." On what he really did when captured on camera writing on a pole outside his house, he clarified, "I wrote my house number on a pole as I had a workman coming and he needed an access point." "After writing the number, I noticed the before mentioned note on a pole alongside," Paul continued. He then felt that the red-inked message "was odd." Elsewhere in his statement, he said, "So to have false reports that I would disrespect anyone, let alone out most vulnerable in such a way is appalling and completely false reporting." One day earlier, the "The Very Excellent Mr. Dundee" star has also offered denial that he was the one writing the angry warning note. On Wednesday, May 19, he told TMZ in an interview, "It wasn't me who put [the note] up." He further claimed that he "doesn't know why" somebody put the sign up. Addressing the homeless situation in Los Angeles, Paul admitted, "I just find it sad." He explained further, "California has the fifth biggest economy in the world and we've got more homeless people than Bangladesh. I find it awful and embarrassing. I wish I could do something about it." During the interview, Paul also revealed that he actually rented the mansion. He opened up, "I took it down and it's not my house anyway." However, when he was asked if his family was doing well, he said with a laugh, "Yeah, no problem. I'm happy in my mega-mansion." Paul was captured putting a hand-written note on a pole next to his house's garage door on Sunday, May 16. In the photos obtained by Daily Mail, the simple message in red ink read, "THIS IS MY HOUSE NOT YOURS." Instagram Music In a snippet of his upcoming track titled 'This Is What It Comes To', the Atlanta rapper includes handwritten lyrics which read in part, 'These kind of clowns deserve more than anonymous provocative conversation.' May 21, 2021 AceShowbiz - T.I. is seemingly ready to address sexual assault allegations against him anew on his upcoming song. The rapper has just shared a snippet of his new track titled "This Is What It Comes To", in which he appears to throw a shade at his accusers. The Atlanta rapper previewed the new song on Thursday, May 20 via Instagram. In an audio clip, he's heard rapping, "In the fire I reside like the money do/ n***as a try it wearing wires at the rendezvous." He continued, "Ain't never...been ashamed to look off in the mirror.../ At all my fears and imperfections made em disappear..." T.I. also included handwritten lyrics of the song which read in part, "Go put yo face and reputation on it...These kind of clowns deserve more than anonymous provocative conversation, don't it??" Elsewhere, he wrote, "Welcome to the COINTELPRO Part II," which seemingly refers to the illegal surveillance operations of the FBI. He also ripped his accusers as writing, "Willing to face whatever consequences for his vision...while I'm up against some lyin ass b***hes." The "Whatever You Like" spitter further promoted the song in its caption. "Now that I have your attention.... #Midnight EST #ThisIsWhatItsComeTo," so he wrote, before directing fans to a link on his bio to pre-save the song. The song's snippet arrives after it's reported that T.I. and his wife Tiny Harris a.k.a. Tameka Cottle are officially under investigation in Los Angeles over an alleged incident that took place in 2005. The woman, who is only identified as Jane Doe, met LAPD detectives virtually in April. Responding to reports of the investigation, a lawyer for T.I. and Tiny said in a statement, "The Harrises have not spoken to or been contacted by the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), the Las Vegas Police Department (LVPD) or, indeed, any member of law enforcement from any other jurisdiction in the country." "Even assuming the story in the Daily Beast is close to accurate, it appears the LAPD 'accuser' has chosen once again to remain anonymous, thereby preventing us from being in a position to disprove or refute her allegations - or even examine them," the statement continued. "... although we now appear for the first time to have the name of an 'accuser' who supposedly filed a police report with LVPD, we have absolutely zero details about her or her claim," it concluded. Meanwhile, T.I. has dodged a similar case in Las Vegas after police determined that it falls outside the state's statute of limitations. Rachelle Jenks claimed she was drugged and sexually assaulted by the couple in Sin City in 2010, but the complaint was only filed earlier this month, leaving cops unable to do anything. Both Jane Doe and Rachelle are represented by attorney Tyrone A. Blackburn, who claimed in March that more than 30 women have come forward with allegations against the couple including "forced drugging, kidnapping, rape, and intimidation in at least two states, including California and Georgia." WENN/DyD Fotografos Celebrity In a new episode of her talk show, the 'Charlie's Angels' actress offers details about the ten-minute drunk kiss she shared with her 'Music and Lyrics' co-star that happened in The Waverly Inn years ago. May 21, 2021 AceShowbiz - Drew Barrymore is spilling the beans on her past make-out session with Hugh Grant. More than a decade after starring opposite the British actor in "Music and Lyrics", the "Charlie's Angels" actress reminisced with her co-star on her talk show how she once drunkenly approached him and kissed him. In the Thursday, May 20 episode of "The Drew Barrymore Show", the 46-year-old first brought up the topic by saying, "I don't think we've ever talked about this, I walked into I think it was, like, The Waverly Inn, this was years ago, and I had a few drinks." She continued, "And I walked in and I ran into you and instead of saying hello, I grabbed you by the collar and I fully started kissing you." Upon hearing Drew's recollection, Hugh laughed and confirmed, "Yes, I remember that." Drew then mimicked "The Undoing" actor's expression, and said, "The expression [you had] was, 'You've never greeted me that way before,' and then you had a second thought and you were like, 'You know, I'm not hating this.' And then we flirted and then it was like, 'OK, bye. See you soon.' " The "Notting Hill" actor went on to admit that he found the drunk make-out session "really bizarre." He explained, "I was very drunk as well and I was with some very nice but not drunk studio executives from L.A., and they were very surprised." He continued, "One of them said, 'Oh, there is Drew Barrymore,' I get up to say hi and then we make out for 10 minutes and then I sit down, and we go on talking about the script." Elsewhere in the interview, Hugh credited Drew for being "so nice" when he was dealing with his sex scandal back in 1995, recalling that she sent him a supportive letter. "You were so nice! It was during the dark days of my Divine Brown scandal, I was just an idiot. I was a grown-up idiot who got caught by the police," he recalled. "I was back in England with 5,000 members of the press around the borders of my farm and I opened a letter, from you, that was very supportive and nice, and it was very cheering up and I thought, 'I love Drew Barrymore.' Words of support from an actress I didn't know in Hollywood was lovely," Hugh continued. He then gushed, "So, you will always have a place in my heart." Drew explained she decided to write the letter because she could relate to the incident. "I loved you so much, that whole incident I related in my own life, and I think that whether it's an actor or politician or anything in between, we expect people to be infallible, perfect, never flawed, and God forbid we do anything in our personal lives that we would like to remain personal," she shared. "But we don't have that privilege at a certain point because the cat gets let out of the bag and I just had to reach out to you," the actress reflected. She then gushed over Hugh as saying, "I just appreciated you and you were just the most charming human." Warner Bros. Pictures Movie In addition to Ben Affleck's Batman, the Ezra Miller-starring upcoming solo movie is expected to bring back Michael Keaton as the Caped Crusader as part of its multiverse storyline. May 21, 2021 AceShowbiz - "The Flash" producer has hyped up the return of one of DC's most popular superheroes in the upcoming movie. Barbara Muschietti has shared a behind-the-scenes picture that teased the appearance of Batman, hereby officially confirming the long-running speculation. Muschietti, whose brother Andy Muschietti is on board as director for the film, shared on her Instagram page on Thursday, May 20 the photo from the set. The image featured a chair with the name Bruce Wayne written on it. "My brother @andy_muschietti posted a chair, so I'm posting one too," so the producer wrote in the caption, which she also wrote in Spanish. She added the hashtag #theflash. One day prior, Andy Muschietti posted on his own official account another image from the set. The picture showed a cast chair with the name Barry written on it, hinting that it belongs to The Flash depicter and lead actor Ezra Miller. "The Flash", which kicked off production on April 19, has long been rumored to feature not only one, but two Batmen as part of its multiverse storyline. In addition to Ben Affleck's version which has been featured alongside Miller's The Flash in "Justice League", the upcoming solo movie is expected to bring back Michael Keaton's Caped Crusader. According to TheWrap, Keaton's talent agency ICM Partners confirmed his return as Batman last month, though no other details were provided at the time. The "Batman Returns" star himself previously cast doubt when he talked about what hindered him from possible starring in the movie. "I am needing a minute to think about it because I'm so fortunate and blessed," he coyly told Deadline in March, insisting that he had yet to sign on. "I got so much going on now. I'm really into work right now... To tell you the truth, somewhere on my iPad is an iteration of the whole Flash thing that I haven't had time yet [to check]..." "To be honest with you, you know what worries me more than anything about all this stuff? It's COVID," the 69-year-old said at the time. He went on sharing, "I'm more concerned. I keep my eye more on the COVID situation in the U.K. than anything." He elaborated, "That will determine everything, and so that's why I'm living outside the city here on 17 acres, staying away from everybody, because the COVID thing has got me really concerned. So, that's my first thing about all projects. I look at it and go, is this thing going to kill me, literally? And you know, if it doesn't, then we talk." "The Flash" movie is due in theaters on November 4, 2022. United Airlines said searches for flights to Europe were up 19% the day after reports first surfaced in April that Europe would soon reopen. The airline is starting new flights between New York and Dubrovnik, Croatia, a week earlier than expected and adding a fourth weekly flight. The Croatia flights will start July 1, the same day as two other recently announced flights from Chicago to Reykjavik, Iceland, and Washington, D.C., to Athens, Greece. United also said it will resume service to Barcelona and Madrid and add additional flights to Italy in July. WENN/Brian To Celebrity The 'Game of Thrones' alum was previously taken into police custody and charged with misdemeanor assault, criminal obstruction of breathing or blood circulation, aggravated harassment and attempted assault and harassment. May 21, 2021 AceShowbiz - Elyes Gabel has become a free man. After he was taken into police custody for allegedly spitting at his girlfriend, the actor who portrayed Walter O'Brien on "Scorpion" was unveiled to have been released from jail. The 38-year-old British native was freed from prison without bail. Police sources further told TMZ that his girlfriend was later granted a temporary order of protection against him. Aside from spitting at his partner, Elyes was accused of shoving and choking her while they were engaged in a heated argument last week. His girlfriend told cops that the verbal altercation took place after the "Game of Thrones" alum returned to their room at around 3 A.M. at the Bowery Hotel. Elyes allegedly threatened his girlfriend by saying, "c**t f**king bitch. I'm going to punch your f**king face in." He was said to have grabbed her phone and thrown it on the floor then pushed her onto the couch. He also wrapped both hands around her neck and squeezed it. Luckily, Elyes' girlfriend did not lose her consciousness despite suffering substantial pain and redness around her neck. The unidentified woman, however, refused to get medical treatment. What makes it strange, police officers reportedly were not called until 1 P.M. later that day. The reason remains unknown. After the Rob Cleaver of "Waterloo Road" got busted, he was charged with misdemeanor assault, criminal obstruction of breathing or blood circulation, aggravated harassment and attempted assault and harassment. Elyes has yet to address his arrest. His attorney Stacey Richman, meanwhile, already shut down the allegations against his client. "While the claims are sensationalistic, they are not accurate. Elyes would never conduct himself in the manner alleged. Nevertheless he will not disparage the complainant and looks forward to the facts emerging through the legal process," the lawyer pointed out. WENN Celebrity The 'Falcon and the Winter Soldier' actor admits that he's very worried technology would replace human interaction and his fears led him to give up his iPhone. May 22, 2021 AceShowbiz - Anthony Mackie is "very afraid" of technology and only has the internet because of his movie work. "The Falcon and the Winter Soldier" actor insisted he isn't particularly interested in gadgets and isn't big on surfing the web. He admitted, "I recently got rid of my iPhone 6+. I'm very afraid of technology. I'm not a technology fan. I'm not a dude who is always on the internet. If it wasn't for (work) I wouldn't have the internet." The 42-year-old "Black Mirror" actor admitted he is worried about technology replacing human interaction. "The future bothers me because the idea of human to human contact has kind of fallen to the wayside," he told E! News. "It's starting to become a foreign idea." Anthony can next be seen in anthology series "Solos" as a man who buys a clone of himself and, despite the futuristic plot, he was pleased technology didn't feature heavily. He said, "The thing I loved about my episode was we were able to play it honest, simple and real - except there was a clone in the room. And that was the only idea and part of technology in the episode." And Anthony found making the show gave him the chance to challenge himself, because he knows it would be easy to rest on his laurels. He said, "Part of the reason I took this job was...you know, I've been in the business for 21 years. After a while, you become successful and it's like, 'I can just show up, say my lines, get a cheque and go to Jamaica!" "I wanted to challenge myself. I wanted to do something that hasn't been an opportunity for me for the past 20 years and see if I still have the ability to go to that place and feel that truth." REDDING, Calif. - A new airline touched down in Redding for the first time Thursday afternoon. The flight by Avelo Airlines took off from Burbank and landed in Redding just before 2 p.m. People onboard the flight had no idea Thursdays flight was the first trip from Los Angeles to Redding. "My best friend lives up here so I try to make trips as many times as I can," said Maritza Cox, who was on the flight. Avelo Airline executives said underserved markets like Redding are prime for their goal of connecting more communities. "It means that the rest of the world can connect to Redding and that we have an economy up here that is booming and people are ready to go," said Churck Aukland, Public Works Director. Flights start at as low as $19 each way, but you can upgrade for things like checked bags or more legroom. Redding is one of the few destinations that Avelo Airlines will start servicing flights to and is the first mainline U.S. carrier to launch in 15 years. CALIFORNIA Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an executive order to continue to help communities recover from the 2020 wildfires. In 2020, Gov. Newsom proclaimed several States of Emergency in response to numerous wildfires impacting the state. To this date, many communities are still recovering. On Sept. 25, 2021, Newsom issued an order extending price gouging protections for certain counties impacted by wildfires. In March, Newsom extending these protections. Newsom said protections against price gouging exist in several impacted areas to date. The order extends the states prohibition on price gouging for 13 counties including Butte, Shasta, Trinity, Lassen, and Siskiyou through Sept. 22, 2021. 2020 wildfire season was the most destructive in California history, Newsom stated in the executive order. Nearly 10,000 fires scorched over four million acres of land, destroyed and or damaged over 10,000 structures, and over 5,000 homes. REDDING, Calif. - There are currently no registered hemp industrial farmers in Shasta County, but this might change after the public was invited back into the board's meeting Thursday night to discuss the topic. "The idea of growing pot is a completely different game than growing hemp, said Kathryn Girtler, who lives in Igo. Thursday's meeting on hemp was meant to be a discussion. "Is the board in favor of moving forward with hemp agriculture or not, and if we do move forward what kind of regulations will be put in place, said Leonard Moty, Shasta County Supervisor. Traditionally, hemp was used for things like textiles and clothing. "But I am not aware of any manufacturing facilities at least in California that are processing the fiber to make those kinds of products, said Rick Durrola, Agricultural Commissioner for Shasta County and one of the speakers at Thursday's meeting. There are still some big concerns for growing these plants. "There can be a very strong odor associated with the plant," Durrola told Action News Now. This could impact businesses like outdoor wedding venues if a hemp farm were to be planted near them. Right now people in Shasta County can grow industrial hemp indoors as both nursery stock and microgreens if they have a permit. "I am just open to the discussion to hear what's appropriate, and then once I hear all the information then I will make my decision, said Moty. Others believe it could benefit farms in Shasta County. "We need to really look at how we can help the environment by using other plant products, said Girtler. If the board does make a decision to approve this, then industrial hemp cultivation outdoors will be allowed. The next steps would be to figure out what regulations to put in place and to then start off with pilot plants. Fire in Palermo burns nearly 3 acres CAL FIRE is investigating what caused a fire to break out in Palermo. The fire broke out around 7 p.m. and it grew to about two and a half acres in the area of Palermo road and Martha lane. CAL FIRE crews stopped the flames within 30 minutes. No structure burned and no one injured. CAA to host free food distribution in Gridley The Community Action Agency will be hosting a food distribution program at the IDS church on French Ave. It runs from 10 a.m. to noon, or until supplies run out. The boxes will include healthy and perishable foods. People are asked to stay in their cars when picking up a box. Shasta County Pfizer vaccine clinics Pfizer vaccine clinics are opening up in Shasta County for people ages 12 and up. People can get their shot at Redding Senior Center on Benton drive. Walk-ins are welcome but people can also make an appointment on "my turn". The clinic is open Friday to Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. It will be closed on Memorial Day. Redding steam whistle's first sounds to come during inauguration block party A community block party for the inauguration of the downtown Redding Steam Whistle. The market street party kicks off at 4 p.m. running until 8 p.m. After the inauguration, you will hear the Redding steam whistle blow at 5 p.m. every Friday. City leaders said that whistle signals Redding's transition from work to play. 2 homes damaged but no injuries in Santa Barbara brushfire Evacuations have been lifted in Santa Barbara after a fire erupted around 9 p.m. Thursday. The fire threatened structures in the area of TV Hill. The fire burned 10 acres and damaged two buildings. No injuries were reported and the cause of the fire is under investigation. Tarun Tejpal, former editor-in-chief of Tehelka, has been acquitted in a sexual assault case filed by a female colleague. The Goa district court gave its judgement in the case today. In November 2013, the Goa Police registered an FIR against Tejpal, based on a complaint filed by a former female colleague of Tejpal, who alleged that the senior journalist had sexually assaulted her in a hotel elevator. Following this, Tejpal was arrested, but he got bail in May 2014. Tejpal had also petitioned the Bombay High Court, where he sought stay on framing of charges against him. The Bombay High Court had dismissed this petition. Meanwhile, following the Goa district courts ruling, Goas Chief Minister, Pramod Sawant, while speaking to the media, said that his government would move the High Court against Tejpals acquittal. While the global pandemic has bought economies to a halt and massively disrupted businesses, it has also fuelled start-up dreams and we even saw several Indian start-ups achieve Unicorn status during the pandemic period. The times have never been better for the budding entrepreneurs to give wings to their start-up dreams. The Government, too, has come up with various schemes to support its Vocal for Local drive. A case in point is the recent Rs 1,000 crore Start-up India Seed Fund announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the Start-up India International Summit 2021 held earlier this year. Adgully is turning the spotlight on the entrepreneurs who fought against all odds to bring their dreams to fruition in our special series START-UP STARS. We at Adgully wholeheartedly support the Vocal for Local movement and over the next few months will be featuring all local/ homegrown businesses, brands and Apps. In conversation with Adgully, Nilesh Aggarwal, Director and CEO of Medtalks.in, takes us through the journey of how he started this platform for doctors, how Medtalks is filling the gap in medical education, evolution of the start-up ecosystem in India and much more. Please take us through your journey as an entrepreneur. What motivated you to establish your start-up? What were you doing prior to turning an entrepreneur? I am a healthcare professional and have been running the IJCP Group for the past 10 years. IJCP is a leading medical communications player in India and has been in the market since 1991. Its products and services include medical journals, CMEs (Continuing Medical Education), healthcare PR, digital healthcare marketing, and healthcare media. I am also the co-founder and CEO of eMediNexus, which is a doctors content and networking platform with a reach of over 250,000 doctors. While working with IJCP, I saw the inconvenience caused to doctors who are overburdened with multiple journals and print educational informational, which are in majority not read and thrown away by doctors. I realised that there is a huge scope for doctors who happen to be some of the busiest professionals in India, to be given a one-stop platform, where all their CME needs can be solved. With Medtalks, we are striving to give them a one-stop learning healthcare learning platform online. We have also created a bank of over 3,000 videos with top doctors answering common patient education questions. Medtalks is also filling the gap in medical education by offering certified programs and courses to doctors and healthcare professionals to improve the overall patient health in India. What need gap did you want to fulfil with your start-up? What is the core business proposition? Medtalks is the first ever initiative in India which is dedicated to the cause of simplifying and spreading medical awareness and education among the general public and healthcare professionals both. Our core business proposition is to bridge the gap between doctors and patients alongside ensuring Continuing Medical Education for healthcare practitioners. Today, we have a robust technology driven platform, which offers CME and CPD courses online. We have trained more than 200,000 professionals during the last six months. Medtalks has a video bank with more than 3,000 videos already, wherein renowned medical professionals address basic healthcare related queries of the patients. We are constantly expanding this library through addition of new videos on prevalent topics. How did you identify your TG? Did you carry out any feasibility study prior to starting your business? One of the major healthcare challenges in India is the sheer shortage of qualified doctors, which is well below the WHO recommended minimum doctor to patient ratio 1:1000. A majority of Indian public resides in non-urban or far-flung areas, where this ratio is further skewed compared to the urban areas. Thus, there is a major gap of access to quality medication and diagnosis, which leads people to resort to unqualified practitioners or attempt self-medication and diagnosis by online search based on their symptoms. This further complicates the things as self-consumption of drugs such as antibiotics might cause more harm than good. This is one of the main observations which drove us to create Medtalks.in and we are addressing the challenge by providing an ever-expanding library of videos with more than 3,000 videos featuring expert doctors who answer common health queries from patients. Further, we are also focusing on improving the quality of medical services by becoming a leading education platform for various healthcare stakeholders. We have launched hundreds of CME courses for professional development of practicing doctors. What were the challenges that you faced in your start-up journey and how did you overcome them? Being a non-tech person and not having a co-founder with a tech background has always been a challenge given the importance of software in our start-up. It took a lot of effort and a lot of hits and misses to have the robust tech team that we have now. We have been very focused on being cash flow positive and profitable unlike a lot of start-ups that face this challenge and Im glad we have avoided this particular challenge. What were the clearances that you required for your venture from various authorities? There were no such clearances required from authorities. All the courses on Medtalks are certified by reputed healthcare institutions and professional bodies. Given that our content impacts healthcare decisions and patient health, we have a board of the top doctors across India who validate and certify our content. Funds/ finance is the prime issue of almost all start-ups. What can the industry and the Government do to address this issue and ease the capital requirements of start-ups? There is a tremendous need to back the governments push for start-ups with financial inputs. While certain steps such as tax concessions and relaxation in operational procedures have been taken to make the functioning simpler, the core need of seed and early stage funding still remains a major challenge. Most of the start-up founders struggle to get adequate financial support even when their idea or product is of high potential. The government needs to do more by simplifying the terms of eligibility for funding to start-ups. As of now, the conditions are so stringent that most early stage start-ups are unable to match the eligibility criteria of financial institutions. Earlier this year, Prime Minister Modi announced a Startup India Seed Fund. How do you see start-ups benefiting from it? This is a great step forward in the right direction. The Prime Minister wishes India to become self-reliant in all aspects of products and services and eventually become the global hub of tech and innovation. We have a thriving start-up ecosystem, huge human resources and potential to make this happen. While Startup India Seed Fund is a good beginning, the allocation of funds has to be far greater in order to make a nationwide impact and encourage the next wave of entrepreneurs to join the fray. At the same time, start-ups need relaxation of norms as far as collateral free seed funding is concerned. Banks and other financial institutions need to offer them support at par with the support offered to existing industries. Thus, we would say that the momentum created by Startup India Seed Funds announcement has to be continued forward. How is digital helping you further your business? Medtalks.in has been able to make such a major nationwide impact primarily because it is a technology driven digital platform. Whether it is us or any other tech-driven start-up, the digital ecosystem provides limitless opportunities for growth, expansion and reaching out to the audiences. We have trained more than 100,000 healthcare professionals in various CME courses in the last six months. We have also spread awareness among millions of patients related to various diseases and health concerns through our 3,000+ videos, which are available online. Such scale of access and impact can only be made possible by digital technology. This is just the beginning and I have absolute faith that the digital approach will eventually propel us towards accomplishing our goal of achieving quality healthcare for all Indians and making adequate CME opportunities available for our doctors all over the country. What were your key learnings from 2020? How do you see the start-up ecosystem progressing in 2021? The year 2020 has taught all of us about how resilience and dynamic action are crucial for survival in the modern world of business. There are challenges of conventional as well as emerging nature. The whole world has become one single market courtesy of the world wide web, and to access this market, technology is going to be the biggest enabler. The emphasis on digital technology becomes even greater in the wake of the pandemic and I believe 2021 and the years to follow are going to be great opportunities for start-ups that can smartly integrate technology. The need of the hour is to use the available tech to innovate and simplify life for users. As long as a company is able to solve a problem faced by the target audience, it is going to thrive. What would be your message for the budding entrepreneurs? There are always two sides to a coin and we need to look at the brighter side of the things. It is true that the pandemic last year caused disruption, slowdown and even a longer-term impact on certain industries. However, thats where strategic thinking, contingency planning and the flexibility of an organisations working define the extent of success it can achieve. So, whenever you are presented with a challenge, dont try to avoid it, but solve it for yourself and for others. As long as you do that, nothing will stop your growth. Kia India, a wholly owned subsidiary of Kia Corporation yesterday contributed INR 5 crores to the Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority (APSDMA). With the second wave of COVID-19 and the exponential rise in cases across the country, the contribution has been made to support the state and its people in these testing times. Mr. Kookhyun Shim, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Kia India handed over the fund transfer document to Mr. Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy, Chief Minister, Andhra Pradesh. Commenting on the contribution Mr. Kookhyun Shim, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Kia India said, The surge in cases during the second wave of COVID-19 has taken all of us by surprise. As Kia India, we thank the Government of Andhra Pradesh for its tireless efforts in preventing the spread of virus and extend our support of INR 5 Cr in the fight against the pandemic. The funds will be deployed towards meeting the increased requirement of essential medical equipment, including oxygen concentrators, ventilators, cryogenic tankers and D4 type medical grade cylinders in hospitals. We will continue to extend complete support to the government and health authorities to fight the pandemic and come out of it safely. During the first wave of COVID-19, the brand had joined hands with Government of Andhra Pradesh in the fight against the global pandemic and had donated INR 2 crores of CSR funds to the CM Relief Fund. While the Indian government has implemented several measures and announced several aids to tackle the situation, Kia India is doing its bit to stay socially responsible and committed towards extending every possible support to the community and is taking all necessary measures to fight the second wave of COVID-19. The brand will continue to support the country, governments and is committed towards being a partner in the national fight against Coronavirus. Prism Digital, a Web Design Agency in Dubai has won the project to design an e-commerce website for, Fishermans Cove, a property in Seychelles managed by STORY Hospitality. The website was recently launched to the public last month and is has been ranking #1 on google search for more than 30 keywords since its launch this month. The website is built as a Progressive Web Apps (PWA) in Laravel, which is an open-source MVC framework and custom-built PWA solution that provides Hotels with API connects to their preferred property management systems. A PWA website enables a hotel to provide a seamless mobile booking experience for their customers and increases conversions and booking on the site by over 80%. Since 90% of allthe searches for hotel rooms across the world are initiated and executed on mobile phones, it is very important for hotels to provide a seamless integration with mobile to reduce their dependency on OTA and increase the number of bookings on their own site. Having a PWA website greatly increases your Online ranking on Google and hotels that have moved to a PWA website have seen their search results (SERPs) grow by over 80% in a few months. Around the globe, many brands have adopted a similar kind of framework, like Uber, Trivago, Ola, Wego, Makemytrip, Jumia Travel, to name a few. Speaking about the website launch, Mr. Rafael Garcia Aguado, Vice President of Marketing & Communications for STORY HOSPITALITY commented Prism Digital has created an amazing website for Fishermans Cove. They delivered the project on schedule and within budget. The website performs perfectly well even the lowest of internet speeds. Our SEO Ranking has grown by 80% in just under a month and we already have first page ranking on more than 50 keywords the results are absolutely fantastic We selected Prism after a comprehensive pitch process and by looking at their expertise in the hospitality industry, we are sure that the unique strategic approach will unlock new opportunities for us and we aim at collectively achieving scale and growth We are looking forward to the long-term partnership with Prism. he added. Prism Digital, one of the best digital marketing agencies in the middle east for over 15 years, and building on its formidable reputation as a leading web development company in Dubai got to work with one of the leading hospitality conglomerates in the Middle East and re-engineered their hotel booking website with amazing features that will enable the property to drive more traffic to their website and achieve their long-term objectives. Mr. Lovetto Nazareth, Managing Director of Prism Digital, said STORY Hospitality is a worldwide powerhouse brand of the most glamourous industry. Our analytical and innovative approach is sure to drive the desired outcomes for the brand. We now have an amazing case study to prove to the hotel industry that having a PWA online booking website can dramatically increase their conversions and grow a hotel room booking numbers exponentially. The Fishermans cove website is built using React JS and Laravel Framework with the latest technology and API integrations to encourage onsite sales with an integrated third-party payment gateway. The web content is search engine optimized to rank the website on top pages in search engines. The mobile responsive website is built on the principle of user-friendliness and is much easier to navigate. The completely PWA website was rolled out in 45 days since the project started and currently ranks A on GT Metrix. And scores a near perfect score on all google website performance tests. Prism Digital solves real-world problems of connecting consumers with products through innovative digital marketing and AI-driven marketing solutions. Learn more about Prism Digital. Because whether youre encouraged to keep your opinions out of your work as reporters are or encouraged to let your opinions inform and populate your work as columnists and critics are you still need to avoid, at all costs, appearing beholden to anyone. Especially a politician even if he or she is family. The Real Growth Lies in Rural Markets. The Next Set of Audiences are not in Urban setups but in Rural Markets. It is a high probability that you would have read these lines in a business newspaper or heard from the senior management of a big organisation that is planning to find its next customer base in rural India.. It has a large customer base that constitutes nearly 68% of India's population (over 840 million), contributes over 50% GDP and is spread over 6,70,000 villages in over 30 states and 700+ districts. Today, the appetite and aspirations of the rural consumers is equivalent to that of its urban counterparts. With an increase in the income levels, rise of e-commerce, cheap data & affordable smartphones, this audience wants everything at the best prices. Brands are working hard to ensure that they are able to cater to the rising demand from this audience. The phenomenon has led to a massive growth in rural retail. It is estimated that the market size of FMCG products in rural India will touch $220 billion by 2025. A large number of brands are either expanding their reach or setting up their shops in rural India. The region has already got a huge fillip in terms of consumption in 2020 thanks to the pandemic (however, that is a discussion for another day). A birds eye view to the rural market reflects great potential for every product category but penetrating it is not an easy task. A brand needs to clearly understand - geography, consumer psychology, socio-economic factors, sales & distribution routes, affluent clusters, consumption patterns, and other aspects prevalent in the region. It is quite a possibility that without a know-how of these factors, penetrating rural markets could be an extremely futile and a money burning exercise. Secondly, having the right tools and technology is also essential to a rural penetration strategy. It helps in mapping the affluent pockets, consumer behavior, socio-economic status, predictions, optimisation of routes, managing inventories, payments, workforce; creating the right set of databases, planning marketing strategies for sales and deploying marketing strategies in the right areas at the right time. It is at the intersection of the above two, a brand can plan a sales & distribution strategy into the rural market. Today, brands are deploying a plethora of platforms and tech such as artificial intelligence, data collection, machine learning, GIS mapping, digital payments to ensure that they are able to get the best possible insights and generate right predictions for the local retailers as well as the brands to help them create an apt strategy. The following are some of the areas I believe are a must have for every brand before penetrating the rural market. Here are some of the technologies that can help brands to understand distribution at the last mile. i. Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning Brands are generating tonnes of data from the rural market but a sizable number of them have less or no idea on what to do with it. There are artificial intelligence and machine learning tools in the market that can be deployed to generate relevant insights from the data depending upon the requirement of the brands. For instance, it can analyse the product off take from shelves for a particular geography for multiple brands. This analysis can give a sales team an understanding of their performance into a region vs another brand. These are self learning tools that evolve as the data rolls in them. They can come very handy to the GTM and sales teams in planning the annual calendars and sales funnels. 2. GIS Mapping This tool can help the brands to map the best possible geographical routes between point A - B. It can be really helpful for the brands to understand the most optimised routes, identify the populated areas, easy to move routes and others. This helps brands to sharp shoot and know where to set foot and how. The idea is always to identify the pockets of affluence and target them first while developing the overall market for the brand. A key insight that has always been shared by the experts is that large population centres may or may not be the affluent centres in the rural pockets. 3. Tracking This tool helps for the retailer and distributor to understand the progress of the shipment. This involves ETA calculation also helping to create a sense of trust and allowing the receiver to plan the use of the cargo. 4. Real Time Notifications This feature creates the engagement between all the three parties giving them an idea about what is happening with their order on whether it is in the warehouse, on road, left for the destination, or payment has been done. 5. Payment Gateways This feature helps the three parties to manage their transactions online thereby preventing the use of hard cash, creating transparency and helps in easy to manage ledgers. 6. Data Dashboard This dashboard usually helps the three parties to select and understand any service or access any archives of records. For instance, it can give a clear insight into a geography on what SKUs have been picked up most for a product category in the region. 7. Chat Bots These help the three parties to talk to each for the resolution of their queries, problems or answers. 8. Electronic Proof of Delivery (ePOD) This helps in creating the records of deliveries made thereby creating transparency and customer satisfaction. 9. Cloud Service & Servers The brand or aggregator has to adopt o this service to ensure that all the data generated by the application is stored in a segregated manner and easily accessed by the data analytics team. 10. Apps & Web portals The brand and aggregator needs to create a friendly application or website to disseminate information, take orders and pass information back to its consumer. This is an ongoing process and takes considerable resources. 11. Predictive Analysis The AI engines can also help in creating predictions around what works in a particular region and what does not. It will help the brand to know what it should focus on selling in the coming days and the same goes for retailers also on what products they should keep on the shelves. There is no doubt that the Tech, logistics and last mile operations go hand in hand. The merging of these three segments in the rural ecosystem is an uphill task because of multiple parties involved in it. However, post pandemic, most brands have realised the importance of these segments and are ramping their strengths in it to ensure a smoother distribution and supply lines. Rural market has proven to be a game changer in the economic revival during the pandemic in India and will emerge as a driver of the economy in the post pandemic world. It is high time that brands who have not paid attention to the rural market should start giving a serious thought about it. (The author is an expert on rural market, economy, distribution & supply lines. The article is written by Nikhil Kaul, COO, LMCE) Federal Department of Foreign Affairs Bern, 21.05.2021 - Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis, the head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, took part today in the 131st ministerial session of the Council of Europe (CoE), held online because of the pandemic. In his speech, he hailed the CoE's key role in protecting human rights, democracy and the rule of law in the digital age. At the session, the foreign ministers of the 47 member states reaffirmed their commitment to keeping the European Court of Human Rights effective. "It is our common duty to prevent the risks of digitalisation without impeding progress," stated Cassis. In his remarks, he stressed that digitalisation is one of the priorities of Switzerland's Foreign Policy Strategy 202023. He also highlighted International Geneva's leading role in this domain. In view of the growing importance of digitalisation, the ministers underscored the CoE's contribution to safeguarding its key values of human rights, democracy and the rule of law. In particular, they expressed their support for the ongoing work on artificial intelligence and cybercrime. Greater foresight through four-year planning In the course of the session, the ministers also decided to increase their planning periods from two years to four years. Furthermore, they agreed to pursue their efforts to ensure that the European Court of Human Rights can continue to function effectively. This decision is part of the ongoing Interlaken court-reform process launched under the Swiss chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers in 2010. The outgoing German chairmanship organised this 131st session, held virtually for the second time in a row. During its six months chairing the Committee, Germany's core priorities included strengthening the implementation of the rulings of the European Court of Human Rights, protecting minorities and women, and fighting online hate speech. Hungary taking the reins Today, Germany is passing the torch to Hungary, which has announced that it will focus its efforts on technological and environmental challenges, and protection of national minorities. The CoE is a pan-European organisation with 47 member states. Switzerland joined the Council in 1963, 14 years after it was founded. Address for enquiries FDFA Communication Federal Palace West Wing CH-3003 Bern, Switzerland Tel. Communication service: +41 58 462 31 53 Tel. Press service: +41 58 460 55 55 E-mail: kommunikation@eda.admin.ch Twitter: @SwissMFA Publisher Federal Department of Foreign Affairs https://www.eda.admin.ch/eda/en/home.html Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research Bern, 21.05.2021 - President Guy Parmelin represented Switzerland at the Global Health Summit on 21 May, which was organised by the European Commission and Italy, which currently holds the presidency of the G20. Due to the pandemic, the event took place as a video conference. Among the topics discussed were the lessons to be learned from the COVID-19 crisis, and how the world community can improve global health protection through solidarity and cooperation. The Rome Declaration was endorsed at the summit. The document lays down principles for strengthening cooperation on health protection and preventing possible future health crises. The participating countries stressed the need for action and stressed the importance of worldwide access to vaccines and other medical products in the fight against the pandemic. The central role of international organisations, especially the World Health Organization (WHO), was also emphasised. Issues of financing and governance were also raised, as well as the implementation of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). President Parmelin emphasised the enormous progress made in combating the pandemic. However, he said that the new virus variants continue to pose a major threat and the majority of the socio-economic consequences of the crisis still lie ahead. "The pandemic will not be over until all countries have overcome it," said Mr Parmelin. "Since the beginning of the crisis, Switzerland has been committed to finding global solutions for rapid, affordable and equitable access to COVID-19 remedies." By way of example, he cited the Federal Council's decision of 28 April to put CHF 300 million towards the Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator initiative. Parliament will debate a corresponding supplementary credit in the summer session. This initiative aims to improve access to vaccinations, tests and medicines in developing countries and to strengthen their health systems. In relation to this, Mr Parmelin emphasised the importance of an open trading system. In this context, Switzerland supports the WTOs Trade and Health initiative, which aims to facilitate trade in medical goods in times of crisis. The issues raised will be discussed at health minister level at the 74th World Health Assembly, which will take place next week. Address for enquiries GS-EAER Communications Tel. +41 58 462 20 07 info@gs-wbf.admin.ch Publisher Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research http://www.wbf.admin.ch Federal Department of Foreign Affairs Bern, 21.05.2021 - Switzerland is helping Nepal cope with an extremely difficult health situation caused by COVID-19. Today, Friday, Swiss Humanitarian Aid, part of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA), dispatches 1.1 million antigen tests, 40 respirators, 10 oxygen concentrators and personal protective equipment to Kathmandu. This humanitarian aid shipment is worth around CHF 7.5 million. In response to an exponential increase in the number of COVID-19 cases in Nepal and the Nepalese authorities' appeal for international assistance, Swiss Humanitarian Aid swiftly set up a crisis unit composed of staff from the Swiss embassy in Kathmandu, the Crisis Management Centre (KMZ) and the FDFA's State Secretariat. In close consultation with the Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport (DDPS) and the Federal Department of Home Affairs (FDHA), the crisis unit drew up a list of humanitarian goods to meet identified needs on the ground in Nepal. A cargo aircraft will leave Zurich for Kathmandu on Friday carrying 30 tonnes of supplies. The consignment comprises 40 respirators provided free of charge by the Armed Forces Pharmacy, 10 oxygen concentrators purchased from private companies by Swiss Humanitarian Aid, 1.1 million antigen tests donated by the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH), and personal protective equipment (overalls and gloves). Prior enquiries were made to ensure that these supplies were not needed in Switzerland. The supplies will be received in Kathmandu by officials from the Nepalese Ministry of Health, who will distribute them to hospitals and other health facilities. The Swiss embassy to Nepal is working closely with all ministries involved in this operation. It is also coordinating international aid with other diplomatic missions in Kathmandu. Nepal is one of the priority countries of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), which has so far allocated CHF 12 million to help stem the spread of COVID-19 in the country. This latest Swiss Humanitarian Aid consignment comes after 13 tonnes of respirators, oxygen concentrators and other supplies were shipped on 6 May to India, which shares a border with Nepal. Swiss Humanitarian Aid continues to monitor health developments relating to COVID-19 worldwide and is ready to provide assistance to the extent possible upon request. Address for enquiries FDFA Communication Federal Palace West Wing CH-3003 Bern, Switzerland Tel. Communication service: +41 58 462 31 53 Tel. Press service: +41 58 460 55 55 E-mail: kommunikation@eda.admin.ch Twitter: @SwissMFA Publisher Federal Department of Foreign Affairs https://www.eda.admin.ch/eda/en/home.html Federal Office of Public Health http://www.bag.admin.ch General Secretariat DDPS https://www.vbs.admin.ch/ Defence http://www.vtg.admin.ch General Secretariat FDHA http://www.edi.admin.ch Federal Office of Public Health Bern, 21.05.2021 - The federal government has signed a contract with Eli Lilly (Suisse) SA to purchase promising drugs to treat coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). They are combinations of monoclonal antibodies. The first deliveries are expected in mid-June 2021. On the advice of the Swiss National COVID-19 Task Force, the Federal Office of Public Health has signed another contract giving access to doses of monoclonal antibodies for treating COVID-19 in patients with an elevated risk of a severe case. The contract is for 4,300 doses of combinations of Bamlanivimab/Etesevimab developed by Eli Lilly and Company in partnership with AbCellera and Junshi Biosciences. The monetary value of the contract is confidential. Monoclonal antibodies are antibodies that are cloned in a laboratory and administered intravenously to neutralise the virus. Clinical trials by Eli Lilly and Company demonstrate that these treatments provide effective treatment against severe forms of the disease. The federal government will cover the costs of these treatments until they are reimbursed by compulsory health insurance. The first treatments will be available from mid-June for certain groups of high-risk patients. These drugs have not yet been authorised, but on the basis of COVID-19 Ordinance 3 can already be used to treat COVID-19 patients while the authorisation process is ongoing. This is the second contract signed by the federal government for the acquisition of monoclonal antibodies following a first contract with Roche Pharma (Switzerland) Ltd last April. Address for enquiries Federal Office of Public Health, Communication, +41 58 462 95 05, media@bag.admin.ch Publisher Federal Office of Public Health http://www.bag.admin.ch Yet some insist it is a duty to risk harming ones own health for others. This is a new idea that has appeared in recent years, and it is deeply immoral. If a person chooses to risk their life for others, that is a noble thing. But it can never be a duty. We should firmly reject such a notion. Heres an idea that would harm no one: American culture pressures people to work even when ill. Lets make working sick as socially unacceptable as drunk driving. The SARS-CoV-2 virus has killed millions worldwide and upended our lives. We all desperately want to return to normality. The current drumbeat is that vaccine passports are the ticket to getting our lives back. But what if implementing such a system will do the opposite: make a return to normality impossible ever again? First, some background: Vaccine passports are also immoral. They violate the Nuremberg code, a cornerstone of medicine: The voluntary consent of the human subject is absolutely essential. Coercion and discrimination upend the foundation of all medical ethics. A one-size-fits-all approach is totally inappropriate in medicine. Where there is risk, there must be choice. Requiring vaccination in order to function in society is wrong, and using businesses as a proxy for government is equally as immoral as the state doing it. Vaccine passports will enable us to get our lives back, they say. No, they wont. It will be just the beginning of multiple mandated vaccines, beginning with a booster in six months. Soon all vaccines for adults will be added for the same reason: public health. Are you ready for 20 CDC recommended vaccines in order to appear in public? Digital passports have already been developed, to which all your data could be added. A social credit system like Chinas could easily be implemented, denying travel, shopping, concerts, or even access to your bank account if you dont stay topped up. Think it couldnt happen here? A government or corporation that would require universal vaccination regardless of health status, depriving healthy people of their liberties until they submit, would do that and much more. Florida has one of the better outcomes nationwide, despite a high elderly population, low restrictions, and a ban on vaccine passports. Why not follow their example? This past year in Oregon we have learned that once lost, it is almost impossible to get our freedoms back. While other states are lifting restrictions, Oregon made the mask mandates permanent. Vaccine passports would give the government (or by proxy corporations) complete control over our bodies. Forever. To recoil from such a thing is not selfish. It is American. It is human. Not just no: hell, no. Because if implemented, vaccine passports will unleash a kind of hell upon us all. Lynn Barton is a 30-year Rogue Valley resident, small farmer, educator, and board member of Childrens Health Defense, Oregon. Email her at lynn.barton@childrenshealthdefense.org. SOURCES National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986: https://www.congress.gov/bill/99th-congress/house-bill/5546 Emergency Use Authorization: https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/eua/index.html Swine Flu Vaccine https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2009-apr-27-sci-swine-history27-story.html VAERS reports as of 4/30/21: https://www.openvaers.com/covid-data Harvard Pilgrim study (page 6): https://digital.ahrq.gov/sites/default/files/docs/publication/r18hs017045-lazarus-final-report-2011.pdf Asymptomatic transmission https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-020-19802-w, more links here: https://www.jeremyrhammond.com/2020/12/15/the-big-lie-about-asymptomatic-transmission-of-sars-cov-2/ Recovery rate: https://ourworldindata.org/mortality-risk-covid?country=~USA#the-case-fatality-rate Analysis of the IFR: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/eci.13554 Early treatment with ivermectin data: https://covid19criticalcare.com/ivermectin-in-covid-19/epidemiologic-analyses-on-covid19-and-ivermectin/ Nuremberg Code: https://history.nih.gov/display/history/Nuremberg+Code Boosters: https://www.forbes.com/sites/williamhaseltine/2021/05/11/mrna-vaccine-booster-shots-likely-required-within-six-months-to-protect-against-covid-19-variants/? Adult vaccine goals: https://www.healthypeople.gov/2020 Longtime state veterinarian Dr. Susan Keller is retiring at the end of June after nearly 25 years with the North Dakota Department of Agriculture (NDDA). She spent 17 years as the state veterinarian and director of the Animal Health Division of the NDDA. Prior to that, she spent about seven years as deputy state veterinarian from 1997-2004. During her time as state veterinarian, Keller became known for her diligent work monitoring, managing, and controlling contagious animal diseases throughout the state, and working with the North Dakota State Board of Animal Health. Melvin Leland, former president of the North Dakota State Board of Animal Health, has worked with Keller for the 13 years of his term, and says it will be difficult to find another state veterinarian of her caliber. Dr. Keller has always kept up to speed on all the regulations and laws, and has strictly adhered to those laws. She treats everyone the same across the board, Leland said. She has always tried to protect the names of anyone on any of the cases we have been presented so that there would be no chance of bias on any decisions we made. I respect that about her. Keller Broken Heart Ranch In retirement, Keller wont be moving to another position nor going back into private practice, but she will still be her familys herd health veterinarian and pitch in with cattle work, as she has always done. She and her husband, Dwight Keller, own Keller Broken Heart Ranch south of Mandan. They operate the ranch along with the help of their three adult children their daughter, Tessa, who is married to Thomas Osterbauer, and two sons, Luke, who is married to Katy and expecting their first child, and Jake, who works full-time at the family ranch. * Username This is the name that will be displayed next to your photo for comments, blog posts, and more. Choose wisely! Residents of other affluent suburbs also had luck finding shots in the city between December 2020 and mid-April, a period when eligibility rules were still in play, people were desperate to find appointments and city officials were promising to steer doses to the hardest-hit neighborhoods. At least 1 in 8 of all residents in ZIP codes covering Oak Park, Kenilworth, Wilmette, Winnetka and River Forest received their first dose in Chicago, the data shows. When looking only at those residents who got vaccinated, the numbers are even more stark: At least 1 in 4 found shots in the city. Bishop Noland Episcopal Day Schools South Campus has been having class all year long in their new state of the art facilities. That something people always say, I had no idea you guys were open or I had no idea you guys were here! But, yes, weve been here all school year, Frances Boo Anna Istre, a second grade teacher at Lake Charles Charter Academy, had two very unusual starts to her career. She graduated McNeese State University and began teaching right before the March 2020 COVID-19 shutdowns and then began again with the difficulties of the storm ridden 2020-2021 sch HOUMA, La. (AP) A guard at a Louisiana jail has been fired and arrested after authorities said she conspired with inmates to bring drugs and other contraband into the facility. As for mask requirements, the news release says some parishes might be more eager to remove restrictions and others might be more hesitant, perhaps because the community experienced more COVID-19 infections or some immunocompromised parishioners are at a higher risk. Hollywood actresses have been speaking up about how they really feel about performing on-screen sex and nudity. Spoiler alert: They hate it. Actress Salma Hayek recently opened up to Dax Shepard, host of the Armchair Expert Podcast, about her experience filming the iconic sex scene in her first film Desperado: I started to sob and kept saying, I dont know that I can do it. She remembers holding onto the towel wrapped around her. I would take it off for two seconds and start crying again. And Hayek is not the only one. Dozens of actresses have gone on record detailing traumatic experiences they had while filming sex scenes. Kate Winslet vented about having to undress: I hate it. Its a profoundly bizarre thing to do. It's sort of unethical if you think about it. Reese Witherspoon confided about filming the sex scene in Wild: I started to panicit took up a tremendous amount of fear in my mind. I was just terrified. Nicole Kidman revealed : I felt very exposed and vulnerable and deeply humiliated at times. I was just lying there, sort of broken and crying. Maria Schneider recounted her experience filming the infamous sex scene with Marlon Brando in Last Tango in Paris: That scene wasn't in the original script. The truth is it was Marlon who came up with the idea. I felt humiliated and to be honest, I felt a little raped by Marlon. These dont sound like women who feel comfortable and at peace with what they are being asked to do on set. To do their job, they are forced to drive a wedge between their body and their true self. Tragically, women in the film industry sometimes resort to the same numbing strategies as women in the porn industry, like the use of drugs and alcohol. Kiera Knightley said that she downed a couple of shots of vodka definitely -- beforehand. Jennifer Lawrence said, I got really, really drunk. But then that led to more anxiety. Salma Hayek confessed, I had to take a tranquilizer, which eventually stopped the crying but made the vomiting worse. Most of us assume that actresses sign up for on-screen sex and nudity with eyes wide open but, in reality, they often have no idea what they will be pressured to do on set. It is not uncommon for directors and producers to ambush young, inexperienced actresses with nude and sex scenes that were not in the contract. The sex scene in Desperado that so traumatized Salma Hayek wasnt even written into the script. According to Hayek, It was demanded by the studio when they saw the chemistry (on set between Hayek and Banderas). In the movie Frida, Harvey Weinstein, the convicted sexual abuser whose victims spearheaded the #MeToo movement, insisted that Hayek again film a nude sex scene that she had not consented to in advance: I felt an immense pressure to deliver my mind understood that I had to do it, but my body wouldnt stop crying and convulsing. Emilia Clarke recalled her excitement when offered her breakout role as Queen Daenerys Targaryen in Game of Thrones, only to learn later of the shows explicit sex and nudity: Oh, theres the catch. She reports that she found the experiences terrifying and between nude scenes would hide in the bathroom to cry. Evangeline Lilly disclosed her experience filming Lost: I'd had a bad experience on set with being basically cornered into doing a scene partially naked, and I felt I had no choice in the matter. And I was mortified, and I was trembling when it finished. I was crying my eyes out. A bad experience is an understatement. When a person with power corners someone to take off their clothes or simulate sex and the one being asked feels that they have no choice, lets call it what it is: abuse. On-screen sex and nudity are often justified as artistically necessary but, in reality, they do not add to the plot, the storyline, or the quality of the film. Jessica Alba asserted, If you look at the movies I have done, getting naked would never elevate the picture. Emilia Clarke agreed: Most sex scenes you see in films or on TV are gratuitous. As her celebrity increased, she began to feel empowered to advocate for herself: I've had fights on set before where I'm like, 'no, the sheet stays up. And they're like, 'You don't want to disappoint your Game of Thrones fans.'" She eventually refused to do any more nude scenes, saying, I want to be known for my acting, not my breasts. Hollywood believes sex sells and, sadly, they are right. The female body has been eroticized and commodified. As Hayek stated, I was not an artist. I wasnt even a person. I was a thing: not a nobody, but a body. Actresses are reduced to an object that can be photographed, filmed, and viewed as nothing but a body to be sold to entertain the public regardless of how much trauma is suffered by the actresses on the set. The question is, are we going to continue buying? When we watch sex-saturated movies, we are complicit in the denigration of these actresses. We pay for their humiliation. We monetize their trauma. We line the pockets of directors and producers who coerce actresses, ignoring their sobs and overruling their refusals. But at what cost to their personhood? Hayek explained that her strategy for getting through nude sex scenes is to mentally disassociate from her body. In her words, When youre not you, then you can do it. But after hearing about the deep trauma experienced by many actresses, it is obvious this strategy does not work. It cannot work. What we do with our bodies, whether in or out of character, impacts our whole person. One Hollywood journalist, in an article subtitled Sex Scenes by Actresses Who Hate Doing Sex Scenes, cheered them on: Way to take one for the team, ladies! Its time for those who care about women to switch teams and start voting with our wallets. We need to stop supporting films that sell sex and nudity at the high cost of dehumanizing women. The #MeToo movement revealed that powerful men have been sexually abusing women behind the scenes for decades, but isnt it time we look at the abuse happening right before our eyes? Expecting women to undress to take one for the team degrades women, devalues their bodies, and fragments our view of the person. Dax Shepard asked Hayek about how she feels about the sex scene in Desperado now: When you see that scene, though, can you enjoy it? No, she said. Neither should we. Christa Stamper teaches history and literature while studying counseling at the Christian Counseling and Education Foundation. Image: Snappygoat To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here. Antisemitism is the canary in the coal mine of hatred. Throughout the years and in a unique manner, Jews have experienced prejudice, discrimination, critical stereotypes, exclusion, accusations of conspiracy theories, and extermination. Modern societies must reject the view, as the British education secretary said, that antisemitism is a less serious or more acceptable form of racism. In views of the resurgence of antisemitism in general and within the growing anti-vaccination movement, all should be aware of and not be complacent about the level of misinformation and falsehoods on social media and elsewhere about Jews. Since language influences the way in which we view reality, it is desirable for purposes of clarification to make clear the subject of analysis. It is antisemitism, not anti-Semitism. The concepts were coined in the late 18th century to designate a number of oriental languages. The word "semitic" was used by the German theologian Johann Eichhorn in 1787 to link languages of Middle Eastern origin, including Arabic, Hebrew, Amharic, and Aramaic, that have linguistic similarities. The speakers of these languages do not have a common history or heritage, nor is there a "semitic peoplehood." Nor is there something called "Semitism" against which action should be taken. Interestingly, the speakers gave birth to the three great monotheistic religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. However, this led to the false assumption that adherents of these religions constituted racial groups. This assumption became central in attitudes of venom toward Jews. In 1879, the German journalist Wilhelm Marr focused on the supposed racial, as opposed to religious, characteristics of Jews. He warned his countrymen that the Jewish spirit and Jewish consciousness had overpowered the world and this foreign power must be resisted. Jews became "Semites." He coined the term "antisemitismus," a unique term, to mean hatred of Jews. This marked the beginning of the many different paths that antisemitism has taken: racial, political, economic, social, and hostility to the State of Israel. Though not all agree, the most useful definition of antisemitism is that formulated by the IHRA, the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance: "a certain perception of Jews which may be expressed as hatred towards Jews, with rhetorical and physical manifestations towards Jews, their property, Jewish community institutions, and religious facilities." In addition, the definition, in a statement that is controversial, indicates that modern antisemitism is often directed against the State of Israel, focusing obsessively on Zionism, which is maligned, and therefore on Jewish history, identity, and safety. Antisemitic statements flourish under the guise of anti-Israelism and anti-Zionism. It is regrettable that only 29 of the 133 universities in the U.K. have adopted the IHRA definition. More than 80 universities have said they had no plans to adopt it. There is a line between legitimate criticism of the State of Israel and its actions and expressions of antisemitism, but too often, "Zionism" has been equated with Nazism or apartheid or racism, a characterization that has justified the elimination of Jews. On April 10, 1948, a month before the creation of the State of Israel, the Arab League decided to invade the forthcoming state. The vice chair of the Arab Higher Committee, Jamal Al-Husseini, declared, "The Arabs have taken into their own hands the Final Solution of the Jewish problem. The problem will be solved only in blood and fire. The Jews will be driven out." Historically, a negative attitude to Jews and Judaism is deep in Western culture. The German scholar Theodor Mommsen wrote that "hatred of Jews and Jew-baiting are as old as the diaspora itself." Evidence for this hatred is found in Greek and Latin works, and in actions in Egypt and in Syria in the second century B.C. Allegations are frequent; Jews are held guilty of human sacrifice, ritual cannibalism, worship of an ass in the temple, antisocial tendencies, hatred of foreigners. Anti-Jewish riots took place around 410 B.C. in the colony of Elephantine. Cicero spoke of the barbaric superstitions of Jews and criticized the crowd of Jews that "on occasion set our public meeting ablaze." Throughout the ages, Jews have been held responsible for disasters, plagues, the Spanish flu, World War I, and now for the present coronavirus and collusion to affect banks by conspiracies to spread the virus, and investing in vaccination activities. This is a modern version of the alleged responsibilities of Jews for infectious diseases. Once primarily focused on religion and deicide, antisemitism has become more secular, more centered on race, more concerned with allegations that the State of Israel is a colonialist and racist state. Today, two things are perturbing. One is the persistence of antisemitism seventy years after Auschwitz. The other is the diversity of individuals, groups, and institutions, who in one way or another manifest hatred of Jews and of Israel. The first proposition is clear from empirical evidence. In the U.S., there are physical attacks: 2,024 were reported in 2019 along with thousands of antisemitic websites, cyber-attacks against Jewish institutions, the use of Nazi swastikas in propaganda demonstrations, and conspiracy theories that Jews had created and were spreading COVID-19. Attacks took place at a rally in Charlottesville, August 2017; a Pittsburg synagogue on October 27, 2018; and Chabad of Poway, April 2019. A new Pew poll of May 2021 notes that over the past twelve months, 51% of American Jews have experienced some manifestation of antisemitism: graffiti, harassment online, physical attacks, and other forms of discrimination. It is troubling that the quarantines imposed by COVID-19 did not stop antisemitic attacks. Instead, there were disruption of Zoom meetings and hostile video events, cries of "kill" and "gas" all the Jews, accusations against bankers and their undue control of banks, allegations of conspiracy of space lasers, initiatives by Rothschilds to use a secret powerful weapon to set wildfires in California, and vitriolic comments in the social media such as Clubhouse. Rallies in a number of U.S. cities in May 2021 all exhibit signs equating the Star of David with the swastika, and with accompanying text, "What's the difference?" The second disconcerting issue is the wide range of the haters, from both the far left and the far right, from intellectuals and on university campuses, national political parties, and international organizations who stress the imperialist, colonialist, and oppressive Zionist state and the Jews who run it. Two indications may suffice. Lawrence Summers, when president of Harvard, said in September 2002 that the campus had not been immune to the global increase in antisemitism. He warned against activities that are antisemitic in their effect if not in their intent: "where antisemitism and views that are profoundly anti-Israeli have traditionally been the primary preserve of poorly educated right-wing populists, profoundly anti-Israel views are increasingly finding support in progressive intellectual communities." It is familiar that anti-Zionist ideology and antisemitism are openly disseminated on many campuses, in classes and in events. They are often promoted by pro-BDS events, by course curricula, and by invited speakers. The association of intellectuals with antisemitism is not new, as examples like Heidegger, Brasillach, Celine, and Blanchot show. They have been condemned. So should the famous author Roald Dahl, a man who wrote strange but highly successful children's books but was an avowed antisemite. In an article in 1983, he wrote, "There is a trait in the Jewish character that does provoke animosity, maybe it's a kind of lack of generosity towards non-Jews. I mean, there's always a reason why anti-anything crops up anywhere; even a stinker like Hitler didn't just pick on then for no reason." Among his other prejudiced remarks, he said Israeli actions showed that "a race of people had switched so rapidly from victims to barbarous murderers" and that the U.S. was "utterly dominated by the great Jewish financial institutions." The other comment is from the report in October 2020 of the antisemitism in the British Labor Party. Its caustic conclusion was that there is a culture in the party that did not do enough to prevent antisemitism and at worst could be seen to accept it. The party's approach and leadership in tackling antisemitism were insufficient. The problem has not been solved. In May 2021, the Labor Party suspended 14 members, mostly from the Cambridge area, because of alleged antisemitic remarks. In a sense, antisemitism today is more prevalent and dangerous than in the past because of the ability to spread vile messages globally and instantly. It is time for all to overcome the real nature of antisemitism in its various manifestations. Image: hendricjabs via Pixabay, Pixabay License. To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here. Tornadoes killed 553 Americans in 2011, the deadliest year since 1925. May 22 marks the 10th anniversary of the Joplin, Missouri tornado that killed 161, the first triple-digit toll since 1953. The U.S. had been averaging 60 tornado deaths annually. This death toll shocked the public, weather forecasters, and researchers. Improvements in weather radar, National Weather Service warnings, and the advent of real-time, street-level tracking had seemingly rendered such death tolls a historical relic. Some experts had a ready answer for the devastation: man-made climate change. Bill McKibben took a tongue-in-cheek tack in the Washington Post, with a headline, A Link Between Climate Change and Joplin Tornadoes? Never! He opined, When you see pictures of rubble like this weeks from Joplin, Mo., you should not wonder: Is this somehow related to the tornado outbreak three weeks ago in Tuscaloosa, Ala., or the enormous outbreak a couple of weeks before that. Researchers Kevin Trenberth and Michael Mann also stated that global warming is making tornadoes worse. When the unexpected happens, researchers need to ask why and examine the data. Kevin Simmons and I had just published a book on the societal impacts of tornadoes. We sought to assess whether the 2011 death tolls were due to the tornadoes which occurred, societal vulnerability, or perhaps some other factor. We published our findings in a book, Deadly Season: Analysis of the 2011 Tornado Outbreaks, and a paper in Natural Hazards Review. Our conclusion: it was the tornadoes. The total number of tornadoes rated EF-5 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale for tornado damage, the highest rating, provides a short answer. Six EF-5 tornadoes occurred in 2011, including four in Mississippi and Alabama on April 27. The nation averages less than one per year (59 since 1950), with only one since 2011. The years activity was extreme, but not unprecedented. For instance, seven EF-5s occurred in the April 3, 1974 tornado outbreak. Historical ratios of fatalities per injury, per millions of dollars of property damage, or per building damaged provide more detail and context. For example, prior to 2011, violent tornadoes killed one person for every $20 million of property damage; this and similar ratios held steady in 2011. The years many long-track, violent tornadoes produced enormous damage, with the corresponding casualties. We further applied statistical models of tornado fatalities we used to examine the impacts of Doppler radar and NWS warnings. The models controlled for tornado and path characteristics like EF-scale rating, path length, and the numbers of persons and mobile homes in the affected counties. Plugging the characteristics of 2011 tornadoes into the model would give a fatality estimate, based on recent patterns. The analysis predicted more than 500 fatalities for the years tornadoes with a high likelihood of a tornado killing more than 100. Keep in mind, the deadliest tornado over the years used in the statistical analysis (1990-2010) killed 36 people. The tornadoes of 2011 were unlike anything we had witnessed for decades. There was no upward trend in violent tornadoes prior to 2011; the year was a clear statistical outlier or Black Swan type event. Consequently, we concluded that fatalities should return to the prior normal or decline further due to continued warning process improvements. By contrast, proponents of climate change told us that Joplin and Tuscaloosa were the new normal due to global warming. The U.S. has averaged 43 tornado deaths over the past nine years, with 76 in the deadliest year (2020). We have had only 11 deaths so far in 2021 (although please knock on some wood when reading this). Mother Nature can be extreme, variable, and fickle. Events and years unlike recent experience are inevitable. When unexpected (or inconceivable) weather events occur, we should try to figure out what happened and why, instead of lazily attributing it to man-made global warming. Daniel Sutter (dsutter@troy.edu) is the Charles G. Koch Professor of Economics and the Director of the Manuel H. Johnson Center for Political Economy at Troy University and host of Econversations on TrojanVision. Image: Lane Pearman To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here. Our country is undergoing a radical transformation of trust. The people we relied on to lead us in difficult and challenging times are no longer credible. The COVID-19 pandemic is a prime example. Our politicians, doctors, and scientists say one thing on Monday with great conviction and sincerity, and by Wednesday they are saying the exact opposite with equal fervor. Trump, Biden, Fauci, Birx -- whom should you believe? Should you wear a mask? Should your children be in school? Should you get the vaccine shot? Should your five-year-old get the injection? Are these people taking their positions on these issues for personal or political gain, or are they just totally without a clue as to whats going on? And why, in a supposedly open society like the United States, are legitimate reports of concerns about face masks, children in school, or vaccinations being censored? We constantly hear follow the Science with Science capitalized like its a religion. But true science is based on data, and we have all heard stories about untouched COVID tests coming back with false positives, COVID deaths being overreported, and vaccine complications being underreported. How can any honest scientist come to a meaningful conclusion without accurate data? Vaccine side effects are reported to VAERS.gov, a database where medical personnel and ordinary citizens are encouraged to submit information whenever they see side effects from any vaccine in the United States. Other countries have similar databases. OpenVAERS is a website that summarizes VAERS data, and they have a page just for the COVID vaccines. Through May 17th, 2021, they reported 4,057 deaths, 11,572 hospitalizations, and 25,603 trips to urgent care. It is important to note that VAERS lists adverse events that coincide with vaccine injections but doesnt make any official causal connection. A 91-year-old man with a chronic heart condition might have died a day after receiving a vaccine, but he might have died without the shot anyway. However, it is safe to say that the number of adverse events from the various COVID injections is hundreds of times greater than any other vaccine in history, and the most common criticism of VAERS is that events are underreported by ten to one hundred times. As Fox News Tucker Carlson recently reported, about 160 million Americans get the flu shot every year, yet relatively few coincidentally die afterward: 203 deaths in 2019, 119 deaths in 2018, and 85 deaths in 2017. Concerns from reputable scientists have been raised that the new mRNA vaccines may damage our immune systems and make us significantly vulnerable to new strains of COVID or other viruses. This could kill millions of Americans. Why are these questions being censored and denied with no explanation? Isnt this worth honest discussion? Perhaps the most disturbing new development is the rapidly growing number of reports of horrifying side effects by unvaccinated women who are simply exposed to someone who has taken a shot. Their symptoms include severe vaginal bleeding, unusual menstrual cycle changes, miscarriages, and stillbirths. Pfizer, in their own document, (see pages 67-69) orders physicians to report these kinds of Secondary Adverse Events to VAERS, but VAERS doesnt include this information in their totals. First we were told, Take the shot so you wont die. When that didnt work, we heard, Take the shot so you can hug your grandmother. What if we learn that vaccinated people are actually putting others at risk? Will we hear Dont take the shot or you may kill your unborn child? Will those who have taken the vaccine be the ones required to wear masks, self-quarantine at home, and be barred from events? An independent group of researchers, doctors, and scientists have developed an online study that all Americans should participate in. It takes 3-11 minutes and seeks to answer such questions as Who has gotten COVID-19? What symptoms did they encounter? Did they have pre-existing conditions? What treatment measures were used? Have people tried preventative measures to avoid infection? Among people who have taken a COVID-19 vaccine injection, were there any side effects? For those who did not get the vaccine, have they experienced any unusual medical symptoms recently? As in the normal scientific method, the data will be shared with other researchers, but all personal data will be removed. In the meantime, if youre healthy, perhaps it would be a good idea to hold off on getting a shot until we can learn more and evaluate the data using real science. And if a politician, government doctor, or medical expert tries to tell you what to do, take their free advice with a bucket of salt. Image: Pixabay To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here. Bernie Sanders cited "a moment when US-made bombs are devastating Gaza, and killing women and children" as a reason for his attempt to block a $735-million weapons sale to Israel. Suppose Bernie really cares for Palestinians and wants them not to suffer. How does a weaker Israel help achieve that goal? It will produce the opposite effect, for two totally different reasons. Firstly, sensing Israel's weakness, Hamas will become more emboldened, daring and adventurous, and more willing to try its luck. The more frequent the flare-ups inspired by the perception of Israel's vulnerability, the higher the count of Palestinian casualties there will be. So, Senator Sanders, if your mind worked aright and you wanted to reduce Palestinian suffering, you would have wanted Israel to be strong rather than weak and, to be seen as strong, America solidly standing behind it. Deterrence is one way of avoiding conflict and, therefore, casualties. Your attempt to make Israel weak will hurt Palestinian civilians, not help them. It will hurt them for another reason, too. Palestinian civilian casualties are relatively low because Israel uses precision weapons to achieve its military goals. Suppose the Senate follows Bernie's lead and refuses to supply modern weaponry to Israel. Sanders expects that in that situation, Israel will just roll over, surrendering to Hamas's demand and there will be peace (per Bernie, "the weapons sales fuel conflict between Israel and Palestinians"). But the Israelis know full well the kind of peace they can expect from Hamas the "peace of the grave." Israel will still fight Hamas tooth and nail, with whatever weaponry is available. Less precise weapons available to Israel will cause even worse "collateral damage"; there will be more, not fewer civilian casualties on the Palestinian side. We know why the "squad" wants Israel disarmed. Representatives Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar are the spearhead of the Islamist fifth column that, among its other goals, wants Israel destroyed. That's easy to understand. The fellow travelers like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez hate America and hate Israel by extension. But Sanders? His suggestions, if effected, would have results that are the polar opposite to his desire to protect Palestinian civilians. With his latest suggestion, Sanders yet again showed such poor understanding of basic statecraft as to make one wonder how and why the great state of Vermont keeps re-electing him. I guess there are more fools in America than just one. But luckily, the remainder of the Senate stays sane. "'I can't imagine that passing,' Senator Jim Risch, the committee's top Republican, told reporters." Not everyone is stupid, Bernie. Image: Noel St. John. The election of Rep. Elise Stefanik as chair of the House Republican Conference has already done wonders for GOP morale. With Ms. Stefanik as third-ranking House Republican, the GOP has a leader who fights for Republican policies, not against members of the GOP. Still, the House vote on establishing a Januar6 6 commission indicates that 35 House Republicans are still afflicted with Cheneyitis; willing to cave to Democrat talking points rather than keep their eyes on the best interest of the GOP and the country. Consider the lead two paragraphs in this CNN report on the House action for a January 6 commission. The House voted Wednesday to approve legislation to establish an independent commission to investigate the violent insurrection on January 6 at the US Capitol, with 35 Republicans breaking with their party to support the bill. The final vote was 252-175. The GOP defections showcased a significant break with Republican leadership in the chamber and former President Donald Trump, who urged members to vote against the legislation. Apparently, 35 House Republicans have fallen for the leftists' party line that the commotion at the Capitol, January 6, was "a violent insurrection." In the manner, say, of John Brown at Harper's Ferry? Or, say, the storming of the tsar's Winter Palace in St. Petersburg in 1917? Thirty-five House Republicans are oblivious to the way they are being used by the radical left to perpetuate lies about the January 6 incident as "The [Leftist] Resistance" promoted lies throughout most of President Trump's four years in office about his being a puppet for Vladimir Putin. That mendacious propaganda campaign started months before President Trump's election, and it was used to create the Mueller probe that lasted 22 months and should never have lasted but for the power of the Deep State to control the media. There was no use of arms by the January 6 "invaders" whom, videos show, Capitol Police allowed entry into the Capitol. The single, solitary shooting victim was Ms. Ashli Babbitt, killed by a gunshot fired by a Capitol policeman, who remains unidentified, under circumstances still to be made known to the public. The GOP's Oblivious 35 are handing the totalitarian-minded leftists the rope to haul all Republican House members onto the political scaffold, transforming the United States into a one-party government. Mitch McConnell, the Republican leader in the Senate, says he is opposed to the January 6 commission. Can he persuade the other 49 Senate Republicans that this commission will be as fair and open as the 2020 election? Okay, strike that, lest it riles Sen. Romney, or Sen. Collins, or Sen. Sasse, or Sen. Murkowski. Let's just say the proceedings, the aim of this commission will be about a fair as the Moscow show trials of the 1930s. If Republicans were vaccinated, totally, against Cheneyitis, they would 1) close ranks against all forms of leftist moves at political aggrandizement and 2) demand a status report on the work of John Durham, who's allegedly probing the manipulation of false charges arising from the Russiagate affair. That report should include a detailed review of how the major media outlets spread the "colluding with Russia" lie throughout the Trump presidency. Two years have elapsed since Mr. Durham's appointment to probe Russiagate. It is a blunder of the greatest political magnitude that 35 House Republicans cannot realize that as the Mueller probe was based on a lie disseminated by the Deep State. This January 6 commission is based on a lie, disseminated by the same source. It is precisely this source that poses the greatest threat to our democratic institutions. For the sake of our democracy, the Republican Oblivious 35 must be primaried. Rep. Stefanik, lead the way. Republican voters are with you. Image: NBC News via YouTube. To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here. Our country is being fiercely attacked from within by the Marxist mob movement. There are several areas of our society it is assaulting to overthrow our constitutional government. The Democrats in Congress are strongly promoting an open border policy. They understand that large influxes of illegal aliens could greatly affect the voting outcome of elections. It also would provide for slave labor for companies, while at the same time lowering the standard of living for the American worker. The catastrophe at our southwest border with the illegal invasion is immediately eliminating our sovereignty as a nation. We cannot be a free and independent country without enforceable borders. The Marxists from the White House to the halls of Congress care nothing about what this is doing to our country. The only thing they are concerned about is obtaining their communist goals at the expense of our nation. Unbridled illegal immigration is the death knell of any country. When illegals come into our country, they tend to form and live in enclaves where they speak their language and set up their own culture. The huge problem with this is that they do not become Americanized, nor do they speak English, and they do not readily adopt our culture. In other words, we can have small, foreign countries operating within the boundaries of our country, which spells destruction for the United States of America. In April, the U.S. Border Patrol reported about 178,000 apprehensions at our southwest border. It is estimated that about 1,000 illegals a day are entering our country undetected. Many of these people have not been medicinally tested for COVID-19 or other infectious diseases, and they are being transported and resettled all over our country by Joe Biden and his Marxist administration. Rapists, robbers, pedophiles, murderers, terrorists, and drug cartel gangsters are walking across our borders with impunity and will be invading our towns and cities with violence and deadly crime. The police are not allowed to fully enforce law and order in some American cities and states because of the "Defund the Police" movement by BLM and Antifa. The question is, how will they be able to enforce the law against the criminal elements of the illegals? The border state governors of Arizona and Texas have taken bold action and called out the State National Guard to enforce law and order at the southwest border. Next, they need to invoke the Tenth Amendment of our Constitution, and they need to work with foreign leaders on a plan to return illegal entrants to their countries of origin. We have to stand against Biden's open borders policy and resist federal encroachment on states' rights. We all heard many times the radical left sing loudly that the problem with America is racism, white privilege, and white supremacy. Leftists consider anyone racist who does not support illegal immigration. Let's not forget, in the Democrat ranks in Congress, those who manifested themselves publicly as racists, black supremacists, and Jew-haters. Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, and Rashida Tlaib have on several occasions made in public antisemitic, racist statements without a strong rebuke from House speaker Nancy (Hopalong) Pelosi and the rest of the Democratic (race-baiters) Caucus. These three anti-American women need to be severely reprimanded by the House Ethics Committee and be stripped of their committee assignments. Think about this for one minute: there is a group on Capitol Hill called the Congressional Black Caucus. The Marxists applaud this group. What if there was a group called the Congressional White Caucus? The Marxists would scream racism and white supremacy! The Marxists want to greatly dilute the influence of the white voter population of America. They plan to do this with large-scale, unhindered illegal immigration of people of various races and places of origin. They believe that this will quickly replace American nationalism and propel the American people into the realm of allegiance to globalism. The Marxist mob movement wants to strip the people of our country of their American identity. We are proud to be Americans, and this is our country, and we will fight anyone who tries to take it away from us. We say to these people, "Love it or leave it!" The Democrats have always played the race card to keep minorities shackled on their Utopian plantation. Our message to these people is to break loose from the chains of slavery and build the American dream for yourselves. Let's face it: the Democrats could not win an election without stirring negative race relations. Also, they have made illegal immigration a race issue to obtain their unscrupulous, political goals. Image: BBC World Service via Flickr, CC BY-NC 2.0. To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here. Former President George W. Bush is on a book tour. I have not read the book but do plan to check it out. President Bush made a lot of sense when he spoke about the border crisis and the people profiting from it. This is what he said: "I'm sure they're telling them falsehoods 'follow me, I'll get you in' and these poor people have no way of checking that out and are finding themselves stuck at the border," Bush said. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced last week it encountered more than 178,000 migrants in April, a jump of over 900% compared to April 2020. CBP encountered 178,622 migrants in April trying to enter the U.S., a 3% increase over the 172,000 encountered the previous month, which had been the highest number in 20 years. "What you're seeing is a border that reflects a broken system, and there needs to be changes," he continued. "There need to be changes in work visas, so people don't have to sneak in to do work that needs to be done in America; there need to be changes in the asylum system to be able to adjudicate cases quickly." He added: "And what people have got to understand is that a broken system makes it harder to enforce the border. A reformed system will make it easier to enforce the border, and so that is what has to happen." We can agree or disagree with some of what he said. However, I am happy that President Bush is talking about the people bringing them to the border and making money out of it. Biden's border policy has two major flaws: First, you don't open the border during a pandemic. That's just common sense! Second, you don't open the border without knowing that criminal elements would create the "transportation" system to bring illegals up north. Another aspect is that we don't really know what their families in the U.S. are going to end up paying. My guess is that a lot of people being brought to the border are making a "down payment," and the balance is due on the U.S. side. In other words, there are going to be people in our cities collecting that balance, and it won't be by phone or letters. They will knock on the door and expect to be paid. So thank you, President Bush, for calling out the smugglers and exposing the real flaw of Biden's border policy. PS: You can listen to my show (Canto Talk). Image: Tomascastelazo. To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here. Texas has become the latest state to sign what's become known as the Heartbeat Law, which essentially criminalizes abortion once the baby's heartbeat is detected. This is obviously a great win for pro-life advocates, but more importantly for the countless babies who will have a chance at life and the many mothers saved from the grief and regret of a lost child. The CDC's latest metrics on abortion, compiled from 2018, reported that 619,591 babies were aborted. (State reporting of abortion data to the CDC is voluntary, and a number of them don't report, including highly populated ones like Maryland and California.) This number dropped slightly from 2009, when 789,217 babies were aborted. Consider that over the course of a decade (20092018), nearly seven million babies were aborted in this country. This is a national disgrace. Seven million lives! Babies who were never asked if they wanted to live, if they wanted to take their first steps, graduate from high school, or start a family. Seven million lives that could have added to our national fabric, been productive citizens, trade workers, teachers, scholars, or artists. But they never had a chance. Abortion remains a divisive topic, especially among radical progressives who think the feelings and desires of the mother outweigh the life growing and living within them. The people who champion the need to save the polar bears, rare frogs, and ancient trees are the same people who have made human fetuses disposable. The hypocrisy is glaringly obvious. Yet this sentiment may be losing traction as more people are beginning to see through the charade of "women's health" as a reason for legalized abortion. Thankfully, leaders with a strong moral foundation don't consider abortion up for debate. It shouldn't be a political argument we're talking about lives, not debating tax rates. Governor Abbott of Texas and others exhibit this type of courageous leadership, affirming their stance to preserve the sanctity of life. Our political leaders across the land should do the same. Unfortunately, Planned Parenthood and other abortion facilities are in a race to influence young expectant mothers by giving them easy options for abortion. Fortunately, there are people like my sister-in-law who fight back, providing guidance and direction to young women about all their options. She and several other women are counselors at our local crisis pregnancy clinic. They fight every day against the influence of abortion advocates by educating expectant mothers about options other than abortion. One option young mothers should consider is adoption. There are so many parents across the nation who can't have children and would do just about anything to have a child of their own. Perhaps, had those seven million babies been born, they would have received a warm and loving family to adopt and care for them. This requires adoption laws that support families first, not adoption firms or state coffers. Furthermore, the pain of losing a child even intentionally may weigh heavily upon a mother's mind. Anecdotally, I've heard stories of mothers who regret their decision to abort their babies for the rest of their lives. This is an area where more research should be conducted. As a society, we should understand the long-term psychological impacts on mothers following an abortion. This is almost a facetious statement, considering that regardless of how the mother might feel, we know perfectly well the long-term implications for the baby: death. Ultimately, that's what pro-choicers gloss over: that a baby will be killed. It's not a cyst or cancerous lump of tissue to be cut out and discarded; it is a living human. It is a baby, wholly dependent upon his mother for the love and nurturing he needs. Despite the victory in Texas, we must continue to mourn the babies aborted every day. We must remember that it is God who creates and breathes life into each of us. So who are we to play God and choose life or death? Rather, our society must fight to preserve life at any cost. Image: D. Garding via Flickr, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0. To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here. Chicago-to-suburbs shot pipeline In more than 30 suburban ZIP codes, at least 10% of all residents were estimated to have gotten shots in the city of Chicago though April 14. 10 to 12.1% 12.1 to 14% 14.1 to 17% 17.1% or more Source: Tribune analysis of CDC and census data, based on ZIP code of residence of person receiving shot. ZIP code populations are estimates. Because ZIP codes can cross municipal boundaries, map eliminates ZIPs known to include some Chicago neighborhoods. Our current situation, threatening as it is to all we hold dear as Americans, is not in any way comfortable. That said, it offers benefits. One of them is this: people are revealing themselves for who they are. Gone are the days of obfuscation, moderation, and triangulation. If you're running for my school board, for example, I want to know where you stand on Critical Race Theory in other words, whether you're out to destroy my children. Leave that off your Candidate's Position Statement, and the rest of it isn't helpful. The Office Holder Formerly Known as Joe Biden told anyone still harboring doubts all he needed to know about him in half an hour Wednesday. He addressed the graduates of the Coast Guard Academy, an elite group of 200, chosen from over 3,000 who apply. For four years, they study science, warfare, and how to sail a tall ship. Thirty-five percent are women. I wager that all are indeed the "fierce patriots" Biden called them in his speech. They listened politely as Biden did four things in rapid succession that revealed his character and fitness to lead. Spoiler alert: he can claim neither. He could not recall the name of the Coast Guard commander. No doubt teleprompters were in place, as usual, and perhaps an earpiece, too, but it was beyond him. He turned away from the microphone for help, then uttered a few garbled syllables. This comes as no surprise to anyone who has observed his remarkable cognitive decline. He borrowed without accreditation a longstanding quote about the Coast Guard namely, that it is "the hard nucleus around which the Navy forms in time of war." Doing so was a bad idea for a politician known for shameless plagiarism. Ronald Reagan and Dick Cheney both used the quote in speeches, with greater care about its source. Unlike them, Biden bungled the quote. His truncated rendition made little sense. Did he even grasp its meaning? Like Ron Burgundy, he reads whatever is on the teleprompter, but a missing word or two ruins the punch line, as any comedian will tell you. Done correctly, the old jab at the Navy, a far larger branch of the service, is very much an inside joke, one that is mildly funny to an audience of Coast Guard ensigns, if even to them. Biden's misread version made no sense. It got no laughs and no applause. And that is when the real Joe Biden stood up. Like a bombing third-rate comic, he heckled the audience. "You're a really dull class," he began. "C'mon, man. Is the sun getting to you?" Defenders will claim he was kidding. He wasn't. As professional joke-teller Ellen DeGeneres once put it, "You dont know how to kid properly, then, because If you were, wed both be laughing." New Englanders of a previous generation have a term for it: "Half in jest, all in earnest." His mean streak was showing. Leftists like Biden desperately want to be liked, despite their contempt for half their fellow citizens. They can hardly believe we don't all fawn over them as the sycophants in their entourages and the toadies in the media do. In this respect, they lack the unvarnished honesty of tyrants like Stalin, who knew they were hated and feared and enjoyed it. It was the price of the power they prized above all else. To the extent that his thoughts are still his own, Joe Biden despises the values of every "fierce patriot" in his Coast Guard commencement audience and the values of the families who raised them to serve their nation. Nonetheless, he can't seem to figure out why they wouldn't want to pose for a picture with him. Like the vampires of legend, today's left can't stand the sight of a mirror. We know who these are and how they feel about us. They would rather not be reminded. (UPDATE: Ellen DeGeneres's quotation has been expanded to give it more clarity.) Charles Turot is a pseudonym. Image: Biden at the Coast Guard Academy commencement. YouTube screen grab. To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here. Import prices for steel scrap to Bangladesh continued to rise during the week to Thursday May 20, with buyers increasingly searching for tonnages, sources told Fastmarkets. Poor local steel prices, the countrys ongoing Covid-19 crisis, and the holy month of Ramadan had kept Bangladeshi mills out of the market for scrap imports in recent weeks. But the lack of buying, together with the countrys largest mills continuing to produce steel at high capacity utilization rates, meant that scrap inventory levels are dropping below acceptable levels, sources said. Offers were mostly at $545-555 per tonne cfr Bangladesh for deep-sea heavy melting scrap 1&2 (80:20) from the United States West Coast over the past week, with no deals done since buyers were unwilling to pay more than $525 per tonne cfr at the time of the price assessment on Thursday. A South Asian trader said he had received a bid at $520 per tonne cfr Bangladesh for deep-sea shredded scrap this week, but this was far too low to be workable. Fastmarkets price assessment for bulk cargoes of steel scrap, HMS 1&2 (80:20), deep-sea origin, import, cfr Bangladesh was $530-540 per tonne on Thursday, up by $10-15 per tonne from $520-525 per tonne a week earlier. Exporter sources told Fastmarkets they did not expect any sales imminently, but buyers in Bangladesh may become desperate and could pay higher prices. Fastmarkets price assessment for steel scrap, shredded, deep-sea origin, import, cfr Bangladesh was $535-545 per tonne on Thursday, also up $10-15 per tonne week on week from $525-530 per tonne previously. Container sales rise sharply Although Bangladeshi mills have been unable to obtain deep-sea shipments, they have been active in buying containers of scrap in the past seven days. Bangladesh is maximizing container bookings now. Container offers are in greater number from traders in the market and container availability has eased a little, a key exporter source told Fastmarkets. Bangladeshi mills are chasing scrap despite a poor local market, the exporter source said, with rebar prices being hammered by low demand in the local retail market caused by the ongoing battle with Covid-19. Rebar prices in Chattogram were heard at 70,000-71,000 Bangladeshi taka ($812-823) on Thursday. He added that mills would have to either consider reducing output in the coming weeks or would have to keep raising their intake of steel scrap. HMS 1&2 (80:20) in containers was sold at $515 per tonne cfr Chittagong at the start of the week, with deals rising to $520-525 per tonne cfr by the middle of the week, sources said. Fastmarkets price assessment for steel scrap, HMS 1&2 (80:20), containerized, import, cfr Bangladesh was $515-525 per tonne cfr on Thursday, up $19-25 from $496-500 per tonne cfr a week earlier. Shredded scrap was heard to have started the week with deals at $540 per tonne cfr Bangladesh, eventually rising to deals as high as $552 per tonne cfr from origins including the United Kingdom. The price assessment for steel scrap, shredded, containerized, import, cfr Bangladesh was $540-552 per tonne on Thursday, up from $510 per tonne a week earlier. Strong demand for low-impurity scrap in the country led to a rise in sales done for busheling and bundles. Mills have been unable to source Shindachi busheling from Japan in recent weeks amid restrictively high prices, sources said, leading to more interest in containers of high-yield material. UK-origin busheling scrap in containers was heard offered at $585-590 per tonne cfr Bangladesh, while blue steel in boxes was heard sold at $560-565 per tonne cfr. Brazil-origin light melting steel scrap bundles was also sold at $540 per tonne cfr Bangladesh on Wednesday. The Suez Canal may be a marvel of modern engineering, but there is nothing modern about digging canals. Navigable waterways have been dug since ancient times, even across deserts in Northern Africa. The Suez Canal is only the most recent of these manmade waterways that once snaked their way across Egypt. Dug under the patronage of different Egyptian pharaohs under different time periods, they connectedunlike their modern versionthe Red Sea with the Nile River. Canal of the Pharaohs. Image by annie brocolie/Wikimedia Commons According to Aristotle, the first attempt to dig a canal connecting the Red Sea and the Nile River was made by the legendary Egyptian Pharaoh Sesostris (who could either be Senusret III of the 12th Dynasty, circa 1800 BC, or Ramesses II of the much later 19th Dynasty, circa 1200 BC). Aristotle also notes that construction of the canal was stopped when the pharaoh discovered that the sea was higher than the land. The pharaoh feared that opening the Nile River to the Red Sea would cause the salty sea water to flow back into the river and spoil the Egyptians most important source of hydration. According to Greek historians Strabo and Diodorus Siculus, after Sesostris, work on the canal was continued by Necho II in the late 6th century BC, but he did not live to see the canal completed. Later, Darius the Great picked up from where Necho II left, but like Sesostris, he too stopped short of the Red Sea when he was informed that the Red Sea was at a higher level and would submerge the land if an opening was made. It was finally Ptolemy II who finished the canal connecting Nile with the Red Sea. According to Strabo the canal was nearly 50 meters wide and of sufficient depth to float large ships. It began at the village of Phacusa and traversed the Bitter Lakes, emptying into the Gulf or Arabia near the the city of Cleopatris. Route of the modern Suez Canal. Image: NCERT However, according to Herodotus, the canal was completed by Darius and that it was wide enough for two triremes to pass each other with oars extended. By Darius's time a natural waterway passage possibly existed between Bitter Lakes and the Red Sea, but it had become blocked with silt. Darius, employing a vast army of slaves, cleared it out so as to allow navigation once again. Darius was so pleased with the results and with himself that he left several inscriptions on pink granite boasting of this accomplishment. One of these inscription discovered in the mid-19th century read: King Darius says: I am a Persian; setting out from Persia I conquered Egypt. I ordered to dig this canal from the river that is called Nile and flows in Egypt, to the sea that begins in Persia. Therefore, when this canal had been dug as I had ordered, ships went from Egypt through this canal to Persia, as I had intended. In the late 19th century, another stela called the Stone of Pithom provides evidence that Ptolemy constructed a navigable lock, with sluices, at the Heroopolite Gulf of the Red Sea, which allowed the passage of vessels but prevented salt water from the Red Sea from mingling with the fresh water in the canal. There is evidence that in ancient times the Red Sea and its Gulf of Suez extended as far northward as the Bitter Lakes of Egypt. The Red Sea has gradually receded away over the centuries, with its coastline slowly moving southward away from Lake Timsah and the Great Bitter Lake, so that two hundred years later, the eastern end of the canal that opened in the Red Sea became chocked with silt. Also Read: How War Marooned 15 Ships in The Suez Canal For Eight Years The canal existed in one form or the other up to the 8th century, until it was closed shut by the Abbasid Caliph al-Mansur in 767 to prevent his enemies and rebels from using the canal to ship men and supplies from Egypt to his detractors in Arabia. Lack of maintenance caused the canal to slit up and it disappeared into the desert and from peoples memory as well. The Suez Canal in 1869. Engraving from "Appleton's Journal of Popular Literature, Science, and Art", Wikimedia Commons The canal was rediscovered by Napoleon in 1798 during the French campaign in Egypt and Syria. Napoleon had its motives to search for the canal, because if the canal could be reconstructed it would allow France to monopolize trade with India. With this design Napoleon instructed his chief civil engineer, Jacques-Marie Le Pere, to make a topographical survey of the Isthmus of Suez while looking for vestiges of the ancient canal. Le Pere and his fellow engineers were able to follow and eventually trace the Canal of the Pharaohs from the Red Sea all the way to the Nile. Later, when Napoleon became the Emperor, he asked his chief engineer to find a way to reopen the canal, but Le Pere, like his predecessors two thousand years ago, erroneously reported to Napoleon that the Red Sea was higher than the Mediterranean, and locks would be needed to prevent a catastrophic mingling of waters. Construction of the Suez Canal wouldn't begin until fifty years later in 1859. Excavation was conducted using forced labor, just like under the pharaohs. Some sources estimated that tens of thousands of laborers died from diseases such as cholera and other epidemics, although a conservative estimate puts death at fewer than 3,000. The canal has no locks, for the sea level is the same. Its route, unlike the Canal of the Pharaohs goes through the isthmus passing through the Great Bitter Lakes northward until it opens in the Mediterranean near the port city of Suez. Alaska among the highest in the country for rates of those in risk of eviction or foreclosure Have any questions? Please give us a call at 907-561-7737 (Image source from: timesofindia.indiatimes.com) Andhra Pradesh Budget 2021-22 Highlights:- Andhra Pradesh finance minister Buggana Rajendranath Reddy presented the budget for the year 2021-22 today in the state Assembly and the budget was passed by the state cabinet today. The state's opposition party TDP decided to boycott the budget sessions. The total budget is estimated to be Rs 2,29,779.27 crores. The budget is Rs 5000 crores higher than the last year's budget. Rs 3845 crores are allocated for Rythu Bharosa and Rs 17,000 crores are allocated for the pensions. The Andhra Pradesh government is much focused on the welfare schemes and allocated a lion's share of the budget for them. Amma Odi got Rs 6107 crores and YSR Cheyutha is given Rs 4455 crores. Vidya Deevena is allotted Rs 2500 crores and Vasathi Deevena is getting Rs 2223 crores. Fasal Bheema Yojana got Rs 1802 crores and Rs 1112 crores are assigned for interest-free loans for Dwakra groups. Rs 3306 crores are assigned for the welfare of Kapus. Rs 47,283.21 crores is assigned for the welfare of women and Rs 16,748.47 crores for children. Rs 1000 crores is allocated to fight against coronavirus pandemic and Rs 13,840.44 crores is allocated for the health sector. Rs 2248.94 crores is assigned for Arogyasree and the purchase of medicines. A whopping amount of Rs 26,634 crores is allocated for the Education sector and Rs 11,210 crores are allocated for the field of agriculture. (Video Source: ABN Telugu) Chiranjeevi and Ram Charan to launch Oxygen Banks:- Megastar Chiranjeevi has been an undisputed king of Telugu cinema from the past four decades. The top actor also turned a helping hand and is donating a part of his earnings to charity. Chiranjeevi formed a team and floated Corona Crisis Charity last year to help the industry workers who are jobless due the coronavirus pandemic. He even donated close to Rs 15 lakhs for the character artists who are occupied with financial issues. The second wave of coronavirus brought the shoots to a halt and the releases too are delayed. Chiranjeevi decided to help the people who are struggling due to the lack of oxygen. Megastar Chiranjeevi is in plans to launch oxygen banks for the people of Telugu states. The plans are currently on and the plants will start operations from next week. Several oxygen banks will be set up in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Ram Charan will personally take care of all these oxygen plants and their operations. Chiranjeevi is spending huge money on these oxygen banks. Chiranjeevi will resume the shoot of Acharya and Ram Charan will resume the shoot of RRR after the pandemic situations calm down. The Google Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro both surfaced in CAD-based renders recently. Those renders came from a very reliable source, @OnLeaks, and theyre probably spot on. Along with them, the source shared rough dimensions of the two devices, along with display sizes. Based on that information, Google has no intention of offering us a compact Pixel 6 flagship, and I do believe thats a mistake. Both of those phones will be fairly large, and truth be said, theres not much logic in that. Do note that that is an opinion article, before anything else. Youre free to disagree, of course. The Google Pixel 6 wont be a compact flagship weve been expecting According to the provided information, the Google Pixel 6 will feature a 6.4-inch display, while the Pixel 6 Pro will arrive with a 6.67-inch panel. Based on those display sizes, you may think the Pixel 6 is compact, right? Well, the phone wont exactly have the thinnest bezels, and if you add a flat display to the equation, no, its not small. The Pixel 6 is said to measure 158.6 x 74.8 x 8.9mm (11.8mm with the camera bump). The Pixel 6 Pro, on the other hand, is expected to measure 163.9 x 75.8 x 8.9mm (11.5mm with the camera bump). So, as you can see, these two will be approximately the same size. Google Pixel 6: Advertisement Google Pixel 6 Pro: To give you an example of how thick the Pixel 6s bezels will be. The OnePlus 9 comes with a 6.55-inch display, which is larger than the unit on the Pixel 6. The OnePlus 9 is 160mm tall, and 73.9 or 74.2mm wide (depending on the model). So, its narrower than the Pixel 6 will be, and its barely taller than Googles handset. The Pixel 6 will offer a display aspect ratio of 19.5:9 or 20:9, depending on whether it ends up being the same as the display aspect ratio on the current-gen phones. Last year, Google announced three smartphones, two of which were quite compact Last year, Google announced three smartphones, and all three of them were more compact than the Pixel 6 will be. The Pixel 4a was by far the most compact with a 5.8-inch display, followed by the Pixel 5 with a 6-inch panel, and the Pixel 4a 5G with a 6.2-inch display. The tallest amongst those phones was the Pixel 4a 5G at 153.9mm, while the Pixel 5 and 4a were 144.7 and 144mm tall, respectively. The widest of them all was the Pixel 4a 5G as well, as it was 74mm wide, while the Pixel 4a and 5 were 69.4 and 70.4mm wide, respectively. Advertisement Many people were upset that Google didnt release a larger phone, and now Google is planning to do the complete opposite. The company is struggling to find a balance, it seems. In previous years (not including 2020), Google managed to hit both targets. It did mess up in other areas, but at least it managed to get the sizes right. It tended to release one smaller flagship, and one larger one. Its display will be fairly large, and the bezels wont exactly be razor thin With the Pixel 6, the company will probably fix most of its mistakes from recent years, and make a miscalculation in the size department. Some of you may argue that a phone with a 6.4-inch display is not large, and perhaps that argument would be valid if the bezels are non-existent or something of the sort, but this way that sure is a large phone. The Pixel 4a, 4a 5G, and 5 will look small compared to the Pixel 6. Now, the sheer fact is that more people prefer larger phones, and a large chunk of consumers dont really care. Still, those of us who want to get a more compact, one-handed Pixel, will be left out this year. Well, truth be said, the Pixel 5a 5G will be released, but only in the US and Japan. Plus that device will be almost the same as the Pixel 4a 5G based on what weve seen thus far. It wont exactly be compact. It wont be large, per se, but still, it will nowhere near the size of the Pixel 4a or the Pixel 5. Advertisement The design will be different, no longer understated I, personally, was really hoping that Google will hit the home run this year. Im not a fan of the design that leaked out, to be quite honest, but I seem to be in a minority. Its not that I hate it, but its just not my cup of tea, I prefer bland, understated designs. Still, thats not something that would bother me all that much if the size of the phone is right, but it wont be, it seems. Going from the Pixel 4a that Ive been using as a daily driver for a while now, to the Pixel 6 would be a huge change. If you take into account that case will have to go on the phone, due to its slippery nature, then the difference will be even larger. Its worth noting that all this is based on the notion @OnLeaks information is accurate. Considering his track record, it is. Theres a high chance the two phones you can see in this article will be landing in either September or October. I, personally, am still hoping that a third phone will appear out of somewhere. Or, at least that the dimensions are wrong here but thats probably just not the case. There are other compact Android flagships that you can get Google was one of the very few Android companies that released smaller flagships. Samsung has been doing it year-in, year-out, and so was Google. Well, it seems like Google wont be doing it this year. For those of you who are looking for a compact 2021 flagship, you may find some solace in the ASUS ZenFone 8, or the Xperia 5 III. The ZenFone 8 is already available in some markets, and ASUS really did pick up its game this year. The ZenFone 8 not only packs top-of-the-line hardware, but its software is close to stock Android. On top of everything, the phone is quite compact. It is 68.5mm wide, and 148mm tall, while it isnt particularly heavy either at 169 grams. Advertisement The Xperia 5 III is another option, though that handset still isnt available. The phone is expected to go on sale mid-year, probably next month, at least in some markets. That handset will have a slightly larger display than the ZenFone 8, at 6.1 inches. It will be slightly narrower due to a taller display aspect ratio, but it will be considerably taller at 157mm. In addition to those, theres always the Galaxy S21 from Samsung. That device has a 6.2-inch display, while its 151.7mm tall, and 71.2mm wide. Advertisement All the devices mentioned in the previous paragraph are considerably more compact than the Pixel 6. Though, truth be told, different people have different definitions of the word compact. Some people dont even consider the Pixel 5 to be a compact phone. In the general scheme of things, though, it certainly is. Having said that, its nice to see that there are options out there, at least a couple of them. Purchase an online subscription to our website for $7.99 a month with automatic renewal. Each online subscription gives you full access to all of our newspaper websites and mobile applications. To cancel you may contact Customer Service @ 256-235-9253 or email JPAYNE@ANNISTONSTAR.COM For a limited time, for NEW SUBSCRIBERS ONLY a NEW ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION is just $59.99 for the first year. Existing customers do not qualify for the specials! After the first year, well automatically renew your subscription to continue your access at the regular price of $69.99 per year. Please note *Your Subscription will Automatically Renew unless you contact Customer Service To Cancel* Oooh We It Is comes from husband-and-wife duo Mark and Shae Walker, and the whole thing grew out of Mark Walker making his own sweet tea with real tea leaves to take to work. The tea was so popular, a local Harolds Chicken Shack started selling it. A few years later, the couple has a whole restaurant based around soul food with a twist. The next day, Mendel followed up with Zimmer and his partner Jude La Rose, suggesting they skip the collaboration with the tea shop for now though she still wants to do it and instead make a beer commemorating the anniversary of Gish, which was released May 28, 1991, and which put Smashing Pumpkins on the path to global rock n roll stardom. One critic described the record as the first shot of the alternative revolution that transformed the rock & roll landscape of the 90s. Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. The First Minister of Wales has condemned completely unacceptable scenes in Swansea, where a vigil descended into violence. Mark Drakeford said the disorder would not be tolerated anywhere in Wales and thanked police officers for bringing the incident under control. South Wales Police asked people not to return to the Mayhill area of the city and warned those involved should expect to face robust action. The force urged residents to stay indoors on Thursday night as they dealt with the disorder, which saw cars on fire in the middle of the road and crowds cheering as a vehicle was rolled down a hill. To view this content, you'll need to update your privacy settings. Please click here to do so. Mr Drakeford tweeted on Friday: The violent scenes in Swansea last night were completely unacceptable and will not be tolerated anywhere in Wales. He thanked South Wales Police for bringing the situation under control and continuing to monitor it closely this morning. Home Secretary Priti Patel said: Absolutely disgraceful scenes in Swansea last night. My thoughts are with Mayhill residents who had to endure such shocking behaviour. Thank you to the brave officers at South Wales Police for bringing it under control. Police have my backing to take robust action against those involved. Boarded up houses at the top of Waun Wen Road (Ben Birchall/PA) Jeremy Vaughan, the chief constable of the force, said it would stop at nothing to find those responsible. Saddened and furious at events in Swansea last night, he tweeted. So many families will have been tormented by those responsible, rest assured we @swpolice will stop at nothing to find them. We will work hard with others to help and support local residents who deserve better than this. Swansea Council said it was responding at pace to the disturbance, with officers assisting with clean-up operations, helping with repairs and reassuring residents. South Wales Police described the incident as totally unacceptable and said there would be an increased police presence over the weekend. Assistant Chief Constable Jenny Gilmer said: These are scenes we dont expect in our communities and our officers should not expect to have to confront situations like this. I want to reassure residents of Mayhill that we shall be maintaining an enhanced police presence throughout the weekend. If those involved choose to return and further threaten public safety they will be robustly dealt with. To view this content, you'll need to update your privacy settings. Please click here to do so. Our focus now is to fully investigate this appalling incident. We will be using CCTV and social media footage to help us to identify and arrest those responsible. The level of violence towards emergency services and the damage to buildings and vehicles was totally unacceptable. I would like to thank the public for their support and appeal to anyone with information or video footage to come forward and provide that to us. Councillor Rob Stewart, the leader of Swansea Council, also condemned the absolutely disgusting behaviour by yobs in Mayhill. To view this content, you'll need to update your privacy settings. Please click here to do so. This is completely unacceptable and inexcusable behaviour. Our thoughts are with the residents who have had to put up with this utterly despicable behaviour in our community, Mr Stewart said. Our officers have linked in with the police who have been on the scene for some time. We will support the police to identify, pursue and prosecute those that have organised and participated in this criminal activity. Simon Hart, Secretary of State for Wales and MP for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire, described the scenes as disgraceful. Tom Giffard, Welsh Conservative member of the Senedd for South Wales West, said the disorder was disturbing. Anyone with information, photographs or video footage is asked to contact South Wales Police, quoting incident 992 of May 20. Showering was not top of everyone's to-do list amid the UK's various coronavirus lockdowns. (Posed by a model, Getty Images) Whether it was baking banana bread or binge-watching Tiger King, we all had our own way of keeping busy amid the coronavirus lockdowns. Showering was apparently not top of everyone's to-do list, however. With socialising off the table and millions working from home, a YouGov survey suggests nearly one in five (17%) Britons were bathing less often. Experts and officials have repeatedly stressed regular hand washing is critical to warding off the coronavirus, but is a daily shower important for our overall health? The perceived importance of hygiene has fluctuated over the centuries. The ancient Romans are famous for their luxurious baths. Over 1,000 years later, Queen Elizabeth I reportedly said she bathed once a month, whether she needed it or not. Hygiene is said to have became more of a daily concern during the Industrial Revolution, when a surge of people migrated from the countryside to dirtier cities. Indoor plumbing then became more commonplace, but only for the upper classes. "It became a sort of arms race," said Dr James Hamblin a Yale University lecturer and author of Clean: The New Science of Skin and the Beauty of Doing Less told The New York Times. "It was a signifier of wealth if you looked like you could bathe every day." Showering regularly may help to ward off BO. (Stock, Getty Images) Is showering every day good for our health? Showering every day may ward off body odour (BO). Hand washing aside, the benefits could end there. For some, obsessively cleaning may even worsen their health. Water is drying, leaving skin more prone to cracking a potential entry point for infections. People with dry skin, which tends to come about with age, may be better off forgoing a daily shower, or being more diligent when it comes to moisturising. Excessive washing may also strip your skin of its softening oils, while disrupting the infection-fighting "good" bacteria that live unseen on all of us. "Your body is naturally a well-oiled machine," dermatologist Dr Brandon Mitchell, from George Washington University, told Time. "A daily shower isn't necessary." That being said, certain bacteria and fungi thrive in the warm, moist environments created by sweat. These infections can develop into so-called "jock itch" a rash that commonly affects athletes, developing in the sweatier parts of their body. "Athlete's foot, pimples and even boils" may also come about, Dr Sarah Brewer medical director of Healthspan told Yahoo UK. When it comes to warding off BO, too, a daily shower may be more important for some than others. "When a person hits puberty, hormonal changes can affect the glands in the skin," Dr Daniel Atkinson, clinical lead of Treated.com, told Yahoo UK. "This means they may sweat more and the sweat may have a more noticeable odour." Dr Brewer agreed, adding: "Women experiencing hot flushes and night sweats due to the perimenopause [when the body is transitioning into 'the change'] and menopause will also find a shower helps." People who exercise frequently or have a manual job may also benefit from washing regularly. Watch: Angelina Jolie didn't shower for three days before bee photoshoot Ultimately, bathing every day is unlikely to do any serious harm. "Deciding how often to shower is usually down to personal preference," said Dr Atkinson. "Showering every day is not necessary from a clinical perspective, but depending on your level of physical activity you may feel a shower helps to keep you feeling fresh. "A lot of people like to shower in the morning to help them wake up and get ready. "It can take some trial and error for each individual to identify the best cleaning routine to keep their skin healthy." Rather than lathering your whole body, Dr Mitchell recommends focusing on BO problem areas, typically the armpits. The backside and groin can also release secretions. Genitals should only be washed with water. Soap can disrupt the area's delicate bacterial balance, which may trigger fungal infections, like thrush. In some cases, failing to shower sufficiently can be a warning sign of a more serious problem. "If someone stops taking care of themselves it can be linked to mental or emotional disorders, such as depression or even dementia," said Dr Atkinson. When it comes to hair washing, each individual likely also has to find what works for them. Dandruff may be less visible if the hair is washed regularly, particularly if using a specialist shampoo. Watch: The importance of hand hygiene Boris Johnson said farmers will have a fantastic opportunity as part of free-trade deals, as reports suggest the UK Government is on the verge of signing a post-Brexit agreement with Australia. Downing Street said negotiations are still ongoing with Canberra, despite several reports claiming ministers on Thursday had resolved their differences over the terms of a deal. There had been concerns said to have been aired around the Cabinet table by Environment Secretary George Eustice and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Michael Gove about the impact a zero-quota arrangement with Australia could have on British meat produce, particularly beef and lamb, which has to reach higher standards. But The Sun reported that the Prime Minister is set to offer Australia a 15-year transition to a zero-tariff, zero-quota trade pact, with the free trade arguments of International Trade Secretary Liz Truss and Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng being successful. The Prime Minister, asked about the prospective deal on Friday, said he wanted the UK to see these new openings not as threats but as opportunities as he praised the benefits of free trade. Speaking to broadcasters in Portsmouth, where he was visiting the HMS Queen Elizabeth II aircraft carrier, Mr Johnson said: We are certainly looking at doing free trade deals with countries around the world, and Im here on this incredible aircraft carrier, which is really a symbol of the way we want to do things we see a global future for this country. I do think that free trade deals present a fantastic opportunity for our farmers, for businesses of all kinds, and for manufacturers. I think it is vital that as a great historic free-trading nation that grew to prosperity thanks to free trade, and thanks indeed to the Royal Navy, that we see these new openings not as threats but as opportunities. Mr Johnson chaired a meeting of senior colleagues on Thursday as he looked to solve the alleged dispute between Ms Truss and Mr Eustice. Ms Truss, who has said she wants an agreement in principle by early June which would come in time to parade it at the G7 meeting in Cornwall is thought to favour a zero-tariff, zero-quota approach in order to boost the flow of trade. But such a move could leave British farmers vulnerable to competition from beef and lamb producers in Australia, and Mr Eustice has suggested that quotas could be used to protect them. International Trade Secretary Liz Truss (Dominic Lipinski/PA) Justice Secretary Robert Buckland gave reassurances to farmers that they would not be undercut as part of a deal with Canberra which No 10 also repeated. The Government has always said that any free trade agreement reached with Australia or indeed other countries around the world will of course take into account the very high welfare standards we apply here in the UK and will of course make sure British farming and British farmers are not undercut, are not put at a disadvantage, bearing in mind the quality and excellence of the products which are made here in the UK, Mr Buckland told BBC Radio 4s Today. A spokesman for the Prime Minister, who said talks were ongoing, told reporters: Weve been clear that any deal with Australia must work for British businesses, producers and consumers, and were negotiating on that basis. A zero-tariff deal could put Mr Johnson on a collision course with the incoming leader of the DUP, who said there was a high risk to Northern Irish farmers, as well as the rest of the UK, if such terms were agreed. Edwin Poots, Northern Irelands agriculture minister, who will take over as DUP leader from Arlene Foster, said: Australia has a number of distinct advantages over Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK, in terms of the land available for farming, climate and lower standards, that allows its farmers to be able to produce at a considerably lower cost, particularly in the beef and sheep sectors. Consequently there is a lot of potential for Australian beef and sheep exports to the UK to expand substantially over time if tariffs are eliminated. Australian beef and sheep products have the potential to undercut UK producers and to reduce Northern Irelands market share in GB, which is our most important market for these products. A zero tariff, zero quota trade deal between the UK and Australia would damage Northern Irelands beef and sheep trade, Stormonts agriculture minister has warned. Edwin Poots, who is the incoming leader of the DUP, said the prospect of such an agreement posed a high level of risk to farmers across the UK. Mr Poots outlined his concerns in a letter to UK environment secretary George Eustice. The letter, in which he expressed strong opposition to a zero tariff, zero quota agreement, comes amid reports that the Government is poised to agree such a deal with the Australians. To view this content, you'll need to update your privacy settings. Please click here to do so. Mr Poots is concerned that Australian beef and lamb producers would be able to undercut local farmers. The prospect of such a deal presents a high level of risk to Northern Ireland and UK farmers, he said. Therefore I believe that the UK should maintain tariff protection at present levels for all agricultural products where the UK has a significant production interest. Australia has a number of distinct advantages over Northern Ireland, and the rest of the UK, in terms of the land available for farming, climate and lower standards, that allows its farmers to be able produce at a considerably lower cost, particularly in the beef and sheep sectors. Consequently there is a lot of potential for Australian beef and sheep exports to the UK to expand substantially over time if tariffs are eliminated. Australian beef and sheep products have the potential to undercut UK producers and to reduce Northern Irelands market share in GB which is our most important market for these products. Mr Poots said a zero tariff, zero quota deal with Australia would create an expectation of similar deals with other countries. He also raised animal welfare concerns about certain farming practices in Australia. The minister said tariff protection must be maintained for beef and sheep products. While beef and sheep give rise to the greatest concerns, protection must be maintained for all sensitive agri-food products where NI has a significant production interest, including dairy, pigs and poultry, he added. Since their debut in 2013, BTS has garnered global recognition for their self-produced music and activism, which includes giving a speech at the United Nations and publicly calling out anti-Asian racism. The band topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart three times in 2020, and was nominated for prominent music awards like Billboard Music Awards and MTV Video Music Awards. Nicola Sturgeon has said it makes more sense to review coronavirus restrictions on a weekly basis, after announcing Glasgow will be the only area to remain in Level 3 of Scotlands measures. Speaking at a Scottish Government coronavirus briefing on Friday, the First Minister said authorities are fairly certain the increase in cases in the city is being driven by the Indian variant referred to by Ms Sturgeon as April-02 with extensive public health measures deployed over the past 10 days. The number of cases per 100,000 people in Glasgow has increased from 71 last week to 122.6 in the seven days to May 18. To view this content, you'll need to update your privacy settings. Please click here to do so. East Renfrewshire, which earlier this week had a higher seven-day average rate of cases than Glasgow, will remain in Level 2. Ms Sturgeon also said improvements in Moray mean it can join the rest of mainland Scotland in Level 2 on Saturday. Infection levels in Moray, in the north-east of Scotland, are down from 98 cases per 100,000 people last week to 37, with test positivity falling from 2.8% to 1.3%. In Level 2, people can hug and meet indoors subject to restrictions travel across the UK and overseas, and hospitality venues can open later than in Level 3 and serve alcohol indoors. Ms Sturgeon said the total number of cases in East Renfrewshire is significantly smaller than in Glasgow, with only 17 on Thursday compared to 166 in the city, and could be traced to specific household clusters. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said Glasgow will remain in Level 3 for at least another week (Fraser Bremner/Scottish Daily Mail/PA) Asked whether Glasgow could face restrictions for a longer period because of the numbers, she said: The reason Im not saying well come back in three weeks now is I hope the overall duration of these higher level restrictions in Glasgow will be shorter than was the case earlier this year and at the tail end of last year. I think it actually makes more sense to review on a weekly basis, because we dont want to keep Glasgow in higher level restrictions any longer than is necessary because of the scale of the public health interventions that we have in deployment right now. And in determining where to put travel restrictions we just have to be mindful of peoples travel patterns people might live in the south side of Glasgow but in the city they dont necessarily stay in the south side of Glasgow all the time because they work elsewhere and vice versa. To view this content, you'll need to update your privacy settings. Please click here to do so. Welcoming the changes in Moray, Chris Littlejohn, NHS Grampian deputy director of public health, said: I have no doubt this will be incredibly welcome news for the people of Moray. Bringing case numbers back down has been a community effort. Public bodies like the NHS and local councils can put in every measure we like, but without community support they will not make the same difference. Thank-you to everyone in the area for all that they have done. I hope the behaviour we have seen in Moray becomes a habit for people, not just there, but across the Grampian region. To view this content, you'll need to update your privacy settings. Please click here to do so. The April-02 variant is also causing concern in some areas of England, with Ms Sturgeon imposing restrictions against travel from Scotland to three local authority areas south of the border. Bedford, Bolton and Blackburn and Darwen are the areas affected, with Ms Sturgeon saying Scots must delay any plans to visit those areas. She added: Were not placing legal restrictions on travel to Lancashire or Greater Manchester more widely, or to areas around Bedfordshire. But if youre planning to visit these areas in the next few days, please consider whether you need to make your visit, or whether it can be delayed. Giving an update on the daily coronavirus figures, Ms Sturgeon said Scotland recorded 414 new coronavirus cases but no deaths in the past 24 hours. (PA Graphics) The death toll under this daily measure of people who first tested positive for the virus within the previous 28 days remains at 7,664. The daily test positivity rate was 1.9%, up from 1.6% the previous day. There were 81 people in hospital on Thursday with recently confirmed Covid-19, down two from the previous day, and of these four people were in intensive care, down one from the day before. Wind and rain is forecast to ravage the UK on the first Friday that people have been allowed to meet in large groups outside in England. Met Office meteorologist Aidan McGivern has described the outlook across the nation as a showery situation on Friday and Saturday, with drier weather on the horizon by Sunday. A yellow weather warning for winds which could cause travel disruption is in place for the south-west corner of England from 3pm on Friday, with 60mph gusts expected on the coast. To view this content, you'll need to update your privacy settings. Please click here to do so. Mr McGivern said Friday promises rain and wind for all parts of the nation. He said: Its going to be a wet and windy start for many on Friday morning The heaviest rain will be in north-west England, parts of Wales, and then increasingly the South West, the Midlands and the rain reaching the South East by the end of the afternoon as a showery situation develops. Eastern Scotland as well as north-east England stays dull and damp throughout much of the day and with the wind in the North East its going to feel raw. Forecasters have predicted up to 100mm of rainfall on higher ground in Wales. Wet and windy weather has been forecast for the first Friday where people in England are allowed to meet in large groups outside (Danny Lawson/PA) Daytime temperatures are set to be low for the time of year, with the mercury expected to rise to around 14C London, and 12C in Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast. Night-time temperatures are predicted to sit around the mid single figures. A blustery night with hill snow on the mountains in Scotland is due to follow into Saturday, with more wind and rain across the board to follow. Sunday is set to be slightly more promising, with showers again expected across the nation but longer dry, bright spells moving in. Forecasters have said northern Scotland and Northern Ireland are likely to see the best of the sunshine on Sunday. Express your opinion! Fill out this form to submit a Letter to the Editor. Submit The City Council has signed a contract for engineering work to replace the oft-flooded bridge on Buice Road over Johns Creek. Initial plans call for raising the elevation to allow for better stream flow and cut down on flooding during heavy rainfall events. We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Submit South Africa: Introduction of Kiswahili in curriculum to contribute to decolonisation Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga says the introduction of Kiswahili in the National Curriculum Statement will go a long way towards contributing to decolonisation. The Minister said this when she tabled the departments budget vote during a mini plenary of the National Assembly on Thursday. The introduction of Kiswahili Second Additional Language (SAL) in the National Curriculum Statement will go a long way towards decolonising education in South Africa in particular. It will promote social cohesion and also assist in the Africa Continental Free Trade Area the worlds largest free trade zone, which was launched in January 2021, to unify Africa as a single market to develop the African continent, she said. Kiswahili, which is also known as Swahili, is an official language of the East African Community, which comprises Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi and South Sudan. Motshekga said Kiswahili the widely spoken language on the continent, is projected to be the business language of the African continent and will play a significant unifying role. We were supposed to pilot Kiswahili Second Additional Language (SAL), in Grades 4-6 in 2021-2023. However, our plans have been thwarted by the Covid-19 pandemic. As a result, the primary focus for schools is currently on the teaching of Home Languages and First Additional Languages as fundamentals. Khoi, Nama and San languages offered as second languages Motshekga said the department has decided to expand the list of second language offering into the curriculum. She said the Incremental Introduction to African Languages (IIAL) strategy, was initiated in 2013 to strengthen the teaching of previously marginalised African languages, including isiZulu, isiXhosa, isiNdebele, Siswati, Tshivenda, Xitsonga, Sepedi, Sesotho, and Setswana in schools. She said the IIAL strategy targets 2 584 schools that are not offering African languages. The strategy was piloted in the foundation phase in 2014 and 2015. This cohort of learners, who were part of the pilot, is currently in the intermediate phase. We strategically decided to expand the list of South African languages offered as Second Additional Languages in the National Curriculum Statement. The additional languages are the Khoi, Nama, San languages, as well as the South African Sign Language (SASL) - thus concretising the Constitutional mandate of promoting and creating conditions for the development and the use of all official languages, she said. - SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2021-05-21. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Chinese premier, Pakistani PM pledge to enhance ties over phone Xinhua) 08:14, May 21, 2021 Photo taken on Nov. 8, 2020 shows an Orange Line metro train leaving a station in Pakistan's eastern city of Lahore. (Photo by Sajjad/Xinhua) Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said he hopes that China and Pakistan will maintain high-level exchanges, strengthen strategic communication, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, and maintain and develop the precious treasure of the China-Pakistan all-weather strategic cooperative partnership. BEIJING, May 20 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Thursday held a phone conversation with Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, with both sides pledging to strengthen bilateral communication and cooperation. China and Pakistan enjoy a longstanding friendship, Li said. Noting that this incoming Friday marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries, he said that Chinese President Xi Jinping and Pakistani President Arif Alvi will exchange congratulatory messages. Photo taken on April 30, 2021 shows a view of the project management department of the Suki Kinari (SK) Hydropower Project in Mansehra district, Pakistan. (Xinhua/Deng Kaiyin) Li said he hopes that the two sides will maintain high-level exchanges, strengthen strategic communication, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, and maintain and develop the precious treasure of the China-Pakistan all-weather strategic cooperative partnership. Li and Khan exchanged views on international cooperation in the fight against COVID-19 in particular. Li pointed out that the pandemic is still raging across the world, and the international community needs to work together to tackle the challenge caused by the virus, the common enemy of mankind. A handover ceremony of a batch of China-donated COVID-19 vaccine is held at Noor Khan Air Base near Islamabad, Pakistan, Feb. 1, 2021. (Xinhua/Liu Tian) China is ready to provide support to Pakistan within its capacity in fighting the pandemic, Li added. Khan, for his part, said Pakistan is looking forward to strengthening high-level exchanges and advancing strategic cooperation with China. Under the current circumstances, Pakistan particularly hopes to deepen cooperation with China to fight COVID-19, Khan said, adding that Pakistan is ready to work with China to push for new achievements in bilateral relations. (Web editor: Guo Wenrui, Liang Jun) Goodwin trained his sights on the John Hancock Center, but he was foiled initially. His first try, on Nov. 1, 1981, failed because he couldnt get secure footing on the cross braces that form the buildings iconic diamond pattern. Like a scene out of a slapstick film, a firetruck extended its ladder to retrieve Goodwin but smashed into the window next to him, leaving Goodwin dangling by a suction cup. Spider Dan made it only to the second floor. Have any questions? Please give us a call at 541-889-5387 Venezuela armed forces have finalized a maintenance and repair campaign program of combat vehicles and military equipment that began in January this year. The goal of this operation was to modernize military equipment acquires in the 1970s. Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link Scorpion 90 light reconnaissance tracked armored vehicle of the Venezuelan army. (Picture source Facebook FAV-Club) All this military equipment and combat vehicles were reintroduced into active service during a ceremony that was held at the facilities of Fort Paramacay, the headquarters of the 41st Armored Brigade, to 94 tactical units of the Venezuelan Army The modernization of this military equipment was started in 2013 when the Ministry of Defense allocated $70.4 million for the fiscal year 2014 to upgrade Western-based armored vehicles into service with the Venezuelan army. The modernization program has included the upgrade of AMX-13 tracked APC with new communication and Day/Night vision systems. The vehicle is also equipped with a new Russian weapon station armed with a 2A42 30mm automatic cannon. Army Venezuela uses 25 AMX-13 VCI, 12 AMX-13 command post,s and 8 AMX-13 ambulances. The French AMX-30 main battle tank was fitted with a new fire control system, a meteo mast, thermal camera, Glonass GPS receiver, a 7 kW auxiliary generator, and new tracks. According to the military balance 2020, Venezuela has a total of 81 AMX-30 V and 92 Russian T-72B1. Army of Venezuela also used different vehicles of the British CVRT family, including the Scorpion 90, Sultan command post vehicle, and Samson armored recovery vehicles. All these vehicles have been modernized with a new engine, transmission, suspension, communication systems, and a thermal camera. Currently, 78 Scorpion 90 are in service with the Venezuela army. The modernization of combat vehicles also include Dragoon, V100, V150 wheeled armored vehicles and tactical vehicle 44 Toyota Hilux military trucks, 44 Jeep Wrangler CSR, 44 Toyota FJ-40 Cruiser CSR, 66 Steyr-Daimler-Puch Pinzgauer. In the field of artillery, AMX-13 F3 155mm self-propelled howitzers, M114A1 155mm towed howitzers, OTO Melara Mod 56 105mm towed howitzer, and M2A1 105mm towed howitzers have also been modernized. According to the military balance 2020, Venezuela operates 12 AMX-13 Mk F3, 40 M101A1, 40 Mod 56, and 12 M114A1. Mamata, who lost the polls from Nandigram, needs to get elected to the assembly within six months to hold on to the CM's chair A section of party members speculated that the septuagenarian politician might be fielded from the Khardah seat, where bypoll has been necessitated following the death of party leader Kajal Sinha. (PTI) Kolkata: West Bengal agriculture minister and veteran TMC leader Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay vacated the Bhabanipur assembly seat on Friday, paving way for Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to contest bypoll from her old bastion, party sources said. Banerjee, who lost the recently concluded polls from Nandigram, needs to get elected to the assembly within six months to hold on to the chief minister's chair. TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh, however, refused to divulge anything on Banerjee's re-election, and said the party will come up with a statement at an appropriate time. Chattopadhyay tendered his resignation to Assembly speaker Biman Bandyopadhyay in the presence of senior party leader and his ministerial colleague Partha Chatterjee. Before leaving for the state legislature, he told PTI that he would happily abide by the party's decision. "I am going to resign as the MLA of Bhabanipur seat. This is my decision as well as that of the party. I am happily abiding by it," the agriculture minister said. The speaker, on his part, said, "Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay has resigned from the Bhabanipur seat voluntarily. I have accepted his resignation letter after confirming that he has taken the decision on his own without any pressure or threat." A section of party members speculated that the septuagenarian politician might be fielded from the Khardah seat, where bypoll has been necessitated following the death of party leader Kajal Sinha due to COVID-19. There are others who claimed that Chattopadhyay might be nominated to Rajya Sabha. The veteran TMC leader said, "We must work to ensure victory of our leader Mamata Banerjee from a seat, as Bengal can prosper and move forward when she is at the helm. As there were talks within the party about her election to the assembly, and I was tapped in this regard, I readily agreed." He, however, clarified that he isn't too keen on Upper House nomination. Asked if he would quit as a minister, Chattopadhyay said, "I will follow the party's instructions. However, I am not aware of any such rule, which entails my resignation from the ministerial post." Chattopadhyay, who had earlier represented the Rashbehari assembly seat, contested from Bhabanipur this year and defeated BJP's Rudranil Ghosh by a convincing margin. Banerjee had won the seat in 2011 and 2016. The investments and purchase plans were driven by Chinese-led foreign corporations and could pose a risk to Japan's safety Tokyo: After security concerns, over 700 Chinese-funded transactions of plots of land have been detected by the Japanese investigative groups around Military bases in Japan, a local newspaper reports. The investments and purchase plans were driven by Chinese-led foreign corporations and could pose a risk to Japan's safety, the Sankei Shimbun reported to Appledaily Thursday. Japanese authorities made the startling discovery after launching a comprehensive investigation last year into the property rights of land surrounding military installations, the news report said. The investigation arose from rumors in recent years that the Chinese capital was being used to buy sites within 10 kilometers of defense facilities and on Japanese islands at the periphery of the country, it reported. Officials checked confirmed land acquisitions and acquisition plans, and found that the affected sites were around the Japan Self-Defense Forces, the military base of the United States Army Japan, Japan's coast guard, and facilities for space development, Sankei reported to Appledaily news, citing sources familiar with the matter From these sites, one could get a panoramic sweep of the facilities and learn about the activities of the Japanese and American aircraft carriers, planes, and personnel. According to the Appledaily news, "One of the buyers, who purchased a plot closest to the U.S. military base in Kanagawa prefecture, was suspected to be related to the Beijing government, according to the newspaper." This buyer also owned a number of high-rise buildings nearby that could provide a bird's eye view of the base, and the U.S. had shown concern over the deal. Other transaction plans around the American base on Okinawa island and Japanese defense premises in Tottori prefecture were also mentioned in the report, which said that Chinese investors were targeting these areas. The newspaper learned from sources that more acquisitions were in the works, zooming in on land near radar systems that surveyed the airspace and waters of Japan, the report said, as reported by Appledaily. The Cabinet in Tokyo was due to review a bill controlling land use by foreign investors, and might designate zones within 1 kilometer of key facilities as requiring special attention, Sankei said. Parties involved in land acquisitions must announce the future usage of the site before sealing the deal, and the government would reserve the right to stop the transaction if the usage was deemed inappropriate. Prior to the latest report, Sankei said in 2017 that Chinese capital had been used to buy land in Hokkaido equivalent to about 513 Tokyo Domes. The stadium in Japan's capital covers 4.67 hectares (11.5 acres). Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. You are the owner of this article. This marks the first commitment by the Biden administration for what it plans to do with the 80 million vaccine doses it aims to distribute globally in the next six weeks. Biden has said he hopes to use domestically produced vaccines as a modern-day arsenal of democracy, a reference to the U.S. effort to arm allies in World War II. At the same time, the White House has pledged not to attach policy conditions to countries receiving the doses as global vaccine diplomacy heats up. Support local journalism Now, more than ever, the world needs trustworthy reportingbut good journalism isnt free. Please support us by making a contribution. Stay up to date on COVID-19 Get Breaking News Sign up now to get our FREE breaking news coverage delivered right to your inbox. SUV AWD Otherwise, there have been some severe fluctuations in the compact and subcompact Dodge family during the last couple of decades (see all the Caliber, Neon and Dart stuff), while the evolution of the big Dodges continued in a stable manner.Was it important that their large cars have always been dedicated American products, while the recent compact and subcompact Dodge vehicles have been conceived with foreign involvement? Well, this looks like a question for Dodges management, we have something else to do here today: lets have a closer look at the 2021 Dodge Durango.Trustable from the very beginning: first generation Dodge Durango started its career in 1998 as a solid automobile, the body-on-frame kind of mid-size(it was based on the same type of chassis as the Dakota and the Ram). The Durango grew into a full-size SUV in 2004, when the second generation was launched.The third generation was introduced in 2011 according to a modern approach: unibody configuration, both axles featuring independent suspension (multi-link for the rear wheels). This generation shares its platform (in a slightly longer wheelbase version) with the Grand Cherokee, the appreciated premium SUV from Jeep. Also important: this new kind of mid-size Durango came with three rows of seats.We are in 2021 and the third generation of the Dodge Durango is doing well, after two updating interventions, in 2014 and in 2018. So, we are talking about a ten-year-old model series that doesnt show a wrinkle on its face. Maybe the limited resources of the FCA group (Fiat Chrysler Automobiles is now part of Stellantis, the new group formed by FCA and PSA) somehow braked the development of a fourth Durango generation, yet it looks like nobody should worry about it for the time being.The freshly restyled 2021 Dodge Durango is technically and aesthetically competitive, while its pillar of the brand image contoured through the years has a special significance now. According to this, Durango is one of those things able to defeat time what an appealing message! For those who previously skipped buying a Dodge Durango, the 2021 version of this SUV series demolishes one of the most widely used excuses to walk on by: the somewhat simplistic aspect of the interior finish materials.Now, the interior of the Durango looks better and there are enough options regarding the dashboard design and the upholstery to give the cabin a quite pretentious style. The instrument panel is also new, the Uconnect 5 software is included on the infotainment side, an 8.4-inch screen is standard on SXT and GT trims, while R/T and Citadel versions have a 10.1-inch touchscreen. Something not to be missed: an SRT Hellcat variant with a 710 hp supercharged 6.2-liter Hemi V8 will be available for 2021 only.Since we already mentioned it, lets start here with the Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat (runs on 20-inch Pirelli P Zero tires). Its Hemi V8 has a torque peak of 645 lb.-ft (875 Nm) at 4,300 rpm, enough for the full-size SUV with full-size muscle to accomplish the 0 to 60 mph sprint in 3.5 seconds!Even if the competition offers 4-cylinder mills for the basic level of their equivalent SUVs, the Durango;s engine range starts with a V6 andthen follows with the mighty Hemi V8s. This calibration has something to say, like dont buy your Durango for fuel economy, but for a dynamic enjoyment. The 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 develops 293 hp and its torque characteristic reaches a peak of 260 lb.-ft, being capable to solve the 0 to 60 mph acceleration in 7.4 seconds. Thats a fast SUV, already.One level up, the 5.7-liter Hemi V8 provides 360 hp and counts on a peak torque of 390 lb.-ft. You can get to 60 mph after 6.7 seconds from a standing start. This engine has a so-called Multi-Displacement System, meaning four of its cylinders can be deactivated when the throttle is closed or at constant speeds. The technology may give an advantage of 10% to 20% concerning the fuel economy.Buying one of the SRT versions, hiding bigger V8s under the hoods, certifies that you have chosen the maximum fun, which by the way is possible only by disregarding the overwhelming fuel costs.There are six casual trim levels available: SXT, SXT Plus, GT, GT Plus, R/T and Citadel. The SRT versions should be considered as something special.is optional throughout the range, again with the exception of the SRTs that get it by default. A common sense approach can only lead to the selection of the V6 engine.This version has enough nerve for a use with a certain dynamic touch. Yet, we believe some of the owners will soon take care to drive it in a rather economical manner. After all, if the consumption is the priority selection criteria for your new SUV, youd better forget the Durango.The starting price for a Durango SXT is $33,340 (RWD). For $ 1,505 more, you can have the AWD. Actually, for a nice looking finish and a satisfactory interior equipment, the GT trim is preferable. Starting price: $36,345 in RWD guise. European fans have a new reason to buy the Ford Mustang. It's called the Mach 1 , and it just arrived at dealerships to deliver a track-focused experience thanks to its enhanced powertrain features and aero modifications. It's no surprise that Ford calls it the most agile and responsive Mustang driving experience in Europe ever.But we should remember that on the Old Continent, the 2021 Mustang Mach 1 doesnt arrive with the full stable of ponies like in North America, as Ford had to dial down the horsepower count from 480 to 454 (460 ps). Thats in addition to a hefty increase in price.You can have the Mach 1 in the UK for at least 55,185 ($78,214 at the current exchange rate) and in Germany for a slightly lower 60,800 ($74,252) price tag. In comparison, the U.S.-spec version retails for $52,720 before tax ($1,195 destination charge). Well, at least the Blue Oval tries to compensate with a mix of blistering track performance and street drivability, with the little promo video embedded below showcasing the major performance specs.The best-case scenario will bring a sprint to 62 mph (100 kph) in exactly 4.4 seconds. Theres a fine print, though. Although we clearly see the Tremec six-speed manual being shifted throughout the footage, that 4.4s value is actually for the ten-speed automatic. With the stick shift, youd have to contend to a slower 4.8-second estimate. As far as the top speed is concerned, that one stands at 166 mph (267 kph), which isnt too shabby at all. ICE SUV The Blue Oval has recently revealed the F-150 Lightning , signaling its intentions for the future. It is another nail into the coffin of the internal combustion engine, one that adds to the misery of traditional gearheads.However, the manufacturer still offers a wide range of-powered vehicles, and one of the coolest among them is the Shelby GT500. It comes with a 5.2-liter supercharged V8 that spits out 760 hp and an astonishing 625 lb-ft (847 Nm) of torque. These figures make the fearsome Predator the most powerful engine ever fitted on a mass-produced Ford, but what if it were available on other models?The high-performance variant of Americas best-selling truck has been overshadowed in recent years by the 6.2-liter Hemi-powered Ram TRX. With 702 hp and 650 lb-ft (881 Nm) of torque, it runs circles around the Raptor which is still only available with a twin-turbo EcoBoost V6 that only makes 450 hp and a more-than-decent 510 pound-feet lb-ft (691 Nm) of torque.The good news is that Ford announced a Raptor R version is on the horizon, and it will bring V8 power back to the nameplate. Many have speculated that the engine in question is the Predator, but no official details have been released.The sixth generation of the Explorer just received an off-road-oriented trim called Timberline. It adds some unique exterior upgrades, a rugged set of 265/65R-18 Bridgestone Dueler all-terrain tires, and a lifted suspension.Sadly, the only engine option is the turbocharged 2.3-liter that makes 300 hp and 310-lb-ft (420 Nm) of torque, which is decent but nothing spectacular.Even though it would require some extensive chassis modifications, a supercharged V8 would turn it into a beastly high-performance three-rowwith off-road chops. Moreover, it would probably make it much more desirable than a Durango SRT, so this idea is worth exploring (pun intended).Ford revived the Bronco brand to give the Jeep Wrangler some serious competition. Its an absolutely amazing design that many have instantly fallen in love with.The off-roader is extremely capable but is only offered with an ordinary 2.3-liter turbocharged inline-four or a 2.7-liter V6 that generates 330 hp and 415 lb-ft (563 Nm) of torque.While nobody can really complain about those figures, lets think about how monstrous it would become with more than twice the horsepower. The JL Wrangler got a 470-hp Hemi , albeit not supercharged, so why wouldnt the Bronco deserve a Predator?The revitalized brand also comes with a model thats more of an all-arounder. Its called Sport, but with two four-cylinder options that dont exceed 245 hp, theres nothing sporty about it.To live up to its name, it deserves more power, and as outrageous as it might be to suggest this, why not fit Fords most powerful engine inside it?Yes, its probably impossible without massive alterations to the chassis and bodywork, but you cant tell me that this crazy idea is not appealing. A true high-performance SUV is what the Ford lineup is missing, and a supercharged V8 Bronco Sport would take the brands popularity to another level.SUVs have taken over, and sedans are among its victims. Not long ago, the carmaker announced that its discontinuing this global model (sold as the Mondeo in Europe) with no plans for a successor.Still, since this whole article is meant to stimulate the minds of enthusiasts, lets imagine that Ford has a change of heart and decides to keep the model alive and give it a high-performance version.Cadillac has introduced the CT5-V Blackwing which comes with a 668-hp supercharged V8, so the idea of such a sedan isnt too outlandish. With the GT500s engine, a redesigned, upscale interior, and maybe even some Lincoln badges, it would prove to a strong contender for the Caddy and even for the BMW M5 Competition.While four of these models will never get the Predator, theres still hope for the F-150 Raptor. We will have to wait and see if it ultimately gets it, but even if not, were grateful this engine was conceived and graced one of the most incredible Mustangs ever built.Those who like the idea of fitting this unit in another Ford will be able to make it happen since the manufacturer announced that it would make it available as a crate engine soon EV A study conducted by local marketing research company OnePoll has revealed to the Blue Oval that in the United Kingdom, no less than 82% of countryside residents, 79% of small-town inhabitants, and 76% of village dwellers are not ready for the EV revolution as they would not feel confident purchasing a zero-emissions model as their next vehicle.Interestingly, this result came even as the researchers proposed a hypothetical scenario where the much-debated ban on gasoline and diesel powertrains would come into effect next week. Thats a huge image blow for any company looking to sell an, and for Ford, it might be even worse as the company just started first deliveries of the Mustang Mach-E in the UK.The lack of confidence may be triggered by not having enough information on EVs. Only 55% of people living in small towns, villages, and the countryside felt they had all the knowledge needed to make an informed decision on an EV purchase. That compares to 85% in urban areas and bigger towns, according to the Ford Go Electric consumer report.As such, the U.S. automaker decided to do something about it, and it chose the conveniently named Fordwich, Britain's smallest town, to try and change the perspective. Over the entire weekend (May 21st to May 23rd), all 380 residents have a chance to be among the first to give the Mustang Mach-E a go via the "Fordswitch" event, which is decribed as a unique three-day mass test drive around the Kent countryside.Better yet, the company also joined forces with British Gas to set up a public charging point in the little town (at the local gastropub, naturally) to make sure no one will feel any range anxiety. Meanwhile, the company promises the UK-spec Mustang Mach-E is capable of covering up to 379 miles (610 km) on a single charge, with prices kicking off at 41,330 ($58,638). One of the updates that helped with this was a busyness indicator for shops, bars, and restaurants, with Google Maps essentially showing how crowded a specific place was to help others always stay in the know and avoid busy times.Its the new world, and just like us, the search giant is trying to adapt with updates that make sense for everybody, no matter where they live. And now Google is ready to take the whole thing to a completely new level. The company is updating its busyness feature bundled with Google Maps to display information not only for stores and restaurants but for entire areas on the map.In other words, Google Maps will be able to show you how crowded a specific region on the map is at any given point, therefore helping you decide its safe to go there or not.Called Area Busyness, the new feature will be enabled by default on Google Maps, with small indicators like Busier than usual and As busy as it gets to show up right on the map alongside the other indicators you typically find within the app.Google Maps will also use an outline to mark the location youre getting the information for, therefore making it a little bit easier for pedestrians to avoid these areas.Needless to say, this update will launch on both iPhone and Android, though Google says the whole thing will become available in the coming months, with no specific ETA currently available. However, the rollout will probably take place gradually, starting with the United States. AMG Over the company's three-decade history, these daring Germans earned themselves quite a reputation thanks to their infamous undertakings, many of which weve featured in the past.Take, for instance, their bonkers Ferrari 812 GTS-based conversion (dubbed Stallone) or the menacing Mercedes-G 63 Gronos, a chunky behemoth with no less than 838 feral ponies on tap. As you inspect these insane machines, its not hard to see why Mansorys creations arent everyones cup of tea. Dont get me wrong, though; criticizing Bavarias notorious aftermarket artists isnt something youll see me do.I mean, we certainly appreciate a good bit of unconventional thinking here and there, so Mansorys outside-the-box approach is more than welcome in the automotive realm. To demonstrate why were so fond of their work, lets dive in for a quick analysis of the crews take on the glorious Ferrari F8 Tributo, a.k.a. the F8XX .Under its hood, Maranellos stock coupe carries a 3.9-liter twin-turbocharged V8 mill thats good for up to 710 fiendish stallions at 8,000 rpm and 568 pound-feet (770 Nm) of brutal torque at about 3,250 spins per minute. A seven-speed automatic transmission is tasked with distributing this wicked force to the rear wheels.Ultimately, this state of affairs enables The Prancing Horses predator to accelerate from zero to 62 mph (0-100 kph) in just 2.9 hair-raising seconds. Furthermore, the F8 Tributo prides itself with a staggering top speed of 211 mph (340 kph). Long story short, I think its quite safe to say that few owners would feel the need for more performance from Ferrari s mechanical wonder.Well, Mansory targets the other ones who always want more. Well begin our examination of Mansorys F8XX in the powertrain department, where Germanys auto gurus worked their magic to extract a significant dose of additional oomph. By massaging the twin-turbo V8, the team managed to unlock an astonishing 868 hp and 708 pound-feet (960 Nm) of crushing twist at optimal revs, truly mind-boggling numbers.This astronomical power bump allows the coupe to reach 62 mph (100 kph) from a dead stop in a mere 2.6 seconds, while its top speed experiences a modest increase to 220 mph (354 kph). The whole shebang is accomplished by remapping the engines control unit and equipping a higher-spec exhaust system.Sure enough, the performance upgrades are appropriately complemented by a breathtaking body kit developed using forged carbon fiber. At the front, the attire consists of an aerodynamic splitter lip and a muscular bumper with carbon inserts, as well as a new trunk lid that keeps things looking seriously rad. The rear end is adorned with an ominous diffuser and a pair of L-shaped wings, which take pride of place atop the hood.On the flanks, you will find fresh side skirts and carbon-clad mirror housings, along with a tasty selection of aftermarket accessories to round it all out. The warrior rides on a set of YT.5 forged hoops from the firms own range, while its front and rear suspension setups received sport springs for good measure. Finally, the entire structure was enveloped in a groovy color scheme Mansory calls Catania Green. On May 16, the Kenosha County Sheriffs Office was alerted that a man in a black Tesla was apparently asleep at the wheel on the interstate; a deputy patrol car was immediately dispatched. The patrol pulled up next to the Tesla, and the deputy inside noticed that the man at the wheel had his eyes lowered and his head turned, giving the distinct impression that he was not paying attention to the road.With lights and sirens blazing, the patrol car pursued the 2019 Tesla for two miles (3.2 km) before the driver noticed and pulled over. He got out of the car and, while confronted right away by the deputy for sleeping at the wheel, he denied it. He did say, however, that he was a little bit tired.No, you were sleeping, sir. I was on the side of you, the deputy told him, as shown in the bodycam footage released. I was looking at you and you were doing this. Your eyes were closed. So I know, I understand you have autopilot, but if something was to happen, youre not able to make that conscious decision to stop in a hurry.The man told the deputy that he worked as a UPS driver and drove from Illinois across state lines to work regularly. He hadnt been drinking or taking drugs, but he wasnt sleeping either, he insisted. He was cited for inattentive driving and, after the talking to from the deputy, he was let go.As it turns out, the man is a third-time offender, CNN reports. Hes also been pulled over for the exact thingsleeping while the Tesla drove itself on Autopilotin February this year and in August 2020. That speaks to a worrisome pattern of Autopilot abuse , one which current Tesla safeguards arent enough to curb. Soon after, the girls parents pulled over to check on their daughters and noticed the toddler was shot. They drove to Mount Sinai Hospital, and the girl was transferred to Stroger Hospital and then to Comer Childrens Hospital, where she underwent two hours of surgery to remove a bullet from her right kneecap, Murphy said. The recent Joint Light Helicopter (helicoptere interarmees leger HIL) program has the ambitious goal of replacing the 5 helicopter fleets that are currently in service in the French Army, French Navy and French Air Force, with a total of 169 all-new helicopters. Developed by Airbus, the H160M Guepard is designed to become the new model that will replace the previous ones, in all the 3 military branches. But, since deliveries wont begin sooner than 2026, a temporary solution was needed for urgent missions.This is how the H160 helicopters came into the picture. The model was already part of the Airbus H range, but only as a commercial version. At the beginning of 2020, it was decided that an interim fleet of H160s will allow the French Navy to continue its Search and Rescue (SAR) missions, as the Alouette III was retiring from service and the Guepard was still pending. The French Armament General Directorate (DGA) awarded a contract for 4 H160s, to Airbus Helicopters, Babcock, and Safran Helicopter Engines.In addition to that, Airbus Helicopters recently announced that it was awarded a second contract for 2 more H160s for the French Navy. These 6 new helicopters will begin operating next year, from Lanveoc-Poulmic naval air station in Britany, Cherbourg airport in Normandy and Hyeres naval air station in Provence. They will take some of the load off combat helicopters NH90 and Panther, who are currently used for SAR missions as well.This medium twin engine aircraft, powered by Arrano engines, was built with a modular design, so that is could be easily adapted for various services, from business aviation to offshore transportation. The 6 H160s that are meant for the Navy will be modified by Babcock into a light military configuration, also including the latest Safran electro-optical system, Euroflir 410.With optimized situational awareness, pilot assistance and visibility (they will also be certified for the use of night vision goggles), the H160 looks like an excellent interim choice until the Guepards arrival. The 2021 Drive for Design contest tasked students from across America to create an electrified Jeep vehicle of the future within a (rather short) 10-week timeframe. Take into account the fact that all three of the cool designs presented in the gallery above arent creations of Stellantiss own design team (which has professionals hired on hefty payrolls), but stem from the young minds of high schoolers.As such, we could say that after nine years, the competition has managed to achieve its goal of both educating and encouraging students to pursue their design ideas and perhaps even a full career in the field of automotive design. And, frankly, they easily stand tall next to some of the virtual designs we have seen from official members of the companys design team, as well as the best pixel masters dwelling on social media.According to the company, Vincent Piaskowski, a 12th-grade senior student from Michigan, took the win for the 2021 edition. For those following the contest, that's not very surprising as hes a returning entry that has improved his performance each and every time. As such, he placed third in the 2019 competition and came up second for the 2020 edition.Now he took the victory laurels with his neat Jeep Grand Teton design, ahead of Rocco Morales (10th grade, Michigan) with the Crazy Horse, and Alex Wang (12th grade, California), who penned the equally interesting Jeep Adversary.The prize purse includes, among others, some one-on-one mentoring time with leading designers at the Stellantis Design Studios, as well as a College for Creative Studies virtual summer design program scholarship. The killing of George Floyd didn't just lead to the massive Black Lives Matter protests in the U.S. It inspired demonstrations against the ravages of racism and police brutality in other countries, too. The big picture: The movement raised people's awareness of the problems, but hit roadblocks when it came to structural change. France Protesters at Paris' Place de la Republique in June 2020. Photo: Samuel Boivin/NurPhoto via Getty Images France's Black Lives Matter protests were propelled both by the events in the U.S. and by prominent cases at home such as those of Adama Traore and Cedric Chouviat that increased scrutiny of police tactics. The big picture: The demonstrations put pressure on politicians to take action, but what resulted was "a few official statements" and ultimately "no serious change," said Anne-Sophie Simpere, an advocacy officer for Amnesty International France. The government set up a platform to record discriminatory police stops and a free hotline, but these improvements are undermined by the fact that the authorities continue to deny that discriminatory checks exist, Simpere noted. Of note: France's powerful police unions have resisted changes. In June 2020, the government announced it would ban chokeholds as a police tactic, but protests by police prompted the decision to be reversed quickly. A new security bill that bans filming the police spurred months of protests last winter, but was nevertheless approved by lawmakers in April. The bottom line: The protests helped raise awareness and brought out a larger coalition of demonstrators than usual, but Simpere concluded that "racism is still a topic our country doesnt want to face." Australia Protesters in June 2020 in Perth, Australia. Photo: Paul Kane/Getty Images Black Lives Matter protests across Australia highlighted the targeting of Aboriginal Australians by the country's police. The state of play: Aboriginal Australians experience racism "in the most pronounced way," according to Tim Soutphommasane, a professor at the University of Sydney and Australia's former Race Discrimination Commissioner. More than 29% of prisoners in Australia are Aboriginal, despite the fact that they comprise only about 3% of the total population. "There has also been a long history of Aboriginal people dying in disproportionate numbers while in custody," Soutphommasane noted. The big picture: Australia's government has had a "skeptical" response towards the anti-racism protests, Soutphommasane said. Prime Minister Scott Morrison charged that the protests had a left-wing agenda and even denied the history of slavery in Australia (a comment he later walked back). What he's saying: "Has it changed Australian society, or prompted a stronger stance against racism from our institutions? One year on, it hasnt," Soutphommasane said. "[T]here remain significant parts of Australian society that regard it a greater offense to call someone racist than to perpetrate racism." What's next: In April, Australia's Labor Party proposed a plan to try to reduce incarceration rates of Aboriginal people if it wins next year's elections. England Protesters march through London towards Parliament Square in support of the Black Lives Matter movement Protesters march through London towards Parliament Square, July 2020. Photo: Justin Tallis/AFP via Getty Images Following mass demonstrations across the U.K. in June 2020, Prime Minister Boris Johnson vowed to create a commission to study all "aspects of inequality," per the BBC. What came next: The resulting report was published in March and slammed by activists for downplaying the role of systemic racism in the country. "Put simply we no longer see a Britain where the system is deliberately rigged against ethnic minorities," the report stated. The big picture: "The Black Lives Matter protests in Britain in 2020 have very little impact on changing policing practice," said Kevin Blowe, a campaigns coordinator at the Network for Police Monitoring. Figures high up in the police force have rejected charges of institutional racism and criticized the sharing of videos showing police abusing their powers, Blowe said. He added that the reasons behind the protests, including disproportionate stops by police and the targeting of Black communities for coronavirus fines, have been "brushed aside by the police." The bottom line: "That isn't to say that the protests failed to achieve anything last year. They have unquestionably forced the spotlight back on racist policing in Britain," Blowe said. But he cautioned that the "gulf" between police and activists "is as wide today as it has ever been." Mexico Protesters gather at the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. Photo: Mariana Bae/Eyepix Group/Barcroft Media via Getty Images Black Lives Matter protests in Mexico were inspired by the movement in the U.S., but were also fueled by police brutality cases at home. Driving the news: Giovanni Lopez died while in police custody in Jalisco state in May, and police killed Victoria Esperanza Salazar, a refugee from El Salvador, in March. The big picture: While the officers believed to be involved in these cases were arrested, Mexico hasn't seen structural changes to policing in the last year and the government has been dismissive of police brutality concerns, Erika Guevara-Rosas, Americas director at Amnesty International, told Axios. Instead, Mexico continues to deploy its military violently against migrants and asylum seekers many of whom are Indigenous or Black, she added. The bottom line: "Mexican society may be more conscious today about racism and police violence, but sadly we have not seen any transformative action from the authorities to put an end to racism, classism, xenophobia or police brutality," Guevara-Rosas said. Go deeper: The European Parliament voted overwhelmingly to freeze efforts to ratify a landmark investment deal with China until Beijing lifts sanctions imposed in retaliation for the EU's condemnation of China's human rights abuses. Why it matters: It's a major blow to the relationship at a decisive moment, as tensions between Washington and Beijing have left Europe caught between the trans-Atlantic alliance and the economic temptations of greater access to the Chinese market. Background: EU leaders and China finalized the long-delayed Comprehensive Agreement on Investment in December, appearing to defy resistance from the European Parliament and a request for consultations from the incoming Biden administration. The deal would open up both markets to investment and commit Beijing to ending certain trading practices, thus strengthening economic ties between the EU and its second-largest trading partner. The finalized agreement came at a time of increasing international scrutiny of China's abuses against Uyghur Muslims, including the use of forced labor. The European Commission insisted to skeptical EU lawmakers that it would "remain uncompromising as to using all tools possible to eradicate any form of forced labour," and that the investment deal would play an important role in that effort. Everything changed in March, when the EU joined the U.S., U.K. and Canada in imposing sanctions against several Chinese officials involved in the mass detention of Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in the northwest region of Xinjiang. China responded furiously, sanctioning 27 EU ambassadors, several think tanks and scholars, and prominent members of the European Parliament who had been critical of Beijing, accusing them of spreading "lies and disinformation" and meddling in China's domestic affairs. For members of the EU Parliament, which had yet to ratify the agreement, the sanctions were a deal-breaker. It seems unthinkable that our Parliament would even entertain the idea of ratifying an agreement while its members and one of its committees are under sanctions, member of Parliament Marie-Pierre Vedrenne said at the time, according to Politico. Between the lines: Despite the uproar in the European Parliament, German Chancellor Angela Merkel hailed the investment deal as a "cornerstone" of economic ties between China and the EU as recently as late April. The bottom line, via Axios China expert Bethany Allen-Ebrahimian: The Chinese government has bungled its relationship with the EU, just as it seemed that Beijing had successfully driven a wedge between a Trump-weary Europe and the Biden administration. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison announced on Friday that his office will lead the prosecution of former Brooklyn Center Officer Kim Potter, who was charged with second-degree manslaughter in the fatal shooting of Daunte Wright. Why it matters: Ellison's office led the case against former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who was found guilty of murder and manslaughter in the death of George Floyd a rare conviction of a police officer. Context: During a traffic stop in April, Potter appeared to have inadvertently pulled out her gun and discharged it instead of a Taser when Wright tried to get back into his car during the encounter with officers, police said. After firing her weapon, Potter can be heard on body camera video released by police saying, "Holy s**t, I just shot him." Wright's death sparked protests and unrest across the Twin Cities as the Chauvin trial was underway. What they're saying: "I did not seek this prosecution and do not accept it lightly," Ellison said in a statement Friday. "Daunte Wrights death was a tragedy. He should not have died on the day that he did. He should not have died the way that he did," he added. "His parents, brothers, sisters, and friends must now live the rest of their lives without him. His son, only two years old, will grow up without his father." "The community of Brooklyn Center and people across Minnesota also continue to grieve Dauntes death. I join them in that grieving. His death is a loss to all of us." The big picture: Ellison said he took the case at the request of Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman, who accepted it from Washington County Attorney Pete Orput. Orput had charged Potter with second-degree manslaughter. He faced intense pressure from activists demanding more serious charges, according to AP. "I have had, and continue to have, confidence in how both County Attorney Orput and County Attorney Freeman have handled this case to date," Ellison said. "I thank County Attorney Orput for the solid work he and his office have done, and I thank County Attorney Freeman once again for his confidence in my office." Go deeper: Derek Chauvin, 3 former officers indicted on federal civil rights charges Among the topics that Secretary of State Tony Blinken raised with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov in their first meeting on Wednesday was the crackdown on the U.S. government-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Why it matters: RFE/RL, which is editorially independent, has the largest audience in Russia of any international media organization across its several platforms, according to the U.S. Agency for Global Media. But its continued operations in Russia are in doubt. To comply with restrictions imposed last fall, RFE/RL would have had to place warnings on every piece of content it produces 15-second trailers before videos, for example identifying itself as a foreign agent. That's a more onerous version of the labeling required in the U.S. for Russia's RT and Sputnik propaganda outlets. Believing it would not be able to effectively reach its audience under those conditions, "we decided to defy the law and to not label, which is how we ended up in this situation today," RFE/RL president Jamie Fly tells Axios. "We now have roughly $2.3 million in fines assessed against us for content that was not labeled, and last Friday we had bailiffs visiting our bureau and our bank accounts being frozen several hours later," Fly says. RFE/RL has appealed in the Russian courts and at the European Court of Human Rights, but "we understand that we may be in a situation where we are not able to convince the Russian authorities to change course," Fly says. Under the law, Russian authorities could raid the Moscow bureau and seize equipment, or even could pursue criminal charges against RFE/RL's corporate officers. The bottom line: If enforced, the law "would diminish the firsthand reporting that's possible from inside Russia, which is disturbing not only to us ... but comes at a time when there are many other Russian independent media outlets under attack," Fly says. Mikael Minasian, a former Armenian ambassador to the Vatican, publicized on Wednesday what he described as a copy of the first page of a draft joint statement by Pashinian and the presidents of Azerbaijan and Russia. The opening paragraph of the hitherto unknown document calls for the creation of an Armenian-Azerbaijani commission on border delimitation and demarcation. The rest of the page posted by Minasian on Facebook is blacked out. Minasian claimed that if implemented the agreement and a secret protocol attached to it will have disastrous consequences for Armenia. In particular, he said, it could lead to a handover of major chunks of Armenian territory to Azerbaijan. Minasian also said Pashinian has made the signing of the deal conditional on the withdrawal of Azerbaijani forces from Armenian border areas occupied by them last week. Pashinian essentially confirmed the existence of such a document when he spoke at a weekly cabinet meeting in Yerevan. The solutions, preliminary agreements that have been reached with our international partners correspond to Armenias national interests by 100 percent And yes, if Azerbaijan implements those understandings on the conditions that weve discussed, I will sign that paper, he said. Without mentioning Minasian by name Pashinian accused critics of distorting the essence of the draft deal. This is why the publicized segment of the leaked document was mostly blacked out, he said, branding his detractors agents of Azerbaijans information warfare. Minasian, who is also a son-in-law of former President Serzh Sarkisian, responded by challenging Pashinian to make all provisions of the deal public. The prime minister said he will not do that because the document in question is just a working paper that may still be amended. Still, the draft statement was leaked to the Armlur.am news website and fully published by it later in the day. It says that the commission on the delimitation and demarcation of the Armenian-Azerbaijani frontier shall be formed by May 31 and hold its first meeting by June 30. It makes no references to any Armenian territorial concessions. Pashinian confirmed the veracity of the document when he spoke at an emergency session of the Armenian parliament on Thursday evening. I want to assure you that there is and there can be no secret appendices to it, he told lawmakers. Pashinian confirmed that Yerevan will agree to the creation of the demarcation commission only if Baku withdraws its forces from the Armenian side of the border. Our position remains that Azerbaijani troops must leave Armenian territory without preconditions, he said. The parliament debate was initiated by the two opposition parties represented in the outgoing National Assembly. Their leaders described Pashinians confirmation of the proposed border deal as a worrying development for Armenias national security. Once again a document has been drafted behind the Armenian peoples back, and neither the parliament deputies nor, I think, most government members know anything about its content, Edmon Marukian, the leader of the Bright Armenia Party, told reporters before the debate. Andranik Kocharian, the pro-government chairman of the parliament committee on defense and security, acknowledged that he was not aware of the existence of the drat Armenian-Azerbaijani-Russian statement up until Pashinians announcement. Armenias human rights ombudsman, Arman Tatoyan, also voiced serious concern over the revelation. He said the government must shed more light on the document partially published on the Internet yesterday and confirmed at todays government session. Russia proposed the creation of the commission on the delimitation and demarcation of the Armenian-Azerbaijani frontier earlier this week. The proposal came amid a continuing military standoff at several sections of the border where the Azerbaijani forces reportedly advanced several kilometres into Armenian territory on May 12-13. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Wednesday that Moscow is ready to participate in the commissions activities as a consultant or mediator. Armenian officials said Azerbaijani troop withdrawal is a necessary condition for the creation of such a body. In a resolution adopted on Wednesday, the European Unions legislative body also renewed its calls for Turkey to recognize the 1915 Armenian genocide in the Ottoman Empire. It said Ankara must also end anti-Armenian propaganda and hate speech and protect Turkeys Armenian cultural heritage. The extensive resolution is highly critical of the Turkish governments human rights record and foreign policy, saying that they have brought the EUs relations with Turkey to a historical low point. It says that the EU should formally suspend accession talks with Ankara unless the latter reverses a continuous and growing distancing from EU values and standards. The European Parliament said that instead of backing international peace efforts President Recep Tayyip Erdogans administration chose to unconditionally sustain and support the military actions of Azerbaijan in the recent conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh by resorting to provocative rhetoric. It condemned the transfer of foreign fighters from Syria and elsewhere to Nagorno-Karabakh, as confirmed by the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair countries. Ankara should avoid actions and statements that could further exacerbate tensions in the south Caucasus region, it said. EU lawmakers already deplored Turkeys destabilizing role in the Karabakh conflict and called for an end to Turkish military aid to Azerbaijan in two other resolutions passed in January. The Turkish Foreign Ministry denounced the latest resolution as biased later on Wednesday. In particular, it criticized the European Parliament for supporting the one-sided and inconsistent Armenian narratives regarding the 1915 events. The Special Investigative Service (SIS) formally indicted Gevorgian on Tuesday one day after it was announced that he will manage the parliamentary election campaign of a newly established opposition alliance led by Kocharian. The SIS claimed that Gevorgian abused his powers to legalize about 5 billion drams ($9.6 milion) in revenues obtained in a criminal way when he held various government positions from 2004-2018. It said that he also pressured local government officials to let individuals linked to him buy communal land at knockdown prices. Gevorgian rejected the accusations as politically motivated after visiting the SIS headquarters in Yerevan. He said they are aimed at hampering his political activities in the run-up to the snap parliamentary elections slated for June 20. I refused to cooperate with the SIS, he told reporters. Life has shown that this agency only executes political orders and fabricates politically motivated cases. I have not familiarized and will not familiarize myself with the accusations. I dont care about that pile of papers. One of Gevorgians lawyers, Erik Aleksanian, also dismissed the accusations, saying that the investigators have not specified any criminal activity that led to the alleged money laundering. He suggested that they would have indicted his client earlier had they had any incriminating evidence. The SIS opened the criminal case one year ago. Gevorgian is already standing trial, together with Kocharian, on bribery charges strongly denied by both men. Gevorgian, 47, was a senior aide to Kocharian during the former presidents decade-long rule. He worked as chief of the presidential staff from 2006-2008 and became Armenias deputy prime minister after Kocharian handed over power to Serzh Sarkisian in April 2008. At that time I tried to administer a stunning blow, but he ducked to the he flopped to the bed, Gause told COPA, according to the Police Board. So, I never made contact with him when I tried to give him a stunning blow in order for us to be able to remove a handcuff without us getting without, I believe me getting without us getting attacked again. In a resolution overwhelmingly passed on Thursday, the European Unions legislative body also expressed serious concern over credible reports that they have been tortured and held in degrading conditions. It said at least two Armenian civilians have died in Azerbaijani captivity as a result. The resolution calls on both Azerbaijan and Armenia to fully comply with the November 2020 truce agreement that requires the unconditional release of all prisoners held by the conflicting sides. The Russian peacekeepers stationed in Karabakh have arranged several prisoner swaps in recent months. No Azerbaijani prisoners are known to be held in Armenia or Karabakh at present. A total of 73 Armenian prisoners of war (POWs) and civilians have been freed to date. More than 100 others are believed to remain in Azerbaijani captivity. Azerbaijan says that they are not covered by the truce agreement because they were captured after it took effect on November 10. Azerbaijani officials have branded them as terrorists and said Baku does not intend to release them. Yerevan regards this as a gross violation of the accord brokered by Russian President Vladimir Putin. The EU called for the release of the remaining Armenian prisoners in a statement released in late April. It also said Baku must also provide the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) with information about their whereabouts and detention and health conditions The European Parliament resolution notes that the Azerbaijani authorities have failed to comply with relevant interim measures issued by the Strasbourg-based court with regard to at least 112 Armenians. It urges them to cooperate fully with the ECHR on the issue of Armenian prisoners. Pashinian admitted on Thursday Moscow drafted earlier this week an agreement on the creation of an Armenian-Azerbaijani intergovernmental commission tasked with delimiting and demarcating the border. But he flatly denied the existence of any secret protocols to the agreement that would commit Yerevan to making major territorial concessions to Baku. Opposition leaders and other critics of the Armenian government remained unconvinced by these assurances, renewing their demands for Pashinians immediate resignation. Ruben Rubinian, the chairman of the Armenian parliament committee on foreign relations, also dismissed allegations about secret border deals with Baku. I want to make it clear to you that there is no agreement, including an oral one, on the return or exchange of villages or surrender of territory, he told reporters. Such an issue has not been a subject of discussions. Rubinian also stressed that Yerevan will continue to make the signing of the Russian-drafted agreement conditional on the withdrawal of Azerbaijani forces from Armenian border areas occupied by them last week. Russia proposed the creation of the commission on the borer delimitation and demarcation as part of its efforts to end a continuing Armenian-Azerbaijani military standoff caused by the Azerbaijani troop movements at several sections of the frontier. In remarks that seemed primarily addressed to Armenian factions, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Friday urged all stakeholders to ignore unconfirmed reports about the border crisis and possible solutions to it. This issue is so sensitive and efforts to resolve this situation are so serious that one must react to such frivolous reports in a very restrained manner and to follow only official sources, Peskov said, according to Russian news agencies. Yerevan maintains that Azerbaijani forces advanced several kilometres into Armenias Syunik and Gegharkunik provinces on May 12-13. The Armenian military sent reinforcements there in a bid to stop and reverse those advances. No gunfights or skirmishes between the two sides have been reported so far. The Azerbaijani side has denied crossing into Armenian territory, saying that its troops simply took up new positions on the Azerbaijani side of the border. Pashinian said on Thursday that between 500 and 600 Azerbaijani soldiers remain stationed within Armenias internationally recognized borders. The Armenian Defense Ministry reported the following day that the situation there remains largely unchanged but stable. The epicenter of the standoff is a mountainous area about 10 kilometers north of the Syunik town of Goris. According to Syunik Governor Melikset Poghosian, three dozen Azerbaijani soldiers advanced on Thursday towards the Armenian village of Khoznavar located just east of that area. Khoznavar residents confirmed the information. They said children and elderly persons living in the village were evacuated for security reasons. Local shepherds said they were the first to notice the Azerbaijani servicemen while grazing cattle on nearby hills. We approached them, thinking that they are our guys, one of them told RFE/RLs Armenian Service. We then saw that they are not wearing [Armenian] uniforms and not saying anything. One them signaled me to go away. The locals said that Khoznavar, which has about 400 inhabitants and is heavily dependent on animal husbandry, now risks losing most of its pastures. Armenias Investigative Committee said on Friday that the Azerbaijani troops were forced to retreat from those pastures late on Thursday after brawling with Armenian soldiers guarding Khoznavar. Eleven Armenians were injured in that clash, the law-enforcement agency said, adding that it occurred on the Armenian side of the local border section. Azerbaijani authorities did not report violent incidents or comment on troop movements in that area as of Friday evening. The gas price is currently significantly lower for consumers in Russia than other ex-Soviet states making up the Russian-led trade bloc. Two of them, Armenia and Belarus, have said that this puts their manufactures reliant on gas in a disadvantaged position vis-a-vis their Russian competitors. Over the past year they have pressed Moscow to agree to uniform EEU energy tariffs. Russian President Vladimir Putin publicly opposed that in May 2020, implying that Yerevan and Minsk should agree first to deeper economic integration with Moscow which would result in a single budget and system of taxation for all EEU member states. Pashinian insisted on the idea when he spoke at a virtual EEU summit attended by Putin. We attach great importance to the formation of the unions common gas market, he said. He added that Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan should also agree on nondiscriminatory transit fees for gas imported by them from third countries. Pashinian noted that the creation of a full-fledged common market for goods and services is hampered not only by differences among the EEU member states but also some objective difficulties. We continue to look for constructive solutions, he said. PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5) - Gov. Doug Ducey and Republican leaders at the state Capitol are pushing a $1.5 billion tax cut they said will benefit all Arizona taxpayers. But it won't benefit everyone equally. Less than 10% of the cuts will go the bottom 80% of Arizona taxpayers, according to an analysis conducted by the Arizona Center for Economic Progress. The same study also shows 91% of the cuts will go to the wealthiest 20% of Arizona taxpayers, or those making more than $108,000 a year. A 2.5% flat tax rate is the basis of the proposed tax reduction that, if passed, will essentially become permanent. While lawmakers can slash taxes with a simple majority vote in the House and Senate, it takes a two-thirds majority in both chambers to hike taxes because of a voter-approved initiative that passed in 1992. Arizona GOP budget deal envisions massive income tax cut The agreement would cap the maximum any taxpayer will owe with a new voter-approved tax surcharge for education at 4.5% Despite the year-long pandemic, the state currently has a record surplus of cash because of an infusion of federal money that helped backfill state budgets. David Lujan, the president and CEO of Children's Action Alliance, said the governor and state leaders are missing the opportunity to help people still struggling to rebound from the public health crisis. "We should be taking this opportunity to invest in our public schools, to expand health coverage for low-income children, to make housing more affordable, things people are needing now as they struggle to come out of this pandemic," Lujan said. However, Rep. Ben Toma, who is leading the fight for the flat tax, said now is the time to make the cuts. The Republican from District 22 said a lower tax rate will help position Arizona for the future by attracting companies who are leaving states with higher tax rates. "We don't want them to fly over. We want them to seriously consider Arizona," he said. PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5) -- Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs sent a letter to the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors on Thursday expressing concerns over subpoenaed election equipment that was turned over to the Senate and their election auditors. In her letter, Hobbs says she has concerns about what may have been done to the machines that Maricopa County turned over to Senate President Karen Fann, Senator Warren Petersen, and the Cyber Ninjas, the private contractor hired to conduct the audit on behalf of the Senate. "I have grave concerns regarding the security and integrity of these machines, given that the chain of custody, a critical security tenet, has been compromised and election officials do not know what was done to the machines while under Cyber Ninjas' control," Hobbs said. Hobbs says the loss of custody could jeopardize the confidentiality, integrity, or availability of digital information and information systems. The Secretary of State's office consulted with election technology and security experts, including the Department of Homeland Security's Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. Hobbs' office was advised that once election officials lose custody and control over voting systems and components, those devices should not be reused in future elections. Cyber Ninjas is currently in the process of returning election equipment to Maricopa County. "Unfortunately, after a loss of physical custody and control, no comprehensive methods exist to fully rehabilitate the compromised equipment or provide adequate assurance that they remain safe to use," Hobbs explained. "While the machines could be put through an intensive and costly forensic examination by an accredited, national forensics laboratory, even after such forensic examination, machines are generally not recommissioned given that the forensic analysis cannot be guaranteed to locate all potential problems." Sec. Hobbs says considering the potential impact, her office is recommending decertification of the subpoenaed equipment. She claims given the circumstances and ongoing concerns regarding the handling and security of the equipment, she believes County officials can agree "this is the only path forward to ensure secure and accurate elections in Maricopa County in the future." This only refers to subpoenaed election equipment that the county turned over to the Senate and its contractors, not the Dominion voting system, which remains certified for use in Arizona. Hobbs says if the county intends to re-deploy the subpoenaed equipment for future use, her office may need to consider decertification proceedings. Three other rank-and-file cops were also accused by COPA of making inappropriate comments to at least one passerby at the scene, with one of those officers saying words to the effect of, He aint dead. Get the f--- out of here and mind your business. And one of the other three was also accused of deactivating her body camera prematurely. COPA sought a 15-day suspension for one of those three officers and 30-day suspensions for the other two. Brown, meanwhile, only wanted two of those officers to get a reprimand and the third one to get a five-day suspension. Rep. David Valadao ranked immigration and water as his top two legislative priorities during a brief online chat Monday in which he emphasized Email Dan Walters of CALmatters at dan@calmatters.org. CALmatters is a nonpartisan, nonprofit journalism venture committed to explaining Californias policies and politics. For more columns by Walters, go to calmatters.org/commentary. Bluefield, WV (24701) Today Thunderstorms. High around 75F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Localized flooding is possible.. Tonight Showers and thundershowers this evening giving way to periods of light rain late. Low 64F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 70%. Oregon Coast Names Part I: South to Central Coast History Published 05/20/21 at 2:05 AM PDT By Oregon Coast Beach Connection staff (Newport, Oregon) Discovering Oregon coast history also means finding out whats behind some of those names of the various beach towns and beaches. Its a bit of time-traveling with quite the heady lessons on occasion, showing off just what the heck some of them were thinking when your fave beach town was named, whose land they stole for them, and sometimes the wacky monikers these locales had before they got their official handle. (Above: Bandon at low tide, courtesy Manuela Durson - see Manuela Durson Fine Arts for more) - This little sojourn through history is more of a sampling, really, but its big enough it needs two parts. Part two: Oregon Coast Names Part 2: Central and North Coast History. How Gold Beach Got Its Name. Way back in the 1850s, as prospectors discovered gold on this part of the south coast, the little settlement was originally called Ellensburg. There is still a major thoroughfare by the name. In 1890, residents and the postmaster changed the name to Gold Beach to avoid confusion with the town in Washington by the name of Ellensburg. That declaration didnt completely become official until 1891 when the legislature made it so. (Courtesy Curry Historical Society) Courtesy Oregon State Archives How Bandon, Oregon Got Its Name. The big attraction town of the south Oregon coast started out with the name Averill, sometime just after 1853 when Europeans first inserted themselves into the landscape. 20 years later, an Irishman named George Bennett and his family arrived from Bandon, Cork in Ireland. In 1874, with Bennetts influence, the town became Bandon. Both Bandons, on both sides of the Atlantic, acknowledge each others influence by Bennett to this day. Photo courtesy Oregon's Adventure Coast: Charleston, Coos Bay, North Bend How Coos Bay Got Its Name. Coos Bay is actually a few different areas that became one, including the little towns of Marshfield and Empire City. Both were created about the 1850s, but Marshfield was incorporated in 1874. The latter was named after a Massachusetts town, the original home of the south Oregon coast towns founder, J.C. Tolman. The bay had already gone by the name Coos, derived from the language of the original peoples here, meaning place of pines and lake. In 1944, Marshfield changed its name to Coos Bay. In 1961, Empire and Eastside joined Coos Bay, but North Bend did not vote yes so it stayed a separate community. (Courtesy Coos History Museum, Coos Bay). How Yachats, Oregon Got Its Name. Slowly settled in the mid-19th century, originally it was called Oceanview. By 1917, it was decided that name was too common among coastal cities and it was renamed Yachats. (Courtesy newspaper reports) Photo courtesy North Lincoln History Museum, Lincoln City Depoe Bay. Depoe Bay and Otter Rock more or less only started around 1927 when Highway 101 was first built in the area. Otter Rock actually went under different names on and off when it was first settled around 1890, sometimes interchanged with The Punchbowl or Devils Punchbowl. For a time in the mid 20th, the punchbowl was referred to as Satans Cauldron, but that seems it was a brief marketing gimmick. It was Charles DePoe who gave the little town its name: he was a local tribal member known for his skills in maintaining the local depot, nicknamed Depot Charlie for awhile. Exactly when and where his name was officially changed to Depoe is still debated. However, Depoe Bay itself stayed outside the system for decades, finally incorporating in 1973 the year King Crimson and Yes put out some of their best material, and about when punk rock was first invented. Nye Beach in the '50s or so How Newport, Oregon Got Its Name. The name of the tribe here was the Yacona, going back at least 3,000 years (although some archaeologists discovered remnants of local tribes here more than 5,000 years ago). Originally known as Yaquina Bay back in 1866, Newport was formed out of that town in 1882 by former soldier Sam Case. Nye Beach was a separate town for a long time, formed about the 1860s when John Nye claimed and developed it. See Oregon Coast Names Part 2: Central and North Coast History Oregon Coast Hotels for this - South Coast Hotels - Where to eat - Maps - Virtual Tours MORE PHOTOS BELOW Newport, courtesy Lincoln County History Museum, Newport More About Oregon Coast hotels, lodging..... More About Oregon Coast Restaurants, Dining..... Coastal Spotlight LATEST Related Oregon Coast Articles Back to Oregon Coast Contact Advertise on BeachConnection.net All Content, unless otherwise attributed, copyright BeachConnection.net Unauthorized use or publication is not permitted KATHMANDU, Nepal A repatriation flight is rescuing dozens of Spanish nationals who have been stranded in Nepal since a lockdown was imposed in the Himalayan nation to curb the spiking COVID-19 cases. The charted flight arranged by the Spanish government was taking back 96 Spanish mountaineers, trekkers and tourists who arrived in Nepal to climb the mountain peaks or hike the trails before the country went on lockdown on April 29. The plane arrived in Nepal on Thursday bringing in health aid materials given by the Spanish government. The shipment included respirators, 10 concentrators, face masks and antigen test kits. Nepal has been recording its highest daily new cases and daily deaths this month, while struggling with shortages of hospital beds, medication and oxygen. The country so far has recorded 488,645 COVID-19 confirmed cases while 5,847 people have died. - THE VIRUS OUTBREAK: Big gaps in US vaccine rates among Northeast, Southern states European Union signs Pfizer vaccine contract for 1.8 billion doses When to wear a mask depends mostly on whether or not vaccinated Teen baker sweetens lives making desserts for those in need Follow more of APs pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic and https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-vaccine ___ HERE'S WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING: CARSON CITY, Nev. -- Two Republican lawmakers in the Nevada statehouse were punished on Thursday for not complying with restrictions in place to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Assemblywomen Annie Black and Jill Dickman went mask-less on the Assembly floor but refused to make known whether or not they had received vaccines. Dickman was escorted out of the Assembly floor after staff told her that she would have to prove that she had been vaccinated. She refused. In a party-line vote, Black was stripped of her right to vote on measures and address the chamber until she apologized. She remained on the Assembly floor. ___ HONOLULU Hawaiis governor says the state will once again require people receiving unemployment insurance benefits to search for work as a coronavirus testing program for travelers and growing vaccinations fuel a recovery of the tourism industry. Anyone filing for unemployment will need to report at least three steps they took to look for work from May 30 through June 5 when they submit their weekly claim on June 6. These steps can include filling out job applications, interviewing for jobs and registering at the jobs website HireNetHawaii.com. The governor says Hawaii will maintain other pandemic-era unemployment insurance benefits, including a weekly $300 supplement to weekly benefits. ___ HOUSTON -- About 60% of the COVID-19 vaccine doses that have spoiled since Texas vaccination program began in December were wasted in the past two weeks, according to an analysis of state data. According to a Houston Chronicle analysis of the roughly 60,000 vaccine doses spoiled since December, about 36,000 were lost in the past two weeks, indicating plummeting demand for the vaccine in Texas. The number of wasted doses through spoilage of the highly perishable vaccine was still a minute fraction of the states vaccine allotment. The state is currently administering an average of about 144,000 vaccinations daily. Even so, that was less than half of the 290,000-vaccination-a-day peak last month. Just one in three Texans were fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as of Thursday, mostly with the two-dose Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, while 42% have received at least one dose. More than 51,000 people have died of COVID-19 in Texas during the 15-month pandemic out of the more than 3.2 million positive test results reported to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. ___ RENO, Nev. -- Nevada health officials admit the states goal of vaccinating 75% of the eligible population may not be realistic. But they say progress toward that goal is continuing to pay dividends with the average number of new cases being reported statewide dropping to its lowest level since June 2020. The states positivity also rate fell to 4.8% on Wednesday. Thats higher than an all-time low of 4.2% reached March 28, but down from 5.7% April 21 and far below the peak high of 21.3% in mid-January. Of all Nevadans age 12 and older, 46% have had their first shot and 37% are now fully vaccinated. ___ BATON ROUGE, La. Louisianas state epidemiologist and her 12-year-old daughter were among those stressing the need for COVID-19 vaccinations Thursday at the state Capitol. Theresa Sokol and her daughter Elise joined Gov. John Bel Edwards and health officials at a news conference. Elise spoke about being part of a clinical trial for the Moderna vaccine. She said shes grateful to be part of the effort to get more people vaccinated. State officials are now promoting vaccinations for children as young as 12. Edwards, meanwhile, says the states vaccination rate remains too low. A little over 35% of the states eligible population have had a first shot; 30% have completed their vaccination dosages. Thats not where we want it to be, quite frankly, Edwards said. Im very disappointed in those numbers. We have to do better. Edwards said he is looking at possible incentive programs to encourage people to get vaccinated. He would not give details. ___ SEATTLE - Despite recent guidance from federal and state officials, the top health official in Washingtons most populous county urged people Thursday to keep wearing face masks in public, indoor settings. King County Health Officer Dr. Jeff Duchin issued a directive strongly recommending that residents age 5 and up wear face coverings whether or not they are vaccinated until 70% or more of the countys residents 16 and older are fully inoculated. The agency projects the county will reach the threshold in late June. Some 57% of those residents in King County home to Seattle were fully vaccinated on Thursday, according to the directive. The county is home to about 2.26 million people. The directive applies to public indoor spaces including grocery and retail stores, government buildings and anywhere else members of the public can enter freely unless a state-approved method of checking vaccination status is implemented. It does not apply to outdoor places. Last week, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said fully vaccinated people can stop wearing masks outdoors in crowds and in most indoor settings and give up social distancing. ___ CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- West Virginias governor debuted a new portal Thursday for vaccinated residents aged 16 to 35 to receive a $100 incentive. Those in the age group who received all required doses of the vaccine can register at governor.wv.gov to get their prize of a $100 U.S. Treasury bond or a gift card of the same value. Gov. Jim Justice announced plans for the incentive program last month, and it will apply retroactively to people who already received the vaccine. The state is aiming to boost its sluggish vaccination campaign with the prize and has also expanded clinics at schools and businesses. Justice has a goal of vaccinating at least 65% of residents aged 12 and over by June 20, when his statewide mask mandate will be fully lifted. A month out, 55% of those residents have received at least one dose. ____ NEW YORK People who get vaccinated at select state-run vaccination sites in New York next week will receive a lottery scratch ticket as the state tries to boost slowing vaccination rates. Gov. Andrew Cuomo says the pilot program at 10 state-run sites will offer prizes from $20 up to $5 million and run from Monday to May 28. The governor says theres a one in nine chance of winning a scratch ticket prize in New York, which is joining states like Ohio that have similar lottery incentives. About 43% of New York state residents are fully vaccinated. ___ HARRISBURG, Pa. Pennsylvania marked a milestone on Thursday, with 50% of adults statewide now considered fully vaccinated against COVID-19. The administration of Gov. Tom Wolf says it will lift an order requiring unvaccinated people to wear masks in public once 70% of Pennsylvanians aged 18 and older are fully vaccinated, meaning at least two weeks beyond the last required dose. The pace of vaccinations has been slowing for weeks, with most people eager to get the shot already having done so. Health Department data indicates Pennsylvania ordered only about a quarter of the vaccine doses it was entitled to last week. ___ TULSA, Okla. The Tulsa Health Department is contacting 1,150 people who received improperly stored doses of the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine so they can get another shot. The vaccine was kept in cold storage for up to two weeks longer than the recommended maximum of 14 days, Tulsa Health Department Director Bruce Dart said Wednesday. The improper storage doesnt present a health risk, according to Dr. Gitanjali Pai, Chief Medical Officer at the Oklahoma State Department of Health. However, past this 14-day mark, the vaccine may not be as effective at protecting you from COVID-19, Pai said. For this reason, we are asking these individuals to receive another dose of the vaccine. The doses were administered May 3-17 at four health centers in Tulsa County, the local health department says. ___ ANKARA, Turkey German pharmaceutical company BioNTechs CEO Ugur Sahin says Turkey will receive a total of 120 million doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine by September. Sahin participated in a meeting of Turkeys health advisory council via teleconference from Germany. Ozlem Tureci, BioNTech co-founder and Sahins wife, also joined the meeting. Both Sahin and Tureci were born to Turkish immigrant parents. Pfizer-BioNTech agreed in December to provide 30 million doses of its mRNA-based vaccines to Turkey. Under a new agreement that was finalized on Thursday, Turkey will buy 60 million more doses, with an option for an additional 30 million doses. The Health Ministry posted 9,385 new cases and 207 deaths in the past 24 hours on Thursday. Turkey has registered more than 5.1 million cases and 45,626, confirmed deaths since the start of the pandemic. ___ FOXBOROUGH, Mass. A distinct geographic pattern has emerged in the U.S. drive to vanquish the coronavirus - the highest vaccination rates are concentrated in the Northeast, while the lowest are mostly in the South. Experts say the gap reflects a multitude of factors, including political leanings, religious beliefs, and education and income levels. Close to 160 million Americans 48% of the population have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, and 125 million are fully vaccinated against the virus. Vermont is No. 1, with nearly 64% of its population receiving at least one dose. Mississippi is last at 32%. Following Vermont at 54% or higher are Massachusetts, Hawaii, New Hampshire, Maine, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and New Mexico. Eight Southern states are in the bottom 10, all under 40%. Mississippi was followed by Louisiana, Alabama, Wyoming, Idaho, Tennessee, Arkansas, Georgia, West Virginia and South Carolina. Low vaccination rates will leave room for the virus to circulate, re-emerge and possibly form new variants, said Tara Kirk Sell, a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security. High vaccination rates are critical to keeping the disease under control, especially when we get back to the fall and winter. Closing the state gaps is vital to controlling the virus that has killed 588,000 Americans, health experts say. ___ TOKYO A Japanese health ministry drug safety panel has given preliminary approval to coronavirus vaccines developed by Moderna and AstraZeneca. That comes ahead of an expansion next week of the countrys slow-paced immunization program before the Tokyo Olympics. The only COVID-19 vaccine currently approved for emergency use in Japan is developed by Pfizer. Formal approval of the two additional vaccines is expected Friday by a broader vaccine policy panel. As the government pushes to host the Olympics in about two months, accelerating vaccinations is key to warding off mounting public concern about the safety of the event. Recent polls indicate more than 80% of Japanese oppose hosting the Olympics this summer. ___ BRUSSELS The head of the World Trade Organization says its paramount to diversify vaccine manufacturing and develop production in Africa and Latin America to contain the coronavirus pandemic. On the eve of a global health summit in Rome, WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala told European Union legislators on Thursday that normal market forces for exports and imports cant apply when it comes to the life-or-death issue of COVID-19 vaccines. Many of the worlds wealthiest nations were hoarding the shots for their own population. She says the world has the capacity to manufacture 5 billion vaccine doses overall but as the virus has spread we require twice and three times that. So the capacity was not there. A main challenge is diversifying vaccine production, which is now 80% concentrated in 10 European, North American and South Asian nations. She says Africa, with 1.3 billion people, has 0.17 % of the manufacturing capacity of the world, and Latin America has about 2% of global production capacity. This has to change. In the latest killing, police were called to the 4700 block of West Jackson Boulevard in the West Garfield Park neighborhood about 6:25 a.m. and found a man dead with a gunshot wound to the head in an empty lot, according to a police media notification. The man was initially unidentified, and responding officers believed the man had been shot a while ago, according to police. VALATIE - Following a nearly three-year hiatus, the Valatie Falls Hydro power plant last week started once again generating electricity. The plant was closed for almost three years, said John Doran, who purchased the facility from a company that had planned to use the plant to generate power for a cryptocurrency mining operation but never did. Doran operates PlugIn Stations Online, which sells and installs electric vehicle charging stations across the Northeast. He purchased the dormant plant in April 2020. It generates continuous hydroelectric power of 160 kilowatts, relatively small, but he is selling the power into the grid through National Grid. Eventually, he plans to feed the power into the village of Valatie, as well as for local electric vehicle charging stations. Doran worked with former owners Fred and Bob Munch, and Clevenstine Engineering. Its unclear why the previous buyers of the plant, a Las Vegas-based investment firm, didnt run the facility. Cryptocurrency miners use high-powered purpose-built computers to unlock the complex mathematical formulas that create cryptocurrency, or on-line money such as Bitcoin. The cryptocurrency can be sold for real dollars. Crypto mining has become controversial with environmentalists because of the high levels of electricity needed to power the computers. Miners are constantly on the lookout for sources of low-cost power. Last year, for instance, a natural gas power plant in the Finger Lakes community of Dresden, Greenridge Generation, installed a crypto mining operation at the facility. That way, they are able to use their own power to run their computers. And three years ago, a number of cryptocurrency miners set up shop in Plattsburgh, to take advantage of they citys low-cost power thanks to an allotment from the quasi-public hydroelectric dams that operate in northern New York. Cryptocurrency miners also operate in the Buffalo area, which has access to low cost hydropower as well. Nearly one-third of federal correctional officer jobs in the United States are vacant, forcing prisons to use cooks, teachers, nurses and other workers to guard inmates. At a federal penitentiary in Texas, prisoners are locked in their cells on weekends because there are not enough guards to watch them. Elsewhere in the system, fights are breaking out, several inmates have escaped in recent months and, in Illinois, at one of the most understaffed prisons in the country, five inmates have died in homicides or suicides since March 2020. The Justice Department budgeted for 20,446 full-time correctional officer positions in 2020, but the agency that runs federal prisons said it currently employs 13,762 officers. The Bureau of Prisons insists that many of its facilities still have a full complement of officers who focus solely on maintaining order. Decisions to use other staff as guards are based on a facility's needs and are made to ensure critical positions are covered, the agency said. Staff members also may be pressed into duty as correctional officers "during irregular periods such as a pandemic, the agency told The Associated Press. For years, the Bureau of Prisons has been plagued by systematic failures, from chronic violence to high-profile deaths. But the staffing crisis is reaching a breaking point, and the pandemic hasnt helped. Nearly 7,000 employees were sickened with COVID-19. Officers were sent to hospitals to guard inmates being treated for the virus. Four staff members and 235 inmates died. Overworked employees are burning out quickly and violent encounters are being reported on a near-daily basis. At a prison in Illinois, there are so few staff that officers are sometimes forced to work 60 hours of overtime in a week. At a facility in California, a fight broke out among inmates soon after a teacher was sent to fill in as an officer. The expanded use of that practice, known as augmentation, is raising questions about whether the agency can carry out its required duties to ensure the safety of prisoners and staff members while also putting in place programs and classes such as those under the First Step Act, a criminal justice overhaul that received wide bipartisan support in Congress. You cant do programming, you cant have safety, you cant have a lot of things that make prisons operate without proper staffing," said Kevin Ring, the president of the advocacy group Families Against Mandatory Minimums. The bureau insists everyone working at its facilities is a trained, sworn correctional worker, regardless of position or job title. All 35,000 employees are told when they are hired that they should expect to perform law enforcement functions, the agency said, even if they are signing on as counselors or teachers. But pulling employees away from other duties up to twice a week means they have less time to do their regular jobs such as teaching classes, reviewing release paperwork and providing vital inmate services. When they augment you, youre not doing your job that youre hired for, said Jonathan Zumkehr, the union president at the federal penitentiary in Thomson. If youre a counselor, youre not able to counsel the inmates. If youre a case manager, youre not able to do the First Step Act. Those are two days that youre not going to get back. The issue came up when wealth financier Jeffrey Epstein took his own life while in one of the most secure jails in the country, the Metropolitan Correctional Center in New York. One of the two prison workers assigned to guard Epstein the night he killed himself was a warehouse worker who was augmented to work as a correctional officer. Both were working overtime because of staffing shortages. Union officials have raised the alarm about staffing problems, even holding a rally this week outside a medium-security prison in Mendota, California. But federal efforts to attract more workers with 25% recruitment bonuses have, so far, barely made a dent. Starting salary is just under $43,500, with some promises of making up to $62,615. But thats much less than what even some other federal agencies are offering, not to mention competition from police departments, state prisons, oil refineries, factories and warehouses. Were tired of the agency putting a price tag on our lives, said Aaron McGlothin, the union president at FCI Mendota in California. Weve had staff members killed in the line of duty. Weve had staff members injured in the line of duty. At what point do they realize theyve got a problem to fix, and quit putting a Band-Aid over it? The bureau says it hired nearly 4,000 new staff members in 2020 more than in prior years and that more than 500 additional hires are on the way. The agency said it is offering retention incentives for hard-to-fill positions and to keep around employees who are eligible to retire, and holding recruiting events regularly. The situation could become even more dire as federal prisons brace for an influx of inmates. Right now there are 152,376 prisoners in 122 facilities. The Bureau of Prisons is ending contracts with private lockups the Mendota prison was set to receive 400 inmates from a for-profit facility in Texas and is likely to seek the return of nearly 5,000 people who were released on home confinement during the pandemic. At the high-security penitentiary in Thomson, Illinois, where several inmates have been killed or killed themselves in recent months, about 20 nonofficer workers are augmented each day and officers are forced to work overtime in 16-hour days that sometimes add up to 60 hours or more of overtime per week. Last week, the agency suddenly recalled correctional officers who had been temporarily reassigned to help out at some of the systems most understaffed facilities. Bureau officials said those employees were sent to locations experiencing staff shortages, for training purposes, and to provide additional security as needed and the jobs were never meant to be permanent. People familiar with the matter said the decision to recall the staffers was driven by cost-cutting and came after a blistering internal financial review. The people were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. The Bureau of Prisons would not say how much money was spent on augmentation in the past few years. Records reviewed by the AP show skyrocketing costs from both augmentation and overtime. At the federal prison in Beaumont Texas, officials spent $8.1 million on overtime last year. The overall agency annual budget is close to $7.8 billion. The bureau said it must rely on overtime and reassigning other staff members when an insufficient number of correctional officers are available to cover an institutions critical custody posts. This is not a new practice," the agency said in a statement. "It is important to note that staff assigned to our institutions are professional law enforcement officers first, regardless of their occupation. All staff are trained accordingly and are expected to perform law enforcement functions during routine and nonroutine situations. But correctional officers say theres a difference between patrolling the same cell blocks each day keeping skills and senses up and moonlighting there periodically. The staffing situation in Beaumont is so severe that prison officials have turned to just locking inmates in their cells on weekends because officials do not have enough officers to guard the prisoners. Visiting at the prison has been suspended until further notice. __ Sisak reported from New York and Balsamo from Washington. ___ On Twitter, follow Michael Sisak at twitter.com/mikesisak and Michael Balsamo at twitter.com/mikebalsamo1 and send confidential tips by visiting https://www.ap.org/tips/ Flood waters had not even receded from this weeks torrential rainstorms when Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush gathered with local leaders to announce that the region would be receiving $29.4 million to fund badly needed flood control projects. The funds will go towards flood mitigation projects to improve roads and drainage infrastructure in the cities of Jasper and Kirbyville, low lying cities that have faced repetitive storm damage in 2015, 2016 and in 2017 with Hurricane Harvey. Texas unfortunately leads the nation in disaster declarations, and is especially prone to flooding in many areas, said Commissioner Bush. Jasper County experiences frequent, repetitive flooding that puts lives, homes, and livelihoods at risk. The flooding that has occurred this week underscores the reality faced by many communities in the region drainage and flood mitigation is a financial burden to communities without access to vital infrastructure funding. The historic funding were announcing today will go directly to projects that will fortify homes, businesses and critical infrastructure across Jasper County against future disasters for generations. Communities in Jasper County and throughout the surrounding areas have had a long-standing need for improvements to prevent flooding from severe storms, but until now we have not had the resources we need, said County Judge Mark Allen. Just this week I signed a disaster declaration because severe rainfall flooded several businesses and homes. Learning that Jasper County would be receiving nearly $30 million for flood mitigation could not have come at a better time. I want to thank Commissioner George P. Bush and the GLO for recognizing the need for this funding in our communities and being our trusted partner in these efforts. This could not have been accomplished without Commissioner Bushs compassion for Jasper County and Southeast Texas. Texas Sen. Robert Nichols offered his support from the Texas Capitol saying, Its impossible to overstate how important these flood mitigation funds are to East and Southeast Texas. Senate District 3 saw severe flooding during the 2015 floods, the 2016 floods, and again during Hurricane Harvey in 2017. These flooding events showed just how vulnerable this area of the state is and how necessary mitigation efforts are. Senate District 3 won over $105 million in the competitive flood mitigation fund award process because the projects in our region are vital to protecting Texans from future flood events. I appreciate the professionalism of the GLO throughout this process and our local officials who worked so hard to make these projects a reality. The city of Jasper has recognized the need to improve drainage due to repetitive recovery efforts that follow flooding dues to hurricanes, tropical storms, and riverine flooding, said Jasper Mayor Randy Sayers. The projects moving forward thanks to this funding from GLO Commissioner George P. Bush will address flood mitigation, street hardening and drainage issues citywide, but especially in twenty-one of the most vulnerable areas where most of the residents are low-to moderate-income. These funds will go a long way to protecting residents and our economy from future storms. The people of Kirbyville are no strangers to repetitive regional flooding, said Kirbyville Mayor Frank George. This flood mitigation project will be vital to protecting homes, businesses, and other at-risk structures. We want to thank Commissioner Bush and the GLO for funding these efforts, which will benefit our communities for years to come. The announcement comes as Harris County scrambles after learning they would receive none of the funding they asked for from the same traunch of money. Houston and Harris County officials learned in a meeting Thursday that none of the more than $1.3 billion in Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo said it was unconscionable that federal funds Congress intended for Hurricane Harvey recovery would not flow to the Houston area, by far the most populous affected by the storm. Our community needs this federal funding and we have already begun the process of reaching out to the Biden Administration to identify alternatives including a potential review of the process for this allocation and a direct carve-out going forward, Hidalgo said. Houston Mayor Sylvester Turners admistration said the city was preparing a letter Thursday evening in which it would ask the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to intervene. In a statement, the mayor called on the federal agency to immediately halt the distribution of the funds until it could review the situation. But the Jasper area, which is expecting another round of storms Friday and possibly into Saturday has long gone without much of the federal funding they are now receiving. Zach Despart, Jasper Scherer, Julian Gill and Mike Morris contributed reporting. isaac.windes@hearstnp.com twitter.com/isaacdwindes Just two hours after Hardin County Judge Wayne McDaniel issued a disaster declaration Friday, he issued a notice of voluntary evacuations for residents in low-lying areas. This decision came just after the National Hurricane Center increased the chances of tropical development in the western Gulf of Mexico to 60% on Friday. Those residents and businesses located in low-lying areas should strongly consider evacuating themselves and their pets/livestock from those areas, and please do not forget to ensure your important documents are either with you or in a safe place (such as a safe deposit box or in a family members safe in a non-threatened area), McDaniel said in a press release. This notice of voluntary evacuation is issued so that those who are in the floodplain evacuate now while they have time, or at least begin to prepare for the possibility of a mandatory evacuation order, should that become necessary. We do not want our first responders to be put into harms way to rescue people from floodwaters, which can rise quickly and move swiftly, especially during the darkness of night. Low-lying areas included all areas along the Neches River, Village Creek, Pine Island Bayou and other waterways. Low-lying areas include homes and businesses located in the floodplain and click here for map provided by the Texas Water Development board. While 1 to 3 inches of rain was expected, with the potential for up to 10 inches in some areas, the rain bands were what forecasters were concerned about Friday heading into Saturday morning. A low-level circulation has now formed. It will make landfall tonight along upper Texas or Southwest Louisiana coast, NWS Meteorologist Roger Erickson said in an email on Friday. The main impacts for our region continues to be the heavy rain and flash flooding, as well as minor coastal flooding during high tides. McDaniel issued a disaster declaration early on Friday after the National Hurricane Center upgrading the potential threat of a tropical disturbances development to 40% from 20%. With the ground already completely saturated, rivers, creeks and tributaries all at or above flood stage, and additional rainfall associated with a tropical system in the Gulf of Mexico expected in Southeast Texas this evening through Saturday, I find it necessary to issue this declaration of disaster for Hardin County, McDaniel wrote in an email. (I) anticipate that I will also be sending out a notice to citizens in low lying areas to voluntarily evacuate themselves and their pets from those areas later today. As a result of the tropical development, a flash flood watch is in effect through 7 a.m. on Saturday for Jefferson, Orange, Jasper, Hardin and Newton counties. A coastal flood advisory is in effect for Jefferson and Orange counties. A flood warning is in effect into Saturday morning for the following rivers in Southeast Texas: Sabine River near Orange, Sabine River near Bon Wier, Sabine River near Deweyville, Neches River near Beaumont, Neches River near Town Bluff, Neches River at Neches River Saltwater Barrier, Neches River near Evadale and Pine Island Bayou near Sour Lake. jorge.ramos@beaumontenterprise.com twitter.com/byjorgeramos Not a pandemic or the threat of heavy precipitation could rain on the YMBL South Texas State Fairs parade opening night on Thursday. More than 200 people, who were given free admission by YMBL President Harvey Zernial, gathered around the main entrance eagerly waiting for the clock to strike 6 p.m. the official grand opening of the fair. While Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday were relatively dry during the day, Zernial, who has been a part of the YMBL for about 30 years, said the threat of wet weather comes with the territory of hosting a fair in Southeast Texas. On Monday, parts of the region saw anywhere from 6 to 18 inches of rain. Im still nervous, he said. (Thursday we) were blessed in a sense. Tomorrow doesnt look so pretty, but when we have a fair, we always expect something some rain. Were always OK with one or two days, even three, because we still do well. But were ready for nine solid days of attendance, rides and fun. Once 6 p.m. finally arrived, almost 16 months of built-up excitement stampeded through the entrance gates framed by black chain-link fences. Parents, children, old and young basked in the traditional fair sights, sounds and smells from the first fair in the region in almost two years. The grand opening Thursday comes after the fairs cancellation in 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic a result of Jefferson County Judge Jeff Branicks disaster declaration and the YMBLs decision to postpone the fair in February 2021 until May. Im probably the most excited as the president of the (YMBL), Zernial said Thursday before the official grand opening. This is our fundraiser and this is how we operate all the things we do throughout the year. Im ready to go. Meghan Richards, a Port Arthur resident, and her family were a part of the lucky attendees who were given free admission. She along with her two children, Elena and Luke, have been waiting all year for the fair to finally open. Richards said the fair, which theyve been to several times, provided an opportunity to spend time with the family at an outdoor event. (Elena and Luke) are excited for this fair. Weve been cooped up inside for so long, Richards said. This is a simple outing for them to have fun and get back to some normalcy. But while Richards admits the time out at the fair is mostly for her two children to spend time at the fairs Kids Fun Zone, she does have her sights set on Rudys Kabob stand among other fair foods. Equally as excited were the 70-plus vendors fewer than previous years because of the postponement waiting to greet and serve the fair patrons. For vendors like Camellia Dennis, the fair and other events like it are her livelihood. Dennis, a vendor from Hughes Spring, is on her third event since the state began opening, but the rush of getting back into the swing of things is still present. Weve been off from all of our events for almost 15 months before the previous two events, Dennis said. I am a little nervous, but the events have been well received and I am excited for this one. Dennis, who owns a few funnel cake and lemonade stands, is in her eighth year as a vendor at the South Texas State Fair. As the night went on, the sound of laughter and the smell of savory food filled the fairgrounds. But while Zernial knows the fairs first night normally doesnt bring the biggest turnout, he anticipates the turnout to be larger as the weather improves over the course of the next several days. Free admission days The South Texas State Fair will have several free admission days, including H-E-B Fair Share for Hunger on May 23, where guests can gain free admission to the fair by bringing six non-perishable H-E-B-brand canned vegetables. On May 24, all guests will gain free admission courtesy of the Provost Umphrey Law Firm. The 10-day fair also will have a Military and First Responder Appreciation night May 27, allowing free admission to any current or retired first responder and military personnel. Tickets can be purchased in advance at FordPark.com to avoid waiting in line at the ticket booth. Online tickets are $10 each, plus taxes and fees, for all ages and parking is free. How to get to the fair Before heading to the state fair, the YMBL along with the Texas Department of Transportation released information Wednesday of road closures and how it will affect traffic. The most prominent closure will be the Major Drive exit ramp from Interstate 10 westbound. The closure will last until the end of the fair on May 30. However, Major Drive and Fannett Road will be accessible from all other points during this period. YMBL advised attendees who are coming from the north and are traveling westbound on I-10 to exit the Walden Road exit ramp and veer right. Once attendees reach Major Drive, they will turn left onto Major Drive, pass under I-10 and turn left onto the service road before seeing signs for Gate 4. For attendees coming from the west of the city, YMBL advises to take FM 365 and turn onto Texas 124 toward Major Drive. Upon arriving at the flashing red light at Major Drive, attendees will have to turn left on Major Drive into Ford Park using Gate 2. Those coming to the fair from U.S. 96, Cardinal Drive, Mid-County or Port Arthur are advised to take Texas 124 toward Major Drive. Once at Major Drive, attendees will turn right and use Gate 2. Lastly, fairgoers coming from the west end of Beaumont will use Major Drive, cross under I-10, turn left onto the service road and enter using Ford Park Gate 4 the main marquee entrance. jorge.ramos@beaumontenterprise.com twitter.com/byjorgeramos The company admitted that top executives, including Pramaggiore, had conspired with McClain to make off-the-books payments to lobbyists and consultants who were close to Madigans political operation to attempt to influence him regarding ComEds legislative agenda. Madigan has not been charged in the case and has denied wrongdoing. He has said he did not agree to such an arrangement and would have stopped it if he had known about it. Pentecost is a special day of worship. The feast marks the end of the Easter season for Christians and commemorates the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the early followers of Jesus. The Church of God, which began on Pentecost which we read about in Acts 2 is given the mission of preaching the Good News of the Kingdom of God. This was a part of Gods much bigger plan, the return of Jesus Christ. On Pentecost Sunday, Christians around the world will celebrate this holy day, with symbols of flames, a dove and wind marked throughout churches. If youre on church this Sunday, youll likely read a passage from Johns Gospel, which tells of a visit of the Risen Christ to the disciples huddled in fear. Peace be with you, Jesus says. As the Father sent me, so I am sending you. After saying this, Jesus breathed on them and added, Receive the Holy Spirit. (John 20:19-23). Pentecost celebrates the reality that we are God-breathed beings. Though this holy day is not recognized by all Christians, the Pentecost was a monumental turning point in Christian history, considered by many to be the birthday of the church. Pentecost is a great time to witness for your church. Here are five things you should know about Pentecost and why we celebrate it: Pentecost Comes 10 Days After the Ascension of Christ Before Jesus was crucified, He told the disciples that the Holy Spirit would come after Him. Jesus said: And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you (John 14:16-18). Just as Jesus said, 40 days after the resurrection (10 days after He ascended into heaven), the promise was fulfilled when Peter and the early Church were in Jerusalem for Pentecost. It Occurs 50 Days After Easter The English word Pentecost is translated from the Greek work pentekostos which means fifty. This comes from the ancient Christian expression pentekoste hemera which means fiftieth day. In fact, Christians borrowed the phrase from Greek-speaking Jews who used the phrase to refer to a Jewish Holiday known as the Festival of the Weeks. Leviticus 23:16 instructs people to count seven weeks (50 days) from the end of Passover to the beginning of the next holiday. Jews celebrate Pentecost 50 days after the end of Passover. Christians observe the day 50 days after Easter. The Pentecost Is Recorded In Acts 2:1-13 Pentecost is recorded in the New Testament in the Book of Acts. The account begins with the Holy Spirit descending on a group of followers who, upon receiving it, begin to speak in tongues. The Bible tells us And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the houses where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues, and the spirit gave them utterance (Acts 2:1-4). Pentecost is the Birthday of the Church Many Christians recognize Pentecost as the birth, or the birthday of the church as it commemorates the establishment of the church as a result of the Apostles teachings on the gospel and the baptism of thousands of followers. Pentecost is when the Apostles went out among the people and began spreading Jesus message, thus establishing the beginning of the church. With the decent of the Holy Spirit, a New Covenant is inaugurated. It is one of the most ancient feasts in the Church, mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles (20:16) and Pauls First Letter to the Corinthians. Pentecost can be a powerful celebration and a reminder that the Holy Spirit came with power to empower our witness to the Risen Christ. It is the perfect time to remind believers in your church that our Heavenly Father will empower our witness. Some People Thought the Followers Were Drunk The languages spoken by the early Christians were heard by thousands of Jewish pilgrims who were in Jerusalem to celebrate Shavuot, and those languages were intelligible. Those who were there spoke of the miraculous messages connected with Gods mighty works. While those who heard the messages in their own languages were amazed, others thought the Christians were just drunk, particularly because it was a feast day for the Jews. Ultimately, Pentecost is the Churchs celebration of the Gift of the Holy Spirit. Gods Holy Spirit empowers us with the love of God, the motivation to obey Him and a sound mind to discern the truth (2 Timothy 1:7; John 15:26; John 16:13).As Christians, we experience new life through Jesus Christ because we see the Spirit so fully manifested in Him. When we celebrate Pentecost, we are acknowledging that only the Holy Spirit can empower our witness. There is incredible hope and power in this. Without the power of the Holy Spirit, there is no hope that will be enabled to live out the Gospel and Christs mission. She got her first dose in mid-March and Vallarta was set to get his April 17, but he fell ill the first week of April and was placed in a medically induced coma April 25 at Glenview Hospital, Jimenez said. Demonstrators wave Palestinian flags during a protest outside the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta, May 21, 2021. Southeast Asian nations welcomed a ceasefire implemented by Israel and Hamas on Friday after 11 days of fighting, even as thousands demonstrated in Indonesian cities to denounce airstrikes on the Gaza Strip and Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi warned that violence would flare again if core issues were not resolved. The protests came after Israel and Hamas, the militant group that controls Gaza, agreed to stop all fighting starting at 2 a.m. Friday. The ceasefire, brokered by Egypt and Qatar, ended a week and a half of Israeli airstrikes and Palestinian rocket fire that killed more than 250 people. In Jakarta, about 1,000 people, many waving Palestinian flags, gathered in front of the U.S. Embassy to denounce American support for Israel, which does not have an embassy here. We condemn the violence and expulsion of Palestinians in Sheikh Jarrah and the closure of the al-Aqsa Mosque, said Bachrudin, a protest leader, referring to a neighborhood in East Jerusalem where Jewish settlers sought to evict Palestinian families from their homes. We also condemn the crimes of genocide and ethnic cleansing committed by Israel, he said. The latest round of fighting in Gaza was set off earlier this month after Israeli police raided the al-Aqsa mosque compound and clashed with Palestinians who were observing the holy month of Ramadan. The 11-day conflict killed 243, including 66 children in Gaza and injured more than 1,900, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health. A dozen people including a child and a teenager were killed and 357 injured in Israel, according to reports. Indonesia, the worlds largest Muslim-majority nation, has no diplomatic relations with Israel and is a staunch supporter of the Palestinian cause. Retno, who expressed support for a Palestinian statehood during a special United Nations General Assembly meeting on Thursday to discuss the Middle East crisis, issued a statement after the ceasefire was announced. In general, all foreign ministers emphasized the importance of putting pressure so that negotiations can be carried out immediately to address the core issue, namely ending the occupation, she told reporters in an online press conference from New York. If the core issue cannot be resolved, a similar situation will happen again and again, she said. In her speech to the General Assembly, she called for an international presence in Jerusalem to ensure the safety of the Palestinian people in the Israeli-occupied territories and to protect the status of the Temple Mount as a holy site for Muslims, Christians and Jews. Our ultimate responsibility is to save lives. And every minute we spend here deliberating, could mean another Palestinian life lost, she said. Elsewhere, foreign ministers in Thailand, Malaysia and the Philippines issued statements in support of the ceasefire. In Bangkok, Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai announced on Friday that he spoke with his Israeli counterpart, Gabi Ashkenazi, who expressed condolences for the two Thai citizens killed earlier this week in a rocket attack inside Israeli territory near Gaza. Pramudwinai said they discussed a training course hosted in Thailand that resulted in friendships between Israelis and Muslims. The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Israel expressed interest in the program and informed that Israel wishes to solve the conflict and not pass it onto the next generation, Pramudwinai said in a statement. Hishammuddin Hussein, Malaysias foreign minister, said the ceasefire represents a crucial step forward in preventing further loss of lives and destruction, but more remains to be done. He noted that Kuala Lumpur stood ready to work with all relevant parties, including NGOs and civil society, to support international efforts to maintain peace. Both Malaysia and Indonesia, earlier this week, were among Muslim-majority countries leading calls for a ceasefire in the latest round of fighting between the Israelis and Palestinians. Furthermore, as the pandemic continues to be a pressing matter, Malaysia stands ready to engage and support initiatives with our partners to rebuild Gazas only COVID-19 testing laboratory, which has been destroyed in the Israeli attacks, Hishammuddin said in a statement. The Philippines, meanwhile, issued a two-sentence statement welcoming the ceasefire and thanking countries involved, including Egypt and the United States, for facilitating the agreement. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also welcomed the ceasefire. I commend Egypt and Qatar for the efforts carried out, in close coordination with the U.N., to help restore calm to Gaza and Israel, he said in a statement on the U.N. website. Indonesian protests In Jakarta, police arrested 17 protesters including a student leader who tried to set fire to an Israeli flag, rally organizers said. We believe that the arrests violated the right to freedom of expression, the protest group said. Police, meanwhile, said the protesters were arrested for creating public disturbances. They refused to comply with social distancing rules, Jakarta police spokesman Yusri Yunus said. They blocked the traffic and tried to set fire to tires. Similar protests were held in other cities, including in Solo, Samarinda and Tasikmalaya, local media reported. Elsewhere, a smaller scale anti-Israel and pro-Palestinian protest took place after Friday prayers in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh. A motorcyclist passes an arch marking the limits of Marawi City in the southern Philippines, May 21, 2021. Four years after pro-Islamic State militants seized Marawi city in the southern Philippines, extremists are exploiting residents frustration over ongoing delays in its rehabilitation and loose ends in a transition to an autonomous regional government, analysts said Friday. As of January 2021, more than 17,000 families from the war-damaged city center remained displaced, according to data from the United Nations. Hundreds of foreign and Filipino militants raided the city and took it over on May 23, 2017, and were driven out by government troops five months later, after a battle that destroyed much of Marawi. Disappointment in the central government-run effort to reconstruct Marawi is rife among the citys native Maranao people. There have been people whom we have interviewed among the returnees who actually cited the reasons behind their frustration and disappointment had to do with the lack of attention, developmental and otherwise, on the city of Marawi and Lanao del Sur that continues up to the moment, said Francisco Lara, senior adviser for the Philippine office of International Alert, a London-based watchdog group that specializes in conflict prevention and resolution. Interviews by International Alert with two militants who had surrendered to authorities revealed that groups were using the delay in the reconstruction in Marawi as a rallying point to try and stoke the frustrations of people, Lara said during an online forum on Friday. Daulah Islamiyah, the Filipino branch of the Islamic State extremist group, has been recruiting in Butig and Munai, two impoverished remote towns in the region around Marawi, Lara said. We have validated reports of active recruitment amid the governments reintegration program, Lara said. Muslim women walk along a Marawi street as traffic returns to normal four years after militants seized the southern Philippine city, May 21, 2021. [Jeoffrey Maitem/BenarNews] Autonomous region The establishment of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao in 2019 was seen as a solution to decades of regional conflict after 17 years of negotiations between the government in Manila and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), a separatist guerrilla group. MILF, which signed a peace deal with Manila, now heads a transitional government for the autonomous region that encompasses Marawi and its surrounding province of Lanao del Sur. Since 2019, armed groups opposed to the peace deal continue their fight for a separate state while others have declared their allegiance to the Islamic State (IS) extremist group. Questions about the honest-to-goodness implementation of the peace agreement will have an impact on the sparks of conflict in our communities, said Anna Tarhata Basman, a member of the Bangsamoro Parliament. As for Marawi, Basman said uncertainty felt by many residents has led to some acts of violence. Some individual settlers are more attracted to putting matters into their own hands when there is a lack of confidence that formal processes are going to be responsive and effective in dealing with their grievances, Basman said during Fridays forum. Drieza Abato Lininding, who heads the civic organization Moro Consensus Group, said IS-linked groups were known to prey on frustrated members of the displaced community, especially young people. He noted that the IS took advantage of a small militant group led by the Maute brothers who participated in the 2017 siege adding that a similar attack could happen again. That is our fear. No one can really say what the youth are thinking, Lininding told BenarNews. These militant groups can tap into that frustration. And as long as injustices exist, there will be repercussions. In 2021, remnants of the Mautes and other militant groups espouse the IS ideology and display its black flag in the Mindanao region. He noted that the COVID-19 pandemic had added to the pressure as many young Muslims do not have jobs and their movements are restricted. No place like home Manila has so far spent the equivalent of about U.S. $350 million to rebuild Marawi, mostly for the construction of showpiece public facilities such as public markets, government halls, schools, a museum and a central park. As work has dragged on, authorities have kept areas of the city mostly off limits to residents anxious to return and start their own reconstruction projects. Although there has been some semblance of normality in Marawi, thousands of residents remain displaced. On Friday, Hannah Sarip, a development worker, said the only way to catch glimpses of her childhood home pockmarked by war, was to climb onto an abandoned building in Marawi because the area remains cordoned off. Theres no place like home, she said softly. A BenarNews reporter who traveled to Marawi on Friday found shops reopened, while military and police checkpoints had been placed at entry and exit points of the city. A large portion of the downtown, the main battleground, remained closed to civilians. Sarip, her husband and two young children were among those who fled Marawi in 2017. There were plenty of memories in our ancestral house. And I am looking to one day rebuild our home when they allow us back in, she told BenarNews. Sarips family lives with relatives across the river from the main battle area. As the government remains preoccupied with the COVID-19 pandemic, she said she does not expect to be able to return anytime soon. A bill proposing compensation for Marawi is pending with the Philippine Congress. Last October, as the Philippines marked the third anniversary of the end of the Marawi siege, President Rodrigo Duterte promised that Marawi would return. Do not worry. And we will continue to spend until such a time that Marawi is rebuilt to its former glory, Duterte said at the time. It might take some time before we can really reach the ideal place that youd call home. A forest fire burns next to a palm-oil plantation, in this aerial photo taken above Kumpeh Ulu, a district in Muarojambi, Indonesia, July 30, 2019. In a year when millions were forced to flee their homes due to climate-fueled natural disasters, the Philippines and Bangladesh were among the most affected countries in 2020, according to a report published Thursday by a group that monitors internal displacements of people worldwide. More than 40 million people around the world were displaced last year within their nations borders by natural disasters or conflict despite many governments imposing lockdowns or movement restrictions due to a global pandemic, the Geneva-based Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC) reported. Weather-related events were responsible for 98 percent of all disaster displacement recorded in 2020, the group said in its annual Global Report on Internal Displacement (GRID). Most disaster displacements were the result of tropical storms and floods in East Asia and the Pacific and South Asia. China, the Philippines and Bangladesh each recorded more than four million new displacements, many of them pre-emptive evacuations. And, according to a report published earlier this week by Forest Trends, a Washington-based conservation NGO, Southeast Asia suffers terribly from the effects of climate change, with Indonesia and Malaysia contributing to climate erosion. Between 2013 and 2019, Indonesia, the regions largest country and a top producer of palm oil, was responsible for 20 percent of the worlds illegal razing of tropical forests through agricultural clear-cutting fires that increased carbon emissions in the region, the study by Forest Trends said. Tropical cyclones, typhoons, monsoon rains and floods hit highly exposed areas that are home to millions of people in South and Southeast, according to the report by IDMC. Its shocking that someone was forced to flee their home inside their own country every single second last year, said Jan Egeland, secretary general of the Norwegian Refugee Council, which IDMC is a part of. IDMCs Grid 2021 report tracked displacement from extreme climate events as well as war and conflict. The year 2020 was, for many of us, a year of lockdowns and travel restrictions but not so for the millions who fled for their lives because of conflict, violence and disasters, Egeland said. [W]e have documented that, 40 million times [last year], a man, a woman, or a child have been forced out of their homes because of disaster or conflict. Its the worst figures in a decade. Courtesy Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre As the United States Geological Survey noted, climate change plays a role in exacerbating disasters. With increasing global surface temperatures the possibility of more droughts and increased intensity of storms will likely occur. As more water vapor is evaporated into the atmosphere it becomes fuel for more powerful storms to develop, the U.S. government agency said. More heat in the atmosphere and warmer ocean surface temperatures can lead to increased wind speeds in tropical storms. Typhoon Vongfong, also known as Ambo, the first tropical cyclone to hit the Philippines in 2020, caused more than 298,000 displacements, mostly in the form of pre-emptive evacuations. Later that year, Typhoons Goni and Vamco cause more than 3 million displacements in the Philippines and Vietnam in October and November, according to IDMC. Proactive measures that build resilience Elsewhere, South Asia accounted for almost a third of the worlds new disaster displacements in 2020. Around 9.2 million displacements were recorded in the region, which IDMC said was an above-average figure for the second year in a row. A big contributor was Cyclone Amphan, which triggered nearly 2.5 million displacements in Bangladesh alone, of a total 5 million in the region. It damaged and destroyed homes and other infrastructure and left hundreds of thousands of people homeless, IDMC said. The damage it did to embankments led to the flooding of homes, farms and fields that have been underwater ever since, IDMC said. Powerful storms and cyclones have become more frequent in South Asia due to warmer temperatures in the Indian Ocean. When combined with rising sea levels, the phenomena cause even more devastating storm surges that flood larger and larger areas, IDMC said, adding that Cyclone Amphan illustrated the problem. The need for more inclusive and proactive measures that build the resilience of those regularly exposed to similar hazards is also clear, IDMC said. A man rests on the debris of his home surrounded by floodwater a week after Cyclone Amphan ravaged the area in Koyra, Satkhira, in Bangladesh, May 27, 2020. AFP Lush forests turned into palm-oil plantations In Southeast Asia, palm oil, soy and cattle products drive global figures of illegal deforestation, according to the report by Forest Trends. Most of the forest clearing took place in in Brazil and Indonesia during 2013-2019, the years the report studied. Southeast Asia has 80 percent of the worlds palm oil plantations, and many of Indonesias and Malaysias palm oil, paper, and pulp plantations are built on illegally razed tropical forests, the NGO said. The criminal destruction of rainforests for commodities such as beef, chocolate, soy and palm oil knocks down 4.5 million hectares and releases 2.7 gigatons of emissions a year, said a press release which accompanied the report by Forest Trends, titled Illicit Harvest, Complicit Goods: The State of Illegal Deforestation for Agriculture. Palm oil is the biggest forest risk commodity in Asia-Pacific, said the study, and Indonesia led other Southeast Asian nations in forest-clearing, the report said. The global average proportion of illegality for palm oil (59 percent) is constrained by low data availability in Malaysia. These [forest] losses have been tied to billions of dollars in economic losses, such as those resulting from the El Nino drought-linked forest fires that created massive haze events. In Indonesia, companies and farmers clear land by burning their vegetation. The fires often spread to protected forestlands. And the resulting giant blazes emit greenhouse gases and cause a heavy haze that crosses national boundaries and engulfs other Southeast Asian countries. While the findings of Forest Trends seem dire, there is hope, as Indonesia has successfully reduced its deforestation every year since a peak in 2016, the report said. Indonesias deforestation rate hit a historic low in 2020, according to the countrys Environment and Forestry Ministry. The government attributed the reduction to policies such as a moratorium on licenses for new palm oil plantations, and a ban on clearing primary forests and peatlands. But other experts have noted that drop was likely due to more rains, falling oil palm prices, and an economic slowdown as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. What is the citys agenda? asked activist Oscar Sanchez. Because if they wanted to, they would. If they wanted to prioritize education, they would, not another juvenile detention center. If they wanted to prioritize mental health, they would, not the corrupt system we know as the Chicago Police Department. Deputy States Attorney Steven Brown, of Windham County, stands while speaking to potential jurors during jury selection at the Windham County Superior criminal court, in Brattleboro, on Monday. The proceedings were live-streamed on YouTube due to restrictions on the number of people who could attend in person. BENNINGTON The Blue Benn has a new addition to its decor: a wooden plaque that attests to its appearance on national TV last Friday. CBS host Stephen Colbert mentioned the Bennington diner on his program, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, in a segment designed to give a boost to small businesses nationwide. The Blue Benn was one of eight businesses featured that night chosen among the many who responded to Colberts earlier call for entries. If youre near any one of these places, go check out the plaque and support your local businesses, Colbert said last week. The Blue Benns owner, John Getchell, said he was sleeping soundly when the diners photo and name were broadcast to hundreds of thousands of TV viewers. He only found out about his businesss media exposure on Saturday morning from a fellow Benningtonian. It was a complete surprise, Getchell, 59, said. Im a real fan of Stephen Colbert. Im really thrilled. The segment has also gotten close to a million views on the Late Shows YouTube channel. It turns out that without Getchells knowledge, the guy who manages The Blue Benns social media accounts made the late-night TV pitch. David Dubov-Flinn became friends with Getchell after they both graduated from Bennington College in the 80s, and he volunteered to help with the diners social media presence to give back to the town. Dubov-Flinn, who now lives in Maryland, said he tagged #ColbertSmallBizBump in March 10 posts on Facebook and Instagram, which included a photo of The Blue Benns facade. And forgot about it when he didnt hear anything back from The Late Show. He learned about diners TV appearance after the segment aired Friday evening, when he came across someones post about it on a Bennington-based Facebook group. It was incredible, he said, and such a great boost to local businesses and The Blue Benn. The 73-year-old diner apparently has not immediately seen an increase in business since it appeared on national TV. Getchell said not a lot of folks in Bennington know who Colbert is, including many of his employees. But he expects to see the biz bump down the road, particularly since the business has many loyal customers out of state who might not know the diners current status: We are back, that we made it through the pandemic. The diner is still operating at half-capacity, in accordance with the states latest coronavirus guidelines. Getchell said he is eager to get back to full capacity as more people are vaccinated and the COVID-19 cases go down. Meanwhile, he is working on adding a patio, with flower boxes, for outside dining. He expects it will be ready for customers sometime next month, maybe even travelers who will come to see The Late Show plaque. Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Looking for any sign of spring to come? While you're still searching, our book columnist, New York Time best-selling author Aimee Molloy, has some titles to keep you busy while you plan for warmer weather to come. "They are not furniture, they are not sculpture, just call them 'Lalannes.'" New exhibit at the Clark Art Institute showcases the playful works of the art duo known as Les Lalannes. This weekend, movie theaters that were once closed to in-person viewing due to the pandemic are opening up across the Berkshires. Here's what's playing May 21-27 at in-person and virtual cinemas in the Berkshires and environs. The children were with Price on a court-ordered visitation, according to The Associated Press. After being unable to contact them, their mother, Mary Nielsen a resident of Rock Falls called police, requesting they check on the children. Despite multiple wellness visits to the house late Saturday and Sunday morning, police did not enter the home, according to a statement from Bellevue police. Clarence Fanto can be reached at cfanto@yahoo.com , on Twitter @BE_cfanto or at 413-637-2551. Francesca Paris is The Eagle's data and public records reporter. She was previously the North Adams reporter. A California native and Williams College alumna, she has worked at NPR in Washington, D.C. and WBUR in Boston. Find her on Twitter at @fparises. Five Years North is the coming-of-age story of 16-year-old Luis, an undocumented Guatemalan boy who just arrived alone in New York City, set against the experience of Judy, a veteran ICE officer and first-generation Cuban immigrant. The New Hampshire Senate has killed legislation that would have prohibited the construction of landfills near state parks The family of Andrew Brown Jr., say they will file a civil rights lawsuit over his death on April 21 at the hands of Pasquotank County, N.C., sheriff's deputies. The development comes just two days after District Attorney Andrew Womble said the deputies were were justified in shooting him. According to CBS News, the Brown family will file a federal civil rights lawsuit against the deputies and the department. Attorney Harry Daniels said the lawsuit will allege the 42-year-old father was deprived of his rights "under color of state law." Additionally, the family is also hoping the Justice Department will "take a role into the release of the unredacted bodycam footage, which protesters have been demanding to be released. Chance D. Lynch, another attorney for the Brown family, said he petitioned the court for the family to see full unredacted body camera footage and details from the state investigation, according to USA Today. North Carolina does not consider body camera footage as public record and a court order would be needed to for its release. According to CBS News, on April 27, Superior Court Judge Jeffery Foster said he would not publicly release the footage because it could jeopardize the ongoing investigation into Brown's death or threaten the safety of people seen in the footage. Foster said the video must remain out of public view for at least 30 days, but he would consider releasing it after that point if investigations are complete. The investigation is now complete but it is not clear if the judge will order for the footage to be released. RELATED: FBI Opening Investigation Into Andrew Brown Jr.s Fatal Shooting Brown was shot and killed by deputies while they executed a search warrant on drug charges on April 21 in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. Witnesses say Brown was driving away at the time and deputies fired several rounds, killing him. A video released on May 18 by District Attorney Andrew Womble at the press conference apparently shows Brown attempting to leave the house where his car was parked and turn away from the officers while they yell for him to stop. Brown was shot five times, including in the back of the head, according to an independent autopsy commissioned by his family. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot says she is only offering one-on-one interviews to journalists of color to mark her two year anniversary in office. But she said she is doing so to make a statement about lack of diversity in the citys newsrooms. This is an imbalance that needs to change. Chicago is a world-class city. Our local media should reflect the multiple cultures that comprise it. This is exactly why I'm being intentional about prioritizing media requests from POC reporters on the occasion of the two-year anniversary of my inauguration as mayor of this great city. I ran to break up the status quo that was failing so many. That isn't just in City Hall. It's a shame that in 2021, the City Hall press corps is overwhelmingly White in a city where more than half of the city identifies as Black, Latino, AAPI or Native American. VIDEO: Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot Talks About The Citys New Initiative to FIght COVID and Get Vaccines Distributed She said in a letter to Chicago area media outlets that she has been struck by the overwhelming whiteness and maleness of Chicago media outlets, editorial boards, the political press corps, and yes, the City Hall press corps specifically," and noted that she sees no women of color covering City Hall. Lightfoot challenged Chicagos media community to hire more people of color, especially women. It is too heavy a burden...to have to take on the labor of educating white, mostly male members of the news media about the perils and complexities of implicit bias, she wrote. This isnt my job. It shouldnt be. Although Lightfoot said this is a one-time thing to shed light on a problem, she has also drawn criticism from people in and around the media community, who say politicians should not get to choose who covers them. Were talking about someone trying to shed light on historic inequities, and thats a commendable goal. Still, its a slippery slope to kind of allow politicians to dictate coverage in that way, Charles Whitaker, Dean of Northwestern Universitys Medill School of Journalism told CBS Chicago. While not necessarily backing Lightfoots decision, the National Association of Black Journalists, whose longtime mission has been to advocate for newsroom diversity, issued a statement saying it understands the message she was trying to convey. I hope managers in newsrooms big and small get the message. Political units must include different perspectives and life experiences in order to move diverse stories to the forefront, said NABJ president Dorothy Tucker in a tweet. Lawmakers heard the testimonies of three survivors of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre on Wednesday, in which they described the horror they saw as children when racist mobs descended on a prosperous Black district of the town, resulting in massive loss of life and property and left thousands homeless. I will never forget the violence of the white mob when we left our house, said Viola Fletcher , 107, testified to the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties. I still see Black men being shot, Black bodies lying in the street. I still smell smoke and see fire. I still see Black businesses being burned. I still hear airplanes flying overhead. I hear the screams. I have lived through the massacre every day. The extreme terroristic violence, which included looting, Black people being shot in broad daylight and even explosives, was prompted by an inflamed, but never proven, rumor of a young Black man sexually assaulting a white woman. Fletcher is one of just three living survivors of the massacre, which took place May 31-June 1, 1921 and whose aftermath lasted much longer. She said that it forced her family out of Tulsa and changed the course of her life, denying her education and opportunities that she would have otherwise enjoyed. Estimates vary on the number of deaths, ranging from 100 to 300, although some historians claim even more were killed. The attack decimated what has come to be known as Black Wall Street, an area surrounding Greenwood, Archer and Pine streets, which was known for its self-sufficient economics and with more than 300 Black-owned businesses, multiple opportunities for African Americans in the community. As many as 35 blocks were destroyed. RELATED: Oklahoma Schools Add The 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre To Its Curriculum The subcommittee hearing was the second surrounding the massacre. An earlier one took place in 2007 and came along with legislation that would have allowed those affected to take legal action in federal court despite statutes of limitation, USA Today reported. However, the legislation never won approval, but California Rep. Hank Johnson said that he would introduce another bill that would provide a similar chance for litigation. You may have been taught that when something is stolen from you, you can go to the courts to be made whole you can go to the courts for justice, said Hughes Van Ellis, a 100-year-old survivor and Fletchers younger brother. This wasnt the case for us. The courts in Oklahoma wouldnt hear us. The federal courts said we were too late. We were made to feel that our struggle was unworthy of justice. Mother Lessie Benningfield Randle, 106, the third survivor of the massacre described the ordeal, saying that she lived a happy life as a little girl in Tulsa before her community was targeted. "They burned houses and businesses. They just took what they wanted out of the buildings then they burned them. They murdered people. We were told they just dumped the dead bodies into the river," she testified. "I remember running outside of our house. I ran past dead bodies. It wasn't a pretty sight. I still see it today in my mind -- 100 years later." RELATED: Russell Westbrook Wants To Educate Folks About The Tulsa Race Massacre The three centenarians are the plaintiffs, along with descendants of victims, the Tulsa African Ancestral Society and Vernon A.M.E. Church -- the only Black-owned structure to remain standing, in a lawsuit filed last September pursuing reparations for the damage caused to the community, families and individual lives. "Greenwood and North Tulsa Community residents continue to face racially disparate treatment and City-created barriers to basic human needs, including jobs, financial security, education, housing, justice, and health," the lawsuit says, according to CNN. The plaintiffs said the damage caused was never truly repaired and they have lived their lives in poverty as a result. Years of economic hardships, barriers to opportunity, and public blight were the outcome. The lawsuit, which names the city of Tulsa, the Tulsa Regional Chamber and the Tulsa County Board of Commissioners says no agency or government entity attempted to repair the decimation. None of the agencies have commented on the litigation. "They owe us something. They owe me something. I have lived much of my life poor. My opportunities were taken from me and my community. North Tulsa, Black Tulsa, is still messed up today. They didn't rebuild it. It's empty. It's a ghetto," said Randle. RELATED: Not Just Tulsa: Five Other Race Massacres That Devastated Black America News Lead detective takes stand in drug trial Tracy Boyd The detective who led the death investigation that resulted in the arrest of Tracy Boyd began testifying Thursday in Boyds trial. Prosecutors are seeking to hold Boyd responsible for the overdose deaths of Joshua Kinkade and Matthew Dobring. Kinkade, 32, died Nov. 22, 2019, at his Parkhurst Drive apartment. Dobring, 38, was found dead two days later in Louisville. Boyd is charged with two counts of second-degree manslaughter, three counts of first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance and engaging in organized crime. Warren County Assistant Commonwealths Attorney Adam Turner called Bowling Green Police Department Detective Sean Johnson as a witness Thursday. Johnson said he responded Nov. 22, 2019, to the apartment where Kinkade was found dead. Johnson said he spoke to three people at the scene, including Kinkades brother, Matthew Kinkade, who agreed to cooperate after officers found a loaded gun in his bedroom when he wasnt allowed to possess a firearm. Through questioning Matthew Kinkade, Johnson said Stephanie Silvano was developed as a suspect in the case. Silvano was arrested later that day with Matthew Kinkades cooperation through a controlled drug buy, and Silvano has pleaded guilty to a count of reckless homicide and two counts of first-degree possession of a controlled substance. Johnson said he obtained court authorization to search phone records for Silvano, Boyd and co-defendant Scott Bernauer and for Facebook interactions between Silvano and Joshua Kinkade. Turner asked Johnson about an anonymous tip received a few days after Joshua Kinkades death through South Central Kentucky Crime Stoppers that identified Ben Deboer as a possible source of drugs. Johnson testified that he received records of Joshua Kinkades Facebook messages in January 2020, and jurors were able to see a message sent from Joshua Kinkade on Nov. 21, 2019, that appears to indicate an interest in buying drugs from Deboer. Johnson interviewed Deboer in March 2020, and Deboer was eliminated as a suspect. With the information we had, in my opinion, positively identified the parties involved (in Joshua Kinkades death), Johnson said. Jurors were also played video footage of Johnsons interview with Boyd. In the 20-minute clip, Johnson told Boyd he planned to present manslaughter charges to the grand jury. Boyd denied any knowledge of heroin trafficking throughout the interview. Near the end, Johnson told Boyd that he can be linked to the heroin that two people used who died. Thats not my fault, though, Boyd said in the video. Cross-examination from Boyds attorney, Alan Simpson, drove home points that had been emphasized by other law enforcement witnesses who testified throughout the trial. Johnson said police found no evidence of heroin, fentanyl, cocaine or methamphetamine in the car in which Boyd was stopped the night of his arrest or in the apartment of his uncle, Robert Cage. Silvano and Bernauer have testified that their interactions with Boyd involved retrieving drugs from Cages apartment to be subsequently sold. Johnson spoke of spending time with Silvano at The Medical Center after she claimed to have swallowed a package of heroin soon after her arrest in the case. Jurors heard audio of Silvano in the hospital with Johnson, expressing disbelief that the heroin she provided Joshua Kinkade was enough to cause a fatal overdose. Police failed to recover any drugs or marked buy money upon Silvanos arrest following the controlled buy. Asked by Simpson whether the buy was good evidence for removing reasonable doubt about a suspects involvement, Johnson said it was not optimal. Johnson also testified about getting Silvano to cooperate in the investigation, speaking with her at the hospital in the presence of her attorney, Dennie Hardin. If shes got a lawyer there, shes wanting a deal ... thats how these things work out, right? People start saying things because they want leniency, Simpson asked. Johnson responded that the information given during those interviews can be valuable in developing suspects. Whether (the information is) true is for a jury to decide, Simpson said. Co-defendant cross-examined Silvano spent much of Wednesday afternoon attempting to withstand the cross-examination of Simpson. I imagine you know your credibility is an issue here, Simpson said at the start of the questioning. Earlier Wednesday, Silvano testified that Boyd had been her exclusive source for heroin for several months in 2019. She said she resold drugs she bought from him in order to finance her own habit. Silvano also said while questioned by Turner that Boyd gave her advice about dealing drugs without being caught and allowed her to travel with him to Ohio to buy a supply of heroin. Simpsons questions attempted to chip at Silvanos credibility as a witness, bringing up her arrest in June 2019 on drug trafficking charges. Heroin, meth and a stolen firearm were recovered from Silvanos apartment, and she tried to hide a quantity of drugs when she was booked in the Warren County Regional Jail. That case was resolved with a guilty plea on a single drug possession count. Silvano spent part of 2019 at a treatment facility in Paducah, but her stay was cut short, with jurors seeing evidence through Facebook messages that it became too costly and Silvano testifying she was contacted by Matthew Kinkade about obtaining drugs. I seriously wanted to get better, but Matt Kinkade messaged me while I was there and I wanted to get back and get high, Silvano said. Silvano testified that she bought methamphetamine from various sources other than Boyd, who she said had a product of poor quality. Pressed by Simpson for names of her meth suppliers, Silvano struggled to provide specific details, testifying she knew of a dealer in Louisville and estimating she bought from about 10 to 15 dealers. Shortly before Josh Kinkades death, Silvano said she sold him a half-point about 0.05 grams of heroin for $15 and that he had done part of it at her apartment before taking the remainder home with him. Simpson asked whether Silvano believed the remaining amount of heroin would have been enough to kill Joshua Kinkade, alluding to a statement she made at The Medical Center to police that she was certain he could not have died from an overdose of the product she sold. I didnt think it would be enough to kill him, but thats my opinion, Silvano said. Silvano admitted obtaining heroin for Dobring on Nov. 19, 2019, five days before his death, but was questioned about whether it was likely Dobring would have waited five days to use the drugs he got from her. She said Dobring took 0.2 grams of heroin with him to Louisville and any other drugs in Dobrings system would have come from someone else. Silvano was arrested Nov. 22, 2019, after a controlled buy arranged by the Bowling Green-Warren County Drug Task Force. As she arrived at the jail, Silvano claimed to have slipped the handcuffs restraining her arms behind her back and swallowed a bag of heroin in her position. While on the stand, Silvano demonstrated for the jury her ability to slip out of a pair of handcuffs with her arms behind her back, unshackling herself in about 12 seconds. Silvano was hospitalized for 11 days, and Simpson made the jury aware of a statement she made in custody that she would rather die than go back to jail. She maintained that she swallowed the drugs, though no plastic bag of drugs was recovered at the hospital. Silvano said Boyd wanted to avoid fentanyl altogether, but she sold fentanyl she obtained from another source to customers who she believed had a high tolerance for the drug, which can be fatal in small amounts. Simpson also questioned Silvano about Kentavious Tyus, who lived with Silvano during that time. Simpson questioned Silvano about whether during her June 2019 arrest she claimed possession of a gun at the apartment in order to protect Tyus, and introduced evidence of Facebook messages from Silvano to a friend recounting how Tay, a nickname for Tyus, provided Silvano with strong stuff and fire on Nov. 21, 2019. Silvano said the terms were references to meth. Kentucky State Police Detective Matt Travis, who is assigned to the local drug task force, testified about his surveillance of Silvano during the Nov. 22, 2019, controlled buy. Travis said he observed the transaction at Old Morgantown Road near the entrance to Phenix Place Apartments from the CVS along Kentucky Street, which led to Silvanos arrest. During questioning from Simpson, Travis acknowledged there was no audio or video evidence of Boyd in a drug transaction and no drugs were recovered from the Audi that Boyd was driving at the time he was stopped by police. Jurors heard prior testimony that Bernauer, another co-defendant who pleaded guilty, brought Silvano a package as part of the controlled buy and then went back to his apartment on his bicycle. Simpson questioned why law enforcement apparently failed to make an effort to track Bernauer to his apartment after the sale. Travis said that in an ideal situation, police performing surveillance would be able to develop information about everyone involved in a drug transaction. Its not as easy as youre portraying it, Travis said. China lauded for championing global efforts in helping Africa Xinhua) 08:26, May 21, 2021 NAIROBI, May 20 (Xinhua) -- China's willingness to support Africa in dealing with the twin challenges of conflict and COVID-19 pandemic as expressed at the recent United Nations Security Council (UNSC) meeting is a sign of great brotherhood, African political and international relations experts have noted. This came after Wang Yi, State Councilor and Foreign Minister of China, which holds the Presidency of the Council for May, on Wednesday called on all capable countries to urgently provide COVID-19 vaccines to Africa that is facing a severe challenge in vaccine access. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on the occasion said of the 1.4 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines administered to date globally, only 24 million have reached Africa. As the world faces the possibility of an uneven recovery from COVID-19, Guterres warned that it is clear the crisis is feeding many drivers of conflict and instability in the region. "The international community should give more help on anti-pandemic supplies, medicines, technology and funding, especially through ways including non-reimbursable assistance, preferential procurement, technology transfer, and cooperative production, so as to ensure the accessibility and affordability of vaccines in Africa," Wang said. In the face of the once-in-a-century pandemic, China and Africa are willing to jointly launch a partnership initiative to support Africa's development, Wang said. He called on the international community to beef up support for Africa in such areas as fighting the pandemic, post-pandemic reconstruction, trade and investment, debt relief, food security, poverty reduction and alleviation, coping with climate change, as well as industrialization. UNSC MEETING COMES AT OPPORTUNE MOMENT Cavince Adhere, a Kenyan international relations researcher with a focus on China-Africa relations, noted that the high-level meeting by the UNSC came at an opportune moment. "Africa remains the most economically afflicted region by the global health crisis. The pandemic has wiped out millions of jobs, created social vulnerabilities, and pushed an estimated 114 million people back into absolute poverty," Adhere told Xinhua. Due to the pandemic, real GDP in Africa is projected to grow by 3.4 percent in 2021, after contracting by 2.1 percent in 2020, according to the African Economic Outlook 2021 report released by the African Development Bank Group. "While the rest of the world is increasingly leveraging vaccination as a rational and sustainable way of the pandemic, African countries can hardly access vaccines," Adhere observed. Only 1.48 percent of the continent's population has so far been vaccinated against COVID-19, according to the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Mulenga Lwansa, Quality Assurance Director at Medical for Quality Healthcare in Zambia, said it is an uphill battle to secure vaccines in Africa. "The rich countries are able to respond. For poor countries, we are at the mercy of those rich countries." "It's very important that we have to have global vaccine equity. In fact, the South African President has called it Vaccine Apartheid because countries are hoarding the vaccine. It's a shame of the developed world who are being very protective of supplying vaccines to Africa and the rest of the third world," said Costantinos Bt. Costantinos, professor of public policy at the Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia. SPIRIT OF TOGETHERNESS Sherrif Ghali, a professor in politics and director of the Institute for Legislative Studies at the University of Abuja, Nigeria, told Xinhua that the good relations between China and Africa express the spirit of oneness and togetherness. Ghali said Africa and China represent each other and support each other at the United Nations, noting that China is doing what a responsible global power should do. Ghali observed that no country in the world can deal with global challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic on its own, and Africa in particular needs support from the international community. During the meeting, Wang Yi said China has been a staunch supporter of Africa in the COVID-19 fight. Forty-six Chinese medical teams based in Africa stood up to the challenge instantly to support local response efforts; China has sent 15 ad hoc medical expert teams to Africa and swiftly set up a cooperation mechanism for Chinese hospitals to pair up with 43 African hospitals; China has been, and is, providing vaccines to over 30 African countries on the basis of their urgent need, said Wang. China has fully implemented the G20 Debt Service Suspension Initiative, signed or reached agreement with 16 African countries on debt service suspension, and canceled the debts of 15 African countries in the form of interest-free government loans that were due to mature by the end of 2020 within the framework of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, said Wang. "We expect the initiative to facilitate actual collaboration among international partners, to assist Africa in containing the pandemic, boost economic recovery, and deal with development and security challenges," said Ghali. (Web editor: Guo Wenrui, Liang Jun) Wilson-Muriel now regularly sees doctors who are working to treat her symptoms, but the effects of COVID-19 on long-haul patients are still being studied. She doesnt know why the virus has affected her body in the way it has, making her dizzy, weakening her joints and causing tingling and numbness in her feet and legs. She doesnt know how long it will last. She is in therapy and takes medication for the depression and anxiety that comes with her new health reality. Call ahead to confirm events. Due to COVID-19, many events have been canceled but hosting organizations might not have updated their entries. Email Blast Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. Daily News Headlines & Events Email Blast Would you like to receive a digest of each day's headlines & events from The Daily News by email? Signup today! The Amplifier Headlines & Events Email Blast Would you like to receive a weekly digest of headlines & events from The Amplifier by email? Signup today! Daily News Hosted Events The Daily News is a proud host of community enrichment events. Join our Daily News Events mailing list to learn about the next event we are planning. Sign up now. Manage your lists EXPLAINER: Why has the price of Bitcoin been falling? OLYMPIA - The Washington State Department of Commerce is partnering with the Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs (WDVA) to administer $1.25 million in Nonprofit Community Recovery (NCR) grant funding to nonprofit veteran service organizations (VSOs). The grant focuses on statewide VSOs with networks of local chapters. Additional information and application forms are available at dva.wa.gov/ncrgrant. All applications received by 11:59 p.m. on May 24, 2021 will be considered. As we look ahead to reopening and recovery, we want to make sure our grant funds are reaching the sectors and communities that have been disproportionately impacted or left out of prior grant programs, said Commerce director Lisa Brown. Our VSOs are so important to making sure our veterans have the support they need during the pandemic. Were very appreciative of this opportunity to partner with WDVA for this effort. Our VSOs help build communities and support WDVAs mission of Serving Those Who Served, said WDVA Director Lourdes Alfie Alvarado-Ramos. VSOs provide opportunities for veterans to connect with peers, receive assistance filing disability claims to the Federal VA, and serve as gathering places for a number of other non-profit community organizations. Alvarado-Ramos added that recovery of VSOs is critical to a thriving post-pandemic economy and healthy communities within Washington. These pandemic recovery grants will be administered by WDVA to VSOs in Washington state. Organizations that are led by and/or serve under-resourced communities, culturally diverse populations, and underrepresented groups are encouraged to apply. Grants will be distributed to nonprofit VSOs statewide. Eligible organizations must have 501(c)(3), 501(c)(4), or 501(c)(19) status, with appropriate documentation since their 2019 fiscal year. Statewide organizations with multiple posts are chapters are strongly encouraged to file one application through the statewide organization on behalf of all posts and chapters. There is no minimum or maximum award amount. Awards will be used to cover expenses incurred between March 1, 2020 and June 30, 2021, due to financial hardship incurred by the COVID-19 pandemic. Kaufman was arrested and taken to the hospital by Dakuras for treatment. He was later charged with battery, resisting arrest and drinking on a public way. A judge in 2017 found him not guilty of battery and drinking on a public way, but convicted him on the misdemeanor count of resisting arrest. UNITED NATIONS The United Nations chief is urging Israel and Gazas Hamas rulers to observe their cease-fire, and he says the international community must develop a reconstruction package that supports the Palestinian people and strengthens their institutions. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told reporters after Thursdays announcement of an end to 11 days of deadly clashes that Israeli and Palestinian leaders have a responsibility beyond the restoration of calm to start a serious dialogue to address the root causes of the conflict. Guterres says the U.N. is ready to work with Israel, the Palestinians, and international and regional partners to return to meaningful negotiations on a two-state settlement based on territorial lines before the 1967 war. He says Hamas-controlled Gaza is an integral part of the future Palestinian state and no effort should be spared to bring about real national reconciliation that ends the division with the rival Fatah-led Palestinian Authority that governs the West Bank. ___ GAZA CITY Hamas is calling the Gaza cease-fire a victory for the militant group in its struggle against Israel. Senior Hamas official Khalil al-Hayya made that characterization while addressing a rally in Gaza City. Al-Hayya claims Israel failed to destroy Hamas military infrastructure, and says the group's fighters are still striding proudly in the underground tunnels. He did not reveal the terms of the deal. ___ JERUSALEM The top United Nations envoy to Israel and the Palestinian territories is welcoming the cease-fire in the latest war between Israel and the Hamas- militant group that rules Gaza. Tor Wennesland said early Friday on Twitter that he extends his deepest condolences to the victims of the violence & their loved ones. He also thanks Egypt and Qatar for their work with the U.N. in brokering the deal that ended 11 days of fighting. He adds that now the work of building #Palestine can start. ___ GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip - Palestinian residents of the Gaza Strip are taking to the streets to celebrate the cease-fire reached after an 11-day war between Hamas and Israel. At 2:00 a.m., just as the cease-fire took effect, frenzy of life returned to the streets of Gaza. People went out from their homes in the night for the first time since the war began, shouting Allahu Akbar, whistling from balconies, and many firing in the air. More rallies are expected across the Gaza Strip later Friday. ___ WASHINGTON President Joe Biden is hailing the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas ending an 11-day war. Biden spoke from the White House shortly before the ceasefire was set to go into effect in Gaza, where Israel has struck hundreds of targets in retaliation for Hamas firing thousands of rockets into its territory. Says Biden: I believe we have a genuine opportunity to make progress and Im committed to working for it. Biden said the U.S. was committed to helping Israel replenish its supply of interceptor missiles for its Iron Dome protection system and to working with the Palestinian Authority not Hamas to provide humanitarian aid to Gaza. ___ GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip The Hamas militant group says it has accepted the Egyptian proposal to end an 11-day war with Israel that killed scores of people, caused widespread destruction in the Gaza Strip and brought life in much of Israel to a standstill. Taher Nounou, a Hamas official, confirmed the deal. He posted a statement on WhatsApp late on Thursday, saying: The Palestinian resistance will commit itself to this deal as long as the occupation is committed. Earlier, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus office said Israel had accepted the truce proposal after a late-night meeting of his Security Cabinet. Egypts state-run MENA news agency said the truce would take effect at 2 a.m., roughly three hours after the announcement. The White House said President Joe Biden would deliver remarks on the cease-fire later in the afternoon, Washington time, on Thursday. ___ BEIRUT An official from the Palestinian militant Hamas group says Israels declaration of a cease-fire represents a defeat for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and a victory to the Palestinian people. Ali Barakeh, a member of Hamas Arab and Islamic relations bureau, told The Associated Press that the militants will remain on alert until they hear from mediators who have been working for days between Hamas and Israel. Hamas officials haves said that they have been contacted by officials from Russia, Egypt, Qatar and the United Nations to reach a truce with Israel. He added that once Hamas hears back from the mediators, its leadership will hold discussions and will make an announcement after that. Barakeh spoke just minutes after Netanyahus office on Thursday announced a cease-fire to halt the 11-day military operation against Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip. A statement said Netanyahu's Security Cabinet unilaterally approved the Egyptian-mediated proposal. It appears the two sides were still negotiating exactly when the cease-fire would take effect. Multiple reports said it would go into effect at 2 a.m., just over three hours after the cabinets decision. ___ UNITED NATIONS Israels U.N. ambassador says his country wants a cease-fire in its conflict with Gazas militant Hamas rulers but only after significantly degrading Hamas terror machine. Gilad Erdan told Thursdays emergency in-person meeting of the U.N. General Assembly on the conflict that we are looking for a cure and not a band-aid. He said that Israel will take all steps necessary to protect its civilians while making every effort to avoid harming Palestinian civilians. Erdan accused the 193-member General Assembly of hypocrisy in supporting Hamas, which every day is firing hundreds of rockets indiscriminately into Israel. He stressed that Hamas doesnt accept Israels right to exist and refuses to renounce violence. He warned that if the U.N. strengthens Hamas, it will make the possibility of Hamas replacing the Palestinian Authority much more likely and eliminate the chance of future dialogue between Israelis and Palestinians. He stressed there is nothing to discuss with a terror organization committed to your annihilation, nothing. The Israeli ambassador also lashed out at the demonization of Israel, saying it is spurring sickening anti-Semitic attacks and singling out Turkey. Erdan said there has never been a clearer example of the fact that anti-Zionism is anti-Semitism and called on all governments to take swift action to protect Jewish communities and apprehend perpetrators. ___ WASHINGTON The White House says that reports of a move toward a cease-fire between Israel and the militant Hamas group that rules the Gaza Strip are clearly encouraging but cautioned that a truce has yet to be agreed on. Press secretary Jen Psaki said on Thursday that the White House believes the Israelis have achieved significant military objectives in their strikes against Hamas targets, which is why President Joe Biden expects them to start winding down their operation there. Psaki says the Biden administration has conveyed that to the Israeli side and that is what we expect to happen. Psaki added that Bidens comments to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, calling for de-escalation, were a reflection of what were seeing on the ground." She said the United States' strategic approach here is to communicate directly, stay closely interlocked with the Israelis, with partners on the ground, to do everything we can to bring an end to the conflict. She also said the U.S. has held more than 80 engagements with senior leaders in Israel, the Palestinian Authority and across the region. ___ UNITED NATIONS -- The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations says the United States will continue to relentlessly push for peace between Israel and Gazas militant Hamas rulers. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said the U.S. has held more than 60 diplomatic meetings at the highest levels over the past two weeks, including at least five by President Joe Biden, to try to quickly end the conflict. She spoke on Thursday at an emergency in-person meeting of the U.N. General Assembly and underscored that the U.S. administration is committed to working with Israelis, Palestinians and parties across the Middle East to stop the hostilities. She said: I dont believe there is any country working more urgently or fervently toward peace. Thomas-Greenfield reiterated that in Bidens phone call with Israels Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday, the president said we believe Israel is now in a position to begin winding down the conflict, and that we expect a significant de-escalation to begin. She said the Biden administration is committed to working with other countries to bring a rapid end to the current violence and, over the longer term, create the conditions for a lasting, sustainable peace. ___ UNITED NATIONS The top Palestinian diplomat is accusing Israel of committing genocide against Palestinian families and urging the international community to protect the Palestinian people until their freedom is assured. Foreign Minister Riad Al-Malki told Thursdays emergency meeting of the U.N. General Assembly on the conflict between Israel and Gazas Hamas rulers that every country in the world has a responsibility to ensure that peace, justice and freedom prevail. He urged the assembly ensure that Israel is held accountable for killing innocent Palestinians and is not provided with arms. He said the presence of a dozen ministers, almost all from Arab and Islamic countries, sends a clear message: Stop the violence. The Palestinian minister responded to Israels claims of acting in self-defense by saying: How can an occupying power have the right to defend itself when a whole people under occupation is deprived of the very same rights? Al-Malki said the Palestinians have informed the Biden administration and the Quartet of Mideast mediators the U.S., U.N., European Union and Russia that ending occupation against our people and our holy sites should be followed by a political process" that would lead to ending the Israeli occupation of Palestine and its capital. So far in the deadly conflict, Palestinian militants have fired more than 4,000 rockets at Israel from Gaza and Israel has hit the territory with relentless airstrikes in response. ___ GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip The International Committee for the Red Cross is calling for a temporary cessation of hostilities between Israel and the militant Hamas group in the Gaza Strip to allow people time to shop for their basic needs. Mirjam Muller, head of the ICRC sub-delegation in Gaza, said on Thursday that such a breather would allow people to buy food, see doctors and have a little bit of time to digest what is happening to them. She says a couple of hours for people to move around safely would be really important right now and we are calling for that. The latest war between Israel and Gaza's Hamas rulers is now in its 11th day and people in the Gaza Strip are staying mostly holed up in their homes or have fled to schools-turned-shelters. Muller says Israeli airstrikes and outgoing rocket attacks by Palestinian militants have been extremely intense and that people feel they cant breathe anymore. ___ JERUSALEM Israels defense minister says the military is prepared to expand its campaign against Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip, despite ongoing international efforts to reach a cease-fire. The minister, Benny Gantz, said on Thursday that Israeli forces are turning the clock back on Hamas and it wont be able to recover. He spoke during a tour of Israeli artillery batteries near the Gaza border and said that Israeli troops are operating with full resolve and in a politically responsible manner as the fighting neared the end of its 11th day. The latest, fourth war between Israel and Gaza's militant Hamas rulers erupted on May 10. So far in the conflict, Palestinian militants have fired more than 4,000 rockets at Israel from the Gaza Strip, some hitting deeper in Israeli territory and with greater accuracy than ever before. Israel has hit the territory with relentless airstrikes, and at least 230 Palestinians have been killed, including 65 children and 39 women. The casualty tolls are from the Gaza Health Ministry, which does not break the numbers down into fighters and civilians. ___ UNITED NATIONS The U.N. chief is urging an immediate cease-fire between Israel and Gazas Hamas rulers at the start of a U.N. General Assembly emergency meeting. The session is expected to hear from about 100 speakers, including 12 ministers mainly from Arab and Islamic countries. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told Thursdays in-person meeting in the assembly chamber that he and the U.N. Mideast envoy are engaged in extensive diplomatic efforts in the region, including with Egypt, Jordan and Qatar, to stop the fighting. He called on all members of the international community to do everything in their power to enable the parties to conflict to step back from the brink. The U.N. chief also called on Israel and Hamas to allow for mediation efforts to intensify in order to bring the fighting to an end. Guterres implicitly criticized Israel and Hamas for violating the laws of war which ban indiscriminate attacks and attacks against civilians and civilian property as well as attacks on military targets that cause disproportionate civilian casualties. He said counter-terrorism or self-defense are not justifications. He urged Israeli authorities to abide by the laws, including the proportionate use of force and called on them to exercise maximum restraint in the conduct of military operations. He urged Hamas and other militant groups to stop the indiscriminate launching of rockets and mortars from highly populated civilian neighborhoods into civilian population centers in Israel. ___ WASHINGTON U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders is leading a long-shot effort to halt a $735 million arms sale to Israel as Democrats in the U.S. Congress raise mounting concerns about the violence in the Middle East. The Vermont senator introduced a resolution on Thursday to block the weapons transfer. A similar measure in the House was introduced Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a Democrat from New York, and liberal lawmakers on Wednesday. Sanders says that Congress needs to take a hard look at whether the sale of these weapons is actually helping do that, or whether it is simply fueling conflict. Supporters of this effort are unlikely to have the votes needed to reverse the sale, but theyre racing the clock to register opposition under a review period that expires this week. The opposition to what had been a routine transfer of arms shows the increasing unrest on Capitol Hill from key Democrats over Israels handling of the conflict with Hamas in Gaza. ___ KARACHI, Pakistan About 200 members of civil society have rallied in Pakistans southern port city of Karachi, demanding an immediate end to Israel's campaign in the Gaza Strip and violence in the occupied West Bank and east Jerusalem. The protesters on Thursday chanted slogans against Israel and in support of the Palestinians. Pakistanis are also expected to hold nationwide anti-Israel rallies on Friday, the Muslim day of prayer. Thursdays rally comes hours after Pakistans Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi flew to New York to address the U.N. General Assembly to condemn Israels strikes on Palestine. Pakistan is among few countries that do not have diplomatic ties with Israel. ___ JERUSALEM Israels opposition leader is leveling severe criticism at the governments handling of the war against Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip. Yesh Atid party leader Yair Lapid wrote on Thursday on Facebook that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus government has failed in developing a concrete policy regarding the Gaza Strip, and has jeopardized Israels relations with the Biden administration with this latest conflict. Lapid writes: After 11 days of this operation, every Israeli citizen will ask themselves: What did the government really want to achieve with this military operation? What is its policy and strategic long-term aim concerning Hamas in Gaza? Earlier this month, Lapid was tasked with forming a government. That happened less than a week before the outbreak of fighting between Israel and Hamas and after Netanyahu failed to build a governing coalition following the March 23 elections. Netanyahu has pushed back against calls from the U.S. to wind down the Gaza offensive, appearing determined to inflict maximum damage on Hamas in a war that could help save his political career. ___ JERUSALEM Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Iran was behind an armed drone that Israel intercepted after entering its airspace this week. Netanyahu said during a meeting with visiting German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas in Tel Aviv on Thursday that Iran sent an armed drone to Israel from Iraq or from Syria that crossed into Israel from Jordanian airspace before it was intercepted. Netanyahu told Maas that while were fighting on various fronts, the true backer of much of this aggression is Iran, pointing to its support for Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad militant groups. Netanyahu's remarks came as Israel unleashed another wave of airstrikes across the Gaza Strip early Thursday, killing at least one Palestinian and wounding several. Meanwhile, Hamas fired more rockets, even as expectations rose that a cease-fire could be coming. ___ GENEVA The U.N.s top human rights body said Thursday it will hold a special session next week to address the grave human rights situation in Palestinian areas in Gaza, the West Bank and east Jerusalem. The Human Rights Council will convene the May 27 meeting following a request presented by Pakistan, as coordinator of the Organization for Islamic Cooperation. The session at the 47-member state body in Geneva paves the way for a day-long debate over the recent deadly violence between Israelis and Palestinians in the Mideast conflict that has raged for decades. More than 60 states including member states and observer states have so far expressed support for the special session, council spokesman Rolando Gomez said. The United States, under President Donald Trump, quit the council in mid-2018 partially over the administrations allegations that the council has an anti-Israel bias. President Joe Biden has returned the U.S. to participation at the council, and the U.S. plans to seek a seat next year. Israels ambassador in Geneva, Meirav Eilon Shahar, called on member states to strongly oppose this meeting. The convening of yet another special session by the Human Rights Council targeting Israel is testament to the clear anti-Israel agenda of this body, she wrote on Twitter. ___ BEIJING China says it has been actively engaged in mediation toward ending the ongoing violence between Israel and the Palestinians. Special envoy for the Middle East, Zhai Jun, has spoken with officials of the Palestinian and Egyptian foreign ministries and will also speak with representatives of Israel, Russia, the United Nations, the European Union and other parties, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian told reporters on Thursday. Zhao said the envoy was calling for an immediate ceasefire, strengthening assistance to Palestine, and reiterating (Chinas) firm commitment to the two-state solution. He said Beijing would like to host negotiations between the two sides in China and is willing to provide humanitarian and other types of assistance to the Palestinian side within its capabilities. China has long been a strong supporter of the Palestinian cause but also maintains robust ties with Israel. The country has criticized the U.S. for blocking the adoption of a United Nations resolution calling for an end to the fighting in Gaza. ___ BERLIN German Chancellor Angela Merkel says that indirect contacts with the Hamas militant group, such as those maintained by some Arab countries, are necessary to defuse the situation in the Middle East. Speaking in Berlin as her foreign minister visited Israel and the West Bank on Thursday, Merkel downplayed how much Germany alone can do to help defuse the situation. Merkel said at an event organized by WDR public television: Everything we are doing, and the foreign minister is doing, must be seen in the context of American efforts and the efforts of other European states. She added: I dont think we alone will be the decisive factor there, but we can make a contribution along with the U.S., other Europeans and Britain. Germany has placed the blame for the latest war in the Middle East squarely on Hamas and what it calls the groups rocket terror. Asked whether she would back someone speaking with the group, Merkel replied: Of course there have to be indirect contacts with Hamas. Egypt speaks to Hamas and so do other Arab countries. She added that Egypt is a very, very important quantity in cease-fire efforts and that cant be done without any contact with Hamas -- it doesnt always have to be done directly. But of course Hamas has to be involved in a certain way, because without Hamas there is no cease-fire. ___ BERLIN Germany's foreign minister says his visit to the Mideast is intended as a show of solidarity with Israeli and Palestinian civilians suffering from the latest eruption of conflict, and part an effort to push for a cease-fire and resumption of peace talks. Heiko Maas said ahead of his departure Thursday that Germany stands unconditionally to its friendship with Israel, which must defend itself against the rocket terror by Hamas. He said that Palestinians can also rely on his countrys humanitarian support even in difficult times. Maas, who plans to meet the Israeli president, foreign minister and defense minister, as well as the Palestinian prime minister, during his one day trip, said the international community must find a way to help end the violence. He called for talks on a path back to peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians even if they seem miles away at the moment. Maas said he hoped the Mideast Quartet comprising the United States, Russia, the European Union and the United Nations could play an active role in seeking a peaceful solution to the conflict soon. ___ UNITED NATIONS The United States opposes a draft U.N. Security Council resolution calling for a cease-fire in the conflict between Israel and Gazas Hamas rulers. The U.S. says it could interfere with the Biden administrations efforts to end the hostilities. France drafted the resolution after the U.S. earlier blocked at least four attempts to have the council issue a press statement calling for an end to hostilities. A press statement requires agreement by all 15 council members. A resolution only requires at least nine yes votes and no veto by the United States or any of the four other permanent members. A French spokesman had said very intense discussions were taking place Wednesday with the U.S. on the proposed resolution. But the U.S. Mission to the U.N. said later that we will not support actions that we believe undermine efforts to de-escalate. ___ UNITED NATIONS The U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees is urgently appealing for $38 million for emergency needs in Gaza as a result of conflict between Israel and the territorys Hamas rulers. The U.N. Relief and Works Agency said Wednesday that it is already responding to the humanitarian needs of refugees and non-refugees, including tens of thousands of people who have sought safety in the agencys schools and emergency shelters. The agency says the $38 million is needed for an initial 30-day period to respond to a variety of immediate needs in Gaza including food, health care, psychological services, and water and sanitation. It also includes emergency needs in the West Bank, including east Jerusalem, for health care, shelter, education, security and protection. ___ BEIRUT The leader the Palestinian Islamic Jihad group says militant factions in Gaza went into the latest battle with Israel knowing it will be costly but also knowing that it is the only road to freedom and to protect Jerusalem. Ziad Nakhaleh said in a televised speech from Beirut on Wednesday that neither nuclear weapons, warplanes nor peace agreements with some Arab states could bring Israelis security and peace. He added that militant groups in Gaza have made miracles that you can see with your own eyes and you live them every moment when you run to shelters. Nakhaleh was referring to thousands of missiles and rockets that Gaza militants have fired toward Israel. Nakhaleh said that after Israels moves that threatened the eviction of dozens of Palestinian families by Jewish settlers in east Jerusalem, we were in front of two choices, to surrender and to give them everything or fight them over everything. ___ JERUSALEM Israels Foreign Ministry says foreign ministers from Germany, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia will arrive in Israel on Thursday. The ministry said in a statement Wednesday that the diplomats were invited by Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi to express their solidarity and support for Israel during its campaign against Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip. The visit comes as Israel faces mounting international pressure to de-escalate hostilities after 10 days of heavy fighting between Israelis and Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. ___ JERUSALEM Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he is determined to continue this operation until its aim is met, despite U.S. President Joe Bidens call for a de-escalation of hostilities in Gaza. In a statement from his office Wednesday, Netanyahu said that he greatly appreciates the support of the American president, but said Israel will push ahead to return the calm and security to you, citizens of Israel. Earlier, Biden called for significant de-escalation by days end from Netanyahu after 10 days of heavy fighting between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. ___ CAIRO An Egyptian diplomat says some of the countrys top officials are waiting for Israels response to a cease-fire offer, and that they expect amendments to their proposal. He says they hope Frances increasing efforts could spur the United States to exert its influence on Israel and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to agree to stop the fighting as soon as possible. He added that if that doesn't happen, there are some discussions among Arab and Islamic nations, along with China, to put the issue before the U.N. General Assembly in an effort to bypass the Security Council and the U.S.s veto power there. The diplomat spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations. Egypt has been trying to broker a cease-fire between neighboring Israel and Hamas, as it is one of a handful of countries that maintains official ties with both. Samy Magdy in Cairo. The incredibly racist dictum put forth by Chicago mayor Lori Lightfoot was met by yawns from the corporate media. That signals that the national press will largely accept the banishment of white reporters by Ms. Lightfoot. The knee-jerk analysis is what if a politician banned black journalists, but thats not what this is really about. Enjoy the weekend. Thanks for listening to The OReilly Update. No Spin. Just Facts. Always looking out for YOU. Heres whats happening across our nation. Chicagos Mayor grants interviews to reporters based on skin color Texas bans abortions after six weeks of pregnancy Europe opens its borders to vaccinated Americans India sets a new record for daily COVID deaths, tourists rank the best beaches in the USA Plus, Bill's Message of the Day, have we become a nation of wimps? The O'Reilly Update is on Apple Podcasts and other podcast platforms. Subscribe to the podcast here. DST invites applications from startups and companies for developing new technologies and innovative products to tackle the second COVID wave National Science & Technology Entrepreneurship Development Board (NSTEDB), Department of Science & Technology (DST), Government of India (GoI) has launched an initiative NIDHI4COVID2.0, that will fund eligible startups and companies registered in India. The start-ups offer promising solutions in the thrust areas of oxygen innovation, portable solution, relevant medical accessories, diagnostic, informatics, or any other solution that addresses/mitigate various challenges faced by the country/society due to the severe impact of COVID-19. Promising startups will be provided with financial and mentoring support for scaling up their products/technologies to the next level and speeding up their processes, helping them reach the product deployment stage as fast as possible. This initiative has been built based on NSTEDB's experience of implementing Centre for Augmenting WAR with COVID-19 Health Crisis (CAWACH) and also through special calls through National Initiative for Developing and Harnessing Innovations - Seed Support System (NIDHI - SSS) from Technology business incubators (TBI) to support Startups in 2020. Supporting the development of devices like oxygen concentrators also brings with it huge opportunities in the development and manufacturing of several critical components that are being imported such as specialised valves, zeolite materials, oil-less and noiseless miniaturised compressors, gas sensors, etc. which have wider applications in several sectors, said Prof Ashutosh Sharma, Secretary, DST. An alliance of five Higher Education Institutions (HEI) has been formed to contribute to the National Ventilator Project, and is now challenging student designers and engineers to go beyond the classroom or laboratory and showcase their technical and commercial abilities by demonstrating new and creative ways digital manufacturing can add value. Open Category: for all scholars and students studying in South Africa with an active, registered student number. Enter any service or product that you have implemented to flatten the curve during the Covid-19 Pandemic. for all scholars and students studying in South Africa with an active, registered student number. Enter any service or product that you have implemented to flatten the curve during the Covid-19 Pandemic. Innovation Category: enter any new business idea, invention, innovation that can be used to combat Covid-19 or other health related threats in the future. enter any new business idea, invention, innovation that can be used to combat Covid-19 or other health related threats in the future. Engineering Category: enter any improvements, innovations or concepts that will reduce the shortage of ventilators in South Africa. The Mahlale Innovation Consortium (MIC), an alliance of five Higher Education Institutions (HEI), was formed in response to a request from merSETA to promote local manufacturing of ventilators to contribute to the National Ventilator Project. The consortium announced an eight-week hackathon hosted on MIC to design a rapidly deployable, minimum viable mechanical ventilator for patients with Covid-19-related ventilator-dependent lung injury and to curb the skills shortage of engineers.The consortium members include: University of Johannesburg (UJ), Tshwane University of Technology (TUT), Central University of Technology (CUT), Vaal University of Technology (VUT) and North-West University (NWU).The Mahlale Student Design Competition (MSDC) will be carried out by the consortium under the ventilation project that aims to address a shortage of skilled engineers and technicians to locally manufacture and repair existing and old ventilators and other medical devices.This particular competition is open for all scholars and students studying in South Africa with an active, registered student number and a possibility of seeing their designs into prototypes for testing. The engineering profession wont be exempt from Covid-19 job fallout, but the effects will be temporary. More engineers will be needed than ever before when the world turns to a semblance of normalcy, says Nickey Janse van Rensburg, the technology manager at UJ PEETS (UJs Process, Energy, Environment and Technology Station) and Project Chair at the MIC."Proposals must address collateral issues to find a rapid ventilator production system to support field hospitals that are still requiring critical infrastructure such as pressurised oxygen, explained Janse van Rensburg.Competition design entries will be evaluated by judges who will assess safety, reliability, and manufacturability, while minimising cost and complex software and electronics.The Challenge enables participants to gain real-industry experience, practical employability skills and enhanced business and people skills, all within a set time frame. All of the best ideas seem impossible at first, but in this new age could change the world, says Prof Leenta Grobler, one of the competition judges.The contest will involve the new generations to re-think a positive future to make more ventilators or address other medical device shortages. Of course, being able to picture a future like this is not the same thing as knowing what to do to make it a reality, but by entering the competition we will help them make their ideas evident, added Prof Grobler.The competition closes on 14 June 2021. The winner of each category will be awarded a cash voucher. In addition, one of the winners stands a chance to win a 3D printer sponsored by 3D Printing Systems SA. Some of the winning solutions could receive follow-on contracts if the prototype is selected for production and deployment.Until June 2021 students will have the chance to submit their solutions inspired by three different themes:The equipment to be developed should only be used in states of emergency for the decentralised treatment of non-intensive care Covid-19 patients, in order to reduce demand for hospitalisation. The selected digital blueprints will be provided to the government to enable them to start decentralised large scale production wherever it is needed the most. Homemakers launches trendy digital magazine Homemakers magazine has gone digital in light of the Covid-19 lockdown... Our digimag went from an adventurous and gutsy experiment to a beautifully curated lifestyle magazine, bringing readers a whole new universe of home-improvement inspiration along with the pros who can help them get it done all in one place and just a click away.We share a few things you need to know about thedigimag that can benefit your business.Besides its popularity, the digimag is also interactive and user friendly. Readers can scroll endlessly through good-reads and easily click their way from page to page making the experience completely interactive and personalised. People who enjoy the digimag are people who are on the move and need to find experts and advice in an instant. The magazine is created to bring more traffic your way via our helpful website, which easily guides new customers to your online listing. Its multi-functional and one-of-a-kind in the industry.Homemakers COO Hestelle Robinson shares her insights: Digital products form an important part of the multi-channel approach any advertiser should consider. We know consumers need to see advertisers products several times and on various platforms before the decision to purchase is made. Thedigimag has over the last year proven itself as a well-read and used product and an ideal opportunity for advertisers to reach this well-defined and coveted market.Thedigimag offers you everything the print magazine offers but with so much more. Reach over 100,000 people monthly, who love to read our specialised lifestyle features offering only the finest advice and information to our readers. Our digimag has had over one million views making it an obvious choice for homeowners to turn to for advice and assistance.Its also a convenient way for customers to find you. Your company appears in our index and takes customers straight to you! The magazine also offers advertisers opportunities to book a space on one of the many pages dedicated to advertisers to make their mark in our digimag.Advertorials can also give your company a boost and are a form of advertising that looks like editorial content. Theyre articles written for your brand and published alongside regular editorial content produced by thecontent writer.According to the Alexa Blog todays audiences are ripe for advertorials . That is because audiences consume copious amounts of content and will at least skim articles about topics theyre interested in. When you combine that with the value that advertorials offer readers a chance to learn something, to get to know a brand theyre more likely to save and share an article, consider you a subject-matter expert, and engage with and remember your brand.Reach out to asales executive to give you more information about our digimag and connect with a whole new universe of customers. The 12-month Get South Africa Working Campaign (#GSAW), a partnership between Hot 91.9 FM and ProfitShare Partners, culminated in the announcement of Rifumo Holdings (Pty) Ltd as the R1m cash prize winner. The campaign, initiated by Fintech funding disruptor, ProftShare Partners and getlion, the business management super-app partnered with Hot 91.9 FM with the objective of making a real difference during lockdown and into 2021.Handing over the prize to Rifumos owner, Thompson Mpenyane, Andrew Maren, CEO of ProfitShare Partners says, ProfitShare Partners helped Rifumo Holdings save 18 jobs they had and on top of that - hire another nine new staff members, taking the count up to 27 people, with another 14 new jobs pending. What made this even more noteworthy was that this was achieved during one of the more difficult periods in global business history.Hot 91.9FMs managing director Lloyd Madurai is justifiably proud of his stations participation in the 12-month long campaign. With the R1m cash prize and in excess of R100m in business funding, this is the biggest competition ever run on radio in South Africa, says Madurai. It embodies who we are. Hot 91.9FM continues to support SME businesses and communities through several initiatives, and were extremely pleased at the impact that the #GSAW campaign has had on small businesses.Counting up the successes of the campaign powered by Hot 91.9FM, ProfitShare Partners says it has paid out R116m to its SME clients. It also created a minimum of 300 new jobs, sustained a minimum of 500 existing jobs, and assisted 61 companies to complete 104 transactions.The team at Hot 91.9FM congratulates Rifumo Holdings and wishes them the best as they join all those boosting the drive to #GSAW.For more information on Hot 91.9FM go to: www.hot919.co.za Leading fashion and lifestyle retailer TFG shared its strategy to revolutionise the omnichannel experience and transform into Africa's leading high-tech omnichannel retailer. "We are laying the foundations to become the largest, most reliable and most profitable e-commerce destination on the continent; via a simplified, customer-centric approach, aimed at maximising group scale, minimising duplication and cost, and leveraging our incredible assets," shared newly appointed co-chief omni officer Claude Hanan. The announcement came as part of the retailer's 2021 financial year-end presentation. She has fallen short on the police reforms she promised a failure made more painful by the fatal police shootings of 13-year-old Adam Toledo and 22-year-old Anthony Alvarez, both during foot chases. She resisted releasing video of the botched 2019 police raid on the apartment of Anjanette Young, who was forced to stand naked and handcuffed for more than 40 minutes pleading with cops who, as she told them, had the wrong place. Lightfoot also said she didnt learn of the raid until December 2020 but emails proved she was informed of it more than a year earlier. The nonbinding proposal has no legal weight behind it but it would encapsulate some county officials outward stance against what they see as increasingly bloated law enforcement budgets that do not represent the values of marginalized constituents. It also has the backing of a coalition of activists who fear the countys federal stimulus aid would again go toward the sheriffs office, which controls Cook County Jail and a police force of more than 500 officers. The version designed by the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression and the Grassroots Alliance for Police Accountability calls for Chicagoans to vote on a referendum to create a 11-member civilian board with nine elected members and two members appointed by the board itself that would have authority to hire and fire the police superintendent. It also would be able to submit the Police Department budget and negotiate contracts with the Fraternal Order of Police. *Walgreens was the second-largest provider of first doses in the city, but only about 26% of those shots went to people in high- or medium-risk Chicago ZIP codes. About 30%, meanwhile, went to suburbanites who struggled to find appointments closer to home. The pharmacy chain says it wasnt told it had to confirm that patients lived or worked in the city until late March, though city officials said they had been clear about the eligibility guidelines from the start and noted their public directives. It cant happen here is a political cliche in the United States. Regardless of your personal viewpoint, there is a vast swath of the American population who simply do not believe in the possibility of any kind of totalitarianism in the United States. Its worth noting that throughout history, in virtually every place that totalitarian regimes have arisen, the residents of these countries felt the same way. Russia was seen as too traditional and backward, the power of the Czar too entrenched to be defeated. Germany had been viewed throughout most of the modern period as the home of Goethe, Schiller, and Mozart, a place where the local Jewish population had largely assimilated. Because totalitarianism emerges differently throughout history in different countries, its crucial to take a broader view of how totalitarian regimes arise. For example, when were discussing the rise of communism or the rise of fascism, we see different trends in Russia than we do in China, different trends in Italy than we do in Germany. When we examine multiple, somewhat lesser known examples of the rise of socialism throughout the world, we paint a picture of the different ways in which socialism originated and its possible resurgence. This case study of terror analyses three examples of totalitarianism throughout history. In Czechoslovakia, the Communist Party was able to establish the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic by leveraging little more than a strong showing - but not a victory - in the parliamentary elections. During the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution of Communist China in the 1960s, Chairman Mao came out of relative isolation to radically remake an already communist country. Lastly, we will look right in Americas backyard at the rise of Hugo Chavez in Venezuela. More than perhaps anywhere else, the rise of totalitarianism throughout the world is an excellent example of the quote often attributed to Mark Twain, history doesn't repeat itself, but it does rhyme. If you are looking for a mechanical repeat of the past, you are looking in the wrong place. Our point is not to show you that the exact same things are currently happening here in the United States, but to highlight similarities. The Czechoslovak Coup dEtat of 1948 Standing on this side of history, its easy to take Soviet domination over Eastern Europe as a given. However, at no point during the early transition from Nazi domination to the post-war period was it a fait accompli that the formerly occupied nations of Eastern Europe wouldnt go back to being free and independent nations. Czechoslovakia is perhaps one of the best examples we have of a country that was by no means destined to go communist. The situation on the ground in Czechoslovakia was very similar to that of Italy and France - all three had been occupied by the Germans and had large Communist Parties enjoying broad, if not a majority, support. The Communist Parties of each country had a track record of cooperation with non-Communist Parties. Whats more, the Communist Party was able to get a little clout based on the role of the Red Army in liberating Eastern Europe. The broad support of the Communist Party should not be overlooked, as it is a major factor in the rise of a Communist government in Czechoslovakia. In 1945, the Communist Party had a scant 40,000 members. By 1948, this had ballooned to 1.35 million, with several fellow travelers and supporters whose strength is difficult to estimate. This numerical strength formed the basis of their participation in the National Front, a big tent parliamentary front composed of Communists, but also conservative agrarians, social democrats, Christian democrats, and liberals. Before going any further, we should take a minute to examine just what the Communist Party was doing to create such mass support. As is often the case, true aims were concealed or cloaked in doublespeak. Rather than presenting themselves as the vanguard of the international socialist revolution, the Communists instead positioned themselves as part of the broader nationalist and democratic traditions that had informed the Czechoslovakian body politic since the countrys founding. This branding exercise paid dividends in the 1946 parliamentary elections. The Communists garnered 31.2% of the vote, the strongest showing by a Communist Party in a free election, far and above the 22% showing the Hungarian Party was able to get the following year. This meant a gain of 63 seats for the Communists. They held 93 seats in the parliament; however, they were still short of having a majority of 151 seats, which was needed to form a government. Regardless, due to the National Front and the broad forces that it was host to, the Communist Party was able to form a government with the support of lesser parties. As a result, the 1946 Czechoslovak election was the last free and fair election held in the country until 1990. The Communists of Czechoslovakia were very shrewd. They did not attempt to control the whole of the government and were even content to let most of the ministry positions be occupied by members of other parties. Nine of the cabinet positions were occupied by Communists, with the remaining seventeen were held by non-Communists. What was crucial for their eventual success was that the Communists controlled the Ministry of the Interior, which was in charge of the police forces in the country. There were other areas of communist dominance that were crucial to their takeover of the country. Key positions were held in agriculture, propaganda, education, and social welfare. Soon after the 1946 election, the Communists dominated in the civil service. Most of the government bureaucrats that average people encountered daily were now members of the Communist Party. The Communists, despite being in the minority, wasted no time in pushing the envelope and moving the ball forward for their side. The police quickly started acting like Communist goons, collectivization was openly discussed and farmers were told to produce more food without any increase in wages. Even so, people still assumed that once the elections were held in 1948, the deeply unpopular Communists would be shown the door by the Czechoslovak electorate. The original plan was for the Communists to push their advantage in the parliamentary elections, but with the defeat of Communists in France and Italy after the war, Stalin scrapped this plan. Still, forces on the ground knew that a revolutionary coup detat wouldnt work in Czechoslovakia and that an approach that, at least on the surface, respected the democratic forms of government needed to be employed. To this end, the Communists decided that demonstrations and protests were the way to flex their muscles in the streets. At the same time, the Interior Minister began purging the police forces, replacing the existing police force with as many Communists as he could. The practical result is that the Communists were able to use the National Police Force as a wing of the Communist Party -- punishing their enemies and rewarding their friends. Several non-Communist ministers resigned in protest, believing that their resignations would not be accepted and that this would be humiliating for the Communists. However, Czechoslovak President Edvard Benes decided to remain neutral. This is when the Communists struck. Massive Communist demonstrations were held throughout the country. Non-Communist ministries were occupied, the relevant civil servants were fired and the army, who were, at least in theory, non-partisan, were confined to their barracks. Action Committees (a Communist euphemism for street mobs and shakedown rackets) and militias within the Communist-allied trade unions were established by the Communist Party. The Communist Party threatened a general strike unless the President agreed to form a new government, this one dominated by the Communist Party. Fearing both a general strike and the Red Army at his borders, the President capitulated. The new government was composed almost entirely of Communist, pro-Moscow Social Democrats. Only a single anti-Communist minister, Foreign Minister Jan Masaryk, remained. He was found dead two weeks after the formation of the new government under mysterious circumstances. On May 9, the parliament approved a new constitution declaring Czechoslovakia a "people's democratic state." Although the new constitution didnt mention the Communist Party, it was so similar to the Soviet Constitution that the President refused to sign it. On May 30, elections were held with a single list provided by the National Front, which garnered 89.2% of the vote. The Communists were able to win 214 of the 300 available seats, giving them majority control This majority continued to grow in the year following as the Social Democrats merged into the Communist Party. Following this election, no political parties were allowed to exist outside of the National Front a wholly owned subsidiary of the Communist Party. The President resigned on June 2 and was succeeded by the head of the Communist Party. The country remained under Communist domination until 1990. What We Can Learn From the Czechoslovak Coup The Czechoslovakian Coup is an important historical lesson for a couple of reasons. First, the Communists were able to use a strong showing in a single election to dramatically remake a country of millions. They did this by controlling key ministries within the government, astroturfing mass rallies, and replacing a politically neutral police force with a politically motivated goon squad. It all happened rather quickly, but it didnt happen overnight. Its important to note that none of the democratic forms of Czechoslovakia, which prided itself on being a pluralistic democracy, were violated. Everything was done according to the rules. The Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution The Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution was not the imposition of socialism on a country, as that had already happened in 1948 at the end of the Chinese Civil War. However, it is an important example to include in this analysis. The Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution marked a dramatic change in the tone of political life in China. At its root, the Cultural Revolution was an attempt by Chairman Mao to reassert himself in public life. After the debacle of the Great Leap Forward was hung squarely on his head, he was put out to pasture. While the Peoples Republic of China (PRC) remained a Communist nation, it was one run by moderate pragmatists men who were much more interested in leading China to prosperity than they were with preserving every jot and tittle of Marxist dogma. In 1963, Mao began the Socialist Education Movement, generally seen by historians as the precursor to the Cultural Revolution. This is where the modus operandi of the Cultural Revolution began to take shape. Mao would identify an enemy and have one of his political allies attack the rival for being insufficiently orthodox in public newspapers. An example of this was General Luo Ruiqing, the Chief of Staff of the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA). Mao felt he was too interested in military training and not interested enough in political indoctrination. He was denounced, performed a self-criticism, and eventually committed suicide. This resulted in the PLA falling into the hands of Mao and his loyalists. The next stage of the Cultural Revolution began on May 16, with the May 16 Notification. This outlined Maos thesis of the political lay of the land for the PRC. Capitalists and those seeking to return China to capitalism had infiltrated the Communist Party and were pretending to be Communists in the name of restoring the old regime to China. It was only through "the telescope and microscope of Mao Zedong Thought that these secret interlopers could be identified. The first major purge was Peng Zhen, First Secretary of the Beijing Committee of the Communist Party of China because he disagreed with Maos position that all literature should be in the service of the state. With Zhen removed, the political leadership of the capital fell into chaos. This created the perfect environment to stage independent mass demonstrations that were effectively Maos faction of the Communist Party attacking all of his opponents. Mao was able to leverage popularity among Communist youths to create massive demonstrations throughout the country. These youths were later organized into the Red Guards, paramilitary groups fanatically loyal to Chairman Mao. They first got wind in their sails during Red August, which saw 1,772 people who were mostly teachers and principals killed by the Guards and their supporters. An additional 33,695 homes ransacked and 85,196 families were forced to leave Beijing. Red August was effectively a series of politically motivated riots; however, the riots were not stopped by the police force of China. The Red Guards often received official protection from the police, who instead enacted harsh measures against anyone who dared to resist Maos Red Guards. Red August is generally considered the beginning of the Red Terror in China. Red Guards from Beijing No. 6 High School famously wrote "Long Live Red Terror!" on the wall with the blood of their victims. It is easy to get bogged down in the various details of the Cultural Revolution, but it is the broader points that are most important. The Cultural Revolution was, at least ostensibly, wages against the Five Black Categories: landlords, rich farmers, counter-revolutionaries, bad influences, and rightists and the Four Olds: Old Ideas, Old Culture, Old Habits, and Old Customs. The Five Black Categories can be further described as follows: Landlords: Anyone owning any amount of land, especially anyone who derived rental income from their land. Anyone owning any amount of land, especially anyone who derived rental income from their land. Rich Farmers: As students of Soviet history will already know, rich is a very relative term. It could mean owning one cow or many cows. As students of Soviet history will already know, rich is a very relative term. It could mean owning one cow or many cows. Counter-Revolutionaries: This refers to an alleged cabal of Chinese people who were actively working to restore either the Emperor or the Nationalist government. In reality, nearly all of these had fled to Taiwan by 1966 or else were killed. This refers to an alleged cabal of Chinese people who were actively working to restore either the Emperor or the Nationalist government. In reality, nearly all of these had fled to Taiwan by 1966 or else were killed. Bad Influences: Generally used when describing school teachers and other intellectual workers considered insufficiently enthusiastic about Mao. Generally used when describing school teachers and other intellectual workers considered insufficiently enthusiastic about Mao. Rightists: Another secret cabal, this one within the Communist Party, looking to use the Communist Party as a tool of counter-revolution. These groups were treated as if they were entrenched, oppressive forces some two decades after the founding of the Peoples Republic of China. The short version of all of this is that Mao wasnt simply looking to reassert his power in the country, he was looking to radically remake China in such a fashion that the past never really existed. Everything from the days before the Peoples Republic of China that was not tied directly to Maos strident brand of Marxism was meant to be destroyed. This meant that priceless cultural artifacts were destroyed by rampaging mobs of Maoists. Individuals were targeted for holding opinions that would have been entirely uncontroversial even just a few months before the outbreak of the Cultural Revolution. People were violently victimized dragged into the streets by rioters and forced to denounce themselves, friends, and family in what were called Struggle Sessions. The Chinese government believes that the total number of people who died as a result of the Cultural Revolution is 20 million, with another 100 million persecuted. What We Can Learn from the Cultural Revolution The important thing for contemporary Americans to understand is the mass nature of the Cultural Revolution. It was carried out by literally millions of Chinese youth, with the official sanction and encouragement of the state. The Red Guards were protected by the police and the military, while the victims were prevented from taking any measures to protect themselves. Whats more, the damage was not limited to the lives lost directly in struggle sessions or in forced relocations. The 1975 Banqiao Dam failure is considered to be the direct result of Chinas best and brightest being more concerned with divining the correct revolutionary line than with making sure the dams were in good repair. Finally, it is worth noting the ferocity with which people were attacked for holding opinions that were until very recently uncontroversial. There was a massive, hysterical push to destroy symbols of Chinese history that had become unfavorable due to the current political climate. Those who were being persecuted by the government were, somewhat perversely, painted as if they were an oppressive class being uprooted by a revolutionary government that was going to equalize society by addressing historical injustices. All of this should sound extremely familiar to contemporary American audiences. Venezuelas Bolivarian Revolution Venezuela, at least among those in the know, is the symbol of 21st Century socialism and its catastrophic consequences. Venezuela teeters on the brink its citizens are often incapable of obtaining adequate health care or even basic consumer goods, such as quality food and toilet paper. Such is the track record of socialist governments throughout history. The so-called Bolivarian Revolution of Venezuela, named after Latin American liberator Simon Bolivar, began in 1998 when Hugo Chavez was elected President. He received 56.4% of the popular vote in an election that had the lowest voter turnout of any in the history of Venezuela. Chavez ran on a moderately left-populist program, railing against corruption, entrenched oligarchs, and widespread poverty. Once elected, Chavez was unable to make good on any of his promises due to the weakness of the Venezuelan economy. Unwilling to risk scaring away foreign investors with radical wealth redistribution, beefed up regulations, and increased social spending, Chavez decided to put the military in charge of various anti-poverty and infrastructure projects, instead of defending the country. In April 1999, there was a referendum on whether or not Venezuela should adopt a new constitution. The measure passed with 71.8% in favor. In July 1999, an election was held for delegates to the Constitutional Assembly, with Chavez loyalists receiving 95% of the delegates despite receiving only 52% of the vote. Over half of eligible voters stayed home. The Assemblea Nacional Constituyente (ANC) was charged with drafting a new Constitution of Venezuela in six months. The ANC quickly became an alternate center of power to the official government of Venezuela. Chavez publicly supported the ANC over existing organs of the elected government. On November 20, 1999, the new constitution was unveiled. With 350 articles, it was one of the longest and most complicated constitutions in the world. President term limits were extended from five years to six years, presidents were now allowed to run for consecutive terms, and the President was given the power to dissolve the National Assembly, which was turned into a unicameral house and stripped of most of its powers. The new constitution included several positive rights, such as the right to housing, employment, and healthcare. In the 2000 elections, Chavez and his allies tightened their hold on the government. Despite receiving 44.38% of the votes, Chavezs party received 55.75% of the seats. The election was the subject of widespread accusations of fraud, with the Carter Center refusing to certify it as a free and fair election. At the same time, the government began demanding that all union elections take place under government supervision. After his stunning victory in the 2000 elections, Chavez rammed an enabling act through the National Assembly. This allowed Chavez to rule by decree for one year. It was towards the end of this year that Chavez began making sweeping changes to Venezuelan society. This included land reform, where squatters were given title to other peoples land, as well as encouraging the formation of pro-government paramilitary groups. Crime also began to balloon around this time. In 2002, there was a failed military coup against Chavez. In 2004, there was a recall attempt that Chavez survived, though the vote was marred by accusations of fraud. In 2009, Chavez successfully removed term limits, allowing him to become President for Life. He died in 2013 and was replaced by Nicolas Maduro, who continued many of Chavezs policies and overall socialist direction of the country. The economy and living standard of Venezuela continues to decline. What We Can Learn from the Bolivarian Revolution Hugo Chavez was not considered a far-leftist when he was inaugurated. It was only after the fact that he became an open admirer of Fidel Castros regime in Cuba. Whats more, the elections that put him in power were marred by accusations of fraud. Venezuela stands as a powerful example of how quickly a country can be changed when the wrong person gains power and uses it for their ends. The Venezuelan Constitution dramatically remade the nation, going so far as to rename it from the Republic of Venezuela to the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. The power of the Chavez movement is now so firmly entrenched that its not clear if theres a road back to normalcy for the people of Venezuela. It is crucial for Americans to see an example of how fast a fraudulent election can enshrine into power a radical leftist agenda. Venezuelan politics demonstrates how quickly a center-left politician can move to the radical left and how a politician can spin up a mob to act as enforcers for their agenda on the street. What We Can Learn From Three Red Terrors The three Red Terrors explored in this article provide valuable lessons about how the rise of totalitarian socialism occurs differently, in different places, at different times. Americans who are concerned about socialism should resist the temptation to mechanistically look for history repeating and should instead look for broader strokes that are common in the examples analyzed above and the rise of totalitarianism in general. These include: The demonization of political opponents. Totalitarianism doesnt see its political opponents as misguided or even good faith people with disagreements. Rather, it sees groups of people as obstacles to be overcome or destroyed. Oftentimes, groups are scapegoated because of who they are rather than what they think, but typically both types of dissent are repressed. Totalitarianism doesnt see its political opponents as misguided or even good faith people with disagreements. Rather, it sees groups of people as obstacles to be overcome or destroyed. Oftentimes, groups are scapegoated because of who they are rather than what they think, but typically both types of dissent are repressed. The formation of political mobs. Ironically, totalitarianism requires some kind of mass support on the ground to get going. These political mobs, which are effectively goon squads, are somewhere between conformity enforcement and an end zone dance. Political mobs not only demonstrate that the totalitarian movement has meaningful social power on the street, but they also consolidate and increase that power by victimizing individuals who oppose them or groups who have been chosen as a scapegoat. Ironically, totalitarianism requires some kind of mass support on the ground to get going. These political mobs, which are effectively goon squads, are somewhere between conformity enforcement and an end zone dance. Political mobs not only demonstrate that the totalitarian movement has meaningful social power on the street, but they also consolidate and increase that power by victimizing individuals who oppose them or groups who have been chosen as a scapegoat. Support from allies within the state. In each of the above cases, militias and paramilitary groups operated with impunity because they were protected by sympathetic members of the state apparatus. This need not be over political sympathy. It can simply mean looking the other way while people are victimized, while at the same time attacking anyone who defends themselves against politically motivated violence. In each of the above cases, militias and paramilitary groups operated with impunity because they were protected by sympathetic members of the state apparatus. This need not be over political sympathy. It can simply mean looking the other way while people are victimized, while at the same time attacking anyone who defends themselves against politically motivated violence. The politicization of everyday life. The personal is not political. Most people are simply trying to live their lives as best they can, without political considerations. Totalitarian groups, however, believe that everything a person does has a political character. This forces all of society to walk on eggshells. The personal is not political. Most people are simply trying to live their lives as best they can, without political considerations. Totalitarian groups, however, believe that everything a person does has a political character. This forces all of society to walk on eggshells. Rapid change of social values. When opinions that were very recently considered completely acceptable and normal are quickly and radically viewed as something one dare not express publicly, there is a cultural revolution underway that might well be a prelude to a political and economic one. When opinions that were very recently considered completely acceptable and normal are quickly and radically viewed as something one dare not express publicly, there is a cultural revolution underway that might well be a prelude to a political and economic one. Electoral chicanery. While its certainly true that totalitarian ideologies enjoy mass support, they rarely if ever, win at the ballot box without some kind of chicanery. This could be outright fraud, voter intimidation, voter suppression, or other dirty tricks designed to marginalize opposing views. One certainly can see elements of each of these in the current political climate in the United States. Hopefully, we will not have to update this article anytime soon to detail how the American people were the latest victims of the death march known as socialism. The most important thing to remember is that the enslavement of a nation is never inevitable. The lessons above are not meant to create a sense of helplessness in the face of American totalitarian impulses, but rather to arm our readers with the knowledge they need to successfully oppose such. Based on press reports and government statements, Microsoft would help farmers with post-harvest management solutions by building a collaborative platform and capturing agriculture datasets such as crop yields, weather data, market demand and prices. In turn, this would create a farmer interface for smart agriculture, including post-harvest management and distribution.In April, the Indian government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Microsoft, allowing its local partner CropData to leverage a master database of farmers. The MoU seems to be part of the AgriStack policy initiative, which involves the roll out of disruptive technologies and digital databases in the agricultural sector. CropData will be granted access to a government database of 50 million farmers and their land records. As the database is developed, it will include farmers personal details, profile of land held (cadastral maps, farm size, land titles, local climatic and geographical conditions), production details (crops grown, production history, input history, quality of output, machinery in possession) and financial details (input costs, average return, credit history). The stated aim is to use digital technology to improve financing, inputs, cultivation and supply and distribution. It seems that the blueprint for AgriStack is in an advanced stage despite the lack of consultation with or involvement of farmers themselves. Technology could certainly improve the sector but handing control over to powerful private concerns will merely facilitate what they require in terms of market capture and farmer dependency. Such data-driven agriculture is integral to the recent farm legislation which includes a proposal to create a digital profile of cultivators, their farm holdings, climatic conditions in an area, what is grown and average output. Of course, many concerns have been raised about this, ranging from farmer displacement, the further exploitation of farmers through microfinance and the misuse of farmers data and increased algorithmic decision-making without accountability. The displacement of farmers is not lost on the Research Unit for Political Economy (RUPE) which, in a three-part series of articles, explains how neoliberal capitalism has removed peasant farmers from their land to facilitate an active land market for corporate interests. The Indian government is trying to establish a system of conclusive titling of all land in the country, so that ownership can be identified and land can then be bought or taken away. Taking Mexico as an example, RUPE says: Unlike Mexico, India never underwent significant land reform. Nevertheless, its current programme of conclusive titling of land bears clear resemblances to Mexicos post-1992 drive to hand over property rightsThe Indian rulers are closely following the script followed by Mexico, written in Washington. The plan is that, as farmers lose access to land or can be identified as legal owners, predatory institutional investors and large agribusinesses will buy up and amalgamate holdings, facilitating the further roll-out of high-input, corporate-dependent industrial agriculture which has already helped fuel wide-scale financial distress among farmers and a deep-rooted agrarian and environmental crisis. By harvesting (pirating) information under the benign-sounding policy of data-driven agriculture private corporations will be better placed to exploit farmers situations for their own ends: they will know more about their incomes and businesses than individual farmers themselves. OPEN LETTER Some 55 civil society groups and organisations have written to the government expressing these and various other concerns, not least the perceived policy vacuum with respect to the data privacy of farmers and the exclusion of farmers themselves in current policy initiatives. In an open letter, they state: At a time when data has become the new oil and the industry is looking at it as the next source of profits, there is a need to ensure the interest of farmers. It will not be surprising that corporations will approach this as one more profit-making possibility, as a market for so-called solutions which lead to sale of unsustainable agri-inputs combined with greater loans and indebtedness of farmers for this through fintech, as well as the increased threat of dispossession by private corporations. They add that any proposal which seeks to tackle the issues that plague Indian agriculture must address the fundamental causes of these issues. The current model relies on tech-solutionism which emphasises using technology to solve structural issues. There is also the issue of reduced transparency on the part of the government through algorithm-based decision-making. The 55 signatories request the government holds consultations with all stakeholders, especially farmers organisations, on the direction of its digital push as well as the basis of partnerships, and put out a policy document in this regard after giving due consideration to feedback from farmers and farmer organisations. As agriculture is a state subject, the central government should consult the state governments also. They state that all initiatives that the government has begun with private entities to integrate and/or share multiple databases with private/personal information about individual farmers or their farms be put on hold till an inclusive policy framework is put in place and a data protection law is passed. It is also advocated that the development of AgriStack, both as a policy framework and its execution, should take the concerns and experiences of farmers as the prime starting point. The letter states that if the new farm laws are closely examined, it will be evident that unregulated digitalisation is an important aspect of them. There is the strong possibility that monopolistic corporate-owned e-commerce platforms will eventually control much of Indias economy given the current policy trajectory. From retail and logistics to cultivation, data certainly will be the new oil, giving power to platforms to dictate what needs to be manufactured and in what quantities. Those farmers who remain in the system will be tied to contracts and told how much production is expected, how much rain is anticipated, what type of soil quality there is, what type of inputs are required and when the produce needs to be ready and how much money they will receive. Handing over all information about the sector to Microsoft and others places power in their hands the power to shape the sector in their own image. The data giants and e-commerce companies will not only control data about consumption but also hold data on production, logistics, who needs what, when they need it, who should produce it, who should move it and when it should be moved. Bayer, Corteva, Syngenta and traditional agribusiness will work with Microsoft, Google and the big-tech giants to facilitate AI-driven farmerless farms and e-commerce retail dominated by the likes of Amazon and Walmart. A cartel of data owners, proprietary input suppliers and retail concerns at the commanding heights of the economy, peddling toxic industrial food and the devastating health impacts associated with it. And elected representatives? Their role will be highly limited to technocratic overseers of these platforms and the artificial intelligence tools that plan and determine all of the above. As for farmers, many if not most will be forced to leave the sector. Tens of millions unemployed and underemployed collateral damage stripped of their means of production. Centuries old knowledge of cultivation and cultural practices passed on down the generations gone. The links between humans and the land reduced to an AI-driven technocratic dystopia in compliance with the tenets of neoliberal capitalism. As it currently stands, AgriStack will help facilitate this end game. The open letter referred to can be read on the website of the Alliance For Holistic and Sustaibable Agriculture. For a summary of the recent farm legislation and the implications see this segment by Colin Todhunter on UK-based KTV. Im sure this experience has been very traumatic for the victim, and I commend her for having the courage to face her attacker in open court, Berlin said in a release. The evidence in this case was overwhelming, and I would like to thank the DuPage County sheriffs office Crime Lab for their extended efforts in providing us the DNA evidence necessary in such a timely manner that we were able to charge Mr. Ramsey just days after the assault. Now here we are in 2021, and we were told that things would be getting back to normal by now. But instead, there are severe shortages everywhere around us. In fact, the shortages are far worse than anything that we experienced in 2020. For example, did you know that dozens of important drugs are in short supply? According to the official FDA website, there are shortages of more than 100 drugs in the United States right now If you found yourself in a situation like this, you can check the FDAs drug shortage tracking system. Right now there are currently about 120 drugs listed as having a shortage. On the website, if you type in a drug name in the database search field you can see if and why its in short supply. You can also see whether it is scheduled to be discontinued, and when the supply may start flowing again. This wasnt supposed to happen. Shortages just continue to get worse for the home building industry as well Builders are delaying starting new construction because of the marked increase in costs for lumber and other inputs, said Mike Fratantoni, senior vice president and chief economist with the Mortgage Bankers Association, in a report Tuesday. He added that supply shortages for appliances are also putting a damper on new home building activity. Just over our northern border, the shortages have gotten really severe. In some cases, the construction of homes is months behind schedule because the shortages have gotten so bad Home builders across Canada are getting hit by a string of supply-chain disruptions, resulting in widespread product shortages and explosive costs for the industry. In some cases, home construction is months behind schedule as developers struggle to source everything from lumber to PVC pipes, insulation to windows. Builders are also holding back on presales, unable to accurately price their homes too far in advance, given that material costs can fluctuate wildly on a daily basis. When asked about these shortages, one home building executive said that its getting worse and worse every day The whole supply chain is out of whack, said Matt McCurrach, president of Homex Development Corp. in Kamloops, B.C. Its getting worse and worse every day, added Sue Wastell, president of Wastell Homes in London, Ont. Literally every day, were finding out something else is not arriving when it was scheduled to. Weve never seen anything like this. Of even greater concern is the global shortage of computer chips. This is something that I discussed extensively in my recent article entitled A Severe Computer Chip Shortage Will Last A Few Years, And This Could Plunge The Global Economy Into Utter Chaos. Just about every industry that you can name is extremely dependent on equipment that uses computer chips, and CNN is telling us that this shortage is going from bad to worse The shortage is going from bad to worse, spreading from cars to consumer electronics. With the bulk of chip production concentrated in a handful of suppliers, analysts warn that the crunch is likely to last through 2021. According to Goldman Sachs, 169 US industries embed semiconductors in their products. The bank is forecasting a 20% average shortfall of computer chips among affected industries, with some of the components used to make chips in short supply until at least this fall and possibly into 2022. Actually, as I pointed out the other day, many executives now expect the computer chip shortage to extend into 2023. For automakers, this is rapidly becoming a complete and total nightmare. During the first quarter, global auto production was down by about 10 percent due to the chip shortage, but Ford has announced that production in the second quarter will be down by about 50 percent Investors have heard plenty about the current state of capacity problems for months. Roughly 2 million carsor about 10% of quarterly global automotive productionwerent built in the first quarter because of no chips. Ford Motor (ticker: F), one of the auto makers feeling the shortage most acutely, said in late April that it expects to lose about 50% of planned second-quarter production. A 50 percent decline in production? That is nuts! If automakers cant make vehicles, then they will have to start laying off workers. Unfortunately, that is precisely what just happened at one factory in northern Illinois Some 1,600 jobs are being cut at a Jeep Cherokee factory in northern Illinois as automakers continue being plagued by the global shortage of semiconductors. The U.S. arm of Stellantis, formerly known as Fiat Chrysler, said Friday it was cutting one of the two work shifts at its Belvidere Assembly Plant as of July 26. That could result in the layoffs of 1,641 workers, company spokeswoman Jodi Tinson said. The economic optimists keep telling us that better days are right around the corner, but those better days never seem to materialize. Instead, employment is still way below pre-pandemic levels, global supply chains are in a state of complete and utter chaos, and we are facing severe shortages of just about everything Copper, iron ore and steel. Corn, coffee, wheat and soybeans. Lumber, semiconductors, plastic and cardboard for packaging. The world is seemingly low on all of it. You name it, and we have a shortage on it, Tom Linebarger, chairman and chief executive of engine and generator manufacturer Cummins Inc., said on a call this month. Clients are trying to get everything they can because they see high demand, Jennifer Rumsey, the Columbus, Indiana-based companys president, said. They think its going to extend into next year. The difference between the big crunch of 2021 and past supply disruptions is the sheer magnitude of it, and the fact that there is as far as anyone can tell no clear end in sight. Big or small, few businesses are spared. Europes largest fleet of trucks, Girteka Logistics, says theres been a struggle to find enough capacity. Monster Beverage Corp. of Corona, California, is dealing with an aluminum can scarcity. Hong Kongs MOMAX Technology Ltd. is delaying production of a new product because of a dearth of semiconductors. If this is the recovery, what will things look like when the next severe economic downturn hits us? In my entire lifetime, I have never seen such widespread shortages. Those that are running things keep insisting that they have everything totally under control and that things will eventually get back to normal. You can believe them if you want, but millions of others are preparing for a future in which their optimistic assessments of the future turn out to be very, very wrong. * * * Michaels new book entitled Lost Prophecies Of The Future Of America is now available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon. The Anti-Violence Advisory Council named last week by Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms has been structured to evade Georgias strict Open Meetings Act rules for public observation. The only people who heard Bottoms address the 13-person working group on Wednesday were hand-picked members and city staff. Bottoms has relied on similar working groups in the past, like one convened in the wake of protests last summer. Some of the recommendations of that group later became city policy. Former U.S. Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates is the highest profile member of the group, which also includes UPS CEO Carol Tome, a juvenile judge, a retired police chief, city council members, and community activists. Members speaking about Wednesdays meeting said on background that the mayor addressed the group briefly, then the group dove into a discussion of the problem and an overview of crime statistics led by the citys police chief, Rodney Bryant. An intense question-and-answer session followed with a focus on youth crime and gang crime. Bottoms announced that she would not be running for reelection earlier this month, an astonishing concession widely attributed to the challenge of running during a record-setting crime wave. Homicides have increased 85 percent year over year as of two weeks ago: 52 deaths since the start of the year, with six killings since Friday alone. Violence has been particularly lethal; aggravated assaults have also increased, but only by about 25 percent, while gun violence has increased more than 50 percent. State government has begun to intervene. At the end of the legislative session two months ago, Georgia House Speaker David Ralston announced a study committee on Atlanta crime, holding out the possibility that the state police would take over the citys public safety. The legislature also passed legislation prohibiting large municipalities looking at you, Atlanta from defunding the police by capping reductions in police spending to a maximum of 5 percent per year. Of late, the Georgia State Patrol has been working with the Atlanta Police Department and others to crack down on street racing, reversing city policies against car chases in the process. Three people have been killed while police chased suspects since then. None of the three were drivers of vehicles being chased. The city has said it plans to fight rising crime with a mix of policies, issuing a crackdown on nuisance properties, gangs, and street racing, as well as expanding surveillance technology. The city announced it would start a trial of ShotSpotter technology, which locates gunfire acoustically. The city also plans to spend millions to build a new police training academy. Bottomss working group provides the political benefit of shifting responsibility for decisions to a council of largely unelected, politically unaccountable outsiders. Any changes to public safety policies vibrate with political tension. Theres value in convening the political equivalent of a grand jury to examine a public problem in fact, actual grand juries have been used in just that way to positive effect across Georgia over the years. Bottomss working group also provides the political benefit of shifting responsibility for decisions to a council of largely unelected, politically unaccountable outsiders. Bottoms will be able to say that she followed its policy recommendations, absolving herself of criticism if they come at the expense of her political allies. Progressive activists who helped elect Bottoms over Mary Norwood a relatively conservative former city council member from Atlantas wealthy Buckhead neighborhood have won criminal justice reforms like the end of cash bail for minor offenses, the establishment of a pre-arrest diversion initiative, and the implementation of body-worn cameras and use-of-force protocols. Theyve expected even more, like the permanent closure of Atlantas mostly empty municipal jail, to be reimagined as a community center. They fear that demagogues will hang rising crime numbers on these reforms and not on the underlying conditions in the city. Atlanta is the most economically unequal city in America, according to one Bloomberg analysis, with rising rents outstripping incomes even before the pandemic. Housing instability can contribute to violence. The killing of Rayshard Brooks by an Atlanta police officer amid the broader protests against police brutality and the subsequent sickout by cops over the arrest of officer Garrett Rolfe on a murder charge deeply damaged the departments relatively strong relationship with the public. Atlanta is also a center for the music industry, which may be part of the problem. While most of Americas nightlife shut down during the pandemic, Atlantas clubs largely remained open, due in part to the permissive policies of Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp. Downtown parking lots are filled with out-of-state cars, while the nightclubs have often been the scene of violence. Combine this with equally permissive gun laws and a related gang problem. The Fulton County district attorney earlier this month uncorked a massive anti-racketeering indictment against rapper YFN Lucci and 11 others. The RICO indictment described YFN Lucci, whose given name is Rayshawn Bennett, as a Bloods gang leader and argued that Atlanta is the battlefield for a rap gang war with a Rollin 60s Crip set indirectly linked to massively popular rappers Young Thug and Gunna. The policy prescription for these problems, if they are to be solved and not simply acted upon, is likely to be complex and require a long-term focus. But Bottoms charged the working group to make recommendations within 30 to 45 days, which reflects the political urgency of the moment. There are a few things that can be done and are being done more or less immediately. The city can treat nightclubs as nuisance properties and shutter them after a shooting. Doing so will almost certainly result in lawsuits, but a protracted court case is a better problem than the drumbeat of violence. A crackdown on street racers appears to be counterproductive targeting of a nuisance crime unless it is tied tightly to a focus on visitors exploiting the citys licentious setting, which is what has turned downtown Atlanta into turf war territory for gangs serving drugs tourists. But the biggest problem is broken trust. Swaths of the public no longer trust police to be effective, neutral arbiters of justice. That wont be solved with police ride-alongs or public relations campaigns. Rayshard Brookss death is a bone-deep wound on the body politic. And theres nothing a commission created with a 45-day mandate can do to heal that wound faster. The post Atlanta Mayor Punts Crime Fighting to Secret Committee appeared first on The Intercept. THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT of Defense maintains a secret army of over 60,000 operatives, many of whom work across the world in a clandestine capacity, with fake identities and manufactured backgrounds, according to a new report. Newsweek, which published the report on Monday, said that the Pentagon force is more than ten times the size of the clandestine wing of the Central Intelligence Agency, which is commonly associated with carrying out covert operations abroad. According to William Arkin, author of the Newsweek report, the Pentagons secret operatives are part of a wider US government effort known as signature reduction. The program provides undercover government operatives the ability to operate domestically and around the world without the fear of having their links to spy agencies or the military discovered by online sleuths. Some of these operatives carry out clandestine tasks under their real names, claims Arkin, but without having any formal connections with the US government, or even their country of citizenship. Others operate under manufactured identifies, which, according to the report, are created by the Pentagons Operational Planning and Travel Intelligence Center. Its purpose is to alter databases of US government agencies, such as the US Citizenship and Immigration Services, or the Customs and Border Protection agency, so as to protect the manufactured identities of covert operatives. Such operatives are also provided with technologies that allow them to evade face-recognition and other biometric identification measures, including fingerprint scanners, according to Newsweek. Another part of the signature reduction program, according to the report, consists of private-sector enterprises that work with the Pentagon to provide its clandestine operatives with contractual covers. These allow the operatives to work abroad under civilian cover and without any official connection to US embassies or military bases, according to Newsweek. The report claims that the largest component of the Pentagons signature reduction program consists of members of Special Operations Forces. The remaining components of the program are made up of military intelligence and counterintelligence specialists with a variety of skills, including linguistics specialists and cyber operations. The latter form the fastest growing group within the program, and are tasked with collecting information about targets online, as well as engaging in influence campaigns utilizing social media platforms around the world. Borsa Italiana non ha responsabilita per il contenuto del sito a cui sta per accedere e non ha responsabilita per le informazioni contenute. Accedendo a questo link, Borsa Italiana non intende sollecitare acquisti o offerte in alcun paese da parte di nessuno. Sarai automaticamente diretto al link in cinque secondi. We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Submit Here The friend told police they went to the bar earlier that night where an altercation broke out as a man, later identified as Garza, pulled a gun, pointing it at another mans head. A relative of Garzas was the bartender, who kicked out the other man, according to documents. Xinhua News Agency: This morning, the MFA website released the information that President Xi Jinping will attend the Global Health Summit to be jointly held by President of the G20 Italy and the European Commission via video link. Can you tell us more about it? What is China's expectation of the summit? Zhao Lijian: At the invitation of the Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, President Xi Jinping will attend the Global Health Summit on May 21 via video link. With the resurgence and spread of COVID-19 in many parts of the world, the international cooperation against the virus is at a critical juncture. China hopes that the Global Health Summit will give full play to the role of the G20 as an important platform of global response to crisis and sustain G20's positive momentum of leading global cooperation in fighting COVID-19. We expect the summit to send a strong signal of upholding multilateralism and advancing solidarity and cooperation, and inject confidence and impetus into the early victory over the virus and improvement of global health governance, so as to jointly build a global community of health for all. The Paper: It is learned that Zhai Jun, China's special envoy for Middle East affairs, had telephone conversations with officials of the Palestinian and Egyptian foreign ministries to promote the deescalation of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Can you brief us on what China has done to ease the tensions between Palestine and Israel? Zhao Lijian: Since the outbreak of the Palestine-Israel conflict, China has played the role of a responsible major country and done a lot of constructive work. As the rotating president of the UN Security Council, China has given top priority to addressing the current Palestine-Israel conflict. State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi chaired an open debate on the issue at the Security Council and put forward China's views and proposals. China has made every effort to urge the Security Council to speak with one voice and take concrete actions. However, because of the US obstruction, the Security Council has yet to reach a consensus so far. China has not stopped its efforts for peace. China has actively participated in mediation and good offices through its own channels and in its own way. Recently, Zhai Jun, Special Envoy of the Chinese Government for the Middle East, had telephone conversations with officials of the Palestinian and Egyptian foreign ministries respectively and conducted active mediation. He called for an immediate ceasefire, stop of violence and more assistance to Palestine, and reaffirmed the firm commitment to the "two-state solution". The special envoy will also have telephone conversations with people from Israel, Russia, the UN and the EU. As long as the conflict in the Middle East continues, China will not stop its efforts to promote peace talks. In the future, China will also host seminars for Palestinian and Israeli peace advocates and welcome representatives from Palestine and Israel to come to China for direct negotiations. China appreciates the mediation efforts for a ceasefire by Egypt and other relevant parties. We stand ready to strengthen communication and coordination with all parties to make concerted efforts for peace, and to do our best to provide humanitarian and other assistance to Palestine. CCTV: On May 18, Vice Premier Han Zheng attended the Summit on the Financing of African Economies via video link. Yesterday, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi chaired the UNSC high-level open debate on peace and security in Africa. What is China's view on promoting post-pandemic recovery and advancing peace, security and development in Africa in the post-COVID-19 era? Zhao Lijian: China and Africa have always been good brothers and good partners sharing weal and woe, and a community with a shared future. With the severe challenges to Africa's peace and development posed by the once-in-a-century pandemic, China always cares about the wellbeing of our African brothers and is committed to promoting peace, security and development in Africa. On the evening of May 18, Vice Premier Han Zheng attended and addressed the Summit on the Financing of African Economies via video link, putting forward China's proposals on sustaining and resuming the momentum of Africa's development. Yesterday, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi chaired the UN Security Council high-level open debate on peace and security in Africa, and put forward a four-point proposal on promoting post-epidemic recovery and removing the root causes of conflicts in Africa. China believes that, first of all, the international community should provide more assistance to Africa in terms of anti-epidemic supplies, medicines, technologies and funds. All countries with the capacity to do so should offer direly needed vaccines to Africa, ensure the accessibility and affordability of vaccines in Africa, and help bridge the "response divide" in Africa. The UN and the African Union should work closely together to advance in parallel tracks the two initiatives of "Global Ceasefire" and "Silence the Guns in Africa". At the same time, we need to support African countries to solve African issues in African ways, firmly oppose unjustifiable interference by external forces in African countries, and help Africa solve its "peace deficit". We need to support African countries in exploring development paths suited to their national conditions and help them narrow the "development gap". Developed countries should take concrete measures in such areas as debt relief, development assistance and technology transfer to fulfill their due international responsibilities. The international community should attach importance to the representation and voice of African countries in international affairs to help them redress "governance injustices". Equality in rights, opportunities and rules-making among countries cannot be achieved without the participation of African countries. This is also an inherent requirement of multilateralism. China has always been a staunch supporter of Africa's fight against the epidemic, an active participant in Africa's development and revitalization, and a strong defender of peace and stability. As long as something is beneficial to African countries, China will never be absent. As long as some work delivers benefits to the African people, China will not hesitate to do it. After consultation between China and Africa, we jointly launched an initiative on the partnership to support Africa's development, which aims to support Africa's post-epidemic recovery, development and revitalization. We call on the international community to step up support for Africa in epidemic response, post-epidemic recovery, trade and investment, debt relief and other areas. We welcome more countries and international organizations to join the initiative. We are ready to stand together with our African brothers through thick and thin and work with international partners to play a positive role in promoting peace and security in Africa and make unremitting efforts to build a community with a shared future for mankind. Reuters: A US military spokesman told Reuters that a PLA statement claiming to have expelled the USS Curtis Wilbur is false and that the ship was not expelled from any nation's territory. Does China have a response? Zhao Lijian: The PLA Southern Theater Command has mobilized naval and air forces to track and monitor the relevant vessel and warned it off. The spokesperson of the PLA Southern Theater Command already made remarks on the issue. The US side wantonly entered China's territorial waters off Xisha Islands without approval by the Chinese government, infringing upon China's sovereignty and security and undermining peace and stability in the South China Sea region. China firmly opposes it. China urges the US side to immediately stop provocations that violate our rights, and will continue to take necessary measures to firmly uphold national sovereignty and security and safeguard peace and stability in the South China Sea. Reuters: EU lawmakers believe that China must remove sanctions on certain EU politicians before the investment accord can go ahead. Will China consider removing the sanctions? Zhao Lijian: I am not sure if you attended the press conference yesterday. I already elaborated on China's principled position on this issue. Beijing Youth Daily: Yesterday, the China National Space Administration released footages that capture the moment the lander and the rover separated from the orbiter during landing on Mars as well as photos taken by the rover. NASA Administrator Bill Nelson issued a statement saying "Congratulations to the China National Space Administration on receiving the first images from the Zhurong Mars rover! ...the United States and the world look forward to the discoveries Zhurong will make to advance humanity's knowledge of the Red Planet." What's your comment on this? Zhao Lijian: Like you all, I have been looking forward to seeing the landscape on Mars via the lens of Zhurong rover. On May 15, the lander of the Tianwen-1 mission touched down at the intended landing spot in southern Utopia Planitia and the rover established communication with Earth. On May 17, after completing four near-Mars trajectory correction maneuvers, the orbiter entered the relay orbit, thus providing a communication link to relay communication between the rover and Earth. Afterwards, images and data were sent back. Yesterday, we saw the first photo taken by Zhurong after landing, which marks the smooth start of its exploration work on the surface of Mars. As we speak, the rover is preparing to leave the landing platform, and will seek an opportunity to drive onto the Martian surface and begin cruising and exploration. China's first Mars mission has drawn extensive attention. China will continue to promote international cooperation in an open and inclusive manner in the spirit of serving the well-being of all mankind, and make greater contributions to the noble cause of exploring the mysteries of the universe and promoting peace and development of mankind. From Chang'e lunar mission to Tianwen-1 Mars mission, the Chinese nation continues its journey to explore the outer space. Flying hundreds of millions of miles, Zhurong carries with it the Chinese people's long-cherished space dream. Today is May 20, a special day for love in China. We hope the Zhurong rover, with deep love for the immense universe, will send back more good news of exciting discoveries. Reuters: Samoa's opposition party leader has told Reuters that she plans to shelve the China-backed Vaiusu Bay Port project, saying that there are more pressing needs than building the new port. What's your comment? Zhao Lijian: At the request of the Samoan government, China is now discussing with the Samoan side the feasibility of the construction of Vaiusu Port, with an aim to improve Samoa's infrastructure, boost local economic development and create jobs. What I want to stress is that China always follows the vision of a community with a shared future for mankind and the principle of sincerity, real results, amity and good faith in advancing mutually-beneficial cooperation with Samoa and other Pacific island countries, and provide assistance to the best of its ability with no political strings attached. Our bilateral cooperation is based on mutual respect and equal consultation, and plays a positive role in promoting economic and social development and livelihood improvement in island countries. Shenzhen TV: China and the Philippines will soon hold the sixth meeting of the bilateral consultation mechanism (BCM) on the South China Sea. Can you provide more details? Zhao Lijian: China and the Philippines established the bilateral consultation mechanism (BCM) on the South China Sea in 2017 to discuss confidence-building measures and promote maritime security and cooperation. In the previous five BCM meetings, the two sides had in-depth communication and dialogue on maritime issues between them, properly handled maritime disputes, and advanced exchanges and cooperation in such areas as search and rescue, maritime safety, oil and gas development and marine fisheries. The meetings played an active role in promoting the sound and steady development of bilateral ties and upholding peace and stability in the South China Sea. As agreed upon by the two sides, the sixth meeting of the BCM will be held online tomorrow. Chinese Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs Wu Jianghao and Philippine Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Elizabeth Buensuceso will lead delegations of representatives from such sectors as foreign affairs, national defense, natural resources, agriculture and ecological environment to attend the meeting. They will exchange views on the current situation in the South China Sea and maritime issues between the two countries, and discuss ways to further expand exchanges and cooperation on maritime search and rescue, fisheries, ecological conservation, scientific research and other areas. We hope this meeting will produce positive outcomes. China Daily: We noted that the Chinese medical expert team returned to China on May 18 after completing its mission in Laos. Could you tell us more details? Zhao Lijian: At the request of the Lao government, the Chinese side sent another anti-epidemic medical expert team to Laos on May 4. During their stay till May 18, the expert team established cooperation and coordination mechanisms with the Lao side, visited five provinces and cities, and helped the Lao side improve the prevention and control mechanism and the diagnosis and treatment process. It also visited China-Laos cooperation projects for many times to guide the prevention and control work. Their work has been highly commended by the Lao side, and relevant suggestions readily adopted. This year marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Laos as well as the Year of China-Laos Friendship. The urgent dispatch of Chinese medical experts to Laos to share experience with the Lao people and join them in the fight against the epidemic again illustrates the spirit of the China-Laos community with a shared future featuring mutual assistance amid difficulties. Guided by the vision of a community with a shared future for mankind, China will continue to provide support to the best of its ability to Laos and other countries in the region so as to jointly prevail over the epidemic at an early date. Reuters: Australia's trade minister said that ships carrying Australian grapes to China were stuck at the border. Can China confirm that there have been delays? Zhao Lijian: I don't have anything to offer on the issue you mentioned and would like to refer you to competent authorities. Reuters: Reuters has learned that last month a Chinese company shipped jet fuel to Myanmar. Does China have a response? Zhao Lijian: I am not aware of the specific situation you mentioned. I would refer you to competent authorities. China's friendship policy toward Myanmar is for all the people of Myanmar. No matter how the situation evolves, China will not waver in its commitment to advancing China-Myanmar relations, and will not change the course of promoting friendship and cooperation. As Myanmar's long-standing "pauk-phaw" that shares the same future, China has always carried out practical cooperation with Myanmar in accordance with the principle of equal-footed consultation for mutual benefit and win-win results to boost Myanmar's economic and social development and deliver benefits to Myanmar's people. What's Included With a Digital Only subscription, you'll receive unlimited access to our website and e-edition. Our digital products are available 24/7 and are accessible anywhere, anytime. If you have any questions or need further assistance, please call our customer service team at 814-368-3173 or email nfinnerty@oleantimesherald.com. Indigenous people in Manitoba aged 12 and up will be able to start booking appointments to receive their second dose of COVID-19 vaccine as of May 24, the province announced on Friday. Advertisement Advertise With Us Indigenous people in Manitoba aged 12 and up will be able to start booking appointments to receive their second dose of COVID-19 vaccine as of May 24, the province announced on Friday. During a Friday morning media briefing, First Nations Pandemic Response Coordination Team lead Dr. Marcia Anderson said it was important for First Nations people to get their vaccines because they have made up 40 to 60 per cent of all COVID-19 admissions in the second and third waves of the pandemic. In order to book, individuals must have received a Pfizer vaccine at least 21 days before their second dose appointment date or a Moderna vaccine at least 28 days before their second dose appointment. Appointments do not need to be made at the same location where people received their first dose, but they must book at a location offering the same type of vaccine that they received for their first dose. Bookings begin at 11:45 a.m. on Monday. Appointments can be made by visiting protectmb.ca or calling 1-844-626-8222. Read more in Saturday's edition of the Sun. The Brandon Sun Xinhua News Agency: Today marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Pakistan. China and Pakistan are all-weather strategic cooperative partners. You worked in Pakistan for many years. On this particular occasion, do you have anything to say about the development of China-Pakistan relations? What is China's outlook for China-Pakistan cooperation? Will the two sides organize any celebrations? Zhao Lijian: Today marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Pakistan. President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Keqiang and State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi exchanged congratulatory letters with Pakistani President Arif Alvi, Prime Minister Imran Khan and Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi respectively. In the evening, the two sides will also hold celebratory receptions in Beijing and Islamabad respectively, which will be attended by the leaders of the two countries. The two governments have agreed to jointly hold more than 120 celebration activities in political, diplomatic, economic, sub-national, scientific, educational, cultural and health fields throughout the year. This will extend the warm and friendly atmosphere of celebration throughout the year and add impetus into China-Pakistan friendly relations. Over the past 70 years since the establishment of diplomatic ties, China and Pakistan have respected, trusted and supported each other through thick and thin. Together, we have forged a strong "ironclad" friendship and established an all-weather strategic cooperative partnership. In recent years, our two countries have actively built the Belt and Road Initiative, pursued high-quality development of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, and deepened practical and mutually beneficial cooperation across the board. This has brought more benefits to our two peoples, injected strong impetus into regional peace and development, and made positive contributions to international fairness and justice. Since last year, in the face of the COVID-19 epidemic, China and Pakistan have helped each other in times of difficulty, and our all-weather friendship has been further enhanced. China attaches great importance to China-Pakistan relations and is ready to take the opportunity of the 70th anniversary of diplomatic ties to strengthen strategic communication, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, expand people-to-people and cultural exchanges and build a closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future in the new era. We welcome and encourage friendly people from all walks of life, especially young people, to take an active part in the celebrations marking the 70th anniversary, as part of the efforts to carry forward friendship, enhance cooperation and make greater contribution to the cause of China-Pakistan friendship. Long live China-Pakistan friendship! Chin-Pakistan dosti zindabad! (Urdu) The Paper: The 74th World Health Assembly will take place from May 24 to June 1. It is learned that the Taiwan authorities didn't receive an invitation from the WHO. Recently, many countries wrote to the WHO to support the Chinese government's decision of not agreeing to the Taiwan region's participation in this year's WHA and express the hope not to discuss Taiwan-related issues at the WHA74. Do you have any comment? Zhao Lijian: There is but one China in the world. The government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China. The Taiwan region is an inalienable part of the Chinese territory. The one-China principle is a recognized norm of international relations and a common consensus of the international community. The Taiwan region's participation in the activities of international organizations including WHO must be handled in accordance with the one-China principle. This is a fundamental principle affirmed by the Resolution 2758 of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and Resolution 25.1 of the World Health Assembly (WHA). Before 2016, China made special arrangements for the Taiwan region to participate in the WHA on the basis of the fact that both sides across the Taiwan Strait uphold the one-China principle. Since the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) came to power, it has placed its political agenda over the wellbeing of the people in the Taiwan region, obstinately adhered to the separatist position of "Taiwan independence", and refused to admit the 1992 Consensus embodying the one-China principle. As a result, the political foundation for the Taiwan region to participate in the WHA has ceased to exist. The Chinese Central Government always attaches great importance to the health and well-being of our compatriots in the Taiwan region. Under this precondition of abiding by the one-China principle, we have made appropriate arrangements for the Taiwan region's participation in global health affairs. Since the early stages of COVID-19, the Chinese Central Government has given the Taiwan region 260 updates about the situation, and approved participation by health experts from the Taiwan region in 16 WHO technical activities. The Taiwan region received multiple notifications of information about COVID-19 from the WHO Secretariat. The claim of a "gap" in global anti-epidemic efforts is groundless. The DPP authorities, turning a blind eye to the common aspiration of the international community to focus on anti-epidemic cooperation and the life and safety of the people in the Taiwan region, are pursuing political maneuvering under the pretext of the pandemic. They violated the UNGA Resolution 2758 and WHA Resolution 25.1 and are bent on initiating proposals relating to the Taiwan region at the cost of disrupt the WHA proceedings and international cooperation. Their true intention is to create "two Chinas" or "one China, one Taiwan". In order to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity and uphold the solemnity and authority of relevant UNGA and WHA resolutions, China cannot agree with the Taiwan region's participation in this year's WHA. This decision by China received broad-based support and understanding from the international community. By yesterday, over 150 countries voiced their support for our decision through diplomatic channels. Nearly 80 WHO members sent letters to the WHO to express their commitment to the one-China principle and opposition to Taiwan's participation in the WHA. This once again shows that the one-China principle is the common aspiration and the overriding trend and the fact that the overwhelming majority of countries hold a just and right position on the relevant issue. People around the world are always sharp-eyed. The US and a handful of other countries have been emboldening the DPP and clamoring for Taiwan's participation in the WHA with all kinds of petty tricks. Their attempt has no chance of success! Bloomberg: The Canadian government announced that as of May 18, they had received 5,700 applications for a new visa for Hong Kong citizens. Do you have a reaction to this announcement? Zhao Lijian: What I want to stress is that after the national security law for HKSAR took effect, Hong Kong has seen stability restored, and people can better exercise their legitimate rights and enjoy their freedoms fully in a safe environment. This is the fact that speaks for itself. AFP: The European Parliament has passed a resolution demanding that China lifts sanctions on European lawmakers before the China-Europe investment deal can move forward. What's the foreign ministry's response to this? What's your view on the prospect of the deal? Zhao Lijian: Despite China's solemn position and strong opposition, the EU disregarded facts, twisted right and wrong, and stubbornly made a wrong decision of unilateral sanctions based on lies and disinformation. What the EU has done constitutes a gross interference in China's internal affairs, brazenly violates international laws and the basic norms of international relations, and severely undermines China-EU relations. China's decision to sanction relevant EU entities and individuals who maliciously spread Xinjiang-related lies and disinformation and severely harmed China's sovereignty and interests, is out of the need to safeguard its own interests. This is a necessary and legitimate reaction to the EU's moves of imposing sanctions and seeking confrontation. The EU's unjustified sanctions strain China-EU relations. This is what China is unwilling to see, and what China should not be blamed for. It is hoped that the EU side will make serious reflections. We have the sincerity to advance China-EU relations, but will staunchly safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests. Sanction and confrontation will not be conducive to solving problems, and is not the way how comprehensive strategic partners should treat each other. Dialogue and cooperation is the right way forward. As a Chinese proverb goes, the one who created the trouble shall resolve it. The EU side should immediately stop interfering in China's internal affairs, abandon confrontational actions, properly manage differences through dialogue and communication, to overcome current difficulty and bring China- EU relations back to the right path of dialogue and cooperation. I would also like to stress that the China-EU investment agreement is a balanced and win-win deal, rather than a "gift" bestowed by one side to the other. China is sincere about advancing bilateral relations. We hope the EU side will work toward the same direction as China, and make the right decision that conforms to its own interests by relying more on rational thinking and less on emotional fanfare. China Daily: The China Public Diplomacy Association held an international online forum themed "Xinjiang in My Eyes" in Kashgar, Xinjiang yesterday. Can you tell us more about it? Zhao Lijian: From May 17 to 21, Wu Hailong, President of the China Public Diplomacy Association led a delegation to visit Xinjiang. On May 20, the delegation held an international online forum themed "Xinjiang in My Eyes" in Kashgar, which was attended by over 40 people, including former foreign statesmen, experts and scholars and media representatives. Talking about economic development, social prosperity, basic education, religious freedom and women's rights, the members of the delegation told their first-hand experience in Urumqi, Hotan and Kashgar. They applauded the impressive social harmony and stability in Xinjiang, the outcomes of poverty alleviation through booming feature industries, and the happy life of local residents. Foreign participants of the forum spoke up to criticize and refute the West's false reports on Xinjiang and the so-called centenary lie of "genocide". US-based international relations expert William Jones, UK-based international arbitration expert Graham Perry and Mustafa Hyder Sayed, executive director of the Pakistan-China Institute, shared their experience and told their stories about the peace, stability and development of Xinjiang. Former president of Montenegro Filip Vujanovic, former Slovenian president Danilo Turk and renowned US economist Jeffrey Sachs rebuked the West's malicious attacks on Xinjiang from the perspective of international law and multilateralism. Earlier this week, I briefed you on the trip to Xinjiang made by Latin American and Caribbean diplomatic envoys, who also commended on Xinjiang's achievements of social stability, ethnic solidarity, religious harmony and livelihood improvement. We welcome more foreign friends who hold just and impartial position to visit Xinjiang and see a true and beautiful Xinjiang without the "filters" of Western countries. AFP: What's China's reaction to the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas? Zhao Lijian: China welcomes a ceasefire between parties of the Palestine-Israel conflict and hopes relevant parties can effectively cease fire and stop violence. We appreciate the mediation efforts made by Egypt, the UN and others. China has also done a lot to promote peace talks and is ready to continue to work with the international community to further ease the tensions. The conflict that dragged on for over 10 days have resulted in grave humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, which requires urgent assistance from the international community. China will provide 1 million US dollars of emergency humanitarian assistance to Palestine in cash, continue to provide humanitarian supplies to the best of its ability in light of Palestine's needs, and take an active part in the reconstruction of Gaza. We will also provide tangible assistance to the Palestinian people by offering 1 million US dollars of donation and 200,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). To prevent the tragedy of the Palestine-Israel conflict from happening again, the international community should promote the resumption of peace talks between Palestine and Israel and the settlement of the Palestinian question in a comprehensive, just and durable manner on the basis of the "two-state solution". China will push the Security Council to comprehensively review the Palestinian question and reaffirm the "two-state solution". We will invite peace advocates from Palestine and Israel to China to hold seminars in due course and welcome Palestinian and Israeli representatives to come to China for direct negotiations. NHK: The US highlighted its role in promoting the ceasefire between Palestine and Israel. Do you have any comment? Zhao Lijian: China hopes that the US can shoulder due responsibilities, take a just position, practice true multilateralism, and work with the majority members of the international community to support the Security Council in playing its due role of promoting the settlement of the Palestinian question in a comprehensive, just and durable manner. CRI: Venezuela's National Assembly has recently announced the appointment of 5 board directors and 10 substitute deputies of the new National Electoral Council. The council's new leadership include several opposition figures. The main opposition leaders of Venezuela voiced their support, while the US and a few others expressed reservations and even uttered criticism. I wonder if China has any comment on this? Zhao Lijian: China congratulates Venezuela on establishing a new national electoral council in accordance with the country's Constitution and law. It is hoped that all parties in Venezuela will take this opportunity to strengthen dialogue and consultation and bridge differences within the constitutional framework, so as to jointly promote stability and development. China has always opposed external interference in the internal affairs of Venezuela, and calls on the international community to respect Venezuela's right to self-determination and play a constructive role in the political settlement of relevant issues. Bloomberg: At the public diplomacy event yesterday on Xinjiang, you mentioned Jeffrey Sachs, he made a comment, I'll just read it out: "I know the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and the UN Human Rights Council has been in discussion with the government of China to have an independent investigation and review of the situation", referring to Xinjiang. Can you tell us more about the progress on this? Zhao Lijian: China has elaborated its position on the visit to Xinjiang by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights on many occasions. China already extended invitation to the High Commissioner for visiting Xinjiang and other places in China, and the two sides are in communication on that. The purpose of the visit is to enhance bilateral exchange and cooperation rather than carry out so-called "investigations" with the presumption of guilt. We welcome the visit to Xinjiang by all people that hold a fair and just position. What we oppose is slandering against Xinjiang by those with tinted glasses and ideological bias. Reuters: Lithuania's Parliament passed a resolution to describe China's action towards the Uyghurs as a "genocide" and called on Hong Kong to abolish the national security law. Does China have a response? Zhao Lijian: The accusation of the so-called "genocide" in Xinjiang is an out-and-out lie. Its real purpose is to undermine social stability in Xinjiang and curb China's development. Issues related to Hong Kong are purely China's internal affairs, which allow no interference by any external forces. China's will and determination to safeguard its national sovereignty, security and development interests are unshakable. We firmly oppose gross interference of relevant parties in Lithuania in China's internal affairs and urge them to immediately correct their mistakes and avoid damaging the overall interests of bilateral relations. Hubei Media Group: According to reports, as the White House and the US Republicans and Democrats push more anti-China bills, 66 anti-war and progressive groups and at least four lawmakers raised questions over them and released a joint statement decrying the demonization of China by the White House and certain legislators. They said this won't help solve domestic problems but only feeds anti-Asian hate and violence. Do you have any comment? Zhao Lijian: We noted that recently, more and more insightful people in the US have spoken up with objective and rational voice to reject demonization of China. This is undoubtedly in the interests of the US and American people. As the world's two largest economies, China and the United States have highly intertwined interests. Cooperation between the two countries will contribute greatly to the well-being of our two peoples and to our joint efforts to address global challenges such as climate change, infectious diseases, and post-epidemic recovery. A confrontation between China and the US spells disaster to both countries and the world. There are always some people in the United States who cling to the zero-sum mentality of the Cold War and ideological bias, play up the "China threat theory" and tout an all-out strategic competition with China, and even stoke decoupling and confrontation between the two sides. This runs counter to the common aspiration of the two countries and people around the world for China-US exchanges and cooperation. I would like to reiterate that China's development path and domestic and foreign policies are clear and consistent. The goal of China's development is to enable the Chinese people to live a better and happier life, rather than to outcompete the US. China is committed to developing a relationship with the United States featuring non-conflict, non-confrontation, mutual respect and win-win cooperation. At the same time, we will continue to firmly safeguard China's sovereignty, security and development interests. We hope that the US administration and Congress will listen to the objective and rational voice at home, look at China's development and China-US relations correctly, stop groundless slanders and accusations against China, stop pushing negative China-related bills, and do more to promote China-US relations and world peace, stability and prosperity. South China Morning Post: It is reported that the Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi said that considering China's increased capabilities, Japan must speed up the efforts to increase its defense capabilities. The report believes that the statement signals Japan's readiness to do away with its long-standing 1% GDP ceiling for annual defense spending. Do you have any comment? Zhao Lijian: I have taken note of relevant reports. I also noticed that the relevant Japanese official cited China's increased capabilities as the most important reason for Japan's decision to increase defense budget and alleged that the situation in Taiwan should be taken as Japan's own problems and that Japan will discuss with the US relevant revisions of the Guidelines for Japan-US Defense Cooperation. The Japanese side made these irresponsible remarks to blatantly advocate arms race, play up regional tensions, provoke military confrontation, and even attempt to interfere in the Taiwan question and China's internal affairs. Such actions are extremely vile in nature. China is strongly dissatisfied with and firmly opposed to that. I would like to stress the following points. First, China follows the path of peaceful development and is committed to a national defense policy that is defensive in nature. The development of China's national defense forces is necessitated by the need to safeguard its own sovereignty, security and development interests, and to uphold international and regional peace and stability. China will continue to be a promoter of world peace, a contributor to global development and a defender of the international order. No matter how strong China grows, it will never seek hegemony, expansion or sphere of influence. China has no interest in engaging in an arms race with anyone. Second, the Taiwan question is purely China's internal affairs that brook no foreign interference in any form. China must and will be reunified. A small group of people in Japan have always been obsessed with the obsolete illusion of reviving militarism, showing no repent and harboring wild ambitions. They want to get their hands on Taiwan even till this day. We once again warn the Japanese side that the determination and will of the Chinese government and military to safeguard national sovereignty, security and unity is rock-solid. Japan should not overstretch itself. Third, aggression and expansion launched by Japanese militarism in modern times have inflicted untold sufferings on the people in Asia, including China. Japan is a defeated country in World War II. Its belligerent moves are aimed at shaking off the post-war shackles and return to the old path of military expansion. As an ally of the US whose military spending accounts for nearly 40% of the world's total, Japan has been flexing muscles everywhere while criticizing other countries' normal military development. This is extremely unjustified. I urge the Japanese side to reflect on itself, stop undermining regional peace and stability, and stop slandering China. Reuters: Taiwan's health minister said that he spoke to the US health minister to ask for help in obtaining COVID-19 vaccines. Would China like to comment? Zhao Lijian: First of all, I would like to correct you on the term "health minister" because we do not recognize the so-called "minister" of Taiwan. It is pointless for the Taiwan region to seek independence and engage in political manipulation under the pretext of COVID-19. Beijing Youth Daily: It is reported that Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on May 19 that everything is at stake for the rest of the world, if China-US relationship turns sour, and that China and the US should "work together to find common ground where they can cooperate". Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for Economic Policies Heng Swee Keat said on May 20 that the competition between China and the US within a sound system can "create better solutions to the world's challenges" . Do you have any comment? Zhao Lijian: A stable and sound China-US relation is not only in line with the fundamental interests of our two peoples, but also a shared expectation of regional countries and the international community. China remains committed to a relationship featuring non-conflict, non-confrontation, mutual respect and win-win cooperation with the US. In the meantime, we will firmly uphold national sovereignty, security and development interests. The US side should conform to the trend of the times, heed the aspirations of regional countries, view China from an objective perspective, and meet China halfway, to enhance dialogue, highlight cooperation, manage differences, so as to promote the sound and steady growth of China-US relations. CCTV: It is reported that in response to the claim of Cambodia's over-reliance on China, Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen said at the Future of Asia conference on May 20 that "if I don't rely on China, who will I rely on?" He also said that China's infrastructure investment is indispensable to Cambodia's economic growth. Do you have any comment? Zhao Lijian: We highly appreciate Prime Minister Hun Sen's relevant statement. Prime Minister Hun Sen is a veteran statesman in the region , and a good old friend of the Chinese people. With acute political insight and strategic vision, he always holds an objective and just position on major issues. He not only made outstanding contribution to promoting Cambodia's national development and safeguarding national dignity, but also made positive efforts in upholding democracy in international relations, and peace, stability and development of the region and the world. China values highly its relations with Cambodia. Our two countries are committed to carrying forward traditional friendship, and actively building a community with a shared future. As Prime Minister Hun Sen put it, China's help to Cambodia is sincere with no strings attached. China has provided and will continue to offer help within its capacity to facilitate Cambodia's economic development and livelihood improvement, so that two peoples, especially Cambodians, will obtain tangible benefits from China-Cambodia win-win cooperation. Reuters: Staff at some Chinese government offices have been told not to park their Tesla cars inside government compounds. Are you aware of the relevant situation? Zhao Lijian: I am not aware of the situation you mentioned. As Manitoba hits the limits of its ICU capacity, Premier Brian Pallister implored Manitobans on Thursday morning not to encourage the spread of COVID-19 over the May long weekend. Advertisement Advertise With Us As Manitoba hits the limits of its ICU capacity, Premier Brian Pallister implored Manitobans on Thursday morning not to encourage the spread of COVID-19 over the May long weekend. "Case counts spiked Thanksgiving," he said. "Case counts spiked after Easter and spring break. We cant have the same thing happen over the May long weekend. Thats why Dr. Roussin will be out later today to announced additional public health orders to address gatherings as well as staying at home." The premiers media briefing came one day after it was revealed that three COVID-positive patients had been transferred from Manitoba to Thunder Bay, Ont., to free up beds and resources. It also came just 90 minutes before the release of Thursdays COVID-19 statistics, which showed a record-high 603 new daily cases of the virus. Beyond public health orders, Pallister asked Manitobans to get vaccinated against COVID-19. He said an incentive program to encourage those hesitant to get the jab is in development, and details will be released next week. Getting the vaccine and following public health orders are ways residents can help control the future, he said. "Its important to face facts and these are the facts," Pallister said. "Most, not all, but most of our patients in ICUs have not been vaccinated. Most, but not all of our patients in hospitals have not been vaccinated and most of the people across our province who are getting COVID have not been vaccinated and sadly, too many have chosen to ignore our public health orders. Our health officials are telling us theyre very concerned that number has increased as a percentage of cases. "It could have been seen last year, early in the COVID pandemic, that you had no choice. It cant be said that you have no choice anymore. Going forward, Manitobans have a choice and you have an important choice to make." Pallister also expressed that he believes talking about reaching herd immunity is no longer helpful. Even if Manitoba reaches the 70 per cent vaccination threshold, he said that still leaves 400,000 people without protection from COVID. "Thats not safety," he said. "Thats not protecting people as best we can. I think we have to aim higher. The higher percentages of vaccinations we can achieve, the sooner we can get through this third wave. The higher percentages of vaccinations we can achieve, the less likely that there would be a fourth wave, a fifth wave or a sixth wave." Addressing those who are hesitant to get vaccinated directly, the premier said it is their body and their decision, but that the decision not to get vaccinated affected more than just that individual. Asked if Manitoba would be requesting further assistance from other provinces or from the Canadian Forces, Pallister said he would if it was recommended by public health officials. As Shared Health reported in a statement issued on Wednesday, Pallister said that Manitoban patients getting transported to Thunder Bay is part of a reciprocal care agreement that has resulted in 20,000 patient visits in Manitoba from northwestern Manitoba each year for the past three years. On the subject of anti-mask and anti-vaccine rallies, Pallister was asked if the province had considered getting court injunctions preventing them as the Nova Scotia government did recently to stop a protest in Halifax. He said he hadnt had discussions on injunctions, though he has had discussions regarding enforcement. During question period, Manitoba NDP Leader Wab Kinew spent a second consecutive day attacking the provincial government over the Thunder Bay transfers, saying that Manitobas inability to care for those patients was a result of cuts to the health-care system. "This premier has no plan, this is clear," Kinew said. "Will he stand in his place today and ask for help from other provinces?" In response, Pallister said his government has been working diligently to deal with the pandemic and Manitobas public health orders are among the strictest in Canada. He accused Kinew of urging Manitobans to ignore advice from top health officials. Manitoba Liberal Leader Dougald Lamont sent a statement to media by email on Thursday afternoon calling for the province to ask the federal government for assistance and for the province to introduce economic supports for individuals and businesses losing money because of public health orders. cslark@brandonsun.com Twitter: @ColinSlark The Branson Board of Aldermen on Thursday (now postponed to July 28) will consider an ordinance that would require face coverings in public spaces. The aldermen might approve it, disapprove it, or approve an amended version. Would you be in favor of some form of mandatory face covering ordinance in the city of Branson? You voted: Harrisonburg, VA (22807) Today Thunderstorms likely. High near 70F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%. Localized flooding is possible.. Tonight Rain early...then remaining cloudy with showers overnight. Low 61F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%. Westpac dismissed a senior risk executive just months after chief executive Peter King advised her to seek whistleblower protections, according to a legal complaint that alleges multiple compliance breaches at Australias second biggest bank. Former Sydney-based corporate risk executive Amanda Ware this week filed a lawsuit in the Federal Court alleging Westpac unfairly dismissed her last November after she raised a series of concerns about compliance gaps and risk failings with the banks top executives, including in a face-to-face meeting with Mr King. Former Sydney corporate risk executive Amanda Ware was advised to seek whistleblower protections, according to court documents. Westpac was ordered in September last year to pay $1.3 billion in penalties after admitting to breaches of anti-money laundering laws and for failing to stop child-exploitation payments in what was the largest fine in Australian corporate history. The money-laundering scandal led to the departure of the banks former chief executive Brian Hartzer and former chairman Lindsay Maxsted. Mr King, previously the banks chief financial officer, was elevated to CEO in April last year. Australia Post has signed a deal with property powerhouse Charter Hall to anchor a new corporate headquarters in Richmond, a move that would make the parcel-and-post giant the first big corporate tenant to defect from Melbournes CBD in the wake of the pandemic. The Agostas gained planning approval for a $130 million, 13-storey office. Credit: Charter Hall has stitched up a deal to house Australia Post on a site belonging to the Agosta family at 462-482 Swan Street which is currently occupied by the familys Mitchell Building Supplies business. The building is yet to be constructed and Australia Post expects to move in 2024. The Agostas recently gained planning approval, under the state governments fast-track recovery taskforce, for a $130 million, 13-storey office building designed by Architectus. Architectus design brief states the new tower draws heavily on Swan Streets building facade typology. As class action lawyers circle Macquarie-backed glamour tech stock Nuix, a disturbing question needs to be asked: how did the corporate regulator get a tip-off about the prospectus of the hottest IPO of 2020 so wrong? Since the heavily hyped float that made its founder Tony Castagna and chief executive Rod Vawdrey instantly rich and the millionaires factory a fortune, Nuix shares have fallen from a peak of almost $12 to close the week at just $3.41. Castagna, Vawdrey and Macquarie continue to hold some shares and therefore share some of the pain, but the unravelling has left thousands of investors baying for blood as forecasts were missed. Some investors described the IPO as putting lipstick on a pig with investors now stuck with the rancid bacon. Concerns about the company triggered an attempted coup to replace current chief executive Rod Vawdrey, says a joint investigation by The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and The Australian Financial Review. Credit:Sydney Morning Herald A joint investigation by The Sydney Morning Heralds Kate McClymont, the Australian Financial Reviews Neil Chenoweth and myself this week laid bare some of the problems inside Nuix as Macquarie dressed the company up for market day. A toxic culture, unusually high staff turnover of 35 per cent, missed budget forecasts, a product portfolio losing ground to competitors and concerns by its auditor about over-claiming up to $42 million in research and development costs. PICK OF THE WEEK Bad People and How to be Rid of Them Geoffrey Robertson, Vintage, $32.99 Credit: In 2008, Sergei Magnitsky, a Russian accountant, uncovered a $US230 million fraud perpetrated by corrupt police, Putin-supporting oligarchs and others - and duly notified the authorities. His reward was to be arrested by the very corrupt police he had uncovered, thrown in jail on trumped-up charges, tortured, denied medical help and eventually beaten to death. His legacy is the Magnitsky Law that singles out, not countries or regimes, but individuals guilty of human-rights abuses. Geoffrey Robertson argues passionately for the world-wide adoption of this law to punish human-rights abusers, largely through sanctions such as denying them travel, access to western schools and hospitals. The US, Britain and the EU have signed up, with Australia set to follow. Plan A is the UN, this is Plan B. Walk Like a Cow Brendan Ryan, Walleah Press, $25 Credit: This memoir of growing up on a farm near Warrnambool in the 1970s by poet Brendan Ryan is deceptively simple in the way Philip Larkin can be. Its not just the vivid descriptions of ordinary farm life and the heightened sense of reality that are impressive, its the way his memories seem to have entered his psyche as well, absorbed almost as pure phenomena the smells of petrol in the sheds, the stars and the eerie sense of space and isolation. He covers growing up in a large family, being bullied at the Christian Brothers College, discovering literature especially the Beats shifting to the city, moving in the poetic circles of Carlton and St Kilda and becoming a writer in defiance of the off-hand judgment of his potential by one of the brothers. But what haunts the tale is his evocation of the elemental nature of farm life. The Emperors Grace Mark Baker, Monash University Publishing, $34.95 Credit: A lot has been written about the POW experience of Changi and the Burma Railroad, but not so much about the nearly 4000 Australian POWs who went to Japan working in factories and mines. Charting the progress of key figures pre-war to post-war Mark Baker provides a vivid account of not only the terrible and dangerous conditions they laboured under, but also the regular bashings by Japanese guards, the malnutrition and disease that resulted in 53 of them dying. But, once liberated (there is a fascinating description of Australia soldiers watching the mushroom cloud rise over Nagasaki), Australians could venture outside the prison grounds and saw for the first time the poverty and harshness of everyday life around them. This is a tale of extraordinary resilience. Flash Jim Kel Richards, Harper Collins, $32.99 With its latest live-action reworking of an animated classic, Disney has given us a surprisingly dark and dirty princess. Cruella is an origin story for the villain of 101 Dalmatians that draws wild, anarchic inspiration from Londons mid-1970s punk scene. Never mind that Dodie Smiths book The One Hundred and One Dalmatians was released in 1956, or that the original animated film One Hundred and One Dalmatians was released in 1961; if you take Glenn Closes Cruella De Vil from the live-action 101 Dalmatians of 1996 as the reference point, the chronology kind of stacks up. Almost. This films Cruella, originally known as Estella, is about 10 when we first meet her in 1964; flash forward a decade or so and shes a wannabe fashion designer (played by Emma Stone) living in a squat with a couple of salt-of-the-earth thieves, reduced to cleaning toilets in upmarket department store Liberty until the night she drunkenly defaces a window display and catches the eye of The Baroness (a fabulously cold-hearted Emma Thompson), who hires her as a junior in her haute couture atelier. Emma Stone as Cruella. The live-action origin story is suffused with a punk aesthetic and energy. Credit:Disney But vindication soon gives way to vendetta when Estella unearths a dark secret from the past. Determined to unseat the Baroness by fair means or foul, she sets about sabotaging her collections, photobombing her events, and generally trashing the established fashion order with a good dose of anarchy in the UK. Think of it, says production designer Fiona Crombie, as a kind of generational battle in a way; you have the world of Dior meets Vivienne Westwood [the fashion designer and one-time partner of Malcolm McLaren, manager of the Sex Pistols, who is sometimes called the Mother of Punk for the ripped T-shirts and safety-pin chic she sold in her boutique Sex]. Biden signs bill into law to curb anti-Asian hate crimes amid pandemic Xinhua) 08:31, May 21, 2021 U.S. President Joe Biden addresses a joint session of Congress in Washington, D.C., the United States, April 28, 2021. (Melina Mara/Pool via Xinhua) "My message to all those of you who are hurting is, we see you," said President Joe Biden. "And we are committed to stopping the hatred and the bias." WASHINGTON, May 20 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Joe Biden on Thursday afternoon signed a legislation to curb anti-Asian hate crimes that have skyrocketed during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris thanked lawmakers for offering overwhelming bipartisan support to the legislation. "My message to all those of you who are hurting is, we see you," said Biden. "And we are committed to stopping the hatred and the bias." "Racism exists in America," Harris said. "Xenophobia exists in America. Anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, homophobia, transphobia, it all exists." "This bill brings us one step closer to stopping hate, not just against Asian Americans, but for all Americans," said Harris. The House passed the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act on Tuesday in a 364-62 vote after the Senate voted 94-1 last month. The legislation would create a position at the Justice Department to expedite a review of COVID-19-related hate crimes; provide grants for states to create hotlines for reporting hate crimes and for law enforcement training aimed at preventing and identifying hate crimes; and direct federal agencies to work with community organizations to help raise awareness about hate crimes during the pandemic. U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (front) speaks during a press conference on anti-Asian hate crime legislation on Capitol Hill in Washington D.C., the United States, May 18, 2021.(Photo by Ting Shen/Xinhua) Reported hate crimes against Asian Americans in 16 of the country's largest cities and counties have increased 164 percent since last year, showed a recent study by the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at California State University San Bernardino. Separately, Stop AAPI Hate, a center tracking reports of racism and discrimination against Asian Americans, said it has received 6,603 firsthand complaints -- nearly two thirds of them reported by women -- since last year, revealing the troubling spike in anti-Asian hatred during the pandemic while underscoring the need for urgent actions, including those from Congress. (Web editor: Guo Wenrui, Liang Jun) The fifth World Intelligence Congress, a major artificial intelligence (AI) event in China, kicked off in north China's Tianjin Municipality on Thursday, highlighting frontier AI technologies and applications. The four-day event, with the theme of "New Era of Intelligence: Empowering New Development, Fostering New Pattern," has attracted the participation of over 240 AI companies and institutions. A series of activities, including forums, exhibitions and competitions featuring smart cities and transportation, smart manufacturing, and IT application and innovation, will be presented during the event. The development and application of the new generation of AI require cross-border and inter-disciplinary scientific research, which necessitates the participation and cooperation of all countries, said Wan Gang, chairman of the China Association for Science and Technology. Over the past four years, more than 10,000 scientists, entrepreneurs, educators and financiers from home and abroad have participated in the event to discuss the trends and future of smart technology. Mum saw Australian Fashion Week as the key focal point for the Australian fashion industry. She thought showing was a vital discipline for designers that drove them to greater creative heights. In a statement, her children, Alex Schuman, Bianca Spender and Allegra Spender, said the dedication was a great honour for their mother, who died in April after suffering a fall. We hope that her life and legacy can be an inspiration for many young designers to come, they said. Carla Zampatti poses before her last show at Australian Fashion Week, in 2019. The runway space will be named in the late designers honour. Credit:James Brickwood The largest space at Carriageworks, the arts and events venue in central Sydney, will from next week be known as the Carla Zampatti runway, fashion weeks organiser, IMG, confirmed this week. Indeed, Zampatti was the last designer whose collections appeared on the runway at fashion week, in May 2019, before COVID forced the cancellation of last years event. She was also part of the very first fashion week, in 1996, alongside venerated designers such as Wayne Cooper, Alex Perry and Akira Isogawa. But like everyone else showing at fashion week, that excitement was mixed with terror, her children said. Even after 50 years, she was always nervous about her own shows and would want to pull out just days before. Only after a show, she would feel a rush of exhilaration when the last model exited the runway, visible for the briefest of moments behind the curtain. Carla Zampattis children Bianca Spender (left), Alex Schuman (centre) and Allegra Spender give their mothers eulogy. Credit:Getty Zampatti, who would have turned 79 this week, died on April 3 after a fall at the opera at Mrs Macquaries Chair on Sydney Harbour one week prior. A state funeral was held in her honour at St Marys Cathedral on April 15 at which tributes were paid by speakers including former governor-general Quentin Bryce for her work in fashion, philanthropy and the arts, as well as her championing the status of women. Natalie Xenita, head of IMG Fashion Asia-Pacific, says Zampatti was part of the fabric of fashion week since its inception. There is no one who has played a greater role in shaping the Australian fashion industry than Carla Zampatti, Xenita says. Not only did she build one of the most enduring and successful Australian brands, but she generously shared her immense experience and wisdom to help many other designers establish their own successful labels. People dread brushing their teeth and going to the dentist. We want to celebrate the routine and make it powerful and pleasurable, Geminder, 27, says. If were spending a premium on your face moisturiser or lipstick, we should be treating our mouths in the same way. US brand Theodent ($130), Italys Marvis ($15) and Frances Buly 1803 ($35) Self-described wellness addict Prue Rocchi, from Melbourne, last week released her all-natural toothpaste ROCC, with biodegradable tubes, after finding other brands looked pretty daggy on her bathroom sink. And Tash Scutts, from Sydneys Northern Beaches, launched her botanical toothpaste Lovebyt in 2018 and has observed a growing buzz around teeth. More people are investing in treatments like whitening, Invisalign and veneers. Its oral beauty but its also a whole wellness lifestyle, Scutts says.[Toothpaste is] something we use twice a day but its usually so unattractive we have to put it in a drawer when people come over. Fluoride-free on the rise While Australian dentists are all for more people prioritising dental care by turning it into a self-care ritual, there are concerns that it has strayed too far from the medical and set in motion a surge in fluoride-free toothpastes. All brands mentioned above, aside from Colgate and Marvis, forgo fluoride. I havent seen many newer brands popping up that have fluoride, says dentist Dr Mikaela Chinotti, the Australian Dental Associations oral health promoter. The peak dental body recommends Australians use toothpaste with fluoride. Its widely considered the cornerstone of tooth decay prevention and the best way to remineralise and strengthen teeth. An epidemiological study found that over the second half of last century, the prevalence of tooth decay plunged by more than 75 per cent, crediting this mostly to fluoride use. Gem is designed with the bathroom shelfie in mind. Its important to choose products based on proven effectiveness, not because it looks good on your shelf, Chinotti says. Dentist Dr James Fernando researches tooth decay at the University of Melbourne and says the lack of fluoride in many new products is an immediate concern because when purchasing a toothpaste, its the main active ingredient people should be looking for. Anti-fluoride groups have long claimed that it can affect the bones and brain, and cause dental fluorosis (little flecks on tooth enamel). Fernando stresses that decades of scientific research has shown that fluoride is completely safe in the small doses used in toothpaste. It is only harmful when large amounts are ingested, which is why we dont swallow toothpaste and why young children use toothpaste with a lower concentration. The creators of fluoride-free toothpastes, including Lovebyt, ROCC and Gem, say they are catering to consumer demand and that using fluoride is a personal choice. Gem currently uses a fluoride alternative called hydroxyapatite and cites research on its website. Fernando says that while promising, the few studies that exist are not robust. While Lovebyt and ROCC dont plan to start using fluoride, Gems founder acknowledges some customers prefer it and says never say never. Some chemicals in mainstream toothpaste have raised concerns in the past, Fernando says, such as antimicrobial triclosan, which was phased out after animal studies found it may disrupt hormones, and sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), a foaming agent that certain patients find irritating. Fernando says while being more natural is great, not all chemicals are toxic and many even derive from natural sources. Fluoride itself is a natural mineral. He adds that a lot of natural toothpastes also contain ingredients that have theoretical benefits but are untested clinically and may be incompatible when combined. The Therapeutic Goods Administration is only responsible for regulating toothpastes that make specific health claims, such as preventing tooth decay. The rest are classed as cosmetics. Tooth Chews sells fluoridated toothpaste in tablet form. Not all new boutique oral care businesses banish fluoride. Natural brand Tooth Chews, launched in 2020 by Sunshine Coast dentist Rob Wood, includes it. The company sells toothpaste in tablet form, which is more eco-friendly, and will be releasing a paste later this year. Wood says he hopes to fill a gap in the market for chic toothpastes that also tick the science boxes. We wanted to do what we know would still benefit oral health but for people who dont want to use Colgate, he says. Dentist Dr Rita Trak opened the Dental & Skin Clinic in Melbournes south-east in February, saying shes all about making oral hygiene sexy rather than just a medical need, but she worries about the anti-fluoride narrative being perpetuated by some businesses that have a similar philosophy. The dos and donts of choosing a toothpaste Ensure fluoride is present. If choosing to use a toothpaste without fluoride, be sure to discuss this with your dentist Choose low fluoride childrens toothpaste for kids aged 18 months to 6 years Select your toothpaste based on your dental needs not on the appearance of the packaging For individuals with sensitivities, flavour-free and low-foaming toothpastes are available If still unsure, the Australian Dental Association (ADA) seal of approval can be found on some products to provide you with confidence that they have been reviewed by an expert panel of dentists. And as always, for tailored advice, talk to your dentist about what toothpaste is best for you Tips by Dr Mikaela Chinotti, dentist and oral health promoter of the Australian Dental Association If someone doesnt want to use fluoride for their own reasons or beliefs thats fine, but to spruik the message that fluoride is bad for you ... thats where its dangerous, Trak says. Ive already seen the consequences. She says the trend is confusing for consumers, and she likens it to promoting an all-natural, chemical-free sunscreen without any science to prove it helps prevent skin cancer. Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size In 2010 an Australian businessman, Peter Mason, was sitting in his Sydney office when the phone rang. He didnt know that he was about to have a conversation with a spy hed never met. It was a story he would be telling for years to come. Australias then director-general of security, the formal title of ASIOs chief, introduced himself. David Irvine proceeded to invite Mason to a one-on-one lunch. Mason is very well known in corporate Australia. After a career in investment banking, he chaired establishment institutions including AMP and David Jones, became a trustee at the Sydney Opera House Trust, and is on the board of Optuss parent company, Singtel. He wasnt hard up for a lunch invitation. But hed never had anything to do with ASIO. He suspected it was a prank call. How will I know its you at the restaurant? Mason wanted to know. Because Ill be there to greet you, replied Irvine. Trust me enough to come to lunch. And if Im not there, youll know its not me. Mason chuckled as he related the story to friends afterwards. I was sceptical, but given the nature of the invitation, I said yes. As Mason took his seat at the lunch table, Irvine made his opening gambit: So how is the transaction in Beijing going? AMP was in the midst of negotiating a large deal in China. But it was strictly confidential. That got my attention, Mason recalled. Irvine demonstrated his bona fides. He knew that Mason had been to Beijing recently. He knew that hed stayed at the Westin Hotel. He even knew that the hotel had upgraded him to a corner room. The Chinese were listening to you the whole time, Irvine told him. And we were listening to them. He didnt reveal how. Now he came to his point. Mason recounted: ASIO wanted me to know that they were very nervous about Chinas infiltration of Australias communication system. Specifically, they were concerned about the Chinese telecommunications equipment manufacturer Huawei, pronounced Wah-way, one of Chinas great companies and national champions. And I should be aware as a director of Australian and international companies that it was a matter of sensitivity for Australia. Advertisement Irvine has confirmed that he was issuing discreet alerts to large Australian companies at the time. Quite early on, ASIO found that it was in a position that it had to advise a number of major Australian companies that they had been compromised, most likely by China. We had a fair degree of certainty, he told me recently. Huawei would have come up. ASIO boss David Irvine (right) warned businessman Peter Mason (left) that his dealings in China were being monitored. Credit:Louise Kennerley Australian companies had scant awareness of cyber espionage at the time. Where ASIO was able to detect cyber theft and cyber intrusion, it quietly told the target companies. Often it was after the damage had been done. Victim companies sometimes accepted ASIOs advice; in that era of cyber innocence, others refused to believe it was possible. ASIO had to convince them before they took any protective measures. ASIO sometimes gave companies pre-emptive warning. Irvines lunch date with Peter Mason was one such alert. Irvine, now chair of the Foreign Investment Review Board, spent a lot of time briefing banks, mining companies and other major businesses in 2010. It would take longer for smaller companies to discover that their intellectual property had been stolen. As an official who was working in intelligence at the time observes, They really only found evidence of that when duplicates of their products came out, coming mainly out of China. Huawei has always protested its innocence. Its a privately held firm, all shares owned by its founder, Ren Zhengfei, a former officer in the Peoples Liberation Army, and the companys China-based staff. It maintains that it neither conducts espionage for the Chinese government nor would it do so even if instructed to. The Chinese were listening to you the whole time. And we were listening to them. Western governments have nevertheless been increasingly suspicious. Beijing advocates for the company ceaselessly with foreign governments. And under President Xi Jinping, a new national security law requires all companies, public and private, to obey all instructions from the government. The line between the state sector and the private grows more blurred by the day. Advertisement The federal government itself acted on ASIOs warnings about Huawei. There were three phases. First, in 2010 the board of the NBN quietly decided that it would not accept any of Huaweis bids to take part in the creation of the national broadband network. This followed a briefing from Irvine and the then national security adviser, Duncan Lewis. Second, the NBN ban on Huawei was publicly confirmed by the Gillard government in 2012. Third was the Turnbull governments 2018 ban on Huawei and ZTE from constructing Australias 5G network. So the governments position of being very wary of Huawei was consistent, starting with the Rudd government in 2010, then Gillard and then Turnbull, says the intelligence official. The then PM Malcolm Turnbull and ministers at the opening of the Australian Cyber Security Centre in 2018. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Peter Masons encounter with Irvine occurred more than 10 years ago, which indicates that the informal system of quiet warnings and secret persuasion was working. If Australias authorities knew of the risk posed by Huawei and were able to counter it silently, why did they ultimately make a public declaration, which was bound to arouse complaints from Beijing? Malcolm Turnbull was troubled. It was late 2017, and the prime minister was considering banning Huawei from the Australian continent. The telecommunications equipment maker happened to be the biggest in the world in its industry. Several countries had talked about banning it, but none had. The flagship company was to become an international acid test of nations trust in China. Australia was about to start building its 5G, or fifth-generation, Wi-Fi network. Much more than a phone system with faster internet, 5G would enable the Internet of Things, where the web will connect everything from your home airconditioning system and your pacemaker to your driverless car and your baby monitor. Could Huawei be trusted to supply the countrys central nervous system for a generation? Turnbull didnt think so. One thing you know if the Chinese Communist Party called on Huawei to act against Australias interests, it would have to do it, he says. Huawei says, Oh no, we would refuse. Thats laughable. They would have no option but to comply. Advertisement But the consequences of a ban? Turnbull knew that Beijing would seek to punish Australia. Of course, China allows no foreign companies to build its 5G network. But Beijing is not about reciprocity. Its about dominance. President Xi Jinping had made it his personal mission to place Huawei at the centre of the global internet. He would later tell then US president Donald Trump that a ban on Huawei would harm the overall bilateral relationship, according to Trumps former national security adviser, John Bolton. It was a remarkable elevation. Xi was putting the interests of one Chinese company at the centre of the worlds most consequential great-power relationship. It was, evidently, an extraordinary priority for China. Turnbull sought a middle path. He was not looking to upset relations. Australia was deeply committed to the opioid temptation of effortless, limitless profit, to the lotus flower of Chinas allure. And too anxious about losing its supply of the sweet narcotic. Was there a way to accept Huawei into the system and somehow manage the risk? Thats what Britain had done with Huawei in its 4G network. London allowed Huawei to supply its 4G gear but with a special-purpose monitoring centre and British engineers reading millions of lines of computer code to check for espionage backdoors. Chinese President Xi Jinping has taken steps to cement Chinese Communist Party control over the private sector. Credit:Getty Images Turnbulls history showed no inherent hostility to the Chinese company. When Julia Gillards Labor government banned Huawei in 2012 from supplying gear to the new national broadband network, Turnbull, as the shadow communications minister, promised to review the ban once in government. The Liberals ended up continuing Gillards ban. But now Huawei and the Beijing government was pressing to enter the next frontier. Turnbull spent months researching, talking to Trump and other leaders in late 2017 and early 2018. He repeatedly turned to Australias top-secret electronic spy agency, the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) equivalent to the US National Security Agency for an expert verdict. I went back and forth with Mike Burgess [then head of the directorate and now ASIOs director-general of security], pressing him to find an effective means of mitigating the risk. I would have preferred to have all vendors available in Australia, but not at the expense of security. Burgess did come up with some mitigation measures. He and the ASD experts compiled a spreadsheet filled with hundreds of them. We gave it a good red-hot go, a senior intelligence official involved in the process tells me. But there was a catch. Turnbull, says the intelligence official, is a big believer in tech. His starting point was, Convince me that we cant manage the risks. We worked extremely hard over eight, nine months, working it through. The signals- intelligence experts started from the proposition that Huawei equipment could be used in Australias 5G network. They asked themselves the question: how can we manage that risk effectively? Advertisement Burgess gathered his professional hackers from the ASD and asked them to play the Red Team, to put themselves in Chinas shoes. They were the best and the brightest, says the official, drawn from the section that would be used to hack into networks overseas. They were told: Lets game it. Apply what we would do if we had a vendor that was working for us. The telecommunications equipment vendor in question being Huawei, of course, the global leader in low-cost, high-grade telecoms gear. A technologically sophisticated government already has the know-how to disrupt another countrys 5G system. But if that government has sway over a 5G vendor in the country it wants to strike, explained the official, you can get there quicker from flash to bang, with zero cost of entry. It could be done with a simple instruction to the company operating in the target nations 5G system. And that would be a serious problem for the target country. As ASD boss, Mike Burgess led an investigation which found over 300 risks with Huaweis involvement in Australian 5G. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Because it would bring down a network? Yes, but its more than that, said the senior Australian spy: Heres the thing that most commentators get confused about with 5G, including some of our American friends. Its not about the interception of telephone calls. Weve got that problem with 4G, we had it with 3G. Its not that 5G is just a faster mobile phone network. It has lower latency. [Its about] the speed at which boxes can talk to each other, and [at] higher density, so more devices can connect per square kilometre than ever before. Its machines talking to machines. And if the 5G network stops working? The sewerage pump stops working. Clean water doesnt come to you. You can imagine the social implications of that. Or the public transport network doesnt work. Or electric cars that are self-driving dont work. And that has implications for society, implications for the economy. If the 5G network stops working? The sewerage pump stops working. Clean water doesnt come you can imagine the social implications. For these reasons, the 5G network will be number one on our critical infrastructure list in need of protection once its fully operational. Shutting down a 5G network at that point could throw the country into chaos. Advertisement A Sydney defamation barrister at the centre of a Federal Court battle to stop her acting for federal Liberal minister Christian Porter in his defamation case against the ABC has denied breaching her professional duties by acting for him after previously giving advice for free to a potential witness in the case. In a statement filed in the Federal Court ahead of a three-day hearing starting on Monday, Sue Chrysanthou, SC, says she gave advice to Jo Dyer, a friend of the woman who accused Mr Porter of rape, on November 20 last year and on January 27 and 28. The woman took her own life last year after advising NSW Police that she did not wish to pursue her complaint. Sue Chrysanthou arrives at the NSW Supreme Court. Credit:David Gray Mr Porter denies the allegation and is suing the ABC for suggesting he raped the woman in the late 1980s, when they were both teenagers, in an online story earlier this year referring to a rape allegation against an unnamed cabinet minister. Students past and present yelled for the government to do more to halt climate change during the School Strike 4 Climate rally in Brisbanes CBD on Friday. About 2000 people rallied in King George Square on Friday afternoon, as thousands more gathered at sister rallies around the country. School Strike 4 Climate demonstrators gather in Brisbanes King George Square on Friday. Credit:Stuart Layt The event was the first major rally from the climate action group since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. Brisbane State High School student Erin Shutter attended as part of the School Strike 4 Climate team, and said it was good to be back getting their message out after the pandemic. WA Premier Mark McGowan has refused to criticise a move to refer to the medical regulator two nurses and a doctor who worked in the Perth Childrens Hospital emergency department the night Aishwarya Aswath died. Reports that the three staff will be referred to the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency for their actions on April 3 have incensed the doctors and nurses unions, which say the government has been shifting blame to individuals but shirking responsibility for health systemic and resourcing issues. WA Premier Mark McGowan. Credit:WAtoday After an emotional meeting with hospital bosses, Health Minister Roger Cook and about 150 staff, Australian Medical Association WA president Andrew Miller said if the hospital went through with its referrals he would lodge his own referrals regarding management staff. When asked what he thought about the referrals on Friday Mr McGowan said legal processes applied to all occupations and WA was a law-abiding society. Coal, oil and gas companies have accused the nations banks of zealot-like enthusiasm for withdrawing support from the sector and engaging in policies that are deliberately increasing the cost of business and driving jobs out of Australia. In submissions to a contentious parliamentary inquiry into the impact of banking regulations on export industries, firms such as Adani and Yancoal also accused the insurance sector of abrogating its responsibilities to workers and Australian companies by phasing out coverage of thermal coal. Oil, gas and coal companies have accused banks of holding back their industry under the weight of shareholder and regulator pressure. Credit:Michele Mossop But the same inquiry has been warned by the Insurance Council of Australia (ICA) that without government-funded mitigation and adaptation strategies, parts of the country may soon become uninsurable due to the impact of climate change. The inquiry, chaired by retiring Queensland LNP MP George Christensen, was sparked by claims from some mining companies that they cannot get finance for their projects due to banks and regulators approach to climate change. Australian Border Force approved travel exemptions from Britain and the US during COVID spikes while rejecting them at a far higher rate from places where the virus was barely circulating. The new government data, which covers applications from August 2020 to March 31, has led to accusations of a racial bias in assessments of peoples applications to travel in Australia. Tens of thousands of people with family, business or study ties to Australia have been turned away because they could not get an exemption to enter the country. Greens immigration spokesman Nick McKim said the effect of the decisions was that people in countries with largely white populations were rejected at a far lower rate even though COVID-19 was raging through those places. Ultimately, if Home Affairs cant explain this discrepancy, then they need to urgently review their exemption system to ensure that there is no racial bias influencing decisions, he said. Cabinet Minister Peter Dutton threatened to resign from Malcolm Turnbulls ministry in order to pressure the then-prime minister into banning Chinese telecommunications company Huawei from involvement in Australias 5G network, telling his boss at the time this is a red line for me. In an account disputed by Mr Turnbull, Mr Dutton said he was concerned the prime minister was wavering on the ban and was more focused on finding ways to mitigate the risks of Huaweis potential involvement in Australias critical infrastructure. Former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull disputes Peter Duttons version of events. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Mr Dutton, who is now Defence Minister and was Home Affairs Minister at the time, said he also considered Australias two key security agencies responsible for acting against foreign interference and espionage were too passive in enforcing the new national security laws. The laws introduced by the Turnbull government in 2018 have been denounced by Beijing yet were not being actively applied by the Australian Federal Police and ASIO, according to Mr Dutton. Negotiations between the Prime Minister and Queenslands Premier over a 1000-bed quarantine centre remain deadlocked, with Annastacia Palaszczuk rebuffing Scott Morrisons claim the state had not provided enough information as ridiculous. In late January, the state government approached Queensland billionaire John Wagner to put forward a proposal to build a demountable camp near his companys Wellcamp Airport on the outskirts of Toowoomba, in the states south-east. Almost four months ago Ms Palaszczuk and Mr Morrison tasked their departments to work out the details for the centre, with Mr Wagner offering to fund the construction. The Queensland government said construction was being held up by the Commonwealth, which needed to give approval for international repatriation flights to land at the regional airport. China has issued its first batch of forest carbon credit stamps in Sanming City, east China's Fujian Province, in a move to use market mechanisms to reduce carbon emissions. Forest carbon credits are permits for companies to emit a certain amount of carbon dioxide. They are converted from added forest areas and the amount of carbon they can capture. The first five stamps issued on Tuesday in Sanming offer forest owners credits for 29,715 tonnes of carbon dioxide. One of the stamps, permitting 12,723 tonnes of carbon dioxide, was generated from approximately 213 hectares of public forest in Sanming's Changkou Village, and it has guaranteed the village additional earnings of 140,000 yuan (about 21,756 U.S. dollars) through carbon trading, according to village Party Chief Zhang Linshun. A nickel-producing company in Sanming purchased 2,723 tonnes worth of carbon credits from the village for 15 yuan per tonne, and another company bought the remaining 10,000 tonnes as inventory for 10 yuan per tonne. The carbon credits can also serve as collateral for bank credit and loans. Having purchased 18,294 tonnes of carbon credits from Changkou Village and two other locations, a Fujian-based company was credited 5 million yuan by the Industrial Bank Co., Ltd. "As long as the forests are in good care, they will be sustainable sources of income for local people," said local forest official Chen Meigao. The forest carbon credit system harbors great potential amid China's pursuit of peaking carbon emissions by 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality by 2060, said Chen, adding that Sanming is exploring more market mechanisms to help lower emissions. The government of Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin has resisted a full lockdown. Credit:Malaysia Information Ministry The decision to end or extend the emergency rests with the king but under Malaysias constitution, it should be taken on the advice of the Prime Minister, leaving open the chance it will be extended beyond the next 10 weeks. Anwar, for decades the almost-was of Malaysian politics, indicated an openness about resuming Parliament without necessarily going through a vote of no confidence in the Muhyiddin administration as the pandemic raged. But he declared the government had not only lost the backing of its partners in the Malay-centred governing pact, but the confidence of the public over its response to COVID-19. Muhyiddin on Thursday took aim at wealthy nations for not exporting enough vaccines but as Malaysian states now try to get vaccines directly, Anwar said the Prime Minister could not use that to deflect from a failure of domestic policies. The Prime Minister must honourably resign, he said. There is no coherence and clear incompetence. You have an announcement, for example, at 3pm where the ministry of defence will say there be an MCO (movement control order) in a few districts. At 8pm, the Prime Minister says it is for the whole country. There is no co-ordination. Even vaccines locally ... why did they take so long to even order and buy these vaccines? It is the Titanic and they are the captain. Malaysias record infections have come after schools and Ramadan bazaars remained open while cases rose during the Muslim holy month and despite restrictions being tightened before Eid-al-Fitr celebrations. Muhyiddin told Nikkeis Future of Asia conference on Thursday that the government had to strike a balance between protecting lives and economic considerations, highlighting six stimulus packages worth 340 billion Malaysian ringgit ($105 billion), a figure amounting to 20 per cent of the countrys GDP. Owing to the sheer complexity of the pandemic fallout, policy makers at all levels have been confronted with having to perform difficult and near impossible juggling act, he said. While fewer than a million people have been fully vaccinated, the pace will improve next month, according to coordinating minister Khairy Jamaluddin, with more doses due to arrive. Never far from the scene, former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad who reneged on a promise to pass the baton to Anwar before his government collapsed last year called on Thursday for people to be confined to their homes to deal with the new surge. The nonagenarian has previously petitioned the king to lift the suspension of Parliament. Shops were open in Malaysia during Ramadan but restrictions were ramped up at the end of the month. Credit:Bloomberg Professor James Chin, an expert on Malaysian politics at the University of Tasmania, believes most Malaysians would give Muhyiddin the benefit of the doubt over the state of emergency but said COVID-19 had served this backdoor government very well. Loading It has allowed it to do a lot of things to stop Parliament, to access the reserve fund, to enforce laws normally it cant impose, he said. It also shows the failure of a country like Malaysia ... because there are no checks and balances, things can get out of control very easily. Dr Amrita Malhi, a research fellow at the Australian National University, said the alarming lift in cases was undermining the legitimacy of the emergency status. Public anger is rising and yet there is no legitimate political process currently operating that could help channel that anger, she said. Malaysias next election is not due until 2023 but Muhyiddin has maintained he will call voters to the polls when the country emerges from the pandemic. That is clearly some way off and the assembly of millions of people to vote, risking further spreading the virus, is about the last thing Malaysia needs now. Jerusalem: Palestinians rallied by the thousands after a ceasefire took effect in the latest Gaza war, with many viewing it as costly but clear victory for the Islamic militant group Hamas over a far more powerful Israel. The 11-day war left more than 200 dead the vast majority Palestinians and brought widespread devastation to the already impoverished Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip. But the rocket barrages that brought life to a standstill in much of Israel were seen by many Palestinians as a bold response to perceived abuses in Jerusalem, the emotional heart of the conflict. The truce faced an early test on Friday, when tens of thousands of Palestinians attend weekly prayers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem, a flashpoint holy site revered by Jews and Muslims. The city was braced for celebratory protests that could spark confrontations with Israeli police, setting in motion another cycle of escalation. Palestinians in Gaza City celebrate the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas on Friday. Credit:Getty Thousands took to the streets of Gaza as the cease-fire took hold at 2 am Friday, Jerusalem time. Young men waved Palestinian and Hamas flags, passed out sweets, honked horns and set off fireworks. Spontaneous celebrations also broke out in east Jerusalem and across the occupied West Bank. spoke warmly of during a Kremlin-sponsored event for students, praising its history of achievements in space and expressing openness to one day building a factory in the country. The chief executive officer took questions for roughly 45 minutes at the invitation of Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlins spokesman. The topics the eccentric billionaire covered were familiar, ranging from his hiring practices to artificial intelligence and the future of human consciousness. I think were close to establishing a Tesla presence in Russia, and I think that would be great, Musk said. Over time, we will look to have factories in other parts of the world, potentially at some point. would be a surprise choice for a Tesla factory location anytime soon. Fewer than 5,300 used and 700 new electric vehicles were purchased in the country last year, according to industry researcher Autostat. The major oil-producing nation has only just begun to develop infrastructure for battery-powered cars. The share of passenger cars in Russia that is electric is less than 0.2%, Evgeny Tyrtov, an analyst at Moscow-based Vygon Consulting, said by phone. Yet Musks comments arent the first indication that Tesla sees some potential in the market. On its website, the company lists five supercharger locations in the country that are coming soon. Musks remarks quickly elicited Russian governors invitations to build a factory in their regions. More Dialogue Musk, whos also the CEO of U.S. government contractor Space Exploration Technologies Corp., called for more dialogue between Washington and Moscow, where the event took place Friday. The conference kicked off the Kremlins efforts to revive the Knowledge Society, a Soviet-era educational organization. Theres a lot of talent and energy and Russia, Musk said. Hopefully that energy continues into the future, and I would just like to strongly encourage people to strive to make the future better than the past and to be optimistic about the future. SpaceX broke Russias nine-year monopoly on ferrying crew to the International Space Station when it sent two U.S. astronauts into orbit in May of last year. The closely held company also competes with Russias space agency Roscosmos for space-tourism business. Musk, 49, joined the conference three months after inviting Russian President Vladimir Putin to join him on the chat-room app Clubhouse. Peskov told reporters he still hopes Putin and Musk will talk, but no preparations are currently underway, the news agency Tass reported. Hindalco Industries, the countrys leading aluminium producer, reported a higher-than-expected consolidated net profit attributable to the owners of the company at Rs 1,928 crore in the March quarter. The botton line was up a staggering 189 per cent, over the corresponding figure in the year-ago period, on the back of increased revenue. The company had reported a bottomline of Rs 669 crore in the corresponding period last year. The companys reported bottomline for the March quarter was strong despite increased tax expenses of total Rs 1,309, almost double from last year. The Aditya Birla Group companys topline in the period under review stood at Rs 40,507 crore, up 38 per cent from same period last year with Novelis (including Aleris) contributing the highest among segment contributors. As per Bloomberg estimates, the companys net sales was expected to be at Rs 34,106 crore, while its bottomline was seen at Rs 1,847 crore in the final quarter of FY21. In segmentwise revenue, Novelis contributed the highest followed by copper at Rs 26,578 crore and Rs 8,508 crore respectively. Aluminium revenue stood at Rs 5,969 crore in the March quarter, marginally up from same period last year. Meanwhile, the companys consolidated earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and ammortisation (EBITDA) stood at Rs 5,597 crore, up 33 per cent year on year and up 7 per cent sequentially. Alongside, the companys aluminium India business EBITDA was at an all-time high at Rs 1,610 crore, up 54 percent year-on-year. Globally, Novelis adjusted EBITDA at $505 million was an all-time high, up 32 percent year-on-year on the back of higher organic volume, favourable metal benefits, and a $60 million EBITDA contribution from the acquired Aleris business. In FY21, the company's gross debt declined by Rs 18,187 crore, while net debt fell by Rs 14,883 crore as of March 31, 2021from its peak on June 30, 2020. Our record have strengthened our balance sheet even further, absorbing the Aleris acquisition and restoring consolidated net debt to EBITDA ratio to pre-acquisition levels. The Aleris business continues to positively impact the overall top line and EBITDA," Satish Pai, managing director of was quoted as saying. The company's consolidated net debt/EBITDA significantly improved to 2.59x as of March 31, 2021 vs the peak of 3.83x as of June 30, 2020. As on March 31, 2021, the companys consolidated net debt stands at Rs 47,419 crore, while cash and cash equivalent stands at Rs 18,575 crore. By Neha Arora, Clara Denina and John O'Donnell (Reuters) - India's largest steel producer, JSW Steel, is considering a bid to buy Liberty Steel in Britain as well as mills elsewhere, two people familiar with the matter told Reuters, as would-be buyers circle Sanjeev Gupta's global commodities empire. JSW's interest, which extends to plants including Gupta's Adhunik steel mill in eastern India, could mark yet another chapter for Britain's steel industry, which has been privatised and sold to overseas buyers as its pre-eminence slid in lock-step with the country's manufacturing might. A sale would also chip away at Gupta's sprawling network of businesses, comprising hundreds of privately-held with interests spanning steel, aluminium, mining, financial services and real estate, built up over years of acquisitions. Gupta has been scrambling to refinance after his go-to source of funding, British supply chain finance firm Greensill, filed for insolvency in March. Britain's Serious Fraud Office (SFO) said earlier this month that it was investigating Gupta's businesses, including their links to Greensill. Although JSW Steel, part of the metals to cement conglomerate JSW Group which is controlled by billionaire Sajjan Jindal, was interested in bidding, one of the sources said, there were obstacles to any deal, including navigating the fallout from Brexit as well as India's coronavirus crisis. And no final decision had been taken on whether to bid for what the source described as a "surprise package". "The due diligence has not yet started. After Brexit, it will not be easy to operate these assets," he said. A spokesman for GFG said it "continues to serve its customers around the world and is making progress in the refinancing of its operations which are benefiting from the operational improvements it has made and the very strong steel, aluminium and iron ore markets." Gupta was lauded as the saviour of steel in Britain who bought distressed assets in economically-deprived areas. His group has 35,000 workers, including 5,000 in Britain, and annual revenues of $20 billion. UK 'MONITORING DEVELOPMENTS' Any change of ownership of Liberty Steel, which employs around 3,000 people in Britain, will be politically sensitive. Darren Jones, who chairs the UK parliament's business, energy and industrial strategy committee, said he expected any buyer to require ministerial clearance. "Steel production can also be considered to be an important part of our economic resilience and national security," he said. The government said it was "closely monitoring developments around Liberty Steel and continues to engage closely with the company, the broader UK and trade unions". Private equity investor Endless and China's Jingye Group, which owns British Steel, were also interested in Gupta's business in Britain, said people familiar with the matter. Separately, commodity trader Trafigura has expressed an interest in investing in GFG's aluminium smelter at Dunkirk in France, which is Europe's largest, said one source. JSW and Endless did not respond to requests for comment and Jingye's British Steel declined to comment. Trafigura, which provided a loan to GFG's Liberty House to help finance Dunkirk's purchase in 2018, declined to comment. Gupta bought the smelter for $500 million from Rio Tinto. (Additional reporting by William James in London, Gus Trompiz and Gwenaelle Barzic in Paris; Writing by John O'Donnell; Editing by Alexander Smith) (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 Mumbai bench of the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) in its order in the Dewan Housing Finance Limited (DHFL) matter has said the second proposal of the erstwhile promoter, Kapil Wadhawan, deserves to be examined on merits and put to vote by the committee of creditors (CoC). In its written order, the tribunal has said, "...the Adjudicating Authority is of the considered view that the 2nd proposal deserves to be examined on merits and put for deciding, voting of the members of CoC and if the same is commercially found not favourable with the COC members then the proposal can be rejected. In its order, directed the administrator to place the second proposal of the erstwhile promoter before the CoC for its consideration, decision, voting and inform the tribunal the outcome of the same within 10 days from the date of the order. It has also rejected the Reserve Bank of India (RBI)-appointed administrators claim that the settlement proposals of the Kapil Wadhawan were considered by the CoC, as the claim was not supported by any record or evidence. Though the letters, settlement proposals were addressed to the administrator, CoC it is seen from the records that AZB Partners, the legal team of the DHFL, have written/replied to him and apparently the same is communicated without the knowledge, approval of the administrator, the members of CoC therefore, the same cannot be treated as a reply from the Administrator, CoC, appropriate authority, the tribunal observed. In the order, the tribunal said the settlement proposal of Wadhawan at Rs 91,158 crore is more than the Rs 54,512 crore offered by the next highest bidder, Piramal Group, who offered Rs 37,250 crore. Since this settlement proposal is substantially higher / more than one-and-a-half-times the value of the highest bidder the same needs due consideration/reconsideration by the Administrator/COC, the order said. The tribunal also observed that with the settlement proposal thousands of the small investors, fixed deposit holders would be paid fully, thereby thousands of small investors would get 100 per cent of their principal sum outstanding. ....we are conscious about our jurisdiction that this adjudicating authority cannot substitute its view of over the commercial wisdom that may be exercised by the CoC in respect of the present applicant, however, there appears to be some procedural irregularity by not considering a settlement proposal which is around 150 per cent higher value of the resolution plan approved, the bench said in its order. Clearing the air around the legality of the erstwhile promoter submitting an offer for the corporate debtor, the bench in its order has said that contention of the respondents (RBI, CoC, and the administrator) that Wadhawan has not submitted a resolution plan for the consideration of the CoC is not legally tenable because the applicant has submitted an offer/proposal for settlement akin to One Time Settlement (OTS) and there is no express legal bar under the provision of IBC to a promoter (applicant) for making a proposal for settlement. In case if this settlement proposal is accepted by the COC with its requisite majority then a withdrawal application can be filed under section 12A of the Code by the applicant in main IB Petition (herein the RBI through Administrator), the order said. Ltd on Friday said it is evaluating a order imposing a fine of Rs 5.25 crore on its erstwhile unit, for allegedly making a misleading public announcement of buyback of shares on January 14, 2014. earlier this week also penalised P Elango, who was the then chief executive officer and director of Cairn, and two other directors, Aman Mehta and Neerja Sharma. They have been asked to pay Rs 15 lakh each. "The company has received an adjudication order dated May 19, 2021, from imposing a penalty... on erstwhile Limited (which got merged with Limited in 2017) and other noticees," said in a regulatory filing. "The company is evaluating the order and shall take appropriate action as may be necessary in this regard. (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.) At least 13 Naxals including seven women cadres were killed in an encounter with police in Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra early on Friday, officials said. The slain ultras belonged to Kasunsur Dalam (squad) of the Naxals, police said. The encounter took place on a day the state home minister was visiting the eastern Maharashtra district, over 900 km from Mumbai. A release by Gadchiroli Police said they had received inputs that Naxals had gathered in the Paidi forest area in Etapalli tehsil for extortion as auctions of Tendu leaves -- used for making bidis or leaf cigarettes -- were underway, hence a team of C-60 commandos, a special combat force of the district police, was sent to the area. The encounter took place between 6 am to 7.30 am as about 60 to 70 Naxals opened fire on C-60 commandos and kept firing despite an appeal to them to surrender, it added. After the Naxals fled into the dense forest, the bodies of six male and seven female cadres were found, while some more Naxals were possibly injured in the encounter but managed to escape, the police said. One AK-47 rifle, an SLR, a carbine, a .303 rifle and explosives were recovered from the spot. Ankit Goyal, Superintendent of Police, Gadchiroli said at a press conference that the the encounter was a "tribute" to the 15 police personnel killed in an ambush in the district in 2019. As many as 27 Naxals have been killed in the district since September 2020, he added. Maharashtra Home Minister Dilip Walse Patil, who was on his first visit to Gadchiroli after taking over the home portfolio following the resignation of Anil Deshmukh, praised the police for the operation. "Naxals are trying to weaken our democracy. I am proud that police officers and personnel are fighting them ably," he told reporters. (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.) Puducherry Lt Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan on Friday said 20 people including a couple of government staff were affected by Mucormycorsis or black fungus in the union territory and were receiving treatment. The territorial administration would soon issue a notification to declare black fungus a notifiable disease under the Epidemic Diseases Act 1897, she told reporters here after receiving 50 oxygen concentrators from World Health Organisation at Raj Nivas here. All hospitals should inform the health department as soon as they received patients with symptoms of the black fungus. She said black fungus was spreading fast in Puducherry and those suffering the ailment should not take medicines on their own but approach hospitals for treatment. Condoling the death of a reporter, the Lt Governor said she had consulted Chief Minister N Rangasamy on the need to provide relief to the families of journalists who succumb to Covid-19. Tamilisai Soundararajan said those in the age group of 18 to 44 were coming forward enthusiastically for vaccination against Covid. (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 number of U.K. cases of a worrying variant from India more than doubled for a second week as authorities also monitor a new mutation of the virus, adding fresh doubt to U.K. plans to fully unlock the economy. Health officials have now detected 3,424 cases of the B1.617.2 variant, also known as VOC-21APR-02, Public Health England said Thursday in a statement. Thats up from 1,313 last week, and 520 a week earlier. Theyre also investigating a mutation called VUI-21MAY-01, with 49 cases logged so far. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said last week that he was anxious about the Indian variant, and warned that it could affect the countrys plans to reopen the remaining bits of the economy from lockdown on June 21. Those concerns prompted authorities to alter the countrys vaccination program, shortening the interval between doses. And even though stage 3 of the governments reopening plan went ahead Monday, the fast spread of the new variant remain a cause for concern. ALSO READ: 2,323 cases of Indian Covid variant recorded in UK: Health secy Hancock As we start to get back to normal life, it is very important that we do not become complacent, Health Security Agency Chief Executive Officer Jenny Harries said in PHEs statement. All of us need to remain responsible and vigilant. Nevertheless, ministers and officials this week have struck an increasingly optimistic tone, with the premier saying Wednesday that he has increasing confidence vaccines are working against all variants. More than 70% of U.K. adults have now had at least one dose of vaccine, making the countrys program one of the most advanced in the world. ALSO READ: Coronavirus lockdown rules to end on June 21, says UK PM Boris Johnson Most of the 49 cases of the new variant under investigation are in Yorkshire and the Humber, in Northern England, according to PHE. There is currently no evidence that this variant causes more severe disease or renders the vaccines currently deployed any less effective, it said. On Monday, international holidays were allowed again, and pubs and restaurants were allowed to serve customers indoors. The government has said the final stage of reopening -- which will be June 21 at the earliest, is dependent on the evolution of the virus. Government scientists are trying to determine how much more transmissible it is than the fast-spreading Kent variant that led to the countrys third lockdown in January. Billionaire Zhang Yiming, the founder of ByteDance, will step down as chief executive officer and hand over the reins to co-founder Liang Rubo later this year as the Chinese social media company gears up for the unprecedented changes both at home and abroad. In an internal letter to employees, the 38-year-old Zhang, who founded several successful apps like TikTok, said he is making the transition to spend more time on "long-term strategy, corporate culture, and social responsibility". "Although the business has been developing well, we hope that the company will continue to make greater innovations and breakthroughs, and become more creative and meaningful," said Zhang. Zhang's decision to relinquish charge comes on the heels of several management changes at ByteDance over the past few months. Last month, ByteDance named its chief financial officer Zhou Shouzi as CEO of TikTok. Zhou spent several years as CFO and international business president of Xiaomi Corp. The billionaire said that since the beginning of this year, he had spent a lot of time thinking about how to better drive real long-term breakthroughs, which cannot simply rely on steady, but incremental, progress. "I lack some of the skills that make an ideal manager and am more interested in analyzing organizational and market principles, and leveraging these theories to further reduce management work, rather than actually managing people," he said. "Similarly, I am not very social, preferring solitary activities like being online, reading, listening to music, and contemplating what may be possible," he said. Wang Peng, an associate professor at the Hillhouse Research Institute of Renmin University of China, said: "For ByteDance, its corporate strategy must be repositioned in order to adapt to the changing internal and external environment. This inevitably involves major adjustments in the leadership team, management structure and other personnel." Last August, the Beijing-headquartered company was also dubbed a national security threat by the United States government and ordered to divest its TikTok business in that country. "To expand in the overseas market, it is common that ByteDance would hire and change its talents, no matter from home or abroad, to suit its future diversified development," said Wang. According to the company, Liang Rubo, who is currently head of human resources, will take over as CEO of ByteDance globally and Zhang will move into a key strategy role by the end of this year. Liang said the new role would be a huge challenge, but expressed confidence that through joint efforts, the company would be able to "continue making breakthroughs and reach new heights." "Leading Chinese internet firms have been adjusting their business strategies recently due to the increased scrutiny on monopolistic behavior. The country's faster-than-expected internet development has led to some blank spaces in market regulations," said Wang Chikun, an independent economist. The Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) headed by Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba on Thursday directed the central and state agencies to "expeditiously" restore the telecommunication, power, road and links affected by Tauktae. A statement issued by the Union Home Ministry said the meeting, held to review the relief-and-rehabilitation efforts undertaken in the aftermath of the extremely severe cyclonic storm in the Arabian Sea, also discussed the "efforts carried out by the navy and the coast guard, along with other agencies, to rescue persons on three barges and one offshore drilling vessel of ONGC". As many as 37 personnel have died while 38 are still missing, after the navy rescuers, battling extreme weather, rescued 186 of the 261 people who were onboard barge P305 off the Mumbai coast and two personnel from a tugboat. "Chief secretaries of the states and advisors to the administrators of the Union territories apprised the committee of the damage to infrastructure, crops as well as loss of life in the affected areas and the measures taken by them to restore telecom, power, roads, water supply, and other utilities. "It was noted that due to the timely and accurate forecast of the IMD and coordinated efforts of all concerned central and state/UT agencies, damage and loss of lives have been limited," the statement said. Due to the advance and timely action taken by all agencies, the functioning of hospitals and COVID-19 care centres in the areas hit by the also "remained unaffected", it added. The chief secretaries and officials of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Goa, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, along with senior officers from Lakshadweep, Dadra, and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, participated in the meeting. Officers from various central government ministries such as home, shipping, telecommunications, oil, power, health, food, and public distribution, drinking water and sanitation, the member secretary of the Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), the directors general of the Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and the coast guard and the deputy chief of the Integrated Defence Staff (IDS) also attended the meeting. Tauktae made landfall on Monday night near Una town in Gujarat''s Gir Somnath district and wreaked havoc for around 28 hours, before weakening into a depression. According to official data, at least 53 people were killed in various parts of Gujarat due to the heavy rain and storm-like incidents that occurred during the fury. (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.) Observing that high courts should refrain from passing directions not implementable, the on Friday stayed the order relating to management of the COVID-19 situation in Uttar Pradesh in which it had also said that the entire healthcare system in villages and small cities of the state was "Ram bharose" (at God's mercy). A vacation bench of Justices Vineet Saran and BR Gavai said the directions of the High Court passed on May 17 shall not be treated as directives but an advice to the UP government. At the same time, the bench said there are some observations in the order which may be well meaning but passed by the court in anxiety to provide relief to the general public. Such directions cannot be implemented and it shall be treated as advice and not directions. The state government, which will work to provide facilities to the people will keep in mind the advice of the High Court, it said. The bench said that looking at the matter in depth, We are of the opinion that the High Court should consider looking into the possibility of implementation while passing any directions, and if any such direction is not implementable, then the High Court should refrain from passing it. It said the High Court should adopt the doctrine of impossibility (a situation when it is impossible for a party to perform), which has been upheld by this court. We are staying the order but we are not staying the proceedings before the High Court. The matter be listed on July 14, the bench said while appointing senior advocate Nidesh Gupta as amicus curiae to assist in the matter. It said the High Court while considering a matter on management of COVID-19 situation which has a national or trans-national ramification should refrain from dealing with it as the top court is seized of the issue. Taking note of one of the directions of the that every village in UP should be provided with at least two ambulances having intensive care unit facilities, the bench said the state government has submitted that there are 97,000 villages in the state and it would not be "humanly possible" to provide such ambulances in one month. While referring to another direction that five medical colleges of the state should be upgraded to PG Medical Institutes within four months, the bench noted that the state government has said that it is not "practically feasible" in such a short period of time. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the UP government, said that different benches of the High Court (single judge bench and double judge benches) are passing different orders on COVID management. It would be appropriate if this court directs that a bench of Chief Justice of High Court hears the matter related to COVID management so that there is uniformity in directions, he said, while referring to an earlier order of the top court, where the Chief Justice of Karnataka High Court was requested to hear the Franklin Templeton matter related to winding up of mutual fund schemes. Issues relating to the Templeton matter had come up in different high courts. The bench responded to say it is not going to pass any general directions or a sweeping order as it does not want to demoralise the High Courts or the state government. We are at present only hearing an appeal against the order, it said and refused to pass any such orders. The appeal was filed by the UP government. Noting that there are several other orders which have been passed by the High Courts which have an impact on other states and which are related to management of COVID situations, Mehta further submitted that they should have taken a holistic view while dealing with such issues. There are several policy decisions which have benefits of expert opinion and there are some issues of grave importance. It is desirable that these matters including the instant matter should be heard by a bench of chief justice, he said. To this, the bench said, Be that as it may, the constitution of a bench is a prerogative of Chief Justice, who is a master of roster and he may consider the same and pass appropriate orders. On May 17, the Allahabad High Court while hearing a PIL over the spread of and the condition of quarantine centres in UP passed a slew of directions while taking into account the death of one Santosh Kumar (64), who was admitted to an isolation ward at a Meerut hospital. The doctors there had failed to identify him and disposed off the body as unidentified, according to a probe report. Santosh had fainted at a hospital bathroom on April 22 and efforts were made to revive him but he died. The hospital staff could not identify the dead and failed to locate his file. Thus, it was taken as a case of an unidentified body. The High Court while commenting on the issue had said that if this is the state of affairs at a medical college in a city like Meerut, then the entire medical system of the state pertaining to smaller cities and villages can only be taken to be like a famous Hindi saying, ''Ram bharose". On the issue of vaccination, the court had suggested that big business houses who take benefits under taxation laws by donating to various religious organisations may be asked to divert their funds for vaccines. Every nursing home/ hospital, which has more than 20 beds, should have at least 40 per cent of their beds as intensive care units, the court said. Every nursing home and hospital, which has more than 30 beds, should compulsorily have an oxygen production plant, the court added. Every second and third tier town of Uttar Pradesh should be provided with at least 20 ambulances and every village should be provided with at least two ambulances having intensive care unit facilities, the court suggested while fixing May 22 as the next date of hearing. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India on Friday reported a net reduction of 101,953 in active cases to take its count to 3,027,925. Indias share of global active cases now stands at 19.08 per cent (one in 5). The country is second among the most affected countries by active cases. On Friday, it added 259,551 cases to take its total caseload to 26,031,991. And, with 4,209 new fatalities, its Covid-19 reached 291,331, or 1.12 per cent of total confirmed infections. Dear Reader, Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance. We, however, have a request. As we battle the economic impact of the pandemic, we need your support even more, so that we can continue to offer you more quality content. Our subscription model has seen an encouraging response from many of you, who have subscribed to our online content. More subscription to our online content can only help us achieve the goals of offering you even better and more relevant content. We believe in free, fair and credible journalism. Your support through more subscriptions can help us practise the journalism to which we are committed. Support quality journalism and subscribe to Business Standard. Digital Editor External Affairs Minister will begin a five-day visit to the from Monday with a focus on procurement of coronavirus vaccines from American companies as well as explore the possibility of their joint production. The Ministry of External Affairs said Jaishankar will hold discussions with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken besides meeting senior officials of the Biden administration during his visit from May 24 to 28. In New York, Jaishankar is expected to meet UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. "In Washington DC, the External Affairs Minister will hold discussions with his counterpart Secretary of State Antony Blinken. He will also be meeting Cabinet members and Senior Officials of the Administration dealing with the bilateral relationship," the MEA said in a statement. It said he will have two interactions with business forums on economic and COVID-related cooperation between the two countries. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Environmentalist and Chipko movement pioneer Sunderlal Bahuguna died at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences here on Friday after battling COVID-19 for several days. He was 94. He breathed his last at 12.05 pm, Director Ravikant said. Bahuguna, one of India's best known environmentalists, was admitted to the hospital on May 8 after testing positive for Covid. He had been critical since last night with his oxygen level dropping drastically. He was on CPAP therapy in the ICU of the premier hospital. Condoling the death, Chief Minister Tirath Singh Rawat described it as a big loss not just for Uttarakhand and India but for the entire world. "It was he who made the Chipko movement a movement of the masses," Rawat said. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The (EU) has recommended to open its external borders to non-essential into the bloc if travellers have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19. The Council of the EU, representing the 27 member states, adopted a recommendation that eases the Covid-19 restrictions for non-EU travellers whose origin countries report no more than 75 cases per 100,000 inhabitants over the last 14 days. Before the criteria were updated on Thursday, the upper limit was 25 cases, Xinhua reported. EU member states are now encouraged to waive testing or quarantine for third-country travellers who have received the last dose of a vaccine approved by the European Medicines Agency. The drugs regulator has so far greenlighted four vaccines -- Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson. EU countries could also lift the restriction on non-essential to those who have received the last recommended dose of a vaccine on the list of the World Health Organization for emergency use. An emergency brake mechanism is created, and reciprocity should be taken into account case by case, said the EU Council. The decision was made on the basis of a proposal presented by the European Commission in early May, which aims to salvage the bloc's tourism industry as vaccination campaigns are progressing worldwide. Also on Thursday, the EU Council reached a provisional agreement with the European Parliament on the introduction of a Covid-19 certificate system that can facilitate the free movement within the bloc. The commonly recognized digital certificate will be able to prove a traveller is fully vaccinated, or tests negative, or has recovered from the infection, and the holder of the certificate is thus free of restrictions. The system is supposed to be temporarily in place for 12 months. A vote on the proposition is expected to take place at the parliament's plenary in June. --IANS int/pgh (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The (EU) has signed a third contract with pharmaceutical companies BioNTech and Pfizer, securing an additional 1.8 billion Covid-19 vaccine doses between the end of 2021 and 2023. The European Commission said in a statement on Thursday that the new contract requires that the vaccine production is based in the EU and those essential components are sourced within the bloc, reports Xinhua news agency. It also stipulates that from the start of the supply in 2022, timely delivery to the EU is guaranteed. Member states can resell or donate doses to countries in need outside the EU or through the COVAX Facility, contributing to global and fair access to the vaccine across the world, according to the statement. "Potential contracts with other manufacturers will follow the same model, to the benefit of all," said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety Stella Kyriakides added that the EU was prioritising "technologies that have proven their worth", like mRNA vaccines, but it was keeping its options open. The EU has already signed contracts with AstraZeneca, Sanofi-GSK, Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, CureVac and Moderna for vaccine supplies. The Commission has granted conditional marketing authorization for the vaccines developed by BioNTech and Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, as well as Johnson and Johnson. This diversified portfolio ensures the EU has access to enough doses to immunise its whole population, including for the virus variants, the Commission said in the statement. --IANS ksk/ (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Major drugmakers and rich nation leaders faced up on Friday to the startling global imbalance in fighting Covid-19 and made big pledges to up supplies of cut-price vaccines to poorer regions. Lavishly-funded mass inoculation campaigns are helping the West and others slash infections, but few shots have reached poorer nations where the virus is still raging, sometimes uncontrollably, drawing accusations of " apartheid". If we do not close this immense gap, more people will die needlessly. There are two immediate actions countries can take: share dollars and doses, Bill Gates said. The summit was to call for voluntary licensing and technology transfers to boost production, but will sidestep a push from the United States and other nations to waive valuable patents, a joint declaration showed. ALSO READ: US Treasury proposes 15% minimum tax on global corporate profits The European Union promised to invest 1 billion euros ($1.2 billion) to set up manufacturing hubs in Africa. China pledges billions Chinas President Xi Jinping pledged $3 billion in aid over the next three years to help developing countries recover from the pandemic and proposed setting up an international forum to promote fair distribution of vaccines. ALSO READ: IMF backs $50-bn plan to help world escape coronavirus crisis in 2022 Meanwhile, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that the EU will make a proposal to facilitate the use of those clauses and added that Europe would donate at least 100 million doses to poorer nations by the end of the year, including 30 million each from France and Germany. Leaders at the gathering were due to sign the so-called Declaration of Rome, a set of guiding principles ranging from ensuring fair distribution of vaccines to ramping up production and possibly using compulsory licenses. ALSO READ: IMF says it's ready to scale up collaboration with India during pandemic WTO urges leaders to negotiate IP waiver The head of the World Trade Organization (WTO) on Friday called on the leaders of the Group of 20 nations to make progress in negotiations on a proposal to waive for Covid-19 vaccines. Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Friday said the state government will challenge in the high court journalist Tarun Tejpal's acquittal in a 2013 rape case by a district court here. A sessions court at Mapusa on Friday acquitted Tejpal of sexually assaulting his former female colleague in an elevator of a five star resort in Goa. Talking to reporters, Sawant said, We will not tolerate any injustice to be meted out to the women in Goa. We will challenge the district court's order before the high court soon in this case." He said he has personally discussed the issue with the public prosecutor and the investigating officer in the case about challenging the verdict in the high court. Sawant claimed that there was enough evidence against the accused. The Goa police had registered an FIR against Tejpal in November 2013, following which he was arrested. The Goa crime branch had filed a charge sheet against Tejpal, who has been out on bail since May 2014. He faced the trial under IPC sections 341 (wrongful restraint), 342 (wrongful confinement), 354 (assault or criminal force with intent to outrage modesty), 354-A (sexual harassment), 354-B (assault or use of criminal force to woman with intent to disrobe), 376(2)(f) (person in a position of authority over women, committing rape) and 376(2)k) (rape by a person in a position of control). (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 High Court came down heavily on the state government for not ensuring that COVID protocols were followed while holding religious events like Kumbh Mela and Char Dham Yatra in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. While hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL), a bench of Chief Justice R.S. Chauhan and Justice Alok Verma said, "First we make the mistake of Kumbh Mela, then there is Char Dham. Why do we repeatedly cause embarrassment to ourselves?" Taking into account videos on social media of the priests' movement in Badrinath and Kedarnath without following the social distancing norms, the Court expressed its displeasure at the states' "negligence". "Go and see what is happening. In the video of Kedarnath and Badrinath temples, priests are not following social distancing. Even for worshipping, you cannot allow 23 priests to enter the temple, take the chopper and see what is happening in Badrinath-Kedarnath," the Court said. The court further said that they are "ashamed when asked about what is happening to the people of the state." "What shall we say? It is not my business to decide. This work belongs to the government. You can fool the court but you cannot fool the people. The state government is playing with the lives of millions of people, the state government is negligent," the Court said. The next hearing in the matter is scheduled for June 9. (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.) Flash Southwestern China's Guizhou province has been working to bring the big data industry under law-based governance in recent years, in an effort to address concerns over data security, according to a press conference Thursday. Over 259,000 fresh cases reported India reported 2,59,551 fresh infections on Friday, taking the cumulative caseload to 26 million, according to central health ministry data. The country saw 4,209 deaths due to the pandemic, taking the death toll to 291,331. The active caseload is at 3 million, while the total recoveries have surged to 22.7 million. As many as 191.8 million shots have been administered since the nationwide inoculation programme kicked off on January 16. Of these, 1.5 million were given on Thursday. Read more Armed forces stave off second wave thanks to vaccines, strict protocols The armed forces personnel in India have seen about 52,000 cases and 140 deaths due to the Covid-19 pandemic since the virus broke out last year, a report in ThePrint said. However, the armed forces have been largely safe in the second wavethanks to nearly 90 per cent double vaccination and strict protocols implemented by the Army, Navy and Air Forceeven as the civilian population has been badly hit across the country. The Army has further expanded its medical capacity across India to prepare for the third wave while also helping the civilian administration, the report said. Read more Daily average vaccinations fell by almost 50% between April and May The national average in daily inoculations hit a high in April, but slipped to nearly half of that in May soon after the vaccination programme was opened up for all adults, a report in ThePrint said. In April, India, on average, administered 30,24,362 shots a day. In May, that number fell to an average of 16,22,087 doses a day. This comes even as the Modi government and the States exchange blame and citizens continue to struggle to find slots on the Co-Win platform, the governments centralised system for booking a vaccine dose, the report said. Read here How does a self-test Covid kit help? There's enormous pressure on diagnostics laboratories as many states are going through a second wave of infections, explains a report in The Indian Express. The RT-PCR test, while it is considered the gold standard, takes 3-4 days to give results. This delays hospitalisation and treatment. Self-help kits can reduce queues in labs, cut costs, lower the burden on manpower for sample collection from homes, and also provide quick results within 15 minutes. This can help in prompt treatment and isolation, the report said. Read more BioNTech says vaccine likely to be effective against Indian variant German biotech firm BioNTech has said the Covid vaccine it developed with Pfizer should be about as effective against the so-called Indian variant as it has been against the South African variant, a report in The Indian Express said. The firm's Chief Executive Ugur Sahin felt encouraged by recent findings in a scientific paper based on blood analysis of vaccinated persons, which showed that the antibodies elicited by the vaccine were able to neutralise the Indian variant, the company said. Read here The government on Friday announced a one week extension of the state-wide till May 30, to contain the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. The state has been under since May 8 after weekend restrictions and lockdown-like curbs imposed earlier failed to create any desired impact in terms of the daily caseload of the infected persons. On May 16, the was extended to May 23. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan also announced the withdrawal of "triple lockdown" measures being implemented in three districts-- Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam and Thrissur from May 16. However, the "triple lockdown" will be continued in Malappuram district. Briefing the media, Vijayan said the average Test Positivity Rate for the last three days was 23.3 per cent. "While the TPR is more in Malappuram, it is decreasing in other districts. Active cases are declining in all districts." Noting that the virus was still spreading,the CM said the number of active cases and TPR has fallen below 25 per cent in the districts where triple lockdown was imposed, except in Malappuram. "Therefore, the triple lockdown will be exempted in Ernakulam, Thrissur and Thiruvananthapuram districts from tomorrow morning (May 22). It will continue in Malappuram while the regular lockdown will continue in all other districts", he said. on Friday reported 29,673 cases and 142 deaths. The number of fatalities is the highest reported on any single day and took the toll to 6,994. Referring to the numbers during the second wave of the pandemic, Vijayan said was one of the states with the highest number of reported cases in the country. The state, he said, was able to contain the number of deaths because it slowed down the rate at which the disease was spreading. "Despite the declining number of cases, health experts say the death toll in Kerala is likely to rise in the coming days. The deaths reported now are the result of the infection that happened two to six weeks earlier when the outbreak was at its peak. Thats why the fatalities are increasing," he said. In the meantime, the priority category for vaccination of those in the 18 to 44-year-old age group has been reconstituted. Field staff in the Food and Civil Supplies Department, Food Corporation of India, Postal Department, Social Justice Department, Women and Child Welfare Department and Animal Husbandry Department will be included in the priority category, along with Port employees. Vijayan said the government was exploring the possibility of vaccine production in the state with the Institute of Advanced Virology examining whether it was feasible to open branches of companies manufacting them on their campus. The CM said that experts in this field, the State Council for Science, Technology and Environment and scientists from the Institute of Advanced Virology would conduct a webinar to arrive at an agreement on this. He said the government would ensure the availability of medicine for the treatment of black fungus, which has affected a few people in the state. The Kerala Medical Service Corporation has placed an order for 50,000 doses of the antiviral 2-DG drug for treating COVID, he said. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Accusing the Karnataka government of showing laziness towards managing epidemic diseases, JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy on Friday urged it to immediately declare "black fungus" as an epidemic. The former Chief Minister in a series of tweets, warned that there is danger of Karnataka witnessing higher number of black fungus infections as according to experts those recovered from COVID are getting infected by the disease, and the state has a big number of coronavirus cases. "Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Odisha, Gujarat and Chandighad have declared black fungus (Mucormycosis) as an epidemic. The Centre has also asked the states to declare an epidemic. The state should also declare it as an epidemic immediately," Kumaraswamy tweeted. Stating that it was necessary to declare it as an epidemic to take immediate measures to control this disease and frontline workers working for it, he said there are increased chances of death with black fungus infections and this deadly disease needs to be controlled. As cases of "black fungus" among COVID-19 patients in the country are witnessing a rise, the Centre on Thursday urged all states and union territories to declare it as a notifiable disease under the Epidemic Diseases Act to ensure mandatory surveillance to tackle the "new challenge". Following this, Karnataka Health Minister K Sudhakar has said black fungus infection is now a notifiable disease and no hospital or medical establishment having the capacity to provide treatment should deny admission of patients. He also said an official government order towards this will be notified soon. Alleging that the state government was repeatedly showing laziness towards the management of epidemic diseases, which is not good, Kumaraswamy said, it can also be seen that it is stumbling block in handling black fungus infections with inadequate medicine stock or in procuring them. "The government should immediately procure medicines for black fungus treatment in adequate numbers and should keep ENT specialists, ophthalmologists, general surgeons, neurologists and dentists on alert," he added. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The on Friday registered an FIR against the captain of barge P305, which sank on Monday in the Arabian Sea, 35 nautical miles from Mumbai under the impact of the Tauktae. The barge captain Rakesh Ballav, along with others, has been booked on the basis of a complaint by rescued barge engineer Mustafizur Rehman Shaikh. According to the police, the case has been registered in Mumbai's Yellow Gate police station. "A case has been registered against Barge P305 Captain Rakesh Ballav and others on the complaint of a barge engineer. The case has been registered under section 304(2), 338 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC)," the police said. Police also said it has launched a search for the Captain. According to the FIR, despite receiving alerts on Tauktae approaching, Captain Rakesh Ballav and others did not make any arrangements for the safety of the staff on board, due to which the barge sank in the storm and many lost their lives. Barge P305 started drifting after its anchors gave way off the Heera Oil Fields in Bombay High and sank on Monday as cyclonic storm Tauktae brushed past the western coast. According to the Navy, as many as 188 people who were on the barge when it sunk have been rescued and at least 51 bodies have been recovered from till now with rescue operations still underway. (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 Calcutta High Court on Friday sent two West Bengal ministers, an MLA and a former mayor of the city to house arrest, modifying its earlier order that stayed their bail granted by a CBI court following their arrest in the Narada sting tape case on Monday. The court directed that the two ministers, during their period of house arrest, can deal with official files sent to them online and hold meetings through video conferencing. The judges of the division bench presided by Acting Chief Justice Rajesh Bindal, who differed on the issue of recalling the stay on bail to the four accused, decided to refer the matter to a larger bench. For the purpose, the Acting Chief Justice has constituted a five-judge bench consisting of himself, Justices I P Mukerji, Harish Tandon, Soumen Sen and Arijit Banerjee. The matter will be taken up for hearing at 11 am on May 24. The new bench will hear the CBI's prayer for transfer of the case from the lower court to itself. Panchayat Minister Subrata Mukherjee, Transport Minister Firhad Hakim, Trinamool Congress MLA Madan Mitra and former Kolkata mayor Sovan Chatterjee were arrested by the CBI on Monday morning in connection with the Narada sting tape case that is being investigated by the agency as per a 2017 order of the high court. Modifying its earlier order of May 17, the division bench, also comprising Justice Arijit Banerjee, on Friday directed that "considering the age and health issues of the accused, three of whom are said to be admitted in hospital, instead of custody in jail, all the accused persons can be put under house arrest in their own homes." Of the four accused who have been in judicial remand, Subrata Mukherjee, Madan Mitra and Sovan Chatterjee were admitted to the state-run SSKM Hospital owing to ailments a day after their arrest on Monday. The bench directed that during their house arrest, while being in home comfort, they will be entitled to all medical facilities and will be bound by all applicable restrictions. The bench directed that it will be the duty of the jail authorities in the state to enforce the conditions. "Keeping in view importance of the issues involved in the matter, as noticed in various orders passed by this court, we find that it would be appropriate if the entire matter is heard by a larger bench," the division bench said. Earlier, differing on the recalling applications filed by the accused persons, Justice Arijit Banerjee favoured granting of bail to the four, while Acting Chief Justice Bindal wanted that they be sent on house arrest. While the CBI prayed for transfer of the Narada sting case, the four accused moved the high court seeking recall of its order staying the bail granted to them by the special CBI court. Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta, representing the CBI, prayed for stay of the order sending the accused to house arrest for one week to enable the CBI to avail of its appropriate remedy. The court, however, turned down the prayer considering the age and health of the accused, observing, "We do not find any reason to stay the operation of the order as the accused persons still remain in judicial custody though only the manner has changed." Counsels representing the accused prayed that since some of the accused are holding high positions and are managing the Covid-19 pandemic in the state, they may be allowed to discharge their official functions for which government officers may be allowed access to them. The division bench directed that the government officials will not have any direct access to the accused, but permitted them to deal with the files sent to them online and hold meetings through video conferencing. The CBI has sought transfer of the case alleging extraordinary circumstances wherein West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee sat on a dharna in the CBI office after the arrests and the agency not being able to produce the four accused in court physically owing to unruly protests by a large number of people outside its office complex. The high court on Monday night stayed the lower court's decision to grant bail to the four leaders, arrested and charge-sheeted by the CBI in the The division bench had said that it deemed it appropriate to stay the special court's order and direct that the "accused person shall be treated to be in judicial custody till further orders". The sting operation was conducted by journalist Mathew Samuel of Narada News, a web portal, in 2014 wherein some people resembling TMC ministers, MPs and MLAs were seen receiving money from representatives of a fictitious company in lieu of favours. At that time, the four arrested politicians were ministers in the Mamata Banerjee government. The sting operation was made public ahead of the 2016 assembly elections in West Bengal. (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.) government on Thursday declared Mucormycosis (Black Fungus) as a notifiable disease under the Diseases Act 1897. The decision came in view of the reported rise in the incidence of Mucormycosis (Black Fungus) amongst the COVID-19 patients those who were under Cortico Steroids and other Immunosuppressive drugs and also among the patients in the post COVID period across the State. For its treatment and monitoring, a State Level Task Force Committee has already constituted by the Department. The Committee also monitors the incident of such patients admitted to the different hospitals of the State and formulates the guideline for early detection and management of such cases if detected. Recently the Task Force has suggested a protocol for identification, treatment, and follow-up action in addition to public awareness. Further, the Committee recommends declaring Mucoremycosis (Black Fungus) as a notifiable disease under the Diseases Act -1897 so that reports on all such suspected and confirmed cases shall be shared by all District Health Facilities to the Health and Family Welfare Department and subsequently to IDSP Surveillance System for monitoring. Earlier, the Tamil Nadu government declared Black Fungus a notifiable disease under the Public Health Act, informed TN Health Secy J Radhakrishna on Thursday. (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.) State-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) on Friday announced cash relief for families of the deceased and survivors of the private contractor-operated barge that sunk in the Arabian Sea after being battered by a severe said an immediate relief of Rs 1 lakh will be provided to the 186 survivors of the sunk barge and Rs 2 lakh for the dead and missing persons' families. At least 51 persons died and 24 are still missing after barge P-305 of Afcons lost anchor and hit an unmanned installation before capsizing earlier this week. None of those on barge P-305 was employee. They were either employee of Afcons or hired by it for executing a contract it had got from " Tauktae had hit the Arabian Sea off the coast of Mumbai in the early hours of May 17, 2021, where ONGC's major production installations and drilling rigs are located. Three construction barges of Afcons, working on a project of ONGC in Western Offshore fields in the Arabian Sea, and one floater drilling rig of ONGC were severely impacted in the cyclone," the firm said in a statement. Caught in high-velocity winds and swelling sea, all the anchors of the Barge P-305 gave away, leading it to drift uncontrollably. It "hit an unmanned platform of ONGC resulting in water ingress and eventually capsized at around 1700 Hrs of 17 May 2021," the statement added. ONGC OSVs (Offshore Supply Vessels) were immediately pressed into service for rescue operation along with INS Kochi and INS Kolkata of Indian Navy and Coast Guard vessel. There were 261 persons on board P-305. "ONGC along with Indian Navy and Coast Guard immediately swung into rescue operations. Indian Navy along with the Coast Guard and ONGC are continuing with extensive search and rescue operations," it said. "During this fight against the ferocity of nature, employees on board displayed exemplary courage and continued their efforts to steer barges and rig to safety with beaten down functionality." The firm said it is now looking at rescue and rehabilitation tasks. "Our business partner Afcons, who was operating the affected barges, has been with us in this task. We are saddened by the events and express our deep sorrow at the loss of life and pay our tributes to the BNVs (Brave, Nature's Victims)". The combined rescue and search efforts will be continued for a few more days, ONGC said, adding it hopes to save more lives. "In this hour of grief, Afcons are working on the compensation for the affected crew, which will be operationalised soon," it said. "ONGC has also set up a helpdesk to extend help. ONGC will facilitate the dependent family members of the rescued crew in providing logistics and expenses. (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.) More than 1,100 mucormycosis patients who had recovered from COVID-19 are undergoing treatment at government hospitals in four major cities of Gujarat, officials said on Friday. The state government has declared mucormycosis a pandemic and notifiable disease under the Epidemic Diseases Act, which means the hospitals need to notify the government about suspected and confirmed cases of this fatal fungal infection, an official release said. Hospitals are also required to follow guidelines on screening, diagnosis and treatment of mucormycosis (also called black fungus) issued by the Centre and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), it added. While there is no data on the exact number of mucormycosis cases in as yet, more than 1,100 patients are currently admitted to government-run hospitals in Ahmedabad, Rajkot, Surat and Vadodara cities. The highest 450 patients are admitted to the Rajkot civil hospital, 350 to the main civil hospital of Ahmedabad, around 110 in two state-run hospitals in Surat city and around 225 patients are receiving treatment in government hospitals in Vadodara city including 148 at SSG hospital, local officials told PTI. As per a rough estimate, 70 to 80 persons with confirmed mucormycosis are being admitted to these hospitals every day since the second wave of coronavirus pandemic began in in March, officials said. In Rajkot, the authorities have set up a separate ward at a government-run hostel, which is already in use as a Covid Care Centre, for mucormycosis patients who have either undergone treatment or do not require a surgery, said Civil Superintendent R S Trivedi. "We have kept 500 beds reserved for mucormycosis patients in the civil hospital. While 450 beds are already occupied, we are getting around 30 new patients every day. So we have decided to make use of the Samras Hostel facility too," said Trivedi. (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.) World Trade Organization (WTO) Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has argued in favour of expanding Covid-19 vaccine production and ending export restrictions, saying that getting a patent waiver would not be enough. She said this when answering a question on what measures are needed to accelerate equitable access to vaccines during a meeting of the European Parliament's Committee on Trade, Xinhua reported. "Getting the Intellectual Property (IP) rights waiver for vaccines will not be enough," she said on Thursday. Okonjo-Iweala listed three other routes, namely, reducing export restrictions and reinforcing supply chains for vaccines, working with manufacturers to expand production, and transferring the necessary technology and expertise to produce the complicated vaccines. "The IP waiver is a hot issue on which I cannot take sides. But we need more flexibility and automatic access for developing countries, and at the same time we have to protect research and development," added the chief. The Trade Committee is set to discuss calls for patent waivers for Covid-19 vaccines on May 25. No consensus was reached among the members of the European Parliament (MEPs) on Wednesday regarding a proposal for a temporary waiver of patent rights for Covid-19 vaccines in a bid to speed up the global vaccine rollout. A resolution will be put to a vote at the European Parliament's plenary session in June. Any decision on waiving IP rights will be taken by the --IANS int/pgh (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Theres a need to bring the treatment of Covid-19 to the patients doorsteps, Prime Minister told Varanasis paramedical and health workers in a videoconference on Friday, where he fought back tears while talking about the lives lost to the virus. Jahan bimar wahan upchar (treatment where the patient is located)... If the treatment is taken to the sick, it will bring down the pressure on the health system. Modi said. The fight against Covid-19 is long with no room for complacency, he said, urging the health workers to focus on the rural areas. Modi said that vaccination was the collective responsibility of the community and one must take the shot when their turn comes. Vaccine protection has assured frontline workers in helping people. This protection will reach everyone in the coming days, he said. The Prime Minister told the public representatives that even though they may have to take criticism from people, they must show full sensitivity as it works like a soothing balm. If any citizen has any grievance, then it is the responsibility of the public representatives to be concerned about it. It was important to keep an eye on data that is coming out of the pandemic so others can take the benefit of their experience, he said. I would like the doctors and health workers to share their experience with their fraternity. Administration should also share their input so going forward best practices can be used everywhere. He said that children have to be protected from and special preparation has to be made towards this. I was happy to know that the Uttar Pradesh government is working on this well in advance. He lauded the efforts of doctors, nurses, technicians, ward boys and ambulance drivers. But this pandemic is so big that despite all the efforts we have not been able to save the lives of our family members. An emotional Modi said this calamity had snatched a lot of our close ones hamare kayi apno ko humse cheena hai. After a long pause, he expressed his condolences to the families who have lost people due to Covid, calling it an adrishya (invisible) and dhoort (deceptive) enemy. The PM also praised Varanasis Kashi Kavach telemedicine facility that brought together doctors, labs and e-marketing companies. He asked the health officials to take maximum advantage of the potential and experience of ASHA (accredited social health activist) and ANM (auxiliary nurse midwife) workers in the ongoing war against Covid-19 in the villages. Modi also cautioned against the new challenge posed by black fungus and said that it was important to pay attention to the precautions and arrangements required to deal with it. With inputs from PTI You are here: China China will stringently crack down on organized crimes and gangs on a regular basis and maintain a tough stance against such illegal activities, according to recent guidelines issued by central authorities. The guidelines, issued by the general offices of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council, are expected to act as effective deterrents with intensified efforts. The guidelines urged the establishment and improvement of mechanisms in various aspects including prevention and regulation, rewards for tip-offs, law-based punishment, and supervision. Priorities should be given to major sectors such as finance, project contracting, transportation and information network, said the guidelines, calling for efforts to address the problems at the roots. The use of big data, cloud computing, among other new technologies, for analyzing new trends of organized crimes, have been highlighted in the guidelines. Efforts against organized crimes should be integrated with the overall planning for economic and social development, the guidelines added. The guidelines put in place an accountability system where senior officials in the localities are required to take proactive measures against organized crimes and support law enforcement operations. The guidelines also attach importance to public participation and oversight. Drawn up in April last year, the guidelines were finalized after taking into account opinions of relevant departments. Expressing concern over the US government's support for waiving some intellectual property (IP) protections related to the COVID-19 vaccines, more than 100 Republican lawmakers have urged President to rescind the move that they say would "serve as a massive giveaway" to countries like China, Russia and India. Early this month, US Trade Representative (USTR) Katherine Tai announced to support the move of India and South Africa at the WTO to temporarily waive some Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) rules amid the coronavirus pandemic. We strongly urge you to work with Congress, industry and other governments to rapidly and responsibly increase the supply and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines worldwide and rescind this harmful and misguided proposal, wrote the Republican congressmen in a letter to Biden, a Democrat. It is imperative that we lead the world in increasing global access to COVID-19 vaccines while also affirming our nation's long and storied history of protecting IP to spur innovation. American jobs, innovation, and the health and welfare of the entire world are at stake, they said in the letter dated May 20. Asserting that they remain committed to working together to address the global needs of vaccine distribution, the Republican lawmakers said that this proposed waiver will not help them meet that goal. Intellectual Property protections have fostered life-saving biomedical innovation, strengthened the US economy, created millions of good-paying jobs, and made America the world leader in the development of cutting-edge diagnostics, treatments, and cures, they said. Congressman Earl L Carter, who along with Vern Buchanan led the move said that waiving the IP protections for the COVID-19 vaccines will be a disaster. "The insane move from the Biden administration not only counters our patent system, but it will also stifle the innovation of lifesaving drugs and cures by removing the incentives for investment, Carter said. It is also a gift to China who has spent decades trying to steal American innovation, and who spent all last year trying to steal COVID-19 vaccine IP. We cannot allow this to happen, and I thank the more than 100 Republicans for standing with us," he said in a statement. Buchanan said intellectual property rights encourage innovation and help boost the economy. The Biden administration's misguided proposal to waive intellectual property protections would discourage innovation and make it more difficult to achieve the next life-saving medical breakthrough. "It would also serve as a massive giveaway to countries like China, Russia and India who have been trying to steal American innovators' intellectual property for years, he said. The lawmakers in the letter argued that waiving the IP protections would only serve to undermine innovation and make it even more difficult for the industry to respond to both the current pandemic and future health emergencies. Moreover, if implemented, the proposal could have the opposite effect, by reducing the availability of critical raw materials necessary to manufacture these vaccines," the lawmakers said. "Recently, Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel rejected the notion of waiving global IP protection because of the additional hurdles it would cause in the manufacture of these vaccines. Chancellor's Merkel's opposition underscores the dangers of this policy, the letter said. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The protesting farmers today sought the intervention of Prime Minister to restart the stalled dialogue process, but reiterated their demand for the repeal of the three farm acts along with a legislation on guaranteeing the Minimum Support Price (MSP). In a letter addressed to the Prime Minister, the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), the grouping of over 30 farmers organisations from Punjab and other parts of the country said that any democratic government would have repealed the three laws that have been rejected by the farmers in whose name they have been enacted and seized the opportunity to provide legal guarantee of MSP for all farmers. As the head of the government of the Worlds largest democracy in the world, the onus of resuming a serious and sincere dialogue with the farmer lies with you, the SKM letter stated. It said that SKM will be constrained to further intensify the struggle if the government does not heed its demands even as the movement is about to complete six months. Thousands of farmers from Punjab, Haryana, UP and some other states have been camping along the Delhi borders since the last six months against the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act. Enacted in September, the three farm laws have been projected by the central government as major reforms in the agriculture sector that will remove the middlemen and allow farmers to sell anywhere in the country. However, the protesting farmers have expressed apprehension that the new laws would pave the way for eliminating the safety cushion of Minimum Support Price and do away with the mandi system, leaving them at the mercy of big corporations. So far, more than 10 rounds of talks have been held between the protesting farmers and the Government but to no avail. The last round of discussions was held in January and since then the talks have been stalled as both sides hardened their stand. Two doses of the Oxford/ COVID-19 vaccine are around 85 per cent to 90 per cent effective against symptomatic disease, Public Health England (PHE) has said, citing a new analysis of real-world data from the rollout of the shot in the UK. In its latest weekly COVID-19 vaccine surveillance report on Thursday, the PHE also estimated that 13,000 deaths have now been prevented in people aged 60 years or older in England up to May 9, 2021 (11,100 deaths in individuals aged 80 years and older, 1,600 in individuals aged 70 to 79 and 300 in individuals aged 60 to 69 years). New analysis for the first time estimates that 2 doses of the Oxford/ vaccine provide around 85 to 90 per cent protection against symptomatic disease, PHE said in a press release. That compares to 90 per cent estimated effectiveness against symptomatic disease for the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, according to reports. Commenting on the PHE data, UK Health and Social Care Secretary, Matt Hancock said the new statistics show the vaccine "saves lives and protects you from ending up in hospital with COVID-19." "The 13,000 deaths and the 39,100 hospitalisations that have been prevented are not just numbers. They are our family, our friends, our loved ones and a poignant reminder of the impact the vaccine is having," he said. With the threat of new variants, it has never been more important to get the vaccine, Hancock added. UK's Vaccines Minister, Nadhim Zahawi said: "This new data highlights the incredible impact that both doses of the vaccine can have, with a second dose of the Oxford/ vaccine providing up to 90 per cent protection." "There is no better weapon to send this virus into retreat than our life-saving vaccines. A second dose is vital to ensure you have the strongest possible protection so we can return to normality and get back to the things we love," Zahawi said. PHE estimates also indicate that the vaccination programme has prevented around 39,100 hospitalisations in those aged 65 years and over in England (approximately 4,700 admissions in those aged 65 to 74, 15,400 in those aged 75 to 84 and 19,000 in those aged 85 and over). The method for analysing the approximate number of deaths and hospitalisations prevented by the vaccine programme now takes into account the impact of both first and second doses, due to more data being available. Previously, the method only used the impact of the first dose of vaccination on hospitalisations and deaths. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India's benchmark 10-year bond yield dropped marginally on Friday, on course for its fifth straight weekly fall, while the rupee gained tracking an uptick in domestic share markets. Sentiment for bonds was buoyed on the back of the Reserve Bank of India's 350-billion-rupee ($4.80 billion) worth bond buy on Thursday, while a fall in US Treasury yields also helped. India's benchmark 10-year bond yield was trading at 5.96 per cent by 0852 GMT, down 1 basis point on the day, while the partially convertible rupee was at 72.98 per dollar, compared to its previous close of 73.10. Traders were awaiting the results of a 320-billion-rupee debt sale but expect good demand following Thursday's bond buy. have dropped in each of the last five weeks and in eight out of the last 10, as the central bank actively intervened in the market, conducted open market purchases and cancelled auctions to ensure yields remain capped. Lower yields are critical to ensure that the government's borrowing cost is curtailed as it looks to borrow a massive 12.06 trillion rupees from the market in 2021/22. The RBI wants to cap the benchmark 10-year bond yield at 6 per cent, local media Informist reported earlier in the day, citing an unnamed senior banking official. Half the stock (of 10-year bonds) is with the RBI and they have made the market realise that they will buy below 6 per cent on this paper by cancelling auctions when people are bidding above 6.05 per cent levels, said Murthy Nagarajan, head of fixed income at Tata Asset Management. The medium term will depend on many factors but the RBI will be able to control yields at least for this financial year. minister and veteran TMC leader Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay is all set to vacate the Bhabanipur assembly seat on Friday as party supremo is likely to contest bypoll from the constituency, party sources said. Banerjee, who lost the recently concluded elections from Nandigram, needs to get re-elected to the assembly within six months to hold on to the chief minister's chair. Chattopadhyay, when contacted, said that it was a decision of the party and he will abide by it. "I am going to resign as the MLA of Bhabanipur seat. I will tender my resignation today. This is my decision as well as that of the party. I am happily abiding by it," the agriculture minister told PTI. The septuagenarian politician, sources said, is likely to contest from Khardah seat, where bypoll has been necessitated following the death of party leader Kajal Sinha. (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.) At the heart of the largest money fight that Londons courts have ever known sits the Luna -- a 115-meter (380-foot), nine-deck luxury motor yacht holed up at a berth in a dusty marina in Dubai. The Luna is the largest and most expensive single asset held by companies linked to oil and gas tycoon Farkhad Akhmedov, who bought the vessel from his fellow billionaire Roman Abramovich. It is also the prized target for Tatiana Akhmedova, Farkhads former wife of 21 years. Worth about 250 million pounds ($353 million), seizing control of the yacht would go a long way toward satisfying a courts 450-million-pound award in her favor. But that, Tatiana is finding out, wont be easy. With settlement talks with her former husband going nowhere, she has taken to fighting her battle in multiple jurisdictions, from Dubai and Liechtenstein to the Marshall Islands. What the money chase shows is that a ruling from a court in may not be worth the paper its written on when pitted against someone who can move assets across the globe and is determined to frustrate the order. Farkhad has said he will do everything to ensure that his former wife cant get her hands on his fortune. The case sheds some light on how the worlds wealthy are able to protect assets through regulation arbitrage, playing one jurisdiction against another, creating opaque trusts and transferring ownership. After the latest court ruling by a judge last month -- this time involving the couples 27-year-old son Temur, to whom Tatiana alleges his father transfered assets -- Farkhad said the case is beneath contempt and changes nothing. The son was more conciliatory, with his spokesman saying he has never sought to take sides between his two parents. Burn this Moneys Tatiana and Farkhad met in 1989, marrying four years later and moving to London, where Tatiana has lived with their two children ever since. The marriage formally ended in late 2014. Farkhad Akhmedov. Photo: Bloomberg Two years later, a London judge awarded Tatiana 41% of Farkhads assets. Farkhad called the 2016 order illegitimate, and moved to Russia. I will burn this moneys rather then will give her, he said in a WhatsApp message to his son in March that year. Azerbaijan-born Farkhad made much of his money from the sale of his stake in a Russian gas producer in November 2012 for $1.4 billion. But the billionaire has refused to make any divorce payments, leaving Tatiana to pursue legal cases in at least nine different locations. Ever since the first ruling, Farkhad has insisted that his wife is acting in bad faith and that shes in thrall to her litigation funder Burford Capital Ltd. He has said the fund is the key decision-maker and is running a vastly expensive wild goose chase around the worlds courts on her behalf -- something Burford has rejected. The firm declined to comment further on the case. Earlier this year, the former couple discussed a settlement, with Farkhad promising to pay $100 million to Tatiana and $15 million to Burford, according to people familiar with the matter. The talks didnt take hold, leaving Tatiana to pursue her hunt. She has so far seized a single helicopter in the Isle of Man worth some 6 million pounds and is closing in on a private plane. Her chase has run into roadblocks, with assets frequently changing ownership and moved across jurisdictions. The Luna While the trial was underway, much of the familys wealth moved out of Farkhads name and into Liechtenstein trusts. Some $140 million of artwork, including paintings by Andy Warhol and Mark Rothko, was placed in a giant vault called the Treasure House within the tiny city-state. Still, the Luna, which -- with its 50-member crew -- has been languishing at its Dubai berth for more than two years, remains at the heart of their most intense fight. From time to time, Farkhad and Temur use the vessel, which is among only a handful of the worlds luxury explorer yachts with steel hulls designed for breaking through ice floes. The title to the Luna has changed four times, sometimes overnight, according to Tatianas lawyers. Her investigators claim they also found a suspicious wire transfer in 2018, just as Tatianas side hit the Liechtenstein trust that owns the yacht with an emergency freeze. A payment of $65,000 was made to a Dubai marine company from Farkhads personal account. The money was for a large ocean-going tug and for a moment, according to Tatianas lawyers, it looked like the cornered billionaire was making a run for it. The payment was simply to tow the Luna into dry dock for repairs, Farkhads spokesman said. Tatiana has struggled to get other courts to recognize the London rulings. Dubais local courts rejected its determination of a matrimonial dispute, after Farkhad argued it was incompatible with shariah law. It is effectively impossible to enforce English judgments in Liechtenstein, a London judge bemoaned. But for Tatiana, the most powerful court recognition of all may have come from a tiny island chain, thousands of miles away in the Pacific. The MV Luna superyacht. (Photo: Bloomberg) A ship is bound by the law of the flag it flies, and the Luna carries the flag of the Marshall Islands. Earlier this year, a local court sided with Tatiana in a judgment that would allow her to be declared the new owner of the yacht. The court cited a pattern of conduct by Farkhad as it granted judgment in his former wifes favor. The actions taken by the billionaire and the Liechtenstein trust were for the purpose of hindering, delaying and avoiding satisfying English money judgments, it said. Farkhads spokesman dismissed the ruling, saying there is not a reliable maritime or legal opinion which believes that it will result in an enforced change of ownership. Battling On That leaves Dubai, where the Luna is stuck and slowly depreciating in value. One broker put her value as having fallen to $110 million. While Tatianas side has hired an asset-recovery firm backed by former military operatives, providing fodder for Londons tabloids to gleefully talk of special forces raids on the yacht, ultimately Tatiana needs to get assistance from the emirates local courts. Were the owner, and Dubai is going to have to recognize that, says James Power, a U.S. lawyer for Tatiana, who argued the case in the Marshall Islands courts. Theyre going to have to twist themselves into a pretzel to ignore that. Power is one of many lawyers funded by Burford Capital, the litigation company that will take 30% of any assets recovered in exchange for financing the hunt, according to court documents. As of last year, it had put up 18 million pounds on the litigation. Burfords cash enabled Tatiana to sue her son Temur in London to try and seize local assets, including his luxury apartment overlooking Hyde Park. The judge ordered Temur to pay his mother more than $100 million for doing all he could to prevent her from obtaining her court-approved divorce payment. After the ruling, a spokesman for Temur said that while he fundamentally disagrees with this judgment, he would consider it a price worth paying should it lead to a reasonable settlement between the parents he loves. But the judgment enraged Farkhad. Burford has embarked on a staggeringly expensive global tour of the worlds courts seeking to seize assets from me and from family trusts, he said in a statement. For now, the biggest prize -- the Luna -- remains in Farkhads hands. Tatianas lawyers arent losing hope, though. People with money can always delay things but in the end it always catches up with them, said Power. The sirens across southern were silent on Friday, and the thunder of bombs bursting in City was replaced by sounds of celebratory gunfire as a fragile cease-fire between and went into force, bringing an end to more than 10 days of fighting that claimed more than 200 lives. The truce, mediated by Egypt, began at 2 am in as people on either side of the divide watched nervously to see whether it would hold. As morning dawned with no reported violations of the truce, both sides were beginning to take stock of the deadliest Israeli-Palestinian fighting in seven years. A small skirmish was reported outside the Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem on Friday afternoon between Palestinians and the Israeli police, but they appeared limited in scope. However, tensions remained high, and past cease-fires between Israel and have proved fragile, so both sides were watching developments nervously. Palestinians celebrate in the streets following a ceasefire, in the southern Strip The Israeli aerial and artillery campaign killed more than 230 people in Gaza, many of them civilians, according to the health ministry, and badly damaged the impoverished territorys infrastructure, including the fresh water and sewer systems, the electrical grid, hospitals, schools and roads. The primary target was Hamass extensive network of tunnels for moving fighters and munitions, and Israel also sought to kill leaders and fighters. China is ramping up efforts to develop the infrastructure in remote villages located along Tibet's border with India, Bhutan and Nepal, according to a white paper on Tibet issued by the Chinese government on Friday. Developing the border areas and improving people's lives in Tibet has become important as the strategic Himalayan region shares 4,000-km long external border line, the document titled Tibet Since 1951: Liberation, Development and Prosperity" said. The inhabitants of the contiguous areas experience harsh living and working conditions and a high incidence of poverty. Governments at all levels have been making constant efforts to develop border areas and improve people's lives, it said. The document said that under the guidance of the ruling Communist Party, financial allocation has been increasing year by year for border development in Tibet. The development of China's border areas by establishing new villages with added emphasis on security has been accorded a priority since President Xi Jinping came to power in 2012. The India-China border dispute covers the 3,488-km-long Line of Actual Control (LAC) of which 1,126 km is located in Arunachal Pradesh. China claims Arunachal Pradesh as South Tibet, which India has firmly rejected. China also shares an over 477-km-long border with Bhutan which is yet to be delineated and 1,389 kms of border with Nepal. The border village development was highlighted when President Xi wrote a letter to a Tibetan herdsman family in Lhunze County close to Arunachal Pradesh in 2017 asking them to set down roots to safeguard the Chinese territory and focus on developing their hometown. "Without the peace in the territory, there will be no peaceful lives for the millions of families," Xi wrote in his much-publicised letter focussing on border development. Particularly since Xi came to power, border villages, townships and counties in Tibet have been granted more preferential state policies on infrastructure construction, covering water, electricity, roads, and housing, it said. In 2017, the Plan of Tibet Autonomous Region on the Construction of Villages of Moderate Prosperity in Border Areas (2017-2020) was released, designed to ensure better access to housing, water, electricity, roads, communications and the internet, to improve education, technology, culture, healthcare and social security in border villages, and to boost industries in border areas. By the end of 2020, first-tier and second-tier border villages had access to highways, all border townships and towns were connected to the main power grid, and all border villages had access to postal services, mobile communications, and safe drinking water, it said. The Tibet Autonomous Region also has built a comprehensive transport network composed of highways, railways, air routes and pipelines since its peaceful liberation in 1951 it said. The region has built 118,800 km of highways over the decades, said the document. Now, 94 per cent of towns and 76 per cent of administrative villages in the region have direct access to asphalt and concrete roads, it said. Tibet last year has announced USD 2.09 billion plan to build three new airports and the expansion of the Lhasa Gonggar Airport. The three new airports will be built in Lhunze, Tingri and Burang counties. China has already built airports at Bamda in Qamdo, Mainling in Nyingchi, Xigaze, and in Ngari. Tibet now has 140 domestic and air routes in operation, reaching 66 cities, the white paper 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.) on Friday said that any successor to the present should be approved by it, ruling out recognition to any heir nominated by him or by his followers. The reincarnation of the and other grand Living Buddhas has been subjected to approval by the central government since the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), claimed an official white paper issued by the Chinese government here. The document has also asserted that was an inseparable part of since ancient times. "In 1793, after dispelling Gurkha invaders, the Qing government restored order in and promulgated the Imperially Approved Ordinance for Better Governance of Tibet, improving systems by which the central government-administered Tibet," the white paper titled ' Since 1951: Liberation, Development and Prosperity" said. The ordinance stipulated that the reincarnation of the and other grand Living Buddhas had to follow the procedure of "drawing lots from the golden urn" and that the selected candidate would be subject to approval by the central government of China, the document said. The 14th Dalai Lama fled to India in 1959 following a Chinese crackdown on an uprising by the local population in Tibet. India granted him political asylum and the Tibetan government-in-exile has been based in Dharamsala in Himachal Pradesh since then. The Dalai Lama is 85 years old now and the issue of his successor has gained prominence in the last couple of years due to his advanced age. The Dalai Lama's succession issue was in the limelight, especially in the last few years after the US has stepped up campaign that the right relating to the reincarnation of Dalai Lama's successor should be within the exclusive authority of the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan people. The Tibetan Policy and Support Act of 2020 (TPSA) passed by the US Congress makes it official United States policy that decisions regarding the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama are exclusively within the authority of the current Dalai Lama, Tibetan Buddhist leaders and the Tibetan people. Chinese Foreign Ministry officials have been asserting time and again that while the institution of reincarnation of the Dalai Lama has been in existence for several hundred years, the 14th (present) Dalai Lama himself was found and recognised following religious rituals and historic conventions, and his succession was approved by China's central government. The white paper said by 2020, a total of 92 reincarnated Living Buddhas had been identified and approved through traditional religious rituals and historical conventions for temples in Tibet. Traditional religious activities are carried out regularly in accordance with the law and examination on scriptures and subsequent promotion in academic degrees are also held in monasteries on a regular basis, it said. The white paper termed the demand for Tibetan independence as a product of imperialist aggression against In the middle of the 19th century, the UK-led imperialist powers began to cultivate the idea of "Tibet independence," intentionally undermining China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, it said. It slammed the Dalai Lama group for promoting "Tibetan independence". Over the years, the 14th Dalai Lama and his supporters have continued to try to promote "Tibetan independence" by provoking incidents to jeopardise peace and stability in Tibet," it said. After the failure of their armed rebellion in 1959, the reactionaries of Tibet's ruling class fled to India and subsequently began to campaign for "Tibetan independence" by force, it said. No country or government in the world has ever acknowledged the "independence of Tibet," it said. China makes it mandatory to adhere to the 'One China' policy, recognising Tibet and Taiwan as an integral part of the country. Beijing made the 'One-China' policy a prerequisite for countries to establish diplomatic ties with it. About the incidents of over 100 Tibetans setting themselves on fire since 2011 demanding the return of the Dalai Lama from his exile, the white paper said the Dalai Lama and his supporters have incited Tibetan lamas into self-immolations. It also blamed the western anti-China forces for continuing to interfere in Tibetan affairs in an attempt to sabotage its social stability. Justifying China's taking over of Tibet in 1951, it said with the peaceful liberation of Tibet 70 years ago, the people of Tibet broke free from the fetters of invading imperialism for good and embarked on a bright road of unity, progress and development with all the other ethnic groups in China. China is a unified multi-ethnic country with a long history. The Chinese nation is a community of shared future. Tibet has developed through the combined efforts of all the ethnic groups in China, it said. Rejecting allegations of curbs on religion, it said the province has more than 1,700 sites for Tibetan Buddhist activities with 46,000 monks and nuns besides four mosques serving 12,000 native Muslims, and a Catholic church with more than 700 followers, it said. "Following the peaceful liberation, all ethnic groups in Tibet, united under the strong leadership of the Communist Party of China, have worked together and stood firm in safeguarding national sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity," it said. China is building a new modern socialist Tibet, it said. It also refuted criticism that the Tibetan language is being undermined to promote the official Chinese language. The Tibetan spoken and written language is widely used in Tibet, the white paper said. The study and use of the Tibetan language are protected by law. Tibet now has 16 periodicals and 12 newspapers in the Tibetan language and has published more than 40 million copies of 7,185 Tibetan-language books, it said. Tibet is also economically thriving and prospering in the new era, it said. All those counties formerly classified as poor have risen out of poverty, and the people are leading better lives in every respect. The system of regional ethnic autonomy has been fully implemented in Tibet it said. The average life expectancy in Tibet has reached 71.1 years in 2019 from 35.5 years in 1951, due to the development of health infrastructure, it said It also said the number of Tibetans in the legislature has increased. Of the 439 deputies to the 11th People's Congress of the Tibet Autonomous Region, 289 -- or almost two-thirds -- are from the Tibetan and other ethnic minorities, it 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.) Hong Kong insurance sector is eyeing China's USD 15.3 trillion savings to avert a crisis in its state pension system, the size of the world's second-largest economy. Georgina Lee and Enoch Yiu writing in South Morning Post (SCMP), said that turned to to help unlock USD 15.3 trillion of savings and avert a crisis in the state pension system as mainland insurers are tasked to convert savings into investment in retirement products as state pension pot seen drying up by 2035. The Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission (CBIRC) on Saturday announced a pilot programme to foster endowment plans offering stable returns over 10 years post retirement, making it part of the third pillar in China's pension system, on top of state-run schemes and corporate annuities. The one-year trial will take place from June 1 in the eastern province of Zhejiang and the city of Chongqing, according to the CBIRC statement. Six companies will participate in the programme, namely China Life Insurance, People's Life Insurance, Taiping Life Insurance, China Pacific Life Insurance, Taikang Life Insurance and Xinhua Life Insurance, reported SCMP. Hong Kong insurance sector is eyeing cross-border Connect scheme to help grease policy sales to mainlanders in the city, said Lee and Enoch. HSBC, the biggest bank in Hong Kong and Europe, currently offers a range of retirement savings and annuity products at its branches in mainland China and through the wealth planning salesforce of its insurance unit. "As the population continues to age, we expect demand for these products to also grow," said Edward Moncreiffe, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong office of HSBC Life. Hong Kong's insurance industry has also been supporting the financial needs stemming from China's ageing population, with years of experience in underwriting medical and retirement products, according to Moses Cheng Mo-chi, Chairman of Hong Kong Insurance Authority. Mainland visitors to Hong Kong have been buying insurance policies for medical coverage and other long-term protection among others, Cheng added. At its peak in 2016, they amounted to HKD 72.68 billion (USD 9.37 billion) or 39 per cent of all premiums collected in the city. Those purchases, however, have slumped by 84 per cent to only HKD 6.8 billion in the first quarter from a year earlier. Months of social unrest, followed by border closures caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, have reduced those cross-border visits to a trickle, reported SCMP. Because of capital controls, mainland citizens are not allowed to exchange or withdraw foreign currencies in China for the purpose of investing in securities or buying insurance policies offshore. While they are not allowed to freely channel their onshore yuan savings into retirement plans offered by offshore service providers, they can buy such products in person in Hong Kong using their money parked in the city. A cross-border investment channel could help grease those purchases, said Lee and Enoch. "The Insurance Authority is in talks with the mainland authority about Insurance Connect in the Greater Bay Area, to provide after-sale services and cross border sales in the longer term," Cheng added. People aged 60 or above accounted for 18.7 per cent of the nation's population, according to a once-a-decade census published on May 13. That is an increase from 13.3 per cent in the 2010 census as the working- age population, those from 15 to 59 years, shrank by 5 per cent. China's elderly population could reach 300 million by the end of 2025, and that the shortfall in the state pension pot could hit 10 trillion yuan in a decade, the Insurance Association of China said in November last year. A 2019 projection by the Chinese Academy of Sciences shows the pot would run out of money by 2035. (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.) Brussels [Belgium], May 21 (ANI): Members of the on Thursday voted to freeze the legislative process for ratifying the EU's pact with China, until Beijing lifts sanctions against EU lawmakers, in retaliation for the condemnation of human rights abuses in Xinjiang province. The motion was passed by 599 MEPs, with 30 votes against and 58 abstentions, hurting the prospect of the major economic pact, officially known as the Comprehensive Agreement on (CAI), Politico reported. "The has adopted the resolution on the Chinese sanctions with 599 yes, 30 no, 58 abstentions. Very substantial. CAI is definitely in the freezer. miscalculated and shot themselves in the foot," Reinhard Butikofer, chair of the Parliament's delegation for relations with China, said on Twitter. According to the motion, "any consideration of the EU- Comprehensive Agreement on Investment, as well as any discussion on ratification by the European Parliament, has justifiably been frozen because the Chinese sanctions are in place." The motion also demands that " lift the sanctions before dealing with CAI, without prejudice to the final outcome of the CAI ratification process." It also says that MEPs expect the European Commission "to consult with Parliament before taking any steps towards the conclusion and signature of the CAI." The sanctions imposed by the EU on China in March marked the EU's first punitive measures on Beijing since it imposed an arms embargo after the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre. In retaliation to the bloc's sanctions, China introduced sanctions against ten European Union officials and four European organizations after accusing them of spreading lies and false information about the Xinjiang region. Since the signing of the deal by Chinese Premier Xi Jinping, there is growing concern in Europe over China's human rights record on issues, including alleged forced labour camps and a crackdown in Hong Kong against anti-government protestors. (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.) US President has signed a legislation to address the sudden increase in hate crime against in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic and expressed hope that such crimes would now be more accurately counted and reported so that it can be ended. It will provide resources to create specialised units that will also help states create hotlines for at state and local levels that will be accessible for people with limited English proficiency. And it provides resources for training for state and local law enforcement to identify, investigate, and report these heinous crimes, Biden said after signing the legislation which has become a law after his assent. Earlier this week, the House of Representatives passed the Senate-approved version of the COVID-19 Act with an overwhelming bipartisan vote. This bill was introduced by Senator Mazie Hirono and Representative Grace Meng in the House, and incorporated the Jabara-Heyer NO HATE Act. This legislation will address the current rise in anti-Asian hate and improve the reporting of hate crimes. Biden also urged people to change their mind and heart. But of all the good that the law can do, we have to change our hearts. We have to change the hearts of the American people. I mean this from bottom my heart -- hate can be given no safe harbor in America. I mean it: no safe harbor. It can't be dismissed like, Well, that's just what happens. My sister, Valerie, and I talk about it all the time. You've got to speak up. Speak up and speak out, he said. Senator Hirono said after a year in which the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community experienced a horrifying rise in hate crimes and incidents driven by racist and inflammatory language during the pandemic, the bipartisan piece of legislation sends a clear and unmistakable message of solidarity to the community at this crucial moment and will help federal, state, and local governments confront anti-Asian hate across our country. This bill will require the Department of Justice to expedite the review of COVID-19-related hate crimes, ensure online hate crimes and hate incident reporting are language accessible, expand public awareness campaigns designed to increase awareness and outreach to victims, disaggregate victims' protected characteristics, and expand restorative justice practices and alternative sentencing, said Christine Chen, executive director of APIAVote. These initiatives will help combat the historic undercounting of hate crimes by the Asian American community and improve the overall infrastructure needed for hate crime reporting, data collection, and justice, she said. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Thailand on Friday said it has detected its first locally transmitted cases of the B.1.617 variant, first emerged in India, as it announced the formal rollout of its national vaccination plan next month. The Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration said 15 cases of the variant were found in a camp for construction workers in Bangkok. CCSA spokesperson Taweesilp Visanuyotin said all 15 were sent to a hospital and isolated. The government has banned the arrival of any non-Thais from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal in an effort to prevent the spread of the variant. Thailand reported 3,481 new cases and 32 more deaths on Friday. Its total number of confirmed cases has now grown to 123,066 since the outbreak started, including 94,203 reported since a surge broke out at the beginning of April. It has reported 735 deaths, including 641 since April. Taweesilp said a nationwide state of emergency will be extended to the end of July to help contain the virus. The government also announced it will begin its nationwide vaccination campaign on June 7, and that foreign residents will be allowed to sign up. The government had for weeks see-sawed on whether foreigners would be included and had said they would be vaccinated last. Thailand hopes to vaccinate 70 per cent of the estimated 70 million people living in the country by the end of the year. Natapanu Nopakun, deputy spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said foreign migrant workers, who number more than 1 million, would be vaccinated separately by the labor ministry. Thailand has already started vaccinating some of the 150,000 Chinese citizens living in the country. China has supplied Thailand with millions of vaccine doses. About 200,000 other foreigners from Australia, Japan, Europe, the United States and elsewhere are mostly professionals and retirees. Thailand largely contained coronavirus cases last year by closing its borders, enforcing mandatory quarantines and actively tracing contacts of those found to be infected. The measures devastated its lucrative tourism industry but kept the pandemic at bay, for the most part, until early April. Then a surge that began in high-end nightspots in central Bangkok spread rapidly as people were allowed to travel during a mid-April national holiday. A partial lockdown in recent weeks has made limited headway in containing outbreaks, especially in Bangkok and in prisons. Camps for construction workers have recently become another major cluster. There are 409 construction camps across Bangkok housing 62,169 people. Of that number, 26,134 are Thai and 36,035 are migrant workers. (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 Department said Thursday that it supports a global minimum corporate tax rate of at least 15 per cent below the 21 per cent minimum it has been seeking to impose on the foreign profits of US-based companies. The offer comes as the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development and the Group of 20 major economies seek an agreement on a minimum corporate tax rate. It is part of an effort to end what Treasury calls a race to the bottom'' as countries compete with each other to cut corporate tax rates and lure multinational companies. The OECD estimates that governments lose up to USD 240 billion a year to companies that shift earnings among countries to lower their tax bills. Competition to cut corporate tax rates has been undermining the United States' and other countries' ability to raise the revenue needed to make critical investments,'' Treasury said in a statement, adding that its proposal had been received positively by other countries. Treasury emphasized that the proposed 15 per cent is a floor and said that discussions should continue to be ambitious and push that rate higher.'' Seeking to finance his USD 2.3 trillion public works plan, President has proposed raising the US corporate rate from 21 per cent to 28 per cent and imposing a minimum tax of 21 per cent on companies' overseas earnings. Leaders from around the world on Thursday welcomed the news of a ceasefire between Israel and Palestine which ended the more than 10-day conflict that caused destruction on both sides as thousands of rockets were fired between them. Israeli security cabinet on Thursday unanimously adopted Egypt's initiative for a bilateral unconditional ceasefire, which took effect at 23:00 GMT on Thursday. At least 217 Palestinians and 12 Israelis have died in the conflict. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed the ceasefire between Israel and Palestine and called on all parties to observe it. "I welcome the ceasefire between Gaza and Israel after 11 days of deadly hostilities," Guterres said on Thursday. "I call on all sides to observe the ceasefire." European Council President Charles Michel has also welcomed the ceasefire reached by Israel and the Gaza Strip-based Islamist group. "Welcome announced ceasefire between Israel and ending the 11-day conflict. Opportunity for peace and security for citizens must be seized," Michel tweeted. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that he spoke with leaders from both Israel and Palestine and welcomed his confirmation that the parties had agreed to a ceasefire. "I spoke with @IsraelMFA @Gabi_Ashkenazi today and welcomed his confirmation that the parties had agreed to a ceasefire, mediated by Egypt," Blinken tweeted. "I will be traveling to the region in the coming days and look forward to meeting the Foreign Minister and other Israeli, Palestinian, and regional leaders," he added. UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said that all sides must work to make the ceasefire durable and end the unacceptable cycle of violence and loss of civilian life. "Welcome news of a ceasefire in Israel and Gaza. All sides must work to make the ceasefire durable and end the unacceptable cycle of violence and loss of civilian life. UK continues to support efforts to bring about peace." Canada welcomes the news of a potential ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinians, but it is only the beginning, Canada's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Bob Rae said on Thursday. UN General Assembly President Volkan Bozkir said he is ready to convene another special meeting on the Palestinian question if such action would be necessary. "We will watch it - if the ceasefire is implemented or not," Bozkir said on Thursday. "If necessary, and if it is found useful, I will convene another meeting on Palestine to keep the pressure, if necessary, on the parties." On Tuesday, the UN General Assembly held an emergency meeting on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Later in the day, the Israeli security cabinet unanimously adopted Egypt's initiative for a bilateral unconditional ceasefire, which would take effect at 23:00 GMT on Thursday. has also confirmed its plans to abide by the truce, Sputnik reported. The United States will provide rapid humanitarian aid and reconstruction assistance to the Palestinians in Gaza after the conflict between Hamas and Israel, US President Joe Biden announced. "We remain committed working with the United Nations and other stakeholders to provide rapid humanitarian assistance and marshal support for the people of Gaza and the Gaza reconstruction efforts," Biden said. The US president vowed to coordinate assistance with the internationally recognized Palestinian Authority and not Hamas, which de-facto rules Gaza. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) By Nidhi Verma NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Indian state refiner Hindustan Petroleum Corp said on Friday it expects global oil prices to ease and stay below $70 per barrel if the United States lifts sanctions against Iran. India, the world's third largest oil consumer and importer, halted oil imports from Tehran in 2019 as a temporary waiver granted to some countries expired. Former U.S. President Donald Trump abandoned the 2015 Iran nuclear deal in 2018 and reimposed sanctions. Iran and world powers have been in talks since April onreviving the 2015 deal and the European Union official leadingthe discussions said on Wednesday he was confident an agreement would be reached. "There had been up and down movement (in oil prices) in the last four days between $70 and $65 depending on the discussions which are happening related to Iran and any positive movement on that should ease the crude prices on the lower side," HPCL chairman M. K Surana told an analyst call. "We do not see mach upside on crude prices beyond $70 (a barrel) some momentary spikes may be there," he said, adding any lack of development on Iran has already been factored in the prices. Oil prices rose on Friday after three days of losses, but were on track for a weekly fall as investors braced for the return of Iranian crude supplies after officials said Iran and world powers made progress in the nuclear talks. Brent crude futures were up 80 cents, or 1.2%, at $65.91 a barrel by 1017 GMT, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate was at $62.82 a barrel, 88 cents higher, or 1.4%. [O/R] Indian refiners are planning to replace some of their spot purchases with Iranian oil in the second half of this year as the U.S. and Iran inch closer to a deal. Surana also said that refining margins are expected improve as fuel demand in Europe, the United States and some Asian economy is rebounding. He, however, hoped that Indian fuel demand, hit by a deadly second wave of coronavirus and lockdowns in some states, would recover from June as the number of infections in the country have started to reduce. (Reporting by Nidhi Verma; editing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise) (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.) Shares of and Payment Services (SBI Cards) were trading higher for the fifth straight day, up 4 per cent at Rs 1,076.35 on the BSE in intra-day trade on Friday. The stock has surged 11 per cent in the past one week. In comparison, the S&P BSE Sensex has risen 3 per cent during the week. The stock was trading at its highest level since March 9, 2021. It hit a record high of Rs 1,149 on February 24. is the leading issuer of credit cards in India. The company offers wide range of value-added payment. Rapid growth in digital payments and large customer base from parent may drive growth in credit cards over long-term. On March 17, US-based private equity firm Carlyle Group had sold 4.3 per cent stake (40 million shares) in and Payment Services via block deals. The shares sold at Rs 986 apiece, fetching Carlyle Rs 3,944 crore. Following the share sale, Carlyle's holding in SBI Cards has dropped to 11.61 per cent from 15.86 per cent. Most of these shares were bought by the foreign portfolio investors (FPIs), as their holding in SBI Cards increased to 8.62 per cent in March 2021 quarter from 5.84 per cent at the end of December 2020 quarter. During CLSAs NBFC (non-banking financial company) Access Day 2021, SBI Cards top management said that the Q4FY21 spending recovered to pre-Covid levels with a higher share of online spending (more than 50 per cent), which management expects to continue. While management expects wave-2 to hinder near-term collections, FY21 originations quality improved due to additional credit filters and a higher share of bank sourcing, leading to share of revolvers dropping and expected overall asset-quality improvement. Management believes growing share of prepaid payment instruments (PPIs)/wallets is complimentary, that high competitive intensity from peer card issuers is seasonal, and that SBI Cards has maintained its cards/spending share, the brokerage firm said in a note. Rapid growth in digital payments and large customer base from its parent may drive growth in credit cards over long-term. Credit consumption is expected to remain low during the crisis. However the company is well positioned to capitalize on the opportunities once the market recovers, according to analyst at Geojit Financial Services. Going forward, with adequate provisioning (77 per cent+ PCR/6 per cent+ECL), incremental customer sourcing from banca channel and pick-up in POS and online spends (52 per cent of total) both supported by digital channels should restrict the impact of second wave. However, Management conservatism and spillover of second wave impact to H1FY22 prompt us to tweak NII lower (20 per cent/12 than previous estimates) and provisions higher (7 per cent/5 per cent vs earlier 4 per cent) over FY22- 23, analysts at Prabhudas Lilladher said in March quarter results update. The key barometer indices were trading in a narrow range near the day's high in afternoon trade. The Nifty was trading above 15,100 mark. All the sectoral indices on the NSE were in the green. Banks and financial shares were in demand. At 13:20 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, surged 669.20 points or 1.35% at 50,234.06. The Nifty 50 index jumped 194.55 points or 1.31% at 15,100.60. HDFC Bank (up 2.95%), Housing Development Finance Corporation (HDFC) (up 2.39%) and ICICI Bank (up 2.29%) boosted the indices. In the broader market, the S&P BSE Mid-Cap index rose 0.83%. The S&P BSE Small-Cap index gained 0.77%. Buyers outpaced sellers. On the BSE, 1,968 shares rose and 1,040 shares fell. A total of 149 shares were unchanged. Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) bought shares worth Rs 71.04 crore, while domestic institutional investors (DIIs), were net sellers to the tune of Rs 876.06 crore in the Indian equity market on 20 May 2021, provisional data showed. COVID-19 Update: Total COVID-19 confirmed cases worldwide stood at 16,55,47,299 with 34,30,890 deaths. India reported 30,27,925 active cases of COVID-19 infection and 2,91,331 deaths while 2,27,12,735 patients have been discharged, according to the data from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India. The daily rise in coronavirus cases in India remained below 3 lakh for the fifth consecutive day with 2.59 lakh new cases recorded in a single day, according to health ministry's updated data on Friday. This as deaths remained over 4,000. Economy: The 589th meeting of the Central Board of Directors of Reserve Bank of India (RBI) was held on Friday, 21 May 2021 under the Chairmanship of Shaktikanta Das, the RBI Governor. The board in its meeting reviewed the current economic situation, global and domestic challenges and recent policy measures taken by the RBI to mitigate the adverse impact of the second wave of COVID-19 on the economy. The board has approved the transfer of Rs 99,122 crore as surplus to the central government for the accounting period of nine months ended 31 March 2021 (July 2020-March 2021), while deciding to maintain the contingency risk buffer at 5.50%. Meanwhile, a foreign brokerage firm on Thursday, 20 May 2021, stated that the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic in India was more of a humanitarian crisis rather than an economic one, and is likely to have peaked. It added that it expects the overall hit to sequential growth in April 2021 - June 2021 to be much less severe than last year when there was a complete nationwide lockdown. The brokerage estimated the economy to contract by 3.8% in June quarter as compared with March quarter. The lockdowns were more nuanced this time and consumers and businesses have adapted, it said, adding that international experience also suggests the same. The brokerage highlighted that the improving global growth will act as a tailwind and it expects the current lockdowns to last six more weeks. Gainers & Losers: Indusind Bank (up 3.48%), Bharti Airtel (up 2.15%), BPCL (up 2.01%), Tata Motors (up 1.95%) and Mahindra & Mahindra (up 1.81%) were major gainers in the Nifty 50 pack. PowerGrid Corporation of India (down 1.09%), Grasim Industries (down 0.49%), Eicher Motors (down 0.26%), Dr Reddy's Laboratories (down 0.23%) and Indian Oil Corporation (IOCL) (down 0.10%) were major losers in Nifty 50 index. Nifty Results Today: Hindalco Industries (up 0.57%), JSW Steel (up 0.81%), State Bank of India (SBI) (up 1.05%) and Shree Cement (up 1.48%) will announce their quarterly earnings today. Earning Impact: Hindustan Petroleum Corporation (HPCL) spurted 4.28% after the company's net profit surged 207.5% to Rs 3,017.96 crore in Q4 FY21 as against Rs 981.38 crore in Q4 FY20. Net sales during the quarter increased 13.2% year-on-year (Y-o-Y) to Rs 74,544.62 crore. The combined GRM for HPCL Refineries for the quarter Jan - Mar 2021 is $8.11 per barrel as compared to $(-)1.23 per barrel in the corresponding quarter of the previous year. The refinery throughput for the quarter Jan - Mar 2021 was 4.39 million metric tonnes. During 2020-21, HPCL refineries at Mumbai and Visakh achieved combined refining of 16.42 million metric tonnes (MMT) with capacity utilization of 104%. The corporation achieved sales volume of 36.59 MMT in FY21 as compared to previous year's sales of 39.64 MMT. "Effective crude sourcing plans, optimizing day to day crude run rate, efficient logistics management and regulating product procurements from other sources enabled HPCL to achieve more than 100% capacity utilization in refineries in spite of overall demand contraction," the corporation said in a statement. For the year 2020-21, HPCL has proposed a final dividend of Rs 22.75 per share. Stock in Spotlight: Morepen Laboratories rose 3.13% after the company said its shareholders have approved an incoming investment of Rs 433 crore from Switzerland's Corinth Investment Holdings AG and the company's promoters. The company's shareholders approved the allotment of 5.85 crore equity shares at Rs 41.60 each, aggregating to Rs 243.36 crore. Shareholders also approved 5 crore fully convertible warrants to promoter group company Liquid Holdings at Rs 38 per warrant, aggregating up to Rs 190 crore for cash, to be converted into equity within 18 months. Global Markets: Most European shares advanced while Asian stocks were trading mixed on Friday, 21 May 2021, following an overnight bounce on Wall Street. Investors focus is turning to key economic data from the euro zone and U.K. U.S. stocks rose on Thursday, rebounding from three straight days of losses as technology shares staged a comeback, while the latest jobless claims totaling a fresh pandemic-era low also boosted sentiment. The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits dropped further below 500,000 last week. Initial claims for state unemployment benefits fell 34,000 to a seasonally adjusted 444,000 for the week ended May 15, the Labor Department said. That was the lowest since mid-March 2020 and held claims below 500,000 for two straight weeks. U.S. Federal Reserve chief Jerome Powell turned up the heat on cryptocurrencies on Thursday, saying they pose risks to financial stability, and indicating that greater regulation of the increasingly popular electronic currency may be warranted. The Treasury Department, meanwhile, flagged its concerns that wealthy individuals could use the largely unregulated sector to avoid tax and said it wanted big crypto asset transfers reported to authorities. Meanwhile, Israel and Hamas has reportedly agreed to a cease-fire on Thursday, halting a bruising 11-day war that caused widespread destruction in the Gaza Strip, brought life in much of Israel to a standstill and left more than 200 people dead. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Mindtree announced that it has signed an agreement to acquire the NxT Digital Business, the cloud based IoT and AI platform for Industry 4.0 of L&T Group. The transaction comprises of acquisition of NxT Digital Business of L&T. Total consideration of Rs 198 crore including earnouts, subject to adjustments as per the terms of Business Transfer Agreement. NxT Digital Business was formally established in FY2018-19. It can provide solutions across industries such as Engineering & Construction, Manufacturing, Energy & Utilities and Transportation & Logistics. The NxT Digital Business revenue during FY 2020-21 was Rs 37.59 crore. Nxt Digital Business belongs to the information technology industry. The acquisition would enable the company to capture opportunities in the IoT and Industry 4.0 market by leveraging NxT Digital Business capabilities to cross sell and create holistic solutions for new prospects as well as for existing clients. The acquisition will be completed, subject to completion of customary conditions precedent, on or before July 31, 2021. The NxT Digital Business, was founded as a startup with broad digital capabilities within L&T. It has played an instrumental role in extensive applications of IoT technology and digitalization of many aspects of L&T's operations where numerous assets were connected and factories were digitalized to make the company's operations data driven for objective decision making. NxT Digital Business leverages the Group's deep industry domain expertise with emerging technologies like industrial IoT, artificial intelligence, machine learning and augmented and virtual reality, geospatial and cybersecurity applications to deliver disruptive business outcomes for its global customers. Mindtree and NxT Digital Business' combined offerings will bring scale and market agility to meet the growing end-to-end digital transformation demands of customers. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 20 May 2021. Mindtree is a leading digital transformation and technology services company. The stock rose 0.42% to settle at Rs 2,094.10 yesterday. L&T is an Indian multinational engaged in EPC projects, hi-tech manufacturing and services. The stock rose 0.44% to settle at Rs 1,409.65 yesterday. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The 589th meeting of the Central Board of Directors of Reserve Bank of India was held today under the Chairmanship of Shri Shaktikanta Das, Governor, through video conferencing. The Board in its meeting reviewed the current economic situation, global and domestic challenges and recent policy measures taken by the Reserve Bank to mitigate the adverse impact of the second wave of COVID-19 on the economy. With the change in the Reserve Bank's accounting year to April-March (earlier July-June), the Board discussed the working of the Reserve Bank of India during the transition period of nine months (July 2020-March 2021) and approved the Annual Report and accounts of the Reserve Bank for the transition period. The Board also approved the transfer of Rs 99,122 crore as surplus to the Central Government for the accounting period of nine months ended March 31, 2021 (July 2020-March 2021), while deciding to maintain the Contingency Risk Buffer at 5.50%. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The latest round of Palestine-Israel conflicts has lasted for more than a week, which has become the focus of the international community. Despite the frequency of similar tensions, the new round of conflict shows some new features. Encouraged by the U.S., Israel has demonstrated a new level of aggressiveness, and people on both sides are paying the cost for biased U.S. policy. History has seen many repetitions of violence between Palestine and Israel. Hamas of the Palestinian side shoot unsophisticated rockets at Israeli targets while Israelis fire at Palestinian targets with guided missiles, bombers and other sophisticated weaponry. There are casualties on both sides, and tens of thousands of Palestinians have fled their homes. Despite the similarities, the differences are also obvious. One of the triggers of the latest conflicts is the settlement issue, which has existed for a long time. Israel has been building settlements on occupied Palestinian territories for many years, which is blatant violation against various U.N. Security Council resolutions and the broad international consensus. Previously, Israel built settlements on the occupied territories without people living on them, but this time, Israel's courts paved the way for the evictions of six Palestinian families from a neighborhood in East Jerusalem called Sheikh Jarrah. To put it another way, Israel has gone too far regarding the settlement issue this time. The difference also lies in the intensity of Israel's military actions. Israel has not only destroyed military facilities of Hamas, but also office buildings of Hamas institutions, homes of civilians and even buildings hosting major international media organizations including the Associated Press and Al Jazeera, angering the international community. Israel's ever more intensive military actions could be attributed to many reasons, but the most prominent one would be America's extremely biased approach toward the Palestine-Israel conflict, which has greatly encouraged Israel to take actions regardless of international public opinion. The new level of violence is largely due to new level of biased support on the U.S. side. Former U.S. President Donald Trump had demonstrated the utmost of America's support for Israel. Trump, by moving the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, formally recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital, recognized Israel's annexation of settlements on occupied territories, and pushed some Arab countries to establish diplomatic relations with Israel. Previous U.S. presidents had hesitated to do all these actions. President Biden seems to be much more sober regarding his policy toward Israel as he refrained from having a phone call with Israeli leader immediately after taking office. Only months later did he call Netanyahu, showing his distance from his predecessor. But it is difficult for him to reverse or scale back the high-level support for Israel. Pro-Israeli lobbyists and evangelicals will largely determine the efficiency and effects of his domestic and foreign policy and his political ecology as well. An immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hamas is the most urgent action required to avoid more casualties and an even more serious humanitarian crisis. As major international actors were calling for a ceasefire, the U.S. has refused China's call in the U.N. Security Council for a discussion of the latest conflict several times, and has rejected issuing a statement from the Security Council about the conflict. Antony Blinken, U.S. Secretary of State, and several other U.S. politicians did talk about concerns regarding the escalation of the violence, but they mainly talked about Israel's rights to defend itself but not that of the Palestinians. The latest round of violence might be understood as a repetition of an old story, but the changes are also obvious. First, the tensions are fiercer in terms of weapons, damages and casualties. Second, America's biased approach toward the conflicts has reached a new level. With tensions likely entering a third week, more blood will be shed on both sides, particularly on the Palestinian side. Not only Palestinians, but also Israelis are paying the cost for U.S. policy. Jin Liangxiang is Senior Research Fellow with the Center for West Asian and African Studies, Shanghai Institutes for International Studies. For more information please visit: http://www.china.org.cn/opinion/jinliangxiang.htm Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn. If you would like to contribute, please contact us at opinion@china.org.cn. The public sector bank reported 80% jump in standalone net profit to Rs 6,450.75 crore on 7% rise in total income to Rs 81,326.96 crore in Q4 FY21 over Q4 FY20. The bank's operating profit (before provisions and contingencies) increased 25.2% year on year to Rs 19,700 crore in Q4 FY21. The bank recorded a 74% rise in profit before tax (PBT) to Rs 8,649.12 crore in Q4 FY21 from Rs 4970 crore in Q4 FY20. The bank's net interest income stood at Rs 27,067 crore, 18.89% higher than Rs 22,767 crore in Q4 FY20. Net interest margin improved to 3.11% in Q4 FY21 from 2.94% in Q4 FY20. Non-Interest Income for Q4FY21 stood at Rs 16,225 crore, rising by 75.48% sequentially and 0.92% on year on year basis. The bank's total provisions for Q4 FY21 stood at Rs 11,051.03 crore, declining 18.1% from Rs 13,495.08 crore in Q4 FY20. On the asset quality side, gross non-performing assets (NPAs) stood at Rs 1,26,389.02 crore as on 31 March 2021 as against Rs 1,172,44.23 crore as on 31 December 2020 and Rs 1,49,091.85 crore as on 31 March 2020. The gross NPA ratio stood at 4.98% as on 31 March 2021, compared to 4.77% on 31 December 2020 and 6.15% as of 31 March 2020. The net NPA ratio stood at 1.5% as on 31 March 2021 from 1.23% as on 31 December 2020 and 2.23% as on 31 March 2020. The PSU Bank posted a 40.8% rise in net profit to Rs 20,410 crore for the year ended March 2021 (FY21) compared to Rs 14,488 crore in the year ended March 2020 (FY20). Total income rose 3.64% to Rs 3,07,107 crore in FY21 over FY20. Slippages ratio for FY21 declined to 1.18% from 2.16% as at the end of FY20. Total fresh slippages in FY21 stood at Rs 28,564 crore. Domestic deposit of the bank stood at Rs 36,81,277 crore as at March 2021 with growth of 13.56% y.o.y. Domestic advances (gross) of the bank stood at Rs 25,39,393 crore as at March 2021, with growth of 4.81% y.o.y. Home loan, which constitutes 23% SBI's domestic advances, has grown by 10.51% YoY. Meanwhile, the bank has declared a dividend of Rs 4 per equity share for the year ended 31 March 2021. SBI is an Indian multinational, public sector banking and financial services statutory body. As of 31 March 2021, the Government of India held 57.63% stake while Life Insurance Corporation of India held 9.25% stake in the bank. Shares of SBI were up 3.82% at Rs 399.25 on BSE. The stock hit a high of Rs 399.75 and a low of Rs 378.10 so far during the day. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The domestic equity benchmarks continued to trade with strong gains in early afternoon trade. The Nifty was trading above the 15,100 mark. Auto shares edged higher. At 12:22 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, was up 696.14 points or 1.40% to 50,261.00. The Nifty 50 index added 197.35 points or 1.32% to 15,103.40. In the broader market, the S&P BSE Mid-Cap index gained 0.90% while the S&P BSE Small-Cap index rose 0.91%. Both these indices underperformed the Sensex. The market breadth was strong. On the BSE, 2003 shares rose and 941 shares fell. A total of 153 shares were unchanged. Derivatives: The NSE's India VIX, a gauge of market's expectation of volatility over the near term, fell 2.21% to 19.22. The Nifty 27 May 2021 futures were trading at 15,131.05, at a premium of 27.65 points as compared with the spot at 15,103.40. The Nifty option chain for 27 May 2021 expiry showed maximum Call OI of 38.6 lakh contracts at the 15,500 strike price. Maximum Put OI of 53.1 lakh contracts was seen at 15,000 strike price. Buzzing Index: The Nifty Auto index rose 0.67% to 10,294.60. The index declined 0.95% in the past two sessions. Tata Motors (up 1.71%), Mahindra & Mahindra (up 1.37%), Maruti Suzuki (up 1.03%), Bajaj Auto (up 0.66%), TVS Motor Company (up 0.33%) and Hero MotoCorp (up 0.31%) advanced while Ashok Leyland (down 1.23%) and Eicher Motors (down 0.31%) declined. Stocks in Spotlight: Antony Waste Handling Cell gained 3.53% to Rs 311.15. The company said it bagged a five-year contract for door-to-door collection and transportation of solid waste in Jhansi Smart City. The contract is awarded by Jhansi Smart City for the period of 5 years further extendable up to 2 more years upon mutual agreement. The contract is worth Rs 21 crore per annum. Eris Lifesciences shed 0.41% to Rs 713.05. UTI Mutual Fund (MF) purchased 1.52 lakh equity shares or 0.1121% stake in Eris Lifesciences on 19 May 2021. Post transaction, UTI Mutual Fund (UTI MF) increased its shareholding to 5.0583% stake from 4.9462% held earlier. Exide Industries added 0.43% to Rs 187.60. The company said that the operations at some of the company's manufacturing units are temporarily affected and have been scaled down due to second wave of COVID-19. Mindtree rose 0.14% to Rs 2097. The company announced that it has signed an agreement to acquire the NxT Digital Business, the cloud based IoT and AI platform for Industry 4.0 of L&T Group. The transaction comprises of acquisition of NxT Digital Business of L&T. Total consideration of Rs 198 crore including earnouts, subject to adjustments as per the terms of Business Transfer Agreement. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Dewan Housing Finance Corporation imploded after it made bad bets and failed to service its debt. Its promoter Kapil Wadhawan was imprisoned on charges of money laundering and diversion of bank funds. Later DHFLs creditors and the approved the groups proposal to acquire it after an intense bidding war. Now, months later, the has directed lenders to reconsider Wadhawans proposal. This order not only defies logic but makes a mockery of the which bars promoters from bidding for their defaulting companies. The idea should be rejected immediately, the top edit argues here. In other views: The second edit says needs to take a hard look at safety protocols for its frontline staff working on rigs in the Arabian Sea. Read it here Aakar Patel shows how the government has been inept at all that was required of it: taking the pandemic seriously; strengthening the healthcare system in view of the coming second wave; and vaccinating as many Indians as possible. Read it here Vanita Kohli-Khandekar discusses the collapse of owing to Covid-19. Read it here Dear Reader, Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. 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Digital Editor The on Friday ordered house arrest of four political leaders, including two Bengal ministers, who were held in the Narada sting tapes case earlier in the week. The judges of the division bench -- presided by Acting Chief Justice Rajesh Bindal -- differed in opinion over vacating a stay given by it on bail granted by a special CBI court to ministers Subrata Mukherjee and Firhad Hakim, MLA Madan Mitra and former Kolkata mayor Sovan Chatterjee. The bench, also comprising Justice Arijit Banerjee, finally directed that the leaders, placed under judicial remand so far, will remain in house confinement for now. It also decided to refer the matter to a different bench owing to difference of opinion between Acting Chief Justice Rajesh Bindal and Justice Arijit Banerjee. Hearing in the case is still in progress following prayers from both sides for further arguments on the court's house arrest order. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the CBI, has pleaded for a stay on the execution of the order. The four leaders were arrested by the CBI on Monday morning in connection with its probe into the Narada sting tape case. The high court had on Monday night stayed the lower court's decision to grant bail to the four leaders. (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 Friday granted bail to rebel MP K Raghu Ramakrishna Raju, who was arrested in a sedition case lodged by Andhra Pradesh Police against him. A vacation bench of Justices Vineet Saran and B R Gavai, while referring to Raju's medical report received from the Army hospital at Secunderabad, said it cannot be ruled out that the MP was ill-treated in the custody. The apex court imposed several bail conditions on Raju, including that he would not give any interview to the media with regard to the case. On May 17, the top court had ordered forthwith transfer of Raju to the Army hospital at Secunderabad in neighbouring Telangana for medical examination and hospitalization till further orders. Raju, who is the Lok Sabha MP from Narsapuram parliamentary constituency in Andhra Pradesh, alleged that the sedition case has been lodged against him by state police "because of political vendetta" as he has been criticizing "the action of his own party". (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 Friday said its stand on the 'Covid toolkit' issue stands validated after Twitter used the 'manipulated media' tag for BJP leaders Sambit Patra's tweets on the alleged Opposition party document on how to target the Centre over its COVID-19 handling. The reaction came even as the government asked Twitter to remove the 'manipulated media' label, saying the matter is pending before the law-enforcement agency. leader K C Venugopal said, "The Congress stand has been validated by Twitter's action itself. What the Congress has been telling for the last so many days and years about the BJP's false propaganda and spreading lies is actually validated by this single incident." "We will take note of it and will take further action," he said, when asked about the Congress' follow-up action. Party spokesperson Pawan Khera said the world should see how India's ruling party is "trying to create manipulative media during a pandemic without fulfilling its own duty". "The people should see this," he said. "The Congress has pledged that it will not ignore such things, as they (the BJP) have been doing so in the past too. We will reply emphatically." He also said that the party would continue to pursue action on a police complaint against BJP chief JP Nadda, Union minister and Patra, among others, for "peddling a false narrative" through social media. "The law will take its own course. We will continue with the legal remedies," Khera said, when asked about the future of Congress' police complaint. The Congress leader said it will also pursue with Twitter for further stricter action against the BJP leaders. The Congress had on Thursday written to Twitter asking it to permanently suspend the accounts Nadda, Irani, Patra and other BJP leaders for allegedly "spreading misinformation and unrest in the society". Their communication to the social media site had come two days after they filed a police complaint against the BJP leaders after they tweeted a so-called 'toolkit', attributing it to the Congress, on how to target the Modi government over its handling of the Covid-19 pandemic. The Congress has said the document was "forged". While the Congress was seeking permanent suspension of the Twitter handles of the four BJP leaders, the micr0-blogging site labelled as "manipulated media" Patra's tweet about the alleged toolkit. The government, while asking Twitter to remove the tag, made it clear that the social media platform cannot pass judgment when the issue is under investigation. (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.) Haryana Chief Minister on Friday announced that the state government will bear all expenses of COVID-19 patients belonging to below poverty line (BPL) category undergoing treatment in private hospitals. Earlier, the state government had announced financial assistance of up to Rs 35,000 to patients. "All the families who are not covered under the Ayushman Bharat scheme would be eligible to get this benefit and the deputy commissioner will ensure that this financial assistance scheme reaches the grassroots level," said the Chief Minister while chairing a COVID-19 review meeting with the DCs and administrative secretaries held through video-conference. Giving further details, an official statement said Khattar told the DCs to ensure that every patient who is eligible for this benefit should get it on a priority basis. Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala, Health and Home Minister Anil Vij also joined the meeting from Chandigarh and Ambala, respectively. Along with treatment of COVID patients, the CM said focus should also be put on making adequate arrangements to deal with the patients suffering from post-COVID complications, including keeping a close vigil on black fungus cases. "Every DC has to now act like a field commandant and should ensure proper implementation of the schemes and strategies executed by the government to the grassroots levels, he said. Khattar was apprised by the officials that in the coming days a massive awareness campaign would be launched for the awareness of black fungus disease among the masses. The Chief Minister while directing the DCs to keep a close vigil on the increase in the number cases of fungal infection, mucormycosis, commonly named as black fungus, said reserving at least 20 beds for the disease treatment should be ensured in all the medical colleges. The DCs should ensure that every hospital of their respective districts should share real-time data of the patients suffering from this deadly disease and the referral for such patients should be made in the medical colleges only, he said. Apart from declaring black fungus a notified disease, Khattar said they are setting up centres for its prevention and further constituting an expert committee to decide on the distribution of injection Amphotericin-B, a drug required to treat the disease. The CM added that the state government is proactively focusing on ensuring timely treatment to the patients affected with this deadly infection along with making hands-on strategies to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic. During the meeting, Khattar reiterated that farmers, who are protesting against the Centre's new farm laws, should cooperate with the government in the fight against the pandemic and directed the DCs to make dedicated efforts to convince them in this regard. Khattar said he had earlier urged the protesting farmers to immediately call off or suspend their stir so as to ensure that the chain of transmission of the virus is broken. This is the biggest crisis of humanity that we all have to fight together. This pandemic does not belong to any person, a city, or a class. This is the fight of the whole world, said Khattar. Notably, thousands of farmers, mainly from Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and other parts of India have been protesting near various border points of Delhi for the past six months demanding rollback of the farm laws. Meanwhile, the Chief Minister directed vaccination of every team member involved in conducting door-to-door health screening in the rural areas under the Haryana Villagers General Health Checkup Scheme (HVGHCS) to be done on a priority basis. During the meeting, the Chief Minister was informed that till date, 4,097 villages have been covered by these multi-disciplinary teams, covering 11,08,415 households and further health checkups of 47,57,036 people have been conducted. It was informed by the officials that 284 people are undergoing treatment in village isolation centres. Chief Secretary Vijai Vardhan, Chief Principal Secretary to Chief Minister D S Dhesi, Additional Chief Secretary and Financial Commissioner, Revenue and Disaster Management and Consolidation Department, Sanjeev Kaushal; Additional Chief Secretary, Power Department, P K Das, were among other officials present in the meeting. (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.) In a letter to Twitter, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology objected to the microblogging service using the tag "manipulated media" on some tweets by Indian political leaders. tags content in a tweet as "manipulated media" if it has "reason to believe that media shared in a Tweet have been significantly and deceptively altered or fabricated". According to sources, MeitY wrote to the global team of making the complaint. The tweets that were tagged as "manipulated media" had reference to a toolkit allegedly created by the Indian National Congress party. Many of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party's leaders have been tweeting about the toolkit, calling it a tool to demean and undermine the efforts of the government towards solving the Covid-19 pandemic. Amongst these was BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra, and one of his tweets related to the alleged toolkit was labeled "manipulated media". In its communication to Twitter, the Ministry has said that a complaint has already been made by one of the concerned parties before a local law enforcement agency questioning the veracity of the toolkit and is under investigation. While the local law enforcement agency is undertaking the investigation to determine the veracity of the toolkit, " has unilaterally drawn a conclusion in this matter and arbitrarily tagged it as Manipulated Media. Such tagging by Twitter appears prejudged, prejudiced and a deliberate attempt to colour the investigation by local law enforcement agency. The Ministry has termed such unilateral action by Twitter as an effort to influence the fair investigation process and a clear overreach," the source said. Twitter did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Ministry is also learnt to have told Twitter that the platform's action "not only dilutes the credibility of Twitter as a neutral and unbiased platform facilitating exchange of views by the users but also puts a question mark on the status of Twitter as an Intermediary". The Government has asked Twitter to remove the 'Manipulated Media' tag. The background Patras tweet had posted a document and said, Friends look at the #CongressToolKit in extending help to the needy during the Pandemic! More of a PR exercise with the help of Friendly Journalists & Influencers than a soulful endeavour.Read for yourselves the agenda of the Congress. The Congress has denied it made the toolkit and has filed police complaints against BJP leaders and written to Twitter to suspend Twitter accounts of BJP leaders who are indulging in spreading forged documents attributing to Congress. Fact checking organisation AltNews wrote on Wednesday that the claims of the toolkit being a Congress document were false. Popular social media platform has reached over 500 million monthly active users, with roughly 40 per cent of its community located outside of North America and In India, has seen over 100 per cent (year-over-year) growth in daily active users (DAUs) in each of the last five quarters, the company announced during its third Snap Partner Summit virtually late on Thursday. Snap also announced new features, latest updates and Augmented Reality (AR) experiences, like new AR tools and camera experiences, the next generation of Spectacles and launched 'Story Studio' -- a new standalone app offering powerful editing tools to creators on mobile. "Built with Creators in mind, Story Studio will offer insights into trends happening on It is launching later this year on iOS and will be available for free," the company said in a statement. Snap also launched Creator Marketplace where brands can find and contact verified creators, starting with top AR Lens Creators and, in the future, Snap Stars and Creators on Spotlight. "Subscribers can now send Gifts to official Snap Stars to kickstart conversations. Snap Stars earn a share of the revenue from Gifts, which are received through Story Replies and purchased via in Snapchat Tokens," the company informed. "Spotlight" on the web is a new destination where creators can upload video into Spotlight directly from Chrome or Safari, and anyone, even without a Snapchat account, can see the best of what's happening. Snap unveiled the next generation of Spectacles, its first pair of glasses that bring augmented reality to life. Not for sale and designed for creators, Spectacles enable augmented reality creators to discover new ways to fuse creativity and utility through immersive experiences built in Lens Studio. "Spectacles are fully integrated with Lens Studio. This powerful desktop application designed for augmented reality creators and developers is used to build and distribute Lenses across Snap's AR platform," the company said. More than 170 million Snapchatters use Scan every month, and now Snapchat is adding Scan to the home camera screen. "Scan matches what you see through the camera with relevant AR experiences," Snap said. With over 200 million Snapchatters engaging with AR daily, Snap has added a new round of technically-advanced and fashion-forward features that make virtual shopping and 'try-on' experiences that much more realistic, accurate, and easy to use. "For the first time, friends can interact with each other through Lenses, from across the room or across the world," Snap added. --IANS na/ (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.) Flash Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Thursday held a phone conversation with Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, with both sides pledging to strengthen bilateral communication and cooperation. China and Pakistan enjoy a longstanding friendship, Li said. Noting that this incoming Friday marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries, he said that Chinese President Xi Jinping and Pakistani President Arif Alvi will exchange congratulatory messages. Li said he hopes that the two sides will maintain high-level exchanges, strengthen strategic communication, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, and maintain and develop the precious treasure of the China-Pakistan all-weather strategic cooperative partnership. Li and Khan exchanged views on international cooperation in the fight against COVID-19 in particular. Li pointed out that the pandemic is still raging across the world, and the international community needs to work together to tackle the challenge caused by the virus, the common enemy of mankind. China is ready to provide support to Pakistan within its capacity in fighting the pandemic, Li added. Khan, for his part, said Pakistan is looking forward to strengthening high-level exchanges and advancing strategic cooperation with China. Under the current circumstances, Pakistan particularly hopes to deepen cooperation with China to fight COVID-19, Khan said, adding that Pakistan is ready to work with China to push for new achievements in bilateral relations. Warren (New Jersey) [USA]/Bangalore (Karnataka) [India], May 21 (ANI/PRNewswire): Mindtree, a leading digital transformation and technology services company, announced today that it has signed an agreement to acquire the NxT Digital Business, the cloud based IoT and AI platform for Industry 4.0 of L & T Group. The NxT Digital Business, was founded as a startup with broad digital capabilities within L & T. It has played an instrumental role in extensive applications of IoT technology and digitalization of many aspects of L & T's operations where numerous assets were connected and factories were digitalized to make the company's operations data driven for objective decision making. NxT Digital Business leverages the Group's deep industry domain expertise with emerging technologies like industrial IoT, artificial intelligence, machine learning and augmented and virtual reality, geospatial and cybersecurity applications to deliver disruptive business outcomes for its global customers. Mindtree and NxT Digital Business' combined offerings will bring scale and market agility to meet the growing end-to-end digital transformation demands of customers. That will help accelerate the journey to Industry 4.0, which involves smart automation of industry and manufacturing to gain agility and customer-centricity. Mindtree will leverage NxT Digital Business' capabilities across several industry segments in integrating sensors and telemetry data with its advanced data analytics and insights leadership to drive digitization across the manufacturing and engineering value chain, deliver tangible operational efficiencies and a differentiated customer experience. "There is a huge opportunity ahead as global manufacturers and industrial companies are increasingly adopting Industry 4.0 focused smart solutions, systems, and processes, but are struggling to leverage data and analytics to drive efficiency and competitive advantage," said S N Subrahmanyan, Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director, Larsen & Toubro Limited. "NxT Digital Business experience, talent, expertise and credentials, coupled with Mindtree's global scale, technology leadership, and deep understanding of domain and delivery, are a powerful combination of focus and capabilities to meet clients' requirements." "Industrial and manufacturing companies are starting to adopt digital technologies across the value chain, but need a partner with expertise to strategically connect the dots and generate business value from their data," said Debashis Chatterjee, Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director, Mindtree Limited. "The acquisition will complement our significant strengths in reimagining consumer experience, positioning us as one of the leading partners for leveraging data and analytics to drive insights and deliver transformational services to our clients." The acquisition is subject to customary closing conditions. This story is provided by PRNewswire. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/PRNewswire) DISCLAIMER (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The CBI said searches were being carried out at the offices and residences of the two men in a dozen locations across India. Indian authorities have opened an investigation into the heads of two leading fertilizer importing companies, alleging they secured commissions from overseas suppliers for inflating the prices of crop nutrient purchases. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), India's top crime fighting agency, said late on Wednesday it was investigating U.S. Awasthi, managing director of Indian Farmers Fertilizer Co-operative (IFFCO), and Pravinder Singh Gahlaut, the managing director of Indian Potash Ltd (IPL). IFFCO is co-operating with the CBI, a company spokesman said. IPL did not respond to Reuters request for comment. Awasthi and Gahlaut did not respond to Reuters requests seeking comment. The CBI said searches were being carried out at the offices and residences of the two men in a dozen locations across India. IFFCO, the country's biggest fertilizer producer, and IPL a leading importer, typically have import contracts for nutrients like potash with global potash miners on behalf of Indian buyers. In the CBI's statement, it alleged that Awasthi, Gahlaut, members of their families and several others received kickbacks of tens of millions of dollars. The CBI statement alleged that between the periods of 2007 and 2014, the accused cheated and defrauded IFFCO, IPL, their shareholders and the government by "fraudulently importing fertilizers and other materials for fertilizer production at inflated prices." India is one of the world's top consumers of fertilizers and relies on imports of urea, potash and phosphate to fulfil significant amounts of local demand. The country also spends billions of dollars annually to subsidise fertilizer imports for farmers. The prices of big purchases of fertilisers such as potash from Russia, Belarus and Canada are often considered as global benchmarks that can affect the spot price of these commodities."These officials of IFFCO and IPL have been importing fertilizers and raw materials ... at highly inflated rates," the CBI said in its statement. IFFCO counts many state cooperative societies and some state marketing bodies as its shareholders. It in turn owns IPL, along with several public sector entities that are also shareholders. Also read: RBI fines City Union Bank, 3 other lenders over violation of directions Oyo Hotels is looking to raise a $600 million loan, following the ravaging second wave of coronavirus in the country that impacted its recovery plans. The company is offering unusually generous terms to investors as it looks to raise the loan. Parent company Oravel Stays Pvt is discussing a five-year term loan B at 850 basis points over LIBOR (London Inter-bank Offered Rate), as mentioned in a report in Bloomberg. This is higher than the usual guidance given for recently issued term loan Bs in Asia-Pacific market. Oyo's loan also features maintenance covenants usually included only for companies that are considered risky by investors. The Ritesh Agarwal-helmed company is scheduled for a lender call on May 21, and commitments for the loan are due by June 2. JPMorgan Chase & Co is arranging the deal. Valued most recently at $10 billion, Oyo is one of the largest startups in Softbank Group's portfolio. However, its business has taken successive hits due to the spread of coronavirus and its impact on travel. Additionally, operational missteps left a foul taste in the mouth of hotel owners. Softbank's billionaire founder Masayoshi Son backed the global expansion of the company and has been a mentor to Agarwal. Son had personally guaranteed loans from financial institutions like Mizuho Financial Group Inc when Agarwal borrowed $2 billion to buy shares in his own company as valuation rose. Agarwal, as recently as March, told employees that its India business was growing and that it was earning the same gross profit in dollars in January 2021 as it did a year ago before the virus hit. However, the resurgence of the virus in India severely impacted recovery for travel and tourism sector. Moody's assigned a B3 rating to Oyo and flagged concerns over the company's history of operating losses and short operating track record. It also pointed out that the key issue will be the COVID-19 outbreak in India. Also read: No, not bankruptcy! Oyo insolvency admitted by NCLT for Rs 16 lakh dispute Also read: India Hotels in aggressive expansion despite COVID-19 hit The University of Delhi has postponed the Final Year Examinations for May-June 2021 by a week. The exams, which were supposed to begin on June 1, 2021, will now be held from June 7, 2021. The communique issued by Delhi University dated May 20, 2021 states, "It is hereby notified for information of all the concerned that the Final Semester/Annual Examinations May/June 2021 to be commenced from June 1, 2021 are hereby postponed and the same shall start from June 7, 2021. Accordingly, all the date sheets released for commencement of examinations from May 15, 2021, are hereby withdrawn." The release added the Delhi University will release new date sheets on their website-- www.du.ac.in and detailed guidelines will be issued soon. Candidates are advised to keep checking the official DU website for the latest updates regarding the same. "The new date sheets shall be released soon and shall be available on the website of the University of Delhi. The detailed guidelines regarding the May/June 2021 examination will be issued in due course of time," the communique added. Students and teachers at Delhi University had raised concerns over conducting exams in the midst of the second COVID-19 wave. "The University must take a sensitive view of the situation that students and teachers find themselves in-no one is in a position to write or conduct examinations at this moment," the Delhi University Teachers' Association (DUTA) wrote in its letter to the acting vice-chancellor Professor PC Joshi. The DUTA added in the letter dated April 30 that the acting VC should consider cancelling exams and extending the deadlines for internal assessment submissions. Edited by Mehak Agarwal Also read: RBI approves transfer of Rs 99,122 crore as surplus to Centre Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday interacted with doctors and officials of Varanasi through video conferencing. Varanasi is the constituency which PM Modi represents in the Lok Sabha. During the interaction, the Prime Minister got emotional and thanked doctors and front line workers for their efforts in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. The PM also provided a new mantra for COVID-19 management- 'Jahan Bimar Wahan Upchar'. The Prime Minister stated that bringing COVID-19 treatment to the patient's doorstep will reduce burden on health system. PM Modi advised against complacency and urged the doctors and officials of Varanasi to engage in the long battle against COVID-19 by focusing on rural areas of Benaras and Purvanchal. "PM Modi said that the plans that have been made and the campaigns that have been run in our country in the last few years have helped a lot in fighting Corona," noted a PMO press release. PM Modi was informed about the efforts undertaken in the last month to contain the spread of Covid. The doctors also informed the Prime Minister that they have been vigilant about the threat of Black Fungus (Mucormycosis) and have already taken steps and created facilities for tackling the disease. The Prime Minister also emphasised the importance of continuing to train manpower for fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. "He also asked the officials to work towards bringing down vaccine wastage in the district," read the PMO release. PM Modi commended the work done by healthcare professionals and other frontline health workers of Varanasi. The Prime Minister also paid tributes to all those who lost their loved ones. "He praised the speed with which the number of oxygen and ICU beds has been increased in such a short time in Banaras and the way the Pandit Rajan Mishra Kovid Hospital has been activated at such a short notice," added the release. The Prime Minister also explained the important role played by ASHA and ANM sisters in the fight against COVID-19. The Prime Minister applauded the initiative of micro containment zones and appreciated the home delivery of medicines. "He requested the health workers to make this campaign as comprehensive as possible in rural areas. He said bringing doctors, labs and e-marketing companies together to provide a tele-medicine facility named 'Kashi Kavach' is also a very innovative initiative," noted the release. Also Read: Even single dose of COVID-19 vaccine wasted denies someone protection shield: PM Modi Also read: PM Modi impressed with 'HIT App' used in Bihar for COVID-19 patients at home, calls for nationwide use When the COVID-19 pandemic broke out last year and the world went into a prolonged lockdown, corporates across the globe had indicated that they would accelerate their diversity agenda. A recent Deloitte report says that, on the contrary, gender equality at workplaces actually regressed in 2020. The pandemic took away 114 million jobs across the globe and the employment loss for women was at 5 per cent compared to 3.9 per cent for men. One of the major reasons why women have traditionally exited the workforce is due to their employer's inability to offer them the flexibility of working from home. However, when companies actually offered them this flexibility, they didn't enjoy it as much as they thought they would. By virtue of being the primary caregiver, women employees were overworked. According to the Deloitte report, 77 per cent of respondents say that their job workload has increased as a result of the pandemic. They are also spending more time on household tasks and looking after children and loved ones than they did before the pandemic. In India, nearly 78 per cent Indian women say they take on bulk of the household management and chores. Women in India are also more likely to take on more responsibility for childcare (47 per cent versus 38 per cent globally) and care of other dependents (30 per cent versus 23 per cent globally). Only 22 per cent of women globally believe that their employers have enabled them to establish clear boundaries between work and personal hours. As many as 77 per cent of women say their workload has increased and 51 per cent feel less optimistic about their career prospects today than they did before the pandemic. Around 42 per cent felt their career isn't progressing as fast as they would have liked it to be. In India, 57 per cent women say that their career is not progressing as fast. Only 31 per cent India women say that their employer's support for women during the pandemic has been sufficient. More than 61 per cent feel less optimistic about their career prospects today than before the pandemic. Sexual harassment was prevalent in virtual workplaces too. Over 50 per cent of the women interviewed said they have experienced some form of harassment or microaggression in the past year, ranging from the belief that their judgment is being questioned because they are women to experiencing disparaging and/ or sexual comments. The data also shows that many of these events go unreported to employers, with concerns over career penalty being one of the main reasons cited. Women across the globe are suffering from job insecurity. Nearly a third (31 per cent) of the women said they are unable to switch off from work since the pandemic, with more than half of these saying this is driven by a fear that doing so will affect their career progression (52 per cent). A third (33 per cent) say it is driven by concerns that it will cause them to be excluded from important projects, with the same number saying they are concerned that their organisation may care less about them; 15 per cent said that if they are not always available to their employer, they may be forced to make a decision between their work and personal lives. More than 26 per cent of Indian women are considering leaving the workforce altogether compared to 23 per cent of their global sample. Also read: How COVID-19 made micro women entrepreneurs digital savvy Also read: COVID-19 hit women, youth, lower-skilled workers harder: IMF The largest bank in the country, the State Bank of India (SBI), has written off Rs 17,590 crore bad loans in 2020-21 amid the pandemic. This amount is one of the highest in last four years. The bank had written off Rs 17,782 crore in 2018-19. The total combined write-offs in the last four years have touched Rs 52,758 crore. The figure for write-off is over Rs 1 lakh crore in the past seven years. While the bank has managed to bring down its gross and net NPAs in 2020-21, the large write-off amount shows the challenges in recovering bad loans.The current loan restructuring and regulatory forbearances given by the RBI also hides the true asset quality picture. Dinesh Kumar Khara, Chairman of SBI said that the bank's asset quality is better than the previous year. The gross NPAs are at 4.98 percent in 2020-21 as against 6.15 percent in the previous year. "Our gross NPA of less than 5 percent is the lowest in the last five years," says Khara. The bank has also sold stressed loans to asset reconstruction companies in 2020-21. The bank sold some 25 accounts with a value of Rs 2,230 crore. The bank also has a large NCLT (bankruptcy) book of Rs 2 lakh crore. The banking industry generally write off bad loans when they have made full 100 percent provision from profits against the bad assets in the books. The efforts to recover the loan amount generally continue, but not much is expected as such loans and assets lose value over time. SBI has a system of moving bad loans to advance under collection account (AUCA).The new bankruptcy code and one time settlements are also helping banks in recovering bad loans. The haircuts in bankruptcy and one-time settlement cases also become part of the write offs. The stress in the banking industry may be hidden today because of moratoriums and loan restructuring. Earlier this month, the RBI granted another loan restructuring option to borrowers who had not availed the benefits in an earlier scheme. Many suggest the real picture of stress in the banking system will be out only after a year or two. The problem areas are agri, small loans, and MSMEs. "We do not expect any threat to our asset quality going forward," says Khara. He adds banking is one sector that reflects macroeconomic fundamentals. Also read: SBI share rises 4% post strong Q4 earnings Also read: SBI Q4 Results: Net profit rises 81% YoY to Rs 6,451 crore Also read: SBI Q4 result today: What to expect? South Korea on Friday approved Moderna Inc's COVID-19 vaccine, as the country attempts to speed up its inoculation efforts, drug safety minister Kim Gang-lip told a news conference. The green light comes after two of three expert panels recommended approval be granted for the two-dose vaccine based on safety and efficacy in late-stage trials in the United States. Moderna is the fourth COVID-19 vaccine to be approved in South Korea, following doses developed by AstraZeneca Plc , Pfizer Inc and Johnson & Johnson, said Kim. Moderna has a deal with South Korea to supply 40 million doses of its vaccine, although the shipment timeline is yet to be announced. South Korean drugmaker GC Pharma is in charge of the import and local distribution of the Moderna vaccine, while there were media reports about a plan by Samsung BioLogics Co Ltd to produce the shots locally. Seoul has ordered up to 192 million doses of coronavirus vaccines, including those made by AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Novavax and Johnson & Johnson. South Korea's vaccination campaign has been hampered by global shortages and shipment delays. It has provided doses to just over 7% of its 52 million residents so far, as it aims to inoculate at least 13 million by June and reach herd immunity by November. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency reported 561 new confirmed cases of the coronavirus on Thursday, bringing the total tally to 134,678 infections, with 1,922 deaths. Also read: Covaxin production ramped to 1 billion doses per year: Bharat Biotech Paytm Payments Bank Ltd (PPBL) will not permit people to purchase and sell crypto assets via its platform from Friday (May 21) evening, when it will cease to deal with cryptocurrency exchanges. PPBL's competitor PayPal and other payment processors that authorise buying cryptocurrency on their platforms are also likely to pull the plug. Several banks had earlier this week ended their association with cryptocurrency exchanges such as Zebpay, WazirX, BuyUCoin, after the RBI unofficially told them to revisit ties with them. Also Read: Paytm, PhonePe, Google Pay, other mobile wallets to be interoperable from April 2022 "Paytm Payments Bank is ending their support tomorrow EOD (end of day)," CEO of a cryptocurrency exchange told the Economic Times on Thursday, May 20. PPBL has neither given the cryptocurrency exchanges any reason for this formally nor told them whether this was because of any regulator issue, he added. Several leading cryptocurrency exchanges told the publication that many payment processing companies have conveyed their intent to withdraw support. Also Read: Paytm Payments Bank assist 2.6 lakh FASTag users with toll charge refunds Sources stated that the RBI has instructed payment processors to discontinue dealing with cryptocurrency exchanges. As in the case with the banks, the apex bank has not issued any written order to the payment gateway companies. Paytm's decision to pull the plug on cryptocurrency exchanges comes after digital currencies, particularly Bitcoin witnessed a lot of fluctuations. Bitcoin had plunged to a three-month low on May 17 on conjectures that Tesla may offload its holdings of the virtual currency. The drop was also due to China proscribing any cryptocurrency trading in the country. All this had reportedly caused a lot of chaos at the Indian exchanges. Over the last few weeks, crypto exchanges had established specialised wallets, onboarding payment processing entities, and using banks outside India. Some of them even created 'offline' systems to enable investors access to crypto assets. However, crypto exchanges will now be left with limited options to accept investments from Indian investors. Mindtree has signed an agreement to acquire NxT Digital Business, a startup established by Larsen and Toubro (L&T) for Rs 198 crore. The acquisition will likely broaden the Bengaluru-based IT firm's digital capabilities in the internet of things (IoT) and Industry 4.0 space by leveraging NxT Digital Business capabilities to cross-sell and create holistic solutions for new prospects as well as for existing clients, the company said in a statutory filing on Thursday. Competence in this space will strengthen Mindtree's vision to leverage its digital strengths and aim to become a "go-to business transformation partner" for clients, it added. The filing noted that the total consideration for the deal was "Rs 198 crore including earnouts, subject to adjustments as per the terms of Business Transfer Agreement." The transaction is expected to be completed by July 31, 2021. Also Read: Mindtree share approaches record high on strong Q3 earnings L&T is the promoter/holding company of Mindtree with a 61.03 per cent stake in the Bengaluru-based company. L&T, in a separate filing to the BSE, said it has transferred its digital transformation business undertaking - L&T-NxT (NxT Digital Business) - to Mindtree, pursuant to the execution of a Business Tractor Agreement (''Agreement'') between L&T and Mindtree on Thursday. The NxT Digital Business was founded as a startup with broad digital capabilities within L&T. Its revenue during the financial year 2020-21 stood at Rs 37.59 crore. It has played an instrumental role in extensive applications of IoT technology and digitalisation of many aspects of L&T's operations where numerous assets were connected and factories were digitalised to make the company's operations data-driven for objective decision making. NxT Digital Business leverages the Group's deep industry domain expertise with emerging technologies like industrial IoT, artificial intelligence, machine learning, augmented and virtual reality, geospatial and cybersecurity applications to deliver disruptive business outcomes for its global customers. "There is a huge opportunity ahead as global manufacturers and industrial companies are increasingly adopting Industry 4.0 focused smart solutions, systems, and processes, but are struggling to leverage data and analytics to drive efficiency and competitive advantage," L&T Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director S N Subrahmanyan said. Also Read: Why Mindtree share fell 11% despite 88% rise in Q2 net profit He added that NxT Digital Business experience, talent, expertise, and credentials, coupled with Mindtree's global scale, technology leadership, and deep understanding of domain and delivery, are a powerful combination of focus and capabilities to meet clients' requirements. "Industrial and manufacturing companies are starting to adopt digital technologies across the value chain, but need a partner with the expertise to strategically connect the dots and generate business value from their data," Mindtree Chief Executive Officer and MD Debashis Chatterjee said. He added that the acquisition will complement Mindtree's significant strengths in re-imagining consumer experience, positioning the company as one of the leading partners for leveraging data and analytics to drive insights and deliver transformational services to clients. (With inputs from PTI.) Flash China and the Philippines will hold the sixth meeting of the bilateral consultation mechanism (BCM) on the South China Sea via video link in the near future, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian told a daily press briefing on Thursday. The two sides will exchange views over the current situation in the South China Sea and maritime issues between the two countries, and explore ways to further expand exchanges and cooperation in areas such as maritime search and rescue, marine fishery, marine ecological and environmental protection, and scientific research, according to the spokesperson. "The delegations of the two sides will be headed by China's Assistant Foreign Minister Wu Jianghao and Philippine Foreign Undersecretary Elizabeth Buensuceso, respectively," Zhao said, adding that the attendees will include officials from sectors such as foreign affairs, national defense, natural resources, agriculture and environmental protection. "We hope this meeting will achieve positive results," he said. Early in 2017, China and the Philippines established the BCM, aiming to build trust and promote maritime security and cooperation, he noted. The two sides have held five meetings under the BCM, conducting in-depth communication and dialogue on bilateral maritime issues, properly handling maritime differences, and promoting exchanges and cooperation in various fields such as maritime search and rescue, maritime security, oil and gas development and marine fishery, said Zhao. "The BCM has played positive roles in promoting the healthy and stable development of China-Philippines relations and maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea," he noted. Highlights Facebook received 191,013 user data requests globally between July to December 2020. Of these, 40,300 requests were received from the Indian government. Facebook produced some data for 52 per cent of these requests. Facebook recently shared the nature of government requests it has received from all around the world for user data in the second half of 2020. As per the report, the social media major received 40,300 requests from the Indian government for user data in India. The numbers were shared in Facebook's latest Transparency Report on its Transparency Center, which aims to provide visibility on its policies and response to data requests. As per the report, India made 40,300 requests for user data to Facebook in the July-December 2020 period. Of these requests, 37,865 were marked for legal process, while another 2,435 were emergency disclosure requests. India's total number of data requests saw a 13.3 per cent jump from the 35,560 requests made in the January-June 2020 period. The hike ranks India right behind the US in the total number of data requests to Facebook. The US made 61,262 of such requests to Facebook during the July-December 2020 period. Around the globe, a total of 191,013 user data requests were received by Facebook in the second half of 2020, marking a steady increase in the bi-annual recordings. Facebook records show that information related to 62,754 users/accounts was also requested in India. The company says that it produced some data for 52 per cent of these requests. (Image: Screenshot/ Facebook Transparency Center) Other than the data requests, Facebook shared insights on content restrictions in the country based on the local laws. The company restricted access to 878 items in India in response to directions from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology in the July to December 2020 period. The restricted items included pages and groups on Facebook, Facebook posts as well as user profiles. These items were restricted for "violating Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000, including content against security of the state and public order," as per the company. Of all these items, 10 were restricted temporarily. Facebook also restricted access to 54 items in compliance with court orders from Justice Alexandre de Moraes of Brazil's Supreme Court. The order marked the removal of 12 profiles and Pages of supporters of Brazilian President Bolsonaro, to which Facebook restricted access globally, including in India. Facebook noted that while it respected the court order, it strongly opposes such extraterritorial legal demands and has "actively pursued all options to appeal the order." Highlights Aadhaar Card has been mandatory for vaccine registration. CoWin platform allowed users to book vaccination slot using any of the government-approved identity card Now if you want to book a slot, you will have to register using the Aadhaar card and carry it with you to the vaccination centre. Have you booked your COVID-19 vaccination slot using your PAN Card? Chances are you will have to wait longer or might not get the vaccine at all because the Aadhaar Card has been mandatory for vaccine registration. Several users were turned down by vaccination centres for not possessing an Aadhaar Card whereas they had other government-approved ID cards and registered on CoWin website using those cards. While no official announcement was made about the same, the Aadhar Card has now become mandatory for COVID-19 vaccine registration. A Twitter user named Radhika Radhakrishnan had reported that she was asked by a vaccination centre in Bengaluru to wait longer to get vaccinated without the Aadhaar card. The user said that she had already waited for hours to get the vaccine. Radhika has also shared a picture of the note written on a whiteboard at the Columbia Asia Banglaore that says "Aadhaar is mandatory". "Columbia Asia Bangalore has made Aadhaar compulsory for the COVID-19 vaccine. When I told them I've registered on cowin using PAN card and they can't legally mandate Aadhaar, they said I'll have to wait longer if I want to be vaccinated without Aadhaar, after having waited hours," she said. However, Radhika narrated that when she refused to give her Aadhaar card at the hospital, the staff showed her the CoWin website which had now made entering Aadhaar details mandatory. "When I refused to give my Aadhaar card at the hospital for the vaccine, the vaccine officer showed me the cowin portal on their system. Aadhaar card seems to have been made a system-level requirement, as you can see here. She could not generate my vaccine certificate without it, she tweeted." Radhika also mentioned that she had registered on the CoWin platform using her pan card. Her name on the pan card was Radhika R but on Aadhaar her name was written, Radhika Radhakrishnan. Since the name did not match in the two cards, the staff had to re-register her on Cowin using a different phone number. Apparently, Radhika is not the only one, several users were asked to delete their registration and do a fresh registration using the Aadhaar card. Till some time ago, the CoWin platform allowed users to book a vaccination slot using any of the government-approved identity cards like the driving license, voters ID card and pan card. On presenting any of the above mentioned IDs, users could get their jabs easily, but now things have changed. Now, if you want to book a slot, you will have to register using the Aadhaar card and carry it with you to the vaccination centre. Highlights OnePlus Nord 2 may launch in mid-June, and it may be called OnePlus Nord CE 5G as per some leaks. It may ship with Dimensity 1200 SoC. It could bring upgraded cameras. OnePlus Nord is more than likely to get a successor this year, and it could be unveiled as the OnePlus Nord 2 or OnePlus Nord CE 5G. Last year OnePlus plunged into the mid-range category with the OnePlus Nord. This device with a Snapdragon 765G SoC, 5G support and 48-megapixel quad rear cameras turned out a popular handset in its price segment. To remind you, the OnePlus Nord launched on July 21 last year. As we are getting closer to last year's launch date, there's a sudden increase in leaks around it, which makes us presume that the launch of the OnePlus Nord 2 is not too far away. While the current-gen OnePlus Nord features a Qualcomm chipset, the upcoming OnePlus Nord 2 is suggested to feature Mediatek's flagship Dimensity 1200 SoC. Will using a Mediatek will allow OnePlus to cut down on the pricing of the upcoming OnePlus Nord 2? We will only find that out when the device is unveiled. Until that happens, read this article to find about the specs, features, pricing and everything else we know so far about the OnePlus Nord 2. OnePlus Nord 2 specs and features --As far as the naming of the smartphone is concerned, we presume that the smartphone will be called OnePlus Nord 2. A fresh leak from Digital Chat Station hinted towards a device powered by Dimensity 1200 with model number MT6893. Now it is believed that this smartphone is OnePlus Nord 2 or OnePlus Nord CE 5G. --But that's not the only leak we have heard of. Another recent leak popped up to suggest that Nord CE 5G is the Nord Nord N10 5G successor that was previously tipped to be dubbed as OnePlus Nord N1 5G. So it's a bit confusing right now, and until there's any concrete information around the same, we will be calling it OnePlus Nord 2. Photo Credit- Onleaks and CCconceptcreator, OnePlus Nord 2 render --Previously, OnePlus Nord 2 was showcased completely in a leak from Steve Hemmerstoffer "OnLeaks".The leaker further hinted that the smartphone is codenamed "Ebba" and will be a follow up to the Nord N10 5G. --From what can be seen, the renders look quite similar to the OnePlus Nord 10 5G. Through the same leak, we know that the device measures 162.9 x 74.7 x 8.4mm, a little narrower than the Nord N10 5G. Besides this, we also know that the OnePlus Nord 2 will feature a glossy plastic back with a metal frame, a USB Type-C port and a 3.5mm audio jack. --The renders of the device showcased a similar-looking rectangular camera module as seen on the Nord N10 5G. However, there's one change on the rear, and the rear-mounted fingerprint scanner has now been relocated to the side inside the power button.There's no change on the front, though. That being said, we suggest you take these leaks with a pinch of salt as these are just early renders, and we would see more of these as we approach closer to the launch date. --The biggest leak popping up in a number of reports suggests that the upcoming OnePlus Nord 2 will be powered by Mediatek's Dimensity 1200 SoC. For your information, It is an octa-core chipset based on a 6nm manufacturing process and clocked at 3GHz. Besides this, the chipset is 5G and WiFi 6 capable. --OnePlus would also want to upgrade the cameras on the OnePlus Nord 2 as the competition is getting fierce in the sub 30K category. Devices from Xiaomi, Realme, iQOO and Samsung have substantially improved their camera systems in recent time. So it's important that OnePlus takes note and improves camera performance on the Nord successor. As of now, we do not have any camera specs, we will keep you posted if anything pops up around the same. --The OnePlus Nord was powered by a 4115mAh battery with support for 30W fast charging. While that is enough for any device, we would like to see a bigger battery inside with improved fast charging capabilities. OnePlus Nord 2 India launch We had exclusively reported that the OnePlus Nord 2 would launch in the first half of 2021. Also, some other leaks have appeared to confirm the same. So we can expect the OnePlus Nord 2 to launch somewhere in mid-June. Also, considering that India is the most profitable market for the brand, we can assure you that OnePlus Nord 2 is coming to India. OnePlus Nord 2 India price (expected) Currently there's no information around the pricing of the OnePlus Nord 2. However, keeping the price of the original OnePlus Nord 2 in mind, we predict it to be priced similarly or rather cheaply. We say that because the upcoming Nord 2 is expected to ship with Mediatek SoC which would save them a little money. Even if OnePlus decides to bring in a refreshed camera system, the price should not go above Rs 30,000. Highlights US Treasury Department will now require crypto transactions of $10,000 or more reported to the IRS. The latest clampdown on the crypto market is to curb tax evasion in the US. India is also reportedly mulling a policy to ban cryptocurrency in the future. Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are soaring, but so are the concerns around them among the governments of different nations. The US Treasury Department has announced a new tax compliance rule for crypto owners, in what may be a clampdown on the crypto markets and transactions in the country. The Treasury has said it will need transactions worth $10,000 or higher using cryptocurrencies to be reported to the Internal Revenue Service, or IRS. The US government already requires intimation to the IRS for cash transactions of the value of $10,000 or more, but since the crypto market is ballooning in terms of volume, there is a bigger problem of tax evasion. "Cryptocurrency already poses a significant detection problem by facilitating illegal activity broadly including tax evasion," the Treasury Department said in a release. The US government body, although, did mention that cryptocurrency is a small share of existing business transactions in the US. The new rule is meant to put a restraint on these transactions before they grow in volume across the US, given the nature of the currency. There is a looming concern about illegal activities, as well, the Treasury has pointed out in its comprehensive report. Bitcoin, however, showed a little impact on its price, paring off $3,000 from its price after the announcement. But there was an uptick of 5.7 per cent later in the day. The clampdown on the crypto market was imminent. Several Wall Street analysts have over the past few days warned about the cryptocurrency regulation that the Treasury and the Securities and Exchange Commission were likely planning. Although the Treasury's announcement is not entirely bad for the crypto market in the US, it will certainly put a check on high-value transactions. Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are now accepted on a growing number of online platforms, allowing the transfer of digital money to anyone with a crypto account. Meanwhile, in India, the government has been mulling a new law that will likely ban the smashing cryptocurrency Bitcoin and several others, such as Dogecoin, which has seen a monumental surge in its price because Tesla and SpaceX boss Elon Musk -- who has emerged as the most influential entity for the crypto market -- will not stop tweeting. The laws, according to some reports, are meant to completely block crypto transactions in the country, as well as penalise miners and traders in India. But until a regulation for cryptocurrencies comes into effect, the crypto market in the country has been growing rapidly. The biggest contributors to this growth are the crypto exchanges, such as WazirX and CoinSwitch Kuber. And while that is all hunky-dory for India's crypto market, these exchanges are not immune to fluctuations. A sudden surge in the volume of transactions can cause them to crash and become unresponsive. After China extended its ban on cryptocurrencies, Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies saw a steep dip in their price, causing a rush on Indian exchanges. According to WazirX CEO Nischal Shetty, the platform saw 400 per cent more traffic during this commotion than the previous month. ComplyAdvantage, a global data technology company transforming financial crime detection, today announced a new investment by the Growth Equity team in Goldman Sachs Asset Management. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210519005678/en/ Charles Delingpole, CEO and Founder of ComplyAdvantage (Photo: Business Wire) The investment is an extension to the companys oversubscribed Series C funding announced in July 2020. Goldman Sachs Asset Management joins a growing list of the companys world-class investors including the Ontario Teachers Pension Plan Board, Index Ventures, and Balderton Capital. ComplyAdvantage will use this new investment to build on the rapid growth it has experienced to date and cement its position as a critical part of the value chain for companies managing evolving risks around anti-money laundering (AML), know your customer (KYC) processes and broader financial crime. The company also has been establishing itself as the global partner of choice for high growth companies including the U.S. crypto exchange Gemini, the Australian payment app Beem It and OakNorth Bank, one of the most successful challenger banks in the U.K. In addition, the company also announced the availability of a new program called ComplyLaunch that provides free access to the company's award-winning AML tools and education for startups, helping them to protect to the integrity of their businesses by reducing the threat of financial crime We've seen first-hand the compelling benefits that ComplyAdvantage offers across a range of portfolio companies, said James Hayward, Managing Director in the Growth Equity team at Goldman Sachs Asset Management. The company brings clear value to its clients and has grown at an impressive rate. We are excited to support the business as it continues to scale rapidly and help companies of all stages manage these critical risks. Financial services innovation is the catalyst for massive business transformation. Companies need a hyper-scale AML and risk solution as a financial crime deterrent, said Charles Delingpole, founder and CEO of ComplyAdvantage. Goldman Sachs Asset Management is a great partner for ComplyAdvantage because they recognize the power of intelligent AML and risk detection not only to fortify businesses but also to help them introduce new services to market with greater confidence and integrity. Due to the unprecedented acceleration of digital transformation, rapidly growing fintechs and corporates alike need a partner that can keep pace with innovation and market opportunities in the compliance space. Given the growing volume, velocity and complexity of financial crimes, the traditional methods of human analysts reviewing batched data are no longer viable in many cases. Instead, whats needed is an intelligent approach to AML and risk mitigation using massive amounts of data thats contextualized with machine learning logic to deliver insights with greater accuracy in real-time and at scale. ComplyAdvantages hyper-scale AML and risk detection technology does exactly that, so the data never grows stale. Companies future proof their risk management solution and can grow with confidence. ComplyAdvantage offers a true hyperscale financial risk insight and AML data solution that leverages machine learning and natural language processing to help regulated organizations manage their risk obligations and prevent financial crime. The companys proprietary database is derived from millions of data points that provide dynamic, real-time insights across sanctions, watchlists, politically exposed persons, and negative news. This reduces dependence on manual review processes and legacy databases by up to 80% and improves how companies screen and monitor clients and transactions. About The Growth Equity team in Goldman Sachs Asset Management Founded in 1869, The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. is a leading global investment banking, securities and investment management firm. The Growth Equity team is the dedicated growth equity team within Goldman Sachs Asset Management, with over 25 years of investing history, over $8 billion of assets under management, and 9 offices globally. To read more, visit: https://growth.gs.com/homepage.html About ComplyAdvantage ComplyAdvantage is the financial industrys leading source of AI-driven financial crime risk data and detection technology. ComplyAdvantages mission is to neutralize the risk of money laundering, terrorist financing, corruption, and other financial crime. More than 500 enterprises in 75 countries rely on ComplyAdvantage to understand the risk of who theyre doing business with through the world's only global, real-time database of people and companies. The company actively identifies tens of thousands of risk events from millions of structured and unstructured data points every single day. ComplyAdvantage has four global hubs located in New York, London, Singapore and Cluj-Napoca and is backed by Ontario Teachers, Index Ventures and Balderton Capital. Learn more at complyadvantage.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210519005678/en/ IDEMIA Group announced today the appointment of Astrid Warren as Chief People Officer and a member of the Executive Committee, effective May 18th 2021. Astrid comes with over 20 years of experience in leading HR in global technology organizations. Reporting directly to IDEMIA Group President and CEO, she will oversee the People strategy and agenda for IDEMIA Group. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210519005441/en/ (Photo: Business Wire) I am very pleased to welcome Astrid Warren to IDEMIAs executive committee. Astrid brings exceptional experience across all facets of human resources strategy and development on a global scale. Her deep experience in leading Human Resources in the tech industry - where she has spent her entire career - combined with a proven track record of building high performing, diverse teams who deliver business results across regions and cultures, will be a great asset to our Group, said Pierre Barrial, IDEMIA Group President & CEO. I am honored to be joining IDEMIA, a Group with great ambitions and expertise for the future, and a company whose purpose to make the world a safer place is aligned with my personal values. My job in Human Resources has always been driven by my passion for helping people grow and develop their skills and I look forward to meeting and working with the teams at IDEMIA to help them expand their capability to deliver business results, saidAstrid Warren, new Chief People Officer at IDEMIA. NOTE TO EDITORS Astrid Warrens biography Based in Switzerland, Astrid is a South African national human resources executive with over 20 years of experience mostly in the high-tech sector as well as in global environments. She was previously Senior Vice-President Human Resources for SITA, the world's leading specialist in air transport communications and information technology and a company recognized by Forbes as 2020 Best Employers. Before that, she spent 13 years within Microsoft, where she held a number of senior HR leadership roles, such as head of HR for Microsoft Middle East & Africa, in Turkey. Prior to joining Microsoft in 1997, Warren was Responsible for the Human Resources function at Altron and Human Resources Manager at Standard Bank of South Africa. About IDEMIA IDEMIA, the global leader in Augmented Identity, provides a trusted environment enabling citizens and consumers alike to perform their daily critical activities (such as pay, connect and travel), in the physical as well as digital space.Securing our identity has become mission critical in the world we live in today. By standing for Augmented Identity, an identity that ensures privacy and trust and guarantees secure, authenticated and verifiable transactions, we reinvent the way we think, produce, use and protect one of our greatest assets our identity whether for individuals or for objects, whenever and wherever security matters. We provide Augmented Identity for international clients from Financial, Telecom, Identity, Public Security and IoT sectors. With close to 15,000 employees around the world, IDEMIA serves clients in 180 countries. For more information, visit www.idemia.com / Follow @IDEMIAGroup on Twitter View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210519005441/en/ SES S.A. announced the successful launch and pricing of a hybrid bond offering in which it has agreed to sell Deeply Subordinated Fixed Rate Resettable Securities for a total amount of EUR 625 million, with a first reset date on 27 August 2026. The notes will bear a Coupon of 2.875% per annum and were priced at 99.409% of their nominal value. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210520005435/en/ SES Successfully Prices EUR 625 Million Hybrid Bond Offering (Photo: Business Wire) The instruments credit ratings are expected to be Ba1/BB with Moodys and Standard & Poors respectively. The hybrid bonds issued by SES are non-dilutive instruments that are expected to receive 50% equity credit by both rating agencies and be classified as equity under IFRS. Proceeds of the issuance will be used for general corporate purposes which includes the possible refinancing of existing hybrid capital instruments. Concurrently, SES has also announced a capped tender offer for its outstanding hybrid EUR 750 million 4.625% Perp NC2022 at a fixed purchase yield at -0.10%. With this transaction SES has taken advantage of the current attractive market conditions to proactively refinance its hybrid tranche callable in January 2022 well in advance of the first call date. J.P. Morgan and MUFG Securities acted as Global Coordinators & Structuring Agents, together with BNP Paribas, Goldman Sachs International, HSBC, Mizuho Securities as Joint Bookrunners and Intesa Sanpaolo as Co-Lead. The settlement is scheduled for 27 May 2021 and application has been made for the notes to be listed on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange. The securities were placed with a broad range of institutional investors across Europe. Sandeep Jalan, Chief Financial Officer of SES, commented,We are pleased to have secured this new hybrid offering which allows us to proactively refinance the nearest hybrid call at significantly more favourable terms. The securities have not been registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act) or the securities laws of any other jurisdiction and may not be offered or sold in the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons absent registration or unless pursuant to an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act and any other applicable securities laws. No public offering of securities will be made in the United States of America or in any other jurisdiction where such an offering is restricted or prohibited. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy the securities, nor shall it constitute an offer, solicitation or sale in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. This announcement does not constitute and shall not, in any circumstances, constitute a public offering nor an invitation to the public in connection with any offer within the meaning of the Directive 2003/71/EC of the Parliament and Council of November 4, 2003 as implemented by the Member States of the European Economic Area (the Prospectus Directive). With respect to the member States of the European Economic Area which have implemented the Prospectus Directive (each, a relevant member State), no action has been undertaken or will be undertaken to make an offer to the public of the securities requiring a publication of a prospectus in any relevant member State. As a result, the securities may only be offered in relevant member States: (a) to qualified investors (as defined in the Prospectus Directive, including as amended by directive 2010/73/EU, to the extent that this amendment has been implemented by the relevant member State); or (b) in any other circumstances, not requiring the issuer to publish a prospectus as provided under article 3(2) of the Prospectus Directive. In addition to (and without prejudice to) the foregoing, in the European Economic Area this press release is directed only at persons who are not retail investors. For these purposes, a retail investor means a person who is one (or more) of: (i) a retail client as defined in point (11) of Article 4(1) of Directive 2014/65/EU (MiFID II); (ii) a customer within the meaning of Directive 2002/92/EC, where that customer would not qualify as a professional client as defined in point (10) of Article 4(1) of MiFID II; or (iii) a qualified investor within the meaning of Article 2(1)(e) of the Prospectus Directive (Directive 2003/71/EC as amended by Directive 2010/73/EU). With respect to the United Kingdom, this press release is only directed at (i) persons who are outside the United Kingdom, (ii) to investment professionals falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (the Order) or (iii) high net worth entities, and other persons to whom it may lawfully be communicated, falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Order (all such persons together being referred to as relevant persons). Any securities will only be available to, and any invitation, offer or agreement to subscribe, purchase or otherwise acquire such securities will be engaged in only with, relevant persons. Any person who is not a relevant person should not act or rely on this document or any of its contents. Follow us on: Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram Read our Blogs > Visit the Media Gallery > About SES SES has a bold vision to deliver amazing experiences everywhere on earth by distributing the highest quality video content and providing seamless connectivity around the world. As the leader in global content connectivity solutions, SES operates the worlds only multi-orbit constellation of satellites with the unique combination of global coverage and high performance, including the commercially-proven, low-latency Medium Earth Orbit O3b system. By leveraging a vast and intelligent, cloud-enabled network, SES is able to deliver high-quality connectivity solutions anywhere on land, at sea or in the air, and is a trusted partner to the worlds leading telecommunications companies, mobile network operators, governments, connectivity and cloud service providers, broadcasters, video platform operators and content owners. SESs video network carries over 8,400 channels and has an unparalleled reach of 361 million households, delivering managed media services for both linear and non-linear content. The company is listed on Paris and Luxembourg stock exchanges (Ticker: SESG). Further information is available at: www.ses.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210520005435/en/ Videos Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos. (Bloomberg) Planned tax adjustments in China are sparking a chain reaction thats set to boost crude imports and raise refinery run rates across the Asian nation, adding to its dominance in the global oil market. From mid-June, the top crude importer will introduce a levy on inbound flows of three oil-related items bitumen mix, light-cycle oil and mixed aromatics that are often used to make low-quality fuels or processed in refineries. Faced with the prospect of costlier products, Chinese buyers are on the hunt for barrels of suitable crudes they can use themselves to make replacements. Already, there are signs of a cascading effect. Spot differentials for Middle Eastern and Russian crude have risen to a multi-month high, while timespreads for Dubai crude strengthened on expectations China will continue its oil-purchasing spree. The spreads are a key gauge of the supply-demand balance. The Asian spot market is receiving temporary support from the recently announced tax on diluted bitumen in China, said Grayson Lim, a senior oil analyst at industry consultant FGE. Robust Asian spot activities should continue in months ahead as crude balances tighten. The knock-on effects of the new levy are playing out as China continues its recovery from last-years pandemic-driven hit. With the virus largely under control in sharp contrast to other parts of Asia Chinese refiners have been trying to meet the sharp rise in demand for fuels such as gasoline and diesel as personal mobility increases and industrial demand improves. Outside the industry, the affected products are not well-known, but they are just some of the many key building blocks that flow from crude. Bitumen mix can be used to produce material for roads or processed in refineries to yield poor-quality fuels, while light-cycle oil can be blended into diesel or fuel oil. The new tariffs suggest both bitumen mix and light-cycle oil wont be as cheap for processors to import in large volumes anymore, according to traders surveyed by Bloomberg. That will push them to buy other types of sludgy crude, or force refiners to pick up more crude that yields more diesel. In turn, thats likely to mean some Chinese refineries will need to ramp up rates at plants to take on the increased crude supply, churning out their own fuels like diesel and fuel oil for domestic use or exports, the traders said. Apart from the tariffs, FGEs Lim also sees a lift in Chinas crude appetite coming from buying by independent refiners in anticipation of a new batch of import quotas. In addition, trial runs and ramp-ups at mega-processors such as Rongsheng Petrochemical Co. and Shenghong Group are seen lifting purchases. A further twist may be seen in Malaysia, which has been a major supplier of bitumen mix some of which is Venezuelas Merey crude in disguise to China. After the tax changes, refiners may instead increase imports of heavy grades such as Iraqi Basrah Heavy, Colombian Castilla, and Napo from Ecuador, according to analytics firm JLC. Ahead of the shift, Chinas light-cycle oil imports swelled to a record of more than 2 million tons last month, from 1.36 million a year earlier, government data show. Much of that typically comes from refiners in South Korea and Japan, which been shipping out notable volumes of the newly-levied items. The biggest impact of this tax is that it diverted overall crude demand and refining to China from other parts in Asia, said Yuntao Liu, a London-based oil analyst with Energy Aspects. Contact editor Michael Bellart (michaelbellart@caixin.com) Download our app to receive breaking news alerts and read the news on the go. Get our weekly free Must-Read newsletter. Flash An enormous iceberg, currently the largest in the world, measuring around 4,320 square km in size, has broken from an ice shelf in Antarctica, the European Space Agency (ESA) said on Wednesday. The iceberg, dubbed A-76, spotted in recent images captured by the Copernicus Sentinel-1 mission, is around 170 km in length and 25 km wide, and is slightly larger than the Spanish island of Majorca, said the ESA. It has calved from the western side of the Ronne Ice Shelf, lying in the Weddell Sea, in Antarctica. It is larger than the A-23A iceberg (approximately 3,880 square km in size), which is also located in the Weddell Sea. In comparison, the A-74 iceberg that broke off the Brunt Ice Shelf in February, was only 1,270 square km. Temperatures have risen dramatically in Antarctica region over recent decades, causing melting of sea surface and breakups of ice shelves. Irit Ben Abba (left), the new Israeli ambassador to China, met with Hong Lei, Director of the Protocol Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, and submitted a copy of her credentials in February. The majority of the Israelis supports a two-state solution to resolve the decades-long conflict with the Palestinians, but the two sides may not be able to launch new round of peace talks before the Palestinian election, Israeli ambassador to China Irit Ben-Abba Vitale said in an interview with Caixin. The two-state solution is the only feasible option for the two sides, Ben-Abba told Caixin on May 13, adding: We are not interested in interim solutions and going back and forth. We had this so many times in the past. However, the Israeli ambassador believed that the Palestinian side has not been ready to return to the negotiation table due to their delayed parliamentary and presidential elections this year. We need to be sure that our partners are really serious and getting the final solution, Ben-Abba said. The struggle between Israelis and Palestinians is one of the worlds most enduring conflicts with deep roots in historic claims to the land that lies between the eastern shores of the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River. Many attempts have been made to resolve the conflict as part of the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. While the two-state solution refers to an independent State of Palestine alongside the State of Israel. The boundary between the two states is still subject to dispute and negotiation, with Palestinian and Arab leadership insisting on the 1967 borders, which is not accepted by Israel. China has long supported the two-state solution. During a Sunday United Nations Security Council meeting, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said that China supports the two sides in resuming peace talks based on a two-state solution as soon as possible. The solution would establish an independent State of Palestine that enjoys full sovereignty with East Jerusalem as its capital and based on the 1967 border, and fundamentally realize the peaceful coexistence of Palestine and Israel, realize the harmonious coexistence of the Arab and Jewish nations, and realize lasting peace in the Middle East, Wang said. During the United Nations Security Council meeting chaired by Wang, he also offered to host Palestinian and Israeli representatives for direct talks in China. However, the Israeli ambassador said that Were not sure there is a partner to come back to the negotiation table and we dont see this in the last couple of years. The last round of peace talks took place from 2010 to 2011 between former U.S. President Barack Obama, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas. The Palestinian parliamentary and presidential elections, which had been scheduled in May and July respectively, also complicated the prospect of peace talks. President Abbas postponed the planned elections late last month over voting in Israeli-annexed East Jerusalem and divisions in his Fatah party. Ben-Abba claimed that the current Palestinian leadership may have no ambition to press forward with the peace process. Maybe we have to wait for the next generation of Palestinian leadership, she said. Read Caixins interview with Palestinian Ambassador to China Fariz Mehdawi here. Contact reporter Lu Zhenhua (zhenhualu@caixin.com) and editor Michael Bellart (michaelbellart@caixin.com) Download our app to receive breaking news alerts and read the news on the go. Get our weekly free Must-Read newsletter. Dakota graduated from Bret Harte in 2013 and went to Davidson College, NC where she earned a bachelor's degree in Arab studies. After spending time studying in the Middle East and Europe, she is happy to be home, writing about the community she loves. Follow Dakota Morlan Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today Become A Subscriber A subscription opens up access to all our online content, including: our interactive E-Edition, a full archive of modern stories, exclusive and expanded online offerings, photo galleries from Caledonian-Record journalists, video reports from our media partners, extensive international, national and regional reporting by the Associated Press, and a wide variety of feature content. Smart products from China see warm welcome overseas People's Daily Online) 10:06, May 21, 2021 1. Farmers in Clanwilliam, South Africa, spray crops with unmanned aerial vehicles produced by Chinese drone maker DJI. (Photo/Integrated Aerial Systems) 2. Workers at Huzhou Nanyang Electric-Motor Co., Ltd., located in east China's Zhejiang province, make variable-frequency drives for washing machines for foreign customers, April 26. (cpanet.cn/Zhang Bin) 3. Photo shows an electric bus under Chinese brand BYD in a street in Kyoto, Japan. (Xinhua/Ma Ping) Smart product manufacturers in China have built technological strength, improved their quality, and enhanced brand construction, making them more popular with foreign consumers. Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer BYD rolled out an electric double-decker bus in London in 2015. After that, the company joined hands with Alexander Dennis, Britain's biggest bus builder, to go into electric bus production. Over 400 electric buses jointly made by the two sides are now in operation in Britain, taking a share of over 60 percent of the local market. In fact, BYDs electric buses have entered over 100 cities in more than 20 European countries. They have travelled a total of over 60 million kilometers in these countries, cutting carbon dioxide emissions by 60,000 tonnes. Last September, BYD received an order of 106 electric buses from Nobina, the largest public transport company in the Nordic region, officially opened its doors to Finland. "In our five years of cooperation, BYD has provided cleaner, more comfortable and sustainable traveling solutions, which fully meet our demands for high-quality public transportation," said a spokesperson for Nobina. According to He Yipeng, general manager of BYD Europe, developed countries in Europe are their first choice for expanding business overseas, as the company hopes to improve the quality of products through benign competition with local market players. So far, BYD has received orders for over 1,500 electric-powered buses from European countries, and holds about 20 percent of the European market. BYD is the only company in the world that has mastered core technologies for electric buses, including chips, batteries, motors, and electronic control and charging devices, making it highly competitive in overseas markets. More and more farmers in South Africawhether they grow sugarcane, corn, citrus, or even Rooibos tea plants, which are particularly demandinghave chosen unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) produced by Chinese drone maker DJI for crop spraying and other kinds of farm work due to their high performance and convenience. "We picked DJI's products from a variety of drone manufacturers," said Decoste, a co-founder of a South African company that is engaged in the commercial application of UAVs, which introduces DJI's drones to local farmers. The company has brought back home eight UAVs from DJI, and plans to enhance supply to satisfy the increasing demand from local farmers, pointed out Decoste, adding that DJI offers a diverse range of products that are safe, durable and with guaranteed quality. Designed for targeted spraying, DJI products can reduce pesticide residues in crops, which meets South Africa's requirements for environmental protection in agriculture, according to a Rooibos tea farmer in the country. Chinese sci-tech products are innovative and cost-effective, Decoste said, adding that his company has purchased many products from Huawei for the operation of UAVs. Local people are also very familiar with Xiaomi and Lenovo branded Chinese smart products. Last June, the branch of Chinese home appliance provider Haier in Europe (or Haier Europe) launched a smart home app, which not only helps users manage their Haier home appliances, but also provides diversified and immersive interaction scenarios. Since being introduced into the market, it has been registered by 2 million users. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Haier's business in Europe maintained rapid growth, driven by local consumers' growing demand for more healthy and intelligent home appliances. Last year, sales of Haier's high-end home appliances rose by 20 to 30 percent year on year, the fastest out of all home appliance makers in the European market, according to Yannick Fierling, CEO of Haier Europe. Haier has also gathered pace in improving its overseas production capacity. The company is expected to put into operation a refrigerator factory in Romania in June. With a total investment of over 70 million euros (about $85 million), the factory has equipped the production line with over 30 robots, and is able to produce 1 million refrigerators per year. (Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun) Flash The Chinese Embassy in Egypt held an online symposium on Tuesday to mark the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Egypt. Titled as 65 Years of Support and Cooperation, Hand in Hand for Better Future, the virtual meeting was attended by top diplomats and research centers from the two countries. "Over the past 65 years, China and Egypt shared good and deep cooperation ties that presented a model of the China-Arab and -African relations," said Special Envoy of the Chinese Government on the Middle East Issue Zhai Jun. China and Egypt established comprehensive strategic partnership in late 2014, pushing their bilateral relations forward to a new level in all fields. Zhai said the two countries have supported each other in facing the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, adding China has encouraged its companies to provide full support for Egypt in this regard. So far, China has been going all out to participate in the Egyptian mega projects in the Suez Canal economic zone and the new administrative capital. By the end of 2020, China-Egypt TEDA Suez Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone has attracted 96 enterprises and investment of over 1.25 billion U.S. dollars. With revenues exceeding 2.5 billion dollars, the businesses in the zone have paid taxes of more than 176 million dollars and provided about 4,000 direct jobs and 36,000 employment opportunities in related industries. Tariq Al-Wasmi, assistant foreign minister of Egypt for Asian affairs, said the past seven years witnessed a leap in the two countries' ties, adding China has contributed experience, funds and direct large investments in Egypt. He also hailed Egypt's participation in the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative as a significant indication for more serious cooperation between the two countries. The Egyptian diplomat expressed appreciation to China for sharing information with and providing medical service and vaccines for Egypt, noting the two countries' deal to manufacture the COVID-19 vaccine in Egypt will contribute to the fight against the virus in neighboring countries. Egyptian Health Minister Hala Zayed announced recently that Egypt will start producing China's Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine in June. At the symposium, Yang Fuchang, former vice minister of foreign affairs of China, attributed the good relations between China and Egypt partly to the consensus of both countries that interventions in other countries' domestic affairs are not encouraged. The strong friendship established between China and Egypt cannot be spoiled by any force, Yang noted. article $100.00 / for 365 days Sponsored Content Articles Policy & Procedure Only content submissions which satisfy our conditions for publication will be published. The fee for publication via this portal is $100. This fee is non-refundable. To accomplish your publication purchase, you must be logged-in as a website user: https://www.capemaycountyherald.com/users/signup This purchase is for online publication only. If print publication is also desired, please proceed with the purchase of online publication and contact Advertise@cmcHerald.com regarding print publication. By default, approved/paid submissions will be published to the "Lifestyle" section of the website. Requests for other urls/sections deemed relevant to the submission will be honored. Submissions may contain links including do-follow links. 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By initiating this transaction, the submitter assumes any and all liability associated with publication of the submitted content (e.g., infringement, licensing) and agrees to defend and hold the Publisher harmless. remaining of Thank you for reading! This is your last free article before you will be asked to subscribe. Already have a paid subscription? Sign in Do you have an athlete in mind that contributes to the team or sport, holds sportsmanship and team spirit, has epic playmaker moments and/or in general makes the the sports fun? If yes, please make your nominations for our edition of Athlete Spotlight. CLICK TO NOMINATE Aaron McGlothin, union president at the Federal Correctional Institution at Mendota, stands in front of the prison during a protest against staffing shortages, near the prison entrance in Mendota, Calif., Monday, May 17, 2021. (AP Photo/Gary Kazanjian) The town of Bogue earlier this month met the deadline to apply for a grant for funds to buy this land off Highway 24, east of town hall, for a park. (Brad Rich photo) Carroll, IA (51401) Today Windy with showers and thunderstorms likely. High 86F. Winds SW at 25 to 35 mph. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight Some clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 62F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph. In case Hayao Miyazaki needed another spur to work hard, he now has one in the form of Demon Slayer Kimetsu no Yaiba The Movie: Mugen Train. Miyazaki, 80, sees the hugely successful anime feature as a rival, according to Toshio Suzuki, his longtime producer at Studio Ghibli. Appearing on the Fuji TV show Bokura no Jidai, Suzuki said that he hasnt seen Mugen Train but when he described the gist of it to Miyazaki, the director replied, That kind of film would be a hit. Well, to me its a rival. Released in Japanese theaters in October, Mugen Train has since become the highest-grossing film of all time in the country, knocking Miyazakis Spirited Away into second place. It was also the highest-earning film worldwide in 2020. Its global gross stands at more than $475 million. Photo: The Canadian Press A model shows the proposed liquefied natural gas liquification plant and marine terminal in Kitimat, B.C., June 26, 2014. A British Columbia First Nations group says it's disappointed by the news that a second major investor is looking to sell its shares in the Kitimat Liquefied Natural Gas development. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Robin Rowland A British Columbia First Nations coalition says it's disappointed by the news that a second major investor is looking to sell its shares in the Kitimat Liquefied Natural Gas development. Woodside Petroleum Ltd., an Australian company, says it plans sell its 50 per cent stake in the 480-kilometre Pacific Trail Pipeline and the proposed LNG facility at Bish Cove. The First Nations Limited Partnership, which represents 16 First Nations in northern B.C., says the decision to sell is both disappointing and poses a threat to its members' commercial interests. Woodside's announcement comes after Chevron Canada Ltd., the operator of the project, said earlier this year that it would stop funding further feasibility work on the project. The company put its interest up for sale in December 2019, but has failed to find a buyer. Mark Podlasly, the partnership's chair, said he believes the energy project has national benefits and the latest news hurts the group's members. "We are incredibly disappointed by this setback. The (First Nations Limited Partnership) stands ready to support the right buyers who will treat us as a genuine partner and recognize the unique value we can bring to the table," he said. Woodside says it will keep a position in the Liard Basin upstream gas resource. It did not immediately return a request for comment on the partnership's statements. At one time, about 20 LNG terminals were proposed for the West Coast, but the $40-billion LNG Canada project headed by Shell Canada is the only one to reach the construction stage. Woodside acting CEO Meg O'Neill said the decision to sell will allow the company to focus on higher-value opportunities in Australia and Senegal. Re: What group are you in? How kind of you to summarize our society down to only two groups of people. It makes life so much easier to only have to decide between team A or team B; however, your view of the world is not only naive, it is ignorant. I propose that most of the world is in the unmentioned group three. Heaven forbid there be more than two choices hey? To help you better understand Harry, I'm going to take a moment to explain to you who the majority of the population are. The internet is not only full of conspiracies and misinformation but it also happens to be full of facts, facts from people who do not get a spotlight in the mainstream media, or acknowledged by 'influencers' on social media. These facts also come from people who are top of their profession and know a thing or two about viruses and PPE. Those of us in this third group have managed to understand by now that the internet must be carefully navigated to find the truth among the dirt. We also use our intellect to help decipher what should and should not be trusted, instead of handing over our intellect to that of the mainstream media and government. We in the third group actually do watch the news and mainstream media to stay informed on what all sources are saying, because we understand it's important to glean from all sources to better understand who is lying and who is telling the truth. When you gather information from both sides, the mainstream media becomes more of a farce than fact and you begin to see the leaning narrative. Also, when gleaning from the 'crazy conspiracy theorists' you also can see the leaning narrative there, thus allowing those with their own intellect to create a balanced perspective. Believe it or not Harry, we in the third group respect the rules outlined for COVID, because we respect people in our community. Believe it or not Harry, you may have grocery shopped next to us, but because we were wearing a mask you may not have recognized us. We in the third group also understand the dangers in allowing the government to encroach on our rights. We understand fighting over wearing a mask in a grocery store is not worth the efforts, but fighting for our ability to travel within our own country without showing papers. Allowing 200 people in a local Winners, but not allowing people to gather in faith is also unacceptable. We in the third group think it's absolutely outrageous that seniors who have lived a full and happy life are now dying alone with their family waving at them through a window. We in the third group are devastated over the loss of teenagers killing themselves because of a mental health break down. We in the third group think lockdowns cause more damage than good and are truly concerned about the short and long term effects on the economy because we have to live in this economy for the next few decades, but we also wear our masks to the grocery store and collected CERB and stayed home when we were told we could not work. It seems the first group have a lot to understand about the types of people out there. But I wouldn't expect you to know too much, because it sounds like you've locked yourself in your house with your only knowledge of the outside world being fed to you through your television, while collecting government money. Please don't tell me you wear a mask while driving alone in your car. The rest of us have learned how to navigate this world by using our intelligence to balance the narrative of both sides, while still living a life worth living. As for your Spanish flu reference, a quick internet search has told me there were 1.8 billion people in the world at the time of the Spanish Flu, which killed 50 million. Right now we have a population of around 8 billion and this virus has killed 3 million. Clearly, COVID is not the Spanish flu and has hardly had a pin-prick of the same ratio results. Us in your unmentioned third group understand the importance of researching facts before accusing others of being conspiracy theorists. Shonah Nykiforuk Photo: The Canadian Press A Canadian Pacific Railway employee walks along the side of a locomotive in a marshalling yard in Calgary on May 16, 2012. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd. has told Kansas City Southern that it won't raise its takeover bid and urged the U.S. railway to reject rival CN Rail's US$33.6-billion offer that it claims won't be approved by the U.S. regulator. In a letter ahead of its deadline to respond to CN's revised offer, CP Rail chief executive Keith Creel said the Calgary-based railway won't "engage in a bidding war in reaction to CN's illusory offer." He said several recent events, including the Department of Justice's opposition and the Surface Transportation Board's decision that stricter merger rules will be used to evaluate CN Rail's voting trust, are enough for KCS to no longer consider CN's bid to be superior. "We respectfully believe there is no longer any basis to terminate the CP-KCS merger agreement," Creel wrote. "The best way for the KCS Board to fulfil its fiduciary duties in light of recent developments would be to continue to pursue the CP-KCS combination, which already has the benefit of STB approval to use a voting trust." In a presentation to an investor conference, Creel acknowledged having held "high level discussions" with a potential investor that could help the railway raise its offer. "I'm never going to say never, but I can tell you there's no appetite to overpay. So there's no need for a partnership," he said. "We have the balance sheet to pay the right price to unlock this potential, this value. And anything else that's enabled would be a bidding war and we're not going to get into a bidding war." Creel described CN rail as "an interloper" that's willing to take on huge debt to deliver an offer that can't be successful. "They decided to weaponize their balance sheet, to lever up, to use debt to bout the competition and snuff it out." He said CN's merger with KCS would be bad for competition in the U.S. rail system by reducing the number of lines shippers could use, something he said CN has tried to minimize. As an independent regulator, he said the STB will make the right decision to protect the rail system by preventing CN's proposal from being successful. "Value not achievable is value not believable," he told the Bank of America Securities transportation, airlines and industrials conference. "We're not going to financially impair ourselves to create a company that isn't able to invest in the network that needs to be invested in to realize its potential." However, he warned that if CP is unsuccessful, the strong track record of the remaining smallest Class 1 railroad would make it an attractive takeover target. "If it would make sense for CN and KCS with the complexities it represents, then I would suggest it could be made with us and the partner that might choose us." Photo: The Canadian Press Palestinians on a horse carte loaded with belongings, pass by destroyed homes, to which they returned following a cease-fire reached after an 11-day war between Gaza's Hamas rulers and Israel. Palestinians rallied by the thousands Friday after a cease-fire took effect in the latest Gaza war, with many viewing it as costly but clear victory for the Islamic militant group Hamas. Israel vowed to respond with a new level of force to any further hostilities. The 11-day war left more than 200 dead the vast majority Palestinians and brought widespread devastation to the already impoverished Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip. But the rocket barrages that brought life to a standstill in much of Israel were seen by many Palestinians as a bold response to perceived Israeli abuses in Jerusalem, the emotional heart of the conflict. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned against further attacks, saying, If Hamas thinks we will tolerate a drizzle of rockets, it is wrong. He vowed to respond with a new level of force" against aggression anywhere in Israel. The Israeli leader, who has faced criticism from his hawkish base for ending the offensive prematurely, said Israel had done daring and new things, and this without being dragged into unnecessary adventures. He added that Israeli forces had caused maximum damage to Hamas with a minimum of casualties in Israel. Israeli strikes killed more than 200 militants, including 25 senior commanders, and hit more than 100 kilometers (60 miles) of militant tunnels, Netanyahu said. The truce faced an early test when clashes broke out between Palestinian protesters and Israeli police following Friday prayers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, a flashpoint holy site in Jerusalem that is sacred to Jews and Muslims. It was unclear what sparked the violence. Police fired stun grenades and tear gas, and Palestinians hurled rocks and at least one firebomb after hundreds took part in a celebratory demonstration in which they waved Palestinian and Hamas flags and cheered the militant group. Clashes between protesters and police there earlier this month were one of the main triggers for the war. Protesters also clashed with Israeli troops in parts of the occupied West Bank, which has seen violent demonstrations in recent days linked to Jerusalem and Gaza. Thousands took to the streets of Gaza as the cease-fire took hold at 2 a.m. Young men waved Palestinian and Hamas flags, passed out sweets, honked horns and set off fireworks. Celebrations also broke out overnight in east Jerusalem and across the occupied West Bank. Israel captured all three territories in the 1967 war and the Palestinians want them for their future state. An open-air market in Gaza City that was closed throughout the war reopened and shoppers could be seen stocking up on fresh tomatoes, cabbage and watermelons. Workers in orange traffic vests swept up rubble from surrounding roads. Life will return, because this is not the first war, and it will not be the last war, said shop owner Ashraf Abu Mohammad. The heart is in pain, there have been disasters, families wiped from the civil registry, and this saddens us. But this is our fate in this land, to remain patient. There was little to celebrate in the hard-hit northern town of Beit Hanoun, where residents, many of whom had lost loved ones, surveyed wrecked homes. We see such huge destruction here, its the first time in history weve seen this," said Azhar Nsair. The cease-fire is for people who didnt suffer, who didnt lose their loved ones, whose homes were not bombed. Like the three previous wars, the latest round of fighting ended inconclusively. Israel claimed it inflicted heavy damage on Hamas with hundreds of bruising airstrikes but once again was unable to halt the rockets. Hamas also claimed victory but faces the daunting challenge of rebuilding in a territory already suffering from high unemployment and a coronavirus outbreak. At least 243 Palestinians were killed, including 66 children, with 1,910 people wounded, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which does not list the numbers of fighters and civilians. Twelve people were killed in Israel, including a 5-year-old boy and 16-year-old girl. In Gaza, rescue workers were still recovering bodies from areas that had been too dangerous to enter. Five were collected Friday in the southern town of Khan Younis, including that of a 3-year-old, the Red Crescent emergency service said. The fighting began May 10, when Hamas militants in Gaza fired long-range rockets toward Jerusalem. The barrage came after days of clashes between Palestinian protesters and Israeli police at Al-Aqsa. Heavy-handed police tactics at the compound, and the threatened eviction of dozens of Palestinian families by Jewish settlers had inflamed tensions. The competing claims to Jerusalem lie at the heart of the conflict and have repeatedly triggered bouts of violence. The cease-fire was brokered by neighboring Egypt after the U.S. pressed Israel to wind down the offensive. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken plans to visit the region to discuss recovery efforts and working together to build better futures for Israelis and Palestinians. the State Department said. Hamas and other militant groups fired over 4,000 rockets at Israeli cities, launching them from civilian areas. Dozens landed as far north as the bustling commercial capital of Tel Aviv. Israel, meanwhile, carried out hundreds of airstrikes, targeting what it said was Hamas military infrastructure. The United States, Israels closest and most important ally, initially backed what it said was Israels right to self-defense against indiscriminate rocket fire. But as the fighting dragged on and deaths mounted, the Americans increasingly pressured Israel to stop the offensive. President Joe Biden welcomed the cease-fire. He said the U.S. was committed to helping Israel replenish its supply of interceptor missiles and to working with the internationally recognized Palestinian Authority not Hamas to provide humanitarian aid to Gaza. Netanyahu faced heavy criticism from members of his hawkish, nationalist base. Gideon Saar, a former ally who leads a small party opposed to the prime minister, called the cease-fire embarrassing. Itamar Ben Gvir, head of the far-right Jewish Power party, tweeted that the cease-fire was a grave surrender to terrorism and the dictates of Hamas. In a potentially damaging development for the Israeli leader, the Palestinian militants claimed Netanyahu had agreed to halt further Israeli actions at the Al Aqsa Mosque and to call off the planned evictions of Palestinians in the nearby Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood. An Egyptian official said only that tensions in Jerusalem will be addressed. Some 58,000 Palestinians sought shelter in crowded U.N. schools amid a coronavirus outbreak. Thousands returned to their homes as the truce took hold. The fighting dealt another blow to the already decrepit infrastructure in Gaza. The small coastal territory, home to more than 2 million Palestinians, has been under an Israeli-Egyptian blockade since Hamas seized power from forces loyal to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in 2007, confining his authority to parts of the occupied West Bank. The World Health Organization says 30 health facilities in Gaza were damaged, with one clinic destroyed and another with significant damage. An airstrike damaged the only facility in Gaza processing coronavirus tests, forcing a halt to testing in the territory. Fabrizio Carboni, regional director for the Near and Middle East at the International Committee of the Red Cross, estimated there were several hundred pieces of unexploded ordnance strewn in Gaza, adding that medical supplies were a pressing need. Photo: The Canadian Press Canadian Foreign Minister Marc Garneau, speaks during a meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, at the Harpa Concert Hall in Reykjavik, Iceland, Wednesday, May 19, 2021, on the sidelines of the Arctic Council Ministerial summit. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Saul Loeb/Pool Photo via AP Global Affairs Minister Marc Garneau says Canada welcomes a ceasefire ending the 11-day war between Israel and Hamas that left hundreds of people dead. In a statement posted on his Twitter account, Garneau says he is appalled by the tragic loss of life and urges all sides to further de-escalate tensions. Garneau says Canada is calling on Israelis and Palestinians for a renewed commitment to peace and is standing ready to support efforts toward a two-state solution. The truce took effect at 2 a.m. local time today after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said his Security Cabinet had unanimously accepted the Egyptian ceasefire proposal. At least 230 Palestinians were killed, including 65 children and 39 women, with 1,710 people wounded, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Twelve people in Israel, including a 5-year-old boy and 16-year-old girl, were killed. The fighting erupted on May 10, when Hamas militants in Gaza Strip fired long-range rockets toward Jerusalem. The barrage came after days of clashes between Palestinian protesters and Israeli police at the Al-Aqsa Mosque, the third holiest site in Islam, which is built on a hilltop site sacred to Jews in the holy city. Tensions were fuelled by a lengthy legal battle waged by Israeli settlers to take over properties and plan for the removal of dozens of Palestinians from the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood of East Jerusalem. Photo: BIV Vancouver International Airport The federal government is extending its ban on commercial and privates flights entering Canada from India and Pakistan amid surging COVID-19 cases and variants in the South Asian countries. Transport Minister Omar Alghabra revealed Friday the 30-day ban, initially introduced April 22, would now be extended to June 24. Ottawa is also extending the third-country pre-departure testing requirements for India and Pakistan. This means that passengers who depart from India or Pakistan, bound for Canada via an indirect route must obtain a valid COVID-19 test results from a third country before boarding a flight to Canada, Alghabra said. We know that this is not the right time to loosen any measures right now. Alghabra said border restrictions during the pandemic has resulted in a 96% reduction in air traffic and an 82% reduction in land traffic. Photo: The Canadian Press A heavy hauler trucks transports material in the oilsands in Fort McMurray, Alta., on Monday, June 13, 2017. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson UPDATE MAY 28 The Canadian Press has clarified a May 21 story on anti-Alberta inquiry researcher Vivian Krause. An early version of the story did not include proper sourcing in headlines and the lead paragraph. The story said Krause had backed off an assertion that environmental groups are trying to landlock Canadian oil to benefit American competitors. In fact, it is critics who say she has backed off the assertion. Krause says she is not backing off because she never made that claim in the first place. ORIGINAL MAY 21 A researcher whose work helped prompt Alberta's inquiry into anti-oilsands campaigns seems to have backed away from one of her major allegations. Vivian Krause says she has never accused U.S. charitable foundations of trying to landlock Canadian oil to specifically benefit American competitors. In a series of social media posts this week, Krause says she has no evidence of such collusion. She says her concern is that anti-oilsands campaigns may have unintentionally allowed U.S oil production to increase and didn't benefit the environment. In a 2016 piece written for the Financial Post, Krause wrote that anti-pipeline activism says it's about climate change but is really about U.S. economic protectionism. She has also written that she has inquired whether it is legal for U.S. charities to try to influence the price of oil in that country by landlocking Canada's product. Note to readers: This is a corrected story. An earlier version included a reference to comments by Premier Jason Kenney. Photo: Contributed British Columbias largest technology companies have continued to grow unabated despite the global pandemic. During the past year, the provinces biggest tech companies boasted their second-highest one-year average growth in employment over the past five years, according to data collected on Business in Vancouvers Top 100 Tech Companies in B.C. list (https://biv.com/lists). Average B.C. employment at the top 100 tech companies grew 5.2% to 431.2 employees in 2021 from 410 in 2020. However, average growth has slowed slightly from the 7.1% growth reported in 2020. While the average growth in the number of employees has remained relatively stable over the past three years, median growth fell significantly to 2.8% in 2021 from 18.3% in 2020. This suggests that larger companies higher on the list grew faster than smaller companies lower on the list. Companies that were on the list five years ago moved up in rank on the list by an average by 5.7 places. More companies moved up than down, but the companies that fell in rank did so by 7.2 places on average. No. 35 Copperleaf had the largest movement up the list. It jumped 46 places to 35th in 2021 from 81st in 2020. This escalation was largely the result of a 165.6% growth in B.C. employment to 247 in 2021 from 93 in 2017. LivaNova Canada Corp. recorded the steepest decline in list ranking. It dropped 32 places to 48th in 2021 from 16th in 2015. This was largely because of a 50.4% decline in employment to 190 in 2021 from 383 in 2017. A Minneapolis jury found ex-police officer Derek Chauvin guilty on all counts in the murder of George Floyd. Follow this live blog for developments in the case and local reactions around metro Atlanta. Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription, or activate your access, to continue reading. FLSmidth delivers chlorine bypass system to Cimpor Cement 21 May 2021 Cimpor, the Iberian region's leading producer of cement, has called upon FLSmidth to deliver a chlorine bypass solution for its site in Souselas, Portugal. Following a new EPC order from Cimpor, booked at the end of last year, FLSmidth will deliver a chlorine bypass solution, eliminating chlorine build-up in the flue gas as Cimpor plan to increase its alternative fuel rate to above 60 per cent. Work on the chlorine bypass is expected to start in 3Q21 with production returning to normal in early 2022. "Investing in the chlorine bypass is a key step on our journey towards reducing our environmental footprint," explains Paulo Evangelista, project manager at Cimpor. "On top of the obvious incentives to increase our fuel substitution like; less CO 2 emissions and financial savings, we are experiencing better waste handling infrastructure in the local area, all this has made it an easy choice to make. FLSmidth knows our Souselas site and has been key in delivering a solution that will enable this next phase on our sustainability journey," he adds. We are very excited to be back on the ground in Souselas," says Omar Rabia, sales manager at FLSmidth. Back in 2001, we upgraded the kiln and installed an SF cooler and downdraft calciner at the site giving us a head start on the bypass upgrade. We are really happy to be a part of this new project and the continued journey towards sustainable productivity at Souselas." Cimpor expects around 40 per cent of future heat consumption to come from refuse-derived fuel (RDF). RDF tends to lead to higher concentrations of chlorine in the gas streams. When chlorine can no longer be absorbed in the calcination and clinker process, the flue gas is funnelled via the bypass, cooled down and filtered. In many cases the excess chlorine can be added at a later stage in the process. Published under Buena Vista, CO (81211) Today Sunny. High around 80F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Clear skies. Low 43F. S winds shifting to NW at 10 to 15 mph. Danville Police arrested a suspect in a pair of armed robberies; The suspect in a bizarre probe in Caswell County is behind bars; Another big vaccination clinic is set for Saturday in Danville; The slate of candidates is decided in this fall's city and county elections. The state of Oregon has allegedly gotten so bad that a big crowd host of citizenry is ready to change license plates. Thats nothing new; people are leaving the liberal woke states like California and Illinois in record numbers, but this is far different; these disgruntled and, quite frankly, furious residents who have had enough of the Democrat rule are keeping their dirt they want the Oregon state line moved (!) to where their propertys street address will stay the same but will be in western Idaho instead of eastern Oregon. Thats right, in the ultimate insult to the liberal elite, five Oregon entire counties have just voted to secede into a Greater Idaho and two other eastern Oregon counties will vote on similar measures in upcoming elections. Ask Idaho Governor Brad Little, a Republican, about the request and hell mumble around about better regulatory atmosphere but press him hard and his one-word answer is loud and clear: Values (not property; moral and ethical instead.) This election proves that rural Oregon wants out of Oregon, lead petitioner Mike McCarter said in a statement to local media outlets on Tuesday (May 18.) the Epoch Times reported. If Oregon really believes in liberal values such as self-determination, the Legislature wont hold our counties captive against our will. If were allowed to vote for which government officials we want, we should be allowed to vote for which government we want as well. McCarter told the Oregonian last year that the bid to join Idaho is more of a lifestyle/values judgment that separates rural and urban residents. Oh, heaven help! The dummies in Portland, seeking to set a Guinness record for the Most Consecutive Night of Rioting have had 380 persons shot since defunding the police and officers are quitting in record numbers. Business is moving out of Portland, and longtime residents are hightailing to other states. The Wall Street Journal recently reported the real estate hotbed in all of America is now Boise any home with a value over a million dollars in selling drum roll for three times its worth. Hordes and hordes from California are each shocked by the same thing after they settle. In every interview youll hear, The people here are so nice! We have never been as happy. * * * I LOVE THE IDEA BUT IT WILL NEVER HAPPEN From the Epoch Times, May 19, 2021: The bid, however, appears to be a long shot as it would require a formal vote in the Democratic-controlled Oregon legislature. If that goes through, Oregon and Idaho would have to come up with a deal, which would then have to be ratified by the U.S. Congress. Throughout the history of the United States, changing state lines has been a rare occurrence - all taking place before the 20th century. In 1792, Kentucky was created from Virginias territory, Maine was created from Massachusetts in 1820, and West Virginia in 1863 was admitted into the United States when Union states and counties separated themselves from the Confederate ones during the Civil War. * * * WHY A FULL NINE OREGON COUNTIES WANT TO BE PART OF A GREATER IDAHO Voters in Malheur, Sherman, Grant, Baker and Lake counties want to secede to Idaho due to what they believe is the nutty leadership. Leaders in Portland and two other counties Harney and Douglas indicate their citizens also choose Idahos common sense over Oregon Governor Kate Browns liberal stance. Oregons Jefferson and Union counties already approved measures last year to promote a move to Idaho. Move Oregons Border for a Greater Idaho petitioners have since been approached by some interested groups from Northern California. Surprised? In a just-for-fun way, allow me to share some of the comments that 3,000 and counting have posted on The Epoch Times site: * * * SOME COMMENTS ON A GREATER IDAHO * -- Johnny Rebellion says: What these people are fighting against is what will happen to all of us when Democrats get rid of the Electoral College. The big, liberal cities will rule. Our conservative voices will be silenced. * -- Jennifer says: Unless you can control immigration on a local level. Idaho is doomed. We have been colonized by Californians and there is no end in sight. Liberals are a cancer. They move from a dying host to a healthy host. Rinse and repeat. They are destroyers like their father, Satan. * -- Eli Alore says: Let them go ruin another state. * -- Texas22Step says: You can do it! Make your will known. It is your last stand! * -- Alicelouise58 says: Can you imagine if all the conservative areas moved borders like this? The only leftist areas would be major cities. * -- Tim_MO3 says: Idaho would have a beach front! * -- Mneighbo2 says: Northern California has long talked about splitting from Southern CA. Doubt if it would ever happen, but if it did, I might consider moving back there to the North Woods. Parts of Northern CA are actually very conservative. They are just outnumbered by the lunatics. * -- mmanoogi says: You lucky (expletive)!! Being in Eastern WA, Im jealous. * -- Lisa Smith says: CA would be better off if most of it joined Greater Idaho. Leave LA, SF, and Sacramento to Governor Newsom. * -- marketman613 says: Michigan is the samecontrolled by Wayne County and Grand Rapids. The rest of the state is red. An electoral college at the state level could be helpful in leveling out the voices of everyone in the state. * -- Eli Alore says: Instead of joining Idaho, form a new state. Just like the city of Washington D.C. wants. * -- Wilson Horner says: As far off of a chance that this has, its still more likely than being able to become its own state. The (Upper Peninsula) of Michigan has been trying for decades. * -- laelhasty says: This is just a move for survival If this works it will be just the beginningno rational human would want to choose to live in a blue state. * -- MAYJESUSBEPRAISED says: Seceding will not happen. They are gearing up for a civil war. People are sick of the over-reaching and there will be infighting that will escalate to a full-blown war. Portland politics is out of control. Mayor Wheeler is a nut job letting his city burn to the ground. People just want to live in peace and be free and the Democrats will not let this happen, thus creating this situation. * --Bea Jones says: Dont wait! Sell your homes and move to Idaho! * -- David Brown says: I love Idaho; but ever since the California idiots moved there, the land prices have been ridiculous. Regular people with regular jobs have no chance of gaining a foothold there. * -- Robert Zuzzolo says: California needs to secede into China. - - - AND THEN A READER NAMED JAMES MACOMBER STOLE THE SHOW James Macomber says: This is an issue of rural versus city. Many of the western states started out as rural areas. Then, people started building up cities to the point where the cities have many more people than all the rural counties combined. This means that the cities control everything happening in the state. It is much like people talking about having more people in (California, New York City, and New Jersey) and having them cast the vote for the rest of us. I think instead of re-drawing state borders or dividing states into multiple states, a process of an electoral college needs to be set up at the state level. Right now, the RURAL counties basically have NO real say over anything in the state. The cities control everything due to population differences. There are 36 counties in Oregon; The five counties that just voted to get out) represent 65,435 people: Sherman 1,795; Grant 7,410; Lake 8,015; Baker 16,510; Malheur 31,705 (Now, look at this .) Yet the 3 counties that are part of the Greater Portland area represent 1,779,245 people: Clackamas 404,980; Washington 583,595; Multnomah 790,670. The other 28 counties in Oregon represent 2,231,670 people: Wheeler 1,465, Gilliam 1,980; Wallowa 7,140; and 25 more. As you can see, there is a great disparity between Wheeler at 1,465 people vs Multnomah at 790,670 or Multnomah has 593x the voting strength. The Portland area at 1,779,245 has 1,214x the voting strength over Wheeler County. The 65,435 people in these 5 counties vs Portland area means Portland has 27x the voting strength. So, instead of seceding, create State-Level Electoral College systems based on population. This should equalize the needs of rural vs city allowing rural to have equal say. royexum@aol.com Many St. Elmo residents have expressed opposition to a developer's plan to build three identical tall homes side by side on a steep slope near Forest Hills Cemetery. The project by Watchtower, LLC is at 4190 Tennessee Ave. between Tennessee and Seneca Avenue. The Chattanooga Historic Zoning Board on Thursday morning deferred action on the request, indicating the developer should meet with the community and consider some changes to the project. The group, led by project manager Jason Craven, is set to meet with the St. Elmo neighborhood group on June 7 at 7 p.m. at the old fire hall on St. Elmo Avenue. The proposal then goes back to the Historic Zoning Board. The houses are each 35'x80'x40'. Each includes a smaller dwelling directly to the rear. The plan is to use an unopened city right of way and adjacent property for access. However, the adjacent property owners said in an email they have not agreed to grant the easement. Almost 50 St. Elmo residents sent letters of opposition and only one was in favor. Jennifer Dixon, who lives nearby, said she was excited about the project and said it would bring new tax revenue to the city. Tim McDonald called them "the three weird houses" and said problems range from the out-of-character design to possible runoff and flooding problems from disturbing the steep site. He said building a new road on the hillside was also be problematical. There are three lots on the parcel and the request is to build a house on each lot. A Hixson family managed to escape their burning home early Friday morning as Chattanooga firefighters rushed to tackle the second alarm blaze. The call came out at 1:09 a.m. to a residence in the 800 block of Brynwood Drive as 911 received reports of heavy smoke. When companies arrived on the scene, they found a fully involved basement fire and launched an aggressive offensive attack from the upstairs and downstairs. It resulted in a quick knockdown and they saved the home from being a total loss. A second alarm allowed for additional manpower to help fight the fire. Those in command of the response indicated that at least half of the structure sustained major damage. The cause of the fire is under investigation. All of the residents got out of the home on their own and they were not injured. The American Red Cross was contacted to assist four adults and two children. Quint 16, Ladder 19, Squad 19, Engine 22, Quint 6, Quint 17, Ladder 7, Squad 7, Battalion 2 and Battalion 3 responded, along with CFD Investigations. Secretary of State Tre Hargett will be delivering a historic copy of Washington Countys first property records to Jonesborough on June 1, a date which also marks the 225th anniversary of Tennessees statehood. Known as Deed Book A, the document recorded the first land purchasedated March 19, 1775made in territory that ultimately became the state of Tennessee, marking Jonesborough as the oldest city in the state. The ledger was part of the state land records collection at the State Library & Archives, where it has been preserved for many years. At the request of local legislators, Senator Rusty Crowe, Senator Jon Lundberg, State Representative Rebecca Alexander, and Tim Hicks, the Secretary of States office and Tennessee State Library and Archives reviewed documents explaining the chain of custody of Deed Book Ajustifying its final return to Jonesborough. I am so pleased that we were able to find a way to bring our states first Deed book, The Watauga purchase which was a land purchase between the settlers and the Cherokee, back to Jonesborough where it belongs, said Senator Crowe. I am especially proud to have been a part of this as my great-great-grandfather was half native American. I want to thank Secretary of State Tre Hargett for his work in helping to make this happen. The Deed book left us for Nashville in 1897 as part of our countys exhibit for the state centennial celebration on horseback and we plan on bringing it home in a horse drawn carriage as well. One of the most exciting minutes during my first session as a State Representative was being called to the office of the Secretary of State, said Rep. Alexander. When Tre Hargett told us that Deed Book A would make its journey back home to Washington County, I could hardly hold back my emotions. My hometown of Jonesborough, our oldest town in Tennessee, will finally have a piece of its history back. There are so many who have worked and researched to make this happen. I am especially grateful to Tre Hargett and his staff for everything. The deed book is so very important to Tennessees history, said Rep. Hicks. Sometimes we take history for granted in todays world, we are excited to see this book come back to Washington County. A special thank you to Secretary of State Tre Hargett, Senator Rusty Crowe and Representative Rebecca Alexander for their hard work on getting this deed book back home. How fitting to have this deed book brought back to Jonesborough, the oldest town in Tennessee, on a horse and buggy. Were all glad to have the deed book home where it belongs, said Senator Lundberg. It is an honor to work with Senators Crowe and Lundberg as well as Representatives Alexander and Hicks. This effort truly revealed how deeply dedicated these General Assembly members are to preserving Tennessees rich history. The Tennessee State Library and Archives is grateful for their support, said Secretary Hargett. An Ooltewah man is in custody after police said he shot at a man and a pregnant woman following a road rage incident, allegedly screamed racial slurs, shot up the victims car, and lied to law enforcement during the investigation. Michael Shane Roberts, 55, of 8680 Kennerly Court, is charged with three counts of attempted first-degree murder, three counts of aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, reckless endangerment, vandalism and reckless driving. The sheriffs office responded to a shooting at Waconda Shore Drive on Feb. 25 and spoke to the two victims. They said they had been shot at by a man and called it a road rage incident. Police said they found multiple spent shell casings and unfired live rounds at the scene, and said the victims Toyota was damaged. The victim told police he was driving south on 153 when he saw a gray BMW driving recklessly and at a high rate of speed, and that the BMW swerved in front of the victim and almost hit him. The victim said the BMW brake checked him several times, and even drove into the grass by the exit ramp going to Highway 58 before merging and brake checking him again. The victim said the BMW then stopped completely, and when the victim drove around him, the BMW started moving again and tailgated the Toyota with its hazard lights on. The victim said the BMW then accelerated in front of him at the intersection of 58 and Jersey Pike and slammed on the brakes, which caused the Toyota to hit the BMW. The victim told police he drove home and parked the car a street away from his residence, since the BMW had followed him down the street. The victim said he thought the BMW was leaving, so he got out of his Toyota. He said the BMW instead turned around, and the driver pulled out a handgun, racked the slide, and yelled You better run n****r, at which point the victim ran behind a house to get away. The victim told police he heard shots ring out, and described the firearm as a black semi-automatic handgun. A pregnant woman said she was at the residence when the shooting occurred, and said the first man called her on the phone and told her to open the door. She said she went to the door and saw him talking to a man in a pickup truck. She said the man in the pickup truck had stopped to see if the first victim was okay. She said after the pickup truck drove away, the BMW drove up and that she could see the man inside had a gun. She said the BMWs driver yelled You better f***ing run you n****r, and said she ran through the front door while the first victim ran to the back of the house as the suspect started shooting. The woman said she opened the side door of the house to let the dogs in, and checked to see if the man had left. She said she saw the shooter and told him to leave. She said the man was at the end of the driveway, and that he pointed the gun at her and shot at her. She told law enforcement that she recorded the man shooting up her car on her phone. Detectives found spent casings and live rounds in the roadway and in the driveway in front of the residence, and saw five bullet marks in the doors of the Toyota parked in the roadway. Detectives said the drivers window was shattered, and there were holes where bullets had gone straight through the vehicle. They also found a side view mirror housing that belonged to a gray BMW in the front yard, and secured it as evidence. Detectives also watched the cell phone video that the woman had taken, and saw an older white man holding a handgun and shooting nine shots at the Toyota. At the end of the video, the man got back into the BMW and drove away at a high rate of speed. Detectives determined that several of the shell casings were discharged prior to the video, as the shell casings were found closer to the BMW than the Toyota, and were consistent with the accounts of the suspect shooting at the victims after exiting the BMW. On March 2, a deputy observed a gray BMW 335 driving north on Highway 58, and said the vehicle and driver matched the description of the suspect from February. The deputy also said the drivers side mirror was missing as well. Law enforcement said they followed the BMW to Kennerly Court in Ooltewah and identified the man as Michael Shane Roberts, 55. Detectives said Roberts voluntarily gave the detectives a statement. Roberts told law enforcement he was in a road rage incident with the victim, and that Roberts followed him at 100 miles per hour to get information for a crash report after the victim hit his BMW. Roberts said he followed the victim to his residence, and that the victim attacked him by breaking the BMWs side mirror and pile-driving him into the ground. Roberts told law enforcement that he pulled his gun out because he was afraid that the victim would get a gun from the residence once the victim ran into the residence. Law enforcement said Roberts admitted to being angry and shooting up the Toyota. They said Roberts had contusions to his upper chest and an abrasion to his upper jaw, which was consistent with an altercation. Detectives examined the BMW, and said they observed a slight denting to the left front quarter panel and said the left front mirror and housing had been broken off consistent with the victim attacking the vehicle. The detective said there was no damage to the rear panel of the BMW, and said ramming did not occur. They said the damage was more consistent with Roberts cutting the victim off and causing the victim to slightly tap the Toyota. When the detective asked about Roberts firearm, they said the suspect lied and told them his gun was at his mothers residence. When detectives told him they could and would speak to his mother and get a warrant to find the firearm, law enforcement said Roberts admitted to the gun being hidden in his garage. The gun was identified as a .40 S&W caliber Smith and Wesson semi-automatic handgun. Law enforcement also found a loaded magazine in the interior of the BMW in between the center console and the passengers seat. Roberts was then photographed by law enforcement, and the two victims later identified him as the man who shot at them during the incident. The Shepherds Men, a 10-member team of active duty, medically retired and honorably discharged servicemen and civilian patriots dedicated to raising funds and awareness for the Atlanta-based Shepherd Centers SHARE Military Initiative, will kicked off their seventh annual Shepherds Men Run in Arlington, Va. at the U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial (Iwo Jima Memorial) on May 24. The seven day event, May 24-31, will be filled with running, rucking and swimming in Baltimore, Maryland, Arlington and Lynchburg, Va.; Mt.Juliet and Chattanooga, Tn.; and Athens and Atlanta, Ga.On May 28, at 11 a.m., Shepherds Men will begin a swim, run, ruck movement in Chattanooga at the National Medal of Honor Heritage Center. The movement will end at approximately 9 a.m. on Saturday, May 29. As runners finish rotations, they will engage with supporters and patrons at the National Medal of Honor Heritage Center, which is from 6-8:30 p.m. on May 28.The Shepherds Men Run is a seven-day, seven-city physical challenge during which each member of the Shepherds Men team will run, ruck and swim every day, totaling over 1,000 miles collectively, while wearing 22-pound flak vests with armor plates to honor the lives of the 22 veterans who commit suicide in the United States each day. The gear simulates what U.S. military troops wear during battle and represents the physical, mental and emotional burden veterans cope with while readjusting to civilian life. During the Mt. Juliet movement, the team will carry 83 pounds in a rucksack, and march 15.3 miles, to honor the life of Country Music Icon and longtime Shepherds Men supporter, Charlie Daniels.We run for our brothers and sisters who lost their lives, for our brothers and sisters who are still fighting long after leaving the battlefield and for our brothers and sisters who have not yet returned home, says Travis Ellis, Shepherds Men co-founder. We will not rest until the number of lives lost every day to suicide goes from 22 to 0. Our veterans deserve to live meaningful, gratifying lives with their families after their courageous service to our country.The 2021 Shepherds Men Run route is as follows, and fellow citizens and veterans alike are invited to join at any point along the route:May 23 Baltimore, Md. (5k only)May 24 Arlington, Va.May 25-26 Lynchburg, Va.May 27 Mt. Juliet, Tn.May 28, 29 ChattanoogaMay 30, 31 Athens, Ga.May 31 Atlanta*Detailed run routes for each city are available upon request.The annual run is the Shepherds Mens primary fundraising effort for the SHARE Military Initiative at The Shepherd Center in Atlanta. SHARE is a comprehensive rehabilitation program that focuses on assessment and treatment for veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars who suffer from traumatic brain injury (TBI) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The teams 2021 goal is to raise $1.2 million by hosting fundraisers during their journey and, in turn, fully fund one years operating budget for SHARE.It is our desire to shine light on the condition of those struggling in our veteran communitymany of whom suffer in silence, isolating themselves from family, friends and the community, said Mr. Ellis. For many of our veterans, their struggles, without proper care, often lead to broken families, addiction and unfortunately loss of life. Thats why we are committed to raising awareness and funds to provide life-saving resources to sustain the SHARE Military Initiative at Shepherd Center. Bretman Rock has entertained audiences everywhere for years with his YouTube videos and frequent online antics. The Filipino-Hawaiian media personality has expanded his empire into makeup with several brand collaborations, and has become a fashion-forward presence on the red carpet and bona fide beauty guru. Bretman Rock attends the 2021 MTV Movie & TV Awards: UNSCRIPTED in Los Angeles, California | Matt Winkelmeyer/2021 MTV Movie and TV Awards/Getty Images for MTV/ViacomCBS Bretman Rock has been an Internet personality for years Bretman Rock launched his YouTube channel in 2015 with several comedy videos, and he soon became a popular personality across the Internet. He began reviewing makeup products and became a reputable beauty guru on YouTube, and eventually began collaborating with brands such as Morphe, Colourpop, and Wet n Wild to create his own lines of products. Bretmans YouTube presence continues to span a wide range of content today, from mukbangs to workout routines. In 2019, Bretman spoke with ELLE about how he got into beauty and much more. I feel like beauty got into me before I even knew what beauty was, he admitted. I think Ive always been fascinated by women, colors, and makeup and the whole art of vanity because I would always watch my grandma get ready for church. And I was five or six at the time, maybe even four. Ive always just loved admiring my grandma get ready and seeing how a touch of makeup made her so much more confident, he added. She walked differently and carried herself differently with just makeup and perfumes. Bretman Rock attends the Sies Marjan front row during New York Fashion Week: The Shows on September 08, 2019 in New York City | Roy Rochlin/Getty Images for Bretman Rock has become a fashion icon In 2019, Bretman established himself as a fashion figure with his first trip to New York Fashion Week, which he chronicled on his YouTube channel. It was my first fashion week and I didnt know what to expect. And then I got there, I still wasnt sure what I was doing, really, but it was so fun, he told ELLE. I love fittings. I love showing out. What surprised him, however, was the lack of emphasis on makeup both on models and among show attendees. At fashion week, you would think people would play with makeup a lot, but people were just going basic as f*ck, he said bluntly. So you know, it was time for me to really show out, let these bi*ches know that I can serve looks starting from the face down. Bretman Rock arrives at the 2017 MTV Video Music Awards at The Forum on August 27, 2017 in Inglewood, California | Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic RELATED: How Tall is RuPauls Drag Race Judge Michelle Visage? Shes Shorter Than You Think Bretman Rocks height Bretman chronicles nearly every day of his life on his Instagram Stories, from his workouts in his home gym to tours of his lush plant collection. He often models the clothes in his closet as well as new clothes he purchases including many high-waisted pants that accentuate his height. According to PopBuzz, Bretman Rock stands at 5 feet, 8 inches tall. NCIS: Hawaii is coming to CBS this fall with an all-new team and the franchises first female lead. Vanessa Lachey has landed the role of Jane Tennant, the Special Agent in Charge of the NCIS Pearl Harbor Field Office. And the network has just given fans their first look at the character. Vanessa Lachey will lead the team on NCIS: Hawaii | Paul Archuleta/FilmMagic NCIS: Hawaii will be part of the CBS Monday night lineup CBS recently gave NCIS: Hawaii a direct to series order, and the network has announced that it will premiere this fall. The spinoff will air on Monday nights at 10:00 pm (EST), just after the flagship series, NCIS. You read that right. CBS has taken NCIS out of its traditional Tuesday night time slot and moved it to a new night for season 19. The network has also canceled NCIS: New Orleans after seven seasons. While NCIS: Los Angeles will remain in its Sunday night 9:00 pm (EST) time slot for season 13. The network has confirmed 4 cast members so far Details about NCIS: Hawaii have been hard to come by. But, CBS has confirmed four cast members for their latest spinoff. In addition to Lachey, theyve cast The Originals and I Ship It vet Yasmine Al-Bustami as Lucy. Theres also Claws and Famous in Love alum Jason Antoon as Ernie. And Noah Mills will be playing Jesse. According to Lachey, she doesnt take lightly the fact that shes the first female lead in the NCIS franchise. She says shes excited to bring a different layer to the role. And, she hopes to inspire the next generation of young girls and women. My character Jane Tennant is Special Agent in Charge of NCIS. Shes the mother of a 15-year-old boy and a 9-year-old girl. And, that is real life. Juggling life, and love, and work, Lachey said. The NCIS: Hawaii star cant believe she landed the lead role Lachey admits that she cant believe she landed the lead role of Jane Tennant. Not long after the news was announced, the actor took to Instagram to let her 882K followers know how surprised she was. RELATED: NCIS: Hawaii Already Has 1 Major Difference Than Any Other NCIS Spinoff Honored is an understatement! Lachey wrote. To join the NCIS franchise as the first female lead and to do it on the Beautiful Islands of Hawaii I still cant believe it! Thank You CBS for believing in me! Now lets get to work! #NCISHawaii Vanessa Lachey says she wont let fans down Fan reaction has been mixed when it comes to Lacheys casting, but she promises she wont let them down. In another Instagram post, the mom of three said she was on cloud nine and feeling unbelievably grateful. I have worked in this industry for 20 years wishing for this moment an opportunity to do something special and also a chance to inspire and motivate! Lachey wrote. My character is a badass with a warm heart. Shes the first female Special Agent in Charge of NCIS and I PROMISE, I wont let you down! I am feeling the Aloha spirit already and I cannot WAIT for this next chapter of my life! #NCISHawaii NCIS: Hawaii begins production in June 2021 Confirmation that NCIS: Hawaii was officially in the works came in April 2021 when Reel News Hawaii tweeted that production lists had been updated. They tweeted that filming was slated to begin in early June on the island of Oahu. You heard it here first! Production lists have been updated and NCIS: Hawaii is a go!! Slated to start filming the beginning of June on Oahu. Excited to find out who the cast is in the coming weeks!! We'll be keeping you updates as news rolls in. pic.twitter.com/lkunvlk1t0 Reel News Hawaii (@reelnewshawaii) April 18, 2021 NOLA showrunner Christopher Silbert and executive producer Jan Nash are moving to the Aloha State spin-off and taking on the same roles. NCIS: Hawaii will be the first spinoff in the franchise to get a premiere pilot all on its own instead of being introduced as a backdoor pilot in the parent series. NCIS: Hawaii will premiere this fall on CBS. Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex is holding up the healing process between him and his older brother, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge. How? By publicly discussing personal family relationships, a royal expert says. Prince Harry says he and Prince William are giving each other space Prince William and Prince Harry | Toby Melville WPA Pool/Getty Images RELATED: Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Reuniting With Kate Middleton and Prince William Is Hard to Even Envision, Royal Expert Says Wondering what happened with Harry and William? The Duke of Sussex reportedly became upset with his brother when the father of three made a comment about him moving too fast with Meghan, Duchess of Sussex. It wasnt until the 2019 ITV documentary, Harry & Meghan: An African Journey, Harry addressed the rumors of a rift.Inevitably, stuff happens. But were brothers, well always be brothers, Harry told journalist Tom Bradby. Were certainly on different paths at the moment, Harry added. Ill always be there for him and as I know, hell always be there for me. We dont see each other as much as we used to because were so busy, but I love him dearly. As brothers, we have good days and we have bad days. The 36-year-old gave a similar response when he and his wife, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex sat down for a bombshell Oprah interview in March 2021. When Oprah asked Harry to share the current state of his relationship with his brother, he replied with the following: As I said before, I love William to bits. Weve been through hell together and we have a shared experience, but we are on different paths. The relationship is space at the moment and time heals all things, hopefully. Prince Harry responding to Oprah about the state of his relationship with Prince William during Oprah with Harry and Meghan: A CBS Primetime Special Now Harry and William have an ocean and the continental United States between them. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex bought a mansion in Montecito, California, where they reside with their 2-year-old son, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor. Meanwhile, William and his family remain in England. Prince Harry delays the healing process between him and Prince William by talking about personal family relationships, royal expert says (L-R): Prince Charles, Camilla Parker Bowles, Prince Andrew, Queen Elizabeth ll, Meghan Markle, Prince Harry, Prince William, and Kate Middleton | Anwar Hussein/WireImage RELATED: Prince Harry Just Shared the 3 Times Hes Felt Completely Helpless in His Life During a May 2021 guest appearance on Dax Shepards Armchair Expert podcast he talked about his upbringing in the royal family. He called it a mix between The Truman Show and being in a zoo. Royal expert Katie Nicholl says this is another example of Harry delaying a possible reunion with William. I think its inevitable that every time Harry speaks out about personal family relationships, it is going to be damaging to the healing of this rift, particularly between William and Harry, Nicholl told ET in May 2021. She continued, saying, I think there is a desire on the part of both of the brothers to move on, to try and heal this relationship. The problem is, when Harry sits down and gives a really personal interview like this it really does set back that healing process. I think it goes without saying that clearly some of the things that he has raised in this podcast have been hurtful to the royal family, I think particularly for the queen and Prince Charles, who are very private when it comes to their personal emotions, Nicholl added. This idea of Harry venting, airing publicly, his private grievances is going to be problematic. Prince Harrys getting personal in a forthcoming mental health docuseries with Oprah RELATED: The Me You Cant See Trailer and More: What to Expect From Prince Harry and Oprahs Apple TV+ Docuseries The Duke of Sussex will be getting personal in another interview very soon. Remember when he announced his plan to team up with Oprah for a TV program on mental health in 2019? Well, now its finally being released. The Me You Cant See is set to hit Apple TV+ on May 21, 2021. It features personal stories on mental health from a number of celebrities including Harry. The Station 19 Season 4 Episode 14 recap includes everything that happened to fans beloved Greys Anatomy characters. Although Ben Warren (Jason George) is a series regular on the firefighter spinoff, many Greys fans want the details on his life without watching Station 19. Miranda Bailey (Chandra Wilson) almost joined the firefighter show for another week in a row, but got stuck in surgery. Plus, Andrew DeLucas (Giacomo Gianniotti) sister, Carina DeLuca (Stefania Spampinato), is still near and dear to fans hearts since Andrews unexpected death. [Spoiler alert: This article contains spoilers from Station 19 Season 4 Episode 14.] Station 19 Season 4 Episode 14 Comfortably Numb with Stefania Spampinato as Carina DeLuca and Danielle Savre as Maya Bishop | Raymond Liu/ABC /Getty Images Station 19 Season 4 Episode 14 recap: Jack and Inara Jack Gibson (Grey Damon) and Inara (Colleen Foy) see a person fall past their window in Station 19 Season 4 Episode 14 as they lock lips. Its the first time they have childcare since they became a couple, but they head down to the dumpster to help the girl, Lisa (Toccarra Cash), who fell from a window above. She hit her back on the dumpster on the way down so she couldnt move. Lisa admitted that she was cheating on her husband with the neighbor. The mans girlfriend came home unexpectedly, so she ran out of the fire escape that turned out not to be there. Station 19 Season 4 Teases an Upcoming Ben and Bailey Episode Lisas husband, Eric (Dhruv Uday Singh), showed up with groceries and heard what happened. Hes angry and ends up in a physical altercation with the grungy neighbor. During the rescue, Jack admitted to Lisa that he was involved with a married woman, Eva. Later, Inara tried to be sexier, but Jack backed away. He realized that he was treating her delicately because he rescued her from an abusive relationship. Luckily, they make up with intimacy on the countertops. What happened to Ben Warren on Station 19? In the last episode of Station 19 Season 4 Episode 13, I Guess Im Floating, Ben nearly died. While on a cruise ship, Battalion Chief Gregory (Tom Wright) had a heart attack and fell overboard. Dean Miller (Okieriete Onaodowan) and Ben jumped in after the chief to attempt to save him. For most of the episode, the two men thought they might die at sea. However, they washed up onshore and made it to the hospital alive. When Station 19 Season 4 Episode 14 began on May 20, Ben finally had surgery on his testicle. In the last episode, viewers found out that he had a mass in his testicle, which might be cancer. He did not want to have surgery, but his near-death experience changed his mind. Andy Herrera (Jaina Lee Ortiz) showed up at the hospital to support Ben since Miranda was stuck in surgery. Station 19: Heres Why the Series Creator Chose the Number 19 Ben has a terrible dream while under anesthesia. His mother appears to him and tells him to fight for his children. Viewers find out that his mother died of cancer. However, the addition of numerous versions of Ben is an odd touch. When he wakes up, the crew from Station 19 come to the hospital to support him. Station 19 Season 4 Episode 14 recap: Carina and Maya Meanwhile, Carina DeLuca (Stefania Spampinato) and Maya Bishop (Danielle Savre) navigate a bump in their relationship in Station 19 Season 4 Episode 14. Maya shared that she never told her father she is gay. However, Carina admitted that she never wants to get married. She doesnt believe in marriage at all. Carina breaks down and admits that she is frustrated that Maya isnt more supportive. Maya admits that she thought Carina was happy to go home. However, they realize that their home is together. Later, Maya suggested that they get married, so Carina doesnt have to move back to Italy. When Carina disagrees, Maya heads in the opposite direction and proposes they split up. They get into an intense argument, and Carina leaves without even saying goodbye. On her way to the airport, Carina talks to her ex-girlfriend, who finally talks some sense into her. She turns the car around, tracks down Maya and tells her shes ready to marry her. On May 27, 2021, Station 19 Episode 15, Say Her Name, airs on ABC. According to IMDb, the following week, June 3, 2021, is the Station 19 Season Finale, Forever and Amen. Fans of Survivor have been left high and dry as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic CBS chose to suspend filming in order to protect both cast and crew. Now, Jeff Probst says the show is coming back to your screens soon, and is teasing an exciting new season, going so far as to call Survivor 41 dangerous. Whats more, CBS may be making some changes to how Survivor approaches themed seasons, as well as the number of days and castaways. Survivor filming was delayed by COVID-19 Jeff Probst of Survivor | CBS via Getty Images RELATED: Survivor: When it Comes to Masks, Russell Hantz Wants You to Suck it Up COVID-19 meant CBS and Jeff Probst had to take serious precautions when it came to Season 41 of Survivor so much so that the show put filming on hiatus for about a year. When it came time to let fans know, Jeff Probst and CBS released statements about their decisions. Though Fiji has no reported cases and is beautifully remote, our crew numbers over 400 and are flying in from over 20 different countries, creating a need for more time to fully analyze and create our new production safety plan, explained Probst at the time. The situation is unprecedented and we are learning more information every day. It is out of concern for the well-being of all of you that we have taken this step. We are the most experienced international television team in the world and for 20 years we have calmly and successfully managed a variety of production issues. We will navigate this one the same way, the dimpled host added. The health and safety of the castaways and production members is our top priority, explained CBS. While fans were disappointed by the delay, surely it was the best move on the networks part safety comes first during times like these. Jeff Probst releases Season 41 teaser trailer Thankfully, the wait for information is over Jeff Probst took to Instagram alongside CBS to air a teaser trailer for Survivor 41. We are super pumped for Survivor 41, announced Jeff Probst on the CBS Instagram. It is a brand new game. Fast-paced, super dangerous, very difficult to win, and absolutely entertaining to watch. Fans are gonna love it. This followed an announcement from Probst eight weeks ago that Survivor 41 was filming in Fiji. Survivor is going back into production. Fiji has invited us back to their beautiful country to shoot Season 41. We have all of our COVID protocols in place so that everyone in Fiji will remain safe, all of our crew will be safe, and of course, our players will be safe, explained Probst. And Ive gotta tell you I cant remember a time Ive been this pumped to shoot Survivor and Ill tell you why. The past year has reminded me and I hope its reminded you that you gotta live your life like its one great big adventure, and Survivor fulfills that. CBS makes changes to Survivor themed seasons, length Survivor 41 host Jeff Probst | CBS via Getty Images Previously, fans of Survivor usually had some kind of theme to look forward to. Whether that was locationally themed, or themed around the types of contestants. These included seasons like Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers and Worlds Apart White Collar vs. Blue Collar vs. No Collar. However, it seems like this is about to change. So far no theme has been announced, and Probst has been referring to it as Survivor 41. Inside Survivor suggests that this may indicate a change as the show moves away from these specialized themes. Whats more, Survivor 41 will feature a shortened season, reducing the number of days from 39 to 26. UK reality stars Georgia Harrison and Stephen Bear met during a season of MTVs The Challenge and then began a relationship. A year after they split, she publicly accused him of secretly recording their sexual interactions and showing others before allegedly uploading the clip to social media. Bear has since been arrested and charged in connection with her accusations. After news of his charges broke, Harrison spoke out. Stephen Bear from MTVs brand new series, The Challenge: War Of The Worlds attends press launch at MTV HQ | Keith Mayhew/SOPA Images/LightRocket/Getty Images Georgia Harrison accused ex Stephen Bear of secretly recording sexual interaction Love Island UK star Georgia Harrison and Celebrity Big Brother 18 (UK) winner Stephen Bear met during The Challenge: War of the Worlds (2018) and instantly hit it off, even though he had a girlfriend at the time. Following the show, Bear ended his relationship to begin dating the Love Island star. However, they broke up several times before permanently ending their relationship in the summer of 2019. Bear and Georgia snogging in a tree! #TheChallenge33 pic.twitter.com/VzLhmdFqLk The Challenge (@ChallengeMTV) February 21, 2019 RELATED: The Challenge Star Georgia Harrison Accuses Ex Stephen Bear of Secretly Recording Her and Posting It A year later, she publicly accused her ex of filming a sexual interaction by strategically placing cameras around his house. Harrison also claimed she had evidence that he showed the video to other people. Additionally, Bear seemingly uploaded the video in question to his OnlyFans account, resulting in the Love Island star reaching out to the company, which has since disabled his account. Bear arrested, claims hes innocent in statement The Celebrity Big Brother champ attempted to return to the platform several times following the deactivation before traveling to Dubai for a few weeks. He returned to London, England, in Jan. 2021, where police officers allegedly waited for him at the airport. In a statement to the media, the Essex Police explained they took the reality star into custody in connection with Harrisons claims. According to the department, the officers are investigating The Challenge star for his involvement in suspicion of disclosing private sexual photographs or films without consent with the intent to cause distress and harassment. Ok .. so now Ive been banned from @Tinder ?? .. 3 platforms .. Insta/TikTok/tinder someones got in in for me got 3 left still .. @facebook/@Snapchat/@Twitter pic.twitter.com/w9SIPtDesF Stephen Bear (@stephen__bear) May 17, 2021 The police also charged Bear with a count of obstructing an officer. After questioning the reality star for a day, the Essex Police confirmed the reality star posted bail and will remain out of jail until his court date, then scheduled for Feb. 2021. A week after his arrest, Bears legal team released a statement, calling their client the victim due to the vicious trolling on social media. They also denied the immature and ridiculous rumors. Harrison releases statement after Bear is charged In May 2021, a few months following his arrest, the Essex Police officially charged the reality star with voyeurism, disclosing private, sexual photographs and films with intent to cause distress and harassment without violence due to the revenge porn investigation. He is scheduled to appear in court for the charges on Jul. 2, 2021. Harrison responded to the news on her Instagram Stories, thanking her followers for their continued support. RELATED: The Challenge: Stephen Bear Responds to Revenge Porn Accusations, Calls Himself the Victim in Statement She continued, I hope I can help encourage others to stick up for themselves, even though its scary and eventually have the right to talk about the poor compliance issues that helped escalate this situation on an international level without my consent or even my knowledge until it was far too late. The reality star ended her statement by noting she cannot comment on the specific incident yet for legal reasons. Researchers from Friedrich Schiller University Jena, the University of California Berkeley and the Institut Polytechnique de Paris use intense laser light in the extreme ultraviolet spectrum to generate a non-linear optical process on a laboratory scale a process which until now has only been possible in a large-scale research facility. As the team writes in the current issue of the journal Science Advances, they were able to achieve this effect for the first time with a laser source on a laboratory scale and thus investigate the surface of a titanium sample down to the atomic level. Chemical reactions, such as those that occur when charging and discharging a battery, take place primarily on surfaces and at interfaces. While it is very easy to study the macroscopic products of a reaction, it has so far been difficult to gain a more accurate picture of the course of chemical reactions at the atomic level. This requires measurement methods that allow observations to be made on the extremely short time scales on which chemical reactions take place. In principle, spectroscopic methods with very short laser pulses for temporal resolution are suitable for this. At the same time, the laser light must be of a very short wavelength, as physicist Tobias Helk of Friedrich Schiller University Jena explains: To be able to specifically investigate individual elements using core electron resonance, laser light with a wavelength of a few nanometres is required i.e., radiation in the extreme ultraviolet (XUV) or X-ray range of the spectrum. To observe chemical processes, it is also important to be able to study the interfaces between media and material surfaces where chemical reactions take place, adds Helk. In addition to short wavelengths and short durations, the laser pulses must also have an extremely high intensity to be able to cause non-linear effects, as they are called, which allow the measurement signal to be traced back to the interface. So far, however, there are very few methods for generating such intense laser radiation in the XUV and X-ray range. Until now, this has only been possible at large-scale research facilities such as the FLASH free-electron laser at DESY, says Prof. Christian Spielmann of the Institute of Optics and Quantum Electronics at the University of Jena. However, he and his team, together with researchers from the USA and France, have now found a way to make such investigations possible in a standard laser laboratory. Non-linear frequency doubling on a titanium surface To this end, a soft X-ray laser from the Laboratoire dOptique Appliquee in Palaisseau (France) was used as the light source. In our experiment, we set up a special focusing geometry, consisting of a elliptically shaped mirror that enables us to concentrate the laser radiation onto a very small area, says doctoral candidate Helk, lead author of the study. The radiation with a wavelength of 32.8 nanometres was focused on an ultra-thin titanium foil and its non-linear interaction with the matter particles was analysed. As is already known from studies with radiation in the visible and infrared range, light with new properties can be generated through the interaction of light particles and matter particles, explains Helk. In a process known as non-linear frequency doubling (or second harmonic generation), for example, two photons of the irradiated light are absorbed by the material and a photon with twice the frequency (twice the energy) is emitted. And it is precisely this effect that the researchers were able to demonstrate. With a spectrometer, they separated the radiation resulting from the interaction with the titanium foil and recorded it using a camera. By comparing simulations with the measurement results, they were also able to show that the resulting radiation originates on the surface of the titanium foil and not within the material. Being able to perform this form of surface spectroscopy in the XUV range on a laboratory scale opens up completely new perspectives. For example, chemical processes on surfaces or at hidden interfaces can now be studied from the perspective of a single atom in otherwise complex chemical environments, says Prof. Michael Zurch of the University of California, describing the significance of the result. Furthermore, the short duration of the pulses used enables the investigation of dynamic processes at interfaces, such as those that occur during the charging and discharging of batteries. Thomas Belt speaks during Western Carolina Universitys May 15 commencement after receiving an honorary degree from the school. Belt was raised in a Cherokee-speaking family in Rocky Ford, Oklahoma. He moved to the eastern Cherokee homelands in the 1990s and lives on the Qualla Boundary of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians in North Carolina. Ready for your summer reading list? Each author listed below has been featured Better Samaritan or the Humanitarian Disaster Institute this year for the truth their writing brings to the churchon matters of burnout, church abuse, loving our neighbor, racial reconciliation, and more. Dr. Diane Langberg has studied trauma for 45 yearssince before it was included in psychology textbooks. We interviewed her Feb. 15 on the Better Samaritan podcast in our most popular episode to date. If your circles are still grappling with the reality of the Ravi Zaccharias storyor just plain fed upthis is the book you need. Don Everts dives into biblical truths, church history and suburban planning to explore why our neighborhoods have become so lonely. Read a review by HDI team member Christa Cordova. Dr. Peniel Joseph, history scholar and professor at the University of Texas at Austin, crafts a dual biography of the two historical figures, suggesting theyre more alike than we think. Dr. Joseph discussed the bookand the sermon by Dr. King which inspired the Better Samaritanon the podcast this February in an episode titled, Do we shave the edges off of MLK? When Lynda MacGibbon moved from a small town to a high-rise apartment in the city, she decided to take Jesus' command to "love your neighbor" literally. In this memoir, she tells the story of the community that took shape among the strangers who shared her apartment building and how the simple risk of reaching out with love can lead to beautiful friendships Lynda reflected further on these themes for the the Better Samaritan blog. With her mixed multiethnic and multicultural background, Chandra Crane has keenly felt the otherness of never quite fitting in. With this book and her podcast, Mixed Blessing, shes becoming a leading voice on race. Read an excerpt here. Lets be honest, who doesnt feel burned out by the last year? Bethany Hiser opened our Spiritual First Aid Summit with a session that participants raved about. From Burned Out to Beloved chronicles her journey out of secondary traumathe exhaustion caused by working in a service profession. Read an excerpt from her book on the blog. Sheila Wise Rowe is a writer, counselor, speaker, and spiritual director, as well as the executive director of The Rehoboth House and the cofounder of The Cyrene Movement, an online community for people of color seeking healing for racial trauma. Healing Racial Trauma won the 2021 Christianity Todays Book of the Year Award in the Christian Living/Discipleship category, and is on top of the Better Samaritan absolutely-must-read list. Read it, and then buy a copy for a friend. Read an adaptation here. HDI has featured Michelle Reyes several times this year already, and for good reason. Her new book is an ideal place to start understanding and examining our cultural lenses, and she speaks and writes eloquently on reconciliation and the gospel. As Vice President of the Asian American Christian Collaborative, the church would do well to listen to herand keep listening. Has the church lost its credibility? Pastor Tara Beth Leach ponders the beauty of the bride of Christ and why, in the age of exvangelicals and declining church attendance, she still has hope for it. Fellow CT blogger Scot McKnight said of this book, Here is a pastor who loves the church emoting her love for what Christ wants for the church. Read an excerpt here. John Frames writing in this book is honest and straightforward. Its also endorsed by Ron Sider, and is free right now on the Kindle App. From this excerpt featured on the blog this month: Praying can tie our hearts closer to the heart of God so we feel more sensitive to the needs of others, more aware of how to help them. Terence Lester had founded Love Beyond Walls and was busy serving homeless communities when a pandemic hit. His friends started asking: where can we wash our hands? 40,000 portable sinks later, homeless populations in 11 cities now have a place to do so. When We Stand stands out for its incredibly hopeful vision for the church: a place where people have margin, understand their strengths and callings, and get to join God doing what he loves best: loving the least of these. Dont miss Terence on our most recent podcast episode. As president emeritus of WorldVision (and a private sector CEO before that), Rich Stearns wisdom on leadershipon the micro and macro levelsruns deep. In his latest book, Rich lays out 17 crucial qualities of servant leaders. In 2018 HDI awarded Rich with our first annual Humanitarian Leadership Award, and he recently joined us on the Better Samaritan podcast. For an exclusive discount on IVP books, subscribe to email digests from the Better Samaritan. Buffalo Evangelical Free Church wanted to help. About an hours drive from downtown Minneapolis, the majority white church was deeply upset by the news of George Floyds death and shocked by the videos on social media. As protests swept the city, the Buffalo, Minnesota, congregation started to ask what it could do. Pastor Greg Braly was eager too, but cautious. I think one of the mistakes that Anglo churches can make is to walk in with the white savior hat on and walk in thinking we know whats going on, Braly said. We dont. Braly asked the organizers coordinating food and other supplies for those impacted by the protests and police crackdowns for advice and got a very clear response: You dont know our culture. You dont know our community. You dont know our pain. Instead of showing up with a plan, the church needed to start with a relationship. Braly reached out to another Evangelical Free congregation and connected with the majority Black Riverside Evangelical Free Church, located between the airport and the VA Medical Center. Braly became friends with Riverside pastor Prince Lee and then found ways for the congregations to connect. Lee spoke at Buffalo, the churches worshiped together, and the white suburban congregation supported the urban Black church with material and financial resources as it ministered in the city. We view the Riverside church as a partner and sister church, Braly said. They are the experts. Similar partnerships have formed across the Twin Cities. White evangelical churches have looked for ways to respond and serve while being more aware than they have in the past that there are better and worse ways to help. When Transform Minnesota, an evangelical organization that brings pastors together to wrestle with social issues, hosted a Zoom call with more than 250 ministers last May, multiple pastors of color repeated this point. If white, suburban churches really wanted to help and to be effective, they needed to listen to Black Christian leaders in the impacted communities. We dont need saviors, Charvez Russell, a Black Baptist pastor, told the group in June. What we need are partners. Yes, we need your help right now. Yes, we need your help cleaning up. Yes, we need your resources. But we also need long-term partners who are going to help us stand up for God and tear down the systems that hold people down. A year later, the pastors who have tried to respond to that call and forge relationships across racial divides say it hasnt always been easy. On the one hand, pushing their white congregations to think about racism in their communities can stir up controversy and bad feelings. On the other hand, the pastors worry about saying the wrong thing and offending the Black Christians while trying to reach out. Everybody wants you to take a stand, but Im not always sure what stand to take, said Kory Kleinsasser, pastor of the predominately white Waite Park Wesleyan Church. His instinct is to look for nuance. But attempts to emphasize complexities arent always welcomed. I have to make statements about things that I dont feel like I fully understand myself, he said. Kleinsasser said thats okay, though, because everything has to be done with an open and humble spirit. Practically, for the Waite Park Wesleyans, this looks like sweeping broken glass, feeding the hungry, and giving clothes to people who need itbut doing those things because they are asked as they come alongside Black Christians, who are also engaged in this work. The Wesleyans started a relationship with Wayman African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church in 2016, after a police officer shot and killed high school teacher Philando Castile during a traffic stop. The white congregation has learned a lot in the years since then, and both the Black and white pastors say the church was more prepared to respond last year because of that preexisting relationship. Because weve been dealing with race and racial healing, Black and white churches working together to find ways to cooperate, we werent caught flatfooted, said Richard Coleman, leader of the AME congregation. Conversations about racism were not always comfortable, Coleman said, but he hopes to help Christians in Minneapolis learn how it affects all of us and how it affects the church. We encourage people not to run from it, Coleman said. Embrace the truth. Learn why it exists. Together, white and Black churches in Minneapolis have accomplished some significant things. One major example of cooperation is The One Fund project. Started in April 2020 to help communities disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, the religious leaders involved decided to make racial justice a fund priority too after Floyds death. By May 25, 2021, the anniversary of Floyds killing, they expect to have $1 million available in grants for African American ministries in the area. Were bringing a greater force to combat the areas in our communities that are hurt and need attention, Coleman said. Race is a fraught topic, and a lot of things hold pastors back when they think about leading their congregations into the public square and speaking on complicated issues, said Matthew St. John, pastor of New Hope Church, another Evangelical Free congregation in greater Minneapolis. We are often distracted by our own great failures, he said. As New Hope came together with Black Christians, though, and then joined with Black and white congregations from across the city to pray during police officer Derek Chauvins trial, they returned repeatedly to key questions: How can we be a gospel witness to the glory of Christ? How can we show unity and proclaim justice in the face of all these complexities? The ultimate solution is going to be a gospel solution, St. John said. If Christians will press on despite past failures and understand the power of God to reconcile, he believes they can present their city with Gods vision for a unified body of people from every tribe and tongue. Nobody has a solution like that, he said, except the church. With white and Black pastors willing to work with each other more closely than before and churches working to give up their white savior hat and put friendship and partnership first, Coleman is hopeful about the future in Minneapolis. It doesnt mean that were going to start agreeing about all those things. There may be things we never agree about," he said. But we can love each other. Not suitable for living: Gaza's Christian population dwindles amid Hamas rule, job struggles Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment As much global attention has been focused this month on Israel and Hamas, the violence may have caused Gaza's once-thriving Christian population to further dwindle as thousands of Christians in the region have fled poor economic conditions and discrimination over the last 15 years. Many dont know that Gaza has its own Christian community, and the history of the presence of Christians in the Gaza Strip goes back to the beginnings of the Roman state's persecution of followers of the new religion. It was one of the areas Romans visited before the conversion of Emperor Constantine to Christianity and the adoption of the Roman Empires official religion at the beginning of the fourth century A.D. Despite this authentic historical presence of Christians in this region, their numbers have gradually decreased, especially since 2006, after internal and external circumstances colluded. Since the takeover of the Gaza Strip in 2007, Christians and others have been subject to restrictions of Hamas and the Islamic Jihad Movement. Today, estimates suggest that only about 1,000 Christians remain in the Gaza Strip. Christians in the Gaza Strip today are divided into three sections. There are Christians from the original inhabitants of Gaza, who have inhabited it since ancient times, and others immigrated to it after Israel declared its independence in 1948. And the third group were those who were abroad and came in 1994 with the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and are still there today. Khalil Hassan, 25 years old, is a Christian who has lived in the Gaza Strip since his birth. But he left the area four years ago, accompanied by his family. He went to the West Bank in search of a better life, he says. "Since 2006, we have been suffering from both problems. We have not obtained a job opportunity due to the difficult economic conditions in Gaza, because of the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip, FatahHamas conflict, as well as discrimination in The Gaza Strip, is between Muslims and Christians by the Islamists," he said in an interview with The Christian Post. Earlier this month, the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip began firing missiles toward Israel after clashes between Jews and Arabs in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood in Jerusalem. This led to an air response from Israel Defense Forces, which pummelled the Gaza Strip with airstrikes that have led to the displacement of thousands from their homes. A ceasefire was reportedly reached Friday. The losers of this conflict are only the civilians who will be subjected to various types of abuse, especially in the Gaza Strip. The Islamic Jihad Movement and Hamas both receive hundreds of millions of dollars in support from Qatar and Iran. The civilians in Gaza, including Christians, are persecuted in the Gaza Strip by the authorities of Hamas. Why do Christians leave their lands? Over the years, many Christians of Gaza have left their lands and migrated to other parts of the country and world. With the beginning of each year, we expected conditions to improve and to live in dignity. But to no avail. So we were surprised by new crises that are more severe than the previous ones, such as the increase in unemployment rates, the lack of work opportunities and the continuous blackout, Hassan said. As for the 46-year-old Christian resident of Gaza Abu George, who preferred not to reveal his full name, he dreams of leaving the Gaza Strip and heading to a European country to live away from the conditions of Gaza, which he described as "not suitable for living." "Since 2006, we have been facing great difficulties, George added. Our conditions are no longer the same, and there are some harassment by the Hamas government, in addition to the difficulty of moving to the West Bank at Christmas. So we did not enjoy freedom and comfort in the Gaza Strip; Therefore, immigration is our highest aspiration. "Our stay in Gaza is a duty for us because we come from this country, he added. And despite that, we no longer tolerate more than that, and we tried to accept this reality, but to no avail. The situation in Gaza will not change and will worsen if the Palestinian reconciliation is not implemented. This is another reason makes me think of immigration to a European country, in search of freedom and a decent life. Abu George explains that, at first, he rejected the idea of immigration. He said many of his friends and Christian relatives left several years ago. Although he wanted to stay in the Gaza Strip, when they told him about the difference between Gaza and life outside its borders, he reconsidered and became determined to immigrate. Dangerous indications A Greek Orthodox Church priest in Gaza, whose name is withheld to protect his identity, agrees that "the economic conditions in the Gaza Strip, the Palestinian conflict between Fatah and Hamas and the harassment by the Hamas government are the most important reasons that prompted Christians in the Gaza Strip to think about immigration. It was not suitable to live, so they wanted to search for a better life, the priest told CP. He warned that the continuous migration of Christians from the Gaza Strip and their orientation to live in European countries and the West Bank "is a dangerous indicator that affects the Christian presence in the strip. By immigration, which means that there will be no new generations of Christians in Gaza, he feared. "Perhaps among the reasons that pushed Christians to leave the Gaza Strip is that holidays are limited to religious rituals in the church only and that public places and parks [have no celebrations], as was done in the past during the era of the Palestinian Authority before the Hamas-Fatah conflict. So the celebrations were spread all over the strip by that time and were lit Christmas trees and wandering the streets with big celebrations. But now the situation has changed. Despite the historic presence of Christians in Gaza, their numbers gradually decreased. The church leader explains that he cannot do anything against the immigration of Christians from the Gaza Strip. Noting that he tried in the church to convince many young people and families not to emigrate and stay in the Gaza Strip to preserve the Christian presence in the region, they were rarely successful in this endeavor. The priest said in the end, this is a personal choice, which, as he put it, cannot be forced to change. He points out that the migration of Christians can be overcome if "the Palestinian reconciliation is completed, the Palestinian Authority returns to the Gaza Strip, the Hamas and Islamic Jihad movements are expelled, job opportunities are created, the economic situation is changed for the better, the youth are stabilized in their homeland and the living conditions they are looking for abroad are provided." Hanna Haddad, a Christian professor in theology in the West Bank, mainly in Ramallah who is a member of The Christian Islamic Organization for Jerusalem and the Holy Places, affirms the decline of the Christian population in the Holy Land. Some estimates have suggested the Christian population of the Holy Land is around 2%. Only 1,000 Christians remain in the Gaza Strip out of 5,000 who used to live in [Gaza around 2006] and expected to decline more next few years, he said. Also, 50,000 Christians live in the West Bank, in addition to 12,000 Arab Christians in eastern Jerusalem. This, in turn, threatens the Christian presence in the Holy Land." Haddad warns that it is the duty of official and civil institutions to prevent the immigration of Christians and consolidate their survival. [They need] to aspire to reverse immigration and to face the stifling economic conditions with serious economic support, which increases confidence among those who see immigration as a safe path, he added. Haddad criticizes the churches in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank in general for "focusing their attention on religious rituals and performing prayers and rituals," calling them to shoulder their responsibilities in these difficult circumstances by paying more attention to the essence of Christians' life problems and trying to address the reasons that lead them to emigrate. Attempts to convert Christians by Islamists Other reasons causing the Christian minority to leave the strip are the pressures they feel from some members of the authority in Gaza calling for the conversion of Christians to Islam. A Christian activist, who spoke with CP on the condition of anonymity, says that some Christian family members were forced to convert to Islam a few years ago. He said that other Christians had converted to Islam during the past years after pressures from Muslim society. Another activist who preferred to stay anonymous said, there is a big rift in the relations between Muslims and Christians, especially the Hamas movement, some of whose members are pressuring Christians to convert to Islam. Some groups want to spread sedition between Christians and Muslims, the activist added. Christians have faced other forms of persecution. In 2009, Islamic extremists blew up a church in Gaza. Additionally, some Christians in Gaza have been killed during the past years. One of the Christians was allegedly killed because of debts, while the other was killed in light of more mysterious circumstances that had not yet been revealed. It is said that fundamentalist Islamists killed him because he tried to preach Muslims to Christianity. In 2012, it was reported that some Christian families in Gaza said their children were subject to "brainwashing" attempts by Muslim activists. One mother said that her sons colleagues at university pursued her son and said he should become a Muslim, Reuters reports. Hope in the Holy Land: New film helps Christians understand Israeli-Palestinian conflict Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment An organization that promotes Christian engagement in the Middle East has produced a new film that aims to show how Christians should respond and understand the complexities of the Israel-Palestinian conflict. The Philos Project released its Hope in the Holy Land film for on-demand viewing last Friday as the militant group Hamas fired thousands of rockets into Israel and Israel Defense Forces responded with airstrikes of its own, marking the worst outbreak of violence in the region since 2014. Robert Nicholson, president and founder of The Philos Project, said it is essential that Christians understand the complexity of the conflict. In the film, American Christian Todd Morehead travels to the Holy Land to gain a deeper understanding of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which is one of the most contested conflicts in the world and involves Jews, Muslims and Christians. Morehead discovered the struggles of Jews, Muslims and Christians on both sides of the conflict. The film, which is an official selection of the 2020 Justice Film Festival, dives into Israels spiritual and geopolitical issues and the reasons conflict persists today from multiple perspectives. Nicholson hosted a journalists briefing on the day of the film's release to discuss the factors causing the violence toward Israel and how Christians should respond. The most important thing Christians can do for Israel is to pray for peace and for those impacted, Nicholson said. Christians should also engage in models of careful and compassionate speech when discussing the conflict, especially on social media. There are ways that Christians should speak in moments of conflict that are geared toward mitigation rather than the aggravation of violence, Nicholson stressed. I think Christians should be diligent to read carefully to look more deeply, and more importantly to seek some context to get a sense of whats really happening, not the perception, but the reality as much as possible. He warned that Christians should display a phenomenal amount of discernment by helping people gain clarity, not conflating things or putting large slogans or using vague generalities about these sides. But really sort of discerning what is true and speaking in public accordingly, he continued. Since Christianity derives from Judaism, the two religions share a unique relationship, which should be recognized and fostered, he said. Christians should stand with Israelis, and at the same time we need to stand with the Palestinians. I can name many of them, who do seek peace and pluralism with their Jewish neighbors, Nicholson assured. Christians must learn to discern truth from the media and look more deeply into the issue, he said. There are, to my great dismay, a lot of unhelpful voices in the media more often than not, he stressed. He said some people who dont know anything about the conflict or have never been to the region and dont really know anything about whats happening feel called to make allegations of genocide or apartheid or ethnic cleansing against Israel that are really just completely divorced from reality. In fact, [they] exacerbate the conflict in an irresponsible way, Nicholson added. The newly released feature-length film offers a perspective rarely seen in the media and a challenge to a mans heart to love his enemy. The film has a goal for viewers to gain a heart for both Jews and Arabs in the Holy Land, learn the history of the Israel-Palestinian conflict, discern the truth from propaganda and stand with people who are taking risks for peace. It gives a lot of color to what is really a black and white picture and answers the question of how to turn goodwill into action, Nicholson said. Messianic Jewish radio host Michael Brown, author ofOur Hands Are Stained with Blood: The Tragic Story of the Church and the Jewish People, praised the film. [It] is far and away the best documentary I have seen on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Brown said. It is compelling, it is moving, it is fair-minded, it is accurate, and it is beautiful. Above all, it is filled with hope, hope for a better future for all who dwell in the Promised Land. What avoiding 'sin stocks' can't do Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment I have been blessed to meet many Christian financial advisors across America. Not all, but some of them use a moral screening strategy to serve their investment clients. Moral screening is one of several strategies under the larger topic of faith-integrated investing. While I have written elsewhere about how to invest for redemptive purposes, in this article I want to highlight some of the theological limits of moral screening. What is moral screening? Moral screening is an investing strategy that assigns grades to companies based on their connection with various categories of immoral behavior. This allows investors to avoid investing in companies based on their grade in each category. A few of the common areas Christians often seek to avoid include abortion, tobacco, alcohol, pornography, and gambling. Aiming for the Right Goals There are several reasons believers might choose this approach. For one, it can be a way to honor the Lord and our moral values. It can also be a way to integrate our Christian faith into a very practical area of life. The biggest challenge from my perspective isnt whether we use a moral investment screener. The real challenge is keeping our eyes on the right goals for using, or not using, such a strategy. Honoring the Lord by honoring our conscience is a biblical and worthy goal. But other less helpful goals may also come to mind with this approach. False Goal #1 Removing Moral Guilt Some may view screening as a way to avoid feeling guilty for the bad things being done by public companies. But, biblically speaking, guilt is being liable to Gods judgment, primarily for sins we personally commit (Deuteronomy 24:16, Ezekiel 18:20). It is true that in places Scripture alludes to the idea of corporate sin and confession (Daniel 9:5-9, Ezra 9:7). But as believers, we dont escape Gods judgment by using a moral screener. We escape Gods judgment by confessing our sin and accepting the gift of righteousness offered by his Son, Jesus Christ. Feelings of guilt can be based on reality, as when we do something wrong. But guilt can also be felt where it does not belong, as when we blame ourselves for things we cannot control. Will God hold us responsible for the behavior of companies in our investment portfolio? Only God knows and his judgment will be just (Luke 12:47-48). What we do know is that the solution for true or imagined guilt is not a screener, but the Savior. False Goal #2 Keeping Money from Bad Corporations Others may see screening as a way to avoid giving their money to bad companies. While this is a good desire, it is probably not the best way to think about how investing works. When you put money into a public market investment, you are not giving money to the companies you invested in. Your money is exchanged with other investors in the market. Technically, the only time money is transferred to the underlying company is at the initial offering of shares, which typically involves institutional investors. My point is that when you buy $1,000 worth of a companys stock, they dont receive $1,000 into their bank account as a result. An illustration of this is buying a used car. If I buy a used Buick from my neighbor, none of my money goes to the parent company General Motors. They made their money from the initial sale of the vehicle years earlier. Similarly, retail investors are like the used car buyer. No matter how much they invest, none of their money goes directly to the company they invested in. Some might argue that if lots of people avoided the same investment, this could have a negative financial impact on the company. However, the negative impact in this situation would likely be relatively small certainly not dollar for dollar. The most direct way of keeping ones money from a bad company is simply to avoid being a consumer of their product or service. False Goal #3 Avoiding Tainted Profits Still others may think of screening as a way to assure their returns are not tainted by ill-gotten gains. The desire to not make money by ill means is good and rooted in Scripture (Proverbs 1:19; 10:2). But the application to investing must weigh other biblical truths as well. In one sense, all profits are tainted by sin, just as all people are tainted by sin. There is no way to avoid this reality in a fallen world. In the absolute sense, you cannot avoid tainted profits in a fallen world no matter how you invest. In terms of honoring the principle of ill-gotten gains, the primary profits we must avoid are ones we create by our own misdeeds. This is the context of biblical warnings against ill-gotten gain (Proverbs 1:14-15). Our own deeds related to making money must be just and right. Also, in Scripture, money does not usually carry a moral stigma with it as it passes down to others. For example, at the Exodus the children of Israel received silver and gold from the Egyptians, which they may have used to construct the tabernacle (Exodus 12:35-36). Spiritual heroes like Joseph and Daniel received their entire livelihood from pagan kings, without moral impropriety. Jesus also received items of value from notorious sinners and yet did not become tainted by their monetary gifts (Matthew 9:10-13). When Proverbs 13:22 says, the sinners wealth is laid up for the righteous it implies that in God's judgment wealth may be transferred from sinners and given to the righteous. God may do this to honor and bless the righteous, and it does not taint them (Ecclesiastes 2:26). What really matters in this regard is our heart posture before the Lord. If we are greedy for gain and show disregard for justice in how we get it, that is a sin issue. But it cannot be resolved by simply screening our investments. Only repentance and turning from our sin can address the heart issue. In summary, some believers cannot in good conscience invest broadly in the public markets. In this case, an investment screener may help them to honor the Lord by honoring their conscience (Romans 14:2-3,6). That is something a screener can do and that is why some Christians may want to use this approach. The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. All investing involves risk, including possible loss of principal. Securities and advisory services offered through LPL Financial, a registered investment advisor, member FINRA/SIPC. WaterRock Financial, LLC is a separate entity from LPL Financial. Biden White House slams Texas heartbeat bill as assault on fundamental rights Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment The Biden White House is slamming Texas recently-passed heartbeat bill as an assault on womens fundamental rights. At the White House press briefing Thursday, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki was asked about the bill signed into law by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott Wednesday. The legislation, slated to go into effect on Sept. 1, bans abortions after a fetal heartbeat can be detected, usually around six weeks of gestation. This is the most restrictive measure yet in the nation and the most restrictive recent assault on women's fundamental rights under Roe v. Wade, Psaki replied. She lamented that critical rights continue to come under withering and extreme attack around the country. According to Psaki, President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris are devoted to ensuring that every American has access to healthcare. Now more than ever, he continues to support the robust agenda he put forward during the campaign to protect womens fundamental rights, including by codifying Roe v. Wade, she said. Obviously, there are some actions that will be through legal processes and through the courts. Those are decisions for the Department of Justice and others to make, she added, but certainly the President supports and believes we should codify Roe v. Wade. And that is his view, regardless of these backward-looking steps that are being taken ... by states in the country. As Psaki suggested, 2021 has seen the passage of many pro-life laws at the state level. A report from the pro-abortion Guttmacher Institute, released on Apr. 30, found that in the first four months of 2021, more than 500 pro-life bills were introduced in state legislatures nationwide. More than 60 of those bills have become law in 14 states. The abortion advocacy group warned that 2021 is on track to become the most devastating antiabortion state legislative session in decades. Pro-life measures enacted in the first four months of 2021 include a ban on abortions based on genetic abnormalities, including Down Syndrome, in Arizona and South Dakota. They also include heartbeat bills in Oklahoma and South Carolina. The pro-life legislation at the state level comes as the Biden administration has worked to undo pro-life policies at the federal level. Such actions include reversing the Mexico City Policy banning the use of taxpayer dollars to fund abortions overseas and enacting a ban on fetal tissue research. Since the Guttmacher Institute published its report, additional pro-life measures have been enacted at the state level, including the Texas heartbeat bill, a Tennessee law requiring the burial or cremation of aborted babies remains and an Idaho law defunding Planned Parenthood. However, a North Dakota bill that would have penalized colleges for awarding government grant money to abortion providers was partially vetoed by Gov. Doug Burgum. Throughout 2021, the pro-life movement has gained momentum at the local level. Most notably, the city of Lubbock, Texas, home to more than 200,000 people, became the largest city in the U.S. to declare itself a sanctuary city for the unborn by outlawing abortion within the city limits except in cases when a woman's life is at risk. Psakis insistence that Biden wants to codify Roe v. Wade into federal law comes just days after the Supreme Court agreed to review a lower court decision finding that a Mississippi law banning abortion after 15 weeks gestation was unconstitutional. Pro-life activists are optimistic that the Supreme Court will reverse the lower court decision, thereby chipping away at the 1973 decision that legalized abortion nationwide. The fact that the Supreme Court currently consists of six justices appointed by Republican presidents and three justices appointed by Democratic presidents is another source of pro-lifers confidence that a majority of the justices will rule in their favor. Democrats and pro-choice activists, meanwhile, are concerned about the makeup of the court. Last month, congressional Democrats introduced a bill designed to increase the number of justices on the Supreme Court, a proposal that critics refer to as court packing. Democrats argue that additional justices are needed to blunt the effect of the nominally conservative majority, which they believe is illegitimate. COVID-19 isolation led to massive spike in mental health struggles; churches must be on frontlines: Rock Recovery director Mental Health Awareness Month highlights healing power of making connections with others Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Mental health struggles exacerbated by the isolation brought on by lockdowns in response to COVID-19 led to a massive spike in the number of people seeking help for eating disorders, according to Christie Bettwy, executive director of Rock Recovery. Isolation is a huge piece of what allows mental health conditions to really thrive, Bettwy said in an interview with The Christian Post. Breaking isolation is a huge part of recovery, so thats one thing weve seen is a lot more people reaching out for help because of the isolation and the tough environments. Rock Recovery, a Christian nonprofit based in Arlington, Virginia, provides recovery programs and bridges gaps for those struggling with eating disorders. Bettwy said they saw a 400% increase in people reaching out for help when COVID-19 first began. The National Alliance on Mental Illness' message for Mental Health Awareness Month is You Are Not Alone. The slogan emphasizes the healing that comes from making connections with others. Millions of Americans struggle with mental health each year, and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have led to an increase in those struggles, especially with the isolating effects of lockdowns. Bettwy told CP that she struggled with an eating disorder for a decade, from age 13 to 23. Her journey to freedom began when she attended a six-week New ID recovery course for disordered eating offered by a church she visited. The church just needs to start the conversation about mental health," she said. "Even if its not done perfectly, I think its good to just open the door and say, theres no shame in struggling with things. If youre depressed, it doesnt necessarily mean youre not praying enough. Its not your fault." I think a lot of times with mental health, we equate it with being someones fault, like why cant they just be more joyful, why arent they praying more, when its just not at all how it works, she continued. I think there is some progress with people understanding how much the brain and how much the different biological factors affect us as humans. She said the church needs to normalize the conversation around mental health conditions and break the stigma that leads to people being misunderstood. We often equate behavior and belief with action. I think, with mental illness, its a brain disorder and it just sort of shows up in our behaviors. But its not a sin to be sick, she stressed. Since people deal with mental health conditions in every congregation everywhere, it needs to be discussed and the Church should be on the frontlines of those struggling with mental health, Bettwy said. I think, unfortunately, a lot of people dont talk about mental health from the pulpit or talk about it upfront, and we really think that the church is the frontlines for people who are struggling with mental health conditions, she said. And we know when people talk about mental health or their own struggles in their sermons, its hugely healing and helpful for people to ... normalize these issues because everybody struggles with something. Mental health is something that is super common for someone to struggle with, even in the church, she emphasized. Many people never seek help for eating disorders or mental health conditions because they don't know where to start, she added. The church is such a community of trust that when used well, it can really make a difference in helping people connect with the care that they need, Bettwy said. The church cant be all things to all people but the church can really help triage and connect people to care in appropriate ways. It was at church that Bettwy realized she had an eating disorder that needed treatment. Through her recovery process, Bettwy also came to faith in Jesus. The second I realized there is this grace for me and God made my body and actually cares about it, and theres something more to life and that my identity is not about my achievements or my appearance, that really shifted things for me , she said. Integrating faith into the recovery process is powerful and often leads to better outcomes, Bettwy shared. The clients who do both a clinical program and a faith support program, their outcomes are just above and beyond anything we typically see, she explained. Your identity and what its founded on, its so important to bring your faith into that process and its really hard to do that, she added. A lot of treatment and a lot of clinical care has become really secularized, and we find that for people of faith, integrating your faith into treatment is what makes all of the difference and is such a powerful, powerful thing. Bettwy said she had to tear down her false beliefs and rebuild them on the Rock. The name for Rock Recovery, which was founded in 2007 by Carylynn Kemp Larson, came from this idea of building your life on the Rock that is God. Recovery is a lot of different baby steps strung together, so just do the next right thing, Bettwy said. She encourages anyone dealing with a mental health problem or eating disorder to involve people in the journey, whether that's telling a loved one or pastor or calling a therapist. A virtual session of the New ID six-week recovery course for disordered eating by Rock Recovery begins on May 26. US bishops end 'dispensation excusing Catholics from attending mass Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Catholic bishops across the United States have announced that the special dispensations that excused the faithful from attending mass due to the COVID-19 pandemic are being lifted. Many regional bodies of the Roman Catholic Church recently declared that the official obligation of Catholics to attend mass, suspended last year because of the virus, was being reinstated. Last week, the Catholic Conference of Ohio released an announcement that the obligation for Catholics to regularly attend mass would be reinstated, effective June 5-6. The bishops noted in the statement that there would still be exemptions for those who have a serious reason to be absent, such as illness or caregivers of immuno-compromised people. Additionally, the conference did not consider watching a mass online or on television as a substitute for gathering in-person, clarifying that such programs were for the sick, home-bound, the imprisoned, etc., who are unable to attend Mass in person. The obligation to attend Mass on Sunday and Holy Days is not something God asks of us out of his own necessity to be worshipped, but rather a gift to the faithful for their spiritual well-being, eternal salvation and formation in our relationship with God and one another, explained the conference. As we prepare for the reinstatement of the obligation to attend Mass, we are excited once again to gather together in person without restrictions in our parish churches, most fittingly on the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ. In late April, the Archdiocese of Atlanta, Georgia, announced that they were ending their dispensation from mass on May 22, the day before Pentecost Sunday. Atlanta Archbishop Gregory J. Hartmayer stated in a pastoral letter that Pentecost was an appropriate time to take our next step forward to full reopening of our churches. We will still require masks and social distancing in our parishes, in accordance with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control, clarified Hartmayer in April. This means that people should maintain a reasonable healthy space between themselves and others who are outside of their families, to be determined at the level of each parish. Parishes can still have outdoor Masses to accommodate more people. On April 30, the Archdiocese of Dubuque issued a statement explaining that their dispensation would end on June 5-6, citing the ever-increasing number of parishioners who are vaccinated, and who have a holy desire to worship at Sunday Mass with others in church. As the pandemic isnt over, even without a dispensation, Catholics can still legitimately excuse themselves from Sunday Mass, explained the Iowa-based Archdiocese, citing examples such as illness, fear of COVID-19 infection, and age frailty. In short, there is no sin in missing the Sunday obligation if you would go if you could go, but you cant for reasons outside your control. Bishop Edward B. Scharfenberger of the Diocese of Albany, New York, sent out a letter on Monday announcing the lifting of the dispensation by June 5. In charity and concern for others, at the Mass and other liturgies, we should continue to follow the various directives regarding health protocols such as social distancing, face masks and sanitizing, wrote Scharfenberger. As the next few months unfold, the various liturgical guidelines will continue to be examined and more of the special arrangements put in place will be lifted, as and when it is safe and possible to do so. Not all Catholic dioceses or conferences are following suit just yet, as the Maryland Catholic Conference still states on its website as of Wednesday morning that their dispensation remains in place. The dispensation from attending Sunday Mass in person remains in place throughout Maryland (please participate by watching Mass on TV or online) during this time of transition, noted the conference. Churches are becoming 'a social action group,' need to get back to preaching the Gospel: Douglas Murray Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment The Church is "falling into all of the latest tropes" when it should be preaching the Gospel, says British author Douglas Murray. Murray, author of The Madness of Crowds and former Christian said he felt an "irritation" at seeing the Church "giving up its jewels and becoming something else". He made the comments in a conversation with theologian NT Wright hosted by Premier's Justin Brierley. Describing himself as an "uncomfortable agnostic" and "disappointed non-adherent," Murray, who's also an associate editor of The Spectator (U.K.), said he recognized the values and virtues the Christian faith has brought to British society, and that it was simply "wrong" to claim morality and basic ethics were self-evident. "There has, in my view, been an interesting movement in recent years ... of people saying, well actually, if we go back and look at this, what we have and what we like does have roots in the Christian story," he said. Despite being "outside of faith," Murray said he felt the "added discomfort" of being "a non-believer who is disappointed by the behavior of a believing Church." "Now many people think that's paradoxical but it isn't at all. I not only was brought up in, but afterwards sought the Church as it was and has been in England, and its jewels and gems of the King James Bible, the Book of Common Prayer, and much more," he said. "And it's been my experience, as it has been for many other people ... that one has observed the Church giving up its jewels and becoming something else, and actually that irritation I feel ... about the Church hasn't gone away even while being outside it." He said that any retreat from faith tended to end with religious bodies becoming "effectively a social action group." "My fear is constantly [that] the Church is not doing what so many of us on the outside would like it to do, which is preaching its Gospel, to be asserting its truths and claims," he said. "And so when one sees it falling into all of the latest tropes, one just thinks, well, that's another thing gone. It's just like absolutely everything else in the era, everything in its boring, monotone, ill-thought-out and shallow dialectic." Responding, Wright said he could "very much understand" why Murray felt that way. "I share his frustration when it appears the Church is simply jumping on the latest trendy bandwagon," he said. "I totally agree the Church shouldn't just be jumping on the [latest] agendas, it should be exploring more what is in its own textbook." Murray went on to say that the "most striking failure of the time" had been the attempt to replace the Christian ethic of equality in the eyes of God. "Our age is struggling very badly with an attempt to replace that ethic or find another way to do it, and there are various ways which it's tried to do that - human rights ideology is one way, fairly developed but not successful, and the other is effectively the landing on equity as the answer when it can't be the answer. "But I see what people are struggling to do, which is to try to maintain and hold onto this exceptionally important gift of the Christian inheritance. "Without the idea of equality in the eyes of God and the value of every individual in the eyes of God, you are left with these attempts to assert that, for instance, everyone is the same or can be, and it's clear that we can't be and aren't." Wright agreed, saying that from his point of view the only answer to this conundrum was "to go back to Jesus" and the Gospel. "It's a renewal of human beings, not in order to be identical 'oh, we're all equal now,' but in order to be certainly equally valued ... and equally though uniquely in themselves part of an ongoing program that God has launched, not human beings." The New Testament scholar said the emergence of today's woke ideology was rooted in the moral drift from Christianity that started in the 1960s. "When I was young we watched traditional morality go out the window. It was sex in the '60s, it was money in the '80s, 'we don't need to obey the old rules, we're going to do it differently, we're the modern world now,'" he said. "And then what's happened is the invention of neo-moralisms, which is what the woke ideology is really all about and it reminds me [Roman Emperor Caligula] who put new laws up so high that nobody could read them and then blamed or punished people for not obeying these new laws that he'd just invented, and that's very much what's going on at the moment. "Society can't live without morality but if you've banished all the older moralities, you've got to invent some more from the ground up and we're doing that on a very flimsy basis, it seems to me." Murray agreed, but said there was an "added cruelty if you haven't even finished writing them yet and you tell people to 'get with them.'" "What are the rules here? The Christian ethic has a set of rules. They can be debated around endlessly as everyone knows, but there are foundations to them, you cannot deny. They are not wholly abstract," he said. Originally published at Christian Today Churches needed more than ever to treat COVID-19 trauma: TD Jakes Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment As the nation slowly emerges from the deadly grip of the COVID-19 pandemic with vaccinations and declining case numbers, the Church will be needed more than ever to treat the residue of trauma left in the wake of the virus, according to megachurch leader and televangelist Bishop T.D. Jakes. Jakes, who is senior pastor of The Potter's House in Dallas, Texas, shared his thoughts on recovering from the pandemic during an event hosted by the Ad Council Thursday called Finishing The Race! to promote COVID-19 vaccine confidence among the faith community. I borrowed this from [Bishop] Vashti McKenzie, but it really aptly describes our reality that trouble doesnt last always, but trauma lasts for a while. And I think we have to realize that as the trouble begins to dissipate that does not mean that the trauma is gone, Jakes began in response to a question about recovering from the pandemic asked by Joshua DuBois, CEO of Values Partnerships, who moderated the event. And the Church is more needed now than ever before to treat the residue of trauma. Were seeing it in an escalation of murders. We are seeing it in an escalation of divorce. Were seeing it in an escalation of spousal abuse. Trauma takes on a lot of forms. And its one thing to hear it as a word, but when you see it in the behavior of people, sometimes we dont really associate their behavior with the isolation that preceded it, the fear and the frustration, the loss of jobs that preceded it, Jakes noted at the event which was supported by the Black Coalition Against COVID-19, Choose Healthy Life, National African American Clergy Network, National Association of Evangelicals and the National Latino Evangelical Coalition. The Church is needed more than ever before. The Gospel is needed more than ever before, and finding ways that we can minister to the souls of men, the emotions, the mind, memories in a holistic way. If youre not sleeping right, if youre not eating right, if youre having digestive issues it may be coming from suppressed trauma that may not be showing outwardly but may be eating you up inwardly. Ministry is very helpful, he continued. David said, no man cared for my soul. The doctors can care for your body, but the Church cares for your soul. So whether it takes therapy, counseling, but most of all ministry to get you to well, thats what we want to see happen. Jakes explained that the vaccination rate among his parishioners at The Potters House has been growing and the church is slowly relaxing their restriction while maintaining safety protocols. We have gone from preaching to an empty room to preaching to a partially-filled room, mostly with our volunteers and staff, and now were opening it on up to our membership incrementally, Jakes said. Across the country, other pastors are sharing similar stories that theyre starting to stick their toe in the water, at least in moving toward normalcy. Were balancing that between people contracting the virus, some people being lost to the virus, but more and more, the numbers are starting to trend down. The numbers in our city are trending down He urged Christians who are still on the fence about getting vaccinated to do your due diligence with the help of qualified professionals, then make the healthiest choice they can. COVID-19 case counts have been declining by 5% or more in nearly every U.S. state, according to a CNBC analysis of data compiled by Johns Hopkins University, and nationwide levels of infections and deaths have continued trending downward. "An average of about 1.8 million vaccinations are being done in the U.S. each day over the past week," and "47.5% of the population has received at least one vaccine dose," federal data show. The First Amendment religion clauses: Full-throated freedom or mere toleration? Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Last week I wrote my column on The First Amendment: Alive and well? in which I noted the revolutionary impact of the Amendment on religious freedom in particular and on human rights in general. The First Amendment has indeed proven itself to be a magnificent legal and political engine driving the cause of soul freedom and freedom of conscience in America first, and subsequently as a shining beacon of light and hope to a suppression-weary world. This week I want to address the current tension that has arisen among various groups of Americans over what was the Founding Fathers original intent, and how should the First Amendment be applied to todays ever-more ethically and religiously diverse populace. Columnist Judd Birdsall has conveniently and helpfully divided and labeled the two camps as First Freedom and Article 18, personified by former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (2018-2021) and current Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Pompeo was the most openly evangelical Secretary of State since William Jennings Bryan (1913-1915) in the Woodrow Wilson Administration. Pompeo, as Secretary of State, took virtually unprecedented actions and initiatives to promote religious freedom worldwide. His unprecedented efforts yielded encouraging results with two very well attended ministerial events at the State Department, including one that was hailed as the largest meeting promoting religious freedom ever held at the State Department. Pompeo and then-President Trump were leading exponents, along with the late Associate Justice Antonin Scalia, of the First Freedom view that argues that religious freedom is not just first sequentially because it touches on questions of ultimate significance and the freedoms of speech, press, and assembly are there to aid and buttress the first freedom." Proponents of the Article 18 view, vocalized by current Secretary of State Blinken, argue that religious freedom, while crucially important, is co-equal with the freedoms of speech, press, assembly and peaceful redress of grievance. I believe, however, based on my observation and experience, that there is disagreement on an issue of fundamental importance at stake in this debate. I had the privilege of serving as a Commissioner on the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom from 2001-2012. This Commission, set up by the passage of the International Religious Freedom Act, is an independent, federal government commission, not under the State Department or Congress, charged with monitoring the state of religious freedom in every country in the world. They are required to write an annual report about the state of religious freedom in each country, followed by recommendations to both the President and the Congress on ways in which American foreign aid can, and should be, used to promote religious freedom. The Commission is structured to be extremely bi-partisan. When you have a Democrat president, for example, he appoints three commissioners and the Democratic leader in the House and in the Senate nominate one commissioner each and the Republican leaders in the House and Senate nominate two each. So, the Presidents party has a one-vote majority (5-4) and it takes six votes for the Commission to act. During my years there, we would periodically undertake fact-finding trips to various countries around the world to measure for ourselves how much religious freedom was actually afforded to citizens in those countries. Undoubtedly the most memorable fact-finding trip we undertook during my tenure on the Commission was an almost two weeks visit to Communist China and Tibet in 2005. This visit took place during what turned out to be a temporary spring of hope when the Chinese Communist government appeared to be relaxing many of its very oppressive policies against Christians in that country. Alas, the promised reforms were still-born and the situation has degenerated drastically for all religious faiths in China, with the Uyghur Muslims suffering what can only be called a genocidal policy. Invariably, on these site visits, we Commissioners went to great lengths to make it crystal clear to the host country that the USCIRF standard was not Americas First Amendment standard that guaranteed complete religious liberty and freedom from government interference with peoples religious free expression rights. We often said that we would recommend it, but we could not demand it because that would interfere with the host nations sovereignty. The USCIRF standard was the international one the one codified in the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 18, which reads: Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, this right includes freedom to change his religious belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others, and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance. So, what is the difference between the First Amendment and the Universal Declarations Article 18? The First Freedom position legally restricts the government from interjecting itself into the religious experience and practice of its people. Quite simply, the First Amendment guarantees people from government interference with their religioThe Article 18 position merely guarantees some level of toleration for dissenting faiths in a society where Islam or Communist oppression may take over and rescind government support or toleration. For example, when we were in China it became apparent that the Chinese officials were increasingly irritated that we were not more impressed with the comparatively greater toleration they had been granting people of faith. In our final exit dinner with the Chinese officials, I was designated to explain the Commissions position. I did so in the following way: It has become apparent to us that you are frustrated that our team has not been more impressed with the greater degree of toleration you have been affording many religious groups in your country. We have noticed. However, while it is a bigger cage, and it is a gilded cage, it is still a cage. And that is toleration, not freedom. Sadly, history has proven our position correct since the Chinese have cracked down drastically and have made the cage very small. Under Article 18, each country could make Islam or some other religion, the official state religion supported by the peoples taxes. Under the First Freedom system that would not or could not happen. In other words, under the First Freedom position, the people are sovereign and no religion can discriminate against them or hamper their mission. As Justice Arthur Goldberg wrote over a half-century ago in the famous Supreme Court prayer decision (School District of Abington, Pennsylvania et.al V. Schemp et.al): The fullest realization of true religious liberty requires that government neither engage in, nor compel religious practices, that it effects no favoritism among sects or between religion and nonreligion. . . then Justice Goldberg went on to declare that the attitude of government toward religion must be one of neutrality. Justice Goldberg then went on to say that even untutored devotion to the concept of neutrality can lead to approval of results which partake not simply of that non-interference and non-involvement with the religious which the constitution demands, but of a brooding and pervasive devotion to the secular and a passive or even active, hostility to the religious. Such results are not only not compelled by the Constitution, but it seems to me are prohibited by it. Justice Goldberg warns, quite correctly, that even with the government neutrality required by the First Amendment freedom from government interference in religion must be carefully monitored. With mere toleration, you will always have government abuses against religion. The conflict between First Freedom advocates and Article 18 supporters is clearly a full-throated freedom vs. mere toleration debate. Those who deny that this is the case either fail to comprehend the problem, or they support mere toleration. German court upholds ban on prayer vigils near Planned Parenthood-affiliated abortion organization 40 Days for Life to continue fight to restore freedom of religion, assembly and speech Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A German court has upheld a ban on silent prayer gatherings near organizations that promote abortion, dismissing a prayer leaders challenge to have the vigil restrictions lifted. In 2019, a chapter of the global pro-life organization 40 Days for Life was banned from holding prayer vigils near the Pro Familia in Pforzheim, which is the German affiliate of the International Planned Parenthood Federation, a multi-billion dollar abortion organization. 40 Days for Life challenged the courts ban since it restricts their right to freedom of religion, assembly and speech, Alliance Defending Freedom International, a faith-based legal advocacy group, reported. The German court dismissed the pro-life groups challenge on May 12, so the prayer vigils remain prohibited. Pavica Vojnovic, the pro-life prayer groups leader, led 40-day vigils twice a year with around 20 people outside the pre-abortion advisery facility to pray for the women considering abortion and their pre-born children. Even though Vojnovic had been granted the necessary permissions to hold the vigils, the municipality has banned the group from praying near the facility for the past two years. Pro Familia, Germanys leading sexual and reproductive health and abortion rights organization, demanded the vigils be banned altogether or moved further away, even though the silent and peaceful vigils didn't prevent anyone from entering the building, and the police found no violations of the law. Every life is valuable and deserves protection, Vojnovic said in a statement. I am shocked that we are being prevented from supporting vulnerable women and their unborn children in prayer." "Its discouraging to hear that silent prayer vigils in a public place are restricted by local authorities," she continued. "Our society must offer better support to mothers in difficult situations. This topic really touches my heart, because Ive stood by many women who have suffered the pain of losing a child. Vojnovic plans to continue the fight to restore her rights to freedom of religion, assembly and speech in court through the assistance of ADF International. This is about more than our group in Pforzheim. Its about whether prayer-free zones are lawful, or whether one is allowed to represent different opinions in the public square, Vojnovic said. That is why we want to continue fighting for this freedom. Felix Bollmann, legal counsel for ADF International, said they regret the courts decision. We are still awaiting the reasoning for the verdict, but it is obvious the dismissal of the case fails to affirm freedom of expression, which is the foundation of every free and fair democracy, Bollmann said in a statement. What kind of society restricts prayer for vulnerable women and children? By prohibiting even silent prayer near an abortion organization, the Pforzheim authorities have gone beyond what could be considered reasonable or proportionate, Bollmann continued. Whether or not people agree with Pavicas views on the sanctity of life, everyone can support the importance of the fundamental rights to freedom of expression, religion, and assembly. The issue of "buffer zones" near abortion organizations is also a concern in the United States. In January, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected a pro-life group's challenge to a 15-foot buffer zone from abortion clinic entrances in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Censorship of pro-life organizations is also on the rise across Europe, from banned speech zones to college campuses. In November 2020, Julie Rynkiewicz, a midwifery student and president of the anti-abortion organization Nottingham Students for Life, faced a suspension from United Kingdoms Nottingham University and faced a four-month fitness-to-practice investigation. The university eventually offered a settlement, but Rynkiewicz said her education was put on hold for an unjust investigation where she believes she was targeted for her pro-life beliefs, ADF International reported. Of all places, university is where students should be free to debate and explore ideas especially those with which they disagree, Ryan Christopher, director of ADF International said in a statement. Im pleased that with this settlement, Nottingham University recognized errors that were made in pursuing Julia, who simply wanted to live out her pro-life convictions. A culture of vibrant discussion and free debate must be restored to our universities. Todays censorial culture on campus can easily become cancel culture in the public square. ADF U.K. wrote a letter to Prime Minister Boris Johnson in February urging him to strengthen academic freedom and free speech at universities. Illinois megachurch leaves UMC amid LGBT debate, retains ownership of campuses Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A theologically conservative multi-campus megachurch based in Illinois has finalized an amicable separation from the United Methodist Church, joining a recent wave of congregations that have exited the mainline Protestant denomination. Christ United Methodist Church of Fairview Heights, which boasts of having more than 2,000 members, reached a separation agreement with the UMC Illinois Great Rivers Conference. The church, founded in 1953, was once the largest congregation in the conference. According to a joint statement Wednesday, the church agreed to pay the conference an undisclosed sum in return for maintaining control of the property of its four campuses. The church will remove all references to the UMC from its property, including the denomination's "Cross and Flame" logo. The settlement became official on Sunday. The Rev. Shane Bishop, the senior pastor of the now-named Christ Church, said he is thankful that both sides avoided a potentially lengthy and costly legal battle. We thank our brothers and sisters in the Conference for this ultimately amicable and peaceful resolution and look forward to forging a new Christ-centric path as Christ Church, Bishop stated. Conference leader, Bishop Frank Beard, said that the amicable negotiation was an effort to honor Christ and recognize that we were on two different paths. To conclude in the best interest of all, a peaceful separation was warranted, Beard said. I believe we, even in separating, have honored Jesus Christ. The Christian Post reached out to Christ Church for additional comment. However, a response was not received by press time. Christ Churchs decision to leave the UMC comes as many other UMC congregations both theologically conservative and theologically liberal have recently decided to exit the second-largest Protestant denomination in the United States. The UMC plans to hold its next general conference in 2022 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. One of the items on the agenda is a measure known as the Protocol of Reconciliation and Grace through Separation. Many expect the protocol, or some version of it, to pass at General Conference and result in the departure of many congregations, especially those that are theologically conservative. Paul Black, director of communication ministries at the Illinois Great Rivers Conference, told CP that it was not our position that we would wish any congregation of the Illinois Great Rivers Conference to leave The United Methodist Church. Christ Church made the determination that its differences were irreconcilable and we were able to sit down and work through those differences to an amicable separation, he stated. Black explained that there had been another congregation, the United Church of Altoona, which had decided to amicably separate from the UMC earlier this year. Regarding the 2022 General Conference and what impact it will have on the number of congregations that plan to leave, Black said it was difficult to assess how many congregations would leave or remain. At this point, the Protocol is proposed legislation that is subject to changes before being acted upon so it would be sheer speculation at this point, said Black. In April, a megachurch in Georgia voted to disaffiliate from UMC after its pastor was reassigned to another position within the conference. New Jersey priest pleads guilty to stealing over $500K from church Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A Catholic priest has pleaded guilty to stealing more than $500,000 from a congregation known for having financial struggles. The Rev. Douglas J. Haefner, a 68-year-old priest who formerly served as head of St. Matthias Church in Somerset, pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree theft on Wednesday for stealing the funds for his personal use. Haefner had been criminally charged by the Somerset County Prosecutors Office and entered his plea before Superior Court Judge Peter J. Tober. His sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 4. Anthony P. Kearns III, spokesperson and chancellor of the Diocese of Metuchen, said in a statement released Wednesday that the diocese was grateful that this matter has come to its long-awaited conclusion. This is a sad and disturbing case for all involved, particularly for the people of the parish community who placed their trust and confidence in Fr. Haefner, Kearns said. Now that the Prosecutors office has finished its work, the diocese and parish are able to continue working with insurance adjusters to assess restitution. An audit by the Prosecutors office estimated that Haefner mishandled $516,984.56 in church funds, according to a pastoral letter sent Wednesday by Bishop James F. Checchio. Checchio noted that, since the financial scandal, changes have now been made in our diocese to further strengthen our financial practices. I had already requested that the diocese move to a more regular auditing cycle of our own parishes by an independent auditor, even before Fr. Doug came to me to disclose his mishandling of funds, the bishop wrote. The diocese also requires greater involvement by the laity in parish spending reviews and the submission of additional annual reports to the diocese we have also added a new Parish Financial Services Office to assist the 90 parishes in the diocese with their financial practices and compliance. In 2018, Haefner resigned as head of St. Matthias Church, officially over health problems, with allegations emerging that he had stolen at least $500,000 from the parish. Although Checchio recounted a meeting in which Haefner had confessed his financial wrongdoing, Matthew Adams, an attorney representing Haefner, released a statement at the time claiming his client was not guilty. "It is quite unfortunate that, as he steps out of the public, some have used the opportunity to violate the confidentiality that, as a matter of law, attaches to those health-related issues," said Adams, as reported by NJ Advance Media in 2018. "With respect to the allegations being leveled against him, Father Doug enjoys the same constitutional presumption of innocence as any other citizen." Pastor Artur Pawlowski says arsonists set his property on fire after viral confrontations with police Calgary Fire Department says cause of fire remains 'undetermined' Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A Canadian pastor who has repeatedly clashed with the local government officials over worship restrictions imposed due to the coronavirus pandemic is alleging that arsonists have targeted his home and set his garage ablaze. Appearing on Rebel Media Sunday, Pastor Artur Pawlowski of Street Church in Calgary, Alberta, recalled how the garage at his private residence was set on fire late Saturday night. About 11:30 p.m., my wife, she hears some commotions and firefighters, I mean, so many cars and police. And first, we thought maybe theyre coming for me in the middle of the night. But no, they came to put the fire down. After heading outside and initially believing that their neighbors house was on fire, the Pawlowskis figured out that it was their garage that was on fire. Pawlowski posted video footage of firefighters working to extinguish the fire on his YouTube channel. Someone set our property on fire. Someone wants us dead, he said. And Im thinking, 'Why? Im feeding the poor. Im feeding Muslims. Im feeding homosexuals. Im feeding whites and Asians and blacks. Im feeding people and Im not hurting anyone, and they want me dead, and they want my children dead?' Describing the fire as shocking, Pawlowski maintained that he "would never imagine that we would be living in a country that our right to be different, our rights to be able to express ourselves in a different way than others would be punishable by death. A spokesperson for the Calgary Fire Department confirmed to The Christian Post that the fire department "attended the fire in question" but a cause has not yet been determined. "The origin of the fire was an area on or adjacent to an external wall of the detached garage," the department said in a statement. "The cause of the fire is at present undetermined. As Rebel News Adam Soos noted, Pawlowski has faced additional harassment since his encounters with local law enforcement have gone viral, including graffiti and dog feces and nails in the parking lot. The pastor, born in Poland, told Rebel News that he shared his belief with Calgary Police that the fire in his garage constituted a hate crime, but they didnt say anything. According to Pawlowski, I dont know where this is going to go with them. While Pawlowski has had tense exchanges with members of the Calgary Police and other local law enforcement officials in recent weeks, he praised the police for acting very professionally." He added: They helped as much as they could. They even came with their trucks to bring the light so we could secure the place. He also thanked the firefighters for doing an amazing job, contending that if not for those men that fought the fire, my house would go down in flames. Pawlowski explained that the exact origin of the fire remains a mystery but concluded that someone put fire into a blue bin that was with cupboards and thats how the fire started. He stated that they pushed the bin to the door the wooden door of the garage and the whole garage started to burn. They dont know who did it, of course. They dont know what caused [the fire]," the pastor added. Pawlowski suggested that it could have been a lighter or someone holding the lighter and putting the bin on fire. He remarked that only God knows at this moment how the fire started. He characterized the fire as another sad day for democracy and another sad day for humanity. Pawlowski acknowledged the right to agree to disagree while lamenting that people want him and his children dead all in the name of tolerance. The fire at Pawlowskis garage came a week after video footage documented the arrest of Pawlowski and his brother, Dawid, by Calgary Police for holding an illegal in-person worship service that did not comply with social distancing and mask requirements implemented to stop the spread of the coronavirus. Multiple officers carried the brothers away into custody as they knelt in the road, refusing to walk on their own after being handcuffed. Following their release Monday night, Pawlowski compared the actions of the local government to communist China. I just woke up in Hong Kong a few days ago, he asserted. I mean, I thought I emigrated to our beloved Canada, but I am in Hong Kong, full force. Before his arrest, Pawlowski had two tense exchanges with local law enforcement, who confronted him at his church for failing to abide by coronavirus restrictions. As a public health officer, accompanied by local police, interrupted a Passover mass, the pastor sternly directed them to get out and compared them to the Gestapo, the Nazi police. The video of that encounter has received millions of views. Three weeks later, Pawlowski received another visit from local authorities seeking to enforce coronavirus restrictions. While they did not enter the church, Pawlowski accused the officials of entering his personal space and called them brown shirts and Nazi Gestapo communist fascists. After they left the property, the pastor alleged that the repeated targeting of churches was part of a broader agenda of medical tyranny that runs afoul of Canadas Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Pawlowski is among other Canadian pastors arrested for holding in-person worship services that do not conform to coronavirus restrictions. Pastors James Coates and Tim Stephens, also of Calgary, have also suffered legal consequences for holding in-person worship services. Pelosi's archbishop says speaker's reaction to Vatican abortion letter 'raises hope' of progress Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment The Archbishop of San Francisco has responded after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who represents the city in the U.S. Congress, declared that she could use her own judgment when assessing her worthiness to receive Holy Communion. Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Francisco said in a statement released Monday that he took Pelosi at her word that she approved of Cardinal Luis Ladaria's letter to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in response to the conference's stated intention to draft a national policy on whether to withhold communion from pro-abortion Catholic politicians. Pelosi made the comments Thursday during her weekly press conference after a reporter asked her what she thought of the fact that the USCCB did not want her and other pro-choice politicians to be able to receive communion because of their abortion advocacy. I think I can use my own judgment on that, Pelosi said. Additionally, the speaker praised what the Vatican put out on that subject, referring to a letter from a high-ranking Vatican official, which she characterized as saying dont be divisive on the subject. The topic has taken on renewed importance as President Joe Biden and Speaker Pelosi are pro-choice Catholics. Ladaria is the prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith of the Catholic Church. His letter warned that establishing a national policy on the ability of pro-abortion Catholic politicians to receive communion could become a source of discord rather than unity in the Church. Im happy to know that Speaker Pelosi said she is pleased with the letter," Cordileone wrote. But he pushed back on the idea that Pelosi can use her own judgment to determine her worthiness for communion. According to Cordileone, in the last 50 years, in the United States alone, 66,000,000 babies have been murdered in their mothers wombs. This is not a matter about which one can use judgment." "It is a fact, the archbishop stated. The archbishop reiterated the contents of Ladarias letter, which advised U.S. bishops to use as a guide in determining how to address this situation the principles laid out in a private letter in 2004 from the then-Cardinal Ratzinger, Prefect of the CDF at the time, to the bishops of the United States. The following year, Ratzinger became Pope Benedict XVI following the death of Pope St. John Paul II. As Cordileone noted, Ratzingers letter confirmed that consistently advocating for abortion and euthanasia constitutes formal cooperation in grave sin and that bishops must dialogue with Catholics prominent in public life who do so in order to help them understand the grave evil they are helping to perpetrate and accompany them to a change of heart. Cordileone contends that Ratzinger goes on to say in the letter that, if these dialogues prove to be fruitless, then, out of respect for the Catholic belief of what it means to receive Holy Communion, the bishop must declare that the individual is not to be admitted to Communion. The archbishop contends that Speaker Pelosis positive reaction to Cardinal Ladarias letter ... raises hope that progress can be made in this most serious matter." Ladarias letter was published less than a week after Cordileone weighed in on the intensifying debate about communion for pro-abortion Catholic politicians. Cordileone said to those politicians: If you find that you are unwilling or unable to abandon your advocacy for abortion, you should not come forward to receive Holy Communion. Additionally, Cordileone described pro-abortion Catholic politicians public affirmation of the Catholic faith while at the same time publicly rejecting one of its most fundamental teachings as simply dishonest. In an interview with The Daily Caller News Foundation, which took place after Ladarias letter became public but before Pelosi suggested that she could use her own judgment when determining her worthiness for communion, Cordileone stressed the importance of teaching Catholics what it means to receive Communion. The Catholic Churchs Code of Canon Law teaches that people who are obstinately persevering in manifest grave sin are not to be admitted to holy communion. The archbishop elaborated on the Churchs teaching, explaining that receiving the sacrament of Communion expresses the Communion one already has with the Church, that is that they accept Church teaching and are trying to live their life according to that Church teaching." If they reject many of those teachings or are living their lives not in conformity, in a serious way, such as advocating for a very serious evil, then theyre not properly disposed to receive communion," he continued. Cordileone alleged that when American Catholics see pro-abortion politicians receiving communion, they think Oh, it must be okay for a Catholic to favor abortion. He insisted that such an idea could not be further from the truth. The issue of whether or not pro-abortion Catholics should receive communion has caused division within the Catholic Church. As he campaigned for the Democratic nomination for president, a priest in South Carolina refused to give then-presidential candidate Biden communion due to his abortion advocacy. On the other hand, after Biden won the 2020 presidential election, Cardinal Wilton Gregory of the Archdiocese of Washington said he would not deny Biden communion. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signs fetal heartbeat bill banning abortion as early as 6 weeks Law allows women to sue abortionists for physical harm Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Texas has become the latest and largest state to enact a heartbeat bill that would ban abortion after a fetal heartbeat can be detected, which is usually at around six weeks gestation. Our Creator endowed us with the right to life, Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott proclaimed as he signed Senate Bill 8 into law Wednesday. Yet, millions of children lose their right to life every year because of abortion. In Texas, we want to save those lives. The heartbeat bill is now LAW in the Lone Star State. This bill ensures the life of every unborn child with a heartbeat will be saved from the ravages of abortion. Thank you @SenBryanHughes, @ShelbySlawson, & #txlege for fighting for the lives of the unborn in Texas. pic.twitter.com/aolhUKM9tv Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) May 19, 2021 Slated to go into effect on Sept. 1, Senate Bill 8 states that a physician may not knowingly perform or induce an abortion on a pregnant woman if the physician detected a fetal heartbeat for the unborn child. Physicians are also prohibited from performing an abortion if they failed to perform an ultrasound to detect a fetal heartbeat. The bill also allows individuals to take civil action against an abortionist who performs or induces an abortion and any person who knowingly engages in conduct that aids or abets the performance or inducement of an abortion, including paying for or reimbursing the costs of abortion through insurance or otherwise. At the signing ceremony, Abbott praised the Texas Legislature for crafting a bipartisan bill that ensures that the life of every unborn child who has a heartbeat will be saved from the ravages of abortion. The governor also thanked the Legislature, singling out the bills authors, Sen. Bryan Hughes and Rep. Shelby Slawson. In addition, he expressed gratitude for the pro-life groups who worked tirelessly during the course of the session to make sure this bill got passed, thanking them for everything they do to cultivate a culture of life in Texas. The crowd gathered around Abbott erupted into cheers and applause after he signed the bill. After he declared that the Texas heartbeat bill is now law in the Lone Star State, more cheers and applause broke out. Senate Bill 8 passed the Texas House of Representatives on May 6 by a vote of 8364 and the Texas Senate approved the measure, with House amendments, on May 13 by a vote of 1813. In both chambers, one Democrat broke from his party to support the legislation, which no Republican opposed. Pro-life groups quickly praised Abbott for signing Senate Bill 8, with Texas Right to Life predicting that the measure will save thousands of lives, characterizing it as a vital step in the road to abolishing all abortions in Texas. While praising the legislation as a landmark victory, the pro-life advocacy group urged the state Legislature to embrace additional pro-life measures before the legislative session concludes. Meanwhile, pro-abortion groups slammed the measure and vowed to fight it. Alexis McGill Johnson, the president of Planned Parenthood, the largest abortion provider in the U.S., described Senate Bill 8 as cruel and extreme. Johnson expressed particular concern that the bill includes a dangerous provision that allows ANYONE from any state to sue an abortion provider and others who help someone get care. She cited the law as proof that access to abortion has never been more at risk, promising that were going to fight back like hell. This is cruel and extreme. And they've included a dangerous provision that allows ANYONE from any state to sue an abortion provider and others who help someone get care?? Absolutely not. Access to abortion has never been more at risk and we're going to fight back like hell. https://t.co/BKaw49p0RI Alexis McGill Johnson (@alexismcgill) May 19, 2021 Heartbeat bills have previously faced resistance from the judicial branch in several states, including Mississippi, Georgia and Missouri. Abbotts signing of Senate Bill 8 comes two days after the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to take up a case involving Mississippis 15-week abortion ban. The case has major implications for the pro-life movement as the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion nationwide nears its 50th anniversary. The passage of Senate Bill 8 comes as Texas House Republicans face criticism for failing to consider a bill that would ban sex changes for children younger than 18 years of age. With less than two weeks to go, the Texas Senate approved a similar measure that still awaits approval from the House. The push to pass such a bill comes as the states 87th Legislative Session is scheduled to come to an end in less than two weeks. Senate Bill 8 is one of several pro-life state laws signed into law so far this year. Late last month, the pro-abortion Guttmacher Institute released a report finding that more than 500 pro-life bills had been filed in the first four months of 2021, with 61 of those bills becoming law. In addition to the legislative action taking place at the state level, individual communities in Texas have taken steps to protect the right to life. Two dozen Texas cities have declared themselves sanctuary cities for the unborn, completely outlawing abortion at the local level. Earlier this month, the city of Lubbock, Texas, became the largest sanctuary city for the unborn in the country. The city of more than 200,000 people faced a lawsuit shortly thereafter. Christian Podcasts Youll Love: The Worlds Best Faith App Are you looking for good Christian podcasts that can help inform and inspire your faith? If so, look no further! Edifi is a powerful, faith-affirming app that brings together thousands of the top Christian podcasts in one place for your listening enjoyment. Edifi is unique for a plethora of reasons. First and foremost, with Edifi, theres no shortage of Christian podcasts and uplifting content, as the app aggregator brings you more than 26,000 podcasts and 3.9 million episodes (and counting). 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Franklin Graham tells Prince Harry what's great about the US after royal calls First Amendment bonkers Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment The Rev. Franklin Graham, conservative evangelical leader and head of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, has responded to Prince Harrys recent comments dismissing the First Amendment freedom of speech, freedom of the press and freedom of religion as bonkers. In a Facebook post on Monday, Graham defended the U.S. Constitution and recommended that the British royal learn more about it before making additional comments. My ancestors were among those who came to this country to gain these freedoms. I am so thankful that I have the freedom to worship without government interference, and I thank God that the founders of our Constitution gave us this protection, wrote Graham. Maybe Prince Harry could take some time while he is in this country to study our history, and I think he will come to appreciate that the First Amendment is part of what makes America great and one of the main reasons people have left everything to come here throughout history. In an interview with actor Dax Shepherd on the podcast "Armchair Expert," Harry said he considered the First Amendment of the Constitution to be bonkers. Ive got so much I want to say about the First Amendment as I sort of understand it, but it is bonkers, said the Duke of Sussex. "I dont want to start going down the First Amendment route because thats a huge subject and one which I dont understand because Ive only been here a short time, but you can find a loophole in anything, The Spectator reported. Harry moved to California with his American wife, actress Meghan Markle, last year due to a reported falling out with members of the British royal family. Nice that he can say that, quipped U.S. Senator Ted Cruz, R-Texas, in response on Twitter, getting as of Wednesday morning more than 14,000 likes and over 1,300 retweets. Nigel Farage, the former leader of the U.K. Independence Party who successfully championed Brexit, was among the non-Americans who criticized the Duke of Sussex over his remarks. For Prince Harry to condemn the USAs First Amendment shows he has lost the plot. Soon he will not be wanted on either side of the pond, stated Farage. Russell Moore leaves Southern Baptist Convention's ERLC for Christianity Today Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Russell Moore, the prominent Southern Baptist leader known for his criticism of former President Donald Trump, is leaving his post as president of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission to join Christianity Today. According to an entry on his website posted Tuesday, Moore explained that he accepted an invitation by Christianity Today to serve as a public theologian at the evangelical news publication as the director of its Public Theology Project. His term as the commission's president will come to an end on June 1. Ive struggled with this decision, because my gratitude for the honor of serving the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission is so deep, wrote Moore. As I conclude my time serving Southern Baptists as ERLC president, I am filled with gratitude as well as excitement for the future. Moore also spoke positively of his time as president of the ERLC, saying that he was thankful to the board of trustees at the ERLC who labored with me, loved me, supported me, and stood with integrity and conscience. The team I have been blessed to work with at the ERLC is second to none. I am always amused by people who assume that we have a staff of hundreds, just based on everything this team is able to accomplish, when in reality we have a small team of brothers and sisters who are peerless in their gifting, excellence, commitment, and who love each other and Jesus, he continued. Whether that was through national conferences such as MLK50 and Caring Well, a string of successful engagements on matters of public policy, or through the work of evangelism and cultural engagement, this team has excelled far beyond what I could have ever asked or hoped from any group of people. During his tenure, the ERLC hosted conferences on race, marriage and abuse. The commission also advocated for issues of life, religious freedom and justice. ERLC Executive Vice President Daniel Patterson will serve as the acting president, according to a statement shared with The Christian Post. The commission's board of trustees will begin its search for the next president. David E. Price, chairman of the ERLC board of trustees, extended his gratitude for Moore's "eight years of principled, energetic and prophetic ministry." "He led with integrity, courage and convictional kindness during tumultuous times," Price stated. "It has been our joy as trustees and fellow Southern Baptists to be on mission for Christ and His Kingdom with the utmost confidence in Dr. Moores leadership and in the effectiveness of the commissions ministry." "Though we are sad to see his time leading this entity come to a close, we wish him the best and will continue to look to his leadership and voice in American evangelicalism," Prince added. "The importance of the ministry assignment Southern Baptists have given to the ERLC remains essential to the SBC and our trustees will now begin taking the necessary steps to identify the next president for this organization. Formerly the dean of the School of Theology at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, Moore became president of the ERLC in 2013. During his tenure, Moore garnered controversy within the Southern Baptist Convention for his criticism of Trump and his support for certain religious liberty measures. In March 2017, after Trump was elected president, Moore apologized for engaging in rhetoric that was sometimes "overly broad or unnecessarily harsh." I was asked often during the election about evangelicalism as it related to moral issues and character, and in so doing I spoke, often quite sharply, about those Christians who said or implied that such concerns don't matter or shouldn't be talked about, stated Moore at the time. The 2016 presidential election was different than any in our lifetime. Good and godly people had to make very hard decisions. Moore continued to be critical of the Trump administration, stating in January that if he had been a member of the United States Senate, he would have voted to impeach the president. Moore also garnered criticism, as well as calls for the ERLC to be defunded, when he opted to support a 2016 lawsuit that a Muslim community was leveling against a New Jersey county that refused to allow the building of a mosque on Church Street in a historic part of the town. In response to the failed efforts to remove him from the ERLC, Moore defended the SBC commissions involvement in the litigation, saying that protecting the rights of Muslims was beneficial to the SBC. When you have a government that says 'we can decide whether or not a house of worship can be constructed based upon the theological beliefs of that house of worship,' then there are going to be Southern Baptist churches in San Francisco and New York and throughout this country who are not going to be able to build, explained Moore at the time. Last November, the Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit The Religious Freedom Institute honored Moore with their Defender of Religious Freedom Award. Moore defends the religious liberty of all people. He challenges believers to be better public witnesses to their faith, and he challenges secularists to have greater appreciation for the importance of religion in American public life, stated the Institute. Christian therapist sues Washington over law banning sexual orientation therapy for minors Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A licensed therapist is suing Washington state over its ban on sexual orientation counseling for minors, a practice described by critics as conversion therapy. In a lawsuit filed last Thursday in the U.S. District Court of the Western District of Washington at Tacoma, licensed marriage and family therapist Brian Tingley contends that Senate Bill 5722 constitutes a denial of free speech rights" that is guaranteed by the First Amendment. The lawsuit calls the measure relating to restricting the practice of conversion therapy" a violation of the Due Process Clause of the 14th Amendment due to its vagueness. The law was signed by Washington Gov. Jay Inslee in 2018. Defendants in the lawsuit are Attorney General Bob Ferguson, Secretary of Health Umair Shah and Assistant Secretary of the Healthy Systems Quality Assurance Division Kristin Peterson. The legal nonprofit Alliance Defending Freedom, which is devoted to defending First Amendment rights, represents the plaintiff in his legal proceedings. Tingley is a Christian whose faith informs his views concerning human nature, healthy relationships, and what paths and ways of thinking will enable his clients to achieve comfort with themselves and live happy and satisfied lives. Tingley has maintained a private practice of counseling since 2002, working with adolescents, adults, and couples on a wide variety of matters." He currently practices in the Tacoma suburb of Fircrest. Senate Bill 5722 regulates "the professional conduct of licensed health care providers with respect to performing conversion therapy on patients under age eighteen by classifying the performance of such therapy as unprofessional conduct for a license holder. The law cites the states compelling interest in protecting the physical and psychological well-being of minors, including lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth, and in protecting its minors against exposure to serious harms caused by conversion therapy." Attorneys for the plaintiff characterize the law as the Counseling Censorship Law, maintaining that the measure seeks to impose uniformity and silence dissent on topics about which both clients and counselors hold differing views motivated by ideology, faith beliefs, and differing interpretations of science. Additionally, the lawsuit accuses the state of Washington of seeking to impose its own new orthodoxy concerning sexual morality, human nature, personal identity, and free will. The law defines conversion therapy as a regime that seeks to change an individuals sexual orientation or gender identity and applies to efforts to change behaviors or gender expressions, or to eliminate or reduce sexual or romantic attractions or feelings toward individuals of the same sex. Attorneys for Tingley believe that the provided definition of conversion therapy is vague, content-biased, and biased against one perspective or point of view. Senate Bill 5722 states that the ban on conversion therapy does not apply to religious practices or counseling under the auspices of a religious denomination, church, or organization that do not constitute the performance of conversion therapy by licensed health care providers on clients under age eighteen." However, ADF attorneys believe that is a sham exemption because the exemption does not apply to practicing Christian counselors like the plaintiff who wish to help fellow Christians who seek his assistance to live consistently with the teachings of their shared faith. Over the years, Plaintiff Tingley has had multiple clients, including minor clients, who experienced unwanted same-sex attraction and desired Mr. Tingleys help in reducing those attractions so they could enter into heterosexual romantic relationships and the family lives which they longed for, and also so they could live in a manner consistent with the moral teachings of their Christian faith," the lawsuit reads. Tingleys attorneys noted that minor Christians struggling with other vices, including pornography addiction, come to their client seeking help so they can live their lives in accordance with their religious beliefs. However, they warned that Senate Bill 5722 deprives Tingley of his right to practice his religious beliefs by speaking to clients on topics of gender identity and sexual attractions and change in a manner consistent with the teachings of his faith and that of his clients. As a result of concerns about facing repercussions under the Counseling Censorship Law, Tingley is not able to freely and without fear speak what he believes to be true, and his client is therefore denied the right to receive open and uninhibited thoughts from his or her chosen counselor." Potential punishments for failing to abide by the terms of the law include substantial fines, suspension from practice, and even loss of license and livelihood," ADF contends. The law and similar legislation enacted in other states reflect the view among many Democrats and LGBT activists that sexual orientation is an immutable characteristic instead of a choice. This view manifested itself during Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barretts confirmation hearings last year. Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, took issue with Barretts previous use of the term sexual preference to describe an individuals sexual orientation. The lawsuit pushes back on this narrative, pointing to a review of scientific literature that found that [A]rguments based on the immutability of sexual orientation are unscientific, given that scientific research does not indicate that sexual orientation is uniformly biologically determined at birth or that patterns of same-sex and other-sex attractions remain fixed over the life course. Bans on sexual orientation counseling for minors have received a mixed reaction from the judicial branch thus far. Last year, the U.S. 11th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled bans on conversion therapy in Palm Beach County and Boca Raton, Florida, unconstitutional. In 2019, a federal judge in Maryland dismissed a lawsuit against the states Youth Mental Health Protection Act. 3rd Canadian pastor arrested for holding worship services violating COVID-19 orders Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A third Canadian pastor has been arrested after violating COVID-19 restrictions. Tim Stephens, the pastor of Fairview Baptist Church in southeast Calgary, was arrested Sunday after months of urging members of his congregation to break public health orders. Canadian police reported that the Baptist pastor was arrested for organizing a church service Sunday that did not comply with public health orders, including masking, physical distancing and attendance limits. In a statement, authorities stated that police did not enter the church during the service. "The pastor acknowledged the injunction, but chose to move forward with today's service, ignoring requirements for social distancing, mask wearing and reduced capacity limits for attendees," the joint statement released by the Calgary Police Service and Alberta Health Services reads. "We continue to ask those who may be considering organizing or participating in any outdoor events to ensure they are familiar with public health order requirements and to do their part to prevent further spread of the virus. Current regulations in Canada only allow for an occupancy of 15 people to slow the spread of the virus. The province of Alberta presently has the highest number of active cases per capita of all the provinces and territories in the nation, according to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. "Restricting the church to 15 people which essentially restricts the church from gathering is against the will of Christ and against the conscience of many who desire to worship the Lord of glory according to his word," Stephens opined in a blog post following the updated restrictions earlier this month, noting that he intended to disregard the government-issued orders. In a May 9 sermon, Stephens explained that the reason the church continues to gather is that obedience to Christ trumps all other authorities. The civil government are not rulers over the Church. The Bible does not give in Romans 13 or 1 Peter 2 the civil magistrate authority over the Church, he said. The Church is Christs Body, Christs bride. They are to wield the sword in matters of justice, not in matters of regulating worship or how we gather together to worship Christ. The government is forbidding us from doing these things the way that God has set down for us to do them. And so we must obey God rather than man, he added. Authorities say they worked for several weeks to address ongoing concerns at Fairview Baptist Church. It is only when significant risk is identified or continued non-compliance is noted that AHS resorts to enforcement action, the statement reads. Earlier this month, brothers Artur and Dawid Pawlowski were arrested and charged with organizing an illegal in-person gathering, inciting or inviting others to attend an illegal gathering and promoting and attending the meeting. Footage of Artur Pawlowski, who is of Polish descent, went viral last month after Calgary police and government officials entered his church during Holy Week observations. The pastor told them to get out and referred to them as Nazis. I grew up under communist dictatorship behind the Iron Curtain, under the brute of the Soviets, and Im telling you thats no fun at all. It was a disaster, Pawlowski recalled in an April Fox News interview. Police officers could break into your house, 5 in the morning. They could beat you up, torture you. They could arrest you for no matter what reason. Speaking of the incident with the police, Pawlowski said, [i]t was like a flashback when those police officers showed up at my church. Everything kind of came back to life from my childhood, he said. And the only thing I could do is to fend off the wolves as a shepherd, and I used my voice to get rid of them. They were illegally encroaching on our rights during the most holy days during the Passover celebration. Stephens arrest also comes on the heels of the arrest of fellow Albertan Pastor James Coates of GraceLife Church near Edmonton. Coates was arrested in March after his church ignored public health requirements on social distancing, masking and capacity limits. Black Lives Matter calls for Palestinian liberation, stands in solidarity amid Hamas attacks Biden calls for de-escalation as Hamas attacks continue; IDF pledges to defend Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Black Lives Matter expressed its solidarity for Palestinians, advocating for ending settler colonialism and Palestinian liberation in a tweet that implicitly undercut Israel after days of attacks in the region. Black Lives Matter stands in solidarity with Palestinians, the advocacy group tweeted on Monday. We are a movement committed to ending settler colonialism in all forms and will continue to advocate for Palestinian liberation. ( always have. And always will be ). #freepalestine. The Palestinian leadership of the global Boycott, Divestment & Sanctions movement, which calls for the academic and cultural boycott of Israel, retweeted BLM and expressed gratitude for their solidarity. Thank you for your solidarity, the left-wing BDS movement tweeted in response to BLMs tweet. From Ferguson to Palestine, our struggles against racism, white supremacy and for a just world are united! The tweets came as Israel entered into its second week of conflict after Hamas and other extremists began firing missiles into Israel from the Gaza Strip following clashes between Muslims and police in Jerusalem near a historic mosque in the Old City. Iran-backed Hamas, which the U.S. recognizes as a terrorist organization, has fired over 4,000 rockets into Israel in the past 10 days, according to the Israeli military. The Israel Defense Forces have retaliated with airstrikes and targeted attacks that have resulted in the killing of Hamas leaders in addition to civilians. According to reports, local health officials have said the death toll in Gaza has risen to 227, including at least 64 children. Meanwhile, the death toll in Israel is around 12, including two children. Israel has long argued that Hamas has housed military operations inside civilian institutions in an attempt to protect itself from IDF airstrikes. Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo took to Twitter on Wednesday to state that "Israel didnt initiate attacks on Gaza or Hamas or the Palestinian Authority." "And it didnt attack the backer of this violence: the regime in Iran," Pompeo added. "Every single life lost in this conflict, Israeli and Palestinian alike, is the result of Iranian-backed Palestinian terror." Unlike BLM and other left-leaning Democrats who support Palestine at Israels expense, the Biden White House has condemned the Hamas rocket attacks and supported Israels right to defend itself against the rocket attacks. President Joe Biden spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday about Israels progress in degrading the terrorists capabilities. Biden said he expected a significant de-escalation on the path to a ceasefire. David Rubin, a native New Yorker and former mayor of Shiloh, Israel, said BLMs solidarity with the Palestinians ultimately means they support Hamas' rocket attacks and Arab rioting in Israeli cities. The timing is obviously an intentional show of strong support for Hamas at this critical time, when Israel is finally starting to do some real damage to the terrorist infrastructure in Gaza, Rubin, the author of Confronting Radicals: What America Can Learn from Israel, said in a statement shared with The Christian Post. BLM, the global network formed in 2013 with the mission to eradiate white supremacy and intervene in violence inflicted on Black communities by the state and vigilantes, gained further national attention after George Floyds death on May 25, 2020, which led to sweeping protests and marches across the country. Many evangelical organizations and leaders have condemned the Black Lives Matter movement for being an overtly political movement that stands for more than just racial equality. The nondenominational Southern Evangelical Seminary & Bible College in North Carolina released a statement in August 2020 condemning the godless agenda of the Black Lives Matter movement. The seminary warned Christians that the movement espouses beliefs that are antithetical to basic foundational tenets of the Christian faith. SES President Richard Land, who is also CP executive editor, said in August that BLM is Marxist, anti-biblical, and out to destroy the nuclear family." He stressed that evangelicals should not embrace the organization. Southern Baptist Convention President J.D. Greear said that while black lives matter, he denounced the Black Lives Matter movement. He warned that the movement and the website have been hijacked by some political operatives whose worldview and policy prescriptions would be deeply at odds with my own. BLM co-founder Patrisse Cullors has described herself as a trained Marxist and revealed her appreciation for Mao Zedongs "Red Book," a collection of Chinese Communist Party dictator Mao's sayings and writings, in a video from 2010, according to The Epoch Times. Rubin said Bidens request for a ceasefire should not be heeded by Netanyahu as long as Hamas has the capability to attack. When Israel starts to get the upper hand in the fighting, the demands for a ceasefire suddenly emerge, Rubin said. I dont know if Prime Minister Netanyahu will agree to such a proposal. In my opinion, Israel should continue its offensive until Hamas is no longer capable of firing rockets and until they raise the white flags of surrender. Rubin said Bidens policy of weakness is actually responsible for this war because of the millions of dollars in aid he unconditionally restored to the Palestinian Authority. These are funds that had been cut off by President Trump because of the Palestinian penchant for paying monthly salaries to terrorists, which they have been doing for 20 years," Rubin said. Biden restored that funding unconditionally, effectively giving them a green light to launch terror attacks, he continued. And he has the gall to demand that Israel stop responding to 3,000 rocket attacks? Netanyahu has not expressed any plan to disengage in retaliation and said he is determined to continue this operation until its objective is achieved: to restore the calm and security to you, citizens of Israel." The IDF has also reiterated its commitment to continue to defend Israel. More than 120 priests die in 2 weeks amid COVID-19 outbreak in India Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Father Victor David, parish priest of Our Lady of Happy Voyage in Howrah, India, died from COVID-19 last Thursday at the Mercy Hospital hours after Sister Pranita Rai, principal of St. Teresas School in Kidderpore, died from the virus too. The two missionaries of the Catholic Church died as the faithful were observing the feast of Our Lady of Fatima, according to The Times of India. And as more than 4,000 people die daily from the virus in that country, more than 160 priests have reportedly died in the past five weeks. Some 120 of them died between April 1 and April 15, Father Suresh Mathew, the editor of Indian Currents, told CRUX. I wanted to know the extent of the tragedy and the reasons. With journalistic interest, I began compiling the list of priests who died in the second wave (of COVID-19 pandemic in India). I approached the deputy secretary general of the Catholic Bishops Conference of India, and he gave me around 20 names of priests. But Jose Kavi, the editor of Matters India, gave me the names of numerous priests who succumbed to the virus, Mathew said. Those names amounted to a list of 117, and Mathew reached out to individual bishops in India regarding the deaths and was surprised by what he found. Within 24 hours, my inbox was flooded with messages of names of priests who died. A few in the list were not COVID casualties. Right now, I can say more than 120 priests died in India between April 1 and April 15, he said. The number of deaths of priests is higher than the national average of COVID deaths and we should do a deep study into the reasons for the deaths, he told CRUX. Importantly many priests were around 40, and died in their prime. More than 20 were Jesuits. We need to make a study of this: Why are so many young priests dying in this coronavirus second wave? Our brother priests should not remain mere statistics. Mathew further told Vatican News that from April 10 to May 17 he compiled a list of at least 160 diocesan and religious priests who died. He suggested that the death toll among priests could be higher because not all COVID-19 related deaths have been reported from Indias 174 dioceses. Many priests are dying for want of timely medical care. It is a horrific situation, Bishop Gerald Almeida of Jabalpur in central Indias Madhya Pradesh state told the publication. I am shocked to know that so many priests have died when priests and vocation to the priesthood are very scarce in the country. Almeida noted that many priests and nuns who work with the general public had experienced heightened fear of death and isolation as they work through the pandemic. Our priests have given their lives in service, to the people. Many of our young priests who died were actively serving their communities, administering the sacraments with due social distancing and wearing masks during Easter, Cardinal Oswald Gracias of Bombay, the president of the bishops conference, told Crux. Our priests out of pastoral zeal gave their lives in service and succumbed to the virus. Many of our young priests with their missionary zeal, and even with the necessary precaution, paid with their lives: A heavy price for their devotion in the fight against virus, the cardinal said. Some priests have also died after attending large church gatherings, according to The Times on India. At least three priests died from COVID-19 after attending the Church of South India retreat at Munnar from April 1317 the publication reported. India is the world's largest vaccine-producing nation, and while 141.6 million people have received at least one vaccine dose, that's roughly 10% of its population of 1.35 billion, according to health ministry data cited by Reuters. Just over 40.4 million people, or 2.9% of its population, are fully vaccinated. Koshy George and John Prabhudoss, president and chairman, respectively, of the Federation of Indian American Christian Organizations of North America, called on President Joe Biden in a letter Sunday to help charitable organizations get beyond government restrictions they say are worsening the crisis in India. As the world is witnessing, the pandemic in India is proving to be a much deadlier affair. Unfortunately, we are realizing that the government of India does not have the infrastructure or the resources to effectively manage this pandemic. We are afraid that poor planning and management by the government of India has exacerbated the current situation, George and Prabhudoss wrote. Further, some untimely implementation of government regulations and restrictions on private charity organizations in the middle of a pandemic have added to the problem by severely hampering the relief effort on the ground, they added. Among those onerous restrictions, the charity leaders say, is a new regulation requiring them to open a new bank account in Delhi and obtain clearances from the Ministry of Home Affairs. Some charities have indicated that few officials are refusing the needed clearance demanding bribes. We also understand from the bank officials that many of their staff are infected by the virus and with few staff they are unable to handle the workload resulting in a huge backlog, they said in their letter to Biden. We are asking you to please intervene with Prime Minister Modi and suggest that he lift or suspend the new regulation requiring the charities to open a new bank account and obtain clearances from the Ministry of Home Affairs in the middle of a pandemic. We ask that these bureaucratic hurdles are suspended or lifted for a minimum of 12 months so that charity organizations and health care providers in India could receive the much needed funds already available to them in a timely fashion to help the people who need it the most, they urged Biden. American Christians help fund thousands of bomb shelters to protect Israelis from Hamas attacks Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment As Israel has been bombarded with thousands of missiles fired by Hamas over the past two weeks, American Christians have provided aid from afar by helping fund mobile bomb shelters that will protect Israeli civilians from the attacks. The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews [The Fellowship] placed 13 mobile bomb shelters in the heavily bombarded city of Ashkelon last Wednesday, along with several other mobile shelters throughout the week, to protect from Hamas terrorist missile fire. The Fellowship also provided security staff in Ashkelon, a coastal southern Israel city, with 25 protective vests. The Fellowship, a leading nonprofit founded in 1983 that bridges the gap between American evangelicals and Jews by providing humanitarian aid to Israel and Jewish people, has placed nearly 3,000 bomb shelters in Israel to date. The support of American Christians who desire to see Israel protected has allowed thousands of permanent or mobile bomb shelters to truly provide security and safety from these rocket attacks to the people of Israel. Its mostly on behalf of Christians in America who want to provide that shelter and protection just as the Bible says to be the watchmen on the walls [of Jerusalem], The Fellowship CEO Yael Eckstein, whose father founded the organization, told The Christian Post. Despite the pandemic and subdued terror activity during 2020, The Fellowship continued to prepare for future conflicts in Israel and successfully placed 59 permanent and mobile bomb shelters and 1,000 protective vests in the past 18 months. Factories can produce a mobile bomb shelter in six days, she said. And in times of conflict, these shelters can be purchased and placed in key, strategic, vulnerable locations [under rocket fire]. Especially in the last week, Israel is aware of the constant threat of attack from enemies surrounding the small Middle Eastern country of about 9 million people. Every night before we go to sleep and say the bedtime prayers to ask God to watch over us, were giving our plans for if theres a [bomb] siren who is going to grab who to go down to the shelters, the mother of four shared. Things have definitely changed, and its a constant balance between making sure our children are aware and that youre honest with them and that theyre aware of the threats and aware of where the closest bomb shelter is. She said it is challenging to find the balance of not being afraid and trusting in Gods protection while knowing individuals who have been killed in war and terror in Israel. Whats really unique and unprecedented about this situation now is that were not even technically in a situation of war and [there have] been more rockets over Tel Aviv, Jerusalem than ever before in the history of Israel, Eckstein detailed. And so, I guess what makes this unique is just the range that Hamas terrorists are able to [reach]. The amount of people who are in their bomb shelters who have never [had] to get in their bomb shelters before and the ongoing barrages that are targeting civilians and not specifically military or IDF bases. The Fellowship has operated on the Gaza Strip for 15 years to prepare for emergencies through building bomb shelters, providing secure trauma centers and protective vests. But the attacks of the past couple of weeks have affected more Israeli civilians than ever before, according to Eckstein. She said seeing the support millions of Christians have shown for Israel, despite the medias often misleading narrative, is encouraging. Whats inspiring to me personally is to see the millions of Christians who, despite the media totally misportraying what is happening, they see through it and continue to stand with Israel and be Israels most vocal supporters, Eckstein said. And for Christians, obviously, who stand for life, who stand against killing, who have these very, very strong values of freedom, to see how they recognize theres one side defending themselves and one side waging war and targeting civilians, for me is just the most encouraging thing. ... She said millions of Christians are going against the "mainstream opinion" because they understand that "Israel stands for freedom." Eckstein explained how Israel is surrounded by enemies that seek its destruction though it is peace-seeking and has never provoked a war in its history since 1948. Israel yearns for peace," she stated. "Israel does not want war. Israel doesnt want to kill anyone. Israel wants to make sure that its citizens are safe. " Eckstein stated that while Israel is building bomb shelters to protect its civilians, the designated terrorist group Hamas uses women and children for shields and will build its weapons factories under schools and hospitals. In reference to former Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meirs quote, Eckstein said, the day that our enemies love their children more than they hate us is the day there will be peace. [Israel] is really this beacon of light and Judeo-Christian values, just like America stands for with the same democratic process, same value for life and freedom," she said. "And one of the hardest things is being surrounded by terrorists who have no value for life." If the Arabs would put down their arms, there would be no more war," she continued. "If Israel would put down their arms, there would be no more Israel. Eckstein explained how the Guardian of Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps and that God has allowed them to create the Iron Dome, a missile defense system that intercepts missiles fired at Israel in mid-air. I think that were seeing miracles in our lifetime, and I think that were seeing blessings as well that with over 2,000 rockets being launched at Israel and miraculously theyre falling in open areas , she shared. I really believe prayer is Israels greatest weapon, and the fact that we have millions of Christians praying for us and standing with us is just, I believe, a huge component of whats giving us this strength." Heroes of Zero: the art collective that inspired a generation Out of the rubble of the Second World War emerged Zero, a group of German artists with a utopian desire for a new beginning. Their works, some of which are offered online until 27 May, shaped the trajectory of modern art On a cold November evening in 1966, some 1,000 spectators gathered at a train station in Remagen to watch a burning wagon plunge into the Rhine. As sparks from the flames rose into the night sky, it marked the fiery end of a revolutionary collective known as Zero. Born eight years earlier with the words Pessimism is dead! Zero is born!, Zero was the brainchild of artists Otto Piene and Heinz Mack, who were later joined by Gunther Uecker. From the groups bomb-damaged atelier in Dusseldorf, Piene declared that Zero represented a zone of silence and of pure possibilities for a new beginning in art as at the countdown when rockets take off. It is when the old state turns into the new. As children, these artists had witnessed the catastrophic devastation of Germany during the Second World War, and it had shaped their world view. We were against almost everything around us, said Piene, but what were we for? The belief that European culture was the highest form of art had been destroyed by the war, says Elvira Jansen, a specialist in Christies Post-War & Contemporary Art department in Amsterdam. The question was what to replace it with. Zero wanted a better world. It was about the acceptance of the past and the potential beauty of our future specialist Elvira Jansen No longer certain that painting best represented the modern age, Piene, Mack and Uecker developed a new visual language based on science and a poetic existentialism. Many of the works that emerged used light, colour and movement rather than solid materials to convey the visionary potential of science, while also reflecting Cold War anxieties. As the artists friend and champion Yves Klein wrote, We are living in the atomic age, where everything material and physical could disappear from one day to another, to be replaced by nothing but the ultimate abstraction imaginable. Piene studied the effects of light and shadow on monochromatic canvases. As a boy, he had been a child soldier and spent the war watching for enemy aircraft in the night sky. This experience inspired many of his artworks, particularly those that projected light into space through stencils and perforated panels. Mack travelled to the deserts of North Africa to study vibration as an expression of pure energy and pure emotion, installing space-age sculptures that played tricks with the light, giving rise to shimmering heat haze and mirages. Uecker sought to disturb and irritate geometric order by hammering hundreds of nails into pieces of furniture, creating a mix of shapes and shadows that looked like explosions or dynamic storm patterns. To disseminate their utopian ideas, the group published Zero magazine. In the third and final issue, Piene wrote: Yes, I dream of a better world. Should I dream of a worse? Yes, I desire a wider world. Should I desire a narrower? Such romantic notions found purchase in like-minded collectives across Europe, among them GRAV in Paris, Nul in Amsterdam, New Tendencies in Zagreb, and the artists associated with Signals gallery in London. They began contributing to each others exhibitions: We were speaking the same language, says Nul member Jan Henderikse. By 1964, these groups were participating in large-scale international festivals including Documenta in Kassel and the Venice Biennale. It was clear something new and exciting was happening, but they also had their detractors, says Jansen. The Zero artists were described as charlatans and advertising men because they used the media to get their ideas across. What united many of these artists was their refusal to adopt a philosophy something that grew out of their rejection of anything that came before 1945. As Piene said when challenged, I dont want Zero to be a movement, it is a point of view. By the time Zero disbanded in a blaze of glory in 1966, it had become one of the most influential non-movements in modern art, inspiring artists across the world, from Japan to South America. The founders continued their experiments in light: Piene at MIT in America, Mack in Japan and North Africa, and Uecker in Dusseldorf. Sign up today Christies Online Magazine delivers our best features, videos, and auction news to your inbox every week Subscribe This May 19 the authorities announced the return to face-to-face classes 2021 in Mexico City. In a video press conference, Luis Humberto Fernandez, head of the Federal Education Authority (AEFCM), announced that the return to the classroom will be on June 7 . Likewise, the Head of Government of the entity, Claudia Sheinbaum commented that "this possibility will mainly benefit low-income students who have not been able to follow the classes at a distance". Chris Carlson/AP WASHINGTON (AP) The chief executive of Colonial Pipeline is set to testify before Congress next month about a cyberattack that caused the company to halt operations for several days, leading to panic buying of gasoline in many communities. Joseph Blount is scheduled to appear before the House Homeland Security on June 9, when lawmakers will question him about a ransomware attack that U.S. officials have blamed on a criminal hacking gang in Russia. Beekeeping is critical to the Mayan culture. Its a time honored tradition and a huge part of their identity. So, it was devastating to the community when Monsanto, an agrochemical and agricultural biotechnology corporation, began threatening the safety of Campeches honey supply with genetically modified soybean crops and record-breaking deforestation. Campeche contributes 40% of Mexicos honey production and provides a livelihood to 25,000 families within its indigenous communities. When Leydy Pech, a Mayan beekeeper, saw what was happening to the agricultural balance and the beekeeping community, she decided to take a stand to protect her people, her land and her bees. Leydy Pech, the Mayan Honey Lady Pech grew up in Hopelchen, a city in Campeche whose culture thrives on beekeeping. As a young girl, her ancestry instilled in her the importance of caring for the land and the areas rare native bee species. This love and respect for agriculture continued into adulthood, where she joined an agroforestry cooperative operated by other Mayan women. Together they manage apiaries for Melipona beecheii, a native bee species without stingers that have been cultivated by generations of Mayan people. In 2000, Monsanto began cutting down forests to plant experimental crops of genetically modified soybeans in Campeche. Over the next ten years, these plots of soybeans underwent experiments to increase their tolerance to high doses of herbicides. These chemicals, which have been linked to miscarriages and birth defects, began contaminating the local honey supply and killing Campeches bees. When Pech realized what was happening to her community, she formed Sin Transgenicos (no GMOs), a coalition of environmentalists, beekeepers and non-governmental organizations. With Pech at the helm, Sin Transgenicos took legal action against the government for granting Mansanto permits without consulting indigenous communities. While waiting for the lawsuit to move forward, Pech contacted the National Autonomous University of Mexico to conduct further research. They confirmed that there were traces of harmful pesticide chemicals found in local honey, residents drinking water, and even in their urine. Armed with this information, Pech facilitated a series of meetings, petitions, workshops, and demonstrations to get the community involved. The Mexican Supreme Court ultimately reached a unanimous decision, ruling that the government had indeed unlawfully approved Monsantos permits without consulting the communities. As a result, Monsantos permits were revoked and GM soybean crops were prohibited in seven states, including Campeche and Yucatan. They told us we wouldnt achieve anything, Pech said of Monsantos lawyers. But little by little, we demonstrated our abilities. The men saw the results of our work and publicly recognized that the organization is an example of struggle and success. This historic battle was huge for several reasons. It was the first time the Mexican government had officially ruled to protect the environment and communities from GM crops. It also set a precedent and model for other indigenous people trying to preserve their rights and land management. For her efforts and guardianship of the Mayan land and traditions, Pech was the 2020 North American recipient of the Goldman Environmental Prize. The award is granted by the Goldman Environmental Foundation and honors six global grassroots environmental activists and leaders each year. Among the most positive aspect of this experience was that Pech's success gave her the opportunity to raise awareness about the challenges indigenous cultures face on a regular basis. She showed people the important role bees and the delicate ecosystem play in agricultural and commercial industries. Copyright 2021 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved WASHINGTON (AP) Prospects for an ambitious infrastructure deal were thrown into serious doubt late Friday after the White House reduced President Joe Biden's sweeping proposal to $1.7 trillion but Republican senators rejected the compromise as disappointing, saying "vast differences remain. While talks have not collapsed, the downbeat assessment is certain to mean new worries from Democrats that time is slipping to strike a deal. The presidents team is holding to a soft Memorial Day deadline to determine whether a compromise is within reach. Skepticism had been rising on all sides over the lack of significant movement off Biden's $2.3 trillion plan or the GOP's proposed $568 billion alternative. This proposal exhibits a willingness to come down in size, said White House press secretary Jen Psaki, disclosing the new offer as talks were underway between key Cabinet secretaries and GOP senators at a crucial stage toward a deal. But after the hourlong meeting, the Republicans quickly rejected the new approach as "well above the range of a proposal that could win bipartisan support. The two sides seem further apart than when negotiations began, according to a statement from an aide to Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., the lead negotiator for the group of six GOP senators. The White House and the Republican senators have been in talks ever since Biden met with a core group of Republican negotiators over the possibility of working together on an infrastructure plan. The White House dispatched the transportation and commerce secretaries and top aides to Capitol Hill to meet with the Republicans earlier this week, and they had a follow-up video call Friday. According to a memo obtained by The Associated Press, the administration's new approach is cutting more than $550 billion from the presidents initial offer. But the memo makes clear Biden is not interested in the Republicans idea of having consumers pay for the new investments through tolls, gas taxes or other fees. Instead, the administration is sticking with his proposal to raise corporate taxes to pay for the new investment, which is a red line for Republicans. Our approach should ensure that corporations are paying their fair share, said the memo from the administrations negotiators to the GOP senators. But Republicans dismissed the new White House offer as very marginal movement on the topline without much difference in policy, according to a Republican aide familiar with the negotiations and granted anonymity to discuss them. The new offer was disappointing, the aide said. Securing a vast infrastructure plan is Bidens top priority as he seeks to make good on his campaign pledge to build back better in the aftermath of the coronavirus crisis and the economic churn from a shifting economy. With narrow Democratic majorities in the House and Senate, the president is reaching out to Republicans for support on a potentially bipartisan approach rather than relying simply on his own party to muscle the proposal to passage. But Republicans are adamantly opposed to Bidens proposed corporate tax increase to pay for the package, refusing to undo the 2017 tax cuts, the partys signature domestic accomplishment under President Donald Trump. They reduced the corporate rate from 35% to 21%. Biden proposes lifting the corporate tax to 28%. If theyre willing to settle on target a infrastructure bill without revisiting the 2017 tax bill well work with them, McConnell told Foxs Larry Kudlow, a former Trump adviser. Psaki said the new proposal drops the president's proposed expenditures on broadband as well as roads, bridges and other major investments to meet the Republicans' lower level. She said the administration's proposal also involved shifting investments in research and development, supply chains, manufacturing and small business" out of the infrastructure talks, since they could be considered elsewhere, noting in Endless Frontiers Act, which is a separate bipartisan bill pending in the Senate. But Psaki said the president's team is still pushing for investments in new veterans hospitals, rail projects and green energy investments to fight climate change that Republicans have excluded from their offers. In all, the White House cut broadband from $100 billion to $65 billion, as Republicans proposed. It also reduced road and bridges spending by $39 billion, from $159 billion to $120 billion, to move closer to the GOP's proposal of $48 billion in new funds. Removing the research and development funds would cut a whopping $480 billion, the aides said. The White House characterized the GOPs initial $568 billion Roadmap proposal as amounting to an estimated $175 billion to $225 billion in new investment, above current levels Congress has traditionally funded, according to the memo. The GOP senators have not publicly disclosed their latest offer. The statement from Capito's office said there continue to be vast differences between the White House and Senate Republicans on "the definition of infrastructure, the magnitude of proposed spending, and how to pay for it. The new offer from the White House was intended to make a good faith effort at compromise, and to prod Republicans to put a more substantive counteroffer on the table, the officials said. In earlier talks, latest offer from GOP lawmakers left some dismay in the administration that there wasn't more movement from their initial $568 billion proposal. The White Houses hopes for a bipartisan deal on infrastructure have cooled but they have not abandoned the effort, one of the officials said. Biden has reveled in the face-to-face negotiations, aides said, and has expressed hope to bring Republicans along. But the outward talks of progress have not translated into the two sides getting much closer to a deal. Beyond the significant gap in the two sides visions for the size of the package, there has been little discussion of how to reach an agreement on how to pay for it. One GOP senator in the talks suggested tapping unspent funds from the massive COVID-19 aid package to help pay for the infrastructure investment. Other funds could be tapped from uncollected tax revenues or public-private partnerships. One strategy that had gained momentum would be for Biden to negotiate a more limited, traditional infrastructure bill of roads, highways, bridges and broadband as a bipartisan effort. Then, Democrats could try to muscle through the remainder of Bidens priorities on climate investments and the so-called human infrastructure of child care, education and hospitals on their own. But, administration aides believe, if such an "infrastructure only bipartisan deal is far smaller than Bidens original proposal, the White House risks a rebellion from Democrats who could claim that the president made a bad deal and missed the moment to pass a sweeping, transformational package. With much of the country vaccinated and summer around the corner, it might finally be time to dust off some of those vacation days youve been hoarding. After a year of travel bans and border closures, the European Union has announced that all vaccinated Americans will soon be able to travel freely to and from Europe which is usually the most popular destination for international travel from the U.S. RELATED: Flying high: What will TSA actually do with my weed if Im traveling between two states where its legal? But, ban or no ban, travel is always complicated for cannabis-enthusiasts. Cannabis is still federally illegal in the United States, and while an increasing number of countries in Europe are legalizing medical marijuana and decriminalizing recreational use, the way those laws are actualized varies wildly from country to country. If youve got the travel bug but are reluctant to leave your pot behind, here are three things you should know: 1. Dont try bringing cannabis into or out of the U.S. (even if its medicinal) Even though recreational cannabis is becoming legal in states all over the country, medical marijuana and adult-use cannabis are both still fully illegal at the federal level in the United States. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) abides by federal U.S. law, not state law so, even if youre leaving the country from California, a state where recreational marijuana is fully legal, attempting to enter another country with cannabis will be considered drug trafficking and a federal offense. RELATED: Is Cannabis Legal in Mexico? 3 Things You Need to Know Drug trafficking is a much more serious crime than drug possession. Depending on the quantity found, it can lead to a hefty fine and anywhere between three to five years to life in prison not exactly something you want to risk, even if youre using cannabis for medical purposes. We reached out to U.S. Customs and Border Protection to find out what happens if you are caught smuggling cannabis on an international flight. Although medical and recreational marijuana may be legal in some U.S. states and countries, it remains illegal under United States federal law, A CBP spokesperson told GreenState. As federal law prohibits the importation and exportation of marijuana, crossing the international border or arriving at a U.S. port of entry with marijuana may result in seizure, fines, and/or arrest, and may impact admissibility. 2. Transporting medical cannabis from one country to another while in the E.U. is doable, but you have to put in the work Though the laws on cannabis transit to and from the U.S. are extremely rigid, things are ever-so-slightly more flexible for those already across the pond who want to bring cannabis to another country in the E.U. Medical cannabis is legal in many European countries, so its possible to apply for a permit to bring medicinal cannabis into countries where it is legal once you are already in Europe. You may be required to fill out additional paperwork prior to your visit, so, to be sure you cover all your bases, contact the embassy of the country you would like to visit to find out how to travel there legally with medical cannabis. A quick phone call or email response from them is all you need to ensure your vacation is not rudely interrupted with an accidental criminal offense. RELATED: Can you mix camping with cannabis? We asked state park rangers and their answer surprised us As you can probably imagine, this process is not an easy one. First, the type of cannabis you can use for medical purposes is severely restricted in most European countries. (Again, check with the countrys embassy to be sure you are bringing a type of cannabis that is approved for medical purposes in the country you are traveling to. Smokable cannabis flower is often not permitted.) Also, it can take weeks, possibly over a month, for a medical cannabis application to be processed, so you really cant push this stuff off to the last minute. Finally, you should research the airline you'll be using to travel from one country to the next, as every airline has their own policy on cannabis transportation. Keep in mind that the laws on medical marijuana (who qualifies, what types of cannabis can be used, and what the penalty is for using it illegally) vary dramatically in Europe. The penalty for cannabis possession in Bulgaria is one to 10 years in prison along with a considerable fine, for example, while in the Netherlands, youll find legal cannabis sold in coffee shops. It's also important to note that the application for medical cannabis patients is different than the permit required for medical cannabis suppliers. If you wish to distribute medical marijuana in Europe, be sure to thoroughly research the permits required to sell medical marijuana in the E.U. 3. The safest option? Dont risk it (Or check in, then buy) At best, traveling Europe with cannabis is a headache. At worst, its a nightmare with some very serious and long-term consequences. Our advice? Dont spoil a good vacation. Leave your cannabis at home and enjoy your travels sober. Some predict you may not have long to wait before European countries start legalizing cannabis. If you have to travel with cannabis for medical reasons, the safest option is to buy your weed after arrival, not before. As previously stated, transporting cannabis from one country to another is a much more serious crime than possession, and applying to transport it legally is an arduous and time-consuming process. To avoid the risk, travel to cannabis-friendly countries during your visit to Europe, and get what you need upon arrival. Amsterdam and Barcelona are two cities particularly known for easy access to quality cannabis products. Then, of course, you could always switch your travel plans to Canada. Elissa Esher is Assistant Editor at GreenState. Her work has also appeared in The Boston Guardian, Brooklyn Paper, Religion Unplugged, and Iridescent Women. Send inquiries and tips to elli.esher@hearst.com. This article first appeared on GreenState, a cannabis lifestyle blog owned by Hearst. An upcoming Netflix film is reportedly filming in more than just one Connecticut location. The Good Nurse, a Netflix true crime movie starring Eddie Redmayne and Jessica Chastain, already began filming in Stamford in April, but the movie magic is set to continue just up I-95 in Norwalk. Yet another movie will be filming in Connecticut. Netflix's "The Noel Diary" is filming in the Stamford area and currently seeking extras. According to local New Canaan news site, New Canaanite, the movie will be filming on Main Street in town this June. "New Canaans local traffic authority this week approved a request to close part of Main Street overnight on a Sunday into Monday next month so that Netflix can shoot scenes for a Christmas movie," the site reports. Don Arnold/WireImage Kendall Jenner is releasing her own tequila brand, but the rollout has definitely been on the rocks. First, there were accusations of cultural appropriation. Now, an Austin-based tequila brand is saying Jenner's branding looks a little too familiar. (Ad) When it comes to buying Bitcoin and cryptocurrency, there is no shortage of crypto exchanges to choose from. The best place to buy Bitcoin should offer low transaction fees, easy account setup, convenient payment methods, and a variety of digital assets available for purchase. We've reviewed the best Bitcoin exchanges to help you find the best site to buy and sell Bitcoin from. Whether it's your first time investing in Bitcoin or you're already an active trader, here are the best places to buy Bitcoin in 2021. 5 Best Places to Buy Bitcoin in 2021 eToro: Best for beginners BlockFi: Best for interest-earning accounts Currency.com: Best for active traders Binance: Best for trading altcoins Coinmama: Best for fast account setup and verification #1 eToro: Best Bitcoin Investment Site for Beginners The best place to buy Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other cryptocurrencies is eToro, which has been an industry global leader since 2007 and supports over 20 million users, 20 million crypto transactions, and 140 countries. One of the best features of eToro is CopyTrader. This technology allows anyone to start copying other traders automatically. Whether you are a beginner trader or just don't have time to watch the markets, CopyTrader allows you to replicate moves from other successful traders inside your own portfolio. The following cryptocurrencies are offered on eToros trading platform: Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, Dash, Stellar lumens, NEO , EOS, Cardano, Ethereum Classic, Bitcoin Cash, IOTA, Zcash, Tron, Tezos, Chainlink, and Uniswap. Thanks to the eToro app, you can trade cryptocurrencies from anywhere, anytime. The mobile app has a clean and simple interface, making it suitable for any trader, regardless of experience. Deposits to eToro currently can be made via credit card, debit card, and wire transfer. Unlike other crypto exchanges, eToro does not charge any deposit or withdrawal fees. There is a $50 minimum deposit when opening an account. It is one of the best places for beginners to buy Bitcoin, thanks to its simple user interface and ability to copy other top traders with ease. Buy and sell 16 top cryptocurrencies with ease Mobile app connects directly to your etoro wallet Trusted cryptocurrency trading platform with world-class security Several convenient payment methods to fund your account Copy other top traders with CopyTrader Click Here to Learn More About etoro #2 BlockFi: Best Platform for Earning Interest on Crypto Deposits BlockFi is the best place to buy Bitcoin if youre a long-term investor looking to earn interest on your crypto assets. The exchange allows users to use Bitcoin as collateral so they can secure investments and purchases. BlockFi customers also dont have to worry about a transaction fee when they trade crypto. BlockFi, which opened in Jersey City, NJ, in 2017, serves as the industry gold standard. You can use your credit or debit card to fund your Bitcoin wallet in less than 24 hours. One of the best parts of BlockFi is its staking rewards. Some cryptocurrencies, such as Tezos and Ethereum, have staking rewards that allow you to earn money by leaving your crypto on the exchange. The platform then uses your crypto to mine other cryptocurrencies, create gift cards, and complete loans while paying you up to 8.6% APY. Lets compare BlockFi with your standard high-interest savings account. Even leaders in the industry rarely offer more than 1% interest to customers who stake their money. While BlockFis sizable APY shouldnt be your only reason to buy Bitcoin, its a highly compelling one. In early 2021, the crypto exchange released the Bitcoin Rewards Visa Credit Card. The card works like a cash-back credit card, except that you earn crypto instead of cash. The platform offers a 1.5% reward on all purchases and a $250 Bitcoin bonus for spending more than $3,000 in the first three months. BlockFi ranks among the safest platforms for Bitcoin investors, thanks to its cold storage system. While its not as secure as putting your money in a bank or credit union, its custodian, Gemini, is a New York trust company. That means the New York State Department of Financial Services oversees its SOC 2 Type 1 security compliance, protecting your Bitcoin wallet. Earn up to 8.6% APY on crypto holdings Borrow cash and use your crypto as collateral No hidden fees and no minimum balances Fund your account with USD, crypto, or stablecoins Best Bitcoin exchange for earning interest on deposits Click Here to Learn More About BlockFi #3 Currency.com: Buy Bitcoin and Other Cryptocurrencies with Leverage There are people who like to HODL (hold on for dear life), and then there are Bitcoin traders. Currency.com caters to the latter. Its sleek and modern platform provides a low-fee way for traders to buy and sell crypto in real time. Currency.com allows people to trade more than 2,000 tokenized assets with more than 8,000 other assets to come. That includes gas, stocks, oil, gold, and, of course, Bitcoin. It also has tens of thousands of active users around the globe. Traders can take advantage of a world-class platform that rewards knowledgeable and skilled investing. Currency.com accepts credit and debit cards when funding accounts so you can get started in less than a day. The exchange has competitive commissions and doesnt charge hidden fees. Users can consult 75 technical indicators that provide detailed information for when to buy Bitcoin. The ease of use makes Currency.com an ideal platform for anyone with technical analysis skills. You can also set up price alerts and split-second Bitcoin transactions so that you buy Bitcoins at the perfect price. Not ready to maximize your trading leverage? No problem. Currency.com offers full-fledged demo accounts so you can practice on Bitcoin exchanges before using real money. When you decide to use actual money, you have the safety net of negative balance protection and guaranteed stop-loss, which protects your wallet and bottom line. Currency.com ranks as one of the safest places to buy Bitcoin. The company, which has offices in Belarus and Gibraltar, receives comprehensive federal regulations and complies with AML and KYC laws. These measures provide traders with some peace of mind during transactions. 2,000+ tokenized assets to trade Tight market spreads Leverage up to 1:500 Fully regulated trading platform Click Here to Learn More About Currency.com #4 Binance: Best Bitcoin Exchange for Trading Altcoins Binance ranks as one of the best places to buy altcoins. Youll find a diverse array of assets that you wont find at competing Bitcoin exchanges. While it doesnt have the ease of use of its competitors, the platform does empower people to start trading Bitcoins in minutes rather than hours. The Hong Kong-based platform has expanded its products and services in recent years. Most notably, it partnered with Simplex to enable credit and debit card transactions. Currently, you can purchase 31 of its 200+ crypto assets with a debit card, though the purchase comes with a 3.5% fee. Users can toggle between three interfaces when buying Bitcoin. The basic interface caters to first-time users, while the classic view offers a market trading snapshot. Experienced traders can buy Bitcoin with the advanced platform, which allows rapid switch pairs on the exchange. Binance provides numerous ways for users to get in touch and stay in touch. It has a 24/7 customer service team to resolve credit card payments, fees, wallets, and other technical issues. Theres even a blog about the latest trends in Bitcoin and an online message board. You can get started by downloading the Binance cryptocurrency exchange at the App Store or Google Play. This convenient app lets you buy Bitcoin whenever and wherever you want. You can also download the platform for crypto trading on any Windows or macOS device. One of the worlds largest cryptocurrency exchanges Buy and sell over 200+ crypto coins Buy Bitcoin with credit card or bank transfer Trading app compatible with Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and more Click Here to Learn More About Binance #5 Coinmama: Reputable Website for Purchasing Bitcoin Online One of the beauties of Bitcoin is that you can make purchases without a central authority. Its significantly faster than having a middleman, such as a bank, handle the transaction for you. Coinmama understands investors sense of urgency, so it offers a quick and easy way to set up an account and buy Bitcoin. Coinmama accepts debit and credit cards, Apple Pay, and bank transfers. You can deposit funds in your wallet within minutes and start trading the same day. The exchange supports every major crypto, including Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum, Ethereum Classic, Cardano, Litecoin, and Tezos. Whenever you buy Bitcoin at Coinmama, youll get expedient delivery. Its instant order fulfillment allows you to take advantage of favorable spot prices and the platforms high spending limit. These are just some of the ways Coinmama makes your Bitcoin go further. More than 2.6 million have signed up for Coinmama since the Bitcoin exchange launched in 2013. Currently, it has offices in Tel Aviv and Dublin and services members across 188 countries. New users can join the platforms affiliate program and earn 15% of Coinmamas commission on all referral purchases. Coinmama serves as a go-to option for anyone looking to buy Bitcoin immediately. The streamlined platform and mobile app simplify the sign-up process so that you can spend more time trading instead of waiting. Fees depend on your method of payment and loyalty levels, with express debit card purchases incurring a 5% surcharge. Buy Bitcoin via bank transfer, credit card, debit card, or Apple pay Fast account verification Trusted by over 2,700,000 people across 188 countries since 2013 Available coins include Bitocin, Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum, Cardano, Litecoin, and Tezos Click Here to Learn More About Coinmama What Is a Bitcoin Exchange? Trying to buy Bitcoin can be intimidating, especially because there are some crypto-related scams. For instance, Ruji Ignatova stole more than $4 billion fronting the fake crypto OneCoin. A Bitcoin exchange provides a safe and trustworthy way to buy Bitcoins. The leading platforms understand that security ranks as a top priority. Whether you want to hold onto your Bitcoin for the long haul or trade it daily, your personal info should remain private. Its one reason why we selected platforms with strong reputations for secure networks and helpful customer service. Bitcoin exchanges work like digital marketplaces. They serve as brokers, connecting traders who want to sell or buy Bitcoin. The exchanges work the same way, regardless of your country or currency. All Bitcoin exchanges have to earn money somehow, so many of them charge conversion fees. If you buy Bitcoins with euros, an exchange like Coinbase Pro will take a small percentage for itself. Purchases and sales depend on the brokers ordering system and when people place their orders. Exchanges allow you to buy Bitcoins in the same way as stocks. You can place a limit or market order, and the exchanges will complete the transaction whenever the market meets your criteria. The system ensures that traders direct the exchange when to buy Bitcoin, not the other way around. How to Buy Bitcoin Online Pick an Exchange Buying Bitcoin online is simple and straightforward. The first step is picking an exchange. Ideally, you should choose one that meets your needs and has customer reviews that endorse its safety and reliability as a broker. Remember that all cryptocurrency exchanges have different features for buying Bitcoin. For instance, if you want immediate liquidity, you should look for exchanges with a high trading volume. However, if youre not technically inclined, look for an exchange with a user-friendly interface. Open an Account Once you select a cryptocurrency exchange, its time to open your account. Click the sign-up button on the exchanges website and follow the prompts. Most exchanges want a mix of personal, contact, and financial information before receiving your digital wallet. The criteria vary for customers depending on their location. One exchange might ask customers in the US and UK to provide a photo ID and an ID verification, while outside investors need two government-issued IDs. After you verify your identity and information, you can start funding your crypto wallet. Fund Your Account You can place as much or as little money as you want in your wallet. This initial transaction will let you buy and sell Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies at your leisure. Most cryptocurrency exchanges allow you to fund your account through a debit or credit card, bank account, or wire transfer. Cryptocurrency exchanges represent the money in your Bitcoin wallet in your native currency. For example, if you live in the United States, your funds will be in US dollars. The exchange will display a conversion of dollars to Bitcoins after your purchase. Place an Order There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to purchasing Bitcoin. Chamath Palihapitiya, a Sri Lankan-Canadian venture capitalist, recommends converting 1% of your net worth into Bitcoins, though hes less than bullish on other cryptocurrencies, like Ethereum, Tezos, and Litecoin. Meanwhile, YouTube investing and finance guru Andrei Jikh recommends placing up to 10% of your net worth into various cryptocurrencies. Cryptocurrency exchanges process orders in less than 24 hours, with some places making your Bitcoins available immediately. Most exchanges limit orders to $25,000 per day to mitigate fraud. If you want to change your order, you can always trade Bitcoins for a different cryptocurrency or fiat money. Remember that the United States government considers cryptocurrency as an asset. Every time you sell it for a profit, you have to pay capital gains tax. The percentage of tax that you pay when you trade Bitcoin or other cryptos will depend on how long you held it. Any losses you experience from cryptocurrency trading are not taxable. Things to Consider Before You Purchase Cryptocurrency Bitcoin and other cryptos are unlike any other asset. For starters, theyre extremely volatile. Its not unusual for Bitcoin to fluctuate up or down ten percentage points in a day. While some experts believe that volatility will decrease as more people purchase crypto, thats not the case in 2021. Just consider the trajectory Bitcoin has had since its release in January 2009. At the time, it was worth virtually nothing. Two years later, in February 2011, it reached the same value as the U.S. dollar. Here are some other significant milestones in Bitcoins price history: November 2013 - $1,242 April 2014 - $340 March 2017 - $1,290 September 2017 - $5,013.91 December 17, 2017 - $19,783.06 December 22, 2017 - $13,800 December 7, 2018 - $3,300 July 27, 2020 - $10,944 December 16, 2020 - $20,600 January 3, 2021 - $32,800 January 8, 2021 - $41,973 January 24, 2021 - $33,078 February 16, 2021 - $50,000 While Bitcoin offers incredible returns, you should make sure to take a calculated risk. The last thing you want is to invest in Bitcoin when the price is on an upswing, only to have it crash later. The basic rule is that you should never invest more money than you can afford to lose. Second, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) doesnt consider Bitcoin or any other cryptocurrency as fiat money. According to the Virtual Currency Tax Fairness Act of 2020, owners have to pay taxes on any profits made during crypto trading. This tax only applies if you trade, sell, or swap Bitcoin. It ranges from 0 to 20%, depending on your income and how long you held the asset. Third, Bitcoin has some fees. Explaining the fees behind blockchain could take another whole article, but heres a brief overview. A single Bitcoin transaction costs $24 to $31, according to BitInfoCharts. You pay fees to miners on the Bitcoin network. These miners solve a cryptographic puzzle that formalizes your transaction. Once the miners solve the puzzle, your transaction will always remain on the blockchain, which stores the information. Mining Bitcoins is a time- and energy-intensive process, but its what separates Bitcoin from less secure forms of currency. Users have to pay miners to ensure a healthy and functional network. One way to reduce the fees is to wait for the prices to drop. You can also use a wallet with scaling technology, such as SegWit (a.k.a. bech32). What is the Best Cryptocurrency to Buy? Its important to remember that every cryptocurrency is distinct and does slightly different things. Bitcoin serves as a replacement for fiat money, while Ethereum is software where users trade for services using ether. Meanwhile, Tezos secures smarts contracts, and Litecoin provides a faster and more efficient version of Bitcoin. The best investment for you will depend on your needs. Lets say you want to purchase some NFTs (non-fungible tokens.) If you buy one of these unique pieces of digital artwork on Open Seas, the largest NFT platform, youll need to have ether. Of course, many people treat Bitcoin like stock trading or mutual funds. Theyre not as concerned with the way blockchain technology works. All they care about is the return on investment. According to Coinbase, here are the financial returns for the largest cryptocurrencies by market cap between March 9, 2020, and March 9, 2021: Bitcoin: 580% Ethereum: 797% Uniswap: 969% Litecoin: 291% Chainlink: 652% Bitcoin Cash: 95% Stellar lumens: 709% Wrapped Bitcoin: 574% Aave: 82,244% Cosmos: 588% These returns do not include trading fees or transaction fees from the exchange. The rate will depend on your provider and when you place your orders. Cryptocurrencies are notoriously volatile and can swing several percentage points within a day. Final Thoughts Is Buying Bitcoin the Right Move for You? Cryptocurrency is an inevitability. The technological implications have already percolated into the mainstream. Its not an accident that Apple Pay and PayPal accept Bitcoin trades on their platforms, Tesla invested $1.5 billion in Bitcoin, and JPMorgan Chase created its own crypto in the past year. The real question isnt whether cryptocurrencies are here to stay but whether Bitcoin is the right investment for the long term. Thats hard to say. Bitcoin appears to be the crypto that will gain worldwide acceptance first since it has the largest market cap and cachet. However, Bitcoin has some limitations that competitors like Ethereum and Litecoin dont. If youre looking into cryptocurrency investments, your best bet is to find a reliable exchange and invest in several assets. Bitcoin and Ethereum are the two most prominent ones, though some other cryptos, like Litecoin and Chainlink, deserve your consideration. Diversifying your account is the best way to reap the benefits in bull markets and protect your bank account during downtimes. Bitcoin is a once-in-a-lifetime technology and promises to change the way humans make transactions. Millions of people have already recognized the potential of this computer code and its far-reaching capabilities. Would you be surprised to learn that some residents in our area have kept tigers, bears or other large dangerous carnivores as pets? Did you know that there are nearly 1,000 bears living in substandard conditions in residential backyards as pets, or roadside attractions, and in need of placement bought out of the exotic pet trade? Many animal facilities across the country, housing large exotic animals and wildlife, have been closed due to lack of finances (due to COVID-19). This leads to lack of appropriate care, and neglect. Bears can consume 40 plus pounds of fruits and vegetables along with fish, nuts, bugs, and other animals (including feral hog piglets) per day when preparing for hibernation in the winter months, even in captivity. Many people do not realize you can buy a bear cub from a breeder for $500 and have it as a pet in your home. This is the same with tigers (as low as $1,000) and many other wild exotic animals. The bears, tigers, and monkeys are bred for profit right here in this country including in Texas. All the animal rescue sanctuaries remain full and there continues to be a need for additional neglected large animals. The alternative to a sanctuary is euthanasia. The mission of Bears, ETC is to establish a Bear and Exotic Animal Rescue Sanctuary in Montgomery County, connecting people with nature through education and awareness. The hope is to build the nations first state of the art Bear Sanctuary, providing a safe place for neglected, abused, and unwanted bears, that are a part of the exotic pet trade. The sanctuary would provide a permanent refuge for displaced, captive-raised exotic animals kept as pets or retired from performance. To help with this mission, Bears Etc. is hosting The Inaugural Bear Crawl, sponsored by Office Evolution (Conroe/Woodlands) Saturday, May 29, and Sunday, May 30, from noon to 6 p.m. with some of the best wine, beer and whiskey tasting in the county. Enjoy tasting the spirits from eight local venues - Whitley Vineyards (Montgomery), Blue Epiphany (Conroe), The Ferm Meadery (Conroe), Southern Star Brewery (Conroe), Frankenboltzzzz Brewing Company (Montgomery), B-52 Brewery (Conroe), Bartletts Distillery (Conroe), and H-Wines (Montgomery). Purchase tickets online via the Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/Bearetc (http://bit.ly/3tzlhTt), the website: http://www.bearsetc.org/events.html or visit one of the participating venues during the event to register. Tickets are $50 per person and each participant will receive a souvenir glass, passport, and wristband to start their two tastings at any location. (Sunday only for Whitley Vineyards and Sat. only for Bartletts Distillery). The suggestion is to visit the Conroe sites on Saturday and the Montgomery sites on Sunday. This helps curtail over-serving and a designated driver is encouraged. Texas Brewery Tours is offering bus transportation for both days for $75/person for a total of 14 riders with a percent of the cost benefitting Bears, ETC. To reserve a seat call 713-489-1586. Bears Etc. is a nonprofit organization founded in 2017 by Kati and Ambrose Krouse to Leave the world better than they found it by giving animals, and people, a PEACE of the Wild! They rescue exotic animals, specifically bears, out of the exotic pet trade and educate the public by connecting people with nature. The organization exists to provide a permanent, community-based, self-sustainable refuge for displaced exotic and wild animals and educate others about the natural world. Kati is very active in animal advocacy. The Big Cat Public Safety Act would prohibit private individuals from possessing lions, tigers, leopards, cheetahs, jaguars, cougars, or any hybrid of these species. This prohibition would only apply to big cats kept as pets. Sanctuaries, universities, and zoos would be exempt from the law if passed. Through advocacy, the hope is to add bears to this list. Kati and Ambrose are both members of the Texas Black Bear Alliance where Kati has been appointed on the Board of Directors, promoting the restoration of black bears in appropriate habitats throughout Texas through cooperative partnerships using education, research, and habitat management. Bears ETC is a fulltime operation, but Kati and Ambrose Krouse also have employment in the community making ends meet until the sanctuary is operational, sometime in the future. Kati is a professional groomer, pet sitter, and dog trainer while Ambrose works in A/C and Heating. Additionally, they also help local dog rescues by fostering (specifically bottle baby puppies), helping with vet tech work, and grooming foster dogs. Kati has been called to rescue parakeets, finding homes for dogs, tigers, parrots, wolves/wolf dogs, monkeys, and occasionally alligators. The exotic pet trade is a $15 billion a year industry in the US, said Kati. The illegal exotic pet trade is second only to drugs; surpassing illegal guns over the last few years. There is no true bear sanctuary focused on bears in the exotic pet trade in the US. Other areas of the world-Romania, Asia, India, and the United Kingdom all have large animal sanctuaries. In 2010 the Houston SPCA flew a bear to a sanctuary in Romania after not being able to find placement in the United States for her. Bears Etc. is a solution for the captive bears in need of placement. Once built, the Bear Sanctuary will attract up to 50,000 visitors a year, continued Kati. This will be a huge benefit to the hospitality, restaurant, and hotel industries in our community. I am a member of the Montgomery, Conroe, and The Woodlands Chambers of Commerce and know that small businesses can benefit from an unusual tourist venue. Come out to the Bear Crawl while having a great time with family and friends knowing you are contributing to a PEACE of the Wild and a SAFE place for animals, Said Kati Krouse, Executive Director of Bears, Etc. All proceeds from the event go into our capital campaign to purchase a property in Montgomery County. Help us build the nations first bear sanctuary and the bears that are in dire need of placement. Help us give them a PEACE of the Wild! Learn more about Bears ETC by visiting their website www.bearsetc.org or at info@bearsetc.org. A former east Montgomery County High School teacher will be serving seven-and-a-half years in prison after having a sexual relationship with one of her students. Rhiannon Ballard Petty, 43, of Shepherd, pleaded guilty to improper relationship between an educator and a student, a second-degree felony. Petty was sentenced Wednesday by presiding 435th District Court Judge Patty Maginnis. I sincerely hope that other teachers who are considering this kind of predatory behavior will take note and think again. If they do not, prison waits for them as well, said Montgomery County District Attorney Brett Ligon in a statement. On HoustonChronicle.com: Spring man gets 55 years for torturing, strangling girlfriend Petty was a health science teacher at New Caney ISDs Porter High School when she performed sexual acts on a student of hers at a Walmart parking lot, according to a criminal affidavit. Petty resigned Feb. 6, 2020 after serving as a teacher at the school since August 2016. She was taken into custody March 6, 2020. Before her resignation, Petty had been on administrative leave, according to the affidavit. I just have to say who and what we were. That we loved each other, the girl texted Petty, according to the affidavit. The girls mother found the phone the student was using to communicate with her teacher, learning the device was a gift from Petty. The mother also found two so-called promise rings Petty gifted the girl, according to charging documents. On Feb. 5, 2020, the girl told a forensic interviewer at the Childrens Safe Harbor advocacy center Petty progressed from touching her with clothes to touching her without them, court records show. On HoustonChronicle.com: Montgomery County sheriff seeks tips for 2 missing Conroe boys The girl told the interviewer sexual acts took place on Pettys bed and in the womans car at the parking lot of the Walmart located on 20310 U.S. 59 in New Caney, court records shows. A detective with the Montgomery County Precinct 4 Constables Office found images on the device showing the girl and Petty kissing. The detective found Petty would write notes excusing the girl from other classes so they could spend time in her classroom, court documents show. A registered nurse, Porter High was Pettys first teaching job, according to an August 2016 Houston Chronicle article. When a teacher violates the communitys trust by victimizing a student, he or she must be held accountable. We rely on teachers to mentor and nurture our children, and we simply will not tolerate abuse and manipulation of this nature, said Assistant DA Lora Beckman in a statement. jose.gonzalez@chron.com twitter.com/jrgzztx WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) Authorities said Friday they feared for the lives of five people who leapt from their fishing boat near Fiji earlier this week after alleged violence on board. A sixth crew member who abandoned the vessel was found alive Thursday on an overturned life raft, while two more people who had remained aboard the fishing boat were due to be picked up by a military patrol boat. The Fiji navy said it was working with police to sort through the series of events that had occurred aboard the Tiro II, a longline tuna boat. The New Zealand military, which helped with the search, said it had been told the five missing crew had not been wearing life jackets. Fiji navy Cdr. Timoci Natuva told The Associated Press in emails that they were continuing to look for the missing crew but because they had been in the water since Monday and the weather had deteriorated, "the search will be really challenging." He said the Tiro II had been at sea since the beginning of the month. A spokesperson for the New Zealand military said theyd gotten reports of an alleged violent incident on board. A New Zealand Air Force Orion plane located the fishing vessel about 90 nautical miles west of Fiji, the spokesperson said, and made contact with the two people who remained on board. The boat crew reported that on Monday night, six crew members abandoned the vessel; one person was aboard a life raft, with the other five entering the water without lifejackets, the spokesperson said in an email. The statement attributed to a unnamed New Zealand Defence Force spokesperson did not elaborate on the alleged violence. After the Air Force crew spotted the fishing boat, they then searched for the life raft and when they found it, dropped a survival pack containing a beacon, a radio, and food to the survivor, while also notifying Fijian authorities. The Orion plane stayed near the life raft as long its fuel would allow, the spokesperson said, and the survivor was rescued by a patrol boat. The person found on the life raft was healthy and strong. He was attended to by our medics, Natuva said. Natuva said the two remaining crew aboard the Tiro II were picked up by another fishing boat, which the navy patrol boat was due to intercept. Our focus now is trying to save those that went overboard on Monday, Natuva said. The criminal aspects of the case will be handled by the Fiji Police Force. AMSTERDAM (AP) One person was killed and four injured in a stabbing late Friday night in Amsterdam and police said they arrested a suspect nearby. Four victims were taken to a hospital for treatment, police said. Their condition was not immediately known. There was no immediate word on the possible motive. SAN DIEGO (AP) An empty panga boat was found abandoned on San Diegos Mission Beach early Friday. Life jackets were found in the boat and on the sand, according to local media reports. Pangas are a type of outboard-powered open boat favored by migrant and drug smugglers trying to skirt the U.S.-Mexico land border. On Thursday, authorities said one person was killed and others were injured when a panga apparently attempted to smuggle migrants ashore on San Diegos La Jolla coast. On Monday, authorities took 23 people from a panga off Point Loma and earlier this month a cabin cruiser overloaded with 32 people foundered there, killing three people during a smuggling attempt. Smuggling along the California coast has ebbed and flowed over the years but has long been a risky alternative for migrants to avoid heavily guarded land borders. The cruise line has responded to Gov. Greg Abbott's "vaccine passport" ban. He has a word of advice for other animal lovers who encounter the mammals MAY 14-20, 2021 This photo gallery highlights some of the most compelling images made or published by Associated Press photographers in Asia and Pacific. Apple called Tim Cook, its CEO, to the stand Friday to defend the way it runs the App Store, capping off a federal court battle with "Fortnite" maker Epic Games, which is seeking to crack open Apple's grip on app distribution. Epic has argued that Apple's co-founder and late CEO Steve Jobs made a public promise to developers that the App Store aim would be to break even, making just enough money to fund its operations and support developers. EMOJI SUIT: Houston woman sues Apple after claiming they ripped off 'racially diverse' emoji The goal was to make money on iPhone sales, not App Store commissions. But the App Store has become hugely profitable, which Epic argues amounts to a violation of an agreement Apple made with developers, who invested in developing for iOS. The trial in Oakland, Calif., is in its third week. Epic counsel Gary Bornstein grilled Cook on the profitability of the App Store. Cook stuck to his guns, claiming that Apple doesn't track profit and loss of its App Store. But Bornstein confronted him with documents showing the Apple does, in fact, discuss this internally. One document showed that Cook actually had a meeting with Apple CFO Luca Maestri to discuss App Store profitability. Cook's big point was that, while the company might do some information calculations, it doesn't track it carefully enough to know the full cost of running the store. But emails that Bornstein brought up discuss accounting methods used to determine App Store costs. Emails mentioned "method 2" for allocating operating expenses. "So your corporate planning and financial analysis group does have at least two methods for allocation of operating expenses?" Bornstein asked. "I think so," Cook answered. Cook had a meeting to discuss the numbers referenced in the email, which is sealed from public view due to confidentiality. "This wasn't a one-off presentation?" Bornstein asked. "I don't remember having this presentation before," Cook answered. "How about since?" Bornstein asked. "I don't know," Cook answered. Apple has argued that nobody at the company has any idea how profitable the App Store has become. Apple executive Philip Schiller, for instance, claimed under oath that he doesn't know whether the store turns a profit. iCAR: A $21 billion wager on who will build the Apple car But Epic claims it has uncovered three separate internal documents that it says shows Apple does, in fact, track the profitability of the App Store. And Cook was allegedly copied on at least one of those emails. Epic says the company's operating margins are around 80%. By comparison, gross margins on the iPhone are around 31%. Apple charges as much as a 30% commission on all App Store revenue. App developers aren't allowed to steer their customers outside of the App Store to collect the payment elsewhere, bypassing the commission.Cook defended that practice on the stand, saying, "It would be akin to Apple going down to Best Buy and advertising that you can go across the street to the Apple store and get an iPhone." Cook's lawyers brought up documents Epic turned up during discovery that showed Apple executives discussing the profitability of the App Store. Cook explained this away, saying that the documents were basically informal spit balling and he wouldn't use them to make business decisions. He did acknowledge, however, that the App Store was profitable. How does he knows this? Well, he just has a "feel" for it. Apple's lawyer, Veronica Moye of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, questioned the Apple chief now about the importance of privacy and security. Cook, predictably, is painting a bleak picture of what life would be like if the iPhone was opened up to software such as your Mac desktop. "The parade of horribles out there is pretty long," he said. The App Store "still needs human judgment," he noted. Apple's security experts and executives have made clear that they think the only safe computer is one in which Apple employees personally review every piece of software that's allowed to be installed. Craig Federighi, Apple's senior vice president of software engineering, even criticized the security of Mac computers, calling the level of malware on them "unacceptable." Why? Because Mac customers can download software that Apple employees don't review. On Friday, Cook underscored this argument on the stand. He said he would not trust any company other than Apple to vet software. When asked if he would even allow a third party to analyze apps on the App Store, he said no. NEW YORK (AP) More than two dozen people were arrested as pro-Israel and pro-Palestine demonstrators clashed in New York City's Times Square and police were investigating the gang assault of a Jewish man as a hate crime, police said Friday. Its absolutely disgusting and unacceptable, Mayor Bill de Blasio said on WNYC public radio. We had a man viciously beaten simply because he appeared to some individuals to be Jewish. We had folks throwing very potent fireworks and creating harm to others and burning some folks, at least one person. The melee on Thursday evening resulted in more than two dozen arrests on charges including hate crime assault, obstructing governmental administration, resisting arrest, unlawful assembly, disorderly conduct and criminal possession of a weapon, according to city police. Police said their hate crime unit was investigating the attack on the Jewish man as well as professional grade fireworks being thrown at bystanders, injuring a woman. A video posted to social media purporting to show the attack on the man shows a group of people striking and kicking what appears to be a person down on the street. One man appears to violently swing a crutch down on him. The injured man, Joseph Borgen, later spoke to media outlets, telling FOX-5 on Friday he was just cowering, just making sure I would survive." They were using their fists. They were kicking me, punching me, kicking me all over my body. I have bruises on my ribs, my back, all over," said Borgen, 29, who appeared with visible bruising on his face. What happened yesterday, is not the answer to anyones problems. Regardless of what skin color you are, what race you are, what ethnicity, what religion. Its just wrong on so many levels, he said. Police on Friday afternoon announced on Twitter that Waseem Awawdeh, 23, was arrested for using a crutch to assault a man in that area. He was charged with hate crime assault and other charges. It could not immediately be determined if he had a lawyer. Police did not provide further details. Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Friday condemned the attack and said the state police Hate Crimes Task Force would offer assistance. New York is the vibrant and dynamic home for people from around the world. This tapestry makes New York the extraordinary place that it is. Those of all faiths, backgrounds and ethnicities must be able to walk the streets safely and free from harassment and violence, Cuomo said in a prepared release. During one part of the demonstrations, a large firework detonated on the sidewalk as groups of shouting pro-Palestinian protesters drove through Manhattan's Diamond District, which is closely associated with the city's Jewish community. Video posted on social media showed people scrambling to get clear of the pyrotechnic as it detonated, and then showed shoving between bystanders and protesters, who shouted curses about Zionism. Israel and Hamas agreed to a cease-fire Thursday in an 11-day war that caused widespread destruction in the Gaza Strip and left more than 200 people dead. De Blasio said city police reinforced their presence in sensitive areas of Jewish and Palestinian communities after the fighting began overseas. World Bee Day Celebration held in Chongqing Xinhua) 10:21, May 21, 2021 Beekeeping expert Cheng Yonghong checks the bees at a bee breeding farm in Zhongyi Township of Shizhu Tujia Autonomous County, southwest China's Chongqing, May 19, 2021. May 20 marks the World Bee Day. This year's World Bee Day Celebration in China, themed "Honeybee, Big Dreams, A program for Rural Revitalization", was held in Zhongyi Township of Shizhu County. In recent years, China's beekeeping industry has made a lot of remarkable practices in promoting poverty alleviation and rural revitalization, and has helped many impoverished households to lift themselves out of poverty and increase their income. The current development of beekeeping industry in Shizhu County covers 179 administrative villages and 6,879 households of bee farmers. In 2020, the annual output value of beekeeping industry in Shizhu County reached 520 million yuan (about 80.7 million U.S. dollars). The industry has not only increased the income of local people, but also attracted the return of more and more young people to join in beekeeping businesses in their hometown. (Xinhua/Liu Chan) (Web editor: Guo Wenrui, Liang Jun) HONG KONG (AP) Chinas internet watchdog said Friday it had found Bytedances Douyin, Microsoft Bing, LinkedIn and 102 other apps were engaged in improper collection and use of data and ordered them to fix the problem. The Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) said that the 105 apps violated laws by excessively collecting and illegally accessing users personal information, according to a statement posted on its site Friday. Other companies it named included short video app Kuaishou, search engine Sogou and Baidu. The watchdog said companies had to fix the problems within 15 working days or face legal consequences. The CAC has stepped up scrutiny of Chinese apps as authorities beef up protection of personal information protection and seek to prevent breaches of online privacy. One concern in China and elsewhere is that many internet companies have collected excessive user information to target consumers with advertisements. The crackdown comes even as the Chinese government itself collects information about its citizens on a massive scale. Critics accuse the authorities of using facial recognition to profile and track Uyghurs in Xinjiang, where over a million have been detained in re-education camps. Provisions outlining how apps should collect personal information came into effect May 1. They hold app makers accountable for excessive data collection and collection of information without users consent. The internet watchdog earlier ordered security apps developed by Tencent Holdings and Alibaba Group Holding to stop gathering information from users without their consent. Technology companies in China are facing increasingly harsh scrutiny as authorities seek to counter the influence of giant companies like Alibaba and Tencent. The broad range of services they provide, from payments and e-commerce to gaming and messaging has made them ubiquitous in everyday life. Earlier this year, authorities imposed a record $2.8 billion fine on Alibaba for violations of anti-monopoly rules. Food delivery company Meituan is currently under investigation for alleged anticompetitive behavior. Dozens of other internet companies including Baidu, Tencent and ride-hailing firm Didi Chuxing have also been fined for not properly disclosing investments or acquisitions. CONCORD, N.H. (AP) A judge has set forth detention release conditions for a New Hampshire man accused of running an unlicensed virtual currency exchange business, including home confinement, electronic monitoring, and no computer access. Ian Freeman, 40, of Keene, the leader of a libertarian group and self-described minister, has pleaded not guilty to charges of participating in a conspiracy to operate the business; wire fraud; money laundering; operating a continuing financial crimes enterprise; and operating an unlicensed money transmitting business. He's been in jail since his arrest in March. SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) The former leader of the state Workforce Solutions Department that oversees unemployment benefits said Thursday his resignation in April was linked to threatening messages and incidents at the agency and elsewhere. In a string of Twiter posts, former Cabinet Secretary Bill McCamley disclosed the reasoning behind his decision to resign from the agency. He did not respond to calls and texts to his cellphone seeking further comment. I left the position for no other reason than the safety of myself and my family, McCamley, a former state legislator and county commissioner, said in one tweet. I have received threats before as a public official, but this time seems different. McCamley indicated that he intends to relocate his home outside of New Mexico as a safety precaution. The statements were made the day after state analysts reported that New Mexico may have overpaid unemployment insurance benefits by as much as $250 million during the pandemic amid a backlog in investigations of claims. McCamley said his concerns about personal safety grew after a state-owned car was destroyed by an incendiary device and a possibly deranged man called the state labor agency to blame McCamley for unemployment problems and to ask for his address. New Mexico State Police confirmed that an arson investigation was initiated in November in connection with a vehicle assigned to the Workforce Solutions Department in Las Cruces. Lieutenant Mark Soriano said the investigation is ongoing and that no arrests have been made. In an email, Soriano also noted that state police were asked to conduct close patrols at the Las Cruces offices of Workforce Solutions in reference to non-specific threats they had been receiving by clients," resulting in patrols during March and May. It was unclear whether McCamley sought out police protection as a Cabinet secretary for Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham. Lujan Grisham spokesman Nora Meyers Sackett said protocol prevents us from talking about security measures the state has taken or may take for employees facing threats. Soriano said state police investigate all threats, reported to us, to the health or safety of any New Mexican, including elected officials and Cabinet secretaries. McCamley said threats against public officials in Arizona and Michigan weighed in his decisions to resign, along with the Jan. 6 siege on the U.S. Capitol. TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) The FBI is seeking to identify whoever is responsible for illegally flying a drone near a U.S. Customs and Border Protection helicopter about three months ago. On the night of Feb. 9, Border Protection employees told Tucson police that a drone was flying dangerously close to their helicopter. DETROIT (AP) The CEO of America's second-largest auto company is calling for the federal government to set standards for fully or partially automated vehicles to tighten the safety of electronic driving systems. In urging federal regulation, Ford CEO Jim Farley becomes the highest-profile auto executive to publicly recognize a need to more closely monitor the emerging technology, which is becoming more prevalent on Americas roadways just as questions are being raised about the potential risks to motorists. In limited areas, companies are beginning to deploy fully autonomous ride-hailing services. Farley's statements, in an interview with The Associated Press, follow increased scrutiny by regulators of Tesla's partially automated Autopilot driver-assist system, which has been involved in a series of high-profile crashes. Tesla also is using selected owners to test its Full Self-Driving software on public roads. Absolutely, Farley said when asked whether federal regulations are needed. Today, the regulations are state-by-state," he said of fully autonomous vehicles. "They're really oriented toward the development of the technology, not large-scale deployment of the technology. He suggested that legislators and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration were moving too slowly. Time is of the essence, Farley said, explaining that Argo AI, an autonomous vehicle company in which Ford is a major investor, is moving ahead quickly with technology that will let Ford start an autonomous ride-hailing service. Argo, which is testing autonomous vehicles with human backup drivers in six U.S. cities, expects to be ready for Ford to offer ride-hailing without human drivers sometime next year. In the Phoenix area, Alphabet Inc.'s Waymo is already offering a limited fully autonomous ride service. And later this year, Ford will offer Blue Cruise, its own partially automated highway driving system that, like Tesla's Autopilot, keeps cars centered in their lane and a safe distance behind traffic in front of them. With Blue Cruise, drivers can take their hands off the steering wheel. But unlike Autopilot, they will be monitored by a camera to make sure they are paying attention. We've done the testing to feel comfortable with this system and how it's implemented, Farley said. The CEO took an implicit jab at Tesla, saying that Ford does its own testing before rolling out the technology. We don't want our customers to have to do any testing, he said. Drivers often have thwarted Tesla's efforts to monitor them by detecting hands on the steering wheel. Earlier this month, a man was arrested in California after an officer spotted his Tesla on a freeway with the man riding in the back seat and no one behind the wheel. The man told the AP that his car was fully autonomous and designed so that he could ride in the back seat. That's not true. Tesla has explicitly told California regulators that both Autopilot and Full Self-Driving are assist systems and that drivers must be ready to intervene. A message was left Friday seeking comment from Tesla, which has disbanded its media relations department. Farley's stance on regulation is unique in the auto industry, which has generally has favored voluntary guidelines over regulations. No federal regulations specifically govern electronic driving systems, although they do fall under safety standards that cover all vehicles. The industrys biggest trade association, the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, last month proposed voluntary guidelines for partially automated systems. The government's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has relied on voluntary cooperation, taking a hands-off approach so as not to discourage life-saving innovations. But a few in the business have asked for regulation. In April, Dan Ammann, CEO of GM's autonomous vehicle subsidiary Cruise, told Bloomberg Television that it was important for the United States and other countries to chart a clear regulatory pathway. Regulations, Ammann said, are necessary for the U.S. to keep its leadership position. In 2015, Volvo Cars CEO Hakan Samuelsson asserted that a patchwork of state rules and the absence of U.S. federal oversight could slow the development and introduction of autonomous vehicles. Since President Joe Biden's inauguration, though, NHTSA has said it is taking a new look at the automated systems. The agency has since sent investigators to review at least four crashes involving Teslas in which Autopilot is at least suspected of being involved, and it is seeking public comment on developing safety principles for autonomous vehicles. In the past few years, NHTSA has sent teams to 29 Tesla incidents. Farley says he's pleased by a renewed interest in regulations. We're very encouraged that the new leaders in the administration want to take on large-scale deployment" of autonomous vehicles, he said. HONG KONG (AP) Hong Kongs government on Friday said it has pulled all of its staff out of Taiwan and accused the islands government of having grossly interfered in the semi-autonomous Chinese citys internal affairs. Taiwan responded by saying Hong Kong had politicized a connection that was dedicated to serving the public, and that it supports universal values of free speech and assembly. Hong Kong said its Economic, Trade and Cultural Office will remain closed while it closely monitors development and considers the way forward in a holistic manner. Relations between the sides have deteriorated in recent years as Beijing tightens its control over Hong Kong and ratchets up diplomatic, military and economic pressure on Taiwan, which it claims as its own territory, to be brought under its control by force if necessary. The future of Taiwan's de facto consulate in Hong Kong, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office, also appears bleak, with Hong Kong refusing to issue visas to several of its officials, reportedly because they refused to sign declarations endorsing Beijing's contention that Taiwan belongs to China. Beijing has severely curtailed freedoms promised to Hong Kong after its transfer from British to Chinese rule in 1997, particularly with the imposition last year of a sweeping national security law demanding total loyalty to Beijing and the ruling Communist Party and outlawing involvement with overseas groups considered hostile to China. That has prompted some Hong Kong opposition figures and free speech advocates to flee to Taiwan, where the government has provided quiet support. In a statement, the Hong Kong government cited actions that have severely damaged Hong Kong-Taiwan relations, gradually jeopardizing the operating environment for the HKETCO in Taiwan." It said staff members had been threatened by radicals in Taiwan," but gave no details. It said the Taiwan-based Hong Kong Aid Project and Taiwan-Hong Kong Office for Exchanges and Services had provided assistance to violent protesters and people who tried to shatter Hong Kongs prosperity and stability. Taiwan's government voiced support for pro-democracy protests in 2019 which became increasingly violent amid a harsh crackdown backed by Beijing. In recent years, Taiwan has grossly interfered in Hong Kongs affairs on repeated occasions and created irretrievable damage to Hong Kong-Taiwan relations," the statement said. Taiwans Mainland Affairs Council, responsible for relations with China, said Hong Kong would bear the consequences of the disruption in contacts, and that Taiwan's office in the city would continue its work. It said protests outside the Hong Kong office in Taipei were legal and police had maintained order, while Hong Kong had allowed pro-China groups to smear its presence in the territory. Taiwan is obligated to protect those facing political persecution, while the Hong Kong governments contempt for democracy and the rule of law reflects its guilty conscience, which we regret deeply, it said in a statement. BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) A federal judge ruled Friday that the Dakota Access oil pipeline may continue operating while the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers conducts an extensive environmental review. U.S. District Judge James Boasberg made his decision after attorneys for the pipeline's Texas-based owner, Energy Transfer, argued that shuttering the pipeline would be a major economic blow to several entities, including North Dakota, and the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation tribe, in the heart of the states oil patch. Boasberg said the Standing Rock Sioux had to demonstrate a likelihood of irreparable injury from the pipelines continued operation for him to rule in their favor. The tribe, he said, has not cleared that daunting hurdle. Attorneys for the Standing Rock Sioux and other tribes say the pipeline is operating illegally without a federal permit granting easement to cross beneath Lake Oahe, a Missouri River reservoir near the Standing Rock reservation that is maintained by the Corps. They said preventing financial loss should not come at the expense of the other tribes, especially when the law has not been followed. The Court acknowledges the Tribes plight, as well as their understandable frustration with a political process in which they all too often seem to come up just short. If they are to win their desired relief, however, it must come from that process, as judges may travel only as far as the law takes them and no further. Here, the law is clear, and it instructs that the Court deny Plaintiffs request for an injunction. Boasberg wrote. The Standing Rock tribe, which draws its water from the Missouri River, says it fears pollution. The company has said the pipeline is safe. We believe the Dakota Access Pipeline is too dangerous to operate and should be shuttered while environmental and safety implications are studied but despite our best efforts, todays injunction was not granted, Jan Hasselman, the EarthJustice attorney representing Standing Rock and other tribes, said in a statement. The pipeline was the subject of months of sometimes violent protests in 2016 and 2017, during its construction. The $3.8 billion, 1,172-mile (1,886-kilometer) pipeline began operating in 2017 and environmental groups, encouraged by some of President Joe Bidens recent moves on climate change and fossil fuels, were hoping he would step in and shut down the pipeline. But the Biden administration left it up to Boasberg, even after the judge asked the Corps to state an opinion on paper, if it had one. Boasberg on Friday also denied the state of North Dakotas motion to intervene. State Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem had said the Corps has abandoned its lead role in defending its decision to grant an easement for crossing the river and that the agency can no longer adequately represent North Dakotas interests. In April 2020, Boasberg ordered further environmental study after determining the Corps had not adequately considered how an oil spill under the Missouri River might affect Standing Rocks fishing and hunting rights, or whether it might disproportionately affect the tribal community. A federal panel later upheld the judge's ruling, but did not go as far as shutting down the pipeline. Energy Transfer estimated it would cost $24 million to empty the pipeline and preserve the structure, and said maintenance of the line would cost $67.5 million every year it is inoperable. Former President Barack Obamas administration originally rejected permits for the project, and the Corps prepared to conduct a full environmental review. In February 2017, after Donald Trump took office, the agency scrapped the review and granted permits, concluding that running the pipeline under the Missouri River posed no significant environmental issues. ___ Kolpack reported from Fargo, North Dakota TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly on Friday vetoed a Republican proposal to set aside hundreds of millions of Kansas' federal coronavirus relief dollars to compensate small businesses that faced restrictions earlier in the pandemic. Kelly said in her veto message that the measure was well-intentioned but violated a federal coronavirus relief law enacted in March. She also suggested that Kansas already has a more transparent process for giving out relief funds through a task force she created last year. The COVID-19 pandemic has presented many challenges for Kansas businesses," Kelly said in her message. "My administration has been committed to doing all we can to support their continued pandemic recovery efforts, Kelly said in her message. Her veto sparked criticism in the Republican-controlled Legislature, particularly from conservatives who've argued for months that state and local government restrictions on businesses were too harsh and applied unfairly. House Majority Leader Dan Hawkins, a Wichita Republican, said Kellys administration is a Death Star with the sole purpose of destroying the Kansas economy." Kelly kept a stay-at-home order in place for five weeks last spring, defending it as necessary to prevent a surge in COVID-19 cases from overwhelming hospitals, as it had in Europe. She later sought a phased reopening of the economy, but lawmakers forced her to accept local control of such decisions to keep a state of emergency for the pandemic in place. Ryan Kriegshauser, an attorney for a Wichita fitness studio and its owner, who sued the state in December over pandemic restrictions, said the federal law cited by Kelly is incredibly ambiguous." He said the bill also had a provision nullifying its contents if they were found to violate federal law. Supporters of the bill were short of the two-thirds majorities in both chambers necessary to override a veto when the bill passed earlier this month because Republicans were split and Democrats opposed the measure. Lawmakers have been out of session since May 8 and have only one more day scheduled for possible business this year, Wednesday. She could have let it go into law, and all of this would be sorted out, Kriegshauser said. She is using this as an excuse to play politics. Kelly did sign budget legislation Friday that included several provisions favored by Republican lawmakers. One provision gives top legislators more say in how Kansas spends its federal coronavirus relief funds, outside of the business compensation program. Another prevents the state from tracing the close contacts of people infected with COVID-19 unless their participation is voluntary, and a third bans state agencies from issuing vaccine passports something Kelly has said she's not interested in doing. The vetoed bill would require the state, cities and counties to set aside as business aid part of the federal relief funds that aren't designated for a specific purpose. Lawmakers and others estimated during legislative debates that the figure would be roughly $500 million. Kelly said in her veto message that federal law prevents states from limiting local governments' spending of relief dollars. She said a federal rule prevents states from using the funds to pay legal claims. Kriegshauser said neither issue is yet clear-cut. Under the measure, compensation would go to businesses with 50 or fewer employees if they could show they were harmed by pandemic restrictions. The bill's supporters said they targeted the compensation to small businesses because they're far less likely than large ones to be able to afford attorneys to file lawsuits. But backers of the bill also argued that setting up a claims process also could avoid lawsuits and lessen the total payout for the state, cities and counties. Certainly, we all want to get money into businesses' hands that were closed and harmed, said Kansas House Judiciary Chair Fred Patton, a Topeka Republican. On the other side, we want to protect the state. We don't want to have hundreds of thousands of lawsuits filed. Kriegshauser's clients sued the state in December over how pandemic restrictions affected the business in what is believed the first such case arising from an emergency in Kansas. The studio and Attorney General Derek Schmidt, a Republican now running for governor, agreed to put the lawsuit on hold to give the Legislature a chance to provide compensation. Democrats balked at the compensation bill partly because an appointed, three-member board would examine the claims and in closed meetings, to protect businesses' financial information and trade secrets. The board would be housed in the attorney general's office, and some Democrats derided the GOP plan as a setting up a slush fund or pot of gold program. Senate Minority Leader Dinah Sykes, a Lenexa Democrat, called the measure poorly vetted and an unabashed power grab by Republicans. The board's decisions would be reviewed by a joint legislative committee, and legislative leaders would have the final say. Supporters said that made the process open. ___ Follow John Hanna on Twitter: https://twitter.com/apjdhanna FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) Kentucky has received $340,000 to help plan for changing over to a crisis phone line that will be known as 988, Gov. Andy Beshear said. The funding came from Vibrant Emotional Health, which is the nonprofit administrator of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, Beshear's office said in a news release Thursday. Judge Cynthia Diane Stephens of the Michigan Court of Claims on Friday denied the State of Michigans motion to dismiss lawsuits filed by hundreds of victims of last May's mid-Michigan dam failures. Therefore, this case will continue on its path toward trial. The roughly 300 plaintiffs are property owners who owned property near two dams that failed last spring. One of the dams, the Edenville Dam, held back water from two rivers and formed Wixom Lake. On or about May 19, 2020, the Edenville Dam failed after a rainstorm that began on May 18. The failure of the dam led to damaging floodwaters that eventually flowed over an impoundment at the Sanford Dam, which was about 10 miles downstream. The Sanford Dam subsequently failed as well. The plaintiffs allege the state engaged in affirmative acts of mismanagement and concealment in the operation of the dam, resulting in damage to their properties. Ven Johnson, president of Ven Johnson Law, which is representing about 300 victims of the flood, issued a statement in response to Friday's court decision, noting the rulings come just two days after the one-year anniversary of the flood. The State of Michigan has already claimed it will be filing an appeal, proving they have learned nothing nor have empathy for the people of mid-Michigan who lost everything due to the states negligence," he stated. Johnson explained that in the opinion and order, Judge Stephens "warned the State of Michigan that an appeal would be frivolous in view of the fact that the victims are not asserting a 'tort' action, but instead are proceeding on the theory of recovery called 'inverse condemnation,' or in other words, an improper taking of an individuals land by the government. This is a significant step forward in compensating these nearly 10,000 flood victims," Johnson added. "We believe Judge Stephens opinion is 100 percent correct, and in the event that it is appealed, it will be upheld." Congress has voted to let large cruise ships sail directly from Washington state to Alaska without stopping in Canada, a step that could clear the way for cruises later this year. The legislation approved by the House on Thursday goes to President Joe Biden, who is expected to sign it. This legislation is literally a lifeline for so many of Alaskas small businesses that were struggling, and it means jobs for more Alaskans this summer," said Sarah Leonard, president of the Alaska Travel Industry Association. Carnival Corp. said it expects to resume sailing to Alaska in late July and running until early October. The company said its Carnival, Holland America and Princess lines will each operate one ship on round-trip voyages between Seattle and Alaska for fully vaccinated passengers. A longstanding federal law prohibits foreign-flagged ships typically the big cruise liners from carrying passengers between two U.S. ports without stopping in another country. With Canada forbidding any cruise operations through next February, the law threatened to eliminate Alaskan voyages on large ships this year. The House on Thursday passed a measure that waives the foreign-stop requirement through next February or until Canada lifts its ban on cruising. That will allow the big cruise ships to sail directly from Washington state to Alaska without stopping at a Canadian port such as Victoria or Vancouver. Gov. Mike Dunleavy said the change will stop a $3 billion hit to Alaskas economy. He said the state's vaccination efforts will make tourism safe for tourists and Alaskans. The measure was proposed by Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan and Rep. Don Young, all Alaska Republicans, and previously passed by the Senate. The 2021 sailing season wont match previous years, Sullivan said, but there will be ships, and there will be people, and that is excellent for Alaska. The cruise lines still need to meet guidelines set by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to prevent spread of COVID-19. The cruise industry has been unhappy with the extent and the time it has taken the health agency to draft those guidelines. While there is still work to be done, the cruise industry is one step closer to sailing in Alaska this year, said Laziza Lambert, a spokeswoman for an industry group, the Cruise Lines International Association. JACKSON, Miss. (AP) Two men were indicted this week by a federal grand jury in Mississippi, accused of taking part in an $85 million Ponzi scheme involving a fictitious lumber company, a prosecutor says. Ted Brent Alexander, 55, and Jon Darrell Seawright, 49, both of Jackson, are each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud and wire fraud, one count of securities fraud and four counts of wire fraud involving a scheme to defraud investors, according to Darren J. LaMarca, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Mississippi. Alexander, a prominent lobbyist, and Seawright, a lawyer, are accused of promising guaranteed returns to investors in a sophisticated scam involving nonexistent timber deals, according to the statement released Thursday. A lawyer for Seawright did not respond to a request for comment Friday from The Associated Press. Jonathan Matthew Eichelberger, the lawyer representing Alexander, said: We have complete faith in the criminal justice system, and trust that the judge and jury will get this right." The indictment alleges that from January 2011 through December 2018, Alexander and Seawright misled their investors to believe they were the principal actors in a "broker enterprise purchasing timber on private land that was then resold to lumber mills for profit. Investors were promised repayment in 12 to 15 months at a rate of 12 percent to 15 percent annual interest, the indictment said. All the while, the two men were downplaying and concealing the fact that there were no real contracts for timber and lumber mills and the broker was Madison Timber Properties, LLC, a company wholly owned by Arthur Lamar Adams, according to LaMarca. Adams was sentenced in 2018 to 19 years in federal prison on wire fraud charges. The indictment alleges that, during the course of the scheme, Alexander and Seawright solicited more than $20 million from more than 50 investors. The two men allegedly told people who agreed to loan money that they would inspect each site where timber was purchased and verify that the lumber mill agreements were valid, something they never did, according to the indictment. It adds they also allegedly told those who loaned money that they had their own personal money invested in the operation and that investors would be repaid their money and interest before Alexander and Seawright received fees. In reality, the indictment alleges, the men received a percentage of investors' funds and were paid for recruiting new investors into the scheme. Alexander's and Seawright's case is currently scheduled for trial starting July 6 in U.S. District Court in Jackson. Seawright also was indicted by a federal grand jury this week on a fraud charge related to a filing in bankruptcy court. Seawright is charged with one count of bankruptcy filing in furtherance of a fraud. That case is currently scheduled for trial June 28 in the U.S. District Court in Jackson. ___ Leah Willingham is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) A dustup over masks could raise tensions as the Maine Legislature prepares to return to the State House, which has been closed since March 2020. The Legislative Council voted to reopen the State House effective Monday while requiring people to continue wearing masks. Republicans argued that the mask requirement defied federal public health recommendations. Also, Democratic Gov. Janet Mills is lifting mask mandates for most Mainers, effective Monday. The contradictory guidance will only confuse Mainers with the executive branch and legislative branch adopting competing rules on masks, Senate Republicans said Friday. The state needs to speak with one voice and its statements regarding the pandemic must be based on science. The governor made her decision based on the latest science from the U.S. CDC and the Legislature should follow that same path, Jeff Timberlake, Senate Republican leader, said Friday. During the council meeting, House Minority Leader Kathleen Dillingham, R-Oxford, suggested to House Speaker Ryan Fecteau that some in her caucus might ignore the mask requirement. What are you going to do when members of my caucus and possibly myself enter that building and were not wearing a mask? she said. Fecteau said it's better to be safe than sorry, noting that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention still recommends masks for people who are not vaccinated or in crowds of people. I would be very regretful if a decision I made here at Legislative Council led to someone getting very ill, said Fecteau, D-Biddeford. During the pandemic, the Maine Legislature has been convening for floor sessions at the Augusta Civic Center. In other pandemic-related news: THE NUMBERS The number of COVID-19 infections continues to inch downward in Maine. The seven-day rolling average of daily new cases has gone from 319 new cases per day on May 5 to 213 new cases per day on May 19. The AP is using data collected by Johns Hopkins University Center for Systems Science and Engineering to measure outbreak caseloads and deaths across the United States. The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday reported an additional 170 infections and two deaths. All told, there have been more than 66,700 infections and 818 deaths since the start of the pandemic, the Maine CDC reported. ARTS FUNDING The Maine Arts Commission is going to distribute more than $750,000 in federal stimulus money for projects that employ artists. The money comes from the National Endowment for the Arts, which received $135 million from the American Rescue Plan, approved by Congress to reduce the pandemics economic toll. The focus of this effort is on economic recovery and job creation, David Greenham, executive director of the Maine Arts Commission, told the Portland Press Herald. The NEA sent another $1 million to Maine last week as part of its annual funding, with $821,000 going to the Maine Arts Commission to pay for ongoing grant programs and general support. LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) The Nebraska Supreme Court on Friday rejected the postconviction appeal of a man serving life in prison for the brutal stabbing death of his girlfriend in 2017. Lucio Munoz, 69, had argued in his postconviction motion that his trial and direct appeal attorneys were so ineffective that it violated his right to fair trial. When a lower court rejected his motion without an evidentiary hearing, Munoz appealed. SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) Prosecutors in New Mexico are seeking the maximum sentence of 24 years for a man who pleaded guilty to recklessly permitting child abuse in the beating death of 13-year-old Jeremiah Valencia in 2017. Jordan Anthony Nunez, 22, pleaded guilty in March 2020 to one count of recklessly permitting child abuse resulting in death and two counts of tampering with evidence, The Santa Fe New Mexican reported. Nunez is accused of helping his father, Thomas Wayne Ferguson, torture and kill Valencia in November 2017 while the boy's mother, Tracy Ann Pena, was jailed on a probation violation. Authorities said the boy's body was found buried in a plastic container along a roadside in Nambe in January 2018. An autopsy and investigation revealed the boy was severely beaten, and he was confined in a dog kennel before his death. Ferguson was facing a murder charge in the case, but he killed himself in the Santa Fe County jail in April 2018, authorities said. Pena was also charged and is currently serving a 12-year sentence under a plea deal. Prosecutors turned to Nunez after Ferguson's death, alleging he participated in the beatings and watched as his father assaulted the boy. Mark Earnest, a defense attorney representing Nunez, has maintained he did not beat the boy and that his actions did not amount to a serious violent crime. Earnest is seeking the minimum prison sentence of 14 years, citing Nunez was 19 at the time of the crime and did not have a criminal history. Earnest also argued that two counts of tampering with evidence should be merged into one, reducing the maximum possible sentence to 21 years. Prosecutors disagreed in a request to deny the merger. Chief Deputy District Attorney Jennifer Padgett Macias declined to comment. A hearing in the case is scheduled for Monday. Sentencing is scheduled in June. NEW YORK (AP) New Yorks attorney general is proposing legislation to overhaul the use of force by police, in many cases requiring de-escalation tactics and other measures before officers take lethal action. Attorney General Letitia James said Friday the bill introduced recently in the state legislature would codify a use-of-force continuum that some departments, including the NYPD, use. It will mandate that an officer only use deadly force when they truly believe it is necessary, James said. James, a Democrat, highlighted the legislation at a news conference days before the first anniversary of the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police on May 25, 2020, which led to nationwide protests against police brutality and a reckoning on officer accountability. The new legislation would give prosecutors wider latitude to charge officers for killing civilians by eliminating loopholes, James said. She pointed to an exception currently on the books that allows police to use lethal force on people suspected of certain crimes even if those people are not actively posing a threat. The legislation wouldn't prevent officers from taking action when lives are at risk, James said. This is not going to change those split-second decisions that officers must make," she said. The head of New York City's largest police union blasted the proposal, saying it would make it impossible for officers to determine if they're allowed to use force. The only reasonable solution will be to avoid confrontations where force might become necessary, said Patrick Lynch, the president of the Police Benevolent Association, in a statement. Meanwhile, violent criminals certainly arent hesitating to use force against police officers or our communities, Lynch said. "The bottom line: more cops and more regular New Yorkers are going to get hurt. James was joined at a news conference announcing the legislation by Gwen Carr, whose son, Eric Garner, died after a police officer placed him in a chokehold in 2014. The officer was fired and did not face criminal charges. Last month, James office assumed jurisdiction for investigating the deaths of anyone killed by law enforcement officers, essentially eliminating county district attorneys from any involvement with police killings. A separate bill in the state assembly would lift the veil of secrecy on grand jury proceedings in cases where no criminal charges are filed. ALBANY, Ga. (AP) Police in southwest Georgia say they shot and killed a man who fired at police officers early Friday. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation says Albany officers responded to a report of a shooting, finding a man who was shot in the head and taken to a hospital in Macon. WASHINGTON (AP) The push to remove Confederate names from Pentagon properties, including storied Army posts, could eventually affect hundreds of items and facilities, the chair of the congressionally chartered Naming Commission said Friday. Michelle Howard, a retired Navy admiral who heads the commission, told reporters her group began its work in March, with an interim report due to Congress in October and a final report a year later. She said the eight-member group is still developing the renaming criteria and will begin its site visits with a trip to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York. The academy faces scrutiny because it has a barracks named for Robert E. Lee, commanding general of the rebel army of the Confederate States of America. Howard said the commission is required by Congress to consider renaming anything that commemorates the Confederate States of America or any person that served voluntarily with the Confederate States of America. This applies only to Defense Department properties, not state-owned military facilities. Congress acted last year, overriding a defense bill veto by President Donald Trump, as part of a public outcry over the killing in May 2020 of George Floyd, a Black man, at the hands of Minneapolis police. Calls arose to remove Confederate symbols, including military base names, deemed to be racist relics. The initial public focus was on Army bases such as Fort Bragg, North Carolina, which is named for Confederate general Braxton Bragg, and Fort Benning, Georgia, named for Brig. Gen. Henry L. Benning, who served under Lee. Howard said the commission's mandate from Congress is to look more broadly, and that it will consider the naming of military base streets, for example, as well as ships, aircraft and Defense Department buildings. The only federal military item explicitly exempted by the legislation is grave markers, she said. Once we get down to looking at buildings and street names, it potentially could run into the hundreds, she said. The Navy has identified for renaming consideration the USNS Maury, an oceanographic survey ship that was named for Cmdr. Matthew Maury, who resigned from the U.S. Navy to join the Confederacy during the Civil War. Howard said a key part of the commission's work will be consulting with local civic leaders to consider their views. AMERICUS, Kan. (AP) Two school district employees in eastern Kansas should be disciplined for suspending an eighth-grade student from riding the school bus after she said I'm a lesbian, the Kansas Association of School Boards has determined. An investigation by the association found bus driver Kristi Gadino, and Corey Wiltz, principal at North Lyon County Elementary, committed sexual harassment against the student in violation of federal Title IX regulations and district policy, The Emporia Gazette reported. The investigation began when the family of Izzy Dieker filed a complaint after she was suspended from the bus on Jan. 27. The report was issued earlier this month. Angela Stallbaumer, an attorney for the association, said in the report that video from the bus showed Gadino ignored expletives from several other students but singled out Dieker for using the word lesbian near younger students, which she said was inappropriate. In her report, Gadino contended Dieker used a profanity and refused to move to the front of the bus. Stallbaumer said the video showed those allegations weren't true. Wiltz told the student's father, Daniel Dieker, that his daughter was suspended for using foul language and ignoring directions to move to the front of the bus, although he had not yet watched the video footage. He later told an investigator that he told Daniel Dieker the use of the word lesbian was inappropriate. Wiltz didn't view the video for two days and when he did, he reinstated Izzy Dieker's bus privileges. Stallbaumer wrote that the employees' treatment of Izzy Dieker violated the district's sexual harassment policy. "At a deeper level, though, the actions of the Respondents reflected that they fundamentally disapproved of her sexual-orientation and, quite possibly, her as well, Stallbaumer wrote. She recommended training and further disciplinary measures but did not suggest specific action. Daniel Dieker said the family doesn't expect much from the North Lyon district. They are moving the children to a different district next year. I think that the bus driver and Mr. Wiltz are both going to get a slap on the wrist and be swept under the rug again, just like everything else, Daniel Dieker said. Superintendent Bob Blair said the district is continuing to follow the Title IX process. The current ongoing process in our school district is a confidential student and employee matter that our district is not at liberty to discuss in a public setting, he said in a statement. "(North Lyon) is committed to providing a positive learning environment free from discrimination for all students. DECATUR, Ill. (AP) A procession led by a hearse bearing the body of a slain police officer moved across central Illinois on Thursday, giving hundreds a chance to pay their respects. Law enforcement agencies and other first responders escorted the body of Champaign police Officer Chris Oberheim, 44, through several cities, starting in Champaign, passing through Monticello, where he lived, and ending at a funeral home in Decatur, where Oberheim began his law enforcement career. MADRID (AP) The parliament of Catalonia elected a new regional leader and government Friday, with the incoming administration vowing no let-up in the Catalan fight for independence from Spain. Three Catalan separatist parties set aside their local policy differences and united behind their common desire for secession, voting for Pere Aragones as the next chief in Catalonia, a region of 7.5 million that has Barcelona as its capital. The Biden administration is taking steps to ensure Americans who pay for goods or services with cryptocurrencies dont sidestep the tax man. The Treasury Department issued a report Thursday that outlines measures. Among the proposed changes, businesses that receive cryptoassets with a fair market value of more than $10,000 would have to report it to the IRS. Thats something businesses already have to do when with cash transactions of $10,000 or more. (Editors note: This project is a collaboration between the Plainview Herald and Saint Francis Ministries to showcase kids who are cleared for adoption.) Christopher is an active and intelligent kid. He could spend the entire day outside on his scooter or skateboard, riding bikes, or swimming, if given the opportunity. The 14-year-old enjoys his alone time and can spend hours building things with Legos. He might be shy at first, but once he warms up, he likes to watch movies or play games with others. Christopher is looking for a family that is in it for the long haul. --- Christopher is one of the children listed on the Texas Adoption Resource Exchange (TARE) website. Visit https://www.dfps.state.tx.us/Application/TARE/Home.aspx/Default for more details. Saint Francis Ministries is a nonprofit organization and a community-based care provider for the Texas Department of Family Protective Services Region 1. This region includes 41 counties across the Panhandle and South Plains. To learn more about fostering or adopting, those interested are encouraged to attend one of the monthly virtual meetings hosted by Saint Francis Ministries and other child placing agencies. The meetings provide information about how to get started, the basic qualifications and more, in addition to providing opportunity for attendees to ask questions. Those interested can visit Saint Francis Texas on Facebook @SFMtexas to register for the online meetings, which can also be found below: The meetings are scheduled for the second Thursday of the month (Lubbock area https://lubbock-area-foster-care-adoption.eventbrite.com) and the third Thursday of the month (Amarillo area https://amarillo-area-foster-care-adoption.eventbrite.com). For more information, please contact Erin Baxter at (806) 317-5631 or email texasinfo@st-francis.org. Visit Saint Francis Ministries online at https://saintfrancisministries.org. BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) Thailand on Friday said it has detected its first locally transmitted cases of the coronavirus variant discovered in India, as it announced the formal rollout of its national vaccination plan next month. The Ministry of Public Health said 36 cases of the Indian variant were found in a camp for construction workers in Bangkok. Of those, 21 are Thai, 10 are from Myanmar and five from Cambodia, said Dr. Supakit Sirilak, chief of the Medical Sciences Department. The government has banned the arrival of any non-Thais from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal in an effort to prevent the spread of the variant. Thailand reported 3,481 new coronavirus cases and 32 more deaths on Friday. Its total number of confirmed cases has now grown to 123,066 since the outbreak started, including 94,203 reported since a surge broke out at the beginning of April. It has reported 735 deaths, including 641 since April. The Center for COVID-19 Situation Administration said a nationwide state of emergency will be extended to the end of July to help contain the virus. The government also announced it will begin its national vaccination campaign on June 7, and that foreign residents will be allowed to sign up. The government had for weeks see-sawed on whether foreigners would be included and had said they would be vaccinated last. Thailand hopes to vaccinate 70% of the estimated 70 million people living in the country by the end of the year. Natapanu Nopakun, deputy spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said foreign migrant workers, who number more than 1 million, would be vaccinated separately by the labor ministry. Thailand has already started vaccinating some of the 150,000 Chinese citizens living in the country. China has supplied Thailand with millions of vaccine doses. About 200,000 other foreigners from Australia, Japan, Europe, the United States and elsewhere are mostly professionals and retirees. Thailand largely contained coronavirus cases last year by closing its borders, enforcing mandatory quarantines and actively tracing contacts of those found to be infected. The measures devastated its lucrative tourism industry but kept the pandemic at bay, for the most part, until early April. Then a surge that began in high-end nightspots in central Bangkok spread rapidly as people were allowed to travel during a mid-April national holiday. A partial lockdown in recent weeks has made limited headway in containing outbreaks, especially in Bangkok and in prisons. Camps for construction workers have recently become another major cluster. There are 409 construction camps across Bangkok housing 62,169 people. Of that number, 26,134 are Thai and 36,035 are migrant workers. About 87% of the cases detected recently in Thailand are from the coronavirus variant first found in Britain, Supakit said. COLOMBO, Sri Lanka Sri Lanka halted passenger trains and buses for four days as authorities imposed a fresh travel ban across the country, in its latest efforts to curb the escalating number of COVID-19 infections and deaths. The ban is effective from Friday night until Tuesday morning. However, it will not apply to those engaged in essential services such as the health, food and power sectors, and those seeking medical treatment. The move comes as the islands key medical associations demand the government lockdown the country for two weeks. The associations say the actual number of coronavirus infections is more than three times the number detected. Sri Lanka has already banned public gatherings, parties, weddings and closed schools and universities. Health officials warn that the confirmed cases could rise further in the next two weeks because of the last months celebrations and shopping by the people to mark the traditional new year. The health ministry says Sri Lankas total number of positive cases have reached 154,786 with 1089 fatalities. ___ THE VIRUS OUTBREAK: Pfizer-BioNTech pledge 2B doses to less wealthy nations Germany opens beer gardens, cafes; Chancellor Merkel urges caution IOC VP: Tokyo Olympics will be held despite state of emergency Sniffing Labrador retrievers join Thai coronavirus fight ___ Follow more of APs pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic and https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-vaccine ___ HERE'S WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING: MOBILE, Ala. -- Alabamas port city of Mobile has put on a Mardi Gras-style parade, what seemed at least a little like the Carnival celebrations canceled earlier this year because of the pandemic. Plastic beads and other trinkets flew as nearly 30 floats from Mardi Gras groups snaked through downtown Mobile on Friday night. Thousands of people turned out in a county and state where only about a quarter of the population is fully vaccinated. Many went without masks, though health officials had urged personal responsibility. The parade marks the commissioning of the Navys new ship USS Mobile, a shallow-water combat vessel manufactured in Mobile. - BATON ROUGE, La. A medical center in Louisiana said Friday that it has identified the states first two cases of a COVID-19 variant which has spread widely since being identified in India. Britain and the World Health Organization consider it a variant of concern because experts think it may spread more easily than the original virus, LSU Health Shreveport said in a news release Friday. The health system said the two samples were among more than 2,600 for which its Center for Emerging Viral Threats has decoded the genome. That represents 56% of all viral genomic surveillance data from Louisiana, the news release said. Overall, the lab has processed 331,000 tests, and 7,600 were positive. Thats less than 5% of Louisianas total tests and less than 2% of the positive tests in the state. As of Friday, Louisiana has reported 7.3 million tests and 467,800 cases of COVID-19. At least two other variants have shown up in Louisiana the one first identified in the United Kingdom and the one first found in Brazil. LSU Health Shreveport said its lab found that the one first found in England remains dominant in North Louisiana, as in the rest of the United States ___ PHOENIX Health officials say children in Arizona as young as 12 can get a COVID-19 vaccine when receiving other immunizations. State Department of Health Services director Dr. Cara Christ said Friday that pediatricians, per CDC guidance, can administer the Pfizer vaccine alongside other childhood vaccines. Previously, the CDC had recommended children wait two weeks in between vaccinations. Vaccine demand has been low statewide. The hours and days of operations at some state vaccine pods will be modified. More than 5.6 million vaccine doses have been given out in Arizona. The state on Friday reported 577 new confirmed COVID-19 cases and 22 more deaths. ___ SALEM, Ore. Oregon officials are betting that the desire to win $1 million in a lottery will boost the percentage of Oregonians who are vaccinated against the coronavirus. With only half of the people living in Oregon either fully or partially vaccinated, Oregon Lottery officials approved a plan Friday to hold a lottery. Those who have been vaccinated by June 27 will be eligible. Its never been easier to get a vaccine, so dont miss your shot to enter, Gov. Kate Brown said. She told reporters this is an effort to raise the percentage of adult Oregonians who get vaccinated to 70% in order to fully reopen the state. The Oregon Health Authority says 50% of Oregonians are vaccinated, with 39% having completed the series and 11% in progress. If Oregonians have received at least a first dose of Pfizer, Moderna, or Johnson & Johnson, they are automatically entered to win through the states vaccine database. Other states are also trying the tactic, including New York, Maryland and Ohio. ___ BERLIN Germany will require people arriving from the U.K. from Sunday onward to go into quarantine for 14 days. The decision is a response to the spread of a coronavirus variant first detected in India. Fridays announcement by the Robert Koch Institute, Germanys national disease control center, that Britain is being classified as a virus variant area comes a week after it went back on a list of risk areas, which has few consequences under current rules. From Sunday, airlines and others will only be able to transport German citizens and residents from Britain. Under current German rules, all people arriving from virus variant areas -- which also include India itself and Brazil -- must spend 14 days in quarantine at home after their arrival. They cannot cut that period short by testing negative. People arriving from risk areas can avoid a 10-day quarantine by showing a negative test result, and fully vaccinated people arriving from those countries dont need either to test or quarantine. Germany is gradually moving to open up more areas of public life as the latest wave of virus infections subsides and its vaccination campaign gathers pace. ___ LANSING, Mich. The Michigan health department has settled a lawsuit by releasing information about people in long-term care sites who died of COVID-19, attorneys for a journalist said Friday. The department agreed to provide ages and dates of death but was unable to say whether the infection occurred at a long-term care facility due to inadequate tracking, the Mackinac Center Legal Foundation said. The group in March filed a lawsuit on behalf of Detroit-area journalist Charlie LeDuff, whose public records request was denied as exempt under state law. LeDuff said he was not seeking the names of the deceased. We stood up to Goliath and won, LeDuff said. While Im pleased that some of the records were released, the states overall response is alarming and disappointing. An email seeking comment was sent to the health department. The Mackinac Center Legal Foundation often takes aggressive action to get public records. This data is an essential part of accurately understanding the effects of this pandemic and the public policy implemented in response, attorney Steve Delie said. ___ SACRAMENTO, Calif. Californias top health official says the state no longer will require social distancing and will allow full capacity for businesses when the state reopens on June 15. State health director Dr. Mark Ghaly says dramatically lower coronavirus cases and increasing vaccinations mean its safe for the state to remove nearly all restrictions next month. Some recently reported daily infection cases have fallen below 1,000 and currently there are about 1,300 people in hospitals with the virus. California was the first state to issue a statewide shutdown as the virus emerged in March 2020. At the start of 2021, it was the nations epicenter. Theres been nearly 63,000 confirmed deaths from the virus in California, the most of any state in the nation. ___ BANGKOK Thailand is using dogs to sniff out the coronavirus during its recent surge in cases. Angel, Bobby and Bravo are among six Labrador retrievers trained by researchers at the veterinary faculty of Bangkoks Chulalongkorn University to sniff out a unique odor that people with coronavirus produce in their sweat, the researchers say. Since May 10, the three have tested more than 1,000 samples from college staff, students and people outside the university. The results so far are impressive. After a few seconds of sniffing sweat samples placed in metal containers, the dogs can tell which people have the virus. If theres no trace of infection, the dog will walk pass the sample. If it is positive, it will sit in front of it. ___ BERLIN Chancellor Angela Merkel has urged Germans to behave responsibly as large parts of the country relax more pandemic restrictions at the start of the Pentecost weekend. She says caution is needed to avoid further shutdowns. German regions have gradually started easing restrictions recently as new coronavirus cases decline steadily, accompanied by an accelerating vaccination campaign. Beer gardens, cafes and restaurants in Berlin and elsewhere started serving customers outdoors for the first time in months on Friday provided they present a negative COVID-19 test or a vaccination certificate. By Friday, most of Germanys 400 cities and counties had a weekly case number below the threshold of 100 per 100,000 inhabitants that triggered strict lockdown measures. But top officials stressed the need to remain vigilant. The countrys disease control agency reported 8,769 newly confirmed COVID-19 cases Thursday and 226 deaths. Germany has reported 87,128 confirmed deaths since the start of the pandemic. ___ NEW YORK A study of schools in Georgia suggests improving ventilation seemed to slow the spread of the coronavirus about as much as masks. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday published the study online. Its based on surveys last fall of 169 Georgia elementary schools, which had taken various steps to control the spread of the virus. The researchers concluded coronavirus case rates were 37% lower in schools that required teachers and other staff members to wear masks, compared to schools that did not. Meanwhile, rates were 39% lower in schools that took steps to improve ventilation, like opening windows and doors, using fans, or using air filtration systems. Schools that used high-efficiency particulate absorbing filtration (HEPA) systems had case rates that were about half as high as those that didnt. ___ MONTPELIER, Vt. Gov. Phil Scott says Vermont will lift all remaining pandemic-related restrictions ahead of the July 4 plan if the state reaches 80% of eligible people vaccinated against COVID-19. That would mean nearly 28,000 more residents need to get the shots. He says Vermont leads the nation with over 70% of residents ages 12 and older getting at least one dose. He says people between the ages of 18-29 can help accelerate the timeline the most. Its a group lagging in vaccination rates. ___ WASHINGTON Former President Barack Obama and actor Eva Longoria are joining a social media chat next week about COVID-19 vaccines and the pandemics effects on women, particularly women of color. Made to Save, the United State of Women, Supermajority and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services are hosting Mondays event on Facebook Live. Organizers say the event is part of a week of activity designed to address concerns among women about the vaccines and to encourage women to get vaccinated and to help others get their shots, too. Made to Save is a national public education campaign working to build public trust in the COVID-19 vaccines. Made to Save and United State of Women are part of Civic Nation, which is chaired by Obama White House adviser Valerie Jarrett. ___ ROME American pharmaceutical company Pfizer and German company BioNTech have pledged to deliver 2 billion doses of their COVID-19 vaccine to middle- and low-income countries over the next 18 months. The companies, which together developed the first vaccine to be authorized for use in the United States and Europe, made the announcement Friday at a global health summit in Rome co-hosted by the European Unions executive arm and Italy. Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla says they expect to provide a billion of the doses this year and another billion in 2022. It was unclear whether the deliveries would take place through the U.N.-backed COVAX program, which aims to ensure equitable access to COVID-19 shots for low-and middle-income countries, or if nations would get the doses at a reduced price. The summit is drawing the Group of 20 industrial and emerging market nations, the heads of international organizations and representatives of global health bodies. As vaccination campaigns continue to progress in the Western world, poorer countries are struggling to acquire supplies. This week, the U.N. Security Council expressed concern about the small number of doses that have reached Africa. ___ BEIRUT Lebanon has relaxed coronavirus restrictions as reported infections and deaths continue to decline. The government is allowing cinemas and theaters to reopen at reduced capacity for the first time in more than a year. A government pandemic committee recommended the relaxed measures on Friday, a day after Lebanon recorded its lowest one-day death rate in months. Only seven COVID-19 related deaths and 394 cases were reported on Thursday. The committee also allowed organizing weddings, conferences and trade shows at reduced capacities, but urged professional syndicates to delay holding elections for another month until the downward trend is confirmed. So far about 10 % of the nearly 6 million people living in Lebanon have received at least one vaccine since February. The World Health Organization says the Eastern Mediterranean, which includes Lebanon, has reported a decrease in cases in the last two weeks in 17 out of 22 countries in the region. Lebanon has registered nearly 538,000 confirmed coronavirus cases and 7,660 confirmed deaths. ___ BANGKOK, Thailand Thailand announced its national vaccination rollout for next month and its first locally transmitted cases of the coronavirus variant discovered in India. The government says it will begin its nationwide vaccination campaign on June 7. An official says 15 cases of the Indian variant were found in a camp for construction workers in Bangkok. The government has banned the arrival of any non-Thais from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal to help prevent the spread of the variant. The government says a national state of emergency will be extended to the end of July to help contain the virus. ___ TOKYO The IOC vice president in charge of the Tokyo Olympics says the games will open in just over two months even if the city and other parts of Japan are under a state of emergency because of rising coronavirus cases. John Coates spoke on a virtual hookup with Tokyo organizers after three days of meetings. The Olympics are set to open on July 23. Coates says the Olympics will go on even if local medical experts advise against it. He says advice from the World Health Organization assured him that all of those measures that we are undertaking are satisfactory and will ensure a safe and secure games in terms of health. Recent public opinion polls indicate 60-80% of Japanese oppose hosting the Olympics. Coates suggested public opinion might improve as more Japanese get fully vaccinated. That figure is now about 2%. IOC officials say they expect more than 80% of the residents of the Olympic Village, located on Tokyo Bay, to be vaccinated and largely cut off from contact with the public. About 11,000 Olympic athletes and 4,400 Paralympic athletes who arrive in August -- are expected to attend. No international fans are allowed. United, Delta and American said Friday they are resuming flights to Tel Aviv after Israel and Hamas agreed to a cease-fire in violence that had included rockets fired at Ben Gurion International Airport. Delta Air Lines plans to operate its first flight from New York to Tel Aviv since early last week on Friday night, with the first return trip on Sunday. Delta will closely monitor the security situation and will make adjustments to our flight schedules as necessary," spokesman Morgan Durrant said. ANKARA, Turkey (AP) Turkey's competition watchdog said Friday it was told by WhatsApp that the chat app won't apply a controversial privacy update following an investigation, but the announcement was contradicted by the Facebook-owned app, which said it still plans to roll out the update for Turkish users. Its a fresh sign of the confusion between regulators and the tech company over the update to WhatsApps terms of service and privacy rules, which has raised concerns that users are being forced to agree to share more of their data with Facebook. Germany last week ordered Facebook to stop processing WhatsApp user data over concern about the changes. The changes were initially announced at the start of the year but delayed after a backlash sparked by a wave of confusion and misinformation among users, including those in Turkey. Users were given a May 15 deadline to agree to the update. Turkish users, worried about the possible sharing of their personal information, began downloading alternative messaging applications such as Signal, Telegram or the Turkish app, Bip, which was developed by mobile phone operator Turkcell. Many chose to close down their WhatsApp accounts even though the messaging app assured that the content of messages would remain encrypted. Turkeys Competition Board, meanwhile, had launched an investigation into Facebook and WhatsApp over a possible violation of Article 6 of Turkeys competition laws, which bar companies from abusing their dominant positions. In a brief statement Friday, the competition watchdog said it had been notified by WhatsApp that the update will not come into effect for any user in Turkey, including users who approved it. WhatsApp however, disputed the Turkish notice. It is not the case that we no longer intend to roll out the update in Turkey," it said in a statement. We continue to discuss next steps with the relevant authorities and we remain fully committed to delivering secure and private communications for everyone. WhatsApp insisted that the update does not expand our ability to share data with Facebook and does not impact the privacy of personal messages with friends or family. "We continue to roll out our update gradually around the world and the majority of people who have received it have accepted, it said. The company has pointed out previously that the update is related only to messages between businesses and customers. A week ago, a German privacy watchdog issued an emergency order banning Facebook from gathering data on WhatsApp users, over concern the updated policy was in breach of stringent European data protection rules. ____ Chan reported from London CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) Wyoming state Sen. Anthony Bouchard, a Republican trying to unseat U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney next year, revealed that he impregnated a 14-year-old girl when he was 18, describing the relationship as like the Romeo and Juliet story in a description that drew a rebuke from a sexual assault prevention group. Bouchard vowed not to drop out of the race and blamed "dirty politics for bringing the story to light. Bouchard, 55, initially disclosed what he described as a typical teenage relationship in a Facebook Live video to supporters on Thursday. He later confirmed the girl's age to the Casper Star-Tribune. Its a story when I was young, two teenagers, girl gets pregnant, he said in the video. Youve heard those stories before. She was a little younger than me, so its like the Romeo and Juliet story. Bouchard married the girl when she was 15 and he was 19, when both were living in Florida. They divorced three years later, he told the newspaper. She killed herself when she was 20, Bouchard said. Online records list a woman with her name as being buried at a Jacksonville cemetery in 1990. The newspaper chose not to identify the woman. Bouchard, a gun rights activist who co-owns a septic system servicing business with his wife, did not immediately return a phone call from The Associated Press seeking comment. Framing it as Romeo and Juliet is wrong and dangerous, said Kristen Schwartz, executive director for the Wyoming Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault. Laws exist to protect young people involved in these situations, Schwartz said. Theres a reason we have laws against sexual abuse of a minor and its because the brain of a 14-year-old is not developed enough to make mature decisions about sex and sexuality." Schwartz added: Any language that would minimize things that are a crime is harmful. Its harmful to survivors and its harmful to our greater community. Bouchard and the girl were able to legally marry because Florida at the time allowed marriage at any age with a judges approval if a pregnancy was involved and a parent consented. Bouchard is among at least eight Republicans running against Cheney in 2022 after her vote to impeach former President Donald Trump over the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. Bouchard said he decided to post the video to get ahead of a story about his previous marriage. In the video, He claims an unnamed reporter and a political opposition research company were driving the effort together. Bouchard said he didn't think Cheney was involved in the disclosure and Cheney spokesman Jeremy Adler denied any involvement. He said he and the girl were under pressure to have an abortion, which they refused. The son, now an adult, has become almost estranged from him after making some wrong choices in his life, Bouchard said. A lot of pressure. Pressure to abort a baby. I got to tell you. I wasnt going to do it, and neither was she, Bouchard said. And there was pressure to have her banished from their family. Just pressure. Pressure to go hide somewhere. And the only thing I could see as the right thing to do was to get married and take care of him. Bouchard said the disclosure wouldnt stop him from seeking higher office. Bring it on. Im going to stay in this race, he said. Were going to continue to raise money because my record stands on its own. Tuesday marked the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Britain, when Royal Air Force pilots took the reins of world history, repelled the prelude to a Nazi invasion and defended the land from which America would lead the D-Day landings four years later. But few folks likely know that West Texas long hosted one of the world's finest collections of WWII-era warplaneslargely because the small fleet of historical aircraft were never advertised or opened for public viewing. RELATED: Dive team explores wreckage of Tuskegee Airman's WWII plane Writer Dave Hirshman and photographer Chris Rose told the story for the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association last year, of how a successful 81-year-old West Texas oilman, Wilson "Connie" Edwards, ended up with more antique European fighter planes in his secluded hangar than the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum has in Washington, D.C. Edwards told AOPA that he never meant to be a collector, yet he acquired a Spitfire fighter plane that really fought Nazis in the Battle of Britain, plus a half dozen Spanish Buchons and a similar number of small American-made craft from the era. In fact, Edwards credited his riches largely to luck; his family's land sat atop a wealth of oil and gas, and a late-1970s investment in the business of family friend Sam Walton really paid off when Walmart became the world's largest retailer. A solo pilot since 16, Edwards had the gracious ability to act on his passions. But his prized holdings, the European aircraft, came to him as unorthodox payment for his role in 1969 film Battle of Britain, starring Michael Cain. Edwards was a stunt pilot and choreographed the dogfights. In lieu of working for credit, the spunky Texan demanded a handful of the movie's airplanes, and he got them. RELATED: Historic WWII aircraft to fly into county airport "They owed me a bunch of money at the end of the movie," Edwards told AOPA. "They were going to give me an IOU and you don't take an IOU from any movies. I just told them that I'd take the airplanes so I ended up with 16 Messerschmitts, and I traded two of them for this Spitfire." (story continues below ... ) The German Messerschmitts were, in reality, Spanish Buchons painted over for movie purposes. He planned to leave them to his son, who at 14 flew nonstop across the Atlantic Ocean, according to the Big Spring Herald. But tragedy struck in 2013, and Edwards lost his son and heir to a traffic accident. So he put the Battle of Britain planes for sale and non-negotiable prices totaling more than $15 million, reported AOPA, and they sold in days, all to buyers in their home countries; the Spitfire went to England and the Buchons back to Spain. So these instrument of world history left an obscure West Texas hangar. Reading the political tea leaves 18 months in advance is as tricky as making a weather forecast for the same timeframe. But every so often, circumstances combine to increase the odds in the forecasters favor. Looking ahead to next years midterms is one of them. Because if things continue on their current course, Nov. 8, 2022, will be a very good night for Republicans around the country. For starters, history is on the GOPs side going into the campaign. Theres a long track record of the incumbent presidents party losing seats during a midterm election. In fact, since 1934 only two presidents have enjoyed an increase in their partys numbers in the House and Senate Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1934 and George W. Bush in 2002. Excluding those two exceptions, losses are big for the party that occupies 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. Especially for first-term presidents and particularly in the House. Consider Donald Trump (minus 40 in 2018), Barack Obama (minus 63 in 2010), Bill Clinton (minus 52 in 1994), Ronald Reagan (minus 26 in 1982) and Gerald Ford (minus 48 in 1974). All were shellacked at the ballot box, resulting in significantly fewer members of their party in the House of Representatives. According to FiveThirtyEight, the GOP also has a turnout advantage in midterms. Under Republican presidents since 1978, the GOP has enjoyed a plus-one shift toward party identification for those who vote in midterm elections. That margin swells to plus-5 under Democratic presidents. Contemporary history doesnt bode well for Democrats, either. Expectations for the left arent nearly as high going into 2022 as they were just a year ago. The 2020 election was supposed to deal a crushing blow to Republicans up and down the ballot. Instead, the GOP defeated 12 incumbent House Democrats and successfully defended every incumbent Republican seat. If historical trends werent enough, Democrats are dealing Republicans a winning hand, too. The Democratic-backed plans to pack the Supreme Court and to end the Senate filibuster are wildly unpopular. A recent Mason-Dixon poll found 65% of Americans, and a whopping 72% of independents, opposed court-packing. The same survey showed only 37% of Americans supported ending the filibuster while 69% of independents opposed it. In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Mason-Dixon pollster Brad Coker concluded that moderate and unaffiliated voters did not vote for Joe Biden in 2020 to turn the government upside-down or remake America. But thats exactly what Democrats are trying to do. And it will inevitably hurt them on Election Day, especially when 56% of independents said they would be less likely to re-elect their senator if he or she supported those two disliked and radical Democratic priorities. Beyond seeking to alter dramatically fundamental government mainstays that have been around for more than 150 years, Democrats must also answer for the crisis at the border, pushing citizenship for undocumented immigrants, trillion-dollar spending bonanzas, D.C. statehood, radical gun control measures, defunding the police, and increasingly rising fuel and food costs. Whatever hope there was for governing from the middle is gone. Once again, Democrats are overplaying their hand. But Republicans biggest advantage in 2022 might come from redistricting. Topline 2020 census numbers show both New York (Biden won by 23.2%) and California (Biden by 29.2%) losing seats in 2022 while Texas (won by Trump by 5.6%), Montana (Trump by 16.4%), North Carolina (Trump by 1.6%), and Florida (Trump by 3.3) will all gain seats. Republicans also enjoy governing trifectas in 23 states, meaning the GOP controls all three branches of state government. Democratic trifectas exist in just 15 states. This will have a substantial effect on the soon-to-be-drawn congressional districts. As political commentator Hugh Hewitt pointed out in a recent Washington Post op-ed, the GOP will enjoy complete control of drawing new boundaries for 181 congressional districts, compared with a maximum of 74 for Democrats. Finally, dont forget about Donald Trump. He turns out the base like no one else can, whether hes on the ballot or not. The same cant be said for Joe Biden. The 2022 election is shaping up for one big collective youre fired! to Democrats across America. RJ May III serves in the South Carolina House of Representatives and is president of Ivory Tusk Consulting, a marketing and political strategy firm. He wrote this for InsideSources.com. State legislatures have been very active since the election of November 2020 in changing voting laws and policies. On the positive side, bills have been introduced in 47 states to expand voting provisions in 843 ways. Three bills have already been signed into law. More than 110 are well on the way with nine awaiting the governors signature. More than a third of the expansive bills address absentee voting, while more than a fifth seek to ease voter registration," reports Megan Varner/Getty of the Brennan Center. "State lawmakers are also focusing on expanding access to early voting and restoring voting rights to people with past convictions. In stark contrast, state lawmakers in a different set of 47 states, have introduced 361 bills to curb voting rights as of March 24. Five have been signed into law. These restrictive bills would cut back on absentee voting, make stricter voter ID requirements establish harder voter registration, expand voter roll purges, and cut back on early voting. The states that have seen the largest number of restrictive bills introduced are Texas (49 bills), Georgia (25 bills), and Arizona (23 bills.) Many bills seek to undermine the power of local officials. The Georgia omnibus elections bill became law on March 25. It makes voting by mail more difficult by shortening the time to apply for a mail in ballot and requiring a state ID with the application. It bars election officials from affirmatively sending out absentee ballot applications. It reduces the number of hours available to drop off a ballot and the number of locations for drop boxes. It allows a person to request an unlimited number of voters be purged from the voter list. Finally, it makes it a misdemeanor to give food or drink to a person waiting in line to vote. The Iowa Omnibus Bill removes voters from eligibility every time they miss a federal election and sets up penalties to local officials who do not follow these rules. Other states are proposing similar penalties. It risks flawed voter purges by moving voters to inactive status every time they miss a federal election, requiring Iowa to use U.S. Postal Service change-of-address data for list maintenance, and threatening county auditors with criminal prosecution for not abiding by voter roll purge practices. It also makes changes in absentee voting similar to Georgia. Utah passed a law requiring county clerks to cross reference death certificates with the voter rolls and remove the deceased from the voter list. There is no requirement to notify the voter or verify that the death notice actually refers to the person on the voter list. Other states are considering similar bills to restrict voting. Some bills would allow fewer voting places resulting in more travel time to vote. Other bills would call for purging voter lists without proper verification. On March 24, lawmakers in Michigan introduced eight bills that would establish a photo ID requirement for both in-person and mail voting, make it harder to request a mail ballot by eliminating online requests and barring election officials from affirmatively sending out applications, and would be restrictive by limit the use of mail ballot drop boxes. Other bills introduced the same day would weaken restrictions against voter intimidation and expanding the use of poll watchers. Voting is a fundamental right in our country. It must be accessible to all eligible voters. Two bills in Congress, H. R. 1, For the People Act, and H. R. 4, the John Lewis Voting Rights Act, address reforms needed to prevent unfair restrictions on voting. Norbert Bufka, of Midland, chairs the Board of the Michigan Center for Progressive Public Policy (MCP3) and is the author of more than 20 books. Readers can email him at MICTRP3@gmail.com. Ill never forget the first time I really saw the night sky for the first time. I dont mean my first memory of the stars as a child, but rather the first time I saw it in what I now know to be an International Dark-Sky Park, Grand Canyon National Park totally unencumbered by light pollution. I dont even think I had been fully aware that a view like that existed outside of sci-fi movies until that moment. It was an understandably profound experience, but one that Id admittedly come to heavily conflate with the southwestern part of the U.S., never once considering that some of the best stargazing in the country might exist just a few hours from where I live except that it does. In abundance, in fact. Thats because the state of Virginia is now home to more International Dark-Sky Parks than any other state east of the Mississippi River, making it, for all intents and purposes, the stargazing capital of the east coast. Last month, the International Dark Sky Association (IDA) announced that Natural Bridge State Park and Sky Meadows State Park would be joining ranks with Staunton River State Park, James River State Park and Rappahannock County Park, bringing the official Dark-Sky designation count in the Old Dominion up to five. Its especially rewarding to see Virginia take the lead among eastern U.S. states during International Dark Sky Week, said IDA Executive Director Ruskin Hartley in a press release from April 7. It is a prominent demonstration of the fact that nighttime darkness worth protecting still exists in one of the most densely inhabited regions of the United States. Light pollution visualization A Dark-Sky Park, according to the IDA, is defined as, a land possessing an exceptional or distinguished quality of starry nights and a nocturnal environment that is specifically protected for its scientific, natural, educational, cultural heritage, and/or public enjoyment. To date, there exist only 103 Dark-Sky Parks in the world, with the U.S. currently home to 80 of them, 12 of which were awarded the status this year. It is a distinction not easily attained, and one that somehow feels even more significant on the east coast, where light pollution is common. Amy Oliver is the Public Information & News Manager for the National Radio Astronomy Observatory, a NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador, dark-skies advocate and coincidentally a Virginian. According to Oliver, there are actually a lot of locations all over the world with truly dark skies that simply have not yet been designated as dark-sky locations, presumably because it is such a difficult appellation to earn. Designated dark-sky locations, including parks, cities, sanctuaries, etc., go through a rigorous application process to prove that they are committed to protecting dark skies from over-pollution by manmade light, Oliver says. This doesnt necessarily mean that a designated dark-sky location has no light at all, she continues. Dark-sky cities have light, but take extraordinary measures to minimize their impact on the night sky. As population and infrastructure grow ever bigger and brighter, that commitment to preservation is paramount in the approval process. In a world where so little remains untouched, these places offer a rare unobstructed view of the night sky but its more than that, too. Dark skies impact every part of life, from bird migration, to nocturnal wildlife, to plant life, to human biology, Oliver says. Dark skies are not only an optical astronomy problem. Dark skies, in fact, are a problem that impacts each and every one of us. Its why dark-sky advocates are not just astronomers but ecologists, environmentalists and biologists, too. It could also mean you: all of the International Dark-Sky Parks are open to the public year round, and can be enjoyed even by those with limited celestial knowledge. Luckily, Oliver shared a few tips on how to best experience the newly designated dark-sky parks in Virginia when to go, how to plan and what to be on the lookout for once youve arrived none of which require an in depth, pre-existing understanding of astronomy. And while she points out that winter (due to a decrease of moisture in the atmosphere) is actually the optimal time to stargaze, you can and should consider a trip to Virginia this summer for a glimpse of a true dark sky. Shenandoah National Park Getty Plan ahead Check out Clear Dark Skys Clear Sky Chart to help you choose the best nights and times to go out stargazing. I always use this tool whenever Im stargazing because it helps me to quickly see when the skies will be most clear of clouds, haze, smoke and other obstructions that take the fun out of looking up at the stars. Check the calendar The best time of year for the clearest stargazing is winter because of low humidity that leaves the atmosphere crisp. If youre headed out to the mountains, itll stay pretty cold well into the spring. Plan for a hike The higher in elevation youre able to get, the less atmosphere youll have to look through, and the clearer the sky will appear. Take a night hike to some of the clearings in Whiteoak Canyon in Shenandoah National Park (strenuous but still for beginners) for the quintessential stargazing experience: in the still of the night in the forest, looking up. Dont get bogged down by equipment You dont need a telescope to see amazing things in the night sky. You can constellation hop with the help of the Star Walk app (with your phone in Dark Mode), and you can even see things like the Pleiades and even the Andromeda Galaxy with the naked eye. I always carry a good pair of binoculars my personal favorites are a pair of 10x50s. Keep it dark around you. Dont disturb the darkness In order to have the best stargazing experience, your eyes need to adjust to the available light in the darkness, and this wont happen if your headlights are on or youre shining a flashlight into the night. If you need a flashlight for your stargazing adventure, cover it with red cellophane to help dilute the light, and also dont have an impact on your night vision Study your star chart ahead of time The way we see the night sky changes throughout the year because the earth is never standing still. Because were in the northern hemisphere, you can almost always count on the Big Dipper to make an appearance in the night or early morning sky. Cassiopeia, too, never fails to show up, no matter what time of year. In winter months, Orion the Hunter is incredibly easy to find, and with a keen eye, youll even pick out the Orion Nebula with or without binoculars. In the spring months, youll find my favorite constellation, Bootes, which to me looks an awful lot like an angler fish, and not so much like herdsman. In the summer months, Aquila the Eagle, and in the Fall, Andromeda. You can also download Stellarium for free online to plan your stargazing well in advance and learn what to look for, or carry your mobile app with you. If youre not quite confident, find a local star party and get to know some new friends. For more travel news, tips and inspo, sign up for InsideHook's weekly travel newsletter, The Journey. The post Virginia Is Officially the Dark-Sky Capital of the East Coast. Whats That Mean? appeared first on InsideHook. If Houston's recent protests for a Free Palestine are any indication, a march planned for Saturday in Uptown will see quite some support. Houston's chapter of the Islamic Circle of North America is hosting its third gathering in support of Palestine after nearly two weeks of violent clashes between Hamas and Israel. The two sides agreed to a cease-fire, which took effect early Friday. ALSO SATURDAY: DMX Ruff Ryders to ride out for justice in Houston Protesters will gather near Westheimer and Post Oak roads at noon Saturday to support the Palestinians, who have suffered a greater number of casualties. Last weekend, hundreds of supporters reportedly flocked to Discovery Green. On Tuesday, hundreds more marched in Greenway Plaza outside the Israeli consulate. Supporters of Palestine want the United States to stop giving aid to Israel, which they say is committing genocide against Palestinians. "I'm here to support my people back home," Lin Abdrabu said. She attended Tuesday's march and has family in Palestine. She fears for their safety. "We just want to live in peace without being scared of being evicted from our homes and from the occupation," Abdrabu said. Those who support Israel believe the country is acting in self-defense against Hamas. The weather on Saturday might not cooperate with the protest, but organizers pledge to hold it rain or shine. On Thursday, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner alongside 13 Black community leaders announced the Houston Fund for Social Justice and Economic Equity. The new initiative has been in the works for over 10 months, and the fund was developed to make a change in the Houston community with the hopes of a "brighter and more equitable future." SHARING THE WEALTH: Houston ISD students have the opportunity to earn MBA-level mentorship from 50 Cent The fund is committed to raising $25 million, and its goal will be to invest the resources into nonprofits and small businesses that uplift and empower the Black community. "It is imperative that we address systemic problems in the Black and brown community," Turner said during a press conference. "Not just in this city, but in cities across the country." The Houston Fund for Social Justice and Economic Equity announcement coincides with the one-year anniversary of the death of Houston native George Floyd. In May 2020, former police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on Floyd's neck for over eight minutes, killing him. "But for the murder of George Floyd and how it occurred we probably would not be standing where we are today," Turner said. "For many of us on the board, George is the reason we are all here. He is the reason we were compelled to action and why we could not sit on the sidelines and wait for this history of inequality and injustice to end itself. It will not end itself. We have to be the agents that we want to be. We are here now because it is Georges hometown and we are ready to lead the way." According to a press release, the Fund is committed to closing the economic gaps that create barriers in access to resources that could improve the overall quality of life. The vision for the social justice fund is a "city where equal opportunity exists for individuals, families, and businesses to grow, innovate and thrive." RIDING FOR JUSTICE: Ruff Ryders 2 the Rescue to host bike ride in honor of George Floyd and DMX The Fund is managed by a Board of Directors with Houston leaders from different business sectors Turner is the Honorary Board Chair, and the president is Thomas Jones, partner at McConnell Jones LLP. All of our Board members are passionate about this cause and have invested significant time, talent and resources to ensure the success of the Fund and our mission, Jones said. Emma Whalen at Community Impact first reported that thus far, donors to the social justice fund include H-E-B, Verizon, Cigna, HNTB Corp. and Enterprise Holdings. You can learn more about the Houston Fund for Social Justice and Economic Equity on its website. I do not like this, I say to a total stranger who is trying, and failing, to get me to stand still so she can take the picture I requested and be free of me and my phone. Why am I doing this? Every time I turn to her to pose for the photo is a moment I dont have my eyes on the supposedly domesticated animal Im trying to feed. The first time I tried the only time I was smiling I turned my head back around to find an ostrich hungrily clapping its beak mere inches from my face. Every photo after that was me grimacing in a twisted, fearful half-smile while trying to keep an eye on the imminent threat on my immediate left: a 9-foot-tall feathered monster looking for something to chew on. I come to the Santa Ynez Valley, on the Central Coast in Santa Barbara County, often, usually to try out another few of its 120 wineries. Its an area thats gaining more and more recognition as a wine region but still manages to preserve its Old West idiosyncrasies, like the curious and somewhat terrifying roadside attraction where I found myself last week. The day before, I had gone to the Santa Ynez Valley Historical Museum, where my guide had told me there used to be eight or nine local farms supplying ostrich meat to the area. Today, Ostrichland USA, an ostrich and emu sanctuary, is the only remaining place to see ostriches in Santa Ynez Valley and one of only five ostrich farms in the state. (Ostrichland sells ostrich jerky, but not from its own birds.) I've driven past Ostrichlands sign countless times on Route 246. The road connects 101 to Solvang, that little Danish town with the windmills and the bakeries with lines out their doors, thats also home to these birds. Come feed this bad boy, the sign says in bright white letters underneath a painting of an ostrich with its enormous wings spread wide. Its partly an enticement and partly a dare. Walking in, I knew two things about the place. First, it shares a property line with The Hitching Post II, the legendary steakhouse that serves huge ribeyes and sirloins grilled over white oak in the Santa Maria barbecue style alongside pinot noirs they make themselves. I had spent many afternoons sitting at the restaurants lunchtime picnic tables that overlook Ostrichland, watching the birds from a distance as they ran around the farms expanse. They would flap those 6 feet of wings and get into tussles, two huge birds rising to their full height in an attempt to assert dominance. Even from a few hundred yards away, it looked scary. The only other thing I knew about Ostrichland was from a brief mention in Sideways, the movie that put Santa Ynez Valley pinot noir in the national spotlight (and tanked merlot sales so badly that the varietal still hasnt recovered). One of the lead characters had been caught sleeping with a married woman. He managed to escape her violent husband, but not with his clothes or a room key, and had to run 5 miles back to the hotel, naked, in the wee hours. At one point I had to cut through an ostrich farm, he says in the film, shaking. Those fkers are mean. That was the phrase echoing through my mind as I pull into the parking lot, which was full even midday on a Monday in May. Read the safety rules, the teenager manning the register says to me as he takes my $6 and hands me a bowl that's full of pellets and mounted to a dustpan that serves as a sort of makeshift handle. Have a good time. The safety rules have both the ostriches and the guests in mind. The first: Hold on to the handle of the dust pan tightly with two hands. The birds may attempt to grab the bowl from you. Ominous. Then instructions to keep your fingers clear of the bowl itself, not to touch the birds, and to meet them halfway so they dont stick their heads too far out of the holes in the fence and strain their necks. The last one is the one I should have paid the most attention to. Please do not stand near the fence unless you are feeding, it read. You could get pecked. Let me tell you: Those birds are cute from a distance, but up close, they are hungry, and they are not polite about it. There are also signs on the fences Yes, we like to bite! that make it clear the worlds largest birds are not the friendliest ones youll ever meet. And meet them you absolutely will. Theres no way for you to get into the ostrich pens, but there are plenty of open spaces designed to let the birds stick their heads through to eat, and plenty of fences low enough that you could get nipped if you arent careful. It is worth mentioning that the entire time I was there, I didnt see a single person actually get bit, not even the toddlers sticking their hands way too close to ostrich mouths for my comfort. But still, try to tell me that in the moment and I would not have listened, being preoccupied with trying to keep my cool while thrusting that feed bowl towards ostriches greedily fighting each other to be the first to reach the feed. (Its also worth mentioning that they are so well fed that on busy weekends the farm sometimes has to cut off feed sales to prevent the birds from overeating, and that all the birds at the sanctuary seemed healthy and well cared for, with plenty of space to roam.) Maybe I wouldnt have been so shaken if one ostrich hadnt taken me by surprise as soon as I reached the fence. But in that moment, it all became clear to me: These birds are trying to get me. It didnt help that there was one, clearly the ringleader of this feathered gang, who spent the entire time I was there pecking at the chain and padlock that keeps the fence closed. He knew where the escape was, and he was going to get it. It only took a few minutes for a couple of particularly interested ostriches to empty out my feed bowl. Once I put it down, I spent another hour there, taking pictures, but also just standing still and observing the birds. Theyre curious and alert, and everyone at Ostrichland seemed happy to experience them up close. By the time I was leaving, I finally felt ready to go to the area with the lowest fences, where you can get the clearest views and also have the most direct exposure to the birds. Once they were done with the feeding frenzy at least the one I was providing they seemed a lot less menacing to me. On the way out, I stopped at the gift shop, bought some postcards and briefly considered what Id do with a volleyball-sized ostrich egg, if I were to buy one. The ostrich jerky I left untouched on the counter. We were friends now. A. Transportation. There's a strong need for a long-term mobility plan, especially on U.S. 19 and State Road 44. B. Resiliency. Crystal River needs blueprints for the future, especially focusing on sea level rise and health of bay waters. C. Downtown. Areas within the city's CRA need more projects like the Town Square. D. Revitalization. Abandoned shopping centers and older structures like the mall need a makeover. E. Residential neighborhoods. Interconnecting communities and maximizing the potential in Crystal River neighborhoods is the key to happy living. Vote View Results Progressive legislators are hoping to pass a new piece of criminal justice reform legislation by the end of this legislative session that they hope will not only aid formerly incarcerated people but the states bruised economy as well. The Clean Slate bill, sponsored by state Sen. Zellnor Myrie and Assembly Member Catalina Cruz, seeks to automatically seal and expunge records automatically, after a formerly incarcerated individuals time has been served and their probation has ended. The bill is a part of an overarching criminal justice policy plan called the Justice Roadmap, which is backed by 18 state Senators and Assembly members. People who have been incarcerated often have a difficult time securing work and housing, as well as being accepted into higher education programs. When you have paid your dues to society, and you come out, and you want to get a job, and you want to be able to have a roof over your head, and you cant even do that, thats not living, Cruz said during an online rally before a hearing on this bill earlier this month. A study published by the Harvard Law Review in 2020, revealed that the passage of a similar law in Michigan, that expunged individuals records, led to a 20% increase in convicted peoples income and an 11% employment increase for convicted people.The passing of this legislation would also be a huge racial justice win, as 80% of formerly incarcerated people are either Black or Latino. Some Republican lawmakers have expressed concerns that making this process automatic would be shielding valuable information from law enforcement or employers that they feel have a right to know if someone has been incarcerated for a violent crime. If passed, this legislation would pose a serious threat to public safety. Daycare providers would have no way to ensure the people they hire to look after your children are not violent criminals, Senate Minority Leader Rob Ortt said in a statement earlier this month. Myrie spoke to City & State about what the Clean Slate bill has to offer formerly incarcerated individuals as well as the rest of the state, and addressed the current criticism of the bill. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. So, can you tell me about the Clean Slate bill and how sealing and expunging someones record would work if this legislation is passed? The principle behind this bill is that individuals should not be adversely affected for the rest of their lives for one of their worst moments. We have 2.3 million New Yorkers with conviction records that prevent them from participating in our economy, from getting housing and educational opportunities. Theyre living with this burden even after they have served all of their time and have paid all of their dues to society. And so what automatic sealing and expungement does is it removes that burden and that barrier to these opportunities and it would work in a two step process. The first is automatically sealing (ones record) either one year or three years after the end of someone serving their time. For misdemeanors its one year and for felonies its three years. And then at five years for misdemeanors, and seven years for certain felonies, it (records) would be automatically expunged. The automatic nature of this is incredibly important. We do have a (record) sealing application process in our criminal procedure law right now. We passed that in 2017 as part of the raise the age legislation but only .5% of New Yorkers who are eligible for sealing have taken advantage of it. That application process has proven to be too onerous for people to take advantage of it. How does one go about sealing their records currently? Its a complicated process. You first have to figure out what's in your record to begin with. And that in and of itself is a difficult process because the application only allows for sealing for certain convictions. Just the sort of entry level research that you have to do to obtain what is on your record is a barrier. But even if you've got past that point, then you have to figure out, Well, how do I apply? Where do I go? Who do I speak to? And if you're an individual who was justice-involved, the last time that you have interacted with the legal system has not been an experience that you enjoyed. In many instances, it is triggering for you to re-engage with this judicial system. Even if you got past knowing what's on your record, the mere prospect of having to go into a court or having to get a lawyer, to clear the record is a daunting one. How does the Clean Slate bill help not only the individuals who have completed their sentences but the state as a whole? The bill is the morally right thing to do. If we are truly a society about rehabilitation and redemption, this is the right thing to do. But it's not just the morally right thing to do. This is about a true economic recovery for the entire state. We can't say that we're trying to bounce back from COVID-19, and we want more people to work, and we want to bring more people into the business ecosystem but for the 2.3 million New Yorkers with conviction records say, Thanks, but no, thanks. This is a jobs bill. This is a housing bill. This is an education bill. Republican Assembly Leader William Barclay and state Senate Minority Leader Robert Ortt have both criticized the bill for concealing what they consider to be valuable information to employers and landlords, suggesting not doing so could make communities less safe. What are your thoughts on this perspective? I say this is a public safety bill as well. If you're an individual that has had a conviction record but you have served your time, you've paid your dues to society. If you have not committed another crime that is a prerequisite in this bill you've been a committed member of the community, not committing offenses. You've already served your time but you have this record that is preventing you from getting housing, it's preventing you from getting a decent job, it's preventing you from getting financial aid for school, you are going to turn, in some cases, to what you know and to some of the worst elements in our community. I'd also note that there are some exceptions in this bill, that would still grant access, in many instances, to the records for particularly sensitive industries, where the state has deemed it a requirement for you to be fingerprinted. For instance, if you are applying for a job in a school, you have to be fingerprinted. This bill allows for access to those records. What are other ways that the state could help rehabilitate convicted individuals beyond this legislation? Well, I think it's important that once people leave incarceration, and they're no longer under supervision, that they know the full array of re-entry services that are available to them. Unfortunately, what ends up happening many times is people are released from prison or are no longer under parole or probation and the state says, Good luck being a successful member of the community. So I think providing people with the array of services, the things that they have access to, is a really important thing for the state to do and a posture that the Department of Corrections should be adopting. A year after police reform advocates camped out at City Hall Park demanding at least $1 billion be cut from the New York Police Department's $6 billion annual budget, activists are still demanding more cuts to the NYPD, but they face a steeper challenge this year with a rebounding economy, a rise in crime and no mass protests to keep lawmakers feet to the fire. Last year, calls to defund the police rang through New York City in the wake of the murder of George Floyd by police in Minneapolis. Cuts were made, but most seeking structural reform considered them cosmetic at best. Mayor Bill de Blasio and the City Council agreed to about $1 billion in nominal cuts to the NYPD budget, but most reform advocates considered the cuts insufficient, made largely by shifting funding for school safety agents to the Department of Education, making overtime cuts none expected to be adhered to and forgoing just one new class of cadets. In the end, the city adopted an NYPD budget of about $5.2 billion about $860 million less than it had been. Dissatisfied with the result last year, police reform activists are once again asking for reductions to the NYPD budget. We're still calling for a serious reduction in the NYPD budget that needs to get reinvested in community infrastructure, said Joo-Hyun Kang, director of Communities United for Police Reform. But despite the heavy emphasis during last years negotiations, slashing the police budget further has not dominated early spending talks. Unlike last year, de Blasio has proposed a historically large budget with new spending and an eye towards regrowth a very different position than the city was in when the focus was on finding ways to save money. I think its outrageous, Kang said of de Blasios $5.44 billion NYPD proposal for the upcoming fiscal year. It's grown slightly in terms of what they're proposing, which probably means its going to grow more by the time the budget is adopted without significant resistance. De Blasios proposal keeps the uniformed headcount at about the same number as last year, when the city forwent a new class of cadets to bring down the number of officers. But the civilian headcount is increasing slightly and hes planning to build a new precinct in Queens as well. He hasnt returned the NYPD budget to its pre-pandemic funding levels, but he said in April that he doesnt plan to cut the funding further. Although the current budget capped overtime at $272 million, the department has already spent an extra $74 million on overtime, and is expected to end this fiscal year having spent an extra $200 million. The NYPDs inability to reign in overtime costs a perennial issue that Kang faults both the mayor and Council for failing to address was a point of contention during a recent Council budget hearing on public safety. You agreed to the budget. You blew it, Council Member Daniel Dromm said to Police Commissioner Dermot Shea in one particuarly heated exchange. Are you going to blow it again? The mayors executive budget this year proposes increasing overtime even more, to $434 million in the next fiscal year, compared to $837 million spent in fiscal year 2020, the last one before the current round of cuts took effect. Council Member Carlos Menchaca from Brooklyn, who voted against last years budget for not cutting enough, said that while hes pushing to implement systemic change to the NYPD, hes still waiting for a framework from advocates. The main coalition, Communities United for Police Reform, has not yet put out its budget priorities. I want to still be open to figure out where we're going to go, how we're going to move together, Menchaca said. But Menchaca also said this years situation is so different from last year that the conversations may just be harder in general. Part of that is just the fact that the flow of the money is reversed now, Menchaca said. Unlike last year, where conversations centered around saving programs from deep cuts, talks this year are around how best to spend new federal cash and what new investments to make. Cuts to the NYPD were easy to pitch if they meant saving social services that were on the chopping block. Plus, a spike in crime has New York City on edge. People are afraid, Menchaca said, even as he continues to push the idea that more police does not equate to greater public safety. Council Member Adrienne Adams from Queens, chair of the Public Safety Committee who opposed the broader defund movement last year, agreed that this years vastly different circumstances make it difficult to gauge how a fight to make further cuts to the NYPD may go. She said that theres room for reductions through the civilianization of several hundred uniformed officers doing clerical work, and that behavioral health services should be shifted away from the NYPD. But she acknowledged the lack of mass protests and spikes in crimes have changed the dynamics. She said that she hasnt had conversations with colleagues yet to see where they stand. I'm just as curious as you are to get that collaborative dialogue going to know where everyone lines up right now in 2021, a year later, Adams said. Kang said that Communities United for Police Reform will release its priorities for fiscal year 2022 soon, but that the demand will be at least $1 billion in reduced funding. She emphasized that enacting structural change is key to whatever demands they make, rather than simply shifting some costs around and finding ways to increase cost efficiency like the civilianization that Adams suggested. That means reducing a uniformed headcount that Kang called bloated, truly controlling overtime spending and potentially eliminating units advocates consider abusive Menchaca, for example, said he would like to eliminate the vice squad. But perhaps most notably, Kang said that reform advocates are taking a multi-year approach for defunding the police. Probably the more important budget is going to be the next budget, meaning the (fiscal year) 2023 budget, which will be the first budget of the new administration and the new City Council, Kang said. Several leading mayoral candidates, including Maya Wiley, Dianne Morales, New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer and Shaun Donovan, have pledged to reduce the NYPD budget and reinvest it in social services and other programs. But the two candidates consistently leading the polls, Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams and Andrew Yang, oppose defunding the police, although Adams proposes to find savings through civilianization and reinvest the money in new initiatives that avoid getting police involved in certain situations. VOCAL-NY, a progressive advocacy organization, has already released its individual priorities calling for a $3 billion cut to the police budget, a large demand that only Morales has echoed among the mayoral candidates. Keli Young, civil rights campaign coordinator with VOCAL-NY, called last years cuts meaningless. But like Kang, Young said that these are not demands they expect to be met all at once. We know we might not get there this year, or next year, (but) this is a goal and we're not willing to lessen that bar, Young said. What we're talking about is fundamental and structural change that we do understand is not going to happen in one budget cycle. Like others, Young acknowledged that the circumstances this year will make the fight more difficult, but that the most important thing is to keep the momentum going for that multi-year effort. The influx of new council members does provide a good deal of hope for this movement, Young said, referring to the fact that most current members are term-limited and will be replaced next year. Even if this year, we don't get the wins that we want, were still working to lay that foundation. Two years ago, at the eleventh hour of the state Legislatures session in June, state Sen. Diane Savino and then-Assembly Member Marcos Crespo introduced a bill that would allow gig workers like Uber drivers and Postmates delivery workers to unionize, creating a new employment category that wasnt quite employee or independent contractor. The proposal, introduced just days before the end of the session, drew the ire of both labor and the tech companies and failed to advance. It may not quite be the eleventh hour of this legislative session, but its definitely past twilight and Savino is ready to introduce another approach to granting gig workers more rights that she and major labor groups, such as the Transport Workers Union, hope to pass by the end of the session on June 10. Savino confirmed to City & State that she will sponsor the proposal that was first reported by Bloomberg earlier this week, and which would not reclassify gig workers as employees, but grant them the right to collectively bargain. As of Thursday night, bill language had not been made public, but Savino said the bill is set to be available for review as soon as Friday. Assembly Member Latoya Joyner, who chairs the Labor Committee, declined to comment on whether she would carry the bill in her own chamber, but said that shes optimistic about the discussions taking place. Providing New Yorks growing gig workforce with essential protections is an important priority and the Assembly Majority has been having productive discussions with a wide range of interested parties as we seek to develop legislation that strikes an appropriate balance, she said in an emailed comment on Thursday. These discussions have not been finalized but I am optimistic that these efforts will ultimately result in legislation that makes New York a better place to live, work, and raise a family. A spokesperson for Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie did not respond to a request for comment. Those discussions have included Savino, the Transport Workers Union, the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, and the New York State AFL-CIO, as well as tech companies that operate in the gig economy. A spokesperson for the New York for Coalition for Independent Work, which represents the interests of companies including Uber, Lyft and Instacart and has fought against reclassification efforts in New York, did not respond to a request for comment. Savino said that the proposed deal would not cover all workers but would focus largely on those most vulnerable in the gig economy, including ride-hailing drivers and delivery workers. The proposal would provide those workers with the right to unionize, the right to unemployment insurance and to workers compensation. Critics of the proposal have raised concerns that securing unemployment insurance and workers compensation would be won as part of the bargaining process causing some workers, like ride-hailing drivers and delivery workers, who are already guaranteed unemployment insurance in New York, to have to negotiate for benefits theyre already entitled to. But Savino said the bill would grant unemployment insurance and workers compensation automatically, and the companies employing workers would be required to pay into those benefits. The effort to grant gig workers more protections and possibly reclassify them as employees had until recently seemed to languish in Albany, despite the hardships of operating without labor protections becoming clear during the COVID-19 pandemic. Savino noted that the new proposal would also guarantee that undocumented gig workers could access unemployment insurance by creating a separate fund that tech companies would have to contribute to. But as The City reported earlier this week, some labor advocates have doubts that this proposal is the best that workers can get, and say it may end up jeopardizing benefits already won at the local level, like minimum pay rules for ride-hailing drivers in New York City. Some said it could discourage the pursuit of more drastic reforms, such as reclassifying gig workers at the state level or pursuing the Protecting the Right to Organize Act, known as the PRO Act, in Congress. The bill, a major piece of labor reform legislation that would classify gig workers as employees under the National Labor Relations Act for the purposes of union organizing, has passed the House of Representatives but still lacks the necessary support in the U.S. Senate. And some state lawmakers who have introduced legislation on the gig worker issue in recent years have not been a part of the negotiations on this new proposal. That includes Assembly Member Deborah Glick, who is sponsoring a bill that would apply a stricter employment classification standard called the ABC test and reclassify many independent contractors as employees. There were reports in the media that they are close to or have reached a deal, Glick said on Thursday afternoon. But beyond that, I am unaware of the details of what that might look like. Glick said that its impossible for her to say whether she supports the proposal, having not been involved in the discussions or seen the bill language as of Thursday. State Sen. Robert Jackson, who sponsors Glicks gig worker legislation in the Senate, said that he will support this new proposal, despite it not covering the classification issue, not just for app-based workers, but for other workers he said are misclassified, like home health care and child care providers. This proposed compromise is a step in the right direction all workers deserve the right to bargain over their conditions of employment, he said in an emailed comment. Unfortunately, it stops short of getting to the root of the problem: worker misclassification. While Savino said she hopes it will pass in the few weeks left before this session ends, state Sen. Jessica Ramos, who chairs the Labor Committee, said in an interview earlier this week that she expected the gig worker issue to be kicked to the next session. Its not clear where Ramos stands on Savinos bill or whether she was involved in any of the negotiations as labor chair; she did not respond to a request for comment. First-term Assembly Member Zohran Mamdani, who campaigned on his support for reclassifying gig workers as employees, said he will vigorously oppose the bill. I think that its a horrific idea, Mamdani said, citing concerns about it creating a carveout for gig companies and discouraging efforts to eventually reclassify workers. We have, at this point, less than two weeks left of legislative days. We have not discussed this issue at any juncture. It has not been brought up in conference. I have not heard about it from any other colleague. Ive only read a Bloomberg article about it. Other labor groups are still waiting for the bill text too. 32BJ SEIU President Kyle Bragg said the union has always supported gig workers getting the same rights, benefits and protections that other employees receive under the states labor and employment laws. But the union hasnt seen the bill or been in discussions with tech companies about it. We remain concerned about what we are hearing about this bill proposal with regard to how it treats gains already made at the local level and with regard to existing state protections. We strongly support the PRO Act and believe that any state bill must be consistent with it, he said in an emailed statement. One of the unions supporting the bill said that it would be a kind of interim solution on the way to the larger goal of amending gig workers current classification as independent contractors. The goal is to create a bridge to the passage of the PRO Act, or some other regulatory or legislative reclassification, or correction of the existing classification, said John Samuelsen, the Transport Workers Unions international president. But opponents said that passing this bill in New York state would cause companies like Uber and Lyft to advocate for this type of legislation in other states, not in addition to the PRO Act, but in place of it. To be able to say, Well, look, we got this carveout at the state level. So we dont really need federal legislation on this, said Bhairavi Desai, executive director of the New York Taxi Workers Alliance. Tech companies, including Uber, Lyft and Doordash, and the coalition that represents them, did not respond to requests for interviews on this proposal. Desai added that the new proposal in New York could face legal challenges because of antitrust law that restricts independent contractors ability to collectively bargain, and could risk stripping the proposal of its most significant aspect. Savino said the text of the bill is being carefully crafted in consideration of that law. Opponents also asked why, if this proposal was so great for workers, would tech companies that have spent hundreds of millions of dollars to block attempts to grant gig workers more employment protections go along with it? One answer Savino offered was that those companies see stricter regulation of their industry as inevitable, and may want to avoid spending millions more fighting it. At the end of the day, I think they realize that theyre going to have to do something, she said. In the 2001 New York City primary, which was delayed after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, then-Bronx Borough President Fernando Ferrer won 36% of the vote in the mayoral race the most of anyone in the field. But he didnt break 40%, so under a 1972 law, he was forced into a runoff with the second-place candidate, Mark Green, who topped Ferrer in that election two weeks later. Twenty years later, we have a new system, ranked-choice voting with an instant runoff. But a poll in the Democratic mayoral primary released this week raised the specter of a 2001 redux. What if the candidate with the most first-place votes doesnt end up winning the primary? The Manhattan Institute poll, conducted by Public Opinion Strategies, showed Andrew Yang with 22% of the first-place votes and Eric Adams with 21%. But when the poll played out, respondents ranked choices in an instant runoff, Adams won the race, beating Yang 52% to 48%. That scenario, where a candidate comes from behind to win, is relatively rare in RCV. Experts will tell you the candidate with the most first-place votes wins the vast majority of the time 96% or so since 2004. That tracks with publicly released polling too, since of the handful of RCV polls released before this one have shown the candidate who won the first round of voting also won in the end. But candidates that dont win the first round can win overall if they get enough lower-ranked votes with the 2010 Oakland mayoral election as just one example. And thats a real worry for Greg Floyd, president of Teamsters Local 237, which has endorsed Scott Stringer for mayor. Im confused even thinking about it, thinking somebody could be in third and end up coming in first, he told Campaign Confidential. Floyd seemed stressed even imagining what could happen, saying some New Yorkers would stop voting, because the narrative of elections are fixed will come in play. He fears the person who was in the lead will cry that the election is fixed. And worst of all? Donald Trump will certainly chime in, he said. But would candidates in that position actually complain? CBS News asked the campaigns of the eight leading Democrats this week if they would accept the results of the election if the leader after the first round didnt end up winning. Five said yes, while Stringer, Adams and Ray McGuire did not respond. Asked again Thursday, Stringers campaign said he would accept the result in that case, but McGuire and Adams campaigns once again did not respond something that raised the hackles of Evan Roth Smith, co-founder of Slingshot Strategies and pollster for Yangs campaign. An elections an election. The city made a decision about how this election should be run, he said. It should be just as verboten to say I wont accept an RCV outcome as it should be for Donald Trump to say I wont accept the outcome of an election. Adams and McGuires silence is notable, since they are the two candidates in the race who have been the most critical of the rollout of RCV, with both candidates, who are Black, raising concerns that it would disenfranchise lower-income Black and brown voters. Is the memory of the Latino Bronxite, Freddy Ferrer, losing to a white Manhattanite in 2001 haunting them? After all, Ferrer endorsed Adams this year. But another Adams supporter, City Council Member Alicka Ampry-Samuel, told City & State she wasnt worried about RCV hurting Adams after all, he won in the Manhattan Institute poll. Shes worried that the city isnt doing enough education and outreach, but she isnt worried about what might happen if a candidate won in spite of losing the first round. Thats the system that we have in place, she said. Theres no need to talk about the first-place votes. The race for New York City comptroller is well underway but theres one question other than what a comptroller does that voters might still have trouble figuring out the answer to: what makes a candidate for comptroller qualified? The role of the comptroller is unusual unlike candidates for mayor or City Council, its hard to lay out a platform with easy-to-understand policy proposals. This might be why so many candidates running for comptroller seem to focus on arguing that they are the most qualified for the job, such as state Sen. Brian Benjamin touting his previous experience as an investment banker. What qualifies someone to become comptroller is getting more votes than the second place finisher, Bob Liff, the senior vice president of political consulting firm George Arzt Communications, jokingly told City & State. Technically, thats true. To be eligible for the job, comptroller candidates, along with any other candidates running for city office, need only live in the city on the day that they are elected, Jerry Goldfeder, an election lawyer and former special counsel to Gov. Andrew Cuomo, when he was state attorney general, told City & State. But experts say a comptroller must have some knowledge of government accounting, good leadership skills and a vision for the citys financial future. The City Charter only describes what the responsibilities of the city comptroller are but doesnt lay out any specifics regarding what is required of candidates vying for the post. The comptrollers major responsibilities include overseeing the citys pension funds, auditing all of the citys agencies and reviewing city contracts. The comptroller additionally determines the citys prevailing wage, reviews the city budget and issues bonds for city projects. Considering the nature of that work, its important that a comptroller have a basic understanding of finance, pension funds and investments. Certainly, the comptroller does not need to be a CPA (Certified Public Accountant) but the comptroller needs to have a knowledge of accounting but even more specifically, government accounting, which is different than private sector accounting, Thad Calabrese, an associate professor of public and nonprofit financial management at New York Universitys Wagner school, told City & State. Only a few comptroller candidates have previously worked in the finance industry. Benjamin worked as an investment banker and an affordable housing developer before getting involved in local politics. State Sen. Kevin Parker worked in the financial industry, at the investment banking firm UBS PaineWebber, before working as the special assistant to former state Comptroller H. Carl McCall and getting involved in state politics himself. Assembly Member David Weprin worked in the financial services industry and was on the states Banking Board in the 1980s, before running for City Council and then the Assembly. City Council Speaker Corey Johnson, though he has not worked in the finance industry, has played a big part in crafting the citys annual budget as speaker. Council Member Brad Lander worked as a community planner and housing advocate before joining the council, where he has helped bring participatory budgeting, where communities are given a say in how the citys budget is formed, back to the city. John Mollenkopf, a political science professor and director of CUNYs Center for Urban Research, who has co-authored a book with City Council Member Brad Lander, who is currently running for city comptroller, told City & State that it is pivotal for the comptroller to pay particular attention to the citys pension funds. Acting as a fiduciary for the citys five big pension funds, which include the New York City Employees Retirement System, the Teachers Retirement System of the City of New York, the New York City Police Pension Fund, the New York City Fire Pension Fund and the New York City Board of Education Retirement System, the comptroller is expected to not only manage but grow the funds, according to Mollenkopf. We're talking about the biggest pension funds in the United States, so the comptroller needs to safeguard those funds and not invest them in something that's going to tank and compromise the retirement of the people that are (relying on) the pension fund, he said. The office, in recent years, has been treated as something of a launching pad for other political positions. Former city comptrollers Bill Thompson and state Sen. John Liu both ran, unsuccessfully, for mayor. Some of them (comptroller candidates) think that they're going to be the comptroller and that's their stepping stone to being the mayor, but that never happens, Calabrese said. The only person who's ever served as comptroller who became the mayor was Abe Beame. But it's not a stepping stone to being the mayor. Beame was the last comptroller to become mayor, and that was back in 1974. While all comptrollers are political, considering the position is an elected one, past comptrollers, including Liu and Thompson, often had financial experience. Prior to entering into politics, Liu worked in the private sector as an actuary and as a manager at the famed accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers. Thompson worked as an investment banker and served as the president of the citys Board of Education before becoming comptroller. Current Comptroller Scott Stringer only had political experience, having been Manhattan borough president and a state senator. However, the comptrollers office is staffed with hundreds of accountants, auditors, economists, budget analysts and lawyers, which means that they dont always need to be a financial whizz, although that would certainly help. What a smart comptroller does is hire an expert staff to run the financial operations, the technical responsibilities of the job, in as nonpartisan and professional of a way as possible, Liff said. The first deputy comptroller, to some degree, is more important than the comptroller. Calabrese pointed out that for some of the candidates currently in the running, its unclear what their motivations are beyond winning another election. Caruso-Cabrera first ran unsuccessfully for Congress against Rep. Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez last year, longshot candidate Zach Iscol only entered the race after dropping out of the mayoral primary, and Johnson joined the race late after exiting the mayoral race. Corey Johnson, I'm not sure exactly what his goal in being the comptroller is other than it's the next job, he said. His big policy position is that he's going to have a deputy comptroller for diversity and inclusion. I'm not sure what that has to do with being the overseer of government finances is. It certainly can be a role, but you know, is that the central role of the comptroller? The Johnson campaign did not provide a comment before publication. Thompson, who served as comptroller between 2002 and 2009, told City & State that each comptroller in recent history has had a different way of running the office and that having good managerial skills is, in many ways, more important than having a background in finance. It's a question of leadership skills, Thompson said. I think that those who bring a vision to the table for the office, and can run an office of that size because when you look at it, its an office that has over 700 people (working in it), it's an office that does multiple things. No one person walking through the door is going to be able to fit all the qualifications for the office, to be able to say that they are an expert, or even that they understand all of the areas in the office. They can't. But I think that more than anything it becomes a question of leadership, leadership skills and having a vision and then executing on that vision. Editors note: This story initially neglected to mention state Sen. Kevin Parker among the leading candidates. Recently, Cathy Merrill, the chief executive of The Washingtonian, published an op-ed on the risks of not returning to work in the office as the pandemic abates. If employees arent around to participate in extras (birthday parties, answering questions in person), she argued, management has a strong incentive to change their status to contractor. Merrills staff rebelled by staging a publishing strike; she went into apology mode. Yet there remains widespread uncertainty about when people will be expected to return to their newsrooms, and anxiety over how much. Concepcion De Leon, a writer at the New York Times, told me, Expecting employees to be sitting at their desk for ten hours feels like more of a power trip than something thats an actual necessity. Definitely not five days a weekthats over, Pierre-Antoine Louis, who works on the Race/Related newsletter and the national desk at the Times, said. In March, Times bosses sent a memo to staff announcing plans for more flexibility and a process for considering full-time remote-work requests; the official return date is September 7, though staffers will begin returning as early as July. The voluntary work from home policy at Thomson Reuters runs through July; Vox Media and Conde Nast have said that no one will be required to return before September, and the latter company sent an email to employees promising that remote work will be a larger part of our future workforce strategy. Employees arent eager to go back full time. In an anonymous survey, the Los Angeles Times Guild found that only 1.4 percent of respondents want to work in the office five days a week. The most popular alternative was coming in two days per week (31 percent); almost as many people (28.2 percent) said theyd prefer not to be there at all. I do all the work that I need to do, but if I do it in six hours then I dont feel like I need to just be like, sitting there, De Leon told me. Whereas, when youre in the office, theres more of that performative aspect of work where you kind of have to look busy even if theres nothing to be busy with. The biggest factor in not wanting to return to the office full time: commuting. A respondent to the LA Times survey remarked that my therapist and I determined that my commute was a major contributor to my anxiety issues; another described the trek as soul-crushing. Someone said it didnt make sense to spend fifteen hours per week commuting when there are no good stories to be found at my desk. Matt Pearce, a technology reporter at the LA Times and president of the guild, called the survey a damning indictment of what commutes do to workers; how much it hurts their physical and mental wellbeing; how much it impedes their family life; and in fact, how much it impacts their productivity. For parentslike Karen Brooks Harper, a health and human services reporter at the Texas Tribunethe extra time at home has enabled her to take her six-year-old son to karate practice twice a week. Its been nice being able to work around him, she said. Fahima Haque, the national audience editor at the New York Times, told me that shed always been the person on the train with several tote bags, a yoga mat, and a change of clothes. Now she can spend that time elsewhere. Im someone who derives a lot of mental clarity from cooking meals and having a tidy home, she said. My work is better because I have more time to actually do the work. Besides, offices are full of distractions. The days that Im really busy, I typically would leave my desk and go hide out where no one can find mebut here at home, Im able to focus better, Natalie Meade, a fact-checker at The New Yorker, said. During a relentless year of traumatic news, working remotely has also provided journalists with a sense of relief from the grind. If theres any place I want to be burned out its at my house, Meade said. Haque agreed: I feel like being at home means you can step away and say I need twenty minutes just to not look at this. Whereas at work, youre still at work. Sign up for CJR 's daily email Being at home has particular advantages for Black and other journalists of color. Sometimes, as a Black person working in a newsroom, you feel like you have to constantly be on, Louis told me. With the uprisings, and George Floyd, I didnt have to do that last summer, thank God. Kailyn Brown, an editorial assistant and reporter at the LA Times, felt the same way: I report a lot on issues that affect Black and brown peoplewhich is myself, tooand theres days that you dont want to talk. Of course, there are quotidian benefits to remote work, too. As Meade pointed out: I really appreciate being able to have my period and just be home. Below, more on the transition back to the office: Companies adopting remote-friendly policies are also assessing their office expenses. Last August, Variety reported that Conde Nast was trying to renegotiate its twenty-five year lease at One World Trade Center for less space and reduced rent. Building expenses weigh on smaller publications, too. Weve paid for an empty office for thirteen months, Evan Smith, the CEO of The Texas Tribune , told me. I went to our building and asked, Can you give us a break on the rent since were not using the office? and they said, We have to pay, so you have to pay. (The building management did, however, offer to subsidize parking costs.) There can also be financial benefits to individualswho can choose to live farther from newsrooms, often situated in costly cities. Early in her career, Shannon Lin, now an audio producer at the Los Angeles Times , remembers that it was financially draining, to make ends meet in Washington, DC, as an intern. Since starting at the Times , shes been able to live at home with her parents in Cupertino, California, and save money. Last year, for CJRs What Now? issue, Ruth Margalit wrote about the costs and benefits of working out of the office. Newsrooms must compensate for what is lost: the off-the-cuff praise, the little pep talk, the transparency that comes from being able to walk by the conference room. Margalit argued, Just as newspapers once erred in thinking that online journalism meant simply transferring print articles to the Web, a report by the International News Media Association finds that mastheads are in danger of assuming that remote news operations can thrive with a simple shift of where desks are located. Mental health, after all, is as essential as Wi-Fi. Other notable stories: The Washington Post reports that Chris Cuomo, the CNN anchor, advised his brother, Andrew Cuomo, the governor of New York, about how to respond to allegations of sexual assault. According to the Post , Cuomo, one of the networks top stars, joined a series of conference calls that included the Democratic governor, his top aide, his communications team, lawyers and a number of outside advisers. During the conversations, the article continues, The cable news anchor encouraged his brother to take a defiant position and not to resign from the governors office. At one point, he used the phrase cancel culture as a reason to hold firm in the face of the allegations. CNN has responded to the story, saying that the consultations were inappropriate, but that Chris Cuomo will not face disciplinary action. Emily Wilder, who started a job two weeks ago as an Associated Press news associate, was fired after conservatives organized a campaign against her college-era pro-Palestinian activism. Theres no question I was just canceled, Wilder told SFGATE . When one of her old Facebook posts started drawing attention online, she said, an AP editor called her and said not to worry about getting in trouble. But then outlets including The Federalist and Fox News published stories about her. She received an onslaught of absolutely vile messages, and then was terminated. An AP spokesperson told SFGATE that Wilder was dismissed for violating the companys social media policy, but declined to provide specifics. (The AP offered no comment to CJR.) In Bangladesh, an investigative journalist named Rozina Islam was arrested for allegedly stealing documents from the ministry of health while reporting on COVID-19. Islam, a senior correspondent for Prothom Alo , one of Bangladeshs largest papers, faces up to fourteen years in prison and, if convicted, the death penalty. Her arrest is being described by Prothom Alo as an act of vengeance by the government for Islams reporting, which has exposed deep corruption in the ministry of healths handling of the pandemic; journalists across Bangladesh have protested and boycotted government press conferences. Islams arrest is one of the latest in a long list of government attempts to repress COVID-19 reporting around the world, which CJR mapped in September. For Rest of World , Emily Schultheis reports that, in Poland and Hungary, new social media platforms dedicated to far-right ideology and transphobia are gaining in popularity. Platforms such as Albicla, which promises to protect its users against the growing censorship of major social media companies like Facebook and Twitter, are receiving support from government officials: Jarosaw Kaczynski, Polands deputy minister, is planning legislation that would fine social media companies like Facebook more than thirteen million dollars for censoring speech that isnt illegal under Polish law. The biggest offenders of press freedom are now posing as defenders of free speech, Adrian Shahbaz, the director of the Technology and Democracy program at Freedom House, told Schultheis. The Guardian has reported on a recent review of police killings in California, showing that law enforcement frequently publish highly misleading information about people theyve killed, and citing the police press release for the murder of George Floyd as an example. For CJR, Alexandria Neason examined this problem: In relaying information about a crime in which an officer may have been at fault, brand management becomes a priority. Victimswho more often than not are Blackhave long listened to police with skepticism, expecting misinformation about themselves and their communities. For The New Yorker , David Remnick spoke with Hazem Balousha, a journalist in Gaza City whose work appears in the Washington Post and elsewhere. The past week has been horrible and heartbreaking, Balousha told Remnick. But its not about my feelings, he said. Its about getting the details right. Of course, Im a Palestinian, Im a human being. I feel their pain, I see it in their eyes, but, when it comes to work, journalism is something different. The Media Development Investment Fund (MDIF), a non-profit investment fund, has announced the launch of MDIF Ventures, an initiative to put a million dollars into independent, young and growing media companies with a positive social impact and the potential to scale. The project will seek to invest in companies that serve audiences in countries where press freedom is under significant threat. And the BBC is apologizing for its now infamous 1996 interview with Princess Dianna by the journalist Martin Bashir. Francesca Gillett reports that an internal probe done around the time of the interview was woefully ineffective, and that a recent review has found the BBC fell short of high standards of integrity and transparency. Among the findings: Bashirs creation of fake bank documents to gain access to the royals and the BBCs attempts to cover up his behavior. Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today Feven Merid is a CJR fellow. MEXICO CITY Mexican billionaire Carlos Slims construction arm Grupo Carso faces scrutiny from accident investigators for the possible role it played in the building of a metro railway line that collapsed this month, killing 26 people. While no officials have blamed Carso or any of the other companies involved in the construction of the line for the accident, the Mexico City attorney generals office said the probe it is leading would encompass everything from design and construction of the metros Line 12, the materials used, and cost overruns. Inquiries will reach wherever the investigation led a spokesman for the attorney generals office told Reuters, when asked if that included the builders. The head of Mexico Citys public works department, Jesus Esteva, identified Carso as the contractor in charge of the section where the accident happened. The information we have is that it is Carso, Esteva told Mexican radio station Grupo Formula earlier this month. Thats the information provided to us by the Metro. Mexico Citys public works department declined a Reuters request for comment or an interview with Esteva, but said his comments to Grupo Formula were correct. The citys investigators said they will be accompanied by Norwegian external auditor DNV in determining what happened on Line 12, built by a consortium of Mexicos ICA, Slims Grupo Carso and French trainmaker Alstom. Carso declined to comment on whether it had erected the section that collapsed. It also declined to comment on the potential consequences of the investigation and has not publicly said which parts of the rail line it built. A spokesman for Slim, Latin Americas wealthiest man, declined to comment on questions about Carsos work on Line 12. A Metro official shared with Reuters a screenshot of an undated Metro document titled general characteristics of the line that showed Carso built the section. The official declined to comment further. ICA also shared another document with Reuters with a graphic showing it had built sections of Line 12 spanning 15 stations, and Carso five. Carsos section included where the track fell by the Olivos station, according to the undated document. Responding to questions from Reuters, Alstom said the consortium was led by ICA and that its role was limited to power supply, signaling, monitoring and control systems and some depot equipment, as well as testing and commissioning of some electromechanical and track-work-sub-systems. Alstom did not address what Carsos role had been. Reuters could not establish how far the initial investigation into what caused the bridge to collapse has proceeded but Mexico City Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum told reporters last week it would be completed in five weeks. Im sure well soon have the verdict on what went wrong, if the builder did a bad jobif it was due to lack of maintenance, if it was subsidence that caused the section, the steel girder, to fracture, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador told a news conference last Wednesday. Equities analyst and consultant Carlos Hermosillo said the potential fallout from the investigation, such as possible fines for the builders of the line, would be unlikely to have a major impact on Carso given its size. But he said there was a potential risk Carso and the other companies in the consortium could be kept out of future public projects if the probe found they carried blame for theaccident, Mexicos biggest train crash in years. Carso shares have moved little since the incident. Carso said in a statement the day after the incident it stood in solidarity with the crash victims, and would wait for expert opinion on the accident. Line 12 had repeatedly been reviewed and declared safe by officials since it opened in 2012, but problems led to partial shutdowns from 2014 to 2015 for repairs. Audits from the city comptrollers office resulted in sanctions for 38 officials over a range of irregularities including delivery of unfinished works. In one report commissioned by the city, engineering consultancy Systra found planning, design, construction, operational and maintenance failures, and placed responsibility on the construction companies as well as the Metro. The consortium of ICA, Carso and Alstom, in a statement shared with media in 2014, denied wrongdoing, saying the finished line met specifications set by the city government for the project. Any companies found responsible for the collapse are likely to be asked to provide compensation to people injured in the accident, and to the families of those who died, said Sergio Alcocer, an engineering expert at the National Autonomous University of Mexico. An official from the federal judiciary council confirmed to Reuters that the investigation could lead to monetary damages paid to victims and relatives. The media have also asked former Mexico City mayor Marcelo Ebrard, the current foreign minister who oversaw the opening of Line 12 in 2012, and current mayor Sheinbaum, about what responsibility they might bear after the accident. Ebrard was in office during the projects construction and inauguration, while Sheinbaums administration has carried out the most recent inspections and maintenance on the line. Both have urged the public to await the outcome of the investigation. Both are allies of Lopez Obrador and seen as potential presidential candidates in 2024. An insurer must defend a tanning salon from a class-action lawsuit that accuses it of violating Illinois unique biometric privacy law by sharing copies of its customers fingerprints with a vendor, the Illinois Supreme Court ruled Thursday. In a 6-1 decision, the high court rejected West Bend Mutual Insurance Co.s argument that any damages caused by the alleged violation of statute were excluded by the policy it issued to Krishna Schaumburg Tan, or that the salons actions were not covered. The carrier argued there was no coverage because the policy protected the insured only for injuries caused by a publication. The Supreme Courts majority opinion says that the term has more than one meaning and any ambiguity has to be construed in favor of the policyholder. A publication occurs when information is shared with a single party, the court said. Similarly, the high court found that the policy exclusions were unclear. The Illinois legislature passed the Biometric Information Privacy Act in 2008, making the state the first in the nation to regulate collection of biometric identifiers such as fingerprints, retinas, facial contours or voice imprints. Washington and Texas passed similar laws, but Illinois is the only state that allows private individuals to file a lawsuit for damages caused by a violation. Individuals can collect their actual damages or up to $1,000 for each violation, or up to $5,000 for reckless violations, according to an analysis by the Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom law firm. In 2019, the Illinois supreme Court ruled that individuals may sue even if they suffered no harm other than the loss of control of their biometric data. Violations of biometric privacy have brought several high-profile settlements. TikTok, the video-sharing app, in February proposed $92 million settlement in a class action litigation filed in multiple jurisdictions, according to an article in the National Law Review. Also in February, Shutterfly announced that it had agreed in principle to settle litigation, for an undisclosed amount, that was spawned by allegations that its facial-recognition software had loaded photos of peoples faces regardless of whether they were registered users. Klaudia Sekura filed a lawsuit against Krishna Schaumburg Tan alleging that the L.A. Tan franchisee had violated the biometric privacy law by sharing her fingerprints with Sun Lync, a third-party vendor. The Buffalo, N.Y.-based company markets a kiosk software that allows customers to check themselves into a tanning booth without interacting with a staff member. The lawsuit seeks to add as plaintiffs all other customers whose fingerprints were shared with others without a written release. West Bend filed a declamatory action seeking a judgment that there was no claim because Sekura did not allege that she was harmed by a publication. Krishnas policy included coverage for personal injury including advertising injury, but it defined that to mean publication of material that violates a persons right of privacy. There can be no publication, the insurer argued, unless information was disseminated to the public. Whats more, West Bend argued that the policy excluded coverage for any injury arising out of the willful violation of a penal statute or ordinance committed by or with the consent of the insured. An endorsement to the policy also specifically excluded from coverage injury caused by violations of the the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, the Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography And Marketing Act of 2003 or any other law that prohibits the distribution of material or information. The trial court didnt buy those arguments and neither did the Court of Appeals. West Bend took its case to the final stop, but the Supreme Court ruled that the policy exclusions were ambiguous. The majority agreed with the Court of Appeals that the violation-of-statutes exclusion was intended to bar coverage for injuries caused by certain kinds of communication, such as e-mails, faxes and phone calls. The two laws mentioned in the endorsement both govern those specific forms of communication. The states biometric privacy act, on the other hand, doesnt regulate methods of communication but regulates the collection, use, storage and safeguarding of biometric identifiers. The majority opinion cites a legal principle that holds when specific words are used, they indicate the meaning of more general terms. Accordingly, we hold that West Bend has a duty to defend Krishna against Sekuras lawsuit, the opinion says. U.S. judge suggested on Wednesday that Bayer AG include a warning label on Roundup as part of a proposed $2 billion settlement to resolve future claims that the top-selling weedkiller causes cancer. Bayer asked U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria in San Francisco to give preliminary approval for the settlement deal, which would create a framework to resolve future lawsuits over claims Roundup causes non-Hodgkin lymphoma. The company has said that decades of studies have shown Roundup and glyphosate, the main active ingredient, are safe for human use. A World Health Organization agency said in 2015 that glyphosate was probably carcinogenic to humans. For years Ive been wondering why Monsanto wouldnt do that voluntarily to protect itself, said Chhabria, of a warning label. He said a label would prevent further lawsuits and free up money to create a better offer for people already exposed. He even suggested wording for a label and tweaked it as he got feedback from Bayers lawyer. William Hoffman, a lawyer for Bayer, said he doubted the suggested label would protect against future lawsuits. The settlement would cover two types of Roundup users. Those with non-Hodgkin lymphoma but who have not retained a lawyer were described by the judge as class one and likely to include lots of migrant farm laborers. Class two covers healthy people who have been exposed to Roundup and become sick in the future. A settlement of this type could potentially be reasonable for class one, said Chhabria, by informing class members of their rights and providing compensation of up to $200,000. For class two, Chhabria spent hours debating his concerns about the plan, including the likelihood that currently healthy Roundup users would never read their class settlement notice or understand the settlement proposal. The question is whether this is too confusing and is speaking of a problem that is too distant, he said. The judge said it would be awhile before he rules on the request for preliminary approval, assuming you dont come back and say youre withdrawing it. If the settlement gets preliminary approval, Roundup users could opt out in the coming months and retain their full legal rights. Those who become part of the class would be eligible for free medical exams and up to $200,000 if they develop non-Hodgkin lymphoma during the agreements four-year period. We appreciate the courts direction, Bayer said in a statement on Thursday. It is common for courts to request some adjustments to class settlement agreements like this and we are confident that, working with class counsel, we will be able to address the matters raised by the Court. We remain committed to settling the Roundup litigation. The agreement would pause all litigation for four years and prevent class members from seeking punitive damages if they refuse compensation and ultimately decide to sue. The stakes are high. Bayer has said that more than half of its herbicide revenue, which totaled nearly 5 billion euros ($6 billion) in 2020, was related to glyphosate. Bayer has already spent years and committed $9.6 billion to resolve existing lawsuits, which are separate from the future case settlement discussed in court on Wednesday. The company inherited Roundup in its $63 billion acquisition of Monsanto in 2018. Critics of the settlement say the proposal would unfairly limit consumers legal rights. Chhabria said the biggest risk facing Roundup users who opt out was a U.S. Supreme Court ruling adopting Bayers view that a federal pesticide law barred lawsuits alleging the company failed to warn users about glyphosate. Bayer has said the law has been misapplied in the three cases that went to trial, each of which resulted in tens of millions of dollars for plaintiffs. One of those trials, a $25 million federal jury verdict against Bayer, was upheld by an appeals court on Friday. Bayer said it would ask the U.S. Supreme Court to review the case. BERKELEY A Tesla car driver killed in a recent accident in California praised the automakers full self-driving features, and posted videos on his apparent Tiktok account, in which he appeared to drive with his hands off the wheel. On May 5, a Tesla Model 3 crashed into an overturned truck on a highway in Fontana, killing the Tesla driver and injuring the truck driver and a motorist who had stopped to help him. The Associated Press news agency cited police as saying a preliminary investigation had determined the Teslas driver assistant system Autopilot was engaged prior to the crash. But in a correction issued late on Friday, police said, There has not been a final determination made as to what driving mode the Tesla was in. Two videos of a man driving with his hands off the wheel were posted on the alleged Tiktok account of the victim, 35-year-old Steven Hendrickson of Running Springs in California. What would do I do without my full self-driving Tesla after a long day at work, said a message on one. Coming home from LA after work, thank god, self-drive, said a comment on another video, adding, Best car ever! Tesla dubbed its driver assistant features Autopilot or Full Self-driving, which experts say could mislead consumers into believing the car can drive by itself. On its website, Tesla said its Autopilot feature does not make the vehicle autonomous, however. On his Facebook account, Hendrickson was shooting a video while driving on autopilot, saying, Dont worry. I am on autopilot. Family members were not available for comment and Tesla, which has disbanded its public relations teams, was not immediately available for comment. Tesla Club-SoCal, a group of Tesla owners in Southern California, said on social media that he was an active member who loved his Tesla. He is survived by his wife and two children, it added. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has been investigating more than two dozen crashes of Tesla vehicles, including the Fontana crash and a high-profile one in Texas last month that killed two men. Since 2016 at least three Tesla vehicles operating on Autopilot have been in fatal crashes, two involving a Tesla car driving beneath a semi-truck in Florida. The U.S. transport safety board said Teslas autopilot system failed to properly detect a truck as it crossed the cars path, contributing to the accidents also caused by a lack of driver attention and an adequate driver monitoring system. Claremore, OK (74018) Today Thunderstorms with locally heavy downpours. High near 90F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%.. Tonight Thunderstorms - some may contain locally heavy rain, especially this evening. Low 72F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. 1 to 2 inches of rain expected. Some love it, some hate it but everyone seems to want to know more about it. Ive been inundated with questions about Ohios Vax-A-Million campaign, the states vaccine sweepstakes. Theres two categories Ohio residents can enter into. One includes a prize of $1 million and the other is a full-ride scholarship to any Ohio state university or college. So let me break down the most common questions. How do I sign up and what information do they need? There are a couple of ways to sign up. First you must be a Ohio resident and fully vaccinated or have received the first shot of Pfizer or Moderna vaccine to be eligible. You can go to ohiovaxamillion.com on either your computer or mobile device and sign up online. If youre 18 years or older, you can pick adult registration for the million dollars. For those ages 12 to 17, theres another entry to register for the scholarship money. Youll put in your name, birth date, address, phone, where you received your vaccine and click a button that indicates youre giving that information to the Ohio Department of Health. Once the process is complete you will get a screen notification that indicates if your entry was successful. If you dont have a computer, you can call 833-4-ASK-ODH and youll be signed up over the phone. If I win, can I remain anonymous or put the money in a trust? You cannot remain anonymous or try to collect the money in a trust. If you register and win, your name will be announced on the Ohio Lottery Drawing Wednesday at 7:29 p.m. The video of the actual drawing will be on WTTE FOX and WSYX ABC, however every station, including wkyc.com, will have the names available across their platforms and on social media as the names are announced. The first of five weekly drawings took place May 24 one for the money and one for the scholarship. Once you register, you are entered for all five drawings. You cannot enter more than once. In order to qualify, you must be vaccinated by 11:59pm on the Sunday prior to that weeks drawing. How are they picking winners? Once you register, the computer system will assign your entry a number. On Monday, a random number generator will pick the winner and some alternates. The Ohio Department of Health will verify who you are and that you are vaccinated. Then you will be contacted and your name will be announced the following Wednesday at 7:29 p.m. on live TV. If the entry was fraudulent, the alternates name will be announced. Thats why ODH is taking two days to make sure the winning entry is legitimate before the name is announced. How much do we really get after taxes? You must pay 34% federal tax and 7% state tax. If you dont owe child support or any other debt to the state your take home winnings would be $590,000. How do I know my data wont get misused? The entry data is very basic and youve likely already given it out. Make sure you are going to the correct website (ohiovaxamillion.com) because hackers can make fake sites. Your entry data is encrypted on its way to the website, but nothing is guaranteed any site can be hacked. But this contest does not ask for your social security number, banking information and any other personal information. Just name, birth date, address, phone and where you were vaccinated. What if my child doesnt want to go to a four-year state college or university? The scholarship money will be handled by the CollegeAdvantage Direct 529 Savings Plan, who will then give it to the winner. It will cover the amount of the qualifying expenses for in-state tuition, books, room and board for a four- or two-year program or a community college, technical or trade school. It is possible that the funds for room and board may be taxed. Who is not allowed to enter? You must be a permanent Ohio resident, U.S. Citizen and ages 12 or over and not incarcerated for a felony. It doesnt matter if you received your vaccine in another state but you may need to provide proof. If you work or go to school in Ohio and were vaccinated here, but you live out of state you do not qualify. Employees and officers of the Ohio Governors Office, Ohio Department of Health, the Ohio Lottery Commission or any blood relative, spouse or person living in the employees household are not eligible. Where is the prize money coming from? ODH is using part of the Coronavirus Relief Funds to cover the winnings. The U.S. Treasury authorized funds for broad COVID-19 response programs. The program is legal and also being handled by the Ohio Lottery Commission, who will use its security measures to keep it fair. This is an opt-in program only. You must decide whether or not you want to take part. The state will not be using voter rolls or any other data to enter for you. You must do it yourself. Good Luck! Monica Robins is the Senior Health Correspondent at 3News. The information provided in this column is for educational and informational purposes only. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read in this column or on our website. Watch Monica Robins nightly on 3News Those of us who write know that every word counts. The words you choose evoke all kinds of emotions, whether positive or negative, and that is deliberate. Writers seek to evoke emotions in their readers. So, when I read a recent New York Times article, co-written by Fares Akram and Josef Federman, I was upset, but not surprised to notice some of these word choices: First, the headline: Israel steps up Gaza offensive, kills senior Hamas figures. I have so many questions. Why is Israel the first word in this headline? This makes it seem as though Israel made the first move. She did not. The reason Israel steps up is as a self-defense measure, responding to the hundreds of rockets targeted at their civilians. Moving on. Offensive? This makes it sound like Israel is the aggressor. Israel would like nothing more than to live in peace with its neighbors. Oh, but Sheikh Jarrah, you may ask? Yes, there is a valid controversy over who owns the land. Before 1948, Jews bought it legally from Arab owners and lived there, but after 1948, the Jordanian government claimed the property. So, Jewish settlers have now gone to Israeli court to have the land returned to Jews. Complicated? Yes. Cause for terrorist rockets on civilians designed to intimidate and frighten? No. So who is on the offensive, and who is on the defensive? Which cultures celebrate death, and which celebrate peace? Next. Kills senior Hamas figures. Can we call senior Hamas figures terrorists? Because thats what they are. Because Hamas has been recognized by the European Union, Israel, Japan and the United States as a terrorist organization, so if my math is right, the senior figures therein are terrorists. Right? So killing a terrorist is something I would call, oh, justice. Would you call Osama bin Laden a senior militant figure? No, you would call him a murderer. Would you call his killers (American Navy SEALs) aggressors or on the offensive? I certainly hope not. In fact, nowhere in the entire article do the journalists use the word terror or terrorist, except for this quote from a Gazan about how he feels when bombs pounded his building in Gaza City: That terror is impossible to describe. Also this quote from an Israeli, as if merely opinion: If you are attacked by a terrorist group, you defend yourself. But the article uses the word militants instead of terrorists throughout. To be clear: I do believe that Gazans feel terror, and I feel enormous compassion for them that they are ruled by a terrorist organization that rules corruptly and unjustly, and regularly puts the lives of its citizens in jeopardy. I myself feel apprehensive writing these words now, knowing how such views garner antisemitic hate speech and even threats online. No one should ever be a victim of terror. When Jews lynch an Arab, Im the first to denounce the violence. That is never the Jewish way. But why is the word terror used only to describe Gazan fear? Doesnt our terror count? Have you seen the videos of little Jewish boys and girls in bomb shelters, singing for peace? So please, friends. Share the truth. Judaism is a religion of peace. If words matter, consider that the two most famous Hebrew words are probably shalom, peace, and chai, life. We dont seek to colonize (another trigger word) any land to which were not indigenous. In fact, thats an oxymoron. If youre indiginous, youre not the colonizer. We prefer to be left alone to pray, study, work, love, laugh and live. Thats all. And you can quote me on those words. Because words really do matter. Connect with Ruchi Koval on Facebook at ruchi.koval and on Instagram @ruchi.koval. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration just approved the first Alzheimers drug in 20 years. Why are some saying it shouldnt have been approved? Is it not safe? JERUSALEM If all goes according to plan, Israel will swear in a new government on Sunday, ending Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's record 12-year rule and a political crisis that inflicted four elections on the country in less than two years. Submit a letter to the editor The CJN provides an open forum for reader feedback and comments. Letters to the editor can be submitted via the form linked below, e-mailed to editorial@cjn.org or mailed to Letters, CJN, 23880 Commerce Park, Beachwood, Ohio 44122 (please type and double space, or write legibly). All submissions must include your full name, town of residency and daytime phone number (phone number will not be printed). Submit a letter Celebrate the Class of 2020 Submit a profile of your favorite graduate to have them featured in our Virtual Graduation 2020 special section. Tout their accomplishments, share their photos, and wish them well! Submit profile Carnegie Mellon Qatar celebrates Class of 2021 May 21, 2021 Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar, a Qatar Foundation partner university, celebrated the 95 graduates in the Class of 2021 on May 6. The virtual event drew more than 450 unique views from around the world as friends, families and members of the CMU-Q community logged in to support and recognize the class. At the celebration, Michael Trick, dean of CMU-Q, praised the Class of 2021 for rising to the challenges of the pandemic: "Your senior year has been challenging, but you have adapted, prioritized learning, and found ways to collaborate, create, and celebrate together. Our community is stronger because of your Tartan spirit, and on behalf of the entire CMU-Q community, I want to thank you for that." Although the traditional, in-person ceremony was postponed due to COVID-19-related restrictions, the virtual event included many traditional elements. Each year, CMU-Q announces the Outstanding Academic Achievement Awards, which recognize the top student in each program, based on grade point average at the time of graduation. For the Class of 2021, the Outstanding Academic Achievement Award recipients are: Noora Ibrahim S. A. Al-Mohannadi in biological sciences; Muhammad Abdurrehman Syed and Omar Mohamed Naim, who tied for highest GPA in business administration; Laila Ossama El-Beheiry in computer science; and Mohammad Shahmeer Ahmad and Shouq Hani Al-Khuzaei, who tied for highest GPA in information systems. The winner of the 2021 Meritorious Teaching Award, Cecile Le Roux (right), also was announced at the celebration. Students in the graduating class nominate faculty members for the award, and the winner is selected by a committee of former teaching award winners. Le Roux is an assistant teaching professor, organization and behavior, and has been a member of the CMU-Q faculty since 2018. Dina Abdelazeem (left), the student speaker for the Class of 2021, delivered a reflection at the event: "Even though COVID did have an influence in our journey, always remember that it did not define it. All of our accomplishments started with the decision to try." The Class of 2021 represents each of the four programs of study at CMU-Q: biological sciences, business administration, computer science and information systems. There are 23 nations represented in the Class of 2021, and 49% are Qatari citizens. This is the 14th graduating class from CMU-Q. Including the Class of 2021, the total number of CMU-Q alumni is more than 1,000. Randy Griffith is a multimedia reporter for The Tribune-Democrat. He can be reached at 814-532-5057. Follow him on Twitter @PhotoGriffer57. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 21) Before testing if mixing COVID-19 vaccine brands for the first and second doses will be effective for Filipinos, the planned clinical trials should get the nod of two government agencies. Science and Technology Undersecretary Rowena Guevara said they need to secure the approval of the Philippine Food and Drug Administration and a review by the Philippine Health Research Ethics Board to start the clinical trials. "Those are the limiting factors. That will take about 1-2 months before we start (clinical trials)," Guevara told CNN Philippines' Newsroom Ngayon on Friday. Guevara explained the expected outcome of the planned clinical trials for mixing COVID-19 vaccine brands will help balance the country's vaccine supply amid delays in deliveries. She cited the recent surge of infections in India, which affected the delivery of India-made Novavax vaccines to the Philippines. The DOST Undersecretary said during the clinical trials, they need to solve whether mixing two different COVID-19 vaccine brands for the first and second doses will be effective. In addition, the study is expected to tackle the need for booster shots once two distinct vaccine brands have been administered. "Ang interesting dito kasi hindi pa natin nasubukan sa ethnicity ng Filipino itong ganitong bagay. It will reveal several things in the study, 'yung immunogenicity tsaka syempre 'yung pinakaimporte 'yung safety," Guevara added. [Translation: What's interesting here is we haven't tested this to the ethnicity of a Filipino. It will reveal several things in the study, like the immunogenicity and the most important factor of all, which is safety.] Guevara also emphasized the importance of clinical trials since COVID-19 vaccines are created differently, in terms of technology platform used. At present, the four COVID-19 vaccine types being used are inactivated vaccine, viral vector vaccine, mRNA or messenger ribonucleic acid vaccine, and subunit vaccine. RELATED: EXPLAINER: COVID-19 vaccines that will be tested and used in PH The Science and Technology Department is also currently assessing whether the vaccines' reported efficacy rates match with those who received their vaccine dose. The Department of Health is not yet recommending the use of different COVID-19 vaccines for the first and second doses until there is solid evidence to support that option. So far, only the United Kingdom is holding a clinical trial on mixing two different COVID-19 vaccine brands. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 21) Quezon City has had no issue with the non-disclosure policy on vaccine brands, noting that it would be impractical for a large city to accommodate everyone's preference amid limited supply, Mayor Joy Belmonte said Friday. In an interview with CNN Philippines' The Source, Belmonte said Quezon City residents "do not have a problem" with the policy they have implemented right from the start in their 30 vaccination sites. "Here in QC, and I can only speak for myself, this has never been a problem for us, this issue of branding. It has never been a policy of the city to disclose what brand is available in a particular site," she said. "Can you imagine the logistic nightmare if every single one of [those people] assigned to a particular site in a particular date, if we ask them one by one what kind of vaccine they want or if we stock up all the vaccines in that particular site? Gaano katagal yung proseso? (How long will the process take?)" Belmonte explained. She noted that it is "impractical" and "not feasible" to accommodate everyone's request, especially for a city as big as theirs. Health Undersecretary Myrna Cabotaje earlier told The Source that authorities will impose a policy not to disclose the brand of vaccines available to avoid incidents similar to what the local governments of Manila and Paranaque dealt with early this week. Crowds trooped to inoculation sites in those cities where Pfizer-made vaccines are being offered. The Department of Interior and Local Government has directed local officials not to announce brands available on site anymore, but individuals can refuse to be injected if they do not prefer the brand which would be given to them. READ: Despite crowding complaints, residents told to follow vaccination protocol in Manila hotel "When a person goes to the site, we disclose the vaccine that is going to be administered in that particular site and that person has a choice to accept or not," Belmonte said on Quezon City's protocol. "But we always say sa kahihintay mo sa tamang bakuna na gusto mo, baka naman magka-COVID ka," she said. [Translation: But we always say, if you keep waiting for the vaccine you want, you might catch COVID) Belmonte said they currently have no problem with vaccine hesitancy in the city. But they are hoping to convince more people, especially those from low-income households, to get their shots by providing them in-kind "ayuda" or incentives. Quezon City can administer an average of 10,000 doses a day, but Belmonte said they hope to ramp this up to 24,000 doses daily once a steady supply comes. The local government has administered 280,000 doses in the city to date, Belmonte added. (CNN) The US is reporting some of the lowest Covid-19 metrics in nearly a year and officials say we're finally turning the corner. But vaccination rates have slowed nationwide and are uneven across American communities. For parts of the US, it will be an uphill battle to get more shots into arms. But experts say that challenge is critical -- and officials need to deploy all kinds of strategies to help boost vaccinations. It's our best shot to overcome the pandemic. "There's a small percentage of people who just really, really don't want (the vaccine). We're going to have to work on that, but to me that's a later issue," Dr. Ashish Jha, dean of the Brown University School of Public Health, told CNN on Wednesday. "There are a lot of people who have questions, so part of it is just helping address questions people have." For others, barriers in getting the vaccine are often not being able to afford to take time from work, he added, so it's important to bring workplaces into the conversation of helping people get vaccinated. "It's really going to have to be an all-of-the-above strategy, of bringing vaccines to people," Jha said. "It's the ground game and it's going to be a lot of work." More than 48% of the US population has received at least one Covid-19 vaccine dose, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And roughly 38.1% of the population is fully vaccinated, the data shows. And in 19 states, at least half of adults are fully vaccinated. Those are Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin, as well as Washington, DC. Timeline not clear on booster shots, Fauci says Despite predictions that a coronavirus vaccine booster shot may be necessary within a year, the bottom line is that "We don't know," Dr. Anthony Fauci told CNN on Thursday. His comments echoed ones he made earlier in the day to The Washington Post during a live event, when Fauci said a rise in breakthrough infections may be the "trigger" for booster vaccinations, but it's difficult to map out when that may happen. "We're preparing for the eventuality that we might need boosters, but I think we've got to be careful not to let the people know that inevitably, X number of months from now, everyone's going to need a booster. That's just not the case," Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said. "We may not need it for quite a while." A breakthrough infection is a confirmed Covid-19 case 14 days or longer after a person is fully vaccinated. Fauci's comments Thursday appear to contrast those made during an Axios interview Wednesday, when he said a booster could be warranted within a year's time. Scientists at companies that make Covid-19 vaccines have also predicted needing boosters within the same time frame -- but the scientific community is not in widespread agreement on this. "We're making extrapolations" from incomplete data, Fauci explained to The Washington Post. So far, studies have shown that mRNA vaccines -- Pfizer and Moderna -- maintain more than 90% efficacy after six months. And scientists say it's likely much longer, but more data is needed. Johnson & Johnson said it continues to investigate a potential booster. "We have ongoing and planned trials that will aid our assessment of the need for, and timing of, booster doses of our vaccine," officials said in an email to CNN. What was behind the CDC guidance Meanwhile, many Americans are still trying to navigate the latest guidance from the CDC, which said last week fully vaccinated Americans can -- for the most part -- ditch their masks. The sudden change triggered policy changes across the country -- with some local and state leaders as well as businesses dropping their mask mandates. Experts worry that without verification systems in place, parts of the US will now have to rely on a kind of honor system on who's choosing to mask up. On Wednesday, supermarket chain Kroger announced fully vaccinated employees and customers will no longer need to wear masks in the company's stores, distribution centers, plants, and offices. The updated policy, which will adhere to state and local guidelines, says non-vaccinated associates will be required to wear a mask. And associates in pharmacy and clinic locations will be required to continue wearing a mask, a spokesperson said. Speaking to CNN on Wednesday, Fauci said the CDC made the change in guidelines "purely to allow people who have been fully vaccinated to realize that the scientific data itself indicates that it is safe for them to go without a mask not only outdoors but also indoors." But instead, he said, many Americans interpreted the guidance to mean it was time for everyone to shed masks altogether, which is "obviously not the case," he said. CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky defended the guidance before a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing on Wednesday. "People have said that we moved too slow. People have said that we moved too fast. We moved at the speed that the science gave us," she said. That guidance, Walensky said, was aimed at individuals to better understand what the science on vaccines shows and help them make informed decisions based on the vaccination rates and transmission rates in their own communities. And the guidelines are just that: advice. It's local officials who make the final call on mask mandates, Walensky said. "If you have a county that has low vaccination rates and high rates of disease, that county may interpret our guidance differently than a county that has high vaccination rates and low incidence of disease," she said. "So we really have to do this at the local level, because where there's less vaccination, the virus will emerge." At least three states ban mask mandates in public schools At least three states are banning, or taking steps to ban, mask mandates in public schools. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Tuesday issued an executive order prohibiting state governmental entities such as counties, school districts, and public health authorities from requiring mask-wearing, according to a news release from the governor's office. The executive order allows public schools to continue current mask-wearing guidelines through June 4; however, after June 4, no student, teacher, parent, or staff member can be required to wear a mask on school grounds, according to the order. Local governmental entities attempting to impose a mask mandate can be subject to a fine of up to $1,000, the news release says. Utah's House passed a bill on Wednesday which will prohibit public schools and universities in the state from requiring masks after the end of this school year. The bill also prohibits colleges and universities from requiring proof of a vaccination, unless medical and religious exemptions are allowed. According to the bill, schools will be banned from "requiring a face covering to participate in or attend instruction, activities, or in any other place on the campus of the institution after the end of the spring semester in 2021." There is nothing in the bill that would prevent students or teachers from wearing a mask if they wished to do so. And on Thursday, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signed a bill that prevents mask mandates in K-12 schools and stops cities and counties from mandating masks in businesses. "The state of Iowa is putting parents back in control of their child's education and taking greater steps to protect the rights of all Iowans to make their own health care decisions," Reynolds said in a news release about the legislation. Children need to keep wearing masks, experts say More than a week after the Food and Drug Administration expanded the emergency use authorization for Pfizer's Covid-19 vaccine to include people 12 to 15 years old, one expert says it's been better than expected. "As we've seen this new age category, from 12 to 15, it's brought renewed hope," Dr. Lisa Costello, a pediatrician at West Virginia University Medicine Children's Hospital and a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics' Committee on State Government Affairs, told CNN. "Many of the people who I know that work the various vaccine clinics, they've told me it felt like December when we were giving those first shots," Costello added "People are so hopeful." The US has already vaccinated more than 600,000 12- to 15-year-olds, Walensky said Tuesday. But since there is no vaccine approved for children under 12, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommended Wednesday that children and adults who are not yet fully vaccinated still wear masks in certain settings. Children should continue wearing masks in public places, particularly when social distancing isn't possible, said Dr. Yvonne Maldonado, chair of the AAP's Committee on Infectious Diseases. Children can take off their masks when they are with family members from the same household or at small gatherings with fully vaccinated family members and friends. Children can also take off their masks during water sports, like swimming, or activities that could pose a safety risk, like gymnastics, Maldonado said. This story was first published on CNN.com 'In 19 US states, at least half of adults are fully vaccinated against Covid-19' He told us that he wanted corners that played with a dog mentality. He just want dogs out there on the island," junior Alexander Smith said of his new position coach. Columbia, SC (29201) Today Partly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High around 90F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight A few clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 72F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. For the second time this week, a bipartisan bill seeking to keep high-potency marijuana products out of the hands of teens advanced through a House panel with bipartisan support. But unlike Tuesday's House Public & Behavioral Health & Human Services Committee hearing where House Bill 1317 was approved unanimously, House Finance Committee members from both sides of the aisle voted against the proposal. Still, those opposed to the bill said they believed in bill sponsor and House Speaker Alec Garnetts commitment to continue working on aspects of the bill and indicated a willingness to support an amended version of the legislation. The Denver Democrat and Rep. Yadira Caraveo are the bills prime sponsors in the House while the legislation is being carried in the Senate by Sens. Chris Hansen, D-Denver, and Paul Lundeen, R-Monument. Republicans Tim Geitner, the House Assistant Minority Leader from Falcon, and Kevin Priola, a senator from Henderson, are also signed on as sponsors. As the legislation currently stands, it would: Send the Colorado School of Public Health $1 million per year for three years to conduct an analysis of existing research on the impact of high-potency THC marijuana and concentrates on physical and mental health, find gaps in that research and conduct studies to fill those gaps. The legislation also creates a scientific review council to review the findings in that analysis and make recommendations to lawmakers Direct the state Department of Public Health and Environment to compile a report on hospital and emergency room discharge data reflecting patients who display conditions or diagnosis that reflect marijuana use Direct coroners to order a toxicology screen to test for THC in non-natural deaths of those under 25 years old. The results of those screens would be required to be reported to CDPHEs Colorado Violent Death Reporting System and the agency would be required to compile a report on those screens Lower the purchase limit on concentrates for both medical patients and recreational consumers to eight grams per day, down from the 40-gram threshold adults are currently allowed to possess. For medical patients between ages 18 and 20, that limit drops to two grams per day Update the seed-to-sale tracking system for medical patients to ensure compliance with the new limits Mandate both medical and recreational dispensaries use packaging separating each gram of concentrate into at least 10 separate portions Require medical patients ages 18 to 20 to consult with two different doctors, both of which would be required to diagnose a debilitating or disabling medical condition, and schedule follow up appointments every six months before receiving their medical cards Add a requirement for doctors who recommend medical marijuana to review patients mental health history on top of their physical health The House Public & Behavioral Health & Human Services Committee also added an amendment seeking to shield medical patients under the age of 18 from some of the bills provisions. Even with that amendment though, the half hour of testimony supporters and opponents of the bill each gave on Thursday largely mirrored the seven-and-a-half hours of testimony from Tuesday. In one corner, some from the marijuana industry and parents with children that use marijuana medicinally to treat conditions such as seizures and autism expressed vehement opposition to some of the bills provisions. In the other, parents with teenagers struggling with high-potency THC products after gaining access to it at school pleaded with lawmakers to support the bill. Two of the biggest players in the marijuana space, Colorado Leads and Marijuana Industry Group, landed somewhere in the middle, indicating cautious support but calling for amendments. The bill that is before you is the result of a lot of work and it's a compromise and it's probably fair to say that nobody at this point likes it, but that's how we make law, Dean Heizer, the chair of the Marijuana Industry Group, told the Finance panel. Included in those that didnt like it, at least enough to vote in support of it, were Reps. Shane Sandridge, R-Colorado Springs, Kim Ransom, R-Littleton, Stephanie Luck, R-Penrose, and Matt Gray, D-Broomfield. Sandridge said he believed in the intent of the bill but raised concerns about unintended consequences for business owners and patients. He also pointed to the countrys failed war on drugs. The United States has a history of regulating marijuana and we have a long history of failure too associated with some of these policies, he said. It seems like sometimes these policies don't really work that well but have unintended consequences that hurt other people. Still, the Colorado Springs Republican said he believed the legislation was going down the right path and said he was excited to see the amendments Garnett and Caraveo bring when it comes before the House chamber for debate. Luck also expressed support for the measure in broad strokes, but said she had concerns centering on privacy and the potential cost to county coroners to conduct toxicology screens. Gray said on top of concerns about specific provisions, the bill funded research but also moved forward with regulations before that research was completed. One of my fundamental questions is: we're trying to figure out what the problem is on the research side and then we're going to solve the problem before we know what it is on the prescriptive side, he said. Like Sandridge, Gray recognized Garnetts commitment to continue to work to address concerns and pledged to continue to engage on the bill. I want to work together on finding a way to solve the will of Colorado people who have said we want access to medical cannabis and then even access to recreational cannabis ... but we want it to be done in a way that's smart and protects our families, Gray said. I think there's a way for us to do that. The bill now advances to the House Appropriations Committee. After a 7-hour hearing, Sen. Pete Lees second effort this legislative session to clamp down on the use of arrests and cash bail for what he described as low-level offenses advanced through the Senate Judiciary Committee on a party-line vote. But as with Senate Bill 62, the Colorado Springs Democrats initial attempt this year to reform the pre-trial criminal justice system, Senate Bill 273 drew strong pushback from law enforcement and bail bondsmen. It also was opposed by both judges who provided testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday and divided the opinions of three district attorneys who appeared to testify. That was a situation Lee seemed keen to avoid when speaking with reporters earlier in the week when he described SB 273 as a reset. It became clear that [SB] 62 was having some trouble because some of the narrative about it had turned quite negative; people didn't fully understand what we're trying to do, he said. So we decided to create a new vehicle to serve as a conduit for the change that we want to make in the criminal legal system. According to Lee, the bill as written seeks to alter the mindset of police when they're going into an encounter from one of arrest, subdue and incarcerate to one of ticket and summons. It would do that by banning law enforcement from arresting alleged perpetrators solely for crimes rising up to the level of misdemeanor, with certain exceptions including victim rights crimes, unlawful sexual behavior and illegal possession or use of a firearm, among others. Sixty-plus percent of encounters between police and citizens are over low-level offenses, what I call it poverty offenses or street offenses, and those offenses are what can escalate if the mindset is one of subdue and incarcerate, Lee said. The bill would also prohibit courts from issuing monetary bonds for alleged offenses that rise to the level of class 4, 5, or 6 felonies unless the court determines the defendant is a flight risk or threatens the safety of a member of the community. Those provisions remained unchanged from SB 62. Lees initial bill included those low-level felonies in the arrest prohibition as well, but he stripped those out of the latest version in hopes to move people to support the latest version of the legislation. The bond provision of the bill would also require courts to issue a personal recognizance bond if a defendant fails to appear for their court date, with a handful of exceptions built in. District Attorney Alonzo Payne, one of two DAs to testify in support of the measure along with Beth McCann, praised the bond provision as one that addressed the criminalization of poverty. Misdemeanor offenses for the large part, if you were being held in custody, it is because you are poor, said Payne, who represents southern Colorados 12th judicial district. When people are being presented with cash and surety bonds that are anywhere from $50 to $5,000, those are amounts that most people can't meet. Lee said the motivation behind the effort came from listening to Minnesota Attorney General and former Congressman Keith Ellison speak in the aftermath of the verdict finding former police officer Derrick Chauvin guilty of murdering George Floyd. He talked about the need to reset the relationship between police and community so that rather than having interactions which are characterized by fear and anger and terror ... they want to set a relationship based more on the idea of protect and serve, he said. For one witness, the effects of the legislation could bring about were far closer to home. Pastor Spencer Booker the brother of homeless street preacher Marvin Booker, who died at in the Denver jail at the hands of law enforcement in 2010 said Lees proposal was a matter of life and death. If this bill had been in place in 2010, my mother's birthday baby would still be alive, Booker said in emotional testimony. But a series of police chiefs and high-ranking law enforcement officials told the Senate panel that the bill would move the state further away from Lees overall goal of improving public safety. Todd Reeves, the deputy chief of police for the city of Westminster, said the bill amounted to removing tools from law enforcement that will make this job even more impossible. The crimes referred to as low-level crimes, these are crimes with victims, he said. I prefer not to minimize the impacts when it happens to a human being. Westminster Municipal Judge Jason Lantagne also voiced opposition to the measure, citing concerns over the bond provisions and potential unintended consequences that the bill could create. [SB] 273 will codify the current reality and create an ongoing situation where defendants can accumulate multiple cases without any intervention by the court, he said. The bill also drew opposition from a series of bondsmen and those involved in the bail industry including Duane Chapman, better known as "Dog the Bounty Hunter," who made an appearance at the state Capitol. But proponents of the bill, like Rebecca Wallace of the ACLU of Colorado, noted that the bills provisions would not only protect members of the community, but also law enforcement. She pointed to the case of Karen Garner, a 73-year-old woman with dementia who was injured by former Loveland Police Department officers after she left a Walmart, having forgotten to pay for less than $15 worth of items. The district attorney for Colorado's 8th Judicial District announced earlier this week those former officers now face criminal charges. If this law had been in place, the officers would have known that they could only ticket Mrs. Garner, she said. This would have been better for Mrs. Garner, but you know who else it would have been better for? The police, the law enforcement officers who are now charged with criminal offenses. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of punishment and SB 273 is prevention violence prevention, harm prevention for our communities and our law enforcement. Wallace also accused some of the opposition of engaging in fearmongering and blatant misrepresentations about the bill. They were intended to push a fear-based no vote, Wallace said of some of the comments made by the opposition without specifying the testimony she was referencing. Suggesting that this bill will prevent arrest for violent offenses or require a PR bond for any specific offense is false and demonstrably so and saying otherwise during a hearing does not make it true. Sen. Bob Gardner, a Colorado Springs Republican and one of the panels two GOP members, pushed back on that assertion. To state overtly that they're engaging in fearmongering, it strikes me as itself a little over the top, Gardner said. I think that those concerns of the opponents of this bill are legitimate. You may disagree with them and you may find them to be highly objectionable from your point of view, but to imply that they are offered in bad faith or that they're offered with a disregard for the wellbeing of our citizenry seems to be a bit over the top. Along with Gardner, former Weld County Sheriff and Greeley Republican Sen. John Cooke voted against the measure. Cooke indicated early in the hearing he felt there is really no difference between this and Senate Bill 62. Lee and the panels other two Democrats voted in favor of the measure, though, providing enough support to advance it on to the Senate Finance Committee. Pic story of young village teacher in Xinjiang Xinhua) 11:06, May 21, 2021 Chen Fangying (R) pays a home visit at Alimalik Village of Akto County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, May 12, 2021. Chen Fangying, a 24-year-old village teacher, is from southwest China's Guizhou Province. When she graduated from college two years ago, she chose to become a teacher in Xinjiang. The primary school where Chen teaches is located in the Kunlun Mountains, more than 1,800 kilometers away from Xinjiang's capital city Urumqi. "For me, this is the life I should live in my twenties," said Chen. Chen Fangying has more than ten classes every week, including Chinese, English and Music. In addition, she is also required to work with other teachers to develop solutions to help local teachers improve their capacity. Meanwhile, Chen often communicates with parents during home visits to help improve learning environment. Chen values the studies of 14 students in third grade most. According to local education policy, starting from the fourth grade, students are required to go to the County, 380 kilometers away from the village, to enjoy higher quality education. Chen is full of expectations for these students who will enter the fourth grade this September. She insists they should read more books so that they can learn more about the world outside the mountains. In her daily teaching, she focuses on activating the classroom atmosphere through novel teaching methods, broadening students' horizons and helping them build up confidence. In recent years, more and more tourists have come to the village. In the beginning, the students were shy about talking to tourists. However, Chen always encourages them to express their ideas with confidence. Now, they are much more outgoing. Chen is genuinely happy with the growth of her students. It's meaningful for Chen that the students would remember she had taught them after they walked out of the mountains and moved to the cities. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu) (Web editor: Guo Wenrui, Liang Jun) 05/21/2021 Photo (c) Radoslav Zilinsky - Getty Images Coronavirus (COVID-19) tally as compiled by Johns Hopkins University. (Previous numbers in parentheses.) Total U.S. confirmed cases: 33,058,956 (33,029,091) Total U.S. deaths: 588,583 (587,930) Total global cases: 165,639,253 (165,015,132) Total global deaths: 3,432,672 (3,420,173) Cases tick higher at weeks end As vaccinations increase across the U.S., the number of new COVID-19 cases has flatlined. However, new cases ticked higher at the end of this week. According to data compiled by the COVID-19 Tracking Project at Johns Hopkins University, the U.S. reported almost 30,000 new cases on Thursday, a few hundred higher than the day before. Despite the increase, the U.S. has kept new cases below 30,000 for the last several days. Deaths from the virus remain the lowest since the pandemic began. There were 666 deaths on Thursday and 667 the day before. Homeowners still in forbearance programs are vulnerable Research from the New York Federal Reserve Bank shows that about 65% of homeowners who entered a pandemic-related mortgage forbearance program are now out of it. The report found that those who remain typically have lower credit scores and are more likely to have subprime mortgages. The reports authors suggest that those still not making payments may face a high degree of difficulty in transitioning back to normal payments. About 70% are not making any monthly payments. On the bright side, the report found that the booming housing market has helped many homeowners leave the forbearance program. The increase in home equity has helped homeowners sell their homes for a profit, an avenue not open to delinquent homeowners during the financial crisis. Reopening is creating supply chain issues New mask guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is leading to a rush on restaurants, many of which are being allowed to return to 100% capacity. That, in turn, is leading to challenges in maintaining a normal menu. While restaurants struggle to find employees, the same is true at food processing plants, which scaled back operations during the pandemic. Chicken processors say they are having a hard time hiring employees, and that has created shortages and higher prices. While no fast-food company has said its raising prices on chicken products yet, theyre also wrestling with having to pay more for chicken meat. We are just absorbing that for now and plugging away, said Executive Chef Brian Morris at Nashville hot chicken chain Hattie Bs. WHO says variants respond to existing vaccines Variants to the coronavirus are a source of concern because they appear to spread more easily, although they dont seem to be more deadly. In a new report, the World Health Organization (WHO) says people who are fully vaccinated have even less to fear. It says existing vaccines are effective against known variants. Thats consistent with research conducted by Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson. Their trials have shown that their vaccines are only slightly less effective when confronted with mutated forms of the virus. "All COVID-19 virus variants can be controlled in the same way with public health and social measures," European Regional Director Hans Kluge said at a press conference. "All COVID-19 virus variants that have emerged so far do respond to the available approved vaccines." When will this be over? The CDCs guidance that fully vaccinated people dont need to wear masks in most settings has lots of people seeing the light at the end of the pandemic tunnel. But just when, exactly, will the pandemic be over? According to health information publisher STAT, thats not an easy question to answer. It notes that weve had influenza pandemics in the past that burned themselves out in about a year and a half. However, it also notes that COVID-19 is a different kind of virus, so previous pandemics may not be an accurate guide. But a modeling paper published in Science predicts that the bodys immune system will learn to handle the virus so that its effects are much less severe within about two years. Around the nation Methanol content, or associations therewith, are cited as the reasons for 12 of the 13 latest additions by FDA to its 'do not use' hand sanitizer list. This brings the total number of entries to 249 as of May 20, 2021. In addition, the administration issued one warning letter for a hand sanitizer disinfectant gel containing ~65% methanol that was detained at the U.S. border. See related: 6 Sanitizer Offenses, Color Additives and Cosmetic Registrations; FDA Update Products added to the FDA's list of product violations include: Durisan Antimicrobial Solutions Hand Sanitizing Wipes, Alcohol-Free, by Sanit Technologies LLC, doing business as Durisan (Florida)for product testing that revealed microbial contamination. The product was recalled in March 2021 and this recall was expanded on May 14, 2021. Fresh Lemon Citron Frais Scented Hand Sanitizer by Scentsational Soaps and Candles Inc. (Florida)tested and found to contain methanol, benzene and acetaldehyde. The product was recalled late in April 2021 and this recall was expanded on May 10, 2021. SS Black and White Collection and Photo Real Collection: Coconut Breeze, Eucalyptus & Mint, Lavender & Herbs, Lemon Zest and Tangerine & Guava by Scentsational Soaps and Candles Inc. (Florida)all tested and found to contain methanol, benzene and acetaldehyde. The products were voluntarily recalled in late April 2021 and the recall was expanded on May 10, 2021. Dibar Labs Hand Sanitizer (2 entries)tested and found to contain methanol; product voluntarily recalled on May 11, 2021; ProtectoRx Hand Sanitizer Extra Strength (voluntarily recalled on May 11); Eztizer Hand Sanitizer (FDA recommended recall on April 27); Advance Hand Sanitizer (FDA recommended recall on April 27); Basic Care Gel Hand Sanitizer (FDA recommended recall on April 27); Genesis Today Advanced Hand Sanitizer (FDA recommended recall on April 27); Wellnicity Hand Sanitizer (FDA recommended recall on April 27); and Bklen Hands Sanitizer (FDA recommended recall on April 27)all purported to be made at the same facility that produced a methanol-contaminated product. All products are by Dibar Nutricional S De RL de CV (Mexico). Scentsational Sanitizer Non-Sterile Solution Alcohol Antiseptic 70% Topical Solution, also by Scentsational Soaps and Candles Inc. (Florida)tested and found to contain methanol, benzene and acetaldehyde; voluntarily recalled in late April 2021 and recall expanded on May 10, 2021. See related: ACI, CHPA Urge FDA to WIthdraw Allowance for Emergency Sanitizer Production Warning Letter: Methanol Content The FDA also issued one warning letter to C&G Laboratorios SA de CV, of Mexico, on April 26, 2021, for its antiseptic rub drug product labeled as Hand Sanitizer Disinfectant Gel. The product was detained at the U.S. border and refused admission. According to the letter, "The results of the FDA laboratory testing of a batch of this product detained at the border demonstrate that this drug product manufactured at your facility is adulterated..." More specifically, the product was labeled to contain 70% v/v of the active ingredient ethyl alcohol (ethanol). However, FDA laboratory testing found the drug product contained on average of 1.1% ethanol and an average of 65% methanol v/v. Follow us as we continue to report on hand sanitizer developments and violations. Today Sun and clouds mixed. Hot. High near 95F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Tonight Partly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 72F. Winds light and variable. Tomorrow Intervals of clouds and sunshine. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High near 95F. Winds light and variable. Continue Reading Below Advertisement When Cameron was done yakking, he returned to the set to find everyone gone like The Twilight Zone. A grip herded him to the dining area where an assistant director was separating those crew members unaffected by the chowder from those who were about to take a magic carpet ride straight to Tripsville. That night much of the crew was taken to Dartmouth General Hospital where things somehow got even weirder. People were moaning and crying, wailing. With few cases of nausea, it became apparent that this wasnt simply a case of food poisoning. Everyone was so friggin high that they started racing wheelchairs down the hallway and formed a spirited conga line led by legendary cinematographer Caleb Deschanel. Continue Reading Below Advertisement As documented in the Cameron biography The Futurist, the director used his walkie talkie to radio his AD while she was standing directly in front of him. She then leapt at Cameron and stabbed him in the face with a pen before being dragged away by hospital staff all while Cameron sat bleeding and laughing. Paxton, freaked out by the bedlam, quietly ducked out of the ER with a teamster and went back to the set where he drank an entire case of beer which he later said seemed to help. The mania at the hospital eventually died down, and devolved into a game of hacky sack as the collective high mellowed. Continue Reading Below Advertisement The next day the police were called in. Thankfully, one of the producers had saved samples of all the food, and a toxicology report determined that, yup, the chowder was spiked with P.C.P. Why would anyone sneak angel dust into the Titanic crews food? Well no one knows for sure and, not unlike the film career of Rob Schneider, it remains one of Hollywoods great mysteries. The local police worked on the case for two and a half years, but eventually came up with nothing. Some wrote it off as a prank by locals who wanted to have a party on the last night of Hollywood in Halifax. The catering companys CEO claimed that it was the Hollywood crowd bringing in the psychedelic shit adding that it was done like a party thing that got carried away. Others were convinced something more sinister was going on. It had to be an inside job, Bill Paxton told the Calgary Herald in 1998. It couldnt have been somebody from the outside. Somebody had a grievance. Calgary Herald Could it have been Celine Dion, committing herself to a diva flex? Continue Reading Below Advertisement Could it have been one of the caterers themselves? Cameron reportedly freaked out at one of the servers earlier in the shoot when he was given a hot cup of soup, which he suddenly threw away, screaming: Dont you ever serve me boiling soup again! Of course, solving a mystery where the suspects are disgruntled employees of James Cameron would discourage even Hercule Poirot. One theory, suggested by Cameron, was that it was a former crew member, who had recently been fired for creating trouble with the caterers. Cameron added that, since he promptly fired the caterers, the mysterious culprits plan ultimately worked. Continue Reading Below Advertisement While this may all be funny in retrospect, it certainly could have ended in tragedy. 87-year-old Gloria Stuart was present that night, but thankfully didnt ingest the chowder. Still, it serves as a good reminder that it took the indefensible actions of an unidentified criminal for people to actually have a fun time while making a James Cameron movie. You (yes, you) should follow JM on Twitter! And check out the podcast Rewatchability Top Image: Paramount Pictures Frances ministry of education has prohibited the use of gender inclusive language, asserting that it harms the process of learning the French language. The education ministry sent out a decree to schools across the Western European nation in an effort to end the use of midpoints, period-like dots that are placed in the middle of words, separating most of the word from its ending, which designates it as either masculine or feminine. The midpoints are used in place of both masculine and feminine endings of words. Academie Francaise, which is also known as the French Academy and is the institution entrusted with preserving the language, has stated that the gender-inclusive words are harmful" to the practice and understanding of the French language. In the French language, masculine endings are usually more prevalent in nouns. For example, a group of friends including five women and one man would be written as amis, but a midpoint would change the spelling of the word to ami.e.s." according to Newsweek. Source:The Christian Post An organization that promotes Christian engagement in the Middle East has produced a new film that aims to show how Christians should respond and understand the complexities of the Israel-Palestinian conflict. The Philos Project released its Hope in the Holy Land film for on-demand viewing last Friday as the militant group Hamas fired thousands of rockets into Israel and Israel Defense Forces responded with airstrikes of its own, marking the worst outbreak of violence in the region since 2014. Robert Nicholson, president and founder of The Philos Project, said it is essential that Christians understand the complexity of the conflict. In the film, American Christian Todd Morehead travels to the Holy Land to gain a deeper understanding of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which is one of the most contested conflicts in the world and involves Jews, Muslims and Christians. Morehead discovered the struggles of Jews, Muslims and Christians on both sides of the conflict. Source:The Christian Post A Catholic priest has pleaded guilty to stealing more than $500,000 from a congregation known for having financial struggles. The Rev. Douglas J. Haefner, a 68-year-old priest who formerly served as head of St. Matthias Church in Somerset, pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree theft on Wednesday for stealing the funds for his personal use. Haefner had been criminally charged by the Somerset County Prosecutors Office and entered his plea before Superior Court Judge Peter J. Tober. His sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 4. Anthony P. Kearns III, spokesperson and chancellor of the Diocese of Metuchen, said in a statement released Wednesday that the diocese was grateful that this matter has come to its long-awaited conclusion. Source:The Christian Post As much global attention has been focused this month on Israel and Hamas, the violence may have caused Gaza's once-thriving Christian population to further dwindle as thousands of Christians in the region have fled poor economic conditions and discrimination over the last 15 years. Many dont know that Gaza has its own Christian community, and the history of the presence of Christians in the Gaza Strip goes back to the beginnings of the Roman state's persecution of followers of the new religion. It was one of the areas Romans visited before the conversion of Emperor Constantine to Christianity and the adoption of the Roman Empires official religion at the beginning of the fourth century A.D. Despite this authentic historical presence of Christians in this region, their numbers have gradually decreased, especially since 2006, after internal and external circumstances colluded. Since the takeover of the Gaza Strip in 2007, Christians and others have been subject to restrictions of Hamas and the Islamic Jihad Movement. Today, estimates suggest that only about 1,000 Christians remain in the Gaza Strip. Christians in the Gaza Strip today are divided into three sections. There are Christians from the original inhabitants of Gaza, who have inhabited it since ancient times, and others immigrated to it after Israel declared its independence in 1948. And the third group were those who were abroad and came in 1994 with the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and are still there today. Source:The Christian Post A Canadian pastor who has repeatedly clashed with the local government officials over worship restrictions imposed due to the coronavirus pandemic is alleging that arsonists have targeted his home and set his garage ablaze. Appearing on Rebel Media Sunday, Pastor Artur Pawlowski of Street Church in Calgary, Alberta, recalled how the garage at his private residence was set on fire late Saturday night. About 11:30 p.m., my wife, she hears some commotions and firefighters, I mean, so many cars and police. And first, we thought maybe theyre coming for me in the middle of the night. But no, they came to put the fire down. After heading outside and initially believing that their neighbors house was on fire, the Pawlowskis figured out that it was their garage that was on fire. Pawlowski posted video footage of firefighters working to extinguish the fire on his YouTube channel. Source:The Christian Post I have been blessed to meet many Christian financial advisors across America. Not all, but some of them use a moral screening strategy to serve their investment clients. Moral screening is one of several strategies under the larger topic of faith-integrated investing. While I have written elsewhere about how to invest for redemptive purposes, in this article I want to highlight some of the theological limits of moral screening. What is moral screening? Moral screening is an investing strategy that assigns grades to companies based on their connection with various categories of immoral behavior. This allows investors to avoid investing in companies based on their grade in each category. A few of the common areas Christians often seek to avoid include abortion, tobacco, alcohol, pornography, and gambling. Aiming for the Right Goals Source:The Christian Post SAMBA, MAY 20: Deputy Commissioner Samba, Anuradha Gupta today said that an isolation facility is being established in each Panchayat of the district for covid positive patients as decided by Jammu and Kashmir Government. She was briefing media persons about present status of covid-19 cases and measures taken to contain the spread of pandemic here today at DC Office. During the press briefing, the Deputy Commissioner informed that district has 2241 active positive covid cases, of which 2152 are under home isolation as they are asymptomatic. The home isolated persons are being regularly updated about medicines through district covid control room. All patients have been provided with covid care kits containing oximeter, medicines, masks and literature about the do's & donts. The Doctors and field staff are also regularly visiting their places for seeking their well being. DC said that district hospital has 49, ESIC BariBrahmana 09 and Bhargava College active positive cases. Regarding availability of oxygen in the district, the DC said sufficient stock of oxygen cylinders of both D type and B type are present, a 1000 LPM capacity oxygen plant is also working optimally to meet the needs. Deputy Commissioner said that a vigorous testing and vaccination drives are going on in the district and as of today 95% of 45+ persons have been vaccinated, while remaining shall also be saturated in coming days. RTPCR, RAT & TrueNat Testings are conducted at various locations for confirming Covid cases in district, she added. The Deputy Commissioner said that as government is also incorporating covid control measures in the rural area, the Samba administration has identified Panchayat ghar, vacant school buildings, and other structure for establishing covid care centres with all the facilities. The rural covid care centre shall have facility of oxygen concentrators, glucometers, Covid patient supporting beds, thermometers, medicines and doctors. The DC appealed to general public to contact district helpline no if they develop covid-19 like symptoms as early medical intervention can only help them and break the covid chain. She also exhorted upon PRI members to cooperate with administration and help in tracking of suspect areas. Yes, I am sure my money is invested in companies I trust. I'd like to invest in more ethical companies but I don't know how. I'd like to invest more in ethical companies but I don't think the returns are as good. I don't know where my money is invested. Vote View Results Connecticut Magazines resident wine expert Renee Allen shares three little-known wine varieties that she thinks you should try. Allen is a wine and spirits expert and the director of the award-winning Wine Institute of New England and a professor at the University of New Haven. Thermenregion, Austria, $25 The oldest wine estate in Austria, the Klosterneuburg Monastery grows native white grapes zierfandler and rotgipfler in vineyards just south of Vienna. Some say if you like Austrian grape gruner veltliner, youll like rotgipfler, but one has to have tried gruner veltliner to know this. Equal contributions from zierfandler and rotgipfler are blended together in an off-dry version of this traditional wine. The lemon-yellow wine announces itself with an audible release of carbon dioxide upon unscrewing its cap. Peach and lime dominate the delicately creamy palate, where a hint of fizz can be detected. The finish exhibits almond and spicy white pepper notes and ends with a salty smack. Dont let the tongue-twisting name prevent you from enjoying this little gem, which is capable of aging in your cellar long enough to learn how to pronounce it. Pair it with: dumplings in cream sauce, medium-spicy Asian dishes, and Viennese fish fillets. Jonathan Edwards Primitivo Rose 2019 Lodi, California, $25 With cool temperatures and a short growing season, Connecticuts climate presents some challenges to winegrowing. Known for their bicoastal approach to winemaking, Jonathan Edwards Winery hedges its bets by fermenting grapes for some of its wines on the West Coast before bringing the wine to North Stonington for aging and bottling. This roses primitivo grapes (genetic relatives of zinfandel) produce a wine of stunning luminescent copper with peach-fuzz pink highlights. The nose is an explosion of ripe, red fruits with a subtle undercurrent of macchia. The fruit becomes predominantly cranberry on the palate, where primitivos trademark bitterness combines with just the right amount of tartness. Juicy, lingering finish. Big, juicy and with a bit of grip, this flavorful wine is summer water on steroids. Pair it with: creamy burrata cheese with tomatoes and basil, stuffed mussels, or chicken rillette with crusty bread. Elena Walch Lagrein 2019 Trentino-Alto Adige, Italy, $18 When architect Elena Walch married into a venerable Alto Adige wine family, she brought her modern philosophy with her. Fifth-generation daughters now share responsibility for this family winery. The ancient Lagrein grape, the most significant red in a white-dominated area, flourishes here in the cool Northeast Italy climate, producing intensely hued, food-friendly wines. This bold wine is a deeply saturated, tongue-coating (literally!) violet purple. Dark red berries abound on the nose, peppered with hints of spice-laden chocolate. Notes of black cherry and plum bob on a sea of subtle sandalwood. Crisp acid, tannins that emerge from the background for a brief solo on the finish, and a full body make this an excellent candidate for pairing. Ample yet approachable. This wine has the heft of a cabernet with the quaffability of a merlot. Pair it with: pappardelle with veal ragu, cheese-topped bison burgers, or creamy polenta with roasted mushrooms. This article originally appeared in Connecticut Magazine. You can subscribe here, or find the current issue on sale here. Sign up for the newsletter to get the latest and greatest content from Connecticut Magazine delivered right to your inbox. On Facebook and Instagram @connecticutmagazine and Twitter @connecticutmag. SEYMOUR The fight to fix the deteriorating Kinneytown Dam and its inoperable fish ladder has been cranked up a notch. U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., joined municipal leaders and environmentalists Monday to call for federal help to fix problems dating back at least a quarter of a century. This is a tragedy we need to correct, Blumenthal told the gathering, standing at the dam Monday morning. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission needs to do its job and the fish ladder needs to be repaired so it can do its job. The Kinneytown Dam fish ladder was built in 1998 to allow fish to swim along the 32 miles of the Naugatuck River to spawn. The $6.3 million Tingue Dam fish bypass was built in 2014 to connect to the earlier ladder. Despite the bypass, fish still pile up at the dam, unable to get past. Blumenthal pledged to mobilize the entire Connecticut delegation in a concerted effort to resolve the dams and the fish ladders deficiencies. The delegation U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy and U.S. Reps. Rosa DeLauro and Jim Himes, all Democrats are very interested in this issue, Blumenthal said. The politicians and their staffs will be working along with the Naugatuck River Restoration Coalition to get repairs under way sooner rather than later, he said. DeLauro said shes already been in touch with the Naugatuck Valley Council of Governments and insists that the propertys owners should focus on cleaning up the site. Millions of federal and state dollars have been invested in the restoration of the Naugatuck River, its tributaries and its migratory fish passage and (the owners) should be held accountable for ensuring that their responsibilities to these efforts are being met, she said. Earlier this month, Waterbury Mayor Neil OLeary, who heads the Naugatuck Valley Council of Governments, pledged his groups support and said getting the public and private entities that are responsible for the dam and fish ladder to step up will be one of our highest priorities moving into the New Year. Were going to use every means to engage with FERC in convincing them a major reconstruction is needed, Blumenthal said. I am going to cajole, persuade, pummel at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission as part of the docket thats been open. He said he wants FERC to produce a strategic plan that goes beyond just the repair of this fish ladder. FERC has jurisdiction because the dam is connected with two hydroelectric power plants. One adjacent to the dam in Seymour is designed to produce 1.8 megawatts of power while the other, about a mile and a half away on Ansonias Fourth Street, was built to produce about a megawatt. It has been offline since a 2013 fire. The conditions and the failures of the dam and its fish ladder were brought to light in a recent Hearst Connecticut Media Group article as well as an opinion piece by John Waldman, a City College of New York biology professor. Waldman, who attended Mondays conference, said he studies rivers and has never seen a river where the situation is so egregious. You have a multi-million dollar restoration upstream for 30 miles and basically a cork (creating) a whole system that doesnt work. I also have never seen a dam in such bad condition, Waldman said, describing cracks in the concrete during his private inspections. Blumenthal said he believes the ladder was built poorly and defectively. Its not doing the job, he said Monday. Most recently, Enel, a multinational energy company headquartered in Italy, has owned the dam and its two nearby power plants through a subsidiary called Kinneytown Hydro Co. Inc. Ned Gerard / Hearst Connecticut Media Lawyers involved with the Naugatuck River Restoration Coalition, which includes the Naugatuck River Revival Group, Save the Sound and the Naugatuck Valley Council of Governments, are attempting to confirm whether Enel still owns the properties. In 1983, FERC granted Enel an exemption for the dam on the condition (there be) an efficient means for fish to surmount the dam, Blumenthal said. As a result, he said he believes Enel is responsible for repairs. Nature didnt put the dam here, Blumenthal said. Man put the dam here and the dam is interfering with nature. A request for comment to Enel was not immediately returned. Annmarie Drugonis, an environmental engineer who recently became Seymours First Selectman, said she is horrified by the condition of the Seymour power station, the amount of debris in the water and visible broken buoy lines. This is something we cant let go on, she said. It effects the ecology of the Naugatuck River. Ansonia Mayor David Cassetti, who previously owned Birm-1 Construction, pointed out to Blumenthal areas of the dam that he said concerned him. We need to send scuba divers down to inspect the whole perimeter of the bulkhead, Cassetti told Blumenthal. There are breaches in the front. This needs to be taken care of as soon as possible because its been neglected for so many years. We cant have nice commissions anymore. Remember, for example, the House Select Committee on the House Beauty Shop? This was a real panel that existed from 1967 to 1979 to investigate how to make the House beauty shop better. Many technological advances emerged from the process. Without the work of the committee, its doubtful that, years later, Newt Gingrichs hair would have been possible. Admittedly, beauty is more important than the Jan. 6 event in which thousands of people pushed their way forward into the U.S. Capitol, resulting in domestic terrorists engaging in Ostrogoth-level combat with Capitol Police and Mike Pence fleeing for his life. Samuel Corum / TNS In fact, this event was so insignificant that it doesnt really have a commonly accepted name yet. We cant keep calling it The January Sixth Thing With the Guys With the Stuff. Sign up to get Colins newsletter delivered to your inbox, for free A bipartisan, bicameral commission would presumably have, as its first function, coming up with a catchy name we could all get behind. The House of Representatives has now passed a bill for this kind of a commission. Somewhat surprisingly, 35 Republicans one-fifth of the caucus voted for the bill. Speaker Nancy Pelosi wooed Republican votes by adopting the cagey strategy of saying yes to everything they asked for. The bill calls for 10 members, five appointed by each party. In this sense, the new commission would closely resemble the 2014 House select committee to investigate the Benghazi committee and ascertain whether or not Hillary Clinton was a witch, the only difference being that the Benghazi committee had seven Republicans and five Democrats, which is why the panel voted to throw water on Clinton and see if she melted. The Riot Commission (name supplied by me) would also not be able to subpoena witnesses unless the chair (a Democrat) and vice-chair (a Republican) agreed or unless a majority of the 5-5 panel voted for it. Sample Republican challenge: Could the vice chair be Rudy Giulianis brain implanted in the body of a Proud Boy? Pelosi: Yes. Republican: Thats outrageous! If youre going to oppose a simple request like ...Wait, did you say yes? Pelosi: Yes. Republican: OK. Did not see that coming. House Republican leadership was not willing to roll the dice even on a commission where they could essentially impede anything. One possible reason is that the top-ranking House Republican Kevin McCarthy could be called to testify about his reported shouting match with President Trump while rioters were trying to break into McCarthys office. McCarthy was asking Trump to call off the mob, and Trump reportedly told him, Kevin, I guess these people are more upset about the election than you are, and McCarthy reported used the f-word. McCarthy to Rudy-Proud Boy Chimera: You cannot allow them to subpoena me about the screaming match. Understand? Rudy-Proud Boy Chimera: Glurgle. McCarthy: Wait. Does glurgle mean you do understand? Rudy-Proud Boy Chimera: Glurgle. McCarthy: We have a problem. Senate leader Mitch McConnell has said he will oppose the commission in his chamber because it would be slanted and because law enforcement already has the matter well in hand. Nearly 450 people have been arrested, with another 100 or so arrests likely in the coming weeks. Let me ask you this: When was the last time 450 people from all over the United States were arrested for things they did in the same place on the same day? The sheer plentitude of the perp pool is one of the many reasons you need a 30,000-foot view of this horror show. There are also questions not answerable by yahoos with zip ties and horn hats. Why did it take more than three hours from the time the Capitol Police called begging for help for the Defense Department to green light that help? Do they not have cable? Im especially fond of the answer provided by then-acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller: This isnt a video game, its not Halo, its not Black Ops Call of Duty. Darn right! You cant expect the military to rush off and save some far-flung location like the U.S. Capitol. First they have to assemble a Slow Reaction Force and then run it past the Joint Chiefs of Mulling and then bring it out to Fangorn Forest to discuss it with the Ents. This is not Super Mario Kart White Supremacist Odyssey! What role did Republican members of Congress play in encouraging the rioters? Did they help plan Jan. 6? Did they fan the flames on that day? Did they help the invaders coordinate the attack? These are not matters the FBI can took into. You need an investigative panel. And theres precedent. In 2011 the federal government funded a $600,000 scientific investigation of why chimpanzees throw their feces. It turned out that the worst feces throwers were members of groups such as the Banana Keepers and the Proud Bonobos. Dont make me connect the dots for you. Colin McEnroes column appears every Sunday, his newsletter comes out every Thursday and you can hear his radio show every weekday on WNPR 90.5. Email him at colin@ctpublic.org. Sign up for his newsletter at http://bit.ly/colinmcenroe. MINNEAPOLIS (AP) Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison announced Friday that his office will lead the prosecution of a former suburban police officer who is charged with second-degree manslaughter in the death of Daunte Wright. Former Brooklyn Center Officer Kim Potter, who is white, fatally shot Wright, a 20-year-old Black motorist, on April 11. The citys police chief, who has since stepped down, had said he believed Potter meant to use her Taser instead of her handgun. Daunte Wrights death was a tragedy. He should not have died on the day that he did. He should not have died the way that he did, Ellison said in a statement. Ellison said he took the case at the request of Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman, after another prosecutor Washington County Attorney Pete Orput gave the case back to Freeman's office. Orput initially had the case under an agreement signed last year in which metro-area prosecutors said they would take each other's cases in which someone dies after an officer uses force. After Orput charged Potter with manslaughter, he came under intense pressure from activists who called for murder charges to be filed. Protesters held demonstrations outside his home. Orput had said publicly that he believed manslaughter was the appropriate charge. Ellison said a review of the evidence and the charges against Potter is underway, but his statement did not indicate whether murder charges would be filed. Nekima Levy Armstrong, a civil rights attorney who was among those demonstrating outside Orput's house, said she was glad to hear Ellison's office was taking the case . However, she said she would accept nothing less than murder charges. The case rises to the level of murder charges, she said. This is not the situation where an officer should receive a slap on the wrist. ... I don't know why anyone should accept a manslaughter charge." Levy Armstrong said she believes racial profiling led to Wright's initial stop by police and Potter escalated the situation. She also said Potter's decades on the force and the fact that she should've known better as a trainer all point to reasons for more serious charges. Wright's mother has said he was pulled over for an air freshener that was hanging from his rearview mirror; police say he was stopped for expired tabs, and then officers discovered he had a warrant for a gross misdemeanor weapons charge. Potter fatally shot Wright seconds after he pulled away from officers as they tried to arrest him. Jaylani Hussein, executive director of the Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, also welcomed Ellison's involvement and said he believes a third-degree murder charge should be filed. Obviously our next step is to see, after reviewing all of the facts, if there will be additional charges, which we think are warranted in this case, he said. Ellison said Assistant Attorney General Matthew Frank, who manages the office's criminal division, will supervise the case. Frank was one of the trial attorneys in the case against Derek Chauvin, a former Minneapolis police officer convicted of murder and manslaughter in the May 25 death of George Floyd. Ellison will actively assist, and Freeman's office will also provide staff. I did not seek this prosecution and do not accept it lightly, Ellison said. I have had, and continue to have, confidence in how both County Attorney Orput and County Attorney Freeman have handled this case to date. ... Prosecutors are ministers of justice. This means we must and will follow justice wherever it leads." When asked whether the Chauvin case would be a template for how Ellison will handle Potter's case, Ellison told the Washington Post that every case is unique. "Our approach will be tailored to the case itself. I dont want anyone to expect that because we did one thing in one case were going to do the same thing in another case. In his statement, Ellison said: If prosecutors ensure that prosecutions are vigorous and swift, if legislators at every level pass long-overdue reforms, if police leadership demonstrates misconduct has no place in the profession, and if community continues to keep up the cry for justice, we will break the cycle of history and establish a new standard for justice. Orput thanked Ellison for his leadership and said in a statement that he was grateful Ellison's office took the case, adding that he believes the review and prosecution of cases like this belong with the Attorney General's Office. Gov. Tim Walz said he was also glad Ellison's office was taking the case. He said that he and the first lady hosted the Wright family at the Governor's Residence this week and heard their desire to have the strongest legal team to seek justice for their family. No verdict will bring Daunte back to his family, but I have full faith that Attorney General Ellison will build the best team possible to pursue accountability for what happened that tragic day, Walz said. ___ Find APs full coverage of the death of Daunte Wright at: https://apnews.com/hub/death-of-daunte-wright CEUTA, Spain (AP) Officials in Ceuta, a Spanish enclave in North Africa, faced complications Friday in reuniting worried Moroccan parents with hundreds of children and teenagers swept up in a diplomatic standoff between Madrid and Rabat over migration and the disputed territory of Western Sahara. So far, authorities have confirmed 438 unaccompanied minors were among more than 8,000 people who arrived in Ceuta from Morocco between Monday and Wednesday by scaling a border fence or swimming around it. Social service workers were checking the ages of many more young people who are in shelters or roaming the streets, Mabel Deu, a spokesperson for the autonomous city, said. A hotline set up Thursday had received 4,400 calls by a day later from desperate relatives seeking information, she said. Many of the inquiries were about minors. Our goal is that they reunite with their parents as soon as possible because we understand the anguish and worry of many families who dont know where their children are, Deu said. Morocco has already taken back over 6,600 of the migrants who made it to Ceuta, Spanish authorities said. Entering the city put them in European Union territory. Hundreds of thousands of asylum-seekers attempt to reach Europe from Africa each year. Many of the anxious relatives calling the hotline are just a few miles across the border, in the Moroccan city of Fnideq. But stepped-up vigilance along an 8-kilometer-long (5-mile-long) border and the overwhelmed resources on the Spanish side making the reunions difficult. Fatima Zohra told The Associated Press that other girls pushed her 14-year-old daughter to cross the border without her mother's knowledge. Zohra said she spotted her daughter in photos from inside the warehouse where Spanish officials are keeping the minors while they process them. Please help me find my daughter, she said. We always provided for her. We have money. Her father works in a private company. Spain is legally obliged to care for young migrants until their relatives can be located or until they turn 18. Authorities are deciding where in the Spanish mainland to distribute 260 of the minors already in Ceuta before the latest surge. But reunions are also proving difficult to bring about, Deu said. Some children told social services they really want to stay, even against their parents' wishes. Others can't get home soon enough. I want to leave this place. I dont want Ceuta. I want Morocco," AP reporters heard a girl crying at a one center Save The Children, an international non-profit, said speeding up the return of the minors should be done on a case-by-case basis, upholding the child's safety and interests above everything else. The humanitarian crisis started as Morocco and Spain were at odds over Spain agreeing to provide COVID-19 care to a prominent Sahrawi leader fighting for the independence of Western Sahara, a territory once under Spanish control that Morocco annexed in the 1970s. While blaming Spain for creating a diplomatic dispute by hospitalizing the leader of the Polisario Front, Moroccan authorities have denied that they encouraged this week's mass migrant crossings to Ceuta. Witnesses and reporters, including AP's, have described seeing the border guard relax controls. But at least two Moroccan officials have separately attributed the massive surge to favorable weather or troops being tired following Ramadan celebrations. This was not improvised, it was planned. Morocco benefits by sending us and clearing people out," an 18-year-old who crossed this week into Ceuta told AP. "We are Moroccos experiment. We are like lab rats." The young man asked for his name not to be disclosed for fear of deportation and other reprisals. Moroccos central police directorate called allegations that public agencies and officers encouraged the crossings false. In response to AP's questions, the directorate said statements from minors not under the watch of parents or guardians cannot be relied upon or based on. Adult migrants remaining in Ceuta were scattered between makeshift shelters and a migrant holding facility where some asylum-seekers were taken. Many, especially Moroccans, were also roaming the streets, hiding from police patrols rounding up migrants. No more migrants arrived in the city without authorization for the third day in a row after Moroccan authorities stepped up vigilance. However, security forces on both sides of the fence separating Morocco from Melilla another Spanish territory in North Africa repelled groups of youths trying to reach Spanish soil. The government said at least 70 of them made it in throughout the day. Sovereignty claims over Ceuta and Melilla by Morocco have been an intermittent flashpoint between the two Mediterranean neighbors. But relations dipped to a low this month over Spains decision to host Brahim Ghali, who leads the Sahrawi's fight against Morocco's annexation of Western Sahara. Ghali, who arrived under a different name with an Algerian passport, is recovering in a hospital from COVID-19. Morocco's ambassador to Spain, Karima Benyaich, on Friday warned that the crisis could worsen depending on how Spain deals with Ghali. To choose the same procedure for his departure is to choose the stagnation and the worsening of the crisis, Benyaich told Spain's public broadcaster TVE. The self-declared Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, which Ghali also leads, blamed Morocco on Friday for using expansionist policies, aggression, and blackmail in trying to push European countries toward accepting its claim to Western Sahara, following the recognition the United States gave last year. The conviction by Moroccan diplomats that Trumps declaration could create a global dynamic to legitimize the annexation and illegal occupation of Western Sahara by Morocco resulted in a political fiasco, the group said. Morocco has offered to grant wide-ranging autonomy to the territory, where a U.N. peacekeeping force has monitored a cease-fire since 1991. The Polisario Front says local people have the right to a referendum on self-determination. ___ Aritz Parra in Madrid, Tarek Ananou in Ceuta, Spain, and Tarik El Barakah in Rabat contributed to this report. ___ Follow APs global migration coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/migration WASHINGTON (AP) Something went wrong at the security checkpoint at the VA hospital in El Paso, Texas, on a winter's day in 2016. A 70-year-old man arriving for dental work was put in a chokehold and thrown to the ground by federal police officers in an altercation that was caught on camera. The man, Jose Oliva, left needing surgery on his shoulder and also required treatment for his throat, eardrum and hand, on which he wore a gold watch he received when he retired after 25 years in federal law enforcement. But when Oliva, who identifies himself as Mexican American, tried to sue the three officers who were involved, a federal appeals court ruled he was out of luck. Hes asking the Supreme Court to revive his lawsuit and the justices could say what they're going to do as early as Monday. The case puts before the justices the issue of suing law enforcement officers who used chokeholds and possibly excessive force at a time of national reckoning over police tactics and treatment of people of color. I just think when Im alone, letting my mind wander, how could this have happened to me, who served a year in the combat zone and then the rest of my life in law enforcement? How could this happen to me? Oliva said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press. Now 76, Oliva said he still has trouble swallowing and his shoulder still hurts five years after the incident. There is no sound to accompany the images from the day, but Oliva appears to be waiting in line to go through security and at no time physically resists the officers. He said the trouble began when an officer asked him for his identification, which he indicated he already had put in a bin that was about to be scanned. The officers and Oliva dispute precisely what was said. But at one point, Officer Mario Nivar approached Oliva with handcuffs at the ready. As soon as Oliva reached the metal detector, Navir grabbed him, applied a chokehold and wrestled Oliva to the ground. Oliva said he heard a popping sound as his shoulder was wrenched behind his back. Oliva was charged with disorderly conduct, but the government later dropped the charge. Nivar was assisted by two other officers, Mario Garcia and Hector Barahona. James Jopling, Nivar's lawyer, declined to make his client available for an interview or to respond to questions himself. But lawyers for the other men described Oliva as obstinate in refusing to comply with repeated requests for identification and said the officers acted appropriately. "Because at that point, hes a potential threat. You dont know what he is or what hes carrying. His obstinate refusal is a concern to everyone. A 70-year-old man can handle a .45 pistol just as well as an 18 year old, said Louis Lopez, Barahona's lawyer. Gabriel Perez, representing Garcia, said the video lacks context, in part because there is no sound. He's a veteran obviously, but he's entering a public place, a federal installation. Signs state you have to present ID before you are admitted. He's requested to provide identification. He refused, Perez said. U.S. District Judge Frank Montalvo ruled that the lawsuit could go forward, noting that officers do not contend that Oliva resisted arrest. This is critical as an officer who grapples and chokes a suspect who is not actively resisting violated clearly established law, Montalvo wrote. Fifty years ago, the Supreme Court ruled that, in limited circumstances, people could sue federal officers for violations of their constitutional rights. Seven federal courts of appeals have held that officers can be sued for rights violations in the course of standard law enforcement operations. But the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which includes Texas, reversed Montalvo's ruling. A three-judge panel held that the right to sue basically is limited to the same situation the Supreme Court ruled on in 1971, when federal agents entered a home without a warrant, then manacled and strip-searched a suspect. Appeals court judge Don Willett was not on the three-judge panel that decided Oliva's case, but in a concurring opinion in another 5th Circuit case that dismissed a lawsuit on similar grounds, Willett called the attack on Oliva unprovoked and worried that Oliva and others like him find themselves without any legal recourse. Are all courthouse doorsboth state and federalslammed shut? he asked. Willett said he was compelled by previous 5th Circuit rulings to agree the other lawsuit should be dismissed. In urging the Supreme Court to take the case, Oliva's lawyers with the libertarian Institute for Justice quoted Willett that under the law in the 5th Circuit, which also encompasses Louisiana and Mississippi, federal officials "operate in something resembling a Constitution-free zone. Oliva, who retired from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection in 2010, said he has a high regard for police officers because he was one of them. But he said his experience at the VA hospital five years ago brings to mind more and more the recent attacks on people who have been killed, George Floyd, Eric Garner and the others. The job does not entail assaulting people." Arnold Gold / Hearst Connecticut Media The opinion article by Edward Marcus about the shooting in Branford caught my eye. I was raised in Connecticut, graduated from North Haven High School in 1968, and have many fond memories of my home and surrounding towns. I am still connected to many of these communities because my high school friends and I remain close, lifelong friends. It saddened me to read about the incident in Branford; however, I take exception to Mr. Marcus opinion article. He said, I believe this monster can only be tamed by enacting new, sensible laws relating to the ownership of guns and the type of guns that may be purchased. Monster? I presume Marcus was referring to the shooter. What current federal and state firearm laws are not sensible, I ask? Did the shooter obtain his firearms legally, or did he break current laws to obtain them? Mr. Marcus implies that the monster was experiencing stress, and perhaps that is why he went on a shooting rampage. Nobody wants dangerous people to have access to firearms, but all too often gun confiscation laws do not ensure that those found mentally ill receive the care they need. Dont call for more laws that do not address the root cause of violence or allow for due process. Credit unions pride themselves on being socially responsible, and with good reason. Social responsibility is one of the nine credit union operating principles, and the movement prioritizes meaningful community involvement. But is your credit union being socially responsible in the digital realm? As part of our four-part series on digital responsibility were working to better understand the various ways that digital can lead to unintended consequences, including critical steps credit unions should consider taking to avoid negative outcomes for their communities. Our first article covered the environmental impacts of digital, including both eye-opening facts such as the reality that if the IT industry were a country, only the United States and China would contribute more to climate change and some try now steps for credit unions to improve their digital environmental footprint. This month, well focus on the social impacts of digital. As we look back on the last 12 months, there are powerful examples of the positive effects of digital. Could you imagine getting through 2020 without Zoom, online grocery orders, at-home deliveries, and virtual healthcare and learning options? But sadly, while digital tools were imperative to staying connected and fulfilling basic needs during COVID-19, they were just as frequently used to drive partisan wedges. Every flavor of digital, but especially social media, was used to spread violent, racist, and hateful rhetoric. The English Premier League even enacted a three-day social media blackout to call attention to the racist online abuse to which its Black players were being subjected. And thats not to mention that frequent hacks of businesses, hospitals, utilities, government entities, and more demonstrate not only of the fragility of our digital ecosystem, but also our utter dependence on it. The recent shutdown of the Colonial Pipeline following a ransomware attack, which caused widespread gas shortages, is a particularly ominous reminder. And lets not forget other social aspects of digital, such as disparities in access geographic, economic, physical/cognitive abilities and the potential for built-in bias when using tools like artificial intelligence (AI). Here are the three critical questions your credit union should be asking: 1. When it comes to personal data, are we offering our members insight, control, and security? In 2018 the European Union enacted strict laws to manage how personal data was collected and used by digital players, and now theres something similar closer to home: the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). The CCPA, which went into effect last year, gives consumers control over if and how their data is collected and used. Those affected by the law include businesses with at least $25 million in revenues who have data from at least 50,000 California consumers (or devices) and who earn more than half of their revenue selling consumers personal data. It seems inevitable well see similar regulation in more states in the coming years. Although credit unions dont typically sell consumer data, as we mentioned in this 2020 article, data breaches and privacy issues are increasingly common, and we may see a trajectory similar to what we saw when the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements were applied to online technology. The move to give consumers more control over how their data is used isnt surprising. Pew Research reported most Americans feel they have little control over how their data is collected, are at least somewhat worried about how its used and believe the risks of collecting their data outweigh the benefits. With more than 36 billion consumer records exposed in the first three quarters of 2020last year was the worst year on recordmembers are right to be concerned. What can your credit union do now? Recognize that protecting member data is the right thing to do. We know it wont be easy and will impact a wide variety of credit union efforts, but being able to protect your members data and offer them critical control will go a long way toward building strong member relationships. Involve resources from multiple departments in your strategy development: legal, marketing, IT and compliance to start. Audit your current data collection practices. Understand what youre actually tracking. Create a policy for data collection. Consider sharing this on your website members are increasingly likely to want to know what youre collecting and how you use their data. Let members control or opt out of data collection. Civic has a tool that can help, and at PixelSpoke weve created a custom solution for some of our California-based clients, like USE Credit Union . Take steps to protect data security. This is a broad topic that certainly cant be addressed in a paragraph, but here are some key things to consider. Security isnt ITs jobits everyones. Act accordingly. Ransomware attacks are likely your main area of concern. Ransomware attacks grew by 150% in 2020, and the average payment as of Q4 2020 was an eye-popping $154,108 . If you havent added information security to your C-suite, nows the time to consider it. One thing to keep in mind as you improve your data security: the impact it could have on your marketing. Some of the regulations built into laws like CCPA might make it more difficult to tap into useful member data, harder to personalize your messaging and more challenging to know what elements of your marketing are/arent working. It will be up to you to find the right balance between protecting your members and tapping into data that will help you better serve them. One example to consider is Apple, which has taken an aggressive stance with their new tools to help customers restrict how they are tracked on iPhones. Apple is championing the cause of consumer control over their data and, in the process, differentiating from its biggest competitor, Google. Can credit unions differentiate around this approach? 2. Do our digital tools meet the needs of all our members? Over the past year, weve seen rapid deployment and adoption of digital tools in credit unions across the countrya true pandemic silver lining. But if you havent done it already, make sure those resources meet everyones needs, not just those of the average user. As an example, though this article from the World Bank is nearly seven years old, it advocates for digital financial inclusion, demonstrating a prescient grasp of the importance of e-money and mobile banking options to provide the financially excluded and underserved with access to financial services. What can your credit union do now? Ask members what they need from you. Dont assume you know what frustrates your members about your digital tools or which digital updates theyll appreciate mostask them. Weve found members are surprisingly willing to share their thoughts when given the opportunity. Focus on stress cases. Instead of designing products, services and digital resources for the average user, design them for the outliers. As we discussed in an earlier CUInsight article , this mindset will allow you to serve all of your members well. For instance, closed captioning doesnt just help members with hearing impairment, it also helps those in a noisy environment. Similarly, voice-to-text can give those with limited vision access to your website and help those who cant look at a screen at that moment (say someone whos driving or a parent juggling the needs of young children). And what are you doing to create products, services and support that meet the needs of the under-servedespecially people of color? 3. Do our digital tools contain built-in bias? Tim Fricka recent Pixelspoke podcast guest and digital ethics expertpointed out that organizations dont intentionally put irresponsible digital practices into place. He suggested a host of issues could be to blame: for instance, a failure to include diverse perspectives in the research, development, or creation process, or a failure to fully understand and address the impact of your digital products, services, and practices. Another underlying cause: a reliance on algorithms with built-in biases. According to this article from Brookings, our countrys current legal and regulatory structure around non-discriminatory lending doesnt mesh well with AI and many of the factors built into AI underwriting like credit scores have a disparate impact on people of color. According to Federal Reserve Governor Lael Brainard, Depending on what algorithms are used, it is possible that no one, including the algorithms creators, can easily explain why the model generated the results that it did. Wed love to think algorithms offered impeccable objectivity, but theres plenty of evidence to suggest theyve replicated and sometimes worsened human bias. After all, any algorithm is only as good as the data and assumptions that power it, and many are built on decades of inequity. A 2018 study from UC Berkeley, which found that fintech algorithms charged minority borrowers an average of 40% less when compared to face-to-face lenders, could be used as an argument in favor of algorithmic lending. But these rates were still higher than rates offered to non-minority borrowers. That means we still have a lot of work to do. What can your credit union do now? Manage potential problem areas upfront. Before diving into your next digital project, hold a pre-mortem: Imagine yourself in the future, faced with a disastrous rollout or unintended consequences. Then, come up with all the things that could have caused it and solve for them going in. Fricks list of problem areas provides built-in solutions. Start with appropriate research/development teams and provide the resources they need. Involve critical voicesfor instance, dont launch digital tools designed to help underserved people of color if you dont involve them in the process. Make an effort to understand what happens after you launch your product/service/practicecollaborating with people outside your organization might be a good way to address these challenges. Remove bias from your data and improve your models. A Harvard Business Review article about how AI can make bank loans more fair recommended the following three steps: Use AI to remove bias, not reinforce it . Existing data tends to reflect previous bias and its incredibly difficult to uncover and address this manually. HBR found AI does a better job spotting/correcting patterns of historic discrimination in raw data. Regularize the algorithm. After data clean-up, the article recommends building in an additional layer of fairness by regularizing the algorithm so that it penalizes the model if it treats protected classes differently. Add an AI-driven adversary. HBR recommends one final step to assure that what appears to be a neutral model truly is: Creating an adversarial AI-driven model. Its this models job to predict bias in your chosen model and pinpoint underlying problems. Credit unions cooperative, member-centric focus drives a special appreciation for the social ramifications of digital. Although it wont necessarily be easy to address the issues weve brought up throughout this piece, the first step is to be aware of potential pitfalls. In our next article, well discuss the economic ramifications of digital responsibility. Meanwhile, lets encourage each other to find better ways to use digital to responsibly protect and assist the members who need us most. Much like Captain Ahab chasing the white whale, or Don Quixote tilting at windmills, banks and credit unions spent the better part of a decade searching for what exactly Millennials wanted from a financial institution. Millennials the first generation to grow up with an inherent comfort level with the digital world were said to want robust mobile banking apps and preferred community institutions to megabanks. Unless, of course, they actually liked the comfort of having a branch nearby, and appreciated the robust tech offerings of big banks. Ultimately, financial marketers came to realize that with such a huge generational group, there were many nuances and that relying on generational stereotypes was likely to be misleading. With the oldest Millennials approaching 40, financial institutions now have another opportunity to reach the next generation at an early stage (not abandoning earlier generations in the process, of course). Gen Z is roughly defined as those born in 1997 or later, according to the Pew Research Institute. Sens. Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) introduced a bipartisan bill, the Credit Union Employee and Member Safety Act Thursday. The bill would update the credit union member expulsion process while ensuring a fair procedure for reinstatement. We thank Sens. Smith and Sasse for their bipartisan bill that would modernize the Federal Credit Union Act to support staff and member safety, said CUNA President/CEO Jim Nussle. We look forward to working with them to advance this bipartisan legislation so that we can bring credit union governance into the 21st century. CUNA, the Minnesota Credit Union Network and the Nebraska Credit Union League engaged directly on the bill. This bill is an important update of the federal credit union charter and prioritizes the safety of credit union members and the staff that serve them, said Mark Cummins, president/CEO of the Minnesota Credit Union Network. We appreciate Senator Smiths commitment to strengthening the security of Minnesota credit unions. STORY LINK GBP/CAD Forecast: Pound to Canadian Dollar Exchange Rate Heads Higher on UK Retail Sales Figures Pound Sterling (GBP) Exchange Rate Heads Higher on UK Retail Sales Figures The value and volume of sales were both up 9.2% when compared with March 2021 reflecting the impact of the re-opening of all non-essential retail stores in April. This signalled continued recovery in the retail sector following the growth in March (5.1%) and February (1.8%). The output and order book growth seen in May, and record level of business optimism, are consistent with GDP rising sharply in the second quarter and for strong momentum to be sustained through the rest of the year, albeit with the current quarter likely representing a peak in the growth rate. Canadian Dollar (CAD) Exchange Rate Awaits Canadian Retail Sales GBP/CAD Exchange Rate Forecast: Coronavirus Developments in Focus Like this piece? Please share with your friends and colleagues: The Pound to Canadian Dollar exchange rate (GBP/CAD) is heading higher today following the release of the latest retail sales from the UK.The GBP/CAD pairing are currently trending at around CA$1.7149 as Canadian Dollar investors await the latest retail sales from Canada later today.The Pound has been heading higher against the Canadian Dollar this morning following the release of the latest UK retail sales figures.Retail sales surged to 9.2% during April as much of the UK high street reopened from coronavirus restrictions.The Office for National Statistics explained the rise in retail sales saying:Sterling finds further support in flash PMI data from the UK for May which has shown that the IHS Markit UK Composite Output Index rose to 62.0 in May, from 60.7 in April, the fastest rate of growth in more than 20 years.Chris Williamson, Chief Business Economist at IHS Markit, commented on the index saying:The Canadian Dollar has weakened today as markets await the latest retail sales figures from Canada for March.Canada retail sales are forecast to have risen 9% annually, which would be the highest level since before the coronavirus pandemic began in March 2020.A broad weakness in the US Dollar has seen the Loonie limit its losses this morning, as risk-on trade causes the US Dollar to fall further.Over the weekend, Pound investors will be keeping an eye of any further coronavirus developments as a surge in Indian variant cases of the virus could cause the UKs roadmap out of lockdown to be delayed.Canadian Dollar traders will keep an eye of the global market mood in the coming days, a further pullback in the US Dollar could see the Loonie head higher. International Money Transfer? Ask our resident FX expert a money transfer question or try John's new, free, no-obligation personal service! ,where he helps every step of the way, ensuring you get the best exchange rates on your currency requirements. TAGS: Pound Canadian Dollar Forecasts Instant unlimited access to all of our content on currypilot.com. The Curry Coastal Pilot's E-Edition Newsletter emailed to you each week, the night before the paper hits the street! This subscription is for NEW or RENEWING online subscribers. (The charge will appear as "Country Media Inc." on your credit card statement) Local featured Police arrest 8 protesters, two reporters working for USA TODAY cday / Chris Day/The Daily Advance A woman later identified as a reporter working for the USA TODAY Network is escorted by a police officer after her arrest covering a protest over Andrew Brown Jr.s shooting death in the citys downtown, Wednesday night. Police arrested two USA TODAY reporters and eight protesters during the protest Wednesday night. jeure / By Julian Eure Freeman Elizabeth City police arrested 10 people during protests related to Andrew Brown Jr.s fatal shooting Wednesday night, two of whom were reporters covering the protest. City Manager Montre Freeman said seven of those arrested were charged with failure to disperse. One protester was charged with assault on a government official and damage to property. Freeman didnt have details why the protester faces those charges. Freeman confirmed the two members of the media arrested work for USA TODAY. It did not appear from a list he provided of those arrested that the two reporters were charged. A story on the USA TODAY website Wednesday night identified the two reporters as Ayano Nagaishi and Alison Cutler, government watchdog reporters for The News Leader, a newspaper based in Staunton, Virginia, that is part of the Gannett newspaper chain. According to Freeman, those arrested and charged with failure to disperse included: Deshawn Javon Morris, 21, of the 700 block of Roanoke Ave.; Kerwin Pittman, 34, of the 3200 block of Burntwood Circle, Raleigh; Jessica Kelly, 48, of the 200 block of E Burgess St., Elizabeth City; Vernishia Marla Mason, 29, of the 800 block of Hunter St., Elizabeth City; Valerie Lindsey, 42, of the 1000 block of Walker Ave., Apartment 903, Elizabeth City; Lydia Maria Sturges, who, according to police, also goes by Lydia Maria Robinson, 32, of the 100 block of Shady Bluff Drive, Gastonia; and Kristie Puckett Williams, 41, of the 11100 block of Damson Plum Lane, Charlotte. Robert Baldwin, 28, of the 400 block of Semel Ave., Iselin Middlesex, New Jersey, was charged with assault on a government official and damage to property, according to Freeman. Of those arrested Wednesday night, it appears only Robinson had been arrested during a previous protest connected to Browns shooting death. According to city police records, Robinson was arrested April 29 and charged with disorderly conduct. She was released after posting a $250 secured bond. The arrests Wednesday night were the first connected to the ongoing Brown protests in more than two weeks. About 30 protesters marched through downtown late Wednesday evening. The arrests occurred around 9 p.m. in the area of Martin Luther King Drive and Main Street, where protesters had gathered outside the Elizabeth City Police Department. Freeman defended officers decision to arrest the two reporters and the eight protesters, noting the city has been extremely flexible up to now accommodating the protests in their 29th day as of Thursday while also trying to ensure the safety of everyone. Freeman said each time a protest has resulted in arrests Wednesdays 10 arrests increased the total number to approximately 32 since Browns death hes reviewed the circumstances to ensure police applied consistent procedures. Thus far, hes comfortable with the procedures weve followed, he said. Weve been extremely consistent and clear about our directives throughout the protests, he said, noting, Youve got to do a lot out there to get arrested. Freeman said the two members of the media were apart from the main group of protesters when they were arrested. He said the reporters were taken into custody after officers requested them to move along and they refused. He said its also his understanding the reporters went beyond their role documenting the protest and were not following officers directives. Reporters have to decide if theyre going to be a protester or a reporter, he said. They can be both, but they have to follow the directives of the officers out there. Eyewitnesses, however, said the reporters were just doing their jobs and did not disobey officers directives. According to The Associated Press, William Ramsey, executive editor for USA TODAY Networks Southeast Central region, tweeted that the journalists were doing a public service and that being taken into custody will not stop them from doing their jobs for readers. Freeman said Wednesdays protest was organized by Kirk Rivers, a former city councilor who has led a daily protest in the city since Browns death. Rivers, who was not among those arrested, previously has said the protests he leads are focused on getting the full body camera footage of Browns fatal shooting released to Browns family and then to the public. Under the permitting system the city is using for the protests, protest organizers are supposed to state the day, time and location of their protest as well as an approximate number of those taking part. While protests that include marches are supposed to proceed peacefully from one point to another, Freeman noted city police have been extremely flexible with the requirement. There hasnt been a protest since they started that hasnt allowed protesters to stop along the way, he said. He noted a large protest march on a Sunday several weeks ago that allowed protesters to stop at several sites, including Browns house on Perry Street. We have been extremely flexible and will continue to be, giving people an opportunity to exercise their 1st Amendment rights, he said. But we have to do it in a fashion that doesnt impede the rights of others. Freeman said theres no blueprint for how city police respond to the protests, noting were learning as we go along through this process. He added that sometimes people, as part of a protest, decide to get arrested, and thats part of the process, too. Freeman said the unfortunate thing is my police department is having to deal with all of this, a reference to the fact it was another law enforcement agency the Pasquotank Sheriffs Office responsible for Browns fatal shooting. He said city officers faced the ire of protesters Wednesday night, but police responded as they have since the protests began: professionally. Were not going to waiver from that at all, he said. Freeman said he is appreciative that other law enforcement agencies like the N.C. Highway Patrol are in town to help block off streets for the daily protests. That helps keep motorists away from the protests and traffic flowing, he said. Wednesdays protesters started their march at the intersection of Water and Elizabeth streets, but after being warned by police they could be arrested for blocking the roadway they left and began marching toward downtown. They followed Poindexter Street south and turned right at Fearing Street. At MLK Drive, they turned right toward Main Street and the police station. Two buses used by police to transport special response officers were parked on MLK Drive and facing north. When the stoplight at MLK and Main turned red the protesters marched in a circle in the middle of Main Street. When the light turned green they got out of the roadway and began to march south on MLK back toward Fearing Street. Several police officers that had been observing from the sidewalk on MLK suddenly approached the protesters, many of whom ran in the opposite direction to avoid being arrested. One woman was seen being taken into custody in the crosswalk on the west side of Main and MLK Drive. Police chased after several others and took at least three people into custody in the vicinity of McMorrine and Main streets. One of the three appeared to be a member of the press; she was wearing a yellow reflective vest that identified her as a member of the media. The protesters appeared to disperse for the night after the arrests. Weather Alert ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT EDT TONIGHT... The Flash Flood Watch continues for * Portions of northeast North Carolina and Virginia, including the following areas, in northeast North Carolina, Bertie, Camden, Chowan, Eastern Currituck, Gates, Hertford, Northampton, Pasquotank, Perquimans and Western Currituck. In Virginia, Amelia, Brunswick, Charles City, Chesapeake, Cumberland, Dinwiddie, Eastern Chesterfield (Including Col. Heights), Eastern Henrico, Greensville, Hampton/Poquoson, Isle of Wight, James City, Lunenburg, Mecklenburg, Newport News, Norfolk/Portsmouth, Nottoway, Powhatan, Prince Edward, Prince George, Southampton, Suffolk, Surry, Sussex, Virginia Beach, Western Chesterfield, Western Henrico (Including the City of Richmond) and York. * Until Midnight EDT tonight. * Additional heavy rainfall is possible this afternoon into this evening as a frontal boundary becomes nearly stationary across the region. Up to 2 to 4 inches of rainfall may fall in a short period of time in the heavier thunderstorms, leading to the potential for flash flooding. * Low lying areas near creeks, streams, and rivers and locations with poor drainage could become inundated with floodwater and inaccessible. Flooding of roadways and road closures are also possible. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... You should monitor later forecasts and be prepared to take action should Flash Flood Warnings be issued. && An American pastor said that church leaders have a responsibility before God, despite COVID restrictions imposed by governments. In an interview with Stephen Strang on "Strang Report" podcast, published by Charisma News, Bill Johnson of Bethel Church in California shared that ministry leaders, including himself, have cooperated with authorities during lockdowns when the pandemic hit, but also ensured maintaining the values "as leaders of a church family." Church leaders were forced with the government's control measures but have succeeded in the end. Johnson revealed that he saw how the glory of God came to his church after restrictions in the state were relaxed. He said that his congregation started to meet again after the government began "to open up a bit". They put up tents and every night, they would gather for prayer meetings. "Hundreds and hundreds of people would show up, and God has provided breakthrough for us. We are back in corporate gatherings-at about 50% capacity-and we're inching our way toward full capacity," the pastor added. Johnson pointed out that church leaders "have a responsibility before God" to warn people which have to be done with grace, kindness and love. "It's just a mandate that we have from the Lord, to represent Him well with what you do. If we've been called into the positions we're in, we need to love people well and serve them well, and to give them instructions on how to do life," he continued. He was surprised that during the pandemic, the church was deemed "nonessential" by the government, imposing fines on churches for holding worship services. He said that they were "warned [by] the Lord to get into the system and not be afraid of politics and politicians." "We have worked really hard with our local authorities to do what is responsible in this pandemic. We've walked in good standing with the city and had good counsel with the health leaders. We've tried to be responsible citizens, but also responsible for the Lord to love people and serve them well. It's been our approach to honor city government because we have meaningful relationships there. But, most importantly, we must be honorable to serve the church well, and that's what we've committed ourselves to do," he further stated. He shared that though other churches continued to meet in the Redding area, the media focused on Bethel Church because it is a high profile one, criticizing every action the observers thought was inappropriate. "We felt that our responsibility was to follow the policies the best way we knew how, but also to make our presence known and to train our people to have their meetings in their homes. And so, we ignored all policies that said people couldn't meet in homes and that sort of thing. We actually worked hard to support or to fuel or empower the people to meet in homes, and we've had tremendous breakthrough as a result," he also said. During the lockdowns, Bethel Church was livestreaming its services. Johnson said that they have "Bethel TV" and Youtube channel, with 500,000 people signing up for the TV. The pastor disclosed that a lot of people shared that their lives have been changed just by watching the church's online services. He also revealed that many of their staff in the church, including his wife, have experienced being cancelled by having their social media accounts taken down, simply by showing support to President Trump or the Supreme Court, which the Big Tech considered as "hate speech." Asked how the Church and Christians could stand up against the government's rules on outlawing some teachings in the Bible, the minister replied that it would depend on "who is in charge" but is "deeply concerned" with the "goals and ambitions" of the current regime, which he said is trying to work into making the Bible labeled as "hate speech." He also said that the Church must stop the notion that it should not be involved in politics. He criticized some of the government's legislations today, which he said are considered "insanity" 10 years ago, citing the introduction of transgenderism to children without parents' consent, as an example. Johnson stated that Christians must make their voices heard. They should not just criticize but also bring solutions to make their cities better, which he said is their approach as a Church. In the interview, Strang uncovered that he will be releasing his new book, "God and Cancel Culture: Stand Strong Before It's Too Late," which will be available on Sep. 7. Dalton, GA (30720) Today Partly cloudy with isolated thunderstorms possible. High 83F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 30%.. Tonight Thunderstorms likely this evening. Then a chance of scattered thunderstorms overnight. Low near 70F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 70%. The shutdown of 13 churches by the Algerian government in 2018 was the beginning of government restrictions on Christians. All Protestant churches are now shuttered, and individual Christians are experiencing the worst of government persecution. The International Christian Concern (ICC) reports that since the COVID-19 outbreak struck Algeria, Protestant churches have stayed closed due to "safety" concerns, but mosques and the Catholic Church have been permitted to resume their worship services inside. The Protestant Church of Algeria (EPA) was notified by the Ministry of Religious Affairs that it was not their obligation to handle the reopening of the churches, but they did not name another body responsible. Further, the UN Algerian envoy said that it was in fact their job to do so. Persecution against the church gained momentum in October 2019 when Algerian President Bouteflika retired, according to Salah Chalah, President of the EPA and head pastor of Full Gospel Church in Tizi-Ouzou. Pastor Chalah contacted ICC before, requesting prayer for Algeria and sharing a video of his church being forcefully shuttered in October 2019. With two weekly services, active social media, and virtual prayer sessions and trainings, the Algerian Protestant Church now runs nearly exclusively online. With no more churches to close, the Algerian government seems to be focusing on individual believers. Pastor Chalah told the French paper "Christianity Today" that the nation is now seeing a "new wave of persecution." Hamid Soudad, an Algerian Christian, lost his appeal and was sentenced to five years in jail for blasphemy. In 2018, he was found guilty of posting a caricature of Islam's prophet on Facebook. Hamid's lawyer, Farid Khemisti, believes the highest penalty was given to him because he is a Christian. Both the court and the prosecution were shocked, according to Khemisti, as he offered the alleged explanation for Hamid's sentencing. His $750 USD fine was also upheld by the courts. Following the first incident, Hamid was charged by a former coworker who was an Islam fanatic. In December 2020, he was the one who filed the complaint lawsuit. Hamid was unaware of any continuing problem until authorities arrived at his home on January 20, 2021. He was condemned to jail without warning the following day. On May 16, Pastor Rachid Sieghir and his bookstore assistant Nouh Hamami had their last appeal for two-year jail terms on blasphemy charges reviewed, and a decision is expected on May 30. The two men were found guilty of proselytizing and sentenced to two years in jail and a fine on February 27. Their cases were set to be heard on April 18. When the business was seized in September 2017, the police seized Christian literature that was used to justify their conviction. Their allegation of preaching stemmed from an Algerian legislation prohibiting "producing, storing, or disseminating printed documents, audiovisuals, or using any other means with the intent to undermine the faith of a Muslim." Pastor Rachid and Nouh Hamami were sentenced in absentia on February 27, 2021, for identical charges. Both incidents are at least three years old. Students walk throughout campus wearing masks as protection from COVID-19 on Sept. 23, 2020. The University of Oregon implemented new rules and regulations, such as wearing masks on campus grounds, for further protection for the University of Oregon community. (Maddie Knight/Emerald) KINGSTON, N.Y. The state Attorney General's Office and Kingston Police Department will host a gun buyback event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Satur The Ulster County Legislature's next meeting is to be held Tuesday, June 15. The date was incorrect in an article last week. Paul Kirby is a reporter for the Freeman, covering Kingston politics. He has been at the Freeman since August 1996. KINGSTON, N.Y. The city took 80 weapons off the street during its "Groceries for Guns" buy Ashland, KY (41101) Today Thunderstorms, accompanied by locally heavy rainfall at times. High around 80F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%. Locally heavy rainfall possible.. Tonight Cloudy this evening then becoming foggy and damp after midnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 67F. Winds light and variable. Gov. Tom Wolf encourages Pennsylvanians to vote No on disaster response ballot questions on the upcoming primary ballot during a news conference at the Allegheny County Courthouse on Wednesday, May 12, 2021, in Pittsburgh. Pennsylvania voters will decide May 18 on two state constitutional amendments limiting the governors emergency declaration powers. In background is Pennsylvania Democratic Party chair Nancy Patton Mills. Arriving on campus for the first time as a freshman can be stressful for a multitude of reasons, so keeping yourself busy is key to settling into a healthy routine. In order to get into this new college lifestyle, Virginia Tech provides its students with plenty of opportunities outside the c Madison, SD (57042) Today Windy with a mix of clouds and sun. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High around 80F. Winds NW at 20 to 30 mph.. Tonight Clear skies. Low 56F. Winds NNW at 10 to 20 mph. FILE - In this May 12, 2021 file photo, Gov. Tom Wolf speaks at an event in Mechanicsburg, Pa. Beyond the local races on ballots, Pennsylvanias primary election will determine the future of a governors authority during disaster declarations. Voters statewide Tuesday, May 18 will decide four separate ballot questions, including two on whether to give state lawmakers much more power over disaster declarations. @ChescoCourtNews on Twitter Michael P. Rellahan has been a staff reporter and editor at the Daily Local News since 1982. He has covered all kinds of news over the years but is now assigned to report on court and legal news, as well as Chester County government news and politics. A Norfolk Southern freight train is eastbound on the track paralleling the 1400 block of Penn Avenue in Wyomissing. Use of the company's tracks is a key to a plan to restoring passenger rail service between Reading and Philadelphia, according to PennDOT. The proposal continues to move forward. Since its inception nearly a century ago, the BBC has haughtily assumed the moral high ground. In a world of increasingly diverse and sometimes dubious news sources, the state broadcaster portrays itself as a shining beacon of integrity, fairness, decency and honourable conduct. Indeed, its self-aggrandising mission statement could not be clearer: The corporation's cornerstones are 'trust' and 'honesty'. Richly funded by a torrent of public money, it appears to look down its nose at what it considers its grubbier commercial rivals in TV, radio or newspapers who must land scoops to survive. And from its pulpit, it sanctimoniously denounces other media organisations at the first hint they may not be squeaky clean. Cast your mind back a decade. What a hullabaloo the BBC raised when rogue elements of the red-top Press were accused of phone hacking. 'If anyone was in any doubt about the appalling emotional damage inflicted, read Prince William's blistering statement skewering the BBC' The blanket coverage it devoted to that scandal hastened the closure of the News of the World and triggered the Leveson Inquiry, with chilling implications for media freedom. Every allegation of dastardly Press practice drew howls of outrage from Television Centre. Today, though, we know the Emperor has no clothes. Behind the sermonising, the broadcaster has been exposed as nothing more than a pious hypocrite. While purporting to be a scourge of dishonesty, it has mirrored the worst excesses of the tabloid journalism it vilifies. Lord Dyson's report into Martin Bashir's controversial Panorama documentary with Princess Diana is truly excoriating. Pulling no punches, the eminent retired judge lays bare in devastating detail the dirty tricks campaign deployed to dupe her into granting a bombshell interview in 1995. Lies. Deception. Manipulation. Forgery. Fraud. These were the tactics used by the BBC and then covered up. But on a day that unearthed the broadcaster's horrendous journalistic failures, the Mail is proud to have deployed the power of the Press to expose this disgrace. But don't just take our word for it. Listen to Amol Rajan, one of the BBC's most respected presenters: 'It is thanks to determined reporters, not least at the Daily Mail group, that we have the first full account of the real story behind the most remarkable, and arguably most consequential, interview in British TV history.' By revealing the web of lies Bashir spun to Diana and her brother Earl Spencer to secure the explosive confessional, this paper forced the BBC to order the independent judge-led inquiry. Yesterday, the unvarnished truth buried for a quarter of a century emerged. Throughout that time, the BBC has smugly revelled in what it regarded as its finest hour. Damningly, the judge castigates the BBC for falling short of the 'high standards of integrity and transparency' A global audience watched Diana give her now infamous 'three of us in this marriage' remark and confess her own adultery. In a thank-you letter to Bashir, Tony Hall later the corporation's director-general gushed: 'It was the interview of the decade if not of our generation.' Bashir had, he added, behaved in 'absolutely the appropriate fashion'. That, we now know, is demonstrably false. Lord Dyson, who rightly left no stone unturned, finds Bashir guilty of 'deceit and dishonesty'. By preying on the vulnerable princess, he acted in 'serious breach' of BBC ethical guidelines. But every bit as shameful is the corporation's egregious attempt to cover up the scandal. Within months, Mr now Lord Hall knew that Bashir had mocked up the financial documents, then lied about it. Rather than ask tough questions, his subsequent internal investigation, says Lord Dyson, was 'woefully inadequate'. Exonerating their star reporter, BBC management conspired to brush the sordid details under the carpet. A news blackout was imposed, whistleblowers thrown to the wolves. Damningly, the judge castigates the BBC for falling short of the 'high standards of integrity and transparency which are its hallmark'. That hallmark is now profoundly tainted. Of course, some may roll their eyes and dismiss this as nothing more than a media storm in a teacup. 'Mr Davie must grasp this opportunity to begin to restore its battered reputation and make sure such calamitous failures never happen again' And how telling is the deafening silence from the self-appointed judges of media morality such as Hacked Off and holier-than-thou Left-wing activists, who come down like a ton of bricks on any perceived infraction by newspapers they dislike. But uncovering this scandal is important. The state broadcaster apparently felt no compunction about stooping to potentially illegal subterfuge to entrap a fragile member of the Royal Family. Sure enough, the chain of events activated by the dishonestly obtained Panorama interview was seismic. Indeed, it is no exaggeration to suggest that by exploiting the mother of our future king so ruthlessly, the course of history was changed. Certainly, those close to Diana now draw a direct causal link between Bashir's mendacity and her death. Rocked by the TV revelations, the Queen instructed Charles and Diana to divorce. The princess was subsequently stripped of her royal title and, fatally, lost her security detail. Had she still been afforded royal protection, she would almost certainly not have been in a speeding car, a drunk driver behind the wheel, in Paris on August 31, 1997 the fateful night she was killed. 'Lord Dyson's report into Martin Bashir's controversial Panorama documentary with Princess Diana (above) is truly excoriating' Quite apart from the tragedy of a young mother losing her life in such horrific circumstances, the repercussions changed the monarchy and, arguably, the face of Britain. And the reverberations are still keenly felt. If anyone was in any doubt about the appalling emotional damage inflicted, read Prince William's blistering statement skewering the BBC. In a crushing intervention, our future king effectively accuses the broadcaster of contributing to his mother's death by fuelling her 'fear, paranoia and isolation'. Prince Harry, whose pain at the loss is barely concealed, went even further: 'Our mother lost her life because of this.' But the human cost of this despicable episode doesn't end there. The princess's trusted staff and friends were shunned after being traduced. Matt Wiessler, the graphic designer who raised the alarm about Bashir's modus operandi, was not rewarded for exposing wrong-doing. Rather, he was unceremoniously sacked and blacklisted his life destroyed. The BBC panjandrums implicated, however, escaped untouched, enjoying gold-plated pensions and sinecures. Lord Hall, to name but one, sits pretty as chairman of the National Gallery. But can he honestly say he's upheld the standards required for public life, including integrity and openness? Many would say not. The Culture Secretary, who appointed him to the prestigious post, should give the question of removing him very serious thought. Moreover, it would be remiss of Scotland Yard not to read Lord Dyson's report before deciding if crimes have been committed. If anyone in the corporation is suspected of any offences, they must be investigated and, if found guilty, should feel the full force of the law. Current BBC director-general Tim Davie, who in his short tenure has shown himself to be decent, had no choice but to issue a grovelling apology. (By stark contrast Bashir shamelessly sought to evade blame, whining that the furore detracted from Diana's 'brave' interview.) Mr Davie has also written to the Royal Family to apologise the least he could do. And, in a further humiliation, he has handed back the awards Panorama won for the combustible programme. Despite insisting lessons have been learned, forgiveness will not be granted easily to the BBC. After all, this was a flagship programme screened at prime-time and seen around the world. And rather than involving a single rogue reporter or department, the tentacles of impropriety stretched to the very top of the monolith. 'Millions of viewers quite rightly ask themselves whether they are getting the service they deserve for the money they are virtually compelled to pay.' Pictured: Broadcasting House Not unfairly, the organisation faces fresh calls to lose part of its income. Ministers are again baring their teeth and threatening to decriminalise avoidance of the licence fee. This paper is first to admit the BBC does many things magnificently. Its best output is of the highest quality. But millions of viewers quite rightly ask themselves whether they are getting the service they deserve for the money they are virtually compelled to pay. Leave aside that the corporation is a bloated, bureaucratic relic of another era. Countless Britons are switching to streaming services while others press the off button, rankled by the BBC's achingly 'woke' anti-Conservative fixations. While it is still considered (just) a great national institution, Mr Davie must grasp this opportunity to begin to restore its battered reputation and make sure such calamitous failures never happen again. As William rightly points out in his extraordinary attack, the broadcaster 'not only let my mother down, and my family down; they let the public down too'. Speaking of the importance of a free Press, the Duke of Cambridge acknowledges the triumph of journalism in getting to the bottom of this scandal in the face of nearly three decades of disgraceful obfuscation and denial. That's undoubtedly true. But it should not overshadow the fact that in its 99-year history, this is the BBC's day of greatest shame. When a man behaves abominably it is natural to concentrate ones fire on him. So it is with Martin Bashir, who has emerged from a report by former senior judge Lord Dyson, and a BBC1 Panorama programme shown on Thursday evening, as a deceitful and mendacious person. What he did in gaining the trust of Diana, Princess of Wales and her brother, Earl Spencer, was despicable. He appears to have been so determined to make a name for himself in which endeavour he certainly succeeded that he cast all decency aside. There was another man in this drama, though, whose actions have not been fully considered. Unlike Martin Bashir, he did not set out with a self-interested motive. But his response to the revelations of Bashirs perfidy was morally wanting. He also stands accused of being at the centre of a cover-up. Theres no disputing that Lord Hall displayed remarkable ineptitude in his investigation into Bashirs chicanery in early 1996 BBC grab from video of Earl Spencer, the brother of the late Diana, Princess of Wales, appearing on Panorama Lord Hall has many questions to answer perhaps more than Bashir, who has been effectively skewered both by Lord Dyson and his erstwhile programme, Panorama. I am speaking of Tony Hall Lord Hall who was Managing Director of BBC News at the time of the interview. Having later left the Corporation, he returned to the surprise of many to become its Director-General in 2013, and stayed until last year. One of the great and good, he is now chairman of the board of trustees of the National Gallery. Theres no disputing that Lord Hall displayed remarkable ineptitude in his investigation into Bashirs chicanery in early 1996, a few months after the controversial interview with Diana. In strikingly unjudicial language, Lord Dyson says that he and his deputy Anne Sloman were woefully ineffective. In particular, Lord Hall did not interview Lord Spencer, which Lord Dyson calls a big mistake. Bashir had shown some faked bank statements to Lord Spencer, which led him to introduce the journalist to his sister Diana with calamitous consequences. Lord Dyson also criticises Lord Hall for declaring that Bashir was an honest and honourable man after the bent reporter had dishonestly claimed on three occasions that he hadnt shown Lord Spencer the notorious bank statements before finally owning up. In other words, Lord Hall knew Bashir was a liar but backed him. He is also accused by Lord Dyson and the excellent Panorama programme of glossing over Bashirs serious misconduct both to the BBCs Board of Management and its Board of Governors. These are very grave lapses in so senior a figure, and there can be no doubt that if Lord Hall were still on the payroll at the BBC he would be forced to resign. Perhaps the most serious charge against him, made very forcefully by Panorama, is that he briefed the BBC Press Office incorrectly. Thus after the Mail on Sunday ran a front-page story about the fake bank statements in April 1996, the BBC wrongly repudiated any connection between them and the Diana interview. BBC journalist Martin Bashir and his wife Deborah at the British Academy TV Awards (Baftas) in London in May 2000 The Martin Bashir interview with Princess Diana in November 1995, which used mocked up bank statements to get her speak And so the brouhaha ebbed away. The Diana story is probably now dead, unless Spencer talks, crowed Anne Sloman. It would have remained dormant until the end of time if Lord Spencer hadnt made his seismic revelations to this newspaper last autumn. We can only speculate as to why Lord Hall bent over backwards to protect a man he knew had lied to him on a serious matter. Did he have a particular fondness for Bashir? Was he anxious to protect the good name of BBC journalism, of which Bashirs activities would make a mockery if they were made public? Or did he privately welcome the consequences of the interview? For it did not merely cause agony to Dianas sons, William and Harry an outcome which I cant imagine Lord Hall wanted. It also damaged the monarchy. Whatever his motivations for safeguarding Bashir, Lord Hall threw a cloak over a scandal that has lasted 25 years. He and a few other BBC insiders knew the complete truth, and they decided to keep it to themselves. Most extraordinarily, in 2016, when Lord Hall was back at the BBC as its Director-General, he approved the appointment of Martin Bashir as Religious Affairs Correspondent. The former rogue reporter, who knew where some bodies were buried, was on board again. Although Lord Dysons report is excellent, it focuses on the fateful interview and its immediate aftermath, and doesnt concern itself with the question of whether there has been a systematic cover-up. In general there are far too many official reports, many of whose recommendations are blithely ignored. But there must surely now be a proper inquiry into whether there has been a cover-up at the BBC and, if so, who orchestrated it. Lord Hall has many questions to answer perhaps more than Bashir, who has been effectively skewered both by Lord Dyson and his erstwhile programme, Panorama. Lord Birt, Director-General at the time, and apparently kept in the loop by Lord Hall, must also give an account of himself. Until or unless Lord Hall can counter suspicions that he deliberately buried the facts, his chairmanship of the National Gallery, and even his membership of the House of Lords, should be in jeopardy. Its time the whole lamentable truth finally came out. Beeb boss: Lord Hall when he took over as Director-General in 2013 Oprah and Prince Harry sit opposite each other in armchairs. There is an empty fireplace in the background but a furnace of emotion blazes between them. It wont be long before sparks fly and tears fall. It is what they want. Maybe it is also what we want from this glossy, five-part mental health awareness docuseries produced by the pair of them; featuring the issues and tissues that bedevil not just their good selves, but other fractured celebrities and civilians, too. Surely, yes, we all need to learn more about what makes these people tick, what makes them tock, what is the weeping cheese to their stoic chalk? We dont have to wait for long. Prince Harry has walked onto the stage of American life and given it all he has got a tragic backstory Oprah cries when she details some of the wellsprings of her own hurt including a mother whom she believes rejected her because of the darkness of her skin. We hear from Lady Gaga who also cries and explains how she has psych breaks over the sexual trauma she suffered at 19. A tiny, uncharitable voice deep inside my own wounded psyche wonders why, if the therapy they ceaselessly advocate is so wonderful, are they still crying? Hush, inner imp of emotional crimp! Listen instead to actress Glenn Close movingly reveal that she was trapped in a cult for the first few decades of her life. So was Prince Harry, if we are to believe the version of events he unpacks here, the dirty royal laundry he has been unfurling like naval signal flags since he set foot in California. Oprah pounces when he talks of the terrible days following the death and funeral of his mother, Princess Diana. Was anybody talking about it around you? No one was talking about it, he replies, shaking his head. That seems utterly astonishing, even by Windsorian standards of upper lip fortitude. Perhaps there was something good on telly that week? Dogs to walk, pheasants to strangle, chandeliers to starch? Or whatever it is that these royal fuddy-duds do when they should be unburdening themselves of toxic emotions while striving to maintain good mental health practices. Anyway, now we know why Harry was so quiet during the Oprah-Meghan interview; he was saving all the plums in his pudding of hurt to serve up here, piping hot and juicy in a sequel designed to cause equal damage. We dutifully go over many of the same events, only this time they are told from his perspective. The Duchess of Sussex, whose past thoughts of suicide are given another airing, does not appear. Yet there are moments when it still feels like we are listening to her voice. I heard someone say pain that is not transformed gets transmitted, says Harry. That is basically projection, right? he says elsewhere. Despite his emotional literacy, one wonders how much he really has in common with his new audience, despite the trouble he has taken to turn his wealth, pedigree and fame into the kind of relatable millstones Particularly as, at the end of this five-hour suffer-fest also known as The Me Me Me You Cant See, many viewers will be left wondering what on earth was the point of it all, except to burnish the victim credentials of all who took part? He talks of processing, of learning journeys, of triggering, of being trapped in a thought process, of being corralled in a negative mindset. None of it seems to make him any happier. It is important, I think, to remember that Prince Harry is not a mental health professional and has no training, proficiency or expertise in this field. Yet that does not stop him talking as if he is, at one stage even mansplaining the global mental health consequences of the pandemic as if he were Sigmund Freud explaining his theory of the id at the University of Vienna. The one thing we can agree on is that everyone has experienced a different version of the same thing. This year has surely proven that 99.9 per cent, if not 100 per cent of us, have now officially all experienced some form of trauma or some form of grief or loss, booms Harry. Such nonsense. Officially, we havent, unofficially we havent, what the hell is he going on about? Yet Oprah merely nods along, tickling the lovely royal trout she landed a long, long time ago. Yes, Harrys hurt is awful to behold, something that is seeded into his psyche like a crop he feels he must harvest over and over again, an itch that must be scratched. Yet it is not grief that fuels him, but anger. He wants to punish someone, but who? His interest in mental health is clearly genuine and in a short time he has become fluent in therapy-speak, although with a princely tendency to drift when monologue-ing into a camera. Despite his emotional literacy, one wonders how much he really has in common with his new audience, despite the trouble he has taken to turn his wealth, pedigree and fame into the kind of relatable millstones that say: I suffer, too. Particularly as, at the end of this five-hour suffer-fest also known as The Me Me Me You Cant See, many viewers will be left wondering what on earth was the point of it all, except to burnish the victim credentials of all who took part? Despite its high production values, you have to wonder what kind of real impact this will this have in America, where the kind of help it endorses is beyond the pockets of those who need it most, and where free health and psychological services are even harder to access than they are in the UK. And where does it leave the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who have told their story, and now they can only tell it again. And again. This time around, the impact of Harrys past suffering was already diluted, the revelations blunted by repetition. Prince Harry has walked onto the stage of American life and given it all he has got a tragic backstory. He means well, of course he does, but without his royal role he has no clarity of function, only a vague, inchoate, hippy-dippy wish to be some sort of public healer. Again and again, we returned to the churning parade ground of his own troubles, to where he still hears the echo of the horses hooves that rang down the streets of London on the day of his mothers funeral. It is overwhelming, it is exhausting, but perhaps not in the way he wishes. This has been a great week for journalism. Yes, I know what youre thinking as you read that sentence. Humphrys has finally lost it. Too many early mornings on Today and half a century of being on the front line of news reporting and presenting have finally taken their toll. The poor chap obviously hasnt been paying attention to whats been going on. In the past 48 hours the nation has been exposed to a litany of revelations that have shocked anyone with even a smidgeon of concern about the future of journalism in this great country. The most sensational interview with the most famous woman of her time turns out to have been a terrible fraud. Princess Diana had been led to the microphone by a rogue reporter who lied and lied and lied again. His bosses suspected the truth but used every device in the book to cover it up. The BBC, which has stood for a century for all that is decent and honest about this country, has been dragged into the gutter. When stories started to emerge that there might have been something seriously fishy about Bashirs tactics we pricked up our ears. But sadly, thats all most of us did Yes. The BBC. The one institution we thought we could turn to for its impartiality and square dealing, its incorruptibility in the face of enormous pressures, its devotion to that most precious commodity in any decent society: the truth. The BBC may be damaged beyond repair all in the space of 48 hours. A great week for journalism? Yes. And thats because, quite simply, we know a great many things today that we did not know a few days ago. Yesterday there was not a paper in the land that did not lead with the story of the Dyson report something that would never have been published had it not been for good journalists doing their job. People like the Mails Richard Kay, Sam Greenhill, Paul Revoir and Rebecca English, and the Mail on Sundays Nick Fielding and Jason Lewis. They went after the truth and, when they uncovered it, these newspapers published it. That, when everything else is stripped away, is what journalism is about. It is what journalists at the BBC should have been doing. I include myself in that. Theres no real difference between those of us who practise our trade sitting behind a microphone in a nice warm radio studio and those out in the cold streets pounding the beat in hot pursuit of a grubby delinquent. Nor is there any difference between us and our bosses. Or, rather, there shouldnt be. The BBC, which has stood for a century for all that is decent and honest about this country, has been dragged into the gutter Before they became lofty dignitaries with secretaries and big offices, the news editors and heads of news and even all-powerful director-generals were hacks just like us. Old-timers like me may boast about our humble beginnings aged 15 on the local rag. While posh types like Tony Hall joined the BBC straight from the finest universities in the land, earmarked from their first day as candidates for the very top jobs they were the chosen ones. But we were all hacks. Or at least thats how we should have seen ourselves. The job of a journalist is easily described. It is to tell our readers, viewers and listeners whats going on in the world and why. It is to try to get behind the messages that those in power want to deliver. To examine their motives. To seek out the facts. And, when we uncover the truth, to report it. Unvarnished. Without fear or favour. Thats all. Everything else is icing on the cake. And thats why, when I read Lord Dysons report and watched John Wares excellent documentary that was finally broadcast on Thursday night, I felt uncomfortable. I had failed. Not only me, but all my colleagues on the BBCs vast journalistic staff who might, just might, have had an inkling that there was something not quite right about how Martin Bashir managed to get the interview that every single one of us would have sold our grannies for. But journalism is a competitive business. Theres only one front page of a newspaper and only one top interview leading a news programme. We might congratulate our colleague who beats us to it, but it will be through gritted teeth. We want it to be ours. And Bashir had risen from relative obscurity to become the most famous reporter in the land. An overnight sensation. Of course there was a touch of jealousy. Resentment even. Why him and not me? Undeserved maybe, but you dont have to be a saint to be a hack. So when stories started to emerge that there might have been something seriously fishy about Bashirs tactics we pricked up our ears. But sadly, thats all most of us did. It had come hot on the heels of another piece of lamentable journalism the BBCs failure to identify a man who really was guilty of paedophilia: Jimmy Savile We had a defence of sorts. After all, our programmes editors were being told by their bosses that there was nothing of interest in the stories. Which is what they, in turn, were being told too by their bosses. The ones at the very top. We know now, thanks to Lord Dyson, that those stories were not just interesting: they were devastating. But worse far worse was how the man at the very top of BBC News, Tony Hall, had been dealing with them. When it became apparent that keeping schtum and hoping it might all go away was no longer an option, the BBCs top investigative reporter John Ware was commissioned to conduct his own inquiries and produce a Panorama special. His work shed disturbing light on what Lord Dyson described as Tony Halls woefully ineffective 1996 investigation. Ware dug around in the attic of Richard Lindley, one of Panoramas great reporters, who died two years ago. Lindley had written a book on Panoramas 50-year history in which he described a meeting between Hall, Anne Sloman the acting head of BBC current affairs programmes and John Birt, the BBC director- general at the time. Ware found Lindleys original notes of the meeting in which Sloman told him: We concluded that faking documents had been going on as a general practice. She went further: Our business creates monsters. Yet Ware says no evidence of Bashir having lied is mentioned in any of the documents written by Hall or Sloman that have surfaced. Indeed, Hall even described Bashir as honest... an honourable man. He was neither. Hall claimed he himself had been open and transparent with the [then] director-general and with colleagues on the board of management and I believe I gave them all the key facts... throughout I discharged my responsibilities in good faith. Lord Dyson found otherwise. He said in his report that Hall had presented facts to both the board of management and the board of governors as if they were uncontroversial... And yet he knew (but did not tell the board) that they derived from Mr Bashirs uncorroborated version of the facts and that Mr Bashir had lied on three occasions on a matter of considerable importance. Lord Hall himself now accepts that our investigation 25 years ago into how Panorama secured the interview with Princess Diana fell well short of what was required. The BBC was in massive trouble because of a Newsnight programme in 2012 which alleged that a distinguished Tory politician, Lord McAlpine, had been abusing children. A more serious charge is hard to imagine but it was all rubbish In hindsight, there were further steps we could and should have taken following complaints about Martin Bashirs conduct. Thats one way of putting it. Another is that for 25 years the BBC either evaded questions about the behaviour of Bashir or gave misleading answers. As Ware reports, BBC managers buried not only the 1995 production files of the interview but also the management files of the investigation by Hall in 1996. In the end, they came back to haunt them. There is something of an irony here. Hall himself might not have been director-general had it not been for an interview I did with his predecessor George Entwistle. As with Hall, the issue has been one of accountability the BBCs accountability to the public. What Entwistle did was break the rule followed by generations of big bosses not just at the BBC but at most great corporations. The rule that says: if at all possible... let someone else take the heat. The BBC was in massive trouble because of a Newsnight programme in 2012 which alleged that a distinguished Tory politician, Lord McAlpine, had been abusing children. A more serious charge is hard to imagine but it was all rubbish. It had come hot on the heels of another piece of lamentable journalism the BBCs failure to identify a man who really was guilty of paedophilia: Jimmy Savile. The BBC had a lot to answer for and an awful lot of explaining to do. When I reported for duty at 4am on that Saturday morning in November 2012, I expected to be told the BBC had issued a statement. Instead, my clearly stunned overnight editor told me Id be interviewing the director-general. Live. He wasnt half as stunned as me. The interview was a disaster for Entwistle. He knew he had effectively fallen down on the job and as the clock ticked very slowly away he also knew he was doomed. When he left the studio he reached across the microphone, gave me a wry smile and shook my hand. Six hours later his resignation was announced. Tony Hall took over. Entwistle had done the honourable thing. It had cost him his job but his resignation may have taken the sting out of the vicious public reaction to the BBCs failed journalism. Tony Hall appeared to believe that cover-up was the right strategy. He has been proved wrong. If history teaches anything, it is that the deliberate cover-up of a scandal is invariably more damaging than the scandal itself. Richard Nixon could have told Tony Hall that. He became the first president in the history of the United States to resign, because of the Watergate cover-up. The presidency survived. Can the BBC survive? That question has been asked several times in my 50 years at the BBC and the Entwistle interview has not been the only time Ive been at the centre of the crisis. Probably the most dangerous was an interview I did with journalist Andrew Gilligan in which he said the Blair government had sexed up the infamous dossier claiming Iraq had weapons of mass destruction. The fallout was devastating. Blairs spin doctor Alastair Campbell turned all the Governments firepower on the BBC. The inquiry set up by Blair led to the resignation of both chairman Gavyn Davies and director-general Greg Dyke. That inquiry came to be seen as a whitewash and all the claims in the infamous dossier were ultimately shown to be false. The man in charge of BBC News at the time, Richard Sambrook, made a crucial point some years later. It was the BBCs job, he said, to shine light in dark places but he added this caveat: You can only do it if you have the courage of your convictions if you have done your journalism properly and if you are properly able to weigh up the consequences of your actions. 'If the BBC is weak, or lacking in confidence, or isnt sure about its editorial judgments and methods, then it runs the risk of being pushed around... of losing independence in all but name. But as Sambrook acknowledged: There is a limit to the BBCs independence. Some would call it public accountability. 'It is a wonderful news organisation. It does some fantastic journalism every day. But there is a limit to it. The BBCs independence is always potentially under threat especially when the government of the day is coming under serious pressure on different fronts. The struggling Labour government of the 1970s wanted to do something about the BBC and Cabinet records show it considered getting rid of the licence fee and making its financing part of general government expenditure. That would effectively turn it into a state broadcaster. The licence fee is under threat today and not just because of Netflix and Amazon. A group of 128 British authors, actors, editors and filmmakers have just written an open letter warning that political and financial attacks threaten its future. The licence fee has never been under greater political pressure. And heres the irony. We need an independent, trusted, accountable national broadcaster as never before. Trustworthy journalism is being replaced in too many lives by extreme groups who use social media to push their dangerous rubbish on a gullible but growing section of the population. In short, we need a BBC we can trust. And we need newspapers to warn us if it betrays that trust. You'd never think it from the street, but behind the graffiti-splattered door of a disused warehouse is Melbourne's newest and most luxurious day spa. Inspired by bathhouses from around the world, Sense of Self in Collingwood is the brainchild of filmmaker Mary Minas and botanist Freya Berwick, who are determined to offer a 'no bulls**t' approach to wellness and relaxation. The spa, which was built inside an industrial warehouse, 3km from the CBD, by an all-female team that included Chamberlain Architects and SetSquare Studio, features a Finnish-style sauna, a large mineral bath and a cold plunge pool. A wooden bucket hoisted high on the wall outside the sauna can be tipped over to saturate you in freezing cold water, reinvigorating the skin after a long sweat session. This graffiti-splattered door down a side street in the inner-city suburb of Collingwood leads to Melbourne's newest and arguably most luxurious day spa Newly opened Sense of Self bathhouse (pictured) is the brainchild of filmmaker Mary Minas and botanist Freya Berwick, who wanted to create a 'no bulls**t' approach to wellness The spa, which was was built inside an old warehouse, features a Finnish-style sauna, a large mineral bath, a cold plunge pool and a spacious relaxation zone where no phones are allowed There's also an airy relaxation area where naps are not only welcomed, but encouraged. An unlikely addition to the hipster streets of Melbourne's north, the bathhouse windows overlook vibrant murals and trendy bars tucked off the beaten track. The design is an amalgamation of the finest features of traditional bathhouses from three continents. Ms Minas spent five months visiting the baths of Europe, Africa and Japan, according to Concrete Playground, while botanist Ms Berwick frequented a slew of Scandinavian saunas during her three years living in Norway. Signs proclaim the space to be a 'phone-free zone', but a small cohort of snap-happy visitors disregard the notices to capture photos like this one for Instagram An unlikely addition to the hipster streets of Collingwood, bathhouse windows overlook murals (pictured) and trendy bars tucked off the beaten track Sense of Self is an amalgamation of the finest features of traditional bathhouses from Europe, Africa and Asia The bathhouse (pictured) aims to help guests reconnect with themselves away from technology and the frenzy of modern life Ms Berwick used her skills to develop a line of organic mud and body products used at the spa, which offers luxurious scrubs and massages that range in price from $75 for 30 minutes to $200 for 90-minute experiences. Signs proclaim the space to be a 'phone-free zone', but a small cohort of snap-happy visitors disregard the notices to capture photos for Instagram. Pictures uploaded to social media have drawn stunned responses, with many saying they are 'desperate' to try the bathhouse for themselves. 'This is just incredibly beautiful,' one woman wrote. The spa has already attracted an audience of more than 20,200 Instagram followers just months after opening in February 'Wow, what an amazing place,' added another. A third said: 'I've been wanting to go here for so long, booking this weekend.' The spa has already attracted an audience of more than 20,200 followers just months after opening in February, and it's clear there will soon be more. Passes priced at $49 grant access to all the facilities for two hours, while bathing on the weekend will set you back $59 for the same period. Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige has admitted that casting Tilda Swinton in the 2016 MCU film Doctor Strange was a mistake. In the superhero film and later in Avengers: Endgame Swinton, 60, played The Ancient One, a character that is portrayed in the comic books as an older Asian man. Marvel Studios was accused of 'whitewashing' when Swinton, a white woman, took the role and now Feige has told Men's Health that while they thought they were being 'so smart' with the casting choice at the time, he now realizes why it upset so many people. Bad move: Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige has admitted that casting Tilda Swinton in the 2016 MCU film Doctor Strange was a mistake Whoops: In the superhero film and later in Avengers: Endgame Swinton 60, played The Ancient One, a character that is portrayed in the comic books as an older Asian man In the comic books, Yao, The Ancient One, is hundreds of years old and was born in a village in Tibet. But in the 2016 film, the Asian male character was played by Swinton as an androgynous white Celtic woman which upset many fans at the time. Feige says the casting choice wasn't made lightly, even if it's clear now that it was incorrect. 'We thought we were being so smart, and so cutting-edge,' he said. 'Were not going to do the cliche of the wizened, old, wise Asian man.' He realizes now, though, that it was possible to avoid playing into stereotypes without excluding Asian actors altogether. 'It was a wake-up call to say, "Well, wait a minute, is there any other way to figure it out? Is there any other way to both not fall into the cliche and cast an Asian actor?" And the answer to that, of course, is yes.' Mea culpa: Marvel Studios was accused of 'whitewashing' and now Feige says he now realizes why it upset so many people History: In the comic books, Yao, The Ancient One, is hundreds of years old and was born in a village in Tibet Critics have previously argued as much. 'Hollywood continually abstains from opportunities to put Asians onscreen, none more egregiously than when the source material calls for them,' wrote Rebecca Sun of The Hollywood Reporter in 2016. 'The problem is that this solution essentially throws the baby (Asian actors) out with the bathwater (racist Asian stereotypes). Skilled filmmakers rewrite characterizations, not characters,' she added. Previously, director Scott Derrickson had explained the decision, arguing that they were trying to avoid stereotypes. 'It was a challenge from the beginning that I knew I was facing with both Wong and the Ancient One being pretty bad racial stereotypes 1960s versions of what Western white people thought Asians were like,' he told the Daily Beast. 'We werent going to have the Ancient One as the Fu Manchu magical Asian on the hill being the mentor to the white hero. I knew that we had a long way to go to get away from that stereotype and cliche. 'We thought we were being so smart, and so cutting-edge,' he said. 'Were not going to do the cliche of the wizened, old, wise Asian man' 'It was a wake-up call to say, "Well, wait a minute, is there any other way to figure it out? Is there any other way to both not fall into the cliche and cast an Asian actor?" And the answer to that, of course, is yes,' he said So they decided to make The Ancient One a woman but he said they ran into the problem that 'when I envisioned that character being played by an Asian actress, it was a straight-up Dragon Lady.' 'I know the history of cinema and the portrayal of the Dragon Lady in Anna May Wong films, and the continued stereotype throughout film history and even more in television,' he continued. 'I just didnt feel like there was any way to get around that because the Dragon Lady, by definition, is a domineering, powerful, secretive, mysterious, Asian woman of age with duplicitous motives and I just described Tildas character. I really felt like I was going to be contributing to a bad stereotype.' Swinton herself also defended her casting to IndieWire, insisting ahead of the film's release that the backlash was just a 'misunderstanding.' 'Scott [Derrickson] will tell you that he made this very clear decision with Kevin Feige and the whole team to change The Ancient One from the rather, what they considered, offensive racial stereotype in the comic books,' she said. 'This kind of Fu Manchu, ancient man sitting on top of a mountain called The Ancient One. They made this decision to not perpetuate those racial stereotypes.' Up next: Feige, meanwhile, is hoping to rectify a previous dearth of representation with the upcoming film 'Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings,' starring Simu Liuand Shang Chi. But she thinks that people mostly got upset about her casting because it got swept into other controversial whitewashing castings of the time, including Scarlett Johansson in 'Ghost in the Shell,.' 'There was a moment, I think, when a couple of other films, "Ghost in the Shell" and "The Great Wall," were announced when people became absolutely righteously and rightfully very motivated to speak out about what they thought about whitewashing,' she said. 'We got kinda pulled into that, people not necessarily knowing what the thought processes were on Dr. Strange. 'Theres a kind of misunderstanding, which I hope the film will make clear when people see the film,' she said. Tilda's casting isn't the only thing that has drawn criticism from fans who want more representation in the films. Even Anthony Mackie, who plays Sam Wilson (a.k.a Falcon) and currently stars in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier on Disney+, complained about the lack of diversity both in front of and behind the camera. 'It really bothered me that Ive done seven Marvel movies where every producer, every director, every stunt person, every costume designer, every PA, every single person has been white,' he told Variety. Speaking outL Even Anthony Mackie, who plays Sam Wilson (a.k.a Falcon), complained about the lack of diversity both in front of and behind the camera 'It really bothered me that Ive done seven Marvel movies where every producer, every director, every stunt person, every costume designer, every PA, every single person has been white,' he said 'Weve had one Black producer; his name was Nate Moore. He produced Black Panther. But then when you do Black Panther, you have a Black director, Black producer, a Black costume designer, a Black stunt choreographer. 'And Im like, thats more racist than anything else. Because if you only can hire the Black people for the Black movie, are you saying theyre not good enough when you have a mostly white cast?' 'My big push with Marvel is hire the best person for the job, ' he continued. 'Even if it means were going to get the best two women, were going to get the best two men. Fine. Im cool with those numbers for the next 10 years. Because it starts to build a new generation of people who can put something on their resume to get them other jobs. If weve got to divvy out as a percentage, divvy it out. And thats something as leading men that we can go in and push for. Feige, meanwhile, is hoping to rectify a previous dearth of representation with the upcoming film 'Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings,' starring Simu Liuand Shang-Chi. The film also includes Awkwafina, Tony Leung, Michelle Yeoh, Fala Chen, Meng'er Zhang, and Ronny Chieng. A PE teacher has shared the extremely easy mezze platter she loves to make for her family on a Friday night, and it barely requires any preparation. Belinda Norton, from the Gold Coast, calls the dish the 'perfect anytime meal', as it requires just a few basic ingredients and around 40 minutes to put together. 'This is our team dinner that is ready in less than 40 minutes (and that's only because of the baking),' Belinda posted on Instagram. A PE teacher has shared the extremely easy mezze platter she loves to make for her family on a Friday night, and it barely requires any preparation (Belinda Norton pictured) Belinda Norton, from the Gold Coast, calls the dish the 'perfect anytime meal', as it requires just a few basic ingredients and around 40 minutes to put together (pictured) To make the platter, you'll need one or two sweet potatoes, turkey mince, fennel seeds, garlic olive oil, your choice of salad ingredients and chickpeas, cashews and salt and pepper for the homemade hummus. 'To start with bake the sweet potato in the oven,' Belinda said. 'In the meantime, roll up some turkey mince with fennel seeds and lightly roll it around in a fry pan with some garlic and olive oil.' Belinda (pictured) makes a homemade hummus of chickpeas, one quarter of a cup of cashews, one tablespoon of garlic olive oil and salt and pepper to taste Belinda also made a side salad for her platter, consisting of snow peas, parsley, sweetcorn, tomatoes and shredded carrot, which she then put onto a tray. 'I like to whizz up some Fit Mama hummus, which takes just one minute,' she said. To make the hummus, the mum said you need one can of chickpeas, one quarter of a cup of cashews, one tablespoon of garlic olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. You can also top it with some sesame seeds and parsley for a fresh hit, before plating everything up on a giant platter to enjoy. How to make Belinda Norton's simple mezze platter INGREDIENTS Belinda shared her simple recipe on Instagram (pictured) One or two sweet potatoes Turkey mince Fennel seeds Garlic olive oil Lettuce Tomatoes Shredded carrot Sweetcorn Snow peas Parsley For the hummus One can of chickpeas One quarter of a cup of cashews One tablespoon of garlic olive oil Salt and pepper to taste Sesame seeds (to serve) Parsley (to serve) METHOD 1. Pierce the sweet potatoes and bake in the oven for 40 minutes until crispy and soft on the inside. 2. At the same time, roll up some turkey mince with fennel seeds and lightly roll it around in a fry pan with some garlic and olive oil. 3. Prepare a side salad of snow peas, parsley, sweetcorn, tomatoes and shredded carrot. 4. Combine one can of chickpeas, one quarter of a cup of cashews, one tablespoon of garlic olive oil and salt and pepper in a blender. Add parsley and sesame seeds to the top of your hummus. 5. Arrange everything on the platter and enjoy. Source: Belinda Norton Advertisement Hundreds who saw the simple platter said they loved the look of it and couldn't wait to try it: 'Wow, that looks amazing, can't wait to try it,' one commenter posted. 'This has all the good stuff,' another added. Belinda (pictured) shared her top tips for platter, which include adding as much colour as possible with an assortment of different vegetables and dips When it comes to her general tips for serving platters, Belinda told FEMAIL that colour is key: 'Add extra vegetables and be brave with some of the vegetables being raw,' Belinda told Daily Mail Australia. 'Think of vegetables as the dippers and cut them into shapes for fun - you can use a cookie cutter and make them stars or flower shapes. 'These work especially well for kids.' The PE teacher also likes to use a variety of plant-based dips - including roasted carrot hummus (which requires adding carrots to the existing hummus mix) and beetroot hummus. 'You could also make your platter dessert style with fresh fruit and various yoghurts,' she said. 'Add grated chocolate or coconut yoghurt mousse to make it extra delicious.' To find out more about Belinda Norton, you can visit her Instagram profile here. The name Sarah has suffered the biggest fall in popularity in Australia of the past decade, according to new findings by trend-watchers McCrindle Research. The traditional moniker - shared by the likes of the Duchess of York Sarah Ferguson and actress Sarah Jessica Parker - was the most popular name in the country for baby girls born in the 1980s, alongside Jessica and Rebecca. But by 2020, Sarah ranked in 91st place overall, having dropped 69 places from number 22 in 2010. The name Sarah has suffered the biggest fall in popularity in Australia of the past decade, according to new findings by trend-watchers McCrindle Research (stock image) The traditional moniker - shared by the likes of Sarah Jessica Parker (pictured) - was the most popular name in the country for baby girls born in the 1980s, alongside Jessica and Rebecca The trend-watchers collated and analysed the most commonly chosen names in all Australian states and territories over the past year and decade. Other girls' names that have suffered dramatic declines include Maddison (currently 82nd place), Lara (88th), Summer (71st) and Claire (90th). Boys' names that have had a steep drop in popularity include Dylan (97th), Matthew (75th), Luke (81st), Riley (47th) and Daniel (58th). The girls' names that had the biggest fall 2010-2020 Sarah (current rank 91, down 69 places) Maddison (current rank 82, down 57 places) Lara (current rank 88, down 48 places) Summer (current rank 71, down 44 places) Claire (current rank 90, down 39 places) Advertisement The boys' names that had the biggest fall 2010-2020 Dylan (current rank 97, down 61 places) Matthew (current rank 75, down 52 places) Luke (current rank 81, down 49 places) Riley (current rank 47, down 41 places) Daniel (current rank 58, down 40 places) Source: McCrindle Advertisement Another famous Sarah includes the Duchess of York Sarah Ferguson (pictured) The researchers found Charlotte to be the favourite name for girls and Oliver to be the top name for boys in 2021. Both have been named number one for eight of the past 10 years, with only Olivia and Jack overtaking them for girls and boys on two occasions in the past. There were two surprising new entries in the top 10 for girls and boys: Matilda (10th) and Elijah (10th). The top 10 girls' names for 2021 included the likes of Amelia (2nd), Olivia (3rd), Isla (4th) and Mia (5th). The top baby boys' names also featured Noah (2nd), William (3rd), Jack (4th) and Leo (5th). The top 10 baby girls' names in Australia in 2021 1. Charlotte (1,556 occurrences) 2. Amelia (1,473 occurrences) 3. Olivia (1,456 occurrences) 4. Isla (1,397 occurrences) 5. Mia (1,287 occurrences) 6. Ava (1,237 occurrences) 7. Grace (1,083 occurrences) 8. Chloe (1,010 occurrences) 9. Willow (982 occurrences) 10. Matilda (971 occurrences) Advertisement The top 10 baby boys' names in Australia in 2021 1. Oliver (2,138 occurrences) 2. Noah (1,844 occurrences) 3. William (1,500 occurrences) 4. Jack (1,414 occurrences) 5. Leo (1,326 occurrences) 6. Henry (1,290 occurrences) 7. Charlie (1,228 occurrences) 8. Thomas (1,193 occurrences) 9. Lucas (1,158 occurrences) 10. Elijah (1,126 occurrences) Advertisement McCrindle also highlighted the monikers that have enjoyed the greatest rise between 2010 and 2020 and the names that have suffered the biggest fall in the past 10 years. Willow, Hazel and Violet for little girls have all made significant leaps in the top 100 for girls, while Leo, Theodore and Hudson have become more popular for little boys born between 2010 and 2020. McCrindle researchers highlighted that the 'botanical' name trend is still a huge inspiration for parents of girls. Of the top six girls' names that most significantly increased in popularity in the 2010s, three had a botanical theme: Willow, Ivy and Violet. The researchers found Charlotte to be the favourite name for girls and Oliver to be the top name for boys in 2021 (stock image) Meanwhile, the British Royal Family continue to capture the hearts of Australians, with thousands of parents opting to call their children Charlotte, William, Archie, Harry, George, Louis, Elizabeth and Charles after the key members. 'Among these new, emerging names we see the trends of girls' names ending in a vowel or vowel sound, and botanic influences and colours,' social researcher from McCrindle Ashley Fell said. 'We also see celebrity influences, with Luna growing in popularity since John Legend and Chrissy Teigen's daughter, Luna, was born in 2016.' Ashley added: 'There is also the trend of shortening names and adding an "ie" on the end (for example Elsie, Millie and Sadie). Shorter boys' names ending an "o" (Leo, Hugo and Arlo) are also on the rise for Generation Alpha'. Advertisement Prince Harry has revealed his sadness that his son Archie will never get to meet his late mother, Princess Diana, claiming that her name was among the youngster's first words. In his new mental health series with Oprah Winfrey The Me You Can't See, the Duke of Sussex said: 'I got a photo of her in his nursery, and it was one of the first words that he said apart from "mama", "papa", it was then "grandma". Grandma Diana. 'It's the sweetest thing, but at the same time, it makes me really sad because she should be here.' The doting father also released new footage of his toddler son playing on the beach and on the swings at home. In one clip in the programme believed to have been taken in the grounds of the Santa Barbara mansion, the toddler can be seen sitting on a swing with his back facing the camera, while another person, believed to be Prince Harry, can be seen swinging alongside him. Elsewhere in the documentary series, the couple included colour footage first seen in black-and-white during their explosive Oprah interview, which shows their son Archie running along a beach with Meghan Markle, 39. However, in both moments, royal fans will only be able to get a glimpse of Archie's face. It comes days after royal fans were left disappointed over not seeing Archie properly after Meghan and Harry released a new picture of their son to celebrate his second birthday. Prince Harry has revealed his sadness that his son Archie will never get to meet his late mother, Princess Diana, claiming that her name was among the youngster's first words. Pictured, a shot of Archie and Meghan on the beach from the mental health interview In one of the clips, which appears to have been taken at the Duke and Duchess' $14 million mansion in California, Archie can be seen sitting on a swing with his back to the camera Prince Harry opened up about his family and his mental health in the chat with Oprah Proud parents Meghan Markle and Prince Harry previously revealed more details of their son Archie's extensive vocabulary during a more light-hearted moment in their bombshell Oprah interview. Harry, 36, and Meghan, 39, who now live in Montecito, California, said that their talkative toddler's new favourite thing to say is 'hydrate', a week after his doting dad told James Corden's Late Late Show that Archie's first word had surprisingly been 'crocodile.' However the focus of the interview was on Prince Harry and his mental health. He revealed he was discouraged from discussing his mental health as a child following the sudden death of his mother, and when he tried to ask his family for help more recently when Meghan claimed she was feeling suicidal he was 'met with total silence' and neglect. Royal fans were given a rare glimpse of Archie as he played on the beach with Meghan Prince Harry, 35, and Meghan Markle, 39, who now live in Montecito, California, previously revealed their son Archie's favourite word is 'hydrate' (Archie pictured on the beach with Meghan in a shot shown on the Apple TV+ series) Meghan Markle was seen walking down the beach with Archie in a sweet moment broadcast in the series The toddler is seen carrying a dog toy while the family spend time together on the beach Meghan Markle embraces Archie in a moment shared on the AppleTV+ mental health series He said: 'I thought my family would help, but every single ask, request, warning, whatever it is, just got met with total silence, total neglect. 'We spent four years trying to make it work. We did everything that we possibly could to stay there and carry on doing the role and doing the job. But Meghan was struggling.' He said the way Meghan was feeling reminded him of his own mother's final days. 'History was repeating itself,' he said in an interview with Oprah. 'My mother was chased to her death while she was in a relationship with someone who wasnt white. And now look whats happened. 'Its incredibly triggering to potentially lose another woman in my life. Like, the list is growing. And it all comes back to the same people, the same business model, the same industry,' he said. He also discussed his failure to process the grief from the death of his mother; the helplessness he felt to protect her; his dependence on drugs and alcohol to numb the pain; his anxiety and sense of being trapped in the palace; his family's refusal to help when Megan felt suicidal and how therapy helped him 'break the cycle.' Prince Harry explained he had a photo of Princess Diana in Archie's nursery. Pictured, a young Prince Harry and Prince William with Princess Diana in 1995 'For me, therapy has equipped me to be able to take on anything,' he said. He says his family tried to prevent him and Megan from leaving when she claims she was suicidal and admits to drinking and doing drugs in his 30s. 'Eventually when I made that decision for my family, I was still told, You cant do this,' Harry recounted to Oprah. 'And its like, Well how bad does it have to get until I am allowed to do this? She [Markle] was going to end her life. It shouldnt have to get to that.' When asked if he has any regrets, he says it is not taking a stand earlier in his relationship with Markle. The biggest personal revelations from Prince Harry's series with Oprah 'It was like that for me so it's going to be like that for you': Harry criticises his father Charles for continuing the cycle of generational suffering Harry said: 'That doesn't make sense. Just because you suffered, that doesn't mean your kids have to suffer. In fact, quite the opposite. If you suffered, do everything you can to make sure that whatever negative experiences you had, you can make it right for your kids.' 'Isn't this all about breaking the cycle?' he asked, rhetorically. 'Isn't this all about making sure that history doesn't repeat itself.' 'This is my mum. You haven't even met her': Harry hit out at mourners at Diana's funeral who showed 'ten times' as much emotion as he could 'When my mum was taken away from me at the age of 12, just before my 13th birthday, I didn't want the [royal] life. Sharing the grief of my mother's death with the world,' he said. 'For me, the thing I remember the most was the sound of the horses' hooves going along the pavement. Along the Mall, the Red Brick Road. By this point I was, both of us were in shock. It was like I was outside of my body and just walking along doing what was expected of me. 'Showing one tenth of the emotion that everybody else was showing. I thought, "This is my mum. You never even met her".' He continued: 'I was so angry with what happened to me and the fact there was no justice at all. I don't want to think about it because it's going to bring up the fact that I can't bring her back'. 'I always wanted to be normal as opposed to Prince Harry. Just being Harry. It was a puzzling life. But unfortunately, when I think about my mum the first thing that comes to mind is always the same one over and over again.' Six-month pregnant Meghan shared with Harry HOW she was going to kill herself before they attended charity function at Royal Albert Hall Harry said: 'I'm somewhat ashamed of the way that I dealt with it,' he said, 'and of course because of the system that we were in and the responsibilities and the duties that we had, we had a quick cuddle and then we had to get changed and had to jump into a convoy with a police escort and drive to the Royal Albert Hall for a charity event.' 'There wasn't an option to say, "You know what, tonight we're not going to go, because just imagine the stories that come from that",' he said, recounting how once the lights dim Meghan started to cry and he felt ashamed he could not go to his family. Prince Harry told Oprah that Meghan didn't kill herself because she didn't want him to lose another woman he loved 'The scariest thing for her was her clarity of thought,' he said. 'She hadn't lost it. She wasn't crazy. She wasn't self-medicating, be it through pills or by alcohol. She was absolutely sober. She was completely sane. 'Yet in the quiet of night, these thoughts woke her up.' He says he now would like to focus on his son, Archie, 'rather than every time I look in his eyes wonder whether my wife is going to end up like my mother, and I'm going to have to look after him myself.' 'That was one of the main reasons to leave,' Harry said. Harry says Royals tried to STOP him and Meghan leaving after 'she was going to end her life' 'That feeling of being trapped within the family, there was no option to leave. Eventually when I made that decision for my family, I was still told, 'You can't do this.' 'And it's like, 'Well how bad does it have to get until I am allowed to do this?' She [Markle] was going to end her life. It shouldn't have to get to that.' He said his biggest regret was not taking a stand earlier in his relationship with Markle, claiming a barrage of attacks on her won't stop 'until she dies. 'It's incredibly triggering to potentially lose another woman in my life,' Harry said in the interview with Oprah. 'Like the list is growing, and it all comes back to the same people, the same business model, the same industry.' Claims Royals showed 'total neglect' for his and 'struggling' Meghan's mental health 'We spent four years trying to make it work,' he says on the show. 'We did everything that we possibly could to stay there and carry on doing the role and doing the job. But Meghan was struggling.' He said the way Meghan was feeling reminded him of his own mother's final days. 'History was repeating itself,' he said in an interview with Oprah. 'My mother was chased to her death while she was in a relationship with someone who wasn't white. And now look what's happened. Ultimately, he claimed, he and Meghan had to leave the U.K. to 'put our mental health first.' 'That's what we're doing,' the prince said, 'and that's what we'll continue to do.' Harry says he was 'worried and afraid' to return to the UK for Prince Philip's funeral 'I was worried about it, I was afraid,' Harry told The Associated Press during a recent joint interview with Oprah Winfrey to promote the series. He said he relied on coping skills learned in therapy. 'It definitely made it a lot easier, but the heart still pounds,' said Harry, the Duke of Sussex and grandson of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II and her late husband Philip. Harry tells trauma therapist of his fears about visiting the UK - and shares EMDR session that has 'freed him' Prince Harry said: 'For most of my life I've always felt worried, concerned, a little bit tense and uptight whenever I fly back into the UK, whenever I fly back into London. 'And I could never understand why. I was aware of it, I wasn't aware of it at the time when I was younger, but after I started doing therapy stuff I became aware of it. 'I was like, why do I feel so uncomfortable? And of course for me London is a trigger, unfortunately, because of what happened to my mum, and because of what I experienced and what I saw.' He told London-based anja Oakley, a UK-based psychotherapist who used to be a trauma specialist for London Underground: 'Happens every time. I can't remember the first time it happened, I can just remember the feeling, anxiety, like a hollow empty feeling almost of nervousness, is it fear? Everything feels tense. 'It's being the hunted, and being helpless and knowing that you can't do anything about it. There is no escape. There is no way out of this.' Prince Harry says he believed his 'compassionate' Oprah Winfrey interview would 'leave door open to reconciliation' with his family Prince Harry said: 'The interview was about being real and authentic. And hopefully sharing an experience which we know to be incredibly relatable to people around the world, despite our unique privileged position.' He continued: 'Before the Oprah interview had aired, because of the combined efforts of The Firm and the media to smear her, I was woken up in the middle of the night to her crying into her pillow because she doesn't want to wake me up because I'm already carrying too much. That's heartbreaking.' The couple were accused of 'blowing up the royal family' after the interview, in which they laid bare the extent of their rift with the Queen and other senior royals and accused The Firm of racism, sent shock waves around the world. Harry says he felt forced to go to Nepal and his constant jet-setting as the family's 'yes man' became 'hectic to the point of exhaustion' Harry said: 'I was travelling all over the place because, you know, from the family's perspective I guess I was the person who like ''we need someone to go there. Nepal, Harry you go''. 'I was always the yes man I was always the one willing to say yes. But that yes and yes and yes of course yes yes yes led to burnout. 'And it was like someone had taken the lid off. All of the emotions that I had suppressed for so many years suddenly came to the forefront.' He added: 'I saw GPs, I saw doctors, I saw therapists I saw alternative therapists, I saw all sorts of people. 'But it was meeting and being with Meghan - I knew that if I didn't do therapy and fix myself, that I was going to lose this woman who I could see spending the rest of my life with.' Prince Harry says he feels Diana's presence with him in California and believes she would be 'incredibly proud' Reflecting on the move to the US, he said: 'Making this move was really scary. At every possible opportunity the forces working against us tried to make it impossible. Did I expect to find ourselves in this situation so quickly? No. I think we've done a really good job. 'I have no regrets. It's really sad but I have no regrets at all because now I'm at a place where I think I should have been four years ago... 'Now we've got a beautiful little boy who keeps us busy, keeps us running around, he makes us laugh every day. We've got two dogs. And another little baby girl on the way. I never dreamt that. 'I have no doubt my Mum would be incredibly proud of me. I'm living the life that she wanted to live for herself. Living the life that she wanted us to be able to live. 'Not only do I know that she's incredibly proud of me, but that she's helped me get here. And I've never felt her presence more than I have over the last year. I wish she could have met Meghan. I wish she was around for Archie.' Then girlfriend Meghan Markle encouraged him to seek therapy after an argument 'I knew that if I didn't do the therapy and fix myself that I was going to lose this woman who I could see myself spending the rest of my life with,' he told Oprah. At a separate point he explained he had unintentionally 'reverted to 12-year-old Harry' during an argument. 'I felt somewhat ashamed and defensive [when the therapist said that]. Like, "How dare you? You're calling me a child". And she goes, "No, I'm not calling you a child. 'I'm expressing sympathy and empathy for you for what happened to you when you were a child. You never processed it. You were never allowed to talk about it and all of a sudden now it's coming up in different ways as projection". 'That was the start of a learning journey for me. I became aware that I'd been living in a bubble within this family, within this institution and I was sort of almost trapped in a thought process or a mindset.' He added: 'For me, therapy has equipped me to be able to take on anything.' Prince Harry has claimed he and Meghan Markle believed their explosive Oprah Winfrey interview would help reconcile them with the Royal Family - and said his wife was so distressed ahead of the programme airing she sobbed through the night. The Duke of Sussex, 36, who is currently living in his $14 million mansion in California having stepped back from royal duty, opened up about his decision to do the interview during his new documentary series The Me You Can't See. In the fifth series of the episode, Prince Harry described the bombshell discussion as 'real and authentic', saying: 'I like to think that we were able to speak truths in the most compassionate way possible, therefore leaving an opening for reconciliation and healing.' He continued: 'Before the Oprah interview had aired, because of the combined efforts of The Firm and the media to smear her, I was woken up in the middle of the night to her crying into her pillow because she doesn't want to wake me up because I'm already carrying too much. That's heartbreaking.' The couple were accused of 'blowing up the royal family' after the interview, in which they laid bare the extent of their rift with the Queen and other senior royals and accused The Firm of racism, sent shock waves around the world. Prince Harry has claimed he and Meghan Markle believed their explosive Oprah Winfrey interview would help reconcile them with the Royal Family During the programme, the Duke could be seen discussing the decision to do the Oprah Winfrey interview. Prince Harry described Megxit as 'an awakening', saying: 'The media is desperately trying to control the narrative because they know if they lose it, the truth will come out.' He continued: 'The interview was about being real and authentic. And hopefully sharing an experience which we know to be incredibly relatable to people around the world, despite our unique privileged position.' The Duke went on to discuss waking up to find Meghan crying into her pillow the night before the Oprah interview aired in March. He said she 'hadn't wanted to wake him' because he was already 'carrying too much.' Harry continued: 'I held her, we talked, she cried and cried and cried.' During the programme, they accused an unnamed Royal Family member of racism, suggesting the relative had asked 'how dark' their baby would be; said they had been driven out of Britain, in part, by racism; and accused the Palace machinery of failing to support a 'suicidal' Meghan. The Duke of Sussex, 36, who is currently living in his $14 million mansion in California having stepped back from royal duty, opened up about his decision to do the interview during his new documentary series The Me You Can't See Meghan also accused her sister-in-law Kate of making her cry; suggested senior royals plotted to ensure Archie would never have a title or adequate security; and said officials had failed to stand up for the couple against 'racist' commentary, while lying to protect other royals. After the Oprah Winfrey interview, royal aides were said to be paralysed with 'horror and dismay' when watching the stream of damaging allegations. The Queen, Prince Charles and Prince William were all locked in crisis talks over how to react to the string of incendiary accusations unleashed by Harry and Meghan during a two-hour special with Oprah Winfrey on American TV. In the days after the interview, Palace insiders described a mood of 'intense personal shock and sadness' that the prince had pressed the 'nuclear button on his own family'. 'People are just reeling,' a source said. Bombshells from the Oprah interview - Meghan's mental health The Duchess of Sussex revealed she had suicidal thoughts and said: 'I just didn't want to be alive any more.' She said she begged for help, and asked to go somewhere to get help, and approached one of the most senior people in the institution, but was told it would not look good. The duchess said: 'I said that I needed to go somewhere to get help. I said that I've never felt this way before and I need to go somewhere. And I was told that I couldn't, that it wouldn't be good for the institution.' - Baby Sussex is a girl Prince Harry said his first thought was 'amazing' when he discovered they were having a girl, adding: 'Just grateful. To have any child, any one or any two, would have been amazing. 'But to have a boy and then a girl, I mean what more can you ask for? Now we've got our family, we got the four of us and our two dogs.' - Royal family accused of racism Meghan said, when she was pregnant with Archie, an unnamed member of the royal family raised 'concerns and conversations about how dark his skin might be when he's born'. Asked whether there were concerns that her child would be 'too brown' and that would be a problem, Meghan said: 'If that is the assumption you are making, that is a pretty safe one.' Pushed by Winfrey on who had those conversations, Meghan refused to say, adding: 'I think that would be very damaging to them.' She added: 'That was relayed to me from Harry, those were conversations the family had with him, and I think it was really hard to be able to see those as compartmentalised conversations.' - Archie's title Meghan suggested she and Harry wanted Archie to be a prince so he would have security and be protected. The duchess expressed her shock at 'the idea of our son not being safe', and the idea of the first member of colour in this family, not being titled in the same way as other grandchildren. Archie, who is seventh in line to the throne, is not entitled to be an HRH or a prince due to rules set out more than 100 years ago by King George V. He will be entitled to be an HRH or a prince when the Prince of Wales accedes to the throne. As the first born son of a duke, Archie could have become Earl of Dumbarton - one of Harry's subsidiary titles - or have been Lord Archie Mountbatten-Windsor, instead at the time of his birth, a royal source said Harry and Meghan had decided he should a regular Master Archie Mountbatten-Windsor. - The Prince of Wales The Duke of Sussex said his father the Prince of Wales stopped taking his calls while Harry and Meghan were in Canada 'because I took matters into my own hands. I needed to do this for my family'. He said Charles wanted him to put his plans in writing. Advertisement A senior Government minister and Boris Johnson ally, Lord [Zac] Goldsmith, echoed the mood of many in royal circles. Responding to the suggestion that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex had 'loaded up a plane and dropped bomb after heavy bomb on Buckingham Palace', he tweeted: 'Not 'Buckingham Palace' Harry's family. Harry is blowing up his family.' Buckingham Palace, which was not informed about the couple's decision to do the interview before it was first announced, had been bracing itself for the worst. Aides could not have predicted how devastatingly brutal the couple's interview watched by 17million in the US alone but set to air last night to a global audience of many times more, including on ITV in the UK would be. The Mail was told that royal staff stayed up until 3am to watch the interview via video link live from the US with a mounting sense of horror and sadness. As morning broke, crisis meetings were called involving senior officials as well as senior royals, in person and on the phone, as well via video call. The Queen, at Windsor, spoke with her son Charles, who was at Clarence House, his London home, and grandson William, who has also moved back to the capital from Norfolk in preparation for his children to return to school. Sources told the Mail that household staff, many of whom had supported the couple as best they could during an 'extremely difficult and trying three years', felt 'angry and let down' but were determined to put a brave face on the situation for the sake of the elderly monarch. 'Staff are reeling. But there is [also] a strong sense of needing to retain a dignified silence and show kindness and compassion. There's a lot people want to say but no one wins with a tit-for-tat battle,' said one. 'Bridges need to be built after all this is over, after all.' Most damaging are the couple's claims that not only were they unsupported by both family members and staff, but they also suffered as a result of an apparent racist agenda against them. Meghan suggested that race was the heart of every decision made against them. But there was bemusement among royal insiders at her claims that senior royals had tried to prevent their son, Archie, from having a title or security because of blatant prejudice. 'They didn't want him to be a prince,' she told Miss Winfrey. Long-standing rules, laid down by George V, mean that the title of HRH passes only to the children of a sovereign and their grandchildren through the male line, meaning Archie will only be given a title when his grandfather, Prince Charles, accedes to the throne. The Queen can issue letters patent to change that on an individual basis but aides for Harry and Meghan briefed journalists at the time of his birth that they were very happy for him to be styled 'Master Archie' because they wanted him to have the same kind of freedoms as the prince's cousins, Zara and Peter Phillips. A source close to the Sussexes suggested the couple were so concerned about Archie's security because of his mixed race heritage that they wanted him to become a prince so he would be afforded suitable security. But insiders say there was never any doubt that the Queen's great-grandson would be protected and although the Prince of Wales has made no secret of his desire to have a slimmed-down monarch, Harry and his family were always part of his plan. Elsewhere in the new documentary series, Harry described returning to London to attend Prince Philip's funeral last month as a terrifying experience. 'I was worried about it, I was afraid,' Harry told The Associated Press during a recent joint interview with Oprah Winfrey to promote a mental-health series they co-created and co-executive produced for Apple TV+. Prince Harry said he thought the bombshell show would 'leave an opening for reconciliation' with his family (pictured, the Queen, Prince Charles, Camilla, Prince William and Kate Middleton at the Commonwealth Service) He was able to work through any trepidation using coping skills learned in therapy. 'It definitely made it a lot easier, but the heart still pounds,' said Harry, the Duke of Sussex and grandson of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II and her late husband Philip. Earlier this month, royal expert Russel Myers said Prince William, 38, and his father, the Prince of Wales, 72, 'want to draw a line under Harry and Meghan' who have been a 'distraction for the family.' 'There will be quite a lot of dissatisfaction in the camp and it remains to be seen whether they will ever be brought back in,' the royal expert continued. 'I'm sure that Harry was a bit sheepish seeing the rest of his family at Prince Philip's funeral.' He added: 'It was the first time he has spoken to many of them since that Oprah Winfrey interview where he accused them of all manner of things.' 'He went back to America with his tail between his legs and who knows what will happen in the future.' Myers previously claimed Prince Harry was so 'shocked' by the 'very, very cold reception' he received from the Royal Family after he flew over for his grandfather Prince Philip's funeral that he may pull out of his upcoming trip to the UK in July. The Duke is next expected to return to the UK this summer for the unveiling of a statue of his late mother Princess Diana. The biggest personal revelations from Prince Harry's series with Oprah 'It was like that for me so it's going to be like that for you': Harry criticises his father Charles for continuing the cycle of generational suffering Harry said: 'That doesn't make sense. Just because you suffered, that doesn't mean your kids have to suffer. In fact, quite the opposite. If you suffered, do everything you can to make sure that whatever negative experiences you had, you can make it right for your kids.' 'Isn't this all about breaking the cycle?' he asked, rhetorically. 'Isn't this all about making sure that history doesn't repeat itself.' Six-month pregnant Meghan shared with Harry HOW she was going to kill herself before they attended charity function at Royal Albert Hall Harry said: 'I'm somewhat ashamed of the way that I dealt with it,' he said, 'and of course because of the system that we were in and the responsibilities and the duties that we had, we had a quick cuddle and then we had to get changed and had to jump into a convoy with a police escort and drive to the Royal Albert Hall for a charity event.' 'There wasn't an option to say, "You know what, tonight we're not going to go, because just imagine the stories that come from that",' he said, recounting how once the lights dim Meghan started to cry and he felt ashamed he could not go to his family. Prince Harry told Oprah that Meghan didn't kill herself because she didn't want him to lose another woman he loved 'The scariest thing for her was her clarity of thought,' he said. 'She hadn't lost it. She wasn't crazy. She wasn't self-medicating, be it through pills or by alcohol. She was absolutely sober. She was completely sane. 'Yet in the quiet of night, these thoughts woke her up.' He says he now would like to focus on his son, Archie, 'rather than every time I look in his eyes wonder whether my wife is going to end up like my mother, and I'm going to have to look after him myself.' 'That was one of the main reasons to leave,' Harry said. Harry says Royals tried to STOP him and Meghan leaving after 'she was going to end her life' 'That feeling of being trapped within the family, there was no option to leave. Eventually when I made that decision for my family, I was still told, 'You can't do this.' 'And it's like, 'Well how bad does it have to get until I am allowed to do this?' She [Markle] was going to end her life. It shouldn't have to get to that.' He said his biggest regret was not taking a stand earlier in his relationship with Markle, claiming a barrage of attacks on her won't stop 'until she dies. 'It's incredibly triggering to potentially lose another woman in my life,' Harry said in the interview with Oprah. 'Like the list is growing, and it all comes back to the same people, the same business model, the same industry.' Claims Royals showed 'total neglect' for his and 'struggling' Meghan's mental health 'We spent four years trying to make it work,' he says on the show. 'We did everything that we possibly could to stay there and carry on doing the role and doing the job. But Meghan was struggling.' He said the way Meghan was feeling reminded him of his own mother's final days. 'History was repeating itself,' he said in an interview with Oprah. 'My mother was chased to her death while she was in a relationship with someone who wasn't white. And now look what's happened. Ultimately, he claimed, he and Meghan had to leave the U.K. to 'put our mental health first.' 'That's what we're doing,' the prince said, 'and that's what we'll continue to do.' Harry says he was 'worried and afraid' to return to the UK for Prince Philip's funeral 'I was worried about it, I was afraid,' Harry told The Associated Press during a recent joint interview with Oprah Winfrey to promote the series. He said he relied on coping skills learned in therapy. 'It definitely made it a lot easier, but the heart still pounds,' said Harry, the Duke of Sussex and grandson of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II and her late husband Philip. Harry tells trauma therapist of his fears about visiting the UK - and shares EMDR session that has 'freed him' Prince Harry said: 'For most of my life I've always felt worried, concerned, a little bit tense and uptight whenever I fly back into the UK, whenever I fly back into London. 'And I could never understand why. I was aware of it, I wasn't aware of it at the time when I was younger, but after I started doing therapy stuff I became aware of it. 'I was like, why do I feel so uncomfortable? And of course for me London is a trigger, unfortunately, because of what happened to my mum, and because of what I experienced and what I saw.' He told London-based anja Oakley, a UK-based psychotherapist who used to be a trauma specialist for London Underground: 'Happens every time. I can't remember the first time it happened, I can just remember the feeling, anxiety, like a hollow empty feeling almost of nervousness, is it fear? Everything feels tense. 'It's being the hunted, and being helpless and knowing that you can't do anything about it. There is no escape. There is no way out of this.' Prince Harry says he believed his 'compassionate' Oprah Winfrey interview would 'leave door open to reconciliation' with his family Prince Harry said: 'The interview was about being real and authentic. And hopefully sharing an experience which we know to be incredibly relatable to people around the world, despite our unique privileged position.' He continued: 'Before the Oprah interview had aired, because of the combined efforts of The Firm and the media to smear her, I was woken up in the middle of the night to her crying into her pillow because she doesn't want to wake me up because I'm already carrying too much. That's heartbreaking.' The couple were accused of 'blowing up the royal family' after the interview, in which they laid bare the extent of their rift with the Queen and other senior royals and accused The Firm of racism, sent shock waves around the world. Harry says he felt forced to go to Nepal and his constant jet-setting as the family's 'yes man' became 'hectic to the point of exhaustion' Harry said: 'I was travelling all over the place because, you know, from the family's perspective I guess I was the person who like ''we need someone to go there. Nepal, Harry you go''. 'I was always the yes man I was always the one willing to say yes. But that yes and yes and yes of course yes yes yes led to burnout. 'And it was like someone had taken the lid off. All of the emotions that I had suppressed for so many years suddenly came to the forefront.' He added: 'I saw GPs, I saw doctors, I saw therapists I saw alternative therapists, I saw all sorts of people. 'But it was meeting and being with Meghan - I knew that if I didn't do therapy and fix myself, that I was going to lose this woman who I could see spending the rest of my life with.' Prince Harry says he feels Diana's presence with him in California and believes she would be 'incredibly proud' Reflecting on the move to the US, he said: 'Making this move was really scary. At every possible opportunity the forces working against us tried to make it impossible. Did I expect to find ourselves in this situation so quickly? No. I think we've done a really good job. 'I have no regrets. It's really sad but I have no regrets at all because now I'm at a place where I think I should have been four years ago... 'Now we've got a beautiful little boy who keeps us busy, keeps us running around, he makes us laugh every day. We've got two dogs. And another little baby girl on the way. I never dreamt that. 'I have no doubt my Mum would be incredibly proud of me. I'm living the life that she wanted to live for herself. Living the life that she wanted us to be able to live. 'Not only do I know that she's incredibly proud of me, but that she's helped me get here. And I've never felt her presence more than I have over the last year. I wish she could have met Meghan. I wish she was around for Archie.' Then girlfriend Meghan Markle encouraged him to seek therapy after an argument 'I knew that if I didn't do the therapy and fix myself that I was going to lose this woman who I could see myself spending the rest of my life with,' he told Oprah. At a separate point he explained he had unintentionally 'reverted to 12-year-old Harry' during an argument. 'I felt somewhat ashamed and defensive [when the therapist said that]. Like, "How dare you? You're calling me a child". And she goes, "No, I'm not calling you a child. 'I'm expressing sympathy and empathy for you for what happened to you when you were a child. You never processed it. You were never allowed to talk about it and all of a sudden now it's coming up in different ways as projection". 'That was the start of a learning journey for me. I became aware that I'd been living in a bubble within this family, within this institution and I was sort of almost trapped in a thought process or a mindset.' He added: 'For me, therapy has equipped me to be able to take on anything.' Prince Harry told Good Morning America that his 'services to others' had helped him to heal during an exclusive interview to promote his series The Me You Can't See today. The Duke of Sussex, 36, who is currently living in his $14 million mansion in California having stepped back from royal duty, appeared on American TV alongside Oprah Winfrey this morning. Speaking with host Robin Roberts, the father-of-one said: 'It's true for Oprah, it's been true for me, starting the Invictus Games, to create something, to watch other people heal is part of our healing process.' Meanwhile Oprah said the Duke had been incredibly committed to the project, revealing he had 'turned up to every Zoom meeting' with stacks of notes. The Duke and Duchess, 39, who have been highly critical of the British media and tabloids, have media allies who work for the organisation, including Omid Scobie. .@ABC NEWS EXCLUSIVE: Prince Harry and @Oprah team up to talk about mental health and their new series. https://t.co/EBwiMgYqyl pic.twitter.com/EkZIWRfVR1 Good Morning America (@GMA) May 21, 2021 Prince Harry told Good Morning America that his 'services to others' had helped him to heal during an exclusive interview to promote his series The Me You Can't See today The royal discussed his chat with Oprah Winfrey on the new mental health series The Me You Can't See, which he executive produced with her. Harry said: 'The best we can all do collectively is to continue to talk and share stories that are relatable to people all around the world.' Meanwhile Oprah explained: 'One of the things Prince Harry and I wanted was for people understand mental fitness and wellness is a spectrum. We're all on the spectrum.' The media mogul also showcased her close bond with the royal during the interview, revealing: 'Harry was in every meeting, usually on zoom before I was, turning in his notes before i did, and i was like oh! Harry turned in his notes already.' Speaking with host Robin Roberts, the father-of-one said: 'It's true for Oprah, its been true for me, starting the Invictus Games, to create something, to watch other people heal is part of our healing process.' Harry immediately bantered back: 'I didn't know it was a competition but now that I know, I'm very glad I did.' Oprah playfully laughed while she retorted: 'Every time you beat me with the notes Harry! Everytime.' Harry added: 'There were so many people of all ages that need to help and that also are unable to heal or unable they need to heal. 'If we hold onto grief it manifests itself and appears later in life. That is what I have learnt in this process.' Discussing Robin William's son Zach's part in the documentary, Harry said: 'It's a classic example of the parallel thread between what happened to him at his age and what happened to me at my age, its remarkably similar. Meanwhile Oprah said the Duke had been incredibly committed to the project, revealing he had 'turned up to every Zoom meeting' with stacks of notes 'There was one thing he said, his service to others has helped heal him. 'I think that was a key moment for Oprah, him and myself. It's true for Oprah, its been true for me, starting the Invictus Games to create something to watch other people heal is part of our healing process. 'Being able to put ourselves into someone else shoes and being able to watch that in the healing process is critical.' Oprah added: 'Lots of people have been through grief this year, some people lost both parents, relatives, friends haven't been able to grieve properly.' Harry concluded: 'Globally, we've now all had a shared experience, albeit in different aspects and locations. 'We've all felt things that we've never felt before and now we should talk about things we've never talked about before.' The Duke said his work in founding the Invictus Games had been part of his healing process (pictured, watching the games take place in Sydney with Meghan in 2018) In a separate interview on CBS, Oprah was asked by her friend Gayle King if the new documentary series would 'help the royal family.' She said I don't know if it helps with the royal family. But this is what I do know -- is that being able to express your own personal truth in a way that benefits you and also helps other people to see the truth in themselves, which is the reason why Harry agreed to have -- sit down and have the conversation. 'The first -- the interview that went around the world. And in this series, you will see that we are in conversation.' Earlier this morning, Good Morning America's official Twitter account revealed the Duke would be sitting down with Oprah Winfrey and host Robin Roberts for the discussion and released a teaser trailer. The clip of the interview was accompanied by dramatic heart-thudding music, while a voiceover said: 'Oprah Winfrey, Prince Harry, Robin Roberts, the all new TV interview. See the exclusive interview on GMA.' The Duchess of Sussex previously appeared on the breakfast programme, which airs on ABC and is owned by Disney. The interview is the latest in a line of carefully planned publicity moves from the couple. The new, outspoken prince who shares his emotions is a contrast to the 'never complain, never explain,' 'keep calm and carry on' mantras that are part of the prototypical British way. Who is GMA presenter Robin Roberts who will interview Prince Harry and Oprah? Robin Roberts started working as a sportscaster on ESPN on January 15, 1990 and spent 15 years there before she became a co-anchor at GMA in 2005. In 2007, he award-winning broadcaster, who grew up in Mississippi, battled breast cancer. Meanwhile in 2015 Robin, who reportedly has a net worth of $14 million, broke down in tears on the programme as she revealed she had a blood and bone marrow disorder called MDS. She covered Prince Harry and Meghan's wedding in 2018 for GMA, tweeting at the time: 'A moment and memory that I will cherish. 'Appreciate all who watched and hope we made you feel that you were here. Grateful to everyone I had the privilege to work with today...especially our incredible, talented crew behind the scenes...thank you!' Advertisement Meghan's friend and Finding Freedom author Omid Scobie announced the news on Twitter, saying: 'As some of you have already seen, Prince Harry will be joining @GMA ...to talk exclusively about #TheMeYouCantSee the brand new @AppleTV series he executive produced with @Oprah." Last year, Harry and Meghan told newspaper executives at four British publications they wouldn't 'engage' any longer with them unless it was through a lawyer. They emailed the editors of these popular publications: the Daily Mail, the Daily Mirror, the Sun and the Daily Express. Harry and Meghan are not on social media but are now making millions through podcasts on Spotify and shows on Netflix, along with investments, after controversially quitting royal life, which would never have allowed them to launch such money-spinning projects. Prince Harry today dropped another nuclear 'truth bomb' on the Royal Family accusing them of 'total silence' and 'neglect' when Meghan was suicidal, claiming his father Prince Charles made him 'suffer' as a child and insisting he would not be 'bullied into silence' when he alleged 'The Firm' 'trapped', smeared and abandoned them. In a series of candid interviews with Oprah Winfrey on his new five-part AppleTV+ show, The Me You Can't See, the Duke of Sussex said he and his wife felt abandoned by his relatives and this was one of their 'biggest reasons' for leaving for California last year. In yet another full-frontal attack on the royals he said: 'Certainly now I will never be bullied into silence', adding: 'I thought my family would help, but every single ask, request, warning, whatever it is, just got met with total silence, total neglect. We spent four years trying to make it work. We did everything that we possibly could to stay there and carry on doing the role and doing the job. But Meghan was struggling.' The Duke and Duchess, 39, who have been highly critical of the British media and tabloids, have media allies who work for the organisation, including Omid Scobie He added: 'That feeling of being trapped within the family, there was no option to leave. Eventually when I made that decision for my family, I was still told, "You can't do this", And it's like, "Well how bad does it have to get until I am allowed to do this?". She [Meghan] was going to end her life. It shouldn't have to get to that.' Harry described how his wife first told him she wanted to kill herself, while six months pregnant with Archie, on the way to the Royal Albert Hall in London in January 2019, and she spoke to him of the 'practicalities of how she was going to end her life'. Harry said it reminded him of his mother's final weeks in 1997, saying that it was when he was 13 and watching his mother's coffin that he first thought: 'I didn't want the life' He said: 'Meghan decided to share with me the suicidal thoughts and the practicalities of how she was going to end her life', adding that she later decided against it because she didn't want Harry to lose 'another woman in my life'. The Duke said 'history was repeating itself', because Princess Diana was with Dodi Fayed, who was Egyptian by birth, when she died in 1997, saying there was a real fear that he would lose Meghan too. 'History was repeating itself,' he told Oprah. 'My mother was chased to her death while she was in a relationship with someone who wasn't white. And now look what's happened. It's incredibly triggering to potentially lose another woman in my life. Like, the list is growing. And it all comes back to the same people, the same business model, the same industry,' he said. The Duke binged on alcohol and drugs to cope with the death of his mother, saying that being in London is a 'trigger' for his 'anxiety', and describes how how he is still haunted by the 'sound of the horse's hooves going along The Mall' as his mother's coffin passed him. Harry also used the five-part renew his criticisms of his father's parenting, and how the Queen had also brought up Charles, insisting he had to quit as a frontline royal to 'break the cycle'. He said: 'My father used to say to me when I was younger, he used to say to both William and I, 'Well, it was like that for me so it's going to be like that for you,' Harry says, 'That doesn't make sense. Just because you suffered, that doesn't mean your kids have to suffer. In fact, quite the opposite. If you suffered, do everything you can to make sure that whatever negative experiences you had, you can make it right for your kids.' 'Isn't this all about breaking the cycle?' he asked, rhetorically. 'Isn't this all about making sure that history doesn't repeat itself.' Harry insisted he has 'no regrets' about his decision to emigrate to LA saying he believes Diana 'helped me get here' and that Meghan's insistence he went into therapy has 'equipped me to be able to take on anything', including 'reconciliation and healing' with his British family. At one point he speaks to a therapist and is filmed having a form of therapy known as EDMR - known as Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing. Harry is seen comforting himself with a series of movements such as closing his eyes and crossing his arms while remembering events in his past. The biggest personal revelations from Prince Harry's series with Oprah 'It was like that for me so it's going to be like that for you': Harry criticises his father Charles for continuing the cycle of generational suffering Harry said: 'That doesn't make sense. Just because you suffered, that doesn't mean your kids have to suffer. In fact, quite the opposite. If you suffered, do everything you can to make sure that whatever negative experiences you had, you can make it right for your kids.' 'Isn't this all about breaking the cycle?' he asked, rhetorically. 'Isn't this all about making sure that history doesn't repeat itself.' 'This is my mum. You haven't even met her': Harry hit out at mourners at Diana's funeral who showed 'ten times' as much emotion as he could 'When my mum was taken away from me at the age of 12, just before my 13th birthday, I didn't want the [royal] life. Sharing the grief of my mother's death with the world,' he said. 'For me, the thing I remember the most was the sound of the horses' hooves going along the pavement. Along the Mall, the Red Brick Road. By this point I was, both of us were in shock. It was like I was outside of my body and just walking along doing what was expected of me. 'Showing one tenth of the emotion that everybody else was showing. I thought, "This is my mum. You never even met her".' He continued: 'I was so angry with what happened to me and the fact there was no justice at all. I don't want to think about it because it's going to bring up the fact that I can't bring her back'. 'I always wanted to be normal as opposed to Prince Harry. Just being Harry. It was a puzzling life. But unfortunately, when I think about my mum the first thing that comes to mind is always the same one over and over again.' Six-month pregnant Meghan shared with Harry HOW she was going to kill herself before they attended charity function at Royal Albert Hall Harry said: 'I'm somewhat ashamed of the way that I dealt with it,' he said, 'and of course because of the system that we were in and the responsibilities and the duties that we had, we had a quick cuddle and then we had to get changed and had to jump into a convoy with a police escort and drive to the Royal Albert Hall for a charity event.' 'There wasn't an option to say, "You know what, tonight we're not going to go, because just imagine the stories that come from that",' he said, recounting how once the lights dim Meghan started to cry and he felt ashamed he could not go to his family. Prince Harry told Oprah that Meghan didn't kill herself because she didn't want him to lose another woman he loved 'The scariest thing for her was her clarity of thought,' he said. 'She hadn't lost it. She wasn't crazy. She wasn't self-medicating, be it through pills or by alcohol. She was absolutely sober. She was completely sane. 'Yet in the quiet of night, these thoughts woke her up.' He says he now would like to focus on his son, Archie, 'rather than every time I look in his eyes wonder whether my wife is going to end up like my mother, and I'm going to have to look after him myself.' 'That was one of the main reasons to leave,' Harry said. Harry says Royals tried to STOP him and Meghan leaving after 'she was going to end her life' 'That feeling of being trapped within the family, there was no option to leave. Eventually when I made that decision for my family, I was still told, 'You can't do this.' 'And it's like, 'Well how bad does it have to get until I am allowed to do this?' She [Markle] was going to end her life. It shouldn't have to get to that.' He said his biggest regret was not taking a stand earlier in his relationship with Markle, claiming a barrage of attacks on her won't stop 'until she dies. 'It's incredibly triggering to potentially lose another woman in my life,' Harry said in the interview with Oprah. 'Like the list is growing, and it all comes back to the same people, the same business model, the same industry.' Claims Royals showed 'total neglect' for his and 'struggling' Meghan's mental health 'We spent four years trying to make it work,' he says on the show. 'We did everything that we possibly could to stay there and carry on doing the role and doing the job. But Meghan was struggling.' He said the way Meghan was feeling reminded him of his own mother's final days. 'History was repeating itself,' he said in an interview with Oprah. 'My mother was chased to her death while she was in a relationship with someone who wasn't white. And now look what's happened. Ultimately, he claimed, he and Meghan had to leave the U.K. to 'put our mental health first.' 'That's what we're doing,' the prince said, 'and that's what we'll continue to do.' Harry says he was 'worried and afraid' to return to the UK for Prince Philip's funeral 'I was worried about it, I was afraid,' Harry told The Associated Press during a recent joint interview with Oprah Winfrey to promote the series. He said he relied on coping skills learned in therapy. 'It definitely made it a lot easier, but the heart still pounds,' said Harry, the Duke of Sussex and grandson of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II and her late husband Philip. Harry tells trauma therapist of his fears about visiting the UK - and shares EMDR session that has 'freed him' Prince Harry said: 'For most of my life I've always felt worried, concerned, a little bit tense and uptight whenever I fly back into the UK, whenever I fly back into London. 'And I could never understand why. I was aware of it, I wasn't aware of it at the time when I was younger, but after I started doing therapy stuff I became aware of it. 'I was like, why do I feel so uncomfortable? And of course for me London is a trigger, unfortunately, because of what happened to my mum, and because of what I experienced and what I saw.' He told London-based anja Oakley, a UK-based psychotherapist who used to be a trauma specialist for London Underground: 'Happens every time. I can't remember the first time it happened, I can just remember the feeling, anxiety, like a hollow empty feeling almost of nervousness, is it fear? Everything feels tense. 'It's being the hunted, and being helpless and knowing that you can't do anything about it. There is no escape. There is no way out of this.' Prince Harry says he believed his 'compassionate' Oprah Winfrey interview would 'leave door open to reconciliation' with his family Prince Harry said: 'The interview was about being real and authentic. And hopefully sharing an experience which we know to be incredibly relatable to people around the world, despite our unique privileged position.' He continued: 'Before the Oprah interview had aired, because of the combined efforts of The Firm and the media to smear her, I was woken up in the middle of the night to her crying into her pillow because she doesn't want to wake me up because I'm already carrying too much. That's heartbreaking.' The couple were accused of 'blowing up the royal family' after the interview, in which they laid bare the extent of their rift with the Queen and other senior royals and accused The Firm of racism, sent shock waves around the world. Harry says he felt forced to go to Nepal and his constant jet-setting as the family's 'yes man' became 'hectic to the point of exhaustion' Harry said: 'I was travelling all over the place because, you know, from the family's perspective I guess I was the person who like ''we need someone to go there. Nepal, Harry you go''. 'I was always the yes man I was always the one willing to say yes. But that yes and yes and yes of course yes yes yes led to burnout. 'And it was like someone had taken the lid off. All of the emotions that I had suppressed for so many years suddenly came to the forefront.' He added: 'I saw GPs, I saw doctors, I saw therapists I saw alternative therapists, I saw all sorts of people. 'But it was meeting and being with Meghan - I knew that if I didn't do therapy and fix myself, that I was going to lose this woman who I could see spending the rest of my life with.' Prince Harry says he feels Diana's presence with him in California and believes she would be 'incredibly proud' Reflecting on the move to the US, he said: 'Making this move was really scary. At every possible opportunity the forces working against us tried to make it impossible. Did I expect to find ourselves in this situation so quickly? No. I think we've done a really good job. 'I have no regrets. It's really sad but I have no regrets at all because now I'm at a place where I think I should have been four years ago... 'Now we've got a beautiful little boy who keeps us busy, keeps us running around, he makes us laugh every day. We've got two dogs. And another little baby girl on the way. I never dreamt that. 'I have no doubt my Mum would be incredibly proud of me. I'm living the life that she wanted to live for herself. Living the life that she wanted us to be able to live. 'Not only do I know that she's incredibly proud of me, but that she's helped me get here. And I've never felt her presence more than I have over the last year. I wish she could have met Meghan. I wish she was around for Archie.' Then girlfriend Meghan Markle encouraged him to seek therapy after an argument 'I knew that if I didn't do the therapy and fix myself that I was going to lose this woman who I could see myself spending the rest of my life with,' he told Oprah. At a separate point he explained he had unintentionally 'reverted to 12-year-old Harry' during an argument. 'I felt somewhat ashamed and defensive [when the therapist said that]. Like, "How dare you? You're calling me a child". And she goes, "No, I'm not calling you a child. 'I'm expressing sympathy and empathy for you for what happened to you when you were a child. You never processed it. You were never allowed to talk about it and all of a sudden now it's coming up in different ways as projection". 'That was the start of a learning journey for me. I became aware that I'd been living in a bubble within this family, within this institution and I was sort of almost trapped in a thought process or a mindset.' He added: 'For me, therapy has equipped me to be able to take on anything.' Prince Harry has revealed how he first tried to seek help for his mental health in his 20s after years of turmoil before finally committing to therapy when he met wife Meghan Markle five years ago. The Duke of Sussex, 36, spoke candidly about his mental health 'journey' and treatment in candid interviews with Oprah Winfrey for five-part AppleTV+ series The Me You Can't See, which was released today. Harry explained the trauma of his mother's death when he was just 12 years old led him to use alcohol and drugs to 'mask' his emotions and to 'feel less like I was feeling'. He also said he experienced burnout in his late 20s as a result of a 'hectic' royal engagement schedule and suffered 'severe anxiety and panic attacks' until the age of 32, roughly around the same time he met Meghan. Prince Harry spoke in 2017 about seeking 'counselling' at the age of 28 because he was suffering with anxiety and felt 'on the verge of punching someone' but his comments today suggest this initial treatment was not long-term. It was only when Meghan suggested he start therapy after an argument that he committed to addressing the issues he had 'repressed' in the years since his mother's death. 'I knew that if I didn't do the therapy and fix myself that I was going to lose this woman who I could see myself spending the rest of my life with,' he told Oprah. He has now done therapy for 'four and a bit, five years'. Prince Harry has revealed how he first tried to seek help for his mental health in his 20s after years of turmoil before finally committing to therapy when he met wife Meghan Markle Harry said it was only when Meghan suggested he start therapy after an argument that he committed to addressing the issues he had 'repressed' in the years since his mother's death. Pictured, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in 2017, a year into their relationship Prince Harry bared his soul on the AppleTV+ series, revealing how he turned to alcohol as a way to numb the devastating pain he felt following the death of Princess Diana in 1997. He told co-host Oprah Winfrey: 'I was willing to drink, I was willing to take drugs, I was willing to try and do the things that made me feel less like I was feeling.' The royal said he would drink a week's worth of alcohol on a Friday or Saturday night 'not because I was enjoying it but because I was trying to mask something'. Asking about how Harry was able to address the issues later in the series, Oprah said: 'Was there a moment, was there a single moment, or a series of experiences or encounters, happenings, that forced you to say: "I need help, maybe I'm drinking too much, I'm doing this too much". Was there an incident?' He replied: 'No, it was only when a couple of people close to me started to say "this isn't normal behaviour. Perhaps you should look into this. Perhaps you should go and seek help". 'Immediately I was like [gesture cross arms] I don't need help. And now in hindsight, looking back, it's all about timing. Towards my late 20s, everything became really hectic for me, to the point of exhaustion. 'I was travelling all over the place because, from my family's perspective, I guess I was the person where "we need someone to go there... Nepal... Harry. You go." I was always the yes man. I was always the one willing to say "yes". But that yes, yes, yes, yes of course, yes, yes, yes. [It] led to burnout. Prince Harry revealed he suffered 'burnout' in his late 20s and saw 'GPs, doctors and therapists'. Pictured, Prince Harry with the Duke of Edinburgh in May 2014, when he was 28 'It was like someone had taken a lid off all of the emotions I had suppressed for so many years, suddenly came to the forefront. I saw GPs, I saw doctors, I saw therapists, I saw alternative therapists. I saw all sorts of people.' Prince Harry has previously spoken of how he first saw a 'counsellor' at the age of 28, or in around 2014, because he felt 'on the verge of punching someone' and faced anxiety on royal engagements. Prince Harry's long journey to therapy 2013: Prince Harry sees a 'counsellor' aged 28. This is revealed in a 2017 interview with Bryony Gordon at the Daily Telegraph 2016: Meets Meghan and starts therapy shortly afterwards on her suggestion. Revealed today he has been in therapy for 'four, five years' 2017: Kate, Harry and William promote their Heads Together Campaign. Harry shares he first saw a counsellor at 28 and is now in a 'good place'. Now believed this was due to Meghan's influence. Today: Revealed he has been in therapy for 'four, five' years and has branched out to alternative therapies including EDMR because he had 'done the work' Advertisement In an April 2017 interview with friend Bryony Gordon at the Daily Telegraph, Harry said it was only then that he began to address the trauma that had left him 'very close to a complete breakdown on numerous occasions', although Prince William had encouraged him to seek help prior to this point. At the time of the interview - some nine months after he and Meghan started dating - Harry said he was in a 'good place'. From Harry's comments in The Me You Don't See, it would appear Harry's initial foray into therapy - discussed in the Bryony Gordon interview - was not sustained and that he only committed himself to treatment after meeting Meghan in 2016. He explained in the series how he suffered with anxiety and severe panic attacks from the ages 28 to 32. 'I was just all over the place mentally,' he said. 'Every time I put a suit on and tie on ... having to do the role, and go, "right, game face", look in the mirror and say, "let's go". Before I even left the house I was pouring with sweat. I was in fight or flight mode.' The Duke of Sussex said Meghan suggested he start seeing a therapist after they had an argument in the early days of their relationship in which he 'reverted back to 12-year-old Harry'. 'I felt somewhat ashamed and defensive [when the therapist said that]. Like, "How dare you? You're calling me a child". And she goes, "No, I'm not calling you a child. 'I'm expressing sympathy and empathy for you for what happened to you when you were a child. You never processed it. You were never allowed to talk about it and all of a sudden now it's coming up in different ways as projection". 'That was the start of a learning journey for me. I became aware that I'd been living in a bubble within this family, within this institution and I was sort of almost trapped in a thought process or a mindset.' He added: 'For me, therapy has equipped me to be able to take on anything.' Prince Harry carries out movements such as crossing his arms while remembering events in his past during therapy As part of the documentary series Prince Harry was filmed having EMDR therapy, which aims to help someone come to terms with trauma. This saw Harry carry out a series of movements such as closing his eyes and crossing his arms while remembering past events. The Duke, who now lives in an 11million mansion in Montecito, California, carried out the therapy via videolink with Sanja Oakley, a UK-based psychotherapist who used to be a trauma specialist for London Underground. How EMDR therapy tries to unblock the impact of a traumatic experience EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) is a psychotherapy treatment that helps people heal from the symptoms and emotional distress following disturbing life experiences. The idea is that the mind can heal from trauma by using mental processes that helps to unblock the impact of a traumatic experience so someone can heal from it. Experts have compared it to the physical practice of removing a foreign object from a wound to help it heal. Ssessions see eye movements used, with the client asked to hold different aspects of a memory in their mind. They are then encouraged to use their eyes to track the therapist's hand as it moves back and forth across the client's field of vision. Studies have connected this with the biological mechanisms involved in rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, which bring out internal associations and help clients process the memory and disturbing feelings. This is then meant to help clients conclude that EMDR therapy makes them feel empowered by the experiences, with the wounds closed and transformed. Over 100,000 clinicians around the world are said to have used the therapy, with millions of people treated with it over the past 25 years. Advertisement Prince Harry told the documentary, released today: 'For most of my life I've always felt worried, concerned, a little bit tense and uptight whenever I fly back into the UK, whenever I fly back into London. 'And I could never understand why. I was aware of it, I wasn't aware of it at the time when I was younger, but after I started doing therapy stuff I became aware of it. 'I was like, why do I feel so uncomfortable? And of course for me London is a trigger, unfortunately, because of what happened to my mum, and because of what I experienced and what I saw.' He told London-based Ms Oakley: 'Happens every time. I can't remember the first time it happened, I can just remember the feeling, anxiety, like a hollow empty feeling almost of nervousness, is it fear? Everything feels tense. 'It's being the hunted, and being helpless and knowing that you can't do anything about it. There is no escape. There is no way out of this.' Speaking to Oprah in episode three about his work with Ms Oakley, he added: 'Wherever I could I wanted to understand more about what was going on and why my nervous system was reacting the way that it was. 'I quickly established that if this relationship was going to work then I was going to have to deal with my past, because there was anger there, and it wasn't anger at her, it was just anger, and she recognised it, she saw it. 'Well, so how do I fix this? And it was a case of needing to go back to the past, go back to the point of trauma, deal with it, process it, and then move forward. 'Having now done therapy for four and bit years, five years now, for me it's all about prevention. 'That doesn't mean we have to speak to them every single day, but to have someone that can help guide us and create that awareness in our own life to when we might be feeling pain and how to get out of that and what the tools are available to us on any given day to make sure that it doesn't snowball into something bigger. 'EMDR is always something that I've wanted to try and that was one of the varieties of different forms of healing or curing that I was willing to experiment with. 'And I never would have been open to that had I not put in the work and the therapy that I've done over the years.' The biggest personal revelations from Prince Harry's series with Oprah 'It was like that for me so it's going to be like that for you': Harry criticises his father Charles for continuing the cycle of generational suffering Harry said: 'That doesn't make sense. Just because you suffered, that doesn't mean your kids have to suffer. In fact, quite the opposite. If you suffered, do everything you can to make sure that whatever negative experiences you had, you can make it right for your kids.' 'Isn't this all about breaking the cycle?' he asked, rhetorically. 'Isn't this all about making sure that history doesn't repeat itself.' Six-month pregnant Meghan shared with Harry HOW she was going to kill herself before they attended charity function at Royal Albert Hall Harry said: 'I'm somewhat ashamed of the way that I dealt with it,' he said, 'and of course because of the system that we were in and the responsibilities and the duties that we had, we had a quick cuddle and then we had to get changed and had to jump into a convoy with a police escort and drive to the Royal Albert Hall for a charity event.' 'There wasn't an option to say, "You know what, tonight we're not going to go, because just imagine the stories that come from that",' he said, recounting how once the lights dim Meghan started to cry and he felt ashamed he could not go to his family. Prince Harry told Oprah that Meghan didn't kill herself because she didn't want him to lose another woman he loved 'The scariest thing for her was her clarity of thought,' he said. 'She hadn't lost it. She wasn't crazy. She wasn't self-medicating, be it through pills or by alcohol. She was absolutely sober. She was completely sane. 'Yet in the quiet of night, these thoughts woke her up.' He says he now would like to focus on his son, Archie, 'rather than every time I look in his eyes wonder whether my wife is going to end up like my mother, and I'm going to have to look after him myself.' 'That was one of the main reasons to leave,' Harry said. Harry says Royals tried to STOP him and Meghan leaving after 'she was going to end her life' 'That feeling of being trapped within the family, there was no option to leave. Eventually when I made that decision for my family, I was still told, 'You can't do this.' 'And it's like, 'Well how bad does it have to get until I am allowed to do this?' She [Markle] was going to end her life. It shouldn't have to get to that.' He said his biggest regret was not taking a stand earlier in his relationship with Markle, claiming a barrage of attacks on her won't stop 'until she dies. 'It's incredibly triggering to potentially lose another woman in my life,' Harry said in the interview with Oprah. 'Like the list is growing, and it all comes back to the same people, the same business model, the same industry.' Claims Royals showed 'total neglect' for his and 'struggling' Meghan's mental health 'We spent four years trying to make it work,' he says on the show. 'We did everything that we possibly could to stay there and carry on doing the role and doing the job. But Meghan was struggling.' He said the way Meghan was feeling reminded him of his own mother's final days. 'History was repeating itself,' he said in an interview with Oprah. 'My mother was chased to her death while she was in a relationship with someone who wasn't white. And now look what's happened. Ultimately, he claimed, he and Meghan had to leave the U.K. to 'put our mental health first.' 'That's what we're doing,' the prince said, 'and that's what we'll continue to do.' Harry says he was 'worried and afraid' to return to the UK for Prince Philip's funeral 'I was worried about it, I was afraid,' Harry told The Associated Press during a recent joint interview with Oprah Winfrey to promote the series. He said he relied on coping skills learned in therapy. 'It definitely made it a lot easier, but the heart still pounds,' said Harry, the Duke of Sussex and grandson of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II and her late husband Philip. Prince Harry says he believed his 'compassionate' Oprah Winfrey interview would 'leave door open to reconciliation' with his family Prince Harry said: 'The interview was about being real and authentic. And hopefully sharing an experience which we know to be incredibly relatable to people around the world, despite our unique privileged position.' He continued: 'Before the Oprah interview had aired, because of the combined efforts of The Firm and the media to smear her, I was woken up in the middle of the night to her crying into her pillow because she doesn't want to wake me up because I'm already carrying too much. That's heartbreaking.' The couple were accused of 'blowing up the royal family' after the interview, in which they laid bare the extent of their rift with the Queen and other senior royals and accused The Firm of racism, sent shock waves around the world. Harry says he felt forced to go to Nepal and his constant jet-setting as the family's 'yes man' became 'hectic to the point of exhaustion' Harry said: 'I was travelling all over the place because, you know, from the family's perspective I guess I was the person who like ''we need someone to go there. Nepal, Harry you go''. 'I was always the yes man I was always the one willing to say yes. But that yes and yes and yes of course yes yes yes led to burnout. 'And it was like someone had taken the lid off. All of the emotions that I had suppressed for so many years suddenly came to the forefront.' He added: 'I saw GPs, I saw doctors, I saw therapists I saw alternative therapists, I saw all sorts of people. 'But it was meeting and being with Meghan - I knew that if I didn't do therapy and fix myself, that I was going to lose this woman who I could see spending the rest of my life with.' Prince Harry says he feels Diana's presence with him in California and believes she would be 'incredibly proud' Reflecting on the move to the US, he said: 'Making this move was really scary. At every possible opportunity the forces working against us tried to make it impossible. Did I expect to find ourselves in this situation so quickly? No. I think we've done a really good job. 'I have no regrets. It's really sad but I have no regrets at all because now I'm at a place where I think I should have been four years ago... 'Now we've got a beautiful little boy who keeps us busy, keeps us running around, he makes us laugh every day. We've got two dogs. And another little baby girl on the way. I never dreamt that. 'I have no doubt my Mum would be incredibly proud of me. I'm living the life that she wanted to live for herself. Living the life that she wanted us to be able to live. 'Not only do I know that she's incredibly proud of me, but that she's helped me get here. And I've never felt her presence more than I have over the last year. I wish she could have met Meghan. I wish she was around for Archie.' 'This is my mum. You haven't even met her': Harry hit out at mourners at Diana's funeral who showed 'ten times' as much emotion as he could 'When my mum was taken away from me at the age of 12, just before my 13th birthday, I didn't want the [royal] life. Sharing the grief of my mother's death with the world,' he said. 'For me, the thing I remember the most was the sound of the horses' hooves going along the pavement. Along the Mall, the Red Brick Road. By this point I was, both of us were in shock. It was like I was outside of my body and just walking along doing what was expected of me. 'Showing one tenth of the emotion that everybody else was showing. I thought, "This is my mum. You never even met her".' He continued: 'I was so angry with what happened to me and the fact there was no justice at all. I don't want to think about it because it's going to bring up the fact that I can't bring her back'. 'I always wanted to be normal as opposed to Prince Harry. Just being Harry. It was a puzzling life. But unfortunately, when I think about my mum the first thing that comes to mind is always the same one over and over again.' Prince Harry has said 'the world needs to heal' from the trauma of isolation due to Covid-19 pandemic. Speaking in a series of interviews with Oprah Winfrey for five-part AppleTV+ series The Me You Can't See, The Duke of Sussex reflected on being in lockdown and how it affected people's mental health across the globe. Harry quit the royal family shortly before the onset of the pandemic in March 2020, first moving to Vancouver Island in Canada before travelling to his wife's native California, moving to Santa Barbara before settling in a 14M mansion in Montecito with wife Meghan and son Archie, two. In the explosive new documentary Harry accused The Firm 'total silence' and 'neglect' when Meghan was suicidal, claiming his father Prince Charles made him 'suffer' as a child and insisting he would not be 'bullied into silence' when he alleged 'The Firm' 'trapped', smeared and then dumped them. Filming himself, on what appears to be an iPhone, on 8th July, Harry says: 'It's different, isolation is not easy for anyone, all the global pain and global trauma is coming to the surface'. Later, sitting down to speak with Oprah, he continues: 'Knowing that self isolation was going to cause so many mental health issues for so many people that were probably on the brink anyway, that didn't know about it. 'To have that community whether it's friend or family or otherwise, it's absolutely vital that we have a safe space to be able to share and talk to an individual or a group which in turn gives them the opportunity to share back as well. 'So it is going to be a case of healing the world'. He later added: 'There needs to be needs to be this acknowledgement or this uplift that we're all in this together, and if we weren't before Covid, we are now'. Speaking in October last year, Harry reflected on lockdown saying: 'The unique part of our work is whatever you're going through and whatever other people are going through, it's all relative to that environment that they're in. Prince Harry has said 'the world needs to heal' from the trauma of isolation due to Covid-19 pandemic Speaking in a virtual chat with activist Malala Yousafzai he said: 'For the majority of people I've spoken to in London, or in the UK, have been stuck in high-rise blocks of flats, unable to see any open grass or open green space. 'We've felt incredibly grateful and fortunate to be able to have outdoor space where our son can walk his first steps. Outdoor space where he can just have enough space to run and move around. It's a huge blessing. 'It reminds me of how many people are stacked on top of each other and have been for month after month after month after month, and what that must do to people's mental health.' It comes as Harry dropped another nuclear 'truth bomb' on the Royal Family accusing them of 'total silence' and 'neglect' when Meghan was suicidal, claiming his father Prince Charles made him 'suffer' as a child and insisting he would not be 'bullied into silence' when he alleged 'The Firm' 'trapped', smeared and then dumped them. Speaking in a series of interviews with Oprah Winfrey for five-part AppleTV+ series The Me You Can't See, The Duke of Sussex reflected on being in lockdown and how it affected people's mental health across the globe. He told Oprah: 'Certainly now I will never be bullied into silence', adding: 'I thought my family would help, but every single ask, request, warning, whatever it is, just got met with total silence, total neglect. We spent four years trying to make it work. We did everything that we possibly could to stay there and carry on doing the role and doing the job. But Meghan was struggling.' He added: 'That feeling of being trapped within the family, there was no option to leave. Eventually when I made that decision for my family, I was still told, "You can't do this", And it's like, "Well how bad does it have to get until I am allowed to do this?". She [Meghan] was going to end her life. It shouldn't have to get to that.' The Duke of Sussex also accused his family of smearing them to the press before their bombshell Oprah interview in March, describing being woken in their 11million mansion by his wife 'crying in her pillow' to stifle the noise on the eve of its broadcast. He said: 'Thats heartbreaking. I held her. We talked. She cried and she cried and she cried.' The Apple TV series was released in full online just four hours after his brother Prince William issued an extraordinary attack on the BBC for ruining Princess Diana's life after her Panorama interview with 'rogue reporter' Martin Bashir in 1995. But despite the truth about how their mother was deceived into doing a show her friends say began a chain of events leading directly to her death in Paris less than two years later, Harry launched yet another full-frontal attack on the Royal Family, who are private exasperated and upset about his constant 'pot shots' from across the Atlantic but are unable to respond publicly. 'It was like that for me so it's going to be like that for you': Harry criticises his father Charles for continuing the cycle of generational suffering In the third episode of the series, Harry talks about how his family would not discuss their feelings, leading to more 'generational suffering.' 'My father used to say to me when I was younger, he used to say to both William and I, 'Well, it was like that for me so it's going to be like that for you,' Harry says, 'That doesn't make sense. Just because you suffered, that doesn't mean your kids have to suffer. In fact, quite the opposite. If you suffered, do everything you can to make sure that whatever negative experiences you had, you can make it right for your kids.' 'Isn't this all about breaking the cycle?' he asked, rhetorically. 'Isn't this all about making sure that history doesn't repeat itself.' He said in an interview with Dax Shephard before the series aired he doesn't blame anyone, 'but certainly when it comes to parenting, if I've experienced some form of pain or suffering because of the pain or suffering that perhaps my father or my parents had suffered, I'm going to make sure I break that cycle so that I don't pass it on, basically. 'It's a lot of genetic pain and suffering that gets passed on anyway so we as parents should be doing the most we can to try and say 'you know what, that happened to me, I'm going to make sure that doesn't happen to you'.' He added: 'I never saw it, I never knew about it, and then suddenly I started to piece it together and go 'OK, so this is where he went to school, this is what happened, I know this about his life, I also know that is connected to his parents so that means he's treated me the way he was treated, so how can I change that for my own kids'. 'And here I am, I moved my whole family to the US, that wasn't the plan but sometimes you've got make decisions and put your family first and put your mental health first.' Prince Harry suffered panic attacks and binged on drugs and drink for years to deal with his mother's death - and says Meghan encouraged him to start therapy But, the prince said in his new show, by the time he was 28 he would 'freak out' whenever he saw a camera flash or he had to get into a car, and over the weekends he 'probably drank a week's worth in a single day.' He admitted he had tried drugs and alcohol to numb his pain, not realizing at the time that was what he was doing, and when people close to him told him to seek help, he would say he did not need help. It wasn't until he met Meghan, he said in the second episode, that he decided he needed help. 'I knew that if I didn't do the therapy and fix myself that I was going to lose this woman who I could see spending the rest of my life with,' he said, recounting how Meghan first suggested he go to therapy after they got into an argument. He said he realized early on in therapy that he had never processed the loss of his mother, and was projecting that grief onto others. 'That was the start of a learning journey for me,' he said. 'I became aware that I had been living in a bubble within this family, within this institution and I was sort of almost trapped in that sort of thought process or mindset.' Six-month pregnant Meghan shared with Harry HOW she was going to kill herself before they attended charity function at Royal Albert Hall captured in now infamous squeezing hand pictures Harry recalled in the second episode how difficult it was for Meghan to adjust to royal life as an outsider, noting, 'There was a lot of learning in the beginning of our relationship.' Soon after the relationship started, he said, Meghan was in the proverbial spotlight, with cameras following the couple around. 'It made my blood boil,' he said. 'It makes me angry. It takes me back to my mum, to what I experienced as a kid.' Making the situation worse, he said, were negative comments on social media. 'I thought my family would help,' Harry told Oprah, 'but every single ask, request, warning, whatever, it is just got met with total silence, total neglect. 'We spent four years trying to make it work. We did everything that we possibly could to stay there and carry on doing the role and doing the job. But Meghan was struggling.' Before they walked into the Royal Albert Hall in London for a charity event when Meghan was already six months pregnant, gripping each others hands, Harry said on the show, 'Meghan decided to share with me the suicidal thoughts and the practicalities of how she was going to end her life. 'I'm somewhat ashamed of the way that I dealt with it,' he said, 'and of course because of the system that we were in and the responsibilities and the duties that we had, we had a quick cuddle and then we had to get changed and had to jump into a convoy with a police escort and drive to the Royal Albert Hall for a charity event.' 'There wasn't an option to say, 'You know what, tonight we're not going to go, because just imagine the stories that come from that,' he said, recounting how once the lights dim Meghan started to cry and he felt ashamed he could not go to his family. Prince Harry told Oprah that Meghan didn't kill herself because she didn't want him to lose another woman he loved Harry said in an interview with Oprah that the only thing preventing Meghan from killing herself was the thought that it would be unfair to him to lose another woman he loved in his life while also pregnant with their baby. 'The scariest thing for her was her clarity of thought,' he said. 'She hadn't lost it. She wasn't crazy. She wasn't self-medicating, be it through pills or by alcohol. She was absolutely sober. She was completely sane. 'Yet in the quiet of night, these thoughts woke her up.' He says he now would like to focus on his son, Archie, 'rather than every time I look in his eyes wonder whether my wife is going to end up like my mother, and I'm going to have to look after him myself.' 'That was one of the main reasons to leave,' Harry said. Prince Harry says Royals tried to STOP him and Meghan leaving after 'she was going to end her life' But, the prince said, his family tried to stop him and Meghan from leaving, even as she was supposedly feeling suicidal. 'That feeling of being trapped within the family, there was no option to leave. Eventually when I made that decision for my family, I was still told, 'You can't do this.' And it's like, 'Well how bad does it have to get until I am allowed to do this?' She [Markle] was going to end her life. It shouldn't have to get to that.' He said his biggest regret was not taking a stand earlier in his relationship with Markle, claiming a barrage of attacks on her won't stop 'until she dies. 'It's incredibly triggering to potentially lose another woman in my life,' Harry said in the interview with Oprah. 'Like the list is growing, and it all comes back to the same people, the same business model, the same industry.' Harry claims Royals showed 'total neglect' for his and 'struggling' Meghan's mental The Duke of Sussex said on the Apple TV+ series he thought his family would help as Meghan started claiming she felt suicidal, but instead he was 'met with total silence, total neglect.' 'We spent four years trying to make it work,' he says on the show. 'We did everything that we possibly could to stay there and carry on doing the role and doing the job. But Meghan was struggling.' He said the way Meghan was feeling reminded him of his own mother's final days. 'History was repeating itself,' he said in an interview with Oprah. 'My mother was chased to her death while she was in a relationship with someone who wasn't white. And now look what's happened. Ultimately, he claimed, he and Meghan had to leave the U.K. to 'put our mental health first.' 'That's what we're doing,' the prince said, 'and that's what we'll continue to do.' Harry says he was 'worried and afraid' to return to the UK for Prince Philip's funeral The Duke of Sussex admitted he was anxious to return to the UK for Prince Philip's funeral last month. 'I was worried about it, I was afraid,' Harry told The Associated Press during a recent joint interview with Oprah Winfrey to promote a mental-health series they co-created and co-executive produced for Apple TV+. He was able to work through any trepidation using coping skills learned in therapy. 'It definitely made it a lot easier, but the heart still pounds,' said Harry, the Duke of Sussex and grandson of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II and her late husband Philip. Princess Diana's former butler has thrown doubt on a letter she wrote saying she had 'no regrets' about her interview with Martin Bashir for Panorama in 1995. Paul Burrell, 62, who lives in Cheshire with his family, said the letter, which was released as part of the Dyson Inquiry into the BBC, was 'odd,' in spite of being written in Diana's handwriting. Speaking to Lorraine Kelly this morning, the royal aide turned commentator said the letter is the 'greatest asset' to Martin Bashir, after the revelation that he 'conned his way' into interviewing the late royal, two years before her death. However, he revealed his theory that the letter could have been dicated to the late Princess because he knows that she did regret speaking publicly about her affair with James Hewitt. Burrell's comment comes as both the Duke of Cambridge and Duke of Sussex condemned the actions of the BBC in airing Diana's interview, which was seen as a catalyst for her to officially divorce Prince Wales and leave her royal life behind. In the letter, pictured, Diana said Bashir hadn't shown her any documents or hadn't given her 'any information that [she] was not previously aware of' 'The letter was very interesting, wasn't it? The letter the Princess wrote? It was the first time I had seen that letter,' he told Lorraine. 'It was written by the Princess, it is her hand, but it was an odd letter - she said she had not seen any documents and she had no regrets. 'It was as though it had been dictated to her, it could be Martin Bashir's biggest asset now,' he added. Speaking from Cheshire, Lady Diana's former butler, Paul Burrell, 62, pictured, said the letter penned by the late royal saying she had 'no regrets' about doing the Panorama interview with Martin Bashir was 'odd' 'But she said "no regrets" on it. And that is just not true. Because she said to me: "I did have one regret with the interview - I did regret speaking about James Hewitt". He added that Diana regretted those specific comments because of how they could affect Prince William and Prince Harry. Diana and Hewitt had an affair before she separated from Prince Charles in 1992. Lorraine, who said the whole affair was 'very sad,' agreed the letter was a 'get out of jail free' card for Bashir and the BBC. In the missive, which was released as part of the Dyson Inquiry, Diana said Bashir hadn't given her 'any information [she] was not previously aware of.' Recounting how he led Bashir into Kensington Palace to meet with Diana ahead of the interview, Burrell said the BBC presenter was like a 'small child excited in a sweet shop.' In the explosive interview, pictured, Diana referred to Camilla Parker-Bowles as the 'third person' in her marriage to Prince Charles He said the journalist was 'all too happy,' to talk to Diana after she had refused similar interviews with other broadcasters, but said Bashir had been 'deceitful.' Diana and Prince Charles' two sons have both condemned the interview following the Dyson Inquiry into the actions of the BBC and Martin Bashir regarding their mother's 1995 interview. The Duke of Cambridge said Bashir's deceit in obtaining his 1995 interview with Princess Diana hastened his parents' divorce and 'hurt countless others' in an unprecedented broadside against the shamed BBC. Key conclusions of yesterday's bombshell report that brought shame on the BBC His brother Prince Harry - who is based in California - also responded to Lord Dyson's damning report into how the interview was obtained, saying his mother 'lost her life because of this'. The Duke of Sussex thanked those who took 'some form of accountability' for 'owning it', but said 'the ripple effect of a culture of exploitation and unethical practices ultimately took [Diana's] life'. In a statement last night, Prince William laid bare his 'indescribable sadness' that his precious final years with his mother had been marred by the isolation the historic Panorama interview caused. What 'saddens' him the most was that should a 1996 investigation into claims Diana was hoodwinked by Bashir have been conducted 'properly', the princess would have known she was 'deceived' prior to her death in 1997, he claimed. He said the interview now held 'no legitimacy', had established a 'false narrative' for 25 years, and the BBCs failings had let his mother, his family and the public down. The Duke of Cambridge read his bombshell statement to camera in a courtyard at Kensington Palace his London residence and the home of his late mother. Both William and the Duke of Sussex yesterday received 'unconditional apology' letters from the BBC over Bashir's conduct and the subsequent cover-up now fully laid bare 25 years on. The Duke of Cambridge said Martin Bashir's deceit in obtaining his 1995 interview with Princess Diana hastened his parents' divorce and 'hurt countless others' in unprecedented broadside against the shamed BBC Buckingham Palace and Prince Charles' official residence Clarence House have also had correspondence, it can be revealed. Appearing on a Panorama special about the scandal last night, the princess's brother Earl Spencer linked his sister's death to the BBC and the crisis of trust he claimed that engulfed her after she was deceived by Bashir. His devastating verdict came as a judge ruled the shamed journalist hoodwinked the princess with an elaborate fiction that painted some of those closest to her as traitors. The 'rogue reporter' commissioned fake bank statements to secure his interview with Princess Diana - but covered up his 'deceitful behaviour' in a 'shocking blot' on the BBC's near 100-year history. The statements wrongly suggested that Earl Spencer's security boss was in the pay of tabloid journalists and a shadowy company linked to the security services. His lies landed the Panorama reporter the interview of the century and multiple awards - but hastened the end of Diana's marriage to Prince Charles and saw her stripped of her HRH status just two years before her death. Bashir maintained that despite the fake bank statements a note from Diana herself showed that she had not been affected by this in her decision to be interviewed by him - an interview of which he remained 'immensely proud'. What came out of Dyson Inquiry As the BBC suffered one of its darkest days, Lord Dyson's report revealed: Earl Spencer led demands for Scotland Yard to launch a criminal investigation; Lord Dyson lambasted former BBC bosses for a cynical cover-up after The Mail on Sunday exposed the scandal in 1996; The broadcaster faced possible multi-million-pound payouts to those claiming to be victims as a result of Bashirs cruel smears; Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden threatened further governance reforms at the BBC; The BBC is handing back all the awards the Panorama interview won, including a Bafta; Panorama broadcast its own expose of itself exposing BBC bosses failings. Advertisement In a televised statement, Prince William said: 'I would like to thank Lord Dyson and his team for the report. 'It is welcome that the BBC accepts Lord Dyson's findings in full which are extremely concerning that BBC employees: Lied and used fake documents to obtain the interview with my mother; Made lurid and false claims about the Royal Family which played on her fears and fuelled paranoia; Displayed woeful incompetence when investigating complaints and concerns about the programme; and were evasive in their reporting to the media and covered up what they knew from their internal investigation. 'It is my view that the deceitful way the interview was obtained substantially influenced what my mother said. 'The interview was a major contribution to making my parents' relationship worse and has since hurt countless others. 'It brings indescribable sadness to know that the BBC's failures contributed significantly to her fear, paranoia and isolation that I remember from those final years with her. 'But what saddens me most, is that if the BBC had properly investigated the complaints and concerns first raised in 1995, my mother would have known that she had been deceived. 'She was failed not just by a rogue reporter, but by leaders at the BBC who looked the other way rather than asking the tough questions. 'It is my firm view that this Panorama programme holds no legitimacy and should never be aired again. 'It effectively established a false narrative which, for over a quarter of a century, has been commercialised by the BBC and others. 'This settled narrative now needs to be addressed by the BBC and anyone else who has written or intends to write about these events. 'In an era of fake news, public service broadcasting and a free press have never been more important. These failings, identified by investigative journalists, not only let my mother down, and my family down; they let the public down too.' In a statement last night, Prince William told of his 'indescribable sadness' that the controversial Panorama interview increased his mother's 'fear, paranoia and isolation' in her final years. Pictured: Diana with her sons The Duke of Sussex added: 'Our mother was an incredible woman who dedicated her life to service. She was resilient, brave, and unquestionably honest. 'The ripple effect of a culture of exploitation and unethical practices ultimately took her life. 'To those who have taken some form of accountability, thank you for owning it. 'That is the first step towards justice and truth. Yet what deeply concerns me is that practices like these - and even worse- are still widespread today. Then, and now, it's bigger than one outlet, one network, or one publication. 'Our mother lost her life because of this, and nothing has changed. By protecting her legacy, we protect everyone, and uphold the dignity with which she lived her life. Let's remember who she was and what she stood for.' The Mail understands that far from drawing a line under the matter, the Duke of Cambridge believes there could be 'more' to the scandal. Sources say that while he is extremely grateful to Lord Dyson, he also felt the terms of reference for the inquiry were narrow and there is, potentially, a lot more to it all'. Exactly what this is, remains to be seen. Sources said William believes yesterday's report is 'just the beginning of the process of establishing the truth'. However sources close to the prince were also at pains to stress that he is 'not about to go to war with the BBC' and passionately believes in public service broadcasting. 'This is not a campaign he is waging,' one said. It is more, the source said, that he believes passionately in 'establishing the truth'. How any of this will play out is not clear but it will more than likely, sources caution, happen in private. The second in line to the throne has a particularly heavy workload ahead of him in recent months with an official trip to Scotland today and his landmark Earthshot Prize this autumn. It is likely that his thoughtful words will also go down well at Clarence House, the official residence of his father, the Prince of Wales. Charles has studiously kept at arms' length from the investigation, conscious that it is for Dianas sons to take the lead in anything around her memory and legacy. But the fact that his elder son has made a point of acknowledging what a damaging effect the interview also had on his relationship with his estranged wife is likely to help soothe troubled waters. Diana's brother Earl Spencer last night appeared on another Panorama special, titled: 'Princess Diana, Martin Bashir and the BBC' which aimed to lay bare the full extent of the scandal. In it, he says: 'The irony is I met Martin Bashir on the 31st of August 1995, because exactly two years later she died. And I do draw a line between the two events. Advertisement Prince Harry has revealed the moment his wife Meghan Markle told him she was suicidal, saying she did not go through with killing herself while pregnant because of her concerns about him 'losing another woman'. The Duke of Sussex spoke during his new Apple TV docuseries The Me You Can't See about an occasion two years ago when Meghan told him she was suicidal, before a charity event at the Royal Albert Hall in London. He told Oprah Winfrey that Meghan cried at the show, while pregnant with their son Archie, while he also accused the Royal Family during an interview of 'total neglect' and said he will not be bullied. Harry also addressed traumatic memories from his childhood - including the death of his mother Princess Diana, the resulting mental distress and, in more recent years, harassment on social media he has faced. He said: 'Meghan was struggling, and people have seen the photograph of us squeezing each other's hands as we walked into the Royal Albert Hall in London for a charity event - she was six months pregnant at the time. 'What perhaps people don't understand is earlier that evening, Meghan decided to share with me the suicidal thoughts and the practicalities of how she was going to end her life.' Today, a body language expert said Meghan put on a brave face to mask her pain while Harry gave away tell-tale signs of anxiety during their appearance at the Royal Albert Hall on January 16, 2019. Judi observed how Meghan 'reaches for Harry's hand frequently - seeking reassurance - and when she sits she reaches for it and places it in both of her hands'. The Duchess is also seen protectively clutching her baby bump while takine her seat at the Royal Albert Hall. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex at the premiere of Cirque du Soleil's Totem, in support of the Sentebale charity, at the Royal Albert Hall in London on January 16, 2019. Harry said: 'While my wife and I were in those chairs, gripping each other's hand, the moment the lights go down, Meghan starts crying' Meghan Markle put on a brave face to mask her pain while Prince Harry gave away tell-tale signs of anxiety by 'sucking his lips' (pictured) during their appearance at the Royal Albert Hall, body language expert Judi James observed. The couple seemed cheerful while speaking to guests, but as soon as they sat down, the Duke of Sussex looked 'stony faced' Resurfaced footage of the couple at the concert in January 2019 featured in episode two of Harry's new Apple TV series with Oprah Winfrey, entitled The Me You Can't See. The footage appeared as the Duke of Sussex, 36, opened up about what happened prior to their arrival, when his wife told him she was suicidal. Harry and Meghan were seen sitting together as the lights went down, before the Duchess started crying. The pair had been married for less than a year and she was pregnant with their son Archie. Speaking to FEMAIL, body language expert Judi James said Meghan was able to mask what what we now know went on behind the scenes and appeared 'gracious and elegant'. 'She reaches for Harry's hand frequently and when she sits she reaches for it and places it in both of her hands,' Judi observed. 'Harry's facial expression does appear more telling. His eyes looks wide at times and he is seen sucking his lips in once the attention is off him, suggesting he is struggling with anxiety or some sort of pain or worry. Judi said Meghan was able to mask what what we now know went on behind the scenes and appeared 'gracious and elegant', with Harry's body language more telling about the realityof what they were feeling. His demeanour does seem to change to something a lot more serious when the lights are lowered.' 'Like Meghan he appears keen to look animated and sociable when he is doing his job but his demeanour does seem to change to something a lot more serious when the lights are lowered.' When Harry speaks about his wife in the docuseries, Judi said his gestures became 'very emphatic, clear and precise' before he got emotional when he described how she was feeling when she shared her suicidal thoughts with him. 'He uses a pursed-finger hand to baton his messages and he uses that finger-pinch to draw vertical and horizontal lines in the air to be forensic with his words and memories,' she explained. 'He also starts to be overcome with emotion, tearing up with his voice cracking. He says that they only had time for a 'quick cuddle' before having to go out and get on with their royal duties.' During the series Harry revealed that it was Meghan who pushed him to get therapy during an argument to finally address the trauma he experienced after losing his mother when he was 12. Harry said therapy helped him 'break the cycle', adding: 'For me, therapy has equipped me to be able to take on anything. I knew if I didn't do the therapy and fix myself I would lose this woman I could see spending the rest of my life [with].' Judi said Harry's body language during this discussion suggested Meghan 'really was the one who 'save' him at this low point'. 'He begins to fiddle with his wedding ring,' she says. 'Harry slows and becomes calmer when he speaks about Meghan and he appears to mime her side of their conversations, throwing his hands out palms-up to repeat her suggestion that 'I think you need to see someone'. 'Harry uses his body language to role-play both sides in the argument they had, using the open hands and calm of Meghan versus the self-protective fist-shapes as he first thinks 'How dare you' about the thought he needed help. 'His palm-swipe appears to mimic her listing of his problems before he rubs his wedding ring again.' Meghan first revealed the trauma of the night at the Royal Albert Hall in her March interview with Oprah. Meghan first revealed the trauma of the night at the Royal Albert Hall in her March interview with Oprah 'The thing that stopped her from seeing it through was how unfair it would be on me after everything that had happened to my mum and to now to be put in a position of losing another woman in my life with a baby inside of her, our baby,' Harry said in the new series. 'The scariest thing for her was her clarity of thought. She hadn't 'lost it.' She wasn't crazy. She wasn't self-medicating, be it through pills or through alcohol. She was absolutely sober. She was completely sane. Yet in the quiet of night, these thoughts woke her up.' Harry said that he did not know how to handle her confession. 'I'm somewhat ashamed of the way that I dealt with them,' he said. 'And of course, because of the system that we were in and the responsibilities and the duties that we had, we had a quick cuddle and then we had to get changed to jump in a convoy with a police escort and drive to the Royal Albert Hall for a charity event. Then step out into a wall of cameras and pretend as though everything's okay. Judi says Harry uses his body language to role-play both sides in the argument he had with Meghan when she told him he needed to get therapy (pictured showing the 'open hands and calm of Meghan') Harry uses self-protective fist-shapes as he first thinks 'How dare you' about the thought he needed help, according to Judi 'There wasn't an option to say, 'you know what, tonight, we're not going to go' because just imagine the stories that come from that.' He said that the night was, for him, a revelation. He realised that they could not continue the way they were. 'While my wife and I were in those chairs, gripping each other's hand, the moment the lights go down, Meghan starts crying. I'm feeling sorry for her, but I'm also really angry with myself that we're stuck in this situation,' Harry said. 'I was ashamed that it got this bad. I was ashamed to go to my family. Because to be honest with you, like a lot of other people my age could probably relate to, I know that I'm not gonna get from my family what I need. 'I then had a son who I'd far rather be solely focused on, rather than every time I look into his eyes, wondering whether my wife is going to end up like my mother and I'm going to have to look after him myself.' The prince, whose new series airs on Apple TV+ from May 20, told Winfrey he feared 'history repeating itself' after he began dating Markle , and was reminded of his mother being pursued to her death while she was dating 'someone who wasn't white'. Diana, the princess of Wales, died in 1997 alongside Egyptian film producer Dodi Al Fayed, who she had been dating for several months. Harry said he felt there were parallels in their stories when he followed in his mother's footsteps and began dating a person of color. 'My mother was chased to her death while she was in a relationship with someone who wasn't white,' he said. 'And now look what's happened. It's incredibly triggering to potentially lose another woman in my life. Like, the list is growing. 'And it all comes back to the same people, the same business model, the same industry.' In the candid interview, the prince discusses his failure to process the grief from the death of his mother; the helplessness he felt when he struggled to protect her; and his dependence on drugs and alcohol to numb the pain. He spoke of his anxiety and sense of being trapped in the palace, and his family's refusal to help when Meghan felt suicidal. Harry says his family tried to prevent him and Meghan from leaving. He said: 'Eventually when I made that decision for my family, I was still told, 'You can't do this'. And it's like, 'Well how bad does it have to get until I am allowed to do this?' 'She [Markle] was going to end her life. It shouldn't have to get to that.' When asked if he has any regrets, he says it is not taking a stand earlier in his relationship with Markle. The biggest personal revelations from Prince Harry's series with Oprah 'It was like that for me so it's going to be like that for you': Harry criticises his father Charles for continuing the cycle of generational suffering Harry said: 'That doesn't make sense. Just because you suffered, that doesn't mean your kids have to suffer. In fact, quite the opposite. If you suffered, do everything you can to make sure that whatever negative experiences you had, you can make it right for your kids.' 'Isn't this all about breaking the cycle?' he asked, rhetorically. 'Isn't this all about making sure that history doesn't repeat itself.' 'This is my mum. You haven't even met her': Harry hit out at mourners at Diana's funeral who showed 'ten times' as much emotion as he could 'When my mum was taken away from me at the age of 12, just before my 13th birthday, I didn't want the [royal] life. Sharing the grief of my mother's death with the world,' he said. 'For me, the thing I remember the most was the sound of the horses' hooves going along the pavement. Along the Mall, the Red Brick Road. By this point I was, both of us were in shock. It was like I was outside of my body and just walking along doing what was expected of me. 'Showing one tenth of the emotion that everybody else was showing. I thought, "This is my mum. You never even met her".' He continued: 'I was so angry with what happened to me and the fact there was no justice at all. I don't want to think about it because it's going to bring up the fact that I can't bring her back'. 'I always wanted to be normal as opposed to Prince Harry. Just being Harry. It was a puzzling life. But unfortunately, when I think about my mum the first thing that comes to mind is always the same one over and over again.' Harry says he was 'worried and afraid' to return to the UK for Prince Philip's funeral 'I was worried about it, I was afraid,' Harry told The Associated Press during a recent joint interview with Oprah Winfrey to promote the series. He said he relied on coping skills learned in therapy. 'It definitely made it a lot easier, but the heart still pounds,' said Harry, the Duke of Sussex and grandson of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II and her late husband Philip. Harry tells trauma therapist of his fears about visiting the UK - and shares EMDR session that has 'freed him' Prince Harry said: 'For most of my life I've always felt worried, concerned, a little bit tense and uptight whenever I fly back into the UK, whenever I fly back into London. 'And I could never understand why. I was aware of it, I wasn't aware of it at the time when I was younger, but after I started doing therapy stuff I became aware of it. 'I was like, why do I feel so uncomfortable? And of course for me London is a trigger, unfortunately, because of what happened to my mum, and because of what I experienced and what I saw.' He told London-based anja Oakley, a UK-based psychotherapist who used to be a trauma specialist for London Underground: 'Happens every time. I can't remember the first time it happened, I can just remember the feeling, anxiety, like a hollow empty feeling almost of nervousness, is it fear? Everything feels tense. 'It's being the hunted, and being helpless and knowing that you can't do anything about it. There is no escape. There is no way out of this.' Prince Harry says he believed his 'compassionate' Oprah Winfrey interview would 'leave door open to reconciliation' with his family Prince Harry said: 'The interview was about being real and authentic. And hopefully sharing an experience which we know to be incredibly relatable to people around the world, despite our unique privileged position.' He continued: 'Before the Oprah interview had aired, because of the combined efforts of The Firm and the media to smear her, I was woken up in the middle of the night to her crying into her pillow because she doesn't want to wake me up because I'm already carrying too much. That's heartbreaking.' The couple were accused of 'blowing up the royal family' after the interview, in which they laid bare the extent of their rift with the Queen and other senior royals and accused The Firm of racism, sent shock waves around the world. Harry says he felt forced to go to Nepal and his constant jet-setting as the family's 'yes man' became 'hectic to the point of exhaustion' Harry said: 'I was travelling all over the place because, you know, from the family's perspective I guess I was the person who like ''we need someone to go there. Nepal, Harry you go''. 'I was always the yes man I was always the one willing to say yes. But that yes and yes and yes of course yes yes yes led to burnout. 'And it was like someone had taken the lid off. All of the emotions that I had suppressed for so many years suddenly came to the forefront.' He added: 'I saw GPs, I saw doctors, I saw therapists I saw alternative therapists, I saw all sorts of people. 'But it was meeting and being with Meghan - I knew that if I didn't do therapy and fix myself, that I was going to lose this woman who I could see spending the rest of my life with.' Prince Harry says he feels Diana's presence with him in California and believes she would be 'incredibly proud' Reflecting on the move to the US, he said: 'Making this move was really scary. At every possible opportunity the forces working against us tried to make it impossible. Did I expect to find ourselves in this situation so quickly? No. I think we've done a really good job. 'I have no regrets. It's really sad but I have no regrets at all because now I'm at a place where I think I should have been four years ago... 'Now we've got a beautiful little boy who keeps us busy, keeps us running around, he makes us laugh every day. We've got two dogs. And another little baby girl on the way. I never dreamt that. 'I have no doubt my Mum would be incredibly proud of me. I'm living the life that she wanted to live for herself. Living the life that she wanted us to be able to live. 'Not only do I know that she's incredibly proud of me, but that she's helped me get here. And I've never felt her presence more than I have over the last year. I wish she could have met Meghan. I wish she was around for Archie.' Then girlfriend Meghan Markle encouraged him to seek therapy after an argument 'I knew that if I didn't do the therapy and fix myself that I was going to lose this woman who I could see myself spending the rest of my life with,' he told Oprah. At a separate point he explained he had unintentionally 'reverted to 12-year-old Harry' during an argument. 'I felt somewhat ashamed and defensive [when the therapist said that]. Like, "How dare you? You're calling me a child". And she goes, "No, I'm not calling you a child. 'I'm expressing sympathy and empathy for you for what happened to you when you were a child. You never processed it. You were never allowed to talk about it and all of a sudden now it's coming up in different ways as projection". 'That was the start of a learning journey for me. I became aware that I'd been living in a bubble within this family, within this institution and I was sort of almost trapped in a thought process or a mindset.' He added: 'For me, therapy has equipped me to be able to take on anything.' For confidential support in the UK call the Samaritans on 116123, visit a local Samaritans branch or click here for details Signing of 17-Article Agreement embodies full sovereignty of PRC in Tibet: white paper Xinhua) 11:07, May 21, 2021 BEIJING, May 21 (Xinhua) -- The signing of the 17-Article Agreement symbolized the final liberation of all the Chinese mainland, and embodied the full sovereignty of the People's Republic of China (PRC) in Tibet, said a white paper issued by the State Council Information Office Friday. On May 23, 1951, the Agreement of the Central People's Government and the Local Government of Tibet on Measures for the Peaceful Liberation of Tibet (the 17-Article Agreement) was signed, officially proclaiming the peaceful liberation of Tibet, said the white paper titled "Tibet Since 1951: Liberation, Development and Prosperity." (Web editor: Shi Xi, Liang Jun) Erin O'Connor has revealed she was diagnosed with PTSD as a result of the criticism she faced over her slender figure. The 43-year-old supermodel, from West Midlands, spoke of the devastating impact people's opinions of her size had on her mental health at the height of her modelling career in the 90s. As reported by the Daily Mail's Sebastian Shakespeare column, she said: 'I did a lot of crying and soulsearching because I was publicly used as a means of getting news and shocking headlines.' She said: 'After years of being subjected to daily opinions on my body, it was quite traumatic. I definitely suffered. Erin O'Connor, 43, from West Midlands, has revealed she was diagnosed with PTSD as a result of the criticism she faced over her slender figure in the 90s (pictured in 1999) 'I was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress after holding a very public, politicised space.' The mother-of-two, who is six foot tall, had previously spoken about feeling 'betrayed' by her body. She shared: 'It was when I outgrew my dad at the age of 15 that it became testing for me. 'I don't think I was different to anyone else as a teenager, in that I thought it was important to fit in.' The 43-year-old supermodel spoke of the devastating impact people's opinions of her size had on her mental health at the height of her modelling career (pictured in 2016) She said that after 'years of being subjected to daily opinions about her body' she felt 'traumatised' (pictured in 1998) The West Midlands native was first spotted by a talent scout while on a school trip to the Birmingham Clothes Show. What is post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)? Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder caused by very stressful, frightening or distressing events. People with PTSD often suffer nightmares and flashbacks to the traumatic event and can experience insomnia and an inability to concentrate. Symptoms are often severe enough to have a serious impact on the persons day-to-day life, and can emerge straight after the traumatic event or years later. PTSD is thought to affect about 1 in every 3 people who have a traumatic experience, and was first documented in the First World War in soldiers with shell shock. People who are worried they have PTSD should visit their GP, who could recommend a course of psychotherapy or anti-depressants. Combat Stress operate a 24-hour helpline for veterans, which can be reached on 0800 138 1619. Advertisement Erin - who has four-year-old Bertie and Eddie, two, with partner Stephen Gibson - also spoke about the importance of self-acceptance. She added: 'This debate is to do with self-esteem. 'The idea of not feeling accepted is something scary. It really doesn't matter what age, size or shape you are.' In 2019, Erin was one of hundreds of models who called out Victoria's Secret for sexual harassment and abuse in an open letter to the lingerie brand's CEO. The open letter penned directly to Victoria's Secret CEO John Mehas was published by the Model Alliance and co-signed by Time's Up, with more than 100 models also signing their names to express concern about allegations against the brand. 'We are writing today to express our concern for the safety and wellbeing of the models and young women who aspire to model for Victorias Secret,' the letter read. The letter continued: 'In the past few weeks, we have heard numerous allegations of sexual assault, alleged rape, and sex trafficking of models and aspiring models. While these allegations may not have been aimed at Victoria's Secret directly, it is clear that your company has a crucial role to play in remedying the situation.' Some of the signatures came from major players in the modeling industry such as former Angel Doutzen Kroes, Christy Turlington and Iskra Lawrence. Also Caitriona Balfe, who walked in the 2002 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, and Karen Elson, who walked in the 2001 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, signed the letter against the brand they formerly worked. Other prominent names listed include Carolyn Murphy, Charli Howard, Edie Campbell, Emme, Gemma Ward, MIlla Jovovich and Robyn Lawley. Prince Harry 'addressed Prince Charles directly' and showed gestures of 'mimed aggression' when discussing how 'history was repeating itself' with his wife Meghan Markle during his new docuseries, a body language expert has claimed. During The Me You Can't See, the Apple TV+ show he co-produced with Oprah Winfrey, the Duke of Sussex, 36, claimed Prince Charles made him 'suffer' as a child - something royal commentators have claimed will 'hurt' the Prince of Wales deeply. He also allowed cameras to film him undergoing an 'extraordinary' therapy session, during which he received 'eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing' (EMDr) treatment for anxiety attacks he said are triggered every time he flies into Britain. Speaking to FEMAIL, body language expert Judi James said she observed a 'powerful' body language moment where Harry appeared to be addressing his father directly. She also claimed his therapy session showed him unselfconsciously 'acting out his distress' in the style of a 'role-play' to share his techniques with others suffering. Prince Harry 'addressed Prince Charles directly' and showed gestures of 'mimed aggression' when discussing how 'history was repeating itself' with his wife Meghan Markle during his new docuseries, a body language expert has claimed Judi said Harry re-lives his anger using pointing and stabbing gestures when he discusses previous times of trauma 'We see three strong sets of emotional reveal from Harry in this first documentary about mental health. First is the unmasked version with signals of sadness and vulnerability, then the very angry, resentful version with eye-narrowing and lip-jutting and lastly the "adult, in control" version of Harry, who appears calmer and as something of a guru or therapist himself.' She added: 'There is a very powerful body language moment in this episode where Harry appears to be addressing his father Charles directly. 'He begins by making comparisons between his mother's fate and Meghan. When he asks himself about regrets in a rhetorical format he shows signs of anger again as he replies he regrets "not taking a stance earlier and calling out racism". 'His finger points in a stabbing gesture of mimed aggression and his blink rate increases. He makes comparisons to his mother's circumstances using the pointing gestures and ending in a wry, mirthless laugh to suggest disbelief. 'Harry's hands stir in the air when he says it was "incredibly triggering to potentially lose another woman in my life" - and again the wry, understated smile of disbelief that history could repeat itself. Judi said Harry makes comparisons to his mother's circumstances using the pointing gestures and ending in a wry, mirthless laugh to suggest disbelief 'He then says that it "comes back to the same people", and Charles is shown on screen with his young son. 'It is at this point that Harry appears to be "posting" his conversation directly at his father, even using the word "you" when he says "You chose".' Harry accused the Royal Family of 'total silence' and 'total neglect' when Meghan was suicidal, adding: 'Before the Oprah interview had aired, because of their headlines and that combined effort of The Firm and the media to smear her, I was woken up in the middle of the night to her [Meghan] crying in her pillow - because she doesn't want to wake me up because I'm already carrying too much.' He admitted he wished he had 'called out the racism' when he first started dating Meghan, but said he would no longer accept it after fearing 'losing another woman' in his life. Judi said there are some 'subtle clues' that suggest tension and anxiety within the prince, especially when he talks about his four years of therapy. Prince Harry carries out movements such as crossing his arms while remembering events in his past during therapy. Judi said: 'Harry's therapy session looks like a role-play to share helpful techniques with people needing similar help and Harry enters the role-play seriously and earnestly, as though doing the real thing without cameras filming him' 'Harry becomes less assured at this point, fiddling with his wedding ring to suggest a desire to channel Meghan's reassuring presence and speaking about himself in the third person - "for an individual who never thought they would need or do therapy" - rather than speaking personally. 'Harrys anger begins to become obvious here though as he mimes pushing away with both hands to describe how he was treated in the past.' Judi said Harry's gestures become 'expressive and creative' while talking about how London is a trigger for him. 'We see Harry sitting looking emotionally empty at the start of this section,' she explained. 'Seeing a man we always used to see laughing and joking sitting staring expressionless at the floor is distressing but when we switch to seeing Harry talking about his therapy he looks overjoyed to be discovering reasons and answers for his feelings and behaviours. He becomes expressive and open in his body language, again miming or mimicking in a bid to share his experiences and his current understanding of them. The Duke of Sussex closes his eyes during a therapy session shown in the new Apple TV documentary series. Judi said Harry's gestures become 'expressive and creative' while talking about how London is a trigger for him 'He looks upward to search as he choses his words like "worried" and "concerned" and then mimes a very exaggerated facial wince straight to camera to show how "tense and tight" he felt flying back into London. He even mimes flying in with one swooping hand as though words might not be enough to get his messages across. This over-congruence looks a little like a parent explaining to a child, suggesting a desire to have his audience understand and empathise almost first-hand. 'Harry's therapy session looks like a role-play to share helpful techniques with people needing similar help and Harry enters the role-play seriously and earnestly, as though doing the real thing without cameras filming him. Its a rather intimate-looking moment because he actually acts out his distress and his "tuning in to the inner emotions without any sign of self-consciousness. 'Harry closes his eyes with a deep sigh to focus on the area of the problem then sits up and sniffs and grimaces to settle into the therapy. The folded arms and self-pats are filmed from two angles here with the second seeming to feature Harrys wedding ring, again hinting at Meghans important role in his "healing".' When discussing his childhood and talking about his mother, Judi said Harry's voice 'deepens, softens and seems to crack as though he is near to tears'. Harry's therapy session was filmed and shown on the new Apple TV documentary series The Me You Can't See. Judi said: ''Harry closes his eyes with a deep sigh to focus on the area of the problem then sits up and sniffs and grimaces to settle into the therapy' 'There is a micro-gesture of disgust as he wrinkles his nose at one point,' she observed. 'The angry Harry returns with Oprah now as he uses mime gestures like horses hooves to re-live the experience of Dianas funeral. He re-lives his anger of the time here too, using pointing and stabbing gestures and with his eyes narrowing as he says "This is my mum". His lower lip juts, his hands ball into fists and his blink rate becomes more rapid.' By the end of the series in episode five, Judi said we see Harry back in his 'calm, adult power pose', speaking to Oprah. She observed that his 'summary' towards the end triggered new gestures 'associated with self-calming or suppressing thoughts or emotions'. 'He face-touches here, touching his lips in a self-comfort ritual before changing position to touch his face with his other hand. He also scratches his neck and plays with his wedding ring,' Judi noted. 'When he speaks he sounds on-message again, referring to his "awakening" and defining time via some invisible brick gestures that separate chunks of his past, present and future life into different themes. 'There is huge emphasis here on his rubbing and fiddling with his wedding ring to suggest the support and comfort he gets from his wife and the pose and background imply a sense of reflective peace and solitude and found freedom with Meghan,' Judi concluded 'He places his finger to his lips and pauses when asked if he is still controlled by the media and then he rubs his lips to suggest mixed feelings of possible unease and a desire to self-comfort.' When he discusses the couple's previous explosive Oprah interview, Judi said Harry is 'emphatic' that he 'spoke the truth in the most compassionate way possible' - despite many royal commentators claiming the Firm would be deeply hurt by their accusations of institutional racism and neglect. It prompted the Queen to issue a statement after the programme aired, which stated: 'The whole family is saddened to learn the full extent of how challenging the last few years have been for Harry and Meghan. 'The issues raised, particularly that of race, are concerning. While some recollections may vary, they are taken very seriously and will be addressed by the family privately.' 'Harry then uses mime gestures to mime a gap in front of his body as he describes leaving an "opening for reconciliation and healing",' Judi went on. 'Harry is equally sharing and open when he speaks about how Meghan cried the night before the interview. He actually shares by miming the act and then miming the hug he gave her. His body language and his words are very emphatic here as he says she "cried and cried and cried". This revelation is followed by shots of Harry driving and sitting in a forest 'reflectively'. 'There is huge emphasis here on his rubbing and fiddling with his wedding ring to suggest the support and comfort he gets from his wife and the pose and background imply a sense of reflective peace and solitude and found freedom with Meghan,' Judi concluded. Duchess put on a brave facade but reached for her husband's hands while he sat 'stony-faced' after smiling for the cameras, body language expert claims Meghan Markle put on a brave face to mask her pain while Prince Harry gave away tell-tale signs of anxiety during their appearance at London's Royal Albert Hall, a body language expert claimed. Harry and Meghan were seen sitting together as the lights went down at the concert in January 2019, before the Duchess started crying. Speaking to FEMAIL, Judi James said Meghan was able to mask what what we now know went on behind the scenes and appeared 'gracious and elegant'. 'She reaches for Harry's hand frequently and when she sits she reaches for it and places it in both of her hands,' Judi observed. 'Harry's facial expression does appear more telling. His eyes looks wide at times and he is seen sucking his lips in once the attention is off him, suggesting he is struggling with anxiety or some sort of pain or worry. 'Like Meghan he appears keen to look animated and sociable when he is doing his job but his demeanour does seem to change to something a lot more serious when the lights are lowered.' When Harry speaks about his wife in the docuseries, Judi said his gestures became 'very emphatic, clear and precise' before he got emotional when he described how she was feeling when she shared her suicidal thoughts with him. 'He uses a pursed-finger hand to baton his messages and he uses that finger-pinch to draw vertical and horizontal lines in the air to be forensic with his words and memories,' she explained. 'He also starts to be overcome with emotion, tearing up with his voice cracking. He says that they only had time for a "quick cuddle" before having to go out and get on with their royal duties.' During the series Harry revealed that it was Meghan who pushed him to get therapy during an argument to finally address the trauma he experienced after losing his mother when he was 12. Judi said Harry's body language during this discussion suggested Meghan 'really was the one who "save" him at this low point'. 'He begins to fiddle with his wedding ring,' she says. 'Harry slows and becomes calmer when he speaks about Meghan and he appears to mime her side of their conversations, throwing his hands out palms-up to repeat her suggestion that "I think you need to see someone". 'Harry uses his body language to role-play both sides in the argument they had, using the open hands and calm of Meghan versus the self-protective fist-shapes as he first thinks "How dare you" about the thought he needed help. His palm-swipe appears to mimic her listing of his problems before he rubs his wedding ring again.' Meghan first revealed the trauma of the night at the Royal Albert Hall in her March interview with Oprah. The biggest personal revelations from Prince Harry's series with Oprah 'It was like that for me so it's going to be like that for you': Harry criticises his father Charles for continuing the cycle of generational suffering Harry said: 'That doesn't make sense. Just because you suffered, that doesn't mean your kids have to suffer. In fact, quite the opposite. If you suffered, do everything you can to make sure that whatever negative experiences you had, you can make it right for your kids.' 'Isn't this all about breaking the cycle?' he asked, rhetorically. 'Isn't this all about making sure that history doesn't repeat itself.' 'This is my mum. You haven't even met her': Harry hit out at mourners at Diana's funeral who showed 'ten times' as much emotion as he could 'When my mum was taken away from me at the age of 12, just before my 13th birthday, I didn't want the [royal] life. Sharing the grief of my mother's death with the world,' he said. 'For me, the thing I remember the most was the sound of the horses' hooves going along the pavement. Along the Mall, the Red Brick Road. By this point I was, both of us were in shock. It was like I was outside of my body and just walking along doing what was expected of me. 'Showing one tenth of the emotion that everybody else was showing. I thought, "This is my mum. You never even met her".' He continued: 'I was so angry with what happened to me and the fact there was no justice at all. I don't want to think about it because it's going to bring up the fact that I can't bring her back'. 'I always wanted to be normal as opposed to Prince Harry. Just being Harry. It was a puzzling life. But unfortunately, when I think about my mum the first thing that comes to mind is always the same one over and over again.' Harry says Royals tried to STOP him and Meghan leaving after 'she was going to end her life' 'That feeling of being trapped within the family, there was no option to leave. Eventually when I made that decision for my family, I was still told, 'You can't do this.' 'And it's like, 'Well how bad does it have to get until I am allowed to do this?' She [Markle] was going to end her life. It shouldn't have to get to that.' He said his biggest regret was not taking a stand earlier in his relationship with Markle, claiming a barrage of attacks on her won't stop 'until she dies. 'It's incredibly triggering to potentially lose another woman in my life,' Harry said in the interview with Oprah. 'Like the list is growing, and it all comes back to the same people, the same business model, the same industry.' Claims Royals showed 'total neglect' for his and 'struggling' Meghan's mental health 'We spent four years trying to make it work,' he says on the show. 'We did everything that we possibly could to stay there and carry on doing the role and doing the job. But Meghan was struggling.' He said the way Meghan was feeling reminded him of his own mother's final days. 'History was repeating itself,' he said in an interview with Oprah. 'My mother was chased to her death while she was in a relationship with someone who wasn't white. And now look what's happened. Ultimately, he claimed, he and Meghan had to leave the U.K. to 'put our mental health first.' 'That's what we're doing,' the prince said, 'and that's what we'll continue to do.' Harry says he was 'worried and afraid' to return to the UK for Prince Philip's funeral 'I was worried about it, I was afraid,' Harry told The Associated Press during a recent joint interview with Oprah Winfrey to promote the series. He said he relied on coping skills learned in therapy. 'It definitely made it a lot easier, but the heart still pounds,' said Harry, the Duke of Sussex and grandson of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II and her late husband Philip. Harry tells trauma therapist of his fears about visiting the UK - and shares EMDR session that has 'freed him' Prince Harry said: 'For most of my life I've always felt worried, concerned, a little bit tense and uptight whenever I fly back into the UK, whenever I fly back into London. 'And I could never understand why. I was aware of it, I wasn't aware of it at the time when I was younger, but after I started doing therapy stuff I became aware of it. 'I was like, why do I feel so uncomfortable? And of course for me London is a trigger, unfortunately, because of what happened to my mum, and because of what I experienced and what I saw.' He told London-based anja Oakley, a UK-based psychotherapist who used to be a trauma specialist for London Underground: 'Happens every time. I can't remember the first time it happened, I can just remember the feeling, anxiety, like a hollow empty feeling almost of nervousness, is it fear? Everything feels tense. 'It's being the hunted, and being helpless and knowing that you can't do anything about it. There is no escape. There is no way out of this.' Prince Harry says he believed his 'compassionate' Oprah Winfrey interview would 'leave door open to reconciliation' with his family Prince Harry said: 'The interview was about being real and authentic. And hopefully sharing an experience which we know to be incredibly relatable to people around the world, despite our unique privileged position.' He continued: 'Before the Oprah interview had aired, because of the combined efforts of The Firm and the media to smear her, I was woken up in the middle of the night to her crying into her pillow because she doesn't want to wake me up because I'm already carrying too much. That's heartbreaking.' The couple were accused of 'blowing up the royal family' after the interview, in which they laid bare the extent of their rift with the Queen and other senior royals and accused The Firm of racism, sent shock waves around the world. Harry says he felt forced to go to Nepal and his constant jet-setting as the family's 'yes man' became 'hectic to the point of exhaustion' Harry said: 'I was travelling all over the place because, you know, from the family's perspective I guess I was the person who like ''we need someone to go there. Nepal, Harry you go''. 'I was always the yes man I was always the one willing to say yes. But that yes and yes and yes of course yes yes yes led to burnout. 'And it was like someone had taken the lid off. All of the emotions that I had suppressed for so many years suddenly came to the forefront.' He added: 'I saw GPs, I saw doctors, I saw therapists I saw alternative therapists, I saw all sorts of people. 'But it was meeting and being with Meghan - I knew that if I didn't do therapy and fix myself, that I was going to lose this woman who I could see spending the rest of my life with.' Prince Harry says he feels Diana's presence with him in California and believes she would be 'incredibly proud' Reflecting on the move to the US, he said: 'Making this move was really scary. At every possible opportunity the forces working against us tried to make it impossible. Did I expect to find ourselves in this situation so quickly? No. I think we've done a really good job. 'I have no regrets. It's really sad but I have no regrets at all because now I'm at a place where I think I should have been four years ago... 'Now we've got a beautiful little boy who keeps us busy, keeps us running around, he makes us laugh every day. We've got two dogs. And another little baby girl on the way. I never dreamt that. 'I have no doubt my Mum would be incredibly proud of me. I'm living the life that she wanted to live for herself. Living the life that she wanted us to be able to live. 'Not only do I know that she's incredibly proud of me, but that she's helped me get here. And I've never felt her presence more than I have over the last year. I wish she could have met Meghan. I wish she was around for Archie.' Oprah Winfrey broke down in tears while recalling the horrific experience of being repeatedly raped by her own adult cousin when she was just nine years old. The 67-year-old TV mogul opened up about the lasting trauma caused by the sexual assaults that she was subjected to until the age of 14 while speaking in her new mental health series, The Me You Can't See, which she created in collaboration with Prince Harry. During the first episode of the Apple TV+ show, Oprah discussed her own childhood trauma, explaining that she didn't even know what sex and rape were when her 19-year-old cousin began raping her as a child but the experience taught her that young girls are never safe. 'At nine and 10 and 11 and 12 years old, I was raped by my 19 year old cousin,' she said. 'I didn't know what rape was. I certainly wasn't aware of the word. I had no idea what sex was, I had no idea where babies came from, I didn't even know what was happening to me. And I kept that secret. 'And it's just something I accepted. That a girl child ain't safe in a world full of men,' she said. Horrific: Oprah Winfrey broke down in tears while recalling the horrific experience of being repeatedly raped by her own adult cousin when she was just nine years old Candid: The 67-year-old TV opened up about the lasting trauma caused by the sexual assaults that she was subjected to at a young age Little girl: From nine to 12 years old, she was raped by her cousin. Oprah has previously opened up about her rape at the hands of several relatives until she was 14 Oprah has shared details of her traumatic history of sexual assault before, revealing that she was abused by several relatives, including an uncle, up until she was 14 which is when she got pregnant and was sent to live with her father. The baby died two weeks after she gave birth. But her first rapist was her 19-year-old cousin, who abused her for several years. She has never revealed his name. After the first time, she said at one public appearance, 'He took me to an ice cream shop blood still running down my leg and bought me ice cream.' Speaking in her new Apple TV+ series, she stressed why it is so important to share what happened to her. 'The telling of the story, the being able to say out loud, "This is what happened to me," is crucial,' she said. Oprah was subjected to to other forms of abuse growing up, including beatings from her grandmother and neglect from her mother. 'The way I was raised by my grandmother and whipped at three and four and five and six years old,' she said. 'My grandmother, who was very harsh, like a lot of Black parents during that era, the idea of hugging and loving on your child or even allowing the child to feel seen was just not a part of her life,' she added to Hoda Kotb on the Today show this morning. 'But she did give me Jesus. She did give me a belief in something bigger than myself. So I am grateful for that.' 'And it's just something I accepted. That a girl child ain't safe in a world full of men,' she said Sad: She spent the first six years of her life in rural Mississippi with her grandma, Hattie Mae, who regularly beat her She elaborated in a passage in her new book: 'As a young girl, I was "whupped" regularly. At the time it was an accepted practice of punishment to discipline a child. My grandmother, Hattie Mae, embraced it. 'But even at three years old I knew what I was experiencing was wrong. I was beaten for the slightest reasons. Spilled water, a broken glass, the inability to keep quiet or still. My grandmother's home was a place where children were seen and not heard.' 'The long-term impact of being whupped then forced to hush and even smile about it turned me into a world-class people pleaser for most of my life,' she said. 'It would not have taken me half a lifetime to learn to set boundaries and say "no" with confidence had I been nurtured differently.' After her grandmother died, Oprah was 'shuttled' between her mother, Vernita Lee, in Milwaukee and her father in Nashville. Speaking in her new Apple TV+ show, she got emotional recalling how she was made to leave the only home she'd ever known and move in with her mother, a virtual stranger. 'The only thing that still to this day makes me cry, six decades into life, is the recognition when I first moved to Milwaukee from Attala County, Mississippi, and had never been away from my grandmother before and suddenly I'm put in a car and sent to Milwaukee and told that "you won't see your grandmother again and now you're going to be living with your mother," she said. 'A mother whom I didn't even know, really. Because my mother was a part of that great migration that had gone up north and left their children with the grandmothers. In need of love: Oprah also shared her childhood feelings of abandonment and betrayal when she went to live with her mother, after spending years with her grandmother Emotional: Oprah has spoken about about her difficult relationship with her mother before, once revealing that she chose never again to have children 'because I wasn't mothered well' 'My mother was a boarder in this middle class, very light-skinned, could-pass-for- white-woman's house,' she recalled. 'The first moment I walked in, instantly I knew that she did not like me because of the color of my skin. And that very first night she wouldn't let me come in the house. 'And there was a little porch foyer that was exposed to the street and I had to sleep out there on a sofa,' she said. Oprah previously recalled that the woman said 'she was not going to have this "nappy-headed dark child," as she said, stay in the house.' 'And my mother, who had another child it was the first time I'd met my half sister did not stand up for me, did not say, "No my child has to come in the house." 'And in that instant that my mother said, "Ok then this is where you're going to sleep, out here," I knew I was alone. 'You want me to start weeping? It's my teachers that saved me,' she continued, reflecting on a decades-old episode of The Oprah Winfrey show in which she was reunited with her grade school teacher, Mrs. Duncan. In an old clip from the show, Oprah weeps as she hugs and chats with Mrs. Duncan. 'For so many years in my life, that's the only place I ever really felt loved,' Oprah said in The Me You Can't See, breaking down in tears again. 'And it's the reason why, for so many years, I wanted to be a teacher. To be able to give to other kids what my teachers had given to me,' she said. 'You want me to start weeping? It's my teachers that saved me,' she continued, reflecting on an episode of her talk show in which she was reunited with her grade school teacher, Mrs. Duncan Flashback: In an old clip from the show, Oprah weeps as she hugs and chats with Mrs. Duncan 'For so many years in my life, that's the only place I ever really felt loved,' Oprah said. 'And it's the reason why, for so many years, I wanted to be a teacher' 'Because connection to anybody that cares about you makes a world of difference. For me it was my teachers. And that's why I know that school is so important. Education can't save you, but it can relieve you. And so for me, it was a big relief. And in creating value and worthiness where I felt none at home. I felt none. None,' she went on. 'And so I've always thought the reason anybody makes it is because if you just have one person that says, "I see you, I truly see you, I get you." For me it was my teachers. Mrs. Duncan. She was my comfort, she was where I saw value in myself. Oprah's own experience helped her to recognize trauma in some of the students who first attended her Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy in South Africa in 2007. 'The first two classes of the school were hand-picked by me. I went to villages and townships choosing girls who had the fire inside them to want to do better in their lives,' she recalled. 'But on the very first week of school I was noticing strange behaviors from some of the girls. It was like, "What's wrong with these girls? They can't concentrate, they can't focus." A doctor explained to her that the girls were suffering from trauma, having been exposed to so much chaos, 'the brain can't handle to be in a place of calm and nurturing and support.' 'I didn't understand depression at the time,' she said. 'We weren't prepared to deal with the trauma or the mental illness. The depression, the anxiety.' Colorism: Oprah discussed moving in with her mom, who was living in a boarding house, and the 'light-skinned' woman who ran the property refused to let Oprah sleep in the house While promoting both her new show and her new book, 'What Happened to You?: Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing,' Oprah has spoken candidly in numerous interviews about trauma from her upbringing. Appearing on The Dr. Oz Show today, Oprah recalled a specific incident when she was beaten after bringing a bucket of water back to the family home. 'As I was bringing the water back, I was, like, playing with the water with my fingers like that in the water and my grandmother was looking out the window,' Winfrey said. 'And when I brought the bucket in and Im sloshing the bucket cause Im a little girl, and shes like "Were you playing in the water? Did you have your fingers in that water? Thats our drinking water." She continued: 'I was like, and I said, "No maam" and she said, "I saw you and your fingers in the water," so she grabbed a switch and I got a really bad whupping for it.' The talk show host got emotional while discussing the injuries she had in the wake of the beating. 'Later, when I put on my clothes to go to church, one of the welts from my back opened up and bloodied the dress. So my emotion now is not because I feel such deep pain about it, I just feel pain for that little girl,' she said. In the exchange with Dr. Oz, Oprah painted a broader picture of her upbringing in rural Mississippi, noting how her grandmother was facing her own abuse at the hands of Oprah's grandfather, and how she still has lingering trauma about sleeping. 'The telling of the story, the being able to say out loud, "This is what happened to me," is crucial,' she said Mental health: She and Prince Harry both speak about their experiences in their new series, The Me You Can't See 'My grandmother and I slept in the bed together,' she said. 'My grandfather was in a room on the other side of the wall and one night, in the middle of the night, my grandfather gets out of bed and comes into the room and I wake up and he has his hands around my grandmother's neck and she is screaming. 'She manages to push him off of her and step over him. He falls. She steps over him and runs to the front door. I run out of the bed with her.' Oprah said her grandmother began to call out for a family friend they called Cousin Henry who lived nearby. 'Cousin Henry comes down the road in the middle of the night to help my grandmother get my grandfather up off the floor,' she recalled, choking up as she admitted it was the first time she was publicly telling the story. 'And after that my grandmother put a chair underneath the doorknob and some tin cans around the chair. 'And that is how we slept every night. I'm sleeping, I always slept with, listening for the cans. Listening for what happens if that doorknob moves.' As for her mother, she writes in her book: 'My mother worked as a maid for fifty dollars a week doing what she could to care for three young children. There was no time for nurturing. My mother felt distant, cold to the need of this little girl. 'All of the energy went to keeping her head above water, surviving. I always felt like a burden, an "extra mouth to feed." I rarely remember feeling loved, which impacted my ability to experience love as an adult.' Moving forward: She later made amends with Vernita and, in one touching 1990 episode of the Oprah Winfrey Show, Oprah gave her mother a makeover Huge heart: Oprah helped support her mother financially after she found success as a television star, saying she felt a sense of 'responsibility' Oprah previously revealed that the reason she chose to never have children was 'because I wasn't mothered well.' But she later made amends with Vernita and, in one touching 1990 episode of the Oprah Winfrey Show, gave her mother a makeover and she also helped support her mother financially after she found success as a television star, saying she felt a sense of 'responsibility.' Though her traumatic experiences still cause her pain, Oprah said on the Today show today that she wouldn't change anything about her upbringing. 'I wouldn't take anything for having been raised the way that I was,' she said. 'It is because I was sexually abused that I have such empathy for people who've experienced that.' 'It is because I was raised poor, and no running water, and going to the well, and getting whippings that I have such compassion for people who have experienced it. And so it has given me a broader understanding and a deeper appreciation for every little and big thing that I now have.' When it comes to fashion, we are all inspired by what we see; whether it be a well-dressed celebrity, a blow-your-mind catwalk presentation or even a super stylish every-day passerby. As fashion editors, we're moved by all of the above, and then some. We're exposed to under-the-radar labels; we get a first-hand look at collections months before they hit stores; we attend VIP events; we're tapped into brands with chic-yet-cheap offerings and we shop a lot. To share our knowledge, FEMAIL brings you Style Swoon, a weekly series of the latest, greatest and on the verge. We hope this Friday series will serve as a buying guide and point of inspiration for the clotheshorses and fashion fanatics alike. GLAMOROUS PARTIES ARE BACK The Whitney Museum of American Arts Spring Celebration Dinner took place on Tuesday, May 18th at the Gansevoort Peninsula in Hudson River Park, across the street from the museum The Whitney Museum of American Arts Spring Celebration Dinner took place on Tuesday, May 18th at the Gansevoort Peninsula in Hudson River Park, across the street from the museum. Perfectly timed with the sun setting, the picturesque event began with a cocktail hour and viewing of David Hammons's Day's End. Sponsored by luxury fashion designer Pamella Roland, it was a very well dressed crowd that included the likes of Vanessa Williams, Nigel Barker and Pamella herself. In celebration of Pamella's newly launched eponymous perfume, a special Lavender Lemonade Cocktail made of lemon, lavender scented syrup and vodka was available at the bar, as well as travel-sized perfume samples. Pamella Roland, Vanessa Williams and Cristen Barker looked beautiful in Pamella Roland designs Sponsored by luxury fashion designer Pamella Roland, it was a very well dressed crowd to say the least In celebration of Pamella's newly launched eponymous perfume, a special Lavender Lemonade Cocktail made of lemon, lavender scented syrup and vodka was available at the bar, as well as travel-sized perfume samples The event honored Raymond J. McGuire, Laurie M. Tisch and Fred Wilson, with contributions from the evening supporting the Whitneys ever-growing programming and robust exhibition schedule The event honored Raymond J. McGuire, Laurie M. Tisch and Fred Wilson, with contributions from the evening supporting the Whitneys ever-growing programming and robust exhibition schedule. While attendees took in live music and speeches they basked in the beauty of the setting designed by celebrity party planner David Stark. Known for creating spaces that leave lasting memories, David's standing floral displays hovered over tables decorated with candles of varying sizes providing soft light and ambiance. A delicious three-course meal complete with jerk chicken, mac & cheese and banana pudding by New York's acclaimed Ethiopian Swedish chef and restaurateur Marcus Samuelsson was served. With the health and safety of guests and staff a top priority, all State and local COVID-19 guidelines were enforced. They say 'Somewhere between living and dreaming, there's New York', on Tuesday night it was at The Whitney. Known for creating spaces that leave lasting memories, David's standing floral displays hovered over tables decorated with candles of varying sizes providing soft light and ambiance While attendees like Nigel Barker and his wife Cristen took in live music and speeches they basked in the beauty of the setting designed by celebrity party planner David Stark MARTHA'S HOSTING A PARTY AND YOU'RE INVITED Mark your calendars! Culinary queen and dog lover, Martha Stewart, is hosting a virtual wine tasting next Wednesday (May 26th) to benefit the Humane Society of the United States Mark your calendars! Just in time for post pandemic parties, culinary queen and animal lover, Martha Stewart, is hosting a virtual wine tasting next Wednesday (May 26th) to benefit the Humane Society of the United States, and you're invited! Martha will lead a discussion on wine selection, as well as provide entertaining and serving tips for every occasion. 'A Taste of Rescue will be fun and informative, as well as raise vital funds to support the organizations work to protect animals,' said the lifestyle expert. Ferdinando Mucerino, one of the worlds top vegan wine sommeliers, with special guest Kitty Block, president and CEO of the Humane Society will also join the one hour event, starting at 8:00 p.m. EDT. For more information about the event and to register visit marthastewartwine.com 'As a vegan sommelier, I couldnt be more delighted to be involved in this event with the Humane Society of the United States and to introduce our guests to the three featured bottles we chose for this upcoming tasting,' said Mucerino, resident sommelier at Martha Stewart Wine Co. 'Each of these wines - two reds and one white - are thoughtfully grown, give reverence to their terroir and will make fantastic additions to the dinner table this summer.' The wines will be shipped directly to participants homes and they will receive a link to join the event in advance. Following the tasting portion, the experts will lead a question and answer session with attendees. Donations made during the wine tasting will benefit the work of the Humane Society of the United States Animal Rescue and Response team. For more information about the event and to register visit marthastewartwine.com OLIVIA IS HELPING YOU SET THE MOOD Olivia Palermo has partnered with her favorite candle brand, Sicily Hill, to create a custom, co-branded & summer-inspired candle- Citrus Blossom The versatile candle has notes of fresh Sicilian lemon and a bouquet of aromatic peony and white blossom and will transport you to the Italian countryside Olivia Palermo has partnered with her favorite candle brand, Sicily Hill, to create a custom, co-branded & summer-inspired candle- Citrus Blossom. The style icon worked closely with Jessica Hill, who founded Sicily Hill in 2017, to bring to life her exclusive scent, Citrus Blossom. The versatile candle has notes of fresh Sicilian lemon and a bouquet of aromatic peony and white blossom and will transport you to the Italian countryside! The candle is available now for a limited time for $69 on Sicily Hills website. IT'S OFFICIAL, WOLF & BADGER IS A FORCE OF GOOD Multi-channel retailer Wolf & Badger has become the first UK Online Marketplace to certify as a B Corp Multi-channel retailer Wolf & Badger has just become the first UK Online Marketplace to certify as a B Corp. The company that houses over 1,000 designers on its platform across womenswear, menswear, beauty, grooming, homeware, jewelry and accessories, is joining a growing group of companies reinventing business by pursuing purpose as well as profit. They join the likes of well-known brands such as Allbirds, The Body Shop and Patagonia. 'We are immensely proud to join such an incredible community of forward-looking business leaders who share our long-standing dedication to responsible business,' said George Graham, CEO and Co-Founder of Wolf & Badger. 'The B Corp certification reflects our wider commitment to help promote a sustainable future for retail and to provide a fair and more conscious alternative for both customers and brands alike.' The company that houses over 1,000 designers on its platform across womenswear, menswear, beauty, grooming, homeware, jewelry and accessories, is joining a growing group of companies reinventing business by pursuing purpose as well as profit The brand has embraced the responsibility to drive real change in the industry as they continue to build their platform connecting people with unique and individual products from the worlds best independent ethical brands, locally and worldwide. To get certified, Wolf & Badger has met rigorous social and environmental standards. The brand has embraced the responsibility to drive real change in the industry as they continue to build their platform connecting people with unique and individual products from the worlds best independent ethical brands, locally and worldwide. Chris Turner, Executive Director of B Lab UK, said 'We are delighted to welcome Wolf & Badger to the B Corp community. This is a movement of companies who are committed to changing how business operates, who believe business really can be a force for good.' The vast majority (94 percent) of U.S. nursing homes faced COVID outbreaks between May 2020 and January 2021, according to a new study from the Government Accountability Office. The average nursing home faced three outbreaks during this period, and 85 percent had an outbreak lasting at least five weeks. Some nursing homes had outbreaks that lasted 20 weeks or more, likely heightened by poor access to testing and protective equipment. As nursing home residents were prioritized in the first round of vaccinations, this vulnerable population has seen far fewer outbreaks in spring 2021. A nursing home resident gets vaccinated for COVID. Only 64 outbreaks out of over 13,000 surveyed did not face any COVID outbreaks Nursing homes were an early - and devastating - site of COVID outbreaks in the U.S. In February 2020, about 27 out of 108 residents and 25 out of 180 staff at a facility in Kirkland, Washington became infected with the coronavirus. This became the first nursing home outbreak out of many. These facilities have been particularly vulnerable to COVID because they bring seniors - many of whom suffer from serious illness - together in shared living spaces. A new study from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) demonstrates just how many nursing homes across the country were impacted - and at what scale. The GAO is a national agency that does investigations and audits on behalf of Congress. The new report, released yesterday, used data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to analyze how about 13,400 nursing homes fared from May 2020 to January 2021. A shocking 94 percent of nursing homes faced COVID outbreaks during this eight-month period. An outbreak starts the week a new COVID case is reported, either in a resident or staff member. It ends only once two weeks have elapsed without a single new infection identified. Most U.S. nursing homes faced multiple outbreaks. About 19 percent faced two outbreaks, 30 percent faced three outbreaks, and 44 percent faced four or more outbreaks. The average facility faced three outbreaks. Only 64 nursing homes - across over 13,000 reviewed - had no outbreaks at all. A nursing home resident who tested positive for COVID in the Kirkland, Washington outbreak visits with her daughter through a window The majority of nursing homes faced outbreaks that were at least five weeks, if not longer These outbreaks often lasted a long time, impacting many residents and workers. The average length for an outbreak was five weeks - and about 85 percent of nursing homes faced outbreaks that lasted at least this long. The longest outbreaks went up to 20 weeks: 413 nursing homes faced these extended crises. Many of the longer outbreaks, the report observed, started between October and December 2020 - when the winter surge was kicking off across the country. Longer outbreaks tend to be more deadly. In an outbreak over five weeks, nursing homes saw an average of 56 cases - compared with 13 cases for shorter outbreaks. Most states followed the national trends, with more longer outbreaks. In five states, 95 percent or more nursing homes experienced these long-term outbreaks: Alabama, Arkansas, North Dakota, South Carolina, and Tennessee. Nursing homes in most states followed the national trend: multiple outbreaks, often lasting five weeks or more Outbreaks often began with staff. The GAO reports that high COVID rates in a surrounding community can increase the risk that COVID will enter a nursing home via the staff who work there. And, once COVID enters a nursing home, its challenging to get an outbreak under control. Nursing home administrators need to quickly test their residents and staff and isolate anyone whos infected - which can be difficult when facilities dont have adequate testing supplies or PPE About half of nursing homes nationwide reported that they were low on at least one type of protective equipment at some point during summer 2020, according to the American Health Care Association. Many facilities also did not meet federal standards for infection control, GAO reports. As of March 2021, nearly one in ten residents of U.S. nursing homes has died of COVID, the COVID Tracking Project estimates. Nearly one in 12 residents of long-term care facilities overall has died from the disease. But at the end of 2020, vaccinations helped tamp down on these outbreaks. Nursing home residents and staff were one of the first groups to get vaccinated, right beside healthcare workers. The CDC reports that 2.9 million long-term care residents and staff had been fully vaccinated at the time the federal initiative for these groups ended, in late April. 4.9 million people had had at least one dose. The vaccination effort had a clear impact: by early February, the number of nursing home residents dying in a week was half what it had been in late December, when the vaccination program began. This drop in deaths happened even as overall deaths rose throughout the country. Now, many nursing homes are open to visitors - allowing residents to spend time with their families, in person, after a very long year. Scientists could know just how safe and effective Covid vaccines are for pregnant women and children younger than 12 by the end of the year, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) officials said on Wednesday. Dr Anne Schuchat, Principal Deputy Director of the CDC, said at a Senate hearing that her agency already had reassuring data on women who had received the vaccine in their third trimester. She said that the CDC will gather data on women in all stages of pregnancy throughout the summer. By the end of the year, they expect to have enough data to decide whether the shots should be recommended for expectant mothers and children at least as young as nine. Dr Schuchat stressed the importance of getting pregnant women vaccinated as well, as they face higher risks of complications from COVID-19. CDC officials say more data will be available about the vaccine's effect on pregnant women this summer. Currently, the CDC allows for pregnant women to receive the vaccine, but does not make recommendations until more data is available Children aged 12 to 15 became eligible to receive the Pfizer vaccine last week. Over 600,000 children in the age group have already received the first dose of the vaccine. CDC officials hope data on younger children will be available by years end 'Women who are pregnant and get COVID have worse experiences with the infection than do non-pregnant women,' she said. 'COVID also complicates pregnancy by increasing the risk of prematurity and leading to other types of complications.' Currently, the CDC says that women can get the vaccine, if they want it. The agency does not want pregnant women to be discouraged from getting the shots, but stops short of recommending them because research on the vaccines' long-term effects for pregnant women is limited. Dr Schuchat and Dr Anthony Fauci, the nations top infectious disease expert, have both said that pregnant women can transfer COVID-19 antibodies to their child, through the placenta during pregnancy or via breastfeeding after birth, adding another potential benefit for pregnant women to receive the vaccine. Expanding vaccine eligibility to as many Americans as possible has become a goal for health officials as the country works its way towards herd immunity. Last week, the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was given emergency use authorization by the Food and Drug Administration to be used for children aged 12 to 15. Dr Rochelle Walensky, director of the CDC, told lawmakers Wednesday that trials are currently being performed to determine the safety of the vaccines for even younger age groups. 'Vaccines are coming for youth, they're doing dose de-escalation studies now down to nine years old, soon thereafter down to 6, then down to 3, then down to 6 months.' Walensky said. More than 600,000 children in the 12 to 15 age group received the vaccine in its first week of eligibility. Walensky said she hopes vaccine eligibility will be expanded even further by the end of the year to include almost all children. Dr Fauci predicts that nearly all children will be eligible for the vaccine by the first quarter of next year. Experts fear that herd immunity will never be reached in the United States, though expanding the ages of vaccine eligibility should help the effort to get there. Determining that the vaccine is fully safe for pregnant women will help get more people vaccinated as well. Scientists estimate that the U.S. will reach herd immunity once 80 percent of the American population is vaccinated, but because coronavirus is still new, and ever-changing, the exact threshold is unknown. Currently, 60 percent of the U.S. adult population and 48 percent of the total population has received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, per CDC data. Another challenge in reaching herd immunity is approaching, as experts believe a third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine may be required to maintain immunity for some Americans as early as September. Dr Fauci and Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla told Axios on Wednesday that a third dose is likely to be required, though currently undergoing trials to determine how soon it will be required. Future surges of COVID-19 in the United States can be prevented as long at 70 percent of American adults get vaccinated, according to Dr. Anthony Fauci. Dr. Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert, believes that the 70 percent mark is attainable by July 4 - a target set by President Joe Biden. 'If we get to the president's goal, which I believe we will attain, of getting 70 percent of people getting at least one dose by July 4, there will be enough protection in the community that I really don't foresee there being the risk of a surge,' he said during a conversation with the Washington Post on Thursday. 'One thing that is quite certain is that when you have a vaccine or a group of vaccines that are as highly effective in the real world as these vaccines are, and you get a substantial proportion of the population vaccinated, the chances of there being a surge are extremely low.' Dr. Fauci speaks at a Washington Post virtual event, saying that future surges of COVID-19 will be prevented if at least 70 percent of adults get vaccinated by July 4. Currently, around 60 percent of adults have received at least one shot of the vaccine. Dr. Fauci called the vaccines a 'positive wild card' when comparing the upcoming fall to fall of 2020, where a surge of cases set records across the nation. He qualified his remarks, though, saying that the goal of 70 percent of adults being vaccinated by July 4 is only attainable if the current rate of vaccinations keep up between now and then. As of Thursday, 60 percent of U.S. adults have received at least their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, per CDC data. The declaration by Dr. Fauci comes as many states across the nation either have fully opened or plan to in the coming months. State's like Alabama, Florida and Georgia are currently "fully open" with little to no capacity restrictions at many venues. State's like New York, Colorado and others have set target dates for reopening in the near future. Last summer, many states chose to relax restrictions after entering strict lockdowns in the early months of the pandemic. This led to a major surge in cases nationwide, and many states eventually reversed their decisions and reimposed restrictions. Dr. Fauci also said that Americans should not be concerned with how long the vaccines are effective. Earlier this week, Dr. Fauci, along with Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla both warned that Americans who received the mRNA vaccines may need a third dose as early as September. Many Americans are also choosing not to receive their second dose after receiving the first, leaving them only partially vaccinated from the virus. While America has made progress in its vaccine rollout, the vaccination rate has slowed in recent weeks. After peaking in late April, the amount of Americans to become vaccinated every week has decreased over the past month. Health officials and vaccine clinics across the country have reported a surplus in vaccine supply with little interest from their unvaccinated populations to receive them. The slowing vaccine rollout has made herd immunity - which may only be reached if 80 percent of the population get vaccinated - seem like a longshot to some experts. GPs have attacked health chiefs over 'tone deaf' orders to make sure all patients can still get face-to-face appointments. The British Medical Association's GP committee has passed a vote of no confidence in NHS bosses, saying medics had been let down by the move. Officials last week unveiled plans to fully embed a 'total triage' system, with patients asked to talk to a doctor on the phone or via video call before being allowed a face-to-face appointment. But health chiefs U-turned on the move which was brought in as a safety feature at the start of the Covid pandemic after critics hit out. NHS chiefs updated guidance to say all patients have the right to see their GP face-to-face first. But the moved sparked immediate backlash from BMA GPs, who said it was based on media backlash and not the 'needs of the profession'. Dr Richard Vautrey, the BMA GP committee England chairman, claimed the letter was 'the final straw for many hard-working GPs'. GPs have slammed health chiefs over 'tone deaf' orders to see patients face-to-face with their top medical union passing a vote of no confidence in NHS bosses More than 90million fewer face-to-face GP appointments were carried out last year, MailOnline revealed last week He said: 'We know that some patients are frustrated at long waits for treatment or being unable to get a face-to-face appointment when they'd prefer one. 'GPs everywhere share that frustration. This is not the fault of individual practices or doctors. What was the previous guidance for GPs on about total triage? Patients should be remotely screened before being directed to the most appropriate health service for their problem, previous NHS guidance said. Doctors were told the system of 'total triage' must be embedded into general practice, despite the Royal College of GPs' reservations. The method was brought in during the pandemic and sees a person checked by phone, video or online, unless clinically appropriate. It came despite the RCGP saying patients must be able to access both remote and face-to-face doctor appointments in a post-Covid world. In a report, general practice leaders said while remote consultations should be an option, they must not become the 'automatic default' for GP care. Currently around half of consultations in general practice are being delivered face to face. Before the pandemic, some 70 per cent of appointments were face-to-face and 30 per cent were phone, video or online; but this switched to around 30 per cent face-to-face and 70 per cent remote during the crisis. The RCGP study pointed to benefits of online and phone care, including offering patients convenience and flexibility, which may suit people who struggle to take time off work or housebound patients. But it said remote consultations are better suited to more straightforward conditions or queries and where a physical examination is not required. More complex conditions or those of a sensitive nature are better suited to face-to-face appointments, it said. It added: 'In some cases, non-verbal or 'soft' cues such as signs of anxiety, self-harm, or smelling alcohol on a patient's breath, may be more easily missed remotely, or there may be concerns about a patient's safeguarding, capacity or confidentiality.' The report added: 'Every patient is likely to sit somewhere along a spectrum between needing remote and face-to-face care, and this will change according to their needs at any particular time and as symptoms or circumstances change.' The report warned that the long-term impact of greater use of remote care on the general practice workforce is currently unknown, with some GPs reporting 'that remote consultations can often be exhausting, leading to 'Zoom fatigue'.' Some 63 per cent of GPs in a poll said delivering all or mostly remote consultations reduced their job satisfaction and 61 per cent said remote consultations are making the role more transactional. Some 88 per cent of GPs in the snap poll of 600 GPs also thought face-to-face consultations were important for building and maintaining trusting patient relationships. The study said the extent to which patients really have a preference for remote care as the need for social distancing is lifted, is also unknown. The College is calling on the Government to conduct a comprehensive review of total triage platforms and recognise it should not just become the default. Advertisement 'Instead of issuing tone deaf letters, in what seems to be a reaction to media coverage, rather than based on the needs of the profession, NHS England and the Government must shoulder the responsibility and face the reality of years of failing to value, support and invest in general practice to ensure that GPs and their teams have the capacity to meet the growing needs of the population. 'This motion sounds a much-needed warning bell, rung by GPs at the end of their tether, emotionally and physically exhausted by the past 14 months. 'The onus is now on NHS England and ministers to fix a broken system so that patients as well as doctors have a GP service that is fit for purpose in every way.' The BMA GP committee represents all GPs in the UK, regardless of BMA membership. Pressure group GP Survival has also called for the resignation of NHS England medical director for primary care Dr Nikki Kanani. The group described the letter, sent last week, signed by Dr Kanani as 'insulting' to doctors. In the letter, health officials had said: 'GP practices must all ensure they are offering face-to-face appointments. 'While the expanded use of video, online and telephone consultations can be maintained where patients find benefit from them, this should be done alongside a clear offer of appointments in person. 'Practices should respect preferences for face-to-face care unless there are good clinical reasons to the contrary, for example the presence of Covid symptoms.' Despite the NHS saying its preference was for face-to-face care, GPs were told last week they would be going down the opposite route. Matt Hancock and health chiefs are keen to digitalise the NHS, with the Health Secretary last year embracing 'Zoom medicine' when he confirmed all consultations should be taken by phone or video call unless doctors decide they have to see a patient in person. But other family doctors hit out at the plans, with the Royal College of GPs (RCGP) calling for the idea of more remote consultations to be overhauled. RCGP chair Professor Martin Marshall told MailOnline that while GPs switching to more remote appointments in the early days of the pandemic was necessary for safety, he did not want to see the trend continue after the crisis is over. Professor Marshall said: 'Post-pandemic, the RCGP does not want to see general practice become a totally or even mostly remote service. 'Face to face consulting is an essential part of general practice, and when is it safe, it needs to be down to GP practices to be able to decide, in partnership with their patients, how they deliver services. 'Ideally, we want patients to have the choice as to how they want to access GP services based on their health needs and preferences.' It comes after MailOnline last week revealed there were more than 90million fewer face-to-face appointments carried out last year. NHS Digital statistics showed 147.85m in-person consultations happened between April 2020 and this March. This was down from the 238.26m during the same 12-month spell the year before. Critics slammed the damning numbers, with Rachel Power, chief executive of the Patients Association, Ms Power saying: 'Access to general practice is clearly extremely difficult for patients at the moment. 'The solution lies in ensuring patients get the care they need: it is not acceptable for the NHS to divert patients down routes that don't work well simply to relieve pressure on the system that's not a solution. 'Remote appointments, which in truth are mostly by phone rather than new online systems, should remain as an option for those who want them. She added: 'But face-to-face appointments with GPs must be restored as the default option.' Pfizer and German partner BioNTech pledged Friday to deliver two billion doses of their COVID-19 vaccine to middle- and low-income countries over the next 18 months, amid international calls for more vaccine solidarity. The companies, which together developed the first vaccine to be authorized for use in the United States and Europe, made the announcement at a global health summit in Rome co-hosted by the EU's executive arm and Italy. Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said they expect to provide a billion of the doses this year and another billion in 2022. He has previously said the firm will deliver six billion doses worldwide in the next 18 months - meaning two-thirds will go to wealthier nations. Bourla came under fire recently after it was revealed the CEO raked in a $21 million salary last year, a 17 percent rise. And Pfizer made $3.46 billion in COVID-19 vaccine sales in the first quarter of 2021 alone, the firm disclosed earlier this month. It was unclear whether the deliveries would take place through the U.N.-backed COVAX program, which aims to ensure equitable access to COVID-19 shots for low-and middle-income countries, or if countries would get the doses at a reduced price directly from the companies. Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said the firm will pledge two billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines to low- and middle-income nations in the coming 18 months (file) At least 25 countries have vaccinated fewer than one out of every 100 people in their populations, CDC data show Bourla said his company last year adopted a three-tiered pricing policy guaranteeing that low-income countries get the shots at cost and to have middle-income nations pay about half the price wealthier nations are charged. Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla came under fire recently after it was revealed the CEO raked in a $21 million salary last year, a 17 percent raise (file) Earlier this week, the COVAX effort suffered a major setback when its biggest supplier, the Serum Institute of India, announced it would likely not export any more vaccines until the end of the year due to COVID-19 crisis on the subcontinent. As vaccination campaigns continue to progress in the Western world, poorer countries are struggling to acquire supplies. The U.N. Security Council expressed concern this week about the small number of doses that have reached Africa. Last week, World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus urged rich countries to donate their vaccines before immunizing younger populations, including children. Experts warn that allowing the virus to spread unchecked anywhere in the world could lead to the emergence of potentially dangerous variants. During Friday's global health summit in Rome, Italian Premier Mario Draghi said that nearly 1.5 billion vaccine doses have been administered in over 180 countries worldwide. Yet only 0.3 percent were in low-income countries, while richer countries administered around 85 percent. 'The differences in the vaccination rates are staggering,' Draghi said at the event, which drew representatives from the Group of 20 industrial and emerging market nations and the heads of international organizations. 'Not only are these disparities unacceptable, they are also a threat so long as the virus continues to circulate freely around the world it can mutate dangerously and undermine even the most successful vaccination campaign.' To address inequalities and contain the pandemic, the head of the World Trade Organization said on the eve of the summit it's also crucial to diversify vaccine manufacturing and to have more production taking place in Africa and Latin America. The European Union raised many of the same points WTO Director-General Okonjo-Iweala made, specifically looking to increase manufacturing production in Africa. 'Today, Africa imports 99 percent of its vaccines, and this has to change,' European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. 'And therefore, team Europe is launching an initiative with African partners to develop vaccine production in Africa. The initiative will develop a number of regional hubs distributed across the continent and it will draw on the full toolbox of team Europe, including 1 billion euros ($1.2 billion) of investment.' Despite a recent call by the United States to waive COVID-19 vaccine patents as a way to increase supplies, participants at the summit were expected to insist that intellectual property rights were an important tool to boost vaccine production. But EU parliament member from Italy, David Sassoli, said that sharing patents is a necessity during the health crisis. 'The entire international community must take shared responsibility. This is why we support the call to negotiate a new global treaty to strengthen the common system for monitoring and responding to epidemics,' he said. Sassoli's views are not widely shared; there is a lack of consensus among EU countries on a temporary waiver of patent rights for COVID-19 vaccines. EU officials have argued that waiving patents would yield no short-term or intermediate improvement and could even have a negative impact. Draghi said Italy is open to the idea on the condition that the any waiver measure is 'targeted and time-limited and does not undermine incentives for pharmaceutical companies to innovate.' 'Test to Stay' measures at Utah high schools may have saved over 100,000 days of in-person learning, according to a report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Friday. After returning to in-person learning for the 2020-2021 school year 13 high schools in the state used the program to avoid moving the entire school to a virtual setting during potential COVID outbreaks. Schools that opted into the program would regularly test every student who attended in-person classes for COVID-19, sending those who tested positive home for virtual learning and allowing the others to remain in the classroom. The CDC said that developing strategies to keep students going to school in-person safely was crucial, as virtual learning has a physical and emotional toll on students and can also lead to worse learning and retention of information. It comes as parents weight whether to vaccinate their children following U.S. officials' authorization of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine for kids between 12 and 15. While 1.3 million kids' parents have already taken them for a first shot, other caregivers are uncertain whether it's worth it. The adoption of Test to Stay corresponded with lower case rates among all age groups in Utah schools The Test to Stay program in Utah schools required all students at a school with a high enough COVID-19 rate to be tested regularly in order to continue attending in-person classes. Schools and students had the ability to opt out of the program and use virtual learning. The program saved over 100,000 in-person learning days Test to Stay was first piloted at two schools in December, before being extended to all high schools in January. There were 29 instances of a school crossing a closure threshold of COVID cases. Schools had a choice to either use Test to Stay, or opt to close and move to virtual learning. A majority chose to close instead of testing students, while 13 used rapid response antigen tests to test all children who wanted to come to school. Students at schools who adopted Test to Stay were allowed to opt out of testing and attend school virtually. Case rates began to decline once the Test to Stay program was initiated at schools, though the lowering case rate matched a statewide trend among all age groups. Around 700 out of every 100,000 students aged 14 to 17 tested positive for the virus before the program began. By mid-March, less than 200 of every 100,000 students were testing positive - a 70 percent decline over just three months. Similar sharp declined were also seen for the 5 to 10 year old and 11 to 13 year old age groups. In-person learning is better for students mental health and provides higher quality education, making it a priority for health officials to develop strategies to keep kids in the classroom The positive case rate began to slowly decline as more and more tests were administered by the schools as well. That suggests that the testing program not only allowed the schools to stay open despite inevitable infections, but may have helped to prevent hundreds of kids from getting COVID-19. It's worth noting, however, that the decline in infections among the students coincided with the steep drop-off in cases statewide. The virus is rarely deadly for children, but children's educations and mental health have suffered over the course of the pandemic as they've been forced into remote learning, and being sick with COVID-19 means more time out of class. Plus, the long-term effects of COVID-19 remain unknown, raising concerns for more than three million U.S. kids who have been infected over the course of the pandemic. The program did face some obstacles, though. Staffing proved to be an issue for a testing program of this size as a large number of tests needed to be administered in a short period of time. Many students, families, nurses and other community members did not support the program as well, leading to a majority of schools choosing to not enroll in the program at all. Schools in Georgia found another way to reduce COVID outbreaks among its student population while still maintaining in-person learning. Schools that adopted simple mask requirements for teachers and staff had COVID incidence rates 37 percent lower on average than schools that did not require masks. Ventilation strategies to increase the circulation of air in classrooms and around the school also helped prevent the spread of the virus. Schools that adopted a ventilation strategy averaged a 39 percent lower COVID incidence rate. The current school year is nearing its end, leaving school officials with the opportunity to asses programs put in place last year, and implement or adjust programs as needed to safely keep students at school. Health officials are hoping COVID will be less of an issue in the upcoming school year as a majority of Americans over the age of 16 should be fully vaccinated by next fall. Many children may not be vaccinated, though, especially in primary schools. The Food and Drug Administration gave emergency use authorization for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine to be used for children aged 12 to 15 last week. Children younger than 12 still are not eligible for the vaccine, though, and it may not be available to Americans of all ages until early 2022. Many Americans are also hesitant to receive the vaccine, especially in more conservative southern states like Georgia. Because of this, these strategies may still be necessary for at least the early parts of the 2021-2022 school year. Advertisement A car boss who helped create Aston Martins and BMWs for James Bond is set to make an all-electric zero-emissions Popemobile following an audience with the Pope in the Vatican this week. Car designer and entrepreneur Henrik Fisker is to adapt a version of his new battery-powered Fisker Ocean SUV with a pop-up glass cube-shaped cupola from which Pope Francis can greet onlookers. Anglophile American automotive boss Fisker, who was born in Denmark and has a British wife, has set up a new firm in California to launch the Ocean - an electric model that can hit 60mph in 2.9 seconds, has a range of up to 350 miles and an interior made of 100 per cent vegan materials. The company is billing it as the 'first all-electric Popemobile'. However, other manufacturers have pipped Fisker to the post with their own electrified versions of a vehicle for his Holiness. The Pope's new EV: Henrik Fisker shows the Pope his plans for an all-electric Fisker Ocean Popemobile during an audience with his Holiness in the Vatican this week While at BMW Fisker designed the retro-styled Z8 used by 007 in the 1999 James Bond movie The World is Not Enough, sharing 14 minutes of screen time with actor Pierce Brosnam before being cut in half. At Aston Martin he was director of design when the DB9 and V8 Vantage models were launched, and he also ran Fords Ingeni design centre in London. Sharing details of the proposed new Popemobile, his company Fisker Inc announced today: Henrik Fisker had an audience with Pope Francis, the Holy See where he presented his vision for the first all-electric papal transport to the Pope on historic visit to Vatican City. Delivery of the custom-made Ocean-based SUV is planned for next year. It noted: Fisker is set to develop the first all-electric vehicle for the Holy See, Pope Francis, after a historic visit to Vatican City.' Fisker was accompanied by his wife and company co-founder Geeta Gupta-Fisker. Speaking from Rome, he said: I got inspired reading that Pope Francis is very considerate about the environment and the impact of climate change for future generations. The interior of the Fisker Ocean papal transport will contain a variety of sustainable materials including carpets made from recycled plastic bottles from the ocean. Car designer and entrepreneur Henrik Fisker is to adapt a version of his new battery-powered Fisker Ocean SUV with a pop-up glass cube-shaped cupola from which Pope Francis can greet onlookers The company said of the planned Popemobile: An all-electric papal transport will provide the first exhaust-free and emissions-free experience for those gathered for blessings by His Holiness. The spacious interior of the Fisker Ocean SUV supports a large, modern, all-glass cupola, offering accessibility and visibility for Pope Francis to greet the faithful. This specially created Fisker Ocean will be the first all-electric papal transport. The company plans to deliver this singular version of the Fisker Ocean to the Pope next year. Production of the standard five-seater Fisker Ocean for mainstream customers will start on November 17th with the first cars expected in showrooms early next year it said, announcing 16,000 reservations already in hand. It will initially be built exclusively in Europe by specialist firm Magna. Earlier this month Fisker announced an agreement to deliver up to 700 right-hand drive Ocean SUVs to UK-based electric car subscription service Onto. Anglophile American automotive boss Fisker, who was born in Denmark and has a British wife, has set up a new firm in California to launch the Ocean - an electric model that can hit 60mph in 2.9 seconds, has a range of up to 350 miles and an interior made of 100 per cent vegan materials A Fisker experience centre or boutique showroom is to open in London next year. In December, Californian-based Fisker announced a partnership with the UKs Cox Automotive and Rivus for a range of after-sales services, including mobile fleet servicing. The car is being engineered for both left-and right hand markets and is set for its official launch at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November. Prices for the new Ocean start at $37,499 in the US (around 27,000) before local taxes or any electric car subsidies and 32,000 in Germany. Right hand drive versions for the UK are planned in the first half of 2023 with prices to be confirmed later. The Ocean will also be available in premium versions including Ultra High Range with a range of around 350 miles, all-wheel drive, and other features. Prices for the new Ocean start at $37,499 in the US (around 27,000) before local taxes or any electric car subsidies and 32,000 in Germany Not the Pope's first EV... Popes have had access to a range of Popemobiles over the years from manufacturers as diverse as Dacia and Mercedes-Benz, including some early electrified vehicles. Last year Toyota provided a hydrogen-powered Mirai Popemobile which uses the gas in a fuel-cell to generate electricity which drives the wheels. His Holiness' hydrogen car: This is the Toyota Mirai Popemobile gifted to Pope Francis last year A 2017 Popemobile based on the Opel-Ampera-e (a Chevrolet Bolt in the USA) used a 1.4-litre petrol engine as an on-board electricity generator or range-extender to power the electric motors. In 2012 Renault provided an electric Popemoble based on its Kangoo Maxi ZE, with little-known manufacturer NWG offering its own version in the same year. Fisker has said that the range topping Ocean model will use an 80kWh battery pack and will be able to charge up to 80 per cent in about 30 minutes from a DC charger. All-wheel drive versions will feature an electric motor on each axle, giving a combined output of around 300 horse-power. A less expensive entry-level, rear-wheel drive variant is also planned and will probably feature a smaller battery pack and reduced range. A high performance version with acceleration from rest to 60mph in under three seconds has also been speculated. The new Fisker Ocean also includes other environmentally-friendly features including car seats made from recycled polyester fibres, and interior carpets made from recycled nylon from abandoned fishing nets. The Oceans roof features a solar panel that drip-feeds and tops-up the SUVs battery pack. The firm says it will use discarded rubber waste from tyre production to manufacture several components. This means that rubber offcuts which would otherwise go to landfill will be saved and ultimately help lower the vehicles overall carbon footprint. The new Fisker Oceans bonnet has been fixed shut to help save cash, weight and space. The extra space created under the nose now houses the vehicles hi-tech electronics and air-conditioning unit, liberating space inside the cabin. The new Fisker Ocean also includes other environmentally-friendly features including car seats made from recycled polyester fibres, and interior carpets made from recycled nylon from abandoned fishing nets The cabin has been designed to seat five adults although the platform has enough space over the rear axle for a third row of seats that could potentially lead to a seven-seater version. Inside, the Ocean has a 9.8-inch digital instrument cluster, head-up display, and a 16-inch infotainment system that supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. An augmented reality navigation system is also planned. Entry-level cars are expected to come with 20-inch alloy wheels, with larger 22-inch version on top-of the range models. Practical extras will include a tow-bar, roof-rails, and a retractable rear screen allowing large items to be carried in the SUVs boot without needing to leave the tailgate open. Some versions of new Fisker Ocean will also come with a setting called California Mode which lowers the side and rear windows to provide an open-air atmosphere in the cabin. In a previous venture, Henrik Fisker founded in 2007 a firm called Fisker Automotive which created the ground-breaking Karma premium electric plug-in hybrid. But the firm went bust in late 2014 and was bought the following by a new Chinese owner and now trades as Karma Automotive. It has no links with the newly created Fisker Inc company behind the Ocean. The cost of staycation accommodation across Britain has jumped by 41 per cent in the past year, new findings reveal. At an average cost of 2,040, the Highlands in Scotland is the most expensive place for a family of four taking a seven-day getaway in Britain this year. That includes accommodation, travel, food and drink and activities. Meanwhile, at the other end of the spectrum, a family of four could enjoy a week's staycation in the Peak District for around 1,485, making it one of the cheapest options among the country's most popular holiday destinations. Costly: A table showing average price hikes for some of the country's top staycation locations Over 17.6million adults in Britain have not ventured on a staycation in the last three years, with about 4million put off by high costs, Direct Line Travel Insurance said. The location which has seen the biggest jump in the cost of a week's staycation for a family of four in the past year is Dorset. There, a week's break for a family is around 233 more than it was a year ago, bringing the total cost up to around 1,835. The Lake District has also seen a sizeable hike in staycation prices, having risen by 230 to around 1,875 for a family of four holidaying for a week. For families, the third-biggest spike in staycation prices has emerged in the Highlands in Scotland. Here, the average cost of a seven-day break for a family of four has risen by 226 to around 2,040. On Expedia's website, This is Money found that a family of four wanting a seven-day stay in Lisbon, Portugal, could do so for a fraction of the cost of many staycations across Britain's most popular locations. Gorgeous: The Scottish Highlands are beautiful, but can be costly for holidaymakers Quaint: The Cotswolds is the priciest place to holiday as a couple, new findings suggest (file pic) Popular: Destinations like Newquay in Cornwall are among the many popular seaside resorts in Britain For couples, the Cotswolds is the most expensive destination in Britain for a staycation. In this beautiful part of the world, the average cost of a seven-night stay for a couple, including things like accommodation, travel costs and food and drink, stands at around 1,564, which is 201 more than a year ago. Behind the Cotswolds, Cornwall, the Lake District and Snowdonia are the most expensive places for couples to take a week-long holiday, the data suggests. Looking at all the country's go-to staycation destinations, a couple can expect to fork out around 1,266 for a week, while a family of four may have to splash out an average of 1,769, which is 198 more than last year. In terms of where people are likely to head to this summer, seaside breaks are the most popular option, followed by countryside staycations and holiday resorts like Centre Parcs. The South West of England came out on top as the most popular domestic holiday destination, followed by Scotland and Yorkshire and the Humber, Direct Line Travel Insurance said. The new research suggests 41 per cent of people in Britain took a staycation over the past year, which equates to around 36.9million trips. Over the same period, Britons took 15.8milion visits to Europe and 10.5million to the rest of the world. Comparing different age groups, around two-fifths of over 55s have not taken a domestic holiday in the last three years, compared with a third of 34 to 54 year-olds and a quarter of 18 to 34 year-olds, the research claims. 'With frequent changes likely to the Government's traffic light list for foreign holiday destinations this summer, it seems that the UK "staycation" is going to be more popular than ever this summer', Tom Bishop, head of Direct Line Travel Insurance, said. He added: 'This means millions of holidaymakers are opting to visit places right here in the UK they perhaps wouldn't have thought about previously. 'The restrictions on foreign travel are going to be tough to handle for some with around one in three adults not having gone on holiday in the UK for the past three years and now having to contemplate a staycation for the first time. 'Wherever holidaymakers do end up they need to consider travel insurance, as it's just as important to protect UK trips as it is for holidays overseas.' Britons are expected to spend an average of 353 each in the next six months on UK holidays, according to recent data from American Express. Last month, Cottages.com told This is Money that it had seen bookings rise 210 per cent for the year ahead compared to the year before. Simon Altham, group chief commercial officer at Awaze, the parent group of Cottages.com, said: 'Everything we are seeing suggests it's going to be a year like no other for the domestic holiday industry. 'The outlook for foreign travel is still uncertain, and so perhaps it's not surprising that summer is selling so well.' EasyJet blasted the confusion over summer holidays as it racked up a mammoth 701million loss. The airline will fly fewer planes at the start of the summer than planned amid mixed messages from the Government over its traffic light system for international travel. The introduction of the red, amber and green list rules was supposed to clarify what holidaymakers and other travellers could do. Instead, it has triggered widespread anger and confusion. Mixed messaging: Easyjets Johan Lundgren (pictured) says the Government is being too cautious on travel While it is legal to travel to countries on the amber list so long as you self-isolate at home for ten days on return and take two Covid tests ministers have advised against it. With countries on the amber list including France, Spain, Italy and Greece as well as Eastern Europe and the Nordic states, the travel industry has reacted with fury. Easyjet chief executive Johan Lundgren said it was 'absolutely legal to travel to amber list countries'. He said the airline would now operate just 15 per cent of flights between April and June down from the 20 per cent it had planned. Lundgren said: 'The messaging has been very confusing to say the least. 'They aren't following their own criteria for restarting travel and making it confusing in terms of if people should travel.' He also urged the Government to move Greece and Spain to the green list, which has just a dozen countries including Portugal. Lundgren added: 'No doubt the Government is taking a much more cautious approach and we don't believe this is backed up by the latest data. Greece and Spain in our view could be safely added to the green list.' He hopes the airline can ramp up its flight schedule later in the summer as Europe also looks to ease travel restrictions for vaccinated people. Lundgren said the airline was ready to 'flex up quickly' to use 90 per cent of its planes if there is enough demand. His comments came as the carrier posted a 701million loss for the six months ending in March. Revenue fell 90 per cent over the period to 240million, after passenger numbers collapsed. The record loss underlines the scale of the damage dealt to the airline industry by the Covid-19 crisis. Michael Hewson, analyst at CMC Markets, said: 'Easyjet is heading for its second successive annual loss. 'At the beginning of the year there was a great deal of optimism, that with the vaccine program well advanced there might be a semblance of a return to normal as the summer approached. 'This optimism now looks rather misplaced and along with the rest of the airline sector it is still no nearer to knowing when they can expect to resume any semblance of a normal service, with most of their planes grounded due to travel restrictions.' Easyjet also revealed it is still burning through 5.5million of cash every day while 85 per cent of services remain grounded. But the airline has 2.9billion in total liquidity to last it through the uncertainty having raised 5.5billion since the start of the pandemic. On Monday budget rival Ryanair posted the biggest annual loss in its history after being battered by travel restrictions. The Irish airline's boss Michael O'Leary said: 'It is a traumatic loss for an airline that has been consistently profitable for our 35-year history.' The hotly anticipated float of Oxford Cannabinoid Technologies will take place in London today. The British cannabis research firm, which is backed by US rapper Snoop Dogg, is the latest in a flurry of marijuana-based companies to opt for a UK listing. OCT will raise 16.5million from the initial public offering and its valuation after the listing is expected to be 51.5million. Investor: Oxford Cannabinoid Technologies, which is backed by US rapper Snoop Dogg, is the latest in a flurry of marijuana-based companies to opt for a UK listing The company focuses on developing pain relief treatments using cannabinoids and has four potential drugs in the pipeline. It is understood the market for such painkillers is worth more than 42.5billion globally. OCT will use the funds to prepare drug candidates for clinical trials from next year and is aiming to commercialise its first drug within the next six years. Kingsley Capital, a London private equity and venture capital business, set up OCT in 2017 to fund research at Oxford on cannabinoids. Kingsley Capital owns 32.2 per cent and Imperial Brands, the tobacco giant, has 16.9 per cent. But the companys most famous shareholder is Snoop Dogg who has a 3.2 per cent stake via his venture firm Casa Verde. The UK has been a hotspot for cannabis firms looking to list. Cellular Goods, backed by David Beckham, went public in February. Medical marijuana was legalised in the UK in 2018 for a narrow set of purposes, but recreational use is against the law. Neil Mahapatra, OCT co-founder, said the decision to list in London followed last years decision by the Financial Conduct Authority to allow medicinal cannabis companies to list in the UK. An Asian American California councilwoman who was branded racist because she revealed a text sent to her by a BLM activist that warned 'your name will be in the papers' for not voting his way has told DailyMail.com how she feels she's now gagged by cancel culture. Lynette Lee Eng is a city councilwoman in Los Altos, next to Palo Alto, a rich and Democratic area of northern California. She was elected in 2016. In November, she was asked to vote on a proposal that removed two police resource officers from the two high schools in the city, and that would put a third party in charge of handling and processing complaints against the Los Altos Police Department, which has 32 officers and has received 1 use of force complaint in the last six years, and 15 complaints in total. She felt it was a rushed vote, pushed through by the outgoing mayor who wanted to get the proposal passed in her final days in office after the outrage sparked by George Floyd's killing. Lee-Eng voted to remove the school resource officer from one high school - where students said they didn't want him anymore - but she voted to abstain on moving police complaints to a third party because she wanted to know how much it would cost the city. The others approved it. Immediately afterwards, she received a text from Kenan Moos, the 22-year-old organizer of Justice Vanguard warning her: 'Your name will be all over the papers' and saying 'we know there are racists that supported you.' Because the meeting was still ongoing and happening virtually on Zoom, she announced the text she'd just received. She never said that he had threatened her, but said she felt worried for her family's safety. In the weeks that followed, Moos, his family and his supporters said repeatedly that it was racist of her to make out that he'd been threatening her, and that it increases his chances of getting killed by police. Scroll down for video Lynette Lee Eng is a city councilwoman in Los Altos, next to Palo Alto, a rich and Democratic area of northern California. She was elected in 208. In November, activist Kenan Moos texted her after she abstained from voting on police reform. She said the texts made her fear for her safety. She has since been branded a racist Immediately after voting, she received a text from Kenan Moos, the 22-year-old organizer of Justice Vangaurd warning her: 'Your name will be all over the papers' and saying 'we know there are racists that supported you.' 'Councilmember Lee Eng, your false accusation has put a target on my back. Some in the community may think that I pose a threat to others. My odds of a negative interaction with police are already high. 'Lynette, your false accusations have increased the odds that I could be killed by the police,' he said during another town hall meeting, weeks later. His mother, Toni Moos, piled on. 'My husband and I were standing next to our son as he sent those texts....At no point in time did he ever threaten her safety or that of her family,' she said. He then accused her of 'criminalizing' him. One person stuck up for her publicly, saying she had every right to feel threatened because campaign signs had been damaged with stickers bearing the word 'racist' placed over them. Others have sent emails to the city council voicing their support. In an interview with DailyMail.com on Thursday, Lee-Eng said she now fears cancel culture will erode local politics and stop people from representing their constituents properly, because everyone's too afraid to speak their minds. 'Did I feel threatened? I guess I can't say that word. 'I felt fear. But that is the trouble; if we feel a certain way, we're the bad person, you can't say anything. It's troubling. 'Your representatives will not feel like they can freely represent you. 'I am hesitant to speak out of course which is sad. This is going to change how I interact with my constituents'. She added that she doesn't necessarily fear Moos nor did she think he was threatening her directly, but worried about what others might take from comments. The vote was on introducing a third party to handle complaints to the Los Altos Police Department, instead of allowing them to process them themselves. Since 2015, the force has had a total of 15 complaints and only one for use of force. There are 32 officers in the force. Lynette wanted to know how much it was going to cost the city to bring in the third party auditor, and if it was really necessary. The other councilmembers voted it through Lynette is shown on November 24, during a city council meeting, where she announced that she'd just received the text from Moos and she feared for her family's safety After she announced the text to the city council and those watching at home, Moos sent this message 'It's not the individual. It's what they can incite or trigger others to do,' she said. She says that while she receives support from people in her constituency, it comes from an older generation who are less tech savvy and don't therefore counterbalance the public conversation on social media because they just don't use it. What is left are posts about Lee-Eng on social media and local and student newspaper articles on the issue that she says are unsympathetic to her. 'You're dealing with a group that's more savvy on social media. This is your younger generation. Whereas we have a community that is largely older. 'They're not comfortable with technology. I get people who reach out to me based on phone calls, people stopping by or seeing my husband in the street. 'They share their support and say they are concerned about me.' Lee-Eng said she hasn't received any more threats or forms of harassment and that she believes it's because she made it public. 'The police actually told me that because I've made all of this public, action [of any kind from anyone] is less likely. People have attempted to reach out to me. But I am hesitant any word you say it would get twisted. They will pick, pick, pick.' Several weeks later, Moos spoke at another council meeting to accuse Lee-Eng of putting a target on her back. He said she'd increased his chances of getting killed by police because she said she was concerned for her safety Moos' mother Toni (top left) also spoke at the meeting to disparage Lee-Eng and say she had 'vacillated' on issues by abstaining on the vote until she had more information. Lee-Eng is shown in the bottom right corner of the screen On November 24, she voted to abstain from a proposal that would overhaul how police complaints were handled in Los Altos. 'There was an outgoing mayor, and she really, really wanted to get this done in her last days. This was critical to her. 'I just wanted a better understanding of the process and how much it would cost going forward. That's the reason I abstained. Understanding what the costs would be is important to me. This isn't just, "we should do this because it'll make the appearance of the right thing to do." The pair had a cordial correspondence before the vote in November. Lynette said she was working to improve race relations in the town 'If it's not justified we need to know. But the mayor said no and we had to vote so I abstained. I was just doing my job reviewing all the items.' 'When we were having the discussion, we couldn't have a thorough discussion. I questioned it, I wanted to revisit it and get more data but it was "let's get this through" and "make it happen". We didn't get a chance to hear from the police department, if we wanted to do a thorough job we would have least let them weigh in.' During the discussion, at 12.30am, she checked her cell phone because she'd been expecting news of a gravely-ill family member. That's when she saw the text from Moos. Lee Eng said she felt immediate 'fear' because of other local politicians who'd had their homes descended on by people who disagreed with them. She brought it up, making it public while the meeting was still ongoing. 'Before we move forward - the reason I voted is because I am getting messages from Vanguard calling me racist now. I did it because I lacked information and there are other reasons. 'I'm making this public now because if anything were to occur to me or my family. I'm making it known that I voted the way because of lack of information and because I had concerns moving forward. I just want to protect myself and protect my family. 'People are saying they're concerned about voicing concerns? I'm very concerned about how I am being treated.' The other councilwomen in the meeting unanimously agreed with her. They said it was 'unacceptable' that she felt threatened. Lynette said she scared to have friendly, informal talks with constituents now for fear of retribution. She is pictured with her sons and her husband She then received another text from Moos, who was watching the meeting. It said: 'I just want to be clear, this is no way a threat of any kind. This is me expressing my disappointment.' Lee-Eng told DailyMail.com that she felt sudden fear not of Moos himself or of their organization, but of the people they might incite or encourage. 'I'm an Asian woman, there have been attacks on the other mayors and councilmembers within the close-by jurisdictions; their positions were not in line with certain groups and their homes were faced with attacks,' she said. Neither Moos not Justice Vanguard responded to DailyMail.com's request for comment on Thursday. Before the incident in November, Lee-Eng had spoken with him about starting diversity training for city workers. Jeannie Bruins, another city councilwoman, was told to apologize after using the phrase 'you're out of your cotton picking mind' during a different Los Altos City Council meeting. She was talking about imposing a mask mandate outdoors and didn't agree with it 'I agreed that I'd want to make sure people are treated equitably in the city. I explained to him that to ensure equitability, I was fighting for implicit bias training and to ensure people are treated fairly,' she said. She says the entire debacle sets a 'bad precedent'. 'If I speak out, I get shut down.' Freddie Park Wheeler, a concerned citizen who lives Los Altos, said: 'There are so many people who live in this town who are afraid to speak up because they're afraid of being called racist. We are concerned about there being consequences.' In April, Lee-Eng said during a different meeting that Moos should apologize to her. 'Enough is enough this is disgusting. What should she apologize for, for being concerned for her familys safety?' said Frank Martin. She was accused by others of a lack of empathy for refusing to apologize to Moos. Others are frustrated that the row has taken up time during town meetings. Moos previously took on another councilwoman, Jeannie Bruins, for using the phrase 'you're out of your cotton picking minds' during a meeting about imposing mask mandates. Hundreds signed a petition saying she should resign. She has since apologized. Kenon Moos did not respond to multiple requests for comment. Shocking footage captured the moment a 14-year-old girl walked into a Mexican restaurant, handed a customer a newborn baby girl with part of the umbilical cord still attached and then fled. According to Jersey City officials, the girl entered the El Patron restaurant on Wednesday around 4 pm holding a newborn baby. She claimed she had found the infant and asked staff for help. 'She kind of looked a little bit desperate,' Frankie Augilar, who was working in the front of the restaurant at the time, told NJ.com. Scroll down for video The 14-year-old was seen on surveillance camera footage obtained by ABC 7 entering the El Patron restaurant in Jersey City on Wednesday and asking for help She then handed the infant to a customer who was enjoying a late lunch before she fled the scene. The customer, Alease Scott, had asked to check the baby's vitals A customer who was eating a late lunch with her boyfriend then asked the teenager if she could check the baby's vitals, at which point the girl, whom authorities have not named as she is a minor, handed her the baby girl. 'My focus went straight to the baby,' Alease Scott recounted to ABC 7. She said she could tell the baby was having trouble breathing, but almost immediately after the teenager handed her the child, she fled the establishment. Police responded a short time later, and provided the infant with medical support. Fortunately, Scott was trained in CPR. 'Once I applied the oxygen mask to the baby, all of a sudden we heard the most beautiful cry, and the baby started moving,' Scott said. Scott said her attention immediately turned to the infant she was holding She said she was glad she was there, and would be willing to be the baby's godmother 'She slightly opened up her eyes and then she closed her eyes, but the sweetest thing was when she got hungry, and she was trying to suckle on the oxygen mask,' Scott told ABC 7, 'So we knew she was OK.' The infant, who still had a piece of the umbilical cord attached to her, was taken to Jersey City Medical Center, and police found the teenager who initially denied being the baby's mother not far from the restaurant. She is not facing charges at this point, Jersey City spokeswoman Kimberly Wallace-Scalcione said, and was also taken to the local Medical Center. Police arrived on the scene a short time later with medical equipment and oxygen The whole ordeal took place at the El Patron restaurant in Jersey City, a short distance from where the teenager was later found Both she and the baby are in good health, Jersey City officials said on Thursday. The infant will now be put up for adoption, and Scott and her boyfriend, Walter Cocca, said they would be willing to be the baby's godparents. 'I'm just so happy I was there to help because she was desperate and didn't know what to do,' Scott said. 'She was just so young.' New Jersey has a Safe Haven Infant Protection law, which allows an individual to leave an unwanted baby less than 30 days old with staff at any hospital emergency room, police station, fire station, ambulance, first aid or rescue squad. Elizabeth Schultz, a former official at the Department of Education, spoke on Thursday Schools across the United States are 'weaponizing' their curriculums to 'indoctrinate' young children to 'turn them into activists', a former Virginia school board member warned on Thursday. Elizabeth Schultz, who served on the school board of Fairfax County, said that the pandemic, and its subsequent home schooling, had lifted the lid on what was going on in classrooms. 'This is a serious problem that parents are realizing across the country,' Schultz said when she appeared on Fox News. 'The pandemic has revealed that our education system is being weaponized by school boards school boards like Fairfax county that is certainly a bellwether district for what's happening in this country are taking this time not to get our children back in school and learning in the classroom, but weaponizing their time and using taxpayer money to embed things like critical race theory by outsourcing this to consultants from New York City and beyond.' Critical race theory is a reassessment of racial inequalities in the United States, which critics say emphasizes racial differences, and brainwashes white children into feeling guilty about the color of their skin. Schultz is a senior fellow at Parents Defending Education, a former U.S. Department of Education official. She spoke out as Brian Kemp, the governor of Georgia, issued a similar warning about schools in his state. Kemp wrote to the Georgia state board of education saying he was 'extremely concerned' about the spread of CRT in schools. He said that he had spoken to parents who were 'alarmed this divisive and anti-American curriculum is gaining favor'. Kemp said it was 'ridiculous' that federal funding could be used 'to push a blatantly partisan agenda'. Brian Kemp, the governor of Georgia, on Thursday spoke out against CRT in schools The U.S. Department of Education under the Biden administration has proposed a new rule that, if adopted, would prioritize federal education grants to K-12 public schools that promote Critical Race Theory, the 1619 Project - a controversial New York Times discussion of how slavery impacted the course of U.S. history - and 'anti-racist' activist Ibram X. Kendi. In January, President Biden issued an executive order disbanding the '1776 Commission,' an initiative formed by former President Donald Trump as a response to the 1619 Project. On Wednesday a coalition of 20 state attorney generals wrote to the education secretary, Miguel Cardona, asking him to reconsider proposals to introduce CRT and the controversial teachings in schools nationwide. Students at Fairfax County public schools, where Schultz expressed concern about CRT A classroom in Fairfax County, where Schultz was until recently on the school board Schultz on Thursday appeared on Fox News to discuss an op ed she wrote for Real Clear Education. In the article, published on Monday and entitled 'Our local school boards need parental supervision,' she complained at the amount of money and effort being put into CRT in her district. 'The Fairfax County school district is often a bellwether of what is occurring in communities nationwide,' Schultz wrote. 'Parents across the country should be vigilant. They should engage their school boards and investigate what their tax dollars are funding and whether it has anything to do with the priorities of their communities. 'A new poll reveals that voters overwhelmingly reject indoctrination in classrooms, with 70 per cent of respondents disapproving of teaching students that 'their race is the most important thing about them.' Clearly, our local school boards need parental supervision.' Schultz told Fox that the problem was not limited to her state. In New York, a teacher at Grace school in the East Village of Manhattan lost his job once he started criticizing the teachings, and a parent at Brearley School withdrew his daughter amid concern about CRT. 'This is a serious problem that parents are realizing across the country,' Schultz said. She claimed that school boards are 'taking children and turning them into activists' by 'embedding' critical race theory into the curriculum and 'giving children days off for protests.' Schultz's comments came after Loudoun County, Virginia parents last week pushed back on graphic books and critical race theory being taught in Loudoun County Public Schools, calling for an all-out ban on the curriculum. 'We have a serious problem in that parents need to be paying attention to what's happening at their local school boards,' Schultz said. The head of MI5 has accused Facebook of giving a 'free pass' to terrorists with its plans for end-to-end encryption. In his first interview, Ken McCallum said the plans by chief executive Mark Zuckerberg would enable terrorists to plot attacks on Messenger and Instagram without being visible to the security services. The security service has warned that Facebook is set to stop using algorithms that flag illegal content, instead only making it visible to the sender and receiver. They instead want the company to keep content viewable so that it can be passed on if deemed necessary. Ken McCallum, the Director General of MI5, said the plans by Facebook boss Mark Zuckerberg for end-to-end encryption would enable terrorists to plot attacks without being visible to security services But speaking to Times Radio, Mr McCallum said they were not seeking to build a 'surveillance state' with 'a camera in everyone's living room'. However he said there were 'rare' occasions when with appropriate safeguards where it was essential that they were able to gain access to the content of messages exchanged by dangerous suspects. Mr McCallum said decisions taken by executives in Silicon Valley were now having a direct effect on the ability of the security services to disrupt the activities of terrorists or child sex abuse rings. 'It is the case, especially around default encryption, that decisions taken in California boardrooms are every bit as relevant to our ability to do our jobs as decisions taken in Afghanistan or Syria,' he said. He said that if they had information someone was building a bomb or filming a martyrdom video in their living room they would be able to apply for a warrant from the Home Secretary and a senior judge. 'We would then be able to access that room, have a look at whether a bomb is indeed being built or not. And we need to have that ability online also,' he said. The security service has warned that Facebook is set to stop using algorithms that flag illegal content, instead only making it visible to the sender and receiver 'If you have end-to-end default encryption with absolutely no means of unwrapping that encryption, you are in effect giving those rare people terrorists or people who are organising child sexual abuse online, some of the worst people in our society a free pass where they know that nobody can see into what they are doing in those private living rooms. 'This is an unsolved problem, which needs proper attention. We are not in any way seeking some form of surveillance state. 'What we do need is that on those rare occasions, where there is a concern of very, very substantial proportions, that when a secretary of state and the judge has agreed that access to that information is necessary and proportionate, we do need the companies to have built a means for us to work in partnership with them, in that rare case, to access the content of those communications.' He was joined by Neil Basu, national head of counter-terrorism, who added that people could die and child abusers escape capture if Facebook continued with their plan to 'put privacy before security'. A Facebook company spokesperson: 'Strong encryption is essential to keep everyone safe from hackers and criminals and is already the leading security technology used by many services. 'For example, WhatsApp has a number of sophisticated ways of detecting and preventing harm, including photo and video-matching technology which proactively scans non-encrypted surfaces for violating imagery. 'We have no tolerance for terrorism or child exploitation on our platforms and are building strong safety measures into our plans, including using information like behavioural patterns and user reports to combat such abuse. 'We will continue to work with industry experts, law enforcement and security agencies to combat criminal activity and to keep people safe across all our platforms.' A prisoner has admitted to bashing his cellmate and leaving him with a broken jaw after he realised he was a convicted child sex offender. Leonard Janes Stanley, 33, was staying at the watch house at Hervey Bay Police Station at Scarness, on the Queensland coast, on June 3, 2020. He had been put in a cell on his own before a paedophile inmate was sent in to share it with him. Stanley recognised the man as a convicted sex offender and struck him across the jaw causing him to drop to the floor and hit his torso against the toilet. He pleaded guilty to one count of grievous bodily harm after fronting Hervey Bay District Court this week, Courier Mail reported. 'They put me in a cell with him - what did they think was going to happen?' he told the court. Leonard Janes Stanley, 33 (pictured), was staying at the watch house at Hervey Bay Police Station at Scarness, on the Queensland coast, on June 3, 2020 Stanley had been placed into a cell on his own at Hervey Bay Police Station (pictured) when a paedophile inmate was sent in to join him CCTV footage showed Stanley standing in the holding area and blocking the entrance after recognising the inmate. The pair briefly exchanged words when Stanley struck the paedophile across the jaw causing him to drop to the floor and hit his torso against the toilet. The inmate was taken to a Brisbane hospital with a broken jaw before he underwent surgery. The court heard Stanley had struggled with drugs and violence and that he had attended a substance abuse program and a resilience course while he was being held in custody. His lawyer said his client had been put under further strain from the Covid-19 restrictions that had limited visitation hours with his family and child. There were also delays with the parole application process meaning Stanley could be staying in jail for longer when he became eligible for parole, the court heard. Stanley was handed a two-and-a-half-year sentence and will be eligible for parole on October 18, 2021. Australians over the age of 50 who choose not to get the AstraZeneca shot will be low on the priority list for the Pfizer jab, a leading doctor has warned. Australian Medical Association president Omar Khorshid warned over 50s they need to get the AstraZeneca vaccine as soon as possible, because they are most vulnerable in an outbreak and will be last in line for other shots. Some over 50s have been holding off taking the AstraZeneca because of fears it causes blood clots, which doctors have stressed are extremely rare. Some over 50s have been holding off taking the AstraZeneca because of fears it causes blood clots, which doctors have stressed are extremely rare. Pictured: A man receives the AstraZeneca vaccine in Perth Prime Minister Scott Morrison (pictured getting a shot) has insisted the AstraZeneca is safe Dr Khorshid said people who refuse the AstraZeneca won't be first in line for any other vaccine despite their age 'because they've chosen not to have the vaccine available to them'. 'With winter on our doorstep, we are vulnerable to a coronavirus outbreak,' he told The Australian. '[It] would be a bad thing for Australia if we had a large number of our vulnerable population not vaccinated because they had this perception that one vaccine is better than the other when the data does not at all show that.' He said it was especially important over 70s took up the jab, because they are most at risk of dying or getting seriously ill if an outbreak occurs. Of 2.1million AstraZeneca shots given, only 24 people have suffered blood clots linked to the vaccine, with one death. Australian Medical Association president Omar Khorshid (pictured) warned over 50s to get the vaccine as soon as possible because they are vulnerable if an outbreak occurs Australians over the age of 50 who choose not to get the AstraZeneca shot will be low on the priority list for the Pfizer. Pictured: Governor General David Hurley gets the vaccine Prime Minister Scott Morrison has insisted the AstraZeneca vaccine is safe for over 50s, while younger Australians are advised to take the Pfizer vaccine. 'My mum's had AstraZeneca, Jenny's had AstraZeneca,' he said on Thursday. 'My mother-in-law's had AstraZeneca, [minister for health] Greg Hunt's had AstraZeneca and so have so many across the country.' One in five Australians said they probably or definitely would not get a vaccine, a survey from the Australian National University from January this year found. 90.6 per cent of Australians over 75 said they wanted the jab. Over 55s and under 24-year-olds had the highest levels of willingness to get immunised. Females, Indigenous Australians, people who speak a language other than English and people who have not completed Year 12 have become less willing to get vaccinated. The BBCs deceit and lies over the Bashir/Diana debacle, in a cover-up that lasted more than 25 years, is for me the most shameful episode in its history. Lord Dysons blistering condemnation yesterday of BBC star reporter Martin Bashir and several of his bosses at the corporation has been a very long time coming. I have witnessed the state broadcasters feints and dodges over this affair repeatedly. My requests for information information the BBC was legally bound to provide have been blocked and barricaded. Even when crucial documents were finally handed over, it had the whiff of cynical determination to obscure the real facts. I believe the BBC deliberately manipulated their release to make it as difficult as possible for me to see what was hidden. I first tried to discover the truth about Bashirs dirty tricks back in 2007. So efficiently had the BBC concealed the lies and forgeries behind the biggest royal scoop of all time that I had no inkling of the cover-up before I began to investigate. The BBCs deceit and lies over the Bashir/Diana debacle, in a cover-up that lasted more than 25 years, is for me the most shameful episode in its history, writes Andy Webb It was a night at the theatre 15 years ago that led me to the story. I was a freelance filmmaker and journalist at the time and went to see a play called Frost/Nixon, at Londons Donmar Warehouse. It starred Frank Langella as the U.S. President Richard Nixon, confronted in a face-to-face post-Watergate interview by David Frost a mesmerising Michael Sheen. I left the Donmar inspired to branch into playwrighting and create my own play. All I needed, I believed, was a historic interview of equal importance. One came instantly to mind: the heartbreaking encounter in 1995 between a total unknown Bashir and perhaps the most famous woman in the world, Princess Diana, the estranged wife of the Prince of Wales. Diana coined for herself the phrase, Queen of Peoples Hearts, in that interview. And who will ever forget, There were three of us in this marriage, so it was a bit crowded. My first thought was that this famous TV event would make superb theatre. But within the first few hours of my research, I saw there was a scandal lying in plain sight one corner of which had already been exposed, yet was generally ignored. I first tried to discover the truth about Bashirs dirty tricks back in 2007. It was a night at the theatre 15 years ago that led me to the story. I was a freelance filmmaker and journalist at the time and went to see a play called Frost/Nixon based on the groundbreaking interview between former U.S. President Nixon and David Frost (pictured) Shortly after Bashirs Bafta-winning interview aired, the Mail On Sunday published evidence to prove that the journalist used faked bank documents to win Dianas trust. The BBC held an internal inquiry, which dismissed any suggestion of malpractice and the newspaper story was quietly forgotten. I knew that, if I had any hope of writing a meaningful play about the Queen of Peoples Hearts interview, I had to work out what really went on. So I wrote to the BBC in 2007, making a request under the Freedom of Information Act, to see all the documents relating to that internal inquiry. The corporation had a legal obligation to turn over those papers. I was shocked, when I eventually received a reply, to be told there were no documents on file. Any meetings to discuss this particular programme, they wrote, would not have been minuted and the number of people involved in the process kept to a need-to-know basis only. Surely that had to be wrong. I knew from personal experience that every tiny BBC matter, even a request for paper clips, is accompanied by voluminous documentation. I worked as a reporter at the Beeb for 15 years before a stint on Watchdog. The idea that there were no papers relating to the Diana interview was ridiculous. Even some of Bashirs colleagues had suspicions about how the scoop was obtained. Doubts were raised with senior executives. The disgrace of this affair is going to haunt the BBC forever. And had I not thought of writing that play it may never have properly emerged. Pictured: Andy Webb Yet I was being told none of these doubts were committed to paper. Was that because someone high up at Broadcasting House preferred they stay hidden? Faced with this wall of silence, I shelved my plans for a play. But during lockdown last year, as the 25th anniversary of the Diana interview approached, I renewed my FOI request. I explained that I was planning a documentary on the subject for Channel 4. And this time I got a very different answer. Now that we have looked in to this, they said, we have concluded that the 2007 request is anomalous. We are of course going back 13 years, but it seems from the way the response to you is written that the conclusion then was based on supposition, rather than established fact. We should have taken steps to ascertain whether relevant information was held. We apologise that this was not done, and that the answer you received was inaccurate. That sounds quite close to me to, Sorry, you were told a lie. Im still furious: I had been fobbed off with a pack of untruths. Just 48 hours before my programme was due to air last October, a file arrived via email from the BBC. It contained 67 documents chronicling how the interview was planned and set up. I believe this information was released in the BBCs full knowledge that I would not be able to use it in my investigation. Two days is not long enough to rewrite, reshoot and re-edit a documentary. Anyone in TV knows this. It would be shameful if BBC executives timed the release in the hope that, unable to make any use of the papers, I would simply glance at them then stuff them in a filing cabinet to be forgotten. But I suspect that is what they wanted. Instead, I decided to share them with the Princesss brother, Lord Spencer. And when he saw them, the lid blew off the cover-up. Lord Spencer, unlike the BBC, had never lost sight of a single scrap of paper in his own files relating to the affair. He had always been convinced there were dirty dealings, but hed been unable to prove it. He went to the Daily Mails Richard Kay. Between them they began to unravel the astonishing duplicity of Bashir. One revelation that aroused Lord Spencers ire was the false claim, buried on page 43 of the paper dump, that he himself had supplied incriminating details to Bashir. The person who made that claim was the BBCs former director-general, Tony Hall. I share Lord Spencers belief that Bashir lied and used forged financial documents to pressure the Princess into talking to him and that he acted with utter disregard for her mental stability, exploiting her emotional vulnerability. I find it very hard to believe this behaviour was not criminal, though bizarrely in my view the Metropolitan police have declined to investigate. How is using fake bank statements for personal gain not a clear case of criminal forgery? But Diana was not the only victim. Other people have suffered through the BBCs failure to admit to Bashirs wicked wrongdoing. Patrick Jephson, the Princesss private secretary, left her service immediately after the Panorama interview. Bashir falsely suggested he was in league with MI5 and was spying on her for Prince Charles. Jephson believes that broke the trust Diana held for him. When he spoke to me about this, he had tears in his eyes. Tiggy Legge-Bourke, nanny to princes William and Harry, had her reputation utterly traduced. Bashir encouraged Diana to believe Tiggy had an affair with Charles and even aborted his baby. These people could certainly argue they have suffered lifelong hurt at the hands of the BBC. I never wrote my Bashir/Diana play. But the author of Frost/Nixon, Peter Morgan, went on to even greater things. He is the creator of The Crown, the mega-budget Netflix serial charting the history of Queen Elizabeth IIs reign. And in the next series, his story will reach the 1990s . . . with the breakdown of the Waless marriage as its focal point. Hundreds of millions around the world, from Michigan to Manila, who have only a vague idea of what the BBC is, will watch that drama obsessively. They will see the disintegration of Diana. Even worse, in my view, is the part that the BBC played in that the BBC, for a century the upholder of a great broadcasting tradition that represents the best of Britain. Martin Bashir is, as Lord Dyson has discovered, a chancer who struck gold. These people come along from time to time but we all hope an organisation as venerated as the BBC will spot them before they do damage or act swiftly to root them out once exposed. The BBC has done neither. Until last week, Bashir was still the corporations Religion Editor. The disgrace of this affair is going to haunt the BBC forever. And had I not thought of writing that play it may never have properly emerged. Yesterday Lord Spencer tweeted: Id like to thank the TV journalist Andy Webb for his tireless professionalism in bringing the Bashir-Panorama-BBC scandal to light. If he hadnt have pursued this story for well over a decade, and shared his findings with me last October, todays findings wouldnt have surfaced. Andy Webbs latest film, The Diana Interview: The Truth Behind The Scandal will be shown on Channel 4 on Saturday, May 29, at 8pm. The third alleged rape victim of That 70s star Danny Masterson told a Los Angeles court today how he ravaged her like a rag doll. Dabbing at tears with a tissue, N. Trout - whose full identity has not been disclosed - said the Scientologist actor commanded her to come to his Hollywood Hills home where her alleged rape ordeal began in the shower, then moved to his bed where he sexually pounded her from behind, like a jackhammer. Ms. Trout was taking her turn in the witness box on the third day of a preliminary hearing to determine whether Masterson, 45, will stand trial on the three charges of rape that hes pleaded not guilty to. Danny Masterson, known for his role in That 70s Show, appeared in court on Tuesday as he faces three rape charges. Masterson has pleaded not guilty The preliminary hearing is expected to last four days and will decide whether Masterson will stand trial on the rape charges. Pictured on his way to court on Wednesday An alleged victim, only referred to as 'N. Trout' claimed on Thursday Masterson 'commanded' her to come over to his house (pictured), which was close to her house Masterson - dressed in a dark blue suit, blue tie and white shirt - sat motionless in court, listening to Ms. Trouts traumatic account of what happened in late 2003, starting when she and some friends went out for drinks with Masterson at a Hollywood bar. Being also a Scientologist, Ms. Trout knew him casually, but that night, Masterson started staring at me in a very predatory way. He was staring at me very aggressively. He wouldnt take his eyes off me. Auburn-haired Ms. Trout - wearing a black pantsuit and black blouse - told the court that she felt flattered but intimidated by the stars attention but she gave him her phone number when he asked for it. A couple of days later, he texted her, she said, in the form of a command, ordering me to come over to his home now, immediately, to bring my bathing suit and to get in my pool. I didnt understand why he was being so aggressive. It was bizarre. I thought maybe this was his way of flirting. She agreed to go to his house, she said, which was walking distance from his, but only on conditions that she wouldnt take her bathing suit, that she wouldnt go in his pool. After having a drink to calm her nerves she went to Mastersons house where he immediately handed me a glass of red wine. When I arrived, my expectations were maybe to flirt a little.have a glass of winemaybe something in the realm of romance but nothing serious. She told the court that when the wine started to take hold, Masterson led her to his jacuzzi area where, He commanded me to go in the jacuzzi. He said, Take off your clothes right now.take them offtake them off. If you dont, Im going to do it. Im going to strip you right now. Danny Masterson posted a photo Tuesday of himself in the passenger seat as his wife Bijou Phillips drove, with the caption, 'Had the most beautiful Uber driver drop me off at school today. #uberwife #bijouphillips,' and the location 'Court House' Ms. Trout - who said that she started to feel blurry - went on I was scared so I didnt try to be argumentative. But I told him no, I didnt want to take my clothes off. I was trying to obey him so some of my clothes came offI still had underwear and a camisole on I think..I got in the jacuzzi and we were kissing, making out. But I was out if it at that point. Masterson then ordered her to go upstairs to take a shower, she added. He said, Go upstairs, get your clothes off and get in the shower now! He was like a drill sergeant. I obeyed him because he was so domineering and commanding. In the shower, Masterson came in with her, she recalled. We were kissing and I was trying to control the kissing. But he put his hand down to my groin and I think he put his fingers in me. All of a sudden he put his penis inside me and I yelled, Danny, What are you doing? I told him to get out .I had told him earlier that I did not want to have sex with him. In yesterday's hearing, Masterson's attorney, Tom Mesereau (right), accused prosecutors of 'blatant religious bias' against the Church of Scientology and asked the judge to ban witnesses from mentioning Scientology during testimony. Pictured in September 2020 Masterson is seen in a court sketch from Tuesday's hearing listening to prosecutors present evidence to a judge as they attempt to show he should stand trial for the alleged rapes of three women Masterson stopped, she said, but ordered her into his bedroom where they started making out on his bed. I pleaded with him, Ok Danny, we cannot have sex. No intercourse. It was getting out of hand. He kept saying, Look at your face and I think he was doing something to me, like fingering me. I feel like I remember some oral copulation but Im not sure.. Then he said, Ok, thats it, and he flipped me over and started to pound me from behind like a jack hammer. He was penetrating my vagina from behind. It hurt I said Danny what are you doingyou dont have a condom on.If youre going to do it, at least put a condom on. I started to vomit in my mouth..I get ravaged, like a rag doll. It was very rough sex. I was not in charge of all my facultiesI was spent. She said Masterson ejaculated on her stomach then, trying to act like a gentleman wiped it off with a wet towel. Ms. Trout ran into Masterson at an event five years later and when she said hi, he didnt respond. He was staring at me with kind of a death stare. He looked like he wanted to kill me. She added that she did not report the alleged rape to the Church of Scientology. Because I knew I would be in troubleI had been told previously that you dont report another Scientologist. You mustnt do that or you will lose everything..You are excommunicated and you will lose everything. Masterson played wise-cracking Steven Hyde on That '70s Show from 1998 to 2006 Danny was a celebrity and I thought nobody would believe me. Under cross examination from Mastersons attorney, Tom Mesereau, Ms. Trout admitted that she had taken a Xanax pill before her testimony today because I have an anxiety disorder. When Mesereau asked her why - with Masterson being so scary and intimidating at the restaurant - she agreed to go to his house, she answered, I felt he was very interested. I think I thought it was his way of saying he was into me, of flirting. Mesereau told her, You went to Danny Mastersons house knowing full well you were going to take off your clothes, correct? No, responded Ms. Trout, who added that she set conditions before going to his house, telling him, Ill talk to you but I wont bring a bathing suit and I wont go in the jacuzzi. When Mesereau suggested that Ms. Trout went along with what happened to her during the alleged rape, she became emotional and tearfully asked Judge Charlaine Olmedo for a break. After a five-minute pause to compose herself outside the courtroom, she told the court, I was scared to resist. I kept saying no but he was not listening to me.. I was afraid that it would escalate to violence. When Mesereau asked her if Masterson hit her or was otherwise violent toward her, she admitted he never hit her. But she insisted that during the alleged rape, He was very violent to me - he was holding my hips from the back and ramming himself into me. She also responded No when Mesereau asked her if shes had sex with Masterson again since the alleged rape in late 2003. After Ms. Trouts testimony ended, Judge Olmedo adjourned till tomorrow when Mastersons legal team is expected to file a motion to dismiss the rape charges. Former Minneapolis police officer, Tou Thao, pictured in court, has been accused of waging a 'desperate smear campaign,' against the state Former Minneapolis police officer, Tou Thao, has been accused of waging a 'desperate smear campaign,' against the state in a 'shameless' bid to derail prosecution for his part in the killing of George Floyd, DailyMail.com can reveal. Ex-cops Thao, 35, Thomas Lane, 38, and J Alexander Keung, 27, are all awaiting trial for aiding and abetting Derek Chauvin in both second-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. The disgraced former officers had been due in court this August, but Hennepin County District Judge Paul Cahill pushed the date to March 2022 in a bid to allow public feeling to cool in the wake of 45-year-old Chauvin's conviction and the announcement that the officers will also face federal charges. Now, in newly filed legal documents seen by DailyMail.com, prosecutors have slammed Thao for 'harassing' prosecutors with 'frivolous filings.' Thao was the officer who held back the crowd that gathered on the sidewalk in front of Cup Foods The four officers who have been charged for the murder of George Floyd are pictured in their mugshots from left to right: Derek Chauvin, J. Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao Derek Chauvin, right, was convicted of murdering Floyd, left, while Thao and the other officers are facing a trial next year for aiding and abetting him They have also accused him of, 'repeatedly attempting to taint the jury pool' and 'distract' and 'divert attention' from his role in Floyd's death. Thao was the officer who held back the crowd that gathered on the sidewalk in front of Cup Foods. While Floyd died beneath the most senior cops' knee, Thao prevented increasingly agitated crowd members from approaching or intervening. He told investigators that he was trying to keep the scene safe, but in Chauvin's trial the state pointed out that his comment, 'This is why you don't do drugs kids' was neither suggestive of a person experiencing any real sense of threat nor an example of any effort to build rapport. In the months since he was charged Thao's attorneys, Robert and Natalie Paule, have called for the case against their client to be dismissed, prosecutors to be removed for misconduct and sanctions brought in four separate motions. The State of Minnesota on Thursday responded to Thao's latest motion in which he claimed Hennepin County Chief Medical Examiner Dr Andrew Baker's testimony was coerced by the State Prosecutors did not mince their words describing the motion as 'another bad-faith attempt by Thao to debase the State The filing goes on to brand Thao's series of 'frivolous' motions as a 'desperate smear campaign' and an attempt to 'taint the jury pool' The first was filed last July and asked the court to find Attorney General Keith Ellison in contempt. The second motion was filed in December 2020 and alleged discovery violations and a third was filed in February this year and claimed that the State leaked information about the federal government's role in plea negotiations with Chauvin's counsel. But it is the most recent filing that has provoked the State's ire and prompted the excoriating response in which it is described as 'beyond the pale.' According to the motion filed earlier this month, 'the testimony of [Hennepin County Medical Examiner] Dr Baker was directly and indirectly coerced by the State and its agents.' Attorneys for Thao detailed two conversations that they allege took place between Baker and the former Medical Examiner for Washington DC Dr Roger Mitchell who called Baker after reading his preliminary findings. In the months since he was charged, Thao's attorneys have called for his case to be dismissed in four separate motions but it was his most recent filing last week that prompted the excoriating response in which it is described as 'beyond the pale' Baker had found no physical evidence of asphyxiation at autopsy. According to the motion Mitchell told Baker: 'You don't want to be the medical examiner who tells everyone they didn't see what they saw. 'You don't want to be the smartest person in the room and be wrong.' It states: 'Mitchell said neck compression has to be in the diagnosis.' Thao's body camera footage shows the other three officers in front of Cup Foods as Derek Chauvin, left, kneels on George Floyd's neck while murdering him Thao's body camera footage shows him trying to hold back the crowd that gathered on the sidewalk in front of Cup Foods In the robust response filed Thursday prosecutors did not mince their words describing the motion as 'another bad-faith attempt by Defendant Thao to debase the State, disqualify members of the prosecution team and divert attention from his role in the death of George Floyd on May 25, 2020.' They go onto describe the motion as 'part of an ongoing pattern by Defendant Thao of submitting requests without any valid legal basis, in order to manipulate the narrative and influence public opinion' The state has described Thao's allegations as 'preposterous' and 'simply false' and point to the fact that 'Defendant Thao does not offer even a shred of evidence to support his baseless conspiracy theory.' Australians whose businesses have survived the Covid pandemic are now dealing with another challenge as they struggle to find workers. Cafes in Sydney and Melbourne are desperately posting 'help wanted' ads as they turn away scores of patrons and close their doors early because of a lack of staff. Farmers who relied on foreign workers to pick and pack their produce are also dealing with a worker shortage as Aussies refuse to go regional for work despite hefty government incentives. Pazar Food Collective owner Attila Yilmaz from Canterbury in Sydney said he has even started paying potential staff for turning up to interviews, and throwing in a free meal on their first day. Sydney and Melbourne cafe owners are having to close their doors because of staff shortages (pictured a couple dine out on October 4 in Sydney) Pazar Food Collective owner Attila Yilmaz (pictured) said he was at the point of 'begging' people to work for him 'This week was the third or fourth Wednesday night we've been shut this month, I just don't have the staff,' Mr Yilmaz told The Daily Telegraph. He explained he is desperate to hire staff - operating with half his usual waiters and a restaurant manager position unfilled for a year-and-a-half. 'I need a certain amount of customers to break even, but without the staff I'm turning away about 200 people who want to eat here a week,' he said. Other hospitality venues are complaining of similar situations with Lord Nelson brewery in The Rocks shutting down its brasserie because of a staff shortage. A search of cafe job vacancies in Melbourne and Sydney on Seek resulted in more than 5,000 active listings for each city on Friday morning. Since December 2019 and the beginning of the pandemic and border closures about 220,000 foreign workers have left Australia with no new overseas workers arriving to fill the gap. Fruit and vegetable growers across the country have been hit particularly hard. Farmers were left scrambling to fill 26,000 seasonal jobs to harvest and pack produce after international borders closed. Mr Yilmaz of Pazar Food Collective (pictured) said he had to close his doors multiple night a week and turn away customers because of low staff numbers Despite the government stepping in and offering locals up to $6,000 in cash if they relocate to regional areas for farm work for six weeks, Aussies have proven uninterested. The cash back offer is provided for money spent to take on the work - such as plane tickets, accommodation, work clothes, meals, and car hire. NSW Farmers Horticulture Chair Guy Gatea said farmers were still having difficulty finding workers to pick their crops with some turning up, working two hours of a shift and then not returning. The orchard grower said there just didn't appear to be a drive for Australians to take on the work. Australian fruit growers (pictured) are also struggling to find workers to pick and pack fruit for supermarket shelves after the contingent of foreign workers left during border closures and have not been replaced Other industries are also feeling the pinch with cleaning companies saying Australians don't want these types of jobs. Dimitri Papadimitriou, from the Star Cleaning Company said Australians had got used to welfare handouts after the government's JobKeeper and JobSeeker schemes upped payments in 2020. Despite the schemes winding up this year he said Australians were not returning to the workforce to do lower paid manual jobs. 'Many just want the money and to cut corners. The government is making it too easy for people without a job. It's encouraging people to be lazy,' he said. Employment Minister Stuart Robb said his department would be contacting Australia's 122,000 Youth Allowance recipients individually to remined them of their 'mutual obligations' over the next few weeks. Mr Robb said he would be pushing for more people to get off Centrelink payments and into the workforce, adding jobs being unfilled while young, able workers got handouts was 'not acceptable'. Despite JobSeeker and JobKeeper winding up in 2020, business owners have complained of worker shortages saying Australians had gotten used to free handouts (pictured: people line up at a Centrelink in 2020) Australia's most successful private property developer, Perth based Nigel Slattery has said skills shortages in Australian workers were also an issue which he had brought up with WA Premier Mark McGowan. 'The goal is for Premier McGowan to see the significance of the current skills shortage and the opportunity we have to reset and diversify the economy for the next 50 years,' he told the Australian Financial Review. He believes once the nation's vaccine rollout is complete, upping Australia's skilled migrant intake up to 200,000 people a year would be needed to filled skilled worker jobs in fields such as construction, mining and hospitality. He has also called for a Commonwealth run quarantine camp to handle incoming workers to ease public concern, with the current hotel quarantine system managed by state governments. A swim school franchisor has been ordered to pay a $23 million fine after it falsely told franchisees they would have an operational swim school within a year of signing up. But because it's in liquidation, it's unlikely to be able to pay up. The penalty was imposed by the Federal Court on Wednesday in a lawsuit launched by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. Jump Loops will have to pay a $23million fine after it told 174 franchisees they'd have an operational swim school within a year of signing up Jump Loops, the company that franchised Jump! Swim schools, told 174 franchisees that they would have an operational swim school within 12 months of signing a franchise agreement. '12 month turnaround from sign-on to open,' the brochure read. It said that in exchange for between $150,000 and $175,000 it would hand over a swim school premises, fitout, training and associated rights. That was wrong, it would later admit to the court. It took franchisees' money between 2016 and 2019 knowing that there was no reasonable basis to believe they would get what they were paying for. The founder of Jump! Swim Ian Campbell (pictured) will pay $500,000 in compensation to franchisees as well as a $400,000 fine At least 152 of the 174 franchisees never ended up with a swim school. Only 21 got any kind of refund. All up, Jump Loops got $24 million in payments. Less than $1 million was refunded. Jump! Swim's founder, Ian Campbell, now has to pay $500,000 in compensation to franchisees on top of a $400,000 fine. 'We took this action to help franchisees achieve some compensation and to seek orders preventing Mr Campbell and Jump Swim from signing up further franchisees to Jump Swim or another future franchise,' ACCC deputy chair Mick Keogh said. The ACCC says many franchisees are unlikely to ever be fully compensated for their loss because Jump Loops and related companies are now in liquidation. The ACCC says it's unlikely any franchisee will receive full compensation since the company has gone into liquidation (stock image) What's more, the corporate penalties are 'unlikely' to be paid, Mr Keogh admits. 'However, we consider the penalties ordered by the Court send a strong deterrence message.' Most of the money the franchisees had paid over had already been spent by the time the ACCC got freezing orders from the court. But franchisees should be able to claw back some money from Mr Campbell. At least 152 of the 174 franchisees never ended up with a swim school, while only 21 got any kind of refund The new CEO of Jump! Swim Schools Mark Collins welcomed the outcome. He said it was important to get justice and to maximise compensation for those affected by the previous ownership. 'We all just want to move forward from this and get on with the work of teaching thousands of kids across the country life-saving swimming skills,' he said in a statement. Belgravia Group purchased the franchise rights for more than 60 of the swim schools in 2019. Pictured: Jo Murray, before she was diagnosed with throat cancer A mother-of-five whose sexually transmitted infection turned out to be a deadly cancer has opened up about the signs she missed - and why her one and half year wait for a diagnosis nearly cost her life. Jo Murray, from The Oaks in Sydney's south-west, thought she was suffering from a simple sore throat at the end of 2019, until she noticed a lump. The 46-year-old visited two doctors before she was told she had Stage Three cancer, which had spread to her tonsils, tongue and left lymph node, and was caused by HPV - the human papillomavirus. HPV is a common sexually transmitted infection which usually shows no symptoms and goes away by itself, but it can turn cancerous in about ten per cent of cases. Mrs Murray said: 'I had no idea what HPV was. No one spoke about that at school or in my family or friend group.' Pictured: Jo Murray with her husband Brett. They each have two children, and one son together who is 15 Pictured: Mrs Murray with her daughter Josephine in Sydney before her cancer diagnosis The former banker said when she heard a specialist in March 2020 say the words 'I'm sorry, you have cancer', she thought it was a death sentence. 'I've had uncles, aunties, cousins and a brother-in-law die of cancer - no one in my immediate family has survived it,' she said. The doctor said her chances of surviving were good and urged her to stay positive. 'That really stuck with me and I didn't let my emotions get in the way,' she said. Over the following months, Mrs Murray underwent rounds of chemotherapy and radiation, ate and drank through a feeding tube, took pain medication every four hours and needed her husband Brett to care for her 24 hours a day. Her children couldn't visit her due to Covid restrictions in hospitals at the time, but her sisters and mother cooked and helped around the house while she was sick. In August, she was told the cancer had gone. Pictured: Mrs Murray with her sisters after her cancer diagnosis. Her family helped her get through her illness Pictured: Mrs Murray with two of her children while in hospital. She relied on a feeding tube Mrs Murray underwent rounds of chemotherapy and radiation, ate and drank through a feeding tube 'I'm so lucky that I had my family there to look after me,' she said. 'And that I trusted my gut and got a second opinion.' The first doctor she went to in early 2020 told her she was just 'fighting off an infection' and gave her a prescription for antibiotics. 'I was really angry and unsure why - I just knew that it wasn't an infection, and I knew something wasn't right,' she said. He handed her a script, but she knew she wouldn't fill it out and threw it straight in the bin and booked an appointment to see her regular GP when he was back from holidays. He sent her to a series of scans and tests that eventually lead to her life-saving diagnosis. Mrs Murray said she did not get regular pap smears at the time, but that the virus likely would have shown up if she did. Pictured: Mrs Murray with her mother in hospital while being treated for throat cancer Pictured: Mrs Murray celebrating her 46th birthday while hooked up to a feeding tube Mrs Murray said she wouldn't have been able to survive cancer if it wasn't for her family (pictured) She is now trying to encourage women of all ages to get tested regularly and get a second opinion if they know something is not right She is now trying to encourage women of all ages to get tested regularly and get a second opinion if they know something is not right. 'It's so important to not be embarrassed about talking about HPV sex is human, and we need more people to be aware that it can lead to head and neck cancers,' she said. She is hosting her first Australia's Biggest Morning Tea on Saturday to raise awareness and money for the Cancer Council. The mother encouraged others to get a second or third opinion where possible, and to 'listen to your body'. The Archbishop of Canterbury has issued a personal apology for the Church of Englands failure to halt sadistic abuse at Anglican boys camps run by youth leader John Smyth QC. Smyth is said to have subjected boys to tens of thousands of lashes, telling them that it would purge them of sins of pride and masturbation. The Most Reverend Justin Welby issued an apology on behalf of the Church in 2017. Yesterday he said: Having met some victims now, I want to offer a full, personal apology. I am sorry that this was done in the name of Jesus Christ by a perverted version of spirituality and evangelicalism. A full inquiry is under way. The Most Reverend Justin Welby issued an apology issued an apology on behalf of the Church of England in 2017 Smyth was allowed to work abroad after word of his abuse began circulating in the 1980s. He died at his home in Cape Town, South Africa, in 2018 aged 77. Allegations of serious abuse during his time in southern Africa were later raised. In 2017, Lambeth Palace confirmed that Archbishop Welby worked as a dormitory officer at one of Smyths camps in the late 1970s. A spokesman said: He was not part of the inner circle of friends; no one discussed allegations of abuse by John Smyth with him. Last year the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse accused the Church of England of failing the nation by covering up sex abuse for decades for the sake of protecting its own reputation. The Church has now started paying compensation to victims of a series of scandals that is likely to end in a final bill of at least 200 million. The Church of England is accused of failing to halt sadistic abuse at Anglican boys camps run by youth leader John Smyth QC The Smyth allegations have also produced bitter internal division. Last year, former Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Carey was openly critical of Archbishop Welby after losing his right to officiate at church services. Lord Carey was briefly stripped of his licence because he was head of a theological college where Smyth attended a course in 1983. Carey said he does not remember ever meeting Smyth. A conman cleared of drowning his wife in a swimming pool to cash in on 3.5million of life insurance will face new questions over her death at an inquest. Donald McPherson, 47, who was previously jailed in Germany for embezzlement, was dramatically cleared of killing wealthy heiress Paula Leeson when a trial was halted in March. The judge ruled the prosecution had not disproved his defence that she fell or jumped in the pool during a holiday in Denmark in 2017. Mr McPherson, of Sale, Greater Manchester, insisted he had woken from a nap to find her body in the 4ft deep water. The prosecution did not disprove McPherson's defence that Paula (above) fell or jumped in the pool during a holiday in Denmark in 2017 Yesterday a barrister representing 47-year-old Miss Leesons devastated family called for an inquest, telling Stockport Coroners Court: There remains suspicion that Paula Leeson died a violent death. Coroner Chris Morris ruled a hearing should take place, but stressed: Nobody is on trial. Mr McPhersons solicitor later said he would give evidence. The familys barrister Sophie Cartwright QC told the court: The family are very strongly of the view that Paula Leeson has been the victim of an unlawful killing. This is the clearest example of a death where an inquest is required. Miss Cartwright said a coroner could return a conclusion of unlawful killing based on the balance of probabilities - whereas the burden of proof in a criminal trial is beyond reasonable doubt. The Danish summer house in Sndervang where Paula Leeson was found to have drowned in 2017 In response, Louis Browne QC for Mr McPherson said the trial had served as an independent and effective investigation into her death. A full inquest does not serve a practical or useful purpose, he added. However, Mr Morris ruled that a five-day hearing would take place in December. Top Melbourne private school Wesley College will pay more than $3 million to a former student who was sexually abused by both a teacher and school counsellor. The college agreed to settle a claim with the ex-student, now in his 60s, during a trial in Victoria's Supreme Court. The man has suffered post traumatic stress disorder and depression for decades since first being abused by teacher John McMillan when he was 12. The historical sexual abuse occurred when the victim was 12 years old between 1972 and 1974 The abuse occurred on several leadership camps run by the school when he was a student at its Glen Waverley campus between 1972 and 1974. As a student at the Prahran campus he later was referred to school counsellor Stuart Heywood because he was struggling with school after the abuse by McMillan. After revealing McMillan's abuse, Heywood abused him during weekly counselling sessions over three years. McMillan was jailed in 2016 while Heywood took his own life after being interviewed by police over the allegations. The man has suffered post traumatic stress disorder and depression for decades The man said while those in charge of the school now bear no responsibility for what happened to him, the college was a 'sick and dangerous place' for some students in the 1970s. 'That needs to be dragged out of the shadows,' he said. 'I know other children suffered like I did, and I want them to know that there is help and a measure of justice if you fight for it.' His lawyer Michael Magazanik said the $3 million settlement, plus legal costs, was the largest payout he is aware of for institutional abuse in Victoria. 'It reflects the gravity of the offending and the impact on my client over his entire adult life,' he said. He praised the man's courage and tenacity in confronting the school in court. The kidney of a Jewish man who was killed by an Arab lynch mob who hurled rocks at him during an anti-Israel riot has been donated to an Arab woman. Yigal Yehoshua, 56, died in hospital in the Israeli town of Be'er Ya'akov on May 17 just days after he was hit in the head with rocks which were thrown at his car by rioters as he drove to his home in Lod last week. The father-of-two managed to drive away from the attackers before collapsing on his driveway and being rushed to hospital in a serious condition. However he passed away just six days after the horrific attack. Following his death, Mr Yehoshua's family decided to donate his organs in an effort to save others. His kidney was donated to Jerusalem resident Randa Aweis, 58, who underwent a successful operation at Hadassah Hospital after waiting seven years for the organ on a transplant list. Yigal Yehoshua, 56, died in hospital in the Israeli town of Be'er Ya'akov on May 17 after he was attacked by an Arab lynch mob The kidney was donated to Jerusalem resident Randa Aweis, 58, who underwent a successful operation at Hadassah Hospital The Arab Christian woman, who is now making a successful recovery in hospital, later spoke to Mr Yehoshua's wife Irena and said: 'We are like family now'. The mother-of-five told Fox News: 'I never believed I would take the kidney of a person who was killed in such a way, in such a criminal way. 'I hurt for the family. I feel that I am taking a kidney of a person who is like family to me. Now I have a family, a different family, a Jewish family.' Ms Aweis's daughter Niveen later expressed her gratitude to the Yehoshua family following her mother's transplant. She told The Times of Israel on Thursday: 'We are so grateful to the Yehoshua family. We feel, all at once, joy over mom's transplant, and pain at their tragedy that brought it about. 'There is no such thing as Arabs and Jews. Rather, we're just people, and we need to live together.' Yesterday, head of the transplant department at Hadassah Hospital, Dr Abed Halaila, said the organ donation had given Ms Aweis 'a new lease of life'. He said: 'We have just seen a woman receive a new organ, and a new lease of life, and I want to say a big thank you to the donor's family.' Following Mr Yehoshua's death, his brother Efi Yehoshua described him as a 'man of charity' who 'had such a big heart'. He told Fox News: 'He was a man of charity. Just because he had such a big heart, we said we will donate his organs. We have been honoured to do so.' Family and friends mourn during the funeral of Yigal Yehoshua, who died on May 17 Hundreds of mourners flooded onto the streets to pay tribute to Mr Yehoshua as he was laid to to rest in a cemetery in his family's community of Moshav Hadid Mourners places their hands on each other as they attended the funeral of the father-of-two Mr Yehoshua's other kidney has been donated to a 67-year-old man and his liver has been given to a 22-year-old. This Tuesday, hundreds of mourners flooded onto the streets to pay tribute to Mr Yehoshua as he was laid to to rest in a cemetery in his family's community of Moshav Hadid. It came as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to 'settle the score' with those who killed the father-of-two. In a statement, Mr Netanyahu said: 'I share in the sorrow of the family of the late Yigal Yehoshua who was murdered in a lynch carried out by Arab rioters in Lod. 'We will settle the score with whomever participated in this murder; nobody will escape punishment. May Yigal's memory be blessed and be bound in our hearts forever.' Today, Israel and Hamas ceased hostilities and brought a halt to the fiercest fighting the region has seen in decades. A statement from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said his Security Cabinet unilaterally approved the Egyptian-mediated proposal. Since the fighting began on May 10, health officials in Gaza say 232 Palestinians, including 65 children and 39 women, have been killed and more than 1,900 wounded in aerial bombardments. Israel says it has killed at least 160 combatants in Gaza. Authorities put the death toll in Israel at 12, with hundreds of people treated for injuries in rocket attacks that have caused panic and sent people rushing into shelters. A young driver who was pulled over by men she thought were undercover police has spoken of her terror at finding out they were armed and masked impersonators. Caitlyn Laws, 20, claims she was aggressively chased by a silver Holden Commodore with flashing red and blue lights at Bidwill in Sydney's northwest on Thursday about 1.30am. She said she pulled over to a male screaming at her to 'get the f**k out the car with your hands up', but sped off when the she noticed the car was an older model and unlikely to be a police vehicle. Police claim the same car pursued another young motorist 20 minutes later, who told officers he saw two of the passengers holding a handgun and knife. Ms Laws (pictured) said she realised the police were fake when she saw how old their car was Caitlyn Laws, 20, claims she was aggressively chased by a silver Holden Commodore with flashing red and blue lights at Bidwill in Sydney's northwest on Thursday about 1.30am (stock image) Ms Laws told Daily Mail Australia her ordeal began when she was driving her silver Kia Rio to visit colleagues at her workplace, Mt Druitt McDonalds. A Holden Commodore on the opposite side of the road did a U-turn at Bunya Road and began following her down Carlisle Avenue in Bidwill. 'They saw a person alone driving and automatically assumed they could take advantage of them,' she said. 'I didn't suspect much of it but I also did think it was a little suspicious due to it being 1:30 in the morning.' The Commodore driver flashed its high beam lights and turned on blue and red flashing lights. 'I automatically assumed that they were undercovers so I pulled over,' Ms Laws said. She claims she turned down her radio and wound down her window only for a man screamed at her to 'get the f**k out the car with your hands up'. When the other driver opened his door, Ms Laws noticed the car was 'a much older Commodore [and] by the look of the headlights it definitely wasn't in the best condition either.' A Holden Commodore on the opposite side of the road did a U-turn at Bunya Road and began following her down Carlisle Avenue in Bidwill Believing the men were impersonators, she fled to her workplace and waited for a colleague to follow her home. Police said the same sedan later 'aggressively drove' behind a male driver, 30, on Carlisle Avenue in Mt Druitt. They turned on their blue and red flashing lights, and when the motorist pulled over on Luxford Road he saw two men in the car holding a knife and handgun, police said. The Commodore drove off after people nearby exited a nearby house. Police are appealing for information that may assist with ongoing investigations, such as dashcam footage or witnesses. China could have shut down Australia's 5G network and brought the nation to its knees if Huawei was not banned, a top spy has revealed. The Chinese telecommunications company was forbidden from supplying equipment for the network in 2018 over security concerns, a move that enraged Beijing and was copied by several Western governments. Australian spies spent eight months working out how to safely involve Huawei but concluded the risk of China spying or hacking the network could not be fully mitigated. China could have shut down Australia's 5G network and brought the nation to its knees if Huawei was not banned. Pictured: A 5G expo in China in 2019 Beijing could even have shut down the whole system, an anonymous spy has told journalist Peter Hartcher for his new book Red Zone. 'Here's the thing that most commentators get confused about with 5G, including some of our American friends,' the spy said. 'It's not about the interception of telephone calls. We've got that problem with 4G, we had it with 3G.' The spy said China would have the ability 'to switch things off, and that disrupts the country elements of it, or the whole country. That's why you've got to be concerned.' The 5G network will power a range of future technologies including remote surgeries, self-driving cars, and even waste water management as computers monitor the sewers. The spy said this is why the 5G needs to be more secure than 3G or 4G. In 2017 China passed the ambiguous and open-ended National Intelligence Law which requires public and private companies to provide access and support for Beijing's intelligence operations. Pictured: President Xi Jinping 'The sewerage pump stops working. Clean water doesn't come to you. You can imagine the social implications of that. 'Or the public transport network doesn't work. Or electric cars that are self-driving don't work. And that has implications for society, implications for the economy,' he said. Huawei claims it would never allow its equipment to be used by the Chinese government - but former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull said it would have no choice but to obey the Communist Party. In 2017 China passed the ambiguous and open-ended National Intelligence Law which requires public and private companies to provide access and support for Beijing's intelligence operations. Advertisement A $265 million 'floating' public playground that was part-funded by Barry Diller and Diane von Furstenberg will open on Friday morning in New York City. The highly-anticipated park, called Little Island, opens at 6am and sits on the Hudson River at West 14th Street. It was designed by Thomas Heatherwick - the designer who was also behind the Vessel structure at Hudson Yards. The Diller-von Furstenberg Family Foundation, led by former Hollywood mogul turned tech baron Barry Diller, funded $235 million of the project. The city put in $17 million while the Hudson River Park Trust chipped in $4 million, the New York Post reported. The outlet noted that park's opening comes as Diller stood by his commitment to fund the project even though it was double its estimated $130 million price tag. Diane von Furstenberg, the 74-year-old Belgian fashion designer who is married to Diller, told WSJ. Magazine on a Zoom call that the park is 'completely Barry's dream.' Scroll down for video An aerial view shows the elevated Little Island park and amphitheater which opens in New York City on Friday A view shows the amphitheater and venue at the park, which can seat 687 for live events - many of which are scheduled throughout the summer The new park is designed with peaks and valleys - making its 2.4-acre footprint feel much larger than it actually is The park, situated on the Hudson River on the West Side of Manhattan has stunning skyline views including the Empire State Building The park's platform is supported by 132 concrete 'tulips', pictured with the World Trade Center in the background The concrete beams supporting the park are mounted above pylons where the old Pier 54 stood, which has been partially preserved for marine life The park has been in the works for nearly a decade as New Yorkers wondered if it would ever open. It was initially conceived to replace Pier 54 on Manhattan's West Side, The New York Times reported. The pier, which was famous for having been where the R.M.S. Carpathia brought survivors of the Titanic in 1912, was eventually closed after decades as a venue for outdoor concerts. The park's platform is supported by 132 concrete 'tulips' mounted where the old Pier 54 stood, the New York Post reported. Diller was approached by park officials to ask if he would be interested in developing the park. Diller then enlisted Heatherwick. Eventually, 'will-it-or-won't-it negotiations' were settled in 2017 by a 'Hail Mary' save from Gov. Andrew Cuomo, WSJ. Magazine reported. The Diller-von Furstenberg Family Foundation, led by former Hollywood mogul turned tech baron Barry Diller, funded $235 million of the $265 million project. PICTURED: Diane von Furstenberg, the 74-year-old Belgian fashion designer, is seen with her Hollywood mogul husband Barry Diller A view shows two people looking at the park and playground, which is 'floating' on the Hudson River The park has more than 350 species of flowers, trees and shrubs planted, giving a peaceful feel for New Yorkers in view of the bustle of the city A view shows how the concrete tulpis also vary in height giving elevation to the park's landscape A view shows flowers planted along the Manhattan waterfront in front of the new Little Island park The landscape design includes plantings that are varied to provide an environment that changes with the four seasons The Little Island park also includes an area with snacks, which is not pictured, that will be operated by Savory Hospitality. There are three stalls to buy food in The Play Ground area with a menu featuring items 'curated for all ages' A view shows a serene bench in front of the Hudson River and views of New Jersey during sunset hours at the Little Island Park The park also includes a lawn space to relax called The Glade, as well as a a 687-seat amphitheater for live events 'Given how many revolutions this went through, from starting to dying and starting again, I was actually awestruck when I could actually look up and see it,' Diller told the outlet. 'I walked on [the island] and felt pure, actual joy, which is not something I can say happens very often.' The park's design remains largely unchanged from when they were unveiled in 2014, according to The New York Times. The 2.4-acre park has a playground area with snacks and a relaxing natural landscape with 114 trees of 35 species, 65 species of shrub, 66,000 bulbs, and 290 kinds of grasses, according to The Hill. It also includes a 687-seat amphitheater and venue overlooking the water - all balanced on the columns - where hundreds of free and cheap concerts are scheduled throughout the summer. Some of the events scheduled to occur at the amphitheater include the live-performance return of American Ballet Theatre and a concert with the award-winning Broadway Inspirational Voices. The R.M.S. Carpathia is pictured at the former Pier 54 in 1912 bringing back survivors of the Titanic. The new park sits over the pylons that once held up the pier Each tulip's shape is unique and has a different weight load capacity to hold the soil, lawns, overlooks, and trees The park's design reportedly remains largely unchanged from when they were unveiled in 2014 Workers are seen constructing the park, which was in the works for about a decade before its completion A view during construction shows the concrete base for the park before it was landscaped and opened to the public Alexei Navalny has said he has successfully eased out of his hunger strike and has discovered the recipe for being 'happy' in prison. The jailed Kremlin critic is serving two-and-a-half years in a penal colony outside Moscow on old fraud charges he says are politically motivated. Navalny, Russian President Putin's most well known opponent, went on hunger strike at the end of March demanding proper treatment for severe back pain and numbness in his limbs. The 44-year-old ended the protest on April 23 after he received treatment at a civilian hospital and the West warned Putin of consequences if his critic died. Posting on Instagram the first time in nearly three weeks Navalny said: 'Twenty three days on a hunger strike and 23 days easing out of it in a very strict, conservative manner. My willpower surprised me.' Alexei Navalny has said he has successfully eased out of his hunger strike and has discovered the recipe for being 'happy' in prison in his first social media message in over a week Last Sunday he ate bread - his favourite food - for the first time in 46 days and was happier than an oligarch dining aboard his yacht or a guest of 'a Michelin-starred restaurant'. The recipe for being happy in prison, he concluded, was simple. 'Choose what you like very much, then rid yourself of it for some time and then get it back,' Navalny wrote. 'Just remember that this does not apply to people. Love your favourite people always.' Navalny's last public appearance was by video link in court during an appeal hearing at the end of April, where he appeared gaunt and said he had started eating a couple spoonfuls of porridge a day. The jailed Kremlin critic is serving two-and-a-half years in a penal colony outside Moscow on old fraud charges he says are politically motivated Earlier in the day a top aide and the head of Russia's prison service Alexander Kalashnikov also said Navalny's health improved. Navalny has 'recovered, more or less', Kalashnikov told journalists. 'His weight is already up to 82 kilograms (180lbs), I think,' he added. The prisons chief, who has been sanctioned both by the US and the EU over the treatment of Navalny, said the Kremlin critic was 'eating normally'. The director of Navalny's Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK), Ivan Zhdanov, also said his health was improving. Last Sunday he ate bread - his favourite food - for the first time in 46 days and was happier than an oligarch dining aboard his yacht or a guest of 'a Michelin-starred restaurant' 'His condition is now more or less normal. The recovery process is indeed underway,' Zhdanov said on the Echo of Moscow radio. Navalny's allies said that he weighed 205 lbs (93 kg) when he arrived in prison in February, but that his went had gone down to 187 lbs (85 kg) by the time he launched his hunger strike. The update on Navalny's health comes as Russia moves to outlaw his movement. Next month a court will convene to hear whether to add his network of regional offices and the Anti-Corruption Foundation to a list of 'terrorist and extremist' organisations. The ruling would effectively outlaw Navalny's political network, putting his supporters and financial backers on par with members of the Islamic State group and Al-Qaeda. In another move targeting his supporters, Russia's lower house of parliament this week approved legislation in a first reading that would ban members of 'extremist' organisations from becoming lawmakers. Since Navalny returned to Russia in January from Germany, where he had been recovering from a poisoning attack he blames on Putin, most of his top allies have been placed under house arrest or left the country. Reckless teenagers have been caught boasting about stealing cars, speeding more than 200k/hr down roads and brandishing machetes and knives on a social media page. Hundreds of photos and videos have been uploaded to the Brisbanetheft Instagram account since it was created in March last year. More than 13,600 people follow the account where they can watch videos of teens posing with stolen luxury vehicles, speeding hundreds of kilometres or performing burnouts down a road. Reckless teenagers have been caught boasting about stealing cars (pictured), speeding more than 200k/hr down roads and brandishing machetes and knives on a social media page One video shows a driver reaching speeds of up to 234k/hr while speeding down a highway at night The page also contains a photo of two teenagers sitting in the lounge room with a bong resting on the floor One video shows a driver reaching speeds of up to 234k/hr while speeding down a highway at night. Another video captures a teenager hurtling down a road and weaving between traffic at speeds of more than 170k/hr in a Lexus. Rap music is heard blasting out of the speakers while the unrestrained backseat passenger cheers on the driver and smokes a cigarette. More videos show cars racing each other down empty roads while other hoon drivers perform burnouts to the applause of spectators standing on the streets. Several photos also show masked teenagers posing in front of stolen luxury vehicles including Mercedes, Audis and even a Bentley sport worth about $345,000. In one photo a pair of teenagers are seen sitting on the bonnet of the car bragging about their escapade. A teenager dressed in a hoodie makes a gesture with his hand at the camera while the other teenager crosses his arms with a bum bag thrown over his shoulder. The page also contains a photo of two teenagers sitting in the lounge room with a bong resting on the floor. One of them holds a long blade in their hand while his friend sits back on the sofa. Several photos also show masked teenagers posing in front of stolen luxury vehicles including Mercedes and Bentley A pair of teenagers are seen sitting on the bonnet of the car bragging about their escapade An Instagram administrator said they brought the page to the attention of police in April. They claim teenagers are using the social media page to send each other messages and organise times to exchange stolen vehicles at several carparks across the Brisbane, Courier Mail reported. Hyperdome, Grand Central Plaza, Riverlink Shopping Centre at Ipswich and at the Gold and Sunshine Coasts are some of the alleged meet-up points. 'The cars are then driven to new areas, miles away from where they were stolen, so that they are not recognised,' the Instagram administrator said. 'From some of the videos, the kids drive the stolen cars at speeds of more than 170km/h and trash them doing burnouts before posting it online it's ridiculous.' Queensland Police said they were not aware of the social media page. Lord Dyson's report includes a litany of documents that expose Martin Bashir's lies and the BBC cover-up that followed. Among them are the forged (but hugely convincing) bank statements Bashir used to persuade Earl Spencer to introduce him to Diana. Other documents include contemporaneous notes from the earl that reveal the incredible smears Bashir fed to him and his sister. The notes detail how Bashir told the princess that her car was being tracked and her phone bugged. He also claimed that MI6 had overheard Prince Charles plotting 'the end game'. These notes were key to Lord Dyson's finding that Bashir had 'little difficulty' in playing on Diana's 'fears and paranoia' to get his Panorama interview. Rejecting the journalist's claims that these documents were themselves 'fabricated', the former judge notes: 'In a credibility contest between Earl Spencer and Mr Bashir, Earl Spencer wins convincingly.' 1. The bank forgeries Forgeries shown by Bashir to Earl Spencer purported to show his head of security Alan Waller was paid thousands by the News of the World's publishers and an offshore company. Other fakes depicted payments to Charles and Diana's private secretaries. 2. Interview request In his pursuit of Earl Spencer, Bashir wrote to his PA Carol Brigg on headed notepaper on August 24, 1995. He claimed he was 'simply drawing material together' and intended to 'share some information which, I believe, may be of interest'. After the earl failed to respond, Bashir called to press the issue five days later. The men met for the first time later that day. 3. The cash claims Earl Spencer took notes at his second meeting with Bashir on August 31, 1995. He recorded claims that Mr Waller had received 4,000 every quarter from the News of the World's publishers, News International, since June 1994. There is also a reference to payments from 'Penfolds' the Jersey-based offshore company seen in the fake bank statements above. The earl does not believe Bashir had brought the forgeries to this first meeting, however. 4. The astonishing smears In an apparent bid to play on Diana's fears about love rivals, Camilla was described as 'quiet for the time being' while Prince Charles's private secretary, Commander Richard Aylard, was said to be 'terrified' of the 'v powerful' royal nanny Tiggy Legge-Bourke. Prince Philip was criticised over his 'v unpleasant correspondence'. Of the hugely popular Diana, he reportedly said there was 'more to being Princess of Wales than being a hero'. The Duke of Edinburgh was said to have been 'even ruder' about Fergie, however. Seizing on Diana's paranoia, Bashir told of 'senior police officers making money' and 'three lines bugged' at Kensington Palace. Other claims, seen in the note to the left, include that MI6 taped Prince Charles discussing the 'end game' and that the Spencer family were set to be 'destroyed'. Among the claims made at the meeting was that Sarah Ferguson had been 'looked after' by Prince Andrew following their separation. The couple's divorce was finalised in 1996 as was Charles and Diana's After meeting Bashir alone, Earl Spencer then spoke to him with Diana on September 19, 1995, at 'Samantha's flat'. The Mail has chosen not to disclose the precise location. The earl took eight pages of notes, which include dozens of astonishing claims about the Royal Family and those around them. Bashir's smears included the suggestion that Prince Charles was 'in love' with nanny Tiggy Legge-Bourke, and that Prince Edward had been treated in hospital for Aids. The earl concluded Bashir was a fantasist and apologised to his sister for wasting her time only for the princess to agree to be interviewed by him for Panorama. 5.Di's 'darling Carlos' This heartfelt note of thanks from Diana to her brother Charles using his family nickname, Carlos was made public for the first time yesterday. Sent after the earl passed on Bashir's claims she was being spied on, Diana says the allegations make 'complete sense' showing she was taken in by the rogue reporter. 6. Praise of BBC boss Tony Hall, then BBC head of news, sent Bashir a glowing note the day after the infamous Panorama episode was broadcast. Hailing the 'interview of the decade', Lord Hall said: 'I also think you have carried yourself during the whole episode in absolutely the app-ropriate fashion.' 7. Bashir defends dodgy documents In a handwritten statement dated March 28, 1996, Bashir attempted to head off concerns about his forgeries. In the message to BBC bosses, Bashir admitted commissioning the creation of fake bank statements, but claimed they were based on information from Diana herself and were only intended as a 'reconstruction'. He apologised for showing the statements to Earl Spencer, writing: 'This was a serious error and one for which I must take full responsibility.' He claimed 'there was no intent to deceive', adding: 'If I had known they were inaccurate... they would have been destroyed.' NBN Co. CEO Stephen Rue was the highest paid public executive in FY2020 on $3million Bosses at Australia's multi-billion high speed broadband network have told up to 50 staff over a Zoom call they could be sacked in a department restructure - after the company's CEO topped a list of the nation's top government-paid executives last year. The affected staff were told to work from home on Tuesday with each assigned a video meeting with managers, some as short as five minutes, during which they were told about the restructure, the Australian Financial Review reported. The round of streamlining follows internet service providers complaining about technician shortages for the optic fibre network, leading to an increase in service disruptions for customers. CEO Stephen Rue, who was paid more than $3million by taxpayers last financial year, including a $1.2million bonus, said redundancies should be expected as the network construction wound down. The 6,300 employee company already initiated a previous round of redundancies in 2020 - with 800 staff shown the door after the infrastructure was completed. An NBN spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia the size of the company workforce was being review and as part of company policy, staff were told to work remotely this week on the day they were told about their department's restructure. 'As nbn transitions away from the initial build of the network, the company is continuing to evolve the structure and size of its internal workforce,' spokesperson Greg Spears said 'Employees at nbn who are personally impacted by organisational change are requested to work from home during the notification of the proposed restructure and start of the consultation process, with conversations held via videoconference.' Telcos have met with NBN bosses after complaining there weren't enough technicians to cover appointments and a new system to book service appointments was a mess (file image) 'This is an approach that nbn takes as a nationally located company to ensure a consistent and confidential experience for all employees, regardless of where they or their line management are based'. 'All impacted employees are offered tailored support such as the voluntary use of independent counselling and advice through a dedicated Employee Assistance Program'. NBN Co. revealed earlier this month the company was on track to hit revenue targets having raked in $3.5billion between July 2020 and March - a rise of more than 20 per cent over last financial year. The government-owned corporation needs to pull in another $1billion by the end of June to hit their target. NBN technicians (pictured) gather outside the company's North Sydney HQ demanding a meeting with management on May 3 after walking off the job over work conditions Telco providers have already this month slammed the NBN over technician appointments being cancelled causing disruptions for customers. Optus, Telstra, TPG, Aussie Broadband and Vocus last week met with NBN chiefs in an attempt to sort out the bungle caused by a shift to a new system called 'unify' that schedules service and maintenance outcalls. The new system automatically assigns technicians to new appointments after late cancellations - however, customers on the the new bookings are given next to no notice leading to widespread confusion. It is understood the department restructure affects office staff and not technicians. Australia's immigration pace is set to soar beyond pre-Covid levels regardless of who wins the next election. While population growth is now at low levels unseen since World War I, politicians from both the government and opposition are calling for the borders to be opened again to migrants. Treasury also wants immigration to be revived to boost economic activity, predicting in the Budget papers that net annual immigration would climb to 235,000 in 2024-25, higher than where it was before the pandemic. Scroll down for video Australia's immigration pace is set to soar beyond pre-Covid levels regardless of who wins the next election. While population growth is now at levels unseen since World War I, politicians from both the government and opposition are calling for the floodgates to be opened again to migrants. Pictured is Sydney's Wynyard station in May 2021 Labor Opposition frontbencher Tony Burke told Q&A host Hamish Macdonald on Thursday night he wanted post-Covid immigration levels to be higher than before the pandemic. 'It's one of the things that's got to be considered and looked through. I really do,' he said. Mr Burke, a former immigration and population minister whose south-west Sydney electorate of Watson covers multicultural Lakemba, said he wanted permanent migrants to comprise a greater share of the new arrivals to Australia so there was less industrial exploitation. 'When we do get to the point of opening up immigration properly again, I do think we have to have a look at the mix between permanent and temporary migration,' he said. 'Australia's become very, very reliant on temporary migration and there's been a series of problems that have come from there. 'I think we've undersold permanent migration.' Labor Opposition frontbencher Tony Burke (pictured), a former immigration minister, told Q&A host Hamish Macdonald he wanted post-Covid immigration levels to be higher than before the pandemic Former deputy prime minister and Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce agreed, saying migrants were needed to do the jobs Australians weren't willing to do from fruit picking to animal slaughter. 'The reality, Hamish, in regional areas is if we don't have people coming in from overseas, jobs just don't get done, whether that is with backpackers at harvesting time, whether it is jobs in abattoirs basically Australians just don't want to do,' he said. Australia's population growth milestones 1881: 2.3million 1918: 5million 1959: 10million 1981: 15million 1991: 17.4million 2004: 20million 2013: 23million 2016: 24million 2018: 25million 2020: Fell short of forecast 26 million due to Covid pandemic 2029: 30million (based on high overseas migration) Sources: Australian Bureau of Statistics; House of Representatives Standing Committee for Long-Term Strategies, December 1994 Advertisement The banning of non-citizens and non-permanent residents has seen Australia's population growth pace dive to just 0.1 per cent - the lowest since World War I. With Australia's border set to remain closed until mid-2022, the Treasury Budget papers predicted population growth of just 0.2 per cent during the 2021-22 financial year. A reopening of the border from June next year would see population growth in 2022-23 edge up to 0.8 per cent - the OECD average before the pandemic. Before the pandemic, Australia had an annual population growth pace of 1.5 per cent - among the highest in the developed world - despite repeated polls showing most Australians are in favour of reducing immigration. In the year to June 2020, Australia's net overseas immigration pace stood at 194,400 even though the border was closed from March last year. Australia's annual net immigration pace has averaged out at 200,000 since 2012. Wages growth has been under the long-term average of 3 per cent since mid-2013 and in the year to March 2021, pay levels increased by just 1.5 per cent. Even without immigration, Australia's unemployment rate in April fell to 5.5 per cent and more than 13million people are in work, higher than before the pandemic and border closure in early March 2020. In August 2018, Australia's population surpassed the 25million mark, a milestone reached 24 years earlier than predicted in Treasury's inaugural Intergenerational report released in 2002. 'By 2042, Australia's population is projected to increase by around 30 per cent, to over 25 million people,' it said almost two decades ago. Former deputy prime minister and Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce said migrants were needed to do the jobs Australians weren't willing to do from fruit picking to animal slaughter Whenever polled, a majority of Australians want immigration cut, not increased, with a Newspoll in July 2018 showing 83 per cent of Liberal and National party voters wanted immigration cut, compared with 64 per cent of Labor supporters. In 2019 a Lowy Institute poll found 71 per cent of Australians believed cities were already too crowded, and 47 per cent said the number of migrants coming each year was 'too high'. An Australian National University poll in in the same year showed 69.6 per cent of Australians felt the country did not need more people, while in October 2020 72 per cent told The Australian Population Research Institute Australia was full. Australia reached the 24million milestone in February 2016, overtook the 23million mark in April 2013 and hit 20million in 2003. An election must be held by May 2022 and the most recent Newspoll had Labor leading the government 51 to 49 per cent after preferences. Gladys Berejiklian has said she's 'not happy' with Malcolm Turnbull donating $3,000 to an independent candidate in a crucial by-election. The former prime minister caused outrage among the New South Wales Coalition government when he threw his support behind anti-coal farmer Kirsty O'Connell in Upper-Hunter, a seat marginally held by the National Party. Mr Turnbull, who owns two properties in the area, is opposing the Nationals because he wants a ban on the expansion and creation of coal mines, a policy backed by Ms O'Connell. Malcolm Turnbull has thrown his support behind anti-coal farmer Kirsty O'Connell (pictured together) in the seat held by the National Party NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian (pictured this month) is 'not happy' with Malcolm Turnbull But if the Nationals lose the seat, the Liberal-National Berejiklian government will be plunged further into minority. 'I'm not happy with what has happened,' the premier told reporters. Asked if Mr Turnbull should resign from the Liberals, as deputy premier John Barilaro has demanded, she replied: 'That's not a matter for me.' Earlier Mr Barilaro slammed the former prime minister and accused him of treachery. 'On the eve of this election... he continues to show this level of treachery,' he told 2GB Radio on Thursday. Malcolm Turnbull and wife Lucy attend the Australian premiere of Hamilton in March 'He's just showing his treacherous colours once again.' Mr Barilaro accused Mr Turnbull of wanting 'to see the coalition government go into minority'. 'This is his track record. He's a destroyer not a builder,' he said. Since he was booted out of office in August 2018, Mr Turnbull has become a vigorous climate change campaigner, regularly attacking the federal government over its energy and emissions policies. He has backed Ms O'Connell with the maximum allowable donation because she is opposed to the expansion of mines in the coal-rich region four hours north-west of Sydney. Last month Mr Turnbull wrote to the NSW government to slam a proposal to keep the Mount Pleasant coalmine open until 2048. Mr Turnbull said he wrote the letter as a concerned private citizen with a house in the area. 'For nearly forty ears we have owned East Rossgole a 2,700 acre grazing property which sits on and below the Rossgole Plateau directly to the north of the Mount Pleasant mine and which is adjacent to the proposed expansion of that mine,' the letter said. Malcolm Turnbull owns Scotts Creek (pictured), a 5,000-acre farm, which he tried to sell for $6.5million in 2019 before rejecting the highest bid of $6million 'The existing mine, and others in the area, have already done considerable damage to the local environment with worsening air quality, depleting groundwater and rendering much of the beautiful Upper Hunter pastures a blasted lunar landscape.' Mr Turnbull inherited the sprawling property, which contains 21 paddocks, stables and cattle yards, from his father Bruce in 1987. He also owns Scotts Creek, a 5,000-acre farm about an hour north, which he tried to sell for $6.5million in 2019 before rejecting the highest bid of $6million. The property listing said the farm usually carried about 600 cows and contained a three-bedroom house for the manager. The property listing said the farm usually carried about 600 cows and contained a three-bedroom house for the manager. Pictured: Scotts Creek When Mr Turnbull announced his support for Ms O'Connell earlier this month, Mr Barilaro was enraged. 'The arrogance of Malcolm Turnbull knows no bounds,' he said. 'It is one thing to lecture regional communities from the comforts of his Point Piper mansion, but to parade himself across the Upper Hunter and actively campaign against the livelihoods of thousands of people... He is an absolute disgrace.' Mr Turnbull hit back, saying he was loyal to the Liberals not the Nationals and that Ms O'Connell and Ms Berejiklian would work well together in parliament. 'For Barilaro to talk about loyalty is laughable... he opposed the Liberal candidate in [the federal by-election in] Eden Monaro, he called on me to resign as prime minister in 2017, he's threatened to blow up the Berejiklian government on numerous occasions. 'There is no individual in New South Wales who has done more to destablise the Berjiklian government than John Barilaro,' he said. The Upper Hunter by-election was sparked by Nationals MP Michael Johnsen's resignation in March after he was accused of raping a sex worker in 2019. Mr Johnsen denies the allegations and has not been charged. Mr Barilaro is urging Nationals' voters to vote one on Saturday only 'to make sure that your preferences aren't being skewed to a candidate that you don't have any idea of or any will to support'. Polling suggests the result in the previously blue ribbon Nationals seat in the coal mining community will be decided on preferences with a razor thin margin between the leading candidates. New South Wales Deputy Premier John Barilaro (pictured) has called former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull 'treacherous' and a 'disgrace' Mr Barilaro said he had tried and failed to get Ms O'Connell to preference the Nationals and now fears 'the ugly web of preferences' could see her supporters' preferences go to Labor. 'She asked for a moratorium on coal... she's anti-mining and anti gas... and that was the end of that conversation,' he said. The YouGov poll last week found 25 per cent of voters support Nationals candidate Dave Layzell while Labor's Jeff Drayton is sitting on 23 per cent. Support for Ms O'Connell is just six per cent and she has declined to preference the major parties. However, Labor is hoping to pick up her preferences with brochures saying: 'Voting Kirsty O'Connell? Vote 2 Jeff Drayton'. Last week a fourth government MP was forced to move to the crossbench, leaving the Berejiklian government in minority. A notorious bikie hardman has taken to promoting skincare products on Instagram - just five months after footage emerged of him being knocked out in a brawl. Mongols boss Toby Mitchell was asked by cosmetic nurse Brooke Handerek what he loved about the creams sold by celebrity surgeon Dr Daniel Lanzer in an Instagram story on Thursday. 'They make me feel young and skin feel fresh,' Mitchell said. The 45-year-old wore a black t-shirt that read 'team punisher' as he held the bottles of the creams at a clinic in Melbourne. Mongols boss Toby Mitchell was asked by cosmetic nurse Brooke Handerek what he loved about the creams sold by surgeon Dr Daniel Lanzer in an Instagram story on Thursday Dr Lanzer said a lot of men don't think to use anti-aging creams and asked Mitchell what he thinks about applying the lotion. 'We have to try stay young Daniel, as much as we can,' Mitchell said. Mitchell shared another Instagram story showing the D'lumiere Esthetique Skincare products Mitchell then shared another Instagram story showing the D'lumiere Esthetique Skincare products. 'The best face product I have ever used,' he wrote with thumbs up emojis. The ex-Bandidos enforcer was in the headlines back in February after CCTV footage of him being knocked out by a homeless man was released by a Melbourne court. The video shows a 'street kid' dressed like a 'lumberjack' knock Mitchell on his behind after the feared bikie had enjoyed a boozy night out with mates. Footage shows the homeless man bounce on his toes like a boxer before defending himself against a Mitchell haymaker. Mitchell's mates can been seen trying to hold him back, but the tattooed bikie could not be placated. Toby Mitchell lays on the ground after being knocked out by a homeless man in Melbourne in October. The man (pictured far left) gave the bikie enforcer a decent send-off after he was dragged away by his mates Hilarious video shows the brave 'victim' give Mitchell a send-off as his mates drag the dazed bikie away from the fight he had moments earlier instigated. Magistrate John Bentley released the video despite objections from Mitchell's barrister Damian Sheales. Mitchell was shot six times outside a Brunswick gym in 2011 while sergeant at arms for the Bandidos bikie gang. He spent weeks in intensive care, underwent 30 operations and lost a kidney, gall bladder and most of his liver. He was shot again in 2011 in another attempt on his life. Toby Mitchell (pictured) has taken to promoting skincare products on Instagram A man who sent Snapchat videos of his parents' dogs licking his erect penis to a woman because he was 'bored' has avoided jail. Ashley Scott Dennis was given a five-month suspended prison sentence at Adelaide Magistrates Court on Thursday after pleading guilty to one count of bestiality. Police discovered the footage of his parents' two border collies licking peanut butter off his penis after arresting the 30-year-old for unrelated charges in January, 2020. 'You admitted to having a dog lick your penis on one occasion around 12 to 18 months prior (to being arrested) and said that was because you were bored,' Magistrate Mary-Louise Hribal said as reported by News. 'Many people experience boredom at some time. Very few engage in this type of behaviour.' Dennis sent the videos - showing his parents' border collies licking peanut butter off his genitals - to the woman via Snapchat The footage, taken across two videos, shows the two border collies licking the preservative from his genitalia in a video he sent to the woman he was speaking with. The videos were taken inside a shed at his parent's property in Armagh in South Australia's mid-north. An open jar of peanut butter was found in the shed when investigated by police. Authorities also found other images of bestiality on Dennis' phone, but the judge said that he 'denied that those images aroused' him. The court head that police found 147 other images of bestiality on his phone including animal sex toys and also selfies Dennis took of himself masturbating. His defence lawyer said that Dennis had no 'meaningful relationships with the opposite sex' and that his social isolation and intellectual disability led to his 'unique approach in his attempt at courtship with this young lady.' Ashley Scott Dennis was sentenced to suspended five-months prison at Adelaide Magistrates Court (pictured) on Thursday after pleading guilty to one count of bestiality The prosecution said that Dennis was aware his actions were illegal and said that there was no way to know whether it was the extent of his abuse towards the dogs. 'Whilst there is no apparent harm to the animals concerned, the seriousness of this offence is that the conduct is morally abhorrent to society's standards,' Prosecutor Lucy Hurley said. 'Given that the offending occurs against animals, who are silent victims, detection of these offences is difficult.' Dennis was handed a five-month prison sentence but it was immediately suspended to a three-year good behaviour bond, to be supervised by a community officer and attend sexual offender treatment programs. White collar jobs offering $300,000 salaries are still going unfilled, a new recruitment report shows. Australia's international border closure is creating some skills shortages especially in the technology sector. David Jones, recruitment firm Robert Half's Asia-Pacific senior managing director, said bosses would have to start paying highly sought-after professionals even more than they were asking to keep them. 'Leaders also need to evolve their retention strategies, placing a more acute focus on benefits, incentives, and salary packages to ensure their employees' needs are both met and, in some circumstances, exceeded,' he said. White collar jobs offering $300,000 salaries are still going unfilled, a new recruitment report shows. With computer network hacking on the rise, chief information security officers are commanding salaries of up $300,000, data Robert Half's Salary Guide for 2021 showed Where the highest paid jobs are in Australia Chief technology officer (Sydney): $350,000 Accounting partner (Brisbane): $350,000 Chief information security officer (Sydney and Melbourne): $300,000 Chief technology officer (Sydney): $280,000 Technology program manager (Melbourne): $280,000 Source: Robert Half Salary Guide 2021 report. Figures refer to the top 5 per cent by category Advertisement Technology With computer network hacking on the rise, chief information security officers in Sydney and Melbourne are commanding salaries of up to $300,000, data from Robert Half's Salary Guide for 2021 showed. Professionals in this CISO field have median salaries of $230,000 in Sydney and Melbourne, $220,000 in Brisbane and $160,000 in Perth. At the top in Sydney, chief technology officers typically earn $350,000. IT security managers are paid up to $220,000 in Sydney, where mid-point pay levels are at $150,000. Program managers in the tech sector have a median salary of $200,000 in Melbourne, rising to $280,000 for the highest paid. Accounting Accounting is hot too. In Brisbane, accounting firm partners can expect $350,000. Australia's most senior tax specialists are getting $220,000. Junior accounts salaries appear to be capped at $70,000 but this rises to $130,000 for senior financial accountants. Marketing Marketing jobs are also paying well with social media managers in Sydney getting up to $150,000. Less than 3 per cent of Australian taxpayers are earning more than $180,000, tax office data showed. Australia's average, full-time salary is $89,000. In Brisbane, accounting firm partners can expect $350,000. Pictured is a stock image Despite being at the top of the salary range not all technology jobs, however, are particularly well paid. IT help desk technicians even at the top level get just $70,000 but that rises to $110,000 if they become a systems administrator. The national unemployment rate fell to 5.5 per cent in April, down from 5.7 per cent in March despite the end of JobKeeper wage subsidies, the Australian Bureau of Statistics revealed on Thursday. More Australians now have a job than before the pandemic but the jobless rate is still marginally higher than the March 2020 level of 5.2 per cent just before the lockdowns. Marketing jobs are also paying well with social media managers in Sydney getting up to $150,000 The unemployment rate has fallen every month consecutively since October last year and in April, the number of people without a job fell by 33,600 to 756,200 - a far cry from July's record-high jobless tally of 1.005million. The Reserve Bank of Australia is also expecting unemployment to fall to 4.75 per cent by June 2022 and to 4.5 per cent by the end of next year. CommSec chief economist Craig James said skills shortages were now a more pressing concern rather than higher unemployment, as a result of JobKeeper ending on March 28. 'With the ending of JobKeeper, we now move into a new era,' he said. 'But the evidence to date from indicators like job vacancies is that employers are keen to take on more staff so much so that there are fears about whether all of the available positions will be filled.' A former Secret Service agent for Michelle Obama revealed she was 'outraged' that she could 'do nothing' to protect her from racist comments because of the freedom of speech. Evy Poumpouras, who received a U.S. Secret Service Medal of Valor for her heroism on 9/11, made her comments in an interview with Insider about her book Becoming Bulletproof - which was published in April 2020 by Simon and Schuster. Poumpouras served 12 years with the agency, including on the presidential detail for Barack Obama and the First Lady. She has also protected former Presidents George W. Bush, George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton. The former agent wrote in her book that Michelle Obama, the first black First Lady, withstood disparagement 'that none of her predecessors ever faced.' 'I was on her protective detail when we were driving to a school to deliver a speech; we passed someone on a bridge holding up a shockingly racist sign directed at her,' she wrote in her book. 'I remember feeling outraged - after all, it was part of our job to protect the first family mentally as well as physically. But if the First Lady saw the sign, she gave no indication of it.' Evy Poumpouras, left, said Michelle Obama, right, suffered racist comments which she could not protect her from Poumpouras made her comments while addressing revelations she made in her 2020 book Becoming Bulletproof Poumpouras told Insider that the agency had no protocol to handle racism. 'I could do nothing. There's freedom of speech in the United States, and even if I personally feel that speech is wrong, the law doesn't give me the power to take that person's speech away,' she said. Poumpouras told the outlet that she could only intervene if the Obamas were believed to be in physical danger. 'When it came to speech, they could call them names. They could say whatever they wanted so long as there was no imminent threat of harm,' she said. She added that the only relief for the Obamas came when event organizers were able to remove people who were 'heckling' them. 'I could not step in and say, 'Hey, don't say that,' but the staff could say, 'We don't accept that type of language here. This is our private property. Please leave',' she said. She added: 'Only then could someone do something, but as painful as it was, I had to abide by the law.' Over the years, a number of incidents made international news after people and politicians made racist comments about the Obamas - most often referring to them as 'monkeys,' a slur against black people. In 2016, a Denver hospital suspended a pediatric anesthesiologist who branded Michelle Obama 'monkey face' in a Facebook post, the Denver Post reported at the time. Over the years, a number of incidents made international news after people and politicians made racist comments about the Obamas Dr. Michelle Herren made her offending remarks to another post that had described her as eloquent. 'Monkey face and poor ebonic English!!! There! I feel better and am still not racist!!! Just calling it like it is!' the doctor wrote. That same year, a Kentucky Republican candidate for the state House of Representatives refused to apologize for several Facebook posts depicting Barack and Michelle Obama as monkeys. The GOP chairman for Kentucky had to issue an apology on his behalf and condemned the posts, the Associated Press reported. The posts on Dan Johnson's Facebook page included a picture of a chimpanzee with the caption 'Obama's baby picture' and a photo that had been altered to give Barack Obama and his wife ape-like features. Johnson's page also displayed a photo of a young Ronald Reagan feeding a monkey with a bottle with the caption: 'Rare photos of Ronald Reagan babysitting Barack Obama in early 1962.' His page also included a post calling Islam a 'criminal syndicate.' Poumpouras made her comments while addressing revelations she made in her 2020 book Becoming Bulletproof Patrick Rushing, the then-mayor of a small town in Washington called Airway Heights, resigned his post in 2015 after he admitted to calling Barack Obama 'monkey man' and Michelle Obama 'gorilla face' in posts made online. 'Gorilla face Michelle, can't disagree with that. The woman is not attractive except to monkey man Barack. Check out them ears. LOL,' Rushing wrote, according to Huffington Post. Pamela Ramsey Taylor, then the mayor of a town in West Virginia, received criticism after she responded to a post that called Michelle Obama an 'ape in heels' and said it 'made my day,' the BBC reported. Michelle Obama has herself spoken about her experiences with racism, Insider noted. Obama was asked about which 'falling glass shards' hurt the most while breaking the glass ceiling to become the first black First Lady during an event for the Women's Foundation of Colorado in 2017. 'The shards that cut me deepest were the ones that intended to cut,' she said, according to the Denver Post. 'Knowing that after eight years of working really hard for this country, there are still people who won't see me for what I am because of my skin color.' A black teen did not kill himself while attending a party at the home of a white man who made racist social media posts, his family insists. On April 25, 19-year-old Derontae Martin was found shot to death during a prom party inside the rural Missouri home of a middle-aged white man with a history of bigoted social media postings. Madison County Sheriff's Office ruled his death a suicide by gunshot wound to the head, but Martin's family says the outgoing 19-year-old was not suicidal and find the circumstances surrounding his death 'questionable.' Martin's mother, Ericka Lotts, his grandmother and racial injustice activists don't believe the findings of a preliminary investigation indicating that he took his own life inside the attic of that home. Preliminary investigations indicate that 19-year-old Derontae Martin (pictured) took his own life inside the attic of rural Missouri home during a prom party 19-year-old Derontae Martin (pictured) was described by family as a playful and outgoing 'big kid' Friends, family and local racial injustice activist gathered in Fredericktown on May 14 to remember Martin and call for justice in his case during a protest march Derontae Martin's grandmother Kimberly Lotts-Robinson shared on Facebook that she believed her grandson was murdered and that local authorities were trying the 'cover up his murder as a suicide' Writing on Facebook earlier this month, Martin's grandma Kimberly Lotts-Robinson said: 'If you are my Facebook friend and family. Please share my grandson story. This needs t go viral. He was MURDERED. Madison County AKA Fredericktown MO. Tried to cover up his MURDER as a suicide.' DailyMail.com has contacted Lotts-Robinson for further comment. Described by family as a playful and outgoing 'big kid,' Martin was a former star defensive tackle who earned a scholarship to a small out-of-state college. After graduating high school in 2020, Martin worked at a Walmart store and a restaurant as he worked to bring up his entrance exam score so he could attend college. Martin lived with his mother in a house in the St. Louis suburb of Ferguson. The area of Missouri where Martin lived is about 95% white, with Martin's family saying the 19-year-old was popular and happy, AP reported. 'It's heartbreaking,' Martin's grandmother Kimberly Lotts told AP. 'He wasn't a kid that caused trouble, ran around or beat up folks, or robbed or stole. He wasnt that kind of a kid. He was a very loving, fun-filled kid. He was a loyal, faithful friend to those that he cared about.' 19-year-old Derontae Martin (pictured right) was a former star defensive tackle who earned a scholarship to a small out-of-state college In a news release, Madison County Sheriff Katy McCutcheon said an initial autopsy indicated Martin died of a self-inflicted gunshot to the head but did not specify who owned the gun and how Martin got possession of it. The Missouri State Highway Patrol was asked to review Madison County's investigation, and concurred with the initial finding of suicide, though additional witnesses are still being sought, patrol Sgt. Clark Parrott told AP. But the results of the autopsy is being met with skepticism by Martin's family, who are questioning how the 19-year-old, who was right-handed, could shoot himself with a full cast on his broken right arm. His mother Ericka said she has heard several different accounts about what really happened and doesn't know what to believe. 'All I do know is that somebody shot him,' Lotts told KMOV News. Last Friday, about 100 people gathered in Fredericktown during a protest march demanding Justice for Derontae Martin, who died on April 25 Rev. Darryl Gray said that counter-protesters tossed two nooses at protesters and yelled racial slurs during a protest seeking justice for 19-year-old Martin Derontae Martin's mother Ericka Lotts (pictured) says she does not believe her son would have committed suicide and is seeking answers into his death Reverend Darryl Gray, (pictured) a St. Louis activist leader says he won't rest until the mysteries of Martin's death are solved Social media post shared by the alleged house owner, who has not been named because he faces no criminal charges. They appear to show openly racist and homophobic memes that include jokes about slavery and swastikas. That area of Missouri was also home to Frank Ancona, a Missouri Ku Klux Klan leader shot to death by his wife in 2017, AP reported. Last Friday, about 100 people, including Martin's mother, friends, family and activists gathered in Fredericktown to remember the 19-year-old and call for justice in his case during a protest march. Rev. Darryl Gray, a St. Louis activist leader, told AP that counter-protesters tossed two nooses at protesters and yelled racial slurs. Gray said that despite the slurs and the threats, activists won't rest until the mysteries of Martin's death are solved. 'Why did he end up in this particular house?' he asked KMOV.com 'If he ended up in the attic and that's the story, how did he end up in the attic? If the story is that he was on drugs, how did he get the drugs, who gave him the drugs, who witnessed this?' Reverend Gray and Ericka Lotts met last week with Madison County Prosecuting Attorney M. Dwight Robbins, who asked the Missouri attorney general's office to investigate. A spokesman for Attorney General Eric Schmitt, a Republican who is running for the U.S. Senate, declined to say if the office would get involved. 'I'm not asking them for anything else, all I want is justice for my son,' Lotts told KMOV.com A man in his 40s has been bitten by a shark swimming at a popular tourist beach in Western Australia - the second attack in the country this week. The swimmer was attacked at Quandong Beach near Broome at 1:20pm local time (11:20am AEST) on Friday morning while driving with friends between 300 and 500 metres offshore. The man is being attended to by emergency services but is in a stable condition, breathing and speaking to paramedics. It's believed a three-metre tiger shark bit the man, according to a boat that brought the man back to the beach. The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development is currently investigating the situation. A witness told 6PR the victim seemed 'pretty chill' after the attack despite all the commotion. There was probably every cop in Broome just racing down the beach with the lifeguards,' he said. A man has been bitten on the arm by a three-metre tiger shark at Quandong Beach north of Broome on Friday morning 'They were racing on to a boat that was eventually a bit further up from Cable Beach Tavern. 'It was all pretty cool, calm and collected really. They just got him in the ambulance and drove off. Accordingo to a St John Ambulance spokesman the man suffered deep lacerations to his hand and forearm before friends applied a tourniquet and helped bring him to shore. The beach remains closed as authorities attempt to find the shark and tag the shark before releasing it in deeper waters. The man in his 40s was attacked at Quandong Beach near Cable Beach (pictured) north of Broome at 1:20pm local time Charles Cernobori, 59, was killed by a shark at the nearby Cable Beach last year while bodyboarding about 30metres from shore. A surfer in his 50s was fatally mauled by a 4.5m great white shark off Tuncurry Beach on the NSW mid-north coast on Tuesday morning. He was desperately warning friends of the danger when he was attacked. It was the first death by a shark in Australian waters this year. The Victorian Labor government is sending the state 'woke and broke' by smashing residents with a series of new and increased taxes which will hurt jobs and punish the aspirational, according to Liberal MPs. The state's budget on Thursday announced a new tax on property developers, a new levy on successful businesses and large increases to stamp duty and land tax to fund an array of spending racking up an $11.6 billion deficit next year. Prime Minister Scott Morrison has called the tax grab 'self-defeating' and said it will slow growth and 'knock down' businesses as they try to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic. The Victorian Labor government is sending the state 'woke and broke', according to Liberal MPs The state Liberal-National Opposition is also furious and has accused 'economically reckless' Labor of going after Victorian mums and dads because it has run out of money. James Newbury, state Liberal MP for Brighton, said Thursday's budget was an ideological assault on success driven by the politics of envy. 'This Budget is a tax attack. It is a Budget of envy that attacks tall poppies,' he told Daily Mail Australia. 'Labor has run out of your money and now they are going to dig into your pockets with aggressive new taxes. James Newbury, state Liberal MP for Brighton, said Thursday's budget was an ideological assault on success. Pictured: Residents in Melbourne Victoria's new taxes Land tax: From January 1 next year the land tax rate will rise by 0.25 percentage points for taxable landholdings worth more than $1.8 million and by 0.30 per cent for those exceeding $3 million. Stamp duty: Stamp duty on properties worth more than $2 million will increase from 5.5 per cent to 6.5 per cent, raising an extra $137 million a year on average. Gains tax: A new 50 per cent 'windfall gains tax' will hammer property developers who benefit when ex-industrial land is re-zoned to be turned into residential estates. Payroll tax: And a new levy will charge companies an extra 0.5 per cent payroll tax if they pay more than $10million in wages, with the proceeds being ring-fenced to help fund $3.8 billion on mental health spending. Advertisement 'The Government's only economic plan is to borrow more, tax more, and keep over-spending. 'Labor hates wealth creators and is now going to hurt property owners and job creators with a tax assault on Victoria.' The state government - which encourages employees to specify their preferred pronouns on their email signatures - is also revoking land tax concessions for male only members clubs such as the Melbourne Club which Treasurer Tim Pallas describes as 'anachronistic'. Mr Pallas admitted the policy would barley raise raise any money but was being implemented to send a message to the community. 'Labor cares more about being woke, than stopping our state from going broke,' Mr Newbury said. Fellow backbencher Tim Smith called the budget 'obscene', saying: 'The Andrews Labor government has made an obscene tax grab on Victorians. 'This $2.4 billion grab, including massive hikes on stamp duty and fines will hurt families and our state's economy. 'When Labor runs out of money (because it has) it comes after yours.' Businesses groups have also decried the new taxes, fearing they will harm Victoria's economic recovery. Jennifer Westacott, CEO of the Business Council of Australia said: 'An approach that pits some Victorians against others by taxing jobs makes everyone a loser. 'It doesn't make sense to target employers with a payroll tax hike which will hamstring their ability to create jobs and drive the recovery.' From January 1 next year the land tax rate will rise by 0.25 percentage points for taxable landholdings worth more than $1.8 million and by 0.30 per cent for those exceeding $3 million. Stamp duty on properties worth more than $2 million will increase from 5.5 per cent to 6.5 per cent, raising an extra $137 million a year on average. The government is also revoking land tax concessions for male only clubs such as the Melbourne Club (pictured) which Treasurer Tim Pallas describes as 'anachronistic' A new 50 per cent 'windfall gains tax' will hammer property developers who benefit when ex-industrial land is re-zoned to be turned into residential estates. And a new levy will charge companies an extra 0.5 per cent payroll tax if they pay more than $10million in wages, with the proceeds being ring-fenced to help fund $3.8 billion on mental health spending. Acting Premier James Merlino insisted it's 'appropriate that there is a greater contribution' from profitable companies while Mr Pallas said the property industry has a 'obligation' to pay more. But the Victorian Chamber of Commerce said the taxes would harm job growth and see house prices soar. Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews 'People will be disincentivised to invest in things like factories and shop fronts while it will also have a negative impact on the residential property market as people will be reluctant to upsize considering the huge tax implications for doing so,' chief executive Paul Guerra said. 'It will drive up house prices in the $2 million plus category overnight.' Free-market think tank the Institute of Public Affairs said Labor has mishandled the pandemic and now was botching the recovery. 'The Andrews government is sending Victoria woke and broke. New and increased property taxes will exacerbate the housing affordability crisis and come down hardest on the lowest income Victorians,' said Research fellow Cian Hussey. 'The increase in the payroll tax will drive jobs out of Victoria at a time when Victorians need them most.' 'Just as Daniel Andrews turned the CBD into a ghost down during the lockdown, it will become a ghost town due to businesses fleeing due to high taxes.' He added: 'The Andrews government mishandled coronavirus and hotel quarantine, and now its mishandling the Budget. Lockdowns robbed tens of thousands of Victorians of their job, and this Budget will stop them from getting new ones by driving out business investment.' Asked by reporters if the government was unfairly taxing the rich, Mr Pallas said those with the capacity to provide were being required to make a 'modest contribution' for a more cohesive community. He said there had been a 'massive bounce back' of wealth accumulation at the top end of the property market. handling the majority of the AstraZeneca rollout across the state The Australian Medical Association has urged prominent Queenslanders to step up and get this 'damned vaccine' after the premier said she would delay her Covid-19 jab. Annastacia Palaszczuk hasn't spoken to her doctor about a coronavirus vaccine, but says she will do so after her flu shot next week. 'A lot of people are getting their flu shots first because we're coming into the flu season, so I'll be doing that, and then I'll be getting my Covid vaccine,' Ms Palaszczuk told reporters on Friday. Health Minister Yvette D'Ath and Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young are also yet to get the jab, but are understood to be in line for Pfizer. The only other Australian leaders who haven't got the jab are Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews and Acting Premier James Merlino, who are both under the age of 50. Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk (pictured) has pledged to get the Covid vaccine - after she gets her flu shot before the end of May Queensland Health Minister Yvette D'Ath and Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young are also yet to get the jab, (pictured) but are understood to be in line for Pfizer (stock image) Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison (pictured left with aged care resident Jane Malysiak) received a Covid jab in Sydney's north-west in March However, Victorian Health Minister Martin Foley and Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton have been vaccinated. AMAQ president Professor Chris Perry said prominent Queenslanders should lead by example and not worry about jumping the queue. 'Well the queue is now looking at them and expecting them to get the vaccine,' he said. 'It's high time people stepped up, prominent people in our political sphere, prominent celebrities, even though they're sometimes a bit vacuous in the head, sporting identities, and get this damned vaccine now.' Ms D'Ath said last week that the government would 'surrender' AstraZeneca doses to GPs and instead concentrate on administering Pfizer. That decision follows official health advice that Australians under the age of 50 should get the Pfizer vaccine over the AstraZeneca jab. Queensland Health said AstraZeneca had fallen to just 20 per cent of the total vaccine doses it was administering. GPs are now handling the vast majority of the AstraZeneca rollout in the state as community reluctance grows. The state government has also ruled out using any excess AstraZeneca doses for a mass vaccination hub like those operating in Sydney and Melbourne. However, it is planning mass hubs using Pfizer and Moderna vaccines in the final quarter of this year. Prof Perry said people shouldn't to be hesitant about AstraZeneca, which is still a very safe vaccine. 'If people want to wait until Pfizer and Moderna come in, you've got to be hoping that we don't get an outbreak,' he said. 'And I've advised my family to get AstraZeneca now.' NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian (pictured left) received the AstraZeneca vaccine at St George Hospital in Kogarah, Sydney on March 10 this year Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews (pictured) is one of few Australian leaders yet to get the Covid jab Meanwhile, Ms Palaszczuk has pushed back against a report that her proposal for a quarantine camp near Toowoomba was only 15 pages long and mostly pictures. The Wagner Corporation wants to build a Covid-19 quarantine facility that would host up to 1000 travellers and 300 staff at Wellcamp airport. The federal government has repeatedly said the plan lacks crucial detail such who will run the health operations and how much it would cost. 'We were able to meet the agreements with the federal government on the Olympics,' Ms Palaszczk said. 'This is a no brainer. 'I don't understand why the federal government won't sit down and be constructive because the departments are working so co-operatively together, because they know that this is a good project.' Indian Sikhs have asked India's foreign minister to prevent the NSW government's ban on ceremonial knifes in public schools. The state government outlawed the kirpan - a ceremonial religious dagger - after a 14-year-old at Glenwood High School in Sydney's west used one to stab a 16-year-old student on May 6. The northwest Indian Sikh organisation has asked India's external affairs minister to intervene to try and prevent the ban, and also appealed to the country's high commissioner to Australia. The New South Wales government's decision to ban the kirpan (pictured) from public schools has raised the ire of Indian Sikhs President of India's biggest Sikh organisation Bibi Jagir Kaur (pictured) has asked the country's foreign minister to intervene on the ban 'The ban was imposed following an incident ... when a 14-year-old Sikh student who had been bullied at the school used his kirpan and unfortunately injured another student,' the letter by President of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, Bibi Jagir Kaur said. 'Such an incident does not give anyone the right to oppress the entire community. 'The kirpan is not a knife or a dagger but for the Sikhs it is an article of faith with deep meaning and purpose [and] is worn in schools all over the world without any incident.' Large Sikh organisations from the United Kingdom and Canada have also publicly opposed the ban. In a letter to New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian, the World Sikh Organisation of Canada called the decision a 'knee-jerk reaction'. 'The kirpan is a small sword that represents the duty to stand up to injustice,' they said. New South Wales education minister Sarah Mitchell (pictured) said the decision was to protect students Ms Berejiklian has said allowing the knives on school grounds didn't pass the 'common sense test'. Before the ban on Tuesday, the kirpan was specifically named as being exempt from the state's ban on knives at schools. The policy stated that students caught with other types of knifes face suspensions of up to 20 days and even being expelled. 'I have to make sure that our schools are safe places for our students and staff and that's why we need to take this action,' education minister Sarah Mitchell said about the prohibition. Christiaan, 14, (pictured) was last seen in Pascoe Vale, in Melbourne's north, on March 20 A Melbourne teenager has been missing for two months, sparking a police appeal for public help. Christiaan, 14, was last seen in Pascoe Vale, in Melbourne's north, on Saturday March 20, carrying a small suitcase. His mother Sauileone has appealed for her son to make contact, and for anyone who has seen him to call Victoria Police. 'Please come home, we love you and we miss you, please come home,' she told him at a press conference on Friday. Detective Senior Constable Craig Buchan said police are especially concerned because of his age and the time he has been missing. 'It is concerning and it is baffling that we haven't had any piece of information just yet,' he said. He said Christiaan does not have a phone or any social media accounts, and does not have a debit card or bank account police could use to gain clues about his whereabouts. The teenager's mother, Sauileone (pictured right) has appealed for her son to make contact, and for anyone who has seen him to call Victoria Police He is an avid gamer and likes You Tube, and it's believed he had only his clothes and a laptop with him when he left. Christiaan left his Pascoe Vale home at about 7.30am on March 20 after a family gathering the previous night. 'He's a great kid, super smart...he's super fit, there was no indication of anything going on from my discussion with friends and family,' Detective Buchan said. Police have been searching the Melbourne CBD, suburban Broadmeadows and Pascoe Vale, and the NSW town of Griffith where his family has some ties. The teenager is about 183cm tall with short black hair and a solid build. Fox News host Laura Ingraham has joined parents in blasting a California school district who hired an anti-racist psychologist to take on 'whiteness norms.' In a clip featured on Fox News' 'The Ingraham Angle', psychology Professor Sheri Atwater - recently hired by the Hermosa Beach City School District - is shown during a Zoom meeting talking about her teaching methods. Her methods include asking participants to put their hand up if they are racist. Speaking on Thursday, Ingraham used the video as an example for her claim that schools in America are preparing 'to bring racial propaganda into school subjects, every syllabus, and every academic award given out'. 'They're going to hire score of rabid anti-American ideologues, destroying what is left of objective merit for students and faculty alike,' Ingraham said. 'Now here are the types of DEI consultants and lecturers hired for the re-programming. Meet Loyola Marymount University psychology Professor Sheri Atwater, recently hired by the the Hermosa Beach City School District in California to lecture faculty on anti-racism.' The clip of Atwater explaining her teaching methods was then played, with Ingraham explaining she had been hired to lecture the faculty on anti-racism. 'Raise your hand if you're racist': In a clip featured on Fox News' 'The Ingraham Angle', psychology Professor Sheri Atwater - recently hired by the Hermosa Beach City School District - is shown during a Zoom meeting about her teaching methods 'One of the favorite things I like to do in my multi-cultural counselling class - First question when I walk up there is - raise your hand if you're racist,' Atwater said. 'And raise your hand if you're not. 'And then I talk about how every single person in that room - you know no one's raised their hand if they're racist - and they're all telling the truth, but also by the end of this lecture and discussion you'll understand that you're telling the truth and you're also lying at the same time. 'And that's because we have implicit biases about everything - gender, race. They operate, these unconscious biases without our permission, and without our control. So you can't tell me that you're not racist - unconsciously - because our brain's built on understanding stereotypes, that's how we make sense of our world.' In response, the Fox News host said: 'So if you're white you're de-facto guilty. Now if you're not white, you're given special status and consideration. Now they call this diversity, equity and inclusion - DEI - but it's really just plain old racism.' The decision to hire Atwater (pictured top-right) has drawn the ire of a group of parents in the Hermosa Beach City School District. Speaking on Thursday, Fox News' Laura Ingraham used the video as an example, as she claimed that schools in America are preparing 'to bring racial propaganda into school subjects, every syllabus, and ever academic award given out.' The decision to hire Atwater has drawn the ire of a group of parents who have argued against incorporating race and privilege training into the small district consisting of just two elementary schools and a middle school. But the school board members who hired Atwater have stood behind their decision to hire her for DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) teaching, according to public comments made at a May 12 meeting. Atwater said during the meeting that she doesn't train 'critical race theory' - a practice that recognizes that systemic racism is part of American society and challenges belief systems that enable it. However, according to her faculty biography, Atwater's works address 'whiteness norms that systemically benefit white people' and claim that 'Racial inequality is often produced by adopting a color-blind racial ideology'. In response to parents' concerns, the professor said she would not use 'shame or guilt' when she teaches topics such as race, implicit bias, color blindness and other similar topics, according to a video of the school board meeting. But this was not enough to ease worries among the parents of children attending schools in the district in the coastal city south of Los Angeles. Atwater was recently hired by the Hermosa Beach City School District. Pictured: Hermosa Beach Pier, in downtown Hermosa City Parents in the Hermosa Beach City School District have come out against the hiring of Atwater, writing letters to the school board. According to the school district's website, Atwater was hired as part of a push to advance an 'equity' agenda Hermosa Beach citizen Matt McCool posted the video of Atwater explaining her teachings to YouTube, along with the caption: 'Wokeness 101 @HBCSD - Hermosa Beach City School District - Curriculum eliminates independent thinking, and all students are unconsciously racists.' In a post on Facebook, McCool wrote: 'More rhetoric from consultant Sheri A. Castro-Atwater on white privilege and white supremacy. Color-blind racial ideology is actually racist towards people of color. 'The great irony of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Task Force is the lack of diversity of thought, and any alternative views are not equal nor included.' According to the school district's website, Atwater was hired as part of a push to advance an 'equity' agenda. The word 'equity' has in itself sparked anger among anti-CRT campaigners. It demands that all students achieve the same outcomes, as opposed to equality, which merely offers people an equal opportunity to do well. Critics say equity-drives are being used to axe tough subjects, such as advanced math, in a bid to level-out students' results. Sheri Atwater is a psychology professor at Loyola Marymount University (pictured). According to her faculty bio, Atwater's works address 'whiteness norms that systemically benefit white people' and claim that 'Racial inequality is often produced by adopting a color-blind racial ideology' But the board and its members have been accused of violating California's open meeting laws for not reading out parents' written comments against the hiring of the professor in an April meeting. As a result, Superintendent Jason Johnson made sure to read all the letters from parents against the hiring at the May 12 meeting. Multiple letters voices their concern over Atwater's program and the direction the school board was taking its schools. Some said they would remove their children from the school because of it. 'Dr. Martin Luther King famously stated "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character,"' stated one letter read at the meeting. 'Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s words remain as important today as they were almost 60 years ago. What we teach our children about equality and fairness matters. 'It is a concern to me and many other parents that Dr. Sheri Atwater does not espouse a color-blind approach but instead advocates teaching children a color-consciousness approach,' the letter stated. Critical race theory in schools has become one of the most talked about social issues in American schools in recent months. Donald Trump signed an executive order banning critical race theory and systemic racism training in federal government departments while president. Joe Biden has since rescinded that order. Multiple states, including Texas, Arizona, South Dakota, Idaho and Utah are now considering legislation that would ban CRT from being taught in public schools. The driver of a speeding Japanese bullet train could face possible punishment after he exited the cockpit to go to the toilet, leaving an unqualified conductor in charge. The driver, 36, had handed over the controls to the conductor, who was not qualified to drive the train, for around three minutes while he went to the toilet on Sunday. The incident took place while the Hikari No 633 was travelling through the central Shizuoka prefecture, according to The Central Japan Railway Company (JR Central). The impromptu toilet trip might have gone unnoticed but the train was reportedly one minute late, prompting an investigation in a country famous for punctuality. The driver of a Japanese Hikari bullet train could face possible disciplinary action after he exited the cockpit to go to the toilet, leaving an unqualified conductor in charge (file image) The driver, who has not been named, confessed that he left the cockpit after experiencing abdominal pain, and turned over the controls of the train, which had 160 passengers on board, to a conductor. He was away from his post for around three minutes while he used the toilet in a passenger cabin, as the speeding bullet train travelled at 150 kilometres (93 miles) an hour, JR Central said. Bullet trains are tightly controlled by computerised central command systems, but human drivers are required to stay in place to deal with any unexpected situations, a spokesman said. Drivers are also needed to manually brake or accelerate when necessary to keep the train on schedule and to ensure safety. The driver's brief absence reportedly resulted in the minute delay which flagged the toilet trip to his superiors. JR Central reported the incident to authorities and apologised. Drivers who experience an emergency while operating a train are supposed to coordinate with the command centre to turn over the controls to a qualified conductor, or stop on the tracks or at the nearest station. The driver, 36, gave the controls to a conductor, who was not qualified to drive the train, for three minutes while he went to the toilet on Sunday in central Shizuoka (file image) JR Central executives apologised for the incident during a news conference on Thursday and said that the driver would be dealt with 'appropriately'. Senior official Masahiro Hayatsu said: 'It was an extremely inappropriate act. We apologise.' The rail company also added that the driver and the conductor both face possible disciplinary action after the incident. Meanwhile, the driver explained that he 'didn't want to cause a delay by stopping the train' and didn't report the incident because 'it was embarrassing'. Japan's railways are famously known for their high safety standards and reliability, while rail accidents are extremely rare. The last major incident took place back in 2005 in Amagasaki, Hyogo Prefecture, when a seven-car commuter train came off the tracks on West Japan Railway Company's Fukuchiyama Line and killed 106 passengers and the driver. Meanwhile, the Shinkansen, Japan's high-speed rail line, has never had a fatal crash or derailment in its 57-year history, since it began operations in 1964. Russia is developing a top secret hypersonic missile designed to 'break through any modern air defence system,' according to a report. Tests will start next year on the weapon codenamed Ostrota, or Sharpness, the pro-Kremlin Izvestia reported overnight. The news comes a day after President Vladimir Putin threatened to 'knock the teeth out of' foreign enemies. The latest missile will be deployed with supersonic Tu-22M3 bombers and Su-34 fighter bombers 'to break through any modern air defence systems,' the pro-Kremlin Izvestia reported. The new small-sized hypersonic missiles are seen as modernising Russia's non-nuclear defences. Experts say they will ensure Russia's 'leading position in this field of high-tech type of weapons' and offer 'irresistible blows' to highly-protected targets. 'A ramjet engine was developed specially for the new super-high-speed rocket,' reported Izvestia. Russia has revealed that it has been developing a secret hypersonic missile, a day after President Vladimir Putin threatened to 'knock the teeth out of' foreign enemies. Pictured: Putin at a virtual meeting on Thursday News of the weapon comes as Putin has accelerated his bid to outdo the West in military firepower. Russia confirmed that the first of four final tests of the Zircon hypersonic missile, debuted in October last year, will be in June. All tests on the Zircon, also spelled Tsirkon, missile are expected to be completed by the end of summer. The weapon is a 6,100mph 'unstoppable' cruise missile that is due to go into service next year. Putin sees the missile as his weapon of choice to target American cities in the event of a nuclear conflict, it has been reported. 'This first launch of the Zircon missile from the frigate Admiral Gorshkov under the programme of state trials is scheduled for June,' a defence source told Russia's TASS news agency. The source also confirmed that the country's Baltic Fleet is to be 'seriously increased' and that submarines armed with the new-age Zircon missiles are expected to be deployed to protect the new undersea Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline. Tests will start next year on the weapon codenamed Ostrota, or Sharpness, it was reported overnight. It will be deployed with supersonic Tu-22M3 bombers (pictured) The new small-sized hypersonic missiles are seen as modernising Russia's non-nuclear defences and will be deployed alongside and Su-34 fighter bombers (pictured) 'to break through any modern air defence systems,' the pro-Kremlin Izvestia reported The Ostrota and Zircon add to Russia's already considerable missile arsenal. It already has the Avangard missile system (pictured) with a hypersonic glide vehicle which Putin claims strikes 'like a meteorite' and is unstoppable by any defence system The Biden administration this week waived sanctions on Nord Stream 2 in a bid to mend relations with Germany, which will receive gas from the pipeline. Concerns have been raised that the project could weaken European Union states by increasing dependency on Moscow. The waivers have no specific end date, but can be rescinded by the US secretary of state Anthony Blinken. Nikolai Yevmenov, Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy, said Russia's Baltic Fleet 'is gaining even greater importance in connection with the new challenges and threats posed by the expansion of NATO's presence in the Baltic region'. The Ostrota and Zircon add to Russia's already considerable missile arsenal. It already has the Avangard missile system with a hypersonic glide vehicle which Putin claims strikes 'like a meteorite' and is unstoppable by any defence system. It is capable of travelling at 20 times the speed of sound, rising outside Earth's atmosphere, and hitting anywhere in the world in less than 30 minutes. There is also the Dagger - hypersonic nuclear-capable missile which operates at ten times the speed of sound. Russia confirmed that the first of four final tests of the Zircon hypersonic missile, debuted in October last year, will be in June. All tests on the Zircon, also spelled Tsirkon, missile are expected to be completed by the end of summer Pictured: The Zircon missile blasts out of the Russian frigate during a test on Putin's 68th birthday in October 2020 Putin boasted on Thursday that the Russian military is now leading the world in modernisation of weaponry, while warning countries over 'biting off' areas Moscow deems Russian territory. 'Everyone wants to bite us or bite something off us, but those who would like to do so should know that we would knock their teeth out so that they couldn't bite... The development of our military is the guarantee of that,' he said during a virtual meeting with officials. 'We commission new aviation systems that are unmatched throughout the world - combat surface ships and submarines - and top-notch drones,' he said. 'Of course, the question arises as to what the current state and development perspectives of the armed forces are. 'This may sound strange for many, but everything is more than okay on our side. 'We have the most cutting-edge nuclear deterrence forces out of all nuclear powers.' Russia was able to bring new weapons to fruition thanks to careful military spending and to the preservation and development of scientific schools, and the training of engineers, he said. 'We manage to maintain our armed forces at a proper level without militarising our budget, and we will keep doing this,' he pledged. On Thursday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov (right) met his US counterpart Anthony Blinken (left) and others at the Arctic Summit in Iceland On Thursday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met his US counterpart and others at the Arctic Summit in Iceland. Blinken stressed the importance of upholding 'effective governance and the rule of law' to ensure that the 'Arctic remains a region free of conflict where countries act responsibly.' Lavrov hit back saying Moscow saw 'no grounds' for conflict in the Arctic but warned the West about militarising on Russia's doorstep. The two sides have recently increased their military posturing, with the United States sending bombers to Norway and Russia conducting large maritime and air exercises. Several other foreign ministers, including those from Canada, Iceland, Finland, Norway and Sweden, echoed Blinken's call to keep the Arctic peaceful and free of conflict under the authority of international, rather than that of individual countries. Advertisement Prince Harry has said the stress of going to public events would make him pour with sweat, saying 'One bead of sweat feels like the whole face is pouring down'. The Duke of Sussex disclosed his nerves at occasions he had attended as a working Royal and how he would feel as his face was bright red and he was 'two or three degrees warmer than everybody else'. He said his problem was so serious at functions it would take finding someone else who was similarly nervous and sweating to calm his nerves. The Royal revealed the symptoms of his anxiety as part of his mental health series with chat show queen Oprah Winfrey. He said: 'Every time I put a suit and tie on and having to do the role, to go "Right, game face" look in the mirror, right lets go. 'Before I left the house I was pouring with sweat, my heart rate was racing. I was in fight or flight mode. 'Freaking out every single time I jumped in the car, every single time I would see a camera. 'I would just start sweating. I would feel as though my body temperate was two or three degrees warmer than everybody else in the room. 'I would convince myself that my face was bright red and therefore everybody could see how I was feeling, but nobody would know why. 'So it was embarrassing. You get in your head about it and then youre just like "everybody is looking at me". One bead of sweat feels like the whole face is pouring down. 'Just sweating and then all in my head, this is so embarrassing, what are they thinking of me? They have no idea, I cant tell them. 'Everywhere I go, every time I meet someone, its almost like I am being drained of this energy, picking up on other peoples emotion, finally I would bump into someone more than me and I would stop, be able to speak to them and everything would calm down and I could move on again. Prince Harry at the Chinawhite after party at the Cartier International Polo Day in Windsor back in July 2004 In his new show The Me You Can't See, Prince Harry discloses anxiety-triggered perspiration problem to Oprah Winfrey Harry's candid interviews with The Me You Can't See is going to cause more tensions with the Royal Family, who were braced for another attack overnight. But they may not have been ready for the amount of criticism he hands out in the five-part series, with Harry telling his co-host and co-producer Oprah Winfrey that his relatives trapped, smeared and abandoned him and Meghan. But he said would 'never be bullied into silence' in the future. He did not go to his family when Meghan felt suicidal because he was ashamed the situation had got 'that bad' and also suspected the royals would not have been able to help. The duke said: 'That was one of the biggest reasons to leave, feeling trapped and feeling controlled through fear, both by the media and by the system itself which never encouraged the talking about this kind of trauma. 'Certainly now I will never be bullied into silence.' In the candid interviews, the prince discusses his failure to process the grief from the death of his mother; the helplessness he felt to protect her; his dependence on drugs and alcohol to numb the pain; his anxiety and sense of being trapped in the palace; his family's refusal to help when Meghan felt suicidal and how therapy helped him 'break the cycle.' 'For me, therapy has equipped me to be able to take on anything,' he said. He says his family tried to prevent him and Meghan from leaving when she claims she was suicidal and admits to drinking and doing drugs in his 30s. 'Eventually when I made that decision for my family, I was still told, 'You can't do this,' Harry recounted to Oprah. 'And it's like, 'Well how bad does it have to get until I am allowed to do this?' She [Markle] was going to end her life. It shouldn't have to get to that.' Harry and Meghan looked to be perspiring in the heat during an interview from their American home to the Evening Standard Experts have said they now expect Harry to talk about his family again and his and his wife's decision to quit as frontline royals in the upcoming documentary In candid interviews with Oprah Winfrey on his new show, The Me You Can't See, he said: 'I thought my family would help, but every single ask, request, warning, whatever, it is just got met with total silence, total neglect Prince Harry carries out movements such as crossing his arms while remembering events in his past during therapy, he believes has saved him When asked if he has any regrets, he says it is not taking a stand earlier in his relationship with Meghan Markle, claiming she was only stopped from killing herself by concern over Harry'losing another woman in my life'. The pair had been married for less than a year and she was pregnant with their son Archie when, in January 2019, she told him she was deeply depressed. Markle first revealed the trauma of that night in her March interview with Winfrey. 'She was completely sane, yet at the quiet of night, these thoughts woke her up,' Harry said. 'The thing that stopped her from seeing it through was how unfair it would be on me after everything that had happened to my mum and to now to be put in a position of losing another woman in my life with a baby inside of her, our baby.' Harry said that he did not know how to handle her confession. 'I'm somewhat ashamed of the way that I dealt with them,' he said. 'And of course, because of the system that we were in and the responsibilities and the duties that we had, we had a quick cuddle and then we had to get changed to jump in a convoy with a police escort and drive to the Royal Albert Hall for a charity event. Then step out into a wall of cameras and pretend as though everything's okay. Harry and Meghan are pictured on January 16, 2019 - the night she told him she was suicidal - at the Royal Albert Hall Diana, Princess of Wales, is seen with William and Harry at the Thorpe Park theme park in 1993 in this charming picture 'There wasn't an option to say, 'you know what, tonight, we're not going to go' because just imagine the stories that come from that.' The prince, whose new series airs on Apple TV+ from May 20, told Winfrey he feared 'history repeating itself' after he began dating Markle , and was reminded of his mother being pursued to her death while she was dating 'someone who wasn't white'. Diana, the princess of Wales, died in 1997 alongside Egyptian film producer Dodi Al Fayed, who she had been dating for several months. Harry said he felt there were parallels in their stories when he followed in his mother's footsteps and began dating a person of color. 'My mother was chased to her death while she was in a relationship with someone who wasn't white,' he said. 'And now look what's happened. 'It's incredibly triggering to potentially lose another woman in my life. Like, the list is growing. 'And it all comes back to the same people, the same business model, the same industry.' In the candid interview, the prince discusses his failure to process the grief from the death of his mother; the helplessness he felt when he struggled to protect her; and his dependence on drugs and alcohol to numb the pain. He spoke of his anxiety and sense of being trapped in the palace, and his family's refusal to help when Meghan felt suicidal. He said therapy helped him 'break the cycle.' 'For me, therapy has equipped me to be able to take on anything,' he said. A footy star played the 'don't you know who I am' card on a hospitality venue operator after she refused his request to host his wife's 30th birthday party. Dayne Beams, who played for AFL giant Collingwood until his retirement last year, reached out to the owner of the Olinda Yarra Estate in Victoria's Yarra Valley about the party due to be held in June. However, after he and the operator Shelley Hughes went back and forth about numbers for the celebration, Ms Hughes abruptly turned down Beams' request - claiming he was trying to talk down the prices. The ex-footy star sent a series of messages to the venue owner in response, boasting about his 100,000 social media followers. Dayne Beams, who played for Collingwood up until his retirement last year, had reached out to Shelley Hughes who owns the Olinda Yarra Estate in Victoria's Yarra Valley to host his wife Kelly's 30th birthday party (Beams and wife pictured) In a series of text messages the pair are seen discussing the number of guests at the event, with Beams asking if additional children could come along for free. Ms Hughes said the prices were set at $80 per person for a minimum of 50 guests and said children under two had free entry, while those between three and 12 were at half price. She then asked how many children in each age group would be attending. Beams responded asking if he could have 40 adults and 20 kids for the same cost as 50 paying adults, before his event was abruptly cancelled. 'I'm no longer interested in your booking Dayne,' Hughes said. 'You seem to be changing numbers and not transparent. We are a large venue with WorkSafe and covid-safe policies and require guests to be upfront with all details of their booking. I suggest you find elsewhere, regards Shelley.' One of the messages from Beams to Ms Hughes shows him boasting of his social media followers while stressing he was simply trying to sort out the logistics Beams said he was 'shocked' by Ms Hughes' response to him and has since found another venue for the occasion Beams said he was shocked by her 'unfair' and 'disappointing' response and offered to speak to her about it over the phone, saying he was just trying to confirm numbers. 'I've just retired from AFL and got over 100,000 social media followers,' he said. 'The way I was just spoken to was just rude IMO (in my opinion) and I would hate for this to reflect badly on your business and venue so I'm willing to give you another chance with this and just move on.' Speaking to Daily Mail Australia, Ms Hughes said she thought Beams was using his sporting status as 'leverage' to secure the event and was shocked at his barrage of texts. 'I wasn't being unreasonable, I was being professional,' she said. 'I felt like he was not being upfront with sorting the numbers and because of our policy we had to be accurate.' Beams confirmed to Daily Mail Australia he had since booked another venue and said he believed he was being 'reasonable' and was simply trying to confirm numbers. 'The messages I sent after that was trying to give her another chance because I didn't like the way I was being spoken to. I just wanted to get clarification around the numbers,' he said. Beams said he was being 'reasonable' and was just trying to conform the logistics for the party After the text messages Beams left a very blunt and scathing review on the Facebook page of the estate labelling her 'rude'. 'I was shocked to say the least, this was an extremely poor way to treat someone,' he wrote. 'My mental health and confidence around organising this has taken a hit because of it and I think Shelley should be ashamed.' Ms Hughes said his review was 'unwarranted' and 'over the top'. 'I thought ''oh my god you can't speak to people like this'',' she said. She added his behaviour had tarnished her business and admitted she was doubtful the issue would have ever been resolved. The father of a British law graduate shot dead in Pakistan says he wants her killers 'publicly hanged' after police arrested one of the key suspects. Muhammad Zulfiqar blasted detectives in a tearful interview saying their investigation has not moved fast enough since 24-year-old daughter Mayra was shot dead in Lahore on May 3. But police hailed 'significant progress' in the probe as one of the chief suspects - Saad Butt - was arrested on Wednesday, though it was not clear what the charge is. Butt is being held in Lahore for questioning, officers said, adding that they are speaking to another 'key suspect' without revealing who it is. It is thought that Zahir Jadoon - the other prime suspect - is still at large, though officers had said they planned to speak with him in the coming days. Investigators believe Butt and Jadoon had Mayra killed while fighting over her affections, though both deny any involvement in the murder. Mayra Zulfiqar, 24, a British law graduate, was shot dead in Lahore on May 3 after relatives say she rejected the advances of two local men Father Muhammad Zulfiqar (pictured) has called for the death penalty for his daughter's killers, saying they should be 'publicly hanged' Giving a tearful interview with the Associated Press on Friday, Mr Zulfiqar said: 'I have been made a shuttlecock between different departments of the police but still, there is no headway in the investigations. 'I will continue raising my voice until I get justice and her murderers are publicly hanged.' He also appealed to Nobel prize-winning activist Malala Yousafazi for help in resolving the case. My dear daughter Malala, I appeal to you for God's sake please raise your voice for my daughter. She was like your sister,' he added. 'Your voice is heard. The only difference is that you have gone abroad after studying here and my daughter came to Pakistan to serve humanity.' Mayra had gone to Pakistan earlier this year for a family wedding but remained in the country afterwards after reportedly falling in with a friendship group that included Butt and Jadoon, and which had links to high-ranking Pakistani officials. The two friends are thought to have both made advances on Mayra but she had rejected them, shortly before she was found dead. A post-mortem found she bled to death from gunshots to the neck and abdomen at a rented apartment she was living in, located in an upmarket area of Lahore. Suspicion immediately fell on Butt and Jadoon, both of who deny carrying out the killing and have provided alibis. Police are now thought to be working on the theory that one or both of the men hired a hitman to carry out the killing. A police source told MailOnline this week: 'Despite questioning Butt for several hours we have still not been able to establish the exact reasons for the killing. It is thought Ms Zulfiquar (left) got involved in a love triangle with Zahir Jadoon (pictured together left) and his friend Saad Butt (right) who turned himself over to officers Miss Zulfiqar had gone to Pakistan earlier this year for a wedding but stayed in the country after falling in with a friend circle that included Butt and Jadoon 'But has admitted to knowing Mayra but denied that he killed her and claimed that he hadn't seen her for quite a while. 'The investigation is continuing, and we are confident that we will catch the killer very soon.' According to a statement from Ms Zulfiqar's uncle, Muhammad Nazir, she had complained about being harassed by Butt and Jadoon after rejecting marriage proposals from both of them. Superintendent Sayyed Ali of Punjab police admitted to MailOnline that they had had dealings with Butt in the past although would not reveal any more details. He added: 'It is a mystery to us why Zahir has also absconded and we are also looking for him because he will be able to provide us with a lot of information as to what actually happened.' A post-mortem report revealed that Ms Zulfiqar bled to death in her bedroom after being shot in the neck and arm in the early hours of 3 May. Ms Zulfiqar, originally from Feltham in south west London, also had bruising on her right hand and left foot, according to the report. She graduated in law from the University of West London and had gone to Pakistan with her mother Tabasaam to attend a cousin's wedding but decided to stay in the country after it was placed on the coronavirus red list. After rushing to Pakistan to arrange her funeral, Ms Zulfiqar's father Mohammad Zulfiqar appealed to Imran Khan, the country's prime minister for help in catching the killers. He said: 'She was passionate to do something for Pakistan. I want justice, PM Imran Khan she was your daughter too.' Her brother Moiz Muhammad said: 'It's a nightmare we are going through, and I still can't believe she is not with us. She was always caring and keen to step up for the poor people. All we want is justice.' Downing Street today poured cold water on hopes of Brits being allowed to visit Spain on holiday after the country said UK tourists can enter from Monday without having to show a negative Covid-19 test. The Spanish government confirmed in an official state bulletin that the country will follow the lead of Portugal and let UK holidaymakers in from the start of next week. But Number 10 immediately moved to warn people against making plans for a holiday to Spain as Boris Johnson's spokesman said non-essential trips to 'amber list' countries remain banned. The PM's spokesman said: Our advice hasn't changed in regards to "amber list" countries. We have been clear that people shouldn't be travelling to amber list countries for the purposes of holidays.' Well-placed Spanish Ministry of Tourism sources confirmed British tourists would be let in without having to show a negative coronavirus test or proof they had been vaccinated. Thousands of Brits are now expected to fly to Spain, traditionally the UK's favourite foreign holiday destination, despite Number 10 warning against the move. Spanish PM Pedro Sanchez said in English at Friday's international trade fair Fitur: 'I am pleased to inform you that the ministerial order will be officially published today exempting citizens from the UK and other 'safe' countries like New Zealand, South Korea and China from temporary restrictions on non-essential trips to Spain. 'I can therefore announce that from next Monday the 24th of May we will be delighted to welcome all UK tourists. 'They are welcome to enter our country without restrictions and without health requirements.' Portugal is currently the only major tourist destination on Britain's 'green list', but Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has hinted it could be expanded amid pressure for France, Spain, Italy and Greece to be added. British tourists will be allowed to enter Spain from Monday showing a negative Covid-19 test, despite still being on the UK's amber travel list. Pictured: Stock image of Malaga, Spain But Boris Johnson's spokesman said non-essential trips to 'amber list' countries remain banned Travellers returning to Britain from an amber location must quarantine at home for 10 days and take a pre-departure test and two post-arrival tests. Spain's Secretary of Sate for Tourism, Fernando Valdes, told Spanish press: 'What has been decided is that British tourists can enter Spain, but while we are still on the UK's amber traffic light list they will have to self-isolate on their return.' Saying the campaign would continue to get Britain to regionalise the green list instead of treating Spain only on a nationwide level and recognise the low coronavirus rates in areas like the Balearic Islands and Valencian Autonomous Community, he added: 'We are working on this list being compiled by regions. 'But it's not a EU problem, it's a UK problem because it should have the capacity to territorialise the world and not just Spain. We hope a re-evaluation of some regions take place soon. 'Spain, along with Portugal, is the holiday region that's in the best epidemiological situation. 'There are competitors that have higher coronavirus rates and that gives us an obvious competitive advantage. We are confident Spain will be on the green light list in June. 'But even Spain being on the amber list is not going to stop British people visiting our country.' Spain will not be added to the UK's green list until June at the earliest, but Toni Perez, mayor of seaside tourist destination Benidorm, said he saw the latest announcement as 'very positive'. He added: 'This is good news and we regard it as very positive. 'It's something we've been clamouring for in Benidorm given the epidemiological evolution of our coronavirus data, which together with the vaccine situation made this modification inevitable. 'Now we need the British government to give the green light to safe air corridors with areas like the Valencian Autonomous Community which has a very low rate of coronavirus. 'That's especially the case with Benidorm so that as a safe destination we have the UK's green light and can offer happiness and security to those who choose us for their holidays.' Sanchez was due to present the digital green certificate the EU has been working on to reactivate international tourism at the event at the international trade fair Fitur. Travellers returning to Britain from an amber location must quarantine at home for 10 days and take a pre-departure test and two post-arrival tests Spain will not be added to the UK's green list until June at the earliest, but Toni Perez, mayor of tourist destination Benidorm (pictured), said he saw the announcement as 'very positive' Spanish PM Pedro Sanchez also announced at Fitur on Friday that tourists from around the world would be allowed to enter the country from June 7 if they had been vaccinated. Spain has already confirmed Brit holidaymakers flying to Spain from Monday won't need to show a negative PCR test or proof they have been jabbed because it is going on the country's 'safe' list. Mr Sanchez said: 'From June 7 tourists from all countries there is not free movement with at this moment in time, among those the United States, are going to be enter Spain as long as they have a certificate showing they have received their full vaccinations.' Spain's veto on British tourists had been extended till May 31 before Friday's announcement, although the country's tourism minister Maria Reyes Maroto signalled earlier this month it could be lifted sooner. Francesc Colomer, regional tourism minister for the Valencian Community which includes the provinces of Castellon, Valencia and Alicante and covers the Costa Blanca, said he hopes the UK will 'interpret this news positively'. He continued: 'This news is a step forward and very positive. 'We are advancing in terms of overcoming this pandemic and see this as validation of the improvement of the health situation. 'Tourism is a space without borders. We have to continue advancing in terms of obtaining the UK's green traffic light status and we hope the UK will interpret this news positively.' Antonio Mayor, President of the Benidorm, Costa Blanca and Valencia Region Hotel Association Hosbec, added: 'This is great. Everything that means opening borders and trying to normalise mobility is good news. 'We are delighted with the announcement. The important thing now is that the UK puts us on green light status. 'We expect many British tourists will now come to Spain but green light status would encourage even more.' Since last year, the only Brit travellers from the UK allowed into Spain have been people like residents whose trip is regarded as 'essential'. The Spanish Interior Ministry announcement confirming the move to put the UK on Spain's non-EU exemption list, which also applies to Japan, said: 'At present the European Union is debating a modification of the recommendation on a temporary restriction of non-essential journeys from outside the EU. Portugal (pictured: Algarve) is currently the only major tourist destination on the UK's 'green list', while Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said he wanted to see more countries added Mr Shapps also defended the availability of direct flights from countries on the red list, adding that Heathrow (pictured on May 20) is examining using a 'spare terminal to bring in perhaps the red flights separately' 'It's foreseeable that Japan and the UK will be included in the list of country exempted. Several EU states have already put those two countries in that privileged position. 'Spain receives each year a number of visitors from the UK which is especially relevant in relative and absolute terms and many economic sectors need to adapt their capacity in anticipation of border changes. 'In light of all this, and after consulting with other government departments which are affected, order INT/657/2020 dated July 17 is modified to include Japan and the UK on the exempted list. 'The modification will take effect from midnight on May 24.' The announcement comes soon after Spanish minister Arancha Gonzalez told BBC's Newscast podcast that the Indian variant had complicated the situation. 'There are countries who are concerned about the potential of the Indian variant to be more present in the UK and therefore to run the risk, if the EU opens towards the UK, to import the Indian variant into the European Union,' she said. 'There are countries who are saying that. 'This is why this discussion is not yet over, but I do hope that in the next hours there will be clarity on this point.' Ms Gonzalez said Spain felt 'more confident' about letting vaccinated citizens into the country rather than applying a blanket approval for all people in the UK, but that any decision would wait until 'EU regulation has been adopted'. She said a decision from Brussels was 'very close to getting done', adding: 'If that is the case, then yes as soon as this is done, hopefully towards the end of this week, vaccinated British citizens would be allowed in.' Meanwhile, the UK's Transport Secretary Grant Shapps yesterday hinted that the 'green list' could be expanded within weeks amid mounting pressure for France, Spain, Italy and Greece to be added. The Transport Secretary delivered an optimistic message about the prospects for summer travel as he defended the government's traffic light system - despite fury that it has caused confusion and chaos. He urged people to be 'patient' rather than booking trips to 'amber' rated destinations - suggesting the roster of places classed as safe to visit is on track to get longer when it is reviewed at the start of next month. The positive signs came amid calls for countries such as France, Spain, Italy and Greece to be added to the 'green list', with warnings that the UK travel industry is being left behind as Europe reopens. 'There's a heck of a lot of hassle involved,' Mr Shapps told Sky News. 'It's expensive. We're not at the stage of saying to people, go to those places on holiday, in fact, please don't.' But Mr Shapps said he wanted to see more countries added, telling BBC Radio 4's Today: 'The amber list and the red list are not for holidaymakers, that's not the purpose of those lists at this time. 'We just think that after a year of lockdowns in this country, of people coming forward in record numbers to get their vaccines, we do not want to be in a position of taking risks at this stage about our unlock.' Asked if he was pushing for the green list to be extended he said: 'Of course. The reason for that is we have ended up getting way ahead in terms of our vaccination programme in this country and we are just having to wait for other countries to catch up with us. It comes after Transport Secretary Grant Shapps (pictured) hinted that the 'green list' could be expanded amid mounting pressure for France, Spain, Italy and Greece to be added On Thursday, EasyJet chief executive Johan Lundgren complained that the government has been using focus groups to make decisions rather than following the evidence (stock image) 'That's going to gradually happen, obviously, you can see it's happening, so that list should expand.' Mr Shapps added: 'We are reviewing this all the time, every three weeks, the next review is in the first week of June and we'll have to see what happens.' He said: 'Our message is very straightforward, which is 'just a little bit of patience, everyone'. 'I know it's been an incredibly tough year and there are extreme circumstance where people will feel that it is the right thing to do perhaps because they have a sick family member and some extreme situations where they'll travel in the orange category. 'But by and large we are just asking people to be a little bit patient as other countries catch up with our world-leading vaccination programme and then people will be able to, I hope, travel. 'We are returning to a world which looks more normal, I hope.' Mr Shapps also defended the continued availability of direct flights from countries such as India on the coronavirus red list. In an interview on Sky News, he said: 'You cannot prevent British citizens from returning home, no country can ban its own citizens.' The Cabinet minister told BBC Breakfast that he wanted passengers arriving from amber and red list countries to be segregated in airports 'as much as is practically possible'. He added that Heathrow, which is currently only using two of its four terminals, is examining using a 'spare terminal to bring in perhaps the red flights separately'. On Thursday, Downing Street denied that the government's message was effectively that people should not go on holiday at all this year. And the same day, EasyJet chief executive Johan Lundgren complained that the government has been using polls and focus groups to make decisions rather than following the evidence, arguing that more mainstream holiday hotspots should be on the green list along with Portugal. 'We have looked at the data that is available and the scientific evidence shows that you have a number of countries in Europe that are now on the amber list that should go into the green list,' he said. 'You can see that that is happening in Europe as we speak. European travel is opening up at large scale.' Boris Johnson has pledged the UK's support for a new 'global pandemic radar' system to spot emerging diseases before they spread around the world. The World Health Organisation is leading work to develop the new global surveillance network which will monitor and track new infections and variants. Britain and the British-based Wellcome Trust are among the nations and other organisations supporting the initiative as they try to avoid a repeat of the coronavirus crisis. Downing Street said the project would build on British health security expertise to create a network of surveillance hubs, expected to be up and running before the end of the year. Boris Johnson has pledged the UK's support for a new 'global pandemic radar' system to spot emerging diseases before they can cause worldwide devastation. Speaking ahead of a global health summit hosted by Italy and the EU today, Mr Johnson said ensuring the world was better prepared for future health threats was an 'absolute priority' for the UK's G7 presidency. 'The world must never be caught unawares again by a virus spreading among us unchecked,' he said. 'We need to build a system of disease surveillance fit for the 21st century, with real-time data-sharing and rapid genomic sequencing and response. 'A global pandemic radar will ensure that we are vigilant to new variants and emerging pathogens, and can rapidly develop the vaccines and treatments needed to stop them in their tracks.' Mr Johnson had first called for a global network of disease surveillance centres last September. Sir Jeremy Farrar, the head of the Wellcome Trust, said: 'This pandemic has provided a stark wake-up call to the threat posed by a fast-moving infectious disease. 'We are long overdue the essential reinforcement of our local, national and international disease surveillance networks. 'We failed to address these gaps following other epidemics and we must act now before countries move on from this pandemic. 'This commitment from the UK, as president of the G7, will be hugely important in achieving these aims. There is no time to spare in making this aspiration a reality.' Advertisement Rows and rows of shallow graves along the banks of the river Ganges in northwestern India have been partially exposed by heavy rains. The remains of coronavirus victims are among the hundreds buried at the cremation ground in Shringverpur village, around 40 kilometres from the city of Prayagraj. Horrifying pictures showed the vast scale of the site, where the small grave mounds were covered with saffron cloth. Municipal staff were working to recover the graves and chase away stray dogs who had begun gnawing at the bones inside. Despite this, on Thursday cremations continued at the site - just one of many struggling to cope with the huge number of coronavirus deaths amid India's punishing second wave. The country recorded 4,209 deaths from the disease on Thursday, along with 259, 551 new infections. Official figures are widely considered to be vastly lower than the actual number of deaths and infections. Rows and rows of shallow graves along the banks of the river Ganges in northwestern India have been partially exposed by heavy rains A municipal worker drags sand over the partially exposed graves after rains washed away the top layer of sand Cremations continued at the site - just one of many struggling to cope with the huge number of coronavirus deaths amid India's punishing second wave The remains of coronavirus victims are among the hundreds buried at the cremation ground in Shringverpur village, around 40 kilometres from the city of Prayagraj Hospitals, morgues and crematoriums have been overwhelmed since the second wave began in March, with many areas of the country suffering chronic oxygen shortages. In recent weeks, a horrifying Covid-19 complication has swept the country, with thousands of people contracting black fungus. The wave of infections with the previously very rare condition has been blamed on excessive use of steroids to treat the country's millions of Covid patients, experts say. Mucormycosis, as it is scientifically known, is highly aggressive and surgeons sometimes have to remove patients' eyes, nose and jaw to stop it reaching the brain. The death rate is over 50 percent. India normally deals with fewer than 20 black fungus cases a year but now there are several thousand across the country including more than 2,000 in Maharashtra state, home to India's financial capital Mumbai. Horrifying pictures showed the vast scale of the site, where the small grave mounds were covered with saffron cloth Municipal staff chase away stray dogs who had begun gnawing at the bones inside the partially exposed graves India recorded 4,209 deaths from the disease on Thursday, along with 259, 551 new infections, though official figures are widely believed to be much lower than the actual number of infections and deaths At least nine Indian states have declared the problem an epidemic. The cities of New Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad and Bangalore have opened special wards. Indian media reports suggest hundreds have died in the past few days. Authorities have not said how many have perished nationally but a government alert to state authorities has called for teams of surgeons and specialists to be ready for a rise in cases. Before the coronavirus pandemic, only those with severely compromised immunity, such as HIV or organ transplant patients, were at risk. The current rapid rise in fungus cases is largely being attributed to the uncontrolled use of steroids to treat patients for coronavirus. 'People have started using (steroids) liberally, excessively and inappropriately,' Professor K. Srinath Reddy, from the Public Health Foundation of India, told AFP news agency. He said contaminated water in oxygen cylinders or air humidifiers also provided an opportunity for the fungus to spread rapidly. Hospitals, morgues and crematoriums have been overwhelmed since the second wave began in March, with many areas of the country suffering chronic oxygen shortages In recent weeks, a horrifying Covid-19 complication has swept the country, with thousands of people contracting black fungus. Pictured: Partially exposed graves on the banks of the river Ganges Pictured: Relatives carry a body for cremation in the village of Shringverpur in Uttar Pradesh, India on Thursday The wave of infections with the previously very rare black fugus has been blamed on excessive use of steroids to treat the country's millions of Covid patients, experts say When coronavirus case numbers started exploding across India in March and April, social media was awash with desperate pleas for medical oxygen, hospital beds and drugs from families with sick relatives. Now Indians including Shah are turning to social media again in the hunt for drugs to treat black fungus. Most of the requests are for amphotericin B liposomal injections. India's health minister on Thursday said production of the shots was being increased. Amulya Nidhi, a health activist in Madhya Pradesh, said the government had earlier failed to prepare an adequate supply of coronavirus medicines such as remdesivir and plasma, and then failed to learn its lesson by doing the same with fungus medications. 'The government should have acted when it found out about the very first (fungus) case... People are not supposed to be begging for life-saving medicines.' New estimates include people who did not seek treatment for other ailments due to pandemic restrictions or lack of space in hospitals due to coronavirus care In many cases people had died from coronavirus before being tested, it said The WHO cited the lack of reliable systems to log deaths in many countries Up to eight million people may have died as a result of Covid-19 since the pandemic began, according to the World Health Organization, which said on Friday that official death tolls are likely to be a 'significant undercount'. Presenting its annual World Health Statistics report, the WHO estimated that total deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 were at least 3 million or 1.2 million more than the 1.8 million figure officially reported. 'We are likely facing a significant undercount of total deaths directly and indirectly attributed to COVID-19,' the U.N. agency said. By May 20 2021, WHO statistics showed around 3.4 million people had died globally as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, although the real figure could be much higher, the WHO said. With the rising death toll in Latin America and in Asia as new variants spread, the death toll 'would truly be two to three times higher,' said Samira Asma, WHO's Assistant Director-General in its data and analytics division. 'So I think safely about 6 to 8 million deaths could be an estimate on a cautionary note,' Asma told a virtual press briefing. Official death tolls from the COVID-19 pandemic are likely to be a 'significant undercount', the World Health Organization said on Friday, estimating that the true figure of direct and indirect deaths could be two to three times higher. Pictured: Cemetery workers in Sao Paulo, Brazil lower the coffin of a Covid-19 victim into a grave Asma said the WHO was working with countries 'to understand the true human toll of the pandemic so we can be better prepared for the next emergency'. The WHO cited the lack of reliable systems to log deaths in many countries, while in many cases people had died from COVID-19 before they had been tested for the virus. WHO data analyst William Msemburi said the raised estimates included both unreported COVID-19 deaths as well as indirect deaths such as patients not seeking healthcare for other conditions due to the lack of hospital capacity and restrictions on movements, among other factors. There 'are the deaths that can be attributed to the difficult conditions that many people in the world are living under because of the pandemic,' he said. The socioeconomic toll of lockdowns and other measures has also lead to significant increases in depression, and the WHO said there were indications of growing suicide rates in some parts of the world. Cumulative confirmed COVID-19 deaths as of 1 May 2021 by location By May 20 2021, WHO statistics showed around 3.4 million people had died globally as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, although the real figure could be much higher, the WHO said Even in regions with relatively reliable reporting systems, undercounts were likely. The WHO estimated 1.1 to 1.2 million excess deaths in the European region during 2020, double the 600,000 reported COVID-19 deaths. In the Americas, the number of excess deaths was 1.3 to 1.5 million during 2020, 60 per cent higher then the reported 900,000 COVID-19 death toll in that region. 'The challenge is that the reported COVID-19 [death toll figures] is an undercount of that full impact,' Msemburi said. The WHO did not give a breakdown of the figure, referred to by health experts as 'excess mortality.' This is essentially the difference between the total number of deaths that occurred that year and the deaths that would have been expected to occur had there not been a pandemic. Msemburi said excess mortality gives a 'better picture, because it captures both of these direct and indirect effects,' of coronavirus. Cumulative confirmed COVID-19 deaths as of 1 May 2021, by region: a) in thousands; b) per 100 000 population Total number of Covid-19 deaths (probable and confirmed), by age and sex, January 2020 to April 2021 It still remains unclear how many of the excess deaths counted last year could be directly attributable to Covid-19, he said, adding that the WHO was working to determine the best methods for identifying missed Covid deaths. The WHO said its excess death estimates were based on data analysis where possible, but also statistical modelling, due to a "critical data gap" in many countries, especially in terms of death registration. While most countries do well in registering births, only 40 percent of the world's nations register at least 90 percent of deaths that occur, Asma said. And there are huge regional discrepancies. While 98 percent of deaths are registered in Europe, only 10 percent of deaths in Africa are registered each year, the report showed. Asma called for countries to invest in scaling up their data and information systems, insisting: "We can only be better prepared with better data." Police probing the murder of a British mother in Greece have questioned a psychologist who was treating her and her husband before the killing. Officers said the therapist provided 'crucial' evidence, as they continue to hunt for the killer of 20-year-old Caroline Crouch, who was strangled to death in front of her 11-month-old daughter at her home near Athens on May 11. Police say the psychologist was treating Caroline for post-natal depression, and was separately providing treatment to husband Charalambos 'Babis' Anagnostopoulos, 33, for an unknown condition. Investigators are also preparing to interview Mr Anagnostopoulos for a second time, to 'go over what happened in even further detail' on the night his wife was killed. According to previous statements that Mr Anagnostopoulos gave to police, he was tied up by three robbers who broke into his home in the early hours, threatened his child, strangled his wife, and then got away with 10,000 in cash. Briton Caroline Crouch (left) was strangled to death in front of her daughter during what husband Babis Anagnostopoulos (right) described as a horror break-in Police will question Babis (left) for a second time 'to go over what happened' after DNA evidence collected from the body of Caroline (right) proved inconclusive Police are going back over details of the crime after their current lines of inquiry failed to yield a viable suspect. Officers did arrested a man - a Georgian with a history of violent burglaries who tried to leave the country on a fake passport - but have failed to link him to the crime. DNA evidence collected from underneath Caroline's fingernails as she fought her attacker has also proved to be inconclusive. Meanwhile CCTV cameras at the home failed to provide clues because they were either not working or did not have memory cards on the night of the break-in. Detectives had been hunting for at least three men - two of who were described as medium height and build, and one shorter and fatter - who Mr Anagnostopoulos said had spoken to him in Greek but spoke a foreign language among themselves. As well as the Georgian suspect, it was reported that police were looking to speak with an Albanian man who had recently released from prison in the hopes that he might be able to shed light on the crime. Investigators were trying to work out how burglars had known there was 10,000 in cash in the house, after Babis told them the thieves seemed to know about it. Detectives have been so-far unable to link the only suspect - a Georgian man with a history of violent break-ins (pictured) - to the murder The 43-year-old was arrested last week while trying to cross into Bulgaria on a fake passport, but has denied any involvement in the killing According to Babis's account, he quickly told the robbers the money was kept in a Monopoly box but they demanded more from him. It was then, he says, that the trio began torturing him and his wife, subjecting them to a 40-minute ordeal that included putting a gun to his baby daughter's head. When Caroline began screaming, the men strangled her to death in front of the couple's daughter, Babis says. The trio then fled, leaving Babis bound to the bed - before he managed to get to a phone and use his nose to dial a neighbour, who alerted police. The baby was unhurt but their dog, Bruno, had also been strangled to death. The Georgian suspect was arrested in the Evros region of north-east Greece on Friday. His car was stopped close to the Bulgarian border for a routine check and he was found to have a fake passport, a police source said. Athens Police said in a statement on Saturday: 'A 43-year-old foreigner was arrested by police officers of the Property Prosecution Department of the Attica Security Directorate, against whom a case had been filed for robbery in collaboration and an Arrest Warrant had been issued. 'He is accused that on 5-3-2021, together with four unknown accomplices, having their full face features covered, entered a house in Pikermi, Attica, immobilized an elderly couple and the domestic worker and deducted money and jewelry. Mr Anagnostopoulos previously told police that three men broke into his family home early on May 11, stole 10,000 he was keeping in a Monopoly box, then strangled his wife Babis shared a tribute to his wife Caroline Crouch on Sunday. Under the photo taken on their wedding day he writes: 'Together forever. Have a nice trip my love' 'It is noted that the 43-year-old, at noon on 14-5-2021, in order to leave the country, went to the Border Crossing Point at Evros area, where he was arrested by police officers of the EvrosPassport Control Department, for possession and use of a forged travel document, forgery and of illegal exit from the country.' Police spokesman George Kalliakmanis said the tactics used by the burglars in March were almost identical to the brutal techniques used by thugs who killed Miss Crouch. 'In that burglary they tied up the old couple and forced them to say where they kept their money,' he said. 'Even after they had found the money they continued to demand where the rest of the couple's valuables were.' The suspect's court appearance came after Ms Crouch's heartbroken husband shared a picture of their wedding day, telling his wife they would be 'together for ever'. Ms Crouch, a statistics student at the University of Piraeus, moved to the island of Alonissos with her Filipino mother Susan Dela Cuesta and British father David Crouch, 78, when she was eight. She met her husband on the island four years ago. A recent market study published by FMI Companion Animal Vaccines Market: Global Industry Analysis and Opportunity Assessment, 20162026 comprises a comprehensive assessment of the most important market dynamics. FMI derives precise growth prospects for the companion animal vaccine market by conducting thorough research on the historic as well as current growth parameters of the companion animal vaccine market. The report features unique and salient factors that may make a huge impact on the development of the companion animal vaccine market during the forecast period. It can help market players modify their manufacturing and marketing strategies to envisage maximum growth in the companion animal vaccine market in the upcoming years. The report provides detailed information about the current and future growth prospects of the companion animal vaccine market in the most comprehensive way for the better understanding of readers. Request a Sample of this Report @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-1427 Chapter 1 Executive Summary The report commences with the executive summary of the companion animal vaccine market report, which includes the summary of the key findings and key statistics of the market. It also includes the market value (US$ Million) estimates of the leading segments of the companion animal vaccine market. Chapter 2 Market Introduction This chapter contains definitions of different types of companion animal vaccines analyzed in the report. It also contains the detailed segmentation which could help in clearly understanding the approach used in the study to value the market. Chapter 3 Market View Point This chapter provides readers with information regarding the most important macroeconomic and microeconomic factors instrumental in shaping the companion animal vaccine market. It helps readers understand the critical market dynamics unique to the players in the companion animal vaccine market. With the help of an overview of the global market for animal health products, especially biologics and supply chain analysis, the report introduces readers to the important factors complementing the growth of the companion animal vaccine market. This chapter also includes trilateral harmonization of regulations noted for animal biologic approvals, route to market and global market share analysis. Chapter 4 Market Dynamics This chapter includes an analysis of the macroeconomic factors affecting the market, followed by demand side and supply side drivers. A detailed analysis of the factors restraining the market revenue growth, opportunities and global trends has also been included to aid the formation of logical rationales on market mechanisms. Chapter 5 Companion Animal Vaccines Market: Global Industry Analysis and Opportunity Assessment by Product Type, 20162026 Based on the product type, the companion animal vaccine market has been segmented into attenuated live vaccines, conjugate vaccines, inactivated vaccines, subunit vaccines, toxoid vaccines, DNA vaccines and recombinant vaccines. In this chapter, readers can find information regarding the key trends and developments in the companion animal vaccine market and market attractive analysis based on the product type. Chapter 6 Companion Animal Vaccines Market: Global Industry Analysis and Opportunity Assessment by Distribution Channel, 20162026 The companion animal vaccine market has been segmented into three categories on the basis of distribution channel veterinary clinics, veterinary hospitals, veterinary research institutes and retail pharmacies & others. This chapter includes detailed information on the demand-supply analysis of companion animal vaccines through various distribution channels. Chapter 7 Companion Animal Vaccines Market: Global Industry Analysis and Opportunity Assessment by Species Type, 20162026 The companion animal vaccines market has been analyzed on the basis of species type as well. In this chapter, readers can find historic market values by species type, i.e. canine, avian and feline, along with estimates for future market growth depending on the form of companion animal vaccines. Get Full Report Buy Now @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/checkout/1427 Chapter 8 Companion Animal Vaccines Market: Global Industry Analysis and Opportunity Assessment by Region, 20162026 This chapter explains the companion animal vaccine market growth across various geographic regions, such as North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Japan, Asia-Pacific Excluding Japan (APEJ) and the Middle East & Africa (MEA). Chapter 9 North America Companion Animal Vaccine Market Analysis, 20162026 This chapter includes a detailed analysis of the growth of the North America companion animal vaccine market along with a country-wise assessment for the U.S. and Canada. Readers can also find regional trends, regulations and market growth information on the basis of product type, species type and distribution channel in the North America companion animal vaccines market. Chapter 10 Latin America Companion Animal Vaccine Market Analysis 20162026 Readers can find detailed information regarding factors such as key regulations, pricing analysis and regional trends that are impacting the growth of the Latin America companion animal vaccine market. This chapter also includes the growth prospects of the companion animal vaccine market in leading LatAm countries such as Brazil, Mexico and rest of the Latin American region. Chapter 11 Western Europe Companion Animal Vaccine Market Analysis 20162026 Important growth prospects of the companion animal vaccine market on the basis of product type, form, and application in several European countries, such as EU4, Germany, BENELUX, Nordic, have been included in this chapter. Chapter 12 Eastern Europe Companion Animal Vaccine Market Analysis 20162026 This chapter of the report introduces the companion animal vaccine market in the Eastern Europe region by providing detailed information regarding the growth avenues for market players in the region and growth prospects of the market based on its leading segments. Countries analyzed in this region include Russia and Poland apart from the rest of Eastern Europe. Chapter 13 Japan Companion Animal Vaccine Market Analysis 20162026 In this section, readers can find important factors that make a huge impact on the growth of the companion animal vaccine market in Japan based during the forecast period. This chapter provides an overview of the regulations, drivers, restraints and trends in the Japan companion animal vaccine market. Chapter 14 APEJ Companion Animal Vaccine Market Analysis 2016-2026 China, India, ASEAN and ANZ are the leading markets in the APEJ region and hence, are the prime subject of assessment to obtain the growth prospects of the APEJ companion animal vaccine market. Readers can find thorough information regarding the growth parameters of the APEJ companion animal vaccine market during the period 20162026. Chapter 15 MEA Companion Animal Vaccine Market Analysis 20162026 This chapter provides information on how the companion animal vaccine market is expected to grow in the major countries, such as GCC Countries and South Africa, of the MEA region, during the period 20162026. Request for Report Ask A Question @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/ask-question/rep-gb-1427 Chapter 16 Competition Landscape, Company Share and Company Profiles In this chapter, readers can find a comprehensive list of all the leading stakeholders in the companion animal vaccine market along with detailed information about each company, including company overview, revenue shares, strategic overview and recent company developments. Market players featured in the report include Bayer Healthcare, Vetoquinol S.A., Boehringer Ingelheim, Ceva, Elanco (Eli Lilly), Heska Co., Merck Animal Health, Merial (Sanofi), Virbac and Zoetis (Pfizer). Chapter 17 Assumptions and Acronyms This chapter includes a list of acronyms and assumptions that provide a base to the information and statistics included in the report. Chapter 18 Research Methodology This chapter helps readers understand the research methodology followed to obtain various conclusions, important qualitative information and quantitative information regarding the companion animal vaccine market. Advertisement The Indian coronavirus variant may already be the dominant Covid strain in the UK after growing 'exponentially' since March, the Government's top scientific advisers have warned. Documents published by the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies today said the highly infectious B.1.617.2 strain likely made up the 'majority' of the UK's infections by mid-May. The SPI-M subgroup modelled the variant's spread on May 12 based on how rapidly it spiralled last month, and forecast that it would account for more than 50 per cent of cases by the middle of the month. Its finding suggests the official number of cases reported by Public Health England is an underestimate and says the variant is quickly replacing the current dominant Kent version, which triggered the second wave. In a separate paper published today, but submitted to ministers on May 11, SAGE warned cases of the Indian variant in Bolton, Bedford and Sefton were 'increasing apparently exponentially'. The group called for 'aggressive use of asymptomatic testing, contact tracing and isolation' in hotspots and hinted at extending lockdown rules, warning the Government against waiting for more evidence before acting. No10 has already deployed surge testing in a handful of areas where the variant is spreading quickest, including Bolton and Blackburn. Highlighting SAGE's fear about the strain, experts wrote: 'In the face of uncertain evidence the risk of overreacting seems small compared to the potential benefit of delaying a third wave until more people are vaccinated.' Expert advisers told the Government they believed the current reproduction 'R' rate of the Indian variant - how many people on average each patient infects - is around 1.64. They did not give an estimated R for the Kent strain. They said the new strain appears to be spreading 40 per cent faster than the Kent version but they could not 'conclude with any certainty' cannot be certain it is biologically more transmissible. The Joint Universities Pandemic and Epidemiological Research Group (Juniper) said it was still possible its increased infectivity could be down to superspreader events and socioeconomic factors. For example a lot of the spread occurring in Bolton is among the town's Indian population who are statistically more likely to live in high density housing and live with multiple relatives. Boris Johnson today hinted that the June 21 'freedom day' will go ahead as he said he still does not see 'anything' in coronavirus data that would prevent the roadmap going ahead. The PM delivered a bullish message on the prospects for the unlocking in England after a week of anxiety about whether the Indian variant will derail the country's hopes. Meanwhile, Nicola Sturgeon banned Scots from going to Indian variant hotspots in England. The Scottish First minister voiced alarm at the threat posed by the strain as she announced that Glasgow will remain under tougher lockdown measures for another week. PHE said in its weekly update last night that there had been 3,500 cases of the Indian variant across Britain so far, according to the most recent count on May 19, which is five times more than at the start of this month. But the strain does not easily show up on a PCR test and laboratory analysis is needed to confirm its presence, which can take several weeks. MailOnline's analysis of official numbers show just three of the 23 places in England where the Indian variant has officially become dominant are seeing clear rises in infection rates. Dr Simon Clarke, a microbiologist at Reading University, told this website that the mutant strain would not be the 'disaster' initially feared because it appeared to be confined to pockets of the country. Documents published by the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) said the highly infectious B.1.617.2 strain likely made up the 'majority' of the UK's infections by mid-May. The SPI-M subgroup modelled the variant's spread based on how rapidly it grew last month and forecast that it would account for more than 50 per cent of infections by mid-May MailOnline's analysis of official numbers show just three of the 23 places in England where the Indian variant has become dominant are seeing clear rises in infection rates - Bolton, Blackburn and Bedford The variants currently in circulation in the UK: The second Indian variant (B.1.617.2) is causing the most concern as it appears far more transmissible than the dominant Kent strain. The South African variant is believed to be the least responsive to vaccines, reducing their ability to block infections by about 30 per cent Scientists tracking the spread of mutant Covid strains estimated about 25 per cent of cases in the capital were variants other than the dominant Kent version by mid-April. The three most common variants are the Indian variant (in purple), the South African variant (green) and a separate, less virulent version of the Indian variant is in blue. The scale goes from between 0 and 20 per cent of all total infections Imperial College London researchers drew on data from the UK's variant-tracking laboratories, national infection surveys and the Government's centralised testing programme. Domestic strain B.1.525 and B.1.1.318, as well as the Brazilian P.1 variant, are circulating in smaller numbers. The scale goes from 0 to 5 per cent STURGEON BANS SCOTS FROM GOING TO INDIA VARIANT HOTSPOTS IN ENGLAND Nicola Sturgeon today banned Scots from going to Indian variant 'hotspots' in England as she warned the R rate in Scotland might be above one. The Scottish First minister voiced alarm at the threat posed by the strain as she announced that Glasgow will remain under tougher lockdown measures for another week. At a media briefing, Ms Sturgeon said cases had risen by a quarter north of the border in the last week, and the city had not 'turned the corner' despite intensive efforts to clamp down on infections with surge testing and vaccinations. However, she said Moray - which had also been held back before when restrictions in the rest of Scotland were downgraded - will now move down from Level 3 to Level 2 from midnight. East Renfrewshire will stay in Level 2 despite calls from some experts for tougher curbs, although Ms Sturgeon the situation would remain under 'close review'. Meanwhile, a temporary ban is being slapped on travel to parts of England that have been trying to contain the Indian variant - Bedford, Bolton and Blackburn and Darwin. It will come into force from Monday. 'Despite all the efforts that have been made in the past 10 days, cases are still rising in Glasgow,' Ms Sturgeon said. Advertisement Meanwhile, data suggests almost a quarter of all coronavirus transmission in London last month was driven by the Indian variant and other concerning mutant strains. Scientists tracking the spread of mutant Covid strains estimated about 25 per cent of cases in the capital were variants other than the dominant Kent version by mid-April. At that time, the Indian variant was being imported into the UK via people returning from Covid-stricken India in a dash to beat the UK's travel ban from Delhi. Researchers said the bulk of the new variant cases were likely the Indian B.1.617.2 strain, which has since spread rapidly across Britain and gained a foothold in parts of London and the North West. But they said surge testing for the South African variant in South London will have also made up a significant proportion of the cases. A smaller number of people tested positive for the Brazilian P.1 variant and other strains circulating less widely. It came as the Office for National Statistics' weekly testing survey found national infections rose by 20 per cent last week, the first significant rise in cases since December. But rates are so low that the ONS said it did not have high confidence in its estimate. Imperial College London researchers drew on data from the UK's variant-tracking laboratories, national infection surveys and the Government's centralised testing programme to estimate how widespread variants were last month. They said it was likely that concerning variants now make up more than 25 per cent of Covid cases in the UK because of how rapidly the Indian strain is spreading. But in a promising sign that the vaccines are giving high protection, Covid infection rates are not rising in over-60s in any of the areas outside of Bolton where surge testing for the Indian strain is being carried out. Swabbing drives were launched in Blackburn, Bedford, Burnley, Hounslow, Kirklees, Leicester, North Tyneside, Glasgow and Moray in an attempt to stomp out the mutation. Latest PHE figures published last night said the B.1.617.2 variant had been detected 3,424 times by May 19, up from 1,313 a week ago. BEDFORD SCHOOL MOVES TO ONLINE LEARNING AMID INDIAN COVID VARIANT OUTBREAK A secondary school in an Indian variant hotspot has moved back to online learning in an effort to curb the spread of the new strain. Bedford Academy said it made the move following 'a significant number of cases of Covid-19 in Bedford and across our wider school community'. A total of 350 children - a quarter of all the pupils at the school - are currently self-isolating following the outbreak. The academy said it had 'been unable to control the rapid spread of the virus' despite keeping masks in classrooms when the measure was scrapped nationally on Monday. Bedford currently has a Covid infection rate of 127.5 per 100,000 people making it the third worst-hit borough in England. Its rate rose by more than 80 per cent in the past week after 221 cases were recorded in the seven days to May 15. The chief executive of the trust that runs the academy said in a statement, seen by the BBC: 'Despite continuing with stringent cleaning procedures, the extended use of facemasks for both students and staff, regardless of national guidance, and ongoing education regarding hygiene, we have been unable to control the rapid spread of the virus.' The entire 1,200-capacity school will move to online learning from Monday May 24 for a week, before a decision will be made on whether to continue or not. The academy trust said all pupils would be provided with a laptop. Students who have exams next week will still be able to sit them in person at the school. Children of keyworkers and vulnerable pupils will continue going to school. Advertisement The bulk of the cases have been in the North West of England mostly in Bolton and Blackburn and in London but PHE said clusters were cropping up across the country. In England, 3,245 cases have now been confirmed, with another 136 in Scotland, 28 in Wales and 15 in Northern Ireland. Boris Johnson said earlier in the week he was confident the lockdown-easing roadmap could go ahead because he had seen data which suggested the Indian strain is unlikely to be 50 per cent more transmissible than the Kent variant, a figure quoted by SAGE last week. There is still no consensus about how virulent the strain truly is or what impact it will have on the national epidemic, with firmer evidence not expected for at least another week. SAGE adviser Professor Andrew Hayward warned yesterday that he believed the UK was on the cusp of a third wave, saying it had him 'very concerned'. Others, like Reading's Dr Clarke, believe the vaccines are so effective against the strain that it should not overwhelm the NHS. But Professor Hayward told the BBC yesterday: 'It has spread fairly effectively first of all within households and now more broadly within communities, so I don't really see why it wouldn't continue to spread in other parts of the country. 'There's still people who aren't vaccinated in high-risk groups, the vaccine isn't 100 per cent effective, and also even in the younger groups if you get many, many thousands or hundreds of thousands of cases, then you will expect a lot of hospitalisations and deaths to result from that. 'So that's the threat. And it's really over the next week or two we will see how much these outbreaks that at the moment are relatively localised, how much they become generalised across the population. And if that happens, that's when we're going to be much more worried.' Despite the warnings, ministers are believed to have gained confidence from the fact that, despite cases soaring in Bolton, they haven't rocketed quite the same in other hotspots. Top SAGE adviser Professor Neil Ferguson said earlier this week that the virus was spreading fast in the Greater Manchester town due to its large South Asian community and multi-generational households, as opposed to the virus being extremely virulent. He admitted the strain was likely to be more virulent than the Kent one, but that it would be much more 'manageable' if it turned out to be 20 or 30 per cent more transmissible, as opposed to 50 per cent. Ten per cent of all the infections in the UK yesterday were in Bolton, where the case rate has risen seven-fold in a month to more than 300 per 100,000 population - on par with the rate during the worst of the second wave. Blackburn and Bedford are the other two Indian variant hotspots were the overall Covid rate is also above 100 per 100,000. In the other hotspots cases are remaining flat in others and even falling in two Sefton and South Northamptonshire. Positive test figures from the Wellcome Sanger Institute which cover only lab-analysed cases in the two weeks between April 25 and May 8 reveal the mutant Indian strain made up 50 per cent or more of all samples in 23 parts of the country by last week. Bolton and Blackburn in the North West remain the worst-hit areas with almost 600 cases between them and the variant making up 81 per cent of infections While the Indian variant is spreading rapidly in pockets of the country, 60 per cent of local authorities in England have yet to record a case (shown in grey). But it is likely the variant has spread even further than the map suggests because the data only goes up to May 8. Experts have said they expect it to overtake the Kent strain and become dominant in the coming weeks and months It came as the Office for National Statistics found England's Covid outbreak may be on the rise amid surging cases of the Indian variant. ONS' swabbing survey found almost 50,000 people were infected with the virus on any day last week, up 20 per cent on the previous seven-day spell. The national body, whose estimates are watched closely by ministers, warned that it was starting to see a 'potential increase' despite infections remaining low overall at just one in 1,110. Its head of analytics for the Covid infection survey Sarah Crofts said: 'Although we have seen an early indication of a potential increase in England, rates remain low and it is too soon to say if this is the start of a trend.' But the figures came after data yesterday suggested the opposite, allaying fears the Indian variant was spiralling out of control. It came as the Office for National Statistics' weekly testing survey found national infections rose by 20 per cent last week, the first significant rise in cases since December. But case rates are so low that the ONS said it did not have high confidence in its estimate Covid cases in England may be on the rise: ONS data shows almost 50,000 people were infected on any day last week in 20% rise England's Covid outbreak may be on the rise amid surging cases of the Indian variant, Government statisticians estimated today despite separate data suggesting the national outbreak is flat. Office for National Statistics random swabbing found almost 50,000 people were infected with the virus on any day last week, up 20 per cent on the previous seven-day spell. The national body, whose estimates are watched closely by ministers, warned that it was starting to see a 'potential increase' despite infections remaining low overall at just one in 1,110. Its head of analytics for the Covid infection survey Sarah Crofts said: 'Although we have seen an early indication of a potential increase in England, rates remain low and it is too soon to say if this is the start of a trend.' But the figures came after data yesterday suggested the opposite, allaying fears the Indian variant was spiralling out of control. Public Health England found Covid cases had dropped in every region except the North West and in every age group except 5 to 9-year-olds. Separate analysis from King's College London found 2,270 Britons were catching symptomatic Covid last week, barely a change from the previous seven-day spell. PHE revealed there were 3,424 cases of the Indian variant identified yesterday, up 15 per cent in 24 hours. But Boris Johnson remains confident it should not derail plans for June 21 'freedom day' because it is not thought to be as transmissible as first feared. Covid cases are only surging in three of 23 hotspots for the Indian variant Bolton, Blackburn and Bedford but are remaining flat in others and even falling in two Sefton and South Northamptonshire. Advertisement Public Health England found Covid cases had dropped in every region except the North West and in every age group except 5 to 9-year-olds. Separate analysis from King's College London found 2,270 Britons were catching symptomatic Covid last week, barely a change from the previous seven-day spell. Covid cases did not fall in any of England's nine regions last week, results from the ONS' infection survey suggest. They may have risen slightly in the North East, Yorkshire and the Humber, West Midlands, East of England and the South East, results showed, but still remained at very low levels. London and the North West which are hotspots for the Indian variant were both estimated to have seen their Covid cases remain flat last week. Across age groups Covid cases were only predicted to have risen among 35 to 49-year-olds and over-70s, but remained at very low levels with a positivity rate of 0.15 and 0.11 per cent respectively. They fell among 12 to 24-year-olds (down to 0.20 per cent), and 50 to 69-year-olds (down to 0.03 per cent) who have all been offered at least one dose of the Covid vaccine. It came after PHE revealed last night that it had detected another mutant Covid variant in Yorkshire and the Humber, which it has assigned as a 'Variant Under Investigation'. The strain temporarily named AV.1 has been spotted 49 times so far and there is currently no evidence that it causes more severe disease or renders vaccines less effective. Its effect on transmission is not yet understood. Some newspapers carried reports of the new strain being a 'triple mutant' variant because it appears to have three key mutations. But Cambridge University immunologist Brian Ferguson described that description as 'meaningless', pointing out that the Kent variant has 23 mutations which separate it from the original strain that emerged in China. Greg Fell, director of public health in Sheffield, said his team had been monitoring AV.1 after PHE announced 49 cases. But Mr Fell stressed there is no evidence to suggest this strain is any more transmissible than other variants or that the vaccines do not work against it. Mr Fell issued a statement as Downing Street also said the emergence of this new variant will continue to be monitored. The Prime Minister's official spokesman said: 'There have been a number of variants throughout the pandemic and there will continue to be so. 'There are three mutations of the B1617 (Indian) strain, as I think has been discussed previously, but as we do with all variants where we spot and identify them through our genomic sequencing programme, we will continue to monitor them and we will designate them as variants under investigation, and then variants of concern if we deem them to be of greater risk. 'But again, as you've seen throughout the pandemic, that's what we've done and we won't hesitate to put in measures that we think are necessary to try and tackle the transmission of any variants.' Asked whether the discovery of the new variant would have an impact on the next stage of restrictions lifting on June 21, the spokesman said the five-week gap between measures relaxing would allow the variant to be monitored. He added: 'As the Prime Minister has said, we will continue to look at all the statistical evidence and data, and we'll set out our plans as soon as the data allows.' Mr Fell said in his statement: 'We have been monitoring VUI-21MAY-01 and we're managing this carefully as we do with all outbreaks across the city. 'There is no evidence to suggest this strain is any more transmissible than other strains identified in the UK and across the world, or to suggest the vaccine doesn't work against this strain. 'Please don't be alarmed, we want you to continue doing what you have been for the past year. Follow the guidance, continue to wash your hands regularly and wear a mask indoors.' Mr Fell said: 'We work very closely with NHS Test and Trace and Public Health England on these matters to make sure all appropriate public health interventions are being carried out, including any additional contact tracing and targeted testing. 'Where cases have been identified, additional follow-up of cases, testing of contacts and targeted case finding will be used to limit the spread of variants. He said: 'If you have symptoms of Covid-19 you should seek to have a PCR test as soon as possible. If you are tested positive then you and your household must stay at home and not leave the house for any reason for 10 days.' Meanwhile, it was reported that the Prime Minister told the influential 1922 committee this week that he was confident the planned June 21 easing could still go ahead despite the Indian variant spreading. 'I know there are anxieties about new variants,' he said according to The Times. 'But we can see nothing to suggest that we have to deviate from the roadmap.' 'I know there are anxieties about new variants,' he said. 'But we can see nothing to suggest that we have to deviate from the roadmap.' He added earlier in the day that there was 'increasing confidence' jabs are highly effective against all variants, including B.1.617.2. His comments are bolstered by the fact the emergence of the strain has not yet led to an uptick in hospital admissions or deaths. Scientists say the Indian variant may not be as transmissible as first feared because official data is beginning to hint the rise in cases of the mutant strain is slowing. They say the spike could be down to the virus spreading in multi-generational households, and people rushing home from India after the country was placed on the 'red list'. Professor Carl Heneghan, the director of the Centre for Evidence-based Medicine at Oxford University, told the Telegraph: 'How can it be the case that it is 40 per cent more transmissible when the numbers are falling off at the speed they are in India? 'We could be looking at a founder effect (when a strain is repeatedly imported from another outbreak area) and where you've got a small number of people having a bigger impact. 'India is actually looking more like the natural curve which happens in winter and has a high drop-off as opposed to flattening the curve.' India's cases have dropped by 27 per cent in a week. They recorded 267,334 on Tuesday, down from 348,421 cases at the same time last week. England's deputy chief medical officer Professor Van-Tam said last night: 'We have a credible range that goes from a few percent more transmissible through to... 50 per cent more transmissible. I think most people feel it is going to be somewhere in the middle, rather than at the extremes of that band.' Top scientists handed information to ministers this week which put the situation 'looking in better shape', a senior Government official told Politico, although they were 'obviously still waiting for more data'. A health official added: 'We are learning more about the variant almost every hour and the mood music has definitely improved'. SAGE models warn Covid hospitalisations could spiral to more than 20,000 a day if the June easings went ahead and the strain was found to be 50 per cent more transmissible. Government advisers also warned a variant that is 30 per cent more transmissible than the Kent variant could pile more pressure on the NHS than it suffered during the first wave last spring. A mass grave containing up to 40 bodies, most of them women, has been discovered at the house of a former cop-turned gang leader in El Salvador. The remains of at least 24 people have so far been recovered at the house in the municipality of Chalchuapa, northwest of the capital, San Salvador. Hugo Ernesto Osorio Chavez, whose home is on the same site as the graves, is one of at least 10 people facing charges, according to the office of the attorney general. El Salvador officials confirmed on Thursday that they were excavating graves discovered at the house of the former police officer that contained as many as 40 bodies, most of them believed to be women. The remains of at least 24 people have so far been recovered at the house (above) of a former cop-turned gang leader in Chalchuapa, northwest of the capital, San Salvador El Salvador officials confirmed they were excavating graves (above) found at the house of the former police officer that contained as many as 40 bodies, most of them believed to be women Hugo Ernesto Osorio Chavez, whose home is on the same site (pictured) as the graves, is one of at least 10 people facing charges, according to the office of the attorney general Former police officer Osorio Chavez, who has previously been investigated for sex crimes, was detained on May 8 as the main suspect in the murder of a woman and her daughter, after neighbours alerted the authorities. This led to police entering the 51-year-old's home, which faces a sugar cane field, where they began to uncover the bodies. Neither Osorio nor his lawyer could immediately be reached for comment. Justice and Security Minister Gustavo Villatoro said DNA samples were being collected from area residents who had a missing relative to see if it matched with any of the bodies. Osorio Chavez, who has been investigated for sex crimes, was detained on May 8 as the main suspect in the murder of a woman and her daughter. Pictured: Forensic expert at scene His arrest led to police entering his home, which faces a sugar cane field (pictured), where they began to uncover the bodies Families of missing people (pictured: ,Marleny Barrientos shows a picture of her son who went missing six years ago) who believed their relatives could be among the bodies, gathered outside the house on Thursday Justice and Security Minister Gustavo Villatoro said DNA samples were being collected from area residents who had a missing relative to see if it matched with any of the bodies Exhuming all of the bodies could take another month, while digging will continue in other parts of the property (pictured) during this time, authorities added He added that the depth of the holes suggested more than one person had taken part in the burials, according to Sky News. Exhuming all of the bodies could take another month, while digging will continue in other parts of the property during this time, authorities added. Families of missing people, who believed their relatives could be among the bodies, gathered outside the house on Thursday, as forensic workers removed skeletons from the ground. 'There's the hope of recognizing a family member, even among the corpses,' said Marleny Barrientos, 50, who carried a photograph of her son, who disappeared in 2015. 'That is why I'm here.' Forensic criminologist Israel Ticas said that digging will continue in other parts of the property, and estimated that the task could take more than a month. On Wednesday, a local judge ordered the arrest of 11 people linked to Osorio Chavez. The accomplices were accused of aggravated femicide and aggravated homicide. El Salvador's director of police, Mauricio Arriaza Chicas, said that Osorio Chavez had been fired from the police force back in 2015, and may have been killing people for a decade. On Wednesday, a local judge ordered the arrest of 11 people linked to Osorio Chavez (his home pictured). The accomplices were accused of aggravated femicide and aggravated homicide Forensic criminologist Israel Ticas said that digging will continue in other parts of the property (scene pictured), and estimated that the task could take more than a month Justice and Security Minister Gustavo Villatoro said that the depth of the holes suggested more than one person had taken part in the burials So far, authorities have prosecuted nine cases of aggravated femicide and another five cases of aggravated homicides in connection with the case (pictured: Forensic scientists at scene) The discovery of the mass grave (scene pictured) has brought the issue of femicides into focus in the Central American country of 6.7 million, which recorded 70 killings of women last year He continued: 'He told us that he found victims on social media and sought them out, luring them with the American dream. 'This psychopath has been detained and I believe that 99% of the people who assisted him have been detained.' So far, authorities have prosecuted nine cases of aggravated femicide and another five cases of aggravated homicides in connection with the case. The discovery of the mass grave has brought the issue of femicides into focus in the Central American country of 6.7 million, which recorded 70 killings of women last year. There were 111 in 2019, police data showed. Violence against women in Latin America worsened during the coronavirus pandemic, according to aid groups. Separately, in Mexico, a 72-year-old man was arrested this week as a suspected serial killer of women, local media reported. The remains of several people were found at his home in the State of Mexico during an investigation into the death of a 36-year-old woman. Detectives from the Metropolitan Police are assessing Lord Dyson's report on the BBC's 1995 Panorama interview with Diana, Princess of Wales to assess if there is any new evidence. Scotland Yard said in a statement that they had determined in March that 'it was not appropriate to begin a criminal investigation into allegations of unlawful activity in connection with a documentary broadcast in 1995, but should any significant new evidence emerge it would be assessed'. But they added today: 'Following the publication of Lord Dyson's report we will assess its contents to ensure there is no significant new evidence.' During an appearance on BBC Radio 4's Today programme on Friday it was put to the Justice Secretary that some people say the police should be involved following Lord Dyson's inquiry. Robert Buckland replied: 'That, of course, is a matter for the police and the independent prosecutorial authorities, and I'm not going to say anything to prejudge or to influence any such line of inquiry. 'But I think anybody reading the headlines and the summary of Lord Dyson's findings will be struck by his use of those words, fraud and deception and the like, and clearly those sort of issues, I'm afraid, could and do arise.' Asked if a second inquiry was needed to look at wider questions not in the remit of Lord Dyson's work, such as the handling of whistleblowers, Mr Buckland said: 'I think all of us need to carefully comb through the report and if indeed there are issues that specifically Lord Dyson wasn't able, due to the remit that he was given to look at, then there should be, and I'm sure there will be, an opportunity to do just that. ' Critics say the report had provided 'clear and unequivocal evidence' that must be pursued. Yesterday it emerged that Richard Ayre, the BBC's controller of editorial policy in 1995, believed Bashir, the BBC's former religion editor, may have committed a crime when he used fake bank statements to secure his interview with Diana. In evidence to Lord Dyson, Mr Ayre said: 'I have no doubt that if he did what is, as I understand it, alleged, that of course would have been unacceptable.' Richard Ayre, then BBC controller of editorial policy, believed Bashir may have committed a crime when he used fake bank slips to secure his 1995 interview with Princess Diana He suggested it would be a criminal offence to approach anyone with a forged document that defamed people. 'Of course it would have been indefensible,' he added. A lawyer for Earl Spencer's former head of security, Alan Waller, made an official complaint to Scotland Yard Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick in January alleging potential fraud. He accused Bashir of 'dishonest conduct' and said the BBC had 'benefited' while being aware that his actions were 'unlawful'. But after spending three months assessing the claims, police announced they would be taking no further action. That decision was described as a 'farce' yesterday by a former head of royal protection, who said many questions had been left unanswered. Ex-chief superintendent Dai Davies, who once led the Metropolitan Police royal protection unit, said: 'It seems to me there is clear and unequivocal evidence that the Met Police should be at the very least investigating these allegations. 'I simply cannot understand why they won't investigate given what I understand from the testimony may be a crime. 'It seems there's one rule for the BBC and one rule for the rest of us. Normally there would be a criminal inquiry before a civil inquiry. 'I'm absolutely flabbergasted that there was not enough basic evidence of forgery and fraud here. It beggars belief.' Richard Ayre, then BBC controller of editorial policy, believed Bashir may have committed a crime when he used fake bank slips to secure his 1995 interview with Princess Diana (above) Ex-chief superintendent Dai Davies said: 'It seems to me that there is clear and unequivocal evidence that the Met Police should be at the very least investigating these allegations' Mr Davies added: 'What is it the Met don't understand about the word dishonest? 'My concern is that others may have covered this up and if it was a crime, they may have conspired to conceal forged documents and that concealment could amount to conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.' Key conclusions of yesterday's bombshell report that brought shame on the BBC Metropolitan Police Commander Alex Murray, who leads the force on specialist crime, announced in March that legal advice had been sought from the Crown Prosecution Service and independent lawyers before it was decided not to launch a probe. The commander has previously come under fire for not pursuing another alleged scandal in 2019, after Virginia Roberts alleged she was trafficked to Britain by paedophile Jeffrey Epstein to have sex with Prince Andrew, who denies the claim. Yesterday, a Met spokesman said: 'In March 2021, the [force] determined it was not appropriate to begin a criminal investigation into allegations of unlawful activity in connection with a documentary broadcast in 1995 but should any significant new evidence emerge it would be assessed. 'Following the publication of Lord Dyson's report, we will assess its contents to ensure there is no significant new evidence.' Last night Prince Harry blasted the 1995 BBC Panorama interview with Princess Diana as 'unethical' while furious William said Martin Bashir's 'lurid and false claims' to secure it fuelled the 'paranoia and isolation' of their mother's final years. The Duke of Cambridge said Bashir's deceit in obtaining his 1995 interview with Princess Diana hastened his parents' divorce and 'hurt countless others' in an unprecedented broadside against the shamed BBC. In a statement last night, Prince William told of his 'indescribable sadness' that the controversial Panorama interview increased his mother's 'fear, paranoia and isolation' in her final years. Pictured: Diana with her sons His brother Prince Harry - who is based in California - also responded to Lord Dyson's damning report into how the interview was obtained, saying his mother 'lost her life because of this'. The Duke of Sussex thanked those who took 'some form of accountability' for 'owning it', but said 'the ripple effect of a culture of exploitation and unethical practices ultimately took [Diana's] life'. In a statement last night, Prince William laid bare his 'indescribable sadness' that his precious final years with his mother had been marred by the isolation the historic Panorama interview caused. What 'saddens' him the most was that should a 1996 investigation into claims Diana was hoodwinked by Bashir have been conducted 'properly', the princess would have known she was 'deceived' prior to her death in 1997, he claimed. He said the interview now held 'no legitimacy', had established a 'false narrative' for 25 years, and the BBCs failings had let his mother, his family and the public down. The Duke of Cambridge read his bombshell statement to camera in a courtyard at Kensington Palace his London residence and the home of his late mother. Both William and the Duke of Sussex yesterday received 'unconditional apology' letters from the BBC over Bashir's conduct and the subsequent cover-up now fully laid bare 25 years on. Buckingham Palace and Prince Charles' official residence Clarence House have also had correspondence, it can be revealed. Appearing on a Panorama special about the scandal last night, the princess's brother Earl Spencer linked his sister's death to the BBC and the crisis of trust he claimed that engulfed her after she was deceived by Bashir. His devastating verdict came as a judge ruled the shamed journalist hoodwinked the princess with an elaborate fiction that painted some of those closest to her as traitors. The 'rogue reporter' commissioned fake bank statements to secure his interview with Princess Diana - but covered up his 'deceitful behaviour' in a 'shocking blot' on the BBC's near 100-year history. The statements wrongly suggested that Earl Spencer's security boss was in the pay of tabloid journalists and a shadowy company linked to the security services. His lies landed the Panorama reporter the interview of the century and multiple awards - but hastened the end of Diana's marriage to Prince Charles and saw her stripped of her HRH status just two years before her death. Bashir maintained that despite the fake bank statements a note from Diana herself showed that she had not been affected by this in her decision to be interviewed by him - an interview of which he remained 'immensely proud'. Diana's brother Earl Spencer last night appeared on another Panorama special, titled: 'Princess Diana, Martin Bashir and the BBC' which aimed to lay bare the full extent of the scandal. In it, he says: 'The irony is I met Martin Bashir on the 31st of August 1995, because exactly two years later she died. And I do draw a line between the two events. 'It's quite clear from the introduction that I sat in on the 19th of September 1995 everyone was going to be made untrustworthy, and I think that Diana did lose trust in really key people. 'This is a young girl in her mid-30s who has lived this extraordinarily turbulent and difficult time in the public eye. 'She didn't know who to trust and in the end, when she died two years later, she was without any form of real protection.' Earl Spencer said 'rogue reporter' Bashir's strategy to get close his sister was to make 'everyone untrustworthy'. He said the journalist was 'very good at amplifying people's anxieties' and making one think he would 'save you in a difficult and dangerous world'. The BBC is also returning all awards the explosive interview accrued, including a Bafta TV gong won in 1996. Bashir announced he was stepping down from his role as the BBC News religion editor last week on health grounds. Patrick Jephson, the Princess of Wales' private secretary at the time, also appeared in last night's documentary. He told Panorama that Diana was 'cast adrift' from her 'royal support structure that had guided and safeguarded her for so many years' because of Bashir's claims and the fallout from the interview. Mr Jephson added: 'Inevitably it made her vulnerable to people who were unable properly to look after her.' The documentary also shows a note written from Diana to her brother Earl Spencer after he informed her of Bashir's elaborate allegations that she was being spied on. The note - addressed to the earl with Diana's pet name for her brother 'Carlos' - reads: 'Darling Carlos, I so appreciated the contents of our telephone call this morning, it all makes complete sense to what is going on around me at this present time. '"They" underestimate the Spencer strength! Lots of love from Duch x'. The programme also revealed a confidential internal BBC management document written by the outgoing head of TV Current Affairs, Tim Gardam. It states that Bashir had misled his bosses by denying he had shown the fake bank statements to anyone. The journalist later admitted that he had, in fact, shown them to Earl Spencer in order to 'foster' their relationship. A statement drawn up by former BBC director-general Tony Hall for the corporation's governors in April 1996 described the fakes as just 'graphics' and said Martin Bashir had no explanation for why he'd created them. He went on: 'I believe he is, even with his lapse, honest and an honourable man'. In the same statement to the BBC's governors, Mr Hall also acknowledged that Bashir regarded Spencer as 'the best route' to 'get to the Princess of Wales.' Film and theatre director and former BBC governor Sir Richard Eyre - who attended the April 1996 meeting - told Panorama that had Tony Hall disclosed to the governors that Bashir had lied, they would have insisted on a full inquiry. He said: 'The fact that Bashir lied should have been made clear to us, but in my memory, it never was. 'Constitutionally we, the governors, deserved at the very least to be given an honest report of what was going on. 'We can see now that the false bank statements were the lever that opened the doors to the access to Diana. 'If we had known at the time, there's no question that this would have been ruthlessly investigated, because [the governors] were very, very, very hot on a sense of propriety of the organisation.' A law student was left partially blind after a faulty phone charger exploded and sent a spark into her left eye as she plugged in her mobile phone. Esther Modede, 19, from Birmingham, West Midlands, noticed the wire of her phone charger looked a little damaged on the evening of April 27. Shortly afterwards, her phone and the charger started burning up as she noticed smoke coming from the wire. The wire then blew up with one of the sparks hitting Esther and leaving her unable to see out of her left eye. That night Esther spent four hours in hospital getting a bandage over her eye, which she had to keep on for three days, and was told by specialists at Birmingham City Hospital that the spark had damaged her cornea. The phone charger's wire (pictured right) blew up with one of the sparks hitting Esther and leaving her unable to see out of her left eye (left: smoke coming from the faulty phone charger) Esther Modede (pictured in hospital), 19, from Birmingham, West Midlands, noticed the wire of her phone charger looked a little damaged on the evening of April 27 Esther's eyesight still isn't back to normal after having the bandage removed, but she is slowly recovering. Esther said: 'I let my friend borrow my phone charger over the weekend and when I got it back it was slightly damaged. 'I didn't think anything of it so I plugged in my phone to charge and it started burning up. 'I didn't think it was going to get any worse and then as I was recording it, it started sparking. 'I then got a spark in my eye and I couldn't see very well at all. I didn't realise I was that close or that the spark would be able to enter my eye. I was extremely worried. 'Everything went blurry and when I closed my other eye I couldn't see very well. Esther (left and right, during her recovery) said: 'I got a spark in my eye and I couldn't see very well at all. I didn't realise I was that close or that the spark would be able to enter my eye. I was extremely worried' 'I had the bandage on my eye for three days. When I took the bandage off I couldn't see very clearly, but my sight has cleared up and is still healing.' She added: 'The surface of my eye was effected. 'The moment the spark hit my eye it shut and I felt it begin to swell. It was a hot sensation. The swelling and the blurring of my sight was worrying. 'My vision as of last week was still recovering but currently it's a lot better and I can now read when the other eye is shut.' Two newlyweds relaxing on an Australian beach thought a man escorted ashore in front of them was being arrested before they realised he was a shark attack victim. Perth couple Halley and Jacob Zurzulo filmed as Brett Highlands, 48, who had been attacked by a three metre tiger shark 50km away at Quandong Beach, was gingerly helped ashore at Cable Beach. 'This was happening right in front of us,' Mrs Zurzlolo posted on Facebook. Newlyweds Halley and Jacob Zurzolo watched on bemused as a man was escorted ashore at Cable Beach with police standing guard. It turned out he was a spearfisherman who had been attacked by a tiger shark 'It took us ages to figure out what was happening. It literally looked like someone was being arrested.' A police car sped across the sand in front of the Zurzolos, who were married six days earlier and were about to go for a swim before the scene unfolded in front of them. The attack happened at Quandong Beach, about 50km from Broome but the man, who was spearfishing, swam to his friends' boat where his arm was wrapped in a tourniquet. The group is understood to have called St John's Ambulance and met them at Cable Beach. 'He got brought down to Cable Beach from ages away by boat, and there was cops and detectives and rangers and paramedics,' Mrs Zurzolo said. The victim had 'deep lacerations to his forearm and hand', a St John Ambulance spokesman told The West Australian, which also published the Zurzolo's footage. In the video several men support the victim, who is in his wetsuit and unsteady but still able to walk. The 48-year-old spearfisherman was attacked at Quandong Beach near Cable Beach (pictured) north of Broome at 1:20pm local time The spearfisherman was attacked at 11.15am on Friday morning while diving with friends between 300m and 500m offshore. The man was being attended to by emergency services but was in a stable condition, breathing and speaking to paramedics. A witness told 6PR the victim seemed 'pretty chill' after the attack despite all the commotion. 'There was probably every cop in Broome just racing down the beach with the lifeguards,' he said. A man was been bitten on the arm by a three-metre tiger shark at Quandong Beach north of Broome on Friday morning 'They were racing on to a boat that was eventually a bit further up from Cable Beach Tavern. 'It was all pretty cool, calm and collected really. They just got him in the ambulance and drove off.' The beach remains closed as authorities attempt to find the shark and tag the shark before releasing it in deeper waters. Charles Cernobori, 59, was killed by a shark at the nearby Cable Beach last year while bodyboarding about 30metres from shore. A surfer in his 50s was fatally mauled by a 4.5m great white shark off Tuncurry Beach on the NSW mid-north coast on Tuesday morning. He was desperately warning friends of the danger when he was attacked. It was the first death by a shark in Australian waters this year. Advertisement Fresh clashes between Israeli security forces and Palestinians have broken out around Temple Mount and in the West Bank just hours after a fragile ceasefire with Hamas was declared. Israeli police fired tear gas at Palestinians attending Friday prayers at the Al-Aqsa mosque who hurled rocks in response, following a 'victory' parade through Jerusalem in which they chanted pro-Hamas slogans. Meanwhile, celebrations in the West Bank also turned into violent protests with Israeli security forces firing teargas at Palestinians near Bethlehem. Palestinians have taken to the streets to celebrate the ceasefire with a child sitting on the roof of a car brandishing a gun Both sides have declared victory and threatened to quickly resume hostilities if the situation deteriorates again - with Benjamin Netanyahu saying he is ready to respond 'with a new level of force' Thousands of people attended funerals of Palestinians who died during the past few days of the conflict between Hamas and Israel Mourners carried the bodies of members of teh Ezz-Al Din Al-Qassam Brigades who died during the bombing of a tunnel The flash-points provided an early test for a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas which only came into force at 2am today, following 11 days of fighting that killed 244 people The flash-points provided an early test for a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas which only came into force at 2am today, following 11 days of fighting that killed 244 people. Despite the clashes the truce held through Friday morning, with no rocket or bombing attacks reported. Both sides have declared victory and threatened to quickly resume hostilities if the situation deteriorates again - with Benjamin Netanyahu saying he is ready to respond 'with a new level of force'. Meanwhile Hamas said 'our finger is on the trigger' if Israel crosses a 'red line', pointing to violence around Al-Aqsa mosque as an example. Netanyahu is facing criticism from his right-wing base that fighting with Hamas was ended too early, before the IDF was able to take out any of its top targets in Hamas's leadership. But the Israeli Prime Minister hit back in a speech, saying Hamas had paid 'a heavy price' while claiming 200 fighters had been killed in Israeli airstrikes and shelling that had also destroyed 62 miles of tunnels and severely limited the group's abilities to launch rocket attacks. He said Israel had done 'daring and new things, and this without being dragged into unnecessary adventures.' He added that Israeli forces had caused 'maximum damage to Hamas with a minimum of casualties in Israel.' These satellite images show the damage caused during the attacks in Gaza City following the Israeli attacks Later images showed some of the larger buildings in the area destroyed following a series of Israeli air strikes Israeli police fire tear gas at crowds of Palestinians gathered on Temple Mount at Al-Aqsa mosque for Friday prayers, following a 'victory' parade through the city to celebrate the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel Police were also pictured firing tear gas at demonstrators near Bethlehem as impromptu celebrations turned to violence Israeli security forces stand in position during clashes with Palestinians at the compound that houses Al-Aqsa Mosque Israeli security forces clash with Palestinians at the compound that houses Al-Aqsa Mosque, known to Muslims as Noble Sanctuary and to Jews as Temple Mount Israeli security forces and Palestinian Muslim worshippers clash in Jerusalem's al-Aqsa mosque compound Fresh clashes between Palestinians and Israeli police broke out at Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa mosque compound today, in the latest unrest at the sensitive religious site Israeli security forces and Palestinian Muslim worshippers clash in Jerusalem's al-Aqsa mosque compound Fresh clashes between Palestinians and Israeli police broke out at Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa mosque compound today, in the latest unrest at the sensitive religious site Israeli security forces and Palestinian Muslim worshippers clash in Jerusalem's al-Aqsa mosque compound Palestinians react as Israeli security forces throw stun grenade during clashes at the compound that houses Al-Aqsa Mosque Israeli security forces and Palestinian Muslim worshippers clash in Jerusalem's al-Aqsa mosque compound Spontaneous celebrations that broke out in Jerusalem and the West Bank on Friday morning threatened to turn into flash-points as the day wore on, with police firing tear gas at Palestinians near Bethlehem Photojournalists and Palestinian demonstrators run away from tear gas fired by Israeli forces in Bethlehem Muslim worshippers wave thew Palestinian and the Hamas flag during clashes with Israeli security forces in Jerusalem's al-Aqsa mosque compound Muslim worshippers gather in Jerusalem's al-Aqsa mosque compound ahead of Friday prayers Fresh clashes between Palestinians and Israeli police broke out at Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa mosque compound today, in the latest unrest at the sensitive religious site Israeli police accused Palestinians of instigating the violence by throwing rocks, and said officers fired tear gas back Palestinians hold a 'victory' parade at the Jerusalem compound which houses both the Al-Aqsa mosque and Dome of the Rock Palestinian Muslim worshippers gather in Jerusalem's al-Aqsa mosque compound for Friday prayers Israeli security forces and Palestinian Muslim worshippers clash in Jerusalem's al-Aqsa mosque compound Israeli security forces detain a man at the entrance of Jerusalem's al-Aqsa mosque compound Israeli security forces are pictured in Jerusalem's al-Aqsa mosque compound, the third holiest site of Islam Palestinian journalist Alaa Shimali clears debris of his house, destroyed in Israeli attacks, in Gaza City as people pick up the pieces following 11 days of fighting between Israel and Hamas Palestinians who have returned to their neighbourhood, assess the damage in their home hit by Israeli bombardment in Gaza City, after a ceasefire brokered by Egypt between Israel and Hamas came into effect A Palestinian woman who has returned to her neighbourhood, cooks a meal in what remains of her home, hit by Israeli bombardment in Gaza City A Palestinian family eat meal near their destroyed house after 'mutual and simultaneous' cease-fire deal between Israel and Hamas reached with Egypt mediation took effect at 2am Benjamin Netanyahu claimed victory following the fighting on Friday, saying Hamas had paid a 'heavy price' for its attacks on Israel and that he would not hesitate to attack again with 'a new level of force' In the meantime, the truce provides both side with an opportunity to count the cost. In Gaza, the health authority said 243 Palestinians including 66 children have been killed, with more than 1,900 injured including 560 children. The WHO put the number of injured significantly higher, at 8,600. In addition, another 25 Palestinians were killed in the West Bank, the Palestinian health authority said, with Israel saying five were shot after attempting to ram or stab Israeli soldiers at checkpoints. Hamas says a total of 1,447 homes including 205 residential buildings have been hit or completely destroyed, while government buildings, water pipe, electrical cables, generators, and mosques have also been damaged. Israel says 12 people were killed in its territory, including one Israeli child, one Arab Israeli teenager and her father, one Indian, and two Thai nationals. 357 people have been wounded by rockets. Of 4,070 rockets fired by Palestinian armed groups towards Israel, around 90 percent were intercepted by Israel's air defence system, the military says. 2,061 claims received for homes hit by rockets and 1,367 more for cars in southern and central Israel, according to the Israel Tax Authority, which deals with compensations. Israel said its airstrikes destroyed more than 60 miles of Hamas tunnels, along with rocket batteries and a 'suicide submarine'. It also shot down drones and its Iron Dome defences destroyed thousands of Hamas missiles. Hamas attacks largely destroyed civilian targets, including homes and a factory. Like the three previous conflicts between the bitter enemies, the latest round of fighting ended inconclusively. Netanyahu has been keen to declare victory, but is facing accusations from his base that the operation was ended too soon, before the IDF had taken out any of its top targets among Hamas's leadership. Meanwhile Hamas failed to cause major damage to Israel due to its Irone Dome defences which took down thousands of rockets, but was able to keep up the fire despite nightly bombing raids by the IDF. The decision to call a ceasefire came mostly due to international pressure, particularly from the US and France. President Joe Biden on Thursday hailed the impending cease-fire in the fighting between Israel and Hamas, saying he sees a 'genuine opportunity' toward the larger goal of building a lasting peace in the Middle East. Biden credited the Egyptian government with playing a crucial role in brokering the cease-fire and said he and top White House aides were intensely involved in an 'hour by hour' effort to stop the bloodletting. 'I believe the Palestinians and Israelis equally deserve to live safely and securely and enjoy equal measures of freedom, prosperity and democracy,' Biden said. 'My administration will continue our quiet, relentless diplomacy toward that.' Britain welcomed a ceasefire announced by Israel and Hamas and called on all sides to work to make it durable and 'end the unacceptable cycle of violence' in the region. Prime Minister Boris Johnson tweeted a call for leaders in the region to 'find a durable solution' that 'prevents terrorism, ends the cycle of violence and delivers a sustainable and just peace'. 'All sides must work to make the ceasefire durable and end the unacceptable cycle of violence and loss of civilian life,' UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said on Twitter, adding that Britain supports 'efforts to bring about peace'. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi in a tweet early on Friday thanked U.S. President Joe Biden for his role in making the Egyptian initiative for a ceasefire in Gaza succeed. A Palestinian woman reacts as she stands on the debris of her destroyed house in Gaza City A view of destroyed houses after 'mutual and simultaneous' cease-fire deal between Israel and Hamas reached with Egypt mediation took effect at 2am A security officer directs vehicles as Palestinians return to their destroyed houses following 11 days of fighting Palestinians on a motorcycle pass by destroyed buildings in Gaza City as life returns to some form of normality Municipal workers clear debris from a street as Palestinians return to their destroyed houses Palestinians inspect the destroyed building housing the offices of The Associated Press and other media, after it was hit last week by Israeli airstrike, in Gaza City A digger moves in to clear away rubble of destroyed buildings in Beit Hanun, on the northern Gaza Strip, after a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel took effect This aerial view taken on May 21 shows a neighbourhood in Beit Hanun in the northern Gaza Strip, that was targeted by Israeli air strikes during the recent military conflict between A view shows the remains of a tower building destroyed by Israeli missile strikes in the recent cross-border violence A Palestinian woman looks out after returning to her house which was destroyed by Israeli strikes in the recent cross-border violence between Palestinian militants and Israel A Palestinian man rests amidst the debris after returning to his damaged house following Israel-Hamas truce, in Beit Hanoun Dresses hang in the window of a destroyed shop in Gaza City as life returns to a semblance of normality following a ceasefire Palestinians return to their destroyed houses as a ceasefire declared early on Friday held through the morning A badly-damaged street in Gaza City is seen as Palestinians return to the streets following days of Israeli airstrikes A view of the damage caused to buildings in Gaza City after 11 days of Israeli airstrikes and shelling Two Palestinians on a horse-drawn cart carry fruit and vegetables into a destroyed neighbourhood in Gaza City Sisi said he and President Biden both saw the urgency of managing the conflict between all parties with diplomacy. Egyptian efforts to broker a ceasefire between Israelis and Palestinians went into effect early on Friday. Turkey has welcomed the cease-fire in Gaza but is also calling for a two-state solution to ensure a permanent end to the conflict. A Turkish Foreign Ministry statement on Friday said Turkey expects the international community, and especially the U.N. Security Council, 'to act in order to bring a complete end to the persecution' of Palestinians. The ministry said: 'In order to prevent the recurrence of the pain and tears in Palestine, it is necessary to ensure that Israel is made accountable internationally for its crimes and lifts the inhumane blockade imposed on Gaza.' The statement also called for an end to the 'Israeli occupation' of Palestinian territories in order to achieve a lasting, fair and comprehensive solution, and added that Turkey would continue to support the Palestinians' 'just cause.' PRESIDENT BIDEN WELCOMES CEASE-FIRE IN ISRAEL President Joe Biden on Thursday hailed the impending cease-fire in the fighting between Israel and Hamas, saying he sees a 'genuine opportunity' toward the larger goal of building a lasting peace in the Middle East. Biden credited the Egyptian government with playing a crucial role in brokering the cease-fire and said he and top White House aides were intensely involved in an 'hour by hour' effort to stop the bloodletting. 'I believe the Palestinians and Israelis equally deserve to live safely and securely and enjoy equal measures of freedom, prosperity and democracy,' Biden said. 'My administration will continue our quiet, relentless diplomacy toward that.' The president spoke soon after Israel and Hamas announced a cease-fire would go into effect at 2 a.m. Friday, ending an 11-day war that caused widespread destruction in the Gaza Strip and brought life in much of Israel to a halt. The fighting killed at least 227 in Gaza and 12 in Israel. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said Israel accepted the Egyptian proposal after a late-night meeting of his Security Cabinet. Hamas quickly followed suit and said it would honor the deal. Biden, who spoke to Netanyahu six times in the last 11 days, said Thursday the prime minister credited the Iron Dome missile defense system with limiting the death toll inside Israel. The system is designed to intercept and destroy short-range rockets and artillery shells. Biden said he assured Netanyahu that his administration would work to quickly restock the missile defense system. Biden credited the Egyptian government with playing a crucial role in brokering the cease-fire and said he and top White House aides were intensely involved in an 'hour by hour' effort to stop the bloodletting The cease-fire was announced one day after Biden told Netanyahu in a telephone call that he expected 'significant de-escalation' of the fighting by day's end, according to the White House. But the prime minister came right back with a public declaration that he was 'determined to continue' the Gaza operation 'until its objective is achieved.' Hours before the cease-fire agreement was reached, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said the Israelis had 'achieved significant military objectives' in their strikes intended to degrade Hamas military capabilities and reiterated that Biden expected the Israelis to start 'winding down' their operations. 'We believe the Israelis have achieved significant military objectives that they laid out to achieve in relation to protecting their people and to responding to the thousands of rocket attacks from Hamas,' Psaki said. Biden, who studiously avoided extensive public comment about the Israeli military strikes through the 11-day conflict, was facing mounting pressure from fellow Democrats to speak out against the Israelis as the death toll climbed in Gaza and tens of thousands of Palestinians were displaced by the aerial bombardment. Throughout the crisis, Biden, in carefully-worded statements and brief exchanges with reporters, underscored Israel's right to defend itself. But as the death toll and suffering of innocent bystanders in Gaza spread, the position was becoming more difficult to sustain with his Democratic caucus and the international community. On Tuesday, while in Michigan to visit a Ford facility, Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib confronted Biden on the Detroit airport tarmac and called on him to speak out forcefully against the Israeli strikes. Meanwhile, Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York introduced resolutions to block the sale of $735 million in military weaponry to Israel that's already been approved by the Biden administration. As the outside calls for Biden to speak more forcefully grew, Biden and top aides privately made the case to Israeli officials that time wasn't on their side in the court of public opinion. Administration officials pointed to Hezbollah's stature rising in the region after their 34-day war with Israel in 2006 to make the case for limiting the time of the military action. Israeli officials pushed back that a slightly prolonged campaign to degrade Hamas' military capabilities was necessary and in their interest, according a person familiar with the talks who was not authorized to discuss them publicly. Hamas had sought to portray their rocket barrages as a defense of Jerusalem. Israeli officials made the case to the White House that Hamas' message lost resonance as mob violence against Arabs in mixed Israeli cities, including Lod, was tamped down. Biden, in his remarks Thursday, reiterated that United States continues to 'fully support Israel's right to defend itself against indiscriminate rocket attacks' by Hamas and other Gaza-based militants. Biden also offered condolences for Palestinian lives lost during the conflict and vowed humanitarian aid would quickly flow through the Palestinian Authority, which is in control of the West Bank but not Gaza. 'We will do this in full partnership with the Palestinian Authority, not Hamas ... and in a manner that does not permit Hamas to simply restock its military arsenal,' Biden said. Advertisement Israel had launched hundreds of airstrikes that it says have targeted Hamas' infrastructure, including a vast tunnel network. Hamas and other militant groups embedded in residential areas have fired more than 4,000 rockets at Israeli cities, with hundreds falling short and most of the rest intercepted. Rocket attacks by Hamas and allied Islamic Jihad had resumed after an eight-hour pause on Thursday, as Israel continued shelling that it said aimed to destroy the factions' military capabilities and deter them from future confrontation after the current conflict. In a statement, Netanyahu's office said the Security Cabinet unanimously approved the proposal after recommendations from the military chief of staff and other top defense officials. The statement boasted of 'significant achievements in the operation, some of which are unprecedented' and included a veiled threat against Hamas. 'The political leaders emphasized that the reality on the ground will determine the future of the campaign,' the statement said. Taher Nounou, a Hamas official, confirmed the deal. 'The Palestinian resistance will commit itself to this deal as long as the occupation is committed,' he said. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Thursday he would be prepared to travel to the Middle East, as he headed home from an Arctic tour overshadowed by Israeli-Palestinian fighting. 'I am prepared at any time to go to Israel, to the Middle East, if that would serve the purpose of moving beyond the violence and helping to work on improving lives for Israelis and Palestinians alike,' Blinken said at a press conference in Greenland. He said that he had pushed for a 'de-escalation on the path to a ceasefire' in a phone call with Israeli Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict had topped journalists' questions at Blinken's public appearances in Denmark and at the Arctic Council in Iceland, where he also met his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov. He spoke to leaders on both sides, as well as from Arab nations with influence over Hamas, from hotel rooms and the aeroplane in the scramble for a ceasefire. Now 'if there's a good time' to travel to the Middle East 'that's certainly something I intend to do,' Blinken said without naming a date White House press secretary Jen Psaki said reports of a move toward a ceasefire were 'clearly encouraging'. She said the US was trying 'to do everything we can to bring an end to the conflict'. Earlier, Israel had unleashed a new wave of airstrikes across the Gaza Strip as Hamas fired more rockets into Israel. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he spoke to Israeli Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi by phone on Thursday during a visit to Greenland, and reiterated the message that the United States expects to see a 'de-escalation on the path to a ceasefire' between Israel and the Palestinians. Blinken said there was a deep and shared concern around the world for the deaths of Palestinians and Israelis and Washington's goal remains to end the violence. The public broadcaster Kan said the fighting was to halt immediately, while other TV channels said it would go into effect at 2am. There was no immediate reaction from Hamas. It comes after Israel had unleashed a new wave of airstrikes across the Gaza Strip on Thursday and Hamas fired more rockets into Israel, despite growing signs that the sides were close to a cease-fire that would end 11 days of heavy fighting. In an apparent sign of progress, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened an emergency meeting of his Security Cabinet, where the issue of a cease-fire was expected to be debated. An Egyptian official said Israel has informed his government, which is mediating a truce, that it intends to end its military operations in Gaza. Speaking on condition of anonymity because he was discussing behind-the-scenes diplomacy, he said an announcement was expected following the Security Cabinet meeting. The official spoke shortly after Egypt's President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi talked by phone with President Joe Biden. The two leaders discussed ways to stop violence in the Palestinian Territories, el-Sissi's office said. In Washington, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said reports of a move toward a ceasefire were 'clearly encouraging.' She said the U.S. was trying 'to do everything we can to bring an end to the conflict.' With U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urging an immediate cease-fire, a U.N. Mideast envoy was in the Gulf state of Qatar to help with efforts to restore calm, a diplomatic official said. Energy-rich Qatar often helps mediate between Israel and Hamas and has donated hundreds of millions of dollars for development and humanitarian projects in Gaza in recent years. The diplomat spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the matter with the media. Osama Hamdan, a top Hamas official based in Lebanon, also said he expected a cease-fire within the coming day. Biden on Wednesday publicly pressed Netanyahu to wind down the operation. The Israeli leader initially pushed back, appearing determined to inflict maximum damage on Hamas in a war that could help save his political career. But by Thursday evening, Israeli media were reporting that a cease-fire agreement was expected to take effect by early Friday, perhaps sooner. Despite the signs of progress, fighting continued into the evening, with Israeli airstrikes on targets in Gaza and Palestinian militants firing rockets toward Israeli cities. In past rounds of violence, fighting has picked up in the final hours, with each side trying to eke out a final achievement before a cease-fire went into effect. Earlier Thursday, explosions shook Gaza City and orange flares lit up the pre-dawn sky, with bombing raids also reported in the central town of Deir al-Balah and the southern town of Khan Younis. As the sun rose, residents surveyed the rubble from at least five family homes destroyed in Khan Younis. Heavy airstrikes also hit a commercial thoroughfare in Gaza City. The Israeli military said it struck at least three homes of Hamas commanders in Khan Younis and another in Rafah, targeting 'military infrastructure,' as well as a weapons storage unit at a home in Gaza City. On Wednesday, Biden told Israel on Wednesday that he expected 'a significant de-escalation today on the path to a cease-fire' - but Netanyahu pushed back, saying he was 'determined to continue this operation until its aim is met.' Palestinians carry a model of the Dome of the Rock, Judaism's holiest site, which sits opposite the Al-Aqsa mosque on Temple Mount in Jerusalem, where the latest round of fighting started People take to the streets to celebrate following a ceasefire brokered by Egypt between Israel and the ruling Islamist movement Hamas in the Gaza Strip Palestinians celebrated on the streets of Gaza overnight after Hamas and Israel declared a ceasefire starting from 2am, bringing to an end 11 days of fighting that killed 244 people Gaza has been pounded by nightly airstrikes since May 10 that have largely kept Palestinians inside their homes, but thousands flooded the streets to celebrate in the early hours of Friday as fighting stopped People fired guns into the air and shouted 'Allahu Akbar' as mosque loudspeakers proclaimed 'victory over the occupation [Israel]' amid jubilant scenes in Gaza overnight Palestinians gather for a celebration after 'mutual and simultaneous' cease-fire deal between Israel and Hamas reached with Egypt mediation took effect at 2am Friday Palestinians celebrate on the streets of Rafah, Gaza Strip, after a ceasefire with Israel came into effect - allowing them to safely leave their homes for the first time in 11 days Crowds gather on the streets of Rafah to celebrate after a ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel took effect A Palestinian man drives through the streets of Gaza, brandishing a machine-gun out of his car window as his children make V for victory signs while poking their heads out of the sunroof Palestinians celebrate in the streets following a ceasefire, in the southern Gaza Strip Palestinians celebrate in the streets following a ceasefire, in the southern Gaza Strip It marked the first public rift between the two close allies since the fighting began and posed a difficult test of the U.S.-Israel relationship early in Biden's presidency. Visiting the region, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said Israel has 'the right to defend itself against such unacceptable attacks.' But he also expressed concern about the rising number of civilian victims and voiced support for truce efforts. Even as the diplomatic efforts appeared to gather strength, an Israeli airstrike smashed into the Khawaldi family's two-story house in Khan Younis, destroying it. The 11 residents, who were sleeping outside the home out of fear, were all hospitalized, said Shaker al-Khozondar, a neighbor. Shrapnel also hit his own home, killing his aunt and wounding her daughter and two other relatives, he said. Al-Khozondar spoke from the bedroom where his aunt Hoda died. The windows were shattered and the bed pillows and rubble stained with blood. Weam Fares, a spokesman for a nearby hospital, confirmed the death and said at least 10 people were wounded in strikes overnight. Heavy airstrikes also pummeled a street in the Jabaliya refugee camp in northern Gaza, destroying ramshackle homes with corrugated metal roofs nearby. The military said it struck two underground launchers in the camp used to fire rockets at Tel Aviv. The current round of fighting between Israel and Hamas began May 10, when the militant group fired long-range rockets toward Jerusalem after days of clashes between Palestinian protesters and Israeli police at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, a flashpoint site sacred to Jews and Muslims. Heavy-handed police tactics at the compound and the threatened eviction of dozens of Palestinian families by Jewish settlers had inflamed tensions. Since then, Israel has launched hundreds of airstrikes that it says have targeted Hamas' infrastructure, including a vast tunnel network. Hamas and other militant groups embedded in residential areas have fired over 4,000 rockets at Israeli cities, with hundreds falling short and most of the rest intercepted. Fighting broke out on May 10 after days of clashes between Palestinians and Israeli security forces around the Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem, which prompted Hamas to fire a rocket salvo at Israel (pictured) Israel responded with airstrikes and artillery fire, with nightly raids in and around Gaza targeting networks of Hamas tunnels Israel said its strikes targeted Hamas fighting tunnels, rocket batteries, and offices - though at least 65 children and 35 women were killed in the fighting An Israeli artillery gun fires towards targets inside Gaza during fighting earlier this week, which left 244 people dead Israel said it had destroyed more than 60 miles of Hamas tunnels inside Gaza, which are used by militants to hide from airstrikes and to launch surprise attacks on Israeli troops in the event of a ground invasion At least 230 Palestinians have been killed, including 65 children and 39 women, with 1,710 people wounded, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which does not break the numbers down into fighters and civilians. Hamas and militant group Islamic Jihad say at least 20 of their fighters have been killed, while Israel says the number is at least 130. Some 58,000 Palestinians have fled their homes. Twelve people in Israel, including a 5-year-old boy, a 16-year-old girl and a soldier, have been killed. The military said an anti-tank missile fired from Gaza hit an empty bus near the frontier on Thursday, lightly wounding an Israeli soldier. Since the fighting began, Gaza's infrastructure, already weakened by a 14-year blockade, has rapidly deteriorated. Medical supplies, water and fuel for electricity are running low in the territory, on which Israel and Egypt imposed the blockade after Hamas seized power in 2007. Israeli bombing has damaged over 50 schools across the territory, according to advocacy group Save the Children, completely destroying at least six. While repairs are done, education will be disrupted for nearly 42,000 children. Israeli attacks have also damaged at least 18 hospitals and clinics and destroyed one health facility, the World Health Organization said. Nearly half of all essential drugs have run out. A Canadian army gunner has been court martialled after allegedly distributing cannabis-laced cupcakes to members of an artillery unit - during a live-fire exercise. Court documents allege that the unsuspecting troops suffered sudden onset paranoia, fatigue and confusion after eating the cupcakes. Bombardier Chelsea Cogswell is facing a total of 18 charges consisting of eight counts of administering a noxious substance, nine counts of conduct to the prejudice of good order and discipline, and one count of behaving in a disgraceful manner, CTV News reports. A Canadian army gunner has been court martialled after allegedly distributing cannabis-laced cupcakes to members of an artillery unit (stock image) According to a military judge's summary of the charges, the affected soldiers were left unable to 'properly execute safe weapons and explosive handling drills'. The allegations, from 2018, concern an incident at the Canadian army's Combat Training Centre at CFB Gagetown, New Brunswick. At the time, Cogswell had been working in the canteen during an intensive three-week combat training scenario with the Royal Canadian Artillery School, called Exercise Common Gunner. Cogswell allegedly handed out cupcakes containing cannabis to her colleagues in her battery. Court documents said: 'All the members of W Battery who consumed the cupcakes, except one, allegedly experienced symptoms which included dehydration, overheating, fatigue, confusion, dry mouth and paranoia.' Every soldier was treated by medical staff and the military police were called in to investigate the incident. According to a military judge's summary of the charges, the affected soldiers were left unable to 'properly execute safe weapons and explosive handling drills' (stock image) A spokesperson for the Judge Advocate Generals office said that Cogswell was not serving in a supervisory role with the artillery school at the time of the alleged offence, and she remains a Canadian Armed Forces member. The spokesperson also said that this incident represents the first court martial for allegedly administering cannabis to colleagues without consent. Cogswell, who has served with the Canadian Army's regular forces since June 2011 will face the court martial in August. BBC royal correspondent Nicholas Witchell revealed today that he was told to 'back off' from speaking to Princess Diana, to give his colleague Martin Bashir a 'clear run'. Mr Witchell, who has worked for the BBC for 45 years, said he had been twice due to visit Princess Diana to discuss the Panorama interview before it took place in 1995. But the 67-year-old was told by Steve Hewlett, then editor of Panorama, to step back so that Mr Bashir could secure the interview while working on a 'confidential basis'. Mr Witchell, who became royal correspondent three years later in 1998, said he was told the matter had to be kept 'secret from the Kensington Palace authorities'. Interviewed about Lord Dyson's report on BBC Breakfast today, Mr Witchell said: 'I was due twice to go and meet Princess Diana to discuss the Panorama interview. BBC royal correspondent Nicholas Witchell revealed on BBC Breakfast today that he was told to 'back off' from speaking to Princess Diana to give his colleague Martin Bashir a 'clear run' BBC Breakfast presenter Charlie Stayt spoke to royal correspondent Mr Witchell this morning 'But I was then instructed on September 2, 1995 by the then-editor of Panorama, Stephen Hewlett, to back off so that a man called Martin Bashir could be given a clear run. 'And it was explained to me that Martin Bashir was working on a confidential basis and that it was necessary to keep this matter secret from the Kensington Palace authorities. Diana's sons delither scathing criticism of BBC following inquiry William and Harry have condemned the BBC for its treatment of Diana, Princess of Wales, saying their mother's Panorama interview fuelled her 'fear, paranoia and isolation' and a wider 'culture of exploitation and unethical practices ultimately took her life'. The furious royal brothers issued scathing statements on the corporation's actions after an inquiry found the broadcaster covered up 'deceitful behaviour' used by journalist Martin Bashir to secure his headline-making interview with their mother in 1995. Bashir was in 'serious breach' of the BBC's producer guidelines when he faked bank statements and showed them to Diana's brother Earl Spencer to gain access to the princess, a report by Lord Dyson said. The findings of the 127-page document have prompted developments, with Scotland Yard, which previously said it would not launch a criminal investigation into Bashir's actions, now saying it will 'assess' the report to 'to ensure there is no significant new evidence'. Justice Secretary Robert Buckland said ministers would be looking into whether there were BBC governance issues outside of the remit of Lord Dyson's reports that needed reviewing. Advertisement 'And I have to say I have always wondered in the years since then how it was that Martin Bashir succeeded in getting alongside the Princess. 'Well, now we know.' It comes after the official inquiry concluded yesterday that the BBC covered up the 'deceitful behaviour' Mr Bashir used to secure the interview with Diana and 'fell short of high standards of integrity and transparency'. Today, Mr Witchell said: 'I think there are implications for the BBC, and that's not a subject for me to speculate about. 'This will take some days now for it to settle down and for people to look at the damage that has been done, but there is very considerable damage to the BBC's reputation and that is a matter of very considerable regret for all of us who work for the BBC, for all of us who've worked for BBC News over the decades, to think that this one 'rogue reporter', as he's been described 'The funny thing is he used to sit just behind me in the New Broadcasting House in London, but he and I have never discussed what happened 25 years ago, and, again, now we may understand why there is a reluctance on his part to do so.' Lord Dyson's report revealed that BBC producer Mike Robinson wrote to Patrick Jephson, Diana's private secretary, in August 1995, asking whether it would be possible to meet her 'to discuss an idea that would involve Her Royal Highness'. He mentioned Mr Witchell as the 'person the BBC had in mind for such a meeting'. At the time, Mr Witchell had been a news correspondent with Panorama before being appointed in May 1995 as one of the BBC's diplomatic correspondents. Lord Dyson wrote: 'It is clear that Princess Diana was now very keen to talk to the BBC. I have no evidence of the reason for the change in her attitude to the idea of talking to the BBC. 'It is possible that it was, in part at least, as a result of the Prince Charles interview and the continuing media interest in the marriage.' Mr Witchell told the inquiry that the BBC decided to approach Diana through her private secretary following a suggestion by Baroness Margaret Jay, who knew the Princess through the National Aids Trust which she supported. Diana, Princess of Wales, during her interview with Martin Bashir for the BBC in 1995 Martin Bashir (above) was in 'serious breach' of BBC guidelines when he faked bank statements and showed them to Diana's brother Earl Spencer to gain access to the princess, a report said Steve Hewlett was the editor of Panorama at the time of the Diana interview. He died in 2017 Mr Witchell said he told Baroness Jay that the BBC were looking for an interview focusing on Diana's charitable work and exploring the role she sought for herself. Police will 'assess' contents of report The Metropolitan Police have said they will 'assess' the contents of Lord Dyson's report on the BBC's 1995 Panorama interview with Diana, Princess of Wales, 'to ensure there is no significant new evidence', after previously deciding not to begin a criminal investigation. Scotland Yard said in a statement that they had determined in March that 'it was not appropriate to begin a criminal investigation into allegations of unlawful activity in connection with a documentary broadcast in 1995, but should any significant new evidence emerge it would be assessed'. They added: 'Following the publication of Lord Dyson's report we will assess its contents to ensure there is no significant new evidence.' Advertisement A member of BBC staff called Nicki Cockell then sent Diana a memo saying that the meeting with Mr Witchell was likely to be at 3pm on September 5. Diana wrote a note on this, saying: 'I am v. keen to be in this meeting, so please let me know when possible, the time'. Lord Dyson wrote in the report: 'For reasons that do not concern me, the editor of Panorama, Steve Hewlett, who sadly died in February 2017, seems to have decided to replace Mr Witchell with Mr Bashir as the person to take the Princess Diana interview project forward. 'Mr Witchell therefore withdrew from the planned meeting with the Princess. By his deceitful behaviour, therefore, Mr Bashir succeeded in engineering the meeting that led to the interview. 'But it is important to add that Princess Diana would probably have agreed to be interviewed by Mr Witchell, or a BBC journalist of similar experience and reputation, even without the intervention of Mr Bashir. 'It is clear that by early to mid-August 1995 at the latest, she was very keen on the idea. This was some time before Mr Bashir's first meeting with Earl Spencer on August 31, 1995.' Mr Witchell famously irked the Royal Family in 2005 when he asked Prince Charles at a Swiss ski resort how he and his sons were feeling about his marriage to Camilla. After William responded, Charles said under his breath in reference to Mr Witchell: 'These bloody people. I can't bear that man. I mean, he's so awful, he really is.' Mr Witchell famously irked the Royal Family in 2005 when he asked Prince Charles at a Swiss ski resort how he and his sons were feeling about his upcoming marriage to Camilla The Daily Mail's front page on April 1, 2005 after Charles said under his breath in reference to Mr Witchell: 'These bloody people. I can't bear that man. I mean, he's so awful, he really is' Mr Witchell became royal and diplomatic correspondent in 1998, and was the first journalist to broadcast the confirmed news of Diana's death on August 31, 1997. He first joined the BBC as a graduate news trainee in 1976 after completing a law degree at Leeds University, and worked in Northern Ireland between 1979 and 1982. Mr Witchell became a news reporter for television news in 1982 and covered the Falklands conflict as well as Margaret Thatcher's 1983 general election campaign. He was one of the founding presenters of BBC's Six O'Clock News in 1984 along with Sue Lawley, and presented the re-launched Breakfast News from 1989 to 1994. He then returned to reporting for the BBC, for Panorama and then as a BBC diplomatic correspondent before taking up his current job in 1998. Advertisement England's Covid outbreak may be on the rise amid surging cases of the Indian variant, Government statisticians estimated today despite separate data suggesting the nation's outbreak is flat. No10's top scientists estimated the R rate which measures the spread of the virus is now between 0.9 and 1.1, up from the lower estimate of 0.8 last week. It is the closest the reproduction rate has been to one since the peak of the second wave in January. Random swabbing by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) found almost 50,000 people were infected with the virus on any day last week, or the equivalent of one in every 1,110 people. The estimate is up by 20 per cent on the previous seven-day spell. The national body, whose estimates are watched closely by ministers, warned it was starting to see a 'potential increase'. But its head of analytics for the Covid infection survey Sarah Crofts said 'rates remain low and it is too soon to say if this is the start of a trend'. But the figures came after two separate datasets yesterday suggested the opposite trend, allaying fears the Indian variant was spiralling out of control. Public Health England's weekly surveillance report found coronavirus cases had dropped in every region except the North West and in every age group except 5 to 9-year-olds. Covid cases are only surging in three of 23 hotspots for the Indian variant Bolton, Blackburn and Bedford but are remaining flat in others and even falling in two Sefton and South Northamptonshire. And separate analysis from King's College London found 2,750 Brits were developing Covid symptoms last week, barely a change from the previous seven-day spell. Top epidemiologist Professor Tim Spector dismissed fears the mutant strain could slow lockdown easing because national cases remained steady. Boris Johnson today delivered a bullish message on the prospects for unlocking after a week of anxiety about whether the Indian variant will derail plans, saying he still does not see 'anything' in the data that would prevent the easings from going ahead as planned. He also told Tory MPs today the 'one metre plus' rule for social distancing is still set to be scrapped in June, adding eliminating the measure was the 'single biggest difference' the Government could bring about in order to get the country's pubs back into action. It came as Nicola Sturgeon today banned all Scots from visiting Indian variant hotspots Bolton, Blackburn with Darwen and Bedford, as she warned Glasgow must stay in a tougher lockdown due to high case rates. And Britain recorded another 2,829 Covid cases today, up by nearly a third on the 2,193 last week, but just nine deaths were registered. More than 37.5million Britons have now received at least one vaccine dose. ZOE and King's College London's symptom tracking app estimated there were 2,750 new cases of the virus every day, the equivalent of one in 1,796 Britons suffering symptomatic Covid in the week to May 15. They said this was not a significant change from last week. Their data was published yesterday MailOnline's analysis of official numbers show just three of the 23 places in England where the Indian variant has become dominant are seeing clear rises in infection rates - Bolton, Blackburn and Bedford WHAT DOES THE DATA SHOW ON ENGLAND'S COVID OUTBREAK? Official statistics have delivered a mixed picture on England's Covid outbreak this week. Some say it remains flat, but others suggest cases are rising. Which datasets say cases are staying flat? Public Health England suggested the Covid outbreak was flat-lining yesterday in its weekly surveillance report. They said cases were dipping in every region except the North West, which is struggling against an outbreak of the Indian variant. As many as 95 of 149 local authorities saw a drop in their cases, they added. PHE's data is based on national surveillance data on how many people are testing positive for the virus. This can't account for asymptomatic cases thought to make up a third of all cases and people who don't want to get tested for fear of having to self-isolate. King's College London experts also suggested Covid cases were flat, with 2,700 people being struck down with symptoms of Covid every day, which was no change on the previous week's estimate. Professor Tim Spector, the epidemiologist who leads the study, said their data suggested the Indian variant wouldn't lead to a slowdown in lockdown easings or overwhelm the NHS. Their data relies on daily reports from almost a million Britons saying whether they are feeling unwell, what symptoms they are suffering, and if they have tested positive for Covid. But it can only pick up symptomatic cases and misses those that trigger no warning signs. Which datasets say cases are rising? Office for National Statistics random swabbing hinted that cases may have risen by 20 per cent last week after it estimated there were 49,000 people infected with Covid over any day last week. For comparison, they said there were 40,800 infections in the previous week. Statisticians warned they may be seeing a 'potential rise'. But its head of analytics Sarah Crofts said 'rates remain low and it is too soon to say if this is the start of a trend'. The ONS study is seen as the gold-standard for watching the outbreak and is closely followed by ministers. This is because it relies on random swabbing of tens of thousands of Britons every week, meaning it can catch asymptomatic cases and those in individuals who do not want to get tested for fear of having to self-isolate. SAGE scientists calculating the R-rate have also suggested Covid infections could be rising in England. They say the rate is now between 0.9 and 1.1, up from the estimated 0.8 to 1.1 last week. But the top experts warn the R rate is a lagging indicator and can only show the picture of the spread of the virus from around three weeks ago. The R rate is no longer at the heart of the Government's Covid response because of the huge vaccination roll-out, and it will inevitably spike when restrictions are eased over the coming months. Test and Trace data showed Covid cases were up by 12 per cent compared to the same time last week. There were 15,202 Covid cases transferred to contact tracers last week, official data revealed, compared to 14,435 in the previous seven-day period. Department of Health figures on Covid cases in the country also show they may have started to rise. The latest figures show 2,303 infections were recorded today, up a quarter compared to last Friday. Advertisement SAGE scientists estimate the country's R rate based on factors including cases, hospitalisations and deaths from the virus. But they warn the measure becomes less accurate when these get to very low levels. The R rate is a lagging indicator, and can only reflect the situation from a week to three weeks ago. It is still too early for it to reveal the impact of May 17 easings which allowed pubs and restaurants to reopen indoors on the outbreak in England. Statisticians say when it remains below one it suggests the outbreak is shrinking because every ten people who are infected with the virus are passing it on to nine other people at most. But when the measure rises above this level it indicates cases are rising. But the R rate is no longer at the heart of the Government's Covid response because of the huge vaccination roll-out, and it will inevitably spike when restrictions are eased over the coming months. Ministers will only feel the need to act and delay the relaxation of lockdown if hospital admissions spiral out of control, like they did in October. The North West was the only region to see its R rate rise slightly compared to last week, amid an outbreak of the Indian variant in the area (0.9 - 1.2). It remained at the same level in all other regions: East (0.8 - 1.1), London (0.9 - 1.1), Midlands (0.8 - 1.1), North East (0.8 - 1.0), South East (0.8 - 1.0) and South West (0.8 - 1.1). The ONS infection survey is seen as the gold-standard for tracking the Covid outbreak by ministers because it relies on random swabbing of more than 100,000 people. This means it is able to capture asymptomatic cases which trigger no symptoms and are thought to make up a third of all cases and infections among those who don't get tested but are ill. Covid cases did not fall in any of England's nine regions last week, results from the infection survey suggest. They may have risen slightly in the North East, Yorkshire and the Humber, West Midlands, East of England and the South East, results showed, but still remained at very low levels. London and the North West which are hotspots for the Indian variant were both estimated to have seen their Covid cases remain flat last week. Across age groups Covid cases were only predicted to have risen among 35 to 49-year-olds and over-70s, but remained at very low levels with a positivity rate of 0.15 and 0.11 per cent, respectively. They fell among 12 to 24-year-olds (down to 0.20 per cent), and 50 to 69-year-olds (down to 0.03 per cent) who have all been offered at least one dose of the Covid vaccine. Mr Johnson has said he remains hopeful England will be able to ease all remaining restrictions on June 21. Speaking to broadcasters in Portsmouth, he said: 'We will be letting everybody know exactly what sort of arrangements to expect for June 21. 'But what I can tell you, and just to stress that I am still seeing nothing in the data that leads me to think that we're going to have to deviate from the roadmap - obviously we must remain cautious but I'm seeing nothing that makes me think we have to deviate. 'But on June 21 and vaccine certification or Covid status certification I should say people should bear in mind that I don't see any prospect of certificates to go into pubs or anywhere else.' Pressed on whether the public will continue to be asked to wear masks, Mr Johnson replied: 'We will let people know as much as we possibly can by the end of the month about weddings, for instance. 'All the details we'll try and let people know by the end of the month about exactly where we think we'll be on June 21, Step 4.' The Prime Minister told the powerful 1922 committee of Tory MPs this week that he was confident the one metre rule could still be scrapped. 'We are hopeful we can do that at the end of the roadmap,' he said. An MP who attended Wednesday's meeting told The Times: 'He seemed very upbeat about removing the one-metre-plus rule next month. 'He told us he fully realises that it is the biggest difference the Government can make to letting pubs serve customers in reasonably normal conditions and that means getting rid of any capacity restrictions.' The data came despite a separate paper from scientists tracking the spread of the Indian variant saying it was behind 20 per cent of all cases in the capital last month. The researchers said the bulk of the new variant cases were likely the Indian B.1.617.2 strain, which has since spread rapidly across Britain and gained a foothold in parts of London and the North West. But they said surge testing for the South African variant in South London will have also made up a significant proportion of the cases. A smaller number of people tested positive for the Brazilian P.1 variant and other strains circulating less widely. Imperial College London researchers drew on data from the UK's variant-tracking laboratories, national infection surveys and the Government's centralised testing programme. Reams of separate data published yesterday found that cases were remaining flat across the country despite surging cases of the mutant strain. Public Health England bosses yesterday hailed 'hugely encouraging' data that showed cases remained 'stable' nationally at around 12,000 last week, and dropped in all age groups except 5 to 9-year-olds. Hospitalisations with the virus also fell across the country, while infection rates dipped in every region except the North West, which is struggling against an outbreak of the Indian strain. Some 95 out of 149 local authorities or 64 per cent saw their Covid cases dip last week. For comparison, there were 66 that recorded a drop over the previous seven-day spell. But Dr Yvonne Doyle, PHE's medical director, said the agency was concerned about the Indian variant and was 'constantly monitoring the situation'. She added: 'Until we know more it's vital we don't let our guard down too soon and remain cautious. We do not want to undo the huge progress we've made so far.' Separate figures from the PHE's weekly surveillance report showed the ten areas with the biggest Covid outbreaks were all hotspots for the Indian variant. And the NHS trust in Bolton one of the hotspots for the mutant strain has had to open another ward for Covid patients after a small rise in admissions, it was claimed today. Public Health England data showed Covid cases remained flat last week despite surging infections with the Indian variant They found weekly hospitalisations due to the virus also fell again and those due to influenza remained flat Covid cases dropped in every age group except 5 to 9-year-olds last week, Public Health England data showed And Covid cases dipped in every region except the North West which is battling a large outbreak of the Indian strain Boris Johnson told Tory MPs yesterday he was confident the one-metre-plus social distancing rule could still be relaxed on June 21 'freedom day' SAGE adviser and University College London epidemiologist Professor Andrew Hayward yesterday claimed the UK was at the beginning of another wave because of the rapid spread of the mutant strain. 'Although it was originally imported through travel to India it spread fairly effectively first of all within households after that and now more broadly within communities,' he told BBC Breakfast. 'So I don't really see why it wouldn't continue to spread in other parts of the country.' He added: 'Obviously we are doing everything we can to contain that, but it is likely more generalised measures may start to be needed to control it.' But Professor Hayward's comments come amid growing optimism from Number 10 that the Indian variant won't jeopardise plans to ease all lockdown restrictions on June 21, despite fears the highly-transmissible strain could scupper 'freedom day'. SAGE scientists have always warned there would be a third wave of the pandemic once restrictions were eased and more people were allowed to mix. But questions remain over how big the outbreak will be because vaccines will stop many people from catching the disease and being hospitalised. Government advisers don't believe the resurgence will be anywhere near as bad as January's crisis because of jabs and warmer weather. Almost 3,000 cases of the Indian variant have been detected in the UK, with the figure having quadrupled in a fortnight. Surge testing has been deployed in Bedford, Burnley, Hounslow, Kirklees, Leicester and North Tyneside to root out cases of the strain. INDIAN COVID VARIANT MAY ALREADY BE DOMINANT IN BRITAIN AND HAS GROWN 'EXPONENTIALLY' SINCE MARCH, SAGE WARNS The variants currently in circulation in the UK: The second Indian variant (B.1.617.2) is causing the most concern as it appears far more transmissible than the dominant Kent strain. The South African variant is believed to be the least responsive to vaccines, reducing their ability to block infections by about 30 per cent The Indian coronavirus variant may already be the dominant Covid strain in the UK after growing 'exponentially' since March, the Government's top scientific advisers have warned. Documents published by the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies today said the highly infectious B.1.617.2 strain likely made up the 'majority' of the UK's infections by mid-May. The SPI-M subgroup modelled the variant's spread on May 12 based on how rapidly it spiralled last month, and forecast that it would account for more than 50 per cent of cases by the middle of the month. Documents published by the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) said the highly infectious B.1.617.2 strain likely made up the 'majority' of the UK's infections by mid-May. The SPI-M subgroup modelled the variant's spread based on how rapidly it grew last month and forecast that it would account for more than 50 per cent of infections by mid-May Its finding suggests the official number of cases reported by Public Health England is an underestimate and says the variant is quickly replacing the current dominant Kent version, which triggered the second wave. In a separate paper published today, but submitted to ministers on May 11, SAGE warned cases of the Indian variant in Bolton, Bedford and Sefton were 'increasing apparently exponentially'. The group called for 'aggressive use of asymptomatic testing, contact tracing and isolation' in hotspots and hinted at extending lockdown rules, warning the Government against waiting for more evidence before acting. No10 has already deployed surge testing in a handful of areas where the variant is spreading quickest, including Bolton and Blackburn. Highlighting SAGE's panic about the new strain, the experts wrote: 'In the face of uncertain evidence the risk of overreacting seems small compared to the potential benefit of delaying a third wave until more people are vaccinated.' Boris Johnson today hinted that the June 21 'freedom day' will go ahead as he said he still does not see 'anything' in coronavirus data that would prevent the roadmap going ahead. The PM delivered a bullish message on the prospects for the unlocking in England after a week of anxiety about whether the Indian variant will derail the country's hopes. Meanwhile, Nicola Sturgeon banned Scots from going to Indian variant hotspots in England. The Scottish First minister voiced alarm at the threat posed by the strain as she announced that Glasgow will remain under tougher lockdown measures for another week. PHE said in its weekly update last night that there had been 3,500 cases of the Indian variant across Britain so far, according to the most recent count on May 19, which is five times more than at the start of this month. But the strain does not easily show up on a PCR test and laboratory analysis is needed to confirm its presence, which can take several weeks. MailOnline's analysis of official numbers show just three of the 23 places in England where the Indian variant has officially become dominant are seeing clear rises in infection rates. Dr Simon Clarke, a microbiologist at Reading University, told this website that the mutant strain would not be the 'disaster' initially feared because it appeared to be confined to pockets of the country. Scientists tracking the spread of mutant Covid strains estimated about 25 per cent of cases in the capital were variants other than the dominant Kent version by mid-April. The three most common variants are the Indian variant (in purple), the South African variant (green) and a separate, less virulent version of the Indian variant is in blue. The scale goes from between 0 and 20 per cent of all total infections Imperial College London researchers drew on data from the UK's variant-tracking laboratories, national infection surveys and the Government's centralised testing programme. Domestic strain B.1.525 and B.1.1.318, as well as the Brazilian P.1 variant, are circulating in smaller numbers. The scale goes from 0 to 5 per cent Advertisement A third burglar has admitted involvement in a series of high-value raids on celebrity homes in west London. Jugoslav Jovanovic, 24, from Italy, admitted one count of conspiracy to burgle and one count of attempting to convert criminal property during a hearing at Isleworth Crown Court on May 14. The charges relate to the period between November 29 and December 18 2019. Jovanovic will be sentenced at a later date, alongside two other defendants - Alessandro Maltese and Alessandro Donati - who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit burglaries at an earlier hearing. Socialite Tamara Ecclestone with her husband Jay Rutland at Nobu Berkeley in London. 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Trump's 2019 proposal to buy the Arctic territory, described as 'absurd' by the Danish government, caused a diplomatic kerfuffle but meanwhile signalled in clear terms the U.S.' renewed interest in the region. Asked whether the U.S. had definitively ruled out any plans to buy Greenland, president Biden's Secretary of State replied with a smile: 'I can confirm that's correct.' The U.S. wants to strengthen its relationship with Greenland, especially commercially, Blinken said during a visit to the island on Thursday. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken visits the Black Ridge Viewing site in Kangerlussuaq, Greenland, May 20, 2021. Blinken ruled out the possibility of the US buying Greenland after Trump suggested a move to purchase the territory in 2019 Trump's 2019 proposal to buy the Arctic territory, described as 'absurd' by the Danish government, caused a diplomatic kerfuffle but meanwhile signalled in clear terms the US' renewed interest in the region. Pictured: Trump during a rally in August 2019 He visited the Danish autonomous territory as he ended a four-day trip that included a meeting of the foreign ministers of countries bordering the Artic in Reykjavik. 'I am in Greenland because the United States deeply values our partnership and wants to make it even stronger,' Antony Blinken told reporters on his final stop of the Arctic tour. Last year, the U.S. reopened a consulate in Greenland's capital Nuuk, and pledged $12 million in aid for civilian projects. While he spoke of potential additional funding, Blinken was vague about new US projects, even though the new Greenlandic local government had floated the idea of a free trade agreement earlier in the week. 'We would like to find ways to strengthen even more the commercial relationship,' Blinken said. Greenlandic new young Prime Minister Mute Egede, who came to power in April, said he was 'convinced that this decade will be the beginning of a new era in the relationship between our countries'. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken uses binoculars as he visits the Black Ridge Viewing site in Kangerlussuaq, Greenland, May 20, 2021 U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Greenlandic Premier Mute Egede and Danish Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod fly in a helicopter as they take an aerial tour near Kangerlussuaq, Greenland, May 20, 2021 The left-wing government, which won snap parliamentary elections last month, is allied with a small pro-independence party, Naleraq, which has shown itself to be in favour of mending ties with the US. Trump and one of his economic advisers confirmed in 2019 that Trump had discussed the possibility of purchasing Greenland, the world's largest island and an autonomous Danish territory. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen fired back at the time, saying that Greenland was not for sale and called the suggestion 'absurd'. Areas of ice are seen as the airplane carrying U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken approaches Kangerlussuaq Airport in Greenland, Thursday, May 20, 2021. Blinken traveled to Greenland for a brief visit to reinforce U.S. commitment to the island Pictured: General view of Upernavik in western Greenland, Denmark July 11, 2015. Picture taken July 11, 2015 Former Danish prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said: 'It must be an April Fool's joke but totally out of (season).' Broberg said on Wednesday there was speculation about Greenland because of its strategic importance but said Blinken's visit was 'not considered a real estate deal.' 'A real estate deal means land with nothing on it, nobody on it. Secretary Blinken has made it clear that he's here for the people living in the Arctic, for the people living in Greenland,' said Broberg. Boris Johnson today insisted a free trade deal with Australia should be seen as an 'opportunity' and not a 'threat' as UK farmers fear the agreement could put them out of business. The Prime Minister said he believed post-Brexit trade deals 'present a fantastic opportunity for our farmers' and that Britain should embrace its history as a 'great, historic, free-trading nation'. His comments came as the PM's Official Spokesman declined to explicitly guarantee that the trade deal with Australia will not allow the import of hormone-treated beef. The UK has reportedly offered Australia a deal which would see a 15-year transition to zero-tariffs and zero-quotas. UK farmers are against zero-tariff access because they believe they could be undercut by cheap Australian beef and lamb imports. Australia has been pushing for a five-year transition during which import and export duties would be slashed. But the 15-year period is said to have now been signed off by the Cabinet sub-committee in charge of the negotiations, according to The Sun. The terms of the Australia deal have caused a furious row between free trade advocates like International Trade Secretary Liz Truss, and ministers like Michael Gove and George Eustice who favour a more protectionist approach in certain sectors. Mr Johnson is said to have come down on the side of Ms Truss, with ministerial sources confident the agreement with Australia is now within reach. The details of the exact transition length will still need to be finalised and agreed with the Australian negotiating team. Those is favour of the deal claim that food and wine prices in UK supermarkets will go down as barriers to imports are done away with - but gradually phasing out tariffs would allow British farmers to adjust. Boris Johnson today insisted a free trade deal with Australia should be seen as an 'opportunity' and not a 'threat' as UK farmers fear the agreement could put them out of business A fierce row had broken out between free trade advocates, such as Liz Truss, and protectionists within the Government, such as Michael Gove and George Eustice, over the terms of the Australia deal Mr Johnson refused to be drawn on the reported 15-year transition period as he was grilled on the deal today during a visit to the HMS Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier in Portsmouth. He said: 'We are certainly looking at doing free trade deals with countries around the world and I am here on this incredible aircraft carrier which is really a symbol of the way we want to do things. 'We see a global future for this country. I do think that free trade deals present a fantastic opportunity for our farmers, for businesses of all kinds, for manufacturers. 'I think it is vital that as a great, historic, free-trading nation that grew to prosperity thanks to free trade and thanks indeed to the Royal Navy that we see these new openings not as threats but as opportunities.' Downing Street also refused to comment on the transition period as the PM's spokesman said talks with Australia remain ongoing. Number 10 has repeatedly stressed that there will be 'protections' in the deal for UK farmers, promising they will not be 'undercut'. Farming bosses fear free trade deals could see the UK allow the import of cheap food from other countries which is not produced to the same standards as those required in Britain. The PM's spokesman was repeatedly asked at lunchtime to guarantee that the Australia deal will not allow the import of hormone-treated beef. The spokesman stopped short of a guarantee but said: As I have said, we wont compromise on our animal welfare or food standards and as you know the UK already prohibits the use of artificial growth hormones in both domestic and imported meat products. Downing Street said Mr Johnson wanted to 'maximise' the benefits of trade deals as he intervened in the Cabinet row over the Australia deal. The premier recently chaired a meeting of senior colleagues as negotiations continue. 'There are a regular series of meetings on not just this trade deal but the deals we have been working on throughout,' the PM's spokesman said. 'The Prime Minister met with the ministers involved, like Liz Truss obviously, as part of the regular process.' Downing Street insisted farmers would be protected in any deal with Australia: 'Any agreement would include protections for our agriculture industry and won't undercut UK farmers. 'We want a deal that is good for the British public and any agreement would have protection for the agriculture industry.' Number 10 has refused to be drawn on what the measures to protect farmers would be. The proposed deal has been criticised on environmental grounds because of the prospect of increasing quantities of Australian beef being shipped across the world to the UK. Patrick Holden, chief executive of the Sustainable Food Trust, said: 'Our cattle come from a mainly grass-fed nation and we have one of the best carbon footprints for beef production in the world. Australia has been negotiating for a five-year period of cutting import and export taxes but the UK is said to be offering a 15-year transition period to zero-tariffs and zero-quotas (file image) Those in favour of a deal claim that food and wine prices in UK supermarkets will go down as barriers to imports are done away with - but the existing tariffs would be 'tapered out slowly' so British farmers could adjust (file image) 'In contrast, imported Australian beef will likely be produced on feedlots, fed on grain and full of antibiotics and growth-promoting hormones.' The PM's spokesman said: 'We have significant commitments that we are delivering on climate change. Obviously we would want to take all those things into consideration when looking at any sort of deal.' RSPCA chief executive Chris Sherwood said: 'We're really concerned about reports that the Government is getting close to a trade deal with Australia which could see zero tariffs on goods produced to lower animal welfare standards, failing to protect our own welfare standards and the livelihoods of British farmers.' Shadow international trade secretary Emily Thornberry told Times Radio: 'I think we should do a trade deal with Australia and I think there's huge potential in it, but what we should be doing is thinking about what it is that we need from trade, what we want to get from it, what our offensive-asks are, and how we need to defend ourselves. 'Frankly, we in this country have high food production standards. We have good animal welfare standards, and we don't want that undermined by cheap imports from countries that don't have the same standards as we do.' Surveillance and bodycam footage shows Tennessee police officers telling a jailed father-of-five that he 'shouldn't be able to breathe' as they restrained him just moments before he suffocated to death. William Jennette, 48, died after being pinned to the ground by police and correctional officers while he was in custody in Lewisburg, south of Nashville, on May 6 last year. The newly emerged footage, which was obtained by WTVF, shows the officers struggling with Jennette and calling for back-up after he refused to get into a restraint chair in a Marshall County Jail. He had been jailed two days earlier for resisting arrest, public intoxication and indecent exposure. It's not clear if he has a prior record beyond what was his most recent arrest; DailyMail.com has requested records from the local police department. The footage shows Jennette emerging from his cell and then struggling with the officers when they tried to put him in the chair. William Jennette, 48, died after being pinned to the ground by police and correctional officers while he was in custody in Lewisburg, south of Nashville, on May 6 last year One officer could be seen shoving Jennette into a wall before other officers and police, who were in the area at the time, rushed to help. As he was wrestled to the ground, Jennette could be heard shouting: 'Help me, they're going to kill me.' Multiple police and correctional officers held him down as Jennette screamed for them to get off him. Jennette had been jailed two days earlier for resisting arrest, public intoxication and indecent exposure 'Stay down you stupid son of a b***h,' one officer said. 'Go get leg restraints before you do anything else, go get leg restraints,' another officer could be heard saying. After Jennette said for the first time that he couldn't breathe, a female officer responded: 'You shouldn't be able to breathe, you stupid b*****d.' The officers continued to hold Jennette down and could be seen bending his legs towards his back. One officer then said they should be careful not to suffocate him. 'Easy, easy. Remember asphyxiation, guys,' the officer said. Another responded: 'That's why I'm not on his lungs, to let him breathe.' The last thing Jennette said before his death was 'I'm good'. An officer responded, saying: 'No, you ain't good. You're going to lay right there for a f***ing minute.' A medical examiner ruled that he died as a result of asphyxiation and the drugs that were in his system, including methamphetamine. His death was ruled a homicide but a grand jury declined to charge any of the officers involved. The footage shows Jennette emerging from his cell and then struggling with the officers when they tried to put him in the chair. One officer could be seen shoving Jennette into a wall before other officers and police, who were in the area at the time, rushed to help Multiple police and correctional officers held him down as Jennette screamed for them to get off him. 'Stay down you stupid son of a b***h,' one officer said The newly emerged footage, which was obtained by WTVF , shows the officers struggling with Jennette and calling for back-up after he refused to get into a restraint chair in a Marshall County Jail In the lead up to the ordeal, jail logs show that Jennette had been 'hallucinating' and 'detoxing' following his arrest two days prior. He had been taken into custody for resisting arrest, public intoxication and indecent exposure. Jennette had been put in a restraint chair the day before he died because he had been hitting his head against his cell wall, the jail logs show. His daughter, Dominique Jennette, has since filed a lawsuit against the Lewisburg Police Department over his death and what happened in the aftermath His daughter, Dominique Jennette, has since filed a lawsuit against the Lewisburg Police Department over his death and what happened in the aftermath. The police department has not commented on the lawsuit or emergence of the video. The lawsuit alleges that officers did not realize he wasn't breathing for more than a minute. Instead of checking on Jennette, an officer asked a colleague if she was okay, according to the lawsuit. That officer then allegedly mocked Jennette, saying: 'I can't breathe'. His daughter claims that the footage, combined with the medical examiner's ruling, shows her father was unjustly killed. 'They should have been more aware. They should have been trained properly and they weren't,' Dominique said. She said the footage was heartbreaking and showed how terrified her father was. 'That's just something that really sticks with me, how scared he must have been and how alone he must have felt,' Jennette said. 'That just breaks my heart because he was someone worth knowing.' Paul Farrell, 55, has admitted 69 sexual assault charges against eight victims A Great Ormond Street Hospital porter hid a night vision camera in a boy's room and stole toys donated to wards to give to his victims in a 35-year reign of abuse, a court heard. Paul Farrell, 55, has admitted 69 sexual assault charges against eight victims, as well as an additional seven charges of possessing indecent images of children. From 1985 to 2020, he abused victims aged between five and 16 hundreds of times, but the true number is possibly in the thousands. Farrell, of Kentish Town, north London, has confessed abusing two boys in the linen room at the world-famous children's hospital in central London. Wood Green Crown Court heard how he preyed on several sets of brothers, who were often neglected by their family, grooming them by buying them gifts and then forcing himself on them. Paul Douglass, prosecuting, said the number of incidents was 'not less than 560' and the true figure is believed to be 'in the thousands'. He added that Farrell 'kept a diary in which he noted down day by day his strategy in order to keep [his victims] under his control.' Mr Douglass said: 'He would remind himself what presents to buy, what member of the family and when to offer his babysitting services.' The prosecution also alleged that Farrell would 'take toys donated to Great Ormond Street' and give them as gifts to two of his victims. Farrell, of Kentish Town, north London , has confessed abusing two boys in the linen room at the world-famous children's hospital in central London (above: Great Ormond Street Hospital) The court heard today how he admitted sexually abusing the youngest three of four brothers. After his phone was seized, several sexual messages and threatening texts were sent to a boy, known in court documents as F, who was abused from when he was 13 to 15. Mr Douglass said: 'It is clear from the evidence that the defendant effectively manipulated and groomed the whole family in order to get at the young boys. 'Material seized from one of the defendant's phones shows that he kept a diary in which he noted down, day by day, his strategy to keep them under his control. 'He would remind himself what presents to buy various members of the family; when and how to offer his services as a babysitter either in their home or his own. 'There is also evidence that he placed a hidden camera in F's room. This evidence comes from pictures of such a camera in F's room stored on the defendant's phone and from various texts and diary entries. 'For example telling F 'five weeks of hidden cameras in both your bedrooms they are very good in the dark and pick up sound even whispering got some footage and cameras don't lie'.' The boy, now 16, said he repeatedly tried to push Farrell away and would often hit him out of anger. But, the prosecutor said, the paedophile would persuade his parents to have him and his younger brothers over for the weekend telling them they 'needed a break'. Wood Green Crown Court (above) heard how he preyed on several sets of brothers, who were often neglected by their family Mr Douglass added: 'The defendant remained in contact with the family during and after the first lockdown. 'He was obviously anxious that F would disclose the abuse and would threaten him that he would be putting his father at risk if he did. ' Disturbing messages also said: 'If I ever got caught your parents will be very angry and I will just have to disappear'. Another said: 'Hi mate I haven't forgot about the text message chat we have had so please don't keep telling me you have when I know you haven't as I've got video evidence. 'Also I'm very sorry but I can't change what I've done to you in the pass [sic] but I can make sure that it won't happen again for the near future so please do what I ask as if anyone finds out it will devastate this family. 'I love you to bits and I'm proud to have you as a friend one day you will make someone very happy as you have a Great Heart & you are kind & carering [sic] also you have a big c**k lol. 'I'm proud of you mate and will always love you to bits know matter what happens I don't care how old you are I'm still going to give you a hug every time I visit xx.' He added: 'Don't f**k this up or your life's [sic] will be ruined love you to bits x.' The boy, now 16, spoke to the police in July last year. He said: 'What could I do? Do I call 999? Do I call Childline? Do I speak to Mum and Dad? Um, but then a whole row's gonna kick up. 'I believed what the man said about Dad's cancer coming back and I didn't wanna do that so I didn't open my mouth. 'I felt embarrassed, I felt, yeah, yeah, very embarrassed to open up and tell people or my Mum and Dad about what's happened to me. 'I should feel comfortable in my own room where no-one's gonna look at me. 'I feel there's a camera in my room all the time. Someone's always watching me. Like, I always have my curtains shut cos I think someone's watching me out there. 'I have nightmares that people are following me, watching me, chasing me. He's destroyed my family.' The court heard the abuse of victim F spanned three years starting at age 13. His younger brothers G and H were also abused by Farrell during 2016 to 2019. Mr Douglass said: 'He is frequently with the family staying over. Victim F had no suspicion Farrell was abusing his elder younger brothers. It appears the defendant would take toys donated to Great Ormond Street and give them to G and H. Victim H is the youngest of these brothers, seven at the time. From 1985 to 2020, he abused victims aged between five and 16 hundreds of times, but the true number is possibly in the thousands. Pictured: Stock image 'Being the youngest of those at the time making the complaint his account was understandably brief, he was plainly reluctant to make any allegations or disclosures by the defendant and he refers to the defendant as his uncle. 'He would get on his bed and abuse him while he was on his phone. 'Victim G also said on three or four occasions the defendant sneaked into his room at night and whispered repeatedly to him that he wanted him to come to his room downstairs'. A fourth brother, known only as R, has not brought any charges forward against Farrell. Mr Douglass said: 'The defendant managed to get the eldest of the family, R, employment at Great Ormond Street.' The court later heard how Farrell, who has been in solitary confinement at HM Pentonville since late last year, was sexually abused by his grandfather between the ages of six and 10 years old and this led to his 'sexual dysfunction'. David Osborne, mitigating, said: 'Paul Farrell was himself abused as a small child. 'Between the ages of six and 10 he was sexually abused by his grandfather. 'At the age of eight he was sexually abused by his father's friend. And at the age of 12 he was sexually abused by an older boy who was a neighbour. 'In my submission, it's had a very great impact on the formation of his sexual dysfunction. 'It's not an excuse. He had free will. He ought to have curbed his worse instincts. But I do invite your honour to consider the very traumatic childhood he might have had.' When asked if he would seek to persuade the court that Farrell was not dangerous, he said: 'No, thank you. 'I don't think I can properly make sensible representations to persuade Your Honour otherwise.' Judge Noel Lucas QC said: 'I must consider the persistence with which your client has conducted himself, both in terms of the numbers of victims and number of occasions on each victim, often much against the wishes of the victim as they have described. 'There appears to be very careful planning of the grooming of the victims, and the grooming of the families to allow these offences to occur. 'That will be part and parcel as to why I will find this defendant dangerous. 'As the offending continued even when he was on bail, it seems he remains a danger. 'If he remains a danger in his mid-to-late 50s, I find it hard to believe there will be a time when he ceases to be a danger.' The prosecution added Farrell initially denied some of the offences but later admitted the string of sexual assaults. Prosecutor Paul Douglass, giving a summary of the victims' experiences to the court, said that three brothers were among those to have been sexually abused by the defendant. In an emotional impact statement to the court, their mother said she felt that Farrell had 'used us as parents' as she described how her life had been 'turned upside down' by the ordeal. The abuse came to light when officers investigating allegations made against Farrell by two other victims found messages of a sexual as well as threatening nature to one of the brothers on the defendant's phone. The boy, who was aged 12 when the abuse started, was manipulated by Farrell with 'malicious threats, bribes and promises' in text messages during a three to four-year period, Mr Douglass said. The victim, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, initially denied being sexually abused by the defendant when questioned by the police, but soon after made disclosures to his mother and officers. His mother told the court on Friday: 'If Farrell has done this to my son, what about the other two? As I said it I felt sick, I had goosebumps.' Mr Douglass said the victim's younger brothers were also abused by Farrell in the bedroom the two shared, with the abuse often happening while they were both in the room. Recalling finding out about the ordeal of her other sons, their mother told the court: 'I felt like my heart had been ripped out.' Visibly emotional while reading her statement, she said: "I feel I have failed as a mother. How could I have not known? 'Why did the boys feel they could not come to me? Am I that bad of a mother that they could not come to me?' She added: 'I will not allow this man to destroy my family. My boys are survivors and we will get through this and come out stronger.' Mr Douglass said the number of offences to which the defendant has pleaded guilty is not less than 560 over a period of 35 years, with the true figure "likely to be in the thousands". Of the 96 sexual offences to which he has been arraigned he has pleaded guilty to 69. Some of them are multi-incident counts. Farrell will be handed his prison sentence on Monday. Bodycam footage has surfaced showing Illinois cops searching an urn during a traffic stop and insisting it was full of drugs when it actually contained the remains of a man's two-year-old daughter who had been starved to death by a wicked mother now in jail for murder. The incident, which unfolded last April, is getting new attention after the man is now suing the City of Springfield, claiming officers 'desecrated his daughter's ashes.' On April 6, 2020, Dartavius Barnes was pulled over by police in Springfield, Illinois, for allegedly speeding through an area where there had been gunfire reported. There's no indication he was involved in any gunfire, according to police reports. Officers searched his car and Barnes, 25, has claimed Springfield Police officers unsealed the urn containing the ashes of his daughter Ta'Naja Barnes without his consent and spilled some of them out during the search. The footage captured the moment the grieving father realized the officers had taken the urn and tested his daughter's remains for drugs. 'No, no, no, bro, that's my daughter,' he cries. 'What ya'll doing bro? That's my daughter!' The officers are later heard joking about the incident saying they had 'p***** off' Barnes by 'testing the dead baby ashes.' Ta'Naja died of neglect and starvation in February 2019, with the toddler's mom and her boyfriend now behind bars for the girl's murder. Bodycam footage shows Illinois cops searching an urn during a traffic stop and insisting it's full of drugs when it actually contains the remains of a man's two-year-old daughter Dartavius Barnes has claimed Springfield Police officers unsealed the urn containing the ashes of his daughter Ta'Naja Barnes (pictured) without his consent and spilled some of them out The 47-minute bodycam footage shows Barnes cooperating with the officers and agreeing to them searching his vehicle after he is pulled over. He tells the cops he has some marijuana in his car. 'You got anything in your car?' one officer asks. 'Not really... weed,' Barnes replies. 'No problem if I search?' the cop asks. 'Yeah, go ahead,' Barnes replies. Barnes was placed in handcuffs and sat in the back of a police cruiser while they carried out the search. During the search, the officers said they found around 80 grams of marijuana in plastic bags and a Mason jar. One of the officers is then seen in the footage holding the urn and telling one of his colleagues he has tested it for drugs. 'At first I thought it was heroin, then I checked for cocaine, but it looks like it's probably molly,' one officer said, using the slang term for ecstasy. The incident unfolded on April 6 2020 when Barnes was pulled over by police in Springfield, Illinois, for allegedly speeding. Barnes is seen cooperating with the officers and agreeing to them searching his vehicle During the search, one of the officers is seen holding the urn and telling one of his colleagues he has tested it for drugs 'X pills?' another officer said. The cop then wraps the container in his glove and puts it with other evidence. After around 21 minutes in the back of the cop car, the officers told Barnes they had found a substance that had tested positive for meth or ecstasy. Barnes appeared to be baffled by the claims and asked to see what they had found. When the officer showed him the container, Barnes became distressed telling the officers that it was his daughter. 'No, no, no, bro, that's my daughter. What ya'll doing bro? That's my daughter!' he said. After around 21 minutes in the back of the cop car, the officers told Barnes they had found a substance that had tested positive for meth or ecstasy Barnes appeared to be baffled by the claims and asked to see what they had found. When the officer showed him the container, Barnes became distressed telling the cops it's his daughter 'Give me that, bro. That's my daughter. Please give me my daughter, bro. Put her in my hand, bro. Y'all are disrespectful, bro.' Barnes tried to reach for his daughter's remains but the officer shut the door of the cruiser closing him inside. The cop is then seen telling his colleagues what Barnes just told him. 'This is his daughter's ashes... that Riebling thought tested positive for meth,' the cop said. The cops then went to test the urn's contents again before they decided against it. By this point, Barnes' father had arrived on the scene. The officers return the urn containing his granddaughter's ashes to him. It's not clear why the remains tested positive for drugs, but such field-testing test kits have turned up false positives in a number of past instances, the Washington Post reports. The Springfield Police didn't comment. Ta'Naja (pictured with Barnes) was found unresponsive and wrapped in a urine-soaked blanket in her home in Decatur in February 2019. She was pronounced dead at a hospital She had long suffered abuse and neglect at the hands of her mother T'wanka Davis and mother's boyfriend Anthony Myers. The infant's autopsy revealed she died from dehydration, malnourishment, neglect, and the cold Some of the officers are then seen making light of the incident while filling in a police report inside their vehicle. 'I'm just going to give him a notice to appear on the weed,' one cop said. Another cop is heard replying: 'Aside from p***** off dad and testing the dead baby ashes.' Barnes was released without arrest and given a notice to appear in court for illegal possession of cannabis, according to a report from NewsChannel 20. He filed a federal lawsuit in October against the city of Springfield and six Springfield police officers claiming the officers 'desecrated' his daughter's ashes. The suit alleges his vehicle was unlawfully searched and the sealed urn unlawfully taken and opened without his consent, with some of his two-year-old's remains spilled as they tested it for drugs. Ta'Naja's mother T'wanka Davis (left) and mother's boyfriend Anthony Myers (right) were sent to prison for her murder Barnes is seeking compensatory damages and a trial by jury. A jury trial has been set for August 2022. Ta'Naja was found unresponsive and wrapped in a urine-soaked blanket in her home in Decatur in February 2019. She was pronounced dead at a hospital. She had long suffered abuse and neglect at the hands of her mother T'wanka Davis and mother's boyfriend Anthony Myers and had been left cold, hungry and dehydrated for several days. The infant's autopsy revealed she died from dehydration, malnourishment, neglect, and the cold. Davis pleaded guilty to her murder and was sentenced to 20 years in prison for her murder. She was pregnant with another child as she appeared in court. Myers was found guilty of first-degree murder and sentenced to 30 years in prison. Scientists have discovered a new type of coronavirus which originated in dogs and can infect humans. The pathogen, which has been around since 2018, is the eighth coronavirus known to have jumped from animals to humans. It is not yet clear if the bug poses a serious threat like its cousin SARS-CoV-2, which is the name of the virus behind Covid. But researchers who detected it claim they 'don't see any reason to expect another pandemic from this virus'. The virus hospitalised eight people in Malaysia, including seven children the youngest of whom was just five-and-a-half months old. A newly-identified coronavirus that infected seven children in Malaysia in 2018 was spread by dogs, scientists in the US have discovered Coronaviruses are a family of viruses in the same way that there are several types of influenza. They are named for the distinctive appearance of their spikes; when seen under a powerful microscope, the spikes look like a crown (corona is the Latin for crown). Beneath these spikes is a layer of membrane. This membrane can be disrupted by detergents and alcohols, which is why soap and water and alcohol hand sanitiser gels are effective against the virus. Coronaviruses are expected to become more frequent as humans come into more contact with wildlife due to habitat destruction and climate change. Covid is the disease caused by SARS-CoV-2 but there are six other coronaviruses that have been found in humans. Its origin has been linked to bats and pangolins but theories that it was leaked from a laboratory have not yet been ruled out. Four of the human coronaviruses cause colds, which are relatively harmless. The two others cause Sars and Mers, which are both deadly. Researchers at Duke University and Ohio State University named the new coronavirus CCoV-HuPn-2018. It is believed to have first transmitted to humans from dogs. Sars is believed to have come from bats originally, while Mers was transmitted to humans from camels. Seven of the eight patient who were hospitalised with the virus in Malaysia were children, with one was just five and a half months old. One developed pneumonia but all recovered and were discharged after four to six days, following oxygen therapy to help them breathe. But the discovery suggests coronaviruses can be transmitted by domestic pets and underlines their danger. Experts say the study, published in Clinical Infectious Diseases, could revolutionise how we identify respiratory diseases before they become potential pandemics. HOW THE TEAM IDENTIFIED THE NEW CANINE CORONAVIRUS When the Covid pandemic struck, Professor Gregory Gray at Duke University's Global Health Institute tasked a graduate student at his lab with developing a pan-species coronavirus test in order to help prevent the next catastrophe. The idea was to deploy the tool, once its accuracy was validated, to look back at test samples from human patients in order to search for signs of coronaviruses that might have begun to cross over from animals. Gray and his colleague's findings, released Thursday in Clinical Infectious Diseases, showed a canine coronavirus was present in a group of mostly children patients admitted to hospital for pneumonia in Malaysia in 2017 and 2018. The team suspect the dog virus caused their illness, as opposed to merely being present in the patients' airways but can't conclusively prove it. Given the genetic makeup of the virus it's unlikely that it is currently circulating between humans. Gray said: 'What we're advocating for... is more application of pan-species diagnostics to look for five different viral families we think are the most problematic in causing epidemics in humans.' Coronaviruses were understudied for many years, as they were mainly associated with common colds. That changed after the Sars and Mers outbreaks of 2002 and 2012, which originated in civets and camels, respectively. Most scientists believe the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes Covid also has a zoonotic origin. Gray asked Lishan Xiu, a Chinese PhD student-scholar, to make a pan-species coronavirus test, which he did by finding where the genetic sequences of the various members of this family aligned. They used this tool on nasal swab tests taken from pneumonia patients from the hospital in Sarawak, Malaysia, and found that eight of 301 samples appeared to have a canine virus. Advertisement Co-author Dr Anastasia Vlasova, of The Ohio State University, said: 'At this point, we don't see any reasons to expect another pandemic from this virus. 'But I can't say that's never going to be a concern.' The US team identified the novel canine coronavirus using the same molecular diagnostic tool they created last year to detect Covid. Project leader Professor Gregory Gray, of Duke University, North Carolina, said: 'How common this virus is, and whether it can be transmitted efficiently from dogs to humans or between humans, nobody knows. 'What is more important is these coronaviruses are likely spilling over to humans from animals much more frequently than we know. 'We are missing them because most hospital diagnostic tests only pick up known human coronaviruses.' He analysed the archived nasal swabs of 301 people treated in a hospital in Sarawak in East Malaysia in 2018. Dr Vlasova grew the virus in her lab from one of the clinical specimens, which came from a child. By reconstructing its genome, they were able to confirm it came from a dog. It evolved from a coronavirus that afflicts dogs to infect humans and may contribute to respiratory symptoms. Dr Gray said: 'There are probably multiple canine coronaviruses circulating and spilling over into humans that we don't know about.' Sarawak could be a rich place to detect them since it is an equatorial area with rich biodiversity. He added: 'Many of those spillovers are dead ends, they don't ever leave that first human host. 'But if we really want to mitigate the threat, we need better surveillance where humans and animals intersect, and among people who are sick enough to get hospitalised for novel viruses.' Diagnostic tools like his have the potential to identify other viruses new to humans before they can cause a pandemic. He said: 'These pathogens don't just cause a pandemic overnight, it takes many years for them to adapt to the human immune system and cause infection, and then to become efficient in human-to-human transmission. 'We need to look for these pathogens and detect them early.' The researchers plan to further study the CCoV-HuPn-2018 virus to determine how harmful it is or could become. It is unknown if the virus can be passed from person to person or how well the human immune system can fight it off. Dr Vlasova said: 'We don't really have evidence right now that this virus can cause severe illness in adults.' She pointed out only one of the infected patients was an adult. But she said: 'I cannot rule out the possibility that at some point this new coronavirus will become a prevalent human pathogen. Once a coronavirus is able to infect a human, all bets are off.' Coronaviruses are named for the distinctive appearance of their spikes; when seen under a powerful microscope, the spikes look like a crown (corona is the Latin for crown) When a virus alters its genetic makeup enough to go from infecting an animal to people, a combination of factors determine how well it replicates and spreads. It must first enter the human body and recognise something on the surface of the cells, then bind to them. Dr Vlasova said: 'We know this virus can do that.' WHAT ARE THE SEVEN OTHER CORONAVIRUSES? Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 MERS-CoV SARS-CoV 229E NL63 OC43 HKU1 Disease Covid-19 Mers Sars Common cold Common cold Common cold Common cold Advertisement About half of the genes of the canine coronavirus are similar to those of Covid-19. Although only eight cases have been identified, the dog virus or highly similar ones are likely to have circulated much further among dogs and people in Malaysia. Dr Vlasova said: 'A one-time sampling is not going to tell you with accuracy how prevalent it is. 'The sampling has to be repeated and done over a period time to see how many people become infected.' She added: 'If you had mentioned this 20 years ago, that a virus that affects dogs could change to be able to infect people, many would have been sceptical.' But it may not be necessary for people to change how they interact with their dogs. Dr Vlasova said: 'But I would definitely be watching a little more how much I allow my babies around dogs.' The virus causes different symptoms in dogs, including gastrointestinal problems. Infected people experience a respiratory illness. Dr Gray said: 'We are likely missing important animal viruses that are beginning to adapt to humans. 'We need to conduct such virus discovery work among people with pneumonia and also among people who have intense exposure to animals so that we get early warning of a new virus which may become a future pandemic virus.' The potential threat posed by the viruses of dogs or cats, which also suffer illnesses from coronaviruses, has not been studied widely. It should be, said Dr Vlasova. Monitoring animal viruses is a way of protecting public health. She added: 'We primarily put the emphasis on studying emerging disease in humans not animals. That is a big flaw in the current approach.' Susan Berman likely didn't see her killer just before she died, the medical examiner in Robert Durst's murder trial revealed as the trial wrapped for the week Thursday. Durst, 78, is on trial in the death of Berman, a close friend he is suspected of killing at her Los Angeles home in December 2000. He has pleaded not guilty. Berman was considering talking to police about the mysterious disappearance of Robert's wife, Kathie, when she was murdered, investigators said. The trial of Durst faced a 14-month delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but began earlier this week with key medical testimony from the medical examiner. The court heard testimony from the medical examiner in the murder trial of Robert Durst Durst, 78, is on trial in the death of Susan Berman, a close friend he is suspected of killing at her Los Angeles home in December 2000 According to Fox News, Dr. Mark Fajardo reviewed Berman's autopsy in 2015 and believes she may not have seen her killer coming, but qualified the testimony as 'supposition'. He also testified that he feels confident that Berman's death was a homicide. Fajardo said Berman's head wound came from a 9mm pistol that may have been fired 'within an inch' of the back of her head. Durst's lawyer, Dick DeGuerin, asked Fajardo if Berman may not have seen her killer because she was picking up after her dog when the killer approached. In opening remarks on Wednesday, Dick DeGuerin said Robert, the multimillionaire, had no motive for killing Berman and said there is no evidence linking him to her homicide Durst is expected to take the stand in his own defense during the murder trial 'The investigator said there was some pieces of newspaper and Kleenex with apparent animal waste found near the body ... meaning, of course, she had dogs, and apparently, there was an effort to clean up the dog pooping inside,' DeGuerin said. 'That is a possibility, certainly,' Fajardo said of the theory. Law & Crime also reports that two of Kathie Durst's classmates from Albert Einstein College of Medicine where she was a medical student were sworn in on Thursday, including Dr. Helen Bloch. Bloch has extensive training in treating domestic violence victims and said Durst once arrived at school with a black eye, which she tried to cover up with sunglasses. Durst has never been found after disappearing in 1982 and nobody has been charged in her death. She is presumed dead. Prosecutors allege Durst killed his wife and dismembered her body in 1982 and then confided in Berman about the slaying. In opening remarks on Wednesday, DeGuerin said Durst, a multimillionaire, had no motive for killing Berman and said there is no evidence linking him to her homicide. Susan Berman and Robert Durst pictured together before her death in 2000 'Bob Durst did not kill Susan Berman and he doesn't know who did,' attorney Dick DeGuerin said. 'Bob Durst had no motive and nothing to gain by the death of Susan Berman.' Deputy District Attorney John Lewin countered that Berman helped him cover his tracks by posing as Kathie Durst in a phone call with the dean of the medical school where she was a student. 'Everything starts with Kathie Dursts disappearance and death at the hands of Mr. Durst,' Lewin said. Dr. Mark Fajardo (pictured) testified that Berman may not have seen her killer coming Lewin alleged Berman told friends she helped Durst by phoning in sick for Kathie Durst the day after she was last seen providing evidence she was alive the day after her husband said he put her on train back to New York City after a weekend at their lakeside cottage. Investigators have said they believe she was killed at the Westchester County home and actually never returned to the couple's Manhattan penthouse. The Westchester district attorney's office announced Monday it is reviewing the case. 'Kathie Durst disappeared without a trace,' DeGuerin said. 'It was and is a mystery.' Furthermore, he said, evidence was lacking and there was 'no forensic evidence that Bob Durst killed Susan Berman.' 'Not a fingerprint. No DNA. No blood. No fibers from his clothes no gun. No shoeprints. Nothing in his car when it was searched later. [They] didnt do a sexual exam,' he said, according to the New York Post. Robert Durst pictured with wife, Kathie, who disappeared in 1982. Prosecutors allege Robert killed Berman because she had information on Kathie's disappearance Berman was found dead in her Benedict Canyon, Los Angeles home in December 2000. Police were directed to the home by a note with only her address and the word 'cadaver' written in block letters. Durst previously told the makers of The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst in 2010 and investigators in 2012 that he didn't write the note, but said in 2015 that whoever did write it must be Berman's killer. 'You're writing a note to the police that only the killer could have written,' Durst said. Durst pictured during his arraignment in the death of Berman back in November 2016 Defense lawyers conceded before the trial that Durst was the one who wrote the note, which Lewin said amounts to a confession. Evidence had shown he once penned a note to Berman in identical handwriting, with her address similarly misspelled 'Beverley' Hills instead of 'Beverly.' DeGuerin argued Durst discovered Berman's body when he showed up to spend the Christmas holidays with her. He 'freaked out' and left, and sent the note to police so she'd be found, though her body was discovered before police got the note. DeGuerin said Durst will take the stand in his defense, which is out for the week and scheduled to resume Monday. Durst previously was acquitted of murdering his neighbor, Morris Black, who he admitted to dismembering after shooting him in self-defense during a struggle inside the Galveston, Texas apartment they shared. Police arrested arrested Georgia woman Katie Shellhorse, 22, and charged her with one count of felony theft by deception for a nearly year-long scheme in which she faked a cancer diagnosis and solicited $15,000 in donations A Georgia woman was arrested after she allegedly faked a cancer diagnosis to scam more than 50 people out of nearly $15,000 in donations. Katie Shellhorse, 22, was charged in Polk County on Tuesday with one count of felony theft by deception for the nearly year-long ruse in which the married mother of two took to social media to give updates on her health, and asked for money. Shellhorse went to far as to shave her head as part of the ruse, Polk Today reported. She has since been released on $1,000 bond. Police first began investigating the Cedartown woman in April, according to a release from the Polk County Police Department. A family member said Shellhorse used the money from the donations on marijuana and alcohol, according to WSBTV. On Wednesday, members of the woman's family released a statement saying they were the first to take their concerns to the authorities. Family members of the married mother of two were reportedly the first to come forward to police with their suspicions that Shellhorse did not actually have cancer Shellhorse reportedly told them in July 2020 that she had been diagnosed with peritoneal cancer. 'We were devastated and feared what this would mean for her young husband and two small daughters,' they said in the statement. 'After a few months we grew suspicious and we started keeping records of Katie's claims. We didn't understand why her doctor wouldn't allow a family member to accompany her to visits or why her experience was so different from anyone we'd ever known who dealt with cancer. Our questions were always answered in detail, but we had no proof of our doubts,' the family added. In December, Shellhorse reported on social media that her cancer had become terminal. Shellhorse reportedly went so far as to shave her head as part of the deception Shellhorse reportedly posted to a number of social media platforms with her allegedly false story Finally, the family members said, they went to the police with their suspicions. Officials, Fox Atlanta reported, said that when Shellhorse made the announcements about her condition, it was only natural that they would rally around her. 'Anytime someone is diagnosed with cancer, everybody comes together, that's what small towns do,' Polk County Police Det. Caleb Bowman told Fox Atlanta. Among the donors was Shellhorse's high school classmate Shelby Walls, 22, who gave $165. 'It makes me furious because I watched both of my grandmothers and my grandfather battle cancer,' Walls told 11 Alive. 'It's every day somebody passes away with a serious illness she claimed she had.' Shellhorse allegedly solicited donations from a variety of sources. Churches even donated to her, according to police In addition to friends, several churches also gathered money to donate to Shellhorse, Bowman reported. When news of the ruse broke, donors and strangers alike took to social media to express their disgust. 'I donated money that I work hard everyday for,' Adrianna Lee Gilham commented on Facebook. 'It made me sick to think she was going through that with 2 little girls.' Users took to Facebook to condemn Shellhorse's alleged deception, including some who say they donated to her Brianna Jordan wrote, 'As someone who's dad died of cancer I really hope she rots in hell.' After speaking to investigators, Shellhorse in a now deleted Facebook post, admitted to her scheme, according to Polk Today saying that it was part of a suicide plot she had developed. 'I deeply apologize for all the hurt I have cause everyone like my husband, family, friend and even strangers who were very kind to me. I used the lie about cancer as a long ploy to suicide,' she wrote. Fox reported that authorities had been able to get in touch with roughly 50 people who had donated, and are looking for more. They ask that anyone who gave money to Shellhorse believing she had cancer call (678) 246-5107. Advertisement Boris Johnson today hinted that the June 21 'freedom day' will go ahead as he said he still does not see 'anything' in coronavirus data that would prevent the roadmap going ahead. The PM delivered a bullish message on the prospects for the unlocking in England after a week of anxiety about whether the Indian variant will derail the country's hopes. Mr Johnson also flatly ruled out introducing 'Covid certificates' to get into pubs next month - words that will delight increasingly restive Tory MPs. And he suggested that the details of the plans for June 21 will be unveiled by the end of the month, earlier than had been feared after the latest mutant strain started to fuel cases. The positive comments contrasted with the position taken by Nicola Sturgeon, who announced this afternoon that Glasgow will stay in tougher Level 3 restrictions for another week, and warned that the R rate might be above one in Scotland as the variant spreads. Speaking to broadcasters on a visit to Portsmouth, Mr Johnson said: 'We will be letting everybody know exactly what sort of arrangements to expect for June 21. 'But what I can tell you, and just to stress that I am still seeing nothing in the data that leads me to think that we're going to have to deviate from the road map obviously we must remain cautious but I'm seeing nothing that makes me think we have to deviate. 'But on June 21 and vaccine certification or Covid status certification I should say people should bear in mind that I don't see any prospect of certificates to go into pubs or anything else.' Pressed on whether the public will continue to be asked to wear masks, Mr Johnson replied: 'We will let people know as much as we possibly can by the end of the month about weddings, for instance. 'All the details we'll try and let people know by the end of the month about exactly where we think we'll be on June 21, Step 4.' The Prime Minister said eliminating the measure was the 'single biggest difference' the government could bring about in order to get pubs back into action, and he was eager for the rule to be scrapped by June 21, The Times reports The Prime Minister Boris Johnson sits in the cockpit of an Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II during a visit to HMS Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier Mr Johnson speaks with members of the crew on the bridge during a visit to HMS Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier The Prime Minister stands on the flight deck during a visit to HMS Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier on May 21 As long as the rule is in force, pubs, restaurants, theatres, cinemas and other hospitality businesses remain financially unviable, having to legally keep customers separated while using their premises, industry leaders have warned. Pictured: A bartender prepares cocktails at the Prince of Peckham pub, as it reopens to indoor customers, in London, Monday, May 17 While the Indian variant is spreading rapidly in pockets of the country, 60 per cent of local authorities in England have yet to record a case (shown in grey). But it is likely the variant has spread even further than the map suggests because the data only goes up to May 8. Experts have said they expect it to overtake the Kent strain and become dominant in the coming weeks and months ONLY THREE HOTSPOTS HAVE CLEAR CASE RISES Just three of the 15 Indian variant hotspots in the UK are seeing clear rises in infection rates, surge testing data has revealed. Almost 3,500 cases of the Indian Covid variant have now been spotted across the UK, with the number of people testing positive for the strain having more than doubled in a week. But the latest data has suggested that scientists' fears about the Indian strain being more transmissible than the already highly virulent Kent variant may be unfounded. In the over-60s, cases are not rising in any of the hotspots outside of Bolton - meaning vaccines are likely working to protect the elderly from the disease, The Times reports. Full figures on the results of the surge testing - which is being carried out in areas including Bedford, Burnley, Hounslow and Kirklees - will be released next week, as current data is only preliminary. Public Health England's weekly update said the B.1.617.2 variant had been detected 3,424 times by May 19, up from 1,313 a week ago. The bulk of the cases have been in the North West of England mostly in Bolton and Blackburn and in London but PHE said clusters were cropping up across the country. Advertisement There were more conflicting signals about the variant today as government experts estimated England's Covid outbreak may be on the rise - despite separate data suggesting the nation's outbreak is flat. No10's top scientists estimated the R rate which measures the spread of the virus is now between 0.9 and 1.1, up from the lower estimate of 0.8 last week. Random swabbing by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) found almost 50,000 people were infected with the virus on any day last week, or the equivalent of one in every 1,110 people. The estimate is up by 20 per cent on the previous seven-day spell. The national body, whose estimates are watched closely by ministers, warned it was starting to see a 'potential increase'. But its head of analytics for the Covid infection survey Sarah Crofts said 'rates remain low and it is too soon to say if this is the start of a trend'. But the figures came after two separate datasets yesterday suggested the opposite trend, allaying fears the Indian variant was spiralling out of control. Public Health England's weekly surveillance report found coronavirus cases had dropped in every region except the North West and in every age group except 5 to 9-year-olds. Covid cases are only surging in three of 23 hotspots for the Indian variant Bolton, Blackburn and Bedford but are remaining flat in others and even falling in two Sefton and South Northamptonshire. And separate analysis from King's College London found 2,270 Brits were developing Covid symptoms last week, barely a change from the previous seven-day spell. Nicola Sturgeon is banning Scots from going to Indian variant 'hotspots' in England. The Scottish First minister voiced alarm at the threat posed by the strain as she announced that Glasgow will remain under tougher lockdown measures for another week. At a media briefing, Ms Sturgeon said cases had risen by a quarter north of the border in the last week, and the city had not 'turned the corner' despite intensive efforts to clamp down on infections with surge testing and vaccinations. However, she said Moray - which had also been held back before when restrictions in the rest of Scotland were downgraded - will now move down from Level 3 to Level 2 from midnight. East Renfrewshire will stay in Level 2 despite calls from some experts for tougher curbs, although Ms Sturgeon the situation would remain under 'close review'. Meanwhile, a temporary ban is being slapped on travel to parts of England that have been trying to contain the Indian variant - Bedford, Bolton and Blackburn and Darwin. It will come into force from Monday. 'Despite all the efforts that have been made in the past 10 days, cases are still rising in Glasgow,' Ms Sturgeon said. She added authorities are 'fairly certain' the increase is being driven by the Indian variant of the virus. Conflicting signals over England's outbreak England's Covid outbreak may be on the rise amid surging cases of the Indian variant, Government statisticians estimated today despite separate data suggesting the nation's outbreak is flat. No10's top scientists estimated the R rate which measures the spread of the virus is now between 0.9 and 1.1, up from the lower estimate of 0.8 last week. Random swabbing by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) found almost 50,000 people were infected with the virus on any day last week, or the equivalent of one in every 1,110 people. The estimate is up by 20 per cent on the previous seven-day spell. The national body, whose estimates are watched closely by ministers, warned it was starting to see a 'potential increase'. But its head of analytics for the Covid infection survey Sarah Crofts said 'rates remain low and it is too soon to say if this is the start of a trend'. But the figures came after two separate datasets yesterday suggested the opposite trend, allaying fears the Indian variant was spiralling out of control. Public Health England's weekly surveillance report found coronavirus cases had dropped in every region except the North West and in every age group except 5 to 9-year-olds. Covid cases are only surging in three of 23 hotspots for the Indian variant Bolton, Blackburn and Bedford but are remaining flat in others and even falling in two Sefton and South Northamptonshire. And separate analysis from King's College London found 2,270 Brits were developing Covid symptoms last week, barely a change from the previous seven-day spell. Advertisement The PM raised hopes by telling Conservative MPs earlier this week that his still expects the 'one-metre plus' rule for social distancing to be scrapped in June. He told the 1922 committee that eliminating the measure was the 'single biggest difference' the government could bring about in order to get Britain's pubs back into action. Industry leaders say as long as the rule is in force many pubs, restaurants, theatres, cinemas and other hospitality businesses will not be financially viable. Many have had to keep their doors closed throughout the coronavirus crisis. The UK's daily Covid deaths have fallen by more than a third in a week as seven more victims and 2,874 positive tests were recorded. Yesterday's infections were up slightly on the 2,657 last Thursday, a rise of about 8 per cent, but the national case rate has remained stable since April. More than 37million people have now received one vaccine injection the equivalent of more than 70 per cent of all adults and 21.2million are fully inoculated. But the rise of the Indian Covid variant had sparked concerns that plans to end social distancing measures were in jeopardy, but on Wednesday Mr Johnson told the 1922 Committee of Tory MPs he was confident about abolishing the one-metre plus rule next month. One MP who was at the 1922 meeting said: 'He seemed very upbeat about removing the one-metre-plus rule next month. 'He told us he fully realises that it is the biggest difference the government can make to letting pubs serve customers in reasonably normal conditions and that means getting rid of any capacity restrictions.' Chief executive of the British Beer & Pub Association, Emma McClarkin, welcomed the news. She said: 'Given pubs are financially unviable under the current restrictions they face, being able to reopen without any restrictions at all from June 21 is going to be vital to their survival.' It comes amid a glimmer of hope for a return to normality as England and Wales' rapidly shrinking Covid outbreaks were laid bare by an interactive map that showed nearly 90 per cent of more than 7,000 neighbourhoods saw no deaths from the virus last month. Office for National Statistics (ONS) data reveal April was the first month since August 2020 where the number of deaths was below the five-year average, with fewer than 1,000 virus-linked fatalities. The overall death rate in England 851.2 per 100,000 people was the lowest rate for April since the ONS started recording mortality rates in 2001. Speaking to broadcasters on a visit to Portsmouth, Mr Johnson said: 'We will be letting everybody know exactly what sort of arrangements to expect for June 21' Mr Johnson stands on the flight deck during a visit aboard the HMS Queen Elizabeth in Portsmouth today Positive test figures from the Wellcome Sanger Institute which cover only lab-analysed cases in the two weeks between April 25 and May 8 reveal the mutant Indian strain made up 50 per cent or more of all samples in 23 parts of the country by last week. Bolton and Blackburn in the North West remain the worst-hit areas with almost 600 cases between them and the variant making up 81 per cent of infections Cases of a coronavirus variant first detected in India are rising in the UK, potentially threatening the lockdown-easing roadmap MailOnline analysis shows the proportion of English and Welsh neighbourhoods with zero deaths increased from 57.9 per cent in March to 87.6 per cent last month some 6,301 areas. Just ten areas saw three deaths each, which was the highest amount for any postcode. They were: Hounslow West in London, Summerfield in Birmingham, Woodthorpe and Arno Vale in Gedling, Great Sankey in Warrington, Birley in Sheffield, Stornton and Sixfields in Northampton, Grimsargh and Goosnargh in Preston, Rusper, Faygate and Leechpool in Horsham, Bridlington West in East Riding of Yorkshire and Canvey Island South West in Castle Point. The ONS data also revealed that Covid was just the ninth leading cause of death in England last month its lowest ranking since September 2020. Heart disease and dementia were the leading killers. A total of 941 deaths were due to coronavirus in April, the equivalent of 2.4 per cent of all deaths registered in England. Another 35 were recorded in Wales. Deaths have plunged over the past few months because of both strict lockdown restrictions and the mammoth vaccination drive, which has seen almost 37million adults jabbed. Public Health England bosses have hailed 'hugely encouraging' data that showed cases remained 'stable' nationally at around 12,000 last week, and dropped in all age groups except 5 to 9-year-olds. Hospitalisations with the virus also fell across the country, while infection rates dipped in every region except the North West, which is struggling against an outbreak of the Indian strain. Britain today also recorded just seven Covid deaths as the fatality toll continues to drop. Meanwhile, infections are flat with another 2,874 positive tests recorded. For comparison, 11 deaths and 2,657 cases were posted this time last week. PHE also revealed that it had detected another mutant Covid variant in Yorkshire and the Humber which it has assigned as a 'Variant Under Investigation'. The strain temporarily named AV.1 has been spotted 49 times so far and there is currently no evidence that it causes more severe disease or renders vaccines less effective. Its effect on transmission is not yet understood. Migrants were seen attempting to scale the walls of Ceuta, one of Spain's North African enclaves, in a bid to get from Morocco into Europe. Pictures taken in the early hours of Friday morning showed a group of migrants using ropes in a desperate attempt to scale the walls of Ceuta's port amid a diplomatic row between Spain and Morocco. In Spain's other North African enclave Melilla, around 300km (185 miles) east of Ceuta, some 30 migrants crossed over in the early hours on Friday, scaling the high, razor-wired fence, authorities confirmed. Meanwhile, more than more than 6,000 migrants who swam to or climbed into Ceuta have been sent back to Morocco by Spain amid the enormous influx, it was confirmed on Friday. It comes after bodies washed up on the shores of the Spanish enclave on Thursday as more than 8,000 people attempted to make the crossing from Morocco into Ceuta this week. Photographs from Friday showed two migrants throwing a rope up the high border wall of Ceuta, before clambering on top of the barbed wire fence separating the city from Morocco. Pictures taken in the early hours of Friday morning showed a group of migrants (pictured) using ropes in a desperate attempt to scale the walls of Ceuta's port to get into Europe Two migrants climbed the high border wall of Ceuta by throwing a rope up, before clambering on top of the barbed wire fence separating it from Morocco (pictured) The situation is Ceuta remained quiet on Friday as there were no new arrivals recorded for the second day in the Spanish city of 85,000. The Spanish enclave is currently at the centre of a row between Spain and Morocco, after Moroccan authorities was said to have deliberately removed border guards and allowed the influx of migrants to make a political point. The diplomatic row emerged between the two countries over Spain's decision to provide medical treatment to militant leader Brahim Ghali, who has been fighting Morocco in a decades-long war. Since Monday, a record 8,000-plus migrants have crossed into Ceuta from Morocco, prompting chaotic scenes as authorities struggled to manage the unprecedented influx. But out of the 8,000 migrants, who crossed by swimming or jumping border fences, 6,600 have been sent back to Morocco by Spain, authorities confirmed on Friday. Morocco had appeared to loosen its border controls with Ceuta for two days on Monday, letting thousands of migrants pour into the enclave, which was widely viewed as retaliation for Spain's hosting of the Western Sahara independence leader. The situation is Ceuta remained quiet on Friday as there were no new arrivals recorded for the second day in the Spanish city of 85,000. Pictured: migrants climb the port of Ceuta Since Monday, a record 8,000-plus migrants have crossed into Ceuta from Morocco, but 6,600 have been sent back to the North African country, it was confirmed on Friday It comes after bodies washed up on the shores of Ceuta (pictured) after thousands of migrants attempted to make the crossing from Morocco into the Spanish city this week Meanwhile, in nearby Melilla, a Spanish territory 220 miles west along the Mediterranean Sea next to Morocco, border security forces on both sides repelled groups of youths trying to get into Spain. The Spanish government's delegation in Melilla said that a few dozen made it in. It comes as bodies washed up on the shores of Ceuta after thousands of migrants attempted to make the crossing from Morocco this week amid the ongoing diplomatic row. Heartbreaking photographs showed bodies washed up on the beach against the backdrop of a raging grey sea at the Spanish enclave, before Spanish Guardia Civil members moved the bodies from the shore. Meanwhile, the Spanish interior minister said on Friday that he hoped the diplomatic spat with Morocco, over the influx of illegal migrants into Ceuta, would soon end. 'There was a disagreement (with Morocco) and we hope this disagreement will be as short-lived as possible,' Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska told COPE radio station. 'It is inconceivable that a humanitarian gesture should trigger a situation like the crisis in Ceuta.' A senior Spanish diplomatic source added: 'We have been calling for calm and moderation since this started. We still have a strategic relationship with Morocco.' The enormous influx of people into Ceuta comes amid strained relations between Madrid and Rabat over the former's decision to provide medical treatment for Brahim Ghali, the leader of the Polisario Front, who has Covid-19. The armed group has fought for the independence of Western Sahara, a former Spanish colony mainly under Moroccan control, for decades. Heartbreaking photographs (above) showed the bodies washed up on the beach against the backdrop of a raging grey sea at the Spanish enclave Spanish Guardia Civil members were seen moving the bodies (pictured) from the shore of Ceuta on Thursday, after 8,000 migrants attempted to reach Europe this week Spanish interior minister said on Friday he hoped the diplomatic spat with Morocco, over the influx of illegal migrants into Ceuta, would soon end. Pictured: Body of migrant at Ceuta The influx of migrants comes amid strained relations between Madrid and Rabat over Spain's decision to treat Brahim Ghali (above), the leader of the Polisario Front, who has Covid-19 Morocco's minister of state for human rights, Mustafa Ramid, accused Spain on Thursday of committing a 'reckless and totally unacceptable act' in admitting Ghali without consulting Rabat. He said Morocco had 'the right to lean back' in response. Officials in Rabat also said Polisario Front boss Brahim Ghali's presence in Spain, where he entered with an Algerian passport under a false name, is unacceptable. The European Union has expressed solidarity with Spain over the crisis. Ghali, whom Morocco considers a terrorist, has been recovering from Covid-19 in a hospital in northern Spain since April 18. He's been summoned for questioning by Spain's National Court on June 1 in a lawsuit for alleged torture and is being investigated for possible genocide in a separate case brought by dissident Sahrawi groups who oppose the Polisario. On Thursday, Spain accused Morocco of 'blackmail' for allowing the influx of migrants to reach Ceuta amid tensions between the two neighbouring countries. Spanish Defence Minister Margarita Robles said Morocco's actions were 'an aggression of Spanish borders and of the borders of the European Union'. 'We are not talking about youths aged 16, 17, children as young as seven or eight were allowed through according to NGOs... ignoring international law,' she said in an interview with Spanish public radio on Thursday. 'Call it what you want but I call it blackmail,' she said, adding 'it is not acceptable to put the lives of minors or of people of one's own country, at risk.' Polysilicon Market 2021 Business Opportunities The global polysilicon market size is estimated to reach USD 9.68 billion by 2026 says a new report published by Polaris Market Research. The report Polysilicon Market Share, Size, Trends, Industry Analysis Report By Application (Photovoltaics {Monocrystalline Solar Panel and Multicrystalline Solar Panel} and Electronics), By Regions, Segments & Forecast, 2019 2026 gives an accurate analysis of current market indices and taps future market trends. Polysilicon is a high-purity silicon grade and a major raw material for the electronics and photovoltaic (PV) industries. Silicon has profuse abilities from which it is manufactured. The three commercial processes for extracting it from silicon are quite lucrative. Polysilicon finds itself useful in production of PV wafers which is another strong growth factor for global market. The product is characteristically identified by two grades. One is electronics and the other solar. The electronics grade is used to manufacture microelectromechanical systems, optics, power conversion devices and Integrated Circuits. The solar grade is used in manufacturing photovoltaic cell. Download sample Copy : https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/polysilicon-market/request-for-sample The global solar installations surpassed 100 GW for the first time in 2017. This phenomenon has raised the ranking of polysilicon and wafers that are manufactured. Though the solar installation has grown prolifically on a global basis, the market witnessed less supply in 2017. The weak demand came about due to China with feed-in-tariff deadline and lack of transmission line that occurred in West China form sunnier regions. Globally, solar energy has been actively adopted for different end-use industries in various applications. This has resulted in increased consumption of polysilicon in photovoltaic industry. An improvement in emerging countries of the world with rising disposable incomes has been major parameters for success of these end-use sectors. The demand for consumer electronics has also risen due to such economic and social factors. Polysilicon is extensively used in electrical and electronics industry for manufacture of electrical components such as integrated circuits, which are an integral component in all electronics circuits and assemblies. A rising demand for smart phones, personal computers and data storage devices has given industry wide traction in the electrical and electronics industry globally. China is a major consumer and also the largest PV module-manufacturing base which are factors responsible for growth of market in the country. However, there are minor obstacles in market on account of feed-in-tariff and ongoing trade disputes between China and United States. The situation in China has worsened the financial leg of US because US has lost access to Chinas PV manufacturing industry, leaving a huge financial loss in its wake. Do you have questions or special requirements? Ask our industry experts : https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/polysilicon-market/speak-to-analyst Asia Pacific is anticipated to be the largest and fast-growing regional market due to industrial growth of its countries, especially the emerging countries. China, India, South Korea and Japan have significantly contributed to growth in region. The global polysilicon market comprises large multinational and domestic companies. The industry is moderately consolidated and highly competitive. The key industrial players in global polysilicon market include REC Silicon, Wacker Chemie, LDK Solar Company Ltd., Tokuyama Corporation, CSG holdings Co., Ltd., Mitsubishi Materials Corporation and GCL Poly Energy Holdings Ltd. Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia on Thursday compared House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's mask mandate for the House chamber to the horrors of the Holocaust. The lawmaker who was kicked off committees for past comments about QAnon and other statements went beyond Nazi comparisons that numerous public figures have had to take back over the years, comparing the mask mandate to the singling out of Jews with the star of David and even the gas chambers of Hitler's extermination campaign. She said of Pelosi: 'This woman is mentally ill. You know, we can look back in a time in history where people were told to wear a gold star and they were definitely treated like second class citizens, so much so that they were put in trains and taken to gas chambers in Nazi Germany. And this is exactly the type of abuse that Nancy Pelosi is talking about,' she told David Brody on Real America's Voice. 'You know, we can look back in a time in history where people were told to wear a gold star and they were definitely treated like second class citizens, so much so that they were put in trains and taken to gas chambers in Nazi Germany,' said Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene as she criticized a mandate that lawmakers wear face coverings inside the House chamber She also blasted the speaker for attending a gathering in the White House Thursday where guests closely mingled without masks. 'Nancy Pelosi is enjoying herself mask-free at the White House while shes running a tyrannical, oppressive workplace here at the House of Representatives, forcing us to wear masks, abusing our individual freedoms, demanding that members of Congress get the Covid vaccine, which is still not approved by the FDA by the way and you cant even demand to know peoples private medical records,' she said. 'So our vaccine history is none of her business. As a matter of fact, its a violation of our HIPAA rights for her to demand to know,' she added. Rep. Thomas Massie placed a letter describing a $500 fine for violating the mask mandate inside a waste bin SMILE! House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of Calif., poses for a photo before the signing the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act, in the East Room of the White House, Thursday, May 20, 2021, in Washington. She was responding to Pelosi's statement that she will keep the mandate in place until all lawmakers are vaccinated, amid indications that three quarters of them have gotten their shots. Her blast at the speaker comes as Kentucky GOP Rep. David Massie revealed what he thought about a $500 fine he incurred for going on the House floor without a mask. He tweeted out an image of the letter he received from the House Sergeant at Arms informing him about the fine with the letter placed in the trash can. The image showed the letter, still paper clipped and still pristine with an envelope stamped 'Important' behind it, inside the waste bin. Massie tweeted: '.@SpeakerPelosi sent me another letter. Something about violating her tyrannical and unscientific mask rule. I filed this one in the same location.' The pushback came after Pelosi on Thursday called members of Congress who have not gotten the coronavirus vaccine selfish and claimed they are a danger to their colleagues. The House Speaker said she will keep the mask mandate on the floor in place until all members have gotten the shot - even though restrictions have been lifted in the White House and most of the rest of the country. 'We have to wait for them to be vaccinated. Because they are selfishly an endangerment to other people, including staff people here,' she said at a Capitol press conference. 'We have a responsibility to make sure the House of Representatives' chamber is not a petri dish,' she added. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (center) tweeted a photo from the House floor of the GOP lawmakers without face masks; from left Reps. Mary Miller, Ralph Norman and Thomas Massie. She compared Pelosi to the Nazis over the mask mandate for the House chamber 'It is unfortunate that a large number of people in the Congress have refused to be vaccinated... Until they are vaccinated, we cannot have meetings without masks. 'What is this the honor system? The honor system as to whether somebody's been vaccinanted? Do you want them breathing in your face on the strength of their honor?' Pelosi has said that around 75 percent of members of the House have been vaccinated. It's not known who has decided against it. But there isn't a central list, unless lawmakers released a public statement or tweeted out a picture. A tally by CNN reveals stark partisan differences. All 219 Democrats have been vaccinated, but just 97 out of 211 Republicans. During a pre-pandemic standard 15-minute vote, all 435 lawmakers would make their way into the chamber and linger along with floor staff, specially credentialed aides, and dozens of reporters camped outside. Pelosi is relying in part on the Capitol physician Brian Monahan, who warned in a letter this week about the potential risks of unvaccinated people mingling in the Capitol. A Biden event in the East Room Thursday had signs of a return to normalcy, with unmasked guests spaced apart 'Extra precautions are necessary given the substantial number of partially vaccinated, unvaccinated, and vaccine-indeterminate individuals," according to the physician's letter. "These measure allow for all participants to be treated in the same fashion without displaying any unique identification feature that would separate individuals based on their vaccination or health status." Pelosi has shunned the idea of an honor system and has instead kept the strict measures in place, despite opposition from Republican lawmakers, some of whom joined in public protest and faced potential fines. Her comments came on the same day President Joe Biden signed the Anti-Asian hate crime bill in front of an audience that was maskless and wasn't required to socially distance. Lawmakers, members of Biden's cabinet and others among the 68 people in the crowd shook hands, mingled took photos and even hugged in a a sign that the White House is returning to normal. 'I mean does anybody feel like wearing a mask? No no, we all want to get through this,' Pelosi said. It was not immediately clear what protocols were in place for the Biden event, but the White House staff and cabinet members have been vaccinated. For months there have been strict measures in place for all events, indoors and out. Some Republicans have been heavily critical of the mask mandates and have even flaunted the rules, despite facing a $500 fine. 'Best $500 I ever spent,' Republican Rep. Brian Mast told NBC News. He refused to put his mask on even after a member of the House Sergeant at Arms' office approached him on the chamber floor Tuesday evening, in full view of C-SPAN's camera, and asked him to wear one. The limits are still in place even though the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have said most vaccinated people do not have to wear face coverings while indoors. Capitol Attending Physician Dr. Brian Monahan also said on Wednesday that the mask rules should stay in place until every member is vaccinated. Conservative Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and three other Republican lawmakers took a selfie of themselves standing in the well of the House, bare faced, and tagging it with the hashtag #freeyourface 'Proud to join these Patriots for a peaceful protest on the House floor against mask mandates!,' Greene tweeted with the pic. 'Enough is enough! #FreeYourFace,' wrote Republican Rep. Mary Miller, who was in the selfie, on Twitter. '5 Republican women and 5 Republican men are now maskless on the floor,' tweeted GOP Rep. Tom Massie on Tuesday night. He was also in Greene's selfie and organized Tuesday night's protest. 'We've had enough. We are refusing to wear our masks on the floor during this vote in spite of Pelosi's threat to take $500 from each of us. Her rule is not based on science,' Massie also tweeted. After their anti-mask crusade, the Republican lawmakers gathered outside on the steps of the Capitol to celebrate their rebellion. None of them would tell NBC News if they had been vaccinated or not. Democratic Rep. Jahana Hayes and Mast then got into an exchange about masks while out there. President Joe Biden signs the COVID-19 Hate Crims Act into law surrounded by members of Congress who, for the first time in his administration, were allowed into the White House in a mask-less large group 'If you choose not to wear a mask, if you choose to disrespect the floor staff, if you choose to give them a hard time, that's on you,' Hayes told Mast, according to a reporter from The Hill who witnessed the exchange. 'It's definitely on us if we choose not to wear a mask. I'm glad we agree,' Mast replied. Three GOP lawmakers were slapped with a $500 fine after ignoring previous warnings about masks: Mast, Beth Van Duyne and Mariannette Miller-Meeks. 'I have been fined $500 by @SpeakerPelosi for following CDC guidance. This was never about science. It has always been about power,' Mast tweeted. 'The CDC scientists have made it CLEAR if you are fully vaccinated you no longer have to wear a mask,' he noted. Seven other Republicans were issued formal warnings and will face $500 fines if they refuse to wear masks again: Greene, Massie, Miller, Lauren Boebert, Chip Roy Bob Good, and Louie Gohmert. Any subsequent offenses would result in fines of $2,500 each. A private school teaching assistant filmed child pornography involving two young students aged between six and 10, a court heard. Augustus 'Gus' Shenker, 21, was initially arrested on Tuesday on federal counts of transportation and possession of child pornography, and was released on bond. But two days later, he ended up in jail again after FBI agents uncovered additional evidence on the suspect's iPhone that prompted prosecutors to file a second complaint against Shenker, charging him with production of child pornography. The charge carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison. He is said to have recorded the clips on the same street where his workplace - Miss Selma's School in Little Rock - is based, although it remains unclear if the footage was recorded in the actual school. The school charges its 200 students between $4,000 and $5,500 a year to attend. According to the documents obtained by KATV, when investigators reviewed the contents of Shenker's phone, they discovered a pair of pornographic videos that depicted two prepubescent girls with an adult man. The videos were recorded between April 22-23 on the same street where the school is located. Augustus Shenker, 21, an Arkansas teaching assistant, has been charged with production of child pornography, and transportation and possession of child pornography Shenker had worked as a teacher's aide at Miss Selma's School in Little Rock since 2017 while studying elementary education at the University of Central Arkansas Data shared by investigators showed the clips were recorded at an address on T Street in Little Rock - five numbers away from 7814 T Street, where Shenker worked. Shenker's current address is listed as being 1.9 miles away from the school, and the address where the clips are said to have been recorded. FBI spokesman Connor Hagan could not confirm the images were shot at the school, but highlighted their appeal for other parents who fear their children may have been abused to come forward. Hagan added that the Bureau has been inundated with concerned parents, and has even drafted in extra agents to try and interview them as quickly as possible. Shenker, who had worked as a teacher's aide at Miss Selma's School since 2017, was arraigned on Thursday. A judge ordered a psychiatric evaluation before Shenker's bond could be set. According to a criminal complaint cited by ArkansasOnline.com, the case began unfolding after tech companies Google, Adobe and Dropbox contacted the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children to report the sharing of sexually explicit images and videos depicting girls between ages six to 10. Some of the images had penises photoshopped onto them The pornographic material was allegedly linked to online accounts belonging to Shenker, and he was arrested by the FBI. During his initial interview, the 21-year-old teacher's aide told investigators he 'used to have a problem with child pornography in 2014-2016' but insisted that it was all in the past. He claimed that his Dropbox account had been hacked. Shenker denied ever having inappropriate contacts with students and told agents that he loved working at the school, which teaches pre-schoolers and elementary-aged students. A search of Shenker's home turned up a laptop, an iPad, three USB storage devices, along with a box of letters from students, a Polaroid picture of a young girl in a T-shirt, bedtime stories and a notebook describing a fifth-grade fashion show. Agents also confiscated his iPhone. Shenker is accused of filming pornographic videos with two young girls at or near the Little Rock school in late April. The videos were found on his phone during an FBI investigation On Thursday, Miss Selma's School released a statement, revealing that Shenker was fired immediately after his first arrest. The statement did not name him. 'All employees, including this individual, have completed and passed a criminal background check as required by the Department of Human Services prior to employment,' the statement read. 'There is nothing more important to us than the safety of our students, employees and staff and we will continue to take precautions to ensure such.' According to information on his Facebook account, Shenker graduated from the Catholic High School for Boys and was studying elementary education at the University of Central Arkansas while working as a teacher's assistant at Miss Selma's School - a small private institution that has about 200 students in pre-school through sixth grade. One of the images on his Facebook page shows a beaming Shenker posing in a 'Miss Selma's School' T-shirt in front of a large group of students. 'I love them!' he wrote in the comments section. The FBI is now to looking identify potential victims in this case. Anyone with additional information is asked to call the agency at 501-221-9100. Anti-Semitic attacks are surging across the United States following an outbreak of violence between Israel and Palestine in the Middle East. The Anti-Defamation League reported almost 200 attacks on American Jews in the seven days from May 10 - the date that Hamas first fired rockets at Israel. That number represents an almost 40 percent increase on the 131 anti-Semitic incidents that were clocked in the US the week before. 'As the violence between Israel and Hamas continues to escalate, we are witnessing a dangerous and drastic surge in anti-Jewish hate right here at home,' ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt said Thursday. LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA The LAPD are investigating a link between two anti-Semitic attacks that took place on consecutive nights in the heavily Jewish neighborhood of Beverly Grove. On Monday evening, two cars bearing Palestinian flags chased down a 'terrified' Orthodox Jew before he ran to the safety of a nearby synagogue. Rabbi Abraham Cooper of the Simon Wiesenthal Center in Los Angeles said the father-of-six - who is too scared to be publicly identified - 'literally had to run for his life'. LOS ANGELES, MONDAY MAY 17: Two cars bearing Palestinian flags chased down a 'terrified' Orthodox Jew before he ran to the safety of a nearby synagogue LOS ANGELES, TUESDAY MAY 18: Pro-Palestinian protesters were caught on camera brawling with diners at a kosher restaurant in the same neighborhood LOS ANGELES, THURSDAY MAY 20: Rabbi Abraham Cooper of the Simon Wiesenthal Center denounced the dangerous uptick in violence during a press conference with LA Mayor Eric Garcetti The following evening, pro-Palestinian protesters were caught on camera brawling with diners at a kosher restaurant in the same neighborhood. The protesters pounced after allegedly asking the patrons if they were Jewish. 'We do believe that these two incidents are related, by some evidence that's available,' Dominic Choi, a deputy chief in the Los Angeles Police Department, said Thursday. He added said investigators have reached a 'critical point' in the cases. The FBI is also involved in the probe. MIAMI, FLORIDA Police in Miami have launched an investigation after a Jewish family were pelted with garbage and subjected to vile slurs as they left a synagogue. Eric Orgen was walking with his wife and daughter on Monday when a group of men slowed down their car and began yelling 'Free Palestine', 'Die Jew' and 'I'm gonna rape your wife'. The harassers only stopped when a stranger in another car intervened, brandishing a gun to scare them off. 'I mean he was almost there as our guardian angel just protecting us. I think once they saw him they just took off,' Orgen told CBS12 News. It comes after a van was seen cruising through Miami earlier this week sporting Palestinian flags and the words 'HITLER WAS RIGHT' written across a side window. MIAMI, MONDAY MAY 17: Eric Orgen was walking with his wife and daughter on Monday when a group of men slowed down their car and began yelling 'Free Palestine', 'Die Jew' and I'm gonna rape your wife' MIAMI, SUNDAY MAY 16: A van was seen cruising through Miami earlier this week sporting Palestinian flags and the words 'HITLER WAS RIGHT' written across the window MANHATTAN, NEW YORK Jewish people had fireworks thrown at them during competing pro-Israel and pro-Palestine demonstrations in New York City on Thursday night. A number of vehicles carrying people waving Palestinian flags and shouting racial slurs were captured on videos, driving through Manhattan's Diamond District, home to many Jewish-owned businesses. The NYPD's Hate Crime Task Force said it was investigating the assault of a Jewish man in Times Square, with video posted to social media purporting to show him being kicked as he lay on the street. He was taken to hospital with minor injuries. More than two dozen people were arrested in the skirmish. One Big Apple resident told Fox News: 'My eyes are swollen from crying. This is not the New York City I recognize'. Another told the network:' Stop telling me this is about Israel and Gaza. My people are being targeted across the United States in broad daylight. This is textbook anti-Semitism, and we will continue to live in danger until the public starts to recognize it for what it is.' Meanwhile, Jewish man Joseph Borgen, 29, was hospitalized after being set upon by a group of pro-Palestinian protesters during the dueling demonstrations . Video shared to social media shows him being pushed to ground before he was kicked by multiple people. 'They were punching me, kicking me all over my body. I have bruises on my ribs, my back, all over... I got a slight concussion,' Borgen told FOX 5 following his release from hospital. NEW YORK, THURSDAY MAY 20: Jewish man Joseph Borgen, 29, was hospitalized after being set upon by a group of pro-Palestinian protesters during the dueling demonstrations NEW YORK, THURSDAY MAY 20: Borgen is seen in the hospital after the attack on Thursday NEW YORK, THURSDAY MAY 20: Pro Palestinian protesters burn the Israeli flag during a demonstration in Times Square SKOKIE, ILLINOIS It is not just big cities where Jews have been subjected to the abhorrent attacks. On Sunday, one synagogue in Skokie, Illinois - a heavily Jewish town north of Chicago - had its windows smashed in. A man brandishing a Palestinian flag was caught on buildings security camera also leaving a pro-Palestine sign outside. The same day, a group of demonstrators chanted 'Intifada!' (a cry for violence) across the street from Temple Beth Israel. One resident told Fox News that she is 'scared' to be visibly Jewish in the town - a particularly sad fact given that Skokie has long been a safe haven for Jewish. In the mid-1960s, more than half of its 65,000 residents were Jewish, and many were Holocaust survivors. SKOKIE, SUNDAY MAY 16: On Sunday, one synagogue in Skokie, Illinois - a heavily Jewish town north of Chicago - had its windows smashed in. A man brandishing a Palestinian flag was caught on buildings security camera also leaving a pro-Palestine sign outside TUCSON, ARIZONA In Tucson, Arizona, a rock was thrown through a window of a synagogue on Tuesday morning. No one was injured, and the offender or offenders have not yet been found. It prompted an outcry from Democrat Rep. Alma Hernandez, who is Jewish. 'I'm a complete mess in tears as I write this. I just got off the phone with my Rabbi and our synagogue was vandalized. Someone through a rock at our glass door. This was NOT and accident! I feel numb,' she posted on Twitter. Hernandez believes the attack was designed to 'intimidate' members of the congregation. Jews only make up a small number of Tucson residents. TUCSON, TUESDAY MAY 18: A rock was thrown through a window of a synagogue in a targeted attack SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH A synagogue in Salt Lake City was vandalized with a swastika on Sunday morning, prompting outrage from the local community. Rabbi Avremi Zippel told local reporters: 'A swastika is not a political statement. A swastika is an image of hate. A swastika represents one thing and one thing only and that is death to the Jews'. Zippel said politicians have not been vocal enough in condemning the surge in anti-Semitic attacks. 'The silence surrounding the cheapening of Jewish blood is deafening and downright sad,' he told Fox News. Rabbi Cooper in Los Angeles even blamed some US politicians for inciting attacks on Jews with their anti-Israel rhetoric. 'Political leaders like 'The Squad' and those who agree with them including influencers and entertainers and the media are giving a moral equivalency and parroting talking points of Hamas, a terrorist organization,' he stated. Anti-Semitic attacks in the United States were at near historic highs even before the recent eruption of violence in the Middle East. Last year, the ADL reported 2,023 anti-Semitic instances - the third-highest on record since they began tracking data back in 1979. But as the attacks now increase in both their frequency and brazenness, many Jewish Americans fear a dark new chapter is not only on the rise, but has already arrived. President Joe Biden said it was a stinging comment from Irish prime minister Micheal Martin that got him seriously concerned that the U.S. was losing its top perch in the world to China. 'The most devastating comment made after I was elected - it wasn't so much about it - but it was by the Irish taoiseach saying that "Well, America can't lead. They can't even get their arms around COVID,' Biden said in a new interview with The New York Times' David Brooks. That comment made Biden think, 'We're kind of at a place where the rest of the world is beginning to look to China.' President Joe Biden (right) said it was a 'devastating' comment made by Irish prime minister Micheal Martin (left) - who the president met with virtually on St. Patrick's Day - that got him seriously concerned about China 'We're kind of at a place where the rest of the world is beginning to look to China,' Biden told The New York Times' David Brooks. Pictured is China's President Xi Jinping delivering remarks on Friday Brooks spoke to Biden by phone this week for an interview published late Thursday. The columnist was trying to wrap his head around Biden's worldview, trying to figure out why Biden is trying to go so big. Counting the already-passed COVID-19 relief package, Biden has proposed legislation costing taxpayers $6 trillion. Biden told Brooks that he believed the greatest risk right now was practicing incrementalism. 'The risk is not trying to go big,' the president said. 'If we stay small, I don't know how we change our international status and competitive capacity.' While rolling out his American Jobs Plan - the infrastructure proposal - and again in his interview with Brooks, Biden bemoaned the U.S. not spending enough on research and development. 'We're eating our seed corn,' Biden said - a folksy way to recount what corporate executive have said to him about how the private sector hasn't been thinking long-term. In the interview, Biden also articulated key differences between his worldview and that of his party's progressive left. 'The progressives don't like me because I'm not prepared to take on what I would say and they would say is a socialist agenda,' Biden told Brooks. Brooks interpreted that to mean: 'He thinks the people who take the big risks to generate wealth should reap the big rewards.' Biden, however, also believes that corporate America should be good stewards of the wealth they generate. 'The CEOs back as late as the 70s were making 35, 40 times as much as the average employee. Now it's 320 times. What are they promoting? What are they doing? As my mother used to say, "Who died and made you boss?"' Biden said. He continued, explaining workers should 'earn what they get.' 'But they have to be given an opportunity,' the president said. 'I think the thing that moved us ahead of the rest of the world at the turn of the 20th century was the notion that we had universal education,' he continued. 'If we were sitting down today to say, "OK, what does public education consist of in the 21st century? Think anybody would say 12 years is enough? I don't.' Biden has proposed free community college and other education boosters in his American Families Plan, the third big package he's pitched, at a cost of $1.8 trillion. Breaking from progressives, however, he's been resistant to back an effort to erase $50,000 in student debt from each American borrower. 'The idea that you go to Penn and you're paying a total of 70,000 bucks a year and the public should pay for that? I don't agree,' Biden told Brooks. A Russian beauty queen has proudly shown off her young son with her ex-husband, a former Malaysian King, amid an ongoing alimony dispute. Wealthy Sultan Muhammad V of Kelantan, 51, quit his throne in 2019 amid controversy over his relationship with model and businesswoman Oksana Voevodina, 28. They divorced later that year, little over a month after Voevodina gave birth to their son Tengku Ismail Leon Petra ibni Sultan Muhammad V - known as Leon - who turned two on Friday. Voevodina posted a video of herself and Leon on social media, saying: 'It's a special morning today'. Leon's birthday celebration came amid an ongoing alimony dispute between his mother and the former King. Sources said that he initially paid an allowance of 5,800 a month for Leon's upkeep. But the money stopped in December, prompting Voevodina to again post pictures of the boy to her 597,000 followers. 'It's not fair on my son,' she said at the time. A Russian beauty queen has proudly shown off her young son with her ex-husband, a former Malaysian King, amid an ongoing alimony dispute. Wealthy Sultan Muhammad V of Kelantan, 51, quit his throne in 2019 amid controversy over his relationship with model and businesswoman Oksana Voevodina, 28 The couple divorced in 2019, little over a month after Voevodina gave birth to their son Tengku Ismail Leon Petra ibni Sultan Muhammad V - known as Leon - who turned two on Friday The model and businesswoman also once received a message for the boy via an intermediary for her estranged former spouse, known as Faris to his friends: 'Tell him he is the cutest thing in the world. From Faris.' Voevodina, who converted to Islam prior to her marriage, was also instructed to make sure the boy did not eat pork. Voevodina has repeatedly offered to facilitate DNA tests to prove the boy was fathered by the ex-king, who has questioned the child's paternity. She claimed that her son is the 'crown prince of the Sultanate of Kelantan and the future king of Malaysia'. However, she has said: 'My only aim is to live in peace and raise my son,' she said. 'I would love to be able to make a peace deal, to strike a friendship with my ex-husband.' Voevodina is reportedly poised to appear in a new TV documentary alongside President Vladimir Putin's 'goddaughter' - journalist and former Russian presidential candidate Ksenia Sobchak. She recently spoke out about her marriage, saying she was 'ready to share the most difficult period of my life.' 'These two years were very difficult for me and, believe me, it is deceptive to think that I easily survived the divorce.' The wealthy Sultan still rules over the state of Kelantan, a position he has held since 2010. Voevodina, a former Miss Moscow, was his third wife. He ended the marriage on July 1, with the 'Triple Talaq' Islamic procedure after he filed documents at the Singapore Syariah Court on June 22. 'My recovery was accompanied with insomnia, nervous breakdowns, endless fears about the future, and about responsibility for the child as I am the only person in the world for him,' Voevodina said. 'To be honest, I was not ready for this. I always dreamed of giving birth in a loving marriage. 'And so I gave birth to a child for a man whose greatest dream in life was to have a child. Not a trace of marriage and love remained by this point.' Leon's birthday celebration came amid an ongoing alimony dispute between his mother and the former King [File photo] Voevodina earlier rejected a $1 million settlement because it was meant to 'shut her up', according to her lawyer Ivan Melnikov. There were also reported demands that Voevodina and Leon should never contact the British-educated former king. 'Oksana does not ask for anything big for herself,' Melnikov said. 'She says she'll work things out by herself. 'But she does expect him to provide for the baby.' Voevodina recently completed a ten-week course at the London School of Economics. Sobchak is nicknamed Putin's 'goddaughter' for her close family ties to the Russian president, who attended her baptism. Her late father Anatoly Sobchak was Putin's law professor, who went on to give the ex-KGB spy his first job in politics when the academic had a stint as mayor of St Petersburg. Donald Trump has revealed plans to return to his signature MAGA rallies in battleground states including Florida, Ohio, North Carolina and Georgia 'relatively soon'. Speaking on Thursday, the former President said the rallies would resume in the coming weeks, amid speculation he will run for the White House again in 2024. 'Relatively soon, we'll be doing one in Florida, we're gonna do one in Ohio, we're gonna do one in Georgia, we're gonna do one in North Carolina,' Trump told One America News. 'We'll be announcing them very soon over the next week or two, and I think we'll probably start in Florida and Ohio and we'll be announcing the rallies very shortly.' According to the New York Post, a source said last week that the 45th president would hold at least two rallies in June, with a third event expected to fall around the July 4 holiday. Speaking on Thursday, the former President said the rallies would resume in the coming weeks, amid speculation he will run for the White House again in 2024. Pictured: Trump appears in a two-part interview series with OAN across Thursday and Friday GEORGIA: Then-U.S. President Donald Trump gestures as he speaks during a rally in support of Republican incumbent senators Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue ahead of Senate runoff in Dalton on January 4, 2021 By his standards, Trump has kept a relatively low profile since president Joe Biden replaced him in the White House in January, but he has sat for several interviews, and made his first post-presidential speech in February. He is also slated to visit North Carolina to address to the state's annual GOP convention on June 5, in Greenville. Trump has not addressed supporters in a rally setting since the 'Save America Rally' on January 6, which preceded the deadly insurrection attempt at the US Capitol, that ultimately led to him being impeached for a second time by Congress. Trump won North Carolina, Florida and Ohio in both 2016 and 2020 presidential elections, but became the first Republic candidate to lose in Georgia since George H.W. Bush in 1992. He has since falsely claimed that his loss in the state was a result of voter fraud, with he and his supported repeatedly questioning the result despite no such cases of fraud being found. Republicans subsequently lost both of Georgia's U.S. Senate seats in a pair of run-off elections in January, handing control of the Senate to the Democrats, who already had won both the White House and Congress. FLORIDA: Trump speaks during a campaign rally at at Miami-Opa Locka Executive Airport in Opa-Locka, November 1, 2020. 'Relatively soon, we'll be doing one in Florida, we're gonna do one in Ohio, we're gonna do one in Georgia, we're gonna do one in North Carolina,' Trump said NORTH CAROLINA: Trump is already slated to visit North Carolina to address to the state's annual GOP convention on June 5, in Greenville Despite the speculation, Trump again refused to confirm whether he planned to run for president again in 2024, only telling OAN: 'I'm gonna make a decision at the right time and I'll let you know.' Trump continues to have a stranglehold on the Republican Party, and has made a variety of endorsements of Republicans in upcoming races. Texas Rep. Dan Crenshaw has spoken of how he believes Trump will continue to hold sway over the GOP, while issuing a warning to anti-Trump Republicans hoping to remove the former president's influence from the party. 'I believe that you're not going to excommunicate a former president and I refuse to go into this sort of black and white thinkingthese are complex human relationships that involve millions of people,' Crenshaw explained. 'I'm a rational human being about thisI refuse to allow this drama to engulf us.' OHIO: Trump speaks to supporters during a campaign event on October 24, 2020 in Circleville, Ohio in October. According to the New York Post, a source said last week that the 45th president would hold at least two rallies in June, with a third event expected to fall around the July 4 holiday By his standards, Trump has kept a relatively low profile since president Joe Biden replaced him in the White House in January, but he has sat for several interviews, and made his first post-presidential speech in February On Thursday, Trump condemned 35 Republicans who voted to set up a 9/11-style commission to investigate the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol as 'wayward' and blasted his party for not sticking together. Most House Republicans opposed the idea of setting up a 10-member commission. But 35 moderates, including 10 who supported impeaching Trump, voted with Democrats on Wednesday evening to investigate the deadly riot by the former president's supporters. 'See, 35 wayward Republicansthey just cant help themselves,' said Trump Thursday. 'We have much better policy and are much better for the country, but the Democrats stick together, the Republicans dont.' The bill passed the House on a 252-175 vote, helped by backing from GOP rebels including Liz Cheney, Adam Kinzinger and the eight other GOP members who voted to impeach Trump. But the proposal faces an uncertain future in the Senate where it could need to flip 10 Republicans to pass the necessary 60-vote hurdle. Trump has not addressed supporters in a rally setting since the 'Save America Rally' on January 6 (pictured), which preceded the deadly insurrection attempt at the US Capitol, that ultimately led to him being impeached for a second time by Congress Meanwhile, the House narrowly approved spending $1.9 billion to toughen security at the complex, setting up a quick-reaction force and installing retractable fencing as Congress and the country continues to deal with fall-out. On January 13, Trump became the only commander in chief in history to be impeached twice. The second time was over his role in the January 6 insurrection. It came after the Trump campaign held a 'Save America' rally on the Ellipse outside the White House on January 6, prior to the riots, which saw the president speak for over an hour to a large crowd of MAGA supporters. Trump has since faced accusations that he and other MAGA figures used the 'Save America' rally to rile up his supporters ahead of the riot. MAGA protesters were told by Trump and his allies to head to Capitol Hill where lawmakers were scheduled to confirm Biden's presidential victory. Trumps supporters gather outside the Capitol building in Washington D.C., United States on January 06, 2021. Lawmakers were forced to go into hiding for several hours as Capitol police grappled to take back control while the mob rioted in the Senate and House, invaded Nancy Pelosi's office and looted items Pictured: Trump supporters clash with police and security forces as they storm the US Capitol in Washington, DC on January 6, 2021 'After this, we're going to walk down, and I'll be there with you. We're going to walk down. We're going to walk down any one you want, but I think right here. We're going to walk down to the Capitol, and we're going to cheer on our brave senators, and congressmen and women,' the president said during the event. 'We're probably not going to be cheering so much for some of them, because you'll never take back our country with weakness. You have to show strength, and you have to be strong.' In the hours that followed, a violent mob stormed the Capitol, breaking through police barricades and smashing windows to enter the building. Lawmakers were forced to go into hiding for several hours as Capitol police grappled to take back control while the mob rioted in the Senate and House, invaded Nancy Pelosi's office and looted items. The Justice Department has charged at least 400 people in connection with the capitol riots so far, with defendants coming from 43 different states. New defendants have been added nearly every day since the attack, and federal prosecutors have said in a recent court filing that they expect to charge at least 500 people in total. Pictured: A supporter of President Donald Trump carries a Confederate battle flag on the second floor of the U.S. Capitol near the entrance to the Senate after breaching security defenses, in Washington, U.S., January 6, 2021 Supporters of US President Donald Trump gather on the West side of the US Capitol in Washington DC on January 6, 2021 where a noose has been erected One female Trump supporter, US Air Force veteran Ashli Babbitt, was shot dead by Capitol Police as she tried to climb through a window. Three other Trump supporters died after 'medical emergencies' related to the breach and Capitol Police Officer Brian D. Sicknick died from injuries sustained in the attack after he was allegedly hit over the head. Hundreds of people have already been charged over their involvement in the riots, with prosecutors across the U.S. working to bring to justice those who stormed the U.S. Capitol, sending lawmakers into hiding as they began their work to affirm Joe Biden's victory. The group included white nationalists, neo-Nazis and QAnon conspiracy theorists, coming from states as far-flung as Arizona and Oregon, while photographs from the riot have shown people wearing clothes with a range of antisemitic messages. A young man who claimed to be depressed after taking a hair loss tablet for five years killed himself by jumping off a bridge, an inquest heard. Jack Hogg, 24, from Exeter, Devon, was not losing his hair but had been self medicating with finasteride. In the months before his death he became concerned about its side effects including depression. Sports-loving Jack thought he had ruined his mind, body and life by taking the tablets. Jack Hogg, 24, from Exeter, Devon, was not losing his hair but had been self medicating with finasteride. A search was carried out for Jack but his body was later discovered by a family friend at the bottom of Torridge Bridge (pictured) near Bideford, North Devon An Exeter inquest heard he started buying the medication online when he was 19 years old to prevent any possible hair loss in the future because some members of his family had started to lose their hair from a young age. Jack tried to come off the finasteride but in January 2020 he sought help for the first time after feeling suicidal. But days later in February he texted his girlfriend to say he was planning to end his life. A search was carried out for Jack but his body was later discovered by a family friend at the bottom of Torridge Bridge near Bideford, North Devon. A note to his girlfriend said he was 'giving up'. The inquest heard there was no medical link between finasteride and his symptoms. An Exeter inquest heard he started buying the medication (stock picture of finasteride) online when he was 19 years old to prevent any possible hair loss in the future because some members of his family had started to lose their hair from a young age His father Brian said Jack was an exceptional sportsman but he had become 'very sensitive' about hair loss since the age of 18 which is why he began self medicating in a bid to prevent it. Brian said: 'Although he was not losing his hair, he looked at older family members and was concerned he would be similar.' The inquest heard Jack had researched post-finasteride syndrome online which gave a very bleak outlook and led him to believe he had ruined his life. He died from multiple injuries in the fall from 24 metres from the road bridge. Assistant coroner Alison Longhorn recorded a suicide conclusion that Jack had jumped off the bridge and intended to take his own life. For confidential support contact Samaritans on 116 123 or visit samaritans.org A convicted murderer who tried to help one of the victims of the London Bridge terror attack has been cleared by the Parole Board to be freed from jail. Factory worker James Ford was handed a life sentence in 2004 after admitting the murder of a woman with the mental age of a 15-year-old. Amanda Champion, 21, was strangled and slashed across the throat by Ford in a completely random attack in Ashford, Kent. He was caught after a Samaritans worker broke a vow of anonymity to tell police that a man who had phoned the confidential service 45 times had confessed to killing a woman. Ford was on day release when he took part Learning Together prisoner education event in Fishmongers' Hall near London Bridge on November 29 2019. Factory worker James Ford (left) was handed a life sentence in 2004 after admitting the murder of a woman (right: Amanda Champion) with the mental age of a 15-year-old Ford attempted to stop Khan in his tracks before rushing onto London Bridge to join others in tackling him to the ground before he was shot dead by police Giving evidence to the inquest into the deaths of victims Saskia Jones fellow Cambridge University graduate Jack Merritt last month, he told how he met Usman Khan at the start of the event. Recalling their brief conversation, he said: 'I said 'it's nice in here, but it's a bit strange all this', he didn't really respond. 'He was wearing his coat, it was long-sleeve and done up to the neck, I thought it was strange - it was quite warm in there.' He later appeared emotional as he told how he tried to help Ms Jones in the aftermath of the rampage. He said: 'She was lying on her side, she was bleeding, she wasn't really moving', adding; 'I can't bring myself to say it - I saw the attacker.' Jack Merritt and Saskia Jones were killed in the terror attack on London Bridge A document detailing the Parole Board's decision, issued on Thursday, said at the time of Ford's offending he was described as 'being willing to use violence and a weapon as a way of dealing with anger, rejection and stress' and was 'prone to hold grudges and had tried to exert power and control over other people'. But, since being in custody, he had taken part in a range of courses and rehabilitation programmes and been moved to an open prison where he was seen as 'positive and compliant'. Usman Khan, who was shot dead by police for murdering two people on London Bridge The document said: 'After considering the circumstances of his offending, the progress made while in custody and the other evidence presented at the hearing, the panel was satisfied that Mr Ford was suitable for release when a suitable vacancy became available in designated accommodation.' His release is also subject to licence conditions including to taking part supervision and disclosing relationships, with limits placed on who he contacts and where he goes. A Parole Board spokesman said: 'Parole Board decisions are solely focused on what risk a prisoner could represent to the public if released and whether that risk is manageable in the community. 'A panel will carefully examine a huge range of evidence, including details of the original crime, and any evidence of behaviour change, as well as explore the harm done and impact the crime has had on the victims. 'Parole reviews are undertaken thoroughly and with extreme care. Protecting the public is our number one priority.' The widow of former Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe has been fined five cows and two goats over the burial of her husband after he passed away. A traditional court, which cannot compel the accused but whose decisions have a strong symbolic impact, met on Thursday morning in the absence of Grace Mugabe, to reach their decision, a source close to the family said. The former first lady, known as Gucci Grace because of her lavish spending habits, is accused of burying her husband, who died in 2019 at the age of 95, in the courtyard of his home in Kutama, some 90 kilometres (56 miles) west of the capital Harare. The customary court met in nearby Murombedzi with only around 15 people present and journalists excluded because the traditional leader's entourage said he wanted 'some privacy'. The widow of former Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe has been fined five cows and two goats over the burial of her husband after he passed away The former first lady (pictured on the day of Mugabe's official funeral service), known as Gucci Grace because of her lavish spending habits, is accused of burying her husband, who died in 2019 at the age of 95, in the courtyard of his home in Kutama, some 90 kilometres (56 miles) west of the capital Harare Chief Zvimba, born Stanley Mhondoro, said Mugabe was supposed to be buried in a place chosen by his mother or immediate family. He called for the body to be exhumed and reburied according to custom. At the time of Mugabe's death, there was a dispute between Grace Mugabe and president Emmerson Mnangagwa over where Robert should be buried. Mnangagwa wanted Mugabe to be interred in the National Heroes Acre burial ground and national monument near Harare. Chief Zvimba, born Stanley Mhondoro, said Mugabe was supposed to be buried in a place chosen by his mother or immediate family While Grace wanted her husband to be buried in his home town, away from the capital city. The former leader's nephew told news outlet SABC last week that the idea of interring Mugabe in the National Heroes Acre was out of the question for the family because Mugabe had made it clear during his lifetime that he did not want to be buried there. Until his last breath, Robert Mugabe, who ruled Zimbabwe with an iron fist for 37 years, harboured a strong grudge against his former vice president Mnangagwa, who was placed in charge of the country after Mugabe was forced to resign in November 2017. 'He was not buried at Grace's home but at her estate and we accepted that as a family,' Mugabe's cousin Dominic Matibiri told AFP. An 11-year-old autistic boy who has been missing for five days in Nebraska had researched online 'how to hide from police' before he vanished and sparked a massive search. Ryan Larsen has been missing since he walked out of his elementary school in the Omaha suburb of La Vista on Monday. Police say a search of the Larsen family computer revealed the boy had recently looked up 'hiding from the police,' 'hiding underground' and 'how to avoid being spotted.' The FBI and Center for Missing and Exploited Children have since joined the search as it entered its fifth day. Ryan Larsen, 11, has been missing since he walked out of his elementary school near Omaha, Nebraska on Monday The FBI and Center for Missing and Exploited Children have since joined the search as it entered its fifth day La Vista Police Captain Jeremy Kinsey said the sixth-grader, who has autism, was 'high functioning' and that had a history of running away and hiding. Police say they have no reason to believe Ryan was abducted. 'He likes to hide in the weirdest spots,' Kinsey said. 'He could very well be watching us right now, laughing at us. 'He's playing the ultimate game of hide and seek on us now and he's winning.' Police said they were worried about food, water and Ryan's medications. 'We have a list of what medications he's on. We've talked to doctors about the effects of those medications, and that's concerning, that some of the things that he needs to be on,' police chief Bob Lausten said. 'You can still survive without those meds, but it helps you cope with the different things that are out there.' Authorities are working with the FBI and autism experts to try and predict what his current mindset might be. Police say a search of the Larsen family computer revealed the boy had recently looked up 'hiding from the police,' 'hiding underground' and 'how to avoid being spotted'. Photos obtained by WOWT La Vista Police Captain Jeremy Kinsey said the sixth-grader, who has autism, was 'high functioning' and that had a history of running away and hiding Police say they have scaled back their search efforts to prevent Ryan from being frightened if he spots a large group of people together. They acknowledged that the boy doesn't like to be spoken to, especially by strangers. The search has been centered near his home, as well as nearby parks that Ryan regularly goes to. 'I promise you we've thought of checking trash cans and parked cars,' Kinsey said. Ryan vanished from Papillion-La Vista School while transitioning from one classroom to another at about noon on Monday. The school, which does not have surveillance cameras, said a teacher noticed within five minutes that he was missing. 'They immediately began to search the building to see where he was and then notified Ryan's mom and the police immediately,' a school spokesperson said. 'I can't think of anything more heartbreaking as a parent or a staff member than having to look for a child.' Police described Ryan as white, about 5 feet 8 inches tall, with brown hair and hazel eyes. He was wearing a black jacket, blue jeans, an Old Navy shirt and was carrying a polka-dot umbrella when he vanished. The search has been centered near his home, as well as nearby parks that Ryan regularly goes to Smart Glass Market 2021 Business Opportunities The Smart Glass market is anticipated to reach around USD 8,223 million by 2026 according to a new study published by Polaris Market Research. In 2017, the automotive segment dominated the global smart glass market, in terms of revenue. North America is expected to be the leading contributor to the market revenue during the forecast period. Several stringent energy consumption regulations passed by governments worldwide have boosted the adoption of smart glass. Growing concerns regarding environment, increasing need to reduce energy consumption, and growing demand from the automotive sector further support the growth of this market. Additionally, the increasing adoption of energy efficient buildings and reducing operation costs would boost market growth during the forecast period. Other factors supporting market growth include supportive government regulations, increasing awareness, and technological advancements. Increasing investments by vendors in technological advancements coupled with research and development further boost the market growth. Download Sample Copy @ https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/smart-glass-market/request-for-sample The well-known companies profiled in the smart glass market report include Asahi Glass Co., DuPont, Gentex Corporation, SPD Control Systems, View, Inc., Corning Incorporated, Hitachi Chemical Co., Ltd., RavenBrick LLC, Switch Materials Inc., Scienstry, Inc., ChromoGenics AB, and Innovative Glass Corporation. These companies launch new products and collaborate with other market leaders to innovate and launch new products to meet the increasing needs and requirements of consumers. The smart glass market is majorly driven by factors including increasing energy concerns, and environment consciousness across the globe. The decreasing cost of electrochromic materials has encouraged consumers to switch to smart glass. Limited awareness among consumers had restricted the adoption of smart glass in the past. However, with significant government initiatives and substantial investments, the development of smart glass market has accelerated significantly. North America generated the highest revenue in the smart glass market in 2017. The increasing awareness among consumers, and rising awareness regarding energy efficient buildings drive the market growth in the region. Consumers are adopting smart glass owing to stringent government regulations regarding energy consumption, and the need to reduce operation costs. Numerous key players have adopted partnership and expansion strategies to increase their share in the North America smart glass market. Get Offer @ https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/smart-glass-market/request-for-discount-pricing The different end-users of smart glass include automotive, architecture, consumer goods, and others. In 2017, the automotive segment accounted for the highest smart market share. The use of smart glass in windows, doors, and windshields in automotive reduces the heat accumulation in vehicles. The consumer electronics segment is expected to grow at the highest CAGR. Elon Musk has said that Tesla is considering opening a Tesla factory in Russia, as he spoke to an education forum in Moscow at the invitation of the Kremlin. The Tesla CEO addressed the forum in Moscow by video link on Friday, saying 'I think we are close to establishing a Tesla presence in Russia - that would be great,' according to the Wall Street Journal. 'Over time, we will look to have factories in other parts of the world,' he said, adding that Tesla was also looking at expanding in Kazakhstan, a former Soviet state on the Russian border. Musk called for dialogue between the U.S. and Russia at a time when their ties are languishing at post-Cold War lows. Elon Musk addressed the forum in Moscow by video link on Friday, saying 'I think we are close to establishing a Tesla presence in Russia, that would be great' Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov (front) speaks at the New Knowledge Forum at the Moscow Digital Business Space as Musk appears on the screen behind him 'There is a lot of talent and energy in Russia and I think there should be more dialogue and communication between Russia and the United States,' Musk said. Musk said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov invited him to participate in the forum, which is a festival for students that attracts science and tech entrepreneurs. Speaking for 45 minutes, he made wide-ranging remarks toughing on the future of humanity, Mars exploration and religion. He said that in the future, all transportation aside from rockets would be electric. 'I think we'll look back at internal combustion engine cars in the same way we look back on steam engines,' he said. It is happening very fast.' The Russian market for electric vehicles is currently small, and at the start of this year, there were around 11,000 electric passenger cars registered in Russia, of which only 700 were Tesla models, the Journal reported. Analysts say there are only about 400 electric charging stations in the country, holding back the growth of the industry. SpaceX CEO and Tesla product architect Elon Musk joins the New Knowledge forum via videolink at the Moscow Digital Business Space on Friday Tesla is already well-established in China, which is the company's second largest market and accounts for 30 percent of its sales. Tesla now makes electric Model 3 sedans and Model Y sport-utility vehicles in a Shanghai plant. But the Chinese government continues to raise security concerns about Telsa vehicles, which are equipped with cameras. Staff at some Chinese government offices have been told not to park their Tesla cars inside government compounds due to security concerns over cameras installed on the vehicles, two people with knowledge of the matter said. The people said officials of at least two government agencies in Beijing and Shanghai have been instructed verbally by supervisors not to park their Tesla electric cars at work. Musk is seen in the passenger seat as he arrives at Tesla's Berlin factory. The company also has production facilities in China, and Musk is looking to expand in other countries It wasn't clear how many cars were affected, the people said, declining to be identified due to the sensitivity of the matter. It wasn't immediately clear whether all government offices in Beijing have imposed such restrictions, nor whether the measure was a formal government injunction or a step adopted by agency officials. It was also unclear whether curbs applied to state agencies nationwide. While sensors and cameras that can assist driving feature in many automakers' vehicles, the people with knowledge of the matter said the restriction currently only applies to Tesla cars. In March, Tesla vehicles were banned from entering some military complexes in China, sources told Reuters then, citing security concerns over vehicle cameras. Advertisement Heathrow will use Terminal 3 solely for 'red list' passengers from the start of June after passengers from green and amber counties were forced to mix with arrivals from Covid-ravaged areas. The west London airport will use the new system from June 1 before switching to Terminal 4 'as soon as operationally possible'. It is having to 'adapt to this longer-term reality' and expects the new way will 'enable Border Force to carry out its duties more efficiently as passenger volumes increase in line with the green list'. The move comes a day after Heathrow workers slammed the airport and the government over fears for their safety because of overcrowding. The GMB union said its members providing security and hosting services have revealed travellers arriving from red list countries are mixing with those from green and amber. It comes as Justice Secretary Robert Buckland stormed off during an interview with Good Morning Britain after he received a grilling over the Government's amber list rules. The Cabinet Minister abruptly ended the interview with presenters Ranvir Singh and Kate Garraway live on air this morning after claiming he could not 'get a word in edgeways'. The west London airport (pictured today) will use the new system from June 1 before switching to Terminal 4 'as soon as operationally possible' This woman (pictured today) is said to have walked off out the airport and then realised she had gone to the wrong bit. She was said to have looked like a lost duckling. But she soon realised she had gone the wrong way after coming out in the taxi rank area The move comes a day after Heathrow (pictured today) workers slammed the airport and the government over fears for their safety because of overcrowding The GMB union said its members providing security and hosting services have revealed travellers arriving from red list countries are mixing with those from green and amber (pictured today) Meanwhile Boris Johnson hinted the June 21 'freedom day' will go ahead as he said he still does not see 'anything' in coronavirus data that would prevent the roadmap going ahead. Pictured: Heathrow today Millions are taking a punt and have booked holidays to Amber List nations, especially in Europe, despite warnings not to fly Terminal 3 will not be solely for red list passengers for another 11 days when it springs into action on June 1, with the airport saying the change will be 'logistically very challenging'. A spokesman said: 'Red list routes will likely be a feature of UK travel for the foreseeable future as countries vaccinate their populations at different rates. 'We're adapting Heathrow to this longer-term reality by initially opening a dedicated arrivals facility in Terminal 3 from June 1st for red list passengers arriving on direct flights. 'We will move this facility to Terminal 4 as soon as operationally possible. While opening this facility will be logistically very challenging, our hope is that it will enable Border Force to carry out its duties more efficiently as passenger volumes increase in line with the green list. 'Until then, the current red list system will remain in place. This system has been designed by the Government and has several layers of protection to keep passengers and colleagues safe including mandatory negative COVID tests for all international arrivals, mandatory use of face coverings, social distancing, segregation and enhanced cleaning regimes and ventilation in immigration halls.' The GMB Union said yesterday travellers from different lists are stuck in a bottleneck before immigration. Heathrow said measures put in place meant the risk of transmission at the airport is low. Pictures from Terminal 2 yesterday showed travellers from Covid-stricken India just yards away from other flyers as they were escorted to quarantine. The PM delivered a bullish message on the prospects for the unlocking in England after a week of anxiety about whether the Indian variant will derail the country's hopes. Pictured: Heathrow today Terminal 3 will not be solely for red list passengers for another 11 days when it comes into action on June 1, with the airport (pictured today) saying the change will be 'logistically very challenging' A spokesman said: 'Red list routes will likely be a feature of UK travel for the foreseeable future as countries vaccinate their populations at different rates.' Pictured: Heathrow today The Heathrow (pictured today) spokesman continued: 'We're adapting Heathrow to this longer-term reality by initially opening a dedicated arrivals facility in Terminal 3 from June 1st for red list passengers arriving on direct flights' Nadine Houghton, GMB national officer, said: 'I have been inundated by messages from concerned GMB members providing a vital service at Heathrow' (pictured today) Heathrow Terminals 2 and 5 are open (in green) but 3 and 4 (in red) have been mothballed since last year to save money Nadine Houghton, GMB national officer, said: 'I have been inundated by messages from concerned GMB members providing a vital service at Heathrow. 'Workers who desperately want to get the UK flying again but are in fear for theirs and their family's safety. GMB wants to know how the Government will mitigate further problems when more countries are added to colour-coded lists? 'As our quarantine hotels fill up, what measures do ministers have in place if more countries turn red? How will they cope with more bottlenecks at Heathrow and potentially elsewhere? A Heathrow spokesman said yesterday: 'There are numerous measures to keep passengers and colleagues safe, including requirements for negative tests pre-departure for all international arrivals, enhanced cleaning regimes and ventilation in the immigration halls, dedicated Covid marshals to enforce social distancing and mandatory use of face coverings throughout the airport. 'As a result, the risk of transmission at the airport is low. The process the Government has designed for red list passengers triages passengers at Heathrow between aircraft gate and the immigration hall. 'Those from the red list are directed into a dedicated channel and separated from other passengers. 'After crossing the border, Government contractors then escort red list passengers to a segregated area of our baggage hall to collect their luggage before taking them to dedicated hotel quarantine transportation.' The GMB Union spokesman continued: 'Workers who desperately want to get the UK flying again but are in fear for theirs and their family's safety. GMB wants to know how the Government will mitigate further problems when more countries are added to colour-coded lists?' Pictured: Heathrow today Mr Johnson also flatly ruled out introducing 'Covid certificates' to get into pubs next month - words that will delight increasingly restive Tory MPs. Pictured: Heathrow today And the PM suggested that the details of the plans for June 21 will be unveiled by the end of the month, earlier than had been feared after the latest mutant strain started to fuel cases. Pictured: Heathrow today The positive comments contrasted with the position taken by Nicola Sturgeon, who announced this afternoon that Glasgow will stay in tougher Level 3 restrictions for another week, and warned that the R rate might be above one in Scotland as the variant spreads. Pictured: A man playing cricket in the airport car park today Positive test figures from the Wellcome Sanger Institute which cover only lab-analysed cases in the two weeks between April 25 and May 8 reveal the mutant Indian strain made up 50 per cent or more of all samples in 23 parts of the country by last week. Bolton and Blackburn in the North West remain the worst-hit areas with almost 600 cases between them and the variant making up 81 per cent of infections Only three hotspots have clear case rises Just three of the 15 Indian variant hotspots in the UK are seeing clear rises in infection rates, surge testing data has revealed. Almost 3,500 cases of the Indian Covid variant have now been spotted across the UK, with the number of people testing positive for the strain having more than doubled in a week. But the latest data has suggested that scientists' fears about the Indian strain being more transmissible than the already highly virulent Kent variant may be unfounded. In the over-60s, cases are not rising in any of the hotspots outside of Bolton - meaning vaccines are likely working to protect the elderly from the disease, The Times reports. Full figures on the results of the surge testing - which is being carried out in areas including Bedford, Burnley, Hounslow and Kirklees - will be released next week, as current data is only preliminary. Public Health England's weekly update said the B.1.617.2 variant had been detected 3,424 times by May 19, up from 1,313 a week ago. The bulk of the cases have been in the North West of England mostly in Bolton and Blackburn and in London but PHE said clusters were cropping up across the country. Advertisement Justice Secretary Robert Buckland stormed off during an interview with Good Morning Britain after he received a grilling over the Government's amber list rules. The Cabinet Minister abruptly ended the interview with presenters Ranvir Singh and Kate Garraway live on air this morning after claiming he could not 'get a word in edgeways'. Mr Buckland got immediately to his feet before walking out of shot with a Pret A Manger coffee cup in hand. It comes after ministers were accused of issuing contradictory messages that have left holidaymakers and travel chiefs begging for clarity. Boris Johnson himself insisted families should visit medium-risk destinations only in 'extreme circumstances' and not for holidays but said such trips should be for 'pressing' family or business reasons only. Kate Garraway began by relaying the plight of thousands of holidaymakers who had booked trips to countries that now fall within the amber list. Mr Buckland responded by saying: 'I think the important point that the amber list offers is indeed those necessary journeys either because a family members is very ill or close to death or someone who has died...' Ms Garraway then cuts in to add: 'There can't be 270,000 necessary journeys and that's still not answering the point.' She then reiterates her original statements once again as Mr Buckland listens and nods along respectfully. The host then says: 'What is the clarity? What is the point of the amber list?' Mr Buckland responds: 'Well as I've said the amber list does allow for necessary journeys if you're working or if there is a really pressing family commitment that can't be put back. 'I think, therefore, that it is right to have it - rather than a binary system of either red or green - you've got that middle tier that does allow for at least some essential travel with then the requirement to isolate at the end of it...' Justice Secretary Robert Buckland stormed off during an interview with Good Morning Britain after he received a grilling over the Government's amber list rules The Cabinet Minister abruptly ended the interview with presenters Ranvir Singh and Kate Garraway live on air this morning after claiming he could not 'get a word in edgeways' Mr Buckland got immediately to his feet before walking out of shot with a Pret A Manger coffee cup in hand UK travel turmoil during the pandemic March 16, 2020: PM's call to stay at home Boris Johnson declares: 'Now is the time for everyone to stop non-essential contact with others and to stop all unnecessary travel' Mar 17: Non-essential international travel banned for 30 days Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab says advice reflects 'pace at which other countries are either closing borders or implementing restrictive measures' May 22: Quarantine after arriving in UK Those coming to Britain are ordered to self-isolate for 14 days, starting from June 8. Anyone who flouts the rules faces a fine of up to 1,000 Apr 4: Non-essential travel ban extended INDEFINITELY Jun 27: The dawn of travel corridors The chance of quarantine-free travel is announced, beginning from July 10. The news prompts an explosion in summer holiday bookings Jul 3: Quarantine-free destinations unveiled Travel corridors established with some 75 countries, including Spain and France Jul 25: Spain travel corridor closed Quarantine brought back for travellers from Spain after it sees a spike in Covid cases Aug 13: France and Netherlands travel corridors closed Sep 4: Airport Covid tests ruled out by pm Mr Johnson said screening passengers would give a 'false sense of security' and only catch 7 per cent of cases. Nov 5: Non-essential travel banned (again) Second national lockdown begins. Britons are once again banned from going on holiday. Dec 2: Travel resumes (except for tier 4) New tier system introduced in UK. Travel resumes for most but those in Tier 4 need a 'legally permitted reason to leave home'. Jan 6, 2021: Third ban on non-essential travel Third lockdown begins Jan 15: Get tested before coming to UK Those coming to Britain are required to take a PCR test before reaching the UK. They must then self-isolate for ten days to combat the spread of new Covid variants Feb 15: Enforced hotel quarantine for some Travellers from countries on the Government's list of banned countries now face ten days of quarantine in approved hotels, at a cost of 1,750 May 17: Holiday ban lifted and traffic light system begins Those flying in from 'red' countries still face hotel quarantine but Britons are now legally free to travel to nations on the 'amber' and 'green' lists. Trips to the 12 green destinations, such as Portugal, are quarantine-free, but going to an amber country means you must self-isolate afterwards. May 17 (yes, the same day): PM warns against holidays to amber countries Downing Street spokesman says Britons should only take breaks in 'green' nations prompting fury from travel industry (and exasperated holidaymakers, too) Advertisement Ranvir Singh then cuts in: 'I think its a complete neglect of reality. It's hiding behind policy and hiding behind words.' Mr Buckland seems to let out a bemused scoff as he shuffles in his seat as Ms Singh continues: 'It's not truly looking at the reality of the next five days.' She hurriedly concludes: 'We shall have to leave it there because we have asked you several times to explain the relevance of the amber list and people at home can decide whether they are satisfied with the answers.' Mr Buckland then bites back and says: 'Well if I could get a word in edgeways I would have given the answers, thanks.' But Ms Singh snaps: 'Well you've had a full interview sir, so thank you for joining us on the show.' The cameras continue to roll as the minister then stands up with his coffee cup and headed off screen. Ms Garraway then says 'he's off' repeatedly before the segment comes to an end. On Monday the outright ban on foreign travel was replaced by a green, amber and red traffic light system grading different countries by their Covid risk level. But amid concern over foreign variants, ministers then announced that no one should holiday in an amber country even if they quarantined on their return. Around five million Britons have booked amber list breaks this summer, leaving them in limbo over whether to cancel or re-book and hope their destination makes the green list. Analysis has since revealed around 1,300 flights have been scheduled, carrying up to 54,000 passengers a day to 'amber list' destinations including Spain, Greece, France and Italy in the days leading up to Sunday, the Telegraph reports. Contradictory messages have left holidaymakers and travel chiefs begging for clarity, and confusion reigned earlier this week when two Cabinet ministers suggested leisure breaks and visits to family and friends would be acceptable. Adding to the chaos health minister Lord Bethell claimed all holidays abroad were 'dangerous'. Seven of the 10 largest British tour operators are making the most of the confusion over travel guidance and are flying holidaymakers to areas deemed safe for non-essential travel despite being on the 'amber list'. The seven companies flying to amber destinations between now and the start of June are TUI, BA, Easyjet, Expedia, Lastminute.com, Virgin and Travel Republic, according to consumer group Which? JANET STREET-PORTER: The farcical travel traffic lights are a car crash and Covid-weary Brits should vote with their feet, even if it means wearing an ankle tag when we get back The UK is starting to seem like North Korea. I keep reminding myself - we are a land of the free. Until recently we still - unlike the unfortunate Uighur Muslims living in China - had the right to freedom of movement, freedom of thought, and freedom TO GO ON HOLIDAY WHEREVER THE HELL WE WANTED. Now holidays are being criminalised by the back door. On Monday, we celebrated as travel restrictions were lifted, offering the exciting prospect of visiting a select handful of countries without having to quarantine on return. Portugal - one of the few accessible sunny spots on the short Green list - was a winner, taking thousands of bookings in a day. Not such a huge rush for Iceland, where a cocktail could set you back a week's wages and the weather is no better than back home and probably worse. Australia is technically an option - but they've closed their borders to then entire world, including plucky Brits. Or how about the Faroes? Great if you enjoy walking along steep cliffs but forget sandy beaches and the weather could be grim. We've had enough of ghastly gales back home this 'spring'. Until recently we still - unlike the unfortunate Uighur Muslims living in China - had the right to freedom of movement, freedom of thought, and freedom TO GO ON HOLIDAY WHEREVER THE HELL WE WANTED. Pictured: Monterosso al Mare in 2019 Now holidays are being criminalised by the back door Pictured: Paris, May 19 Unsurprisingly, most people prefer to holiday in countries on the Amber list - France, Spain, Greece, and Italy. Destinations which are accessible and budget friendly. And after months of confinement, plus hail and thunder this May, long suffering folk are prepared to go through the cost of extra testing and 10 days quarantine on return - even if they've already been vaccinated. But why are these ludicrous extra costs being foisted on travellers - even people who have already been jabbed? And who says a trip to Positano, or Paris is more dangerous than Portsmouth or Pickering? The EU are about to issue their list of countries which their members can accept visitors from - and the criteria to be on the EU 'Green' list is less than 75 cases per 100,000 people. The UK with 70% of the population having had one jab, and almost 50% having had two, more than qualifies. Nervousness surrounding the infection rate of the 'Indian' variant might force us to wait a little longer, but that's not definite. Some EU members, desperate to save their devastated travel businesses with an influx of British holidaymakers and their cash, aren't waiting for the EU approval. I keep reminding myself - we are a land of the free Italy, Spain and Greece are already begging for Brits to return. By the way, more than 50 Greek islands have vaccinated 100% of their inhabitants - they are so desperate for tourists. And now the government tells us we shouldn't go anyway. To add to the confusion, in Whitehall, the left hand doesn't seem to know what the right hand is doing. The Foreign office regularly issues a list of countries rated safe for non-essential travel (which enables us to purchase travel insurance), and it includes the Canary Islands (Spanish) and the Greek Islands. Both rated Amber by the government. It's yet another prime example of how Boris and his doom merchants are using fear to control and manipulate us to a completely unacceptable level. Since Covid arrived in the UK we have been coerced into mass co-operation and compliance by clever messaging, public health announcements, doom-laden daily press conferences. We've been bombarded with charts and data delivered by a tribe of scientists and medical experts speaking a language only they understand. We've been told it's patriotic to toe the line, save the NHS. The government uses behavioural scientists to advise key departments the best ways to manipulate us into going along with their restrictions and rules so that they don't need to introduce unpopular new laws. I'm certain they would have liked to ban all foreign holidays- but realised such drastic action would go down like a cup of cold sick. So, they came up with their ridiculous traffic light system of ratings - Red, Amber and Green - which are utterly confusing. They ensured it was expensive to get tested, adding hundreds of pounds to a typical family holiday, and then insist we must submit to house arrest on our return (losing wages in the process). The icing on the cake? You'll be under surveillance, just like a criminal. Ankle tags will be the next step. Priti Patel is beefing up her army of snoopers, carrying out 100,000 inspections a day, monitoring unpatriotic travellers who dared to enjoy a holiday in Italy, Lanzarote, or Kos. The thought police are trying to link some harmless sun, fun and sangria with danger, disease, and destruction by issuing a series of pompous public statements. Health Minister Lord Bethell stood up in the House of Lords and pronounced foreign travel is 'dangerous'. More dangerous than attending a football match in Glasgow? Holidaymakers enjoy the sunshine on Faro beach, Portugal on the first day of the easing of restrictions for International travel Meanwhile, Environment Minister George Eustice dared to say he thought it was OK to visit anywhere on the 'Amber' list to visit family and friends, but was quickly slapped back into line and issued a retraction. Jonathan Van-Tam, Deputy Chief Medical Advisor told us that a trip to any of these (Amber) destinations would be 'like jumping into a shark infested pond'. Or swimming in one of our filthy rivers? Matt Hancock said 'holiday at home'. But some ministers have several homes in the UK - including Boris - so that can't be too tough. Finally, Boris stood up in Parliament two days after claiming he was thrilled to offer us more freedom - and had the sheer cheek to announce 'it's very, very clear you should not be going to an Amber list country except for extreme circumstances, for example the serious illness of a family member- not a holiday'. I suppose his dad Stanley's regular visits to his second home in Greece come under that category. Boris and Co have decreed that a holiday is 'not essential'. Boris has form when it comes to dithering. We went into lockdown in 2020 too late. He dithered when Covid rampaged through India - allowing 20,000 potentially infected people to arrive in the UK in a week before he closed the border. (At a time when Brits couldn't go on holiday anywhere!) Now, he has dithered too long over his unworkable holiday road map - but this time, the public have rebelled. The number of scheduled flights to Greece, France and Italy will soar by 200% in the next three days. Tui - the UK's biggest operator - has flights to Corfu, Kos, Rhodes, and Cuba. Over 270,000 people will travel to countries on the Amber list by the end of the weekend. Boris and the doom-mongers have failed, but ordinary folk end up will be paying for his ineptitude. Has the whole traffic light debacle been dreamt up to placate the Border staff at airports - where under-manning, lack of technology and increased paperwork for each passenger, has seen six-hour queues which shame a first world country? Instead of saving the NHS, are we being duped into saving Passport control? This year, smoking will kill more people than Covid. Death rates from all causes are 20% below the five-year average. Time to let us go on holiday - we've stuck to all those rules for months - now we've earned some fun. Months after a Louisiana waitress was found dead, police reports are revealing that she was killed because of what she knew about another crime. Brooke Buchler, 25, was reported missing August 22, 2020, then found dead the next day by a squatter at the former Naval Support Activity building in New Orleans. Investigators said Buchler told several people days before her death that she was raped by a man she knew and that two men had beaten the accused rapist badly when she told them. Brooke Buchler, a waitress from Slidell, Louisiana was found dead at an abandoned Navy base in New Orleans Pictured: Cody Matthews (left) and Dylan Craddock (right), charged in Buchler's death Buchler, a waitress from Slidell, Louisiana, was found at the base shot in the head. She had a large metal pipe caught in her hair, a police report said according to WWL-TV. 'Lying face down on the ground, the female was unresponsive and had blood on her face and right arm,' the police report says. The report also cites 'one bloody handprint on the door frame where the victim was located.' Dylan Craddock, 27, and Cody Matthews, 33, were charged with second-degree murder in October in Buchler's death. Both pleaded not guilty and are tentatively set for separate trials next month. Police said the two men wanted to silence Buchler who knew they nearly beat to death a man they thought raped her. It's not immediately clear if the beating victim is the same man Buchler accused of raping her. Police claim Buchler was with the two men at a hotel in St. Bernard Parish August 21, a day before she vanished. 'As a result of the allegation, Dylan Craddock and Cody Matthews severely beat the [man] inside of Buchlers apartment' then moved him, police wrote. Authorities said the 27-year-old beating victim also was stabbed before being dumped in a marshland in Slidell. He managed to survive and make his way to a hospital, but has not been cooperative with police since his release, they said. It is unclear why the man was in Buchler's apartment. The Slidell PD said the beating victim was an 'acquaintance' of Buchler, but friends say they were in a short-term romantic relationship and may have been staying together. It's also been alleged that they met on Tinder. Police said Craddock's cell phone records show him talking to Buchler the morning of August 21, as well as being near where she was that same night. The next morning, he texted his mother about 'making a drop' and leaving his phone with her, creating an alibi, police say. But Craddock also had photos showing him and Matthews at the abandoned building a week earlier, according to police, suggesting they knew about the building well in advance of Buchler's disappearance. After Craddock and Matthews were arrested, Matthews made a call from the jailhouse, where he claimed he 'was present when Craddock killed Buchler,' police say. Buchler was found dead inside of an abandoned Navy base in Louisiana Buchler was found dead inside of an abandoned Navy base in Louisiana Matthews also allegedly asked for immunity from police in exchange for the location of the murder weapon. Craddock and Matthews also have been charged with kidnapping and attempted murder in the beating of accused rapist, who has not been arrested or charged. Buchler began to reveal a rape on August 20, according to investigators Craddock is being held on $1 million bond, while Matthews is being held on $625,000 bond. Both could face mandatory life sentences if convicted of murder, while the attempted murder charge could land them 50 years in prison. Kidnapping could land them up to 40 years in prison. Buchler's mother spoke of her daughter's passing following the funeral. 'I don't know if she knew how much she meant to so many people,' Cristin Naquin told CBS 8. 'I think we were all kind of blown away by the people that came out,' she added. Brennan, a brother, said at the time that she was like a 'second mother.' 'It was just me, mom and her in the house and mom worked,' he said. A contender for the cheapest freestanding house in Australia has gone on sale for just $58,000. A home buyer would only need to come up with $11,600 to reach the 20 per cent deposit most banks require and snap up the two-bedroom home at 59 Wilson Street, Broken Hill in New South Wales' far west. The house, set on a decent-sized 230 square metre block with a large backyard, would need a significant amount of work. Possibly the cheapest freestanding house in Australia in Broken Hill, New South Wales has gone on sale for just $58,000 The real value of any property is the land - and 59 Wilson Street, Broken Hill sits on a decent-sized 230 square metre block Selling agent LJ Hooker has marketed the home with the slogan 'looking for a project?' Buyers would need to put in time and money to refurbish the property. Inside, some rooms needs to be re-floored or re-carpeted. The interior is run-down and if the existing dwelling was kept, it would need a substantial refurbishment The bathroom has seen better days as well and would need to be re-tiled by the buyer Privacy when visiting the toilet appears to come from a shower curtain rather than a door that locks The original part of the house has high ceilings and features such as a long hallway, a fireplace, wide timber door-frames and plate rails. The home also has four roof-mounted solar cells. The last time a freestanding house sold for under $60,000 in Sydney was the 1970s - when Malcolm Fraser was the Prime Minister and the Sydney Opera House was still a new building. A Grenfell Tower survivor has been jailed for 19 years for a string of five violent rapes on two sex workers in his flat. Sajad Jamalvatan, 25, would lure escorts to his home in Chelsea, west London, and pretend to pay them before holding them down and sexually assaulting them. Police said the rapist deliberately targeted 'vulnerable' women with his heartless attacks. Jamalvatan was one of the survivors of the Grenfell Tower fire in 2017, and lived on the third floor of the building with his family. He was vocal about complaining about the block's fire safety, and submitted extensive evidence to the official inquiry. Just over two years after the devastating blaze, while living nearby in Chelsea, west London, the student began his string of vicious rapes. Sajad Jamalvatan (pictured), 25, would lure escorts to his home in Chelsea, west London, and pretend to pay them before holding them down and sexually assaulting them Jamalvatan used escort websites to lure sex workers to his flat with the promise of paying them. Once the women were locked in his house, Jamalvatan pretended to transfer money to them on his banking app. Police said the victims often realised they were in danger and would try and escape, but Jamalvatan would overpower and rape them. If the sex workers tried to defend themselves Jamalvatan would become violent, covering their mouths with his hands and pinning them down, telling them not to scream. On one occasion - after an hour-long attack - Jamalvatan insisted that he was 'not a bad person'. He said drugs caused him to become violent and insisted that this was the 'first time' he had ever committed such an act. Jamalvatan appeared in several television interviews in the aftermath of the fire on Channel 4 and the BBC A complex year-long investigation by Scotland Yard resulted in Jamalvatan being charged with five counts of rape between August and October 2019. Specialist detectives worked with the sex worker charity National Ugly Mugs to help encourage victims to come forward. They obtained and downloaded mobile phone information and combed through hours of CCTV footage to crack the case. Jamalvatan, of Mulberry Close, Chelsea, west London, was found guilty at Isleworth Crown Court after a two week trial. He was caged for 19 years with an additional five years on licence - and he has been put on the sex offenders register for life. Det Con James Drummond said: 'Jamalvatan is a man who has a very clear victim profile - vulnerable women. 'It was determined at court that Jamalvatan felt the women he targeted were not worthy of his respect, and he sought to undermine their reports of rape by suggesting to police that they were not trustworthy because of their work. 'He also compulsively lied to police throughout this investigation, parading as a straight-laced PhD student who was looking after his auntie and mother. 'This couldn't be further from the truth. 'It is clear that Jamalvatan has no comprehension of the severity of the acts he has committed, and the damage, both psychological and physical, which he has inflicted. 'We cannot begin to imagine the pain these women may have to carry for the rest of their lives after being exposed to this man's atrocious behaviour, but we hope this result will give them some respite.' And Scotland Yard urged other potential victims of the rapist to come forward. Det Con James Drummond added: 'We know that it can be incredibly difficult for victims of sexual assault to come forward and explain what has happened to them, that is why we feel there may be more women who have suffered at the hands of this man. 'We are appealing to anyone else who thinks they may have been a victim of Jamalvatan to get in contact with us so that we can offer the support that they are entitled to.' A National Ugly Mugs spokesperson said: 'We applaud the courage of the victims who came forward in this case and are pleased that we could offer some support in the investigations. 'We honour and celebrate the courage of this victim and others and we are here for them to provide support to heal and recover in ways that they choose and safety tools so they can share information to keep each other safe.' Scotland Yard confirmed that Jamalvatan was a survivor of the Grenfell Tower fire in June 2017. A total of 72 people died after the cladding on the North Kensington block caught ablaze and caused an inferno. Jamalvatan appeared in several television interviews in the aftermath of the fire on Channel 4 and the BBC. Matt Hancock today said the Government will 'of course' pay compensation to the victims of the contaminated blood scandal if that is the recommendation of an ongoing public inquiry. The Health Secretary said the Government will 'respect' the findings of the Infected Blood Inquiry and should the probe recommend compensation 'then of course we will pay compensation'. Mr Hancock's comments to the inquiry this afternoon are likely to be welcomed by campaigners who have long called for compensation to be paid and for existing support payments to be increased. The inquiry is examining how thousands of patients were infected with HIV and hepatitis C through contaminated blood products in the 1970s and 1980s. About 2,400 people died in what has been labelled the worst treatment disaster in the history of the NHS. Matt Hancock today said the Government will 'of course' pay compensation to the victims of the contaminated blood scandal if that is the recommendation of an ongoing public inquiry It was announced yesterday that Sir Robert Francis QC had been appointed by the Government to carry out a study into options for a framework for compensation. Mr Hancock was grilled on the financial support arrangements for victims and their families amid concerns that some have been unfairly excluded from the scheme. Victims and families currently receive financial support but they have not been compensated for their losses, for example loss of earnings or care costs. The Health Secretary said the current system was 'set up as a support scheme' rather than as a compensation scheme. He continued: 'But I have no doubt that this is something that the inquiry will look at and I would expect it to and I respect the process of the inquiry and I will respect its recommendations. 'Should the inquirys recommendations point to compensation then of course we will pay compensation and Sir Robert Franciss review on compensation is there in order that the Government will be able to respond quickly to that. But it would be wrong to preempt the findings of the inquiry on that basis by me giving a policy recommendation in the middle of it. So I think it is best, no matter where I would like this to go, what I would like to happen is that I would like the inquiry to explore all of these questions. But what I can say to you is that we will respect the outcome of the inquiry and if the inquiry points to compensation, as opposed to a support scheme in the future, then the Government will pay compensation. The inquiry into the scandal was announced by ministers in 2017 after decades of campaigning by victims and and their families. Mr Hancock agreed this afternoon that the Government has a moral responsibility to address the impact of the scandal on those affected. The Government announced in March this year that affected families in England would now receive the same support payments as those in other parts of the UK and bereaved partners would automatically get a 10,000 lump sum. But campaigners said some families have been excluded from the support scheme. The Government has previously conceded that full compensation could be paid to victims and their families. The Infected Blood Inquiry is being led by former High Court judge Sir Brian Langstaff. Two previous inquiries have been branded a whitewash by campaigners. Dr Khalil Msaif, paediatric neonatologist, said 'they have deficiencies in everything' The nine premature babies born to a Malian mother are being closely monitored in a Moroccan clinic, with medical staff working around the clock to stabilise their health, doctors have said. Halima Cisse, 25, from Timbuktu, spent two weeks in hospital in the Malian capital of Bamako before being flown to Morocco to give birth to her nine babies - five girls and four boys - in a specialist hospital via cesarean section this month. As doctors continue to monitor the babies, the clinic's paediatric neonatologist said the nonuplets were 'stable but fragile' and 'have deficiencies in everything'. Dr Khalil Msaif, the clinic's paediatric neonatologist, said: 'They are very immature babies. 'They have deficiencies in everything - at the level of the lungs, the head and the heart. Halima Cisse, 25, from Timbuktu, spent two weeks in hospital in the Malian capital of Bamako before being flown to Morocco. Pictured: Ms Cisse arrives in Morocco Dr Msayif Khali watches one of the nine babies in an incubator at the maternity unit of the clinic A nurse monitors one of the nine babies protected in an incubator at the maternity unit 'Since the birth, we are in week three and the condition of the babies is stable. Most of the babies have had a good period without any problem. We hope that all will be well.' Meanwhile Youssef Alaoui, director of the Ain Borja Clinic in Casablanca, said: 'It is a pride for all of Morocco. Now the challenge is to get these babies out in good health.' While details about Ms Cisse's pregnancy are unclear, such multiple births are typically the result of IVF - were multiple fertilised eggs are simultaneously implanted into a woman's womb to increase the chances she will fall pregnant. In rare cases, several of embryos will develop into babies, causing extreme cases of multiple birth that almost never occur naturally. Local media suggest she gave birth around eight months into her pregnancy, having been initially taken to hospital when she was just six months pregnant. According to Mali 24, doctors in the country estimated that there was a less than 50 per cent chance that a single one of the nine foetuses would survive. Ms Cisse spent two weeks in Point G Hospital in Bamako, Mali's capital, before she was transferred to Morocco thanks to the intervention of Mali's President of Transition Bah N'Daw. She was admitted to the Ain Borja private clinic in Casablanca on March 20, and spent more than six weeks in hospital before reportedly giving birth on May 4. Staff at the Ain Borja clinic in Casablanca, Morocco, monitor the babies at the maternity unit As doctors continues to monitor the babies, the clinic's paediatric neonatologist said the nonuplets were 'stable but fragile' A nurse in Morocco takes care of one of the nine babies protected in an incubator at the maternity unit Mali's health ministry said in a statement that Ms Cisse had given birth to five girls and four boys by cesarean section, and the Ain Borja later confirmed to the Associated Press she had given birth there. 'The newborns (five girls and four boys) and the mother are all doing well,' Mali's health minister, Fanta Siby, said in a statement. The minister added that she was being kept informed by a Malian doctor who accompanied Ms Cisse to Morocco. Ms Cisse's pregnancy has become the third reported instance of nonuplets in history, with the other two occurring in Sydney and Malaysia. In both cases, none of the babies survived. Medical complications in multiple births of this kind often mean that some of the babies do not reach full term. The first recorded case of nonuplets came in Sydney in the 1970s, although sadly none of the babies survived, according to The Independent. In March 1999, a set of nonuplets was born in Malaysia to a woman named Zurina Mat Saad, though none of them survived for more than six hours. In January 2009, Nadya Suleman - dubbed Octomum - gave birth to octuplets including six boys and two girls at a hospital in California. All survived the birth, and recently celebrated their 12th birthdays. The babies were a result of IVF treatment, and were nine weeks premature when they were delivered via c-section. A 72-year-old Mexican man accused of being a 'serial killer cannibal' has admitted killing seven women, and telling a court he peeled the skin off the face of his last victim because he thought she was 'pretty'. Andres Mendoza made the shocking revelation during a four-hour court hearing Thursday in which he was formally charged with the feminicide of Reyna Gonzalez, 34 - the wife of a local police officer. Mendoza, who worked as a butcher, was arrested on Saturday after Gonzalez disappeared and police searched his home in Atizapan de Zaragoza. During the search, officers found her remains, along with the remains of nine other women, video tapes of the killings, and personal objects. Mendoza also admitted to eating some of their body parts, police said. During his court hearing, Mendoza said 'all I want to do is tell the truth'. 'I removed the skin from her face because she was very pretty,' he said. 'What has been done is done. The husband is there, he saw everything.' Mendoza also admitted to killing six other women since 2001 during the hearing. However, it's reported that he could have up to 20 victims. Andres Mendoza, who was arrested in Atizapan, Mexico, on May 15, admitted to murdering Reyna Gonzalez and said he decided to peel the skin off her face 'because she was pretty.' He also confessed to killing six other women, the first incident taking place in 2001 Reyna Gonzalez, a married mother of two girls, was hacked to death by Andres Mendoza, who she and her husband considered a friend of the family A search team works at the home of Andres Mendoza in search of the remains of his victims According to Infobae, Bruno Portillo, a police officer in the State of Mexico municipality of Atizapan de Zarazoga, last saw his wife May 14 at 5am before he left the family home for work. Portillo said his wife had planned to meet Mendoza to go shopping for spare parts for the used cellphone business she operated. It's unclear how Gonzalez knew Mendoza, but her husband said that they provided him with financial assistance because of his old age. News tv network Milenio reported that Portillo noticed that the mother of his two daughters, aged 4 and 8, failed to return home at night, he went over to Mendoza's home, but he refused to open the door. The concerned cop returned to Mendoza's home with other cops and after a brief struggle at the door, Portillo entered the residence and saw some of his wife's personal belongings before he discovered her remains lying across a table. Mendoza attempted to escape but was placed under arrest. Since Monday, search teams dispatched by the Attorney General's Office for the State of Mexico have discovered various body parts, including skulls, which were found buried in the basement of the home after a sniffer dog was deployed. They've also found bones buried underneath the concrete floors of the home. Agents also found video tapes that contain the actual killings of victims, a notebook with the names of 29 women and women's clothing and accessories. State of Mexico Attorney General Alejandro Gomez said in a statement Friday that anthropologists, forensic archaeologists, geneticists, experts in criminology, dentistry, forensic medicine and photography, and detective are conducting a three-phase investigation in search of skeletal remains and other evidence. The first phase includes digging out the patio and kitchen area, which is covered with wood and an unknown layer. The second phase of the search with include the excavation of the master bedroom and the 20 squared meter basement, which has two levels and can be accessed through a wooden staircase. The final phase includes digging through another patio area and two bathrooms. The voter id cards of Rubicela Castillo (left) and Flor Vizcaino (right) were located at the home of Andres Mendoza, who told a court on Thursday that he is responsible for kidnapping and murdering them. A search team digs through a floor at the residence while search for human remains Investigators recovered what they allege are accessories belonging to some of the women whose remains were found at the home of Andres Mendoza. The 72-year-old former butcher admitted in court Thursday to murdering seven women In court on Thursday, Mendoza described how his first victim was a woman named Norman in 2001. He met her at a bar and was rebuffed several times before he tricked her into going to his home where he stabbed her to death. Mendoza met his second victim, Berenice Sanchez, at a bar and he again attempted to establish an a romantic relationship with her. After he was rejected, he plunged a knife into her chest before he cut off her limbs. In 2016, Mendoza met Flor Vizcaino, a 38-year-old mother-of-two, at a bar and took her on dates and reportedly gave her money. Like the other women, Vizcaino, was not interested in being Mendoza's girlfriend and was killed, too. Mendoza said he met Rubicela Castillo , 32, in 2019 and that he was so obsessed with her, that he kidnapped and murdered her. Investigators found voter identification cards belonging to Castillo who was reported missing July 20, 2019, and Vizcaino, who was last seen October 16, 2016. Mendoza also admitted killing two other women, Alyn and Gardenia, both of whom he met at 'El Barrigon' Bar. He did not specify the dates their murders took place. A dog searches the property of Andres Mendoza before leading agents to human remains Video tapes retrieved from Andres Mendoza's home which contain footage of him killing his victims Investigators separate the evidence that was recovered at the home of Andres Mendoza after cops discovered the dismembered body of 34-year-old Reyna Gonzalez Sergio Baltazar, a lawyer hired by Gonzalez's family, said it could take up to a month before her remains are turned over to her husband so that she can be buried because the medical examiner has to legally confirm her identity through DNA samples. 'These types of people feel pleasure in taking the lives of other people,' he said. 'This person is a psychopath because he does not feel regret, so much so that he tells the Public Ministry, in the presence of a defense attorney , the circumstances of how it happened, (as well as) the other events of the other people he has murdered.' Residents in the Lomas de San Miguel neighborhood had mixed feelings about Mendoza - some described him as 'polite', while others said he was always ill and drunk. He was a very respected man for us. Now up until today it was unknown if he did something or kidnapped or killed,' a woman named Francisca told the network. 'Nothing was ever heard of him like he was fighting. No, he was a quiet man. That's why he surprises us all.' A neighbor named Mario said his sisters always complained that Mendoza was harassing 'pretty young women with his gaze.' 'They said that they did not trust him because he always looked at them and other young and pretty women strangely. Besides that he was always drunk,' he said. Priti Patel today visited north London to reassure the Jewish community after a rise in anti-Semitic abuse. The Home Secretary and Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick condemned 'appalling' incidents as they joined police officers on a walkabout on the Finchley Road. The visit came after onlookers were left horrified last weekend by a convoy of cars waving Palestinian flags, with passengers yelling obscenities about jews. Ms Patel and Mr Jenrick chatted to the owner of a local kosher butcher this morning, before stopping at Daniels bakery. She said the racism of recent weeks would not be tolerated. 'I'm backing the police to take the toughest possible action against the vile culprits,' she said. The abuse appears to have increased amid the violence in the Middle East between Israel and Hamas. Priti Patel today visited north London to reassure the jewish community after a rise in anti-Semitic abuse (left). Onlookers were left horrified last weekend by a convoy of cars waving Palestinian flags, with passengers yelling obscenities about jews (right) Ms Patel Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick stopped at Daniel's Bakery on the Finchley Road today Ms Patel warned that the racism of recent weeks would not be tolerated Extraordinary footage from last weekend showed cars emblazoned with Palestinian flags driving down the Finchley Road with passengers screaming: 'F*** the Jews... F*** all of them. F*** their mothers, f*** their daughters and show your support for Palestine. Rape their daughters and we have to send a message like that. Please do it for the poor children in Gaza.' Four people have been arrested in connection with the incident, which drew condemnation from all political parties. Ms Patel said: 'This morning the Jewish community shared their powerful first-hand accounts of the appalling racism they have been subjected to in recent weeks. 'There is absolutely no place in the UK for it, and I am backing the police to take the toughest possible action against the vile individuals that are responsible. 'I am totally committed to ensuring that this remains a country where Jewish communities can thrive and where our Jewish friends and neighbours feel safe.' Mr Jenrick said: 'This racist behaviour has no place in our society and I was clear that the Government is doing everything it can to ensure they are protected, prosecute offenders and stamp out hatred. 'I was pleased to be joined by the police who talked about the action they are taking to tackle these disgusting incidents.' Mr Jenrick (pictured talking to locals today) said 'racist behaviour has no place in our society' A suspected murderer faces execution over a 1983 sex killing whose victim was found on fire by police after DNA proved a serial killer falsely confessed to the crime. Thomas Darnell, 75, was taken into custody at his home in Kansas last week and was extradited on Thursday to Montgomery County, Texas, where he was charged with capital murder for the 1983 killing of Laura Marie Purchase. Darnell's arrest comes less than two years after investigators sent DNA evidence from the crime scene for analysis, which they say matched with Darnell. Henry Lee Lucas, a self-proclaimed serial killer, confessed to killing Purchase just months after her death and was convicted of the murder three years later, but DNA testing ruled him out as a suspect in 2008. Thomas Darnell, 75 (left), has been charged with capital murder for the March 1983 slaying of Laura Purchase (right), whose burning body was found in Texas According to a statement from the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office, at around 3am on March 17, 1983, a deputy was on patrol in the 4000 block of IH-45 near League Line Road when he noticed a fire burning in a wooded area. The deputy approached the site and discovered a woman's lifeless, naked body that had been set alight. An autopsy later determined that the then-unidentified victim had been sexually assaulted and strangled to death. The post-mortem examination also detected traces of a man's DNA on the corpse. It was not until more than three years later that the FBI ran the victim's fingerprints through its database and positively identified her as Laura Purchase, a missing woman from Houston. Police said Purchase was last known to have been seen alive in Houston on March 5, 1983, living with a man named 'Howard' or 'Howie,' who played in a band called Malibu, reported ABC13. Darnell, who lives in Kansas, was arrested thanks to DNA and genealogy testing Just months after Purchase was found dead, and long before she was identified, Lucas confessed to killing her, and was convicted of the murder in 1986. In all, Lucas was convicted of murdering at least three people between 1960 and 1983, and was sentenced to death for the killing of Debra Jackson, although his sentence was commuted to life in prison in 1998. He died of a heart failure in 2001, after confessing to some 600 murders. An investigation by the Texas Attorney General later concluded that Lucas was a pathological liar who had falsely confessed to crimes he did not commit. He is still confirmed to have killed at least three - making him a serial killer - with eight other possible victims disputed by investigators. In 2007, the Montgomery County Sheriffs Office Cold Case Squad resubmitted the unknown males DNA found on Purchase's body in 1983. Despite Lucas' confession and conviction, both he and his co-defendant were eliminated as suspects in that case. Just months after Purchase's death, self-proclaimed serial killer Henry Lee Lucas (left and right) confessed to her murder and was convicted of the crime in 1986. He died in prison in 2011 In 2008, more than seven years after Lucas' death, DNA testing ruled him out as suspect in Purchase's case, although he is still confirmed to have murdered three people In October 2019, investigators sent the DNA evidence for genealogy testing, which produced a lead that pointed to Darnell as a murder suspect. On March 17, exactly 38 years after Purchase's killing, detectives executed a DNA warrant and collected a sample from Darnell. On April 30, Darnell's DNA sample was positively matched to the unknown males DNA profile collected from Purchase, resulting in his arrest. Darnell is being held in the Montgomery County jail without a bond. White paper slams 14th Dalai Lama group for promoting "Tibetan independence" Xinhua) 11:17, May 21, 2021 BEIJING, May 21 (Xinhua) -- Over the years, the 14th Dalai Lama and his supporters have continued to try to promote "Tibetan independence" by provoking incidents to jeopardize peace and stability in Tibet, said a white paper released on Friday. (Web editor: Shi Xi, Liang Jun) The Report Contact Lenses Market [By Product Type (Soft Lens, Hybrid Lens, Rigid Gas Permeable (RGP) Lens); By Design Type (Toric, Spherical, Multifocal, Others); By Usage (Corrective, Therapeutic, Cosmetic/Lifestyle, Prosthetic) By Regions]: Market Size & Forecast, 2017 2026 According to a new study published by Polaris Market Research the global contact lenses market is anticipated to reach USD 18.9 billion by 2026. Once of the key factor driving the contact lenses market is to enhance aesthetic appearance by using them as fashion accessory particularly, by the youth population. Also, constant development in technology of product materials and given a boost to colored or decorative contact lenses, which is further anticipated to influence the demand. Moreover, the rising incidences of visual imparities such as myopia, presbyopia, hyperopia and astigmatisam is propelling the market growth. The World Health Organization, in 2015, estimated that approximately 1.9 billion people across the globe have been affected by myopia and the number is anticipated to be more than 2 billion by 2020. Thus, the demand for contact lenses during the forecast period will experience a growth. Browse for full research summary: https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/contact-lenses-market The contact lenses manufacturers and vendors are appealed by the high profit margins offered by the contact lenses thus, boosting its manufacturing as well as enhancing the network of distribution. Also, advancements in technology in form of material will provide new opportunities to the manufacturers with time. By type segment, the Rigid Gas Permeable (RGP) Lenses was valued over USD 800 million in 2017 owing to factors including, sharp vision, high oxygen permeability, cost-effectiveness in the long run, and durability. The contact lenses market by usage type is segmented into Corrective, Therapeutic, Cosmetic, Prosthetic, and Lifestyle-oriented. The corrective lenses usage segment is currently growing at a CAGR of more than 6.2%. The demand is attributed to its various applications. Whereas, cosmetic lenses segment is expected to witness high growth during the forecast period. On the basis of design, the hybrid lens segment is anticipated to experience a noteworthy growth as it is a combination of both soft lenses and rigid gas permeable lenses. Thus, it provides comfort of soft lenses coupled with the visual clarity offered by rigid gas permeable lenses. The growth of hybrid lenses segment is expected to propel with the increased demand from people with keratoconus and astigmatism conditions. Request for a sample of this research report @ https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/contact-lenses-market/request-for-sample The North America market holds the largest share owing to presence of better eye care treatment facilities as increasing elderly population. Although, the Asia Pacific market is expected to bolster with a high CAGR attributed to the increased awareness regarding contact lenses among the population as well as their increasing ability for healthcare spending. The key strategies adopted by the market players include long-term partnerships among the other players in supply chain particularly, distributors and suppliers with an aim to increase their geographical footprint. For instance, in 2016, Vision Direct Group Ltd. was acquired by Essilor International S.A. for the enhancement of its online retailing business presence. Major industry players include Alcon Laboratories, Inc., Abbott Medical Optics, Inc., Bausch + Lomb, Incorporated, Carl Zeiss AG, CooperVision, Inc., Contamac U.S., Inc., Hoya Corporation, Essilor International S.A., Medennium and Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc. among others. Check for discount: https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/contact-lenses-market/request-for-discount-pricing Contact Lenses Market Size and Forecast by Product Type Rigid Gas Permeable Lens Hybrid Lens Soft Lens Contact Lenses Market Size and Forecast by Design Type Spherical Lenses Toric Lenses Multifocal Lenses Others Contact Lenses Market Size and Forecast by Usage Type Corrective Lens Therapeutic Lens Cosmetic Lens Prosthetic Lens Lifestyle-oriented Lens Contact Lenses Market Size and Forecast by Regions North America U.S. Canada Europe Germany UK France Italy Asia Pacific China South Korea Japan India Latin America Brazil Mexico Middle East & Africa Make Inquiry about this report @ https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/contact-lenses-market/inquire-before-buying About Polaris Market Research Polaris Market Research is a global market research and consulting company. We provide unmatched quality of offerings to our clients present globally. The company specializes in providing exceptional market intelligence and in-depth business research services for our clientele spread across different enterprises. We at Polaris are obliged to serve our diverse customer base present across the industries of healthcare, technology, semi-conductors and chemicals among various other industries present around the world. Contact us- Polaris Market Research Phone: 1-646-568-9980 Email: sales@polarismarketresearch.com Web: www.polarismarketresearch.com Sen. Ted Cruz said he was standing up for the world's most ferocious fighting force as he doubled down on his attacks on a 'woke' U.S. Army recruiting video that told the story of how a 'little girl raised by two moms' grew up to become a soldier. The Texas senator triggered online fury after questioning the role of what he called an 'emasculated military' and comparing it with a video that appeared to show a rugged, shaven-headed Russian recruit parachuting into combat. 'The job of the military is to kill the bad guys. And it is to strike fear in the enemies of America,' he told Fox News as he defended himself from accusations that he was unloading on serving U.S. troops. 'People sign up to join the military because they want to keep us safe, they don't want to sit around a circle, emoting and passing daisies back and forth.' His comments highlight fears America's armed forces are being softened by 'woke' principles and follows similar criticism of a CIA advert. The advertising campaign shows an animated Corporal Emma Malonelord (pictured) attending a gay rights parade in a video that sparked a row about the future of the American military. Sen. Ted Cruz said it showed how Democrats and the 'woke media' were turning soldiers into 'pansies' in comments that triggered accusations that he was trolling America's troops The new Army ad shows Corporal Emma Malonelord's mothers getting married after one suffered serious injuries following a car accident In contrast, the Russian video shows a bare chested recruit leaping from his bed, working out and then leaping from a plane with a parachute The Russian soldier is shown taking up a prone firing position, staring down his rifle scope in wintry, arctic conditions The latest controversy features an American video telling the story of Cpl. Emma Malonelord, a serving soldier who describes how she came to choose a life in the military. The colorful, animated recruiting video describ es how she defended freedom by attending LGBTQ marches and grew up to join the U.S. Army. It achieved notoriety when Cruz tweeted out a TikTok clip, that opened with the Russian soldier leaping out of a plane before cutting to the animated story of Malonelord. 'Holy crap,' he wrote in a tweet. 'Perhaps a woke, emasculated military is not the best idea....' Cruz's words quickly went viral, unleashing an angry torrent of accusations that he was trolling his own country's American armed forces and had been suckered by an adversary's propaganda. And veterans expressed fury that he could criticise the Army and target a real-life serving soldier. People sign up to join the military because they want to keep us safe, they don't want to sit around a circle, emoting and passing daisies back and forth. Ted Cruz Sen. Tammy Duckworth, who lost both her legs while serving as a helicopter pilot in Iraq, responded by mirroring Cruz's language. 'Holy crap,' she wrote. 'Perhaps a U.S. Senator shouldn't suggest that the *Russian* military is better than the American military that protected him from an insurrection he helped foment?' Malonelord's story is told in a colorful video, describing how she grew up with two mothers. 'I also marched for equality,' she narrates as it shows her at a gay rights march. 'I like to think I've been defending freedom from an early age.' She is pictured as a bridesmaid for her two mothers when they marry, before signing up with the Army, which she says was a way 'to prove my inner strength.' The progressive veterans group VoteVets also condemned Cruz. Cruz's tweet triggered a backlash on Twitter as he was accused of trolling his own country's armed forces in favor of those of an adversary A new Army recruitment ad centering around the real life of Corporal Emma Malonelord (pictured) has been called 'woke' 'Ted Cruz attacks a US Army soldier for telling her story, says he prefers Russians,' it wrote on its Twitter feed. 'Because Ted Cruz is a sedition-loving traitor.' But other conservatives rallied around the Texas senator. John Noonan, an adviser to Sen. Tom Cotton, shared the TikTok video saying: 'We are going to be the most tolerant military in history ever to lose a war.' And Cruz himself reveled in the controversy he triggered as he continued to bait opponents. 'Im enjoying lefty blue checkmarks losing their minds over this tweet, dishonestly claiming that Im "attacking the military,"' he said late Thursday. 'Uh, no. We have the greatest military on earth, but Dem politicians & woke media are trying to turn them into pansies.' Investigation into Space Force commander FIRED for warning 'Critical Race Theory' is spreading through the military is sent to the IG The investigation into the firing of Matthew Lohmeier, the Space Force commander who warned Critical Race Theory was spreading through the military, has been sent to the Air Force Inspector General. Air Force spokesperson Ann Stefanek told Fox News the review of the case had been elevated to the IG because of the impact it could have on the entire agency. 'The Department of the Air Force Inspector General has elevated the review of Lt Col Lohmeiers actions to DAF-IG level for assessment and investigation, as appropriate,' Stefanek told Fox News. 'The decision was made by DAF-IG due to the complexity and sensitivity of the issues under consideration, as well as potential for DAF-wide impact.' The Inspector General will conduct an independent investigation into whether Lohemeier's firing was lawful and if there was any misconduct. They will then issue a report of the findings. Lohmeier was ousted after he appeared on a podcast to promote his new self published book when he made the comments which led to a 'loss of trust and confidence in his ability to lead', according to a statement from the Space Force. Lt Col. Matthew Lohmeier has been removed from his post after blasting diversity and inclusion training in the military as 'critical race theory rooted in Marxism' Lohmeier said: 'The diversity, inclusion and equity industry and the trainings we are receiving in the military...is rooted in critical race theory, which is rooted in Marxism. 'Since taking command as a commander about 10 months ago, I saw what I consider fundamentally incompatible and competing narratives of what America was, is and should be. 'That wasn't just prolific in social media, or throughout the country during this past year, but it was spreading throughout the United States military. And I had recognized those narratives as being Marxist in nature.' He described the the New York Times 1619 Project as 'anti-American', adding: 'It teaches intensive teaching that I heard at my base - that at the time the country ratified the United States Constitution, it codified white supremacy as the law of the land. 'If you want to disagree with that, then you start (being) labeled all manner of things including racist.' A spokesperson told The Military Times: 'This decision was based on public comments made by Lt. Col. Lohmeier in a recent podcast. 'Lt. Gen. Whiting has initiated a Command Directed Investigation on whether these comments constituted prohibited partisan political activity.' Advertisement The advert is one of a series called 'The Calling.' 'Soldiers across the Army stepped up to share their personal stories with America to break down the stereotypes associated with those who serve,' said Command Sgt. , when the series launched at the start of the month. 'Their inspiring stories highlight the diversity in the Army as we continue to be a team made up of great people.' But it triggered an immediate backlash when it was launched on YouTube. Within days, the Army disabled comments because the animated videos were attracting streams of abuse. Earlier this month a CIA recruitment video was also panned by critics as 'woke.' It featured an unnamed officer who tells viewers she is 'unapologetically me', describing how she used to suffer from 'imposter syndrome' but now refuses to 'internalize misguided patriarchal ideas of what a woman can or should be.' And the latest controversy comes a week after the commander of a Space Force unit was fired after complaining that the Pentagon was pushing an agenda 'rooted in Marxism.' Iran has unveiled a brand new 1,250-mile range combat drone, named 'Gaza', in honour of Palestine's struggle against Israel, state media has reported. Iran has a large missile and drone programme, regarding such weapons as an important deterrent and retaliatory force against the United States and other adversaries in the event of war. The West sees Iran's missiles both as a conventional military threat to regional stability and a possible delivery mechanism for nuclear weapons should Tehran develop them. Iran denies trying to build nuclear arms. The Revolutionary Guards said the new drone was capable of flying for 35 hours and carrying 13 bombs and 500 kg (1,100 lbs) of electronics equipment, the state news agency IRNA reported. Iran has unveiled a brand new 1,250-mile range combat drone, named 'Gaza', in honour of Palestine's struggle against Israel The head of the Revolutionary Guards, Major General Hossein Salami, said the new drone was named 'Gaza' in honour 'of those in that land who stand today against the invasion and aggression of the Zionists', the Guards' website reported. Although leaders of Palestinian militant groups in Gaza, including Hamas and Islamic Jihad, have frequently praised Iran's financial and military support, Tehran has usually not given public confirmation of its weapons supply. But Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei last year hailed Tehran's supply of arms to Palestinians. A truce between Israel and Hamas took hold on Friday after the worst violence in years. President Joe Biden took credit for the ceasefire and promised to 'replenish' Israel's Iron Dome defense system to help ensure 'security in the future.' The Revolutionary Guards said the new drone was capable of flying for 35 hours and carrying 13 bombs and 500 kg (1,100 lbs) of electronics equipment, the state news agency IRNA reported Biden thanked his Secretary of State, Secretary of Defense, National Security Advisor and other members of the team for their 'incredible efforts to bring this outcome we're about to see.' 'We've held intensive, high-level discussions, hour-by-hour, literally,' he said in brief remarks Thursday evening from the White House's Cross Hall. 'With the aim of avoiding the sort of prolonged conflict we've seen in previous years when hostilities have broken out.' Biden said he had just spoken with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. And said he had spoken to Netanyahu six times overall during the conflict. 'I commended him for the decision to bring the current hostilities to a close within less than 11 days,' Biden said. 'I also emphasized what I've said throughout this conflict, the United States fully supports Israel's right to defend itself against indiscriminate rocket attacks from Hamas and other Gaza-based terrorist groups that have taken the lives of innocent civilians in Israel.' Biden said Netanyahu shared his appreciation for Israel's Iron Dome defense system. 'Which our nations developed together and which has saved lives of countless Israeli citizen of Arab and Jew,' Biden said. 'I assured him my full support to replenish Israel's Iron Dome system to ensure its defenses and security in the future,' the president added. Biden also pledged that the U.S. would work with the United Nations and other international stakeholders to repair the damage to Gaza. President Joe Biden spoke briefly from the Cross Hall about the ceasefire set to begin between Israel and Hamas He said the U.S. would be dealing with the Palestinian Authority and not Hamas, responsible for launching the recent attacks. 'I believe the Palestinians and Israelis equally deserve to live safely and security and enjoy equal meaures of freedom, prosperity and democracy,' Biden said. 'My administration will continue our quiet, relentless diplomacy toward that end.' 'I believe we have a genuine opportunity to make progress and I'm committed to working for it,' he added. Despite this, fresh clashes between Israeli security forces and Palestinians broke out around Temple Mount and in the West Bank just hours after a fragile ceasefire with Hamas was declared. Israeli police fired tear gas at Palestinians attending Friday prayers at the Al-Aqsa mosque who hurled rocks in response, following a 'victory' parade through Jerusalem in which they chanted pro-Hamas slogans. Meanwhile, celebrations in the West Bank also turned into violent protests with Israeli security forces firing teargas at Palestinians near Bethlehem. The flash-points provided and early test for a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas which only came into force at 2am today, following 11 days of fighting that killed 244 people. Despite the clashes the truce held through Friday morning, with no rocket or bombing attacks reported. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Security Cabinet approved a unilateral ceasefire to halt an 11-day Israeli military operation in the Gaza Strip Both sides have declared victory and threatened to quickly resume hostilities if the situation deteriorates again - with Benjamin Netanyahu saying he is ready to respond 'with a new level of force'. Meanwhile Hamas said 'our finger is on the trigger' if Israel crosses a 'red line', pointing to violence around Al-Aqsa mosque as an example. Netanyahu is facing criticism from his right-wing base that fighting with Hamas was ended too early, before the IDF was able to take out any of its top targets in Hamas's leadership. But the Israeli Prime Minister hit back in a speech, saying Hamas had paid 'a heavy price' while claiming 200 fighters had been killed in Israeli airstrikes and shelling that had also destroyed 62 miles of tunnels and severely limited the group's abilities to launch rocket attacks. A spearfisherman was forced to swim back to a boat to seek first aid from his friends after being badly mauled by a three-metre tiger shark while celebrating his birthday. Brett Highlands, 48, was about 500m off Quandong Beach, north of Broome in north-western Western Australia, when he was bitten on his arm and hand about 11.15am on Friday. He swam back to the boat where his horrified friends pulled him on board and wrapped a tourniquet around his arm. Footage then showed Mr Highlands walking onto the shore at Cable Beach with the support of his mates before paramedics rushed him off to hospital - all in front of shocked beachgoers. The 48-year-old was flown to Perth on Friday night and remains in a stable condition in hospital. Brett Highlands, 48, had been swimming about 500m off Quandong Beach, north of Broome in north-western Western Australia, when he was bitten on his arm and hand around 11.15am on Friday Authorities from the Department of Fisheries were patrolling the area after the attack and believe the species was a tiger shark, The West Australian reported. Newlyweds Halley and Jacob Zurzulo saw the man being escorted back to shore in what they thought was an arrest. 'It took us ages to figure out what was happening. It literally looked like someone was being arrested,' Ms Zurzulo said on Facebook. A police car sped across the sand in front of the Zurzolos, who were married six days earlier and were about to go for a swim before the scene unfolded in front of them. Mr Highlands' friends are understood to have called St John's Ambulance from their boat and met them at Cable Beach half an hour after he was bitten. 'He got brought down to Cable Beach from ages away by boat, and there was cops and detectives and rangers and paramedics,' Mrs Zurzolo said. Mr Highlands is seen being escorted to shore after the shark attack near Broome in WA on Friday A witness told 6PR the victim seemed 'pretty chill' despite the near death experience. 'There was probably every cop in Broome just racing down the beach with the lifeguards,' he said. The attack comes after a string of shark encounters across Australia in recent months. Mr Highlands was rushed to the nearby Cable Beach (pictured) on Friday morning to be taken by paramedics to hospital. He remains in a stable condition Charles Cernobori, 59, was killed by a shark at Cable Beach last year while bodyboarding about 30metres from shore. A surfer in his 50s was fatally mauled by a 4.5m great white shark off Tuncurry Beach on the NSW mid-north coast on Tuesday morning. He was desperately warning friends of the danger when he was attacked. It was the first death by a shark in Australian waters this year. The potential heir to the Dalai Lama is being sued for child support and spousal maintenance by a former nun who is claiming the pair had a 'marriage-like relationship'. Vikki Hui Xin Han says she only ever met Ogyen Trinley Dorje known to his millions of followers as His Holiness, the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa, or simply the Karmapa Lama four times. Despite this, a court in British Columbia - where Han lives - has given permission for her to sue Dorje for spousal support in a case that could break new legal ground in Canada. Han, who was training to be a Buddhist nun, claims that she got pregnant when Dorje visited a New York monastery in 2017. She says their relationship 'evolved into a loving and affectionate' one which saw the pair keep in contact via texts, email and telephone calls. She says Dorje also sent her more than $700,000. The Karmapa Lama denies he had any romantic relationship with Han, saying that any emotional and financial support he provided her was 'for the benefit of the child [she] told him was his daughter.' In the Buddhist faith, sex is considered a serious monastic transgression. The potential heir to the Dalai Lama has been sued for child support and maintenance by a former nun who is claiming the pair had a 'marriage-like relationship'. Pictured: The Karmapa Lama in Toronto Initially, Han sued for child support. However, she asked the court to permit her to amend her claim to include spousal support in a case that could cover new legal ground when it goes to trial in April 2022. The case raises a 'novel' question according to Master Bruce Elwood, the Supreme Court official who granted Han's application, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) reported. 'Can a secret relationship that began online and never moved into the physical world be like a marriage?' Elwood wrote in the ruling posted on Tuesday, seen by the CBC. 'Ms Han's claim is novel. It may even be weak. Almost all of the traditional factors are missing. However, the traditional factors are not a mandatory check-list that confines the 'elastic' concept of a marriage-like relationship,' he added. 'And if the COVID pandemic has taught us nothing else, it is that real relationships can form, blossom and end in virtual worlds.' Elwood is not a judge, but is one of 15 Supreme Court masters who decide on pre-trial motions and procedural orders. Saying he meant no disrespect by referring to the Karmapa Lama by his last name, he said the man's lifestyle was 'monastic and nomadic.' 'His true home is Tibet, but he currently resides in India. He receives followers from around the world at the Gyuto Monastery in India,' Elwood wrote. 'He also travels the world teaching Tibetan Buddhist Dharma and hosting pujas, ceremonies at which Buddhists express their gratitude and devotion to the Buddha.' Pictured: Exiled Tibetan Buddhist nuns take part in a prayer procession at Choeling Monastery in Kathmandu on March 10, 2020 [file photo]. Vikki Hui Xin Han, who was training to be a nun says she only ever met Ogyen Trinley Dorje four times, but is claiming spousal support Dorje is seen as a successor to the Dalai Lama as a leader of the world's Tibetan Buddhists. He was recognized as the reincarnation of the Karmapa Lama when he was found by a search party in 1992 at the age of seven. His story hit international headlines in 1999 when he fled China-controlled Tibet for the Dalai Lama's compound in India when he was just 14 years old. The incident put a strain on the relationship between India and China. In one of Buddhism's great controversies, he is one of two claimants to the title of Karmapa, along with another named Trinley Thaye Dorje. Han claims she met Dorje during a ceremony in 2014, before starting a three-year residency at the U.S. monastery in 2016. She claims she saw him twice more - including when she fell pregnant in October 2017. 'After she learned that she was pregnant, Ms. Han requested a private audience with Mr Dorje,' Elwood wrote. 'Mr Dorje initially denied responsibility; however, he provided Ms Han with his email address and a cellphone number, and, according to Ms. Han, said he would 'prepare some money' for her.' Han, who was training to be a Buddhist nun, claims that she got pregnant by Dorje at a New York monastery in 2017. But after that, she says their relationship 'evolved into a loving and affectionate relationship,' which saw the pair exchange text massages, through which Dorje (pictured praying in 2017) sent her more than $700,000 Abandoning her plan to become a nun, Han returned to Canada, and the two remained in contact as her due date neared, it is claimed. 'The parties appear to have expressed care and affection for one another in these communications,' Elwood wrote. 'The parties wrote in a private shorthand, sharing jokes, emojis, cartoon portraits and 'hugs' or 'kisses.'' Han claimed to believe that Dorje was in love with her, and that they lived in a 'conjugal relationship' by 2018, and in the months leading up to her child's birth in June that year, Dorje transferred her $420,000 US and $350,000 Canadian dollars. This, she claims, included money for a home and for a wedding ring, and in the months that followed Dorje is alleged to have written to her: 'Taking care of her and you are my duty for life.' According to the court's decision, Han claimed that what the pair had was a spousal relationship, made untenable because Dorje 'is forbidden by his station and religious beliefs from intimate relationships or marriage.' They lost contact in January 2019, Han says, and she sued him the following June. The Supreme Court in British Columbia, Canada (pictured) - where Han lives - has given permission for her to sue Dorje for spousal support in a case that could break new legal ground This is not the first time the court in Canada has been asked to look at what constitutes marriage, with Elwood referring to a list of 22 factors grouped into seven categories that formed part of a 1980 case that tried to find an answer. The categories include shelter, sexual behavior, services inside the marriage, social and societal activities, economic support and children, according to CBC. Elwood said that while the pair - almost on every category - missed the mark, he noted that the judge would ultimately decide the case may consider Dorje's financial support as being significant. 'They appear to have discussed marriage, trust, honesty, finances, mutual obligations and acquiring family property. These are not matters one would expect Mr. Dorje to discuss with a friend or a follower, or even with the mother of his child, without a marriage-like element of the relationship,' Elwood wrote. 'A trial judge may find on the facts alleged by Ms. Han that the parties loved one another and would have lived together, but were unable to do so because of Mr. Dorje's religious duties and nomadic lifestyle.' The DailyMail.com has contacted Dorje's representatives for comment, but is yet to receive a response. The president of Real Water has agreed to recall and destroy all his company's products over claims contamination killed a woman and gave kids hepatitis Real Water, which is based in Las Vegas, agreed to the drastic measure after being sued by the Department of Justice, it was reported Friday. The company's president Brent Jones, a Scientologist and former Nevada legislator, agreed to the destruction amid claims contaminated Real Water killed one woman, and give multiple children hepatitis. The DOJ alleges in a federal complaint filed on Wednesday that the water company did not test processed tap water before it was bottled in Nevada and Arizona plants. That is widely believed to have led to potentially leading to 'impure and unsafe water' hitting store shelves and allegedly caused serious health issues among people who drank it. FDA investigators said they observed Real Water use untested and recycled detergent and sanitizer to clean reusable 5-gallon containers Real Water president Brent Jones, (pictured) a Scientologist and former Nevada legislator, agreed to recall and destroy all Real Water products The lawsuit also claims the company failed to develop a written food safety plan and did not adequately clean and sanitize containers, utensils, pipes and equipment. Additionally, Food and Drug Administration investigators found that Real Water failed to sample and test clean solutions or even list all ingredients on bottles, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported. FDA investigators said they observed the company use untested and recycled detergent and sanitizer to clean reusable 5-gallon containers. The water was mixed with concentrate that never underwent a 'lethal treatment,' to sterilize it, which meant that 'any biological contamination would be passed on to the consumer,' the Review-Journal reported. Jones consented to the court order on Wednesday to recall and destroy any Real Water products. A plan for the recall is required three days after the court order and the recall must begin five days after that. The products must be destroyed within 15 days of FDA approval, 8NewsNow reported. Real Water sold alkaline water, which has a higher pH level than regular drinking water, through a home delivery service and in bottles sold in stores which cost around $1.89 for a single 1-liter bottle Myles Hunwardsen (pictured) was diagnosed with acute liver failure in September 2019 and was airlifted to UCLA Ronald Reagan Hospital for a transplant after drinking Real Water Real Water has been hit with at least a dozen other suits after people have fallen ill from liver failure from the water marketed as 'the healthiest drinking water available today.' The most recent suit was filed last Wednesday, which claimed that a woman in her 60s named Kathleen Ryerson died from liver failure in November 2020 after drinking Real Water, 8NewsNow.com reported. The lawsuit also includes a 7-month-old boy who was sent to a Salt Lake City hospital and five adults who experienced liver failure. Real Water sold alkaline water, which has a higher pH level than regular drinking water, through a home delivery service and in bottles sold in stores which cost around $1.89 for a single 1-liter bottle. Court documents allege that the water company was associated with five cases of acute liver failure in children and at least 15 cases of acute non-viral hepatitis, the Southern Nevada Health District confirmed. In March, Jones issued an apology to customers after the FDA launched an investigation into the water company following reports of people falling ill. 'First, we'd like to express our deepest sympathy and concern over the events that led to the inquiry,' the water company president said in a video apology. 'We started Real Water with the intention to provide a healthy product that benefits and elevates people's lifestyles. We are deeply saddened to learn that anything otherwise could be the result.' Five people filed a joint suit in Las Vegas earlier this year against Real Water maker Affinity Lifestyles.com, as well as major retailers Whole Foods Market, Costco Wholesale and Terrible Herbst where the product is sold. The suit said that Myles Hunwardsen was diagnosed with acute liver failure in September 2019 and was airlifted to UCLA Ronald Reagan Hospital for a transplant. Hunwardsen bought Real Water from Whole Foods and Terrible Herbst in the months leading up to his hospitalization, the suit said. The Treasury Department said Thursday it plans to invest in new Internal Revenue Service tax compliance efforts will shrink by about 10% the 'tax gap' now estimated at $584 billion in 2019. The tax gap - the difference between taxes legally owed and those collected by the IRS - is expected to grow to $7 trillion over the next decade, or about 3% of U.S. GDP, the Treasury said in a new policy paper. The Treasury said the Biden administration's proposal to invest $80 billion in IRS enforcement over that same period would raise $700 billion in new revenues over a decade, an estimate that it called 'conservative.' President Joe Biden's administration will step up an effort to go after tax cheats, with the Treasury Department believing $700 billion could be retrieved in 10 years The IRS will hire more employees to go after high earners who are underreporting their income from from partnerships and rental properties By the second decade, it estimated that the investments would yield $1.6 trillion in additional revenue, as revenue agents hired in prior years gain experience in dealing with highly complex tax returns filed by wealthy individuals. Treasury blamed the disparity on 'opaque income sources that accrue disproportionately to higher earners.' Examples the department used included income from businesses like partnerships and proprietorships, as well as money made from rental properties. Treasury said in those categories, individuals underreport about 55% of their income. Meanwhile, Americans who work one job and have their income reported by their employer only underreport that income about 1% of the time. The IRS investments would allow for the hiring of least 5,000 additional enforcement personnel, Treasury said. Overall, Biden has proposed doubling the size of the IRS by hiring 87,000 workers over the next decade. The IRS investment plan also would replace the Treasury's 1960s-era computer architecture with new machine-learning-capable systems that will be better able to detect suspect tax returns. IRS is the only federal agency with computers that run on the antiquated Common Business-Oriented Language [COBOL] system, Treasury said. Penalties would also increase for tax cheats. Tax compliance is among one of the many ways the Biden administration wants to pay for the American Families Plan, which currently has a pricetag of $1.8 trillion. Ronald Greene is pictured in an undated photo taken before his May 2019 death after leading Louisiana State Troopers on a high-speed chase The mother of a Louisiana man who died in police custody two years ago has revealed she watched the police bodycam footage showing his brutal killing last year, and has been 'reliving it every day'. Mona Hardin, whose son, Ronald Greene, 49, died in May, 2019, said authorities had first told her that he was killed in a car crash after leading Louisiana state troopers on a high-speed chase, in an interview with CNN on Friday. That narrative would later be contradicted in body camera footage, shown to Hardin last year, in which troopers are seen violently apprehending Greene. That footage was made public on Wednesday. 'Someone needs to pay. Someone needs to go to jail for this. This is murder what happened to my son Ronny,' she said Greene died in an ambulance after suffering a cardiac during the arrest. 'We were told he died because of a car crash,' Hardin said. 'The detail that we got afterward was totally everything but.' Greene's mother, Mona Hardin (left) made claims of a coverup in an interview on Friday, saying that she was initially told her son had died in a car crash. Attorney Lee Merritt (right) is representing the family in a wrongful death lawsuit Its such a horrific level of corruption, Mona Hardin says after new evidence is revealed around the 2019 death of her son, Ronald Greene, after a pursuit by Louisiana State Police. Its in the hands of people who could make things a whole lot better and they choose not to pic.twitter.com/hxUzN7RBLL New Day (@NewDay) May 21, 2021 The footage shows Greene, a black man, screaming 'I'm your brother, I'm scared!' while being beaten, tasered and dragged by his feet by white troopers. She says that the, 'coverup started within hours,' after family members received word of her son's death. She said they were told her Greene's body was being taken out of state to Arkansas for an autopsy. When Hardin requested Greene be kept in Louisiana, she said a Louisiana coroner told her it was 'out of her hands.' 'This is a case where all of the evidence directly contradicted the narrative provided by law enforcement,' attorney Lee Merritt, who is representing Greene's family in a wrongful death suit, also told CNN. 'I want to be clear that there's nothing standard about how the state troopers in Louisiana handled this arrest or the reporting on it,' he later added. According to the suit, it would be months before Hardin was given further clarification about her son's death. Eventually, in 2020 Louisiana authorities gave Greene's family the opportunity to view the body camera footage of his arrest. 'It's horrific hearing my son,' Hardin said of the video. 'It's horrible that everyone has to see this, but at the same moment I'm so glad that it's exposed because of [the] corruption. It's such a horrific level of corruption all the way up to the top, from day one.' Video taken from Trooper Dakota DeMoss' body camera shows the violent of arrest of Greene. Louisiana State Police initially reported that he had died in a car crash At one point Trooper Kory York grabbing the leg shackles and dragging Greene on his stomach. York was suspended without pay for 50 days On Wednesday clips of the footage were released to the public. They begin with Master Trooper Chris Hollingsworth and Trooper DeKota DeMoss rushing Greenes SUV, after the barber had led them on a 115-mile-per-hour chase, as he can be seen appearing to raise his hands and repeating, 'OK, OK. I'm sorry.' Greene is also heard to say: 'I'm your brother! I'm scared! I'm scared!' Hollingsworth shocks Greene with a stun gun within seconds through the driver's side window as both troopers demand he get out of the vehicle. Greene exits through the passenger side as Hollingsworth appears to wrestle him to the ground, putting him in a chokehold and punching him in the face while another trooper can be heard calling him a 'stupid mother***r.' Hollingsworth strikes Greene multiple times and appears to lie on one of his arms before he is finally handcuffed. The troopers then leave the burly man unattended, facedown and moaning for more than nine minutes, as they use sanitizer wipes to wash blood off their hands and faces. 'I hope this guy ain't got f***ing AIDS,' one of the troopers can be heard saying. At one point, another trooper, Kory York, yanks Greenes leg shackles and briefly drags the man, facedown on his stomach. Moments before, York was seen kicking Greene as he tried to shift from his stomach onto his side in an apparent attempt to breathe more easily. At least six troopers were on the scene of the arrest but not all had their body cameras on. Greene's family has filed a wrongful death lawsuit in the his death. They appear above with attorney Lee Merritt during an Oct. 7 news conference After a several-minute stretch in which Greene is not seen on camera, he appears again, limp, unresponsive and bleeding from his head and face. He is then loaded onto an ambulance gurney, his arm cuffed to the bedrail. Troopers initially told Greene's family he died on impact after crashing into a tree during the chase. Later, state police released a one-page statement acknowledging only that Greene struggled with troopers and died on his way to the hospital. Exactly what caused Greenes death remains unclear. Union Parish Coroner Renee Smith told the Associated Press last year his death was ruled accidental and attributed to cardiac arrest. A federal and state investigation into his death continues, with a spokesman for Louisiana State Police refusing to comment because of the ongoing probe. Smith, who was not in office when that determination was made, said her offices file on Greene attributed his death to the car and made no mention of a struggle with state police. The AP last year obtained a medical report showing an emergency room doctor noted Greene arrived dead at the hospital, bruised and bloodied with two stun-gun prongs in his back. That led the doctor to question troopers initial account that Greene had 'died on impact' after crashing into a tree. 'Does not add up,' the doctor wrote. 'They murdered him. It was set out, it was planned,' Hardin said Wednesday. 'He didn't have a chance. Ronnie didn't have a chance. He wasn't going to live to tell about it.' Merritt, said the footage 'has some of the same hallmarks of the George Floyd video, the length of it, the sheer brutality of it.' Greene's mother Mona Hardin (above center). 'They murdered him. It was set out, it was planned,' she said Wednesday 'He apologized in an attempt to surrender,' Merritt said. Greenes family has filed a federal wrongful-death lawsuit alleging troopers 'brutalized' Greene, and 'left him beaten, bloodied and in cardiac arrest' before covering up the cause of death. His family has released graphic photographs of Greenes body on a gurney, showing deep bruises and cuts on his face and head. 'Police departments have got to stop putting roadblocks up to information that is, in the publics eye, questionable. They have to reveal all that they know, when they know it,' said Andrew Scott, a former Boca Raton, Florida, police chief who testifies as an expert witness in use-of-force cases. 'It suggests that youre hiding something.' While noting Greene 'was not without fault' and appeared to resist the troopers orders, Scott said the footage of Trooper Kory York dragging the handcuffed man face-down by his ankle shackles was 'malicious, sadistic, completely unnecessary.' A coroner's report said Greene died of cardiac arrest 'That should never have never happened,' he said. 'Youve got the guy completely compromised. Hes not hurting anybody.' Charles Key, another use-of-force expert and former Baltimore police lieutenant, questioned the troopers decision to leave Greene unattended, handcuffed and prone for several minutes, calling the practice 'just dead wrong.' 'You dont leave somebody lying on the ground, particularly after youve had this fight,' Key said. 'The training has been for a number of years that, as soon as you get someone under control, you put them on their side to facilitate their breathing ... and particularly this guy, because he was very heavy.' Hollingsworth, in a separate recording made after the black man's death, could be heard telling a colleague at the office that 'he beat the ever-living f**k out of' Greene. 'Choked him and everything else trying to get him under control,' Hollingsworth is heard saying. 'He was spitting blood everywhere, and all of a sudden he just went limp.' Hollingsworth later died in a single-vehicle highway crash that happened hours after he learned he would be fired for his role in the Greene case. York was suspended without pay for 50 hours for the dragging and for improperly deactivating his body camera. York told investigators the device was beeping loudly and his 'mind was on other things.' DeMoss, meanwhile, was arrested in connection with a separate police pursuit last year in which he and two other troopers allegedly used excessive force while handcuffing a motorist. In that case, bodycam footage, showed suspect Antonio Harris, 29, immediately surrendered after leaving his vehicle, yet DeMoss hit the suspect with his knee and slapped him in the face before turning off his bodycam, according to the Advocate. A State Police spokesman declined to comment, citing the federal investigation. State Police brass initially argued the troopers use of force was justified - 'awful but lawful,' as ranking officials described it - and did not open an administrative investigation until 474 days after Greenes death. Advertisement Britain's daily Covid cases have crept up by nearly a third in a week to 2,829, while deaths dipped again to just nine, official figures revealed today. For comparison, Department of Health bosses posted 2,193 infections and 17 fatalities last Friday. Official data also showed another 268,251 first doses and 420,312 second doses were dished out yesterday. More than 37.5million Britons or seven in ten adults have been inoculated against Covid. It came as separate figures today suggested England's Covid outbreak may be on the rise amid surging cases of the Indian variant, despite other figures indicating the nation's infection numbers are still flat. No10's top scientists estimated the R rate which measures the spread of the virus is now between 0.9 and 1.1, up from the lower estimate of 0.8 last week. It is the closest the reproduction rate has been to one since the peak of the second wave in January. Random swabbing by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) found almost 50,000 people were infected with the virus on any day last week, or the equivalent of one in every 1,110 people. The estimate is up by 20 per cent on the previous seven-day spell. The national body, whose estimates are watched closely by ministers, warned it was starting to see a 'potential increase'. But its head of analytics for the Covid infection survey Sarah Crofts said 'rates remain low and it is too soon to say if this is the start of a trend'. Boris Johnson today delivered a bullish message on the prospects for unlocking after a week of anxiety about whether the Indian variant will derail plans, saying he still does not see 'anything' in the data that would prevent the easings from going ahead as planned. He also told Tory MPs today the 'one metre plus' rule for social distancing is still set to be scrapped in June, adding eliminating the measure was the 'single biggest difference' the Government could bring about in order to get the country's pubs back into action. But documents published by the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies today said the highly infectious B.1.617.2 strain likely makes up the 'majority' of the UK's infections. The SPI-M subgroup modelled the variant's spread on May 12 based on how rapidly it spiralled last month, and forecast that it would account for more than 50 per cent of cases by the middle of the month. Its finding suggests the official number of cases reported by Public Health England is an underestimate and says the variant is quickly replacing the current dominant Kent version, which triggered the second wave. It came as Nicola Sturgeon today banned all Scots from visiting Indian variant hotspots Bolton, Blackburn with Darwen and Bedford, as she warned Glasgow must stay in a tougher lockdown due to high case rates. ZOE and King's College London's symptom tracking app estimated there were 2,750 new cases of the virus every day, the equivalent of one in 1,796 Britons suffering symptomatic Covid in the week to May 15. They said this was not a significant change from last week. Their data was published yesterday MailOnline's analysis of official numbers show just three of the 23 places in England where the Indian variant has become dominant are seeing clear rises in infection rates - Bolton, Blackburn and Bedford NICOLA STURGEON BANS SCOTS FROM GOING TO INDIAN VARIANT HOTSPOTS IN ENGLAND Nicola Sturgeon today banned Scots from going to Indian variant 'hotspots' in England as she warned the R rate in Scotland might be above one. The Scottish First minister voiced alarm at the threat posed by the strain as she announced that Glasgow will remain under tougher lockdown measures for another week. At a media briefing, Ms Sturgeon said cases had risen by a quarter north of the border in the last week, and the city had not 'turned the corner' despite intensive efforts to clamp down on infections with surge testing and vaccinations. However, she said Moray - which had also been held back before when restrictions in the rest of Scotland were downgraded - will now move down from Level 3 to Level 2 from midnight. East Renfrewshire will stay in Level 2 despite calls from some experts for tougher curbs, although Ms Sturgeon the situation would remain under 'close review'. Meanwhile, a temporary ban is being slapped on travel to parts of England that have been trying to contain the Indian variant - Bedford, Bolton and Blackburn and Darwin. It will come into force from Monday. 'Despite all the efforts that have been made in the past 10 days, cases are still rising in Glasgow,' Ms Sturgeon said. She added authorities are 'fairly certain' the increase is being driven by the Indian variant of the virus. Ms Sturgeon announced new travel restrictions, linked to 'particularly serious outbreaks' of the Indian variant in England. From Monday onwards travel restrictions will be imposed between Scotland the three local authority areas Bedford, Bolton and Blackburn and Darwin. 'If you are planning to visit these areas in the next few days please consider whether you need to make your visit or whether it can be delayed,' she said. She said it was hoped these rules would not be in place for very long, but added they were 'a further way of helping us reduce the risk that any more of this new variant comes into Scotland while we are trying to deal with outbreaks of it we have right now'. 'There are no grounds at all right now for complacency,' Ms Sturgeon said. 'We are seeing an increase in Covid rates right now, not just in Glasgow, although the biggest concentration is in Glasgow, but we are seeing an increase in several parts of the country. 'Across Scotland as a whole new cases have risen over the course of the past week by more than 25 per cent.' Advertisement Today's figures came after two separate datasets yesterday suggested the opposite trend, allaying fears the Indian variant was spiralling out of control. Public Health England's weekly surveillance report found coronavirus cases had dropped in every region except the North West and in every age group except 5 to 9-year-olds. Covid cases are only surging in three of 23 hotspots for the Indian variant Bolton, Blackburn and Bedford but are remaining flat in others and even falling in two Sefton and South Northamptonshire. And separate analysis from King's College London found 2,270 Brits were developing Covid symptoms last week, barely a change from the previous seven-day spell. Top epidemiologist Professor Tim Spector yesterday dismissed fears the mutant strain could slow lockdown easing or lead to the NHS being overwhelmed because national cases remained steady and many infections with the variant are mild. But other figures were not as promising. SAGE scientists estimate the country's R rate based on factors including cases, hospitalisations and deaths from the virus. But they warn the measure becomes less accurate when these get to very low levels. The R rate is a lagging indicator, and can only reflect the situation from a week to three weeks ago. Statisticians say when it remains below one it suggests the outbreak is shrinking because every ten people who are infected with the virus are passing it on to nine others at most. When it rises above this level, it means cases are rising. The R rate is no longer at the heart of the Government's Covid response because of the huge vaccination roll-out, and it will inevitably spike when restrictions are eased over the coming months. Ministers will only feel the need to act and delay the relaxation of lockdown if hospital admissions spiral out of control, like they did in October. It is still too early for it to reveal the impact of May 17 easings which allowed pubs and restaurants to reopen indoors on the outbreak in England. The North West was the only region to see its R rate rise slightly compared to last week, amid an outbreak of the Indian variant in the area (0.9 - 1.2). It remained at the same level in all other regions: East (0.8 - 1.1), London (0.9 - 1.1), Midlands (0.8 - 1.1), North East (0.8 - 1.0), South East (0.8 - 1.0) and South West (0.8 - 1.1). The ONS infection survey is seen as the gold-standard for tracking the Covid outbreak by ministers because it relies on random swabbing of more than 100,000 people. This means it is able to capture asymptomatic cases which trigger no symptoms and are thought to make up a third of all cases and infections among those who don't get tested but are ill. Covid cases did not fall in any of England's nine regions last week, results from the infection survey suggest. They may have risen slightly in the North East, Yorkshire and the Humber, West Midlands, East of England and the South East, results showed, but still remained at very low levels. London and the North West which are hotspots for the Indian variant were both estimated to have seen their Covid cases remain flat last week. Across age groups Covid cases were only predicted to have risen among 35 to 49-year-olds and over-70s, but remained at very low levels with a positivity rate of 0.15 and 0.11 per cent, respectively. WHAT DOES THE DATA SHOW ON ENGLAND'S COVID OUTBREAK? Official statistics have delivered a mixed picture on England's Covid outbreak this week. Some say it remains flat, but others suggest cases are rising. Which datasets say cases are staying flat? Public Health England suggested the Covid outbreak was flat-lining yesterday in its weekly surveillance report. They said cases were dipping in every region except the North West, which is struggling against an outbreak of the Indian variant. As many as 95 of 149 local authorities saw a drop in their cases, they added. PHE's data is based on national surveillance data on how many people are testing positive for the virus. This can't account for asymptomatic cases thought to make up a third of all cases and people who don't want to get tested for fear of having to self-isolate. King's College London experts also suggested Covid cases were flat, with 2,700 people being struck down with symptoms of Covid every day, which was no change on the previous week's estimate. Professor Tim Spector, the epidemiologist who leads the study, said their data suggested the Indian variant wouldn't lead to a slowdown in lockdown easings or overwhelm the NHS. Their data relies on daily reports from almost a million Britons saying whether they are feeling unwell, what symptoms they are suffering, and if they have tested positive for Covid. But it can only pick up symptomatic cases and misses those that trigger no warning signs. Which datasets say cases are rising? Office for National Statistics random swabbing hinted that cases may have risen by 20 per cent last week after it estimated there were 49,000 people infected with Covid over any day last week. For comparison, they said there were 40,800 infections in the previous week. Statisticians warned they may be seeing a 'potential rise'. But its head of analytics Sarah Crofts said 'rates remain low and it is too soon to say if this is the start of a trend'. The ONS study is seen as the gold-standard for watching the outbreak and is closely followed by ministers. This is because it relies on random swabbing of tens of thousands of Britons every week, meaning it can catch asymptomatic cases and those in individuals who do not want to get tested for fear of having to self-isolate. SAGE scientists calculating the R-rate have also suggested Covid infections could be rising in England. They say the rate is now between 0.9 and 1.1, up from the estimated 0.8 to 1.1 last week. But the top experts warn the R rate is a lagging indicator and can only show the picture of the spread of the virus from around three weeks ago. The R rate is no longer at the heart of the Government's Covid response because of the huge vaccination roll-out, and it will inevitably spike when restrictions are eased over the coming months. Test and Trace data showed Covid cases were up by 12 per cent compared to the same time last week. There were 15,202 Covid cases transferred to contact tracers last week, official data revealed, compared to 14,435 in the previous seven-day period. Department of Health figures on Covid cases in the country also show they may have started to rise. The latest figures show 2,303 infections were recorded today, up a quarter compared to last Friday. Advertisement They fell among 12 to 24-year-olds (down to 0.20 per cent), and 50 to 69-year-olds (down to 0.03 per cent) who have all been offered at least one dose of the Covid vaccine. Mr Johnson has said he remains hopeful England will be able to ease all remaining restrictions on June 21. Speaking to broadcasters in Portsmouth, he said: 'We will be letting everybody know exactly what sort of arrangements to expect for June 21. 'But what I can tell you, and just to stress that I am still seeing nothing in the data that leads me to think that we're going to have to deviate from the roadmap - obviously we must remain cautious but I'm seeing nothing that makes me think we have to deviate. 'But on June 21 and vaccine certification or Covid status certification I should say people should bear in mind that I don't see any prospect of certificates to go into pubs or anywhere else.' Pressed on whether the public will continue to be asked to wear masks, Mr Johnson replied: 'We will let people know as much as we possibly can by the end of the month about weddings, for instance. 'All the details we'll try and let people know by the end of the month about exactly where we think we'll be on June 21, Step 4.' The Prime Minister told the powerful 1922 committee of Tory MPs on Wednesday that he was confident the one metre rule could still be scrapped. 'We are hopeful we can do that at the end of the roadmap,' he said. An MP who attended Wednesday's meeting told The Times: 'He seemed very upbeat about removing the one-metre-plus rule next month. 'He told us he fully realises that it is the biggest difference the Government can make to letting pubs serve customers in reasonably normal conditions and that means getting rid of any capacity restrictions.' The data came despite a separate paper from scientists tracking the spread of the Indian variant saying it was behind 20 per cent of all cases in the capital last month. The researchers said the bulk of the new variant cases were likely the Indian B.1.617.2 strain, which has since spread rapidly across Britain and gained a foothold in parts of London and the North West. But they said surge testing for the South African variant in South London will have also made up a significant proportion of the cases. A smaller number of people tested positive for the Brazilian P.1 variant and other strains circulating less widely. Imperial College London researchers drew on data from the UK's variant-tracking laboratories, national infection surveys and the Government's centralised testing programme. Reams of separate data published yesterday found that cases were remaining flat across the country despite surging cases of the mutant strain. Public Health England bosses yesterday hailed 'hugely encouraging' data that showed cases remained 'stable' nationally at around 12,000 last week, and dropped in all age groups except 5 to 9-year-olds. Hospitalisations with the virus also fell across the country, while infection rates dipped in every region except the North West, which is struggling against an outbreak of the Indian strain. Some 95 out of 149 local authorities or 64 per cent saw their Covid cases dip last week. For comparison, there were 66 that recorded a drop over the previous seven-day spell. But Dr Yvonne Doyle, PHE's medical director, said the agency was concerned about the Indian variant and was 'constantly monitoring the situation'. She added: 'Until we know more it's vital we don't let our guard down too soon and remain cautious. We do not want to undo the huge progress we've made so far.' Separate figures from the PHE's weekly surveillance report showed the ten areas with the biggest Covid outbreaks were all hotspots for the Indian variant. And the NHS trust in Bolton one of the hotspots for the mutant strain has had to open another ward for Covid patients after a small rise in admissions, it was claimed today. The Prime Minister said eliminating the measure was the 'single biggest difference' the government could bring about in order to get pubs back into action, and he was eager for the rule to be scrapped by June 21, The Times reports Public Health England data showed Covid cases remained flat last week despite surging infections with the Indian variant They found weekly hospitalisations due to the virus also fell again and those due to influenza remained flat Covid cases dropped in every age group except 5 to 9-year-olds last week, Public Health England data showed And Covid cases dipped in every region except the North West which is battling a large outbreak of the Indian strain SAGE adviser and University College London epidemiologist Professor Andrew Hayward yesterday claimed the UK was at the beginning of another wave because of the rapid spread of the mutant strain. 'Although it was originally imported through travel to India it spread fairly effectively first of all within households after that and now more broadly within communities,' he told BBC Breakfast. 'So I don't really see why it wouldn't continue to spread in other parts of the country.' He added: 'Obviously we are doing everything we can to contain that, but it is likely more generalised measures may start to be needed to control it.' SAGE scientists have always warned there would be a third wave of the pandemic once restrictions were eased and more people were allowed to mix. But questions remain over how big the outbreak will be because vaccines will stop many people from catching the disease and being hospitalised. Government advisers don't believe the resurgence will be anywhere near as bad as January's crisis because of jabs and warmer weather. Kenosha gunman Kyle Rittenhouse has hired a new defense attorney ahead of his first in-person court appearance ahead of his trial in November. The 18-year-old appeared in person before Kenosha County Circuit Judge Bruce Schroeder for the 20-minute pre-trial hearing on Friday. Rittenhouse was wearing a blue shirt, navy blazer and black face mask in court. Court records were updated right before the hearing to show that Rittenhouse had hired a new criminal attorney, Corey Chirafisi. Chirafisi will serve as co-counsel to his current attorney Mark Richards. Rittenhouse, who is charged with fatally shooting two people and wounding a third during protests in Wisconsin last August, did not speak during the hearing. Kyle Rittenhouse, 18, appeared in person before Kenosha County Circuit Judge Bruce Schroeder for the 20-minute pre-trial hearing on Friday Prosecutors and Rittenhouse's attorneys confirmed during the hearing that the trial will begin November 1 and will last roughly two weeks. In a sign of the intense publicity surrounding the case, they also told the judge they plan to send out questionnaires to prospective jurors to ask them about their background and beliefs. The questionnaires can help attorneys decide whom to strike from the pool. Attorneys in the trial of a white former police officer who was convicted of killing George Floyd in Minneapolis also used questionnaires. Rittenhouse's in person appearance in the courtroom was the first since he was arrested last year. COVID-19 protocols have forced him to appear via video at previous proceedings but those restrictions have been lifted. Prosecutors allege Rittenhouse left his home in Antioch, Illinois, and traveled to Kenosha to answer a call for militia to protect businesses on August 25 as hundreds were protesting the police shooting of black man Jacob Blake. Court records were updated right before the hearing to show that Rittenhouse had hired a new criminal attorney, Corey Chirafisi. Chirafisi will serve as co-counsel to his current attorney Mark Richards (pictured speaking to Rittenhouse on Friday) Rittenhouse was wearing a blue shirt, navy blazer and black face mask in court on Friday Rittenhouse and his attorneys have said he went to Kenosha to protect businesses. Video shows Rittenhouse, armed with an assault-style rifle, shooting Joseph Rosenbaum, Anthony Huber and Gaige Grosskreutz. The 18-year-old, who lives in Antioch, Illinois, has pleaded not guilty to fatally shooting two people and injuring another during unrest in Kenosha, Wisconsin last August Rosenbaum and Huber died. Grosskreutz survived his wounds. Cellphone footage shows Rittenhouse walking past police lines with his hands up and his rifle still slung over his shoulder even as protesters screamed that he had just shot people. He turned himself in to police in Antioch several hours later, maintaining that the three men attacked him and he fired in self-defense. He has since become a polarizing figure in the national conversation over police brutality and racism. Conservatives have held him up as a symbol for gun rights and praised him for pushing back against anti-police protesters, even going so far as to raise $2 million to cover his bail. Others contend he escalated tensions by walking around the protest with a rifle. Rittenhouse's legal team have said in court documents that the teen and his family have moved into an undisclosed safe house because they've received multiple threats. His lawyers have said their client acted in self-defense. The International Monetary Fund has unveiled a $50billion plan to end the Covid-19 pandemic and vaccinate 40 per cent of the world by the end of this year. The head of the global organization announced the recovery plan, which aims to vaccinate 60 per cent of the world's population by the end of 2022, at a health conference in Rome on Friday. Three leading Covid vaccine makers also pledged to supply billions of doses to poorer nations by the end of next year in a bid to put a stop to the crisis. IMF head Kristalina Georgieva put pressure on wealthy countries to tackle the pandemic as she claimed they would see their hard-hit economies benefit from helping poorer countries. Earlier this week, a charity had already added to the pressure by claiming G7 countries would only need to spend an average of 60p a week per person to supply poor countries with Covid jabs. On Friday, the International Monetary Fund unveiled a $50billion plan to end the Covid-19 pandemic and vaccinate 40 per cent of the world by the end of the year (file photo) 'Our proposal sets targets, estimates financing requirements, and lays out pragmatic action,' Georgieva said at the Global Health Summit held in Rome as part of the G20. The conference also saw the heads of Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson promise around 3.5billion vaccine doses at cost price or discount to middle and low income countries in the next two years. Pfizer will deliver two billion doses, Moderna up to 995 million doses, and Johnson & Johnson up to 500 million doses, representatives of the pharmaceutical companies confirmed. The proposed mass vaccination drive will inject the equivalent of $9trillion into the global economy by 2025 as activity could restart quicker with rich countries potentially benefitting the most, IMF officials said. Georgieva told the health summit, which was hosted by the European Commission's 20 major economies, that it made sense for rich countries to boost donations for a faster end to the pandemic. She put pressure on G7 countries ahead of their summit in June, claiming that the wealthy countries, which would contribute the most to the plans, would see the 'highest return on public investment' in modern times. IMF head Kristalina Georgieva put pressure on rich countries to tackle the crisis as she said they would see their hard-hit economies benefit from helping poorer countries (file photo) Georgieva continued: 'Advanced economies - asked to contribute most to this effort - would likely see the highest return on public investment in modern history, capturing 40% of the GDP gains and roughly $1trillion in additional tax revenues.' The Covid crisis has already killed more than 3.5million people worldwide while projections point to highly unequal health prospects well into 2022, which poses 'severe risks for the world,' the IMF added. Meanwhile, the World Health Organization also said the official death toll from the crisis could be two to three times higher than official statistics suggest. IMF's plan, drafted by chief economist Gita Gopinath and staff economist Ruchir Agarwal, builds on efforts already underway by the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator, United Nations, World Health Organization and other groups. It would cost around $50billion to put in place - $35billion of which IMF is hoping will be paid for by rich countries, while the other $15billion would be funded by national governments using Covid facilities from multilateral development banks. G20 countries had already acknowledged the need for $22billion in grants to tackle the crisis, leaving a shortfall of $13billion in grants to reach IMF's $50billion total. The organization projected that around one billion doses of the Covid vaccine could be donated this year, even if countries continued to prioritize their own populations. And under the plans, another one billion additional doses would be produced by early 2022 to handle other factors, including new variants and booster shots. While the vaccine supply was limited, IMF also called for $30billion to be spent on widespread testing, therapeutics and vaccine deployment, as well as $2billion to put dose-stretching methods in place. Without urgent actions, many emerging and developing countries might have to wait until the end of 2022 or even later to bring the pandemic under control, the organization added. Three leading Covid vaccine makers also pledged to supply billions of doses to poorer nations at cost price by the end of next year in a bid to put a stop to the Covid-19 crisis (file photo) It comes after Save the Children claimed rich G7 countries would only need to spend an average of 60p a week per person to supply poor countries with Covid jabs. Failure to back a global vaccination drive could cost wealthy countries' economies thirty-five times this investment, according to research by the charity. Kirsty McNeill, Save the Children's Director of Policy and Campaigns, explained: 'The question isn't whether rich countries can afford to fund a fair rollout of Covid-19 vaccines, but whether they can afford not to. It's an investment that will pay off thirty-five times over. 'For just the price of a chocolate bar a week per citizen, rich countries can stave off huge economic losses resulting from prolonging the pandemic. The UK alone risks losing more than 70billion. That's enough to pay the salaries of more than 210,000 nurses for ten years. 'The evidence is increasingly clear. When it comes to tackling the pandemic, solidarity and self-interest are one and the same. 'Children and families in the UK and across the world depend on the decisions G7 leaders will make next month. They must not squander this opportunity to crack the covid crisis for everyone, everywhere.' Market Reports on Saudi Arabia Provides the Trending Market Research Report on Pet Care in Saudi Arabia under Saudi Arabia Consumer Goods Market category. The Pet Care Market in Saudi Arabia is projected to exhibit highest growth rate over report offers a collection of superior market research, market analysis, and competitive intelligence and industry reports. COVID-19 has influenced the pet care market in Saudi Arabia significantly due to lockdown in the country. The pet population has continued to increase in 2021 following a leap between 2019 and 2020, driven by people needing companions at this tough time, with boredom and psychological pressure a factor. Pets have, more than ever, been an ideal distraction and source of comfort for people. Pet Care in Saudi Arabia report offers a comprehensive guide to the size and shape of the market at a national level. It provides the latest retail sales data 2016-2020, allowing you to identify the sectors driving growth. It identifies the leading companies, the leading brands and offers strategic analysis of key factors influencing the market - be they new product developments, distribution or pricing issues. Forecasts to 2025 illustrate how the market is set to change. Product coverage: Pet Food, Pet Products. Request a free sample copy of Saudi Arabia Pet Care Market Report @ http://www.marketreportsonsaudiarabia.com/marketreports/sample/reports/370244 Data coverage: market sizes (historic and forecasts), company shares, brand shares and distribution data. Why buy this report? * Get a detailed picture of the Pet Care market; * Pinpoint growth sectors and identify factors driving change; * Understand the competitive environment, the markets major players and leading brands; * Use five-year forecasts to assess how the market is predicted to develop. Table Of Contents List OF CONTENTS AND TABLES PET CARE IN SAUDI ARABIA EXECUTIVE SUMMARY COVID-19 impact on pet care COVID-19 country impact Company response Retailing shift What next for pet care? MARKET INDICATORS Table 1 Pet Populations 2016-2021 MARKET DATA Table 2 Sales of Pet Food by Category: Volume 2016-2021 Table 3 Sales of Pet Care by Category: Value 2016-2021 Table 4 Sales of Pet Food by Category: % Volume Growth 2016-2021 Table 5 Sales of Pet Care by Category: % Value Growth 2016-2021 Table 6 NBO Company Shares of Pet Food: % Value 2016-2020 Table 7 LBN Brand Shares of Pet Food: % Value 2017-2020 Table 8 NBO Company Shares of Dog and Cat Food: % Value 2016-2020 Table 9 LBN Brand Shares of Dog and Cat Food: % Value 2017-2020 Table 10 Distribution of Pet Care by Format: % Value 2016-2021 Table 11 Distribution of Pet Care by Format and Category: % Value 2021 Table 12 Distribution of Dog and Cat Food by Format: % Value 2016-2021 Table 13 Distribution of Dog and Cat Food by Format and Category: % Value 2021 Table 14 Forecast Sales of Pet Food by Category: Volume 2021-2026 Table 15 Forecast Sales of Pet Care by Category: Value 2021-2026 Table 16 Forecast Sales of Pet Food by Category: % Volume Growth 2021-2026 Table 17 Forecast Sales of Pet Care by Category: % Value Growth 2021-2026 GLOBAL MACROECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT GLOBAL INDUSTRY ENVIRONMENT DISCLAIMER SOURCES Summary 1 Research Sources DOG FOOD IN SAUDI ARABIA KEY DATA FINDINGS 2021 IMPACT Rise in dog ownership buoyed by extra need for companionship amid pandemic Variety of dog food increasing in Saudi Arabia Health-centred offerings and flavour innovation keep Gimborn in pole position RECOVERY AND OPPORTUNITIES Volume sales poised for further steady gains Dry dog food to remain leading format but wet varieties have strong potential too More private label and domestic dog food to be seen CATEGORY INDICATORS Table 18 Dog Owning Households: % Analysis 2016-2021 Table 19 Dog Population 2016-2021 Table 20 Consumption of Dog Food by Prepared vs Non-prepared: % Analysis 2016-2021 Browse our full report with Table of Contents: http://www.marketreportsonsaudiarabia.com/marketreports/pet-care-in-saudi-arabia/370244 About Us Market Reports on Saudi Arabia provides you with an in-depth industry reports focusing on various economic, political and operational risk environment, complemented by detailed sector analysis. We have an exhaustive coverage on variety of industries ranging from energy and chemicals to transportation, communications, constructions and mining to Food and Beverage and education. Our collection includes over 3000 up-to-date reports all researched, analysed and published by top-notch international research firms. Contact us at: Market Reports On Saudi Arabia Tel: +91 22 27810772 / 27810773 Email: info@marketreportsonsaudiarabia.com Website: http://www.marketreportsonsaudiarabia.com Follow us on : Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn Anthony Bouchard, a Wyoming Republican state senator who filed his candidacy to replace controversial U.S. Congresswoman Liz Cheney and already raised $400,000, once impregnated a 14-year-old girl in Florida and married her after she turned 15, DailyMail.com has learned exclusively. Bouchard then put out a video admitting to it after DailyMail.com asked for his comment, blaming the media for the revelations. 'So, bottom line, it's a story when I was young - two teenagers, girl gets pregnant,' he said in the video. 'You've heard those stories before. She was a little younger than me, so it's like the Romeo and Juliet story.' What's more, the child they had, Tony Bouchard, 36, is currently awaiting trial in California on five sex-related felony charges involving a 51-year-old woman. The main charges include sodomy by use of force, forcible oral copulation, sexual penetration by foreign object and false imprisonment. The victim's name is being kept confidential because of the nature of the allegations. Republican Wyoming state senator Anthony Bouchard once had a child with a 14-year-old girl and married her once she turned 15, DailyMail.com can reveal Bouchard has filed his candidacy to replace controversial U.S. Congresswoman Liz Cheney and has already raised $400,000 T The senator has put out a video admitting to it after DailyMail.com asked for his comment, blaming the media for the revelations Bouchard explained in the Facebook video, 'A lot of pressure - pressure to abort a baby, I got to tell you. I wasn't going to do it, and neither was she. 'There was pressure to have her banished from their family. Just pressure. Pressure to go hide somewhere, and the only thing I could see as the right thing to do was to get married and take care of him.' As he awaits a trial in the agricultural Tulare County, northeast of Bakersfield, that could take place later this year, the younger Bouchard was also charged with felony assault in connection with the incident. Anthony Bouchard, the social conservative senator, did not respond to a detailed voicemail about his son and his first marriage. The child they had, Tony Bouchard, 51, is currently awaiting trial in California on five sex-related felony charges involving a 51-year-old woman He responded to a text message asking for an interview about his background. The senator responded by writing 'What about my background?' He failed to respond to several text messages later. But in the video posted after DailyMail.com approached him for comment, Bouchard said 'Sadly, he's made some wrong choices in his life. He's almost become my estranged son. Some of the things that he's got going on in his life, I certainly don't approve of them, but I'm not going to abandon him. I still love him, just like when he was born.' A Republican operative who declined to be quoted by name said the story of Bouchard's first marriage to Frances Lynn Webb in September 1984 in Jacksonville, Florida, and his son's arrest are known behind the political scenes in Wyoming. However, they have not prevented Bouchard from being elected in District 6, the most populated area of Wyoming with the city Cheyenne, in 2017. 'Well, the higher you climb on the flagpole, the more people see your a**,' explained the operative in the Donald Trump faction of the party. 'Now that the senator is looking for a national job, all these blemishes are going to come out.' The Republican operative added that while Bouchard is a front-runner in a primary for Cheney's job that could include five contenders, he is also the most flawed. 'We want this to be known about him because we need to clean the field. Five other candidates in the primary are going to split the vote in a small place like Wyoming, and Cheney is going to waltz in again. 'There needs to be one contender, and not one with the kind of skeletons this guy has in his closet.' According to Florida records, Bouchard had just turned 19 in September 1984 when he married Webb. She had turned 15 three months earlier and, less than three weeks before, had delivered their son, Tony. With a date of birth of May 28, 1969, Webb was 14 and a half years old when she became pregnant, according to records. Records show a baby was born to Frances on May 26, 1984, Florida records show, and he was named Tony Raymond Bouchard Jr. The elder Bouchard and Frances were divorced in February 1989 in Baker County, Florida, according to records, and the man who'd become Liz Cheney's opponent was awarded custody of baby Tony. Frances died a year later at 20 from suicide, and was buried in the family plot in Hahira, Georgia. 'She had problems in another relationship. Her dad had committed suicide. He was a police officer, stuck a gun to his chest, and he died. For whatever reason, she decided to do the same,' Bouchard said in the video. Bouchard's main charges include sodomy by use of force, forcible oral copulation, sexual penetration by foreign object and false imprisonment Anthony Bouchard, according to postal records, then went to Tulare County, Calif., and lived there for nearly 20 years before moving to Wyoming. Over the past four years, Bouchard has hitched his wagon to the Trump train and has become an outspoken Trump defender in Wyoming. The website of his campaign is a chock full of extreme right rhetoric, including that his goal if he were elected would be to 'defend our rights and our republic against angry Socialists and their allies in Big Tech, academia and the Fake New Media.' The website describes how Bouchard grew up in a 'blue-collar family with a strong work ethic' and has become a hardline advocate and lobbyist for gun ownership. The website doesn't mention his living in Jacksonville or Florida, but mentions he became a master automotive technician in his early 20s. It also mentions his current wife, Billie Jean Bouchard, whom he married in the early 1990s, and the family's septic tank cleaning business. What Anthony Bouchard's campaign literature doesn't mention, however, is the fact his son Tony has been in a California jail for nearly three years on $500,000-bail. According to his arrest documents, Tony was arrested by police shortly before Christmas 2018 and has been held on a high bond since. He is accused in the violent rape of a 51-year-old woman on Dec. 7, 2018 in Porterville, Calif. The elder Bouchard and Frances were divorced in February 1989 in Baker County, Florida, according to records, and the man who'd become Liz Cheney's opponent was awarded custody of baby Tony His original bail was $2.5 million, according to records, but it's been reduced to $500,000 since. The Tulare County Sheriff's website shows Bouchard is still incarcerated while awaiting trial. He faces charges of sodomy by use of force, oral copulation by force, sexual penetration with force, assault and false imprisonment. Odgen Driskill, a senate colleague of Anthony Bouchard, told DailyMail.com in an exclusive interview, that Bouchard has made a point of telling nothing about himself to local voters. 'The lack of transparency he has shown is terrible,' Driskill said. 'I'm not sure he should be running for Congress. 'If you've made a mistake, and impregnating a 14-year-old, is a tragic mistake, fess up to it. He has failed to do that. 'He won't even tell the public where he has lived and what he has done. It's just terrible.' An ex-BBC executive who was part of the 1996 internal investigation into Martin Bashir's interview with Princess Diana has quit Ofcom. Tim Suter has left his role with the broadcast regulator by 'mutual agreement', it revealed in a statement today. Ofcom's chief executive Dame Melanie Dawes said: 'By mutual agreement, Tim Suter, Ofcom board member and chair of Ofcom's content board, is stepping down with immediate effect. We would like to thank Tim for his contribution to Ofcom.' Suter was previously the managing editor of weekly programmes in BBC News and current affairs. He spoke to graphic artist Mr Wiessler and was one of the executives who quizzed Bashir about the faked documents. Suter was at the BBC for 15 years, having started as a radio drama producer before moving on to documentaries and then joining Newsnight. Tim Suter has left his role with the broadcast regulator, it revealed in a statement today The former producer was a founding partner at Ofcom in 2003 and was responsible for all aspects of content regulation. Among the issues he handled was the reform of the rights framework for the independent production sector. Earlier in his career, in 1999, he joined the Department for Culture, Media and Sport as a specialist advisor to the Secretary of State. He was later appointed Head of Broadcasting Policy, overseeing the 2003 Communications Act and the creation of Ofcom. The news comes after it emerged the Met are assessing Lord Dyson's report on the BBC's 1995 Panorama interview with Diana to see if there is any new evidence. Scotland Yard said in a statement that they had determined in March that 'it was not appropriate to begin a criminal investigation into allegations of unlawful activity in connection with a documentary broadcast in 1995, but should any significant new evidence emerge it would be assessed'. But they added today: 'Following the publication of Lord Dyson's report we will assess its contents to ensure there is no significant new evidence.' Richard Ayre, then BBC controller of editorial policy, believed Bashir may have committed a crime when he used fake bank slips to secure his 1995 interview with Princess Diana (above) During an appearance on BBC Radio 4's Today programme on Friday it was put to the Justice Secretary that some people say the police should be involved following Lord Dyson's inquiry. Robert Buckland replied: 'That, of course, is a matter for the police and the independent prosecutorial authorities, and I'm not going to say anything to prejudge or to influence any such line of inquiry. 'But I think anybody reading the headlines and the summary of Lord Dyson's findings will be struck by his use of those words, fraud and deception and the like, and clearly those sort of issues, I'm afraid, could and do arise.' Asked if a second inquiry was needed to look at wider questions not in the remit of Lord Dyson's work, such as the handling of whistleblowers, Mr Buckland said: 'I think all of us need to carefully comb through the report and if indeed there are issues that specifically Lord Dyson wasn't able, due to the remit that he was given to look at, then there should be, and I'm sure there will be, an opportunity to do just that. ' Critics say the report had provided 'clear and unequivocal evidence' that must be pursued. Yesterday it emerged that Richard Ayre, the BBC's controller of editorial policy in 1995, believed Bashir, the BBC's former religion editor, may have committed a crime when he used fake bank statements to secure his interview with Diana. In evidence to Lord Dyson, Mr Ayre said: 'I have no doubt that if he did what is, as I understand it, alleged, that of course would have been unacceptable.' Richard Ayre, then BBC controller of editorial policy, believed Bashir may have committed a crime when he used fake bank slips to secure his 1995 interview with Princess Diana He suggested it would be a criminal offence to approach anyone with a forged document that defamed people. 'Of course it would have been indefensible,' he added. A lawyer for Earl Spencer's former head of security, Alan Waller, made an official complaint to Scotland Yard Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick in January alleging potential fraud. He accused Bashir of 'dishonest conduct' and said the BBC had 'benefited' while being aware that his actions were 'unlawful'. But after spending three months assessing the claims, police announced they would be taking no further action. That decision was described as a 'farce' yesterday by a former head of royal protection, who said many questions had been left unanswered. Ex-chief superintendent Dai Davies, who once led the Metropolitan Police royal protection unit, said: 'It seems to me there is clear and unequivocal evidence that the Met Police should be at the very least investigating these allegations. 'I simply cannot understand why they won't investigate given what I understand from the testimony may be a crime. 'It seems there's one rule for the BBC and one rule for the rest of us. Normally there would be a criminal inquiry before a civil inquiry. 'I'm absolutely flabbergasted that there was not enough basic evidence of forgery and fraud here. It beggars belief.' Ex-chief superintendent Dai Davies said: 'It seems to me that there is clear and unequivocal evidence that the Met Police should be at the very least investigating these allegations' Mr Davies added: 'What is it the Met don't understand about the word dishonest? 'My concern is that others may have covered this up and if it was a crime, they may have conspired to conceal forged documents and that concealment could amount to conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.' Key conclusions of yesterday's bombshell report that brought shame on the BBC Metropolitan Police Commander Alex Murray, who leads the force on specialist crime, announced in March that legal advice had been sought from the Crown Prosecution Service and independent lawyers before it was decided not to launch a probe. The commander has previously come under fire for not pursuing another alleged scandal in 2019, after Virginia Roberts alleged she was trafficked to Britain by paedophile Jeffrey Epstein to have sex with Prince Andrew, who denies the claim. Yesterday, a Met spokesman said: 'In March 2021, the [force] determined it was not appropriate to begin a criminal investigation into allegations of unlawful activity in connection with a documentary broadcast in 1995 but should any significant new evidence emerge it would be assessed. 'Following the publication of Lord Dyson's report, we will assess its contents to ensure there is no significant new evidence.' Last night Prince Harry blasted the 1995 BBC Panorama interview with Princess Diana as 'unethical' while furious William said Martin Bashir's 'lurid and false claims' to secure it fuelled the 'paranoia and isolation' of their mother's final years. The Duke of Cambridge said Bashir's deceit in obtaining his 1995 interview with Princess Diana hastened his parents' divorce and 'hurt countless others' in an unprecedented broadside against the shamed BBC. In a statement last night, Prince William told of his 'indescribable sadness' that the controversial Panorama interview increased his mother's 'fear, paranoia and isolation' in her final years. Pictured: Diana with her sons His brother Prince Harry - who is based in California - also responded to Lord Dyson's damning report into how the interview was obtained, saying his mother 'lost her life because of this'. The Duke of Sussex thanked those who took 'some form of accountability' for 'owning it', but said 'the ripple effect of a culture of exploitation and unethical practices ultimately took [Diana's] life'. In a statement last night, Prince William laid bare his 'indescribable sadness' that his precious final years with his mother had been marred by the isolation the historic Panorama interview caused. What 'saddens' him the most was that should a 1996 investigation into claims Diana was hoodwinked by Bashir have been conducted 'properly', the princess would have known she was 'deceived' prior to her death in 1997, he claimed. He said the interview now held 'no legitimacy', had established a 'false narrative' for 25 years, and the BBC's failings had let his mother, his family and the public down. The Duke of Cambridge read his bombshell statement to camera in a courtyard at Kensington Palace his London residence and the home of his late mother. Both William and the Duke of Sussex yesterday received 'unconditional apology' letters from the BBC over Bashir's conduct and the subsequent cover-up now fully laid bare 25 years on. Buckingham Palace and Prince Charles' official residence Clarence House have also had correspondence, it can be revealed. Appearing on a Panorama special about the scandal last night, the princess's brother Earl Spencer linked his sister's death to the BBC and the crisis of trust he claimed that engulfed her after she was deceived by Bashir. His devastating verdict came as a judge ruled the shamed journalist hoodwinked the princess with an elaborate fiction that painted some of those closest to her as traitors. The 'rogue reporter' commissioned fake bank statements to secure his interview with Princess Diana - but covered up his 'deceitful behaviour' in a 'shocking blot' on the BBC's near 100-year history. The statements wrongly suggested that Earl Spencer's security boss was in the pay of tabloid journalists and a shadowy company linked to the security services. His lies landed the Panorama reporter the interview of the century and multiple awards - but hastened the end of Diana's marriage to Prince Charles and saw her stripped of her HRH status just two years before her death. Bashir maintained that despite the fake bank statements a note from Diana herself showed that she had not been affected by this in her decision to be interviewed by him - an interview of which he remained 'immensely proud'. Diana's brother Earl Spencer last night appeared on another Panorama special, titled: 'Princess Diana, Martin Bashir and the BBC' which aimed to lay bare the full extent of the scandal. In it, he says: 'The irony is I met Martin Bashir on the 31st of August 1995, because exactly two years later she died. And I do draw a line between the two events. 'It's quite clear from the introduction that I sat in on the 19th of September 1995 everyone was going to be made untrustworthy, and I think that Diana did lose trust in really key people. 'This is a young girl in her mid-30s who has lived this extraordinarily turbulent and difficult time in the public eye. 'She didn't know who to trust and in the end, when she died two years later, she was without any form of real protection.' Earl Spencer said 'rogue reporter' Bashir's strategy to get close his sister was to make 'everyone untrustworthy'. He said the journalist was 'very good at amplifying people's anxieties' and making one think he would 'save you in a difficult and dangerous world'. The BBC is also returning all awards the explosive interview accrued, including a Bafta TV gong won in 1996. Bashir announced he was stepping down from his role as the BBC News religion editor last week on health grounds. Patrick Jephson, the Princess of Wales' private secretary at the time, also appeared in last night's documentary. He told Panorama that Diana was 'cast adrift' from her 'royal support structure that had guided and safeguarded her for so many years' because of Bashir's claims and the fallout from the interview. Mr Jephson added: 'Inevitably it made her vulnerable to people who were unable properly to look after her.' The documentary also shows a note written from Diana to her brother Earl Spencer after he informed her of Bashir's elaborate allegations that she was being spied on. The note - addressed to the earl with Diana's pet name for her brother 'Carlos' - reads: 'Darling Carlos, I so appreciated the contents of our telephone call this morning, it all makes complete sense to what is going on around me at this present time. ''They' underestimate the Spencer strength! Lots of love from Duch x'. The programme also revealed a confidential internal BBC management document written by the outgoing head of TV Current Affairs, Tim Gardam. It states that Bashir had misled his bosses by denying he had shown the fake bank statements to anyone. The journalist later admitted that he had, in fact, shown them to Earl Spencer in order to 'foster' their relationship. A statement drawn up by former BBC director-general Tony Hall for the corporation's governors in April 1996 described the fakes as just 'graphics' and said Martin Bashir had no explanation for why he'd created them. He went on: 'I believe he is, even with his lapse, honest and an honourable man'. In the same statement to the BBC's governors, Mr Hall also acknowledged that Bashir regarded Spencer as 'the best route' to 'get to the Princess of Wales.' Film and theatre director and former BBC governor Sir Richard Eyre - who attended the April 1996 meeting - told Panorama that had Tony Hall disclosed to the governors that Bashir had lied, they would have insisted on a full inquiry. He said: 'The fact that Bashir lied should have been made clear to us, but in my memory, it never was. 'Constitutionally we, the governors, deserved at the very least to be given an honest report of what was going on. 'We can see now that the false bank statements were the lever that opened the doors to the access to Diana. 'If we had known at the time, there's no question that this would have been ruthlessly investigated, because [the governors] were very, very, very hot on a sense of propriety of the organisation.' The leader of the Nigerian terrorist group Boko Haram has died after detonating a suicide vest, officials have claimed. Abubakar Shekau, who orchestrated the kidnapping of nearly 300 schoolgirls in Chibok in 2014, detonated the explosives when confronted with fighters from the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) in northern Nigeria. The fighting occurred in the Borno state, where ISWAP has become the dominant force in Nigeria's more than a decade-long jihadist insurgency, a memo obtained by The Wall Street Journal found. While there is not yet official confirmation about Shekau's death from the Nigerian government, the Journal was able to review transcripts between insurgents discussing his suicide. The leader of Boko Haram, Abubakar Shekau, has died after detonating a suicide vest, officials have claimed One intercepted militant commander said: 'Shekau detonated a bomb and killed himself.' Bulama Bukarti, an analyst at the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, told The Wall Street Journal: 'Shekau has been the longest lasting terrorist leader in the world; perhaps the world's least understood warlord and its most underestimated. 'This is a huge moment for Nigeria.' Following the reports Nigerian Army spokesman Mohammed Yerima said the authorities were 'looking into it carefully'. He told The Washington Post: 'We are looking into it carefully. 'In the past, we have reported that he is dead and then he comes back.' Shekau, who made international headlines when his men kidnapped nearly 300 schoolgirls in Chibok in 2014, has been reported dead several times since Boko Haram first launched its insurrection in 2009. His death could now de-stabilise his Boko Haram faction which has already been weakened by military air strikes on its bases and defections among his men. More than 40,000 people have been killed and more than two million displaced from their homes by the conflict in northeast Nigeria, and fighting has spread to parts of neighbouring Chad, Cameroon and Niger. Boko Haram and ISWAP have fought battles for control of territory in the past. ISWAP has emerged as the stronger force, carrying out complex attacks on the military and overrunning army bases. Shekau detonated the explosives when confronted with fighters from the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) in northern Nigeria Shekau, who took over Boko Haram in 2009, made international headlines when his men kidnapped nearly 300 schoolgirls in Chibok in 2014 Shekau took over Boko Haram, formally known as the Jama'tu Ahlis Sunna Lidda'awati wal-Jihad, after its founder Muhammad Yusuf was killed by police in 2009. Under Shekau's leadership, Boko Haram turned large swathes of the northeast into a no-go territory, proclaiming a 'caliphate' in the Borno town of Gwoza in 2014. An offensive since 2015 by Nigerian troops backed by soldiers from Cameroon, Chad and Niger drove jihadists from most of the area that they had once controlled. Angered by Shekau's indiscriminate targeting of civilians and use of women and children as suicide bombers, a rival faction broke away in 2016 to become ISWAP with the backing of the Islamic State group. A businessman who arranged the execution of his arch-enemy in broad daylight watched on as an innocent law student was instead fatally gunned down, a court has heard. Aya Hachem, 19, was said to be 'in the wrong place at the wrong time' in a drive-by shooting allegedly set up by Feroz Suleman with the boss of a rival tyre firm the intended target. The long-running feud culminated in the murder of passer-by Miss Hachem in King Street in Blackburn, Lancashire, on the afternoon of May 17 last year. Eight defendants including Suleman, 40, are on trial accused of the murder of Miss Hachem and the attempted murder of Pachah Khan, the proprietor of Quickshine Tyres. Today, jurors at Preston Crown Court were shown CCTV footage of the moment of 'dreadful, tragic bad luck' when the Lebanese-born student was shot dead. Aya Hachem was shot in the chest and killed in a shocking incident in Blackburn last May Prosecutor Nicholas Johnson QC said shortly before Miss Hachem walked past Quickshine Tyres two teenage boys rode along the pavement on their bicycles. He said: 'If she had not stopped to let them lads come past she would never have been killed.' A Toyota Avensis driven by Anthony Ennis, 31, with alleged hitman Zamir Raja, 33, on board drove past Quickshine Tyres on three occasions shortly before the fatal fourth journey, the court heard. Footage from CCTV cameras captured Suleman stood outside his premises next door at RI Tyres with a 'ringside seat' to the shooting he had arranged, said the prosecution. The first shot hit the front window of Quickshine and the second was let off as Miss Hachem walked by. Mr Johnson said: 'The bullet, rather than hitting its intended target, hit her.' The vehicle made off and Judy Chapman, 26, and boyfriend Uthman Satia, 29, were waiting to transport the Manchester assassins away from the scene at a car park in nearby Wellington Road, said Mr Johnson. Earlier before the shooting, Kashif Manzoor, 26, say the Crown, made sure the Avensis was ready for the assassins as he jump-started the vehicle bought for just 300 by Uthman Satia's brother, Abubakr Satia, 32, a week earlier. Ayaz Hussain, 35, described as Suleman's 'right-hand man', was said to have acted as an intermediary with alleged gunman Raja. Aya Hachem (left), who was a trustee with the Children's Society, had been just 100 yards from her home when she was shot and killed on King Street (right, Ms Hachem, wearing a white top, stands a few yards from the Toyota which slowed beside her before several shots were fired) A general view of Quick Shine car wash next to R1 Tyres. Feroz Suleman, who co-owned R1 Tyres, had allegedly been feuding with rival owners Mr Johnson said all eight accused played an 'important and significant part'. Suleman, of, Blackburn; Raja, of Stretford, Greater Manchester; Ennis, of Partington, Greater Manchester; Manzoor, of, Blackburn; Hussain, of Blackburn; Abubakr Satia, of Blackburn; Uthman Satia, of Great Harwood; and Chapman, of Great Harwood, all deny murder. The defendants have also pleaded not guilty to the attempted murder of Mr Khan. The trial is estimated to last up to 10 weeks. Jurors were shown the horrifying moment Aya was hit by a bullet to her chest and she fell to the pavement. Armed officers, along with as many as seven squad cars and a helicopter, attended the scene and the victim was rushed to hospital She'd passed within metres of the Avenis, which had one its rear windows down, as it drove past Quickshine Tyres. Two cyclists had been riding on the pavement just moments earlier, crucially forcing Aya to stop for a few seconds and let them pass, meaning she would walk past the car just as the gunman fired from the rear. The footage also showed how Mr Khan, who'd spotted the gunman pointing his weapon at him, went to the aid of Aya, in contrast to Suleman and Manzoor, who'd watched events from the forecourt of RI Tyres. Mr Johnson said they hadn't looked 'bothered' while Mr Khan had climbed over a barrier to the mortally wounded Aya. Pictured: The Toyota Avensis police believe was involved in the shooting of Ms Hachem Lancashire Police officers in forensic suits at the scene of the shooting in Blackburn on May 18 The prosecution claim Raja and Ennis made their escape in Chapman's Fiesta after returning in the Avensis to the car park - less than a mile away. Further CCTV footage showed the Avenis fleeing the scene and the alleged attackers then getting into Chapman's blue Fiesta to make their escape. Dashcam footage from a passing motorist had recorded the Fiesta attempting an unwise overtaking manoeuvre by the 'panicking' Chapman, Mr Johnson said. It's alleged Abubakr Satia and Hussain bought petrol to destroy evidence in the Avenis but the car was found by police first. Mr Johnson suggested the pair may have been 'spooked' by something or 'lost their nerve' before they could do so. The trial continues. A British Army Staff Sergeant accused of sending naked photos of himself to a female soldier after promising to 'help' with the progression of her career has been cleared of sexual assault. Staff Sergeant Kareen Thomas of the Royal Logistics Corps had denied sending the pictures and told a court martial the woman invented claims against him after he spurned her sexual advances. The married 36 year old denied a charge of sexual assault after he was accused of kissing her without her consent. Staff Sergeant Kareen Thomas (pictured) was cleared of several accusations, including kissing without consent, after he was accused of sending naked pictures to a female soldier He was also cleared of causing someone to engage in sexual activity without their consent, after he was accused of grabbing the female Lance Corporal's hand and brushing it against his penis. He was also acquitted of sending inappropriate messages, including two naked photos of himself. Today SSgt Thomas breathed a sigh of relief at the not guilty verdicts but was warned by a judge that he should take this as a 'lesson' and that his actions 'had the potential to undermine the chain of command'. SSgt Thomas had told the court the woman actually flirted with him by sending 'suggestive pictures' and asked him to book a hotel room in Ayia Napa so they could spend the night together but when he declined she felt 'insulted.' SSgt Thomas (above) of the Royal Logistics Corps denied two charges of sexual assault and a third charge of sending inappropriate text messages including naked photos of himself He claimed she later told him she was going to 'f****** ruin' his life. Despite being cleared of any wrongdoing, Judge Advocate Jeff Blackett told SSgt Thomas: 'This should be a lesson to you that the law and over familiarity between ranks are important in a military setting. 'Allowing yourself to become engaged in flirtatious messages and exchanging gifts with a colleague had the potential to undermine the chain of command and effect operational effectiveness.' SSgt Thomas told the court he and the woman were just 'friends - no more, no less' During a three day trial at Bulford Military Court, Wilts, the female Lance Corporal - who cannot be named for legal reasons - claimed she considered the father of two a 'mate' until he made unwanted advances. She told the court martial the alleged sexual assault happened when he drove her to a nature reserve and asked for a hug but then he 'snogged' her neck. The woman said a second incident happened while the pair were based in Cyprus and SSgt Thomas offered to take her to a cash point. She told the court that he instead drove her to a beach to look at the view - even though it was pitch black - where he grabbed her, forcing her to sit on his lap before putting her hand in his crotch. But SSgt Thomas told the court he and the woman were just 'friends - no more, no less' and that she was the one who was keen to message him, not the other way around. He said: 'There was always a keen interest in what I was doing, where I was going and complimenting things like my car. 'Saying things like it was great to see how I was going in my career because I was a corporal years earlier, things like that.' SSgt Thomas admitted the pair sent each other flirtatious messages, explaining that she would send 'suggestive pictures' of her pouting her lips and pushing her breasts together and he would then reply with a compliment. He claimed the woman asked him to book a hotel room in the island's popular tourist resort of Ayia Napa and took it 'as an insult' when he refused. The woman told Bulford Military Court (pictured above) in Wiltshire that the assaults happened after he promised he would 'help' her with the progression of her career Once back in the UK, SSgt Thomas told the court she had burst into his office and they had a row in which she told him: 'I am sick of this - I am going to f****** ruin your life.' During her evidence the woman told the trial SSgt Thomas sent her a naked photo before the beach incident and another one after. The female soldier claimed he later messaged asking why she was giving him 'evils' at work and said 'is it because you are missing this D,' in reference to the pictures. SSgt Thomas, who is part of 27 Regiment Royal Logistics Corp, which is based in Aldershot, Hants, denied all the alleged offences and was cleared of all three charges. A school bus driver has revealed how fearless children nagged their way to freedom after being taken hostage by an armed hijacker - who cops say has since tried to escape twice. The 18 kids aboard the school bus in Columbia, South Carolina, on May 6 bombarded escaped Army trainee Jovan Collazo with so many questions he booted them off, driver Kenneth Corbin told Good Morning America. 'They asked him, "Was he a soldier?" He said, "Yes." They asked him, "Why are you doing this?" He never did have an answer for this one. They asked, was he going to hurt them? He said, "No." They asked, "Are you going to hurt our bus driver?" He said, "No."' The questions just kept on coming - around once every 500 feet, Corbin said, with Fort Jackson absconder Collazo, 23, quickly snapping at the ferocious inquisition. 'He sensed more questions coming and I guess something clicked in his mind and he said, "Enough is enough already," and he told me to stop the bus, and just get off,' Corbin said. 'They had my back as much as my concern was for them,' Corbin said of the young children, who he credits for ensuring no-one came to any harm. Kenneth Corbin (right) spoke to Good Morning America and talked about the relentless, nagging questions the kids on the bus asked the hijacker who held him on gunpoint on May 6 Jovan Collazo is seen boarding the bus after escaping from Fort Jackson Army base in South Carolina on May 6 Collazo got tired of the questions, Corbin said, and told everyone to get off The hijacker, Jovan Collazo, escaped Fort Jackson faces over two dozen charges, and likely more after his failed jail and hospital escapes He was arrested later that day and faces two dozen charges - including 19 counts of kidnapping - but has tried to escape twice since then, WIS News reported. After his arrest, it was learned the Army-issue M4 rifle Collazo pointed at Corbin's head was unloaded. The first alleged escape attempt was from jail; the second was from a hospital. He hit a guard and broke his ankle trying during his attempted jail escape, The New York Post reported. While in the hospital being treated for the broken ankle, he tried to bolt again. Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott said Collazo will face more charges, according to Fox News. A trainee at Fort Jackson in South Carolina hijacked the bus (above) on Thursday morning Leon Lott, sheriff of Richland County, praised Corbin for keeping his cool and said Collazo will face more charges for the alleged escapes Collazo's public defender Fielding Pringle said on Thursday that her client was not trying to escape in this statement to WIS News: 'The incident being referred to as an attempted escape by Mr. Collazo occurred while he was on suicide watch, completely naked, and handcuffed behind his back. He is alleged to have run around in this state within the interior of the Secured Housing Unit at the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center, an area that is secured by locked steel doors. This incident ended in Mr. Collazo jumping over an interior railing within the dorm, while his hands were still cuffed behind his back and naked, from the second tier to the first tier of the dorm landing on a concrete floor resulting in a broken ankle. 'These are obviously not the actions of an individual who was thinking clearly or rationally with an intent to escape. These are the actions of a very troubled young man,' His lawyer continued. 'At the appropriate time I look forward to addressing all of the allegations against Mr. Collazo, but I have no further comment at this time.' She added. He has been charged with 19 counts of kidnapping, and single counts of armed robbery with a deadly weapon, carjacking without great bodily harm, pointing and presenting firearms at a person, carrying weapons on school property and possession of weapon during a violent crime. The bus was en route to the Forest Lake Elementary School in Columbia, South Carolina Collazo escaped on Thursday morning from Fort Jackson, in his third week of training Corbin is a bus driver for Richland School District Two in Columbia, South Carolina. The school superintendent, Baron Davis, said after the hijacking, 'This incident could have ended very tragically. 'I've never been as sacred in my life upon receiving that call.' Fort Jackson commanders have apologized for the incident, a motive for which has not yet been shared. 'This was a failure in our accountability procedures that we truly regret and are apologetic to our community,' they said in a statement. 'We are thankful for the fast actions of Richland County Sheriffs' Department and the local community to assist in the apprehension of the individual.' The number of renters looking for London flats is up nearly a fifth compared to January, figures show. Rental agencies are experiencing a flood of demand as people look to move back into the capital after moving out when the country went into lockdown. Spareroom - a property rental website - said the number of people looking for rooms is up 17 per cent in April compared to January. London accounts for around half of the UK flatshare market and it is one of the hardest hit by Covid A year after the coronavirus pandemic disrupted UK life, the average monthly rent for a house or flat in the capital is at the same level as it was in 2013, Zoopla found London accounts for around half of the UK flatshare market and it is one of the hardest hit by Covid. The pandemic led to a fall in demand meaning rents dropped by as much as 30 per cent in some areas of the capital. But this looks set to increase in the coming weeks as the country opens up again. Demand on Spareroom plunged by 23 per cent at the beginning of 2020 whereas demand soared in northern and coastal areas. This has caused rent across two-thirds of London to be lower than five years ago which has also contributed to the increased demand, according to Rightmove. Rightmove's Director of Property Data Tim Bannister said: 'Landlords who five years ago took a longer-term view obviously couldn't foresee the effect that covid would have on rents, and right now they'll be doing all they can to prevent voids and hope the drop in rents is fleeting. 'The frenzied buying and selling market is likely to be exacerbating the problem as well, as some sellers are moving into rental accommodation until they find the home they want to buy, adding further demand to already diminishing rental stock levels.' A year after the coronavirus pandemic disrupted UK life, the average monthly rent for a house or flat in the capital is at the same level as it was in 2013. Elsewhere, rental prices have sharply risen as a rise in working from home fueled an exodus from city living - with 22 per cent of tenants leaving the capital last year, according to estate agent Foxtons. Prices in London have fallen while the rest of the country saw rises in rental costs This two-bedroom flat in Islington, north London, was listed for 2,253 in February but saw a drop of 23 per cent when it was relisted at 1,733 at the end of March Prices plummeted by -9.4 per cent in London, according to real estate giant Zoopla's quarterly rental market report, while rising by three per cent in the rest of the country. The report found average rents in the City of London, Kensington and Chelsea, and Westminster, are at their lowest for a decade, with average Westminster rents running at 2,259 per calendar month - down from 2,617 in February last year. The return to the office is boosting city markets across other parts of the country. According to Leeds property consultants JLL, the lettings activity first three months of the year in northern urban areas was up 57 per cent compared to the same period in 2019. Speaking to The Telegraph, they said: 'Cities are in line to enjoy a booming 12 to 24 months. 'Tere has been an injection of positivity into the market.' Buyer demand in city centres is also up by 35 per cent compares to a 32 per cent jump in demand for villages. The biggest jumps are in York, Norwich and Sheffield city centres. Buyer demand in city centres is up by 35 per cent compares to a 32 per cent jump in demand for villages Andy McHugo, Associate Director at James Laurence Estate Agents in Birmingham, says: 'The fear caused by the announcements of further lockdowns at the beginning of the year was that the need to live in the city, close to your workplace and close to the bustling financial district would be affected, something Birmingham experienced back in 2008 with the market downturn when the city got hit harder than most. 'Nothing could be further from the truth now. Not only are enquiry levels fantastic, committed residential buyers are now returning.' Steve Pymm, Managing Director of Pymm & Co in Norwich says: 'Flats are selling a lot quicker now than they were during the first quarter of the year. 'For example we recently launched Castle House, a new site opposite Norwich Castle in the city centre and they have proven very popular indeed.' Boris Johnson today used a bizarre speech about the ancient Greek poem The Iliad to encourage world leaders to work together to prevent future pandemics. The Prime Minister referenced the famous story at length in a video message for a global health summit hosted by the European Commission and Italy for G20 countries. Mr Johnson said that at the start of The Iliad the hero Achilles and King Agamemnon have an argument over how to respond to a plague and the former 'would have been very much in the pro-lockdown party'. The premier said that 'almost 2,800 years later the world has been just as disunited' in its response to the coronavirus crisis. He urged world leaders to 'summon the spirit that forged global cooperation in the aftermath of the Second World War' to work together and prevent a repeat of the current pandemic. His comments came as the UK pledged its support for a new 'global pandemic radar' system to spot emerging diseases before they spread around the world. Boris Johnson today used a bizarre speech about the ancient Greek poem The Iliad to encourage world leaders to work together to prevent future pandemics Who are Achilles and Agamemnon? Achilles is one of the most famous characters in Greek mythology and is the central figure in Homer's epic poem, The Iliad, which is set during the Trojan War. The story sees Achilles, regarded as the greatest of all the Greek warriors, engage in a fierce argument with King Agamemnon. Achilles withdraws from the battle after he is dishonoured by the king. The Greek armies are hit by a plague sent by the god Apollo after Agamemnon takes the daughter of a priest of Apollo and refuses to return her. Achilles later returns to the fold and famously kills Hector, the Prince of Troy, in front of the city gates. Achilles is later killed by Hector's brother, Paris, who shoots the warrior in the heel with an arrow. That moment has been immortalised in modern day language with reference to an 'Achilles heel' meaning a point of weakness. Advertisement Mr Johnson told the summit: I want to remind everybody, certainly my fellow Europeans, that Western literature begins with a bitter political fight about how to handle a zoonotic plague because as you will recall, The Iliad, the fountainhead of Western literature, opens with a row between Achilles and Agamemnon after a fatal new zoonotic disease arrives, hitting first the mules and then the dogs and then the human beings. And if youll recall Achilles is very much in favour of pulling out and he would have been very much in the pro-lockdown party and he says they need to get out of there, whereas Agamemnon vehemently disagrees and the bust up basically begins the whole conflict of The Iliad between the armies of the Greeks. My point is that almost 2,800 years later the world has been just as disunited Im afraid as Achilles and Agamemnon and I think now is the time to come together and to defeat the pandemic and to prevent another. Calling for more cooperation, Mr Johnson said: We need to summon the spirit that forged global cooperation in the aftermath of the Second World War to establish a treaty on pandemic preparedness, working through the World Health Organisation to enshrine the actions that each country needs to take in safeguarding everyone against another Covid. And I believe that includes the measures the UK has put forward in our five point plan, with common protocols on how countries respond in pandemic times such as zero tariffs on key medical equipment. We need a global network of zoonotic research hubs so we can identify dangerous pathogens likely to jump from animal to human, from dogs to mules to human beings to go back to The Iliad or from bats to pangolins and so on. Harnessing the power of genomic surveillance in which the UK has been leading the way, we need an early warning system for new Covid variants and new emerging diseases and this can also help accelerate the production of vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics from the 300 days of this pandemic to 100 days in future. The World Health Organisation is leading work to develop the new global surveillance network which will monitor and track new infections and variants. Britain and the British-based Wellcome Trust are among the nations and other organisations supporting the initiative as they try to avoid a repeat of the coronavirus crisis. Downing Street said the project would build on British health security expertise to create a network of surveillance hubs, expected to be up and running before the end of the year. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella has stuck the knife into Bill Gates after the founder's 'inappropriate' relationship with a female employee came to light, as he insisted 'the power dynamic in the workplace is not something that can be abused.' Nadella appeared to take aim at the founder as he told CNBC on Friday that the company is 'very different' today to how it was in 2000. That year, Gates stepped down as CEO, 25 years after he founded the company. It emerged this week that, the same year, Gates embarked on an 'inappropriate' sexual relationship with a female staff member, while he was married to Melinda. The affair stayed a secret until 2019 and Gates resigned from his position on the board in early 2020 while an internal investigation into the relationship was still ongoing. Gates, 65, has been rocked by a series of allegations ever since he and Melinda, 56, announced their divorce earlier this month. His behavior at Microsoft has come under closer scrutiny with claims from two female employees that he asked them out on dates and questions around the handling of accusations of sexual harassment against one of his closest aides. The wider company's treatment of women has also come under the spotlight with new details of a discrimination lawsuit claiming female staffers were 'abused and degraded' with men 'groping' and 'spanking' them. Outside of the company, questions continue to swirl around Gates' relationship with late pedophile Jeffrey Epstein - which was said to be a source of contention to wife Melinda. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella has stuck the knife into Bill Gates after the founder's 'inappropriate' relationship with a female employee came to light, as he insisted 'the power dynamic in the workplace is not something that can be abused' Gates admitted this week that he had an affair with a female Microsoft employee in 2000 In yet another blow to the billionaire businessman, Gates appears to have now lost the support of the tech giant he founded as its current CEO distanced Microsoft from the 65-year-old's actions. Nadella was asked about Gates' affair with the staff member two decades ago when he was at the helm of the firm, and whether such behavior was acceptable in the company today. 'The Microsoft of 2021 is very different from the Microsoft of 2000,' Nadella told CNBC's Jon Fortt. Nadella took a thinly-veiled swipe saying the 'power dynamic' in the workplace should not be 'abused' and that employees should be comfortable raising concerns even many years after an incident took place. 'Overall the power dynamic in the workplace is not something that needs to be abused in any form,' Nadella said. 'The most important thing is for us to make sure that everybody's comfortable in being able to raise any issues they see, and for us to be able to fully investigate it.' Gates was CEO of the company when he had an 'inappropriate' sexual relationship with a female staff member in 2000, the Wall Street Journal revealed this week. It is not clear what position or level of seniority the employee was at the time. Microsoft's board first became aware of the affair in 2019 when the employee wrote them a letter detailing what had happened and allegedly asking that Melinda read it. The company, headed up Nadella at this time, opened an investigation into the claims. While the investigation was still ongoing in March 2020, Gates shocked the business world by announcing he was resigning from his position on the company board. Nadella appeared to take aim at the founder as he told CNBC Friday that the company is 'very different' today to how it was in 2000 Asked about the conduct of Bill Gates, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella says the Microsoft of 2021 is different than the company was in 2000. He says the "power dynamic in the workplace is not something that needs to be abused" & employees should be comfortable raising concerns. pic.twitter.com/MZOalMqvIF CNBC (@CNBC) May 21, 2021 The same day Gates stood down from the board of Berkshire Hathaway, run by his friend Warren Buffet. Gates' spokeswoman confirmed this week he had an affair almost 20 years ago with a staff member and that the relationship ended 'amicably.' She denied the affair was connected in any way to his abrupt departure from the board. Nadella told CNBC there has been a policy in place since 2006 where Microsoft staff must disclose any relationships with other employees. He also insisted there is now a strong focus on diversity and inclusion and that Microsft has policies in place to ensure employees can speak up on issues no matter how long ago. 'To me and to everyone at Microsoft our focus on our culture, our diversity, our inclusion part the everyday experience of our people is super important. It's a huge priority,' he said. 'And not just in the abstract sense. It's about the lived experience this is about being about being able to confront our fixed mindset every day so that we can improve. 'And, in that context, the fact that anyone can raise any issue - even an issue from 20 years ago - we will investigate, take action to the satisfaction of the person who has raised it.' Nadella added that the company has no forced arbitrations - where an employee is required to waive their right to sue or appeal the decision of an investigation into a complaint raised. In 2000, Gates stepped down as CEO. It emerged this week that, the same year, Gates embarked on an 'inappropriate' sexual relationship with a female staff member. Pictured Gates, Melinda and students at a scholarship presentation in Seattle in 2000 Bill and Melinda Gates announced this month they were getting divorced, with Melinda saying the marriage is 'irretrievably broken' in divorce filings 'I feel that we have created an environment that allows us to really drive the everyday improvement in our diversity and inclusion culture, which I think is a super important thing and that's what I'm focused on,' he said. Nadella's comments came as a series of reports have surfaced in recent weeks about Gates' behavior. Gates is said to have pursued several women working at Microsoft while he was married to Melinda. The New York Times reported two separate instances where he asked female employees out on dates. In one case, he is said to have asked out a Microsoft employee in 2006 after watching her make a presentation. 'If this makes you uncomfortable, pretend it never happened,' Gates emailed the employee, according to the Times. The woman took his advice and pretended it never happened. A couple of years later, Gates then asked out an employee with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Melinda and Bill seen after receiving the Commander of the Legion of Honor in Paris in 2017. Gates, 65, has been rocked by a series of allegations in recent weeks The couple are pictured with their three kids Jennifer (center), Rory (right) and Phoebe (left) in 2019. Two female employees say he asked them out on dates The pair were in New York for a work trip, when he told her: 'I want to see you. Will you have dinner with me?' The woman told the Times the approach made her feel uncomfortable, but she laughed it off. There was no expectation that the women would suffer professional repercussions for spurning Gates' advances, the Times reported. It's not clear whether Melinda was aware of her husband's advances on other women. Melinda was reportedly unhappy about the way sexual harassment allegations against Gates' key moneyman Michael Larson, above, were handled However, she was aware of and unhappy with the handling of sexual harassment allegations against Michael Larson, one of Gates' key lieutenants and the manager of his personal fortune, the report said. In 2017, a person wrote to Bill and Melinda to complain that Larson was harassing a female staff member at a bicycle shop part-owned by a venture capital firm Rally Capital, owned by the former married couple. The woman reached a settlement in 2018, signing a non-disclosure agreement and receiving a payout. Gates' spokeswoman Bridgitt Arnold denied Gates ever mistreated employees in a statement to the Times. However, Melinda was reportedly unhappy with the outcome and ordered an independent investigation. According to the New York Times, Larson was placed on leave during the investigation but was reinstated and still looks after Gates' vast fortune. 'It is extremely disappointing that there have been so many untruths published about the cause, the circumstances and the timeline of Bill Gates's divorce,' Arnold said. 'Your characterization of his meetings with Epstein and others about philanthropy is inaccurate, including who participated. Outside of the company, questions continue to swirl around Gates' relationship with late pedophile Jeffrey Epstein (above) - which was said to be a source of contention to wife Melinda 'The claim of mistreatment of employees is also false. The rumors and speculation surrounding Gates's divorce are becoming increasingly absurd, and it's unfortunate that people who have little to no knowledge of the situation are being characterized as 'sources.' Melinda and Bill announced their shock divorce earlier this month, with Melinda saying the marriage is 'irretrievably broken' in divorce filings. Melinda reportedly began consulting divorce lawyers as far back as October 2019. She did so around the same time as Bill's friendship with billionaire pedophile Epstein hit the headlines. The two men's friendship began in 2011, three years after Epstein had pleaded guilty to soliciting prostitution from a minor. Gates continued to spend time with Epstein despite Melinda reportedly expressing concerns. There is no suggestion that Gates did anything wrong. While allegations of inappropriate behavior continue to swirl round Gates, new details have also emerged about the culture inside the tech behemoth he set up in 1975. Microsoft's treatment of women has come under the spotlight with new details of a discrimination lawsuit claiming female staffers were 'abused and degraded' with men 'groping' and 'spanking' them DailyMail.com revealed this week new details of a Microsoft discrimination lawsuit filed in 2015, where women claimed they were 'ignored, abused, or degraded' and male bosses ran a 'good ol' boy culture' at the company. The suit claimed that Microsoft 'accepts and tolerates abuse and toxic behavior, especially towards females.' Employees code-named a project 'Wrecking Ball' in honor of Miley Cyrus' raunchy music video and wrote an email called 'Working Backwards' filled with stereotypes about women,' the case claimed. Employees were called 'p****' and c***' and former chief executive Steve Ballmer was referred to as 'our limp d*** CEO,' the suit claimed. One woman complained about being asked by a male co-worker why she was 'dressed like a wh**e' while another man bombarded a woman with messages offering to 'spank' her. Among the litany of incidents was a man who groped four women in a single night at a work function yet an internal investigation found he didn't breach anti-harassment rules, writing it off as 'poor interpersonal awareness'. The lawsuit claimed: 'The flagrant and repeated incidents of sexual misconduct toward women at Microsoft reflects the corporate culture in which women are undervalued and underpaid'. The parents of Florida high school students are demanding an apology after their daughters' yearbook photos were edited to cover up their chests Officials at Bartram Trail High School in St. John reportedly ordered more than 60 snaps in their 2021 yearbook to be photoshopped because they were 'inappropriate'. A majority of the pictures that were edited featured female students, and the school is now facing allegations of sexism. Several photos leaked to the internet shows that girls' shirts were photoshopped to bring their necklines higher. However, photos of boys in skimpy speedos were left unedited. The parents of Bartram Trail High School students are demanding an apology after their daughters' yearbook photos were edited to cover up their chests. Ninth-grader Riley O'Keefe is seen in the original (left) and edited (right) photos 'I felt confident that day and I looked good, in dress code': Ninth-grader Zoe Iannone similarly had her yearbook snap edited. Before (left) and after (right) Ninth-grader Riley O'Keefe says she was left stunned when she saw her outfit had been altered in the printed edition of the yearbook, particularly because it had been approved by the school before she had her photo taken. O'Keefe's mom, Stephanie, told First Coast News Friday: 'Yesterday she happened to be wearing the shirt again so after school, we went up to the school and asked if she was in dress code and they said yes. 'So, my next question was if the shirt is in dress code and is good enough for school and your school ID, why is it not enough for the yearbook?' Other students say they have been left feeling 'sexualized' by the school, claiming the outfits they were wearing were not inappropriate in any way. 'I felt confident that day and I looked good, in dress code,' ninth grader Zoe Iannone told Action News Jax. 'When I sent it to my mom and all of us saw it, I felt very sexualized.' Another of the edited images is seen above. Parents are now demanding an apology The school has purportedly told parents that they can request a refund if they are not happy with the yearbook. But one irate mom says getting her money back doesn't go far enough. 'Our daughters of Bartram deserve an apology,' she stated. 'They are making them feel embarrassed about who they are.' It's not the first time photoshop has been used in a high school yearbook. Back in 2017, a New Jersey high school hit headlines after officials edited out a Donald Trump t-shirt a male student was wearing in his yearbook snap. Blood Glucose Test Strips or Diabetes Test Strips, helping people to monitor their Glucose level and control their diabetes have come a long way since the day of invention. From a dye-based technology to base on electrochemical technology, totally digitalized and from one test strip to glucose plus blood ketone tests, combo test strips. Growing prevalence of diabetes coupled with the important role these strips play in keeping a tab on diabetes levels; drive the demand for these strips in multiplication. Market Synopsis of Blood Glucose Test Strip Market: Market Scenario: Blood glucose test strips are small disposable strips which are used in conjugation with blood glucose meters for monitoring and controlling diabetes. These strips have glucose oxidase impregnated on them, which when reacts with glucose present in the blood gluconic acid. The market for Blood glucose test strips is expected to grow at a CAGR of XX% by the end of the forecasted period. also read @ https://www.marketwatch.com/press-release/blood-glucose-test-strip-market-size-is-projected-to-grow-by-2027-research-insights-business-overview-and-share-estimation-2021-01-13 Blood Glucose Test Strip Market Key Players Some of the key players for Blood Glucose Test Strip Market are: Abbott Laboratories Acon Laboratories, Inc Allmedicus Apex Biotechnology Corporation Ascensia Diabetes Care Holdings Ag Braun Melsungen Ag HMD Biomedical I-Sens, Inc. Lifescan, Inc. Roche Diagnostics Taidoc Technology Corporation Blood Glucose Test Strip Market Segments The Blood Glucose Test Strip Market growth can be segmented in to 2 key dynamics for the convenience of the report and enhanced understanding; By Technologies: Comprises Thick Film Electrochemical, Thin Film Electrochemical, & Optical among others By Regions: North America, Europe, APAC and Rest of the World. Industry, Innovation & Related News: July 05, 2018 Researchers at MITs Little Devices Lab (US) presented a Lego-like device they have developed to perform diagnostic tests at a fraction of the cost of traditional methods. Referred to as plug-and-play the engineered system device is called as Ampli blocks, can test blood glucose levels in diabetic patients and also detect viral infection. June 22, 2018 The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a mHealth platform that includes a sensor embedded in the arm, a wearable transmitter and an app, all designed to help those with diabetes and their care teams continuously track blood-glucose levels. The Eversense CGM, system useful in continuous glucose management is developed by Senseonics and accounts for the first approved implantable device that promises up to three months of constant monitoring, contrary to other wearable CGM platforms. April 13, 2018 - Livongo Health (US) a start-up developing connected devices and software for diabetics and other chronic conditions. The company completely devoted to providing cost-competitive aid for diabetes, has already developed its own glucometer & apps providing accurate readings. Livongo, also ships test strips to patients at no additional cost. The company announced that it has bagged the investment for USD 105 million to support the further development of its technology and a partnership from Cambia Health Solution. April 2018 Pops! Diabetes Care, which is a Twin Cities device maker has registered its first patient in their clinical study which it is backing to see whether their device named, Pops! One, can effectively monitor blood-sugar levels for diabetics. They are also additionally partnering with the Childrens Minnesota health care system on a six-month research of 50 young patients who have been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. They will use the Pops device to record their blood-glucose levels and alert them when they need to inject insulin. The most noticeable piece is the blood-testing device which is slightly smaller than a typical smartphone which contains a disposable cartridge with a glucose meter and three tiny lancets that have been designed so that they are less painful and easier than using a conventional finger-stick unit with individual test strips. The individual replacement cartridge can be used for up to three tests. Blood Glucose Test Strip Market - Regional Analysis North America market leads the Global Blood Glucose Test Strip Market with the significant market share. The market is further expected to reach astronomical amounts growing at a substantial CAGR throughout the forecast period (2017-2027). Well-developed healthcare sector, increasing prevalence of diabetes in the US & Canada coupled with the high per capita healthcare expenditures of these economies, together drive the regional market growth. Moreover, the presence of some of the matured market players fuels the market growth. Europe & Asia Pacific is the second & third largest market respectively in the Global Blood Glucose Test Strip Market. Expected to be a fastest growing market Asia pacific region is estimated to grow rapidly over the projected period. Increasing healthcare expenditures along with favorable government policies of developing economies like India and China foster the market growth in APAC. Browse Complete 110 Pages Premium Research Report Enabled with Tables and Figures @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/blood-glucose-test-strip-market-892 While the world's second largest market of Blood Glucose Test Strip, Europe is predominantly driven by the availability of funds for research, well-developed healthcare infrastructure, huge patient population, & government support for research & development. Besides, economies having high healthcare expenditures such as the UK & Germany propel the growth of the Europe market. Related Reports Orthopedic Braces Market Research Report - Global Forecast till 2025 Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Market Research Report - Global Forecast till 2025 Lactose Intolerance Treatment Market Research Report - Global Forecast till 2025 About Market Research Future: At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR) ), and Market Research & Consulting Services. Republican lawmakers who share a hallway with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez have placed 'Stand with Israel' posters outside their congressional offices in a bid to get the attention of the outspoken 'squad' member. The posters, which went up before Israel and Hamas reached a cease fire Thursday, went up with the New York Democratic lawmaker in mind. 'Our allies, our most critical ally in the Middle East, Israel, is being attacked by Iranian-backed terrorists. launching rockets at Israeli civilians while hiding behind their own civilians,' said Rep. Michael Walz (R-Fla.) in a video he tweeted out May 14th. Republicans placed pro-Israel signs outside their congressional offices in what a Republican said was a bid to get the attention of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez He spoke as he slapped a 'Stand with Israel' poster outside his office. 'We stand with israel and i want everyone to know it. I'm putting up this sign today next to my congressional office. We're not going to let a couple of progressive left voices stand between us and our Israeli allies,' he said. A GOP source told Fox News Waltz put up the sign 'to ensure that Ocasio-Cortez would see it every time she left her office to go vote.' In comments to the neetwork, Waltz appeared to link his hallmate to a movement the U.S. government classifies as a terrorist group. 'It's absolutely astonishing that we have members of Congress attempting to equate Israel's right to defend itself to the terrorist attacks being orchestrated by Iran-backed Hamas,' he said. 'Americans need to hold firm in reminding our country that we stand with our strongest ally in the Middle East and remind the newly formed Hamas Caucus that these fringe views will not be accepted in Congress.' US President Joe Biden speaks with Representative Rashida Taib (D-Mich), and Representative Debbie Dingell (D-Mich)(R), as he arrives at Detroit, Metropolitan Wayne County Airport in Detroit, Michigan on May 18, 2021 Others who got on the bandwagon included GOP Reps. Lisa McClain of Michigan, Nancy Mace of South Carolina, and Chris Jacobs in New York. All have offices in the same Cannon House Office Building hallway. Their effort to single out the lawmaker came as left-wing 'squad' members called the fragile cease-fire reached amid private pressure from President Joe Biden insufficient. A ceasefire is necessary, but will not alone achieve freedom, justice, and equality for all who live under Israel's apartheid government,' tweeted Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.). 'The U.S. must condition funding to uphold human rights, and end the funding entirely if those conditions are not met,' she said. Also weighing in was Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), who in previous days has criticized a plan to provide $735 million in military aid to Israel. Biden has pledged to provide materiel to resupply Israel's Iron Dome missile defense system, which played a critical role in the 11-day war. 'We should all be grateful that a ceasefire will prevent more civilians and children from being killed. But now what? We need accountability for every war crime committed. And we need to stop underwriting crimes against humanity while doing nothing to end the occupation,' said Omar. Biden met Tuesday on a tarmac in Michigan with Tlaib, whose spokesman said she told him the U.S. couldn't continue to give Israel billions in military aide while its military 'bombed schools.' Asked Friday by DailyMail.com what Biden told her, White House Press Secretary jen Psaki noted that Biden 'spoke about how impressed he was with Congresswoman Tlaib' at his Michigna event. 'So I think he spoke to that already,' Psaki said. A mother-of-four who hid cocaine in her children's Kinder Eggs at her home has been ordered to pay back more than 4,000 from a 40,000 drugs racket she ran with her partner. Vicki Holland, 36, was rumbled when police raided her house and found the drugs hidden inside the chocolate treat's plastic capsules. A court heard Holland was with her partner Russell Cox when officers burst through the front door in Newport, South Wales. Mother-of-four Vicki Holland (pictured), 36, was rumbled when police raided her house and found the drugs hidden inside the chocolate treat's plastic capsules A court heard Holland (left) was with her partner Russell Cox (right) when officers burst through the front door in Newport, South Wales Police found drug paraphernalia and Kinder Eggs containing 1,600 worth of cocaine. Roger Griffiths, prosecuting, said: 'Evidence on the phones demonstrated both were involved in supply of cocaine.' Holland and Cox, 42, both admitted possession with intent to supply a class-A drug at Newport Crown Court. Scott Bowen, defending Holland, said: 'She accepts she got involved and did so rather stupidly. 'Her biggest dread is what would happen to her four young children if she were sent to prison.' Cox, from Cwmbran, South Wales was jailed for 30 months and Holland was jailed for 20 months, suspended for two years in November last year. When conducting the house search, police found drug paraphernalia and Kinder Eggs containing 1,600 worth of cocaine. Pictured: Holland and Cox Holland (pictured left and right) and Cox, 42, both admitted possession with intent to supply a class-A drug at Newport Crown Court But the pair returned to court for a Proceeds of Crime hearing which heard the couple made almost 40,000 from their cocaine business. Cox made 31,904.46 from drug dealing but was left with just 180 which can be seized in available assets. Holland profited by 7,268.27 and the court heard she had 4,018.82 in assets in the form of a car and savings in a building society. She was ordered to pay back the money within three months or face three months behind bars. Cox must repay 180 or have an extra seven days added to his current jail term. At the previous hearing Recorder Duncan Bould said: 'The use of class-A drugs such as cocaine does destroy people's lives. 'You found it has blighted both your lives.' He told Holland: 'You'd never have engaged in this kind of behaviour if it hadn't been for the relationship.' Advertisement President Joe Biden awarded the first Medal of Honor of his presidency to Army Colonel Ralph Puckett Jr., on Friday. Puckett, 94, was honored with his service in the Korean War. South Korean President Moon Jae-in attended the ceremony in the East Room of the White House. Puckett was just 24 when he was wounded in 1950 while leading US and Korean soldiers in the desperate defense of a hill against an overwhelming force of 20,000 Chinese troops. He ran into enemy fire without cover three times to divert an attack by enemy forces and then refused to be evacuated when he was hit by grenade shrapnel in a gruelling attempt to keep Hill 205 in a battle that lasted days. Biden and Puckett hugged on stage after Moon spoke about Puckett being awarded the highest US military honor. Biden said in his remarks that, when being informed of the honor, Puckett asked 'why all the fuss' and asked if medal could be mailed to him. 'I was going to make a joke about the Post Office but decided not to do that,' Biden said. 'I think you deserve a little bit of fuss.' President Joe Biden presents the Medal of Honor to 94-year-old retired Army colonel Ralph Puckett, Jr., for conspicuous gallantry while serving during the Korean War President Joe Biden, retired U.S. Army Col. Ralph Puckett and South Korean President Moon Jae-in, pose for a photo with first lady Jill Biden and the Puckett family President Joe Biden presents the Medal of Honor to retired U.S. Army Col. Ralph Puckett The president brought Puckett's family, Moon and first lady Jill Biden on stage after the medal was bestowed. Kamala Harris also stood up from the front row and hugged Puckett. There were a few chuckles and gasps when Biden and Moon knelt down on either side of a seated Puckett for the group photo. Colonel Ralph Puckett was wounded in 1950 while leading US and Korean soldiers in the desperate defense of a hill against an overwhelming force of Chinese troops - an early episode in Beijing's decisive entry into the war The White House said this was the first time a foreign leader has taken part in a Medal of Honor ceremony. Puckett's Medal of Honor was made possible under the 2020 defense policy bill, which lifted a requirement that such awards be made within five years of the commission of the act of valor for which the individual is being recognized. The five-year limit was waived for Puckett and three other U.S. service members. Puckett's nomination still had to be approved by the defense secretary and president. Puckett, 94 and living in Columbus, Georgia, was a first lieutenant and commander of the 8th U.S. Army Ranger Company during those two days in late November 1950 when his unit launched a daytime offensive on Hill 205. Enemy forces directed mortar, machine gun and small arms fire against Puckett and his men in return. At one point, Puckett intentionally ran across an open area multiple times to draw enemy fire to allow his Rangers to find and destroy enemy positions and seize Hill 205, the White House said. Puckett was seriously wounded when mortar rounds landed in his foxhole, limiting his mobility. He ordered his men to evacuate and leave him behind, but they refused. While under enemy fire, the Rangers retrieved Puckett from the foxhole and brought him to the bottom of the hill, where he directed operations against the enemy.' 'First Lieutenant Pucketts extraordinary heroism and selflessness above and beyond the call of duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of military service,' the White House said in its announcement. Puckett later spent about a year in combat in Vietnam as a member of the 101st Airborne Division. In 1992, he was an inaugural inductee into the U.S. Army Ranger Hall of Fame. Puckett lives in Columbus, Georgia, with Jean, his wife of 68 years. South Korean President Moon Jae-in hugs Colonel Puckett President Joe Biden, retired U.S. Army Col. Ralph Puckett and South Korean President Moon Jae-in, pose for a photo after Puckett was presented the Medal of Honor HERO VETERAN WHO RAN INTO ENEMY FIRE AND TOLD HIS MEN TO LEAVE HIM BEHIND Col. Ralph Puckett Jr risked his life for his platoon during the Korean War when he held a strategic position while under heavy mortar and machine gun fire for two days. The 94-year-old Medal of Honor recipient was 24 and an Army Ranger in November 1950 when his unit started coming under heavy fire during an attack in broad daylight in Unsan. The recent graduate of the U.S. Military Academy had very limited training and no combat experience, but was tasked to lead a provisional unit. In the days leading up to the operation his men were pursuing North Korean forces as they retreated toward the Yalu River and the border with China. On little sleep, in freezing temperatures and with several casualties in his unit, on the morning of November 25 he was tasked with securing and defending a critical position. That was when he was hit with heavy artillery. Puckett is seen in a hospital bed during his heroic service. He ran onto an open hillside, known as Hill 205 (right), three times to try and draw Chinese enemy fire away from the Eighth Army Ranger company and help them identify where the shooting was coming from during the intense battle in 1950 He ran onto an open hillside, known as Hill 205, three times to try and draw Chinese enemy fire away from the Eighth Army Ranger company and help them identify where the shooting was coming from. On the same day, he showed his leadership again during a four-hour firefight. He was injured first by grenade fragments and then was more seriously hurt when an enemy mortar landed beside him in his foxhole. With his mobility seriously impacted, he asked the men in his unit to leave him behind for their own safety. But they disobeyed orders, dragged him from the battlefield and took him to a position where he still managed to direct his platoon to counter the Chinese onslaught. Of the Rangers on the mission, 10 were either killed or missing with another 31 wounded. Puckett was initially awarded a Distinguished Service Cross for his heroic actions and devotion to duty that day. Puckett then spent a year in Vietnam as a member of the 101st Airborne Division. He received a second Distinguished Service Cross for his actions in the Vietnam War and later retired from the Army in 1971. In 1992 was inducted into the U.S. Army Ranger Hall of Fame. He now lives in Georgia. The 94-year-old Medal of Honor recipient was 24 and an Army Ranger in November 1950 when his unit started coming under heavy fire during an attack in broad daylight in Unsan Source: US Army Advertisement Biden arrives with retired U.S. Army Col. Puckett before the Medal of Honor ceremony in the East Room Puckett listens to President Biden's speech on stage during the medal ceremony Authorities in the southeastern Brazilian state of Sao Paulo charged a 37-year-old mother with murdering her three-year-old son before she tried to kill herself. State prosecutor Neudival Mascarehna formally accused Andreia Freitas on Thursday with intentional homicide. It's alleged that on May 10, the mother-of-two was at home with her youngest son, Gael de Farias, at the family's 11th floor apartment in the downtown Sao Paulo neighborhood of Bela Vista, when she beat him to death, according to Brazilian news outlet Extra Globo. Freitas was briefly hospitalized at Mandaqui Hospital and then arrested May 11 after the police took her testimony. Mascarehna also ordered a full mental evaluation of Freitas, who has been placed in pre-trial detention. Freitas could face between 12 to 20 years in prison if she is convicted. Gael de Farias was allegedly killed by his mother, Andreia Freitas, at the family's apartment in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on May 10. She was formally charged with his murder on Thursday, and will have to undergo a psychiatric evaluation Andreia Freitas was charged on Thursday with the intentional homicide of her three-year-old son Gael de Farias. She allegedly attacked her son at their home the morning of May 10 and also attempted to commit suicide by locking herself in the bathroom and drinking house cleaning liquids. She was rushed to a local hospital and discharged before she was arrested May 11 Freita's aunt, Maria Nanete, told police investigators that her niece had given a bottle to de Farias the morning of the murder when the boy followed his mother to the kitchen. The 73-year-old woman said she initially thought the child was crying because he wanted to be carried by his mother, and later heard loud noises. Nanete thought the banging noise was coming from an apartment next door and subsequently heard the sound of a broken glass object. She then rushed to the kitchen and discovered Farias lying on the floor. She was unable to get any answers out of Freitas, who then locked herself in a room and drank house cleaning liquids, according to a Sao Paulo Civil Police report. Paramedics rushed an unresponsive de Farias to a Santa Casa Hospital, where doctors attempted to save his life for half hour before declaring him dead. Doctors who treated the child said he suffered trauma and a fractured skull. The police report indicated that Freitas had marks on her arms, which suggested that de Farias attempted to defend himself while his mother beat him. Her lawyer Fabio Costa told newspaper Folha Agora that the mother learned of her son's death while she was in jail. Costa added that Freitas had undergone a psychiatric assessment in February 2012 and was diagnosed with 'bipolar affective disorder with manic episodes and psychotic symptoms.' Doctors who attempted to save Gael de Farias' life said he suffered trauma and a fractured skull. Andreia Freitas underwent a mental evaluation in February 2012 and was diagnosed with 'bipolar affective disorder with manic episodes and psychotic symptoms' Felipe de Farias with his son, the late Gael de Farias, who was allegedly killed by his ex-wife Felipe de Farias, who was married to Freitas for a year and five months before he separated from her when the boy was six-months-old, told the newspaper that he did not understand his ex-wife's motives. 'I'm sure she was not in her right mind,' de Farias said. 'She would never do that consciously. Andreia loved Gael and her other daughter very much.' He described the child 'as very intelligent' and mentioned that he only seen his son three times since December 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 'I hope she pays for what she did even if she doesn't remember what happened,' de Freitas said. Earl Spencer's ex-head of security said Martin Bashir 'used him as leverage' to get access to his boss - and in turn secure his bombshell interview with Princess Diana. Alan Waller claimed the shamed Panorama reporter's actions 'affected him very badly', and said the BBC has apologised to him directly. Bashir commissioned fake bank statements to secure his interview with Princess Diana - but covered up his 'deceitful behaviour' in a 'shocking blot' on the BBC's near 100-year history. The statements wrongly suggested Mr Waller - Diana's brother's then-security boss - was in the pay of tabloid journalists and a shadowy company linked to the security services. The bank statements were shown to Earl Spencer, who then put Bashir in touch with Diana. Bashir's 1995 Panorama interview with the princess two month's later won the BBC multiple awards - but hastened the end of Diana's marriage to Prince Charles and saw her stripped of her HRH status just two years before her death. Earl Spencer's ex-head of security Alan Waller (left, and right with the Earl) claimed the shamed Panorama reporter's actions 'affected me very badly', and said the BBC has apologised to him directly Bashir mocked up these bank statements to convince Earl Spencer to help broker an interview with Diana in an extraordinary breach of BBC editorial guidelines Mr Waller said his team of lawyers are putting together a legal claim against the BBC and the reporter in light of Lord Dyson's damning report into how the interview was obtained. Bashir had claimed in a 1996 inquiry into the interview - which Lord Dyson blasted as 'woefully ineffective' - that Diana was the source of the allegations about payments to Mr Waller. But Bashir then claimed Diana went back on what she said weeks later - after the bank statements had already been forged. Mr Waller told The Daily Telegraph: 'It is absolute rubbish what Bashir claimed about Diana. How could she know about my bank account? He added: 'He [Bashir] used me as leverage to get alongside Spencer.' The forged bank statements showed two payments totaling 10,500 - with one from News International. The other was from Penfolds - a company which had been mentioned in an old Panorama probe. Lord Dyson's report yesterday savaged Bashir and several senior BBC executives over their handling of the infamous 1995 broadcast that triggered one of the biggest crises in the Royal Family's history. Bashir was in 'serious breach' of the BBC's producer guidelines when he faked the bank statements and showed them to Diana's brother Earl Spencer, the report said. The findings of the 127-page document have prompted developments, with Scotland Yard - which previously said it would not launch a criminal investigation into Bashir's actions - now saying it will 'assess' the report to 'to ensure there is no significant new evidence'. Police 'assess' report into Diana interview 'to ensure there is no significant new evidence' Detectives from the Metropolitan Police are assessing Lord Dyson's report on the BBC's 1995 Panorama interview with Diana, Princess of Wales to assess if there is any new evidence. Scotland Yard said in a statement that they had determined in March that 'it was not appropriate to begin a criminal investigation into allegations of unlawful activity in connection with a documentary broadcast in 1995, but should any significant new evidence emerge it would be assessed'. But they added today: 'Following the publication of Lord Dyson's report we will assess its contents to ensure there is no significant new evidence.' During an appearance on BBC Radio 4's Today programme on Friday it was put to the Justice Secretary that some people say the police should be involved following Lord Dyson's inquiry. Robert Buckland replied: 'That, of course, is a matter for the police and the independent prosecutorial authorities, and I'm not going to say anything to prejudge or to influence any such line of inquiry. 'But I think anybody reading the headlines and the summary of Lord Dyson's findings will be struck by his use of those words, fraud and deception and the like, and clearly those sort of issues, I'm afraid, could and do arise.' Advertisement Speaking during a visit to Portsmouth today, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he was 'obviously concerned by the findings of Lord Dyson's report'. He said: 'I can only imagine the feelings of the royal family and I hope very much that the BBC will be taking every possible step to make sure nothing like this ever happens again.' William and Harry condemned the BBC for its treatment of Diana, saying their mother's Panorama interview fuelled her 'fear, paranoia and isolation' and a wider 'culture of exploitation and unethical practices ultimately took her life'. The furious royal brothers issued scathing statements on the corporation's actions after an inquiry found the broadcaster covered up 'deceitful behaviour' used by Bashir to secure his headline-making interview with their mother in 1995. Justice Secretary Robert Buckland said ministers would be looking into whether there were BBC governance issues outside of the remit of Lord Dyson's reports that needed reviewing. Mr Buckland told ITV's Good Morning Britain: 'My colleague the Culture Secretary, Oliver Dowden, has rightly said that we should look at the governance structures of the BBC. 'They have apologised, which is appropriate, but clearly the wider issues of governance and the way things are run now need to be looked at.' In his rebuke of the BBC, the Duke of Cambridge said: 'The interview was a major contribution to making my parents' relationship worse and has since hurt countless others. 'It brings indescribable sadness to know that the BBC's failures contributed significantly to her fear, paranoia and isolation that I remember from those final years with her. 'But what saddens me most, is that if the BBC had properly investigated the complaints and concerns first raised in 1995, my mother would have known that she had been deceived. 'She was failed not just by a rogue reporter, but by leaders at the BBC who looked the other way rather than asking the tough questions.' Calling for the documentary never to be aired again, William, 38, said: 'In an era of fake news, public service broadcasting and a free press have never been more important. These failings, identified by investigative journalists, not only let my mother down, and my family down; they let the public down too.' Away from the Panorama scandal, Harry has admitted in his new documentary series with Oprah Winfrey, the trauma of his mother's death led him to use alcohol and drugs to 'mask' his emotions and to 'feel less like I was feeling'. The Duke of Sussex, 36, said in his statement about Diana's interview: 'Our mother was an incredible woman who dedicated her life to service. She was resilient, brave, and unquestionably honest. 'The ripple effect of a culture of exploitation and unethical practices ultimately took her life. To those who have taken some form of accountability, thank you for owning it. 'That is the first step towards justice and truth. Yet what deeply concerns me is that practices like these-and even worse-are still widespread today. 'Then, and now, it's bigger than one outlet, one network, or one publication. Our mother lost her life because of this, and nothing has changed. 'By protecting her legacy, we protect everyone, and uphold the dignity with which she lived her life. Let's remember who she was and what she stood for.' Toddlers approaching the 'terrible twos' may seem to be a little 'me, me, me'. But even at such a young age, children have learned to help others and put their needs above their own. At 19 months old, children are willing to give away their favourite toy, a study has found. Toddlers who sleep with their favourite teddy bear, love it, and are likely to be inconsolable when it goes missing, will nonetheless freely offer it to a stranger who appears to need it. Psychologists recruited 96 children to test the theory, asking parents to bring in their favourite items, which included cuddly animals, dolls, blankets, books or toys, and favourite bottle or sippy cup. When the item was taken by a researcher, who dropped it and reached for it, up to 45 per cent of the 19-month-olds gave their most treasured belonging back to him. Toddlers approaching the 'terrible twos' may seem to be a little 'me, me, me'. But even at such a young age, children have learned to help others and put their needs above their own. At 19 months old, children are willing to give away their favourite toy, a study has found. (File image) Professor Andrew Meltzoff, senior author of the study from the University of Washington, said: 'Many psychology books include descriptions of children as being self-centred or "egocentric". 'Babies are often portrayed as if they are completely selfish. Both Freud and Piaget described infants as being focused on their own needs and desires. 'But we are finding that even 19-month-old infants can show a remarkable capacity for generosity toward others.' By 18 months of age, many children use possessive language like 'mine' or 'yours' and act possessively towards specific objects. Researchers wanted to see for the first time if children so young could override these selfish impulses, showing the social, cooperative behaviour which differentiates human beings from closely related animals like chimpanzees. A researcher, who got to know a small child over a few minutes playing with toys, sat opposite them across a table. They took out the child's favourite toy or bottle and appeared to drop it, before reaching for it for 20 seconds, spending half that time looking between the object and the child in a silent appeal for help. In one experiment, eight out of 24 children picked up at least one of their beloved belongings and gave it to the psychologist. They did so even though they had a clear path to act selfishly, grab the toy or bottle and run back to their parent, and despite receiving no reward for giving away their possessions. In a separate experiment, almost a third of 30 children who slept with a favourite toy were willing to give it away. When researchers tested whether 48 children were possessive over their favourite belongings, more than two-thirds displayed this behaviour. Professor Andrew Meltzoff, senior author of the study from the University of Washington, said: 'Many psychology books include descriptions of children as being self-centred or "egocentric"... but we are finding that even 19-month-old infants can show a remarkable capacity for generosity toward others.' (File image) They tended to stand on tiptoes to try to get a toy or bottle, lunge towards it or raise both arms in a non-verbal gesture to indicate 'it's mine, give it to me'. Nonetheless the very young children were just as willing to give away their treasured possessions as food or neutral items like wooden blocks, which they were far less possessive over, according to the study published in the journal Scientific Reports. In an experiment involving 24 children, more than 45 per cent gave away their favourite toy or bottle, while only a third gave up sweet treats of banana slices and grapes. Experts believe children learn generosity from their parents at a very young age - although only children without brothers and sisters were found to be slightly less keen to give things away. Dr Rodolfo Barragan, first author of the study from the University of Washington, said: 'These toddlers expressed a longing for their own toy by reaching out for it with their hands, rising on tiptoes, and even lunging at it! 'Yet they shared it with the stranger but a moment later. We believe this striking ability to override possessive tendencies by sharing personally valued items is distinctive to humans, and our study shows that it is already in place by 19 months of age.' An FBI intelligence analyst brought home top secret files she had no right to see - including documents on an Osama bin Laden henchman - for over a decade, a court heard. Federal prosecutors said 48-year-old Kendra Kingsbury had unauthorized possession of sensitive government documents, including national defense information and classified documents, from 2004 until her suspension from the agency's Kansas City Division in December 2017, the Department of Justice said. She stored the classified materials in her Dodge City home, which included details on the FBI's nationwide objectives and priorities, including specific open investigations across multiple field offices. Court documents said that some of the material provided information about operatives affiliated with Al-Qaeda in Africa, including a 'suspected associate' of 9/11 mastermind Osama bin Laden, who was not named in charging documents. 48-year-old Kendra Kingsbury had unauthorized possession of sensitive government documents from 2004 until her suspension from the agency's Kansas City Division (pictured) in December 2017 Some of the material provided information about operatives affiliated with al-Qaeda in Africa, including a 'suspected associate' of Osama bin Laden (pictured) Prosecutors did not provide a reason why Kingsbury mishandled classified documents, or say if she had any nefarious reason for wrongly procuring and keeping the documents. They have also not said how Kinsbury's alleged haul was exposed. DailyMail.com has contacted the FBI for further comment. The intelligence analyst was not authorized to remove and retain the sensitive government materials, and prosecutors said that she did not need to know most, if not all, of the information contained in those materials. Prosecutors added that Kingsbury was fully aware that the unauthorized removal of classified materials, transportation and storage of those materials in an unauthorized location was risky and could endanger the national security of the United States and the safety of its citizens. She also knew that violating the rules governing the handling of classified information could result in criminal prosecution. It is unclear if any of Kingsbury's hoarding actually did endanger missions, or operatives involved in them. 'The breadth and depth of classified national security information retained by the defendant for more than a decade is simply astonishing,' Alan E. Kohler Jr., the assistant director in charge of the FBIs Counterintelligence Division, said in a statement. Kingsbury worked as an intelligence analyst for the FBI for 12 years and was assigned to several different FBI squads (headquarters pictured) As an intelligence analyst for the agency for 12 years Kingsbury was assigned to several different FBI squads that focused on illegal drug trafficking, violent crime, violent gangs, and counterintelligence, prosecutors said. Kingsbury held a top secret security clearance and had access to national defense and classified information. Kingsbury also took home documents relating to sensitive human source operations in national security investigations, intelligence gaps regarding hostile foreign intelligence services and terrorist organizations, and the technical capabilities of the FBI against counterintelligence and counterterrorism targets, prosecutors allege. Kingsbury was charged with two counts of having unauthorized possession of documents relating to the national defense. Kingsbury was indicted on Tuesday and charges were made public Friday upon her arrest as she made her first court appearance in the District of Kansas. She is due back in court in Kansas City, Missouri, for an arraignment on June 1. The case underscores the risk to national security posed by 'insider threats,' said Assistant Attorney General John Demers, the Justice Department's top national security official. The owner of Tiger King Park allegedly threatened to kill a federal animal inspector and have his children taken from him during an inspection just weeks before officials seized 68 cats from the park. Lauren Lowe 'screamed and bombarded' US Fish and Wildlife Service Special Agent Kevin Seiler with threats targeting him and his children, according to an affidavit released by the Justice Department. The threatening behavior took place on May 6 when Seiler was carrying out an inspection at the park in Thackerville, Oklahoma owned by Lowe and her husband Jeff Lowe. The couple starred in Netflix's blockbuster docuseries Tiger King alongside Joe Exotic - real name Joe Maldonado-Passage. On Monday, the DOJ seized 68 lions, tigers, lion-tiger hybrids and a jaguar from the park citing ongoing Endangered Species Act violations. The owner of Tiger King Park allegedly threatened to kill a federal animal inspector and have his children taken from him during an inspection just weeks before officials seized 68 cats from the park. Lauren Lowe pictured with a big cat at the park On Monday, the DOJ seized 68 lions, tigers, lion-tiger hybrids and a jaguar from the park citing ongoing Endangered Species Act violations. Pictured officials seizing the animals According to the affidavit, Lowe told another federal agent during the search that she was 'gonna kill' Seiler. 'During the execution of the warrant on May 6, 2021, Lauren Lowe communicated a threat to kill me,' it reads. 'While I was answering questions from Jeff Lowe about the service of the warrant, Lauren Lowe told USDA-OIG Special Agent Damon Musick, 'I'm gonna kill him,' in reference to me.' The agent said the threat was especially intimidating because the Lowes' 'former Tiger King business partner is serving a prison sentence for hiring a hit man to assassinate a business rival in another state'. Jeff is Joe Exotic's former business partner. He came on board as an investor in Joe's tiger park in 2015 when Joe was struggling financially due to legal battles with his arch rival Carole Baskin. Joe, who was the main star of the Netflix show, was found guilty last year of hiring a hitman to kill Baskin in November 2017. Lauren Lowe 'screamed and bombarded' US Fish and Wildlife Service Special Agent Kevin Seiler with threats targeting him and his children, according to an affidavit Lowe pictured with husband Jeff. The agent said the threat was especially intimidating because the Lowes' former business partner is in prison 'for hiring a hit man to assassinate a business rival' According to the affidavit, Lowe also made multiple threats to the agent about him and his children including 'referencing my children being taken away from me.' 'Lauren Lowe also screamed and bombarded me personally with non-specific direct threats to me and my children on multiple occasions, referencing my children being taken away from me,' it reads. 'This happened on multiple occasions when I was attempting to answer questions, give directions, and when I needed to complete required documentation of the seized wildlife.' The document also says Lowe, Jeff and Jeff's adult son Taylor Lowe verbally and physically harassed members of law enforcement throughout the search. This included screaming profane personal attacks, making threats to their personal safety and threatening to damage their personal reputations on social media, it reads. The trio are also accused of repeatedly interfering in the safe movement of big cats at the park by interfering with the officials' machinery and equipment. When the agent then gave Jeff a copy of the property receipt, he allegedly crumpled it up in his fist while yelling and screaming profanities. Joe Exotic (above) - Jeff Lowe's former business partner - is serving 22 years for an assassination plot to take out his arch nemesis Carole Baskin The agent wrote that this was 'an apparent self-scripted effort to film the exchange for what he had commented earlier would be sold to Netflix as Tiger King 2.' The affidavit was released Thursday as the DOJ announced 68 animals had been seized from the park. This included the removal of 46 tigers, a jaguar, and seven lions, the DOJ said. Tiger King Park posted on Instagram stories Friday claiming that the seizing of the cats has 'nothing to do with the care of animals.' Authorities claimed that Jeff and Lowe had repeatedly violated laws requiring appropriate care for animals and had not complied with an order to hire a qualified veterinarian. The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) allegedly conducted three inspections of the park in the past six months. The Lowes received 'citations for failing to provide the animals with adequate or timely veterinary care, appropriate nutrition'. TMZ reports that inspectors noted that there was also inadequate shelter to protect the big cats 'from bad weather'. 'This seizure should send a clear message that the Justice Department takes alleged harm to captive-bred animals protected under the Endangered Species Act very seriously,' Acting Assistant Attorney General Jean Williams said Wednesday. On Monday, officials raided the newly-established 'Tiger King Park' in Thackerville, Oklahoma for ongoing Endangered Species Act violations The Lowes previously owned the Wynnewood Greater Wildlife Park. That facility was once owned by Joe Exotic - the flamboyant lead star of Tiger King. Wynnewood was the setting of the seven-part docuseries, which revolved around Exotic's bid to keep control of the animal park. However, Exotic - whose real name is Joseph Maldonado-Passage - was arrested on charges of attempted murder and the Lowes later took ownership of Wynnewood. They were forced to close the park last August after a USDA inspection there found multiple animal welfare violations. Jeff Lowe claimed the USDA was accusing him of a 'litany of falsehoods' and blamed PETA 'spies' for the closure of the park. 'The very agency that has given my facility five consecutive perfect inspections, has now folded to the pressures of PETA and continue to make false accusations against me,' Lowe stated. The Lowes moved their big cats to Thackerville, Oklahoma to create their new unlicensed wildlife park called 'Tiger King Park.' But USDA continued to conduct inspections and the big cats have now been seized. The Lowes previously owned the Wynnewood Greater Wildlife Park, before relocating their big cats to the 'Tiger King Park' in Thackerville (pictured) The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) allegedly conducted three inspections of the park since in the past six months. Lauren Lowe is seen at the facility last year Lauren Lowe is seen at the park last November. Since that time, USDA officials conducted three separate inspections of the park Jeff and Lauren are seen in a snap taken by DailyMail.com at the park prior to its opening last year The Justice Department says they want 'to ensure that [the animals] go to responsible animal preserves where they can be safely maintained rather than exploited'. PETA released a statement saying 'the Lowes' reign of terror against threatened and endangered big cats may soon be over. 'If PETA has its way, these Tiger King villains will lose every other animal in their custody, too,' PETA official Brittany Peet said in a statement. Meanwhile, the Lowes' co-star, Joe Exotic, remains behind bars serving out a 22-year-sentence. He was convicted of hiring a hitman to kill animal rights activist, Carole Baskin, who runs Big Cat Rescue in Florida. Video footage has emerged showing the shocking moment a drunken thug repeatedly punched a 74-year-old pensioner in the face. Mandas Narusis, 31, will spend the next two years behind bars for his role in a booze-fuelled road rage assault. The Welsh man had staggered into a road, causing an elderly driver to brake suddenly to avoid a collision. But instead of being thankful for the near miss, Narusis smashed the driver's side window and repeatedly punched his vulnerable victim in the face. The shocking attack in Risca, near Caerphilly, South Wales, was captured on film by passers-by who reported it to police. The driver spent four days in hospital and Narusis has been sentenced more than two years in prison for his role in the assault. Captured: The shocking moment Mandas Narusis was caught on camera assaulting an elderly pensioner in a fit of drunken road rage Mandas Narusis, 31, of Risca in South Wales, was sentenced to two years and eight months in jail by a Cardiff court Mandas Narusis, of Risca in South Wales, was sentenced to two years and eight months in jail by a Cardiff court. He had attacked an elderly pensioner and repeatedly punched him in the face during a spate of drunken road rage last autumn. In video footage that has since emerged, Narusis can be seen smashing the car window and striking the man in the face. The victim - a 74-year-old man - was hospitalised following the attack which happened on September 25. Narusis has since appeared at Cardiff Crown Court where he admitted inflicting grievous bodily harm and criminal damage and jailed for two years and eight months. Narusis admitted inflicting grievous bodily harm and criminal damage in last September's incident at a Welsh court Speaking after the sentence PC Jennifer Evans, said: 'Mandas Narusis attacked the motorist, who stopped sharply to avoid colliding with him, after he walked out into Commercial Street while drunk. 'He then launched an unprovoked and sustained attack on the elderly man, who had just popped out to the shops. 'The victim spent four days in hospital following this distressing incident. 'I hope that the victim can regain his confidence that he has lost as a direct result of this attack. 'Narusis will now have time to reflect on his behaviour. Hopefully he will use that time wisely.' Advertisement A coronavirus patient was allegedly gang-raped by three employees at a private hospital in India before she died, according to reports. The 45-year-old woman was being treated for Covid-19 at Paras HMRI, a private health unit in the Indian state of Bihar, when she was allegedly raped by three employees at the hospital on May 16, according to the victim's daughter. The victim, who was on ventilator support at the hospital after being admitted on May 15, later died on May 19. Her daughter has now claimed that doctors at the hospital intubated her mother in an effort to keep her quiet about the sexual assault. The 45-year-old woman was being treated for Covid-19 at Paras HMRI when she was allegedly raped, according to the victim's daughter The victim was admitted to Paras HMRI, a private health unit in the Indian state of Bihar, on May 15 but later died on May 19 The victim's daughter said she had spoken to the women's wing of the Jan Adhikar Party (JAP), a political party in Bihar, about her mother's sexual assault. She said: 'My mother walked into the hospital on her own and despite having symptoms her health condition was satisfactory, to say the least. In the ICU of the hospital, she was molested by three men on May 16. 'It was my mother who informed me about the whole incident after her health deteriorated. 'I also spoke to relatives apart from the JAP about the sexual harassment and misbehaviour with my mother.' The patient's daughter said hospital staff asked her to sign a form because her mother's condition was critical and she needed to be put on ventilator support. However, the victim's daughter believes that doctors intubated her mother in an effort to keep her quiet about the attack. She added: 'They declared her dead. However, I suspect that the doctors intubated her because they wanted her not to record her statement before the police. This hospital should be shut down.' Ramashankar Singh, the Station house officer at Shastrinagar police station, is currently investigating the accusations. The National Commission for Women (NCW) has also taken the matter into their own hands after its chairperson Rekha Sharma wrote to the Bihar government and police to investigate the matter. Meanwhile, the Duty Magistrate of Patna, ML Khan, confirmed that the body has been sent for a post-mortem after the victim's daughter claimed her mother was sexually assaulted inside the hospital. They said: 'The complaint was received from the deceased's person's daughter against the hospital; however, the names of the accused were not mentioned in the complaint. 'The hospital administration has cited coronavirus infection as the cause of her death, but the complainant maintained that her mother had undergone sexual assault. We are investigating the matter and post-mortem report will reveal whether she was sexually assaulted or not.' The hospital has insisted that the victim died due to complications from Covid-19 and P.D. Gupta from Paras hospital management has dismissed the allegations of sexual assault. In a statement, the hospital administration said that the patient was put on mechanical invasive ventilation after struggling to maintain proper saturation. The statement read: 'The patient was admitted to the Covid ICU of our hospital on May 15, with symptoms of Covid. 'On May 16 evening, the patient had become restless and was not maintaining proper saturation on high flow oxygen. The doctors decided to put her on CPAP support. The patient was very restless and was still not maintaining proper saturation, thus a group of clinicians decided to put her on mechanical invasive ventilation. 'The patient after being put on ventilation did not show signs of recovery and her vitals and other parameters kept deteriorating. The poor prognosis of the patient was explained to the next of kin on several occasions. Unfortunately, the patient lost her battle with Covid on the morning of May 19. 'The patient's daughter has alleged that the patient had been molested by three personnel, whom she was unable to identify between 6 pm of May 16 and 11am of May 17. 'This matter was taken up by the hospital management and an internal enquiry was done based on the same. After the investigation, the hospital management had shared its conclusion with the appropriate authorities that such an incident did not happen in the premises of the hospital.' Earlier today, rows and rows of shallow graves were partially exposed along the banks of the river Ganges in northwestern India by heavy rains. The remains of coronavirus victims were among the hundreds buried at the cremation ground in Shringverpur village, which sits next to the city of Prayagraj. Horrifying pictures showed the vast scale of the site, where the small grave mounds were covered with saffron cloth. Municipal staff were working to recover the graves and chase away stray dogs who had been spotted in the area. Rows and rows of shallow graves along the banks of the river Ganges in northwestern India have been partially exposed by heavy rains A municipal worker drags sand over the partially exposed graves after rains washed away the top layer of sand Cremations continued at the site - just one of many struggling to cope with the huge number of coronavirus deaths amid India's punishing second wave The remains of coronavirus victims are among the hundreds buried at the cremation ground in Shringverpur village, around 40 kilometres from the city of Prayagraj Despite this, on Thursday cremations continued at the site - just one of many struggling to cope with the huge number of coronavirus deaths amid India's punishing second wave. The country recorded 4,209 deaths from the disease on Thursday, along with 259, 551 new infections. Official figures are widely considered to be vastly lower than the actual number of deaths and infections. Hospitals, morgues and crematoriums have been overwhelmed since the second wave began in March, with many areas of the country suffering chronic oxygen shortages. In recent weeks, a horrifying Covid-19 complication has swept the country, with thousands of people contracting black fungus. The wave of infections with the previously very rare condition has been blamed on excessive use of steroids to treat the country's millions of Covid patients, experts say. Mucormycosis, as it is scientifically known, is highly aggressive and surgeons sometimes have to remove patients' eyes, nose and jaw to stop it reaching the brain. The death rate is over 50 percent. India normally deals with fewer than 20 black fungus cases a year but now there are several thousand across the country including more than 2,000 in Maharashtra state, home to India's financial capital Mumbai. Horrifying pictures showed the vast scale of the site, where the small grave mounds were covered with saffron cloth Municipal staff chase away stray dogs who had begun gnawing at the bones inside the partially exposed graves India recorded 4,209 deaths from the disease on Thursday, along with 259, 551 new infections, though official figures are widely believed to be much lower than the actual number of infections and deaths At least nine Indian states have declared the problem an epidemic. The cities of New Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad and Bangalore have opened special wards. Indian media reports suggest hundreds have died in the past few days. Authorities have not said how many have perished nationally but a government alert to state authorities has called for teams of surgeons and specialists to be ready for a rise in cases. Before the coronavirus pandemic, only those with severely compromised immunity, such as HIV or organ transplant patients, were at risk. The current rapid rise in fungus cases is largely being attributed to the uncontrolled use of steroids to treat patients for coronavirus. 'People have started using (steroids) liberally, excessively and inappropriately,' Professor K. Srinath Reddy, from the Public Health Foundation of India, told AFP news agency. He said contaminated water in oxygen cylinders or air humidifiers also provided an opportunity for the fungus to spread rapidly. Hospitals, morgues and crematoriums have been overwhelmed since the second wave began in March, with many areas of the country suffering chronic oxygen shortages In recent weeks, a horrifying Covid-19 complication has swept the country, with thousands of people contracting black fungus. Pictured: Partially exposed graves on the banks of the river Ganges Pictured: Relatives carry a body for cremation in the village of Shringverpur in Uttar Pradesh, India on Thursday The wave of infections with the previously very rare black fugus has been blamed on excessive use of steroids to treat the country's millions of Covid patients, experts say When coronavirus case numbers started exploding across India in March and April, social media was awash with desperate pleas for medical oxygen, hospital beds and drugs from families with sick relatives. Now Indians including Shah are turning to social media again in the hunt for drugs to treat black fungus. Most of the requests are for amphotericin B liposomal injections. India's health minister on Thursday said production of the shots was being increased. Amulya Nidhi, a health activist in Madhya Pradesh, said the government had earlier failed to prepare an adequate supply of coronavirus medicines such as remdesivir and plasma, and then failed to learn its lesson by doing the same with fungus medications. 'The government should have acted when it found out about the very first (fungus) case... People are not supposed to be begging for life-saving medicines.' Coronado, CA (92118) Today Mainly sunny. High 73F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Clear to partly cloudy. Low 59F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Thomas Mangar, 36, took the sickening photo on his mobile phone while the woman - who is in her 20s - lay naked and unconscious in Hitherbroom Park in Hayes, west London A rapist who took a 'thumbs up' selfie with his unconscious victim after raping her in a park has been jailed for 12 years. Thomas Mangar, 36, took the sickening photo on his mobile phone while the woman - who is in her 20s - lay naked and unconscious in Hitherbroom Park in Hayes, west London. The victim remembered heading home on May 11 last year after a night out with friends. But she suffered a loss of memory until 2.45pm the next day - when she woke up to find Mangar, from Hillingdon, London, raping her. She desperately tried to fight Mangar off by pushing and hitting him, a jury at Isleworth Crown Court heard. During the ordeal, Mangar 'exposed her breasts and touched her' while the woman lay unconscious. He photographed this and sent the pictures to his cousin. Mangar - who has a degree in history of sociology and two children with an ex-wife - denied but was convicted by a jury of rape and sexual assault. He was sentenced to 12 years with an extended licence period of four years. Before Mangar had lured her into the park the woman had been suffering from heart palpitations and struggling to breath. She had sought assistance at a nearby GP surgery but was refused help because 'she wasn't registered'. Judge Hannah Duncan told Mangar: 'You exposed her breasts and touched her as she was unconscious and you photographed this. 'This spanned the period of about 90 minutes. This lead to final act which was to rape her. 'You sent those pictures in the park to someone you say was your cousin. 'You are seen in these photographs or at least one of them, smiling into the camera with your thumb up. It's a despicable piece of bragging. 'You then pulled her trousers down and raped her as she was unconscious. 'One can only image how she must have felt when she regained consiousness and realised a complete stranger [is] on top her and raping her. 'She didn't know who you were, where she was and how you got on top of her. The victim remembered heading home on May 11 last year after a night out with friends. But she suffered a loss of memory until 2.45pm the next day - when she woke up to find Mangar, from Hillingdon, London, raping her in Hitherbroom Park (pictured, file image) 'It was broad daylight and she was nearly naked in the park. Her life has not been the same and she's scared that it never will be. 'She has problems sleeping and has anxiety and depression. 'She is clearly traumatised by what has happened, she feels disgusted with herself [over] what happened and may never get over it. 'Her trust in people has been affected, as have her personal relationships.' Mangar told a probation officer preparing a pre-sentence report that 'this is awful, very insulting, and very bad' when asked about the incident The court heard Mangar has two previous convictions for battery against women he was in relationships with. 'It is disturbing that your victims are always women,' the judge said. 'When your attitude to women was explored in the interview it was difficult for the author to explore it properly due to you being emotional about the consequences to you of this conviction. 'It is difficult not to conclude that you are misogynistic.' Judge Duncan commended a man named as Mr Chaima, a member of the public who overheard her terrified screams and saw Mangar on top of her. He rushed at the rapist, but he ran off. After checking to see if the woman was alright, he gave chase and caught up with Mangar, demanding to know what he was doing. Mangar said he had been giving CPR to the woman and gave a false name and telephone number. Four days later the witness spotted Mangar near the park again and called police who arrested him. Detectives recovered a condom and a torn wrapper near the scene containing Mangar's DNA. During the trial he claimed that he was forced at knifepoint to rape the woman, a story he maintains even after his conviction. Judge Duncan said: 'That is not remorse for your own actions at all. 'I do accept that offences had a serious and severe impact on you and it's possible that it's starting to sink in.' Mangar will serve at least two thirds of his 12-year sentence before being eligible for release by the Parole Board. The man who killed a mother-of-three while she was living a secret life as an escort is appealing his conviction as her heartbroken family nearly 15 years later continues to mourn the loss. Paige Birgfield, 34, disappeared from her home in Grand Junction, Colorado in June 2007, leaving her children with a nanny. An investigation later revealed that Birgfield had a secret: She worked as an escort. Years later, one of her clients, Lester Ralph Jones, 55, a local RV mechanic was convicted in her death. Jones was found guilty of first-degree murder, felony murder, second-degree murder and kidnapping. He was sentenced to life in prison without parole. He is currently appealing his conviction. Details of the case are featured in a new episode of ABC's 20/20. Jones was found guilty of first-degree murder, felony murder, second-degree murder and kidnapping. He was sentenced to life in prison without parole. He is currently appealing his conviction. Paige Birgfield, 34 (pictured), disappeared from her home in Grand Junction, Colorado in June 2007, leaving her children with a nanny She was never seen by her family after her disappearance and her remains were later found After her disappearance, daughter Jess Dixon called her mom looking for her. Paige's friend, Carol Linderholm, said Dixon and the nanny went to the police station two days after Paige's disappearance. Upon learning from the Mason County Sheriffs Department that Paige was missing, her father, Frank Birgfield said, 'This is a problem. There is a crime being committed here.' Her brother Craig Birgfield said that when his father called to tell him Paige was missing, it was the 'first time I ever heard him cry since I was a little kid. My heart dropped.' 'Paige was the most outgoing [person] -- independent, stubborn at times. Just [a] great sister and terrific mom,' he told ABC News. On July 1, three days after she vanished, her red Ford Focus was found burning. Dan Rubinstein, the Mesa County district attorney, pointed toward arson at the time and suspected that she may have been kidnapped. 'Prior to finding the vehicle on fire, this was a missing persons case, and as soon as that happened, it was an immediate conversion over to 'that is foul play,'' Rubinstein said. The driver's seat of the car had been pushed back, suggesting someone taller than Paige may have been driving the vehicle. Paige's day planner also was in the car, which had pages ripped out on the dates she was missing. After the car was found, a desperate search for Paige began. Investigators later discovered that Paige Birgfield had been living a double life 'We came here from Seattle to support my parents, to take care of the kids and to find Paige,' Craig Birgfield said. 'We bought a one-way ticket, and weve been committed to stay[ing] here until we find Paige.' Investigators looked at second ex-husband Rob Dixon, who was married to Paige Birgfield from 1998 to 2006. Frank Birgfield described their relationship as 'extremely volatile,' with his daughter calling police at one point in 2004 to report a fight, in which he said 'that I would come home and find them all murdered,' according to the 911 call. 'We were, of course, very interested in Rob Dixon as a potential suspect because we knew about the volatility of the relationship,' Rubinstein said of the investigation. Rubinstein reveals Dixon's phone provided an alibi for him, though. 'He had moved to Philadelphia at that point, and we were quickly able to show that his phone was in Philadelphia at that time and he couldn't have been in two places at once,' Rubinstein said. Her car was found burnt out, with some investigators suspecting it was arson Authorities also looked at Ron Beigler, who was married to her from 1995 to 1997. They had rekindled their relationship after Paige's first divorce and Beigler saw her around 7pm the day she disappeared. But he was ruled out almost immediately and cell phone tower data showed he was near Denver when she disappeared, nowhere near Grand Junction. Another twist came days after the car was found, when a motorist with a flat tire came across her checkbook, among other items. 'One check was torn out at a time. One card was thrown at a time. So it appears she was just trying to leave us a trail of breadcrumbs to show us where she was going,' said Mesa County Sheriffs Department Sgt. Wayne Weyler. One of the items was a business card, which helped unveil her secret life as an escort, as well as a former stripper who danced as 'Madison' in Denver in the 1990s, according to investigators. Dixon told police that he learned of her escort services, which is what led to the 2005 incident between them. She started her own escort company the same year. 'Paige charged the most that I've ever heard. ... In some cases up to $2,500 and, for the most part, $1,000 to $1,200 for sex,' Weyler claimed. Lester Jones was later convicted in her death Friend Barbra Campbell pointed to financial troubles as a factor in Paige's burgeoning escort service. Phone records narrowed suspects down to at least seven suspects. Jones, a client, had a history of sexual assault and kidnapping, drawing the focus of investigators. 'Hes a very large, overpowering person,' Linderholm said of Jones. Jones worked at a shop across the street from where Paige's car was aflame. He also matched the potential height for the driver's seat position of her car. Investigators got in touch with Jones on July 5, 2007 and he agreed to questioning, cooperating fully and giving up the keys to his white Dodge pickup truck. He denied any knowledge about Paige's disappearance or location, though. Jones was sentenced to life in prison after he was convicted in a second trial But police K-9 dogs discovered Jones' scent in the burnt car, as well as the scent of a dead body that was previously there. Yet he couldn't be charged without more concrete evidence. Five years later in March 2012, a hiker happened upon her remains in a gulch, obscured by rocks and weeds. Through dental records and DNA, Paige was identified. 'We can surmise that she was taken out to that area, tied up and duct-taped to keep silent,' Weyler said. Eventually, Jones was arrested in November 2014, charged with first-degree murder, second-degree murder and kidnapping. His trial began in July 2016 but ended in a mistrial on September 9, 2016. The jury had failed to reach a verdict, however prosecutors retried the case. Rubinstein said, 'I was convinced that there was proof beyond a reasonable doubt. It needed to be presented differently. It needed to be presented more concisely.' The people who knew Paige continue to mourn almost 15 years after her disappearance Ten weeks later, a new trial began, with prosecutors utilizing surveillance video of her office on the day Jones tried contacting Paige for her services before she disappeared. The people who knew Paige continue to mourn for their loss almost 15 years after her disappearance. 'She was working probably about four or five different jobs [that] she was very knowledgeable about,' said Linderholm. 'She developed a business of baby slings. She taught brain dance classes to little children and she really enjoyed that.' Lieutenant George Lane was in big trouble. Bullets from German guns were flying all around him as he and Captain Roy Wooldridge hid in the surf, crouching for cover behind beach obstacles made of iron girders and praying not to be hit. It was mid-May 1944, in northern France, three weeks before D-Day. They didnt know whether the Nazi soldiers shooting blindly into the darkness were just letting off steam or if their secret mission to investigate a new type of German landmine had been compromised. What they did know for sure was that if they were caught, they were dead men. Adolf Hitlers Kommandobefehl edict stated that all captured Allied commandos like them were to be summarily executed. It was mid-May 1944, in northern France, three weeks before D-Day. They didnt know whether the Nazi soldiers shooting blindly into the darkness were just letting off steam or if their secret mission to investigate a new type of German landmine had been compromised. (Pictured, still taken from The Longest Day, 1962) They arrived at a castle on the River Seine which the German commander, Field Marshal Erwin Rommel, had requisitioned for his headquarters. (Pictured foreground, General Erwin Rommel during the Nazis' North African campaign during World War II, circa 1941) The pair lay as still as possible until the shooting stopped. Then they found their concealed dinghy, miraculously un-punctured, and frantically paddled out to sea, hoping to get back to the Navy motor torpedo boat waiting offshore. They thought theyd made it when suddenly a blinding spotlight turned on them and, from a German patrol boat bristling with machine guns, a voice called out: Hande hoch, Tommy! They had no choice but to surrender. Lanes thoughts were of the torture that inevitably lay ahead. The Gestapo make everyone talk, he had been warned. But he was not worried about giving up any operational details about the forthcoming D-Day because, as a lowly lieutenant, he didnt know any. What concerned him was that the Germans would crack his cover story and discover he was part of a top-secret British commando unit X Troop, an unprecedented band of highly trained killers and undercover operators that those very few in the know back in Britain dubbed the suicide squad. What made it extra special and extra dangerous for him if the Nazis found out was that its troopers were nearly all Jews. It was made up of German-speaking refugees from Germany, Austria and Hungary for whom the war was deeply personal. They were a ragtag group, including a semi-professional boxer, an Olympic water polo player, painters, poets, athletes and musicians, all of whom had managed to flee the Third Reich before the war. Many of their relatives had been murdered in the death camps. On shore the two prisoners were put in separate basement cells for a long, cold, hungry night before being driven the next morning through the French countryside. They were in blindfolds, but Lanes was poorly fitted and he was able to see enough to draw up a mental map of his bearings. They arrived at a castle on the River Seine which the German commander, Field Marshal Erwin Rommel, had requisitioned for his headquarters. A German captain offered the bedraggled Lane a drink, then told him to tidy himself up because youre going to be interrogated by someone important. He was led into a study where, to his amazement, Rommel himself was standing by the fireplace. Lane instinctively gave him the salute due a superior officer. To disguise their origins, the men in X Troop had all taken on fake English names and identities. Lane himself was really Lanyi Gyorgy, a student from Budapest now he found himself taking tea with the most renowned military commander in the Third Reich and, as a Nazi, his sworn enemy. In training the first group in the Welsh mountains, X Troop commander Bryan Hilton-Jones, pictured, had them break into Harlech Castle It is no exaggeration to say that X Trooper George Lane (pictured) and his ill-fitting blindfold dramatically affected the course of World War II As an adjutant poured tea, Rommel asked: So how is my friend General Montgomery? Lane replied: Unfortunately I dont know him personally, but as you know hes preparing the invasion, so I imagine youll see him very soon. Rommel pressed him on when the invasion might be and Lane explained he was not privy to the plans. The field marshal nodded and said: The greatest tragedy is that you British and we Germans are not fighting side by side against the real enemy, Russia. Lane knew he should keep his mouth shut, but he couldnt help himself. Sir, he said, how can the British and Germans fight side by side considering what the Nazis are doing to the Jews? No Englishman could tolerate such a thing. Well, thats a political argument, and as a soldier you shouldnt be interested in politics, Rommel answered curtly. Im sorry, Sir, but its very important to us English, replied the Jewish refugee from Budapest. The conversation petered out and Lane was led away. He was handed over to the Wehrmacht not, to his relief, the Gestapo or SS. For some reason Rommel must have accepted his argument that he was not a saboteur who should be shot on sight. He was transferred to a prisoner of war camp. There his story of being an officer in a Welsh infantry regiment didnt survive one day, his suspicious fellow POWs assuming he was a German stooge. In confidence, he explained to the leader of the British contingent who he really was. He also related the tale of having tea with Rommel and described what he had been able to glean through his blindfold of the location of the field marshals HQ. One of the officers recognised the description and identified it as the Chateau de La Roche-Guyon. Using a hidden homemade wireless set, Lanes information was transmitted to London, and a few months later RAF Spitfires strafed Rommels staff car as it drove from the chateau to the front line in Normandy. The attack left Rommel the master tactician leading the German resistance to the Allied advance after D-Day with serious injuries and his participation in the war was effectively over. It is no exaggeration to say that X Trooper George Lane alias Lanyi Gyorgy and his ill-fitting blindfold dramatically affected the course of World War II. As indeed did all 87 members of the mysterious X Troop, extraordinary soldiers to a man who fought in France, Sicily, Italy, Greece, Yugoslavia, Albania, the Netherlands and Belgium and then, when the war was over, went hunting for Nazi war criminals in the rubble of Hitlers Europe. Their little-known story which I pieced together from long-sealed British military records, official war diaries and a treasure trove of material kept by the mens families began in 1942 as Britain contemplated the daunting prospect of one day invading Nazi-occupied Europe. Military planners Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Combined Operations commander Lord Mountbatten chief among them decided they needed one special weapon not yet in their arsenal: highly intelligent, highly motivated, German-speaking commandos. Their job would be to infiltrate behind enemy lines to gather information and interrogate prisoners on the spot rather than waste valuable time bringing them back to headquarters. Where are the mines laid? How many soldiers are in your formation? What units are they from? Where is your headquarters? What weapons are being used? It was intelligence crucial to making battlefield decisions as quickly as possible. As the sharpened tip of the Allied dagger that would lead to the heart of the Third Reich, these men had to be special. They had to be heart and head, both brains and brawn. And the German-speaking Jewish refugees who had been arriving in Britain since Hitlers rise to power fitted the bill. They had lost their families, their homes, their whole worlds to the Nazis. Their anger was palpable. Each had a personal tale to tell of loss and redemption, of agency stolen and reclaimed. To a man, they were, in the words of one of them, intelligent, versatile, tough, stoic and burning with the cause. They were all required to excise any signs of their past lives, down to ditching their old names and taking on new English ones. Churchill recognised this when he gave the group its title. Because they will be unknown warriors they must perforce be considered an unknown quantity. Since the algebraic symbol for the unknown is X, let us call them X Troop. The troop made its battlefield debut in a mission that was devised specially by none other than naval intelligence officer Ian Fleming, later to find fame as the creator of 007 James Bond. The backdrop was the raid on Dieppe in August 1942, one of the worst Allied disasters of the Second World War. Five thousand Canadian troops and 1,000 British commandos stormed the French port, to be met by Germans waiting for them with hails of machine gun fire from along the sea walls and inside their pillboxes. Nearly 1,000 were killed, more than 2,400 wounded and 2,000 taken prisoner. The doomed advancing soldiers were, as one survivor later recounted, mown down like flies. Wounded and dying men littered the beaches. Horrific stories tell of men wading through limbs and bobbing heads and more blood than sea. Amid this shattered landing force was a small contingent of X Troopers, operating under the cover of the invasion to execute a special, highly secret raid of their own. Conventional accounts of Operation Jubilee (the raids official designation) say it was intended as a morale-booster for the Allies, to give the seemingly unstoppable enemy a bloody nose. But recently this has been challenged by some historians claiming the real reason was to seize a German four-rotor Enigma encryption machine. The machine and its codebooks were supposedly kept in the German HQ in the centre of the town. If raiders could get hold of this top-secret equipment, it would be a major boost for the Ultra code-breakers at Bletchley Park. Bletchley had already partially broken the three-rotor Enigma machine code, enabling the British to know where German U-boats were planning to attack British convoys. But the Germans had switched to a much more complex four-rotor machine. It was crucial, however, that the Germans never knew that this was one of the goals of the Dieppe Raid. If they saw through the Allies ruse, they would change all the codebooks or create a new machine. Thus the attack on the German HQ had to look like a mere side element of the much bigger amphibious invasion. The mastermind of the Enigma pinch, as it was called, was Commander Ian Fleming, personal assistant to the director of Naval Intelligence. The evidence Ive found on the X Troopers who took part in Operation Jubilee as part of No 10 (Inter-Allied) Commando supports this theory. Their fluent German meant they would be able to quickly evaluate the documents in the HQ and decide what to bring home. It may even have been the case that X Troop was rushed into existence specifically to carry out this mission. In training the first group in the Welsh mountains, X Troop commander Bryan Hilton-Jones had them break into Harlech Castle, which was protected by the Home Guard, to retrieve documents just as they would need to do at the German HQ. There is further veiled evidence from the troopers themselves. In their classified after-action reports on the raid, survivors Maurice Latimer and Brian Platt noted: Our orders were to proceed to German General HQ in Dieppe to pick up all documents, etc. of value, including, if possible, a new German respirator. The reference to a respirator is almost certainly code for the new Enigma machine, the real goal of the operation. In the end they failed, never getting anywhere near the headquarters and being forced to retreat. One member of X Troop died in the carnage and two others were captured and spent the war in hard-labour camps. Platt was seriously wounded when shrapnel ripped open his back injuries that kept him out of combat thereafter; he served out the war as the X Troop storekeeper. Latimer alone returned uninjured and would take part in many more operations for X Troop. Their exploits would be the stuff of legend for their sheer chutzpah under fire. Take Harry Drew (real name Harry Nomburg), a man with a desperation to get back at the Germans who had caused his parents to disappear without trace. He was on a patrol behind the lines to capture Germans for interrogation. They crossed a river in dinghies without incident, but as he climbed up the other side, he heard: Achtung! Halt! He bluffed. In German he replied: Hasnt the Signal Section informed you therell be a patrol out tonight? Weve heard nothing, the Germans answered. Drew yelled back: Show yourselves immediately! They came out obediently, and he took them all prisoner, bundled them into the dinghies and, as German machine guns started up, paddled back across the river with his terrified prisoners of war. Ian Harris (Hans Ludwig Hajos) was another standout soldier. With dark hair, handsome face and a thin moustache, he looked like a young Clark Gable. Fearless and determined, he relished fighting. In one encounter with the enemy, he was walking up a hill with his platoon when they were suddenly blinded by searchlights and hit by machine guns, grenades and mortars. Around him, commandos began screaming and falling as a fierce battle broke out in which most of the men were massacred and he was hit by shrapnel. He passed out and came to lying next to a German soldier. Hans, is that you? the enemy asked in German. No, you bastard, Im not Hans! Harris replied and grabbed him by the throat. I will surrender, I am German, the soldier said. Yes, Im German too, Harris replied. Follow me. And he took his prisoner back behind British lines. On another occasion he was in Germany when he heard that a German garrison was on the verge of surrendering. With just a Tommy gun for protection, he drove into the compound and was shocked to discover an entire SS battalion. A German major came out and asked, What do you want? Ive come to accept your surrender, Harris coolly replied. He knew he was in a terrible position. They could kill him or take him prisoner. As the Nazi major went for his pistol, Harris pulled a packet of Gold Flake cigarettes out of his pocket. Is that a Gold Flake? the German asked. I always smoked Gold Flakes before the war! Harris threw him the packet. Here you go, this is for you, old boy, he said casually. The German happily smoked a cigarette and asked: Perhaps you will have dinner with me and we will negotiate the terms of the surrender? Yes, Harris said. While they ate, the officer demanded: Why should we surrender to you? Well, replied Harris, our weapons are better than yours. Nonsense! the major replied. Our guns are the best in the world. Lets have a shooting competition. My Luger against your Tommy gun. The major had ten bottles put against a wall. The German shot three of them. Then it was Harriss turn. Ten more bottles were lined up, and he shattered them all. The major had seen enough. He surrendered on the spot and Harris climbed into his jeep and slowly drove back to Allied headquarters with hundreds of POWs marching behind him, having single-handedly taken an entire garrison. Adapted from X Troop: The Secret Jewish Commandos Who Helped Defeat The Nazis by Leah Garrett, published by Chatto on May 27 at 20. Leah Garrett 2021. To order a copy for 17.80 (offer valid to 31/5/21; UK P&P free on orders over 20), visit mailshop.co.uk/books or call 020 3308 9193. Citizen, the crime tracking and neighborhood watch app, has confirmed reports that it is considering a program to send private security forces to respond to users in distress. The pilot program was revealed in internal emails leaked to Motherboard, and Citizen confirmed that it is testing the program on a small scale in Los Angeles in a statement to DailyMail.com on Friday. It comes after a mysterious Citizen-branded patrol vehicle was seen prowling the streets of Los Angeles, which was recently linked to private security firm Los Angeles Professional Security (LAPS). 'LAPS offers a personal rapid response service that we are trialing internally with employees as a small test with one vehicle in Los Angeles,' a Citizen spokesperson said. 'For example, if someone would like an escort to walk them home late at night, they can request this service.' In recent days, a mysterious Citizen-branded 'private patrol' car has been seen prowling LA. The company says it is piloting a private security force to respond to user requests The Citizen app, first released in 2016, relies on police scanner traffic and user reports, including user-submitted videos, to map reports of nearby crimes and police responses The Citizen app, first released in 2016, is wildly popular in major cities as a way to track nearby crimes. It is currently available in about 20 large cities. The app relies on police scanner traffic and user reports, including user-submitted videos, to map reports of nearby crimes and police responses. The internal emails described by Motherboard suggest that the new pilot project is part of an ambitious project to expand the company's mission from reporting crime to fighting it. 'The broad master plan was to create a privatized secondary emergency response network,' one former Citizen employee told the outlet. The product, described as 'security response' in the internal emails, would have Citizen send a car with private security forces to an app user who requested assistance. One of the emails claimed that Citizen had pitched the security response service to the Los Angeles Police Department at a high level, and received an enthusiastic response. The email said that the LAPD, hit by budget cuts last year and at its lowest staffing level in 12 years, is overrun with property crimes and struggling to respond to those types of calls. The app, currently available in about 20 cities, appears to be considering a dramatic expansion into active crime fighting by creating a 'privatized secondary emergency response network' Citizen already offers a personal safety subscription product called 'Protect', which allows a Citizen employee to monitor the user's location when active, and can stream video to the Citizen agent when triggered by a safeword. Pitched as a 'digital bodyguard,' the service advertises 'Instant emergency response to your exact location' in the event of trouble. It's not clear if the proposed private security response would be included as part of the Protect package, or marketed separately. In addition to LAPS, the emails suggest that Citizen is working with Securitas, a private security guard company, for the pilot program. Citizen CEO and founder Andrew Frame is under fire for putting a bounty on the wrong man's head in southern California One email describes a test run by a Citizen employee in Los Angeles, who called in a Securitas guard to escort her to get a cup of coffee. The email said improvements were needed to the user and agent experience, and that the results were under review with Securitas to make adjustments. Though it has soared in popularity as violent crime has surged in many cities, the Citizen app has also drawn criticism, including accusations that it fosters paranoia or even racism. Initially named Vigilante, the app was pulled from Apple's App Store over fears it would inspire users to take the law into their own hands, before relaunching under the current name. On Friday, the Verge reported that Citizen CEO and founder Andrew Frame personally authorized an unorthodox $30,000 bounty to 'hunt down' an arsonist -- but put the money on the wrong man's head. The app pushed the bounty out in an alert to users in Southern California last Saturday, but included a picture of a homeless man who was later released by the police for lack of evidence. 'Let's find this guy, activate safety network completely,' Frame wrote in an internal message, according to The Verge. 'This is a great transition of Citizen back to active safety. We are not a news company. We are safety and we make this sort of heinous crime impossible to escape from. That needs to be our mindset,' the message added. After the mistaken identity was revealed, the company said in a statement that it is 'actively working to improve our internal processes to ensure this does not occur again.' 'This was a mistake we are taking very seriously,' the statement added. A six-year-old boy riding in the backseat of his mothers car on a Southern California freeway was shot and killed in a suspected road-rage attack, after his mother reportedly made an obscene hand gesture at another motorist. The shooting took place at around 8am on Friday on the northbound side of State Route 55 in the city of Orange. The gunman who fired the shot that killed the child remained at large as of Friday afternoon. A six-year-old boy was shot and killed in what California police are calling an isolated road-rage incident that occurred on State Route 55 Friday morning The child's mother was driving this silver Chevy sedan when she flipped off another motorist for cutting her off, as she later told Good Samaritans who stopped to help 'It was an isolated road rage incident between the mom and another driver from a white sedan,' California Highway Patrol Officer Florentino Olivera told KTLA-TV at the scene. Olivera said the deadly gunshot came from a white sedan and struck the rear of a silver Chevrolet Sonic that was traveling ahead of it. 'Unfortunately, the child that was seated in the right rear seat was struck,' he said. The boy was pronounced dead at Childrens Hospital Orange County. His name was not immediately released. Reyes and Joanna Valdivia told Orange County Register they were taking their children to school when they saw the visibly distressed driver of the Chevrolet pull her wounded son from the backseat and collapse to the ground. Police are pictured on the scene of the road-rage shooting, in which a bullet when through the back of the Chevy and struck the six-year-old who was in his booster seat The freeway was shut down for hours as about a dozen investigators slowly walked the lanes looking for evidence When the couple pulled over to offer help, Reyes said the mother, whom he described as 'hysterical,' told them she had showed the middle finger to the driver of the white sedan who cut her off in the carpool lane. The mother told the Good Samaritans that when she veered to the right, the white sedan followed her and a gunshot went off. According to Valdivia, there was a bullet hole in the silver Chevrolet and the six-year-old appeared to have been shot in the back. Other motorists stopped to help, including an off-duty police officer who performed CPR on the victim until paramedics arrived. The freeway was shut down for hours as about a dozen investigators slowly walked the lanes looking for evidence. Reyes and Joanna Valdivia stopped to help the boy's mother and spoke to her about the shooting CBS Los Angeles reported that there have been nearly a dozen pellet and BB gun shootings on freeways across Los Angeles, Orange and Riverside counties over the past three weeks, but Olivera said Friday's road-rage killing was unrelated to those earlier incidents. Vice President Kamala Harris and first lady Jill Biden hugged publicly as they arrived at the White House Medal of Honor ceremony Friday. This came on the heels of a revelation in a new book that Dr. Biden thought Harris should 'go f*** herself' after she attacked President Joe Biden over his record on busing during the first Democratic debate of the 2020 cycle. Biden didn't deny the book's claim when asked about it by DailyMail.com at an event Thursday. 'That was two years ago. We've moved on from that,' she said. Vice President Kamala Harris (left) and first lady Jill Biden (right) publicly hugged as they arrived at Friday's White House Medal of Honor ceremony just days after a new book revealed Biden thought Harris should 'go f*** herself' after she attacked Joe Biden during a debate During a hospital visit Thursday, first lady Jill Biden didn't deny she told supporters that Kamala Harris could 'go f**k' herself after attacking her husband during Democratic primary 'We are here to do vaccinations,' she added, as she was visiting a vaccination clinic at Children's National Hospital alongside Dr. Anthony Fauci. Before Joe Biden selected Harris to run on his ticket as vice president, the first couple had a visceral reaction to her comments during the debate in Miami, Florida two summers ago, according to excerpt published in Politico from journalist Edward-Isaac Dovere's upcoming book on the 2020 Democratic presidential primary. And Jill Biden made her feelings very clear about Harris' attack on Biden's position on a controversial busing program in the 1970s. 'With what he cares about, what he fights for, what he's committed to, you get up there and call him a racist without basis?' Jill said on a phone call with close supporters a week after the debate, according to multiple people on the call. 'Go f**k yourself.' Spokesperson for the first lady Michael LaRosa told Politico of the excerpt: 'Many books will be written on the 2020 campaign, with countless retellings of events some accurate, some inaccurate.' 'The First Lady and her team do not plan to comment on any of them,' he added. The first lady, along with Dr. Anthony Fauci , was visiting a vaccination clinic at Children's National Hospital where the two urged teenagers to get vaccinated During the heated exchange in Miami in June 2019, Kamala Harris said she didn't think Joe Biden was 'racist', but suggested he supported racist policies. She also reminded the stage that she benefited from busing as a child During the debate in 2019, during the height of the Democratic presidential primary, Biden was blindsided by Harris' attacks, which claimed he did not support desegregation of schools by way of busing in the 1970s. Harris, a half-Indian half-Jamaican daughter of immigrants, reminded Biden at the time that she is a beneficiary of the busing system. 'That little girl was me,' she told him. Her attack raised her national profile, her fundraising and her position in the polls. After the tense back-and-forth one of the most memorable interactions on the 2020 campaign trail moderators stopped for a commercial break. 'Well, that was some f***ing bulls**t,' Biden said to Pete Buttigieg on stage during it, multiple people said was relayed to them afterward. Biden barely knew Buttigieg, a fellow Democratic candidate at the time and now the president's transportation secretary, but wanted to share in the moment with someone on stage. During the debate, Harris said: 'As the only black person on this stage, I would like to speak, on the issue of race.' Harris confronted Biden about his stance in the '70s against encouraging racial integration in schools. During that decade, then-Senator Biden worked with the two segregationists to try to prevent federal imposition of the policy. She told him, 'I do not believe you are a racist. And I agree with you, when you commit yourself to the importance of finding common ground.' 'But I also believe and it's personal, and I was actually very it was hurtful, to hear you talk about the reputations of two United States senators who built their reputations and career on the segregation of race in this country,' she said. 'And it was not only that, but you also worked with them to oppose busing,' she continued. 'And, you know, there was a little girl in California who was part of the second class to integrate her public schools, and she was bused to school every day.' 'And that little girl was me. So I will tell you that on this subject, it cannot be an intellectual debate among Democrats. We have to take it seriously. We have to act swiftly. As Attorney General of California, I was very proud to put in place a requirement that all my special agents would wear body cameras and keep those cameras on,' she asserted. Biden's ultimate response was to stop talking and more-or-less take the attack from Harris. The book forthcoming details that Harris' team had to convince her to go after Biden in that way at the debate. She eventually came around thinking 'it was a fair hit.' The Bidens brushed off the attack once Harris was added to the presidential ticket, saying everyone had moved on. 'Battle for the Soul: Inside the Democrats' Campaigns to Defeat Trump' will hit bookshelves on May 25. THE NINE NEW COVID-19 VACCINE BILLIONAIRES: STEPHANE BANCEL Company: Moderna Role: CEO Net worth: $4.3 billion UGUR SAHIN Company: BioNTech Role: CEO and co-founder Net worth: $4 billion JUAN LOPEZ-BELMONTE Company: ROVI Role: Chairman Net worth: $1.8 billion NOUBAR AFEYAN Company: Moderna Role: Chairman Net worth: $1.9 billion TIMOTHY SPRINGER Company: Moderna Role: Immunologist and founding investor Net worth: $2.2 billion ZHU TAO Company: CanSino Biologics Role: Co-founder and chief scientific officer Net worth: $1.3 billion QIUDONGXU Company: CanSino Biologics Role: Co-founder and Senior Vice President Net worth: $1.2 billion MAO HUINHOA Company: CanSino Biologics Role: Co-founder and Senior Vice President Net worth: $1 billion ROBERT LANGER Company: Moderna Role: Founding investor Net worth: $1.6 billion Advertisement The development and rollout of COVID-19 vaccines has minted at least nine new billionaires in the pharma industry, whose new combined wealth is enough to buy shots for a staggering 780 million people in low-income nations. Nine executives from Moderna, BioNTech, ROVI and CanSino Biologics have hugely profited from the pandemic that has so far killed 3.4 million people worldwide, as their individual wealth soared past the billion-dollar mark over the last year. The rich list was compiled by the People's Vaccine Alliance, a campaign group that includes Oxfam, UNAIDS, Global Justice Now and Amnesty International, using the Forbes Rich List. Topping the list is the CEO of Moderna Stephane Bancel who is now worth a whopping $4.3 billion after his company became the second to be granted emergency use authorization in the US for its vaccine back in December. CEO and co-founder of BioNTech Ugur Sahin is close behind with a wealth of $4 billion, following its collaboration on a vaccine with Pfizer. Other Moderna execs have also profited, with immunologist and early investor Timothy Springer now worth $2.2 billion, Chairman Noubar Afeyan $1.9 billion and scientist and founding investor Robert Langer $1.6 billion. Senior executives from CanSino Biologics have also become billionaires over the last year with the Chinese firm's co-founder and chief scientific officer Zhu Tao now worth $1.3 billion, co-founder and Senior Vice President QiuDongxu worth $1.2 billion and co-founder and Senior Vice President Mao Huinhoa $1 billion. CanSino has developed a one-shot vaccine that was approved for use in China this February. The ninth newfound billionaire is ROVI Chairman Juan Lopez-Belmonte, who is now worth $1.8 billion. Spanish contract drugmaker Rovi makes bottles for Moderna's vaccine and last month reached a new deal to start making its active ingredients. Together, the industry's nine new billionaires are worth $19.3 billion. This is a combined net wealth greater than what it would cost to vaccinate the world's poorest nations. With the average vaccine costing $19 and 775,710,612 people living in low-income countries, according to UN data, this money would be enough to vaccinate every person 1.3 times, the alliance said. The alliance released its analysis to show how the pandemic has exacerbated inequities in healthcare among the rich and poor. While the pandemic has ravaged the world, killing millions and throwing even more further into poverty, a small faction of pharma executives have made a tidy profit. As well as the new billionaire set, the pandemic has also seen the rich get richer. Eight existing billionaires with big stakes in the pharma companies behind the COVID-19 vaccines have seen their combined wealth increase by a staggering $32.2 billion, the research found. This wealth would be enough to fully vaccinate everyone in India. Anne Marriott, Oxfam's health policy manager, said the pharma companies and the execs behind them have taken the monopoly on the COVID-19 vaccine. 'These billionaires are the human face of the huge profits many pharmaceutical corporations are making from the monopoly they hold on these vaccines,' she said. 'These vaccines were funded by public money and should be first and foremost a global public good, not a private profit opportunity,' she added. Shares in pharma companies responsible for developing the vaccines skyrocketed as they gained authorization for use in nations across the world. Moderna has seen its share price surge more than 700 percent since last February when COVID shuttered much of the world. During the same timeframe, BioNTech has increased by 600 percent and CanSino Biologics 440 percent. The research comes ahead of the G20 Global Health Summit where world leaders are expected to discuss whether to waive patent protections for COVID-19 vaccines. A woman receives a COVID-19 vaccine in Rhode Island. Nine executives from Moderna, BioNTech, ROVI and CanSino Biologics have hugely profited from the vaccine Supporters say it will allow more manufacturers to produce life-saving vaccines and increase their supply to poorer countries. Joe Biden has said America supports waiving intellectual property protections to allow poorer countries hard hit by the virus to produce vaccines. However other nations such as Germany are opposed to it, saying IP rights are a source of innovation. There's also been pushback from some top names in pharma as such a move would likely slash their profits. Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla blasted the idea as 'so wrong', saying it would punish the firm for its progress and discourage biotech companies from creating treatments and innoculations for future pandemics. He also claimed it would spark a race for raw materials that would threaten the safe and efficient production of the shots. Instead, he said the company will provide two billion vaccine doses to low- and middle-income countries over the next 18 months. Bourla's own pay surged to a staggering $21 million last year, a rise of 17 percent and he has scored a deal with Harper Business to write a book on the story behind the vaccine development. It's not just pharma companies: Amazon, Google and Facebook rake in the profits amid COVID-19 pandemic COVID-19 helped Amazon more than triple its profits to $8.1 billion for the first quarter of 2021 with Prime memberships and third party sellers using its warehouses fueling the boom. In the first three months of this year, the company reported profit of $8.1billion, compared to $2.5billion for the same period the year before, according to financial results shared on Thursday. Revenue jumped 44 per cent to $108.5billion - the second quarter in row that the company has passed the $100billion milestone. Earnings per share came to $15.79, about $6 more per share than what Wall Street analysts expected, according to FactSet. Alphabet's overall sales rose 34% to $55.3 billion, above analysts' estimate of $51.7 billion Net sales rose to $108.52billion in the first quarter ended March 31 from $75.45billion during the same period last year, beating analysts' average estimate of $104.47billion, according to IBES data from Refinitiv. News of the company's revenue, which exceeded expectations of analysts on Wall Street, sent the firm's shares surging by some 4 per cent in after-hours trading on Thursday. Amazon is one of the few retailers that has benefited during the pandemic. As physical stores temporarily closed, people stuck at home turned to Amazon to buy groceries, cleaning supplies and more. That doesn't seem to be dying down, with many now branding the online shopping behemoth to basic infrastructure. While brick-and-mortar stores closed, Amazon has now posted four consecutive record quarterly profits, attracted more than 200 million Prime loyalty subscribers, and recruited over 500,000 workers to keep up with surging consumer demand. That has kept the world's largest online retailer at the center of workplace tumult. Its warehouse in Bessemer, Alabama, this winter became a rallying point for organized labor, hoping staff would form Amazon's first US union and inspire similar efforts nationwide. Workers ultimately rejected the union bid by a more than 2-to-1 margin, but CEO Jeff Bezos said the saga showed how the company had to do better for employees. The company meanwhile has been facing litigation in New York over whether it put profit ahead of worker safety in the COVID-19 pandemic. Amazon's operation has been unfazed by these developments. Bezos touted the results of the company's cloud computing unit Amazon Web Services (AWS) in a press release, saying, 'In just 15 years, AWS has become a $54billion annual sales run rate business competing against the worlds largest technology companies, and its growth is accelerating.' Andy Jassy, who had been AWS's CEO, is scheduled to succeed Bezos as Amazon's chief this summer. His unit continues to be a bright spot. Just last week, for instance, Dish Network Corp announced a deal to build its 5G network on AWS. The unit increased revenue 32 per cent to $13.5billion, ahead of estimates of $13.2billion. Adding to Amazon's revenue was its growing chain of physical stores, including Whole Foods Market and its first overseas cashier-less convenience shop, opening last month in Ealing, West London. Amazon delved further into healthcare as well with an online doctors-visit service for employers, representing another area it is aiming to disrupt after retail, enterprise technology and Hollywood. Profit more than tripled to $8.1billion. Amazon, which saw its stock price nearly double in the first part of 2020 as it benefited from the pandemic, has this year underperformed the S&P 500 market index. Its shares were up about 8.5 per cent year to date versus the index's 13 per cent gain. At the same time, spending on COVID-19 and logistics has chipped away at Amazon's bottom line. The company has poured money into buying cargo planes and securing new warehouses, aiming to place items closer to customers to speed up delivery. It said Wednesday it planned to hike pay for over half a million employees, costing more than $1billion - and it is still hiring for tens of thousands more positions. In a statement, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos touted the performance of his company's cloud computing unit, Amazon Web Services, which increased revenue 32 per cent to $13.5billion, ahead of estimates of $13.2billion Amazon said it expects operating income for the current quarter to be between $4.5billion and $8billion, which assumes about $1.5billion of costs related to COVID-19. While far behind ad sales leaders Facebook and Alphabet's Google, Amazon is winning business because advertisers' placements often result directly in sales, reaching customers who are on Amazon with an intention to shop. Amazon said ad and other sales rose 77 per cent to $6.9billion, ahead of analysts' estimate of $6.2billion. Other tech giants also reported handsome revenue increases for the first quarter of this year. Google's parent company Alphabet saw its revenues soar to $55.3billion in the first quarter of this year, according to a financial statement released on Tuesday - a 34 per cent increase compared to the same time last year. The Silicon Valley company beat quarterly revenue estimates of $51.7billion, as the recovering economy and surging use of online services combined to accelerate its advertising and cloud businesses. Apple and Facebook reported sharp increases in quarterly revenue Wednesday as both companies continue to take advantage of pandemic trends that have devastated other parts of the economy. At Apple, revenue rose to $89.6billion - good for earnings of $1.40 a share, which beat Wall Street analysts' expectations, which called for 99 cents. That was a 54 per cent jump in revenue from the first quarter of 2021. Sales of iPads leapt by 79 per cent, while iMac sales grew by 70 per cent, and iPhone sales rose by 65 per cent. Profits for the quarter surged to $23.6billion, more than double the year-ago period, the company said on Wednesday. Apple's main revenue driver continues to be the iPhone: Revenue for the iPhone rose 65 per cent to $47.9billion. That beat the expectations of Wall Street analysts, who were expecting a 42 per cent increase. Revenue from their Macs was $9.10 billion, versus a pre-results estimate of $6.86billion. Mature student Lisa Keogh went back to full-time education to get a law degree partly because she wanted to set a good example to her children. She has two sons, aged nine and seven, who are learning about the birds and the bees at school. Previously, she would never have considered this to be a controversial subject 'It's biology, isn't it?' but not now. Lisa, 29, is facing disciplinary action by Abertay University in Dundee after saying during a discussion on transgender issues in an online seminar that women were born with female genitals and the difference in physical strength between men and women 'was a fact'. The student, in her final year at the university, was reported to academic chiefs by classmates and faces a formal probe for alleged 'offensive' and 'discriminatory' comments. There are also suggestions her behaviour in the seminar was abusive which Lisa denies. Like many of us wrestling with what language is deemed acceptable in this increasingly 'woke' world, Lisa is bewildered about what we can say and where. Lisa Keogh (pictured), 29, is facing disciplinary action by Abertay University in Dundee after saying during a discussion on transgender issues in an online seminar that women were born with female genitals and the difference in physical strength between men and women 'was a fact' The student, in her final year at the university, was reported to academic chiefs by classmates and faces a formal probe for alleged 'offensive' and 'discriminatory' comments. There are also suggestions her behaviour in the seminar was abusive which Lisa denies 'I was chatting to another mum the other day whose little girl had come home from school saying they had been learning about how women have vaginas and men have penises. I said to her, 'I don't want to be mean, but I'm not sure we can say that now.' 'How is it OK for a child to be learning that women have vaginas at school, but not OK for me to say it in a university seminar? It doesn't make sense.' She's not alone in voicing alarm. Britain's new equalities chief Baroness Falkner of Margravine this month vowed to fight for women's right to challenge transgender activism. The 66-year-old peer said women must have the right to question transgender identity without being abused, stigmatised or risk losing their job. Her comments couldn't be more timely. For this week in which Lisa sat her final exam and handed in her dissertation a panel at Abertay University was meeting to decide if she should be disciplined. It is a serious matter. If the complaints are upheld, the university could withhold Lisa's degree. 'If that happens, all my hard work will have been for nothing,' she says. 'I can't even believe I am in this position. I have kept my head down for four years. 'I have juggled my studies with caring for my children. I haven't got involved with any of the cliques. I haven't even socialised because, with my responsibilities, I don't have time. Now I'm in this ludicrous situation.' Lisa said: 'I was chatting to another mum the other day whose little girl had come home from school saying they had been learning about how women have vaginas and men have penises. I said to her, "I don't want to be mean, but I'm not sure we can say that now".' (Above, Abertay University) Her crime? To have voiced opinions she thought were mainstream and still believes to be 'sensible and true'. 'I was asked to define what a woman was and I said someone with a vagina. A biological fact, I thought and still think but apparently it is now unacceptable to say it. The whole thing descended into a row. It became quite toxic. Because I had dared to question anything about transgender rights, a target was on my back.' There were other complaints. In another part of the seminar, Lisa tried to offer an opinion related to sports, and whether trans women should be allowed to compete alongside women born biologically female. 'I was shot down. I was trying to make the point that there are physical differences. Women tend to have smaller hands and smaller frames, and mostly aren't as strong. 'Before I had my boys, I trained as a car mechanic. I completed an apprenticeship and I was the only woman in a garage of 12 male mechanics. I offered up as evidence because it's what we do as law students my observation that I wasn't physically as strong as the men. There were things I couldn't lift. A woman's centre of gravity is in a different place. 'Not all women will be weaker, but it's simply not true that there is equality. We were talking about the issue which is legally important of trans women taking part in women's sport. I used evidence to support my arguments. Some of the others turned on me. I was accused of being a white, cis woman who was speaking from a position of privilege.' Cisgender, or cis, describes someone whose gender identity corresponds to that person's sex at birth. While Lisa was shaken at how personal the attacks in the seminar were, she was not unduly bothered. 'I didn't log off or anything. People might not agree with me, but I didn't think I'd said anything wrong.' Four weeks later, however, Lisa received an email from the university informing her that a formal complaint had been made and that an investigation was under way. 'This email came, out of the blue, headed: URGENT ACTION NEEDED, in capitals, and I couldn't believe it when I read I had been accused of making 'offensive and discriminatory' comments. I've never been offensive to anyone in my life. I actually didn't know, at first, what I was being accused of.' She adds: 'When I logged on for the meeting, I asked directly, and the investigator said she would get to that. It took a while for the penny to drop. I actually felt sorry for her when she had to say, 'Is it true you said women have vaginas?' What a silly thing to have to ask anyone. Yes it is true. I said it. I would say it again. I don't think I made her job any easier, because I might have laughed. 'I still feel that it's almost funny or would be if it wasn't so serious, because it is serious. This farcical situation could cost me my degree, and there is a bigger point, too, which is why I want to speak out. If we really are at a point where saying that women have vaginas is offensive, then I think it's very worrying. 'There is an increasingly rigid intellectual orthodoxy at universities and if you stray from it, some students will claim they've been harmed by your views. 'Even if I am exonerated, that won't mean free speech is alive and well. What people who haven't been through one of these investigations don't understand, is that that process itself is punishment.' Lisa is now in limbo. She has been under investigation since April 16, and the panel met on Tuesday, on the day she sat her final exam. But instead of dismissing the complaints, they referred the matter to the Abertay student disciplinary board 'to consider the alleged misconduct'. 'I was asked to define what a woman was and I said someone with a vagina. A biological fact, I thought and still think but apparently it is now unacceptable to say it. The whole thing descended into a row. It became quite toxic. Because I had dared to question anything about transgender rights, a target was on my back,' said Lisa Initially, the university refused to comment, but yesterday released a statement suggesting it was not just what was said in the seminar that was being investigated, but the way in which it was said. Changing the goalposts, insists Lisa, who is adamant she was told she was being investigated for what she said, not how. 'And in any event, I stand by it. Yes, things got heated. It was a debate. And things were being said that I found offensive. What about my right not to be offended?' On Wednesday, she handed in her dissertation on the subject of human rights. 'The irony,' she says. Indeed. This week barrister Joanna Cherry QC, the SNP MP for Edinburgh South West and deputy chairwoman of the Lords and Commons joint committee on human rights, intervened on Lisa's behalf. She called the situation 'farcical', and has asked how it protected student rights to freedom of speech under the European Convention on Human Rights. Toby Young, general secretary of the Free Speech Union, which has been supporting Lisa, called the case 'particularly egregious'. 'Universities like Abertay often say they believe passionately in free speech but that has to be balanced against the right of the students to feel safe and not discriminated against. 'Very little 'balancing' takes place and the student activists know this, so if someone challenges their woke ideology they make a complaint.' Lisa's family and friends all at sea in this uneasy new world are just as incredulous. 'My partner said: 'What?' He just can't get his head around it. I've been trying to explain what I'm supposed to have done to his grandmother, who is 80. She says she's very glad she doesn't have children to bring up these days. My children are too young to understand any of this, but what are we supposed to tell them?' Lisa's full account of what happened poses serious questions about the levels of 'wokeness' within British universities. There is increasing conflict over transgender issues, often with more traditional feminist groups clashing with activists. This scenario, though, is different. Lisa insists she does not belong to any feminist groups at university. 'I am a mum. I go to classes. I rush home to pick the kids up from school. I make tea. I might go to the gym. That's it. I'm not even on social media, so until this week I wasn't fully aware of what being 'woke' even meant.' Is she a feminist? She's not sure now. 'I would always have said I was, but my sort of feminism is not the sort that was on display in that seminar. I don't know what that was, but it wasn't my feminism.' This week barrister Joanna Cherry QC, the SNP MP for Edinburgh South West and deputy chairwoman of the Lords and Commons joint committee on human rights, intervened on Lisa's behalf Lisa never used to consider herself very academic and left school at the earliest possible time when she was offered her apprenticeship. She'd 'always loved cars and I was fascinated by how they worked'. Lisa became a fully qualified mechanic but the job didn't live up to the dream. 'It was too much like hard work,' she admits, confessing she found it at once demanding, yet not stimulating enough. She stopped working in the garage when her children arrived and, for a while, did admin work in her partner's diving business. It was he who encouraged her to think about studying full-time. 'He said I should do something I was passionate about, and I was very interested in doing something worthwhile, like law. I knew it would be a big undertaking but once the children were at school, I knew I could commit to a degree.' For four years, she studied hard, and without incident. Is it significant that she wasn't in what she calls 'any of the cliques'? Possibly. 'I wouldn't say I was a popular student. I wasn't unpopular but probably talked to only three or four others on my course.' During Covid, lectures and seminars moved online. Even then, Lisa was one of the quieter students. 'Often, I would just log on and not have my camera on. But the whole point of the seminars was that they were debate-based, so I knew I'd need to speak.' The seminar that proved contentious was on transgender issues. Views differed hugely from the off. 'The lecturer said something like 'all men are rapists and we should lock them up after 6pm'. I took offence at this. I have two boys and a partner who is a man. I don't think all men are rapists. Of course they are not. 'All this is about rights. What about men's rights to not be called rapists?' Maybe the lecturer was putting forward a provocative argument to stimulate debate? 'Perhaps, but I got the impression she meant it,' Lisa says. 'That was the tone of the whole seminar. The other girls pitched in. It was men-hating. I was appalled.' She says there were 12 or 13 students involved in the seminar, most of whom had their cameras on if they were talking. 'It was all women, apart from one who I think was a boy, but I'm afraid to even say that now. He didn't speak.' At times it sounds as if Lisa is describing an unruly mob, rather than sober law students. 'What I actually find terrifying is that they were talking about men as if they were guilty. We are law students. Above all else we believe in the principle of innocent until proven guilty. Or we should.' As soon as the group moved on to talking about transgender issues, she says, 'things got really heated. I made the point about sport again, all my points were valid and based on things I knew about or had researched. I was basically accused of being transphobic.' There was another altercation when she tried to comment on the idea of safe spaces. 'It got onto talking about women-only changing rooms, and one girl said categorically that trans people do not do bad things. I thought this was at best naive, but also wrong. I cited a case where a rapist had been put in an all-female jail, but I was shot down and told I was a privileged, white cis woman, and what did I know. 'I found it offensive then, and I do now. Those students don't know anything about my background. If I said things they don't agree with, then fine. We don't have to agree. But to run and tell the teacher? And to put this awful spin on everything. It's wrong.' Lisa says she would have said the same even if there had been a transgender person in the seminar (there wasn't, to her knowledge). 'The thing is, I have since read transgender people's online content and some have even been in touch to say they support me. So this is crazy. Who do those girls think they are speaking for?' Her gripe is not with the students, though. It is with the university. 'The timing is awful. It's been so stressful going through all this during the final weeks of my degree. I understand they have to investigate, but for goodness sake, if I got an email saying someone had said women have vaginas, therefore they must be punished, common sense would have prevailed.' On a wider point, she says, the repercussions are terrifying. 'Do we really want a society where we cannot even state biological fact, without being reprimanded?' she asks. Abertay University defended the probe last night: 'To be clear, all Abertay students are free to express their views on campus, as long as this is not done in an intolerant or abusive way which would breach our code of student discipline. 'Press reporting and social media commentary around this case has centred around gender issues and statements such as 'women have vaginas' and 'men have penises', which are lawful statements and would categorically not lead to any University misconduct investigation, if expressed on campus in a reasonable manner. 'Our code of student discipline does not police freedom of speech or the nature of views put forward during classroom discussion or debate. We believe that all universities should uphold freedom of speech within the law and we are proud that Abertay is a place where difficult and controversial debate can take place within an academic environment. 'Scottish universities are required by law to investigate all complaints, whether by students, staff or members of the public.' A Jewish man heading to a pro-Israel rally says he thought he was going to die after a gang of pro-Palestinian demonstrators assaulted him in Midtown Manhattan, punching him to the pavement and then pummeling him while he was down while yelling anti-Semitic epithets. Joseph Borgen, 29, an accountant who lives on the Upper East Side, was wearing a grey kippa and walking toward Times Square around 6:30pm Thursday when a young man with a black bandana started chasing him. 'I turned around to try to figure out what was going on and the next thing I knew I was surrounded by a whole crowd of people who proceeded to physically attack me, beat me, kick me, punch me, hit me with crutches, hit me with flag poles,' he told DailyMail.com Friday afternoon from his apartment after being released from Bellevue Hospital. Joseph Borgen, 29, spoke to DailyMail.com one day after he was left bruised and battered by a group of pro-Palestinian men in Midtown Manhattan on Thursday The Jewish man, who lives in the Upper East Side, had been wearing a kippa as he headed to a pro-Israel rally when he was suddenly targeted by the group who kicked, punched, and beat him with crutches and flag poles on the street. Pictured: Borgen's bruised and battered face On Friday, the NYPD identified 23-year-old Waseem Awawdeh as one of the suspects in the attack 'I don't even want to look in the mirror,' said Borgen, his face and body bruised, and head throbbing from a possible concussion. Video of the assault showed Borgen was left defenseless on the ground as he was battered by the angry mob outside of 1604 Broadway. 'After I wound up on the ground, I was literally just in a fetal position, trying to guard my head and face, literally just trying to make it out of their alive,' Borgen said. 'I thought I was going to die. I thought I was really going to die.' Borgen said there were eight to 10 people taking part in the beatdown and they were shouting anti-Semitic slurs such as: 'You filthy Jew. We're going to f*****g kill you. Go back to Israel. Hamas is going to kill you.' He said the most painful part occurred toward the end, when they pepper sprayed him. 'I thought I was getting urinated on because I felt a stream on my face. 'They maced me or pepper sprayed me for like a minute straight. Video of the assault showed Borgen was left defenseless as he was kicked, punched, and beaten with crutches and flag poles by a mob of eight to 10 people Borgen recalled lying on the ground in a fetal position, 'trying to guard my head and face, literally just trying to make it out of their alive' Awawdah, of Brooklyn, is charged with assault as a hate crime, gang assault, menacing, aggravated harassment as a hate crime and criminal possession of a weapon 'My whole face was on fire. I couldn't see. In the hospital, they literally had to drain out my eyes. My skin's still on fire in certain places,' he added. The NYPD on Friday announced one of the alleged suspects has been taken into custody, and up to six others are being sought. The suspect was identified as 23-year-old Waseem Awawdeh, of Brooklyn, who was arrested last night. Exclusive DailyMail.com photos show Awawdeh wearing a black t-shirt with 'Palestine' emblazoned on the front, as he was led out of the 5th Precinct in handcuffs on Friday. Awawdeh is charged with assault as a hate crime, gang assault, menacing, aggravated harassment as a hate crime and criminal possession of a weapon. He's being held at Central Booking downtown. Borgen said the ruthless beatdown finally came to an end when police officers showed up and dispersed the crowd. 'It could have been worse. If you've seen the video, especially, it could have been much worse,' he added. Borgen, pictured in the hospital, said the most painful part occurred toward the end of the beatdown, when he was pepper sprayed Borgen, an accountant, recalled hearing his attackers call him a 'filthy Jew' and say 'Hamas is going to kill you' as they pummeled him He said he was expecting it be a peaceful demonstration as he headed to midtown, where friends were gathering for a rally to support Israel in its conflict with Hamas. Violent clashes have erupted between pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian demonstrations in the city over the last week as tensions in the Middle East flared. On Thursday, two fireworks were thrown into a crowd near Times Square, leaving a 55-year-old woman injured just hours after a cease-fire was declared between Israel and Gaza militants. 'I was going there to show my support, show my pride in Israel, let them know we have their back even though we're 6,000 miles away,' Borgen said. He said there were no real problems last week when he joined a similar demonstration. Exclusive DailyMail.com photos show Awawdeh wearing a black t-shirt with 'Palestine' emblazoned on the front, as he was led out of the 5th Precinct in handcuffs on Friday Wassem Awawdeh is walked out of the 5th Precinct and into Central Booking for the attack on a Jewish Man during a Palestinian/Israeli Protest on 47th Street in Manhattan He believes the mere fact he was wearing a kippa triggered a mob to attack him. Besides the actual culprits, he blamed 'certain politicians' for creating an atmosphere that encourages such attacks, citing US Rep. Ilham Omar's tweet accusing Israel of committing an 'act of terrorism' as an example. 'They feel like they can get away with more because they have politicians backing them up,' Borgen said. 'Some of the things I see in the news and on social media, it's just sickening to me' 'I would never think I'd ever have to worry about my religion or my skin color or my ethnicity being a problem in New York city,' he continued. 'Beyond just the Jewish perspective, the amount of hate that's going on these days is really just mind blowing to me. 'I have a coworker who is of Asian descent who is afraid to ride the subway at night. It's just sickening.' The Anti-Defamation League this week reported almost 200 attacks on American Jews in the seven days from May 10 - the date that Hamas first fired rockets at Israel. That number represents an almost 40 percent increase on the 131 anti-Semitic incidents that were clocked in the US the week before. 'As the violence between Israel and Hamas continues to escalate, we are witnessing a dangerous and drastic surge in anti-Jewish hate right here at home,' ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt said Thursday. Advertisement Boris Johnson faced fresh questions last night as the full story of the secret operation to supply him with 27,000 worth of luxury food was disclosed. The Daily Mail can reveal the extraordinary cloak-and-dagger operation to send him and fiancee Carrie Symonds freshly prepared meals and hampers at No 10 without voters finding out. Codenames were used for the Prime Minister and the wife of a rich Tory donor who organised daily deliveries to the No 10 back door. The food was smuggled in after being dropped off by a butler on one of Londons rented Boris bikes. According to documents seen by this newspaper, at least some of the items were paid for by the wife of the Tory donor. That would appear to be at odds with Mr Johnsons claim earlier this year that he has paid for all his food at No 10. It will add to pressure on Mr Johnson, already facing inquiries into his controversial holiday in Mustique and his Downing Street flat makeover. One of the daily food deliveries delivered to the back of No10 by a butler on a Boris bike and collected by a member of staff Questions have been raised over whether his personal trainer and the nanny for Wilfred, his son with Miss Symonds, have been funded by Tory donors. The food and drink were provided by the elite Daylesford organic farm shops, owned by Lady (Carole) Bamford, from last May to February. She is married to the owner of the JCB construction giant. Lord Bamford and his companies have given 10million to the Conservatives. The Daylesford dishes, rich in iron, protein and vitamins, were designed to revive Mr Johnsons energy levels after his brush with death after contracting Covid. The leaked documents reveal: The Prime Minister received 27,000 worth of organic food and drink, including wine, plus delivery costs. It was supplied at cost price about one third off, reducing the bill to 18,900. Some items are marked as charged to LBs account code for Lady Bamford. Mr Johnson is referred to as Alex after his real first name, Alexander in confidential memos. Staff were told to use plain white paper bags for the meal deliveries, not ones with a Daylesford logo, for discretion. The Mail reported in March how the deliveries, including breakfast, lunch and dinner, were smuggled in to Downing Street. At the time Mr Johnson denied the Bamfords paid for his food deliveries. A Downing Street spokesman said: The costs of the food for personal consumption are met by the Prime Minister. The Mail estimated then that it was worth approximately 12,500. We can now reveal it was worth well over double that amount. Mr Johnson, like all MPs, must declare any donation or gift worth more than 500 in the Commons Register of Interests within a month. If gifts or services are supplied below cost price, the full market value must be declared. There is no reference to Daylesford deliveries in his current entry. The leaked emails reveal that the meals were part of a wider fitness regime including the Prime Ministers personal trainer Harry Jameson, a wellness business consultant. An email from Daylesfords chef director to Lady Bamfords personal assistant, headed Alex Wellness Plan, refers to Mr Jameson. The email sent on May 22 says: Further to Harrys first training session with Alex on Wednesday, please find the following 7-day cafe menu adhering to Alexs condition. Alex has discussed the pressure on food preparation and a tendency to resort to takeaways. This is something we can help with by sending pre-prepped meals that would be fast and easy to finish in their own kitchen. Due to Alexs recent illness, we have been especially mindful of his protein levels while still keeping the menu varied and light. There are some treats as well, and Alexs favourite vegetables have been included. Over the eight-month period, Mr Johnson and Miss Symonds received breakfast, lunch and dinner deliveries on 125 days and lunch only on some days A second email from the chef director to Lady Bamfords PA gives instructions on how the food is to be collected at 11am each day from Daylesfords Brompton Cross shop in London, two miles from Downing Street. The sensitive task was given to Lady Bamfords personal butler, Paul Mitchell, to ensure maximum secrecy. Mr Mitchell, 44, serves the Bamfords at their London home in Knightsbridge, a short walk from Brompton Cross. The second email, sent on May 28 and headed Alex daily food delivery, says: Daily collection from Daylesford Brompton Cross at 11am by Paul. Food will be parcelled in plain white paper bags rather than Daylesford branded for discretion. The menu for the week will be sent on Day 1. A note specifically for Lady Bamford, a menu for the following week will be sent every Tuesday going forward. All costs will be cost price. An assistant makes his way back into No.10 with the day's deliveries Other memos refer to charging attached costs for Alexs food from Brompton Cross to LB (Lady Bamfords) account. They say Lady Bamford, referred to as LB throughout, personally approved Mr Johnsons wellness menu. The memos indicate that the food is to be charged at cost price 30 per cent lower than for usual customers. One Daylesford document estimates the weekly cost of three daily meals for Mr Johnson and Miss Symonds, including delivery by Uber minicab, at 840. In fact, the meals were usually delivered by Mr Mitchell on a rented Boris bike, introduced in London when Mr Johnson was the citys mayor, in plain white bags as instructed. There is a Boris bike docking station outside Daylesfords Brompton Cross store. The weekly hamper arrived by car each Tuesday in a marked Daylesford box, with the meals and a bouquet of flowers. Mr Johnson was so determined to keep the deliveries secret, the hampers were allowed to bypass anti-terrorist checks at the front gate, causing concern among some No 10 staff. Over the eight-month period, Mr Johnson and Miss Symonds received breakfast, lunch and dinner deliveries on 125 days and lunch only on some days. The meals would cost a full-paying customer about 21,000 including the food and delivery fees. Mr Johnson is thought to have received 30 hampers. At full price they are approximately 200 each, a total of 6,000, making 27,000 in all. Last night a Downing Street spokesman said: The costs of food for personal consumption are entirely met by Boris Johnson. A Government source said Mr Johnson had paid for the Daylesford hampers. Anyone who witnessed the crash or has information about the incident is asked to call New London police at 860-447-1481 or send an anonymous text message tip to Tip411. For years Matt Wiessler's quiet fury has simmered, but now it has reached boiling point. The graphic designer at the centre of the furore over Princess Diana's 1995 Panorama interview is appalled by the BBC's mealy-mouthed and belated 'apology' to him. 'I've had a letter from the director-general Tim Davie's office and it is so bland as to be almost meaningless,' he says. 'It's the bare minimum. It isn't an apology. 'It merely says I acted 'appropriately and responsibly' and that no criticism should be levelled against me for accepting the commission to produce the documents for Martin Bashir. 'It's really weak, calculating and quite honestly nasty, what they're doing to me, to this day. 'I realise now that Tony Hall, (then director-general of the BBC) had decreed I'd never work for them again after the Diana interview. 'I find that outrageous. They came to that conclusion without speaking a single word to me. For years Matt Wiessler's quiet fury has simmered, but now it has reached boiling point. The graphic designer at the centre of the furore over Princess Diana's 1995 Panorama interview is appalled by the BBC's mealy-mouthed and belated 'apology' to him 'I was an award-winning graphic designer and people called me a forger. My children had to hear that. 'What I want now is for real people to come forward and make a public apology. 'There is a level of arrogance from the top. After 25 years you expect a cogent apology.' Matt is a man who does the right thing; who values probity and honesty. Indeed, he was the only person to emerge from the Dyson inquiry into the Panorama interview with his reputation intact. He says he was 'betrayed' by Martin Bashir into unwittingly colluding in the gross deception that secured his TV coup. That's what compelled him to turn whistleblower when he realised, with horror, that he and the Princess had been duped. He was asked by Bashir to reproduce mock bank statements purportedly showing payments into the bank account of Earl Spencer's security manager. These falsified documents Bashir showed to Earl Spencer who, in turn, alerted Princess Diana, ratcheting up the paranoia that fuelled her decision to grant her exclusive TV interview to Bashir. The astonishing coincidence: he saved the life of Bashir's dad Of all the twists and turns in the Bashir story, one has remained untold, not least for the reason it is a tale so extraordinary, it will send shivers down your spine. It is one Matt Wiessler has never revealed until now. Three or four years after the Panorama interview, Matt saved the life of an elderly man who, to his astonishment, turned out to be Bashir's father, Ahmed. He talks about that astonishing day, seeking neither approbation nor applause for his selflessnes, but simply because it is a 'mad coincidence'. Three or four years after the Panorama interview, Matt saved the life of an elderly man who, to his astonishment, turned out to be Bashir's father, Ahmed 'I was rowing on the Thames opposite Hampton Court Palace with my partner Lucy, my mother-in-law and toddler son one afternoon (about three years after the Panorama interview) when we saw on the other side of the bank, an elderly Asian man in a suit walking into the water, almost meditative and calm. 'He just disappeared under the water. My mother-in-law shouted, 'Matt, row over there!' 'By the time we'd got there the man's head was bobbing, just under the water never surfacing. 'I leaped out of the boat and clumsily paddled him to shore, did the Heimlich manoeuvre and he coughed up water and food all over me. 'He started crying. He was a lovely old man but clearly troubled. 'His hand was shaking and he wanted to show me something. 'He pulled out a dog-eared media pass from his wallet and he showed it to me. 'He was so well-dressed, but soaked. He said: 'This is my son. He's a big star.' 'And there was Martin Bashir's face and name. I was staggered. I replied: 'You won't believe this, but I used to work with your son.' 'It was an absolutely mad coincidence and I'm not telling you this because I want to make any kind of point. 'And of course I'd have rescued him whoever he was. In fact I asked the police, who arrived quickly, if I could have his address so I could send him a get-well card, which I did.' Records show that Ahmed Bashir died aged 72 in June 2001. Advertisement But this week, as the Dyson Report completely exonerated Matt, 'an entirely reputable graphic designer' of any wrongdoing, he remains furious. 'Even now Martin Bashir is arrogant enough to be saying he is 'really proud' of the interview. 'And Princess Diana is dead: there is a correlation. He became her best friend, engaged with her and deceived her.' However he reserves the full weight of his outrage for the BBC who not only refused to acknowledge his concerns about Bashir's duplicity, but who used him as a 'scapegoat'. 'I'm incensed they never seem to learn, change their ways or show any kind of humanity,' he says. The ricocheting effects of Bashir's calumny had a devastating impact on Matt's life. His work with the BBC haemorrhaged away; nobody at the Corporation returned his calls, he fell out with his business partner and struggling with a vastly reduced income he fled London with his partner Lucy to build a new life in rural Devon. He recalls the phone call that came 'out of the blue' from Bashir, just three months after Matt had left the BBC to start up as a freelance graphic designer running his own business with partner Patrick Bedeau. 'Martin Bashir wasn't a friend and it was unusual to get a phone call from him,' he recalls. 'He said: 'It's a real emergency job that has to be done overnight.' 'I was Mr Can Do that was one of the traits that marked me out and I said: 'Come over and I'll see what I can do.' 'He promptly turned up at 9pm talking about an 'exciting development' and telling me he needed to recreate some documents, replicas of statements from NatWest Bank. 'He mentioned that they'd been paid as 'surveillance money' and because he was from Panorama, one of the BBC's most respected programmes, I gave him leeway. I accepted that the details were shrouded in secrecy. 'But I asked for a brief in writing as I'd always do with such a commission because errors can be made when they're done verbally. 'He said: 'No, no, it has to be verbal.' I wouldn't say I was suspicious but I did think it was out of the ordinary. He said he needed the documents by 7am at Heathrow as he was flying off somewhere. He was buzzing with excitement.' The replica statements were duly delivered to the airport: Matt was paid just 250 for the job. If his suspicions were not aroused instantly, soon after the explosive interview was broadcast he started to have qualms about the documents. He sought a meeting with Mark Killick, one of Panorama's producers, who in turn asked him to fax copies of the statements he had produced for Bashir. 'Then I got a phone call saying: 'This is something to worry about. We will check it out with the relevant people.' 'This was when everything snowballed,' he says. He sought a meeting with Steve Hewlett, Panorama's newly arrived editor, who was dismissive. 'He seemed hungry for the big story and he didn't want to fraternise with me. He gave me pretty short shrift,' he says. By December 1995 he began to suspect he would be made the fall guy for the scandal. His suspicions gathered force when, on returning from a BBC Christmas party, he discovered computer files floppy disks containing the documents he'd produced for Bashir had been stolen from the three-bedroom flat in London's Parliament Hill he shared with Lucy. 'I was completely panicked by the break-in,' he recalls. 'The front door was still locked and everything was neat and tidy, but it was as if the thief had tried to unnerve and intimidate me because they had used to loo and not flushed it. I started to become really paranoid.' Nobody at the Corporation returned his calls, he fell out with his business partner and struggling with a vastly reduced income he fled London to build a new life He spoke to Tim Gardam, head of weekly programmes, straightaway. He promised a response but this was also dismissive. 'He wrote to me saying: 'It's all under control. We're handling it.' He also said: 'Please don't speak to the media'.' However Matt, 58, soon had no option: early one Sunday morning a posse of reporters arrived at his door. He learned that the BBC, far from supporting him, was briefing against him. He agreed to an interview with our sister paper, the Mail on Sunday. He then engineered a meeting with Bashir, who lied that the bank statements were not used as leverage to secure his interview. 'He told me: 'Matt you have to believe me. I did not use these documents'.' Already Matt's life was unravelling. Jobs with the BBC that he thought he had secured suddenly dematerialised. He thought he and his business partner had clinched a commission to provide the graphics for TV's News Review Of The Year. 'But then I was gobsmacked to get a call from the team saying: 'We'd love to use you but Steve Hewlett has said we shouldn't'.' The calumnies against him and his business partner Patrick were now growing apace. Both had won accolades and awards for their projects, but work from the BBC had now dried up. Both, it appeared, were personae non gratae. Their nascent company, which rented smart offices in New Bond Street, was ailing. 'Patrick and I had furious rows because he felt I never went out and hunted for work. But I did. It was just that a decree had gone out: 'This man must never work for the BBC again.' 'When someone comes along and questions one of the BBC's scoops, I can see that loyalties are challenged. I got a tiny bit of work for ITV and Channel 4 but nothing from the BBC. 'I admit I felt bitter and because I was blacklisted, Patrick was too, for fraternising with me. 'And we never had a clear answer as to why we weren't getting work. There was a culture of fear. 'No one said: 'Sorry it's disgraceful you've been sidelined.' They didn't want to be labelled for speaking to us.' He was asked by Bashir to reproduce mock bank statements purportedly showing payments into the bank accounts of her security manager, her former private secretary and a former employee of her brother Earl Spencer In 2001, beleaguered by the paucity of work and covert enmity from former colleagues, he and Lucy sold their home for 400,000 by then they lived in a charming house boat moored on the Thames at Teddington and decamped to a dilapidated 17th-century farmhouse in Devon. 'I was tainted, a marked guy. My relationship with Patrick was strained. 'I didn't think it was fair on him if I stayed in the business as we'd lost work because of me. I had to do the honourable thing and extract myself so he could flourish.' Work in Devon, it seemed, was even harder to come by. Detached from the metropolis, he struggled to secure jobs. 'We existed rather than lived and my marriage suffered because of the stress,' he says. 'I stumbled and drifted into different projects. I became cautious, risk-averse in business and hot-headed as a parent, obsessed by justice and what was right. 'When the children reached the age when they started pushing the boundaries, telling little porkies, I was very intolerant. I can see now my family has been damaged by it.' He and Lucy, whom he met in 1993 when she was a PA on Panorama, have three children: Oscar, 24, Freya, 21 and Isaac, 19. To supplement the diminished family income Lucy retrained as a violin teacher, securing a post at the Cathedral School, Exeter. 'Lucy found herself living with someone who had become introspective and unmotivated. I ended up thinking of reasons why not to do things.' He realised he had reached his lowest ebb when one morning at 5.30am bailiffs arrived at the door, demanding 500 for an unpaid toll bridge fine which he'd ignored. 'I'd become really stressed about surviving financially and just wasn't coping.' Finally it was his former partner Patrick who effected the turnaround in his fortunes. Having secured a job as a global branding director, he commissioned Matt to fly to South Africa to build a TV talk-show set in Johannesburg. This prestige job revived his fortunes and confidence. But I wonder if he feels the BBC owes him compensation for the lost work, the slurs, by implication, on his professional reputation and the stress it has caused him? Matt, raised in Cape Town by parents of German extraction his mother was orphaned in World War II says he had worked with 'unstinting loyalty' for the BBC after he left university and came to London. Before starting his own business, they were his sole employer. Even so, he contends, he is not seeking financial redress. 'I'm not even thinking about money,' he says. 'Legally I don't even think, as a freelance, I have a right to claim. 'But the BBC has treated me as an enemy. 'I still feel there's a culture there that needs to be addressed. It has taken 25 years for me to get some form of acknowledgement that I did nothing wrong, but it is not a fitting response for all those years of people calling me a forger and leaker.' More than 61,000 migrants who arrived illegally in the U.S. have been released into the country, according to federal data, as the Biden Administration scrambles to cope with a surge at the border. The numbers show that Customs and Border Protection released just 47 between October and the end of December. But that skyrocketed in the months that followed President Biden's inauguration, with 61,312 released since February with either a Notice to Appear before an immigration judge or an I-385 which fast tracks migrants out of custody and on to Immigration and Customs Enforcement. It means they many are being released without a court date. The Biden administration is accused of ignoring a crisis that has seen arrival numbers surge at the southern border. Officials blame the previous administration for dismantling the immigration system but Republicans say Democrats fail to grasp the scale of the problem Migrants cross into the US from Mexico along Rio Bravo on May 19,2021 in Ciudad Juarez Mexico.According to unofficial estimates approximately 200,000 migrants have crossed into the United States along the southern border since February 2021 The data, first reported by the Washington Examiner, will be seized on by critics as more evidence that the Biden administration is unable to take control of the border crisis. Graphs presented at a Senate hearing last week illustrated the way border detentions had accelerated since Joe Biden was sworn in as president. And opponents point to the way former President Trump's policies, including construction of a border wall, and agreements with Northern Triangle countries have been abandoned. The result, they say, is new figures showing 178,000 migrants were apprehended at the southern border in April - the highest monthly total in two decades. Rep. Henry Cuellar, a Texas Democrat, told the Washington Examiner that border officials were too busy processing the surging numbers to identify the court where immigrants will be seen. 'It's an honor system document. It's an admission and release document, not a notice to appear [in court],' he said. Administration officials have steered away from using the term 'crisis,' much to the fury of Republicans. 'Our nation's southern border is still in crisis,' said Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell. 'The Biden administration still won't admit it. Much of the media would prefer not to cover it. 'But the facts are clear. And they're unacceptable.' Biden and his officials insist the problems are the legacy of Trump's efforts to dismantle the immigration system. Last week Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas tried to deliver an upbeat message to the Senate Homeland Security Committee. He said the Biden administration had made progress in ensuring that children were not being held at crowded border stations, reducing the number from 5,700 in late March to less than 500. 'The challenge is not behind us, but the results are dramatic,' he said. Advertisement A new 'triple mutant' Covid variant with a 'strange combination' of genes is being probed by virologists in Yorkshire - as England's R rate creeps up to 0.9 amid the spread of the Indian strain. So far, 49 cases of the new strain have been identified mainly in Yorkshire and the Humber but there is no evidence to show that it is more transmissible or resistant to vaccines, unlike the Indian variant which could be more transmissible. Public Health England are now looking into the spread of the mutation, which has been dubbed a 'variant under investigation'. It comes as No10's top scientists estimated the R rate which measures the spread of the virus is now between 0.9 and 1.1, up from the lower estimate of 0.8 last week. It is the closest the reproduction rate has been to one since the peak of the second wave in January. But residents have been urged not to be 'alarmed' at the spread of the latest strain, called VUI-21MAY-01 or AV.1. Greg Fell, director of public health in Sheffield, said his team had been monitoring the 'triple mutant' variant and found no reason to think it is more transmissible or resistant to vaccines. And ministers have insisted they won't 'hesitate to put in measures that we think are necessary to try and tackle the transmission of any variants' and reassured the public that scientists are monitoring the latest strain. The news came as Britain's daily Covid cases crept up by nearly a third in a week to 2,829, while deaths dipped again to just nine, official figures revealed today. For comparison, Department of Health bosses posted 2,193 infections and 17 fatalities last Friday. Official data also showed another 268,251 first doses and 420,312 second doses were dished out yesterday. More than 37.5million Britons or seven in ten adults have been inoculated against Covid. But Boris Johnson yesterday delivered a bullish message on the prospects for unlocking after a week of anxiety about whether the Indian variant will derail plans, saying he still does not see 'anything' in the data that would prevent the easings from going ahead as planned. He also told Tory MPs today the 'one metre plus' rule for social distancing is still set to be scrapped in June, adding eliminating the measure was the 'single biggest difference' the Government could bring about in order to get the country's pubs back into action. But documents published by the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies today said the highly infectious B.1.617.2 strain likely makes up the 'majority' of the UK's infections. The SPI-M subgroup modelled the variant's spread on May 12 based on how rapidly it spiralled last month, and forecast that it would account for more than 50 per cent of cases by the middle of the month. Its finding suggests the official number of cases reported by Public Health England is an underestimate and says the Indian variant is quickly replacing the current dominant Kent version, which triggered the second wave. Extra tracing and testing is currently underway for the 'triple mutant' Yorkshire variant. The Prime Minister's official spokesman said: 'There have been a number of variants throughout the pandemic and there will continue to be so. 'There are three mutations of the B1617 (Indian) strain, as I think has been discussed previously, but as we do with all variants where we spot and identify them through our genomic sequencing programme, we will continue to monitor them and we will designate them as variants under investigation, and then variants of concern if we deem them to be of greater risk. 'But again, as you've seen throughout the pandemic, that's what we've done and we won't hesitate to put in measures that we think are necessary to try and tackle the transmission of any variants.' Asked whether the discovery of the new variant would have an impact on the next stage of restrictions lifting on June 21, the spokesman said the five-week gap between measures relaxing would allow the variant to be monitored. He added: 'As the Prime Minister has said, we will continue to look at all the statistical evidence and data, and we'll set out our plans as soon as the data allows.' Mr Fell said in his statement: 'We have been monitoring VUI-21MAY-01 and we're managing this carefully as we do with all outbreaks across the city. 'There is no evidence to suggest this strain is any more transmissible than other strains identified in the UK and across the world, or to suggest the vaccine doesn't work against this strain. 'Please don't be alarmed, we want you to continue doing what you have been for the past year. Follow the guidance, continue to wash your hands regularly and wear a mask indoors.' 'Where cases have been identified, additional follow-up of cases, testing of contacts and targeted case finding will be used to limit the spread of variants.' Separate figures today suggested England's Covid outbreak may be on the rise amid surging cases of the Indian Random swabbing by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) found almost 50,000 people were infected with the virus on any day last week, or the equivalent of one in every 1,110 people. The estimate is up by 20 per cent on the previous seven-day spell. The national body, whose estimates are watched closely by ministers, warned it was starting to see a 'potential increase'. But its head of analytics for the Covid infection survey Sarah Crofts said 'rates remain low and it is too soon to say if this is the start of a trend'. Nicola Sturgeon yesterday banned all Scots from visiting Indian variant hotspots Bolton, Blackburn with Darwen and Bedford, as she warned Glasgow must stay in a tougher lockdown due to high case rates. Today's figures came after two separate datasets yesterday suggested that the concerns over the Indian variant were receding , allaying fears it is spiralling out of control. Public Health England's weekly surveillance report found coronavirus cases had dropped in every region except the North West and in every age group except 5 to 9-year-olds. Covid cases are only surging in three of 23 hotspots for the Indian variant Bolton, Blackburn and Bedford but are remaining flat in others and even falling in two Sefton and South Northamptonshire. And separate analysis from King's College London found 2,270 Brits were developing Covid symptoms last week, barely a change from the previous seven-day spell. Top epidemiologist Professor Tim Spector yesterday dismissed fears the mutant strain could slow lockdown easing or lead to the NHS being overwhelmed because national cases remained steady and many infections with the variant are mild. But other figures were not as promising. SAGE scientists estimate the country's R rate based on factors including cases, hospitalisations and deaths from the virus. But they warn the measure becomes less accurate when these get to very low levels. The R rate is a lagging indicator, and can only reflect the situation from a week to three weeks ago. Statisticians say when it remains below one it suggests the outbreak is shrinking because every ten people who are infected with the virus are passing it on to nine others at most. When it rises above this level, it means cases are rising. The R rate is no longer at the heart of the Government's Covid response because of the huge vaccination roll-out, and it will inevitably spike when restrictions are eased over the coming months. Ministers will only feel the need to act and delay the relaxation of lockdown if hospital admissions spiral out of control, like they did in October. ZOE and King's College London's symptom tracking app estimated there were 2,750 new cases of the virus every day, the equivalent of one in 1,796 Britons suffering symptomatic Covid in the week to May 15. They said this was not a significant change from last week. Their data was published yesterday MailOnline's analysis of official numbers show just three of the 23 places in England where the Indian variant has become dominant are seeing clear rises in infection rates - Bolton, Blackburn and Bedford WHAT DOES THE DATA SHOW ON ENGLAND'S COVID OUTBREAK? Official statistics have delivered a mixed picture on England's Covid outbreak this week. Some say it remains flat, but others suggest cases are rising. Which datasets say cases are staying flat? Public Health England suggested the Covid outbreak was flat-lining yesterday in its weekly surveillance report. They said cases were dipping in every region except the North West, which is struggling against an outbreak of the Indian variant. As many as 95 of 149 local authorities saw a drop in their cases, they added. PHE's data is based on national surveillance data on how many people are testing positive for the virus. This can't account for asymptomatic cases thought to make up a third of all cases and people who don't want to get tested for fear of having to self-isolate. King's College London experts also suggested Covid cases were flat, with 2,700 people being struck down with symptoms of Covid every day, which was no change on the previous week's estimate. Professor Tim Spector, the epidemiologist who leads the study, said their data suggested the Indian variant wouldn't lead to a slowdown in lockdown easings or overwhelm the NHS. Their data relies on daily reports from almost a million Britons saying whether they are feeling unwell, what symptoms they are suffering, and if they have tested positive for Covid. But it can only pick up symptomatic cases and misses those that trigger no warning signs. Which datasets say cases are rising? Office for National Statistics random swabbing hinted that cases may have risen by 20 per cent last week after it estimated there were 49,000 people infected with Covid over any day last week. For comparison, they said there were 40,800 infections in the previous week. Statisticians warned they may be seeing a 'potential rise'. But its head of analytics Sarah Crofts said 'rates remain low and it is too soon to say if this is the start of a trend'. The ONS study is seen as the gold-standard for watching the outbreak and is closely followed by ministers. This is because it relies on random swabbing of tens of thousands of Britons every week, meaning it can catch asymptomatic cases and those in individuals who do not want to get tested for fear of having to self-isolate. SAGE scientists calculating the R-rate have also suggested Covid infections could be rising in England. They say the rate is now between 0.9 and 1.1, up from the estimated 0.8 to 1.1 last week. But the top experts warn the R rate is a lagging indicator and can only show the picture of the spread of the virus from around three weeks ago. The R rate is no longer at the heart of the Government's Covid response because of the huge vaccination roll-out, and it will inevitably spike when restrictions are eased over the coming months. Test and Trace data showed Covid cases were up by 12 per cent compared to the same time last week. There were 15,202 Covid cases transferred to contact tracers last week, official data revealed, compared to 14,435 in the previous seven-day period. Department of Health figures on Covid cases in the country also show they may have started to rise. The latest figures show 2,303 infections were recorded today, up a quarter compared to last Friday. Advertisement SAGE scientists estimate the country's R rate based on factors including cases, hospitalisations and deaths from the virus. But they warn the measure becomes less accurate when these get to very low levels. The R rate is a lagging indicator, and can only reflect the situation from a week to three weeks ago. It is still too early for it to reveal the impact of May 17 easings which allowed pubs and restaurants to reopen indoors on the outbreak in England. Statisticians say when it remains below one it suggests the outbreak is shrinking because every ten people who are infected with the virus are passing it on to nine other people at most. But when the measure rises above this level it indicates cases are rising. But the R rate is no longer at the heart of the Government's Covid response because of the huge vaccination roll-out, and it will inevitably spike when restrictions are eased over the coming months. Ministers will only feel the need to act and delay the relaxation of lockdown if hospital admissions spiral out of control, like they did in October. The North West was the only region to see its R rate rise slightly compared to last week, amid an outbreak of the Indian variant in the area (0.9 - 1.2). It remained at the same level in all other regions: East (0.8 - 1.1), London (0.9 - 1.1), Midlands (0.8 - 1.1), North East (0.8 - 1.0), South East (0.8 - 1.0) and South West (0.8 - 1.1). The ONS infection survey is seen as the gold-standard for tracking the Covid outbreak by ministers because it relies on random swabbing of more than 100,000 people. This means it is able to capture asymptomatic cases which trigger no symptoms and are thought to make up a third of all cases and infections among those who don't get tested but are ill. Covid cases did not fall in any of England's nine regions last week, results from the infection survey suggest. They may have risen slightly in the North East, Yorkshire and the Humber, West Midlands, East of England and the South East, results showed, but still remained at very low levels. London and the North West which are hotspots for the Indian variant were both estimated to have seen their Covid cases remain flat last week. Across age groups Covid cases were only predicted to have risen among 35 to 49-year-olds and over-70s, but remained at very low levels with a positivity rate of 0.15 and 0.11 per cent, respectively. They fell among 12 to 24-year-olds (down to 0.20 per cent), and 50 to 69-year-olds (down to 0.03 per cent) who have all been offered at least one dose of the Covid vaccine. Mr Johnson has said he remains hopeful England will be able to ease all remaining restrictions on June 21. Speaking to broadcasters in Portsmouth, he said: 'We will be letting everybody know exactly what sort of arrangements to expect for June 21. 'But what I can tell you, and just to stress that I am still seeing nothing in the data that leads me to think that we're going to have to deviate from the roadmap - obviously we must remain cautious but I'm seeing nothing that makes me think we have to deviate. 'But on June 21 and vaccine certification or Covid status certification I should say people should bear in mind that I don't see any prospect of certificates to go into pubs or anywhere else.' Pressed on whether the public will continue to be asked to wear masks, Mr Johnson replied: 'We will let people know as much as we possibly can by the end of the month about weddings, for instance. 'All the details we'll try and let people know by the end of the month about exactly where we think we'll be on June 21, Step 4.' The Prime Minister told the powerful 1922 committee of Tory MPs this week that he was confident the one metre rule could still be scrapped. 'We are hopeful we can do that at the end of the roadmap,' he said. An MP who attended Wednesday's meeting told The Times: 'He seemed very upbeat about removing the one-metre-plus rule next month. 'He told us he fully realises that it is the biggest difference the Government can make to letting pubs serve customers in reasonably normal conditions and that means getting rid of any capacity restrictions.' The data came despite a separate paper from scientists tracking the spread of the Indian variant saying it was behind 20 per cent of all cases in the capital last month. The researchers said the bulk of the new variant cases were likely the Indian B.1.617.2 strain, which has since spread rapidly across Britain and gained a foothold in parts of London and the North West. But they said surge testing for the South African variant in South London will have also made up a significant proportion of the cases. A smaller number of people tested positive for the Brazilian P.1 variant and other strains circulating less widely. Imperial College London researchers drew on data from the UK's variant-tracking laboratories, national infection surveys and the Government's centralised testing programme. Reams of separate data published yesterday found that cases were remaining flat across the country despite surging cases of the mutant strain. Public Health England bosses yesterday hailed 'hugely encouraging' data that showed cases remained 'stable' nationally at around 12,000 last week, and dropped in all age groups except 5 to 9-year-olds. Hospitalisations with the virus also fell across the country, while infection rates dipped in every region except the North West, which is struggling against an outbreak of the Indian strain. Some 95 out of 149 local authorities or 64 per cent saw their Covid cases dip last week. For comparison, there were 66 that recorded a drop over the previous seven-day spell. But Dr Yvonne Doyle, PHE's medical director, said the agency was concerned about the Indian variant and was 'constantly monitoring the situation'. She added: 'Until we know more it's vital we don't let our guard down too soon and remain cautious. We do not want to undo the huge progress we've made so far.' Separate figures from the PHE's weekly surveillance report showed the ten areas with the biggest Covid outbreaks were all hotspots for the Indian variant. And the NHS trust in Bolton one of the hotspots for the mutant strain has had to open another ward for Covid patients after a small rise in admissions, it was claimed today. Public Health England data showed Covid cases remained flat last week despite surging infections with the Indian variant They found weekly hospitalisations due to the virus also fell again and those due to influenza remained flat Covid cases dropped in every age group except 5 to 9-year-olds last week, Public Health England data showed And Covid cases dipped in every region except the North West which is battling a large outbreak of the Indian strain Boris Johnson told Tory MPs yesterday he was confident the one-metre-plus social distancing rule could still be relaxed on June 21 'freedom day' SAGE adviser and University College London epidemiologist Professor Andrew Hayward yesterday claimed the UK was at the beginning of another wave because of the rapid spread of the mutant strain. 'Although it was originally imported through travel to India it spread fairly effectively first of all within households after that and now more broadly within communities,' he told BBC Breakfast. 'So I don't really see why it wouldn't continue to spread in other parts of the country.' He added: 'Obviously we are doing everything we can to contain that, but it is likely more generalised measures may start to be needed to control it.' But Professor Hayward's comments come amid growing optimism from Number 10 that the Indian variant won't jeopardise plans to ease all lockdown restrictions on June 21, despite fears the highly-transmissible strain could scupper 'freedom day'. SAGE scientists have always warned there would be a third wave of the pandemic once restrictions were eased and more people were allowed to mix. But questions remain over how big the outbreak will be because vaccines will stop many people from catching the disease and being hospitalised. Government advisers don't believe the resurgence will be anywhere near as bad as January's crisis because of jabs and warmer weather. Almost 3,000 cases of the Indian variant have been detected in the UK, with the figure having quadrupled in a fortnight. Surge testing has been deployed in Bedford, Burnley, Hounslow, Kirklees, Leicester and North Tyneside to root out cases of the strain. INDIAN COVID VARIANT MAY ALREADY BE DOMINANT IN BRITAIN AND HAS GROWN 'EXPONENTIALLY' SINCE MARCH, SAGE WARNS The variants currently in circulation in the UK: The second Indian variant (B.1.617.2) is causing the most concern as it appears far more transmissible than the dominant Kent strain. The South African variant is believed to be the least responsive to vaccines, reducing their ability to block infections by about 30 per cent The Indian coronavirus variant may already be the dominant Covid strain in the UK after growing 'exponentially' since March, the Government's top scientific advisers have warned. Documents published by the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies today said the highly infectious B.1.617.2 strain likely made up the 'majority' of the UK's infections by mid-May. The SPI-M subgroup modelled the variant's spread on May 12 based on how rapidly it spiralled last month, and forecast that it would account for more than 50 per cent of cases by the middle of the month. Documents published by the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) said the highly infectious B.1.617.2 strain likely made up the 'majority' of the UK's infections by mid-May. The SPI-M subgroup modelled the variant's spread based on how rapidly it grew last month and forecast that it would account for more than 50 per cent of infections by mid-May Its finding suggests the official number of cases reported by Public Health England is an underestimate and says the variant is quickly replacing the current dominant Kent version, which triggered the second wave. In a separate paper published today, but submitted to ministers on May 11, SAGE warned cases of the Indian variant in Bolton, Bedford and Sefton were 'increasing apparently exponentially'. The group called for 'aggressive use of asymptomatic testing, contact tracing and isolation' in hotspots and hinted at extending lockdown rules, warning the Government against waiting for more evidence before acting. No10 has already deployed surge testing in a handful of areas where the variant is spreading quickest, including Bolton and Blackburn. Highlighting SAGE's panic about the new strain, the experts wrote: 'In the face of uncertain evidence the risk of overreacting seems small compared to the potential benefit of delaying a third wave until more people are vaccinated.' Boris Johnson today hinted that the June 21 'freedom day' will go ahead as he said he still does not see 'anything' in coronavirus data that would prevent the roadmap going ahead. The PM delivered a bullish message on the prospects for the unlocking in England after a week of anxiety about whether the Indian variant will derail the country's hopes. Meanwhile, Nicola Sturgeon banned Scots from going to Indian variant hotspots in England. The Scottish First minister voiced alarm at the threat posed by the strain as she announced that Glasgow will remain under tougher lockdown measures for another week. PHE said in its weekly update last night that there had been 3,500 cases of the Indian variant across Britain so far, according to the most recent count on May 19, which is five times more than at the start of this month. But the strain does not easily show up on a PCR test and laboratory analysis is needed to confirm its presence, which can take several weeks. MailOnline's analysis of official numbers show just three of the 23 places in England where the Indian variant has officially become dominant are seeing clear rises in infection rates. Dr Simon Clarke, a microbiologist at Reading University, told this website that the mutant strain would not be the 'disaster' initially feared because it appeared to be confined to pockets of the country. Scientists tracking the spread of mutant Covid strains estimated about 25 per cent of cases in the capital were variants other than the dominant Kent version by mid-April. The three most common variants are the Indian variant (in purple), the South African variant (green) and a separate, less virulent version of the Indian variant is in blue. The scale goes from between 0 and 20 per cent of all total infections Imperial College London researchers drew on data from the UK's variant-tracking laboratories, national infection surveys and the Government's centralised testing programme. Domestic strain B.1.525 and B.1.1.318, as well as the Brazilian P.1 variant, are circulating in smaller numbers. The scale goes from 0 to 5 per cent Advertisement A nursing student who was stabbed to death in her New York City apartment had been visited by NYPD cops just one hour earlier because she reported that her ex-boyfriend was trying to break in, it has been revealed. Alayna Hardy, 27, was killed in her apartment in Harlem, allegedly by her ex-boyfriend Fernando Munera, 26, on Wednesday night after he had broken in through the fire escape. Munera was charged with murder, burglary and criminal contempt on Thursday in connection with Hardy's brutal killing. Hardy called 911 around 8.15pm to report Munera was trying to break in. Cops from the 25th Precinct 'simply took a report and left' but didn't search for him, the New York Post reported. She previously filed six domestic violence reports against him. Hardy told cops Munera was on her fire escape which violated a restraining order that has been in effect since February, the New York Daily News previously reported. He left by the time police responded but allegedly returned around 8.45pm and repeatedly stabbed her in the body and neck during a fight, which also left the suspected attacker badly injured. Scroll down for video Fernando Munera, 26 (pictured left), has been charged with murder, burglary and criminal contempt for the stabbing death of his ex-girlfriend, Alayna Hardy, 27 (left and right) Footage posted on Citizen show police and ambulances on the scene outside 409 E 115th St. in East Harlem on the night of May 19, 2021 The video footage appears to be from the second time police responded after Hardy had been stabbed Officials are seen outside of the apartment building were Hardy lived on the night she was stabbed The NYPD refused to comment or clarify to DailyMail.com about the allegation that cops simply took a report and left, not searching for him around or near the building. 'The individual was gone upon police arrival. A complaint report and a domestic incident report was prepared,' the NYPD said in a statement to DailyMail.com. Officers were dispatched again to the apartment after the attack and Hardy was taken by ambulance to Metropolitan Hospital with multiple stab wounds and was later pronounced dead. Munera also had knife wounds to his chest and neck at the hands of his victim, who police say had desperately fought for her life. He was transported to Harlem Hospital and remains in critical condition, cops said. People close to Hardy have now ripped the NYPD for allegedly bungling its response to her call for help. Lorin Hardy, her father, cried as he told the Daily News he had desperately tried to steer her out of her 'dangerous relationship' with Munera. 'She was a good person. She was a loving person, and she just got hooked up with a jealous, crazy psychopath,' said Lorin Hardy, 52. 'I told her I said, "Cut it off. You have to make a clean break, because every time you talk to him, you're giving him hope."' Lorin Hardy told the outlet that his daughter was just a few semesters away from earning her bachelor's degree at Hunter College - having just completed her final exam to become a certified nursing assistant. People close to Hardy, pictured, have now ripped the NYPD for allegedly bungling its response to her call for help Her father Lorin Hardy, not pictured, said his daughter was just a few semesters away from earning her bachelor's degree at Hunter College Hardy is pictured with a moving truck in New York City in August 2020, seemingly moving into the apartment Munera, pictured right and left, was charged with murder, burglary and criminal contempt on Thursday in connection with Hardy's brutal killing Jared Hardy, her uncle, told the New York Post that the department should have 'put a plainclothes police officer out there or something.' 'There's so much politicization of violence now, all these people trying to release violent criminals, they're trying to destroy justice for victims and they want to victimize people and they're doing a good job with all their policies,' he said. He called Munera a 'bast**d' and 'pure evil' while slamming his alleged acts through tears to the New York Post. 'All we can hope is we get justice and that he'll never see the light of day again and he'll never be eligible for parole,' he said. Hardy's cousin and best friend Madison Elder called Munera 'a classic abuser.' Family members and experts have now questioned why the NYPD didn't station officers at Hardy's apartment '[He was] making her cut off her friendships with other people, he would sometimes answer her phone for her, he wouldn't leave her alone,' Elder told the outlet. Domestic violence expert Dorchen Leidholdt, the director of Sanctuary for Families legal center called it 'inexplicable' that the police 'simply left.' 'The police should've been there. They should've looked for him and they should've assessed the danger and understood that this victim was at a great risk of danger and they should've stayed on the scene for at least for an hour,' Leidholdt said. 'That's an inadequate response this had risk of lethality written all over it. It's heartbreaking.' Leidholdt said Munera lives in the same building Hardy did - which she claims should have been more than enough reason for officers to stand by to protect her. 'Seven calls to the police? Escalating violence? Multiple lethality dangerousness factors and he appears that he lived in the building and the police didn't stick around to protect this victim? That is unconscionable,' Leidholdt said. 'Unfortunately law enforcement, still to this day, simply does not provide intimate partner violence victims with the same degree of protection it provides others. 'And I suspect that if this had been a stranger incident, or an incident that did not involve an intimate partner, that the police would've provided a greater degree of protection,' she said, adding that 'the system failed her.' A neighbor who was friendly with the couple told the outlet Munera was recently abusing prescription medication and mixing it with alcohol. A Google Street View image shows the outside of the apartment building where Hardy was killed Earlier on the day Hardy was murdered, another neighbor spotted Munera pacing on First Avenue with his fists clenched and muttering, 'f*** this b****' and 'f*** this c***.' The neighbor, Noel Enrique Bermudez, told the Daily News that Munera had 'hatred in his eyes.' 'His eyes told me he was going to do something stupid, something dumb, someone was going to get hurt,' the witness recalled. Hardy was a native of Arizona but lived in New York City for several years. It is unclear how long she and Munera had been together, but a photo posted on her Facebook page in December showed the woman embracing her boyfriend. On February 13, Munera was charged with unlawful imprisonment, harassment and property damage stemming from a domestic incident involving Hardy. Prosecutors said during his arraignment that Munera restrained Hardy, took away her phone and prevented her from leaving a bedroom. After she managed to escape, Munera allegedly vandalized her apartment. A judge issued a temporary order of protection against Munera, prohibiting him from contacting Hardy - even as he continued living in the same building as his ex-girlfriend. Munera was scheduled to appear before a judge in connection with the February case on Thursday morning, just hours before Hardy's killing. A former Space Force commander who was relieved from his post over comments he made about Marxism and Critical Race Theory is to have his case reviewed by the Air Force Inspector General. Lt Col. Matthew Lohmier had been the commander of the 11th Space Warning Squadron at Buckley Air Force Base in Aurora, Colorado, when he spoke about the rise of Marxism and Critical Race Theory in the armed forces on an episode of the 'Information Operation' podcast. The military is now investigating whether the comments were partisan. 'The decision was made by the Department of the Air Force Inspector General due to the complexity and sensitivity of the issues under consideration, as well as potential for DAF-wide impact,' Air Force spokeswoman Ann Stefanek said in the announcement. Lt Col. Matthew Lohmier who was relieved from his post over comments he made about Marxism and Critical Race Theory is to have his case reviewed by the Air Force Inspector General Lohmier said that the teachings are anti-American and that comments were not meant to be partisan, but to call out extremism in the armed forces. This new review by Inspector General Air Force Lt. Gen. Sami D. Said, replaces the command-level investigation, which was being overseen by Lt. Gen. Stephen Whiting, head of Space Operations Command reports Fox News. Whiting removed Lohmeier last week over a loss of confidence in his ability to lead after Lohmeier made public comments. Meanwhile, he has been reassigned into a non-leadership role at Buckley. Lt Col. Matthew Lohmier told Fox News on Monday that he was being 'misportrayed' online and did not intend to be partisan when he made comments about Marxism on a podcast Lohmeier said on the podcast: 'The diversity, inclusion and equity industry and the trainings we are receiving in the military...is rooted in critical race theory, which is rooted in Marxism. 'Since taking command as a commander about 10 months ago, I saw what I consider fundamentally incompatible and competing narratives of what America was, is and should be. 'That wasn't just prolific in social media, or throughout the country during this past year, but it was spreading throughout the United States military. And I had recognized those narratives as being Marxist in nature.' He described the the New York Times 1619 Project as 'anti-American', adding: 'It teaches intensive teaching that I heard at my base - that at the time the country ratified the United States Constitution, it codified white supremacy as the law of the land. 'If you want to disagree with that, then you start (being) labeled all manner of things including racist.' Dan Crenshaw is leading the Republican's defense of 'hero' Space Force commander Lt Col. Matthew Lohmeier who was fired for calling CRT Marxist, amid concerns the Pentagon is trying to purge Conservatives 'I'm being misportrayed online,' Lt Col. Matthew Lohmier told Fox News on Monday. 'I don't criticize any leader or any person in the [Department of Defense] or any elected officials but I try to tee up ideas that I think are toxic.' 'I don't believe I was being partisan,' he said. 'It is not politically partisan to expose or attack Critical Race Theory or Marxism. 'The reason I say this is because Critical Race Theory and Marxism are antithetical to American values,' he continued, adding that the Critical Race Theory 'fuels narratives that attack America's founding documents.' He later told Sean Hannity that he received 'thousands' of letters from his military members who said they felt they've 'lost their voice' as these ideas spread throughout the military. Lt Col. Matthew Lohmeier appeared on a podcast to promote his new self published book, pictured, when he made the comments which led to a 'loss of trust and confidence in his ability to lead', according to a statement from the Space Force The comments led to a 'loss of trust and confidence in his ability to lead', according to a statement from the Space Force, and he was relieved of his position last Friday. A Space Force spokesperson told The Military Times: 'This decision was based on public comments made by Lt. Col. Lohmeier in a recent podcast. Republican lawmakers have since slammed the dismissal of Lt Col. Matthew Lohmeier who was fired as a Space Force commander for saying critical race theory is 'rooted in Marxism'. Lohmeier was dismissed from his role as a commander of 11th Space Warning Squadron at Buckley Air Force Base Colorado last Friday over critical comments he made 'fundamentally incompatible and competing narratives' within the military ranks. Congressman Dan Crenshaw of Texas, a former Navy Seal who lost an eye in combat in Afghanistan, condemned Lohmeier's removal. 'We need to be preparing our warriors to fight and win battles, not how to be (social justice warriors),' he wrote. 'Far left critical race theory is taught while speaking out against MARXISM is punished??' A fellow Texan, Senator Ted Cruz, called the move 'troubling'. Rep. Andy Biggs, of Arizona, said Lohmeier was a 'hero,' adding the US military 'should be preparing to win battles - not being brainwashed with Marxist ideals'. And Dan Bishop, of North Carolina, wrote on Twitter: 'Lt. Col. Lohmeier is correct. CRT is a neo-Marxist ideology. He was punished for telling the truth. We need to fight this with everything we have.' Lohmeier made the comments on a podcast to promote his new self-published book Irresistible Revolution: Marxism's Goal of Conquest & the Unmaking of the American Military. 'We need to be preparing our warriors to fight and win battles, not how to be SJWs,' wrote Dan Crenshaw. 'Far left critical race theory is taught while speaking out against MARXISM is punished??' Senator Ted Cruz, called the move to remove Lohmeier from his commander role 'troubling' Dan Bishop wrote: 'Lt. Col. Lohmeier is correct. CRT is a neo-Marxist ideology. He was punished for telling the truth. We need to fight this with everything we have' Several more Republican Members of Congress said they were determined to keep Lohmeier's case in the public spotlight. Rep. Jim Banks of Indiana, said: 'The Pentagon promotes partisan books on its reading list, then fires people for criticizing the same far-left ideology. 'There's a different set of rules for those on the right.' Rep. Byron Donalds, of Florida, said Lohmeier was a 'hero' for standing up to the 'leftist mob' which was trying to cancel him. 'Lt. Col. Matthew Lohmeier is a hero, not only for putting on the uniform every day to defend our nation but also to defend the freedoms of the leftist mob attempting to cancel him,' Donalds wrote on Twitter. '[Critical race theory] should have no place in our classrooms, Armed Forces, or country as a whole.' Rep. Ken Buck of Colorado said the teaching critical race theory was racist and divisive. 'Critical race theory is counterproductive to the very cause it champions. 'It emphasizes stereotypes and perpetuates prejudices by focusing on our differences instead of what unities us. 'It is racist, divisive, anti-American, and has no place in our schools or military.' While Rep Mike Waltz posted on Twitter: 'You cannot allow seminars at West Point that share anti-policing messaging while also relieving a soldier who shared anti-Marxism messages.' Rep. Byron Donalds, of Florida, said Lohmeier was a 'hero' for standing up to the 'leftist mob' which was trying to cancel him. 'The Pentagon promotes partisan books on its reading list, then fires people for criticizing the same far-left ideology,' wrote Jim Banks of Indiana CRITICAL RACE THEORY: WHAT DOES IT MEAN? The fight over critical race theory in schools has escalated in the United States over the last year. The theory has sparked a fierce nationwide debate in the wake of the Black Lives Matter protests around the country over the last year and the introduction of the 1619 Project. The 1619 Project, which was published by the New York Times in 2019 to mark 400 years since the first enslaved Africans arrived on American shores, reframes American history by 'placing the consequences of slavery and the contributions of black Americans at the center of the US narrative'. The debate surrounding critical race theory regards concerns that some children are being indoctrinated into thinking that white people are inherently racist or sexist. Those against critical race theory have argued it reduces people to the categories of 'privileged' or 'oppressed' based on their skin color. Supporters, however, say the theory is vital to eliminating racism because it examines the ways in which race influence American politics, culture and the law. Advertisement Lohmeier, a former fighter pilot received a Thanksgiving call from President Donald Trump in November of last year after joining the Space Force the previous month. Lt. Gen. Stephen Whiting, the head of Space Operations Command, is understood have removed him from his role Friday. Lohmeier told The Washington Examiner: 'What you see happening in the U.S. military at the moment is that if you're a conservative, then you're lumped into a group of people who are labeled extremists, if you're willing to voice your views. 'And if you're aligned with the Left, then it's OK to be an activist online because no one's gonna hold you accountable.' He said active service members have written to thank him for his comments 'because we don't have a voice anymore'. A Space Force spokesman told The Washington Examiner: 'Lt. Gen. Stephen Whiting, Space Operations Command commander, relieved Lt. Col. Matthew Lohmeier of command of the 11th Space Warning Squadron, Buckley Air Force Base, Colorado, May 14, due to loss of trust and confidence in his ability to lead.' Members of the military are allowed to express their personal opinions when not in uniform but are prohibited from 'partisan political activity'. Critical race theory claims to highlight how historical inequities and racism continue to shape public policy and social conditions today. Those who are against it say people are being indoctrinated into thinking that white people are inherently racist and that it reduces people to the categories of 'privileged' or 'oppressed' based on their skin color. The issue has become one of the frontline skirmishes in the country's culture wars in the wake of last year's Black Lives Matter protests. Lohmeier had said of Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's diversity and inclusion program: 'I don't demonize the man, but I want to make it clear to both him and every service member this agenda it will divide us. It will not unify us.' Austin in February ordered military leaders to spend time talking to their troops about extremism in the ranks. Chief Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said then that while extremism has been a problem in the military in the past, the January 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, which left five people dead, was a 'wake-up call' for military leaders. He said that Austin wants to get a better handle on the breadth of the problem. Lohmeier's book Irresistible Revolution: Marxism's Goal of Conquest & the Unmaking of the American Military looks at the 'impact of a neo-Marxist agenda' on American security. He has said he discussed the book with his superiors prior to writing it. In an email to The Military Times Lohmeier said: 'My intent never has been to engage in partisan politics. 'I have written a book about a particular political ideology (Marxism) in the hope that our Defense Department might return to being politically non-partisan in the future as it has honorably done throughout history.' Former BBC boss Lord Hall was under growing pressure to quit his Government-backed job last night over his role in the scandal. Ministers are understood to view the peers job as chairman of the National Gallery as untenable given the museums close connection to Prince Charles, its royal patron. Lord Hall was among corporation bosses who were attacked by Prince William for looking the other way rather than asking tough questions in the aftermath of the 1995 Princess Diana interview. Lord Hall (pictured), 70, was last night clinging on at the National Gallery to which he was appointed in January 2020 with a Government source saying it was very difficult to see how he could stay Members of the public queue outside the re-opened National Gallery in London on May 18, 2021 It came as Tim Suter, another BBC boss who was criticised by Lord Dyson, last night stepped down from the board of media regulator Ofcom. In his report, Lord Dyson rebuked both Lord Hall and Mr Suter for concluding that Martin Bashirs dealings with Princess Diana were straight and fair. Lord Hall, 70, was last night clinging on at the National Gallery to which he was appointed in January 2020 with a Government source saying it was very difficult to see how he could stay. But the source reiterated that any decision to remove him is for the gallerys trustees. His role is understood to have been discussed by individual trustees but the gallery yesterday refused to answer questions on whether the former BBC director-general will address the matter with the board. National Gallery trustees are ultimately chosen by the Prime Minister under rules set out in law. Diana, Princess of Wales is pictured during her bomshell Panorama interview with BBC journalist Martin Bashir in 1995 Under the terms of the Museums and Galleries Act, the board is responsible for appointing one of their number to be chairman. Trustees can serve for up to five years. Former director of BBC News James Harding has refused to answer questions on whether Lord Hall had any role in rehiring Bashir. A spokesman for the National Gallery said they had nothing to add to the personal statement made by Lord Hall. Lord Hall could not be reached for comment. A man has been found dead in his home after he went missing for two days. Julian Culbert, 46, was last seen at his Killara home on Sydney's upper north shore on Wednesday. His family became concerned for his wellbeing as Mr Culbert needed to take regular medication for his medical conditions. Police launched a search for the missing man and appealed for information from anyone who had seen a man wearing a dark jacket, dark track pants and a backpack. Police found Julian Culbert, 46, dead at his Killara home, in Sydney's upper north shore, on Friday Officers later found Mr Culbert's body at his Sydney home on Friday. 'Police thank everyone who shared our appeal for assistance,' a NSW Police spokesperson said. A report will be prepared for the coroner. President Biden promised to help Palestinians who lost their homes during 11 days of Israeli strikes on Gaza as he offered prayers Friday for a ceasefire to hold. During a press conference to mark the visit of South Korean President Moon Jae-in, he insisted he remained committed to Israeli security. But he struck a careful balance between both sides as he announced plans to help Palestinians in Gaza rebuild their lives so long as Hamas militants, who rained rockets on Israel, were not able to rebuild their armaments. 'I am prepared to put together, and am going to attempt to put together, a major package with other nations who share our view to rebuild the homes and - without providing Hamas the ability to rebuild their weapons systems - rebuild Gaza,' he said. 'They need help and Im committed to get that done.' President Joe Biden said there had been no shift in his position on Israel despite this week urging the Israeli military to de-escalate strikes on Gaza as he came under pressure from members of his own party to do more to protect Palestinian human rights South Korean President Moon Jae-in is only the second world leader to visit the White House since Biden took power because of COVID-19 precautions He spoke less than a day after Hamas and Israel agreed a truce, ending days of rocket and missile exchanges that killed more than 200 people. 'I'm praying this ceasefire will hold,' he said in the East Room of the White House. He was joined by Moon, who is only the second world leader to visit the Biden White House. They said they would work together to tackle the threat posed by North Korea nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs. 'We both are deeply concerned about the situation,' Biden said at the start of a joint news conference. He announced the appointment of a State Department official, Sung Kim, as special envoy for North Korea. 'Our goal is and remains complete denuclearization of the Korean peninsula,' he said. But the days of fighting between Hamas militants and Israel, as well as street battles in Israeli towns, dominated the questions as journalists tried probe whether Biden was weakening his support for Israel under pressure from the left of his party. An Israeli soldier sits on top of a tank at a staging ground near the border with Gaza Strip, southern Israel, Friday, May 21, 2021. A cease-fire took effect early Friday after 11 days of heavy fighting between Israel and Gaza's militant Hamas rulers that was ignited by protests and clashes in Jerusalem. Thousands of people attended funerals of Palestinians who died during the past few days of the conflict between Hamas and Israel These satellite images show the damage caused during the attacks in Gaza City following the Israeli attacks Members of the Ezz-Al Din Al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of the Palestinian Hamas movement walk past rubble from a destroyed building as a ceasefire came into effect on May 21, 2021 in Gaza City, Gaza. 'There is no shift in my commitment, commitment to the security of Israel,' he said before underscoring the need for a two-state solution. 'It is the only answer.' Biden has faced mounting calls from within his own party to do more to protect Palestinians. As the conflict wore on, his public support for Israel's right to defend itself against Hamas rockets gave way to urging Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to de-escalate strikes and move toward a ceasefire. On Friday he tried to balance those positions as he pushed back against the idea that the Democratic Party was breaking from its longstanding support for Israel. 'My party still supports Israel,' he said. 'Let's get something straight here: Until the region says, unequivocally, they acknowledge the right of Israel to exist as an independent Jewish state there will be no peace.' He declined to say what he told Netanyahu in their frequent phone conversations, other than that he took the Israeli prime minister at his word. Moon started his visit by meeting Vice President Kamala Harris where he delivered a subtle jab at Donald Trump. Biden's predecessor had dismissed Moon as weak and threatened to withdraw U.S. troops from South Korea. 'My congratulations on how the Biden-Harris administration is building back better with the world's most successful vaccine deployment and fastest economic recovery, and blazing a trail for inclusiveness and unity by restoring the soul of America,' he said. A police constable who shouted 'Free Palestine' at a protest is named as a 20-year-old new recruit who joined the Met just six months ago. PC Nusheen Jan raised her fist in the air and joined in with protesters outside the Israeli embassy in Kensington, west London, last weekend. Demonstrators were calling for 'immediate action' and an 'end to occupation' amid the ongoing conflict with Israel that has led to the deaths of hundreds of people. It can now be revealed that the officer in question, PC Jan, had started with the Metropolitan Police's Roads and Transport Policing Command six months ago - after completing her three months of training. The Directorate of Professional Standards has been informed and are investigating the full circumstances of this incident and to determine what further action is appropriate'. A police constable who shouted 'Free Palestine' and raised her fist (pictured) at a protest is named as a 20-year-old new recruit PC Nusheen Jan raised her fist in the air and joined in with protesters (pictured hugging one) outside the Israeli embassy in Kensington, west London, last weekend She hold the protester's hand while clutching a white rose in the film that has sparked a Met investigation A friend told The Sun: 'Nush has been upset by scenes from Gaza and the emotion caused her to do what she did.' In footage taken at the protest last weekend, the policewoman is shown holding the hand of an activist having been handed a white rose. PC Jan appears to say she is 'praying day and night' to Allah. She then embraces the woman despite Met rules saying 'officers must remain independent and impartial in carrying out their duties'. She raises her arm in the air and repeatedly chants: 'Free free Palestine, free free Palestine', sparking cheers from the thousands of people walking to the protest at the Israeli embassy. It was there that nine Met officers were injured after being pelted with bottles and eggs last weekend. The clip has sparked outrage on social media, especially among British Jews, and Scotland Yard is investigating after being bombarded with complaints on Twitter. Nine police officers were injured and missiles were thrown amid efforts to disperse pro-Palestine protesters outside the Israeli Embassy in London last Saturday Pictured: Supporters of Palestine attend a demonstration outside the Israeli embassy in London, Britain, 15 May 2021 Police watch pro-Palestinian protesters outside the Israeli Embassy in London on Saturday. There is no suggestion that those pictured were involved in the suspected race-hate incident The incident came after Met officers were criticised for taking the knee during BLM protests in London in 2020. Bosses had then given them the green light saying it was down to their 'discretion' to do so. Some older officers were insistent that police shouldn't kneel to protesters, who injured a total of 27 Met police officers last summer. Nine police officers were injured and missiles such as eggs and bottles were thrown amid efforts to disperse crowds outside the Israeli Embassy in London earlier this month. Thousands of people marched through the capital last Saturday to the gates of the embassy in Kensington, while protests took place in other cities across the UK and Ireland in solidarity with the people of Palestine. Rockets are launched towards Israel from the southern Gaza Strip on Monday evening. The IDF said that 70 were fired last night Explosions light-up the night sky above buildings in Gaza City as Israeli forces shell the Palestinian enclave in the early hours of Tuesday Nine people were arrested on suspicion of violent disorder in London, the Metropolitan Police said. A further four were arrested on suspicion of breaching the Health Protection Regulations, the force added. The Met said small pockets of disorder had followed a largely peaceful demonstration. Superintendent Jo Edwards, in charge of the policing operation, said: 'We once again saw police come under fire from missiles and several were injured as a result of this. It is totally unacceptable and I wish those officers a speedy recovery. 'Throughout the day, officers sought to engage with people who had gathered to demonstrate, and encourage them to disperse to help protect themselves and others during this public health crisis. 'Where this approach did not work and officers were met with hostility, they took enforcement action.' Kenneth Alexander (pictured), 52, admitted stealing a takeaway driver's car from outside a kebab shop and going on a drunken joyride As many a drinker knows, a night on the tiles can often end in a kebab shop... and the risk of making some very poor choices. And in the case of tycoon Kenneth Alexander thats exactly what happened as he tried to get home. For Alexander, the former boss of one of the worlds largest betting companies, ended up stealing a takeaway drivers car from outside a kebab shop and going on a drunken joyride. The 52-year-old sat shame-faced in court yesterday as he admitted to the bizarre incident after spending three hours in a bar with a friend. The court was told the businessman, who recently retired as chief executive of the holding company for Ladbrokes and Coral, had a moment of madness and was mortified by his behaviour that night. Alexanders downfall began when, after leaving the bar at 10pm with his friend, they headed to the nearby Marmaris Kebab shop in Perth, Scotland, for some much-needed sustenance. While there he asked the staff to order him a taxi home but was told there were none. Moments later, the shops delivery driver pulled up leaving the car empty with the keys inside. Fiscal depute Matthew Kerr told Perth Sheriff Court that the businessman jumped in and from inside the shop the delivery driver heard the sound of car wheels spinning. The driver tracked his vehicle and found Alexander sitting in the drivers seat but he then ran off home. When police arrived at Alexanders house, the accused was standing in front of his house and stated: Its me youre looking for. Alexanders downfall began when, after leaving the bar at 10pm with his friend, they headed to the nearby Marmaris Kebab shop in Perth, Scotland, (pictured) for some much-needed sustenance Alexander yesterday admitted taking and driving away a car from South Methven Street in Perth on May 7, 2021. He also admitted driving without insurance and while he was over the alcohol limit. He was banned from driving for a year and fined 1,000. Solicitor John McLaughlin, defending, said: He has been mortified by what has happened. He has previously been of good character but he doesnt deny any of the offence. When the delivery driver arrived he spoke with him about the prospect of getting a lift home. In truth the driver is probably not allowed to do that. This was when his moment of madness occurred. He jumped in the car and ended up one street away having effectively driven once around the block. He cant explain what went through his mind. When the delivery driver approached him he apologised and offered to pay for any inconvenience he had caused. Sheriff Pino di Emidio told Alexander: You have been of hitherto impeccable character. The betting boss stepped down last summer as chief executive of GVC Holdings, owner of Ladbrokes and Coral, after 13 years. The Ayrshire-born accountant turned GVC into a FTSE 100 global business with a 3.6billion turnover. What we had to deal with early on was trying to piece everything together, he said. We had a very open timeframe that we were dealing with that we had to try to put a lot together. Day-by-day we were able to get a little closer to establishing a location, it certainly wasnt an overnight aha moment. A lot of it had to deal with obtaining information a little point at a time. With following up with search warrants, we certainly had some big incidents that were able to get us to that point. Priti Patel lobbied a police chief to end an Extinction Rebellion blockade of a newspaper print works, a court heard yesterday. The Home Secretary phoned Hertfordshire Chief Constable Charlie Hall when 50 climate change activists demonstrated outside the Rupert Murdoch-owned Newsprinters site at Broxbourne. The protest, which began at 10pm on September 4 last year, prevented 3.5million copies of national newspapers including the Daily Mail, the Daily Telegraph and The Sun being distributed. The Home Secretary phoned Hertfordshire Chief Constable Charlie Hall when 50 climate change activists demonstrated outside the Rupert Murdoch-owned Newsprinters site at Broxbourne (pictured) The protest (pictured), which began at 10pm on September 4 last year, prevented 3.5million copies of national newspapers including the Daily Mail, the Daily Telegraph and The Sun being distributed Superintendent Ed Wells told St Albans Magistrates Court that Assistant Chief Constable Owen Weatherill had infomed him about the Home Secretarys call. Asked by Raj Chada, representing some of the defendants, if it had influenced his decision to arrest protesters, he said: It didnt cause me any concern. I dont know what the Home Secretary was saying. A great many people thought the protest should end. I made the decision based on what I felt was right. Six Extinction Rebellion members were convicted of wilfully blocking the highway during the same protests at the end of a trial in the same court on Monday. Superintendent Ed Wells told St Albans Magistrates Court that Assistant Chief Constable Owen Weatherill had infomed him about the Home Secretarys call They were fined and given conditional discharges. Another six are now on trial accused of the same charge: Laura Frandsen, 31, Amir Jones, 40, and Elise Yarde, 33, of London; Caspar Hughes, 49, of Exeter; and Charlotte Kirin, 52, and Hazel Stenson, 57, both of Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk. All deny the offence. Police logs showed that Boris Johnson was also taking an interest in the blockade. The case was adjourned until Monday to allow the defence to examine the logs and take statements from the police. A Los Angeles judge on Friday ordered That '70s Show star Danny Masterson to stand trial on charges of raping three women at his Hollywood Hills home between 2001 and 2003. After hearing three days of often harrowing and tearful testimony from all three victims, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Charlaine Olmedo denied a motion from the Scientologist actor's legal team to dismiss the charges. 'I find that the testimony of Jen B, Christina B and N. Trout (the names the women were identified by in court) is credible and sufficient to support the charges,' the judge told the criminal court in downtown LA. 'I find there is sufficient evidence to bind Mr Masterson over for jury trial.' A judge has ruled That '70s Show actor Danny Masterson must stand trial on rape charges. Pictured, how he appeared in court on Tuesday. Masterson has pleaded not guilty Masterson, 45, will stand trial on three counts of rape by force or fear, charges that could get him up to 45 years in prison Masterson has pleaded not guilty and his lawyers said they would prove his innocence He is Pictured on his way to court on Wednesday An alleged victim, only referred to as 'N. Trout' claimed on Thursday Masterson 'commanded' her to come over to his house (pictured), which was close to her house The preliminary hearing lasted three days with dramatic and often emotional testimony from the three women Actor Danny Masterson is seen in court sketches listening to testimony from an accuser on Wednesday morning during the second day of his trial hearing She ordered Masterson, 45, back to court on June 7 to be arraigned and allowed him to continue to be free on the $3.3 million bail that was set when he was arrested in June. She also ordered him to surrender his passport - currently being held by his lawyers - at that June 7 hearing. Masterson - who wore a blue suit, dark tie and white shirt in court today - showed no reaction to the judge's decision. Judge Olmedo also took a swipe at the Church of Scientology which, according to the three women - all of them Scientologists - threatened retaliation if they reported Masterson to the police. The church, said the judge, 'does not only discourage but prevent reporting of fellow Scientologists to law enforcement. Danny Masterson outside of court in Los Angeles on Tuesday On Wednesday a woman testified that she was five years into a relationship with the That '70s Show actor when she awoke to find he was raping her as she slept and took drastic measures to get him to stop Danny Masterson posted a photo Tuesday of himself in the passenger seat as his wife 41-year-old Bijou Phillips drove, with the caption, 'Had the most beautiful Uber driver drop me off at school today. #uberwife #bijouphillips,' and the location 'Court House' The testimony during the past week from Masterson's three accusers was traumatic and wrenching, with all three women breaking down in tears at times. Jen B told how he threw her in his jacuzzi, raped her and then pulled a gun her, telling her, 'Don't say a fking word. You're not going to tell anybody.' Mastersons attorney said the two had consensual sex. They pointed out that her testimony that Masterson threatened her with a gun hadnt appeared in an initial police report in 2004. Christina B described how she woke up naked to find Masterson raping her and when she tried to fight him off, he hit her and spit on her, calling her 'white trash'. Mastersons lawyers argued that that she had reframed the incident in recent years only after another alleged rape she reported could not lead to charges. N. Trout A third alleged rape victim of That '70s star Danny Masterson told a Los Angeles court today how he 'ravaged like a rag doll and pounded her from behind like a jackhammer.' Defense attorneys said she knew she was going to his house for sexual purposes, that she voluntarily stayed most of the night and that she sought a dating relationship with him that she did not get. All three said before each alleged rape, Masterson - who has pleaded not guilty to all charges - gave them a drink after which they felt 'blurry' and disoriented. Earlier this week, Masterson's attorney, Tom Mesereau (right), accused prosecutors of 'blatant religious bias' against the Church of Scientology and asked the judge to ban witnesses from mentioning Scientology during testimony. Pictured in September 2020 Masterson is seen in a court sketch from Tuesday's hearing listening to prosecutors present evidence to a judge as they attempted to show he should stand trial for the alleged rapes of three women. The judge agreed. Masterson was told to return to court on June 7 And all three said they feared retribution from the Church of Scientology if they reported the actor to the cops. In filing to dismiss the charges today, one of Masterson's attorneys, Sharon Appelbaum, challenged and disputed the stories of the three women, claiming there were 'inconsistencies' between what they told police and what they said in the witness box. 'The prosecution did not establish that a crime had been committed in any of these cases, ' she argued. 'We believe that Mr. Masterson has been unjustly accused in this case for actions he did not do..Rape has not been proven in any of these cases. 'Mr. Masterson believes he had consensual sex with Jen B and N. Trout...and the alleged rape of Christina B did not occur at all.' Masterson played wise-cracking Steven Hyde on That '70s Show from 1998 to 2006 Appelbaum talked about a 'sisterhood' between the three women 'who seem to want to take Mr. Masterson down. The communicate with each other. They speak often, even though the police asked them not to.' She accused the three - who are suing Masterson in a separate civil case - of 'colluding' with each other, of 'changing their stories', which she said have become 'more and more similar' over recent years. 'All three of these ladies have monetary motives. They have filed a lawsuit against Mr. Masterson.' Responding to Appelbaum's accusations about collusion, deputy district attorney Reinhold Mueller told the court, 'From the testimony I heard it was anything but collusion. These were not rehearsed statements. They were heartfelt.' And to the claim that there were inconsistencies in the alleged rape accounts of the three women, Mueller added, 'If there is one thing that is consistent her it's that the defendant (Masterson) was consistent in what he did to these girls.' The chief of Whipsnade Zoo has said an 'immediate threat to human life' forced keepers to shoot dead two escaped brown bears amid backlash from animal lovers for not using tranquiliser darts instead. The female bears, named Snow White and Sleeping Beauty, were euthanised by zookeepers after using a fallen tree to clamber into another enclosure, where they attacked a male boar. Malcolm Fitzpatrick, the Bedfordshire zoo's chief curator, told staff in a statement that it had been 'an incredibly upsetting and difficult day' but the decision was driven by 'safety' and a need to 'protect our people, guests and our other animals.' He added that the pair were not tranquilised because this can take 'at least 20 minutes to work'. It follows social media users criticising the zoo for its actions, with some calling for its closure and others questioning its preventative measures. Two brown bears were shot and killed after escaping from an enclosure at Whipsnade Zoo yesterday (pictured: two European Brown bears in the pool in their enclosure at the zoo) The female bears, named Snow White and Sleeping Beauty, were euthanised by zookeepers after using a fallen tree to clamber into another enclosure (European brown bears pictured during the annual weight-in at Whipsnade Zoo) Sleeping Beauty, one of three European Brown Bear sisters, pictured relaxing in her custom-made bear hammock at ZSL Whipsnade Zoo in April 2019 The zookeepers 'agreed the only option was to euthanise the bears', Mr Fitzpatrick said, adding: 'When there's an immediate threat to human life, the decision is made for you.' As well as attacking other animals, there was an imminent danger of the two bears escaping over the low fence of the boar enclosure they had reached, the zoo said. It is not know whether the zoo was open to the public at the time. Mr Fitzpatrick also told BBC Radio 4's Today Programme: 'Brown bears are strong and dangerous predators and, within minutes, our emergency response team were at the site of the incident and made the quick decision to euthanise the brown bears.' He added: 'The safety of our staff and our other animals in the zoo is paramount and a decision was made with that in mind. 'It was a very sad decision for us to make and we are now making sure that our staff who dealt with the incident are being cared for, as is the remaining wild boar who has been injured.' On whether tranquilising would have been an option, he said: 'Unfortunately tranquilisers can take a long time to take effect, especially when adrenaline is coursing through these large and dangerous predators. 'That means our staff and other animals at the zoo would have been at high risk. Therefore we had to make the decision to quickly proceed with the euthanasia. Malcolm Fitzpatrick (pictured above), the Bedfordshire zoo's chief curator, told staff in a statement that it had been 'an incredibly upsetting and difficult day' The Bedfordshire zoo's chief curator added that the pair were not tranquilised because this can take 'at least 20 minutes to work' 'Within 18 minutes of the situation first being noticed, the situation was safe and contained.' But some Twitter users condemned the action, with one writing: 'ZSL Whipsnade Zoo decides to kill two bears, who had only got into an adjacent enclosure, instead of even attempting to tranquilise them.' Another said: 'Surely it was known to the architects of the zoo that strong wind can bring down trees and they took no preventative measures when designing them. Shame on them and shame on Whipsnade Zoo.' And a third added: 'Whipsnade Zoo ought to be closed down immediately.' A third brown bear called Cinderella, who remained in her enclosure, was led to her indoor dens and secured, while the fallen tree was removed. The zoo has also come under fire from animal rights activists on social media for shooting the bears, but Mr Fitzpatrick deemed it necessary in the circumstances. 'I expect some of you may read this and wonder why we didn't use a tranquiliser to sedate the bears, and the short answer is that it simply wouldn't have worked,' he added, insisting their actions 'prevented any further loss of life'. The zookeepers' decision was driven by 'safety' and a need to 'protect our people, guests and our other animals', said Mr Fitzpatrick (file photo) The boar suffered injuries, but ultimately survived and was attended to by vets after the situation was declared safe. Strong winds yesterday morning had originally felled the tree, forming a 'bridge' between the two enclosures. Mr Fitzpatrick confirmed there will be a full investigation into the incident. He said: 'This situation is something we train to deal with through regular, rigorous drills - but one that we always hope we'll never have to face. 'I'm devastated by the outcome of this morning's incident, but I'm confident that our actions prevented any further loss of life.' It is rare for brown bears to attack humans on sight, with the species tending to avoid human contact. There are less than 40 attacks worldwide annually, with the majority in Europe occurring in Romania. Taking a page out of Apple and Amazon's playbooks, Google will open it first physical retail store in New York City's Chelsea neighborhood, the company announced on Thursday. The new location, which is part of Google's existing campus in the trendy district, will stock a number of Google products, such as the Pixel 5 smartphone, Nest thermostats and Fitbit smart devices, among others. The space is designed in a way where 'customers can experience our hardware and services in a helpful way,' Jason Rosenthal, Google's VP, Direct Channels & Membership wrote in a blog post. The store will be part of Google's Chelsea campus, which is home to some 11,000 employees A cartoon of the new Google store in the Chelsea neighborhood in New York City This is not the the company's first foray into physical retail - it has had a few pop-up stores at different times of the year, but this is its first permanent location. Rosenthal explained that the area was chosen because Google has been in New York City for the last 20 years 'and we view the store as a natural extension of our longtime commitment to the city.' Google noted that the COVID-19 pandemic and the future went into designing the store and shopping experience. Masks, hand sanitation and social distancing are required inside the store, which will be cleaned 'multiple times a day.' The tech giant added it will also limit the number of people inside, while also offering the ability to shop online and pick-up in store from customers ordering on GoogleStore.com. Google said the new store will be located at 15th and 9th street and will open this summer The spot will open to the public in the summer. For comparison purposes, Apple has more than 500 retail stores across the world, the first of which opened in May 2001. In the U.S., it has 271 stores, including nine in New York City alone. Excluding Whole Foods Market, which Amazon purchased several years ago, Amazon has six kinds of stores to sell products, including two Amazon Books and a Amazon 4-Star store in Manhattan. It's often said to be the hottest place on Earth, but new data suggests that California's Death Valley is not actually the warmest spot on our planet. While the warmth of the air in Death Valley can reach 134.1F (56.7C), surface temperatures are actually much higher in two other locations - Iran's Lut Desert and North American's Sonoran Desert. Researchers from the University of California, Irvine found that surface temperatures in these two locations can reach blistering heights of up to 177.4F (80.8C), although the Lut Desert is more consistently hot. Meanwhile, Antarctica holds the title for the coldest place on the planet, with chilly surface temperatures plunging to -199.6 F (-110.9 C). Scroll down for video While the warmth of the air in Death Valley can reach 134.1F (56.7C), surface temperatures are actually much higher in two other locations - Iran's Lut Desert (pictured) and North American's Sonoran Desert In the study, the researchers analysed high-resolution satellite data from the United States Geological Survey, looking at global surface temperatures over the past two decades. They found that Iran's Lut Desert is the hottest, while Antarctica is the coldest The hottest and coldest places on Earth The warmth of the air in Death Valley can reach 134.1F (56.7C), but surface temperatures are much higher in two other locations - Iran's Lut Desert and North American's Sonoran Desert. Surface temperatures in these two locations can reach blistering heights of up to 177.4F (80.8C), although the Lut Desert is more consistently hot. Meanwhile, Antarctica holds the title for the coldest place on the planet, with chilly surface temperatures plunging to -199.6 F (-110.9 C). Advertisement In the study, the researchers analysed high-resolution satellite data from the United States Geological Survey, looking at global surface temperatures over the past two decades. Their analysis revealed that the Lut Desert has the world's hottest land surface, regularly reaching blistering temperatures between 2002 and 2019. The desert is situated between a mountain range, meaning hot air is easily trapped in the sand dunes. While a previous study, published in 2011, suggested that temperatures in the Lut Desert can reach 159.3F (70.7C), the new data suggests that this was likely an underestimate. Instead, the researchers say temperatures in the Lut Desert are actually 10 degrees higher than thought. The Sonoran Desert, which borders the US and Mexico, can also reach extremely high temperatures, although this happens less frequently than in the Lut Desert, likely due to its low elevation. That's not to say that Death Valley isn't also extremely hot - the area still holds the record for the hottest air temperatures on Earth. While a previous study, published in 2011, suggested that temperatures in the Lut Desert can reach 159.3F (70.7C), the new data suggests that this was likely an underestimate. Instead, the researchers say temperatures in the Lut Desert are actually 10 degrees higher than thought The National Park Service explained: 'The world record highest air temperature of 134F (57C) was recorded at Furnace Creek on July 10, 1913. 'Summer temperatures often top 120F (49C) in the shade with overnight lows dipping into the 90sF (mid-30sC.)' At the other end of the spectrum, the researchers confirmed that Antarctica has the coldest surface temperatures on Earth. The Sonoran Desert, which borders the US and Mexico, can also reach extremely high temperatures, although this happens less frequently than in the Lut Desert, likely due to its low elevation There, temperatures regularly hit -199.6 F (-110.9 C) - around 20 degrees lower than the estimates in the 2011 study. In their study, published in the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, the researchers, led by Yunxia Zhao, explained: 'Antarctica is surrounded by oceans, typically controlled by low-pressure systems. 'This leads to strong winds from the center of the continent to its margins, contributing to record cold extremes.' At the other end of the spectrum, the researchers confirmed that Antarctica has the coldest surface temperatures. Pictured are penguins in Atka Bay, Antarctica The team added that it remains unclear if surface temperatures in these areas are influenced by climate change. 'While the behavior of the atmosphere in response to more anthropogenic emissions is well studied, the response of the land surface under different emission pathways is not well understood,' they wrote. 'It is hoped the future research in this direction can shed light on not only how extremes have changed in the past but how they will likely affect our planet in the future.' Charles Darwin's book 'The Descent of Man' was warped by his racist and sexist views, according to an expert reviewing the work 150 years after its publication. Published on February 24, 1871, The Descent of Man is one of the most influential works ever written on the theory of evolution and natural selection. 'Like so many of the scientific tomes of Darwin's day' the book 'offers a racist and sexist view of humanity,' says Princeton University anthropologist Agustin Fuentes. Writing in Science, Fuentes accuses the famed British naturalist of letting racism, sexism and misogyny 'warp' the scientific process and influence his findings. The article accuses Darwin of being 'dangerously wrong' on a number of assertions made in the 150-year-old book, including presenting his data through a cloud of racism and sexism that suggest women and non-white people are 'less than'. He said teachers should tell children about Darwin and his revolutionary theory, but also about the man and the 'sexism and racism' of the day that he seemed to share. 'Today, students are taught Darwin was the 'father of evolutionary theory', a genius scientist,' Fuentes wrote, but they 'should also be taught he was an English man with unfounded prejudices that warped his view of data and experience.' Charles Darwin (pictured) helped pioneer much of what is now modern day evolutionary theory. An anthropologist claims his book 'The Descent of Man' was warped by his racist and sexist views and those that were prevalent at the time of writing 150 years ago CHARLES DARWIN: THE DESCENT OF MAN Full title: The Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex Published: 1871 Author: Charles Darwin The Descent of Man is one of the most influential scientific books of all time. IT exerted a vast influence over scientific and religious thinking throughout much of the 19th century. In the work Darwin disturbed some widely-held views on how humanity came to be, the age of the Earth and our role and place in nature. Building on his earlier work in 'The Origins of Species', Darwin applied evolution through natural selection to humanity for the first time. He presented it through the process of sexual selection and looked at the development of intellect and moral faculties and how they influenced the choosing of a sexual partner. Darwin explored this relationship and selection bias by exploring the nature of sexual attraction in birds, insects, fish and mammals. The work has come under criticism in the modern era for sections presenting women and non-white people as being 'less than' white men. Advertisement Darwin published the Descent of Man 11 years after his 'On the Origin of the Species' to tackle 'head on' how evolutionary theory applied to humanity. It explored the concept of natural and sexual selection, alongside the idea of the 'survival of the fittest' and how mankind may have emerged from earlier hominids. 'He explored evolutionary histories, anatomy, mental abilities, cultural capacities, race, and sex differences,' Fuentes wrote in Science. 'Some conclusions were innovative and insightful. His recognition that differences between humans and other animals were of degree, not of kind, was trailblazing. 'His focus on cooperation, social learning, and cumulative culture remains core to human evolutionary studies,' he added. 'However, some of Darwin's other assertions were dismally, and dangerously, wrong. "Descent" is a text from which to learn, but not to venerate.' The anthropologist points out that for all the positives of the work, including showing humans as 'just part of the natural world,' there were negatives. 'Descent is often problematic, prejudiced, and injurious,' he wrote. Fuentes said Darwin thought he was relying on data, objectivity and scientific thinking when describing human evolutionary outcomes, but a lot of the book, like other scientific tomes of the day, was problematic by modern standards. It offers up a 'racist and sexist view of humanity,' that portrays anyone but white European men as 'less than' or of a 'lower rank than other races.' Darwin portrays indigenous people of the Americas and Australia s being 'less than Europeans in capacity and behaviour,' Fuentes wrote. When it came to people from Africa, Darwin consistently referred to them as 'cognitively depauperate, less capable, and of a lower rank than other races.' 'These assertions are confounding because in 'Descent' Darwin offered refutation of natural selection as the process differentiating races,' wrote Fuentes. He said in the book Darwin twists over himself to continue to push his 'baseless assertion' of evolutionary differences between races. Published on February 24, 1871, The Descent of Man is one of the most influential works ever written on the theory of evolution and natural selection WHEN DID HUMAN ANCESTORS FIRST EMERGE? The timeline of human evolution can be traced back millions of years. 55 million years ago - First primitive primates evolve 15 million years ago - Hominidae (great apes) evolve from the ancestors of the gibbon 7 million years ago - First gorillas evolve. Later, chimp and human lineages diverge 5.5 million years ago - Ardipithecus, early 'proto-human' shares traits with chimps and gorillas 4 million years ago - Ape like early humans, the Australopithecines appeared. They had brains no larger than a chimpanzee's but other more human like features 3.9-2.9 million years ago - Australoipithecus afarensis lived in Africa. 2.7 million years ago - Paranthropus, lived in woods and had massive jaws for chewing 2.6 million years ago - Hand axes become the first major technological innovation 2.3 million years ago - Homo habilis first thought to have appeared in Africa 1.85 million years ago - First 'modern' hand emerges 1.8 million years ago - Homo ergaster begins to appear in fossil record 800,000 years ago - Early humans control fire and create hearths. Brain size increases rapidly 400,000 years ago - Neanderthals first begin to appear and spread across Europe and Asia 300,000 to 200,000 years ago - Homo sapiens - modern humans - appear in Africa 50,000 to 40,000 years ago - Modern humans reach Europe Advertisement 'He went beyond simple racial rankings, offering justification of empire and colonialism, and genocide, through "survival of the fittest." This too is confounding given Darwin's robust stance against slavery.' Darwin wrote in The Descent of Man: 'The belief that there exists in man some close relationship between the size of the brain and the development of the intellectual faculties is supported by the comparison of skulls of savage and civilized races, of ancient and modern people, and by the analogy of the whole vertebrate series.' As well as describing non-white men as 'less than,' Darwin also used natural selection to place women lower in rank than white men. 'In 'Descent,' Darwin identified women as less capable than (White) men, often akin to the 'lower races,' Fuentes added. 'He described man as more courageous, energetic, inventive, and intelligent, invoking natural and sexual selection as justification, despite the lack of concrete data and biological assessment. 'His adamant assertions about the centrality of male agency and the passivity of the female in evolutionary processes, for humans and across the animal world, resonate with both Victorian and contemporary misogyny.' As a 'perceptive scientist' Darwin's views on race and sex should have been influenced by data he gathered and his own experiences, not others. 'But Darwin's racist and sexist beliefs, echoing the views of scientific colleagues and his society, were powerful mediators of his perception of reality,' said Fuentes. He doesn't want schools to stop teaching about Darwin as the 'father of evolutionary theory' or even to claim he was anything but a 'genius scientist,' but the anthropologist said this should be done alongside the bigger picture. He wants schools and universities to teach that Darwin was an 'English man with injurious and unfounded prejudices that warped his view of data and experience.' Fuentes said he's seen instances of racists, sexists and white supremacists, including academics, used statements on racial differences and rankings made by Darwin in Descent to validate their 'erroneous beliefs'. 'We can acknowledge Darwin for key insights but must push against his unfounded and harmful assertions,' he wrote in an article for Science. 'In the end, learning from 'Descent' illuminates the highest and most interesting problem for human evolutionary studies today: moving toward an evolutionary science of humans instead of 'man.'' Pregnant women who are exposed to high levels of air pollution are more likely to have children with asthma, a new study has revealed. Researchers from Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York studied 376 mothers and their babies to understand whether exposure to ultra-fine particles in air pollution during pregnancy could be passed on to infants. They found that slightly more than 18 per cent of the children born to mothers highly exposed to ultra-fine particle air pollution developed asthma. In comparison, just seven per cent of children overall in the US identify as having asthma. This is the first time asthma has been linked with prenatal exposure to this type of air pollution, according to the team. Scroll down for video Pregnant women who are exposed to high levels of air pollution are more likely to have children with asthma, a new study has revealed (stock image) DOES AIR POLLUTION INCREASE CHILDREN'S RISK OF ASTHMA? Young children who grow up exposed to air pollution are more likely to develop asthma, research suggested in December 2017. A mix of dust, sand and non-exhaust tailpipe emissions, known as coarse particulate matter, increases youngsters under 11's risk of the lung condition by 1.3 per cent, a study by The Johns Hopkins University found. Air pollution also raises their risk of visiting the emergency room due to their asthma by 3.3 per cent and being hospitalised with the condition by 4.5 per cent, the research adds. Young children are thought to be more at risk due to them typically spending a lot of time outdoors and being vulnerable to air pollution due to their immature lungs, according to the researchers. Around 7.1 million children in the US have asthma, making it the most common chronic childhood illness. Approximately 1.1 million youngsters are affected in the UK. The researchers analysed the asthma diagnoses and treatment data of 7,810,025 children aged between five and 20 years old living in 34 states between 2009 and 2010. They estimated levels of coarse particulate matter in each zip code using information from the EPA's Air Quality System database from 2009 to 2010. Advertisement Asthma is a respiratory condition that affects roughly one in 12 adults in the UK. The NHS explained: 'Asthma is a common lung condition that causes occasional breathing difficulties. 'It affects people of all ages and often starts in childhood, although it can also develop for the first time in adults.' The condition is caused by swelling of the breathing tubes that carry air in and out of the lungs, with common triggers including allergies, smoke and exercise. In this new study, researchers set out to understand if asthma could also be caused by exposure to ultra-fine particulate pollution in utero. Ultra-fine particulate pollution includes particles that are smaller than the width of an average human hair. Worryingly, this small size means that these particles can get deeper in the lungs and even pass into our circulation. Dr Rosalind Wright, who led the study, said: 'One reason ultra-fine particulates are not routinely monitored is that there have been a number of unique challenges to measuring them accurately. 'Fortunately, recent methods have been developed to provide such exposure data which allowed us to conduct this study.' The study included 376 mothers and their children who live in the Boston metropolitan area and were already being followed to assess their health. The team partnered with scientists from Tufts University, who had developed a way to provide daily estimates of ultra-fine particulate exposure in each of the women's areas. For example, women who lived near major roadways with higher traffic density tended to be exposed to more of these tiny particles. The researchers then followed up with the mothers three years later to find out whether or not their children had been diagnosed with asthma. The results revealed that slightly more than 18 per cent of the children born to mothers highly exposed to ultra-fine particle air pollution developed asthma. The results revealed that slightly more than 18 per cent of the children born to mothers highly exposed to ultra-fine particle air pollution developed asthma (stock image) In comparison, just seven per cent of children overall in the US identify as having asthma. Delving deeper into the results, the researchers found that girl babies were slightly more likely to develop asthma than boys. While the reason for the findings remains unclear, the researchers suggest that pollution may alter certain bodily regulatory system like the nerocrine and immune function. Dr Wright added: 'This research is an important early step in building the evidence base that can lead to better monitoring of exposure to ultrafine particles in the United States and ultimately to regulation. 'As we advance methods for measuring these tiny particles, we hope for replication of these findings, both within different geographic areas across the United States as well as globally. 'Childhood asthma remains a global epidemic that is likely to grow with the anticipated rise in particulate air pollution exposures due to effects of climate change.' The European Space Agency (ESA) has launched an ambitious new project to build a sat-nav and communication satellite network in orbit around the moon. This new infrastructure could one day turn our natural satellite into the 'eighth continent' as humanity spreads its wings and builds cities on the lunar surface. ESA says the project, known as Moonlight, will support the Lunar Gateway space station, multiple agencies working on moon missions and human exploration. In what will be the world's first commercial service of its kind, a number of British firms have won contracts to investigate how it might work, worth over 2 million. 'We are entering a new phase - the systematic exploration of our "eighth continent", the Moon,' ESA's David Parker told BBC News. 'The Moon is a repository of 4.5 billion years of Solar System history, but we've hardly begun to unlock its secrets. And so Moonlight is something that we see as really exciting, as a necessary infrastructure to support sustained exploration.' No details on the final cost of the mission or when it might be ready and fully operational have been released by the space agency. The European Space Agency (ESA) has launched an ambitious new project to build a sat-nav and communication satellite network in orbit around the moon This new infrastructure could one day turn our natural satellite into the 'eighth continent' as humanity spreads its wings and builds cities on the lunar surface ESA says the project, known as Moonlight, will support the Lunar Gateway space station, multiple agencies working on moon missions and human exploration NASA will land the first woman and next man on the Moon in 2024 Artemis was the twin sister of Apollo and goddess of the Moon in Greek mythology. NASA has chosen her to personify its path back to the Moon, which will see astronauts return to the lunar surface by 2024 - including the first woman and the next man. Artemis 1 is the first in a series of increasingly complex missions that will enable human exploration to the Moon and Mars. Artemis 1 will be the first integrated flight test of NASAs deep space exploration system: the Orion spacecraft, Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and the ground systems at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida. Artemis 1 will be an uncrewed flight that will provide a foundation for human deep space exploration, and demonstrate our commitment and capability to extend human existence to the Moon and beyond. During this flight, the spacecraft will launch on the most powerful rocket in the world and fly farther than any spacecraft built for humans has ever flown. It will travel 280,000 miles (450,600 km) from Earth, thousands of miles beyond the Moon over the course of about a three-week mission. Artemis II will take a crew on an orbit around the Moon but not land, and then bring them back to Earth Artemis III will be the first human landing on the lunar surface since Apollo 17 in 1972. A crew including the first woman to land on the Moon will fly in the Orion capsule, dock with a lunar lander and spend a week or more on the surface. Advertisement A number of firms from the UK, EU and Canada will work with the space agency to develop the Moonlight project, including how to provide telecom and navigation services to future missions - both large and small, crewed and robotic. 'Such a lasting lunar link will enable sustainable space exploration,' the agency says, which is one of the objectives of the NASA Artemis mission to return humans to the moon by 2024 and provide a permanent present on or around the natural satellite. Dozens of international, institutional and commercial teams are sending missions to the Moon that envisage a permanent lunar presence. The agency predicts that in future, thanks to the Lunar Gateway and an eventual moon base on the surface, there will be regular trips back and forth. This will be vastly different to the Apollo era of lunar exploration, that involved a series of one-off missions to land on the surface of our moon. Many of these initiatives come from the main space institutions in China, India, Japan and Russia, alongside other spacefaring nations, and private firms. A reliable and dedicated lunar communications and navigation service would allow missions to land wherever they wanted. Radio astronomers could set up observatories on the far side of the Moon, with the knowledge those signals will be easily and quickly relayed back to the Earth. Rovers could trundle over the lunar surface more speedily. It could even enable the teleoperation of rovers and other equipment from Earth, ESA suggested. Using a shared telecommunications and navigation service would reduce the design complexity of future individual missions and make them lighter, freeing space for more scientific instruments or other cargo, bringing the price down. Lowering the ticket price to lunar exploration could empower a wider group of ESA member states to launch their own national lunar missions. Commercial bodies could use innovative technologies developed for the Moon to create new services and products on Earth, which would create new jobs. Dozens of international, institutional and commercial teams are sending missions to the Moon that envisage a permanent lunar presence In what will be the world's first commercial service of its kind, a number of British firms have won contracts to investigate how it might work, worth over 2 million Using a shared telecommunications and navigation service would reduce the design complexity of future individual missions and make them lighter, freeing space for more scientific instruments or other cargo, bringing the price down A reliable and dedicated lunar communications and navigation service would allow missions to land wherever they wanted 'We are entering a new phase - the systematic exploration of our 'eighth continent', the Moon,' ESA's David Parker told BBC News They could also identify new Moon-enabled services and products such as virtual reality games in which players manipulate lunar robots. British firm Surrey Satellite Technology, through its subsidiary SSTL, will be heavily involved in Moonlight, working as a service provider and satellite manufacturer. SSTL's Managing Director Phil Brownnett said the efforts to create the network will reduce the design complexity of individual missions in the future. 'Leading the consortium builds on our successful collaboration with ESA for our Lunar Pathfinder communications spacecraft which will provide the world's first commercial Lunar data relay service after launch in 2022.' British firm Surrey Satellite Technology, through its subsidiary SSTL, will be heavily involved in Moonlight, working as a service provider and satellite manufacturer Commercial bodies could use innovative technologies developed for the Moon to create new services and products on Earth, which would create new jobs UK Science Minister Amanda Solloway said the upcoming missions to the moon are exciting people all around the world, adding she was proud to see UK space companies leading the way in making them a reality WHAT IS THE LUNAR GATEWAY? The US, Europe, Japan and Canada are cooperating on a NASA-led project to build the first lunar space station, codenamed the Lunar Gateway. It is part of the wider Artemis mission to create a sustainable lunar exploration setup and eventually land humans on Mars. The crew-tended spaceport will orbit the moon and serve as a 'gateway to deep space and the lunar surface,' NASA has said. The first modules of the station could be completed as soon as 2024. An international base for lunar exploration for humans and robots and a stopover for spacecraft is a leading contender to succeed the $100 billion International Space Station (ISS), the world's largest space project to date. Advertisement Inmarsat, based in London, and MDA Space and Robotics Ltd (MDA UK), based in the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus in Oxfordshire, are part of a consortium led by Telespazio in Italy exploring the idea in more detail. They will be investigating the development of a Lunar Communications and Navigation Service (LCNS) to support future science, exploration and commercial activities in orbit above, and on, the lunar surface. Yasrine Ibnyahya, Senior Director, Advanced Concepts and Technologies at Inmarsat, said providing communication and navigation capabilities around the Moon is a major challenge, both technically and commercially. 'I strongly believe that the expertise and assets from Inmarsat and our partners can solve this challenge in the most efficient and cost-effective way.' 'This lunar project is only the first step to unlock future opportunities. It can become the hub to facilitate human space exploration, further technology developments and perhaps access to new resources.' UK Science Minister Amanda Solloway said the upcoming missions to the moon are exciting people all around the world, adding she was proud to see UK space companies leading the way in making them a reality. 'Britain's expertise in navigation and telecommunications is second to none and this first of its kind commercial service demonstrates our ambition for the UK to become a world-leading space nation.' Radio astronomers could set up observatories on the far side of the Moon, with the knowledge those signals will be easily and quickly relayed back to the Earth Using a shared telecommunications and navigation service would reduce the design complexity of future individual missions and make them lighter, freeing space for more scientific instruments or other cargo, bringing the price down Rovers could trundle over the lunar surface more speedily. It could even enable the teleoperation of rovers and other equipment from Earth, ESA suggested Elodie Viau, Director of Telecommunications and Integrated Applications at ESA said a last link with the moon would enable sustainable space exploration. 'By using an ESA-backed telecommunications and navigation service for the Moon, explorers will be able to navigate smoothly and to relay to Earth all the knowledge gained from these lunar missions,' Viau added. 'A robust, reliable and efficient telecommunications and navigation system will make the dozens of individual missions planned for the Moon more cost-efficient and enable smaller countries to become space-faring nations, inspiring the next generation of scientists and engineers.' As Pope Francis continues to focus on the environment, electric vehicle maker Fisker promises the world's first 'all-electric papal transport' with recycled materials next year. His Holiness will ride around in a custom, Fisker Ocean SUV made from 'sustainable materials,' including recycled plastic bottles, Fisker co-founder Henrik Fisker said in a statement. Earlier this week, the Pope tweeted that 'technology based on the use of highly polluting fossil fuels needs to be replaced without delay.' 'There is reason to hope that humanity at the dawn of the 21st century will be remembered for having generously shoulders its grave responsibilities,' he added. Pope Francis' concern for the environment and reducing carbon emissions is evident by his tweets Pope Francis is seen riding in a popemobile made by Mercedes-Benz in 2016, which has been the popemobile maker for nearly 75 years In 2020, Toyota provided the pope with a custom-made hydrogen-powered Toyota Mirai, according to Auto Evolution. Henrik Fisker, known around the world for designing some of the world's best made cars, said he was inspired by the Pope's green commitment. "I got inspired reading that Pope Francis is very considerate about the environment and the impact of climate change for future generations," Fisker, the company's co-founder said in the statement. Fisker tweeted that he was honored to have a 'private audience' with Pope Francis, adding that he is 'so conscience about our responsibility towards the environment & for our generations to come!' Fisker co-founder Henrik Fisker is showing Pope Francis what the custom made Ocean SUV will look like. Fisker said it was an honor to have a private audience with Pope Francis, noting how important the environment is to His Holiness This is an artist's impression of what the Ocean SUV will look like with Pope Francis inside the glass cuppola Pope Francis signed a drawing of the car, which is slated to go into production in November 2022 The custom Ocean SUV, capable of going more than 350 miles on a single charge, also comes with an all-glass cupola (or small dome) roof that will allow the head of the Catholic Church 'to greet the faithful.' It will be delivered next year. All popemobiles have license plates that start with SCV, which stands for Status Civitatis Vaticanae or "Vatican City State.'' Pope Francis' current license plate Ford Focus currently used by Pope Francis is "SCV 00919. Traditional versions of the SUV, which starts at $37,499, will go into production Nov. 17, 2022. Pope Francis' concerns about climate change The new electric SUV notwithstanding, Pope Francis repeatedly has expressed concerns about saving the environment. The Pope has repeatedly warned about mankind's impact on the Earth. In 2019, he said he was considering introducing 'ecological sin' as a way to combat climate change In 2015, the Pope tweeted that climate change 'represents one of the principal challenges facing humanity in our day.' Two years later, he wrote that care for the environment is a 'social concern,' adding that humanity needs to hear the cry of the Earth and the poor alike. In September 2020, he said the destruction of the environment is serious, as 'God has entrusted the world to us.' Pope Francis has expressed his concerns about mankins' impact on the climate throughout the years With more than 18 million followers on Twitter, Pope Francis has an enormous following on the social network A destruction of the environment would be serious 'because God has entrusted the world to us,' Pope Francis said in September 2020 Separately in 2015, during his visit to the U.S., Pope Francis addressed climate change with then President Obama. His Holiness repeatedly warned about mankind's effects on the environment. In March, he warned a second great flood would come as a result of climate change unless leaders around the world work to fix corruption and injustice. The 84-year-old said that, in the story of the great flood in the Bible, God used his wrath to punish injustice and 'clean up' the world. He then added that humanity is facing another 'great deluge, perhaps due to a rise in temperature and the melting of glaciers. '[That is] what will happen now if we continue on the same path,' he said. In 2019, he said he was considering introducing 'ecological sins' in an effort to combat climate change, adding that it is 'a duty' to protect 'our common home.' NASA's Curiosity rover may be close to finding evidence of salt in the Martian soil, which the space agency says could be a sign life once existed on the Red Planet. Planetary scientists from the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland have been scouring through images and data from the rover. They found that organic, or carbon-containing, salts are likely present on Mars, which the agency says are chemical remnants of organic compounds. Organic compounds and salts could have formed by geologic processes or be remnants of ancient microbial life, suggesting the planet may have been habitable. Existing equipment within the Curiosity rover isn't suitable for determining whether they actually are organic, but the team suspect this is likely the case. Scroll down for video NASA's Curiosity rover may be close to finding evidence of salt in the Martian soil, which the space agency says could be a sign life once existed on the Red Planet Planetary scientists from the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland have been scouring through images and data from the rover NASA CURIOSITY ROVER WAS LAUNCHED IN 2011 The Mars Curiosity rover was initially launched from Cape Canaveral, an American Air Force station in Florida on November 26, 2011. After embarking on a 350 million mile (560 million km) journey, the 1.8 billion ($2.5 billion) research vehicle touched down only 1.5 miles (2.4 km) away from the earmarked landing spot. After a successful landing on August 6th, 2012, the rover has travelled about 11 miles (18 km). It was launched on the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) spacecraft and the rover constituted 23 per cent of the mass of the total mission. With 80 kg (180 lb) of scientific instruments on board, the rover weighs a total of 899 kg (1,982 lb) and is powered by a plutonium fuel source. The rover is 2.9 metres (9.5 ft) long by 2.7 metres (8.9 ft) wide by 2.2 metres (7.2 ft) in height. The rover was initially intended to be a two-year mission to gather information to help answer if the planet could support life, has liquid water, study the climate and the geology of Mars. Due to its success, the mission has been extended indefinitely and has now been active for over 2,000 days. The rover has several scientific instruments on board, including the mastcam which consists of two cameras and can take high-resolution images and videos in real colour. So far on the journey of the car-sized robot it has encountered an ancient streambed where liquid water used to flow, not long after it also discovered that billions of years ago, a nearby area known as Yellowknife Bay was part of a lake that could have supported microbial life. Advertisement Besides adding more evidence to the idea that there once was organic matter on Mars, directly detecting organic salts would also support modern-day Martian habitability, according to NASA researcher James M T Lewis. 'If we determine that there are organic salts concentrated anywhere on Mars, we'll want to investigate those regions further, and ideally drill deeper below the surface where organic matter could be better preserved,' Lewis added. Experiments on Earth, and data from a robotic chemistry lab contained within the Curiosity rover indirectly point to the presence of organic salts on Mars, he said. But directly identifying them on Mars is hard to do with instruments like the Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM), a portable chemistry lab inside Curiosity's belly. This instrument heats Martian soil and rocks to release gases that reveal the composition of these samples. The challenge is that heating organic salts produces only simple gases that could be released by other ingredients in Martian soil. 'When heating Martian samples, there are many interactions that can happen between minerals and organic matter that could make it more difficult to draw conclusions from our experiments,' said Lewis. 'So the work we're doing is trying to pick apart those interactions so that scientists doing analyses on Mars can use this information.' Lewis analyzed a range of organic salts mixed with an inert silica powder to replicate a Martian rock and ivnestigated hte impact of adding perchlorates to the mixtures. Perchlorates are salts containing chlorine and oxygen, and they are common on Mars, with scientists worried they could interfere with life-hunting experiments. Researchers previously found that the results they collected from perchlorate-containing samples better matched SAM data than when perchlorates were absent, bolstering the likelihood that organic salts are present on Mars. Another instrument on the Curiosity rover, called the Chemistry and Mineralogy Instrument (Chemin) may be able to spot organic salts in high enough quantities. So far, since arriving on Mars in 2012, CheMin has not detected organic salts. Besides adding more evidence to the idea that there once was organic matter on Mars, directly detecting organic salts would also support modern-day Martian habitability, according to NASA researcher James M T Lewis Decades ago, scientists predicted that organic compounds on Mars could be breaking down into salts that would be more likely to persist on the Martian surface than large, complex molecules usually associated with life. Finding organic molecules, or their organic salt remnants, is essential in NASA's search for life on other worlds, but it is a challenging task on a surface that has been battered by billions of years of radiation erasing and breaking apart organic matter. 'Like an archeologist digging up pieces of pottery, Curiosity collects Martian soil and rocks, which may contain tiny chunks of organic compounds, and then SAM and other instruments identify their chemical structure,' the agency said in a blog. Using data that Curiosity beams down to Earth, scientists like Lewis and his team try to piece together these broken organic pieces. They found that organic, or carbon-containing, salts are likely present on Mars, which the agency says are chemical remnants of organic compounds Organic compounds and salts could have formed by geologic processes or be remnants of ancient microbial life, suggesting the planet may have been habitable EUROPE AND RUSSIA ARE WORKING TOGETHER ON THE EXOMARS MISSION TO SEARCH FOR SIGNS OF MARTIAN LIFE The main goal of ExoMars is to find out if life has ever existed on Mars - it will do this through a series of instruments on the surface and in orbit. This includes an orbiting spacecraft called the Trace Gas ORbiter (TGO) that carries a probe to study trace gasses such as methane around the planet. Scientists believe methane, a chemical that on Earth is strongly tied to life, could help identify areas where life does or could have once existed. The second part of the ExoMars mission, delayed to 2022 due to coronavirus, will deliver a rover to Mars' surface. The rover is being built in Stevenage, UK and is named after British scientist Rosalind Franklin. It will be the first with the ability to both move across the planet's surface and drill into the ground to collect and analyse samples. The rover will include a technology called the Mars Organic Molecule Analyser (MOMA) that will allow it to analyse samples and send data back to Earth. Advertisement This is like archaeologists finding pieces of pottery at a site and inferring the type of people that may have lived at that location hundreds or thousands of years earlier. The goal of astrobiologists working on Mars data is to infer what type of larger molecules the tiny fragments may once have belonged to in order to find out what it reveals about the ancient environment and potential biology on Mars. 'We're trying to unravel billions of years of organic chemistry,' Lewis said, 'and in that organic record there could be the ultimate prize: evidence that life once existed on the Red Planet.' While some experts have predicted for decades that ancient organic compounds are preserved on Mars, it took experiments by Curiosity's SAM to confirm this. Back in 2018 NASA astrobiologist Jennifer Eigenbrode's team detected a myriad of molecules containing carbon - an essential element of life as we know it. Eigenbrode, who worked with Lewis on this new study, said: 'The fact that there's organic matter preserved in 3-billion-year-old rocks, and we found it at the surface, is a very promising sign that we might be able to tap more information from better preserved samples below the surface.' NASA says Curiosity's SAM and CheMin teams will continue to search for signals of organic salts as the rover moves into a new region on Mount Sharp in Gale Crater. Soon, scientists will also have an opportunity to study better-preserved soil below the Martian surface when the European Space Agency (ESA) ExoMars Rosalind Franklin rover launches for the Red Planet in 2022. The British built rover is equipped to drill down to 6.5 feet, or 2 meters, and will carry a NASA instrument that will analyse the chemistry of these deeper Martian layers. NASA's Perseverance rover doesn't have an instrument that can detect organic salts, but the rover is collecting samples for future return to Earth, where scientists can use sophisticated lab machines to look for organic compounds. The first noose at the site near Kennedy Road was found and reported on April 27, followed by reports of five more ropes that looked similar to a noose. The ropes were hung in an area without surveillance cameras, police said, and because the area has hundreds of employees from various companies, theres been limited information on suspects or potential leads. Last week, evidence was sent to a state lab for processing, police said. Tardigrades are microscopic water-dwelling animals capable of surviving harsh environments on both Earth and in space and scientists say this ability could help safeguard astronauts. Also known as water bears, the creatures will be included in SpaceXs 22nd cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station that is set to launch no earlier than June 3 and carry a variety of scientific experiments. Members aboard the space station will study the Tardigrades with the hopes of identifying specific genes involved in its adaptation and survival in high stress environments. The payload will also include cotton, tissue chips and squid to help researchers better understand how microgravity impacts plant resilience, formation of kidney stones and symbiotic relationships among animals. All of the scientific research is tasked with discovering new ways of bettering the human body for both astronauts in space and those here on Earth. Scroll down for video Tardigrades are microscopic water-dwelling animals capable of surviving harsh environments on both Earth and in space and scientists say this ability could help safeguard astronauts Although SpaceX is set to take a trove of scientific goods to the ISS, some may feel Tardigrades are the most exciting. These tiny animals have captivated us since first being discovered by the German zoologist Johann August Ephraim Goeze in 1773, who called them little water bears. Tardigrades have proven to be virtually impossible to kill they can be froze, boiled, crushed and even zapped with radiation. And they will still continue to survive as if nothing had happened to them. The creatures will be included in SpaceXs 22nd cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station that is set to launch no earlier than June 3, which will carry a variety of scientific experiments (Pictured is a previous resupply mission) NASA hopes to pinpoint genes of Tardigrades that protect it from harsh environments with the hopes of better protecting astronauts from the stressors of space. Such powerful abilities has caught the attention of NASA, which hopes to pinpoint genes that protect it from harsh environments with the hopes of better protecting astronauts from the stressors of space. Principal investigator Thomas Boothby said: Spaceflight can be a really challenging environment for organisms, including humans, who have evolved to the conditions on Earth. One of the things we are really keen to do is understand how tardigrades are surviving and reproducing in these environments and whether we can learn anything about the tricks that they are using and adapt them to safeguard astronauts. The experiment will analyze a previously known genome of the tardigrade, with the goal of identifying genes that are required for adaptation and survival in high stress environments. Tardigrades will not be the only living animal in the payload, as it will be accompanied by immature bobtail squid. Astronauts aboard the ISS will examine the effects of spaceflight on the molecular and chemical interactions between beneficial microbes and their animal hosts Also along for the ride to the orbiting laboratory is a portable ultrasound, called Butterfly IQ Ultrasound, which will be analyzed to see how it operates in microgravity The findings from this study can be applied to understanding the stress factors of humans in the space environment, and identification of countermeasures, NASA shared in a statement. Tardigrades will not be the only living animal in the payload, as it will be accompanied by immature bobtail squid. Astronauts aboard the ISS will examine the effects of spaceflight on the molecular and chemical interactions between beneficial microbes and their animal hosts. The bobtail squid, Euprymna scolopes, is an animal model that scientists use to study symbiotic relationships between two species. This investigation is tasked with determining whether spaceflight alters the mutually beneficial relationship, which could support development of protective measures and mitigation to preserve astronaut health on long-duration space missions. Scientists hope this experiment will uncover the complex interactions between animals and beneficial microbes, including new and novel pathways that microbes use to communicate with animal tissues. The final experiment in the payload will study cotton, which has a gene that allows it to thrive in droughts and other stressful conditions This could also be used to identify ways to protect and enhance these relationships for better human health and well-being on Earth as well. UMAMI principal investigator Jamie Foster said: Animals, including humans, rely on our microbes to maintain a healthy digestive and immune system. What experiments are SpaceX sending to the ISS? Tardigrades: Identify gene that helps them survive harsh conditions Scientists hope this gene could be used to better protect astronauts. Cotton: Define which environmental factors and genes control root development in the absence of gravity. The findings could help uncover agriculture methods for plants amid climate change. Squid: Determining whether spaceflight alters the mutually beneficial relationship. This could support development of protective measures and mitigation to preserve astronaut health on long-duration space missions. Tissue chips: Understanding how kidney stones form in microgravity. This experiment aims to not only help astronauts, but also those suffering with kidney stones on Earth. Ultrasound: A portable ultrasound will be tested in microgravity to collect crew feedback. This device could be used by astronauts going to Mars who are in need of medical attention. Advertisement We do not fully understand how spaceflight alters these beneficial interactions. The UMAMI experiment uses a glow-in-the-dark bobtail squid to address these important issues in animal health. Also along for the ride to the orbiting laboratory is a portable ultrasound, called Butterfly IQ Ultrasound, which will be analyzed to see how it operates in microgravity. The investigation collects crew feedback on ease of handling and quality of the ultrasound images, including image acquisition, display and storage. Kadambari Suri, integration manager for the Butterfly iQ Technology Demonstration, said: This type of commercial off-the-shelf technology could provide important medical capabilities for future exploration missions beyond low-Earth orbit, where immediate ground support is not available. Testing of the ultrasound could be vital for missions to Mars, as astronauts will not have traditional medical devices in the event of an emergency. Space is known to wreak havoc on the human body, from bone density loss to depressed immune systems, but NASA has found another effect kidney stones. Kidney stones, often painful and debilitating, have long been a serious concern for astronauts, who have reported them more than 30 times post flight. To better understand what causes the formation, scientists are sending the ISS crew tissue chips that make up a 3D kidney cell model, which will monitored for changes while in microgravity. This experiment is a partnership between the ISS US National Laboratory and the National Institutes of Healths National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS), which aim to not only help astronauts, but also those suffering with kidney stones on Earth. Principal investigator Ed Kelly said: With this study, we hope to identify biomarkers or 'signatures' of cellular changes that occur during the formation of kidney stones. This may lead to novel therapeutic interventions. The rationale for conducting this study on the space station is that the microcrystals behave in a manner like what happens in our own kidneys, meaning they stay suspended in the kidney chip tubes and do not sink to the bottom, like they do in labs on Earth. The final experiment in the payload will study cotton, which has a gene that allows it to thrive in droughts and other stressful conditions. Targeting Improved Cotton Through On-orbit Cultivation (TICTOC) studies how root system structure affects plant resilience, water-use efficiency, and carbon sequestration during the critical phase of seedling establishment. Root growth patterns depend upon gravity, and TICTOC could help define which environmental factors and genes control root development in the absence of gravity. Principal investigator Simon Gilroy said: We are hoping to reveal features of root system formation that can be targeted by breeders and scientists to improve characteristics such as drought resistance or nutrient uptake, both key factors in the environmental impacts of modern agriculture. Improved understanding of cotton root systems and associated gene expression could enable development of more robust cotton plants and reduce water and pesticide use. Thanks to NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, researchers have tracked down the origins of several mysterious fast radio bursts (FRBS) to five distant galaxies. In total, the locations of eight FRBs -- intense flashes of energy found in various parts of the sky that last just a few milliseconds -- were traced by researchers from the University of California, Santa Cruz. These galaxies with spiral-shaped arms are in deep space, ranging between 400 million and 9 billion light-years away. One light-year is approximately 6 trillion miles. The researchers were able to find the FRBs, thanks to the ultraviolet and near-infrared light spotted by the Hubble's Wide Field Camera 3. They pinpointed five of the FRBs exact locations, however three remain inconclusive. The findings, which are slated to be published in an upcoming issue of The Astrophysical Journal and can be read on the arXiv repository, surprised the researchers because most times, they are not even sure where to begin their search. Scroll down for video 'Our results are new and exciting,' the study's lead author, Alexandra Mannings said in a statement. 'This is the first high-resolution view of a population of FRBs, and Hubble reveals that five of them are localized near or on a galaxy's spiral arms.' Mannings continued: 'Most of the galaxies are massive, relatively young, and still forming stars. The imaging allows us to get a better idea of the overall host-galaxy properties, such as its mass and star-formation rate, as well as probe what's happening right at the FRB position because Hubble has such great resolution.' NASA's Hubble Space Telescope tracked down the origins of several fast radio bursts to galaxies ranging between 400 million and 9 billion light-years from Earth in 'spiral galaxies' FRBs can give off as much energy in one-thousandth of a second as the sun does the entire year, the official NASA Hubble Twitter account tweeted The cause of FRBS, which can generate as much energy as 500 million suns in only a few milliseconds, have continued to evade scientists The ultraviolet light traces the glow of young stars around the galaxy's 'winding arms,' NASA noted, allowing Hubble to pinpoint on the location of the FRBs. The Hubble findings also back up previous ideas that FRBs have originated from magnetars, which are neutron stars with magnetic fields. These stars have magnets that are '10 trillion times more powerful' than the average refrigerator magnet, making them the most powerful magnet in the universe. 'Owing to their strong magnetic fields, magnetars are quite unpredictable,' Fong explained. 'In this case, the FRBs are thought to come from flares from a young magnetar. Massive stars go through stellar evolution and becomes neutron stars, some of which can be strongly magnetized, leading to flares and magnetic processes on their surfaces, which can emit radio light. Our study fits in with that picture and rules out either very young or very old progenitors for FRBs.' Able to generate as much energy in one-thousandth of a second as the Sun does in an entire year, the cause of FRBS have continued to evade scientists. Their short duration makes them exceedingly difficult to track and study, but the recent Hubble observations, which increased the resolution of the images, was able to provide additional context. 'This technique has worked very well for identifying the progenitors of other types of transients, such as supernovae and gamma-ray bursts,' study co-author and Northwestern University assistant professor Wen-fai Fong of Northwestern University said in the release. 'Hubble played a big role in those studies, too.' An artist's animation of what a fast radio burst looks like as seen in deep space The Milky Way is also considered a spiral galaxy, among the most common types of galaxies. At present, scientists still do not know how frequently FRBs appear and why some repeat and others don't. Nearly 1,000 FRBs have been discovered since the first one was spotted by the Parkes radio observatory in July 2001. It wasn't until 2007 however, that researchers accurately described the first FRB, known as Lorimer Burst FRB 010724. Since then, researchers have only been able to identify the origins of 15 of them, leaving many more beyond the current understandings of scientists. A small group of scientists have speculated that some FRBs could be signs of extraterrestrial civilization, but the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence Institute (SETI) said in 2019 that did not seem plausible. 'There are some who suggest that the FRBs might be alien signals, but that really doesn't make sense,' the organization wrote in a blog post. 'The sources are spread all over intergalactic space, and arranging cooperative alien behavior when even one-way communication takes many billions of years seems unlikely to put it gently.' Advertisement Pictures of a pouting boxfish, a giggling lion and ninja prairie dog are among the 'best entries so far' in the 2021 Comedy Wildlife Photography awards, organisers say. The annual photography competition is free to enter and is still open to anyone with a funny photo of our feathered or furry friends June 30, 2021. Now in its seventh year, the Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards has already received thousands of entries from around the world, with six weeks still to go. This year, the competition organisers are releasing some of the shots that have already had them howling like hyenas, to inspire both professional and amateur photographers to enter their own images before the deadline. The chosen photographs show animals from across the planet, from Africa, the Caribbean to Brazil, captured at the perfect time. A young lion in the Serengeti National Park, Tanzania, apparently laughing at the photography skills of Giovanni Querzani This picture was taken at Curao, Dutch Caribbean by Philipp Stahr. He said that usually box fishes are difficult to take pictures of as when they see a diver coming close they 'always turn the back and not the face to you' They include images of a moody pied starling showcasing its best frown, a bald eagle receiving a surprise from a prairie dog in Colorado and a group of penguins enjoying a surfing session in the Falkland Islands. The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards was co-founded in 2015 by professional photographers Paul Joynson-Hicks MBE and Tom Sullam. The duo wanted to create a competition that focused on the lighter side of wildlife photography and help promote the conservation of wildlife and habitats. Tom Svensson from Sweden captured this picture of a surfing penguin with others looking on waiting for them to land in the Falkland Islands One of the images they shared from the 'best so far' was a picture of a pouting boxfish taken in the Dutch Carribbean by Philipp Stahr, who said they're usually difficult to photograph as they 'turn their back on you.' 'That's why I tried to swim 50cm above the fish and showing no interest at all to him,' he said, adding that 'at the same time I had my camera below at my chest pointing to the bottom.' 'When the right moment had come, I turned the camera 90 degrees to the front and just point and shoot, hoping to have the fish in focus. Never expected to have its beautiful lips that close!' On the left a photo by Rohin Bakshi shows a baby hippo fruitlessly trying to get his mothers attention and right is a picture by KT WONG who captured a Yellow Bittern trying to get into a hunting position between two flowers An image of an Eagle being surprised by a prairie dog was captured by Arthur Trevino in the US, he described it as a 'real David vs Goliath story.' 'When this Bald Eagle missed on its attempt to grab this prairie dog, the prairie dog jumped towards the eagle and startled it long enough to escape to a nearby burrow.' Each year, the competition highlights a charity working tirelessly to protect vulnerable species, donating 10 per cent of its total net revenue to the charity. Lea Scaddan from Perth caught the image of these two Western Grey Kangaroos who were fighting This year they are donating to Save Wild Orangutans, an initiative that safeguards wild orangutans in and around Gunung Palung National Park, Borneo. Paul Joynson-Hicks MBE, Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards Co-Founder, said: A lot of wildlife shown in these images are facing threats to their populations and habitats that are heart-breaking. 'With this competition, we wanted to capture peoples attention and energy by giving them a giggle. In order to protect animals, we need people to fall in love with them. 'We think these wondrous shots show a side of wildlife that we dont often get to see. They remind us of the beauty, and comedy, in our natural world that needs protecting.' The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2021 is free to enter, with photographers able to enter up to ten photographs across six different categories. The images shared by the awards organisers are designed to showcase the 'best so far', but suggest many more images could still be submitted and the first prize award is 'wide open'. One image they shared was taken by Lucy Beveridge from Spain, it shows a young springbok 'all ears and spindly legs pronking' at the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park in South Africa. 'There's not much information on why the Springbok pronk but some theories suggest it is a way of showing fitness and strength to ward off predators and attract mates. 'It has also been said that this small, dainty and largely unappreciated antelope also pronks out of excitement, jumping for joy!' Arthur Trevino from Longmont, US, caught this bald eagle being surprised by a prairie dog, saying the dog jumped towards the eagle, startling it long enough to escape into a burrow Lucy Beveridge from Madrid, Spain caught this young springbok, all ears and spindly legs, in midair while pronking as the sun started to rise over the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park in South Africa Categories include: Land, Air, Juniors (for those aged 16 and under), Portfolio (a selection of four images), Underwater and Video Clips. This year the prizes range from a once-in-a-lifetime safari in the Maasai Mara in Kenya, a subscription to Affinity Photo, a camera bag from ThinkTank and, of course, the prestigious title of 2021 Comedy Wildlife Photographer of the Year. Tom Sullam, awards co-founder, said the hope is that people look at the images, share with family and friends the one they think should win. One image they shared that could win features a family of racoons huddled together in a whole in the bark of a tree, taken by Kevin Biskaborn in Canada. 'Isolated inside with your family eager to get out and explore the world? These eastern raccoon kits are too. Just when you think there's no more room in the tree hollow, mother raccoon appears and displays just how compact the space is,' Mr Biskaborn said. Txema Garcia from Laseca Palma in Spain was in Pantanal Brazil when this astonished looking fish was trapped in the beak of a fisher bird 'The babies clambered all over their mom and each another, struggling to take a look at the exact same time. This photo was taken in Southwestern Ontario, Canada. 'After exploring a particular area with numerous tree hallows, I identified it as a hot spot for raccoon families. Since raccoons will move from den to den, often not spending more than one night at a time in a particular den, locating an area with numerous options is key to locating the animals. 'I stumbled across this family and immediately worked on leveling the camera with the hole to prevent an upward angle. When the camera and tripod were ready, the baby raccoons were extremely curious (and cooperative), sticking their heads out for a closer look.' In the image on the left a moody looking Pied Starling was photographed by Andrew Mayes in South Africa, and right a family of racoons are squashed into a tree in Canada 'Last year, our winning picture of a grumpy-looking turtle swearing at the camera took the world by storm. People love to see these beautiful creatures in these silly situations - it reminds us that were not too dissimilar.' Entries will be judged by a panel comprised of wildlife photographers, Daisy Gilardini, Tom Lanman and Will Burrard-Lucas, travel editor Neil Stevenson, tv presenter Kate Humble, actor and comedian Hugh Dennis. Other judges include, co-founder of The Born Free Foundation Will Travers OBE, Managing Director of Serif, developer of award sponsor Affinity Photo Ashley Hewson, ThinkTanks Simon Pollock, image expert Celina Dunlop, Amazing Internets Andrew Skirrow, and the formidable ambassador for conservation, Bella Lack. The British-built Rosalind Franklin rover is a step closer to Mars after successful trials of a parachute landing that will help it land on the Red Planet in June 2023. The rover, originally due to launch in 2020 but delayed due to Covid-19 making it difficult to complete parachute tests, is a central part of the European Space Agency (ESA) ExoMars mission to search for signs of life on the planet. Making the most of the delayed launch ESA engineers worked to upgrade the parachute and bag system that will ensure it lands safely on Mars. The checks on the equipment were conducted by NASA in California to determine whether it is fit for use in the harsh conditions of our neighbouring planet. They were testing a new bag and folding system for the parachute, that will help the rover land safely on the surface of the Red Planet, with both tests 'going well'. So far only the Soviet Union, US, and China have successfully made a landing on Mars, with only the US and China landing a vehicle that can move about. There are currently three rovers operating on Mars. NASA Perseverance landed in February 2021, and NASA Curiosity that landed in 2012 were joined by the Chinese Tianwen-1 mission's Zhurong rover that landed on May 14, 2021. The British-built Rosalind Franklin rover is a step closer to Mars after successful trials of a parachute landing that will help it land on the Red Planet in June 2023 The rover, originally due to launch in 2020 but delayed due to Covid-19 making it difficult to complete parachute tests, is a central part of the European Space Agency (ESA) ExoMars mission to search for signs of life on the planet ESA TESTS MASSIVE PARACHUTE THAT WILL SLOW ITS ROVER ON MARS The ESA-Roscosmos ExoMars mission, with the Rosalind Franklin rover and Kazachok surface platform contained in a descent module, requires two main parachutes. Each parachute has its own pilot chute for extraction to help slow it down as it plunges through the martian atmosphere. The 15 m-wide first stage main parachute will open while the descent module is still travelling at supersonic speeds, and the 35 m-wide second stage main parachute is deployed once at subsonic speeds. The latest round of extraction tests focused on the first main parachute. Arescosmo addressed open issues from previous unsuccessful tests: a new bag design and a revised approach to folding to avoid line-twisting upon extraction. The Airborne Systems parachute and bag also completed several rounds of development tests to validate the extraction process. Advertisement Formerly known as ExoMars, the Rosalind Franklin rover is a joint mission between the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Russian space agency, Roscosmos. The latest tests, that took place in the US, tested on one of the two parachutes on the rover with components from Arescosmo and Airborne Systems. Arescosmo provided a new bag design and a revised approach to folding to avoid line-twisting during parachute extraction while Airborne Systems supplied the parachute and bag system, according to ESA. Thierry Blancquaert, who is the team leader of the ESA's ExoMars programme, said: 'Both performed very well in the tests.' He added there had been a few small areas in the parachute canopy which had been subject to friction, but said the issue can be rectified in 'just a couple of days'. The Rosalind Franklin rover was built by Airbus Defence and Space at the company's UK facility in Stevenage and is named after Rosalind Franklin, a UK scientist and co-discoverer of the structure of DNA. The rover plays a key role in the ESA and Roscosmos's two-part mission, the first of which called the Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) was launched in 2016. The aim of the TGO was to 'sniff out' gases in the Martian atmosphere and look for evidence of methane an indication of life on or below the planet's surface. Earlier this year, scientists from the UK's Open University revealed that the TGO had found traces of water vapour, one of the key ingredients of life. The second part of the ESA and Roscosmos's Mars mission is expected to take place next year, with the launch of the Rosalind Franklin rover. The 300kg-robotic vehicle was due to blast off in 2020 but engineers were not able to get the spacecraft ready on time due in part to the pandemic closing borders. In November 2020, the rover successfully completed its first full-scale high-altitude drop test, following two failed tests in the previous year. As part of the next steps, it will perform another high-altitude drop test in early June from Kiruna, Sweden, which will see the rover dropped under the parachute from a balloon, at an altitude of about 29km (18 miles). Further ground-based tests are due in August to prepare for another pair of high-altitude drop tests later this year. They were testing a new bag and folding system for the parachute, that will help the rover land safely on the surface of the Red Planet, with both tests 'going well' Making the most of the delayed launch ESA engineers worked to upgrade the parachute and bag system that will ensure it lands safely on Mars The Rosalind Franklin rover requires two main parachutes to help slow it down as it plunges through the Martian atmosphere. When the spacecraft is 3,280 ft above ground, the braking engines will kick into gear and safely deliver it to the planet's surface. Chris Castelli, director of programmes at the UK Space Agency, said it demonstrates the UKs leading capabilities in robotics, space engineering and exploration. Formerly known as ExoMars, the Rosalind Franklin rover is a joint mission between the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Russian space agency, Roscosmos The ESA-Roscosmos ExoMars mission, with the Rosalind Franklin rover and Kazachok surface platform contained in a descent module, requires two main parachutes 'This exciting mission will search for signs of life on Mars and, we hope, inspire a generation with the wonders of space exploration,' he said. 'These parachute tests are vital in helping us get the technology right to ensure it is a success.' Once on Mars, the rover will collect samples with a drill down to a depth of two metres and analyse them in an onboard laboratory. ESA said its aim will be to land the rover at a site 'with high potential for finding well-preserved organic material' which may offer clues as to whether ancient life ever existed on the planet. Female mice who lose their mate take longer to find a new love than males in similar straits, according to a new study. California mice typically mate for life but researchers have found if they lose a mate, they will find a new mate and have another litter. If a female loses her mate to death or abandonment, though, she'll wait significantly longer to take on a new partner than male in the same predicament. Researchers believe the ladies are gun-shy because experience has taught them males are less likely to stick around and help raise offspring. Scroll down for video Female California mice who have lost their first partner will wait an average of ten days longer to mate with a new partner than a male in a similar predicament While most rodents are polyamorous, the common California mouse is monogamousforming a lifelong pair bond with its mate. Males are active in parental care, including foraging for food for their pips, though they sometimes neglect those duties to engage in territorial aggression with other males. Should the male leave the pictureeither from death or other factorhis 'widow' is much slower to bond and mate with a new partner than if the positions are reversed. According to research published in the journal Behavioural Processes, the lady mice might be holding off because she's been previously burned by love. Researchers at Saint John's University believe the 'widowed' female mice are gun-shy 'based on the previous experiences they have faced' 'They need that extra paternal component, a male who will be there and who will actively engage in the successful rearing of offspring,' lead author Amber Valentino, a behavioral psychologist at Saint Joseph's University in Philadelphia told New Scientist. 'So we suspect their decision to go ahead and have pups with another male takes longer based on the previous experiences they have faced.' Valentino and her colleagues analyzed birth records for 59 California laboratories mice couples in which one mouse was a virgin and the other was a second-timer, most often due to the death of their partner from natural causes. Approximately 85 percent of the couples had litters, similar to another study of 525 mice pairs where both partners were virgins. That indicates 'reproduction with a new mate is not only possible, but perhaps more common than previously described for this species.' the authors wrote. But the pups arrived sooner when it was the male getting a second shot at love. It took 'widowed' males just 55 days before their offspring arrived, about the same amount of time it did with their first lady love. Male California mice had a litter within 55 days of being introduced to their new female partner about as quickly as they did with their first lady love Gestation typically takes between 21 to 25 days, suggesting mating began a month after they were introduced to the female. But if it was a previously attached female paired with a virgin male, it took an average of 65 days for the pups to arrive. Valentino theorizes the females held off those extra 10 days because, in their mind, males don't stick around. And being responsible for pregnancy and nursing, they have more at stake. 'Females need that extra paternal component to help make sure that offspring and reproduction will actually be successful,' she said. California mice, which are naturally found in central to southern California and northwestern Mexico, spend much of their time in trees but nest on the ground. A litter usually consists of just two pups, but a pair can produce as many as six litters in a year. According to earlier research, pups raised without a father have a 35 percent less chance of survival into adulthood, New Scientist reported. Advertisement Remote locations, Sir David Attenborough-style wildlife encounters and helicopter rides. Welcome to the world of expedition cruising, where high-seas adventure is guaranteed. Here's our pick of the best trips on the horizon that will make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. Norway's Hurtigruten has a 26-day itinerary sailing through the Northwest Passage, connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, through the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Go wild: Norway's Hurtigruten has a 26-day itinerary sailing through the Northwest Passage. Pictured is a Hurtigruten ship in the Arctic A stop off at Beechey Island on the Hurtigruten trip serves as a poignant reminder of how harsh the weather conditions in the High Arctic can be, with three wind-whipped graves from Sir John Franklin's ill-fated 1845 British North West Passage expedition, dramatised in the recent BBC drama The Terror, still visible on the beach The voyage, from Alaska to Greenland and on to Halifax in Nova Scotia, follows in the footsteps of many explorers, including Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen the first person to navigate the stretch from Greenland to Alaska by boat in 1906. A stop off at Beechey Island serves as a poignant reminder of how harsh the weather conditions in the area can be, with three wind-whipped graves from Sir John Franklin's ill-fated 1845 British North West Passage expedition, dramatised in the recent BBC drama The Terror, still visible on the beach. You are almost guaranteed a polar bear sighting and Zodiac boats will be at the ready so you can see the bruins at a close but safe distance in their natural habitat. Departing August 2023 on the Roald Amundsen, it costs from 17,273pp. Visit global.hurtigruten.com. One of the few lines offering Russian itineraries is New Zealand-based Heritage Expeditions. One of the company's standout tours for 2021 is a 14-day voyage around the far-flung Kamchatka peninsula, a prime spot for orcas, brown bears and more than 390 bird species, including the majestic Steller's sea eagle. New Zealand-based Heritage Expeditions has a 14-day voyage around the far-flung Kamchatka peninsula, a prime spot for orcas, brown bears and more than 390 bird species, including the majestic Steller's sea eagle The landscape is a photographer's dream with volcanic peaks, mirror-like lagoons, fjords and a sweeping tundra peppered with tiny flowers and soft mosses. A complimentary helicopter excursion takes you to Kurile Lake, in the extreme south of Kamchatka. This is home to one of the largest red salmon spawning sites in Eurasia, which attracts sleuths of bears from all corners of the peninsula. The voyage departs on August 30 and costs from 5,182pp. Visit heritage-expeditions.com. For those wanting balmier sailing conditions, upscale adventure travel company Pelorus has an adrenaline-pumping small group expedition cruise geared around diving in the jewel-hued waters of Fiji. Passengers on the Manta Ray Cyclone Feeding trip (departing September, pricing upon request) will be able to swim with squadrons of manta rays as they feed and swirl around in a balletic fashion. Diving down a little deeper, there will also be the chance during the expedition to explore some fascinating stretches of water first encountered by Captain Bligh after the Mutiny on the Bounty and, for those who dare, the shark diving in Fiji is incredible with as many as 12 different species possibly making an appearance. On land, guests will be invited to join a traditional Fijian celebration and present village elders with kava, a mildly narcotic drink made from the powdered roots of the pepper plant. With land-based activities, Pelorus says the 'options are endless'. The UK-based firm offers a taste of the things in store, with jungle biking, cave kayaking and white-water rafting served up as some of the highlights. Visit pelorusx.com. For those wanting balmier sailing conditions, upscale adventure travel company Pelorus has an adrenaline-pumping small group expedition cruise geared around diving in the jewel-hued waters of Fiji Sticking to the tropical-island theme, luxury cruise company Silversea has a 22-night voyage snaking from Tahiti in French Polynesia to the port of Valparaiso in Chile. The expedition calls at some hard-to-reach places, including the Austral Islands, Pitcairn which, having no airport, is dubbed the world's most isolated inhabited island and Easter Island, famed for its huge Moai stone statues. At each of the 12 ports of call, there is everything from snorkelling to hiking to biking, or guests can choose to go at their own pace and soak up the sublime scenery. Silversea's 144-passenger Silver Explorer makes for a very comfortable base camp with well-appointed suites, two restaurants, a fitness centre and a spa. Departing October 7, it costs from 13,811pp. Visit silversea.com. Advertisement Now Im beginning to feel like that Odysseus chap you know, ten years wandering, friends gone, money gone; the worlds full of terrors and I still cant get home. Sadly, this isnt a Greek myth; its the reality of travelling in todays Covid world. Odysseus had it easy, by comparison. In his day, there was no Border Force waiting for him at the end of his quest, no chaos at the airport, no automatic house arrest and no compulsory Im going to stick this up your nose and that will be a couple of hundred quid every five minutes. The beautiful Monastiraki Square in Athens. The city is where BBC veteran Michael Buerk has ended up following a business trip to Dubai Id swap that any day for Sirens trying to seduce me and a bit of bad weather. And they called him a hero. As it happens, Greece is where I am currently holed up. My nose is raw from all the Covid tests, the credit cards been so overworked it looks like a potato crisp. I didnt mean to come here. These days you go where you can. Anywhere theyll let you, basically; a kind of global bagatelle with masks. Greece is the word: The Buerks in Athens. Greece has only just emerged from lockdown It all started a month ago. A business trip to Dubai, pressing enough to be permitted to leave the country, which was saying something back in April, when the UK Governments travel restrictions made Cold War East Germany look like Club Med. Not that anybody checked. The Border Force had its feet up and we could have breezed through Heathrow in our bathers whistling Cliff Richard songs for all anybody cared. We werent going for fun. Dubais not a place Id go for a holiday at the best of times. Its thickets of skyscrapers, its theme parks and shopping malls its whole vaulting ambition are amazing, I know. But my idea of bling is my Garrick Club tie. Any ride that doesnt involve waltzing in a giant teacup frightens me. And what I loved about lockdown was not having to shop. Besides, its 40c there now and all you can see is sand. But theyve done well with Covid. Their vaccination programme is better even than ours; test and trace, light-years better. It works, for a start. Everyone seems to get tested all the time. A middle-aged expat I know has had 50 PCR tests already. Many get them free with work. It cost us 30 for a test at a 24/7 drive-through centre, while back in Britain we had paid 150. As a result, Dubai is back in business. Masks are compulsory in public, theres some sensible social-distancing, but the shops and the restaurants are open, companies back to near-normal, the economy struggling to its feet. The snag is that its still on the UKs red list. That means compulsory incarceration on return in a Heathrow hotel for ten days at 1,750 a head. No problem, we thought. We would wait for the Governments green list and pick a place we could go for ten days, and then swan back quarantine-free. It was a blow when the list consisted almost entirely of outcrops of Antarctica and countries that wouldnt let us in. Michael says that the hotels in Athens are empty and theres hardly a foreigner to be seen. He added: 'Weve had the Acropolis, and its marvellous museum, practically to ourselves' Except for Iceland. So Iceland it was. It would make a change, we thought, and our shorts and sandals should cut quite a dash in the bitter cold. Expensive place, Iceland. We spent a small fortune booking transfers and accommodation, and a large one on the plane tickets. We foreign correspondents know our stuff and I picked a Lufthansa flight via Frankfurt which would check the bags through, so we would only be in transit. The check-in lady was about to send our bags down when a stern figure appeared and chucked us off the flight. For reasons no one seemed able to explain, wed have to clear Icelandic immigration in Frankfurt. To do so would mean leaving the transit area and officially entering Germany, which UK citizens are currently not allowed to do. Danke and goodbye. Cue 48 hours of panic. Where in the world would let us in? Wherever could we go to escape being banged up in a Heathrow hell-hole? The Greek health official looked at the scrappy, handwritten NHS card showing our Covid vaccinations and smiled. Hed have kissed us, I think, given the slightest encouragement. The passport officer practically pulled us into the country. The years first tourists. Were saved! Michael Buerk Which is how we came to Athens. The Greek health official looked at the scrappy, handwritten NHS card showing our Covid vaccinations and smiled. Hed have kissed us, I think, given the slightest encouragement. The passport officer practically pulled us into the country. The years first tourists. Were saved! Greece has only just emerged from a lockdown since November so strict you needed permission to step out of your front door. Its like VE Day down Ermou Street and Monastiraki Square. But the hotels are empty, theres hardly a foreigner to be seen; weve had the Acropolis, and its marvellous museum, practically to ourselves. It feels safe even though their vaccination programme is way behind ours. Greeks, amazingly, are obeying instructions to wear masks. Which is why were sitting here in a lovely little boutique hotel in the Plaka called Sweet Home, stuffing ourselves with souvlaki and tzatziki and drinking retsina everything astonishingly cheap. Theyre coming to the hotel to do our PCR test for our return to the UK (50 euros wake up, Matt Hancock!). Greece is on the amber list. So, ten days house quarantine after weve queued our way through Heathrow, plus paying hundreds more on new tests. Not all that sweet a homecoming, then, but to have been travelling at all in these times of plague has been extraordinary an expensive reminder of all weve lost, and, inshAllah, will someday soon have again. Advertisement An airline pilot for six years, Lee Mumford knows his way around the controls of a plane. And these pictures show that he's got to grips with cameras, too. They have all been posted to Instagram and resulted in the Britons following taking off alongside his career. He now has over 16,000 followers thanks to incredible images taken on his global travels. His snaps include a breathtaking shot of Norway's Lofoten Islands, an amazing photo of Utah's Canyonlands National Park, a spellbinding aerial image of Old Harry Rocks in Dorset and a jaw-dropping picture of a train on the famous Nine Arches Bridge in Sri Lanka. Lee, 33, who is based in Hong Kong and has visited over 40 countries, tells MailOnline Travel: 'Ive always had a love for travel and once I fulfilled my dream of becoming an airline pilot, this gave me numerous opportunities to see some of the most incredible sights this planet has to offer. 'Ive definitely seen a lot more traffic come to my page over the past year as people spend more time at home due to lockdown. The top-down images especially fascinate viewers as they offer an angle not normally seen by the majority.' Scroll down and let Lee fly you to some of the world's most beautiful spots... A spectacular drone shot of Hong Kong snapped from Jardine's Lookout - a hill in the city that stands at 1,420ft (433m) high. Pilot Lee is based here and works for one of Asia's leading airlines Lee has been lucky enough to visit over 40 countries and says he tries to maximise his time at each location so he can 'really get a good understanding of the culture'. This stunning image was taken from the Mesa Arch in the jaw-dropping Canyonlands National Park in Utah LEFT: An amazing shot of San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge. Lee says this image captures 'the interaction between nature and human'. RIGHT: A mesmerising image of one of San Francisco's famously steep streets, with a lone walker captured in silhouette at the summit This incredible photo shows the stunning shoreline in Mirissa - a town on the south coast of Sri Lanka. Lee says: 'I love the diverse landscape of Sri Lanka. You can be in the hustle and bustle of the city of Colombo, tea plantations in Ella or catching some waves while swimming with turtles on the south coast. This place is amazing, not to mention the incredible food and super friendly locals' LEFT: A beautiful shot of the Tumpak Sewu Waterfall in East Java, Indonesia. Lee says: 'This place is straight from the movies. The topography is like nothing Ive ever seen before. Huge waterfalls and giant volcanoes will help take your landscape photography to a different level.' RIGHT: One of the dramatic canyons in Utah's Zion National Park. Lee wrote on Instagram: 'Utah has such an incredible range of different landscapes and your trip wouldnt be complete without a stop at Zion' An incredible shot of Huangshan Mountain in Anhui province, China. Lonely Planet says: 'When its granite peaks and twisted pines are wreathed in spectral folds of mist the idyllic views of Huangshan easily nudge it into the select company of Chinas top 10, nay, top five, sights' LEFT: An aerial shot over Hong Kong that highlights the dense living conditions. RIGHT: A shot of hundreds of parked-up tour buses in Hong Kong that Lee says shows the stark reality of the pandemic's effect on the travel industry Lee captured this beautiful scene in rural Xiapu in eastern China. He explains: 'We were blessed with a morning filled with incredible light as it pierced through these huge overhanging trees' LEFT: A stunning shot of a train crossing Sri Lanka's famous Nine Arch Bridge in Demodara. This is Lee's favourite image. He explains: 'This was my third sunrise in a row to capture something unique at the iconic Nine Arch Bridge. Eventually, on the third day, everything came together. A combination of the perfect light, a tad of mist and the train passing by... oh and a couple of friendly local dogs joined us for the occasion.' RIGHT: A spellbinding drone shot of the Memories Aicha Luxury Camp that is nestled in the Wadi Rum desert in Jordan A bewitching aerial shot of the Old Harry Rocks chalk formations off the coast of Dorset. Lee says: 'The top-down images especially fascinate viewers as they offer an angle not normally seen by the majority. Most people struggle to guess which country the images have been taken in due to the abstract feel they portray' LEFT: A beautiful photo of Clear Water Bay on the eastern coast of the Hong Kong peninsula. Lee says: 'The interaction between rich and poor, modern and historic, and from bustling streets to flourishing nature, Hong Kong offers so many angles for photography.' RIGHT: In this amazing image of the Maasin River on the island of Siargao in the Philippines, two people can (just about) be made out playing on an overhanging coconut tree This mind-blowing shot shows Mount Bromo in East Java, Indonesia, surrounded by a sea of clouds. It is an active volcano that last erupted in 2016. It stands at 7,641ft (2,329m) tall LEFT: A sea of clouds surrounds Hong Kong's ICC skyscraper, which is the tallest building in the city. It is 1,588ft (484m) tall and houses office space, an observatory and The Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong hotel. RIGHT: A stunning shot taken by Lee in Norway's Lofoten Islands. He explains: 'From 24 hours of sunlight to 24 hours of darkness, this place offers something for everyone if you pick the right time. I went during winter in order to capture the stunning Northern Lights, which should be on everyones bucket list' Lee's Instagram caption for this stunning aerial shot of Australia's most famous city reads: 'Sydney is such a photogenic city and definitely one of my top five' Advertisement Fascinating newly colourised images capture scenes in and around Britain's railways as the system was nationalised almost 75 years ago and the architect of subsequent track closures, Richard Beeching, making various public appearances on the network. In one image, 67-year-old rail worker Philip Martyr pauses to read a poster announcing the nationalisation of the railways at Charing Cross Station in London on December 30, 1947. In another, taken on January 12, 1948, at London Paddington station, the logo on a road wagon of private rail firm Great Western Railway (GWR) is spray-painted. In this picture taken at Paddington in 1948, the logo on a road wagon of private rail firm Great Western Railway (GWR) is spray-painted A train driver named G T Till examining the very first British Railways logo at Waterloo Station in London on February 15, 1949 Rail worker Philip Martyr pauses to read a poster announcing the nationalisation of the railways at Charing Cross Station in London on December 30, 1947 Under the nationalisation of the railways, all the rolling stock received new colours. This process is shown taking place at railway sheds at Derby in an image taken on May 25, 1948 Others show a train driver named G T Till examining the very first British Railways logo at Waterloo Station in London on February 15, 1949, and Richard Beeching examining a railway model at an exhibition in London on November 19, 1963. The incredible images have been newly released by the TopFoto Archives and painstakingly colourised - offering a new view on Britain's rail history as today's ministers usher in a new epoch. Shortly after World War II, Clement Attlee's Labour party nationalised Britain's railways through the 1947 Transport Act, although the decree didn't come into effect until January 1, 1948. The Battle of Britain locomotive hauls the luxury Pullman Thanet Belle from Margate in June 1948 Two young train spotters consult the British Railways Locomotive handbook in 1949 In this picture taken on August 30, 1948, passengers Miss Dorothy (left) and Rosalie Edwards of Portman Square, London, buy magazines from 11-year-old Fred Edwards (no relation) of Euston. Dressed in the newsboy style of Charles Dickens' time, Fred is deputising for John Howard Davies, the boy 'star' of the Oliver Twist film A wheel-tapper, Mr Richard Osborne, wearing a specially designed lamp cap powered by small batteries carried on his belt. This picture was taken on February 8, 1949, at Kentish Town, London An interior view of the new Trianon Bar situated in the 'Pegasus' carriage on the new Golden Arrow train, introduced on the Southern Region of British Railways on June 11, 1951 Piles of parcels at Euston Station, London. The backlog was caused by a strike that included porters, van drivers, and 500 members of the Euston branch of the National Union of Railwaymen, who were suspended from benefit by their union executive for taking part in an unofficial strike on December 11, 1948 Previously, the railways had been managed by four companies: Great Western Railway; London, Midland and Scottish Railway; London and North Eastern Railway, and Southern Railway. When the government took over these assets, they collectively became known as British Railways. In the 1960s, physicist and engineer Richard Beeching published his ideas on increasing the efficiency of Britain's railways. He identified 5,000-miles-worth of tracks and 2,363 stations that he believed should shut in the infamous 'Beeching Report'. These closures were heavily protested, although many eventually went ahead. Richard Beeching at Paddington Station, London, on February 22, 1962 In this picture taken at Paddington in 1962, Beeching is seen looking at his watch to check if it's time to set off Richard Beeching at Bluebell Railway Company in Sheffield Park on April 1, 1962 A crowd watches on as Beeching gets to grips with the levers at a Bluebell Railway Company signal box in Sheffield Park on April 1, 1962 Beeching, who served as Chairman of British Railways for a short time, is continually associated with the mass loss of local rail services. Some services have reopened, and some are run as heritage projects, but many remain closed. In the 1990s, the railways were privatised by Margaret Thatcher but after three decades, Boris Johnson's Conservative government has now announced plans to scrap this franchise system. The government will now manage ticketing, timetables, and track maintenance under the title Great British Railways. The Bluebell excursion train pulls into Haywards Heath with Beeching on board on April 1, 1962 Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway (U) Verdict: Liberty-taking sequel Rating: My New York Year (15) Verdict: Low-key literary charmer Rating: Pippi, my companion at the Odeon Hereford, chuckled happily throughout Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway on Monday afternoon. Her pleasure made me smile. During one sustained burst of high-pitched giggling, I even laughed. For the record, Pippi is ten. For grown-ups attached in any way to the charming world Beatrix Potter created around the turn of the last century, that might be the answer. Take the kids and enjoy their enjoyment. It will stop you wincing. Will Gluck, the New Yorker who directed and co-wrote this sequel (as he did the 2018 original), has at least ironed out the clunky Americanisms this time. There's no ice-cream 'truck' trundling through the Lake District. Pippi, my companion at the Odeon Hereford, chuckled happily throughout Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway on Monday afternoon. Her pleasure made me smile. During one sustained burst of high-pitched giggling, I even laughed. For the record, Pippi is ten But otherwise, anyone who can claim Jemima Puddleduck and Mrs Tiggy-Winkle as part of their childhood may as well brace themselves for 93 minutes of liberty-taking. As in the first film, Bea (Rose Byrne) is loosely modelled on Potter herself. She's a writer and illustrator of children's books, newly married to Thomas McGregor (Domhnall Gleeson), who is struggling to accept her menagerie as part of his extended household, and has a particular problem with mischievous but misunderstood Peter (voiced as before by James Corden). From there, two narrative lines develop in slightly wonky parallel. Gluck, rather endearingly keen to let us know that he's aware of Potter's 1902 story The Tailor Of Gloucester, sweeps the action to Gloucester (where, sure enough, there's an old fellow who deals in bespoke menswear). As in the first film, Bea (Rose Byrne) is loosely modelled on Potter herself. She's a writer and illustrator of children's books, newly married to Thomas McGregor (Domhnall Gleeson), who is struggling to accept her menagerie as part of his extended household There, Peter gets mixed up in a heist at a farmers' market masterminded by a rascally old bunny called Barnabas (voiced by Lennie James). His sidekick, incidentally, is a shifty rat with a Scouse accent. Liverpool isn't quite my native city but I grew up less than 20 miles away and feel fully subscribed to that Liverpudlian persecution complex. A rat indeed. Anyway, while all this is going on, a pushy publisher called Nigel (David Oyelowo) has signed Bea with the promise of international stardom but wants to make more of her stories, sending her characters into space and turning Peter into an outright villain. It's hard to know whether Gluck is poking fun at himself here for already doing to Potter's lovely tales pretty much what Nigel wants to do to Bea's. Peter gets mixed up in a heist at a farmers' market masterminded by a rascally old bunny called Barnabas (voiced by Lennie James). His sidekick, incidentally, is a shifty rat with a Scouse accent If so, then hats off; that's 24-carrot irony. If not, then shame on him for not noticing. And shame on him anyway, for a gag in which Peter's sister Flopsy (Margot Robbie), to distance herself from Mopsy (Elizabeth Debicki), declares her new name to be Lavatory. Not even Pippi laughed at that one. A further irony this week is that the strident, trying-too-hard comedy relates to Beatrix Potter, while the real charmer relates to a somewhat edgier author, JD Salinger. My New York Year is a low-key delight, a kind of gentle literary version of The Devil Wears Prada (2006). Margaret Qualley (Andie MacDowell's daughter, by the way) gives a sweetly bewitching performance as Joanna Rakoff, an aspiring young writer who lands a junior job at the venerable Manhattan literary agency that once handled the likes of F. Scott Fitzgerald and Agatha Christie. There, she is given the humdrum task of replying to all the fan mail sent care of the agency to 'Jerry' Salinger, their most famous, and famously reclusive, living client. My New York Year is a low-key delight, a kind of gentle literary version of The Devil Wears Prada. Margaret Qualley (pictured) gives a sweetly bewitching performance as Joanna Rakoff, an aspiring young writer who lands a junior job at the venerable Manhattan literary agency All she is required to do is send out generic notes explaining that Salinger never responds to unsolicited letters, but gradually she gets sucked into the (partly dramatised) stories of people desperate to engage with the author of The Catcher In The Rye. Sigourney Weaver is perfectly cast as Joanna's imperious boss, a toned-down version of Meryl Streep's character in The Devil Wears Prada. In fact, maybe only Streep herself, or possibly Tilda Swinton, could have played this part as nicely. Sigourney Weaver is perfectly cast as Joanna's imperious boss, a toned-down version of Meryl Streep's character in The Devil Wears Prada It's Qualley, though, who also made the absolute most of her role as Charles Manson's disciple 'Pussycat' in Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon A Time . . . In Hollywood, who gives this film its quiet luminosity. It's a true story, too, chronicled by Rakoff in her 2014 memoir, from which writer-director Philippe Falardeau has crafted the perfect antidote to all those bang-crash-wallop movies that assault the senses, pleasing though it is to see a few of the current lot advertised outside cinemas again. Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway is in cinemas now. My New York Year is in cinemas and on digital platforms from tomorrow. The Woman In The Window (15) Verdict: Hitchcock rip-off Rating: Army Of The Dead (18) Verdict: Zombie-heist extravaganza Rating: Whether Netflix intended their two latest releases to evoke the lockdown experience, who knows. But both do, in their different ways. In The Woman In The Window, Amy Adams plays Anna, an agoraphobic child psychologist who, cooped up in her New York brownstone all day long, begins to spy on the folk opposite. They have just moved in with a lorry-load of emotional baggage. In The Woman In The Window, Amy Adams plays Anna, an agoraphobic child psychologist who, cooped up in her New York brownstone all day long, begins to spy on the folk opposite Anna has baggage too, mostly in the form of a personal tragedy. Then she thinks she sees a murder framed by one of the conveniently well-lit windows across the way, this being the only part of Manhattan where people otherwise obsessed with privacy never bother to pull the blinds. The cops arrive, but reckon she might be a nut job. We know better, or do we? British director Joe Wright (Atonement, Darkest Hour) does his best to crank up the suspense, while screenwriter Tracy Letts (who also a cameo as a psychotherapist), makes no effort to conceal the debt he owes to Alfred Hitchcock's 1954 classic Rear Window. Moreover, a top-notch cast also includes Julianne Moore and Gary Oldman. But this is a second-rate psychological thriller; tricksy, overwrought and in parts, most fatally of all, downright laughable. In Army Of The Dead, writer-director Zack Snyder, never known for his restraint, pulls out the stops even more extravagantly than usual with a zombie-heist spectacular with Dave Bautista So is Army Of The Dead, but at least it's meant to be, with lines such as: 'It's not every man who saves the Secretary of Defence from a horde of flesh-eating monsters.' Writer-director Zack Snyder, never known for his restraint, pulls out the stops even more extravagantly than usual with a zombie-heist spectacular in which Dave Bautista plays the leader of a carefully-chosen gang, their brief being to liberate $50m from a vault deep under Las Vegas. That would be tricky even if Vegas weren't now the city of the undead, with thousands of zombies locked down, and those who come into contact with them forced into horrible quarantine camps. Honestly, it'll make you think we've had it pretty easy. Both films are available now on Netflix We see a significant number of unserved markets from Bradley that will provide us with many years of growth opportunities, Neeleman said, in a release. And were thrilled to be able to give Hartford residents nonstop service so they can get where they want to go twice as fast for half the cost. Los Angeles-based fashionista Charlotte Hall signed up to Big Brother after she was forced to return to the Gold Coast during to the global pandemic. And on Thursday, Charlotte Hall revealed how starring on the reality show was able to help reboot her career as a stylist Down Under. Speaking to Daily Mail Australia, the 23-year-old said: 'I'm spending a lot of time in Sydney lately because (Big Brother co-star) Adriana Fernandez reached out and got me some work.' New gig! Big Brother's Charlotte Hall, 23, (pictured) revealed she has been working as a stylist after being offered a job by fellow housemate and Westfield's head stylist Adriana Fernandez 'It's unexpected, but I feel like it's a sign of the times and it's not what it used to be.' Adriana has over 20 years experience in fashion and is the head stylist for Westfield Sydney. Charlotte has worked as a freelance stylist for musician and longtime Grace Sewell, known simply as Grace. Who knew they were friends? Speaking to Daily Mail Australia, Charlotte revealed she was recently offered a job by her high-profile co-star. The pair are pictured together in Sydney earlier this month That's nice! Adriana (pictured) is a renowned stylist with over 20 years experience in fashion and head stylist for Westfield Sydney Charlotte was sent packing after being nominated for eviction alongside Gabe Criste and Ari Kimber. Due to a technical fault, Ari was spared from the vote, bur Charlotte took the controversial decision in stride. 'I don't really care. I was running out of clothes and there is no dry cleaning service,' she said during her exit interview. Fashionable: Charlotte has previously worked as a freelance stylist for musician and longtime Grace Sewell, known simply as Grace 'Everyone's nuts. People take it way too seriously and I just laugh at them,' she said of her housemates. There was more drama to come however, with Gabe later telling Big Brother he wanted to leave the house too. 'I'm mentally, emotionally and physically struggling in here Big Brother,' he said. Chopping block: Charlotte was sent packing from the show after being nominated for eviction alongside Gabe Criste (left) and Ari Kimber 'I find it hard finding my voice in this house. There's a lot of loud personalities and I feel like I get smaller when they speak. When asked if she was angry that Gabe decided to leave after was sent home, Charlotte said: 'Not at all - I think we need to all remember that while it is a game, these are real feelings and emotions.' 'Gabe did the right thing for himself when he left.' Big Brother continues on Monday on Seven at 7.30pm Formula One star Daniel Ricciardo's ex-girlfriend Jemma Boskovich has moved on with a new man - and he also happens to be a professional race car driver. The jewellery designer, 31, is now dating New Zealand-born Supercars driver Andre Heimgartner, 26, who confirmed their romance to The Daily Telegraph on Friday. 'We met through a mutual friend in New Zealand and have been together two or three months,' Andre told the newspaper. Moved on: Daniel Ricciardo's ex-girlfriend Jemma Boskovich (right) has moved on with Supercars driver Andre Heimgartner (left), five years after her split with the F1 star in 2016 'It is still early days obviously. We will see what happens. You never know what will happen,' he added. Andre said the couple first met via Instagram, and described his girlfriend as a 'very nice person'. Jemma's new romance comes five years after her split with McLaren F1 driver Daniel. New: New Zealand-born Andre, 26, confirmed their romance to The Daily Telegraph on Friday During an interview on The Kyle and Jackie O Show in 2016, host Kyle Sandilands seemed unaware of their break-up as he spoke to Daniel about his personal life. Kyle applauded the motorsports ace for sticking with his 'high school sweetheart' unlike his fellow F1 drivers. Meanwhile, Daniel maintained an awkward silence. 'We will see what happens': Andre said the couple first met via Instagram, and described Jemma (pictured) as a 'very nice person' Kyle continued: 'He's a decent bloke. He's with the same bird [he's been with] since school. Whether he regrets it or not, I dont know. Is that right, Daniel?' Daniel eventually muttered: 'Uh, this is awkward.' Co-host Jackie 'O' Henderson jumped in to rescue Kyle, asking their guest: 'Why, you haven't split up, have you? Don't tell me that!' Former flame: Jemma's new romance comes five years after her split with McLaren F1 driver Daniel Ricciardo. Pictured together in Melbourne 'It's all good. Next subject,' cringed Daniel. Months before this interview, fellow F1 driver Lewis Hamilton had sparked break-up rumours when he said Daniel was recently single. Daniel and Jemma, who are both from Perth, lived together in Monaco for more than a year before calling it quits. Flamboyant barrister Michael Mansfield QC is famed for his landmark legal cases, fighting for the underdog. But he has a real battle on his hands with his latest adversary, who happens to be a former colleague. As I revealed in April, Mansfield and leading barrister Patrick Roche are seeking an order to force Maureen Obi-Ezekpazu to sell her one-bedroom flat in Acton, West London, to pay a debt owed to their former business that now exceeds 65,000. Obi-Ezekpazu used to work with Mansfield at Tooks Chambers, which is now dissolved, New court documents reveal that Obi-Ezekpazu was accused of bullying and harassment in a recent tribunal when she attempted to make Judge Nicol recuse himself (excusing oneself from a case because of a potential conflict of interest or lack of impartiality) in a hearing over service charges on her Acton flat. Flamboyant barrister Michael Mansfield QC is suing a former colleague over a debt he claims is owned to their former Chambers Mansfield is seeking to have Maureen Obi-Ezekpazu, pictured, sell her flat in Acton to pay the 65,000 he claims is owed Obi-Ezekpazu was being sued by a management company and a service firm after she failed to pay money owed in a long-running dispute. But she failed to turn up to court on the correct day for her tribunal and the hearing went ahead without her, resulting in Obi-Ezekpazu being ordered to pay service and administration charges of just over 4,000. A court transcript from an earlier hearing shows that Judge Jarzabkowski upbraided her, saying: Could you possibly remember your training as a barrister and address this court with some respect? Mansfields own dispute relates to his time served with Obi-Ezekpazu at Tooks before it closed in 2013. Ms Obi-Ezekpazu was a member of Tooks Chambers who did not pay her share of its liabilities when it was dissolved in 2013, claimed a spokesman for Mansfield. He went on to set up Nexus Chambers; ObiEzekpazu now heads her own law firm, Family Matters. It could be a while before Mansfield and Roche get their money. But at least they can be heartened that the debt is accruing interest of 6.98 a day. It has already increased by more than 6,000 from when the original sum of 59,008.71 was first claimed. A spokesman for Mansfield tells me: An application has been made for an order that the charged property be sold to obtain payment and to enable Tooks Chambers to satisfy its remaining liabilities. We hope that this will not be necessary. Obi-Ezekpazu declined to comment. It's boot camp for mini-Marvel Flo Hollywood star Florence Pugh, who was nominated for an Oscar for Little Women, will be anything but little in these mammoth boots. The 25-year-old from Oxford was reunited with her style team this week to promote her new Marvel film, Black Widow. Resting in a London hotel, Florence, who had flown in from California where she lives with actor boyfriend Zach Braff, 46, sported the platform-heeled boots to boost her 5ft 3in frame. But she insists looking glamorous is not her normal state. When Im making marmalade, I dont have pretty hair. There are moments when I get dolled up and two amazing artists will paint, pull and brush me for two hours. Then I go home and take it off. Hollywood star Florence Pugh, who was nominated for an Oscar for Little Women, will be anything but little in these mammoth boots Lord Campbell might be turning 80 tomorrow, but he has no plans to step down as a House of Lords peer. Im far too young to retire, jokes the former Lib Dem leader, better known as Sir Menzies Ming Campbell, who still regularly attends debates in the upper house. Adds the former Olympic athlete, who will celebrate his big day with a family lunch at an Edinburgh hotel: My wife Elspeth is going to get my favourite armchair reupholstered as a birthday present. Osman raises a real tall story Moving home is no small matter for towering Richard Osman, who has to adapt his new abode to fit his 6ft 7in frame. Im moving into a new house and Im having it done up at the moment, explains the co-host of BBC1s Pointless. The kitchen worktops are an inch and a half higher up than you might have, sinks and basins and all of the doorways are a little bit higher than they might be. The designer of the late 19th-century home was obviously not thinking of me, jokes Osman. But, by and large, Ill live in the house as it was built in 1880. He adds: I hate being this tall. Ive come to terms with it now, but its made me an absolute outsider. RAC dog-eat-dog scrap The peace and tranquillity of the Royal Automobile Clubs country cousin Woodcote Park, which occupies 350 acres of Surrey countryside, has been shattered within days of reopening after lockdown. Members have been growling with indignation at a proposal to invite dog owners to bring their furry friends to the newly furbished Fountain Terrace. I am amazed that in a time when personal hygiene is of paramount importance, we are considering allowing dogs anywhere near where food is being served, barks one member in the club newsletter. And are we sure that such dogs will have been properly inoculated? Chief operating officer Daniel Pereira is trying to quell the yapping. Following the recent refurbishment of the terrace, there is additional space, enabling us to accommodate members who wish to bring their pets and those who prefer not to be near dogs, he says. Lets hope club president Prince Michael of Kent can restore peace. Size zero backlash gave me PTSD, says Erin A reluctant poster girl for the skeletal size zero trend in the 1990s, Vogue cover star Erin OConnor now reveals she was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder after being criticised for her naturally slim frame. I ended up in a very politicised spot for quite some time regarding the modelling industry and models health. After years of being subjected to daily opinions on my body, it was quite traumatic, says the 43-year-old mother of two. A reluctant poster girl for the skeletal size zero trend in the 1990s, Vogue cover star Erin OConnor now reveals she was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder after being criticised for her naturally slim frame I definitely suffered. I was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress after holding a very public, politicised space. I did a lot of crying and soulsearching because I was publicly used as a means of getting news and shocking headlines. Erin has previously talked about how worried she is for young women who are growing up in such a sexualised society. Booming-voiced actor and keen mountaineer Brian Blessed is taking up his toughest challenge yet shutting himself up during a 24-hour sponsored silence. Im supporting the people of Nepal where the pandemic is now causing many problems, he says. You may know that I am rather partial to using this little voice of mine, so I am not expecting it to be a very easy day for me. Yogi-Bella says let's twist again The Duke of Beauforts daughter, Lady Isabella Somerset, likes to practise what she preaches. The 29-year-old has just completed a 30-day yoga challenge, which involved waking up at 6.15am every day to start her routine in order to live more with intention. Sharing a picture of herself at her fathers 52,000-acre Badminton estate in Gloucestershire, Bella, who was joined by model and fellow yogi Gaby Cecil, insists: The best time to practise yoga is the two hours before and including sunrise. It has really helped me with my morning routine: wake, coffee, yoga, let the chickens out, brekky. She runs the wellness retreat Bellas Magic Mountains. Lady Isabella Somerset shared a picture of herself at her fathers 52,000-acre Badminton estate in Gloucestershire with model and fellow yogi Gaby Cecil Cross-dressing ceramicist Grayson Perry is starting to feel old at 61. After teaching at Central Saint Martins this week, he said: Working with fashion students and one of them was showing me their historical research and it included a picture of an old girlfriend of mine. Felt suddenly very, very old. She's a strong advocate for victims both on screen and off. And on Thursday, Law & Order: SVU star Mariska Hargitay praised a young fan of her show for bravely fighting off a would-be kidnapper and sliming him with blue goo so he'd be recognizable to police. After watching 11-year-old Alyssa Bonal from Florida talking about her ordeal on NBC's Today, Hargitay posted a tribute to the youngster on Instagram. Law & Order: SVU star Mariska Hargitay praised a young fan of her show for bravely fighting off a would-be kidnapper and sliming him with blue goo so he'd be recognizable to police The actress, 57, posted a tribute to 11-year-old Alyssa Bonel on Instagram after watching the youngster from Florida speak about her ordeal on NBC's Today on Thursday 'Alyssa, first and most important, I am so relieved and grateful to know that you are safe. And I am so honored to be part of your incredible story,' the actress wrote. 'You are one BRAVE, Strong and Smart young woman. I think the SVU squad might have to add slime to their crimefighting gear! 'Take good care of yourself and each other. With all my love, your number one fan, Mariska.' Hargitay, 57, is currently starring in her record-breaking 22nd season of the Dick Wolf procedural. She has played Detective - and now Lieutenant - Olivia Benson in New York's Special Victims Unit since the drama's premiere in 1999. In 2004, she founded the Joyful Heart Foundation, a nonprofit organization that provides support to people who have been sexually abused. Hargitay, 57, has played Detective - and now Lieutenant - Olivia Benson in New York's Special Victims Unit since the Dick Wolf drama's premiere in 1999 Alyssa fought off a knife-wielding man who tried to abduct her while she waited for her school bus in Pensacola on Tuesday morning. She had the presence of mind to smear blue slime she was playing with on his arms so he'd be recognizable to police Schoolgirl Alyssa had revealed on Today that she had been inspired by Law & Order: SVU to wipe blue slime she'd been playing with on her knife-wielding assailant as he attacked her Tuesday morning as she waited for her school bus in Pensacola. Surveillance video showed Alyssa fighting off the man - later identified as 30-year-old Jared Paul Stanga - after he jumped out of a white vehicle and put her in a headlock. They both fell to the ground as Stanga tried to drag Alyssa towards his van. Alyssa eventually managed to break free and her attacker fled the scene. When police eventually tracked him down after a day-long manhunt, Stanga's arms were covered in blue dye from the slime Alyssa was playing with. Alyssa and her mother Amber Bonal have since revealed that the young girl intentionally tried to cover him in the slime - something they say she learned from watching Law & Order SVU episodes. 'Her first words were, 'Somebody tried to kidnap me. He grabbed me by my throat and he had a knife.' She said she was able to kick and she tripped him and freed herself,' the girl's mother told the Pensacola News Journal. 'She said, 'Mom, I had to leave some sort of evidence behind like on Law & Order SVU.' Bonel added: 'She's a smart cookie, she thinks on her toes. She got that slime everywhere.' Surveillance video showed Alyssa fighting off the man - later identified as 30-year-old Jared Paul Stanga - after he jumped out of a white vehicle and put her in a headlock. They both fell to the ground as Stanga tried to drag Alyssa towards his van. Alyssa eventually managed to break free and her attacker fled the scene Dozens of investigators and deputies scoured the area in the hours that followed. Escambia Sheriff Chip Simmons said deputies found video of Stanga at nearby convenience stores wearing the same dark blue shirt as the attacker and got his license plate number. When deputies went to his house, they found that Stanga had just painted his silver car bumper black in a bid to disguise it. They said his arms and clothes were still marked by the blue slime. He was charged with attempted kidnapping of a child under 13, aggravated assault and battery. Stanga faced court on Wednesday and his bail was set at $1.5 million. Stanga was arrested following an hours-long search by law enforcement. When police eventually tracked him down, his arms were still covered in blue dye from the slime The sheriff said Stanga has an 'extensive' criminal past that includes child sex abuse charges. Simmons hailed Alyssa's bravery when he revealed at a press conference that Stanga had been arrested. 'She fought and she fought and she fought, until finally she was able to break free from her would-be captor,' Simmons said. 'My message to her is that is my hero, she did not give up. 'I cannot help to think that this could have ended very different had this 11-year-old victim not thought to fight, and to fight, and to just never give up. This could have ended terribly. Zac Efron has been exploring Australia for his new Netflix series Down to Earth. And on Thursday, the Hollywood star documented his visit to the world-famous Museum of Old and New Art (Mona) in Hobart, Tasmania. The 33-year-old shared footage on Instagram of himself enjoying an interactive art piece with his brother Dylan. Getting cultured! Zac Efron documented his visit to the world-famous Museum of Old and New Art (Mona) in Hobart, Tasmania, on Thursday After his visit, Zac also shared a gallery of colourful photos to Instagram. In one image, he took off his hat while standing in a lit-up room. The High School Musical star showed his gratitude in the other two photos as he stood with his hands in a prayer position. Blessed: The High School Musical star, 33, showed his gratitude as he stood with his hands in a prayer position Immersive experience: Zac enjoyed an interactive art piece with his brother Dylan Efron Dylan, 29, also shared several photos on his Instagram account, showing himself posing next to a rainbow-themed artwork. He gave the venue a thumbs up, commenting on his famous brother's profile: 'Coolest museum Ive been to hands down!' Dylan, who is in Australia executive-producing Down to Earth, even said visiting Mona was the 'highlight of the trip'. Cultured: Dylan, 29, also shared several photos on his Instagram account, showing himself posing next to a rainbow-themed artwork Tick of approval: Dylan said visiting Mona was the 'highlight of the trip' The cultural experience at Mona comes after Zac thrilled locals when he stopped by a local pie shop, Tully Pies, in far north Queensland last month. According to a staff member named Sonia, Zac and his entourage purchased kangaroo and meat pies. Sonia recalled the Baywatch star's visit in an interview with HIT Queensland's Cliffo and Gabi radio show. Travel show: Zac is exploring some of Australia's most iconic tourist attractions for his new Netflix series Down to Earth, which he is co-hosting with wellness expert Darin Olien (right) She said when the group entered the shop, which is close to Cairns, everyone was wearing masks. 'That day was completely amazing because it was the last day of the Covid-19 restrictions with the masks,' Sonia said. 'So all I remember was serving these guys and I thought, "Wow, they're quite handsome and dressed [up] for Tully. It's a bit different."' Sightings: The cultural experience at Mona comes after Zac thrilled locals when he stopped by a local pie shop, Tully Pies, in far north Queensland last month She added that she'd heard whispers in the town that the group had enjoyed a trip to Tully Gorge in the Tully Gorge National Park. Zac is exploring some of Australia's most iconic tourist attractions for his new Netflix series Down to Earth. Joining him on his travels around Australia is wellness expert Darin Olien, 50. Out and about: Last month, The Cairns Post reported Zac had been spotted in Cairns Last month, The Cairns Post reported Zac had been spotted in Cairns. 'Sources say he spent some time in the Mission Beach area, including a visit to Castaways resort,' the publication reported. The resort that Zac is believed to have stayed at boasts stunning beachside apartments as well as rainforest views. Zac and his crew had earlier travelled to locations including the Blue Mountains, Kangaroo Island and rural Victoria. Married At First Sight star Martha Kalifatidis tested the limits of her celebrity status on Friday by trying to convince a mechanic to fix her car for free. The 33-year-old often gets free gifts and tickets to events because she's a successful influencer, but she wanted to see just how far she could go before being called out. She was challenged on Nova FM's Fitzy and Wippa to get a mechanic to fix her damaged car in exchange for an Instagram shout-out - and she pulled it off. 'I'm important!' Married At First Sight star Martha Kalifatidis tested the limits of her celebrity status on Friday by trying to convince a mechanic to fix her car for free She convinced the mechanic simply by saying she was an 'important celebrity'. Fortunately, the mechanic didn't give up his services for free as it was just a prank. The challenge was set by radio host Michael 'Wippa' Wipfli, who is putting his entrepreneurial skills to the test alongside Martha on Nine's Celebrity Apprentice, which premieres on Sunday. Impressive! She was challenged on Nova FM's Fitzy and Wippa to get a mechanic to fix her damaged car for free in exchange for an Instagram shout-out - and she pulled it off 'I've kissed someone with my car, it's a little peck, just a little dent and I really need it fixed just like ASAP,' Martha told the mechanic. After she said she needed it done urgently but the mechanic told her she would have to wait, Martha pulled out the 'don't you know who I am?' card. 'I don't know how to say this but basically, I'm Martha. I have a huge following on Instagram. You might actually know me, I'm on buses all over Sydney right now,' she said, referring to the ad campaign for Celebrity Apprentice. Just kidding: Fortunately, the mechanic didn't give up his services for free as it was just a prank She added: 'But what about for a celebrity, dude? Surely you can just push us to the front. I've got selfies and s**t to take. I'm important!' The mechanic initially held firm and said she would have to wait a week for repairs. But he soon capitulated and agreed to fix Martha's car that day, free of charge. 'You'll give us a shout-out right?' he asked, before Martha agreed she would. Wippa then tried the challenge himself, but failed to convince the person on the line. Kimora Lee Simmons has slammed ex Russell Simmons' lawsuit against her and husband Tim Leissner, calling it an 'extortion attempt' and a 'desperate PR ploy' by the music mogul. 'Kimora and her children are shocked by the extortive harassment coming from her ex-husband, Russell Simmons, who has decided to sue her for shares and dividends of Celsius stock in which Kimora and Tim Leissner invested millions of dollars,' said reps for the Baby Phat designer, 46, to DailyMail.com. Russell, 63, accused the couple of making a 'fraudulent transfer' of his 50% shares in the energy drink company Celsius to pay Leissner's legal/bail fees totaling $44M. New legal war: Ousted Def Jam co-founder Russell Simmons (L) is suing his ex-wife Kimora Lee (M) and her second husband Tim Leissner (R) to return nearly 4M shares of stocks they allegedly stole from him in 2018 Leissner, 49, avoided jail time by pleading guilty to criminal conspiracy to commit money laundering for stealing billions from Malaysian wealth fund 1MDB. Kimora's statement continued: 'This is an ill-advised attempt by Russell to use the legal system to access funds he is in no way entitled to, and which his own legal team confirms Russell did not pay for. 'Russells continued aggressive behavior not only blatantly distorts the facts, but is simply a desperate PR ploy ignoring the years of mental and emotional anguish, gaslighting, and ongoing harassment he has inflicted on Kimora. 'Russell will be held accountable for his serial abuse and we will confront his baseless claims that he is warranted Celsius stock dividends despite his self-admitted zero contribution,' representatives for Kimora stressed. 'This extortion attempt is especially egregious given that Russell remains contractually in debt to Kimora for millions of dollars in unpaid business loans. The disgraced 63-year-old accused the couple of making a 'fraudulent transfer' of his 50% shares in the energy drink company Celsius to pay Leissner's legal/bail fees totaling $44M Bad influence? The disgraced 49-year-old (L, pictured in 2019) avoided jail time by pleading guilty to criminal conspiracy to commit money laundering for stealing billions from Malaysian wealth fund 1MDB 'Our team is actively working to put a firm end to his harassment, which continues despite Russell having fled the country - he will face his own reckoning in the US court,' the statement concluded. According to People, Russell wrote: 'I am shocked and saddened to see how your side has behaved in response to my repeated attempts to get an agreement from you to rightfully and legally reaffirm my 50% of the Celsius shares which have been locked up with the government after being used for your husband's bail money.' Simmons didn't discover the 'blatant fraud to achieve that nefarious and unlawful goal' until July 2019. The Eat to Live author - who ended his seven-year marriage to Kimora in 2008 - is now demanding the return of the shares, payment, punitive damages, and attorney legal fees. Russell wrote: 'I am shocked and saddened to see how your side has behaved in response to my repeated attempts to get an agreement from you to rightfully and legally reaffirm my 50% of the Celsius shares which have been locked up with the government after being used for your husband's bail money' Almost got away with it? Simmons didn't discover the 'blatant fraud to achieve that nefarious and unlawful goal' until July 2019 (couple pictured in 2018) Russell and the 46-year-old Baby Phat CEO were previously believed to be amicable exes, who dote on 21-year-old daughter Ming and 18-year-old daughter Aoki. Simmons currently runs a meditation/yoga app called GDAS and lives in exile in Bali (due to extradition laws) after being accused of over 20 women of sexual assault and misconduct. The vegan yogi's #MeToo scandal was detailed in Kirby Dick + Amy Ziering's critically-acclaimed documentary On the Record, which premiered a year ago on HBO Max. 'Visual representation of my parents' relationship': The Eat to Live author - who ended his seven-year marriage to Kimora in 2008 - is now demanding the return of the shares, payment, punitive damages, and attorney legal fees (pictured in 2019) 2019 family portrait: Russell and the 46-year-old Baby Phat CEO were previously believed to be amicable exes, who dote on 21-year-old daughter Ming and 18-year-old daughter Aoki Hugh Grant shared that Drew Barrymore provided some much-needed support to him amid his mid-'90s cheating scandal during an appearance Thursday on her talk show. The 60-year-old English actor recounted how Drew, 46, sent him a letter of support after he was arrested following an encounter with the sex worker Divine Brown. 'Oh my god, you did, you were so nice!" Hugh recalled after Drew reminded him that she wrote him a letter after the arrest before ever meeting him in person. Sweet gesture: Hugh Grant, 60, thanked his friend Drew Barrymore for being 'so nice' in a supportive letter she wrote amid his 1995 cheating scandal before they'd even met on Thursday's episode of her show 'It was during the dark days of my Divine Brown scandal, I was just an idiot. I was a grown-up idiot who got caught by the police,' he admitted. Drew's letter was a welcome respite from the hoards of reporters who gathered around the Remains Of The Day actor. 'I was back in England with 5,000 members of the press around the borders of my farm and I opened a letter, from you, that was very supportive and nice, and it was very cheering up and I thought, 'I love Drew Barrymore.' Words of support from an actress I didn't know in Hollywood was lovely, so, you will always have a place in my heart,' he remembered fondly. Mistake: Hugh called himself a 'grown-up idiot' after he was arrested for paying sex worker Divine Brown in 1995, amid his decade-long relationship with Elizabeth Hurley; still from Music And Lyrics Kind gesture: He got a letter from Drew while hiding at his farm from the press. 'I opened a letter, from you, that was very supportive and nice, and it was very cheering up and I thought, "I love Drew Barrymore"'; still from Music And Lyrics Drew said she 'loved' him so much and felt the incident related to her own life. Barrymore had her share of scandals after going to rehab at a young age. 'I think that whether its an actor or politician or anything in between we expect people to be infallible, perfect, never flawed and God forbid we do anything in our personal lives that we would like to remain personal but we dont have that privilege at a certain point because the cat gets let out of the bag and I just had to reach out to you,' Drew said. 'I just appreciated you and you were just the most charming human,' she added. Never forget: 'Words of support from an actress I didn't know in Hollywood was lovely, so, you will always have a place in my heart,' he remembered fondly. Drew was sympathetic because of her own scandals Drew Barrymore and Hugh Grant co-starred in the romantic comedy Music & Lyrics in 2007. And on Thursday the longtime friends caught up during her talk show while revealing some unknown details of their friendship. In the wide-ranging interview Hugh spoke about their early friendship while Drew admitted that one drunken night in New York City she saw Hugh at a restaurant and 'made out with him for 10 minutes' in front of stunned studio executives. Also in the chat, Grant dished on Elizabeth Hurley's Versace dress, what it was like making Four Weddings And a Funeral on a tiny budget and how he enjoys raising five kids with his wife whom he described as being more of a man than he. On a lark: Drew recounted the time she had a 10-minute makeout session with him in front of film executives after she'd been drinking; still from Music And Lyrics She began the kiss story: 'One of the moments that I had the most moxie, and I dont think weve ever talked about this, I walked into I think it was like The Waverly Inn, this was years ago, and I had a few drinks. 'And I walked in and I ran into you and instead of saying hello I grabbed you by the collar and I fully started kissing you. Hugh said, 'Yes, I remember that.' Drew added that he looked at her like 'youve never greeted me that way before,' and then had a second thought like, You know Im not hating this. She added: 'And then we flirted and then it was like, "Okay, bye. See you soon."' Hugh shared: 'It was really bizarre. I was very drunk as well and I was with some very nice but not drunk studio executives from LA, and they were very surprised. 'Someone said, "Oh there is Drew Barrymore," I get up to say hi and then we make out for 10 minutes and then I sit down, and we go on talking about the script.' She began the kiss story: 'One of the moments that I had the most moxie, and I dont think weve ever talked about this, I walked into I think it was like The Waverly Inn, this was years ago, and I had a few drinks. And I walked in and I ran into you and instead of saying hello I grabbed you by the collar and I fully started kissing you' He liked it: Hugh said, 'Yes, I remember that.' Drew added that he looked at her like 'youve never greeted me that way before,' and then had a second thought like, You know Im not hating this' Growing up: Now Grant has five children. 'Yeah, I hate responsibility. I dont want this. I am looking after five children and an elderly father and I dont like it. I keep looking around for someone more grown up to come and do it for me,' he said Now Grant has five children: He welcomed his first child, a daughter named Tabitha, in September 2011 with his ex Tinglan Hong. He then welcomed his second child with now wife Anna Elisabet Eberstein in September 2012. Grant reunited with Hong and welcomed a third child in December 2012. He back together with Eberstein and they had two daughters: One in March 2015 and another in December 2018. 'Yeah, I hate responsibility. I dont want this. I am looking after five children and an elderly father and I dont like it. I keep looking around for someone more grown up to come and do it for me. But he said he is 'clearly the happiest Ive ever been' even though he is simultaneously utterly exhausted and miserable. Too much pressure on stars: Drew said, ''I think that whether its an actor or politician or anything in between we expect people to be infallible, perfect, never flawed and God forbid we do anything in our personal lives that we would like to remain personal but we dont have that privilege at a certain point because the cat gets let out of the bag' 'Its so nice, all those cliches are true, all that love is just so nice. Not just the children but the wife as well. I have a top wife, you must meet her shes terrifyingMuch more manly than me but really cool and Im happy,' he noted. He also dished on his film with Julia Roberts, Notting Hill: 'Remember the scene with the brownies, we are all sitting around having dinner and its about whose going to eat the last brownie. Hugh Bonneville, who Americans think is a classy actor, he got up during that scene deliberately putting brownies on my chair so I would sit on them in my white trousers. They could all laugh at my bum between takes.' Four Weddings and a Funeral was 'made for miniscule amount of money in 36 days.' For one scene they had only five minutes to shoot it so they stood in a line and they had one camera on them. 'And there is a scene in the film like that. It took seven minutes to shoot,' he said. Stressful: Four Weddings and a Funeral was 'made for miniscule amount of money in 36 days.' For one scene they had only five minutes to shoot it so they stood in a line and they had one camera on them. 'And there is a scene in the film like that. It took seven minutes to shoot,' he said And he talked Renee Zellweger's accent in Drew: Bridget Jones Diary. 'I do remember she went through some interesting phases on the way to getting that British accent. During rehearsals she came in for the first read through and she sounded liked Princess Margaret, very, very posh and grand. 'And the next time she came in someone told her obviously bring it down a bit but then she sounded like she had a stroke. And then she absolutely nailed it. Its an absolute triumph.She never reverted until the wrap party and that was the first time I ever heard her speak with her Texan accent and I quite honestly found it unconvincing. Hugh also dished on his former girlfriend Elizabeth Hurley's Versace safety pin dress she wore in 1994. Lucky dress: Hugh also dished on his former girlfriend Elizabeth Hurley's Versace safety pin dress she wore in 1994. 'It was pure fluke. We were unsuccessful actors, well we werent that unsuccessful, but we werent known in any way. Suddenly this big premiere comes along for this film, and she has nothing to wear, and I said, I think you can borrow stuff. I think thats what people do. The big designers will send you something' 'It was pure fluke. We were unsuccessful actors, well we werent that unsuccessful, but we werent known in any way. Suddenly this big premiere comes along for this film, and she has nothing to wear, and I said, I think you can borrow stuff. I think thats what people do. The big designers will send you something. 'So we rang around, we didnt have an assistant or publicist or anything like that, they all said, "No, who are you?" and Versace said, "Yes, we got something but only one thing." 'And they sent it round and this was the one dress that arrived, and she put it on, and I remember being slightly startled by it. Hot. And the rest is history.' Come to the Cabaret. The doors are set to open on a show that will be dusted off, shaken vigorously, and explored anew. As a starter, Eddie Redmayne is back at the Kit Kat Klub, after a 20-year absence. The Oscar-winning star has wanted to return to the decadent dive ever since he played the master of ceremonies in Cabaret at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2001. Eddie Redmayne will play Emcee after working on plans to stage a new production of Cabaret And, over the intervening years, he has held discussions with Ed Bartlam and Charlie Wood (the pair who staged the Cabaret he appeared in, at Fringe venue the Underbelly) about how they might stage a new production of John Kander and Fred Ebb's musical, set in a seedy, anything goes Berlin haunt during the final days of the Weimar Republic, as Hitler came to power. Then, four years ago, Adam Speers, head of the Ambassador Theatre Group's stage productions, became involved, after working with Bartlam and Wood on another show (Into The Hoods, which also went to the Underbelly). Speers, Bartlam, Wood and Redmayne resolved to explore ways to present Cabaret to contemporary audiences. Their efforts have been rewarded with a West End run of the show with performances from early November, this column can reveal. Their most audacious move has been to sign director Rebecca Frecknall to the new production, in which Redmayne will play the grotesque Emcee and Jessie Buckley, the Kit Kat Klub's star attraction, Sally Bowles. Jessie Buckley is set to play the Kit Kat Klub's star attraction, Sally Bowles in Cabaret revival Pictured: Julian Clary as Emcee and Amy Nuttall as Sally Bowles in Cabaret back in 2007 Frecknall has been acclaimed for her ability to strip back plays to their core as in her breathtaking production of Tennessee Williams's Summer And Smoke at the Almeida and in the West End. Her hiring signals that this Cabaret will be reimagined. It's one of the reasons why Kander, and those representing the estates of Ebb and book writer Joe Masteroff (who based his script on Christopher Isherwood's The Berlin Stories and John Van Druten's play I Am A Camera) have embraced the project. Frecknall has attracted a quality creative team that includes the scenic and costume designer Tom Scutt, who came up with the look for Summer And Smoke. Julia Cheng, the dance artist who founded the performance group House Of Absolute, will handle the choreography. Pictured: Will Young starring in a production of Cabaret at the Savoy Theatre in 2012 And Jennifer Whyte, who worked with Redmayne on Les Miserables and The Danish Girl (and many West End musicals) will undertake musical supervision. Isabella Byrd and Nick Lidster are on lighting and sound design. People often complain about revivals of musicals, but it's exciting when a theatre practitioner of Frecknall's calibre brings a fresh perspective to a modern classic first staged in 1966. Tickets to come hear the music play are on sale from June 28. Sign on at kitkat.club for ticket updates. Those actors seeking an opportunity to perform in what could become a historic production should put down their knitting/the book/and the broom and make their way to casting director Stuart Burt. Stars brave enough to answer the Call Mother of God! Line Of Duty star Kelly Macdonald is joining Helena Bonham Carter and Olivia Williams to play ever-so-slightly exaggerated versions of themselves in the Anglicised adaptation of French TV hit series Call My Agent! about a Paris talent agency and its challenging clients. The eight-part show has started filming in London with (as this column predicted last month) Jack Davenport and Lydia Leonard as the leaders of a coterie of agents who represent luminaries such as . . . Macdonald, Bonham Carter and Williams. Kelly Macdonald will join Helena Bonham Carter and Olivia Williams to play ever-so slightly exaggerated versions of themselves in an adaptation of French TV series Call My Agent! The rights for the Brit Call My Agent! has been snapped up by Amazon Prime and will feature Helena Bonham Carter and Olivia Williams playing exaggerated versions of themselves Amazon Prime has swooped in and snapped up the rights to broadcast the Brit Call My Agent! in the UK and Ireland after securing a deal with BRON Studios and Headline Pictures. The original has become a must-watch on Netflix. A big part of the fun was being able to see French legends such as Juliette Binoche, Nathalie Baye (who's over here filming the latest Downton Abbey movie) and Isabelle Adjani gaily mocking themselves. It's good that Bonham Carter, a two-time Oscar nominee whose portrayal of Princess Margaret in the last two seasons of The Crown garnered many plaudits, is game for a laugh; as is Williams who, as revealed here, will play Camilla Parker Bowles in future episodes of The Crown. The actress is currently starring in The Nevers on Sky and NOWTV. She's also in The Father, with Academy Award victor Anthony Hopkins. And I've recently been re-watching her performances in The Sixth Sense and Rushmore. The eight-part show started filming in London with Jack Davenport and Lydia Leonard as the leaders of a coterie of agents representing luminaries such as Macdonald and Bonham Carter Pictured: the French hit series is about a Paris talent agency and its challenging clients Macdonald, who started out in edgy classic Trainspotting, kept the nation on its toes when she guest-starred in BBC ratings winner Line Of Duty as Detective Superintendent Joanne Davidson. She's had powerful roles in the Oscar-winning No Country For Old Men and Boardwalk Empire. The UK remake of Call My Agent is being directed by W1A writer John Morton, who has also created the scripts for the series. Cast members will include Maggie Steed and Prasanna Puwanarajah. Jim Broadbent will make a special appearance. Layton Williams (left) and John McCrea both playing Jamie in Everybody's Talking About Jamie Pictured: Max Hardwood (left) in film and Noah Thomas (right) on stage as the current Jamie in the hit musical Everybody's Talking About Jamie at the Apollo Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue Fans of the musical Everybody's Talking About Jamie won't be able to stop talking about this ... the three stage Jamies John McCrea, Layton Williams and Noah Thomas (the current one) will link up with Max Harwood, star of the film, on stage on Tuesday at the Apollo Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue. It's all to celebrate the show's 1,000th performance 'a year late', producer Nica Burns told me, laughing down the phone. The Jamie film streams on Amazon Prime from September 17. Kelly Osbourne uploaded a jaw-dropping portrait to her Instagram on Thursday. The 36-year-old reality TV star had her bright purple hair styled into a glamorous high ponytail with her bangs left out to frame her face. 'We run on purple time!!!' captioned Osbourne, who posed for the stunning snap at her vanity in her home's master bathroom. Stunning: Kelly Osbourne uploaded a jaw-dropping portrait to her Instagram on Thursday The daughter of rock legend Ozzy Osbourne and wife Sharon Osbourne appeared to be taking notes from Tyra Banks as she 'smized' for the camera. Her bright blue eyes were amplified with a generous amount of shimmery brown and gold shadows. Kelly's makeup artist Kip Zachary applied a peach lip gloss to her pout and contoured her face with a strategic amount of blush, bronzer, and highlighter. She had on a black tee shirt layered beneath a black bomber jacket with silver zippers that coordinated with her jewelry. Osbourne, who boasts 2.3million followers on Instagram, often shares glamorous self portraits to her page. Glam: Osbourne, who boasts 2.3million followers on Instagram, often shares glamorous self portraits to her page, including this one of her wearing a Lulusimonstudio sweater Earlier this month, Kelly had her hairstylist Laura Rugetti style her hair into a 'snatched' braid that flowed down her back. 'I feel snatched!!!!' she captioned, while including her top three selfies with the trendy hairdo. Osbourne recently opened up on details about her sobriety relapse, illustrating the extent of how rapidly she fell back into bad old habits. 'I went away with my friend and people were by a pool, drinking champagne,' Osbourne, 36, said in an interview, according to The Sun newspaper. 'I was like, "I can have a glass of that." And I had one glass and I was fine.' She continued, 'But it went from having one drink here, one drink there to literally three bottles of champagne and 24 White Claws a day.' Loving it! Earlier this month, Kelly had her hairstylist Laura Rugetti style her hair into a 'snatched' braid that flowed down her back Picking herself back up: Osbourne recently opened up on details about her sobriety relapse, illustrating the extent of how rapidly she fell back into bad old habits On her podcast The Kelly Osbourne and Jeff Beacher Show, Osbourne said that she would sip out of a large 'coffee mug that says, "Thank God Im not dead" which is so ironic.' In a recent interview on Dax Shepard's Armchair Expert podcast, Osbourne said she 'did embarrassing s**t' and 'blacked out' amid the relapse. She added: 'I can't drink the same that I used to. It wasn't fun ... it wasn't until I found myself last weekend covered in ranch dressing by my friend's pool, sunburnt, looking like a piece of s*** that I was like, "Maybe I don't have this under control."' The Osbournes star also spoke with Extra late last month about the relapse, which came amid the lockdown as things were opening back up again. 'I'm that girl that when everything is going great I need to f*** it up a little and make everything a little bit worse in my life,' said Kelly. 'I am an addict and had thought that I had enough time under my belt and I could drink like a normal person, and it turns out I cannot and I will never be normal.' Opening up: 'I went away with my friend and people were by a pool, drinking champagne,' Osbourne, 36, said in an interview, according to The Sun newspaper. 'I was like, "I can have a glass of that." And I had one glass and I was fine' She continued, 'But it went from having one drink here, one drink there to literally three bottles of champagne and 24 White Claws a day' Kelly said that in hindsight, she doesn't know why she experimented in the first place. 'It took me a matter of days and I was like done, not doing this,' said Osbourne, who has had multiple rehab stints in an effort to shake her addiction. 'This is something I am going to battle for the rest of my life. It's never going to be easy.' Osbourne opened up in an Instagram clip April 20 about the sobriety slip, as she had been sober since 2017. 'I relapsed. Not proud of it. But I am back on track,' she said. This is a little hard for me to talk about, but Ive always promised you that I will always be honest with you about where Im at and whats going on in my road to recovery.' Back on track! 'I relapsed. Not proud of it. But I am back on track,' she said. This is a little hard for me to talk about, but Ive always promised you that I will always be honest with you about where Im at and whats going on in my road to recovery'; Kelly pictured with boyfriend Erik Bragg in March Dr. Soon-Shiong abstained from voting, said Hillary Manning, a spokeswoman for Soon-Shiong. For the past several years, Tribune Publishing has been a passive investment, as he has remained focused on the leadership roles he holds across his companies. When he made the investment in 2016, he hoped it would be a pathway to local newspaper ownership in Southern California. In 2018, he and his family were proud to acquire the Los Angeles Times and San Diego Union-Tribune from Tribune Publishing, creating the California Times. Their focus is and will be on the continued rebuilding and revitalization of The Times and Union-Tribune. Lisa Vanderpump took a pie in the face from her husband Ken Todd on Thursday's episode of her show Overserved. The 60-year-old restaurateur hosted several guests at her home for comfort food with a Beverly Hills twist, plus party games, on the E! network show. During Bottle Toss cornhole, actress Heather Dubrow, 52, managed to get a stuffed bottle of rose into a pink cornhole board, which meant she could give a dare card to Lisa. Face pie: Lisa Vanderpump took a pie in the face from her husband Ken Todd on Thursday's episode of her show Overserved When she read that the dare was getting a pie in the face, she offered to do it with her host. 'They crazy,' murmured the other guest, comedian and The Real co-host Loni Love, 49. Lisa and Heather picked up pink boards with holes and stuck their faces through as their husbands Terry Dubrow, 62, and Ken, 75, aimed whipped cream pies at them. 'One, two, three,' the men chanted, smushing the cream onto their wives' faces. British restaurateur: The 60-year-old restaurateur hosted several guests at her home for comfort food with a Beverly Hills twist, plus party games, on the E! network show Husbands tossing: Lisa and Heather picked up pink boards with holes and stuck their faces through as their husbands Terry Dubrow, 62, and Ken, 75, aimed whipped cream pies at them Ken only managed to hit half of Lisa's face with the pie, making Terry crack, 'That is so wrong.' Their evening had started out on a much more sedate note, as Lisa greeted her guests with rose martinis then served them tater tots with creme fraiche, salmon roe and caviar. Everyone shared what they'd been up to during quarantine, with Heather joking that her busy plastic surgeon husband 'rediscovered' their four kids, then got overwhelmed. Full pie: Ken only managed to hit half of Lisa's face with the pie, making Terry crack, 'That is so wrong', while Heather got hit all over her face 'He'd be upstairs, I'd make the kids' dinner and he'd text me: ''Are they gone?'',' she said. Loni said she'd met her new boyfriend James Walsh on a dating app during quarantine and arranged their first date on a red carpet. She also shared that he was the first white man she'd ever dated. Quarantine romance: Loni said she'd met her new boyfriend James Walsh on a dating app during quarantine and arranged their first date on a red carpet Terry shared that he'd been working all day on a pretty challenging case. He said he'd had a patient who'd had a tumor removed from her foot as a child; as she got older the skin graft that replaced it cut off her circulation. To aid blood flow to her foot, Terry applied leechessomething he showed off in a photo. Challenging case: Terry shared that he'd been working all day on a pretty challenging case Loni asked her fellow guests where they were from, then segued into a bit about her origins. 'I am originally from Detroit, but I did do a DNA test and I found out I'm 100 percent that b**** and 10 percent British,' she told Lisa. 'I'm probably your cousin.' Loni thought she was related to Queen Elizabeth II, because they'd let her into the gift shop at Buckingham Palace onceand like the queen she also had a purse with no money in it. Distant relative: Loni thought she was related to Queen Elizabeth II, because they'd let her into the gift shop at Buckingham Palace once After a game of rose pong, everyone dined on roasted tomato soup with a mini-grilled cheese sandwich fashioned from Gruyere and caramelized onion. Loni asked the couples for the key to a long relationship, and Lisa said it was 'humor, and somebody who puts up with my bulls***.' 'You have to be best friends with your wife,' Ken agreed. Terry said it was all about learning to fight equitably with your spouse, though Heather put it down to separate bathrooms. Sage advice: 'You have to be best friends with your wife,' Ken agreed The group then played Lisa's card game Get Pumped, answering slightly naughty questions. The first card read, 'What's the most embarrassing job you've accepted for the money?' to which Heather immediately replied, 'The Real Housewives of Orange County.' The former reality star had been on RHOC from 2012 to 2016. Good times: Heather and Terry had fun as they played Lisa's card game Get Pumped, answering slightly naughty questions The second card read, 'If you suddenly became invisible, what's the first thing you would do?' Loni said she'd go to actor Idris Elba's house and just watch him sleep. The third time, Lisa's guests were asked about a kink they would never try in bed. For dinner, the group enjoyed chicken pot pie with cognac and peas. The hostess: For dinner, the group enjoyed chicken pot pie with cognac and peas The Dubrows revealed that they were building a house in Idaho after a friend turned them on to the area. They hoped it would give their kids a place to return to as they got older. 'You know the expression ''build a house, lose a spouse?'',' Terry asked. 'This is ''build a house, lose all your savings''.' TV stars: Lisa and Todd star in the show and she also has a series coming up on Peacock about her dog rescue work Loni said that she wasn't ready to buy a place with her boyfriend, noting that she'd rather just play cards and go to classical music concerts with him because she played the French horn. 'I'm fighting for them to put music back in the schools, 'cause that really helped me growing up in Detroit,' Loni emphasized. 'It took me out of that gang environment.' The actress said she had played in orchestras and for late president Ronald Reagan, though her favorite memory was being invited to the White House by then-president Barack Obama. Detroit native: 'I'm fighting for them to put music back in the schools, 'cause that really helped me growing up in Detroit,' Loni emphasized. 'It took me out of that gang environment' As the evening wound to a close, Lisa and Heather downed huge quantities of wine through long tubes attached to funnels held by their husbands. 'Yeah! I married a swallower!' Terry yelled. Overserved with Lisa Vanderpump will return next week on the E! network. Four months ago, Married At First Sight's Aleks Markovic said she had no plans to reunite with her ex-'husband' Ivan Sarakula. But on Friday, the real estate agents proved they were still on friendly terms as they reunited at a launch event in Sydney. Aleks, 28, shared a photo of the exes cuddling up and smiling for the camera. Unlikely reunion: Former Married At First Sight couple Aleks Markovic and Ivan Sarakula proved they were still on friendly terms as they reunited at a launch event in Sydney on Friday Although they didn't have a particularly bad break-up, their lack of a romantic spark was a running theme during their journey on MAFS. In January, Aleks was asked about her split with Ivan during an Instagram Q&A. A fan asked Aleks if she'd ever consider a reconciliation with Ivan, 31, and she admitted that while they were unlikely to get back together, they remained close. Moving on: In January, Aleks was asked about her split with Ivan during an Instagram Q&A 'Ivan and I are two completely different people. We are civil and he will always be someone I respect for giving me his time in the experiment,' she wrote. She added: 'I wish him all the very best in life forever and always.' The former couple announced their split in April last year, revealing they had actually broken up two months earlier, in February. Bond: A fan asked Aleks if she'd ever consider a reconciliation with Ivan, 31, and she admitted that while they were unlikely to get back together, they remained close 'Our values, wants, needs and lifestyles didn't align, and that's okay. I wish him nothing but the best,' Aleks wrote on Instagram at the time. 'Please respect my privacy on the matter as just like anyone out in the "real" world, some relationships just don't work out.' Meanwhile, Ivan similarly insisted there was no animosity and described their short-lived relationship as 'magical'. Different paths: 'Ivan and I are two completely different people. We are civil and he will always be someone I respect for giving me his time in the experiment,' she wrote 'Mine and Aleks' relationship is a magical one that I'm sure everybody wants answers on and one I can only speak about in the highest light...' he wrote at the time. 'Our relationship is one that I pay a high level of respect and gratefulness towards.' Despite forming a close bond on screen, Aleks and Ivan often left their MAFS co-stars bewildered by their relationship, which seemed more like a friendship. Over: Aleks and Ivan announced their split in April last year, revealing they had actually broken up two months earlier, in February They went out of their way to avoid discussing intimacy at the group dinners, and refused to reveal whether or not they'd actually consummated their 'marriage'. During one of the show's heated group dinner parties, Aleks was even accused of cheating on Ivan with a man she'd recently met at a 'Serbian event'. A furious Aleks denied the accusations, before she and Ivan both stormed out. Marc Jacobs' fashionable townhome was sold by Ryan Serhant for $10.5 million on Thursday's episode of Million Dollar Listing New York. Despite its gorgeous interiors, the home of Louis Vuitton's former creative director and his husband of one year, Charly Defrancesco, 39, had a few less-than-glamorous issues. Ryan, 36, was initially excited to sell their historic four-story building in the West Village, which the designer had lived in for a decade. Historic townhouse: Marc Jacobs' fashionable townhome was sold by Ryan Serhant for $10.5 million on Thursday's episode of Million Dollar Listing New York The 4,796-square-foot property on Bethune Street had been profiled in Architectural Digest and he was excited to see it, but when he showed up its lavish interiors were bare. The furniture and art had been bought specifically for the house and so were auctioned off with its sale, and the walls were stripped of their lights, so that only wires remained. Charly reminded Ryan that everything in the house was a work of art, and every decision in their $1.15 million renovation a decade ago had been well-thought out. The home's five bedrooms had been scaled back into three, with a master bedroom that took up the entire top floor, and $100,000 in stonework inside its marble bathroom. Creating buzz: Despite its gorgeous interiors, the home of Louis Vuitton's former creative director and his husband of one year, Charly Defrancesco, 39, had a few less-than-glamorous issues and Ryan was determined to create some buzz around it Four stories: Ryan, 36, was initially excited to sell their historic four-story building in the West Village, which the designer had lived in for a decade Ryan swooned over a glimpse of Marc's personal closet, with its custom-built mahogany interior and wildly colorful clothes and boots. The realtor also marveled at the home's special touches: Its kitchen with 1970s marble and Miele appliances, hallways with $300 Meljac light switches echoing Marc's childhood home, 18-karat gold-leaf ceiling in the powder room (cost: $100,000), and $3,000 door hardware. There was even a separate $150,000 kosher kitchen with separate areas for meat and dairy, which allowed them to have two kitchens in the home per New York building codes. Custom closet: Marc's personal closet was custom-built with a mahogany interior and filled with wildly colorful clothes and boots Kosher kitchen: There was even a separate $150,000 kosher kitchen with separate areas for meat and dairy, which allowed them to have two kitchens in the home per New York building codes Expensive stonework: The total stonework cost was $100,000 Light marble: The also was light marble floor to ceiling in a bathroom 'We don't f*** around here,' Charly admitted. Making everything look even better was Neville Jacobs, Marc's adorable six-year-old bull terrier, who had more than 200,000 followers on Instagram and lounged nearby. His owner faced Ryan and asked the broker the million-dollar question. Not messing: 'We don't f*** around here,' Charly admitted 'We had this place on the market before,' Charley said. 'What are you gonna do different?' Ryan paused for only a second and said, 'I think we sell this like a piece of art,' suggesting that they create a sense of urgency and try to sell the home quietly, 'like a Picasso off-market.' He priced it at $11 million, putting the price point at $2,000 and $2,500 a square foota little less than the $11.65 Marc had put into it, but hopefully selling for $12 million, with staging. Art sale: 'I think we sell this like a piece of art,' Ryan said, suggesting that they create a sense of urgency and try to sell the home quietly, 'like a Picasso off-market' 'Nobody wants to lose money, but it makes it faster to sell it for less,' Charly reasoned. Ryan recognized that 'one of the big challenges about selling this awesome townhouse is that most of the awesomeness has been boxed up and sold at auction at Sotheby's.' Magazine spread: Rather than stage it right away, he scheduled private showings back-to-back, creating a bidding war among brokers and clients by giving them only 15 minutes each to view the home 'I think we're gonna sell the house today, so I'll keep you moving,' Ryan told two brokers, deftly handling it when another overeager soul showed up 10 minutes early. Privately, he realized that he had set himself an insane task. 'Five thousand square feet is a lot of feet to show in 15 minutes,' Ryan moaned. 'I'm basically showing 330 square feet a minute.' Fast viewings: 'Five thousand square feet is a lot of feet to show in 15 minutes,' Ryan moaned. 'I'm basically showing 330 square feet a minute' There was such a frenzied feeling to his showings that the plan initially seemed to be working. 'My client's currently out of state,' one broker said, eager to make a deal. 'But he could probably get here fairly quick.' 'I'm here now,' said a woman whose tour the man had joined. 'So I'm gonna talk to you.' Good plan: There was such a frenzied feeling to his showings that the plan initially seemed to be working She tried to lowball Ryan at $9 million, claiming the place was too dark and needed work, but he didn't go for it. Then a better prospect showed up: The show's newest broker Kirsten Jordan, 40, whose clients had already seen photos of the place in AD and declared themselves 'obsessed.' Kirsten was personally less-than-impressed by the small number of bedrooms, and the undone fixtures and holes in the walls, but she loved the townhouses' little 'wow' factors. Her clients offered $9.5 million in cash, which Ryan rejected though he still wanted to do a deal. New prospect: The show's newest broker Kirsten Jordan, 40, whose clients had already seen photos of the place in AD declared themselves 'obsessed' and she told Ryan of their interest Determined to sew it up, he picked Kirsten up in his town car, which he called 'Uber Serhant,' and talked her ear off as he drove her to an appointment uptown. 'My duty is to get the best deal for my clients,' Kristen said privately, well aware that she'd made a lowball offer. 'I'm gonna sit in this car until I make it happen.' Kirsten told Ryan that the true price of the house was 'somewhere in the 10s,' but texted her client that anything under $11 million was a steal. Free ride: Determined to sew it up, he picked Kirsten up in his town car, which he called 'Uber Serhant,' and talked her ear off as he drove her to an appointment uptown The client texted back that they could do $10.75 million, and Kirsten offered Ryan $10 million. Charly wasn't having it, telling Ryan over his phone's speaker, 'We're not taking ten. It's almost disrespectful.' Ryan then talked him into selling for $10.5 million, and Kirsten texted her buyer while listening to the conversation; before Ryan hung up, the buyer sent her a thumbs-up emoji. In negotiations: The client texted back that they could do $10.75 million, and Kirsten offered Ryan $10 million Buyer's market: Ryan then talked him into selling for $10.5 million, and Kirsten texted her buyer while listening to the conversation; before Ryan hung up, the buyer sent her a thumbs-up emoji 'Do that deal right now please,' Ryan begged his fellow broker. 'Otherwise I'm not taking you to 103rd and Riverside. I'm taking you to Jersey. And you have to swim.' 'I think if I can get them up, it's a miracle,' Kirsten feinted, as the buyer texted, 'Good job!' Moments later she announced that yes, they would take the place for $10.5 million after all. Done deal: Moments later she announced that yes, they would take the place for $10.5 million after all The two brokers high-fived each other, having each earned $315,000 in commission. 'I should be an Uber driver more often,' Ryan considered. 'I'm gonna pick up every broker in this whole city.' As Ryan soared, Steve Gold, 36, struggled to pitch 123 Baxter Street, a huge, gorgeous three-bedroom apartment with 'four exposures, multiple balconies and zero curb appeal.' Tough sell: Steve Gold, 36, struggled to pitch 123 Baxter Street, a huge, gorgeous three-bedroom apartment with 'four exposures, multiple balconies and zero curb appeal' Located 'in a fringe neighborhood' near Chinatown, Soho, Little Italy and Nolita, it was impossible to comp, but Steve finally settled on $5.5 million. To sell it, he referenced the diverse neighborhoods bordering the home, serving dumplings, macarons, meatballs, and matcha at an open house. Tyler Whitman, 33, meanwhile was trying to sell a two-bedroom at 130 East 67th Street, pricing it at $2.15 million after staging upped its appeal. Hard comp: Located 'in a fringe neighborhood' near Chinatown, Soho, Little Italy and Nolita, it was impossible to comp, but Steve finally settled on $5.5 million Open house: To sell it, he referenced the diverse neighborhoods bordering the home, serving dumplings, macarons, meatballs, and matcha at an open house Strong staging: Tyler Whitman, 33, meanwhile was trying to sell a two-bedroom at 130 East 67th Street, pricing it at $2.15 million after staging upped its appeal The home looked fantastic but posed a particular challenge: It was located right near busy, noisy police and fire stations. Rather than ignore the issue, Tyler hired male models to dress up like firemen and policemen for the open house. 'Let's hope they can distract from the noise outside and bring me some offers,' he said. Million Dollar Listing New York will return next week on Bravo. Ashton Kutcher's twin brother Michael says he 'was very angry' when brother first publicly revealed his battle with cerebral palsy. 'I didn't want to be the face of CP,' Michael told TODAY Thursday. 'I never talked about it.' Michael said at the time of his brother's reveal in 2003, he confronted the actor about publicizing his disorder, which he'd tried to conceal prior to such. The latest: Ashton Kutcher's twin brother Michael says he 'was very angry' when brother publicly revealed his battle with cerebral palsy. The brothers posed at a 2013 benefit in St. Paul, Minnesota 'I was very angry,' he said. 'Very angry. I remember speaking to him about it.' Michael, who is a representative for the Cerebral Palsy Foundation, said that in time, he's become grateful to his famous sibling, calling it 'the biggest favor hes ever done because he allowed me to be myself.' He said, 'I love who I am. I love the impact Ive been able to make, the people Ive been able to touch. And I wouldnt have been able to do that If I didnt have these obstacles, or as I like to call them - an opportunity.' In the chat, Michael recalled the symptoms leading to his diagnosis at the age of three. Happy: Michael, who is a representative for the Cerebral Palsy Foundation, posed on Instagram in February Twins: Michael said at the time of his brother's reveal in 2003, he confronted the actor about publicizing his disorder, which he'd tried to conceal prior to such. Hollywood royalty: Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher appeared on The Tonight Show in May of 2020 'My mom noticed I was having developmental difficulties and not advancing like my twin was,' he said. 'So she began taken me to doctors.' Michael opened up about his upbringing, and how his brother was there to defend him against bullies. 'I had all of the stereotypes that come with having a disability,' he said. 'I was called every name in the book on the playground. I had difficulty making friends. But I had [Ashton] there to help me and support me.' He said in one instance, he and Ashton were riding bicycles when confronted by a group of name-calling bullies. 'My brother picked a fight with them,' he said. 'He stood up for me. He wanted them to treat me with respect. And that meant a lot.' He said his brother would tell him, 'I wish I could take all of this off of you - and take it myself.' Michael said that he was encouraged to emerge forward about his journey after he was asked to talk at a gala by a woman who 'had her 5-year-old daughter with her' named Bella, recalling, 'Her cerebral palsy was quite severe and she couldnt talk.' Michael, who also works with an app called Joshin, added: 'I realized I needed to let go of the shame I felt and be a champion for people like Bella,' he said. 'I was finally ready to tell my story and I knew because of my twin, I'd have a big reach.' In a statement to the outlet, Ashton praised his brother for his efforts to help people, saying, 'My brothers daily actions remind me that life isnt about running around challenges - its about running through them. Mike has a relentless work ethic and a deep compassion for others.' Kim Kardashian revealed in the promo for next week's episode of Keeping Up With The Kardashians that her son Saint West had tested positive for coronavirus. In the clip, it sees the reality star, 40, talking to an unknown person on the phone where she says that her daughter North, seven, is also feeling sick - although it is unknown if she also tested positive and other family members. Kim says: 'Sainty just tested positive for Covid and North is saying she's feeling sick.' Scary: Kim Kardashian revealed in the promo for next week's episode of Keeping Up With The Kardashians that her son Saint West had tested positive for coronavirus In a separate recording, the mother-of-four admits: 'I'm trying not to freak anyone out, but I'm just really worried.' It is not known when Saint tested positive for coronavirus but the clip is pre-recorded and the family finished filming the final episode of KUWTK in January, so it is likely it was at the end of last year or early 2021. MailOnline has contacted Kim's representative for further comment. Worrying: In the clip, it sees the reality star, 40, talking to an unknown person on the phone where she says that her daughter North, seven, is also feeling sick - although it is unknown if she also tested positive and other family members (Kim and Saint pictured in 2019) Pandemic: Kim says: 'Sainty just tested positive for Covid and North is saying she's feeling sick.' Kim has previously been in contact with other family members who had contracted the illness, including her estranged husband Kanye West, who she is currently divorcing, and her younger sister Khloe Kardashian. In October, Kim spoke about Kanye, 43, contracting Covid-19 early on in the pandemic to Grazia. 'Kanye had [Covid] way at the beginning, when nobody really knew what was going on... It was so scary and unknown,' she told the publication. Concerns: In a separate recording, the mother-of-four admits: 'I'm trying not to freak anyone out, but I'm just really worried.' Pre-recorded: It is not known when Saint tested positive for coronavirus but the clip is pre-recorded and the family finished filming the final episode of KUWTK in January, so it is likely it was at the end of last year or early 2021 'I had my four babies and no one else in the house to help,' she added, though it is unknown if Saint or anyone else contracted the coronavirus from Kanye at the time. Kim added that Kanye found out he was sick around the same time that Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson shared their Covid-19 news. The acting couple revealed they were sick on March 11 2020, though they have both since made a full recovery. Early case: In October, Kim spoke about her estranged husband Kanye West, 43, who she is currently divorcing, contracting Covid-19 early on in the pandemic to Grazia Kim continued: 'I had to go and change his sheets and help him get out of bed when he wasn't feeling good. It was a challenge because it was so unknown. Changing his sheets with gloves and a face shield was really a scary time.' Kanye first shared that he had tested positive for coronavirus in a July 2020 interview with Forbes. The rapper recounted having the 'chills' and 'shaking in bed,' though it was apparently mild enough that he spend most of his time watching videos about how to overcome the illness. Family: 'I had my four babies and no one else in the house to help,' she said (Kim and Kanye with their four children - North, seven, Saint, five, Chicago, three, and Psalm, two) In addition to Saint, Kim and Kanye share daughters North, seven, and Chicago, three, along with their son Psalm, two, who are they preparing to co-parent together amid their impending divorce. Kim's younger sister Khloe previously revealed that she had tested positive for Covid-19 during an earlier episode of KUWTK. Prior to getting the test results, Kim shared her worries for her sister, she said at the time: 'I mean, my gut tells me she [has Covid-19] just because she's so sick. 'And that really scares me for her, because I can tell that she's now getting scared and that she's really nervous about it.' Tested positive: Kanye first shared that he had tested positive for coronavirus in a July 2020 interview with Forbes (pictured in March 2020) While Khloe said during the time: 'I just found out that I do have corona. I have been in my room. It's going to be fine, but it was really bad for a couple days. 'I suffer from migraines, but this was the craziest headache, I wouldn't say it was a migraine. My chest would burn when I would cough and my throat is still not full recovered, clearly. Let me tell you: that s**t is real. 'We're all gonna get through this. Pray that if we all follow orders and listen we're all gonna be okay. May God bless us all.' Both Kanye and Khloe have made a full recovery since battling coronavirus. He was recently confirmed as a cast member on Netflix's new docu-series Byron Baes, and now Alex Reid has been spotted on set for the first time. In photos obtained by Daily Mail Australia, Alex - who famously used to be radio host Kyle Sandilands' assistant - was seen walking to a filming location in Byron Bay. The photos, which were taken earlier this month, showed the talent manager strolling down a quiet street with a female companion. Taking care of showbusiness: He was recently confirmed as a cast member in Netflix's new reality series, Byron Baes, and now Alex Reid has been spotted on set He was later spotted carrying a variety of clothes for potential costume changes, along with a computer monitor. Alex had his hands full as he made his way down the street with heavy-looking bags on each of his shoulders. Meanwhile, his female friend was also loaded up with clothes and a recycled paper shopping bag on one arm. Ready for action: In photos obtained by Daily Mail Australia, Alex - who famously used to be radio host Kyle Sandilands' assistant - was seen walking to a filming location in Byron Bay Find a friend: The photos, which were taken earlier this month, showed the talent manager strolling down a quiet street with a female companion The two chatted as they walked alongside each other, with Alex stepping out in a plain black T-shirt and matching Adidas trackpants. He also wore a pair of black open-toe slides, which he paired with tube socks, and accessorised with a series of chains around his neck. Netflix was recently forced to apologise to the show's stars after painting them as 'influencers' and 'hot Instagrammers'. Back to black: The two chatted as they walked alongside each other, with Alex stepping out in a plain black T-shirt and matching Adidas trackpants Former boss: Before being cast in Byron Baes, Alex worked as radio host Kyle Sandilands' assistant-turned-manager The streaming giant's Director of Originals in Australia, Que Minh Luu, confirmed the cast 'hated' a recent press release describing the upcoming series. 'They are artists, musicians, entrepreneurs, business owners, models, on a spiritual journey and more,' Ms Luu said, apologising for the wording. 'Most of them hated the press release too! Did a lot of apologising that week. Fired the PR team (lol joking about firing, we're all learning together).' Keeping his options open: He was later spotted carrying a variety of clothes for potential costume changes, along with a computer monitor She added: 'They understand the power of influence. They are part of Byron. They understand the creative vision of the show that has been developed with them over several months.' Ms Luu was responding after many mocked the press release, which read in part: 'It's not just Chris and Zac's backyard, it's the playground of more celebrity-adjacent-adjacent influencers than you can poke a selfie stick at.' It comes after a handful of so-called Byron locals recently paddled out into the ocean to protest the show, while others stood by with placards that read 'give Netflix the flick' and 'consult traditional owners'. Heavy lifting: Alex had his hands full as he made his way down the street with heavy-looking bags on each of his shoulders Ben Gordon, owner of The Byron Bay General Store, led calls to snub production - and is asking other local businesses to do the same. 'They've simply turned up unannounced and they are proposing to drag our name through the mud, and make millions of dollars without offering anything back to the community,' he told Today. Nick O'Donnell, Netflix's director of public policy, recently travelled to the NSW town 'for crisis talks with stakeholders' as the backlash continues to grow. The upcoming season of Celebrity Apprentice Australia is helmed by billionaire business magnate Lord Alan Sugar. And it seems the British power player, 74, didn't hold back when it came to interacting with the 'famous' contestants. In a trailer for the show ahead of its premiere on Sunday, Lord Sugar roasts the stars and even admits: 'I haven't got a bloody clue who any of you are!' 'I haven't got a bloody clue who any of you are': Lord Alan Sugar roasts the stars of Celebrity Apprentice in a scathing new trailer He then takes aim at stars including The Veronicas' Jess and Lisa Origliasso, radio host Michael 'Wippa' Wipfli and MAFS bride Martha Kalifatidis. Lord Sugar asks Wippa if he got his nickname from an 'S&M dungeon'. He then says to The Veronicas, who are twins: 'I've got an original picture of you here. I thought you were joined at the head.' Boss: Lord Sugar didn't hold back when it came to interacting with the celebrity contestants 'I've got an original picture of you here. I thought you were joined at the head,' he told The Veronicas' Jess and Lisa Origliasso Taking a shot at Martha, he quips: 'Martha, they call you the Kmart Kardashian.' The reality star then looks embarrassed while sitting in the boardroom and tells him she's an influencer, which leaves Lord Sugar unimpressed. 'Yep, beauty, health and wellness, anything to make you look good, I'll influence it,' Martha says. Lord Sugar dryly and sarcastically replies: 'Right, good, thank you so much for that.' Taking a shot at Martha, Lord Sugar quips: 'Martha, they call you the Kmart Kardashian' This year's cast also includes The Block's Shaynna Blaze, fitness guru Michelle Bridges, Anthony Callea and Survivor star David Genat. In a trailer released earlier this week, The Veronicas wept and Anthony even made a joke about his face being unable to move because he's 'had so much Botox'. Celebrity Apprentice premieres Sunday at 7pm on Channel Nine Rapper T.I. addressed sexual assault allegations against him and his wife Tiny Harris (born Tameka Cottle) in his newest track, called What It's Come To, on Thursday. The 40-year-old performer's latest Instagram post featured a handwritten piece of paper with his song featuring explicit lyrics, which seemingly calling his accusers 'lyin' a** b*****s.' One of the verses included: 'Go put yo face and reputation on it // These kind of claims deserve more than anonymous provocative conversation, don't it?' Speaking up: Rapper T.I. addresses sexual assault allegations against him and his wife Tiny Harris (born Tameka Cottle) in his newest track, called What It's Come To, on Thursday; seen in 2019 Another went on to say he was 'willing to face whatever consequences for his vision' as he goes 'up against some lyin' a** b*****s.' Within three hours, he received more than 260,095 views and nearly 2,000 comments, including one from Soulja Boy, 30, who dropped six fire emojis. Last month, reports broke that the Los Angeles Police Department was investigating the rapper and his wife over claims that they sexually assaulted and drugged a woman they met in a nightclub in 2005. Explicit: The 40-year-old performer's latest Instagram post featured a handwritten piece of paper with his song featuring new lyrics, which seemingly calling his accusers 'lyin' a** b*****s' Denying allegations: One of the verses included: 'Go put yo face and reputation on it // These kind of claims deserve more than anonymous provocative conversation, don't it?' (seen in 2019) The woman, who is only identified as 'Jane Doe' in court documents, met with detectives virtually last month, after her attorney, Tyrone Blackburn, sent a letter to local authorities calling for an investigation into her claims, according to The Daily Beast. She claimed in court documents that she was first introduced to the couple b a man handing out flyers at a local mall, and she was invited to a club where they would be the following night. She said she only had two drinks before she accepted a shot of Tiny's Patron drink, and was quickly invited back to the couple's hotel room with some other women. Shutting down rumors: Another went on to say he was 'willing to face whatever consequences for his vision' as he goes 'up against some lyin' a** b*****s' (pictured in 2015) Eventually, it was just T.I., Tiny and the woman left in the room when T.I. allegedly suggested they all go to the bathroom to 'freshen up.' 'Once in the bathroom Tiny took off all of victim's clothing,' the court documents say, and T.I. told the victim that she looked better naked. The victim also claims Tiny, who was also naked, began to wash her. T.I., meanwhile, allegedly turned on a pornographic television show, handed the victim a bottle of baby oil once she was out of the bathroom and told her to rub his back. Making music: Within three hours, he received more than 260,095 views and nearly 2,000 comments, including one from Soulja Boy, 30, who dropped six fire emojis; seen earlier this month At that point, the court documents say, Tiny started sliding up and down the victim's back while they were both naked. T.I. allegedly stuck his toes into her vagina, and she allegedly told T.I. 'no' before rushing to the bathroom to throw up. She said her last memory was sitting down on the couch before waking up the next morning with 'her vagina very sore and had a burning/itching sensation.' T.I. and Tiny has been accused of sexually assaulting and abusing a total of 14 women, all of which they categorically deny. Accused: Last month, reports broke that the Los Angeles Police Department was investigating the rapper and his wife over claims that they sexually assaulted and drugged a woman they met in a nightclub in 2005; seen last February They are accused of abusing eight women who say they were drugged, kidnapped and forced into sex with the pair or someone in their circle. They deny those allegations, and claims from three men who also say the couple made 'terrorist threats' against them. Earlier, The Daily Beast revealed that the attorney representing those eight women and three men had heard from six additional accusers. They include a stripper, a member of the military, and a high school student who once interned at one of the rapper's studios. The women claim that T.I. and Tiny, whose real names are Clifford and Tameka, that the pair or someone in their circle date raped them then sexually abused them. No criminal charges have been brought against the pair. The claims started in January on social media. Multiple women claimed to have been abused by the pair in some way, which prompted them to deny the allegations in a statement. Then, lawyer Tyrone A. Blackburn approached some of the women to hear their stories. He then went to the authorities in Georgia and California, asking them to launch an investigation. Disturbing claims: T.I. and Tiny has been accused of sexually assaulting and abusing a total of 14 women, all of which they categorically deny; seen in 2019 At the time, he said he had claims from 11 different people; the original eight women and three men. Now, Blackburn says he has heard from an additional six women who have similar allegations. He has written again to the authorities in Georgia and California, demanding that a criminal investigation be launched. Nova FM's drive show Kate, Tim and Joel is moving across the ditch to New Zealand. Just months after Joel Creasey joined the line-up alongside Kate Ritchie and Tim Blackwell, the trio are taking their first overseas trip. The program will be heading over the Tasman Sea to broadcast special episodes on May 24 and May 25 in partnership with Tourism New Zealand. Overseas: Nova FM's drive show Kate, Tim and Joel is moving across the ditch to New Zealand for two special broadcasts on May 24 and May 25 in partnership with Tourism New Zealand Speaking about their adventure-packed trip, Tim, 39, said: 'Weve been dreaming about travelling for a while and we are not dreaming anymore. 'We love New Zealand whale watching in Kaikoura, rafting in Hamilton, Waiheke Island one of the most beautiful places on earth and skydiving in Taupo.' Kate, 42, said she was feeling excited but also had some reservations. How exciting! Just months after Joel Creasey (pictured) joined the line-up alongside Kate Ritchie and Tim Blackwell, the trio are taking their first overseas trip 'Its going to be awesome.... but Im not skydiving, are we skydiving?' she said, to which Joel replied: 'Yes, thats how were arriving.' In September, Joel replaced Marty Sheargold on Nova's drive show. But Covid-19 border closures meant the comedian had to initially host the show via Skype from Melbourne, while his co-hosts were based in Sydney. Shortly after beginning his role in November, the comedian told News.com.au he was 'grateful' to have a job, but the early days were 'tricky'. 'Essentially I was online dating two people with a whole bunch of other people having an opinion on those dates,' he said. 'So I now really know what its like to be a Married At First Sight contestant.' She welcomed her first child with her fiance Joaquin Phoenix back in September. And Rooney Mara had her phenomenal post-baby body covered up in relaxed sweats as she took care of errands in Los Angeles on Thursday. The 36-year-old Academy Award nominee was spotted out alone while rocking a gray-and-white tie-dye sweatshirt with the sleeves rolled up. On the go: Rooney Mara, 36, looked casual in a gray-and-white tie-dye sweatshirt while taking care of errands in Los Angeles on Thursday Rooney paired the low-key key top with baggy black sweatpants, along with a matching set of black-and-white Nike trainers. She had her phone clasped in her hand and wore a black tote back for the small Massachusetts-based grocery store chain Cronig's Market. The Social Network actress had her short brown tresses parted down the middle and tied back. She kept her face covered with a navy blue mask and she wore translucent plastic-frame sunglasses. Back in black: Rooney paired the low-key key top with baggy black sweatpants, along with a matching set of black-and-white Nike trainers Safety first: She kept her face covered with a navy blue mask and she wore translucent plastic-frame sunglasses It's not known if Rooney is vaccinated, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now say that outdoor walks like the one she was on are safe even for unvaccinated people. However, many are still choosing to mask up as they were until Covid-19 cases drop further. Missing from Rooney's out were her fiance Joaquin Phoenix and their young son River, who would be about eight months old now. The couple didn't announce the baby's birth, but the news was confirmed on September 27 by the filmmaker Victor Kossakovsky at a Zurich Film Festival screening of his documentary Gunda, which Joaquin executive produced. Solo trip: Missing from Rooney's out were her fiance Joaquin Phoenix and their young son River, who would be about eight months old now 'He just got a baby, by the way, his name was a beautiful son called River, so he cannot promote it now,' Kossakovsky said during a Q&A session. Rooney and Joaquin have managed to keep River almost entirely out of the public eye since his birth. They named their first child together after Joaquin's older brother River Phoenix, who was an accomplished actor in his own right, best known for roles in Stand By Me (1986), Running On Empty (1988) and My Own Private Idaho (1991), which he starred in opposite Keanu Reeves. He also memorably played a young Indiana Jones in the opening scenes of Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade (1989). River died of a drug overdose in 1993 in the early hours of Halloween morning. Remembering him: They named their first child together after Joaquin's older brother River Phoenix, who starred in Stand By Me and My Own Private Idaho before dying over an overdose in 1993 at age 23; seen in February 2020 Sweet: Joaquin capped off his Oscar acceptance speech in 2020 with a remembrance of River. 'When he was 17, my brother [River] wrote this lyric. He said: 'run to the rescue with love and peace will follow''; seen with Rooney in January 2019 in LA Last year, Joaquin remembered his brother and son's namesake by capping off his moving acceptance speech after winning the Academy Award for Best Actor for Joker. 'When he was 17, my brother [River] wrote this lyric. He said: 'run to the rescue with love and peace will follow.'' Rooney and Joaquin started dating in 2016 after they starred together in Mary Magdalene, which wasn't released for two more years. She previously played a supporting role as the ex-wife he still obsesses over in Her (2013), and they were paired up again in the inspiring story of a cartoonist overcoming life-altering paralysis in Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot (2018). It was reported that she was about six months pregnant in May 2020, though she had been wearing baggy clothing around that time to hide the pregnancy. Work romance: Rooney and Joaquin started dating in 2016 after they starred together in Mary Magdalene, which wasn't released for two more years; still from Mary Magdalene Mara opened up about motherhood in rare comments she shared ahead of her first Mother's Day. She made the remarks in an open letter for the Farm Sanctuary Mother's Day campaign that she shared with People magazine on Wednesday. 'As a new mom, Mother's Day has taken on a special meaning this year,' Rooney said. 'Raising our baby, River, has opened my heart to a whole new life filled with hope and more determination than ever to create a kinder and more sustainable world. 'I feel so fortunate to be able to nurture my son in all of the ways that nature intended,' she continues, 'and I wish all mothers in the animal kingdom could experience that sacred maternal bond with their young, devoid of exploitation by humans.' Emily Wilder, 22, had started at the AP on May 3 as a news associate for the Western U.S., based in Phoenix. On Wednesday, just over two weeks later, the AP informed her that she was being terminated for violations of its social media policy that took place after she became an employee. Leah Remini was over the moon on Thursday when she revealed that she had been accepted into New York University. The 50-year-old King Of Queens star posted the start of her acceptance letter to Instagram, along with a moving caption about her years-long desire to go to college. The acceptance letter stated that the actress had been admitted into an associate's degree Liberal Arts program in the School of Professional Studies, which was previously the School of Continuing Education. She got in! Leah Remini, 50, shared the happy news on Thursday that she had been admitted into an associate's degree program at New York University after never having gone to college; seen in 2019 in LA Leah shared her joy at the acceptance letter in a lengthy caption to her post. 'I am so excited, in tears and wanted to share this with you guys,' she wrote. 'For someone like me, a person who desperately wanted a higher education and options in my life, coming from a cult and a family who didnt value an education, this is a very big day for me. 'This didnt come easy. This is one of the last chunks of my life that I am taking back for myself from Scientology. It took a lot for me to take this step, for fear that I was not smart enough, not worthy enough, not able to do the work that will be required, my age....' she continued. 'I did it anyway with a lot of encouragement from a very special person in my life. I am ready to do the work and honestly, Im scared shitless! And I am excited to start on my journey. Its just never too late is it? Thank you to NYU @nyuniversity for believing in me. Moving: 'For someone like me, a person who desperately wanted a higher education and options in my life, coming from a cult and a family who didnt value an education, this is a very big day for me,' she wrote in the emotional statement Supportive friend: Among her friends and fans sending their congratulations was Leah's good friend Jennifer Lopez. 'So proud of you baby!' she wrote. 'So happy for you @noitsnevertoolate' 'And thank you John @iescentralmass, you are an amazing man and anyone needing someone to cheer them on, to walk them through this (sometimes) intimidating process, who are scared to take this first step, should choose you! Thank you from the bottom of my heart.' Among her friends and fans sending their congratulations was Leah's good friend Jennifer Lopez. 'So proud of you baby!' the Out Of Sight actress wrote. 'So happy for you #noitsnevertoolate.' Last month, Leah shared a photo of herself hanging out with Jennifer and their mutual friend Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas, which Jennifer reposted and captioned, 'Girl Power.' Goldsmith-Thomas, a film producer and a friend to the actress, popped into the comments as well. 'In true Leah fashion she took it on, faced her fears, and applied to NYU for fall semester 2021. And guess what? SHE GOT IN!!!!! SHE GOT IN!!!!' Gal pals: Last month, Leah shared a photo of herself hanging out with Jennifer and their mutual friend Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas, who also posted a celebratory comment Moving on: 'This is one of the last chunks of my life that I am taking back for myself from Scientology. It took a lot for me to take this step, for fear that I was not smart enough, not worthy enough, not able to do the work that will be required...' Leah wrote; seen in 2018 She added: 'To all of the people out there who are wishing or waiting or dreaming of second chances, just remember every day you wake up you have a second chance to be whomever you want to be- the only thing stopping you is YOU!' Leah's Dancing With The Stars castmate Maksim Chmerkovskiy also wrote, 'I'm so proud of you my love!!!' Leah has previously spoken about how she spent her teenage years working to make money to pay off debts to Scientology. Her first television appearances began when she was around 18 in the late 1980s, but her biggest success wouldn't come until 1998 when she was cast as one of the leads on CBS' The King Of Queens opposite Kevin James. Taking her time: Leah has previously spoken about how she spent her teenage years working to make money to pay off debts to Scientology. Her breakout role was in CBS' The King Of Queens Good example: Leah's higher education plans also set an example for her 16-year-old daughter Sofia, whom she shares with her husband Angelo Pagan; seen together in 2012 Leah's higher education plans also set an example for her 16-year-old daughter Sofia, whom she shares with her husband Angelo Pagan. Back in January, she appeared virtually on Drew Barrymore's talk show to share things that her mini-me daughter had 'inspired' her to pay attention to, issues such as racial inequality and climate change. '[Sofia] sends me things that I should be posting on social media about systemic racism, social injustice, constantly saying, "Mom, you need to be doing this. I need less plastics in this house,"' she recounted. 'It makes me so proud to to know that she's somebody who cares about what's happening in the world,' she shared, adding, 'I wasn't thinking about these things when I was her age.' Mother-daughter relationship: In January, she appeared on Drew Barrymore's talk show to share things her mini-me daughter had 'inspired' her to pay attention to, issues such as racial inequality and climate change Brooke Blurton has made history by becoming the first openly bisexual Bachelorette. And during an interview on Studio 10 on Friday, the 26-year-old Bachelor alum addressed the major problem with casting both males and females on the show. The Indigenous star admitted it's 'inevitable' some of the contestants will find love with each other in the mansion, instead of with her. 'It could be inevitable': During an interview on Studio 10 on Friday, bisexual Bachelorette Brooke Blurton addressed the major problem with casting both males and females on the show When asked by host Sarah Harris how she would feel if that were to happen, Brooke began by clarifying she's 'a reasonable person' when it comes to relationships. 'If it happens, who am I to stop it?' she added. 'I think it's one of those things... it could be inevitable to happen and that's totally fine.' Brooke, who appeared on Nick Cummins' season of The Bachelor in 2018 and the 2019 season of Bachelor in Paradise, admitted she'd feel somewhat 'disappointed' but wouldn't let it seriously affect her journey. 'Look, I'll be disappointed that we didn't get to develop that relationship for whatever reason,' she said. 'It is what it is, and it will happen. I've just got to take it as it goes.' 'If it happens, who am I to stop it?' The Indigenous star admitted it's 'inevitable' some of the contestants will find love with each other in the mansion, instead of with her She then suggested that two contestants hooking up would be a good thing, because The Bachelor franchise is about finding love after all. 'I'm really happy if it does happen. If something can come from this, then I'll be happy,' she said. On Thursday, Brooke told The Daily Telegraph she was 'ready' to smash reality TV conventions as the first openly bisexual Bachelorette. Diplomatic approach: Brooke admitted she'd feel somewhat 'disappointed' if two contestants hooked up, but wouldn't let it seriously affect her journey When asked how she felt audiences would take the change, the youth worker said: 'I am not too sure if Australia is ready for it. I certainly am. 'If it makes people feel uncomfortable in any way, I really challenge them to think about why it does.' The forthcoming series will mark the first time any season of The Bachelor or The Bachelorette has featured a mixed-gender cast vying for the lead star's affections. World first: The forthcoming series will mark the first time any season of The Bachelor or The Bachelorette has featured a mixed-gender cast vying for the lead star's affections. Pictured: Brooke with Alex Nation on Bachelor in Paradise Brooke has dated men and women in the past. She addressed her sexuality on The Bachelor in 2018, telling leading man Nick Cummins: 'I've had four relationships... one with a guy but I've also had two relationships with women. 'When I was in those relationships, I looked beyond what they were as female and I really loved [them] for who they were as people.' Chris Hemsworth's beloved Groodle 'Sunny' was impounded after being found wandering alone on the same patch of Byron Bay coastline the Hollywood star is fighting to save from a resort development. Hemsworth, 37, who voiced his opposition to a resort and tourism development at Seven Mile Beach, a long stretch of coastline in the Byron Bay area near his sprawling mega-mansion, earlier this week claiming the land was sacred to indigenous Australians. Sunny and another similar looking dog were allegedly found on Thursday by the manager of the very development company Hemsworth had slammed, Linnaeus Estate. The manager then called the local pound to come and collect them. A representative from the Hemsworth clan then collected the dogs. There's no suggestion the Hemsworth family knew the dogs had escaped and were roaming solo in the area. Chris Hemsworth and Elsa Pataky's beloved pet dog Sunny (pictured) went missing in Byron Bay on Thursday (above) Hemsworth's beloved dog was taken to the pound after being found on an area of beach deemed to be sacred land (above) The company has filed a development application to build 27 new eco-tourist cabins on the land and a wellness facility at Linnaeus Estate, which has copped some major blowback from sections of the local community. It is allegedly not the first time the troublesome pooches have been found wandering along the proposed site, which is 10km from the centre of Byron Bay, without their masters. Linnaeus Estate director Steve Duchen told Daily Mail Australia the Hemsworths had some cheek opposing the site considering their dogs keep wandering on to the environmentally sensitive land. 'It has happened before. We're in a very delicate, natural environment and in fact in Byron you're not allowed to have dogs on the beaches or even in this particular area because it's a marine park,' he said. In September 2019, Daily Mail Australia reported Hemsworth and his Spanish actress wife Elsa Pataky's beloved dog, Sunny, had gone missing along the same stretch of coastline. Mr Duchen said all dogs were prohibited from the proposed resort site where Hemsworth's pooch was allegedly found. 'Dogs must be on leash - and they just let their dogs run freely and these dogs often just turn up on our property which there is lots of native fauna, wallabies and dogs are not allowed,' he said. On Wednesday, the Hollywood star took to Instagram to throw his support behind traditional custodians of the land, who want to stop the development because it is sacred to indigenous people. Hemsworth pooch Sunny was allegedly found wandering on land his owner is fighting to protect from a development The Hemsworth pooches await their master after they were allegedly found wandering about a protected area of beach near Byron Bay (above) It's not the first time Sunny the dog has gone missing - wanted posted from 2019 (above) 'I stand shoulder to shoulder, in solidarity with Aunty Lois Cook in opposition to the tourism development at Seven Mile Beach,' Hesmworth said in a video shared with his 48.6 million Instagram followers, tagging the Friends of Seven Mile account. 'I fully support traditional custodians to be able to comfortably tell their people's stories, to preserve and protect their homelands,' he added. 'This proposed development would have a direct impact on these sacred and significant Indigenous sites.' He also shared a video of activist Lois Cook, a traditional custodian of Ngangbul Country in the Bundjalung Nation of eastern Australia who is backing the Friends of Seven Mile cause. Mr Duchen said his manager needed to call the local pound to take the dogs away where they were later retrieved by the Hemsworth clan. 'They were very grateful for us for calling them and picking up the dogs off the protected area, which is a very sensitive area, and, as Chris said in his own statement, indigenous lands,' Mr Duchen said. Hemsworth has previously expressed his love for Sunny the Groodle repeatedly on social media. In one post, he raved: 'We both have major respect for one another now, but I'm pretty sure I'm top dog round these parts from here on #turfwar #neverbackdown.' The troublesome pooches are caged after being found in an area of protected and sacred land on Thursday The cause of the uproar: Seven Mile Beach is located south of Broken Head towards Lennox Head, and there is a development application to build 27 new eco-tourist cabins on the land and a wellness facility at Linnaeus Estate (pictured) Activist: Lois Cook (pictured), a traditional custodian of Ngangbul Country in the Bundjalung Nation of eastern Australia, said 'We were promised this site would be used for educational purpose only... I do not endorse the development of this site' Mr Duchen was critical Hemsworth was opposing the eco resort yet quit happy to build a sprawling 'Westfield-size' mansion on nearby land. Hemsworth and his family began construction on the Byron Bay mansion, named Kooeloah, in late 2017. The fortress like property boasts a gymnasium, butler's pantry, fire pit, change rooms, outdoor play area for the three Hemsworth children and walk-in wardrobes. The Hemsworth mansion is estimated to be worth up to $30 million Wary: Hemsworth is said to be 'wary' of the recent influx of Sydneysiders to Byron Bay, the coastal town he and his family have called home for seven years. Pictured with wife Elsa Pataky Action group: Environmental group Friends of Seven Mile is urging people to 'take action' against the proposed development Locals: Chris moved to Byron with his wife, Elsa Pataky (centre), and their children, daughter India Rose, eight, and twin sons Sasha and Tristan, seven, in 2014. Pictured here with a friend Hemsworth's manager, Mark Morrissey, refused to comment when Daily Mail Australia contacted him for comment about the lost pooches. Aboriginal elder Aunty Lois Cook previously said she was shocked to hear the zoning of the proposed eco site development had changed without consulting the community nor the indigenous community. Friends of Seven Mile is an environmental group urging people to 'take action' against the proposed development. 'Save one of the most wild and biologically diverse regions in Australia from commercialisation,' its website reads. Hemsworth is said to be 'wary' of the recent influx of Sydneysiders to Byron Bay, the coastal town he and his family have called home for seven years. He expressed disapproval of city types flocking to the tourist hotspot during the Covid-19 pandemic, in February's edition of Men's Health Australia. Hemsworth relocated to Byron with his wife and their children, daughter India Rose, eight, and twin sons Sasha and Tristan, seven, in 2014. Glenn Close has revealed the 'devastating' impact of growing up in a cult. Making an emotional appearance on Prince Harry and Oprah's new Apple TV+ mental health docuseries, The Me You Can't See, the 74-year-old actress spoke candidly about her childhood trauma. When she was still a child Glenn's late father Dr William Taliaferro Close became enamoured with a conservative new religious group Moral Re-Armament. Eventually he moved the family to the organization's headquarters in Switzerland, effectively cutting Glenn off from the life she once knew. Candid: Glenn Close revealed the 'devastating' impact of growing up in a cult in an emotional appearance on Prince Harry and Oprah's new Apple TV+ mental health docuseries Speaking about her traumatic experience on the show, Glenn said: 'I was in this group called MRA and it was basically a cult, everyone spouted the same things and there's a lot of rules, a lot of control. 'Because of how we were raised, anything you thought you'd do for yourself was considered selfish. We never went on any vacations or had any collective memories of stuff other than what we went through, which was really awful.' Detailing the impact this had on her mental health, Glenn explained: 'We were so broken up. It's astounding that something you go through at such a young stage in your life still has such a potential to be destructive. 'I think that's childhood trauma, because of the devastation, emotional and psychological, of the cult.' Emotional: Glenn, who has been married three times, stated, 'I have not been successful in my relationships and finding a permanent partner and I'm sorry about that' Childhood: When Glenn was seven, her parents entered the controversial international spiritual movement Moral Re-Armament (pictured centre with sister Tina and her parents) Glenn, who has been married three times, added: 'I have not been successful in my relationships and finding a permanent partner and I'm sorry about that. 'I think it's our natural state to be connected like that. I don't think you ever change your trigger points but at least you can be aware of them and at least you can maybe avoid situations that might make you vulnerable, especially in relationships'. Laughing, she added: 'It's probably why we all have our dogs!' Second marriage: Glenn was married to businessman James Marlas from 1984 to 1987 (pictured in 1984) after leaving the cult When Glenn was seven, her parents entered the controversial international spiritual movement Moral Re-Armament revolving around the idea that changing the world begins with change in the individual founded in 1938 by the Rev Frank Buchman, an evangelical fundamentalist from Pennsylvania. Glenn and her siblings were sent to live at the group's headquarters in Switzerland for two years while their father was in Africa, and the family would remain part of MRA for 15 years. Glenn was left having nightmares about her time with MRA and has spoken openly of the time she's spent in therapy, while her sister Jessie grew up with mental health issues and had several disastrous marriages before being diagnosed as bipolar in her 50s. Third marriage: In 2015, Glenn divorced her third husband David Shaw in 2015 after nine years of marriage It was while she was in the movement that Glenn sang with the ultra-clean-cut group Up With People, and it was there too that she met her first two husbands. The first marriage, which she has called 'a kind of arranged marriage', ended before she even left MRA. She wed Cabot Wade, a guitarist and songwriter in 1969, with the couple divorcing three years later. She finally broke with MRA she's never spoken of how to enter the prestigious College of William and Mary in Virginia to study drama at the age of 22. During this time she was married to businessman James Marlas from 1984 to 1987. Former flame: Glenn has also been in relationships with actor Len Cariou and producer John Starke (pictured) with whom she has a daughter Annie, 27 In 2015, Glenn divorced her third husband David Shaw in 2015 after nine years of marriage. Glenn has also been in relationships with actor Len Cariou and producer John Starke, with whom she has a daughter Annie, 27. She was also engaged for four years to carpenter Steve Beer whom she met while starring in Sunset Boulevard on Broadway in the mid-1990s. The actress was also romantically linked to actor Robert Pastorelli who found fame as Candice Bergen's house painter in the TV series Murpy Brown. Proud mother: Glenn's daughter Annie Starke, 33, is also an actress and the pair have a strong bond with one another The pair met in 1999 and Pastorelli went on to star opposite Close in a TV version of the musical South Pacific in 2001 and on stage opposite her in a 2002 production of A Streetcar Named Desire. Pastorelli was found dead in his Hollywood Hills home in 2004 at the age of 49. A spokesperson for Initiatives Of Change told MailOnline: ' Initiatives of Change (formerly Moral Re-Armament) acknowledges the difficulties experienced by some who were children in the 1950s and 60s, one or both of whose parents were working with Moral Re-Armament (MRA) for reconciliation and peace on another continent. Glenn Close was one of these children. WHO ARE THE MORAL RE-ARMAMENT GROUP? Glenn's family joined the Moral Re-Armament (MRA) when she was seven. In 2001, the movement was renamed Initiatives of Change, The group is an international moral and spiritual movement developed from American minister Frank Buchman's Oxford Group - a Christian organisation. Initiatives of Change has spiritual roots but no religious affiliation, and invites 'those with a faith...both to explore the roots of their own tradition, and to discover and respect the beliefs of others.' Initiatives of Change has programs in over 60 countries including the US, India, UK and Switzerland. They describe themselves as 'a world-wide movement of people of diverse cultures and backgrounds, who are committed to the transformation of society through changes in human motives and behaviour, starting with their own.' Advertisement Most of the parents had lived through two world wars, and there was a real fear of a third. They believed their work could help to avert this. This sometimes meant responding to requests from elsewhere in the world and, in an era when air travel was expensive, this could mean long absences. For some children, the absence of their parents and frequent changes in caregivers cast a shadow over their childhoods and their adult lives. Others have happier memories. MRA has supported those who have sought help, as has its successor. Today, Initiatives of Change is a multi-belief, multi-cultural network of people and programmes promoting values-based leadership, social responsibility and sustainable living. 'It runs public conferences, dialogues and training, and supports community initiatives, all based on the Gandhian principle that we need to be the change we want to see in the world.' Elsewhere in the interview, Glenn spoke about the mental health problems that have plagued her family, including her sister's battle with bipolar and her nephew's schizophrenia diagnosis. Reflecting on her decision to stay separate from Hollywood and return to Montana to be along her family, she said: 'H ere I am at this point in my life after 45 years that I've been an actress, getting comfort and companionship on a regular basis from my family. I've come home to them'. Glenn grew up alongside elder sisters Tina and younger sibling Jessie, who battled with her own mental health demons throughout her life. Glenn said being around her sisters has kept her 'psychologically grounded', but grew emotional as she spoke about Jessie's struggles. Jessie was diagnosed with bipolar at the age of 50 after a lifetime of struggling with suicidal thoughts. Glenn recalled: 'Jessie was always considered the wild one, the rebel, but when she came up to me one summer at my parents house in Wyoming, her kids were already in the car, and she came up to me and said "I need help, I can't stop thinking about killing myself", and for me it was a shock. 'She ended up in hospital I took her there. She was finally at age 50 properly diagnosed with bipolar one with psychotic tendencies.' Speaking out: Elsewhere in the interview, Glenn spoke about the mental health problems that have plagued her family, including her sister's battle with bipolar Welling up, Glenn continued: 'Jessie told me that she was afraid if parents found out that she had bipolar,they wouldn't let their children play with her daughter '. Jessie then addressed the camera to add: 'I still have a little hesitation and embarrassment when I say I'm depressive bipolar one. 'I'm quite steady now, I no longer have psychotic thoughts. I had a swirl going round my brain telling me to kill myself until I was on the proper medication. It's not fun having a voice in your head telling you to commit suicide all the time, and if it wasn't for my children I probably would have.' Jessie then spoke about more mental illness in their family, revealing that her eldest son Calen had been hospitalised for two years with schizophrenia and her battle to ensure he was cared for. Family unit: Glenn (centre) grew up alongside elder sisters Tina (left) and younger sibling Jessie (right) who battled with her own mental health demons throughout her life. Meanwhile, in candid interviews with Oprah Winfrey on his new show, Prince Harry revealed he was discouraged from discussing his mental health as a child following the sudden death of his mother, and when he tried to ask his family for help more recently when Meghan claimed she was feeling suicidal he was 'met with total silence' and neglect. He said: 'I thought my family would help, but every single ask, request, warning, whatever it is, just got met with total silence, total neglect. 'We spent four years trying to make it work. We did everything that we possibly could to stay there and carry on doing the role and doing the job. But Meghan was struggling.' Tough: In an interview with Oprah on his new show, Prince Harry revealed when he tried to ask his family for help when Meghan claimed she was feeling suicidal he was 'met with silence' Harry said the way Meghan was feeling reminded him of his own mother's final days. 'History was repeating itself,' Harry told Oprah. 'My mother was chased to her death while she was in a relationship with someone who wasnt white. And now look whats happened. 'Its incredibly triggering to potentially lose another woman in my life. Like, the list is growing. And it all comes back to the same people, the same business model, the same industry,' he said. The prince discussed his failure to process the grief from the death of his mother; the helplessness he felt to protect her; his dependence on drugs and alcohol to numb the pain; his anxiety and sense of being trapped in the palace; and how therapy helped him 'break the cycle.' Claims: Harry said his family tried to prevent him and Megan from leaving when she was having suicidal thoughts 'For me, therapy has equipped me to be able to take on anything,' he said. When asked if he has any regrets, he says it is not taking a stand earlier in his relationship with Meghan. 'Eventually when I made that decision for my family, I was still told, You cant do this,' Harry recounted to Oprah. 'And its like, "Well how bad does it have to get until I am allowed to do this?" She [Markle] was going to end her life. It shouldnt have to get to that.' Breaking down in tears: Oprah cried as she spoke to Harry during the emotional interview The stand-out feature of the show comes as a 13-year-old Harry is seen watching his mother's coffin - that of Diana, Princess of Wales - passing him during her funeral in London in 1997. Prince Charles can be seen speaking to his heartbroken son as a female voiceover says over dramatic music: 'Treating people with dignity is the first act'. Harry tells Oprah: 'To make that decision to receive help is not a sign of weakness. In today's world more than ever, it is a sign of strength.' Trauma: Harry said he felt like history was repeating itself when Megan felt suicidal, reminding him of the death of his mother. He is pictured, right, with his brother, William, at Princess Diana's funeral in 1997 The show also had interviews with actress Glenn Close and US talk show queen Oprah herself as well as a feature on a Syrian refugee named Fawzi, described as a hero on the program. Along with Winfrey, the Duke of Sussex is an executive producer of The Me You Can't See, which premiered on Apple TV+ on Friday. If you have been affected by this story in the UK, you can call the Samaritans on 116 123 or visit www.samaritans.org If you are in the States please contact Mental Health America on 1-800-273-TALK (8255) to reach a 24-hour crisis hotline 'I had a total psychotic break and was not the same girl': Lady Gaga details her harrowing breakdown after being raped by producer at 19 as she speaks on Prince Harry's Apple TV+ doc Lady Gaga says she had a 'total psychotic break' when she was sexually assaulted at the age of 19 by a music producer and 'dropped off pregnant on a street corner'. The singer, 35, spoke about the traumatic event during an appearance on Prince Harry and Oprah's new Apple TV+ mental health docuseries, The Me You Can't See. Gaga, whose real name is Stefani Germanotta, recalled: 'I was 19 years old, and I was working in the business, and a producer said to me, "Take your clothes off".' Trauma: Lady Gaga says she had a 'total psychotic break' when she was sexually assaulted at the age of 19 by a music producer on Prince Harry's new Apple TV+ mental health docuseries 'And I said "no". And I left, and they told me they were going to burn all of my music. And they didn't stop. They didn't stop asking me, and I just froze and ... I don't even remember.' Gaga, who has never mentioned the producer's name for fear of seeing him again, said she blacked out amid the assault, and purged herself by being physically sick for an extended period as a way of coping with the pain. 'I was sick for weeks and weeks and weeks and weeks after, and I realized that it was the same pain that I felt when the person who raped me dropped me off pregnant on a corner,' she said. She said she was 'at [her] parents' house amid the illness because she was 'being abused' and 'locked away in a studio for months.' Heartbreaking: Gaga, whose real name is Stefani Germanotta, recalled: 'I was 19 years old, and I was working in the business, and a producer said to me, "Take your clothes off".' Details: The singer, 35, spoke about the traumatic event during an appearance on The Me You Can't See, Prince Harry and Oprah's new show exploring mental health Distressing: In the chat, the superstar singer said that she felt physical numbness in the wake of the attack to cope with the trauma Gaga said the incident left her scarred physically and emotionally, which lingers to this day. The singer said a doctor advised her to see a psychiatrist for her chronic pain, leading to her diagnosis of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. 'I had a total psychotic break, and for a couple years, I was not the same girl,' Gaga said. 'The way that I feel when I feel pain was how I felt after I was raped. I've had so many MRIs and scans where they don't find nothing. But your body remembers.' She also said that amid her emotional journey, she's recently had to deal with impulses towards self-harm, explaining the rationale behind it. Inner turmoil: Gaga said she was diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder as she struggled to cope with the trauma in the years after the attack (pictured in 2009) Ongoing battle: Gaga opened up on how the incident left her scarred physically and emotionally, which lingers to this day She said: 'Even if I have six brilliant months, all it takes is getting triggered once to feel bad. And when I say I feel bad, I mean I want to cut. 'Think about dying. Wondering if Im ever going to do it. I learned all the ways to pull myself out of it. 'You know why it's not good to cut?' she said. 'You know why it's not good to throw yourself against the wall? You know why it's not good to self-harm? Because it makes you feel worse. 'You think you're going to feel better because you're showing somebody, "Look, I'm in pain." It doesn't help.' Devastating: 'The way that I feel when I feel pain was how I felt after I was raped. I've had so many MRIs and scans where they don't find nothing. But your body remembers' Gaga insisted she isn't looking for pity and just wants to tell her story to help others. She said: 'I dont tell this story for my own self-service, because, to be honest, its hard to tell. I feel a lot of shame about it. How do I explain to people that I have privilege, Ive got money, Ive got power, and Im miserable? How do you do that? 'Im not here to tell my story to you because I want anybody to cry for me. Im good. But open your heart up for somebody else. Because Im telling you, Ive been through it and people need help. So, thats part of my healing, being able to talk to you.' Harrowing: She said: 'Even if I have six brilliant months, all it takes is getting triggered once to feel bad Think about dying. Wondering if Im ever going to do it' The New York City native previously opened up about her experience in an interview with Howard Stern in 2014, saying that it inspired her song Swing. She said: ' I went through some horrific things that I'm able to laugh [at] now, because I've gone through a lot of mental and physical therapy and emotional therapy to heal over the years. 'My music's been wonderful for me. But, you know, I was a shell of my former self at one point. I was not myself. 'To be fair, I was about 19. I went to Catholic school and then all this crazy stuff happened, and I was going, "Oh, is this just the way adults are?"...I was very naive.' Using her voice: Gaga insisted she isn't looking for pity and just wants to tell her story to help others Asked if she had ever confronted the rapist, who was 20 years older than her, she said: 'I think it would terrify me. It would paralyse me. 'I saw him one time in a store and I was so paralysed by fear. Because it wasn't until I was a little bit older that I went, "Wow, that was really messed up."' The Bad Romance singer told Stern that she did no speak about the assault at the time it has occurred, as she 'was so traumatized by it that I just had to keep going and get out of there'. She added: 'It happens every day and its really scary and its sad and you know, it didnt affect me as much right after as it did about four or five years later. It was so hard.' Gaga said that she initially 'wasnt even willing to admit that anything had even happened,' as she didn't 'want to be defined by it. 'Ill be damned if somebodys going to say that every creatively intelligent thing that I ever did is all boiled down to one dhead that did that to me. Im going to take responsibility for all my pain looking beautiful I did that.' She regularly poses for a stream of racy photoshoots, the majority of which land on adult platform Glow much to the reported chagrin of her family. And Lottie Moss continued to march forth with her efforts late Thursday night, when she took to Instagram to share a sultry snap of herself posing in lacy white lingerie. The social media sensation, 23, also made it clear that the sizzling post was all about making money as she playfully urged her followers to help her pay her rent. Turning up the heat: Lottie Moss turned up the heat on social media late Thursday night, when she took to Instagram to share a sultry snap of herself posing in lacy white lingerie Captioning the mirror selfie, which showed her posing before a subterranean pool, she wrote: 'I'm bored and wanna chat to people... Swipe up to pay my rent x x x.' Ensuring she looked as glam as possible for the image, Lottie styled her flaxen locks in soft lustrous waves, while she highlighted her looks with a dusting of makeup. Lottie, younger sister of supermodel Kate Moss, shared her latest post months after it was claimed that Storm Management appears to be fighting a desperate campaign to stop her from ruining her career. Blonde beauty Lottie, who rose to prominence as a starlet with promise of a successful fashion career, now sells raunchy photos of herself on a website called Glow, where erotic photos of influencers sell for as little as 3. Racy shoots: She regularly poses for a stream of racy photoshoots, the majority of which land on adult platform Glow much to the reported chagrin of her family Across the pond: She had spent an extended period of time in Los Angeles, before making her way back to her native London last month And sources have claimed that Storm worked frantically to protect Lottie and 'save her from herself' though some family members fear she could have already sabotaged her future. A source told The Mail On Sunday's Charlotte Griffiths: 'These photos and the path she's on will affect her future as a model, but also as a woman. What if one day she wants a normal job? 'Storm can't let Lottie become another victim of this crazy influencer-meets-celebrity, image-obsessed culture. Her mental health needs to be protected.' Another source close to the agency said: 'Storm feels very protective of the lovely Lottie. They are hoping this phase will pass.' Tongues wagging: Since going down her glamour modelling route, the blonde beauty has shared several snaps of herself with BFF Sahara Ray Lingerie: Glamour model Lottie regularly shares snaps of herself scantily-clad on social media In years gone by, an agency like Storm, which takes pride in its high-end reputation, would not have kept Lottie on the books after she started selling photos on Glow. But thankfully, these are more responsible times and agencies no longer throw their clients to the wolves the moment they are 'over'. The source added: 'Lottie is still pretty and is far from finished, but she needs to stop messing with her appearance and underselling herself. 'Not so long ago she... was modelling for Chanel and appearing in Vogue. She showed a lot of promise and now she has lost her way.' Over lockdown, Kate, who has been sober for more than a year, brought her sister in for a spell at her secluded Cotswold home, taking her away from her wild circle of reality TV friends. Model behaviour: Storm Management was said to be fighting a desperate campaign to stop Lottie, the younger sister of their most famous signing Kate Moss, from ruining her career Lottie has complained her modelling work has declined and even blamed her figure, though it would be the envy of most women. 'So many designers and other clothing brands only use skinny tall models to model their clothes,' she has said. 'There are so many beautiful incredible women who aren't a size zero.' Lottie has vociferously defended her choices, saying: 'Why should I be made to feel [ashamed] because I'm doing something I enjoy? 'Everyone always says 'be yourself and do what you love' until it's something that isn't considered 'reputable' or to their standard of what is considered OK.' Sisters: Over lockdown, Kate Moss (pictured in 2104) brought her sister in for a spell at her secluded Cotswold home, taking her away from her wild circle of friends A spokesman for Storm said 'we're incredibly fond of Lottie', but declined to comment further. It comes after Lottie told The Sun On Sunday that her new money-making endeavour of selling nude photos and videos on adult site Glow has caused a rift in her family. The model, who reportedly has a naked video available on the platform for 1,000, said last month: 'I've had a really s**tty day... I've been getting a lot of hateful comments to do with me doing Glow. 'I've had family members not be happy about it and honestly, I'm out here living my best life in LA. I feel happier here than I've felt in a long time. I just need to feel good about myself because if you can't love yourself, no one else can.' Love Island bosses have reportedly banned filtered photos being submitted as part of the audition process for the new series. The hotly-anticipated ITV dating show will go ahead this summer but auditions to pick this year's lucky line up have been forced to take place online due to the pandemic. And The Sun reports that bosses are asking for natural photos to be used as part of their audition if they wish to be considered for the show. Natural: Love Island bosses have reportedly banned filtered photos being submitted as part of the audition process for the new series (pictured is Molly-Mae Hague's promo shot ahead of her entrance to the villa on the 2019 series) The publication reports that potential islanders have been asked to upload a one minute video telling why they would be good on the show. They have also reportedly been asked for a headshot, full length photo and three other photo options which all need to be unfiltered. Above the instructions a warning reportedly reads: 'PLEASE DO NOT ADD ANY FILTERS (E.G. SNAPCHAT FILTERS)'. Rules: The hotly-anticipated ITV dating show will go ahead this summer but auditions to pick this year's lucky line up have been forced to take place online due to the pandemic (pictured is Olivia Attwood's promo picture from the 2017 series) A representative for ITV has been contacted by MailOnline for a comment. Last month it was revealed that the launch date of Love Island 2021 has been delayed by three weeks due to overseas travel restrictions as ITV confirmed they plan to base the show in Majorca. Love Island's 2019 summer season started on June 3 but this year the crew will not fly out to the Spanish Island until the end of the month with ITV intending to air the popular dating show for a duration of eight weeks. Show bosses, who have Jersey on standby if a new strain of Covid-19 hits, have also axed the winter version after just one series. Stars: The Sun reports that bosses are asking natural photos to be used if they wish to be considered for the show (pictured are the 2019 cast) A TV insider told MailOnline: 'Crew members are scheduled to fly out to Majorca on June 20 with the series expected to launch a week later. 'In 2019, the first episode aired on June 3, meaning Love Island will be over three weeks later this year due to current restrictions on overseas travel. 'The delayed launch date will not have an impact on the length of the series, with the show still running for a duration of eight weeks. 'Winter Love Island on the other hand has been 'indefinitely postponed' as bosses put all their energy until the summer series.' It's back: Last month it was revealed that the launch date of Love Island 2021 has been delayed by three weeks due to overseas travel restrictions as ITV confirmed they plan to base the show in Majorca (pictured is last year's villa) Majorca will be at its hottest in July and August with temperatures reaching a sizzling 30 degrees, providing Islanders with the perfect setting for a summer of love. Bosses are planning for the summer series that viewers can watch on the ITV Hub as well as ITV2 to be filmed in Majorca but have Jersey as a backup plan in case of a third coronavirus wave. Cast and crew are prepared to 'adapt' as they rely on the UK government's road map out of lockdown, which outlines foreign travel could reopen again from mid May. Sizzling: Love Island's 2019 summer season started on June 3 but this year the crew will not fly out to the Spanish Island until the end of the month (2019 Islander Maura Higgins pictured in April) So far, it is all systems go with Love Island bosses already signing up multiple Islanders, as well as carrying out extensive social media and medical checks on their new stars. MailOnline understands all contestants will be flown out around the same time including any 'bombshell arrivals' and they will be tested for coronavirus and quarantined weeks before the series starts. It will be quite the operation as each Islander is assigned a chaperone and needs to be kept separated so not to ruin the moment they meet for the first time on camera. Paige Turley, 22, and Finley Tapp, 21, won the first winter Love Island series in 2020, weeks before the UK was plunged into national lockdown. The show, presented by Laura Whitmore, 35, wasn't as successful ratings-wise after the launch episode attracted 800,000 fewer viewers than the 2019 summer series. Last week ITV's Kevin Lygo admitted filming in South Africa was a 'challenge' as the 'weather wasn't great and they were quite cold and it wasn't sunny every day.' Winter Love Island was also hit by the tragic loss of host Caroline Flack, who had presented the dating series since 2015, after she passed weeks before it aired. Monique Wright revealed that she's split from her partner of 13 years, Tim Scanlan, on Thursday. On Friday, the Weekend Sunrise host was seen for the first time since announcing the news as she took a phone call at a cafe in Sydney on Friday. The 48-year-old seemed a tad tense as she spoke to someone on the other end, while rugged up in a red scarf and matching cap, shielding her eyes with sunglasses. Tense: Monique Wright (pictured) revealed that she's split from her partner of 13 years, Tim Scanlan, on Thursday. On Friday, the Weekend Sunrise host was seen for the first time since announcing the news The TV star became emotional as she dropped off her eldest son Ettienne Scanlan, 11, at what appeared to be a weekend camping trip. Monique then headed off to a local a smash repair centre to have her car looked over. Tim meanwhile appears to be still residing at the former couple's shared home as he prepped the car with child seats ready for school drop off. Emotions: The TV star became emotional as she dropped off her eldest son Ettienne Scanlan, 11, at what appeared to be a weekend camping trip Car trouble: Monique then headed off to a local a smash repair centre to have her car looked over In the red: The 48-year-old rugged up in a red scarf and matching cap He seemed slightly tense as he went about his fatherly duties while wearing a green shirt and blue shorts. Speaking to The Daily Telegraph on Thursday, a representative for Monique confirmed the split. 'Monique and Tim agreed to separate a very long time ago and have continued to bring up their three beautiful children together,' the statement read. Call: She seemed a tad tense as she spoke to someone on the phone at a cafe In the light: She had shielded her eyes with sunglasses, which she removed during her chat Casual: She wore a black hoodie and a pair of tights with sneakers 'They have always been extremely private people and remain that way. They are completely committed to their children, and ask for privacy and respect as there are three young children involved.' The Daily Telegraph's Confidential first noticed Monique hadn't been wearing her wedding ring in recent broadcasts of the show. Monique and Tim began dating after meeting in 2008, and married just a year later. Dad duty: Tim (pictured) meanwhile appears to be still residing at the former couple's shared home as he prepped the car with child seats ready for school drop off Busy: He seemed slightly tense as he went about his fatherly duties while wearing a green shirt and blue shorts Over: Speaking to The Daily Telegraph on Thursday, a representative for Monique confirmed the split Speaking to The Daily Telegraph in April 2015, Monique revealed she was stunned to discover she was pregnant with her third child at 42. 'It was the last thing that we expected. It was completely unplanned but we are absolutely thrilled,' she said at the time. Monique said she hoped her surprise pregnancy would give 'hope' to women who may be struggling with fertility issues. Now you see it: The Daily Telegraph's Confidential first noticed Monique hadn't been wearing her wedding ring in recent broadcasts of the show 'I didn't meet Tim until I was well into my 30s and now I'm 41, and now we are two-and-a-quarter kids later,' she said at the time. The TV host has kept the name of her third son private. She has told older sons with Tim, Ettienne, 11, and Pascale, 8. Monique first joined Channel Seven as a reporter in 1996, before replacing Grant Denyer as the weather presenter on Sunrise. In February 2014, she was announced as co-host of Weekend Sunrise after previously filling in for former host Samantha Armytage. The Friends reunion trailer dropped on Wednesday leaving fans more excited than ever. And, Courteney Cox, 56, looked effortlessly cool in a striped top and cropped trousers as she enjoyed dinner in Malibu, Los Angeles on Thursday. The actress kept things simple, opting for a black-and-white ensemble and stayed safe with a face mask as she left the restaurant. Chic: Courteney Cox, 56, looked effortlessly cool in a striped top and cropped trousers as she enjoyed dinner in Malibu, Los Angeles on Thursday Courteney wore her raven tresses in tight, beachy waves and shielded her eyes with rose tinted glasses. The Scream star strolled along in heeled slide-on brogues and carried her belongings in a large black tote. The outing after Friends fans were thrilled to get the very first teaser for the upcoming reunion special. Low-key: The actress kept things simple, opting for a black-and-white ensemble and stayed safe with a face mask as she left the restaurant with friends Reunited: The outing came after Friends fans were thrilled to get the very first teaser for the upcoming reunion special The trailer showed the unbreakable bond between the cast as they reminisced on the iconic show at Stage 24 at Warner Bros. Studios in LA, where the series shots its entire 10-season run. The opening scene was certainly familiar as Cox joined Jennifer Aniston and Matt LeBlanc on their old couch for an updated trivia game with David Schwimmer, Lisa Kudrow and Matthew Perry. Recreating a memorable moment from the show, David's character, Ross Geller, stood at the trivia board. Lisa Kudrow was overwhelmed upon walking onto the set as Matt enthusiastically said: 'Here we go!' Just like the old days: The opening scene was certainly familiar as Cox joined Jennifer Aniston and Matt LeBlanc on their old couch for an updated trivia game with David Schwimmer, Lisa Kudrow and Matthew Perry 'Does Courteney still have her lines written on the table?' Matt asked as he toured the old apartment set. 'We have such a bond from this show,' Lisa explained while sitting on the iconic orange couch from the show's intro. Lisa admitted the first table read was the 'first time I laid eyes on any of you' while Schwimmer noted everyone was 'so perfectly cast.' 'I remember I went to the producer of the show that I was on and he said, "That show's not going to make you a star,'" Jennifer recalled. So many memories: Cox wiped away tears while chatting with her co-stars during the reunion The stars also posed for the cover of the latest issue of People magazine to talk about what it was like during the emotional shoot. Courteney revealed that during the process of making the reunion: 'I was flooded with 10 years of irreplaceable memories.' She also shared her theories on her character Monica's future: 'I always just feel like Monica would be doing something competitively with other mothers and trying to outdo them.' She added: 'Whether it's the bake sale at school or something. I mean, she'd be so annoying. She'd be at the head of the PTA or something.' The HBO Max special debuts on May 27. Fans have been awaiting news of a seventh series since the finale aired earlier this month. But Line Of Duty star Vicky McClure no doubt delighted fans on Thursday when she reunited with her co-star Adrian Dunbar for a windy night out. Posting a brief video on Instagram Stories, the actress, 38, took on the catchphrase of Adrian's character Superintendant Hastings, writing: 'Jesus, Mary and Joseph it's windy!' Back together! Line Of Duty star Vicky McClure no doubt delighted fans on Thursday when she reunited with her co-star Adrian Dunbar for a windy night out The short clip saw Vicky, who played DI Kate Fleming, and Adrian walking down the street together in the midst of the windy weather, and she could be heard saying: 'Jesus, Mary and Joseph!' Completing his famous line, Adrian added: '... and the wee donkey!' before Vicky let out a laugh. Line Of Duty fans across the nation were left 'fuming' earlier this month as the nail-biting series finale drew to a close and the mysterious antagonist 'H' was finally unmasked. Reunited! Posting a brief video on Instagram Stories, the actress took on the catchphrase of Adrian's character Superintendant Hastings, writing: 'Jesus, Mary and Joseph it's windy!' Seasoned fans took to social media in their droves to share their frustrations as officers from the police anti-corruption unit AC-12 discovered the identity of the elusive 'fourth man', who had been colluding with the organised crime group (OCG), was none other than DSU Ian Buckells. It saw the words 'fuming', 'disappointing' and 'underwhelming' all trend on social media in the aftermath of the show. And the disbelief it could be him was compounded by the way he was only caught because of his repeated mis-spelling of the word 'definitely' - hardly the blunder of a hardened criminal mastermind. The detective - widely thought until Sunday to have been just a bungling stooge - was first introduced to viewers in series one as the SIO in the case of murdered businesswoman Jackie Laverty by then Chief Superintendent Derek Hilton. End of an era: It comes after fans turned into Line Of Duty's sixth series finale earlier this month, with many left disappointed by the 'underwhelming' conclusion The 60-minute episode's end failed to offer any resolution on whether the team of DI Steve Arnott, DI Kate Fleming and Superintendent Ted Hastings would return, ending on the revelation that the team has 'never been weaker.' BBC bosses are yet to confirm whether the show will return, despite an average of 13 millions viewers tuning in for the latest series, which faced multiple delays due to the Covid pandemic. Jed also admitted that he 'doesn't know' if there will be a series seven of the hit show, which began in 2012. Speaking to The Radio Times he said: 'We don't know. Since probably season four, we've been talking to the BBC about the realistic longevity of the series. 'I've experienced broadcasters pulling the plug while we were still developing a storyline Bodies and Cardiac Arrest both ended prematurely on the BBC. So it's an ongoing discussion, is all I can say.' The hotly anticipated Friends: The Reunion trailer was officially released earlier this week. And Jennifer Aniston looked chic as she stepped out for dinner at elusive private members' club, San Vicente Bungalows, in West Hollywood, LA, on Thursday. The actress, 52, made a stylish exit in a pair of high-waisted denim mom jeans which she teamed with a black top and matching cropped jacket. Stylish: Jennifer Aniston looked chic as she stepped out for dinner at elusive private members' club, San Vicente Bungalows, in West Hollywood, LA, on Thursday Jennifer added height to her frame and finished her chic look with a pair of heeled ankle cowboy boots. The Hollywood star styled her glossy honey-coloured locks into a sleek blow-dried hairdo. Jennifer added a slick of radiant make-up and wore a protective white face mask amid the coronavirus pandemic. The San Vicente Bungalows is one of the most exclusive in all of Los Angeles, which protects the privacy of celebrities and even bans mobile phone cameras on the premises. Chic: The actress, 52, made a stylish exit in a pair of high-waisted denim mom jeans which she teamed with a black top and matching cropped jacket Her outing comes after the Friends: The Reunion trailer was officially released earlier this week, which was shot in April and will air on May 27 via HBO and HBO Max In the emotional clip, it showed the unbreakable bond between the cast as they reminisced on the iconic show. The opening scene was certainly familiar as Jennifer joined Courteney Cox and Matt LeBlanc on their old couch for an updated trivia game with David Schwimmer, Lisa Kudrow and Matthew Perry. Recreating a memorable moment from the show, David's character, Ross Geller, stood at the trivia board. Like the old days: Her outing comes after the Friends: The Reunion trailer was officially released earlier this week, which was shot in April and will air on May 27 via HBO and HBO Max 'Rachel wrote Ross a letter and demanded he read it before they got back together. How many pages was that letter?' he asked the group. Matt, who played Joey Tribbiani, screamed '18 pages' only for Jennifer to correct him: 'Front and back!' Courteney screamed back, 'Wait, wait do it one more time!' Lisa Kudrow was overwhelmed upon walking onto set at the Warner Bros. lot as Matt enthusiastically said: 'Here we go!' Pop quiz! The opening scene was certainly familiar as Jennifer joined Courteney Cox and Matt LeBlanc on their old couch for an updated trivia game with David Schwimmer, Lisa Kudrow and Matthew Perry Friends forever: The iconic show first debuted in September 1994 and followed a group of friends living in New York City (Jennifer and Courteney pictured in throwback show still) Jennifer, who played Rachel Green, proved to be already emotional as she asked: 'Where's the tissue box?' 'Does Courteney still have her lines written on the table?' Matt asked as he toured the old apartment set. 'We have such a bond from this show,' Lisa explained while sitting on the iconic orange couch from the show's intro. 'Were Ross and Rachel on a break?' host James Corden asked the group, to which Jennifer and Courteney both yelled: 'Yes!' Memories: In the emotional clip, it showed the unbreakable bond between the cast as they reminisced on the iconic show Matt picked up his cup of coffee and muttered 'bulls***' under his breath while David laughed and pointed. Lisa admitted the first table read was the 'first time I laid eyes on any of you' while David noted everyone was 'so perfectly cast.' 'I remember I went to the producer of the show that I was on and he said, "That show's not going to make you a star,'" Jennifer recalled. In one of many touching moments, Jennifer leaned down to comfort Matthew as he emotionally said: 'I'm going to cry now.' 'Rachel wrote Ross a letter and demanded he read it before they got back together. How many pages was that letter?' David hilariously asked the group Smile! It was reported in April that the reunion special was filmed over three days, with a live audience participating in the reunion Friends ran for 10 seasons from 1994 to 2004, and was created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman, who executive produced the series with Kevin Bright through Bright/Kauffman/Crane Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television. It was reported in April that the reunion special was filmed over three days, with a live audience participating in the reunion. A host of celebrities are set to join the cast in some capacity with guest stars including: Justin Bieber, Cindy Crawford, Lady Gaga and David Beckham. Cara Delevingne, Tom Selleck, BTS, Kit Harington, Mindy Kaling and Malala Yousafzai are also slated to appear on the reunion. The Friends reunion will air on May 27 via HBO and HBO Max in the States. It has not yet been revealed how to watch the special in the UK. Sky is reportedly the frontrunner to pick up UK broadcasting rights, and if successful it should air on the network the following evening (May 28). Armed police special operations soldiers in anti-terror drill China Military Online) 11:24, May 21, 2021 Special operations soldiers assigned to a detachment of the 2nd Mobile Corps under the Chinese People's Armed Police (PAP) Force break into the abandoned buildings during an anti-terrorism drill in late April, 2021.(eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Yang Xiaochen) (Web editor: Guo Wenrui, Liang Jun) Finally, to reach a contrary determination would be to effectively penalize the plaintiffs for the commissions mistake, a manifestly unfair and unwarranted result in view of the fact that the plaintiffs, like the public in general, were entitled to presume that when, as in the present case, the commission took action that, for all appearances, was consistent with law, that action was, in fact, purposeful and lawful, and not mistaken and contrary to law, the Supreme Court said. Kate Garraway has revealed she has had the same EDMR therapy Prince Harry has had, after the royal documented a session in his new mental health documentary. Speaking on Good Morning Britain on Friday, Kate, 54, said she too had tried the therapy, which provides bilateral stimulation by tapping the hands or moving eyes rapidly, to help overcome the effects of psychological trauma. Kate turned to therapy amid her harrowing year, which saw her husband Derek Draper, 53, remain critically-ill in intensive care after contracting coronavirus. Kate Garraway has revealed the same EDMR therapy that Prince Harry has had, after the royal documented a session in his new mental health documentary Explaining the therapy, Kate said: 'It's called Eye Movement Desentisiation Reprocessing, a bit of a mouthful, I have actually had a little bit of this. 'It's not a million miles away from from Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, processes like this. 'Less to do with therapy where you talk about your childhood, it's more practical.' Talking: In Prince Harry's series The Me You Can't See, Harry tries the therapy, which provides bilateral stimulation, to help overcome the effects of psychological trauma Dr Amir said: 'People generally when they have had traumatic life experiences have a tendency to bury it away in their minds, and in their brains, and it stops them from healing. 'They then get things like Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and what this therapy aims to do is unlock some of that.' Dr Amir continued: 'What we have seen there is Harry using external stimulus by tapping on his shoulder, and therapist will ask the patient to focus on a traumatic memory, and while they are doing that they will either move their eyes very quickly following their hands, or use external stimulus like tapping.' Mental health: Speaking on Good Morning Britain on Friday, Kate, 54, said she too had tried the therapy Giving it a go: Explaining the therapy, Kate said: 'It's called Eye Movement Desentisiation Reprocessing, a bit of a mouthful, I have actually had a little bit of this' The mind: Dr Amir said: 'People generally when they have had traumatic life experiences have a tendency to bury it away in their minds' Kate described Harry's mental health revelations on his Apple TV+ show as 'heartbreaking'. Kate and Derek's trauma began at the start of the pandemic last year when he was taken to hospital with very low oxygen levels in March. His condition worsened and he became one of the most stricken patients, remaining in intensive care for a year and despite having returned home, he is seriously ill and still suffers from complications after contracting the virus. Awful: Derek was in intensive care for a year after being taken to hospital with very low oxygen levels in March 2020 (pictured during documentary about his recovery, Finding Derek) Pictured: Kate was seen heading to her Smooth radio show at the London Global studios later on Friday after GMB Such style! The presenter looked effortlessly chic in a pair of high-waisted denim jeans, a white hoodie and a navy blue tailored coat The former Blair lobbyist returned home last month to their home, which Kate has drastically overhauled to house Derek's limited mobility. When asked about the prospect of giving up during her year of hell, Kate said: 'No and really, what is the choice? If I give up, I'd be throwing in the towel... 'Derek wasn't giving up, he didn't throw in towel, the nurses and doctors didn't throw in towel? I think hope is tangible and concrete if you can make it so... 'There is hope, you still have to think of hope in future and lots of people helped me have hope for the future'. Sympathy: Kate described Harry's mental health revelations on his Apple TV+ show as 'heartbreaking' Thoughts: In Prince Harry's series The Me You Can't See, Harry said he has 'always felt worried' for most of his life when he flies back to London during his EDMR therapy session Seeking help: The Duke spoke to Sanja Oakley, a UK-based psychotherapist who used to be a trauma specialist for London Underground In Prince Harry's series The Me You Can't See, Harry said he has 'always felt worried' for most of his life when he flies back to London during his EDMR therapy session. The Duke, who now lives in an 11million mansion in Montecito, California, carried out the therapy via videolink with Sanja Oakley, a UK-based psychotherapist who used to be a trauma specialist for London Underground. Prince Harry told the documentary, released on Friday: 'For most of my life I've always felt worried, concerned, a little bit tense and uptight whenever I fly back into the UK, whenever I fly back into London. What is EDMR therapy? EDMR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) is a psychotherapy treatment that helps people heal from the symptoms and emotional distress following disturbing life experiences. The idea is that the mind can heal from trauma by using mental processes that helps to unblock the impact of a traumatic experience so someone can heal from it. Experts have compared the treatment to the physical practice of removing a foreign object from a wound to help it heal faster. Ssessions see eye movements used, with the client asked to hold different aspects of a memory in their mind. They are then encouraged to use their eyes to track the therapists hand as it moves back and forth across the clients field of vision. Studies have connected this with the biological mechanisms involved in rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, which bring out internal associations and help clients process the memory and disturbing feelings. This is then meant to help clients conclude that EDMR therapy makes them feel empowered by the experiences, with the wounds closed and transformed. Over 100,000 clinicians around the world are said to have used the therapy, with millions of people treated with it over the past 25 years. Advertisement 'And I could never understand why. I was aware of it, I wasn't aware of it at the time when I was younger, but after I started doing therapy stuff I became aware of it. 'I was like, why do I feel so uncomfortable? And of course for me London is a trigger, unfortunately, because of what happened to my mum, and because of what I experienced and what I saw.' He told London-based Ms Oakley: 'Happens every time. I can't remember the first time it happened, I can just remember the feeling, anxiety, like a hollow empty feeling almost of nervousness, is it fear? Everything feels tense. 'It's being the hunted, and being helpless and knowing that you can't do anything about it. There is no escape. There is no way out of this.' Speaking to Oprah in episode three about his work with Ms Oakley, he added: 'Wherever I could I wanted to understand more about what was going on and why my nervous system was reacting the way that it was. 'I quickly established that if this relationship was going to work then I was going to have to deal with my past, because there was anger there, and it wasn't anger at her, it was just anger, and she recognised it, she saw it. 'Well, so how do I fix this? And it was a case of needing to go back to the past, go back to the point of trauma, deal with it, process it, and then move forward. 'Having now done therapy for four and bit years, five years now, for me it's all about prevention. 'That doesn't mean we have to speak to them every single day, but to have someone that can help guide us and create that awareness in our own life to when we might be feeling pain and how to get out of that and what the tools are available to us on any given day to make sure that it doesn't snowball into something bigger. 'EDMR is always something that I've wanted to try and that was one of the varieties of different forms of healing or curing that I was willing to experiment with. 'And I never would have been open to that had I not put in the work and the therapy that I've done over the years.' She's long been known for flaunting her curves in sexy ensembles. And Nicole Murphy kept her ample cleavage on full display as she headed to the shops with a male pal in Beverly Hills on Thursday. The fitness influencer, 53, slipped into a plunging grey crop top and skinny white jeans as she enjoyed the low-key outing. Stylish: Nicole Murphy, 53, kept her ample cleavage on full display as she headed to the shops in Beverly Hills on Thursday Nicole displayed her toned stomach in the revealing grey top which she teamed with tight white jeans. The model finished her look with towering camel heels and an oversized red tote bag, keeping her mask on in the midst of the Covid pandemic. Nicole, who was married to Hollywood star Eddie Murphy from 1993 to 2006, is no stranger to flaunting her toned physique, sharing regular workout videos to her Instagram. Revealing: The fitness influencer slipped into a plunging grey crop top and skinny white jeans as she enjoyed the low-key outing The reality television personality posted a video last month showing her lying on the gym floor while alternating between an assisted bench press maneuver and a leg-focused exercise. The post's caption, which she also added in the video, read 'What if you devoted this year to loving yourself more?' She has also been busy with her skincare company YFOY, which touts itself as as a service 'providing you with the tools and resources to help you live your best life and look and feel damn good doing it!' This latest appearance came weeks after her ex Eddie praised the children they share, saying none of them are Hollywood 'jerks.' The former couple have five children - daughters Bria Murphy, 31, Shayne Murphy 26, Zola Murphy, 21, and Bella Murphy, 19, and son Miles Murphy, 28. Fitness fiend: Nicole is no stranger to flaunting her toned physique, sharing regular workout videos to her Instagram Speaking on Marc Maron's WTF podcast, he said: 'I am so blessed with my kids. I don't have one bad seed. I don't have any like Oh you are the one. 'I don't have any of that. My kids are so great, normal people - and nobody is like the Hollywood jerk kid. 'My kids are smart and are trying to do stuff. I am blessed with my kids. I really, really got lucky.' Nicole and Eddie wed in 1993 after dating for nearly five years, and divorced in 2006 citing irreconcilable differences. The Coming 2 America star maintained that he is on good terms with his ex-wife, as well as the other mothers of his children: 'Everybody's really cool with each other and it's all love all the way around everybody gets along that's a good thing. It's a love fest at the house.' Amanda Holden wowed on Friday when she teamed a chic midriff-baring navy top with a pair of skin-tight jeans as she headed to London's Heart Radio offices. Showcasing her incredible figure, the 50-year-old presenter looked looked incredible as she went braless in a ribbed navy top with cold shoulder details. The figure-hugging garment also offered a glimpse at her toned midriff as she strutted into the office. Wow: Amanda Holden wowed on Friday when she teamed a chic midriff-baring navy top with a pair of skin-tight jeans as she headed to London 's Heart Radio offices She teamed the top with a pair of skintight skinny jeans and added height to her frame in a pair of black heels. She accessorised with a delicate necklace and gold bangle, slinging a navy crossbody bag over herself. Amanda also posted a series of clips of herself strutting her stuff in the office, and looked gorgeous as her loose blonde curls cascaded down the back of her top. Striking: Showcasing her incredible figure, the 50-year-old presenter looked looked incredible as she went braless in a ribbed navy top with cold shoulder details Top of the crops: The figure-hugging garment also offered a glimpse at her toned midriff as she strutted into the office Working all her angles, the presenter threw her followers a sultry glare as she turned the office space into her own personal runway. In another snap, Amanda rested her hand on her hip as she glanced off to the right of the frame. The doting mother opted for natural look glam, and made her pout pop with a swipe of blush pink lipstick. Glamazon: She teamed the top with a pair of skintight skinny jeans and added height to her frame in a pair of black heels Amanda's post follows news she is set to star in her own series called No Holden Back on E4. The presenter, who previously teased she was working on a secret project, said she is 'delighted' to have landed her own show. The eight-part series will follow Amanda's 'unique relationship' with her Nan Myrtle, with the star moving back in with her beloved grandmother. Standing tall: Amanda also posted a series of clips of herself strutting her stuff in the office, and looked gorgeous as her loose blonde curls cascaded down the back of her top Amanda told The Sun: 'I'm delighted that everyone is finally going to meet my nan, the apple never falls far from my tree and in this series she will certainly be keeping me on my toes.' A spokesperson for her nan, Myrtle, said: 'I have no comment, apart from I'm really hoping being on TV might mean I can finally meet my favourite young man, Ben Shephard.' Channel 4 Commissioning Editor, Steven Handley told the publication: 'Amanda is one of the UK's most well-known stars and we are thrilled to get insight into her life with her nan.' Glam: The doting mother opted for natural look glam, and made her pout pop with a swipe of blush pink lipstick MailOnline has contacted Amanda's representatives and Channel 4 for further comment. The show will also be broadcast on Channel 4 meaning Amanda will have programmes on ITV (Britain's Got Talent), BBC (I Can See Your Voice) and Channel 4 (No Holden Back). The Sun reports Amanda has spent weeks filming the series and say the show will also follow her relationships with other family members. Amazon Prime Video is set to premiere star-studded British remake of Call My Agent! in the UK and Ireland. And Line Of Duty's Kelly Macdonald - who took on the role of DSI Jo Davidson in the BBC police drama series - has signed up for the English-speaking version of the acclaimed French comedy series. The actress, 45, is set to play an exaggerated version of herself in the upcoming adaptation, which focuses on a top Paris talent agency. Cameo: Line Of Duty's Kelly Macdonald, 45 - who took on the role of DSI Jo Davidson in the BBC police drama series - has signed up for the English-speaking version of Call My Agent! As well as Kelly, it will feature previously unannounced cameos including Helena Bonham Carter and Olivia Williams, with more names to be released shortly. Series regulars include Jack Davenport, Lydia Leonard, Maggie Steed, Prasanna Puwanarajah, Hiftu Quasem, Fola Evans-Akingbola, The Crown's Rebecca Humphries, Harry Trevaldwyn, Notting Hill star Tim McInnerny, Natasha Little, Edward Bluemel, Eleonore Arnaud and Jim Broadbent. The adaptation retains the essence of the French series, where a Parisian talent agency's employees must scramble to keep their star clients happy and their business afloat after the sudden death of their founder. However, the remake will incorporate writer/director John Morton's unique British sensibility and introduce some new storylines. You do you! The actress is set to play an exaggerated version of herself in the upcoming adaptation, which focuses on a top Paris talent agency Star-studded: As well as Kelly, it will feature previously unannounced cameos including Helena Bonham Carter and Olivia Williams, with more names to be released shortly John told Daily Mail: 'I'm thrilled, startled and daunted to be given the chance to re-create such a wonderful show as 'Call My Agent!' for an English language audience.' In a statement, John also added: 'It's great to be working with Amazon Prime Video who support creativity and gives us the freedom to put our own distinctively British stamp on the series. 'It's a privilege to be working with an extraordinary cast, along with some star-studded cameos, who together represent the best of Britain's talent.' Martin Backlund, Head of Content, UK, Ireland and Nordics at Prime Video said: 'Call My Agent! has been a runaway hit; we're delighted to have worked hand in hand with the creative teams behind the show to bring a uniquely British slant for Prime Video members in the UK and Ireland. Making her mark: Most recently, she played the guest lead in BBC One's popular police drama series Line Of Duty to great critical acclaim 'The incredible ensemble cast, coupled with the talented team behind the cameras, means it's sure to be something special, and we're looking forward to seeing how our customers respond.' Kelly made her debut in Trainspotting before segueing into worldwide credits, appearing in No Country for Old Men, Gosford Park, The Girl in the Cafe, Brave and Boardwalk Empire, Giri/Haji and State of Play. Most recently, she played the guest lead in BBC One's popular police drama series Line Of Duty to great critical acclaim. Later this year, she will star opposite Colin Firth and Matthew Macfadyen in Operation Mincemeat, directed by John Madden. She's currently preparing to make her hosting debut on Saturday Night Live's season 46 finale this weekend, alongside musical guest Lil Nas X. And Anya Taylor-Joy was greeted by a throng of exited fans as she returned to her New York City hotel on Thursday, following another day of rehearsals. The Queen's Gambit star, 25, was seen signing autographs and posing for snapshots with fans as she emerged on the streets of the bustling city. Fan favourite: Anya Taylor-Joy was greeted by a throng of exited fans as she returned to her New York City hotel on Thursday, following another day of rehearsals for Saturday Night Live Miami-born, Argentina-raised Anya cut a stylish figure in a purple sweater with a black skirt, which she teamed with a pair of patent black boots. Wearing her long golden locks in a bouffant half-updo, the actress adhered to COVID-19 protocols as she donned a white face mask. Anya's debut on Saturday Night Live will give her the opportunity to showcase her comedic talents as the sketch show's season wraps ahead of the summer. The London-based star's outing comes as she was seen packing on the PDA with handsome musician Malcolm McRae in the Big Apple. Debut: She's currently preparing to make her hosting debut on Saturday Night Live's season 46 finale this weekend, alongside musical guest Lil Nas X, left. Pictured with Chris Redd Having a laugh: Anya's debut on Saturday Night Live will give her the opportunity to showcase her comedic talents as the sketch show's season wraps ahead of the summer The two held hands and exchanged several kisses during a stroll in the Big Apple on Monday in photos obtained by Page Six. McRae, 27, is part of a music duo called more with Kane Ritchotte as they are a modern rock and roll act driven by a melodic guitar sound and are currently signed to Warner Records. Like The Queen's Gambit star, Malcolm has also acted as he has been featured in two short films: 2008's Brotherly and 2020's How'dy! She is very private about her personal life as she has only been romantically linked to Irish Actor Eoin Macken who she starred with in 2018 short film Crossmaglen. Strike a pose: The Queen's Gambit star, 25, was seen signing autographs and posing for snapshots with fans as she emerged on the streets of the bustling city In October 2017, Anya sparked engagement rumours as she donned a large ring on her left hand at the 61st BFI London Film Festival Awards and continued sporting the sparkler until the 2018 Met Gala where she attended bare-handed. Anya is enjoying a prolific time in her career as she scooped a Golden Globe for her critically acclaimed turn in The Queen's Gambit. The seven-episode series was adapted from Walter Tevis' 1983 novel and crafted as a stand-alone limited series, though the show's immense popularity has lead to questions about the possibility of a second season. Anya was recently asked about the possibility of another season and returning as chess prodigy Beth Harmon in a wide-ranging profile for Elle, and she didn't rule it out, though it may be further down the line. 'It would be silly of me to go, "Theres going to be a second series," and then Im 40, and Scotts like, "Yo, how do you feel about this? You want to go back?"' Stepping out in style: Miami-born, Argentina-raised Anya cut a stylish figure in a purple sweater with a black skirt, which she teamed with a pair of patent black boots The stage rights to the Tevis novel were recently acquired for a new musical, but neither Taylor nor creator Scott Frank are involved in that project. When asked what she would like to see her character Beth Harmon take on next, she hopes Beth would do some travelling, perhaps with Benny Watts (Thomas Brodie-Sangster). 'I hope she starts doing things for her own enjoyment. Id like Beth to pick up Benny and spend some time with him in Russia, just the two of them being snobby intellectuals together, and I hope she has a Bowie phase,' Taylor-Joy said. Taylor-Joy has a busy few years ahead of her, recently being cast as the title character in the Max Max: Fury Road prequel Furiosa. She also stars in Edgar Wright's Last Night in Soho, hitting theatres this October, while reuniting with The Witch director Robert Eggers for his new film The Northman. The Weakest Link Australia will return to Australia TV screens next week, with Magda Szubanski in the role of quizmaster. On Friday, the comedian defended herself after critics claimed she wasn't 'mean enough' to take on the role, previously held by Cornelia Frances. Speaking to TV Tonight, the 60-year-old says she looked to American host, Glee star Jane Lynch, 60, for inspiration. Standing tall: The Weakest Link Australia will return to Australia TV screens next week, with Magda Szubanski (pictured) in the role of quizmaster. On Friday, the comedian defended herself after critics claimed she wasn't 'mean enough' to take on the role 'What really got me over the line was, if it had been one of the previous iterations that were brutally mean, it wouldn't have been the right fit. 'I watched the US reboot with Jane Lynch, and I thought, "Okay, I can make it my own". 'They're not expecting me to just do (original UK host) Anne Robinson or Cornelia Frances. It's much more tongue-in-cheek, a piss-take .not brutal.' Inspired: Speaking to TV Tonight , the 60-year-old says she looked to American host, Glee star Jane Lynch, 60, (pictured) for inspiration She added: 'We really wanted to come up with the "uniquely Magda version" of The Weakest Link. 'We wanted to keep the 'head-mistressy' element to it. And there's certainly plenty of characters like that I've played over the years. 'But many contestants are coming on saying they want me to be mean to them. I can envisage a later career move as Madam Magda the Dominatrix.' Legend: Magda, who is best known for her portrayal of Sharon Strzeleck in the TV comedy series Kath And Kim, replaced original quizmaster Cornelia Frances (pictured) following her tragic death from cancer three years ago Magda, who is best known for her portrayal of Sharon Strzeleck in the TV comedy series Kath And Kim, replaced original quizmaster Cornelia Frances following her tragic death from cancer three years ago. Ahead of its premiere, industry experts have claimed the program is destined to bomb in the ratings. Former Channel 10 executive Rob McKnight said on the TV Blackbox podcast that Magda was the wrong fit for the show. Bomb? Ahead of its premiere, industry experts have claimed the program is destined to bomb in the ratings Former Channel 10 executive Rob McKnight said: 'You can almost buy it but her trying to be Cornelia Frances with a blonde wig in the promo [isn't working]' 'You can almost buy it but her trying to be Cornelia Frances with a blonde wig in the promo [isn't working],' Mr McKnight said. Aaron Ryan, the Broadcast Guide Editor for TV Blackbox, agreed with the criticism. 'I don't have a problem with Magda, she's a great host but she's totally the wrong host for this show... It's going to rate awfully, which is a shame,' Mr Ryan said. The Weakest Link originally aired on Channel Seven from February 5, 2001 until April 22, 2002. It was canceled after two seasons due to modest ratings. Lauren Goodger has revealed that her 'baby has stopped growing a tiny bit' and she has been instructed by her midwife to 'slow down' after returning to work in her beauty salon this week after restrictions were lifted. The pregnant TOWIE star, 34, who is due to have her first child in July, explained her baby girl's lack of growth is 'completely normal' at this stage, however did admit from now on she will only head into the salon every couple of days. Lauren - who is expecting a daughter with her boyfriend Charles Drury, 23 - said: '[It] sounds scary, but her growth will speed up as the weeks go on [and] my little girl is bang on the middle of a normal weight at the moment.' Slow down: Lauren Goodger, 34, has revealed her 'baby has stopped growing a tiny bit' and she has been instructed by her midwife to 'slow down' after returning to work Writing in her OK! column, the mother-to-be added: 'The midwife asked me what I've been up to and I told her about re-starting my aesthetics business and she said this is the time where I should be slowing down and not taking on something new.' Moving forward, Lauren insisted she will try to take it easier. However, the brunette beauty added she still has plenty to organise before welcoming her first child this summer. On Tuesday, the TV personality shared a picture of herself carrying out procedures in her salon. Happy and healthy: The pregnant TOWIE star explained her baby girl's lack of growth is 'completely normal' at this stage Captioning the post, which saw her appearing to inject filler into a customer's lips, she explained she is on the look out for Russian Lip models. She has been able to return to her salon as of Monday after the latest lifting of restrictions in England permitted the reopening of 'personal care premises'. In the picture Lauren wore a protective apron and blue plastic gloves as she administered the filler. She looked every inch professional as she wore a plain black long-sleeve and her hair pulled back in a pony tail. She captioned the post: 'I am looking for Russian Lip models .. I am fully qualified and fully trained I just want models! My fav lip look so Please DM for prices times and dates.' Lauren recently revealed that she feared she would die after she stopped feeling her baby moving. She was rushed to hospital earlier last month for a check-up, and although she was discharged with an assurance her unborn child was healthy, her racing blood pressure caused her heart rate to soar, which is a trigger for her anxiety. Back to work: Pregnant Lauren got back in the salon this week after restrictions were eased in England and revealed she is looking for lip models The reality star revealed that what followed was a panic attack lasting three days, as she admitted she was 'acting crazy'. Lauren told The Sun Online that she convinced herself she was going to have a fatal heart attack, adding: 'I started acting all crazy and needed to take my top off because I felt too hot.' She continued: 'It's scary because you don't understand what's going on and that's why you think you're dying. 'It just comes over, five minutes ago I could be chatting and doing my make-up and the next minute feeling funny.' Sky has cancelled 'Bulletproof' after Noel Clarke was accused of sexual misconduct, it was revealed on Friday. The broadcaster has decided to axe the show - which the actor, 45, co-created and starred in - having previously commissioned a fourth season earlier this year, after over 20 women accused him of sexual harassment and bullying. In a statement to MailOnline, a spokesperson said: 'Sky will not be proceeding with any further series of Bulletproof. ' Decision: Sky cancelled Bulletproof on Friday after over 20 women accused star Noel Clarke of sexual harassment and bullying (Clarke pictured right with co-star Ashley Walters) 20 women accused him of sexual harassment, groping and bullying, with the claims levelled against him in The Guardian, with seven more women coming forward to do the same after the first report was published. He has been accused of a range of inappropriate activities, including sexual harassment, unwanted touching or groping, sexually inappropriate behaviour and comments on set, professional misconduct, taking and sharing sexually explicit pictures and videos without consent, and bullying. The actor has vehemently denied claims by women who accuse him of sexual harassment, groping and bullying between 2004 and 2019. In his own statement, he said: 'In a 20-year career, I have put inclusivity and diversity at the forefront of my work and never had a complaint made against me. Allegations: 20 women have accused him of sexual harassment, groping and bullying, with the claims levelled against him in The Guardian (pictured in 2019) 'If anyone who has worked with me has ever felt uncomfortable or disrespected, I sincerely apologise. 'I vehemently deny any sexual misconduct or wrongdoing and intend to defend myself against these false allegations.' The Guardian also reported Clarke categorically denied every allegation made against him with the exception of one, where he admitted he once made inappropriate comments about one woman, for which he later apologised. According to the publication, his lawyers wrote a 29-page letter in which they said Clarke denies all of the other allegations from all 20 women. Denial: Noel vehemently denied the allegations in a statement to the newspaper (pictured with his wife Iris Da Silva in February 2017) Earlier this month it was reported Noel is facing the prospect of a police investigation after seven more women came forward to accuse him of a campaign of sexual harassment and bullying. With 27 women now saying they were sexually harassed or groped by the celebrated actor and director, Scotland Yard has said it is 'assessing' a specific allegation. The Met Police confirmed that a 'third-party report' was made on April 21 'relating to allegations of sexual offences committed by a male over a period of time'. A third party report is when claims are made to an organisation separate from the police. This type of report is anonymous and means the claims cannot be probed by officers but can be used as intelligence. Case: Earlier this month it was reported Noel is facing the prospect of a police investigation after seven more women came forward to accuse him of sexual harassment and bullying A spokesman said no criminal investigation had been launched but that officers are 'currently assessing the information'. They added: 'We would urge anyone who believes they have been subjected to a sexual offence to report this to police so the information can be assessed and investigated accordingly.' Meanwhile, it was reported that Bafta spent two weeks deciding how best to respond to allegations against Clarke prior to presenting him with one of its highest honours, the Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema Award. The father-of-three was suspended from Bafta following the allegations, and at the time Sky took the decision to 'halt' filming of the latest series of his east London crime drama Bulletproof. Response: Bulletproof actor Ashley Walters (L) recently said he was 'deeply saddened' by the allegations made against Clarke in a lengthy statement posted to Twitter New details emerged this month of unscheduled acting workshops held by Clarke at the London School of Dramatic Art. Jake Taylor, the school's principal, said Clarke joined the board in 2011 in an advisory role and would hold question-and-answer sessions for students. He added: 'It came to our attention that on one occasion he took it upon himself to turn one of these Q&A sessions into a practical acting workshop. 'We were informed that in this unsanctioned class he set up improvisation exercises in which students were told they had to get undressed and get ready for bed. 'Our response was to no longer schedule Noel to take unsupervised sessions with immediate effect.' Statement: Ashley wrote, 'I could never condone behaviour of this nature in nor out of the workplace, and whilst Noel has been a friend and colleague for several years, I cannot stand by and ignore this allegations' In a statement, Mr Taylor said that fresh details in recent days about the session and another previously unknown workshop by Clarke 'has shocked us'. 'Had we known about these details at the time we would have ended the professional relationship between Noel and our school with immediate effect,' he added. Clarke's lawyers have denied that the London School of Dramatic Arts asked him to stop giving classes saying that Clarke's workshop, called Facing\Your Fears was aimed at helping students with anxieties over performing as actors. They also denied that he encouraged or forced anyone to be naked in the workshop. Meanwhile, one of Clarke's co-stars has described the allegations against him as the 'UK film industry's best kept secret for years'. Christina Chong, who appeared opposite Clarke in the first series of police drama Bulletproof, posted on Twitter: 'If in doubt, trust me, it's true... He's a sexual predator.' Shock: The father-of-three was suspended from Bafta following the allegations (Pictured on April 10 with his Bafta Award) Actress Jahannah James, who appeared in the film Brotherhood, which was directed by and starred Clarke, says she was forced to audition nude for him in 2013, and claims she later discovered he had covertly filmed it. Clarke's Kidulthood co-star Jaime Winstone also broke her silence to throw her support behind the disgraced actor's accusers in a poignant Time's Up post. The actress, 35, who appeared opposite the actor in the 2006 film as Becky, shared the image on Instagram alongside a caption saying: 'When you're late to the party but you've been on the list for 15 years.' Earlier, Bulletproof actor Ashley Walters said he was 'deeply saddened' by the allegations made against Clarke in a lengthy statement posted to Twitter. He added: 'My thoughts are with the women who have come forward and told their awful stories, I am in shock and deeply saddened by what I have heard on a multitude of levels. 'I could never condone behaviour of this nature in nor out of the workplace, and whilst Noel has been a friend and colleague for several years, I cannot stand by and ignore this allegations. Noel Clarke: The Rags to riches Kidulthood star from Ladbrooke Grove who had 'no choice' but to write his own roles after realising he'd never land the jobs he wanted as a black actor From 2006-2016 Noel wrote, directed and starred in the trilogy of films Kidulthood, Adulthood and Brotherhood Noel Clarke always felt an outsider in the British film industry, claiming he wasn't ever welcomed. But just last month he was welcomed by Bafta and handed a Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema in London on April 10. Clarke lives in the capital with his wife, former make-up artist Iris Da Silva, and their three children with an estimated fortune of 3million. Noel rose to fame with the The Hood Trilogy, semi-biographical films about life in West London where he grew up. He said recently that he had to write his own roles after realising he'd never land the jobs he wanted as a black actor From 2006-2016 Noel wrote, directed and starred in the acclaimed trilogy of films Kidulthood, Adulthood and Brotherhood. The well-received movies follow a group of teenagers as they navigate life outside the law in Ladbroke Grove, West London. Noel told Interview magazine: 'I grew up in Ladbroke Grove... which sounds really glamorous now, but at the time it wasn't very glamorous.' 'In the '60s and late '50s, it was a place where they shoved a lot of the black people that were coming over.' And, in 2007, Noel set up his own production company Unstoppable Entertainment to try and promote more diversity in the film and TV industry. He started the venture with his fellow actor Jason Maza, 33, who he later collaborated with on the next series he wrote - Bulletproof, which starred himself and Ashley Walters. The pair originally struggled to get the show commissioned and Noel told Sky News at the time he didn't 'think the country was ready' for their positive depiction of two black lead characters. Noel recently accepted his BAFTA Award after being praised for his TV show Bulletproof and the film series Kidulthood which sees black working class characters take centre stage. The former Doctor Who star's prize came after he received the Rising Star Award in 2009. Despite his huge success, with his ITV series Viewpoint set to begin later this month, Noel said he still feels like an outsider in the industry. Advertisement 'Sexual harassment, abuse, and bullying have no place in our industry. 'Every woman has the right to a safe workplace and moving forward I pledge my dedication to this.' Walters has starred as Ronnie Pike in all three seasons of Bulletproof, an east London crime drama. This month, Clarke was at the centre of further allegations he sexually harassed or touched others on BBC hit Doctor Who. The broadcaster appeared to be broadsided by the new reports and said it would investigate specific claims made but was 'shocked' to hear of them. Clarke is said to have told one costume assistant, who had long hair, working on series one of the rebooted sci-fi show he 'liked girls with long hair' so he could hold onto it when in a specific sexual position. Another female runner and driver on the show alleges Clarke touched her inappropriately and repeatedly asked her to go to his hotel for sex. She told the Guardian she pleaded to the assistant director: 'I can't drive him anymore. I don't want to be on my own with him.' Clarke denies any allegations of sexual misconduct, criminal wrongdoing or sexually inappropriate behaviour, including the latest accusations. The allegations surfaced after Clarke received an 'outstanding contribution' award from Bafta last month in recognition of his glittering career writing, directing and starring in critically acclaimed films such as Kidulthood, Adulthood and Brotherhood. He also starred as Mickey Smith in Doctor Who between 2005 and 2010. The Guardian newspaper reported that three senior industry figures had tipped off Bafta about the claims almost two weeks before the ceremony. In a statement, Bafta claimed it had acted 'as quickly and supportively as we could, even though we had only received the most generic of claims and no actual first-hand information to investigate allegations which were potentially of a criminal nature'. The Guardian said senior figures within the film academy were worried about the potential reputational damage to the organisation over its handling of the claims against Clarke. Bafta chair Krishnendu Majumdar was reportedly aware there could be as many as 12 women making allegations against Clarke on the eve of the awards ceremony. He sought to speak to anyone with first-hand experience of Clarke's alleged misconduct and told an industry figure he was 'trying to do something about' the situation as it could 'destroy' Bafta 'in the court of public opinion', the newspaper said. Majumdar is said to have described the allegations as a 'desperately difficult situation for us' as Bafta 'cannot act as judge and jury'. He also hosted a Zoom call with figures including Bafta chief executive Amanda Berry to discuss how to respond to the allegations, The Guardian said. Bafta has said it will not comment on the latest claims in The Guardian. However, some suggested the allegations had become a witch-hunt, which undermined the principle of innocent until proven guilty. One leading British actress told this newspaper: 'It is an hysterical, prurient, over-reaction all-too typical of the witch-burning climate we live in since the mobs on social media began to dictate the rule of law.' She added: 'The rule of law applies. Clarke denies all charges and has not yet been proved guilty. 'When you 'no platform' an entire production because of an alleged crime, you are punishing hundreds of innocent creatives for the as-yet-unproven misdemeanours of one member. Writer, actors, crews and the public lose their rights.' Clarke has said he's 'deeply sorry' for some of his actions. He added: 'I vehemently deny any sexual misconduct or criminal wrongdoing. Recent reports, however, have made it clear to me that some of my actions have affected people in ways I did not intend or realise. To those individuals, I am deeply sorry. I will be seeking professional help to educate myself and change for the better.' Charlie Brooks has revealed that she hasn't drunk alcohol in over a year and said her 'life is so much better' now she is sober. The former EastEnders star, 40, admitted she realised it 'was time to change' as she felt like her 'life was standing still' and now she feels 'clarity' from 'giving up wine.' Speaking on Friday's Loose Women, the actress explained how even though giving up booze improved her sleeping pattern she still 'misses the odd glass'. Happy and healthy: Charlie Brooks told Loose Women on Friday that she hasn't consumed alcohol in over a year and said her 'life is so much better' now she is sober She said: 'I gave it up over a year ago, I felt like my life was standing still and it was time to change. 'I really wanted to explore what else was out there for me to do and I love the clarity that has come from me giving up wine.' Speaking about her new project I Am Pro - which is a platform to help young actors - she added: 'I am proud of this brilliant platform. I am so proud, I miss the odd glass, not going to lie, but fundamentally life is so much better!' Charlie added that drinking habits for people have 'gone through the roof' during lockdown and that it is 'normalised' everywhere with sayings like 'wine o'clock'. Honest: The former EastEnders star, 40, admitted she realised it 'was time to change' as she felt like her 'life was standing still' and now she feels 'clarity' from 'giving up wine' She explained: 'It's hard to quit. I see booze differently now I've come out the other side. For example my sleeping pattern was awful, it made it clear.' During the interview she also discusses her love life and being single after her previously revealing her ex-partner Tony Truman lives in the flat above her and her daughter Kiki, 16. She said: 'He's gone off to Ibiza now, so it's alright now!' She then joked with the Loose Women presenters about whether she would bubble up with someone this weekend. Glowing: She said: 'I gave it up over a year ago, I felt like my life was standing still and it was time to change' She laughed: 'I wish!! chance would be a fine thing. You know what, I've been really, just sounds a bit pretentious, I was going to use a swear word but I can't swear. 'I have been doing a lot of working on loving myself, I had such a complicated relationship with my body and now it's better the right person will present themselves.' She also touched on rumours that she is returning to EastEnder's to resume her role as Janine Butcher. She said: 'I always want to know what Janine has been up to, she's an interesting character, so I am interested to see what she is up to. She was so much fun to play, never say never.' Candid: Speaking on Friday's Loose Women, the actress explained how even though giving up booze improved her sleeping pattern she still 'misses the odd glass' It comes after earlier this month Charlie detailed how she became 'obsessed' with weight loss after shedding a whopping 2st in just two months. The star filmed her fitness DVD, Charlie Brooks Before & After Workout, in 2005 and has now revealed how the process effected her confidence. Speaking with The Sun's Fabulous Magazine, Charlie explained that she's always had a 'complicated relationship' with her body and the DVD made that 'extreme'. Charlie said: 'I don't regret it, because it gave me an awareness of my body, but on the other hand, I crossed over into that kind of slightly obsessive weight loss thing. 'You know, always wanting to get back to "that". 'I've definitely had quite a complicated relationship with my body, never feeling pretty enough or healthy enough, and with the DVD it was extreme. I went all in.' Charlie added that she still struggles at times with accepting her figure and can feel 'disgusting', but is now about '70 per cent' of the way to body acceptance. She revealed that going teetotal 12 months ago has also helped her find clarity and a new purpose in life. Family: During the interview she also discussed her love life and being single after her previously revealing her ex-partner Tony Truman lives in the flat above her and her daughter Kiki, 16 (pictured together) Charlie said that alcohol simply wasn't 'serving' her anymore and giving it up was one of the best decisions she's ever made. The actress admitted her journey to sobriety has been a 'wobbly' one as she loves to drink and be sociable, but confirmed ditching booze has boosted her confidence. The mum-of-one also teased her EastEnders return saying she 'always thinks' about going back to the soap and to 'never say never'. Charlie continued that because her character Janine is 'very layered', it means the storyline could go in any direction. Last month, it was reported that Charlie would resurrect her role as the murderous Janine on EastEnders, seven years after she departed Albert Square. It was claimed that Charlie would make an explosive return to Albert Square, leaving fans swarming social media to state she would 'save the soap'. The murderous character is said to be part of a 'huge' storyline planned by BBC bosses, according to The Sun. Elyes Gabel was arrested last week after an argument with his girlfriend allegedly turned violent. The 38-year-old British actor - who previously dated Scorpion costar Katharine McPhee - is accused of shoving and choking his girlfriend during an argument at the Bowery Hotel in New York. Gabel was arrested and charged with misdemeanor assault, criminal obstruction of breathing or blood circulation, aggravated harassment, attempted assault and harassment. Elyes Gabel was arrested last week for allegedly shoving and choking his girlfriend. He's been charged with misdemeanor assault, criminal obstruction of breathing or blood circulation, aggravated harassment, attempted assault and harassment The couple allegedly got into a verbal altercation after Gabel returned to the hotel room at 3am following a night of drinking, law enforcement sources told TMZ. Gabel's girlfriend told police that at some point things turned physical and the actor allegedly spat in her face and threatened her, saying 'c*** f***ing b***h. I'm going to punch your f***ing face in.' Former flame: Gabel dated Scorpion costar Katharine McPhee for two years, splitting in 2016 The woman also claims that Gabel threw her phone on the ground, which cracked it, before shoving her onto the couch and throttling her. Sources tell TMZ that Gabel's girlfriend described the actor wrapping both hands around her neck and squeezing. She didn't lose consciousness but suffered pain and redness around her neck. The woman didn't call police until 1pm the day of the incident, the website reports. No explanation was offered as to why she delayed calling in the incident. She also declined medical attention. Gabel's girlfriend told police that at some point things turned physical and the actor allegedly spat in her face and threatened her, saying 'c*** f***ing b***h. I'm going to punch your f***ing face in.' The London-born actor was arrested and charged with misdemeanor assault, criminal obstruction of breathing or blood circulation, aggravated harassment, attempted assault and harassment. He was later released without bail. A judge issued a temporary protection order for Gabe's girlfriend. The actor's attorney Stacey Richman denied the accusations in a statement to TMZ. 'While the claims are sensationalistic, they are not accurate. Elyes would never conduct himself in the manner alleged. Nevertheless he will not disparage the complainant and looks forward to the facts emerging through the legal process.' 'Not accurate': The actor's attorney Stacey Richman denied the accusations in a statement to TMZ. The star is seen here last month on the set of series Suspicion in NYC While they were starring together on Scorpion Gabel and McPhee for two years until 2016. It ended amicably with sources saying at the time 'They still love each other but just couldn't make things work.' Gabel starred on all four seasons of CBS drama Scorpion which ran from 2014 to 2018. While they were starring together Gabel and McPhee dated for two years until 2016. 'It's amicable and they remain friends,' a source told UsWeekly at the time. 'They're still friends and work together almost every day. They still love each other but just couldn't make things work.' another insider told Just Jared of the split. He also played Rakharo in season one and two of Game of Thrones. This has really energized the party, Republican Town Chairman Shawn Daly said. Weve had a platform in place since 2019, but with the leadership in place it really stalled. This will be an opportunity to expedite our platform. She welcomed her second child with partner Matt Pokora last month - but that hasn't stopped her from getting back to modelling for PrettyLittleThing. And Christina Milian looked stunning in her latest post-baby shoot for the label on Thursday. Sprawled out on a hay bale during a family visit to a California farm, Christina, 39, smouldered in a khaki jumpsuit that featured delicate lace up detailing. Wow: She welcomed her third child last month and Christina Milian, 39, looked stunning in her latest post-baby shoot shared Instagram on Thursday, wearing a jumpsuit Looking radiant as she went make-up free, the songstress teamed her stylish piece with a striped cardigan as she told fans: 'Keep calm & have fun at the farm.' The doting mother wore her bouncy curls loose and was sporting a fresh sky blue manicure. Christina also posted a snap of her eldest child, eleven-year-old daughter Violet, looking typically cool in a pair of chunky biker boots as she posed for her mum. Christina's middle child, one-year-old Isaiah, was also seen in a clip, running after his big sister through a gigantic tunnel made out of tires. Stylish: Sprawled out on a hay bale during a family visit to a California farm, Christina smouldered in the khaki piece that featured delicate lace up detailing The mother-of-three announced the arrival of her son in April as she shared a photo of her cradling the newborn and gushed about the new addition to her family. 'Kenna, Welcome to the world baby boy! Wow, What an adventure we've been on since the day he was conceived!', she wrote. 'I thank God everyday for blessing me with his super active energy (wonder where he gets it from?) and now to meet our healthy baby boy?! Thankful. Blessed.' Cool kid: Christina also posted a snap of her eldest child, eleven-year-old daughter Violet, looking typically cool in a pair of chunky biker boots as she posed for her mum She added, 'Now it's party of 5 baby! Thank you my @mattpokora for being the best partner/dad/ best friend a woman could ask for. You're a king in my eyes.' The actress also has daughter Violet with her ex-husband The-Dream and son Isaiah with beau Matt Pokora. A second snap shared to her Instagram stories showed Pokora holding his baby son. Wait up! Christina's middle child, one-year-old Isaiah, was also seen in a clip, running after his big sister through a gigantic tunnel made out of tires The black and white shot shows the French musician shirtless cradling Kenna and with the caption 'welcome' and 'we did it babe'. The beauty and her beau, who've been an item for about two-and-a-half-years, welcomed their first child, son Isaiah, on January 20, 2020. According to the French magazine Public, the couple got married shortly before they made their pregnancy announcement in December, although this is yet to be confirmed. Happy news: Christina welcomed her second child, a son named Kenna, with Matt Pokora last month In Milian's post she could be seen wearing a silver band on her wedding finger and Pokora could also be seen sporting a large jeweled ring on his left hand. Christina stars in upcoming Netflix rom-com Resort To Love as Erica, who is tasked with performing at her ex's wedding in Mauritius only to realise she might still have feelings for him. 'It's funny, it has heart, and it's different from any rom-com that I've seen,' Milian recently told Bustle. 'It has such a diverse cast and showcases a place that some people may have never even heard of.' Doting dad: A second snap shared to her Instagram stories showed Pokora holding his baby son Iain Stirling has revealed he nearly missed the birth of his daughter, after his wife Laura Whitmore sent him out to get Lucozade. The comedian, 33, who welcomed his first child with the Love Island presenter, 36, in March, detailed Laura's labour story on Rob Beckett and Josh Widdicombe's Lockdown Parenting Hell podcast. Iain recalled how Laura had sent him out to Tesco while she was 4cm dilated to get the sugary drink, but text when he was in the shop to hurry back to hospital because she was 9cm dilated. Near miss: Iain Stirling has revealed he nearly missed the birth of his daughter, after his wife Laura Whitmore sent him out to get Lucozade (pictured in December) The Love Island narrator had headed out to get a still isotonic drink as it helps give women a boost of energy during labour. He said: 'All I remember really is, Laura was amazing. All my job was, I was to get Laura Lucozade. That was the one thing. 'She went "I need my Lucozade now". I had got her actual Lucozade and it was too sugary. Baby joy: The comedian, 33, who welcomed his first child with the Love Island presenter, 36, in March, detailed Laura's labour story 'I was meant to get her an isotonic. And I got really bad wine gums.' Iain explained how he felt like he had "bags of time" because she was 4cm dilated, but still felt wary about leaving her. He recalled: 'I said to Laura "are you sure you want me walking about? It is quite dangerous for me to go anywhere".' But the Irish beauty was adamant she wanted the isotonic drink and so sent Iain out to pick some up. Whoops: Iain recalled how Laura had sent him out to Tesco while she was 4cm dilated, but text when he was in the shop to hurry back to hospital because she was 9cm dilated However, while he was in the shop, Iain got a text from Laura saying she was 9cm dilated, meaning she was about to go into the active stage of labour. 'I ran back and I got into the lift and it was the 7th floor. Three doctors got in the lift and theyre having a conversation about which floor theyre going to,' Iain said. 'I said "none of you press a f*****g button on this". An actual doctor went to me: "I am one floor up". 'And I went "well you are going to be another 6 floors up". I got there sweating.' Luckily Iain made it in time to watch the birth of his baby daughter. During the podcast, the comedian also revealed they have decided to frame their daughter's umbilical cord and turned the placenta turned into gummy bears. He said: ['[The umbilical cord] fell off - a week in, early doors. 'We kept that little bit for a book. We got the actual umbilical cord framed.' He compared the cord - which is hanging on the wall in their daughter's bedroom - to 'a set of headphones'. He added: 'Do you know whats next to it? The scissors I used to cut the umbilical cord. Quirky: During the podcast, the comedian also revealed they have decided to frame their daughter's umbilical cord and turned the placenta turned into gummy bears 'The doctor gave me the scissors and let me keep the scissors. Sort of like how you get a lolly once youve come out the doctors. 'We gave the placenta to someone and they turned the placenta into gummy bears. Ive eaten it, yeah. Its gummy bears, isnt it?! 'They take the good bits from the placenta and put it into gummy bears.' Meanwhile, new mum Laura, who has yet to reveal the name of her daughter, recently admitted he feels 'guilty' about feeling good after giving birth. She wrote on Instagram: 'Ive been told I wont be able to leave the house and should feel s**t. 'But I actually feel the best Ive felt ever and the happiest Ive ever been in my entire life. And maybe feel a bit guilty for feeling good as Ive been told I shouldnt. 'But Ive created something incredible. I had a positive natural birth with thankfully no complications and a baby that LOVES the boob (and jaysus those boobs are looking good!) also a supportive partner who loves changing dirty nappies (well at least he does them anyway!) 'I am lucky thats my truth at the moment Im sure there will be tougher days. But you should never compare yourself to anyone else as your journey is specific to you.' Sky have announced that they will release Friends: The Reunion on the same day as HBO Max, Thursday May 27. The platform officially confirmed the news on Friday, revealing the special will be available exclusively on Sky and streaming service Now in the UK and Ireland. It was also revealed that the TV special will be available on demand from 8AM and will then air on Sky One at 8PM. Could this BE any more exciting? Friends: The Reunion will be released in the UK on Sky on the SAME day as HBO Max, it was confirmed on Friday Sky took to Twitter to reveal the news to fans, writing: 'The One Where we bring you Friends: The Reunion Sky One, May 27, 8pm.' It was also revealed that viewers with Sky Q can use 10 iconic quotes from the show in the voice control function to play the episode from Thursday. Viewers simply have to say quotes like 'I'll be there for you', 'We were on a break', 'Pivot! Pivot! Pivot!', and 'Friends Reunion' for the special to come up. The special sees the return of the full original cast Courteney Cox, Jennifer Aniston, Lisa Kudrow, David Schwimmer, Matt LeBlanc and Matthew Perry. Great news: The platform officially confirmed the news on Friday, revealing the special will be available exclusively on Sky and Now TV in the UK and Ireland Screenings: It was also revealed that the TV special will air on demand from 8AM and on Sky One, and will also be screened at 8PM Earlier this week the trailer for the special was released and showed the unbreakable bond between the cast as they reminisced on the iconic show at Stage 24 at Warner Bros. Studios in LA, where the series shots its entire 10-season run. The opening scene was certainly familiar as Courteney joined Jennifer and Matt on their old couch for an updated trivia game with David, Lisa and Matthew. Recreating a memorable moment from the show, David's character, Ross Geller, stood at the trivia board. Lisa, who played Phoebe Buffay, was overwhelmed upon walking onto the set as Matt enthusiastically said: 'Here we go!' Just like the old days: The special sees the return of the full original cast Courteney Cox, Jennifer Aniston, Lisa Kudrow, David Schwimmer, Matt LeBlanc and Matthew Perry 'Does Courteney still have her lines written on the table?' Matt, who portrayed Chandler Bing, asked as he toured the old apartment set. 'We have such a bond from this show,' Lisa explained while sitting on the iconic orange couch from the show's intro. Lisa admitted the first table read was the 'first time I laid eyes on any of you' while David noted everyone was 'so perfectly cast.' 'I remember I went to the producer of the show that I was on and he said, "That show's not going to make you a star,'" Jennifer, who played Rachel Green, recalled. Memories: The opening scene of the trailer was certainly familiar as Courteney joined Jennifer and Matt on their old couch for an updated trivia game with David, Lisa and Matthew James Corden will be hosting the all-important reunion interview with the cast, and there will be a variety of special guest appearances including David Beckham, Justin Bieber, and BTS. Other stars set to make an appearance are Cindy Crawford, Cara Delevingne, Lady Gaga, Elliot Gould, Kit Harington, Larry Hankin, Mindy Kaling, Thomas Lennon, Christina Pickles, Tom Selleck, James Michael Tyler, Maggie Wheeler, Reese Witherspoon and Malala Yousafzai. Friends ran for 10 seasons from 1994 to 2004, and was created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman, who executive produced the series with Kevin Bright through Bright/Kauffman/Crane Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television. It was reported in April that the reunion special was filmed over three days, with a live audience participating in the reunion. So many memories: Earlier this week the trailer for the special was released and showed Courteney wipe away tears while chatting with her co-stars during the reunion Iconic: Friends ran for 10 seasons from 1994 to 2004, and was created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman The stars also posed for the cover of the latest issue of People magazine to talk about what it was like during the emotional shoot. Courteney, who played Monica Geller, revealed that during the process of making the reunion: 'I was flooded with 10 years of irreplaceable memories.' She also shared her theories on her character Monica's future: 'I always just feel like Monica would be doing something competitively with other mothers and trying to outdo them.' She added: 'Whether it's the bake sale at school or something. I mean, she'd be so annoying. She'd be at the head of the PTA or something.' Friends: The Reunion debuts on HBO Max in the US and Sky One in the UK on Thursday May 27. She embarked on a lifestyle overhaul last year that saw her give up smoking and work on her fitness levels. And Lily Allen proved she's committed to her new regime as she headed to the gym in New York City on Friday. The British beauty, 36, looked tanned and toned as she sauntered down the sunny streets after yet another gruelling workout. Looking good: She embarked on a lifestyle overhaul last year. And Lily Allen proved she's committed to her new regime as she headed to the gym in New York City on Friday Flashing a hint of her taut midriff, the mother-of-two donned a white crop top, slinging her lilac hoodie over her shoulder. She teamed the garment with a pair of vibrant purple leggings that clung to her lean legs and enviably peachy derriere. Going makeup-free, Lily wore her raven locks swept up into a bun, completing the look with a pair of shades and a small cross body bag. Putting in the work! The British beauty, 36, looked tanned and toned as she sauntered down the sunny streets after yet another gruelling workout Lily gave up smoking in November and vowed to keep up her gym sessions after catching the fitness bug. Her decision to give up smoking came shortly after she tied the knot with Stranger Things star David Harbour. The couple are currently staying in his native New York with Lily's children Ethel, nine, and Marnie, eight, from her previous marriage to Sam Cooper. Life's a peach: She teamed the garment with a pair of vibrant purple leggings that clung to her lean legs and enviably peachy derriere Back in September, Lily and David tied the knot at a kitschy wedding with an Elvis impersonator as the officiant. The couple wed in Las Vegas after going public with their relationship at the 2019 Screen Actors Guild Awards. Lily told the Sex, Lies & DM Slides podcast: 'We didn't plan to announce it to anyone, it was meant to be a very private affair we were leaving Vegas and driving to Los Angeles and Nevada Clark County tweeted our marriage certificate.' She quipped: 'So that saying, 'what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas', what happens in Vegas gets tweeted out by Vegas!' Dwayne Johnson looked very muscular in a new photo shared to Instagram on Friday where he was wearing an Outlaw Mana tank top while in his gym. 'Its an outlaw mornin,' he said in his caption. The former wrestler, 49, likes to stay in top shape for his bustling movie career, which just seems to get busier by the year. On Friday it was announced he has landed yet another film role. The action star is set to voice the part of Krypto the Super-Dog in the animated film DC League Of Super-Pets. Work it: Dwayne Johnson looked very muscular in a new photo shared to Instagram on Friday where he was wearing an Outlaw Mana tank top while in his gym. 'Its an outlaw mornin,' he said in his caption The story is about Supermans dog Krypto. When his owner is on vacation, the canine works with a 'flying cat' to keep peace on the streets, according to Variety. There will be other A list actors cast in supporting roles, it was also claimed. The director of the film is Sam Levine who is known for the TV series Penn Zero: Part-Time Hero. The movie will open in theaters on May 20, 2022. Next for him: On Friday it was announced he has landed yet another film role. The action star is set to voice the part of Krypto the Super-Dog in the animated film DC League Of Super-Pets Johnson is producing the movie through his company Seven Bucks Productions, along with his partners Dany Garcia - who is Johnson's ex-wife - and Hiram Garcia. This comes after news The Rock's film Jungle Cruise will make its debut both in theaters and on Disney+ with Premier Access on July 30. Deadline noted that although Disney has made a habit out of debuting their newest movies on their streaming service, they are still looking to move back to theaters in the future. Good for kids: The story is about Supermans dog Krypto. When his owner is on vacation, the canine works with a 'flying cat' to keep peace on the streets, according to Variety Jungle Cruise's star also took to his Instagram account to let his 235million followers know about the feature's future dual release. Johnson spoke about the impact of the coronavirus on theaters around the world and remarked that it was partially up to the fans to help the motion picture industry recover from the effects of the global pandemic. 'Now that we are coming out of COVID slowly, we've got to own this rebound, we've got to get back... in theaters, watch our movies as safe as possible,' he said. The former professional wrestler went on to speak about the 'unique experience' that Jungle Cruise's filmmakers attempted to provide for fans. Great summer fun: This comes after news The Rock's film Jungle Cruise will make its debut both in theaters and on Disney+ with Premier Access on July 30 He then expressed that a dual-release decision was made to 'allow everyone around the world to watch the movie how they want to watch the movie.' Johnson also related a story about watching the trailer for the first Pirates Of The Caribbean film during the early days of his career and expressed how he wanted to be able to act in a major Disney picture in the future. Jungle Cruise was based on the theme park attraction of the same name and underwent a lengthy development period after plans for the film were initially laid in 2004. Long time coming: Jungle Cruise first entered the development stage in 2004 and underwent a lengthy planning process Toy Story co-stars Tom Hanks and Tim Allen were both attached to the project at one point, although they later dropped out of the production. The feature will follow a riverboat captain named Frank who must escort a scientist and her brother through a jungle in order to find the mythical Tree of Life while being chased by a team of rival Germans. Other performers who are set to appear in the upcoming film include Emily Blunt, Jesse Plemons and Paul Giamatti, among others. The feature entered the production stage in 2018, and shooting took place in various locations, including Atlanta and Hawaii, before filming wrapped in September of that year. Jungle Cruise was initially supposed to be released in October of 2019 before it was pushed back to the following June, with Johnson announcing the news on his Twitter account. The feature was further delayed to its current release date as a response to the onset of the global pandemic. Advertisement Francesca Farago went from one highly publicized relationship to another but is now leaning into the single life as she enjoyed a vacation South Of The Border this week. The 27-year-old Too Hot To Handle star was seen frolicking on the beach in Cancun, Mexico while wearing a skimpy nude bikini that showcased her incredible body. The swimsuit designer has ignited rekindling rumors with her Netflix costar Harry Jowsey after splitting from Demi Sims, as a series of flirty back and forths have been making the rounds on TikTok. Too hot to handle! Newly single Francesca Farago, 27, flaunts her incredible body on the beach in Cancun, Mexico in a skimpy bikini The Canadian born beauty strolled along the beach with a male companion in a colorful shirt and her Pomeranian pooch named Romi. And she slipped her incredible figure into one of her many swimsuits, opting for a floral printed bandeau with a strappy back and a high rise bottom. She was seen bouncing between the ocean and the sand where she showed off her figure and struck a few poses for a beachy photo shoot after getting oiled up by her friend. And for her day at the beach she wore a light face of makeup and gave off serious mermaid vibes while opting to keep her raven tresses down in natural waves. Mermaid of Mexico: For her day at the beach she wore a light face of makeup and opted to keep her raven tresses down in natural waves Working it: Francesca slipped her incredible figure into one of her many swimsuits, opting for a floral printed bandeau with a strappy back and a high rise bottom Killer frame: Her statuesque legs and tiny waist were offset by her perky bust which peaked out of her bandeau swimsuit Ex-lovers: While prancing along the shoreline she showed off her very toned backside and her many delicate tattoos one of which was a nod to ex Demi inked on her right cheek Sandy knees: After an impromptu beach photo shoot and a little dip to cool off, she went for a stroll Her statuesque legs and tiny waist were offset by her perky bust which peaked out of her swimsuit as she laughed with a friend before easing her designer pup into the water. And while prancing along the shoreline she showed off her very toned backside and her many delicate tattoos one of which was a nod to ex Demi inked on her right cheek. The pair had enjoyed a whirlwind romance and a vacation to Mexico before Farago made the decision to move to London to take their relationship up a notch, after Demi asked her to be her girlfriend over the span of three days. But after moving in with the Towie star they called it quits, both airing their grievances about the relationship publicly. A little help: While on the beach she was seen getting oiled up by a friend who expertly help her get the hard to reach areas Her main squeeze: Despite a string of public relationships that have since fizzled her trusty companion Romi has been by her side Day at the beach: The Canadian born brunette did not travel light as she toted her dog and many other beach accoutrements to the resort Doting mom: Francesca was seen giving her dog words of affirmation after she expertly doggy paddled in the water Francesca said that when she got sick with the Coronavirus things began to go south and then ultimately things between them 'fizzled,' which resulted in Sims blocking her. 'We lived together right off the bat and everything was great, and then I got Covid. I got really sick, it kicked my a**. I almost had to go to the hospital. I think that's when things started to go south between Demi and I,' she said in a YouTube video. And Francesca continued to say she felt under-appreciated when Demi didn't help her with the move. 'I was really, really stressed and I was really frustrated because I didn't really feel like Demi was helping me and I'm moving across the country for this person. I was spending so much money It was a lot of effort and work and I just didn't feel like I was being helped out or anything was being reciprocated.' Assistance: Her companion helped her take a few photos for Instagram and shared dog-sitting responsibilities Busting out: Her accentuated bust garnered lots of attention on the beach Doting owner: She was seen getting out excess moisture from her dog's paws But ultimately she said they just had 'different expectations' out of the relationship and in the end they just 'didn't match up.' 'There's different things that we expected of a relationship, and [that we] need and want, there's different love languages and ours just didn't match up and that's perfectly fine,' she said. And after they split, Francesa claimed that they could have 'remained friends,' but Demi blocked her and asked her to leave London. 'After the break-up, she just blocked me and deleted me and told me to leave London and just was like: ''You're cut''. But Demi had her own side of the story and said that she was 'hurt' by the accusations Francesa had made in her 'apology' video which Demi cited as an afterthought. Working her angles: Farago was seen with sandy knees as she struck a few poses Frolicking: The Instagram model was seen making her way to a tanning spot with a hat and sandals Scorned lovers: Francesca and Demi engaged in a war of words as they both spoke out about the breakup Romance memories: The last time Francesca was in Mexico she was accompanied by Sims before moving to London to be with her Sitting pretty: During the bustling beach day she was seen working her famed figure for the camera while squatting in the ocean 'The video was meant to be an apology video however I feel was nitpicked at me the whole time and the apology was just thrown in there at the end to make herself feel better. As you all know there are two sides to every story. ' And she continued to add that she only 'blocked' Francesca because she found her social media to be hard to look at following their split. 'I blocked her because she had uploaded on Instagram literally two minutes after we had broke up. Like any other normal person, you don't want to see what your ex is up to for a while whilst you're trying to get over it. And she was posting as normal straight after our break-up, therefore I felt hurt.' And right after the split she and Jowsey began to talk again, with the Australian native downloading the situation on Dave Portnoy's BFF podcast. Whirlwind romance: The couple had spoken for a few weeks online before meeting in person and Demi asked Francesca to be her girlfriend after only spending three days together Simple gesture: Harry said on the BFF podcast that he reached out to Francesca via text after he realized the year anniversary of their Netflix show was coming up Harry claimed that he felt compelled to reach out to his ex via text after a year had passed since they found love on Too Hot To Handle. 'I said "hey stranger it's been a year, I hope we can be adults moving forward. I don't want to look back and see you as a stranger and at the very minimum I'd love to be your friend again,"' summarizing the text. Jowsey continued to divulge that the flirty TikToks which have since continued were good for his social media views. 'Me and my ex are kinda going at each other online which is really good for views,' he said at the time. And he continued to say that they weren't 'back together,' during the April 28 interview, but nearly a month later the content has continued with more flirty exchanges. On Friday May 21 the two dueted Nicki Minaj's Chun Swae where he was seen mouthing: 'He say he don't want me back,' to which Francesca quipped back with the lyric: 'He by lyin,' before playfully sticking her tongue out. Giving it a shot? The Too Hot To Handle couple have sparked rekindling rumors after a series of flirty TikToks have been making their rounds The two's love story first unfolded on Too Hot To Handle and they enjoyed a long distance relationship before both moved to Los Angeles eventually. But before being on US soil, things seemed to take a turn and the two announced last June that they had officially split, while Jowsey expressed via YouTube that he still had love for her. 'I'm always gonna love Francesca. 'I'm always gonna have a soft spot in my heart for her,' he said. Since the split Francesca has been linked to Tana Mongeau, Bella Thorne and Jersey Shore's Vinny Guadagnino. And Jowsey has been linked to Kylie Jenner's BFF Stassi Karanikolaou, Larsa Pippen, and enjoyed a summer romance with Jake Paul's now ex-girlfriend Julia Rose. Kim Kardashian looked stunning in a series of new photos where she was modeling neon colors for her latest SKIMS launch. The star, 40, appeared in lime green, orange and purple lingerie that made the most of her toned figure. 'We're brightening up your closet this season,' said the TV star on her SKIMS page adding, 'Your future looks bright.' This comes after sister Khloe got mad at Kim for wearing a neon orange top on Keeping Up With The Kardashians after Kim told her to 'get rid of' anything in her closet that was neon because the trend was 'over.' Bright idea! Kim Kardashian looked stunning in a series of new photos where she was neon colors for her latest SKIMS launch Abs for days: The star, 40, appeared in lime green, orange and purple lingerie that made the most of her toned figure. 'Look at you in neon, remember you went in my closet two months ago and told me neon is over and to get rid of everything neon?' said Khloe during an episode that aired two weeks ago but was filmed in September 2020. 'It's not neon it's coral,' said Kim, seeming annoyed. Neon is extremely bright versions of primary and secondary colors such as blue, red, green, yellow and purple. A lit up color: Neon is extremely bright versions of primary and secondary colors such as blue, red, green, yellow and purple Stretchy: The estranged wife of Kanye West not only shared several images where she was modeling the line, she also posted a video that revealed racks of the items in her home closet Kim must be into the neon trend again as her new SKIMS line, which goes on sale May 25, is all neon. The estranged wife of Kanye West not only shared several images where she was modeling the line, she also posted a video that revealed racks of the items in the closet of her Hidden Hills, California mega mansion. 'We're doing the neon line - the neon lime, the neon orchid and the neon coral, it's a fit-everybody collection,' said Kim. Perfect for summer: 'We're doing the neon line - the neon lime, the neon orchid and the neon coral, it's a fit everybody collections,' said Kim There was a scoop neck bra, bandeau, bodysuits with a scoop neck, a higher neck, turtleneck and long sleeve, among other designs. There are also underwear, thongs, briefs ad boy shorts. 'I love the colors,' she added. The sizes range from XXS to 4X. In her Instagram caption Kim said: 'COMING MAY 25: NEON FITS EVERYBODY. Get ready for a glow up! Your closet is about to get brighter with our best-selling Fits Everybody collection in 3 new pops of neon! Drops TUESDAY, MAY 25 AT 9AM PT / 12PM ET in 11 styles and sizes XXS-4X.' Busted! This comes after sister Khloe got mad at Kim for wearing a neon orange top on Keeping Up With The Kardashians after Kim told her to throw out anything that was neon because the trend was over Also on Friday Kim shared a throwback photo with her mother Kris Jenner. The Selfish author wore a black tank top wit a gold chain that had a cross pendant as her hair was pulled back and she was heavily made up. Kris wore a red tank top with a rust-colored blazer and pink tinted sunglasses. 'Mommy and Me,' said Kim as Khloe commented, 'Two Queens' and added two crowns. This comes after Kim said Saint West tested positive for COVID-19. Time with her momager: Also on Friday Kim shared a throwback photo with her mother Kris Jenner. 'Mommy and Me,' said Kim as Khloe commented, 'Two Queens' and added two crowns The five-year-old son of Kim Kardashian West and Kanye West seemingly contracted the virus sometime in 2020, his mom revealed in a preview of the next episode of 'Keeping Up with the Kardashians' which airs on May 27. Kim's daughter North, seven, also felt poorly at the same time. The star - who also has Chicago, three and Psalm, two, with her estranged rapper husband - says on the phone in the promo clip: 'Sainty just tested positive for COVID. And North is saying she's feeling sick. I'm trying not to freak anyone out, but I'm just really worried.' Poor kid: This comes after Kim said Saint West tested positive for COVID-19. The five-year-old son of Kim Kardashian West and Kanye West seemingly contracted the virus sometime in 2020, his mom revealed in a preview of the next episode of 'Keeping Up with the Kardashians' which airs on May 27 It's not known exactly when the youngster tested positive. Saint's dad claimed he tested positive for coronavirus last February. The 43-year-old star said at the time of his symptoms: 'Chills, shaking in the bed, taking hot showers, looking at videos telling me what I'm supposed to do to get over it.' And Khloe Kardashian was also struck down with the virus and spent 16 days in isolation. The 36-year-old Good American co-founder documented her battle with the virus and admitted creating herself an imaginary friend helped her through. She never puts a foot wrong when it comes to her fashion choices. And Katie Piper nailed contemporary style in a navy capped sleeve top and matching trousers on Friday as she finished filming a TV segment for Crazy Coqs in London. The TV presenter and activist, 37, looked sensational in her coordinated outfit as she headed home following a busy day at work. Wow! Katie Piper nailed contemporary style in a navy capped sleeve top and matching trousers on Friday as she finished filming a TV segment for Crazy Coqs in Soho, London Her outfit featured lime green lining and cuffed trousers. Katie boosted her height with contrasting yellow and black heels as she carried a Stella McCartney tote bag, full of her essential items. The TV presenter styled her blonde tresses in tousled loose waves and wore glamorous make-up. Earlier this month, Katie candidly opened up about her experience with online bullying, and said she feels sorry for trolls who come from 'a really awful place'. Elegant: The TV presenter and activist, 37, looked sensational in her coordinated outfit as she headed home following a busy day at work Expensive taste: Katie boosted her height with contrasting yellow and black heels as she carried a Stella McCartney tote bag, full of her essential items The TV personality believes those who bully others online are already in a difficult place within themselves, as she gave advice for learning to deal with the negativity. Speaking to The Mirror, she explained: 'I suppose if you see something that comes from a really awful place, just know it really does come from an awful place and a place of suffering.' She continued: 'So what you can do is step back and say, this isn't about me this is about the person giving it out and what a terrible place that must be. Thank goodness I'm not there.' Katie has experienced her fair share of mean comments, having been targeted by vile trolls on social media after sharing images of her recovery from an eye operation. Positive outlook: Earlier this month, Katie candidly opened up about her experience with online bullying, and said she feels sorry for trolls who come from 'a really awful place' However, the star has stressed that you can make your response to these comments 'uplifting' and 'separate yourself from it'. 'You don't want to try and combat it with being equally as nasty,' she added. Katie insisted that she sees social media as a 'positive place' for her, as most of her online fans are 'like-minded individuals'. In March, Katie underwent a successful operation for a skin graft over her eye as part of her ongoing recovery. The charity founder has undergone more than 400 operations following the 2008 sulphuric acid attack orchestrated by her ex-partner Daniel Lynch. Katie survived a sulphuric acid attack organised by her ex-boyfriend in 2008, which caused significant damage to her face and left her blind in one eye. Although the horrifying attack was planned by Lynch, it was carried out by accomplice Stefan Sylvestre in a street attack outside her north London home. Lynch was subsequently given two life terms behind bars, while Sylvestre served 6-years of his own life sentence. He was released in 2018. She's was recently forced her to postpone her wedding to Jacob Blyth in Ibiza for a second time - after coronavirus travel restrictions put her dream day on pause. And brushing off the disappointing news, Holly Hagan hit the town for a girls' night out with her Geordie Shore co-stars Sophie Kasaei and Charlotte Crosby on Friday. The reality star, 28, was dressed to the nines and flaunted her taut abs in a plunging black crop top and skin-tight leather leggings as she hit the tiles in Manchester. Girls' night: Holly Hagan appeared to be in great spirits as she flashed her abs after enjoying a boozy night out with Geordie Shore co-star Sophie Kasaei in Manchester on Friday Holly kept off the chill with a cosy white fluffy coat and completed her look with a pair of black strappy silettos, however seemed to have misplaced her jacket by the end of the night. The blonde bombshell accessorised with a chunky chain necklace and toted a chic white mini bag for the evening outing. Sophie, 31, joined Holly as she left the club, with the glamorous duo putting on an animated display as the posed for the camera and larked around on the street. The brunette beauty ensured to command attention in a skin-tight co-ord and pastel green blazer which she styled with some clear heels. Stylish: Holly started the night out with a fluffy jacket and skin-tight cream trousers, however seemed to have ditched her coat by the time she headed home Sophie wore her long locks down, letting them cascade over her shoulders as she posed for snaps outside Menagerie in Manchester. Also seen during the evening festivities was Charlotte Crosby, who put on a leggy display in a thigh-skimming white body con dress. She accentuated her endless pins with a pair of white wedges and shrugged on a cream blazer over her mini dress. The outing comes after Holly decided to put her wedding plans on hold due to travel restrictions introduced during the Covid pandemic which meant guests would have to complete a ten day quarantine upon returning to the UK. Having fun: Sophie seemed to be in great spirits as she larked around for the cameras Party: Fellow Geordie Shore star Charlotte Crosby was also spotted with Holly at the start of the festivities in Manchester A source told The Sun: 'Like so many other brides Holly has been really put through the ringer with her wedding and she is hugely upset. 'Holly has started telling people about the cancellation now. So much goes into planning a wedding and obviously Holly is just desperate to marry Jacob. She just wants to be his wife but also wants the wedding she has dreamt of for years. 'They are hopeful it won't be too long until they can say 'I will' but for now all plans are on ice.' MailOnline has contacted representatives for Holly Hagan for comment. Dynamic duo: The brunette beauty put on a leggy display in a thigh-skimming white body con dress with a pair of white wedges Sizzling! Sophie flaunted her curves in a tonal green dress and mint blazer Pals: Nathan also looked stylish in a white vest top and funky blue shirt The government unveiled its traffic light system on Monday ahead of lifting the ban on international travel next week. Anyone visiting a country on the Amber List must isolate for 10 days upon returning to the UK, provide proof of a negative test before flying home, and complete two PCR tests on days two and eight of their island. Last week Holly was branded 'rude' by fans as she asked them not to send their questins about if her upcoming Ibiza wedding can still go ahead. She took to her Instagram Stories on Friday to share a slide of details surrounding her upcoming nuptials with Jacob Blyth. As news of the 'Green List' of places for British people to travel to was revealed, she shared that the Balearics, where her Ibiza wedding was due to take place, still remained on 'amber'. Delayed: The outing comes after Holly decided to put her wedding plans on hold due to travel restrictions introduced during the Covid pandemic (pictured with fiance Jacob Blyth) Arnold Schwarzenegger proudly posed with his son Joseph Baena while helping him with his training. Joseph, 23, has gone into bodybuilding following in the footsteps of Arnie, 73, who rose to fame as the 'Austrian Oak.' 'This selfie was taken moments before my dad suggested I do "forced reps" for the rest of the workout,' wrote Joseph in the caption. 'You have to go all out': Arnold Schwarzenegger proudly posed up with his son Joseph Baena while helping him with his training 'You have to go all out and absolutely NO cheating when you train with him, so you know Im going to be hurting tomorrow. Overloading on the rows, bench press, pull downs, etc... thankfully my studly training partner helped me get every last rep.' Joseph added: 'This is another great approach to training and a fantastic way to build size and strength! Try it out with your training partner.' Before becoming a movie star and then a politician Arnie was a champion bodybuilder in his native land and was consequently known as the 'Austrian Oak.' In 1970 at the age of 23 he became the youngest ever winner of the bodybuilding title Mr. Olympia, but he retired from the sport a decade later. Hard at work: Joseph, 23, has gone into bodybuilding following in the footsteps of Arnie, 73, who rose to fame as the 'Austrian Oak' Arnie legally took steroids as a young bodybuilder and dished about the experience to ABC News decades later while he was Governor Of California. While he did not endorse steroids for contemporary use he said: 'I have no regrets about it because at that time, it was something new that came on the market, and we went to the doctor and did it under doctors' supervision.' He explained: 'We were experimenting with it. It was a new thing. So you can't roll the clock back and say: "Now I would change my mind on this."' Arnie and his estranged wife Maria Shriver share four children - Katherine, 31, Christina, 29, Patrick, 27, and Christopher, 23. As seen in 1976: In 1970 at the age of 23 Arnie became the youngest ever winner of the bodybuilding title Mr. Olympia but he retired from the sport a decade later Maria left Arnold a decade ago after it emerged that he had fathered Joseph by the family's housekeeper Mildred Baena. Although they have been separated since 2011 and he is now dating blonde physical therapist Heather Milligan, 46, the divorce has not been finalized. Joseph has now also taken his first acting role, a sci-fi comedy called The Chariot, in another career move that mirrors Arnold's. 'I'm following my father's footsteps because I'm doing my own thing,' Joseph told DailyMailTV in a recent exclusive interview. Wow: At the beginning of this month Joseph revealed on his Instagram page that his multifaceted work life now also includes being a realtor 'I'm pursuing acting because I want to pursue acting. So really the pressure is just from myself,' said the actor-to-be. His hope is to 'just focus on myself' and 'drown' out comparisons to Arnie, despite the fact the Terminator star is an 'inspiration' to him. At the beginning of this month Joseph revealed on his Instagram page that his multifaceted work life now also includes being a realtor. The Lembo page on the murky campaign site was removed Thursday after an inquiry from this column. The effort is an unusual blending of private groups and a public office. Connecticut Campaign for Affordable Health Care is not registered as a lobbying entity with the states ethics agency. Its efforts are occurring as Lembo has been raising money for the Working Families Party. The Democrat ended a March appeal with this endorsement: WFP is a grassroots party, a peoples party. They rely on small donors, not corporate benefactors. Become a member today for $10 and help elect candidates that will build cities and towns for the many, not the privileged and well-connected few. She established a successful career as a model thanks to her incredible physique. And Victoria Silvstedt, 46, put her lithe legs on display in a floating black gown on Friday as she arrived at the Amber Lounge 2021 Fashion Show in Monaco. The model's revealing dress featured a plunging neckline, extreme waist-high splits and lace detailing which appeared from beneath. Turn heads: Victoria Silvstedt, 46, put her lithe legs on display in a floating black gown on Friday as she arrived at the Amber Lounge 2021 Fashion Show in Monaco She highlighted her slender curves with a gold belt cinched at the waist, while adding additional height to her tall frame with classic black heels. The blonde beauty was seen clutching a small black Valentino Garavani Rockstud Alcove handbag and she rocked a statement gold bracelet. Victoria styled her blonde tresses in voluminous loose waves and she amped up the glamour with full coverage make-up. The Swedish model is currently dating a businessman named Maurice Dabbah. It's all in the details: The model's revealing dress featured a plunging neckline, extreme waist-high splits and lace detailing which appeared from beneath Stunning: She highlighted her slender curves with a gold belt cinched at the waist while adding additional height to her tall frame with classic black heels. Victoria - who was previously married to Chris Wragge - has been dating Maurice since 2011 and the couple are often seen enjoying vacations on his yacht together. She has enjoyed a lengthy stint in the spotlight after being chosen to represent her country in the Miss World pageant in 1993. After her pageant days, the Scandinavian stunner was spotted by Hugh Hefner and went on to become a Playboy Playmate. Expensive taste: The blonde beauty was seen clutching a small black handbag and she rocked a statement gold bracelet Four-legged friend: Victoria also posed with an adorable pooch outside the exclusive venue Since her career rocketed, Victoria has modelled for some of the world's most prestigious fashion houses, including Chanel, Dior and Valentino. Despite the glamorous veneer to her lifestyle as a young model, she revealed there was a dark side in a recent interview with Female First. Victoria said: 'I started very young to model in Paris when I was 18, I remember like starving myself to fit into the clothes and it was an amazing experience but you know I did shows for Valentino, Chanel, so it was really prestigious.' WASHINGTON (AP) - Negotiations between the White House and Senate Republicans over President Joe Biden's $2.3 trillion infrastructure plan are hitting a crucial stage ahead of talks Friday after the latest GOP offer left some dismay in the administration that there wasn't more movement off the Republicans' initial $568 billion proposal. Republicans did increase their offer and have been working in good faith with the White House, according to a Republican granted anonymity to discuss the private talks. But the slog of the closed-door talks is certain to spark fresh worries from Democrats that time is slipping to strike a compromise. The president's team had set a soft Memorial Day deadline to determine if a deal was within reach. At the White House, Press Secretary Jen Psaki said "productive conversations" are underway on Capitol Hill. The White House team is expected to resume talks with the senators Friday. "Were looking forward to constructive conversations," Psaki said. Securing a vast infrastructure plan is Bidens top priority as he seeks to make good on his campaign pledge to "build back better" in the aftermath of the coronavirus crisis and the economic churn from a shifting economy. With narrow Democratic majorities in the House and Senate, the president is reaching out to Republicans for support on a potentially bipartisan approach rather than relying simply on his own party to muscle the proposal to passage. But Republicans are refusing Bidens idea of a corporate tax hike to pay for the investments. Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh, right, visits the Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge construction site together with District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser and Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, in southeast Washington, Wednesday, May 19, 2021. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell reiterated Thursday on Fox News that tax hikes on corporations or the wealthiest Americans are nonstarters. Republicans are unwilling to undo their signature domestic accomplishment with Trump, the 2017 tax cuts, which reduced the corporate rate from 35% to 21%. Biden proposes lifting the corporate tax to 28%. "If theyre willing to settle on target a infrastructure bill without revisiting the 2017 tax bill well work with them," McConnell told Foxs Larry Kudlow, a former Trump adviser. But he said a package topping $2 trillion or more "is not going to have any Republican support." The administration and the GOP senators have been in talks ever since Biden met with a core group of Republican negotiators last week over the possibility of working together on a plan. The White House dispatched the Transportation and Commerce secretaries and top aides to Capitol Hill to meet with the Republicans late Tuesday after the president asked the senators to provide more details on their initial offer. The lead Republican negotiator, Sen. Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia, was encouraged by the talks and expected the White House to be back in touch by week's end, her office said. But there was "not a significantly changed offer" from the Republicans during their meeting with the administration this week, according to a person granted anonymity to discuss the private negotiations. The White Houses hopes for a bipartisan deal on infrastructure have cooled but they have not abandoned the effort, according to an administration official not authorized to speak publicly about the private conversations. There was some dismay that the Republican counteroffer did not substantially budge from the partys original $568 billion proposal, leaving it far short of the White Houses plan, according to the official. A team of West Wing officials, including senior advisor Steve Ricchetti and head of legislative affairs Louisa Terrell, were expected to talk Friday with Republicans on the proposal. The administration had set a soft deadline of Memorial Day to gauge if enough progress had been made to forge a bipartisan deal or whether it would need to proceed along party lines. Biden has reveled in the face-to-face negotiations, aides said, and has expressed hope to bring Republicans along. And West Wing officials have been hearted by the public comments made by some of the GOP negotiating team, including Capito, the official said. But the outward talks of progress have not translated into the two sides getting much closer to a deal. Beyond the significant gap in the two sides visions for the size of the package, there has been little discussion of how to reach an agreement on how to pay for it. One GOP senator in the talks suggested tapping unspent funds from the massive COVID-19 aid package to help pay for the infrastructure investment, the Republican said. Other funds could be tapped from uncollected tax revenues or public-private partnerships. One strategy that had gained momentum would be for Biden to negotiate a more limited, traditional infrastructure bill of roads, highways, bridges and broadband as a bipartisan effort. Then, Democrats could try to muscle through the remainder of Bidens priorities on climate investments and the so-called human infrastructure of child care, education and hospitals on their own. But, administration aides believe, if such an "infrastructure only" bipartisan deal is far smaller than Bidens original proposal, the White House risks a rebellion from Democrats who could claim that the president made a bad deal and missed the moment to pass a sweeping, transformational package. For now, Republicans and the White House are tangled over the definitions of infrastructure as Biden seeks new investments in hospitals, child care centers and electric vehicles for this first bill, and Republicans remain more narrowly focused on traditional roads, bridges and other "hard" infrastructure projects. McConnell has said they could go as high as $800 billion on a package. But House and Senate Democrats say much of what Republicans proposed so far is simply existing spending and nowhere near that amount. At the same time, House Republicans are working on their own alternative to Bidens plan. Connecticuts 33 lowest-performing school districts, called Alliance Districts, would be required to partner with a residency program operator to enroll minority candidates and place them in the district for 10 months, according to an analysis by the Office of Legislative Research. Program operators would either be regional educational service centers or private, nonprofit certification programs. To cover costs, the state Department of Education would withhold from each Alliance District 10% of any increase in Alliance aid and use the funds to pay for the program. Non-Alliance Districts are also allowed to participate in the residency program. WASHINGTON -- President Joe Biden said Friday there has been no shift in his commitment to Israels security, but insisted a two-state solution that includes a state for Palestinians remains the only answer to that conflict. Biden spoke at a White House news conference on the first full day of a cease-fire after 11 days of Israeli-Hamas fighting that killed well over 200 people, most of them Palestinians in Gaza. Biden, speaking at the end of a visit by the president of South Korea, also played down the idea that the newly ended fighting had opened a rift among Democrats, as scores of Democrats split with Bidens quiet diplomacy with ally Israel to publicly demand a cease-fire. My party still supports Israel, Biden said. Lets get something straight here, he added. Until the region says unequivocally they acknowledge the right of Israel to exist as an independent Jewish state, there will be no peace. ___ RAMALLAH, West Bank Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has received a phone call from U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken following the cease-fire between Israel and Gazas militant Hamas rulers. Abbas office says the two discussed the latest developments in the call on Friday evening. The Palestinian leader urged the Biden administration to pressure Israel to halt the violence in east Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank. The statement said Abbas appreciated U.S. efforts to provide humanitarian aid and mobilize the international support necessary for the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip, in coordination with the Palestinian Authority. The U.S. State Department has said that Blinken would visit the region next week to discuss recovery efforts and working together to build better futures for Israelis and Palestinians in the wake of the truce. Blinken and Abbas are to meet during the visit. The cease-fire was brokered by neighboring Egypt after the U.S. pressed Israel to wind down its campaign on Gaza. ___ UNITED NATIONS The United Nations has allocated $18.6 million to Gaza for emergency humanitarian needs and plans to launch a flash appeal next week for funds to cover needs over the next three months. U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said humanitarian chief Mark Lowcock allocated $4.5 million from the U.N.s emergency relief fund for Gaza on Friday, following the cease-fire between Israel and Hamas militants who control the Gaza Strip. Earlier in the week, Lowcock released $14.1 million from the fund. Dujarric said the U.N. was able to send 13 trucks with food, COVID-19 vaccines, disposable medical items, drugs including emergency medicines, and first aid kits into Gaza following the partial reopening of the Kerem Shalom crossing from Israel as the cease-fire took hold. Dujarric said the Erez passenger crossing was also opened temporarily for senior humanitarian officials to enter Gaza including Philippe Lazzarini, the head of the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees known as UNRWA, and the U.N. humanitarian coordinator for the region, Lynn Hastings. The U.N. spokesman said the cease-fire announcement led to a mass exodus from UNRWA schools where thousands of Palestinians had sought safety. The number still in UNRWA schools on Friday dropped to less than 1,000 from a high of over 66,000. ___ TEHRAN, Iran Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has congratulated Palestinians in the Gaza Strip after a cease-fire with Israel took effect in the territory, calling the truce a victory over the criminal Zionist regime. Iran's state TV website carried a letter by Khamenei addressed to the Palestinians on Friday, in which he also urged for prosecution of Israel's archenemy Israel and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in international courts over the Gaza campaign. Iran has been a close ally of Hamas and other militant groups in the Middle East. In his letter, Khamenei also urged all Muslim countries to rally in support of Palestinian people, whether by strengthening Palestinian forces, with financial support that is needed today more than before, or by rebuilding the infrastructure that was destroyed in Gaza. Separately, Irans powerful Revolutionary Guard in a statement on its website, sepahnews.com, echoed Khamenei's congratulations to Gazans on their victory." And the spokesman for Iran's foreign ministry, Saeed Khatibzadeh, tweeted a message to Palestinians: Your resistance forced the aggressor to retreat. ___ ISLAMABAD Pakistans prime minister says he hopes the Palestinian people will one day have their own country and says he believes that the world opinion was changing in their favor in the wake of devastating Israeli airstrikes on Gaza. Imran Khan spoke after a cease-fire between the Islamic militant group Hamas and Israel went into effect early Friday. In a televised video message, he thanked his countrymen for holding nationwide rallies to express solidarity with the Palestinians. The latest Israel-Hamas war erupted May 10 and after 11 days of fighting, at least 243 Palestinians were killed, including 66 children and 39 women, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Twelve people in Israel, including a 5-year-old boy and 16-year-old girl, were killed. Earlier in the day, thousands of Pakistanis rallied in the capital, Islamabad, and elsewhere in support of Palestinians. Pakistan is among few countries with no diplomatic ties with Israel. ___ TOKYO Japan's foreign minister has welcomed the ceasefire that took effect Friday between the Islamic militant group Hamas and Israel. Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi expressed respect for mediation efforts by the United States, Egypt and other countries. He also stressed the need for all involved parties to continue their efforts toward achieving a two-state solution in the Middle East that will bring peace to the region. Also Friday, hundreds of people in Tokyo, many of them from Muslim countries, gathered outside the Israeli Embassy for a pro-Palestinian rally where people chanted who is the terrorist? and Israel is the terrorist." Some Japanese residents also joined the protest. ___ GENEVA The World Health Organization has tallied significant trauma needs in Palestinian areas, where at least 243 people have been killed during 11 days of fighting between Palestinians and Israelis. WHO spokeswoman Margaret Harris said a total of 8,538 people had been injured across Palestinian areas during the violence, and 30 health facilities in Gaza had been damaged -- with one clinic fully destroyed and another sustaining significant damage. She said damage to infrastructure was impeding the access of ambulances. The comments to a U.N. briefing in Geneva came as humanitarian aid workers assessed the fallout from the latest fighting between Hamas militant fighters and Israeli forces. Fabrizio Carboni, regional director for the Near and Middle East at the International Committee of the Red Cross, estimated there were several hundred pieces of unexploded ordnance strewn about in Gaza and said medical supplies were a pressing need. Matthias Schmale, Gaza director for UNRWA, the U.N. aid agency for Palestinian refugees, cited a window of several hours on Friday during which aid and supplies could be brought in through the Kerem Shalom crossing point into Gaza. Speaking by video from Gaza City, he noted that a central laboratory that carries out testing for COVID-19 had been made dysfunctional by a massive bomb explosion. Alluding to a cease-fire that took effect overnight, he said it feels like a fragile cease fire and lamented the unbearable and unacceptable cost this has had for the civilian population. And I know that applies to people in Israel, too. ___ TEHRAN Irans Revolutionary Guard has unveiled a new drone named Gaza, amid heightened tensions between Israel and the Palestinians, the countrys state TV reported Friday. The report said the wide-body drone has a 35-hour flight duration and is capable of carrying 13 bombs more than 2,000 kilometers ( 1,240 miles). TV also said in addition to military surveillance, combat, reconnaissance missions, the Gaza drone can monitor forests, help rescue operations and providing assistance in natural disasters such as floods and earthquakes. Gen. Hossein Salami, chief of the powerful Revolutionary Guard, said during the unveiling ceremony that we called it Gaza so that God willing it can be an eternal honor for those who are resisting the Zionist invasion.'' Iran does not recognize Israel and supports anti-Israeli militant groups like Palestinian Hamas and Lebaneses Hezbollah. ___ ANKARA, Turkey Turkey has welcomed the cease-fire in Gaza but is also calling for a two-state solution to ensure a permanent end to the conflict. A Turkish Foreign Ministry statement on Friday said Turkey expects the international community, and especially the U.N. Security Council, to act in order to bring a complete end to the persecution of Palestinians. The ministry said: In order to prevent the recurrence of the pain and tears in Palestine, it is necessary to ensure that Israel is made accountable internationally for its crimes and lifts the inhumane blockade imposed on Gaza. The statement also called for an end to the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories in order to achieve a lasting, fair and comprehensive solution, and added that Turkey would continue to support the Palestinians just cause. ___ JERUSALEM Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned Gazas militant Hamas rulers against any further rocket attacks following a cease-fire. In a speech hours after the truce took effect on Friday, he said, if Hamas thinks we will tolerate a drizzle of rockets, it is wrong. He vowed to respond with a new level of force against any expression of aggression against communities around Gaza and any other part of Israel. Israel and Hamas fought an 11-day war, their fourth since the Islamic militant group seized power in Gaza from rival Palestinian forces in 2007. ___ COPENHAGEN, Denmark Norway's foreign minister says her country is very concerned" about the high casualty rates in Gaza, the suffering of the civilian population and the great devastation. Norwegian Foreign Minister Ine Eriksen Soereide made the comments as her country announced stepping up humanitarian aid to Gaza by 30 million kroner ($3.6 million). That comes on top of 71 million kroner ($8.5 million) in humanitarian aid to the Palestinians that the Scandinavian country has given so far in 2021. The money will be channeled through the United Nations and humanitarian organizations. In a separate statement, Jan Egeland, head of the Norwegian Refugee Council, said now that the guns have finally gone silent, let us not mistake this calm for normality. Egeland said that leaders in the U.S., Europe and the Arab world should "push Israel and the Palestinians to work out a way that will end this unsustainable injustice. ___ BEIJING China says it will offer cash and 200,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines to Palestinians caught up in the latest fighting in Gaza. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian on Friday told reporters that $1 million would be provided as emergency humanitarian assistance and another $1 million would go to UNRWA, the U.N. agency that provides vital assistance to the 75% of the enclaves population who are refugees. China will continue to provide humanitarian support within its capacity and actively participate in the reconstruction of Gaza according to the needs of the Palestinian side, Zhao said at a daily briefing. The fighting has brought Gazas health care system to the brink of collapse and its COVID-19 vaccination drive, already slow, has stopped, according to WHOs top official in Gaza, Sacha Bootsma. China has become a major exporter and donor of COVID-19 vaccines, taking a leading role in what some have termed vaccine diplomacy. China is a strong supporter of the Palestinian cause but also maintains robust ties with Israel. ___ ISLAMABAD Pakistans foreign minister has welcomed a cease-fire between Israel and the Hamas- militant group that rules Gaza. According to a Foreign Ministry statement, Shah Mahmood Qureshi said he hoped latest the cease-fire announcement could help revive efforts for a negotiated settlement of the Palestinian issue. Qureshis comments came Friday as Pakistanis across the country began gathering for anti-Israel rallies to express solidarity with Palestinians. Pakistan is among few countries that do not have diplomatic ties with Israel. ___ BRUSSELS The European Unions top diplomat is welcoming the Gaza cease-fire, but he says only a revival of long-term peace talks can ensure that such fighting does not flare up again in the future. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said Friday in a statement that we commend Egypt, Qatar, United Nations, United States and others who have played a facilitating role in this. Borrell says the situation in the Gaza Strip has long been unsustainable. Only a political solution will bring sustainable peace and end once for all the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. He says that restoring a political horizon towards a two-state solution now remains of utmost importance and that the EU stands ready to help both sides achieve that. The EUs support for a two-state solution is long-standing, but the 27-nation bloc is divided over how to handle relations with Israel and the Palestinians. On Tuesday, Hungary blocked the publication of a joint statement on the conflict. ___ PARIS The French minister of foreign affairs is praising the Gaza cease-fire as the outcome of diplomatic efforts involving Europeans, the United States and several Arab countries. In a statement, Jean-Yves Le Drian praised the fundamental role of Egypt in the talks that led to that result. He said the cessation of hostilities was the absolute priority to protect civilian populations and avoid an extension of the conflict. The statement said France seeks to play a role in reviving peace talks between Israel and Palestinian authorities, and wants to see humanitarian aid resume to the region, particularly to Gaza. SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador (AP) The United States Agency for International Development will redirect its funding from El Salvador's state institutions to its civil society groups as tensions rise between the two governments over the Central American country's removal of Supreme Court justices and the Attorney General. USAID Administrator Samantha Power said in a statement Friday that the agency has deep concerns about the shake-up in the justice system earlier this month and more generally about transparency and accountability. Funding will be redirected from the court and Attorney General's Office, the National Civilian Police and El Salvador's Institute for Access to Public Information and given instead to local civil society groups and human rights organizations for promoting transparency, combating corruption and monitoring human rights. The agency declined to say how much funding was being redirected. President Nayib Bukele responded immediately via Twitter. How great that (civil society organizations) receive foreign financing, because they will not receive a cent from the Salvadoran people. In another tweet, the president wrote that if you ask any Salvadoran migrant at the U.S. border why they left their country, they will respond first, lack of jobs and second, that it was unsafe. Its very revealing that @USAID chose to stop funding... SECURITY! Is the real plan to create more immigration? Bukele's New Ideas party won a supermajority in Feb. 28 elections. New lawmakers were seated in the unicameral congress May 1 and immediately voted to remove the five justices from the Supreme Court's Constitutional Chamber in a process the justices said was unconstitutional. The new congress also voted to replace the Attorney General with a Bukele loyalist. Those moves combined with the new congressional supermajority removed the remaining checks on Bukele's power, who remains extremely popular. In February 2020, Bukele sent heavily armed troops to the then-opposition controlled congress when it balked at approving a loan for his security plan. Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, Bukele publicly accused the constitutional justices of causing the deaths of Salvadorans when they ruled his mandatory stay-at-home order unconstitutional. Bukele's rapid consolidation of power has worried international observers and the Biden administration that El Salvador's fragile democracy could be eroded. Respect for an independent judiciary, a commitment to the separation of powers, and a strong civil society are essential components of any democracy, Power said. The United States remains firmly committed to supporting democratic governance as we partner to improve economic and security conditions and to address the root causes of irregular migration from Central America. Earlier this month, White House Special Envoy Ricardo Zuniga met with Bukele on a visit to El Salvador. He said on a local news program that the U.S. government thought it best for El Salvador to reverse the changes to the court and Attorney General. Bukele responded via Twitter. For the voices that still ask us to return to the past, with much respect and affection: the changes that we have made are IRREVERSIBLE, he wrote then. We are not going to return to the past, we will go toward the future. We would like them to accompany us, but if they dont want to we understand. As the relationship with Washington sours, Bukele has increasingly played up the burgeoning relationship with China. This week China sent 500,000 doses of Sinovac vaccine and the Salvadoran congress ratified a cooperation agreement with China that calls for about $60 million investment in projects in the country. Surges in violence and scenes of civilian suffering are testing President Joe Bidens resolve to wrench Americas foreign policy focus and troops away from the hotspots of the Middle East and Afghanistan, and giving ammunition to Bidens political rivals at home. Biden and his supporters say that by shifting the U.S. military and diplomatic focus from the regions bogged-down conflicts, hes bringing an overdue end to failed policies that often only prolonged strife, and that the stepped-back U.S. engagement already is encouraging countries to resolve disputes on their own. But fighting has flared recently in some of the areas affected by Bidens pivot. The Israel-Gaza war has exploded just as Biden has tried to step back, creating scenes of crushed bodies and flattened homes and a growing rift in Biden's own party about whether he should do more. Israel and Hamas announced a cease-fire Thursday in airstrikes and rocket attacks that have killed at least 230 Palestinians and 12 in Israel. Fears of a Taliban takeover and renewed civil war are building ahead of Biden's troop withdrawal in Afghanistan. And outside desert cities under siege in Yemen, Iranian-backed Houthi rebels are pressing an offensive as Biden ends U.S. military support for a 6-year Saudi-led war there. This is the fruit of the policy of U.S. President Joe Biden, Yemeni journalist Walid al Rajhi tweeted this month after shelling from Iran-allied Houthi rebels on the walled city of Taiz. He was echoing a claim that fighters in a besieged Yemeni government stronghold, Marib, also are making to visiting news crews: that Biden's military pullback and overtures to the rebels have only emboldened the Iranian-allied Houthis to press for decisive battlefield victories. How resolutely Biden carries out the pivot, and what happens in the hotspots after will shape his foreign policy legacy. Biden seems to be gambling that even if violence flares in the Middle East and Afghanistan as the U.S. shifts primary focus away, that's a price worth paying to extract the U.S. from regional conflicts as greater challenges emerge elsewhere. Blame already is in no short supply. Americans decisions hurt us, and we hope that the Americans will go back on their decision, Lt. Gen. Sagheer bin Aziz, chief of staff of the Yemen army, said in one such battlefield interview, with CNN. Republicans say the same. Bidens moves have only encouraged Houthi aggression, a lesson the administration should remember with the Iranian regime, Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas tweeted. And as fighting between Israel and Palestinian militant groups surged to its highest level since 2014, heartland Democratic lawmakers this week joined progressives in pushing Biden to wade back into intensive U.S. diplomacy. More will unnecessarily perish if America does not act with the immediacy this violence demands, Rep. David Price, a North Carolina Democrat, told Biden in a letter signed by 138 others. Israel's announcement of a cease-fire came a day after Biden briefly and sharply increased public pressure on Israel, calling then for significant de-escalation within hours. Biden's remarks Thursday praising Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's decision to bring the current hostilities to a close within less than 11 days were back in line with U.S. presidents' strong support for ally Israel. Biden calls it essential for the United States to pull back from its efforts to police Middle East conflicts and turn to dealing with long-term priorities. That includes competition with China and climate change. No one wants to say that we should be in Afghanistan forever, but they insist now is not the right moment to leave, Biden said last month in setting a Sept. 11 deadline for U.S. military withdrawal. 'Not now' thats how we got here," Biden said of the 20-year U.S. deployment in Afghanistan that has left the Taliban still undefeated and the Afghan government still vulnerable. For the administration and its supporters, the answer is pulling out of stalemated, costly wars, and managing Middle East diplomatic efforts so that foreign policy efforts don't rack up air miles in years of fruitless shuttle diplomacy in peace processes that combatants often don't want. When it comes to Yemens war, for example, At some point you have to accept what the facts on the ground are telling you, said Sen. Chris Murphy, a Connecticut Democrat who met with Gulf and U.S. officials in a tour of the region this month. The United States was involved for six to seven years, and Yemen during that period of time moved further and further away from peace. Since 9/11, all we have done through fighting war after war in the region is to make our country less safe, Murphy said. So yeah, it may take some adjustment if the United States decides to remember how it protected its interests prior to 2001." The Biden administration points to intensive efforts by its diplomats for Yemen peace talks despite the end of military support. On Thursday the U.S. imposed sanctions on two Houthi leaders in the offensive on Marib. Murphy argues U.S. efforts to ease confrontation with Iran already are promoting conciliation attempts on the ground. That includes Saudi Arabia this year reaching out to top rival Iran and to fellow Arab grudge partner Qatar, after President Donald Trump gleefully backed Saudi Arabia in intense confrontation with both. Even before Biden came to power and sought to calm tensions, Arab rulers, including the United Arab Emirates', had realized that teaming up in Trump's maximum-pressure campaign on Iran had only spurred it and its allies to double down on attacks, said Ali Vaez, the International Crisis Group's Iran project director and a former U.N. official. I do think that the United States is not looking at the region as a priority anymore, said Marwan Muasher, a former foreign minister of Jordan. But some smart U.S. engagement will be crucial, he said. The Biden administration should not do more on the peace process between Israel and the Palestinians, Muasher said. It just should do things differently. The bill would allow for the construction of accessory apartments and it sets new limits on the number of parking spaces developers are required to build capping them at one for studio and one-bedroom apartments and two for units of two bedrooms or more. But other provisions were stripped out of the bill before it reached the House. And a late revision was added that creates a mechanism allowing cities and towns to opt out of the parking and accessory dwelling rules if they meet certain conditions. Thank you for reading! Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription and are still unable to access our content, please link your digital account to your print subscription If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue. Many celebrities are feeling the effects of the second wave of COVID-19. When actress Hamsa Nandinis family her father, Vinay Bartake (65), uncle, Sunil Bartake (66), and grandmother Nirmala (90) tested positive for the Coronavirus in Pune on April 9, she immediately went there from Mumbai to take care of her family. All three of them developed fever within a span of three days, she reveals, adding that she was advised against being with her father and others in the house, even wearing a PPE kit. Her first task was to find a hospital where they could be admitted. She called up more than 50 COVID hospitals but while some didnt even answer her calls, others said they were full. I even tried getting a nurse or a doctor for home treatment but I couldnt find anyone, she says. After two days, she finally managed to locate a hospital which had beds available. All three patients were accommodated in a single deluxe room after she had spent six hours doing the paperwork. Vinay Bartaje (65), Sunil Bartake (66) and Nirmala (90) Recalling the events that unfolded during those harrowing days, Hamsa Nandini says, first her uncle had to be rushed to ICU, and later, her fathers condition turned critical after his oxygen levels dropped below 80. She spoke to the doctors about the way forward, and was told that her father too needed to be in the ICU, but there were no more beds available. That was the most terrible part of this ordeal; I literally collapsed and told the doctors that I couldnt make that decision, She had to constantly put up a brave front, even when she was told that her father would need to be put on ventilator support if his oxygen levels didnt improve. The moment I heard the term ventilator I lost it; I became dumb and my brain wouldnt function, she says. The doctors recommended Remdesivir injections for the actress father and uncle. With great difficulty, I got it from Hyderabad through one of my friends. Their situation started improving after four days, she recalls. Hamsa Nandini says though she was severely sleep-deprived, she was constantly talking to doctors, nurses, ward boys and others over video calls. Finally, all three of patients were discharged recently. But her struggle isnt over yet shes now trying to source oxygen concentrators for the home, as a safety measure. If someone with her level of connections had to go through so much hardship to get her family cared for, how much harder it must be for the common man, the actress notes. I had always thought being financially independent was the most important thing, she says, and shares that her recent experience has changed the way she looks at life. I realised nothing is more important than your loved ones; only people matter, she says, adding that many of her friends had lost people close to them. I lost my mother when I was 19, so I know how difficult life is, she says, and stresses that fake optimism wont do any good, what is needed is a strong reminder of how grim the situation is. PHE estimates also indicate that the vaccination programme has prevented around 39,100 hospitalisations in those aged 65 years and over in England. (AFP) London: Two doses of the Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine are around 85 per cent to 90 per cent effective against symptomatic disease, Public Health England (PHE) has said, citing a new analysis of real-world data from the rollout of the shot in the UK. In its latest weekly COVID-19 vaccine surveillance report on Thursday, the PHE also estimated that 13,000 deaths have now been prevented in people aged 60 years or older in England up to May 9, 2021 (11,100 deaths in individuals aged 80 years and older, 1,600 in individuals aged 70 to 79 and 300 in individuals aged 60 to 69 years). New analysis for the first time estimates that 2 doses of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine provide around 85 to 90 per cent protection against symptomatic disease, PHE said in a press release. That compares to 90 per cent estimated effectiveness against symptomatic disease for the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, according to reports. Commenting on the PHE data, UK Health and Social Care Secretary, Matt Hancock said the new statistics show the vaccine "saves lives and protects you from ending up in hospital with COVID-19." "The 13,000 deaths and the 39,100 hospitalisations that have been prevented are not just numbers. They are our family, our friends, our loved ones and a poignant reminder of the impact the vaccine is having," he said. With the threat of new variants, it has never been more important to get the vaccine, Hancock added. UK's Vaccines Minister, Nadhim Zahawi said: "This new data highlights the incredible impact that both doses of the vaccine can have, with a second dose of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine providing up to 90 per cent protection." "There is no better weapon to send this virus into retreat than our life-saving vaccines. A second dose is vital to ensure you have the strongest possible protection so we can return to normality and get back to the things we love," Zahawi said. PHE estimates also indicate that the vaccination programme has prevented around 39,100 hospitalisations in those aged 65 years and over in England (approximately 4,700 admissions in those aged 65 to 74, 15,400 in those aged 75 to 84 and 19,000 in those aged 85 and over). The method for analysing the approximate number of deaths and hospitalisations prevented by the vaccine programme now takes into account the impact of both first and second doses, due to more data being available. Previously, the method only used the impact of the first dose of vaccination on hospitalisations and deaths. Vijayawada: The AP Assembly passed a resolution opposing the privatisation of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP). The Minister for Industries, Mekapati Gautam Reddy, proposed the resolution and it was passed unanimously. Moving the resolution, Gautam Reddy said that considering the sensitivity of the issue and widespread agitation by the trade unions and common public against the divestment proposal, the Government of AP had acknowledged the need for supporting the cause of protecting Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited, the corporate entity of VSP, from disinvestment. He recalled that, accordingly, Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy addressed a detailed letter dated 06.02.2021 to the Prime Minister with a request to reconsider the proposal of disinvestment. He also suggested alternative solutions that may be helpful to address the issue of huge losses incurred by RINL. He further recalled that the CM also reiterated the stand of AP government during his interaction with the trade unions in Visakhapatnam on February 17. The industries minister Reddy stated that the Cabinet deliberated on the issue at the council meeting on February 23 and took note of the unrest among the trade unions and the general public of Visakhapatnam. In this regard, the cabinet proposed to place the matter before the Legislature and make a resolution. On the alternative solutions suggested by the state government to resolve the issue of huge losses incurred by VSP, he explained that the government suggested continuing the operations to achieve turnaround, allotting it a captive iron ore mine to reduce input costs, and extending it financial restructuring short-term loans. He stated that recently VSP had been at the forefront of the nations fight against Covid-19. It already supplied more than 9,000 tonnes of liquid medical oxygen (LMO) since the onset of pandemic. The Minister said the Assembly unanimously made the resolution to oppose the decision of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) for 100% strategic disinvestment of Government of Indias shareholding in RINL, along with ceding management control by way of privatization. The Assembly also resolved to seek the support of GoI to make RINL profitable and remain the pride of Telugu People and the state of Andhra Pradesh. We were astonished at the bulldozing of the federal structure by an arrogant PM as if martial law has been imposed in the country, said Banerjee. (PTI) Kolkata: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday directly accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of barring her and other Opposition party CMs from speaking up for their demands on the Covid-19 pandemic at a virtual meeting chaired by him. This was also the first time the Trinamul Congress supremo came face to face with Mr Modi officially after her party came to power for the third time in the state by defeating the BJP in the Assembly election. Tearing into Mr Modi, Ms Banerjee alleged: Ten CMs, including me, were present with some district magistrates there. We however did not allow the DMs from our state to attend it since a CM, if present, gets the priority over them. In a federal structure, though the CMs were invited, they were not allowed to speak about their public demands. They were made to sit like puppets and bonded labourers. Only the PM kept talking all through without even giving us a chance. It was just a casual and a super-flop meeting." She said: We were astonished at the bulldozing of the federal structure by an arrogant PM as if martial law has been imposed in the country. We felt insulted and humiliated. It happened one way. I think all the non-BJP-ruled states should form a team to lodge a protest against the BJP at the Centre. The TMC chief wondered: Why is the PM feeling so insecure and scared? Why is he fleeing away? In his speech, he claimed that Covid-19 deaths are decreasing. Then why are so many deaths there? Why are bodies being thrown away in the river? Namami Gange has now become Mrityupuri Gange. Ms Banerjee also noted that her demand for the dispatch of three crore vaccines had not been met by the Centre. According to her, even if she gets the doses now, her government will complete the drive in the next three months. The CM later wrote another letter to the PM to send more vaccines to the state for the Central government employees working on essential services. Lashing out at Ms Banerjee immediately, Leader of the Opposition Shuvendu Adhikari tweeted: Today, our respected CM @MamataOfficial has once again shown her total disinterest in administration. True to her style, she has politicised a meeting Honble PM @narendramodi held with District Officials, where grassroots level practices to fight COVID-19 were being discussed. He also claimed: 5 out of the 7 District Officials who spoke today belonged to non-BJP ruled states of Chhattisgarh, Kerala, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and AP. Cooperative federalism is the firm commitment of PM @narendramodi unlike CM @MamataOfficial who only believes in confrontational federalism. West Bengals Covid numbers are miserable, but the Chief Minister wants to play politics. The @AITCofficial is still busy in gory victory dances and targeting opponents. It is better they get down to work because the great People of West Bengal are watching! The previous government had provided for only 1,000 types of treatments under Aarogyasri. But in the last 23 months, his government has provided for treating 2,400 ailments under Aarogyasri, including Covid-19 and black fungus. (Representational Photo: AFP) VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy declared in AP Legislative Assembly that everyone in the state will be vaccinated against Coronavirus for free once sufficient doses reach Andhra Pradesh. Until then, he asked public to strictly adhere to the Covid-19 guidelines and make them part of their life. Replying to the debate on motion of thanks to Governor Biswabhusan Harichandans address, the CM pointed out that the government is setting up 53 oxygen generating plants in all identified Covid hospitals across the state, apart from purchasing additional 50 cryogenic tankers, 18,500 oxygen concentrators and 10,000 b-type cylinders at a cost of Rs 309 crore. Paying his tributes to all those who have lost their lives in the Coronavirus pandemic, Jagan Mohan Reddy pointed out that his government has spent Rs 2,229 crore on dealing with Coronavirus during the past 14 months. But opposition parties, particularly Telugu Desam, are being irresponsible in levelling baseless charges against the government. The Chief Minister asserted that his government has brought in revolutionary changes in Aarogyasri. The previous government had provided for only 1,000 types of treatments under Aarogyasri. But in the last 23 months, his government has provided for treating 2,400 ailments under Aarogyasri, including Covid-19 and black fungus. He underlined that the government has identified 17 hospitals for treating patients suffering from black fungus. Asserting that the entire country is fighting the battle with the Coronavirus, Jagan Mohan Reddy underlined that vaccination is the only way to win over the pandemic. He asserted that the government is ready to spend any amount of money to procure vaccines for all aged above 18 in the state. It has already called for global tenders for sourcing vaccine doses. The Chief Minister pointed out that the state will require seven crore doses to cover all those above 18 years of age. But the centre has so far given only 76.29 lakh doses, which are around 10 per cent of the total requirement. Further, he said only two companies are currently manufacturing vaccines just seven crore doses per month in the country. In this context, he underlined that global tenders have been floated to secure vaccines for Andhra Pradesh. HYDERABAD: Two years ago, when Saiyyada Butool Munawari got the news of her acceptance at Underwood University in the US for the MS (Nutrition) programme, her family in the city was excited. Though expensive, the family believed that her plan to study in the US was within their grasp. This was thanks to the Chief Ministers Overseas Scholarship Scheme. In the hope that the Rs 20 lakh that Munawari would get through the scheme would see her through her studies, at least for the most part, the family sent her to the US in mid-2019 to begin her studies at Underwood. The scheme promises that Rs 10 lakh of the Rs 20 lakh will be given upon producing the official admission and related documents. But that did not come. We, however, managed to pool enough money for her to go and begin her studies, hoping that the grant will be released, her brother Syed Umair Mehdi told Deccan Chronicle. However, their hopes were dashed. The second installment of another Rs 10 lakh, that was to be given once a student submits proof of clearing the first semester courses, also did not come. We have to bear not only the fees, but also the food and accommodation expenses. We sent her abroad in the hope that the government will release the amount. Our request is that this be done immediately, so we can repay the loans we took from others, he said. Though the university gave some relaxation in payment of fees in the wake of the pandemic, the new academic semester is on and we have to pay her semester fee again, he said. It is not just Munawari and her family waiting for release of funds under the CMO student help scheme. In all, around 800 students have been waiting, many since the 2019 academic year, for grants under the scholarship scheme. Though the minorities welfare department sought applications during October-November 2020 from such community students for aid under the scheme, it is yet to finalise the eligible students list. This has left in the lurch those who got admissions to various postgraduate and doctoral courses in foreign universities for the Fall and Spring semesters between January-December 2020. The department invites applications under the scheme once a year for both Spring and Fall semester admissions abroad. The state government started the scheme in 2015 under which selected candidates get Rs 20 lakh in grant towards fees and living expenses subject to the candidate joining the classes. While Rs 10 lakh is to be paid to the students upon production of the landing permit/I-94 card (immigration card), the second installment shall be payable on submission of the first semester results. Under this scheme, the government provides scholarships to 250 students for each spring and fall season in a year. Yet another student, Kausarunnisa, too has a similar case. According to Masood Mansoor of Shah Ali Banda, his niece is pursuing masters in engineering from La Trobe University, Sydney. She is expected to complete her course soon. With her father dead, her mother is paying the fee from the savings she did for her marriage, he said. Department director Shahnawaz Qasim said the government has sanctioned Rs 72.54 crore to disburse the amount among the students selected in 2019. He clarified that, due to the pandemic, parents of the students took time to provide credentials. Now, the processing is almost over and funds should be released in a fortnight, he said. A section of party members speculated that the septuagenarian politician might be fielded from the Khardah seat, where bypoll has been necessitated following the death of party leader Kajal Sinha. (PTI) Kolkata: West Bengal agriculture minister and veteran TMC leader Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay vacated the Bhabanipur assembly seat on Friday, paving way for Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to contest bypoll from her old bastion, party sources said. Banerjee, who lost the recently concluded polls from Nandigram, needs to get elected to the assembly within six months to hold on to the chief minister's chair. TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh, however, refused to divulge anything on Banerjee's re-election, and said the party will come up with a statement at an appropriate time. Chattopadhyay tendered his resignation to Assembly speaker Biman Bandyopadhyay in the presence of senior party leader and his ministerial colleague Partha Chatterjee. Before leaving for the state legislature, he told PTI that he would happily abide by the party's decision. "I am going to resign as the MLA of Bhabanipur seat. This is my decision as well as that of the party. I am happily abiding by it," the agriculture minister said. The speaker, on his part, said, "Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay has resigned from the Bhabanipur seat voluntarily. I have accepted his resignation letter after confirming that he has taken the decision on his own without any pressure or threat." A section of party members speculated that the septuagenarian politician might be fielded from the Khardah seat, where bypoll has been necessitated following the death of party leader Kajal Sinha due to COVID-19. There are others who claimed that Chattopadhyay might be nominated to Rajya Sabha. The veteran TMC leader said, "We must work to ensure victory of our leader Mamata Banerjee from a seat, as Bengal can prosper and move forward when she is at the helm. As there were talks within the party about her election to the assembly, and I was tapped in this regard, I readily agreed." He, however, clarified that he isn't too keen on Upper House nomination. Asked if he would quit as a minister, Chattopadhyay said, "I will follow the party's instructions. However, I am not aware of any such rule, which entails my resignation from the ministerial post." Chattopadhyay, who had earlier represented the Rashbehari assembly seat, contested from Bhabanipur this year and defeated BJP's Rudranil Ghosh by a convincing margin. Banerjee had won the seat in 2011 and 2016. Lincoln, NE (68508) Today Thunderstorms likely this morning. Then a chance of scattered thunderstorms this afternoon. A few storms may be severe. High 81F. W winds shifting to N at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%.. Tonight Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low near 60F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph. People perform Suryanamaskar after applying cow dung on their body during cow dung therapy, believing it will boost immunity to fight against the coronavirus disease. (PTI) Death has a familiar face. Each one of us knows someone who has died of Covid-19 and someone whose life has been gutted. There is fear. There is uncertainty as we grapple with a ferocious second wave. Indias coronavirus tally has crossed 25 million. More than 2,87,122 are dead. But this has not led to a push for pro-science politics that prioritises evidence-based medicine in these troubled times. Quite the opposite, in fact. In Meerut, a politician from the ruling BJP has been walking down the streets, blowing a conch shell, and performing a havan which he claims will stop the spread of the virus. Behind him, there are people and a bicycle cart with a heap of combustible material, and billowing clouds of smoke. Gopal Das Sharma, the politician, is not one who shirks the TV camera. Between blowing conch shells and rallying the faithful, he found time to tell one news channel: We have mixed havan material with cow dung cakes and ghee of desi cow, stems of the mango tree, camphor, etc. to stop the spread of the corona, purification of the environment, increase the oxygen level in the atmosphere and kill the dangerous virus from the atmosphere. Pragya Singh Thakur, another BJP politician who represents Bhopal in Parliament, has been telling people to consume gau mutra (cow urine) of a desi (Indian) cow to fight lung infections, and plant trees like peepal and tulsi to prevent oxygen shortage. These are only two of the most recent illustrations of anti-science. Who can forget the Coronil fiasco? Many of us are tempted to view all this as fodder for mirth and merriment in these bleak times. But its no longer that funny. Kishorechandra Wangkhem, a journalist from Imphal, Manipur, was recently booked under the stringent National Security Act for a comment on the social media. Wangchem, media reports said, wrote cow dung and cow urine did not work in the wake of the death of a local BJP leader who succumbed to Covid-19. Indias scientific community has been worried about anti-science politics for some time now, but its also important to recognise that statements which strike many of us as ludicrous and outright dangerous in the time of a pandemic resonate among a sizeable section of the Indian public. These sentiments and views are not totally novel. What is new is their growing social acceptability. That is, in part, linked to the kind of politics on the rise across the country. Earlier, what was not said so brazenly in public can be said now, with scant consequences. What is happening in India is part of a global trend. Experts have noted that the rise of populism and the emergence of anti-science politics are occurring simultaneously in many places, raising questions about their possible connection. Many analysts see this as a natural fallout of the populists dislike for science because science is meant to be evidence-based, objective and demands proof of statements, and it clashes with populist politics which relies greatly on emotion and fears that resonate with a lot of people. Anti-science has emerged as a dominant and highly lethal force, and one that threatens global security, as much as do terrorism and nuclear proliferation, wrote Peter Hotez, in a recent Scientific American article. Hotez, a vaccine scientist at the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, is the author of Preventing the Next Pandemic: Vaccine Diplomacy in a Time of Anti-Science. We must mount a counteroffensive and build new infrastructure to combat anti-science, just as we have for these other more widely recognised and established threats, he said. How exactly does one do that? Do scientists need to ask themselves if they can do a better job of communicating the need for rational thought in places where large numbers of people do not have a scientific temper nor a political leadership which encourages it? Dr Soumyadeep Bhaumik, a medical doctor affiliated to George Institute for Global Health, India, who focuses on research evidence for informing policy, practice and public debate, stresses the need for redefining science communication. Not all scientists feel that scientists should engage in science communication, make time and effort to do so They (scientists) need to promote rationalism and engage with their local communities. Globally, a big problem in science is obscure metrics which have no meaning, are easy-to-game and are used to evaluate scientists number of research papers, number of citations, number of patents, etc. This needs to change. The current principal scientific adviser has started talking about science communication but hardcore investments are required. A pandemic is a new, unfamiliar phenomenon for most people. This means that people are scared automatically. A lot of people are ready to try new things and believe new things, which they probably ordinarily wont. A lot of opportunistic people use this -- to earn money, to promote below-mediocre science as solutions. The government needs a very active communication plan which works to fight misinformation. The majority in India is still not on the Internet and for the Government of India, posting things on the social media is not enough One needs to engage with communities. says Dr Bhaumik. Science communication, he says, should be done in regional languages for greater relevance. Which brings one back to the question what does one do if the political leadership itself chooses to overlook public statements which are blatantly anti-science? And how does one advocate for rational thought in a society where faith holds the trump card? There is no short and easy answer. But one must continue to call out pseudo-science, and one must do that in a language and idiom that is accessible to most people in this country. Perhaps Indias successful fight against polio offers a lesson. It was not just the vaccine that did it. It was consistent communication with communities and engagement with a wide array of influencers. This included religious leaders. During the battle against polio, vaccine resistance had varied from the overt to the covert in several districts. I remember several conversations with polio vaccine-refusers. Many were from marginalised communities who had never really had access to other basic services, such as clean water. They were wary of the vaccine and were easily manipulated into believing absurd conspiracy theories. However, eventually, even the vaccine refusers became acceptors. The change came about through sustained efforts which mostly focused on communities. We need to remember that. This irrational use of steroids has led to a range of side-effects. (DC file photo) HYDERABAD: Heavy intake of steroids with no vitamin and immune supplementation has led to further deterioration of health of Covid19-recovered patients. They are reporting back to hospitals with complaints of black fungus, urinary tract infection, recurrent diarrhea and compromised lung-functioning. During and after treatment, the protocols for improving the immunity to ensure overall recovery are not being followed by these patients. Says a doctor, "The focus has been to save life. In the bargain, there has been indiscriminate use of steroids. If one did not work, another was tried. No set protocol is being followed in the second wave. Due to this, a range of side-effects are evident." Antibiotics and steroids are Schedule H drugs but are delivered freely. Dr Sai Kumar Katam, president of the Doctor of Pharmacy Association explains, "The highest use of steroids namely dexamethasone and methylprednisolone is observed in the second wave. After the schedule of treatment went viral on social media, these medicines were dispensed without prescription at pharmacies. Antibiotics and steroids have been overused many patients opted for self-treatment." This irrational use of steroids has led to a range of side-effects. In Telangana, the government medical tool kit has steroid methyl prednisolone, which is given after five days if symptoms of fever, body pain, fatigue, cough and cold do not disappear. Improper use of steroids also includes stopping it suddenly, rather than tapering off. This affects ones health. The sugar levels in borderline patients have flared up and most of them are not aware. It has also been noted by pharmacists that those who self-prescribed took the medicines for three days. If cough, cold and fatigue persisted, they took it again for 10 to 15 days. This kind of use is now backfiring. Dr Mohammed Shafi, a senior infectious disease specialist explains: "Disturbance is noted in gut flora among recovered patients, leading to lack of appetite, diarrhea, nausea, acid reflux, vomiting of blood and other gastrointestinal problems. People are not willing to acknowledge self-medication and it requires strict questioning to understand their treatment regime. Further medications can lead to drug interactions." In the last one week, hospitals in Hyderabad say they are not only getting patients with complaints of black fungus but also of gum infections, recurrent diarrhea, urinary tract infection and other problems in the gastro-intestinal tract. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. The Internet Explorer 11 desktop application will be retired and go out of support on June 15, 2022, for certain versions of Windows 10. (Pixabay) Washington: Microsoft has said that it is retiring its long-standing browser Internet Explorer on June 15 next year after serving the netizens for over 25 years. The veteran web browser was released with Windows 95, the tech giant said in a blog post on Wednesday. "The Internet Explorer 11 desktop application will be retired and go out of support on June 15, 2022, for certain versions of Windows 10," Sean Lyndersay, a Microsoft Edge programme manager said while commenting on the decision. "The future of Internet Explorer on Windows 10 is in Microsoft Edge. Not only is Microsoft Edge a faster, more secure and more modern browsing experience than Internet Explorer, but it is also able to address a key concern: compatibility for older, legacy websites and applications. "Microsoft Edge has Internet Explorer mode (IE mode) built in, so you can access those legacy Internet Explorer-based websites and applications straight from Microsoft Edge," Lyndersay said. Internet Explorer mode in Microsoft Edge will be supported through at least 2029, the blog post said. Internet Explorer debuted in 1995 as part of Windows 95 and became an instant hit. It successfully killed off Netscape Navigator, and it achieved a virtual monopoly in the early 2000s. At its 2002 peak, Internet Explorer commanded 95 per cent of the browser market, CNN reported. Once the most-used web browser, Internet Explorer had been on a steady downward trajectory for nearly two decades. Its share of the browser market fell below the 50 per cent threshold in 2010 and now sits at about 5 per cent, the report said. Google's Chrome is the browser leader, commanding a 69 per cent share of the market. The tech giant has been phasing out the old browser for several years - but in 2019 it had to issue an emergency patch for it, for security reasons, the BBC reported. At that point it was estimated that around 8 per cent of people were still using it. Between 2000 and 2005, Internet Explorer enjoyed a 90 per cent market share. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. Swarthmore, PA (19081) Today Cloudy. Some light rain will fall throughout the day. High 69F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%.. Tonight Overcast. Low near 60F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph. Ballykelly's Shackleton Complex will be buzzing with excitement next month, with the return of racing action in the first rally event of 2021 in Ireland. It will have the added bonus with the accommodation of spectators with a relaxation of the restrictions that closed sporting venues for the best part of a year. It makes for an action-packed afternoon, as as drivers will complete up to eight timed runs over the exciting and challenging roads and lanes within the 620-acre former military airport complex. There have been entries from 120 competitors, from all over the country, in ten different classes. These include flame spitting turbo charged four wheel drive R5 Fiestas, R2 Fiestas, WRC Subaru Imprezas and Mitsubishi EVOs. There will be some beautifully prepared and incredibly fast rear wheel drive Ford Escorts, BMWs and Toyotas. Added to the mix will be Honda Civics, Peugeot 205s and 208s, Renaults, Opels and Vauxhalls in the front wheel drive classes, all competing for the honours for fastest overall time of the day. As this is the first rally in Ireland in 2021 the entry is packed with many top-class drivers, navigators and beautiful cars wanting to at last blow out the cobwebs and get seat time in preparation for normality which we hope will return soon. A high action event is expected around this superb rally venue and it all starts at 10.30am. The government restrictions limit the number of overall attendees, so it is advised to get to Shackleton early in the day to avoid any disappointments. The Entry List for this event together with full details of future events, information and pictures can be found at the RSA website - www.therallysportassociation.com The Rallysport Association makes a return to Shackleton with another six classes for their first event of 2021. An all-Ireland entry is expected in the phenomenally exciting superbike engine race buggies, a huge entry is expected for the highly popular Mini Cup class and with the rear-wheel-drive MX5s on track this will undoubtedly be another superb RSA event. Start your engines can be heard and smelt at 10.15am at all RSA events and spectators are always very welcome and with the adult entry fee of only 10 and deals available for children and families together with senior citizens enjoying free entry, what better way to enjoy a Spring Saturday. Dont miss it. Contact info@therallysportassociation.com or on 028 38 39 3344 for more information. They do that for the pressure hull and for the tanks that can either keep a sub at the surface or in the depths when filled with air or water, as well as the outer skin of the boat and its diving planes. This could be my last chance to get sober, to live a happy and joyous life. Those are the desperate words of a Derry woman battling alcohol addiction for years who could not free herself from its grip. She didnt know how to live without alcohol. It was used as a coping mechanism to suppress underlying trauma. But, she says, after reaching out to addiction support group Heal the Hurt (HTH), her recovery has been astounding. Heal the Hurt has helped me to realise that childhood trauma was not my fault, to face my past and see it as the past, not my today. With the help of group therapy in a safe environment of discussion and no judgements I slowly started believing in myself again with the help and power of the 12 steps to recovery. She adds: I now have a new thinking process, I had to relearn a lot of things that I thought were true about me and I see now that I was sick and trying to get better. The woman, who wished to remain anonymous to avoid destabilising her recovery, says she had to confront her own selfishness; the hurt and trauma that was being passed on to the next generation. Breaking the cycle of alcohol abuse was key, she says, to ensure that her children and grandchildren never know that pain. She is proud to have climbed that mountain: Those were my wildest dreams that I thought I would never achieve and now I am with the help of Heal the Hurt. Its amazing for everyone, especially my children. They got their mammy back and I got to be their true, amazing mammy again and their world. I do my best not to judge or be judged, its all part of my recovery. At group sessions she now leads by example by helping others to see the beauty of not being a slave to addiction - to see the beauty in the world, not the darkness. DEVASTATED FAMILIES HTH founder, Liam Stewart, himself a recovering addict, says the addiction charity has gone from strength to strength despite difficulties posed by the pandemic. Numbers attending have almost doubled. Last year the NI health service recorded over 3.5 million anti-depressant prescription items at a cost of over 18m. Mr Stewart points to the amount spent on anti-depressants in Northern Ireland as evidence of the need to address a mounting mental health crisis. While anti-depressants arent specifically categorised as addictive, abuse of other types of prescription medication locally is of great concern to the Derry man. He says: People were forced to stay at home over the past year where they drank more than usual to cope with the stress. Their medication seemed to increase and its understandable that a lot of people crossed the line and are now in addiction. Alcohol misuse alone costs Northern Ireland as much as 900 million a year, with up to 250 million of this falling on an already stretched Health and Social Care sector. Despite these significant costs, the Department of Health allocates a relatively small budget to tackling the problem - 8 million for implementation of its Drugs and Alcohol strategy, and a further 8 million for statutory addiction services from the mental health budget. That represents around five per cent of the budget, according to the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA). Derry and Belfast have the highest mortality rates related to alcohol mis-use in the North. Speaking candidly, Mr Stewart explains: The depths of addiction in our very own group has claimed the lives of 41 people, the youngest being only 19 families that are devastated forever. Our referrals have doubled since July last year with the impact of Covid. I believe Heal the Hurt has been a lifeline to many people, where theres no appointment needed and people are made very welcome. Our service is also free of charge. SMILES Underlining that point, another member of Heal the Hurt shared their experience with the Derry News. As a parent to three boys, he had attended with his GP and other health professionals but felt that no-one understood. He fell deeper into a hole of alcohol and drug abuse before finding the motivation to attend Heal the Hurt on the recommendation of a friend. While anxious at first, he grew more comfortable as other people recounted experiences similar to his own. I decided to give the programme a go, today I am in recovery. I never thought I could imagine a life without drink and drugs, yet here I am today, focussing on whats really important, understanding its all about giving back, its about my boys and family. He concludes: My actions today are having an impact on my three boys and family. I used to bring only tears to my family, now today, I bring smiles. Is it hard? Of course it is, its tough, but looking at my children and family smiling now is whats important. This makes me hungry for more of this programme and more of Heal the Hurt. Meetings are currently held in a small room at the back of Northside Shopping Centre in Galliagh. Since it was established, Heal the Hurts path has not been straightforward, it has faced the threat of closure on more than one occasion. However, Mr Stewart expressed his gratitude to the local community for their generous donations which have allowed the doors to remain open. Group member, Brandon McManus (above), is the latest to kindly donate 600. These people are saving lives and reuniting families. Thats priceless, Mr Stewart says. Special mention was given to the Friars of Renewal for their input over the past five years, particularly Brother Patrick, who Mr Stewart described as one of his best friends. Brother Patrick is now living in New York where he is continuing to help people with addiction. If you have been affected by any issues covered in the story, contact details for Heal the Hurt can be found on Facebook. If you are experiencing a mental health crisis and need support or if you have observed someone who is in distress and may come to significant harm through self-harm and suicidal behaviour please call the Community Crisis Intervention Service can be contacted on: 028 7126 2300 And if you need to speak to someone urgently, please call Lifeline on 0808 808 8000, the Samaritans or attend your local Emergency Department. Other services are also available in the city and can be found online. Derry Camogie Board have paid tribute to H&A Mechanical Services, their long-term sponsor, who stepped down this season. Representatives of the camogie board made a presentation of their thanks at the company's base in Ballinascreen on Friday afternoon. "Derry Camogie marked a historic partnership between H&A, by presenting them with a token of appreciation for all they have done for Derry Camogie," read a statement on their Facebook page. "We thank H&A for their generous sponsorship over the last 12 playing years. Their support is not something we take lightly and is very much appreciated by everyone connected with the county. "We hope to continue the success and we wish you, H&A, all the very best in the business. We promise to keep you updated on our journey ahead. Having the support you gave made things a lot easier." Derry begin their league campaign against All-Ireland champions Down on Saturday in Castlewellan (2.00) before entertaining Antrim at Owenbeg on Saturday, May 29. Today marks the 40th anniversary of the death of hunger striker Patsy O'Hara. The Derry man died on May 21, 1981. In all, ten IRA and INLA prisoners died in the 1981 hunger strike which was organised in protest at the British government's stance towards political prisoners. Raymond McCreesh died on the same day as Patsy O'Hara. Their deaths had been preceded by those of Bobby Sands (May 5) and Francis Hughes (May 12). Another Derry man, Mickey Devine, was the last man to die on the hunger strike, on August 20, 1981. Patsy O'Hara, who was from the Bishop Street area of Derry and who had been sentenced to eight years in prison in 1980 for possession of a hand grenade, was 23 when he died. His family have said that they will hold a private act of remembrance today to mark the 40th anniversary of his death. A Grammy Award-winning ensemble are to appear at this year's City of Derry International Choir Festival which will feature the world premieres of four pieces of choral music.. Plans for a ninth edition of the much-loved and anticipated annual autumn festival, due to take place from October 20-24 were announced today. Festival organisers say they are excited and looking forward to further easing of restrictions in the summer and autumn months. The autumn event follows last year's hugely successful online festival which racked up over 250,000 views from 50 countries worldwide, and the organisers are hopeful this years event will feature a programme of both live and digital concerts, performances, workshops, podcasts and events. Internationally-renowned guest artists will include the Grammy Award-winning American a cappella ensemble Chanticleer, described as the 'worlds reigning male chorus' by The New Yorker, and known across the globe as the 'Orchestra of Voices.' Also appearing in a programme of live and live-streamed concerts willl be acclaimed conductor and composer Bob Chilcott, award-winning Derry chamber choir Codetta, and the Ulster Orchestra. The Festival has commissioned four brand-new pieces of choral music that will have their world premieres at the October Festival. Khatron Ke Khiladi 11s Sourabh On Fan Moment With Shweta: We Were In Awe Of Her In The Days Of Kasautii Zindagii Ki Mahabharat actor Sourabh Raaj Jain jetted off to Cape Town, South Africa at the beginning of this month to participate in the 11th season of Rohit Shettys Khatron Ke Khiladi. He has been spending lots of quality time with the other contestants during the shoot on set as well as off set and is having a gala time. Well, there is one particular celebrity who left Sourabh feeling like a total fan boy when they met for the first time on the stunt reality show-- Kasautii Zindagii Ki actress Shweta Tiwari. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sourabh Raaj Jain (@sourabhraaj.jain) The actor recently took to his social media handle to share pictures of his fan moment. Along with the adorable post, he wrote: I remember when I was in 12th standard in boarding school, as soon as the clock struck to 8:30 PM we would rush to our wardens window to look at his television set just for Shweta ji. We were all in awe of her in the days of Kasautii Zindagii Ki. And trust me the first time I met her on this show, I had my fan moment. I told her about those days and she of course was as humble as ever. Its an honour to share the screen with someone you have admired and watched on screen.. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sourabh Raaj Jain (@sourabhraaj.jain) In the comment section, Shweta replied with a sweet message which read: This is so sweet Saurabh... People let me tell you something about this man here..He is as committed to his family as he is to his work..! He is Very focused and hardworking and A True Family Man! Well, we cant wait to see them together on the stunt reality show. Subscriber content preview By DAMIAN J. TROISE and ALEX VEIGA AP Business Writers Technology companies led broad gains for stocks on Wall Street Thursday, ending a three-day losing streak for major U.S. indexes. Investors were encouraged by the latest jobs data that showed fewer Americans filing for unemployment benefits, another sign that the economic recovery is underway. . . . AGC/Moss Adams Community Service Award Photo from Sellen Construction Sellen employees participate in several donation drives each year. Sellen Construction Community support has always been a part of Sellen; the spirit of service is a part of its DNA. Today, Sellen employs a full-time community-outreach manager and last year contributed more than $415,000 to nonprofit organizations in the community through Sellen and the Sellen Community Foundation. The company holds two workplace giving campaigns each year and, last year, despite managing the giving campaigns virtually, employees still donated more than $200,000 to nonprofits. Sellen employees also participate in several donation drives each year, extending their personal philanthropic giving and often including their family members in their endeavors. Sellen offers employees VTO (volunteer time off) and, in the last few years, Sellen employees have contributed over 2,000 paid volunteer hours back into the communities where they work, live and play. Employees are encouraged to use their VTO time toward causes they are passionate about, or are welcome to join a company-wide service day. In 2019, the company launched Executive Service Days, where a team of Sellen leaders select a local nonprofit and rally Sellen employees to join them in their volunteer efforts. Sellen and the Sellen Community Foundation partner to offer a Dollars for Doers program that will donate $500 to a charitable organization to which an employee is donating time. Sellen believes that a company has both the responsibility and honor to make a significant impact in its community and there is no doubt that the events of 2020 changed lives and our community forever. When Sellen went virtual, it remained committed to its community by offering employees safe or at-home volunteer opportunities, and by hosting Zoom events with various nonprofits. Additionally, the Sellen Community Foundation contributed over $67,000 in emergency grants to local nonprofits fighting food insecurity, critical health care needs or housing evictions due to COVID-19 impacts. Last year, Sellen and the Sellen Community Foundation made substantial, sustainable philanthropic commitments to local nonprofit organizations fighting for racial equity and social justice thus far, committing an additional $50,000 to advance this work, including $15,000 in scholarship funds at local universities to fund diverse students. Sellen recognizes the need and responsibility to create opportunities for those underserved in the community and underrepresented at all roles in the construction industry. This year, Sellen launched a campaign to raise funds for a local nonprofit that helps break down barriers into the trades especially for BIPOC and womxn and asked specialty contractors to donate as well. To date, over $60,000 has been raised toward this mission. Throughout its 76 years in Seattle, Sellen has embraced its core value of community. While the company knows that it still has much work to do, it is fortunate to be able to serve its purpose to improve the lives of those around it as builders, partners and neighbors through this work. Other Stories: Superintendent Of The Year Porto Travis Porto Swinerton For Travis Porto, project planning starts long before the project does, and safety is involved immediately. Porto starts off every project by completing a page-turn of the plans and a logistics meeting with the project manager, engineers and the safety manager. This ensures that all aspects for the entirety of the project are discussed and any issues found during the meeting have a solution in place prior to the project beginning. Following this meeting, Porto and the project safety manager develop the site-specific safety plan while conducting a site visit to ensure that the general public is protected and each phase of the project can be completed safely. On all projects he supervises, Porto keeps safety as a priority. If the job cannot be completed in a safe manner, Porto will work with safety managers and specialty contractors to find a solution. Weekly specialty contractor meetings always start with a discussion on safety and an open forum for specialty contractors to voice any areas of concern. Porto leads daily all-hands meetings, which include stretch-and-flex exercises, and weekly task-specific toolbox talks. To ensure the projects housekeeping is never a concern, Porto routinely sets a rule that all specialty contractors must not allow any trash or debris from material be left on the floor. On his most recent project, Porto enforced zero cords left on the floor, which reduced tripping hazards and kept cord management a minimal issue. Portos projects are often as spotless as a construction site can be, and as is often said, a clean jobsite helps set a high precedent for safety and worker morale. Porto is always assisting his specialty contractors in task planning and ensures that the safety manager is involved as needed. Other Stories: Subscriber content preview YAKIMA (AP) The Washington state Department of Labor and Industries is creating a new team aimed at improving farmworker safety. When fully staffed, the agriculture compliance unit will create 16 new positions, the Yakima Herald reported. Thirteen of those posts will focus on agriculture worksite inspection and safety complaints. Three will work on education and outreach to farm operators and employees, according to a news release. . . . Subscriber content preview LAS VEGAS (AP) The Malaysia-based owner of one of the biggest casino projects ever on the Las Vegas Strip won regulatory approval Thursday to deal cards, roll dice and welcome gamblers when Resorts World Las Vegas opens on June 24. With praise for the $4.3 billion development and the boost it could provide in a pandemic-battered economy, the Nevada Gaming Commission granted licenses to Genting Group, based in Kuala Lumpur, and its publicly traded subsidiary, Genting Malaysia Berhad. . . . The post-pandemic world will offer increasing opportunities for travel and tourism, and the addition of this new low-cost carrier at Norfolk International Airport will be a catalyst for economic growth, welcoming visitors to our Commonwealth with convenient, nonstop service to often overlooked markets. We are honored that Breeze Airways has selected Virginia as one of its first domestic locations and look forward to building a strong and successful partnership with the company. News Committee for King encouraged community dialogue with five-part online forum In this screengrab, moderator and Winter Institute Youth Engagement Manager Von Gordon, FWD.us Mississippi Director Alesha Judkins, Southern Poverty Law Center Staff Attorney Leslie Faith Jones and MacArthur Justice Center Director Cliff Johnson host a panel during systemic racism's impact on the criminal justice system on May 16 as part of the Committee for King's systemic racism online panel discussion. The discussion is the final panel of a monthly five-part series that began in January and wrapped up this week. TUPELO After 35 years, the Committee for King (CFK) found an additional way to carry on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.s legacy beyond his birthday weekend. Since January, the organization has been hosting monthly discussions, posted online, covering systemic racism in education, health/wellness, banking/finance, and criminal justice. The series was made possible through a partnership with the William Winter Institute for Racial Reconciliation. The series concluded May 16 with a panel discussion about systemic racisms impact on the criminal justice system. It featured FWD.us Mississippi Director Alesha Judkins, Southern Poverty Law Center Staff Attorney Leslie Faith Jones and MacArthur Justice Center Director Cliff Johnson. Over the course of about 90 minutes, panelists discussed their personal journeys with criminal justice work, how history continues influencing the penal system in the South, and what Mississippi and local communities can do to address issues within the justice system, such as Mississippi having one of the highest incarceration rates in the nation, with a disproportionate amount of those locked up being Black people. "To the extent that we think about our next steps, what do we invest in?" Jones said during the panel. "If we're investing in root causes to try to minimize and mitigate for better outcomes, then it's no different than thinking about your health care system, it's no different than thinking about your educational system, it's no different than thinking about your banking system. All of it makes you a stronger community, so it's worth it." The panel was indicative of the kinds of conversations CFK sought to facilitate when they first launched the series in January, said CFK chairperson Shawn Brevard. Since 1986, Tupelo has celebrated the late U.S. Civil Rights leader with a birthday weekend celebration each January. As it did for most events, COVID-19 changed those plans. The pandemic forced CFK to revamp their keystone weekend celebration for 2021 and also provided an opportunity to do things differently, Brevard said. Ever since the 2020 protests against police brutality and racism in the wake of George Floyds death last May, communities across North Mississippi like Tupelo have hosted community forums and panels addressing systemic racism within their own communities. The CFK series started with a panel in January introducing future topics. Every third Sunday, from February to May, CFK covered one of the four topic areas in more detail. The purpose was to provide an opportunity to understand how each topic relates to the community and consider ways to be better community members with each other. Join the discussion The entire Committee for King five-part series is available at https://www.committeeforking.org. Organizers invite members of the community to share their thoughts and comments with CFK on their Facebook page, Committee.For.King. Our purpose was not to hit anyone over the head with a definitive answer on things. This was to have an open panel discussion with individuals, both local and regional, who have expertise and experience in these specific topic areas, Brevard said. Its important to have dialogue and consider how different peoples lived experiences affect their quality of life. Each panel was recorded and made available live via Zoom and CFKs Facebook page, or posted shortly after on the CFK website, in order to make the content widely available while allowing people to participate in the topics on their own time. The need for dialogue William Winter Institute Youth Engagement Manager Von Gordon served as moderator for all five panels. One of his priorities was to create a space where people could be honest without fear of castigation. Gordon's goal was to foster constructive conversations that recognized how racism can operate without peoples full knowledge. Racism is a very corrosive form of oppression. It will not just go away," Gordon said. "Individuals must transform how they understand humanity and institutions must root it out of policy and practice. Only then will there be systemic progress. But none of that happens without dialogue, especially among neighbors." Quote "Imagine Lee County as a boat. If racism keeps poking holes in the boat, your side might not sink first but it won't be long. Tupelo is a relatively small boat. Take on racism or take on water." Von Gordon William Winter Institute for Racial Reconciliation Cathy Grace, co-director of the Graduate Center for the Study of Early Learning at the University of Mississippi, was invited to participate in the education forum to discuss how early childhood is a key time in the development of children's beliefs around difference and acceptance. During the panel, Grace sought illuminate how prejudice and expectations plays out in preschool expulsion rates, with the U.S. Department of Education federal data showing that Black children are expelled at higher rates than their white peers. She also emphasized the importance of early childhood education, and how she encourages other educators to reflect. In my role as a teacher educator, I try to put forth some questions that would result in there being self reflection in terms of where we all stand in our own personal biases and how we acknowledge those internally so that when we are teaching or engaged with other people that we are mindful of the fact that we need to be open and really listen to what folks are saying, Grace said. This way we can start the communication that leads to acceptance that leads to true understanding and friendships and relationships. The panel helped bring out issues for consideration and discussion while revealing current issues around ensuring an equity of services and treatments for kids based on their needs. She hopes by having these kinds of conversations with a larger audience can lead to changes in public schools and the community in general. If you want a strong community, youve got to invest in your people, Grace said. The community would invest in whatever it takes so that all the children in the community have access to a program that prepares them for school so that they are successful when they start school. During the education panel, Gordon said he appreciated hearing from Tupelo Public School District leaders such as superintendent Dr. Rob Picou and TPSD Board of Trustees member Kenneth Wheeler on how racism affected education in the area and how decisions by local leaders can either change or perpetuate that cycle. A key takeaway from the panels was how leadership would be important in ensuring the gains of the last 50 years are not taken for granted, Gordon said. Gordon hopes forums such as CFKs can open doors to be honest, truthful, and learn in communities like Lee County. Racism has destroyed a great deal of human potential and possibility globally," he said. "Imagine Lee County as a boat. If racism keeps poking holes in the boat, your side might not sink first but it won't be long. Tupelo is a relatively small boat. Take on racism or take on water." When it came to discussing systemic racism in Tupelo, Brevard was inspired by William Winter Institute public policy coordinator and Rethink Mississippi editor Jake McGraw to question the idea of Tupelo being regarded as a harmonious community, but not always a just one. The push was, are we settling for harmony over justice? Thats sort of the concept, is it surface or is it below the surface? Are we really being fair, being equitable, or are we just trying to be satisfied with not fighting with each other and being harmonious but being separate but unequal, Brevard said. When organizing the discussion, CFK wanted to acknowledge each topic was deep, layered, interconnected topics, and that there is no single one solution, Brevard said. The hope would be that individuals and organizations can think about the systems that have been in place over long periods of time that have been damaging to people of color, she said. Quite honestly, if they damage our neighbors, they damage us. Whether we recognize it or not, were all connected. So how do we help each other? I think we have to take some responsibility for our fellow man, woman. Brevard hopes the community valued the experience and will continue to value it. We hope to share with our community more ways that we can work on these topics, Brevard said. This is an ongoing community dialogue that has begun. Warrants were issued for eight students who are 18 and juvenile petitions were filed against four younger ones, according to the sheriffs office. The students were charged with trespassing, breaking and entering, and injury to property. "I can tell you that if he were here today, he would be smiling. He would be humbled. He was a humble person and very proud. I can't express my appreciation to everybody that made this possible for my dad so that he will have a legacy when I'm gone." Debbie Stolz daughter of World War II vet Cpl. Walter Gann Quote Duncan, OK (73533) Today A mix of clouds and sun. Hot and humid. High 94F. Winds S at 15 to 25 mph.. Tonight Some clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low near 70F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph. Road safety experts have warned of surface water on many routes in Louth following persistent rain over the past 24 hours. Met Eireann said that a weather station in Moore Park in Co Cork recorded 30mm of rain. Transport Infrastructure Ireland said: "We advise all motorists to slow down and take extra care on your journeys to avoid delays, check for any travel disruptions via http://traffic.tii.ie." The weather will be cool and overcast today with outbreaks of rain, especially across Leinster. It will brighten up in the afternoon with drier conditions extending southwards. Met Eireann said Saturday will start dry and sunny but will be followed by scattered showers. Forecasters said it will be cool and unsettled into early next week, but with tentative signs of settled weather from midweek. On Sunday evening, Rasaiocht Con Eireann / Greyhound Racing Ireland hosted the 2020 National Greyhound Racing Awards, honouring the stars in Greyhound Racing from last year. In line with the current restrictions on gatherings in place, this years event was hosted virtually and streamed live to both a national and international audience. Hosted by Ian Fortune, the event honoured greyhounds in seven different award categories with the ultimate award of Supreme Greyhound of the Year going to 2020 National Produce Stakes and Irish Greyhound Derby Winner Newinn Taylor. Three Human Awards were also presented with Louth's Brenda Powderly going home with the Special Merit Award, the Hall of Fame gong going to Jimmy Barry Murphy and the Welfare Award won by Sarah Hensman. Brenda Powderly needs no introduction to greyhound racing supporters. She was appointed as an Irish Retired Greyhound Trust Committee member in 2016 and in 2017 was first appointed as a Trustee of the IRGT by the Board of Greyhound Racing Ireland. Based outside Dundalk, Brenda is well known in her role as greyhound owner/trainer as well as an active volunteer for many greyhound rehoming initiatives. Pre-COVID restrictions, Brenda and her beloved retired greyhound Ted spear-headed the meet & greet Ambassador Programme in Shelbourne Park. Creative Spark has recently launched a plan to support creativity, innovation and small business in Louth The Dundalk centre, which is a Company Limited by Guarantee and a registered charity, operates as a not-for-profit social enterprise which aims to develop the local creative industries sector, support new and established innovative enterprises and activate creativity in the community. Creative Spark first opened its doors in October 2012 and is led by a voluntary Board of Directors and a team of experienced staff. As it launched its strategic plan for 2021-2023, Creative Sparks stated vision is to provide a collaborative environment where learners, educators, innovators, start-ups, SMEs, creative industries and the local community can meet and exchange ideas, knowledge and best practice to provide economic opportunity and development across the region. The plan sets out Creative Sparks purpose for the next three years and proposes significant growth in both the physical footprint and ambition of the local hub, ensuring its social impact through greater social inclusion, supporting enterprise and employment. Chair of Creative Spark, Michael Farrell, said: On behalf of the Board and Management team it is a great pleasure and honour for us to share our strategic plan 2021-2023. "This is a very exciting time in the development of Creative Spark with two significant infrastructure projects in development the Enterprise FabLab at Creative Spark in Muirhevnamor, and a new co-working hub, the Creative Spark Downtown Project, which will be launched in Clanbrassil Street this summer. "The extended facility in Muirhevnamor will include a new Creative Spark Community Cafe to encourage social interactions between Creative Spark members, visitors and the local community. These projects have received funding through the Regional Enterprise Development Fund and the Border Enterprise Development Fund administered by Enterprise Ireland. Aidan McKenna, Regional Director North East & North West Regions, Enterprise Ireland said: The Regional Enterprise Development Fund and Border Enterprise Development Fund are designed to support collaborative and innovative initiatives such as Creative Spark to expand capabilities, facilities and supports to entrepreneurs and enterprises in the regions. "This strategic plan launched by Creative Spark provides a vision and pathway to deliver increased supports and capacity building for innovation and design-led practices which is very much welcome. Other significant local supporters of the Creative Spark Downtown Project include Dundalk Economic Development Company (Oriel Hub), Dundalk Credit Union, Dundalk BIDS and Oriel Developments, while Louth County Council is assisting the FabLab project this blend of support highlights the collaborative and partnership approach which Creative Spark brings to its ventures. In its continuing partnership with DkIT, Creative Spark will develop and deliver Level 6 to Level 9 accredited training programmes of direct relevance to the creative industries and manufacturing sectors. Speaking at the launch, Sarah Daly, Executive Director of Creative Spark said: I look forward to delivering this plan over the coming years with the great team of people we have at Creative Spark. "We are excited too that we will be recruiting four new roles over the coming year to help us to ensure that we can realise the vision of the Board of Directors. A third level student whose car collided with another vehicle after he fell asleep on his way home from a night shift at Dublin Airport, avoided a conviction at Dundalk district court last week. Aaron Goodman (22) with an address at Maine, Castlebellingham was originally charged with dangerous driving but the court heard a guilty plea to the lesser charge of careless driving was accepted by the State. The court heard last Wednesday that the two car collision happened on the R132 at Greenmount, Castlebellingham on July third 2018. The defendant was driving a Renault Fluence towards Castlebellingham from Dublin Airport where he had a part-time job as a baggage handler, and he collided with a Dacia Duster that was travelling south. Court Presenter Sgt. Jimmy McGovern said it appears Aaron Goodman may have fallen asleep at the wheel and he agreed with the Defence barrister that his client had remained at the scene, been cooperative and had no previous convictions. His counsel told the court his client is from a very good family and the seriousness of the incident has not been lost on him. He added the defendant had left his job to focus full time on his studies in Blanchardstown where he is in the final year of a digital media course and stressed that the civil case arising out of the collision had been settled. Judge Eirinn McKiernan marked the facts proven and dismissed the case. The directions of the Attorney General are required in the case of two Dublin men who have opted for trial in this jurisdiction in relation to an alleged raid on a filling station in Northern Ireland, Dundalk district court was told last week. Alan Melia (26) of Cherry Orchard Avenue, Ballyfermot and Ross Ellis (26) of Claddagh Road, Ballyfermot, are accused of robbing 717.75 at Applegreen, Tullynacross, Lisburn on August 23rd last year. At their original court appearance in Trim, two days after the alleged robbery, Judge Bernadette Owens heard the DPP had given a direction that the robbery charge can be dealt with in this jurisdiction under the Criminal Law Jurisdiction Act 1976. Alan Melia is further accused of endangerment at Newtownbalregan, Dundalk and three counts of dangerous driving on the M1 at the same location, and at Drumleck and Braganstown, Castlebellingham. He is also charged with separate counts of causing criminal damage to three Garda vehicles. Last Wednesday, Court presenter Sgt Jimmy McGovern told Dundalk district court the DPP has directed trial on indictment in the Circuit Court, but both men may opt for trial in Northern Ireland on the robbery charge. The Defence counsel said he had instructions that they wished to have the matter dealt with in Dundalk. After the court was told the directions of the Attorney General would be required in that regard, Judge Eirinn McKiernan adjourned the case to the 26th of May. Methuen - Michael V. Finn, a longtime resident of Lawrence, passed away unexpectedly and peacefully on May 25, 2021, at the age of 72 while doing something that he loved, playing golf. Known to many as "Mickey", he was born in Lawrence on April 20, 1949 to James L. and Margaret (Bateman) Fin Interview: Success of CPC lies in closeness to people, says Tanzanian party official Xinhua) 13:34, May 21, 2021 DAR ES SALAAM, May 21 (Xinhua) -- By maintaining close ties with the Chinese people, the Communist Party of China (CPC) has achieved great success in economic and social development, a senior official of Tanzania's ruling party Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) has said. Congratulating the CPC on the 100th anniversary of its founding, Abdullah Juma Sadala, CCM's deputy secretary general for Zanzibar, said in a recent interview with Xinhua that the leadership of the CPC is key to China's tremendous development. Decades ago, the CPC led the Chinese people to overthrow imperialist oppression and achieve national liberation; and now, under the leadership of the party, China has scored a complete victory in its fight against absolute poverty, which has greatly improved the people's living standard, said Sadala. These achievements fully prove that the CPC always maintains close connections with the people, the official said, deeming the CPC a party of the people, and more importantly, a party for the people. "When a party is close to the people, the people will respond positively to the party," Sadala added. Recalling his visit to China in 2019, Sadala said he was impressed that the CPC's officials and policy-makers regularly visit communities and explain the party's policies to the grassroots-level party members so that they can better serve the masses. The Chinese people are warm and tolerant, and greatly respect other countries, which is an important reason for China's growing international influence, said Sadala. In international affairs, China advocates seeking common ground while shelving differences with other nations, and contributes to maintaining world peace and global environmental governance through global cooperation, Sadala said. On Tanzania-China relations, Sadala said that the long-standing friendly ties between the two countries were jointly forged by leaders of the older generation and that the two countries are good friends and brothers. Manifestations of this special friendship range from the China-aided Tanzania-Zambia Railway to the Chinese medical team in the country, he said, adding that China and Tanzania also maintain close economic and trade cooperation as well as party-to-party exchanges. China is now the second largest economy in the world, and its achievements in development are obvious to all, said Sadala, voicing hope that the two sides will continue to strengthen dialogue in state governance and better align their development strategies, so as to bring more benefits to the two peoples. (Web editor: Guo Wenrui, Liang Jun) The government's directive prompted a team of doctors and public health experts in the state to hold special online webinars to inform and teach students on practical treatments and differences between handling and risk assessment during the first and second Covid waves. PTI Hyderabad: In a follow-up to the directives from the central and state governments to final- year medical students to join duty and serve in Covid wards, over 250 students from medical colleges in the state would do special training outside of their regular fields so as to help those in need. The government's directive prompted a team of doctors and public health experts in the state to hold special online webinars to inform and teach students on practical treatments and differences between handling and risk assessment during the first and second Covid waves. The team led by Dr P.S. Vijayender, a public health expert and professor at one of the medical colleges in the state, has been taking these classes for the past five days. They started it with about 30-40 volunteers from final year medical courses, and are now adding about a 100 every day. "My idea to start this training was to help lift off a part of the burden on our medical practitioners. These students on the way to become healthcare workers need to be able to help the needy efficiently. For that, they need expert training from as many doctors as possible before they jump into the real world. So far, practitioners like Dr Karuna Madap, a pediatrician and another doctor from AIIMS Rishikesh have helped with the classes," said Dr Vijayender. Several students from among these 250 have started helping patients reaching out to Seva Bharathi with tele-consultation. A final year student, Spoorthi taking the special training, said she has helped about 10-15 patients with different problems relating to Covid. "It has been really helpful. Since last year, we have barely been able to get any practical training. A lot of us are not even sure that we will be able to handle the situation if we volunteer to serve at hospitals as per the government's directive. This has given us an opportunity as well as the confidence to go ahead and help," she said. President Joe Biden says there has been no shift in his commitment to Israels security, but insisted a two-state solution that includes a state for Palestinians remains the only answer to that conflict Oregon Legislature Voters to decide whether health care is a right in Oregon In March of 2017 at a public townhall meeting in Hillsdale, Michigan, Republican Congressman Tim Walberg (MI-07) told the audience, If the public cant comment, we have problems. In the years since (and even before, frankly), he has made a Herculean effort to ensure that the only public who can comment at his public events are those he hand picks as supporters. Because, if there is one thing Tim Walberg cannot abide, its people publicly criticizing him for his actions and, often, his hypocrisy. Recently, a friend of mine had seen some tweets from @TakeCareTim, the Twitter feed run by the amazing Steven Meyer who has doggedly been working to hold Walberg accountable for his actions on a wide array of issues for years. My friend wrote to me with this comment: After Take Care Tim tweeted about the in-district event for Walberg tomorrow, I called the Jackson office to see if Rep. Walberg was doing any town halls or constituent events in Washtenaw County. The intern I spoke to told me, No. I asked if he was in the district this week and he told me, yes, he was. I asked if he was doing events in Jackson County since Im at the western end of my county. The intern told me there were no Jackson County events. Then I asked if he was doing any events anywhere in the district and he said he didnt have access to the Congressmans calendar. I asked who would know, if not the district office? He said this is the right office. He told me it was his understanding that they were on the website. I told him that I had a hard time finding the constituent events on the Walberg.house.gov website and he helped me find them under the About Tim >> Events tab. But they were all in past. I asked if there was a calendar of events that were in the future and he said he didnt know. I could see that Rep. Walberg had a coffee hour in my hometown in early 2020, but that was the last one. I explained to him that I have been a constituent since the Congressman took over for Joe Schwarz. I told him I get the email newsletters from the Representative, but they dont seem to include information on future constituent events, only past events, which is not helpful for me as a constituent. I asked if there was any reason other than venue size or social distancing concerns why they wouldnt tell folks about upcoming constituent events. He said he could think of a few, but it wasnt his place to speak. He tried to end the call, but I made sure he took my name and full address so that it would help him pass along my concerns and suggestions. This is not an unusual experience with Rep. Walberg. As Steven Meyer (and the intern) have pointed out, there is no way to find future events on his website. In fact, they recently changed the website to make sure its clear that only past events are listed: Click image to embiggen As far back as 2019 and beyond, Steven was documenting Tim Walbergs concerted efforts to hold public events where the audience was essentially hand-selected by his staff. This essential Twitter thread is a bit jaw-dropping: [Thread 1/19] @RepWalberg uses a private, partisan campaign business to conduct his official government telephone-town halls. This mini Twitter-exclusive report outlines my new findings. #MI07 pic.twitter.com/ahrhKfMMo6 Take Care, Tim (@TakeCareTim) September 14, 2019 Anyone who has ever attended a Walberg townhall knows that he generally has people write their questions on cards and then his staff pick the ones from his conservative supporters. In fact, at one in 2019, he made it explicit (audio is HERE). When asked what people can do to support him other than voting, he told the person asking the question, Well, I think a good thing to do, is a number of things; one: a town hall meeting like this, invite your friends. I dont know how many thousands of emails, etcetera we sent out. I leave that to my staff. But I dont come to a meeting like this to have the smallest group that I can possibly have. Thats not my purpose. You can invite people, you can begin talking about it. You can let people know that there are people that think like them, that are out there, cause were feeling like, as conservatives, were all alone! Aside from the absurd notion that conservatives in the heavily gerrymandered 7th Congressional District of Michigan feel alone, its clear that from his statements and from his actions that Tim Walberg wants to avoid being asked tough questions at all costs. Walberg has told some people who have questioned why he doesnt announce his public events in advance that its because the Capitol Police and Sergeant at Arms have cautioned them not to. However, in an analysis conducted by Steven Meyer, its clear that this is certainly not the case: Image credit: Steven Meyer This clearly nonsensical excuse is just that: an excuse. All of the other Michigan members of Congress except Jack Bergman are holding public events that are announced in advance. And there is obviously no reason for the Congressman to feel theres any threat from constituents during a telephone townhall. At the end of the day, what is quite clear is that Tim Walberg does not have the courage to face constituents with whom he disagrees. He intentionally fills his telephone and in-person townhalls with friendly supporters and controls which questions he responds to. It is my prediction that, when the 7th Congressional District is redrawn, Tim Walberg will be in a far more competitive district. At that point, rather than actually having to work for votes and support, he will simply retire with his state legislature pension and his Congressional pension, taking his money and going home. As Steven Meyer would say, take care, Tim. Stay up to date on COVID-19 Get Breaking News Sign up now to get our FREE breaking news coverage delivered right to your inbox. Sponsored By: St Anthony's Hospital Over 5.5 lakh students who have been promoted to the next class will receive their grades as a one-time measure. Representational image/DC Image HYDERABAD: The TS Secondary School Certificate (SSC) grades will be declared on Friday at 11 am on the official website bse.telangana.gov.in. This was stated by an official from the state education department here on Thursday. The exams were cancelled last month and all students were declared passed. The results have been prepared on the basis of their performance in internal assessments. The government had announced that grades would be awarded duly considering the performances in internal assessment marks for 20 per cent (only one formative assessment was conducted instead of two due to Covid-19) and 20 per cent of internal marks would be scaled up to 100 per cent marks. Over 5.5 lakh students who have been promoted to the next class will receive their grades as a one-time measure. Last year too, about 5.3 lakh SSC students were assessed for results based on year-long performance due to lockdown that came into force in March. Washington, MO (63090) Today Partly cloudy with a slight chance of thunderstorms. Hot. High 93F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 30%.. Tonight Partly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 72F. Winds light and variable. Border changes confirmed for Monday Changes to the Isle of Mans borders that were announced earlier this week will come into effect on Monday. The Council of Ministers has reviewed the latest data and agreed that it is the right course of action. They will continue to monitor the situation closely. Chief Minister, Howard Quayle MHK, commented: We have reviewed the data and believe that this is the right balance for the current circumstances. We are happy to confirm that the Island can progress with the next round of changes to our borders. This ease in isolation requirements will hopefully mean more flexibility for those able to travel. For the moment, we will not be changing the categories of those who are eligible to travel to the Island: Isle of Man Residents, immediate family, property owners and those with a contract of employment of at least three months. There are still some areas of uncertainty and concern regarding the UKs current situation. We will continue to review relevant developments including the impact of the India variant. We encourage all residents to think carefully when considering travel and to make the right personal choices. It is important to bear in mind that the situation can change rapidly and anyone travelling needs to prepare for these eventualities. As a community we still need to stay vigilant. If you show any COVID-19 symptoms please isolate and call 111. More information on the border changes can be found in the FAQs. Chief Minister Chandrashekar Rao interacting with inmates of the Covid ward at MGM hospital in Warangal on Friday. (Photo: Twitter@TelanganaCMO) WARANGAL: Exploring the idea of shifting the Warangal Central Prison out of the city and setting up a health facility in its place, Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao toured Warangal and took a round of the Covid ward inside the MGM hospital. Wearing a mask and a face-shield, the CM walked up to Covid-19 patients inside the ICU ward and enquired about the treatment they were receiving. He asked them to cite shortcomings, if any, and jotted down some complaints. He also examined the medical equipment in the ward. The CM asked the patients not to entertain any fear about the disease. An elderly man from Mattewada, Venkatachary, told the CM he was getting good medical attention. He also raised slogans of KCR Zindabad. Later, the CM visited the general ward and asked officials to procure all required equipment at any cost. He appreciated the works of doctors and others in the hospital. After taking over the health portfolio from Etela Rajendar, Chandrashekar Rao has been busy overseeing the treatment of Coronavirus patients in state-run hospitals. He recently visited Gandhi Hospital in Hyderabad. As part of changes in MGM hospital, the superintendent Dr Nagarjuna Reddy has been replaced with Dr V. Chandrashekar ahead of the CMs visit. After lunch at Rajya Sabha MP V. Lakshmikantha Raos residence in Hunter Road, Rao headed for the Warangal central prison. He interacted with the inmates and evinced interest in the products they made. He elicited information from the officials. Letters sent out ahead of 2021 Isle of Man Census Census night will take place on Sunday 30 May. Letters are being sent out this week to every household in the Island ahead of the process, which is held every 10 years. A major change with this years census is that people are being strongly encouraged to complete the process online rather than using paper forms. All households have a legal obligation to complete the census. Those which dont face prosecution for failing to provide the requested information. Faye Greenhaw, 88, of Athens, passed away Tuesday, June 8, 2021, at her residence. Mrs. Greenhaw was born on February 26, 1933, to Alvie Lee Leopard and Bobbie Webb Leopard. Mrs. Greenhaw is survived by her sons; David Greenhaw (Charlsa) and Don Greenhaw; daughters, Kathy Robinson and Brenda The California Air Resources Board has approved a mandate requiring most trips on ride-hailing platforms to be in electric vehicles by 2030. California is the first state to approve such a rule in the US, and it has long been a trailblazer in EV adoption that other states follow and emulate. Under the new rule, EVs must account for 2 percent of vehicle miles by rideshare fleets by 2023. Those EV miles must jump to 50 percent by 2027 and to 90 percent by 2030. Both Uber and Lyft already made the commitment to fully transition to electric vehicles by 2030. The companies have plans in place to help drivers afford the switch or to offer them rentals if they don't want to drive their own. They're also offering other incentives to drivers that switch to greener cars, including lowering their service fees. Still, Uber and Lyft reportedly told the regulator in their written comment for the agency that while it supported its goals, it needs the government's aid with transition costs for many lower and middle-income drivers. According to Reuters, the companies said the regulator's targets were "based on uncertain and unrealistic assumptions." Further, some CARB members themselves expressed concerns over the rule's impact on drivers, especially since there's no guarantee that the ride-hailing companies will truly help them. As board board member Nathan Fletcher said: "There is no way for us to make sure that the (companies) actually bear the costs to address the greenhouse gases and air pollution they're creating and profiting off." CARB Chair Liane Randolph, however, believes the rule will contribute to the state's climate efforts: EV maker Fisker is building an all-electric popemobile based on its Ocean SUV. It plans to deliver the vehicle to the Vatican next year. Fisker co-founders Henrik Fisker and Dr. Geeta Gupta-Fisker met with Pope Francis on Thursday to present their concept for a greener popemobile. It will have an all-glass cupola that will allow the pope to greet the public. Presumably, the EV will be armored and the glass will be bulletproof, as has been the case with popemobiles built by Mercedes-Benz. Hybrid popemobiles have been built in the past, but this will be the first fully electric one. "The interior of the Fisker Ocean papal transport will contain a variety of sustainable materials, including carpets made from recycled plastic bottles from the ocean," Fisker said in a statement. Fisker aims to start production of the standard Ocean in November 2022. It remains to be seen whether the pope will get his EV before regular Ocean deliveries start. In any case, the electric popemobile is far more likely to actually exist than a solar-powered one Pope Benedict XVI wanted a decade ago. Shocked to hear that Capital Pipeline paid over $4 million to ransomware attackers? Now Bloomberg reports that one of the largest insurance companies in the US, CNA, paid $40 million after a similar attack on its systems in March. The company refused to make any kind of detailed comment on the incident, saying only that it followed the law. Anadolu Agency via Getty Images According to experts, that figure is larger than any ransom payout disclosed so far, made just as attacks have increased exponentially over the last few months. And with that money coming in, I wouldnt expect to see things slow down any time soon. Richard Lawler I mean, it has a laser. Its not a great feeling when a product shines a light on your deficiencies as an adult. Mat Smith, while putting Dysons V15 Detect through its paces, came to realize his floors were pretty filthy. And they had probably been that way for a while. With a laser-attached cleaning head, and a particle counting sensor that adjusts the power of the vacuum to deal with messier spots, the V15 is a powerful, expensive stick vacuum. Continue reading. More hydrogen stations needed. Toyota Toyotas 2021 redesign of its hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle, the Mirai, resulted in a more efficient and more stylish vehicle. The only issue is that without an established hydrogen fueling infrastructure, the Mirai is trapped in California. There are reasons to still be interested, though. With a lower starting price of $50,000, which includes $15,000 (or six years, whichever comes first) of free fuel, its tough to deny the Mirais appeal if you happen to live next to a fueling station. Continue reading. Its changing the rules. Overwatch 2 won't arrive until 2022 at the earliest , but it will change the way you play the hero shooter. New Game Director Aaron Keller announced the series is moving to a five-on-five player-versus-player format. Youll be losing one of your tank characters, so teams will consist of two damage dealers, two support heroes and a single tank. Continue reading. Like an Apple Chromecast. Belkin Belkins Soundform Connect aims to match the features of Googles Chromecast, but for Apple hardware. The $100 dongle can connect to any traditional home speaker and turn it into an AirPlay 2-compatible smart speaker you can cast audio to from iPhones and iPads running iOS 11.4 and iPadOS 11.4. What it has over existing Chromecasts, though, is the inclusion of a 3.5mm headphone jack, making it compatible with a huge array of speakers. Continue reading. But they aren't for sale. Snap Snapchat just showed off its long-rumored augmented reality-enabled Spectacles. The latest glasses are the fourth iteration of Spectacles, but the first to have augmented reality features built in. CEO Evan Spiegel unveiled the new glasses at the companys annual Partner Summit event, saying they now have the ability to realistically ground digital objects in the physical world. Theres a lot packed into these glasses: two cameras, four microphones, two stereo speakers and touchpad controls. The displays are dual 3D waveguide displays, which allow the wearer to view and interact with AR elements. The Snapchat boss said the company has been testing the glasses with a handful of creators and artists. But unlike other versions of Spectacles, the new glasses arent for sale at least not yet. Continue reading. But wait, theres more... 'Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart' will let you slow down the action up to 70 percent Kobo's 10.3-inch Elipsa is the company's biggest e-reader to date Google and Qualcomm are making neural network API updates easier on Android HP's newest gaming laptops include an Omen 16 and the mid-tier Victus line Yamaha announces new receivers ready for 8K, 4K/120 and the Xbox Series X TimeSplitters returns with a new game from the original developers Epic's Mega Sale is back with discounts, coupons and a free copy of 'NBA 2K21' Virgin Galactic's next rocket-powered test flight confirmed for May 22nd FTC sues Frontier for 'misrepresenting' internet speeds Twitter is reopening public verification 'Hocus Pocus 2' will premiere on Disney+ in fall 2022 As the Epic vs. Apple trial wraps up, Apple CEO Tim Cook took the stand to give the trial's most anticipated testimony. After a widely quoted statement that Im not a gamer early in the day, Cook testified about Apples business in China and its privacy policies. But some of the toughest questions came from US District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, who pressed Cook on Apples relationship with its developers. The judge pointed to a survey conducted by Apple indicating that 39 percent of its developers were dissatisfied with the companys distribution. Given the high number, she asked Cook how Apple has any incentive to address their needs. Cook replied that there was always some friction with developers, given the number of apps the company rejects, but that friction is good for users because it lets them know its safe and trusted. Rogers replied that it doesnt seem you feel pressure or competition to change the manner in which you act to address concerns of developers. She also said that it was incredibly significant that the bulk of App Store revenue and in-app purchase revenue comes from games, saying the gaming industry generates a disproportionate amount of revenue for Apple. She pointed to banking apps, like Wells Fargo, which dont pay Apple other than a yearly developer fee. She asked if gaming apps essentially subsidize all the free apps in the store. Cook disagreed, saying that having a large number of free apps helps get more traffic to all developers. Cook also faced questions on other sensitive issues. Epics lawyer asked about Apples policies in China, including the fact that Chinese iCloud data is owned by a state-owned company called GCBD. Earlier this week, The New York Times published a lengthy investigation into the compromises Apple makes in order to operate in China. The CEO was also pushed on Apples cooperation with Chinese government requests to remove apps from the App Store. Cook said the company had an obligation to follow the laws of the countries where it operates. Some moments seemed to stretch credibility, such as when Cook claimed not to know how much Google paid to be the default search engine in iOS, saying that was probably a better question for them [Google]. The specifics of this arrangement is currently part of a separate antitrust investigation from the Department of Justice, which last year said these deals give Google an illegal monopoly of search-related advertising. There was also a lengthy discussion of the App Store and how much revenue it generates, which has become a central issue throughout the trial. Cook repeatedly said that Apple doesnt break out the App Stores financials separately, though he has a feel for the numbers. He did acknowledge that the iOS app Store makes a lot more than its Mac counterpart, and that gaming apps make the most money. (Earlier in the trial, Epic called an expert witness who testified that Apples operating margin for the App Store could be as high as 77.8 percent. Apple disputed that number.) Cooks testimony comes as the weeks-long trial wraps up. Closing arguments are slated for Monday, and Rogers said a decision will take some time, but will hopefully land by mid-August. Leonard Nusz, age 93, passed away June 3, 2021. Graveside service will be held at the Waukomis Cemetery, Saturday, July 3, 2021, at 10:30 a.m. with Rev. Dave Jones officiating. Leonard was born to Harry and Elizabeth (Brickman) Nusz on July 20, 1927, in Garfield County and passed away at the The images of migrants from Africa swimming for the Spanish enclave of Ceuta this week are a stark reminder of just how dependent the European Union can be on the countries it pays to enforce its migration policy In what was, so far, the best baseball game of the week, the Jaguars pulled their 33rd win out of the fire and salvaged a gem of a start from their star pitcher. Click for the latest, full-access Enid News & Eagle headlines | Text Alerts | app downloads Jonathan Small serves as president of the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs. Have a question about this opinion piece? Do you see something we missed? Do you have an editorial idea for the News & Eagle? Send an email to editor@enidnews.com. Simone Simmons, one of the late Princess Diana's closest friends, is speaking out about the infamous 1995 interview, which she said costed the life of the late Princess of Wales. Diana appeared on BBC's "Panorama" in 1995 where she was interviewed by renowned British journalist Martin Bashir. Footages from the interview is nowhere to be found in all platforms of BBC but a YouTube channel was able to re-upload the clip (check out the video below) In a statement released to The Sun, Simmons claims that the princess was "conned" to appear on the said show and the comments led to her devastating death. "Diana was conned into doing the programme" Simmons said. She also mentioned that Diana agreed to do the interview because the Princess thought the show is going to feature her charities "She had a lot of information on the table about her charities because she was led to believe Martin Bashir was doing an interview about them." she stated. "She came in very excited and said 'Simone, he is going to do a programme about my charities, isn't that wonderful'. I thought it was brilliant." Simmons added. READ NOW: Queen Elizabeth II Suffers Another Tragedy Amid Princess Beatrice's Pregnancy Announcement She also mentioned that the journalist had fabricated lies to win Diana's trust. Bashir had told the princess on the interview that her "phones were bugged" and "her staff were selling stories" to media outlets, "But as time went on nothing transpired and we all know what happened. He lied to her. He said her home was bugged and phones were tapped." Simone said. Simmons, who's a spirtual healer, also mentioned in her statement that Bashir had destroyed the late Princess' mental health "He was an out and out b*****d. He destroyed her psychologically and made her paranoid - saying the royals wanted to bump her off and distrust her loyal staff and friends." She also believes that Diana would've been alive today if the interview didn't happen "There is no doubt in my mind that Diana would still be alive today if she hadn't spoken to Bashir." she stated. BBC's "Panorama" Interview with the late princess aired in November 1995 and has been watched by 23 million people. In the said interview, the princess had also describe her love affair with James Hewitt. She had also revealed Prince Charles' infidelity with Camilla saying "Well, there were three of us in this marriage, so it was a bit crowded." Today, the world is waiting for the findings of the independent inquiry, filed by Lord Dyson, on how Bashir used deceitful tactics to have Diana's controversial statements. Dyson claims that the Journalist had forged bank statements and other documents for him to win the late princess' trust. As per Simmons, she had also provided evidence to the ongoing inquiry request. Bashir had already left BBC last week because of COVID-related complications. READ ALSO: Johnny Depp Launches Damaging Blow Against UCLA; Believes Elon Musk is Involved See Now: Famous Actors Who Turned Down Iconic Movie Roles "Friends" The Reunion special episode is almost here. An emotional trailer for the highly-anticipated episode has already dropped. It featured the entire cast of the beloved 90s sitcom, Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, David Schwimmer, Matt LeBlanc and Matthew Perry. It will be the first time they have reunited since the popular show ended in 2004. The reunion promises several segments where the cast members can reminisce. Unfortunately, it has received a significant amount of backlash. Fans are outraged, not because of the fact that the episode isn't going to be a "special" new episode nor the waiting game until it arrives. The fans' biggest issue is because of the host, actor, comedian, and late-night TV host, James Corden. In the trailer, "The Late Late Show" host's voice can be heard asking the entire "Friends" cast members a few questions about the show and he's also shown briefly in the trailer. But fans are not impressed with it at all. Most of them shared their displeasure with the British host on social media. @maleficentmills said, "James Corden adding the 'friends' reunion to the list of things he's ruined with his mere presence." @j_o_n_a_than regretted, "Don't get me wrong I've been wanting a Friends reunion since 2004 but if someone told me James Corden would be in it I'd have told them not to bother." Why Is James Corden Hosting 'Friends' The Reunion Special Episode? According to the Daily Mail, the "Friends" The Reunion special episode was executive produced and directed by Ben Winston, who is also the co-executive producer of James Corden's talk show, "The Late Late Show" on CBS. Additionally, the upcoming "Friends" episode was also produced by Ben's company, Futwell Productions. James Corden is also a 1/5 partner in the company. So perhaps the reason why Corden was chosen among all the other hosts was it is merely because of a simple business decision. READ ALSO: 'Friends' Reunion: Fans Are 'Sad and Scared as Hell' For Matthew Perry After New Interview Emerged How The Host Feels About Being Part of 'Friends' History James Corden gushed about feeling extremely "privileged" to be hosting "Friends" The Reunion special episode. In an interview with "This Morning," he teased that he wouldn't be giving too much away, saying, "It's peppered with lots of different people popping in and out, but it's a celebration of the unbelievable chemistry between that cast." "Friends" The Reunion episode has a release date of May 27 and it will be available for streaming on HBO Max. The special episode will reflect on the show's iconic 10 seasons run on NBC which also includes celebrity guests. READ MORE: [Spoilers] 'NCIS' Season 18 Finale: Trailer Teases Major Character's Possible Exit, CBS Responds to Mark Harmon Rumors See Now: Famous Actors Who Turned Down Iconic Movie Roles A new promotional material for "Keeping Up With The Kardashians" revealed that Kim Kardashian's son, Saint West, tested positive for COVID-19. In the video (via Daily Mail), the KKW Beauty mogul called her now-estranged husband Kanye West to inform him that their son was tested positive for COVID-19. "Sainty just tested positive for COVID. And North is saying she's feeling sick," she said. "I'm trying not to freak anyone out, but I'm just really worried." She did not mention when exactly the kid caught the virus. However, Saint seemingly got sick sometime in 2020. Fortunately, he already recovered from the virus. Who Among Kardashian-Jenner Clan Members Already Caught COVID-19? It is worth noting that several members of the Kardashian-Jenner clan contracted the disease already, including Khloe Kardashian and Kanye himself. The Forbes, the 43-year-old hip-hop mogul said that he tested positive for coronavirus in February and experienced symptoms including "chills" and "shaking in the bed." He credited "taking hot showers" and "looking at videos" about how to effectively treat the disease helped him overcome the health condition. Meanwhile, Khloe also isolated herself from her daughter and Tristan Thompson last year. In one of the episodes of "Keeping Up With The Kardashians," she said that she would be staying inside the room to avoid spreading the virus. READ ALSO: Jennifer Lopez Desperate to Work Things Out With Ben Affleck Following Alex Rodriguez Split "Just found out that I do have corona. I have been in my room. It's gonna be fine, but it was really bad for a couple of days," she said. "I suffer from migraines, but this was the craziest headache. I wouldn't say it was a migraine." The Good American founder added that she also experienced several other symptoms including coughing, hot and cold flashes, vomiting, and shaking. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said that patients will experience all these symptoms, and other health issues like diarrhea and difficulty breathing may also experience. Kim Kardashian Gets Good News Too! Despite having this kind of bad news, Kim enjoyed a milestone this year after Forbes estimated her net worth to be more than a billion already. She will also keep their 15,000-square-foot mansion in Southern California. The estranged couple purchased it in 2014 for a whopping amount of $20 million. They continued to shell out millions afterward to cover its massive renovation. READ MORE: Jason Momoa Confirms 'Aquaman 2' Filming: Will Amber Heard Be There? See Now: Famous Actors Who Turned Down Iconic Movie Roles Feature Article ICARUS gets ready to fly DOE/Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory The ICARUS detector has been collecting test data in preparation for the official start of the physics data collection later this year. The left panel shows an electron neutrino interaction that produced a proton (top track) and an electron, which produced an electromagnetic shower with photons and electrons (bottom tracks). The right panel shows a muon neutrino interaction that produced a proton (short track, top left) and a muon (3.4-meter-long track); a cosmic-ray track independent of the muon neutrino interaction is also visible in the lower half of the image. In both panels, the neutrino beam came from left. (Image: ICARUS collaboration) When teams began cooling the ICARUS neutrino detector and filling it with 760 tons of liquid argon in early 2020, few people knew how much the world would change in the two months that the fill would take. "In an ideal world, as soon as the filling is complete and the cryogenic plant is stabilized, then we can activate the detector and start looking for particle tracks basically immediately," said Angela Fava, the ICARUS commissioning coordinator and deputy technical coordinator. The ICARUS collaboration includes more than 150 scientists from 23 institutions in Italy, Mexico, Switzerland and the United States. The detector is located at the U.S. Department of Energy's Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, located near Chicago. Restrictions on international travel instituted last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic meant that many European experts could not come to Fermilab in person as planned to start up the detector components. Researchers restructured their plans to get the detector up and running with much of the team working remotely. The collaboration successfully activated ICARUS in August 2020 and recorded the first particle tracks -- from cosmic rays, particles from space that constantly bombard Earth -- soon after. Exposed to both the Booster and NuMI neutrino beams at Fermilab, the ICARUS detector has recorded the first muon and electron neutrinos, demonstrating the high-level detection capabilities of the liquid-argon time projection chamber technique. The team is now working on finishing the system to identify and exclude cosmic-ray signals. They are also making final improvements to the neutrino data acquisition system to prepare the detector for its official first data collection run in fall 2021. "We've been able to do our jobs with most people not moving from their local offices or homes," said Claudio Montanari, the ICARUS technical coordinator. "Everybody contributed to the best of their ability, which was key to the success of the operation." Searching for stealth particles When the ICARUS detector was originally assembled at the laboratories of the Italian National Institute for Nuclear Physics in Pavia in the early 2000s, it was the largest liquid-argon detector in the world. It began its neutrino-hunting career at Italy's Gran Sasso National Laboratory in an experiment that ran between 2010 and 2014. ICARUS will be the largest and farthest detector in the Short-Baseline Neutrino program at Fermilab, which examines neutrino oscillations over short distances and looks for hints of elusive sterile neutrinos. (Graphic: Fermilab) After the experiment in Italy concluded, scientists realized that the ICARUS detector could have a second life at Fermilab, searching for a new type of particle: the sterile neutrino. Scientists already know of three types, or flavors, of neutrinos. The particles are notoriously hard to catch because they interact through only two of the four known forces: gravity and the weak force. But this potential fourth kind of neutrino -- if it exists -- may not even be sensitive to weak interaction, making detection even trickier. Scientists will have to look carefully at how the different flavors of neutrinos morph into one another, a phenomenon called neutrino oscillation. Previous experiments saw hints of unusual oscillation, but researchers need more data to determine if sterile neutrinos were responsible for the results. Finding evidence of sterile neutrinos would advance scientists' knowledge about physics beyond the Standard Model, the theoretical framework that has accurately described almost all known subatomic particle interactions for over 50 years. To make this happen the ICARUS detector's two school-bus-size modules were shipped from Gran Sasso to CERN for upgrades. In 2017, the two modules travelled by truck and ship to Fermilab, where they will soon begin hunting for ultra-elusive sterile neutrinos. ICARUS is one of three particle detectors at Fermilab that will look for indicators of sterile neutrinos as part of the laboratory's Short-Baseline Neutrino Program, along with the Short-Baseline Neutrino Detector and MicroBooNE. Together, the detectors will analyze how neutrinos oscillate as they travel along their straight beamline path through these detectors. SBND, situated 110 meters from the start of the neutrino beamline, will provide a snapshot of the neutrinos right after they're produced. MicroBooNE, located 360 meters farther down the beamline, will provide a second look at the beam composition. The final checkpoint is ICARUS, 600 meters from the start of the beamline. If ICARUS picks up fewer muon neutrinos and more electron neutrinos than expected based on data from SBND and MicroBooNE, "the combination of these things would be the unique signature of the oscillation and therefore of the existence of the sterile neutrino," said Fava. Preflight checklist Getting ICARUS ready to search for signs of sterile neutrinos at Fermilab has involved three distinct stages: installation, activation and commissioning. Installation started in 2018 and included set up of the vacuum chambers, insulation, cryostats and various electronics used to power the detector and collect data. ICARUS was filled with 760 tons of super-pure liquid argon in early 2020 and activated in August. (Photo: Lynn Allan Johnson, Fermilab) After electrical safety checks, making sure the vacuum chambers were leak-free and testing the components' basic functionality, it was time to get the detector ready for activation. Technicians started up the filters, pumps and condensers for the cryogenic systems and began adding the liquid argon in early 2020. Collaborators from CERN and INFN with historical knowledge of the detector were present for the beginning of the fill. They left with plans to return to Fermilab in April 2020 to help wrap up the process and see the detector through to activation. While they were unable to return in person, the group successfully coordinated with the Fermilab branch of the team to complete the activation last summer. "We were lucky enough not to have any showstoppers," said Montanari. With the detector activated, the international collaboration turned its attention to debugging and optimizing the equipment. For example: To capture good neutrino data, the liquid argon inside the detector has to be ultra-pure. When researchers found the argon was less pure than expected, they traced the problem back to slow gaseous argon movement through the recirculation system and took steps to address the flow. "That's the life of a physicist -- dealing with problems and finding a way of overcoming them," Fava said. Since last year, ICARUS has been in the commissioning phase. The team is testing all of the subsystems to make sure they are in sync and calibrated to collect quality data with minimal noise before the start of official data collection. Getting ready for takeoff ICARUS began taking test data from the booster neutrino beam in December 2020. That data is now being used to refine the triggers for deciding what type of signal constitutes a particle "event" worthy of recording. "The trigger system is one of the most critical components to commission, because it brings together all the other subsystems," said Fava. The trigger rate -- how frequently the system records an event -- must be finely tuned. If it's too high, the researchers end up sifting through more data than they need to, wasting time and computing power. Too low, and they might miss recording particle interactions that are crucial to making a discovery. The team plans to test the next iteration of trigger logic in May. In addition to refining the trigger, the ICARUS team will install a final set of cosmic-ray trackers. Roughly 10 cosmic rays hit the detector during each 1.6-millisecond time window used to record a potential neutrino interaction. The cosmic-ray trackers are used to sort out which signal is which. "If there is an external signal and the timing is correct, we can reject that event on the basis that it was induced by a particle that was coming from outside," said Montanari. Trackers on the bottom and sides have already been installed -- all that's needed now is to finish the top. With everything expected to be in place this fall, the experiment will move into the next exciting stage: collecting high-quality data that will be used in scientists' search for sterile neutrinos. "I'm really looking forward to making a nice data analysis and seeing what nature is willing to tell us," Montanari said. ### ICARUS is supported by the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science, the Italian National Institute for Nuclear Physics (INFN) and CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research. Fermilab is America's premier national laboratory for particle physics and accelerator research. A U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science laboratory, Fermilab is located near Chicago, Illinois, and operated under contract by the Fermi Research Alliance LLC. The DOE Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, please visit science.energy.gov. Research has shown that joining a gang is associated with increased criminal behavior. A new study examined whether the intermittent nature of gang membership affects offending. Researchers sought to determine whether the association with increased offending was a consistent attribute or, since people enter and exit and re-enter gangs, whether the intermittent nature of membership affected members' likelihood of offending. The study found that first-time membership was associated with increases in criminal behavior from when gang members were not in gangs, and that joining for a second time significantly raised the likelihood of offending, including more violent behavior. The study, by researchers at the University of Texas at San Antonio and the University of Maryland, appears in Criminology, a publication of the American Society of Criminology. The results suggest that gang membership, whether as a new or a repeat experience, is a salient life event and that intermittency can disrupt individuals' offending profiles, according to coauthors Megan Bears Augustyn, associate professor of criminology and criminal justice at the University of Texas at San Antonio, and Jean McGloin, professor of criminology and criminal justice at the University of Maryland. Augustyn and McGloin say that based on their documentation of changes in offending behavior that parallel changes in individuals' self-identification as gang members, interventions should take into account the intermittency of gang membership. Although past researcher has acknowledged the intermittency of gang membership, studies have not investigated whether different stages of gang membership are associated with different offending patterns. In this study, researchers used data from the Rochester Youth Development Study, which examined the development of antisocial behavior among 1,000 youth who were representative of the seventh- and eighth-grade public school population of Rochester, NY, in 1988. The 177 youth included in this study self-reported gang membership; of these, 53 said they had joined a gang for the second time. The youth were predominantly Black (67 percent), as well as Hispanic (17 percent) and White (16 percent). Most of the youth (73 percent) were male, only 36 percent lived with both biological parents at the start of the study, and most were economically disadvantaged. The average age of participants at the beginning of the study was 13.9 years old. Youth were interviewed up to nine times over about four and a half years. Joining a gang for the first time was associated with increases in general offending behavior, as well as violence, property crime, and drug sales, when compared to pre-gang time periods. Joining a gang for the second time was also associated with significant increases in general offending, violence, and drug sales (though not property crime), when compared to time out of the gang after first-time membership. The study also found that joining a gang for the second time had an indirect path to offending via delinquent peers, but not deviant values or drug use. Deviant values were measured as youth's level of agreement with 10 offenses (e.g., stealing something worth $100 or more). This path was not observed in first-time gang membership. This led the researchers to conclude that there are significant changes in individuals' offending behavior both when they first join a gang and when they later join a gang. The authors note that the gang members they studied came from one urban jurisdiction and joined gangs during adolescence, raising questions about generalizability to other areas and other ages. In addition, the study lacked information from all nine interviews on a number of factors that could explain individuals' reasons for joining gangs. Finally, the study was unable to deconstruct joining a gang for the second time by whether an individual went back to the same gang or joined a different one. The authors say their research underscores the importance of not only supporting youth's decision to leave a gang in the first place, but also preventing youth from rejoining a gang while navigating the disengagement process since this has significant implications for criminal behavior and the associated snares. ### The study was supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, the National Science Foundation, the National Institute of Mental Health, and the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. With a grant of DKK 10 million from the Novo Nordisk Foundation, researchers from Aarhus University are aiming to find out how best to use naturally occurring compounds to preserve food. Associate Professor Clarissa Schwab from the Department of Biological and Chemical Engineering at Aarhus University has just received an Ascending Investigator grant of DKK 10 million from the Novo Nordisk Foundation for her research project, BioFunc, which aims to improve sustainability in the preservation of food products. The project focuses on using natural biological preservation methods rather than chemical preservatives in order to eliminate the food waste problem. "Worldwide, approximately 30 per cent of the food produced is lost, and the biggest cause is spoilage by bacteria and fungi. Microbial food spoilage and poisoning can occur along the entire value chain, despite modern preservation methods, and bacteria and fungi are therefore a problem for the consumer, and for the entire food industry, which guarantees food safety and quality, and which also wants to reduce waste," says Clarissa Schwab. Today, there are several different ways of preserving food, and biological preservation using microbes is not exactly a new concept. Favourable microbes and the bio-preserving substances produced by these microorganisms have been used for thousands of years in different branches of food production to inhibit or remove undesirable contaminants in foods such as yeast and fungi in dairy fermentation. In addition, natural methods of food preservation have become more popular among consumers. Actually, more than 50 per cent of Europeans are concerned about the use of preservatives in foods and want natural alternatives (Eurobarometer 394). "Organic acids are natural preservatives produced by plants and bacteria, and these inhibit the microbes that ruin food products. There are a lot of different organic acids, but it is still not entirely clear why and how these organic acids inhibit microbes, and which organic acids work best in a particular food product," says the associate professor, and she explains that one of the main aims of the project is to achieve a far better understanding of the fundamental mechanisms behind these processes. Another purpose of the project is to examine which organic acids are most active and under what conditions, and to develop a proof-of-concept for a bio-preservative system that can significantly enhance food safety and reduce food waste. "The project is the culmination of my more than 10 years of research into the subject, and I hope to be able to help deliver durable and natural microbial solutions to make food safer in the future." ### The project is called BioFunc (Organic acids-old natural compounds with underexploited biofunctionalities) and it will run for five years. The project is being headed by Associate Professor Clarissa Schwab and her research group: Functional Microbe Technology. UK doctors have nothing to fear from the introduction of a central register listing money or benefits they receive in addition to their NHS salary, say experts today ahead of a public meeting on the issue hosted by the All-Party Parliamentary Group for First Do No Harm and The BMJ. Last year the Independent Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Review, chaired by Baroness Julia Cumberlege, investigated harmful side effects caused by the hormone pregnancy test Primodos, the anti-epileptic drug sodium valproate, and pelvic mesh. During the review, she heard from patients who were concerned that clinicians had been paid or otherwise incentivised by manufacturers in a way that might influence their practice. A key recommendation was that patients should have the right to know if their doctor has links with pharmaceutical or medical device companies. The accompanying report called for the General Medical Council (GMC) to expand its register to include a list of financial and non-pecuniary interests for all doctors. It also said manufacturers should take responsibility to ensure that they publish details of payments they make to teaching hospitals and research institutions. In 2019, pharmaceutical companies spent over 160 million on non-research and development collaborations with healthcare organisations and healthcare professionals. Yet there is currently no central register of clinicians' financial and non-financial interests in the UK, unlike in the US. Doctors' interests are often collected by their employer, while Sunshine UK hosts a voluntary register of doctors' interests (whopaysthisdoctor.org). The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) also has its own voluntary database called Disclosure UK. However, under data protection laws, healthcare professionals can refuse to have their name published on it. In addition to the Cumberlege review, there is increasing support from the medical community for a central register. A survey conducted by The BMJ found that nearly 90% of medical professional bodies agree that the UK should have a mandatory and public register of doctors' interests. And in response to the view that any register should cover all clinical decision-making staff, not just doctors, Cumberlege said "doctors are the principal decision makers in patient care, they determine the treatment, they perform surgery. So it is with doctors that we must start." Both Margaret McCartney, a GP and health journalist, and Susan Bewley, chair of Healthwatch UK and a co-founder of Sunshine UK, believe the GMC is the only organisation suitable to hold a register of doctors' interests as it is the only organisation that holds a list of all registered doctors in the UK. For McCartney, the aim of any central register should be to decrease bureaucracy for healthcare professionals and increase transparency for professionals and patients. Neil Mortensen, president of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, agrees that the register would need to be easy to use and not cost doctors a lot of money. "We'd need to be convinced that it was light touch, effective and that it was going to make a difference," he says. ### Externally peer reviewed? No Evidence type: Feature; Opinion Subject: Register of doctors interests What The Study Did: Variation in SARS-CoV-2 infection risk and socioeconomic disadvantage among a Mayan-Latinx population in Fruitvale, California, was examined in this study. Authors: Paul Wesson, Ph.D., of the University of California, San Francisco, is the corresponding author. To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website at this link https:/ / media. jamanetwork. com/ (doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.10789) Editor's Note: The article includes conflict of interest and funding/support disclosures. Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, conflict of interest and financial disclosures, and funding and support. ### Media advisory: The full study is linked to this news release. Embed this link to provide your readers free access to the full-text article This link will be live at the embargo time http://jamanetwork. com/ journals/ jamanetworkopen/ fullarticle/ 10. 1001/ jamanetworkopen. 2021. 10789?utm_source= For_The_Media&utm_medium= referral&utm_campaign= ftm_links&utm_term= 052121 About JAMA Network Open: JAMA Network Open is the new online-only open access general medical journal from the JAMA Network. On weekdays, the journal publishes peer-reviewed clinical research and commentary in more than 40 medical and health subject areas. Every article is free online from the day of publication. 21 May 2021, Singapore - The SingHealth Duke-NUS Academic Medical Centre (AMC) announced the launch of a research institute and disease centre that will advance regenerative medicine and introduce cellular therapies to improve patient care. Launched today at the inaugural SDCT-REMEDIS Cell Therapy Conference, the SingHealth Duke-NUS Regenerative Medicine Institute of Singapore (REMEDIS) and the SingHealth Duke-NUS Cell Therapy Centre (SDCT) will bring together multidisciplinary expertise and focus efforts in regenerative medicine research and its application for diagnostics and therapies to improve treatment outcomes for patients. Regenerative medicine is a fast-growing area of medical research that looks at restoring, repairing or replacing damaged cells, tissue or organs in the body. It is particularly relevant for conditions such as cancer, heart disease, eye degeneration and neurological diseases. With a rapidly ageing population, where almost one in two of the population in Singapore will be at least 65 years of age by 20501, regenerative medicine is expected to have a significant impact in reducing the burden of disease here. One of the most promising approaches in regenerative medicine is cell therapy - the transplantation of healthy cells, such as stem cells, into a patient's body to cure or treat disease. The joint launch of REMEDIS and SDCT will allow the seamless transfer of knowledge and outcomes for cellular regeneration, with a common goal towards disease management. REMEDIS will harness the potential of regenerating diseased cells, tissue and even organs to develop research, regenerative therapies and tools to tackle age-related diseases and chronic conditions. The focus will be on seven disease areas: musculoskeletal diseases, bone marrow disorders, blood disorders, cardiovascular diseases, acute and chronic wound healing, neuro-sensory diseases and eye diseases. SDCT will bridge the gap by taking these cellular and gene regenerative therapies and tools into clinical trials and translate them into clinical applications that can benefit patients. Professor Ivy Ng, Group CEO, SingHealth said, "Many diseases do not yet have a cure, and often, the damage to the body from these conditions cannot be reversed. Regenerative medicine has been developing at an exponential rate globally, with more than 1,100 clinical trials worldwide currently showing promising results. The establishment of REMEDIS and SDCT will give us the opportunity to harness this cutting-edge science to develop novel clinical applications that will offer better health and overall quality of life." Professor Thomas Coffman, Dean, Duke-NUS Medical School (Duke-NUS), said, "The fields of cell therapy and regenerative medicine are game-changers, with the potential to improve the lives of millions of people who are suffering from chronic diseases or disorders related to ageing, and bring hope to those waiting on long organ transplant lists. With the establishment of REMEDIS and SDCT, we are combining the clinical expertise of SingHealth with Duke-NUS' scientific firepower to drive impactful translational research that will lead to safe and effective new treatments that can be produced on a large scale." Ramping-up research in regenerative cell therapy With support from the National Research Foundation (NRF), Singapore, REMEDIS will start off with a research study led by clinician-scientists from the SingHealth Duke-NUS AMC to develop cellular therapy products for three disease areas - age-related macular degeneration, ischemic cardiomyopathy and blood cancers. Due to the limitations of existing therapies, the research team is working toward safe and effective treatments for patients affected by these conditions. For example, the current treatment for patients with blood cancers is chemotherapy or haematopoietic stem cell transplants. However, these treatment methods can lead to a low concentration of white blood cells or blood platelets in the body, which can be life-threatening. To address this, the team has identified a new way to generate mega doses of high-quality haematopoietic stem and progenitor cells in patients, which could expedite the recovery process. Professor William Hwang, Head of SDCT, Co-director of REMEDIS, Medical Director of the National Cancer Centre Singapore (NCCS) and principal investigator of the study said, "Using the latest advancements in cellular and regenerative medicine, we are developing strategies to regenerate and transplant bone marrow, cardiac muscles and retina cells and hope to improve treatment outcomes for these debilitating conditions. Once we have developed the cellular therapy products, we will study their safety and efficacy through clinical trials in SDCT's network. Our first study is one will that will fully exploit the bench to bedside pipeline that we intended with the establishment of REMEDIS and SDCT." Director of REMEDIS, Principal Lead (Regenerative Medicine) of SDCT and Deputy Director (Research), NCCS, Prof Teh Bin Tean, shared, "The possibilities for application of cellular and regenerative medicine are limitless and REMEDIS and SDCT will continue to study new areas to improve health. Areas we will explore in the future include wound healing, trauma and chronic disease management." The inaugural SDCT-REMEDIS Cell Therapy Conference The SDCT-REMEDIS Cell Therapy Conference, held from 21 to 22 May 2021, will showcase a rich line-up of leaders in cell-based immunotherapy and regenerative medicine who will share recent developments in their fields to improve patient diagnostics, therapeutics and care outcomes. Presenters include clinicians, scientists, collaborators from healthcare institutions, academia, industry and regulatory bodies who will provide valuable insight in their areas of expertise. ### 1 Singapore Population White Paper 2013 MEDIA CONTACTS For media enquiries, please contact: Ms Anjana Krishna Group Communications, SingHealth Contact: 6377 8056 anjana.krishna.kumar@singhealth.com.sg Ms Dharshini Subbiah Corporate Communications, National Cancer Centre Singapore Mobile: 9616 7532 dharshini.subbiah@nccs.com.sg Ms Yu Zehan Communications & Strategic Relations, Duke-NUS Medical School Mobile: 9839 6957 zehan.yu@duke-nus.edu.sg About SingHealth Duke-NUS Academic Medical Centre The SingHealth Duke-NUS Academic Medical Centre (AMC) draws on the collective strengths of SingHealth and Duke-NUS Medical School to provide our patients and community with the best outcomes and experience. By leveraging the synergies in clinical care, research and education created through our Academic Clinical Programmes, Disease Centres and Joint Institutes, the SingHealth Duke-NUS AMC fosters the exchange of scientific knowledge and clinical perspectives to accelerate innovation and new discoveries, advance the practice of medicine as well as nurture the next generation of healthcare professionals. SingHealth delivers comprehensive, multi-disciplinary and integrated care across a network of acute hospitals, national specialty centres, polyclinics and community hospitals. Offering over 40 clinical specialties, SingHealth is Singapore's largest public healthcare cluster. Duke-NUS, Singapore's flagship graduate-entry medical school, nurtures 'Clinician Plus' graduates to become leaders in the global healthcare and biomedical ecosystem, while scientists from its five Signature Research Programmes and nine Centres transform medicine and improve lives in Asia and beyond. For more information, please visit: http://www. singhealthdukenus. com. sg http://www. singhealth. com. sg http://www. duke-nus. edu. sg About the National Cancer Centre of Singapore The National Cancer Centre of Singapore (NCCS) provides a holistic and multi-disciplinary approach to cancer treatment and patient care. We see close to 65 per cent of the public sector oncology cases, and they are benefiting from the sub-specialisation of our clinical oncologists. To deliver among the best in cancer treatment and care, our clinicians work closely with our scientists who conduct robust, cutting-edge clinical and translational research programmes which are internationally recognised. NCCS strives to be a global leading cancer centre, and shares its expertise and knowledge by offering training to local and overseas medical professionals. China's clean air policies have substantially reduced PM2.5 air pollution in recent years. Yet >99% of Chinese population is still exposed to PM2.5 concentrations in excess of the World Health Organization (WHO) Air Quality Guidelines of 10 g/m3. Climate actions targeting to reduce fossil fuel consumption also have substantial air quality benefits. The announcement of ambitious climate commitment to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060 may fuel the power to long-term air quality improvement in China. Combining Global/China's climate mitigation pathways (i.e. global 2C- and 1.5C-pathways, NDC pledges, and carbon neutrality goals) and local clean air policies, Chinese energy system, anthropogenic emissions and PM2.5 air quality pathways from 2015 to 2060 are assessed. If the government improves the source treatment--promote the renewable energy fraction, push the production peaks of high consumption industries (e.g., iron, steel, cement), accelerate the phasing out of scattered coal; meanwhile continue to promote the in-depth end-of-pipe control in high-polluted industries, diesel-fueled vehicles and engines, and VOC-related industries, China would meet the NDC climate target in 2030, as well as mitigate the national population-weighted PM2.5 concentrations to ~28 g/m3, achieving the national air quality standards. However, the benefits of end-of-pipe control reductions are mostly exhausted by 2030, and reducing PM2.5 exposure of the majority of the Chinese population to below 10 g/m3 by 2060 will likely require more ambitious climate mitigation efforts such as China's carbon neutrality goals and global 1.5C-pathways. As the solution, by 2060, China will complete the transformation of low-carbon energy, with the dominate role of renewable energy (i.e. the renewable energy power generation would account for more than 70%, the fraction of coal would be less than 15% in industry sector, electricity and hydrogen vehicles would account higher than 60%). Such in-depth energy transition would lower China's carbon emissions by 90%. As a result, the average annual exposure level of PM2.5 will be around 8 g/m3, lower than the WHO guideline and the air pollution problem has been fundamentally solved. Cheng et al. proposes practical strategies to address both air pollution and GHGs emissions in the near-term, in which co-control measures focusing on co-emitted sources (i.e. fossil fuel consumption), co-management mechanism on PM2.5 and O3 pollution, and co-development plan on low carbon economy and clean energy transition are prioritized. China's future clean air pathways should transform from end-of-pipe control to energy and economic system optimization. Meanwhile, China should proactively promote the air quality standards to gradually integrate with the relevant WHO standards 10 g/m3 as a new long-term goal, to accelerate the implementation of carbon neutrality strategy. ### See the article: Free access to essential medicines increases patient adherence to taking medication by 35 per cent and reduces total health spending by an average of over $1,000 per patient per year, according to a two-year study that tested the effects of providing patients with free and convenient access to a carefully selected set of medications. The findings, published May 21 in PLOS Medicine, come as advocates urge Canada to carve a path toward single-payer, public pharmacare. Canada is the only country with universal healthcare that does not have a universal pharmacare program. A group of researchers led by St. Michael's Hospital of Unity Health Toronto recruited a total of 786 patients across nine primary care sites in Ontario who reported cost-related non-adherence to medications. Most of the study participants were recruited from St. Michael's Department of Family and Community Medicine and others were recruited from three rural sites. Participants were randomized into two groups - half received free medications via mail, the other half had their usual access to medications. Two years into the study, adherence to all appropriate prescribed medicines was 35 per cent higher in the free distribution group compared with the group that had usual access to medications. Free distribution of medication also showed to reduce healthcare costs, including hospitalization, by an average of $1,222 per patient per year. "The cost savings are substantial, but they are less important than people simply being able to afford taking lifesaving medications," said Dr. Nav Persaud, a scientist at the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute of St. Michael's and lead author of the study. "This is the first study of providing people with free access to a comprehensive set of medicines, and hopefully it will be the last one needed before policy changes," said Dr. Persaud, who is also a family physician at St. Michael's Hospital. In June 2019, the Advisory Council on the Implementation of National Pharmacare recommended a universal, single-payer, public pharmacare, estimating such a program would save Canada an estimated $5 billion per year. The report cited a list of medicines like the one used in the CLEAN Meds study as "a starting point" for determining which drugs all Canadians should have free access to. The CLEAN Meds Trial focused on 128 essential medicines, adapted from the WHO Model List of Essential Medicines and removed treatments not needed in Canada. The medicines in the study included treatments for acute conditions, such as antibiotics and pain relievers, as well as chronic conditions, such as antipsychotics and HIV-AIDS medications. The paper is the final result of the CLEAN Meds Trial. Preliminary results of the trial after one year of free medication indicated improved adherence, improvements in some health outcomes, and that free distribution of essential medicines led to a 160 per cent increase in the likelihood of participants being able to make ends meet. ### One of the key aspects of academic and industrial research today is non-destructive imaging, a technique in which an object or sample is imaged (using light) without causing any damage to it. Often, such imaging techniques are crucial to ensuring safety and quality of industrial products, subsequently leading to growing demands for high-performance imaging of objects with arbitrary structures and locations. On one hand, there has been tremendous advancements in the scope of non-destructive imaging regarding the region of electromagnetic (EM) spectrum it can access, which now ranges from visible light to as far as millimeter waves! On the other, imaging devices have become flexible and wearable, enabling stereoscopic (3D) visualization of both plane and curved samples without forming a blind spot. Despite such progress, however, issues such as portability of sensing modules, cooling-free (free of bulky cooling equipment) device operation, and unmanned or robot-assisted photo-monitoring remain to be addressed. "The transition from manned to robotic inspection can make operations such as disconnection testing of power-transmission lines and exploring cramped environments safer and more sustainable," explains Prof. Yukio Kawano, from Tokyo Tech and Chuo University, who researches extensively on terahertz (THz) waves (EM waves with frequency in the terahertz range) and THz imaging. While multiple studies in the past have explored systems equipped with one of the aforementioned modules, their functional integration has not yet been attempted, limiting progress. Against this backdrop, in a recent study published in Nature Communications, Prof. Kawano and his colleagues from Tokyo Tech, Japan, developed a robot-assisted, broadband (using a wide range of frequencies) photo-monitoring platform equipped with a light source and imager that can operate in a location-independent manner and switch between reflective and transmissive sensing. In their proposed module, the scientists made use of physically and chemically enriched carbon nanotube (CNT) thin films to act as uncooled imager sheets that employed "photothermoelectric effect" to convert light into electric signal via thermoelectric conversion. Due to their excellent absorption properties over a wide range of wavelengths, CNTs showed a broadband sensitivity. Moreover, the imager sheet allowed for a stereoscopic sensing operation in both reflective and transmissive modes, thereby enabling inspections of several curved objects such as beverage bottles, water pipes, and gas pipes. By detecting the local changes on signals, scientists were able to identify minuscule defects in these structures otherwise invisible. Further, by employing multi-frequency photo-monitoring, ranging between THz and infrared (IR) bands, the scientists were able to extract both the outer surface and inner surface features using IR and THz light, respectively. Finally, they achieved a 360-view photo-monitoring using a light-source-integrated compact sensing module and implemented the same in a multi-axis, robot-assisted movable-arm that performed a high-speed photo-monitoring of a defective miniature model of a winding road-bridge. The results have spurred scientists to consider the future prospects of their device. "Our efforts can potentially provide a roadmap for the realization of a ubiquitous sensing platform. Additionally, the concept of this study could be used for a sustainable, long-term operable, and user-friendly Internet of Things system of a sensor network," observes an excited Prof. Kawano. This study, indeed, takes sensing technology to the next level! ### An international study led by the ICTA-UAB states that recognizing indigenous peoples' and local communities' rights and agency is critical to addressing the current biodiversity crisis An international study led by the ICTA-UAB states that recognizing indigenous peoples' and local communities' rights and agency is critical to addressing the current biodiversity crisis Policies established by the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) could be ineffective if the rights and agency of indigenous peoples and local communities are not recognized and fully incorporated into biodiversity management. This is supported by an international study led by the Institute of Environmental Science and Technology of the Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona (ICTA-UAB) and recently published in the journal Ambio. The Convention on Biological Diversity is now working to formulate the goals that will frame global biodiversity policy in the years to come. This will be done through an ambitious international plan commonly known as the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework. The objective of this framework is to promote a profound transformation at the social level that allows halting biodiversity loss at global level. Unfortunately, the framework, as currently written, still has a long way to go towards fully recognizing Indigenous Peoples' rights and agency, scientists argue. "Indigenous Peoples' and local communities' understandings of nature align perfectly well with the Convention on Biological Diversity's vision of Living in Harmony with Nature", says ICREA Research Professor at the ICTA-UAB Victoria Reyes-Garcia, leader of the study. "It seems paradoxical that global discussions on the collective future of the planet do not heed the voices of Indigenous Peoples' and local communities, one of the groups of actors that has contributed the most to safeguarding the planet's biodiversity". The study, signed by 21 scientists from all over the world, presents a set of arguments why foregrounding Indigenous Peoples' and local communities' rights and agency is essential to the success of future biodiversity policy. Based on an in-depth review of literature, the study highlights that Indigenous Peoples and local communities hold critical knowledge for setting realistic, legitimate and effective biodiversity targets. "The Global Biodiversity Framework should recognize and address the views and perspectives of Indigenous Peoples and local communities", states Dr. Alvaro Fernandez-Llamazares, co-author of the study and researcher at the University of Helsinki. "There is crystal-clear evidence that their knowledge systems, practices and values have so much to offer in addressing the current biodiversity crisis". The authors argue that Indigenous Peoples' and local communities' participation in biodiversity policy contribute to recognizing and upholding human rights, and call on the Convention on Biological Diversity to fully recognize Indigenous Peoples' and local communities not only as stakeholders, but also as rights, agency and knowledge-holders. ### Irvine, Calif. - A record of medicine utilization patterns assembled by an interdisciplinary team of researchers at the University of California, Irvine and the UC San Diego School of Medicine reveals the thought, care and scientific rigor clinicians at UC Health medical centers applied in their treatment of patients with COVID-19 in 2020. For a study published today in Journal of the American Medical Association Network Open, the investigators examined data on the usage rates of 10 different medicines and medicine categories to map how drugs were used on people hospitalized with the viral infection. The authors got their data from the University of California COVID Research Data Set and tracked 22,896 patients admitted to UC Health medical centers in Davis, Irvine, Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco between March 10 and Dec. 31, 2020. "The home run of this paper is really in the figures built from the UC CORDS database," said lead author Jonathan Watanabe, UCI professor of clinical pharmacy. "You can clearly see how usage of certain medicines grew or declined over the course of the pandemic and how those movements were tied to evidence-based decisions being made by UC healthcare providers in real time. You can monitor the evolution in how we treat our sickest patients." A stark example can be seen in the shift in acceptance of the antimicrobial medication hydroxychloroquine, which was the subject of public discussion in White House briefings and substantial media attention. In the early stages of the pandemic, the drug was given to more than 40 percent of patients, but by June, usage was below 5 percent. Usage of another drug in that class, azithromycin, fell from 40 to 30 percent in that same timeframe. "There were some studies conducted in the early part of the pandemic that were not particularly well-designed and were limited in size that appeared to show hydroxychloroquine to be useful," said Watanabe, who's also UCI's founding associate dean of pharmacy assessment and quality in UCI's School of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences. "We saw high uptake of the drug early on, but then it just cratered, because as time progressed and more high-quality trials came in, it was shown to be not effective." The opposite can be seen with dexamethasone, which increased from being administered to 1.4 percent of patients per day on March 31 to 67.5 percent by the end of December. The inexpensive, generic corticosteroid was found to be effective in large trials in hospitalized patients in the U.K., according to Watanabe. "At first glance, a lot of people might say you wouldn't want to use a corticosteroid that, theoretically, could reduce the immune response in a COVID patient," he said. "But the trials really demonstrated that the knee-jerk mechanism of action-response was not correct in this case: The anti-inflammatory effect of the drug to tame cytokine storms was evidently more important than any blunting of the immune response." Remdesivir use grew 12-fold, from 4.9 percent on June 1 to 62.5 percent on Dec. 31. Watanabe said one possible explanation for this is that the medication was only available in conjunction with trials in the UC system in the early part of the pandemic and was more widely distributed as time went on. Enoxaparin, used to both treat and prevent thrombosis, also proved effective against COVID-19, of which blood clots are a common symptom. The drug remained above 50 percent in usage throughout 2020. "We tend to put hospitalized patients in general on an anticoagulant to reduce the risk of clots, which can happen because they may be lying in place immobile for long stretches," Watanabe said. "But then we started to notice thrombophilia in COVID patients, so enoxaparin and heparin both became very important not just as prophylaxis but as treatments." He noted that the utilization numbers in the paper show how physicians and other healthcare professionals responded to evidence and their own observations effectively in real time and that such information is important for clinicians to know for future planning purposes in terms of both treatment decision-making and ensuring a robust supply of proven drugs. "This JAMA study is a thoughtful chronicle of the steps doctors, nurses and staff at UC Health medical centers took to help patients with a potentially life-threatening disease," said Jan Hirsch, founding dean of UCI's School of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences. "In the beginning, not a lot was known about the right course of treatment for COVID-19, but our people learned fast and responded to evidence about what was effective on a daily and sometimes even more frequent basis." ### Watanabe's co-authors include Jimmy Kwon, a graduate student in the Department of Statistics in UCI's Donald Bren School of Information & Computer Sciences; Bin Nan, UCI professor of statistics; Shira Abeles, assistant clinical professor in the UC San Diego School of Medicine's Division of Infectious Diseases & Global Public Health; Stanley Jia, a UCI undergraduate research assistant in the Department of Clinical Pharmacy Practice; and Sanjay Mehta, associate clinical professor in the UC San Diego School of Medicine's Division of Infectious Diseases & Global Public Health. About the University of California, Irvine: Founded in 1965, UCI is the youngest member of the prestigious Association of American Universities and is ranked among the nation's top 10 public universities by U.S. News & World Report. The campus has produced three Nobel laureates and is known for its academic achievement, premier research, innovation and anteater mascot. Led by Chancellor Howard Gillman, UCI has more than 36,000 students and offers 224 degree programs. It's located in one of the world's safest and most economically vibrant communities and is Orange County's second-largest employer, contributing $7 billion annually to the local economy and $8 billion statewide. For more on UCI, visit http://www. uci. edu . Media access: Radio programs/stations may, for a fee, use an on-campus ISDN line to interview UCI faculty and experts, subject to availability and university approval. For more UCI news, visit news.uci.edu. Additional resources for journalists may be found at communications.uci.edu/for-journalists. A NEW series of books on the novelist and philosopher Iris Murdoch has been commissioned by major academic publisher Palgrave Macmillan. The series, Iris Murdoch Today, will be led by Dr Miles Leeson, Director of the Iris Murdoch Research Centre, and Deputy Director and Visiting Fellow Dr Frances White. The aim is to produce two books a year from September 2022 which will include monographs and edited collections, and will showcase work from the Centre's members alongside writers and academics worldwide. Dr Leeson, a Senior Lecturer in English Literature at the University of Chichester, where the centre is located, said: "We're delighted to be working with Palgrave on the first ever series focusing on Iris Murdoch. Palgrave have an excellent backlist of works on Murdoch, and their commitment to women's fiction makes the series a natural home for new work on this author. "Murdoch's centenary in 2019 highlighted a new dynamic in her reception and she is now firmly established as a canonical 20th-Century novelist and philosopher, and one of the great writers of the post-war era. The Iris Murdoch Today series will highlight all aspects of her work as well as her wider intellectual engagement with the culture of her time, and ours." The teaching of Murdoch's work is embedded in the English Literature degrees at both undergraduate and postgraduate level at the University of Chichester, where there is a thriving doctoral cohort. The Iris Murdoch Research Centre at Chichester studies the history behind the writer's most successful work in fiction, many of which confront the moralities of life through good and evil, sexual relationships, and the power of the unconscious mind. The Centre emphasises national and international collaboration between scholars by hosting regular events at Chichester focusing on the writer's milieu and academic areas as well as producing the Iris Murdoch podcast: https:/ / soundcloud. com/ user-548804258 . Brendan George, Commissioning Publisher at Palgrave MacMillan, said: "The Iris Murdoch Research Centre at the University of Chichester is a high-energy hub that drives global research on this iconic twentieth century philosopher and novelist. "Palgrave Macmillan is honoured to have been chosen as the Centre's partner for its series of scholarly monographs and contributed volumes exploring all aspects of Iris Murdoch's philosophical and literary work." The first publication will be a collection entitled Iris Murdoch and the Literary Imagination. Those working on Murdoch and wanting to discuss potential publication in the series should contact Dr Miles Leeson at m.leeson@chi.ac.uk. To find out more about the Iris Murdoch Research Centre at the University of Chichester visit http://www. chi. ac. uk/ iris . Upcoming Iris Murdoch conference in July A dedicated conference on Iris Murdoch is being hosted virtually on Thursday 15th July. The online event, led by the Iris Murdoch Research Centre, will include guest speakers specialising in the life and work of the acclaimed writer. Tickets are available at https:/ / irismurdochsociety. org. uk/ events/ . ### The Iris Murdoch podcast series was launched in 2020 during the Covid pandemic to continue promoting her books and new research to a global audience. Around 30 episodes have already been recorded at https:/ / soundcloud. com/ user-548804258/ popular-tracks The University of Chichester is a thriving higher education institution which was recently recognised as a one of the top-30 universities in the UK (Guardian University Guide 2021). Its origins trace back to 1839 when it was founded as a training college by William Otter, the Bishop of Chichester. It's now known for its outstanding student experience, for which it was recently rated in the top-20 by the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2021 for student satisfaction with teaching quality. Its students are also among the happiest in the UK, according to the National Student Survey (NSS) 2020 which placed it in the UK's top-3rd for high student-satisfaction. Campuses are based in the city of Chichester and the nearby coastal resort of Bognor Regis which, since 2013, has had nearly 50million invested in its estates and facilities. Bognor Regis is home to the Tech Park, housing all STEM courses. A University film shows how the Tech Park was officially opened by The Duke and Duchess of Sussex in October 2018. Prof. Dr. Marco Prinz of University of Freiburg Medical Center is honoured for groundbreaking results on the brains immune system / These form the basis for new diagnostic and treatment concepts for diseases such as multiple sclerosis and Alzheimers The blood-brain barrier is an impenetrable barrier between the circulating blood and the brain established before birth that prevents immune cells from entering the brain from the body's immune system. Thus, the brain has its own immune system with a key actor called microglia. As wardens and housekeepers, the microglia play a central role in both monitoring and defending the brain and maintaining its normal functions. At the start of his career, German professor Marco Prinz became fascinated by these cells, which were at that time primarily thought to be the brain's garbage collectors. "Most people found them boring, because they were thought to simply remove waste during illness. Our research has shown that their function extends far beyond this role and that the development of microglia dates back to a remarkably short period during fetal development. Microglia are key in maintaining the normal function of the brain, and their failure can therefore also lead to several very serious brain disorders," explains Professor Dr. Marco Prinz, Director at the Institute of Neuropathology, Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Germany. Early alarm clock in the brain In brains affected by multiple sclerosis or Alzheimer's disease, microglia become activated, expand in numbers and respond rapidly to reduce damage by gobbling up dying cell parts and characteristic protein build-ups. However, after a few weeks of cleaning unwanted material, they get exhausted and aged, eventually contributing to developing severe brain disorders. "I think we are now starting to understand how these police officers in the brain work. Based on what we and other groups find in terms of signatures, of function, this can be used for patients, because the microglia seem to be the first to respond during almost any brain disease. So if we can identify some molecules, genes or markers that are really typical for microglia-specific disease, we could possibly develop better diagnostics and treatments," says Marco Prinz. For his unique efforts, Marco Prinz is receiving the Novo Nordisk Prize, which is accompanied by DKK 5 million. The Novo Nordisk Foundation awards the Prize to honour an active scientist who has provided outstanding contributions to advance medical science to benefit people's lives. "Marco Prinz is an exceptional clinician scientist who exemplifies how basic and clinical research can come together to generate paradigm-shifting new knowledge. He has contributed to drawing a novel picture of the role of the innate immune system in the central nervous system, elucidating the function and origin of the brain's microglia and their functional connection to the intestinal tract and the microbiome. With the 2021 Novo Nordisk Prize, we celebrate bridging the gap between basic and applied research in neuroimmunology," says Jrgen Frkir, Chair of the committee that awards the Prize. Marco Prinz is delighted to receive the Prize and says: "It was hard to imagine 25 years ago that I would receive these honours and distinctions, because at that time not many paid attention, so I accept the Prize with great humility and pride. Predicting how this field might develop during the next 10 years is difficult, but it is exploding currently, with interest and potential possibilities for curing some of these disabling and deadly brain diseases, and this is still the driving force in my daily work." Future treatment Marco Prinz imagines that it might be possible in the future to identify some of the microglia-specific molecules using magnetic resonance imaging or positron emission tomography in living patients and thus diagnose the disease even before symptoms appear. "This is like an early alarm clock in the brain that can tell us things that are not possible to tell us today. Brain disease today is usually diagnosed based on the symptoms or even small biopsies from the human brain. If the microglia in a specific region are activated, we can then tell that the patient seems to be developing a specific brain disease," explains Marco Prinz. Today most brain diseases are diagnosed when the disease has already progressed and the patients have difficulties. With early diagnosis, the patients can potentially get more specific treatment that might be-microglia-based in the future. "We consider microglia to be obvious targets for treating people with central nervous system disorders such as multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer's. We call these neuromodulatory therapies. They can be pharmaceutical interventions or brain stimulation to remedy and cure the diseases," says Marco Prinz. ### About Marco Prinz 1990-1996 Medical studies, Humboldt University (Charite), Berlin, Germany 1997-1998 Postdoctoral Fellow, Max Delbruck Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin-Buch, Germany 1999-2002 Postdoctoral Fellow and Medical Doctor, Institute of Neuropathology, University of Zurich, Switzerland 2004 Habilitation at the Medical School, University of Gottingen; Lecturer ("Habilitation"), Consultant ("Facharzt" and "Oberarzt") for Neuropathology, Institute of Neuropathology, University of Gottingen, Germany 2008- Professor (W3) and Director, Institute of Neuropathology, Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Germany 2014 Sobek Prize 2015 Reinhart-Koselleck Grant 2017- Coordinator of the SFB/TRR 167 NeuroMac on myeloid cells in the CNS 2018- Highly cited researcher (Clarivate Analytics) 2018 Ernst Jung Prize 2020 Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Prize About the Novo Nordisk Prize The Novo Nordisk Prize recognizes an active scientist who has provided outstanding international contributions to advance medical science to benefit people's lives. The Prize is intended to award and further support biomedical research in Europe. The Prize is accompanied by DKK 5 million (672,000) and comprises a DKK 4.5 million (605,000) research grant and a personal award of DKK 0.5 million (67,000). The Foundation will award an additional DKK 0.5 million for hosting an international symposium within the recipient's field(s) of research. The 2022 nomination call is open until June 1st at that link https:/ / novonordiskfonden. dk/ en/ prizes/ the-novo-nordisk-prize/ . About the Institute of Neuropathology, University of Freiburg The focus of the diagnostic activities of the Institute of Neuropathology is the evaluation of bioptic tissue specimens from the central and peripheral nervous system, covering the microscopic and molecular examination of CNS and PNS tissues. Research activities comprise projects in the area of innate immunity of the brain, such as autoimmune inflammation (EAE model), neurodegeneration and general immunity. Clinical and scientific work is being carried out in close collaboration with colleagues from the Department of Neurology and Neuroscience, Department of Neurosurgery and other medical specialties within the Neurocenter and from other institutions. About the Novo Nordisk Foundation The Novo Nordisk Foundation is an independent Danish foundation with corporate interests. It has two objectives: 1) to provide a stable basis for the commercial and research activities of the companies in the Novo Group; and 2) to support scientific, humanitarian and social causes. The vision of the Foundation is to contribute significantly to research and development that improves the lives of people and the sustainability of society. Since 2010, the Foundation has donated more than DKK 30 billion (4 billion), primarily for research at public institutions and hospitals in Denmark and the other Nordic countries as well as research-based treatment and prevention of diabetes. Read more at http://www. novonordiskfonden. dk/ en Contact: Prof. Dr. Marco Prinz Director Institute of Neuropathology University of Freiburg - Medical Center Phone: +49 761 270-51060 marco.prinz@uniklinik-freiburg.de Further information Christian Mostrup, Senior Programme Lead, +45 3067 4805, cims@novo.dk At the start of the COVID-19 outbreak, a University of Illinois Chicago researcher conducted a survey asking respondents if they experienced health care delays because of the pandemic. In addition to learning about the types of delays, the study also presented a unique opportunity to capture a historic moment at the pandemic's beginning. Elizabeth Papautsky, UIC assistant professor of biomedical and health information sciences, is first author on "Characterizing Healthcare Delays and Interruptions in the U.S. During the COVID-19 Pandemic Using Data from an Internet-Based Cross-Sectional Survey," published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research. The study was conducted through an internet survey from April 5-May 5, 2020, and over 2,500 people responded. The results showed 48% of respondents experienced delayed health care, with the three most common delays being dental (38%), preventative (29%) and diagnostic (16%). Fear of COVID-19 infection, health care provider discouragement, and the feeling that their health care concerns weren't as important as others were the top reasons people listed for delaying care, according to the study. The study's results are not surprising, but worrisome as implications may include long-term health care decline, Papautsky said. For example, due to COVID-19's impact on preventive and diagnostic care, an uptick in cancer diagnoses and at higher stages is expected, she added. Despite a convenience sample, which is often frowned upon in research, Papautsky said, important lessons can be learned. "We captured a fleeting moment in time," she said. "This is an opportunity to learn how to do research in very dynamic situations. What lessons can we learn for when there are other situations where you need to get a survey out quickly and how can we do that better." One surprising thing about the study was the number of respondents: 2,570 people, invited via social media, completed the 40-minute survey. "People really cared about it. That shows the power of social media and the power of asking questions that people are concerned about," Papautsky said. While the conditions for this study cannot be replicated, the methodological lessons learned can serve as a sort of "pilot study" for future crises, creating more diverse and inclusive research that drives health equity forward, the study reports. "There is an urgent need for sharing lessons learned, disseminating effective strategies for reaching more diverse populations, and encouraging the research community to employ and improve upon these strategies in future research," Papautsky said. ### The study's co-authors are Dylan Rice of Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston; Hana Ghoneima, AnnaLaura McKowen, Nicholas Anderson and Cindy Veldhui all of Columbia University, New York; and Angie Wootton of the University of California, Berkeley. OKLAHOMA CITY AND DENMARK - Campylobacter infection, one of the most common foodborne illnesses in the Western world, can also be spread through sexual contact, according to a new research discovery by an OU Hudson College of Public Health faculty member, working in conjunction with colleagues in Denmark. The team's research has been published in Emerging Infectious Diseases, a journal published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and is the first known study to prove this mode of transmission for Campylobacter. During a time when COVID-19 has dominated news about infectious diseases, the research is a reminder that many other pathogens affect lives around the world every day. The study was led by infectious disease epidemiologist Katrin Kuhn, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology in the OU Hudson College of Public Health. "This research is important for public health messaging and for physicians as they talk to their patients about risks associated with sexual contact," Kuhn said. "Although Campylobacter infection is usually not a serious disease, it causes diarrhea, which can result in people missing work, losing productivity or perhaps losing their job. It poses an additional risk for people with underlying health conditions." Campylobacter infections usually occur when people eat chicken that has not been cooked thoroughly or when juices from uncooked poultry make their way into other food. Infections can also be caused by drinking unpasteurized milk or water that has been contaminated by the feces of infected animals. However, those didn't account for all cases of infection, Kuhn said, and she wondered if there was another route of transmission that remained unproven. An outbreak of Campylobacter infections in northern Europe among men who have sex with men prompted her to study that population of people in Denmark, where she was working when the research began. The study results showed that the rate of Campylobacter infection was 14 times higher in men who have sex with men than the control subjects. Although the study focused on men who have sex with men, the results are relevant to people of any sexual orientation who engage in sexual behavior that may involve fecal-oral contact, Kuhn said. Two other bacteria, Salmonella and Shigella, were used as comparisons in the study. Salmonella is spread primarily through infected foods, while Shigella can be transmitted through food or sexual contact. Salmonella has a high infectious dose, meaning people must ingest a significant amount of the bacteria before they become ill. However, Shigella and Campylobacter have low infectious doses, which makes transmission easier. "That's an additional reason why we believe Campylobacter can be transmitted through sexual contact like Shigella is - because people can become infected when only small amounts of the bacteria are present," Kuhn said. Campylobacter infections are probably more prevalent than the numbers show. For every one person who goes to the doctor and is diagnosed, epidemiologists estimate that 20 more people are infected, Kuhn said. Although treatment is usually required only for severe cases, complications can occur, especially in people who have compromised immune systems. In some cases, infection can result in reactive arthritis, in which the body's immune system attacks itself, causing pain in the joints. Infection can also lead to Guillain-Barre Syndrome, a serious nerve disorder that can cause paralysis. "This is an interesting time because COVID-19 has made people more aware of the importance of monitoring infectious diseases in general, not only during a pandemic," she said. "There are many infections like the one caused by Campylobacter that make people sick. It's important that we spotlight the fact that these diseases exist and that we continue to conduct research on their effects and modes of transmission." Before arriving at the OU Hudson College of Public Health, Kuhn served as a senior infectious disease epidemiologist at Statens Serum Institut in Denmark. Her work focused on food- and water-borne infections, and she was responsible for the national surveillance of Campylobacter and Shigella. She began this study while in Denmark and completed it after moving to Oklahoma. Statens Serum Institut is the Danish national institute for infectious diseases and the primary institute for surveillance of and research on infectious diseases in Denmark. "A formal collaboration between OU Hudson College of Public Health and Statens Serum Institut will build a solid foundation for strengthening transatlantic research and, not least, improving the way that we monitor, understand and prevent infectious diseases in Oklahoma," Kuhn said. ### OU HEALTH SCIENCES CENTER One of nation's few academic health centers with seven professional colleges -- Allied Health, Dentistry, Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Public Health and Graduate Studies -- the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center serves approximately 4,000 students in more than 70 undergraduate and graduate degree programs on campuses in Oklahoma City and Tulsa. For more information, visit ouhsc.edu. OU HEALTH OU Health -- along with its academic partner, the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center -- is the state's only comprehensive academic health system of hospitals, clinics and centers of excellence. With 11,000 employees and more than 1,300 physicians and advanced practice providers, OU Health is home to Oklahoma's largest physician network with a complete range of specialty care. OU Health serves Oklahoma and the region with the state's only freestanding children's hospital, the only National Cancer Institute-Designated OU Health Stephenson Cancer Center and Oklahoma's flagship hospital, which serves as the state's only Level 1 trauma center. Becker's Hospital Review named University of Oklahoma Medical Center one of the 100 Great Hospitals in America for 2020. OU Health's oncology program at Stephenson Cancer Center and University of Oklahoma Medical Center was named Oklahoma's top facility for cancer care by U.S. News & World Report in its 2020-21 rankings. OU Health was also ranked by U.S. News & World Report as high performing in these specialties: Colon Surgery, COPD and Congestive Heart Failure. OU Health's mission is to lead healthcare in patient care, education and research. To learn more, visit ouhealth.com. PHILADELPHIA--A five-year community outreach and engagement effort by the Abramson Cancer Center at the University of Pennsylvania (ACC) to increase enrollment of Black patients into cancer clinical trials more than doubled the percentage of participants, improving access and treatment for a group with historically low representation in cancer research. The percentage of patients enrolled into a treatment clinical trial, for example, increased from 12 to 24 percent. A significant increase was also observed in non-therapeutic interventional and non-interventional trials. The findings were published today in an abstract to be presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting on June 5. (Abstract #100). [ADD LINK https:/ / meetinglibrary. asco. org/ record/ 196644/ abstract ] "An important goal of the Abramson Cancer Center is to serve and engage our community --and that includes improving access to clinical trials for all patients," said senior author Robert H. Vonderheide, MD, DPhil, director of the ACC and vice president for Cancer Programs in the University of Pennsylvania Health System. "Aligning the number of Black patients with cancer we care for with the number enrolled in our trials is how we can help bring more equitable care to the community, close gaps in disparities, and sustain trust. There's more work to be done to improve access and inclusion of minority groups, and the impact of this outreach and engagement effort is an important step forward." Despite making up 13.4 percent of the U.S. population, only five percent of Black patients with cancer are enrolled in clinical trials. Of 8,700 patients who participated in trials nationwide related to the 28 oncology drugs approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2018 and 2019, only 4 percent were Black, according to FDA Drug Trial Snapshot reports. In 2014, Black residents comprised 19 percent of the population and 16.5 percent of cancer cases in the 12-county catchment area surrounding Philadelphia, but only 11.1 percent of ACC patients were Black. The percentages of Black participants accrued into treatment, non-therapeutic interventional, and non-interventional trials at the ACC were 12.2 percent, 8.3 percent, and 13.0 percent, respectively. To address these gaps, the ACC established a center-wide program with community guidance and engagement that included: culturally tailored marketing strategies; new partnerships with faith-based organizations serving Black communities to conduct educational events; establishment of an ACC community Advisory Board and community educational forums; pilot programs with Lyft and Ride Health to address transportation barriers; and patient education by nurse navigators regarding cancer and clinical trials. The efforts reached more than 10,000 individuals in churches, neighborhoods, community parks and centers, and health centers with formats ranging from educational forums to wellness fairs. In addition, ACC promoted clinical trials that address the cancer burden in Black residents of the catchment area, required that each protocol have a minority accrual plan to obtain approval, and increased access to language-tailored consent forms and translation services for patients. By 2018, the researchers found that the percentage of Black patients seen at ACC had increased to 16.2 percent. The percentages of Black participants accrued onto treatment, non-therapeutic interventional, and non-interventional trials were 23.9 percent, 33.1 percent, and 22.5 percent, respectively -- a 1.7- to 4.0-fold increase and higher than the percentage of Black patients seen at the ACC. As part of its long-term strategy to improve access, the ACC has also collaborated with the Lazarex Cancer Foundation to implement its IMPACT program (IMproving Patient Access to Cancer Clinical Trials), a first-of-its-kind effort at the ACC combining financial reimbursement for travel related expenses, outreach, and educational programs to help patients with cancer learn about and access advanced treatment in clinical trials. Reimbursement covers plane tickets, hotels, gas, tolls, cabs, and parking for the patient, and a companion. "We've shown here that a multifaceted, community-based engagement initiative works to improve access to cancer clinical trials by Black patients with cancer," said first author Carmen E. Guerra, MD, MSCE, FACP, an associate professor of Medicine and associate director for Diversity and Outreach in the ACC. "We will continue to work with collaborators such as Lazarex that share in our vision to increase participation of underrepresented patients in trials, while at the same time engage with the community to develop strategies that address needs and barriers, from different social determinants of health to solidifying their trust." ### Penn co-authors Vicki Sallee, Wei-Ting Hwang, Brenda Bryant, Armenta L. Washington, Samuel U. Takvorian, Robert Schnoll, Karen Glanz, Roger B. Cohen, and Katherine L. Nathanson. Vonderheide will present the findings during a ASCO special session, "Novel Initiatives to Address Disparities in Cancer," on June 5 at 8:30 am EST. When Charles Darwin published Descent of Man 150 years ago, he launched scientific investigations on human origins and evolution. This week, three leading scientists in different, but related disciplines published "Modern theories of human evolution foreshadowed by Darwin's Descent of Man," in Science, in which they identify three insights from Darwin's opus on human evolution that modern science has reinforced. "Working together was a challenge because of disciplinary boundaries and different perspectives, but we succeeded," said Sergey Gavrilets, lead author and professor in the Departments of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Mathematics at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Their goal with this review summary was to apply the framework of modern speciation theory to human origins and summarize recent research to highlight the fact that Darwin's Descent of Man foreshadowed many recent scientific developments in the field. They focused on the following three insights: 1. We share many characteristics with our closest relatives, the anthropoid apes, which include genetic, developmental, physiological, morphological, cognitive, and psychological characteristics. 2. Humans have a talent for high-level cooperation reinforced by morality and social norms. 3. We have greatly expanded the social learning capacity that we see already in other primates. "The paper's insights have important implication for understanding behavior of modern humans and for developing policies to solve some of the most pressing problems our society faces," Gavrilets said. Gavrilets is director of the Center for the Dynamics of Social Complexity (DySoC) at UT, which promotes transdisciplinary research into the origins, evolution, and futures of human social complexity. This paper is one of the outcomes of activities from the Center. Other related outcomes include free online learning modules on cultural evolution and a series of online webinars about cultural evolution and human origins, which thousands of students and researchers worldwide have watched. ### Co-authors are Peter Richerson, a cultural evolutionist with the Department of Environmental Science and Policy at the University of California, Davis, and Frans de Waal, a primatologist with Living Links, Yerks National Primate Research Center at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. The paper was sponsored by the UT National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis with an NSF award. Researchers also received support from the US Army Research Office, the Office of Naval Research, the John Templeton Foundation, and the NIH. Friday, May 21, 2021 CONFIDENCE IS RETURNING. The big news last week was the announcement from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) that fully vaccinated Americans can resume normal activities without wearing masks or social distancing, except where required by law. Suffice it to say, people are ready to return to normal. Results from the latest Axios-Ipsos Coronavirus survey, conducted in early May, found Americans were feeling more optimistic. Among those surveyed: 59 percent had visited friends or relatives during the previous week. 54 percent had gone out to eat during the previous week. 31 percent had made plans for the summer. 18 percent had a stronger sense of emotional well-being, a six-point jump from the prior survey. 60 percent indicated trips to salons, barber shops, and spas were low- or no-risk activities, up six points from the last survey. If your exuberance about resuming "normal" life has been tempered by a reluctance to change the routines you've adopted during the pandemic, you're not alone. Medical experts at Northwestern University explained: "The emotional impact of this past year may linger with us for longer than we might expect. The key is not to feel forced to snap back into a routine overnight. Give yourself time and understand that your emotional journey back to freely socializing in vaccinated cohorts may look very different from those around you." As some people say, "You do you." Best regards, Womack Investment Advisers, Inc. WOMACK INVESTMENT ADVISERS, INC. Oklahoma / Main Office: 1366 E. 15th Street - Edmond, OK 73013 California Office: 4660 La Jolla Village Dr., Ste. 100 - San Diego, CA 92122 Phone (405) 340-1717 - Toll Free (877) 340-1717 Website: www.womackadvisers.com Womack Investment Advisers, Inc. (WIA) is a registered investment adviser whose principal office is located in Oklahoma. Womack Investment Advisers, Inc. is also registered in the State of California, the State of Illinois, the State of Indiana, and the State of Texas. WIA only transacts business in sates where it is properly registered, or excluded, or exempted from registration requirements. Friday, May 21, 2021 James DiEugenio, in his book Destiny Betrayed and in Probe Magazine (July-August, 1977), has made the claim that Jim Garrison's offices were wiretapped by the FBI. Before we get to dealing with the allegation, it is worth pointing out that Garrison long believed the FBI was listening in on his conversations. In early 1967, journalist Hugh Aynesworth visited Garrison to discuss the case . Garrison, he said, would rush off periodically and shout a chess move into the handset of the phone. Aynesworth asked him what was happening and Garrison replied, "That's the code. The Feebees [FBI} will never break it." He then told Aynesworth that he had to take out the kids to play before noon because, as he put it, "There's a torpedo from Miami after me. Everybody knows they sleep till noon." Garrison's aides told the Times-Picayune that "he often answers the telephone, F--- you, J. Edgar Hoover." In an interview with Edward Wegmann, William Gurvich remembers the code: Wegmann: Are phones tapped? Gurvich: I heard that they tapped phones but I honestly don't know of any phone that was tapped. Garrison thought his and everybody else's were tapped, you know, and we devised a code to use on the phone so the FBI wouldn't know what we were talking about, but Garrison couldn't work the code, so that was rather ineffective. Garrison then came up with a plan to raid FBI offices. Here is an excerpt of an interview with William Gurvich on WDSU-TV on June 27, 1967: Gurvich repeated the same story, under oath, at the Christenberry hearings on January 26, 1971: In fact, Garrison's offices were bugged - by Garrison himself. There are many tape recordings of meetings in Garrison's office in the National Archives. Garrison put in a bug in Perry Russo's house, and you can read the transcript of his discussions with James Phelan. Pershing Gervais was wired when he interviewed Jack Martin at the Fontainebleau Motel . Here's a short excerpt from a Perry Russo interview with William Gurvich from January 29, 1971: Note that George Eckert was an investigator in Jim Garrison's office. Here is an excerpt from a transcript of a discussion between Edward Wegmann and William Gurvich from September 16. 1967: Wegmann: Any tapes on the interrogation of Shaw on March 1st? Gurvich: I have never seen any or heard of any. They couldn't have because their system was very poor up here. They only had two rooms equipped for bugging - that was Ward's and Garrison's, and then later, they tried to do it on our lines but they were very inept. They tried to bug Ivon's telephone in his own office and they couldn't, with all of that very expensive equipment. Wegmann: Are phones tapped? Gurvich: I heard that they tapped phones but I honestly don't know of any phone that was tapped. Garrison thought his and everyone else's were tapped, you know, and we devised a code to use on the phone so the FBI wouldn't know what we were talking about, but Garrison couldn't work the code, so that was rather ineffective. Witnesses like Carlos Quiroga had their interviews taped. Harry Connick donated many audio tapes from the Garrison Investigation. Here is a partial listing: There are 135 audiocassettes at NARA from the Garrison investigation. Some of the conversations come from bugs or taps - here are just a few: Kerry Thornley and A.Sciambra phone conversation 1st Interview between P. Russo and J. Phelan Statement of J. Martin (Fountainbleau) Jack Martin Phone Conversations Tape # 2 Phone call from Cliff Hall to R. Burns re: Kelly Thornley knowing Oswald Now, let's get to the supposed bugging of Garrison's offices by the FBI. The allegation is contained in Destiny Betrayed, and in Probe Magazine (Volume 4, #5, page 16). DiEugenio reproduces this Garrison memo from 1973: Here is how DiEugenio describes this memo in Destiny Betrayed: (page 264) "In 1973, former FBI employee William Walter called Garrison's chief investigator Lou Ivon and told him about some of the subterfuges regarding the Kennedy case and Garrison... Walter first said that he did not like Garrison personally, but he thought he was sincere since he knew what went on in the New Orleans FBI office concerning the JFK case. He said messages were sent to the office that FBI reports were to be altered so that there would be no questions about the conclusions of the Warren Report. He also stated that there "were complete statements from various individuals which were eliminated by the agents." He then said that the Bureau had assigned ten to fifteen agents to follow Garrison's investigators to see what leads they were checking out." Now, I don't happen to find any of this persuasive. FBI reports form the backbone of criticism of the Warren Report. Just read Sylvia Meagher's Accessories After The Fact. The FBI more likely wanted agents to get things right before reports get sent to the Warren Commission. Interestingly, some of Garrison's staffers developed an appreciation for the FBI. Here is an excerpt from Tom Bethell's diary (entry of March 15, 1968): Also, Alcock, Ivon and Sciambra have all attested at different times to the efficiency of the FBI's investigation. It is hard to think of anyone of any relevance who was not interviewed by them within a week or two of the assassination. (In fact, most were interviewed within a few days.) This has been, I am sure, a source of great disappointment to the DA's office, although Garrison himself has never admitted as much. When all the books and articles came out criticizing the Commission, I think many people in the office thought they were exploring virgin territory when they looked into Oswald's background, because these books had tended to over-emphasize the short-comings of the FBI. They gave no indication of how extensive their investigation had been. Far from finding virgin territory, they found that the FBI had been there ahead of them every time -- three years ahead of them. I don't think anyone was expecting this. I know I wasn't; it was clear that many of the people working on the investigation, such as Louis Ivon, acquired a certain sneaking respect for the FBI, as I did too. To be honest, the FBI did not have a need to have "ten to fifteen agents to follow Garrison's investigators." New Orleans, as I have mentioned several times, was a cauldron of rumor, innuendo and gossip. Informants from Garrison's office were regularly going to the FBI, and so they had a very god idea of what was going on. Many informants were reporting information to both Garrison and to the FBI - people like Joseph Oster and Betty Parrott come to mind. According to DiEugenio, Garrison was thinking of suing the U. S. government for illegal surveillance in 1977. He interviewed William Walter who told him further details about what the FBI was up to: In this interview, Walter reaffirmed that Garrison's office was wired. Walter named several of the former FBI agents and one undercover agent who had been transferred to the phone company's security office, "...from which vantage point, under a longstanding arrangement between the Bureau and the phone company, he can patch anybody's phone lines into the Bureau's local cable for self-activating recordings." Walter told Garrison that the tapes were transcribed every day. "How was he so sure about this part of the operation? Because he later married the Bureau secretary who typed up the transcript." Garrison wrote a memo about the interview. DiEugenio does not publish the memo, but just a few short excerpts. Here's one: "However, Walter makes clear that this was just a thin cover to protect the Bureau and "explain" its entry into the operation. Besides the Bureau clerk typing the transcripts of my conversations in the Bureau office, recordings of my conversations were monitored in the Bureau's Technical Surveillance room and a full file was maintained in the office on my phone calls." This is the entirety of the evidence that the FBI wiretapped Garrison's phones. There are no transcripts, no memos about the wiretapping, no corroboration from other FBI employees, no nothing. So just how credible is William Walter. Well, William Walter contacted Mark Lane in 1968 after a speech. Walter told Lane that he had worked at the FBI and that he knew of a teletype received in the New Orleans office warning about an assassination attempt on November 22, 1963. It should be noted that William Walter was just 21 when Kennedy was assassinated and he had a very junior position in the FBI. Here is a good short summary of the Walter allegations. Walter was not ready to go public and Lane put a note under his doorstep: Lane then wrote out an affidavit: The next day, January 31, 1968, Garrison appeared on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson and he read the affidavit on the air. This led to a massive internal FBI investigation . This a document that William Walter typed up at Tulane University - from his notes - of the teletype he said he saw. He destroyed his notes. Here is an FBI memo from June 1968 regarding the Walter allegations: Here is more detail on Walter's probation with the FBI : I am sure that the conspiracy theorists will say that Walter was punished for what he knew. And the FBI back then, under J. Edgar Hoover, was ridiculously rule-bound and punitive. Just check the punishments given to agents who had anything to do with Oswald pre-assassination - like James Hosty. And, as the first memo says: "Walter's file does show that he was censured on two occasion ... It is felt such information would be responsive to Mr. Vinson's request whether Walter is or has been subject to mental aberration or stress." The William Walter file was put to bed, but he resurfaced in 1975 when there was a renewed interest in the JFK assassination. Hugh Aynesworth investigated the story and filed this story: The HSCA also investigated Walter's allegations, including the allegation that Oswald was an FBI informant. Here is the HSCA folder on William Walter Here is a link to Walter's testimony before the HSCA. Here are the HSCA conclusions about William Walter : What is interesting is the paragraph above about William Walter's wife. "Walter advised the committee that he did not know of anyone who could definitely substantiate his teletype allegation, although he suggested that his former wife Sharon Covert, who also worked for the FBI in New Orleans, might be able to do so. Sharon Covert, however, advised the committee that she could not support any of Walter's allegations against the FBI and that Walter had never mentioned his allegations to her during their marriage." Now, back to the allegation of the FBI wiretapping Garrison. To quote DiEugenio: (Probe Magazine, op. cit.) "How was he so sure about this part of the operation? Because he later married the Bureau secretary who typed up the transcripts." Was this the same wife? Sounds like it. The time-frame works. Was it a second wife? It hardly matters since Walter provided no hard evidence, and his credibility has been found wanting. Might there be another indicator of William Walter's credibility? Well, how about this: At first, when I found this, I wasn't sure if it was the right William Walter. But Walter was born on March 9, 1942 which would make him 45 years at the time of this article - and it describes him as being in his mid-40s. Not surprisingly, guess who thought there was enough credibility in Walter's story to put it into a film? Yes, you guessed it, Oliver Stone in JFK. Here is the scene (Oser is an Assistant DA): Garrison: ... There again Quigley destroyed the notes of the meeting. I think we can raise the possibility that Oswald was not only an informant but that he may have well been the original source for the telex we have dated November 17 warning of the Kennedy assassination in Dallas on November 22. Holds up the telex. We see a close-up: URGENT TO ALL SACS FROM DIRECTOR." Garrison: William Walter, the night clerk on duty here in the FBI office, gave me a copy of this. It went all over the country. Nothing was done, and the motorcade went ahead on schedule - and this wasn't even mentioned in the Warren Report! Read it, Al. Oser: (voice-over) "Threat to assassinate President Kennedy in Dallas, Texas, November 22 - 23. Information received by the Bureau has determined that a militant revolutionary group may attempt to assassinate President Kennedy on his proposed trip to Dallas, Texas, etc, etc ..." FLASHBACK TO New Orleans office in 1963. Walter the night clerk, receives the teletype, reads it, and runs it. Garrison: (voice-over) ... shortly after the assassination, Walter says, the telex was removed from all the files in all cities, as an obvious embarrassment to the Bureau. I believe Oswald was sending information through Hosty ... Friday, May 21, 2021 All her life Debbie Fields wanted to be in the cookie business. She loved to bake em, and everyone who tasted one said it was the best theyd ever eaten. But as any entrepreneur knows, wanting to go into business, and going into business, are two different things. Debbie lacked the one ingredient to open her cookie shop: money. She went around to banks with a business plan and a plate of cookies until she found someone who believed in her product as much as she did. On grand opening day, her husband bet Debbi that she wouldnt do $50.00 worth of business. Debbi took the bet, certain the first days dollar take would be in the hundreds. By 3pm she had still not rung the register. Zero bucks. Not daunted, but slightly panicked, Debbi took to the streets and started giving the cookies away as samples. She told the people, If you like them, go back to my store and buy a few. She sold $75 dollars worth by the end of the day. She won the bet from her husband and the multi million dollar (idea) lottery that day. There were lots of things Debbi could have done in her low moment. Cried, quit, swore, or blamed the customer. Instead, she looked for solutions, she took the obstacle and turned it into opportunity. Passing out cookie samples not only saved the day, it went on to be the cornerstone of her marketing plan to build the business. Give away samples in the street and make them follow you back to the store. Genius is always simple in idea, its the execution that separates the real from the would be. Today, there are more than six hundred Mrs. Fields Cookies stores in seven countries and growing. WOW. I saw Debbi deliver a seminar in Boston years ago. She not only told a story of how she succeeded at making big dough in the cookie business, she also interwove her practices and philosophies into the keynote. She won the crowd in the first two seconds by giving everyone (350 people) a fresh baked chocolate chip cookie. But she kept the crowd with her wit, wisdom and compelling story. Here are some of her business success practices and philosophies: Pick people who love what they will do. Set 24 hour goals. Set 2 hour goals (manage by the hour). Hire experts. Hire eagles (the best people you can find). Create systems with a heart. Dont chase money, youll never catch it. Take your product to the extreme better than anyone else. Turn change into opportunity. Get customers and keep them for life.. Here are some of her beyond the normal bounds of business practices that have given her the willing edge: If her cookies are not sold within two hours, theyre donated to charity. Her guaranty is written on every bag. She only hires people who loves cookies. She makes people sing Happy Birthday in their job interview. Hires attitude over ability. Only hires people who love cookies. Gives employees all they want to take home. (She says it creates good will, it creates new customers, and it keeps quality high pride of workmanship) Gives out samples in the street often. At 13 I believed I was the best cookie maker ever. Mrs. Fields said with pride. I created Chocolate nirvana. When I went into business, I knew people could compete, but there would be none better. I wanted to make eating my cookies an experience and I did. (Authors note: After about twenty minutes into her talk my cookie was eaten I started looking around for someone who had not eaten their cookie. I wanted another one.) Everyone has a formula for success. Not Debbi Fields she has a recipe. Heres her six point success recipe: Be passionate. She loved baking chocolate chip cookies. Love what you do. The greatest wealth is family and friends. Enjoy their love. Every day is special. Make it the best it can be. No is unacceptable. Dont stop there. Go for yes. Celebrate excellence. Make people feel important. The greatest failure is not to try. When you dream, wake up and do. Now mix in her special success ingredients: Philosophy of excellence: Good enough never is. Attitude of excellence: When things are bad, it means that good is close by. Report card of excellence: Get wows. Achieving excellence in selling: If you love it, you can sell it. Bake it for about twenty years and voila! Success. The formula is so simple anyone could do it. True enough. Why then did Debbi succeed so well with her recipe, and others have not had it as sweet? Debbi added a secret ingredient: passion. FREE GitBit Courtesy of Debbi Fields Two recipes for cookies that will make you the best baker in the world. Just go to www.gitomer.com, click Access GitBit, register and enter the secret word, COOKIES. San Antonio International Airport is adding its second new carrier in as many months. Breeze Airways will begin serving the city in mid-July. The low-fare startup, a brainchild of JetBlue Airways founder David Neeleman, on Friday announced service between San Antonio and Oklahoma City; Tulsa, Okla.; and northwest Arkansas. The San Antonio flights, which are scheduled to begin July 15, will allow connections via Breeze to New Orleans; Tampa, Fla.; and other destinations. The new service will be a boost for San Antonio International Airport, which has struggled for years to add destinations and, like all airports, saw travel plummet during the COVID-19 pandemic. Last month, budget carrier JetBlue announced that it would begin flights this fall from San Antonio to Boston and New York. While Breeze will serve just three destinations from San Antonio at first, Jesus Saenz Jr., the citys aviation director, said airport officials are negotiating additional destinations with the airline all cities without direct service from San Antonio. We know Breeze wants to grow its San Antonio service, he said without offering specifics on other possible direct destinations. Three focus cities for Breeze, where the airline will offer multiple destinations, are New Orleans; Charleston, S.C.; and Norfolk, Va. They also are cities to which San Antonio International offers no nonstop service and could be additions to its Breeze schedule. Saenz said Breeze plans to add routes as it starts taking delivery of new Airbus A220-300 aircraft in October. Breeze has ordered 60 of the planes, which can seat as many as 160 passengers. They are to start arriving at the rate of one a month for five years. In the meantime, Breeze will launch its service with older Embraer 195 and Embraer 190 jets, which can seat 118 and 108 passengers respectively. Unlike the Airbus planes to be added later, the Embraers will not have Wi-Fi or seat-back entertainment options. The airline is initially scheduled to fly to and from San Antonio five days a week, skipping Tuesdays and Wednesdays, the lightest passenger days. Each destination will see one flight a day. The San Antonio flights are among 39 nonstop routes to 16 cities that Breeze plans to roll out this spring and summer. Prices begin at $39 for one-way fares. Tickets went on sale Friday through the airlines website. Flights on the carriers first few routes begin next week. Then, more routes will be added gradually through June and into July, when San Antonio service is added. Breeze aims to fly routes not served by existing U.S. carriers. Announcements like the ones from JetBlue and Breeze have been long sought by airport and city officials. While San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the nation, its airport is the 44th largest in terms of passenger volume. Saenz said San Antonio Internationals passenger count has returned to 70 percent of pre-pandemic levels in 2019, more than double what it was much of last year. Airport projections are that it will reach 85 percent of 2019 levels during the summer mostly leisure travelers. Also by summer, Saenz said, he expects that the airport will serve 35 nonstop destinations, down from 40 before the pandemic. That compares with more than 50 nonstop destinations for Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, which is 70 miles away. The lack of nonstop service at San Antonio International has become a sore point for local politicians, one that Mayor Ron Nirenberg put a positive spin on at a Friday afternoon news briefing. I appreciate that Breeze Airways will connect to cities that typically fly where airlines dont fly, which means just more opportunities to do business, visit family members and receive visitors who may have never had the opportunity to visit us before, he said. On ExpressNews.com: Air fares drop, but San Antonio International still among costliest airports for passengers A lack of competition on many routes has made San Antonio International one of the nations most expensive to fly from. U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics show that for the 12-month period ending Sept. 30, it was the 10th-most expensive airport among the 50 largest. At the same news briefing, City Manager Erik Walsh said hes confident that additional nonstop service will help San Antonio International offer lower fares. But it may be hard to compete with Austin-Bergstrom farewise. That airport has become one of the fastest growing in the U.S. in terms of flights in the past several months, with major airlines adding new destinations in an aggressive fight for market share. That has led to an all-out fare war. On ExpressNews.com: JetBlue to launch service from San Antonio to New York and Boston Breeze was incorporated in 2018. It was scheduled to launch in 2020, but the COVID-19 pandemic delayed its start. It is one of two new U.S. airlines set to launch in 2021, the first new carriers since 2007. Avelo Air, the second new carrier, launched service April 28. It has created a hub at Hollywood Burbank Airport and serves 12 destinations. It does not fly to Texas. Breeze, unlike most mainstream carriers, will not have a central hub but will fly point to point. As with other budget carriers, an additional charge is required to reserve a seat in advance or to place a suitcase in an overhead luggage bin. Seat assignments start at $10, and overhead rack storage will be $20. The $39 teaser fares also have limits. Breeze is charging more than double its $39 San Antonio lowest fare $84 for travelers who opt for several extra inches of legroom. Breezes launch comes as most U.S. airlines are hoping to return to profitability by midyear after billions of dollars of pandemic-induced losses. Airline consultants are mixed in their opinions on whether the airline can survive the current turbulence. My concern is that Breeze is going to be blown away by its competitors, aviation consultant Henry Hartevelt said. Hartevelt, president of Atmosphere Research Group, said he expected other airlines to match Breezes fares and possibly initiate service on the same routes. But if anyone can make a new airline succeed, it is Neeleman, said Austin Horowitz, principal aviation consultant at ICF. Besides JetBlue, Neeleman has founded other profitable airlines: Canadas WestJet, Azul Brazilian Airlines and Morris Air, which was acquired by Southwest. The first four have succeeded to varying degrees, Horowitz said. Just on that alone, its hard to bet against him. Clearly, he understands what makes a successful airline. But Horowitz called Breezes starting strategy weird because it offers service only five days a week. Passengers who want to make a return trip on a Tuesday or Wednesday, the airlines nonflying days, will have to book flights on another airline. He said Neeleman has made a calculated choice to offer service only on the heaviest travel days. Two of the three destinations that Breeze will fly to from San Antonio have been previously flown by other airlines and abandoned. Before the pandemic, Southwest had offered direct service between San Antonio and Tulsa. Frontier Airlines started service in 2018 between San Antonio and Oklahoma City and Tulsa but less than a year later abandoned the routes because of a lack of demand. San Antonio has never had service to the third direct route offered by Breeze: Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport in Bentonville. randy.diamond@express-news.net In the latest sign that the coronavirus pandemic is waning, new cases and hospitalizations in San Antonio have continued to decline, reaching their lowest levels in months, officials reported Thursday. The Metropolitan Health District reported 118 confirmed new cases of COVID-19, down from 148 on Wednesday, and one new death. The seven-day rolling average of new cases now stands at 138 per day, compared with 205 two weeks ago. The average is now at its lowest level since mid-October. On ExpressNews.com: State of the pandemic in San Antonio, in Texas and across the U.S. Area hospitals were treating 154 patients with COVID-19 on Thursday, down from 164 on Wednesday despite 17 new admissions in the past 24 hours. The last time there were fewer than 160 people with COVID-19 in local hospitals was June 13, when there were 148 and the summer surge was just beginning. All very good numbers continuing to be reported out from our hospitals, and that tells you that we are continuing to bring this virus and the pandemic under control in Bexar County, Mayor Ron Nirenberg said at Thursdays city-county coronavirus briefing. Forty-eight patients who tested positive for the coronavirus were in intensive care units on Thursday four fewer than on Wednesday and 28 were breathing with the support of a ventilator, three more than on Wednesday. In January, when the pandemic was its height in Bexar County, hospitals here were treating more than 1,100 patients with COVID-19 each day, and hundreds of patients required intensive care. On ExpressNews.com: A guide to getting vaccinated in San Antonio Since the coronavirus arrived in the region more than a year ago, 221,603 Bexar County residents have tested positive and 3,439 have died of COVID-19. Local officials have continued to urge residents to become vaccinated against the virus, which is considered the best way to protect yourself and others against serious illness and death. Getting the shot means you can stop wearing a mask in most settings, according to guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Go get those vaccines. Its extremely important, the Rev. Dr. Kenneth Kemp of Antioch Missionary Baptist Church said during the briefing. We need to do this to protect ourselves, to protect our families and to protect our communities. To date, more than 995,040 Bexar County residents have gotten a first dose of vaccine. Thats 60 percent of the eligible population. About 741,240 residents, or 45 percent of those eligible, are fully vaccinated. Still, officials say thats not enough to reach herd immunity the point at which enough people in the community are immune to COVID-19 to prevent outbreaks. With a surplus of doses and demand for vaccines waning, officials have reminded residents that getting vaccinated is easier than ever. We are getting folks vaccinated but the virus is still being transmitted, Nirenberg said. Please continue to do your part. The best thing you can do is if youre not vaccinated, go get one. Many of San Antonios vaccination sites, including the Alamodome and the Wonderland of the Americas mall, are offering shots on a walk-in basis no appointment necessary. The shots are free, even without health insurance. For detailed information updated daily on vaccination locations, vaccine supplies and how to make appointments, check out the Express-News vaccine FAQ. andy.picon@hearst.com | Twitter: @andpicon Q: We had landscaping done recently at our South Texas home, and shortly thereafter these strange patches showed up in the lawn. Do you have any idea what they might be and what we need to do about them? A: In this year of strange happenings, even with all the cold, it looks like the brown patch fungus (now called large patch by Texas A&M) has become active in the cool spring weather. Its usually far more common in fall. If you pull on the blades they will come loose easily from the runners. Youll be able to see where the decay has occurred. The runners and roots remain attached theyre healthy. Only the blades are affected. As it gets dry and warm the disease will lessen, but you can apply the fungicide Azoxystrobin to slow its spread if you feel the need. Q: We have loquat trees on property in South Texas. They were damaged by the prolonged freezing temperatures in February. However, as you can see, there is a lot of green growth interspersed with the brown leaves. Do we need to prune these trees, or will the brown leaves fall off as the new growth progresses? A: It looks like you should be able to prune them selectively for branches that have not come back vigorously. In most of the state, loquats were hurt worse than this, so youre very fortunate. I would expect that the brown leaves would fall within the next month or two. Q: What are the best privacy shrubs that would grow to 6 to 8 feet, but not any taller? A: Dwarf Burford holly, although it would take many years to grow that tall. My preference from the hollies (my favorite shrubs because of their dependability) would be Willowleaf holly. I have several, and after 40 years of not pruning them much at all (because I have them out in the open), they are 9 or 10 feet tall. I could easily have kept them at 8 feet with just one or two prunings over that whole period of time. Standard abelia and elaeagnus are two other candidates. Of those two, abelias survived the winter in far better shape. Courtesy photo Q: Our neighbors eucalyptus tree died back in the freeze, but now its trying to send out new shoots at its base. Are the top branches dead? Do they pose any danger of breaking? A: If they havent leafed out by early to mid-June, theyre almost assuredly dead and will need to be pruned out. With power lines involved, you should contact the utility people. Most professional arborists wont work around power lines in such close proximity. Q: Ive been reading all of your notes on various plants and the impact of the February freeze on them, both here in your column and on your Facebook page. I havent seen any mention of golden raintrees. Ours is not putting out any leaves at all. Is it possible that the cold killed it? A: If you have southern golden raintree (Koelreuteria bipinnata, otherwise known as Chinese flametree), yes, the cold was extreme enough to have killed it. Its sub-tropical by its nature. Northern golden raintree (K. paniculata), by comparison, should not have been damaged. It is winter-hardy clear to the Great Lakes. It should not have been damaged by the cold. Q: Can you help me in getting rid of seedlings of paper mulberry and golden raintrees? Theyre coming up everywhere. A: Those should be easy to address. Use a broadleafed weedkiller spray (containing 2,4-D) in turf areas. Read and follow label directions to avoid damage to trees and shrubs nearby. Apply with a tank sprayer specifically to the tree seedlings for most precise control. Use a well-sharpened hoe when the soil is barely moist to scrape off the young seedlings in beds. Mulches will also work wonders in preventing seeds from germinating. Q: Im sure youve been covered up with questions about palms surviving the cold three months ago. How much longer should we wait to make the decision on windmill palms? I have two smaller ones that are sprouting out new green leaves, but the tallest has nothing yet. A: Keep waiting. Im seeing new growth showing up on palms around Texas with each passing day. Wait six weeks or more if you have to. Theres no real reason to rush. Courtesy photo Q: Should I be concerned with this split in the trunk of my 9-year-old plumeria? Its been this way for the past couple of years and the plant is putting out new leaves normally this spring. A: If you havent worried about it for two years, I wouldnt worry now. It appears to be dry tissue. Thats important. You dont want to see soft, decaying internal wood. I would just leave it to its own accord to see if it tries to produce new bark tissue across the wound. A plumeria that old should actually have a larger trunk. Hopefully it will be able to catch up. They require perfect drainage. Q: Is there anything that can be done to help Italian cypress trees that have gradually been turning brown over the past several weeks? Is this because of the cold? A: Ive been seeing this from all over the state. Yes, its from freeze injury, and it has taken the plants a while to display it. Im afraid its going to take the plants out, and there isnt anything that can be done to turn things around now. Im sorry for the bad news. They are vulnerable to temperatures into the single digits and low teens, especially when the cold comes and stays for several days. Mail questions to Neil Sperry, c/o Features Department, San Antonio Express-News, P.O. Box 2171, San Antonio, TX 78297-2171, or email him at SAENgardenQA@sperrygardens.com. The bill intended to curtail a striking rise in hate crimes against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders is seen before the signing ceremony, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, May 19. 2021. DEARBORN, Mich. (AP) A new electric version of Ford's immensely popular F-150 pickup truck might just be the catalyst that hastens America's transition from gasoline to battery-powered vehicles. Jim Farley, the company's new CEO, calls the introduction of an electric version of the nation's top-selling vehicle a watershed moment for Ford as well as for the auto industry. The new truck, called the F-150 Lightning and due in showrooms by next spring, will be able to travel up to 300 miles (480 kilometers) per battery charge and tow up to 10,000 pounds (4,500 kilograms) . Yet Ford's commitment to the EV F-150 is hardly without risk. The company spent millions to develop the truck at a time when sales of electric vehicles remain minuscule just 2% of the U.S. auto market. Many truck owners will be reluctant to switch from gasoline engines. And there's the distinct possibility that at least in the early months and perhaps years of production, automakers could run short of EV batteries and the scarce precious metals needed to make them. The Associated Press spoke recently with Farley about electric vehicle sales and a global chip shortage that has hindered auto production. The interview was edited for clarity and length. ___ Q: Why is the Lightning so important to Ford, and why are you offering an electric version before other models? A: Were starting with our icons because we know the customers the best and we can surprise them with the best execution. But the real key is the scale. We sell 1.1 million (F-Series) units a year. So these customers really trust us. If theres a company whos going to take them into an electric future, its Ford. ___ Q: Youre at a base price of roughly $40,000. With a $7,500 federal tax credit, will you be even cheaper than a gas-powered F-150? A: Its going to be pretty close. It depends on the specifications. The vehicle is faster than a Raptor (F-150 high performance gas version.) It'll power your house for three days or a heck of tailgate. We have the latest interior technology, over-the-air updates. You could argue its going to give the internal combustion product a heck of a run. ___ Q: How long do you think it will be until the majority of vehicles you sell are battery electric? A: A lot of it will depend on government support, the infrastructure (charging stations) build-out, as well as a support for the purchase. We have a $7,500 benefit still at Ford. So it depends on what happens with government policy, and whether that tips the scale for a lot of customers. It has in Europe. China is moving fast. We're totally sold out with the Mach E (Electric SUV). On the West Coast, it's already changed quickly. Itll be a matter of time before that sweeps across the country. ___ Q: You have said the global semiconductor shortage will halve your normal production in the second quarter. Do you see that shortage ending this year? A: These components are a high percentage of our build-of-material these days, and we cant really continue to run just-in-time inventory on components like this. Its a real game changer in how we look at our supply chain. We are seeing some positive indications from chip producers. The big change is the Renesas facility (a chip factory in Japan that was damaged by fire) coming back online. As that facility ramps up to 100%, we'll feel a lot more confident. So were not through this. Im not going to give any predictions about what the second half looks like. ___ Q: Does that 50% production loss figure for the second quarter change? A: Certainly in the second half we see much less impact. We had about 200,000 units of lost production in the first quarter. The second quarter is going to be the most difficult. We see, conservatively, a couple of hundred thousand units of risk in the second half. ___ Q: You've mentioned that you may buy chips directly from the factories and stockpile them. Is this going to change the way Ford buys critical parts? A: I really do think so. This is a really significant event. Its not really black swan events, Renesas is, but it's really more kind of dealing with the realities of a different supply chain focused on electronic components. Silicon is a big part of every vehicle. I do think that everythings on the table. Weve also learned that you have to engineer flexibly for these components. You may have to have a design on the shelf in case something runs lean. ___ Q: You have said you may move from having huge inventories on dealer lots to an order-from-the factory business model? A: Most of our customers do their shopping online now. We just are expanding our e-commerce platform. There are a couple of pieces that are now starting to come together. The first is a reservation system, so that people are more likely to order what they want versus going into the dealership and ordering off the inventory. We have to make it easier. We've done that. The next thing is, our order-to-delivery has to improve. The next thing is very large-scale remote pick-up and delivery. ___ Q: Dealers say that people would embrace four weeks from order to delivery. Is that realistic? A: Thats about what we see in Europe. About 50% of our retail customers in Europe order their car. It's somewhere between four and six weeks. It all depends on how popular the model is. Theres a big benefit for us on the cost side and marketing. But on the F-150, with millions and millions of combinations, we have to do a lot of complexity reduction to pull that off. ___ Q: Would I have to pay more for my F-150 because of this? A: The whole system will be a lot leaner, and the company doesnt have to do the public advertising. Theres a lot of efficiency gains that customers really dont benefit from today. There will be lower costs, which we'll pass on to the customers. It generally will not be a big change for customers. I just think theyll save a lot of time. ___ Q: Ford has plans to build its own electric vehicle batteries. Do you see these as being union plants, and will they pay as much as jobs now do at Ford powertrain plants? A: Michigan is a good example, where we make the F-150. Thats a UAW plant. VanDyke (in Sterling Heights, Michigan) is another one. Theyre making motors for the F-150 electric. The jobs are changing. We think that by working with the government and our UAW partners, we can secure American jobs as we move to e-mobility. Its critical for our country. Its critical for Ford. One of the real game-changers in this area is (battery) cell production. By in-sourcing cells, not just motors, power electronics, things like that, we have the opportunity to create more jobs. And although the vehicles are 30%-plus more efficient to make, by in-sourcing batteries, we can offset that risk. ATHENS, Greece (AP) Greeces prime minister says Europe should be very, very strict when dealing with countries that he said are seeking to use migrants and refugees as a means of pressuring the European Union. Speaking Friday during a meeting in Athens with the head of the European border agency Frontex, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis called on neighboring Turkey to do more to prevent people from attempting to cross the Greek border illegally from their shores. Greece has been one of the most popular routes into the EU for people fleeing war and poverty in the Mideast, Africa and Asia, with most making their way from the Turkish coast to nearby Greek islands in overcrowded smugglers' boats. In March 2020, thousands of migrants and refugees who had been in Turkey rushed to the Greek border after Turkey announced it was opening its own borders to the EU. Chaotic scenes followed on the Greek border, and Athens temporarily suspended asylum applications. Similar scenes played out this week in Spains North African enclave of Ceuta, when more than 8,000 people swam or jumped over border fences after Morocco relaxed border controls. It is inconceivable that migrants and refugees can be used as geopolitical pawns to put pressure on the European Union as a whole. And I think we need to be very, very strict when this happens, Mitsotakis said after meeting with Frontex chief Fabrice Leggeri. Greece has been accused by Turkey and refugee groups of carrying out pushbacks summary deportations of arriving migrants without giving them the chance to apply for asylum an accusation it strongly denies. Mitsotakis also urged Turkey to accept nearly 1,500 people now on Greek islands whose asylum applications have been rejected, saying that would be a very important first step to enhance our cooperation. ___ Follow APs global migration coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/migration As the legislative session winds down in Austin and hundreds of bills fizzle out, lawmakers are already setting the table for a special session in the fall. Thats when the Legislature is expected to redraw state legislative and congressional districts, after the federal census data used for that process was delayed by months. Now, Gov. Greg Abbott is adding spending negotiations to the agenda, charging legislators with allocating $16 billion in federal coronavirus relief funds when they return to Austin. The special session could also include a slate of additional GOP priorities ahead of primary elections next spring, as well as bills that dont make it in the regular session. Abbott is up for reelection next year, as are Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and all other statewide officeholders, and they could be in search of legislative wins to present to voters. On Thursday evening, Abbott promised to allow the House and Senate to participate in decisions about spending the federal dollars this fall something he declined to do with the first two rounds of stimulus funding, when he had near-unilateral control over how federal coronavirus funds were spent. The Texas Legislature is one of only a handful of state governments that meet biennially, and only Abbott has the power to call a special session. Despite pressure to do so last year, at the height of the coronavirus pandemic, he refused. TEXAS TAKE: Get the latest news on Texas politics sent directly to your inbox every weekday In budget discussions this year, House members on both sides of the aisle cried foul, inserting an amendment into their version of the spending plan that would require Abbott to call a special session before any more federal funds are disbursed. That language wont make it into the final budget document, and Abbott will still have control over billions of dollars in additional federal aid in the meantime. But the promise to involve legislators at least in some capacity will likely quell the harshest of criticism from Republicans though Democrats are already raising objections. Remaining fed $ to spend = $28.7 Billion, tweeted Rep. Donna Howard, D-Austin. No reason not to add language to budget bill now. A prelude to primaries? The talk of a special session is also prompting early chatter about what other issues could extend into the fall. The last time Abbott called a special session, in 2017, he gave lawmakers a list of about 20 conservative priorities to tackle over the summer, including the anti-transgender bathroom bill, anti-abortion measures and school finance reform. About half those priorities advanced. The timing of the special session this fall just months before the 2022 primary election will all but certainly influence the way legislators approach it, said Brandon Rottinghaus, a political science professor at the University of Houston. This is not a regular special session, he said. Youre going into a potentially competitive primary and a potentially competitive general, so all eyes are going to be on what happens in that session. It will be a particular test for Abbott, who is pursuing a third term and facing a primary challenge for the first time. Former state Sen. Don Huffines is campaigning against the governor from the right, which could give Abbott an extra nudge toward conservative priorities this fall, Rottinghaus said. But that decision, too, can be tricky. Rottinghaus said its not yet clear if Huffines poses a true threat to Abbott, a prodigious fundraiser who is well-known and generally well-liked by Republicans. Plus, placing too many conservative priorities on the list could backfire in several ways one, by giving lawmakers more than they can pass in a short time frame, and two, by giving Democrats new fuel ahead of the general election. If you put too many or the wrong things and they dont pass, it makes it look like you cant lead your own party, Rottinghaus said. With a little over a week left in the regular session this year, lawmakers are racing to pass a number of bills that have languished in one chamber or the other. Some are already making the case to revive near-dead legislation during the special session, including bills that would prevent transgender children from undergoing gender-affirming surgery. Glad to see Gov. Abbott already thinking ahead to the special session in the fall and various topics to add to the call, tweeted Rep. Matt Krause, R-Fort Worth, one of the chambers most conservative members. If we cant get a gender modification bill to his desk during the regular session, he should add that to the call as well. After a summer filled with cries for police reform, a City Council committee has recommended revising police policies in key areas, including how officers deal with members of the LGBTQ community and people experiencing mental health crises Our community has spoken loud and clear, said District 7 Councilwoman Ana Sandoval, chair of the councils Community Health and Equity Committee. We need to make meaningful improvements to how we approach public safety. The recommendations approved by the committee last week include having outreach specialists deal with people going through mental health crises, as an alternative to an armed response by the San Antonio Police Department. The committee also recommended that officers be trained to detect unconscious bias, and that the city study the departments handling of crimes against members of the LGBTQ community to determine, among other things, how many are solved. These recommendations are the result of conversations with public safety experts from both inside and outside of police departments, Sandoval said in a statement. The councils Public Safety Committee will review the recommendations in June, city spokeswoman Laura Mayes said. However, the city is limited in the changes it can make to SAPD policies. In many areas, changes must be negotiated through collective bargaining with the police union or enacted by the state legislature, said City Attorney Andy Segovia. Some of the committees recommendations will also have to be adjusted because of these limitations, but conceptually theyll be the same, Segovia said. On ExpressNews.com: San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg unveils agenda on police reforms, union contract Last summer, thousands of protesters took to the streets of San Antonio to call for police reform after the death of George Floyd, an unarmed Black man who was killed by a white police officer in Minneapolis. In June 2020, Mayor Ron Nirenberg asked the council committee to evaluate best policing practices. The committee held three meetings this spring, focusing on gender, racial equity and mental health. The recommendations grew out of those sessions. Council members Jada Andrews-Sullivan of District 2, Rebeca Viagran of District 3 and Sandoval added recommendations, including a proposal for alternatives to tasers and guns when responding to mental health calls. Sandoval wants to revisit recommendations made by then-Mayor Ivy Taylors Council on Police-Community Relations. The group was formed in 2016 after a nationwide string of police shootings of Black men. Sandoval wants to expand SAPDs San Antonio Fear Free Environment (SAFFE) program, which encourages police-community cooperation to deter and solve crimes. She also wants the city to track how many young people who went through the Bexar County sheriffs Explorer program go on to become police officers. The program gives young people a first-hand look at law enforcement in hopes of interesting them in careers in the field. It is open to children and young adults ages 14 to 21. Sandoval also suggested the city increase funding to organizations that benefit young people of color, such as My Brothers Keeper, and develop a forum for community feedback about the police department. The recommendations also called for more beds for women at Haven for Hope, the citys largest homeless services provider, and at the Sobering Unit, an alternative to jail for people who are publicly intoxicated. On ExpressNews.com: 'A wake-up call for the union': Close race on Prop B signals need to address discipline in contract, experts say Though the George Floyd protests died down after the summer, organizers sought to create change at the local level. A group called Fix SAPD spearheaded a proposed city charter amendment to strip the police union of its collective bargaining rights. The proposition made it onto the May 1 municipal election ballot but fell short of approval by an unexpectedly narrow margin. The city and the police union are in the midst of negotiations over a new contract. Proposed changes to the process for disciplining errant officers have caused a stalemate, prompting the parties to extend their discussions until June 11. liz.hardaway@hearst.com | Twitter: @liz_hardaway With less than a week and a half left in the legislative session, bills to crack down on police officers with histories of misconduct have been caught in the crosshairs of inter-chamber tensions and are in danger of not passing. For years, law enforcement agencies in the state have been plagued by roving cops who are fired or resign from one agency because of misconduct to keep their license and go work at another law enforcement job. A recent investigation by The Dallas Morning News detailed how former officer Stephen Yohner was able to keep working as a police officer for 10 years after he was fired from the Navasota Police Department in 2009 following an investigation into a sexual relationship he started with a woman he had met while responding to a police call. During that investigation, Yohner also told officers that hed discussed having a relationship with an underage girl once she turned 18. He was 27 at the time. But thanks to a separation agreement negotiated by the police union lawyer, Yohner was allowed to soften the firing on his record and continue working as a police officer. Eight years later, Yohner resigned from the Hearne Police Department after being accused of sexual harassment by two co-workers. The investigation showed that Hearne did not review Yohners Navasota records before hiring him. Navasota officials told The Dallas Morning News they complied with legal requirements to provide Yohners employment records, but that some departments chose not to review them. Two pieces of legislation aim to make it easier for law enforcement agencies to block the hiring of officers with histories of misconduct. But because the House and Senate are at odds over each others legislative priorities both bills have stalled in the final days of the session, despite support from House Speaker Dade Phelan, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and even some of the states major police unions. In the House, Rep. Leo Pacheco, D-San Antonio, filed House Bill 8, which would require law enforcement agencies to digitize their employment records to make background checks easier. Currently, some law enforcement agencies make the records available to other agencies, but only for in-person viewing. For small police departments in a vast state like Texas, that kind of travel is cumbersome. Pacheco hopes that requiring the records to be provided electronically will ease that burden. The situation described here is exactly what I want to help prevent with HB 8. Small cities often struggle to access an officer's full employment records, he said in an email. Making records available electronically would make background checks easier for departments with limited resources. We need to do everything we can to prevent serial abusers from continuing to work in law enforcement. In the Senate, Houston Republican Joan Huffmans Senate Bill 24 would similarly require employment records to be made electronically available, and would also require hiring agencies to confirm to the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement that they had contacted a candidates previous employers to conduct a background check and review employment records. If a previous employer could not be contacted, the hiring agency would have to note that in their report to TCOLE. Background investigators say that former agencies not responding to requests should raise alarms for hiring agencies. On Thursday, however, the House took the surprise step to recess until Sunday, when key legislative deadlines will begin to kick in for Senate bills to receive the Houses approval. That move was meant to pressure the Senate into pushing forward more of the Houses criminal justice and health care priorities. Still, criminal justice advocates say the bills arent major reforms, they barely scratch the surface of the problem. We havent done a thing, to solve the problem of roving cops, said Scott Henson, policy director for Just Liberty, a group dedicated to criminal justice reform. While law enforcement agencies are required to view a candidates prior employment records, they are not barred from hiring officers with checkered pasts. In Yohners case, two agencies hired him even after reviewing his record with Navasota. We have example after example of people who know full well about past misconduct and hire them anyway, Henson said. Many of these have trouble hiring anyone at the rate they pay and so whoever will show up and do the job that has a license, theyll take them. In that environment, we need a state licensing agency to separate the wheat from the chaff, he added. A recent state review of TCOLE found that its licensing enforcement power is toothless. The agency can only revoke a license if an officer fails to complete mandatory continued education, is convicted of or received deferred adjudication for felonies or certain misdemeanors, or has received two dishonorable discharges. That leaves small cities and departments with tight budgets to handle complicated administrative complaints, like sexual harassment or sexual misconduct, that are often appealed by officers. Faced with the prospect of a drawn-out legal battle, those cities sometimes choose to settle the appeal in exchange for getting rid of the problem officer. But because the administrative complaints are not governed by TCOLE, those officers are allowed to keep their license and continue working in law enforcement. That is not the case in other states where the agencies that regulate law enforcement licenses can decertify an officer for misconduct. For years, TCOLE has asked lawmakers for the power to pull licenses from problematic officers, just like the boards who govern nurses and doctors, but those efforts have been beaten back by powerful police unions, said Kim Vickers, the agencys executive director. This year, TCOLE was up for its routine review when lawmakers determine whether an agency is serving its purpose and should continue to exist. But despite a plethora of problems, including a lack of enforcement on licensing, lawmakers pushed off any changes to the commission for at least another two years. That left the major hope for change with the House and Senate priority bills. But Senate Bill 24, which is closer to the finish line, leaves out a major concern covered in the House priority bill: banning nondisclosure agreements for officer misconduct that are already at odds with current law. Yohners agreement with Navasota, according to the Dallas Morning News, said if the city was contacted by a potential employer, it could only orally release Yohners dates of employment, salary history and the fact that he resigned. While the city was still obligated by law to pass along employment records if they were requested, they could not provide information orally about Yohners firing or the investigation that led to his termination. Rep. Phil King, R-Weatherford, a former police officer, added an amendment to Pachecos House Bill 8 that would clarify to small departments that they could not hide those agreements from other agencies and had to disclose them in background checks. That is already existing law, but King said many small agencies dont know that. During his time in charge of the hiring process at the Fort Worth Police Department, King said some law enforcement agencies would not share employment history for officers that had worked for them because they were scared to get sued for defamation by those officers. That left hiring agencies at a disadvantage in trying to weed out bad cops. That has remained a problem to today, King said. I checked with a lot of law enforcement agencies today and without question they said this is still a problem. Often, the law enforcement agency wants to give out the information but their city attorney or some other policy prohibits them from doing that. King said he wanted to protect officers who were falsely accused of misconduct, so his amendment made employment records handed from one agency to another confidential. Henson said that is problematic because it creates another layer for officers to hide under, whether the allegations against them were substantiated or not. Is it a public record or not? Are you making it harder for the public to get information or easier? he said. Youre making it harder. Pachecos office said that while the records shared between agencies would be confidential, the agency where the misconduct was documented should still release it under state disclosure laws, which would not be changed by the bill. But Henson said that puts the onus on the public to track down the misconduct. What if I'm a member of the public and want to know what kind of people were hiring at my agency? he said. I dont care about the other agency, I care about my agency. The Texas Tribune is a nonprofit, nonpartisan media organization that informs Texans about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues. With early voting set to begin Monday in a runoff election, the two remaining District 2 candidates went head-to-head in debates this week. Challenger Jalen McKee-Rodriguez accused Councilwoman Jada Andrews-Sullivan of being beholden to developers because most of her campaign contributions are in $500 increments the contribution limit for a city council candidate. Im no ones puppet, Andrews-Sullivan said, adding that developers contributed to her campaign because they saw her as someone who fights for the East Side district. Just because developers make contributions doesnt mean they can control policy, she said. On ExpressNews.com: A long history of harassment - San Antonio council candidate says he faced discrimination while with District 2 office McKee-Rodriguez and Andrews-Sullivan are in a runoff for the seat after finishing first and second, respectively, in the May 1 general election. In a 12-candidate field, neither won a majority of the votes cast. The debate Thursday night was hosted by the Community of Churches for Social Action at the Dominion Church of God In Christ. Pointing to McKee-Rodriguezs many political contributions from outside Texas, Andrews-Sullivan asked why District 2 is being sold out. McKee-Rodriguez, who grew up in a military family, moved around a lot. He said many friends throughout his life contributed to his campaign because they believed in his vision for San Antonio. We are not being sold out to out-of-state people, he said. We are being contributed to. Atessia Tess House, an attorney, served as moderator. She asked the two candidates how they plan to communicate with constituents, how they would partner with faith-based communities on city projects and what they would fight for in terms of bond funding. She also asked about their plans to address poverty and housing while attracting young professionals to the district. House acknowledged the criticism Andrews-Sullivan has faced for not being accessible to District 2 residents during the pandemic. Andrews-Sullivan challenged the claim, saying she answered Facebook messages from constituents. She said that while her office was closed because of the pandemic, her staffs office lines were redirected to their personal phone numbers to increase accessibility. Andrews-Sullivan said she has quarterly meetings with faith congregations. She also wants faith leaders to receive training for trauma-informed care in order to assist the districts younger residents. McKee-Rodriguez said he would continue these quarterly meetings. He also wants to create an advisory board for District 2, which would include faith-based leaders, to gather input on budget and policy matters. The two candidates expressed support for using city bond funds to renovate the Ella Austin Community Center, which provides social services to the East Side. On ExpressNews.com: Early voting begins Monday in San Antonio council runoffs In the May 1 general election. McKee-Rodriguez collected 2,261 votes, or 26 percent of the total. Andrews-Sullivan received 1,442 votes, nearly 17 percent of the total. A majority of the vote is required to win outright and avoid a runoff. Council candidates in districts 1, 3, 5 and 9 are also in runoff elections. Election Day is Saturday, June 5. Early voting begins Monday and ends Tuesday, June 1. To view a sample ballot or find early voting locations, visit www.Bexar.org/elections. liz.hardaway@hearst.com | Twitter: @liz_hardaway In the mid-1990s, Leo Pacheco served as chairman of the Bexar County Democratic Party. Last week, the organization once led by Pacheco formally censured him for a vote he cast on the floor of the Texas House. The South Side state representative was one of only seven House Democrats to vote in favor of HB 1927, a highly controversial Republican-driven bill that would allow Texas residents to carry handguns without a license. The Bexar County Democratic Partys May 11 censure decree pointed out that thousands of Texans (are) killed from gun violence every year and denounced HB 1927 as a bill which would legalize virtually unrestricted carry of firearms. In a Thursday interview, Pacheco couldnt conceal his resentment over both the substance and the style of the partys move against him. When I was chairman, we would have never done something like that, especially not in the middle of a session, Pacheco said of the censure. And if we were thinking about doing something like that, we would have given the individual an opportunity to address the executive committee, which they did not. This was clearly something that has an ulterior motive against me. He said members of the partys County Executive Committee misunderstood his legislative strategy. Its not tic-tac-toe on the House floor, he said. Its chess. And we are not the majority party. Pacheco said over his first three years in the Legislature, he has worked to build relationships with House Republicans; to be seen by GOP lawmakers as someone with whom they can work. He added that he used that good will during the voting process for HB 1927 in an effort to improve a bill that was going to pass the House, with or without Democratic support. We have members like myself that are totally working behind the scenes, he said. Were trying to get amendments in there, trying to work with them to make a horrible, ugly bill less horrible and ugly. If they think you are a no (vote) starting off, then they dont negotiate with you. Why would they? Pacheco pointed out that when his fellow Democrats introduced amendments to the bill, he voted in favor of those amendments. Even then, it raised eyebrows among the Republican leadership: They go, Hey, why are you voting for all these Democrat amendments? Pacheco said he was trying to negotiate the inclusion of an amendment that would at least require people to take an online safety course to legally carry a handgun. But they (Republicans) wouldnt even go for that, he said. The state representative insists that when HB 1927 came before the House for a final vote, he flipped and voted against it. The House Journal, however, lists him as a yes vote (the only yes vote from the Bexar County Democratic delegation) when permitless carry won House approval on April 16 by an 87-58 margin. Monica Alcantara, the chairwoman of the Bexar County Democratic Party, said the partys precinct chairs have paid particularly close attention to proceedings in the Legislature this year because San Antonio lawmakers have encouraged them to make their voices heard on divisive legislation. It was the day of the vote in regards to the permitless carry that we had our Steering Committee meeting, Alcantara said. Many members of the CEC were kind of disappointed in how Rep. Pacheco had voted. Pacheco also split with the overwhelming majority of House Democrats on HB 19, a bill championed by both the trucking industry and the conservative tort-reform organization Texans for Lawsuit Reform. HB 19, which Pacheco co-authored, would restrict lawsuits targeting commercial vehicles in Texas. Only seven House Democrats voted for HB 19. When it came to the Bexar County delegation, however, the bill had significant Democratic support. Pacheco was one of four San Antonio House Democrats to vote for the commercial-vehicle bill, while the other four local Democrats were absent for the vote. He defended his HB 19 vote as an expression of support for businesses, and a statement against the interests of wealthy trial lawyers. Pacheco has worked as a human resource specialist at Palo Alto College and an adjunct professor at the University of Texas at San Antonio and San Antonio College. He sees higher education as his primary focus in the Legislature. He said theres not a whole lot of communication between him and the rest of the Bexar County delegation. I dont interfere in their business, how they negotiate, and vice versa, he said. Rumors have circulated in Democratic circles that Pacheco might not seek another term next year. He declined to confirm or deny those rumors. But he indicated that hes not sweating over it. If people dont want to re-elect me, he said, Im okay with that. ggarcia@express-news.net | Twitter: @gilgamesh470 As Texans move past the damage of Winter Storm Uri, we must continue making meaningful changes that guarantee more reliability. No Texan should ever have to endure such dangerous and deadly conditions again because of insufficient reform to the electricity supply chain. The most immediate action to ensure natural gas facilities operate during emergencies will be mapping the supply chain to see which production, distribution and storage facilities feed into plants that generate electricity. Once the supply chain is mapped, the appropriate facilities can designate as critical load. If the power stays on for the most critical assets, the system will work. In Texas, 80 percent of the natural gas produced daily is not used to make electricity, so it is imperative we focus on the most directly impacted assets to ensure those products and services are accessible to generators. We agree the proper weatherization of power generation sites and natural gas facilities that are directly connected to those generators are key elements of reform and proper steps must be taken to ensure compliance. We also support tools to guarantee generators have access and availability to the fuel they need in extreme emergency conditions. Some have suggested that all natural gas infrastructure - including 86,000 natural gas wells and 164,000 oil wells that produce associated natural gas - should weatherize. Many operators already weatherize at some level. Yet, without power no amount of weatherization matters. Commentary: Texas Legislature should help ratepayers weather storm To achieve more reliability, all research points to the need for power generation units to stay online and we want to ensure that happens through infrastructure, contracts, weatherization and storage that will maintain power generation through the next storm. To fix any problem, you need to know what happened. A report from the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) confirmed power generation units from just about every source faced outages and it named weather-related issues as the primary cause, with fuel limitation causing only 17 percent of challenges for natural gas power generators. The issues with natural gas production and transportation cascaded with outages originating at power generation units, according to an independent analysis commissioned by the Texas Oil & Gas Association through research firm Enverus. Once power outages began, natural gas production became seriously impaired because facilities and infrastructure rely on electricity, which impaired power generators from receiving natural gas supplies. Even with these challenges, Texas natural gas production exceeded demand during the storm yet matching supply with demand proved challenging. Texas has almost 550 billion cubic feet of working natural gas storage capacity - more than 40 times the states typical total daily usage. Beyond storage capacity, Texas produces more than twice the amount it needs for daily natural gas usage of all types and five times the amount needed for natural gas-powered electric generation. Texas is awash in natural gas and with proper planning, there is ample supply to meet our energy needs even in extreme circumstances. Improving communication, mapping the supply chain, designating critical load, storage and the weatherization of power generators and natural gas facilities directly connected to generation are all keys to ensuring natural gas does its part to keep Texans warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Lawmakers must focus on reform that will actually improve the reliability of our power grid. The oil and natural gas industry remains committed to working with legislators to pass these dependable solutions. With an issue of this magnitude, Texans deserve meaningful reforms that will produce effective results and reliability in future emergency situations. Todd Staples is president of the Texas Oil & Gas Association and a former state agriculture commissioner. Looking beyond the May 1 election, city officials remain focused on ensuring that police officers are governed by improved disciplinary and accountability procedures. While Proposition B would have eliminated collective bargaining, contract negotiations continued throughout the campaign, focusing on the citys priority of strengthening the disciplinary provisions of the contract. Obligated to operate under the existing laws, including Chapter 174, city officials worked to ensure the contract negotiations continued in good faith. The state law known as Chapter 143 governs arbitration procedures that have allowed fired officers to get their jobs back with alarming frequency. Consequently, the collective bargaining process is the citys best hope for reforming disciplinary procedures. The current police contract will expire in September, and it is important to focus on a deliberate approach that produces results rather than headlines. Since the murder of George Floyd reignited national passions about police reform, San Antonio has instituted significant reform and is moving toward more. City Manager Erik Walsh is conducting an in-depth evaluation of the Police Department that will include community input. The process includes a review of foundational issues, including police accountability and discipline, and is gauging community expectations of the Police Department, all with the goal of developing a new model for public safety in our community. From this process, the manager will recommend additional reform measures. Meanwhile, we have already enacted change in those areas where it could be achieved quickly. In response to community advocacy and with councils direction, Police Chief William McManus announced a permanent ban on no knock warrants, and prohibited chokeholds and shooting at a moving vehicle. We have changed the citys mental health protocol to put an increased emphasis on de-escalating situations before confrontations and tragedies occur. Additionally, council also approved new investments in Metro Health to support a public health approach to addressing violence and crime across our community, with a focus on prevention and community-building. On another front, I called for a review of policies regarding the release of officers body camera footage as part of our effort to improve transparency, accountability and public accessibility. As a result, the San Antonio Police Department now has a formal policy on the release of body camera footage, ending the guesswork about the release of important information. Through the city managers review process, we will also continue to improve police accountability by increasing the publics access to this footage and other data. While the pace of change will not satisfy everyone, I want to assure the community that we are listening to your concerns. And we are responding. The scope of the work ahead of us and its potential transformational impact on our community warrants a mindful and thorough approach that allows us to identify and achieve disciplinary and other system reforms with community buy-in. We are committed to making progress. I voted against the existing police contract, and I will vote no again if the proposed contract does not include real reform. If we work together in good faith, I know we can improve our public safety system, prioritize our residents lives and build a community where all thrive. Ron Nirenberg is mayor of San Antonio. In the months and years after the 9/11 attacks, Americans were told to remember how they felt that day. To remember our fears, yet also how we came together as a nation; to remember how vulnerable we were, yet how we vowed to be vigilant so that such terrorism would never be repeated. On Jan. 6, Americans should have been unified in horrified disbelief as we watched fellow citizens storm and desecrate the U.S. Capitol, beat and mutilate police officers, and threaten to kill the vice president and any other elected officials they could find. Together, we watched a mob, incited by President Donald Trumps lies of widespread voter fraud, attack our democracy and attempt to overturn results of an election in which voters decisively chose Joe Biden to be their next president. It was a deadly insurrection against the people, government and democratic ideals of the United States, and yet it has become an insurrection that most congressional Republicans prefer to minimize, deflect and lie about rather than investigate. Not five months have passed since one of the darkest days in American history, and many Republicans not only want the people to forget the fears and uncertainty felt on Jan. 6, but to deny what they saw and know. Wednesday, only 35 House Republicans voted for a 9/11-type bipartisan commission to investigate the planning, coordinating, actions and failures leading up to and during the Jan. 6 attacks. An investigation that would help prevent another insurrection and establish an official record beyond media reports. We view this as an official inquiry that would deepen understanding about this shameful event. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has said he opposes such a commission, making passage unlikely. This should qualify as one of the easiest, least controversial issues in Congress: investigating a violent insurrection in which members of Congress and their staffs were targeted. Trumps inflammatory rhetoric lit the partisan fuse, but the danger that fell upon Congress was a threat to democracy and freedom. Democrats as well as Republicans, liberals as well as conservatives, were threatened. To vote against the commission is a statement of fidelity to a former president who perpetuates the lie of voter fraud at the expense of our democracy and its values. This should have been an easy bipartisan vote. VOTER GUIDE: What to know for the June City Council runoff election Early voting in five San Antonio City Council runoff elections begins Monday at 18 polling sites. The runoffs feature incumbent Roberto C. Trevino against Mario Bravo in District 1; incumbent Jada Andrews-Sullivan against Jalen McKee-Rodriguez in District 2; Tomas Uresti against Phyllis Viagran for an open seat in District 3; Teri Castillo against Rudy Lopez for an open seat in District 5; and incumbent John Courage against Patrick Von Dohlen in District 9. On ExpressNews.com: Five council runoffs slated for June 5 Election Day is Saturday, June 5, but early voting is available from May 24 through June 1. Early voting hours are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday, May 29. Polls will be closed Sunday, May 30, and Monday, May 31, for Memorial Day. They will reopen Tuesday, June 1, for the last day of early voting. Trevino, an architect, led in his District 1 race against five challengers in the May 1 general election but collected about 45 percent of the votes, less than the majority needed to avoid a runoff. He faces environmental activist Mario Bravo, who drew about 34 percent of the vote. Courage, a former Air Force police officer and special education teacher, had 47 percent of the votes among five District 9 candidates in the general election. Von Dohlen, a financial planner, had 36 percent. In District 2, McKee-Rodriguez, a high school math teacher, led a field of 11 candidates with 26 percent of the vote in the May election. Andrews-Sullivan, the incumbent and a disabled Army veteran, received about 17 percent of the vote. Races in Districts 3 and 5 will determine who will succeed two councilwomen who have reached term limits after serving four two-year terms. In District 3, outgoing Councilwoman Rebecca Viagran will be replaced by either her sister, digital technology instructor Phyllis Viagran, who led among 12 candidates with 22 percent of the vote in the general election, or Tomas Uresti, a former state representative and school board president, who had 15 percent. On ExpressNews.com: Three-term District 1 incumbent fighting for final stint In the District 5 race to succeed Councilwoman Shirley Gonzales, educator Teri Castillo faces retired city employee Rudy Lopez. In the general election, Castillo led 11 candidates with 31 percent of the vote. Lopez was second with 15 percent. On Election Day, 114 voting sites will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. For more information, visit the Bexar County Elections Department website at bexar.org/elections. shuddleston@express-news.net Dozens of historians from across the country signed a letter Thursday condemning legislation that would restrict how race and racism are taught in Texas classrooms. The letter, issued by a group of historians, defended teachers who have come under fire from conservatives for addressing topics such as systemic racism and other forms of discrimination throughout U.S. history. Teachers that follow guidelines outlined by professional organizations and the Texas State Board of Education are being dangerously misrepresented as indoctrinating students, it said. These baseless accusations sow public distrust of our teachers and of public education more generally. Students have a right to learn an accurate account of history, including the darkest parts of our history and the long efforts for freedom and social justice, it added. The remarks were signed by 134 people, including university professors, high school teachers, students and private citizens. TEXAS TAKE: Get political headlines from across the state sent directly to your inbox Versions of the legislation have already passed both chambers of the Texas Legislature, and the Republican-controlled Senate on Wednesday moved the Houses version out of committee, meaning it now heads to the full floor for a vote. The Senate has stripped several required classroom texts that had been added by House Democrats, including certain historical works by women and people of color. Both chambers versions also prohibit students from earning credit for service work on behalf of broadly defined advocacy groups, and from discussing topics such as inherent bias. Republicans have framed the legislation as a referendum on partisan hate mongering, and an attempt to remove politics from school lessons. Educators and Democrats have warned that the measures conflict with the states existing standards, further whitewash American history, and will disproportionately impact students from low-income families who may not have outside opportunities to practice civic engagement. A separate letter signed Wednesday by the American Historical Association predicted that students would be less prepared for higher learning. If enacted, this legislation is likely to prohibit professional teachers from including in their courses standard content required in Advanced Placement and dual-enrollment American history courses offered at the high school level, it noted. Monica M. Martinez, associate professor of history at University of Texas at Austin, said she launched the letter campaign Tuesday evening after realizing the bill could have devastating consequences and a chilling effect on public education across the state. She had been scheduled to testify on the measure Monday, along with high school students, other teachers and superintendents. But after the hearing was rescheduled by a Senate committee without notice, many, including Martinez, missed their chance. My concern is not only the quality of history students will have access to, but that education in Texas is going to be stagnant and that its not going to be able to advance, Martinez said. Emilio Zamora, a professor of history at UT-Austin who helped Martinez craft the letter, said the bill presupposes teachers are endorsing hate against white people. Teachers have a responsibility to teach race in an impartial way that involves critical thinking so that students can make their own decisions, he said. I think weve done a great injustice to American education (by teaching history) in a narrow manner, Zamora said. It deprives the students of the broad sense of the American experience, which involves race and the inclusion of the experiences and histories of underrepresented groups. brittany.britto@chron.com jeremy.blackman@chron.com WASHINGTON Sen. Ted Cruz criticized the U.S. military for being emasculated compared to the Russian military in a tweet on Thursday. The senator retweeted a video with an apparent ad for the Russian military showing male soldiers training, suiting up, jumping out of an airplane and loading a gun. The ad was followed by a cartoon ad for the U.S. military about Army Cpl. Emma Malonelord, who says in the video she was raised by two moms and marched for equality as a kid. Malonelord says in the video that she joined the Army to prove my inner strength. Holy crap, Cruz wrote in the tweet. Perhaps a woke, emasculated military is not the best idea.... In another tweet, Cruz responded yep as John Noonan, a conservative national security commentator, wrote we are going to be the most tolerant military in history ever to lose a war. The American ad is part of a recruiting campaign titled The Calling that the Army rolled out this month aimed at making the Army seem more relatable. Research tells us that young people today see the Army as a distant star a place requiring a nearly superhuman level of discipline with little relevance to their daily lives, Maj. Gen. Alex Fink, Chief of Army Enterprise Marketing, said in a statement about the campaign when it was announced. Similarly, youth dont necessarily connect with those who serve or see common ground in terms of interests, abilities, and goals. The Calling shatters these misperceptions by showing that soldiers are all of us: real people with hopes, dreams, fears, aspirations, families, friends, and obstacles to overcome. PELOSIS PLAN: Texas Republicans oppose congressional probe of Capitol riot Cruzs tweet sparked some outrage on Thursday. Ted Cruz attacks a US Army soldier for telling her story, says he prefers Russians. Because Ted Cruz is a sedition-loving traitor, VoteVets, a progressive political group, tweeted. The U.S. military is second to none. Please keep it out of your political theater, tweeted Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, who was a key witness in former President Donald Trumps first impeachment inquiry. I hear there are actual problems Congress needs to address. BTW didnt you swear to support and defend the U.S. Constitution? ben.wermund@chron.com Good morning, it's Friday, May 21, 2021, the day of the week when I reprise quotations intended to be uplifting or educational. Today's comes from Amelia Earhart, who on this date in 1932 became the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. Starting in Newfoundland a day earlier, Earhart had hoped to land in Paris, but fate and lousy weather brought her red Lockheed Vega to a cow pasture on a family farm outside Derry in Northern Ireland. When a laborer at the Gallagher farm asked her where she had come from, Earhart said simply, "America." "My curiosity got the better of me after a minute or two and I went up to the plane as well," Mrs. Gallagher recalled later. "Standing beside it was a tousled-headed girl in trousers and leather coat. She didn't seem at all excited." Movie-star-handsome aviator Charles Lindbergh had flown the first solo transatlantic flight in 1927, but when an equally charismatic and photogenic "aviatrix" did it five years later, the world was enthralled. "Women must try to do things as men have tried," Earhart noted in a 1937 letter to her husband, George Putnam. "They do get more glory than men for comparable feats. But, also, women get more notoriety when they crash." It was a fateful and prophetic observation for a pilot whose disappearance that same year remains a source of eternal fascination. But it's not the Amelia Earhart line I have in mind this morning. The letter quoted above was written to Amelia Earhart's husband the day before her last flight. She wasn't trying to assure him she'd return safely -- she conceded she didn't know that -- but she explained that she was heading into danger because flying was her passion and because she felt obliged to other women to follow her heart. "Please know that I am aware of the hazards," she wrote. "I want to do it because I want to do it. Women must try to do things as men have tried. When they fail, their failure must be a challenge to others." And that's our quote of the week. Carl M. Cannon is the Washington bureau chief for RealClearPolitics. Reach him on Twitter @CarlCannon. Farmers wanting to step down from the industry are being urged to consider five financial options before choosing to take the government's exit payment. NFU Mutual has highlighted 'five financial considerations' for farmers after Defra recently unveiled lump sum payments of up to 100,000 for those wanting to quit. The government has not yet confirmed how the proposed lump sums for exiting farming in England will be taxed. However, advisers at NFU Mutual have urged farmers to look before you leave, as there are other tax considerations to take into account when choosing to step down. Sean McCann, chartered financial planner at the rural insurer said: Its important for farmers to consider the other tax impacts of leaving the industry. Farmers who choose to sell in order to leave industry Mr McCann explained that selling land and buildings could trigger a capital gains tax charge. "The tax is payable on the difference between the market value when you sell and the value when you acquired it - or 31st March 1982 if acquired before that date. A top rate of 20% is payable on land and buildings and 28% on residential property other than your main home. It may be possible to claim Business asset disposal relief - previously known as Entrepreneurs relief - which allows the first 1m of lifetime gains to be taxed at 10%. If reinvesting some or all proceeds into a new trading business it may be possible to claim Roll over relief which defers CGT on the sums reinvested. Selling land and building could also mean bigger inheritance tax bills, Mr McCann added. Agricultural land and buildings may qualify for Agricultural Property Relief (APR) which can mean that the agricultural value is free from Inheritance tax. If youre using it in your business any development value may qualify for Business Property Relief (BPR) meaning that may also be exempt from inheritance tax. If you sell, the proceeds wont benefit from APR or BPR and will be subject to inheritance tax. Farmers who choose to rent out land and buildings to leave industry If farmers rent all their land out on a farm business tenancy, they won't qualify for APR on their farm house. This means that it will be included in their estate when it comes to assessing inheritance tax, Mr McCann explained. If you have land buildings with development potential, you may still qualify for APR on the agricultural value. "However, as they are no longer used by you in a trading business the enhanced development value will not qualify for BPR, meaning it will be subject to inheritance tax. Diversification Some farmers may choose to use the exit payment to set up a diversified business, but there are a number of potential inheritance tax traps to look out for. If a piece of land or a building stops being used for agricultural purposes it will no longer qualify for APR," Mr McCann said. BPR is available for trading businesses but not investment businesses. Common diversifications on farms that are likely to be deemed investment activities include letting buildings for storage, workshops or offices and holiday lets. If your diversified business is likely to include trading and investment activities its important to take advice to ensure your family dont end up with a large and unexpected tax bill in the future. Succession Planning If a farmer choosing to take these exit payments doesn't sell but simply gifts their farm land or buildings to the next generation, they may trigger a Capital Gains Tax bill. "However, it may be possible to defer any Capital Gains Tax on the gift by claiming Holdover relief," Mr McCann explained. If the farmer dies within 7 years of gifting the land and buildings, the family may still be able to claim APR if the they have continued to farm it and were still doing so at the time of the farmers death. If the farmer chooses to exit the industry by letting the land out on a farm business tenancy, they may still qualify for APR on the agricultural value meaning the agricultural value would be exempt from inheritance tax." As part of their succession plan, some farmers may choose to pass some or all of the exit payment to their non-farming children. He added: "While the children wont face an income tax liability on the gift, should the farmer die within seven years, the gift will be assessed for inheritance tax. Tax-efficient ways of using the lump sum For those who choose not to invest in a new business venture there are a wide range of options, Mr McCann explained. Pensions are one of the most tax efficient ways to invest. For every 80 you pay in HMRC add an additional 20. If you pay 40% income tax, you can claim up to an additional 20 back via your tax return. We are still awaiting clarity from HMRC on how the lump sum exit payment will be treated. If it is treated as taxable income in the year its received, this may push more farmers into the 40% tax band. From age 55, you can choose when you take some or all of the money out of a pension, and 25% of the fund can be taken tax free, with any other withdrawals subject to income tax. Any money left in a pension on death can normally be passed on free of inheritance tax. Many farmers choose to invest in pensions as a form of succession planning, building up a fund that can be left to non-business inheriting children. ISAs are also a tax efficient way to hold cash or share based investments, as any income or growth generated is free of UK income tax and capital gains tax. You can invest up to 20,000 each tax year and you can normally access your fund whenever you need," Mr McCann said. Others may wish to help out family members with Junior ISAs or Lifetime ISAs. Asia and the Middle East have helped boost red meat exports from the UK against the backdrop of Brexit and the impact of the pandemic on trade. With UK shipments of beef, lamb and pork to the EU impacted during the first three months of 2021, markets outside the bloc have helped bolster trade. While exports of beef to non-EU countries have dropped, shipments of pig meat, including offal, have risen in both volume and value. According to the AHDB, this has increased 31 percent to 63,000 tonnes, worth over 110 million up 42 percent compared to the same period last year. Sheep exports to non-EU countries also rose 30 percent in volume and, importantly, 46 percent in value, worth 6.6 million to the sector. Trade was particularly helped by increased demand from Asia and the Middle East both areas of strategic growth for UK exporters. AHDB Head of Asia Pacific Jonathan Eckley said the Far East remained a 'key market' for red meat exports from the UK following a fall in trade to the EU. The start of the year has been incredibly challenging for our red meat exports," Mr Eckley explained. "While the third country demand has helped to boost trade, it hasnt been able to offset the fall in shipments to the EU. However, the Asian markets have once again proven to be hugely important for our exports." He added: "While some countries are importing smaller volumes from the UK, the overall value is increasing. "For example Singapore, which has this year seen an 87% increase in the value of our pork shipments. Demand for UK pork was also evident in the Philippines with the value of shipments increasing four-fold compared to last year bringing a 10m boost to the sector. Exports to South Korea grew and were valued at 2.5m, shipments to South Africa saw a three-fold increase and there was a 6% rise in export volume to Ghana. Sheep exports, including offal, to Kuwait increased ten-fold in the first three months of the year, the AHDB said. Due to strong UK demand for British beef, exports have not grown as strong as other meats, but regions such as the Philippines have seen growth in both volume and value. Northern Irish farmers will see a reduction to cross-compliance penalties for 2021, the Department of Agriculture has confirmed. When farmers apply for funding through area-based schemes they agree to comply with statutory management requirements (SMRs) covering the environment and animal welfare, among others. In addition, they also agree to maintaining all their land in good agricultural and environmental condition (GAECs). Farmers are inspected to ensure that they are meeting these requirements as part of good farm management practices. Where they do not, a cross-compliance penalty can be applied which reduces the level of funding they receive. The penalty regime includes two penalty matrices which set out the penalties to be applied depending on whether a non-compliance is found to be either intentional or negligent. Announcing the change to the matrices, Northern Ireland's farming minister Edwin Poots said some of the penalties will be lower for 2021. But he added that farmers could still receive a penalty of up to 100% of funding for the most serious cases. Now that we have left the EU, I have asked my Department to look at how cross-compliance can be made to work better, helping farmers to improve where needed while still protecting our environment and our food standards. While that work is taking place, I have decided to reduce some of the penalties that farmers receive when they do not comply with the cross-compliance standards. "These changes will keep Northern Ireland in line with other administrations within the United Kingdom, Mr Poots explained. Rams with key breeding traits can help farmers' drive productivity and optimise flock profitability, according to the results from the RamCompare project. The latest update, released on Thursday (20 May), shows a great spread of rams among the most recent lists of trait leaders. The breeding research project demonstrates how producers can use specific estimated breeding values (EBVs) to identify rams with a high genetic potential. The industry initiative, now in its fifth year, also helps farmers discover rams' worth when assessing financial impact. Phase II of the project was completed in December 2020 and funding has recently been announced to develop a third phase of the project over the next five years. RamCompare uses nominated performance-recorded rams from various terminal sire breeds on commercial farms across the UK. To date, the project has recorded the performance of over 26,000 lambs sired by 280 rams through artificial insemination and natural mating over five breeding seasons. Signet Breeding Manager, Sam Boon urges breeders to focus on those traits that deliver the greatest profit to their system and source recorded rams with the right EBVs to deliver them. Within the groups of high genetic merit sires used we have identified differences in progeny values worth 4-6 per lamb, providing farmers with the opportunity to enhance flock profitability through careful ram selection." He says this equates to 1200-1500 per ram during their working lifetime: "Few rams can do it all; some will excel for carcase conformation, others for speed of finish. "Producers should therefore evaluate their system and determine which sires have the potential to make the biggest financial impact. The Fauquier Times is honored to serve as your community companion. To say thank you, we are excited to offer 4 weeks FREE Digital & Print access to all subscribers new and returning alike. We are dedicated to continuing providing reliable, high quality journalism. This is possible with the trust and support of our subscribers in the community we are proud to serve. 2020 was a year marked by hardships and challenges, but the Fauquier community has proven resilient. The Fauquier 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 Fauquier Times be your community companion throughout 2021, and for many years to come. Gov. Jim Justice, somewhat belatedly, has come around to admit that the states vaccination effort has hit a wall and that, at its current pace, we will not reach herd immunity anytime soon. Category Select Category Apparel/Garments Textiles Fashion Technical Textiles Information Technology E-commerce Retail Corporate Association Press Release SubCategory Select Sub-Category Vicky Kaushals last collaboration with Aditya Dhar, Uri: The Surgical Strike won the actor several accolades. Following that successful collaboration, the two are all set to come together once again for an even bigger production. The Immortal Ashwatthama is a superhero film based on the Mahabharata character. The film also stars Sara Ali Khan and will be produced by Rinnie Screwvala. The film has been in pre-production for almost two years now and the actors have been preparing for their roles for the past couple of months. This action-packed film is said to be going on floors in September this year and will have a 2023 release. The film will be shot over five months and will wrap the shoot around January next year. Earlier, the principle photography was to happen in Europe but with the constraints due to the pandemic, the film will now be shot in the USA, Iceland and India. In the click we see Kriti Sanon stretching out while lying on her stomach. Since the actress is super-tall, her stretching exercise almost makes her touch from one wall to the other. And no wonder she captioned the picture saying, Measuring the length of my room. Netizens were left in splits with her hilarious caption. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kriti (@kritisanon) Kriti Sanon often posts pictures of her working out at home and the leggy lass makes sure she sweats it out like there is no tomorrow. The actress recently posted a picture of her stretching and she had a hilarious caption to her post. Earlier too Kriti Sanon had posted pictures and videos of her working out at home. Kriti is making sure that she achieves a super-flexible body and leaves us amazed by her workout regime. Kriti Sanon has some big releases coming up. She has Mimi waiting in the pipeline, Bachchan Pandey with Akshay Kumar, a monster-comedy with Varun Dhawan titled Bhediya, a film with Rajkummar Rao revolving around parent-adoption and rumours are rife that the actress is the leading heroine for Prabhas starrer Adipurush. Rumours are also strong that she and Kartik Aaryan might team up again for Luka Chuppi 2. Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - May 20, 2021) - Canbud Distribution Corporation (CSE: CBDX) (the "Corporation") announces that, as a result of a review of its continuous disclosure record by the Ontario Securities Commission (the "OSC"), the Corporation is issuing this news release to clarify certain disclosures made in its news releases dated December 1, 2020, December 7, 2020 and December 29, 2020, and to provide an update relating to previously disclosed forward-looking information contained in the Corporation's prospectus (the "Prospectus") dated September 30, 2020. Sales License In its news release dated December 1, 2020, the Corporation stated that it had been granted a federal sales license for medical purposes by Health Canada on October 22, 2020. This disclosure was made after the Corporation received communications from staff at Health Canada that were misunderstood by the Corporation's management to be confirmation that the license had been issued. In fact, management's understanding was not correct and it was not until January 29, 2021 that a license to sell cannabis products in accordance with section 27 and Part 14, Division 1 of the Cannabis Regulations was issued to the Corporation. A copy of this license was filed under the Corporation's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Psychedelics Operations in Jamaica In its news release dated December 7, 2020, the Corporation announced that it had entered into an agreement (the "Purchase Agreement") dated December 4, 2020, for the acquisition of all of the issued and outstanding shares of 2688453 Ontario Ltd. ("2688"), which holds a lease for two acres of land in the parish of Westmoreland, Jamaica. While the Corporation disclosed in this news release that the closing of the acquisition is subject to customary terms, conditions, and regulatory approval, it also stated that "Through this opportunistic acquisition, Canbud has secured an approved 2-acre psilocybin production site near Negril, Jamaica..." This statement was not intended to imply that the acquisition had closed or that the Corporation had acquired the production site or commenced operations in psychedelics operations in Jamaica. As at the date of this news release, the Corporation has not completed the acquisition of 2688 or acquired the production site, and has not commenced any cultivation operations in Jamaica. Except for matters with respect to closing, all conditions precedent for the completion of the transaction as provided for in the Purchase Agreement have been satisfied, and the Corporation now plans to complete the acquisition of all of shares of 2688 on a date to be determined within two weeks of the date of this news release. Under the terms of the Purchase Agreement, on the closing of the transaction, the shareholders of 2688 will sell to the Corporation, and the Corporation will purchase, all of the issued shares of 2688. As consideration for the shares of 2688, the Corporation agreed to issue and deliver to the selling shareholders of 2688 an aggregate of 7,600,000 common shares (the "Consideration Shares") in the capital of the Corporation at a deemed price of $0.195 per common share, of which 1,520,000 Consideration Shares have been issued, and the remaining Consideration Shares are to be issued as follows: 1,900,000 Consideration Shares on June 4, 2021; 2,280,000 Consideration Shares on October 4, 2021; and 1,900,000 Consideration Shares on February 4, 2022. The business of 2688 currently consists of holding its leased property in Westmoreland, Jamaica, on which the Corporation intends to develop a psilocybin cultivation facility. In anticipation of completing the acquisition of 2688, the Corporation has completed the design, and commenced the development of the cultivation facility, including by carrying out site preparation works and acquiring the mushroom growing container for the site. To date, the Corporation has made expenditures of approximately USD $48,000 for the purchase of the mushroom growing container and for the development of the facility. The planned acquisition of 2688 is the first step by the Corporation to develop a business in the emerging psychedelic and functional mushroom nutraceuticals market. Additional details about the Corporation's proposed future operations in this market are set out in the Corporation's management's discussion and analysis for the year ended December 31, 2020, which is available under the Corporation's profile on www.sedar.com. In its news release dated December 7, 2020, the Corporation stated that it plans to build an exclusive retreat that will promote mental wellness through workshops and specially formulated micro doses of psilocybin, within an anticipated timeframe of 12 to 18 months from the date of the news release. Due to the continued impact of the COVID-19 global pandemic, including restrictions on travel and the decline in sales that consumer-facing small businesses in the travel, hospitality and tourism market sectors have experienced, the Corporation's management no longer expects to build the retreat within the short to medium term, and has not established any revised schedule for doing so. If the Corporation determines to proceed with its plans for the retreat, its ability to carry out these plans would be dependent on, among other factors, closing the acquisition of 2688, obtaining any applicable permits or regulatory approvals, obtaining additional financing to fund the project, and improved economic conditions in the travel, hospitality and tourism industry. Update to Previously Disclosed Forward-Looking Information In the Prospectus, the Corporation made certain disclosure which constitutes forward-looking information, as such term is defined in National Instrument 51-102 - Continuous Disclosure Obligations. The following is an update to certain such forward-looking information previously disclosed by the Corporation in the Prospectus: On page 16 of the Prospectus, the Corporation stated that it " expects to generate approximately $350,000 in revenue (previously anticipated to be approximately $700,000) from cultivation operations on the Kettleby Lands by the end of December 2020 (representing 100% of the anticipated revenue from the 2020 cultivation season). " During the Corporation's financial year ended December 31, 2020, the Corporation did not generate any revenue from the cultivation operations on the Kettleby lands or otherwise. The Corporation was not able to recognize any revenue from these operations in its 2020 financial year because the processing and sale of products derived from hemp plants harvested from the Kettleby lands did not occur within the timelines as originally planned. Management of the Corporation is currently negotiating contractual arrangements with a third party for the processing of the harvested hemp plants from its Kettleby lands and for the manufacture of CBD products for sale to customers. " During the Corporation's financial year ended December 31, 2020, the Corporation did not generate any revenue from the cultivation operations on the Kettleby lands or otherwise. The Corporation was not able to recognize any revenue from these operations in its 2020 financial year because the processing and sale of products derived from hemp plants harvested from the Kettleby lands did not occur within the timelines as originally planned. Management of the Corporation is currently negotiating contractual arrangements with a third party for the processing of the harvested hemp plants from its Kettleby lands and for the manufacture of CBD products for sale to customers. In the Management's Discussion and Analysis section of the Prospectus, the Corporation stated that " For 2020 cultivation, in light of COVID-19 challenges, the Corporation is preparing its Kettleby farm with a total of approximately 55 acres tillable land. The cultivation acreage is equivalent to 2.4 million square feet, which would produce conservatively about 15,000 kg of dried CBD flowers..." and "Using its proprietary clonal system, about 200,000 clones will be prepared, and housed in the six plastic hoop houses prior to be transplanted ." The cultivation acreage of the Kettleby farm in 2020 was 10.3 acres; approximately 550 kilograms of dried CBD flowers were produced; and approximately 20,000 clones were prepared using the Corporation's proprietary clonal system. ." The cultivation acreage of the Kettleby farm in 2020 was 10.3 acres; approximately 550 kilograms of dried CBD flowers were produced; and approximately 20,000 clones were prepared using the Corporation's proprietary clonal system. On page 14 of the Prospectus, the Corporation stated that " Israel Partnership - The Company is in negotiations with an Israeli-based strategic partner to develop and bring to market its own "My SeeBD" brand of topicals and health products, to be manufactured and produced in Ontario..." and that "The first sample is expected in the fall of 2020, and sales are expected to commence toward the end of December 2020. " Management of the Corporation decided not to enter into an agreement or pursue a transaction with the Israeli-based strategic partner as originally anticipated and, as a result, the Corporation is now pursuing alternate plans to develop and launch its "My SeeBD" brand of products. and that " Management of the Corporation decided not to enter into an agreement or pursue a transaction with the Israeli-based strategic partner as originally anticipated and, as a result, the Corporation is now pursuing alternate plans to develop and launch its "My SeeBD" brand of products. On page 14 of the Prospectus, the Corporation stated that "Following initial discussions, the Company introduced a scientist to Brock University's research team and prepared an initial proposal to collaborate, which could potentially assist the University in getting the grants available for industry outreach. The Company's collaboration proposal is currently under review by the University's administration. The Company is waiting for the final research design, which is expected toward the end of the third quarter." On April 1, 2020, the Corporation entered into a contract research agreement with Brock University to collaborate on an applied research project titled "Effects of Endophytic Fungi on Growth Promotion in Hemp." The research objectives of this agreement were to investigate the effects of endophytic fungi on growth promotion in hemp. This agreement was amended on March 19, 2021, and its term will end on the later of the completion of the research project and December 31, 2021. In connection with this agreement, the Corporation has made expenditures of approximately $5,000 to Brock University as of the date of this news release. About Canbud Distribution Corporation Canbud Distribution Corporation is a science company focused on the cannabis and hemp sectors. Currently the Corporation, through its subsidiaries, holds three industrial hemp licenses and a sales license to supply the markets with medical focused products. In addition, the Corporation is also engaged in exploring the opportunities within the medical psychedelics' markets. Through the Corporation's wholly-owned subsidiary Empathy Plant Co., the Corporation is also involved in developing plant-based wellness products. For further information, please contact: Robert Tjandra, President Tel: 416 847 7312 Email: ir@canbudcorp.com Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Information This news release contains statements and information that, to the extent that they are not historical fact, may constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. Forward-looking information is typically, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "will", "intends", "scheduled", "to be" and "may be" and similar words, including negatives thereof, or other similar expressions concerning matters that are not historical facts. Forward-looking information in this news release includes, but is not limited to, statements regarding: the anticipated completion of the acquisition of 2688 and the issuances of shares in connection with the acquisition; its planned future psychedelics operations in Jamaica; and the Corporation's goals or future plans relating to the development of a psilocybin cultivation facility and building a retreat. Such forward-looking information is based on various assumptions and factors that may prove to be incorrect, including, but not limited to, factors and assumptions with respect to: the ability of the Corporation to complete the acquisition within the specified time frame; the ability of the Corporation to successfully implement its strategic plans and initiatives relating to the acquisition and the cultivation site and retreat build-out, and whether such strategic plans and initiatives will yield the expected benefits; approvals and authorizations from regulatory authorities, and the timing thereof; the ability of the Corporation to obtain the necessary approvals, permits and licenses within the specified time frame to complete the build out; there being no material delay in the build out; the availability of materials; the availability of labour, contractors, employees and/or personnel necessary to undertake the cultivation site and retreat build-out. Although the Corporation believes that the assumptions and factors on which such forward-looking information is based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking information because the Corporation can give no assurance that it will prove to be correct or that any of the events anticipated by such forward-looking information will transpire or occur, or if any of them do so, what benefits the Corporation will derive therefrom. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors and risks including, but not limited to: conditions in the psychedelics industry in Jamaica; fluctuations in market conditions, including in securities markets; economic factors; the risk that the cultivation site and retreat build out will not be completed as anticipated within the specified timeframe, including the risk that the Corporation will not receive the approvals/permits/licenses necessary in connection with the cultivation site and retreat build out; the ability of management to execute its business strategy, objectives and plans; the availability of funds to accomplish its goals; and the impact of general economic conditions and the travel restrictions imposed as a result of the COVID-19 global pandemic. Additional information regarding risks and uncertainties relating to the Corporation's business are contained under the heading "Risk Factors" in the Corporation's management discussion and analysis filed on SEDAR. The forward-looking information included in this news release is made as of the date of this news release and the Corporation does not undertake an obligation to publicly update such forward-looking information to reflect new information, subsequent events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law. NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/84733 MEIJI SEIKA PHARMA: PROMISING RESULTS OF PHASE I CLINICAL TRIAL OF DMB-3115, A PROPOSED USTEKINUMAB BIOSIMILAR, AND INITIATION OF PHASE III CLINICAL TRIAL IN PATIENTS WITH PLAQUE PSORIASIS Meiji Seika Pharma Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Tokyo, Japan, President and Representative Director: Daikichiro Kobayashi, "Meiji") today announced that the bioequivalence of DMB-3115, a proposed ustekinumab biosimilar, has been demonstrated in phase I clinical trial compared to the reference products marketed in Europe and the United States. Meiji also announced the initiation of phase III multi-regional clinical trial in patients with plaque psoriasis. Those clinical trials are conducted in collaboration with Dong-A Socio Holdings (Headquarters: Seoul, Korea, CEO: JUNG Jae-Hun, "Dong-A"). DMB-3115 is a proposed biosimilar to ustekinumab, a recombinant monoclonal antibody for the treatment of patients with several inflammatory diseases such as plaque psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. Meiji and Dong-A are co-developing DMB-3115 under the strategic collaboration partnership agreement on biosimilars signed in September 2011. DMB-3115 is produced by using Sp2/0 cells, the same as those used in reference products to achieve high similarity in quality aspects. The Phase I clinical trial is a randomized double-blind, three-arm, single-dose study to compare pharmacokinetics, safety and tolerability of DMB-3115 with its reference products (US- and EU-marketed products) in 296 healthy volunteers at a single site in Europe. As a result, bioequivalence of DMB-3115 compared to reference products was demonstrated in terms of several pharmacokinetic parameters. A single subcutaneous injection of DMB3115 in healthy volunteers was well tolerated. The reported adverse events corresponded with the known safety profile of ustekinumab. There were no new unexpected adverse events. The Phase III multi-regional clinical trials in patients with plaque psoriasis, with the target number of patient being 590, has been initiated in Europe and the United States. In this study, efficacy, safety, pharmacokinetics and immunogenicity of DMB-3115 and reference products (45 mg or 90mg subcutaneous injection, respectively) are being compared in randomized, double-blinded controlled trial. Meiji aims to contribute to medical care and society by developing and launching biosimilars with high quality as well as biologics products. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210520005469/en/ Contacts: Meiji Seika Pharma Co., Ltd. Sho Takahata, Ph.D. Group Manager Licensing and Product Acquisition Partnering Strategy and Business Development Dept. Telephone: +81-70-2464-5045 E-mail: m-biocmo@meiji.com SEOUL, Korea, May 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Seegene Inc. (KQ 096530), a biotechnology firm specializing in molecular diagnostics has once again been recognized for its unique system for diagnosing COVID-19 variants at this year's European Congress of Clinical Microbiology, the ECCMID. Seegene's Dr. Guy Willem Lee, Director of Marketing Strategy introduced the diagnostic system under the theme of "SARS-CoV-2 and Variants 'Full Screening' Solution" using its latest COVID-19 variant diagnostic tests. "The backdrop of Korea's outstanding control at the onset of the pandemic is because of the one-platform diagnostic system that enables mass testing," said Lee. He added that "the system enabled the diagnostic process from sample collection through PCR testing all at once, helping local authorities to quickly control the pandemic." The effectiveness of the current diagnostic system, however had been put to question due to a growing number of COVID-19 variants spreading fast, with reports saying vaccines may not offer enough protection against them. The Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention have previously said variants are poised to drive an increase in new cases in the U.S. in May after having projected that the global COVID-19 cases will sharply increase over the continuous surge in variants. Referring to Seegene's 'Full Screening Solution,' Director Lee proposed that the system will efficiently help counter the protracted COVID-19 pandemic. The 'Full Screening Solution' is a one-step system that can verify whether an individual has contracted coronavirus wildtype or the virus variant with a single real-time PCR test. Currently, health authorities are forced to go through an extra round of genomic sequencing to distinguish the existence of COVID-19 variants after standard PCR tests, automatically leading to a more prolonged testing time. Against the backdrop of Seegene's 'Full Screening Solution' are the company's latest variant diagnostic tests, the AllplexTM SARS-CoV-2 Master Assay and AllplexTM SARS-CoV-2 Variants I Assay. The AllplexTM SARS-CoV-2 Master is an ideal way of screening for the COVID-19, as it provides results of whether a person is positive of the COVID-19 or even its variants. After an initial round of testing, Seegene's AllplexTM SARS-CoV-2 Variants I Assay will help identify multiple mutant variations in a single reaction. The AllplexTM SARS-CoV-2 Master Assay can detect a total of 10 targets including four coronavirus genes (E gene, RdRP gene, N gene and S gene) as well as five defined virus variants notably spotted in the most recognized lineages including B1.1.7, B.1.351, P.1 and B.1.1.207. Seegene's variant diagnostic test is the first such kind to simultaneously detect multiple coronavirus genes and differentiate virus variations, including those found to be more contagious and fatal. It's an ideal and an economic way of screening coronavirus genes as the pandemic continues to rage with both the wildtype and its virus variants. Director Lee added "Seegene's 'Full Screening Solution' will play a critical role in controlling the spread of COVID-19 pandemic amid fast spreading virus variants." Also at this year's world scientific symposia, Dr. Nakmoon Sung of Seegene Medical Foundation announced outcomes of clinical researches on the detection of SARS-CoV-2 mutations, known to be associated with the variants, as well as the detection of coinfections with respiratory pathogens among COVID-19 patients. Among the COVID-19 positive cases, the proportion of SARS-CoV-2 with the COVID-19 variant associated mutations have surged to 3.5% in late February from the 1.2% a month earlier. Such clinical researches show that Seegene's diagnostic tests are capable of screening COVID-19 and screen for variants with single PCR test. Looking at the coinfection cases, 8.8% of COVID-19 positive cases have also been coinfected with respiratory diseases including Flu A, RSV, rhinovirus, metapneumovirus and Mycoplasma pneumoniae. Reflecting on the clinical data, Dr. Sung said "swift diagnostic system is extremely critical in helping to control the resurgence of the COVID-19 pandemic," and added that "the one-step and accurate diagnostics will become the global standard in detecting coronavirus and other respiratory diseases, for the purpose of accurate treatment". Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1357790/Seegene_logo_Logo.jpg ADELAIDE, AUS, May 21, 2021 - (ACN Newswire) - Agilex Biolabs, Australia's largest and most technologically advanced specialist bioanalytical laboratory for clinical trials is partnering with Endpoints News to share the latest on deconvoluting inflammation and immunology for clinical trials, in a webinar hosted by Endpoints News Editor Arsalan Arif.Agilex Biolabs' Director, Immunoassay, Kurt J. Sales (B.Sc; B.Sc (MED) Hons; M.Sc, Ph.D, PGCM) said:"Inflammation is a complex biological process involving a host of resident and recruited immune cells which are mobilized to infiltrate tissues in response to invading pathogens. These immune cells boast elevated numbers and heightened activation as they churn out inflammatory mediators, which act in unison to coordinate and modulate the immune response. Choosing the right bioanalytical platform for your immunology clinical trial is critical to data collection. But navigating the intricate inflammation process can be difficult."In this webinar Dr Sales will examine what these platforms look like in use, and how should you go about selecting the right one. It will also identify the most common bioanalytical platforms used during clinical trials to measure levels of inflammatory mediators in biological fluids.Using SARS-COV-2 samples, the webinar will cover a custom 10 analyte inflammatory panel and identify how the levels observed for these mediators in Covid patients compare with an uninfected patient's matrix.It will also discuss how these platforms measure specific immunological markers in clinical trial subjects by flow cytometry.Register HereMay 25, 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm EDThttps://webinars.endpts.com/deconvoluting-inflammation-and-immunology-for-clinical-trials/Agilex Biolabs' world-class laboratories feature state-of-the-art equipment including Gyrolab Xplore, MSD Quickplex 120, Luminex Magpix, BD FACSymphony A3 flow cytometer and soon to be released, digital droplet quantitative real-time RT-PCR.The company offers services for both small molecules and biologics for PK, immunogenicity (PD) and biomarker bioanalysis utilising the two platforms of LC-MS/MS and Immunoassay.Australian clinical trials have remained open for business and Agilex Biolabs is a designated essential service so clients can be assured of study continuity.Agilex Biolabs has more than 120 staff which includes 85 dedicated laboratory staff, and supports client pharma and biotech companies from US, Europe and APAC.Book a confidential briefing with our scientists before you start your next clinical trial. https://calendly.com/agilexbiolabs/15minAbout Agilex Biolabs -- https://www.agilexbiolabs.com/Agilex Biolabs, Australia's leading bioanalytical laboratory, has more than 24 years' experience in performing regulated bioanalysis, including quality method development, method validation and sample analysis services. It has successfully supported hundreds of preclinical and clinical trials from around the world where customers choose Australia for the streamlined regulatory process and access to the world's most attractive R&D rebate of more than 40% on clinical trial work conducted in Australia. Agilex Biolabs also offers toxicology services through its company TetraQ, an established GLP rodent toxicology facility in Australia.Agilex Biolabs has the leading certifications including OECD GLP Recognition with NATA (Australian Government OECD GLP Compliance monitoring authority) and ISO 17025 Accreditation for global recognition. The company has recently expanded its main labs by more than 30% to accommodate biotech demand from APAC and the USA. Watch the new lab video walkthrough at https://www.agilexbiolabs.com/new-labs-videoAgilex Biolabs specialises in bioanalysis of small molecules and biologics for PK, immunogenicity, biomarkers and immunological pharmacodynamics assessments utilising LC-MS/MS, immunoassay (Mesoscale, Gyrolab, Luminex) and flow cytometry (BD FACSymphony A3, 20 colour cell analyser).Agilex offers pharmacodynamics services that include immunobiology services using the latest state-of-the-art technology to support immunology, cell biology and mode of action assays, including:- Immunophenotyping- Receptor occupancy- Cytokine release assays (whole blood or PBMC stimulation assays) and cytokine/biomarker profiling- PBMC assays and cellular mechanism of action assaysAgilex Biolabs Media Contact:Kate NewtonMedia@AgilexBiolabs.comSource: Agilex BiolabsCopyright 2021 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved. Press release IRVINE, CA, and HERSTAL, BELGIUM - 07:00 CET May 21, 2021 - MDxHealthSA (Euronext Brussels: MDXH) (the "Company" or "MDxHealth") a commercial-stage innovative molecular diagnostics company, announces that Palmetto GBA, a Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC) that assesses molecular diagnostic technologies under its MolDx program, has issued a draft foundational Local Coverage Determination (LCD) for Biomarkers to Risk-Stratify Patients at Increased Risk for Prostate Cancer. The draft foundational LCD identifies evidence supporting the clinical utility of the SelectMDx for Prostate Cancer test and, when finalized, would support coverage of the test for qualified Medicare patients throughout the United States. "We are pleased that Medicare has taken this important step toward providing coverage for SelectMDx - a test that can help improve the disposition of men at risk for aggressive prostate cancer," stated Michael McGarrity, CEO of MDxHealth. "Medicare coverage, coupled with the recent inclusion of our SelectMDx test in the 2020 National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Guidelines for Prostate Cancer Early Detection, further validates the use of SelectMDx to provide clinicians with actionable information, significantly improving the early detection of clinically significant prostate cancer." The draft LCD can be found here, and the draft coverage article can be found here. About MDxHealth MDxHealth is a multinational healthcare company that provides actionable molecular diagnostic information to personalize the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. The Company's tests are based on proprietary genetic, epigenetic.comand follow us on social media at: twitter.com/mdxhealth, facebook.com/mdxhealthand linkedin.com/company/mdxhealth. For more information: MDxHealth info@mdxhealth.com (mailto:info@mdxhealth.com) Important information The MDxHealth logo, MDxHealth, ConfirmMDx and SelectMDx are trademarks or registered trademarks of MDxHealth SA. All other trademarks and service marks are the property of their respective owners. This press release contains forward-looking statements and estimates with respect to the anticipated future performance of MDxHealth and the market in which it operates. Such statements and estimates are based on assumptions and assessments of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which were deemed reasonable but may not prove to be correct. Successful commercialisation of the Company's tests depends, in large part, on the availability of coverage and adequate reimbursement from government and private payers. The final determination for Medicare coverage of SelectMDx remains pending following the Company's submission of an update to its technical assessment under the MolDx program and there can be no assurance that such coverage request will be granted or, if granted, that it will be maintained. Actual events are difficult to predict, may depend upon factors that are beyond the Company's control, and may turn out to be materially different. MDxHealth expressly disclaims any obligation to update any such forward-looking statements in this release to reflect any change in its expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based unless required by law or regulation. Attachment Participation and voting modalities e-voting available (Votaccess) Live broadcast at: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_X15jQfgxQzWZ3Ua4DuI_yg Regulatory News: SpineGuard (Paris:ALSGD) (FR0011464452 ALSGD), an innovative company that deploys its DSG (Dynamic Surgical Guidance) sensing technology to secure and streamline the placement of bone implants, details the process and voting modalities for its Annual Shareholders' meeting to be held on Wednesday 9 June 2020 at 8:45 am CEST in a closed virtual session. In compliance with recent French legislation1 and per the recommendations of the French SEC (Autorite des Marches Financiers or AMF), SpineGuard announces that its Annual Ordinary and Extraordinary Shareholders' Meeting will take place on June 9, 2021 at 8:45 am CEST in a closed virtual session. It is hereby reminded that AMF strongly encourages the shareholders to vote, such right being a fundamental prerogative of each shareholder. e-voting using the "Votaccess" e-platform is available from 09:00 am CEST today May 21 and should be prioritized. If your broker or bank is a member of the Votaccess e-platform, access is made using the same regular login and password used to access your broker bank e-services. The Votaccess e-platform will close on June 8 at 03:00 pm CEST Alternatively, vote by proxy is also available, for more details shareholders should refer to the convene notice published in the bulletin des Annonces Legales Obligatoires" dated 3 May 2021 (French) In order to be taken into account a shareholding certificate issued by the shareholders' broker shall be sent with the voting form. The voting form and the holding certificate shall be mailed by the shareholder's broker to Societe Generale, Services Assemblee Generale, 32 rue du Champ de Tir CS 30812, 44308 Nantes Cedex 3 France. The deadline to cast votes by proxy is June 4, 2021. Documents including the shareholders' brochure ('brochure de convocation' in French only) and the voting form are available at the following links: Shareholders' Brochure (French) Voting Form The Shareholders' Meeting will be webcasted (in French) at: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_X15jQfgxQzWZ3Ua4DuI_yg The shareholders' presentation will be released on the company's web site at 8:45 am (CEST) on the day of the meeting. Questions will be possible using the available chat during the conference or be sent in advance at either of investors@spineguard.com or spineguard@newcap.eu Should the required quorum not be met, a second Meeting would be called for June 30, 2021 at 08:45 am CEST, also behind closed doors. The procedures for holding the Shareholders' Meeting may change depending on health and/or legal requirements. Shareholders are invited to consult regularly the section dedicated to the Shareholders' Meeting on the Company's website and the press releases, also available on its website. About SpineGuard Founded in 2009 in France and the USA by Pierre Jerome and Stephane Bette, SpineGuard is an innovative company deploying its proprietary radiation-free real time sensing technology DSG (Dynamic Surgical Guidance) to secure and streamline the placement of implants in the skeleton. SpineGuard designs, develops and markets medical devices that have been used in over 80,000 surgical procedures worldwide. Seventeen studies published in peer-reviewed scientific journals have demonstrated the multiple benefits DSG offers to patients, surgeons, surgical staff and hospitals. Building on these solid fundamentals and several strategic partnerships, SpineGuard has expanded its technology platform in a disruptive innovation: the smart pedicle screw launched late 2017 and is broadening the scope of applications in dental implantology and surgical robotics. DSG was co-invented by Maurice Bourlion, Ph.D., Ciaran Bolger, M.D., Ph.D., and Alain Vanquaethem, Biomedical Engineer. For further information, visit www.spineguard.com Disclaimer The SpineGuard securities may not be offered or sold in the United States as they have not been and will not be registered under the Securities Act or any United States state securities laws, and SpineGuard does not intend to make a public offer of its securities in the United States. This is an announcement and not a prospectus, and the information contained herein does and shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of the securities referred to herein in the United States in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or exemption from registration. 1 bill of 23 March 2020 to respond to COVID-19 and decree dated 25 March 2020 extended through 31 July 2021 by decree dated 9 March 2021. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210520005790/en/ Contacts: SpineGuard Pierre Jerome CEO Chairman Tel: +33 1 45 18 45 19 p.jerome@spineguard.com SpineGuard Manuel Lanfossi CFO Tel: +33 1 45 18 45 19 m.lanfossi@spineguard.com NewCap Investor Relations Financial Communication Mathilde Bohin Pierre Laurent Tel.: +33 1 44 71 94 94 spineguard@newcap.eu LONDON (dpa-AFX) - UK retail sales growth accelerated more than expected in April driven by the easing of coronavirus restrictions, data published by the Office for National Statistics showed on Friday. Retail sales expanded 9.2 percent month-on-month, faster than the 5.1 percent increase in March and the economists' forecast of +4.5 percent. Moreover, this was the biggest increase since June 2020, when sales were up 13.9 percent. Sales volume, excluding auto fuel, advanced 9 percent after March's 4.6 percent. This was also bigger than the expected growth of 4.2 percent. Non-food stores provided the largest contribution to the monthly growth, aided by strong increases of 69.4 percent and 25.3 percent in clothing stores and other non-food stores respectively. Meanwhile, food stores sales dropped 0.9 percent in April. On a yearly basis, retail sales volume grew sharply by 42.4 percent, after rising 7.2 percent in March. Economists had forecast an annual increase of 36.8 percent. Excluding auto fuel, retail sales growth accelerated to 37.7 percent in April from 7.9 percent in the previous month. Sales were forecast to climb 31.7 percent. All retail sectors reported a fall in their proportions of online sales as physical stores re-opened during the month. Online spending decreased 5.6 percent on month in April, with a large decline in food stores of 11.4 percent. In the three months to April, the volume of sales increased by 2.6 percent compared with the previous three months. Excluding auto fuel, sales gained 2 percent. Earlier in the day, survey results from the market research group GfK showed that confidence among consumers bounced back to its pre-lockdown level in May. The consumer sentiment index rose six points to -9 in May. Growing confidence is fuelling the economy and only a reversal to lockdown can dampen this solid momentum, Joe Staton, client strategy director at GfK, said. Paul Dales, an economist at Capital Economics, said overall economic recovery will continue in May. Overall, the data support the view that the recovery will be fast and full. Even so, the economist doubt the Bank of England will move to snuff it out until 2024. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de Randomized controlled trial in the US and Europe will enable LIQOSEAL to be submitted for FDA approval Polyganics, a medical technology company developing, manufacturing and commercializing bioresorbable medical devices, today announced treatment of the first patient in its ENCASE II clinical trial for LIQOSEAL LIQOSEAL is an easy-to-use, synthetic dura sealant patch indicated for use as an adjunct to standard methods of cranial dural repair, to provide watertight closure of the dura mater and reduce cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage. In addition, LIQOSEAL also supports regeneration of the dura mater by acting as a scaffold for new fibrotic layer formation ('neodura'). ENCASE II is randomized, two-arm, multicenter study, evaluating the safety and efficacy of LIQOSEAL in reducing intra- or post-operative CSF leakage in patients undergoing elective cranial surgery. The trial will involve 228 patients, enrolled and treated at up to 20 clinical centres across the US and Europe. Patients will be randomly treated at a 1:1 ratio with either LIQOSEAL or an FDA-approved sealant as a control. Polyganics achieved CE mark certification for LIQOSEAL in early 2020, based on positive 3-month data from its ENCASE I clinical trial, and immediately launched the device in Europe. The Company has seen good uptake, and now, just over a year after the initial launch, LIQOSEAL is commercially available throughout Europe via a dedicated network of distribution partners and is registered for use in other countries including Turkey, Israel, Jordan, Argentina. Other registrations are also in progress. Dr. Andrew Carlson, Neurosurgeon at the University of New Mexico Hospitals in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Global Coordinating Investigator for the study commented: "Cerebrospinal fluid leakage is one of the most common complications of neurosurgical procedures and a significant burden to patients and healthcare systems. LIQOSEAL is a potentially game-changing device, which may offer a unique opportunity to make a meaningful impact on the lives of patients by reducing these CSF leak rates. I am excited to be part of the ENCASE II study where we are rigorously testing this hypothesis." Prof. Dr. Med. Tristan van Doormaal, Neurosurgeon at the University Hospital Zurich and University Medical Center (UMC) in Utrecht and Coordinating Investigator for the study in Europe said: "Having worked on the LIQOSEAL project since inception, I am proud that the device is now entering this large-scale ENCASE II clinical trial. I was delighted with the follow-up results of ENCASE I, showing that there was no CSF leakage and no clinically significant swelling, while there were no device-related adverse events following the first 40 LIQOSEAL surgeries. I am pleased to continue playing my part to critically study this device, ultimately to maximally reduce CSF leakage in our patients." Rudy Mareel, CEO of Polyganics, added: "Despite many COVID-related delays to elective procedures during the past year, we are happy that Polyganics has seen strong interest and uptake of LIQOSEAL throughout Europe and in other countries. We are proud to have numerous world-renowned clinical centres participating in our ENCASE II study. They are a testament to the unique, life-altering potential of our dura sealant device." Notes to editors About Polyganics Polyganics is a medical technology company with multiple versatile polymer platforms. The company develops, manufactures and commercializes innovative bioresorbable medical devices that facilitate tissue repair and regeneration. Polyganics' portfolio comprises of products developed in-house and in collaboration with leading medical technology companies and academic centers of excellence. The portfolio includes marketed products in the fields of Peripheral Nerve Repair (PNR) and Neurosurgery: VIVOSORB, for minimizing unwanted tissue adhesions after surgery; NEUROLAC, for supporting PNR following hand surgery; NEUROCAP, for the management of symptomatic neuromas; and LIQOSEAL, a dura sealant patch for the effective control of cerebrospinal fluid leakage. Products in development include ACTISEAL, a Liver and Pancreas Sealant Patch in the field of General Surgery. In 2014, Polyganics sold its Ear, Nose Throat (ENT) surgery business unit (the NASOPORE product family including HEMOPORE, SINUPORE and OTOPORE and NASOPORE-FD) to Stryker, one of the world's leading medical technology companies. Polyganics continues to manufacture the NASOPORE product range for Stryker. Polyganics is a privately held company based in Groningen, The Netherlands. The Company is ISO 13485-certified, and its products have received clearance from the US FDA, CE-approval, and approval from the CFDA and other international authorities. Polyganics' polymer platform technologies are protected by a broad portfolio of patents. For more information, visit: www.polyganics.com, or follow us on LinkedIn: Polyganics BV About CSF leakage Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage is a widely recognized complication of neurosurgical procedures. It represents a significant patient burden, resulting in increased morbidity, prolonged hospital stays, possible surgical revisions, and enhanced costs.1,2 Incidence rates vary depending on age, indication, location of surgery and underlying pathology, but in total CSF leakage occurs in 4-32% of surgical cases.3,4 About LIQOSEAL LIQOSEAL is a safe and easy-to-use patch indicated for use as an adjunct to standard methods of cranial dural repair during surgery. By ensuring watertight closure of the dura mater, the patch provides effective control of CSF leakage throughout the critical healing period, as well as supporting regeneration of the dura mater by acting as a scaffold for new fibrotic layer formation ('neodura'). The patch uses Polyganics' proven proprietary synthetic bioresorbable polymer technology. It is commercially available throughout Europe and in selected other countries via a network of experienced distributors. For more information, visit: https://polyganics.com/portfolio/neurosurgery/ References Hutter G, von Felten S, Sailer M, Schulz M, Mariani L. Risk factors for postoperative CSF leakage after elective craniotomy and the efficacy of fleece bound tissue sealing against dural suturing alone: a randomized controlled trial. J. Neurosurgery. 2014. Sep; 121:724-744 Grotenhuis J. Costs of postoperative cerebrospinal fluid leakage: 1-year, retrospective analysis of 412 consecutive nontrauma cases. Surg Neurol. 2005, Dec; 64(6)|:490-3 Kinaci A, Algra A, Heuts S, O'Donnell D, van der Zwan A, van Doormaal T. Effectiveness of Dural Sealants in Prevention of Cerebrospinal Fluid Leakage After Craniotomy: A Systematic Review. World Neurosurg. 2018 Oct;118:368-376 van Doormaal T, Kinaci A, van Thoor S, Redegeld S, Bergmann W, van der Zwan A.Usefulness of Sealants for Dural Closure: Evaluation in an In Vitro Model. Oper Neurosurg (Hagerstown). 2018 Oct 1;15(4):425-432. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210521005045/en/ Contacts: Polyganics Paul Roos, Chief Financial Officer Marleen Schoonen, Director Corporate Communication Corporate Affairs T: +31 50 588 65 88 E: p.roos@polyganics.com m.schoonen@polyganics.com Instinctif Partners Melanie Toyne-Sewell Dr Katie Duffell T: +44 (0)20 7457 2020 E: polyganics@instinctif.com South Africa: SA forges solidarity with people of Palestine International Relations and Cooperation Minister, Dr Naledi Pandor, has called on the United Nations (UN) and the Gulf Council to be more resolute in pursuing freedom for the people of Palestine. The Minister said this when she tabled the departments budget vote during a mini plenary of the National Assembly on Thursday. This comes after tensions arose when Israeli authorities embarked on violent removals of Palestinians from their homes, leaving many displaced and stripped of their human rights and dignity. The recent vicious attacks by Israel on Palestinian people and the forced removal of Palestinians from their homes is clear evidence of the absence of peace and security for millions worldwide. Sadly, we all watched as Palestine suffered more and more brutally. Greater effort must be exerted to achieve peace in the Middle East. Powerful nations must accept that we all depend on each other and even the most powerful will not achieve peace and security through unilateral actions and neglect of the poor, the oppressed and marginalised. We call on the UN and the Gulf Council to be more resolute in pursuing freedom for the people of Palestine, she said. In her address to the mini plenary, Pandor said the South African government is pleased to be serving in the UN Peacebuilding Commission for 2021-2022, as this will contribute towards the maintenance of international peace and security just as South Africa did during its term on the UN Security Council. She said peace and security are extremely fragile or absent in many parts of the globe. SA in a process to shut down 10 foreign missions Pandor said, meanwhile, that SA is in a process of shutting down 10 missions abroad. The budget cuts I referred to earlier resulted in changes in our operations. This and the continued economic impact of COVID-19 have led us to review South Africas diplomatic footprint globally. In an effort to reduce costs while ensuring a presence throughout the world, we are in the process of closing 10 of our 122 Missions during the course of 2021. The missions in closest geographic proximity will provide diplomatic and consular services to countries that no longer host our missions. We plan to utilise improved information technology services to ensure efficient consular support to our citizens in these countries. We also intend to appoint honorary consuls to ensure we continue to have a presence and that we uphold established relations. I have been most grateful for the understanding shown by my colleagues in all these regrettable actions, said the Minister. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2021-05-21. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. WHO says under-funding, supply hitches derailing Africa's COVID-19 vaccine roll-out Xinhua) 13:50, May 21, 2021 NAIROBI, May 20 (Xinhua) -- Massive inoculation against the COVID-19 disease in Africa is almost grinding to a halt amid limited finances and inability to acquire additional vaccine doses linked to the crisis in India, a World Health Organization (WHO) official said Thursday. Matshidiso Moeti, WHO regional director for Africa decried the rampant shortage of the vaccine in the continent that has jeopardized efforts to contain the pandemic and pave way for a return to normalcy. "As people living in richer countries hit the reset button this summer and their lives start to look normal, in Africa our lives will stay on hold," Moeti said during a webinar on the economic impact of COVID-19 and the financing of vaccines in Africa organized by WHO, World Bank, and World Economic Forum. She said that a large-scale roll-out of the COVID-19 vaccine is key to achieve herd immunity in Africa and restore livelihoods devastated by the pandemic. However, the vaccine deliveries to Africa through the COVAX facility have encountered huge bottlenecks as the Serum Institute of India where they are sourced divert them for domestic use. According to Moeti, the continent received nearly a quarter or 18.2 million of the 66 million doses expected through COVAX between February and May. She said that inadequate investments in cold chain facilities and training of health workers have also stalled the roll-out of COVID-19 vaccines in Africa where only eight countries have administered all their vaccines while 20 countries have administered less than 50 percent of doses they had acquired. Moeti called on African countries to prioritize domestic resource mobilization and explore diverse sources of COVID jabs to help expand immunization coverage. Statistics from the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) indicate that a total of over 39 million vaccine doses had been acquired and 24 million administered in the continent as of May 17. Richard Mihigo, WHO Africa's Immunization and Vaccines Development Programme Coordinator, said that continental blocs are negotiating with different vaccine manufacturers to plug a shortfall in the life-saving commodity. (Web editor: Shi Xi, Liang Jun) LONDON (dpa-AFX) - Close Brothers Group PLC (CBG.L), in its third-quarter trading update, said that it continued to perform strongly in the third quarter, in line with the trends reported in the first half of the year. There are positive signs of economic recovery, but uncertainty remains. The company said it remains mindful of the threat of climate change and are supportive of the 2050 net zero goals of the Paris Agreement. In Banking, the loan book increased 3.2% in the quarter and 7.7% year-to-date to 8.2 billion pounds.The Asset Management division generated annualized net inflows of 6%, despite the continued im pact of reduced face-to-face interaction with clients arising from Covid-19. Including favourable market movements, managed assets increased to 14.8 billion pounds and total client assets increased to 16.0 billion pounds. Winterflood's year-to-date operating profit is ahead of the level achieved in the whole of the 2020 financial year. Winterflood remains well positioned to continue trading profitably in a range of conditions, but due to the nature of the business, it remains sensitive to changes in the market environment. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. PANAMA (dpa-AFX) - Carnival Corporation & plc, the world's largest cruise company, announced its plans to return to service in the United States this summer. Three Carnival Corporation Cruise Line Brands will resume cruising with Alaska sailings departing directly from Seattle starting in July. The decision was based on recent guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or CDC and close collaboration with Alaskan officials. The three lines, including Princess Cruises, Holland America Line and Carnival Cruise Line, will resume guest cruise operations for a partial season in Alaska, each with one ship sailing round-trip. The company noted that these Alaska cruises are available for guests who have received their final dose of an approved COVID-19 vaccine at least 14 days prior to the beginning of the cruise and have proof of vaccination. Crew vaccinations will be in accordance with CDC guidelines. The company expects approval for plans for these itineraries to fulfill obligations under the Passenger Vessel Services Act or PVSA. Princess Cruises, Holland America Line and Carnival Cruise Line are currently undertaking their return-to-cruising preparation. Princess Cruises will resume operations in Alaska starting July 25 through September 26, with seven-day cruises onboard Majestic Princess, a MedallionClass ship. Holland America Line will resume its cruise operations to Alaska with seven-day itineraries aboard Nieuw Amsterdam. The first cruise for the brand is scheduled to depart July 24, with 11 Saturday departures that will operate through October 2. Carnival Cruise Line has already opened Alaska sailings departing from Seattle beginning July 27, with weekly departures through September 14 aboard Carnival Miracle. The company noted that each respective brand will announce the additional details on the Alaska sailings in the coming weeks, which will be available on their websites. Carnival said it continues to work with the CDC and other authorities on protocols and requirements for sailings out of U.S. ports. The company is currently sailing with two of its brands in Europe - AIDA Cruises and Costa Cruises. Additionally, eight of Carnival Corporation's nine cruise line brands have announced plans to resume guest operations this summer in Europe. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX CARNIVAL-Aktie komplett kostenlos handeln - auf Smartbroker.de BRUSSELS (dpa-AFX) - Liberty Global (LBTYA, LBTYB and LBTYK), a video, broadband and communications company, announced Friday its partnership with Digital Colony, an investment firm dedicated to digital infrastructure, to launch a joint venture to develop Edge Data Centers in Europe. The creation of the proposed JV, AtlasEdge Data Centres, is subject to receipt of customary regulatory and merger control approvals. Liberty Global and Digital Colony expect the transaction to close in the third quarter. AtlasEdge will provide infrastructure services to third parties at the edge with a focus on performance, low-latency, scalability, and quality of experience. AtlasEdge will deliver services through an extensive network of facilities located close to consumer and enterprise end users, the 'edge' of the network. The JV will be supported by anchor tenancies from Liberty Global operating companies in four European countries: Virgin Media in the UK and in Ireland, Sunrise-UPC in Switzerland and UPC in Poland. In the JV, Liberty Global will contribute digital infrastructure assets, including its technical real estate portfolios, at levels consistent with European digital infrastructure valuations. Liberty Global will also provide strategic and operational support to the business. Further, Digital Colony will provide operating expertise, strategic direction and capital to support the significant growth and consolidation opportunity in edge co-location services across Europe. Upon closing of the JV, Josh Joshi will join and lead AtlasEdge's Board of Directors as Executive Chairman. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. - The tightening control of education in China has raised concerns for expats - As private schools retreat and crackdowns on private tuition are suggested, Tutors International offer their advice OXFORD, England, May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The tightening control of education in China is causing concern as international private schools retreat and the threat of restricting private tuition develops. International Private Schools Retreat As the Chinese Government propose to prohibit foreign curricula, international private schools are moving out of China. This is creating a turbulent time for students and their families. According to The Times: "Private schools with branches in China are retreating for fear their brands may be damaged by tighter restrictions on international education in the country. The 50 international schools operated by British institutions face limits on what they can teach and many are looking elsewhere, MPs and education experts have said. "The Chinese government maintains a firm grip over education. In March the education ministry issued new guidelines for evaluating schools including bilingual private schools, and any schools teaching local pupils must follow the national curriculum there." Providing Stability During Changes to Education in China Many families will be dealing with the fallout from international private schools having to move. It is another disruption to the children's education on top of a year disturbed by the pandemic. Founder of Tutors International and experienced education consultant, Adam Caller, supposes that full-time private tuition is the solution. Whether families are seeking a private tutor to manage the transition period as their child's school relocates, or if they wish to switch to high-quality homeschooling full-time, then private residential tuition could be both a stabiliser and an improvement on their current education. Tutors International is a prestigious private tutoring company specialising in personalised residential tuition. Unlike almost all other tutoring companies, which keep a database of tutors, Tutors International recruits from a global talent pool and conducts an individually customised search for each client enquiry. This results in a tailored high-quality education from a world-class tutor who is a bespoke match for that student and their family. Tutors International is experienced in sourcing the best tutors who can travel with families and provide stability for students. They can complement and accommodate the travel and lifestyle of HNWIs and their families. Adam Caller's Advice Adam Caller details a recent enquiry from a client concerned about the changes to education in China and its impact on international private schools: "Recently, a Client got in touch to say that he wanted to provide a stable high-quality education for his son and was concerned about the changes happening to education in China. He is not alone. Many are left seeking reliability and a high standard of education, and high-end private tuition can provide this. For both expats and Chinese people, there are options and we are one of them." Tutors International's highly personalised service and superlative standards do mean they have a high net-worth clientele; however, Mr Caller offers an inventive solution for those who may otherwise be precluded: "If our costs are prohibitive, then you can organise some family friends to join you, then we can find a tutor to move through several children. This is more complex and a cooperative plan requires more organisation than can be summarised here, but you can call or email us to discuss your options." This cooperative system, as well as the micro school concept, are cutting-edge movements in education and something Tutors International have experience recruiting for. Private Tutoring Means Educational Freedom One of the key problems causing private schools to retreat from China is that their Government are barring foreign curricula. If a prospective client was seeking a more globalised education but was reluctant to relocate, then a residential private tutor could give them more freedom in what their child was learning about. As Adam Caller states, "Tutors International is able to provide an international context to the child's education." Private Tuition in China As well as tighter control on curricula, China is also proposing restrictions on private tutoring. An exclusive in Reuters details the planned new rules: "China is framing tough new rules to clamp down on a booming private tutoring industry. [] Under the planned rules, on-campus academic tutoring classes will be banned, as will both on and off-campus tutoring during weekends, two of the [sources] said. Regulators will also clamp down on off-campus tutoring, in particular for English and math, they added, restricting class times on weekdays." How they will enforce these rules remains to be seen. That said, a residential tutor could circumvent even these restrictions. A live-in or residential tutor becomes an extension of the family. Whatever tuition they provide will be monitored by the families who employ them. It is a different, personalised and more thorough approach to private education. Considering a Private Tutoring Solution? Anyone looking into options in light of the changes to education in China should consider a private tutor. Full-time private tutors enable stability, personalised education and can accommodate global lifestyles. Get in touch with Tutors International as soon as possible; the thorough and customised recruitment process takes time, so if you are seeking a tutor for the academic year commencing September 2021, Tutors International recommends that you get in touch imminently. A preliminary enquiry is free. About Tutors International Tutors International provides an unparalleled private tutoring service that matches the right private home tutor with the right child, in order for the student to fully reach their personal potential and academic excellence. Providing an international private tuition service for children of all ages at different points in their educational journeys, Tutors International is founded on a commitment to finding the perfect tutor to realise the specific goals and aspirations of each student. Tutors are available for residential full-time positions, after-school assistance, and homeschooling. Founded in 1999 by Adam Caller, Tutors International is a private company based in Oxford, a city renowned for academic excellence. Our select clientele receives a personally tailored service, with discretion and confidentiality guaranteed. Contact Details Web: www.tutors-international.com Email:marketing@tutors-international.com Phone: +44 (0) 1865 435 135 Tutors International Clarendon House 52 Cornmarket Street Oxford OX1 3HJ UK Image: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1514887/TI_Education_in_China.jpg Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/699064/Tutors_International_Logo.jpg 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. OKAYAMA, Japan, May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- In a study reported in the Japanese Journal of Ophthalmology, researchers from Okayama University show that long hours in front of the television in children under 3 years of age lead to increased eyesight concerns during later years. It is ingrained in parents to curtail the hours their children spend in front of the television. Anecdotal evidence suggests that prolonged viewing of television and use of smart gadgets during early years can adversely affect a child's eyesight and behavioral development. However, there is little scientific evidence to support such observations on the effects of excessive television exposure on children's visual acuity. Now, Professor MATSUO Toshihiko (M.D., Ph.D.) and Professor YORIFUJI Takashi (M.D., Ph.D.) from Okayama University describe how such exposure can indeed have detrimental effects on children's eyesight during later years. The researchers used a national database of the Japan Government, based on the annual survey of all children born in the certain period of the year 2001. In 47,015 eligible children from the database over time, watching television or videos as a primary form of "play" and also daily duration of television-watching were assessed in the earlier years of life. The same children at elementary school were assessed yearly from the ages of 7 to 12 years to measure any concerns about visual acuity raised by their parents. The Okayama University team first observed that if children had high television exposure at the ages of 1.5 years or 2.5 years, parents showed significant concerns around their children's eyesight in the second half of the study. This observation was consistent for children of both sexes and did not change based on parameters such as residential area or parents' education. Deeper analysis showed parents of children aged 2.5 years who watched television for =2 hours/day had much greater concern for their children's visual acuity compared to those of children who watched television for up to 1 hour daily. However, as a child's age increased, their parent's concern during later years decreased. To ensure uniformity of the results, the researchers re-analyzed the responses of a smaller pool of participants-those who participated in all surveys conducted when the children were between 7 to 12 years of age. Not only did the responses from this group reiterate their primary findings, but it was also found that the proportion of concerned parents increased as the children aged from 7 to 12 years. Visual acuity seems likely to deteriorate with age. "This nationwide population-based longitudinal study is the first to demonstrate that television-watching only in the earlier years of life, but not in the later years, leads to the later consequence of visual acuity problems at elementary school age," conclude Professor MATSUO Toshihiko and Professor YORIFUJI Takashi. Hence, carefully monitoring a child's television exposure up to the age of three could be a critical factor in healthy eyesight development. The research suggests that younger children should be encouraged to try more traditional ways of playing. Background Visual Acuity and Japanese Social Systems - Visual acuity refers to the clarity or sharpness of one's vision. This is often distorted in conditions such as near-sightedness or far sightedness. In Japan, children undergo a yearly eye exam at school after they turn 6 years old. These exams typically generate Grades A, B, C, or D which indicate a child's visual acuity (in decreasing order). The parents of children with mild-to-severe signs of impairment (Grades B to D) are then notified to follow-up with a formal eye check-up. Thus, parents have a close eye on their child's visual development from an early age and any concern over a child's eyesight is an accurate indicator of its visual health. Professor MATSUO Toshihiko and Professor YORIFUJI Takashi designed the outcomes of their study keeping this close relationship in mind. Link to figure https://www.okayama-u.ac.jp/up_load_files/research_highlights/135_image_1.jpg Caption Responses received on the television-watching patterns in children between the ages of 1 to 6 years and the corresponding eyesight concerns shown by their parents during elementary-school years. Reference Toshihiko Matsuo and Takashi Yorifuji. Television-watching in the early years of life and the association with parents' concerns about decreased visual acuity in their elementary school-aged child: results of a nationwide population-based longitudinal survey of Japan. Japanese Journal of Ophthalmology, March 2021. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10384-021-00831-x https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10384-021-00831-x Okayama Univ. e-Bulletin: Professor MATSUO's team e-Bulletin Vol.8:Photoelectric dye-coupled thin film as a novel type of retinal prosthesis OU-MRU Vol.8:Light-responsive dye stimulates sight in genetically blind patients OU-MRU Vol.39:Successful test of retinal prosthesis implanted in rats OU-MRU Vol.47:Candidate genes for eye misalignment identified OU-MRU Vol.53:Successful implantation and testing of retinal prosthesis in monkey eyes with retinal degeneration OU-MRU Vol.70:Prosthetics for Retinal Stimulation OU-MRU Vol.73:Primary intraocular lymphoma does not always spread to the central nervous system Contact: Okayama University 1-1-1 Tsushima-naka , Kita-ku , Okayama 700-8530, Japan Public Relations Division E-mail: www-adm@adm.okayama-u.ac.jp Website: http://www.okayama-u.ac.jp/index_e.html Okayama Univ. e-Bulletin: http://www.okayama-u.ac.jp/user/kouhou/ebulletin/ Okayama University Medical Research Updates (OU-MRU) The whole volume: OU-MRU (1- ) Vol.1:Innovative non-invasive 'liquid biopsy' method to capture circulating tumor cells from blood samples for genetic testing Vol.89:Studying Parkinson's disease with face-recognition software About Okayama University Okayama University is one of the largest comprehensive universities in Japan with roots going back to the Medical Training Place sponsored by the Lord of Okayama and established in 1870. Now with 1,300 faculty and 13,000 students, the University offers courses in specialties ranging from medicine and pharmacy to humanities and physical sciences. Okayama University is located in the heart of Japan approximately 3 hours west of Tokyo by Shinkansen. MoneyTV with Donald Baillargeon television program, Copyright MMXXI, all rights reserved. MoneyTV does not provide an analysis of companies' financial positions and is not soliciting to purchase or sell securities of the companies, nor are we offering a recommendation of featured companies or their stocks. Information discussed herein has been provided by the companies and should be verified independently with the companies and a securities analyst. MoneyTV provides companies a 3 to 4 month corporate profile with multiple appearances for a cash fee of $6,950.00 to $11,995.00, does not accept company stock as payment for services, does not hold any positions, options or warrants in featured companies. The information herein is not an endorsement by Donald Baillargeon, the producer, publisher or parent company of MoneyTV. 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. BioNTech is committed to contributing to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly the promotion of good health and well-being for all people of all ages The Company has signed the UN Global Compact and is committed to good corporate governance, the exercise of social and societal responsibility and the mitigation of human impact on the world's climate and environment BioNTech's efforts have been recognized by the rating agency ISS ESG, part of the Institutional Shareholder Services group (ISS), which awarded the Company a "Prime" ESG (ESG; Environmental, Social, Governance) rating (top 10% in the industry) following publication of its first sustainability report for 2020 The Company aims to become climate neutral by 2030; 85% of its total energy consumption is covered by renewable electricity, climate neutral natural gas and climate neutral district heating BioNTech is committed to diversity; its employees represent more than 60 nationalities and females account for 45% of top manager positions MAINZ, Germany, May 21, 2021 - BioNTech SE . The report focuses on the Company's commitment to making an impact on good health and well-being, anchoring responsibility in its core business, ensuring BioNTech's resilience through responsible governance, creating values and shaping a sustainable corporate culture for growth. BioNTech was awarded a "Prime" rating in its first ESG rating by the rating agency ISS ESG. BioNTech is now ranked by ISS ESG in the top 10% of all rated companies in the Pharmaceuticals and Biotechnology sector. "BioNTech was founded in 2008 with the vision of improving the health of people worldwide by harnessing the full potential of the immune system. This is what still drives us every day", said Dr. Sierk Poetting, CFO and COO of BioNTech. "The publication of our first Sustainability Report is a milestone for us, showcasing not only the contribution we aspire to make to society through our innovative research, but also the wider responsibility we take on as a company. The 'Prime' rating from ISS ESG is a significant independent recognition of our sustainability performance. As a signatory of the UN Global Compact, we will also continue to execute our key responsibilities and provide regular updates on our activities, efforts and progress to this end." Responsibility in the core business: having an impact on good health and well-being BioNTech's mission and its core business model is to develop novel therapies for cancer, infectious and other serious diseases in order to help improve the health of people worldwide. With this commitment, BioNTech contributes to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) - especially to the third SDG: the promotion of good health and well-being for all people of all ages. Particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, the vital importance of the latter has become apparent. With its proprietary technology and decade-long experience in mRNA research, BioNTech successfully developed a well-tolerated and effective vaccine against COVID-19 in only ten months - the first COVID-19 vaccine approved after a Phase 3 trial and the first mRNA-based vaccine for use in humans worldwide. Thus, BioNTech is making a significant contribution to address the pandemic, thereby saving lives and securing livelihoods. To fulfill its mission of improving the health of people worldwide, BioNTech has become a global, fully integrated immunotherapy company. This includes addressing global health challenges such as COVID-19. In addition to its vaccine against COVID-19, the Company is developing vaccine candidates against nine other infectious diseases, such as HIV and Tuberculosis, both of which disproportionately affect people living in lower and lower-middle income countries. BioNTech is also working on mRNA-based vaccines and therapies to address other public health challenges, such as autoimmune disease. In addition, BioNTech is advancing its diversified immuno-oncology pipeline across four drug classes: mRNA therapeutics, cell therapies, next-generation antibodies, and small molecule immunomodulators. The Company currently has 14 product candidates in 15 ongoing clinical trials. BioNTech is focused on accelerating the path-to-market for its lead oncology programs to make them available to cancer patients as quickly as possible. Responsible governance The Company pursues the objective of sustainable value creation by addressing the interests of its shareholders, workforce and other stakeholders. The Sustainability Report describes its compliance and ethics principles, as well as its approach to human rights in the supply chain. An important element of the report is the description of how patient safety is ensured in all phases of the product life cycle: from clinical development to the authorized and marketed product, as well as maintaining the highest quality standards in manufacturing, product labeling, and the disclosure of product-related risks and benefits. In September 2020, BioNTech's Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and co-founder Ugur Sahin, together with eight other bio-pharma CEOs, pledged to continue to make the safety and well-being of vaccinated individuals the top priority in the development of the first COVID-19 vaccines. This does not only apply to the vaccine candidates developed to address COVID-19, but to all product candidates BioNTech is developing. Responsibility for protecting the environment and climate BioNTech supports the legally binding international treaty on climate change ("Paris Agreement"). The Company intends to be climate neutral by 2030 at the latest, despite continuing to grow and whilst maintaining the highest standards of quality in research and development and commercial production. BioNTech announced a Global Climate Protection Strategy and will outline concrete emissions targets and KPIs as well as tangible measures in 2021. In January 2021, BioNTech began switching over those energy contracts which it has direct contractual control over to agreements supplying solely renewable electricity and climate neutral natural gas. Since January 2021, 85% of its total energy consumption (based on total energy consumption in 2020) is already covered by energy sources that have a climate-neutral effect for BioNTech - either directly or, with regards to natural gas, through CO 2 e emission offsets implemented by the energy provider. Responsibility for a corporate culture of diversity Diversity is a key aspect of the corporate culture at BioNTech. The Company has employees from more than 60 nationalities. Women account for 54% of the total workforce and 45% of top management below the management board. BioNTech's track record has proven that different cultures and perspectives enrich the Company and are an important factor in its success. To further promote diversity across society, BioNTech has been a signatory to the Diversity Charter " Charta der Vielfalt " since November 2018. About BioNTech's first Sustainability Report BioNTech has been strategically addressing its corporate responsibility since late 2019. The Company's sustainability reporting is guided by the standards of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI). The report has been prepared in accordance with the GRI Standards: Core option. In the GRI Content Index, references to the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board's (SASB) industry standards, the ten Principles of the UN Global Compact and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are made. The German translation of the Sustainability Report 2020 will be available in June 2021. The full Sustainability Report 2020 can be found under the following link . About BioNTech Biopharmaceutical New Technologies is a next generation immunotherapy company pioneering novel therapies for cancer and other serious diseases. The Company exploits a wide array of computational discovery and therapeutic drug platforms for the rapid development of novel biopharmaceuticals. Its broad portfolio of oncology product candidates includes individualized and off-the-shelf mRNA-based therapies, innovative chimeric antigen receptor T cells, bispecific checkpoint immuno-modulators, targeted cancer antibodies and small molecules. Based on its deep expertise in mRNA vaccine development and in-house manufacturing capabilities, BioNTech and its collaborators are developing multiple mRNA vaccine candidates for a range of infectious diseases alongside its diverse oncology pipeline. BioNTech has established a broad set of relationships with multiple global pharmaceutical collaborators, including Genmab, Sanofi, Bayer Animal Health, Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, Regeneron, Genevant, Fosun Pharma, and Pfizer. For more information, please visit www.BioNTech.de Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains "forward-looking statements" of BioNTech within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements may include, but may not be limited to, statements concerning: BioNTech's efforts to combat COVID-19; the collaboration between BioNTech and Pfizer to develop a COVID-19 vaccine (including a potential second booster dose of BNT162b2 and/or a potential booster dose of a variation of BNT162b2 having a modified mRNA sequence); the initiation, timing, progress, and results of BioNTech's research and development programs and its current and future preclinical studies and clinical trials, including statements regarding the timing of initiation and completion of studies or trials and related preparatory work, the period during which the results of the trials will become available and BioNTech's research and development programs; the timing of and BioNTech's ability to obtain and maintain regulatory approval for its product candidates; BioNTech's ability to identify research opportunities and discover and develop investigational medicines; BioNTech's plans and targets for energy use and consumption, including its carbon neutrality plans; and the demographic makeup of BioNTech's employees. Any forward-looking statements in this press release are based on BioNTech's current expectations and beliefs of future events. The forward-looking statements in this press release are neither promises nor guarantees, and you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements because they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are beyond BioNTech's control, and which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: the ability to meet the pre-defined endpoints in clinical trials; the ability to effectively scale our productions capabilities; and other potential difficulties. For a discussion of these and other risks and uncertainties, see BioNTech's Annual Report as Form 20-F for the Year Ended December 31, 2020, filed with the SEC on March 30, 2021, which is available on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. All information in this press release is as of the date of the release, and BioNTech undertakes no duty to update this information unless required by law. Media Relations Jasmina Alatovic +49 (0)6131 9084 1513 Media@biontech.de Investor Relations Sylke Maas, Ph.D. +49 CANBERA (dpa-AFX) - The euro was lower against its major counterparts in the European session on Friday, after German manufacturing activity eased to a three-month low in April as supply delays caused disruption to production for businesses. Flash survey results from IHS Markit showed that the manufacturing PMI fell to 64.0 in May from 66.2 in the previous month. Economists had forecast the reading to drop to 65.9. The survey showed that supply shortages curbed production levels and weighed on new orders due to forced downtime at customers. Nonetheless, the composite output index advanced to 56.2 in May from 55.8 in April. Economists had forecast a score of 57.1. The services Purchasing Managers' Index hit a 10-month high of 52.8 versus 49.9 a month ago and the economists' forecast of 52.0. A score above 50 indicates expansion. In economic releases, separate data showed that the euro area private sector activity grew the most in more than three years in May as economies continued to open up from virus restrictions,. The composite output index rose to 56.9 from 53.8 in the previous month. The score was expected to climb moderately to 55.1. The euro retreated to 1.2210 against the greenback, after climbing to a 2-day high of 1.2240 at 2:00 am ET. If the euro slides further, it may find support around the 1.21 level. The euro declined to a 2-day low of 132.70 against the yen, from a 2-day high of 133.21 seen at 8:30 pm ET. The currency may locate support around the 129.00 level. The euro reached as low as 0.8600 against the pound, setting a 3-day low. The next likely support for the euro lies around the 0.84 level. Data from the Office for National Statistics showed that U.K. retail sales expanded 9.2 percent month-on-month in April, faster than the 5.1 percent increase in March and the economists' forecast of +4.5 percent as non-essential stores reopened. This was the biggest increase since June 2020, when sales were up 13.9 percent. On a yearly basis, retail sales volume grew sharply by 42.4 percent, after rising 7.2 percent in March. The European currency remained near a 3-day low of 1.0954 against the franc, compared to Thursday's close of 1.0968. Next near term support for the euro is likely seen around the 1.07 level. The euro pulled back from an early 2-day high of 1.7037 against the kiwi and a 3-1/2-month high of 1.5798 against the aussie and was trading at 1.6960 and 1.5731, respectively. The euro is seen finding support near 1.66 against the kiwi and 1.54 against the aussie. The euro fell to a 2-day low of 1.4727 against the loonie, down from a high of 1.4785 set at 3:00 am ET. On the downside, 1.46 is likely seen as its next support level. Looking ahead, Canada retail sales for March and wholesale sales for April and U.S. existing home sales for the same month will be published in the New York session. At 10:00 am ET, Eurozone flash consumer sentiment index for May will be out. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 21, 2021) - Silver Sands Resources Corp. (CSE: SAND) (OTCQB: SSRSF) ("Silver Sands" or the "Company") is pleased to report, further to its news release on May 17, 2021, that it is planning a Phase III exploration program for the coming months. "Phase II drilling has confirmed our hypothesis that drilling known veins along strike will result in an expansion of the current resources and define the Virginia Project as a significant silver project. As a result of the spectacular assays at Ely Central (including EC-DDH-001 intersecting 10.8m at 625 g/t Ag, including 5.7m at 1,110 g/t Ag) we can now see the potential for the Ely zones to extend to over 1.3 km along strike length. We continue to work toward an updated resource estimate late H2 2021 and are sufficiently funded to complete a Phase III drilling program and complete the resource estimate," stated Silver Sands CEO Keith Anderson. Share Issuance to Mirasol The Company is pleased to announce that it has issued 2,805,212 common shares to Mirasol Resources Ltd. ("Mirasol"), representing 5% of the issued and outstanding share capital of the Company on May 20, 2021. The shares were issued pursuant to the terms of a mineral property option agreement (the "Option Agreement") dated May 20, 2020, as partial consideration for the grant by Mirasol of an option to the Company to acquire an undivided 100% interest in Mirasol's Virginia Property, located in Santa Cruz province, Argentina. Following the issuance, Mirasol holds an aggregate of 6,550,481 common shares of Silver Sands, representing approximately 11.1% of the issued common share capital of Silver Sands. A copy of the Early Warning Report will appear on www.SEDAR.com under Mirasol's profile. The Option Agreement with Mirasol allows the Company to acquire a 100% interest in the Virginia Silver Project (See News Release May 21, 2020.) https://www.silversandscorp.com/20200521golden-opportunity-signs-definitive-agreement-with-mirasol-resources-and-closes-over-subscribed-private-placement-including-strategic-investor-eric-sprott . The Company is pleased to report exploration expenditures made on the Virginia Silver Project to date total US$ 1.6 million. About Virginia Virginia is a low to intermediate sulphidation epithermal silver deposit located in the mineral-rich Deseado massif, lying within the mining-friendly state of Santa Cruz in the Patagonia region of Argentina. Through initial discovery in 2009 to four drill programs between 2010 and 2012, Mirasol Resources was able to define an initial indicated mineral resource of 11.9 million ounces of silver at 310 g/t Ag and a further inferred 3.1 million ounces of silver at 207 g/t Ag within seven outcropping bodies. This resource is documented in a Mirasol Resources technical report entitled: "Amended Technical Report, Virginia Project, Santa Cruz Province, Argentina -- Initial Silver Mineral Resource Estimate" with an effective date of Oct. 24, 2014, and a report date of Feb. 29, 2016. Several additional vein structures within the property package remain highly prospective, as Mirasol concentrated the bulk of its exploration effort on the resource area at the expense of continuing exploration on the underexplored additional veins. Several of these structures have highlight silver values in excess of 1,000 g/t Ag and have a high probability of hosting additional silver resources. These veins structures will be the primary focus of the Silver Sands 2020/2021 exploration efforts. Silver Sands is earning a 100-per-cent interest in Virginia by issuing sufficient shares for Mirasol to end up with 19.9 per cent of the issued and outstanding of Silver Sands and completing $6-million (U.S.) in exploration over three years. Mirasol will retain a 3-per-cent net smelter return royalty with Silver Sands having the option of purchasing one-third of the royalty for $2-million (U.S.). About Silver Sands Resources Corp. Silver Sands is a well-financed, Canada-based company engaged in the business of mineral exploration and the acquisition of mineral property assets in mining-friendly jurisdictions. Its objective is to locate and develop economic precious and base metal properties of merit. Its key asset is the Virginia silver project, located in the mining-friendly Santa Cruz state of Argentina. On Behalf of the Board of Directors Keith Anderson Chief Executive Officer, Director For further information, please contact: Keith Anderson Chief Executive Officer, Director (604) 786-7774 Qualified Person Statement: Silver Sand's disclosure of technical and scientific information in this press release has been reviewed and approved by R. Tim Henneberry, P.Eng., a director of the Company, who serves as a Qualified Person under the definition of National Instrument 43-101. QAQC: Silver Sands applies industry standard exploration sampling methodologies and techniques. All geochemical rock and drill samples are collected under the supervision of the company's geologists in accordance with industry practice. Geochemical assays are obtained and reported under a quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) program. Samples are dispatched to an ISO 9001:2008 accredited laboratory in Argentina for analysis. Assay results from channel, trench, and drill core samples may be higher, lower or similar to results obtained from surface samples due to surficial oxidation and enrichment processes or due to natural geological grade variations in the primary mineralization. Forward Looking Statements: The information in this news release contains forward looking statements that are subject to a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in our forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause such differences include: changes in world commodity markets, equity markets, costs and supply of materials relevant to the mining industry, change in government and changes to regulations affecting the mining industry and to policies linked to pandemics, social and environmental related matters. Forward-looking statements in this release include statements regarding future exploration programs, operation plans, geological interpretations, mineral tenure issues and mineral recovery processes. Although we believe the expectations reflected in our forward-looking statements are reasonable, results may vary, and we cannot guarantee future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements. Silver Sands disclaims any obligations to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by applicable law. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange ("CSE") nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/84805 "Okiano helps online shop owners drive high-quality traffic of interested shoppers to their online stores by automating, optimizing, and simplifying the entire digital publishing process." RAMAT GAN, ISRAEL / ACCESSWIRE / May 21, 2021 / Okiano is an Ecommerce PPC Management & digital advertising agency with a team of innovative enthusiasts dedicated to making business easier by developing cutting-edge technologies. Okiano uses advanced AI algorithms and machine learning to understand their client's stores and markets and then automatically creates Google Ads campaigns at scale. Okiano Marketing has developed artificial intelligence Natural Language Processing technology to help Retail brands get on the first page of Google. Their proprietary technology generates Google Ads campaigns, which are fully optimized for keywords, ads, and store landing pages, ensuring a high-quality score and a low cost per click (CPC), resulting in lower advertising spend and increased revenue, and higher ROAS. With over 10 million ads created & tested so far and continually crafting new Google Ads in every product category, Okiano is increasing the Sales & Revenue and improving the ROAS for their online eCommerce customers by automating the advertising on Google Ads. Their technology systematically manages their client's Campaigns, Optimizes Ads Performance continuously, chooses relevant Ads, associated Keywords, and advertising strategies to improve sales and revenue results constantly. Online retailers using Okiano technology are now generating hundreds of thousands in revenue at profitable margins. Unlike many alternatives, the technology performs many of the labor-intensive PPC Expert work. Okiano will Create the Ads Find the most relevant keywords Select corresponding store landing pages Rotate the advertised Ads for optimizing the Keyword-Ad-Store landing page experience by A/B testing for increased quality score Create excellent Google Shopping Campaigns with mapping to Google Categories, Addressing all of the product features Reduce PPC costs and Improve bottom-line performance! Okiano constantly produces effective, great-looking Ads! It's completely automatic. The Automated AI eCommerce advertising technology integrates with their customer's online stores to create hundreds or even thousands of excellent-looking Google Search and Google Shopping Ads. These Ad Campaigns are uploaded to the customer Google Ads to generate quality traffic of interested users. Okiano is using advanced Natural Language Processing technology to perform Keyword Research that is highly relevant to the Store Products and correlates these Keywords against Google API to identify sales potential and bid costs. These keywords are then used to drive high-quality traffic of consumers that are likely to be interested in their customer's store products. Ads created by Creative Magic, and Keywords identified by Smart Keywords, are combined to create excellent campaigns and Ad Groups on Google Ads to ensure advertising of all the products and categories of the customer's store content. The unique technology takes advantage of its ability to process large number of items and thus targets Ads URLs to family of products rather than a single product, increasing the chances of a consumer making a conversion. The Keyword Ad Store Landing Page is optimized to ensure high Quality-Score and low CPC rates. The Okiano team uses sophisticated methods for identifying new keywords derived from user searches and associating them to the Ads and store landing pages. These keywords are then used to trigger Google Search and Google Shopping Ads that will in turn drive relevant shoppers to the store, and increase their clients' sales and scale their business in a competitive landscape. ABOUT THE COMPANY Led by a team of experts in PPC advertising, Machine Learning, Neural Networks, Software Product Development, and Digital Marketing, The Okiano team are innovation enthusiasts dedicated to making business easier by developing cutting-edge technologies. Their new concept for marketing automation is based on advanced proprietary machine learning algorithms; it continuously collects data and builds knowledge, training the Automated Marketing Engine "Advertisement Robot" with over 10,000,000 ads so far and constantly growing with updating of new ads in every product category. They see Okiano pushing forward online shops in every domain while continually improving premium advertising technologies. Okiano is here to give value to the Online Retailer with a Large Variety of Ads optimized to Drive Sales at a Low Cost. CONTACT DETAILS Name: Ofer Hendin Business Name: Okiano Marketing Address: 20 Tuval St. Ramat Gan, 5252247, Israel Phone: +972 52-552-2608 Email: ofer.hendin@okiano.com Website: https://www.okianomarketing.com SOURCE: Okiano Marketing View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/648527/Okiano-Transforming-the-World-of-Digital-Advertising Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - May 21, 2021) - Royal Fox Gold Inc. (formerly Hornby Bay Mineral Exploration Ltd.) (TSXV: HBE) ("Royal Fox" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the completion of its previously announced reverse takeover transaction (the "Transaction") pursuant to the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange ("TSXV"). In connection with the completion of the Transaction, the Company filed a filing statement dated May 11, 2021 (the "Filing Statement") in support of its application to the TSXV to become a "Mining Issuer" (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV). The Filing Statement has been filed on SEDAR under the Company's issuer profile at www.sedar.com. Readers are encouraged to review the Filing Statement for full details on the Transaction. The Transaction Pursuant to the terms of the share purchase agreement dated November 30, 2020, as amended March 23, 2021 and April 21, 2021, (collectively, the "Definitive Agreement"), entered into between the Company, Frank Guillemette (the "Principal Shareholder"), Jonathan Girard and Jean-Francois Girard (together with the Principal Shareholder, the "Vendors"), the Company purchased from the Vendors all of the issued and outstanding common shares in the capital of 9396-1217 Quebec Inc., whose sole asset is 100% of the common shares in the capital of 9220-5392 Quebec Inc. o/a Mines Royales Quebec ("MRQ"). MRQ holds an option to acquire a 100% interest in the Philibert property (the "Philibert Property") located in Quebec's Chibougamau mining camp. The Definitive Agreement (including the subsequent amendments thereto) has been filed on SEDAR under the Company's issuer profile. Concurrent Financing In connection with the Transaction, the Company completed a non-brokered private placement of subscription receipts (each, a "Subscription Receipt") on January 6, 2021 pursuant to which the Company issued an aggregate of 64,890,005 Subscription Receipts for gross proceeds of $3,244,500 (the "Offering"). The gross proceeds of the Offering (the "Escrowed Proceeds") were held in escrow on behalf of the subscribers for the Subscription Receipts by TSX Trust Company (the "Escrow Agent"), pursuant to the terms of a subscription receipt agreement (the "Subscription Receipt Agreement") entered into on January 6, 2021 among the Company and the Escrow Agent. The Company has delivered a notice to the Escrow Agent on May 6, 2021 confirming satisfaction of the applicable escrow release conditions, at which time each Subscription Receipt was automatically converted into one unit (a "Unit") of the Company, and the Escrowed Proceeds were released to the Company. Each Unit is comprised of one common share of Hornby Bay (each, a "Unit Share") and one common share purchase warrant (each, a "Warrant"). Each Warrant is exercisable by the holder thereof for one common share of the Company (each, a "Warrant Share") until January 6, 2024 at an exercise price of $0.06 per Warrant Share, subject to adjustments in certain events. The net proceeds of the Offering will be used to fund the cash portion of the consideration payable to MRQ pursuant to the Definitive Agreement and for general corporate purposes. The securities offered pursuant to the Offering have not been, and will not be, registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), or any U.S. state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold in the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons (as defined under the U.S. Securities Act) absent registration or any applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable U.S. state securities laws. This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities in the United States, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. TSXV Approval and Resumption of Trading Trading in the common shares of the Company was previously halted on November 30, 2020 at the request of the Company in connection with the announcement of the Transaction. The Transaction remains subject to final approval by the TSXV and fulfillment of all of the requirements of the TSXV in order to obtain such approval including, among other things, submission and acceptance of all documents requested by the TSXV in its conditional acceptance letter and payment of all outstanding fees to the TSXV. Until final approval of the TSXV is obtained and a Final Exchange Bulletin is issued, trading in the common shares of Royal Fox will remain halted. Upon resumption of trading, the common shares of Royal Fox will trade under the symbol "FOXG" and the Company will be listed as a Tier 2 Mining Issuer. Name Change Prior to the completion of the Transaction, the Company changed its name from "Hornby Bay Mineral Exploration Ltd." to its current name, "Royal Fox Gold Inc." in accordance with the provisions of the Business Corporations Act (Ontario). Management of the Resulting Issuer In connection with the completion of the Transaction, the current Board of Directors and management of the Company resigned, with the exception of Mr. Arvin Ramos, CPA, CGA, the Chief Financial Officer of the Company and as a result, the following persons were appointed, in the capacities listed below. Brief biographies of the current management team are as follows: Victor Cantore, Executive Chairman Mr. Cantore is a seasoned capital markets professional specializing in the resource and hi-tech sectors. He has more than 20 years of advisory and leadership experience having begun his career in 1992 as an investment advisor and then moving into management roles at both public and private companies. During his career he has organized and structured numerous equity and debt financings, mergers and acquisitions, joint venture partnerships and strategic alliances. Mr. Cantore is President, CEO and Director of Amex Exploration Inc., a junior mining exploration company, primary objective of which is to acquire, explore, and develop viable gold projects in the mining-friendly jurisdiction of Quebec. Amex is focused on its 100% owned Perron gold project located 110 kilometers north of Rouyn Noranda, Quebec, consisting of 116 contiguous claims covering 4,518 hectares. A number of significant gold discoveries have been made at Perron, including the Eastern Gold Zone, the Gratien Gold Zone, the Grey Cat Zone, and the Central Polymetallic Zone. High-grade gold has been identified in each of the zones. A significant portion of the project remains underexplored. In addition to the Perron project, the company holds a portfolio of three other properties focused on gold and base metals in the Abitibi region of Quebec and elsewhere in the province. Mr. Cantore serves on the boards of various companies both private and public. Simon Marcotte, Director, President and Chief Executive Officer Mr. Marcotte is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with over 20 years of experience with a focus on commodities, including more than 10 years in executive positions for junior mining companies. Mr. Marcotte co-founded Mason Graphite Inc. in 2012 and held the position of Vice-President of Corporate Development until February 2018. Under his leadership, Mason Graphite Inc. was awarded the TSX Venture recognition as top 10 performing stock in 2013, the best 50 OTCQX in 2016 and 2017, and was nominated for best investors relations in both 2016 and 2017. At the end of 2017, the company reached a peak market capitalization of $365 million, with approximately 35 institutional shareholders, uncommon for a junior mining company. Prior to 2012, Mr. Marcotte joined Verena Minerals Corp. in 2010, which was then renamed Belo Sun Mining Corp., as Vice-President Corporate Development, working alongside the President and Chief Executive Officer on all decision-making processes and helped develop and implement a turnaround strategy. Mr. Marcotte was also instrumental in raising approximately $100-million in capital for the company, resulting in an increase in market capitalization from $20-million to a peak of $400-million and a share price appreciation of more than 500 per cent over the same period. Mr. Marcotte has been involved with several other mining companies, either as an officer or a director, including with Alderon Iron Ore Corp between 2010 and 2013. Prior to his corporate involvement, Mr. Marcotte was working in senior positions in capital markets with CIBC World Markets, from 1998 to 2006, and with Sprott Securities Inc. and Cormark Securities Inc., from 2006 to 2010, where he also was a member of the board of directors. Mr. Marcotte currently acts as an independent consultant and is actively involved in merchant banking activities in the junior mining industry. Mr. Marcotte is a director of Freeman Gold Corp., which is advancing the Lemhi gold project in Idaho, United States. He is a CFA Charterholder and is a graduate from the University of Sherbrooke. Jessica Whitton, Corporate Secretary Ms. Whitton practices corporate and securities law and advises both public and private issuers. Ms. Whitton obtained a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) from Queen's University in 2014, a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Southampton in 2017, and her Certificate of Qualification from the Federation of Law Societies in 2018. Ms. Whitton was called to the Ontario bar in September 2019 and is a member of the Law Society of Ontario. Previously, Ms. Whitton served as Interim CEO of QcX Gold Corp. (formerly First Mexican Gold Corp.). Ms. Whitton currently serves as Corporate Secretary of QcX Gold Corp., Generic Gold Corp., Mindset Pharma Inc. and Ophir Gold Corp. Frank Guillemette, Director Mr. Guillemette is an entrepreneur specializing in business finance and venture capital with over 20 years' experience. Mr. Guillemette launched his career as an employee of Fonds Regional de Solidarite Nord-du-Quebec where he was responsible for managing the company's regional mining portfolio and was accountable for the associated financial duties. In 2004, he founded 9148-5706 Quebec Inc., a private company operating as Multi-Ressources Boreal ("Multi-Resource Boreal") where he remains active in the management of exploration campaigns and mining land brokerage. Among other successfully executed gold property transactions are the Black Dog project (Formerly called Souart Project) that is located 15 km SW of Osisko Mining's Windfall flagship project and 105 km West of Philibert was sold to Osisko Mining in February 2016 ($1.6 million after the escrow period ended) and an option deal in 2008 on the Monster Lake Project located within 12 km of both Philibert and Nelligan project where TomaGold & IAMGOLD have since invested $10 million in exploration. He was also responsible for managing multi-million dollars exploration fieldworks on gold, base metals, rare earth and other commodities including phosphorus, iron and titanium projects. Mr. Guillemette has also been working for more than 4 years as a "representative of an exempt market dealer" for a Montreal-based exempt market dealer, EMD Financial Inc. Kelly Malcolm, Director Mr. Malcolm holds a Bachelor of Science Honours in geology and a Bachelor of Arts in economics, both from Laurentian University. Mr. Malcolm is a Professional Geologist with extensive experience focused on precious and base metal exploration. He specializes in the integration and interpretation of geological, geochemical, and geophysical data to guide exploration and development activities. He has worked in the mineral exploration industry for several junior explorers and mid-tier producers, and has acted as director, advisor, or management for several public and private mineral exploration companies. He also acts as an advisor to several Toronto-based finance firms. Brad Humphrey, Director Mr. Humphrey is the president, chief executive officer and a director of QMX Gold Corp. QMX Gold Corporation is a Canadian based resource company traded on the TSXV under the symbol "QMX", with strong shareholders, including Eldorado Gold Corp, Osisko Gold Royalties Ltd., and Probe Metals Inc. The Company is systematically exploring its extensive property position in the Val d'Or mining camp in the Abitibi District of Quebec. QMX Gold is currently drilling in the Val d'Or East portion of its land package focused on the Bonnefond Deposit and in the Bourlamaque Batholith. In addition to its extensive land package QMX Gold owns the strategically located Aurbel gold mill and tailings facility. Mr. Humphrey has over 20 years of international mining experience, predominantly as a precious metals analyst. Prior to joining QMX Gold, Mr. Humphrey worked for Morgan Stanley as an Executive Director and North American Precious Metals Analyst, where he was responsible for growing Morgan Stanley's North American Gold research coverage. Mr. Humphrey was also a Managing Director and Head of Mining Research at Raymond James and covered precious metal equities at CIBC World Markets and Merrill Lynch. Before starting his capital markets career, Mr. Humphrey held a variety of mining industry roles from Corporate Development to contract underground miner. Principals As a result of the Transaction, Mr. Guillemette became an "Insider" and a new "Control Person" (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) of the Company. Prior to the completion of the Transaction, Mr. Guillemette did not beneficially own or control any securities of the Company. Upon completion of the Transaction, Mr. Guillemette beneficially owns and controls 58,542,510 common shares of Company representing approximately 24.7% of the issued and outstanding common shares of the Company, on a non-diluted basis. At the annual and special meeting of the Company's shareholders held on January 7, 2021, the disinterested shareholders of the Company approved the creation of a new control person, conditional upon completion of the Transaction. Additional information regarding the timing of the trading resumption and the status of the Final Exchange Bulletin to be issued by the TSXV in respect of the Transaction will be provided in subsequent news releases of the Company. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS "Simon Marcotte" Simon Marcotte, President and Chief Executive Officer of Royal Fox Gold Inc. For further information, please contact: Simon Marcotte President and Chief Executive Officer of Royal Fox Gold Inc. Email: smarcotte@royalfoxgold.com Website: www.royalfoxgold.com Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary Note The information contained herein contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. Forward-looking statements relate to information that is based on assumptions of management, forecasts of future results, and estimates of amounts not yet determinable. Any statements that express predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance are not statements of historical fact and may be "forward-looking statements." Forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties which could cause actual events or results to differ from those reflected in the forward-looking statements, including, without limitation: risks related to the TSXV listing, risk related to the failure to obtain adequate financing on a timely basis and on acceptable terms; risks related to the outcome of legal proceedings; political and regulatory risks associated with mining and exploration; risks related to the maintenance of stock exchange listings; risks related to environmental regulation and liability; the potential for delays in exploration or development activities or the completion of feasibility studies; the uncertainty of profitability; risks and uncertainties relating to the interpretation of drill results, the geology, grade and continuity of mineral deposits; risks related to the inherent uncertainty of production and cost estimates and the potential for unexpected costs and expenses; results of prefeasibility and feasibility studies, and the possibility that future exploration, development or mining results will not be consistent with the Company's expectations; risks related to commodity price fluctuations; and other risks and uncertainties related to the Company's prospects, properties and business detailed elsewhere in the Company's disclosure record. Should one or more of these risks and uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. Actual events or results could differ materially from the Company's expectations or projections. NOT FOR DISSEMINATION OR DISTRIBUTION IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/84804 Invesco Bond Income Plus Limited (the "Company") (Formerly City Merchants High Yield Trust Limited) LEI 549300JLX6ELWUZXCX14 21 May 2021 Change of name The Company is pleased to announce that, following shareholder approval at the general meeting held on 19 May 2021, the change of Company name from City Merchants High Yield Trust Limited to Invesco Bond Income Plus Limited has been certified by the Companies Registry in Jersey and is now effective. The trading symbol (or "TIDM") for the Company's ordinary shares on the London Stock Exchange will change to BIPS with effect from 8.00am on 24 May 2021. The ISIN of the Company's ordinary shares (JE00B6RMDP68) remains the same. No new share certificates are being issued in respect of existing Ordinary Shares held in certificated form but any new share certificates will be issued in the name of Invesco Bond Income Plus Limited. Shareholders should retain their existing share certificates which will continue to be valid. Enquiries: Hilary Jones JTC Fund Solutions (Jersey) Limited Company Secretary Tel: 01534 700000 NEW YORK, May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Growing demand for nutritional supplements and increasing awareness regarding the importance of macro- and micro-nutrients in the human body are leading driving factors for the rising need for magnesium lactate. Growing concerns pertaining to degrading agricultural productivity have encouraged governments to increase the utilization of magnesium lactate for controlling malnutrition and hunger. East Asia, Europe, and North America are major markets for magnesium lactate. Being a fragmented market, manufacturers of magnesium lactate are highly focused on increasing their sales and distribution networks across regions. As per analysis by Persistence Market Research, the global magnesium lactate market is estimated to expand at a healthy CAGR of close to 9% over the forecast period of 2021-2031. Key Takeaways from Market Study Demand for food and pharmaceutical grade magnesium lactate has seen prominent growth in recent years, due to growing consumer awareness related to healthy lifestyle and increasing lifestyle diseases among people. Agriculture industries are well-established in regions such as East Asia , South Asia , Europe , and North America . Increasing demand for agriculture use of magnesium lactate from these industries is being witnessed. , , , and . Increasing demand for agriculture use of magnesium lactate from these industries is being witnessed. China , Japan , South Korea , and ASEAN countries are witnessing high demand for magnesium lactate due to increased demand for nutrition supplements. Presence of large manufacturing capabilities in Japan and South Korea are responsible for their large share and high growth in the market. , , , and ASEAN countries are witnessing high demand for magnesium lactate due to increased demand for nutrition supplements. Presence of large manufacturing capabilities in and are responsible for their large share and high growth in the market. Currently, East Asia and South Asia & Pacific are the most lucrative markets for magnesium lactate, due to increased domestic demand for food and pharmaceutical grade magnesium lactate. This is due to rise in population and increase in disposable income of middle-class families in these countries. and & Pacific are the most lucrative markets for magnesium lactate, due to increased domestic demand for food and pharmaceutical grade magnesium lactate. This is due to rise in population and increase in disposable income of middle-class families in these countries. The COVID-19 pandemic is currently impacting the global economy at various levels, and a slight impact has been seen on demand for magnesium lactate as well. With a number of end-use industries affected across several countries, profitable growth has also been impacted due to challenges in the manufacturing sector. Shortage in demand are expected to result in a slight drop in Y-O-Y growth, yet, Persistence Market Research expects the market to expand at close to 9% CAGR through 2031. Request for sample report: https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/21388 "Surge in demand for health supplements in recent years is expected to provide an impetus to magnesium lactate sales. Government initiatives to strengthen the agricultural sector and enhance agricultural productivity to control malnutrition and hunger are driving the demand for macro- and micro-nutrients such as magnesium lactate to produce a better quality of crops," says an analyst of Persistence Market Research. Get more info about report by asking an expert: https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/ask-an-expert/21388 Competitive Landscape The global magnesium lactate industry has been identified as a significantly fragmented market, with the organized sector occupying a major section of the overall space. Tier-1 manufacturers account for maximum share. Some of the leading players included in the report are Corbion N.V., American Elements, Jungbunzlauer Suisse AG, Dr. Paul Lohmann Gmbh KG, ISALTIS, Magnesia Gmbh, Jost Chemical Co, LLC Lehmann&Voss&Co, PMP Fermentation Products, Inc., K+S, and Fengchen Group Co., Ltd, who are anticipated to create tough a competitive environment at the global level. Conclusion The market is anticipated to grow substantially owing to rising demand from the healthcare sector. Increasing use of magnesium lactate is being witnessed in applications such as pharmaceuticals, beverages, food, and agrochemicals. Get full access of report: https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/checkout/21388 More Valuable Insights Persistence Market Research, a research and consulting firm has published a market research report on the magnesium lactate market that contains global industry analysis of 2016-2020 and opportunity assessment for 2021-2031. The report provides in-depth analysis of the market through different segments, namely, grade, application, and region. The report also provides supply and demand trends, along with an overview of the parent market. Browse Research Release at: https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-reports.asp Browse End-to-end Market: Chemicals and Materials Related Reports: Magnesium Hydroxide Market: https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/magnesium-hydroxide-market.asp https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/magnesium-hydroxide-market.asp Synthetic Magnesium Silicate Market: https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/synthetic-magnesium-silicate-market.asp About Persistence Market Research Overview: Persistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance. To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes. Contact Rajendra Singh Persistence Market Research (PMR) U.S. Sales Office: 305 Broadway, 7th Floor New York City, NY 10007 +1-646-568-7751 United States USA - Canada Toll-Free: 800-961-0353 Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.com Visit Our Website: https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/661339/Persistence_Market_Research.jpg WILMINGTON, DE / ACCESSWIRE / May 21, 2021 / Mudrex, a Y Combinator backed new-age cloud-based marketplace of automated crypto trading algorithms, has partnered with GokuMarket, the one-stop-shop for buying, selling, and earning with cryptocurrencies. The partnership has been formulated to provide algorithmic AI-assisted trading algos built by Mudrex for users on GokuMarket. Mudrex, a no-code strategy builder and algorithmic trading platform, has made quite a few strides to bring high-yield crypto investments to everyone. Mudrex owes its recent popularity to its focus on user experience and security, helping users invest reliably. The platform uses AI-backed algorithms to develop portfolio bundles for various trading profiles across currencies and volumes. With the incorporation of Mudrex bots in the GokuMarket platform, the latter will provide another avenue of crypto investments for its users, apart from the generic blanket of crypto trading of buying and selling manually. Users will receive bots that trade in various cryptocurrencies across exchanges, with complete transparency, proven backtesting and real-time trade data. Mudrex - Helping Users Trade On Autopilot Mudrex was founded in 2019 and is based out of San Francisco. It has grown in popularity majorly due to its novel algorithms and the ease of investment it offers. The platform is backed by world-renowned startup accelerator Y-Combinator and helps traders build, backtest, execute and invest in algorithmic trading strategies. Here are some of the main features of the platform: Over 20,000 investors onboarded with nearly $1 Billion in trade volume; No transfer of funds required, as the algorithms work with the top exchanges such as Coinbase Pro, Binance, Bybit, Deribit, OKEX and BitMex; The platform offers fee refunds to its users if the strategies do not yield a profit in a month; Helps users through the strategy selection process by creating a performance score, which rates each strategy after a risk vs reward analysis on a scale of 1-10, hence assisting users to invest in premade bots built by expert traders; The no-code builder aids users to create strategies by dragging and dropping technical indicators. The Mudrex platform has a plethora of trading algorithms built by leading crypto experts and traders across crypto pairs and exchanges. These bots are 100% automated, helping users diversify their investment portfolio through automated trading. About GokuMarket GokuMarket is based in Hong Kong and was launched in 2019. It has since then emerged as a one-stop marketplace for the blockchain economy, where users can buy, sell, earn and shop with cryptocurrencies. The platform's main features include a European licensed crypto exchange and wallet, 100% KYC/AML compliance, customised solutions for pro traders, and the potential to earn cryptocurrencies through cashback and offers. There are currently over 400,000 registered users on GokuMarket, with $50 million in daily transactions volume. Partnership Details The platform seeks to introduce special bot strategies through Mudrex to offer an enhanced user experience for all its users. The decision to introduce AI-enabled algorithmic trading complements the ever-growing demand for automated trading. This partnership will refine the platform's current Automated bot market, allowing users to deposit or withdraw at their convenience without any limitations. Since its launch, Mudrex has been bringing automated algorithmic trading to investors of all kinds, especially the newcomers. The platform has enabled many passive investors to add crypto to their portfolio without having to code or build a strategy themself. The partnership between Mudrex and GokuMarket will strengthen the traders looking to invest in premade bots on the latter. GokuMarket will offer exceptionally crafted automated strategies for investors looking to generate a passive income with their crypto, rather than just holding on to their assets. Contact For The Media Mudrex Edul Patel edul@mudrex.com https://mudrex.com/ 1013 Centre Road, Suite 403-B, Wilmington, Delaware, USA SOURCE: Mudrex View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/648525/Y-Combinator-Backed-Mudrex-Brings-AI-Powered-Trading-Bots-To-Exchanges-Starting-With-Goku-Market WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - The United States reported 30214 coronavirus cases on Thursday, taking the national total to 33,833,181, as per the latest data from Johns Hopkins University. With 659 deaths in the same period, the total number of COVID fatalities rose to 602,616. A total of 27,358,651 people have so far recovered from coronavirus infection in the country. President Joe Biden has signed the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act into law on Thursday. The House of Representatives passed the Bill by a 364-62 vote while the Senate passed with an overwhelming majority of 94-1 vote. Delivering remarks after signing the Bill, Biden said the Department of Justice will work with the Department of Health and Human Services to raise public awareness of COVID-19 hate crimes that occurred during the pandemic. There will also be a devoted official at the Department of Justice to expedite the review of hate crimes reports. The White House said it doesn't have enough information at this point to make an assessment that COVID-19 originated in a lab. During a routine briefing, a reporter brought to White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki's attention House Republicans' claim that they have 'significant circumstantial evidence' to prove that COVID-19 originated in a lab (in China). Asked if the White House has seen any circumstantial evidence that it did not originate in a lab, Psaki replied, 'there needs to be an independent, transparent investigation - and that needs to happen with the cooperation and data provided from the Chinese government'. Replying to another question, Psaki said the Biden administration would wait for the FDA to make an official recommendation to the American public regarding Pfizer and Moderna CEOs' statement that COVID boosters could be needed as early as September. The U.S. Defense Department has administered more than 3.3 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine to its personnel. 58 percent of active duty members received at least one dose and 44 percent are fully vaccinated, Dr. Terry Adirim, acting assistant secretary of defense for health affairs, said at a Pentagon press briefing. It's important to note that COVID-19 infection incidents for DOD personnel are lower than for the civilian population, she told reporters. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de WHEATON, IL / ACCESSWIRE / May 21, 2021 / IDGlobal Corp. (OTC PINK:IDGC) is pleased to announce the Company has reinstated the main patent of Noveda Technologies. The patent (US 8103465 B2) is titled "System and Method For monitoring and Managing Energy Performance." Noveda's patented monitoring solution integrates consumption and generation data to provide actionable real-time intelligence for owners, operators, and users as well as utilities. Noveda's patented technology helps reduce energy and water usage, optimize performance of renewable energy systems, and reduce the carbon footprint for customers world-wide, across commercial/retail, industrial, government, education, and utility sectors. The Company is excited about the possibilities for the future with the reinstatement of this patent and its new found focus to be a pure play Software as a Service (SaaS) provider. The company completed a strategic investment in Noveda Technologies in July 2019 and acquired a majority stake in Noveda Technologies as part of this strategic investment. ABOUT NOVEDA Noveda Technologies is an innovative leader in real-time, web-based energy and water monitoring. The company's patented software solutions help reduce energy and water usage, optimize performance of renewable energy systems, and reduce the carbon footprint for customers across commercial, retail, government, education, and utility sectors. Currently, headquartered in White Plains, New York. IDGC's Plan of Operations . IDGC is an emerging growth company under the JOBS Act of 2012 and, as a diversified holding company, will focus on emerging and middle-market international investment opportunities through its subsidiaries. IDGlobal Corp. is an organization engaged in the business of fostering early-stage companies through the different developmental phases until the companies have sufficient financial, human, and physical resources to function on their own. Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: The statements contained herein are forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, certain delays beyond the Company's control with respect to market acceptance of new technologies or products, delays in testing and evaluation of products, and other risks detailed from time to time in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Please read the full disclaimer at www.idglobalcorp.io. Contact: idglobalinfo@gmail.com SOURCE: ID Global Corporation View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/648516/IDGlobal-Corp-Announces-Reinstatement-Of-Noveda-Technologies-Primary-Technology-Patent Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - May 21, 2021) - Royal Road Minerals Limited (TSXV: RYR) ("Royal Road" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that the Company has completed the sale to Hemco Nicaragua S.A. ("Hemco"), a subsidiary of Mineros S.A., of its entire 50% interest in the Luna Roja Project, comprising the Monte Carmelo I and Monte Carmelo II mining concessions, in Nicaragua. The Luna Roja Project had previously been jointly owned and operated by the Company and Hemco, pursuant to the terms of a strategic alliance agreement (the "Strategic Alliance Agreement") dated September 1, 2017 between the Company and Hemco, as amended. Under the terms of the transaction, the Company sold its 50% interest in the Luna Roja Project on the following key terms: Purchase Price - The Company received the following consideration for the sale of its interest in the Luna Roja Project: (i) US$24,485,294 million, of which $20,812,000 was paid in cash on the closing of the transaction and the remaining US$3,672,794 amount was retained by Hemco to be remitted to the applicable governmental authorities in accordance with applicable withholding tax requirements under Nicaraguan law, and (ii) a 1.25% net smelter return royalty on all future mineral production from the Monte Carmelo I and Monte Carmelo II mining concessions, commencing from the first commercial production therefrom. - The Company received the following consideration for the sale of its interest in the Luna Roja Project: (i) US$24,485,294 million, of which $20,812,000 was paid in cash on the closing of the transaction and the remaining US$3,672,794 amount was retained by Hemco to be remitted to the applicable governmental authorities in accordance with applicable withholding tax requirements under Nicaraguan law, and (ii) a 1.25% net smelter return royalty on all future mineral production from the Monte Carmelo I and Monte Carmelo II mining concessions, commencing from the first commercial production therefrom. Expenditure Commitment - The Company agreed to incur, during the five-year period ending May 21, 2026, not less than US$7.5 million in expenditures pursuant to exploration programs and budgets approved by a joint Hemco/Company management committee pursuant to the Strategic Alliance Agreement. Upon closing, the Strategic Alliance Agreement was amended to, among other things, remove the Monte Carmelo I and Monte Carmelo II mining concessions from the area of interest that is subject to the alliance. The Strategic Alliance Agreement, as amended, will continue in effect, including with respect to the jointly-owned Caribe Project, and the Company's other joint projects with Hemco in Nicaragua operated thereunder. The transaction was completed on May 21, 2021. Cautionary statement: This news release contains certain statements that constitute forward-looking information and forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws (collectively, "forward-looking statements") including statements relating to the Strategic Alliance Agreement described herein and those describing the Company's future plans and the expectations of its management that a stated result or condition will occur. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company, or developments in the Company's business or in the mineral resources industry, or with respect to the transaction, to differ materially from the anticipated results, performance, achievements or developments expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include all disclosure regarding possible events, conditions or results of operations that is based on assumptions about, among other things, future economic conditions and courses of action, and assumptions related to government approvals, and anticipated costs and expenditures. The words "plans", "prospective", "expect", "intend", "intends to" and similar expressions identify forward looking statements, which may also include, without limitation, any statement relating to future events, conditions or circumstances. Forward-looking statements of the Company contained in this news release, which may prove to be incorrect, include, but are not limited to, the Company and the Company's exploration plans. The Company cautions you not to place undue reliance upon any such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they are made. There is no guarantee that the anticipated benefits of the sale transaction and the Company's business plans or operations will be achieved. The risks and uncertainties that may affect forward-looking statements include, among others: economic market conditions, anticipated costs and expenditures, government approvals, and other risks detailed from time to time in the Company's filings with Canadian provincial securities regulators or other applicable regulatory authorities. Forward-looking statements included herein are based on the current plans, estimates, projections, beliefs and opinions of the Company management and, except as required by law, the Company does not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements should assumptions related to these plans, estimates, projections, beliefs and opinions change. For further information please contact: Dr. Timothy Coughlin President and Chief Executive Officer +44 (0)1534 887166 +44 (0)7797 819539 info@royalroadminerals.com To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/84807 NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION IN THE UNITED STATES OR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / May 21, 2021 / Wedgemount Resources Corp. (CSE:WDGY) ("Wedgemount" or the "Company"), a mineral exploration company focused on maximizing shareholder value through the acquisition, discovery and advancement of high-quality copper - gold projects in North America, is pleased to announce that it has completed its initial public offering (the "IPO") of common shares in the capital stock of the Company (the "Common Shares"). The Company issued 6,000,000 Common Shares that were qualified for distribution under its final prospectus dated April 30, 2021 at a price of $0.10 per Common Share for aggregate gross proceeds of $600,000. The IPO was led by Leede Jones Gable Inc., who was paid a cash commission equal to 7% of the gross proceeds, issued 420,000 non-transferable common share purchase warrants (the "Warrants") and received a corporate finance fee. The Warrants are exercisable into Common Shares at an exercise price of $0.10 per Warrant at any time until May 20, 2023. The Common Shares of the Company are expected to commence trading on May 21, 2021 on the Canadian Securities Exchange under the symbol "WDGY". The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the IPO to fund the recommended initial exploration program on its Eagle copper - gold property (the "Project"), for working capital requirements and other general corporate purposes. Pursuant to an option agreement signed with ArcWest Exploration Inc. ("ArcWest") on September 23, 2020 (the "Agreement"), Wedgemount can earn up to a 60% interest in the Project over a three-year period (the "First Option") based on the following terms: Cash payments of $110,000 ($15,000 paid); Issuance of 1,350,000 Common Shares (150,000 issued); and Exploration expenditures of $2,050,000. Upon completion of the First Option, Wedgemount can earn an additional 20% interest (the "Second Option"), for an aggregate 80% interest, or form a joint venture with ArcWest (a "JV"). The Second Option can be attained by completing a feasibility study on or before the fourth anniversary of the date of the Agreement following which the JV with ArcWest will be formed. Should ArcWest or Wedgemount's interest in the JV be diluted to less than 10%, the interest will convert to a 2% net smelter return royalty, 1% of which may be purchased by the other party for $2million at any time. The year-round road accessible, 2530-hectare property is located in central BC's prolific copper belt, 93 km from Fort St. James, BC and is 50 km east of Centerra Gold's Mt. Milligan copper-gold mine. Management and the board of directors of the Company is comprised of Mr. Mark Vanry as director, President and CEO, Ms. Lesia Burianyk as CFO, Mrs. Leah Hodges as Corporate Secretary and Messrs. Richard Barth, Cody Campbell, and Garry Clark as independent directors, collectively bringing extensive experience in mineral exploration and capital markets. Wedgemount intends to adhere to strict capital discipline, with a focus on accretive acquisition terms and prudent capital commitments, for initial exploration phases. Additional information on the Company, the IPO and the Project can be found in the Company's final prospectus dated April 30, 2021, filed under its profile on www.sedar.com. About Wedgemount Resources Corp. Wedgemount Resources is a junior mineral exploration company focused on maximizing shareholder value through the acquisition, discovery and advancement of high-quality copper - gold projects in North America. The Company's key exploration asset is the Eagle copper and gold property located near Fort St. James, BC. On behalf of the Board of Directors, WEDGEMOUNT RESOURCES CORP. Mark Vanry, President and CEO mark@wedgemountresources.com For more information, please contact the Company at: Telephone: (778) 997-7573 info@wedgemountresources.com www.wedgemountresources.com Reader Advisory: This news release may contain statements which constitute "forward-looking information", including statements regarding the plans, intentions, beliefs and current expectations of the Company, its directors, or its officers with respect to the future business activities of the Company. The words "may", "would", "could", "will", "intend", "plan", "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect" and similar expressions, as they relate to the Company, or its management, are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future business activities and involve risks and uncertainties, and that the Company's future business activities may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, including, but not limited to, fluctuations in market prices, successes of the operations of the Company, continued availability of capital and financing and general economic, market or business conditions. There can be no assurances that such information will prove accurate and, therefore, readers are advised to rely on their own evaluation of such uncertainties. The Company does not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking information except as required under the applicable securities laws. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. The Common Shares, the Warrants and the Common Shares issuable on exercise of the Warrants, have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), or any state securities laws. Accordingly, the Common Shares may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. persons (as defined in Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act) unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws, or pursuant to exemptions from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities of the Company in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. SOURCE: Wedgemount Resources Corp. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/648412/Wedgemount-Resources-Closes-IPO-and-Commences-Trading-on-the-CSE SUWANEE, GA / ACCESSWIRE / May 21, 2021 / SANUWAVE Health, Inc. (OTCQB:SNWV), a leading provider of next-generation wound care products and its JV partner Diversa S.A. have announced a new distribution agreement with Grupo Suprimed to market and sell the dermaPACE System in the private healthcare market in Brazil. The dermaPACE System is currently licensed or approved for advanced wound care indications in Brazil, Mexico and dozens of countries around the world. Kevin Richardson, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of SANUWAVE said, "Brazil represents the largest healthcare market in Latin America and one of the largest healthcare markets in the world. With approximately 6,400 hospitals and 432,000 doctors, Brazil is an ideal market to bring quality products and clinical services that improve healthcare and lower costs. This agreement helps broaden the SANUWAVE commercial footprint and expands our Energy First platform." Grupo Suprimed is one of the largest distributors of surgical, medical and hospital products in Brazil. Adilson Magri, Chief Executive Officer of Grupo Suprimed's said, "The success and sustainability of a business in the medical field depends on improved quality of life for patients and functionality for healthcare professionals. With this goal in mind, our distribution portfolio brings innovative, high-tech and efficient solutions to the healthcare market." Daniel Ferreira, Chief Executive Officer of Diversa, S.A. commented, "Our JV partnership with SANUWAVE allows us to bring the transformative dermaPACE System therapy to the Brazilian market to improve the outcomes for chronic wounds in an efficient, cost-effective manner. Our shared values and focus on the well-being of diabetic patients was an important factor in Grupo Suprimed's choice to use Diversa as a distribution partner." "Our agreement will help expand sales in Sao Paulo city and other regions in Brazil, including Valinhos-SP, Sao Paulo-SP, Ribeirao Preto-SP, Porto Alegre-RS, Manaus -AM and Macapa-AP. Suprimed is one of the most respected medical device distributors in Brazil." About Diversa S.A. Diversa S.A. is a Joint Venture in Brazil between SANUWAVE Health Inc. and the company's CEO, Daniel Feliciano Ferreira. Diversa S.A. is a company that looks both for the value generated to shareholders and society. About the Suprimed Group The Suprimed Group is one of the largest distributors of surgical, medical and hospital products in Brazil. Suprimed was established 25 years ago and currently employs more than 250 employees across four branch offices in Brazil. About SANUWAVE Health SANUWAVE Health (OTCQB: SNWV) is focused on the research, development, and commercialization of its patented, Energy First non-invasive and biological response-activating medical systems for the repair and regeneration of skin, musculoskeletal tissue, and vascular structures. SANUWAVE's end-to-end wound care portfolio of regenerative medicine products and product candidates help restore the body's normal healing processes. SANUWAVE applies and researches its patented energy transfer technologies in wound healing, orthopedic/spine, plastic/cosmetic and cardiac/endovascular conditions. For more information, please visit. www.SANUWAVE.com. Investor Relations Contact Brian M. Prenoveau, CFA Managing Director MZ Group - MZ North America (561) 489-5315 SNWV@mzgroup.us www.mzgroup.us SOURCE: SANUWAVE Health, Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/648512/SANUWAVE-Health-and-JV-Partner-Diversa-SA-Announce-Distribution-Agreement-with-Grupo-Suprimed Unique combination of secure, federated instant messaging with Push-to-Talk radio comm, live video broadcasts, and emergency location sharing NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / May 21, 2021 / AdvanceTC Limited (NSX:A88)(OTCQB:ATCLF), Satellite and mobile communication innovation leader, AdvanceTC today announced the pre-launch testing of its StarzChat integrated and satellite-ready, voice chat platform, soon to be available free for iOS and Android, Windows, Linux, and macOS. Amidst a surge in downloads of alternative, encrypted, voice communication apps such as Signal and Telegram due to intensifying consumer and business security concerns, StarzChat is a ground-breaking communication platform combining secure, instant messaging with enhanced capabilities like Push-To-Talk radio communication, live video broadcasting, emergency location sharing, and satellite communications when used with the XPLORE X7U satellite-smartphone. Whilst currently in beta, it will be available in one, easy-to-use application and service platform for real-time communities and for critical communications anywhere. "The recent valuation of Discord validated the potential of this market. Discord app's differentiator is its high-quality audio and it was positioned as free voice and text chat for gamers needed seamless voice communication with team members," stated AdvanceTC CEO, C.P. Loi. "In order to win users and expand market share, it's time to innovate new channels that combine the best of messaging with full media capabilities." When combined with AdvanceTC's Android-based satellite smartphone XPLORE X7, Android users can unlock added features like Digital Mobile Ration (DMR), first responder and military oriented Terrestrial Trunked Radio (TETRA), emergency location sharing, body or head-mounted live camera features, and satellite messaging when out of range with terrestrial networks. About StarzChat StarzChat is an app that combines multiple modes of communication including direct messaging, creating group channels, video calling, Push-To-Talk, live video broadcasting and emergency location sharing. The StarzChat platform is equally suitable for public facing communication or for secure private networks. The Company is targeting release of the app to the general public by August 2021, upon the completion of the trial. For more information and features available on StarzChat Multimode Communication app: https://advancetc.com/index.php/our-products/starzchat/ About AdvanceTC Limited AdvanceTC designs, develops and commercializes advanced mobile wireless computing and telecommunication devices since it's founding in 2005. Flagship products are AdvanceTC W3, a full Windows OS microcomputer integrated with cellular telephony capabilities, and XPLORE X7, the world first android smartphone with satellite messaging and emergency service, fully designed and developed using its own patented proprietary technology and engineering innovation. Visit www.advancetc.us for more information. Engage on social: https://twitter.com/advancetc_ltd https://www.instagram.com/advancetc_ltd/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/advancetc/ https://www.facebook.com/advancetcltd/ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWtc3Z78x8uAxUvX_hy4RvA Contact: CP Loi - Chief Executive Officer loicp@advancetc.com Forward Looking Information This news release contains forward looking statements relating to the Proposed Transaction, and the future potential of AdvanceTC. Forward looking statements are often identified by terms such as "will", "may", "should", "intends", "anticipates", "expects", "plans" and similar expressions. All statements other than statements of historical fact, included in this release are forward looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. These risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, the risk that the Proposed Transaction will not be completed due to, among other things, failure to execute definitive documentation, failure to complete satisfactory due diligence, failure to receive the approval of the NSX and the risk that AdvanceTC will not be successful due to, among other things, general risks relating to the mobile application industry, failure of AdvanceTC to gain market acceptance and potential challenges to the intellectual property utilized in AdvanceTC. There can be no assurance that any forward looking statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. The Company cannot guarantee that any forward looking statement will materialize and the reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward looking information. Such information, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. Forward looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. The forward looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and the Company will only update or revise publicly any of the included forward looking statements as expressly required by Australian securities laws. SOURCE: AdvanceTC Ltd View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/648532/AdvanceTC-Testing-Satellite-Ready-Omnimode-Voice-Communication-App-StarzChat WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Kroger Co. (KR) said that it has reached an agreement with local unions to improve security and stability of future pension benefits for associates. Certain associates within the Fred Meyer and QFC divisions have ratified an agreement with four local unions for the transfer of liabilities from the Sound Retirement Trust to the UFCW Consolidated Pension Plan, Kroger said in a statement. The new agreement will help secure the pension benefits of more than 10,600 Kroger Family of Companies' associates and is expected to minimize the organization's exposure to market risk going forward while also reducing administrative costs. As a result of the deal, Kroger will transfer approximately $400 million in net accrued pension liabilities, on a pre-tax basis, to fulfill obligations for past service for associates and retirees from the Sound Retirement Trust to the UFCW Consolidated Pension Plan. On an after-tax basis, about $310 million would be needed to execute this transaction. This agreement will be satisfied by installment payments to the UFCW Consolidated Pension Plan and is expected to be paid evenly over the next six years. As a result of the deal, the organization will incur a charge to net earnings during the first quarter of 2021. The charge to net earnings is estimated to be approximately $0.40 per share on a GAAP basis. This does not affect adjusted earnings per share results for 2021. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX KROGER-Aktie komplett kostenlos handeln - auf Smartbroker.de Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 21, 2021) - ArcWest Exploration Inc. (TSXV: AWX) ("ArcWest" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the appointments of Michael Smyth and Colin O'Leary to the Company's board of directors. Michael Smyth is President of WDS Capital, a BC based strategic and financial advisory firm. Mike has worked with various small to mid-sized public and private companies enhancing their business models, providing capital raising advice and improving financial performance. He brings over thirty years of public company and fund management experience with a significant portion in mining. He started his career working for two large Canadian banks in their capital markets divisions, followed by VP Treasurer roles at Lac Minerals and Bell Canada. Mike continues to use his extensive experience supporting technology, agricultural and mineral exploration companies in their growth plans. Colin O'Leary, the Principal of O'Leary & Associates Ltd., has spent the past ten+ years working with businesses, non-profits, public entities and social enterprises of all sizes, across all industries, to overcome a variety of challenges. He has won numerous provincial, national and international awards for projects, program development and implementation, is one of only a handful of individuals in BC that hold professional designation in Economic Development and is an International Association of Public Participation certified practitioner. Colin has earned his Master of Business Administration from the Sauder School of business. Recently he was recognized by Development Counsellors International, a New York-based firm, as a Top 40 Under 40 Rising Star celebrating the top new leaders in the economic development industry globally. To facilitate the new board appointments, John Meekison has resigned as a director of the Company but will continue in his role as the Chief Financial Officer. Tyler Ruks, ArcWest's CEO and Director, commented: "We are very pleased to have both Mike and Colin join our board of directors. They both bring very strong complimentary skill sets to ArcWest's board and I look forward to working with them." "Tyler Ruks" Tyler Ruks, Chief Executive Officer and President and Director For further information please contact: Tyler Ruks, Telephone: 1 (604) 809-6095, Email: truks@arcwestexploration.com Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the accuracy or adequacy of this release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/84760 SAN DIEGO, CA / ACCESSWIRE / May 21, 2021 / KULR Technology Group, Inc. (OTCQB:KULR) (the "Company" or "KULR"), a leading developer of next-generation lithium-ion battery safety and thermal management technologies, today announced its financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2021. KULR's Q1 revenue increased by 439% year-over-year as we continue to make significant investments in all areas of our business to sustain and expand in 2021 and beyond. We are pleased to announce the Company recently raised $6.5 million in capital on May 20, 2021. Our belief is that this investment validates the value our new investors see in KULR's ability to commercialize within additional e-mobility markets. This funding is expected to significantly strengthen the Company's balance sheet and further advance KULR's up listing process to a senior U.S. exchange. KULR's business model continues to evolve as the Company focuses on near-term commercialization opportunities for its technology in the energy storage, electrical transportation, and battery transportation markets. We recently announced our first new smart battery product for the commercial drone market. This is the opening step of KULR's overall strategy to target adjacent markets complimentary to our established battery safety and thermal management products to expand into additional e-mobility markets in 2021. Additionally, we have targeted using our carbon fiber technology inside battery cells to make lighter and safer batteries with fast charge capability. First Quarter 2021 and Recent Operational Highlights In April 2021, KULR announced the June 2021 launch of a new product line of high-capacity lithium battery packs targeting the $127 billion commercial drone market, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers. The Company recently secured a global commercial drone manufacturer as a customer and expects to secure additional customers in the second half of 2021. In March 2021, Keith Cochran joined KULR as President and COO. Mr. Cochran was previously SVP of Global Business Unit at Jabil where he was responsible for the $3.7B smartphone business and managing over 65,000 employees in US and Asia. Keith brings over 25 years of experience in business operations, supply chain management and large-scale manufacturing automations. KULR became the official thermal management and battery safety technical partner for Andretti Technologies, the advanced technology arm of Andretti Autosport, founded by Michael Andretti. As part of the alliance, KULR will establish a thermal management testing and design platform for high performance battery solutions with the highest safety ratings specially adapted to the rigorous technical requirements of Andretti's global racing enterprise. Both partners will also focus on co-developing and co-marketing motorsports' battery and safety technologies to automotive partners for mass market EV applications. KULR strengthened its Board by the appointments of Joanna D. Massey and Morio Kurosaki as directors, contingent upon the Company's common stock being approved for up listing to a senior national exchange and expect their involvement to strengthen our corporate governance and strategic direction. In April 2021, KULR announced former Jabil Operations Manager, Antonio Martinez, as new Vice President of Operations. Mr. Martinez will be responsible for managing day-to-day operations of the Company's manufacturing department as well as supporting strategic growth goals. Mr. Martinez joins KULR with over 37 years of leadership and worldwide manufacturing experience in Electronics Manufacturing and Operations. KULR announced it was expanding its manufacturing presence to a new, larger facility in San Diego, CA to accommodate continued business growth. Financial Results: First Quarter 2021 vs. First Quarter 2020 Revenues: KULR generated revenues of $417,905 in the first quarter ended March 31, 2021, an increase of 439% compared with revenues of $77,500 reported in the same period of 2020. The increase in revenue was mainly due to new orders received for products and engineering services for military and aerospace customers. The Company continues to build its relationships with a wide range of energy, transport and aerospace partners and actively served 13 customers in the quarter ending March 31, 2021. These results reflect management's commitment to build new customer relationships through a growing pool of referrals and business development leads. Selling, General and Administrative (SG&A) Expenses: Our SG&A expenses increased to $1,492,811 in the first quarter of 2021 from $465,410 in the corresponding period last year. The 220% increase in SG&A expenses was due to additional marketing and advertising expenses, consulting fees and non-cash stock-based compensation paid to employees and consultants. R&D expenses: We increased our R&D expenses in the first quarter of 2021 by 10% to $122,983 from $111,713 in the same period last year, reflecting a combination of headcount and process improvements implemented in the first quarter of 2021. Operating Loss: Our loss from operations was $1,473,157 for the first quarter of 2021, compared to $529,666 for the comparable quarter of 2020. Higher selling, general and administrative costs offset higher sales. Net Loss: Net loss for the first quarter of 2021 increased to $1,714,723 or a loss of $0.02 per share, compared with a net loss of $550,253, or a loss of $0.01 per share for the comparable period in 2020. Cash Position: On March 31, 2021, we reported cash balances of $6,166,755 on March 31, 2021, compared with $8,880,140 on December 31, 2020. Subsequently, on May 20, 2021 we raised an additional $6.5 million in a preferred convertible financing agreement. This funding leaves us well positioned to expand operations, support new business, and fund ongoing product development despite the difficult Covid inspired trading conditions experienced through the latest quarter. Shareholder Update Call The Company has scheduled a shareholder update call for June 3, 2021, at 4pm EDT. Michael Mo, KULR's CEO; Keith Cochran, President & COO, and Simon Westbrook, CFO, will provide a business update for the Company and answer questions submitted in advance. To access the call: Dial-In Number: 1-857-232-0157 Access Code: 422095 Interested parties may submit questions prior to the call to Stuart Smith at SmallCapVoice.Com, Inc. via email: ssmith@smallcapvoice.com by 8:00 PM EDT May 27, 2021. Mr. Smith will compile a list of questions and submit them to the Company prior to the conference call. Questions that will be addressed will be based on the relevance to the Company's strategic direction and execution, the shareholder base and appropriateness in light of public disclosure rules. For those unable to participate in the live conference call, a replay will be available at https://www.smallcapvoice.com/kulr/ shortly after the call has concluded. An archived version of the webcast will also be available at https://kulrtechnology.com/category/presentations/. About KULR Technology Group, Inc. KULR Technology Group, Inc. (OTCQB:KULR) develops, manufactures and licenses next-generation carbon fiber thermal management technologies for batteries and electronic systems. Leveraging the company's roots in developing breakthrough cooling solutions for NASA space missions and backed by a strong intellectual property portfolio, KULR enables leading aerospace, electronics, energy storage, 5G infrastructure, and electric vehicle manufacturers to make their products cooler, lighter and safer for the consumer. For more information, please visit www.kulrtechnology.com. Safe Harbor Statement This release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of offers to buy any securities of any entity. This release contains certain forward-looking statements based on our current expectations, forecasts and assumptions that involve risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements in this release are based on information available to us as of the date hereof. Our actual results may differ materially from those stated or implied in such forward-looking statements, due to risks and uncertainties associated with our business, which include the risk factors disclosed in our Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 19, 2021. Forward-looking statements include statements regarding our expectations, beliefs, intentions or strategies regarding the future and can be identified by forward-looking words such as "anticipate," "believe," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "should," and "would" or similar words. All forecasts are provided by management in this release are based on information available at this time and management expects that internal projections and expectations may change over time. In addition, the forecasts are entirely on management's best estimate of our future financial performance given our current contracts, current backlog of opportunities and conversations with new and existing customers about our products and services. We assume no obligation to update the information included in this press release, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Media Contact: Derek Newton Head, Media Relations Main: (786) 499-8998 derek.newton@kulrtechnology.com Investor Relations: KULR Technology Group, Inc. Main: (888) 367-5559 ir@kulrtechnology.com For SmallCapVoice.com: Stuart Smith ssmith@smallcapvoice.com SOURCE: KULR Technology Group, Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/648531/KULR-Technology-Group-Inc-Reports-First-Quarter-Results-and-Announces-Shareholder-Update-Call VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / May 21, 2021 / Fort St. James Nickel Corp. (TSXV:FTJ) ("FTJ" or the "Company") is pleased to announce it has entered into a Letter of Intent agreement with a private company to acquire a 100% interest in the Nepisiguit Base Metal - Precious Metal Property, located within the famous Bathurst Mining Camp of northern New Brunswick. The property borders the Heath Steele Property of Trevali Mining Corp. (site of the historic Heath Steele Mine). Semi-massive sulfides (pyrite) from 2020 Diamond Drilling at Nepisiguit Property Diamond drilling during late 2020 by the private company intersected semi-massive sulfides (pyrite) and magnetite iron formation. FTJ is currently sampling this core for gold assay and multi-element (including copper, lead, zinc and silver) analysis. Copper, lead and zinc mineralization and geochemical / geophysical anomalies are reported in various regions on the Nepisiguit Property. The 2020 diamond drilling program consisted of four drill holes (705 meters) within the central region of the property. The drill program tested an area of pyrite-rich float and magnetite iron formation float / outcrop anomalous for lead (samples up to 0.36% lead). All four holes intersected pyrite-rich to semi-massive pyrite intervals with one hole also intersecting magnetite iron formation. FTJ is systematically cutting samples from this drill core. Samples will be submitted to a certified laboratory for multi-element analysis (including copper, lead, zinc, and silver) and gold assay. FTJ has compiled historical information for the Nepisiguit property. This work identified numerous target areas for VMS deposits. The geology of the Property is favorable for volcanogenic massive sulfide (VMS) deposits, being predominantly underlain by Tetagouche Group rocks. Numerous Bathurst Camp VMS deposits / historic mines are hosted by Tetagouche Group rocks including the Brunswick No. 6, Brunswick No. 12, and Heath Steele Mines. The Nepisiguit Property is located approximately 30 kilometers southwest of the city of Bathurst. Access is excellent with logging roads transecting the property. The property currently covers an area of approximately 4,800 hectares. Pursuant to the terms of the letter of intent agreement to acquire a 100% interest in the Nepisiguit property, Fort St James Nickel Corp. is granted the exclusive right for 30 days, to receive the results of the core assays from the 2020 drill program, and to conduct due diligence on certain areas of the Nepisiguit Property mineral claims located in New Brunswick (the "Property"), with a view to negotiating a definitive agreement in order to complete the acquisition of the Property (the "Proposed Property Acquisition"). Further details regarding the Proposed Property Acquisition will be provided in a news release, if and when the parties enter into a definitive agreement. The Company further announces it has arranged a non-brokered private placement of up to $250,000 in flow-through financing and up to $270,000 in non-flow-through financing. The offering will consist of flow-through units priced at $0.25 and non-flow-through units priced at $0.18. Each flow-through unit will comprise of one common share (which is a flow-through share for Canadian income tax purposes) and one-half share purchase warrant. Each whole flow-through warrant will entitle the holder to purchase one additional common share which is not a flow-through share at the price of $0.30 for 12 months after closing. The term of the warrants may be accelerated in the event that the issuer's shares trade at or above a price of $0.40 cents per share for a period of 10 consecutive days. In such case of accelerated warrants, the issuer may give notice, in writing or by way of news release, to the subscribers that the warrants will expire 20 days from the date of providing such notice. Each non-flow-through unit will comprise of one common share and one share purchase warrant. Each non-flow-through warrant will entitle the holder to purchase one additional common share at the price of $0.30 for a period of 12 months after closing. The term of the warrants may be accelerated in the event that the issuer's shares trade at or above a price of $0.40 cents per share for a period of 10 consecutive days. In such case of accelerated warrants, the issuer may give notice, in writing or by way of news release, to the subscribers that the warrants will expire 20 days from the date of providing such notice. The proceeds from the Private Placement will be used for general working capital purposes and exploration work on the Company's New Brunswick property. A finder's fee may be paid to eligible finders, in accordance with TSX Venture Exchange policies. All securities issued pursuant to the offering will be subject to a hold period of four months and one day from the date of closing. The offering and the payment of a finder's fee are subject to approval by the TSX-V. David Martin, P.Geo., a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101, is responsible for the technical information contained in this News Release. Mr. Martin is a consultant for FTJ. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD "Barry Brown" President Fort St James Nickel Corp. 604-488-3900 Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains certain forward-looking statements, which relate to future events or future performance and reflect management's current expectations and assumptions. Such forward-looking statements reflect management's current beliefs and are based on assumptions made by and information currently available to the Company. Readers are cautioned that these forward-looking statements are neither promises nor guarantees, and are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause future results to differ materially from those expected including, but not limited to, market conditions, availability of financing, actual results of the Company's exploration and other activities, environmental risks, future metal prices, operating risks, accidents, labor issues, delays in obtaining governmental approvals and permits, and other risks in the mining industry. All the forward-looking statements made in this news release are qualified by these cautionary statements and those in our continuous disclosure filings available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com . These forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances save as required by applicable law. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. SOURCE: Fort St. James Nickel Corp. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/648513/Fort-St-James-Enters-Agreement-for-Nepisiguit-Base-Metal--Precious-Metal-Property-Bathurst-Mining-Camp-New-Brunswick Delta, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 21, 2021) - AirTest Technologies Inc. (TSXV: AAT) (OTC Pink: AATGF) (FSE: 71A) (WKN: A1JMFL) ("AirTest") is pleased to announce that Management will host a formal update including a Q&A through a Zoom webinar on Wednesday, May 26 at 10:00 am PT / 1:00 pm ET. Interested parties are encouraged to register below. When: May 26, 2021 - 10:00 AM Pacific Time - 1:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada) Topic: AirTest Management Update with CEO Ted Konyi Register in advance for this webinar: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_xNBDkvzFQlGxQ02HXuJrbw After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. A recording of the update will be made available for those unable to attend. About AirTest: AirTest Technologies is a Green-Tech company specializing in Demand Control Ventilation systems that improve commercial building operating efficiency and generate proven energy savings. The company has developed new wireless sensors with dynamic real-time communication and control technologies, which builds upon 17 years of experience and thousands of installations amongst clients such as Lowe's, Shoppers Drug Mart and Ikea. Airtest solutions provide data on levels of Indoor Air Quality required by Schools, Retail Stores and Offices. For further information, please contact: Investor Relations Contact Jeff Walker Vice President The Howard Group Inc. Email: jeff@howardgroupinc.com Tel: 403-221-0915 Toll Free: 1-888-221-0915 Legal Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains "forward-looking statements". Forward-looking statements are projections of financial performance or future events. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "expect", "anticipate", "intend", "plan", "believe", "estimate" and words of similar meaning. Forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations and assumptions and they are subject to risks that may cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this news release include those concerning the Company's belief in the energy savings that can be achieved through installation of the Company's products and that these installations lead to reduced maintenance, downtime expenses, future cost savings, and improvements in the bottom line. These statements are subject to risks that may cause the actual results to be materially different in future periods from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Risks that may prevent or delay the forward-looking statements from coming to fruition as anticipated include the availability of working capital, risks inherent in product development, as well as market factors that may increase costs or time to market. It is our policy not to update forward-looking statements except to the extent required under applicable securities laws. Further information on the Company is available at www.sedar.com or at the Company's website, www.airtest.com. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/84725 Daratumumab SC in combination with bortezomib, cyclophosphamide and dexamethasone (D-VCd) demonstrated significantly higher complete response rate in newly diagnosed patients with light chain (AL) amyloidosis compared to VCd alone The addition of daratumumab SC to pomalidomide and dexamethasone (D-Pd) resulted in significantly higher progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with pre-treated multiple myeloma (MM) compared to Pd alone The Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson Johnson today announced that the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has recommended broadening the existing marketing authorisation for DARZALEX? (daratumumab) subcutaneous (SC) formulation in two new indications. One recommendation is for the use of daratumumab SC in combination with cyclophosphamide, bortezomib and dexamethasone (D-VCd), for the treatment of adult patients with newly diagnosed systemic light chain (AL) amyloidosis. The second is for the use of daratumumab SC incombination with pomalidomide and dexamethasone (D-Pd) for the treatment of adult patients with multiple myeloma (MM) who have received one prior therapy containing a proteasome inhibitor and lenalidomide and were lenalidomide refractory, or who have received at least two prior therapies that included lenalidomide and a proteasome inhibitor and have demonstrated diseases progression on or after the last therapy. Both AL amyloidosis and relapsed MM are blood disorders for which unmet treatment needs remain.1,2 AL amyloidosis is a rare and potentially life-threatening disorder that occurs when an insoluble protein called amyloid builds up in tissues and organs, and eventually causes organ deterioration.1,3 The broad and often nonspecific nature of symptoms associated with AL amyloidosis can lead to delays in diagnosis, resulting in organ function deterioration having advanced by the time treatment is initiated for a proportion of patients.4,5 In Europe, there are currently no approved treatments for AL amyloidosis. Without treatment, the average survival rate is 12-18 months, and only around six months for those with severely impaired heart function.6 Multiple myeloma, despite significant treatment advances over the last decade, remains a complex blood cancer to treat, with a particularly challenging area being the management of relapsed or refractory disease. Patient outcomes worsen with each relapse, and the need for effective treatment options becomes crucial.2,7 "Today's news is an important step forward in enabling us to meet the treatment needs of more patients with these complex blood disorders. Daratumumab has played a significant role in transforming the treatment landscape for multiple myeloma and has now been used to treat nearly 190,000 patients since its first approval in 2016," said Saskia De Haes, Vice President, EMEA Regulatory Affairs, Janssen Pharmaceutica NV. "We look forward to harnessing our expertise to deepen our impact in multiple myeloma and bring transformation to patients with AL amyloidosis, a disease area where the need for innovation is imperative." The Positive CHMP Opinion for the AL amyloidosis indication is supported by data from the Phase 3 ANDROMEDA study.8 The study evaluated daratumumab SC in combination with VCd, compared with VCd alone, a common treatment regimen used in adult patients with newly diagnosed AL amyloidosis. Patients receiving treatment with daratumumab experienced a significantly higher haematologic complete response rate compared to patients treated with VCd alone (53.3 percent for D-VCd and 18.1 percent for VCd; P<0.0001). Overall, D-VCd had a safety profile consistent with that previously observed for each of the agents alone.7 The Positive CHMP Opinion for daratumumab SC in combination with Pd in the treatment of MM is supported by data from the Phase 3 APOLLO study conducted in collaboration with the European Myeloma Network.9 The study compared D-Pd with Pd alone in 304 patients with relapsed or refractory MM who have received at least one prior treatment regimen with both lenalidomide and a proteasome inhibitor.8 Results show that the addition of daratumumab significantly reduced the risk of progression or death by 37 percent, compared to Pd alone (hazard ratio, 0.63; 95 percent confidence interval, 0.47-0.85; P=0.0018).8 The median progression-free survival (PFS) for the D-Pd vs. Pd arms was 12.4 vs. 6.9 months, respectively.8 Response rates were significantly higher with D-Pd compared to Pd alone, including rates of overall response (69 percent vs. 46 percent), rates of very good partial response (VGPR) or better (51 percent vs. 20 percent), the rate of complete response (CR) (25 percent vs. 4 percent) and the rate of minimal residual disease-negativity (9 percent vs. 2 percent). The safety profile of D-Pd has been shown to be consistent with known profiles of daratumumab SC and Pd.8 Data from the ANDROMEDA and APOLLO studies were presented most recently during the American Society of Hematology (ASH) 2020 Annual Meeting.7,8 "At Janssen, our goal is to improve and prolong patients' lives as we continue our work to advance oncology science and ultimately deliver cures," said Craig Tendler, M.D., Vice President, Clinical Development and Global Medical Affairs, Oncology, Janssen Research Development, LLC. "We continually investigate new uses of daratumumab to expand on the ways in which it can deliver benefit to various patient populations." Both Positive Opinions will now be reviewed by the European Commission (EC), which has the authority to grant final approval of the indications. ENDS# About the ANDROMEDA Study10 ANDROMEDA (NCT03201965) is an ongoing Phase 3, randomised, open-label study investigating the safety and efficacy of daratumumab SC in combination with bortezomib, cyclophosphamide and dexamethasone (D-VCd), compared to VCd alone, in the treatment of patients with newly diagnosed light chain (AL) amyloidosis. The study includes 388 patients with newly diagnosed AL amyloidosis with measurable haematologic disease and one or more organs affected. The primary endpoint is overall complete haematologic response rate by intent-to-treat (ITT). Secondary endpoints include major organ deterioration, progression-free survival, major organ deterioration event free survival, organ response rate, overall survival, and time to haematologic response, among others.9 About the APOLLO Study11 APOLLO (NCT03180736) is an ongoing multicentre, Phase 3, randomised, open-label study comparing daratumumab SC, pomalidomide and low-dose dexamethasone with pomalidomide and low-dose dexamethasone alone in patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma (MM) who have received at least one prior treatment regimen with both lenalidomide and a proteasome inhibitor and have demonstrated disease progression. The study, which was conducted in collaboration with the European Myeloma Network, enrolled 304 participants.10 The primary endpoint is progression-free survival (PFS) between treatment arms. Secondary endpoints include rates of overall response rate (ORR), very good partial response (VGPR) or better, complete response (CR) or better and duration of response, among others. The study reinforces findings from the Phase 1b EQUULEUS (MMY1001) trial, supported the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of intravenous D-Pd in 2017 for the treatment of relapsed and refractory MM.12 In November 2020, Janssen submitted regulatory applications to the U.S. FDA and European Medicines Agency (EMA) seeking approval of the combination of D-Pd for the treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory MM.10 About daratumumab and daratumumab SC In August 2012, Janssen Biotech, Inc. and Genmab A/S entered a worldwide agreement, which granted Janssen an exclusive license to develop, manufacture and commercialise daratumumab. Since launch, it is estimated that nearly 190,000 patients have been treated with daratumumab worldwide.13 Daratumumab is the only CD38-directed antibody approved to be given subcutaneously to treat patients with multiple myeloma (MM). Daratumumab SC is co-formulated with recombinant human hyaluronidase PH20 (rHuPH20), Halozyme's ENHANZE drug delivery technology.14 CD38 is a surface protein that is highly expressed across MM cells, regardless of the stage of disease. Daratumumab SC binds to CD38 and induces myeloma cell death through multiple immune-mediated mechanisms of action, including complement-dependent cytotoxicity (CDC), antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) and antibody-dependent cellular phagocytosis (ADCP), as well as through apoptosis, in which a series of molecular steps in a cell lead to its death.15 Data across nine Phase 3 clinical trials in the frontline and relapsed settings for MM and newly diagnosed light chain (AL) amyloidosis, have shown that daratumumab-based regimens resulted in significant improvement in progression-free survival and/or overall survival.16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24 Additional studies have been designed to assess the efficacy and safety of daratumumab SC in the treatment of other malignant and pre-malignant haematologic diseases in which CD38 is expressed.25 For further information on daratumumab, please see the Summary of Product Characteristics at https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/medicines/human/EPAR/darzalex About AL Amyloidosis Light chain (AL) amyloidosis is a rare and potentially fatal haematologic disorder that can affect the function of multiple organs.1,3 The disease occurs when bone marrow produces abnormal antibodies called light chains, which clump together to form a substance called amyloid. These clumps of amyloid are deposited in tissues and vital organs and interfere with normal organ function, eventually causing organ deterioration.1,3 AL amyloidosis is the most common type of systemic amyloidosis.26 It frequently affects the heart, kidneys, digestive tract, liver and nervous system.1,3 Diagnosis is often delayed and prognosis is poor due to advanced, multi-organ, particularly cardiac, involvement.Approximately 30,000 to 45,000 patients in the European Union and the United States have AL amyloidosis.27 About Multiple Myeloma Multiple myeloma (MM) is an incurable blood cancer that starts in the bone marrow and is characterised by an excessive proliferation of plasma cells.28 In Europe, more than 50,900 people were diagnosed with MM in 2020, and more than 32,500 patients died.29 Around 50 percent of newly diagnosed patients do not reach five-year survival,30,31 and almost 29 percent of patients with MM will die within one year of diagnosis.32 Although treatment may result in remission, unfortunately, patients will most likely relapse as there is currently no cure.2 Relapsed and refractory MM is defined as disease that is nonresponsive while on salvage therapy, or progresses within 60 days of last therapy in patients who have achieved minimal response (MR) or better at some point previously before then progressing in their disease course.33 While some patients with MM have no symptoms at all, others are diagnosed due to symptoms that can include bone problems, low blood counts, calcium elevation, kidney problems or infections.34 Patients who relapse after treatment with standard therapies, including proteasome inhibitors and immunomodulatory agents, have poor prognoses and require new therapies for continued disease control.5 About the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson Johnson At Janssen, we're creating a future where disease is a thing of the past. We're the Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson Johnson, working tirelessly to make that future a reality for patients everywhere by fighting sickness with science, improving access with ingenuity, and healing hopelessness with heart. We focus on areas of medicine where we can make the biggest difference: Cardiovascular Metabolism, Immunology, Infectious Diseases Vaccines, Neuroscience, Oncology, and Pulmonary Hypertension. Learn more at www.janssen.com/emea. Follow us at www.twitter.com/janssenEMEA for our latest news. Janssen Research Development, LLC, Janssen Pharmaceutica NV and Janssen Biotech, Inc. are part of the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson Johnson. Cautions Concerning Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains "forward-looking statements" as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 regarding daratumumab subcutaneous formulation for the treatment of patients with light chain amyloidosis. The reader is cautioned not to rely on these forward-looking statements. These statements are based on current expectations of future events. If underlying assumptions prove inaccurate or known or unknown risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results could vary materially from the expectations and projections of Janssen Research Development, LLC, Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, Janssen Biotech, Inc., any of the other Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies and/or Johnson Johnson. Risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: challenges and uncertainties inherent in product research and development, including the uncertainty of clinical success and of obtaining regulatory approvals; uncertainty of commercial success; [manufacturing difficulties and delays;] competition, including technological advances, new products and patents attained by competitors; challenges to patents; [product efficacy or safety concerns resulting in product recalls or regulatory action;] changes in behaviour and spending patterns of purchasers of health care products and services; changes to applicable laws and regulations, including global health care reforms; and trends toward health care cost containment. A further list and descriptions of these risks, uncertainties and other factors can be found in Johnson Johnson's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 3, 2021, including in the sections captioned "Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements" and "Item 1A. Risk Factors," and in the company's most recently filed Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, and the company's subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Copies of these filings are available online at www.sec.gov, www.jnj.com or on request from Johnson Johnson. None of the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies nor Johnson Johnson undertakes to update any forward-looking statement as a result of new information or future events or developments. ENHANZE is a registered trademark of Halozyme. References 1 Desport E, Bridoux F, Sirac C, Delbes S, Bender S, Fernandez B, Quellard N, Lacombe C, Goujon JM, Lavergne D, Abraham J. AL amyloidosis. Orphanet journal of rare diseases. 2012 Dec;7(1):54. 2 Abdi J, Chen G, Chang H, et al. Drug resistance in multiple myeloma: latest findings and new concepts on molecular mechanisms. Oncotarget. 2013;4:2186-207. 3 Merlini G, Comenzo RL, Seldin DC, Wechalekar A, Gertz MA. Immunoglobulin light chain amyloidosis. Expert review of hematology. 2014 Feb 1;7(1):143-56. 4 Sanchorawala V. Light-chain (AL) amyloidosis: diagnosis and treatment. Clin J Am Soc Nephrol. 2006 Nov;1(6):1331-41. 5 Lu R, Richards TA. AL Amyloidosis: Unfolding a Complex Disease. J Adv Pract Oncol. 2019;10(8):813-825. 6 Amyloidosis Support. Amyloidosis Awareness. Available at: https://www.amyloidosissupport.org/AmyloidAware_Booklet.pdf. Published October 2013. Last accessed: May 2021. 7 Kumar SK, Lee JH, Lahuerta JJ, et al. Risk of progression and survival in multiple myeloma relapsing after therapy with IMiDs and bortezomib: a multicenter international myeloma working group study. Leukemia. 2012;26:149-57. 8 Comenzo RL et al., Reduction in Absolute Involved Free Light Chain and Difference Between Involved and Uninvolved Free Light Chain Is Associated with Prolonged Major Organ Deterioration Progression-Free Survival in Patients with Newly Diagnosed AL Amyloidosis Receiving Bortezomib, Cyclophosphamide, and Dexamethasone With or Without Daratumumab: Results From ANDROMEDA. Abstract #552. Presented at 2020 American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting. 9 Dimopoulos, MA et al. APOLLO: Phase 3 Randomized Study of Subcutaneous Daratumumab Plus Pomalidomide and Dexamethasone (D-Pd) Versus Pomalidomide and Dexamethasone (Pd) Alone in Patients (Pts) with Relapsed/Refractory Multiple Myeloma (RRMM). Abstract #412. Oral presentation, presented at 2020 American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting. 10 ClinicalTrials.gov. A Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of Daratumumab in Combination With Cyclophosphamide, Bortezomib and Dexamethasone (CyBorD) Compared to CyBorD Alone in Newly Diagnosed Systemic Amyloid Light-chain (AL) Amyloidosis. NCT03201965. Available at: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03201965 Last accessed: May 2021. 11 Comparison of Pomalidomide and Dexamethasone With or Without Daratumumab in Subjects With Relapsed or Refractory Multiple Myeloma Previously Treated With Lenalidomide and a Proteasome Inhibitor Daratumumab/Pomalidomide/Dexamethasone vs Pomalidomide/Dexamethasone (EMN14). Available at: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/record/NCT03180736. Last accessed: May 2021. 12 Chari A et al., Daratumumab plus pomalidomide and dexamethasone in relapsed and/or refractory multiple myeloma. Blood 2017; 130 (8): 974-981. 13 Janssen [data on file]. Number of patients treated with DARZALEX worldwide as of March 2021. RF-171498. 14 Janssen EMEA. European Commission Grants Marketing Authorisation for DARZALEX?(Daratumumab) Subcutaneous Formulation for All Currently Approved Daratumumab Intravenous Formulation Indications. Available at: www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200604005487/en/European-Commission-Grants-Marketing-Authorisation-for-DARZALEX%C2%AE%E2%96%BC-daratumumab-Subcutaneous-Formulation-for-all-Currently-Approved-Daratumumab-Intravenous-Formulation-Indications. Last accessed: May 2021. 15 European Medicines Agency. DARZALEX Summary of Product Characteristics. Available at: https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/product-information/darzalex-epar-product-information_en.pdf. Last accessed: May 2021. 16 Janssen Research Development, LLC. A Study Comparing Daratumumab, Lenalidomide, and Dexamethasone With Lenalidomide and Dexamethasone in Relapsed or Refractory Multiple Myeloma. In: ClinicalTrials.gov [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): National Library of Medicine (US). 2000-[cited 2018 July 24]. Available at: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02076009?term=mmy3003&rank=1 Identifier: NCT02136134. Last accessed: May 2021. 17 Janssen Research Development, LLC. Addition of Daratumumab to Combination of Bortezomib and Dexamethasone in Participants With Relapsed or Refractory Multiple Myeloma. In: ClinicalTrials.gov [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): National Library of Medicine (US). 2000 [cited 2018 July 24]. Available at: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02136134?term=mmy3004&rank=1 Identifier: NCT02076009. Last accessed: May 2021. 18 Janssen Research Development, LLC. A Study to Evaluate Daratumumab in Transplant Eligible Participants With Previously Untreated Multiple Myeloma (Cassiopeia). In: ClinicalTrials.gov [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): National Library of Medicine (US). 2000 [cited 2018 July 24]. Available at: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02541383?term=mmy3006 Identifier: NCT02541383. Last accessed: May 2021. 19 Janssen Research Development, LLC. A Study of Combination of Daratumumab and Velcade (Bortezomib) Melphalan-Prednisone (DVMP) Compared to Velcade Melphalan-Prednisone (VMP) in Participants With Previously Untreated Multiple Myeloma In: ClinicalTrials.gov [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): National Library of Medicine (US). 2000 [cited 2018 July 24]. Available at: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02195479?term=mmy3007&rank=1 Identifier: NCT02195479. Last accessed: May 2021. 20 Janssen Research Development, LLC. Study Comparing Daratumumab, Lenalidomide, and Dexamethasone With Lenalidomide and Dexamethasone in Participants With Previously Untreated Multiple Myeloma. In: ClinicalTrials.gov [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): National Library of Medicine (US). 2000 [cited 2018 July 24]. Available at: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02252172?term=mmy3008&rank=1 Identifier: NCT02252172. Last accessed: May 2021. 21 Janssen Research Development, LLC. A Study of VELCADE (Bortezomib) Melphalan-Prednisone (VMP) Compared to Daratumumab in Combination With VMP (D-VMP), in Participants With Previously Untreated Multiple Myeloma Who Are Ineligible for High-Dose Therapy (Asia Pacific Region). In: ClinicalTrials.gov [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): National Library of Medicine (US). 2000 [cited 2018 July 24]. Available at: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03217812?term=MMY3011&rank=1 Identifier: NCT03217812. Last accessed: May 2021. 22 European Myeloma Network. Compare Progression Free Survival Btw Daratumumab/Pomalidomide/Dexamethasone vs Pomalidomide/Dexamethasone (EMN14). In: ClinicalTrials.gov [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): National Library of Medicine (US). 2000 [cited 2018 July 24] Available at: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03180736?term=MMY3013&rank=2 Identifier: NCT03180736. Last accessed: May 2021. 23 Amgen. Study of Carfilzomib, Daratumumab and Dexamethasone for Patients With Relapsed and/or Refractory Multiple Myeloma. (CANDOR). In: ClinicalTrials.gov [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): National Library of Medicine (US). 2000 [cited 2018 July 24] Available at: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03158688?term=NCT03158688&rank=1 Identifier: NCT03158688. Last accessed: May 2021. 24 ClinicalTrials.Gov. A Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of Daratumumab in Combination With Cyclophosphamide, Bortezomib and Dexamethasone (CyBorD) Compared to CyBorD Alone in Newly Diagnosed Systemic Amyloid Light-chain (AL) Amyloidosis. Available at: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03201965 Last accessed: May 2021. 25 ClinicalTrials.Gov. A Study of Subcutaneous Daratumumab Versus Active Monitoring in Participants With High-Risk Smoldering Multiple Myeloma. Available at: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03301220 Last accessed: May 2021. 26 National Organization for Rare Disorders. Amyloidosis. Available at: https://rarediseases.org/rare-diseases/amyloidosis/. Last accessed: May 2021. 27 Lousada I, Comenzo RL, Landau H, Guthrie S, Merlini G. Light chain amyloidosis: patient experience survey from the Amyloidosis Research Consortium. Advances in therapy. 2015 Oct 1;32(10):920-8. 28 American Society of Clinical Oncology. Multiple myeloma: introduction. Available at: https://www.cancer.net/cancer-types/multiple-myeloma/introduction Last accessed: May 2021. 29 GLOBOCAN 2020. Cancer Today Population Factsheets: Europe Region. Available at: https://gco.iarc.fr/today/data/factsheets/populations/908-europe-fact-sheets.pdf Last accessed: May 2021. 30 American Society of Clinical Oncology. Multiple Myeloma: Statistics. Available at: https://www.cancer.net/cancer-types/multiple-myeloma/statistics Last accessed: May 2021. 31 Cancer Research UK. Myeloma statistics. Available at: https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/health-professional/cancer-statistics/statistics-by-cancer-type/myeloma Last accessed: May 2021. 32 Costa LJ, Gonsalves WI, Kumar SK. Early mortality in multiple myeloma.Leukemia. 2015;29:16168. 33 Rajkumar SV, Harousseau JL, Durie B, Anderson KC, Dimopoulos M, Kyle R, Blade J, Richardson P, Orlowski R, Siegel D, Jagannath S. Consensus recommendations for the uniform reporting of clinical trials: report of the International Myeloma Workshop Consensus Panel 1. Blood, The Journal of the American Society of Hematology. 2011 May 5;117(18):4691-5. 34 American Cancer Society. Multiple myeloma: early detection, diagnosis and staging. Available at: https://www.cancer.org/content/dam/CRC/PDF/Public/8740.00.pdf. Last accessed: May 2021. CP-229246 May 2021 View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210521005292/en/ Contacts: Media contact: Noah Reymond Mobile: +31 621 38 5718 Email: NReymond@ITS.JNJ.com Investor Relations: Christopher DelOrefice Office: +1 732 524 2955 Jennifer McIntyre Office: +1 732 524 3922 VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / May 21, 2021 / Core One Labs Inc. (CSE:COOL)(OTC PINK:CLABF)(Frankfurt:LD62, WKN:A2P8K3) (the "Company" or "Core One"). This news release is issued at the request of the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada ("IIROC") and the Canadian Securities Exchange ("CSE"). Statements made in the news release issued by the Company on May 4, 2021 indicated that the Company had been made aware of potentially manipulative trading activity in its common shares. The news release issued on May 4, 2021 was not reviewed by IIROC or the CSE prior to dissemination, and to date the Company has not filed a formal complaint with any regulatory authority regarding this trading activity. While the Company has analyzed trading activity in the period leading up to the issuance of the news release on May 4, 2021, conclusive evidence has not been uncovered to determine whether manipulative activity resulted in a depreciation of the Company's share price. The Company notes that other factors may have contributed to, or resulted in, the price depreciation experienced by the Company during this time period. The final report of the Capital Markets Modernization Taskforce, an independent taskforce established by the Province of Ontario, concludes that the current regulatory regime in Canada surrounding short selling is not stringent enough to ensure that appropriate steps are taken to confirm that adequate securities are available to settle short sale orders. A copy of the final report is available for review at this link: https://files.ontario.ca/books/mof-capital-markets-modernization-taskforce-final-report-en-2021-01-22-v2.pdf About Core One Labs Inc. Core One is a biotechnology research and technology life sciences enterprise focused on bringing psychedelic medicines to market through novel delivery systems and psychedelic assisted psychotherapy. Core One has developed a patent pending thin film oral strip (the "technology") which dissolves instantly when placed in the mouth and delivers organic molecules in precise quantities to the bloodstream, maintaining excellent bioavailability. The Company intends to further develop and apply the technology to psychedelic compounds, such as psilocybin. Core One also holds an interest in medical clinics which maintain a combined database of over 275,000 patients. Through these clinics, the integration of its intellectual property, R&D related to psychedelic treatments and novel drug therapies, the Company intends to obtain regulatory research approval for the advancement of psychedelic-derived treatments for mental health disorders. Core One Labs Inc. Joel Shacker Chief Executive Officer FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: info@core1labs.com 1-866-347-5058 Cautionary Disclaimer Statement: The Canadian Securities Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the content of this news release. Information set forth in this news release contains forward-looking statements that are based on assumptions as of the date of this news release. These statements reflect management's current estimates, beliefs, intentions, and expectations. They are not guarantees of future performance. The Company cautions that all forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain, and that actual performance may be affected by a number of material factors, many of which are beyond the Company's control. Such factors include, among other things: risks and uncertainties relating to the Company's limited operating history and the need to comply with strict regulatory regulations. Accordingly, actual and future events, conditions and results may differ materially from the estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations expressed or implied in the forward-looking information. Except as required under applicable securities legislation, the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking information. In addition, psilocybin is currently a Schedule III drug under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (Canada) and it is a criminal offence to possess substances under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (Canada) without a prescription or authorization. Health Canada has not approved psilocybin as a drug for any indication. Core One does not have any direct or indirect involvement with illegal selling, production, or distribution of psychedelic substances in jurisdictions in which it operates. While Core One believes psychedelic substances can be used to treat certain medical conditions, it does not advocate for the legalization of psychedelics substances for recreational use. Core One does not deal with psychedelic substances, except within laboratory and clinical trial settings conducted within approved regulatory frameworks. SOURCE: Core One Labs Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/648519/Core-One-Labs-Provides-Clarification-on-Trading-Activity OTTAWA (dpa-AFX) - Canadian Pacific Railway Limited (CP, CP.TO) announced Friday in a letter sent to the Surface Transportation Board (STB) that it remains ready to engage with Kansas City Southern (KSU) or KCS, to enter into another agreement to acquire KCS. It added that the new agreement can be substantially in the same lines of the terminated agreement, which was already reviewed by the Board. The KCS Board of Directors recently decided to terminate the previous Merger Agreement with Canadian Pacific. In March, Canadian Pacific agreed to acquire KCS in a stock and cash transaction representing an enterprise value of about $29 billion. Later on April 20, Canadian National Railway (CNI, CNR.TO) made a proposal to buy KCS in a cash-and-stock transaction valued at $33.7 billion, including $3.8 billion of KCS debt. However, Canadian National's agreement to acquire KCS is conditioned on its ability to acquire KCS shares in advance of receiving Board approval to control KCS via the use of a voting trust. The KCS board of directors designated Canadian National's offer a 'superior proposal.' Canadian Pacific now intends to proceed with the preparation to seek Board authority to acquire control of KCS. It believes that pursuing the acquisition is in the best interests of both KCS and the public so that the pro-competitive Canadian Pacific /KCS transaction can proceed to be reviewed by the Board. Further, in the event KCS's agreement with Canadian National is terminated or Canadian National is otherwise unable to acquire control of KCS, a potential acquisition of KCS by Canadian Pacific could be implemented without undue delay, all in accord with the rulings and processes already established by the Board. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX KANSAS CITY SOUTHERN-Aktie komplett kostenlos handeln - auf Smartbroker.de Woven Science is the first company to take a holistic approach to mental wellbeing through psychedelic models of care, while putting a system of reciprocity towards indigenous communities at the core of its business. New York, New York--(Newsfile Corp. - May 21, 2021) - Renewed scientific interest in psychedelic medicine is generating a deeper understanding of the pharmacologic substances and practices that humans have long used for ceremonial, therapeutic and cultural purposes. "We're excited by the potential for psychedelics to be used therapeutically to help heal an enormous number of people," says CEO and Co-Founder, Nick von Christierson. "But, we also believe that there is no magic pill - long term mental health outcomes need to be sustained by wellness practices and access to community more broadly." Woven Science's vision imbeds psychedelic models of care across the entire treatment arc, and funds raised will go towards building out its operating pillars of Compounds, Clinics and Community. Woven Science's Compounds portfolio comprises a diversity of assets targeting different indications. Already, the Company's portfolio reaches across the US, Canada, Switzerland and the UK, and has exposure to five different compounds, collectively addressing seven specific mental health and CNS indications. The Company recently co-led a $4.1M investment round into Reconnect Labs AG, a Swiss drug development company taking a combination product of harmine and DMT through clinical trials. To launch the Clinics pillar, the Company has partnered with a leading team of MAPS-trained therapists in Portland, Oregon to open urban and wilderness clinics for psychedelic-assisted therapies. The Community pillar is a direct-to-consumer platform focused on the programs and products that support long-term well being. It comprises The Fifth Kingdom, a subsidiary merging market-leading botany dispensary The Alchemist's Kitchen, nutraceuticals developer Torii Labs and The Medicinal Mushroom Co. Woven Science is founded by Nick von Christierson, Giles Hayward and Lou Sagar, proven entrepreneurs with personal experience on the impact psychedelic therapies can have on wellbeing. The Company is supported by a strong executive team (Riwa Harfoush and William Usdin), an exceptional advisory board (Adam Horowitz, Dennis McKenna, and Merlin Sheldrake among others), a Council of Indigenous Elders, and a network of aligned investors and partners to deliver on the vision. Woven Science has a strong alliance with its lead investor and venture partner Noetic Psychedelic Fund, the largest investor in the industry. Sa'ad Shah, Managing Partner of Noetic, states, "Psychedelics used in the context of mental health represent one of the biggest investment opportunities in the coming decade and Woven Science's thoughtful and strategic approach is what really excites us as we strive to shift the focus from effectively treating mental illness to sustaining mental wellness." Advisory Board member and investor Adam Horowitz notes that, "With Woven Science, we know that there is a stewardship of capital that not only puts healing at the center of the treatment arc, but ensures indigenous representation has a very real seat at the table. This is the kind of model we need to see across the industry and Woven Science is setting a precedent going forward." About Woven Science Woven Science LLC. is a Delaware incorporated operating company that builds, backs and incubates best-in-class companies to drive profitable and scalable mental health outcomes across the entire treatment arc from diagnosis through to community and mental health sustainability. The Woven Science team of advisors and seasoned professionals from the wellness, venture capital, biotech and psychedelic arenas brings extensive operational and strategic expertise to tackling the mental illness epidemic while recognizing that the path to sustained mental wellness requires holistic psychedelic models of care. Learn more at www.woven.science. For media enquiries contact: hello@woven.science For other enquiries relating to Woven Science, please contact Nick von Christierson, CEO & Co-Founder: nick@woven.science To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/84813 Original-Research: Saturn Oil & Gas Inc. - von GBC AG Einstufung von GBC AG zu Saturn Oil & Gas Inc. Unternehmen: Saturn Oil & Gas Inc. ISIN: CA80412L1076 Anlass der Studie: Research Update Empfehlung: BUY seit: 21.05.2021 Kursziel: 0.46 CAD Kursziel auf Sicht von: 31.12.2021 Letzte Ratinganderung: Analyst: Julien Desrosiers; Felix Haugg Transformative transaction increasing oil production from 350 boe/d to over 7,200 Prime assets with proven low depletion rates. The company is cur-rently completing the Oxbow assets acquisition, which is located in the Williston Basin oil field. The company's new inventory will consist of low decline oil wells with very low gas volumes (5%), thus providing them a stable foundation to maintain and grow their operations. Over 2,000% increase in daily boe production. The company pro-duced 375 boe/d before the transaction and will produce just over 7,500 boe/d once the transaction is finalized. With the increased cash flow and reinvestment in the field, we expect the company to be able to maintain post transaction production levels for at least 24 to 36 months. Lean and cost efficiency structure. The company will scale up their operations by a significant magnitude to accommodate their increase in production. Being a larger producer, the company will benefit from possible economies of scale and we expect them to maximize the Ox-bow assets with the same efficiency as their other assets. Pipeline to international markets. In a time of struggling transportation capacities in Canada, Saturn will acquire multiple pipelines and facili- ties that will allow them easier access to the international market. Significant reduction in debt leverage of the company. These assets will generate a massive positive cashflow for the company, which will allow them to maintain current oil production levels and initiate an ag-gressive debt pay-back program. From net loss to a 53.21% positive Margin. Following the completion of the transaction, we forecast that the company will achieve revenues of over $146M CAD in 2021 with an EBIT margin of 53.21%. Hedging to secure the future. The company have entered into hedg-ing agreements of up to 85% of their declining production acquired with the Oxbow assets, thus securing debt repayment for the next 3 years. Asset's integration. We expect the company to add key members to their executives and board of directors. This will strengthen their gov-ernance and ensure a smooth transition from a junior oil company with $7,549M CAD revenues in 2020 to a major player in SE Saskatchewan with over $146,580M CAD in revenues in 2021e. Based on our DCF model we have determine a price target of 0.46 CAD per share Die vollstandige Analyse konnen Sie hier downloaden: http://www.more-ir.de/d/22491.pdf Kontakt fur Ruckfragen GBC AG Halderstrae 27 86150 Augsburg 0821 / 241133 0 research@gbc-ag.de +++++++++++++++ Date (time) of completion of English version: 21/05/2021 (03:25 pm) Date (time) of first distribution of English version: 21/05/2021 (04:15 pm) Target price valid until: max. 31/12/2021 ubermittelt durch die EQS Group AG. Fur den Inhalt der Mitteilung bzw. Research ist alleine der Herausgeber bzw. Ersteller der Studie verantwortlich. Diese Meldung ist keine Anlageberatung oder Aufforderung zum Abschluss bestimmter Borsengeschafte. (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 April 30, 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 towww.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/20210521005333/en/ Contacts: Genkyotex CANBERA (dpa-AFX) - The euro lost ground against its major trading partners during the European session on Friday, after the European Central Bank chief Christine Lagarde said that the central Bank is determined to maintain the pandemic emergency purchase programme to protect the economy, as the bloc's recovery is still uncertain. It is premature to discuss winding down EUR 1.85 trillion emergency bond purchase scheme in June, Lagarde said at a news conference after a Eurogroup meeting in Lisbon. 'We are committed to preserving favourable financing conditions using the PEPP envelope, and to do so until at least March 2022.' 'It's far too early and it's actually unnecessary to debate longer-term issues. Our focus in June is going to be on favourable financing conditions for the economy at large and to all sectors,' Lagarde added. Lagarde's comments came after some policymakers suggested to begin withdrawing its emergency measures in the wake of accelerating vaccination programmes and reopening of the economy. The ECB President refused to comment on the recent rise in bond yields, but indicated that the central Bank was closely watching borrowing costs. The currency came under pressure earlier in the session, after a data showed that German manufacturing activity eased to a three-month low in April. Flash survey results from IHS Markit showed that the manufacturing PMI fell to 64.0 in May from 66.2 in the previous month. Economists had forecast the reading to drop to 65.9. The survey showed that supply shortages curbed production levels and weighed on new orders due to forced downtime at customers. In economic releases, separate data showed that the euro area private sector activity grew the most in more than three years in May as economies continued to open up from virus restrictions. The composite output index rose to 56.9 from 53.8 in the previous month. The score was expected to climb moderately to 55.1. The currency was modestly higher against its major rivals in the Asian session, except the franc. The euro dropped 0.6 percent to 1.2171 against the greenback, after climbing to a 2-day high of 1.2240 at 2:00 am ET. The pair had closed Thursday's deals at 1.2227. Should the euro slides further, it may find support around the 1.20 level. The euro touched a 4-day low of 132.53 against the yen, down by 0.5 percent from a 2-day high of 133.21 seen at 8:30 pm ET. The pair was worth 132.97 when it ended deals on Thursday. The currency may locate support around the 129.00 level. Data from the the Ministry of Internal Affairs and communications showed that Japan fell further into deflation as overall consumer prices were down 0.4 percent on year - after slipping 0.2 percent in March. Core CPI, which excludes volatile food prices, was steady at -0.1 percent on year. The euro lost 0.2 percent against the franc to hit a 4-day low of 1.0948. At Thursday's close, the pair was valued at 1.0968. Next near term support for the euro is likely seen around the 1.07 level. Data from the Federal Statistical Office showed that Switzerland's industrial production increased in the first quarter of 2021. Industrial production grew 4.8 percent year-on-year in the first quarter. The euro was down by 0.4 percent at 0.8583 against the pound, setting a 3-day low. The euro-pound pair had finished yesterday's trading session at 0.8615. The next likely support for the euro lies around the 0.84 level. Data from the Office for National Statistics showed that U.K. retail sales expanded 9.2 percent month-on-month in April, faster than the 5.1 percent increase in March and the economists' forecast of +4.5 percent as non-essential stores reopened. This was the biggest increase since June 2020, when sales were up 13.9 percent. On a yearly basis, retail sales volume grew sharply by 42.4 percent, after rising 7.2 percent in March. The euro fell to a 3-day low of 1.4669 against the loonie from Thursday's closing quote of 1.4741. On the downside, 1.44 is likely seen as its next support level. Pulling back from a 3-1/2-month high of 1.5798 set at 3 am ET, the European currency dipped to a 2-day low of 1.5683 against the aussie. The euro-aussie pair was worth 1.5716 at Thursday's close. Further downtrend may take the euro to a support around the 1.54 area. Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics showed that Australia's retail sales growth slowed less than expected pace in April. Retail sales rose 1.1 percent month-on-month in April, slower than the 1.3 percent increase seen in March. Economists had forecast sales to grow at a much weaker pace of 0.5 percent in April. The euro eased off from a 2-day high of 1.7037 against the kiwi, dropping to a 2-day low of 1.6904. At yesterday's trading close, the pair was quoted at 1.6963. Immediate support for the euro is likely seen around the 1.66 level. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX EZB-Aktie komplett kostenlos handeln - auf Smartbroker.de Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - May 21, 2021) - Moneta Porcupine Mines Inc. (TSX: ME) (OTCQX: MEAUF) (XETRA: MOP) ("Moneta") is pleased to announce that its common shares will commence trading today in the United States of America ("U.S.A.") under the symbol "MEAUF". About Moneta Moneta is a Canadian based gold exploration company focussed on the Timmins Gold Camp in Ontario. The Company's flagship project, covering the Golden Highway and Garrison Gold deposits, is located 100 km east of Timmins and hosts a total indicated resource of 3,967,000 ounces contained gold and a total inferred resource of 4,399,000 ounces contained gold. The project includes a total of 3,335,000 ounces of open pit indicated resources contained within 116.7 Mt @ 0.89 g/t Au and 2,270,000 ounces of open pit inferred resources contained within 79.4 Mt @ 0.89 g/t Au, at a cut-off grade of 0.30 g/t Au. The project also includes 632,000 ounces of indicated underground resources contained within 4.9 Mt @ 4.05 g/t Au and 2,129,000 ounces of inferred underground resources within 15.7 Mt @ 4.21 g/t Au, at a 2.60 g/t Au cut-off grade at South West and 3.00 g/t Au cut-off grade at the other underground deposits. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: Gary V. O'Connor, CEO 416-357-3319 Linda Armstrong, Investor Relations 647-456-9223 The Company's public documents may be accessed at www.sedar.com. For further information on the Company, please visit our website at www.monetaporcupine.com or email us at info@monetaporcupine.com. This news release includes certain forward-looking information and forward-looking statements, collectively "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements are frequently identified by such words as "may", "will", "plan", "expect", "anticipate", "estimate", "intend" and similar words referring to future events and results. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to information with respect to the future performance of the business, its operations and financial performance and condition such as the Company's drilling program and the timing and results thereof; further steps that might be taken to mitigate the spread of COVID-19; the impact of COVID-19 related disruptions in relation to the Corporation's business operations including upon its employees, suppliers, facilities and other stakeholders; uncertainties and risk that have arisen and may arise in relation to travel, and other financial market and social impacts from COVID-19 and responses to COVID 19. and the ability of the Company to finance and carry out its anticipated goals and objectives. Forward-looking statements are based on the current opinions and expectations of management. All forward-looking information is inherently uncertain and subject to a variety of assumptions, risks and uncertainties, including the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development, fluctuating commodity prices, competitive risks and the availability of financing, as described in more detail in our recent securities filings available at www.sedar.com. Actual events or results may differ materially from those projected in the forward looking-statements and we caution against placing undue reliance thereon. We assume no obligation to revise or update these forward-looking statements. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/84845 RBX2660 pivotal Phase 3 trial successfully met the primary endpoint; data presented today at Digestive Disease Week (DDW) RBX2660 is the first microbiota-based live biotherapeutic to demonstrate efficacy as early as first recurrence of Clostridioides difficile (C. difficile) infection RBX2660 Phase 3 data add to the world's largest and most robust clinical program ever conducted in the field of microbiome-based therapeutics Findings build on previous RBX2660 clinical trials showing repeated efficacy and consistent safety, including two trials with two years of safety follow-up Ferring Pharmaceuticals and Rebiotix, a Ferring Company, today presented results from the pivotal Phase 3 PUNCH CD3 clinical trial, demonstrating superior efficacy and consistent safety of single-dose RBX2660 in reducing recurrence of Clostridioides difficileinfection (CDI) over placebo. RBX2660 is an investigational, potential first-in-class microbiota-based live biotherapeutic. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210521005335/en/ The trial, presented today at Digestive Disease Week (DDW) 2021, successfully met its primary endpoint. RBX2660 demonstrated superior efficacy versus placebo (70.4and 58.1%, respectively) at 8 weeks post treatment, with a comparable safety profile to placebo. RBX2660 results demonstrated statistical significance with a 98.6% posterior probability of superiority, which exceeded the 97.5% minimum threshold. In addition to these outcomes, RBX2660 provided a relative reduction of recurrence of 29.4% compared to placebo. The majority of treatment emergent adverse events (TEAEs) for RBX2660 were similar to placebo, and mild to moderate in nature. These data add to the large body of evidence showing consistent efficacy and safety in patients who have received RBX2660, which may help address the unmet need for patients who suffer from this debilitating and potentially deadly recurrent infection. "C. difficile infection is a global public health threat that requires immediate action to halt the unrelenting cycle of recurrence. While necessary to treat initial infection, antibiotics are also a predominant risk factor for recurrence because they can disrupt the gut microbiome, leaving the current treatment paradigm for recurrent infection incomplete," said Paul Feuerstadt, MD, FACG, AGAF, PACT Gastroenterology, Hamden, Conn., Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Conn., and RBX2660 clinical trial investigator. "These Phase 3 RBX2660 results, as part of the overall clinical development program, show consistent efficacy as early as a first recurrence of C. difficile infection by delivering a broad consortium of live microbes to the area of active infection." "People who suffer from C. difficile infection are devastated when they experience recurrence. Patients have told me that they felt hopeless when the infection returned again and again despite multiple courses of antibiotic treatment. They believed that the infection would never go away," said Christine Lee, MD, FRCPC, Clinical Professor, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, UBC Faculty of Medicine, Medical Microbiologist and Researcher, Island Health, Vancouver, and RBX2660 clinical trial investigator who presented the data at DDW. "The findings from this pivotal Phase 3 trial of RBX2660 are very encouraging to both patients and healthcare providers, providing hope this potential new treatment could make a meaningful difference in the lives of patients with recurrent C. difficile infection." The RBX2660 program is the largest and most robust clinical program ever conducted in the field of microbiome-based therapeutics. The decade-long development program consists of six trials with more than 1,000 patients enrolled; two of these trials are the only ones in the field to include two years of follow-up. "These Phase 3 results are a testament to a decade of robust clinical research to help address a significant unmet patient need," said Lee Jones, President and CEO of Rebiotix, a Ferring Company. We are deeply grateful to the patients and clinicians for their years of dedication to this program." "At Ferring, we are dedicated to helping people live better lives," said Per Falk, President of Ferring Pharmaceuticals. "We look forward to sharing our data with the U.S. FDA as we believe, based on the totality of evidence, RBX2660 holds the potential to be an improvement over the standard of care alone for tens of thousands of patients affected every year by recurrent C. difficile infection." About the PUNCH CD3 Clinical Trial (Clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT03244644) PUNCH CD3 is a Phase 3, prospective, multicenter, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial evaluating the efficacy and safety of RBX2660 vs. placebo in preventing rCDI. The study included adults ages 18 or older who had at least one recurrence after a primary episode of CDI. Participants were followed up to 8 weeks for the efficacy analysis, and up to six months for the safety analysis. About RBX2660 RBX2660 is a potential first-in-class microbiota-based live biotherapeutic being studied to deliver a broad consortium of diverse microbes to the gut to reduce recurrent C. difficile infection. RBX2660 has been granted Fast Track, Orphan, and Breakthrough Therapy designations from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The pivotal Phase 3 program builds on nearly a decade of research with robust clinical and microbiome data collected over six controlled clinical trials with more than 1,000 participants. About the microbiome and C. difficile infection The microbiome is a highly-diverse microbial community that plays an essential role in human health. There is a growing body of evidence that shows when there is a disruption of the composition and/or diversity of the gut microbiome, there may be an associated risk for serious illnesses, such as C. difficile infection. C. difficile is a bacterium that causes debilitating symptoms such as severe diarrhea, fever, stomach tenderness or pain, loss of appetite, nausea and colitis (an inflammation of the colon).1 Estimated to cause up to half a million illnesses and thousands of deaths annually in the U.S. alone every year, C. difficile infection is considered an urgent threat to public health by the CDC and can lead to severe complications, including hospitalization, surgery, sepsis and death.1,2 C. difficile infection is often the start of a vicious cycle of recurrence, causing a significant burden for patients and the healthcare system.3,4 The use of antibiotics has been shown to disrupt the ecology of the gut microbiome, and are a predominant risk factor for C. difficile recurrence occurring in up to 35% of patients after initial C. difficile infection diagnosis.5,6,7 After the first recurrence, it has been estimated that up to 60% of patients may develop a subsequent recurrence.8 About Ferring Pharmaceuticals Ferring Pharmaceuticals is a research-driven, specialty biopharmaceutical group committed to helping people around the world build families and live better lives. Headquartered in Saint-Prex, Switzerland, Ferring is a leader in reproductive medicine and maternal health, and in specialty areas within gastroenterology and urology. Ferring has been developing treatments for mothers and babies for over 50 years and has a portfolio covering treatments from conception to birth. Founded in 1950, privately-owned Ferring now employs approximately 6,500 people worldwide, has its own operating subsidiaries in nearly 60 countries and markets its products in 110 countries. Learn more at www.ferring.com, or connect with us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube. Ferring is committed to exploring the crucial link between the microbiome and human health, beginning with the threat of recurrent C. difficile infection. With the 2018 acquisition of Rebiotix and several other alliances, Ferring is a world leader in microbiome research, developing novel microbiome-based therapeutics to address significant unmet needs and help people live better lives. Connect with us on our dedicated microbiome therapeutics development channels on Twitter and LinkedIn. About Rebiotix Rebiotix Inc, a Ferring Company, is a late-stage clinical microbiome company focused on harnessing the power of the human microbiome to revolutionize the treatment of challenging diseases. Rebiotix has a diverse pipeline of investigational drug products built on its pioneering microbiota-based MRT drug platform. The platform consists of investigational drug technologies designed to potentially rehabilitate the human microbiome by delivering a broad consortium of live microbes into a patient's intestinal tract. For more information on Rebiotix and its pipeline of human microbiome-directed therapies for diverse disease states, visit www.rebiotix.com, or connect with us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube. About DDW Digestive Disease Week (DDW) is the largest international gathering of physicians, researchers and academics in the fields of gastroenterology, hepatology, endoscopy and gastrointestinal surgery. Jointly sponsored by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD), the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) Institute, the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) and the Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract (SSAT), DDW is a fully virtual meeting from May 21-23, 2021. The meeting showcases more than 2,000 abstracts and hundreds of lectures on the latest advances in GI research, medicine and technology. More information can be found at www.ddw.org. References: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. What Is C. Diff? 17 Dec. 2018. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/cdiff/what-is.html. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Biggest Threats and Data, 14 Nov. 2019. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/drugresistance/biggest-threats.html. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 24 June 2020. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/drugresistance/pdf/threats-report/clostridioides-difficile-508.pdf. Feuerstadt P, et al. J Med Econ. 2020;23(6):603-609. Lessa FC, Mu Y, Bamberg WM, et al. Burden of Clostridium difficile infection in the United States. N Engl J Med. 2015;372(9):825-834. Cornely OA, et al. Treatment of First Recurrence of Clostridium difficile Infection: Fidaxomicin Versus Vancomycin. Clinical Infectious Diseases. 2012;55(S2):S154-61. Langdon A, Crook N, Dantas G. The effects of antibiotics on the microbiome throughout development and alternative approaches for therapeutic modulation. Genome Med. 2016;8(1):39. Leong C, Zelenitsky S. Treatment strategies for recurrent Clostridium difficile infection. Can J Hosp Pharm. 2013;66(6):361-368. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210521005335/en/ Contacts: For more information, please contact Heather Guzzi Director, Brand Communications Communications Digital Innovation +1-862-286-5254 Heather.Guzzi@ferring.com Courtney Jones Associate Director, Marketing and Communications Rebiotix Inc., a Ferring Company +1-651-705-8774 Courtney.Jones@ferring.com Lindsey Rodger Senior Manager, Corporate Communications +41 58 451 4023 (direct) +41 79 191 0486 (mobile) lindsey.rodger@ferring.com VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / May 21, 2021 / Group Ten Metals Inc. (TSX.V:PGE)(OTCQB:PGEZF)(FSE:5D32) (the "Company" or "Group Ten") announces that it has retained Oretest Drilling and Simcoe Geoscience for 2021 exploration programs at the Company's flagship Stillwater West platinum group element, nickel, copper, cobalt, and gold ("PGE-Ni-Cu-Co + Au") project in Montana, USA, adjacent to Sibanye-Stillwater's high-grade palladium-platinum mines. Group Ten's 2021 exploration program targets world-class polymetallic deposits of battery metals, platinum group elements and gold in a famously productive and metal-rich mining district which supports the highest-grade palladium-platinum mines in the world, as well as a smelter and refinery complex, in the USA. The Company's work to date has demonstrated potential for bulk tonnage Platreef-style deposits of nickel and copper sulphide that host palladium, platinum, rhodium, gold, and cobalt within the lower Stillwater complex, based on known parallels with South Africa's Bushveld complex. Highlights Oretest Drilling has been retained for a planned 10,000-meter, multi-rig drill campaign with the primary objective of expanding drill-defined mineralization at the three most advanced areas, while also testing adjacent priority targets identified in the 2020 Induced Polarization ("IP") survey. Results from 2021 drilling are expected to drive expansion of the inaugural mineral resource estimates that are now in development at each of the Chrome Mountain, Camp, and Iron Mountain target areas. Publication of these initial resources is targeted for summer 2021 from mineralization that starts at or near surface, runs from 1 to 1.5 kilometers in strike, and is open for expansion along trend and at depth as demonstrated by IP anomalies. Simcoe Geoscience has been retained for a planned 54-line-km Alpha IP survey to expand on the success of the 2020 survey which produced wide, high-level, and coincident chargeability and conductivity anomalies with exceptional continuity across the 9.2-kilometer length and 800m depth of the 3D model. Thick intervals of drill-defined nickel and copper sulphide mineralization with palladium, platinum, rhodium, gold, and cobalt, confirm the presence of significant Platreef-style polymetallic mineralization in the most advanced target areas, and this mineralization correlates spatially with the geophysical anomalies identified in the 2020 survey (see April 19, 2021 news release). The 2021 IP survey will include extension lines off the east and west ends of the 2020 survey grid with the objective of advancing drill-defined polymetallic Platreef-style mineralization at the Crescent target area and drill-defined high-grade gold at the Pine target, among other targets. The new survey will also include infill coverage to detail wider-spaced areas within the 2020 survey. Work in 2021 will further include geological mapping and prospecting programs intended to advance earlier-stage targets to drill-ready status across the 32-kilometer-long project. Michael Rowley, President and CEO, commented, "We are excited to announce contracts and plans for our largest exploration program yet at Stillwater West. IP geophysics and drilling proved to be a powerful combination last year, driving the successful expansion of known mineralization into untested adjacent targets and identifying multiple new high-grade magmatic horizons, and we look forward to building on that success at the three most advanced target areas with a view to expanding inaugural resources that are targeted for release this summer. We also plan to drill some step-out and exploratory holes at priority targets. Stillwater West continues to rapidly advance towards becoming a world-class source of low-carbon, sulphide-hosted nickel, copper, and cobalt, critical to the electrification movement, as well as key catalytic metals including platinum, palladium and rhodium used in catalytic converters, fuel cells, and the production of green hydrogen. We look forward to further announcements in the near term." About Stillwater West The Stillwater West PGE-Ni-Cu-Co + Au project positions Group Ten as the second-largest landholder in the Stillwater Complex, adjoining and adjacent to Sibanye-Stillwater's Stillwater, East Boulder, and Blitz PGE mines in south-central Montana, USA1. The Stillwater Complex is recognized as one of the top regions in the world for PGE-Ni-Cu-Co mineralization, alongside the Bushveld Complex and Great Dyke in southern Africa, which are similar layered intrusions. The J-M Reef, and other PGE-enriched sulphide horizons in the Stillwater Complex, share many similarities with the highly prolific Merensky and UG2 Reefs in the Bushveld Complex. Group Ten's work in the lower Stillwater Complex has demonstrated the presence of large-scale disseminated and high-sulphide battery metals and PGE mineralization, similar to the Platreef in the Bushveld Complex2. Drill campaigns by the Company, complemented by a substantial historic drill database, are driving 3D models of Platreef-style mineralization in the five most advanced target areas, three of which are expected to become formal mineral resources by mid-2021. Multiple earlier-stage Platreef-style and reef-type targets are being advanced across the rest of the 31-kilometer length of the project based on strong correlations seen in soil and rock geochemistry, geophysical surveys, geologic mapping, and drilling. About Group Ten Metals Inc. Group Ten Metals Inc. is a TSX-V-listed Canadian mineral exploration company focused on the development of high-quality platinum, palladium, nickel, copper, cobalt, and gold exploration assets in top North American mining jurisdictions. The Company's core asset is the Stillwater West PGE-Ni-Cu-Co + Au project adjacent to Sibanye-Stillwater's high-grade PGE mines in Montana, USA. Group Ten also holds the high-grade Black Lake-Drayton Gold project adjacent to Treasury Metals' development-stage Goliath Gold Complex in northwest Ontario, and the Kluane PGE-Ni-Cu-Co project on trend with Nickel Creek Platinum's Wellgreen deposit in Canada's Yukon Territory. About the Metallic Group of Companies The Metallic Group is a collaboration of leading precious and base metals exploration companies, with a portfolio of large, brownfield assets in established mining districts adjacent to some of the industry's highest-grade producers of silver and gold, platinum and palladium, and copper. Member companies include Metallic Minerals in the Yukon's high-grade Keno Hill silver district and La Plata silver-gold-copper district of Colorado, Group Ten Metals in the Stillwater PGM-nickel-copper district of Montana, and Granite Creek Copper in the Yukon's Minto copper district. The founders and team members of the Metallic Group include highly successful explorationists formerly with some of the industry's leading explorers/developers and major producers. With this expertise, the companies are undertaking a systematic approach to exploration using new models and technologies to facilitate discoveries in these proven, but under-explored, mining districts. The Metallic Group is headquartered in Vancouver, BC, Canada, and its member companies are listed on the Toronto Venture, US OTC, and Frankfurt stock exchanges. Note 1: References to adjoining properties are for illustrative purposes only and are not necessarily indicative of the exploration potential, extent, or nature of mineralization or potential future results of the Company's projects. Note 2: Magmatic Ore Deposits in Layered Intrusions-Descriptive Model for Reef-Type PGE and Contact-Type Cu-Ni-PGE Deposits, Michael Zientek, USGS Open-File Report 2012-1010. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: Michael Rowley, President, CEO & Director Email: info@grouptenmetals.com Phone: (604) 357 4790 Web: http://grouptenmetals.com Toll Free: (888) 432 0075 Quality Control and Quality Assurance Mr. Mike Ostenson, P.Geo., is the qualified person for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101, and he has reviewed and approved the technical disclosure contained in this news release. Forward-Looking Statements Forward Looking Statements: This news release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts including, without limitation, statements regarding potential mineralization, historic production, estimation of mineral resources, the realization of mineral resource estimates, interpretation of prior exploration and potential exploration results, the timing and success of exploration activities generally, the timing of the timing and results of future resource estimates, permitting time lines, metal prices and currency exchange rates, availability of capital, government regulation of exploration operations, environmental risks, reclamation, titlefuture driling actiivities and the locations of such drilling, and future plans and objectives of the company are forward-looking statements that involve various risks and uncertainties. Although Group Ten believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on a number of material factors and assumptions. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include failure to obtain necessary approvals, unsuccessful exploration results, changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined, results of future resource estimates, future metal prices, availability of capital and financing on acceptable terms, general economic, market or business conditions, risks associated with regulatory changes, defects in title, availability of personnel, materials and equipment on a timely basis, accidents or equipment breakdowns, uninsured risks, delays in receiving government approvals, unanticipated environmental impacts on operations and costs to remedy same, and other exploration or other risks detailed herein and from time to time in the filings made by the companies with securities regulators. Readers are cautioned that mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. Mineral exploration and development of mines is an inherently risky business. Accordingly, the actual events may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. For more information on Group Ten and the risks and challenges of their businesses, investors should review their annual filings that are available at www.sedar.com. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. SOURCE: Group Ten Metals Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/648627/Group-Ten-Metals-Contracts-Oretest-Drilling-and-Simcoe-Geoscience-Plans-Largest-Exploration-Program-to-Date-at-Stillwater-West-PGE-Ni-Cu-Co-Au-Project-in-Montana-USA BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - European markets closed higher on Friday amid optimism about economic recovery after positive euro zone PMI data and U.K. retail sales numbers. According to flash survey data from IHS Markit, the euro area private sector activity grew the most in more than three years in May as economies continued to open up from virus restrictions. The composite output index rose to 56.9 from 53.8 in the previous month. The score was expected to climb moderately to 55.1. U.K. retail sales expanded 9.2% month-on-month in April, faster than the 5.1% increase in March and the economists' forecast of +4.5% as non-essential stores reopened, official data showed. This was the biggest increase since June 2020, when sales were up 13.9%. On a yearly basis, retail sales volume grew sharply by 42.4%, after rising 7.2% in March. Earlier in the day, survey results from the market research group GfK showed that confidence among consumers bounced back to its pre-lockdown level in May. The consumer sentiment index rose six points to -9 in May. Separately, IHS Markit said that U.K. private sector is growing at its fastest pace in at least two decades this month. The pan European Stoxx 600 climbed 0.57%. Germany's DAX gained 0.44%, France's CAC 40 surged up 0.68% and the U.K.'s FTSE 100 edged down 0.02%. Switzerland's SMI ended 0.66% up. Among other markets in Europe, Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Russia and Spain ended higher. Greece and Portugal drifted lower, while Sweden and Turkey closed flat. In the French market, Valeo moved up more than 2%. Airbus Group, Hermes International, Total, Saint Gobain, Faurecia, Bouygues, Orange, Danone and Essilor gained 1 to 1.6%. Sodexo declined more than 2.5%, while Carrefour, Atos, Capgemini and Teleperformance lost 0.3 to 1%. In Germany, Continental and Deutsche Bank both ended higher by nearly 2.5%. Adidas, Deutsche Telekom, Munich RE, Deutsche Post, Siemens and Allianz closed with moderate gains. BMW ended higher after saying it expects an antitrust fine from the European Union will be much smaller than anticipated two years ago. Lufthansa ended more than 6% down after the Thiele family, the second-largest shareholder in the company, sold more than half its stake in the airline group. Covestro, Thyssenkrupp and Fresenius Medical Care lost 1 to 1.4%. In the Switzerland market, Richemont shares moved up sharply after the luxury goods maker said it will double its dividend. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de ORMOND BEACH, FL / ACCESSWIRE / May 21, 2021 / Rooshine, Inc. (OTC PINK:RSAU) ("Rooshine" or the "Company"), an importer, distributor and seller of premium alcoholic spirits, is happy to announce the launch of its new E-Commerce site at DrinkRooshine.com. The Company has engaged AlphaGeek, a UK-Based end-to-end digital marketing firm in a multi-engagement partnership focused on ROI-based advertising and marketing as well as web-development. The aim of the partnership is to increase brand awareness and drive customer acquisition and retention through the use of targeted marketing across various social media platforms. This strategy will initially focus on the Company's two initial products: Rooshine First Mate Whisky and Rooshine Mutiny Spiced Rum, which can now be purchased at the following links available by customers across the UK: Rooshine First Mate Blended Whisky | 70cl | 40% ABV This unique blend of aged whisky has been held in premium French and American oak barrels and then finished in dark toasted oak Bourbon barrels to give a deep, rich flavor and a smoother finish. Retailing for 59.00/$83.00 Rooshine Mutiny Spiced Rum | 70cl | 40% ABV: This sophisticated blend of 3-5 year old rums from Jamaica and the Dominican Republic, are blended in dark toasted oaks and spiced to perfection. This smooth rum is then laid down in Tennessee Bourbon barrels to give that extra richness and Caribbean flavor that you only get with time Retailing for 49.00/$69.00 In the coming days and weeks, additional pages will be added to the website that provide Rooshine customers and interested investors with more information on the Company's proprietary aging process, range of products in the queue for future release, and vision for the future. We encourage customers and interested investors to sign up for our mailing list as the best way to be kept apprised of the latest Rooshine, Inc. news. About Rooshine, Inc. The Company was formed under the laws of the State of Nevada in April 1998. The Company's business is the importation, distribution and sale of alcoholic spirits. Rooshine, Inc. was formed with the desire to produce high quality premium spirits infused with natural ingredients and no artificial additives. To that end, Rooshine, Inc. has partnered with International Spirits Vault, Ltd. to develop a patented proprietary method that leverages electromagnetic pulse technology to accelerate the aging process of the spirit while in the barrel. Unlike other accelerated maturation processes on the market, Rooshine, Inc does not denature the spirit through boiling or pressurization, but rather accelerates the natural aging process by expanding the surface area of the barrel through the use of electromagnetic pulses. Through the use of this process Rooshine is able to reduce the maturation process from years to a matter of days or weeks, while infusing the spirit with the essence of the barrel's conditioning. As a result of the enhanced speed and the fact that the accelerated aging process can occur in the barrel, Rooshine is able to cycle a single spirit through multiple barrel/wood combinations to develop unique flavors that would otherwise take decades or perhaps even centuries to produce. Rooshine, Inc. - Investor Contact Max Gomez, CEO, Rooshine, Inc. E-mail: max@drinkrooshine.com Rooshine, inc. - Social Media Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drinkrooshine/ Statement as to Forward-Looking Statements - Forward-Looking Statements certain statements in this release that are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements may be identified using words such as "anticipate," "believe," "expect," "future," "may," "will," "would," "should," "plan," "projected, " "intend," and similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. The Company's future operating results are dependent upon many factors, including but not limited to the Company's ability to: (i) obtain sufficient capital or a strategic business arrangement to fund its expansion plans; (ii) build the management and human resources and infrastructure necessary to support the growth of its business; (iii) competitive factors and developments beyond the Company's control; and (iv) other risk factors. We assume no obligation to update the information contained in this news release. SOURCE: Rooshine Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/648629/Rooshine-Launches-New-E-Commerce-Platform-for-UK-Customers BRUSSELS (dpa-AFX) - The Switzerland stock market, which briefly slipped into negative territory after opening higher Friday morning, recovered swiftly and gradually moved higher to finally end the session on a firm note. Rising optimism about global economic recovery and good progress in the vaccination drive lifted the market and pushed the benchmark index SMI closer to its all-time high. The SMI ended with a gain of 73.50 points or 0.66% at 11,225.58, slightly off the day's high of 11,239.20, and not far from the record high of 11,266.78 posted in mid-April. On Thursday, the index ended with a gain of 106.88 points or 0.97%. Richemont surged up nearly 5% after the group said it has proposed to double its dividend to prepandemic levels thanks to full-year financial results beating expectations. Richemont posted a net profit of 1.289 billion euros in the year to March, up 38% over the previous year. The company has proposed a dividend of 2 Swiss francs per share for financial year 2020-21. Swiss Life Holding and Swatch Group both ended higher by about 1.35%. ABB, Alcon, Partners Group and UBS Group gained 1 to 1.1%, and Roche Holding ended nearly 1% up. Sika and Credit Suisse also closed on firm note. Among the stocks in the Mid Price Index, Sonova rallied 4.75%. Tecan Group and Straumann Holding both gained about 1.5%. Lindt & Spruengli, VAT Group, Schindler Holding, Kuehne & Nagel and Georg Fischer gained 0.75 to 1.25%. 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. WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Crude oil prices rose sharply on Friday and lifted the near month crude futures contract to its first positive close in four sessions. A report from the U.S. National Hurricane Centre that a storm forming over the Western Gulf of Mexico will likely become a cyclone over the weekend raised concerns about possible disruptions in production and supported oil prices today. Traders also weighed prospects of excess supply in the market following signs of progress in Iran nuclear talks, and uncertainty about energy demand due to the surge in coronavirus cases in Asia. However, it is expected that gasoline demand will see a surge in the U.S. and Europe thanks to reopening of businesses and the momentum in vaccination drive. West Texas Intermediate Crude oil futures ended up by $1.64 or about 2.7% at $63.58 a barrel. WTI futures shed 2.7% in the week. Brent crude futures were up $1.44 or 2.2% at $66.55 a barrel a little while ago. According to reports, top policymakers said sanctions prohibiting Iranian oil export could be lifted sometime soon. The Persian Gulf nation's president, Hassan Rouhani, said world powers have accepted that major sanctions will be lifted, though details and finer points are still awaited. Some of the most optimistic analysts estimate the country could return to pre-sanctions production of 4 million barrels a day in as little as three months. A report from Baker Hughes said the number of U.S. rigs drilling for oil rose by 4 to 356 this week, increasing for a third straight week. The total active U.S. rig count climbed by 2 to 455, the report said. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / May 21, 2021 / Charge Enterprises Inc. (OTC PINK:CRGE), ("Charge" or "the Company"), connecting people everywhere with communications, infrastructure and charging, announced that it has received $16.5 million of debt financing from an institutional Investor. Proceeds will be used to fund the acquisition of ANS Advanced Network Services, a turnkey provider of direct current power installation, 5G and small cell telecommunications services, along with ongoing operations. $5.5 million of the financing is convertible at $3 per share and matures in three years and the balance of $11.5 million is in the form of a senior secured non-convertible note that pays a coupon of 7.5% per annum and matures in 18 months. As part of the transaction, Charge issued the investors three-year warrants to purchase an aggregate of up to 1,870,000 of its common stock at an exercise price of $4 per share. The offer and sale of the notes, warrants and the shares, if any, issuable upon conversion of the notes and/or warrants have not been registered under the Securities Act or applicable state securities laws, and the notes and such shares may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy the notes, the warrants or any shares issuable upon conversion of the notes and/or exercise of the warrants, nor shall there be any sale of the notes, warrants or such shares, in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. About Charge Enterprises Inc. Charge Enterprises Inc; With a mission of connecting people everywhere with a strategy in telecom network infrastructure, connected calls, power banks, EV charging infrastructure installation and maintenance. Trading under the Ticker: CRGE. We're a public company that shares our success with all stakeholders. Our business operates in three distinct divisions through a number of recently acquired, or newly formed subsidiaries, including: Charge Communications, with a strategy to offer Unified Communication as a Service (UCaaS) and Communication as a Platform Service (CPaaS), providing termination of both voice and data to Carriers and Mobile Network Operators (MNO's) globally for over 2 decades. Charge Infrastructure, addresses telecom network infrastructure, including 5G small cell installation, portable power banks, micro-mobility charging, and EV charging installation, stations & maintenance. Charge Investment, along with marketable securities, the investment division focuses on opportunist investments in EV and telecom related businesses Charge's strategy is to do the unglamorous part of connecting calls and powering the future of movement. We have recently acquired a number of subsidiaries, through which we operate our three business divisions. To Learn more about Charge, visit https://www.charge.enterprises/. Safe Harbor Statement Information in this news release may contain statements about future expectations, plans, prospects or performance of Charge Enterprises, Inc. that constitute forward-looking statements for purposes of the safe harbor provisions under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The words or phrases "can be," "expects," "may affect," "believed," "estimate," "project," and similar words and phrases are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Charge Enterprises, Inc. cautions you that any forward-looking information provided by or on behalf of Charge Enterprises, Inc. is not a guarantee of future performance. None of the information in this press release constitutes or is intended as an offer to sell securities or investment advice of any kind. Charge Enterprises, Inc.'s actual results may differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, some of which are beyond Charge Enterprises, Inc.'s control. In addition to those discussed in Charge Enterprises, Inc.'s press releases, public filings, and statements by Charge Enterprises, Inc.'s management, including, but not limited to, Charge Enterprises, Inc.'s estimate of the sufficiency of its existing capital resources, Charge Enterprises Inc's ability to raise additional capital to fund future operations, Charge Enterprises, Inc.'s ability to repay its existing indebtedness, the uncertainties involved in estimating market opportunities and, in identifying contracts which match Charge Enterprises, Inc.'s capability to be awarded contracts. All such forward-looking statements are current only as of the date on which such statements were made. Charge Enterprises, Inc. does not undertake any obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which any such statement is made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. Contact: LHA Investor Relations Carolyn Capaccio, CFA ccapaccio@lhai.com 212.838.3777 SOURCE: Charge Enterprises Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/648637/Charge-Enterprises-Secures-165-Million-of-Debt-Financing 'CUVIS-spine' is available in all countries by acquiring the license from the FDA (US), Korea and Europe . 'CUVIS-spine' reduces surgery duration with Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS). SEOUL, South Korea, May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- On the 20th, the Medical robot specialist company CUREXO Corp. (060280) announced their independently developed spinal surgery robot 'CUVIS-spine' has acquired FDA (US) licensing. This FDA (US) license, followed by Korea (2019) and Europe CE (2020) certificate is the 3rd license that they have acquired and now their product can be supplied to all countries. Currently, 2 'CUVIS-spine's are being used in Severance Hospital (Korea) and 1 has been exported to an Australian medical facility company. CUREXO also plans to expand their focus on global markets including the US and Europe. Spinal surgery robot 'CUVIS-spine' is a next-gen spinal surgery robot that guides the insertion of a pedicle screw according to the surgery plan. It uses a high precision robot arm, wireless one-step, navigation based on a real-time GPS sensor to provide precise, safe and faster surgery compared to traditional manual surgery. Also, it minimizes the filming and reduces the radiation exposure of both patients and medical staff. Both 2-dimensional filming (C-arm) and 3-dimensional filming (O-arm) are applicable with this solution which provides great expandability. With the Wireless One-step and the robot system, it allows multiple steps (Needle, K-wire, Dilation, Tapping) of traditional manual surgery to be performed with one surgery tool and it reduces surgery duration greatly. It allows Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS) which means that the patient's recovery time will be quicker compared to manual surgery. Mr Jae-Joon Lee (CEO of CUREXO) said that "the spinal surgery robot 'CUVIS-spine' that we have developed and manufactured with our technology has acquired FDA (US)'s licensing. This is the 3rd license that we have acquired, followed by Korea and Europe, and now we can sell our solution in all countries including the US which is the biggest medical market." He also said that "CUREXO plans to focus on our medical robots sales, including 'CUVIS-joint', 'CUVIS-spine' and 'Morning Walk' to not only the Korean market but also to advanced medical markets such as the US and Europe." Media Contact: Hoyong Lee hylee@curexo.com Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1515953/CUVIS_spine.jpg Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 21, 2021) - Pan Global Resources Inc. (TSXV: PGZ) (OTC: PGNRF) (the "Company") today announced that due to strong demand, its previously announced "bought deal" private placement financing has been increased from C$10 million to C$12 million. The Company announced yesterday that it had entered into an engagement letter with a syndicate of underwriters co-led by Canaccord Genuity Corp., Sprott Capital Partners, and Echelon Wealth Partners Inc. (collectively, the "Underwriters"), pursuant to which the Underwriters have agreed to purchase, on a "bought deal" private placement basis, 16,667,000 common shares (the "Common Shares") of the Company for gross proceeds of approximately C$10 million (the "Offering"). The Underwriters have now agreed to upsize the Offering to 20,000,000 Common Shares, with an option for over-allotments for an additional 3,000,000 Common Shares for additional gross proceeds of $1.8 million. If the over-allotment option is fully exercised, aggregate gross proceeds of the Offering are expected to be C$13.8 million. Pan Global's President and CEO, Tim Moody, noted: "We are very encouraged by the strong demand for the Offering. The additional proceeds will allow us to further accelerate our planned drilling and exploration programs in Southern Spain." In all other respects, the terms of the Offering will be as announced on May 20, 2021. The Offering is expected to close on or about June 4, 2021. Completion of the Placement is subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. About Pan Global Resources Pan Global Resources Inc. is actively engaged in base and precious metal exploration in Spain and is pursuing opportunities from exploration through to mine development. The Company has committed to operating safely and with respect to the communities and environment where we operate. On behalf of the Board of Directors www.panglobalresources.com. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT: info@panglobalresources.com Statements which are not purely historical are forward-looking statements, including any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. It is important to note that actual outcomes and the Company's actual results could differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements. Risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, economic, competitive, governmental, environmental and technological factors that may affect the Company's operations, markets, products and prices. Readers should refer to the risk disclosures outlined in the Company's Management Discussion and Analysis of its audited financial statements filed with the British Columbia Securities Commission. NEITHER TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE. THIS NEWS RELEASE IS INTENDED FOR DISTRIBUTION IN CANADA ONLY AND IS NOT INTENDED FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/84853 Calgary, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - May 21, 2021) - Aurwest Resources Corporation (CSE: AWR) ("Aurwest" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that the Company has filed its March 31, 2021 first quarter financial statements ("Financial Statements"), management's discussion and analysis ("MD&A"), and quarterly certifications for the three-month period ended March 31, 2021. The Financial Statements have been prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board and interpretations of the International Financial Reporting Interpretations Committee. In accordance with the change of year end from May 31 to December 31 on January 14, 2021, the Financial Statements and MD&A provide a comparison of the financial performance of the Company for the three-month period ended March 31, 2021 to the three-month period ended February 29, 2020. FIRST QUARTER 2021 HIGHLIGHTS On February 9, 2021, the Company announced the finalization of the Phase 1 exploration program for its Paradise Lake gold project. An experienced team of geologists and prospectors have been assembled to conduct the planned exploration activities. The Phase 1 exploration program will fulfill the first year $500,000 commitment under the option agreement. As of March 31, 2021, Aurwest had positive working capital of $757,998 (December 31, 2020- 848,457). Working capital decreased by $90,459 for the quarter partly due to reduction in accounts payable and partly due to general operating expenses incurred during the quarter. Total operating expenses for the three months were $467,446 (February 29, 2020 - 109,750) principally due to share-based compensation of $353,080 (February 29, 2020 - $Nil) reflecting the fair value of the 2,800,000 stock options granted on March 25, 2021. Exploration and evaluation expenses were $Nil for the quarter (February 29, 2020 - $500). However, the Company spent $28,700 during the quarter in property investigation (February 29, 2020 - $Nil) relating to and resulting in the acquisition of the Stony Lake property. Marketing and investor relations expenses for the three months were $10,328 (February 29, 2020 - $41,847) as the Company completed its investor relations program in December 2020 and focused on exploration planning and acquisition. The Company also announces that Mr. Elmer Stewart is stepping down as a director of the Company in order to focus on Copper Fox Metals. Colin Christensen, the Company's President & Chief Executive Officer stated, "Elmer's technical and corporate experience has helped Aurwest's turn around since the reorganization of the Company last year, and also influenced Aurwest in acquiring a significant property position in the new gold district evolving in the province of Newfoundland. On behalf of the Board and the entire Aurwest team, I would like to thank Elmer for his service and partnership over the last year." All amounts presented herein are in Canadian dollars, unless stated otherwise. On Behalf Of Aurwest resources Corporation "Colin Christensen" President and Chief Executive Officer For additional information please contact: Colin Christensen Telephone: (403) 483-8363 Email: cchristensen@aurwestresources.com Website: www.aurwestresources.com About Aurwest Resources Corporation Aurwest is a Canadian-based junior resource company focused on the acquisition, exploration and development of gold, silver and other precious and base metal properties in North America. The Company currently holds 100% interest in 42,700 hectares the Paradise Lake and Stony Caldera gold projects in Central Newfoundland, that covers approximately 45 kms of the regional scale mineralized structure that hosts the Valentine Lake gold deposit located to the southwest and the Moosehead gold discovery located northeast of the property. In addition, Aurwest also currently holds a 100% interest in the 22,255 hectare Stellar copper/gold project, located approximately 25 kilometres southwest of Houston British Columbia. Forward-Looking Information Statements included in this announcement, including statements concerning our plans, intentions and expectations, which are not historical in nature are intended to be, and are hereby identified as "forward-looking statements". Forward looking statements may be identified by words including "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "expects" and similar expressions. The Company cautions readers that forward-looking statements, including without limitation those relating to the Company's future operations and business prospects, are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Readers are advised to rely on their own evaluation of such risks and uncertainties and should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release, and the Company assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, except in accordance with the applicable laws. The Canadian Securities Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/84852 Fathom Nickel Inc. is a junior resource exploration company focussed on high-grade nickel sulfide projects for use in the rapidly growing global electric vehicle market. The Company is accelerating exploration on its flagship Albert Lake Project, host to the historic Rottenstone mine, which is recognized as one of the highest-grade (Nickel, Copper, PGE) deposits of its type ever mined in Canada. The Albert Lake Project consists of 90,127 Ha of mineral claims located in north-central Saskatchewan, Canada. 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. TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / May 21, 2021 / GlobeX Data Ltd. (OTCQB:SWISF) (CSE:SWIS) (FRA:GDT) ("GlobeX" or the "Company"), the leader in Swiss hosted secure communications and secure data management, is pleased to announce that, as part of its US national roll-out of its Sekur privacy and security communications platform, the Company will be featured on Newsmax TV on the New to the Street segment of Newsmax TV on Sunday May 23 2021 at 10:00 AM Eastern Standard Time. The segment can be seen on this web link for all internet viewers: https://www.newsmaxtv.com/ The segment can also be found at: https://newtothestreet.com/new-to-the-street-tv For cable TV please see the list of channels you can find Newsmax TV on: Find Newsmax TV on: Satellite & Cable DirecTV Ch. 349 Dish Network Ch. 216 Comcast Xfinity Ch. 1115 Spectrum (TWC/Charter/BHH) AT&T U-verse Ch. 1220 Verizon FiOS Ch. 615HD / 115SD T-Vision Cox Media Optimum Ch. 102 Suddenlink Ch. 102 Mediacom Ch. 277 WOW! TV Fision TV (Hotwire) Ch. 540HD / 121SD Armstrong Ch. 118 AT&T TV Online Streaming (OTT) Services Sling Roku Pluto TV Ch. 236 XUMO Distro TV Fubo TV Chromecast Android TV Apple TV Amazon Fire TV Plex Haystack SimulTV Alain Ghiai, CEO of GlobeX Data said: "We are very happy start the US mass market marketing of Sekur, our leading Swiss hosted encrypted email, secure messaging and file transfer communications solution. As previously discussed, GlobeX is increasing its marketing budget and we plan to be pushing heavily in the US market in the next 24 months, through media advertising, podcast and TV awareness spots and radio shows sponsoring. As we are not connected, and never have been connected, to AWS, Microsoft Azure or Google Cloud platforms, commonly referred to as "Big Tech", we can offer a truly independent, private and secure means of communications through secure messaging, secure voice record transfer and secure email and secure video conferencing, through our proprietary technology and our secure servers based in Switzerland. With the latest SolarWinds hack of Microsoft Exchange platform and other platforms associated with it, and the new WhatsApp rules to share all users' data with Facebook, we have seen a surge in demand and inquiries for our secure and private communications solutions. The US market represents the largest consumer and business market in the world for us and we are happy to finally offer true privacy and no data mining to everyone in the US. Sekur, which includes SekurMessenger as part of a bundle of email, messaging and file transfer into one app solutions, includes the Company's latest SekurMail technology, which includes proprietary anti-phishing and privacy feature called SekurSend. SekurSend lets a user send an email to any other recipient, whether they have Sekur or not, in full privacy and security as the email never leaves Sekur's encrypted email servers based in Switzerland. The recipient can then click on the notification and reply in the same manner using SekurReply, without the recipient having to register for a Sekur account. The sender can also decide to protect any email sent by adding a password to open it, a read-limit and a self-destruct timer as well. Sending an email with the SekurSend feature allows the senders and recipients to add limitless size attachments to the emails without crowding the recipients' email box. This also eliminates BEC attacks for businesses and email phishing attacks. Additionally, SekurMail includes full control of email delivery, automatic data export for large Enterprises and an automatic Data Loss Prevention technology ("DLP") with real time continuous archiving. Recent data breaches in messaging applications and in particular in the WhatsApp application have created a certain urgency for businesses and data privacy advocates to protect their communications form cyber-attacks and identity theft via mobile and desktop devices. SekurMessenger eliminates many of the privacy and security risks by not only not requiring a phone number, which would divulge a user's phone device ID, but also by not social engineering a user's phone or computer contact list and infecting the contacts by default as well, eliminating a huge loophole in security and privacy. SekurMessenger issues each user a username and a SM number. The SM number is the contact ID a user would disclose in order for other SM users to be added. The service comes with a self-destruct timer and other features as well, including GlobeX's proprietary VirtualVaults and HeliX technologies with all data stored in Swiss hosted encrypted servers. Additionally, SekurMessenger now comes with a proprietary feature and technology called Chat by Invites. This feature allows a SekurMessenger user ("SM user") invite a non-SM user, or a group of non-SM users, to chat in a fully private and secure way, without the recipient ever having to register to SekurMessenger or download the app. At the end of the chat, the initiator of the conversation can remotely terminate the conversation and all traces of the conversation are deleted from all users, including the recipient. This unique feature is now fully deployed and functional on all iOS and Android devices and web platforms. The target sectors are numerous, including but not limited to real estate, legal, financial, government, energy, mining, manufacturing, trade and medical sectors. GlobeX's Data privacy solutions are all hosted in Switzerland, protecting users' data from any outside data intrusion requests. In Switzerland, the right to privacy is guaranteed in article 13 of the Swiss Federal Constitution. The Federal Act on Data Protection ("FADP") of 19 June 1992 (in force since 1993) has set up a strict protection of privacy by prohibiting virtually any processing of personal data which is not expressly authorized by the data subjects. The protection is subject to the authority of the Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner. Under Swiss federal law, it is a crime to publish information based on leaked "secret official discussions." In 2010 the Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland found that IP addresses are personal information and that under Swiss privacy laws they may not be used to track Internet usage without the knowledge of the individuals involved. About GlobeX Data Ltd. GlobeX Data Ltd. is a Cybersecurity and Internet privacy provider of Swiss hosted solutions for secure communications and secure data management. The Company distributes a suite of secure cloud-based storage, disaster recovery, document management, encrypted e-mails, and secure communication tools. GlobeX Data Ltd. sells its products through its approved wholesalers and distributors, and telecommunications companies worldwide. GlobeX Data Ltd. serves consumers, businesses and governments worldwide. On behalf of Management GLOBEX DATA LTD. Alain Ghiai President and Chief Executive Officer +1.416.644.8690 corporate@globexdatagroup.com For more information, please contact GlobeX Data at corporate@globexdatagroup.com or visit us at https://globexdatagroup.com. For more information on Sekur visit us at: https://www.sekur.com. Forward-Looking Information This news release contains certain forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws ("forward-looking statements"). All statements other than statements of present or historical fact are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "anticipate", "achieve", "could", "believe", "plan", "intend", "objective", "continuous", "ongoing", "estimate", "outlook", "expect", "project" and similar words, including negatives thereof, suggesting future outcomes or that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. These statements are only predictions. These statements reflect management's current estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations; they are not guaranteeing future performance. GlobeX cautions that all forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain and that actual performance may be affected by a number of material factors, many of which are beyond GlobeX's control. Such factors include, among other things: risks and uncertainties relating to the future of the Company's business; the success of marketing and sales efforts of the Company; the projections prepared in house and projections delivered by channel partners; the Company's ability to complete the necessary software updates; increases in sales as a result of investments software development technology; consumer interest in the Products; future sales plans and strategies; reliance on large channel partners and expectations of renewals to ongoing agreements with these partners; anticipated events and trends; the economy and other future conditions; and other risks and uncertainties, including those described in GlobeX's prospectus dated May 8, 2019 filed with the Canadian Securities Administrators and available on www.sedar.com. Accordingly, actual and future events, conditions and results may differ materially from the estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations expressed or implied in the forward-looking information. Except as required under applicable securities legislation, GlobeX undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking information. SOURCE: GlobeX Data Ltd. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/648646/GlobeX-Data-to-Be-Featured-on-New-to-the-Street-on-NEWSMAX-TV-Sunday-May-23-2021-at-1000AM-EST After Building a Successful Property Portfolio, James Murphy from Opulent Living Companies Now Wants to Help Real Estate Investors Who Wish to Have Their Own Property Portfolio LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / May 21, 2021 / James Murphy, CEO of the property management company Opulent Living Companies, is pleased to announce the launch of the new Property Scale-Up Accelerator program for budding real estate investors. To learn more about Opulent Living Companies, please visit https://opulentlivinguk.com/. As a company spokesperson noted, James and his wife Stephanie launched Opulent Living Companies in the UK, shortly after relocating there from Australia. Shortly after arriving in the UK in 2017, the couple discovered the "rent to rent," or rental arbitrage strategy, which involves renting or leasing a property from a landlord or developer. "Then, using the correct contract and with the correct permissions, you then either rent each room individually for a greater amount than the total rent, or you uplift the property and rent it out as serviced accommodation or apartments on a night by night basis," the spokesperson said, adding that this approach was so successful for the Murphys, they decided to launch Opulent Living Companies. Now, after building up a significant property portfolio of 51 properties and counting with a Gross Domestic Value of around 6 million Pounds, and a management portfolio of about 200 rent to rent/arbitrage properties-all in two years and starting with just 15,000 Pounds in savings and no outside capital-the spokesperson said James wants to teach other people to grow a high cashflow property business, without owning any property. This led to the creation and launch the Property Scale-Up Accelerator, which can lead to returns that are five to 10 times higher than traditional property investment methods. The program is also ideal for people who already have a portfolio but are struggling with cash flow and growth. As the spokesperson noted, many people have great intentions when starting their property business, but then find themselves stuck with a small portfolio that they do not have the time to build into something larger and more successful. "No matter your property strategy, the new Property Scale-Up Accelerator is packed full of input on how to scale and grow your property business, whether you are just starting out or years into your journey," the spokesperson said, adding that it will also include unparalleled support from the company's staff of over 50 skilled team members and the expert Executive team. About Opulent Living Companies: At Opulent Living Companies, James and Stephanie Murphy strive to offer opportunities for landlords to secure 3-5 year let agreements. Their vision is to offer short-term accommodation that compete with the best in service, design, and comfort. They are also devoted to eliminating all of the stress of letting a property and improving profits for the landlord. For more information, please visit https://opulentlivinguk.com/. CONTACT: Victoria Kennedy manager@victoriakennedyofficial.com 7027185821 SOURCE: Opulent Living Companies View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/648650/Opulent-Living-Companies-Announces-the-Launch-of-Their-New-Property-Scale-Up-Accelerator Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - May 21, 2021) - Hill Street Beverage Company Inc. (TSXV: BEER) ("Hill Street" or the "Company"): This press release is being disseminated by HoldCo (St. Catharines) Ltd. (the "Acquiror") as required by National Instrument 62-103 - The Early Warning System and Related Take-Over Bids and Insider Reporting Issues, in connection with its acquisition of securities of Hill Street. Pursuant to a right of conversion under previously issued convertible debentures of the Company in the principal amount of $1,000,000 ("Convertible Debenture"), issued on May 1, 2020, as described in the press release of the Company dated May 4, 2020, the Acquiror acquired 20,000,000 common shares in the capital of the Company at a deemed purchase price of $0.05 per Common Share. Prior to the acquisition, the Acquiror owned or controlled 21,797,855 Common Shares representing 11.80% of the 184,718,695 issued and outstanding Common Shares. After completion of the acquisition, the Acquiror owned or controlled 41,797,855 Common Shares, representing 20.42% of the 204,718,695 issued and outstanding Common Shares. The Acquiror is relying on the exemption set forth in Section 4.2 of National Instrument 62-104 - Take Over Bids and Issuer Bids, of the formal bid rules, on the basis that this transaction is being made pursuant to a private agreement between the Company and the Acquiror. The Acquiror acquired the Common Shares for investment purposes. The Acquiror intends to review its investment in Company on a continuing basis and may, from time to time and at any time, acquire or cause to be acquired additional equity or debt securities or other instruments of Company, or dispose or cause to be disposed such equity or debt securities or instruments, through open market transactions, private placements by Company and other privately negotiated transactions, or otherwise, in each case in accordance with applicable securities laws. An early warning report will be filed by the Acquiror under applicable securities laws and will be available on Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com . A copy of the early warning report may also be obtained from James Leech, Corporate Secretary, jleech@torkinmanes.com. 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. Not for dissemination in the United States of America. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/84890 TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / May 21, 2021 / Gratomic Inc. ("GRAT" or the "Company") (TSXV:GRAT)(OTCQX:CBULF)(FSE:CB82) wishes to report that, further to its press release of May 14, 2021, the employee who tested positive for Covid-19 continues to recover at home in isolation, without further complications of her health condition. She will be allowed to return to her duties after testing negative in the near future. Following the guidelines of local health authorities, further PCR tests have identified three additional employees with positive results, none of whom are showing symptoms of the disease. They will remain in self-isolation and local health services will continue to follow up and report on their condition. The site has been thoroughly disinfected by a specialized service company. All remaining employees, who tested negative and/or did not develop any symptoms during the observation period, have been allowed to return to site. Normal operations will be resumed on Monday May 24th, with the functions of the four isolated employees being temporarily fulfilled by other co-workers. Arno Brand President & CEO commented, "The health and safety of our employees is our top priority and we will continue to make every effort to ensure that we are following COVID best practices in order to prevent any additional exposure to, or spread of the disease." About?Gratomic?Inc.?? Gratomic?is focused on?introducing an exceptional anode material to the global electric vehicle and energy storage supply chains.?The Company?aims to achieve full operational capabilities in 2021, with further plans to take its Aukam Graphite Project fully solar by 2022.? Large quantities of its naturally high-quality graphite have been shipped for testing to confirm its viability as an anode material. Gratomic is confident that the results will provide a unique competitive advantage in its desired target markets. The Company's recent collaboration agreement with Forge Nano has advanced the developments on its graphite finalization phase for?the?micronization,?spheronization, and the patented ALD coating?of its Aukam vein?graphite for use in lithium-ion batteries. Forge Nano is?a?global leader in surface engineering and precision nano-coating technology, using Atomic Layer?Deposition. GRAT has two outstanding off-take purchase agreements with TODAQ and Phu Sumika with contract fulfillment slated to begin in 2021.??Gratomic?plans to deliver mine-to-market traceability through its partnership with deeptech company TODAQ by providing documented tracking on all graphite generated at its flagship?Aukam?Graphite Project. For more information, visit the website at?www.gratomic.ca?or contact:?? Arno Brand at?abrand@gratomic.ca?or (416) 561-4095?? Subscribe at gratomic.ca/contact/ to be added to our email list.?? "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."?? Forward-Looking Statements:?? This news release contains forward-looking statements, which relate to future events or future performance and reflect management's current expectations and assumptions. Such forward-looking statements reflect management's current beliefs and are based on assumptions made by and information currently available to the Company. Investors are cautioned that these forward-looking statements are neither promises nor guarantees and are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause future results to differ materially from those expected. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and, except as required under applicable securities legislation, the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances. All of the forward-looking statements made in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements and by those made in our filings with SEDAR in Canada (available at?www.sedar.com.) SOURCE: Gratomic Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/648649/Gratomic-Provides-Update-on-Covid-19-Exposure-at-Aukam Parties plan $25 million concurrent private placement and application to list on TSX Venture Exchange Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 21, 2021) - 1290447 B.C. Ltd. (the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has entered into a business combination agreement (the "Business Combination Agreement") with Seamless Logic Software Limited, a company existing under the laws of Gibraltar ("Seamless") and MoneyClip Inc., a company existing under the laws of the State of Delaware ("MoneyClip"). Upon completion of the Business Combination (as defined below), the Company is expected to be renamed Wellfield Technologies Inc. ("Wellfield" or the "Resulting Issuer"). Beginning in 2017, Seamless and MoneyClip have developed complementary, cutting-edge technology infrastructure designed to facilitate decentralized finance ("DeFi") by streamlining cross-blockchain trading and making Bitcoin compatible with DeFi. The companies combine best-in-class leadership with decades of experience building disruptive technology in Silicon Valley and Israel. The combined team of 13 engineers including 5 PhDs have developed a proprietary DeFi technology and IP portfolio since 2017 and, upon completion of the Business Combination and Concurrent Financing, will be ideally positioned to expand their R&D, product pipeline and user base. Concurrently with the Business Combination, the Company intends to undertake a $25 million best efforts private placement led by Canaccord Genuity Corp. (the "Concurrent Financing") and to apply for listing on the TSX Venture Exchange (the "Exchange"). Overview of the Business Combination Pursuant to the Business Combination Agreement, the parties will complete a series of transactions (collectively, the "Business Combination") whereby, among other things, existing shareholders of Seamless and MoneyClip will exchange their shareholdings for common shares of the Resulting Issuer. Prior to giving effect to the Concurrent Financing, the non-diluted, pro forma ownership of the Resulting Issuer is expected to be approximately 60% former Seamless shareholders, 38% former MoneyClip shareholders, and 2% former Company shareholders. Concurrent Financing In connection with the Business Combination, the parties intend to complete a best efforts private placement of subscription receipts (the "Subscription Receipts"). Canaccord Genuity Corp., on behalf of a syndicate of agents to be formed, has been retained as lead agent and bookrunner in the Concurrent Financing. Upon the satisfaction or waiver of certain escrow release conditions, including closing of the Business Combination in accordance with its terms and the Resulting Issuer being conditionally approved for listing on the Exchange, the escrowed proceeds of the Concurrent Financing (less certain agreed deductions) will be released to the Resulting Issuer and holders of Subscription Receipts, without any further payment or other act or formality, will receive common shares of the Resulting Issuer. Exchange Listing The Company is a "reporting issuer" in the Provinces of British Columbia and Alberta, but is not currently listed for trading on any stock exchange. In connection with the Business Combination, the Resulting Issuer will apply to list its common shares on the Exchange. Completion of the Business Combination is subject to, among other things, the Company receiving conditional listing approval from the Exchange and the satisfaction of the closing conditions of the Exchange. Marc Lustig, a control person of the Company, is also Chairman of Seamless, incoming Chairman of the Resulting Issuer and, directly or through his holding company, a shareholder of Seamless and MoneyClip, while Jennifer Goldman, a control person of the Company, is a joint actor with Jason I. Goldman Professional Corporation, a shareholder of Seamless, and consequently the Business Combination constitutes a "related party transaction" within the meaning of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). In its consideration and approval of the Business Combination, the board of directors of the Company determined that the Business Combination will be exempt from the formal valuation and minority approval requirements of MI 61-101 on the basis of the exemptions in Sections 5.5(b) and 5.7(g) of MI 61-101. Proposed Board and Management of the Resulting Issuer Subject to Exchange approval, on completion of the Business Combination, it is currently anticipated that the board of directors of the Resulting Issuer will consist of Levy Cohen, Chanan Steinhart, Marc Lustig and two (2) additional independent directors to be mutually agreed by Seamless, MoneyClip and the Company. Biographies of the current proposed directors of the Resulting Issuer are set out below. Marc Lustig, Chairman of the Board of Directors Marc Lustig is a highly regarded entrepreneur and founder with strong experience in corporate finance. Since the landmark 2020 cannabis merger between Origin House (of which he was the founder, CEO and Chairman) with Cresco Labs, Marc has been focused on managing L5 Capital, his investment company, and serving on the boards of several public companies. Levy Cohen, Chief Executive Officer & Director Levy Cohen has extensive experience leading technology-driven banking and payments companies in both Israel and Silicon Valley, focusing on building strong product and service-oriented user experiences. Since founding Seamless in 2018, Levy has researched and developed innovative technologies that advance decentralized finance. Chanan Steinhart, Co-Chief Executive Officer, Strategy and Business Development & Director Chanan Steinhart is a tech CEO, speaker and author who has spent two decades at the forefront of emerging consumer-product technology. Prior to founding MoneyClip, Chanan was the founder and CEO of disruptive technology companies in both Israel and Silicon Valley, leading three businesses from startup to scale and exit. Conditions to the Business Combination In addition to the completion of matters discussed herein, completion of the Business Combination is subject to a number of customary conditions, including: (i) receipt of all required consents or approvals, including Exchange listing approval; (ii) completion of the Business Combination on or before October 29, 2021, or such other date as may be agreed upon by the parties; (iii) no prohibition at law existing for completion of the Business Combination; (iii) escrow agreements being entered into pursuant to the policies of the Exchange; (iv) approval of the Business Combination and all matters related thereto required to be approved by the shareholders of Seamless, MoneyClip and the Company; (v) approval by shareholders of the Company of an equity incentive plan in accordance with Exchange policies; (vi) the representations and warranties of each of Seamless, MoneyClip and the Company being true and correct as of closing; and (vii) no material adverse change for each of Seamless, MoneyClip and the Company. For further information contact: 1290457 B.C. Ltd. Michael Lerner, Director mlerner10@gmail.com Seamless Logic Software Limited Levy Cohen, Director levy@wellfield.io MoneyClip Inc. Chanan Steinhart chanan@wellfield.io The Exchange has in no way passed upon the merits of the Business Combination and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release. Neither the Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release. THIS PRESS RELEASE DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER TO SELL OR THE SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO BUY ANY SECURITIES IN ANY JURISDICTION, NOR SHALL THERE BE ANY OFFER, SALE, OR SOLICITATION OF SECURITIES IN ANY STATE IN THE UNITED STATES IN WHICH SUCH OFFER, SALE, OR SOLICITATION WOULD BE UNLAWFUL. ANY SECURITIES REFERRED TO HEREIN WILL NOT BE REGISTERED UNDER THE U.S. SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 (THE "1933 ACT") AND MAY NOT BE OFFERED OR SOLD IN THE UNITED STATES OR TO A U.S. PERSON IN THE ABSENCE OF SUCH REGISTRATION OR AN EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE 1933 ACT. All information contained in this news release with respect to the Company, Seamless and MoneyClip was supplied by the parties, respectively, for inclusion herein, and the Company and its directors and officers have relied on Seamless and MoneyClip for any information concerning such parties. Completion of the Business Combination is subject to a number of conditions. There can be no assurance that the Business Combination will be completed as proposed or at all. Investors are cautioned that, except as disclosed in the listing application to be prepared in connection with the Business Combination, any information released or received with respect to the Business Combination may not be accurate or complete and should not be relied upon. Notice on forward-looking statements: Certain information in this news release constitutes "forward-looking information" under applicable securities laws. "Forward-looking information" is defined as disclosure regarding possible events, conditions or financial performance that is based on assumptions about future economic conditions and courses of action and includes future-oriented financial information with respect to prospective financial performance, financial position or cash flows that is presented as a forecast or a projection. Forward-looking statements are often but not always, identified by the use of such terms as "may", "might", "will", "will likely result", "would", "should", "estimate", "plan", "project", "forecast", "intend", "expect", "anticipate", "believe", "seek", "continue", "target" or the negative and/or inverse of such terms or other similar expressions. Forward-looking information in this news release includes, but is not limited to, statements relating to: the intentions of the Company, Seamless and MoneyClip to complete the Business Combination and Concurrent Financing; the listing of the Resulting Issuer's shares on the TSX Venture Exchange (the "Exchange"); and the potential effects of the Business Combination, including the expectation that the completion of the Business Combination will allow for Seamless and MoneyClip to expand their R&D, product pipeline and user base. Forward-looking information in this news release are based on certain assumptions and expected future events, namely: the ability of the Company, Seamless and MoneyClip to complete the Business Combination; the ability of the Company, Seamless and MoneyClip to complete the Concurrent Financing; the ability of the Resulting Issuer to attain conditional listing approval from the Exchange; the ability of the Company, Seamless and MoneyClip to attain the respective shareholder and/or director approval of the Business Combination and Concurrent Financing; and the ability of the Company, Seamless and MoneyClip to comply with the conditions of the Business Combination as outlined herein. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements, including: the ability of the Company, Seamless and MoneyClip to consummate the Concurrent Financing; the timing of the closing of the Business Combination, including the risks that the conditions to the Business Combination, as outlined herein, would not be satisfied within the expected timeframe or at all, or that the closing of any proposed financing, acquisition or transaction will not occur or whether any such event will enhance shareholder value; the non-approval of the board of directors and/or shareholders of the Company, Seamless and MoneyClip of the Business Combination and/or Concurrent Financing; the ability of the Company, Seamless and MoneyClip to continue as a going concerns; the ability of the Company, Seamless and MoneyClip to maintain compliance with certain financial and other covenants; the inability of the Resulting Issuer to attain conditional listing approval from the Exchange; the effects of the global COVID-19 pandemic; changes in economic conditions; competition; risks and uncertainties applicable to the businesses of the Company's subsidiaries, as applicable; and other risks, uncertainties and factors. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof and the Company disclaims any obligations to update these statements, except as may be required by law. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list is not exhaustive. Readers are further cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements as there can be no assurance that the plans, intentions or expectations upon which they are placed will occur. Such information, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement and reflect our expectations as of the date hereof, and thus are subject to change thereafter. The Company, Seamless and MoneyClip disclaim any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. This news release has been approved by the board of directors of the Company, Seamless and MoneyClip. NOT FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE U.S. OR THROUGH U.S. NEWSWIRES To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/84899 Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - May 21, 2021) - MYM Nutraceuticals Inc. (CSE: MYM) ("MYM" or the "Company"): This press release is being disseminated by Cultivator Catalyst Corp. (the "Acquiror") as required by National Instrument 62-103 The Early Warning System and Related Take-Over Bids and Insider Reporting Issues in connection with its acquisition of securities of MYM. Effective May 21, 2021, the Acquiror acquired 88,904,428 Common Shares in the capital of the Company, pursuant to a right of conversion of 88,904,428 Class A Special Shares in the capital of MYM International Brands Inc., a subsidiary of the Company. Prior to the acquisition, the Acquiror owned or controlled 33,863,985 Common Shares, representing 13.3% of the 255,157,173 issued and outstanding Common Shares. After completion of the acquisition the Acquiror owned or controlled 122,768,413 Common Shares, representing 33.3% of the 369,050,427 issued and outstanding Common Shares. The Acquiror is relying on the exemption set forth in Section 4.2 of National Instrument 62-104 - Take Over Bids and Issuer Bids, of the formal bid rules, on the basis that this transaction is being made pursuant to a private agreement between the Company and the Acquiror. The Acquiror acquired the Common Shares contemplated herein for the purposes of voting those shares in favour of a proposed transaction involving the Company and IM Cannabis Corp., as contemplated in the press releases for the Company dated April 1, 2021 and April 19, 2021. The Common Shares contemplated herein are subject to a voting support agreement in favour of management of the Company, which was delivered in connection with a proposed transaction involving the Company and IM Cannabis Corp., as contemplated in the press release for the Company dated April 1, 2021 and April 19, 2021. An early warning report will be filed by the Acquiror under applicable securities laws and will be available on Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com. A copy of the early warning report may also be obtained from James Leech, counsel to the Acquiror at jleech@torkinmanes.com. The following executive officer of MYM may be contacted about this press release: Robin Linden (Chief Marketing Officer), (778)-522-2261. Not for dissemination in the United States of America. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/84898 Heyday, a San Francisco CA-based eCommerce brand building company, raised $70M in Series B funding. The round was led by General Catalyst with participation from Khosla Ventures and Arbor Ventures. The company intends to use the funds to expand operations and its business reach. Led by Sebastian Rymarz, co-founder and CEO, Heyday provides a platform advancing a marketplace-native approach to eCommerce brand building combining technology, data and capital. The company forms innovative partnerships with eCommerce entrepreneurs, spanning growth capital to full acquisitions. Once a part of the Heyday platform, brands are tapped into marketplace-native technology, data and operational capabilities designed to produce exponential growth, and can participate in the success of the platform through its entrepreneur equity-sharing program. Since emerging from stealth in November 2020, Heyday has scaled rapidly, crossing $100M in revenue, growing its global team to over 100 employees and expanding into over a dozen international markets. Heyday has also brought on new team leaders to support its growth over the last six months, adding: Head of Technology Tapan Shah (Coupang, Amazon), Head of Operations Karan Gandhi (Boxed, Amazon), Head of Creative Ted Tsandes (Skullcandy) and Head of Legal Megan Agnew (Conagra, Latham & Watkins). The company has also appointed eCommerce innovator Tina Sharkey, co-founder of Brandless and Board Member of PBS and Havenly, to the Board of Directors. General Catalyst partner Mark Crane will also be joining the board. FinSMEs 21/05/2021 Grayskull board (CNW Group/Tenstorrent Inc) Tenstorrent, a Toronto, Canada-based a hardware startup developing next generation computers, raised over $200M in funding round at a $1 billion valuation. The round was led by Fidelity Management and Research Company with participation from Eclipse Ventures, Epic CG and Moore Capital. The company intends to use the funds to continue creating AI focused hardware for developers. Led by Ljubisa Bajic, CEO, and Jim Keller, CTO, Tenstorrent is a hardware startup developing next generation computers whose Grayskull processor will go to market in the second half of 2021. In addition, the company will be launching DevCloud which will allow developers to try running their models without first having to purchase hardware. Larger systems powered by Tenstorrents technology will be available through partners. The company is headquartered in Toronto, Canada, with U.S. offices in Austin, Texas, and Silicon Valley. FinSMEs 21/05/2021 Unlimited website access 24/7 Unlimited e-Edition access 24/7 The best local, regional and national news in sports, politics, business and more! With a Digital Only subscription, you'll receive unlimited access to our website and e-edition. Our digital products are available 24/7 and are accessible anywhere, anytime. Yes, I have been vaccinated Not yet, but I plan to get vaccinated No, I don't want to get vaccinated Vote View Results Paxton, IL (60957) Today A mix of clouds and sun. High near 90F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Some clouds. Low around 70F. Winds light and variable. More cocaine continued to wash up on Baldwin County beaches Wednesday, May 19, 2021 and Thursday morning. Fox 10 News first broke this story Tuesday when we learned that 30 kilos washed ashore in Gulf Shores overnight. Since then, five more packages have been discovered by visitors and turned over to authorities. As long as the wind keeps the surf churning, authorities said there could be more cocaine coming ashore. The last four packages were discovered west of Gulf Shores, along Fort Morganthree Wednesday and another one Thursday morning. Police said the person who found that one drove it to the Police Station in their car. The gulfs still really rough. There could be more so we would ask that they just keep an eye on it and call us and not put it in their car and transport it anywhere or anything like that, advised Lt. Jason Woodruff with Gulf Shores Police. The latest bundles came ashore along Ft. Morgan Road, Ponce de Leon Ct., and Privateer Ct. With these latest finds comes a bit more mystery. Of the 35 found, all but two carry the same type of identifying numbers and lettering. One discovered Wednesday instead has a picture of the notorious Columbian drug lord, Pablo Escobar with the letters, RF on it. The one brought to the Gulf Shores Police Department Thursday morning says 99.9% in bold characters. Police thought they might get a break in the case Wednesday night when the waves brought something else ashore. We actually had an aircrafta piece of an aircraft wash up that was concerning at first, but further investigation revealed that it was part of actually a drone that the military built to shoot down years ago, Woodruff explained. Word of the contraband washing up had spread over the week. Tourists were on alert and also intrigued by the mystery. Really, its quite surprising, said Erik Erwin, visiting from Texas. It would have been morewhats the word for itI guess, reasonable if it would have rolled up in Texas, maybe from Mexico but right here in Alabama, its kind of shocking. Gulf Shores PD has stepped up patrols along its beaches and deputies with the Baldwin County Sheriffs Office assigned to the Fort Morgan Peninsula will be doing the same. The cocaine collected by both agencies has been turned over to US Customs where the mystery surrounding its origins may begin to unravel. They can do any kind of chemical testing on it and analyze, maybe, where the cocaine came from, said Capt. Clint Cadenhead with the Baldwin County Sheriffs Office. Fox 10 News reached out to the US Customs and Border Patrol regional office in New Orleans to see where it plans to go with this case, but weve not heard back from them. Authorities want to remind you if you find one of these packages on the beach, call police and if you can, keep an eye on it until officers arrive. Youre asked to not handle it. New Editions From a Brand to Discover: Michael Malul New Fragrances Michael Malul is one of those brands in our fragrance database that quietly expands every now and then with new fragrances or collections without any attention or buzz around it. The brand's first fragrances, both for women and men, came out in 2019, after which in 2020 the KTORET collection was added; six fragrances created with a philosophy of simplicity and minimalism. Earlier this year (2021), the brand informed us about three additional editions that joined this collection. Let's find out a bit more about the Michael Malul brand that works with well-known Firmenich perfumers like Frank Voelkl, Clement Gavarri, Gil Clavien, and Gabriela Chelariu, as well as Alpha Aromatics' VP and perfumer Roger Howell. Hanan Malul is the CEO and founder of Michael Malul London. Growing up in Israel to immigrant parents from France and Morocco, Hanan felt inspired by the diverse culture around him. With a mother who worked as a chef and a father who worked as an industrial chemist, he early on discovered his attraction to scents and subsequently the world of fragrance. After finishing school as a mechanical engineer, he decided to move to London, where his dream to start a fragrance brand began. From there, Hanan moved to the US, where he founded his company. The entire manufacturing for the Michael Malul brand takes place in Columbus, Ohio, through the brand's manufacturing label, IMH Perfume. Citizen Jack Absolute, Jet Black Platinum, and Jet Black Reserve are the three fragrances the brand has sold the most of so far, which is ascribed to their unique note-combinations that "captivate our customers when they experience them for the first time. Citizen Jack Absolute has fresh bergamot and melon blended with a tinge of pineapple and amber, then swirled with a woody blend of vanilla and musk. It is very complex, unique, and beautifully crafted. Jet Black Platinum is a charming and seductive fragrance, featuring a sweet, woody aroma with notes of spice, lavender, toffee, and cinnamon. A base of suede, vanilla, and amber creates an irresistible trifecta of scents for any lover. Lastly, Jet Black Reserve is a warm and luxurious fragrance made up of a blend of amber, cardamom, and woody notes. Lavender, apple, and white pepper aromas can also be detected." KTORET is, as already mentioned, the new fragrance line from Michael Malul, which according to the brand, is designed to elevate your mood and transport you to a moment in time or to create a new memory you wish to look back on someday. "Created with a philosophy of simplicity and minimalism, each KTORET composition is crafted using the most sublime of ingredients for evocative scents that linger like captured memories. KTORET is presented in bottles of Italian glass with eco-friendly luxury packaging." The new fragrances within the KTORET line are placed under the women's scents of the brand and called 508 Nightfall, 293 Sparkle, and 593 Bali. 508 Nightfall Perfumer: Gabriela Chelariu Brand's description: Intimate. Alluring. Mysterious. Nightfall will have you feeling bold, sexy, and confident. Perfect for a date night or a night out, Nightfall is the scent that you wear when your evening adventure awaits. NIGHTFALL NOTES Top notes: Bergamot, Apricot, Pink Pepper Heart notes: Jasmine, Tuberose, Orange Blossom Base notes: Patchouli, Vanilla, Moss 293 Sparkle Perfumer: Clement Gavarri Brand's description: Feminine, floral, and sophisticated, this pink and polished fragrance is your very own Parisian love story. Sparkle is the scent for the romantic in us all. SPARKLE NOTES Top notes: Mandarin, Pink Pepper, Waterlily Heart notes: Orange Blossom, Jasmine, Rose Base notes: Cedar, Patchouli, Musk 593 Bali Perfumer: Gil Clavien Brand's description: This fragrance summons the free-spirited feeling of wanderlust and discovery. Unique and complex, Bali is a statement fragrance for the bohemian soul. BALI NOTES Top notes: Bergamot, Cardamom, Elemi Heart notes: Jasmine, Lily, Suede Base notes: Orris Root, Sandalwood, Musk *** The Michael Malul fragrances are available through the brand's website in various sizes. Some are only offered in full-size bottles ranging from US $80 to $109, and some also have a travel size of 10 ml (priced at around US $23). The site shows a discovery set, but this seems to be out of stock at the moment (you could try contacting them through their website or Facebook page). Remember when we announced the four discovery sets Xerjoff presented in September 2020, offering a selection of the most popular creations by the luxurious Italian brand? Now we have more options; we can choose our favorite three for the set. On the official XERJOFF UNIVERSE website, there is a page where you can choose your 3 favorites in the size of 15ml. As the brand urges, "Experience a world of olfactory pleasure at your fingertips with the Xerjoff Discovery Set. Take a piece of Xerjoff with you wherever you go with our new customisable mix and match sets comprised of three compact perfumes. Available exclusively online at XERJOFFUNIVERSE.COM, our mix, and match functionality allows you to select three pocket-sized perfumes from a choice of fifteen. Alternatively, immerse yourself in Xerjoffs iconic favourites with our pre-selected Discovery packs, from radiant, fruity selections to mysterious, exotic scents." Get 25% off of the regular $65 annual All Access rate. With this subscription you will get: Digital access to ElPasoInc.com and archives (value $45) Print subscription home or business delivered (value $65) Book of Lists (annual rate only, value $50) El Paso Inc. Magazine (value $20) El Paso Kids Inc. Special sections - OR - Get 15% off of the regular $45 annual Digital-only rate. With this subscription you will get: Complete digital access to ElPasoInc.com. Clean Ventures Signs Deal to Bring Mr Jeff Franchises Into New York and Ohio Laundromats Modernization of Laundry to Begin with Four Pilot Stores Offering Tech-Based Service May 21, 2021 // Franchising.com // Miami, Fla. - Mr Jeff, an international laundry service franchise infused with cutting edge technology, has signed an agreement with Clean Ventures, a venture capital fund that invests in growth-stage laundry companies, to ignite the U.S. expansion of Mr Jeff and ultimately transform the laundry service sector. Clean Ventures is managed by industry leaders who have collectively built hundreds of laundromats across the United States, including Peter Stern, SVP of Clean Rite Centers, a laundry service superstore chain which has developed more than 200 locations across North America, mainly in shopping centers and high-traffic pad sites. Mr Jeff has already modernized the tedious task of laundry in more than 30 countries through a seamless 48-hour home pickup and delivery mobile app-based service. Through the mutually-beneficial deal - which includes an investment by Clean Ventures and a partnership with Clean Rite stores - Mr Jeff can leverage Clean Rites established customer base by operating inside select Clean Rite laundromats. Conversely, Clean Rite will benefit from Mr Jeffs innovative business model and marketing expertise to expand its customer services and revenue streams. The partnership will leverage both Mr Jeffs proprietary technology to manage Mr Jeff stores: Jeff Suite and Jeff Drivers, as well as Clean Rites existing technology platform Cents to manage the self-service side of the business. The partnership came after an audit process of 4,500 hours, which included personal interviews with hundreds of Mr Jeff franchisees from more than 20 countries. It will kick off this summer with a pilot test of Mr Jeff operating within three Clean Rite stores in New York - two in Brooklyn and one in Queens - and one in Columbus. The Mr Jeff brand and company as a whole is incredibly innovative and efficient, said Peter Stern, also Managing Director of Clean Ventures. The fragmented laundry industry here in the United States lacks that innovation and the tech side of the business. Through this agreement, which will include integration with our Cents platform, Mr Jeff can provide technology insight, reservation systems, membership models and customer data and acquisitions never before seen in the laundry sector. The news of the Clean Venture agreement follows Mr Jeffs announcement in April 2021 that it was introducing its comprehensive Business in a Box franchise opportunity, connecting the offline and online worlds, to qualified entrepreneurs in 13 select states. The decision came after raising $43 million in funding and growing across the globe with 2,000 sold stores in Europe, Latin America, Africa, the Middle East and Southeast Asia. The U.S. market is incredibly important to us, said Eloi Gomez, co-founder and CEO of Mr Jeff. The agreement with Clean Ventures is not only one of capital investment but also a collaboration in helping Mr Jeff enter, grow and navigate through the U.S. market. They will be an invaluable asset to assist with real estate development and help us make the appropriate connections through their network of operators and premier vendor relationships. Plus, we will be able to offer franchisees in select states the opportunity to operate within the existing real estate of Clean Rite, benefitting from the foot traffic of one of the most established laundromat chains in the country. Stern said Clean Ventures is looking to move quickly, devoting aggressive amounts of resources into the pilot locations to get them up and running. We believe in the model and are already preparing for success, Stern said. The concept has already been presented to prominent Laundromat operators around the country who are eager to add Mr Jeff hubs in their own locations. About Mr Jeff Mr Jeff, a home-delivery laundry franchise, is part of Jeff, a wellness services platform startup founded in Valencia, Spain in 2015 by three friends, Eloi Gomez, Adrian Lorenzo and Ruben Munoz. The trio met in 2010 in their university dormitory and quickly realized they all shared an entrepreneurial spirit. With more than 2,000 sold stores in 30+ countries. Its goal is simple: Mr Jeff wants to provide The Good Good Life to its users and franchisees. In early 2021, the brand brought its franchise opportunity to the United States, specifically looking to partner with qualified franchisees in Arizona; Colorado; Florida; Kansas; Massachusetts; Missouri; New Hampshire; Nevada; Oregon; Pennsylvania, Texas, Tennessee and Vermont. International locations have expanded with other daily services including Fit Jeff, Beauty Jeff and Relax Jeff. For more information on bringing a Mr Jeff to your community please visit https://franchise.jeff.com/us/ About Clean Ventures Clean Ventures invests in growth-stage companies disrupting and improving the laundry industry. With over 25 years of industry experience, Clean Ventures has the deep industry relationships and incubator-investor model to rapidly grow the industry size. Clean Ventures is founded in partnership with industry affiliates representing more than $75 million in revenue. The ventures management team boasts more than 100 years of combined industry experience and, collectively, has built hundreds of laundromats across the U.S. For more information on Clean Ventures please visit https://cleanventurefund.com/. SOURCE Mr Jeff ### Media Contact: Amanda Regan Fishman Public Relations C: 630.229.8962 aregan@fishmanpr.com Add to Request List Added Request Information Comments: Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Disqus Other than frontline workers, I dont think it should be required It should never be required It should be required by private employers in almost all cases Vote View Results Keep the conversation about local news & events going by joining us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Recent updates from The News-Post and also from News-Post staff members are compiled below. Have any questions? Please give us a call at 907-352-2250 Show us the money, redux: Alaskans respond to the chance to balance the budget William Weber West, 93 of Gainesville, Texas passed away on June 2, 2021. He was born on April 7, 1928 in Atchison, Kansas to Lee West and Elizabeth (Weber) West. He married Mary Ellen Peyrot on May 17, 1951 in Gainesville, Texas. William enlisted in the U.S. Army on January 5, 1951 in Gaine Galveston, TX (77553) Today Sun and clouds mixed. High 87F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight A few passing clouds. Low around 80F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph. THQ Nordic parent company Embracer Group held merger and acquisition talks with over 150 companies during the last quarter alone. The Swedish company has been hugely proactive when it comes to M&As in recent years, making a seemingly never-ending flurry of deals that included notable moves for Borderlands dev Gearbox, Saints Row and Dead Island publisher Koch Media, Metro developer 4A Games, and many more. Embracer currently owns and operators 68 internal studios in total, and in its latest fiscal report indicated it intends to further strengthen that line-up. "During the quarter, we have engaged with more than 150 companies about joining the Group, including larger companies that could form additional operating groups and have a significant impact on the Group as a whole," said the company. "Currently, across the Group, we are in more than 20 late-stage talks. These include several signed exclusive letters of intent that would, if concluded, strengthen the operating groups and further improve the outlook of the Group." Despite being in talks with a huge swathe of companies, Embracer described its M&A strategy as "prudent" and said it wouldn't be rushing into any transactions. "In M&A as in game development, quality comes first," concluded the company. [This unedited press release is made available courtesy of Gamasutra and its partnership with notable game PR-related resource Games Press.] For Immediate Release Columbus, GA (May 20, 2021) - Grammy nominated writer Sande Chen, who was nominated for a Writers Guild award for her work on The Witcher game, shares her insights on game design and writing June 12 with the virtual Columbus Interactive Media Festival. Chen speaks both on game writing and designing games that attract non-toxic communities. Sande Chen is one of those rare people who has driven innovation both in game and narrative design," said Andrew Greenberg, executive director of the Georgia Game Developers Association (GGDA). "She is the perfect keynote for this, the fifth anniversary of the GGDA's CIMFest." Sande Chen, photo credit Sande Chen Chen's keynote, "Flavored by Authenticiy: How personal experiences amplify narrative," addresses how digital storytellers can draw on their personal touchstones to more deeply connect with and engage a broad audience. She also moderates a SIEGE roundtable on "Designing Non-Toxic Communities," dealing with game design principles that can promote friendlier and harrassment-free communities. Other CIMFest sessions include: Winning Early Access / Stu Phelps and Jason Hillhouse Irrigating The River of Content: How to make workflows that work / Ryan Kline Relational Joints: Gameplay / Simon Hoffiz Your Text Editor and You / Clark Chambers The Quest for Social Connection / Kimmiko and Atlanta Gamer Life How Live Streaming can Push the Industry Forward / The VR Girl A Tale of Two Graphs: Definitive Proof that The Franchise Effect is Slightly More Powerful than the Ever-Shrinking Market Curve / Joe Cassavaugh CIMFest starts at noon EST June 12 and runs until 7 pm. Anyone can watch the livestreamed presentations on www.youtube.com/GeorgiaGameDevs . GGDA members get access to the Association's Discord channel to network with CIMFest speakers and other game developers. CIMFest starts at noon EST June 12 and runs until 7 pm. Anyone can watch the livestreamed presentations on www.youtube.com/GeorgiaGameDevs . GGDA members get access to the Association's Discord channel to network with CIMFest speakers and other game developers. CIMFest began in 2016 at Columbus State University as a celebration of game design. Chen's keynote broadcast is 3 pm EST, June 12, and her roundtable is at 1 pm. Livestream attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions via YouTube's chat feature. About the GGDA The Georgia Game Developers Association is the nonprofit trade association for Georgia-based businesses and professionals in the video game manufacturing industry. It supports its members with business opportunities, educational services, professional development and public affairs coordination. www.ggda.org International AP Israel, Hamas agree to cease-fire to end bloody 11-day war Hatem Moussa Rockets are launched from the Gaza Strip towards Israel, in Gaza City, Thursday, May 20, 2021. (AP Photo/Hatem Moussa) Khalil Hamra A Palestinian carries a wounded man into Shifa hospital following Israeli airstrikes on Gaza City, Thursday, May 20, 2021. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra) Adel Hana A man inspects the rubble of destroyed residential building which was hit by Israeli airstrikes in Gaza City on Thursday. Adel Hana A child looks at the damaged room of his family apartment after by Israeli airstrikes near a residential building, in Beit Lahiya, Gaza Strip, Thursday, May 20, 2021. (AP Photo/Adel Hana) John Minchillo A technician removes an unexploded missile fired from the Gaza Strip that landed on the top floor of a high rise apartment building, Thursday, May 20, 2021, in Ashkelon, southern Israel. (AP Photo/John Minchillo) John Minchillo A family huddles in their home with bomb technicians and police as sirens warn of an incoming attack, Thursday, May 20, 2021, in Ashkelon, southern Israel. The family residence had just received a direct hit from an unexploded missile that landed on the top floor of their high rise apartment building. (AP Photo/John Minchillo) Yousef Masoud Relatives of Hoda Al-Khozondar, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike, react as mourners carry her body out of the family home, during her funeral in town of Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, Thursday, May 20, 2021. (AP Photo/Yousef Masoud) Khalil Hamra A Palestinian man inspects the damage of his home following Israeli airstrikes on Jabaliya refugee camp, northern Gaza Strip, Thursday, May 20, 2021. Heavy airstrikes pummeled a street in the Jabaliya refugee camp in northern Gaza, destroying ramshackle homes with corrugated metal roofs nearby. The military said it struck two underground launchers in the camp used to fire rockets at Tel Aviv. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra) Ariel Schalit An Israeli soldier from the IDF Spokespersons Unit inspects the damaged house after it was hit by a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip, In Ashkelon, Israel, Thursday, May 20, 2021. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit) Heidi Levine Israeli juggler Guy Kaplan performs for children in a bomb shelter, following rocket attacks fired from the Gaza Strip, in Ashdod, Israel, Thursday, May 20, 2021. (AP Photo/Heidi Levine) Tsafrir Abayov Israeli soldiers take cover under armored vehicles as a siren sounds warning of incoming rockets fired from Gaza strip in a staging ground near the Israeli-Gaza border southern Israel, Thursday, May 20, 2021. (AP Photo/Tsafrir Abayov) Heidi Levine Lia Tal, 40, rushes with her children and partner to take shelter as a siren sounds a warning of incoming rockets fired from the Gaza Strip, In Ashdod, Israel, Thursday, May 20, 2021. (AP Photo/Heidi Levine) Ariel Schalit An Israeli soldier inspects the damaged house after it was hit by a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip, In Ashkelon, Israel, Thursday, May 20, 2021. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit) Maya Alleruzzo An Israeli soldier walks at a staging ground near the border with the Gaza Strip, in southern Israel, Thursday, May 20, 2021. (AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo) John Minchillo Pedestrians run to a bomb shelter as sirens blare to warn of incoming missiles fire from the Gaza Strip on Thursday in Ashkelon, Israel. JERUSALEM Israel and Hamas agreed to a cease-fire Thursday, halting a bruising 11-day war that caused widespread destruction in the Gaza Strip, brought life in much of Israel to a standstill and left more than 200 people dead. At 2 a.m. local time, just as the cease-fire took effect, frenzied life returned to the streets of Gaza. People went out of their homes, some shouting Allahu Akbar or whistling from balconies. Many fired in the air, celebrating the truce. Like the three previous wars between the bitter enemies, the latest round of fighting ended inconclusively. Israel claimed to inflict heavy damage on Hamas but once again was unable to halt the Islamic militant groups nonstop rocket barrages. Almost immediately, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faced angry accusations from his hard-line, right-wing base that he stopped the operation too soon. Hamas, the Islamic militant group sworn to Israels destruction, also claimed victory. But it now faces the daunting challenge of rebuilding in a territory already suffering from poverty, widespread unemployment and a raging coronavirus outbreak. Netanyahus office said his Security Cabinet had unanimously accepted an Egyptian cease-fire proposal after recommendations from Israels military chief and other top security officials. A statement boasted of significant achievements in the operation, some of which are unprecedented. It also included a veiled threat against Hamas. The political leaders emphasized that the reality on the ground will determine the future of the campaign, the statement said. The fighting erupted May 10 when Hamas militants in Gaza fired long-range rockets toward Jerusalem. The barrage came after days of clashes between Palestinian protesters and Israeli police at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound. Heavy-handed police tactics at the compound, built on a site holy to Muslims and Jews, and the threatened eviction of dozens of Palestinians by Jewish settlers had inflamed tensions. The competing claims to Jerusalem lie at the heart of the decadeslong Israeli-Palestinian conflict and have repeatedly triggered bouts of violence in the past. Hamas and other militant groups fired more than 4,000 rockets into Israel throughout the fighting, launching the projectiles from civilian areas at Israeli cities. Dozens of projectiles flew as far north as Tel Aviv, the countrys bustling commercial and cultural capital. Thousands gathered this morning in the southern Gaza Strip town of Khan Younis outside the family house of Mohammed Dief, the shadowy Hamas commander who had ordered the rocket attacks. Supporters shouted victory and waved green Hamas flags. Israel, meanwhile, carried out hundreds of airstrikes targeting what it said was Hamas military infrastructure, including a vast tunnel network. At least 230 Palestinians were killed, including 65 children and 39 women, with 1,710 people wounded, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which does not break the numbers down into fighters and civilians. Twelve people in Israel, including a 5-year-old boy and 16-year-old girl, were killed. The United States, Israels closest and most important ally, initially backed what it said was Israels right to self-defense against indiscriminate rocket fire. But as the fighting dragged on and the death toll mounted, the Americans increasingly pressured Israel to stop the offensive. In a rare public rift, Netanyahu on Wednesday briefly rebuffed a public call from President Joe Biden to wind things down, appearing determined to inflict maximum damage on Hamas in a war that could help save his political career. But late Thursday, Netanyahus office announced the cease-fire agreement. Hamas quickly followed suit. Militants continued to launch sporadic rockets at Israel early today, before the 2 a.m. cease-fire took effect. In Washington, Biden hailed the cease-fire. I believe we have a genuine opportunity to make progress, and Im committed to working for it, he said. Biden said the U.S. was committed to helping Israel replenish its supply of interceptor missiles for its Iron Dome rocket-defense system and to working with the internationally recognized Palestinian Authoritynot Hamasto provide humanitarian aid to Gaza. Netanyahu quickly came under heavy criticism from members of his hawkish, nationalist base. Gideon Saar, a former ally who now leads a small party opposed to the prime minister, called the cease-fire embarrassing. In a potentially damaging development for the Israeli leader, the Palestinian militants claimed Netanyahu had agreed to halt further Israeli actions at the Al-Aqsa Mosque and to call off the planned evictions of Palestinians in the nearby Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood. An Egyptian official said only that tensions in Jerusalem will be addressed. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was discussing behind-the-scenes negotiations and provided no details. Itamar Ben Gvir, head of the far-right Jewish Power party, tweeted that the cease-fire was a grave surrender to terrorism and the dictates of Hamas. The cease-fire comes at a sensitive time for Netanyahu. In the wake of an inconclusive election in March, Netanyahu failed to form a majority coalition in parliament. His opponents now have until June 2 to form an alternative government of their own. The war greatly complicated the efforts of his opponents, who include both Jewish and Arab parties and were forced to suspend their negotiations in such a fraught environment. But the inconclusive outcome of the war could give them renewed momentum to restart those talks. Meanwhile in Gaza, a Hamas spokesman, Abdelatif al-Qanou, said Israels announcement was a declaration of defeat. Nonetheless, the group said it would honor the deal, which was to officially go into effect at 2 a.m. Ali Barakeh, an official with Islamic Jihad, a smaller group that fought alongside Hamas, said Israels declaration of a truce was a defeat for Netanyahu and a victory to the Palestinian people. Despite the claims, both groups appeared to have suffered significant losses in the fighting. Hamas and Islamic Jihad said at least 20 of their fighters were killed while Israel said the number was at least 130 and probably higher. Some 58,000 Palestinians fled their homes, many of them seeking shelter in crowded United Nations schools at a time of a coronavirus outbreak. Since the fighting began, Gazas infrastructure, already weakened by a 14-year blockade, has rapidly deteriorated. Medical supplies, water and fuel for electricity are running low in the territory, on which Israel and Egypt imposed the blockade after Hamas seized power from the Palestinian Authority in 2007. Since then, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has governed autonomous areas of the Israeli-occupied West Bank and has limited influence in Gaza. Israeli attacks have also damaged at least 18 hospitals and clinics and destroyed one health facility, the World Health Organization said. Nearly half of all essential drugs have run out. Israeli bombing has damaged more than 50 schools across the territory, according to advocacy group Save the Children, destroying at least six. While repairs are done, education will be disrupted for nearly 42,000 children. Emporia, KS (66801) Today Partial cloudiness early, with scattered showers and thunderstorms during the afternoon. A few storms may be severe. High 93F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Partly to mostly cloudy skies with scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Low 69F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%. China to provide emergency humanitarian assistance to Palestine Xinhua) 13:51, May 21, 2021 Photo taken on May 14, 2021 shows explosions following Israeli air strikes on a bank that belongs to Hamas in Gaza City. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua) BEIJING, May 21 (Xinhua) -- China will provide emergency humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian government at the earliest possible date, a spokesperson with the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA) said on Friday. CIDCA spokesperson Tian Lin said that in order to help the Palestinian government and people cope with the emergency humanitarian crisis and demonstrate the international humanitarian spirit, the Chinese government had launched a humanitarian assistance response mechanism. The Chinese government will provide emergency humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian government in accordance with the urgent needs of Palestine as soon as possible, and help the country carry out treatment of the injured and resettlement of the displaced, Tian said. (Web editor: Guo Wenrui, Liang Jun) Ben Shapiro, 37, is a graduate of UCLA and Harvard Law School, host of The Ben Shapiro Show and editor-in-chief of DailyWire.com. He is the author of the New York Times bestsellers How to Destroy America in Three Easy Steps, The Right Side of History and Bullies. For copyright information, check with the distributor of this item, Casper (Wyo.) Star-Tribune. Cornwall EU leave voters wanted to 'take back control' and express concern about immigration, new research shows Leave voters in Cornwall wanted to exit the EU to take back control and express concern about immigration even though most said the movement of people across the continent had not caused issues for them, a new survey suggests. A total of 56.5 per cent of people in Cornwall voted to Leave the EU in 2016, yet the area has received some of the highest levels of EU structural funding in England. There have long been campaigns for Cornwall to have more political autonomy, but hardly anyone who took part in the research said they voted to Leave to get more power for politicians in the county. The most frequent reason given, found in 79 responses to the survey, was the UK had lost control to the EU, and there was need to regain it. Immigration was mentioned 77 times, very often paired with concerns about pressure on public services and loss of control over law-making. Comments included uncontrolled immigration, loss of sovereignty or being told by the EU how to run our country, the costs of being part of the EU could be better used in this country, immigration. People mentioned wanting a strong Britain, 16 of the 21 people that raised the issue of public services, also mentioned immigration, or a need to control borders. However only six people said immigration was a problem in Cornwall, and only five said the issue was important to themselves and their families. These numbers doubled when people were asked about the impact on the UK, and 41 people gave it as a reason why they voted to Leave the EU. The research was carried out as part of an Economic and Social Research Council Impact Accelerator project to understand why regions with high levels of European Union Structural Funding support voted disproportionately to Leave. Dr Joanie Willett, from the University of Exeter carried out carried out three focus groups with 15 participants, as well as nine one-to-one interviews, and a questionnaire seven to ten months after the referendum, to understand the key factors behind the result. All participants had voted Leave. The qualitative survey, which had largely open questions, was shared on social media, and email lists of business, local government, and cultural organisations. It was open for a 4-week period, and received 186 responses from Leave voters. Dr Willett said: Our research indicates people voted to Leave the EU because they felt like they were supporting their nation, and that would protect them, rather than a desire for stronger say in what happens in their communities. People didnt ask for political decision making to be more decentralised, but this could be a useful response to the concerns people had about having more control. Only three survey responses mentioned voting Leave because it would allow more local control over decision-making. Democracy was mentioned in 44 responses, membership of the EU being a waste of money in 43, wanting to create a strong Britain in 35, sovereignty in 18, the economy in 13, fishing and farming in 10, and freedom/independence/autonomy in 8. The European Court of Justice received six mentions, two people made reference to Germany and World War Two. A total of 47 people used highly emotive language, for example: sovereignty not to be elected by an unelected foreign elite, but most people described their decision to vote Leave in more restrained terms. This included comments such as Europe had too much hold on legislation Dr Willett said: Many people who took part in the study wanted a strong affective economy, good public services and accessible jobs. They seem to have linked a Leave vote with expressing concerns about the association between immigration and the economy. These issues dont appear to be grounded in peoples daily experiences. Sterling, VA (20165) Today Cloudy with occasional light rain throughout the day. High 69F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%. Localized flooding is possible.. Tonight A steady rain this evening. Showers continuing overnight. Low 61F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch. You asked. We listened. Your daily crossword, Sudoku and dozens of other puzzles are now available online. Play them or print them here. Play now Students at Cincinnatis lowest-performing schools can use the states EdChoice scholarship, worth up to $5,000, to attend any one of 53 private schools in the city.But those 53 schools represent less than a fifth of all the private schools in Cincinnati, and many of the citys top academic schools arent on the list.That isnt uncommon. In fact, Cincinnati students who receive the EdChoice scholarship have more options than students in other Ohio cities. Statewide, fewer than one in 10 private schools participate in EdChoice or the similar Cleveland Scholarship program, according to data from Ohios Department of Education.Scholarship tax credit and voucher programs, like EdChoice, are growing rapidly across the country. Louisiana created both a statewide voucher program and a scholarship tax credit program this year. Virginia, New Hampshire and Oklahoma also recently created scholarship tax credit programs.But aanalysis found that many private schools choose not to participate in these school choice programs. Many of are wary of government regulations, especially standardized test requirements. Others are concerned about the possible impact on their educational mission, among other things. You want the elite schools to participate, says Chester Finn, president of the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, an education-focused think tank which supports voucher programs and is working on a study looking at what factors affect private school participation. To have a door slammed because the programs requirements are too onerous isnt in anybodys interest.For Elder High School, an all-male Catholic high school in Cincinnati that doesnt accept EdChoice students, its a question of academic preparedness.The transition from the public schools in Cincinnati to a school like Elder High School is difficult to begin with, says Principal Tom Otten. These are students that are coming from what are labeled academically deficient schools, so theyre going to struggle even worse than the ordinary student.Other Ohio private schools balk at the requirement that they administer state tests to participate.Most of our member schools, if not all of them, have strong feelings about the value of (Ohios Achievement Assessments), says Dan Dodd, executive director of Ohios Association of Independent Schools, which represents many of the highest achieving private schools in Cincinnati and across the state. We feel that there are much better ways to track accountability.That attitude frustrates Jeff Murray, operations manager for School Choice Ohio, which supports the states voucher program and a proposed scholarship tax credit program.I dont know how to turn them over, Murray says of the schools top private schools. Higher quality choice is the absolute dream.nationwide analysis shows that private school participation varies greatly from state to state. In Iowa, 90 percent of private schools accepted students with tax credit scholarships this past school year, and 83 percent of Indiana private schools are on the states list of approved voucher schools. But in Florida, which has a standardized test requirement, only 64 percent of private schools participate in the states tax credit scholarship program, and only 53 percent of private schools in Rhode Island enrolled students with scholarships from its corporate tax credit program.In Louisiana, the participation rate is even lower: Only a third of private schools are participating in the states new Louisiana Scholarship program.In some states, such as Arizona, the participation rate is difficult to track. Scholarship organizations file annual reports with Arizonas Department of Revenue the most recent one showed that students used individual or corporate tax credit scholarships at 353 schools but the states education department doesnt keep count of how many private schools are actually in the state. The most recent federal report on Arizona private schools, from the 2009-2010 school year, listed only 343 private schools, fewer than the number that accepted scholarships last year.Similarly, Pennsylvania doesnt track how many schools enrolled students with scholarships funded by the states Educational Improvement Tax Credit. The Department of Community and Economic Development, which administers the credit, doesnt ask scholarship organizations to report where their scholarships were used.Advocates of these programs say that accountability is important, even if it means some private schools dont participate.More accountability is always a good thing, says Malcom Glenn, spokesman for the American Federation for Children. Accountability is what allows us to know that these programs are working.That's also the opinion of Damon Asbury, director of legislative services for the Ohio School Boards Association, which sees voucher and scholarship tax credit programs as a drain on public school financing. If somebody wants to have the benefits of public support, they should be willing to accept the accountability, Asbury says.Earlier this week, Louisiana unveiled its accountability plan, which lays out enrollment and administrative criteria, along with a requirement that all students take the states Louisiana Educational Assessment Program exams that are offered in fourth and eighth grade. Schools with heavy scholarship enrollment must publicly release the results. Every school in this program is accountable, says John White, Louisianas state education superintendent.But Bobby Welch, headmaster of the Dunham School in Baton Rouge, hopes that the four students his school is accepting into kindergarten this year never have to take that test. Welch supports the idea of accountability, but he thinks the exam his school already administers is better than the state test.Were not willing to drop our standards in order to qualify to participate in these programs, he says.Welchs school is the one Louisiana member of the National Association of Independent Schools, which represents some of the top private schools in the country, to accept students from the program, but that has as much to with admissions procedures as concerns about state testing, Welch says.Currently, the Louisiana program doesnt allow schools to screen scholarship candidates before theyre tested, which White has acknowledged presents a major hurdle for many private schools. Welch, executive director of Louisianas Association of Independent Schools, says he thinks top private schools might be more inclined to participate in the program if they were treated more like public magnet schools, which screen candidates before admitting them.If they want us and schools like Dunham to participate, he says, then our state is going to have to accept us as we are. Governor Northam Appoints Lethia Hammond to Virginia Parole Board and Announces New Clemency Initiatives Redesigned website and petition portal will streamline clemency process RICHMONDGovernor Ralph Northam today announced the appointment of Lethia Hammond as Vice-Chair of the Virginia Parole Board and unveiled several new initiatives to streamline the clemency process, including a redesigned pardons website and petition portal. Lethia Hammonds vast experience in the criminal justice system will strengthen the Virginia Parole Board and its important work, said Governor Northam. Building a stronger, fairer, and more inclusive Commonwealth means giving Virginians who have paid their debt to society and a second chance. Together with the appointment of Lethia Hammond, these concrete steps will bolster our efforts to create a more equitable and accessible clemency process and drastically reduce the backlog of pardon requests. Ms. Hammond comes from a long career in public service and prior to her appointment served as Assistant Commonwealths Attorney in Botetourt County where she handled all phases of trial in General District, Juvenile and Domestic Relations, and Circuit Court proceedings. She was the designated Juvenile and Domestic Relations prosecutor, and frequently served as a special prosecutor in jurisdictions across the Commonwealth. In addition to her work as a career prosecutor, Ms. Hammond previously served as an attorney for the Botetourt County Department of Social Services. She is a member of the Western Regional Child Fatality Review Team, the Blue Ridge Prevention Coalition, and the Multidisciplinary (Child Abuse and Sexual Assault) Task Force. She has an extensive background in public policy having served as Director of Government Affairs for the Virginia Horse Center, Grant Administrator for Alleghany County, Director of Virginia Citizens for a Sound Economy, Mayor of the Town of Iron Gate, and a Governors Fellow. Ms. Hammond is also an Adjunct Professor of Law at the Washington and Lee University School of Law. I am honored to have this opportunity to serve the Commonwealth, said Lethia Hammond. The Virginia Parole Board has a significant responsibility to ensure our criminal justice system balances public safety with fairness and rehabilitation. I look forward to working with the Board members to implement best practices that will build trust and increase transparency in the Boards operations. I am pleased to add Lethia Hammonds voice to the Virginia Parole Board, said Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security Brian J. Moran. From her role as Mayor of the Town of Iron Gate to her work with the Botetourt County Department of Social Services and her extensive time as a prosecutor, her diverse background and experience will bring a fresh perspective to the Board. The Virginia Parole Board was established by law in 1942 and is composed of up to five members appointed by the Governor. The General Assembly gives the Parole Board authority to grant parole, to deny parole, to detain parole violators, and to revoke parole. While the General Assembly abolished discretionary parole in Virginia for felonies committed after January 1, 1995, some offenders are eligible for parole consideration if they meet certain criteria. In 2000, the Supreme Court of Virginia ruled in Fishback v. Commonwealth that juries must be told parole had been abolished. Last year, Governor Northam proposed, and the General Assembly passed, a law that makes certain individuals sentenced by juries between 1995 and 2000 eligible for parole consideration. Governor Northam has instructed the Virginia Parole Board to continue prioritizing these individuals. In addition to reviewing parole cases, the Virginia Parole Board investigates and makes recommendations to the governor on pardon applications. A pardon provides unique relief to individuals with exceptional circumstances who have demonstrated rehabilitation. If an individual feels they are able to provide substantial evidence of such exceptional circumstances, they may petition the governor for a pardon. The governor can grant three types of pardons: simple, conditional, or absolute. A pardon does not remove the crime from an individuals record. To date, Governor Northam has granted nearly 300 pardons, more than any previous Virginia governor in recent history. He is on track to grant more pardons than all previous governors combined. Over the last two administrations, the Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth has received a major influx of pardon petitions. This surge, coupled with the thousands of petitions that were already pending review when former Governor Terry McAuliffe took office in 2014, and the thorough and extensive review process these petitions require, has meant that most petitions do not receive a decision for several years. Governor Northam remains committed to tackling the backlog of pardon petitions and has recently dedicated additional staff and resources to ensure those seeking clemency receive efficient consideration. The Northam Administration is also launching a redesigned pardons website and a new petition portal that will enable individuals to submit pardon petitions electronically, check the status of a pending petition, and provide support or opposition for a petition. The launch of this new website and petition portal furthers the Governors commitment to transparency and good government for the people of Virginia, said Secretary of the Commonwealth Kelly Thomasson. Enabling Virginians to submit their petitions online also improves efficiency of the clemency process, allowing pardons staff to spend less time opening and sorting mail and more time reviewing petitions. Governor Northam will also eliminate the costly and confusing requirement that petitioners obtain copies of their criminal history. Individuals petitioning for clemency often lack the time, money, or resources to obtain this information from Virginia State Police. It is standard practice to collect new copies of criminal histories on all petitioners during the clemency review process, and this policy change will streamline operations and increase equity. Governor Northams new initiatives come on the heels of sweeping reforms to the Virginia Parole Boardsome legislative and others based on the Boards own evaluation of needed improvement. Many of these reforms have been created and implemented by Chairwoman Tonya Chapman who has nearly 30 years of law enforcement and public safety experience, including serving as Virginias first African American female police chief of a municipal police department. As a former law enforcement officer, I am proud of the second chances we are providing Virginians, said Parole Board Chairwoman Tonya Chapman. I welcome Lethia Hammond to the Virginia Parole Board and am grateful for the determination and perspective she will bring to our critical work. # # # Grand Haven, MI (49417) Today Sun and clouds mixed. A stray afternoon thunderstorm is possible. High 81F. Winds WNW at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Some clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low near 65F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph. Toto Wolff has played down concerns that Mercedes parent Daimler has put the Brackley based team up for sale. Ahead of the 2021 season, it was announced that Ineos, headed by British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe, had bought 33 percent of the team. In Mercedes' words, it meant the ultra-successful team "will be owned in three equal parts by Daimler AG, Ineos and Toto Wolff". However, there was some confusion after Daimler's newly-released financial results for Q1 stated that the Formula 1 team was in fact being "held for sale". But team boss and co-owner Wolff confirmed that it is simply a reference to the three-way team ownership structure, which is still being organised. "Yes, that's right," he said at Monaco. "That refers to the sale of 33 percent to Ineos and some percentages to me. The transaction is signed and not closed and we expect this to happen in Q3. That's what the reference was to." (GMM) The spectre of race protests has emerged as the 'bendy' rear wing saga rolls on at Monaco. It now emerges that several teams are implicated alongside Red Bull in the FIA's new stance on rear wing flexibility, including Ferrari, Alpine and Alfa Romeo. "More or less every team with a high rake has this type of wing," alleges Aston Martin team boss Otmar Szafnauer. "We suspect they need it to compensate for the higher drag." Indeed, the entire argument appears to be separating into two camps - the Mercedes-linked outfits including the works team, Aston Martin and McLaren on the one side, and the 'high-rake' teams. "Yes, we will need to slightly adapt even if it is not impacting us much," answered Ferrari boss Mattia Binotto when asked if the Italian team will have to make wing modifications. However, Szafnauer thinks the advantage at Baku will actually be as much as five or sixth tenths per lap - a claim dismissed as "ludicrous" by Red Bull team boss Christian Horner. But Mercedes is particularly angry that the 'bendy' wing teams have been given until after Baku to make the full modifications to their current designs. "It's clear that one or two weeks is too short for everybody to adjust," said Wolff. "But it's four weeks to Baku and incomprehensible that within that time you can't stiffen-up a rear wing for the track that is probably the most affected by flexible rear wings. "That leaves us in no-man's land because the technical directive says the movement of some rear wings has been judged as excessive. So teams who would run these kinds of wings are prone to being protested. "Probably this is going to go to the ICA (international court of appeal) and nobody needs this messy situation," Wolff added. However, Horner returned fire at Wolff by suggesting that video footage shows that the Mercedes car's front wing also flexes at high speed. "To think that everybody's aerodynamic surface is completely rigid would be a fallacy," he said. "On every single car on the grid it's just not the case." (GMM) Does this story bring some value to you? Please consider a small donation to help fund our content. We rely solely on support from our adv... The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) is awarding Alcoa of Australia $8.8 million (A$11.3 million) toward testing the potential use of renewable energy in a Mechanical Vapor Recompression (MVR) process for alumina refining. Total project cost is US$21.9 million (A$28.2 million). The development project has the potential to reduce carbon emissions in the alumina refining process significantly. Alcoa of Australia is currently conducting technical and commercial studies to adapt MVR technology to refining. Electricity sourced from renewable energy would power compressors to turn waste vapor into steam, which would then be used to provide refinery process heat. Electrifying steam production in the evaporation aspects of the alumina refining process could displace fossil fuel boiler steam production in the process. Demonstrating successful operation of the technology for evaporation could enable its use to be extended to other process duties, further displacing fossil fuels. If the feasibility studies are successful, Alcoa of Australia plans to install, by the end of 2023, a three megawatt MVR module with renewable energy at the Wagerup refinery in Western Australia to test the technology at scale. Alcoa's Wagerup refinery. Image: Alcoa In 2019, Australian alumina refining accounted for more than 14 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions, representing approximately 24% of Australias scope 1 manufacturing emissions. Already, Alcoa is the worlds lowest carbon intensity alumina producer, and the application of MVR, if proven successful, would be an important step forward in further reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Using lower carbon alumina in the smelting process will reduce the overall carbon footprint of the metal, too, when considering the indirect and direct emissions across bauxite mining, alumina refining and aluminum smelting and casting. Eugenio Azevedo, Alcoas Vice President for Continuous Improvement The MVR technology powered by renewable energy could reduce an alumina refinerys carbon footprint by 70%. The technology also has the potential to significantly reduce water use in the refining process by capturing water vapor that would otherwise be lost to the atmosphere. Alcoa of Australia has filed provisional patent applications in Australia for the use of MVR technology in the alumina refining process. The patent applications cover a variety of MVR applications in retrofit and greenfield scenarios in refining. The development project aligns with Alcoas strategic priority to Advance Sustainably. Today, Alcoas global refining system has the industrys lowest average carbon intensity, and Alcoa is the only company providing a low-carbon alumina brand, EcoSource. Marketed as part of the companys Sustana line of products, EcoSource has no more than 0.6 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents for every ton of smelter-grade alumina producedbetter than 90% of the industry. Daimler Truck AG and lithium-ion battery manufacturer and developer Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Limited (CATL) are intensifying their existing partnership based on their shared vision of CO 2 -neutral electrified trucking. CATL will be the supplier of lithium-ion battery packs for the Mercedes-Benz eActros LongHaul battery-electric truck, which is planned to be ready for series production in 2024. The supply will go beyond 2030. The batteries will combine high energy density with ultra-long cycle life as well as fast-charging ability to meet the unique requirements of battery-electric long-haul trucks. In addition, the companies intend to design and develop jointly even more advanced next-generation battery cells and packs for truck-specific applications, with a focus on high modularity and scalability in order to support different truck applications and flexible compatibility with future e-truck models. In 2019, Daimler Truck AG and CATL entered into a global lithium-ion battery cell modules supply agreement for electric series trucks including the Mercedes-Benz eActros, the Freightliner eCascadia and eM2. In September 2020, Daimler Truck AG announced the eActros LongHaul, which will have a range of about 500 kilometers for energy-efficient transport on plannable long-haul routes. Daimler Truck AG is pursuing a sustainable corporate strategy and aims to offer only new vehicles that are CO 2 -neutral in driving operation (tank-to-wheel) in Europe, Japan, and North America by 2039. As early as 2022, Daimler Truck AGs vehicle portfolio will include series-produced vehicles with battery-electric drive systems in the main sales regions Europe, the United States, and Japan. By 2027, Daimler Truck AG intends to supplement its portfolio by adding series-produced hydrogen-based fuel-cell vehicles. With hundreds of vehicles in use with customers, Daimler Truck AG has already gained comprehensive, practice-oriented expertise with electric vehicles, and has recorded a total of more than ten million kilometers driven by battery-electric test and series-produced trucks and buses with customers worldwide. Since 2018, intensive practical tests of the battery-electric Mercedes-Benz eActros for distribution transport have been carried out with numerous customers in Germany and other European countries. Series production of the eActros will start in the second half of this year. Series production of the Mercedes-Benz eEconic low-floor truck, which is based on the eActros, is scheduled to start in 2022. In the United States, the medium-duty Freightliner eM2 and the heavy-duty Freightliner eCascadia are also currently undergoing practical tests with customers. Series production of the eCascadia is scheduled to start in mid-2022 and of the Freightliner eM2 in late 2022. A global fleet of more than 200 FUSO eCanter light-duty trucks are in use in with numerous customers in Japan, the United States, Europe and Australia; the first of them were handed over to customers already in 2017. CATL is a global leader in the development and manufacturing of lithium-ion batteries, with businesses covering R&D, manufacturing and sales in battery systems for new energy vehicles and energy storage systems. Headquartered in Ningde, China, CATL has established battery production bases in Ningde (Fujian Province); Liyang (Jiangsu Province); Xining (Qinghai Province); Yibin (Sichuan Province), and Zhaoqing (Guangdong Province). Now CATL is expanding globally, and has opened subsidiaries in Munich (Germany); Paris (France); Yokohama (Japan); and Detroit (USA). Its European production base, located in Erfurt, Germany, is currently under construction. Daimler Truck AG and Shell New Energies NL B.V. are partnering to drive the adoption of hydrogen-based fuel-cell trucks in Europe. The companies plan to support the decarbonization of road freight by building-out hydrogen-refuelling infrastructure and placing fuel-cell trucks in customers hands. Shell intends initially to rollout a hydrogen-refueling network joining three green hydrogen production hubs at the Port of Rotterdam, Cologne and Hamburg. From 2024, Shell aims to launch heavy-duty refueling stations between the three locations and Daimler Truck aims to hand over the first heavy-duty hydrogen trucks to customers subsequently in 2025. The plan aims to expand the hydrogen powered freight corridor continuously, which will cover 1200 kilometers by 2025, in order to deliver 150 hydrogen refueling stations and around 5,000 Mercedes-Benz heavy-duty fuel cell trucks by 2030. Shell and Daimler Truck aim to deliver the optimal hydrogen infrastructure network by designing the network based on customer needs and usage patterns. The agreement also includes the joint aim to establish an open refueling standard defining the interaction and interface between the truck and the refueling station in order to realize customer friendly, cost efficient, reliable and safe hydrogen refuelling. Both companies invite other potential partners to join them in their efforts. Shell and Daimler Truck are convinced that hydrogen-powered fuel-cell trucks will be key for enabling CO 2 -neutral transportation in the future. With this unparalleled collaboration between two major players of the industry, we are pioneers in tackling the question of what should come first: infrastructure or vehicles. The answer is that both have to go hand in hand and we are both excited by this important step. Martin Daum, Chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler Truck AG and Member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG Both Daimler Truck and Shell are founding members of the recently launched H2Accelerate consortium and consider the group a key vehicle to support the rollout of hydrogen-powered transport in Europe. Daimler Truck and Shell remain fully committed to working with the consortium and aim to work through H2Accelerate to enable their rollout plans in the coming decade. Ford and SK Innovation signed an MoU to create a joint ventureto be called BlueOvalSKto produce approximately 60 GWh annually in traction battery cells and array modules, starting mid-decade, with potential to expand. About US$5.3 billion (6 trillion KRW) will be invested in the JV. The annual output of 60 GWh produced by BlueOvalSK can power about 600,000 electric pickup trucks (each requires about 100 kWh of battery). This MoU is just the start; its a key part of our plan to vertically integrate key capabilities that will differentiate Ford far into the future. We will not cede our future to anyone else. Jim Farley, Ford president and CEO The creation of the JV is subject to definitive agreements, regulatory approvals and other conditions. Next-gen cells and arrays will be used to power several future Ford battery electric vehicles. Fords global BEV plan calls for at least 240 gigawatt hours (GWh) of battery cell capacity by 2030. Approximately 140 GWh will be required in North America, with the balance dedicated to other key regions, including Europe and China. Global automakers have praised SK Innovations EV batteries for their safety, high capacity and long life. SK Innovation will be supplying batteries for the fully electric version of Fords legendary and best-selling F-150 pickup truck. We are thrilled to be supporting the electrification of a vehicle that represents the very best of American automaking. Jee Dong-seob, Head of SK Innovations Battery Business SK Innovation has specialized in the development and commercialization of high-nickel NCM battery technology. The company developed the worlds first NCM-811 battery in 2016 and continued to innovate and to develop the worlds first Nickel 9 battery (battery that has 90% nickel content) that will be mass produced in the US, powering Fords F-150 Lightning. SK Innovation has pioneered the development of mid- to large-size EV batteries since 1991 and has expanded its battery operations globally since 2010. SK Innovations original plan was to secure more than 125 GWh of annual capacity by 2025. However, with this JV, the company expects to reach a higher target of 190 GWh by 2025. The first two battery plants of SK Innovation in the US are located in Georgia with a total annual capacity of 22 GWh. The 10 GWh plant (Plant 1) is running pilot production after the completion of mechanical construction earlier this year, and commercial production will begin early next year. Plant 2 with a scale of 12 GWh is currently under construction and planned to be completed in early next year. Mass production at Plant 2 is expected to start in 2023. Marelli, a leading global automotive supplier, and PUNCH, a supplier for the development, integration and manufacturing of driveline and powertrain solutions, have reached an agreement to form a joint venture focused on e-axle solutions. The joint venturewhich is to be majority owned by Marelliwill be focused on a system approach for optimized integrated e-axle solutions. The company will develop and assemble e-axle systems and be targeted specifically toward the markets in Europe and the Americas. Both companies will combine their expertise in the area of electric powertrains to offer integrated systems for electric vehicles. Marelli will supply electric motors and inverters including software for the e-axles, PUNCH will contribute gearbox components and development as well as manufacturing expertise. The new enterprise, Marelli Electric Powertrain Strasbourg (France) SAS, will be headquartered at PUNCHs site in Strasbourg, France, in proximity to major European vehicle makers. The joint venture will have a facility for production, prototyping and testing on-site. Charter Spectrum is one of the most popular internet providers across the country. Known for their easily digestible cable internet plans, customers can now get internet speeds up to 940 Mbps where they're available. If Spectrum is available in your neighborhood, it could be a great choice for your family. Before you sign up for Spectrum internet service or internet service through another internet provider, here is everything you need to know about Charter Spectrum internet service right here. Pros & Cons Of Spectrum Internet Service If you're reading this article, then Spectrum is likely on your short list for internet service. To help you decide if Spectrum is right for you, here is some pros and cons you'll need to think about before switching to Spectrum: Pros Cons No data caps Their gig internet isn't widely available No contracts or long commitments Customer service isn't great Free modem included with service Speeds slow down during peak times Free access Wi-Fi hotspots around the country Promotional pricing expires after 12 months of service Spectrum contract buyout program available for qualifying new subscribers Their 'Ask Spectrum' virtual assistant isn't very helpful for medium to complex issues Where Is Charter Spectrum Available? Charter Spectrum is the second largest internet provider in the country and has coverage and availability in 42 states nationwide. The top five states that Spectrum has the most availability are Wisconsin, North Carolina, Ohio, Maine, and Kentucky. Most of their coverage area includes urban and suburban areas like Los Angeles, New York City, San Antonio, Dallas, Orlando and more. Charter Spectrum's service area also includes the old Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks areas that Spectrum acquired in 2015. If you're still not sure if Spectrum internet is available in your neighborhood or at your address it only takes a few minutes to find out. Charter Spectrum Internet Plan Information Charter Spectrum has up to four internet plans from $50 a month to $105 a month with internet speeds up to 100 Mbps to 940 Mbps depending on where you live. All Spectrum internet plans come with no contracts, no data plans and a free modem included into your monthly rate. Spectrum Internet Plan Monthly Promotional Price Max Download Speeds Max Upload Speeds Spectrum Internet $50/mo. 100 Mbps 10 Mbps Spectrum Internet $50/mo. 200 Mbps 10 Mbps Spectrum Internet Ultra $65/mo. 400 Mbps 20 Mbps Spectrum Internet Gig $105/mo. 940 Mbps 35 Mbps Spectrum Low-Cost Internet Assist If you're in need of low-cost internet service, Spectrum internet has a plan for you. Qualifying households can subscribe to their Internet Assist plan that comes with 30 Mbps download speeds, 4 Mbps upload speeds, no data caps, no contracts, and a modem included free at their discounted rate of $18 a month. Spectrum Low Cost Internet Option Monthly Price Max Download Speeds Max Upload Speeds Spectrum Internet Assist $18/mo. 30 Mbps 4 Mbps One or more members of your household must receive one of the following government assistance programs to qualify for Spectrum Internet Assist: National School Lunch Program (NSLP) Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) Of The NSLP Supplemental Security Income (SSI for those 65+ years of age) You will have to apply for this program to determine eligibility and may have to renew their application yearly to keep their eligibility. Data Plans Charter Spectrum doesn't have data caps on any of their internet plans! You won't be cut off, charged extra or throttle your service as long as you reasonably adhere to their Acceptable Use Policy which all internet providers have. Equipment Spectrum includes a free modem with the price of your internet service. It's guaranteed to work with your internet service. Most internet providers charge an extra lease from $8 to $20 a month to provide the equipment. You don't have to use their equipment if you don't want to. In fact many choose to use their own modem router combo because those found in stores have extra features that are useful for families to manage their Wi-Fi networks. If you choose to purchase your own, you'll need a cable modem that is on Spectrum's approved list. Service Fees Unfortunately, there are some instances in which you can find extra services fees tacked onto your bill. Here are some of the service fees that Spectrum customers might find on their first bill: Professional installation ($49.99): This is a one-time fee for for professional installation of Spectrum Internet and Spectrum Internet Ultra plans Professional installation ($199.99): This is a one-time fee for professional installation of the Spectrum Gig plan. Since it is a bit more involved than their other plans, it does cost customers more upfront Self-installation fee ($9.99): This is a one-time fee for the self-installation kit Wi-Fi activation fee ($9.99): This is a one-time fee to activate your Spectrum Wi-Fi after your internet service is set up Current Spectrum Deals New subscribers to Charter Spectrum internet service will get the best deals. Here are some of the new customer deals you can expect to see when you sign up for Spectrum internet: Promotional pricing good for your first 12 months No data caps No contracts Free internet modem Free Spectrum Security Suite for up to 10 devices Free unlimited access to nationwide out-of-home Wi-Fi 30-day money back guarantee (in some areas) Spectrum contract buyout program for up to $500 when you bundle Installation Options & Fees You have two options for getting your new Charter Spectrum internet service installed; schedule a visit for an in-home technician installation or choose the self-install. For a technician to come out, you're looking at an installation fee of $50 to $200 depending on your internet plan. With self-installation, you do it yourself and your installation fee is greatly reduced to $10. Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Spectrum has paused all in home technician installations. New Spectrum customers can pick up their self-installation kit from their local Spectrum store or have it shipped to their address. You don't need to be a tech wiz to complete your self-installation, but if you have any trouble, Spectrum's technical support team is happy to walk you through the process if you get stuck. Customer Satisfaction No internet provider receives glowing reviews on their internet service, but Spectrum has been improving their customer satisfaction scores and customer service. According to the American Customer Satisfaction Index, Spectrum improved by 7% in 2020 with a score of 63/100. This is just a few points below other major internet providers like AT&T, CenturyLink, and Comcast Xfinity. While that isn't amazing, they're certainly performing better than their acquired Time Warner Cable (back in 2016). Many previous customers will agree that Time Warner Cable was one of the most hated internet providers of all time. If you choose Spectrum internet service and hate it, luckily, you're not bound to Spectrum with a contract. You can switch any time without any early termination fees. However, if you fail to return their equipment in a timely manner, you will receive costly equipment fees tacked onto your final Spectrum bill. CHEYENNE With money expected to run out by next summer for the states emergency communications system, known as WyoLink, lawmakers discussed potential ways to fund the radio system during a committee meeting Tuesday. First established in 2005, WyoLink connects more than 500 local agencies via communications towers, allowing public safety officials to coordinate rescue missions and other emergency responses across the rural landscape of Wyoming. However, with its funding largely coming from local governments share of mineral royalties, its current account is expected to run dry by the end of the 2021-22 biennium. While a few proposals to fund the system through small fees have failed in recent years, lawmakers on the Joint Transportation, Highways and Military Affairs Committee took another look at possible solutions to the issue during their meeting Tuesday in Casper. Although the committee took no action, it will likely revisit the issue during its next meeting in June. One potential route to fund the system, at least for the next few years, could come through use of the roughly $1.1 billion that Wyoming is receiving through the federal American Rescue Plan. With lawmakers likely to convene for a special session in July to deploy those funds, it is unclear whether spending on WyoLink would be allowed under federal guidelines. Even if it is, the long-term issue would reemerge a few years later, as Wyoming County Commissioners Association Kelli Little reminded the committee. When you get the ARPA funding, if its available, thats a band aid and gives us a little bit of time to figure it out, but it doesnt give us a lot, Little said Tuesday. If its not available if, for some reason, theres more guidance from the Treasury saying that it doesnt really fit then the need becomes very urgent. Little, who has contributed to a working group in search of a long-term approach, said the members hope to come up with a sustainable funding solution and present it to the committee sometime in the coming months. Erica Legerski, a member of Gov. Mark Gordons policy team, said the governor would be interested in using some federal funds for WyoLink, noting he wanted to deploy some CARES Act funding for it last year, but was unable to due to spending restrictions. On Monday, Gordon announced he plans to unveil an initial spending framework for the new federal funds next month. A few lawmakers agreed that the issue needs to be addressed somehow. When you live in a frontier state like we do, with the limited health resources that we have, the struggles that weve had with everything from air ambulance to all of the issues that we all know about, it just seems to me that we wouldnt be doing the right thing if we didnt go after it, committee co-chair Sen. Bill Landen, R-Casper, said. The funding issue for WyoLink is far from the only one facing the Wyoming Department of Transportation. During the meeting Tuesday, lawmakers received another rundown of a report first released last fall that shows WYDOT faces annual unmet needs totaling $354 million across the department. The needs for roads, bridges and other infrastructure make up roughly $196 million of those annual needs, according to the report. By Kerry Drake Wyofile.com Wyoming officials knew something was seriously wrong with the states juvenile justice system in 1970, when a governors committee examined the issue and came to the startling conclusion that no system actually existed. It is clear that there is no uniformity in the disposition of matters involving juveniles at the local level, the panels report concluded. Change has been slow to come. The ink from that document could be fresh today. The Legislature has undertaken piecemeal attempts at juvenile justice reform in the past half-century, but two 2021 facts underscore the states abject failure to address the issue. First, Wyoming now has the highest rate of juvenile incarceration in the nation. Second, the Joint Judiciary Committee has made studying juvenile justice reform its No. 1 priority for the 2021 interim. It wouldnt top the list if Wyoming was making progress at finding solutions. Im glad to see the issue taken seriously yet again, but decades of watching committees on juvenile justice make recommendations that simply gather dust on shelves have left me jaded. When Wyoming passes laws that create a uniform system ensuring all at-risk youth are treated equally in the courts, Ill celebrate in honor of the many people who have devoted a multitude of hours to the cause. But what Im hearing at the beginning of this latest discussion doesnt leave me brimming with optimism. Warning signs are flashing that Wyoming may be going down the same path again, all in the name of that cherished (when politically expedient) state institution called local control. Tennessee Watson, a former Wyoming Public Radio education reporter who spent the past year investigating juvenile justice problems in the state, produced a compelling report for the nationally syndicated podcast Reveal. She asked Gov. Mark Gordon what the state can do to improve how the system treats kids. The governor called it an evolving issue that needs a statewide conversation. Its evolving in the sense that its still getting worse, and that definitely merits talking about the issue. But the state has studied and batted around ideas for years to fix countless problems from restructuring the tax system to diversifying its economy without satisfactory results. Gordon said juvenile justice has been dealt with on a local level. However, its the state that picks up the tab for incarceration, treatment programs and out-of-county and out-of-state psychiatric institutions. Thats expensive. Were a local control state, Gordon said. Thats always sort of been the tradition there [with juvenile justice]. Indeed, as Watson reported, very little state oversight exists for what happens to at-risk youth, including those who have already committed crimes and gone to court. Even if a county wants to create programs to keep kids at home and out of jail or shipped out of state, the state provides little funding or accountability. Counties arent forced to measure if they are actually helping kids, the reporter said. The answer for some counties is to send youth away at the states expense, and hope that whatever institution is dealing with their problems somehow fixes them. Out of sight, out of mind isnt an answer. Unfortunately, that was how Sweetwater County and the state handled the case of Larissa Salazar, a 16-year-old girl whose story was chronicled by Watson. At 13, Salazar was sexually assaulted by a relative of a friend, which set off a tragic series of events. She was bullied by students who blamed her for what happened. When Salazar retaliated by punching one of her tormentors in the mouth, she was arrested for battery, given a six-month sentence and placed on probation. The teen was ordered to take drug tests, even though she was not arrested for substance abuse. She told her parents she was tired of being treated like a criminal, and attempted suicide with an overdose of pills. After being sent to the Wyoming Behavioral Institute in Casper, Salazar started serving her sentence at the Wyoming Girls School in Sheridan. She reportedly made progress, including in her schoolwork, but after returning home she was caught violating parole again, this time for sneaking out of the house and drinking alcohol. Sent back to the Girls School, Salazar began self-mutilation. After being away from home for a total of 16 months, when Salazar returned she fell behind in school and went to counseling for depression. Her mother tried to ask her probation officer to ease off her daughter and let the troubled girl know she was doing well, but got no response. Two days later, Salazar killed herself. For me, one of the most chilling parts of Watsons podcast was her interview with probation officers who worked on Salazars case. She was a good kid and it was terrible what happened, one agent said. A lot of parents say, Youre putting a lot of stress on my kid and my family. I dont know how else to say this and I dont want to sound rude, but we didnt put you here. Yes, its unfair to place the blame for Salazars death on any parole officer, judge, counselor or institution. But theres no comfort in knowing that the way Wyoming handles juvenile justice problems failed her, and ultimately contributed to the circumstances that led to her death. Watson learned that Wyoming doesnt track even the basics that most other states do in order to judge whether their systems are working. The Equality State cant tell its residents what the juvenile recidivism rate is, or the graduation rate for incarcerated kids, or how many adult offenders in prison committed crimes as youths. Each of the states 23 counties handles cases differently when a youth is accused of a crime. Where a juvenile lives and whether officials have enough money to fund needed community programs or let the state pick up the tab for sending them away shouldnt determine ones fate. Theres too much at stake. We cant keep raising generations of people whose lives become worse once they get into trouble with the law, especially when its for minor infractions. Rehabilitation should be the goal of any criminal justice system, but many counties dont have the financial resources to offer vital services to at-risk young people. How many people are now serving lengthy prison sentences after committing an offense, violating probation or parole and ending back in a cell learning from other inmates how to be a better criminal? In a 2004 Wyoming Law Review article, University of Wyoming Law Professor John Burman described the states juvenile justice system as a maze that is virtually impossible to navigate. The only avenue generally available is punishment, even if the court determines that treatment would be more appropriate, Burman wrote. I see a parallel with another systemic problem Wyoming has greatly improved over the years: the ability to offer an equitable, quality education regardless of a school districts financial resources. It took lengthy legal battles to get where we are today, and sometimes the threat of more lawsuits is all that keeps legislators from making draconian cuts to school budgets.School districts receive a block grant to provide services. They still have local control, but the state requires them to deliver a basket of goods the educational resources each student needs to have a chance to succeed. Can we do the same thing with our juvenile justice system, and transform it from a maze into a stable method of creating a safe, law-abiding path for youth? We can save the lives of students like Salazar, and cant afford to keep wasting our opportunities. WyoFile is an independent nonprofit news organization focused on Wyoming people, places and policy. Sixty years is a long time for anyone. For some, that amount of time can nearly fit an entire lifetime. However, for one housekeeper working at Little America, it's the length of her career. Mary Morin celebrated her 60th anniversary working for the hotel and travel stop Tuesday with a celebration featuring family, friends and coworkers. Morin, an 83-year-old resident of Granger, has worked at Little America since May 18, 1961. Her starting wage was 90 cents an hour, making $7.20 a day. At the time she received her first raise to $1.25 an hour five years later, Morin's husband was making $1.60 at the FMC trona mine. "That's the kind of history Mary has seen here," Spencer RIggs, Little America's general manager said. Morin lived in Granger since she was 10 years old and originally went to Little America to help her younger sister get a job. Morin was 23 at the time and after speaking to Earl Holding, the hotel chain's founder, Holding offered a job to both Morin and her sister. Morin's only condition was she would receive Sundays off. She started the next day, cleaning rooms in Lodge 1. "He needed the help," Morin recalls. Over the years, Morin would become known for her impeccably clean rooms, her high work ethic and the smile she wore while she worked. Stephen Holding, Earl's son, worked as Little America's general manager in the late 1980s after finishing his college degree and recalls how he would seek out Morin sometimes while she worked her rooms. Stephen said he was isolated from family and friends while living at Little America and Morin would cheer him up when he would speak with her. "If she can do her job for 30 years, I can do mine for a few more days," Stephen remembers thinking. Another former general manager, Scott French, who now manages the Little America and Grand America hotels in Salt Lake City, remembers when being told about the longtime housekeeper working at Little America after starting there. He remembers being told she can work there until she wants to retire, with French initially thinking he would find a old woman only cleaning a few rooms a day. After meeting Morin, she surprised him by working harder than a lot of the other employees. "The biggest problem was trying to keep her from moving furniture," French said. French said he offered to help move beds for her, but she turned the offer down, saying she didn't have the time and needed to vacuum. French, who worked in housekeeping for four months, said an eight-hour day cleaning rooms is hard work. "A lot of people can't hack that," he said. The amount of walking Morin does during a shift is itself more than most people do in a week. Morin wears a purple Fitbit her neighbor, June Nichols, had recently gave her. At noon Tuesday, six hours into her shift, the device logged 13,563 steps -- roughly 5.3 miles. Nichols said Morin logged more than 19,000 steps the first day she wore it to work. "I can't imagine Little America without Mary," Carol Holding, Earl's wife, said. Carol described Morin as a "tough taskmaster" when cleaning rooms with her, saying Morin would point out things she missed. "She was very particular in how her rooms were," she said. Carol said she trusted Morin's work so much that she would show off her rooms to guests, knowing they would be spotless. Riggs said the company gives gifts to employees to celebrate employment anniversaries and had to create a celebratory gift for both her 55th and 60th anniversaries. Aside from the party and a certificate of appreciation signed by Carol, Morin was given a ruby necklace. A billboard leading to Little America also features a photo of Morin and a message thanking her for her years with the company. While Carol jokes about Morin having another 60 years in her, Morin said she is preparing to retire in August. She said she's enjoyed working for Little America and the Holding family as well, describing the owners as good people to work for. She also said she likes the job she has. "I like it. I like working and to feel proud of what I've done," Morin said. STAMFORD WWE is ready to hit the road again. The Stamford-based company announced Friday that it would resume touring of live shows with a 25-city summer schedule running from July 16 through Labor Day. It will mark the return of fan-attended arena events after it suspended such gatherings in March 2020 in response to the emergence of the coronavirus pandemic. Fridays announcement listed the tours first three dates, which are all in Texas: A SmackDown show at Toyota Center in Houston on July 16; the latest installment of the pay-per-view event Money in the Bank on July 18 at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth; and a Raw show on July 19 at American Airlines Center in Dallas. Tickets for those shows are set to go on sale at 11 a.m. Wednesday, the announcement said. Additional tour stops and on-sale dates will be announced in the coming weeks, the announcement added. The company has a long history of holding events in the Lone Star State. Its marquee annual event, WrestleMania, will be held next April at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, which also hosted WrestleMania in 2016. WWE staged its first fan-attended event since the pandemic started with WrestleMania 37, which was held on April 10-11 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla. A combined crowd of 51,350 attended those two nights. Attendance was limited due to social distancing, but the company said it sold out its allotted number of tickets. Other requirements at WrestleMania 37 included temperature checks before entry and mask wearing. Twelve miles northeast of Raymond James Stadium, WWE launched April 12 a residency at Yuengling Center, on the campus of the University of South Florida. The venue will host all Raw, SmackDown and pay-per-view events until July 16. Yuengling Center shows feature WWEs ThunderDome virtual fan experience. The company unveiled the platform during a residency last year at Amway Center in Orlando, Fla., and continued it during a stay at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla. More than 650,000 fans from around the world have registered to participate in ThunderDome, according to the company. From March 2020 to August 2020, WWE held closed-doors shows at its longtime performance center in Orlando. Among other venues WWE has used since the pandemic began, it filmed the ladder matches for last years Money in the Bank at its headquarters at 1241 E. Main St., in Stamford. The building stands yards from Interstate 95s Exit 9. pschott@stamfordadvocate.com; twitter: @paulschott Innovation is happening all around us. Every day, new buildings are proposed, science introduces new forms of technology and the past fades away. However, there are still some places in Connecticut where the past remains in physical form. There are abandoned castles, theme parks and power plants that tell the tales of times long ago and not so long ago. Theres something about these spaces that tells us mystery still exists in the world, and history really can be a tangible thing that points us to where were going by reminding us of where weve been. Read on for more about these currently or previously abandoned places in Connecticut. NOTE: Please keep in mind that these sites are not open to the public but can be viewed in some cases from public areas. Please respect warning signs and keep a safe distance. Pleasure Beach Bridgeport John Burgeson / John Burgeson Once a bustling seaside amusement park, this stretch of beach was abandoned after a fire in 1997 burned the only bridge leading to the beach between Bridgeport and Stratford. In 2009 and 2010, most of the carnival rides and beach cottages were fully demolished after the fire department declared them a fire hazard. The property was blocked off for a time, with some buildings remaining, like an octagon theater building and a pavilion that can be seen from the other side of the perimeter fence. In 2014, the beach reopened with a seasonal concession stand and ferry service to and from the beach. Fairfield Hills Hospital H John Voorhees III / Hearst Connecticut Media Fairfield Hills Hospital, an old abandoned psychiatric hospital in Newtown, has had quite the history. It opened in the 1930s and ran for 60 years until it shut down in 1995. The following year, it was featured as a set piece in the movie Sleepers, which featured Brad Pitt, Robert DeNiro and Minnie Driver. Adding to the spook factor, the hospital featured a series of underground tunnels which have been filled in. The town has been in the process of repurposing the land, but some of it remains in its original state for now. Johnsonville Village Courtesy of JWeags Photography Johnsonville Village, an abandoned mill town, looks something like that scene out of Big Fish you know the one. Theres that little town with no roads and no one wears shoes and everything is grassy and picturesque. These abandoned buildings look more like the set for a Ghibli movie than anything else. The town has also passed through many hands over the years, with owners planning to turn the land into a tourist attraction and then a hotel, and then a residential area. All of those plans fell through and Johnsonville faced the elements it was even struck by lightning until it fell into disrepair and remained abandoned for 20 years. In 2017, it was purchased by religious group Iglesia Ni Christo, which has other Connecticut locations in Stamford and Bristol. The church does not allow anyone on the property. Hearthstone Castle H John Voorhees III / Hearst Connecticut Media There are BIG Narnia vibes in Danbury where a crumbling castle sits in the woods. Is it enchanted? Cant say for sure, though my scientist friends all tell me a resounding no. The castle was originally built in 1896 by photographer E. Starr Sanford. It passed through the hands of several owners over the years until the City of Danbury purchased it in 1985. As of January 2021, the castle is blocked off the public as it undergoes construction to make it safe for visitors. English Station Arnold Gold / Hearst Connecticut Media This abandoned New Haven power plant is housed in an imposing brick building. It was constructed in 1924 as a plant for United Illuminating and closed 1991; the company sold the building nine years later. United Illuminating is responsible for cleaning up the site, which is considered dangerous to enter due to the hazardous materials like asbestos found inside. As of this month, the clean-up is still delayed and is three years behind schedule. Nike Missile Site Autumn Driscoll / Autumn Driscoll This missile site was built in 1956 during the Cold War and was just one of 12 such sites in the state of Connecticut. Its located in Meshomasic State Forest and can be accessed via Del Reeves Road, though the journey has to be made on foot. The control site has been demolished but the launch site remains, grown over by the forest. sarajane.sullivan@hearstmediact.com, @bysarajane on Twitter President Joe Biden awarded his first Medal of Honor on Friday to a 94-year-old retired Army colonel for bravery under enemy fire more than a half-century ago in the Korean War. It took a policy change for retired Col. Ralph Puckett Jr. to receive the military's highest honor. The 2020 defense policy bill removed a requirement that such awards be given within five years of a valorous act. Today we are hosting a true American hero and awarding an honor that is long overdue more than 70 years overdue, Biden said during the East Room ceremony. Though I understand that your first response to us hosting this event was to ask why all the fuss. Biden said Puckett had suggested they just mail him the award. Rather than mail it to you, I wouldve walked it to you, Biden said, adding that the retired Ranger indeed deserved a little bit of fuss. Over two days in November 1950, Puckett as first lieutenant helped the 8th U.S. Army Ranger Company to secure a strategically important hill near Unsan. They faced mortar, machine gun and small arms fire. Puckett sprinted across the open area to draw fire so that Rangers could find and destroy enemy positions. Two mortar rounds later landed in his foxhole during the fighting and seriously wounded him. He ordered his men to leave him behind and depart the hill, but they refused. South Korean President Moon Jae-in also attended the White House ceremony ahead of his summit with Biden, making him the first foreign leader to do so. Without the sacrifice of veterans, including Colonel Puckett and the Eighth Army Ranger Company, the freedom and democracy we enjoy today couldnt have blossomed in Korea, Moon said. Puckett lives in Columbus, Georgia, with Jean, his wife of 68 years. SALEM, Conn. (AP) Hartford Healthcare has recognized those involved in saving a Connecticut butcher who suffered a near-fatal cut at work. Adam Ritchotte, 28, was cutting beef shoulder with a razor-sharp 6-inch blade at Salem Prime Cuts in March when the blade slipped, bounced off a table and tore through his leg, severing his right femoral artery, The Day reported. The health care network gave awards Thursday to eight emergency medical responders and firefighters Deborah Caldwell, Patrick Gauthier, Alex Bias, Ben Mattingly, Stephanie Philopena, Cheryl Philopena, Ronald Prezsch and Charles Weinsteiger. Ritchotte, a combat veteran, knew that he needed to remain calm and stop the bleeding. He asked co-worker Sean Kelley to kneel on the wound as a tourniquet was not an option due to the location of the cut. Weve all heard stories in this job about this kind of cut, Kelley said. Its called the widow maker. Ritchotte toured Afghanistan as a U.S. Army soldier in 2013 and said that his training helped him 100% in the moments following the cut. I knew I had two choices: I was either going to die calm or die freaking out, he said. Twelve minutes later, Weinsteiger arrived and immediately started packing the wound with gauze, keeping his hand pressed against Ritchotte's wound until they arrived at a hospital and the butcher underwent surgery. Ritchotte wasn't able to walk for more than a month after the accident, but now he is back on his feet. When he returns to work, he said he will make sure he and his colleagues always wear chain-link aprons to protect them from the knives they work with. I want to do everything I can to avoid something like this from happening, he said. FNIDEQ, Morocco (AP) They are desperate teenagers and jobless men. They come from Moroccos coastal towns, its mountainous east or even farther away from sub-Saharan Africa. And they all converged on the border town of Fnideq this week, part of an extraordinary mass effort to swim or scale barbed-wire fences to get into Spain for a chance at a new life. More than 8,000 migrants actually made it into the city of Ceuta, an enclave in North Africa that is separated from the rest of Spain by the Mediterranean but for most of them, it was a short-lived success. The extraordinary surge of migrants crossing from Morocco into Spain came amid the chaos of a diplomatic spat between the two countries. Spanish troops forced over half of them back to Fnideq, putting additional strain on the Moroccan town whose limited resources are overwhelmed by the coronavirus pandemic. We will keep trying. We will find one way or another, even if the ocean turns into ice! said 27-year-old Badreddine. He and his fellow Moroccans 22-year-old Salah and 24-year-old Hosam all have diplomas but no jobs. Like most seeking to get into Spain, they spoke on condition their last names not be published for fear of their security because they are risking illegal migration. Being stuck in Morocco "is like being dead, so why not risk your life anyway? Were currently living on streets, sleeping in the cold. Our parents know that were here, they pray for us. They told us, Go, may Gold help you, Salah said. They and others sleep in Fnideq's parks, on benches and outside mosques. Some hang out near hotels and restaurants, begging for food and whatever people can spare. Volunteers hand out bread and sandwiches. Some have fled the impoverished countries of sub-Saharan Africa, but most are from Morocco, generally seen as one of the continent's economic engines that has made strides in lowering poverty in recent years. Still, inequality is rife, the pandemic has worsened unemployment and average incomes are a fraction of those in Europe, which sits tantalizingly close just across the Fnideq-Ceuta fence. Amid tighter security by Spain in recent years, some would-be migrants have abandoned the effort, but others are determined to find a way around the security checkpoints or battle bad weather at sea. We want to leave (Morocco) because there is nothing left for us in the country, nothing to do, no future. We go to school but dont want to stay here, said 15-year-old Khalid. This week, many of them saw an opportunity as word spread quickly in Morocco about the tensions with Spain. When the government in Madrid gave medical treatment to a Western Saharan independence fighter that Morocco considers a terrorist, the decision led to chaos in Ceuta. The port city has always drawn those seeking to cross into Europe, but thousands were seen streaming toward Fnideq on highways and through forests and hills. Spain, here we come! a group of Moroccans cried as they marched, singing soccer chants and hurling expletives at their native country. In central Fnideq, thousands lined the corniche that looks towards Ceuta, and they ended up swimming or taking small boats around breakwaters separating the countries. While Moroccan security forces normally are spread out on the beach and in nearby hills patrolling a wide perimeter, there seemed to be fewer guards earlier this week. As large groups of youths scaled the fence and wrapped clothes on their hands to get over the barbed wire, Associated Press reporters saw border police standing by idly. While Morocco has said little about the relaxed border controls, it was widely seen as retaliation for Madrid allowing militant leader Brahim Ghali, to receive medical treatment inside Spain. Two Moroccan officials made that link in comments Wednesday. Spain eventually sent in military forces and pushed most of the migrants back to Morocco. The Red Cross says one young man died and dozens were treated for hypothermia. Khalid, 15, and Amin, 16, came to Fnideq on Sunday in a bus with about 40 others from Temara, a coastal town outside the capital, Rabat. They said they managed to cross into Spain three times, but were pushed back. The last time, they were forced to swim back along the shore back to Morocco. By Thursday, Moroccan border guards seemed to be back in their positions, but hundreds of youths have remained, and the men and boys in Fnideq havent lost hope of crossing over. I am the eldest of my brothers, my mother sells vegetable in the market and cant afford to support them, said Ayoub, in his early 20s, who arrived Thursday from the inland city of Meknes. I had to try and help my mother. While Moroccos government has focused on the Western Sahara in its limited public statements this week, it hasnt addressed the poverty and despair that is driving so many to want to leave the country. Fnideq, meanwhile, is suffering under the sudden influx of would-be migrants. The town relied heavily on trade with Ceuta before the pandemic, but Moroccos strict border closure since March 2020 has deprived residents of livelihoods and access to Spain. Protests broke out earlier this year by residents demanding government aid or an open border. Human rights groups and opposition lawmakers accused the Moroccan government of using migrants as pawns instead of solving their problems. The opposition Istiqlal party urged an economic alternative that guarantees the population their constitutional right to the necessities of a decent living. Despite the scenes of tear gas and troops on the border this week, the dream of getting out of Morocco remains strong for many struggling youths, even in the relatively prosperous capital. If you ask anyone in Rabat ... that person will tell you that wants to go to Europe, I mean migrate. This is everyones obsession," said street vendor Mohammed Ouhaddou. Politicians are not doing anything. They are asleep and no one listens to us. Derontae Martin was a playful and outgoing 19-year-old, a former football standout and a big kid who looked out for his friends and family. Now, his mother, grandmother and racial injustice activists are questioning the official account of how the young Black man ended up shot to death during a prom party inside the rural Missouri home of a middle-aged white man with a history of bigoted social media postings. They don't believe the findings of a preliminary investigation indicating that he took his own life inside the attic of that home. Its heartbreaking, Martin's grandmother Kimberly Lotts said. "He wasnt a kid that caused trouble, ran around or beat up folks, or robbed or stole. He wasnt that kind of a kid. He was a very loving, fun-filled kid. He was a loyal, faithful friend to those that he cared about. Martin's family lived in the St. Louis area until about a decade ago, when they moved to Park Hills, a town of 8,500 residents in Missouri's Old Lead Belt region about 60 miles (97 kilometers) southwest of St. Louis. Though that area of Missouri is about 95% white, Martin was popular and happy, his relatives said. Ericka Lotts recalled how her son donned bunny ears during this year's Easter service to amuse the small children. He was just a big kid, she said. I told him all the time he was 19, but inside he was about 12. At Central High School, Martin was a star defensive tackle who earned a scholarship to a small out-of-state college. He graduated in 2020 but needed to bring up his entrance exam score before he could go to college. Ericka Lotts said he spent the past year working at a Walmart store and a restaurant. Ericka Lotts recently bought a house in the St. Louis suburb of Ferguson, and Martin was living with her. But on the night of April 24 he was back in the Park Hills area. He went to a prom party at a home near the Madison County town of Fredericktown, 27 miles (43 kilometers) south of Park Hills. The home is owned by a man who on Facebook has mocked foreign accents and defended the Confederate flag. He recently posted a meme showing a hand flipping the finger. It reads: Here's my apology for being white." Because the man is not charged with a crime, The Associated Press is not naming him. He does not have a listed phone number. Madison County Sheriff Katy McCutcheon declined to comment, but a brief news release said deputies and EMTs were called to the rural home at 3:01 a.m. on April 25. They found Martin in the attic, dead. McCutcheon said an initial autopsy indicated Martin died of a self-inflicted gunshot to the head. Her news release did not say who owned the gun, or how Martin got it. The Missouri State Highway Patrol was asked to review Madison County's investigation, and concurred with the initial finding of suicide, though additional witnesses are still being sought, patrol Sgt. Clark Parrott said. The investigation has been met with broad skepticism among racial injustice activists, about 100 of whom staged a protest march in Fredericktown last week. The Rev. Darryl Gray, a St. Louis activist leader, said counter-protesters tossed two nooses at protesters and yelled racial slurs. That area of Missouri was home to Frank Ancona, a Missouri Ku Klux Klan leader shot to death by his wife in 2017. Gray said that despite the slurs and the threats, activists won't rest until the mysteries of Martin's death are solved. The whole thing is that it was a suspicious death," Gray said. How and why did Derontae end up in the house at this party, and how did he end up in the attic? At the very least ... there is negligence here. Gray and Ericka Lotts met last week with Madison County Prosecuting Attorney M. Dwight Robbins, who asked the Missouri attorney general's office to investigate. A spokesman for Attorney General Eric Schmitt, a Republican who is running for the U.S. Senate, declined to say if the office would get involved. Ericka Lotts questioned how Martin, who was right-handed, could shoot himself with a full cast on his broken right arm. She said she's heard several different accounts about what really happened and doesn't know what to believe. All I do know is that somebody shot him, Lotts said. What's Included With a Digital Only subscription, you'll receive unlimited access to our website and e-edition. Our digital products are available 24/7 and are accessible anywhere, anytime. If you have any questions or need further assistance, please call our customer service team at 574-583-5121 or email cgrace@thehj.com. GREENWICH The Board of Education will go back to the Board of Estimate and Taxation with a second interim appropriation request to pay for repairs at North Mianus School this one for just over $2.5 million. A ceiling collapse in a North Mianus School classroom broke a sprinkler pipe and flooded the building in February, causing significant damage and shuttering part of the school for the remainder of the year. Parts of the school are usable, but many North Mianus students have been displaced since the incident. Arrangements to keep some students at other school buildings will likely be needed in the fall as the Board of Education scrambles to jump-start repairs at the school. An initial request by the school board for $8.1 million was partially granted by the BET in April. Citing a need for a clearer estimate, the BET approved an allocation of $2.1 million in a vote that split the board along party lines. It also drew protests from some school board members and North Mianus parents, who said the lack of funding could delay the repairs. Now, the Board of Education is requesting more funds after going out to bid and solidifying design plans for the repairs. The original request which the districts Chief Operating Officer Sean OKeefe said included a large amount of contingency funds has come down considerably. Its anticipated the project will now cost the district just under $4.7 million. It is a great outcome, OKeefe said. Remember that when we called out the $8.1 (million), we said that there was a lot of contingency and a very high level estimate for the preventative work. So we knew we knew it was going to come down. The school board unanimously approved the request, which will need approval both from the BET, which meets Monday, and from the Representative Town Meeting in the coming weeks. An alternate location Superintendent of Schools Toni Jones acknowledged at Thursday nights school board meeting that the district is in preliminary contract negotiations for an alternative location for North Mianus students this fall. But Jones provided little additional information when pressed by board members. One board member, Peter Sherr, expressed concern at the boards lack of information. Is the space already equipped as a school? Sherr asked. What I can say is it would be an excellent site for us to have as an alternative site, Jones said. 5 1 of 5 File / Tyler Sizemore / Hearst Connecticut Media Show More Show Less 2 of 5 File / Tyler Sizemore / Hearst Connecticut Media Show More Show Less 3 of 5 4 of 5 File / Brian A. Pounds / Hearst Connecticut Media Show More Show Less 5 of 5 I dont know what that means, Sherr responded. Jones said she hoped more information would be available in the next few weeks, and OKeefe told the board that the district anticipates it would need the alternate location between August and December, although the schedule is tentative. In addition to questions about funding for the repair project, a nationwide shortage in building supplies could further complicated the process. With the supply shortage and the districts aggressive timeline, only one contractor made a bid on the project, according to OKeefe. The district is estimating that rent for the alternate site would be about $170,000 a month, or $850,000 to get through the end of the calendar year. The estimate is worked into the boards $2.5 million interim request. The site, Jones said, is centrally located. It is a site that is a reasonable distance, she said. That was another key component. Weve heard from several parents that have had children traveling to Parkway, and its quite a assistance for children to be on the bus. So weve been very cognizant that its, you know, its close. justin.papp@scni.com; @justinjpapp1; 203-842-2586 EAST HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) The husband of a missing Connecticut mother whose body was found Friday in a heavily wooded area of an East Hartford park was charged hours later with manslaughter in connection with her death. Tahj Hutchinson, 22, was taken into police custody on Friday evening, South Windsor Police said in a statement released on social media. He was being held on $1 million bond, charged with 1st degree manslaughter in the death of Jessica Edwards, 30. Police said Hutchinson may face additional charges, pending results of the continuing police investigation and an autopsy being conducted by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. Edwards, the mother of a 7-month-old boy, had been missing since earlier this month. Her husband told police she left their home in South Windsor, one town over from East Hartford, on the morning of May 10 and hadnt been seen since. Police initially said they believed Edwards had left in an unknown vehicle, but South Windsor Police Sgt. Mark Cleverdon said Friday that investigators don't believe that's exactly what happened." He did not elaborate. Edwards' cell phone has been shut off since she went missing, which complicated search efforts. But Cleverdon said police were ultimately able to use location data obtained through search warrants from another, unidentified source to narrow where to look for the missing woman. Local and state police found her decomposed body between 9:30 a.m. and 10 a.m. near a trail in the Hockanum River Linear Park with the help of police dogs and an aerial support unit. I think every single day we were able to get a little closer to getting to the location where we ended up searching this morning, Cleverdon said. Authorities were awaiting a cause and manner of death from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. Cleverdon said the case is still considered suspicious in nature but that could change depending on the medical examiner's report. Manchester police confirmed they were a part of the ongoing investigation and had helped at a home related to the case. Family members of Edwards were seen hugging in the East Hartford neighborhood near the park where police and the medical examiner's office responded Friday. Cleverdon said he and Deputy Chief Brian Eckblom spoke with Edwards' family earlier on Friday morning for about an hour and a half. We feel for them and theres no other way to put that. They are grieving right now and they miss their daughter, their sister greatly, he said. So it is our obligation to make sure that were doing everything we can to find as much closure as possible for them. The case has attracted statewide interest. Police and relatives had been urging the public to come forward with any information that would narrow their search. Family members and local residents distributed flyers throughout the Hartford area. Jessica wouldnt leave without her baby, Kendra Getfield, Jessicas cousin, told the Journal Inquirer this week. This is not like her. She talks to her mother and sister every single day. It is a red flag." Edwards, a student at Manchester Community College, missed a clinical class at Hartford Hospital on the morning of May 10. Her sister said Edwards' professor received an email at 2:20 a.m. that day saying she would not be attending the clinical session, but added it was strange she didn't also notify the hospital. Samsung is at the forefront of the foldable market thanks to its Z Fold and Z Flip lines. A new report from South Korean news outlet The Elec suggests Samsung is aiming to ship between 6 and 7 million units of its upcoming Galaxy Z Fold3 and Z Flip3. The report specifies that the Z Fold3 alone is expected to sell in the 3 million unit range while the Z Flip3 is expected to rack in an additional 4 million shipments. Both phones are expected to launch in July which would leave roughly 5 months for them to reach the aforementioned milestones. For comparison, Samsung managed 2.5 million foldable shipments over the past year while initial estimates were twice as high at 5 million. This in turn is putting added skepticism from market watchers in South Korea. Source (in Korean) Via Haiti - FLASH : Formation of a Haiti Caucus in the US Congress Representative Val Demings (FL-10), Congressman Andy Levin (MI-09), Congressman Yvette Clarke (NY-13) and Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) issued a statement announcing the formation of "House Haiti Caucus" within the US Congress. Text of the declaration : "We come to Congress with vastly different backgrounds and from all corners of our country, yet we have found common ground in our deep commitment to the Haitian people and their wellbeing, as well as an intense desire to see Haitian democracy thrive. With this caucus, we will work for a Haiti free from corruption, violence, repeated violations of civil and human rights, and economic and public health crises. The ruling elite in Haiti has not served the people, but we have full confidence that if given the opportunity the Haitian people can overcome this challenge and establish a strong democracy that has justice and opportunity for all. This should be a turning point in the relationship between the United States and Haiti. There is no excuse to repeat past mistakes. Instead, we will lift and listen to the Haitian voices that must shape a democratic future that will serve all of Haitis people, not the few. To this end, we must proceed with policies that will foster a real relationship that engages meaningfully with the broad sweep of Haitian civil society in defense of Haitis democracy and civil rights. We strongly support a Haitian-led democratic transition. As the founding members of the House Haiti Caucus, we welcome any colleagues who wish to join us in pursuit of a more just foreign policy that puts the needs and aspirations of the Haitian people first. We hope that this caucus can serve as a convening body for those who wish to hear from Haitian civil society leaders or organize legislative actions concerning Haiti, and as a partner to work alongside the Biden administration in forging a new path forward for our countrys relationship with Haiti." HL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - Politic : The European Parliament adopts a resolution on the situation in Haiti Thursday, May 20, 2021, the European Parliament adopted a resolution (639 votes in favor, 23 against and 31 abstentions) which urges the Haitian authorities to organize free, fair, transparent and credible legislative, local and presidential elections, and to guarantee effective security during these electoral processes. The resolution emphasizes that the failure of the elections in October 2020 brought about a regime of government by decree, and that rumors of failed coups d'etat reflect growing political and social instability in the country. Political opposition and civil society groups claim that President Jovenel Moise's term ended on February 7, 2021, in accordance with the position of Haiti's Supreme Judicial Council, and insist on the appointment of a President provisional. However, President Moise has so far refused to resign. The deputies also reaffirm their deep concern at the deterioration of the humanitarian, political and security situation in Haiti. They strongly condemn all human rights violations and acts of violence, in particular the increase in kidnappings, trafficking of children to the Dominican Republic, killings and rapes. Download the European Parliament resolution : HL / HaitiLibre Haiti - Covid-19 : Return of barrier measures in the educational environment Faced with a significant rebound in Covid-19 cases across the country in recent weeks, https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-33765-haiti-flash-haiti-accepts-astrazeneca-vaccine-proposed-by-who.html and following the instructions of the health and scientific authorities, the Ministry of National Education once again invites the educational community to apply barrier gestures (wearing a mask, physical distancing, washing hands, etc...) in the schools and educational spaces in general. Consequently, the directors of schools, vocational schools and university centers must take all necessary measures for the application of these vital measures for the protection of lives and the reduction of the spread of the disease. The Ministry relies on the collaboration of all educational agents, in particular teachers, parents, pupils and/or students and school officials for compliance with health instructions. HL/ HaitiLibre Update Required To play the media you will need to either update your browser to a recent version or update your Flash plugin. Login or sign up to follow actresses, movies & dramas and get specific updates and news Login Sign Up Email Password Password Username Your E-mail will only be used to retrieve a lost password. Stay logged in Help Published on 2021/05/20 | Source The new film "Stay" has confirmed a cast including Oh Ji-ho, Oh Cho-hee and Lee Jae-yong-I and will crank in this June. "Stay" is a crime action movie about Taek-dong, who used to be called Tazza in online gambling, jumping into a real gambling court to get revenge for his friend. Oh Ji-oh plays Taek-dong who gets out of the corner of his room and risks his life and to jump into the gambling world. Oh Cho-hee plays Jang Na-ri, sexy owner of the gambling house. Pro tazza Dong-soo who shows no mercy, is played by Lee Jae-yong-I. "Stay" cranks in this 15th of June. Chinese vaccines can protect against mutated variants in India: China CDC (Global Times) 13:57, May 21, 2021 The COVID-19 vaccine Beijing manufacturing plant of leading Chinese vaccine producer Sinovac Photo: Li Hao/GT Current Chinese COVID-19 vaccines can offer protection against the mutated variants found in India, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said on Thursday. Shao Yiming, a leading physician-scientist and immunologist at the China CDC, said at Thursday's press conference that China is studying the mutated variants found in India and collecting data from the study. "Related Chinese institutions have studied the variants, and preliminary results showed current Chinese vaccines can offer protection against them," Shao said. The coronavirus is in a constant process of mutation, and existing vaccines may not offer protection for future variants, "we can produce new vaccines simply and quickly without changing the techniques," Shao said, noting that the new virus just needs to be added in production. "Chinese authorities are closely tracking the virus, and as soon as there are mutated variants that the existing vaccines can't deal with, we will have new vaccines available," Shao said. In a recent case, five Chinese travelers were confirmed to be infected with variants detected in India after returning from Vietnam. The five cases were confirmed to be positive during their quarantine, which started on April 28 in Pingxiang, South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, after returning from Yen Bai, Vietnam, the Xinhua News Agency reported on Tuesday. The World Health Organization has labeled the mutation identified in India as "a variant of global concern," which shows that it may be more transmissible, more likely to cause infections and more resistant to current vaccines. (Web editor: Guo Wenrui, Liang Jun) Since the early morning hours of Friday, Russian warplanes carried out more than 20 air strikes on sites where ISIS mercenaries are holed up in the Chula Desert and Jabal Al-Bishri area, in the western desert of Deir Ezzor, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. On the other hand, the Damascus government forces continue their combing campaigns in separate areas of the Syrian Badia, in search of ISIS mercenary cells without any real results for all combing operations carried out in the Desert. On May 13, the Syrian Observatory monitored the Russian warplanes continuing their air strikes on the Syrian Desert, as they carried out intense raids on Asariya Desert in the eastern Hama countryside and the vicinity of Jabal al-Bishri are at the administrative borders between Raqqa and Deir Ezzor, in an ongoing attempt to paralyze the movements of ISIS mercenaries of his great activity in the region. Despite the intense Russian raids, the Syrian government forces and affiliated groups are still unable to eliminate the remaining ISIS mercenaries who launch attacks on the Damascus government forces, causing great human losses in their ranks. J.O A Senate panel voted Wednesday to give themselves and their colleagues a big increase in their allowance and do it as soon as possible. You voted: The following cases were resolved by Hill County Judge Audrey Barger in February. Victoria Lynn Landon, born in 1966, had dismissed by the prosecution charges of assault on a peace officer or judicial officer causing bodily injury and two counts of assault with bodily fluid. Kara Lyn Shouting, born in 1972, had dismissed by the court a charge of speeding. Christopher Allan Knight, born in 1970, had dismissed by the court a charge of speeding. Jared Nicholas Hofeldt, born in 1983, had dismissed by the prosecution charge of stop sign violation. Charles Edward Windyboy, born in 1989, was fined $250 and sentenced to 180 days in jail, 178 days suspended, for driving while privilege to do so is suspended or revoked. Ronald Dale Stump Jr., born in 1988, was fined $100 and sentenced to 180 days in jail, all days suspended, for destruction of or tampering with a communication device to obstruct a criminal offense report. Christian Lance Richey, born in 2001, was fined $350 for operating a vehicle without liability insurance, second offense, amended from first offense. In a subsequent case, Richey was fined $500 for failing to carry proof of vehicle insurance, third or subsequent offense, amended from second offense. Kristi Leigh Henderson, born in 1987, had dismissed by the prosecution charges of speeding and driving a vehicle while privilege to do so is suspended or revoked, first offense. Larry Ray Denny Jr., born in 1972, was sentenced to 180 days in jail, two days credited and 178 days suspended, for driving while privilege to do so is suspended or revoked, second offense. Miquela Perez, born in 2000, was given a deferred imposition of sentence for theft, obtaining or exerting unauthorized control over property, first offense. In a later case, Perez had dismissed by the prosecution a charge of driving while privilege to so is suspended or revoked, first offense; was fined $100 for operating a vehicle without liability insurance, first offense; and had dismissed by the prosecution a charge of operating a vehicle with expired registration, failure to reregister. Douglas Dale Winchell, born in 1971, was fined $250 and sentenced to 180 days in jail, 178 days suspended, for driving a vehicle while privilege to do so is suspended or revoked, second offense, and was fined $50 and sentenced to 90 days in jail, all days suspended, for reckless driving, first offense. Desmond Thomas Ferguson, born in 1994, had dismissed by the prosecution a charge of trespass to property. Codie Darwin Nalder, born in 1994, had dismissed by the prosecution a charge of theft, obtaining or exerting unauthorized control over property, third or subsequent offense. Joel Rylan Fladstol, born in 1985, had dismissed by the court a charge of driving under the influence, third offense, amended from first offense. Derelle Fiddler, born in 1999, was given a deferred imposition of sentence and fined $100 for partner or family member assault, causing injury, first offense. Roy A. Welkum, born in 2000, was given a deferred imposition of sentence and fined $50 for theft, obtaining or exerting unauthorized control over property, first offense. Adam Michael Bachmeier, born in 1986, was given a deferred imposition of sentence for theft, unauthorized control over property, first offense. Kyrie Michelle Bachmeier, born in 1987, was sentenced to 180 days in jail, all days suspended, for criminal Mischief pecuniary loss less than $1,500, amended from theft, unauthorized control over property, third offense. Leann Ahenakew, born in 1976, had dismissed by the court a charge of theft, unauthorized control over property, and a charge of trespass to property. Lisa Ann Stump, born in 1970, was sentenced to 180 days in jail, five days credited and 175 days suspended, for driving while privilege to do so is suspended or revoked, second offense. In a later case, Stump was fined $350 for operating a vehicle without liability insurance, second offense, and was found guilty of driving without a valid drivers license, has never possessed one. Anthony Ray Richardson, born in 1984, was found not guilty for a charge of cruelty to animals, first offense. Peggy Ahenakew, born in 1980, had dismissed by the prosecution a charge of driving while privilege to do so us suspended or revoked, first offense, and was fined $600 for DUI, first offense, amended from second offense. Darrin Dean Longfox Jr., born in 1996, had dismissed by the prosecution a charge of partner or family member assault causing apprehension of injury, first offense. Melanie O. Rosette, born in 1981, had dismissed by the prosecution a charge of trespass to property. Holley Ranee Leo, born in 2001, had dismissed by the prosecution a charge of possession of drug paraphernalia. Tasha Elaine Daniels, born in 1984, had dismissed by the prosecution a charge of partner or family member assault, causing apprehension of injury, first offense. Layla Arwen Ell, born in 1975, had dismissed by the prosecution a charge of obstructing a peace officer or other public servant and was fined $15 and sentenced to 365 days in jail, five days credited and 360 suspended, for theft, unauthorized control over property, third offense, amended from first offense. A boy born in 2003 was fined $100 for minor in possession, under 18, first offense. Terry Lee Peterson, born in 1948, had dismissed by the prosecution a charge of basic rule violation, reasonable and prudent, first offense. A girl born in 2005 was fined $250 for driving while privilege to do so is suspended or revoked, first offense. Jai Lynne Mary Day Child, born in 1996, was fined $350 for operating a vehicle without liability insurance, second offense. Lucinda Rose Martin, born in 1973, was fined $100 for operating a vehicle without liability insurance, first offense. Heather Lena Mari Lamere, born in 1994, was fined $103 for driving while privilege to do so is suspended or revoked, first offense. Dennis Eugene Claffey, born in 1963, was found guilty of operating a vehicle which has never been properly registered. Wyatt James Cole Caplette, born in 2002, was given a deferred imposition of sentence and fined $250 for operating a vehicle without liability insurance, first offense, and was given a deferred imposition of sentence and fined $200 for driving without a valid drivers license. Terry Keith Ward, born in 1951, forfeited $200 bond for driving without a valid drivers license. Miracle Rose Gray, born in 1997, forfeited $250 bond for operating a vehicle without liability insurance, first offense. Samuel Rueben Onespot, born in 1992, was fined $250 for operating a vehicle without liability insurance, first offense, and was fined $250 and sentenced to 180 days in jail, two days credited and 178 days suspended, for driving while privilege to do so is suspended or revoked, first offense. Ramona Lynn Abeita, born in 1979, was fined $250 for each of two charges: operating a vehicle without liability insurance, first offense, and driving a vehicle while privilege to do so is suspended or revoked. Donavan Robert Petryshyn, born in 1978, forfeited $400 bond for exceeding the maximum gross weight allowed any group of axles. Russell J. Weaving, born in 1972, was fined $100 and sentenced to 365 days in jail, 360 days suspended, for theft, unauthorized control over property, third offense. Trystan Faith Abeita, born in 2000, forfeited $250 bond for operating a vehicle without liability insurance, first offense,. Airian Mariah Russette, born in 1993, forfeited $250 bond for operating a vehicle without liability insurance in effect, first offense. Chenaya Plume Standing Rock, born in 1995, was fined $100 for operating a vehicle without liability insurance, first offense, and was fined $50 for operating a vehicle with expired registration, failure to register. Jazzmine Morin, born in 2001, was fined $100 and sentenced to 365 days in jail, one day credited and 363 suspended, for partner or family member assault, causing injury. Lance Eldon Lindbloom, born in 1967, forfeited $200 bond for driving without a valid drivers license. Kaylyn Raychelle Oats, born in 1997, was fined $500 for driving without a valid drivers license, has never possessed one. Shayna Jo Koop, born in 1996, was fined $250 for driving without a valid drivers license. Ralph Paul Birky, born in 1959, forfeited $125 bond for exceeding 34,000 pounds tandem axle weight limit. Anthony Azure, born in 1998, was sentenced to 180 days in jail, two days credited and 170 days suspended, for possession of drug paraphernalia. Another 72 citations had fines of less than $100. Editors note: The computer program provided by the Montana state government to print media reports on court actions does not always list all fines assessed. Theresa Zoren, left, poses for a photo with Northern Broadcasting System Marketing Specialist Bernadete Jensen Thursday during the Tow Rope Hero live broadcast in Havre. Northern Broadcasting System radio personalities spent Thursday morning in the Montana State University-Northern Diesel Technology Building broadcasting about local community members and business owners who have done outstanding work supporting communities during the COVID-19 pandemic. The broadcast was part of NBS's "Tow Rope Tour," which is meant to find and draw attention to people in communities all over Montana who have gone out of their way to make a difference during this difficult time, and is sponsored by Mountain Health CO-OP. "We're traveling to get information and stories about people who are tow rope heroes and what they've done," Northern Broadcasting System Vice President Courtney Kibblewhite said. Kibblewhite said the idea of a Tow Rope is a metaphor for the kind of people they are looking for. "In Montana, we don't leave folks stranded along the side of the road," Tom Schultz, host of Montana's longest-running statewide radio talk show, "Voices of Montana," part of the Northern News Network said in a press release. "That's why we carry a tow rope. There are a lot of good people in Montana humbly doing good things for their neighbors, or even strangers, and hearing those stories can be uplifting and encouraging for all." Nominees in the Havre area include Alyvia Hammond, Amber Spring, Ben Franklin Crafts, Bob Bergren, Brandy Kurtz, Casey Peterson Solomon, Dave Shepard, Don Miller, Paul Tuss, Hunter Cramer, Janine Donoven and Wendy Gerky, Lindsay Lorang, Munya and Lori Takawira, Peggy Kimmet, Shelma Seidel and Theresa Zoren. Many were honored for their contributions to the area's nurses and health care professionals by making masks and other equipment or providing something as simple as fresh coffee. Havre Daily News/Colin Thompson Voices of Montana's Tom Schultz, left, interviews Bear Paw Development Corp. Executive Director Paul Tuss during Northern Broadcast System's Tow Rope Heroes live broadcast in Havre. However, nominees were honored for everything from providing specialized mental health care for people in the community to working to prevent evictions to providing grocery deliveries. Kibblewhite said Northern Broadcasting System has done events like this in the past but they didn't know what they were going to be able to do this year because of the pandemic, but this event so far has been a success and they are looking to cover western Montana later in the year and Malta today. She said they spent Thursday morning interviewing nominees and letting them tell their stories if they were willing. "It's all about connecting people together and ideas together," she said. Tow Rope Hero nominees, and the people who nominate them, are entered into a drawing for a Bad Boy Zero-Turn lawn mower. People interested in submitting a nomination can go to https://northernbroadcasting.com for details, and for a list of nominees. Raymond Gene Watson of Great Falls, Montana, passed away in the early hours of May 7, 2021. He was born to Harry Richard Holland Watson and Nora Myrtle Baumer Watson on January 14, 1933, in Havre, Montana. He was educated in the Havre Public Schools, graduating from Havre High School in 1951. He attended Northern Montana College - now MSU-Northern - from 1951 to 1953. In the summer of 1953, he worked in the Texas oil fields with his brother-in-law. He then moved to Seattle where he was a tool maker for Boeing Aircraft. In 1954, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy and became an electronics technician. He volunteered to become one of the early guided missilemen. During his enlistment, he served in the Korean War. In 1957, Ray married Susan Elissa Carson of Paw Paw, Michigan. Sue was working for the CIA at the time, and they met in Washington, D.C., through a mutual friend, Bill Johnson. Sue left the CIA to marry Ray, and after their wedding, they lived at the Chincoteague Naval Air Station in Virginia. Ray was honorably discharged in 1959 and enrolled at Montana State College - now MSU - in Bozeman. In December of 1961, he received a bachelor's degree in history, along with teaching credentials, and started teaching at Havre High School in 1962. In 1965 Ray returned to Montana State College and received his master's degree in History and Philosophy. He went home to Havre High in 1966, where he continued to teach until his retirement in 1990. Ray was the chair of the Social Studies Department and taught American History, Montana History, World History, and an honors course in philosophy. He and Sue also accompanied Havre High School students on numerous history trips to New York City, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., and Williamsburg. Ray served as president of the Havre Education Association. He was also the legislative chairperson and a contract negotiator. He served on the Montana Education Association Board, and was vice president of the North Central District, and part of the Financial Planning Cadre. He served on the Advisory Committee for Performance Based Education at Northern Montana College. Ray was elected to the Havre City Council in 1969. Over the next 13 years, he served as council president, chairperson of finance and participated on several other boards and committees. In 1981, he was elected mayor of Havre, and served a four-year term. He was proud of the infrastructure improvements made during his tenure. After retiring in 1990, Ray and Sue moved to the Kitsap Peninsula in Washington State. Ray became a volunteer at the Naval Undersea Museum in Keyport, Washington. In 1994, they moved to the Denver area to tutor Spanish-speaking students in fourth grade math for five years. While there, Ray served as the president of the Meals on Wheels program. In August of 2000, they moved to Great Falls, where they took up a busy life volunteering at the C.M. Russell Museum, the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center, the Great Falls Rescue Mission, and the First United Methodist Church. Together they compiled thousands of hours of volunteer time in Great Falls over the last two decades. In 2002, Montana State University-Northern recognized Ray's lifetime achievements by awarding him the Founders Award for Excellence. Ray was a great storyteller and a great listener. He was a master teacher and had a way of distilling history to its essence, and then communicating it astonishingly well. He loved to work with wood and was a skilled craftsman who miraculously lived his entire life with all ten fingers intact. He was a strong man with a soft heart that would reach out to help anyone, or any cat, in need. Everyone who was family or friend knew that he loved them. He was a husband, a father, a gentleman, and a scholar. More importantly, Ray was a good man. He is deeply missed. Ray is survived by Sue, his wife of 63 years; their daughter, Deborah (Ted) Barkley of Bozeman, Montana; their son, Richard (Ann) Watson of Cascade, Montana; two grandchildren, Rosalynd (Aaron) Smith of Ellensburg, Washington, and Robert (Jordan) Schriber of Greeley, Colorado; three great-grandchildren, Archer and Charleigh Kate Smith, Aiden Schriber, and one great-granddaughter on the way; three stepgrandchildren, Nick Barkley, Paul Barkley, and Sarah Barkley, all in the Minneapolis, Minnesota area; brother, Richard (Mary) Watson of Manson, Washington; and numerous nephews and nieces. He was predeceased by his parents and his sister, Beatrice D. (Watson) Cioc. We have faith that he is re-joining his mother and father and that gives us peace. However, he is also joining his best friend and partner-in-crime, Louis Lucke, who predeceased him by several years, and this combination makes us a little nervous. We can only hope that Heaven is prepared. Condolences and memories may be shared online at http://www.SchniderFuneralHome.com . A memorial service will be held on Saturday, July 31, 2021, at 11:00 a.m. at First United Methodist Church in Great Falls. All are welcome to attend. On Saturday, May 15, more than 100 community members met at the Mine Made Adventure Park in Knott County to support the annual Shop With a Trooper ATV ride fundraiser. The fundraiser, said officials with the Kentucky State Police Post 13, raises money each year that will be used to purchase gifts for local children during Christmas. That was our Shop With a Trooper ATV ride. We conduct that every spring to try to help raise funds for Shop With a Trooper, said KSP Trooper Matt Gayheart. Shop With a Trooper, he said, is KSP's annual event where they purchase Christmas gifts for local children in their service area.Shop With a Trooper is a huge event. Annually we spend around $10,000 in that program to the kids of the community. It's a great way for us to be involved. During the ATV ride fundraiser, KSP also held a raffle for door prizes before the ride. All items were donated from local businesses. Gayheart said to see that many businesses willing to help, combined with more than a hundred people attending the event, was a great feeling and show of support for the KSP and their mission. To see that many people show up and help out and donate money, it's just a great feeling knowing they're standing behind us, said Gayheart. The fundraiser, he said, was successful, but more work will need to be done throughout the year. KSP raised around $3,500 during the event, said Gayheart, adding that should be enough to cover approximately 25 children. It was a great fundraiser and I think it was a major success for us, however, it doesn't meet our goal. Fundraising efforts have to continue throughout the year to ensure that we have the funds available to keep that program going, he said. To make a donation, contact Gayheart by calling KSP Post 13 at, (606) 435-6069. Recently, a Perry County man was arrested on several charges relating to an incident in which, police said, he allegedly attempted to burn the body of a teenage girl in a Hazard residence. At approximately 6:25 p.m. on Wednesday, May 12, Roy Lee Johnson, 28, of Busy, was arrested on several charges, including abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence, second-degree arson and first-degree wanton endangerment. In a citation written by Trooper Robbie Dials, of the Kentucky State Police Post 13, Trooper Dials said that KSP responded to a call regarding a deceased female in a residence. On Saturday, May 8, I was called to North Engle Street in reference to a deceased female being located in a residence. Once law enforcement personnel arrived on scene, it was discovered that a fire had been located inside the residence by a male subject named Stanford Adams, said Dials in the citation. Adams, the citation said, had drug a recliner from the basement of the residence because he could see smoke coming from the residence. Upon entering the residence, troopers located a female deceased in a bedroom. Once I arrived at the residence, I observed a female wrapped up in several covers and ropes. It appeared the body was being prepared to be moved, said Dials. Through an investigation, Dials said, it was determined the female victim was Jacqueline Herald, 18. Herald, said the citation, had been staying at the residence with Roy Lee Johnson. Johnson met with KSP detectives and conducted a taped audio and video statement, and was read his Miranda Rights, the citation said. He then consented to speaking with investigating officers, said Dials. Dials said Johnson stated he and Herald had snorted heroin around April 29, and Johnson advised he and Herald had overdosed and that he was administered three doses of Narcan. Johnson, the citation said, stated he located Herald laying in his bed and said she wasnt breathing. Johnson said he then allegedly administered Narcan to her and she gasped for breath, Dials said. Johnson stated he went to sleep only to find Herald the following day, and advised he was unsure if she was still alive but later stated he thought she was, said the citation. Johnson stated he moved her from his bed into another bedroom. He advised he could no longer go upstairs of the residence due to the odor, said Dials. Johnson, the citation said, explained that on the day Herald was located, he and two other male subjects had planned to move her body to an unknown location. Johnson allegedly stated he couldnt do this, and advised KSP that one of the male subjects suggested burning the residence after removing the valuable items to conceal the death of the female and destroy any physical evidence at the scene and said he consented to doing so, the citation said. The residence, said Dials, was in extreme close proximity of the residence that was attempted to be burned, and a female was inside the residence when the fire was set, causing circumstances that created extreme indifference to human life, wantonly endangering the life of the female. Johnson was charged with abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence, second-degree arson (complicity) and first-degree wanton endangerment. Johnson was scheduled to appear for arraignment in Perry County District Court on Tuesday, May 18. He is currently lodged in the Kentucky River Regional Jail. (The Center Square) The Kentucky Chamber of Commerce has come out in support of a bill filed by a local congressman that seeks to give clarity to small business owners regarding the joint employer rule. U.S. Rep. James Comer, a Republican from Tompkinsville, filed H.R. 3185, called the Save Local Business Act, last week. Comer said he filed the bill to push policies that encourage more workforce participation and loosen regulatory burdens for small businesses. Our bill will protect the franchise business model, empower small businesses to prosper, and create fewer bureaucratic headaches for American job creators at a time when our economy desperately needs a lift, Comer said in a statement. The Kentucky Chamber said it sent a letter of thanks to Comer for the bill, which would define joint employer status only to businesses that exert control over the terms of employment. As businesses across Kentucky and the nation attempt to recover from the harsh economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, this legislation could not be timelier, wrote Travis Burton, the chambers political affairs director. The U.S. Department of Labor then under the Trump Administration issued a guideline in January 2020 that narrowed the scope of the rule, especially for those with franchises or contractor relationships. Most of that rule, though, was struck down by a federal judge last September. While the Trump Administration did appeal the case, the Biden Administration posted a new rule in March that rescinded the previous administrations guideline. In its explanation posted on the Federal Register, the Biden Administration said the changes would give greater protections to workers. This could particularly improve the well-being and economic security of workers in low-wage industries, many of whom are immigrants and people of color, because (Fair Labor Standards Act) violations are more severe and widespread in low-wage labor markets, the Labor Department said. Comer called that an overreach of federal powers. More than 65 industry trade associations have signed on to support the bill, including the National Federation of Independent Business and Associated Builders and Contractors. Returning to a direct-control joint employer standard will provide small business owners with the certainty they have historically enjoyed. This standard will make it clear to small employers when they may be liable for the actions of a subcontractor, said Jeff Brabant, NFIBs senior manager for federal government relations. In addition to industry support, 54 U.S. House members all Republicans have joined as cosponsors. U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kansas, has filed a companion bill in the Senate. Similar to any industry, working in the healthcare sector requires a combination of 3D's, dedication, devotion, and determination. It is this unique formula that gives you an upper hand in the competition. Unlike other sectors, the healthcare industry has a significant impact on lives. Therefore, one requires nerves of steel, compassion, and an undying passion for becoming a great leader. A leader helps a team get the job done and holds their morale high even in the face of hopelessness, boosts positivity, and aims to inspire them. Whether you have spent years serving as a healthcare expert or are a resident, there is always room to learn and grow. Every year universities are churning out doctors and nurses. However, success is not always guaranteed. Some doctors spend their entire career serving patients and go unnoticed. You could do that too, or you could choose to make a significant impact. If you are looking to pave the way for the upcoming generations to be inspired, here are some tips to get you on the fast track to success in the healthcare industry. Be a Life-Long Student Researchers are always coming up with new theories and making the old ones redundant. But, there is no limit to knowledge when it comes to pursuing a career in healthcare, but you may start with an under or post-graduate program. There are plenty of courses available such as an online Masters in health administration, which will provide you the skills to better grip your area of expertise. For healthcare experts who have already graduated, you can look into webinars and conferences held by industry leaders to get your fill of the latest developments in medicine. The mark of a great leader is their willingness to educate others. Becoming a mentor to the younger lot presents an opportunity to learn as well, as you may benefit from their fresh perspective on things. Therefore, the more you know, the better you will help your patients and teach your fellow healthcare workers. Always Remain Patient-Centric The healthcare business is evergreen; instead of focusing on the cash flow, keep your eyes on the prize, that is, your patients. Go above and beyond taking care of your patients. Often, doctors are stuck in busy schedules or do not have enough time to dedicate to each patient. It may lead to an attitude, which patients can either find rude or intimidating. If you want to be a leader, earn your name in the industry by practicing compassion. Connect with patients, ask them about their day, and be willing to give extra few minutes to each patient while explaining their symptoms and conditions. As a medical student, you may know every jargon like the back of your hand. However, your patients may not understand medical terminologies. Therefore, try explaining things in simple terms where your patients can understand. The better they know, the higher their chances of taking care of themselves, which is the end goal. Moreover, if patients complain about taking hard-to-swallow capsules, be open to suggesting syrups to ease their discomfort. In other words, do all you can for the betterment of your patients. Be Patient As with any service catering directly to customers, healthcare providers need to exhibit the pinnacle of patience. Sometimes, patients may not necessarily follow doctors' advice or not take prescribed medicines. Instead of getting worked up, a true leader shows empathy, connects with patients, gets to the root cause of the issue, and inspires them to take his advice. Furthermore, unlike other jobs, the healthcare industry requires doctors to maintain a flexible schedule. Emergencies can arise at any hour of the night over holidays and may require you to show up at the facility at the drop of a hat. Master the Art of Stress Management Healthcare workers have to face daily challenges from the crack of dawn till the wee hours into the night. These usually demand workers to make critical decisions in the spur of the moment. Frazzled doctors seldom make good decision-makers. On the contrary, staying calm even during high-stress levels can help you calculate the odds, weigh your options and recommend the best treatment for your patients. Besides, your healthcare team looks up to you. If the leader is stressed out, it will reflect poorly on the team and shake their confidence. Hence, leaders should strive to stay calm no matter the situation. The key to maintaining your cool during stressful situations is to find what relaxes you, eases your mind. Network Regardless of your profession, networking can help you reach new heights of success. This tactic can help you climb the social ladder and have access to leading healthcare workers in the industry from whom you can learn and grow. Whether you are an introvert or extrovert, mingle, socialize and network within your organization and outside of it. Conclusion Being a successful healthcare expert takes years of expertise, so do not attempt to take any shortcuts. Put in the hard work, build rapport, network, and create a name for yourself among patients and healthcare workers alike. Remember, this industry thrives on referrals, so every patient counts. Free access for current print subscribers As a home delivery subscriber, you get free unlimited digital access to premium content on HenryHerald.com, including local news, local sports, obituaries, legal notices, local features, and the e-edition. All you need is your print subscription account number and your last name. Don't know your subscription number? Email access@henryherald.com with your delivery address. Activate your account now. Protesters hold the Myanmar Student Union flag during a demonstration against the military coup in Mandalay on May 17. AFP-Yonhap By Lee Min-hyung Korean banks have reported dismal earnings in Myanmar, a widely-expected result in the wake of the country's widening chaos amid the military take over and massive crackdown on its people who oppose the junta, with the Industrial Bank of Korea (IBK) Bank Myanmar hit hardest by the brutal violence there. The lender opened its office Jan. 21, but failed to engage in normal activities amid the turmoil that the military is wreaking on the population. The bank reported a net loss of 807 million won ($715,000) for the first three months this year. Most other lenders have not yet released specific earnings for the first quarter, but they are expected to have generated disappointing profits, as the internal conflict continues to escalate at a worrying level no Korean banks have resumed normal business operations so far. KB Kookmin Bank chalked up operating revenue of 1.48 billion won during the first quarter, down 6 percent from the previous year. This is a noteworthy drop, compared to a year ago, as the lender reported first-quarter growth of more than 100 percent in 2020 from the previous year. Of much more concern is that Korean lenders will likely see their losses mount in the country in the second quarter and possibly throughout the year. "Banks will have to suffer losses for their paralyzed business activities in the country, as the military crackdown there shows little sign of subsiding as of now," an industry official said. "Banks are in a state of deadlock and cannot even push for an exit strategy in the market for the time being. This is because it wasn't until recently that most of them opened their offices there. They have no choice but to keep track of whether the political uncertainty keeps escalating." Two other top-tier banks Shinhan and Woori also tapped into the market to seek new revenue sources amid toughening domestic rivalry here. They are raising their monitoring of the regional unrest, but said that they do not have any plans to withdraw from their businesses there. Note: We've recently updated our online systems. If you can't login please try resetting your password. You must login with an email address. If you don't have an email associated with your account email customercare@heraldandnews.com for help creating one. YouTube is flooded with hate speech. Since it became a popular platform for political "news" shows, YouTube has become a battleground between self-proclaimed right-wing and left-wing commentators on politics. gettyimagesbank Self-proclaimed political commentators on YouTube cross line to attract more subscribers amid political news boom By Kang Hyun-kyung Comedian-turned-YouTuber Kang Seong-beom, 47, offered an apology for his discriminatory remarks about both Chinese nationals and the residents of the southeastern city of Daegu. "In my latest video, I made some inappropriate comments about Chinese nationals and Daegu residents," he said in a statement uploaded Thursday about the May 19 video. "I deleted the controversial part. My apologies to Daegu residents, Chinese people in Korea, Mr. Lee Jun-seok and his parents and subscribers to my channel who could have felt offended by my careless comments. I know what I said cannot be justified under any circumstances. It was my fault and I am sorry for that." His apology came a day after he made scathing comments about the two groups of people while talking about the main opposition People Power Party's upcoming primary to select a new leader. PPP lawmaker and former Supreme Council member, Lee Jun-seok, 36, currently leads surveys on who will be the most-likely leader. "Some stocks were classified as the best to buy as Lee gains the upper hand in surveys. The prices of these stocks are on the rise. There's a rumor that his father is a Chinese national," Kang said. "Lee denied the rumor, saying that both his parents were from Daegu. I wonder if being a Daegu native is better than being a Chinese national. Isn't a Chinese national better than a Daegu citizen?" His remarks were politically calculated. Like many other countries, elections in Korea offer a chance to see how divided voters are. Generally, people in the eastern part of the country overwhelmingly cast their ballots in favor of the conservative main opposition party, whereas people in the west lean toward liberal candidates. Daegu, a land-locked city in southeastern Korea, is the traditional stronghold of the conservative party, whereas the southwestern city of Gwangju and surrounding Jeolla region are the home turf of the ruling liberal camp. Comedian-turned-YouTuber Kang Seong-beom / Korea Times file FILE - In this May 2, 2021, file photo, Stephanie Birman, right, a Seattle Sounders season ticket holder, wears a Sounders mask, jersey and earrings as she gets the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine at a clinic in a concourse at Lumen Field prior to an MLS soccer match between the Sounders and the Los Angeles Galaxy. On Thursday, May 20, 2021, authorities in King County, Wash., which includes Seattle, said all people should continue wearing masks indoors until 70% of people in the county 16 and older are fully vaccinated. Support local journalism We are making critical coverage of the coronavirus available for free. Please consider subscribing so we can continue to bring you the latest news and information on this developing story. President Moon Jae-in speaks during his visit to the U.S. Capitol, Friday (Korea Standard Time). On his right is U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Yonhap US lawmakers table Peace on Korean Peninsula Act By Nam Hyun-woo, Joint Press Corps SEOUL/WASHINGTON President Moon Jae-in stressed the part played by the U.S. Congress in achieving peace on the Korean Peninsula, Thursday (local time), adding that the Seoul-Washington alliance has played a pivotal role in regional peace. Moon made the remarks during a meeting with U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other congressional leaders at the Capitol in Washington, D.C., the day before his summit with U.S. President Joe Biden. "I expect the dialogue between South Korea and the U.S., which will begin with today's meeting, will be an opportunity for deepening bilateral cooperation for peace on the Korean Peninsula, overcoming the challenges from COVID-19, boosting economic recovery and coming up with responses to climate change," Moon said at the start of the meeting. Moon noted that the Seoul-Washington alliance was "the world's most exemplary" and the two sides "will continue to go together in the same direction," according to Chung Man-ho, senior Cheong Wa Dae secretary for public communications. Chung added that Moon sought the continued support of the U.S. Congress for progress in the alliance and peace on the Korean Peninsula. While welcoming Moon, Pelosi said the meeting would be an opportunity to share ideas on the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, climate issues, the fight against the pandemic and technological innovation. She added that she hopes for brisk exchanges between not only Seoul and Washington, but also North and South Korea. Democrat Rep. Gregory Meeks noted that the Biden administration invited Moon to visit the U.S. during the early stages of its leadership, and this showed the importance of the Seoul-Washington alliance, which serves as the "linchpin of peace and stability in Indo-Pacific region." U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi speaks during President Moon Jae-in's visit to the Capitol, Washington, D.C., Thursday (local time). Yonhap When the snow finally melts in Michigan, we see what weve forgotten in the backyard a rake leaning on last years pile of leaves, one of the dogs chew toys, and a Frisbee tossed and dropped on one of Novembers last warm days. (JTA) After 11 days of fighting, Israel and Hamas agreed to a mutual and simultaneous ceasefire on Thursday that began at 2 a.m. Friday Israel time. Israels security cabinet unanimously approved the truce, according to reports, after military officials presented what they deemed the successful outcomes of their campaign. A Hamas official confirmed the news to Reuters on Thursday. Israeli forces achieved military goals unprecedented in their strength, accuracy and strategic significance in their fight against terror organizations in the Gaza Strip tweeted Israeli Defense M... President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un raise their hands after signing the Panmunjom Declaration during their first summit at the border village of Panmunjeom in this April 27, 2018, file photo. Yonhap By Nam Hyun-woo, Joint Press Corps SEOUL/WASHINGTON A joint statement to be announced after the upcoming summit between President Moon Jae-in and his U.S. counterpart Joe Biden will likely include U.S. recognition of the 2018 Panmunjeom Declaration, in which the two Koreas agreed to cooperate in officially ending the Korean War and halt all hostile activities toward each other, according to a senior Cheong Wa Dae official who is accompanying Moon in Washington, D.C., Thursday (local time). So far, the Moon administration has been encouraging the U.S. to entice North Korea toward dialogue through approaches based on the 2018 Singapore Declaration made between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Biden's predecessor Donald Trump. If the Moon-Biden joint statement includes the U.S.' recognition of the Panmunjeom Declaration, it can be interpreted as a major step forward in Moon's efforts to revive an atmosphere of peace on the Korean Peninsula. "South Korea has made a great contribution to the Singapore agreement and the Biden administration's North Korea policy review," the official said during a meeting with pool reporters. "As the U.S.' recognition of inter-Korean relations, the (Moon-Biden) statement may include content from the Panmunjeom Declaration. This means the U.S. not only recognizes agreements between Washington and Pyongyang, but also those between the two Koreas." The Panmunjeom Declaration was adopted on April 27, 2018, during the first Moon-Kim summit at the truce village of Panmunjeom. In the declaration, the two sides agreed to try to declare the end of the Korean War, halt hostile activities toward each other and achieve the denuclearization of the peninsula, among others goals. The Korean War ended with an armistice agreement signed in 1953 by the U.S.-led United Nations Command, China and North Korea, leaving the two Koreas technically still at war. So far, the U.S. has not been recognizing the uniqueness of inter-Korean relations, expressing concerns that Seoul's efforts to engage Pyongyang could hinder the effectiveness of sanctions against North Korea. If the U.S. veers to recognize the relations between two Koreas, Moon's efforts to revive an atmosphere of peace on the Korean Peninsula is anticipated to pick up momentum, by narrowing potential differences between Seoul and Washington in handling the North Korea issue. Hyunmoo II ballistic missile is test fired at Agency for Defense Development compound in Taean County, South Chungcheong Province, in this June 23, 2017, file photo. Courtesy of Cheong Wa Dae Offer a personal message of sympathy... By sharing a fond memory or writing a kind tribute, you will be providing a comforting keepsake to those in mourning. If you have an existing account with this site, please log in to leave your message. Otherwise, you can create an account by clicking on the Log In button at the top of the page and then register to create your account. Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas have settled to an Egyptian-brokered ceasefire. It is slated to come into effect on Friday. It concludes 11 days of bombardment wherein 240 people have died, with the majority in Gaza. Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Brokered by Egypt A senior Qatar-based Hamas official confirmed that the group had agreed to a ceasefire brokered by Egypt. The ceasefire commenced at 7 p.m. Thursday in the Eastern United States and 2 a.m. on Friday in Egypt. Egypt's government confirmed the timing of the settlement. Two hundred thirty Palestinians and 12 Israelis were killed. The truce arrived one day after the US pressured Israel to end its onslaught on the Hamas-dominated Gaza Strip. US President Joe Biden told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he expected a major de-escalation on the path to a truce on Wednesday. According to Netanyahu's office in a statement, the Israeli cabinet agreed to accept the Egyptian initiative for a bilateral ceasefire with no conditions. Hamas reportedly fired rockets aimlessly into Israeli civilian areas, reported USA Today. According to sources familiar with ceasefire talks, Israel has also informed Egyptian mediators it will agree to end military action. Both sides faced global pressure to end hostilities, reported BBC. Upon Netanyahu's office announcing the truce, a security cabinet statement called it "mutual and unconditional." Mediation bids came from Qatar, Egypt, and the United Nations. The call between Biden and Netanyahu was their fourth conversation since hostility erupted last week between Israel and Hamas. The tenor from Washington toward Tel Aviv has become increasingly impatient in the past few days. The death toll in Gaza from Israeli airstrikes included over 100 women and children. Read Also: 107-Year-Old Tulsa Massacre Survivor Testifies, Incident Believed To Have Caused the Deaths of 300 Blacks According to the Israeli Prime Minister's office, "The Security Cabinet convened this evening. And accepted unanimously the recommendation of all security elements -- the Chief of Staff, the head of the Shin Bet, the Head of the Mossad, and the head of the National Security Council -- to accept the Egyptian initiative for a mutual unconditional ceasefire that will go into effect at an hour to be agreed upon later," reported CNN. One hour following the Israeli government's announcement, Taher Al-Nono, the political adviser to the head of the political bureau of Hamas, released a statement indicating they had agreed to a truce so long as Israel adheres to the same conditions. The spokesperson for the Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, stated if Israel initiated an attack on Gaza before 3 a.m., the militant group would be ready to retaliate by launching rockets. Over 100 Israeli airstrikes on Thursday targeted Hamas infrastructure in Gaza's north. Hamas fought back with rocket fire. Netanyahu's office declared his security cabinet had deliberated unanimously to accept the Egyptian proposal. However, it cautioned the reality on the ground will conclude the progression of the campaign. Related Article: Joe Biden Expresses Support for Cease-Fire Between Israel, Gaza, but Did Not Call for an Immediate End of Violence @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. According to the pharmaceutical companies' CEOs, after being administered a Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine this year, one might need a booster before the end of the year. Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said that according to the data, they support the notion that possibly there will be a need for a booster. COVID-19 Vaccine Boosters While the globe may be opening up due to the increase in novel coronavirus vaccinations, top medical experts said there might be another round of covid-19 vaccine doses needed within about a year. A booster coronavirus vaccine for people who have already been immunized could be needed as soon as eight to 12 months following their second dose, stated Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla and Dr. Anthony Fauci, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director. According to Fauci, "We know that the vaccine durability of the efficacy lasts at least six months, and likely considerably more, but I think we will almost certainly require a booster sometime within a year or so after getting the primary," reported Daily News. As immunizations across the globe continue to increase, medical experts think the coronavirus may end up being like influenza, which necessitates a new vaccine yearly. It is because the circulating strains mutate swiftly, and immunity from the vaccine wears off soon, reported CNN. An estimated 47.9 percent of the United States population has been administered at least one COVID-19 vaccine shot, as indicated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data as of early Wednesday. An estimated 37.8 percent of the population is fully vaccinated. Read Also: India, World's Largest Vaccine Producer, Hits 25 Million COVID-19 Cases According to the CEOs of Pfizer and Moderna, the first Americans to be inoculated against COVID-19 could require a third "booster" shot as early as September. Their statements mean several Americans could need a booster in September or October, reported Axios. Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel said that a September start is recommended for those most vulnerable. The initial Americans to be administered COVID-19 vaccines following clinical trials were frontline health care workers. They could have received one as early as December. There were over 33 million cases of COVID-19 in the US and over 587,000 fatalities as of Wednesday. Fauci also remarked on Wednesday that variant-specific boosters might not be required. In the UK, the government declared a new clinical trial seeking specifically booster doses. The trial, spearheaded by the University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, will evaluate the effects of seven different COVID-19 vaccines when administered as a third dose. The wild type of coronavirus variant is the non-mutated strain of the virus. Pfizer has yet to finish its trials on a booster vaccine. It is not yet determined how long protection from the initial two vaccine doses will last. There is no evidence yet that it is fading. Even if protection does start to fade, which is common among vaccines, it will not transpire overnight. Related Article: CDC Advises Schools Not To Discontinue Using Face Masks @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Another cyberattack, another US company. In March, CNA Financial Corp., one of the most prominent insurance companies, was locked out of their network and had to pay $40 million to regain access, reported Bloomberg. According to two persons affiliated with the Chicago-based insurance firm who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to openly discuss the matter, sensitive data were stolen, and ransom was paid after two weeks. CNA Financial hacked by ransomware have unidentified players The source mentioned the firm did not break the law and that the firm investigated the attack and the hacker's identity with both the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control warned that facilitating ransom payments to hackers could jeopardize sanctions compliance, noted an OFAC advisory. Spokeswoman Cara McCall said the firm would not comment on the ransom. Still, she mentioned that all US laws and regulations, with the OFAC's 2020 advice on ransomware, were addressed in dealing with the hack attack, cited Washington examiner via MSN. When the cyberattack happened, the information ransomed by the hackers was ignored by the company. They used other options to retrieve the data. But a week into the hack, it was decided to negotiate with the criminals that demanded $60 million, and they reached a settlement after talks were started, said those concerned. Read Also: US Government Agencies Under Cyber Attack: Russia, China Main Suspects CNA reported in a security incident update released last May 12 that it "does not expect the bulk of policyholder data with policy terms and coverage limits are affected" in its systems of record, claims processes, or underwriting systems. Ransomware attacks, particularly transactions, are rarely mentioned; thus, it is difficult to determine the most enormous ransoms. Based on Palo Alto Networks, the total payment made in 2020 was $312,493, up 171 percent from the year before. According to three people familiar with ransomware deals, the $40 million amount was the most significant than any disclosed compensation to hackers. CNA, which provides cyber insurance, blamed hackers called Phoenix, which is not subject to US sanctions. Used for the hack is the malware Phoenix Locker derived from Hades, a variant of it. Cybersecurity experts state that Hades was developed by Evil Corp., a Russian cybercrime syndicate. In 2019, the United States of America sanctioned Evil Corp. However, because hacking groups can share code and sell malware to one another, identifying incidents can be challenging. The payment's announcement is sure to infuriate legislators and regulators already frustrated that American firms are paying significant sums to cyber attackers that have targeted hospitals, drug companies, police forces, and other critical public-safety agencies during the last year. The FBI disapproves of firms paying any ransomware attack, with no assurance that the perpetrators will return the data. According to security analysts, the CNA Financial Corp. has been exploiting victims with cyber insurance coverage and large volumes of sensitive consumer data in recent years, making it more likely to pay the ransom. Related article: Russian Intelligence Chief Slams Accusations from the US and UK Saying It Hacked Solar Winds @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. President Joe Biden became enraged while discussing racial discrimination before signing a proposed federal anti-Asian hate crimes bill to launch a federal crackdown. The COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act received overwhelming bipartisan support in Congress. It was prompted by an increase in anti-Asian hate crimes during the pandemic, which began in China. Biden, majority of both chambers support anti-Asian hate crimes bill Per NY Post, Biden said in the White House East Room, "We are unique among all nations in that we are distinctly a creation of a document, not a race, not a religion, not a geography - a document." As COVID-19 vaccines rise, the White House returns to more routine activities, with 68 primarily unmasked members of Congress attending the event. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell praised the bill signing on social media (R-Ky.). McConnell wrote, "I congratulate @POTUS on enacting the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act. Anti-Asian hate crimes have been on the rise recently, which is concerning. I'm grateful that the Senate acted bipartisanly - and, as the proud husband of a remarkable Asian-American woman, I'm particularly glad that this effort has now become law." I applaud @POTUS for signing the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act into law. Recent increases in anti-Asian hate crimes are alarming. Im proud the Senate took bipartisan action and, as the proud husband of a remarkable Asian-American woman, I am especially glad this effort is now law. Leader McConnell (@LeaderMcConnell) May 20, 2021 Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) voted no in the Senate, claiming that it would "give the federal government open-ended authority to define a whole new type of federal hate crime incidents." 62 Republicans voted no in the House. Since 1968, assaulting someone because of their race has become a federal offense, so the bill aims to increase incident reports and convictions. It covers all federal hate crimes, not just those directed at Asians. Read Also: Kamala Harris Allegedly Violates Ethics Pledge After Keeping Assets Hidden Biden emphasizes the anti-Asian hate crimes bill's bipartisan cooperation It directs the Department of Justice to designate an officer or employee to facilitate the expedited investigation of hate crimes. The bill requires a new online monitoring structure and directs the department to expand public outreach efforts to increase awareness of hate crimes and reach victims. The bill passed with overwhelming margins in both houses, a rarity in recent years, and was the product of bipartisan compromise that has eluded critical issues. In his remarks at the White House, Biden emphasized the bill's bipartisan presence as an accomplishment in a Congress divided to the point of paralysis. Biden also praised Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell - who he referred to obliquely as "the leader from Kentucky" - and Republicans for not filibustering the bill, as some Democrats had predicted. Negotiators reached an agreement to include voting on a few amendments to the bill and to make a few changes to the legal language, allowing the bill to pass through Congress, POLITICO reported. Republicans had raised concerns earlier in the session that the bill would be redundant with other hate crime laws and instead be used as partisan weapons against the GOP. According to a report by the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at California State University, San Bernardino, hate crimes against Asians and Asian Americans more than doubled in the first quarter of 2021 compared to the same period last year. Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, and Rep. Grace Meng, D-N.Y., who introduced the bill, welcomed Vice President Kamala Harris, the first woman and person of Asian descent to hold the office. Biden also praised Republican Senator Susan Collins of Maine for attending the ceremony, which Democrats dominated. It was the largest-scale gathering at the White House since the Biden administration started without masks or social distancing. "Thank you to members of our United States Congress from both parties who helped pass the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act," Harris said first, to applause. "History will remember this day and this time when our country takes steps to fight hatred because of you," ABC News reported. Related Article: House Passes Bill to Counter Asian Hate Crimes, Only Needs Joe Biden's Signature To Become Law @YouTube @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. After a reporter used deceptive tactics to convince Princess Diana to sit for a 1995 interview that rocked the royal family and Britain to its core, Prince William released a statement Thursday blasting the BBC for leading to his mother's "fear, paranoia, and isolation." "It fills me with indescribable sorrow to know that the BBC's shortcomings led greatly to anxiety, paranoia, and alienation that I recall from those final years with her," William said in a statement released from Kensington Palace, USA Today reported. Diana died in 1997. Prince Harry, William's younger brother, released a statement from his office in California, where he now resides. He blamed their mother's death in a car accident in Paris while being chased by paparazzi in "a society of exploitation and unethical practices." The Duke of Cambridge, Diana's eldest son, remarked about an independent inquiry into the BBC, its "Panorama" news program, and reporter Martin Bashir, released earlier Thursday in London. In a severe breach of the public broadcaster's rules, Bashir used "deceptive behavior," including making false bank accounts, to secure the explosive interview, and then refused to investigate genuine questions posed in the aftermath competently, the Dyson Report found. A statement on todays report of The Dyson Investigation pic.twitter.com/uS62CNwiI8 The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) May 20, 2021 William, 38, said the BBC's acceptance of the report's conclusions was welcome, but he was also highly concerned. According to the inquiry, the BBC staff lied and used fabricated documents; made lurid and false statements about the royal family that fueled paranoia in his mother; exhibited woeful ignorance while reviewing allegations about the program; and "hid up" what they learned from their internal investigation. Read Also: Princess Diana Interview Inquiry To Determine if BBC's Martin Bashir Is Guilty Of Deceit Deceitful interview believed to contribute to Princess Diana's paranoia Harry, 36, has previously stated that he and his wife, Duchess Meghan, left their royal positions last year due to bigotry in the British media and disruptive tabloid conduct. He, too, is worried about the activities detailed in the BBC report. "What really worries me is that activities like these and worse are still prevalent today. It was then, as it is now, larger than a single source, network, or publication. Nothing has improved since our mother died as a result of this. We protect others by preserving her reputation and upholding the integrity with which she lived her life. Let us not forget who she was and what she represented," Harry said in his statement, as per the NBC News. Last year, the BBC appointed Lord John Anthony Dyson, a retired Supreme Court justice in the United Kingdom, to investigate claims that Bashir lied to Diana to land his interview, which more than 20 million people saw. After a documentary titled "The Diana Interview: Revenge of a Princess" aired on ITV last November, accusations were leveled against Bashir. Bashir reportedly had a graphic artist make false bank accounts, which he then persuaded Diana that royal workers were being paid to spy on her. Diana's brother, Charles Spencer, said that he discovered that BBC was aware of the forged bank accounts. He requested an apology from the network for falsifying records that introduced Bashir to his sister. BBC sends apology letters to the Royals The BBC has sent letters of apologies to Prince Harry, Prince William, and the Queen concerning the Princess Diana Panorama interview controversy. The BBC has also written to Prince Charles to apologize after a scathing report showed the network "falls short of the high levels of honesty and openness that are its hallmark," said the royal sources. The royal family had received letters, according to palace reports, but they would not be published. In 1995, an investigation into journalist Martin Bashir and BBC bosses was opened into how the then-unknown journalist managed to get the royal scoop. Per The Sun, Martin Bashir responded to the issue, saying: "This is the second time I've voluntarily cooperated entirely with an inquiry into incidents that occurred more than 25 years ago. I apologized then, and I apologize again now, for having requested mocked-up bank statements. It was a foolish thing to do, and I sincerely regret it. Yet I stand by the testimony I gave nearly a quarter-century ago, and again more recently." Related Article: British Public Says Prince Harry, Meghan Markle Should Lose Royal Title; Duke of Sussex Still Plans To Join Diana Statue Unveiling @YouTube @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. An animal rights activist holds a photo of a beluga whale that died in an aquarium in Yeosu, South Jeolla Province, in a protest rally in front of the building of Hanwha Group, the operator of the aquarium, in central Seoul in this July 24, 2020 photo. Courtesy of Korean Animal Welfare Association By Bahk Eun-ji Animal rights activists have urged the immediate release of a beluga whale kept in an aquarium in Yeosu, South Jeolla Province, after the deaths of two others there. Thirteen animal and environmental advocacy groups, including the Korean Animal Welfare Association (KAWA), held a demonstration in front of Aqua Planet Yeosu, Wednesday, demanding the company and the provincial government release the animal immediately. "A beluga whale died recently only 10 months after another died last July. Now there is only one whale left in the aquarium, and we have to send the remaining one back to its natural habitat before it dies, too," KAWA said in a statement. "Although beluga whales have a lifespan of 30 years, the two died at the age of 12. The death of two out of three in the same facility can never be a coincidence. It shows how their life inside the tank of the aquarium is unsuitable for them," the group said. These whales were brought from Russia in April 2012 ahead of the Yeosu Expo. The beluga whale, an endangered cetacean species, has a maximum body length of 4.5 meters, a weight of 1.5 tons, and an average lifespan of 30 to 35 years. The protesters also demanded the central government's active engagement to release the remaining whale, and said the aquarium and the Expo 2012 Yeosu Korea Foundation, the organizer of the expo, have been trying to avoid taking responsibility. Aqua Planet Yeosu, run by Hanwha Group, has been operating the facility after being commissioned by the foundation through a contract lasting until 2042. "The actual owner of the aquarium is the government as the foundation is an affiliate of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries. It means the government is in a position to make the decision on whether to release it," the groups said. "In addition to the immediate release of the whale, the government should also audit the foundation." Aqua Planet Yeosu claims that it has no right to decide on the release as it has no ownership rights to the whale. On the other hand, the foundation, which owns the animal, said Aqua Planet is responsible for managing the animal. "It's true that we hold ownership rights to the whale, but Aqua Planet Yeosu manages everything as we entrusted it with operating rights from the beginning," an official of the foundation said. An official of Aqua Planet Yeosu said they will follow the decision made by the foundation. States in India have a crisis as the drug used to cure an infection increasing detected among patients is now in short supply, and health officials sound more frantic, reported CNN. Shortage of black fungus drug gets serious This infection called mucormycosis has been recognized before the pandemic even started. It seemed that the coronavirus triggers the infection, as it has infected not only COVID-19 patients but also those who survived the pandemic. Molds found in wet conditions develop it, impacting the respiratory tract, especially in significantly compromised immune systems. According to local health officials, 2,000 cases have been reported so far. Dr. Tatyarao Lahane, a senior state health official, said last Wednesday that about 100 cases are seen on a daily average. Rajesh Tope, the state's health minister, mentioned at least 90 people have died of the black fungus in Maharashtra, including in the bustling financial center Mumbai, where the disease outbreak has hit hard. At least 800 people have been hospitalized as a consequence of the epidemic, cited 9 News. The state of Rajasthan has announced that the black fungus infection has become a "notifiable disease" after getting reports of many cases. Haryana and Telangana have declared it a notifiable disease that must be reported to the national government. State officials said that 115 cases were found in Haryana and at least 150 in Telangana. Read also: Pfizer Reports Counterfeit COVID Vaccines Discovered in Mexico and Poland Padma Srivastava, the head of the Department of Neurology in the All-India Institute Of Medical Sciences in New Delhi, said that black fungus cases have also been discovered there, remarked ABC 17. In a media interview last Wednesday, Srivastava added that mostly 20 cases are seen in emergency rooms, that many other wards were needed for the hospital's black fungus patients. Amphotericin B, an antifungal drug, will be arriving in Maharashtra, but there is an initial shortfall since the increase in case numbers was not expected, said state official Lahane. Tope indicated the state ordered 100,000 vials of amphotericin B the other week. There are some places with no patients, but several other states need it, including Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, and Telangana. Last Monday, the High Court of Gujarat, a western state north of Maharashtra, released an order warning of "the dramatic increase in reports of flesh-eating black fungal infection recognized as mucormycosis." Based on the order, scarcity of injections is happening to curve the flesh-eating disease, and how much to treat it is a serious matter for the state concerned. After it has given the statement, the state government of Gujarat made an order of 100,000 vials of liposomal amphotericin B injections for the patients. V. K. Paul, the head of India's COVID-19 task force, said the infection is triggered by a fungus called mucor found on wet surfaces. In a statement released Tuesday by the Indian Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, there was an unexpected increase in demand for the medication made in the country and committed to supplying the drug. Related article: India's Coronavirus Deaths More Than 200,000 During Surge @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. In Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, election officials cited issues with their Dominion voting equipment at polling places last Tuesday. It elicited an answer from Dominion Voting Systems stating that it was a ballot screen error on the viewing screen's header, reported the Epoch Times. Dominion says it was a ballot screen error, not a coding error Accord to the voting firm, it verified to the election director that the problem had been identified. It was a ballot screen error that was on the header on the machine's view screen. Furthermore, all the ballots were printed with no mistake during the elections of the Republican header and the Republican primary election races. The company gave more assurance to electoral officials in the county. They even said that all the machines used had made a correct ballot counting. Lastly, they offered their apologies for the confusion caused. After voters in Luzerne County reported to PAHomepage, they were told by Bob Morgan, the Luzerne County Director of Elections, that the problem was caused by programming on the Dominion Voting Systems machines. If Republican voters were accessing the voting machine to make their vote, the intro page reads, "Official Democratic Ballot," reported some voters. Due to the matter, a polling place in Kingston Township confirmed that voting on Tuesday had to be suspended. Pennsylvania election officials remarked that a "coding error" was not a good sign. Read also: Votes Flipped due to Computer Program, no Human Error as Reported A statement by the Director of Elections mentioned to the Free Republic, "We want to reassure you that if you are a registered Republican, you should receive a special ballot code. Once you punched in the code, even though the header says "Democratic ballot," it's only for Republican-controlled races. Voters informed Matthew Vough, a Democrat aspiring for county council, that his name was not seen on their ballot. Few Democrats, he said, got Republican ballots. He then wondered how many Dems had voted for a Republican nominee due to the error. He added that votes might have been lost, so it was terrible for both party supporters. This error disadvantaged not only the Republicans. Vough suggested that Luzerne County should end its formal contract with the Dominion voting systems. He said that the issue would be covered in the upcoming council meeting because the company's performance was not pleasing. More issues were brought up in the PAHomepage, with some mentioning that mail-in ballots never had this difficulty when printed from the file. Furthermore, the county is collaborating with the company to fix the problems with the voting machines. All of the issues cropping up are concerning, to say the least, and should be resolved. Morgan said it was not a problem of the county and that a "coding error" is a grave concern, even for Democrats. He remarked, "We're putting up signs, and we've contacted each of the election judges. We requested that they post a sign at their polling location. We're enabling Republican voters to vote on a provisional or emergency ballot should they so wish." Related article: Antrim County to Count Ballots Manually, Avoids Dominion Voting System @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Following the discovery of multiple noose-like ropes at a Connecticut site in recent weeks, Amazon has halted construction. According to Windsor police, the first incident occurred on April 27, when a construction supervisor confirmed seeing a hangman's noose on a second-floor steel beam. FBI is helping Windsor police in investigating the incident The most recent incident occurred on Wednesday when officers on private duty "were made aware of the discovery of a rope that could be viewed as a noose dangling inside overhead beams on the premises," said the police. "We continue to be extremely concerned by the events occurring at the Windsor construction site and have requested its closure before appropriate security measures can be placed in action," Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel said in a statement on Thursday, as per the NBC news. The chain, which was discovered on Wednesday, will be submitted to the state crime lab for analysis. The FBI is helping Windsor police with their probe, said David Sundberg, special agent in charge of the bureau's New Haven field office. At the construction site, seven suspected nooses have been found. Since the first was discovered, police said they got a notification on April 29 that five more had been found. The new occurrence happened after the first noose was found dangling from a steel beam on the second floor of the building on April 27, said Windsor Police Capt. Andrew Power. According to police, on April 29, five more ropes "that could be viewed as nooses" were discovered on various floors. Per USA Today, Power said, "Some of them were just rope bound at the end, and others were bent to look like a noose." The police have little intelligence on leads since the ropes were hanging in a place without security cameras and the facilities have hundreds of workers from different businesses, he added. Brian Griggs, who spoke at an NAACP news conference on Thursday, said Amazon is shutting down the site until security precautions are placed in motion. According to Griggs, Amazon is now offering a $100,000 incentive for details. Read Also: Colonial Pipeline Goes Down Again, Over 11,000 Gas Stations Having New Outages Causing Gas Prices To Soar Amazon, contractor, will give reward regarding the incident At the press conference, Connecticut NAACP State President Scot X Esdaile said that the organization would not stop exerting pressure until the person who planted the ropes is apprehended. Last month, Esdaile also stated that there had been many reports of bigotry at Amazon facilities around the country, including finding a noose at an Arizona facility a year ago. He also said that similar incidents had occurred at construction sites across Connecticut in recent years, and he urged the construction industry and state authorities to do better to prevent what he described as a "serious threat to someone's life." Windsor police said the FBI's Civil Rights Division and the Connecticut State Police are assisting with the probe. The racial events occur against a backdrop of lawsuits alleging race and gender discrimination against Amazon. So far, five complaints have been filed. RC Andersen, the general contractor on the site, has worked with law enforcement. The contractor addressed the nooses with all workers and provided anti-discrimination instruction. Andersen gives a $5,000 reward to anyone who can identify the alleged perpetrator, with Amazon contributing an additional $50,000. The nooses enraged the Connecticut NAACP State Conference and the Greater Hartford NAACP. The organizations have urged Amazon to do more to guarantee the welfare of its employees, Newsweek via MSN reported. Related Article: CDC's New Masks Guidance Leaves States, Businesses Scrambling; Agency Claims Decision Is Based on Science @YouTube @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Two Republican lawmakers in the Nevada statehouse have been punished for not complying with restrictions in place to prevent the spread of coronavirus Microsoft said it is retiring Internet Explorer, the browser it created more than 25 years and which is now largely abandoned as people instead use competitors like Google's Chrome or Apple's Safari. "We are announcing that the future of Internet Explorer on Windows 10 is in Microsoft Edge," the company said in a blog post Wednesday, referring to its other browser. "Not only is Microsoft Edge a faster, more secure and more modern browsing experience than Internet Explorer, but it is also able to address a key concern: compatibility for older, legacy websites and applications," Microsoft said. People ribbed Internet Explorer in tweets on Thursday. "RIP Internet Explorer, I never used it, but after it dies we can't make fun of it anymore," wrote someone with the handle Arcader UwU. "I still fondly remember how I used it to download Chrome on every new Windows system," said Hrishikesh Pardeshi. "This browser might seem old and outdated nowadays, but back in the day, everyone needed it. RIP Internet Explorer 1995-2022," said someone called TheCool_ColdMan. Microsoft said that as of June 15, 2022 Internet Explorer will be retired and no longer be supported by the company. But Internet Explorer-based websites and applications will work with Edge at least until 2029, Microsoft said, because many organizations have websites based on the now-doomed browser. Chrome, Google's browser, controls 65 percent of the market, said Statscounter. Safari, created by Apple and available on Apple computers and devices, is second with nearly a 19 percent market share as of April of this year. Firefox and Edge are in third and fourth place with 3.59 percent and 3.39 percent respectively. (AFP) Vials with Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine labels are seen in this illustration picture taken March 19. Reuters-Yonhap By Kim Yoo-chul Samsung Biologics is set to sign an agreement with Moderna under which the Samsung Group's biotechnology affiliate will manufacture the U.S. pharmacology firm's messenger RNA (mRNA)-based COVID vaccine at its plant in South Korea, according to a high-ranking government official, Friday. The official, with knowledge of the matter, said a government delegation is set to meet with officials of Moderna and Novavax in Washington D.C on the sidelines of the summit between President Moon Jae-in with U.S. President Joe Biden,. "Samsung Biologics is planned to sign an MOU with Moderna, while SK Biosicence is looking to reach an agreement with Novavax. Under the agreements, the two South Korean companies will be allowed to manufacture their partner's COVID-19 vaccines. President Moon is planning to attend a signing ceremony for the deals," he said. Can Do Canines brings peace of mind to those in need Fast Retailing's Uniqlo brand shirts were blocked at the United States border in January on concerns they violated a ban on cotton products produced in the Xinjiang region of China, where there have been reports of forced labor. A U.S. Customs document dated May 10 said a shipment of Uniqlo men's shirts was impounded on Jan. 5 at the Port of Los Angeles due to a suspected violation of the ban. The document said a protest filed by Uniqlo's parent company was denied. Fast Retailing said it was disappointed by the U.S. Customs ruling. "Uniqlo has strong mechanisms in place to identify any potential violations of human and worker rights," the company said in a statement to Reuters. "All Uniqlo items use only cotton that originates from sustainable sources." China's foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said that Xinjiang has no forced labor and the U.S. is using "bullying" tactics. "Relevant companies should clearly stand up and oppose these irrational acts by the U.S.," he said, speaking at a regular news briefing in Beijing on Wednesday. (Reuters) Thank you! You've reported this item as a violation of our terms of use. This content was contributed by a user of the site. If you believe this content may be in violation of the terms of use, you may report it. Multimedia Video Journalist Buffalo native trying to get her news on! Im a Multimedia Journalist here at Your Hometown Stations and I love what I do. Have a cool story idea? Im in! Just email me at ashelton@wlio.com or message my Facebook page. Reopening 21 May 2021 Reopening on May 10th, Hotel Byblos is looking forward to welcoming its international guests back, and will be launching an array of new initiatives for them to rediscover the iconic hotel as well as the French Riviera. In an ever changing world, Hotel Byblos will introduce apartments - a new generation of room category - for guests to enjoy their very own private address in St Tropez, once travel allows. The hotel will also launch a new customised Detox Programme as well as introduce Arcadia restaurant, Byblos' latest culinary venture, alongside newly appointed executive chef Nicola Canuti. Hotel Byblos was originally founded by Lebanese businessman, Jean-Prosper Gay-Para in the attempt to woo French actress Brigitte Bardot in 1967. French entrepreneur Sylvain Floirat purchased the property that same year and continued to build its iconic reputation worldwide. Steeped in history, over the years the hotel has welcomed the likes of Cher, Elton John, Jack Nicholson and of course Mick Jagger who spent his honeymoon there with Bianca Perez in 1971. Still run by the same family (fourth generation) the hotel is part of luxury hotel group, Groupe Floirat. It received the 'Palace' distinction in 2012 and is renowned for its historical heritage, location, and timeless elegance. Reopening 21 May 2021 On May 24, Hilton San Francisco Union Square Hotel, the largest hotel in San Francisco and on the West Coast, will reopen its doors and welcome back guests for the first time in over a year. Throughout the pandemic, the 46-tower property has displayed an illuminated heart and "S.F" to honor the city and serve as a sign of hope and solidarity for the San Francisco community. In celebration of the hotel's reopening, the hotel will launch a five-day countdown illuminated on the hotel's exterior as it gets ready to reopen its doors. As the City by the Bay reopens to visitors, many activities near the hotel have already opened, including the Asian Art Museum, Westfield Shopping Center, and the famous Alcatraz Island Tours, which are just a fun Cable Car ride from the hotel. The hotel's grab-and-go picnic baskets from Herb N' Kitchen Marketplace are perfect for guests to enjoy while touring San Francisco's beautiful city sights. Building on Hilton's commitment to the health and safety of guests, Hilton San Francisco Union Square participates in Hilton CleanStay to deliver an industry-defining standard of cleanliness and disinfection. Created in collaboration with Reckitt, maker of Lysol and Dettol, Hilton CleanStay provides guests with assurance and added peace of mind with a focus on cleanliness that is visible to guests throughout their entire stay. Guests who desire a contactless arrival experience can check in, choose their room, unlock their door with a Digital Key, and check out using their mobile devices through the free Hilton Honors mobile app. This option is available for guests who book direct via the Honors app or at Hilton.com. As meetings and events start to return, Hilton San Francisco Union Square has the largest amount of flexible meeting and event space in the city and is committed to creating event experiences that can accommodate all types of groups and cater to every meeting planner's needs. Hilton EventReady with CleanStay provides curated solutions with creative food and beverage, thoughtful technology resources including Hilton EventReady Hybrid Solutions, elevated standards, and reimagined ways to meet and gather. Hilton San Francisco Union Square Hotel is also part of Hilton Honors, the award-winning guest-loyalty program for Hilton's 18 distinct hotel brands. Hilton Honors members who book directly through preferred Hilton channels have access to instant benefits, including a flexible payment slider that allows members to choose nearly any combination of Points and money to book a stay, an exclusive member discount, and free Standard WiFi. Members also have access to contactless technology exclusively through the industry-leading Hilton Honors mobile app, where members can check-in, choose their room and access their room using Digital Key. Pipeline 21 May 2021 The brand plans to build on its expansion efforts, with the opening in 2021 of the Clarion Pointe South Boston-Danville East hotel Located at 1074 Bill Tuck Highway in South Boston, Virginia along the Roanoke River, the 66-room hotel provides guests with convenient access to their favorite outdoor destinations, including Staunton River State Park, Virginia International Speedway and Beaver Pond Creek. Nearby businesses include ABB Power Grids, Sentara Halifax Regional Hospital, Duke Energy and Dominion Energy. The hotel is owned and operated by SDH Hospitality, LLC. In this Nov. 21, 1995, file photo, a selection of the front pages of British newspapers showing their reaction to Princess Diana's television interview with BBC journalist Martin Bashir. AP-Yonhap Journalist Martin Bashir tricked Princess Diana into giving an explosive BBC television interview where she lifted the lid on her troubled marriage to Prince Charles, an independent report concluded on Thursday. Retired senior judge John Dyson said Bashir commissioned faked bank statements then showed them to the princess' brother to persuade her to appear. "By behaving as described... Mr. Bashir acted inappropriately and in serious breach" of the corporation's own editorial guidelines on "straight dealing", he added. Questions have long been asked about how Bashir persuaded Diana to talk on the BBC's flagship "Panorama" program in November 1995, which was watched by a record 22.8 million people and won a string of television awards. In it, she famously said "there were three people" in her marriage her, Charles and his long-time mistress and now wife, Camilla Parker-Bowles, and also admitted adultery. Bashir, now 58, was little-known at the time of the interview but went on to have a high-profile career on US television networks, interviewing stars such as Michael Jackson. He returned to work for the corporation as religion editor until he stepped down last week, citing ill health, just hours before Dyson's report was submitted to BBC bosses. A previous BBC inquiry had cleared Bashir of wrong-doing. But Dyson called that internal probe "flawed and woefully ineffective". In particular, it did not ask Diana's brother, Charles Spencer, for his version of events, Dyson said, lambasting it for failing to scrutinize Bashir's actions properly. "If they had been able to test Mr. Bashir's account by asking him to comment on Earl Spencer's detailed account, it is very unlikely that they would have believed him and concluded that he was an 'honest and an honorable man'," he wrote. Prince Charles looks toward Princess Diana as they await their carriage to depart the Order of the Garter ceremony at Windsor Castle, in this June 15, 1992, file photo. Reuters-Yonhap Pipeline 21 May 2021 The brand plans to build on its expansion efforts, with the opening in 2021 of the Clarion Pointe Green Bay hotel. Conveniently located at 2815 Ramada Way in Green Bay, Wisconsin, just four miles from the Green Bay Austin-Straubel International Airport, the 78-room hotel places guests minutes from the famed Lambeau Field, home of the Green Bay Packers, and the city's other top attractions, including the Resch Center and the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay. The hotel also offers easy access to nearby businesses, such as Shopko's corporate headquarters and the Naval Reserve Center. The hotel was developed by AVP Construction and Development and is being managed by Khodiarma, Inc. Appointment 21 May 2021 Graduate Hotels is pleased to announce the appointment of the executive team at Graduate Roosevelt Island, the brand's debut property in New York City and island's first ever hotel. Positioned at the entrance of the Cornell Tech campus, the 224-key, 18-story hotel is managed by Highgate and offers a scholastic retreat in the middle of the East River with bright, modern spaces and breathtaking views of Manhattan, Queens and beyond. William Cutillo joins Graduate Roosevelt Island as General Manager bringing over 15 years of hotel operations experience to the property. Cutillo and Dalal assumed their positions in late 2020 and early 2021, respectively. Over the course of their first few months with the hotel, they have been focused on assembling an impressive team of like-minded individuals to deliver an unforgettable hotel experience, as well as laying the groundwork for memorable, distinctly New York, partnerships and guest experiences. A graduate of Baruch College, Cutillo brings a strong understanding of the hotel business to Graduate Roosevelt Island ranging from the front of house roles, to the financial and operational side of the business, all crucial in successfully operating and managing a hotel. His experience has been cultivated at various hotels, primarily within the Starwood family, including the W, Westin and Sheraton brands in New York. Cutillo joins Graduate Roosevelt Island following a General Manager role at Paramount Hotel. Cutillo holds a Black Belt certification in Six-Sigma, which he brings to Graduate Roosevelt Island to ensure the practice of process improvement keeps the hotel running at peak efficiency and satisfaction. Over the course of Cutillo's career, he has been awarded various recognitions and titles including Starwood's "Hotel of the Year" and "Best in Class Manager" as a member of the opening team at W Hoboken Hotel. Cutillo's love and deep understanding of New York City will be front and center at the Graduate Roosevelt Island where he is tasked with delivering a new perspective on visiting and enjoying the city. At Graduate Roosevelt Island the history of the island and its role in New York will be an important pillar in Cutillo's staff training, ensuring that guests and local New Yorkers visiting the island have an understanding of the island's unique role in New York's heritage and enjoy their experience in the space to its fullest. Appointment 21 May 2021 Graduate Hotels is pleased to announce the appointment of the executive team at Graduate Roosevelt Island, the brand's debut property in New York City and island's first ever hotel. Positioned at the entrance of the Cornell Tech campus, the 224-key, 18-story hotel is managed by Highgate and offers a scholastic retreat in the middle of the East River with bright, modern spaces and breathtaking views of Manhattan, Queens and beyond. Cristina Dalal brings over a decade of hotel sales experience to the property as Director of Sales. A graduate of New York University, Dalal joins the team following various positions at both boutique and larger hotel settings. Dalal has a strong understanding of the wide range of expectations and experiences guests desire. Prior to joining the Graduate Roosevelt Island, Dalal has worked with hotels including the Delamar Hotel in Greenwich CT, Sound View Greenport, and in New York City the TWA Hotel and more recently the SIXTY SoHo. At Graduate Roosevelt Island, Dalal will handle events at the hotel's various spaces including a 2,220 square foot ballroom with floor to ceiling windows and natural light. With the opportunity to attract visitors looking to host events at the Graduate Roosevelt Island, as well as working with local New Yorkers looking for a fresh and unique location to host their events, Dalal looks forward to showcasing the hotel's magnificent views and spaces, as well as the history of its location. Appointment 21 May 2021 Alterra Mountain Company announced today that Amber Broadaway has been selected as President & Chief Operating Officer of Solitude Mountain Resort in Utah. Amber has served as Vice President, Guest Services & Safety, for Sugarbush Resort in Vermont and will move into the position effective June 1, 2021. Amber will be responsible for Solitude's operations and driving the profitability and growth of the destination by constantly improving the guest and employee experience. Amber started at Sugarbush in 2013 as Manager, Risk & Safety. Today, as Vice President of Guest Services & Safety, she has expanded her role and responsibilities and oversees Risk & Safety, Guest Services, Parking Operations and the Public Events operational departments, as well as Communications & Public Relations, on-site Brand Management, and Charitable Giving & Donations. Amber has been responsible for numerous integral initiatives that have led to nationally recognized awards throughout her career at Sugarbush, including NSAA's Best Guest Safety Program (2020), Vermont Governor's Excellence in Workplace Safety (2018), Best in Service East by Ski Magazine (2018), and runner-up of NSAA's Best Employee Safety Program (2020). Amber and her family will relocate to Utah and she will report directly to Sky Foulkes, Central Region Chief Operating Officer of Alterra Mountain Company. Press Release 21 May 2021 The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) the worlds largest business travel association and worldwide leader in education, research, networking, and advocacy for the industry, today publishes the findings from a study into organizations corporate meetings and events strategy as a result of the pandemic. Advertisements The study, made possible by Cvent, examines how US and Canada-based travel meetings and events planners are managing their corporate meetings in the year ahead, the impact of COVID-19 on their events and the use of technology to enhance the delegate experience. Key Findings Include: Number of hybrid meetings set to double in 2021. The workplace in 2020 will be remembered for virtual meetings, but into 2021, the trend moves towards hybrid meetings, which offer both in-person and virtual experiences. Prior to the pandemic, approximately seven in 10 respondents (71%) did not hold any hybrid meetings. This figure remained unchanged in 2020. As restrictions ease and business meetings resume, hybrid meetings could be on the rise to better accommodate both in-person and virtual attendees and reach a broader audience. Three in five respondents (60%) expect their company will hold at least one hybrid meeting in 2021. In addition, two-thirds of respondents (65%) are interested in holding more hybrid meetings as a result of the pandemic. Simple meetings will be first to recover. Approximately half of respondents (52%) expect the number of in-person simple meetings held by their companywith 50 attendees or fewerto return to the pre-pandemic level within a year. For most companies, C-suite executives play a central role in approving requests to hold meetings in the current environment. Three-quarters of respondents (75%) say C-suite executives are involved with deciding if it is safe to hold a meeting or event in the current COVID-19 environment. Half say these executives (49%) have the mostinfluence over the decision, while 17 percent say their companys security/risk department has the most influence over the decision. While a number of other stakeholdersincluding HR, legal/compliance, travel managers/meeting planners and budget owners/business unitsare commonly involved when deciding if it is safe to hold a meeting or event, they rarely make the final decision. Few companies have central visibility of all of their meetings.Only 30% of respondents say most or all of their companys meetings are visible on a central calendar. A larger number say few meetings (19%) or no meetings (20%) are available on a central calendar. In some cases, different departments or regional offices plan and track meetings in different ways. This can make it difficult to quickly locate all scheduled meetings in an emergency situation. In addition, without this visibility, organizations risk over-spending and improperly managing their events. Respondents find value in virtual meetings as part of a more robust event program. The nearly complete shift to virtual events in 2020 led to a positive change in respondents views towards their effectiveness as part of their overall marketing strategy. Respondents want to use technology to enhance the virtual experience. A large majority are interested or very interested in adding various technology components to virtual meetings in order to deliver a more engaging and immersive online event. These include virtual conferencing(79%), online registration(76%), post-event attendee surveys (74%), attendee tracking/lead tracking(70%), live polling(70%), and mobile event apps (66%). While these are common staples of in-personmeetings, respondents want to use them for virtual meetingsas well to increase engagement and maximize virtual event ROI. The pandemic has had a significant impact on how organizations plan and manage their corporate meetings and events, said Cvent CMO, Patrick Smith. A smart mix of virtual, in-person, and hybrid events is the future; and these three event delivery models will enable companies to reach and engage bigger audiences and gain deeper insight into attendee interests. The use of technology will help to lead the way in this new environment where we expect events to be more numerous and impactful than ever. GBTA and Cvent will be hosting a webinar to discuss the findings in more detail, including the operational changes required. The webinar will take place on June 22 at 11am (ET). To register please go to GBTA.org. About Cvent Cvent is a leading meetings, events, and hospitality software company with nearly 4,000 employees and more than 230,000 users worldwide. The comprehensive Cvent event marketing and management platform offers software solutions to event organizers and marketers for online event registration, venue selection, event marketing and management, virtual and onsite solutions, and attendee engagement. Cvents suite of products automate and simplify the entire event management process and maximize the impact of in-person, virtual, and hybrid events. Hotels and venues use Cvents supplier and venue solutions to win more group and corporate travel business through Cvents sourcing platforms and to service their customers directly, efficiently and profitably helping them grow their business. Cvent solutions optimize the entire event management value chain and have enabled clients around the world to manage millions of meetings and events. For more information, please visit Cvent.com, or connect with us on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn. Opinion Article 21 May 2021 EHL Success Stories: Start-Up Edition is a new series to show support to our EHL Family and, more specifically, our hard-working AEHL entrepreneurs. This project aims to showcase EHL's entrepreneur mindsets, support new and upcoming ideas and businesses. While overcoming a challenging time for all companies, these start-ups prove that resilience and hard work can overcome any problem. Advertisements For this feature, we present LABISK.OT a responsible activewear brand for Women from Geneva. Their 100% designed and produced in Europe pieces are from recycled and eco-responsible fibers. Can you present yourself in a couple of words? My name is Allegra Paterno Castello, I am Swiss and Italian but grew up in Geneva, Switzerland. I graduated from EHL in 2015 and spent a few years abroad. As of March 2020, I am living in Geneva. Photo: EHL Can you tell us about LABISK.OT? LABISK.OT is a responsible activewear brand for Women from Geneva. The aim is to align the need of our planet with those of urban, sophisticated and active women: Wellbeing, Sport, Comfort and Purity. Through feminine and mix & match pieces 100% designed and produced in Europe from recycled / recyclable and eco-responsible fibers, LABISK.OT wishes to offer well-being in the lives of urban women while preserving nature. My first collection is named The Botanical Collection to represent the Swiss nature. My plain colors represent water, trees and flowers that directly bring me to the mountains. I added two patterns, one of which is made with real flowers from the canton of Vaud countryside that have been dried and assembled, and the second pattern is a dreamy Tie-Dye. Can you tell us the story of how it all started? After my studies at EHL I decided to undertake a specialized Masters at SDA Bocconi in Milan and, upon graduation, I joined the Italian subsidiary of a luxury brand as account manager. Ready for a challenge, I learned Italian at work and discovered the heart of European fashion through multiple customer visits. I then continued in Paris for a year. My experiences in European cities have strengthened my need to take time for myself and be aware of the environmental situation. Sport-enthusiast since my twenties, the desire to combine my well-being with the well-being of the environment came true upon my return to Switzerland in February 2020. Not finding a brand of activewear that met my needs: performance, comfort, ecology and femininity. LABISK.OT took its first breath in Spring 2020. A brand for city dwellers on the move who want to preserve the environment. Photo: EHL How did EHL play a role in developing your ideas? I started working on the project during the first confinement, Spring 2020. The collection came to life in April 2021 after a full year of hard work, dedication and a lot of learnings. EHL allowed me to have a strong business mindset. The tools acquired during these years helped a lot to create a Business Plan that was consistent and apply a strategic mind on each task that goes with creating a company and a brand. How did LABISK.OT experienced the pandemic? During the peak of the pandemic I was mainly working on the collection development, and I was not directly impacted in terms of business, however the manufacture based in Portugal was running with limited capacity and the full process took a bit more time than expected. It was also more challenging to meet with my technical designer who lives in France. What advice would've you given your 2019 self? Be ready, COVID-19 is around the corner :). Honestly I wasn't expecting to come back to Switzerland that fast, I had a great experience in Paris, but COVID-19 made me come home, and it was probably for the best. I would've told me to follow my dreams and convictions and move out of my comfort zone. The Biden administration on Thursday issued an executive order aimed at using regulation to limit the threat of climate change to U.S. companies, investors and the financial system, a big step toward bringing the nation in line with the rest of its allies on the issue. The action, however, is more about intention than actual rule-making and it foreshadows a long, technical process that the administration and regulators are feeling their way into, and one in which the White House lacks the power to get what it wants simply through executive fiat. Its also a process that will provoke resistance from fossil-fuel industries and those in Congress who are warning against regulatory overreach. The move represents an early element of the new administrations efforts to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions by 50% by 2030, compared to 2005 levels, and make the U.S. a global leader on climate. Under President Joe Biden, the U.S. has rejoined the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change after his predecessor, Donald Trump, withdrew from the accord. The order is clear enough in directing National Economic Council Director Brian Deese and National Climate Adviser Gina McCarthy to develop a strategy for assessing risks to the federal governments own financial assets and liabilities. It also instructs the Department of Labor to report on the risks to pensions. RELATED: Democrats and Republicans agree on funding for clean energy research. But how much more? Retirement plans with substantial investments in oil, gas and coal reserves could shed value as governments clamp down on greenhouse gas emissions generated by burning those fossil fuels. Similarly, even non-energy investments in commercial buildings and real estate can be imperiled by rising seas and storm surge fueled by climate change. But the language is less forceful on the task of building out a regime of climate-related risk disclosures for financial and non-financial companies. In the order, Biden asks Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen to engage with regulatory agencies to consider a number of actions, including assessing the risk of climate change to U.S. financial stability. Hitting Limit The word choice reflects the White Houses lack of direct authority over independent regulatory agencies, according to David Arkush, climate program director at Public Citizen. This order goes up to the limit of what they can do, Arkush said. Even with the White House encouraging the Financial Stability Oversight Council at arms reach, it can be a powerful tool, McCarthy said on a phone briefing with reporters. The FSOC is independent, McCarthy said, but that does not mean we dont intend to continue to pursue these issues. Read more: Yellen Gets a Shot to Put Treasury Clout Into Climate Fight The Financial Stability Oversight Council, which Yellen heads, brings together the U.S. Federal Reserve, the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and other agencies. The panel can encourage individual agencies and regulators to better address specific risks, such as climate change, and its a forum for coordinating that action. Still, individual regulations -- such as potential new requirements for climate risk disclosure that could be mandated by the SEC -- remain the purview of individual agencies represented on the council. Yet even in what it only encourages, the order also lacks specificity regarding the type of disclosure regime it wants to create. That, according to Giulia Christianson, director of sustainable private-sector finance at the World Resources Institute, reveals how early-stage the entire project is now. There are a lot of plans for plans here, said Christianson, who nonetheless welcomed the order as a first step. The truth of the matter is that nobody has quite figured out how to meaningfully, fully assess the risks associated with climate change. Progress Report With the action, the administration has raised expectations for significant steps in the near future, and Yellen pledged during the media call to deliver a report on progress made by the FSOC on coordinating regulators approach to addressing climate-related financial risks. In many ways this sets the stage for robust action by the financial regulators to not only analyze and identify risks, but ultimately mitigate them by developing regulations, said Gregg Gelzinis, associate director for economic policy at the Center for American Progress. Yet it was also clear even before the executive order the administration will face opposition on the regulatory front. Some lawmakers have asserted that financial regulatory agencies lack the legal authority to police the corporate and financial sectors based on climate risks. Senator Patrick Toomey, a Pennsylvania Republican, has been among the most outspoken critics on this point. Todays executive order demonstrates that the Biden administration is preparing to misuse financial regulation to further environmental policy objectives, he said in a statement late Thursday. Not only would such regulation exceed the scope of financial regulators respective missions and authorities, but it would also distort capital allocation, raise energy costs for consumers and slow economic growth. Deese, however, said in the phone briefing that were confident that the actions that are outlined, mandated and encouraged by this executive order are all those that we can effectively execute with existing authorities. Many neighborhoods throughout Houston, Texas and the United States have shocking language in documents restricting how the land can be used. None of the lots shall be used, owned or occupied by any person other than of the Caucasian Race," reads one example, the deed restrictions of Oak Forest. Making it easier to remove racist language from deed restrictions has been one of Lt. Gov. Dan Patricks legislative priorities. It passed unanimously in the state Senate in a rare display of bipartisan support. But the bill has yet to be voted on in the House, and time is running out. Julie Sudduth, a Houston native, took the reins of PNC Financial Services Groups regional banking operation in 2018. The position took on greater significance when the Pittsburgh-based banking behemoth plunged into Houston late last year with its announced its $11.6 billion purchase of BBVAs U.S. banking group. PNC ranked seventh nationwide last year with $463 billion in assets; the addition of BBVAs assets will vault it to No. 5 on the list with $560 billion in assets, behind No. 4 Citigroup (with $1.67 trillion). The regional president for PNC, Sudduth, 47, joined the bank from Louisiana-based IberiaBank, where she was executive vice president and manager of its syndicated finance group. Armed with an MBA from Rice University, she previously held leadership roles at Amegy Bank. Sudduth has been preparing for the transition from BBVA to PNC. The deal received regulatory approval for the acquisition earlier this month, and the transaction is expected to close June 1. After closing, PNC will provide BBVA USA customers information relating to the anticipated conversion of their accounts in October. Until then, customers will continue be served through their respective BBVA USA and PNC branches, website and mobile apps. On HoustonChronicle.com: PNC buys Houston-based BBVA USA for $11.6 billion PNCs purchase uses the $14 billion it raised in early 2020 from selling its stake in BlackRock Inc. to spur an expansion into Texas and California and compete with U.S. retail banking giants.As part of an expansion launched in 2018, PNC plans to open 20 retail locations, known as solutions centers, this year in Houston, Dallas, Nashville, Boston, Phoenix and Denver, among other markets. When PNC announced its acquisition of BBVA USA in November, the Spain-based bank operated 637 branches in Texas, Alabama, Arizona, California, Florida, Colorado and New Mexico. BBVA ranks fourth in deposit market share in the state. PNC has six Solution Centers open in the Houston market and 17 total in Texas. Sudduth spoke about the expansion and what it will mean for the Houston region. Her comments have been edited for space and clarity. Q: Why did PNC decide to come to the Houston market? A: We came to Houston as part of our national expansion efforts. We looked across the country, and we knew there were a number of really strong growing markets, like Houston, where PNC had a national calling, but didn't really have a strong local presence. I was recruited to formalize our presence here in Houston about two and a half years ago. Houston was selected for a lot of reasons. It's such an entrepreneurial, resilient city. There's just so many thriving companies and industries, great people that we're trying to reach. Q: How has PNC grown its presence here? A: During the pandemic, we opened our first six solutions center locations across Houston. The city's attractive for a lot of reasons. For me personally, being from Houston, and being part of an institution that's really committed to the market that's going to bring so many resources to this locale is the most rewarding part of my job. Q: What does the BBVA acquisition mean for customers? A: When the transaction is complete, we'll have approximately $560 billion combined assets, and it well be among the five largest U.S. banks. (Current No. 5, U.S. Bancorp, has $545 billion in assets, while No. 4 Citigroup has $1.67 trillion.) It gives us a presence in more geographies 29 of the top 30 U.S. markets in terms of size. It's going to greatly enhance opportunities for PNC to grow, and to serve customers and to bring our kind of industry leading technologies, like low-cash mode, to a broader base of customers. Q: Low-cash mode? A: Low Cash Mode is a digital capability that allows customers to manage potential overdraft fees. (The new feature alerts customers when their balance is low. If its negative, Low Cash Mode provides a minimum of 24 hours of extra time for customers to address overdrafts before fees are charged.) Texas Inc.: Get the best of business news sent directly to your inbox Studies are showing there's like $17 billion approximately paid by US consumers every year in overdraft fees. We did a pilot on Low Cash Mode with nearly 20,000 customers before we launched the product, and collectively we helped them reduce overdraft fees by 60 percent. We estimate customers at PNC are going to avoid $125 million to $150 million annually in overdraft fees. So it's really exciting. It speaks volumes about us caring about our consumers and really wanting to help bring people into the financial system. Q: Any other changes coming to Houston? A: Weve also read the data from FDIC and others that suggests there is a large unbanked population. So we get really excited about bringing this to life in Houston and about reaching people and helping them be established with a financial institution. We are also making investments in the community. Q: How so? A: We recently made a billion-dollar commitment to ending systemic racism, which will come to life in a myriad of ways, funding of educational programs, affordable housing, CDFIs (a privately-owned bank that promotes economic development in low-income communities) and supporting small businesses and entrepreneurship in the black community. We really want to lift up small business owners who've been challenged by COVID. We really want to help people chart their course in the future, by helping them have access to credit, and helping low to moderate income families access mortgage products. Those are all ways that our commitment to systemic racism is it's coming to life within the framework of a financial institution. I think we've learned a lot about what the Houston and the Texas community are focused on and how we can really help them, and homeownership is one of the ways. Q: Was part of the reason PNC came to Houston because its a diverse city you thought may benefit from these programs? A: We entered Houston as part of our national expansion strategy, which at the time was corporate banking led so we lead with our middle market expansion, and we follow that with retail. But there are a lot of reasons to come here you look at just the growth of Houston, the growth of households, the number of really dynamic companies, really entrepreneurial people who live here. It makes it just a perfect place to come and grow your business. WASHINGTON (AP) The Trump administration Justice Department secretly obtained the 2017 phone records of a CNN correspondent, the network said Thursday in revealing the existence of another apparent leak investigation aimed at identifying a journalist's sources. The revelation comes two weeks after The Washington Post disclosed that the Justice Department had last year seized phone records belonging to three of its journalists who covered the Russia investigation. CNN said the Justice Department informed Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr in a May 13 letter that it had obtained phone and email records covering a two-month period between June 1 and July 31, 2017. CNN strongly condemns the secret collection of any aspect of a journalists correspondence, which is clearly protected by the First Amendment, CNN President Jeff Zucker said in a statement published by the network. We are asking for an immediate meeting with the Justice Department for an explanation. The Justice Department confirmed that the records were formally sought last year, though it did not reveal anything else about the investigation and what story might pertain to. CNN said that in the two-month period listed in the letter, Starr's reporting included stories on Syria and Afghanistan and coverage of U.S. military options in North Korea that were being offered to President Donald Trump. The records at issue relate to 2017 and the legal process to seek these records was approved in 2020, Justice Department spokesman Anthony Coley said in a statement. Department leadership will soon meet with reporters to hear their concerns about recent notices and further convey Attorney General (Merrick) Garlands staunch support of and commitment to a free and independent press. The letter indicated that the government sought records of Starr's Pentagon phone extension, the CNN Pentagon booth phone number and her home and cellphone records. The government also said it had obtained non-content information from her emails, which would include information about the senders and recipients but not the actual content of the communications. The Justice Department under former Attorney General Eric Holder announced revised guidelines for obtaining records from the news media during criminal leak investigations, removing language that news organizations said was ambiguous and requiring additional levels of review before a journalist could be subpoenaed. The updated policy was a response to outrage among news organizations over Obama administration tactics seen as overly aggressive and hostile toward newsgathering. Bruce Brown, the executive director of the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, said Thursday that the phone record seizure amounted to a big story that just got bigger. That a journalist from another news organization had communications records seized by the Trump Justice Department suggests that the last administrations efforts to intrude into reporter-source relationships and chill newsgathering is more sweeping than we originally thought, Brown said. He called for the Justice Department to explain exactly what happened and how it plans to strengthen protections for the free flow of information to the public. _____ Follow Eric Tucker on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/etuckerAP Top legislature to inspect enforcement of animal husbandry law Xinhua) 14:05, May 21, 2021 Ji Bingxuan, vice chairman of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, speaks at a meeting of the inspection team of the enforcement of the animal husbandry law in Beijing, capital of China, May 20, 2021. (Xinhua/Shen Hong) BEIJING, May 20 (Xinhua) -- A senior Chinese legislator on Thursday stressed efforts to inspect the enforcement of the animal husbandry law. The inspection should ensure the high-quality development of the animal husbandry industry and strengthen the industry's quality, efficiency, and competitiveness, said Ji Bingxuan, vice chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee. Ji made the remarks at a meeting of the inspection team. He also called for efforts to address prominent problems in this law's enforcement. The NPC Standing Committee will dispatch six inspection teams to various regions, including the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and Jilin Province. In addition, local legislators in eight provincial-level regions will be entrusted to inspect the law's enforcement locally. The inspections, scheduled in June and July, will focus on protecting genetic resources of livestock and poultry, the quality and safety of livestock and poultry products, and the formulation of relevant regulations and rules, among others. The inspection teams will also conduct research on the enforcement of the newly-revised law on animal epidemic prevention. (Web editor: Shi Xi, Liang Jun) A Moroccan boy swims using bottles as a float, near the fence between the Spanish-Moroccan border, after thousands of migrants swam across the border, Ceuta, Spain, May 19. Reuters-Yonhap When she first heard that thousands of people were flooding across the border from Morocco into Spain's Ceuta enclave, Gloria Nisrin admits she panicked. "To be honest I was a bit scared because some people were saying they wanted to remove the (Spanish) settlers from Ceuta," said this 38-year-old resident of the tiny Spanish territory in North Africa that is also claimed by Morocco. "But when I saw them taking off their wet clothes and walking through the streets in their underwear, some of us gave them clothes," she said. "I just couldn't see them like that, walking around with their feet all damaged from going barefoot." When an unprecedented 8,000 people crossed from Morocco into Ceuta earlier this week, the images made global headlines but sparked fear in this enclave of 84,000 people, where many shops and bars closed for fear of looting. "It caused a real sense of panic, particularly among women and children who didn't dare go out because they were afraid," said a 70-year-old pensioner who did not want to give his name. "Businesses closed as well because these people came empty-handed they need somewhere to go to the toilet, they need food, toiletries, everything, so they were afraid they would come and rob them." Most of the arrivals were young men and teenagers, who swam to the beaches of Ceuta to find work and escape the grinding poverty, unemployment and hunger back home in Morocco which has been worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic. Penniless but euphoric, the crowds surged into Ceuta fanning out across the city before Spain ramped up security, deploying troops along the beach and sending thousands of them back. Unaccompanied minors who crossed into Spain are gathered outside a warehouse used as temporary shelter as they wait to be tested for COVID-19 at the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, near the border of Morocco and Spain, May 19. AP-Yonhap Fear of COVID-19 infections Although the Spanish government says 6,000 have been sent back, another 2,000 or so remain inside the enclave, among them 800 minors, official figures suggest. By Thursday morning, countless groups of youngsters could still be seen aimlessly wandering the streets of Ceuta, many clutching plastic bags of food or blankets handed out by good samaritans or NGOs, which also provided face masks. "I was afraid because there were all these poor creatures running through the streets, they didn't know where they were going, they were just trying to get away from the police," said Rafaela Callejas, a housewife in her 50s. "I wasn't scared that they would do anything.. but because there's a global virus that has killed a lot of people," she told AFP. On Wednesday evening, a handful of Red Cross medics wearing full protective gear could be seen carrying out COVID-19 tests on scores of minors at a long trestle table outside a warehouse complex by the border. But others who had entered the city in the initial wave were not tested and although most had masks, many weren't wearing them, or had them pulled down. "Put your mask on!" snapped an elderly man in Spanish as he walked past two youngsters with their masks under their chin. A Moroccan minor sits next to a facility prepared for migrants, after thousands of them swam across the Spanish-Moroccan during the last days, Ceuta, Spain, May 20. Reuters-Yonhap A tallgrass coastal prairie once swept across more than 6 million acres from Corpus Christi to Sabine Pass. Herds of bison roamed the grasslands, multitudes of waterfowl foraged in prairie wetlands, songbirds flourished among grasses and tree-lined streams, and American Indians sustained themselves on the lands bounty of food. The richness of prairie soil attracted farmers and ranchers in the early 1800s, and towns sprung up alongside agricultural lands. But cities and suburbs began sprawling across the land, devouring agriculture, historic towns and the pristine prairie. Today, a mere 1 percent of the coastal prairie remains. You can see a restored remnant of the prairie west of Houston, thanks to the work of the Katy Prairie Conservancy. The Conservancys Indian Grass Preserve is far from the traffic noise of bustling suburbia, allowing us to stroll more than 2 miles of trials among the peaceful serenity of tall grasses and resplendent wildflowers on a recent visit. Songbirds sprung out of the dense grasses like sprites. Butterflies fluttered among gorgeous wildflowers. Dragonflies strafed shallow ponds to gobble up mosquitoes. The Katy Prairie The Katy Prairie ecosystem stretches from the Houston city limits west to Brookshire, northwest to Hempstead and southwest to the Brazos River. The Katy Prairie Conservancy protects more than 24,000 acres of coastal prairie, including a farm, with plans to conserve at least 30,000 to 50,000 acres. The prairie acts like a giant sponge to soak up rainwater and mitigate downstream flooding. Horrific floods from Hurricane Harvey in 2017 showed the consequences of paving over the prairie. Maps and information about visiting the Katy Prairie Conservancy's preserves are available at katyprairie.org/plan-your-visit. See More Collapse Amid the grasses came quick raspy notes sounding like the words dick-dick-dick, dic-zizzel, as if bacon were crackling in a frying pan. But it was the song of a dickcissel, with its onomatopoetic name, that spends winters principally in Venezuela and migrates to coastal prairies to breed. Other dickcissels began perching on grass stems, the males camouflaged against a sea of grass with their rich grayish-brown heads and russet shoulders. Their yellow breasts and black bibs matched the yellow petals and dark-centered flower heads of coreopsis plants lining the trails. A green heron flew low across the prairie and landed on the muddy edge of a pond. The bird was likely hunting for a breakfast of crawfish. Barn swallows zipped through the sky, nabbing flying insects to feed chicks in nests beneath the carport next to the preserves headquarters. A red-tailed hawk soared in wide circles across the sky, searching the prairie for a swamp rabbit to eat for lunch. Sadly, new housing developments are nibbling at the edges of the prairie. A proposed highway would slice the heart out of the prairie. Visit Katy Prairie Conservancy preserves and help conserve the prairie before its gone forever. Gary Clark is the author of Book of Texas Birds, with photography by Kathy Adams Clark (Texas A&M University Press). Email him at Texasbirder@comcast.net. There are currently over a dozen Bellaire homes available to rent on AirBnb, Vrbo and other short-term rental outlets but that could soon change. The city of Bellaire is considering an ordinance that would restrict homeowners from renting their own properties, causing a mixed response from residents. The proposed ordinance, submitted by council members Jim Hotze and Catherine Lewis, would set a six-month minimum requirement for renting or leasing a single-family home within the city, with an exception for family members or previous owners, according to the agenda statement. The ordinance would not extend to apartments. On HoustonChronicle.com: Houston celebrates 'Cleburne Cafeteria Day' after 80th anniversary We consider Bellaire to be the city of homes, and to have a hotel next to you is something we dont think somebody should have to put up with, said Hotze at the citys May 17 council meeting. I dont want to take away any rights, but I think people that bought homes and are living in Bellaire deserve to have what they expected when they bought the home. The discussion concluded with an agreement to table the discussion until the city can work on an ordinance that can be properly and legally enforced. The last thing we want is any ordinance being passed that is difficult or ambiguous to enforce, said Interim City Manager Brant Gary. We want to make sure that we have clear procedures to be able to identify and address a violation. The agenda statement claims Bellaire has seen an influx of homes being rented on a short-term basis over the last several years. As a result, various neighborhoods of Bellaire have experienced the imposition of random strangers moving into and out of homes staying for short periods of time, which leads to increased traffic, noise and nuisance violations, parties, general disturbances, a significant increase in trash, littering and a general disrespect for our Bellaire neighbors, Bellaire neighborhoods and the Bellaire community, the ordinance reads. The statement also claims that with the significant rise in violent crimes, renting out homes could increase crime in the city. Assistant Chief of Police Onesimo Lopez, who will take over as Chief of Police this summer, said he is unfamiliar with the source of the data on violent crime rates referenced in the agenda statement. Bellaire considers violent crimes to be homicide, sexual assault, robbery and assault. According to Lopez, Bellaires data suggests violent crime in Bellaire is down 18 percent year-over-year. I am only aware of one area where a short-term rental has been an issue recently, wrote Lopez. I was unable to link any calls for service related to violent crime to any residence in the area since the first of the year. Resident Jamie Siff Perkins spoke at the May 17 meeting, voicing her support for the ordinance, claiming homeowners on her block are charging $400 to $450 a night to rent their home. We did not bargain to live next to a Holiday Inn, said Perkins. It has been a revolving door in that house. Perkins brought up safety concerns due to the homeowners not performing background checks and the home being near Pine Oak Middle School. More from Ryan Nickerson: West U lifts mask mandate after Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's new order It increases crime in our neighborhood, and I specifically have endured a significant rise in noise, trash and weve had cigarette butts flicked continuously on our property Weve had a significant uptick in traffic on our street, said Perkins. The people who are renting [the house], they leave their lights on all hours. My young children have woken up at all hours of the night. Theyre rude, disrespectful, its awful. However, another resident, Bryan Taylor, said he was shocked by the proposed ordinance. According to Taylor, who pays attention to the citys crime reports, he hasnt seen any major problems associated with short-term rentals. I think its an extreme reaction to restrict the rights of homeowners based on just a few instances and problems, said Taylor. I can understand the people who are going through those problems, but this is a city of a certain size. Youre going to limit the rights of every homeowner in Bellaire because of a few instances? I dont think thats an equal reaction. Taylor noted that not all short-term rentals are just for making money, as some rent their homes because they are away for business or must take care of a sick relative. Former Bellaire city council member Pat McLaughlan also spoke against the proposed ordinance, saying it is an invasion of property rights. Some of the most sincere reasons are people that are at MD Anderson for cancer treatment that may cover a three or four-month period and they prefer to live in a residential community while theyre here, said McLaughlan. He also noted instances of people who recently bought or sold a house that may need to lease back the house from the new owner for a few months, along with people who are traveling for business and need short-term housing while looking for a new home. McLaughlan did concede that people who rent homes to party could have a severe impact on the neighborhood due to loud music, extreme lighting, congestion and street parking. McLaughlan said the solution may not be to prohibit rentals but to engage in appropriate law enforcement. Attempting to restrict short-term rentals is not an uncommon practice for small municipalities in the Houston area. West University Place passed an ordinance in January 2018 that severely limits short-term rentals of single-family homes, requiring those who rent out their homes to pay Texas Hotel Occupancy Tax and making short-term rentals of less than 30 days in a residential zone illegal. More from Ryan Nickerson: Palace Social to re-ignite Bellaire staple Palace Bowling Lanes this summer According to West Us 2018 ordinance, for those who want to rent their home in a non-residential district, renters need a short term rental permit that costs $500 and requires the leaser to submit a list of all the owners of the property, a sketch or narrative describing the location of the available parking for renters, a sketch of the floor plan, proof that they paid the Hotel Occupancy Tax and other requirements. The Woodlands also grappled with the prohibition of short-term rentals, along with other municipalities in Texas, but some of those efforts have failed due to the Texas Supreme Court case Tarr vs. Timberwood Park that opined in favor of homeowners rights. Bellaires proposed ordinance addressed that case, with the council members writing, the (Texas) Supreme Court did say in the opinion that their ruling was restricted to the particular restrictive covenants of Timberwood Park, which has left open the possibility of a better-worded restriction on short term leases. Scott Weaver, who operates an Air Bnb within the city, said he has heard indirect complaints from residents about short-term leases, but none of the complaints specified what the issues were. If the city did pass an ordinance, Weaver said it would be unfortunate. Texas has always been a state that is about the free market and property rights. Its a step in the wrong direction of property rights, said Weaver. I think there is a value to Bellaire residents, too, that would be lost. We have a Bellaire resident booked to use the home while the remodel of his home is complete. He loves that he can stay in the neighborhood during the remodel. Weve also had families in Bellaire ask to have relatives stay for holidays and love that they are close to their homes. ryan.nickerson@hcnonline.com According to a study by The University of South Wales Sydney, home and personal security support empowers women in domestically violent situations to not only keep in contact with family but establish better evidence for law enforcement and caseworkers helping survivors. Northwest Assistance Ministries, specifically the Family Violence Center, will become one of the many nonprofits for domestic abuse survivors offering Ring camera systems to clients on a case-by-case basis this June. On HoustonChronicle.com: Jersey Village author publishes book to help survivors of sexual abuse navigate recovery Ring provides surveillance cameras controllable from a mobile phone or computer, with recording capabilities, motion sensing abilities and more. The partnership comes after the Harris County Domestic Violence Coordinating Council, or HCDVCC, reached out to Ring after realizing one of their clients could benefit from a camera system to protect her from her abuser coming to her new residence. As (HCDVCC) was working with the client they realized it would be great if Ring could provide us some of the equipment because it would make it easier for these survivors and less expensive for programs to be able to help in this way, Sheryl Johnson, director of the NAM Family Violence Center, said. They created a pilot program where they are sending 500 units to Harris County that the coordinating council is going to distribute, and we are thrilled to say we are going to get some of those. Ring is donating the units for free and providing lifetime service regardless of if the client moves from their current home or not. The camera system can record footage, provide a live feed and allows users to respond to visitors through a speaker system on the camera. NAM previously purchased a Ring unit for a client, which Johnson said improved the protection of the client. If she thinks shes in danger, she can look through her camera and see its him at the door, she can call more quickly for 911 assistance, Johnson said. The potential to help these (survivors), primarily women, in this one little piece is mind-boggling and allows them to rest better and feel like they are taking care of themselves and have one more piece in place to help protect them. As for when clients could receive the system, Johnson said it will depend on how safe the client is in a residence separate from their abuser or how involved they are with a domestic violence program. We will be doing that assessment to make sure theyre not only out of their house, but they have some stabilized housing, Johnson said. We dont want them staying one couch one night and then another for three nights and not being stable. Well do the assessment to make sure they are stable, which is primarily the only requirement. On HoustonChronicle.com: Q&A: Courtney Suddath with Cy-Hope Counseling discusses adjusting to life post-COVID The pilot program for Ring cameras in Harris County begins in June, testing whether Ring will bring this domestic violence-based program to the rest of Texas then the rest of the United States. Although it is a boon for domestic violence victims looking for relief, Johnson said every survivor has a different story with a different need as they find safety. Its not like theres a formula or steps for being out and safe, Johnson said. The first thing is to work with the client and finding out for sure what she wants in terms of her relationship. If she feels like she can leave or that she wants to leave, which looks different for everybody, once theyve made the decision, we have several different ways we can assist them. If you or someone you know is involved in a domestically violent situation, call the NAM hotline at 281-885-5673 or visit www.namonline.org/family-center . chevall.pryce@chron.com A 75-year-old Kansas man is in jail after his DNA traced him to a 1983 Montgomery County cold case murder that a serial killer had been convicted of in 1986. Thomas Elvin Darnell is charged with capital murder in the death of Laurie Marie Purchase, a missing woman from Houston, according to the Montgomery County Sheriffs Office. Purchases burning remains were found by a sheriffs patrol deputy around 3 a.m. March 17, 1983 in a wooded area in the 4000 block of Interstate 45 near League Line Road. An autopsy determined she had been sexually assaulted and strangled, according to the sheriffs office. Purchase was identified in May 1986 after the FBI ran her fingerprints, the sheriffs office noted. Serial killer Henry Lee Lucas took credit for the murder and was convicted in 1986. DNA cleared Lucas and co-defendant Otis Elwood Toole in 2008 after the sheriffs office a year before submitted DNA collected off of Purchases body, according to the sheriffs office. A link to Darnell was made when investigators in October 2019 sent collected DNA for genealogy testing. As a result, a DNA search warrant on Darnell was granted. Sheriffs detectives went to Kansas City, Kan. to collect a sample from Darnell on March 17. This was 38 years to the date of the discovery of Purchases remains, the agency detailed. Darnells DNA positively matched those found of the unknown male on Purchases remains. Darnell was taken into custody at his home on May 11 and he was extradited to Montgomery County on Thursday, according to the sheriffs office. He is being held without bond at the Montgomery County Jail, according to jail records. jose.gonzalez@chron.com twitter.com/jrgzztx In military terms the phrase the line refers to standing your ground and holding the line. Now, The Line monument at the Montgomery County Veterans Memorial Park will honor those with military service past and present. Members of the community have been able to submit the name or names of their loved one with military service and their name will be featured on panels as a part of The Line monument at Veterans Memorial Park. The park is at Texas 105 and Interstate 45 in Conroe and the Veterans Memorial Commission will dedicate several memorials at the park on Memorial Day. The Line will be included in the memorials dedicated. We want to honor all veterans and active duty service members who have served this country. The Line honors all who are willing to serve not just Conroe, Montgomery County or Texas but the nation, said Janeen McSwain, chief of operations for the Montgomery County Veterans Memorial Commission. This is not just for our county, but the nation. These men and women who faithfully have served since the American Revolution took the oath to defend this country regardless of duty station or type of duty knowing they could have been put into harms way. There will be 460 names that will be honored on Memorial Day. McSwain said they anticipated that they would only be dedicating 150 names. In January 2021 they had 125 names but by word of mouth many have found out how they are honoring veterans and service members and since that date they have received over 300 additional nominations. McSwain highlighted that The Line is a living monument that will include the names of living service members and those who have passed on. This is an ongoing monument, it is for anyone in the country and it is never too late to get your name on The Line, she said. The first phase of The Line will include six panels. The first panel will be the introduction panel that will read THE LINE A Monument for United States Veterans Active Duty Service Members A Gift From The People of Montgomery County Texas to the Nation, followed by three name panels, next will be a landmark panel and the final name panel for the Memorial Day dedication. The Line will start on the south side of the park and trail northward along the Victory Row of flags, eventually wrapping completely around Reflection Pond. Bakers Signs is manufacturing the panels. McSwain said Jeremiah Baker and Thomas Turner have spent countless hours on this project. The panels were designed by Judge Jimmie Edwards III, chairman of the Veterans Memorial Commission. He was inspired by visiting other veteran memorial parks, in particular the Brazos Valley Veterans Memorial in College Station and the Hopkins County Veterans Memorial located in Sulfur Springs. McSwain said there will be QR codes on the panels where an individual can scan in the QR code on their smart device and get more information on veterans and hear their stories. The next dedication of panels will be for Veterans Day in November. The deadline to submit names for this cycle is Oct. 15. Names will continued to be added to the panels in phases with dedications being held on Memorial Day and Veterans Day. Monuments for the founders of the park, Montgomery Countys fallen soldiers, Remember Whispers honoring World War II Women Air Service Pilots and a refurbished Veterans Memorial from downtown Conroe and the Victory Row flags will all be dedicated in a ceremony at 11 a.m. on Memorial Day. There will also be a kids Cast and Catch event starting at 10 a.m. on May 30 at the park. Its for ages three to nine and a pole and bait will be provided. There will also be motorcycles, hot rods, Jeeps and more. Hot dogs and beverages at noon. Register for Cast and Catch at https://www.facebook.com/honoredmission. Also see the MCVMP Commissions Facebook page for more information about the park. Visit honoredmission.org to see more information about the park and submit your loved ones name for a panel. shernandez@hcnonline.com Oak Ridge High School students, staff and family members gathered Thursday evening at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion in The Woodlands as the roughly 600 graduates celebrated the end of the school year. Valedictorian Evan Joseph Cordaway graduated with a GPA of 5.438 and plans on studying either software engineering or computer science in college. The salutatorian, Easton James Havemann, plans to attend Texas A&M University. His goals for the future are to Affect the world in a positive way through technological advances. SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP) Bulgaria on Friday ruled out a possible reversal of its veto of the European Union starting long-delayed membership talks with North Macedonia because of disputes over history and language. Following a meeting with visiting EU officials, Bulgarian caretaker Foreign Minister Svetlan Stoev said that no change can be expected in his countrys position regarding North Macedonia. Bulgarias stance was adopted by all parties in parliament, and the current interim government has no authority to change it, Stoev told European Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement Oliver Varhelyi and Portuguese Foreign Minister Augusto Santos Silva, whose country holds the EU's rotating presidency. The stalemate further reduces the chances for a solution of the dispute ahead of the EU accession talks, which are scheduled for June. Bulgaria is set to hold an early parliamentary election on July 11, and any new developments before that date seem unlikely. Bulgaria wants North Macedonia to formally recognize that its language has Bulgarian roots and to stamp out allegedly anti-Bulgarian rhetoric. Skopje says its identity and language are not open to discussion. A commission of historians from both countries has been set up to resolve the standoff, but so far it has failed to reach common ground. Our goal is to create the necessary conditions for restoring dialogue between Sofia and Skopje via concrete positive steps, including at the highest level, which can serve as a foundation for a future regular government to work on returning the relations between Bulgaria and the Republic of North Macedonia to the appropriate level, Stoev said. Bulgaria, which joined the EU in 2007, has been an active supporter of letting the six Western Balkan countries into the 27-nation bloc, which could help improve living standards and insulate the region from the influence of Russia and China. The EU officials also visited North Macedonia after their talks in Bulgaria. North Macedonias prime minister, Zoran Zaev said they presented a proposal which he said provided a good basis for resolving the dispute and paving the way for the country to start accession negotiations. It is especially important for us that this draft solution does not touch or encroach our Macedonian identity issues, which satisfies our crucial position," Zaev said, without revealing any details of the proposal. North Macedonia applied for EU membership in 2004 and received a positive assessment from the European Commission a year later. EU leaders agreed to formal accession talks with Albania and North Macedonia after Skopje settled a nearly three decade-long dispute with neighboring Greece over the country's name, which saw it renamed North Macedonia. Western Balkan countries are at different stages of EU membership talks. Serbia and Montenegro have already started negotiating some chapters of their membership agreements. Kosovo and Bosnia have signed a Stabilization and Association Agreement, the first step to membership. WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP) Investigative journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones tenure application at the University of North Carolina was halted because she didnt come from a traditional academic-type background," and a trustee who vets the lifetime appointments wanted more time to consider her qualifications, university leaders said Thursday. The trustee who leads the subcommittee that considers tenure applications, Charles Duckett, chose in January to postpone the review of Hannah-Jones submission, said Richard Stevens, the chairman of the board of trustees for the Chapel Hill campus. It was never brought before the full board for approval, and instead the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist accepted a five-year appointment to the faculty of the journalism school. Were talking about a lifetime position here, so theyre not entered into lightly, Stevens told reporters. "And its not unusual for a member of the board, or in particular the chair of the committee, to have questions for clarification about background, particularly candidates that dont come from a traditional academic-type background. In this case, Chair Duckett asked for a little bit of time to be able to do that. Faculty members at the university's Hussman School of Journalism already slammed that reasoning in an open letter Wednesday, noting that the last two professors who held Hannah-Jones' chaired position were given tenure when appointed. They said the journalism school's strength lies in its roster of longtime professionals who worked in the industry. The foundation that endows Hannah-Jones' position, the Knight Chair in Race and Investigative Journalism, also urged the school to reconsider its decision. Stevens and Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz said Hannah-Jones could be considered again for tenure before the end of her current five-year contract. Duckett didnt immediately respond to an email seeking comment. The university announced in April that Hannah-Jones, who won the Pulitzer Prize for her work on The 1619 Project for The New York Times Magazine, will be joining the faculty in July. Some conservatives have complained about the project, which focuses on the countrys history of slavery. Knight Foundation President Alberto Ibarguen issued a statement noting that while the foundation respects the independence of the universities where it endows chairs, he hopes UNC will reconsider its decision to offer Hannah-Jones a contract position instead of tenure. It is not our place to tell UNC or UNC/Hussman who they should appoint or give tenure to, Ibarguen said. It is, however, clear to us that Hannah-Jones is eminently qualified for the appointment and would urge the trustees of the University of North Carolina to reconsider their decision within the timeframe of our agreement. The foundation said it established the chaired professorship at UNC in 1984 with a focus on advertising that was later changed to its current subject matter. Hannah-Jones didn't respond to an email asking for comment. But on Thursday, she tweeted: "I have been overwhelmed by all the support you all have shown me. It has truly fortified my spirit and my resolve. You all know that I will OK. But this fight is bigger than me, and I will try my best not to let you down. The 1619 Project is an initiative of The New York Times Magazine that began in August 2019, the 400th anniversary of the beginning of American slavery. The magazine describes the project as being designed to reframe the countrys history by placing the consequences of slavery and the contributions of Black Americans at the very center of our national narrative. The project was converted into a popular podcast. Materials were developed for schools to use and The Pulitzer Center partnered with the Times to develop 1619 Project lesson plans. However, objections to The 1619 Project have morphed into legislative efforts to prevent its presentation in public schools. SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) Two groups that encourage young people, unmarried women and racial and ethnic minorities to vote are blanketing New Mexico with mailings amid a special congressional election in the Albuquerque area. The nonprofit Voter Participation Center and the Center for Voter Information said Friday that they have mailed reminders to nearly 130,000 registered voters in New Mexico to build enthusiasm for the race to fill a congressional seat vacated by Deb Haaland after she became secretary of the U.S. Interior Department under President Joe Biden. Four candidates have their names on the ballot in the June 1 election, with early voting underway in person and by absentee ballot. They are Democratic state Rep. Melanie Stansbury, Republican state Sen. Mark Moores, Libertarian candidate Chris Manning and independent contender Aubrey Dunn Jr., who previously was elected state land commissioner as a Republican. Voter Participation Center President Tom Lopach says the groups' effort emphasizes easy steps toward voting and provides repeated reminders by mail. We know that in a normal election season and on a normal election day people are incredibly busy with jobs and kids, Lopach said. In a special election ... it requires that much more effort to ensure that voters know when the election day is, what the election is for, who is running and what are the options to vote safely. Registered Democrats are dominating participation in early and absentee voting, casting 61% of ballots as of Friday, according to statistics from the New Mexico secretary of state. Republicans have cast about 27% of ballots, and 12% of votes have come from unaffiliated and minor party voters. Republican Party leaders have said they sense a rare opportunity to flip the 1st Congressional District in a possible low-turnout election and erode the Democratic Partys 218-212 majority in Congress. Democrats have controlled the seat since 2009. Democrats account for a dominant 47% of registered voters in the 1st Congressional District, versus 28% for Republicans. The district encompasses the Albuquerque metro area, rural Torrance County and outlying areas that overlap Indigenous communities, including Sandia Pueblo. In and around Albuquerque, then-President Donald Trump won just 37% of the vote in 2020. Nearly 14% of registered voters have cast ballots so far, mainly through early, in-person voting. About 69% of the districts eligible voters participated in the November 2020 election. OnScene Houston police early Friday shot and killed a man who authorities say fired a gunshot at officers while they collected a statement. The man approached officers who had stopped a vehicle for speeding before 2 a.m. near Bissonnet Street and U.S. 59 and were taking a statement from two occupants, Assistant Chief James Jones of Houston police said. On May 20, Mnet aired "Kingdom" Episode 8, presenting the last unit battle - vocal unit - where Stray Kids, BTOB, and ATEEZ (Mayfly) competed with iKON, The Boyz, and SF9 (It's One). The first two stages for the second part of Round 3 were also shown, featuring iKON and Stray Kids. Round 3 of Mnet's "Kingdom" has two parts. In the first part, the six boy groups were divided into two teams (three groups each) and formed three units: vocal, dance, and rap. Each unit of every team will compete with each other. The first team ("Mayfly") is made up of ATEEZ, Stray Kids, and BTOB, and the second one ("It's One") includes SF9, The Boyz, and iKON. Mnet "Kingdom" Episode 8: Stray Kids, ATEEZ, and BTOB (Mayfly) Take No. 1 in Three Unit Battles Last week, the two teams went up against each other for dance unit and rap unit battles. In the dance unit battle, Mayfly covered EXO's "Wolf," featuring Stray Kids members Felix, I.N., and Lee Know; ATEEZ members Wooyoung, Yunho, San, Yeosang, and Seonghwa; and BTOB Peniel. Meanwhile, It's One performed "King and Queen," featuring iKON Donghyuk, The Boyz Juyeon, and SF9 Taeyang. For the rap unit battle, Mayfly consisted of ATEEZ Hongjoong, BTOB Minhyuk, and Stray Kids members Bang Chan, Han, and Changbin. They performed "Mulgamnori," It's One - comprising iKON Bobby, The Boyz Sunwoo, and SF9 Hwiyoung - performed "Full DaSH." And this week, the vocal unit battle was broadcasted. Mayfly - composing of Stray Kids Seungmin, BTOB Eunkwang, and ATEEZ Jongho - covered IU's "Love Poem." It's One, on the other hand, performed their rendition of Girls' Generation Taeyeon's "Spark." This time, The Boyz members Sangyeon and New; SF9 members Inseong and Jaeyoon; and iKON members Jinhwan and Junheo participated. For all three unit battles, it was announced that Mayfly (BTOB, ATEEZ, and Stray Kids) took first place, with It's One (iKON, SF9, and The Boyz) claiming the second spot. This means Mayfly received 5,000 points each in vocal, rap, and dance unit battles as rewards. Unlike the previous rounds of Mnet's "Kingdom," results for Round 3 didn't include self-evaluation points and experts' votes. Instead, a special audience of 33 evaluators was involved. Among these evaluators are Super Junior members Shindong and Donghae, music critic Kim Young Dae, music producer Shinsadong Tiger, and rookie groups MIRAE, TRI.BE, Weeekly, and BDC. Mnet "Kingdom" Episode 8: iKON and Stray Kids Cover BLACKPINK Songs for Round 3 Part 2 Meanwhile, the second half of Round 3 has begun. This part will be the normal battle wherein the six competing groups put up a performance. For this round, the theme is "No Limit," meaning the participants can perform any song they like and bring in any featuring artist. The first group to take the stage is iKON. They staged a reinterpretation of BLACKPINK's popular B-side song, "Pretty Savage," - and, to take the performance to the next level, their labelmate BLACKPINK Lisa joined them on stage. Stray Kids, the second performer, had all participants surprised when they covered a BLACKPINK song, as well. The boy group staged a mashup of their own hit song "God's Menu" and BLACKPINK's "DDU-DU DDU-DU." For more news updates about other K-Pop news, always keep your tabs open here at Kpopstarz. Owned by Kpopstarz. Written by Mhaliya Scott Federal and local authorities in Houston were looking for an individual Friday afternoon suspected of shooting an armored truck guard in the face during a bank robbery. A Brink's armored truck worker was servicing an ATM at a Wells Fargo bank at 3434 Tidwell Road, near U.S. 59, when the driver of the truck observed his colleague was down, Houston police told reporters at the scene. The driver got out of the truck and saw someone taking money before the two exchanged gunfire. Jay R. Jordan / Jay Jordan, Staff An 18-year-old died early Friday when he crashed a vehicle into a wall after eluding authorities in a Houston pursuit, police said. Officers responding to a burglary at a car dealership at 18225 U.S. 59 near Humble saw a blue Dodge Challenger trying to leave, according to Houston police. The driver of the vehicle went to the back of a parking lot and left the car with the engine running. Houston ISD trustees unanimously voted Friday to name Millard House II as their lone superintendent finalist, tapping the leader of Tennessees Clarksville-Montgomery County School System to guide the district past a tumultuous period of instability. House will arrive in Houston after spending four years as superintendent of Clarksville-Montgomery, a public school district home to about 37,000 students near the Tennessee-Kentucky border. He will inherit a district roughly five times as large, with a significantly bigger Hispanic population and deeper struggles with poverty. House previously worked as chief operating officer of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools in North Carolina, deputy superintendent of Tulsa Public Schools in Oklahoma and as a school leadership consultant during his 25-year career. He has limited connections in Houston or Texas, where his selection caught education and civic leaders by surprise. With the boards nine members standing behind him at district headquarters, House announced his arrival Friday afternoon by focusing on his ability to lead and innovate. He acknowledged the looming threat of state intervention in HISD, which could cut his tenure short, but said he remains focused on the opportunity at hand. There are great people here in HISD, House said. I think we have the tools in our toolbelt to move beyond some of the drama, the issues that have plagued the school system. Were really looking forward to building the capacity, building the united front. House will replace Interim Superintendent Grenita Lathan, who plans to leave in June after an unusually long three-year stint in the role to become superintendent of Springfield Public Schools in Missouri. Under state law, the district must wait 21 days before signing a contract with its lone finalist. The boards selection offers the chance for trustees to move forward after years of leadership false starts and frustrations. The board never agreed to remove Lathans interim tag, despite efforts by some trustees in 2018 and 2020. The board was on the verge of naming a lone finalist in early 2019, but a state-appointed conservator ordered it to stand down amid an ongoing state investigation into allegations of trustee misconduct and the potential for severe sanctions tied to chronically poor academic ratings at Wheatley High School. While HISD still could face those sanctions which include the replacement of all nine elected trustees with a state-appointed governance team board members reveled Friday in the possibility of stability. Im thrilled. It feels good to have a permanent superintendent, selected by this team, who we have complete confidence in, HISD Trustee Anne Sung said. HISD has been doing the work, and this is just a continuation of that. A fresh start In a district well known for allegiances, politicking and sharp divides, House will arrive largely as a blank slate. In his relatively brief comments Friday, House positioned himself as a uniter, ready to marshal consensus. He did not extensively outline his preferred educational policies, though he voiced support for the idea of magnet schools, citing his experience attending one in his native Tulsa. Several local leaders said Friday they were optimistic about working with House while cautioning that they still were digging into his background. Houston Federation of Teachers President Jackie Anderson, who leads the districts largest employees union, said Houses statements Friday left her feeling he is coming with a spirit of collaboration. Anderson did describe Houses affiliation with Chiefs For Change, an exclusive education executive organization, as a potential red flag. Many of the groups members are more supportive of standardized testing, charter school partnerships and other education policies than teachers unions. Im optimistic that even if that has been his past mantra, that he doesnt bring it hard-and-fast to HISD, Anderson said. I hope he will meet us where we are, somewhere in the middle. Houses lack of experience atop a predominantly Hispanic, urban district also prompted early questions. About 65 percent of children attending Clarksville-Montgomery County are white, 20 percent are Black and 10 percent are Hispanic. By contrast, about 60 percent of HISDs students are Hispanic, nearly 25 percent are Black and 10 percent are white. Mr. Millard House has an impressive track record of turning schools around, and we hope he can scale that transformation for a district that is significantly larger and has many more Latino students than those he has previously led, Latinos For Education Texas Executive Director Andy Canales said in a statement. Leaders of Good Reason Houston, an education nonprofit that partners with local school districts on reform efforts, said they believe House can be an experienced and steady hand as well as a visionary leader. A dynamic leader House is the son of a revered Tulsa Public Schools administrator who helped lead desegregation efforts in the district and retired as an assistant superintendent. After graduating from Alabamas University of Montevallo in 1995, House returned home to begin his education career as a physical education teacher. Within four years, House assumed a principal position in Tulsa, taking one of the districts lowest-rated schools and dramatically raising its stature. He then served as founding principal of a Tulsa Public Schools campus opened in partnership with the charter network KIPP. By 2008, he had ascended to a central administration role in the district. House moved to Charlotte in 2012, shifting into a chief operating officer role focused on facilities, transportation, security and other similar areas. He stayed one year in the district before joining a school leadership nonprofit in Charlotte and an organizational consulting group in South Carolina. In Clarksville, House enjoyed strong support from the county school board. Mr. House is a dynamic leader, hes a visionary and his heart is for the students, teachers and staff, said Jimmie Garland, a 19-year member of Clarksville-Montgomery Countys school board. If anyone could get him, we would be losing a jewel. House will be stepping into a political and legal maelstrom in Houston, which makes his position as superintendent tenuous from the outset. Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath and HISD trustees are locked in litigation over Moraths desire to replace board members, the result of a state investigation into trustee misconduct and a state law aimed at punishing districts with repeatedly low-rated schools, such as Wheatley High. A Travis County judge granted a temporary injunction in January 2020 halting the boards ouster, and the Third Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the decision last December. An appeal by Morath to the Texas Supreme Court remains pending. State lawmakers also are considering legislative proposals that would hasten the HISD boards ouster. If Morath prevails or legislators spur the removal of HISD trustees, the commissioner would choose members of a replacement board and select the districts superintendent. Morath and House do not have a prior working relationship. Carolyn Evans-Shabazz, chairwoman of the NAACP-Houston Branchs education committee, quipped that I dont know if Id sell my house just yet if she was in Houses shoes. Id wait to see where the chips will fall, because its a very complicated situation, Evans-Shabazz said. But that right there tells me he has a lot of guts, to come here under this kind of cloud. jacob.carpenter@chron.com Galveston County will receive $179 million in federal funds for flood mitigation projects, the Texas General Land Office announced Friday. The money will flow to more than a half-dozen different projects, many of which will improve drainage in low-lying areas that flood frequently during heavy rain storms like Galveston, Dickinson, and Texas City. Every project that received funding in Galveston County is targeted towards majority-low-to-moderate income communities. During Hurricane Harvey alone, parts of Galveston County got more than 28 inches of rain, and the combination of storm surge and rainfall was devastating, said Land Commissioner George P. Bush in a statement. This mitigation funding has never been available before, and the benefits of these systemwide improvements will make life better for generations of Texans. The largest portion of the $179 million will go to Galvestons South Shore Drainage Project, a $54.3 million upgrade to the citys existing storm sewer system. The project includes storm drain connections to side streets and 84 different inlets, as well as pavement restoration. Once completed, the GLO says the city will eliminate ponding and flooding of private property within the boundaries of the project improvement area. MORE: Houston and Harris County asked for $1.3B in flood aid. The GLO's offer: $0. The infrastructure improvements associated with our Southshore Drainage Project will reduce long-term risks of damage and loss of property and help alleviate suffering, and hardship for our residents, said Craig Brown, Galvestons mayor, in a statement. The city of Dickinson received the second-biggest grant, $49.2 million to build two large storm sewer systems that will improve the drainage of flood waters from several bayous in the area. La Marque was awarded $48.9 million to upgrade its wastewater treatment plant. During hurricanes and other flood events, La Marque residents have had wastewater backup into homes and overflow into ditches. Its only wastewater treatment plant is sometimes so overwhelmed that it causes unauthorized discharges into Galveston Bay. The federal money will go towards elevating pumps, increasing wastewater treatment plant capacity by 2.25 million gallons per day and elevating the plant above the 100-year flood plain. Other smaller projects receiving funding include $14.9 million for citywide drainage improvements in Texas City; $8.1 million for water system improvements for the Galveston County Water Control & Improvements District No. 1; and $3.5 million for wastewater treatment system improvements in Hitchcock. The funding for these projects comes from a pot of around $1 billion in federal money the General Land Office is disbursing across the state, part of a congressional aid package approved after Hurricane Harvey in 2017. The GLO received more than $2.3 billion in Community Development Block Grant Mitigation (CDBG-MIT) funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to protect Texas communities. HUD requires at least 50 percent of total funds to benefit low- to moderate-income communities. Cities and localities were able to apply for grants starting in May through October 2020. The Land Office received 290 applications. The second round of the competition will award the remaining $1.1 billion in mitigation funding to Hurricane Harvey eligible entities. nick.powell@chron.com Aracely Garza says she feels like shes done her part to keep her community safe. The 47-year-old caregiver was initially hesitant to get a COVID-19 vaccination because of the side effects shed read about, but opted to get inoculated earlier this year. Still, she worries that many others she knows remain skeptical including those living here without documentation, and who have foregone vaccines or care as the pandemic ravaged their communities. Theyre afraid that theyre going to get caught, she said. Sometimes they cant breathe but they just decide to stay home. Garza, who became a U.S. citizen decades ago, is not alone in her worry. Large swathes of the areas undocumented population remain hesitant or fearful of receiving COVID-19 vaccinations, an ongoing trend that advocates worry will further endanger communities already hard-hit by the pandemic. Its very widespread, said Debbie Ortiz, head of Houstons chapter of the Association for the Advancement of Mexican Americans. We have made inroads, but were a long way off from where we need to be. Many of the hurdles and inequities that existed 14 months ago still loom over the estimated half-million people who live in the Houston region without documentation. Among them: Language barriers; confusion over paperwork requirements and fear of immigration enforcement. On HoustonChronicle.com: How vaccine skepticism in Texas Trump country threatens herd immunity Even those who are here legally may be skeptical of being vaccinated because of fears that law enforcement will use it to crack down on friends or family members who are undocumented, Ortiz said. They have this fear that theyre going to get found out and their family members are going to be taken away, she said. Many are also without cars or internet, or are too busy juggling jobs and care for their families to get to a vaccination hub, she said. Gilma, who did not want her last name used because of her citizenship status, thanked God after she was finally able to be vaccinated earlier this month. The 83-year-old said her daughter was sick for 40 days with COVID last year, and she was terrified of contracting it herself. She doesnt have a car, but was able to walk five minutes to the Consulate of El Salvador, one of the temporary vaccine hubs aimed at inoculating Houstons hard-to-reach communities. County health officials have made low-income and minority communities a focal point of their broader COVID response. Vaccination efforts in those communities have increased as more Houstonians have been fully vaccinated, and as demand for doses decreases across the state. Weve been trying to get to the point where we have the resources to match the demand and were finally there, said Sam Bissett, communication specialist for Harris County Public Health. Cecilia Nunez, 32, says more could be done to assuage fears. She said she contracted COVID twice last year, and was extremely ill both times. She works as an assistant for an OBGYN and is a U.S. citizen, but she was still skeptical of vaccines because of what she felt were unknowns about the vaccines early on. You heard all these stories, so you do get kind of fearful, she said. On HoustonChronicle.com: Texas has wasted 60K COVID vaccine doses. Over half were thrown out in the last 2 weeks. She said she empathizes with the choices faced by those who do not yet have citizenship. Local faith leaders have also been proactive in their advocacy for vaccinations. A recent poll from the Public Religion Research Institute found religious messaging has a significant effect on vaccine skeptics. The same study found 25 percent of Hispanic Protestants were vaccine hesitant, and 15 percent do not plan to vaccinate themselves at all. The problem is not unique to evangelical congregations. Its common that theres some kind of fear or concern, said Fr. Albert Zanatta, of Assumption Catholic Church. Even though we tell them its safe, some of them dont believe that. Maria Guerrero considers himself among that group. The 41-year-old undocumented housewife remains unvaccinated, fearing the side effects some have had after being inoculated. This week, she said, she decided is open to being vaccinated in the near future, citing her conversations with those at AAMA as a key reason. robert.downen@chron.com Houston and Harris County officials said the Texas General Land Office informed them Thursday they would receive nothing from the more than $1.3 billion in applications they submitted for federal flood mitigation funding the state is disbursing. Instead, about $1 billion in U.S. Housing and Urban Development funds the GLO is managing will flow to other local governments in 46 Southeast Texas counties that are eligible for the aid. Four smaller municipalities in east Harris County Pasadena, Jacinto City, Galena Park and Baytown will receive about $90 million combined. The snub, delivered by GLO staff in meetings this week, surprised local leaders, who had expected the city and county to receive hundreds of millions of dollars. More from Zach Despart: Here we go again: nonprofit wants your help with new plan to redevelop the Astrodome I would like to tell you the meeting was informative and productive. Unfortunately, the meeting was ridiculous, said Precinct 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia, who suggested the state had political motives for its decision. The GLO is saying today that the largest county in Texas, the county home to the most significant elements of our state, local and national economy, does not merit the fair share of billions of dollars. Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo said it was unconscionable that federal funds Congress intended for Hurricane Harvey recovery would not flow to the Houston area, by far the most populous affected by the storm. Our community needs this federal funding and we have already begun the process of reaching out to the Biden Administration to identify alternatives including a potential review of the process for this allocation and a direct carve-out going forward, Hidalgo said. Houston Mayor Sylvester Turners administration said the city was preparing a letter Thursday evening in which it would ask the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to intervene. In a statement, the mayor called on the federal agency to immediately halt the distribution of the funds until it could review the situation. For the state GLO not to give one dime in the initial distribution to the city and a very small portion to Harris County shows a callous disregard to the people of Houston and Harris County, Turner said. And it is unfathomable that the state GLO would redirect most of these dollars to areas that did not suffer much from Hurricane Harvey. Brittany Eck, spokeswoman for Land Commissioner George P. Bush, said the office would announce 81 award recipients Friday. She defended the process as fair to all applicants. We have 220 applications totaling $5.5 billion in requests, Eck said. We would have kept awarding funds if we had more. Eck later noted that Harris County previously received $117 million for its Community Services Department, though that was from a separate funding tranche. More from Jasper Scherer: Third Ward group slams Rice's plan for new Ion tech hub amid gentrification concerns An appropriation from the state is crucial to closing a roughly $900 million funding gap Harris County has for its flood bond program. Without it, the county faces the prospect of issuing a new bond, diverting toll road revenue or scaling back the size or scope of flood projects. Russ Poppe, the Harris County Flood Control District executive director, said he struggled to understand how roughly $300 million in applications his engineers prepared failed to secure a single dollar. He said he thought the countys projects exceeded the criteria for awards. Were curious to see how the GLO scored our projects, and why they declared us ineligible, Poppe said. I just dont know until I see the numbers. This is the second time Harris County leaders have scrambled after not receiving aid they hoped would arrive. The county initially had planned on receiving a $1 billion allocation in flood mitigation funding from HUD, based on the logic that the Trump administration previously had given $1 billion for housing recovery and would want to protect those rehabbed and rebuilt structures from future storms. HUD denied Harris Countys request for direct aid, and the Land Office decided to make 46 counties eligible for about $2.1 billion, based on rules from the federal agency. Another $1.1 billion is slated to be awarded later in the year, for which Houston and Harris County can apply. Houston had sought funding for five flood mitigation projects totaling $470 million. The projects include storm sewer improvements in Fifth Ward, Sunnyside and along the Ship Channel low-income areas that predominantly house Black and brown residents. City and county leaders repeatedly have taken issue with the states handling of the mitigation funds, dating back to October 2019 when Gov. Greg Abbott announced he would give the GLO direct control of the funds, instead of local governments. Local officials later slammed the GLO for its initial set of rules for spending the money, which limited Houston and Harris County to a disproportionately small share of the $2.1 billion. The GLO later amended the rules, giving Houston-area officials hope of receiving nearly half the mitigation funds. Under the GLOs scoring system, nearly half of all points the city and county's projects failed to secure came from a category that weighed projects on two metrics: Their cost per person helped, and the share of that city or county's total residents who would benefit from the project. That meant the city and county's status as the most populous in Texas worked against them when it came time to score the applications. The Houston and Harris County projects, on average, were awarded 8.1 points out of 25 available in this category, less than half the average score of all the projects that were awarded money. City and GLO officials previously feuded for months over a separate pot of recovery funds, mostly for home repairs. Bush and Turner agreed on a plan in January to transfer the citys largest recovery program, a more-than-$400 million effort to repair or replace single-family homes damaged in the storm, to the Land Office. Under the agreement, Turners housing department retained $835 million to administer most of its existing Harvey housing programs, including its largest remaining one, an effort to repair and construct affordable multifamily housing projects. Julian Gill and Mike Morris contributed reporting. zach.despart@chron.com jasper.scherer@chron.com A new gunfire-detection system in Aldine over the last seven weeks has helped law enforcement arrest eight people suspected of criminal activity, including one man who was found inside a marijuana grow house in the Hardy Heights subdivision, Harris County officials said Thursday. The system was implemented March 31 by Harris County Precinct 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia as part of a pilot program with ShotSpotter, a company that makes policing technology to help law enforcement respond to and investigate crimes. The technology in Harris County pinpoints the location of gunfire and, after a brief review process, sends the information to the Harris County Sheriffs Office. Commissioners Court in December approved a three-year, $780,000 purchase order from the company. The program currently covers a 5-square-mile area in Aldine. At a virtual news conference Thursday, Garcia said the the technology so far has proven effective with 85 gunfire alerts leading to eight arrests, nine charges and five gun seizures. Now Playing: Video: Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle Sensors have picked up 290 total rounds and helped deputies locate 64 shell casings, according to data shared by Garcia. (Aldine residents) are seeing the effectiveness of deputies responding to these shootings shootings that may be celebratory and frankly may be stupid in nature but that can have the same impact and deadly consequences as if it were another gang, said Garcia, adding that the program was entirely funded from his offices budget. A former Harris County sheriff, Garcia said he started eyeing ShotSpotter in 1999 when he became the director of Houstons anti-gang office. He wanted to squelch rampant drive-by shootings. But back then, the technology was too cumbersome and costly, he said. He said the technology has improved while gun violence remains an issue for his constituents. He cited data from a three-and-half-month period in 2019 that showed 659 reports of gunfire from his precinct. Many of those calls, he said, likely did not provide enough information for police to conduct a meaningful investigation. Callers often cannot specify the direction of gunshots or offer a description of the shooter, he said. But people were committed enough to quality of life in their neighborhood that they were willing to pick up the phone and call, he said. The ShotSpotter system works through a network of acoustic sensors attached to rooftops of government buildings, businesses, homes or utility poles all with permission from the property owners, said Ron Teachman, ShotSpotters director of public safety solutions. The sensors pick up the sound of gunfire, pinpoint the exact location and determine the type and caliber of weapon, according to the company. The data is sent to ShotSpotters incident review center, where acoustic technicians review the audio to ensure the sound came from a firearm. The information is sent to the nearest patrol officer within roughly a minute, according to the company. The system detects more than 90 percent of shooting incidents within the targeted areas, according to companys website. It is unclear whether ShotSpotter systems in other cities have made a significant impact on crime, according to earlier reports in the Chronicle. One study published by a crime analyst in Police Chief Magazine said agencies that use gunfire detection systems will likely see a substantial increase in calls for service with remarkably little to show for it. Police in Charlotte, N.C., opted against renewing a ShotSpotter contract in 2016 because they said it didnt help make arrests or identify victims, according to the Charlotte Observer. Police in San Antonio decided to end the program in 2017 when, after 15 months, police could link only four arrests and seven weapons confiscations to the technology, the San Antonio Express-News reported. But both of those departments had a change in leadership that resulted in different priorities and focuses, said Sam Klepper, ShotSpotters senior vice president of marketing. He said those situations do not tell the whole story. Leaders at the Harris County Sheriffs Office are optimistic about the programs potential. During Thursdays news conference, HCSO Capt. Chris Sandoval said the technology could help deputies uncover more organized crime, such as human smuggling operations or auto-theft rings. On Wednesday night, a newly-activated sensor alerted deputies to gunfire in the 1400 block of Warwick Road. Deputies responded to a home where a 29-year-old man confessed to shooting a gun in the air. Sandoval said the man, who has since been charged with disorderly conduct, allowed them into the home. Deputies found the mans firearm, as well as six full-grown marijuana plants inside, Sandoval said. He said the home remains under investigation. This is going to be a tremendous asset to us, to get into these places that we otherwise could not get to, he said. Anna Bauman contributed to this report. julian.gill@chron.com A woman accused of killing her boyfriend, a San Antonio rapper and Beyonces cousin, has been indicted on a murder charge. Sasha Skare, 21, allegedly shot and killed Martell Kardone Derouen on Jan. 22, according to her indictment. Derouen was 34 years old. Police got a call on Jan. 28 that Derouen had not been heard from in several days. Officers went to The Towers apartments at 16735 La Cantera Parkway around noon where they found Derouen dead in his apartment with a gunshot wound. Derouens estranged wife at one point told police he had been at living with Skare, his new girlfriend, an affidavit said. A witness heard Skare and Derouen arguing until he told her to get out and the apartment door slammed shut, the affidavit said. The witness then heard Skare pounding on the door, followed by a gunshot. Skare, who was arrested Feb. 6, remains in Bexar County Jail with bail set at $125,000. The case is being prosecuted by the family violence division. Murder is a first-degree felony punishable felony punishable by five to 99 years or life in prison and a possible fine of up to $10,000. A republic, if you can keep it. That was purportedly Ben Franklins reply when asked what type of government he and his fellow delegates to the Constitutional Convention had crafted. The venerable Mr. Franklin wise in the ways of the world and of human nature well understood that a government of the people is never a given. Its an experiment, one thats always open-ended. It thrives only when the people know their history and nurture their institutions, when they respect their fellow citizens and exercise their citizenship in an ongoing way. Franklin knew that his successors would keep their republic only if they worked at it. Two centuries later, events suggest that weve been slothful: The Jan. 6 insurrection. A delusional former presidents continuing fusillade of electoral lies. The continuing absurd challenges to the 2020 election in Arizona and elsewhere. A tendency among many of our fellow citizens to favor the comfort of authoritarianism over an inclusive government of the people. These are dour signs that our democracy is under threat from within, in large part because we have allowed civic ignorance to take hold and spread. A recently released report from a group called Educating for American Democracy diagnosed the problem this way: Civics and history education has eroded in the U.S. over the past 50 years, and opportunities to learn these subjects are inequitably distributed. Dangerously low proportions of the public understand and trust our democratic institutions. Majorities are functionally illiterate on our constitutional principles and forms. The relative neglect of civic education in the past half-century a period of wrenching change is one important cause of our civic and political dysfunction. Texas own senior senator has proposed at least a partial solution. U. S. John Cornyn and U.S. Sen. Chris Coons, a Democrat from Deleware, are co-sponsors of the bipartisan Civics Secures Democracy Act, an important piece of legislation designed to revive the teaching of civics from early childhood through college. A version in the U.S. House has 19 co-sponsors, including Republican Tom Cole of Oklahoma. Alluding to a 2018 report from the Center for American Progress, the sponsors note that only nine states and the District of Columbia require a full year of civics or government studies, while 31, including Texas, require a half year. Ten states have no civics requirements at all. We have emphasized science and math, known by the ubiquitous acronym STEM, to the neglect of civics and history. Ours is a government of the people, by the people and for the people, as Lincoln said, Cornyn told National Public Radio last month. But we cant govern ourselves if we dont have knowledge of our foundational principles or our history. The Civics Secures Democracy Act would authorize $1 billion annually for new civics education grant programs, with the money going to state education agencies and then passed on to local school districts. Nonprofit organizations would be eligible for grants to be used for developing and providing access to civics and history curricula and programs. Colleges and universities and individual researchers also would be eligible for grants supporting teacher training in civics and history. Cornyn and his fellow sponsors emphasize that the federal government will not repeat, will not be imposing standards or making curriculum decisions. State and local officials decide what is taught and how. That fact has not prevented several of Cornyns GOP colleagues and their conservative media mouthpieces from insisting that the legislation is a Trojan horse constructed to indoctrinate our children with critical race theory. An academic approach that explores how racism permeates American institutions, critical race theory has joined Dr. Seuss and Mr. Potato Head as the latest bete noire for Republican lawmakers more interested in stoking cultural fires than solving problems. (To be fair, confusing signals from the Biden administration about critical race theory gave critics of the Cornyn-Coons bill an opening.) Anxiety about an esoteric academic approach to understanding systemic racism has even made its way to the Texas Legislature, where, by a vote of 79-65 last week, the House passed legislation sponsored by state Rep. Steve Toth, R-The Woodlands, that would ban or limit teaching critical race theory. The Senate already has approved similar legislation, despite opposition from educators and community groups. Do you want our Texas kids to be taught that the system of government in the United States and Texas is nothing but a cover-up for white supremacy? Toth asked his colleagues. Do you want them to be taught a souped-up version of Marxism? The vacuity in Toths remark implicitly underscores the need for the Cornyn-Coons bill, even among perhaps especially among those who purport to be representatives of the people. A requirement that state legislators carry a permit certifying they have passed a course in American government, American history and civic responsibility might be worth considering. Back in Washington, the Cornyn-Coons bill awaits action in the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. Cornyn continues to assure the bills supporters that it has his full support. Hes also refuting charges that it has anything to do with critical race theory or any kind of indoctrination. The senator could try earning back their trust by reminding them that just a year ago, Democrats were accusing him of denying systemic racism. Dont worry, Americans. The suspicious behavior of the veteran Texas Republican as he works to pass his bill his communicating, reasoning, debating, maybe even compromising is called democracy. And yes, it will be on the test. Mask off Regarding Abbott bans mask rules, (A1, May 19): And I thought I never missed an election. Gov. Greg Abbott, when were you elected the supreme leader? Robert Mueller, Houston The Houston Chronicle article includes a politically self-serving quote from former state Sen. Don Huffines, Glad to see you (Abbott) finally admit that you trampled on Texans liberty for over a year. I suppose Huffines is similarly outraged by the state trampling on Texans liberties by requiring seat belts, auto registrations, gun licenses and the hundreds if not thousands of other state-mandated rules and restrictions that impact Texans liberties every day, most of which are needed for the sensible operation of a modern society. As to Abbotts decision forbidding local governments and school districts from imposing mask requirements, what happened to the long proclaimed Republican mantra that government should be as local as possible? Apparently, Abbott readily supports that mantra when the federal government issues regulations affecting Texas (except when he wants money from the feds) but then he totally abandons that mantra when it comes to the state government allowing local governments in Texas to manage their affairs to the maximum extent consistent with public safety and the law. The political driver of this latest hypocrisy from Abbott is blatant. Robin Converse, Houston More foster kids Regarding Gov. Abbott signs Texas 'Heartbeat' bill banning abortion as early as 6 weeks into pregnancy, (May 19): As a Texas foster parent, I can tell you that our state foster system is not at all equipped for what will happen if the Heartbeat bill is enforced. We will have a lot more pregnant kids on our hands, for one thing. Texas is first in the nation for second teenage pregnancies, meaning that kids in Texas get pregnant young enough to get pregnant again before they reach adulthood. Criminalizing abortion, especially with no exception for rape or incest, is only going to hurt those who are already hurting. Gov. Greg Abbott is pandering, as usual, instead of addressing the more difficult problem of an overwhelmed and underfunded social services system. Chazley Dotson, Pearland All voters welcome Regarding Conservatives should back voter participation, (A14, May 19): I was pleased to read Justin Pitcocks opinion piece on voter participation. He is correct that increasing participation of eligible voters in the U.S. should be a bipartisan goal. I helped my father, who was a precinct chairman, in the 1960s and learned about how elections are run and how officials are elected. I became involved in the election process many years ago, sitting on the corner in the nearby shopping district registering voters and working in the elections. The voters party affiliation was never discussed; it was just exciting to have a new voter registered. It was not until the primary in 2020 that I was even aware of the party affiliations of the election judge and the assistant election judge. Both of them bent over backwards to make sure that every available voter participated, and there was always applause for a first-time voter, be it someone who recently became a citizen or an 18- or 19-year-old. Ann Sparker, Houston Images Sorry, there are no recent results for popular images. Elections in Texas need help. While the battles over voter fraud and suppression have taken up all the oxygen in the room, theres a fundamental flaw that we arent talking about in Texas enough. Its when two candidates can advance to a runoff despite an overwhelming majority of voters not voting for them. Following the death of Rep. Ron Wright to lung cancer and COVID-19 in February, 23 candidates filed for a special election to fill the seat. Republican Susan Wright, the widow of the late congressman, came in first with Republican Jake Ellzey narrowly edging out Democrat Jana Lynne Sanchez for second place. The GOP is now guaranteed to hold the seat after a runoff later this year. So, whats the problem? Wright and Ellzey advanced with just 33 percent of the vote combined. Put differently, two-thirds of voters wanted someone else to represent them in Washington. About 818,000 people live in the 6th Congressional District, and Wright led the field with just 15,000 votes. Ellzey added another 10,800. Special elections might be notorious for low turnout, but these results are preposterous. Its time for Texas to consider something new, something like Final-Five Voting. Under Final-Five Voting, all eligible candidates are placed on the same primary ballot, with the top five vote-getters moving on to the general election. Next, voters rank those candidates using a process called ranked-choice or instant-runoff voting. These reforms should not impact partisan balance Democrats still win blue districts and Republicans still win red ones but they do offer two meaningful improvements. First, winning candidates have to appeal to a broad assortment of voters rather than a narrow slice of partisans. Second, because the winning candidate must have the support of a majority of the district, election outcomes will satisfy more voters. In the case of Texas 6th District, Wright and Ellzey each moved on with narrow support from a segment of the Republican base: Wright focused her efforts on die-hard Trump supporters, while Ellzey appealed to more traditional Republican voters. Neither candidate sought support from independents and centrists, nor from the 44 percent of voters who backed a Democrat in November. Under Final-Five Voting, however, the top five vote-getters from the primary would have moved on, rather than just Wright and Ellzey. The field would have included three Republicans (Wright, Ellzey and former U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Chief of Staff Brian Harrison) as well as two Democrats (Sanchez and Shawn Lassiter). Since general election voters would rank all candidates, rather than choosing just one, being a voters second or third choice could be the difference between victory or defeat. This means that Wright and Ellzey, along with their additional competitors, would have an incentive to reach out to a wider swath of voters. The result would be less mudslinging within the party and more cross-partisan engagement. Either way, the GOP would likely hold the seat, but the winner would have earned a majority of support from voters, with more voters satisfied by the result. Final-Five Voting encourages candidates to run positive campaigns and allows voters to have more say in the outcome. Other states are starting to see the benefits. In November, Alaska voters passed Ballot Measure 2, which, among other things, changed primary elections to a system where the top four candidates rather than the top two advance to the general election. The reforms have already made an impact as candidates look for support from a broader electorate. In addition to Alaska, Maine famously instituted ranked-choice voting in its statewide elections in 2016, and a collection of legislators this year have introduced an effort to bring Final-Five Voting to Wisconsin. Virginia Republicans, meanwhile, will use ranked-choice voting to choose their gubernatorial candidate at their statewide convention this weekend. The people of the 6th Congressional District may ultimately be served well by Wright or Ellzey, but the current system makes it difficult for either to claim broad support. With efforts by many in the state to consider electoral reform, Final-Five Voting just might be the easiest fix. Germer is an elections fellow for the Governance Program at R Street Institute. Despite the horror of Winter Storm Uri, when many Texans froze to death of hypthermia in their own homes, the Legislature has not taken a full court press approach to preventing disaster in the future. It has moved forward Senate Bill 3, which intends to remedy the aspects of our energy infrastructure that failed us, yet the bill in its current form focuses only on the production side of the energy equation. There is no question that a lack of weatherization of power plants contributed greatly to the failure of the grid, and the provisions in SB 3 do make significant progress toward fixing this half of the energy equation. What SB 3 is missing is the demand half of the energy equation that failed just as spectacularly as the supply side. Texas homes and businesses were ill equipped to deal with plummeting temperatures. The inefficiency of the aging Texas housing and commercial building stock wasted energy so badly that even if all the power plants that failed because of lack of weatherization had been protected, we still would have been far short of the power needed to prevent the extended blackouts. Texas led the nation 20 years ago in energy efficiency when we were the first to adopt an energy efficiency standard, pushing our utilities to offer rebates and low interest loans to weatherize or install energy efficient appliances, but Texas has plummeted to 29th because the electric utilities have allowed these programs to lag far behind other states. These same electric utility companies quietly opposed and killed Senate Bill 243 and House Bill 4556 which would have pushed them to grow the weatherization and energy efficiency programs they already have running to create energy savings of 1 percent over four years. It is a very modest proposal similar to legislation that kickstarted energy efficiency standards and this new 1 percent increased efficiency could help up to a million Texans use mostly their own money to weatherize their homes or housing units. For every $1 investment in energy efficiency, consumers would save $2.80 on their monthly bills. These improvements increase the value of the home while giving the Texans it shelters increased protection from extreme cold and heat even if the power goes out. The energy saved through home energy efficiency improvements cost less per watt and is cleaner per watt than any energy produced by either fossil or renewable sources. Utilities like Oncor that manage and fund these programs know very well that the best investment our utilities can make to ensure the lights are kept on during the next weather-created energy crisis is a more efficient housing stock. There has been plenty of outrage at the energy companies of all stripes dominated by corporations with lobbyists ready to defend their shortcomings However, little attention has been paid to energy demand which is where we the people live (and die) when the power does go out. There are some lawmakers from both parties who understand this and support it, but many are still stuck thinking that building more big, expensive, polluting power plants is the way to go rather than focusing on the most affordable energy which is the energy we save when we make our homes energy efficient. There is a better way attaching the language in SB243/HB4556 to SB3 can make significant strides to reduce expensive and wasteful energy bills and finally address the demand side of the energy equation which will collectively reduce the risk of rolling, extended and complete blackouts by saving Texas thousands of megawatts the next time our grid is tested. The additional language of SB243 will add zero dollars to the fiscal note of SB3 because the money for these programs comes almost entirely from the homeowners and renters who pay for them over time on their utility bills. Time is ticking away for the Texas Legislature to address both sides of the energy equation in a way that will actually save lives when, not if, the next extreme weather event hits Texas. All Texans should encourage our state leaders the governor, lieutenant governor, house speaker and their own representative and senator to improve SB3 so that it does what it purports to do by adding SB243 to the bill. Flippin is a public policy consultant to the U.S. Green Building Council Texas Chapter. The members of the Texas House and Senate working out the differences between the chambers on the permitless carry bill have reached a deal, the bills author said Friday. State Rep. Matt Schaefer, R-Tyler, did not give details on the agreement reached in a statement. Both chambers will need to give final approval before it heads to the governors desk. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said that could be as soon as early next week in the Senate. By working together, the House and Senate will send Gov. Abbott the strongest Second Amendment legislation in Texas history, and protect the right of law-abiding Texans to carry a handgun as they exercise their God-given right to self-defense and the defense of their families, Schaefer said. Earlier Friday, Schaefer had hinted at the news in a tweet that said big #2A news for Texas is coming very soon. Patrick, who had originally said the bill did not have the votes to pass, applauded the legislation on Friday, calling it a historic bill and national model. The bill upholds every Texans right to self-defense, Patrick said. It includes the thinking of national gun rights advocates and many in Texas law enforcement and affirms our commitment to protect the rights of gun owners and the safety of those in law enforcement. Patrick said he worked hard alongside the Senate author, Sen. Charles Schwertner, to deliver the votes needed. BACKGROUND: Texas House rejects Senate's amended version of 'constitutional carry' bill Schaefer had rejected several Senate amendments to the bill, sending the bill to conference committee. The amendments, among other things, would stiffen penalties for felons carrying guns, as well as for others caught with guns who shouldnt be carrying them, such as domestic violence offenders. Another amendment would prohibit people from carrying firearms in public while intoxicated. taylor.goldenstein@chron.com Houston, MO (65483) Today Variable clouds with scattered thunderstorms. Hot. High 92F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%.. Tonight Thunderstorms - some may contain locally heavy rain, especially this evening. Low 69F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. As an existing print subscriber it is easy to get FREE access to all our online content. When you click get started below it will walk you through creating an online account to attach your print subscription number to. After your account is created it will ask you to either add a subscription for online access or click on the print subscriber button. Click the print subscriber button header and it will open a dropdown, now click on get started. The page will reload and you will be prompted to enter an account number and a zip code. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO USE THE NUMBER OFF OF THE MOST RECENT ISSUE OR ANYTHING AFTER JANUARY 28, 2019 TO GAIN ACCESS! OLD ACCOUNT NUMBERS WILL NOT WORK The account number and zip code are easily available on your most recent issue of the High Plains Journal or Midwest Ag Journal in the address fields as is shown here. Sometimes the account number has extra zero's in front of it, just ignore those. 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To positively impact our customers, employees and shareholders and put them at the center of everything we do, through innovation, technology, best-in-class customer service and excellent returns. Columbia-Greene Media has recently teamed up with the US Postal Service to provide same-day delivery of your local newspaper with your mail. Our expanded daily delivery of your local news reaches into the following areas: Why cant livestream concerts be as exciting as the Superbowl? The return of live music is just the beginning for remote gig watching not the end, writes Alex Brims of Lickd who says their long-term success depends on major innovation. by Alex Brims, CTO at music for social media licensing platform Lickd 2020 was certainly a difficult year to be a music fan. Seeing every gig that I was meant to go to get delayed, delayed again, or even canceled entirely was a uniquely disappointing experience that I hope never to go through again. But that is nothing compared to what is happening on the other side, with the artists themselves. Being unable to go to a gig is bad, but nothing compared to having your whole livelihood thrown into jeopardy by circumstances far beyond your control. Even now as we approach the halfway point of 2021, things are not back to normal. Theres a mixture of excitement and nervousness for the time ahead, with Live Nation having already booked twice as many shows in 2022 as they did in 2019 and having sold 170,000 tickets in 3 days for UK festivals. The optimism shown in the sales contrasts with a general attitude of if it goes ahead, and the fact that over a quarter of UK festivals over 5,000 capacity are now being canceled. But just because were all craving the return of live music doesnt mean we shouldnt appreciate the huge leaps forward that the industry has made in bringing live music to us at home. While livestreaming events and bedroom concerts might have begun out of necessity at the beginning of lockdown, they represent an acceleration of an existing trend in how consumers engage with media in general. Namely, that streaming is the default way audiences consume music, film, TV and increasingly even video games. how much was their success came down to the limitations brought about by lockdown? Lewis Capaldi sold more tickets to his virtual gig in aid of charity CALM than his recent sold-out Wembley Arena show. Dua Lipas huge Studio 2054 live streamed show with an audience estimated to be around 5 million. Perhaps most interestingly, popular battle-royale shooter Fortnite has presented a series of in-game concerts including a psychedelic extravaganza with rap superstar Travis Scott, demonstrating the potentially huge implications for how music intersects with gaming. Each of these events was certainly unique, but how much was their success came down to the limitations brought about by lockdown? Could we ever see these formats become not a replacement for, but a viable alternative to traditional live events? One of the most important parts of the live experience, the two-way engagement between artists and the crowd, is proving the most difficult to replicate. Most livestreams in the last 12 months have been a case of watching a video of an artist at home or in a studio, with the added knowledge that you are watching the performance happening live in real time. Things like Twitchs chat function or live-tweeting along with the performance offer a facsimile of audience involvement, but there is no movement involved, no possibility of wandering past a stage and hearing something incredible thats completely new and unexpected, and no sing-a-longs (at least not in my house). One of the most important parts of the live experience, the two-way engagement between artists and the crowd, is proving the most difficult to replicate. Technology can help fill this gap, taking us beyond bedroom sets livestreams towards something closer to the traditional live experience. To pick a recent example, Tobacco Dock hosted a large-scale virtual club night, where the audience-controlled videogame-style avatars and can make them dance, move around the dancefloor, or from room-to-room. Similar to Fortnites concert concept, but with the key difference of it all taking place in a real venue, with the performers integrated into the virtual space. Were seeing similar things emerge from MelodyVR and Tidals collaboration with Oculus, underlining the future potential for virtual reality to offer an alternative to attending live events rather than a replacement. As hardware costs continue to fall, VR has the potential to move towards mass adoption While much of the focus so far has been on the superstar acts and their blockbuster shows, there are opportunities for acts at every level. Australian startup Blind Chihuahua is providing the ability for lesser-known acts to produce paid livestreams through their mobile studio that can bring the livestreaming capability to wherever the performer is, and next month will be launching an interactive virtual concert platform. Also providing improved revenue potential here is livestream platform Veeps, which aims to facilitate enhanced engagement and offer intimate VIP experiences to artists and audiences. The pandemic has made huge changes to our lives and our futures, changes that nobody anticipated or prepared for. The new possibilities that have presented themselves in the last year show us new ways in which we can improve on the live experience, making it more accessible to audiences and more profitable for artists. While the return to normal is still a little way off, the lessons we have learned and the tools we have used in the last year will remain important long beyond the end of the pandemic, and we should look forward to a period of real innovation for the live music scene in the years ahead. Share on: Read a new issue of bi-weekly newsletter with monitoring of Russian activities and influence in Belarus to know more. Recent policy developments "Emergency" transition of powers decree: Lukashenka intends to cement his positions domestically On April 24, Aliaksandr Lukashenka announced an intent to sign a decree that would transfer the presidential powers to the Security Council in the case of an emergency. If Lukashenka is unable to function as president, the decisions would be made collectively by the civilian and the military officials of the Security Council. Some experts suggested that the decree could give more opportunities for Russia's control over Belarus, given that some Belarusian military officials are loyal to the Kremlin. At this point there is no substantial evidence that the decree directly serves Moscow's interests. Although some members of the Security Council could indeed lobby for the Kremlin's interests, the collective nature of the Security Council body implies that the decisions would be made by secret ballot, and the council members represent diverse interests - those chairing the parliament, national bank, KGB, the ministry of interior and other top officials. The decree seems more likely to be an attempt by Lukashenka to secure his positions domestically and to mitigate the risk of a coup by elites and to withdraw powers from the prime minister in such a scenario. According to the Constitution, if the president is unable to perform his duties, the prime minister assumes these responsibilities. However, the announced decree would override the constitutional norm and rather give powers to the collective body, the Security Council, that would take collective decisions on governing the country. Such a move that explicitly violates the Constitution could signify that Lukashenka has concerns about the unity of the elites and the security of his position. Constitutional reform would likely preserve the strong role of the president, restricting attempts by pro-Russian forces to assert a greater role through parliament During the meeting of the Constitutional commission on April 28, Piotr Miklashevich, head of the Constitutional court, stated that there is no need to redistribute more powers in favor of the parliament or to make a transition towards a parliamentary-presidential form of governance. On May 3, Ministry of Justice denied registration to the "Soyuz", a pro-Russian political party which held its founding congress in March. Such developments could be assessed together in the context of the previous media leakages of the Kremlin's plans in the fall 2020 to solidify pro-Russian political forces in Belarus and to install them in parliament, also pushing constitutional reform in the direction of a parliamentary-presidential form of governance. Officially, Minsk seeks to retain power in the president's hands, diminishing the risk posed by consolidation of political groups, be it pro-Russian parties or the opposition party "Vmeste". While Lukashenka can hardly resist Moscow's push for integration processes, he still has the room for maneuvering domestically to preserve the structure of the power vertical. Belarusian MFA emphasizes close ties with Russian counterpart in contrast with estranged relations with the West On April 30, newly appointed Russian Ambassador to Belarus Evgeny Lukyanov met with Foreign Affairs Minister Vladimir Makei to mark the occasion of the presentation of their copies of credentials. In contrast, U.S. Ambassador to Belarus Julie Fischer is not able to enter Belarus, as she lacks an entry visa. Vladimir Makei stated that there is no point in Fischer being present in Minsk if the Ambassador would talk about the illegitimacy of the regime and avoid cooperation with the official government in Minsk. In an interview for Euronews on April 29, Vladimir Makei outlined the special nature of Belarus-Russia relations, rejecting the notion that Russia sustains the Belarusian regime, yet stating that the Union State integration process strengthens the sovereignty and independence of Belarus. The statements of the Belarusian MFA serve two purposes of the traditional balancing act of the regime. Firstly, Russia in the rhetoric of unity, reassuring Russia's foreign policy interests regarding Belarus. Secondly, they attempt to convince the West that the sanctions are counter-productive and only push Belarus towards closer ties with Russia. Energy and economy General Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin met with Prime Minister of Belarus Roman Golovchenko on April 28 in Kazan, Russia. He announced that an intergovernmental agreement on the export of Belarusian oil products through Russian ports had been promptly prepared and signed. "In addition, the first power unit of the Belarusian nuclear power plant has been brought up to full capacity. The construction of the second unit is proceeding normally. We are counting on its physical start-up in the near future," Mr Mishustin added. Mishustin also expressed hope for the full restoration of transport links with Belarus as the epidemiological situation normalizes. According to him, citizens of the two countries can already safely move between Minsk and several Russian cities. On April 22, 2021, a delegation of the Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Belarus headed by Deputy Minister Dmitry Yaroshevich visited Moscow to participate in a working meeting at the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation. Together with their Russian colleagues, the experts of the Ministry of Economy discussed the organizational aspects of the process of developing macroeconomic forecasts in Russia and Belarus, the tools used for such forecasts, and approaches to the development and refinement of development scenarios. They also acquainted themselves with the mechanism for the exchange of operational data between the constituent entities of the Russian Federation. A separate issue on the agenda was the possibility of exchanging information on forecasts of socio-economic development of the two countries on an ongoing basis. Finance The Russian-led/dominated Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) is ready to replace the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) in case of termination of its activities in Belarus. This was stated in an interview with the Vedomosti newspaper by the head of the EDB Nikolai Podguzov. The EDB's investment portfolio totaled about $10 billion last year. These were investments in Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus. The Bank of the Eurasian Economic Union intends to increase lending to both sovereign borrowers and corporate clients. On April 21, the Eurasian Development Bank signed an agreement on the provision of guarantees for $24.3 million for the delivery of 77 BELAZ dump trucks to India. EDB is currently considering the possibility of providing similar guarantees for another $55 million. The guarantees ensure BELAZ's obligations to maintain the delivered dump trucks in operation for 8 years. Previously, the EBRD acted as the guarantor in such agreements. Oil and gas Russian oil companies may suspend oil supplies to Belarus's Novopolotsk refinery Naftan in May amid US sanctions that mandate an end to all relations with the refinery by June 3. Three more unnamed sources said that the main suppliers of raw materials to the Belneftekhim refinery, Rosneft (MCX: ROSN) and Surgutneftegaz (MCX: SNGS), are not planning to sell oil to the plant next month, as they fear secondary sanctions. The Naftan Refinery processes up to 10 million tons of Russian oil per year, which it receives via the Druzhba pipeline. The largest suppliers in that direction are Rosneft and Surgutneftegas, which supply approximately 300,000 and 200,000 tons of raw materials per month respectively. Among other suppliers to the plant are Tatneft (MCX: TATN), Russneft and Neftisa. Another source clarified that the issue of deliveries in May will be resolved in the coming days, but expressed doubt that shipments to Naftan will continue next month, since the transactions use price formulas based on international quotations and are calculated retroactively. "Russian companies have formula pricing for shipments to Belarus. It is problematic to close transactions for May shipments by June 3," a source told Reuters. The falling volumes, traders believe, will appear in the sea export program for May. According to the schedule, the export of Urals oil from the Baltic ports next month will amount to 4.9 million tons. Rosneft, Surgutneftegaz, Tatneft, Russneft and Neftis did not promptly respond to Reuters' inquiries. Belneftekhim declined to comment. According to traders, the US sanctions against Naftan may also complicate the trade in oil products between Russian companies and the Belarusian enterprise. Russia and Belarus signed an agreement on the transit transshipment of Belarusian fuel through Russian ports in Belarus in February, but now the products produced at Naftan may leave this route, sources in the industry believe. In addition, in the event of a reduction of oil production from Naftan, the responsibility for providing Belarus' domestic market with fuel will fall on the Mozyr Oil Refinery, which will also lead to a reduction in free volumes for export, traders note. Meanwhile, in May, Naftan will continue to sell oil products on spot terms, since spot sales allow transactions to be completed by June 3, market participants noted. On April 26, the Russian Federation submitted to the Eurasian Economic Commission a draft Agreement on the Common Gas Market of the Eurasian Economic Union. The document has been distributed to the Union members. It is planned to ratify the agreement next year. The EEC Energy Department has already prepared a detailed schedule for the agreement of the document. At the same time, it was noted that the project should be supplemented with uniform rules for access to gas transmission systems, which have not yet been submitted by the Russian side. The common gas market of the EAEU, which unites Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Russia, should become operational from 2025. It is assumed that the common market implies the absence of restrictions on gas trade between countries within the EAEU, whereas now Gazprom has a monopoly on gas exports via pipelines from Russia. Belarus and Armenia are interested in receiving gas at prices on the domestic Russian market. The issue of forming tariffs for gas transportation has not been settled either. Logistics The Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation continues negotiations on the creation of a hub for Belarusian fertilizers. Russiasuggested that Belarus has several sites that meet their requirements. A working group will be created to implement this project. Terminal in the Gulf of Finland, where there are not so many of them, these are Ust-Luga and Vysotsk (in the Leningrad region of Russia). In April, the management board of Russian Railways decided to establish a special tariff (almost a third lower) for oil supplies to Belarus since May 1. Prior to this, Russian Railways introduced a long-term discount by 50% until 2026 for the supply of oil products to Belarus and for the return of empty tanks after such transportation. Public Administration Meeting of Prime Ministers of Belarus and Russia and integration roadmaps On April 28, Kazan hosted a meeting of Prime Ministers of Belarus and Russia Roman Golovchenko and Mikhail Mishustin. During the meeting, Golovchenko said that the Belarusian side had approved and handed over to the Russian side drafts of 26 union integration programs, with two more still being developed. It is noted that the deputy heads of both Russian and Belarusian governments continue negotiations on the remaining two roadmaps. The Belarusian Prime Minister also announced the schedule of upcoming high-level events between Russia and Belarus, including the Forum of Regions (a traditional high-level meeting aimed at strengthening interregional cooperation), meetings of the Union Council of Ministers and the Supreme State Council. The latter is scheduled for the fall of this year. The announced readiness of the integration roadmaps between Belarus and Russia raised concerns among experts and politicians who see it as a probable step towards the Russian takeover of Belarus. Such developments might potentially result in the annexation of Belarus by Russia hiding in plain sight. However, the roadmaps may remain either a formality or simply nonfunctional as with other agreements previously made within the Union State of Russia and Belarus. In parallel, it should be mentioned that the roadmaps have never been published which makes their evidence-based evaluation questionable Meeting of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council with the participation of the Prime Minister of Belarus A meeting of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council was held on April 29-30 in Kazan with the participation of Belarusian Prime Minister Roman Golovchenko. The prime ministers of the Eurasian Economic Union (EaEU) countriesapproved the main areas of industrial cooperation until 2025. In addition, Belarus proposed to develop a common strategy for sanitary and biological safety within the framework of the EaEU. The meeting also included a discussion on the unification of EEU member states' measures to regulate the export of sensitive food and commodities and protect the market of agricultural products. Information regarding the internal meetings of the Eurasian Economic Union (EaEU) is scarce and has a formal character. Belarusian official media always reports on them in a positive manner. However, the real outcomes and achieved agreements are unknown. If previous developments of the EaEU and other Russian-sponsored integrational projects in the "near abroad" are any indication, such meetings achieve the facade of success rather than real outcomes. However, the meetings and documents do formally bind Belarusian government and officials with Russia. Working visit of a Belarusian delegation to the Samara Region A Belarusian delegation led by Belarusian Ambassador to Russia Vladimir Semashko paid a working visit to the Samara Region on 19-20 April. A working meeting was held between Vladimir Semashko and Samara Region Governor Dmitry Azarov, during which a wide range of bilateral issues were discussed and agreements in such areas as automobile manufacturing, industrial cooperation, agriculture, medicine, tourism, and the IT-sphere were reached. The members of the delegation visited some industrial enterprises and the Special Economic Zone of industrial production type "Togliatti". They also took part in symbolic actions with their Russian colleagues, including laying flowers at the Eternal Flame. Visits of Belarusian officials of various levels to Russian regions are typical forms of cooperation between officials of both countries. With limited opportunities to visit European countries, Belarusian officials have no choice but to cooperate with, and even learn from, their Russian counterparts. In addition, such visits also enforce people-to-people connections between officials of both countries. Military and law-enforcement agencies Law-enforcement agencies Over the last week, Russia has not only supported but contributed significantly to the dissemination of the narrative about the opposition's alleged attempt to conduct a military coup in Belarus. In particular, Putin and the Russian officials of the highest ranks have spoken about the necessity to oppose "foreign interference", with the U.S. being touted as the main stakeholder in the alleged plot. These assumptions came following the arrest of Yuri Zenkovich, who has both Belarusian and American citizenships and is deemed a main organizer of the coup. The lawyer was arrested in Moscow and expelled to Belarus. The Belarusian authorities requested assistance from the U.S. in the investigation of the coup and extradition of the culprits. The U.S. Department of State dismissed an assertion of its involvement in the alleged coup. The Secretary of the Security Council Nikolai Patrushev discussed this topic with his Belarusian colleague Alexander Volfovich to develop a common strategy within the Collective Security Treaty Organization. It appears that this story will be used to tighten cooperation between Russia and Belarus in the security sphere. Military Despite Russia's recent announcement that the military forces located near the borders with Ukraine will be returned to to their respective military bases, analysts state that the tensions have been only partially resolved. Indeed, a certain part of the military contingent (particularly artillery and vehicles from the 41 combined arms army) has been left at the Pogonovo training area in the Voronezh region, which is less than 200 km from the Ukrainian border. Russian Defense Ministry Sergei Shoigu claimed that the equipment will be used for the joint Belarus-Russia military exercise Zapad-2021, but the analysts state that this move is designed to exert influence over the region ahead of the NATO military exercise Defender Europe 2021. Internet and media influence The Council of Europe has published a report recognizing that Belarus continues its offensive on independent journalism (at this moment 12 journalists are behind bars and repressive measures against many employees of major outlets have been registered). This leads to the Belarusian information domain being dominated by state outlets, propagating a pro-integration narrative and materials embodying a Russia-centered worldview (not least because Russian journalists are being employed by the Belarusian state media). In particular, RuBaltic.ru published an article outlining the apparent necessity for Belarus to deepen its integration with Russia. The authors claim that they are simply presenting a counterargument to the current "cultural hegemony" of the independent media. The central argument is that the integration of both countries would bring Belarus not only economic advantages but would also help to rebuild its identity, based on the idea of the brotherhood of the East Slavs: "the feeling of the deep ethnocultural commonality will legitimize the [further] integration between Belarus and Russia". This project will bring about many opportunities, including the enhancement of tourism, the formation of a common education space, etc. The article is yet another example of propagandist materials used to justify the alleged inevitability of further integration and the inability of Belarus to survive without a "bigger brother". Civil society Rossotrudnichestvo launches a "patriotic" initiative ahead of Victory Day The sacralized victory of the USSR over Nazi Germany celebrated on May 9, is a key element of the Russian official ideology. Ahead of this day, Russia implements various projects to attract attention to this event and popularize the narrative, legitimizing the country's ambitions of great power. In this vein, the organization Rossotrudnichestvo, one of the vehicles promoting Russian endeavors in Belarus and neighboring countries, launched a "patriotic" initiative called "The Dictation of Victory". The participants replied to 25 ideology-themed questions relating to World War II. Overall more than 100 students from Belarusian schools took part in the action. As the authors of the project argue, the main aim of the initiative is the "formation of the solid and deep knowledge about the Great Patriotic War". These projects are usually supported by the Belarusian authorities, because they align with the messages of the Belarusian state propaganda, which places the Great Patriotic War at the center of the "neo-Russian/Russo-centric" narrative of Belarusian national identity (while almost all initiatives organized by civil society are repressed by the authorities). One can, for example, recall the Victory Parade in 2020, which was conducted at the peak of the pandemic in Belarus. The Immortal Regiment plans to hold actions in Belarus on May 9 There is conflicting information about the conducting of "Immortal Regiment" actions on May 9 in Belarus. It is reported that representatives of the unregistered Belarusian "Immortal Regiment," as well as representatives of other pro-Russian organizations, have applied for permission to hold the march in Minsk and Vitsebsk, but so far there has been no response in the capital. In Vitebsk, according to Sputnik, no separate permit to hold the action has been issued, but local officials said that they would not ban the "Immortal Regiment" action. At the same time, Russian and pro-Russian media outlets report that Belarusian pro-government organizations (in particular, the Belarusian Communist Party and GoNGO "Belaya Rus" which unites officials) are blocking the holding of "Immortal Regiment" actions and want them to take place within the Belarusian actions initiated and organized by these organizations themselves. In Belarus, the organizers of the "Immortal Regiment" regularly encounter difficulties with its conduct. For example, in 2018 the authorities initially proposed to combine the march with the action "Belarus Remembers," but later still allowed a separate event. In 2019, the "Immortal Regiment" was approved, but only after a change of venue. In 2020, the "Immortal Regiment" march in Minsk was not allowed due to coronavirus restrictions. "The Immortal Regiment" is one of the instruments of Russian soft power, which is actively used not only in the former Soviet Union, but also in other parts of the world. The situation with the "Immortal Regiment" in Belarus is ambiguous, as Alexander Lukashenka is seeking to manipulate the theme of World War II to legitimize his regime. In the previous years the Belarusian authorities tried to put the "Immortal Regiment" actions on the back burner and co-opt them into their own events, and did not register this initiative as an organization in Belarus. The intrigue of this year is how the Belarusian authorities will behave in a situation of growing Russian influence. A team of Belarusian student squads take part in a Rosatom-supported competition in Sochi A team of Belarusian student squads took part and won a prize in a special construction competition in Sochi. The competition was organized by the Ministry of Construction of Russia and the state corporation "Rosatom". The Belarusian team was invited by the Youth All-Russian Public Organization "Russian Student Squads Teams" (RSSO) which is a partner of the pro-governmental Belarusian organization the Belarusian Republican Youth Union (BRSM). BRSM promoted the participation of the Belarusian youth in the event. The team included students from different state-run Belarusian universities. Pro-governmental organizations in Belarus actively cooperate with their Russian counterparts (different pro-governmental organizations) but also with the governmental institutions. Here we see an example of the largest pro-governmental Belarusian youth organization Belarusian Republican Youth Union participating in a competition in Russia sponsored directly by the Russian Government. The competition itself has post-Soviet roots while it promotes the idea of students' squads which were popular in the Soviet era. The whole event follows a dual objective: to encourage people-to-people contacts sponsored by the Russian Government, and to promote one of the pro-Russian grand narratives about unity of the post-Soviet countries and people rooted in a shared USSR past. The Belarus Watch Briefing is a bi-weekly newsletter monitoring Russian activities and influence in Belarus. It was set up by the European Values Center for Security Policy (Prague) and Internews Ukraine (Kyiv) Adams Conservation Commission OKs Cumberland Farms ADAMS, Mass. The Conservation Commission wrapped up the Cumberland Farms notice of intent request with an approval Thursday, May 13. The public hearing on the convenience store's plans to construct a new store and gas pumps on Commercial Street within the Hoosic River buffer zone had been continued from last month. "It is unanimous," Chairman James Fassell said. "All of this is pretty good." The meeting was cordial and all parties were in agreement with the proposed conditions. Wetlands scientist Emily Stockman ran through a list of conditions with which Cumberland Farms had no qualms. Stockman pointed to one more complicated condition that would mandate the convenience store contribute to an offsite riverfront mitigation project "I think that is something that we have not fully vetted, but we are more than prepared to talk through it tonight in hopes that we can get a possible recommendation from the commission," engineer Luke Distefano said. The project up for discussion would be the Pecks Brook Stream Bank Enhancement Project, a project already on the town's radar. Stockman said the project looked good. The perineal stream is a cold water fishery. "It is my opinion that this is a suitable site for mitigation," she said. Donna Cesan, with the town's Office of Community Development, said this is largely a town project that the town would design and put out to bid. Although Cumberland Farms will be involved, its biggest contribution would be funding. Stockman said typically the state does not look kindly upon simply cutting a check to fund a riverfront mitigation project. Cumberland Farms representatives and Cesan outlined some aspects of the agreement and they felt it was clear that any funding is tied to a very real and timely project. Cumberland Farms would only receive a partial certificate of compliance upon completion of its own work. The full certificate of compliance would be awarded after all work is complete. Cumberland Farms would be allowed to open with a partial certificate The commission tabled a discussion about a state Department of Environmental Protection complaint at 101 Grove St., Duke's Gravel Pit. There was an anonymous complaint that there was excavation work being conducted in the riverfront buffer zone of an intermittent stream. Commissioner Tom Robinson said questionable photography was used to determine this violation. He said it was not clear where the stream was from the photos. "What I saw was DEP using photography to look into someone's back yard in order to determine a violation and a questionable violation," he said. "When DEP is flying around taking pictures of violations no bigger than someone throwing leaves down an embankment with an intermittent stream at the bottom. This is ridiculous. If they have this much time they need to find something better to do." He added that he felt the DEP was passing the buck to the commissioners and asking them to take on the violation. "A volunteer board getting involved in something like this is crazy," he said. Robinson felt there may be a neighborly dispute. Someone that has a problem with the gravel pit owner may have been trying to get them in trouble. "They want to use us a tool. I have seen it before on this board," he said. "Neighbors trying to turn each other in for something. I don't think we should play that role," He said their job is to protect residents, not "throw them to the wolves." Fassell first thought they should continue the conversation and maybe invite those involved to a meeting. However, the commissioners eventually agreed to table the item indefinitely. They felt if it was a real issue the concerned individual could have brought it directly to the commission and not submit an anonymous complaint to the DEP. The commission said goodbye to member Brian Bishop, who tendered his resignation. "Brian came to us looking for something to do and we certainly gave him that," Fassell said. Robinson also handed in his resignation but will stay on until Oct. 1 or until someone is selected to replace him. The Chamber of Commerce hosted a presentation on the 'State of Tourism' this summer in North Adams. North Adams Plans Fireworks & Downtown Celebration There will be a Downtown Celebration this summer. The last one was in 2019, as seen above. NORTH ADAMS, Mass. Yes, there will be fireworks on the Fourth of July. And a Downtown Celebration. And SteepleCats games and a farmers' market and movies at Colegrove Park and music at Windsor Lake. "It's going to be the best summer ever," said the city's Tourism Director Suzy Helme. Helme was updating members of the North Adams Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday on the events that will be taking place this summer now that the state of emergency instituted during the pandemic is set to be lifted by mid-June. It was a lost summer last year for residents and tourists alike with the cancellation of several high-profile anniversaries including the city's 125th anniversary along with concerts, exhibitions and local community events. The summer of 2021 is shaping up to be a season of community togetherness, although there may still be some social distancing and comfort in face coverings, after a year of pandemic. "So events are still a thing and things are happening this summer, which we're pretty psyched about," said Helme. "What everyone should know is even if the COVID resources were going to stay in place throughout the summer, a lot of us that are in the events business were planning smaller outdoor events we were planning Aug. 1 will be a free for all, but now it's going to be like next weekend." Colleen Rafferty, guest services manager at Tourists and member of the chamber board, said the outline for the talk was different four days before a day before Gov. Charlie Baker announced the lifting of all capacity limits on May 29 and the potential end of the state of emergency on June 15. Baker in late April had set a goal of Aug. 1 to return to normal but the fast pace of vaccination and declining COVID-19 cases has pushed that date up significantly. "We're all adjusting as quickly as we can to all this information ... I would expect a lot of new announcements and surprises coming very soon," Helme said. The North Adams Farmers Market resumes on Saturday, June 5, at the St. Anthony's Municipal Parking Lot after a year of mostly online ordering and pickup at the Armory. It will be every Saturday rain or shine from 9 to 1. "We will probably try to add back in music we hadn't planned for the summer. But now that we know we can, we probably will," she said. "We also will bring back picnic tables, we'll try to get some prepared foods there now that we know that that's OK. We're going to make it as normal as possible because I think we're all ready for that." The concerts at Windsor Lake resume on June 16 from 6:30 to 8 and run every Wednesday through the summer, weather permitting. These events are free and open to the public. Movies Under the Stars on the last Friday of the month will also begin in June. The family-friendly fare is shown beginning at dusk on a screen at Colegrove Park. The theme for this year hasn't been figured out yet, Helme said, but would be announced in the next couple weeks. "First Fridays, this is brand new and this is not initiated by the city, this is initiated by the business communities," she said. "The downtown business community has taken it upon themselves to be open late together from 4 to 8 p.m. on the first Friday evening of every month. ... "It's actually a pretty vibrant little business community downtown so they are encouraging you to come down First Fridays support your local business owners." The big kickoff will be the opening of Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art on Memorial Day weekend. The museum had anticipated a release this week on coming events but there may be some reconfiguring going on with the pandemic restrictions being lifted. Mass MoCA will debut James Turrell's "Skyspace" in the old water tower and a pop-up restaurant, Chama Mama, over the weekend and already stated it was selling tickets for its folk/blues music festival Fresh Grass this September. Other events on the calendar include Steeple City Sounds Pop-Up concerts, Juneteenth, the annual fireworks after the SteepleCats game on July 4, the free day at Mass MoCA on July 17, Bang on a Can at the end of July, and National Night Out on Aug. 3. There will be a Downtown Celebration at a date sometime in August but probably on a Saturday rather than a weeknight. "We haven't figured out a date because we'd like to do it on a Saturday this year since we're not doing a few other events," Helme said. The events not happening are the Eagle Street Beach Party for the second time in 20 years or the 10th annual Motorama. Both events require a great deal of planning that is not possible this close to summer, said Helme. Also not happening is Solid Sound, the massive music festival that brings upwards of 8,000 people to the city. The Wilco-curated event at Mass MoCA was canceled some time ago but is expected to return next June. There are a lot of other smaller grass-roots events and exhibits being planned, said Helme, that will be added to the calendar as the summer goes on. These will likely include the opening of local music, performance and gallery venues. The presentation of the "State of Tourism" was to give local business owners an idea of the events occurring in North Adams this summer and the surrounding area, such as Williamstown Theatre Festival and Jacob's Pillow. Rafferty spoke on some of the ways Tourists has dealt with pandemic over the past year and how it has connected with guests. She gave some examples how venues can give local hotels and motels information about their offerings that can be passed on to guests. What she and Helme agreed on was to be thoughtful of people's needs and the transition from a pandemic viewpoint. "While all the restrictions will be lifted by the time most of these things happen, if you're not comfortable not being masked and not being close to people we encourage people to do what they feel best about," Helme said. "You want to wear your mask all summer long, go for it. You want to stay away from us don't know why you would but feel free to." People line up at one of the heavily attended clinics in North Adams in late April. A dropoff in attendance as the county reaches 60 percent full vaccination has the vaccine collaborative looking to shift to smaller popups and access at testing centers. Berkshire Vaccine Collaborative Scaling Down Clinics PITTSFIELD, Mass. As the state reopens, Berkshire Vaccine Collaborative is shifting its vaccination model to make receiving the shot more convenient and accessible. The collaborative has announced plans to scale down its three largest COVID-19 vaccine clinic sites in Great Barrington, North Adams and Pittsfield gradually over the next month and offer pop-up clinics and vaccination at testing sites. "This is really the next phase vaccination, these large clinics were stood up so that we could quickly and efficiently vaccinate as many people as possible and they've been incredibly successful," Executive Director of Communications, Planning and Development Jennifer Vrabel said. "And we're finding that we've now reached a critical mass where most of the people who are eligible and who wanted to get really actively engaged in the process, have come out and gotten it at the large clinics, and at the height, we could vaccinate with all of our volunteers, around 1,000 people a day, and now, we've got six-hour clinic blocks, and 100 people coming in. So we're shifting to this model have more availability more days and more consistent times by offering vaccination at our testing centers." The North Adams clinic, for example, did close to 2,000 people in one day a few weeks ago; on Thursday, it opened early and encouraged anyone who wanted to to come in and for those who had registered appointments, to come in early as well. The collaborative will offer first doses through scheduled and walk-in appoints at all clinics until Thursday, May 27. After that, the clinic will not administer first dose appointments but will continue to provide second doses until late June. Beginning in June, the collaborative will set up small pop-up clinics in community locations where clusters of individuals have not been vaccinated and vaccination will be available every day of the week from 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Pittsfield COVID-19 testing center at 505 East St. North Adams will have similar services next week and Great Barrington testing centers will soon provide walk-in service. As of May 13, data from the commonwealth of Massachusetts indicated that nearly 60 percent of Berkshire County residents have received at least one dose of the vaccine and 43 percent have been fully vaccinated. The number of doses of vaccine administered stands at 7,344,364 and 3,330,308 people are now fully vaccinated in Massachusetts, which has a population of about 7 million. Nationwide, the number of total doses is 278,872,323. In a press release, Darlene Rodowicz, executive vice president of Berkshire Health Systems, thanked the entities that made the rapid vaccination possible. "We are incredibly proud of the work that the Berkshire Vaccine Collaborative has done to vaccinate tens of thousands of people in our community," she wrote. "This collaboration between the Berkshire County Boards of Health Association, Berkshire Health Systems, Community Health Programs, [Northern Berkshire] EMS, the City of Pittsfield, and our county's public health nurses has been incredibly effective. At the height of demand, we were able to vaccinate more than 1,000 people per day." Rodowicz said an increased vaccine supply and a decline in demand has warranted a change in strategy, which brought the collaborative to adopt pop-up clinics and vaccinations at the testing centers. This model provides convenience to those who have tight schedules and expands access to the whole community. "The goal is really to get folks that are in our community protected and try to keep the community safe as we reopen," Vrabel added. Any residents who have not received their second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine when it was originally scheduled can receive their second dose at any upcoming clinic. Rodowicz emphasized that they want to make sure every person who wants a vaccine has the opportunity to be fully vaccinated and that it is not too late to get a second dose. Berkshire Theatre Group has offered an incentive in the form of free tickets to the first 500 people who get their first dose at Berkshire Vaccine Collaborative clinics this week. The vouchers are available on a first-come, first-serve basis in Great Barrington, North Adams and Pittsfield clinics and will be redeemable for two free tickets to the PTG production of "White Christmas" at The Colonial Theatre this holiday season. The Berkshire Vaccine Collaborative and the Berkshire Eagle will also present a virtual event "Building Community Immunity" on May 27 at 1 p.m. on Pittsfield Community Television and through its Facebook page. The panel discussion will include local health leaders and offer the latest vaccine news as well as discussing reasons why residents may still be hesitant to get the shot. For the most recent information about vaccination efforts in the Berkshires, visit www.GetVaccinatedBerkshires.org. Firefighters use pressure washers to scour graffiti off the Stafford Hill Monument on Thursday night. Vandals spray painted symbols and words on the 100-year-old structure. PreviousNext Cheshire Firefighters Clean Vandalized Stafford Hill Monument The Stafford Hill Monument is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. CHESHIRE, Mass. The Cheshire Fire Department removed graffiti from the vandalized Stafford Hill Monument on Thursday. "When it was brought up to the members, they did not hesitate," Fire Chief Thomas Francesconi said. "I was happy with their willingness to do that outside of their normal drill schedule. I was proud." The Cheshire Police Department took to Facebook last week to ask for public assistance to help them identify people involved in spray painting symbols on the historic monument located on Stafford Hill. While the police continued their own investigation, the Fire Department decided to help out with cleanup. Thursday night, 15 members made their way up to Stafford Hill to see what they could do to remove the vandalism. "We kind of talked about it in the station one night during the week between the police chief and myself," Francesconi said. "We decided to give it a run." He said department brought up the water tanker and a power washer. Once connected, firefighters had the perfect tool to remediate the monument. With some graffiti removal spray, they had the entire monument mostly cleaned up in just over an hour. "They sprayed it on and between the tanker and the power washer, we were able to get most of it, if not all of it, off," the fire chief said. Francesconi said beyond helping out, it was nice to be outside in the warmer weather. Police are still seeking information to identify the perpetrators. EVERY DAY FEELS LIKE AN ADVENTURE AT ROCKY MOUNTAINEER. For 30 years, we have taken guests through the natural wonders of Canada's West from the comfort of our luxury trains. Starting August 2021, we will be traveling from Denver, Colorado to Moab, Utah on our newest route, Rockies to the Red Rocks. We are looking for exceptional individuals for the following seasonal positions: ONBOARD OUR TRAIN HOST (GUIDE/SERVER) CLEANERS MANAGERS CULINARY MANAGEMENT AT OUR DESTINATIONS (DENVER, GLENWOOD SPRINGS, AND MOAB) GUEST EXPERIENCE SPECIALISTS STATION MANAGERS (EXCLUDING DENVER) SYSTEM OPERATIONS & MECHANICAL TEAM MEMBERS (EXCLUDING MOAB) APPLY TODAY AT ROCKYMOUNTAINEER.COM/CAREERS recblid rrd8269oxk2s14rzfktqpm6ev4fogh Joint statement in advance of the 25th Session of the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission May 21,2021 | Source: Blue Marine Foundation Yellowfin tuna in the Indian Ocean is overfished and subject to continued overfishing, with scientists warning that the stock could collapse within the next five years if fishing pressure is not reduced. A stock rebuilding plan was put in place by the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) in 2016 to significantly reduce catches, based on 2014 catch levels. However, this has proved ineffective, with catches increasing by over 10% between 2014 and 2019, according to new catch figures. A Special Session of the Commission was held in March to deal specifically with the sustainability of the yellowfin tuna fishery. However, an unwillingness to negotiate, primarily on the part of the EU and other distant water fishing nations, resulted in the meeting ending without the adoption of an updated rebuilding plan for the overfished stock. The 25th Session of the IOTC is being held virtually from 7-11 June 2021 and two proposals on an interim plan for rebuilding the Indian Ocean yellowfin tuna stock have been tabled one submitted by the EU and another submitted collectively by Maldives, Kenya, South Africa and Comoros. There is also an urgent need to improve the management of fish aggregating devices (FADs) in the Indian Ocean, primarily to reduce catches of juvenile tropical tunas, but also to help mitigate the other ecological impacts associated with drifting FADs, including marine plastic pollution, ghost fishing and the bycatch of turtles, sharks and marine mammals. To this end, a proposal on the management of FADs in the IOTC area of competence has been submitted by Kenya, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Mozambique, Pakistan, Somalia, South Africa, Indonesia, and Tanzania. Blue Marine Foundation (BLUE) and the International Pole and Line Foundation (IPNLF) hereby confirm their support for the following two conservation and management measure (CMM) proposals: -- IOTC-2021-S25-PropF On an interim plan for rebuilding the Indian Ocean yellowfin tuna stock in the IOTC area of competence, submitted by Maldives et al.; and -- IOTC-2021-S25-PropE On management of fish aggregating devices in the IOTC area of competence, submitted by Kenya et al. It should be noted that the fishing mortality of yellowfin tuna in 2017 was 20% above the target reference point, and that the spawning biomass was 17% lower than the target. The proposal tabled by Maldives et al. acknowledges this and correctly notes that a reduction in catch of 16.7% compared to 2017 levels is required to ensure the timely recovery of the stock. This would necessitate a catch limit of roughly 341,000t. BLUE and IPNLF agree with this reduction and support this catch limit. However, having tried and failed to ensure that a yellowfin catch limit of 346,438t was adopted at the Special Session of the Commission earlier this year, Maldives have submitted a new proposal with a new, higher total allowable catch (TAC) of 383,000t. In addition, the Maldives proposal provides a significant catch buffer of over 20,000t, by assigning 2,000t catch limits to IOTC members who have fished very little or not at all in the past. Given the uncertainty and ambiguity contained within the IOTC Scientific Committees most recent report , and the failure of the Scientific Committee to provide adequate advice to IOTC members at the Special Session of the Commission in March, there is a clear risk of no new stock rebuilding plan being adopted at the upcoming Commission meeting. The proposal put forward by Maldives and its co-sponsors is equitable, removes all exemptions, is gear type neutral and takes into account the needs of developing coastal states and small island developing states. Importantly, it would bring about the IOTCs first formal TAC for yellowfin tuna, and an almost 15% reduction from 2019 catch levels. Therefore, while acknowledging that a lower catch limit more closely in line with the 16.7% reduction from 2017 levels should be a priority, BLUE and IPNLF support the proposal tabled by Maldives. As the most ambitious proposal tabled, we encourage all IOTC members to use this as a starting point for negotiations at the upcoming Commission meeting. In contrast, the proposal tabled by the EU is based heavily on the joint proposal IOTC-2021-SS4-PropE tabled at the IOTC Special Session in March and, given that this proposal was rejected at the Special Session, BLUE and IPNLF encourage the EU to withdraw its current proposal and support the more ambitious proposal put forward by Maldives. Similarly, although the EU did not provide a catch limit within its CMM proposal, our simulations estimate it to be roughly 395,000t significantly higher than that of the Maldives proposal. The proposal tabled by Kenya and its co-sponsors aims to reduce the number of drifting FADs per vessel from 300 to 150, calls for greater transparency in how these FADs are deployed, tracked and retrieved, and further calls for a three-month ban on fishing around drifting FADS and a phasing out of supply vessels. BLUE and IPNLF recognise the importance of improved FAD management in the region and therefore support the proposal tabled by Kenya. Lastly, BLUE and IPNLF would like to emphasise that the 25th Session of the IOTC represents IOTC members last chance to adopt an interim yellowfin tuna stock rebuilding plan for 2022 that is both equitable and in line with IOTC Resolution 12/01 on the implementation of the precautionary approach. 2021 International Pole & Line Foundation, All rights reserved Theme(s): Fisheries Resources. Indonesian fishermen rescued from boat sinking off Western Australia coast arrive home in Bali by Tasha Wibawa May 21,2021 | Source: ABC Nineteen Indonesian fishermen whose boat took on water for three days off the coast of Western Australia have safely arrived back in their home country. Twenty men were rescued by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) and a Japanese vessel 670 nautical miles west of Perth last Saturday. One of them, a 33-year-old man, was flown to a Perth hospital on Sunday night to undergo surgery on a badly injured hand. Indonesia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs tweeted that he would be discharged and fly into Jakarta tonight. Video taken from the fishermens' arrival into Bali's Benoa Harbour this morning shows them their walking off a boat, with some visibly emotional and kissing the ground beneath them. Indonesian authorities first alerted AMSA of the fishing vessel in distress, Bandar Nelayan 188, last Thursday. The Perth AMSA Challenger jet dropped life jackets to the group the following day before the Australian Defence Force (ADF) aircraft deployed life rafts to the vessel. Japanese fishing vessel, FV Fukuseki Maru 15, arrived to assist the boat last Saturday and the men were transferred to HMAS Anzac, which had medical support and an interpreter on board. Photos and a video provided by ADF show the crew members huddling on the bow of Bandar Nelayan 188, with the rest of the ship below water. The vessel sank into the Indian Ocean not long after the rescue, according to Indonesian officials. In a statement this week, the ADF said HMAS Anzac had been a few hours off docking in Perth following a recent mission before it was redirected. "Proving again the excellent bilateral ties between Indonesia and Australia, all 19 Indonesian crew aboard Bandar Nelayan 188 fishing vessel are safely on the way home to Indonesia," the official account of the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs tweeted. AMSA executive director response Mark Morrow said earlier in the week that the quick response of FV Fukuseki Maru 15 was "instrumental to the success of this time-sensitive mission". "The successful saving of 20 lives at sea is an incredible achievement of which all responding authorities should be proud," he said. The ABC understands that all crew members were tested for COVID-19 and returned negative results. 2021 ABC Theme(s): Communities and Organisations. Ban on fishing in Bay of Bengal begins May 21,2021 | Source: FE The government of West Bengal's two-month ban on fishing off the country's coast to boost depleted fish stocks started on Thursday. The 65-day ban - lasting from May 20 until July 23 - is timed to occur with the breeding season of fishes. All types of fishing vessels will fall under the purview of the restriction, officials said. The Navy and Coast Guard would enforce the ban from Thursday to ensure safe and proper breeding of fishes in the country's coastal and its territorial waters in Bay of Bengal. Organising secretary of the Fishing Boat Association Mostak Ahmad told the FE on Thursday over 8,000 engine boats or fishing trawlers returned to ghats (local coastal terminal) on Wednesday, a day before the two-month ban took effect. However, he said, a few more boats which were staying in deep sea yesterday, would return to coasts either today (Thursday) or within the next couple of days. Local administration sources said, the government imposed the ban as catching of fishes off coasts and in Bangladesh's territorial waters in Bay increased significantly during breeding season from May to July in the past few years. Officials said the government has allocated rice for all fishermen affected by the fishing ban in sea. During the 65-day ban, concerned authorities will increase surveillance in coastal areas and on the Bay territorial waters to prevent both local fishermen and foreign ones from fishing and take legal actions against those flouting the rules. Sources said, there are at least 248 large engine-driven fishing vessels or trawlers in the country which are used for commercial fishing. Of the large trawlers, 200 carry out commercial fishing on coasts and in Bay regularly but the watercraft remain anchored on Karnaphuli River during the two-month-long fishing ban every year. Besides, around 68,000 vessels, both with and without engines, operate within 32,440 square kilometres off the country's coastline until they reach the depth of 40 metres which is demarcated as the first level of fishing in sea. Only 241 vessels, registered by the government, are allowed to proceed to the second and third levels for fishing. The second level expands from a depth of 40-metre to 200-metre while the third one begins from the 200-metre depth and, from there, the vessel can proceed and fish until it reaches the end of the exclusive economic zone. It may be mentioned that Bangladesh has gained rights to 118,813 square kilometres of territorial sea and 200 nautical miles of an exclusive economic zone by resolving disputes over maritime border with Myanmar and India. Cox's Bazar district officer of Department of Fisheries Khalikujjaman said, "The government-imposed ban on large engine-driven boats will be continued for 65 days while for smaller boats, the restriction will last only for 22 days. Chief Scientific Officer of Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute at Cox's Bazar Dr Shafiqur Rahman said, "It is true that fishermen will suffer for a limited period for the ban on fishing in sea. But, finally, they can catch more fishes after the end of the breeding period." 2021 - All Rights with The Financial Express Theme(s): Fisheries Development and Aquaculture. Downstream Mekong project success proves Chinas commitment to improving livelihoods, boosting hydropower capacity in Mekong region by Hu Yuwei and Sun Guangyong May 21,2021 | Source: GT After an in-person visit to China's reservoir and learning dam-building skills, the Mekong River envoys relay how infrastructure projects undertaken by China in their countries, especially hydropower projects, have served local people, boosting their wellbeing and socio-economic development along with other concrete benefits. The Mekong River has a huge elevation difference which contains huge water energy resources. According to the relevant data, the water energy reserve of the Mekong River is 58,000 MW, with huge developmental potential. China, as a main riparian country with mature technology in water conservancy construction, actively shares its experience in water conservancy construction with other Mekong countries and assists in their domestic dam building, under Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) mechanism initiated in 2016. However, China's participation in the Mekong River water conservancy project through normal bidding has incurred long-term slander by some Western media and non-governmental organizations outside the region. Lower Sesan II hydroelectric power station in Stung Treng province, Cambodia, is a hydropower plant inaugurated in 2018 that was invested in, built and run by a Chinese company. The 400 MW dam is the largest in Cambodia and the seventh built by China in the Southeast Asian country. Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen said the project can contribute to ensuring energy security, lowering the price of electricity, and reducing poverty in Cambodia, which is a fine example of cooperation in the energy sector between Cambodia and China. However, a report by US-based non-profit International Rivers accused the project of failing to meet basic environmental and social standards similar to other dam projects developed by Chinese state-owned contractors. Media such as Voice of America [VOA] cited Brian Eyler, a Senior Fellow and Director of a Washington-based think tank Stimson Center, to claim that the risks of dam building along the Mekong River outweigh the benefit, and one of the key risks brought by dams - especially mainstream dams at Stung Treng and Sambor - is to fish stocks. However, the foreign media hype was refuted by Cambodian diplomats and project contractors in China. According to the environmental impact assessment of the project, there are 34 kinds of long-distance migratory fish in the project. In order to meet the needs of these migratory fish and maintain the diversity of fish in the area, the contractor, Huaneng Lancang River Hydropower Inc, creatively proposed to build a fishway, to the Cambodian government, Zhou Jian, a vice president of the Huaneng Lancang River Hydropower Inc., told the Global Times. For the 2,900 meter-long fishway, the maximum water level difference between upstream and downstream is 26.5 meters. While the bottom width of the fishway is 4-5 meters, rest pools are set every 800 meters to better facilitate the migrating fish, according to Zhou. Zhou told the Global Times that environmental protection work has always been their top priority in setting up the project, as they have closely followed strict standards and supervision on atmospheric protection, production, and domestic sewage treatment, soil and water conservation, and community impact assessment. "The appeals of local people are always collected and addressed as much as possible. But many things need the support of the local government such as being responsible for the resettlement of migrants. China has a lot of good experience in the resettlement of migrants in dam construction areas. We can invite people from Mekong countries to see how resettlement villages [have] developed around dams," said Zhou. The dam brings jobs for the locals because of the project. The reservoir has brought more fisheries which are a bonus for locals to catch fish, Sreng Sataro, minister counselor of the Embassy of Cambodia in China, told the Global Times. "It also brings roads that bring them to markets or take their children to better schools because of the project. But many of them are uneducated people who are easily misled by some Western-supported NGOs who only spread negativity. They do not realize how these infrastructure projects have brought people out of poverty and have provided them actual benefits until the contractor opened it for Cambodian tourists to visit in 2018," Sreng Sataro said. Sreng Sataro suggested the new projects financed under the MLC Special Fund have produced many tangible benefits in enhancing the livelihood and wellbeing of Cambodians. Among these projects, Cambodia has benefited from 55 projects that support a broad range of cooperation activities in the field of rural development, community business creation, water resources, agriculture, education, and cultural heritage, among many others. "The US and the institutions it backs have frequently been critical of China's investment projects in Mekong countries. But Australia, the US, Sweden, Norway, and other developed countries have reached more than 90 percent in the level of hydropower development. The US even helped Canada build a dam upstream from Colombia, from which Colombia gets some revenue," Tian Fuqiang, a leading Chinese scholar and researcher on Mekong River water resources from the Tsinghua University, told the Global Times, criticizing the US double standard. 2021 Global Times All Right Reserved Theme(s): Others. Cyclone Yaas: Low-pressure area on Bay of Bengal may develop into cyclonic storm; landfall on 26 May, says IMD May 21,2021 | Source: PTI A low-pressure area, set to form over east-central Bay of Bengal on 22 May, is likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm and strike the Odisha-West Bengal coast on 26 May, the Met department said on Thursday, sparking fears of another Amphan-like catastrophe. Regional Met director GK Das said several places in Bengal are likely to experience light to moderate rainfall from 25 May, and isolated areas may encounter heavy showers. The intensity of rainfall may gradually increase, especially in the Gangetic belts. The Met department has also warned of rough to very rough sea conditions Fishermen in West Bengal have been advised against venturing into the sea for a few days from 23 May. Those who are out with trawlers have been requested to return to the shore in the next two days. The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) said it is closely monitoring the developments on the Bay of Bengal, and has initiated preventive measures. "Coast Guard Dornier aircraft and ships are intimating the fishermen operating close to the shore and those at sea about the formation of cyclonic storm over Odisha-West Bengal coast, and directing them to return back to the harbour safely," an ICG official said. He said that radar stations at the ICG in West Bengal and Odisha have also started transmitting weather warnings at regular intervals, both in English and in vernacular language. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday held a high-level meeting with officials of the disaster management authority, district magistrates and police superintendents to review the preparations in place in the event of a cyclone. She has asked them to make necessary arrangements, while strictly following the COVID protocols. The Amphan super cyclone, which struck Bengal in the third week of May last year, had claimed at least 98 lives and caused widespread destruction of property and infrastructure in the state's southern districts, including Kolkata, causing immense hardship to millions of people. The prevailing low-pressure area, if it develops into a cyclone, will be christened 'Yaas', a name given by Oman, in accordance with a standard procedure. The Indian Metrological Department (IMD), being a Regional Specialised Meteorological Centre (RSMC) -- one of the six in the world -- provide tropical cyclone and storm surge advisories to 13 countries, including Maldives, Myanmar, Oman, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Thailand. The RSMC, New Delhi has released a list of names for tropical cyclones after taking into consideration suggestions made by these 13 member countries - all members of WMO/ESCAP (World Meteorological Organisation/United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific). 2021. Firstpost - All Rights Reserved. Theme(s): Others. We've recently updated our online systems. If you can't login please try resetting your password. You must login with an email address. If you don't have an email associated with your account email circulation@idahopress.com for help creating one. Community Information If you would like to submit an upcoming event or community announcement, please contact our staff at 208-232-4161 or send an email to cjohnson@journalnet.com. We will also accept news from local clubs and engagement, wedding and anniversary announcements. You can post your community or club events on our calendar. Obituaries Submit an obituary/notice All obituaries must be placed by your mortuary or onlineDeadline is 3 p.m. for publication the next day. The ISJ is not responsible for spelling, grammar, or basic mistakes. Transmission Systems Site Manager Nebraska Public Media ( formerly NET ) is looking for an experienced professional in the Kearney and Lincoln / Omaha, NE areas Qualified Candidate will: Work independently to test, configure, calibrate, install, operate, update, repair and perform systems and transmitter preventative maintenance to television and radio transmitters and associated equipment. 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Some of these services include a nine-station, statewide noncommercial public television network affiliated with PBS; a nine-station, statewide noncommercial public radio network affiliated with NPR; a cutting-edge Digital Media Group; and state-of-the-art audio, video and multimedia production capability delivered via broadcast, satellite, cable, Internet and broadband delivery channels. recblid ggivlx5mwu1w2t0nmu05nbvihxetid Note: We've recently updated our online systems. If you can't login please try resetting your password. You must login with an email address. If you don't have an email associated with your account email circulation2@journalnet.com for help creating one. Local lawmaker fumes over Inslees decision to veto study to find more money for 'diminishing' transportation budget Rozina Islam, an investigative journalist affiliated with Bangla daily Prothom Alo, was harassed, confined in a room by the health ministry and arrested by police for allegedly stealing information and taking photographs of ministry documents. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) urges authorities to investigate her illegal detention and demands that the authorities stop illegitimately using force to harass journalists. Rozina Islam faces up to 14 years in prison and the death penalty if charged and convicted . Credit: Munir Uz Zaman/AFP Journalist Rozina Islam, known forher investigative stories on the countrys response to the coronavirus pandemic, was confined in the room of a personal assistant of the secretary of the Ministry of Health on May 17 for more than five hours after allegedly stealing information. During this time, her mobile was also snatched. The journalist, who had been given a Covid-19 vaccine on the morning of May 17, felt sick while being confined at the ministry. Despite her illness, a case was filed at Shahbagh Police Station against herunder the Bangladesh Penal Act and the Official Secrets Act. Following the filing of the case, she was handed over to police where she was held for a night and produced in court on the morning of May 18. Rejecting the polices pleas for five days custody, the chief metropolitan magistrate on May 18 sent her into judicial custody until May 20. If she is convicted, she faces up to 14 years in prison and the death penalty. The case is one of many where Bangladesh journalists are intentionally tortured and punished on false accusations. Laws are commonly misused, including the Digital Security Act which Islam was charged under. Earlier this month, nine non-governmental organizations, wrote to Michelle Bachelet, the UN high commissioner for human rights, expressing concern over Bangladeshs government crackdown on freedom of expression and the media. The Bangladesh Manobadhikar Sangbadik Forum (BMSF) said: The BMSF condemns arrest of Rozina and demands her immediate release. We are concerned for misuse of the official secrets act of 1923. The IFJ said: The harassment and arrest of the Bangladeshi journalist Rozina Islam exemplifies how journalists who are critical of the establishment are tortured and punished. The legitimate exercise of force and state power is being jeopardized in Bangladesh. We vehemently condemn the offending authorities and urge that Rozina Islams case be immediate withdrawn. The Arab Center for the Development of Social Media (7amleh) documented 500 violations of digital rights in Palestine between 6 and 29 May. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate (PJS) expressed deep concerns over the role of social media platforms in enabling the censorship and threats during the recent events in Palestine and Israel and demanded urgent explanations from the companies. The report, The Attacks on Palestinian Digital Rights , published on 21 May, documents how, since May 6th, when the Israeli supreme court announced its decision to forcibly displace Palestinians living in East Jerusalems Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood, and following the attacks on Al-Aqsa mosque, large amounts of Palestinian content and accounts were removed or restricted on social media platforms. According to the report, content and accounts were removed, reduced and restricted, hashtags were hidden, and archived content deleted. 50% of the reported incidents involved Instagram, 35% Facebook, 11% Twitter and 1% Tik Tok. 3% of the complaints did not include sufficient information to be reported to companies. 7amleh reported that, in most of the cases, social media companies did not provide a clear justification for the deletion of content or suspension of accounts. Censorship of Palestinians on social media, which represents a serious attack on freedom of information and expression, is an ongoing issue, and the recent increase in reports and violations represents an escalation of an already existing problem. In February 2021, the PJS and 7amleh signed a cooperation agreement and organized a forum with Palestinian journalists reporting in the field and from the diaspora to discuss ways to enforce their digital rights when reporting on Palestinian issues. In addition to censorship, the center received 40 reports exposing hate speech and incitement to violence against Palestinians and Arabs online, including reports of Israeli extremist groups mobilizing lynch mobs on WhatsApp and Telegram. The full report can be downloaded here IFJ General Secretary, Anthony Bellanger said: The IFJ is deeply concerned over the reports revealing the arbitrary suspension of Palestinian social media accounts and deletion of content. Social media are crucial tools for journalists to report and share their work with their audience that must not be arbitrarily censored. Social media platforms must explain in detail all decisions to block freedom of information in their networks. Almost a year after the death of George Floyd, major banks and asset managers are committing billions toward addressing the effects of racial disparities in financial services. On Tuesday, 18 financial institutions including BlackRock, Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs Group, Bank of America, and Citigroup agreed to set aside $10 billion for businesses owned by people of color over the next five years. The money is meant to benefit underrepresented founders through increased contracting, funding, and capability-building, with the goal of driving $30 billion in economic impact. The institutions, which control $27 trillion in assets and employ 750,000 people globally, are members of the Corporate Call to Action: Coalition for Equity & Opportunity (CCA), also referred to as the CEO Coalition. It's a corporate social justice initiative launched in September 2020 by the Connecticut Office of the Treasurer and the Ford Foundation, a private foundation aimed at improving human welfare. "CCA was established as a way to leverage the power of the financial services industry to make meaningful change toward racial equity in America," Connecticut state treasurer Shawn T. Wooden said in a statement. "The commitments we announce today are tangible and quantifiable steps toward an economic landscape that is more equitable, more diverse, and more inclusive for people of color. I am honored to have a leading role in making this vision a reality." It's going to take more than just capital to help these businesses, notes Charisse Conanan Johnson, a managing partner at Next Street, a Chicago-based company that works with foundations, government, corporations, and community development financial institutions to help entrepreneurs and small businesses that have been systemically held back. The corporations need to focus on building relationships with these businesses and understand what their trajectories are, and what other supports they might need. In addition devoting funds, the CCA plans to scale programs that both partner with and invest in historically underserved and undercapitalized communities of color and create generational wealth and support community economic security. It also aims to support the career development of Black and Latinx mid-level professionals and students every year through internships and work development programs. In February, CCA members agreed to publicly disclose the workforce demographic data they report to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, known generally as EEO-1 data. It's an effort to benchmark themselves against peers and track progress over time; it's also rare among corporations to divulge this data. Currently, 4 percent of corporations publicly disclose EEO-1 reports, according to Barron's. Companies with more than 50 employees are required to provide EEO-1 data to the federal government but not to make it public. Transparency and accountability over time are key to ensuring these corporations' investments have a lasting impact, says Conanan Johnson. But financial institutions need to be transparent with more than just their own inner workplace situations. They should be required to inspect their outside efforts--and be heplaceholderld accountable for their results. "These corporations should have a quarterly scorecard on how they're doing toward these commitments on racial equity," she adds. THE ICY WEATHER SYSTEM that trundled up the Atlantic Seaboard and glazed New York City on February 14, 2007, was nasty, but not the worst that airlines had ever confronted. Mainline carriers such as American and Delta knew the drill. They canceled flights in anticipation while moving equipment and crews to sidestep the storm and minimize disruptions. The newer kid on the tarmac, JetBlue, flew into the storm face first. And flopped. The low-cost carrier was barely seven years old, growing rapidly and happily because customers loved its panache, pricing, and product--comfortable seating, free satellite TV, and freewheeling yet attentive flight crews. Concentrating its fleet in New York and Boston made the carrier more vulnerable to winter weather, though, and as the storm began to wreak havoc on operations, JetBlue swiftly learned that its communications and logistics networks had not scaled with the rest of the outfit. With crews stuck out of place, the airline would cancel more than 1,000 flights over five abysmal days, stranding customers from the Caribbean to Queens. One jet full of passengers sat on the tarmac for eight hours. The debacle ultimately cost the airline $30 million. Even before the storm had passed, JetBlue founder and CEO David Neeleman was conducting a nonstop apology tour, vowing to upgrade systems and make things right by customers. "This is going to be a different company because of this," he told The New York Times. He was right about that. Three months later, JetBlue announced that Neeleman was leaving the CEO post and becoming chairman. At least Neeleman wasn't aboard a flight when his own board shoved him out the door. If you are looking for a case study of an entrepreneur who gets repeatedly sucker-punched by exogenous events, Neeleman is it. He's also a study in rebounding. In the early 1990s, he built his first airline, Morris Air, out of the wreckage of his own failed travel agency. He launched JetBlue less than two years before 9/11 grounded the airlines for weeks, curbed travel for a year, and bankrupted most of the industry. Then came that storm. "You can't control everything," he says now, without any particular malice. "I wrote an email to the crew and said, 'It doesn't really matter what happens to you in life; it's how you deal with it.' " Neeleman began to build Breeze, his fifth airline startup, just before Covid-19 emptied the nation's airports. That was after he'd returned from Brazil, where he started the wildly successful Azul Airlines in 2008. "I had 50 people hired for Breeze and we were moving along the track," he says, munching airline snacks on a recent Monday in the upstart's empty offices in the basement of a beige building in Darien, Connecticut. "It would have been easy for me to say, 'Sorry, I just can't do this.' " While major airlines, including Delta, United, and American, would get more than $50 billion in loans and grants from the federal government to weather the pandemic, Neeleman would have to plow his own money, some $30 million, into his fledgling business. (The company later got less than $1 million in PPP money.) "But a lot of the Breeze team left their jobs to come here," he says, "and I just felt that I owed it to them to do it. So I said, OK, let's make this happen. Let's keep a foot on the brake and a foot on the gas." After more than a year-long takeoff roll, Breeze gets airborne on May 23 with flights in 16 cities beginning with Charleston, S.C., Tampa, Florida and Hartford, Connecticut. The network will then expand through July 22 as far west as Tulsa, Oklahoma and also including Northwest Arkansas (aka Bentonville, where Walmart is headquartered.) In October, Breeze will expand again when the first of its Airbus A220s arrive. Ticket prices will initially range from $39 to $89 one way. We tend to think of the airline industry as a business with a high barrier to entry--all those pricey planes and terminals. But entry is not nearly so difficult as keeping an airline flying profitably over a long period of time, as dozens of defunct carriers (Braniff, anyone?) can demonstrate. Neeleman's ability to spot opportunity and pair the right customer service with exacting operational efficiency has helped him defy the odds more often than any other airline entrepreneur. So has a sort of tunnel vision that comes with attention deficit disorder--a disability that led to one huge career setback but also fueled his success. "There are two phrases I've heard a lot," he says. "One is, 'Well, David, if that was such a good idea people would have done it already.' Really? The other is: 'David, It's not that simple.' " He pauses. "Well, yes, it is--it is that simple." THE HISTORY OF AVIATION is filled with dashing figures. Pan Am co-founder Juan Trippe was a true titan who made air travel glamorous in the 1930s and introduced the jet age. Eddie Rickenbacker, the unkillable racecar driver and World War I fighter ace, bought and built Eastern Air Lines. Howard Hughes, the wildly eccentric entrepreneur, airplane designer, and Hollywood producer, largely created TWA. Fast-forward and there's Richard Branson, the music mogul who brought his personal Cool Britannia brand to Virgin Atlantic. And let's not forget Herb Kelleher, a fun-seeking Texan lawyer who loved people, cigarettes, and Wild Turkey (not always in that order) and co-founded Southwest. Then there's Neeleman, just a guy from Salt Lake City. And it is he--a casual, approachable fellow in a fleece vest with all the menace of a suburban dad--who may prove to be the most relentless innovator of all. Breeze, whose inaugural flight will take off in mid-May, is a reimagining of what high-quality, low-cost air service can look like. Ever since JetBlue, Neeleman has, like the kid peering into the circus tent, longed to get back into the U.S. airline industry. But just wanting something doesn't make a business plan, so for years he looked for the right angle and moment. The opportunity that revealed itself was this: The major players had not only plumped their profits in the past decade, but had also plumped their costs. Their labor contracts had grown fatter--which was only fair, given their growing profitability. To compensate for rising costs, the big carriers were diverting more travelers through their hubs, where they could fill the bigger planes that they were buying. Neeleman had seen this before--it's a repeating cycle in his industry--and he knew it opened the door to flying directly between smaller markets. Allegiant, Spirit, and Frontier, which created the ultra-low- cost-carrier (ULCC) segment, had already taken advantage of that opening. Neeleman's angle: Use technology to offer better service and a little more class than the ULCCs but keep fares just as low--and sum it all up for people by calling Breeze "Seriously Nice." (The company originally toyed with the term the worlds nicest airline.) So it is that Breeze takes wing in what is either the best or the worst time in history to start an airline. Worst because the big carriers have burned cash at a rate of $25 million to $30 million a day in 2021. Best because vaccinations and herd immunity will allow people to travel again freely. Breeze will be waiting for them with a fleet of 13 Embraer 190s and E195s. The company will add long-range Airbus 220s in the fall. In the air, Breeze won't pile people on top of one another, won't slam them with excessive fees, and will offer three seating categories: Nice, Nicer, and Nicest--the last a value-priced business-class option on the A220s. At launch, Breeze will fly 49 direct routes from 15 cities, beginning with Tampa to Charleston, North Carolina; other cities include Pittsburgh, Nashville, and New Orleans. Think Rust Belt to Sun Belt. The linchpin is a passenger app that Breeze will use to lower costs while removing friction and enhancing the customer's experience--from reservations to check-in to baggage to ordering food or a ride home. "When I started JetBlue, it was a customer service company that just happened to fly airplanes," Neeleman says. "Breeze is a technology company that just happens to fly airplanes." NEELEMAN, 61, got into the passenger aviation business through a side hustle that went upside down. He was born in Brazil, where his father was first a Mormon missionary and then a journalist. After growing up mostly in Utah, Neeleman, too, got sent to Brazil for his mission. After he came home, a University of Utah classmate related how a friend had time-shares in Hawaiian condos that he couldn't move. Neeleman, who got started in business at the age of 9 in his grandfather's grocery, asked for a meeting. In the deal he struck to market the time-shares, he'd pay the owner a set price per night, and anything above that was his to keep. He cleared $350 on his first booking; soon other time-share owners were asking for help too. He took the next logical step, buying airline tickets in bulk at a discount and packaging them to his Hawaii-bound condo customers. Before long, he had a $6 million company. He dropped out of school. And then, shortly before Christmas 1983, he got a call from the startup airline that had been flying all of his customers. It was going out of business. Neeleman's company, in turn, went bust returning money to customers whose vacations had been ruined. Like his hero, Southwest co-founder Herb Kelleher, Neeleman is a people collector. And for Breeze, he got part of the JetBlue band back together. June and Mitch Morris, who owned a Salt Lake travel agency, had taken note of what the young entrepreneur was doing. Under their wing, he set up shop again, this time as Morris Air--first as a charter service, and then as a scheduled airline. In expanding Morris Air, Neeleman and the Morrises studied Southwest and its CEO, Kelleher, intently, and they copied as much as they could in both operations and culture. By the 1990s, they had expanded to more than a dozen cities. In 1993, June Morris, ill with cancer, contacted Kelleher to ask about combining their two companies. Southwest bought Morris Air for $129 million in stock, and Neeleman moved to Southwest as part of the deal. (Happily, June Morris would recover.) To Neeleman, it was a dream scenario, because he would get to work with Kelleher, his hero, and had a shot at taking over the company one day. "He led me to believe that if I minded my P's and Q's, I would be his successor someday," Neeleman told NPR in 2019. Five months later, Kelleher fired Neeleman. The reasoning: Even your biggest fans can't take any more of you, Kelleher told him. Neeleman wasn't minding his P's and Q's as much as obsessing over them, trying to make his mark on Southwest and failing to keep his ADD in check. He'd been in charge of merging the two organizations over a two-year timeline. He'd gotten it done in six months but had driven his colleagues to distraction with his intensity. Back in Salt Lake once again, Neeleman dreamed of starting another domestic airline, but he had signed a five-year noncompete clause. He looked to Canada and became an investor and co-founder of WestJet. And he thought about innovations he could bring to the industry even without planes. A relational database that Neeleman and a Morris Air colleague had developed to analyze fares, schedules, and profitability, as well as issue e-tickets, became the basis for a new reservation and data platform, Navitaire. It's used by many airlines today, including Breeze. The pair sold Navitaire to Hewlett-Packard in 1998. When he founded JetBlue in 2000, Neeleman leaned heavily on one of the concepts he'd borrowed from Kelleher: servant leadership. (The phrase was actually coined by AT&T exec Robert K. Greenleaf.) It's a popular philosophy and simple concept: You work for your employees, not the other way around--and one of the key aspects is walking the talk. If you make it everyone's responsibility to serve the customer, then you'd better do likewise, boss. Kelleher would regularly work on board, serving drinks (naturally) and even helping clean planes--quick turnarounds were vital to Southwest's success. Neeleman transported the concept of happy people running a happy airline to New York. He moved his family east--not easy with nine kids in tow--and raised $135 million. And, like Kelleher, he set the tone by prowling JetBlue's planes, serving beverages, asking customers how he could do better. And he helped clean the jets. "The more people you serve, the more lives you change, the happier you are too," he has said. Like Kelleher, Neeleman is a people collector. For Breeze, he got part of the JetBlue band back together. Critically, he added recruits from ULCC pioneer Allegiant, who brought with them strategic financial insights. "A lot of the team members joined for a similar reason: They worked with him in the past or they knew he was a visionary who could create something special," says CFO Trent Porter, a former Allegiant executive. "It's his energy. His leadership style is so different from that of most CEOs," says Doreen DePastino, Breeze's vice president of inflight, station operations, and guest services and one of the JetBlue tribe. "He really wants to know his team members. People gravitate toward him." When you combine vision with charisma, it's easier to get people to buy into ideas that might seem far-fetched, such as putting a television screen in every seatback (a JetBlue innovation). "People would say, 'This isn't going to work,' and all of a sudden we'd do it, and it would work," DePastino says. THE STRATEGIC CHALLENGE of running an airline boils down to this: Where do we fly, at what operating cost level, and how do we differentiate customer service? These are analogous to issues most businesses face, but in aviation everything is magnified. At JetBlue and now Breeze, Neeleman has sought new answers. The "where" question has been perhaps the easiest one to figure out for Breeze--because, even before the pandemic, both the major airlines and the ULCCs were giving up turf. Partly because of their union contracts, which limited their ability to fly smaller jets, the majors were packing more people onto bigger planes. As the ULCCs matured, they did the same thing. "With bigger planes, you have to chase bigger and bigger markets," explains Lukas Johnson, Breeze's chief commercial officer, a job he held at Allegiant. Small and medium markets get left behind. "A lot of cities in the middle of the country haven't seen a lot of seat growth in recent years," he says. The Breeze app is designed to eliminate chokepoints between passengers and planes. That means fewer people on the ground and lower cost. When Breeze analyzed the data, it discovered a whole category of cities and routes being underserved. The FAA compiles a statistic called passengers daily each way (PDEW) that contains exactly where people are traveling and what they are paying on average. A market such as Huntsville, Alabama, to Orlando has relatively low PDEW because it's inconvenient to fly between those two points; passengers have to change at Atlanta or Charlotte. In city pairs like this, Breeze thinks it can expand the PDEW exponentially by offering direct service. "Suddenly, people look at it and say I can fly there in an hour and for 59 bucks. I'm going to go three or four times a year. It just creates a market," says Neeleman. (In this case, the market is called VFF, as in visiting friends and family.) Breeze also aims to gain a cost edge in the types of planes it flies. Most airlines aim to optimize a metric called cost per available seat mile, which is measured against revenue per available seat mile--the general idea being that revenue should exceed cost, which is variable. At Azul, Neeleman came to understand that an airplane's trip costs--the fixed costs--could be just as important in gaining a competitive advantage. And that's where an efficient Airbus 220-300 could win. Running that jet, for instance, costs just a third of what the larger A321 costs. The bigger jet may have lower average seat cost, but has much higher total costs, especially as the distance expands. "In that case, the lower trip cost wins," says Johnson. There's no formula for the third leg of Breeze's strategy, which the company, after some refinement of the catchphrase "the world's nicest airline" now calls "Seriously Nice". One thing nice is not, says Neeleman, is an employee who smiles at you after you've waited in line for 30 minutes. The Breeze app is designed to eliminate chokepoints between passengers and planes. That means fewer people on the ground and lower cost. Breeze is also introducing a program in which it will hire college interns from Utah Valley University and mold them into customer service machines. In exchange for salary, free tuition, and housing, the students will undergo training and then work 15 or so days a month while taking their college courses online. "The big thing is we are going to provide a great service with kind people on a beautiful airplane with a fun atmosphere," says DePastino. As Neeleman has prepared for Breeze's launch over the past year, the pandemic has changed the industry's chessboard in the company's favor. The majors were forced to drastically reduce their fleets, retiring the least efficient jets and abandoning marginal markets wholesale. That's a scenario made for Breeze. "Larger markets are on our list now," says Porter. "The total space we can address is actually larger." That window won't be open for long. The recovery of the domestic airline industry is gaining momentum by the month, and airlines are restoring service as fast as they can. Airports and jets will fill. There will be more and longer lines, and customers with frustrations. Neeleman, who cannot abide lines--they signal inefficiency and inattention to customers--will be there observing, serving the occasional customer himself, and always, always looking for new angles. "It drives me crazy when I go to an airport and walk by Starbucks and there are 50 people in line," says a man who doesn't even drink coffee. "How in the hell can we reimagine this whole thing?" Netflix users are issuing a warning to those wanting to watch The Woman in the Window. The new film, which was released last week, has become another hit for the streaming service. However, this doesnt mean its any good the mystery thriller has received a frosty reception and currently has a Rotten Tomatoes score of 29 per cent. Starring Amy Adams, the story follows Anna Fox, who, while confined to her New York home. is visited by a kindly neighbour from across the street named Jane (Julianne Moore). However, Annas life starts to dramatically unravel when she believes she witnesses Janes murder from her bedroom window. She then learns that Jane is very much alive only she looks like an entirely different woman and is suddenly played by Jennifer Jason Leigh. Now, those who have seen the film are warning others to steer clear and to watch Alfred Hitchcocks Rear Window instead. Director Joe Wright even pays homage to the classic by showing Adams character watching it near the beginning of the film. The Woman in the Window is so bad.....just watch Rear Window by Alfred Hitchcock instead! one person wrote. Another stated: Why watch The Woman in the Window (2021) when you can watch Rear Window (1954)? One frustrated viewer called it yet ANOTHER remake of REAR WINDOW, adding: Rear Window didnt need another remake. And they werent even subtle about it. There was literally a shot of Rear Window playing on the television. I love Rear Window, which has mystery, suspense, romance and humour, and tried to watch Woman in the Window last night which had nothing fun or enjoyable about it, another brutally added. The Woman in the Window arrived on Netflix more than a year and a half after it was originally due to be released in October 2019. It was reported in July that the film was pushed to 2020 in order to accommodate five days of reshoots. Disney demanded new footage after audiences at test screenings declared it too confusing to understand. Amy Adams in The Woman in the Window (Melinda Sue Gordon / Netflix Inc. ) Author AJ Finn, a pseudonym for novelist Dan Mallory, caused a literary scandal when a New Yorker story in February 2019 alleged that he had spent years crafting untruths about his personal life while rising up the ranks of the publishing world. Also starring in the film, which was written by Tracy Letts, are Gary Oldman, Brian Tyree Henry and Anthony Mackie. Meanwhile, Netflix users are being left shocked upon clicking on new film Army of the Dead due to its lengthy runtime. Climate activist Greta Thunberg has called out Chinese state media after an article attempted to fat-shame her for being a vegetarian. In an article published last week in the China Daily, an outlet owned by the ruling Communist Party, Ms Thunberg was mocked for her weight and called an environmental princess. Although she claims to be vegetarian, judging from the results of her growth, her carbon emissions are actually not low, the article stated, which was written by writer Tang Ge, who initially posted the opinion on social media. The article did not go unnoticed by the young activist, who shared a link to a report about the incident on her Twitter on Friday. Being fat-shamed by Chinese state owned media is a pretty weird experience even by my standards. But its definitely going on my resume, she wrote. Read more: The article facing scrutiny was widely shared in Chinese media, with some accusing Ms Thunberg of having a double standard when she previously called out Chinas environmental footprint but not other countries. Earlier this month, Ms Thunberg shared an article that revealed Chinas annual emissions were greater than those of all developed nations combined in 2019. Although China was still considered a developing nation, Ms Thunberg thought drastic action was needed to address the issue. Yes, China is still categorized as a developing nation by WTO, they manufacture a lot of our products and so on. But thats of course no excuse for ruining future and present living conditions. We cant solve the climate crisis unless China drastically changes course, she wrote at the time. Ms Thunberg went on to add that the world should look at historic emissions and in context to population and emissions per capita. And developed nation[s] must lead so others can raise their living standards, while including a video showing the United States far leading cumulative emissions since 1750. The activist has been critical of other nations and world leaders for their role in the climate crisis and global emissions. Prince Harry has expressed his fear of history repeating itself while comparing his mother being chased to her death while she was in a relationship with someone that wasnt white to his relationship with Meghan Markle. The Duke of Sussex highlighted the similarities between his and the Duchess of Sussexs experiences with the media and those of his mothers while speaking with Oprah Winfrey for a new Apple TV+ docu-series titled: The Me You Cant See. During the interview, which comes just two months after the duke and duchess sat down with Winfrey for an explosive tell-all conversation on CBS, Harry spoke candidly about the couples reasons for stepping back from their roles as senior members of the royal family. According to Harry, one of the main reasons he and Meghan decided to leave was the constant harassment by the media, which frequently published stories about the duchess, who is half Black, with racially charged undertones. Within the first eight days of our relationship being made public was when they said, Harrys girl almost straight outta Compton. And that her exotic DNA will be thickening the royal blood, Harry recalled. We would get followed, photographed, chased, harassed. The stressful situation, which Harry acknowledged was worsened by social media, had an impact on Meghan, who revealed to her husband that she was beginning to have suicidal thoughts while six months pregnant with their first child, Archie. The 36-year-old then alleged that the constant, intense scrutiny of the couple, and especially Meghan, would not have ended until she dies, a fate Harry said his own mother experienced in her relationship with boyfriend, Egyptian film producer Dodi Al Fayed. History was repeating itself. My mother was chased to her death while she was in a relationship with someone that wasnt white, Harry told Winfrey. And now look whats happened. You wanna talk about history repeating itself, theyre not gonna stop until she dies. Prior to her death on 31 August 1997, Princess Diana had begun dating Al Fayed, the son of billionaire Mohamed Al-Fayed. On the night of the tragic accident, the couple, who both died as a result of the crash, were attempting to get away from paparazzi in Paris. According to Harry, when reflecting on his and Meghans experience, his biggest regret was not making more of a stance earlier on in my relationship with my wife and calling out the racism when I did. Despite Meghans mental health struggles, Harry also said that his family initially denied their requests to step away from their roles as working royals, with the duke noting that there was no option to leave. He said: Eventually when I made that decision for my family, I was still told you cant do this. And its like: Well how bad does it have to get until I am allowed to do this? She was going to end her life. It shouldnt have to get to that. Ultimately, Harry said that he and Meghan decided to put their mental health first and that thats what we will continue to do. The BBC has apologised to the Royal Family and handed back its Bafta after an official inquiry concluded that Martin Bashir used deceitful behaviour and was in serious breach of the corporations guidelines when he secured his Panorama interview with Diana, Princess of Wales. Mr Bashir broke BBC rules by mocking up fake bank statements and showing them to Dianas brother, Earl Spencer, to gain access to the princess for his explosive sit-down chat in 1995, the report said. The investigation, led for former judge Lord Dyson, said that the corporation fell short of the high standards of integrity and transparency which are its hallmark. The BBC has sent personal apologies to the Prince of Wales, the dukes of Cambridge and Sussex, and Dianas brother Earl Spencer and also handed back its Bafta it won for the interview in 1996. The BBC said in a statement: The 1995 Panorama interview received a number of awards at the time. We do not believe it is acceptable to retain these awards because of how the interview was obtained. The BBCs director-general Tim Davie has said the corporation accepts in full the findings of Lord Dysons report. The interview sent shockwaves through the monarchy at the time, with details about the state of Dianas marriage to the Prince of Wales, with the princess famously saying: Well, there were three of us in this marriage, so it was a bit crowded. In a statement Mr Davie said: I would like to thank Lord Dyson. His report into the circumstances around the 1995 interview is both thorough and comprehensive. The BBC accepts Lord Dysons findings in full. Although the report states that Diana, Princess of Wales, was keen on the idea of an interview with the BBC, it is clear that the process for securing the interview fell far short of what audiences have a right to expect. We are very sorry for this. Lord Dyson has identified clear failings. Dianas Panorama interview in 1995 sent shockwaves through the monarchy with details about the state of her marriage to the Prince of Wales (PA) While todays BBC has significantly better processes and procedures, those that existed at the time should have prevented the interview being secured in this way. The BBC should have made greater effort to get to the bottom of what happened at the time and been more transparent about what it knew. While the BBC cannot turn back the clock after a quarter of a century, we can make a full and unconditional apology. The BBC offers that today. In response to Lord Dysons findings, Mr Bashir has apologised, saying the faking of bank statements was an action I deeply regret but added he felt it had no bearing whatsoever on the personal choice by Princess Diana to take part in the interview. BBC chairman, Richard Sharp, said: The BBC board welcomes the publication of Lord Dysons report which it unreservedly accepts. There were unacceptable failures. We take no comfort from the fact that these are historic. The BBCmust uphold the highest possible standards. I want to thank Lord Dyson for the thoroughness and diligence of his work. An internal investigation by the BBC into the matter in 1996 that was carried out by the former director general Tony Hall was woefully ineffective, the report added. Lord Tony Hall has said he accepts the 1996 BBC inquiry into how Panorama secured its interview with Diana, Princess of Wales fell well short of what was required and he was wrong to give Martin Bashir the benefit of the doubt. Mr Bashir, who was the BBC News religion editor, announced last week he was quitting the BBC on health grounds after falling seriously ill with Covid-19 related complications. Additional reporting by PA Vaccinated Saudis will be allowed to leave the kingdom for the first time in more than a year on Monday as the country eases a ban on international travel aimed at containing the spread of the coronavirus and its new variants. For the past 14 months, Saudi citizens have mostly been banned from traveling abroad out of concerns that international travel could fuel the outbreak of the virus within the country of more than 30 million people. The ban, in place since March 2020, has impacted Saudi students who were studying abroad, among others. In recent months, however, the kingdom has vaccinated close to 11.5 million residents with at least one jab of the COVID-19 vaccine, making them eligible to depart the country Monday under the new guidelines. Authorities will also allow people who have recently recovered from the virus and minors under 18 years of age with travel insurance to travel abroad. Saudi travelers are required to show their health statuses to airport officials through the government's health app, Tawakkalna. Travelers returning from abroad will be required to quarantine at home and be tested for the virus. The kingdom, which has covered coronavirus-related hospitalizations for citizens and residents, imposed some of the most sweeping measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus early on in the pandemic. They include shuttering mosques and businesses for several weeks at a time, dramatically scaling down the annual hajj pilgrimage to Mecca and sealing its borders to travelers. A recent list of countries for which direct or indirect travel remains restricted, however, includes a number of high-risk nations, including Lebanon, Yemen, Iran Turkey and India. Saudis will, however, be able to once again cross into neighboring Bahrain via the King Fahd Causeway starting Monday as restrictions are eased, according to local media reports. The tiny island nation where the sale of alcohol is legal under specific rules is a popular destination for Saudi residents and others seeking a short holiday. The kingdom's flagship carrier Saudia will operate flights to 71 destinations, including 43 international destinations, starting Monday. Among them are Cairo, Sharm el-Sheikh, Dubai Kuala Lumpur, Paris, Athens, Frankfurt, Washington and New York. With limited exception, foreigners from 20 countries, including the U.S., U.K, UAE and France, remain banned from entering the kingdom. Saudi Arabia has recorded more than 430,000 cases of the virus since the start of the pandemic, including more than 7,160 deaths. Close to 1,400 people remain in critical condition with the virus. Although tourist visa holders to Saudi Arabia remain barred from entry, the kingdom is aggressively marketing its sites to would-be visitors. At Dubais in-person Arabian Travel Market show this week, Saudi Arabia is heavily marketing its Red Sea coastline and heritage sites such as the desert Al-Ula ruins and the fort of Diriyah outside Riyadh. The kingdom had opened up to international tourism in September 2019, just months before the coronavirus outbreak. ___ Batrawy reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. A woman has been jailed for six years over a series of sex offences involving a vulnerable underage boy. Laura Jane Bardsley, from Stockport, started talking with the child online during June last year and later sent him love letters. Police said the 27-year-old knew the boy was vulnerable before she engaged in conversation with him. She pretended to be a positive influence on him while a coronavirus lockdown was in place, but was secretly grooming him, according to Greater Manchester Police. Her messages to him later became sexual and she invited him into the family home she shared with her adult partner and two young children. She even took him to a hotel for a night. She began a sexual relationship with him in secret and was not found out until the boy's mother found her love letters and told police. Bardsley admitted four charges of sexual activity with a child, harassment of a child and using an illicit mobile phone in prison. She was sentenced to six years in prison at Minshull Crown Court in Manchester on Wednesday. She also received a lifetime Sexual Harm Prevention Order and will be required to sign the Sex Offender Register for life. Detective Mike Allen, of Greater Manchester Police's Complex Safeguarding Team, said: Child sexual exploitation takes many forms. "I'd like to pay tribute to the victim and his family for having the bravery to report this matter and having the willingness to give evidence even if it had gone to a trial and being prepared to face the offender. "I hope this result has repaid their confidence placed in the authorities and provides them with some justice when coming to terms with these horrible crimes." Detective Allen encouraged young people who were being innappropriately contacted by an adult online or otherwise, or anyone who suspects innappropriate contact, to report it to police or an appropriate adult such as a parent, carer or teacher. "Ensuring that victims are safeguarded and offenders face justice are our highest priorities," he said. "I hope today's sentence serves as a warning to offenders, deterring them from communicating with a child to satisfy their sexual desires." Close Government open minded about extension of furlough scheme, says Michael Gove Boris Johnson faces a major rebellion over his plans to slash foreign aid as a growing number of Tory rebels back an amendement to force the government to make up the shortfall left from the multi-billion pound cut to the UKs official development assistance. Former prime minister Theresa May and six other former cabinet ministers added their names to the 30-strong list of Conservative MPs opposing the governments plan to abandon its commitment to spending 0.7 per cent of national income on aid for some of the poorest and most unstable areas of the globe. Meanwhile, Michael Gove said the government was open minded about continuing the furlough scheme beyond September, ahead of a meeting later where Nicola Sturgeon plans to push for an extension. No 10 has refused to guarantee that a ban on hormone-injected beef will remain in place in the trade deal with Australia, set to be sealed within weeks. Boris Johnsons spokesman insisted the UK will not compromise on our animal welfare or food standards but declined, four times, to give an explicit commitment on the use of hormones. Instead, he said only that food allowed in under future deals will have to comply with our import requirements, without setting out what they would be. The words fell far short of the guarantee given, last year, by both Liz Truss, the trade secretary, and the environment secretary George Eustice who are now locked in a fierce spat over the Australia deal. In November, the pair wrote: Chlorinated chicken and hormone-injected beef are already banned in the UK and we will not negotiate to remove that ban in a trade deal. Australia is known to have demanded, as far back as 2018, that Britain accepts hormone-treated beef imports as the price of a symbolic early post-Brexit trade agreement. The practice is widespread in Australia and the EU has claimed at least one of the hormones used by cattle farmers is carcinogenic something fiercely disputed by Canberra. The government has guaranteed that any changes to existing food safety legislation would require new legislation to be brought before parliament. But some MPs remain suspicious that changes could be made using regulations, rather than primary legislation using so-called Henry VIII powers to bypass MPs. Anne McIntosh, a Conservative peer and campaigner, told The Independent: The government must honour its commitment to keep the trust of the British people, one million of whom signed the petition calling for such a safeguard. That means no entry for any beef from Australia or elsewhere produced with hormones or in other ways does not meet our standards. Emily Thornberry, Labours shadow trade secretary, said: The British people need to know whether meat imports from Australia treated with growth-promoting antibiotics and hormones will benefit from the tariff reductions the government is proposing. Lord Curry of Kirkharle, who carried out a landmark food review for Tony Blair, said current trade of Australian beef and lamb to the UK was small-scale. But he warned: A lot can change over a 15 year timetable. The much bigger issue is the precedent that is being set for future deals, particularly the US but also Brazil, Uruguay and other South American countries. The National Farmers Union has reacted angrily to an apparent Cabinet agreement to offer Australia a zero-tariff, zero quota trade deal, despite farmers fears of ruin. Mr Johnson is believed to have given the go-ahead for the offer to be made, settling a major Cabinet row and overruling the concerns of Mr Eustice and Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove. The full removal of tariffs and quotas is only like to happen after up to 15 years in an attempt to calm the protests of worried farming groups. But Minette Batters, the NFU president, said: If accurate, this will have a massive impact on British farming and we are still waiting to hear from government. A tariff-free trade deal with Australia will jeopardise our own farming industry and will cause the demise of many, many beef and sheep farms throughout the UK. This is true whether tariffs are dropped immediately or in 15 years time. In the early days of the pandemic, New Jersey Rep. Tom Malinowski scolded those looking to capitalize on the health crisis, saying it was not the time for anybody to be profiting from selling goods to combat the pandemic. The two-term Democrat did not heed his own admonition. Since early 2020, Malinowski has bought or sold as much as $1 million of stock in medical and tech companies that had a stake in the virus response, records show. The trades were just one slice of as much as $3.2 million in trades he did not properly disclose. The issue of congressional stock trading took on a new urgency last year when at least three senators were the subject of inquiries about whether they made financial decisions based on insider information. Though no one was charged, their dealings stirred outrage and highlighted the limitations of the Stock Act, a 2012 law intended to curtail congressional stock trading. Malinowskis trades received little attention at the time. Yet his failure to report his activity to Congress as required by law, which was first reported by Business Insider, have made him the latest to face scrutiny. He snapped up securities at bargain prices after markets plunged profiting when valuations recovered. In other cases, he sold shares before they fell substantially, according to an analysis of a list of Malinowski's 2020 trades released by his office. He also engaged in the controversial practice of short selling stocks, placing bets that the values of specific businesses would decline. It boggles my mind why hes doing it, said Richard Painter a University of Minnesota law professor who served as President George W. Bushs ethics attorney. There is no indication Malinowski acted on inside information. Still, its difficult to assess the full scope of his financial activity. Nearly six months after 2020 drew to a close, mandatory reports to Congress detailing his trades have not been made public. In an interview Thursday, Malinowski said his broker handles all of his trading decisions and he does not speak to the firm about specific transactions. His office provided a statement from the firm stating that it made trades without Congressman Malinowskis input or prior knowledge. At no point in the last 25 years have I directed, suggested, or even asked questions about a particular trade being made by my brokerage firm, Malinowski said. He also said he was in the process of setting up a blind trust to hold his financial portfolio, which he will have no control over. Painter noted that Malinowski had ultimate control over his account when the trades were made, a fact the congressman acknowledged. Of course he is going to say his broker makes all the decisions, Painter said. The Stock Act passed with bipartisan support 2012 in the wake of a stock trading scandal. The law forbids members from using inside information and requires that all stock trades be reported to Congress within 45 days. Yet in the nearly 10 years since it was enacted, no one has been prosecuted under it even as many members continue to conspicuously trade. Trades by Malinowski follow a familiar, albeit less overt, pattern when compared with others who have drawn scrutiny. In March 2020, he bought between $190,000 and $625,000 worth of stock as the virus drove a market collapse, records show. Some of the companies he invested in were developing COVID-19 testing, or therapeutics to combat illnesses caused by the disease. Last June, he bought between $1,001 and $15,000 worth of shares of TFF Pharmaceuticals, which is developing an antibody treatment. They have nearly doubled in value since. In November, he sold between $15,001 and $50,000 worth of stock in drug maker Merck, which he had not previously disclosed owning. The companys value later tumbled after it announced it would end efforts to develop a COVID-19 vaccine. I dont think it would be possible for any investor in the market to instruct their broker not to take into account the most important thing happening in the economy, Malinowski said of the pandemic. But it is Malinowskis short selling of stocks that government watchdogs find particularly troubling. A short sale is a stock transaction where an investor borrows shares in a company and sells them in hopes of buying them back later at a lower price and pocketing the difference. Its a practice that during the pandemic has come under criticism because it has the potential to throttle existing market anxiety, drive rumor and lead to irrational buying decisions that could harm solid companies. There is merit to banning short selling during a crisis period, said Xu Jiang, a Duke University business school professor. It can drive rumors and take down viable firms. Malinowski has been a prolific short seller throughout his time in Congress. A recent disclosure reveals he short sold between $62,000 and $230,000 worth of stock in at least six companies in 2021. Whether Malinowskis trading will pose a liability with voters will be tested as he campaigns for a third term. Republican Sens. David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler of Georgia both lost their runoff bids for the Senate in January after their own stock trades became a major campaign issue. Both were investigated by the Justice Department, but ultimately cleared. Perdue had dumped between $1 million and $5 million worth of stock in a company where he was formerly a board member. After markets crashed, he bought it back and earned a windfall after its price skyrocketed. Loeffler and her husband dumped millions of dollars in stock following a briefing on the virus. Despite the spate of cases, congressional leaders have shown little appetite for strengthening stock trading rules. Yet the temptation to use insider information remains. We are constantly apprised, before the public has the information, about what specific provisions might benefit particular entities, said Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., who sponsored a bill that would ban lawmakers from stock trading. After 38 years, an arrest has been made in the cold case murder of a Houston woman who was found dead in Montgomery County, Texas. Thomas Elvin Darnell, 75, of Kansas City, Kansas, has been arrested and charged with capital murder in connection with the killing of Laura Marie Purchase. On 17 March 1983, the body of a naked woman was found by a Sheriffs Office deputy investigating a fire in a wooded area near Conroe. An autopsy revealed she had been sexually assaulted and strangled before being set on fire. Traces of a mans DNA were also found. As the body had been burned, it took three years for the FBI to match fingerprints to those of Ms Purchase, who had been reported missing. It was originally thought that Ms Purchase was a victim of serial killer Henry Lee Lucas, who confessed to the crime in 1983 and was convicted of it in 1986. However, in 2007, the Sheriffs Office Cold Case Squad resubmitted the unknown males DNA found during the initial investigation. Lucas, and his alleged codefendant Otis Elwood Toole, were subsequently eliminated from the investigation based on their DNA samples. Similar to the case of the Golden State Killer in California, in October 2019 investigators sent the DNA evidence in for genealogy testing, essentially establishing a family tree for their unknown suspect. By cross-referencing data, Mr Darnell was identified as a potential suspect and a DNA search warrant was obtained. Montgomery County Cold Case Detectives went to Kansas on 17 March 2021, 38 years later to the day of the death of Ms Purchase, and collected a known DNA sample from Mr Darnell. On 30 April 30, his DNA sample was positively matched to the DNA collected from the crime scene. An arrest warrant for capital murder was issued in Montgomery County and Mr Darnell was arrested at his home on 11 May, a release states. On 20 May, he was extradited to Texas and booked into the Montgomery County Sheriffs Office jail on capital murder charges with no bond. Henry Lee Lucas was convicted of murdering 11 people between 1960 and 1983. Originally sentenced to death for the 1979 murder of Debra Jackson, his sentence was commuted to life imprisonment in 1998. He died of heart failure in 2001. Mexico has made little headway defusing a bizarre standoff over the possible arrest of a a sitting state governor facing charges of tax evasion, money laundering and organized crime But President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador made one thing clear Thursday: Any diplomatic documents the United States sends to Mexico are at risk of being published by the president himself. Mexico is already facing questions about the clarity of its legal system, and doubts about whether the U.S. can continue to share intelligence with Mexican officials. But this week's dispute over border state Gov. Francisco Garcia Cabeza de Vaca threatens to do damage on both fronts. A disagreement between courts, prosecutors and state and federal legislatures make it unclear whether the Tamaulipas state governor can be arrested, or whether he still enjoys immunity from prosecution as an elected official. The federal Congress dominated by the president's Morena party has voted to remove his immunity. The state legislature dominated by the opposition refused to recognize that, and the Supreme Court has refused to step into the dispute. It raises the possibility that if Garcia Cabeza de Vaca leaves Tamaulipas, he might face arrest; or if federal agents try to arrest him inside Tamaulipas, they could face resistance from the sizable state police force. Lopez Obrador suggested on Thursday drawing a fourth entity, the Senate into the dispute, although its powers in this case are also unclear. Federal prosecutors said Wednesday they had obtained an arrest warrant and the governor's bank accounts have been frozen. The governor is a prominent figure in Mexico's embattled conservative opposition, which claims the charges against him amount to political persecution. Lopez Obrador says it is a classic case of the corruption he has promised to root out. So eager is Lopez Obrador to see the governor arrested that he displayed a copy of a May 4 letter sent by the U.S. Embassys legal attache asking for information on Garcia Cabeza de Vaca as part of a U.S. money laundering investigation. Despite diplomatic protocols that usually regard such letters as confidential and Mexicos own confidentiality laws that prohibit naming suspects unless they are convicted the president projected a copy of the letter on a big screen at his daily morning press conference. Along with the governor, the letter named at least 20 other individuals and companies, though it is unclear whether they have been charged. Technically in Mexico, releasing files from an ongoing case or investigation is itself a crime. The president acknowledged that his own legal team had previously discouraged him from releasing such files, but said he had to do it to avoid Mexico becoming the laughingstock of other nations for not doing enough to combat money laundering. Lopez Obrador has published sensitive U.S. documents in the past. In January, he ordered the publication of 751 pages of a case file received from the United States against Mexicos former defense secretary, Gen. Salvador Cienfuegos Zepeda, whom U.S. prosecutors had charged with drug trafficking. All of the pages were marked: Shared per court order, not for further distribution. In that case. Lopez Obrador accused the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration of fabricating the accusations and displaying a lack of professionalism in their investigation. Under the pressure of Mexicos implicit threats to restrict or expel U.S. agents, U.S. prosecutors dropped their case so Cienfuegos could be returned to Mexico and investigated under Mexican law. Mexico quickly dropped the investigation with no charges. Even though the U.S. yielded on Cienfuegos, Mexicos Congress a few weeks later passed a law that restricts U.S. agents in Mexico and removed their diplomatic immunity. Experts say those restrictions could sour the security relationship with the United States, which provides much of Mexico's intelligence on drug trafficking and money laundering cases. Lopez Obrador has been angered because past corruption cases usually wind up getting prosecuted, if at all, in the United States, which is where corrupt politicians in Mexico usually store their cash. That also means U.S. prosecutors get to keep any seized cash, something that really angers Lopez Obrador. Several former Tamaulipas governors have faced corruption charges. Organized crime groups have long had deep roots in the state and numerous politicians have been implicated in dealings with them. Former Gov. Tomas Yarrington of the Institutional Revolutionary Party was extradited to the U.S. from Italy in 2018 to face drug trafficking charges. U.S. officials also have tried to extradite the governor who succeeded Yarrington in 2005, Eugenio Hernandez, to face money laundering charges. Federal prosecutors claim Garcia Cabeza de Vaca owns a large number of luxury properties that it says don't jibe with the income from his government jobs over the last 20 years. Mexicos agency for curbing money laundering, the Financial Intelligence Unit, said in a report to Congress earlier this year that Garcia Cabeza de Vaca earned about $2 million in wages and $1 million in other income since 2000, but acquired properties worth many times that. It also mentioned properties owned by the governor or his relatives in Texas. In a video in March, the governor said None of the homes that were shown in the report belong to me," adding I have no links to organized crime. One person was killed and eight were injured Thursday in an apparent migrant smuggling attempt off San Diego s tony La Jolla coast, authorities said. Lifeguards rescued 10 people in what the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department called rough water conditions, including eight who were hospitalized. Some of the migrants wore life vests. One person who was found underwater was pronounced dead on the beach. The fire department in a statement said it did not know how many people were aboard the boat. Lifeguards were alerted that people were in the water around 5:30 a.m., minutes before sunrise. The boat was in waters just offshore from Wipeout Beach, off the coast from multimillion-dollar homes, shops and in an area that is popular with surfers, swimmers, walkers and runners. The fire department said survivors were turned over to U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Earlier this month, a recreational cabin cruiser overloaded with 32 people capsized off the San Diego coast, killing three people in a smuggling attempt. Smuggling off the California coast has ebbed and flowed over the years but has long been a risky alternative for migrants to avoid heavily guarded land borders. Small boats with single- or twin-engines known as pangas enter from Mexico in the dead of night, sometimes heading hundreds of miles north. Recreational boats, like the one that capsized earlier this month, try to mix in unnoticed with fishing and pleasure vessels during the day. The Supreme Courts decision on Monday to hear a case about a Mississippi law that would ban most abortions after 15 weeks could end up weakening or even overturning Roe v Wade. Depending on the ruling, legal abortion access could effectively end for those living in much of the American South and Midwest, especially those who are poor, according to an analysis updated this week. In more than half of states, though, legal abortion access would be unchanged, according to the analysis, a version of which we first covered in 2019. (We have updated our reporting along with the analysis.) A post-Roe United States isnt one in which abortion isnt legal at all, Caitlin Knowles Myers, an economist at Middlebury College and a co-author of the research, said in our earlier report. She obtained and analyzed the new data for The New York Times recently. Its one in which theres tremendous inequality in abortion access. Today there is at least one abortion clinic in every state, and most women of childbearing age live within an hours drive or so of one, the analysis found. If Roe were overturned, abortion would be likely to quickly become illegal in 22 states. Forty-one percent of women of childbearing age would see the nearest abortion clinic close, and the average distance they would have to travel to reach one would be 279 miles, up from 35 miles now. As distances to clinics increase, abortion rates decline, research shows. Women who cant afford to travel to a legal clinic or arrange child care or leave from work for the trip are most affected. Also, remaining clinics would not necessarily be able to handle increased demand. A study from a different research team on the effects of abortion clinic closings in Wisconsin showed a similar relationship between increased drive times and the number of abortions performed at clinics. Without Roe, the number of legal abortions in the United States would be at least 14 per cent lower, Ms Myers and her colleagues estimated. That could mean about 100,000 fewer legal abortions a year, they found. The number is impossible to predict precisely, because new clinics could open on state borders, and some people could order abortion pills by mail, or obtain illegal surgical abortions, which may be dangerous. Ordering pills by mail has become easier during the pandemic: The Biden administration has said doctors can use telemedicine to prescribe pills that cause abortions early in pregnancy. The doctors can then mail the pills directly to patients, easing the usual requirement for an in-person visit. That could increase abortion access in states that continue to allow the procedure, but the policy is tied to the Covid-19 public health emergency, and is not permanent. States that seek to ban or regulate abortions could restrict telemedicine abortions, too, and many already do. The Mississippi law that the Supreme Court will consider would ban most abortions after 15 weeks (women usually find out theyre pregnant after at least four weeks). That is about two months earlier than Roe and later decisions allow a ban (the exceptions are for a medical emergency or severe fetal abnormality). The justices will consider whether laws restricting abortions earlier than the Roe threshold of fetal viability are unconstitutional. The court could decide to reaffirm Roe; or to chip away at abortion rights while upholding Roe; or to overturn it completely. Legal scholars said the appointment of Justice Amy Coney Barrett, who replaced Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg last year, might have changed the calculus of whats possible, as has the courts decision to take this case. The decision is likely to be delivered sometime next year. In her confirmation hearings, Ms Barrett declined to give her views on abortion law. If the Mississippi law is upheld, it will allow other states to enact or enforce similar laws. In the last few years, many states have passed laws limiting access to abortion. Governor Greg Abbott of Texas on Wednesday signed a bill that would ban abortion as early as six weeks into a pregnancy, and allow individuals to sue abortion providers who break the law. Analysts said that it was a new strategy intended to slow down abortion providers by forcing them to respond to lawsuits. I think its more likely now that we would see them frontally reverse Roe v Wade than even a year ago, said Katherine Franke, director of the center for gender and sexuality law at Columbia. But they dont need to. They could certainly accomplish the same end by keeping Roe on paper, but they would have hollowed it out so entirely that it would give a green light to conservative state legislatures to enact laws that essentially overrule Roe. Anti-abortion activists and politicians who have sought the elimination of Roe have long pinned their hopes on this strategy, because passing abortion restrictions through Congress has proved difficult. Nationwide, a majority of Americans support legal abortion access in some or all cases. But in addition to restrictions based on time limits, as in Mississippi, states have passed laws that require abortion providers to have hospital admitting privileges; require women seeking abortions to wait for long intervals; or restrict the kinds of abortion procedures that are allowed. It would be a whole lot better for abortion policy if the states were allowed to have their regulations stood up and unchallenged, Charmaine Yoest, a former president of Americans United for Life, said in our earlier report. You would have the laws reflecting the folks in those states, and thats what American federalism is supposed to be. Ms Yoest noted that not every state that would pursue new abortion regulations would necessarily ban the procedure. Long travel distances are already a challenge for women in some areas. In parts of Missouri and Mississippi, where state officials have worked hard to limit abortions, many women live 250 or more miles from the nearest abortion clinic, far enough that their access wouldnt be changed much if abortion were outlawed. In other parts of the country, like the Northeast and the West Coast, where there isnt much support for abortion restrictions, abortion access is also unlikely to change. Ten states have passed so-called trigger laws, which would automatically ban all abortions without Roe. An additional 12 states are considered highly likely to pass new abortion bans in a new legal environment, based on recent legislative action and state court rulings. In a post-Roe United States, greater power to regulate abortion is turned to the states, Ms Myers said, and state politics becomes even more important. The New York Times Surges in violence and scenes of civilian suffering are testing President Joe Bidens resolve to wrench Americas foreign policy focus and troops away from the hotspots of the Middle East and Afghanistan and giving ammunition to Bidens political rivals at home. Biden and his supporters say that by shifting the U.S. military and diplomatic focus from the regions bogged-down conflicts, hes bringing an overdue end to failed policies that often only prolonged strife, and that the stepped-back U.S. engagement already is encouraging countries to resolve disputes on their own. But fighting has flared recently in some of the areas affected by Bidens pivot. The Israel-Gaza war has exploded just as Biden has tried to step back, creating scenes of crushed bodies and flattened homes and a growing rift in Biden's own party about whether he should do more. Israel and Hamas announced a cease-fire Thursday in airstrikes and rocket attacks that have killed at least 230 Palestinians and 12 in Israel. Fears of a Taliban takeover and renewed civil war are building ahead of Biden's troop withdrawal in Afghanistan. And outside desert cities under siege in Yemen Iranian-backed Houthi rebels are pressing an offensive as Biden ends U.S. military support for a 6-year Saudi-led war there. This is the fruit of the policy of U.S. President Joe Biden Yemeni journalist Walid al Rajhi tweeted this month after shelling from Iran-allied Houthi rebels on the walled city of Taiz. He was echoing a claim that fighters in a besieged Yemeni government stronghold, Marib, also are making to visiting news crews: that Biden's military pullback and overtures to the rebels have only emboldened the Iranian-allied Houthis to press for decisive battlefield victories. How resolutely Biden carries out the pivot, and what happens in the hotspots after will shape his foreign policy legacy. Biden seems to be gambling that even if violence flares in the Middle East and Afghanistan as the U.S. shifts primary focus away, that's a price worth paying to extract the U.S. from regional conflicts as greater challenges emerge elsewhere. Blame already is in no short supply. Americans decisions hurt us, and we hope that the Americans will go back on their decision, Lt. Gen. Sagheer bin Aziz, chief of staff of the Yemen army, said in one such battlefield interview, with CNN Republicans say the same. Bidens moves have only encouraged Houthi aggression, a lesson the administration should remember with the Iranian regime, Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas tweeted. And as fighting between Israel and Palestinian militant groups surged to its highest level since 2014, heartland Democratic lawmakers this week joined progressives in pushing Biden to wade back into intensive U.S. diplomacy. More will unnecessarily perish if America does not act with the immediacy this violence demands, Rep. David Price, a North Carolina Democrat, told Biden in a letter signed by 138 others. Israel's announcement of a cease-fire came a day after Biden briefly and sharply increased public pressure on Israel, calling then for significant de-escalation within hours. Biden's remarks Thursday praising Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's decision to bring the current hostilities to a close within less than 11 days were back in line with U.S. presidents' strong support for ally Israel. Biden calls it essential for the United States to pull back from its efforts to police Middle East conflicts and turn to dealing with long-term priorities. That includes competition with China and climate change. No one wants to say that we should be in Afghanistan forever, but they insist now is not the right moment to leave, Biden said last month in setting a Sept. 11 deadline for U.S. military withdrawal. 'Not now' thats how we got here," Biden said of the 20-year U.S. deployment in Afghanistan that has left the Taliban still undefeated and the Afghan government still vulnerable. For the administration and its supporters, the answer is pulling out of stalemated, costly wars, and managing Middle East diplomatic efforts so that foreign policy efforts don't rack up air miles in years of fruitless shuttle diplomacy in peace processes that combatants often don't want. When it comes to Yemens war, for example, At some point you have to accept what the facts on the ground are telling you, said Sen. Chris Murphy, a Connecticut Democrat who met with Gulf and U.S. officials in a tour of the region this month. The United States was involved for six to seven years, and Yemen during that period of time moved further and further away from peace. Since 9/11, all we have done through fighting war after war in the region is to make our country less safe, Murphy said. So yeah, it may take some adjustment if the United States decides to remember how it protected its interests prior to 2001." The Biden administration points to intensive efforts by its diplomats for Yemen peace talks despite the end of military support. On Thursday the U.S. imposed sanctions on two Houthi leaders in the offensive on Marib. Murphy argues U.S. efforts to ease confrontation with Iran already are promoting conciliation attempts on the ground. That includes Saudi Arabia this year reaching out to top rival Iran and to fellow Arab grudge partner Qatar, after President Donald Trump gleefully backed Saudi Arabia in intense confrontation with both. Even before Biden came to power and sought to calm tensions, Arab rulers, including the United Arab Emirates', had realized that teaming up in Trump's maximum-pressure campaign on Iran had only spurred it and its allies to double down on attacks, said Ali Vaez, the International Crisis Group's Iran project director and a former U.N. official. I do think that the United States is not looking at the region as a priority anymore, said Marwan Muasher, a former foreign minister of Jordan. But some smart U.S. engagement will be crucial, he said. The Biden administration should not do more on the peace process between Israel and the Palestinians, Muasher said. It just should do things differently. More rockets were fired at Israel from Gaza over the past 11 days than the entirety of the seven-week 2014 war, according to the armys count. Nearly a quarter of them landed on Ashkelon alone. It is a stark statistic, keenly felt in the southern Israeli city which lies under 15km from the border crossing with Gaza and so is the closest heavily populated area to the strip. Standing beside the clawed out remains of her house that took a direct hit on Thursday, Sigal the owner says they have 30 seconds to scramble to a shelter when the sirens go off. Thats if you have a shelter, she adds, her frightened dog whimpering by her side. The ground shakes sporadically from nearby rockets, the dull thud of intercepted missiles sounds overhead. We have never experienced such an intense number of rockets ever than this week. We want this to end and everyone on both sides of the border, women and children on both sides, to be safe, she added. The residents of Ashkelon are well versed in rocket fire but this round of ferocious fighting, which ended in a tentative ceasefire Friday morning, has seen an unprecedented amount of rockets land in Israel and on the city. In fact, Ashkelon is the hardest hit town in the whole of Israel, according to the mayor Tomer Glam who, while doing the rounds of the damaged homes, told The Independent more than 930 rockets had been fired at residents in the last 11 days alone. Two women, one of them in her 80s, were killed in Ashkelon during this round of violence. Two more are seriously injured, the mayor added. Pedestrians run to a bomb shelter as sirens blare to warn of incoming missiles fire from the Gaza Strip (AP) And that is why he wants investment in the city before another conflict erupts: despite the bombardment on Ashkelon, it does not have the same level of protection as areas closer to the border. About a quarter of the 160,000 inhabitants of Ashkelon dont have bomb shelters, Mayor Glam told The Independent beside one bombed-out building. In the areas immediately around Gaza every household and many streets have shelters, because they are so close to the rocket fire. But its now clear, [the militants] are firing at Ashkelon because it is the most heavily populated closest city. He made a direct appeal to Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu for help building more shelters in the city. We now have to be considered as part of that Gaza [envelope], he added. The fierce 11 days of fighting apparently drew to a close with a ceasefire between the two sides. Over 240 people were killed in Gaza, including 66 children and 39 women according to the Gaza health ministry. Medics in Israel said 12 were killed, including the two women in Ashkelon. Israels military said approximately 4,340 rockets have been fired from the Gaza Strip at Israel with approximately 640 falling short. Israel's Iron Dome anti-missile system intercept rocket launched from the Gaza Strip (REUTERS) The army is believed to have hit well over 800 targets in Gaza, a tiny, blockaded strip home to nearly 2 million people. Because of the intense rocket fire after the last war in 2014 with Gaza, Mr Netanyahu presided over a huge project to build reinforced homes, and shelters for those living in Israel around 7km from Gaza. But Hamas rockets appear to have improved and are now raining down on Ashkelon about double the distance away. Sources told Israeli newspaper Haaretz that previous requests to the Prime Ministers Office and Finance Ministry for protection in communities like Ashkelon were repeatedly rejected for financial reasons. On Friday, after mounting pressure and public appeals from the mayor, Mr Netanyahu announced he would be assigning a budget for Ashkelon. The coastal city has a sweeping beach front and shopping malls but also poorer neighbourhoods. In the 1990s there was massive influx of Russian citizens, so Russian is in some areas a common language. It is certainly heard in the more weathered and impoverished parts of the city where residents say no one has bomb shelters. I just run to the back of my shop and hope for the best, says Egal, 46 who owns a mini-market along a strip. All these buildings are older and have no shelters. The block of flats opposite has one underground but the higher floors have none. Members of the Vaizel family and their dogs, stand inside a bomb shelter in their house in Ashkelon (REUTERS) Across town at the site of another recent rocket attack on a street Charlie, 55, a chef says that the saving grace for residents of the city is Israels Iron Dome air defence system, that first became operational in 2011 and has been maintained by $1.6 billion of US funding. Shortly after the ceasefire, US President Joe Biden promised to help Israel replenish the pricey guided interceptors, which according to the army, have shot down up to 90 per cent of the rockets Hamas and other Gaza-based militant groups have lobbed at cities in Israel. Charlie said that while everyone in the city is desperate for peace, a large part support extended military action in Gaza to finally stop Hamas capacity to fire relentlessly at them. Not everyone has shelter and so we put our faith in the Iron Dome, its our protector, the father-of-four says near the site of the rocket hit. We know the next round will be much harder. It gets harder and harder every year. The people in the south need this to stop happening. Additional reporting by Samir al-Sharif It is looking increasingly unlikely that tourism favourites Spain, Greece, Italy and France will make the UKs travel green list in the next update, despite the justice secretarys claim that the government is very keen to see as many countries as possible make the list. It means more opportunities for holidaymakers, and the ease of transport that clearly makes a holiday a much more pleasant experience, so well continue, where we see the evidence, to add countries, Robert Buckland told Sky News. Meanwhile, the Scottish government has taken a different approach the four UK Chief Medical Officers have said that green-list status should be the exception, rather than the rule, with countries added to the list only where there are very good reasons for doing so. The green list of countries from where travellers face no quarantine when they arrive back into the UK is currently limited to just 12 destinations. Boris Johnson has said that quite a few countries could be added in the first review of the traffic light system, due to take place in the first week of June, reports The Telegraph. He reportedly made the remarks at a meeting of the 1922 Conservative backbench committee, indicating that near misses that were almost designated green initially were likely to make the cut this time round. The contenders are thought to include Malta, Finland, Grenada, the Cayman Islands, Fiji, the British Virgin Islands, Antigua and Barbuda, St Kitts and Nevis, Turks and Caicos and Anguilla. But most of the tourism hotspots of Europe Croatia, Spain, Italy, France and Greece look unlikely to shift from amber to green on the next reshuffle. The Department for Transport has yet to take an islands approach, distinguishing between, for example, the Canary Islands and Spain, despite infection rates being much lower in the former. Mr Buckland said that he thought a lot of the public could be trusted to self-isolate after visiting an amber list country. He told ITV's Good Morning Britain: I think a lot of people can be relied upon to do the right thing when they come back and self-isolate. But he added: I think we've got to keep on repeating those messages: green is go, enjoy yourself. Amber is a no. International leisure travel became legal again on 17 May in Britain under a traffic light system. Countries have been classified as green, amber or red based on risk levels and assigned restrictions of varying severity accordingly. Although it is no longer illegal to go on holiday abroad, the government has stressed that only green list destinations should be visited for recreational purposes. Boris Johnson said during PMQs on 19 May: It is very, very clear you should not be going to an 'amber list' country except for some extreme circumstance, such as the serious illness of a family member. You should not be going to an 'amber list' country on holiday. Meanwhile, transport secretary Grant Shapps described red list countries as those which should not be visited except in the most extreme of circumstances. This has led to some confusion for British travellers, many of whom have questioned why countries arent merely split into red or green. In 10 days Heathrow airport will reopen one of its dormant terminals specifically for arrivals from red list countries. Currently, passengers landing at the main arrival point for the UK often mingle with lower risk travellers, before those from high-risk red list nations are taken to hotels to quarantine for 11 nights. With passenger numbers a small fraction of normal levels, Heathrow is using only half of its four terminals, 2 and 5. But from 1 June, direct flights from any of the 43 red list countries primarily the UAE, Turkey and India will be received at Terminal 3. Passengers will be processed before continuing to their hotels. A Heathrow spokesperson said: Red list routes will likely be a feature of UK travel for the foreseeable future as countries vaccinate their populations at different rates. Were adapting Heathrow to this longer-term reality by initially opening a dedicated arrivals facility in Terminal 3 from 1 June for red list passengers arriving on direct flights. We will move this facility to Terminal 4 as soon as operationally possible. While opening this facility will be very challenging logistically, our hope is that it will enable Border Force to carry out its duties more efficiently as passenger volumes increase in line with the green list. The move is in response to a demand by the transport secretary, Grant Shapps, to separate arrivals from red list nations. But the change will not solve the problem of red list arrivals travelling indirectly. When the red list was first imposed, passengers were banned from travelling on direct flights from high-risk countries to the UK, even though many of these flights continued either for freight, or to pick up travellers departing from the UK. This led to passengers from the UAE and other red list countries routing themselves via other hubs greatly increasing the number of interactions and possible risk. After representations from The Independent, the Department for Transport (DfT) changed its policy and now allows passengers to travel direct. Heathrow executives are exasperated by the attitude of the government and UK Border Force, and the arrangements they put in place. On Thursday the chief executive, John Holland-Kaye, told Sky News the Home Office and UK Border Force need to get a grip on airport checks. Since 1963, The Independent has helped create a great community! Since our founding in September of 1963, The Independent has been dedicated to giving Livermore, Pleasanton, Dublin, and Sunol readers the news they need to be in-the-know about what's going on in the Tri-Valley region. Index-Journal Careers PART-TIME POSITION available in our packaging area. Job responsibilities include putting inserts into the newspaper. Must have a positive attitude and be a team player. Applicants must be able to: lift up to 20-lbs; stand for long periods of time; be available to work Sunday thru Friday, late evening to early morning hours; pass drug screen. The central government has lately come under a lot of criticism over the new rule that increased the gap between two doses of Covishield vaccine to 12-16 weeks, from the earlier 8-week gap, while there were no changes in the dosage interval for Covaxin. The ambiguity over the decision has now been cleared by Dr Balram Bhargava, the head of Indian Council for Medical Research, who said that the gap between both the doses of Covaxin was unchanged as the immunity achieved after the first shot is not as high as the other vaccines. Reuters 3-month gap for Covishield mandatory Bhargava, justifying the Centres decision to make the 3-month gap for Covishield mandatory, said that the immunity found after the first shot of the vaccine manufactured by Serum Institute of India was found to be strong. However, the immunity level produced after the first dose of Covaxin is not as high and "this means the second dose should be taken after four weeks to ensure full efficacy", the TOI report quoted him as saying. AFP The ICMR chief further said that scientists and experts are still in the learning stages of what could possibly work best against the Covid-19 virus. 'With Covaxin, not too many antibodies' Vaccines against Covid-19 first came on December 15. We are very new, and are learningtrials are still on. It is an evolving science. By giving the first dose of Covaxin, you do not achieve too many antibodies. You achieve it after the second dose. With Covishield, antibodies are achieved at good levels, Bhargava said, according to The Hindu. AP Covishield, Covaxin and Sputnik V are the three vaccines that the DGCI has approved for emergency use in the country. Covaxin is an indigenous vaccine being manufactured by Hyderabad-based biotechnology company, Bharat Biotech. Pune-based Serum Institute of India is manufacturing Covishield -- the local version of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine. Sputnik V has been approved to be imported from Russia by Dr Reddy's but is yet to be widely available in the country. An Indian Air Force pilot was killed after a MiG-21 Bison aircraft crashed in Punjab's Moga district on Friday morning, during a routine sortie from Suratgarh. A senior IAF officer said that the incident took place around 1 a.m. The MiG-21 crashed at Langiana Khurd village of Baghapurana in Moga. BCCL What happened? "There was an aircraft accident last night involving a Bison aircraft of the IAF in the western sector. The pilot, Sqn Ldr Abhinav Choudhary, sustained fatal injuries. IAF condoles the tragic loss and stands firmly with the bereaved family," the Air Force said. A Court of Inquiry has been ordered to ascertain the cause of the accident. Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) May 21, 2021 "A Court of Inquiry (CoI) has been ordered to investigate the cause of the incident," officials said. .@IAF_MCC s mig -21 crashed in Moga, Punjab. Pilot lost his life in the crash.pic.twitter.com/k8GH5rrXH0 Sandeep Singh (@PunYaab) May 21, 2021 Though the exact cause of Friday's crash is still unknown, over the years MIG-21s have gained an ill-reputation for being unsafe and are at times referred to as 'flying coffins. Third crash involving MIG-21 Bison This was the third crash the IAF had suffered in 2021 involving a MIG-21 Bison. BCCL/ File In March, a Group Captain of the IAF was killed in an accident involving a MiG-21 aircraft at an airbase in central India. Group Captain A Gupta was killed in the accident. A court of inquiry was ordered to determine the cause of the accident. In January, a MiG-21 aircraft of the Indian Air Force crashed near Suratgarh in Rajasthan. The pilot of the aircraft managed to eject safely from the aircraft. 2019 was probably the deadliest year for the IAF when it comes to MIG-21 when 13 aircraft had crashed, and 20 personnel were killed. BCCL/ File In 2019, September alone there were two crashes involving IAF MIG-21s. Developed by the erstwhile USSR, the single-engine MiG-21 was inducted into the IAF in 1963, and despite its track record, has remained a key in the Air Force's armory all these years. Before the induction of the British-origin Hawks, MiG-21s accounted for half of the total flying hours of the IAF. BCCL It is also worth mentioning that Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman was flying a MIG-21 when he took to the air on 27 February 2019 to intercept an intrusion by Pakistan Air Force in Jammu and Kashmir. In the dogfight that followed, Abhinandan shot down a much advanced and modern F-16 before his own aircraft crashed inside POK. Prime Minister Narendra Modi became emotional while paying condolences to those who lost their lives during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Prime Minister, while interacting with doctors, paramedical staff and other frontline health workers of his parliamentary constituency Varanasi said, "COVID-19 has snatched many of our loved ones from us. I pay my respect to the people who died of COVID-19 and express my condolences to their beavered families." Screengrab Interacting with the frontline workers, Prime Minister had to take multiple pauses and was seemingly emotional, trying hard to fight back tears. A very emotional appeal by Honourable PM @narendramodi to all elected representatives - To be patient & compassionate with every citizen. These are trying times and it becomes the duty of elected representatives to address & resolve the issues of people. #IndiaFightsCorona pic.twitter.com/weyNr64TBX Priti Gandhi - (@MrsGandhi) May 21, 2021 However, social media was divided on PM Modi's emotional outburst. PM @narendramodi got emotional during his address to Doctors earlier today .. Cant PM get emotional ? Isnt it Natural Naveen Kapoor ANI (@IamNaveenKapoor) May 21, 2021 #CrocodileTears PM Modi Gets Emotional While Interacting With Varanasi Doctors.he deserves an Oscar Award . pic.twitter.com/YZwtk2Z8BQ language_by_heart (@simuaggarwal) May 21, 2021 After saw today acting of Modi Director Rajkumar Hirani seen outside the PM house for next film#CrocodileTears pic.twitter.com/RuZU06T2UA Neel Kamal (@NeelKam71287835) May 21, 2021 PM Modi also lauded doctors, nurses and paramedical staff of his Lok Sabha constituency Varanasi for their efforts in fighting COVID-19. "As a servant of Kashi, I thank everyone in Varanasi, especially the doctors, nurses, technicians, ward boys and ambulance drivers who have done a commendable work," he said. "We have controlled the pandemic to a great extent, thanks to our common efforts. But there is no time to relax as we have to fight a long battle. We have to shift our focus towards villages in Purvanchal and Varanasi," he added. He also appreciated the role of ASHA and ANM workers to curb the COVID-19 cases in the villages. Screengrab The prime minister gave a new slogan "Jahan bimar, wahin upchar (treatment of the ailing at their doorstep)" during his video conference with the healthcare professionals, saying this can bring down the pressure that the second wave of COVID-19 has put on the country's health system. "A lot of work has been done, but there is also a need to concentrate on the rural areas of 'Purvanchal'," Modi stressed. Agencies The effect of the pandemic has been so vast that despite all efforts, numerous lives were lost, the prime minister said in a voice choked with emotion. "You have contained the virus significantly but there should be no complacency as it is going to be a long fight," PM Modi told the doctors and frontline workers of Varanasi. Former editor-in-chief of Tehelka magazine Tarun Tejpal has been acquitted in an alleged sexual assault case against him. It was in 2013 when he was accused of sexually assaulting a colleague inside the elevator of a luxury hotel in Goa. He had also stepped down as editor for six months after sexual assault charges were levelled against him. Charges against him Tejpal was accused of committing offences under IPC Sections 341 (wrongful restraint), 342 (wrongful confinement), 354 (assault or criminal force with intent to outrage modesty), 354A (sexual harassment), 354B (assault or use of criminal force to woman with intent to disrobe), 376 (2)(f) (person in position of authority over women, committing rape) and 376(2)(k) (rape by person in position of control). He was acquitted of all charges. AP Citing various reasons, the pronouncement of the verdict was adjourned almost three times. The verdict was supposed to be delivered on April 27, but later it was adjourned to May 12. It was further delayed and adjourned to May 19 and on May 19, it was adjourned to May 21. Timeline of case Here's a timeline of the case against former Tehelka editor-in-chief. November 7, 2013: Tarun Tejpal, then the editor-in- chief of Tehelka, allegedly sexually assaults a female colleague inside the elevator of a five-star hotel in Goa. November 20, 2013: Tejpal steps down as the editor-in-chief of Tehelka in the wake of sexual assault allegations. BCCL November 23, 2013: Goa police lodge an FIR against Tejpal in a case of rape and outrage of modesty after the colleague accuses him of sexually assaulting her while they were in Goa to attend a conference organised by the publication. November 30, 2013: A sessions court denies anticipatory bail to Tejpal, stating that his case lacked merit. He is subsequently arrested and lodged at the Sada sub-jail in Goa. February 17, 2014: Goa crime branch files charge sheet against Tejpal. The charge sheet reproduces Tejpal's formal apology e-mail to the woman and Tehelka's then managing editor Shoma Chaudhury. BCCL June 16, 2017: Sessions court accepts Tejpal's request for in-camera proceedings and bars media from covering it. July 1, 2014: Supreme Court grants bail to Tejpal. The apex court observes he spent six months in jail since his arrest on November 30, 2013, and there was no need for his continued incarceration after the filing of the charge sheet on February 17. September 26, 2017: Bombay High Court refuses to stay framing of charges against Tejpal. September 28, 2017: Tejpal formally charged with rape and wrongful confinement by the trial court in Goa. December 6, 2017: Supreme Court asks Goa court to begin trial in the case. BCCL December 7, 2017: Supreme Court tells HC's Goa bench to record evidence in the Tejpal case. December 12, 2017: Bombay High Court reserves order on Tejpal's plea seeking quashing of rape, other charges. April 27, 2021: Case listed for judgment but court defers it till May 12. May 21, 2021: Goa court acquits Tejpal of all charges. As the central government asks states to notify black fungus or mucormycosis an epidemic, an infection called white fungus has also been found to affect some people. These new cases of white fungus have been found in Patna, Bihar, and this infection is more dangerous than black fungus, Dr Arunesh Kumar, senior consultant & head respiratory medicine/pulmonology, Paras Hospital, has told indianexpress.com. Let's understand more about it. PTI How were the white fungus cases detected? According to a report in Zee News, Dr SN Singh, head of the Microbiology, Department of PMCH who confirmed white fungus cases, said that all four patients showed all the symptoms of the COVID-19 virus, but tested negative in every test. The doctor said that during a detailed investigation, it turned out that they were infected with white fungus. However, all the patients as of now are completely fine after being administered the anti-fungal medicines. Is White Fungus deadlier than Black Fungus? According to health experts, White Fungus infection is more dangerous than black fungus infection as it not only affects the lungs but other parts of the body such as nails, skin, stomach, kidney, brain, private parts and mouth. Johns Hopkins (Representational Image) What are the symptoms of White Fungus? According to doctors, the symptoms of this rare fungal disease are similar to coronavirus infection. As this attacks the lungs, the disease can be detected by performing HRCT test on an infected patient. Who is at risk? As with the black fungus infection those with low immunity are at a greater risk. People with pre-existing medical issues like diabetes or those on steroids for a long time are most likely to get infected with White Fungus. BCCL What's the update on black fungus? The Union Health Ministry urged states and union territories to make black fungus or mucormycosis a notifiable disease under the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897, stating that the infection is leading to prolonged morbidity and mortality amongst COVID-19 patients. A notifiable disease requires the medical practitioners to notify the government about the disease in a prescribed format within three days or 24 hours, in case of urgency. The ministry, in a letter, said that in the recent times a new challenge in the form of a fungal infection namely mucormycosis has emerged and is reported from many states among COVID-19 patients, especially those on steroid therapy and deranged sugar control. One of the few statistical comforts of the otherwise nightmarish Covid-19 pandemic - that it largely spares young people - is fading: The long-haul symptoms that have stricken many U.S. adults are now hitting those under 20. A relatively small but increasing percentage of children are struggling for months with extreme fatigue, rapid heart rate, memory loss, depression and other symptoms. In one sign of their growing numbers, the UH Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital in Cleveland is opening a Long Haul Clinic just for young people, the first of its kind in the country. abc Families whose children are afflicted are plunged into a terrifying maze of symptoms that come and go, and have no knowable end point. Katie Krol, 42, got the virus from a co-worker at a Michigan engine plant in March 2020 and brought it home to her two youngest children. All three continue to suffer. 'Lives turned upside down' "This has turned their lives inside out," Krol said. "Doctors are saying in six months or in 12 months they will be better. The fallacy that kids don't get this is so frustrating." Even the family of one of the Biden administration's top Covid advisers, Andrew Slavitt, is dealing with the same issue. At a White House briefing Tuesday, he revealed that one of his "young and fit" sons was infected by the virus six months ago, but still experiences shortness of breath and frequent flu-like symptoms. Slavitt said the family has no idea how long it will last. AP Even as U.S. cases decline overall, researchers are investigating whether Covid-19 is becoming more severe for children now that variants are causing localized flare-ups. In early April, the case rate in young children and early teens began surpassing that of those 65 and older, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And hospitalizations for children with Covid aren't falling as much as for those 18 and up. "The pediatric piece of this is pretty neglected," said Amy Edwards, associate medical director of pediatric infection control at University Hospitals in Ohio. "Kids with long haul have brain fog, chronic fatigue, fevers on and off, weird rashes. Long-haulers don't go to the hospital. They suffer at home." The decision by federal authorities last week to let 12- to 15-year-olds get the Covid inoculation heartens physicians who have seen vaccinations allow some patients to overcome long-haul symptoms. But it doesn't help everyone, and many others still see no reason to get the jab. Reuters "I get a lot of, 'Well, I'm young and healthy, so I don't need to get vaccinated," said Rena Daiza, a family medicine specialist at Henry Ford Health Systems in Michigan. "But people don't realize that these symptoms that persist are very debilitating." A study published last week by Scientific Reports that looked at data from more than 12,000 child patients found that the majority don't show typical Covid symptoms like fever, cough or shortness of breath. Almost 19% reported fever, malaise, muscle or joint pain, and disturbances of smell or taste. More than 16% had respiratory symptoms, 14% had gastrointestinal problems, and a few required critical care. Reuters/Representational image Parents should remain vigilant Michigan's chief medical official, Joneigh Khaldun, has said parents should remain vigilant about protecting children from the virus - and seek medical treatment if they experience symptoms - even though overall infections and deaths are edging downward in the state. Some children "have wound up in the intensive care unit, and some have lost their lives," Khaldun said at a news conference with Governor Gretchen Whitmer. The chief medical advisor to President Joe Biden has said that major pharma companies behind the COVID-19 vaccines wont lose out by sharing their vaccine formulas with the world. Reuters Also Read: US COVID-19 Vaccine Patent Waiver Will Allow India To Make Vaccines Faster Anthony Fauci said that pharma companies can still make a ton of money even if smaller drug-making companies make generic, more affordable versions of their products. He emphasised the fact that allowing the vaccine to be manufactured in low-middle income countries is crucial in ending the global pandemic. This comes weeks after the Biden administration supported waiving of intellectual property rights for the novel coronavirus vaccines produced by US vaccine makers like Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson. The move enables pharma companies in other nations to create cheaper replicas of the vaccines made by the aforementioned companies and not infringing on any trade laws. This surely upset several pharmaceutical companies that have spent millions on vaccine development. Fauci, in a conversation with Bloomberg Businessweek Conference, (reported first by Business Insider) said, "I am very much in favor of protecting the capability of pharmaceutical companies to continue to make a good profit so they can continue to put what it takes to get newer drugs and newer interventions. But there comes a time when the emergent nature of a situation requires doing things that would allow less well-developed nations to have access to these interventions. And in this case, that intervention is vaccines for COVID-19." Also Read: US Finally Supports Ending Patent, It'll Make Vaccines Cheaper & Available In Poor Countries He added, "A very important tenet in virology is that viruses don't mutate if they don't replicate; if you prevent it from spreading from person to person and replicating, it's not going to mutate. So the easiest way to prevent the emergence of a problematic mutant, which would lead to a variant, is to get as many people throughout the world vaccinated as quickly as you possibly can."` He also stated that the US has been a leader in providing HIV vaccines and AIDS treatment to developing and underdeveloped nations around the world. Fauci revealed that when George E. Bush launched the Presidents Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) program; it saved 14 to 18 million lives, specifically in Southern Africa since 2003. Moreover, even though other drug companies offered generic HIV treatments to people in developing nations, drug companies in the US continued to make billions and billions of dollars, hinting that not all will be lost. Reuters Also Read: US To Start 12 To 15-Year-Old Kids Covid Vaccination This Week, What About India? It is important to note that even though the US has agreed to waive the intellectual property of the COVID-19 vaccines made in the US, there are other nations -- nations like the EU, Switzerland -- who havent joined the motion yet. A consensus of 164 members of the World Trade Organisation would have to agree to this and form a waiver plan. Only after everyones consensus can this come into effect and this can take time. Breakups are seriously hard. There are usually a lot tears, anger and resentment. However, different people use their own way to get over a breakup. While some throw away their ex's things, some like to keep their things and cherish the memories. Also read : Bengaluru Man Allegedly Sets Ex-girlfriend's Scooter On Fire After Break Up But a woman went to extreme lengths to make sure that no sign of her and her ex remains anywhere in the world. And when we say 'extreme lengths', we mean travelling 5,953 miles from Los Angeles, US, to South Korean capital Seoul. That's right! A woman by the name of Kassie Yeung travelled all that way to remove a so-called love-lock from a popular tourist attraction. Independant In her defense, she was already going to Seoul for some work but decided to take a detour just to remove this love lock. She also didn't do it quietly. She made a full-fledged video about the same and it went viral. In the full video that she posted on TikTok, Kassie travelled there via an airplane, brought bolt cutters to remove the padlock and travelled via the cable cart to the tower. The she found her lovelock and cut it with the bolt cutter. She shared that she searched through the hundreds of locks for around 30 minutes before finding the one she and her ex had added to the site. Also Read : 9 Funny Break Up Stories That Prove It Isn't Drama That Always Follows The End Of Relationships Tik Tok In 2019, Kassie and her ex travelled to the top of the N Seoul Tower commonly known as the Namsan Tower to add a padlock to the railing. The tower is a popular tourist attraction for couples who wish to attach padlocks to the railings there. 19-Year-Old Delhi Girl Arrested For Throwing Acid On Her Boyfriend To Prevent Break Up Asia's largest food and beverage innovation exhibition kicks off in Shanghai People's Daily Online) 14:16, May 21, 2021 SIAL China 2021, Asia's largest food and beverage innovation exhibition, kicked off on May 18 at Shanghai New International Expo Centre in Pudong New Area, Shanghai. Photo shows the opening ceremony of the 22nd SIAL China. (Peoples Daily Online/Sun Boyang) Covering an area of 180,000 square meters, the exhibition drew over 4,500 exhibitors who brought over 300,000 products in 21 categories, such as beverages, dairy products, snacks, instant food, cooking oil, grain, fruit, vegetables, and condiments. Seven special themed exhibition areas were set up at the event to cater to exhibitors various needs. This years exhibition saw far more international exhibitors than last year and attracted 38 international exhibitor groups from France, Argentina, Ireland, Estonia, Brazil, Belgium, Poland and Canada, with the European Union (EU) serving as the region of honor. A Russian exhibitor discusses business with a guest at the 22nd SIAL China. (Peoples Daily Online/Sun Boyang) The exhibition also designated a special exhibition area for geographical indication (GI) products included in the list of the China-EU GI agreement, which went into effect March 1. The agreement helped bolster trade between China and the EU, and facilitated the integrated development of the worlds food industry. The exhibition aims to improve Chinese food enterprises global abilities and build itself into the most valuable platform for international trade in order to benefit Chinese enterprises and consumers as well as their international counterparts, according to the organizer of the event. Visitors taste food at a laboratory-grown meat companys booth at the 22nd SIAL China. (Peoples Daily Online/Sun Boyang) An e-commerce live-streamer promotes products during her live-streaming sales session at the 22nd SIAL China. (Peoples Daily Online/Sun Boyang) The organizer held 10 thematic forums at the exhibition, such as New Retail Summit, International Meat Conference, Global Dairy Forum and Food Supply Chain Forum, where professionals in the food industry exchanged ideas and shed new light on the industrial chain. The organizer estimated that more than 120,000 professionals from industries including e-business, retail, cold chain logistics, catering service and wholesale attended. (Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun) India registered record deaths due to Covid on May 20 with 4,529 deaths - the highest number of fatalities from Covid infection in any country so far. (Aftab Alam Siddiqui/ IANS photo) The last of 186 survivors were rescued May 19, and since then navy rescuers using five warships, a surveillance aircraft and three helicopters have found only floating bodies, navy spokesman Cmdr. Mehul Karnik said. (IANS photo) Culpeper, VA (22701) Today Rain. Low 62F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch. Locally heavy rainfall possible.. Tonight Rain. Low 62F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch. Locally heavy rainfall possible. On Monday, Alex Penaloza finally took the first step to being vaccinated for COVID-19. Despite having been eligible for the vaccine for months and harboring no real fears about it, he just hadnt made it a priority. Days earlier, though, Penaloza figured hed put it off for long enough. He went online, found a nearby clinic and signed up. Honestly it was kind of apathy really, he said. I just figured since everyone else was getting it, its time for me to get it. People around my family were getting it so I figured Id get it and stop being lazy about it. Penaloza, who was vaccinated at a pop-up clinic at Graham Park Middle School in Triangle, is exactly the kind of person the Virginia Department of Health is targeting with its outreach efforts and accessible clinics. Unlike earlier this year, plenty of vaccine doses are available, but with nearly 60% of the Prince William Health Districts eligible population having received at least one dose, the rate of distribution has stalled. In late April, the number of vaccines administered within Prince William County was hovering at around 6,000 a day, according to the Virginia Department of Health. But on May 9, the last day of available data, that number was only about 2,900. In Manassas, the one-day high for administered doses was 718 on April 21. Only 184 were administered May 9. The days of eligible people frantically searching for doses nearby are over. Now, the health district is trying to set up vaccination sites wherever they think theres demand. At the middle school on Monday, the clinic was armed with 100 doses of the Moderna vaccine, and five nurses were administering them to anyone who showed up, though pre-registration was recommended. Penaloza said hed signed up before the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced new guidelines saying those who were fully vaccinated could go maskless in all but the most crowded settings, but that he felt more compelled to follow through because of it. Finally, he said, a return to normal seemed within reach. When [President] Biden said you get to take off the mask, I was like Ok. But Im just ready to go to parties and bars and stuff like that, he said. The Prince William Health District which includes the county as well as the cities of Manassas and Manassas Park is aiming to hold between four and six pop-ups per month, even soliciting suggestions for where they should be held. With the help of consultants, the district can get census tract-level data to see how much uptake theres been in individual neighborhoods. Once a site is selected, staffers essentially go into marketing mode, sharing information with local organizations and trying to get the word out through social media as much as possible. They also canvass the surrounding area with literature and registration information. So far, Virginia hasnt adopted some of the ploys that other states have. Ohio has opened a vaccine lottery with a $1 million prize, and other states have offered incentives like free beer vouchers for obtaining the vaccine. So far, in Prince William, officials are hoping that the vaccine can sell itself with a public information push. Sean Johnson, the districts community engagement director, said the hope is that the proven safety and efficacy of the vaccines will be enough. Its medicine. Its peoples choice. We can only recommend it and hope that people want to do it. But I think that millions of people dying should be your incentive, Johnson said. Officials are also keeping track of demand for the vaccine among younger residents. Johnson said that at a recent clinic at Mother of Mercy in Woodbridge, 48 adolescents between 12 and 16 showed up looking for a vaccine. Knowing that, a clinic was scheduled in June at nearby Americana Grocery to give the Pfizer vaccine, the only one approved for those under age 18. Upcoming Clinics In addition to the regular COVID-19 vaccination sites at Manassas Mall and the former Gander Mountain store in Woodbridge, these additional pop-up clinics are planned in coming days: May 23, 8 a.m.-6 p.m.: Todos Market, 13905 Jefferson Davis Highway, Woodbridge; Johnson & Johnson vaccine; walk-ins welcome, no online signup required. May 24, 3 p.m.-7 p.m.: Northern Virginia Community College, Manassas campus; Pfizer vaccine; clinic open to anyone, not just students and faculty. Can search for clinic appointments in VASE+ https://vase.vdh.virginia.gov/vdhapps/f?p=vasereg:vaccinationappointments For more details, visit https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/prince-william/ or vaccinate.virginia.gov. Theres people who basically are looking for Moderna or looking for Pfizer and you dont really know. You come into a neighborhood theres no way to poll that and plan for it because you just dont have the time to poll it and see what people are looking for, Johnson said. At Tuesdays Board of County Supervisors meeting, Emergency Management Coordinator Brian Misner said the health district would soon be wrapping up most of its COVID testing efforts as the number of new cases declines. To make it easier, while officials still encourage people to get both shots of Pfizer or Moderna at the same clinics, theyre now saying supply is plentiful enough that it wont create issues for people to get their second doses at a different location once theyve waited the requisite three or four weeks. Also on Tuesday, the state held a Day of Action when Virginians were encouraged to contact family and friends about getting vaccinated and push the vaccines on social media. Officials also hope that Gov. Ralph Northams new executive orders regarding masks, which follow the CDCs new guidance, will serve as further incentive to obtain the shots. Tyler, a student-athlete who asked that his last name not be used, proudly got his first dose Monday night, saying it was important for those whove held off to help keep others safe by preventing COVID spread. The 21-year-old said he waited as long as he did out of concern for the side effects, which could have affected his season at James Madison University. Back home for the summer, his mother found the appointment Monday night. Im thinking its better for the whole community in general, we can start taking masks off, its less dangerous for other people who could be at bigger risk than myself personally if they do get COVID, he said. I just want to try to help out other people. Woodbridge, VA (22192) Today Overcast with rain showers at times. High near 70F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight Rain early...then remaining cloudy with showers overnight. Low 63F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch. Locally heavy rainfall possible. Woodbridge, VA (22192) Today Rain. Low 63F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch. Locally heavy rainfall possible.. Tonight Rain. Low 63F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch. Locally heavy rainfall possible. HUMAN RESOURCE/PAYROLL/CREDIT MANAGER Full-time We are looking for an experienced Payroll and Human Resource Manager to oversee our companys payroll processes and employee related personal benefits. Also, to administer the Co-Ops membership and patronage programs which includes new member accounts, estate redemptions and address maintenance. This position will also assist the Board of Directors with maintaining member equity and patronage balances. The duties for this management position also include efficient payroll processing, handling human resources as well as other accounting processes. This position is responsible for: Overseeing and reviewing payroll payments and account reconciliations. Ensuring records and processes comply with company and legal regulations. Maintaining accurate account balances and detailed records for auditing. Managing and resolving any issues related to payroll. Processing company payroll ensuring accurate calculation of wages, tax and benefit withholdings, and align with time and attendance records. Prepare various federal and state payroll taxes and reports, including unemployment claims, OSHA reporting, annual W-2s and 1094/1095C. Update payroll system as required with employee data, benefits changes, salary increase, terminations, and the like. Generate reports monthly and quarterly for management as needed. Implement written policies and procedures that govern human resource functions of the company. Recruitment, including screening applicants and scheduling interviews. Provide orientation of new hires that includes the creation of new hire packets and administer training. Administration of 401k plan, workers compensation, group health, and voluntary insurances. Maintain employee files and benefit records including PTO balances and FMLA information. Coordinate employee events and embody employee involvement. Order and keep inventory of employee uniforms. Process credit applications establishing customer credit limits. Maintenance of customer and membership accounts. Reconcile and recover delinquent accounts receivables and pursue collection activity. Provide monthly financial reviews and Account Receivable aging reports. Communicate with internal departments on customer credit status. Process new member applications and redemption requests. Track annual sales of members for patronage dividend distribution. Process, distribute, and reconcile patronage dividend checks. Editing and proofreading internal communications. i.e. employee memos, newsletters, policies. Skills/Qualifications: 3-5 years of prior payroll experience. 3-5 years of HR administration. Be experienced with QuickBooks (Enterprise version) and have strong MS office skills. Able to work under pressure while meeting deadlines. Be organized with attention to detail. Must be friendly with a positive attitude that promotes teamwork. Must be self-motivated and dependable. Managerial or supervisory experience. Strong knowledge of payroll processes and relevant legal regulations. Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written. Strong math and analytical skills. Ability to hold and maintain confidentiality, honesty and have attentive listening skills. Employee Benefits: Full time employees receive medical, dental, prescription, vision insurance. 401K retirement plan with employer match Employee discount program Paid vacation and personnel day Paid holidays and paid time off A pre-employment drug screen is required. The work schedule will be 40 hours per week, 8:00am 5:00pm Monday thru Friday. recblid 8q9vqx8zv54uayevuuhwaxgafadaoz This time of year usually means one thing: graduation! Whether students are graduating from high school, community college or from a university, a new crop of talented and motivated individuals is entering the workforce. Workforce development has become a top-three priority for the Tucson Me A student was behind a cyber attack on a Massachusetts school system this week that temporarily shut down the districts computer network, disrupted remote learning, and forced the postponement of exams, officials said. The attack on the Agawam school district prevented students and staff from logging onto the system and sending emails, WWLP-TV reported Wednesday. Agawam Junior High School staff questioned students and at least one admitted to being involved, Mayor Bill Sapelli told the station. Some individuals may think this is comical or cool, but its anything but, he said. During COVID-19, we have remote learning, we have students who cant come in. You have teachers who cant come in. Police are investigating, but no charges have been filed. The school has taken steps to prevent a repeat, the mayor said. The attack caused the schools IP address to be flooded and prevented any outgoing or incoming activity on the server. The network is expected to be working again Friday. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Cyber Massachusetts K 12 Africa Specialty Risks (ASR), a reinsurance managing general agent focused on the African corporate and specialty market, announced it has launched a fully capitalized and licensed reinsurer based in Mauritius. Alongside the reinsurer license, ASR has also been granted a license in Mauritius to act as an MGA. ASR is backed by Helios Investment Partners, the largest Africa-focused private investment firm, through its private equity fund Helios Investors IV, which was launched in June 2019. Its investors include CDC Group (the UKs development finance institution) and the International Finance Corporation (a member of the World Bank Group), as well as institutional investors. In addition to the local reinsurance capacity, the group announced in February it had secured a multi-year binder capacity of up to $25 million per risk through a partnership with Indias GIC Re and annual capacity from Hong Kong based Peak Re. This has been supported and completed with the help of Aon. We have identified a sustained lack of adequate insurance capacity across Africa, which has been exacerbated further by COVID-19 as global reinsurance providers focus on their home markets. ASR has been established to address this gap by providing specialist risk mitigation products which companies and capital providers operating in Africa have found difficult to access to date, commented Souleymane Ba, a partner at Helios Investment Partners. In addition to the operation in Mauritius, ASR plans to establish business development hubs in six other African countries, namely Morocco, Kenya, South Africa, Cote dIvoire, Egypt and Nigeria. ASR will be investing in local training of the market in specialty insurance lines, where appropriate, as well as recruitment and infrastructure surrounding the hubs. [Mauritius] has an educated population, making it an ideal reinsurance hub because there is an abundance of potential skills that can be developed further with training. It already has an established insurer presence expanding into the continent, and we believe that Mauritius has the capability to become the reinsurance hub for Africa, commented Mikir Shah, CEO of Africa Specialty Risks, who is a former CEO of AXA Africa Specialty Risks. (In addition to Shah, ASR is also led by Bryan Howett, former CEO of Old Mutuals pan-African reinsurance operations).continued. Shah said Mauritius will be one of the ASRs major operations. We are delighted to have both our reinsurer and insurance manager licenses in place as we prepare to establish our business on the ground. We will have underwriting, claims management, office support, compliance, accounting and business development functions in Mauritius. We will shortly be making further announcements regarding our plans for recruitment on the island, he added. Launched in September 2020, ASR now provides bespoke insurance solutions in property, construction, political risk, trade credit, energy, liability and war, political violence and terrorism, with further lines of business in development. Source: Africa Specialty Risks (ASR) Topics Excess Surplus Reinsurance New Markets Amazon.com Inc. was hit on Wednesday with five new lawsuits by women who worked in corporate or warehouse management roles, and accused the online retailer of gender bias, racial bias or both. The women, ages 23 to 64, accused Amazon of favoring men over women in career growth, allowing supervisors to denigrate them, and retaliating after they complained. Two plaintiffs are Black, one is Latina, one is Asian-American and one is white. They filed their lawsuits in federal courts in Arizona, California, Delaware and Amazons hometown of Seattle. An Amazon spokesman said the company has found no evidence supporting the accusations. He also said Amazon does not tolerate discrimination or harassment, and supports a diverse, equitable and inclusive culture. The lawsuits were filed by the Wigdor law firm, which also represents a Black manager at Amazon Web Services who sued in March over alleged systemic discrimination. Wednesdays plaintiffs included Cindy Warner, a gay executive in that unit, who said a male manager openly called her a bitch, an idiot and a nobody, and that Amazon terminated her job after learning she had hired a lawyer. Pearl Thomas, one of the Black plaintiffs, said a human resources employee downplayed concerns about her treatment by saying Thomas was upset by current events and that my name is not Derek Chauvin, the white former Minneapolis police officer convicted of murdering George Floyd. The Wigdor firm has also represented women who accused now-convicted movie producer Harvey Weinstein of sexual misconduct, and Fox News employees alleging bias or harassment there. In April, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos said his company needed to take care of employees better, and Amazon said it wanted more Blacks in senior and corporate roles. Amazon ended 2020 with about 1.3 million full- and part-time employees. The company is urging shareholders at its May 26 annual meeting to reject a proposal requiring an independent audit analyzing its impacts on civil rights, equity, diversity and inclusion. (Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by David Gregorio) Topics Lawsuits Amazon Lockton is bolstering its transaction liability team with key hires across the three transaction liability insurance product lines: Representations and Warranties Insurance, Tax Liability Insurance and Contingent Liability and Litigation Insurance. These hires come on the heels of Locktons addition of practice leaders Joshua Halpern, Eric Ziff, Gaurav Sud, and Matthew Heinz in the past six months. Industry veterans Eddie Kim, Paul Ahn, Emily Rosen and Nicole McCarthy join Locktons R&W insurance practice. With backgrounds that span practice at major law firms and years of brokerage on complex and fast-moving R&W insurance placements, Lockton has further solidified its standing as the industrys premier broker in this segment. Dan Berger joins Lockton from AIG, where he served as the lead tax insurance underwriter for North America and will now lead Locktons tax liability insurance practice. Bergers prior experience as a tax attorney includes roles at Brookfield Asset Management, Moelis, and Proskauer Rose. Joining Berger in the tax insurance practice is Yonatan Tammam, a fellow tax lawyer who joins Lockton most recently from Kirkland & Ellis. To head up its contingent liability and litigation insurance group, Lockton has hired Michael Perich. Perich joins the firm after spending most of his career in the litigation funding industry, where he held roles at Gerchen Keller, Burford Capital and most recently, Westfleet Advisors, a litigation finance advisor and broker. MarshMcLennan Names Brennan, Kuratek to Legal Posts MarshMcLennan has appointed Katherine J. Brennan as general counsel of Marsh LLC and Connor Kuratek as deputy general counsel and corporate secretary of MarshMcLennan. Both appointments are effective June 1. In her new role, she will lead all legal and compliance strategy for the Marsh business globally. Brennan will continue to chair MarshMcLennans environmental-social-governmental (ESG) management committee and the companys enterprise-wide crisis management team. She succeeds Susan A. Stone who has served as Marsh general counsel since 2017 and has just been appointed as executive vice president and general counsel of CNA. Brennan will report to John Doyle, president and CEO, Marsh, and Peter J. Beshar, executive vice president and general counsel, MarshMcLennan. Kuratek succeeds Brennan and will report directly to Beshar. Kuratek most recently served as chief corporate counsel and assistant corporate secretary of MarshMcLennan, and was responsible for public filings, mergers and acquisitions, and other strategic corporate transactions across the company. Prior to joining the company in 2016, he was a capital markets associate at Davis Polk in New York. Kemper CEO Lacher Adds Chairman Role The Kemper Corp. board of directors has elected Joseph P. Lacher, Jr., Kempers president and chief executive officer, and current director, to the additional role of chairman of the board. Lacher succeeds Robert J. Joyce, who has shifted from the role of non-executive chairman to independent lead director. Lacher joined Kemper in November 2015 as president, chief executive officer and director. Prior to joining Kemper, he served in several senior executive roles in the insurance industry, including president of Allstate Protection, where he led the companys property/casualty offerings. Prior to Allstate, he spent 18 years at the Travelers Companies, ultimately serving as executive vice president of Personal Lines and Select Accounts. BMS Re Appoints Matheny as U.S. CFO Specialist insurance broker BMS has appointed Eric Matheny as chief financial officer of BMS Re. Steve Korducki, the current US CFO, will be taking a more active role in client facing activities, particularly around Capital Advisory, Property Cat Solutions and corporate strategic alliances as Vice Chairman of BMS Re. Matheny joins BMS Re from North America at Allianz Global Corporate and Specialty (AGCS), where he was head of Operations. Prior to that, he ran his own consultancy business for two years as a financial planner in Chicago. Matheny began his career in finance in General Electrics Financial Management Program in 1987, after which he held senior roles at General Electric, including as CFO of the business French life insurance company Vie Plus and as CFO of GE Capitals Consumer Lending business. Matheny will be based in BMSs Chicago office and report to Pete Chandler, president and CEO of BMS Re. Moore Heads Sompo International Crop Insurance Agency Relations Sompo International Holdings said that Billy Moore has joined as senior vice president of Agency Management for AgriSompo North America, Sompo Internationals North American crop insurance platform. In this role, Moore will be responsible for the overall management of agency relationships and the marketing of the companys risk management offerings. Moore brings 25 years of crop insurance leadership and risk management experience to his new role. His experience in the industry includes loss adjusting, sales and marketing, training, and general operations. Mostly recently, Moore served as chief operating officer and president of Insurance for Ag Resource Management, a niche provider of agricultural finance and risk management products. Moore will report to Bob Haney, executive chairman of AgriSompo and CEO of AgriSompo North America, the newly combined crop insurance operation made up of ARMTech and Diversified Crop Insurance Services. Topics Lockton CNA Financial Corp., among the largest insurance companies in the U.S., paid $40 million in late March to regain control of its network after a ransomware attack, according to people with knowledge of the attack. The Chicago-based company paid the hackers about two weeks after a trove of company data was stolen, and CNA officials were locked out of their network, according to two people familiar with the attack who asked not to be named because they werent authorized to discuss the matter publicly. In a statement, a CNA spokesperson said the company followed the law. She said the company consulted and shared intelligence about the attack and the hackers identity with the FBI and the Treasury Departments Office of Foreign Assets Control, which said last year that facilitating ransom payments to hackers could pose sanctions risks. CNA is not commenting on the ransom, spokeswoman Cara McCall said. CNA followed all laws, regulations, and published guidance, including OFACs 2020 ransomware guidance, in its handling of this matter. In a security incident update published on May 12, CNA said it did not believe that the systems of record, claims systems, or underwriting systems, where the majority of policyholder data including policy terms and coverage limits is stored, were impacted. Biggest Ransoms Ransomware attacks and particularly payments are rarely disclosed so its difficult to know what the biggest ransoms have been. The average payment in 2020 was $312,493, according to Palo Alto Networks, a 171% increase over the previous year. The $40 million payment is bigger than any previously disclosed payments to hackers, according to three people familiar with ransomware negotiations. The CNA hackers used malware called Phoenix Locker, a variant of ransomware dubbed Hades. Hades was created by a Russian cybercrime syndicate known as Evil Corp., according to cybersecurity experts. Evil Corp. was sanctioned by the U.S. in 2019. However, attributing attacks can be difficult because hacking groups can share code or sell malware to one another. CNA, which offers cyber insurance, said its investigation concluded that the hackers were a group called Phoenix that isnt subject to U.S. sanctions. Disclosure of the payment is likely to draw the ire of lawmakers and regulators already unhappy that U.S. companies are making large payouts to criminal hackers who over the last year have targeted hospitals, drug makers, police forces and other entities critical to public safety. The FBI discourages organizations from paying ransom because it encourages additional attacks and doesnt guarantee data will be returned. Ransomware is a type of malware that encrypts a victims data. Cybercriminals using ransomware often steal the data too. The hackers then ask for a payment to unlock the files and promise not to leak stolen data. In recent years, hackers have been targeting victims with cyber insurance policies and huge volumes of sensitive consumer data that make them more likely to pay a ransom, according to cybersecurity experts. Banner Year Last year was a banner year for ransomware groups, according to a task-force of security experts and law enforcement agencies which estimated that victims paid about $350 million in ransom last year, a 311% increase over 2019. The task force recommended 48 actions that the Biden administration and private sector could take to mitigate such attacks, including better regulation of the digital currency market used to make ransom payments. The report, prepared by the Institute for Security and Technology, was delivered to the White House days before Colonial Pipeline Co. was compromised in a ransomware attack that led to fuel shortages and long lines at gas stations along the East Coast of the U.S. Bloomberg reported that Colonial paid the hackers nearly $5 million shortly after the attack; Colonial Chief Executive Officer Joseph Blount, in an interview with the Wall Street Journal published on Wednesday, confirmed that the company paid the hackers $4.4 million in ransom. Colonial Pipeline Paid Hackers Nearly $5 Million in Ransom According to the two people familiar with the CNA attack, the company initially ignored the hackers demands while pursuing options to recover their files without engaging with the criminals. But within a week, the company decided to start negotiations with the hackers, who were demanding $60 million. Payment was made a week later, according to the people. Phoenix Locker appears to be a variant of Hades based on overlap of the code used in each, according to Barry Hensley, chief threat intelligence officer of cybersecurity firm Secureworks Corp. We have a high degree of confidence this is a Hades variant, Hensley said. He said they havent made a determination which hackers used the Hades variant to attack CNA. Hades was created by Evil Corp. in order to bypass U.S. sanctions placed on the hacking group, according to research published in March by the cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike Holdings Inc. In December 2019, the Treasury department announced sanctions on 17 individuals and six entities linked to Evil Corp. At the time, the Treasury department said Evil Corp used malware to infect computers and harvest login credentials from hundreds of banks and financial institutions in over 40 countries, causing more than $100 million in theft. The designation by the Treasury Department made it illegal for a U.S. company to knowingly pay a ransom to Evil Corp. Ransomware demands have increased exponentially in the last six months, according to Melissa Hathaway, president of Hathaway Global Strategies and a former cybersecurity adviser to Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama. The average ransom demand is now between $50 million and $70 million, Hathaway said. While those demands are often negotiated down, she said companies are frequently paying ransoms in the tens of millions of dollars, in part because cyber insurance policies cover some or all of the cost. She estimated that the average payment is between $10 million and $15 million. Copyright 2021 Bloomberg. Topics Cyber A pilots failure to control a small airplane when it lost thrust in one of two engines seconds after takeoff in suburban Dallas led to a 2019 crash that killed all 10 people aboard, federal officials said in a report. The National Transportation Safety Board said the King Air 350 crashed into an aircraft hangar 17 seconds after lifting off from a runway at Addison Airport on June 30, 2019. The pilot, Howard Cassady, 71, and co-pilot, Matthew Palmer, 28, and all eight passengers were killed. The privately owned airplane was headed to St. Petersburg, Florida. NTSB investigators used sound captured by the cockpit voice recorder to determine that the left engine lost thrust shortly after takeoff. The NTSB said the uneven force from the propellers wasnt enough, however, to cause the plane to tilt as far as it did. Armed with data from the propeller and plane manufacturers, the investigators believe the pilot should have been able to control the plane by maneuvering the rudder, but he turned the rudder the wrong direction, perhaps because he was startled by a stall warning. By the time he corrected the rudder setting, it was too late. The NTSB investigators found that if the pilot had initially applied the correct rudder input, the plane would have been controllable. Also, according to the NTSB, the cockpit audio recording did not capture pilots conducting a pre-flight checklist, which is considered an essential safety step. The NTSB said Cassady had a history of not using checklists. The NTSB said failing to do a checklist might have caused the pilots to miss an improper setting of devices called power lever friction locks, which could cause the throttle to move and lead to an accidental loss of engine thrust. Damage from the impact and heavy fire that followed prevented investigators from determining exactly why the left engine lost thrust, but they said they didnt find anything that would have prevented it from operating normally. The passengers included a family of four and two couples. Brian Ellard, 52, and his wife, Ornella Ellard, 45, were killed, along with her two children, 15-year-old Alice Maritato and 13-year-old Dylan Maritato. Also killed were: Stephen Thelan, 58, and Gina Thelen, 57; and John Titus, 61, and Mary Titus, 60. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Texas Transportation A bill that proponents say will help control abusive lawsuits against commercial motor vehicle operators following accidents has passed the Texas Senate. House Bill 19 would have a big impact on the commercial auto insurance market, as it aims to limit lawsuits following commercial vehicle crashes its supporters say. The insurance industry-supported measure by Rep. Jeff Leach would, among other things, require a two-part trial in civil actions involving a commercial motor vehicle if requested in a motion by the defendant. In the bifurcated trial system, the driver of the vehicle subject to the civil action must be found negligent in operating an employer defendants commercial motor vehicle before the lawsuit can proceed to the second phase, which involves a claim against the drivers employer, according to a House summary of the bill. A Senate analysis explaining the reasoning behind the bill states that around 88 percent of all commercial trucking companies in Texas are considered small mom and pop businesses. These companies, although heavily regulated by the state and federal government, are experiencing a sharp increase in the number of collision lawsuits filed against them. As a result, commercial vehicle insurance rates are skyrocketing, increasing from 10 percent to 30 percent in 2018 and 2019, respectively. Leach said in his summary that the number of lawsuits arising out of commercial motor vehicle crashes in Texas has increased by 118% over the past 11 years. HB19 first passed the House of Representatives on April 30 with the addition of two amendments, which included a technical amendment and an amendment requiring TDI to study the impact of the legislation on the insurance industry, according to the Insurance Council of Texas. Texans for Lawsuit Reform and the Keep Texas Trucking Coalition supports HB19, as does the Independent Insurance Agents of Texas, the Insurance Council of Texas, and the American Property Casualty Insurance Association (APCIA), which says it is concerned about the increase in attorney involvement in automobile accidents in Texas. The bills opponents say its a giveaway to trucking companies and insurers. Texas Watch, which describes itself as a consumer advocacy organization, said on its website that the bill gives trucking corporations less incentive to follow safety measures and makes it harder to punish trucking companies through our courts when they violate safety standards. Following Senate passage of the bill, American Trucking Associations President and CEO Chris Spear said in a statement: Despite the plaintiff bars best efforts to lie about and distort the contents of this bill, the Texas Senate took a resoundingly bipartisan vote today to curb lawsuit abuse and restore balance and fairness to the civil justice system. Texas Trucking Association President and CEO John Esparza added: With the unanimous passage of House Bill 19, the trial process will continue to ensure accident victims are compensated when wrongfully injured, while also protecting businesses across the state from biased and unfair courtroom tactics. The Texas House must concur with the Senate version before the bill is sent to Gov. Greg Abbott for his signature. If signed by the governor or allowed to become law, the measure would become effective on Sept. 1, 2021. Topics Texas Auto Commercial Lines Business Insurance Politics AI/ML - Software Engineer, Siri Cross-Device Interactions Seattle , Washington , United States Machine Learning and AI Summary Posted: May 19, 2021 Weekly Hours: 40 Role Number: 200244898 Shape the future of technology interaction with our expanding set of home and personal devices that harness the intelligence of Siri. Our team is passionate about crafting seamless experiences by leveraging the full breadth of the capabilities and context of our user's devices to accomplish a wide range of tasks. We develop frameworks and work closely with other Siri engineers, designers, and testers to facilitate their adoption and expand cross-device functionality within the Apple device ecosystem. Our team cares deeply about our customers and is committed to crafting amazing product experiences for their benefit. Key Qualifications 2+ years developing consumer-facing software Strong object-oriented programming skills in at least one language, such as Swift, Objective-C, C++, Python, or Java Ability to advocate for, refine and ship excellent user experiences for our customers Independently driven and excited to learn new technologies and deliver clean solutions for complex technical problems Thrive in a highly cross-functional environment working closely with Server, Machine Learning Design, and QA teams Description As a part of the Siri Cross-Device Interactions team, you will support our efforts to design, prototype, and ship frameworks and features providing ways for our customers to leverage the full potential of each Apple device they interact with. You will work closely with other client frameworks and server engineers to ensure your architectures are efficient, privacy-sensitive, and future-proof. Creatively approaching problems while collaborating with other peer engineers will be key to successfully delivering functionality that spans different device platforms and Siri use-cases. You'll continue to refine your engineering proficiency by shipping performant and reliable code that runs on the millions of Apple devices worldwide and enables new functionality throughout our ecosystem. Education & Experience B.S/M.S in Computer Science or equivalent experience. A Mississippi city is getting a $492,000 federal grant to list and assess contaminated and abandoned industrial and commercial sites and to get local residents interested. Target areas are downtown Natchez and the Adams County Industrial Park, the Environmental Protection Agency said in a news release announcing the grant on Tuesday. This EPA grant will jumpstart a long-sought effort to revitalize polluted areas of Natchez, including the Titan Tire site, for potential economic development and job creation, said U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, a Mississippi Republican. Adams County and the Friends of Riverfront Natchez are working with the city. The brownfields assessment grant covers developing a geographic information system-based site inventory, working up environmental assessments of the sites, and engaging the community. A report in 2018 said the city was paying about $85,000 a year for security at the building, which has been vacant since 2001. EPAs brownfields program provides critical funding to lift up and protect underserved and overburdened communities, said Carol Monell, EPAs acting deputy regional administrator. We commend the City of Natchez and community leaders for your efforts to address and improve the environmental, public health, economic and social impacts associated with contaminated and abandoned sites. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Mississippi The Washington state Department of Labor and Industries is creating a new team aimed at improving farmworker safety. When fully staffed, the agriculture compliance unit will create 16 new positions, the Yakima Herald reported. Thirteen of those posts will focus on agriculture worksite inspection and safety complaints. Three will work on education and outreach to farm operators and employees, according to a news release. The agency formed the new team in response to an unprecedented 433 agriculture inspections in 2020. Those inspections led to employer citations for more than 500 violations. Worker fatalities in agriculture also increased from 10 in 2019 to 14 in 2020. Three deaths were from COVID-19, with the remaining deaths from preventable workforce hazards, such as tractor rollovers and machinery-related incidents. The new agriculture unit is expected to be in place before the end of the upcoming growing and harvest seasons. Funding for the new team was approved in the new state budget signed by Gov. Jay Inslee earlier this week. Topics Washington Agribusiness The Alaska health department website was the target of a malware attack, officials said. A similar attack previously targeted the states court system. The health department in a statement late Tuesday said its website was taken offline Monday while an investigation takes place. The statement did not say when the cyberattack was discovered, and Clinton Bennett, a department spokesperson, by email Wednesday said the department could not release that information due to security reasons, and so we do not jeopardize the investigation. He responded the same way to a question about whether a ransom was demanded by those involved. Investigators were trying to determine if any personal or confidential information was compromised, the department said. Online COVID-19 vaccine appointment scheduling and data dashboards are hosted by outside sources and can be accessed through covid19.alaska.gov, the department said. At this time, there are no details about who initiated the attack, why they targeted DHSS, whether this attack is related to any other recent attacks, or how long the website may be down, the Department of Health and Social Services said in its statement. The chief justice of the Alaska Supreme Court said this month that a cybersecurity attack that resulted in the court system disconnecting its online services was first detected April 29 and that there was no ransom demand. The court system has been coming back online, announcing this week that the public could again access an online court case and records system and pay fines and fees online. The court system said Tuesday that the ability to pay bail online was not yet restored. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Alaska Burma Ethnic Army and Civilian Forces Battle Myanmar Regime in Kayah State A makeshift barricade set up by residents in Demoso. / CJ Fierce clashes have been taking place in Kayah States Demoso Township since Friday morning between junta forces and the Peoples Defence Force (PDF) formed by civilian resistance fighters. Junta forces arrested four civilians and four striking government employees at a funeral on Thursday. They made more arrests today. We PDF members asked the junta troops to stop but the talks failed and they opened fire on us, so we returned fire, said a resistance fighter. The military regime also detained five male villagers in Demoso Township on Thursday. Clashes are taking place at Dawh Ngan Kha ward beside the Union Highway to Taungoo on Friday after junta troops attempted to enter the ward. Light Infantry Battalion 102 based in Demoso is battling the resistance. A volunteer fighter said: They are using mortars and we are carrying out guerilla attacks. We have prepared for the worst. We will fight them as long as they are in power. Residents from Loikaw, the Kayah capital, said they saw at least 10 military trucks full of soldiers driving towards Demoso at around 11am. They said junta forces are arresting passers-by. A motorbike rider was shot dead by junta forces after refusing to stop. At least six civilians had been detained by Friday at noon. By May 20, across Myanmar over 800 civilians were killed and more than 4,200 people, including elected lawmakers, protest leaders, activists and striking government employees, are being held in captivity. Civilian defense forces, known as the PDF, are resisting the regime after receiving military training from ethnic armed organizations. Apart from the civilian resistance fighters, the military is also fighting the Karenni Army, the armed wing of the Karenni National Progressive Party, in Kayah State. Clashes took place in Hpasawng and Bawlakhe townships on Thursday after junta troops attempted to enter the KNPPs territory. Earlier this month, the Karenni Army shot down a junta drone allegedly conducting aerial reconnaissance above its territory. You may also like these stories: Japanese Retail Giant AEON Shelves Myanmar Mall Plans Myanmar Junta to Dissolve National League for Democracy Myanmar Junta Soldiers Killed in Chin State Clashes Burma Explosions Rock Myanmars Business Hub; Kill Security Forces Police arrive at Sanchaung after the blasts on Friday afternoon. At least four blasts occurred in various townships in Yangon on Friday afternoon, killing two police and wounding others. Residents of one of the citys busiest neighborhoods, Sanchaung Township, said they heard three explosions a few minutes apart. The blasts occurred near the regimes local General Administrative Office of the township. The explosions killed two policemen stationed at an outpost near the office on the spot, witnesses said. Several others were wounded as well, a resident said. A few minutes later, another two explosions occurred in the neighborhood, including one at the junction of Bagayar Street and Baho Road. Hours later, another blast went off near a railway track in Tamwe Township. No causalities were reported. On Thursday, an explosion occurred at the car-parking area of the Thai-run wholesale supermarket Makro. Following the blast, regime forces blocked all the entrances to the supermarket and tightened security. No casualties have been reported. On the same day, a policeman from Yangons South Dagon Township police station was killed when a Bluetooth speaker left by someone near the police station exploded. The speaker box was left with music playing and exploded as the policeman checked it when the music finished. Cities and town across Myanmar have occasionally experienced explosions by unknown attackers since late March following the regimes deadly crackdowns on protesters. The regimes local administrative offices, police stations and government schools (which have been closed until back-to-school day on June 1) were largely targeted. The blasts have become more frequent recently. No one has claimed responsibility for the attacks. However, the junta said riotersthe militarys euphemism for anti-regime protesterswere behind the blasts. The Irrawaddy cant independently verify that claim. Residents of Yangon, like others in the country, didnt seem to be concerned about who masterminded the blasts as long as police and soldiers were killed or wounded. Whenever an explosion an explsosion is heard these days, people only ask where and what were their casualties? The men in uniform have become so despised because of their brutality against young protesters that many people are elated upon learning of deaths or injuries on the part of police and soldiers. That sentiment is also evident in the comment boxes of local medias Facebook posts on the incidents. On Friday, The Irrawaddys Burmese Edition post on the blasts that killed two police in Sanchaung was shared by 4,700 people within two hours. One seemingly frustrated reader posted a comment: Why only two (killed)? You may also like these stories: Myanmar Death Toll at the Hands of the Junta Climbs to 810 Myanmar Regimes Army Captain Killed Among Others: Resistance Ethnic Army and Civilian Forces Battle Myanmar Regime in Kayah State Burma Myanmar Death Toll at the Hands of the Junta Climbs to 810 Myanmar junta troops are seen in Mindat town, Chin State in early May. Myanmar junta forces killed at least 25 more people in the past 10 days, pushing the countrys death toll to 810 since the Feb. 1 coup. Among those killed between May 12 to May 21 were a 10-year-old child, students, passers-by, detainees who were tortured to death and civilian resistance fighters. Lian Muan Sang, 10, was killed in an explosion in Tedim, northern Chin State, on Wednesday evening. The explosion also injured a 6-year-old child. There have been frequent explosions in Tedim since the coup, and the town has also seen a number of its residents shot dead by junta forces. In the most recent incident on May 16, 27-year-old Pa Go Sian Mung, a father of two, was fatally shot by junta troops while driving a motorbike on his way back home from a farm. Seven more people were killed as a result random gunfire by the regimes forces in the 10-day period. Among them, four were from Bago Region and one each from Chin States Mindat, Karen States Myawaddy and Mandalay Regions Myingyan Township. Ko Ngwe Thein, father of a four-year-old daughter, was killed after being shot by regime troops about 7 p.m. on Wednesday in Pyay Township of Bago Region, when he was on his way back from a barber shop to his home. The forces shot him when he drove away in fear of them. Then they dragged him away. The family was informed of his death on the evening of the next day. The body was not returned to the family. In another incident in Bago Region, Htet Zaw Linn also known as Nyan Sue, 26, who was out for lunch at a restaurant, was shot and detained during a raid. He was shot from behind and taken. Hours later, his family was told to retrieve his body. In Chin States Mindat, assistant electrical engineer Wai Phyo Thant was killed by artillery fire while he was on the job. And In Myawaddy of Karen State, 27-year-old Zin Mar Phyu, the wife of a sergeant from the regimes regiment deployed in the town, was shot dead by junta forces about 9:30 pm on Thursday. She was riding in a vehicle that did not stop when ordered. Troops opened fire on the car, fatally wounding her. In Myingyan, Ko Tun Oo, a rice miller, died at the hospital from a gunshot wound to the head. He was shot in while he was trying to close the door of his house during the regime forces raid into the wards in mid-April. Tortured to Death in Custody The number of detainees tortured to death by the junta has continued to rise during the 10-day period. In the most recent incident, Khin Maung Kyi, a local election official in Taungdwingyi of Magwe Region, was tortured to death after a few hours of detention. He had been arrested along with five other villagers on Wednesday. The group had returned from hiding to tend their crops and were arrested after informants told troops about their whereabouts. The status of the other five is unknown. Khin Maung Kyis dead body showed evidence of a broken jaw, arms and ribs and had a wound in stomach. In Yangons South Dagon Township, which has been under martial law since March, two detained residents also died due to injuries suffered from torture while in custody. The family of Ko Kyaw Kyaw, 42, who was arrested on May 14 in South Dagon Township, received permission to bury his decaying body but had to sign a paper saying that he died from his medical conditions, the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, which tracks detentions and killings, stated in a recent report. The body had wounds consistent with torture and bruises on the face. The mouth also appeared to have broken teeth and the entire mouth was swollen, the AAPP stated. The junta closely followed the funeral, and no one was allowed to take pictures. In another case in the township, Eal Su, 30, who was brutally beaten and then arrested on May 4, died on May 16 as a result of his injuries during torture, the AAPP reported. Zin Ko Tun, 22, a student in Talote Town in Mandalay Region, was shot and wounded while serving as a security guard for the town on May 12. He died later due to torture. During the past 10 days, at least 11 civilian fighters were killed in Chin State and one in Sagaing Region while fighting against the junta. The junta troops used heavy explosives and rocket-propelled grenades during the shootouts with civilian resistance forces in Mindat and Hakha of Chin State. Mass Arrests Continue The junta continues to escalate its arrests of opponents of the military coup with at least 170 more arrested in the past 10 days. Included are members of the ousted National League for Democracy (NLD), activists, striking civil servants, journalists and anti-regime protesters. Daw Ni Ni May Myint, and Daw Chit Chit Chaw, two former elected lawmakers from Taungup Township, Rakhine State, were arrested in Yangon on May 12. Daw Ni Ni May Myint was reportedly detained while she was taking her child to school. Her younger brother was also detained recently. Dr. Tin Min Htut, an MP of Pantanaw Township, Ayeyaraddy Region, was detained by junta forces at his home last Saturday night. On Thursday, U Than Hlaing Gyi, an MP of Pinlebu Township in Sagaing Region, and U Lin Lin Oo, an MP of Tanai Township in Kachin State, were arrested. About noon Friday, two ethnic Kachin youth political activists, Lum Zawng and Seng Nu Pan, were violently arrested by junta troops in Kachin States capital Myitkyina when they returned from the funeral of Seng Nu Pans grandfather. Both were candidates in the 2020 general election for the Kachin State Peoples Party. Three others, including the younger brother of Seng Nu Pan, were also arrested. All detainees were sent to Myitkyina Prison. According to the AAPP, as of May 20, more than 5,308 had been arrested. Of those, 4,212 were still being detained by the junta. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Regimes Army Captain Killed Among Others: Resistance Ethnic Army and Civilian Forces Battle Myanmar Regime in Kayah State Japanese Retail Giant AEON Shelves Myanmar Mall Plans Burma Myanmar Junta Soldiers Killed in Chin State Clashes Hakha, the capital of Chin State. / The Irrawaddy Ten junta troops were reportedly killed in and around the Chin State capital Hakha on Tuesday and Wednesday, as shootouts between local resistance fighters and regime forces continued in urban areas and the surrounding hills. Seven junta troops died and 19 were injured on Tuesday, while three more soldiers died and five were injured on Wednesday, according to Chinland Defense Force-Hakha. The civilian resistance fighters carried out attacks on junta forces in three different locations on Tuesday evening. A security outpost near Hakha University, the 6th Intersection on the Hakha-Htantalan road and military trucks carrying reinforcements on the Hakha-Gangaw road were targeted in the attacks. We attacked a military truck with bombs at the 6th Intersection on the Hakha-Htantalan road. Eyewitnesses said four junta troops died. Many more were injured. There were around 16 junta troops in each truck, said a civilian resistance fighter. Chinland Defense Force-Hakha fighters also ambushed a military convoy on the Hakha-Gangaw road that was carrying reinforcements. Later that evening, regime forces used drones to locate the hideout of civilian resistance fighters and then shelled it with artillery. But the civilian resistance forces managed to evacuate. On the following day, Chinland Defense Force fighters ambushed military trucks taking around 70 junta troops from Hakha to Matupi. Three junta troops died and five were injured, said local residents. Over 30 motorbikes belonging to the Chinland Defense Force fighters were destroyed. Junta troops subsequently raided Launglon village, nine miles from Hakha, on Thursday to search for civilian resistance fighters, forcing villagers to flee. Some houses and motorbikes were set on fire, said residents. Local residents said that junta reinforcements from Kale in Sagaing Region arrived in Hakha on Thursday. Military personnel have now replaced police at the 6th Intersection outpost, and junta forces were also deployed in government offices and large buildings. Chinland Defense Force-Hakha has urged locals to evacuate to safe places as the fighting is expected to intensify. However, most residents want to remain in their homes. Clashes broke out initially in Hakha on May 2 and continued through May 4 after junta forces refused to release detained anti-regime protesters. Another round of fighting broke out on May 17. Over 20 junta soldiers have died in the clashes. You may also like these stories: Key Myanmar Pro-Democracy Parties Refuse to Meet With Regimes Election Body Myanmar Regime Accuses KNU of Providing Military Training to Anti-Junta Protesters Myanmar Junta Scraps Retirement Age for Its Leaders Burma Myanmar Junta to Dissolve National League for Democracy NLD supporters celebrate the party's election victory in Yangon in November 2020. / The Irrawaddy The military regime-appointed election body said on Friday that it would dissolve the National League for Democracy (NLD) for allegedly committing voter fraud, and take action against those who it says rigged the November vote, calling them traitors. The military justified its February coup by alleging massive voter fraud in Novembers general election, which brought a landslide victory to the NLD. However, the Asian Network for Free Elections said the outcome of the vote was by and large, representative of the will of the people of Myanmar. At a meeting with political parties on Fridayits second since the coupthe junta-appointed Union Election Commission (UEC) claimed it had found evidence that the NLD intentionally violated the law to ensure its landslide victory in Novembers poll. What should we do with the NLD, which plotted against the law [to win the election]? The party must be abolished. And we must consider taking action against those who rigged the vote as traitors to the country, said UEC chairman U Thein Soe, a former major general in the Myanmar military. Military spokesman Major General Zaw Min Tun said at a press conference on May 15 that action must be taken against the NLD under the Political Parties Registration Law and the military-drafted 2008 Constitution, because the party supports the National Unity Government (NUG) and the Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (CRPH), both of which the regime has declared to be terrorist and unlawful associations. The CRPH represents lawmakers, mostly from NLD, who were elected in November. The NUG was formed by the CRPH as a shadow government to rival the military regime. Under the Political Parties Registration Law and the 2008 Constitution, any party with links to terrorists or unlawful associations shall be abolished. The UEC has been reviewing voter lists, and only 21 townships are left to be reviewed out of 315 where voting was held in November, said UEC member U Khin Maung Oo. At the regimes press conference on May 7, another military spokesman, Major Kaung Htet San, said the regime would decide what action to take regarding the NLD based on the results of the voter list review. The regime arrested NLD leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and other senior leaders of the party after the coup. It has continued to arrest and issue warrants for party members and elected NLD lawmakers across the country. A number of NLD members have died while being tortured in military custody. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Junta Soldiers Killed in Chin State Clashes Key Myanmar Pro-Democracy Parties Refuse to Meet With Regimes Election Body Myanmar Regime Accuses KNU of Providing Military Training to Anti-Junta Protesters Burma Myanmar Regimes Army Captain Killed Among Others: Resistance Falam in Chin State. Six junta soldiers, including a captain, were killed during a shootout with civilian resistance fighters from the Chinland Defense Force in Chin State on Friday morning, the Chin National Organization said. The resistance fighters from the mountain town of Falam attacked eight soldiers near Lumbang village on the Kalay-Falam highway, the Chin Defense Force told The Irrawaddy. It said two soldiers fled the shootout and a civilian fighter was killed. An overturned military vehicle was left abandoned. Another shootout occurred at a village near Mindat on Friday in response to an attempted military raid, according to the Mindat resistance. During the firefight, the military reportedly used explosives and deployed helicopters. The Mindat resistance said all villagers fled into the forest during the shootout. Last Saturday, after imposing martial law on the mountaintop town and bombarding it with artillery, the junta seized the town by using around 18 detained civilians as human shields. Nine civilian fighters were killed and at least 20 were injured during the operation. Several military casualties were reported and at least six military vehicles were set on fire by civilian fighters. Most of Mindats 25,000 population has now fled the town and around 10,000 civilians are sheltering in seven new internal displacement camps, according to a camp volunteer. The camps urgently need food, medicine and tents amid heavy rain, the volunteer said. Residents said junta troops have cut off routes in the forest used to supply the camps. On Friday, Mindat residents said many civilians remain trapped in the town because junta troops have blocked Mindats gates. Residents said junta troops also cut off water, telecoms access and electricity for the town. The lack of electricity and water is limiting peoples ability to make meals. People who went into the town center to take rice from their homes were detained yesterday. The soldiers have closed the towns gates. Some detainees were released after interrogation and people have been beaten by troops, a resident said. The United Nations in Myanmar issued a statement on Friday calling on the junta to spare civilians and civilian infrastructure and to act proportionally. It urged the military regime to allow civilians to leave areas of conflict without obstruction or delay, securing their safety and to ensure those injured receive medical treatment in a safe area. It called for all relief efforts by the UN and its humanitarian partners to be unhindered by the security forces. You may also like these stories: Ethnic Army and Civilian Forces Battle Myanmar Regime in Kayah State Japanese Retail Giant AEON Shelves Myanmar Mall Plans Myanmar Junta to Dissolve National League for Democracy The Tesla Cybertruck was unveiled back in November of 2019 in Los Angeles, California, near the Space X rocket factory. The all-electric pickup truck received mixed reviews about its design that was described as "cyberpunk." Despite the mixed reviews, CEO Elon Musk shared in a tweet that the new Tesla vehicle received 146,000 pre-order in less than two days. Almost a year and a half later, reservation holders can now expect when they will be receiving their futuristic pickup trucks. Tesla Cybertruck Release Date Good News: Production Schedule Confirmation Tesla has started reaching out to reservation holders, as Peyton Schaefer shared in a tweet. Tesla messaged Schaefer informing him production will begin in late 2021. @Tesla is officially reaching out to Cybertruck reservation holders and confirming a late 2021 production start! @WillieBeamin85 pic.twitter.com/Nvepej0GMh peyton (@peytonlschaefer) May 18, 2021 The production schedule time frame fits with the promised release date Musk announced when he first debuted the all-electric vehicle, according to Cnet. The Tesla Cybertruck specs offer the vehicle in single motor RWD (rear-wheel drive), dual motor AWD (all-wheel drive), and tri-motor AWD (all-wheel drive). Tesla Cybertuck Exterior: Stainless Steel and Armor Glass Tesla Cybertuck's Exoskeleton is "an exterior shell made for ultimate durability and passenger protection," as described on Tesla's website. The Ultra-Hard 30X Cold-Rolled stainless-steel offers a smooth monochrome exoskeleton made to perform like a shell, offering the driver and passengers maximum protection. The design also helps eliminate dents, damage, and long-term corrosion. Cybertruck at Giga Texas pic.twitter.com/c1RuektPnN Tesla (@Tesla) April 16, 2021 The recent prototype seen in Tesla's Gigafactory in Austin, Texas showed the sleek exterior of the Cybertruck. The pickup truck is also fitted with Tesla Armor Glass, made with ultra-strong glass and polymer-layered composite. It redirects and absorbs force, giving it higher performance and damage tolerance. And with the Cybertruck not having any handles in its final design, the overall look of the vehicle is expected to be ultra-smooth and ultra-futuristic. Read Also: Tesla Cybertruck Redesign Gets Update, Elon Musk Says It Will Have No Door Handles! Tesla Cybertuck Interior, Utility and Speed The Cybertruck is engineered with 100 cubic feet of external storage. The bed of the truck, called "the vault" can be locked for maximum security, and the magic tonneau cover is strong enough to be stood on. It also boasts of a towing capacity of 14,000 pounds. The ground clearance of the chassis can reach up to 16 inches. With its self-levelling capabilities, the Cybertruck's adaptive air suspension is expected to be capable to rough through any terrain. Six people can sit comfortably inside the truck. Similar to all the other Tesla models, the Cybertruck will have a touchscreen on the dash. The 17-inch touchscreen will have an all-new customized user interface. The Tesla Autopilot feature will also be available. Under the hood, Tesla's motors offer a lot of power for an electric vehicle. The dual motor powertrain is reported to be similar to the Tesla Model S and the Tesla Model X. The single motor RWD can reach 0-60 MPH in less than 6.5 seconds. The dual-motor AWD can reach 0-60 MPH in less than 4.5 seconds. The tri-motor AWD can reach 0-60 MPH in less than 2.9 seconds, according to Tesla's website--speeds that are very impressive considering the size of the vehicle. Tesla Cybertruck Price According to Tesla's website, their pickup truck prices will range from $39,900 to $69,900. The single motor RWD at $39,900, the dual-motor AWD at $49,900, and the tri-motor AWD at $69,900. The self-driving feature upgrade will cost interested buyers an extra $10,000. Production will be in Tesla's Gigafactory in Austin, Texas which is still under construction. Elon Musk visited the site, driving around in the Cybertruck prototype, in his tweet last April. Photos also showed Musk talking to construction workers on the site. I was just there, driving Cybertruck around the site where it will be built! Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 16, 2021 Related Article: Tesla Cybertruck Gets Drive Test From Elon Musk: Exterior Design, Features, and More On Friday, officials with the Walker County Hospital District board announced that they have finalized a $7.8 million purchase of Huntsville Memorial Hospital. Do you feel like this is a good use of tax dollars, and is this the right direction for the struggling health care facility? You voted: Mobile app developers have exposed the personal data of 100 million users, Check Point Research says, and suggests to download a mobile threat defence solution to shield data. Mobile app developers have exposed the personal data of over 100 million users, according to an examination by Check Point Research (CPR). In an examination of 23 Android apps, CPR also discovered numerous app developers misusing third-party cloud services, such as real-time databases, notification managers and cloud storage, resulting in data exposure of not only themselves, but users as well. Personal data included emails, chat messages, location, passwords, and photos. Other key information include: CPR discovered publicly available sensitive data from real-time databases in 13 Android applications, each having downloads ranging from 10,000 installations to 10 million CPR found push notification and cloud storage keys embedded into a number of Android applications themselves CPR shows real examples of vulnerable applications: an astrology, taxi, logo-maker, screen recording and fax app Misconfigurations of real-time database A real-time database works on live and constantly changing data, rather than persistent data that is stored on a disc. App developers depend on real-time databases to store data on the cloud. CPR says it has successfully accessed sensitive data from real-time databases of 13 Android applications, ranging from 10,000 to 10 million downloads. If a malicious actor gains access to the sensitive data extracted by CPR, it would potentially lead to fraud, identity-theft, and service-swipes. This means that the malicious actor is trying to use the same username-password combination on other services. CPR is providing three examples found on the Google Play Store that were vulnerable to misconfigurations of real-time databases. CPR was able to extract the name, data, date of birth, gender location, email and payment details from Astro Guru, an astrology, horoscope, and palmistry app, which had 10 million downloads. Another is TLeva, a taxi app, where CPR found chat messages between drivers and passengers and retrieve users full names, phone numbers, and locations (destination and pickup). The app has a download of 50,000. Lastly, Logo Maker, a free graphic design and logo templates app, exposed email, password, username, and user-ID, and has a total of 10 million downloads. Found: push notification keys embedded into apps CPR says developers need to send push notifications to engage with users. Most push notifications services require a key to recognise the identity of the request submitter. CPR found these keys embedded into a number of applications themselves. While the data of the push notification service is not always sensitive, the ability to send notifications on behalf of the developer is more than enough to lure malicious actors. Found: cloud storage keys embedded into apps Cloud storage on mobile applications is a sophisticated solution to access files shared by either the developer or the installed application. CPR found applications on Google Play with cloud storage keys exposed. For example, Screen Record, which is used to record the devices screen and store the recordings on a cloud service, had access to each stored recording, and had a download of 10 million. iFax, which sends fax from phone and receives fax for free, stored fax transmissions, and holds 500, 000 downloads. Many app developers know that storing cloud-service keys in their application is bad practice. After analysing dozens of cases, CPR found a few examples of developers who tried to cover-up the problem with a solution that did not address the problem. Aviran Hazum, Check Point Software manager of mobile research, warns that data gathering, especially by a malicious actor is serious. Hazum laments: Most of the apps we took a look at are still exposing the data now. Ultimately, victims become vulnerable to many different attack vectors, such as impersonations, identify theft, phishing and service swipes. Hazum adds: Our latest research sheds light on a disturbing reality where application developers place not only their data, but their private users data at risk. By not following best-practices when configuring and integrating third party cloud-services into applications, tens of millions of users private data has been exposed. Hazum hopes that "our research sends a strong message to the developer community to be extra careful on how they use and configure third party cloud services. To solve, developers need to scan their applications for the vulnerabilities weve outlined. Pravin Rasiah, CloudSphere, vice president, product, sees the benefits of cloud-based applications in management, accessibility and scalability. However, he says it only takes one oversight in authorisation to put customer data at risk. He warns: Without a comprehensive view of the entire cloud landscape, any gaps in security can exist for a prolonged period of time, waiting for a threat actor to find and exploit the data within. He concludes: To combat this risk, businesses should leverage a cloud governance platform providing the real-time observability required to stay apprised of any changes or updates in policy. These security guardrails ensure IT teams can remediate any flaws as soon as they occur. This way, businesses can minimise the attack surface in the cloud and ensure data remains protected." How users can stay safe To mitigate the threats outlined in this research, CPR recommends the installation of an effective mobile threat defence solution that can detect and respond to a variety of different attacks, while providing a positive user experience. Parag Patel: "The threat surface that enterprises must protect has exploded in recent years." Security outfit Forcepoint has appointed experienced global channels and business development executive Parag Patel as its senior vice-president of Global Channel Sales. A statement from the company said under Patel, it would make strategic investments in its partner ecosystem to speed up the channel's change into an arm that could support deployment and support of the data-first Secure Access Service Edge platform. "We are committed to building a robust, global partner ecosystem for the delivery of cyber security solutions that protect critical enterprise data and IP; including partnerships focused on data-first risk-based solutions," said John DiLullo, chief revenue officer. "Helping our 10,000+ customers migrate securely to the cloud has become Forcepoint's consuming passion. Our products and our partners are critical fuel for this effort. "Parag is a superlative channels leader and an experienced architect of programs that will excite, invigorate and accelerate our partners' and Forcepoint's mutual success." Patel has more than 20 years' experience and has been known for transforming go-to-market strategies that drive growth for industry-leading enterprise SaaS companies. He worked for VMware for 14 years, building multiple routes-to-market that helped it grow annual sales from approximately US$250 million (A$321.6 million) to more than US$8 billion. Under him, the global partner ecosystem grew from hundreds of partners to tens of thousands worldwide. Patel also brought VMware's hyperconverged platform to market and acquired more than 10,000 customers. Most recently, he helped build transformational partnerships at C3.ai, a leader in enterprise AI. "The threat surface that enterprises must protect has exploded in recent years," Patel said. "Compute workloads have become more distributed as workforces have dispersed, and billions of new devices have been added to an already fragile IT ecosystem. "Organisations of every size are accelerating their adoption of both zero trust and SASE architectures, and Forcepoint has the industry's most comprehensive and differentiated portfolio offering. "After more than 20 years of leading global channels and sales teams, I understand the critical role partners play in customer adoption and satisfaction. "From distributors to solution providers and systems integrators, MSPs, cloud partners, OEMs and technology alliances, we plan to harness the value of a broad ecosystem to make the enterprise as secure as possible. "Our mission is to create friction-free partnerships, to foster a spirit of collaboration in the channel, and to ensure that Forcepoint's customers receive unparalleled service and support. "Securing and protecting our customers is Job #1; nurturing a vibrant partner and alliance ecosystem is Step #1 toward that goal. I am excited to be leading this critical element of Forcepoint's transformation and look forward to sharing more details in the coming weeks and months." The establishment of the new HQ follows the merger of Eltek Australia and Delta Electronics (Australia) on 1 April 2021. The headquarters was formally opened by Federal Member for North Sydney Trent Zimmerman and Delta Australia country manager David Leal. "This is a business which really utilises a lot of the skills we really want to see in the future economy in energy infrastructure, which is a particular passion of mine and is the backbone of what we need to support the energy transition in this country," said Zimmerman. "As we head towards a low emissions future, the charging networks you are helping with, the low emissions technology, the renewable technology that you will support are not only going to be crucial to Australia's environmental responsibility but to Australia's future environmental success as well. So everything you do here is in a way going to play a significant part in that journey. Leal said "The expected growth in the Australian and New Zealand markets over the coming years is considerable and Delta is excited to be well positioned to contribute to this growth and in the process, support a greener tomorrow." The new office is located in St Leonard's Corporate Park. Veterinary Technology Instructor General Information & Responsibilities Black Hawk College East Campus in Galva, Illinois is accepting applications for a growing Veterinary Sciences program. We are seeking two (2), full-time, temporary Instructors for the Veterinary Technology Program. These positions will be for the upcoming academic year (August 2021 - May 2022). BHC offers a competitive salary commensurate with education and experience as well as an outstanding benefits package. Description of Duties Full-time faculty teach 30 equated hours per academic year (average of 15 equated hours for fall and spring semester). Full-time faculty also provide office hours in additional to classroom, clinicals, and/or labs. Faculty member is expected to encourage learning by preparing appropriate syllabi; by developing lectures, discussions, and other presentations or activities to enhance the students educational experience; develops, and executes appropriate methods of evaluating students performance; develops, secures, and maintains the equipment and other instructional materials essential to the presentation of the classroom material. Education & Experience Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine (or equivalent) or Certified Veterinary Technician (or equivalent) from an AVMA-accredited program with a current Illinois license required. A minimum of two years of experience in a clinical setting required. Teaching experience preferred. Instructor must possess demonstrated oral English proficiency for classroom instruction. Supplemental Information We are seeking two (2), full-time, temporary Instructors for the Veterinary Technology Program. These positions will be for the upcoming academic year (August 2021 - May 2022). Position is open until filled. Review of qualified applications will be immediately. Black Hawk College does not sponsor employment visas. BENEFITS While you contribute your talent and enthusiasm to BHC, as an eligible employee you will have access to outstanding health benefits, ample time off, a pension plan, educational opportunities, and much more. Core Benefits Medical Prescription Drug Plan Mail Order Pharmacy Dental Vision Basic Life Insurance Professional Development Tuition Waiver Employee Assistance Program Long-Term Disability Flexible Spending Account (FSA)/Dependent Care Account (DCA) Paid Holidays Free use of fitness center Sick Leave Personal Days Retirement Pension Plans State University Retirement System of Illinois (SURS): Employees working in a regular and continuous position or one in which services are expected to be rendered on a continuous basis for at least four months or one academic term (16 weeks), may be eligible to enroll in SURS. To learn more about SURS, visit www.SURS.org. Optional 403b Tax-Deferred Investment Program: Employees may set up a 403b plan through Edward Jones Investments / Mass Mutual. recblid ye2g3qghhrbgavxlorn8gxxg9kti5m Fish Creek, a tourist town in Victoria's Gippsland region, now offers public Wi-Fi thanks to RSP Aussie Broadband and South Gippsland Shire Council. The main driver for bringing public Wi-Fi to Fish Creek was the town's Tea Cosy Festival, which attracts around 5,000 people over two days. "The idea came to us when the livestream for our 2020 Tea Cosy Festival went down, so we decided to approach some telcos to see if we could bring public Wi-Fi to Fishy!" said Tea Cosy Festival president Marge Arnup. "We're in love with Aussie Broadband, the Morwell-based internet service provider, which agreed to sponsor the data," she said, and South Gippsland Shire Council contributed $1,000 towards the cost of transmission equipment. The footprint extends from the Fish Creek CFA Station to the Fish Creek Hotel. Access requires a code provided by local businesses to encourage patronage. "Good connectivity is an expectation wherever people go. The community activities will benefit from public Wi-Fi, and we'll be able to live stream all sorts of events from Fish Creek Town Hall including the Tea Cosy Festival!" said Arnup. If you're in the area, the new Wi-Fi service is being celebrated with you guessed it a tea party at the Little Oberon Cafe at 11am today, Friday 21 May, which happens to be International Tea Day. "With Gippsland being the regional birthplace of Aussie Broadband, we jumped at the chance to bring connectivity to both the community and visitors of the beautiful Fish Creek," said Aussie Broadband community impact manager Caroline Kennon. "Regional towns have never needed our support more than now, plus the tea cosy ladies were very convincing!" "Fish Creek is a delightful place even the corellas think so; and they loved sitting on the aerials of the Wi-Fi transmitters pushing them out of position," said Arnup. Image: Dietmar Rabich / Wikimedia Commons / Fish Creek (AU), Welcome Sign -- 2019 -- 150820 / CC BY-SA 4.0 Get unlimited access to all content and features at ivpressonline.com with our Full Online Access Subscription. Read our E-Edition, the digital replica of the print newspaper online, access content in exclusive sections including Family, Teen, Business, Databases, Farm and more. This option does not include daily home delivery of the Imperial Valley Press newspaper. For home delivery service, please select Premium or Premium Plus. This Week in Review A weekly review of the best and most popular stories published in the Imperial Valley Press. Also, featured upcoming events, new movies at local theaters, the week in photos and much more. The Southern Way (lots of sugar) The Yankee Way (no sugar or sweetener) The Arnold Palmer (lemonade added) Plantation Iced Tea (with fruit) Half sweet and half unsweet mixed together. Unsweet with a no calorie sweetener. With fruit garnishment such as a lemon or lime. I drink my iced tea in different way than listed here. I don't drink iced tea. Vote View Results 21 May 2021 - Nashville, TN - Fair Trade Services announces the newest addition to their artist family - VERSES , an Australian-based pop trio comprised of brothers Joel and Luke ODea and Lukes wife Jess. A group that began making music to reach kids in Joel's youth group quickly turned into something much more than they'd ever expected. Being discovered through the songs they posted on YouTube lead them to sign with Fair Trade Services who were immediately drawn to their ministry. "When I met Joel, Luke, and Jess, I was immediately drawn to their music and their heart for the Word of God," shares James Rueger, VP, A&R for Fair Trade Services. "They built their name around the deep-rooted belief that the Word spoken out would NOT return void. Their passion for their music and vision to send Gods word out to the world made it a very easy partnership. I am excited to see how God uses this music." The trio couldn't agree more, sharing, "We are so excited to be partnering with Fair Trade! Theyve caught the vision of what we feel God has asked us to do with our music and have been amazing at helping us pursue that. To have a team with such great experience and success in the music industry, who are passionate believers and awesome people, working together to get our music into people's lives is a dream." The band's debut single, " Thankful ," just debuted last night on FreeCCM.com and is also available now on their Vevo channel. At first listen, Thankful is a joy-filled piano-driven pop anthem that plays like a montage of the bands beginnings and everything that came after. Finding real joy in the goodness of God has given the trio a spirit of gratefulness that colors every decision they make, and the timing couldn't be better to release the song. "Since the moment the melody for 'Thankful' came to life, we have believed that it would bring a divine sense of thankfulness and joy into people's lives like it did for us," they explain. "We wanted to capture that sense in the music video for thankful; that in everyday situations, good and bad, we have a reason to be thankful. Whether that be the beauty of creation, the community around us, or even just the knowledge of Jesus in our lives. We had so much fun making the video in our hometown of Newcastle, Australia - a place to be very thankful for!" Click here to view the story behind the song. Still residing in Australia, VERSES remains thankful for everything thats happened and hopeful for whats to come. Its less about what they get to do and more about where their songs are able to go. Thats the mission of VERSES, Luke says, singing these Biblical truths into peoples hearts so it will become a part of their everyday life." Jess adds, "We are fully convinced it doesnt matter what medium Gods word goes out in. It will complete everything it was sent to do. Thats special to us, that we get to send out the word of God in places well never go to. Thats our true north. For more information, visit VERSESMusic.com ### The Unicoi County Budget and Finance Committee, which met Thursday night, has scheduled two more meetings in June. Because of the change, the earliest the budget could likely be approved would be July 12, after the end of the current fiscal year. Jonesboro, AR (72401) Today Partly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High near 90F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies early will give way to cloudy skies late. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 72F. Winds light and variable. Joplin, MO (64801) Today Thunderstorms, accompanied by locally heavy rainfall at times. High 92F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%.. Tonight Variable clouds with thunderstorms, especially late. A few storms may be severe. Low 71F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%. Salary $73,632.00 - $112,507.20 Annually Location (Sequoia Plaza) *ART Bus Accessible*, VA Job Type Full-Time Department Department of Human Services Job Number 6347-21B-DHS-EM Closing 8/26/2021 11:59 PM Eastern Position Information Please note: We are recruiting for current and future vacancies in the following areas: Aging & Disability Services Division Child & Family Services Division Behavioral Healthcare Division Arlington County Government is creating a talent pool to be used to fill current and future vacancies in the field of Behavioral Health Therapy at multiple levels following the standards for licensure set forth by the Virginia Department of Health Professions. Please complete this application one time to be considered for openings throughout the recruitment window of May 21, 2021 to August 26, 2021. For more information about the Arlington County Department of Human Services, please visit DHS We are seeking licensed Behavioral Health Therapists for various divisions within DHS. Although positions may be underfilled at the Non-VA Licensed or Resident/Supervisee, licensure must be earned within three years of hire. The Department of Human Services will provide supervision to staff in pursuit of licensure. BEHAVIORAL HEALTH THERAPIST (LICENSED): $73,632.00 - $112,507.20 BEHAVIORAL HEALTH THERAPIST (NON-VA LICENSED): $64,084.80 - $97,947.20 BEHAVIORAL HEALTH (RESIDENT/SUPERVISEE): $64,084.80 - $97,947.20 Applications submitted during the open period will be considered continuously for vacancies which become available through August 26, 2021. Openings may be full or part-time and the population served may vary in age or circumstance depending upon the specific program area within the Department of Human Services. Responsibilities for Behavioral Health Therapists (licensed) may include the following: Conducting initial intake evaluations or assessments to determine level of care needed; Providing crisis intervention and facilitating psychiatric admissions; Developing and implementing treatment plans; Establishing effective therapeutic relationships with clients; Providing individual consultation and/or family therapy as well as facilitating groups; Case management and care coordination; Linking clients with case management services and/or referring to community resources; Participating as a team member providing coordinated care of services; Traveling to serve clients in the community; Delivering, counseling, and monitoring medication given to clients; and Competing extensive medical records to ensure compliance with clinical, funding, and program licensing regulations/standards. Arlington County DHS is committed to delivering client services in an effective, equitable, respectful, and trauma-informed manner. Our staff is dedicated to ensuring our clients are approached, engaged and cared for in ways that demonstrate competency, sensitivity and awareness of factors which impact the client experience including but not limited to: cultural identity, gender, racial, and ethnic diversity, religious/spiritual ascription, physical capability, cognitive and literacy levels, sexual orientation, and linguistic needs. Selection Criteria Note : Please refer to the guidelines for registration and licensure set forth by the Virginia Department of Health Professions prior to completing this application. Education: Completion of the requirements for obtaining a Master's degree from an accredited college or university in a clinical discipline such as Counseling, Psychiatric Social Work, Psychology, Art Therapy, or other directly related clinical discipline with internships and practicum requirements specified by the Virginia Department of Health Professions. Minimums: Behavioral Health Therapist (Licensed): Possess one of the following professional licenses from the Virginia Department of Health Professions: LPC, LCP, LMFT, or LCSW. Behavioral Health Therapist (Non-VA Licensed): Possess a license in a jurisdiction other than Virginia and are performing supervised assessment and evaluation, diagnostic, treatment planning, case management and counseling work while awaiting licensure from the Virginia Department of Health Professions of the following professional licenses related to a behavioral health discipline: (LPC), (LCP), (LMFT), (LCSW); License must be obtained within 90 days of hire; and While awaiting licensure from the State of Virginia (LPC), (LCP), (LMFT), (LCSW), must meet the criteria of a Qualified Mental Health Professional- Adult (QMHP-A) or a Qualified Mental Health Professional- Child (QMHP-C) per the Virginia Board of Counseling regulations within 60 days of hire. Behavioral Health (Resident/Supervisee): Perform supervised assessment and evaluation, diagnostic, treatment planning, case management, and counseling work as a trainee in order to obtain one of the following professional licenses related to a behavioral health discipline in the state of Virginia: Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) Licensed Clinical Psychologist (LCP) Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) Must meet the educational requirements to obtain a temporary license as a Resident in Counseling (for LPC or LMFT) or Resident in Clinical Psychology (for LCP), or register as a Supervisee in Social Work (LCSW) with the Virginia Department of Health Professions within 90 days of hire; Meet the criteria of a Qualified Mental Health Professional- Adult (QMHP-A) or a Qualified Mental Health Professional- Child (QMHP-C) per the Virginia Board of Counseling regulations within 60 days of hire; and Obtain appropriate licensure within three years of hire. Special Requirements The applicant must possess, or obtain by the time of appointment, a valid motor vehicle operator's license from the applicant's place of residence or ability to use alternative modes of transportation. If the applicant possesses or acquires a license, the applicant must authorize Arlington County to obtain, or the applicant must provide, a copy of the applicant's official state/district driving record. Any offer of employment may be contingent upon a favorable review of the applicant's driving record and criminal history which may include an NCIC check, a Virginia State Police background check, an FBI fingerprint background check, and/or a Virginia Department of Social Services Child Protective Services Central Registry search. An online application is required. Your responses to the supplemental questionnaire are considered part of the application process. Please do not give "see resume" as a response to the questions. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Additional Information Applications received: Not all programs served will have Behavioral Health Therapist vacancies during this time. Applicants need apply only one time to be considered during the advertised time period. To request access to update your application, please contact (see application details) or call (see application details). Bilingual: Some job openings may be designated as bilingual in English and Spanish to deliver services to Spanish speaking-families, including interpreting when needed. An assessment of Spanish proficiency will be required before a candidate can be appointed to the bilingual position(s). The incumbent in the position(s) will receive the language pay premium on all hours worked and on paid leave hours. Work Hours: Specific work hours will be discussed during the interview process with the supervisor to meet program and client needs. Some positions may require holidays, nights, and/or weekend shifts. Arlington County Government employee benefits depend on whether a position is permanent, the number of hours worked, and the number of months the position is scheduled. Specific information on benefits and conditions of employment can be found on the Arlington County Human Resources Department website: (see application details) Permanent, Full-Time Appointments All jobs are permanent, full-time appointments unless otherwise stated in the announcement. The following benefits are available: Paid Leave : Vacation leave is earned at the rate of four hours biweekly. Leave accrual increases every three years until eight hours of leave are earned biweekly for twelve or more years of service. Sick leave is earned at the rate of four hours biweekly. There are eleven paid holidays each year. Health and Dental Insurance : Three group health insurance plans are offered - a network open access plan, a point-of-service plan, and a health maintenance organization. A group dental insurance plan is also offered. The County pays a significant portion of the premium for these plans for employees and their dependents. A discount vision plan is provided for eye care needs. Life Insurance : A group term policy of basic life insurance is provided at no cost to employees. The benefit is one times annual salary. Additional life insurance is available with rates based on the employee's age and smoker/non-smoker status. Retirement : The County offers three vehicles to help you prepare for retirement: a defined benefit plan, a defined contribution plan (401(a)), and a deferred compensation plan (457). The defined benefit plan provides a monthly retirement benefit based on your final average salary and years of service with the County. You contribute a portion of your salary on a pre-tax basis to this plan. General employees contribute 4% of pay; uniformed public safety employees contribute 7.5% of pay. Employees become vested in the plan at five years of service. The County also contributes to this plan. For general employees, the County also contributes 4.2% of pay to a defined contribution plan (401(a)) . The County also matches your 457 contribution, up to $20 per pay period, in this plan. The 457 deferred compensation plan allows you to set aside money on either a pre-tax (457b) or post-tax (457 Roth) basis up to the IRS annual limit. New employees are automatically enrolled with a pre-tax contribution equal to 2% of your base pay. Other Benefits: The County also offers health, dependent care, and parking flexible spending accounts; long-term care insurance; tuition assistance; transit and walk/bike to work subsidies; a college savings plan; wellness programs; training opportunities; and a variety of other employee benefits. Permanent, Part-Time Appointments: Part time employees who work ten or more hours per week receive paid leave and benefits in proportion to the number of hours worked per week. Limited Term Appointments: Benefits are the same as permanent appointments except that the employees do not achieve permanent status. Temporary Regular Appointments: Temporary regular employees who work 30 hours or more per week are eligible for health, dental, and basic life insurance as described above. They are also eligible for vacation, sick leave, and paid holidays. Temporary Seasonal and Occasional Appointments: Temporary employees who work on a seasonal basis or variable hours receive sick leave, but do not normally receive other paid leave or benefits. Exceptions are noted in individual announcements. Town Reporter Olivia covers East Hartford & South Windsor. She joined the JI in March 2019. She graduated from the University of Kansas, and she enjoys running & hanging out with her Manchester terrier, Sophie. Olivia loves journalism because it can change the world. Town Reporter Adam joined the JI in November 2020. He graduated in 2019 from the University of Connecticut. He enjoys reading, playing soccer and basketball, as well as piano and drums. He is a fan of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Penguins, and Pirates. The new Fiat 500 takes Fiat into the electric city cars segment When FCA revealed the new Fiat 500 last July, some wondered what sort of future there could be for the little EVs bespoke platform, should a merger with PSA go ahead. Now, Stellantis appears to see this architecture as the key to giving other group brands a continued, profitable and perhaps expanded presence in the A segment. The new Cinquecento takes Fiat into a segment where only a few other OEMs have ventured: electric city cars. The Volkswagen Group has been there for some years yet there is the strong suspicion that the e-up! isnt much of a money spinner. Why else would the supply of its SEAT Mii Electric brother remain restricted, not to mention Skodas Citigoe iV equivalent having been taken out of production after fewer than 12 months? Electrified successors for the C1 and 208 twins? How can Stellantis succeed in a segment with notoriously thin margins, particularly with just the one car and it also being from a brand which is decidedly non-premium? The answer is two-fold: by pricing and marketing the new 500 as an upscale entry, which seems to be working, and by likely creating replacements for the Peugeot 108 and Citroen C1 using this architecture. They could also be built at Mirafiori, this plant located southwest of Turin having been retooled for the production of electric cars. So far, the sole EV to come off the line there is the new Fiat but there could easily be others later in the 2020s. Remember that Toyota Motor Europe has taken control of the former TME-PSA joint venture in The Czech Republic and even though its still making those models for Stellantis, theyre coming to the end of their life cycles. Remember too, that a new Fiat Panda is due in the next year or so, and that the 500s platform isnt EV-only. There will more than likely be ICE versions of all three models. And maybe a car for Lancia too, to replace the Ypsilon. 500 now available in Britain The 500 is now being built in RHD form and the UK media launch has just taken place. Britain will in all likelihood become one of the largest markets for this electric city car, Stellantis pointing out not only keen pricing GBP3,000 deposit and monthly payments from GBP199 but the unique proposition of offering buyers the choice of hatchback or convertible. Yes, this is the only affordable open-top four-seat electric car available in Britain but if you ignore the entry-level hatchback, this new model takes Fiat into pricing territory that we dont normally associate it with. Can that work? It already appears to be in LHD markets, so why not here too? Model grades are called Action (hatch only), Passion, Icon and La Prima. I asked Andrea Lo Presti who heads up Marketing for Fiat and Abarth in the UK if the top-spec would stay as a permanent part of the range. He pointed out that coming up for a year since the 4 July debut in Italy, La Prima cars remain available there. Small Fiats: big in Britain Fiats man also notes the importance of the British market to the 500, some 400,000 examples of the second generation car having been sold since its arrival in 2008. I should clarify that this model remains available and that there are no plans to discontinue it just yet. Might it even be adapted for Euro 7? Its possible, he suggests. More likely though would be either a phase out by mid-decade or else some form of ICE-electric powertrain in the new 500. Officially, Stellantis says the Cinquento is EV-only but the platform is ICE-compatible. Something I didnt know was that one in every four A segment cars sold in Britain is a Fiat. With a full year of the new 500 in 2022 and looking at what the competition is expected to be offering, Andrea Lo Presti sees the brand controlling fully one third of this size class. Premium feel What then of the car itself? My limited time driving it took place amongst the bicycles of central Cambridge and for just over an hour on faster roads, including the M11 motorway. Straight away it feels quite different to the older petrol 500 and not just in the obvious ways such as noise levels and engineering sophistication from being a fresh design versus an aged one. Here is a Fiat which seems to be gasp almost premium. Everything your fingers come into contact with feels solid and looks as though it will last a long time. The links to the past are well done too, the bi-spoke steering wheel an obvious reference to the first Cinquecento (1957-1975) and there is even a little picture of that car etched into the rubbery interior door pulls. You also get an outline of the Turin skyline beside the phone charging pad. The beautifully minimalist dashboard has a row of quickly referenced buttons for all the ventilation controls and all cars being automatic, the driver finds PRND on a lower part of the dashboard. Then, between the seats are switches for driving modes, parking brake and music volume. The traditional FCA sound system controls are also present on the back of the steering wheel: unseen but you can feel them. Having memorised which is volume, forward to the next radio station, DAB or AM and so on, they work as brilliantly as ever. Take that, touchscreens. Just like on a Tesla, the interior door releases are both electric buttons and for exiting in an emergency if the power is cut mechanical latches which will always work. The door cards are hard plastic yet that doesnt take away from the funky feel of the whole interior. Also, the standard of components and assembly on the cars I saw was faultless: everything lined up perfectly, gloveboxes shut with a nice clunk and each stalk had a precise action with no slack. And each time I glanced at the dashboard, the shapes reminded me of swoopy-beautiful Zaha Hadid buildings No-one who spoke at Stellantis press event suggested this but maybe they should have. If the new 500 looks great, is built well, feels solid in so many ways (something else VW might want to note theres no cheap metal stick to hold up the bonnet but instead two tiny gas struts), how does it drive and hows the level of comfort? Heres something else I wasnt expecting: the suspension system delivers a near-miraculous level of comfort. I mean that in the context of this being a car thats not only a mere 3,632 mm long with a 2,322 mm wheelbase (+22 compared to the second generation 500). Tall, narrow tyres help to make it quite fun even on bouncy-bumpy roads but it does lean a lot. The only bad news about the electric 500, aside from the limited range with the base spec 24 kWh pack, is a certain lack of sharpness in the steering, while nobody could say the handling is anything like that of a sports car. But thats not what the new Fiat is meant to be about: as a cute and often fun electric city car, it hits the target. Plus in two-three years time possibly sooner Stellantis will probably give us a suitably rapid plug-in Abarth version. Now that, I will look forward to. The electric Fiat 500 costs from GBP20,495 (Action hatchback with 24 kWh battery) after the UKs PiCG. The convertible starts one level up (Passion). Icon, the model grade above this, is expected to be the UKs best seller, taking some 50% of volume. In as-tested 42 kWh Icon convertible form, top speed is 93 mph, 0-62 mph takes 9.0 seconds, with the motor producing 87 kW (118 PS) and 220 Nm. The OTR price is GBP30,645 and the maximum range is 199 miles. Warranties are three-year/unlimited mileage and eight years/100,000 miles for both (Samsung-supplied) battery packs. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. Our Magazine Does import matter? In this edition: we look at the future of imported beer, whether craft brews can find success in the budget category, how wine is faring post-Brexit, and more. The International Apparel Federation (IAF) has named Cem Altan, founder of Aycem Textiles, as its next president replacing Han Bekke who has been in the post for the past five years. Altan is also a member of the board of directors of both the Istanbul Apparel Exporters Association (IHKIB) and the Turkish Clothing Manufacturers Association (TCMA), where he is tasked with international affairs and has strong experience in industry representation at an international level. The hand-over will take place at the 36th IAF Convention being held from 6-9 November in Antwerp, Belgium. IAF chooses a new president for tenures of one or two years from among the ranks of its board of directors. Altan has been a member of the IAF board of directors since 2014, and is also head of Istanbul Fashion Week and Koza Young Designers. IAF is a global federation that represents, often through their industry associations, the interests of apparel companies in different stages of the supply chain, including brands, retailers and manufacturers. The IAF presidency reflects this diversity. Bekke is also president of MODINT, the Dutch apparel and textile industry association representing mostly brands. The new president carries the manufacturing segment into the IAF presidency. With his long standing experience in our supply chain, I am confident that the future of IAF is in good hands, says Bekke, who will remain on the IAF executive committee as immediate past president. Altan adds: It is going to be a challenging two years for me taking over the presidency from Han Bekke who has led IAF for five years. Especially under Covid circumstances it was difficult for all of our sector to tackle many problems. Under the leadership of Han, we have worked hard to carry the garment industry to a cleaner, greener and more digitalised level. I will take this leadership from where Han left, carrying it further ahead. My new position requires lots of responsibilities, hard work, vision and cooperation. Sitting in a quiet room on the ground floor, of the secret location booked for the Finnish Court, the gender sensitive panel of four judges, two of whom are women, have been presiding over the proceedings in a quiet and serene manner devoid of the adversarial aggressiveness between lawyers on both sides, which are hall marks of the British judicial system adopted by many African countries including Sierra Leone. The trial had been delayed for a week, when two of the Finnish judges fell ill with typhoid as they flew in to Sierra Leone, from Liberia where they had been holding two months of hearings. There was thus the inevitable pressure to make up for lost time, ramping up the schedule with three witnesses per day and sitting through the weekend, Sunday inclusive. Ms Paula Sallinen, the defence lawyer of the Sierra Leonean ex-commander of the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) Gibril Massaquoi who himself follows the hearings from his prison in Finland wasted no time in leading her first witness, watched attentively in a hawk like manner by two alert prosecutors state prosecutor Tom Laitinen and district prosecutor Matias Londen who seemed to hang on every phrase and every sentence. Allegedly, the period of commission of the war crimes was between 1999 and 2003. Defence witness n4 began testifying that, in 1991, Massaquoi was in Pujehun District which borders Liberia. Along with a lot of youths, the accused had been captured, trained and conscripted into the RUF movement. In 1998, the witness said, the RUF leader Foday Sankoh asked all of the fighters to come out of the bush. Then, they joined the military and they were given offices at the headquarters at Cockeril, in the west-end of the capital Freetown. Massaquoi was the spokesman of the RUF, and as a family member of the witness, he used to strategize how to meet people and what to tell them she said, and, in particular, to help her secure a local chieftaincy seat in his Massaquois native village, Blama, in the Gallinese chiefdom, in this Pujehun district of Southern Sierra Leone. Towards the end of 1999, she said, he became more active. He visited and took part in monthly meetings on to 2001. But on 10th January 2002, they lost the chieftaincy elections and they all went back to Freetown. A resident at Thunderhill in the east-end of the capital Freetown, Massaquois only travel outside Freetown was to visit his mother once or twice a month in Bo, the second City, the witness said. In 2000 Massaquoi told her he had to travel to South Africa, Ivory Coast and Nigeria. She adds that in 2001, he went to Monrovia in Liberia and Nigeria. I got to know this from his wife, who did not actually tell me everything, the witness said. The witness also told the prosecutor that she met Massaquoi at Youyi building, in Freetown, which houses majority of the government buildings in 2003, from where he moved around freely. Pressed by the prosecutor, who asked if by then Massaquoi was a protected witness with the Special Court for Sierra Leone, the witness answered I dont know that. Massaquoi travels in Guinea, Nigeria and Liberia Defence witness n13, a petroleum dealer, recalled when his friend Massaquoi was released from prison in 1999 and went on to live in Azzolini Highway, between the towns of Lunsar and Makeni in northern Sierra Leone. By then, the witness said he was fleeing for his life because he had been tagged as a collaborator of the RUF. At that time, recounted the witness, Massaquoi was called by Sankoh in Lome for the signature of a peace agreement. He travelled through Guinea in November of 1999. A special assistant to Sankoh, he was with him after Lome when they went to Nigeria, where Sankoh was briefly arrested. Massaquoi came back to Freetown and worked, in 2000, as an administrative and legal adviser to Sankoh working at his residence in Spur road. Massaquoi himself lived in Murray Town, another suburb in Freetown, said witness n13. On May 8th 2000, a civil populace went to Sankohs house at Spur road. Massaquoi escaped. Sankoh was arrested. The witness said he met Massaquoi at his residence, who was grumbling that his colleagues had attacked some peacekeepers and was blaming two other RUF leaders, Issa Sesay and Morris Kallon, saying they had put our lives in danger with these hostages. The leadership of the RUF was transferred to Sesay, a battlefield commander, and Massaquoi lead a delegation that went to Liberia. He was charged to deliver the peacekeepers to the Liberian president Charles Taylor and, according to the witness, he stayed in Liberia for six months before returning to his residence in Makeni. Sesay and Rambo vs Massaquoi and Superman In 2001, Massaquoi joined the so-called Tripartite Peace meetings between the RUF and the government of Sierra Leone mediated by the United Nations. The meetings were held in Sierra Leones cities of Kailahun, Kono, and Kambia. By then he was spokesman for the RUF and took part in all the meetings. In Makeni there was what the witness called a fight for supremacy between two factions of the RUF. There was Sesay and Rambo on the one hand, and Massaquoi and Dennis Mingo alias Superman on the other hand. At one point, recounted the witness, the fight between the factions resulted in the death of Rambo. Massaquoi lived in Makeni up to 2002, when some people came from Guinea with a money doubling scam, said the witness. The guys duped Sesay, so he arrested Massaquoi and tied him up because he had introduced the scammers to him. A Nigerian commander in the area, colonel Oladipo stepped in and called for the UN helicopter which took Massaquoi to the UN Headquarters at Mammy Yoko (now Radisson Blu) hotel in Freetown. Defence witness n13 says he directed the Criminal Investigations Department to arrest one of the scammers. He brought Massaquois wife and children to live with him in Freetown. By 2002 to 2003, a disarmament demobilization and reintegration program started and they gave Massaquoi a fishing project costing $10,000, continued the witness. It was a blanket project for all RUF Commanders to help bring them on board the peace process. It was then, the witness added, that Massaquoi came across a chief investigator at the UN Special Court for Sierra Leone, Alan White, who hired him to give information. From 2003 upwards, Massaquoi became an informer for the Court, who paid the rent for his residence and provided security for him. Soon after, the witness said, Sesay and Kallon were arrested. US President Joe Biden said on Thursday that the United States welcomes Ceasefire Israel and Hamas reached an agreement in the Gaza Strip and emphasized that the United States will continue to support Israel militarily. In his speech at the White House in Washington, Biden said: The United States fully supports Israel in defending its rights to resist unscrupulous rocket attacks by Hamas and other terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip, which have claimed the lives of innocent civilians. . Biden said: These hostilities have resulted in the deaths of many civilians, including children, and I extend my sincere condolences to all Israeli and Palestinian families who have lost their loved ones. In a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier today, Biden said that he praised the Israelis for ending the immediate conflict 11 days later and assures Netanyahu that the United States will continue. Provide military support. Biden said that he had conversations with Egyptian President Abdul Fatah Sisi and Palestinian Authority Chairman Abbas Mahas as part of the strong diplomatic exchanges and he thanked the Egyptians for facilitating The role played in the agreement Biden said that the United States will cooperate with the United Nations and other international organizations to provide rapid humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza. Biden said: We will fully cooperate with the Palestinian Authority, not Hamas, and do this in a way that does not allow Hamas to simply replenish its arsenal, Biden said. Biden said: I believe that Palestinians and Israelis should also enjoy a safe and secure life, and enjoy equal freedom, prosperity and democratic measures. He promised to continue to adopt quiet and unremitting diplomacy. Israel and Hamas agree Egypts ceasefire proposal Even if the explosion can still be heard in Gaza, it will take effect in Gaza. Prime Minister Netanyahus office announced that his security cabinet voted unanimously for a mutual and unconditional truce. Reuters news agency reported that Hamas officials had previously stated that the ceasefire would be mutual and simultaneous. Taher al-Nono, a media adviser to the head of Hamas, Ismail Haniya, said in a statement: As long as the occupation (Israel) takes the same action, the Palestinians will resist Power will abide by the agreement. According to Reuters, Egypt has ordered two security delegations to enter Israel and the Palestinian territories to maintain the ceasefire. The response of American analysts to the announcement of a ceasefire was a response to cautious mitigation and recognition that the underlying causes of hostilities still exist. Aaron David Miller, a senior researcher at the Carnegie Foundation for International Peace, tweeted that the ceasefire will face many challenges. The ceasefire has been broken, and the ceasefire agreed by the Israeli cabinet may be vulnerable to many challenges. There are two negotiation speeds in the Middle East-increasingly slower. The high expectations are very low. -Aaron David Miller (@aarondmiller2) May 20, 2021 University of Maryland professor Shuibley Telhami called the agreement a fig leaf that both parties needed, and predicted that despite guns will remain silentthe silent violence of the occupation will continue. 3 thoughts on ceasefire: Both parties want it, only fig leaves 2. Bidens dilemma: If he claimed to have called yesterday, why did he die without passing away? 3. Guns will remain silent, but the silent violence of occupation will not end.https://t.co/kolob9KNxQ -Shibley Telhami (@ShibleyTelhami) May 20, 2021 Biden has Urge Netanyahu to downgrade On May 19, the tensions in the Gaza conflict imminent ceasefire, in a phone call, the leaders of the two countries made six speeches during the 11-day battle between Israel and Hamas. White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters: The President conveyed to the Prime Minister his expectation that today will be significantly downgraded on the path to a ceasefire. According to the Associated Press, Biden and government officials have been encouraging Netanyahu and other senior Israeli officials to end the bombing of Gaza. Biden is facing fiercely competitive domestic pressure within the United States to support Israel and demand that US allies be held accountable for the use of US-made weapons and the abuse of Palestinian human rights. Member of Congress led by Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Senator Bernie Sanders Lockdown measures $735 million in arms sales to Israel. According to the New York Times, Biden formed a sharp tone with Netanyahu in a conference call on Monday. The US President told the Israeli Prime Minister that criticism of the Gaza attack could only be cancelled within a limited time. The White House read out Bidens appeal to Netanyahu on Monday, saying that Biden expressed support for the ceasefire, but reiterated Israels right to self-defense, and did not say that the United States urged Israel to end the fighting. As political leaders pointed out before the COP26 United Nations Climate Change Conference in November this year, there are key differences in greenhouse gas policies between states: rich and poor countries, fossil fuel exporters and importers, and green countries (for example, Scandinavians) and less green countries, such as Australia. But this may not last long. The struggle to protect the planet is changing in ways that may exacerbate conflicts within countries, especially between social classes. Or, frankly, between the rich and other people. According to United Nations data, the 1% of the worlds highest-income population accounts for about 15% of emissions. This is more than twice the minimum 50% share. The UNs 2020 Emission Gap Report stated that limiting the temperature to 1.5C, as envisaged in the 2015 Paris Agreement, would require the richest 1% to reduce their carbon footprint by at least 30% by 2030. Times. Almost everything the rich do involves higher emissions, from living in large houses to driving larger cars and flying more frequently, especially by private jets. You can eat meat even with a swimming pool. Not to mention holiday houses. Or houses. Green activists have long opposed environmental inequality, targeting what they call polluting elites. But so far, the government has largely avoided a social splitting policy. Instead, they focus on changing the energy structure of all people by reducing the use of fossil fuels and promoting renewable energy. And, selectively, they increase the regulatory burden on the industry. Consumers bear some expenses, such as green levies on electricity bills, environmental taxes at airports and equipment disposal fees. They are also forced to reduce their carbon footprint by reducing subsidies for electric cars, solar panels and home insulation materials. But these policies are not enough.When they announced a lot Tighter emission targets Before COP26 is held, governments will have to directly curb emissions. Taxes on everything from car fuel to domestic natural gas are the obvious choice. However, they will hit the poor and the rich. Moreover, to make these taxes high enough to change the behavior of the super-rich, it is necessary to impose unbearable costs on the wealthy. Therefore, a carbon tax for the rich will climb the political agenda. But is tax policy enough? For truly wealthy people, no normal level of carbon-related taxes will act as a deterrent. They can swallow frequent traveller subsidies, taxes on large cars and surcharges on household energy bills. The government may have to go beyond taxation policies and impose restrictions on activities. Maybe use a private jet or a home swimming pool. In most democracies, this is considered extreme. But people can already tolerate regulations such as hose bans. Climate capital Where climate change meets business, markets, and politics. Browse the Financial Times report here In addition, if actions are restricted to taxation policies, it is possible to create a world where the advantage of the super-rich (with no repayment) will become greater. In advanced democracies such as the United States, European countries, and Japan, is this politically sustainable? Anyone who believes that it will not change should consider Joe Bidens commitment to a radical approach to climate policy. The President of the United States is also not afraid of the hope of increasing taxes for rich countries. What can the rich do to prepare? Well, it makes sense to voluntarily reduce the carbon footprint before mandatory emission reductions. It is not enough to invest more in sustainable development or contribute money to green causes, although such actions do make a difference. What is needed is to reduce consumption, especially luxury consumption that generates large amounts of carbon dioxide and unnecessary headlines. For those who value a glamorous lifestyle, this will be a price. But we have seen in the pandemic that change is possible. This is not altruism, but enlightened self-interest. Stefan Wagstyl is the editor of Fortune and the Financial Times. Follow Stefan on Twitter @stefanwagstyl This article is part of Financial Times Fortune, This section provides an in-depth introduction to philanthropy, entrepreneurs, family offices, and alternative and impact investing. The Arctic countries have pledged to fight global warming. Global warming is occurring three times faster in the northern part of the earth than in other regions, and as the geopolitical importance of this region increases to maintain peace in the region. As the foreign ministers of the Arctic countries gathered in Reykjavik, Iceland on Thursday, global warming has intensified, resource development is insufficient, sea ice retreat opens up new maritime routes, and the future of local residents has become the top agenda. US Secretary of State Anthony Brinken told the heads of the Arctic Council from Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia and Sweden: We are committed to promoting a peaceful Arctic that is dominant in climate, environment, science and security. area. He added: As a strategically competitive region, the Arctic has attracted the attention of the world, but the rule of law must be ensured to make it a conflict-free region where countries can take responsible actions. Military exercises The warming climate has opened the door to shipping, fishing, drilling, and mining for the Arctic. As an observer of the Security Council, China has made no secret of its interest in vast territories rich in natural resources and retreat to sea ice in new areas of sea routes. . At the same time, Russia has strengthened its military forces in the Arctic-reopened and modernized bases abandoned since the collapse of the Soviet Union-and the United States has intensified naval exercises. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told the participants at the meeting: The important thing is to expand our positive relationship within the Arctic Council to also cover the military field. A Russian soldier guards a military truck on the land of Alexandra, which is part of the Franz Joseph Land Islands [Maxime Popov/AFP] We emphasized at the meeting that we think there is no reason for conflict here. Lavrov told reporters: This is especially true for the development of military plans in some neighborhoods here. The Russian envoy also said that Russia supports the idea of ??hosting the Arctic summit during the two-year term of the Security Council. Lavrov also called for the resumption of regular meetings among the chiefs of staff of the members of the Security Council. After Russia annexed Crimea, the annual meeting between the chiefs of the Arctic states armed forces ceased in 2014. Since 2014, Russia has not participated in another forum, the Arctic Security Forces Roundtable. The Arctic Council was established 25 years ago to deal with environmental and international cooperation issues. Its mission clearly does not include military security. climate change The discussion focused on the impact of global heating on once cold regions. Canadian Foreign Minister Marc Garneau told the Security Council: The climate crisis is the most serious long-term threat to the Arctic, and its warming rate is three times faster than anywhere else on the planet. The shocking data is part of a report released by the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Program (AMAP) on Thursday, which also warned that the areas sea ice disappears completely in the summer, and its risk increases before it freezes in the winter. The Danish Minister of Foreign Affairs Kopde said: We have a responsibility to strengthen cooperation to benefit the people living in the Arctic. US Secretary of State Anthony Brinken (right) visited the Black Ridge Observation Deck in Kangerlussuaq, Greenland, together with Greenland Prime Minister Mutter Egerd and Greenland Climate Research Center scientist Mi Wending. [Saul Loeb/Pool via Reuters] At the last council meeting in Finland in 2019, the Trump administration blocked the signing of the joint statement for the first time since the council was established in 1996 because it refused to include climate change in the final statement. The adoption of the joint statement on Thursday was effortless, as did the Security Councils agreement on a 10-year strategic plan for the first time in its 10-year history. In addition to the countries bordering the Arctic, the Council also includes six organizations representing the indigenous peoples of the region and 13 observer countries. In the blink of an eye, he ended the four-day visit from Denmark and visited Greenland directly. He told reporters that the United States hopes to have a stronger partnership with the Danish territory of Greenland, and he can confirm that the United States is no longer trying to buy it. TEEN Mom 2 star Kailyn Lowry is reunited with Briana DeJesus little dad Devoin Austin. The party was held after Kailin criticized their dating rumors. 8 Kailin and Dvorin reunited on dating rumors Image Credit: Instagram / Kailyn Lowry 8 Reality stars met while filming Teen Mom 2 Reunion Image Credit: Instagram / Kailyn Lowry Kailin Take her to Instagram story On Thursday, she shared a clip where she zoomed in to see the logo of Devoins name. Next, she shared the video of herself and Devoin backstage in the background Teen Mom 2 As the 29-year-old said in the reunion recording: We will do our market segment together. Kailyn then zoomed in on Devoin because he said they would be eliminated. The mother of four concluded: Okay, lets go. 8 Briana sparks rumors that Devoin and Kailyn are among them Credit: Social Media-Reference Materials 8 After Devoin appeared in Kailyns podcast, the rumors began Image source: Instagram @kailynlowry Speculation about a romantic relationship between friends began in April, when Briana, 26, Throw shadows at new friends. Briana and Devoin share their nine-year-old daughter Nova. This Music TV The star called Devoin and Kailyn clue chasers, and they deserved each other in the Instagram Q&A session. A fan asked: What do you think of the friendship between Devin and Kyle? She replied: I am happy for him. He deserves all the influence he can have. And for the AD that is not because of me. Before, she was the ideal target. Another follower asked if Brianna was dating Karins former Harvey Maroquin whether D Vaughan and Karen had been retaliated against. She explained to her: No, not at all. Me. I think we are all moving forward. For both parties, this is a business move and I can totally respect it. 8 Kaylyn went to Instagram to criticize rumors as fake news Credit: Social Media-Reference Materials 8 Dvorn and Briana share their nine-year-old daughter Nova Credit: Social Media-Reference Materials After Briana shared her photos, she continued to spread rumors Her little dad and Kailin smile After he starred in her Coffee Convos podcast. The Florida native re-shared the pictures of the two with captions: Congratulations on your love! You have my blessings. Kaylyn soon ended the dating rumors after sharing a photo of herself on Instagram Stories. Her headline read: Devoin and I are not in a relationship. Dont fall for clickbait .False news. Briana was not shy about her foreplay in the past because she had told her story before. Battered relationship With her two young daughters Devoin and Luis Hernandez. 8 Briana has always been open to the tainted relationship with Devoin Credit: MTV The despair of DEN Denise Welch refused to accept the words of Loose Women, saying I cant stand it anymore Baked! After Phil denied the cake, Martin Lewis yelled Goodbye this morning Follow in moms footsteps Holly Willoughbys daughter wears her mothers favorite boots to take rare photos Bank error Kate Garraway revealed that an eye infection made her a lot of money Spoiler Sweet revenge Emmerdales Samson plans to violently retaliate against stepmother Lydias assailant Break my heart Friends and fans worry about Matthew Perrys nose in the reunion promotion Although no man supported her physically or financially, she gave up her plan to change them. She reasoned: So far, I am doing me. I didnt complain, and let their father do what they think they want to do until they raise their children. So far, it hasnt been dramatic. I dont care anymore and let my girls discover themselves as they get older. She continued. Briana is the mother of two daughters, while Kailyn has four sons: Isaac is 11 years old, Lincoln is 7 years old, Lux is 3 years old and Creed is 9 months old. Surabaya, Indonesia The Indonesian authorities announced this week that the rescue operation involving the Chinese underwater rescue vessel has successfully recovered fragments from the KRI Nanggala-402 submarine that sank off the coast of Bali last month. People have raised questions about this matter. The countrys military and its combat readiness. So far, rescuers have not been able to find the main body of the shipwreck that practiced live torpedoes when it sank on April 21. It is believed that the submarine, carrying 53 crew members, sank to a depth below 840 meters (2,755 feet) due to a mechanical failure, which is far below its collapse depth of 300 meters (984 feet), causing it to fall into the water. three item. Admiral Iwan Isnurwanto (Iwan Isnurwanto), speaking to the media on Tuesday, said that KRI Nanggala-402 items, including torpedo cables, technical manuals, life rafts, and Metal plates, but the rescue operation has not yet determined the main body of the ship. He added that raising any part of the submarine will be a daunting task. Several times, Tan Suo 2 [a Chinese rescue vessel] Attempt to lift the bow or bridge.They estimated that the main platform weighs about 18 tons, so it turns out that they cannot lift it [] He says. A video shows the Indonesian Navy KRI Nanggala-402 submarine believed to be sunk. Announced this week that some fragments have been recovered [File: Johannes P. Christo/Reuters] The search team also found an underwater crater filled with mud. Isnuvanto said that the main part of the submarine may have been buried in the crater along with the crews bodies. The sinking of KRI Nanggala-402 was built in Germany in 1977 and purchased by the Indonesian Navy in 1981, which raised questions about the overall quality of Indonesian defense equipment, most of which came from abroad. Process modernization Over the years, Indonesia has imported military equipment from more than 20 countries including the United Kingdom, the United States, Russia and South Korea. Indonesia began to modernize its equipment in 2007. Gilang Kembara of the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), an Indonesian think tank focused on strategy, politics, security, and economic affairs, said that the Indonesian Navy launched a Minimum Force Strategy in 2010 with a view to carrying out Update and upgrade its equipment to 2024. He told Al Jazeera: The Navy is modernizing its warships. This is due to the number of very old warships used in the fleet, many of which were manufactured during the Cold War. It also focuses on serving as the Naval Aviation Center. Transform the defense equipment on its submarines, frigates, aircraft and helicopters. In 2021, the budget of the Indonesian Armed Forces increased by 11% to IDR136 trillion (US$920 million), after the budget was cut in 2020 due to the COVID-19 epidemic. When KRI Nanggala-402 sank, the Indonesian navy ordered three submarines from South Korea with the aim of owning eight submarines by 2024. KRI Cakra-401 is the sister submarine of KRI Nanggala-402. Since January 2021, the aircraft has been undergoing necessary maintenance. Indonesian military chief Hadi Tjahjanto spoke to the media while searching for the KRI Nanggala-402 submarine. The accident of the death of 53 crew members has raised questions about the life of some military equipment. [File: Fikri Yusuf/Antara Foto via Reuters] Indonesia is made up of more than 17,000 islands, is facing increasing maritime challenges and has disputes with China, and China has found illegal fishing boats in its waters. Natalie Sambhi, executive director of Verve Research, a multidisciplinary research organization focused on the Southeast Asian military, previously told Al Jazeera that the scale of operations of Indonesian submarines may be seriously insufficient. Indonesia also has a history of indigenous or militia programs designed to supplement its official armed forces, including the Bela Negara concept, which seeks to use paramilitary training, ideological education, and direct civil society into the larger National defense plan. Establish auxiliary reserve forces. But Ian Wilson, a senior lecturer in politics and security studies at Murdoch University in Australia, said that such attention may make the armed forces not fully prepared for the challenges they face now. He said: In many ways, this is in contradiction with specialized, modern and resource-rich military thinking, which focuses on protecting and defending Indonesias territorial sovereignty and national interests from potential external sovereign threats. Historically, the army is mainly an organization focused on internal control and power. This may explain why, despite its importance, it has insufficient resources in terms of modern equipment. Legendary Ship The Indonesian Armed Forces was established in October 1945 after independence and currently has approximately 400,000 personnel in the Navy, Army and Air Force. Despite the challenges and accusations of human rights violations in certain areas of its activities, for many people in the country, the life of a soldier is considered a competitive and outstanding cause. Admiral Frans Wuwung was once the chief engineer of KRI Nanggala-402 and said that when he worked from 1981 to 1985, he felt proud of nothing but pride. During a memorial ceremony for the crew of the Indonesian navy submarine KRI Nanggala, the family threw flowers to the sea near Bali [File: Juni Kriswanto/AFP] Wuwung said that the crew of the submarine must undergo a rigorous training and selection process before being allowed to work on board. Submarines are an important part of my life and life experience. They cannot be separated, he said. To be honest, I have not stopped crying because it is gone. Its like the memories of my youth sinking into it. Whats more heartbreaking is that my brother, the best man in this country, had to die with this legendary ship. The ceasefire welcomes the United Nations Presidents call for effective efforts to resolve the root causes of the conflict and achieve national reconciliation. After Egypt facilitated an agreement between Israel and Hamas to stop the 11-day conflict, a ceasefire took effect in the Gaza Strip. Thousands of people in Gaza and the Palestinian territories rushed to the streets to celebrate the ceasefire, waving flags and flashing the V-shaped sign of victory. In the Israeli bombing, at least 232 Palestinians, including 65 children, were killed. In Israel, 12 people were killed, including two children. Here are some reactions to the latest developments: United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres I emphasize that apart from restoring calm, the leaders of Israel and Palestine have the responsibility to engage in serious dialogue to resolve the root causes of the conflict. Gaza is an indispensable part of the future Palestinian state, and no effort should be spared to achieve true national reconciliation that ends ethnic division. U.S. President Joe Biden We remain committed to working with the United Nations and other international stakeholders to provide rapid humanitarian assistance and provide international support for the people of Gaza and the reconstruction of Gaza. I believe that Palestinians and Israelis should also enjoy a safe and secure life, and enjoy equal freedom, prosperity and democratic measures. To this end, my government will continue our quiet, relentless diplomacy. I believe we have a real opportunity to make progress, and I am committed to working hard for this. The President of Egypt Abdel Fattah el-Sisi (Abdel Fattah el-Sisi) I am very glad that I received a call from President Biden. We exchanged views on ways to reach a solution to calm the current conflict between Israel and Gaza. Our views are in line with the diplomatic approach to the conflict between the parties. Agree. Tor Wennesland, United Nations Special Envoy for Middle East Peace I welcome the ceasefire between Gaza and Israel. I express my deepest condolences to the victims of violence and their relatives. I commend #Egypt?#Qatar for their efforts in close contact with @UN to help restore calm. # Palestine construction work can begin. I welcome the ceasefire between #Gaza with #Israel. I extend my deepest condolences to the victims of violence and their relatives.I praise #Egypt with #Qatar For the efforts made, and @ KindTo help restore calm.Construction works #Palestine Can start. -Tor Wennesland (@TWennesland) May 20, 2021 Linda Thomas Greenfield, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Now, we must shift our focus to more tangible progress towards lasting peace. We must work together to address urgent humanitarian needs on the ground, especially in Gaza, which is actually very important. British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab (Dominic Raab) Welcome the news of a ceasefire in Israel and Gaza. All parties must work to make the ceasefire lasting and end the cycle of unacceptable violence and civilian deaths. The United Kingdom continues to support efforts to achieve peace. Good morning Arsenal fans According to reports, Arsenal had been paying close attention to Norwich star Emiliano Buendia until the summer transfer window. The Gunners are looking for a potential replacement for Martin Odegaard, who may return to Real Madrid once his lease expires. According to Goal, the Canary Islands will ask the Argentine organizers about 40 million pounds. The 24-year-old has scored 15 goals and 17 assists in 41 games in all competitions this season, and played a key role in Norwichs return to the Premier League. At the same time, Arsenal legend Dennis Bergkamp claimed that the original DNA of the club that led to the rule of the Premier League has been lost. Bergkamp told Voetbal International: Like Patrick Vieira and Thierry Henry, since my time, it has been difficult for me to recognize Arsenal. The ambition to win the trophy lies in Arsenals DNA. Never accept the loss. This mentality has slowly disappeared. I feel a sense of resignation under the current situation. This is very serious. Considering the financial situation, this is normal, and Arsenal is finally ranked behind the top clubs in the league. This is not what this club should be. Arsenals DNA needs to be repaired. Bergkamp and the invincible Henry and Vieira both support Spotify co-founder Daniel Eks offer to buy the club from the Kroenke family, and the former Dutch international insists the company Home is not a give up. The legendary forward added: Daniel doesnt think acquisitions are buying beautiful toys. We cant force anyone to sell. I understand that in addition to this proposal, Daniel has now contacted Josh Kroenke and his bankers twice. Regardless of Kroenkes intentions, it would be a good thing if we at least had a dialogue with each other. In any case, Daniel is not an ex-smoker, nor are we. We are here to stay. Fabrizio Romano firmly believes that Arsenal will continue to take over Mikel Arteta. Romano said in the We Are Here podcast: Arsenals intention is to continue to cooperate with Arteta, I want to say 100%, because they are full of confidence in Arteta, full of confidence in the project. They think that working with this kind of manager for a year, he needs time. This season is really disappointing, they know this, but they want to continue working with Arteta, so the situation is currently planning with him to sell players, sign and rebuild players in the summer. So Artata is from Arsenal Beijing rejected the Pentagons request for senior Chinese officials to hold talks with the new US Secretary of Defense, complicating relations between the two countries as tensions between the worlds two most powerful military forces increase. US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin (Lloyd Austin) has made three requests to speak with General Xu Qiliang, Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission and member of the Politburo Standing Committee, Chinas top military official. According to the trio, after the deadlock, China refused to participate. US officials have stated that they do not want to hold high-level meetings with China for this purpose, especially after senior foreign policy officials from these countries have participated in public diplomacy. Spit In Alaska in March. However, the Biden administration believes that due to the increased tension in the Indo-Pacific region, it is important for Austin to engage in dialogue with Xu. With the Chinese navy and air force carrying out aggression near Taiwan, the ties between the two militaries have become increasingly close, especially in the South China Sea. An official from the US Department of Defense told the Financial Times about the call request between Austin and Xu: The Chinese military did not respond. According to another official, in addition to a stalemate over Austins demands, General Mark Millley, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, had not spoken with his counterparts since early January until Joe Biden was sworn in. Since Biden took office, these countries have protected everything from the suppression of Uighurs in Xinjiang to Chinas military activities around Taiwan. China as an imperial power attacked the United States. In March, when US officials told the British Financial Times that President Xi Jinping was in office, China flew a record number of fighters and bombers into Taiwans air defense identification zone in March. flirt Attempt to occupy Taiwan. Although some experts believe that the threat is not that serious, many believe that Taiwan is a dangerous hotspot. Earlier this year, Chinese fighter jets simulated a missile attack on the USS Theodore Roosevelt near Taiwan. China also holds a positive view of the disputed Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea. The islands are managed by Japan but claimed by Beijing. Austin originally planned to travel to Singapore to participate in the Shangri-La Defense Forum in June, and it is expected that Chinese Defense Minister Wei Fenghe will attend. Due to Covid-19 concerns, the event has been cancelled this week. US defense officials said that discussions about the meeting with Wei in Beijing are already under discussion. But he said that Austin, the fourth-largest member of the U.S. cabinet, chose to hold a meeting to promote the call with Xu. In Chinas political and military system, Xu ranks higher than Wei. A US official said: We believe that the appropriate counterpart is the vice chairman of the Central Military Commission. Jim Mattis met Xu in Beijing in 2018 during President Donald Trumps term as Secretary of Defense. But China almost always provides the Minister of Defense instead. This is increasingly frustrating the United States, because he has little power in the Chinese system and has not served as a member of the 25 Politburo that governs China. The White House is divided on how Austin should handle this issue. Some National Security Council officials opposed Austin and Weis exchanges. The other group has weaker resistance, but hope Austin will use any meeting or phone call to tell Wei that he will only talk with the vice chairman of CMC. NSC declined to comment. The first defense official confirmed that there had been a split, but declined to provide any details. The Chinese Embassy in Washington did not respond to a request for comment. Bonnie Glaser, a China expert at the German Marshall Foundation, said that it is important for the Pentagon to be able to contact real military decision makers, and pointed out that CMC exercises command over PLA. She said: In order to address the USs growing concerns about Chinese military operations and measures to reduce risks to avoid conflicts between US and Chinese forces in close combat operations, the focus should be on CMC. Although some officials and experts said Austin should insist on talking to Xu, others said that even if Beijing continues to arrange phone calls with the vice chairman of the Central Military Commission, the United States must maintain communication with the Chinese military, which is very important. Heino Klinck, a former Pentagon Asian official who served as a defense officer in China for many years, said that due to the different structures of the two countries armies, it has been challenging the agreement to meet with China. Klink said: Given the situation in Taiwan and other countries such as the East China Sea and the South China Sea, and Chinas attempts to coerce our major allies and partners such as Australia, it is important to have clear communication, We need to convey to the Chinese what our own red lines are, because they convey their red lines. follow Demetri Sevastopulo On twitter Thousands of people in the Gaza Strip and throughout the Occupied Palestinian Territory poured into the streets to celebrate the ceasefire between Israel and Palestinian armed groups. Ceasefire is popular Internationally, Egypt was surrounded by middlemen in the early hours of Friday morning, carrying out 11 days of endless bomb attacks in the enclave, and thousands of rockets from the zone ruled by Hamas (Haras) fired into Israel. A statement from the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that late Thursday, the security cabinet unanimously accepted the proposal to accept Egypts unconditional ceasefire initiative. The Palestinian groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad subsequently confirmed the ceasefire in a statement and stated that the ceasefire will take effect at 2 am on Friday (Thursday at 23:00 GMT). The Israeli bombing of Gaza killed 232 Palestinians, including 65 children, and caused extensive damage to the already impoverished territory. In Israel, 12 people were killed, including two children. The following are the latest updates: 33 minutes ago (06:30 GMT) Start a ceasefire like the first day of Eid al-Fitr Al Jazeeras Youmna al-Sayed reported from Gaza City that after the ceasefire took effect, the Palestinians began to celebrate. She said: It is great for them to start cheering and cheering on God. For them today, this is actually considered the first day of the Eid al-Fitr religious holiday because the aggression started before the last day of Ramadan. , They didnt really celebrate Eid al-Fitr. Sayed, standing among the ruins of the bombed house, said that the displaced families had returned from a UN-run school, where they faced very bad humanitarian conditions, and they lived there. She said: There is no water, no electricity, and they didnt take anything there. However, in this case, these people are also affected by the extremely high poverty and unemployment crisis in the Gaza Strip and the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip. The restrictions on supplies have become more complicated. They have no choice but to wait for funding for their housing construction again. 51 minutes ago (06:11 GMT) Israel and Hamas must be based on a ceasefire agreement: European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, welcomed the ceasefire agreement and urged both parties to continue their efforts on this basis. I urge both parties to consolidate and stabilize the situation for a long time. Only a political solution can bring lasting peace and security to all. I welcome the ceasefire that entered into force between Israel and Hamas at 2 oclock this morning. I urge both parties to consolidate and stabilize the situation for a long time. Only a political solution can bring lasting peace and security to all. -Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) May 21, 2021 2 hours ago (04:56 GMT) China will provide humanitarian assistance to help Gaza recover The official media quoted Tian Lin, a spokesperson for the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA), as saying that China will provide assistance to Israel to help treat the injured and provide new shelters for those homeless due to Israeli air strikes in Gaza. 2 hours ago (04:40 GMT) Israel is skeptical of the governments suspicions, and the attack makes Hamas back down According to Al Jazeeras Al Jazeeras Harry Fawcett of Israels Al Jazeera in West Jerusalem, Israel has expressed doubts about the bombing and ceasefire in Gaza, despite the countrys defense ministers claims that the attack has retreated Hamas. Fawcett said: In addition to causing more damage and more deaths, what else is causing anyones concern, Fawcett pointed out: In a sense, all of this has been said before. 2 hours ago (04:35 GMT) Hamas remains triggered after ceasefire A Hamas official told Reuters that Israel must stop its violations in occupied East Jerusalem and address the losses caused by the Gaza bombing after the ceasefire, warning that the organization is still working. Ezzat El-Reshiq, a member of the Hamas Politburo, said: The battle is indeed over today, but Netanyahu and the world should know that we have mastered the hands-on capabilities, and we will Continue to enhance this resistance. El-Reshiq said the movements requirements also included protecting the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound and ending the deportation of several Palestinians from their homes in East Jerusalem, which he described as a Red line. El Resik said: What happened after the battle of theSword of Jerusalem was different from before because the Palestinian people supported the resistance and knew that the resistance would liberate their land and protect its holy land. 3 hours ago (04:21 GMT) Reconstruction of Gaza after the ceasefire difficult challenge According to reports from Gaza, Al Jazeeras Youmna Al Sayed said that as soon as the ceasefire started, some people in the Gaza Strip took refuge in school buildings after their houses were damaged in an Israeli raid. But she said that many residents houses were completely destroyed, and the task of rebuilding the city would be a difficult challenge due to the closure of the border crossing starving key building materials, fuel and other necessities in Gaza. She said: We are talking about rebuilding a territory that has already suffered from severe economic conditions, high unemployment and the coronavirus outbreak. A family who stopped at a UN-run school returned home with their property after the ceasefire [Mohammed Abed/AFP] 3 hours ago (03:43 GMT) Celebrating ceasefire in Gaza 11 days after bombing More images came in celebrating Fridays ceasefire in Palestine. People took to the streets of Gaza City to celebrate the ceasefire, which took effect early on Friday morning. [Mohammed Abed/AFP] For all developments since May 20, please go to Here. PAC-3 MSE missiles are built by Lockheed Martin but are powered by Aerojet Rocketdyne motors. Earlier this month, after the number of Central Americans trying to immigrate to the United States increased, the United States reached an agreement to strengthen security with its southern neighbors. People have fled from multiple crises in their own countries, and these crises are often interrelated, but the important driving factor is the impact of climate collapse. In addition to the damage caused by the record-breaking hurricane season last year, slower climate challenges such as droughts have also exacerbated food insecurity. The climate crisis is rapidly becoming the main driver of migration; in 2019, 72% of the newly displaced are climate-related. Many of these journeys lead to cities. At the forefront of immigration and climate crises, mayors are responding, often taking faster actions than governments while reducing emissions, while providing humanitarian support to immigrants, even if they do not have formal responsibilities or budgets. But so far, countries have regarded climate migration as a major security challenge and have excluded mayors from planning and decision-making. Now, it is crucial that city leaders must be at their seats to make policy and investment decisions on climate migration. If urgent action is not taken on the climate, many parts of the world will soon become uninhabitable. Rising sea levels, crop failures and record temperatures will drive an unprecedented movement of people. According to the World Bank report, by 2050, in only three regions (Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia and Latin America), climate impacts may force more than 140 million people to move within their countries. Globally, it is estimated that as many as one billion people will be driven out of their homes in the next 30 years-less than half their lives. If so, human civilization will not have experienced such a large-scale migration in its history. Those who run away may settle in cities that provide the most diverse opportunities for employment and access to services. This is especially true for people who are forcibly displaced, as more than 60% of refugees and at least 80% of internally displaced persons (IDP) live in urban areas. Moving to the city is not without risks. Here, migrants and displaced persons may settle in marginalized communities, vulnerable to labor exploitation, dangerous working and living conditions, or human trafficking. Cities themselves are often extremely vulnerable to climate hazards, which means that newcomers may end up swapping one set of climate risks for another. This leads to multiple pressures on cities, as migration increases the pressure on services and infrastructure, and climate impacts (from extreme heat and fires to floods and landslides) can displace people within the city. Despite this, the mayors are still taking action to protect new and existing residents, while preparing an inclusive green road to recognize the important contributions made by new immigrants and the assets they bring. In Freetown, the population is expected to grow exponentially in the next ten years, largely due to climate migration across Sierra Leone. The government of Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr has been working with young immigrants to improve waste services in informal settlements. In the United States, Houston received hundreds of thousands of people displaced by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, and did not face major damage of its own until Hurricane Harvey hit in 2017. In response, under the leadership of Mayor Sylvester Turner, the City of Houston launched the Houston Resilience Strategy. , The plan aims to protect people in communities at risk and provide options for residents living in floods. In Bangladesh, an estimated 2,000 people arrive in Dhaka every day. They migrate from other cities along the coastline, which is increasingly affected by storms and rising sea levels. The Dhaka South City Corporation provides immigrants with a city-funded shelter to ease their transition to urban life. In recent months, the global understanding of the issue of climate migration has gained greater recognition. In February, US President Joe Biden issued an executive order instructing officials to conduct research on the impact of climate damage on immigrants, including protection and resettlement options and direct or indirect responses to local responses. The resulting opportunities for immigration come from climate change. In response, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and a dozen other US mayors jointly issued a letter calling on the government to include them in the formulation of this agenda in. In January, a French court ruled that a Bangladeshi man with asthma could not be deported due to the high level of air pollution in his country of origin. In the same month a year ago, the United Nations Human Rights Committee determined that these countries cannot Deported Bangladeshi men suffering from asthma. Seeking asylum due to climate-related threats. At a recent UN Security Council meeting to discuss the climate crisis, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for a deep partnership to address its impact on migration patterns, food insecurity and growing tensions. However, although these are positive steps, the policy framework that recognizes climate and migration rarely includes accountability mechanisms. This means that the person responding on the front line (the mayor) is not prepared to reduce risks, adapt and take care of the necessary legal, financial or policy support required by the community. For many cities, the pandemic has exacerbated the lack of access to funds and resources. It is predicted that this year alone, local governments may lose 15% to 25% of their revenue. Local governments do more with less money, not only need greater power to increase their own income, but also need more support from the national government and the international community. Cities also need more access to local data to inform their planning and response efforts. In a recent paper Cities, Climate, and Migration, C40 cities and the Mayors Migration Committee (MMC) demonstrated the ability of mayors to respond to local climate and migration behaviors, and outlined what national and international actors have done to carry out this work. The city needs to be effective. The city is ready to meet the challenge and seize the opportunities of the climate and immigrant relations. However, the mayors cannot change everything alone. We urge governments and international agencies to join us in recognizing the role of mayors in this area, giving them a place in decision-making bodies, and releasing the financial support they need to achieve smart and inclusive practices to improve the quality of life. Displaced people, and communities receiving immigrants. The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial position of Al Jazeera. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson insisted that despite the warning that it may seriously harm the interests of British farmers, it should continue. The UK will provide Australia with a tariff-free and quota-free trade agreement on Friday. Downing Street declined to comment on the details, but did not deny sun Tariffs will be abolished 15 years later, giving British farmers time to prepare to face new competition in areas such as beef and lamb. This result represents the victory of the Cabinet Free Traders led by International Trade Minister Liz Truss, who insisted that the United Kingdom provide Australia with zero tariffs with the EU after Brexit, similar to the zero quota agreement Agreement. Truss will discuss the proposal on Friday with her Australian counterpart Dan Tehan, who insists that any trade agreement with the UK should include full tariff liberalization, including tariffs on agriculture. Tehan said on Friday that the Australia-Australia Free Trade Agreement will make British farmers fearless, insisting that it will provide opportunities to strengthen cooperation with Australian-Australian farmers and pave the way for Britain to join the broader Asia-Pacific agreement. He told business leaders at the Australian British Chamber of Commerce event in Sydney: We should not worry about economic relations, we should embrace it, and we should seek to learn from each other. He will not comment on whether Australia opposes extending tariffs or maintaining quotas to protect British farmers. Minette Batters, chairman of the National Farmers Federation, said that potential agreements fail to protect British farmers and livestock producers face the greatest risk She said: We continue to believe that the tariff-free trade agreement with Australia will endanger our own agricultural industry and will lead to the demise of many beef and sheep farms throughout the UK. Whether it is the immediate removal of tariffs or 15 years later. Its all about removing tariffs. She said that NFU is seeking urgent clarification from the government on how this trade agreement is in line with their policy of respecting sensitive areas. British Environment Minister George Eustice has stated that zero tariffs should only be applied to designated quotas for beef or lamb imports, so that protective measures can be maintained in the event of a surge in imports. But Australia has stated that such restrictions are unacceptable, and Johnson insisted on an ambitious deal at the senior cabinet ministers meeting on Thursday. Johnson told MPs on Wednesday that British farmers are innovative and can have confidence in selling their high-quality products around the world. Regardless of whether it is a politician or a farmer, Australias trade agreement is regarded as the touchstone of the UKs post-Brexit business policy. Robin Traquair, vice president of NFU Scotland, said that the possible agreement is a weak link in the wedge, which he expects will lead to similar agreements with countries such as New Zealand and the United States. In Australia and Australia, typical The scale of livestock farms is much larger than that of the United Kingdom. He said: I can see the reduction in the number of farmers and the farms that must be expanded. Attorney General Robert Buckland told the BBC Nowadays One plan on Friday is that the UKs animal welfare standards will not be weakened to accommodate the agreement with Canberra. The government has always said that we have reached any free trade agreement with Australia or other countries in the world Of course, we will take into account the high welfare standards we have implemented in the UK, he said. Of course, considering the quality and excellence of the products produced in the UK, we will of course ensure that we do not weaken the interests of British farmers or put them at a disadvantage. Sheep is currently Australias second largest export to the UK, second only to wine: 45.7 million pounds of Australian lamb and mutton will arrive in the UK in 2020, and EU-style tariffs and quotas still exist. According to data from the UK Tax and Customs Administration and the Food and Beverage Federation, beef exports are relatively small at 4.1 million pounds. But Peter Hardwick, a trade policy adviser for the British Meat Processors Association, said the arrival of relatively small amounts of cheaper cuts of beef, such as striped tenderloin, which are the most profitable, could severely hit British producers. He said: When people talk about thousands of tons, the question is, What tons? There are thousands of tons of high-quality meat that is duty-free.The EUs strict tariff quotas are no coincidence [quota limits] in this regard. Australia will not provide us with cheap manufactured beef. Farmers are also worried that Australias potential imports of cane sugar will compete with British sugar beets, and the British sugar beet industry is already under pressure. Tate & Lyle Sugars, the UKs only cane sugar importer, has previously stated that it hopes to import more Australian products. Neil Parish, chairman of the House of Commons Environment Committee, said this week that British farmers will have to face more competition and must innovate in the coming years. Tyne said that the free trade agreement between the United Kingdom and Australia can provide a template for the United Kingdom to join the CPTPP, which is a comprehensive trade agreement covering 11 countries in Asia, Latin America and Oceania. He added that Britains accession to the agreement will open up a huge new market for British farmers. The CEO of Tesla also said that the electric car manufacturer will soon establish a branch in Russia. Elon Musk called for more dialogue between Washington and Moscow. The relationship between the two countries is currently in a doldrums after the cold war. Teslas CEO said via a video link at the Russian Education Forum in Moscow on Friday: Russia has a lot of talent and vitality. I think there should be more dialogue and exchanges between Russia and the United States. He also said that his electric car company is about to establish a foothold in Russia and is considering whether to open a factory in Russia. After a meeting of senior diplomats from the United States and Russia, the 49-year-old gave a speech. First face-to-face meeting On Wednesday, this heralded that relations between the two countries may thaw. The talks between Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov and US Secretary of State Anthony Brinken took place on the sidelines of the Arctic Council meeting in Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland. The two acknowledged that there are major differences between the governments of the two countries, but agreed that they can work together on certain issues. Both sides praised the meeting for its constructive significance. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that the meeting will help Russian President Vladimir Putin decide whether to attend the proposed summit with US President Joe Biden next month. He told reporters: There is no doubt that this is a positive signal. After Biden stated in March that he believed Putin was a killer, relations between Moscow and Washington fell to their lowest point in recent months. The comment is related to the allegation that the Russian President ordered the poisoning of the Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, who is now in prison, which the Kremlin strongly denies. Bidens comments prompted Moscow to remove its ambassador to Washington. Moscow allegedly intervened in the US election, increased tensions in Ukraine and Washingtons sanctions on Russia also strained relations between the two countries. Although Bidens remarks aroused a strong response from Putins allies in Russia, the President of the United States said that he would like to talk to his Russian counterparts during his European trip next month. Russia said it is still weighing the proposal. Three soldiers were convicted of rape, 28 of them were charged with homicide, and the other 25 were charged with rape and sexual assault. The Ethiopian Public Prosecutors Office announced that the Ethiopian military prosecutor has convicted three soldiers for raping soldiers and charged another 28 suspected of killing civilians in the ongoing conflict in the northern Tigri state. In addition, according to a statement on Friday, another 25 soldiers were charged with rape and other forms of sexual violence. This The six-month-old Tigri conflict According to local authorities and aid organizations, this is the culprit responsible for thousands of deaths and atrocities, including rapes, extrajudicial executions and forced evictions. The statement of the Attorney Generals Office also confirmed the report of two massacres in Tigri. According to the report, 229 civilians were killed in Mai Kadra in early November. In addition, the Ethiopian government also accused the troops of neighboring Eritrea of ??killing civilians in the disaster-stricken area for the first time. It stated that 110 civilians were killed by the Eritrean army in Aksum on November 27 and 28. The investigation revealed that 70 civilians were killed in the city. [of Axum] The report said, adding that some of the victims may have been irregular combatants. The report said: Forty civilians appear to have been taken from their homes by the Eritrean army and killed in raids between families. People mourned the victims of the massacre allegedly carried out by Eritrean soldiers in the village of Dengolat, north of the capital of Tigli [File: Eduardo Soteras/AFP] In an early report on Axum, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty is also accused The Eritrean army fought in Tigri and said that the dead were mainly civilians. Amnesty International said that the Eritreans ran rampage and systematically killed hundreds of civilians with cold blood. Ethnic cleansing The Tigray conflict broke out in early November when Prime Minister Abiy sent troops to detain and disarm the leader of the ruling party in the Tigray Peoples Liberation Front (TPLF) area. Abi said that this move was in response to an attack on federal barracks by special forces. Reports of the atrocities led U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken to declare, Ethnic cleansing Occurs in the Sitigre area. On Thursday, the US Senate passed a resolution condemning Tigri all violence against civilians and calling for the withdrawal of troops from neighboring Eritrea, which also sent troops to Tigri to support the Ethiopian government. On Friday, some Ethiopians at home and abroad launched a hands-on Ethiopia social media campaign, urging foreign countries to stop interfering in Ethiopian affairs. Abi came to power in 2018 and carried out extensive democratic reforms, for which he won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2019. He promised that the parliamentary elections to be held on June 21 will be free and fair. His Welfare Party must win a majority of seats in the Ethiopian parliament in order to continue as prime minister. In addition to the Tigri conflict, the Abi government has also worked hard to contain Racial violence In several areas of Ethiopia. The opposition Oromo Federalist Congress has promised to boycott the vote and stated that it has been harassed by the authorities. Last summer, the killing of an Oromo musician triggered a violent turmoil, and several of its leaders are still in prison. The Gaza Strip experienced another sleepless night on Friday, but this time it was not because of heavy Israeli bombing, but the besieged coastal territory was attacked in the past 11 days. Instead, thousands of people flocked to the streets to celebrate Ceasefire With the consent of Israeli and Palestinian armed groups, they chanted their support for the resistance movement. A week after the holiday, Eid al-Fitr prayers sounded in the mosque. The sweets were delivered due to the celebration, but they were delayed due to death and destruction. People also took the opportunity to visit people whose relatives were killed. Ceasefire celebrations extended to several cities in the occupied Palestinian neighbourhoods of the Occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem. Many cities praised armed groups and Palestinians in the Gaza Strip for their steadfastness. According to the Gaza Ministry of Health, 243 Palestinians were killed in Israels latest offensive, including 66 children and 39 women. At least 1,910 people were injured. More than 90,000 Palestinians have been displaced, and many infrastructure and many civilian buildings in Gaza have been severely damaged or completely razed to the ground. In Israel, 12 people were killed, including 3 foreign workers. The ceasefire facilitated by the mediator Egypt has enabled mutual and unconditional hostilities between the Israeli army and Palestinian armed groups to begin at 2 a.m. Friday (23:00 GMT on Thursday). The official did not give any conditions, and the Israeli Security Cabinet said it had voted unanimously in favor of a mutual assistance and unconditional truce in Gaza. However, Hamas spokesman Abdul Latif Kanu told Al Jazeera that armed groups imposed their own conditions. He said this includes ending the forced deportation of Palestinian families in the Sheikh Jarrah area of ??East Jerusalem, as well as Israeli security forces incursions into the Al-Aqsa Mosque. al-Qanou said: Israel has withdrawn in the face of armed resistance and has not achieved its declared offensive goals. Currently, the ceasefire is still being held, although Israeli forces once again raided the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound on Friday, firing rubber-coated steel bullets and sound grenades. al-Qanou said: Israel is now being tested, and resistance groups in Gaza are observing how it will react. This ceasefire is only temporary. It is an opportunity to gain greater strength to resist further Israeli aggression. Embarrassing ceasefire Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed that the attack caused Hamas an unimaginable blow and even said it changed the equation and defeated Hamas for many years. Netanyahu said that the Israeli military destroyed Hamas tunnel network in Gaza and many rocket factories and warehouses. He claimed that more than 200 Palestinian fighters were killed, including 25 senior figures. However, many Israeli politicians slammed the ceasefire as a humiliation to Hamas. New Hope Party leader Gideon Sar called the ceasefire embarrassing and lamented that Even with the best intelligence and air force in the world, Netanyahu managed to obtain an unconditional ceasefire from Hamas. . Itamar Ben Gvir, a far-right member of the Knesset, said: The embarrassing ceasefire is a serious submission to terror and Hamass imposing means. Avigdor Lieberman called the ceasefire another failure of Netanyahu. After two days of fierce fighting in Gaza, Israel agreed to reach an agreement with Egypt and resigned as defense minister in 2018. Speech by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the briefing to the Israeli ambassador on Wednesday, May 19, 2021, at the Al-Hakiria military base in Tel Aviv, Israel [Sebastian Scheiner/AP Photo] Unprecedented Palestinian support Adnan Abu Amer, a Palestinian political analyst based in the Gaza Strip, said that the general consensus among Palestinians is that Hamas has won this round of battle both military and politically. He told Al Jazeera: Despite the 11-day offensive that did not cause substantial damage to Israel, Hamas still dealt a heavy blow to the image of Israel around the world-this time more than the previous war in 2014. .. This is due to the escalation of facts, not from the Gaza Strip and the blockade, but from the collective issues supported by Islam, Arab and most of the international community. This is a top priority for the Palestinian cause, Jerusalem. During these 11 days, Hamas and other Palestinian groups in Gaza fired thousands of rockets at Israel. Long-range missiles launched by armed groups in Gaza have caused the closure of two major airports. Palestinian believers gathered in front of the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem during a raid by Israeli forces on Friday [Ahmad Gharabli/AFP] At the same time, Abu Amer said that the language used by the Palestinian Authority (such as insisting on a two-state solution) has been widely accepted because it is out of touch with the situation on the Palestinian streets. [This rhetoric] Undermine any increase in Palestinian support for Hamas after each attack, Abu Amer said. This time, we saw unprecedented support from Palestine [for the resistance] He said. He reiterated that Israels policy in Gaza is also an extension of its policy towards Jerusalem, the West Bank and the Palestinians in the 1948 territories. Abu Amer said: Before the candlelight vigil for the Palestinians in these territories, they were in solidarity with Gaza, but this time, they were clearly part of the resistance against Israel. Thousands of Palestinians went on strike in all territories on Monday. The Ministry of Health said that during several days of protests against Israeli troops, at least 28 Palestinians were killed in the occupied West Bank and thousands more were injured. For now, no matter how unstable Abu Amers conclusions are, Hamas and Israel clearly hope to reach a ceasefire agreement. After Israels harsh rebuke, the Gaza Strip needs a respite. For the Palestinians in Gaza, the ceasefire is only a respite. It expressed the hope that the continuous daily struggle caused by the severe blockade of the coastal enclaves will end sooner or later. As with any movement that exposes the crimes of Zionism and challenges the narrative supported by Europe and the United States, global solidarity is sweet, but I think the most important victory is that it reduces the likelihood of Israel sitting on our chests. For a long time, Mahmoud Qudaih, a Palestinian social media user from Khan Younes Say. We buried the martyrs, we held our breath, because the war of liberation is still going on and will not stop. India has reported 259,551 new coronavirus infections in the past 24 hours, and the death toll has increased by 4,209 due to the increase in cases of mycosis (a type of fungus called black fungus), further complicating treatment. Data released by the Ministry of Health on Friday showed that the total number of infections in this South Asian country was 26.03 million and the death toll was 291,331. Black fungus poses new challenges for COVID-19 patients receiving steroid therapy and patients with previous diabetes. It can cause blackening or discoloration of the nose, blurred or double vision, chest pain, difficulty breathing, and coughing. Doctors believe that the use of steroids to treat severe COVID-19 may be the cause of this condition. Coronavirus patients with diabetes and weakened immune systems are particularly vulnerable. Many drugs used to fight the coronavirus suppress the bodys immune system, and the immune system can usually resist fungal infections. The government will not send an alert to the state The Ministry of Health of India asked state governments on Thursday to declare it as a notifiable disease under the Epidemiology Act, which means they must identify and track each case. The government warned that teams of reconstruction and general surgeons and ear, nose and throat specialists must be prepared to treat more and more patients. All parts of India have also ordered emergency measures to deal with the surge in rare infections among coronavirus patients. On the second day in Rajasthan, Gujarat and Telangana became the latest states to declare a black fungus epidemic. More than 2,000 cases have been reported in Maharashtra. Officials say there are about 1,200 in Gujarat, the hometown of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. A spokesperson said that Ahmedabad Civil Hospital, one of Gujarats largest hospitals, is treating 371 patients. Health officials said there were about 400 cases in the government hospital in Rajkot City. New Delhi has set up special wards in three hospitals to cope with the increase in the number of black fungus. According to media reports, there are more than 200 black fungus patients in the New Delhi hospital, and dozens of them are on the waiting list for hospital beds. The doctor said that the IT center in Bangalore opened a special ward on Wednesday and filled the vacancy within a few hours. India usually handles less than 20 cases of black fungus each year, but this infection has become a new threat to the coronavirus wave, which has killed 120,000 people in the past six weeks. Although the authorities did not say how many people died of the fungus, the infection killed more than 50% of patients within a few days. In some cases, the surgeon will remove the eyes and upper jaw to save lives. Antifungal drugs are a recent shortage of Indias strained medical system, and social media is flooded with requests from relatives of patients suffering from mucormycosis, pleading for drugs. Black fungus is caused by organisms called slime molds, which can enter the human body through breathing or skin damage. These naturally exist in soil and decaying organic matter, but once they enter the human body, they can infect the forehead, nose, cheeks, and air pockets between the eyes and teeth. Some doctors say that steroids have been urgently used to fight COVID-19, which helps the spread of black fungus. Maharashtra State Health Minister Rajesh Tope said on Wednesday: Avoid random use of steroids to treat COVID-19 patients. Other doctors said that some hospitals appeared unhygienic when putting coronavirus patients on oxygen cylinders, which allowed the black fungus to live. After the ceasefire took effect in the recent Gaza war, the Palestinians gathered at a gathering of thousands early Friday, and many saw it as a costly but obvious victory paid by the Islamic militant group Hamas. Israel vowed to respond with new force to any further hostilities. The 11-day war killed more than 200 people, most of whom were Palestinians, and caused extensive damage to the already impoverished Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip. However, many Palestinians believe that the rocket barrage that has paralyzed most of Israel is a bold response to Israels abuse in Jerusalem, the emotional hub of the conflict. The truce faces early testing on Friday, when thousands of Palestinians attended prayers every week in the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, which is part of the Holy Land in the Old City of Jerusalem and is respected by Muslims and Jews. Subsequently, thousands of people participated in a celebration parade, waving the flags of Palestine and Hamas, and cheering for Hamas. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu warned of any further attacks. He said: If Hamas thinks we will tolerate light rain, it is wrong. He vowed to use new power to deal with any aggression anywhere in Israel . The ceasefire was held at 2 am, and thousands of people took to the streets of Gaza. Young people waved Palestine and Hamas flags, distributed candies, honked horns, and set off fireworks. Spontaneous celebrations also broke out in East Jerusalem and throughout the occupied West Bank. The open-air market in Gaza City, which was closed during the war, reopened, and shoppers can be seen stocking up on fresh tomatoes, cabbage and watermelons. Workers in orange traffic vests swept away rubble from the surrounding roads. Shop owner Ashraf Abu Mohammad said: Life will come back because this is not the first war, and it will not be the last war. Heart is in pain, disaster has occurred, family Being erased by the civil register makes us sad. But this is our destiny on this land. Be patient. There is so much destruction here In the hard-hit northern town of Beit Hanoun, there is nothing to celebrate. Many of the residents there have lost their loved ones and they investigated the wreckage of their houses there. Azhar Nsair said: We have seen such a huge destruction here. This is the first time we have seen such destruction in history. The ceasefire is for those who have not suffered pain, lost loved ones, and their houses have not been blown up. of. Netanyahus mood in Israel is even more gloomy. Netanyahu was angry at his right-wing base, believing that he stopped the war prematurely. Just like the previous war between the three enemies, the latest round of battle was ultimately fruitless. Israel claimed to have caused hundreds of contusions to Hamas and caused heavy losses, but again it was unable to stop the rocket. The Palestinians celebrated the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas in Gaza on Friday. (Adel Hanna/Associated Press) Although the war has brought painful costs to countless Palestinian families who lost their loved ones, houses and businesses, Hamas also claimed to have won. Now it faces a daunting challenge, which is to rebuild in an area that has suffered from high unemployment and the coronavirus outbreak. According to the Gaza Ministry of Health, at least 243 Palestinians were killed, including 66 children and 39 women, and 1,910 were injured. The Ministry did not divide these numbers into combatants and civilians. Twelve people were killed in Israel, including a 5-year-old boy and a 16-year-old girl. In Gaza, rescuers are still recovering bodies from inaccessible areas in the danger zone. The Red Crescent Emergency Services said five bodies were recovered in the southern town of Khan Younis on Friday, including the body of a three-year-old child. The fighting began on May 10, when Hamas militants in Gaza fired long-range rockets into Jerusalem. This barrage occurred after several days of clashes between Palestinian protesters and Israeli police in Al-Aqsa. Severe police tactics in the compound and threats by Jewish settlers to expel dozens of Palestinian families have exacerbated tensions. The contentious claim to Jerusalem is at the core of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, which has triggered violent conflicts many times in the past. Visit the area in the blink of an eye After the United States urged Israel to end its offensive, the ceasefire was facilitated by neighboring Egypt. Netanyahu announced that Israel had accepted the proposal late on Thursday, while stressing that the reality on the ground will determine the future of the battle. The U.S. State Department said that U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Brinken plans to visit the region in the next few days to discuss restoration work and work together to create a better future for Israelis and Palestinians. Watch | Israel, Hamas agrees to ceasefire: Hamas and Israel agreed to a ceasefire after 11 days of violent conflict. The truce led to celebrations in Gaza, and both sides checked the damage caused. 3:51 Throughout the battle, Hamas and other militant groups fired more than 4,000 rockets into Israel and fired projectiles from civilian areas in Israeli cities. Dozens of projectiles flew north, as far as Tel Aviv, the prosperous commercial capital of the country. At the same time, Israel carried out hundreds of air strikes against Hamas military infrastructure, including a huge network of tunnels. The United States, Israels closest and most important ally, initially supported Israels right to defend itself against indiscriminate rockets. However, as the fighting progressed and the death toll increased, the Americans increasingly put pressure on Israel to stop the offensive. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu delivered a speech Wednesday during a briefing to the ambassador to Israel at the Al-Hakiria military base in Tel Aviv, Israel. Netanyahu faced accusations from right-wing bases that he stopped the war prematurely. (Sebastian Shiner/Associated Press) Netanyahu faces criticism from hawkish base In Washington, Biden welcomed the ceasefire. He said that the United States is committed to helping Israel replenish its supply of interceptor bombs and is committed to working with the internationally recognized Palestinian Authority (not Hamas) to provide humanitarian assistance to Gaza. Netanyahu was severely criticized by members of the hawkish nationalist base. Gideon Saar, a former ally, now leads a small party opposed to the prime minister, calling the ceasefire embarrassing. Itamar Ben Gvir, the leader of the far-right Jewish party, tweeted that the ceasefire is a serious surrender to terrorism and Hamas orders. Palestinian militants claim that Netanyahu has agreed to stop further Israeli actions in the Al Aqsa mosque and cancel the planned deportation of Palestinians in the nearby Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood. May cause destructive development. An Egyptian official said that only the tension in Jerusalem will be resolved. He declined to be named because he was discussing behind-the-scenes negotiations but did not provide any details. Both Hamas and the smaller Islamic Jihadist armed groups seem to have suffered heavy losses. The two groups said they had at least 20 fighters killed, while Israel said the number was at least 160 and possibly even higher. During a coronavirus outbreak, about 58,000 Palestinians were looking for shelter in a crowded United Nations school. After the ceasefire was reached, thousands of people returned home. Since the beginning of the fighting, Gazas infrastructure has been weakened by a 14-year blockade and has deteriorated rapidly. Air strikes have damaged schools and medical centers. In the territory, medical supplies, water and electricity are insufficient. After Hamas seized electricity from the Palestinian Authority in 2007, Israel and Egypt imposed a blockade on it. Since then, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has ruled the Israeli-occupied West Bank and has limited influence in Gaza. Lucy Harry and Meghans Montevicito home, valued at $14.7 million The Sun reported exclusively that after one of the driest years of the past decade, Harry and Meghans $14.7 million house faced serious wildfires while neighbors were sick. The royal couple moved from England to sunny California last year. They bought an amazing house in the celebrity enclave of Montecito and lived with their two-year-old son Archie. . Due to Meghans severe pregnancy, they may eventually be evacuated Their newborn daughterAfter a severe warning from officials this month, their toddler son and pet pet. Christina Favuzzi, the Montecito Fire Public Information Officer, specifically told The Suns homeowners, such as Meghan and Harry, that they should prepare for the worst. She said: We are facing record low fuel humidity and expected weather conditions. These factors can lead to severe fire seasons. On [Meghan and Harrys road] In all areas of the Montecito Fire Zone, we have been conducting extensive wildfire prevention efforts to educate, prepare and protect our communities. According to statistics from the Santa Barbara County Flood Control District, by this time last year, Montecito had received more than 17 inches of rain, which marks the average rainfall year. By 2021, our community has received approximately 10 inches of rain, which makes it one of the driest years in the past decade. Chris Jackson/Chris Jackson/Getty Images Members of the royal family take a group photo on the balcony of Buckingham Palace on July 10, 2018 Prince Harry told Oprah Winfrey that his family refused to help the media and social media atrocities against his wife Meghan Markle. In an interview with the Apple TV series, the Duke of Sussex said: I thought my family would be helpful, but every inquiry, request, warning, no matter what it is, it will only become completely silent or completely obliterated. Ignore. You cant see me, Has been released on the streaming media platform on Friday. He said: That is one of the biggest reasons to leave. The decision to quit the royal family. Being bound by fear, feeling controlled by the media and the fear of the media. [royal] The system itself has never encouraged talking about this kind of trauma. But what is certain now is that I will never be bullied into silence. He said that after the Duchess of Sussex told him, he felt compelled to get his family out of royal life She committed suicide when she was six months pregnant And their son Archie. Then I have a son, and I would rather concentrate on it than wondering if my wife will end up like a mother every time I see him, and I will have to take care of him by myself, he said. Apple TV Prince Harry in an interview with Oprah Winfrey You cant see me In Harry and his brother William Prince (William Prince) Explosive media culture, especially the BBC, To hunt down the mother and prey on Williams fear, paranoia and isolation to contribute to the death of his mother. Harry told Oprah that he could see that after watching the medias treatment of Megan, he returned to the feeling of watching the paparazzi chasing his mother when he was a child, until every day she died. He also said that the emergence of social media platforms has added a whole new depth to constant media abuse, and Meghan is a mixed race. My mother was hunted to death while having a relationship with a non-white person. [Dodi Al-Fayed]. Now lets see what happened. Do you want to talk about history repeating itself? They will not stop until after her death. He said. This incredibly triggered the possible loss of another woman in my life. Like, this list is growing. It all boils down to the same person, the same business model, and the same industry. Apple TV On October 9, 1993, Prince William, Prince Harry and Princess Diana took a group photo in London Harry has well said In the past, he opposed the British media, especially the tabloid newspapers that constitute the official news system of the royal family, called the Royal Rota (Royal Rota). He said that this is a prejudice, unfair and racist report. Especially Megan. He and his wife also took legal action against tabloids that violated privacy. (Harrys litigation Against the owners of the British tabloid The Sun, Mirror and the now discontinued News of the World, allegations that their mobile phones have been hacked are in progress; Megan is effective won she was litigation The publishers opposed to the Sunday Mail and Daily Mail printed letters she sent to relatives and fathers. ) After retiring from the royal family, Harry and Meghans newsgroup immediately Effective cut off The four tabloids of the Royal Rotary Club (The Sun, Mirror, Mail and Express) have fundamentally established a policy of no evidence and zero contact. In a statement announcing this decision, Harry and Meghan announced on April 19, 2020 that they would not provide themselves as a currency to decoy and distorted economies. Samir Hussein / WireImage Prince Harry and Meghan Markle (Meghan Markle) were photographed in London, participating in one of their last engagement ceremonies, as members of the working royal family on March 5, 2020 The prince told Winfrey that the start of treatment after meeting Meghan made him realize that he living in this family, in the bubble of this institution, I almost fell into a thought process or mindset. The feeling of being trapped in the family is-there is no choice. In the end, when I made this decision for my family, I was still told,You cant do it, its likeWell, until Im allowed to do this. Before doing it, how bad was it? She was about to end her life. You dont have to die for it, he said. Harry also specifically appealed to his father, Prince Charles (Charles Prince) to raise him and his brother, thinking that the constant abuse by the media and the damage to his mental health is just part of the royal family. Adam Butler-Pa image/PA image via Getty Images On March 25, 1995, Princess Diana, Prince William and Prince Harry hid their faces from the photographer during a ski trip to Lech, Austria. Prince Harry accused his family of showing complete neglect due to mental health issues, and claimed that Charles father made him suffer in a blockbuster documentary, preparing to leave the palace. In the document-you cant see me- Duke of Sussex He disclosed his mental struggles and the trauma that plagued him after the death of his mother Princess Diana. ? Read our Meghan and Harry live blog About the latest update 25 Prince Harry and Oprah Winfreys new documentary released today Image source: NITVShorts 25 A famous couple discussing their mental health difficulties Image source: NITVShorts In a shockingly frank moment, Harry, now 36, launched a fierce attack on his close relatives-even admitting that past drug and alcohol abuse has freed him from pain. He revealed that he had received four or five years of treatment-and he also publicly refused to betray the United Kingdom and his family in order to break the wheel of grief passed down from generation to generation. Prince Harry said: Prince Charles did not do it right for him and his brother Prince William after his mother died in a car accident in 1997 When he turned to drinking and drugs when he was in his 20s, he frankly said: I will drink for a week in one day. The public can mourn his mother, Princess Diana, who did not After his wife Meghan Markle (Meghan Markle) died, how did he persuade the media to will not stop How Meghan resisted suicidal thoughts because she knew it was unfair for Harry to lose another woman in his life Archies first sentence was Grandma Diana The Duke blew up his father Charles- Said he didnt do any help in the struggle. He said: When I was young, my father used to tell me, he used to tell both people. William I said, Well, its like that to me, its like that to you. That doesnt make sense. Just because you have suffered, it doesnt mean that your child has to suffer. In fact, the opposite is true. If you are suffering, please do your best to make sure that any negative experience you experience can be made suitable for your child. 25 The trailer teased the appearance of Meghan Markle 25 Harrys episode is called This Is Me Credit: AP 25 Oprah cried and listened to Harry talking about his mother Credit: Apple TV + 25 Harry took a photo at the funeral of Princess Diana and his father Charles. He was only 12 years old. He accused his father of making him suffer Image source: NITVShorts 25 The duke said he would never be able to grieve for the death of his mother Credit: Apple TV + We chose to put mental health first. This is what we are doing. This is what we will continue to do. Isnt this about breaking the cycle? Isnt this to ensure that history will not repeat itself? Could it be that some pain and suffering happened to you, so you will not continue. This Five-part celebrity file It was released on Apple TV in the US on Thursday night, and on Apple TV in the UK on Friday morning. The Duke also talked about his Princess Dianas mother died He also remembered the figure of the boy while she was driving, and was chased by paparazzi on several mopeds. He said: She could hardly drive because of tears. There is no protection. 25 Princess Diana was killed in a car accident in 1997 Credit: Getty-Contributor 25 Harry spoke candidly about his trauma Credit: Apple TV + 25 Harry talks about the feeling of being trapped in the royal family Credit: AP 25 Oprah also discussed her mental health Credit: Apple TV + The feeling that always accompanies me is helpless This happens every day until the day she passes away. The prince said that he never had enough time or time to truly mourn the death of his mother, which made him finally try to drink and take drugs to relieve his lingering pain. Harry said that he will try to reduce his feelings and give up drinking for a whole week, and then drink a weeks worth in a meeting as a coping mechanism. Duke University admits: I am willing to drink, I am willing to take drugs, and I am willing to try to do things that make me feel less like me. But I gradually realized, well, I dont drink from Monday to Friday, but I might drink for a week on Friday or Saturday night. And I will find myself drinking, not because I like drinking, but because I want to cover up something. 25 Lady Gaga is one of the famous faces that appeared Credit: Apple TV + 25 Actress Glenn Close (Glenn Close) was also recommended 25 Robin Williams son Zachary Pym Williams (Zachary Pym Williams) also appeared Credit: Apple TV + 25 Harry talks about his EDMR therapy course Credit: Apple TV + The series also invited special guests to talk about their mental health experiences, including Lady Gaga and Glenn Close. These episodes deal with different topics related to mental health, such as not being afraid to ask for help, finding things that work for you, and finding the right community for treatment. Megan In a high-profile interview earlier this year, it was revealed that her mental health had been affected during her life in the UK, and it was reported that she did not get the help she needed when she felt suicide. Harry also talked about the difficult times of struggling while his wife was pregnant with his son Archie, trying to seek help from his family. He said: I thought my family would be helpful, but every inquiry, request, warning, in any case, would only become completely silent and completely ignored. 25 This is the second time the two have worked together Image source: NITVShorts 25 Just over two months after Oprah conducted a blockbuster interview with Harry and Meghan Markle Credit: Getty 25 Meghan claimed in the interview that the royal family is racist Credit: AP 25 Harry and Meghan are now pregnant with their second child Credit: AFP The Duke said that what prevented his wife from falling into suicidal thoughts was how unfair it was to him. The thing that made her unable to see through was that after everything that happened to my mother, it was so unfair to me; now, I lost another woman in my life and gave birth to a baby in her arms. , Baby, he said. The most frightening thing for her is her clarity of thought. She didntthrow it away. She was completely sane. However, in the silence of the night, these thoughts woke her up. In the final episode of the series, Harry talked about how mothers continue to have a significant impact on their family life. I hope she can meet Megan. I hope she can go to Archie, Harry said of his mother. I took a picture in his nurserythis is the first thing he said. In addition to mom and dad, there is also grandma, grandma Diana. He said: This is the sweetest thing, but at the same time it makes me very sad. 25 Harry said seeking mental health help should not be seen as a sign of weakness. Credit: Apple TV + 25 Harry talked about his mothers painful memories Credit: Getty 25 The Duke talked about never being taught to respond correctly Credit: Apple TV + To the trailer Just in the series released last week, there were reports that the Duke would drop a truth bomb in a deep personal interview. It shows footage of 12-year-old Harry at his mothers funeral, now with his wife, who looked up at his shoulder while working on a laptop. The decision to accept help is not a sign of weakness. In todays world, this is more a symbol of strength than ever before. He said in the trailer. For decades, we will all feel the results of this year, Harry added a photo to the picture Meghan read to their son Archie. Everyone is a child, a family, a husband, and a wife. The series comes after Harry told Dax Shepard his father on a podcast last week Charles He inherited hereditary pain from his own troubled childhood. 25 Harry says he and Meghan are prioritizing mental health Credit: Apple TV + 25 The Duke said he felt his mothers presence now more than ever Credit: Apple TV + 25 Harry and Archie swing together Image source: Apple TV + When talking brutally and frankly about his mental health with podcasters and actors, Harry also claimed that his life was a hybrid between Trumans performance and the zoo. In an interview with Oprah earlier this year, the Duke claimed that he believed his father and brother Prince William were trapped in the role of a member of the royal family. He said that in the explosive interview he cannot see the way out for the company and claimed that he was also trapped before. The Duke told Oprah that if it werent for Meghan, he would resign. According to reports, Harry will appear on Good Morning America ??on Friday morning after discussing the show at the premiere of the series. Party prince Harry admitted to taking drugs and regularly drinks water a day for a week Waiting for the chapel Couples wishing to get married face another delay due to pressure from India exclusive Greek Murder Probe The husband of British murder victim Caroline Crouch is again tested by the Greek police Chaos Street When the vigil turned into a riot, the car pushed the mountain down the fire in a shocking moment No pull After trial with the crowd at the scene, only 15 of 58k tested positive for Covid In another episode, Oprah tells Harry about his struggle with mental health. All over the world, people are in a certain psychological, psychological, and emotional pain. She said: It is crucial to be able to say that this is what happened to me. Both of them said that they are now talking about their mental health in order to belittle highly misunderstood topics and give viewers hope. Larisa Vasilyeva claimed that the annexation of Crimea killed her brother. But Igor Vasilyev did not die during the takeover of the Black Sea Peninsula from Ukraine in 2014. At 67, he is too old to fight for pro-Russian separatism in southeastern Ukraine. He was greatly encouraged by Crimeas return home, so they raised their arms against the central government. For many years, Vasilyev suffered from chronic heart disease. Before the Kremlin spent billions of dollars to cut costs to restore Crimeas infrastructure and optimize healthcare, he owned four ambulances in villages outside the Ural mountain city of Chelyabinsk, one of them She always reached out to him. But his sister said that on November 13, 2015, the only remaining ambulance was late. It arrived in three and a half hours. A death certificate is about to be issued, said Vasilyeva, 71, who refused to disclose the name of the village. The annexation of Crimea caused President Vladimir Putins approval rating to soar to 88%. Considering that most of Russias coastline faces the Arctic and the North Pacific, the beaches, cypress trees and wine of the Black Sea Peninsula make it look like a holiday paradise. However, if you look at the annexation of Crimea seven years from the perspective of financial analysis, the peninsula that has no land border with Russia looks completely different. This was a financial victory, which had devastating consequences, triggered Western sanctions, undermined Russias economic growth, significantly affected the livelihoods of ordinary Russians, and even contributed to the once-famous crisis in the aerospace industry. The Kremlin has spent tens of billions of dollars on infrastructure projects in Crimea, such as a bridge connecting the peninsula to the Russian mainland, which cost 3.7 billion dollars and is 19 kilometers long. It invested heavily in new highways and hospitals, power plants, transmission lines, and subsidies to Crimeas rapidly expanding population of more than 2.5 million people. According to a study by former senior economists Daniel Ahn and Rodney Ludema of the US State Department, the Western sanctions imposed on the West after the annexation cost Russian companies more than $100 billion , Accounting for about 4.2% of Russias gross domestic product (GDP). The research was published in the November European Economic Review. The report pointed out that Putins efforts to protect these companies have made these losses add up to 8% of GDP, and most of these companies are caused by Controlled by his former colleagues and neighbors. Eighty percent of things dont allow small nee. This is a large number. However, other analysts expressed doubts about this figure. Ukrainian analyst Aleksey Kushch told Al Jazeera: The direct losses are insignificant. He said that the losses caused by the sanctions accounted for only one percent of Russias GDP. However, he said that bilateral trade between Russia and Ukraine fell from a peak of nearly 50 billion U.S. dollars in 2011, and lost at least 20 billion U.S. dollars a year. Ukraine is the second most populous republic of the former Soviet Union with a population of 43 million. It is Russias main trading partner and a source of labor immigration, food, steel and high-tech products. Dozens of Ukrainian factories and research facilities serving the Russian military-industrial complex and the space industry severed the connection overnight, thereby increasing the cost of new weapons and spacecraft. An expert said that Western sanctions on annexation include a ban on the export of advanced technology, which has paralyzed Russias already troubled aerospace industry. Pavel Luzin, a Russian analyst at the Jamestown Foundation, a think tank in Washington, D.C., told Al Jazeera: They have severely slowed down the development of the Russian space program. Beef water Many in Crimea support the annexation because Moscow has pledged to increase wages and pensions, build better roads and promote tourism. But these days, prices are soaring, corruption And the upward spiral of pressure on any form of dissent, made them wonder why they voted to join Russia in the March 2014 referendum, a decision that has not yet been recognized in Ukraine or internationally. In order to reduce peoples restlessness, [Moscow] Huge amounts of money must be spent to solve their problems, Nikolay Poritsky, the former Ukrainian Minister of Housing and Public Services in Crimea, told Al Jazeera. Life under Russian rule has become complicated. A butcher living on the outskirts of Simferopol, the administrative capital of Crimea, said that after the annexation, he lost the opportunity to buy Ukrainian meat products and it took several months to find a reliable supplier in southern Russia. After the first purchase, the supplier tried to sell him low-quality frozen beef. He said,You live far away and may not come back again. I have to feed my family.' The butcher, who asked not to be named, told Al Jazeera. Now, he only opens a store to sell chicken once a week because the demand is too low. In Crimea, there is another imminent catastrophe waiting for those people in the family. The most famous place in Crimea is the southern coast. This is a subtropical, postcard-perfect verdant land full of hotels, resorts and former residences of the highest leaders of the Communist Party and the Russian tsars. However, most of the peninsula is dry grassland and mountains. The North Crimea Canal built by the Soviet Union provided 85% of the water from the mighty Dnieper River, which made irrigated agriculture and population growth possible. Ukraine closed the canal in 2014, Almost disappeared Crimeas agriculture has forced the de facto authorities to quantify the water supply in the city centre. Today, Simferopol, the second largest city on the Crimean Peninsula, supplies water for 3 hours a day on weekdays and 5 hours on weekends. The residents of the apartment building rushed to fill up the bathrooms. The water drawn from depleted reservoirs and contaminated wells is sometimes dirty. I took a bath and the water was the color of brandy, Edem Kurtveliyev, a doctor who lives in a nine-story apartment building south of Simferopol, told Al Jazeera. The de facto authorities announced millions of projects to pump water from aquifers, but admitted that the only long-term solution to the water crisis is to build expensive desalination plants. Desalination is the only way out, Sergey Aksyonov, the pro-Russian head of Crimea, told the RIA Novosti news agency in December. Four months later, he compared Ukraines refusal to reopen the canal with state terrorism and genocide. According to the New York Times technology reporter Sheera Frenkel (Sheera Frenkel), amid rising tensions in Israel and Gaza, misinformation shared by apps such as WhatsApp and Telegram has caused fear and mistrust. Last week, Frenkel monitored about 100 local Israeli and Palestinian information groups as part of the organization Times Investigation . Frenkel said in an interview that information sharing, warning Israeli soldiers to enter Gaza, never happened. trendy Matt Galloway. She said: We saw a lot of information exchange, saying:Israelis are here. Let your children go home. Israeli soldiers have been found in Gaza City.' In another group, she noticed warnings that Palestinian mobs were preparing to land in several suburbs north of Tel Aviv, but Frenkel said that in the following days, she found no reports of violence. She said: There is a tweetthatIf someone knocks on your front door, please be aware that this may be a Palestinian militant in disguise. I want to say that both sides are watching the reaction to this in real time, only the real The fear, the real horror. Watch | Israel, Hamas agrees to ceasefire Hamas and Israel agreed to a ceasefire after 11 days of violent conflict. The truce led to celebrations in Gaza, and both sides checked the damage caused. 3:51 The ceasefire took effect at the beginning of FridayAfter 11 days of fighting between the Israeli army and Palestinian militants. According to the Gaza Ministry of Health, at least 243 Palestinians were killed in Israeli airstrikes, including 66 children. Hamas and Islamic Jihad said they had at least 20 fighters killed, while Israel said at least 160. Twelve people were killed in Israel, including a five-year-old boy, a sixteen-year-old girl and a soldier. Frenkel said she found some misleading information in the group she analyzed. These messages include videos, photos, and text, which include false information (the images and text carry unsubstantiated warnings from unnamed sources) and misinformation, such as real images that are incorrectly assigned to the wrong place or time. She said there are tens of thousands of users in these 100 groups, of which the largest group on the messaging platform Telegram has about 4,000 members. She said that in times of conflict, emotional content can often be shared without fact checking because people are very eager to know what is going on. She said: This is one of the powerful functions for handling misinformation. When it is shared as a group, you tend to trust it more. You might think,Oh, Im helping my neighbors. I told them that they might launch an attack. But, in fact, what you are doing inspires more fear. Israels Iron Dome anti-missile system intercepted a rocket launched from the Gaza Strip on May 15 with visible light spots. (Emil Cohen/Reuters) Misinformation propagation is exponential Frenkel said that misinformation about the conflict is still being shared on more public platforms. Last week, Ofir Gendelman, spokesperson for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (Benjamin Netanyahu), shared a video on Twitter that showed that Palestinian militants fired rockets at Israel from a location near residential buildings.he Wrote that the rocket was launched from a densely populated area of ??the Gaza Strip. Frenkel said that the same clip appeared in a post dating back to 2018 with a different title, and some claimed that the video clip showed militants firing rockets in Libya and other Syrian borders. Twitter marked the video as misleading content. Gendelman later deleted the tweet, but Frenkel stated that the video has been shared and liked hundreds of times. She said: Each share may mean more shares, which is exponential. Earlier this month, a widely shared video showed Israelis dancing and singing at the western wall of the old city of Jakelum, while the Al-Aqsa Mosque appeared to be burning in the background. Ayman Odeh, who leads a coalition of mainly Arab parties in the Knesset, is one of many prominent figures who shared the video on Twitter. He tweeted with a one-word title shock in the tweet. It has been reposted more than 36,000 times, many of which are from pro-Palestinian reports claiming that the crowd is celebrating the destruction of the mosque, which is highly regarded by Muslims. The video on the left seems to show Israeli Jews celebrating when the Al-Aqsa mosque is burning in the background, but images taken from different angles on the right show a tree on fire outside the mosque. No flames hit the building. (Twitter; Arieh Kovler / Twitter) The Times of Israel and other local media According to reports, the crowd is celebrating Jerusalem Day, which marks the unification of the city by Israel due to the 1967 Arab-Israeli War. The revelers are there because the place where the mosque is located (called the Temple Mount by the Jews) is sacred to both Muslims and Jews. A video taken from another angle shows a tree on fire outside the mosque.No flames hit the building, and The cause of the fire is controversial . Everything is shared Jeffrey Dvorkin, a senior researcher at Massey College at the University of Toronto and author of the Journal of the University of Toronto, said that powerful and emotional images have attracted so-called prejudice confirmation by sociologists. Believe in the news of the digital age. Dworkin said: Having such information has confirmed what we already believe, which is more comforting. Dworkin said, he is also the former executive editor and chief reporter of CBC Broadcasting Corporation. This is the problem of the Middle East problem because it is so powerful and so exciting, and now the image has become part of the discussion. It is so powerful, so moving, and now the image has become part of the discussion. -Jeffrey Dvorkin Dvorkin said that the role of the media as fact checkers and information guards has been weakened, which makes it easier to spread false information. He said: Everything becomes sharable. This is good for the idea of ??media democracy, but it is not so important for media literacy. He said that the audience will be confused or get information based on face. He said: Or they are actually saying:Everyone goes to hell. No one makes sense to me. So why should I continue to care?' Dvorkin said that more media literacy is needed, and news organizations need to put more emphasis on explaining how the information they share is verified and how false information is debunked. Watch | How real information evolved into fake stories: Take a closer look at how Ontarios private member assembly bill to suppress hate legislation turned into a false story. 8:50 He said that having said that, some people are becoming more sophisticated in detecting misinformation. As long as organizations, governments or individuals try to put something on the Internet, they can now be found easily. The problem is that the damage has already been done. Communication applications bring challenges The pandemic prompts social media companies Increase efforts to prevent false or harmful information Post to their website by attaching warnings or adding links to public health resources. But because the content is not related to COVID-19, Frenkel said the threshold for deleting posts is still high. She said: Unless it causes harm, social media companies will not take it down unless it meets very, very certain standards. New York Times technology reporter Sheera Frenkel said that encrypted messaging platforms such as Signal, WhatsApp, and Telegram do provide people with privacy and security, but also risk spreading misinformation. (Dado Luvi?/Reuters) She said that information shared on messaging services such as WhatsApp is even more difficult to resolve. WhatsApp provides end-to-end encryption, which means that once someone clicks to send an email, WhatsApp itself encrypts it and makes it unreadable. The company can only see the metadata, not the actual content. It is not decrypted until it reaches the receiver. Different kinds The government has promoted For companies that use the technology to introduce backdoors, law enforcement agencies can access records related to criminal investigations and national security, but so far, the company still refuses, stating that hackers can also access these backdoors. WhatsApp tries to slow down the spread of harmful information by introducing so-called friction during the sharing process. Last year, it set restrictions on how to forward messages from one user to another. After sharing five times, the message can only be forwarded to a new group at a time. (As of 2018, users can forward messages to 250 groups at the same time. The company has been gradually reducing this number.) It will also reach the recipients inbox with Multiple Forwards tab .in Blog post , The company said that the feature is designed to warn readers that the message is not from close contact. Within a few weeks of introducing the changes, WhatsApp cited 70% reduction In frequently forwarded emails. Frenkel said that some people did find a solution: They copy and paste instead of forwarding something. Written by Padraig Moran, accompanied by Associated Press documents. Produced by Howard Goldenthal and Ben Jamieson. The Cuban exchange company said the move was carried out in the context of a sharp decline in the tourism industry and the resulting shortage of hard currency. According to a new policy announced this week, people leaving Cuba will no longer be able to change their local currency back to U.S. dollars, euros or other hard currencies at the official exchange rate. The government closed the exchange station in the airport terminal, which allows passengers to exchange up to 300 U.S. dollars at the official exchange rate of 24 Cuban pesos to 1 U.S. dollar, which is about twice the countrys black market exchange rate. That gives foreign tourists no choice but to spend the pesos they bought before leaving the country. The states Cadeca Exchange said the measure was due to a sharp decline in tourism during the coronavirus pandemic and the resulting shortage of hard currency. The competition for hard currency has intensified because the reforms abolished a convertible peso whose value was pegged to the U.S. dollar, which some Cubans could use, and opened new stores selling only in U.S. dollars or credit cards. Backed by hard currency. Economy Minister Alejandro Gil Gil (Alejandro Gil Gil) said on Thursday: We must recognize this problem in the economy. Although he assured that the official exchange rate will remain at the level of 24 to 1. A Shawnee man is in the hospital following a boating accident that killed two of his children and their mother. JTBC announced two new dramas that are slated to debut this 2021. In a new report, the broadcast company teased viewers as they named the brand new K-drama series that would definitely capture the audience's hearts with an exciting storyline and powerhouse cast. Lee Young Ae Leads the Upcoming Drama "A Wonderful Sight" First off, JTBC confirmed the premiere of "A Wonderful Sight" starring Lee Young Ae. This will be her comeback on the small screen following the success of her previous drama "Saimdang, Light's Diary" in 2017. To recall, KeyEast, who is the producer of "A Wonderful Sight," previously shared the reason why they chose the actress as the drama's frontrunner. "She is expected to capture the hearts of domestic fans and Hallyu fans around the world alike with a new side she has never shown before," KeyEast C.E.O. Park Sung Hye mentioned, as obtained by a South Korean outlet. "A Wonderful Sight" Cast and Release Date Moreover, the 50-year-old actress will be joined by "V.I.P." star Kwak Sun Young, and Kim Hye Joon, whose breakthrough role is the revengeful queen in "Kingdom." Directed by Lee Jung Heum, whose famous works include "Falsify" and the 2020 drama "Nobody Knows," the upcoming comedy-drama is scheduled to premiere in October 2021. "A Wonderful Sight" will have a total of 16 episodes and will air every Friday and Saturday. The "Jewel in the Palace" star will play the role of Koo Kyeong Yi, who has a knack for solving cold cases either by hook or by crook. Moreover, Lee Young Ae's character is also described as an intelligent yet vicious woman who wants to uncover the cause behind every case. "Only One Person" Cast and Release Date Aside from Lee Young Ae's drama, JTBC also confirmed another comedy romance drama that would make the viewer's heart flutter. It came after the broadcast network announced that the upcoming drama "Only One Person" will be lead by Park Sung Hoon, Ahn Eun Jin, and Red Velvet's Joy. Furthermore, the three main casts will be joined by the veteran actress Go Doo Shim, who appeared in the award-winning drama "When the Camellia Blooms." "The Hospital Playlist" actress is set to take the role of Pyo In Sook, who was diagnosed with a terminally ill condition. Due to her illness, she has been experiencing unpredictable emotions and forgets which emotions are appropriate for a particular situation. On the other hand, Park Sung Hoon will portray inspector Jo Si Young who works for the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, while Red Velvet's Joy will play a famous social media influencer named Sung Mi Do. With a total of 16 episodes, the JTBC announced that the forthcoming drama would start filming in July and is slated to debut this December. "Only One Person" will be helmed by "Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo" and "Two Cops," director Oh Hyun Jong alongside screenwriter Moon Jung Min of "Matrimonial Chaos." IN CASE YOU MISSED: JTBC Reveals Secrets behind the Intriguing Teaser of Upcoming Drama 'Undercover' KDramastars owns this article. Written by Geca Wills The highly-awaited dystopian legal thriller, "The Devil Judge," has released a new poster. The poster looks quite phenomenal, a sign that this is no ordinary drama. Whoever heard of the adjectives dystopian and legal used at the same time to describe a drama? None, until this Korean drama starring "Sweet Home" actress Park Gyu Young's newest drama came along. New Poster of "The Devil Judge" Screams Dystopian The new poster of the upcoming series showcased a courtroom that looks beyond this world or lifetime. Maybe it is, since "The Devil Judge" is reportedly a dystopian series. It will revolve around a justice system that involves people, much like "Big Brother," where people can participate in the hearing of judicial issues and influence the outcomes through a live streaming courtroom. Whoever thought of that concept deserves a pat on the back because that is quite unprecedented, especially on television. But not even that impossible, given the direction of technology these days. You Might Also Like: Lee Seung Gi and Lee Do Hyun Hailed as Most Buzzworthy Actors for First Week of May Check out the cool-looking, live streaming courtroom below: If the poster piqued your interest, below are three more details to watch out for and anticipate when the series drops. The Rivalry Between Two Power Judges So far, Ji Sung, Kim Min Jung, Jin Young, Park Kyu Young, and Kim Jae Kyung are said to make up the main cast of the show. Ji Sung plays Kang Yo Han, the so-called "devil judge" himself. Many fans are very excited about this bit, wondering whether being the devil judge meant he's allied with the bad side, after all. His main objective, however, on paper, is to punish the greedy men in power. Kim Min Jung takes on the role of Jeong Sun Ah, his only rival. The fact that the main rival is a woman is exciting to know. How the two will go head-on with each other and who between them is really the bad guy is worth tuning in for. Kim Min Jung reveals, "Jung Sun Ah is the hardest to explain out of all the characters I've played." Ji Sung and Kim Min Jung both have worked together in the past, where they starred in the 2007 MBC drama "New Heart" together. They both admitted to imagining what it would be like to work together once more before this project falls into their laps. The thing is, there is no romance between them here, and in Ji Sung's words, it's "the devil versus the devil." Kim Jae Kyung, on the other hand, will play another judge, Oh Jin Joo, a charming judge that has a cheerful, bouncy personality, which can border on being annoying. She's the darling of the courtroom, though, and will probably be a delight to watch. The Romance Between Two Justice Seekers Jin Young's role will be the associate trial judge Kim Ga On. He's described as the only person who genuinely has faith in true justice. Park Kyu Young, notable for her role in "Sweet Home," takes on the role of Yoon Soo Hyun, the police detective in the investigation unit. They might not be ruling the courtroom like the first two characters, but their roles are substantial because compared to those in the interactive court, they're the ones truly working for justice to happen. The two's long friendship is being hinted at being able to develop into something more. Great Acting Can be Expected, Just Check Out Their Script Reading! Even before the series drops, the high-caliber stars already showcased what fans can anticipate from the show in their very passionate script reading. Everyone got into their characters as if they're already being filmed. Check out the video below: "The Devil Judge" is around the corner. It is set to drop on July 2021. In Case You Missed It: 'Mouse' Finale: Lee Seung Gi Feels Remorse, Surrenders Himself to the Police Kdramastars owns this article. Written by Annie Dee. Korean drama "Move to Heaven" starring Lee Je Hoon, Tang Jun Sang and Hong Seung Hee received massive praise globally following its release on Netflix. Debuted last May 14, the sentimental drama was based on the non-fiction essay "Things Left Behind" written by Kim Sae-byul, who is also South Korea's first-generation trauma cleaner. Will "Move to Heaven" Release Second Season? In a recent interview obtained by a local outlet, "Move to Heaven," screenwriter Yoon Ji Ryun mentioned that they are overwhelmed with the public's response and support from viewers. Moreover, Yoon also shared that there has been discussion about the possibility of having a sequel; however, it appears that as of this moment, nothing has been confirmed. "There were some stories about season 2," the screenwriter explained, adding, "There were many discussions on saving it for season 2 while working on season 1." Although the future plans for "Move to heaven" are still up in the air, Yoon promised to "introduce a better episode" for a brand new season. Apart from the screenwriter, he also shared that the "Move to Heaven" cast was also thrilled if ever the streaming platform is scheduled to release another season. "Everyone who participated said they would definitely come when season 2 came," Yoon Ji Ryun mentioned. Everything You Need to Know about Lee Je Hoon's "Move to Heaven" Helmed by director Kim Sung Ho, K-drama "Move to Heaven" follows the story of Han Geu Ru, played by Tang Jung Sang, and his quest to run his father's business. Despite his intelligence and impressive memory, Han Geu Ru suffered from Asperger's syndrome, a neurodevelopmental disorder that is characterized by difficulties in nonverbal communication and social interaction. After his father, Han Jung Woo (Ji Jin Hee), passed away due to a heart attack, Geu Ru was forced to take over their family business named Move to Heaven that offers respectfully clearing out the belongings of the deceased. Lee Je Hoon Transforms to Being a Doting Uncle This is where Lee Je Hoon's character comes in. The "Taxi Driver" star plays Geu Ru's uncle Cho Sang Gu, who has just been released from prison due to manslaughter after brutally hurting his opponent in an illegal cage fight. Because of his nephew's massive inheritance, he agreed to be Geu Ru's guardian. Little did he know that the 20-year-old would uncover the secret of his brother and would teach him lessons about life and family. Tang Jun Sang Took Inspiration from "The Good Doctor" In a press conference, Tang Jun Sang shared his preparation for his role as Han Geu Ru. At the time, he mentioned he watched a lot of series such as "The Good Doctor" to enlighten him with his character as someone who has Asper's syndrome. Moreover, "The Racket Boys" actor also read the essay "Things Left Behind," where the drama was inspired. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Netflix Drops New Korean Series & Movies Coming This 2021 KDramastars owns this article. Written by Geca Wills Pakistan seeks cooperation with China to modernize agricultural sector, enhance food security Xinhua) 14:39, May 21, 2021 ISLAMABAD, May 20 (Xinhua) -- As the agricultural sector of Pakistan is the backbone of the national economy, the country's officials and experts believe that the enhanced cooperation under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) can greatly help Pakistan modernize the sector, ensure food security and improve local people's livelihood. According to the figures from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, the agricultural sector contributes about 24 percent of the country's gross domestic product (GDP), accounts for half of employed labor force and is the largest source of foreign exchange earnings. Pakistani Prime Minister Imran khan said recently that the government has been seeking support from China to boost the agricultural sector of the country to ensure sustainable development and prosperity. Pakistan is heading towards the modern agriculture, and the country will be following China's footsteps to uplift agro-based industries, Khan said, adding that in order to further elevate the sector, the government has made it one of the key cooperation areas under the CPEC. In January 2021, China and Pakistan launched an online platform to collect and display information and achievements of agricultural and industrial cooperation between the two countries, aiming at enhancing bilateral cooperation under the CPEC in the two sectors. In a conversation with Xinhua, Pakistani Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Syed Fakhar Imam said that enhanced cooperation with China in the field of agriculture can bring a green revolution in Pakistan and give stimulus to the economic and social development. "Pakistan and China have a long history of agricultural cooperation, and the country (Pakistan) has excelled in many areas due to enhanced bilateral agricultural research and development activities," Imam said, adding that China has not only established its agricultural sector on modern lines, but also extended its help to countries including Pakistan under the Belt and Road Initiative of which the CPEC is a flagship project, to boost agricultural development. China has been assisting Pakistan to improve the production of cash crops by imparting valuable knowledge and technology transfer. The country has also provided Pakistan with unprecedented support during the worst locust attack last year by sending experts, equipment and chemicals, saving the country from the threat of massive food shortage, he said. Highlighting various possible areas of agricultural cooperation between the two countries, the minister said that there is great potential in the fields of seed industry, agricultural material and machinery, agricultural product processing, agricultural investment and supporting service systems such as warehousing, cold chain and logistics to promote the transformation and upgrading of the agricultural sector. The country can further consolidate its strength in agriculture by learning from China's past success stories and upcoming development designs in agricultural science and technology, and mechanization, Chairman of the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) Muhammad Azeem Khan told Xinhua. "The cooperation will not only improve the crop production and ensure food security, but it will also be a fate changer for the people of Pakistan," he said. Talking about the challenges faced by the sector, the PARC chairman said that Pakistan's agricultural productivity has recently been declining due to a number of factors including climate change, drought, diseases and pests, which has largely impeded economic growth and caused food security concerns. Crops like cotton and wheat have been direly affected recently due to severe climate change and unexpected rains in the country, he said, adding that cotton products contribute to a large part of the country's exports, so Pakistan is in need of cooperating with China to produce resistant varieties to better cope with adverse impacts of climate change. Muhammad Ansar, chairman of agronomy department at Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, said that Pakistan must adopt a global and international perspective in their business practices in order to make its agricultural products more competitive in international markets to earn valuable foreign exchange. The use of old cultivation and production methods, negligence on international market quality certification systems and quality control standards, and least understanding of consumers' needs have been the reasons behind the less demand of Pakistan's products in the international market, Ansar told Xinhua. Pakistan can seek Chinese help in improving production technology and product quality, and expanding sales market to increase exports to various countries including China, one of the major destinations for the country's exports, he said. "With the formation of prudent trade policies and high value-added products in the agricultural sector, the country can develop a huge consumer market in China," Ansar said. (Web editor: Shi Xi, Liang Jun) This promotional subscription includes access to all online news and pages for a 90-day period as well as daily news delivered to your email inbox. Please allow 24-36 hours for the online account to activate as part of this subscription selection. Kwon Hwa Woon recently sat for an interview and talked about the "Mouse" cast. The actor talked about his relationship with "Mouse" cast, saying he revealed what he learned from them. Kwon Hwa Woon's First Interview Following the Success of "Mouse" The rising actor has impressed the viewers with his outstanding acting performance in tvN's mystery-thriller series "Mouse." On May 21, Kwon Hwa Woon met with the famous Korean media outlet Star News in celebration of the success of the drama he was part of. During his interview, he mentioned actors Lee Seung Gi, Lee Hee Joon, and Kyung Soo Jin whom he had the most interaction with while doing the series. After almost three months of continuous filming, the "Mouse" cast and crew finally bid their farewell to the viewers. Kwon Hwa Woon, who played the character of Sung Yo Han, a professional doctor who was wrongly accused for being the psychopath in the drama, revealed his precious memories with the cast. The 31-year-old star shared that Lee Seung Gi and Lee Hee Joon were busy during the first day of shoot but were able to execute their roles smoothly. Kwon Hwa Woon Confessed How Lee Seung Gi and Lee Hee Joon Helped Him Throughout the Drama The actor confessed that the two main leads never get tired of working, they showed what true professional actors looked like. Passion and determination were always present in Lee Seung Gi and Lee Hee Joon, and seeing them made Kwon Hwa Woon be inspired to do well in his work. According to him, "Lee Seung Gi is not just good in acting, he also took good care of the staff and crew. I really learned a lot from him." He continued, "We ('Mouse' actors) have our group chat and Lee Hee Joon always says good things, like 'Everyone is struggling and doing well.' Because of working together for a long time, we already treat each other as a family." Kwon Hwa Woon is also thankful for Lee Hee Joon and Lee Seung Gi for taking good care of him all throughout the series. Meanwhile, he also mentioned his romance with actress Kyung Soo Jin. Although they had a sad ending,the two actors made outstanding performances. Their emotions were all on point making the viewers drawn in their characters. The "Doctor John" star expressed that even though Kyung Soo Jin is three years older than him, she made sure to build a comfortable connection with him. Kwon Hwa Woon also shared that he wanted to do another drama with Kyung Soo Jin but not anymore with a sad ending. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: 'Mouse' Finale: Lee Seung Gi Feels Remorse, Surrenders Himself to the Police What can you say about Kwon Hwa Woon's acting performance in "Mouse"? Don't forget to share your thoughts with us in the comments! For more K-Drama, K-Movie, and celebrity news and updates, keep your tabs open here at Kdramastars. Kdramastars owns this article. Written by Shai Collins New "So I Married an Anti-Fan" episodes are about to air this week, and fans are all excited to watch more of Choi Tae Joon and SNSD's Sooyoung heart-fluttering moments! Hoo Joon and Lee Geun Young Will Be Travelling to Japan In the newly released drama stills, Hoo Joon (Choi Tae Joon) and Lee Geun Young (SNSD's Sooyoung) are about to be involved in unexpected but sweet moments while filming their variety show in Japan. Before, the Korean superstar Hoo Joon was cold and arrogant to Lee Geun Young, but the more they worked and spent time together, he started to treat her differently. They got closer to each other by getting to know more of each other's wants and dislikes. When the two are about to eat, after their break from filming, Hoo Joon, who has been in the industry for years, made a sweet gesture by turning off Lee Geun Young's microphone. Making sure that she can still have her privacy. Their adventure in Japan is one of the much-awaited scenes that the viewers are excited to watch, which will be aired on May 21 (Friday) and May 22 (Saturday) at 6 p.m (KST). Sweet Gestures of Hoo Joon that Makes Lee Geun Young Heart's Flutter In one of the photos, Hoo Joon will be sharing his jacket with Lee Geun Young while they are outside the building. The idol is making sure that Lee Geun Young will not be wet because of the heavy rain. And, of course, it will not be an entertaining love story without the love triangle. Oh In Hyung (Han Ji An), Hoo Joon's first love is also with them during the shoot along with Choi Jae Joon (2PM's Chansung). Meanwhile, Hoo Joon will be seeing JJ talking to Lee Geun Young and started to feel jealous of them. Their reunion is expected to spark various emotions between the four lead characters. Will this be the turning point for Hoo Joon and Lee Geun Young to know more about themselves and their blossoming feelings for each other? Let us all find out in the upcoming "So I Married an Anti-Fan" Episode 7 and Episode 8! Are you also watching "So I Married an Anti-Fan"? What can you say about the chemistry of Choi Tae Joon and Sooyoung? Don't forget to share your thoughts with us in the comments! For more K-Drama, K-Movie, and celebrity news and updates, keep your tabs open here at Kdramastars. Kdramastars owns this article. Written by Shai Collins. Click here for updates on this story LONG BEACH, Washington (KPTV) -- A young boy in southwest Washington is being recognized for an act of bravery. Back in April he saved a young boy from drowning and this week officers arrived to award that boy with several gifts to commemorate his life-saving actions. 11-year-old Aidan Dolan says he was out in Long Beach when he saw another young boy in trouble and jumped into action. Aidans parents say he was on a large boulder, fully clothed when he saw a 5-year-old boy who got caught in a riptide. Without thinking, Aidans parents say he jumped off the rock and grabbed the young boy and held him as the water receded. Aidan says his mom always told him to do the right thing and thats what he was doing. When the organization Kindness 911 found out about it, they knew they had to honor Aidan so they got help from the Clark County Sheriffs Office, Vancouver Police and the Cowlitz Tribal Police and surprised Aidan with a small ceremony. The response was overwhelming to me. I was actually taken aback and my sons like whats happening is somebody in trouble. And I said no its for you. And hes like I didnt do anything wrong. And then I explained to him this was because he saved the little boy and they were giving him an award, said Aidans dad Alan. Aidan was given special medals, a sheriffs office hat and his dad awarded him with a pocket watch with the date of the rescue engraved on it so he can always remember that day. Aidans mother was understandably very concerned when her son jumped into action, but thankfully, both boys are ok thanks to Aidans bravery. SALEM, Ore. Oregon officials will offer a series of prizes ranging from $10,000 to $1 million for people who have received at least one shot of a COVID-19 vaccine, Governor Kate Brown announced on Friday. The "Take Your Shot Oregon" campaign aims to encourage Oregonians age 12 and up to get vaccinated. For younger vaccine recipients, prizes will take the form of college scholarship funds. Vaccines are the best tool we have to protect ourselves and our loved ones from COVID-19, and our fastest way to end this pandemic, said Governor Kate Brown in a statement. The Take Your Shot Oregon Campaign' is a way to thank Oregonians for stepping up and keeping our communities safe. Its never been easier to get a vaccine, so don't miss your shot to enter!" According to Governor Kate Brown's office, there will be one $1 million winner, five winners of a $100,000 Oregon College Savings Plan scholarship between the ages of 12 and 17, and thirty-six $10,000 winners one selected from each county. The cash prizes will only be offered to adults 18 and up. Oregonians who have received at least a first dose of the Pfizer, Moderna, or Johnson & Johnson vaccines will be automatically entered through the state's vaccination database, and the drawing will include people registered through June 27. The Oregon Health Authority will choose winners with the help of the Oregon Lottery, officials said. The drawing is set to take place on June 28, with names announced the following week. Winners will be contacted and have the opportunity to either opt out or move forward in the prize process. Employees of the Oregon Lottery, the Governor's office, the Oregon Treasurer's office, and OHA will be ineligible, as will their family members. We are excited that Treasurys College Savings Plan can help with the effort to increase vaccination rates in Oregon, said State Treasurer Tobias Read. This is a win-win: get vaccinated now to protect yourself and others, and get the chance to fund your future through a scholarship that can be used for higher education and job training. According to the Governor's office, even Oregonians who received a vaccine in another state are included in the Oregon database and will be eligible. Money will be sourced from $1.86 million of Oregon's Coronavirus Relief Act funding, state officials said. With vaccination rates plateauing across the U.S., initiatives like these are becoming increasingly common. New York, Maryland, and Ohio all instituted similar lotteries this month, while other states, companies, and local governments have adopted different kinds of incentives in hopes of encouraging people to get the vaccine. SALEM, Ore. House Republican Leader Christine Drazan sent a letter to Governor Kate Brown and Oregon Health Authority director Patrick Allen on Wednesday, urging them to rethink the latest OHA guidance on mask and distancing requirements. The OHA guidance, released on Tuesday, requires businesses that wish to loosen mask and distancing requirements for fully vaccinated patrons only do so if they can check vaccination status namely by requesting to see completed vaccination cards or similar proof. Drazan called the rules "misguided," putting further burdens on businesses and their employees. "To comply with OHA guidance, businesses will need to train employees to verify personal health records for different vaccines and check the dates those vaccines were administered," Drazan said. "Businesses will incur fines from [OSHA] if their employees get it wrong. Vaccine cards are designed as a personal health record, not a credential." Drazan said that businesses' only other option is to require all customers to wear masks regardless of vaccination status, which she said contradicted the CDC guidance that prompted this update. Speaking about the new guidance on Tuesday, state epidemiologist Dr. Dean Sidelinger acknowledged that sticking with the previous OHA guidance was an option that many businesses might choose over checking vaccination status. Like Senate Republican Leader Fred Girod, Drazan pointed to statements from the Biden administration that the federal government will not pursue vaccine verification. "Oregon should not be at odds with the CDC and White House's recommendations," Drazan said. "This will create conflict between employees and customers, and between businesses and the communities they serve. Furthermore, front-line workers will take the brunt of confrontations. We should not be placing further burdens on workers." Drazan closed her letter by saying that it is "time to return to normal." As of Thursday, just under 63 percent of Oregon's adult population had received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, and local rates vary significantly by county. Governor Brown has said that most of Oregon's statewide restrictions will be lifted when the state reaches 70 percent of adults vaccinated with at least one dose. ROGUE RIVER, Ore. Jackson County Sheriff Nathan Sickler held a press conference on Thursday afternoon, covering initial details of an officer-involved shooting near Wimer earlier in the week. Deputies were dispatched to a house in the 1500-block of Queens Branch Road near Evans Creek Road just after 11 a.m. on Monday, responding to a 911 call for a domestic assault. The victim told dispatchers that he thought the suspect "was going to kill him," Sickler said. The first deputy arrived at the property just before 11:30 a.m. The victim told the deputy that the suspect, described as a 32-year-old white man, might have been armed with a gun and indicated that he could be suicidal. Sickler said that the victim had "visible injury" from the assault. Shortly after that, the suspect returned in a vehicle and was seen holding a rifle. Around 11:42 a.m., one of the deputies reported to deputies that "shots had been fired." Sickler said that the shooting was caught on the deputy's body cam, and the video showed him firing several rounds from his handgun into the vehicle, hitting the suspect several times. The deputy who fired and more deputies who arrived just after the shooting started giving the suspect first aid, Sickler said, but he died at the scene. Sickler said that the suspect's .22 caliber rifle was loaded, but declined to comment on whether the man had fired any shots, citing the pending investigation and the coming grand jury proceedings. "I can tell you that the suspect was armed when he arrived back at the location in the vehicle, and the deputy fired after perceiving a threat," Sickler said. He later added that there was body cam evidence that the deputy had tried to communicate with the suspect prior to the shooting. The man who was killed in the shooting is not being identified right now at the request of his family, Sickler said. The Sheriff did indicate that the 32-year-old was the son of the domestic assault victim. The Jackson County Major Assault Death Investigation Unit (MADIU) responded to the scene, with Medford Police taking the lead on the investigation into the shooting. The deputy involved has been placed on administrative leave, which is standard protocol for an officer-involved shooting. They will not be identified until after the grand jury has met. Police pose for a picture on a Kelowna beach in this handout photo from the RCMP. A program that aims to bar gangsters and other criminals from bars and restaurants will operate in the city for the eighth summer in a row. Rescue workers search the scene where a Ukrainian plane crashed in Shahedshahr, southwest of the capital Tehran, Iran, Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2020. An Ontario court has ruled that the Iranian military's downing of a passenger jet early last year was an intentional act of terrorism, paving the way for relatives of those killed to seek compensation from the country. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Ebrahim Noroozi A Black Lives Matter mural is painted on a boarded up shop in Montreal, Friday, June 12, 2020. Seven in 10 Black Canadians experience racism on a regular or occasional basis, suggests a preliminary study that experts are calling a "first step" toward dismantling systemic discrimination. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson It also remains unclear, by the citys data, which Racine Police Department employees have or havent been vaccinated. For instance, it is likely the case that the vaccination rate of patrol officers, who are more likely to engage the public, would be a better measure than the overall vaccination rate of the department as a whole, Palmer said. Incidentally, the extent to which the 51% figure that you referenced includes all police department employees including civilians or whether that number has been isolated to only include officers, is not clear. The Racine Police Departments vaccination rate, while still behind the city employee average, is ahead of the general publics in Racine County and statewide. According to state data as of Thursday, 46% of Wisconsinites have received at least one vaccine dose. In Racine County, 42.1% of residents have received at least one dose. However, both of those rates are dragged up by vaccination rates above 62% for those 55-64 years old and above 82% for those 65 and older, age ranges above the norm for working law enforcement officers. Regardless, rates of COVID-19 vaccination not being high among police officers has raised public health concerns for some. Africa Specialty Risks, a reinsurance business focused on providing risk mitigating insurance solutions to the African Corporate and Specialty market, is pleased to announce that it has launched a fully capitalised and licenced Reinsurer based in Mauritius to meet the needs of the African continent. ASR is backed by Helios Investment Partners, the largest Africa-focused private investment firm, through its latest private equity fund Helios Investors IV, L.P. whose investors include CDC Group (the UKs development finance institution) and the International Finance Corporation (a member of the World Bank Group), as well as institutional investors. The fund was launched in June 2019, with the ambition to support initiatives targeting Africa. ASR marks the funds second investment this year, and capital has been committed to fund ASRs growth and expansion plans. Souleymane Ba, a Partner at Helios Investment Partners, said: We have identified a sustained lack of adequate insurance capacity across Africa, which has been exacerbated further by COVID-19 as global reinsurance providers focus on their home markets. ASR has been established to address this gap by providing specialist risk mitigation products which companies and capital providers operating in Africa have found difficult to access to date. We are pleased that the Reinsurer is to be based in Mauritius, as a well-established hub for financial services and investments in Africa. ASR is focused on becoming the partner of choice to corporations through the provision of comprehensive and bespoke risk mitigating insurance solutions, and offers capacity across Property, Construction, Political Risk, Trade Credit, Energy, Liability and PVT (War, Political Violence and Terrorism), with further lines of business being developed. The reinsurance company in Mauritius will provide additional African domiciled capacity to the ASRs current MGA capacity offering. ASR is led by Mikir Shah, former CEO of AXA Africa Specialty Risks, and Bryan Howett, former CEO of Old Mutuals pan-African reinsurance operations. ASR is seeking to create a scalable African reinsurer which will be of real benefit to the African continent. In addition to the local reinsurance capacity, the business has secured a multi-year binder capacity of up to $25 million per risk through a partnership with Indias GIC Re and annual capacity from Hong Kong based Peak Re. This has been supported and completed with the help of Aon. Alongside the Reinsurer licence, ASR has also been granted an Insurance Manager licence from the Financial Services Commission in Mauritius, which will act as a Managing General Agent (MGA). Mikir Shah, CEO of Africa Specialty Risks, commented: We have chosen to set up Africa Speciality Risks Reinsurer in Mauritius as we see it as a central hub for Africa. Mauritius has a naturally bilingual population, allowing us to operate effectively across the vast majority of African countries. It has an educated population, making it an ideal reinsurance hub because there is an abundance of potential skills that can be developed further with training. It already has an established insurer presence expanding into the continent, and we believe that Mauritius has the capability to become the reinsurance hub for Africa. Mauritius will be one of our major operations and we are pleased to count on the support of the Mauritian Government and the FSC. We are delighted to have both our Reinsurer and Insurance Manager licences in place as we prepare to establish our business on the ground. We will have underwriting, claims management, office support, compliance, accounting and business development functions in Mauritius. We will shortly be making further announcements regarding our plans for recruitment on the island, he added. The Minister of Financial Services and Good Governance, the Hon. Mahen Kumar Seeruttun, said: Mauritius has all the right ingredients to become a reinsurance hub for Africa. Mauritius is a safe, sound and trusted jurisdiction, with a robust legal framework and a well-developed ecosystem for financial services, including insurance. Our jurisdiction is well recognised by investors and international bodies for its ease of doing business. Mauritius is also very well connected internationally and is part of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which entered its implementation phase this year, and which is expected to boost intra-Africa trade and investment. It is therefore very timely that Africa Specialty Risks has chosen to domicile its Reinsurer in Mauritius to provide additional choice and capacity to support the growing reinsurance needs of the African continent. I welcome this initiative as a key step forward in reinforcing the position of Mauritius as a reinsurance hub for Africa. As the pandemic spreads, the emerging risk of multiple lines of insurance exposed to COVID-19 also grows, leaving insurers, reinsurers, regulators and rating agencies with the daunting task of quantifying that exposure and estimating how it will be allocated between the primary insurance and reinsurance markets. On the other hand, COVID-19 also represents an opportunity for established reinsurers and new entrants. It also signifies an opportunity to reaffirm the purpose of insurance: protecting people, communities and businesses from unexpected risk, while embracing rising societal concerns around sustainability and fairness. ASR intends to work proactively with local regulators and clients to develop skills and provide training to local underwriters. Environmental, social and governance (ESG) considerations are central to ASRs values, particularly in relation to local capacity building. The provision of comprehensive, reinsurance solutions by ASR to local and global customers gives corporates and investors the confidence to grow their businesses, thereby increasing business activity, and the associated developmental flow-through benefits. In addition to the operation in Mauritius, ASR plans to establish business development hubs in six other African countries, namely Morocco, Kenya, South Africa, Cote dIvoire, Egypt and Nigeria. ASR will be investing in local training of the market in specialty insurance lines, where appropriate, as well as recruitment and infrastructure surrounding the hubs. Partager et informez vous aussi...... 0 shares Share Tweet LinkedIn Vaccinated people will no longer be required to wear masks in the state Capitol and most other state facilities beginning on June 1, according to new guidelines published by Gov. Tony Evers administration. The guidance, however, also signals that some changes state agencies implemented during the pandemic, such as working from home, may become permanent options. The new guidance for state employees and members of the public using state facilities comes after Public Health Madison and Dane County announced Tuesday that after the expiration of the current COVID-19 public health order on June 2, no new orders will be issued. The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says those who are fully vaccinated can shed their masks and forgo social distancing for most indoor and outdoor activities, regardless of gathering size. The CDC still recommends wearing a mask and keeping 6 feet away from people outside ones household for unvaccinated people, who are at far greater risk of still getting sick and dying of the disease. Hopkinsville, KY (42240) Today Sun and clouds mixed. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 89F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 71F. Winds light and variable. EUGENE, Ore. -- The father of Michael Henderson, the teen who was found dead from a suspected Fentanyl overdose on Saturday, said his son most likely ingested the drug without knowing. Michael Henderson Sr. said his son was bright and doing well in school. He was in a serious relationship with his girlfriend, who also passed away from an alleged fentanyl overdose. Henderson said Michael wasn't a drug addict but took a pill unaware it was laced with the deadly drug. MORE: MOTHER OF TEEN WHO DIED OF SUSPECTED FENTANYL OVERDOSE SPEAKS OUT He said his death happened so suddenly, it's been hard to process what exactly happened. "It's really tough to deal with because you don't expect to be burying your own child and I'm really hoping to raise awareness," Henderson said. Henderson said he wants other parents to be aware of fentanyl in the community. He said parents need to talk to their children and be present in their life. He will be attending a rally on June 4 in Salem to bring awareness to Fentanyl overdoses in Oregon. That rally starts at 12 p.m. and goes until 2 p.m. The recent decline in the number of COVID vaccinations reported to the Statewide Immunization Information System has slowed in the last several days, even showing a small rebound for the Lehigh Valley. There were an average of 66,454 vaccinations per day in the 66 counties administered by the state Health Department as of May 17, compared with 65,345 a week prior. Vaccinators have several days to report their activities to the PA-SIIS system. EUGENE, Ore. -- Police have identified the two people who were killed in a crash in a west Eugene neighborhood on Monday. Jhon Jensen, 21, and Lucia Regalado-Rubio, 21, died after their vehicle collided with a tree and caught fire on West 18th Avenue near Parliament Street. It happened at about 1 a.m. MORE: TWO PEOPLE DEAD AFTER CRASH IN EUGENE; POLICE INVESTIGATING The crash was originally reported as a house fire, and it shut down part of the road for hours. Police are investigating. The cause of the crash is unknown. Anyone with relevant information should call 541-682-5111. BLUE RIVER, Ore. -- Members of the McKenzie School District's board said they will now have to find money elsewhere in their budget for key projects after a $15,215,000 bond failed in the May election. A significant portion of that funding would have gone towards building a new elementary school. "It doesn't meet earthquake standards, there's lead, there's radon, some issues that have to be addressed immediately," school board member Elaine Bryson said about the current elementary school. The measure failed by roughly a 12-point margin. "The bond would have really helped the district in terms of our facilities and rebuilding an elementary school which was built back in 1960 and is basically an outdated building with some issues and now we're not going to be able to do that," school board chair Tim Halloran said. If the bond was approved, the district would have also received a $4 million matching grant from the Oregon School Capital Improvement Matching Program. The bond would have been repaid over a 25-year period and would have cost the owner of a $210,000 home about $404 in taxes annually according to an information sheet from the district. "We'd be signing onto a huge debt with less of us to pay it. It'd be like relying on more people to move here and I'm sure that'll happen but maybe in a year or two," one voter who asked to remain anonymous said. KEZI also spoke to Ray Hoffman who said he voted for the measure but understands why people voted against it. "We pay enough taxes," Hoffman said. "I know the district is hurting, but they've got to go about it a little softer I think." The school board will meet Wednesday to discuss the outcome and decide how the district will move forward. Halloran said the district will attempt to find money to make some renovations. "Our budget doesn't have $15 million in it, so we'll have to figure out how to move the money around to take care of some of the issues." By ESTHER OLUKA Members of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) Central Executive Committee (CEC) are due for a crunch meeting tomorrow to pick the ruling partys flag bearers for Speaker and Deputy Speaker positions in the 11th Parliament. The meeting to be held at State House Entebbe two days before the elections on Monday comes on the backdrop of rancorous campaigns pitting Kamuli Woman MP Rebecca Kadaga, a two-time Speaker, and Omoro MP Jacob Oulanyah, also a two-time Deputy Speaker. Their tenures lapsed with the dissolution of the 10th Parliament more than a week ago. Other legislators who have expressed interest to run for Speaker of the 11th Parliament include Kira Municipalitys Ibrahim Ssemujju, who was the Opposition chief whip in the 10th Parliament, DPs Richard Ssebamala (Buukoto Central) and Rakai Woman MP Juliet Kinyamatama. Read more: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/cec-at-crossroads-over-speaker-vote-3408844 By Ritah Kemigisa President Yoweri Museveni and Tanzanias Samia Suluhu Hassan have declared the launch of the East African Crude oil pipeline deal after the final key agreement was signed. Suluhu on Thursday signed the Host Government Agreement between the government of Tanzania and EACOP company on the implementation of the oil pipeline project from Hoima in Uganda to the Tanga port of Tanzania. This was the remaining key agreement so that the project can kick-off. Meeting at the statehouse in Dar es Salaam, Museveni commended the government of Tanzania for signing the final agreement and confirming their support in the project. In a joint communique, the two heads of state have directed that each country provides all necessary support to ensure the success of the so that the first flow of oil is realized in 2025. They have also shown commitment to strengthen bilateral cooperation in other areas including trade and infrastructure and transport among others. Last month, President Samia visited Uganda where they signed three key agreements to kick off the construction of the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP). The 1,445 kilometre-long East African Crude Oil Pipeline will run from Hoima in Uganda to Tanzanias seaport of Tanga. In the last year we've lost thousands of family members, friends and co-workers to COVID-19. We'd like to give you a chance to honor their memory. Share a Memory An elderly Kilkenny man who harassed an RTE presenter with semen stained letters has been jailed for two years. The man has also been ordered to have no contact with the presenter forever. The man appeared before Kilkenny Circuit Court and pleaded guilty to 13 counts on indictment - two of harassment and 11 counts of sending indecent, obscene, grossly offensive or menacing items by post contrary to S55 (1) (b) of the Communication Regulation (Postal Services) Act 2011. Before the court was Anthony Lennon, Knockroe Lane, Ballyragget. Evidence was also heard he sent voluminous emails to the presenter, when printed out covered 220 pages. Mr Lennon was charged with one count of harassment between November 28, 2016, and August 12, 2019; a second count between November 7, 2019, and November 25, 2019. The postal offences occurred between July 11, 2019, and November 11, 2019. Evidence was heard that on July 11, 2019, the presenter became aware that a suspicious letter had been received at the RTE studios in Dublin. It was addressed personally to the presenter and seemed to contain bodily fluid. It was sent for forensic analysis. On August 7, 2019, another letter was received at RTE, addressed to the presenter and stained with a bodily fluid. A similar letter arrived on August 8. Gardai were made aware of another five letters on August 10. All were stained with bodily fluid. Gardai were able to establish the letters were all sent by Mr Lennon. Gardai called to Mr Lennon, cautioned him and told him to refrain from further communication. The presenter had made contact with gardai. She wanted Mr Lennon to stop but was in favour of a graduated response at that stage. Mr Lennon acknowledged he sent the letters and said it was an effort to have his music played on RTE. He said he had already sent another letter. That arrived at RTE on September 10. On September 19 the presenter became aware that a further letter, addressed to her from Mr Lennon, had been received at her parents home in Co. Cork. Three letters were sent to this address and they again appeared to be stained with bodily fluid. The letters were sent for DNA testing at Forensic Science Ireland and it was confirmed the fluid was semen. After the letters to her parents home the presenter decided to make a formal complaint to gardai. She had also received a significant number of unwanted emails to her RTE address that amount to 220 printed pages. The nature of the emails was that Mr Lennon wanted his music played on RTE and also general current affairs. The presenter told gardai she received the first email in 2016. The tone was very familiar and he wanted to send her his music. She wanted to be polite and told him to send it to her work office. A tape arrived. She listened to it. She did not work in a music department of RTE and there was nothing she could do. Mr Lennon sent another email and the presenter replied. A significant number of emails followed. At the start his emails were looking for a wife which the presenter found disquieting. She stopped reading the emails. Between July and November 2019 13 letters were sent to her at RTE. They were intercepted by security because they looked suspicious. The letters were all from Mr Lennon and the presenter did not engage with the letters. They made her feel physically sick. SHe didnt want this to be happening. The presenter got concerned when the letters started arriving at her family home and felt she had no choice but to make a statement to gardai. On December 2, 2019, gardai obtained a warrant to search Mr Lennons home. A number of items were seized including written notes in a notebook and an envelope addressed to the presenter. He was arrested and taken to Kilkenny Garda Station. His DNA was taken. Mr Lennon cooperated with gardai. During interview he said the presenter was not known to him personally but he knew her as a presenter with an interest in music and the arts, and a good looking girl and a country, quiet type person. Mr Lennon admitted sending hundreds of emails, mostly about Brexit negotiations and the agenda he saw RTE advancing. He said he had strong views. He said his letters contained poetry and lyrics of songs he wished to have published. Mr Lennon told gardai he was aware there was an inclusion of semen but thought it was only on three letters. When asked why he did this Mr Lennon said he was frustrated he was getting no response and wanted to provoke a reaction. He said he was sorry and he shouldnt have sent them. He said he sent letters to the presenters family home in Cork to bypass RTE and she might reply. Mr Lennon told gardai he was not obsessed with the presenter. A lot of his efforts were to advance hsi work. He said he was ashamed. Mr Lennon told gardai: Im awfully sorry this is where it ended up. I should have given up a long time ago. I truly regret it all. He also told gardai: Can you tell the girl I apologise and am genuinely sorry. It was not my intention to do that, I just took it too far. Kevin White, BL, prosecuting, read a victim impact statement from the presenter, who was not in court. In her statement she said the actions of Mr Lennon had caused considerable stress to her and her family. She said as a minor public figure she accepted some level of nuisance but Mr Lennons actions went beyond what was reasonable. She said he was a man who needed help but he refused to do that and persisted with his campaign of disgusting letters. The presenter said she had no desire for an elderly man to go to prison on her account but it disturbed her he had already defied instructions not to contact her. She said she would have preferred not to have had to make a complaint, to save his family the humiliation, but when he contacted her family he took the matter out of her hands. She appealed to him to leave me and my family in peace. The court heard that Mr Lennon is 76 and from a farming background. His wife died several years ago and he found this traumatic. He still very much misses her. His two adult children live in Dublin and New Zealand. He has the support of close friends. Mr Lennons defence barrister handed a psychiatric report into court and referring to it said his client was found to have difficulty processing emotions and this was compounded by feelings of frustration. Further support for Mr Lennon was needed, the report said. He fully engaged with the assessment and is prepared to undertake recommendations. He does not intend to write to the presenter again. He had no previous convictions. Judge James McCourt said Mr Lennon knew what he was doing and he knew it was wrong. You did harass this woman over a protracted period. What aggravated the situation was that Mr Lennon persisted when asked to stop. Harassment of this nature is a horrible violation of someones personal space, the judge said. Judge McCourt said the appropriate sentence for harassment was three years imprisonment, with the final year suspended on condition that Mr Lennon engage fully with the psychiatric and psychological services. If he does that then Mr Lennon will be bound to the peace for two years, on his own bond of 2,000, following his release. On the 11 postal offences Judge McCourt imposed a one-year sentence on each charge, suspended on the same terms. Judge McCourt said it was all very well to contact a broadcaster to vent and air one's grievances with their product or output, but to contact one, single person in this way can be seen as an obsession. Mr Lennon was ordered to have no contact with the presenter or any members of her family, at any time, for any reason whatsoever forever. The judge also directed that Mr Lennon engage with a psychiatrist and follow such further engagements as maybe directed by them. An application to defer the start of the sentence for 14 days to allow Mr Lennon to get his affairs in order was approved. Judge McCourt asked that the anonymity of the victim be protected. Councillors have been urged not to have a deflated view of what will happen with TUSE in Kilkenny - following a declaration by one councillor that a lack of plans are disappointing, after a meeting between Kilkenny County Council and the presidents of both Waterford and Carlow Institutes of Technology. Despite probing and demands for answers, there were no concrete or satisfying answers forthcoming to councillors who wanted to know if a faculty or department of the new Technological University of the South East will be based in Kilkenny in the future - but they were clearly told that a university faculty will not be based in the city. While one councillor declared himself disappointed, President of WIT, Willie Donnelly, urged councillors not to get despaired as what they are trying to do is focus on making a difference and not make glib comments. Councillors also wanted to know if Kilkenny was being considered for the headquarters of the new university. Professor Willie Donnelly of WIT and Dr Patricia Mulcahy of IT Carlow made a presentation to councillors setting out the plans for the formation of the Technical University of the South East, which will be an amalgamation of both Institutes of Technology. They stressed the existing strong links with Kilkenny, including the research centre based on the St Kierans College campus, lifelong learning programmes in local companies including Glanbia, VHI and State Street and an application which has been made for a European Digital Innovation Hub which will be located in the city if successful. Following the presentation on the plan for the universitys development path in the coming months, councillors asked for more specific information. Cllr Peter Cleere wanted to know if the IT Presidents had a view about what would be an appropriate school or campus for Kilkenny, and what the size or scale of that would be. I certainly wouldnt be happy if it is a Mickey Mouse token gesture, he said. Cllr Cleere said Kilkenny wants to be part of the new, multi-campus university and looks forward to playing a part. He asked if a decision had been made where the TUSE headquarters will be located and if Kilkenny will be considered. Cllr David Fitzgerald said that he is delighted that TUSE is finally in sight, but disappointed at where Kilkenny is at in relation to this. Its clear we are going to be no more than an off-shoot, a poor relation, in relation to the rest of the university. I had hoped we were going to see students on the street in Kilkenny. Im not happy. This is a disappointing day for Kilkenny. Cllr Mary Hilda Cavanagh, who is on the Board of WIT, said she wished the two Presidents had made their presentation to the council months ago, however she said she was grateful that the presentation highlighted how embedded both colleges already are in Kilkenny. An inclusive university in the South East has to include Kilkenny, Cllr Eamon Aylward said. If you take one message from this meeting its that Kilkenny needs to be part of this process. A campus in Kilkenny is a must. The brain drain from the South East is something we have been dealing with for too long. Cllr Deirdre Cullen stressed that a substantial campus presence in Kilkenny is vital to encourage students to go to third level. If you cant see it you cant be it. Cllr Ger Frisby observed there was a lot of work being done and said he had no doubt a significant campus will be delivered for Kilkenny. Head Office On the subject of where, or even if TUSE will have one head office, Dr Mulcahy said that was a very emotive question. However, she said the concept of a traditional headquarters will not be the same with a multi-campus institution. In practical, pragmatic terms it will not be of significance. She spoke about the leading roles in the university being available on all campuses and remotely. Professor Donnelly said previous stories about where a headquarters would be located didnt help us one bit, and referred to the stories as spurious. No Faculty Whatever we put into Kilkenny it will not be a faculty, Professor Donnelly said. The question really is what is sustainable in Kilkenny? We could put anything, anywhere in the South East but students vote with their feet. Prof. Donnelly said: I heard people expressing disappointment, thats the wrong approach. We have shown commitment to Kilkenny. He said initiatives including ArkLabs in 2012 and PACE in 2019 show a solid foundation for growth and investment. When I say we need to find a unique area for Kilkenny that is out of respect for Kilkenny. I hope people dont get despaired. He said that rather than glib comments they needed to work together to focus on things that make a difference. Dr Mulcahy said the lead will be taken from Kilkenny County Councils own report on deciding courses to be offered in the city in the future, areas including agriculture, art and design, and history and culture. She explained that already there are faculties that exist across campuses and for Kilkenny they would be talking about programmes rather than a campus. An application to establish TUSE was submitted to the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, innovation and Science, Simon Harris, on April 30 last. It is hoped he will make a decision in August and the new university can be officially created on January 1, 2022. On that date the two ITs will cease to exist. AUSTIN, Minn. A Mower County man is pleading guilty in two violent incidents. Bolis Martin Macheik, 26 of Austin, entered guilty pleas Friday to fifth-degree assault, fourth-degree damage to property, and first-degree criminal damage to property. Macheik is first accused of attacking someone on May 16, 2020, in the 500 block of 5th Avenue NW in Austin. Court documents state the victim was left with a fractured bone in the face and cuts to the left forearm and left thigh. Macheik was next arrested for allegedly breaking down a door at Twin Towers Apartments in Austin on January 20. Court documents state Macheik appeared extremely drunk and said he was trying to confront someone over a stolen backpack. Authorities say estimated damage to the door was over $1,000. A sentencing hearing is now scheduled for July 22. Macheik is listed as still being held in the Mower County Jail on $100,000 bond. ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) A federal judge has sentenced a former St. Paul police officer to six years in prison for allowing his dog to maul a suspect. Minnesota Public Radio reports U.S. District Judge Wilhemina Wright handed down Brett Palkowitsch's sentence on Friday. Palkowitsch was found guilty of allowing a police dog to maul Frank Baker in 2016 after Baker was mistaken for a robbery suspect. Palkowitsch also was found guilty of kicking Baker, who suffered seven broken ribs and collapsed lungs. Palkowitsch apologized through tears during the sentencing hearing. When we got off we were in dire need for a beer and were in caloric deficit. The Flying V had posted up at Weyerbacher for the day. Those fresh cut frites, smothered in gravy, was the sustenance we needed to mend our weary backs and cap off the weekend. I cant think of a better dish coming off the trail, said Yoder, formerly of Kutztown. MASON CITY, Iowa - Though the school year is about to come to a close, a new Iowa law is stripping schools from creating and enforcing mask mandates. Early Thursday morning, Governor Kim Reynolds signed HF 847 into law, which would ban superintendents, principals and school board members, including accredited private schools, from being able to implement mask mandates for students, employees and visitors, only making it optional. Recently, the Mason City School Board extended the district's mandate to last through the remainder of the school year. Going forward, Superintendent Dave Versteeg feels that there should be more consistency when it comes to a coordinated local, state and federal response, as decisions have changed multiple times throughout the year. "That's where I think a lot of this whiplash comes about is who's really got responsibility and who's going to decide. It just doesn't seem clear what's going to be our decision and what's going to be the state's decision." Though it has been a challenging year, Versteeg credits the entire school community for being supportive of the district's mitigation strategies. "We've been able to have the kinds of conversations people need to have. In the end, we may have agreed to disagree, but they were supportive and have really appreciated that about our community and our school." Versteeg notes that revisions to the district's COVID-19 health and safety mitigation plan that will take effect June 7 will be announced in the next couple of weeks. Any additional changes prior to the start of the 2021-22 school year will likely come in early August. In a statement, Governor Reynolds said that the state "is putting parents back in control of their child's education and taking greater steps to protect the rights of all Iowans to make their own health care decisions." DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) An administrative law judge says the leader of Iowas largest school district violated his duty by not complying with a law intended to ensure students could learn in classrooms during the pandemic. However, the judge didnt specify Thursday how Des Moines Superintendent Thomas Ahart should be punished. Administrative Law Judge David Lindgren said during a hearing that Ahart violated an ethical duty" to comply with all laws. The Des Moines Register reports that the judge gave no timeline for when hed decide how or even if Ahart should be punished. Ahart is facing potential sanctions because the Des Moines school board violated a state mandate in the 2020-2021 academic year that districts must offer at least half-time in-person learning. MASON CITY, Iowa - Over the last 14 months, communities and school districts across the country have enacted mask mandates to prevent the spread of COVID-19. But in Iowa, the power to enact a local mask mandate is over. A new law signed by Governor Reynolds early Thursday morning bars cities and counties from enacting more stringent mask mandates than what the state already has for private business. The ban doesn't apply for enacting a mask mandate on public property. In addition, public and accredited private schools are not allowed to require students, staff or visitors to wear a mask while on school property. City administrator Aaron Burnett is disappointed that local control was largely taken away by the Governor. "I think this is unfortunate that this wasn't more of a partnership with local governments to carry out effective public health measures." As mask guidance changes and usage declines, he requests residents and visitors to wear a mask. "That's really the approach we have to take right now is recommendations. It takes a more important role now that we're seeing less and less mask usage. It's now important more than ever either to get vaccinated or be more diligent with the mask usage." Due to federal law, Mason City Transit requires passengers, regardless of vaccination status, to wear a face covering while using public transportation. LANESBORO, Minn. - Whether you're an angler looking for a new way to reel in a catch, or entirely new to the sport of fishing, you may not realize the many opportunities outside the Med City to try your hand at fly fishing. Nestled along the main drag in Lanesboro you'll find Root River Rod Co., a fly fishing outfitter offering guided tours. Owner Steve Sobieniak has decades of fly fishing experience and opened up his shop about 5-years ago. "A fly rod allows you to cast these real light flies because all the weight is in the line. The lighter the fly the easier it is to cast," explained Sobieniak. The Driftless Region of southeastern Minnesota offers a hidden gem for fly fishing. "There are 70 streams here within 45 minutes of Lanesboro - with 100s of miles of easements," said Sobieniak. With handcrafted bamboo rods, flies, waders, and much more you'll find everything you need at Root River Rod Co., for a day on the water. If you're new to the sport you might be interested in taking a fly-casting lesson. Marlene Huston is a certified fly casting instructor, "I just got bored with spin fishing and I picked up a fly rod and I was hooked." Huston is passionate about getting more women involved in fly fishing. While she admittedly enjoys catching trout she also appreciates the time in nature. "Just sitting on a bank and watching the water move. Listening to your surroundings and just seeing - I think some people forget that," said Huston. The fly shop offers half or full-day guided tours. Head Guide at Root River Rod Co., Lance Prado, is an avid angler. "The best part about being a guide is teaching people how to fish and getting them outdoors. Seeing that reaction the first time they hook into a fish - you get to touch a trout, it's a very beautiful fish," explained Prado. If you're interested in learning more about fly fishing Prado suggests watching some YouTube videos and of course heading out on the water with Root River Rod Co. ANAMOSA, Iowa (AP) Prison officials say an Iowa man convicted of stabbing his 3-week-old son to death in 1982 has died in prison. The Iowa Department of Corrections says in a news release that 68-year-old Michael Cecil Craney, of Jesup, died Wednesday at the Anamosa State Penitentiary. Craney was convicted and sentenced in late 1982 of first-degree murder in the death of his son, Matthew. Police say on May 5, 1982, Craney threw the infant to the floor and attacked the baby with a kitchen knife as the child's mother tried to save her son. Prosecutors say the baby died after sustaining multiple stab wounds, a fractured skull and a slit throat. Craney's attorney argued at trial that his client was insane at the time of the killing. MASON CITY, Iowa - A Mason City woman is facing three felony drug charges for allegedly selling heroin to a confidential informant. Sharla Murphy, 48, is facing three controlled substance violations dating back to 2019. Court documents said she sold heroin to a CI on multiple occasions. She was arrested Thursday and is being held in the Cerro Gordo County Jail on $10,000 bond. MINNEAPOLIS (AP) Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison announced Friday that his office will lead the prosecution of a former suburban police officer who is charged with second-degree manslaughter in the death of Daunte Wright. Former Brooklyn Center Officer Kim Potter, who is white, fatally shot Wright, a 20-year-old Black motorist, on April 11. The citys police chief, who has since stepped down, had said he believed Potter meant to use her Taser instead of her handgun. Daunte Wrights death was a tragedy. He should not have died on the day that he did. He should not have died the way that he did, Ellison said in a statement. Ellison said he took the case at the request of Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman, after another prosecutor Washington County Attorney Pete Orput gave the case back to Freeman's office. Orput initially had the case under an agreement in which metro prosecutors share one anothers criminal cases involving police officers. After Orput charged Potter with manslaughter, he came under intense pressure from activists calling for more serious charges, with frequent demonstrations outside his home. Orput had said publicly that he believed manslaughter was the appropriate charge. Ellison said Assistant Attorney General Matthew Frank, who manages the office's criminal division, will supervise the case. Frank was one of the trial attorneys in the case against Derek Chauvin, a former Minneapolis police officer convicted of murder and manslaughter in the May 25 death of George Floyd. Ellison will actively assist in the case, and Freeman's office will also provide staff. Ellison's office said a review of the evidence and charges against Potter is already underway. I did not seek this prosecution and do not accept it lightly, Ellison said. I have had, and continue to have, confidence in how both County Attorney Orput and County Attorney Freeman have handled this case to date. ... Prosecutors are ministers of justice. This means we must and will follow justice wherever it leads." Ellison said he will handle the prosecution responsibly and consistent with the law but that no one should expect the case will be easy to prosecute. His statement did not indicate whether murder charges would be filed, as some activists have requested. We are not destined to repeat history," he said. "Once again, we in Minnesota find ourselves at a moment where a deadly-force encounter with police has galvanized our grief and focused our attention. If prosecutors ensure that prosecutions are vigorous and swift, if legislators at every level pass long-overdue reforms, if police leadership demonstrates misconduct has no place in the profession, and if community continues to keep up the cry for justice, we will break the cycle of history and establish a new standard for justice. Orput thanked Ellison and said in a statement that he was grateful he took the case. Gov. Tim Walz said he was glad Ellison's office was taking the case. He said that he and the first lady hosted the Wright family at the Governor's Residence this week and heard their desire to have the strongest legal team to seek justice for their family. No verdict will bring Daunte back to his family, but I have full faith that Attorney General Ellison will build the best team possible to pursue accountability for what happened that tragic day, Walz said. Shenandoah, IA (51601) Today Mainly cloudy. A few peeks of sunshine possible. A stray severe thunderstorm is possible. High 81F. Winds W at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight Cloudy skies early, followed by partial clearing. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 63F. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph. Shenandoah, IA (51601) Today Windy with scattered thunderstorms. A few storms may be severe. High 84F. Winds WSW at 25 to 35 mph. Chance of rain 50%.. Tonight Cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy after midnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 63F. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph. Once your poppy is ready, drop it off at the Banana Factory anytime its open, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The Banana Factory is at 25 W. Third St. Bethlehem. (CBSLA) Wednesday marked five days since 58-year-old George Null went for a day hike in the Buckhorn, Mount Waterman area in Los Angeles County and failed to return. He was rescued yesterday after surviving five days on only water. Rachel Kim reports. The friend of a Town and Country doctor who was shot and killed outside a hotel and restaurant in Brentwood Saturday says his friend was waiting for an Uber when he was shot. Radio personality Rush Limbaugh and wife Kathryn (L) attend the State of the Union address with First Lady Melania Trump in the chamber of the U.S. House of Representatives on February 04, 2020 in Washington, DC. Two Easy Ways To Subscribe! The Kodiak Daily Mirror offers full-service, five-day a week subscriptions with home delivery in addition to unlimited access to our online services (including our e-Edition). Online-access-only subscriptions include unlimited access to the Mirror's online services without delivery of the printed newspaper. (Note: New users: You must register and login before purchasing a subscription. EMP4, the RN, told investigators that EMP2 came running to the nurse station, banging on the window asking for help because of the state the patient was in. Two to four nurses rushed to the patients room and one of them was able to cut the pillowcase, saving the patients life. The report states that the patients vitals were checked and found to be within normal limits. A doctor was made aware of the incident and the patient was redressed in paper attire and placed back on one-on-one supervision. White House press secretary Jen Psaki speaks during a briefing at the White House, May 20. AP-Yonhap The United States welcomes the opportunity to discuss ways to help South Korea's fight against the COVID-19 pandemic and how they can work together to help the rest of the world, a White House spokesperson said Thursday. Jen Psaki made the remarks one day before President Joe Biden was set to hold a bilateral summit with his South Korean counterpart, Moon Jae-in. "We certainly expect that the leaders will discuss ways the United States can support South Korea in its fight against COVID-19, as well as how we can work together to combat the pandemic around the world," the press secretary said in a daily press briefing. "I don't expect that assessment to be made in advance of tomorrow, but certainly, we welcome the opportunity to discuss with them how we can work together to address the global pandemic," she added. South Korea earlier proposed a vaccine swap arrangement with the United States to ease its temporary vaccine shortage. The proposed arrangement asks the United States to provide COVID-19 vaccines to South Korea and get paid later in full in vaccine when South Korea's orders arrive later in the year. According to court documents, Bufanio has owned and operated Community Chiropractic in the 4000 block of Nazareth Pike in Bethlehem Township. Between January 2017 and August 2018, Bufanio submitted fraudulent claims to health insurers for more than $236,000. He also submitted claims to health insurers when he was recovering from an illness, pretending that he was keeping normal office hours and treating patients, the U.S attorneys office said. The Korea Times President-Publisher Oh Young-jin holds a memorandum of understanding signed between the English daily and Nicaraguan television Canal 6 and newspaper El 19 Digital, with the Nicaraguan Ambassador to Korea Rodrigo Coronel Kinloch during a ceremony at the headquarters of The Korea Times in central Seoul, Friday. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk By Kwon Mee-yoo The Korea Times signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Nicaraguan media Canal 6 and El 19 Digital to promote content exchange. Presided over by Nicaraguan Ambassador to Korea Rodrigo Coronel Kinloch, an MOU signing ceremony was held at the headquarters of The Korea Times in central Seoul, Friday, with the Nicaraguan counterparts participating via Zoom. Ambassador Coronel congratulated the agreement, hoping that The Korea Times would find more things in common with its Nicaraguan partners. "They say the world is getting smaller thanks to connectivity, but I beg to disagree, considering that the peoples of Korea and Nicaragua don't know much about each other," The Korea Times President-Publisher Oh Young-jin said. "I hope our agreement will pave the way for a greater understanding of each other, in the process of making the world truly smaller and the people of the two countries closer." The Korea Times President-Publisher Oh Young-jin and Nicaraguan Ambassador to Korea Rodrigo Coronel Kinloch participate in the signing ceremony for a memorandum of understanding between The Korea Times and Nicaraguan media Canal 6 and El 19 Digital, at the headquarters of The Korea Times in central Seoul, Friday. Officials from the two Nicaraguan companies are seen on screen, right, taking part via Zoom. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk A Korean captain and four crew members of a fishing boat have been kidnapped in waters off Ghana, in west Africa, a report said Thursday. The five crew members of the Atlantic Princess, a tuna boat, were kidnapped on Thursday (local time), according to the report from Dryad Global, a maritime security and intelligence provider. "The vessel is understood to have been approached by one speedboat with 8 pirates onboard," it said, adding the incident reportedly took place 65 nautical miles from Tema, Ghana. "The vessel was reportedly fired upon prior to being boarded by 5 armed men. The vessel is understood to have been Hijacked and sailed south to a distance of 100nm before pirates departed the vessel," it added. The report said those kidnapped included the captain, who is Korean, along with three Chinese and one Russian crew members. It was not immediately clear whether the captain is South Korean. A call to the South Korean embassy in Ghana to confirm the incident went unanswered. "This latest attack ends a significant hiatus of activity within the Gulf of Guinea," the report said. "Thus far within 2021 there have been 56 personnel kidnapped across 5 incidents from vessels operating within the Gulf of Guinea." (Yonhap) Marginal universities should be weeded out for future The Ministry of Education revealed a package of measures Thursday designed to speed up the much-protracted reform of Korea's universities. Under the reform measures universities suffering from a dearth of students will need to restructure how they operate or even shut down completely. The plan comes amid a rapid reduction in the potential student population; a shortage being acutely felt in areas other than Seoul and the surrounding Gyeonggi Province, and Incheon Metropolitan City. In consideration of different preferences, the ministry will divide the nation into five regions and apply respective student quota standards for each. The ministry will announce the quota details for the universities in October, and receive "revamp plans" from them up until March next year. From the second half of 2022, it will embark on restructuring the universities. It said between 30 percent and 50 percent of all universities will be asked to curtail their current student quotas. The ministry will then take gradual steps against "marginal universities" and will eventually close down some of them should they be judged to stand little chance of staying afloat. The ministry's decision is belated but in the right direction. Many universities especially those outside the capital and its greater metropolitan area are failing to fill their student quotas. By March this year, the number of unfilled places across the country stood at 40,586 and this will likely increase further year by year. It is not too much to say that many provincial universities face the growing crisis of "extinction" unless they become equipped with a better education environment and recruit the appropriate number of students. Korea's low birthrate has been the main reason for the difficulties universities are facing; but additionally, some have also been struggling with diverse irregularities and ethical lapses surrounding the owners of the institutions and their relatives. University restructuring is significant and should be carried out in consideration of the nation's future. According to the Institute for Management Development based in Switzerland last year, South Korea's educational competitiveness ranked 27th of 63 countries. Furthermore, its competitiveness in university education stood at 48th. Korea has heavy reliance on human resources, and we are now living in an era where national competitiveness in state-of-the-art technology such as semiconductors has a far-flung impact, even on national security. The importance of nurturing talented manpower cannot be overemphasized, so universities should take the lead role in producing highly qualified individuals needed for our future. Given this, we have to express concern over the ministry's latest method as it is unlikely lead to speed up the much-needed restructuring. Though the government attempted reform efforts beginning 2013, only 18 schools have been closed over the past years. Unless the government moves up its drive toward restructuring, it will inflict damage on students. It is time for the administration to weed out "zombie universities" at the earliest date possible. Hannah Thomas of Kendallville grimaces as she becomes the first Noble County teen to get her COVID-19 vaccination Wednesday at the Albion clinic. She later described the shot as a little pinch. SALEM, OR (KPTV) Five counties in Oregon are leading the state in vaccinations, Gov. Kate Brown announced on Tuesday. As of Monday, Benton, Deschutes, Hood River, Lincoln, and Washington counties have vaccinated over 65% of residents 16 or older with at least one dose and are eligible to move to the Lower Risk Level on Friday, May 21. "Vaccines protect you, and they protect everyone around you. It's going to take all of us working together to make sure enough Oregonians are vaccinated to stop the spread of COVID-19 in our communities and end this pandemic," said Governor Brown. "I'd like to thank everyone in these counties, particularly their outstanding public health officials, health care workers, and volunteers who have led the way in making sure their communities are protected against COVID-19." Last week, Brown announced that counties that vaccinated at least 65% of residents 16 and over with at least one vaccination would be eligible to move down to the Lower Risk level. Next week, all counties will be eligible to move based on vaccination rates or infection and positivity rates. The following risk level changes will be announced on Tuesday and will take effect on Friday, May 28. In this extremely uncertain time, you are graduating into a global emergency that has interrupted everything, he said. Someone joked recently that in addition to your bachelors and graduate degrees, we should award all of you another degree in handling uncertainty. But, lets face it, one that is for sure all of you are more interesting because of this pandemic. A great deal Somewhat Not very much Not at all Vote View Results Senate President Page Cortez (center) and House Appropriations Committe Chair Jerome Zeringue (right) confer Friday, May 21, 2021, during a meeting of the Senate Finance Committee. Seated behind them is Sen. Gerald Boudreaux. Town of Arcadia gets out of the mall ownership business Juneteenth took on greater prominence last year as people in the Lehigh Valley and across the nation held protests against police brutality and racism in the wake of George Floyd and Breonna Taylors deaths at the hands of police. HELENA, Mont. - Several individuals are joining together to sue the state of Montana, and Governor Greg Gianforte, for the passage of HB 112, a bill that would require interscholastic athletes to participate under sex assigned at birth, among others. Montana lawmakers passed HB 112 on April 23, and Gov. Gianforte signed it into law on May 7. Documents say the proceeding is challenging the constitutionality of various measures recently passed by the Montana Legislature, including HB 349, HB 112, HB 102 and SB 319. Parties involved in the petition include several groups, including faculty organizations, individual faculty members, student groups and individual students. Each of these organizations sues on behalf of its individual constituents and members, all of whom have a strong interest in ensuring academic freedom, safe working conditions, and the independence of the Montana Board of Regents to supervise, coordinate, manage, and control the MUS, documents read. Each of the Petitioners will suffer injury in fact as a consequence of the challenged legislation. Each of the Petitioners stands to suffer harm as a consequence of the implementation of the challenged bills, including actual and prospective injuries to their interest in campus safety, freedom of speech, and non-discrimination. Documents go on to say the passage of these bills, threatens an imminent disruption to the operation of campuses in the MUS system. You can read the full text of the documents here. LAUREL, Mont. - There's less than two weeks until Memorial Day, and one non-profit is traveling across the country to help restore the true meaning of the holiday. Carry The Load is a relay team that travels across the country during the month of May to provide an active way to connect Americans to the sacrifices of military, veterans, first responders and their families. For the first time, Carry The Load has adopted a 'mountain route' which started in Minot, North Dakota before making its way to the Yellowstone National Cemetery in Laurel. Now, in its 10th year, Carry The Load looks to continue carrying out a mission that is important to their cause. "This is something that's obviously very important to us, to remember the sacrifices of veterans and first responders that gave the ultimate sacrifice," Media Coordinator Landon Rowe said. "We spend most of our time walking. We carry the American flag, we carry the Carry The Load flag, and it's really a time to honor those fallen soldiers and first responders. It's important to come to cemeteries to pay homage to these people because they're important." Carry The Load will make its next stop in Washington state before continuing through Idaho, Utah and Colorado. They will then join the three other routes in Dallas on Memorial Day weekend. If you'd like to get involved or make a donation, click here. CONRAD, Mont. - On May 7, Governor Greg Gianforte signed a memorandum of understanding with Alberta to help provide truck drivers access to the COVID-19 vaccine. "We knew we had to make access more convenient," Gov. Gianforte said. The agreement provides first doses of the vaccine to truckers who are transporting goods into the United States. Roughly 2,000 truckers are eligible for the vaccine. On May 20, Gov. Gianforte traveled to Conrad to check out the vaccination site for truckers. We spoke to Nelson Valerio, a Canadian trucker, who's been driving trucks for about four years. He got the Johnson & Johnson vaccine and says it wasn't available for him back home. "I've been still waiting for the appointment. I'm still on the waiting list," Valerio said. Valerio says he is excited to get the vaccine and he is helping protect his friends and family as his wife is a front line worker. The Montana Department of Health and Human Services is working with Best Practice medicine to administer the vaccines. "This effort is about saving lives and its about protecting ourselves. Thats the only agenda here and were really excited to be a part of it," Ben King, CEO of Best Practice Medicine, said. This vaccine clinic isn't just for Canadian Truckers, King says they've seen U.S. based truckers along with the general public here in Central Montana. In the last 10 days they have helped over 575 people. "Our team is completely prepared for any type of reactions. In fact, our team is comprised of MT based nurses and paramedics. So, these are our Montanan's taking care of our Montana's AND our friends in Canada," King said. All three vaccines are offered at the clinic and the free vaccines will be available from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. until May 30. "Some of these truck drivers literally were in tears, they're excited, they can go home, they're safer, they keep their families safer. So, it's great to be making a difference," Gov. Gianforte said. Everything is done inside the vaccine trailer off of exit 339 in Conrad at the rest area. King says overall it takes about 18 minutes from the time you walk in the trailer to the time you drive away. The site is divided into four cleanup portions, one of which is community soils containing the properties now removed from the list. The EPA and Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection have been working with ViacomCBS, the potentially responsible party for the site, to remove lead-contaminated interior dust from the excavated soils, the news release states. China to tighten crackdown on organized crimes, gangs Xinhua) 14:42, May 21, 2021 BEIJING, May 20 (Xinhua) -- China will stringently crack down on organized crimes and gangs on a regular basis and maintain a tough stance against such illegal activities, according to recent guidelines issued by central authorities. The guidelines, issued by the general offices of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council, are expected to act as effective deterrents with intensified efforts. The guidelines urged the establishment and improvement of mechanisms in various aspects including prevention and regulation, rewards for tip-offs, law-based punishment, and supervision. Priorities should be given to major sectors such as finance, project contracting, transportation and information network, said the guidelines, calling for efforts to address the problems at the roots. The use of big data, cloud computing, among other new technologies, for analyzing new trends of organized crimes, have been highlighted in the guidelines. Efforts against organized crimes should be integrated with the overall planning for economic and social development, the guidelines added. The guidelines put in place an accountability system where senior officials in the localities are required to take proactive measures against organized crimes and support law enforcement operations. The guidelines also attach importance to public participation and oversight. Drawn up in April last year, the guidelines were finalized after taking into account opinions of relevant departments. (Web editor: Shi Xi, Liang Jun) I want to prove to the city of Allentown residents and prove to the people that they deserve someone who is here, is going to be here and most importantly wants to be here, Granitz said at the time. ROME, MAY 21 - Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio said Friday "Italy welcomes the cease-fire in Israel and Gaza. The sides must now commit to consolidating it. A return to dialogue and peace talks are the only way to break the cycle of violence. We will continue to support efforts to bring lasting peace and security to the region". (ANSA). CAGLIARI, MAY 21 - A teen gang has been caught pushing drugs in southern Sardinian schools, police told the Unione Sarda newspaper Friday. Police have placed under investigation 10 youths between the ages of 15 and 17 from the towns of Senorbi, San Basilio, Barrali and Ortaceus. Police said they used Internet chat rooms to arrange delivery and set prices, ranging from five to 250 euros per shipment. Police seized their phone son which they also found videos of sex between minors, including young children. Some members of the alleged gang have been accused of possessing and distributing child pornography. The gang dealt primarily in marijuana, police said. They allegedly extorted money and jewelry from students who were late in paying. Police are on the hunt for the adults who sold the gang the drugs. (ANSA). ROME, MAY 21 - Scottish police arrested on December 23 on a warrant from police from Frosinone south of Rome a 50-year-old man who allegedly sexually abused his underage daughters for 10 years and he has been extradited to Italy, sources said Friday. The man, an evangelical pastor, committed the alleged sexual violence on an Italian island, judicial sources said. The abuse started when his two daughters were four and five and continued for at least 10 years, police said. His relatives were aware of the abuse but did not want to "disturb the family's unity", police said. (ANSA). MILLER COUNTY, Mo. An officer-involved shooting is under investigation by the Missouri State Highway Patrol, related to an incident in the town of St. Anthony. According to a tweet from the Missouri State Highway Patrol, on May 21 at around 2:36 a.m., two deputies responded to a reported domestic assault at a residence near St. Anthony, a small town five miles north of Iberia. Officers say when they attempted to detain the 35-year-old man inside the home, he resisted. The man then allegedly got a rifle from the residence and approached deputies with it. One deputy fired his service weapon in response and struck the subject. Deputies provided medical assistance until EMS arrived and the subject was transported by helicopter to an area hospital. At the request of the Miller County Sheriff, the Highway Patrols Division of Drug and Crime Control (DDCC) is investigating the shooting. Since this is an open investigation, the Highway Patrol is not providing any further information about the investigation at this time. More information will be released once any charges are filed. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} The restaurant also offers an online ordering and curbside pick-up option for customers who still are not comfortable with dining indoors. Its a whole other world. Its not like running a business 10 years ago, Schroeder said. You have to get creative and figure out how you work with clients now. Not everybody is comfortable coming out. Schroeder and business partner, Sue Getgen, purchased the former Sprechers Restaurant & Pub in May 2020. He said they decided to rebrand the business because the restaurants contract with the Sprechers brewery was set to expire at the end of this May. Theres nothing against the brewery. They are a phenomenal company, they have phenomenal product, Schroeder said. It was more of a decision based on being able to come out underneath a regional and local brand and do our own thing and being able to support all of Wisconsin instead of just one specific place. Schroeder and Getgen temporarily closed the business in mid-April to remodel the restaurant into Lake City Social repainting the building, reupholstering the booths, changing the color scheme, installing a new beer tap system and adding new artwork. As a current print subscriber, you receive 24/7 access to our website and online e-edition at no additional charge. All you have to do is activate your access. To activate digital access, you will need your account number. You can find your account number on any recent subscription notice or bill. If it is something that is covered under the PRT umbrella then we would be able to do something with that, Terry said. Wisconsin Dells and Lake Delton are scheduled to receive an estimated $295,000 in federal funds from the American Rescue Plan. Wisconsin Dells portion is split between three counties with the city overlapping into Sauk, Columbia and Adams County. No city residents live in the Juneau County portion of Wisconsin Dells, which is why that portion of funding is at zero dollars, Terry said. Columbia Countys portion of Wisconsin Dells has the highest amount of funding at over $266,000. Terry the city has not yet received the federal funds. Based on guidance shes received, Terry is waiting for the state to receive the money to disperse to every municipality in the state thats eligible to receive funds. Once the state receives the funds, it has 30 days to give it to the municipalities. Shes expecting the city might receive the money in one lump sum rather than being split over two years due to the population of the city. Follow Erica Dynes on Twitter @EDynes_CapNews or contact her at 608-393-5346. As demand for COVID-19 vaccine continues to wane amid plentiful supply, doctors are urging one group in particular to get immunized: those who have had COVID-19. A previous coronavirus infection is thought to prevent people from getting infected again for three months or more, but vaccination is believed to provide longer and better protection, including against some of the more transmissible coronavirus variants. Some people mistakenly think they can skip the vaccine if they were infected, leading doctors to emphasize the recommendation that they, too, should get the injections. Getting the vaccine on top of natural immunity really fine-tunes the immune response for maximum protection, said Dr. Derek Clevidence, a family medicine doctor at UnityPoint Health-Meriter who had COVID-19 and got the vaccine. ATHENS, Greece (AP) Greeces prime minister says Europe should be very, very strict when dealing with countries that he said are seeking to use migrants and refugees as a means of pressuring the European Union. Speaking Friday during a meeting in Athens with the head of the European border agency Frontex, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis called on neighboring Turkey to do more to prevent people from attempting to cross the Greek border illegally from their shores. Greece has been one of the most popular routes into the EU for people fleeing war and poverty in the Mideast, Africa and Asia, with most making their way from the Turkish coast to nearby Greek islands in overcrowded smugglers' boats. In March 2020, thousands of migrants and refugees who had been in Turkey rushed to the Greek border after Turkey announced it was opening its own borders to the EU. Chaotic scenes followed on the Greek border, and Athens temporarily suspended asylum applications. Similar scenes played out this week in Spains North African enclave of Ceuta, when more than 8,000 people swam or jumped over border fences after Morocco relaxed border controls. Tod Klunk thought he had done his due diligence before putting in a pond on his farm, but he still ended up with a visit from the state. Its just aggravating, Klunk said. His experience shows the complexity of water regulations for even modest projects. Klunk, an Angus producer in southern York County, wanted to create a small pond where he could fish with his grandsons. About two years ago, he selected the site. It was fed by a spring at the edge of a woodlot on his 110-acre property. Klunk checked with the York County Conservation District to see what regulations might apply. He said he was told that he did not need a permit because the area affected drained less than 50 acres. The pond sits right between a stream and a drainage ditch, so it doesnt appear to drain much land area at all. Thinking he was good on the regulatory front, Klunk had the area excavated, and today he has a tree-shaded oasis with a small fishing pier. Recently, though, Klunk got an unnerving call. The state Department of Environmental Protection had received a complaint saying that he had put a pond in a wetland. Around these parts DEP is kind of like OSHA or the sheriff, Klunk said. What they say kind of goes. I heard tell of neighbors getting fines. Klunk believes he is on solid ground with the wetland designation. A study by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service had found that the area was not a wetland, he said. Still, the DEP inspector had several concerns to investigate. She scheduled a site visit with Klunk. On May 7, she brought along a conservation district staffer. Klunk said the inspectors determined that the pond was OK, except that the project needed an erosion and sedimentation plan. Klunk is annoyed about the extra paperwork, especially because he tried to take care of all the regulatory concerns at the outset. I work with the conservation district, and I dont try to do anything shady, he said. Klunk plans to try filling out the 30-page erosion and sedimentation packet himself rather than hire an expensive engineer to do it for him. Hes not happy that hell have to pay $200 for the conservation district to review his finished plan. Still, if thats all he has to pay, it will be a pittance compared to the cost of more extensive pond projects. A state erosion and sedimentation permit costs $500 or more, and fees for a small dam can easily cost several thousand dollars. Rules, Rules, Rules John Repetz, a DEP spokesman, said the agency could not provide details about the inspection at Klunks property because the investigation is ongoing. But Repetz said the exact rules for creating a pond depend on the site. Regulators may consider the height of the dam creating the pond, drainage to the pond, the storage volume of the pond, the use of excavation, and the effects on adjacent wetlands and streams. Best management practice must be used to minimize erosion whenever earth moving occurs, Repetz said. One of the big challenges with pond construction is that several agencies could have regulatory authority, including DEP and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Before starting a pond project, landowners are wise to contact the county conservation district and USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service to see what regulations apply, according to Penn State. In an email, a resource conservationist at the York County Conservation District said the relevant regulations for pond construction are in chapters 102 and 105 of the Pennsylvania Code, and provided links to Penn State and DEP resources. No matter the regulations that come into play, Penn State Extension recommends focusing a pond on one particular use. It is nearly impossible to manage a pond for swimming, fishing and irrigation, for example, said Jennifer Fetter, leader of Extensions water resources team. Each use has slightly different needs, and they often contradict each other. To maintain a pond as a landscaping feature, a landowner may treat the water with algae-quelling copper sulfate. But that practice can lead to copper levels that are too high for fish to survive, Fetter said. As Klunk has found, even a small pond can pose big challenges. Few times on farms are busier than during the spring planting and fall harvest seasons. During these crunch times, farmers start work early and run late. They take few breaks, other than for refills of seed, fertilizer and fuel, or interruptions caused by equipment problems. But, fueling the farmers is as critical, maybe more so, than fueling equipment. Hunger can spawn fatigue, loss of alertness, operator errors, and potentially even lead to accidents. Taking meals to farmers in the fields often conjures up scenes of pastoral picnics on a blanket beside a tractor. Todays reality is that meals in the field are more likely to be eaten single-handedly by an operator, while continuing to roll down the rows in the cab of a tractor or truck. Best Practices for Feeding in the Fields Keep it simple, is the admonition of Adams County, Pennsylvania, farm woman Tina Wilkinson, whos been field feeding her husband Ed, almost since the couple wed. And, her experience-driven advice is echoed by others who are veterans of the busy-season meals on wheels. You need to be able to eat it with one hand, Wilkinson said about food being consumed while the drivers other hand is operating a steering wheel or technology control. While Wilkinson does occasionally haul hot food to Ed, and seasonally to others assisting with harvest chores that need the extra help, most of the time her husbands field meals are packed in the early morning and carried along in a sturdy, insulated picnic cooler. Wilkinson, of Aspers, Pennsylvania, farms in a partnership with family members Larry, Carl and Dan, cropping acreages that extend over several miles in various directions. Returning home midday for a meal is rarely convenient to Eds schedule, with days that often run from daybreak to well past sundown. Having packed field meals for years, Wilkinson constantly plans ahead. She has learned what works best for varying field-operations circumstances, what packs easily, holds well, is nutritionally and energy-sustaining, and tastes good. We always have beef and deer meat on hand, she said. He likes peanut butter and jelly. If Ive cooked steak or meatloaf, those work well for sandwiches, she said about some of her dependable, field-food stand-bys. In the winter, during cold weather, I might make egg salad. Hard-boiled eggs are another handy protein. I always have ice packs ready to go, she said. A plentiful supply of packed-lunch sides she keeps on hand generally include such items as single-serve bags of chips and snacks, raisins, cookies, crispy-rice treats and Jell-O cups. I always have fruit to include, Wilkinson said, especially fruits easy to single-handedly munch on, like blueberries. Staying hydrated during long field work days is critical, so along with the bottle of water she includes in the meals-to-go, Ed always carries along a gallon of water as he heads out the door in early morning. When something hot is on the menu, perhaps for a larger crew on hand during silage harvest or grain-hauling, hamburgers or barbecue are among the favorite choices. I really like to have a supply of taco meat ready in the freezer, she said. Walking tacos are currently on her list of new ideas to try. The combination of meat and corn chips will help supply both protein and energy-boosting carbs, and fit the one-hand requirement. Single-serve desserts, like brownies or cupcakes, are also handy, both for individual lunches and when feeding a larger crew. And, keeping a plentiful supply of small plastic bags on hand is a must for field-food mobility. During a summer heat wave, Wilkinson may even shuttle slushies or similar icy treats around to hot, thirsty tractor and truck operators no easy feat when covering several miles in melting weather. In addition to her daily, packed field-lunch responsibilities, Wilkinson handles the office chores for the family farm operation. The couple has four children and six grandchildren, and she frequently helps care for the youngsters, as needed. Family Time in the Field At Way-Har Farms in Bernville, Pennsylvania, field lunches prepared by Lolly Lesher often include items similar to those enjoyed by the Wilkinsons. Burgers, chips, cookies, hoagies, Sun Chips, Lesher says, checking off the handy lunch staples she keeps for field meals. And, in addition to providing field feeding during busy seasons, her days are crammed with helping her husband, William, manage the familys dairy and crops operations, as well as their busy dairy store. Hot ham and cheese is another sandwich which she said travels well, along with perhaps an apple and, of course, hydrating drinks. Carrying a blanket or two in the car, along with a small table, was very helpful when their kids were young, in creating a midday bit of family time with their dad, Lesher said. I tried to create an atmosphere where everyone stopped for at least a few moments (to eat). They could tell their dad a little bit about their day, she said, adding that their now-grown offspring still speak fondly of field-time meal memories. We feed our custom-harvest chopping guys when theyre here working, Lesher added. After a couple of days of sandwiches, Ive found they appreciate something heartier, like meat-lovers pizza from a local shop. Sometimes, Ill make shepherds pie, which is really hearty. And, I try to add some things they can eat later, cookies or a candy bar, for energy, Lesher said. Her assortment of lined baskets are handy as carrying containers of just the right size, and help to keep hot foods from cooling too quickly. And, I always send some of our chocolate milk from the store, she said. An extra benefit of the dairy store is that, on days when Lesher must be away, their store staff can put together lunches and deliver them to the fields as needed. New Twists on One-Handed Classics Its important to me for the kids and I to be able to spend time with Luke, says Mindy Criswell about her commitment to feeding her husband, Lucas Luke Criswell, during long field-work days at the familys Union County, Pennsylvania, farm. Taking meals out gives our boys a part in belonging to what we do, she said of the couples three sons, Nathan, 13, Owen, l0, and Parker, 7. They can see what their dad is doing and how hard he works; thats how they learn, said the Lewisburg farm woman of the greater benefits of the family being together during quick field meals. Theyre learning responsibility and some of the hazards of farming that they need to be aware of. Nathan sometimes operates the equipment while Luke takes a quick break to eat. How many ways can you serve a burger or dress up a chicken sandwich? Criswell ponders, summing up the challenge faced by farm women in preparing nutritious and creative meals that are also easily consumed in a tractor cab. She might add bacon, cheese, lettuce and tomato, a slightly different tweak on a basic, one-handed, field favorite. Club-type sandwiches, BLTs and wraps are other go-to items, and some sort of lunch meat is usually on hand in the family fridge. And, its what can be consumed with one hand, she said, echoing other farm women facing the limitations of food that can be consumed while maneuvering field equipment and watching monitors. She said non-messy fruits, like apples and grapes, work well as lunch extras, as do items for nibbling, like celery and carrot sticks. A water container is important, and drinks absolutely must have lids that screw on, to avoid spilling anything in the cab, Criswell said. And, no chocolate, which can melt sitting in a warm cab. If a chocolate bar treat is included on a warm day, shell remind Luke to consume it before too long. An alternative she prefers is granola bars, or crispy-rice treats. Because Luke often heads out of the house very early, Criswell frequently prepares a large batch of egg cups or an egg casserole beforehand that can be popped into the microwave for a minute or two for breakfast. Its a nutritious start to grab and go as he heads out for another long day in the field. More Options At Barrens View Farm in northern York County, a field-meal favorite of Lori Baumgardners husband, Dan, and their son, Nathan, are chicken wraps, because theyre easy to eat while driving equipment. She said, I pan-fry boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into about inch-size pieces, in olive oil and flavor them with a garlic and herb seasoning they like, said Lori Baumgardner. Ranch dressing adds additional flavor, along with lettuce and whatever cheese I happen to have in the refrigerator. One chicken wrap seasoning the family especially likes is Weavers Farm Dust, which they first received in a gift basket. If they want something hot, I might make Italian sausage in a roll. If Im really busy, we have a local pizza shop that makes a good stuffed pizza thats not saucy, but is very filling, with meat and ricotta. I can wrap the slices in foil and they stay warm for a while, said the Dillsburg-area dairy woman. While there may be regional favorites, eating on the go is fairly universal wherever farmers work long hours in the fields. In the South, if its fried, and you can eat it with your fingers, its fair game for a hot meal, said Susanna Mellinger Wiggins, of Arlington, Tennessee. An agronomist for Pioneer Seeds, Wiggins is a former York County resident who grew up around the family farm in Wrightsville, Pennsylvania. In her current position researching and trouble-shooting with the seed firms clients, she spends a good deal of time out in fields. During her several years working with farmers, shes seen some memorable meals delivered for field consumption. Ive seen meals of a pork chop, baked potato, baked beans and a roll, she said. Fried catfish, white beans and bread was another she recalls. Even spaghetti was on the menu during at least one of her days working in the field, with some farmers there more inclined to take time and stop for lunch, rather than eat in a cab. Focused on the job, often several jobs at a time, farmers may sometimes push themselves too far and too long without a time out. Whether a hand-held cold sandwich or hot and hearty food, field meals-on-wheels can be a simple, yet vitally important, antidote against busy-season burnout and operator fatigue. I feel that its a way I can contribute to the farming operation, said Mindy Criswell, summing up a key reason why generations of farm women (and some farm men) have, and continue to, lovingly prepare, pack and provide nutritious, tasty, open-air meals, served up on the back of a pickup or handed up to a cab. Pennsylvania voters have approved a state constitutional amendment that the Ag Department said could hamper the response to animal disease outbreaks. The amendment, which appeared on Tuesdays primary election ballot, limits the governors disaster declarations to 21 days unless extended by the Legislature. Until now, declarations could last for 90 days and be extended at the governors discretion. The people of PA, of all parties and backgrounds, made their voices heard, tweeted Josh Parsons, a Republican county commissioner in Lancaster County, the states largest livestock producer. Disaster declarations might be most familiar as a tool for addressing damaging storms, but they could also ease interagency cooperation and unleash federal funding if African swine fever or foot and mouth disease hit Pennsylvania. The Ag Department had argued that the shortened time frame, and the reliance on lawmakers to keep disaster powers in place, would risk a declaration lapsing before a disease could be contained. But House Speaker Bryan Cutler, a Republican, said the agency already has the powers it needs without a disaster declaration. Legislative Republicans proposed the amendment because they believe Gov. Tom Wolf imposed excessively burdensome rules to slow the spread of COVID-19. A related amendment, which voters also approved, gives the Legislature the power to end a disaster declaration without the governor getting a chance to veto. The Associated Press called the race for the ballot question on Wednesday morning. The two questions led with almost 54% of the vote, with 75% of precincts reporting. More than 2 million ballots were cast. OnePlus will add a new smart TV under its Y1 series for the Indian market next week. The Chinese phone maker is all set to launch the OnePlus TV 43Y1 model in India on May 24, 2021. The company confirmed the launch date of this model via its official Twitter account. It is worth noting that the upcoming OnePlus 40-inch TV will be positioned between the OnePlus TV 32Y1 and the OnePlus TV 43Y1 smart TVs. Google I/O 2021: Android 12 OS With 'Material You' Design Revealed; Beta 1 Version Available For Pixel, OnePlus & Other Select Devices The smart TV will be launched in the country on Monday at 12 pm IST. The TV is expected to go on sale immediately after the launch. The company has officially teased the TV on its official website before its India launch. A dedicated landing page of the TV is also live on Flipkart, revealing key details prior the launch. In terms of specifications, the OnePlus 43-inch is expected to be powered by an undisclosed 64-bit chipset and will run on Android TV 9-based OxygenPlay. It will sport a 40-inch FHD+ display with a resolution of 1920X1080 pixels and a 93 percent DCI-P3 gamut along with Gamma Engine picture enhancer. Additionally, the TV will come with a built-in Chromecast, along with support for Google Assistant and Alexa. It will get pre-loaded apps like Netflix, Prime Video, YouTube, and more. For unmatched audio experience, there will be two 20W speakers with Dolby Audio support. It will get Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth v5, one Ethernet port, RF connection input, two HDMI ports, one AV In, one digital audio output, and two USB ports. OnePlus TV 40Y1 Smart TV (Photo Credits: OnePlus) As far as pricing is concerned, the OnePlus TV 40Y1 TV will be slightly cheaper than the elder sibling, the OnePlus TV 43Y1 which is priced at Rs. 26,999 in India as per the official website. It is important to note that the 32-inch TV costs Rs. 15,999 in India. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 21, 2021 09:49 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). After a reported offer of two million doses of CoronaVac vaccines donation to Penang, the Minister of the Science, Technology, and Innovation, immediately dismissed the offer and consider it as bogus; but the name behind the offer 'Yong Chee Kong' quickly became famous in Malaysia overnight. Google Trends, one of the websites under the tech giant that analyses the popularity of top search queries in Google Search across several languages and regions, shows that the search of 'Yong Chee Kong' suddenly made its way to the top of the popularity list in Malaysia from Wednesday. The website, Google Trends stated that the searches for the name 'Yong Chee Kong' by Malaysians over the last week started from zero to 100 points in just a span of four hours. The website gathered the details on Wednesday from noon until 4 pm. The said numbers represent the search interest relative to the highest point for the selected region and also time. Moreover, the 100-point achieved by the 'Yong Chee Kong' search means that it reached the peak popularity of the term, while a value of 50 means that the term corresponds half as popular. Even the web mapping platform offered by Google, Google Maps, also recorded that people are searching for the address of the personality in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, showed an ordinary double-story terrace house located on a normal street. According to The Sun, during a press conference on Tuesday, Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow claimed that the Health Ministry denied the request of Penang for a private company to sponsor two million vaccines for COVID-19 from China. After hearing the non-approval, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng then joined in the dispute by convincing Chow to accept the offer regarding the vaccines without any approval from the Federal government and just deal with the decisions' consequences later. ALSO READ: U.S. Government Denies Disturbing Russian Hackers DarkSide Over Colonial Pipeline Attack Aside from his position in the Science and Technology Ministry, Khairy is also the National COVID-19 immunization Programme coordinating minister. The minister stated on Wednesday that the vaccine donation offer to the state government was a bogus, The Strait Times reported. Address Not Found Based on Khairy, Chow and Lim made the claim after receiving a letter from 'Yong Chee Kong.' Yong mentioned in the letter that he is a Malaysian working at Xintai Development Enterprise Ltd. which is located in Hong Kong. In addition, Yong claimed that he had been communicating with the people from Sinovac Biotech and was willing to pay RM8.28mil or two million US dollars as a deposit for the procurement of the vaccine. But after checking with Sinovac Biotech, Khairy found out that there was no application made to the vaccine procedure regarding the donation which was mentioned in the letter. Even the company's international sales head Coco Chang confirmed that she had not been contacted by "Yong" in any related matter, but in the letter received by the Penang state government, it was mentioned that 'Yong ' had been in touch with Chang. Also, Khairy stated that he made a search for Xintai Development Enterprise, but it yielded no results, Malay Mail reported. Chow has since called on the "private company" to show up in order to clear for its name. RELATED ARTICLE: Guatemala Struggles With COVID Vaccine Rollout, Corruption Issues WATCH: Labelled bogus by Khairy, man claiming to be Yong Chee Kong insists pledge of two million Sinovac FROM- Caliente Espanol Musica A Texas family is now facing murder charges after chasing and fatally shooting a man in what authorities said might be a case of mistaken identity. Harris County Sheriff's Office noted that the incident happened on May 17 at 17100 Block of Hilton Hollow DR in Westminster Village Subdivision. Authorities responded at the scene at around 11:35 p.m. and identified the victim as 29-year-old Eddie Clark, who was flown to Hermann hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Police said the Texas family was initially looking for a teenager responsible for damaging their home and vehicles, People reported. READ NEXT: New Mexico Man Tied to Aryan Brotherhood; Faces Charges After Junking Car With 3 Dead Bodies Inside The Innocent Man and the Texas Family Authorities identified the four family members as Joe Argueta, 19; Florinda Argueta, 39; Luis Argueta, 45; and Margarito Alcantar, 29. Florinda Argueta said she had filed several reports in the Sheriff's Office regarding a teenage friend of his son's ex-girlfriend driving a black Dodge Challenger. The crime started when Joe Argueta saw a dark gray Dodge Challenger drove by Eddie Clark on his way home at around 11:30 p.m. Joe Argueta thought it was the black Dodge Challenger owned by the teenager who was damaging their property and vehicles. Armed with a bat and a pistol, the family tried to block Eddie Clark's vehicle. Joe Argueta told police that he chased the Challenger on foot while his mother chased the vehicle in her car as they tried to block it. But when Clark tried to flee and drive around the roadblock being created by Florinda Argueta, Joe Argueta said he fired at the vehicle until it crashed into a tree. Newsweek reported that Clark managed to get out of his vehicle, but he collapsed nearby. Police said that Clark sustained a gunshot wound in his torso. Authorities noted that the victim and the suspects did not know each other. Police also said that they did not receive any information that Clark was involved in the ongoing dispute between the Arguetas and the teenager damaging their property. The murder of Eddie Clark is being investigated by the Harris County Sheriff's Office Homicide Unit. Consequences that the Texas Family Will Face Because of the incident, each of the Arguetas is charged with murder. However, two of the suspects fled the scene before the authorities arrived. The two members of the Texas family who have yet to be apprehended were Luis Argueta and Margarito Alcanar. Meanwhile, Joe Argueta and Florinda Argueta were placed under the custody of the authorities. Joe Argueta was transported to the Sheriff's Office Homicide Unit. Joe Argueta's attorney David Bires said the 19-year-old has no criminal history. Joe Argueta is set to be arraigned on June 15, and his lawyer said that he would plead not guilty. Florinda Argueta, on the other hand, has an arraignment scheduled for May 27. Both of them have been released on bail. READ MORE: Oregon Woman Shot in the Head After Heated Argument Over Laundry WATCH: Mistaken Identity: Surveillance Video Shows Deadly Ambush - From KPRC 2 Click2Houston The Israel-Palestine cease-fire across the Gaza Strip border has been agreed upon between Israel and Hamas after exchanging attacks for about 11 days, and U.S. President Joe Biden welcomed the news. In a statement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office that the security cabinet had unanimously decided to accept an Egyptian initiative for a cease-fire, Aljazeera reported. Palestinian groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad had affirmed the cease-fire, saying it would come into effect at 2 a.m. on Friday. Biden has confirmed that Netanyahu had informed him that the country had agreed to a mutual cease-fire. In his conversations with the Israeli prime minister, Biden commended Netanyahu for his decision to bring the current hostilities to an end within less than 11 days. He also said that the U.S. fully supports Israel's right to defend itself against indiscriminate rocket attacks from Hamas and other Gaza-based terrorist groups, NBC News reported. Aside from Netanyahu, Biden had also reportedly spoken with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas more than once. Biden said that his administration would continue with their quiet and relentless diplomacy over the matter. The President noted that the U.S. would work with the United Nations (UN) and other international stakeholders to provide humanitarian assistance to Gaza. Biden also said that he would do this in partnership with the Palestinian Authority in a way that "does not permit Hamas to simply restock its military arsenal." RELATED ARTICLE: Pres. Joe Biden's Cease-Fire Call Goes Ignored as Israel-Hamas Violence Rises Attacks Exchanged Between Israel and Hamas Aerial attacks between the two killed at least 230 Palestinians in Gaza, while 12 Israelis died, according to officials on both sides. The Gaza Ministry of Health reported that at least 65 Palestinian children were among those killed in Israel's attack. Around 2,000 people were injured, and tens of thousands were displaced, another NBC News report said. The Israeli military claimed that it had targeted Hamas fighters, including tunnels and weapons that the group was using. However, civilians in Gaza were widely affected during the exchange of attacks. United Nations officials on the ground said that hundreds of buildings had been damaged or destroyed. It includes homes, hospitals, and schools. Israel had also reported casualties on their side, with two children killed by Hamas rocket fire. Israel's Iron Dome missile defense system had evaded around 90 percent of the Gaza rocket. However, those that break through have injured hundreds and damaged buildings. It has also caused people to flee into underground bomb shelters. The U.S. allots Israel $3.8 billion in military aid, which is 20 percent of Israel's defense budget. It is also about three-fifths of U.S. foreign military financing globally. The Israel-Palestine Cease-Fire The Israel-Palestine cease-fire did not address the underlying tensions that prompted the violence. The conflict between the Israelis and Palestinians has been present for decades, with the current crisis starting after weeks of anger in Jerusalem during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Israeli police, Palestinian worshippers, and nationalist Israelis have been exchanging fires. It was pushed forward with plans to evict Palestinian families from land claimed by Jewish settlers. On May 10, Hamas started firing rockets at Israel as the group vowed to make the country pay for its treatment of the third-holiest site in Islam. Islam responded with airstrikes, while ground forces later joined, which escalated fights. READ MORE: Pres. Joe Biden Gets Criticized by Congress After Lifting Sanctions on Russian Gas Pipeline WATCH: BREAKING: Israel-Palestinian Conflict: New 'Mutual' Cease-Fire Declared to End 11 Days of Violence - From Sky News With thousands of AstraZeneca shots set to expire in the coming months, Kerry Bowman, a bioethicist at the University of Toronto, said that wasting COVID-19 vaccines is "unethical." Federal officials said Thursday that Canadians who want to get these AstraZeneca doses as their second shot should be able to do so. Deputy Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Howard Njoo said that so far, 2.1 million Canadians have already received their first dose of AstraZeneca, Global News reported. Njoo noted that not all who received AstraZeneca as their first dose would want to get it as their second dose. Bowman said he hoped that Canadians would be given a choice to opt for AstraZeneca as their second dose if they have received it as a first dose. READ NEXT: Guatemala Struggles With COVID Vaccine Rollout, Corruption Issues AstraZeneca Expiration The fate of AstraZeneca COVID-19 doses has been one the most heated topics among White House and federal health officials. Some claimed that the administration should let the doses be given where they are desperately needed while others are not ready to relinquish them, The New York Times reported. AstraZeneca is also involved with these discussions. Gonzalo Vina, a spokesman for AstraZeneca, said they had asked the U.S. government to consider donating the extra doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine to the European Union, where it has fallen short of its initial supply commitments. In March, around 30 million doses are bottled at AstraZeneca's facility in West Chester, Ohio. The facility handles "fill-finish," which is the final phase of the manufacturing process. U.S. clinical trial has not yet reported results on the AstraZeneca vaccine despite more than 70 countries already authorized using the vaccine. The administration's initial hesitation to share the vaccine stemmed from uncertainties on vaccine supply before meeting the May goal laid down by President Joe Biden. In Canada, several provinces had stopped giving AstraZeneca shots due to concerns of rare blood clots, CTVNews reported. Health authorities are still trying to deliberate whether to continue the use or if using a different vaccine for second shots makes sense. Canadian federal Health Minister Patty Hajdu said that provinces and territories are weighing their options. Reported Side Effects of AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccine The British vaccine manufacturer had encountered several issues when it comes to its vaccine doses. In Scotland, some extremely rare deaths in the country have been reported due to adverse effects from COVID-19 vaccines. Public health expert Prof Linda Bauld said they are aware of the rare blood clots, and they think these are linked to the AstraZeneca vaccine, BBC News reported. However, she noted that it is not always possible to say that the vaccine had caused it since there may be other contributory factors. In India, it has identified 26 suspected cases of bleeding and clotting among the many millions of recipients of the AstraZeneca vaccine. The country's health minister described the risk as minuscule since it still fights a severe COVID outbreak in the country, Forbes reported. The ministry noted that the risk is "in-line with the expected number of diagnoses of these conditions." READ MORE: Oxford-AstraZeneca Vaccine Begins Clinical Trial on Children WATCH: 'Clear Link Between AstraZeneca and Rare Blood Clots' - From DW News China's space advancement and its push for space superiority worried Pam Melroy, the current nominee to be National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) deputy administrator. The concerns come as Melroy, a former NASA astronaut, attended a Senate hearing on Thursday that tackled her nomination for the role and the recent space activities China had commenced. READ NEXT: 28-Year-Old Yusef Jacobs Gives Solar-Powered Appliances to Unbanked Families in Mexico Concerns Raised by NASA Deputy Administrator Nominee Although there were concerns about China's space activities, former NASA Astronaut Pam Melroy praised China space advancement, Space.Com reported. Pam Melroy labeled the recent Mars landing of China's Zhurong rover, as well as a couple of landings on the moon, and the new construction of a low Earth orbit space station as very impressive. "China has made their goals very clear - to take away space superiority in the United States," said Melroy. But she added that the issue makes them right to be concerned, taking into account the concerns of intellectual party theft and the country's aggressive behavior in space. Apart from the activities, Pam Melroy has also expressed concerns about the May 8 incident where the 23-ton core stage of a Chinese Long March 5B rocket fell uncontrollably to Earth. A similar incident happened last year in the West African nation of Ivory Coast. Both incidents were reported to have no casualties, but the 2020 incident caused property damage. "Spacefaring nations must minimize the risks to people and property on Earth," said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson on the May 8 incident. Nelson also underscored that China has failed to meet the responsible standards regarding their space debris. Pam Melroy noted that China needs to be called out for their violation, stating the orbital debris standard mitigation practices that were "proliferated around the world." Melroy noted that she remains in support of the Wolf Amendment, which forbids NASA from engaging in activities with China without the support of Congress. "It's there to think that the U.S. thinks very carefully about any kind of engagement with China," said Melroy, highlighting that NASA will continue to follow the law. Despite her stand, the former NASA astronaut noted that there would be a time that the United States will talk to China because they have to operate together in the space domain. Politico reported that recently, the Senate voted 86-11 in favor of the Endless Frontier Act, where a part of the larger bill will address China's economic and geopolitical work. Space Activities as Part of China Space Advancement Recently, China released photos of Mars taken by the rover Zhurong. The said rover touched down the red planet on early Sunday morning Beijing time. With this China space advancement, BBC reported that Chinese scientists also hoped to get at least 90 Martian days of service out of the six-wheeled robot in Utopia Planitia, vast terrain in the red planet's northern hemisphere. As part of China's space advancement, the China National Space Administration (CNSA) also has plans to deploy three large landers on the moon's south pole. Reports also surfaced about China's plan to send astronauts on flyby missions also on the moon. READ MORE: White House Considers New Approach on Cybersecurity Following Undetected Hacks WATCH: China's Zhurong vs. NASA's Perseverance: Rover Tech in Mars Space Race - From Wall Street Journal Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot has decided to do one-on-one interviews to journalists of color on her second anniversary in office. Lori Lightfoot said Wednesday that the City Hall press corps is "overwhelmingly white" in a city that's more diverse. The Chicago mayor noted that she ran on being intentional about diversity, adding that newsrooms need to do better on diversity as well, CBS News reported. Lori Lightfoot said she had fought her entire adult life to advocate for diversity and inclusion in every institution. She noted that her position puts her in the spotlight to address one of the most important issues. The Chicago mayor also said during her speech that she was struck since her first day on the campaign in 2018 the number of whiteness and maleness of Chicago media outlets, editorial boards, and political press corps. Lori Lightfoot particularly commented on the number of women of color assigned to the City Hall beat, saying she finds it unacceptable. The mayor's office said the interview restrictions are for one day only. READ NEXT: Chicago's South Side Leaders Seek to Change Healthcare Model in Latino Community Lori Lightfoot's Decision Lori Lightfoot said the City Hall press corps is composed of more white in a city that holds many Black, Latino, AAPI, or Native American, NBC Chicago reported. According to Census Bureau statistics, Chicago is 33 percent white, 30 percent Black, 29 percent Hispanic or Latino, and seven percent Asian. Lightfoot said that the racial composition of the City Hall beat is an imbalance that needs to be changed. Some social media users responded to Lightfoot's decision positively, saying that it is a step forward in representation. Tiffany Walden, editor-in-chief of the digital media outlet The Triibe, said it was a small step forward to leveling the playing field. The Triibe covers Chicago's Black communities. Many also opposed the idea. One of those who are in opposition is Chicago Tribune reporter Gregory Pratt. Pratt said that he was one of the journalists granted for an interview. However, they canceled when the mayor refused to lift its condition. Pratt added that politicians could not pick who covers them. But Lightfoot defended her decision. She said that her choice was a continuation of her campaign's promise to break "the status quo." WBEZ refuted the mayor's claims, saying that two of its three City Hall reporters are women, one Hispanic and other South Asian, Chicago Tribune reported. Charles Whitaker, dean of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University, said that journalists of color trying to break the political press corps had encountered hurdles along the way. Whitaker lauded Lightfoot's decision. However, he noted that the restrictions felt more like a political stunt rather than addressing the root of a problem. Whitaker said that he was not sure if it is the best way as they would never allow that kind of a decision from a white politician. He added that it is dangerous to say that they will allow a Black politician to make a point about the inequities in media. The National Association of Black Journalists board said it agreed that newsrooms need to do more to diversify the City Hall press corps. However, it stated that it could not support the Chicago mayor's condition on achieving that. READ MORE: Chicago Deputy Police Chief Commits Suicide Weeks After Promotion WATCH: Chicago Mayor Only Granting Interviews to Black, Brown Reporters Ahead of 2nd Anniversary - From ABC7 Chicago As many as 40 bodies have now been found at the home of a former El Salvador cop, who was arrested this month for murdering two women. Salvadoran officials said Thursday that most of the victims were believed to be women, and it could take another month to exhume all the bodies, Reuters reported. So far, authorities noted that the remains of 24 people had been recovered at the house of former El Salvador cop, Hugo Ernesto Osorio Chavez, in Chalchuapa, about 78 kilometers northwest of San Salvador. According to an Associated Press report, the case revealed the existence of a murder ring that may have operated for a decade. Speculations were circulating in local media that the said murder ring could have killed as many as 20 people. The former El Salvador cop was detained and charged for killing a 57-year-old woman and her 26-year-old daughter. Osorio Chavez had been previously investigated for sex crimes. The suspect had admitted to killing the two, and his arrest prompted a search of his home, ABC News Go reported. READ NEXT: Returned Migrants Are Targets for Abuse, Violence in Mexico After Being Denied Entry to U.S. More Bodies Found at Former El Salvador Cop's Home Prosecutors said they had initially found 14 bodies at Osorio Chavez's home with eight pits holding the bodies. Some may have been buried as long as two years ago. The total of bodies recovered at home increased over the past week. The prosecutor's office noted that the victims might include girls aged 9, 7, and 2, Washington Post reported. Justice Minister Gustavo Villatoro said the pits' depth suggests that more than one person was involved in burying them. The prosecutors have issued arrest warrants for 10 other suspects, who might have been accomplices in 14 killings, including the murders of nine women. Villatoro noted that the skeletal remains found will be subjected to DNA testing to determine their identities. According to El Salvador's director of police Mauricio Arriaza Chicas, Osorio Chavez was fired from the police force in 2005. Arriaza Chicas added that the suspect might have been killing people for a decade. Arriaza Chicas said that the suspect had told them that he found his victims on social media and lured them with "the American dream." Arriaza Chicas added that the former El Salvador cop had been detained, and they believe that 99 percent of the people who assisted him have been detained. El Salvador Crime Rates El Salvador has one of the world's highest-rate of homicides due to gangs exercising territorial control over particular areas. Gang activities include forcibly recruiting children while subjecting women, girls, and individuals to sexual abuse, Human Rights Watch (HRW) reported. Meanwhile, security forces remain largely ineffective in protecting the population from violence. Law enforcement authorities have reportedly implicated serious human rights violations, such as extrajudicial executions, sexual assaults, and other acts of torture. Around 60,000 gang members operate in at least 247 of the country's 262 municipalities, according to media sources of HRW. From 2012 to 2014, a truce between the national government, 11 local governments, and two of the country's largest gangs was declared. But reports said it does not help the law enforcement officials and political leaders in criminal operations. A huge number of Salvadorans were also internally displaced by criminal violence, extortion, and other threats. Around 300,000 people were reportedly displaced in 2017. Fiscalia General de la Republica El Salvador registered 3,664 victims of disappearance, abductions, and unexplained mission person cases in 2018. Dozens of people believed their missing relatives could be among the bodies exhumed at the former El Salvador cop's home. READ NEXT: U.S.-Mexico Efforts Against Mexican Drug Cartels Have Unraveled: DEA WATCH: El Salvador's Gangs - From BBC News A Colorado school bus driver, who was caught on video slapping a 10-year-old girl inside the school bus for not wearing her mask properly, has been fired. A school district spokesperson confirmed with NBC News through an email statement Wednesday that bus driver Bertram Jaquez was immediately placed on administrative leave. The school district spokesperson added that an internal investigation found that the actions of the Colorado school bus driver "justified termination of employment." The incident came weeks before the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued new face mask guidelines concerning fully vaccinated Americans. READ NEXT: Capitol Rioter Faces Arrest for Killing a Mountain Lion in Colorado Consequences of Colorado School Bus Driver's Actions Because of Bertram Jaquez's actions, KKTV reported that the Colorado school bus driver faced misdemeanor charges, including child abuse, assault causing injury, and harassment. The outlet further noted that Jaquez's bond was set to $1,000. New York Daily News reported that in a statement provided by the school district, Jaquez "openly" admitted that he did slap the 10-year-old student once, "out of reaction." "Our goal every day is to transport students safely to school and back home," the Fremont County School District said in a statement. However, the school district noted that the safety of their students could only happen "when everyone," including the staff and students, will follow the rules. The school district also expressed anger on the slapping incident, saying that "laying a hand on the child is never okay." Furthermore, the Fremont County School District noted that they are in the process of "identifying the next step" in reinforcing their drivers with strategies that are "designed to support a safe ride" of their students from their home and school. The Colorado School Bus Driver Slapping the Student The slapping incident started when a group of children allegedly told the 10-year-old girl sitting at the back of the school bus to wear her face mask. However, the girl said in a statement acquired by KKTV that she refused because a face mask makes her sick. Bertram Jaquez then entered the scene to check what was happening in the back. The girl claimed that she told the Colorado school bus driver to "shut up you are not involved in this," and that's when Jaquez slapped her. A surveillance video revealed that the 10-year-old student shouted, "I don't care." The school bus driver attempted to raise the girl's mask before he slapped the child and pointed his fingers at her. The girl also said that when the driver walked away, that's when she yelled, "let me off the bus." In a separate written statement also acquired by the KKTV, the Colorado school bus driver said he was trying to explain to the 10-year-old girl why she needed to wear a mask. However, the driver claimed that the girl would not listen and yelled at him, including the other girls in the school bus. Reports said the incident happened back in early April on a route home in Fremont County. READ MORE: "The Worst Nightmare": District Superintendent Says as Sixth Grade Girl Opens Fire at Idaho Middle School WATCH: Colorado Bus Driver Who Slapped 10-Year-Old in Mask Dispute is Fired - From Great News The latest grassroots campaign by young individuals in Australia surprised the country after thousands of students joined the School Strike for Climate rallies on Friday. The number of Australian students that joined the protests reportedly reached 50,000. The action by students was their latest move in fighting climate change and pushing the government of Australia to set more ambitious emission targets and transition to renewable energy. According to BBC News, David Soriano, 17, who was among the students who attended the rally, emphasized that he was worried about the future. Soriano noted that he wants the government to see the youth movement as one to be reckoned with. Soriano said they were scared and concerned about the increasing heatwaves and low air quality that they are experiencing in his hometown in Western Sydney. He added that they were doubtful that there might not be a future in store for the upcoming generations or even their own generation. The young protesters in Australia also called for the stoppage of any project involving coal, oil, and gas in the country, including the controversial Adani mine. The Adani Enterprises from India has attracted criticism all over Australia after developing a new thermal coal mine in the country. Furthermore, the students also want 100 percent renewable energy generation. They asked the Australian government for a renewable energy transition, leaving away the fossil fuel jobs and targets 2030 as the year to export natural energy. Aside from his family in Australia, who was affected by climate change, Soriano said that he also fear for his extended family in the Philippines, who have been experiencing severe typhoons. Recently, weather conditions faced by the country are at an unpredictable rate. That's why Soriano hoped that the government would hear their voices. The school climate strike was the first Australia-wide protest since the pandemic last year, ABC reported. Protests were held in more than 50 cities and towns across the country on Friday, The Sydney Morning Herald reported. READ NEXT: Pres. Joe Biden Hails the Declaration of Israel-Palestine Cease-Fire, Pledges Support Climate Policies in Australia Australia's Prime Minister Scott Morrison has faced sustained criticism over climate policy and international pressure in stepping up the country's efforts in cutting emissions. During a global climate last month, Morrison resisted calls to set more ambitious carbon emission targets while other major nations vowed deeper reductions. Despite being one of the world's biggest carbon emitters on a per capita basis, Morrison, in his speech during the summit, noted that future generations would not thank them for what they have promised but for what they have delivered. Meanwhile, the science and weather agencies of the country said that Australia has warmed on average by 1.4C since national records started in 1910. They said that climate change also led to an increase in numerous extreme weather events like forest fires. Nicki Hutley, an economist at the Climate Council, said that gas does not make economic sense in Australia anymore because it increases emissions at a time when the rest of the world is reducing emissions, and it creates very few jobs. READ MORE: 28-Year-Old Yusef Jacobs Gives Solar-Powered Appliances to Unbanked Families in Mexico WATCH: Thousands of School Students Go on Strike to March for Climate Action - From ABC News (Australia) Despite utilizing camouflage clothing in evading authorities, 32 Mexicans illegally crossing the Arizona-New Mexico state line were arrested by the Border Patrol officers, officials said on Thursday. An image was uploaded online by an official in the area, which shows Mexicans in their outfits surrounded by a group of border patrol agents with a helicopter hovering overhead. According to Fox News, interim Chief Patrol Agent for the Tucson Sector John Modlin announced on Twitter the arrest made by the Horse Patrol Unit of the Douglas Station. Modlin said that the 32 Mexican nationals used camouflage clothing in order to blend with the surrounding vegetation. For Border Patrol agents, the tactic is nothing new since it was not the first time that the migrants have used camouflage clothing to escape and avoid any detection while crossing borders as well, The Epoch Times reported. Last week, Border Patrol agents in Texas captured 20 migrants who were discovered inside a pickup truck and cargo trailer during a stop southeast of El Paso. They also found another 23 individuals packed inside an open-topped Panga-style vessel off the San Diego Coast. The latest announcement from Modlin came three days after he mentioned that 124 migrants surrendered to Border Patrol agents near San Miguel, Arizona. But out of the 124 migrants, 105 of them were unaccompanied minors. In April, Border Patrol agents ran into not less than 178,000 migrants who were crossing the border. Out of the 178,000 border crossers, more than 13,000 of them were unaccompanied minors. READ NEXT: Galapagos Rock Formation Darwin's Arch Collapses Due to Natural Erosion Meanwhile, Tucson Sector officials warned in a news briefing last week that border crossers during summertime have the potential of ending up dead in the desert. The acting deputy chief patrol agent, Sabri Dikman, also stated that the desert is vast and treacherous. He added that crossing illegally means putting your life in incredible peril. Dikman said he shared the information not as an agent for Border Patrol but as an individual who spent his entire 23-year career in Arizona and learned from what he calls "experience." Covering 262 miles of border between the Arizona-New Mexico state line, the Tucson Sector and the edge of Yuma County sees fewer migrant crossings compared to Texas. However, in terms of fatality, officials noted that it recorded a higher number. Woman With $1.5M Heroin Busted in Texas Border Despite concealing the narcotics in her Volkswagen Jetta, the Customs and Border Protection officers arrested a Texas woman on Saturday after being caught with $1.5 million worth of suspected heroin, KIRO7 reported. The suspected heroin was found in the tires of the Jetta. The narcotics seized 24 packages with an estimated total weight of 55 pounds. After the officers seized both the narcotics and the vehicle used in the drug trafficking, they have turned the unidentified woman over to the agents and custody of Homeland Security Investigations. READ MORE: Biden Administration to Reunite 54 Migrant Children to Their Parents, 391 More Still Waiting to Locate Parents WATCH: Arizona Border Patrol Preparing for Tough Summer Months Along U.S.-Mexico Border - From 12 News Keokuk, IA (52632) Today Mostly sunny early with isolated thunderstorms developing this afternoon. Hot. High 93F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%.. Tonight Partial cloudiness early, with scattered showers and thunderstorms overnight. Low 71F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%. Ireland's fight against Covid-19 is "stable" but there is concern for how easily and rapidly the Indian variant is spreading here, according to this Friday's report by the National Public Health Emergency Team. Latest figures for Laois and other counties remain unavailable a week since the ransomware attack on the HSE's computer systems. However NPHET has released its daily national update this Friday May 21, reporting another 524 new cases of Covid-19. As of 8am today, 107 COVID-19 patients are hospitalised, of which 38 are in ICU. 19 additional hospitalisations in the past 24 hours. Dr Tony Holohan, Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health said they are concerned about the a variant's spread. NPHET is closely monitoring variants of concern, and are concerned about possible higher transmissibility of the so called Indian variant and its spread in other countries as well as early reports of its impact on vaccine effectiveness. The public are keeping the disease under control and the HSE is increasing the number of people vaccinated every day. But the variant may nevertheless pose a risk to the progress we have made. NPHET will keep a close eye on this as we move towards the end of May and consider the advice we need to provide to Government on any further easing of restrictions. Professor Philip Nolan, Chair of the NPHET Irish Epidemiological Modelling Advisory Group said the situation is still stable. Despite recent challenges to the Health Services IT systems, we continue to monitor key indicators of the disease in Ireland. The number of people hospitalised and in ICU are stable, the daily incidence is stable and the amount of people protected through vaccination continues to grow. We have confidence that if we can continue to limit transmission of COVID-19 through our individual behaviour and compliance to public health advice, the vaccination effect will lead us to further easing of measures in the near future. On the Indian variant, Dr Cillian de Gascun, Medical Virologist and Director of the National Virus Reference Laboratory gave the latest numbers affected. The B.1.617.2 variant continues to increase, with 72 cases currently identified in Ireland. Given the size of our unvaccinated population and the apparent transmissibility of this variant, we would encourage people to remain vigilant and to continue to adhere to the public health guidance as the vaccine programme rolls out. The impact longterm of Covid-19 is still an unknown, according Dr Siobhan Ni Bhriain, Consultant Psychiatrist and Integrated Care Lead, HSE. While evidence around Long Covid continues to emerge, we do know that a cohort of the population exposed to COVID-19 are experiencing symptoms of fatigue, shortness of breath and other side effects months after their initial diagnosis. COVID-19 is a novel virus, it is unpredictable and so I would encourage our younger population awaiting vaccination to keep following the public health advice and avoid any risk of Long Covid related illness. Meanwhile people who are not yet vaccinated are being careful, said Professor Pete Lunn, Behavioural Research Unit, ESRI. Our Social Activity Measure has recorded increases in multiple forms of social activity, there are more people going to work, more visits to homes, individuals meeting with more people from outside their household, and higher numbers of close contacts. This is to be expected as restrictions lift. However, the data also reveal that these increases are much stronger among people who have been vaccinated. Most people who are not yet vaccinated are continuing to be cautious. Our data are consistent with the majority of people waiting until they are vaccinated before increasing their activity again. A little boy living on the Laois Offaly border has reared and sold his first calf and kindly given all the proceeds to help build a hospice for the midlands. Patrick Kelly, 9, who lives in Glebe, Annabrack in Offaly and goes to school in Castlecuffe NS, Clonaslee got a record sum for his Simmental calf that he called Paddy. The two year old calf was sold at auction in Tullamore Mart last Thursday May 20, for 2,100. Below: Patrick and Paddy at the mart. Patrick himself was brought up on the podium to help pull the heartstrings of buyers, and it worked a treat, with the calf getting an estimated 500 to 600 above value, bought by a regular customer of the mart from Northern Ireland. He told the Leinster Express all about it. "I had heard my daddy and grandad talking about Hooves for Hospice, and they had given me a calf to mind, so I just decided to do it. I enjoyed feeding him and dosing him and minding him. I was with him most days." Getting up on the podium and hearing all the bids come in was a big moment. "It was exciting, I liked that," he said. His parents Amanda and Brendan are hugely proud of his generosity. "Patrick didn't realise the significance of his donation, he's only 9, but he will when he is older. We are very proud of him. It is such a worthy cause," said Amanda. Brendan said that Patrick, the third of their four children Niamh, Emma and Daire, has always had an interest in farming, and visits his grandad Gerry Kelly in Clonaslee after school every day where he helps out. "It was his first time to rear a calf. We don't normally have calves, I rear bullocks but we had bought a cow in calf so we gave it to Patrick. He shows a strong interest in farming. We are all very proud of him," he said. Antoinette Daly, manager of the mart also praised Patrick. "Patrick is a lovely young lad who took the day off school to be at the mart. I think it helped that we can have everyone physically back at the mart now, they could see him on the rostrum. I am thrilled for him. Almost every week we have a farmer selling an animal for Hooves 4 Hospice, it is getting a great response. Farmers are being very generous both in giving donations and in bidding," she said. Hooves 4 Hospice is a fundraiser begun by Tullamore Lions Club aimed at farmers, to raise money for a Midlands hospice. The hospice is proposed to be based in Tullamore serving Laois, Offaly, Westmeath and Longford, the only region in Ireland left without an in-patient hospice. Each county is asked to give money towards building it, a request met with some resistance by county hospice groups who want to use their funds locally. Amanda said for them there is no county border issue. "A hospice would be good for the midlands as a whole, we live on the Laois Offaly border, we do a lot of stuff in both counties so we are neutral. A hospice would still be for the local region so people wouldn't have to travel too far when they are sick and need care, it would be good to do something for the locality," she said. Brendan said farmers in general have responded hugely to the Hooves 4 Hospice fundraiser, where they are asked to rear cattle and sell them specifically for the fundraiser. "They have been overwhelmed with the amount of farmers who took it on, above and beyond what they expected. It's very important, it's badly needed. While no-one close to me has been in need of a hospice, we have close friends who have been. It's an exceptionally great cause," he said. Meanwhile, asked what he wants to be when he grows up, Patrick had a bit of a surprise. "I want to be a lorry driver, and a farmer too," he said. See Hooves 4 Hospice website here. The Midlands hospice would cost 9.5 million to build, with five hospice groups asked to contribute. After that the HSE will pay the 2.5m annual running costs. CEO of the Irish Hospice Foundation Sharon Foley from Laois has described the region as a "blackspot" for palliative care. Everyone deserves a good death and we have a duty to work together to ensure that can happen. This is about people who are dying and the families that are left behind. The Midlands is being very much denied a full range of palliative care services. Road safety experts have warned of surface water on many routes in Kildare following persistent rain over the past 24 hours. Met Eireann said that a weather station in Moore Park in Co Cork recorded 30mm of rain. Transport Infrastructure Ireland said: "We advise all motorists to slow down and take extra care on your journeys to avoid delays, check for any travel disruptions via http://traffic.tii.ie." The weather will be cool and overcast today with outbreaks of rain, especially across Leinster. It will brighten up in the afternoon with drier conditions extending southwards. Met Eireann said Saturday will start dry and sunny but will be followed by scattered showers. Forecasters said it will be cool and unsettled into early next week, but with tentative signs of settled weather from midweek. Irish Water has confirmed that major works in Newbridge could continue until mid September. The project is part of the Upper Liffey Valley Sewerage Scheme and the current phase involves upgrading and replacing the wastewater network in several locations in Newbridge. Irish Water said pipelaying works will continue on the R445 in the town and are scheduled to be completed by mid-July. Pipelaying works will then be completed on Moorefield Road and begin on Standhouse Road until Mid-September. Works originally began on April 21 and are carried out 24 hours a day, Monday to Friday. Irish Water is working with Kildare County Council and Coffey Construction Ltd and have regretted any inconvenience these necessary works may cause. An Irish Water statement said: "Irish Water, working in partnership with Kildare County Council, continues to progress the Upper Liffey Valley Sewerage Scheme to safeguard the environment and support economic and social development in towns across Kildare. "The current phase of the project involves upgrading and replacing the wastewater network in several locations in Newbridge. Pipelaying works have already been completed along Military Road/Athgarvan Road, Pairc Mhuire Estate, R445/Edward Street and largely completed on Moorefield Road. "Pipelaying works will continue on the R445 and are scheduled to be completed by mid-July when pipelaying works will then be completed on Moorefield Rd and begin on Standhouse Road until Mid-September. "To facilitate the safe delivery of these works, road closures will be in place, however, the project team will endeavour to minimise the disruption for the local community as much as possible and pedestrian and local access will be maintained. "Irish Water and Kildare County Council regret any inconvenience these necessary works may cause. The works are being delivered on behalf of Irish Water by Coffey Construction Limited in strict compliance with HSE / COVID-19 guidance. "Pipelaying works are progressing well and are ahead of schedule with the project due for completion by the end of 2021, following which, permanent road reinstatement works will be completed." Speaking about the project, Olive Marshall Regional Lead with Irish Water, said Irish Water is committed to investing in the wastewater treatment infrastructure in Kildare to support the needs of the growing population and to safeguard the environment. These works are part of the Upper Liffey Valley Sewerage Scheme, a 38 million project that is needed to provide East Kildare and the surrounding areas with the infrastructure needed to support the building of houses, schools, attract new industry and allow companies to expand and grow. This project forms part of a 38 million investment in the wastewater network in Kildare that involves laying 18km of new sewers to improve the wastewater network and safeguard the environment. The project is essential as the current wastewater infrastructure is unable to support the needs of the area and does not comply with European legislation or Environmental Protection Agency requirements. Irish Water continues to work at this time with our Local Authority partners, contractors and others to safeguard the health and well-being of both staff and the public and to ensure the continuity of critical drinking water and wastewater services. For more information regarding these works, please visit www.water.ie/projects-plans/ newbridgewastewaterupgrad/. Gardai in Kildare, Laois, and Offaly carried out searches in recent days as a result of an increase of counterfeit currency being posted into Ireland. One search was conducted and in excess of 94,000 of counterfeit currency was seized, in all denominations. A 20-year-old female was arrested at the scene but was released without charge and a file will be prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions. A second search was carried out and 5,000 of counterfeit currency was seized. A 21-year-old male was arrested; he was later charged and was remanded in custody. "The tendering of counterfeit currency is rising and incidents of counterfeit / prop money being posted into Ireland are also rising. In many cases, business owners are detecting people using counterfeit 50 notes to buy small items," said the gardai. To check if a Euro note is genuine cash handlers and member of the public should FEEL, LOOK, TILT and CHECK the note; Feel: The note is made out of cotton and should feel crisp and firm. The ink is raised, if you run your finger across the note the ink will feel thicker in parts. Look: Check for a security tread which will also state the numeral value of the note. Hold the note against the light to see the watermark and the numeral value. Tilt: When you tilt the note you will see a hologram which will also show the value of the note. On the back of the note the colour of the numeral value will change colour from purple to olive green to brown on the 50, 100, 200 or 500 notes. Check: Check the note under UV light, whereby small fibres embedded in the paper will illuminate. Each note should have the signature of the President of the European Central Bank. The value of the note appears in the watermark, the security thread, and in the hologram. Gardai wish to remind the public, and in particular business owners and their staff, to be on the lookout for counterfeit notes (not just 50 notes, but all denominations) and if presented to retain the note and contact Gardai. The trial of four men accused of abducting and assaulting Quinn Industrial Holdings (QIH) director Kevin Lunney will now proceed at the end of this month after almost five months of delays, the Special Criminal Court heard today. The case, which was in for mention today before the Special Criminal Court, had originally been fixed for trial on January 11 at the non-jury court. The trial had been continually delayed at the three-judge court because of public health concerns caused by a combination of Covid-19 and the number of witnesses in the case. Father-of-six Mr Lunney (51), had his leg broken, was doused in bleach and had the letters 'QIH' carved into his chest before he was dumped on a roadside in Co Cavan in 2019. Luke O'Reilly (67), from Mullahoran Lower, Kilcogy, Co Cavan; Darren Redmond (26), from Caledon Road, East Wall, Dublin 3; and Alan O'Brien (40) of Shelmalier Road, East Wall, Dublin 1, are all charged with false imprisonment and assault causing serious harm to Mr Lunney (51) at Drumbrade, Ballinagh, Co Cavan, on September 17, 2019. Another male, 'YZ', who cannot be named for legal reasons, is also charged with the same offences at the same date and location. The court heard that 'YZ' had a separate legal matter now disposed of and State Counsel Mr Sean Guerin SC enquired as to whether or not his anonymity should be still in place. Mr Aidan McCarthy BL said that 'YZ' has three further upcoming court matters and that his client was "anxious" to retain his anonymity, which Mr Justice Tony Hunt allowed. The judge said that the May 31 date would allow for nine weeks of the 12-week trial to go ahead "straight through" until the court goes on vacation at the end of July, with the possibility of resuming in September. On January 5, Mr Justice Hunt said that the trial would be delayed as "the position seemed to be that it would be undesirable and imprudent to proceed to start this case on schedule considering the public health situation". The judge remarked at the time that it was "absolutely our intention" for the trial to proceed on February 1. At the end of January the judge said that he had been told by the the president of the High Court, Ms Justice Mary Irvine, that "following meetings at a higher level", the 12-week trial would not be able to start before March 1 and that this date was "subject to developments". The March 1 date was later replaced with May 31. Mr Justice Hunt said that remote hearings were taking place in the courts but pointed out that the trial of the four accused men did not "fall into that category". The court had previously been told that there are over 50,000 documents involved in the case that needed to be digitally rendered and that there had been issues with disclosure. In December, the court dismissed a bid to halt the trial over a ruling expected from the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) on data retention. Defence counsel Michael O'Higgins SC, for the unnamed man, argued that the law on the retention and accessing of mobile phone data was in "a state of significant uncertainty" in Ireland and that the trial should not proceed until the matter was resolved. However, Mr Justice Hunt said that it was not enough to justify an adjournment. The judge also found the fact that a Renault Kangoo van involved in the case went on fire while in the possession of gardai was "immutable" and was also not a sufficient basis to adjourn. One of the four men has complained to the Garda Ombudsman that DNA was allegedly "planted" on the van that he alleges was deliberately destroyed in a fire so it wouldn't be made available to the defence. However, the State told the court that the fire began accidentally and that CCTV footage had been disclosed to the defence. It had been also unsuccessfully argued by defence counsel that the trial should not go on until the Ombudsman's investigation into that matter is completed. The Health Protection Surveillance Centre has today been notified of 524* confirmed cases of COVID-19. As of 8am today, 107 COVID-19 patients are hospitalised, of which 38 are in ICU. 19 additional hospitalisations in the past 24 hours. Dr. Tony Holohan, Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health, said; NPHET is closely monitoring variants of concern, and are concerned about possible higher transmissibility of the so called Indian variant and its spread in other countries as well as early reports of its impact on vaccine effectiveness. The public are keeping the disease under control and the HSE is increasing the number of people vaccinated every day. But the variant may nevertheless pose a risk to the progress we have made. NPHET will keep a close eye on this as we move towards the end of May and consider the advice we need to provide to Government on any further easing of restrictions. Professor Philip Nolan, Chair of the NPHET Irish Epidemiological Modelling Advisory Group said; Despite recent challenges to the Health Services IT systems, we continue to monitor key indicators of the disease in Ireland. The number of people hospitalised and in ICU are stable, the daily incidence is stable and the amount of people protected through vaccination continues to grow. We have confidence that if we can continue to limit transmission of COVID-19 through our individual behaviour and compliance to public health advice, the vaccination effect will lead us to further easing of measures in the near future. Dr. Cillian de Gascun, Medical Virologist and Director of the National Virus Reference Laboratory, said: The B.1.617.2 variant continues to increase, with 72 cases currently identified in Ireland. Given the size of our unvaccinated population and the apparent transmissibility of this variant, we would encourage people to remain vigilant and to continue to adhere to the public health guidance as the vaccine programme rolls out. Dr Siobhan Ni Bhriain, Consultant Psychiatrist and Integrated Care Lead, HSE, said; While evidence around Long Covid continues to emerge, we do know that a cohort of the population exposed to COVID-19 are experiencing symptoms of fatigue, shortness of breath and other side effects months after their initial diagnosis. COVID-19 is a novel virus, it is unpredictable and so I would encourage our younger population awaiting vaccination to keep following the public health advice and avoid any risk of Long Covid related illness. Professor Pete Lunn, Behavioural Research Unit, ESRI, said; Our Social Activity Measure has recorded increases in multiple forms of social activity, there are more people going to work, more visits to homes, individuals meeting with more people from outside their household, and higher numbers of close contacts. This is to be expected as restrictions lift. However, the data also reveal that these increases are much stronger among people who have been vaccinated. Most people who are not yet vaccinated are continuing to be cautious. Our data are consistent with the majority of people waiting until they are vaccinated before increasing their activity again. The COVID-19 Dashboard provides up-to-date information on the key indicators of COVID-19 in the community including daily data on Irelands COVID-19 Vaccination Programme. A woman who grabbed a garda by the hair on the street while on bail for spitting at another garda has been jailed for three years and three months. Jacqueline McElhatton (45) spat at the garda in a court building after being arrested for spraying the employee of a pharmacy with hand sanitiser and then throwing the bottle at his face. Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that McElhatton was on bail for these offences when she grabbed a garda by her hair after being approached on the street following a failed robbery. McElhatton with an address at Peter McVerry Trust, Conyngham Road, Dublin City centre, pleaded guilty to assaulting Garda Rachel Corcoran at the Criminal Courts of Justice Building, Parkgate Street, Dublin 8, on April 20, 2020. She also pleaded guilty to an assault at Rathmines Pharmacy, Lwr Rathmines Rd, Rathmines, on the same date in April 2020. McElhatton further pleaded guilty to attempted robbery at O'Connell Street, Dublin city centre, and to obstructing a peace officer at College Green, Dublin city centre, both on August 8, 2020. She has 125 previous convictions, including convictions for assault, obstruction and theft. Sergeant Charlie Dempsey told Ronan Prendergast BL, prosecuting, that on the date in April 2020, McElhatton entered the pharmacy in Rathmines and took a bottle of hand sanitiser from the till area. Sgt Dempsey said she was told by a man in the shop that browsing was not allowed due to Covid-19. McElhatton began spraying the man with the hand sanitizer before throwing the bottle at him, striking him in the face. Garda Rachel Corcoran received details of the offence and arrested the accused soon afterwards. While in a garda station, McElhatton coughed into her hands and then said she had Covid-19. McElhatton was brought to the CCJ building where she picked a cigarette butt off the ground. When told to drop it by Gda Corcoran, the accused spat at her right shoulder. Sgt Dempsey agreed with Garrett Charles Casey BL, defending, that all of his client's previous convictions were recorded in the District Court. Garda Tara Brennan told Lisa Dempsey BL, prosecuting, that a Brazillian man was walking down O'Connell St on the date in August 2020 and had stopped to take a photograph with his phone when he was approached by the accused woman. Gda Brennan said McElhatton punched the man in the face and grabbed his earphones, breaking them. She also attempted to take his phone from his hand, but he managed to prevent her. The man went in search of gardai while McElhatton followed him, eventually stopping a garda car beside Trinity College. He informed Gda Brennan what had happened and pointed out the accused. Gda Brennan approached McElhatton who became aggressive and grabbed the garda's hair. Both women fell onto the ground and the accused was arrested after an off-duty garda intervened to assist Gda Brennan. The court heard she was on bail for the offences in April 2020 at the time of these offences. Mr Casey said his client's offending is almost entirely down to her addiction issues and that she has taken steps to deal with them while in custody. Judge Melanie Greally said that gardai should not have to face this kind of violence when they are going about their duty. Judge Greally sentenced McElhatton to 15 months imprisonment for the offences in April 2020. She also sentenced her to four years imprisonment for the offences in August 2020 and ordered that this sentence run consecutive to the former sentence. She then suspended the final two years of the latter sentence on strict conditions, resulting in an effective operating sentence of imprisonment of five years and three months with the final two years suspended. NOW that roadworks are nearing completion in Banogue, attention is turning to ORourkes Cross, just up the road. Minister for the Office of Public Works, Patrick O'Donovan said the traffic calming works in Banogue, which are costing 608,000, are a real example of the Governments investment into a rural community in County Limerick. After first being appointed as a Minister in the Department of Transport in 2016 I was anxious to get the traffic calming projects in Dromkeen, Kilcornan and Banogue included together with a number of other works. Dromkeen and Kilcornan have been finished and Banogue is now under construction and almost complete, said Minister ODonovan. The news will be welcomed by commuters on the main Limerick to Cork road as delays on either side of Banogue can be over 20 minutes at peak times. Minister ODonovan said the works were very welcome as it is a busy section of the N20 and a dangerous section of road. Ive had so many local people contact me in relation to this, including parents of the local school and people who want to cross the road to the shop or who travel through Banogue daily, telling me of the need for this, so I wanted to ensure that it was pushed forward, said Minister ODonovan. He said that he and local Fine Gael colleague, Cllr Stephen Keary were delighted to see the works nearing completion. Banogue is a small community but this funding of 608,000 from the Government is, I know, very welcome by the community because many of those who had for years campaigned for the works to be completed have been in touch with me. I know that these can take time with planning and other considerations which have to be gone through. Banogue is an example of what can be achieved within Government when that is done, said Minister ODonovan. He added that he has recently met with the council in relation to Rourkes Cross in light of the recent An Bord Pleanala decision. The board confirmed the compulsory purchase order without modification. I have been consistent from the start in that I support the local community, who want this junction addressed and a roundabout installed. The roundabout needs to be built and I have told the council that and I will be making my views known both to TII and the Department of Transport as well. We have dealt with Banogue, we must now deal with Rourkes Cross and ensure that the road is made safe for all road users, said Minister ODonovan. A YOUNG Croom woman charged with two counts of assault had her case adjourned, at Newcastle West court, until September. Judge Mary Larkin said she wanted a pre-sanction report on the accused, Ciara Earls of Church Road, Croom. Inspector Andrew Lacey said that on April 23 last year, gardai were called to a house in Croom where Ms Earls was behaving in a violent manner towards her brother. When the gardai arrived, she became very aggressive and abusive to gardai and abusive to her brother. She squared up to Garda Harrington and headbutted her brother, the inspector said. After being arrested and brought to Newcastle West garda station, she began to headbutt a Perspex divider, the inspector continued. When Garda Harrington attempted to restrain her, she stood up and headbutted him, hitting him on the nose. The court also heard that following an accident in Croom on November 10, 2019, in which Ms Earls hit a parked car, she was arrested and subsequently found to have a concentration of 126mg per 100ml of blood. Pleading for the defendant, solicitor Con Barry said his clients brother had withdrawn his statement (of complaint) and Ms Earls apologised for what happened. She had begun drinking at age 15, he said, and had since been dealing with her addictions. Ms Earls had completed a residential course at Cuan Mhuire last November, he said and had since been receiving after-care. Mr Barry also handed into court a HSE letter about his clients health. He pleaded that a conviction for assault would not be made as it could affect his clients employment prospects. But Inspector Lacey said they could not withdraw the assault charge against Garda Harrington. The matter will come back into court again on September 10 when a pre-sanctioned report will be available. FORMER Mayor of Limerick Jim Long says he is shocked and appalled at the Bothar revelations and sincerely regrets proposing a civic reception for the charity. Cathaoirleach of Cappamore-Kilmallock municipal district John Egan said that the overwhelming feeling in County Limerick is one of upset and betrayal. David Moloney, former CEO of the charity along with the late Peter Ireton, co-founder of Bothar, were two of the guests at the lavish civic reception ceremony in City Hall in 2012. It is the second highest honour the then Limerick City Council could bestow on an individual or group of individuals. Nine years later and the charity is making headline news after it emerged significant quantities of cash donated to the charity was stolen. This week the Irish Independent newspaper reported how Mr Moloney has, in an affidavit filed by him in the High Court, revealed an elaborate scheme which he claims he and Mr Ireton used to steal 1.1m in funding which was given in good faith to assist the charity in its work. Mr Ireton's body was found at his Limerick home on April 19. Gardai are treating the death as a personal tragedy. Mr Moloney has said Mr Ireton had included him in his will, leaving him a share in two plots of land in Uganda. After what has been revealed in the High Court, former Mayor Jim Long said he sincerely regrets proposing the civic reception. I certainly feel now that the mayors office was used at the time because the (Bothar) hierarchy knew what was going on. They used me and the mayoral office to my huge disappointment in getting a civic reception. It was given in good faith because of the good work they do but they undermined and undid everything that Bothar stands for, said Mr Long. The long-serving councillor said Mr Moloney requested a meeting with him in 2012 when he was mayor of Limerick. I entertained him in the mayors office. We had a great discussion on all the good things Bothar was doing, said Mr Long. The civic reception took place in the following December with the council paying for it as is normal practice. It was a very good night. We all felt very good for what we did in honouring such a charity. The reason I pushed for the civic reception was because of all the good work they were doing and the good image they were giving on behalf of Limerick because it is a Limerick-based organisation. They were recognised worldwide. I really felt proud to honour them, said Mr Long. Now, he says, he is shocked and appalled at what he has been reading. At the time I felt it was the right thing to do but since the story broke I am extremely disappointed as a former mayor, on behalf of the people of Limerick, that such activity and practices were carried out They are a wonderful organisation and did wonderful work but it is another charity that has suffered at the hands of a very few at the top of the organisation. I dont know if they will recover, concluded Mr Long. Included in Mr Moloney's claims in the High Court documents are that he and Mr Ireton shared around 505,000 in cash which was purported to have been given to projects run by nuns in Tanzania and Zambia. Mr Moloney also implicated another Bothar co-founder, former Limerick Leader journalist Billy Kelly, who also attended the civic reception. The Limerick Leader made efforts to contact Mr Kelly in the UK this week but without success. Cllr John Egan, who has donated heifers to Bothar, said it is difficult to overstate the feelings of anger and upset that the Bothar revelations had caused amongst the farming communities that had been the charitys most devoted and generous supporters. But amid all that has emerged and will emerge from the High Court, untold acts of charity were carried out by Bothar. A supporter from the early days has been Sr Patricia Coughlan. The Ardpatrick nun was drawn to Bothar because she comes from farming stock and the charity was doing something tangible. The incalf heifers were going to people in need. As the motto says, Give a man a fish, and he will eat for a day. Teach him how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime'. Its the same thing with cows - the people now have milk every day. And if the calf was a heifer it was to be passed on to the next family, said Sr Coughlan. The long-standing teacher in Scoil Pol in Kilfinane and her students helped send many in-calf heifers to Africa. Farmers in the locality donated the heifers and then Sr Coughlan and students fundraised to pay the travel costs. I know our heifers went to their destination. We didnt give any money to any organisation. It went to the airlines. We got photographs back of our heifers with their new families, said Sr Coughlan. This is exactly the ethos that Bothar was founded on. Sr Coughlan, the farmers who donated heifers through her and those who gave money in the Kifinane area for their transport have the comfort of knowing their generosity has made a real difference in the third world. But many who donated pounds and then Euros in other parts of Limerick and across the country dont have that same comfort about where their hard-earned money went. A COUNCIL plan to build 18 new houses in Broadford has received a very cool reception from locals in the award-winning village. And they are adamant that Limerick City and County Council needs to sit down with them to discuss future housing needs in their community. The public announcement by the council of its 18-house plan on a greenfield site on the Tullylease Road came as a surprise to most people in the area. There is a lot of concern about 18 houses coming into the village, said Mary Lee Geary, chairperson of the Broadford Voluntary Housing Committee which has overseen the development of 20 houses in the village over the past 21 years. The view of the majority of people, she said, was that 18 houses was too much. The Voluntary Housing Committee, she explained, was about to lodge plans for a further six homes, to be located at Nunan's Cross, the site of a former garage which was derelict for many years before being acquired by the committee. We feel that is enough, she said. We reckon our houses will fulfil the need in the community. We have a waiting list for those houses. In addition, a number of serviced sites have become available in the village. But they are puzzled as to why they are being told there is not sufficient spare capacity in the sewerage system for their six new homes while at the same time, the council itself is proposing to build three times that number. People are also concerned that the proposed site for the 18 council houses is right next to a so-called ghost or unfinished estate, also on the Tullylease Road. The feeling is that estate should be acquired by the council and developed before opening another, greenfield site alongside it. Local councillor Jerome Scanlan is not convinced the figures are there in sufficient numbers to warrant an estate of 18 houses. I am not able to identity the need for the figures, he said. Are they going to bring people in from outside? I have requested a needs assessment. The councillor is also convinced that one-bedroom houses are a non-starter and there are seven one-bedroom houses being proposed in the council's plan. A one-bedroom unit is no good to older people in the event of needing support, he said, adding that we needed to learn from the experience of the past year where many older people were isolated in their own home. But the council's acting director of capital investment, Seamus Hanrahan, has defended the scheme and says it will complement the project being undertaken by the local Voluntary Housing Committee. The council scheme, Mr Hanrahan said, has been designed to evolve and to be built in two phases: the first phase with 11 houses and the second with seven houses. Each phase contains a mix of single and family units, he explained and by building in stages it would allow the first tenants to settle in and allow some flexibility on the make-up of the second phase. He rejected any suggestion that the scheme was too big for a village the size of Broadford. The scale of the scheme is small, he said. There is sufficient need in the area and hinterland, he told the Limerick Leader. We are happy with the level of demand Figures for housing need in Broadford supplied to Newcastle West Municipal District councillors earlier this month showed 14 applicants approved for one bed units; 14 approved for two-bed units and four applicants approved for three-bed units. Phase 1 of the council scheme proposes to build two one-bed units; six two-bed units; two three-bed units and one four-bed unit. We have done the mix in such a way that the two schemes (council and voluntary) would be complementary, Mr Hanrahan said. On the issue of the ghost estate, Mr Hanrahan said the council had examined it from the point of compulsory purchase order but only two houses were salvageable. The CPO will be looking at things again, he said, agreeing that it has to be addressed. But, he argued, in defence of the council's greenfield site: Our site is better located. A spokesman for Irish Water said that the Broadford Wastewater Treatment plant is operating within its overall design capacity and, as such, there is headroom available for additional connections. The company provides a free enquiry service to individuals or groups looking for a new or modified connection. NEARLY 50 Tidy Towns committees across Limerick are to receive funding of up 1,000 ahead of this year's national competition. The Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys, has announced the return of the competition which was cancelled last year due to Covid-19 Special arrangements have been put in place to ensure the return of the competition this year, with the overall winners due to be announced before the end of the year. Sponsored by SuperValu, the competition will take place in the same format as previous years, albeit with a specific emphasis on electronic entry and remote adjudication of each entry. Groups and volunteers should continue to adhere to public health guidelines as they have done since the onset of the Pandemic. Announcing details of this year's competition, Minister Humphreys confirmed there will be a new award category aimed at groups that have continued to serve and look after their communities despite the difficulties posed by Covid-19. The Minister has also introduced a special prize for young people, which was committed to under Our Rural Future the Governments ambitious new strategy for Rural Ireland and she has announced a 1 million fund in December to further support the Tidy Towns groups in Limerick and across the country. Speaking in Glaslough, County Monaghan which won the overall award in 2019, Minister Humphreys said: Missing out on the competition last year was very disappointing for everyone associated with Tidy Towns. Thats why I am delighted to announce that this iconic competition is back. I am sure the thousands of volunteers around the country are relieved that we have finally reached the point where we can launch the 2021 SuperValu Tidy Towns competition and are excited for the months ahead." Ms Humphreys added: While the last year has been so challenging for everyone, I know that so many Tidy Towns volunteers the length and breadth of the country have continued to look after their communities. Many groups have been unable to deliver on the projects they had planned due to Covid-19. That will not impact in any shape or form on this years competition and I am encouraging each and every one of the 987 registered groups across the country to enter once again. Also speaking at the launch today, Ian Allen, Managing Director of SuperValu, said: As one of the longest-running community and sustainability initiatives in Ireland, Tidy Towns is an incredibly important programme that all of us at SuperValu are immensely proud to be a part of. At its heart, Tidy Towns is the public expression of the work countless individuals undertake to make our communities better places in which to work and live. Following a year like no other, this years competition is about recognising work of volunteers who have continued in every way possible and collectively help to lift the mood of the nation. The 48 Tidy Towns groups in Limerick which will received funding are: Annacotty Tidy Village Committee Castleconnell Tidy Towns Committee Caherconlish Tidy Towns Caherdavin Community Group Meadowbrook Residents Corbally Murroe Tidy Towns Association Our Lady of Lourdes Community Service Group Moyross Residence Alliance Moyross Residents Forum Southill Tidy Towns Group Gouldavoher Residence Association Abbeyfeale Tidy Towns Committee Adare Tidy Towns & Development Association Anglesboro Tidy Towns Committee Askeaton Heritage & Tidy Towns Athea Tidy Towns Ballyhahill Development Association Ballyorgan Tidy Towns Group Ballysteen Tidy Village Assocaiton Bruff Tidy Towns Cappamore Tidy Towns Committee Clarina Tidy Towns Committee Croagh Community Council Croom Community Development Association Donoghmore,Knockea,Roxboro Community Association Doon Tidy Towns Committee Dromcollogher Tidy Towns Elton Tidy Towns Foynes & District Community Council Galbally Tidy Towns Garrienderk Community Development Glenbrohane Tidy Towns Group Glenroe Tidy Towns Glenroe Community Council Glin Development Association Kilbehenny Tidy Towns Kilfinane Tidy Towns Committee Kilmallock Tidy Towns Kilmeedy Development Association Knocklong Tidy Towns Mountcollins Tidy Towns Kilteely Tidy Towns Oola Tidy Towns Kilcornan Tidy Towns Action Group Rockhill Bruree Tidy Towns Tournafulla Tidy Towns Committee Ballyagran TidyTowns Ballingarry Tidy Towns Association Templeglantine Community Council Mumbai: Creditors of Dewan Housing Finance Corporation Ltd (DHFL) did not consider the settlement proposal by its promoter Kapil Wadhawan on its merits or with commercial wisdom, the Mumbai bench of the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) said. NCLT has asked the committee of creditors (CoC) to put up the offer for its consideration, decision, voting" within the next 10 days, according to a copy of the order. It said the proposal has not been made available to the fixed-deposit and non-convertible debenture holders who constitute more than 65% of vote share. The proposal offers more than 91,000 crore to the creditors, which is higher than the 37,250 crore offered by the winning bidder, Piramal Group, and as such the CoC must consider it, NCLT said. The promoter has also offered to pay 9,062 crore lying with the company upfront to small investors, NCD holders, and fixed-deposit holders. Since this settlement proposal is substantially higher/more than 1.5 times of the value of the highest bidder, the same needs due consideration/reconsideration by the administrator/CoC," it said. The tribunal also observed that while promoters are barred from submitting a resolution plan under Section 29 A of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC), Wadhawan has submitted a one-time settlement offer and there is no express legal bar against such a submission. The contention that no promoter of a company in CIRP, on account of his alleged culpability for the financial health or lack thereof of the corporate debtor, ought to be permitted to submit a settlement proposal is entirely misconceived. Indeed, only a promoter or a stakeholder in the company undergoing CIRP would be in a position to submit a settlement proposal," the tribunal said. Wadhawan had written to the CoC of DHFL in October, November and December 2020, offering to settle dues in full. On Piramals offer for DHFL, the NCLT observed that the resolution process is currently at an advanced stage. The tribunal also noted that as applications have also been filed by various entities, it would take some time before the plan is approved for implementation. The adjudicating authority directs the administrator to place the second settlement proposal before the CoC for its consideration, decision, voting as a simultaneous process without losing time," the NCLT said. According to an SBI official, Wadhawans letter was discussed in meetings but was not considered for voting as it was not a formal proposal. Besides, lenders are also not in favour of considering a proposal from a promoter who was behind the financial plight of the company. In November 2019, the RBI had referred DHFL, the third-largest pure-play mortgage lender, to NCLT for insolvency proceedings. It was the first finance company to be referred to NCLT by RBI using special powers under Section 227 of the IBC. The company is being investigated by the ministry of corporate affairs from December 2019 through the Serious Fraud Investigation Office. The Enforcement Directorate is also probing the company in connection with loans given by it to certain borrowers. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. BioNTech SE said on Thursday the COVID-19 vaccine it developed with Pfizer should be roughly as effective against the new coronavirus variant first detected in India as it has been shown to be against the South African variant. The company said in a statement Chief Executive Ugur Sahin felt encouraged by recent findings in a scientific paper based on blood analysis of vaccinated individuals, which showed that the antibodies elicited by the vaccine were able to neutralise the Indian variant. Since the blood tests on the variant that was first detected in South Africa had shown similar results, promising real-world data on the vaccine's effectiveness against the South African variant of about 75% led him to believe that its actual effectiveness against the Indian variant "might be in the same range". "So far we've had the chance to test our vaccine against more than 30 variants of the virus. It has proven effective against mutations so far," Sahin said earlier, speaking on Turkish television. Sahin, a German scientist with Turkish parents, spoke in Turkish after virtually attending the Turkish government's science council meeting. "We expect (our vaccine) to protect against infections by 70% to 75%," he said on TV, in what the company later said was in reference to the South African variant and not directly to the Indian variant. Since the concerning COVID-19 variant, known as B.1.617.2, was first identified in India, it has ravaged that country and spread to at least 26 nations out of the 53 in the World Health Organization's (WHO) European Region, the organization said. The WHO's regional director said on Thursday COVID-19 vaccines being deployed in Europe, including the Pfizer/BioNTech shot, appear able to protect against circulating virus variants that have caused concern because they are more easily transmitted. Sahin was speaking with Turkish Health Minister Fehrettin Koca, who separately said the country recorded less than 10,000 daily new coronavirus cases for the first time since March 1. Turkey, which briefly was second globally last month in new infections, is using the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine as well as China's Sinovac Biotech shot in its vaccination program. This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. SoftBank Group Corp. director Yuko Kawamoto plans to resign from the companys board in June, removing an outspoken board member who has clashed with controversial founder Masayoshi Son over governance issues. Kawamoto, a professor at Waseda University, will step down on June 23 after just one year in the role, SoftBank said in a statement on Friday. She was the first woman to ever serve on the board and its only female member, although another one has been nominated. In an unusual move, Kawamoto penned a long message about her time at SoftBank, posted on the companys website. While she praised Son for his decision making, speed and willingness to change his mind, she also said the company needs more internal checks, better governance and more people who can stand up to Son. View Full Image SoftBank's year of the virus SBG needs to formulate a form of governance that allows Masa to fully demonstrate his talents, which can then be integrated into shareholders value," she wrote. This does not imply restrictions or constraints but rather an oversight function that allows the organization to reach its full potential." SoftBanks biggest challenge is coming up with a succession plan for its founder, Kawamoto said. She said she is stepping down after one year because of her appointment as a commissioner of the National Personnel Authority. Also departing from the board in June are Sons long-term lieutenant Ronald Fisher and Arm Ltd.s Simon Segars. Z Holdings Corp.s co-Chief Executive Officer Kentaro Kawabe, Koei Tecmo Holdings Co.s Chairman Keiko Erikawa and Kenneth Siegel of Morrison & Foerster will take their seats after shareholders approve the appointments at a general meeting. SoftBanks board has lost several of its most independent voices in recent years, the kind of directors who could push back on Sons decisions. Shigenobu Nagamori, the outspoken founder of motor maker Nidec Corp., stepped down in 2017. Fast Retailing Co. CEO Tadashi Yanai, who had been on the board since 2001 and was a rare voice of dissent, left at the end of 2019. Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. co-founder Jack Ma left last June, after 13 years on the job. SoftBank has been buffeted by a series of missteps over the past year, including a botched investment in WeWork and a risky foray into derivatives trading. Kawamoto flagged that SoftBank often races so quickly to execute Sons ideas that the infrastructure isnt always in place to handle them. Sometimes, therefore, rules come after the decisions are made, and some might say the company has some weakness in that regard," she wrote. One area where Kawamoto had a particularly sharp disagreement with Son was over his personal stake in a subsidiary overseeing SoftBanks controversial options trading program, according to people familiar with the matter, who asked not to be named because the details are private. Her opposition came as a surprise to Son and the clashes often left him fuming, one of the people said.Sons 33% personal stake in the entity known as SB Northstar has also drawn fire from investors who pointed to the structure as a corporate governance concern. On a call with investors and analysts after the earnings announcement in November, Son denied there was a conflict of interest and described it as remuneration for his investment expertise. Other fund managers charge fees, he said. Son added that SoftBanks board cleared the structure in a vote from which he recused himself. The fact that SoftBank published this is quite telling," said Justin Tang, head of Asian research at United First Partners in Singapore, referring to Kawamotos letter. Its not exactly a dictatorship operating there." Still, Kawamoto complimented Son and said the company is improving. In part because I remained vocal at Board meetings over this past year, I believe an atmosphere has been fostered where discussions can be held more frankly," Kawamoto said. Masa is an extremely exciting individual who often lights up the spirit of those around him. In fact, it is his inspiration that gave me the courage to take on a new challenge and accept a difficult role in service of the country." Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Keeping with the pandemic times, in a bid to boost export of the king of fruits" in South Korea, Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) organized Virtual Buyer Seller Meet (VBSM) on Thursday in collaboration with Indian embassy in Seoul and Indian Chamber of Commerce in Korea (ICCK) for buyers and sellers from both countries. Due to the ongoing covid-19 pandemic, the export promotion programmes were not possible to be organized physically. APEDA took a lead to organize Virtual BSM to provide a platform to the exporters and importers of mangoes from India and South Korea," ministry of commerce and industry said in a statement. India exported mangoes worth $57 million in FY20 to major destinations including United Arab Emirates, UK, US, Oman, Qatar among others. While most of the states in India have mango plantations, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka have major share in total production of the fruit. Alphonso, Kesar, Totapuri and Banganpalli are leading export varieties from India. Mango exports primarily take place in three forms: fresh mango, mango pulp, and mango slice. Mangoes are processed by the APEDA registered packhouse facilities and then exported to various regions and countries. Earlier this month, for the first time in this season, India shipped a consignment of 2.5 Metric Tonne (MTs) of Geographical Indication (GI) certified Banganapalli and Survarnarekha mangoes to South Korea sourced from farmers in Krishna and Chittor districts of Andhra Pradesh. The mangoes exported to South Korea, were treated, cleaned & shipped from the APEDA assisted and registered packhouse & vapor heat treatment facility at Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh and exported by IFFCO Kisan SEZ (IKSEZ)," the statement said. This was the first export consignment sent by IKSEZ, which is a subsidiary of IFFCO, a multi-state cooperative with a membership of 36,000 societies. There is possibility of more exports of mangoes to South Korea this season. IFFCO Kisan SEZ has an agreement with Meejaim, South Korea for supplying 66 MTs of mango this season," commerce ministry said. Nearly 400 MTs of fresh fruits & vegetables has been exported from the packhouse in Andhra Pradesh to European Union and non-EU countries. In the current season, 30 MTs of mangoes have been exported to EU, UK, Middle East and other countries. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. NEW DELHI/NEW YORK: Pfizer and the Indian government are at loggerheads over a demand by the U.S. drugmaker for legal protection from any claims linked to the use of its COVID-19 vaccine in one of the world's biggest markets, two sources told Reuters. India has not given any manufacturer of a COVID-19 vaccine indemnity against the costs of compensation for any severe side effects, which is a condition Pfizer has obtained in many countries where its shots have already been widely rolled out, including Britain and the United States. "The whole problem with Pfizer is the indemnity bond. Why should we sign it?" an Indian government source with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters. "If something happens, a patient dies, we will not be able to question them (Pfizer). If somebody challenges in a court of law, the central government will be responsible for everything, not the company," the source added. Pfizer and India's health ministry did not reply to Reuters requests for comment on Friday. The second source said Pfizer was not going to change its position on the indemnity issue. Both sources declined to be named as they were not authorised to talk to the media. LOCAL TRIAL India, which is facing a shortage of shots as coronavirus cases soar, pledged last month to fast-track approvals for overseas vaccine makers including Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson and Johnson. However, none have since sought permission from India's drug regulator to sell their vaccine in the country, which has a population of 1.35 billion. The second source said that the other issue being discussed between Pfizer and New Delhi was the Indian government's insistence on a local trial for any vaccine approval. Pfizer withdrew its application for emergency use authorisation for the vaccine developed with Germany's BioNTech in February after India insisted on such a trial. But three other shots on sale in India, developed by AstraZeneca, Russia's Sputnik V and Bharat Biotech in collaboration with state-run Indian Council of Medical Research, have completed the small-scale safety trials. Albert Bourla, Pfizer's chief executive said on May 4 that he was hopeful that the government would change its policy of local trials and that a path to delivering the drugmaker's shots in India could be found. A third source told Reuters that India's foreign minister would visit the United States this month or in early June to try and address Pfizer's concerns and ease exports of vaccine raw materials to India. The Indian foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. (Reporting by Neha Arora and Carl O'Donnell; Additional reporting by Rupam Jain; Editing by Krishna N. Das and Alexander Smith) This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. The European Union took a step toward opening its borders to vaccinated tourists, a move that likely means Americans and other non-Europeans will be allowed to visit the continent this summer. The decision, taken Wednesday by ambassadors from the 27 EU member countries, must still be formally approved by national leaders, which could come as soon as tomorrow. It isnt yet clear exactly when tourists will be allowed to arrive, but it is expected to be very soon, an EU spokesman said. The U.S. would need to be added to a list of countries from which nonessential travel to the EU is permitted. When that might happen is unclear, but the spokesman said the listed countries could be changed quickly if government leaders decide on it. Individual EU countries can set additional restrictions. They also can decide what official documentation will be accepted to attest that somebody has been vaccinated. People who have been fully vaccinated with shots approved by the World Health Organization or the EUs medicines regulator will be allowed in. That includes the three vaccines being used in the U.S.those made by Pfizer Inc., Moderna Inc. and Johnson & Johnsonas well as ones manufactured by AstraZeneca PLC and Sinopharm, a Chinese state-owned company. The EU curtailed nonessential travel in 2020 during the first wave of the pandemic and has yet to pull back on the restrictions. However, some economies that are particularly dependent on tourism, including Greece and Italy, have already opened to visitors from specific countries, albeit with conditions. France has indicated it will open to tourists, including Americans, in June. Mediterranean countries would struggle to afford another summer with few foreign tourists. Italy, Greece and France all suffered gross domestic product declines of more than 8% in 2020. Spains economy shrank by 11%. This month, Italy opened to tourists from other EU countries, the U.K. and Israel. Meantime, Greece is letting fully vaccinated tourists from other EU states, the U.S. and several other countries enter without having to quarantine. A recent negative Covid-19 PCR test also allows tourists from those countries into Greece. Most Northern European countries have taken a more cautious approach and it isnt yet clear if they will be open to non-Europeans this summer. While individual member countries are responsible for enacting travel restrictions, a recommendation from the EU might nudge reluctant nations toward opening. With borders mostly open within the bloc, it would be difficult for authorities in Austria, for example, to block Americans arriving via Italy. The EU is testing green certificates" that would certify that a traveler has been fully vaccinated, tested negative for Covid-19 or recently had the virus. The certificates, which will be rolled out for some countries in June, can be displayed by travelers either on a smartphone app or as a printed document. The U.S. isnt prohibiting Americans from traveling to Europe, but they need to test negative for Covid-19 before returning home. The country isnt allowing in European tourists, something EU leaders have said they hope will change soon. This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Islamabad: Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday inaugurated the country's first Chinese-assisted 1,100MW nuclear power plant in Karachi that coincided with the celebration of the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the all-weather allies. Khan virtually performed the inauguration of the plant, formally known as Karachi Nuclear Power Plant Unit-2 (Kanupp-2 or K-2), which was built with the support of China. The prime minister who attended the ceremony from Islamabad said the completion of the project was made possible due to the collaboration between Pakistan and China. "The project will produce 1,100 megawatts of clean energy, which is particularly important for us as Pakistan is one of the 10 countries most affected by climate change," he said. The construction of K-2 plant started in November 2013 and its fuel loading started on December 1, 2020 and after several tests, the plant was connected to the national grid on March 18, 2021. K-2 is a generation III, state-of-the-art plant with improved safety systems, especially internal and external accident prevention ability and enhanced emergency response capability, according to Chairman Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) Muhammad Naeem. He told a webinar on Thursday that K-2 and the upcoming K-3 nuclear power are safe to operate and their inauguration would be a milestone in the countrys quest to increase the share of nuclear power in electricity generation. He said the inauguration of K-2 marks a new era of large sized plants with Generation-III reactors. K-3, he said, will hopefully become functional in next 8-10 months. Both K-2 and K-3 power plants have a life of about 60 years, which is extendable to 80 years. Naeem said they have been designed to survive any earthquake predicted for this region. Moreover, they can withstand the impact of even a large commercial aircraft hit. The Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission owns six nuclear power plants in the country. Two of them are in Karachi, K-1 and K-2, and four are at Chashma in Mianwali district of Punjab, known as Chashma 1-4. The totalled generation capacity of all PAEC operated plants before K-2 was around 1,400 megawatts. With 1100 MW K-2 getting connected to the grid, the share of nuclear power in the national power mix has increased to around 12 percent, according to officials. On the eve of the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and China, Prime Minister Khan and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Thursday held telephonic talks and reaffirmed their resolve to further diversify and deepen strategic cooperation between the all-weather allies. The two leaders discussed bilateral relations and COVID-19 vaccine cooperation. Prime Minister Khan emphasised that Pakistan and China have transformed their relationship into an "all-weather strategic cooperative partnership" through their collective and tireless efforts over the years. This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. A new study has shown, for the first time, that humans recognize the intended meanings of iconic vocalizations basic sounds made by people to represent specific objects, entities and actions regardless of the language they speak. These vocalizations, such as the imitation of snoring to denote sleep, or roaring to denote a tiger, could have played a crucial role in the development of the first human languages, according to the researchers. The finding contrasts with the prior assumption that physical gestures and signals drove the development of human language. Related: Cracking codes: 5 ancient languages yet to be deciphered "People around the world, whatever their linguistic or cultural background, were remarkably good at being able to guess the meanings of these different vocalizations," senior author Marcus Perlman, a linguist at the University of Birmingham in England, told Live Science. "This could have big implications for how spoken languages got off the ground." Iconic vocalizations In an online experiment, researchers exposed 843 participants, who spoke 25 different languages among them, to iconic vocalizations representing 30 meanings that would have been key for the survival of early humans. The participants then had to match the sound to one of six words, including the intended meaning. The intended meanings for vocalizations were grouped into six main categories: animate entities (child, man, woman, tiger , snake , deer ), inanimate entities (knife, fire, rock, water, meat, fruit), actions (gather, cook, hide, cut, pound, hunt, eat, sleep), properties (dull, sharp, big, small, good, bad), quantifiers (one, many) and demonstratives (this, that). Researchers obtained these vocalizations through an online contest where, in exchange for prizes, people could submit basic sounds that they felt best represented different words. Everyone who submitted a vocalization spoke English. In the experiment, people accurately identified the meaning of these vocalizations 64.6% of the time, on average. The most recognizable vocalization was that for "sleep," which people identified with 98.6% accuracy. The least recognizable was the demonstrative "that," with an accuracy of 34.5%, although it was still well over the 16.7% (one in six) expected by chance. In general, people understood the vocalizations of actions and entities better than those for properties and demonstratives. "These recognizable sounds [actions and entities] are probably associated with these meanings across cultures," Perlman said. "In others, there's probably more variability over precisely what that sound is." Out of the 25 languages spoken by participants, speakers of 20 languages correctly guessed the meaning of each vocalization on average, speakers of four of the languages did so for all but one vocalization and speakers of the remaining language did so for all but two. The language speakers with the lowest accuracy were Thai speakers at an average of 52.1% and the best performing language speakers were English speakers with an average accuracy of 74.1%. In a second, smaller field experiment that involved just 12 of the most basic vocalizations, people who used spoken languages with no formal writing system, such as the Indigenous Palikur of the Amazon rainforest also demonstrated an understanding of vocalizations by pointing to pictures of the correct meanings after hearing them. They managed to suss out the meaning without any written or spoken prompts, well above what was expected by chance. Missing link Until now, researchers had assumed that human languages developed through the use of iconic gestures such as wiggling your arm to mimic the movement of a snake and other physical signals, Perlman said. After communicating with gestures, early humans would then have gradually added spoken words that would have replaced these physical signals, according to this theory. "It makes sense," Perlman said. "If you go to a country where you don't speak the language, the intuitive way to communicate is to gesture what you're trying to express." However, our ability to interpret the meaning of iconic vocalizations suggests humans may not have needed physical gestures to create words. Instead, vocalizations may have been the first building blocks of languages, and physical gestures may have been added to individual words afterward, Perlman said. However, not all researchers agree with this idea. "A more compelling argument for the role of iconic representation in language evolution comes from manual gestures," Michael Corballis, a psychologist who specializes in language evolution at the University of Auckland in New Zealand, told Live Science. "Sign languages have a more obvious iconic element than speech does." Although, "there is increasing evidence of an iconic component in human speech," Corballis said. In reality, the development of the first languages would have taken hundreds or even thousands of years, and it's likely that a combination of vocalizations and gestures played a part, Perlman said. "We have hands and a voice," Perlman said. "And we have been communicating with both for many millions of years." "I agree that a multimodal origin is the most plausible," Michael Arbib, a language expert and computational neuroscientist at University of Southern Carolina, told Live Science. "Certain entities have distinctive sounds which favor the use of sound symbolism for their origin, whereas many others are more hospitable to pantomime." But as with the chicken and the egg, it is hard to definitively say which came first: vocalizations or gestures. "The next step would be to see whether people can understand sounds produced by people from different cultures and language backgrounds," beyond English-speaking ones, Perlman said. After that, future studies "would explore more complex meanings and vocalizations" to see how early humans might have developed the first languages from these sounds, Perlman said. Future studies should also include comparisons between vocalizations and gestures to see how well they stack up against each other and see which words suit each type of communication, Arbib said. Understanding the origins of human language is important because language is such a fundamental part of what it means to be human, Perlman said. "It speaks to the human condition, our history, our relationship with the world around us and the essence of who we are." The study was published online May 12 in the journal Scientific Reports . Originally published on Live Science. A maritime archaeologist has put forward a bold theory that King Solomon, a king of Israel who controlled a vast amount of wealth according to the Hebrew Bible, financed Phoenician mining expeditions to Spain. However, archaeologists and historians not involved with the researcher's work are skeptical. Sean Kingsley, director of the Wreck Watch consultancy company, published his theory recently in Wreckwatch Magazine, a publication that he edits, putting forward several arguments to support this idea. His arguments range from Phoenician mining operations along rivers, to biblical names at areas associated with mining, to passages in the Hebrew Bible that seem to link Solomon to both the seafaring Phoenicians and a potential Spanish city known for its mineral wealth in the Hebrew Bible. Related: 7 biblical artifacts that will probably never be found If this claim were true, that would mean King Solomon was an ancient shipping magnate. The Hebrew Bible notes that Solomon was extremely wealthy and undertook numerous construction projects; and his role in shipping may explain where he acquired his wealth. Arguments for Solomon's mining expeditions The Phoenicians flourished across the Mediterranean world between roughly 1500 B.C. and 300 B.C. Based in what is now Lebanon, they sailed all over the Mediterranean, setting up settlements and trading networks as far away as Portugal. Kingsley started his research about 10 years ago but didn't expect to make any major finds: "To be honest, my ambitions were pretty low," he said in a statement. "It looks like Solomon was wise in his maritime planning. He bankrolled the voyages from Jerusalem and let salty Phoenician sailors take all the risks at sea." Sean Kingsley Archaeological excavations over the past century have unearthed the remains of Phoenician mining operations near the Rio Tinto river in southwestern Spain, he said. A number of modern-day locations along that Spanish river have biblical names such as "Solomon's Hill," Kingsley said. Furthermore, he claims that silver artifacts found in Israel have patterns of lead isotopes (versions of the same element with a different number of neutrons) that indicate the silver came from Spain. However, researchers who conducted that analysis told Live Science that silver from Spain did not arrive in Israel in King Solomon's time, but rather after his rule. Then, there's the Hebrew Bible, which describes how David and his son Solomon got raw materials for their construction projects from a man named Hiram, who was the king of a Phoenician city called Tyre in modern-day Lebanon. Kingsley theorizes that Hiram would have sent mining expeditions to Spain with the financial support of Solomon. Illustration of "The commerce of King Solomon," showing a navy of Tharshish with the navy of Hiram, bringing wealth to King Solomon. (Image credit: Culture Club/Getty Images) Passages in the Hebrew Bible also refer to a place named Tarshish, which the bible says had abundant mineral wealth. It is also the place that Jonah tried to flee to when God told him to go to Nineveh, according to the Hebrew Bible. Kingsley claims that Tarshish was located in what is today Spain and that Solomon financed Phoenician voyages to the area. Passages in the Hebrew Bible that discuss how Hiram provided materials for David and Solomon for their construction projects are evidence, Kingsley argued, for the idea that Solomon financed Phoenician journeys. Firming up the location of the biblical Tarshish, Kingsley notes that a Phoenician inscription, dating to the ninth century B.C. and found in Sardinia, refers to a Phoenician military force that fled to Tarshish after a defeat; Spain is close to Sardinia, where the inscription was found, Kingsley wrote in the article. Ancient Greek records also mention a city called Tartessos which sounds similar to Tarshish that flourished in southern Spain, Kingsley wrote. Related: Photos: Rare inscription from King David's time "What turned up in southern Spain is undeniable. Phoenician signature finds, richly strewn from Rio Tinto to Malaga, leave no doubt that Near Eastern ships voyaged to what must have seemed the far side of the moon by 900 B.C.," Kingsley said in the statement, referring to archaeological evidence for Phoenican settlement and mining operations in Spain. From historical research, Kingsley said he can tell that the biblical place names (like Solomon Hills) have been in use at least as far back as the 17th century and possibly far earlier. "It looks like Solomon was wise in his maritime planning. He bankrolled the voyages from Jerusalem and let salty Phoenician sailors take all the risks at sea," Kingsley said in the statement. Scholars skeptical Several archaeologists and historians not affiliated with Kingsley's work told Live Science they were skeptical about his claims. While no one doubted that the Phoenicians had a presence in Spain, the scholars noted that there is no direct evidence that links King Solomon to the region. "It is still not even clear that there was a Solomonic kingdom," said Steven Weitzman, director of the Herbert D. Katz Center for Advanced Judaic Studies at the University of Pennsylvania. Related: 30 of the world's most valuable treasures that are still missing According to the Hebrew Bible, "King Solomon was richer and wiser than any other king in the world." (2 Chronicles: 22) And for the past 500 years, explorers and adventurers have searched the globe for the source of King Solomon's supposed wealth, Weitzman said. He noted that one of Kingsley's arguments is that places near Rio Tinto have place names that sound biblical; however, those names are likely "a reflection of Spanish interest in finding Solomon's gold" over the last 500 years and "not historical evidence of the biblical Solomon," Weitzman said. Additionally, "the Bible never mentions anything about mines or mining. That is something later readers inferred or projected onto the story," Weitzman said. Also "I know of no evidence of Israelite presence in Spain at this time," said Weitzman, adding that "there were Phoenician settlements in Spain perhaps as early as around 1100 [B.C.] and certainly in following centuries, but it is a leap from that to arguing that the source of Solomon's wealth came from there." In fact, the Bible says that Solomon dispatched ships to the East rather than the West. "According to the Bible, Solomon's dispatched ships from a place called Ezion-Geber, which is a port town on the Red Sea, and they returned from a place called Ophir, laden with gold and other treasure. Wherever Ophir was located, those ships would have been going in the opposite direction of Spain, east not west," Weitzman explained. Archaeologists also refuted Kingsley's argument linking silver artifacts found in Israel to Spain. "Based on all available scientific data, silver in Solomonic times [10th century B.C.] did not arrive to the east from Iberia," said Ayelet Gilboa, an archaeology professor at the University of Haifa. Only in later times, after Solomon would have ruled, did silver from Spain start arriving in Israel, she added. Gilboa has been working with Tzilla Eshel, a researcher who specializes in ancient silver analysis at the University of Haifa, to identify the source of ancient silver in Israel, and they published an article on the subject in 2019 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. In the article, the team noted that silver from Sardinia arrived in Israel during the 10th century B.C. but that it wasn't until the ninth century B.C. that silver from Spain started to arrive in the region. Kingsley is writing a book on his research and plans to publish a journal article in the future, he said. Originally published on Live Science. A new coronavirus has been discovered, and it may have jumped to humans from dogs. In a new study, researchers detected a new canine coronavirus in a swab sample obtained from a Malaysian child diagnosed with pneumonia in 2018. If the virus is confirmed to cause disease in humans, it would be the eighth-known human coronavirus and the first to have originated in dogs, the researchers said. However, the study, published Thursday (May 20) in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases , can't prove whether the canine coronavirus caused the child's pneumonia or whether another microbe was the cause the child was also found to be infected with rhinovirus, a virus that causes the common cold in people. And even if the canine virus did cause this patient's illness three years ago, it's unclear if this coronavirus, which is genetically similar to other dog coronaviruses, can spread between people. "How common this [canine] virus is, and whether it can be transmitted efficiently from dogs to humans or between humans, nobody knows," Dr. Gregory Gray, a professor of medicine, global health and environmental health at Duke University, and senior author of the study, said in a statement . Related: 11 (sometimes) deadly diseases that hopped across species But the researchers say their findings underscore the threat of animal coronaviruses to people, a risk that has become all the more clear in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. (The origins are SARS-CoV-2 are still unclear, but one leading theory is that it hopped from bats to an intermediate, yet-to-be-determined animal and then to people.) "These coronaviruses are likely spilling over to humans from animals much more frequently than we know," Gray said. "We are missing them because most hospital diagnostic tests only pick up known human coronaviruses." The researchers originally set out to develop a diagnostic test that could detect many different types of coronaviruses, not just SARS-CoV-2, NPR reported . To evaluate their test, they used it to analyze 301 samples collected in 2017 and 2018 from hospitalized patients with pneumonia in Sarawak, Malaysia. They found that eight of the 301 samples tested positive for the new canine coronavirus. The findings were so surprising that the researchers initially thought they had made a mistake. "I thought, 'There's something wrong.' Canine coronaviruses were not thought to be transmitted to people. It's never been reported before," study co-author Dr. Anastasia Vlasova, a virologist and assistant professor at Ohio State University's College of Veterinary Medicine, told NPR. So the researchers re-tested the eight samples using a different method they attempted to grow the virus in canine cells using a method that works well for dog coronaviruses, NPR reported. One of the samples grew in the canine cells, and the researchers were able isolate the virus and sequence its genome. They confirmed that the virus, which they dubbed CCoV-HuPn-2018, is a new canine coronavirus. The virus also contains segments of genetic material from cat and pig coronaviruses a phenomenon known as recombination that is commonly seen in dog coronaviruses. The finding suggests this virus also infected cats and pigs in the past, The New York Times reported. Interestingly, the new canine coronavirus also has a mutation that has not been seen in any dog coronaviruses before, but similar mutations have been seen in SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV-1, the virus that causes severe acute respiratory syndrome or SARS. This mutation occurs in one of the virus's structural proteins known as the N protein. The implications of this mutation are unclear, but it's possible it helps animal coronavirus adapt to infect people. The researchers plan to conduct more studies to see how common canine coronavirus infections in humans are, and if these viruses can be found in healthy as well as sick people, the Times reported. Originally published on Live Science. Watch: Rossi may face legal action after pushing fan by Ed Davies Rossi could be in trouble after a video has emerged showing him pushing past a selfie-taking fan as he rode through the paddock on what appeared to be a non-racing bike before last Sunday's Valencia Grand Prix Despite the nine-time world champion apologising for what he had done the fan said that she is considering pressing charges. Rossi first blamed the confusion in the paddock, in what was at first a jocular answer to the incident but then went on to say that he had to apologise and hoped the fan was alright. The incident was reported through Spanish media sources with the woman, identified as Ana Cabanillas Vazquez not accepting Rossi's apology. "I would have accepted his apology if it had been an accident, but seeing the video, you can tell that it was done on purpose," she said speaking to COPE radio. "I have a small bruise on my leg. I'll consider pressing charges." Click here to read the full article. Phoebe Dynevor knows youre still processing the news that Rege-Jean Page wont be back on Season 2 of Netflixs juicy Bridgerton. But rest assured, Phoebe and Simon a.k.a. the Duke and Duchess of Hastings are doing quite fine. Dynevor has just returned to the set of Bridgerton, and confirms Phoebe will still be a major part of the action as she now turns her attention to finding true love for her brother, Anthony (Jonathan Bailey). Based on Julia Quinns best-selling series of novels, Bridgerton is set in the lavish and competitive world of London high society during the Regency period of the early 1800s. Bridgerton has already been renewed through Season 4, so theres plenty of your period soapy obsession to come. But because each season will be inspired by a different book in the series, that means the focus on each Bridgerton child will change. I had a bit of a heads up so I knew but yeah, I guess it is a spanner, Dynevor tells Varietys Awards Circuit podcast of Pages departure. But again, the show centers around the Bridgertons and there are eight books. I think maybe the fans of the books were more aware of that happening than the fans of the show. I think fans of the books know that every episode is about a different sibling. And were very much passing the baton to the lovely Johnny, who plays Anthony. Obviously its sad to to see [Page] go but Im looking forward to being reunited with my with my family. The Variety Awards Circuit podcast recently spoke to Dynevor about what the last several months have been like for the actor, who has quite the busy year. She just wrapped a film and is now immediately back at work on the Bridgerton set. We began by talking about how it was a bit hard to celebrate the shows success while in quarantine but maybe that was a good thing. Listen below! I remember shooting the last scene in episode one where Rege and I have our first dance together, Dynevor recalls. And I remember thinking, wow, this feels kind of special. But nonetheless, she wasnt prepared for the firestorm of attention that Bridgerton has received in the weeks, and now months, since its debut during the holiday season. I had no idea what we were filming and I just I just worked my butt off and hoped for the best, she says. I remember, Johnny Bailey and I having conversations where we were like, what is this? Are people gonna get what were trying to do? Because it just feels so strange. And luckily, they did. That hard work included piano lessons, etiquette classes and learning how to ride horseback, among other things. We had six weeks prep, so it was pretty mega, she says. I was so nervous about dancing because Ive always thought of myself as a terrible dancer. So I was like, oh, God, they cast me and I cant dance and theyre gonna find out and its gonna be awful! But luckily, I had a great dance instructor and ended up just really enjoying it. And we got to dance to modern music. I really loved horse riding as well. Piano, Im not so good at. The most difficult element of the show was its intimacy scenes, which Dynevor describes as a challenge, but one that the shows producers treated with care. I remember talking a lot to Rege and our intimacy coordinator, and our showrunner and directorm particularly the first intimate scene, about how it has to look very consensual. Even though Daphne has no idea what shes doing, she still has to be in control in a certain way. So it was finding that balance and how we were going to portray that on screen in an authentic way. Also on this episode: John Wilson is a New York filmmaker who has obsessively been shooting the lives of the people around him and out in the world for years. Sometimes he asks their permission, and sometimes its better that he doesnt. He has long compiled them into short films. But then HBO gave him a show, one that is also executive produced by Nathan Fielder, the Nathan for You star who knows a thing or two about highlighting the interesting contradictions and absurdities of every day people. On How To With John Wilson, as writer/director/cameraman/executive producer and narrator, Wilson takes simple questions, like how to make small talk or how to improve your memory, and he turns it into deep dives into humanity. The Awards Circuit podcast recently spoke with Wilson to get more of an insight into his process, and also into some of the interesting personal details he has revealed, such as his daily chronicle of everything that he experiences. But first, on the Variety Awards Circuit Roundtable, we recap this weeks broadcast upfronts and what surprised us about the greenlights, renewals and cancellations. Varietys Emmy edition of the Awards Circuit podcast is hosted by Michael Schneider, Jazz Tangcay and Danielle Turchiano and is your one-stop listen for lively conversations about the best in television. Each week during Emmy season, Awards Circuit features interviews with top TV talent and creatives; discussions and debates about awards races and industry headlines; and much, much more. Subscribe via Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify or anywhere you download podcasts. New episodes post every Thursday. Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. The first scene of Showtimes new series Flatbush Misdemeanors could go in any direction. It features a Black cop confronting another Black man on the grounds of a school, declaring to dispatch that he suspects him to be a kidnapper or a child predator and insisting upon searching him. The suspect was just delivering food, and the cop seizes it, stirs it with his pen, and licks it, before chasing after a kid whos jumped over a fence. Whatever seeming threat there had been in the scenes earliest moments has been defused; the cop is a goofy annoyance who has just enough power to be pernicious not the threat he might have been in a different series, but a frustrating part of life in a city trying to figure out what it is. This gets at what Flatbush Misdemeanors is, and what its attempting to do. Flatbush Misdemeanors is a show that takes on race, gentrification, and a rapidly-changing New York with a laid-back angle of approach; it observes its characters, but doesnt provoke, instead choosing to wait out situations until they reveal their inherent minor-key looniness. In the tradition of High Maintenance, the show frames outer-borough New York as a sort of oddball purgatory, in which our heroes face no situation that cant be gotten through with a little ingenuity or simply waited out until the mood shifts. The fellow delivering food in that first scene, Kevin (Kevin Iso), was meeting up with his friend Dan (Dan Perlman), a schoolteacher. Dan, an anxious and somewhat lost millennial relying on prescription anti-anxiety meds to get through the day, is helping Kevin find his feet an attempt made more challenging both by Dans own crushing neuroses and by various mishaps. Kevins day of food deliveries, for instance, gets yet more frustrating after his encounter with the cops; he accidentally destroys a drug dealers supply and finds himself responsible for making them whole. The dealer threatens Kevin with violence but, as a button on the scene, is revealed to be a believer in the Zodiac who dislikes that Kevin is a Virgo. The tension of the moment is layered and undercut with a sort of not-unpleasant irony and quirk: In contemporary Brooklyn, even in a neighborhood far from the endless-adolescence playground that Girls depicted, you just never know who is hung up on astrology. Iso and Perlman, both appealing actors, have an unforced, likable chemistry. This makes the shagginess of the series feel like an honest expression of their vibe, even as it can sometimes lend scenes an unfinished air. Much, for instance, pertaining to Dans work and his relationship with his school in particular, a socially conscious, beleaguered administrator (a very able Sharlene Cruz) relies a bit too heavily on chaos and misunderstandings. But in the main, the show is doing something interesting, pushing further into a gentrifying Brooklyn than other shows of its ilk and extracting from it a sort of curiosity about the disparate strains of contemporary culture melting together. The idea underpinning Flatbush Misdemeanors is expressed in the shows third episode, in which Kevins girlfriend Jasmine (Kerry Coddett), an activist, tells Kevin that hes a gentrifier too he may be crashing on a friends couch, but he loves oat-milk mochas. He buys them at a Black-owned coffee shop, but, she says, Black capitalism is still capitalism. Sure, the reference, though crisply delivered by the talented Coddett, is a bit tired. (Theres another example of where the show might at times benefit from a bit of tightening up at the writing level.) But the point is well-taken. The shows Flatbush setting is a microcosm of so many American cities, as longtime residents of color are, if not displaced by white newcomers, then forced to coexist. Its changing so rapidly and unpredictably that Kevin and Dan can be at once the gentrifiers and those who are suffering from gentrifications effects. As in the shows first scene, theyre never really in harms way but learning to put up with a city whose hostility to the middle class verges on the absurd. Thats a lot on the mind of a loose and amiable comedy, and I hope that Flatbush Misdemeanors continues to find its voice as it explores its richly drawn world. Flatbush Misdemeanors premieres Sunday, May 23 at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT. Crew Executive Producers: Dan Perlman, Kevin Iso, Richard Allen-Turner, Jon Thoday, David Martin, Chloe Pisello, , Justin Tipping, and Nastaran Dibai. With Dan Perlman, Kevin Iso. Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. It all ended badly last October when Glenn Greenwald, the pugnacious, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, quit the investigative news site he had co-founded six years earlier. Greenwald left the Intercept with a parting shot, publicly accusing the publication of "censoring" an article he wrote about media silence surrounding allegations of corruption by then-candidate Joe Biden and his son, Hunter. The Intercept's editors fired back, counter-accusing Greenwald of trying to pass off a factually suspect piece. And that should have been that. Greenwald went on to write a popular and lucrative newsletter. He was his own man, no more meddlesome editors to please. Except he wasn't finished with his old shop. In recent days, Greenwald has renewed his feud with the Intercept, engaging in an increasingly bitter war of words. On Twitter and on Fox News, where Greenwald appears frequently, he has accused the publication of exposing private citizens to online harassment through two articles. One was a lengthy expose of the "Riot Squad," a group of conservative journalists who shoot video of violent episodes at BLM protests; the second analyzed hacked data about users of Gab, a social media platform favored by white supremacists and other extremists. "This is repulsive," Greenwald tweeted to his 1.6 million Twitter followers about the Gab story. He added an expletive to describe his former workplace. Greenwald's ex-colleagues at the Intercept say that he has lied about their work. Worse, they say, his attacks have helped stir an angry and dangerous reaction in right-wing circles, leading to harassment of some of the publication's journalists - the very thing Greenwald accused the Intercept of inciting. In the wake of Greenwald's criticism, the author of the Gab story was threatened and "doxed," meaning his personal information was exposed online. It prompted the publication to assign a security detail to him and his wife. Staffers suggest Greenwald, 54, is motivated by more than just psychic payback for his acrimonious divorce from the Intercept seven months ago. They say he is cynically fomenting controversy to attract subscribers to his online newsletter. "I feel like Glenn has lost his moral compass and his grip on reality," Betsy Reed, the Intercept's editor in chief, said in an interview. "He's done a good job of torching his journalistic reputation. He's a huge bully." (The Intercept has stood by its reporting). Greenwald denies any motivation other than fairness. "They've been irresponsible," he said in a phone interview from his home in Brazil. "They should be called on it." During an appearance last week on Laura Ingraham's Fox program, Greenwald claimed that the Intercept had made the videographers targets of protesters by "dragging their faces into the light." The story's author, Robert Mackey, responded on Twitter that this was a curious charge to make, given that the videographers themselves appear semi-regularly on Fox and other conservative outlets to promote their work - and indeed preceded Greenwald on Ingraham's show. Perhaps most disturbing to his former colleagues is the personal nature of some of Greenwald's comments. He disparaged Mackey by tweeting that he had "tried to depict himself as some battle-hardened reporter because he 'live-blogged' the Arab Spring from his ucouch." He included an emoji of a smiley face spouting tears of laughter. Mackey replied that Greenwald himself had recruited him to the Intercept from the New York Times. Greenwald also went after the author of the Gab article, Micah Lee, tweeting that Lee was perusing the hacked data on Gab users with the intent to expose them "if they had the wrong ideology." Over a photo of Lee, he wrote, "The Intercept took this person trained to do computer work and now lets him pretend to be a journalist." Greenwald's criticism of Lee was especially surprising because of the long and fruitful collaboration between the two men. Lee managed the massive databases of leaked information that were the basis of Greenwald's two career-making stories - his Pulitzer Prize-winning reporting on the National Security Agency's domestic surveillance program for the Guardian in 2013 and his revelations of widespread judicial and political corruption in Brazil for the Intercept in 2019. In a tweet last week, Lee called those two projects Greenwald's only "real journalism" in several years. "Everything else has been supporting the American fascist movement dressed up as 'media criticism,' " he wrote. Greenwald offers no apologies, though he does allow that he may have come on a bit strong regarding Lee. "I admit there's a personal element there," he said, noting that Lee had criticized him and unfollowed him on Twitter. "I was hurt that Micah would do that after all we've been through. I'm not going to justify it. I just felt betrayed." Greenwald's battle with his former mates is the latest in a long series of fights he's picked since leaving a career as a lawyer behind in late 2005 to start a blog. His targets, first on his own blog and later in association with Salon and the Guardian, ranged across the political spectrum: President George W. Bush's military and surveillance policies, the Valerie Plame affair, the Obama administration's intelligence apparatus, Chelsea Manning as whistleblower. While sometimes celebrated by liberals - MSNBC's Rachel Maddow once called him "the American left's most fearless political commentator"- Greenwald prefers to be known as a "civil libertarian" with deep misgivings about government power and beholden to no party. In the wake of his NSA reporting in 2014, Greenwald teamed up with documentary filmmaker Laura Poitras and investigative journalist Jeremy Scahill to start the Intercept. The publication aimed to zero in on subjects that had brought its three co-founders to prominence, such as national security, the military-industrial complex, terrorism and domestic surveillance. The nonprofit venture received backing from Pierre Omidyar, the billionaire co-founder of eBay. Award-winning reporting followed, including the Intercept's much-lauded series about the U.S. military's drone assassination program and an investigation of corruption within the Chicago police force. But the Intercept also drew attention for its internal turmoil and public pratfalls. Most notably: In 2017, the Intercept published a leaked NSA report showing evidence of a Russian hacking operation into state voter registration databases. In doing so, the website inadvertently helped expose its anonymous source for the information, a government contractor named Reality Winner who was consequently convicted of leaking classified material and sentenced to more than five years in prison. Reed quickly acknowledged that the Intercept "fell short" in protecting Winner's identity, but the fallout from the episode continued for years. Poitras said in January that she was fired last year by the Intercept's parent company, First Look Media, for publicly criticizing its handling of the Winner matter. First Look Media denied the claim, calling their parting a "natural" decision to not renew Poitras's contract after she "decided to step away from her role at the company to pursue her own projects." The blowup between Greenwald and the Intercept had a long gestation, people at the publication say. Although he was its founding editor, he had little involvement in managing the newsroom and never met many of its staffers, they said. He was often critical of internal decisions, including its handling of Winner, though he typically didn't go public with his complaints. Greenwald describes his growing alienation in both editorial and political terms. "It's gotten away from its original mission," he said. Rather than speaking truth to power, no matter who, "they stand left," he said. He called people at the Intercept "spokesmen" for the left-wing politicians Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., as well as the anti-fascist and Black Lives Matter movements. "They see their role as political activists," he said. Greenwald was talking about leaving the publication by last summer, colleagues say. He spoke enviously about the editorial freedom and riches offered by Substack,the newsletter publishing platform where he now has tens of thousands of subscribers, according to the Financial Times. Greenwald purportedly told people that his friend and fellow firebrand, the writer Matt Taibbi, was earning more than $1 million a year on Substack, easily twice Greenwald's Intercept salary. These former colleagues speculated that Greenwald was simply looking for an excuse to leave the Intercept last fall when he submitted his column about Biden, which he eventually self-published a few days before the presidential election. The nearly 6,000-word essay largely repeated disputed claims that President Donald Trump and other conservatives had leveled at Biden. Greenwald says the Intercept's refusal to print that column was simply his last straw. As to why he has attacked the Intercept via the most overtly conservative programs on Fox News, Greenwald has a simple answer: They asked. "If (MSNBC hosts) Joy Reid or Rachel Maddow or (CNN's) Chris Cuomo called me, I'd say sure," he said, noting he hasn't appeared on either network in years. "But they won't have me." NEW YORK (AP) For Harry, returning to London to attend Prince Philip's funeral last month meant once more facing a place where he felt trapped and hunted by cameras. It would be a test of his ability to cope with the anxiety that was bubbling up again. I was worried about it, I was afraid, Harry told The Associated Press during a recent joint interview with Oprah Winfrey to promote a mental-health series they co-created and co-executive produced for Apple TV+. He was able to work through any trepidation using coping skills learned in therapy. It definitely made it a lot easier, but the heart still pounds, said Harry, the Duke of Sussex and grandson of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II and her late husband Philip. In The Me You Cant See, which debuted Thursday night on Apples streaming service, Harry reveals that he first saw a therapist approximately four years ago at the encouragement of then-girlfriend Meghan. They'd had an argument and she recognized his anger seemed misplaced. The series is another chapter in the unprecedented openness that Harry has brought to his life and his royal family relationships since stepping away from his duties and moving with his wife to California. In March, he and Meghan gave a headline-making interview to Winfrey that elicited a rare public response from the palace. Harry's self-work may be relatively recent but he and older brother William, The Duke of Cambridge, have long championed the importance of mental health. In 2016, Harry, William and his wife Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge, launched Heads Together, an initiative to speak up and not be ashamed to ask for help when mental well-being is at stake. Their collective work led to interactions with people across the globe, from all walks of life, and they recognized a common thread. Sharing your story in order to be able to save a life or help others is absolutely critical," said Harry. Harry is practicing what he preaches and laying bare his own struggles with trauma and grief. He describes in The Me You Can't See, the instances of feeling helpless as a young boy while riding in the car with his mother, Princess Diana, who cried as they were surrounded by paparazzi and she struggled to drive. Years later, Diana was killed in Paris after the car she and friend Dodi Fayed were riding in, crashed during a high-speed chase to flee cameras. Harry was 12 and suppressed his own feelings to meet the mourning public gathered outside Kensington Palace. Cameras rolled and snapped away as he walked behind her casket to Diana's funeral, alongside William, father Prince Charles, Philip and Dianas brother Charles Spencer. Harrys revelations coincide with Queen Elizabeth's official confirmation a few months ago that he and Meghan will not return to their senior royal positions within the family, following a one-year trial period. The couple now lives about 90 minutes north of Los Angeles in an exclusive area near Santa Barbara called Montecito. They count Winfrey, Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom as neighbors. The paparazzi still lurks but it's less intense than in Los Angeles. This new, outspoken prince who shares his emotions is a contrast to the never complain, never explain," keep calm and carry on mantras that are part of the prototypical British way. The British tabloids have had a field day picking apart his statements. Some royal commentators have also cried foul over a contradiction between seeking a private life yet granting interviews and revealing family strife. Harry appears to be cautious in choosing what he wants to speak about, and neither he nor Meghan seem interested in sharing their every move with the world. They do not operate a social media account. He is undeterred by naysayers, he says, because there's a greater good in being honest about his struggles. I see it as a responsibility. I dont find it hard to open up," he said. "Knowing the impacts and the positive reaction that it has for so many people that also suffer, I do believe its a responsibility. Winfrey was already working with Apple to develop a series on mental health when a conversation with Harry sparked the idea to join forces. We were having a conversation and I asked him, What are the two most important issues you think facing the world today? And he said immediately, climate change and mental health." She mentioned the project and Winfrey recalls him later saying , Oh, by the way, if you ever need any help with that give me a call. And I went and turned around and said, Whats your number? Winfrey's existing partnership with Apple created a rare opportunity to reach the vast number of people who use the companys devices, Harry said. If thats in a billion pockets on a billion screens, then maybe we can really start a global conversation about this, he said. Winfrey recalls some of her own childhood traumas in The Me You Cant See. In addition to her and Harrys stories, the series also features accounts from both regular people and celebrities including Lady Gaga and Glenn Close, who speak candidly about their own experiences with mental illness. Winfrey said Harry pushed to present a global perspective. This has got to be a world thing and not just a U.S. thing, she recounted him saying, adding: "I think weve accomplished that really well. Harry jokes he's slowly catching up to Winfrey's decades of inner-work and encouragement of others to do the same whether on The Oprah Winfrey Show" or her Super Soul Sunday" interviews on OWN. Even Winfrey said she's had a lot to learn. I have dealt personally with one of the girls from my school (Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa), who had schizophrenia," Winfrey said. Only after hearing the doctor say that its a diagnosis. Its not your life, its not who you are, that I had my great awakening about it. ... That is not you. You are a person who has a diagnosis of schizophrenia. That is powerful." Click here to read the full article. Michelle Zauner, who records under the alias Japanese Breakfast, has released a new song, Savage Good Boy, accompanied by a self-directed music video starring Michael Imperioli. In the video, Imperioli plays poker with Zauner until she bites the Sopranos star in the neck and leaves him bleeding out. Savage Good Boy came from a headline I read about billionaires buying bunkers, Zauner said in an interview with Rolling Stone. I was interested in examining that specific type of villainy, and I found myself adopting the perspective of a rich man coaxing a young woman to come live with him underground, attempting to rationalize his almost impossible share of greed and miserliness. She continued, I knew I wanted the music video to be a pretty literal interpretation of that idea. I wanted to juxtapose images of this post-apocalyptic, industrial bunker with the lightness and extravagance of rococo fashion and set design. Aiming for that balance, my cinematographer, Adam Kolodny, and I were really inspired by Chan Wook Parks The Handmaiden, Stanley Kubricks Barry Lyndon and Sally Potters Orlando.' Following Be Sweet and Posing in Bondage, Savage Good Boy is the third single from Zauners upcoming album Jubilee, out June 4 via Dead Oceans. Japanese Breakfast will also hit the road for a summer and fall tour, kicking off July 28 in Asbury Park, New Jersey. Along with Alex Berg, Imperioli is currently developing a scripted HBO series, in which Imperioli will also star, described as a meta blend of fact and fiction based on the actors own experiences as a practicing Buddhist. Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. Netflix has dropped a teaser-trailer for Italian chiller A Classic Horror Story, which appears to reference Italys past horror masters like Dario Argento and Mario Bava but also looks like it will break new ground. The creepy pic, set to launch globally on the streamer July 14, is co-directed by young helmers Roberto De Feo and Paolo Strippoli. De Feos directorial debut, gothic chiller The Nest, launched in 2019 from the Locarno Film Festival and played on its 8,000-seat Piazza Grande dedicated to crowdpleasers. Strippoli is at his first feature film. A Classic Horror Story sees five carpoolers travel in a motorhome to reach a common destination. Night falls and to avoid a dead animal carcass, they crash into a tree. When they come to their senses, they find themselves in the middle of nowhere. The road they were traveling on has disappeared and there is only a dense, impenetrable forest and a wooden house in the middle of a clearing, which they discover is the home of a spine-chilling cult. Produced by Milan-based Colorado Film, Horror Story was shot over five weeks in Italys southern Apulia region, as well as in Rome. The ensemble cast comprises Francesco Russo, Peppino Mazzotta, Yulia Sobol, Will Merrick, Alida Baldari Calabria Cristina Donadio (Gomorrah) and Matilda Lutz (pictured), who starrred in F. Javier Gutierrezs Rings, the third instalment of the U.S. Ring franchise. Lutz also toplined French director Coralie Fargeats Revenge, in which she plays a woman seeking revenge after being abused by three men and left for dead in the desert. Italian cinema is currently starting to revisit the horror genre it became known for during the 1960s and 70s. Another recent Italian horror film with a new twist is Non Mi Uccidere (Dont Kill) directed by Andrea De Sica, about a 19 year old named Mirta, who, with her older lover Robin, dies of a drug overdose. She then resuscitates alone to find out that in order to continue living, and cherishing the memory of Robins love, she must eat living humans. Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. The credits on BTS new single, the synth-heavy dance pop track Butter, will be familiar to people who follow such things, with names like Rob Grimaldi, Stephen Kirk, Alex Bilowitz, Sebastian Garcia and the groups RM as well as Jenna Andrews, who received a vocal production credit on the K-pop titans global breakthrough song Dynamite. But there will be another name that is usually seen in a very different context: that of Columbia Records chairman Ron Perry, who has worked closely with the group since he took the Sony Music labels helm at the beginning of 2018, and is listed as a writer and producer on the track. Speaking to Apple Music, BTS RM said of Butter: We never actually expected that we were going to release another single, but the virus is getting longer and longer so we thought we need another summer song. We thought we needed another summer number, and Butter was perfectly fit for that. And now were here. Perry, who was named Varietys music executive of the year for 2020, was a cofounder of SONGS Music Publishing, which he helped build into a formidable publishing house thanks to hits by Lorde, the Weeknd and Diplo, among others then cashed out when it was sold to Kobalt for $150 million in December 2017. Being in publishing, I was really involved in making records, Perry told Variety last year of a process that involves everything from arranging songs to mixing. That hasnt changed. I hope I have good instincts. Sometimes I dont. Over time, you work really hard to perfect that as much as you can. At Columbia, the label has taken an A&R-centric approach during Perrys reign, which has yielded several No. 1 hits, among them Lil Nas Xs Old Town Road and 24kGoldns Mood (signed via Barry Weiss RECORDS), with The Kid Larois Without You not far behind. He also identified Dynamite as a potential hit for BTS from a demo he received. I freaked out the first time I heard it, says Perry of the track, written by David Stewart and Jessica Agombar. I knew it would be the No. 1 song BTS had always wanted. With the ARMYs help and support, it was. While the practice of label heads writing and producing music is hardly uncommon in the past (from legitimate producers like top Atlantic Records exec Jerry Wexler to less-legitimate creatives like Roulette Records chief Morris Levy) or in the indie-label world, it is rare for the chief executive of a 21st century major label. However, Atlantic Records CEO Craig Kallman is a veteran DJ and has been getting his hands dirty in the studio since he founded the dance/hip-hop label Big Beat in the mid-1980s. He is a listed co-producer, but not songwriter, on Cardi Bs smash I Like It, and his co-producers credited him with finding the original sample and driving the song through a seven-month recording process. Looking at the other side of the equation, creatives who have taken the helms of major labels, like Jay-Z at Def Jam, super-producer Rick Rubin at Columbia, and songwriter Amanda Ghost at Epic, have generally not been anywhere near as successful in the boardroom as the studio. Last year, many were surprised to see Justin Bieber/Ariana Grande manager Scooter Braun listed as one of seven songwriters on his clients No. 1 duet single, Stuck With U, although he also has a credit on a 2015 Bieber song. Is this a new trend or an outlier? Time will tell, and were looking at you, Sir Lucian BTS, comprised of Jung Kook, V, Jimin, j-hope, SUGA, Jin and RM, will perform Butter at the Billboard Music Awards on May 23. See more of the songs production credits below: Written by: Alex Bilowitz, Jenna Andrews, RM, Rob Grimaldi, Ron Perry, Sebastian Garcia, Stephen Kirk Produced by: Rob Grimaldi, Stephen Kirk, Ron Perry Mixed by: Serban Ghenea Mastered by: Chris Gehringer Vocal Production: Stephen Kirk and Jenna Andrews Vocals Arranger: Pdogg Recording Engineers: Keith Parry, Juan Saucy Pena and Pdogg Recorded at: Dogg Bounce (Seoul, South Korea); Larry and George Studios (New York, USA) SOURCE: BIGHIT MUSIC/HYBE; Genius Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. Set to air on May 26 on the U.K.s Channel 4, Before We Die, the latest production from Eagle Eye, marks an adaptation of Innan vi dor, the hit Swedish show of the same international title. The six-episode series eloquently translates the precise and effective narrative of the original. Distributed by ZDF Enterprises, while the U.K. makeover heightens the pace, leaving out secondary plot, it explores far more deeply the series central emotional bond, ending up delivering a completely different take on the story. Directed by Jan Matthys, the Bristol-set crime thriller tracks the investigation of a Croatian crime family, the Mimica, made by senior police detective, Hannah Laing after the disappearance of a fellow police officer Sean Hardacre who was also her married lover. Professional and personal life entangle even more inextricably as her son works as a dishwasher in the Mimica family restaurant, which allows him to work as an informant for Sean. This is a face-paced crime procedural with a large sen of peril and a focus on a broken mother-son relationship. Co-headed by Walter Iuzzolino, best-known for Channel 4s Walter Presents a VOD service specializing in judiciously selected foreign-language content Eagle Eyes interest in adaptation underscores what Iuzzolino had already remarked at Januarys Goteborg Festival in Sweden:, the ever growing market importance of IP. Variety talked with Iuzzolino in the build-up to the shows premiere on Channel 4. As the first episode unfolds, it becomes clear that the adaptation is condensing the Swedish originals action and finding its own more driven and focused pace, abbreviating moments from the original without losing the efficiency that they had. What were your guidelines when finding a new rhythm for the show? Our main objective was to capture the powerful dramatic core at the heart of the original series and allow it to flourish by sculpting the story in a vertical fashion, without the distraction of too many unwieldy subplots. We decided to focus on the truly unique selling point, the dysfunctional relationship between mother and son playing out as a rollercoaster action thriller, and we removed all the outer layers of storytelling that were not related to that. It was a wonderfully inspiring process as the more subplots we removed, the more powerful the story became. On the one hand, our adaptation became a pure distillation of nail biting, adrenaline pumping action on the other, by dispensing with unnecessary subplots and red herrings, the main characters were given more space to breathe, and the psychological depth of the narrative was greatly amplified as a result. Of course when translating a show from another country a lot has to do with the idiosyncrasies between the two cultures. What elements were more difficult to translate to an English-speaking culture? At its core, Before We Die is built around universal themes: the powerful but sometimes complicated bond between mother and son, the meaning of family loyalty, the impulse to defend our loved ones beyond moral boundaries. These elements were very easy to adapt and reconfigure as their emotional appeal to audiences isnt culturally specific. The only tricky element that we immediately knew would not resonate with an English audience within an English setting was the story of the biker gangs, which are a recurrent trope of most Scandi crime thrillers. In Scandi fiction, biker gangs have a very specific resonance within the context of the criminal underworld in the same way that Mafiosi are a key iconic signifier of criminality in Italian series. However, this does not apply to the U.K., where biker gangs have a completely different cultural significance, so we knew that storyline would need to be removed but the power of the central narrative spine was greatly enhanced as a result. Could you comment on your decision to focus on the mother-son relationship, a decision that profoundly changes the adaptation, making it a vehicle for a different sort of thematic exploration. When we started to adapt the series, it became immediately clear to us that this was a psychological family drama built around the architecture and grammar of a rollercoaster action packed crime thriller. The mother and son relationship was the stand out dynamic that attracted us to the concept, but we knew that this was only the entry point and that at its core, the series was ultimately about the meaning of family. When we started analyzing the premise from that perspective, it became clear to us that the series was effectively putting two very different families against each other. That we had two mothers and two sons engaged in a lethal battle of survival. It is like a mirror with two faces, and this dramatic symmetry became the key theme of our adaptation and allowed us to took the series in a completely different direction emotionally. Both shows feel immensely different due to choices in editing, art direction and overall directing. One standout aspect of Before We Die is also its rich cinematography, that finds texture, depth and color in every set-ups. We wanted to create a completely different visual universe from the original Swedish show the original used a deliberately street, hand held, paired back documentary style feel to bring a sense of rawness to the setting. We wanted our series to feel like a lavish movie our inspiration was the elegance, glamour and visual richness of American thrillers of the 1940s. This is why we approached Jan Matthys, a visionary director who can stage incredibly rich, complex and elaborate tableaux but never at the expense of emotional authenticity and psychological depth. Jan believes in beauty as a vehicle for emotional truth, so in his hands everything from a dilapidated warehouse to a country lane becomes incredibly arresting and poetic. This creates a heightened reality, a harmonious aesthetic universe where the actors performances are amplified and captured with incredible sharpness. Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Two people have been arrested in relation to the discovery of 42 migrants and 5,000 rounds of ammo inside a home in central Laredo, authorities said. Luis Bernardo Rodriguez and Claudia Veronica Graciano-Rodriguez are facing charges of bringing in and harboring migrants. Details on the case are scarce since it remains sealed. At about 4 p.m. May 17, U.S. Border Patrol agents and Webb County Precinct 2 Constables Office deputies investigated suspicious activity reported at a home in the 3600 block of Tilden Avenue in the Las Cruces neighborhood. A search of the property resulted in the apprehension of 42 migrants and the discovery of 5,000 rounds of ammo, authorities said. There were three unaccompanied children from Guatemala among the migrants. Special agents with the Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives supported this investigation that was initiated by Homeland Security Investigations. Rodriguez and Graciano-Rodriguez were arrested in relation to the case. Attorney Rene Cantu is representing Graciano-Rodriguez. He released a statement on her behalf. The accusations against Ms. Graciano-Rodriguez are serious in nature. However, there are other circumstances that are being looked into, which I believe will help mitigate her role in this offense, Cantu said in a statement. She is a first-time alleged offender and she has never had any issues with law enforcement previously. We look forward to providing her with effective legal representation by conducting a thorough review of all the relevant facts, and evidence in the case, in order to achieve the best possible outcome for Ms. Graciano-Rodriguez. During the Monday City Council meeting, a general council discussion topic brought in by Mayor Pete Saenz involving vaccine tourism saw a debate from council members who feel that Texas residents should be prioritized before tourists from Mexico. According to Saenz, the topic stemmed from the New York City decision to allow foreigners to visit the city and receive the vaccine. As Texas is one of the states that cannot ask for residency information, the way is open for Laredo to start promoting vaccines to people, with an emphasis on Mexican nationals. The discussion started to begin the process of facilitating vaccine tourism. The first issue was quickly brought up by city manager Robert Eads on Monday, but further complicated on Tuesday; it being the extension of the ban of non-essential travel from Mexico into the U.S. by Secretary of Mexican Foreign Affairs Marcelo Ebrard. The ban was extended until June 21 and restricts on-land travel, but it has no effect on air travel. During the meeting, Saenz showed optimism about the reopening of the border, but the U.S. has to wait and abide by the Mexican governments decision. Ultimately, the plan would consist of inviting Mexican citizens, by land or air, to travel to Laredo for the Pfizer or Moderna doses, prompting them to spend time in the city and stimulating the local economy. Councilmember Alberto Torres suggested that further airport promotion in Monterrey and Mexico City could be altered to promote traveling to Laredo to receive the vaccine. With nothing legally prohibiting Laredo officials from inviting Mexicans to receive the vaccine here, the plan saw a positive reaction. Saenz also believed that if Laredo is the first to start, it would set a guideline for other border cities proceeding with their own vaccine tourism plans. Laredo International Airport Director Jeffrey Miller said that after discussing the plan with airlines, they would feel more comfortable if city officials issued a proclamation, resolution or press event in support of vaccine tourism before beginning the promotion. The idea wasnt unanimously lauded, as Councilmember Vidal Rodriguez believed that the city failed to adequately promote the vaccine to the Laredo community and its undocumented residents who fear deportation. He cautioned of federal repercussion to limit the number of vaccines sent to Laredo providers. Its very sad for you guys to consider otherwise before we have a 100% or at least 90% to 95% of the people of Laredo vaccinated, Rodriguez said. Saenz rebutted saying that the message to vaccinate has been circulated with no citizenship questions asked. It is now up to the residents of Laredo to decide to get vaccinated. Councilmember Marte Martinez joined in and said that aside from Laredo residents, the priority should expand to residents in the surrounding region like Cotulla, Del Rio and Zapata and ensure Texans are getting vaccinated before Mexican nationals. To provide the vaccine to incoming tourists, supply would have to be available to them and the county population. Interim Health Director Richard Chamberlain said that the Laredo Health Department currently has a little over 3,000 vaccine doses in their possession. In addition, businesses like H-E-B, Walgreens, CVS, local pharmacies and city partners also have their own separate stock of vaccines available. In some cases, he said that with individuals not returning for their second dose, those doses are turned over to first doses. We are very confident there are vaccines to continue to provide service for our immediate community and anybody who is visiting our community, whether they are from California or foreign as well, Chamberlain said. However, he did clarify during the meeting that his confidence extends to an airline-only operation, not an on-land tourism plan. He also explained that as allocations are no longer in play, in the situation where a large number of vaccines are needed, requests will have to be made by any of the vaccine providers throughout the city. This means that cities will have to request the number of doses prior to any vaccine clinic, vaccination event or vaccine tourism prior to their start. As of Wednesday, Chamberlain said that Laredo is currently at 77.75% of the total Webb County residents based on U.S. Census at least having one vaccine. However, during the meeting, he cited that the Texas Department of State Health Services declared that Laredo has a 30% hesitancy rate, individuals who do not want to get the vaccine. Lastly, Eileen Ramos, Director for the Laredo Convention and Visitors Bureau, said that despite the city wanting to streamline the vaccination process, Mexican nationals have stated that they gravitate to recognizable vaccine providers such as H-E-B, Walmart and Walgreens. They are also drawn to the Johnson & Johnson vaccine as it is a one-dose process. She added that they also express interest in having the vaccine drives outside of Mall del Norte or the Outlet Shoppes at Laredo so they can shop soon after their dose. Prior to that, they hope to start appointments for vaccines and have planned to visit without one regardless. The motion to move forward with the planning was voted in favor by all except Vidal Rodriguez. cocampo@lmtonline.com Regional Local priest shot dead in KA DIPHU, MAY 20: | Publish Date: 5/20/2021 2:41:25 PM IST Correspondent A community priest and prominent social worker of Dhansiri locality of Karbi Anglong district, Sanjay Ronghang was shot dead by suspected armed ultras on Wednesday evening. Ronghang was a BJP party worker, who played active role in securing the party base in the bordering area. He was also a close political associate of Tuliram Ronghang, chief executive member of Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council. We are zeroing near the position of the suspects and hope to deliver a positive result very soon, the terrain is difficult and providing some kind of advantage to the militant groups Pushpraj Singh SP Karbi Anglong told this correspondent. According to local police, an unidentified number of miscreants with sophisticated weapons attacked the residence of Ronghang located in Daujifung village on a hillock. The place of incident is within close proximity of Dhansiri police station. KeithBinns/Getty Images In a major announcement last week, the governor of the Mexican state of Quintana Roo warned that the state had seen five straight weeks of increased COVID-19 rates following last months spring holidays. The dramatically rising case numbers led him to warn that Mexicos number one tourist destination is at risk of imminent lockdown, according to the Associated Press. Rates in most of the rest of Mexico have been declining, reported the A.P., but Quintana Roo depends on tourism for 87% of its economic activity, and has instituted no travel bans or testing requirements. WASHINGTON (AP) President Joe Biden on Friday said he and South Korean President Moon Jae-in remain deeply concerned about the situation with North Korea, and announced he will deploy a new special envoy to the region to help refocus efforts on pressing Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear weapons program. Moon, meanwhile, welcomed Americas return to the world stage and said both leaders pledged in their meeting to work closely toward denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. Biden told a joint news conference with Moon that he was dispatching career diplomat Sung Kim, who previously served as ambassador to South Korea, to serve as the special envoy to the region. Moon said the move by Biden reflects the firm commitment of the U.S. for exploring diplomacy and its readiness for dialogue with North Korea. Biden also announced that the U.S. would vaccinate 550,000 South Korean servicemembers who serve alongside U.S. forces on the peninsula. This marks the first commitment by the Biden administration for what it plans to do with the 80 million vaccine doses it aims to distribute globally in the next six weeks. Biden has said he hopes to use domestically produced vaccines as a modern-day arsenal of democracy, a reference to the U.S. effort to arm allies in World War II. At the same time, the White House has pledged not to attach policy conditions to countries receiving the doses as global vaccine diplomacy heats up. Moon came to Washington seeking renewed diplomatic urgency by the U.S. on curbing North Koreas nuclear program, even as the White House signaled that it is taking a longer view on the issue. The two also discussed coordination on vaccine distribution, climate change and regional security concerns spurred by China. Their meeting was only Biden's second in-person session with a foreign leader because of the coronavirus pandemic. His first was with Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga. Moon said afterward he and Biden spoke "like old friends and emphasized the need for cooperation on security issues in the region. The most urgent common task that our two countries must undertake is achieving complete denuclearization and permanent peace on the Korean Peninsula, he said. Biden did not rule out meeting North Korean leader Kim Jong Un Kim. But in a veiled reference to former President Donald Trumps charm offensive with Kim, Biden said he would not replicate the efforts of the recent past. Trump met face-to-face with the dictator on three occasions and exchanged what he called love letters with the leader. I would not give him all that hes looking for," Biden said of Kim, namely international recognition. Biden paid tribute to the long history of shared sacrifice by the two allies. His formal talks with Moon in the afternoon ran long, Biden said in earlier remarks, because I enjoyed the meeting so much that it caused us to move everything back. He said his staff interrupted repeatedly to warn they were over time. At the press conference, Biden also took a moment to note South Korea's growing influence on mainstream American culture. He said that now K-pop fans are universal" and noted Korean actress Yuh-Jung Youn winning the Oscar award last month for her performance in Minari as well as the South Korean film Parasite winning the best picture award at the 2020 Oscars. Moon said, The world is welcoming Americas return, an oblique reference to Trump's attempts to disengage on some aspects of American diplomacy. The White House announced last month that it had completed a review of North Korea policy and Biden would veer from the strategies of his two most recent predecessors, rejecting both Trumps deeply personal effort to win over Kim and Barack Obamas more hands-off approach. But the administration has yet to detail what its third-way effort to try to prod the North to abandon its nuclear program will look like. Moon started his day at the White House complex by meeting with Vice President Kamala Harris and top Biden advisers. Moon also participated in a Medal of Honor ceremony for Ralph Puckett, a 94-year-old Army veteran who was celebrated for his gallantry during the Korean War more than 70 years ago. Without the sacrifice of veterans including Colonel Puckett ... freedom and democracy we enjoy today couldnt have blossomed in Korea, said Moon. Moon, who will leave office next May, is eager to resume stalled talks between Washington and Pyongyang and between Seoul and Pyongyang. But the Biden administration, which confirmed in March that it had made outreach efforts to the North without success, has been less enthusiastic about the idea of direct negotiations in the near term. Still, Moon made clear before the meeting that he would nudge Biden to renew diplomatic efforts with the North. Biden also used the meeting to press South Korea to adopt a more ambitious 2030 target for curbing carbon emissions and to urge Seoul to do more to counter Chinas growing influence in the Indo-Pacific region. Biden also wants Moon to take a strong stance on China's activity toward Taiwan and other provocative moves Beijing has made in the region. Biden has sought to rally Pacific allies to coordinate on China, which Biden sees as the United States' fiercest economic competitor. South Korea could be reluctant to speak out about China, an important trading partner that it also sees as key in dealing with the North Korean government. Moon told the press conference there was no pressure on the issue from Biden in their meeting. ___ Associated Press writer Alexandra Jaffe contributed reporting. Grand French couturier Madeleine Vionnet once said, when a woman smiles her dress must smile with her, and I could not agree more. I am currently on the museum buzz, having been asked by the gorgeous ladies at the Albertland Museum to help with the curation of the exhibition The Way We Wore on May 29 with items from my private collection taking a starring role. I have beautiful items from many eras, however my true obsession floats between the 1930s and the post World War II era. This period saw the dawning of the bias cut, with the fabric cut across the grain, which draped down the curvature of the female silhouette like liquid gold awakening all the curves, which were often accentuated by a train elongating the body. Silks, satins and lace created glamour, romance, and sensuality beyond your wildest dreams. Conversely, this same era saw desperate poverty through the Depression and war. Ingenuity borne out of poverty saw food sacks repurposed as dresses during this period. These humble cotton feed sack dresses, far more conservative in nature, epitomised the deprivation of the era, but are no less beautiful. In many ways I love these dresses more. That desire they had to still look pretty in horrendous life conditions will forever be the basis on which a simple little floral dress will never be unfashionable. I adore them. When a woman smiles her dress must smile with her. My two rare Edwardian dressmakers mannequins are my version of grown-up dollies, and when I dress them my clothes burst into life. Running my hands down them, I can feel a tingling hum, a thousand pins, hopes and dreams. Perhaps they held a wedding dress with aspirations for the future or just something lovely to greet her lover returning from the war? The journey of fashion throughout our history is one of great expression and creativity, but as we all know, can be fickle and fraught with social danger, especially in your formative years. Trying to pull the hippy vibe off in the late 80s saw me catapulted from cool to seriously uncool. My husband wearing 80s stonewash double denim in the 90s for our first date nearly banished him to the friendship-only zone! The current trend that is seeing all guests wearing white to a wedding is something I never thought I would see. Try that stunt back in history and you may have had your eyeballs clawed out by the brides perfectly manicured talons! To help justify the cost of my addiction, I wear my dresses and can often be found down the beach wearing a 30s gown over togs, which may seem ridiculous, but I do not want them to die on hangers. The fragile nature of these clothes means trying to pull off a rap dance after a few wines serves only to compromise the integrity of the fabric and expose your undies. Sadly, my four daughters seem uninterested in my old clothes, so it is a privilege to be able to share them with the museum and others. Clothes aside, our little rural museums are the most wonderful picture books of our local history. Visiting them allows us to softly turn the pages of our past, inhaling lessons learnt, knowledge imparted and wrongs that need fixing. The quietly aging volunteers that donate their time to these museums deserve a round of applause. Opening day of the exhibition will also fittingly see the Wellsford Warkworth Vintage Car Club display their cars, knowing full well that these styles of frocks once sat proudly on their duco. For a cheap and cheerful day out, you could follow along to the Port Albert Hall for a cuppa and home bake. Maybe cruise out to the Tapora Peninsula afterwards and take a walk along Birds Beach? And finish your day with some famous fish n chips from the Port Albert General store, eaten down the wharf? It all sounds so lovely. I hope to see you there xx. The Way We Wore 50 years of Fashion opens at the Albertland Heritage Museum on May 29 at 11am. At 1.15pm, a vintage car procession will head from the museum to Port Albert Hall. The hall will host displays, quizzes and raffles. Refreshments will be available at the hall from 1.30pm for a gold coin donation. Julie Cotton admin@oceanique.co.nz Budding economists from Longford, Michelle Laffan, Aoife Duffy and Katie Brogan, have won the Central Bank of Ireland Silver Award at the Young Economist of the Year competition. The students from Mercy Secondary School in Ballymahon, Longford, were honoured for their project which explored regressive taxation and carbon tax. The young economists were recognised at the awards ceremony streamed online today which included guest speakers Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Michael McGrath, and Central Bank Deputy Governor Sharon Donnery. Students from Killorglin Community College in Kerry, and Patrician High School in Monaghan, also both won awards. The competition is organised by the Department of Education Professional Development Services for Teachers. The Central Bank of Ireland Award at the Young Economist of the Year aims to discover and highlight the talent of emerging economists in Ireland, with a focus on the Irish economy and monetary policy. The entries by second-level students are reviewed by a judging panel made up of Central Bank economists. Sharon Donnery, Deputy Governor of the Central Bank praised the students for participating in the competition, saying the awards were just recognition for the trios ability in grasping sometimes complex fiscal and monetary practices Its exciting for us at the Central Bank to see the economic minds, ideas and ambitions of our younger peers. Through this award, we invite students to explore issues of importance to the Irish economy, or to monetary policy," she said. "The projects, which covered a wide range of topics, were of a very high standard and gave us cause to believe that we have a great generation of economists to come. "I congratulate all the students on reaching the final and Michelle, Aoife and Katie on winning the Silver Medal. The students showed a great understanding of the principles of economics and monetary policy. We would like to commend the Department of Education Professional Development Service for Teachers and the Young Economist of the Year Working Group for the continued success of this hugely valuable initiative. The Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) with the assistance of local Gardai conducted a search operation in Newbridge, Co Kildare and Tallaght, Dublin 24 this morning. Four premises were searched including residential premises in Tallaght and Newbridge as well as two professional premises in Co Kildare. The following items of note were seized - 171 Nissan XTrail Jeep 2,300 cash Financial documentation Designer handbags and accessories The CAB investigation is focused on an individual who is believed to be involved in the commission of burglaries and thefts across Dublin and the wider Leinster area. Netflix has released the details of all the new shows, documentaries and movies arriving to the streaming platform just in time for the weekend. Grab some popcorn and snacks and let the long weekend begin! Army of the Dead Following a zombie outbreak in Las Vegas, a group of mercenaries take the ultimate gamble, venturing into the quarantine zone to pull off the greatest heist ever attempted. Army of the Dead takes place following a zombie outbreak that has left Las Vegas in ruins and walled off from the rest of the world. When Scott Ward (Dave Bautista), a displaced Vegas local, former zombie war hero whos flipping burgers on the outskirts of the town he now calls home, is approached by casino boss Bly Tanaka (Hiroyuki Sanada), its with the ultimate proposition: Break into the zombie-infested quarantine zone to retrieve $200 million sitting in a vault beneath the strip before the city is nuked by the government in 32 hours. Driven by the hope that the payoff could help pave the way to a reconciliation with his estranged daughter Kate (Ella Purnell), Ward takes on the challenge, assembling a ragtag team of experts for the heist. With a ticking clock, a notoriously impenetrable vault, and a smarter, faster horde of Alpha zombies closing in, only one things for certain in the greatest heist ever attempted: survivors take all. Jurassic World Camp Cretaceous: Season 3 Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous follows a group of six teenagers chosen for a once-in-a-lifetime experience at a new adventure camp on the opposite side of Isla Nublar. The campers uncover more details of Dr. Wus secret research and must quickly take their fate into their own hands with a dangerous plan to leave Isla Nublar behind for good. But when a tropical storm delays their departure, a lethal new threat quickly closes in on the campers, placing their escape, as well as their lives, in extreme peril. Special: Season 2 Special is a distinctive and uplifting series about a gay man, Ryan, with mild cerebral palsy who decides to rewrite his identity and finally go after the life he wants Now semi-estranged from his mother, Ryan continues exploring the world on his own, with all the complex ups and downs life and love have to offer. Ryan really needs to get his shit together. It's been two months and he still hasn't spoken to Karen since their fight and he has a gnarly case of writer's block that's getting him in hot water with Olivia. Enter Tanner, a fun, flirty dance instructor who charms Ryan despite not being totally available. When his writer's block eventually lifts, he's inspired to write a longform piece about disability. From there, he begins a journey of self-discovery that creates unexpected complications. Master of None - (23/5/2021) The Emmy Award-winning Master of None returns with a new season that chronicles the relationship of Denise and her partner Alicia. This new season is a modern love story that intimately illustrates the ups and downs of marriage, struggles with fertility, and personal growth both together and apart. Fleeting romantic highs meet crushing personal losses while existential questions of love and living are raised. Bridesmaids Kristen Wiig leads the cast as Annie, a maid of honour whose life unravels as she leads her best friend, Lillian (Maya Rudolph), and a group of colourful bridesmaids (Rose Byrne, Melissa McCarthy, Wendi McLendon-Covey and Ellie Kemper) on a wild ride down the road to matrimony. Annie's life is a mess. But when she finds out her lifetime best friend is engaged, she simply must serve as Lillian's maid of honor. Though lovelorn and broke, Annie bluffs her way through the expensive and bizarre rituals. With one chance to get it perfect, she'll show Lillian and her bridesmaids just how far you'll go for someone you love. Notting Hill William Thacker (Hugh Grant) is a London bookstore owner whose humdrum existence is thrown into romantic turmoil when famous American actress Anna Scott (Julia Roberts) appears in his shop. A chance encounter over spilled orange juice leads to a kiss that blossoms into a full-blown affair. As the average bloke and glamorous movie star draw closer and closer together, they struggle to reconcile their radically different lifestyles in the name of love. Fifty Shades of Grey Fifty Shades of Grey is the film adaptation of the bestselling book that became a global phenomenon. Christian Grey (Jamie Dornan), a wealthy businessman and a naive college student engage in an intense relationship marked by the exploration of erotic extremes. Jaws When an insatiable great white shark terrorises Amity Island, a police chief, an oceanographer, and a grizzled shark hunter seek to destroy the beast Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang When Nanny McPhee arrives at the Green farm, she uses magic and discipline to help frazzled Mrs Green run things while her husband fights in the war The Nutty Professor Humiliated while trying to impress a pretty grad student, portly professor Sherman Klump takes a massive dose of his new weight loss potion Shark Tale In this animated tale, a small fish with big aspirations and a great white shark with a surprising secret form an unlikely friendship International Myanmar junta accused of ignoring regional peace plan Bangkok, May 21 (IANS): | Publish Date: 5/21/2021 2:15:35 PM IST Myanmars military rulers have ignored a tentative peace plan agreed a month ago by the 10-country Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), according to lawmakers from across the region. The ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR) group on Friday urged the blocs nine other member-states to push for immediate and effective implementation of the Five-Point Consensus, as the blueprint is called, and to hold the military accountable for its blatant disregard of the deal, dpa news agency reported. Myanmar junta leader Min Aung Hlaing signed up to the consensus, which includes calls for an end to violence and the visit to Myanmar of a regional envoy, during an ASEAN summit one month ago. The army seized power in Myanmar on February 1, arresting civilian government leaders including Aung San Suu Kyi, the 1991 Nobel peace laureate. Nationwide protests against the coup have been met with fierce army reprisals that activists say have killed over 800 people. The April ASEAN deal came about after some neighbouring governments voiced concerns about spill-over as refugees fled border-region fighting between the army and ethnic militias. Nothing has changed, said Malaysian opposition lawmaker Charles Santiago, the APHR chair, who on Friday accused Min Aung Hlaing of blatantly ignoring the deal. Kasit Piromya, a former Thai foreign minister, said ASEAN governments run the risk of being seen as acting to protect them (the junta) against global condemnation, not to end the violence. Ensure you get a print copy of the Loudoun Times-Mirror delivered weekly to your home or business! Complete online access is included with all print subscriptions purchased online. Plus, up to four other members of your household can share online access through this subscription with their own, individual linked accounts at no additional charge. (Are you a current advertiser? Ask your sales rep for our special advertiser rate code!) (Alliance News) - Carnival PLC on Thursday said it plans US sailings again, starting with Alaska voyages in July. The cruise ship firm said three of its brands will return to service in the US. The Alaska voyages will depart from Seattle. The trip plans come after the US Centers for Disease Controla& Prevention relaxed guidance on cruise ships, and as Alaskan officials passed the Alaska Tourism Restoration Act. "We are excited to once again serve our guests from the US, and we express our deep gratitude to all national, state and local officials who have worked collaboratively with us, the CDC and our entire industry to make this possible. It is great news for cruising, for travellers ready to again explore the world and for all the communities in Alaska that depend on cruising and have suffered great hardships over the past year," Chief Executive Officer Arnold Donald said. On Monday, the company said some of its units have resumed cruises in Europe and the Caribbean. AIDA Cruises, Costa Cruises, Cunard, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, Seabourn and P&O Cruises have begun sailing from global ports in Europe and the Caribbean, Carnival said. Back in March of last year, the US CDC recommended people to avoid travelling on cruise ships. Carnival shares ended down 0.1% at 1,609.40 pence each in London on Thursday. In New York, Carnival Corp shares fell 0.5% to USD27.53. Shares were up 1.4% after hours. By Eric Cunha; ericcunha@alliancenews.com Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. (Alliance News) - Evraz PLC on Friday announced that it has promoted Aleksey Ivanov to chief executive of the blue-chip Russian steelmaker. Ivanov is senior vice president for Commerce & Business Development and has been at Evraz since 2002. Prior to his current role, he held the positions of head of the Steel division and head of the Siberia division. Alexander Frolov will step down as chief executive on August 31 but will continue as a non-executive director. Ivanov will become chief executive the next day, on September 1. Aleksey Ivanov said: "I am grateful for the faith that the board of directors is showing in me. The strategic vision for Evraz' development, principles and dedication are shared by all members of the team. I intend to do everything possible to ensure that Evraz strengthens its leading positions while preserving its unique corporate DNA." Evraz shares were trading up 0.2% at 669.00 pence each in London on Friday. By Will Paige; willpaige@alliancenews.com Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. International Palestinian Prez accuses Israel of committing war crimes in Gaza Mahmoud Abbas Ramallah, May 20 (IANS): | Publish Date: 5/20/2021 4:05:33 PM IST Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has accused Israel of committing war crimes in the besieged Gaza Strip and vowed to prosecute Israel at the International Criminal Court. Tension between Israel and militant groups in Gaza has been going on for 11 days since May 10, leaving over 255 Palestinians dead and hundreds injured, as well as huge destruction of buildings and infrastructure, reports Xinhua news agency. Abbas made the accusation at an emergency meeting on Wednesday of the Arab Parliament of the Arab League, which was held to discuss the ongoing tension in Gaza. His speech was also aired on the official Palestine television. What Israel does now in the Gaza Strip is a state terror and war crimes that violate international law, Abbas said. We will prosecute Israel before the international courts. Palestine is seriously working with all parties to pressure Israel to stop its aggression on our people not only in the Gaza Strip, but also in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, he added. Abbas revealed that Palestine has informed the US of its full readiness to work through the international Quartet to end wars and achieve peace in the Middle East. According to the latest data by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), 219 Palestinians, including 63 children, were killed in Gaza. In the West Bank, 25 Palestinian deaths were tallied, including four children. Israeli sources reported 12 people killed, including two children and a soldier. Thousands of people are injured, mainly in the West Bank and in Gaza Militant groups fired barrages of rockets from the Gaza Strip at Israel, while Israeli fighter jets kept carrying out intensive airstrikes on buildings and infrastructure in the besieged enclave. (Alliance News) - Heathrow Airport has lost a High Court bid to challenge the scrapping of tax-free shopping for tourists. Two schemes providing VAT-free shopping for some international visitors were withdrawn by the Treasury at the end of the Brexit transition period on January 1, 2021. The Treasury and HMRC's decision related to the VAT Retail Export Scheme (RES) and an Extra Statutory Concession on goods at duty-free and tax-free shops. The ESC allowed VAT-free sales of goods to passengers travelling outside the EU at airports, and the RES covered VAT refunds on non-airport sales of goods also to non-EU travellers, subject to certain conditions being met. Heathrow Airport, along with World Duty Free Group, which operates duty-free shops in airports, and Global Blue Ltd, which operates tax-free shopping provision on the high street, brought legal action to challenge the decision. In November, the High Court dismissed a claim that the government had failed to consider the impact of the decision on the travel sector, then described by Heathrow's barrister as a "hammer blow". At a hearing in February, the businesses attempted to appeal against the decision, as well as try to bring other grounds for a judicial review. However, in a judgment on Friday, Justice Green dismissed the case. The judge, sitting with Justice Whipple, heard a consultation had taken place in March 2020 about the decision, accepting evidence from the companies. He ruled: "The chancellor properly informed himself as to the information needed to take the relevant decisions and conducted a proper balancing exercise of pros and cons." Justice Green continued: "Standing back, my conclusion is that the decision-making process leading up to abolition was characterised by the government seeking and obtaining relevant evidence and conducting a proper balancing exercise. "This process and the resultant decisions were squarely within the government's margin of judgment and discretion." The judge also found the government was right to conclude that both schemes would have breached international trade rules after the transition period. Justice Green said: "In short, maintaining the VAT RES was, as the Government set out in its written submissions, 'clearly discriminatory, with exports to the EU not benefiting from an advantage granted to exports outside the EU'." "The court expresses no view on the merits of the decision to abolish tax-free sales, which was essentially a political one for the government to take. "The challenges concern issues of law and procedure only," the judge also said. Burberry Group PLC in January warned the UK will lose its attractiveness as a luxury shopping destination as a result. "The VAT retail export scheme previously allowing VAT refunds for non-EU tourists has now been stopped. This development, which will reduce the attractiveness of the UK as a destination for luxury shopping, will have limited impact on revenue in the current year given the low levels of tourist traffic, but is expected to have a more significant impact when travel flows resume with sales likely to shift between countries. We are looking at ways to mitigate any impact this has as tourists return to mainland Europe," Burberry commented at the time. source: PA Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. (Alliance News) - The Indian variant of Covid-19 is a "black cloud on the horizon" for Ireland, the country's chief medical officer has warned. Tony Holohan said public health officials are "genuinely concerned" about the variant and its increased transmissibility, despite the situation being "stable" at present. He said: "The situation is broadly stable for the most part. "The public is staying with us in terms of maintaining a high level of behaviour consistent with our public health advice. "The vaccination programme is continuing at pace and we're increasing the proportion of people being vaccinated on a daily basis. "In broad terms you could characterise it that the sky is for the most part blue. But there is a black cloud on the horizon which is the Indian variant. "We are genuinely concerned about the reports we're seeing and the credibility we attach to them around the increased transmissibility associated with that particular variant." He added that reports from Public Health England of a possible reduction in the effectiveness of the vaccine, particularly after the first dose, against the Indian variant is "underscoring" concerns. Holohan told a Department of Health Covid-19 briefing on Friday that officials will have all those factors in mind when they consider the advice they will give to government later this month about the continued easing of restrictions. Some 72 cases of the variant have been confirmed in Ireland to date, up from 59 earlier this week. The figure has increased from 41 in the past seven days. Asked about Holohan's comments, Taoiseach Micheal Martin said the government was tracking the issue "very closely". He said he was briefed on the variant at his meeting with UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson last week. "We're going to closely monitor this and watch how it's evolving within the UK in particular, both in terms of vaccine escape a how robust the vaccines are against this particular variant a and in terms of its impact." Around 290,000 vaccine doses were administered last week, with one million in total expected to be delivered in May. Martin said: "The vaccination programme is going really well, with very strong momentum. Last week, 290,000 people were vaccinated. "We're somewhere close to 280 this week and something similar next week. "Over a million will have been administered in May. I think that's very, very good news. And we continue with that momentum going forward. I think it's good news all round." Meanwhile, the government is to make an announcement next Friday on the further lifting of lockdown measures. The Department of Health confirmed an additional 524 cases of Covid-19 on Friday. There were 107 patients with the virus in hospital on Friday morning, including 38 in intensive care. The country's five-day moving average now stands at 443 cases per day. The 14-day incidence per 100,000 population is estimated to be 124. Philip Nolan said the number in hospital had remained stable at just over 100 for the last 10 days. The number in ICU increased slightly, reaching 42 last weekend, but he said that figure is decreasing again. Nolan added that all of the indicators at the end of this week are "almost identical" to what they were the previous week, reflecting a "very stable situation overall". Holohan also used Friday's briefing to reiterate his appeal for Leaving Cert students to continue restrict their social contacts in advance of next month's exams. He said: "Meet up by all means, but do so safely and outdoors with your pals. You'll need that for the purpose of your personal and mutual support for one another. "But to do so in a safe way. You simply don't want to end the year after working so hard at the end of the year by picking up this infection and finding yourself not being able to sit the exam." The Leaving Cert is due to begin on June 9. source: PA Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. (Alliance News) - The Irish government has not paid any ransom to hackers involved in the ransomware attack on the health system, Health Minister Stephen Donnelly has said. A decryption key was made available on Thursday evening almost one week after the IT system was attacked and is being tested to ensure its validity. Speaking on RTE Radio 1, Donnelly said: "Categorically, no ransom has been paid by this government directly, indirectly, through any third party or in any other way. Nor will any such ransom be paid." The minister told the station's Morning Ireland programme it was "unclear" why the decryption key was being made available and that it "came as a surprise". He added that there could be "any number of reasons" behind the move, and it would not be useful for him to speculate. By Michelle Devane, PA source: PA Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. (Alliance News) - UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said the world was "just as disunited as Achilles and Agamemnon" before the coronavirus pandemic as he called for a new international treaty to tackle not just this global threat, but any in the future too. Addressing the Global Health Summit hosted by Italy and the EU in Rome, the prime minister referenced the Iliad as he drew comparisons between the plague in the ancient Greek epic and the coronavirus outbreak. Speaking virtually at the event, Johnson said: "I would like to remind everybody, certainly my fellow Europeans, that Western literature begins with a bitter political fight about how to handle a zoonotic plague, because, as you will recall, the Iliad, the fountainhead of Western literature, opens with a row between Achilles and Agamemnon after a fatal new zoonotic disease arrives, hitting first the mules and then the dogs, and then the human beings." Johnson said while Achilles would have been "very much in the pro-lockdown party" and "he says they need to get out of there, whereas Agamemnon vehemently disagrees". He said: "My point is that almost 2,800 years later, the world has been just as disunited, I'm afraid, as Achilles and Agamemnon. And I think now is the time to come together and to defeat the pandemic and to prevent another." Johnson said that just as the Second World War "forged global cooperation" on defence, he hoped to establish a fresh international treaty on pandemic preparedness with the World Health Organization, which would set out steps every country should take to prevent another deadly outbreak. He said this included zero-tariffs on important medical equipment and a worldwide networks of zoonotic research hubs, "so we can identify dangerous pathogens likely to jump from animal to human, from dogs to mules to human beings a to go back to the Iliad a or from bats to pangolins, and so on". He added: "Now is the time to move away from the temptations of competing nationalism (a) and instead reassert the power, the duty, the necessity for nations to act together, building collective defence against the common enemy of disease, and protecting all our people for generations to come." The speech was not the first time Johnson has likened the pandemic to the story of the Iliad. In January, he used the comparison to speculate about the origin of the disease. He said at the time the pandemic was "the product of an imbalance in man's relationship with the natural world". "Like the original plague which struck the Greeks I seem to remember in book one of the Iliad, it is a zoonotic disease," he said. "It originates from bats or pangolins, from the demented belief that if you grind up the scales of a pangolin you will somehow become more potent or whatever it is people believe, it originates from this collision between mankind and the natural world and we've got to stop it." The speech to the Global Health Summit follows the announcement of the government's backing for a new global surveillance network to spot emerging diseases before they can cause fresh pandemics. The WHO is leading work to develop the "global pandemic radar" to monitor and track new infections and variants. And the UK and the British-based Wellcome Trust are among the nations and other organisations supporting the initiative. Downing Street said it would build on British health security expertise to create a network of surveillance hubs, expected to be up and running before the end of the year. source: PA Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. (Alliance News) - The Pfizer Inc and BioNTech SE coronavirus vaccine can be stored in a fridge for up to a month, the UK Medicines & Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has ruled. Previous advice was that the vaccine needed to be used within five days of being removed from ultra-low temperature freezers. It is hoped the change will make storage easier and possible for a wider range of health facilities. MHRA Chief Executive June Raine said: "Up until now, the Pfizer vaccine had to be administered within five days of being removed from ultra-low temperature freezers. "Now that the jab can be stored at normal fridge temperatures for up to 31 days, it can be used in a wider range of healthcare settings, giving patients greater access to the Pfizer vaccine." Raine said the change was approved after the MHRA "rigorously assessed" additional stability data which had been submitted by Pfizer. The change follows a similar moves by the US Food & Drug Administration and the European Medicines Agency earlier this week. The UK agency said the added increased flexibility in the storage and handling of the vaccine is expected to have a "significant impact" on the planning and logistics of vaccine rollout in EU member states. source: PA Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. (Adds details, quotes, background) BAKU, May 21 (Reuters) - British oil major BP and Azerbaijan are discussing setting up a solar energy production facility in Karabakh, Azeri President Ilham Aliyev said on Friday, according to a video released by the state news agency Azertag. "Now both BP and Azerbaijan are very actively working on renewable sources of energy ... and there is a plan to invest in solar power generation," Aliyev said at a meeting with UK Minister for Exports Graham Stuart, the video footage showed. Azerbaijan plans to develop 'green energy' in Karabakh, Aliyev added. Late last year Azerbaijan won back some areas commonly referred to as Karabakh, territory previously controlled by ethnic Armenians who say the land is theirs. (Reporting by Nailia Bagirova; Writing by Alexander Marrow and Katya Golubkova; Editing by Susan Fenton) Take a few minutes and scroll through some of the local news from the past week: The Detroit Tigers home opener is not the only day that people take off from work. Fridays blue skies, high temperatures and cool northerly breeze had many boaters launching their season a week before Memorial Day. Its the perfect day, said Nicole Fitch of Waterford, who had a tight grip on the rope attached to the boat that she and her husband, Tyler were maneuvering into the water at the Michigan Department of Natural Resources boat launch near Selfridge Air National Guard Base. The Oakland County couple admitted they have a lot of lakes near their home but they are small. - Advertisement - Been there, done that, said Tyler, who was among the boaters taking office-calls, on the water. Once they bought the bigger boat they needed more space which they found on Lake St. Clair. This is our fourth summer here, Nicole said, while smiling at the little dog that could have been a match for Dorothys Toto riding shotgun next to Captain Tyler before jumping on the boat and taking off. As they pulled away another boat pulled in. I go out early so I am done by noon, said Mike Daniels of New Baltimore, an avid fisherman. Thats when most of the big boats are out and by then it gets to rough. Daniels fished all morning and while he wrestled with a cat fish and a couple of perch netted nothing big enough for his frying pan at home. It was fun but slow, he said, while watching the people pulling in and out of the boat launch. With the weather being what it is today I think all of the marinas will be busy, said Macomb County Sheriff Anthony Wickersham. However, while its fine to get an early start Wickersham urges boaters to make sure theyre ready. That includes having their boat inspected to make sure its in good working order and having all of the necessary equipment for safe boating such as personal papers; operators certificate or license and life jackets suitable for each person on board. For a full checklist comprised by the United States Coast Guard visit: help.coastguardfoundation.org/ The U.S. Coast Guard will also help to ensure that a boat is seaworthy. Its a public service they do for free, said Tyler, who has his boat inspected before he launched it in the water. If you pass they give you a sticker that says youre a good boater, Tyler added, while eyeing the sticker on his boat. Safety experts also encourage people who are experiencing boating for the first time to take a boaters safety course. Any motorized boat operator born after June 30, 1996, is required by law to pass a boater safety course and to carry a boater education card. In addition, boater education is also required for all PWC operators born after December 31, 1978. She took the class, said Bill Licavoli of Chesterfield Township, referring to his daughter, Alyssa Licavoli, who was headed out on the water with him. They were celebrating the weather and the fact that Alyssa had completed her studies at Eastern Michigan University and would soon be working at Beaumont Hospital Troy. Shes now a registered nurse, he added, with big smile. Also wearing a smile was Quentin Hines of Clinton Township and Macomb Countys only Super Bowl Champion. Hines, who graduated from Mount Clemens High School in 2008 and attended the University of Cincinnati, was a member of the New England Patriots when they won the Super Bowl in 2015. On Friday he was wearing sandals, not cleats, and looking to cruise the lake with his family including his high school sweetheart, LaTasha and their daughters, Kloe, Eva, Jada and Alejandra. There is nothing in the state of Michigan that can compare to launching at Selfridge, Hines said. Youre in the water in no time and 20 minutes later you can be pulling into a marina in downtown Detroit for dinner. Those who do dine should remember to limit their wine as it is illegal to operate a boat with a BAC (Blood Alcohol Content) of .08 or higher. Drivers who operate a boat while intoxicated not only face fines but run the risk of injury to themselves and others. Lastly, always go out with a cell phone in case you need to call for help, Wickersham said. And just have a good time. FYI: National Safe Boating Week runs May 22 through May 28, a campaign to educate the public about the importance of safe boating practices and wearing a life jacket. In recognition of the week Michigan Boating Industries Association (MBIA) reminds all to be safe on the water. With nearly one million registered boats, Michigan is third in the nation in boat registrations, aligning with other top states such as Florida and California, as one of the safest and most ideal locations to boat. Boating is a safe way to share incredible moments with family. Our industry has made great strides with education, awareness and improved safety gear, said Nicki Polan, executive director of the MBIA. Education can reduce accidents and enhance your experience on the water. MBIA reminds boaters of these boating safety tips: Wear it! The National Safe Boating Council promotes National Safe Boating Week with a Wear it! Campaign, promoting life jacket awareness. Of all the fatal boating accident victims who drown, 85% werent wearing a life jacket. A life jacket can save your life. Watch your wake, share the lake be respectful of other boaters, lakefront property owners and no wake zones when traveling in your boat, especially along shorelines and canals where people and property are nearby. Towing When pulling a skier, tube or other towable, be sure to have a spotter on your vessel. All those being towed must wear an approved life jacket and know proper hand gestures to signal the spotter. Diving Flag Recognition Learn to recognize a diver flag! Boaters need to stay at least 200 feet away from a dive flag unless theyre tendering for the diving operation. For more, visit: www.dive-flag.com/Michigan.html Marina safety Never swim within a marina. Electric shock drowning occurs when water is charged with electricity. This can happen in a marina setting where boats are powered. MBIA encourages all boat captains to take a boaters safety course and obtain a Boaters Safety Certificate, but all those born after June 30, 1996 are required to have this certificate. For more information about boater safety, laws and guidelines, visit michigan.gov/dnr/0,4570,7-350-79119_79144_79641---,00.html +4 Rochester Hills native brings Funny book on Minnesota comedy scene When he was in fifth grade at Long Meadow Elementary School in 1992, Patrick Strait spoke about wanting to be an author when he grew up. +2 Ken Morris: Could a financial advisor become the GM of a major league team? In the past, this was the time of year we escaped from the stresses of everyday life and turned to the excitement of watching the Pistons and Red Wings competing in the playoffs. Unfortunately, thats not going to happen this year. Motorcyclist killed in crash that closed Macomb Twp. road A 20-year-old motorcyclist died Thursday morning in a crash that closed a portion of North Avenue in Macomb Township, according to the Macomb LIVONIA, MICH. The annual MI-ACE Women's Network Conference, Advancing Women in Higher Education, will be virtual for 2021, and hosted by Madonna University, Monday and Tuesday, June 14 and 15. The final day to register is June 1. For more conference information or to register, visit MI-ACE Conference Registration. MI-ACE remains committed to bringing higher education leaders the professional networks recognition, skill development, and support that have been so important to Michigan women in higher education. As in years past, the Conference welcomes educators from public and private colleges and universities, from faculty and administration, from urban and rural institutions. No other conference offers the opportunity to approach the challenges of higher education from such a wide variety of perspectives in an atmosphere that is affirming and supportive. To honor institutions membership in the MI-ACE Womens Network, faculty and staff from renewing and new institutions will have unlimited FREE registrations for this virtual event. Upon institutional membership verification, you will be given access to the conference. To become a member and have unlimited FREE registrations, please visit the MI-ACE membership page. Exton, PA (19341) Today Rain likely. High near 65F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%.. Tonight Overcast. Low 57F. Winds light and variable. Ambassadors visit Tianjin, hail China's development Xinhua) 14:48, May 21, 2021 BEIJING, May 20 (Xinhua) -- Ambassadors from 41 countries and international organizations in China have lauded the country's development achievements and praised north China's Tianjin Municipality as a beautiful epitome of China's rapid development after paying a visit there from May 18 to 19. The ambassadors also commended the Chinese people for their historic victory in poverty alleviation, spoke highly of China's achievements in the fight against COVID-19 pandemic, and congratulated the Communist Party of China on its centennial. It was the second time that Mongolian Ambassador to China Tuvshin Badral has gone to Tianjin. During the visit, he said he saw that Tianjin had witnessed great economic development in recent years. Noting that Mongolia and China are good trading partners and his country and Tianjin Port have close cooperation, Badral said he saw the great cooperation potential between the two sides. At the Tianjin branch of the Hebei-based Great Wall Motor, Chilean Ambassador to China Luis Schmidt Montes test-drove a newly-manufactured car. "Chile is an important market for Great Wall Motor in South America, and the auto brand is popular in Chile," Schmidt said. "I also bought my daughter a Great Wall car several years ago, which is of very good quality," he added. After visiting the Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-city smart center, Adama Compaore, ambassador of Burkina Faso to China, said China has set a good example in both economic and social development and environmental protection. "If all major countries act and take responsibility like China, our world will be a much better place." "Tianjin is a green city, and the government has created a beautiful living environment for its citizens," said Rahamtalla Mohamed Osman Elnor, African Union representative to China, adding that the country has made important contributions to climate governance, such as energy conservation, emission reduction and air pollution control, which are very important for urban development. (Web editor: Shi Xi, Liang Jun) International Renewed fighting in Yemens Hodeidah kills 8 Sanaa, May 20 (IANS): | Publish Date: 5/20/2021 4:07:45 PM IST Eight people were killed in renewed armed confrontations between Yemens warring factions in the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah, a military official said. Two groups of the the Houthi rebels carried out an attack in an attempt to to advance towards key areas located in the southeastern parts of Hodeidah, the official told Xinhua news agency on Wednesday. He said that the Houthis attack sparked intense armed confrontations with the joint pro-government forces stationed in the area. The clashes that lasted for hours resulted in the killing of eight people from the two-warring sides and injuring several others. Last week, five people were killed and 11 others wounded during armed confrontations in Hodeidahs eastern parts. The port city of Hodeidah, a vital lifeline for the war-torn country, has witnessed a shaky ceasefire between the government and the Houthi rebels since they reached a UN-sponsored truce in Stockholm in December 2018. The truce was seen as the first phase toward a nationwide ceasefire to end Yemens more than six years of civil war. Hodeidah is under the control of the Houthis, while the government forces have advanced to the southern and eastern districts. Both sides have been blaming each other for truce breaches and sporadic military escalation. Yemen has been mired in civil war since late 2014, when the Houthi militia seized control of several northern provinces and forced the internationally-recognised government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi out of the capital Sanaa. Jefferson, GA (30549) Today Partly to mostly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low near 70F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Partly to mostly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low near 70F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. The European Union reached a deal on Thursday on COVID-19 certificates designed to open up tourism across the 27-nation bloc this summer as a rapid pick-up of vaccinations allows widespread easing of coronavirus restrictions. European Parliament lawmakers and current EU president Portugal representing member states sealed the agreement after a fourth round of negotiations on Thursday afternoon. "We won't be repeating the nightmare of summer 2020," Juan Fernando Lopez Aguilar, the Spanish lawmaker who headed the parliament's team, told a news conference. The free certificate will take the form of a QR code on a smartphone or paper, letting authorities determine the status of a visitor based on records in their home EU country. The certificate would show if a person had received a vaccine, had a recent negative test or had immunity based on recovery. Nearly 40% of EU adults have received a first vaccine dose. Lawmakers had wanted countries to commit to free testing for the certificate and said that no EU country should set additional quarantine requirements. Germany and Sweden were among those resisting, EU officials said, though EU countries in general are reluctant to give up their final say on border controls. In the end, EU countries agreed to refrain from imposing additional restrictions, such as testing or quarantines, unless considered necessary on public health grounds, such as because of the rise of a new coronavirus variant. The European Commission, which also participated in the negotiations, committed to make 100 million euros of its emergency support fund available to help make tests affordable, with more money if required. The agreement between the institutions should allow the European Parliament to pass a law in the week from June 7 and for more than a dozen EU countries, including France and Spain, to test the system before a launch on July 1. EU countries would allow in people inoculated with EU-authorised vaccines and could choose to accept other vaccines. The scheme also covers non-EU members of the border-free Schengen zone - Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. The certificate scheme is separate from plans to open up the European Union to vaccinated non-EU visitors. Manchester Center, VT (05254) Today Showers this evening, becoming a steady rain overnight. Low near 55F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch.. Tonight Showers this evening, becoming a steady rain overnight. Low near 55F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch. Brian Plakke,age 59 passed away May 23rd, 2021 at Hillcrest after a long battle with cancer. Brian was born to Donald and Marlene Plakke.( Howard True stepfather.) He graduated from Mankato West and journied to Alaska with friends,where he enjoyed fishing and traveling throughout the state. The BBC have sent personal letters of apology to Prince William, Prince Harry and other members of the royal family. The apologetic letters are in reference to Martin Bashir's lies in order to persuade the former Princess Diana to agree to a 1995 interview. Prince William had said that his mother was failed by the BBC's higher ups, as well as the journalist in question. It has since become known that Bashir, to get that now famous interview with Diana, used fake bank documents to persuade Earl Spencer - Diana's brother - that the media were paying family associates for information, subsequently getting a more revealing interview. "I apologised then, and I do so again now, over the fact I asked for bank statements to be mocked up," said Bashir, who quit from the BBC this month, in a statement. "It was a stupid thing to do and was an action I deeply regret." Martin Bashir at the EA SimCity Learn. Build. Create. Inauguration After-Party Nick Wass Nick Wass/Invision/AP Bashir, though, did insist that Diana would have agreed to an interview even without his lies and deception, and handwritten documents from the former Princess explain that the documents weren't factors in her decision to agree. Bashir's lies and the interview led to the end of Diana'a marriage to Prince Charles and saw her stripped of her HRH status, just two years before she passed away. The BBC have also decided to return all of the awards that the interview had won. Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account to continue reading. To subscribe, click here. Already a subscriber? Click here. Sherry Hassler, 55, of Lindsay, died Sunday, June 6, in Oklahoma City. The family will welcome friends at Brumley-Mills Funeral Home in Hartshorne for viewing and visitation on Thursday from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. Memorial services will be held on Friday, June 11, at 10:00 a.m. at Brumley-Mills F Regional Rights group urges PM for probe into graft in Manipur tribal councils IMPHAL, MAY 20 (AGENCIES): | Publish Date: 5/20/2021 2:42:06 PM IST A Manipur-based rights group has sought the intervention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi into large-scale corruption in the States tribal councils with the police investigation into the nexus between members of these councils and extremists making no headway, The Hindu report stated. Attaching relevant documents, the Movement for Peoples Rights Forum, Manipur (MPRFM) had a few days ago written to the Prime Minister underlining the misappropriation of Rs. 143.77 crore across six autonomous district councils (ADCs) in Chandel, Churachandpur, Kangpokpi, Senapati, Tamenglong and Ukhrul. The MPRFM said the Centre had been providing funds to these ADCs for the all-round development of districts. But Rs. 143.77 crore sanctioned in 2017-18 by the 14th Finance Commission was misappropriated and wrongfully utilised by the public servants in connivance with the elected members of the respective ADCs. The projects such as inter-village roads, water reservoirs, public toilets, street lighting, playgrounds and improvement of primary schools awarded to a coterie were never executed, the MPRFM said. The memorandum, signed by MRPFM convener Gonmei Kiropou and secretary P.R. Amos, cited several instances of corruption and sought an investigation by agencies such as the Central Bureau of Investigation since the Centre directly finds the ADCs. Manipur-based rights activist Wahengbam Joykumar Singh said the nexus between the elected ADC members and ultras came to the fore in August 2020 when the NSCN (I-M) issued a notification ordering all activists to withdraw their RTI applications against the Senapati ADC members. At least three RTI activists from the hills have taken refuge in Imphal but that does not insulate them from any harm, Singh told The Hindu, adding that he had on May 15 lodged a complaint with the States Director-General of Police against NSCN (I-M) and Senapati ADC chief Khapudang for threatening four RTI users with death. He had lodged a similar complaint with the IG Assam Rifles (South) on April 29 and the Director-General of the National Investigation Agency on May 9. On April 24, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) had registered his complaint against the threat to the four Senapati-based villagers who used RTI to seek details about expenditure on public projects. The four are Kh. Enoch of Phaibung village, P. Johnson Samo of Taphou Phyamai, S.P. Benjamin of Ngari Raidulomai, and P.R. Amos of Khabung Khunou village. The NSCN (I-M) arrested Enoch, tortured him in confinement for eight days and even extracted a fine of Rs. 1.5 lakh from him, Singh said in the complaint. On April 26, the Manipur Information Commission cited the complaint lodged with the NHRC and asked the State police chief to examine the veracity of reports of intimidation of RTI users in Senapati district. Officials in Imphal said Senapati district had been investigating into the complaints but they had not received any feedback due to the lockdown. The Manipur police are reportedly ineffective in areas controlled by the NSCN (I-M). Submit A Press Release $25.00 / for 2 days Ensure your press release runs prominently on our website and in our E-mail Newsletter. Gauranteed placement on these platforms is $25. Note: All submissions will go through our editorial approval process before being posted. Decatur, GA (30030) Today Thunderstorms likely this evening. Then a chance of scattered thunderstorms overnight. Low near 70F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Thunderstorms likely this evening. Then a chance of scattered thunderstorms overnight. Low near 70F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%. Atlanta, GA (30303) Today Thunderstorms likely this evening. Then a chance of scattered thunderstorms overnight. Low around 70F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%.. Tonight Thunderstorms likely this evening. Then a chance of scattered thunderstorms overnight. Low around 70F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%. International Russian Parliament House endorses bill to quit Open Skies Treaty Moscow, May 20 (IANS): | Publish Date: 5/20/2021 4:06:14 PM IST The Russian State Duma, or the lower house of parliament, unanimously approved a bill on the countrys withdrawal from the arms-control Treaty on Open Skies. State Duma Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin said on Wednesday that while the US has pulled out of this key pact, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) members are still able to conduct reconnaissance flights under the treaty and pass data to Washington, reports Xinhua news agency. The US has exited the Treaty, so how can they expect to continue to monitor Russia? We must exit and continue to build relations on an equal basis, not within the framework of double standards, as is currently the case, he said. Volodin called the day historic and important for Russias security. The multilateral Treaty on Open Skies, which became effective in 2002, allows its 34 state-parties to conduct short-notice, unarmed reconnaissance flights over the others entire territories to collect data on military forces and activities. After the US withdrawal on November 22, 2020, the Russian Foreign Ministry announced this January that the country had started domestic legal procedures for the official pullout from the Treaty. The US and Russia have blamed each other for non-compliance with the treaty. The treaty is aimed at building confidence and familiarity among state parties through their participation in the overflights. By 2019, over 1,500 Open Skies flights have been conducted since the deal entered into force, according to media reports. Hiram, GA (30141) Today Thunderstorms likely this evening. Then a chance of scattered thunderstorms overnight. Low 69F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%.. Tonight Thunderstorms likely this evening. Then a chance of scattered thunderstorms overnight. Low 69F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. May 20MARIETTA A cordial town hall on Georgia's elections laws turned contentious Tuesday night after Cobb Chairwoman Lisa Cupid warned hecklers that law enforcement would maintain order if they continued attempting to shout over her. The event, at the Jennie T. Anderson Theatre, was billed as an opportunity to recap the 2020 elections; review SB 202, Georgia's recently-passed and ... 379671 02: Cars and trucks drive down flooded streets October 4, 2000 in Miami after heavy rains from a tropical depression swamped most of the city and left more than 40,000 residents without water or electricity. Florida Governor Jeb Bush declared a state of emergency for Miami-Dade County. (Photo : Photo by Robert King/ Newsmakers) Ever since Katrina, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) has been on higher alert and improving its storm monitoring capacity to prevent a repeat of the 2005 disaster. And this week, it has just spotted signs of a developing cyclone somewhere near Bermuda and could mark an early start to America's hurricane season this year. Storm warning early, but not unusual - NHC Officially, hurricane season starts on the 1st of June and ends on the 30th of November. Still, the NHC has already projected that storm activity for the year will be higher than normal and that the possibility of an early start is still well within its projections. Currently, it is still monitoring the situation and estimates that there is a medium chance of a subtropical development. Even so, the resulting storm shows no indication of making serious landfall and it is still likely that the more dangerous weather activity will show up sometime in August. The NHC's heightened monitoring in recent years could be attributed to why early signs of hurricane season have been observed in the last seven years. One could say that it reflects the issue of disaster preparation that still haunts public imagination during this time of year. In 2017, Hurricane Harvey swept heavy rainfall between Louisiana and Texas, racking up property damages that surpassed Katrina (albeit with arguably lower casualties). Thus, even early signs of low-pressure areas and other storm patterns are immediately flagged and monitored for the slightest chance of development (regardless if there is a risk to landfall). Also read: Climate Change is Slowly Erasing and Ancient Indonesian Cave's Rock Art Does global warming lead to early storm warnings? Many have hastily interpreted that early hurricane seasons could be attributed to global warming. But while rising temperatures in places like Africa have indeed caused serious harm and growing famine, climate change's connection to hurricanes still remains considerably more obscure. This is because hurricanes (along with their typhoon counterparts) are surprisingly more complex. Their formations are the result of a number of wind and weather patterns coming together. Temperature and sea levels are just the tip of the iceberg, let alone the amount of atmospheric carbon in the atmosphere. On the other hand, the effects of man-made activity has certainly affected the degree of damage that a hurricane can inflict upon a local area. Ecosystems that could have originally survived high-speed winds are now more vulnerable from the loss of trees to deforestation. The same goes for how deforestation leads to higher chances of landslides. As far as preparedness goes, it is best to focus more on where a hurricane creates severe damage to property. After all, that is where observations for early hurricane season signals come in. It is a major heads up, both for government officials and private citizens while giving everyone ample time to get ready. This could mean more frequent advisories on evacuation protocols and disseminating information on where to find shelter should your home have a significant chance of flooding. Stocking supplies to bring during evacuation or lockdowns are also highly recommended. In any case, the signs are already there and that is enough reason to start taking action. Also read: NASA Renews Spirit in Fighting Climate Change, After Being Limited in Former Administration Note: We have changed our commenting system. If you do not have an mdjonline.com account, you will need to create one in order to comment. The coelacanth species dates back 420 million years and was believed to have gone defunct along with dinosaurs. An infrequent fish species thought to have gone extinct together with dinosaurs millions of years ago has recently been discovered alive again in the Indian Ocean. The Four-Legged Fossil Fish According to a report from a US-based non-profit conservation and environmental science news platform, Mongabay, recently a group of South African shark hunters discovered the uncommon coelacanth species (Latimeria chalumnae) in the West Indian Ocean - off the coast of Madagascar. The coelacanth species is also referred to as the "four-legged fossil fish" and dates back to 420 million years ago. The species inhabits undersea ravines at depths between 100 and 500 meters and measures up to 90 kilograms, according to Mongabay's report. Back in 1938, the first rediscovery of the coelacanth in recent history was made by a group of Marine fishers who placed gill-nets off the southwest coast of Madagascar. Scientists were shocked at the time by the discovery of the species. Since then, more reports of the coelacanth being capture by fishers off the coastlines of Tanzania, South Africa, and the Comoros Islands have been made, while a distinct coelacanth species has turned up in Indonesian water, Mongabay's report states. The species is presently listed as critically endangered. Also Read: Coelacanth reveals new insights into skull evolution The Jarifa Gill-Nets According to a new study released in the SA Journal of Science, in May 2020, there have been not less than 334 reports of coelacanth captures. Andrew Cooke, the lead study author told Mongabay: "When we gave a further look into this, we were amazed [by the amount caught]... even though there has been no dedicated process in Madagascar to observe or conserve coelacanths." The study also repeated that the coelacanth species is at risk of going extinct because of the increase in shark hunting. Scientists said: "The jarifa gill-nets used to in catching sharks are a relatively new and more dangerous innovation as they are huge and can be placed in deep water, there is little uncertainty that large mesh jarifa gill-nets are now the greatest threat to the coelacanths survival in Madagascar." Coelacanths There are only two known species of coelacanths: one that inhabits close to the Comoros Islands off the east coast of Africa, and one seen in the waters off Sulawesi, Indonesia. Many experts thought that the unique features of the coelacanth signify an early step in fish evolution to earthly four-legged animals such as amphibians. Coelacanths are deep-sea creatures that are difficult to catch, inhabiting depths up to 2,300 feet beneath the surface. They can be large, getting to 6.5 feet or more and weighing 198 pounds. Researchers gave an estimation they can live for up to 60 years or more. Related Article: Once-Believed Extinct, 'Living Fossils' Fish Shows its True Color on New Study For more news, updates about coelacanths and similar topics don't forget to follow Nature World News! Saltwater is where oysters live and mature. The salinity of their habitat, on the other hand, can change drastically, particularly where the Mississippi River empties into the Gulf of Mexico. Owing to the abundance of freshwater from the Mississippi River, Louisiana oysters from the northern Gulf of Mexico can have some of the lowest salinity in the country. Increased runoff and large-scale channel diversions for coastal defense would also carry more freshwater, detrimental to the eastern oyster. New research led by LSU alumna Joanna Griffiths of Portland, Oregon, and her faculty adviser, LSU Department of Biological Sciences Associate Professor Morgan Kelly, sheds light on why some oysters are more resistant to freshwater than others. Their results, which were released this week, significantly affect this commercially valuable marine species. "Oysters can tolerate a wide range of salinity levels. Since oysters can cover their shell, this is basically so. They don't have the shell structure to shield them as larvae, though, "Griffiths said. Investigating Oysters As part of her doctoral dissertation, she performed a thorough investigation into oyster larvae survival and development. She looked into whether having parents who have lived in low-salinity environments will result in offspring who are more resistant to low-salinity environments, based on a hypothesis known as transgenerational plasticity, which suggests that one generation's versatility is passed on to the next. In 2016, researchers at the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries' Michael C. Voisin Oyster Hatchery in Grand Isle spawned and raised oysters to test this theory. They transplanted 240 oysters into coastal waters at two separate locations: the Louisiana University Marine Consortium, or LUMCON, in Chauvin, and the Louisiana Sea Grant Oyster Research and Demonstration Farm in Grand Isle. Related Article: Aquaculture Causes Stress and Suffering for Certain Fish Species This Way Two-Year Study The researchers collected the oysters after two years. They discovered that the oysters from the saltier site in Grand Isle were 40 percent larger than those from LUMCON, demonstrating that the atmosphere would influence production. The researchers then bred the next generation to see what versatility traits might be passed on from parent to child. Griffiths carefully crossed-bred oysters from both locations, resulting in 240 oyster families. She and four colleagues tended to the oyster larvae 24 hours a day, seven days a week. "This kind of experiment, like Joanna's, takes a lot of time and effort," Kelly said. "There's a lot of paperwork to keep track of. At any point of the baby oysters' growth, you must be prepared. You have to wake up in the middle of the night to prepare for the next step of the oyster larvae life cycle, which is similar to raising a human infant. There are also sleepless nights spent raising oysters." Multiple Attempts The breeding experiment was a disaster, and no oyster larvae survived. Griffiths tried the experiment multiple times but it failed. However, on her third attempt, she was successful. After five days, about 60 oyster larvae families survived out of 240. Griffiths examined the larvae and discovered that the descendants of parents who had lived at the LUMCON low salinity site were not more resistant to low salinity. She used size as a metric for success because larger oyster larvae spend less time in the water column, where they are exposed to predators, before metamorphosing and settling onto a reef. Different Tolerance She discovered that some oyster families thrive in low salinity environments while others struggle. The oysters that succeed have a variant of a gene that allows them to thrive in any climate. These findings show that using selective breeding in hatchery management activities to increase resiliency for low salinity tolerance in eastern oysters could be a viable option. Also Read: Seafood's Secret Ingredient: Microplastic For the most recent updates from the animal kingdom, don't forget to follow Nature World News! The "Rhisotope Project," an ambitious anti-poaching initiative, was unveiled on May 13th. The nuclear-science-based initiative can significantly reduce rhino poaching. The University of Witwatersrand (WITs) initiated the project, which is being carried out in partnership with the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO), Colorado State University (USA), ROSATOM (Russian Federation), and the Nuclear Energy Corporation of South Africa (Necsa), as well as international scientists, researchers, South African rhino owners, and veterinary experts. Rosatom, the Russian State Atomic Energy Corporation, is a major sponsor and collaborator of this groundbreaking international technology cooperation between universities and nuclear organizations. The project was officially launched at the glorious Buffalo Kloof Private Game Reserve, a key partner in the project. Using Harmless Isotopes The first phase of the experiment was initiated on the day of the launch, with a trace amount of entirely harmless stable isotopes being carefully injected into the horns of two rhinos. Scientists will observe the rhinos for the next three months and analyze different samples to learn how the isotope interacts with the horn and the horse. The most important part of this study would be confirming that injecting radioactive isotopes into the horns of these unusual and majestic animals would not affect them. To validate this, computer and phantom modeling will be used, as well as to determine the required radioactive isotope and quantity to be used. Related Article: Aggressive Anti-Poaching Leads to No Rhino Poached in Kenya in 2020 Pioneering Rhinos Igor and Denver are the project's main heroes and rhino explorers. Igor is named after Igor Kurchatov, a Soviet nuclear physicist who made significant contributions to the advancement of modern civil nuclear technology. Denver is named after Colorado's capital to recognize Colorado State University's (USA) contributions to the initiative. Professor James Larkin, Director of the University of Witwatersrand's Radiation and Health Physics Unit in Johannesburg, took a different approach to the initiative. Multifaceted Initiative The Rhisotope Project is multifaceted, relying on demand reduction and horn devaluation, population upliftment and investment, education, and rhino science and data collection as core concepts. The project aims to reduce rhino horn demand on the world market and make the horn more detectable when approaching international borders by relying on these concepts. With over 10,000 radiation monitoring systems deployed at different ports of entry worldwide, experts are adamant that this effort will make horn transportation extremely difficult and significantly improve the chances of smugglers being identified and apprehended. This method will be provided to both state and private rhino owners on the African continent and around the world until the project is done and a proof of concept has been demonstrated. Conservation organizations who want to use this process to protect their wildlife from poaching will be able to get the intellectual property and training and support for free. Rhino Population 90% of the world's rhino population is found in South Africa. Over 9600 rhinos were killed in poaching attacks between 2010 and 2019. Although the rhino horn trade is illegal and prohibited worldwide, several nations, including Vietnam, China, Cambodia, Croatia, and North Korea, are involved in the illicit selling of horns. Now that rhino horn trafficking is no longer a separate market, it has evolved into a profitable "commodity" for the world's most powerful criminal gangs. Also Read: Suspected Poacher 'Trampled to Death by Elephants' Splits Netizens For the most recent updates from the animal kingdom, don't forget to follow Nature World News! In spite southern summer season, the freezing temperature in Antarctica is still prevalent, but there's no stopping James Smith and his team, geologists of the British Antarctic Survey, to camp out in the middle of Filchner-Ronne Ice Shelf for the name of science. The goal of Smith and his team was to collect a seafloor sediment locked under a half mile of ice. It took 20 hours to dig through 20 tons of snow pumped through a pipe lowered down a borehole, creating 20,000 liters of hot water. Once they were able to pierce through the shelf, they lowered an instrument to collect the sediment, along with a GoPro camera, each roundtrip taking about an hour. Unfortunately, after several attempts, the collector failed to fetch a sediment, but the team accidentally discovered something unknown until then: life beneath Antarctic ice shelf. 'Animal Communities' on Antarctica's Seafloor A descent through 3,000 feet of blue-green ice to 1,600 feet of open dark seawater into the seafloor where life is typically unsupported surprisingly showed otherwise. Upon watching the footage that night, Smith admitted it was completely 'one-in-a-million shot' to be able to bump upon a 'not the most exciting-looking rock' lying around a relatively flat seafloor, just randomly carrying life. While Smith is no biologist, his colleague, Huw Griffiths of the British Antarctic Survey described the strange creatures in antarctic ice shelf an 'alien-like sponge and other stalked animals'. It dangled from a rock lined with wispy filaments, probably a component of the bacterial mats or strange animal known as a hydroid. The discovery raised a lot of questions for the team, like its origin, food supply, prevalence of predation, or its family tree. At this time, these questions cannot yet be proven unless a specimen can be gathered, but scientific guesses were already hypothesized. One of them being said that since these animals look like they had been attached in the same rock for a while now, they are considered part of the sessile community. Also read: Giant Ice from Antarctica Now Makes World's Largest Iceberg What Is Known About this Sessile Community So Far Geologists were convinced that the animals live in total darkness, which is not new since a lot of deep-sea critters do the same. However, they wonder how food were distributed in their mini-ecosystem. Since they were sessile, it would only make their place livable if there is existence of steady food source in the form of 'marine snow', a decomposed corpses of descended sea creatures. This is prevalent in most parts of Antarctica but this 'critters' in this particular rock live under a half-mile of solid ice, not under a bustling water column, and most likely they cannot go away to search for food. Researchers think it's highly probable that descend of marine snow has been flipped on its side, and food source is moving horizontally rather than vertically. As far as currents around Antarctica is concerned, as seawater cools and grows denser, its currents radiate outwards, leaving a void where some inflow could replace. That inflow carries organic matter, carrying food for the ecosystem, as well as new animals washed along with it. Since specimen of these sponges have not yet been collected, researchers cannot tell exactly what they have been eating. Also read: Melting Glacier in Northern Italy Uncovers Hidden Treasures from World War 1 Members of Knights of Columbus Council 6037 of Linesville prepare to take to the highway to pick up litter, including (from left) James McAnalley, John Skendall and Ed Kline Sr. Kline first suggested that Council 6037 officially adopt a 4-mile stretch State Route 285 more than 30 years ago. In 2020, nearly 1 million extra deaths linked to coronavirus pandemic occurred in 29 high income countries, revealed a new study published by The BMJ. Overall, an estimated 979,000 total excess deaths occurred in 2020 in the 29 countries analysed. Except for Norway, Denmark and New Zealand, all other countries examined had more deaths than expected in 2020, particularly in men. The US with 458,000 COVID-19 deaths topped the list, followed by the UK (94,400), Italy (89,100), Spain (84,100), and Poland (60,100). The total number of excess deaths was largely concentrated among people aged 75 or older, followed by people aged 65-74, while deaths in children under 15 were similar to expected levels in most countries and lower than expected in some countries. In most countries, age-specific excess death rates were higher in men than in women, and the absolute difference in rates between the sexes tended to increase with age. However, in the US, the excess death rate was higher among women than men in those aged 85 years or older. The study "adds important insights on the direct and indirect effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on total mortality", the researchers said. "Reliable and timely monitoring of excess deaths would help to inform public health policy in investigating the sources of excess mortality in populations and would help to detect important social inequalities in the impact of the pandemic to inform more targeted interventions," they added. Source: IANS Using a mathematical model, they calculated weekly excess deaths in 2020 for each country, accounting for age and sex differences between countries, and also for seasonal and yearly trends in mortality over the five preceding years.The total number of excess deaths was largely concentrated among people aged 75 or older, followed by people aged 65-74, while deaths in children under 15 were similar to expected levels in most countries and lower than expected in some countries.In most countries, age-specific excess death rates were higher in men than in women, and the absolute difference in rates between the sexes tended to increase with age. However, in the US, the excess death rate was higher among women than men in those aged 85 years or older.The study "adds important insights on the direct and indirect effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on total mortality", the researchers said."Reliable and timely monitoring of excess deaths would help to inform public health policy in investigating the sources of excess mortality in populations and would help to detect important social inequalities in the impact of the pandemic to inform more targeted interventions," they added.Source: IANS The study by a team of international researchers, led by Nazrul Islam from the Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, set out to estimate the direct and indirect effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on mortality in 2020 in 29 high income countries. Mucormycosis can also develop on the skin after the fungus enters the skin through a cut, scrape, burn, or other types of skin trauma.According to the ministry, the disease is being detected among patients who are recovering or have recovered from Covid-19.Telangana and Rajasthan have already declared mucormycosis as an epidemic.Cases of black fungus have been reported in various parts of the country including Karnataka, Uttarakhand, Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Haryana and Bihar.Mucormycosis, which is primarily affecting people recovering from COVID-19, as per sources, has also infected several people in the national capital as it is caused by the steroid administered in the treatment of coronavirus.On May 18, the Haryana government also framed regulations called, "The Haryana Epidemic Diseases (Mucormycosis) Regulations, 2021".Source: IANS No matter where you stand on extraterrestrial life, the fact of the matter is, that as a concept, we humans have always been intrigued by aliens and UFOs. And now, former President of the United States of America, Barack Obama, has just added fuel to this never-ending fire. AFP There is a reason, why even after all these years, someone like Bob Lazar, a former US Government Employee from Area 51, who said that he saw aliens at the US Air Force Base, is still so relevant in the public discourse. Netflix A few months back, the United States Government, released some footages of objects that were designated as UFOs. Although those videos caused a storm among conspiracy theorists and validated a lot of what they had been saying, the statements accompanying the videos did sort of try to tone things down. USDOD Recently, Obama appeared in an American talk show thats hosted by James Corden. In the show, he was asked whats up with all the alien and UFO stuff that keeps popping up. The audience, the former president, the host, almost everyone, tried to sweep this off as a joke, but some of the things that Obama said candidly, are rather startling. Heres a clip from the segment. Obama begins by saying, When it comes to aliens, there are some things that I just cant tell you, on air. Although this was actually covered up in a joke by the host, netizens just latched on to it like anything. Indeed, this is somewhat of a revelation. YouTube/TheLateLateShowwithJamesCorden He eventually went on to say that when he had been first elected as the president, he did ask his staff about aliens and was told that, no, we (USA dont have any secret laboratory that has aliens or alien spacecraft. USDOD He did, however, go on to acknowledge, that we did have a record of a number of video clips and sightings of objects flying in the air whose flight paths and trajectories cannot be explained easily. In other words, we have video footages of objects flying in the air that defy the laws of physics. This, coming from a former head of state, is huge. YouTube/TheLateLateShowwithJamesCorden People on Twitter went berserk when the show aired, and have been tweeting about this, constantly: Oh my God this is the greatest thing ever!https://t.co/qCyaeftzbH Dave (@CrankyOldMan16 May 19, 2021 Obama was on The Late Late Show last night and got a question about this subject. Apparently we have many unexplainable UFO sightings but no aliens in our inventory. https://t.co/E4iCoa7FHU Brian Olson (@BrianO55 May 18, 2021 Obama questioned on existence of aliens during Late Late Show interview https://t.co/ORq0nTzLip via @nbcnews I mean if there really are aliens literally everything we actively do and have been doing are for naught. If the universal stage exists what the fuck are tiny problems auneeb (@auneeb2 May 19, 2021 Barak Obama... 'admitting on The Late Show that, when President, he asked whether there was a lab somewhere where were keeping the alien specimens and spaceships? That would totally be the first question anyone would ask! I would! ;https://t.co/30xUrB2Ur5 Amy Morse (@AmyMorse_Mentor May 20, 2021 Heres another video of Obama, speaking to Stephen Colbert. Just watch the video, with audio switched on: #KabarUFO program The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (@colbertlateshow pada 30 November 2020 mewawancarai mantan Presiden AS @BarackObama terkait masalah #UFO. Meski mengelak, tapi jawaban Obama mengindikasikan kalau UFO dan alien itu memang ada. pic.twitter.com/SLuSfZNOfy KabarUFO (@kabarufo December 2, 2020 This definitely bolsters a lot of what conspiracy theorists have been claiming all these years. This is somewhat of validation for a lot of their claims. What do you make of all this? Do let us know in the comments below. A district court in Goa today acquitted Tarun Tejpal of all charges in a rape case on May 21. Tarun Tejpal is a former Tehelka editor in chief and was accused of sexually assaulting a junior colleague inside the elevator of a luxury hotel in Goa in 2013. In a statement, Tejpal thanked the court for its impartial trial. He said, It is with profound respect that I thank this court for its thorough examination of the CCTV footage and other empirical material on record. He said, the past seven-and-a-half years were traumatic for his family as they "dealt with the catastrophic fallout of false allegations". Look closely at this. So confident was Tarun Tejpal of an acquittal that he kept his public statement ready on May 19, when the verdict was expected to be pronounced. https://t.co/iABtqHdnTz pic.twitter.com/aXxlmAS9V3 Supriya Sharma (@sharmasupriya) May 21, 2021 He also remembered his lead defence lawyer Rajeev Gomes, who died due to COVID-related complications earlier in May and said, seldom does a long-fought for vindication arrive hand-in-hand with profound heartbreak". "No person fought harder, and with greater skill, to reclaim my life and reputation. Rajeev used to say to me, 'I enjoy money but I don't work for it. I believe God put me on earth to fight for the innocent'." he added. Heres what people on the internet have to say about this- Another example of women misusing the laws and harassing innocent men. #TarunTejpal pic.twitter.com/quWZvUVuVs (@Ruchhan) May 21, 2021 Bahut jaldi case khatam ho gaya FINN BALOR (@namogandhi) May 21, 2021 Now time to punish informent of this case Sanjay Kumar (@SanjayK65669712) May 21, 2021 Corona delayed evidences collection & submission. A demon is going strong... Justice never prevails. mighty_ roadsetter (@Manis7h) May 21, 2021 aap chehra dekh ke bta dete ho, ki kaun shi hai aur kaun kharab... Om (@jai_mhakal02) May 21, 2021 Does that mean Modi and Shah will be served justice for their crimes?? Anser Azim, (@Basatavi1962) May 21, 2021 Justice delayed is justice denied Poonam (@Poonam89625917) May 21, 2021 For the unversed, Tarun Tejpal was accused of assaulting a junior colleague in an elevator at a five-star resort in Goa during they were attending a conference in 2013. In 2017, the trial court charged him with rape, sexual harassment, and wrongful confinement. Tarun Tejpal had challenged the charges in the Supreme Court which further ordered the trial in Goa to continue. Now, he has been acquitted of all charges. What do you think? Let us know in the comments section below! Former United States President Barack Obama was unsurprisingly not the biggest fan of his successor Donald Trump. However, while Obama decided to keep mum about his judgments through the four-year reign of the American businessman and media personality, he finally decided to unleash the truth bomb on the world. Reuters "Racist pig", a "fu***** lunatic", and "corrupt mother******" were some of the alleged impressions for Trump by Obama, with the alleged revelations surfacing in Atlantic writer Edward-Isaac Doveres new book called Battle for the Soul: Inside the Democrats Campaigns to Defeat Donald Trump. According to excerpts of the book that were published in a piece by Guardian, Obama described Trump's single term at the White House as: Hes a madman, Reuters I didnt think it would be this bad. I didnt think wed have a racist, sexist pig. Depending on the outrage of the day a passing that fucking lunatic with a shake of his head. As per the book, Obama's strongest remark came out when reports revealed that Trump had been speaking to foreign leaders that included Russian President Vladimir Putin, amid the investigation of Russian election interference and links between Trump and Moscow without any aides on the call. That corrupt m**********r, he remarked. as per the book. Reuters While Obama graciously chose to extend all the courtesies to Trump when he passed the Presidential baton to the businessman back in 2016, he is known to have no love lost for Trump, who in his opinion got things very "bad" during the tenure. Soon after Obama's honest thoughts on Trump were revealed to the world, people on the internet decided to weigh in, exactly what they thought of the whole thing. Can someone point out to me, wheres the problem? pic.twitter.com/2VXhT2tVZO Huston McKinney, CPA (@hustonmckinney) May 21, 2021 And then you called him a what? Lolololol pic.twitter.com/OFukdiO0Dm GW (@merrill2n) May 20, 2021 Breaking News- Obama says the things that all of us screamed at our screens for 5 1/2 years! pic.twitter.com/LLUw8aQLge Laces ally (@Laces20288055) May 20, 2021 Ive said worse pic.twitter.com/EvyLrJfLZr The Ghost of Jeremy Bentham (@BenthamzJeremy) May 20, 2021 Assume theres more to this book than a teaser-blast that former-President Obama called out an sob behind closed doors. We who were infuriated by the malice Barack endured are stunned more by his decency/restraint and forgive him for not yelling MOFO! so we all could cheer. pic.twitter.com/FAWNplfO4v sgfitz (@sgfitz2) May 21, 2021 In a shameful yet scary incident that exuberated the violation of Covid-19 regulations as well as the law in some of the Indian states, a gang of young men were seen waving guns while attending a birthday party in Madhya Pradesh. According to the video of the party, several men could be seen proudly flaunting their firearms while standing on the terrace of a building and posing for photographs. iStock Not only that but the gang of men were also heard chanting pro-criminal slogans in order to glorify a criminal called Rambabu Gadaria, who had been killed by the police back in 2007. The video also showed around 400 other men joining the maskless men in singing slogans while being gathered outside the house on the ground. iStock Following the incident, a case was registered by the police against the men for the violation of lockdown, with police officer Kamlesh Kumar saying: "They gathered during the lockdown. We have filed a complaint and are investigating. Action to be taken accordingly." With the Madhya Pradesh state recording 4,952 coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours to bring their total infection tally to over 7.52 lakh, the state government had announced "Corona Curfew" in the state till May 31. However, by the looks of things, things are certainly not going to be better any time soon. Internet Explorer is finally going to meet its demise after 25 long years because nobody really liked to use it in the first place. The company announced this week that it will end support of the browser on June 15th 2022. Reuters Microsofts final nail in the coffin comes after it started to promote other products like the Edge browser and removing features from the ancient internet browser. The company gradually removed features from the explorers and even removed support from its other products like Teams. Other apps like Microsoft 365 will also no longer work with IE from this year. The Internet Explorer was once the most used web browser, however, its market share fell below 50% due to competition from Googles Chrome and Mozillas Firefox. Whats surprising is that Microsoft finally acknowledged in a press release that IE is slow and no longer practical for or compatible with many modern web tasks. The company also confirmed that IE is far less secure than modern browsers. Reddit Microsoft is already looking to the future though thanks to its latest browser that is based on Google's open-source Chrome code. The Edge browser has gained more traction in recent years than Internet Explorer did in the past few years. Microsoft usually funded IE with Windows, however, it is unclear at the moment if the company will stop bundling the browser with future Windows PCs and laptops. "We are announcing that the future of Internet Explorer on Windows 10 is in Microsoft Edge," said Sean Lyndersay, Microsoft's program manager for Edge. "Not only is Microsoft Edge a faster, more secure and more modern browsing experience than Internet Explorer, but it is also able to address a key concern: compatibility for older, legacy websites and applications. Reuters The only reason why Microsoft has kept Internet Explorer alive for so long is that many businesses still depend on it for compatibility reasons. However, Microsoft Edge now supports an IE mode which will make it easier for corporations to make the transition. Will you miss Internet Explorer or at least make fun of how slow it was as compared to other browsers? Let us in the comments what you think about Microsofts decision to kill the Internet Explorer after 25 years. Since Monday, Cyclone Tauktae has devastated both the seas and coastlines of west India, racking up casualties and a host of new problems in its wake. Among these was the sinking of a massive cargo ship that had over 200 people onboard. The Indian military has so far rescued 188 of these passengers but at least one of them tells a harrowing tale of being adrift amidst the storm. Cyclone Tauktae battered passengers' attempts at safety The survivor's account stated that the storm was so fierce that it dislodged their ship from its anchors. The intensity of the storm was such that many of the sailors could not even reach the lifeboats and had simply little choice but jump straight into the sea before the vessel sank. To date, the death toll has reached over 90 with dozens more still missing. Both coast guard and navy are still working round the clock in search for more survivors. Meanwhile, other reports confirm that Prime Minister Modi has personally flown in to oversee relief efforts and meet with local officials on how to tackle the impending crisis that Tauktae has set in motion. Also read: 8 Most Disastrous and Deadliest Earthquakes From the Last Decade Cyclone Tauktae worsens both vaccine and energy crisis The storm has no doubt compounded a number of problems in the cities it had affected (particularly the state of Gujarat). Among the most pressing issues include: 1. Damage to oilfield operations. Many of the ships that suffered the brunt of the cyclone were owned by the Indian Natural Gas and Oil Corporation (ONGC), one of the country's top energy companies who also happened to have a number of offshore oil fields in the affected area. The damage and disruption Tauktae has caused could have serious ramifications for the country's ongoing energy crisis. 2. COVID-19 crisis worsens. Many of the areas affected by the storm were also among the hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the global vaccine drive (and having a large vaccine manufacturing capacity on its own), only 3% of the population have been fully inoculated. Much of the problems have lied with the infrastructure of vaccination programs as well as poor implementation of social distancing protocols. 3. Growing economic woes. The cyclone also hit the financial hub of Mumbai, which was also buckling from the strain of the ongoing pandemic. New reports tell of catastrophic flooding in some parts of the city as well as garbage being swept back across its shores. While the total cost of damages is yet to be accounted for, it could only end in more bad news for the country's pandemic-struck economy. It remains to be seen to what extent the storm will affect stability in the country, but signs show that it needs both decisive action as well as help from its allies. Already another cyclone has been forecast to hit its eastern coast, followed by more turbulent weather events are to be expected in the Arabian Sea. If any of these were to also pile up on the nation's mounting problems, then it could have serious consequences both for itself as well as the stability of South Asia. Also read: Atlantic Storm Warning Could Signal Early Hurricane Season for the Seventh Time Bianca Moorman / The Meridian Star Dusty Culpepper, Mississippi Veterans Affairs Deputy Executive Director of Outreach, presents Pastor Carl White a flag honoring his late wife, Frances, during a ceremony at the Lauderdale County Courthouse on Thursday. that was flown to own his wife Francis White, who served as a special assistant for constituent services to congressmen Gregg Harper and Michael Guest. Click here to log in and see all of our other subscription options for the Mesabi Tribune, including online only & auto-renewal subscriptions. Berlin Reporter City Council discusses proposed budget by Tara Giles Sports reporter - Coos County Democrat and Berlin Reporter Sports reporter - Coos County Democrat and Berlin Reporter write the author BERLIN On May 10, the Berlin City Council held a work session, in which the main topic of discussion circled around publishing the budget. City Manager James Wheeler presented to the Council, proposed changes made to the FY22 proposed budget. Wheeler said, "I increased the UFB used from $800,000 to $1,920,000 to offset the tax rate. These changes produced an estimated/projected tax rate of $37.80 compared to the current rate of $35.93, reflecting a $1.87 increase." Mayor Paul Grenier said, "It's a moving target and there's still six weeks to go until the budget is finalized. We can't over predict what we are going to get." Councilor Mark Eastman inquired if the $5,000,000 from the American Recovery Plan (School Grant) is a set amount. It was relayed that number is an estimate. Eastman suggested taking $1,000,000 from the proposed budget to match last year's budget and keep the tax rate at $35.93. To that, Grenier said, "Because of the increases in oil, gas and NH Retirement, it is impossible to cut $1,000,000 from the budget as just these items reflect a $900,000 increase." Councilor Peter Higbee chimed in, "I don't agree with shaving $1,000,000 from the proposed FY22 budget and feel the estimated/projected rate of $37.80 is appropriate." Councilor Lucy Remillard relayed that she feels the tax rate should be kept at $35.93 and stated, "I'm ok with the $1.87 increase but will stand strong with the $35.93 rate. I feel with the revenues and flat lining the budget, we could keep the rate at $35.93." Grenier proposed a motion be made to advertise the proposed FY22 budget for the public hearing on May 26. All voted in favor. Wheeler then requested the Council to authorize and to execute the Gravel Tax Levy for excavated material to Albert Guay in the amount of $63.84. All voted in favor. The next topic on the agenda involved short term rentals. Community Development Director Pam Laflamme relayed to the Council that the Planning Board has been discussing short term rentals and reviewing ordinances from other communities. She said, "The primary issues in regard to short term rentals in Berlin are noise, trash and parking which are all addressed by existing ordinances in Berlin's Municipal Code. In pulling all this together, I realized that it was not actually coming together as an ordinance that would fall under the scope of what would be considered planning or zoning codes." Remillard responded, "The Planning Board has looked at a lot of options and I feel this should go back to Traffic and Safety. I suggest maybe enforcing with fines as we really don't have major problems at this time." Grenier said, "I feel that the Police should be involved to enforce regulations and we should set up a registration process so we don't end up like North Conway." Berlin's Chief of Police, Peter Morency, stated that there is a landlord nuisance in place. BERLIN On May 10, the Berlin City Council held a work session, in which the main topic of discussion circled around publishing the budget.City Manager James Wheeler presented to the Council, proposed changes made to the FY22 proposed budget.Wheeler said, "I increased the UFB used from $800,000 to $1,920,000 to offset the tax rate. These changes produced an estimated/projected tax rate of $37.80 compared to the current rate of $35.93, reflecting a $1.87 increase."Mayor Paul Grenier said, "It's a moving target and there's still six weeks to go until the budget is finalized. We can't over predict what we are going to get."Councilor Mark Eastman inquired if the $5,000,000 from the American Recovery Plan (School Grant) is a set amount. It was relayed that number is an estimate. Eastman suggested taking $1,000,000 from the proposed budget to match last year's budget and keep the tax rate at $35.93.To that, Grenier said, "Because of the increases in oil, gas and NH Retirement, it is impossible to cut $1,000,000 from the budget as just these items reflect a $900,000 increase."Councilor Peter Higbee chimed in, "I don't agree with shaving $1,000,000 from the proposed FY22 budget and feel the estimated/projected rate of $37.80 is appropriate."Councilor Lucy Remillard relayed that she feels the tax rate should be kept at $35.93 and stated, "I'm ok with the $1.87 increase but will stand strong with the $35.93 rate. I feel with the revenues and flat lining the budget, we could keep the rate at $35.93."Grenier proposed a motion be made to advertise the proposed FY22 budget for the public hearing on May 26. All voted in favor.Wheeler then requested the Council to authorize and to execute the Gravel Tax Levy for excavated material to Albert Guay in the amount of $63.84. All voted in favor.The next topic on the agenda involved short term rentals. Community Development Director Pam Laflamme relayed to the Council that the Planning Board has been discussing short term rentals and reviewing ordinances from other communities.She said, "The primary issues in regard to short term rentals in Berlin are noise, trash and parking which are all addressed by existing ordinances in Berlin's Municipal Code. In pulling all this together, I realized that it was not actually coming together as an ordinance that would fall under the scope of what would be considered planning or zoning codes."Remillard responded, "The Planning Board has looked at a lot of options and I feel this should go back to Traffic and Safety. I suggest maybe enforcing with fines as we really don't have major problems at this time."Grenier said, "I feel that the Police should be involved to enforce regulations and we should set up a registration process so we don't end up like North Conway."Berlin's Chief of Police, Peter Morency, stated that there is a landlord nuisance in place. Berlin Reporter City Council discusses spending request Berlin softball rallies, but Belmont gets the win Recent Tara Giles City Council discusses spending request 2021-Jun-10 City Council discusses abatement applications 2021-Jun-03 More than 100 locals vaccinated at Lancaster Fairgrounds 2021-Jun-03 Friedman takes Division III pole vault title 2021-Jun-03 Jury delivers verdict in Woodburn trial 2021-May-20 More... Thanks for visiting SalmonPress.com In summer 2020, The New York Times coordinated a nationwide project to document the lives of Americans out of work because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The study involved collaborating with 11 other local newsrooms around the U.S. The Messenger-Inquirer was the only newspaper from Kentucky in the collaboration. The resulting collection of stories was published Oct. 23, 2020, in the New York Times print edition and at nytimes.com/outofwork. The following list is the Messenger-Inquirer's local unemployment coverage from that time period; read more by clicking the "New York Times Project" header. Click on "Out Of Work In America" to go to the full Market sentiment was especially weak on Thursday, with sellers attempting to offload material as low as $970-980 per tonne cfr Vietnam while there were also offers at $1,000 per tonne cfr Vietnam.Back-to-back offers from major Indian steel mills and a major Chinese steel mill were at $1,030-1,080 per tonne cfr Vietnam, as well as at $1,100 per tonne cfr Vietnam, sources said.There were also offers heard at $1,010 per tonne cfr Vietnam, which sources said were position cargoes.There was market chatter that a transaction had been concluded at $1,010 per tonne cfr Vietnam for a Chinese cargo on Wednesday, although the counter parties could not be confirmed."Even if confirmed, the transaction may eventually not be completed because of the falling spot market," a Vietnamese trader told Fastmarkets on May 21.Bids from buyers were below $950 per tonne cfr Vietnam, especially from those looking to procure cargoes at favorable prices amid the bearish sentiment, however, traders said these bids are unlikely to result in any transactions.Privately-owned steel mills in China were offering back-to-back cargoes at $970-980 per tonne fob China for SS400-grade materials, as well as at $900 per tonne fob China for hot-rolled strip - equivalent to $925 per tonne cfr Vietnam.Position cargoes of SS400 from privately-owned mills were offered at $960 per tonne cfr China, which is equivalent to $930 per tonne fob China, but sources said they believe the spot market is stabilizing from this week onward and that perhaps the drastic price falls would stop soon."The market is calming now and the current price level may become the new norm for a while until China announces new policies," a trader in Singapore told Fastmarkets on Friday.Strong demand in the United States and Europe could also help to support prices, a buyer source in Vietnam said, especially if China really does impose export taxes on HRC and limit its seaborne supply.There was market discussion that China will impose new export taxes on steel exports from June 1, leading buyers in the region to mull renewed changes to trade flows.Chinese prime minister Li Keqiang said this week that China would impose more measures to cool the fiery commodity markets, including imposing export taxes on steel products.While this is aimed at increasing domestic HRC supply, it could cause more supply tightness in the seaborne markets, sources said.It could make purchasing substrate a bit more difficult, especially because China has already removed export rebates for HRC, a buyer source in Vietnam told Fastmarkets on Thursday May 20.This would mean limited choices to purchase HRC, especially due to the swing supply from major producer India, and favorable domestic markets in Japan and South Korea, sources said."This is also why Indian steel mills are maintaining offers at $1,100 per tonne cfr Vietnam," a Vietnamese trader told Fastmarkets on Friday May 21.Fastmarkets weekly price assessment for steel HRC, import, cfr Vietnam, which mainly looks at 2-3mm rerolling-grade SAE1006 HRC and equivalent products , was $970-1,000 per tonne on May 21, down by $80-100 per tonne from $1,050-1,100 per tonne a week earlier Offers for east Asian HRC remained at $1,100 per tonne cfr Vietnam and above, with limited interest from buyers due to the lower offers from India and China, sources said.South Korea's Hyundai Steel is not offering any export cargoes due to an incident as its steel mill in Danjin Key market participants that spoke to Fastmarkets think that spot prices remained at $1,050-1,100 per tonne cfr Vietnam.Fastmarkets weekly price assessment for steel HRC (Japan, Korea, Taiwan-origin), import, cfr Vietnam was $1,050-1,100 per tonne on Friday, unchanged from the previous week. Gov. Whitmer, Lt. Gov. Gilchrist, EGLE Director Clark mark flooding anniversary with community clean-up event Gov. Whitmer, Lt. Gov. Gilchrist, EGLE Director Clark mark flooding anniversary with community clean-up event One year after flooding from the May 19, 2020, failures of dams in Gladwin and Midland counties displaced tens of thousands and destroyed homes and businesses, the devastated communities are slowly recovering. Today, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist were joined by Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) Director Liesl Clark and others at a cleanup and recovery event in Sanford, one of the communities hardest hit by the disaster, to mark the anniversary. "The Sanford community has shown extraordinary strength and grit as they faced a historic flood amidst the COVID-19 pandemic," Gov. Whitmer said. "I am so proud of how the community has pulled together and my administration is committed to aiding their recovery however we can. There is still a lot of work to be done, and we will continue to work together to support those affected by last year's historic flood as they rebuild their lives." EGLE Director Liesl Clark said the power of water and the resulting damage due to the flooding is apparent today and will long shape the impacted communities. "To see some of the progress that has been made in this community is inspiring, considering all the residents have gone through," Clark said. "EGLE stands ready to continue its support of families and businesses in Mid-Michigan and to work closely with local officials on recovery efforts." Also participating in the clean-up were Michigan Department of Transportation Director Paul Ajegba and Michigan Department of Natural Resources Director Dan Eichinger. EGLE continues to assist the affected communities in recovery efforts and future planning through its work such as water quality monitoring, helping local officials expedite debris removal, restoration of drinking water infrastructure, assessing and mitigating continued natural resource damages and assisting with disaster relief applications. Most recently, EGLE oversaw emergency work to draw down water levels in the Tobacco River upstream of the remaining portion of the Edenville Dam to help protect downstream residents and properties from further damage during potential flooding events in the future. Clark said Monday that with the help of Gov. Whitmer and the Legislature, the department is also moving forward on recommendations from external reviews of its dam safety program and regulatory oversight of dams, including hiring additional staff that allowed the creation of a separate Dam Safety Unit within EGLE's Water Resources Division. "A year has passed, but for the families and businesses affected by the dam failures it surely feels like only yesterday," Clark said. "We had personnel literally on the dam just prior to its failure, and since then we've engaged continually with community leaders to provide scientific, logistical and technical support to help them recover from this disaster." With support from the Legislature, the reorganized Dam Safety Unit will soon have five full-time-equivalent staff to oversee more than 1,100 state-regulated dams, doubling the resources available at the time of the dam failures last year. Ideal staffing, according to the Association of State Dam Safety Officials' (ASDSO) recommendations and supported by the Michigan Dam Safety Task Force's report, would be 11 full-time personnel devoted solely to dam safety. "The recovery and restoration efforts at Edenville are still top of mind for us every day, while at the same time we are working hard to help ensure there is never a repeat of this disaster," Clark said. She added that she looks forward to working with legislators on recommendations from the Dam Safety Task Force and ASDSO. Those include additional funding, staffing, and legislative changes that provide regulators with better resources to hold dam owners accountable for safe maintenance practices and upkeep. To report dam safety emergencies, call 800-292-4706. For more information, go to the Dam Safety Unit or Edenville Dam Recovery webpages. Photo captions: EGLE Director Liesl Clark joins Gov. Whitmer at clean-up event in Sanford; DNR Director Eichinger picks up debris at Sanford clean-up event. Like this content? Follow us on Twitter at @MichiganEGLE or on Youtube.com/MichiganEGLE Take a short survey and let us know what you think about MI Environment. Michigan Civil Rights Leaders Commend Passage of COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act Michigan Civil Rights Leaders Commend Passage of COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act Vicki Levengood levengoodv@michigan.gov May 20, 2021 LANSING, MI-James E. White, Director of the Michigan Department of Civil Rights, and Stacie Clayton, Chair of the Michigan Civil Rights Commission, have issued the following statements in response to Congress passing and President Biden signing into law the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act, designed to address hate crimes targeting Asian Americans. James E. White, Director of the Michigan Department of Civil Rights: "Congress sent a clear and bipartisan message with the passage of the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act: we will no longer stand by while racist rhetoric fuels attacks on Asian American families across the nation. This new law will bring much needed additional resources to bear in the fight against the surge of anti-Asian hate crimes and bias incidents we have witnessed in the wake of COVID-19." Stacie Clayton, Chair of the Michigan Civil Rights Commission: "President Biden tweeted that hate has no place in America. The overwhelming support from both chambers of Congress for the legislation that addresses hate crimes throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, especially against Asian Americans, gives our country hope that we can eradicate hate against all races." The Michigan Civil Rights Commission was created by the Michigan Constitution to safeguard constitutional and legal guarantees against discrimination. The Commission is charged with investigating alleged discrimination against any person because of religion, race, color or national origin, genetic information, sex, age, marital status, height, weight, arrest record, and physical and mental disability. The Michigan Department of Civil Rights serves as the operational arm of the Commission. ### Attorney General Nessel Supports Efforts to Undo Trump-Era Healthcare Rule Attorney General Nessel Supports Efforts to Undo Trump-Era Healthcare Rule Lynsey Mukomel 517-599-2746 Attorney General May 21, 2021 LANSING - Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel joined a coalition of 23 state attorneys general in submitting a comment letter to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) applauding the agency for its proposed rule to undo the Trump Administration's harmful 2019 Title X Rule. The proposed rule will rectify many of the harms the 2019 Rule caused women, those who live in rural areas, people of color, and members of the LGBTQ community. "This proposed rule corrects many of the harms resulting from the previous administration's 2019 Title X Rule," Nessel said. "This program is vital in ensuring millions of Americans have access to quality, affordable health coverage and I am happy to see the Biden Administration working quickly to restore it." The Title X program funds not only family planning counseling and access to various contraceptive methods, but also supports critical screenings for high blood pressure, anemia, diabetes, sexually transmitted diseases, as well as cervical and breast cancer. The 2019 rule led to a dramatic loss of Title X providers nationwide. Due to this loss of providers, the number of clients served by the program dropped by 60 percent from 2018 to 2020. As a result, low-income, uninsured, and racial and ethnic minorities' access to Title X family planning services has decreased. HHS's proposed rule would put the Title X program back on track to providing underserved communities with quality and accessible medical care. For example, the rule would allow Title X clinics to: Share information with patients about their reproductive healthcare choices and available, high quality providers; Provide a referral for an abortion, if requested by the patient; Provide pregnant patients with referrals to prenatal care, if requested by the patient; and Remove the current required physical and financial separation of Title X funded services from abortion care. In the letter, the attorneys general support HHS's decision to readopt the original Title X regulations that took effect in 2000 and the proposed revisions that would ensure access to equitable, affordable, client-centered, quality family planning services, including the rule's focus on advancing health equity and reducing barriers to care and health disparities among underserved communities. Joining Attorney General Nessel in sending this letter are the attorneys general of California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia. PHOTOS: Lt. Governor Gilchrist Tours Beaumont Vaccination Clinic PHOTOS: Lt. Governor Gilchrist Tours Beaumont Vaccination Clinic FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 17, 2021 Contact: Press@Michigan.gov PHOTOS: Lt. Governor Gilchrist Tours Beaumont Vaccination Clinic LANSING, Mich. -- Today, Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist traveled to the Beaumont Health vaccination site in Southfield to observe the health system's ongoing efficient and equitable COVID-19 vaccination efforts. He was joined by Beaumont Health Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Carolyn Wilson. "Our administration has been working around the clock to expand our vaccine program in an efficient and equitable manner so that every Michigander has access to safe and effective vaccines," said Lt. Governor Gilchrist. "Vaccination efforts like the ones at Beaumont Health are crucial to beating COVID-19, and clinics across the state are making it easier to get a vaccine by offering walk-in hours, call-in lines and same-day appointments. The best thing all of us can do to protect ourselves, our families, and neighbors is to get vaccinated, so we can grow the economy, create jobs, and do the things we love together." To date, 55.7% of Michiganders 16 or older have received an initial dose, moving the state closer to its goal of equitably vaccinating at least 70% of Michiganders ages 16 and older as soon as possible. As part of these efforts, Michigan is partnering with organizations like Beaumont Health to create more opportunities for Michigan residents to receive a vaccine. "We enjoyed hosting Lt. Governor Gilchrist at our vaccine clinic today. We are so proud we have administered more than 345,000 doses of the vaccine and we are eager to do even more. Getting as many people vaccinated as possible is the key to ending this pandemic," said Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Wilson. ### The diplomatic flurry was over and Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu was on the phone telling President Joe Biden that it appeared the furious fighting between Israel and Hamas was about to end. But Biden remained wary even after the afternoon phone call with the prime minister. Things still could go crosswise with hours to go before the cease-fire took effect, Biden's team reasoned. Nervous White House aides dialed contacts in Tel Aviv and Cairo to suss out whether the truce would hold. Officials in both the U.S. and Israel worried that another barrage of Hamas rockets could sink the Egyptian-brokered agreement, according to an official familiar with the conversations. Then came another call from Netanyahu his second to Biden that day with reassurances for the American president that the 11-day war really was halting. Biden's first extended foreign policy crisis, one he handled largely by avoiding the cameras and maneuvering instead behind the scenes, had abated. The president went before cameras in the Cross Hall of the White House to describe intensive high-level discussions, hour by hour, literally by the United States that involved Egypt, the Palestinian Authority and other Middle Eastern countries. All of it, he said, came "with an aim of avoiding the sort of prolonged conflict weve seen in previous years when the hostilities have broken out. The calls between Biden and Netanyahu were a small sample of the furious diplomacy that the White House conducted. The president and senior aides had over 80 engagements, by phone or in person, in search of an endgame to the fighting, according to the White House. Biden's speech celebrating the cease-fire lasted just 3 minutes and was delivered in time for evening news broadcasts. He reiterated his belief that Israel has a right to defend itself, expressed condolences for Palestinian civilians who died in the Israeli bombardment and promised that humanitarian aid to Gaza Strip was on its way. It was an enigmatic, and perhaps fitting, bookend to the sort of messy Mideast crisis he had hoped to avoid, particularly early in a presidency already oversubscribed with managing the public health and economic tumult caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The conflict had also exposed a rift between Biden and members of his own party. The president who over nearly 50 years in national politics has burnished a reputation for unwavering support of Israel leads a Democratic Party that has trended toward a far more divided outlook on the proper path to peace between Israel and the Palestinians. Republicans were all too eager to try to make political use of the situation. Biden had studiously avoided extensive public comment about the Israeli military strikes. But he faced increasing pressure from Democrats to speak out against the Israelis as the death toll climbed in Gaza and as tens of thousands of Palestinians were displaced by the aerial bombardment. Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut expressed relief at the cease-fire and commended Biden and his team for their work. But he also laid out ongoing worries, saying, "I am deeply concerned that without meaningful progress towards a two-state future, the conditions of despair will deepen, further fuel extremism and lead to a tragic renewal of the cycle of violence. The cease-fire announcement came after Biden on Wednesday stepped up his pressure on Netanyahu, telling the prime minister that he expected significant de-escalation of the fighting by days end, according to the White House. But Netanyahu came right back with a public declaration that he was determined to continue the Gaza operation until its objective is achieved." Biden's advisers were not overly concerned that Netanyahus comments seemed to reject the president's public call to ease off, said the official, who was not authorized to publicly discuss private discussions and spoke on condition of anonymity. In fact, soon after Wednesday's conversation between the leaders, the Israelis signaled to the White House that they were prepared to propose a time for a cease-fire, according to officials. Netanyahu, who saw daily polling that showed the vast majority of Israelis opposed a cease-fire, was looking for assurances that if such an offer was extended it would, in fact, be accepted. And he wanted the Biden administration's help. Biden on Thursday morning called Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi and asked him if he could guarantee that Hamas and other militant groups in Gaza would abide by a cease-fire if Israel agreed to a deal. El-Sissi told Biden that he was confident the answer was yes. And the White House quickly relayed that to the Israelis. Hours later, Netanyahu sat down with his Cabinet. For the roughly 2- hour meeting, White House officials who had been in nearly continuous contact for days from the Israelis heard nothing from Tel Aviv. When it ended, Netanyahu called Biden and told the president that the Cabinet had approved the cease-fire. The Israelis wanted it to take effect quickly in hopes of mitigating chances that Hamas would attempt to rain rockets on Tel Aviv in the final moments of the war. Still, Netanyahu conveyed some trepidation that the deal could fall apart. About 40 minutes later, as Biden was preparing for his remarks, Netanyahu called again and told the president he was confident the cease-fire would stick. While Biden and aides were deep in the backchannel efforts, domestic pressure was building on the president. On Tuesday, while in Michigan to visit a Ford facility, Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib confronted Biden at the airport and called on him to speak out forcefully against the Israeli strikes. Also this week, Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York introduced resolutions to block the sale of $735 million in military weaponry to Israel that had already been approved by the Biden administration. Let us hope that the ceasefire in Gaza holds," Sanders tweeted Thursday evening. But thats not enough. Our job now is to support desperately needed humanitarian and reconstruction aid to Gazas people, and find a way to finally bring peace to the region. Biden advisers had concluded in the first days of the crisis, as Hamas fired hundreds of rockets on Israel, that a call from the president for Israeli restraint would have fallen flat. At the same time, early in the crisis, there was deep worry inside the White House that the fighting could escalate into something that would take months to tamp down. As the outside calls for Biden to speak out more forcefully grew, the president and top aides privately made the case to Israeli officials that time wasnt on their side. Biden and Netanyahu have known each other for more than 30 years and have frequently butted heads. Their conversations throughout the crisis probed one another as they tried to game out a path forward, according to officials. Netanyahu insisted that his half-dozen conversations with Biden during the fighting were "warm and friendly." Biden in the calls referred to Netanyahu by his nickname, Bibi," while the prime minster addressed the president as Joe. "I told him that any country coming under fire from thousands of rockets on its cities would not sit with folded hands, and I told him that we will halt the fighting once we achieve the objectives of the campaign," Netanyahu said. "The president understood this and this is exactly what we did. Biden ended his own brief remarks about the cease-fire on a hopeful note: I believe we have a genuine opportunity to make progress, and Im committed to working for it. HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) Zimbabwe's vice president has announced the government is imposing a two-week lockdown on the central city of Kwekwe because the COVID-19 variant dominant in India has been detected there. Constantino Chiwenga, who is also the country's health minister, issued a statement Friday saying activities in Kwekwe, a city of more than 100,000, will be restricted for two weeks starting Friday. DANBURY Ocean State Job Lot is officially open for business in the Danbury Square shopping center. The discount closeout retailer opened its new Backus Avenue location this week in the 45,000 square-foot space formerly occupied by Toys R Us, which closed its doors in 2018 after the brand filed for bankruptcy protection. Despite a changing business climate, Ocean State Job Lot decided to open the new store in Danbury as part of the companys commitment to regional expansion and growth. The company not only looked forward to filling a large vacancy in a popular shopping center, according to Ocean State Job Lot store operations director Paul Cox, but creating new jobs when many are struggling to find work. Nearly 50 full- and part-time associates have been hired to work at Danburys Ocean State Job Lot, which is the Rhode Island-based companys 29th retail store in Connecticut and the first in the western part of the state. There are 145 of the stores nationally. Were looking forward to sharing Ocean State Job Lots unique shopping experience with our new neighbors in Danbury, said Danburys Ocean State Job Lot store team leader, Rich Stomski. Ocean State Job Lot sells a variety of products from food, home decor and pet supplies to clothing, health essentials and beauty supplies at discount prices. From seasonal items and home essentials including spring lawn clean-up supplies, to pantry staples, paper goods and a wide array of cleaning products Ocean State Job Lot offers unbeatable prices and selection, Stomski said. Ocean State Job Lot is more than a discount retailer. It also has a charitable organization thats been working to help communities affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Ocean State Job Lot Charitable Foundation has distributed more than $1.5 million of personal protective equipment to police and fire departments in the Northeast including nearly $12,000 worth to the Roxbury Fire Department after an intentionally-set fire destroyed its stockpile two months ago. With the opening of the Ocean State Job Lot store in Danbury, the foundation plans to donate thousands of pieces of personal protective equipment to the citys police and fire departments. China, Philippines to hold sixth BCM meeting on South China Sea Xinhua) 15:14, May 21, 2021 BEIJING, May 20 (Xinhua) -- China and the Philippines will hold the sixth meeting of the bilateral consultation mechanism (BCM) on the South China Sea via video link in the near future, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian told a daily press briefing on Thursday. The two sides will exchange views over the current situation in the South China Sea and maritime issues between the two countries, and explore ways to further expand exchanges and cooperation in areas such as maritime search and rescue, marine fishery, marine ecological and environmental protection, and scientific research, according to the spokesperson. "The delegations of the two sides will be headed by China's Assistant Foreign Minister Wu Jianghao and Philippine Foreign Undersecretary Elizabeth Buensuceso, respectively," Zhao said, adding that the attendees will include officials from sectors such as foreign affairs, national defense, natural resources, agriculture and environmental protection. "We hope this meeting will achieve positive results," he said. Early in 2017, China and the Philippines established the BCM, aiming to build trust and promote maritime security and cooperation, he noted. The two sides have held five meetings under the BCM, conducting in-depth communication and dialogue on bilateral maritime issues, properly handling maritime differences, and promoting exchanges and cooperation in various fields such as maritime search and rescue, maritime security, oil and gas development and marine fishery, said Zhao. "The BCM has played positive roles in promoting the healthy and stable development of China-Philippines relations and maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea," he noted. (Web editor: Shi Xi, Liang Jun) Coos County Democrat Northumberland officer safe after narcotic exposure by Tara Giles Sports reporter - Coos County Democrat and Berlin Reporter Sports reporter - Coos County Democrat and Berlin Reporter write the author NORTHUMBERLAND An officer with the Northumberland Police Department is OK after coming into contact with an unknown white substance during a routine traffic stop. On 16 May at about 9:12 p.m., the officer made a stop on Lost Nation Road. Over the course of the stop, the driver was revealed to have a suspended license and was placed in custody. The passenger was released without charges. Northumberland Police Chief Pete Pelletier said, "By policy, the officer was in the process of inventorying the car in preparation for the arrival of a tow truck when the officer moved a piece of paper on the driver seat. A powdery substance was immediately aerosolized and the officer was not able to avoid exposure to it in time." Pelletier reported that within seconds, the officer was dizzy and experiencing difficulty in speech and movement. "Alone on the stop, he suspected he had been exposed to a narcotic of some kind and communicated the same to dispatch, which started a Lancaster police officer and an ambulance to the scene," said Pelletier. All Northumberland police officers carry Narcan on their persons or in the cruiser. The officer self-administered Narcan in order to try to stop being overwhelmed by the exposure he had experienced. Help arrived at the scene shortly after and the officer was transported to Weeks Hospital by Groveton EMS. He was treated and released. The driver of the vehicle was charged with several counts of reckless conduct, second degree assault, and driving after suspension/revocation. The driver is identified as 28-year-old Christopher Roy of Milan. Roy was held on preventive detention and transported to the Coos County House of Correction, with a bail hearing set for Monday. The substance is being sent to the state lab and is still under investigation. Pelletier explained what occurs when an unknown substance is discovered, noting "Normally when we see anything like that or when we process our own evidence, will very often have EMS standing nearby so that if there is an inadvertent exposure, somebody's right there. In this case, luckily the officer was able to self administer Narcan." Narcan blocks the effectiveness of the pharmaceutical action of the narcotic. "As soon as our officer felt the effects, he used the Narcan, not knowing how much he may have ingested, so the Narcan was used to make sure that he didn't pass out or stop breathing," explained Pelletier. He went on to say, "For example, fentanyl is absorbed right through your skin, so it's especially dangerous on warmer days. A piece of fentanyl the size of a grain of salt, can make you stop breathing if it gets into your eye, that's how powerful this stuff is." The Police Chief reminds people that if you have a suspicion about a substance, don't touch it, commenting "We have people trained to handle this stuff and it's so dangerous. You wouldn't try to diffuse a bomb by yourself. People really need to be aware of how dangerous this stuff is." NORTHUMBERLAND An officer with the Northumberland Police Department is OK after coming into contact with an unknown white substance during a routine traffic stop.On 16 May at about 9:12 p.m., the officer made a stop on Lost Nation Road. Over the course of the stop, the driver was revealed to have a suspended license and was placed in custody. The passenger was released without charges.Northumberland Police Chief Pete Pelletier said, "By policy, the officer was in the process of inventorying the car in preparation for the arrival of a tow truck when the officer moved a piece of paper on the driver seat. A powdery substance was immediately aerosolized and the officer was not able to avoid exposure to it in time."Pelletier reported that within seconds, the officer was dizzy and experiencing difficulty in speech and movement."Alone on the stop, he suspected he had been exposed to a narcotic of some kind and communicated the same to dispatch, which started a Lancaster police officer and an ambulance to the scene," said Pelletier.All Northumberland police officers carry Narcan on their persons or in the cruiser. The officer self-administered Narcan in order to try to stop being overwhelmed by the exposure he had experienced. Help arrived at the scene shortly after and the officer was transported to Weeks Hospital by Groveton EMS. He was treated and released.The driver of the vehicle was charged with several counts of reckless conduct, second degree assault, and driving after suspension/revocation. The driver is identified as 28-year-old Christopher Roy of Milan. Roy was held on preventive detention and transported to the Coos County House of Correction, with a bail hearing set for Monday. The substance is being sent to the state lab and is still under investigation.Pelletier explained what occurs when an unknown substance is discovered, noting "Normally when we see anything like that or when we process our own evidence, will very often have EMS standing nearby so that if there is an inadvertent exposure, somebody's right there. In this case, luckily the officer was able to self administer Narcan."Narcan blocks the effectiveness of the pharmaceutical action of the narcotic. "As soon as our officer felt the effects, he used the Narcan, not knowing how much he may have ingested, so the Narcan was used to make sure that he didn't pass out or stop breathing," explained Pelletier.He went on to say, "For example, fentanyl is absorbed right through your skin, so it's especially dangerous on warmer days. A piece of fentanyl the size of a grain of salt, can make you stop breathing if it gets into your eye, that's how powerful this stuff is."The Police Chief reminds people that if you have a suspicion about a substance, don't touch it, commenting "We have people trained to handle this stuff and it's so dangerous. You wouldn't try to diffuse a bomb by yourself. People really need to be aware of how dangerous this stuff is." Coos County Democrat Baseball Spartans win extra-innings playoff thriller North Country educators honored by School Administrators Association Recent Tara Giles City Council discusses spending request 2021-Jun-10 City Council discusses abatement applications 2021-Jun-03 More than 100 locals vaccinated at Lancaster Fairgrounds 2021-Jun-03 Friedman takes Division III pole vault title 2021-Jun-03 City Council discusses proposed budget 2021-May-20 Jury delivers verdict in Woodburn trial 2021-May-20 More... Thanks for visiting SalmonPress.com MOBILE, Ala. (AP) Thousands of joyful revelers, many without masks, competed for plastic beads and trinkets tossed from floats as Alabama's port city threw a Mardi Gras-style parade Friday night, its first since Carnival celebrations were scrapped earlier this year by the COVID-19 pandemic. Many lined up shoulder-to-shoulder and several deep along sidewalks, shouting and cheering as nearly 30 floats and several high school marching bands crossed a stretch of downtown Mobile. With both COVID-19 hospitalizations and vaccinations ebbing, many partied with abandon. It was definitely not a Mardi Gras parade: Those can only be held during Mardi Gras, the period before Lent. But it felt a lot like one, which was a big part of the goal after months of lockdowns, illness, deaths and face masks. Call it Tardy Gras, perhaps. James L. Hurst said he was jubilant to be out partying after a difficult year. Many had no face coverings amid an upbeat mood sweeping the crowd on a balmy spring night with clear skies. Some took part in small house parties near the parade staging point. Others on the route eagerly held up hands, aiming to catch cheap beaded necklaces tossed by riders atop the floats. We didnt get a chance to celebrate our Mardi Gras last year because it was canceled because of the COVID-19, Hurst told The Associated Press. It feels great to be out! We have our vaccines and we are ready to go! He called it the start of a new era, adding, My momma had the COVID and it was like three months before I got to see her before she got over it. She made all of us get our vaccines. Christopher Robinson, a longtime Mobile resident and a king of one of the parade groups called krewes said he was raised on Mardi Gras in this port city and was just glad to be able to celebrate again after such a year. Oh, we hate the pandemic, Robinson said. But you know what? It brung us back to a great season to be able to celebrate and come back even louder than before. Celebrations, friends, family, having a good time. This May 21st is bringing us back together as we would normally do it. Police officers on the parade route cheerfully picked up beads and trinkets from the streets and handed them to children in the crowd, which was kept back behind barricades. The booming high school marching bands, together with shouts from the crowd, provided a soundtrack for the party. The events of the day included a ship commissioning and nighttime fireworks. During the past 14 months to 16 months or so its been very difficult to make it all work, but this is a real blessing, Stephen Toomey, who owns a Mardi Gras supply company, told WALA-TV. Statewide hospitalizations from COVID-19, the illness caused by the new coronavirus, are at the lowest point since April 2020, although more than 11,000 have died in Alabama and more than 540,000 have been infected. With only about a quarter of the state's population fully vaccinated, the state's immunization rate has trailed the nation for months. Vaccination rates in Mobile County roughly mirror those of the state, with about 25% of the area's more than 400,000 residents immunized. Some feared in advance that, despite the latest federal guidelines about face masks, large numbers of unvaccinated, unmasked people could clog the parade route. Dr. Bernard Eichold, the Mobile County health officer, said earlier that health officials hoped people would follow safety recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, al.com reported. Like during a traditional Mardi Gras event, everyone needs to exercise personal safety and have a safe and wonderful event, he said. Mobile police said about 64,000 people attended the festivities. Officers responded to 13 complaints and made two misdemeanor arrests. New Orleans, where Mardi Gras celebrations also were canceled this year to slow the spread of the coronavirus, has not attempted a similar event. The original parade route was expanded because of the high level of interest, organizers said, and 21 Mardi Gras societies were participating with downtown hotels nearly sold out. Restaurants and bars were planning special events and deals. While the parade's theme is Celebrating Mardi Gras and Mobile, it was actually meant to mark the commissioning of the Navy's new ship USS Mobile, a shallow-water combat vessel manufactured in Mobile. Aside from the parade, receptions, a breakfast and a commissioning ceremony were also part of the plans. Were absolutely excited about having Mardi Gras in May, certainly unexpected, Elizabeth Broughton, co-owner Debris Po Boys, told WALA-TV. ___ Follow APs coverage of the pandemic at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak. BRIDGEPORT One man was shot Thursday morning at Arctic and East Main streets, police said. Officers received a report just before 11 a.m. that shots had been fired in the area and a person was on the sidewalk with a gunshot wound. Police said when they arrived, they reported finding a victim. The man was put in a private vehicle, which was escorted to Bridgeport Hospital by police. The 29-year-old victim, who was shot multiple times, was in stable condition Thursday evening, according to information from police sent by Scott Appleby, the citys director of emergency communications and emergency management. The shooting remains under investigation. MIDDLETOWN As part of Gov. Ned Lamont's ride free initiative, weekends all summer long on bus systems statewide, Middletown Area Transit will be going fare free, Memorial Day weekend starting May 29, through Labor Day, Sept. 6. This includes ADA paratransit trips. The program is part of his administrations ongoing efforts to help the state recover from the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, he is directing CTtransit to provide free, statewide bus service to all customers. In addition to Saturdays and Sundays, the free service will also include the observed Independence Day holiday July 5. For information, visit Middletown Area Transit on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/middletownareatransit/posts/2579435182364391 Pop-up space for artists available ESSEX Outdoor Pop-Up space is now available with Connecticut River Artisans Cooperative. Space should be secured as soon as possible for Saturdays and Sundays in June, July and August. Connecticut River Artisans Co-op is located in Essex in a high-volume, foot-traffic area. You will find us near popular tourist attractions, restaurants and the town marina. In order to ensure quality, we will jury your handmade arts and crafts. We will not accept commercial vendors or imports. We can offer great exposure for your goods, as well as an enjoyable day, members said. . For more information and an application, contact Peter Simoncini at pasimoncini@comcast.net Region 17 begins superintendent search HADDAM/KILLINGWORTH The Regional School District #17 Board of Education has begun a search for a new Superintendent of Haddam and Killingworth schools after the resignation of Dr. Holly Hageman. Over the past few years, RSD #17 put into place a strong leadership team, launched a new Intermediate School, advanced to Chromebooks for all students, enhanced communication and trust with staff and the community and advanced a multitude of operational projects and building renovations. Most importantly, RSD #17 was one of the school districts in Connecticut that remained open, safely operating school in-person this year during the pandemic. The Board has already begun the search process by appointing itself as a Committee of the Whole. It will consider hiring an interim superintendent, using a search firm, and communicating its plans with the community and staff. Sack says, the Board of Education will act judiciously and move expeditiously in finding a talented, caring, and inspirational Superintendent of Schools for RSD17. Youth employment application deadline is June 11 MIDDLETOWN Applications for the 2021 Middletown Summer Youth Employment Program are available online at Middlesexchamber.com or at the Chamber office, and are due on Monday June 11, by 4:30 p.m. Applications should be submitted and returned to the Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce, 393 Main Street, Middletown. Applications are available at Middletown High School, Woodrow Wilson Middle School, Vinal Technical High School, Cromwell H.S., Portland H.S., and the Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce. The program is designed to provide opportunities for economically challenged youth in the community between the ages of 14 to 21, but all interested age eligible youth are encouraged to apply for consideration. For more information visit middlesexchamber.com/youth or call the Middlesex Chamber at 860-347-6924. DEEP, CFPC: Check your smoke detectors The Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection and the Commission on Fire Prevention and Control want to remind all state residents to regularly check their smoke detectors and replace them when needed. Smoke detectors have a life span of about 7 to 10 years, said Alan Zygmunt, Public Fire Education coordinator from the Connecticut Fire Academy. After this time they should be replaced with a new model to ensure your familys safety. By following the tips below, you can ensure safety through the entire year. Install smoke alarms on every level of your home and in each sleeping area. Most fatal fires happen at night when occupants are asleep, so hearing your alarm sound early is important to give everyone time to escape. Always follow the manufacturers instructions when installing your smoke alarms, especially if mounted on a wall. Generally, install them to be sure they will activate as early as possible. Check your detectors monthly to make sure they are working. Most newer smoke detectors have 10-year sealed batteries so batteries never need to be replaced. If not, smoke detectors batteries should be replaced twice per year, when we move our clocks forward or back. Remember that even hard wired smoke alarms and plug-in CO alarms have batteries that operate when you lose power. If you are unsure on the age of your detectors, check the back of the unit, all units manufactured in the last 10 years have a date on them. If there is no date, its probably older than 10 years and should be replaced. Additional information is available by visiting the USFA web site at https://www.usfa.fema.gov/prevention/outreach/smoke_alarms.html GREENWICH Superintendent of Schools Toni Jones received a 2 percent salary increase and her contract with the Greenwich Public Schools was extended an additional two years after a vote Thursday night by the Board of Education. Jones, who came to the district in the summer of 2019, will earn $241,372 in the 2021-22 school year, up from $236,640 this school year. Her contract now extends through the end of the 2023-24 school year. Dr. Jones continues to evidence professionalism with her calm, cool and collected demeanor even in the face of adversity, Board of Education Chair Peter Bernstein said. And the 2020-2021 school year certainly presented its share of challenges. Throughout all, you have been focused on the students. The board first met a week ago in executive session to discuss Jones job performance, but it presented a summary at its Thursday night meeting. Bernstein, speaking on behalf of the board, lauded Jones for her response during the COVID-19 pandemic and especially her success in reopening Greenwichs schools at a time when many districts across the country could not educate students in-person. He also credited Jones for her positive attitude, work ethic, grace during the most recent budget process and the improved communication she helped implement in the district. His small critique was that Jones should delegate more now that she has two years in the district. Jones pay increase is also in line with the raise approved for town employees by the Board of Estimate and Taxation earlier this week, according to Bernstein. The board voted unanimously to approve the raise for Jones, who was previously the superintendent in Fairfield. I think this is a no-brainer. Toni took a zero last year, said board Vice Chair Kathleen Stowe, referring to Jones decision last year to forego a scheduled pay raise because of pandemic-related budget troubles. Two percent, to me, seems more than reasonable. Its in the budget. Its what the rest of the Cabinet is getting. Questions on the contract But two school board members, in particular, questioned details of Jones contract. Board member Karen Kowalski urged the school board to circulate an anonymous survey to administrators, staff and parents to assess Jones and give the board a better sense of how she is perceived. I think that it would behoove us to understand her as a leader and how her administrators and staff think, Kowalski said. As well as the community as a whole. She and board member Peter Sherr also advocated for a language change to balance out what they called a one-sided contract, which doesnt allow the board to terminate Jones at will, even though the superintendent can leave the district with ample notice. Im amazed were writing contracts that the residents of Greenwich dont have reciprocal rights and the contract is one-sided, Sherr said. With three board members Bernstein, Sherr and Meghan Olsson all declining to seek re-election to the board this fall, Sherr and Kowalski also urged the board to shorten the superintendents contract. The thinking, according to Kowalski and Sherr, is that a new board, made up of new members, should be able to make decisions about its superintendent, rather than inheriting a long-term district head. But other board members were not swayed. The fact of the matter is, this town doesnt have unanimity on anything, board member Christina Downey said in response to Kowalskis proposal for a survey. So I think to say were going to survey people to get an answer isnt going to yield an answer any more than the voluminous emails that we already get. So I respectfully say I dont think thats a productive use of time. ... We as elected officials, that is our job. Our job is to make the decisions based on the information weve gathered over an extensive period of time. Bernstein also noted that the contract including the piece about termination was taken from a template provided by the Connecticut Association of Superintendents of Schools and used in many other districts, including Darien and New Canaan. As for shortening the contract to give a new school board more power, Bernstein said it would send the wrong message to the town to say we want to be able to get rid of you anytime we feel like getting rid of you. I think we rely on the people that have experience with you, Bernstein said. Weve had two years of experience with you at this point. I would like to see more years of experience with you. justin.papp@scni.com; @justinjpapp1; 203-842-2586 TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Kansas' child welfare department and law enforcement officers soon will be required to visually observe a child when they're investigating allegations of abuse or neglect under a bill Gov. Laura Kelly signed into law Friday. The measure is known as Adrian's Law, and will take effect by mid-June. The new law is named for a 7-year-old Kansas City, Kansas boy, Adrian Jones, who was murdered in 2015. ROME (AP) A global health summit that underlined the growing disparity between rich and poor countries during the pandemic closed Friday with pledges by pharmaceutical companies to deliver more than 1.3 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines to low- and middle-income countries this year. Italian Premier Mario Draghi, host of the Rome summit that brought together the Group of 20 and the European Unions executive arm, called the contributions by private companies significant and staggering. The pledges made include 1 billion doses from American pharmaceutical company Pfizer and German company BioNTechs, 200 million from Johnson & Johnson and 100 million from Moderna. They will be provided at cost for low-income countries and at a low profit for middle-income countries. Pfizer and BioNTech pledged an additional 1 billion for next year, while European Union nations promised another 100 million doses for this year. Many of the European deliveries will take place place through the U.N.-backed COVAX program, said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who co-hosted the summit. COVAX aims to ensure equitable access to COVID-19 shots for low-and middle-income countries. Earlier this week, the program suffered a major setback when its biggest supplier, the Serum Institute of India, announced it would likely not export any more vaccines until the end of the year due to COVID-19 crisis on the subcontinent. The pharmaceutical companies did not specify if their pledges would be fulfilled under any particular umbrella. But Draghi said the commitments made Friday in some measure reflect a desire to remediate the injustices and inequities when in the most difficult moments some closed themselves and ignored the rest of the world. Both he and von der Leyen expressed confidence that the pledges would be honored. These companies have committed their whole reputations to this. It is a very, very important move that really will change the landscape, Draghi said, adding that international organizations like the World Health Organization and the World Trade Organization would have a role in ensuring the commitments. Von der Leyen said the doses pledged by European countries were carefully considered, so we feel responsible and accountable. As vaccination campaigns continue to progress in the Western world, poorer countries are struggling to acquire supplies. The U.N. Security Council expressed concern this week about the small number of doses that have reached Africa. Last week, World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus urged rich countries to donate their vaccines before immunizing younger populations, including children. Experts warn that allowing the virus to spread unchecked anywhere in the world could lead to the emergence of potentially dangerous variants. During Fridays global health summit in Rome, Draghi said that nearly 1.5 billion vaccine doses have been administered in over 180 countries worldwide. Yet only 0.3% were in low-income countries, while richer countries administered around 85%. The differences in the vaccination rates are staggering, the Italian leader said. Not only are these disparities unacceptable, they are also a threat so long as the virus continues to circulate freely around the world it can mutate dangerously and undermine even the most successful vaccination campaign. To address inequalities and contain the pandemic, the head of the World Trade Organization said on the eve of the summit that its also crucial to diversify vaccine manufacturing and to have more production taking place in Africa and Latin America. The European Union raised many of the same points WTO Director-General Okonjo-Iweala made, specifically looking to increase manufacturing production in Africa. Today, Africa imports 99% of its vaccines, and this has to change, EU executive von der Leyen said. And therefore, team Europe is launching an initiative with African partners to develop vaccine production in Africa. The initiative will develop a number of regional hubs distributed across the continent and it will draw on the full toolbox of team Europe, including 1 billion euros ($1.2 billion) of investment. Despite a recent call by the United States to waive COVID-19 vaccine patents as a way to increase supplies, participants at the summit were expected to insist that intellectual property rights were an important tool to boost vaccine production. There is a lack of consensus among EU countries on a temporary waiver of patent rights for COVID-19 vaccines. EU officials have argued that waiving patents would yield no short-term or intermediate improvement and could even have a negative impact. Draghi said Italy is open to the idea on the condition that the any waiver measure is targeted and time-limited and does not undermine incentives for pharmaceutical companies to innovate. Gov. Ned Lamont joked at a recent meeting with opinion writers and publishers that he can feel lonely at the state Capitol because Im the guy who doesnt want to raise taxes. He may not be popular with the progressives in his party these days, but we at Hearst Connecticut Media Group commend him for looking out for the entire states welfare by resisting income and sales tax hikes. I dont want to raise taxes just to raise taxes and punish people, the governor told the newspaper group. Agreed. This is a bad moment for the Democrats who control the General Assembly to make Connecticut even more expensive (and to punish success). Just when our suburbs are getting cool again, we dont want to scare away the well-to-do coming to us from New York City for our yards, schools and slightly lower taxes. People do flee high-tax states, according to data from moving companies. To lose many more of Connecticuts high earners and their income-tax revenue would clearly backfire. This state is just starting to climb out of the deep economic hole it dug for itself over decades. Please dont kick the ladder out from under Connecticut, Democrats. Plus, more tax money simply isnt needed right now: Connecticut has the largest rainy-day fund in history. The state is putting close to a billion dollars into the pension fund this year, the governor says. There are billions of dollars in federal aid coming our way. We have more money coming in than going out. Mr. Lamont, a moderate Democrat, is a member of an endangered political breed that deserves protection for its unusual combination of brain and heart. He notes that the states many tax hikes over the last three decades havent solved its financial problems. But we like him for more than just this. He was brave to roll out vaccinations by age, in defiance of federal guidelines and to the dismay of those who worried that the medically vulnerable would be left behind. They included our editorial board. We said at the time that the governors risky plan would put lives at risk. But Connecticut became the first state in the nation to vaccinate half of its adults. The state may have saved more lives with the quicker rollout. The governor also averted a strike at two dozen nursing homes recently with a generous state package that will increase worker pay. If anybody deserves more pay and gratitude, its the workers who braved COVID-19 at nursing homes. It takes guts to lead a state through a terrifying pandemic that killed more than 8,000 of our loved ones. It takes guts to stand up to your party. We commend Gov. Lamont for his courage. He shouldnt feel so lonely in that building in Hartford. A lot of us are cheering him on. Home Salmon Press Coverage Map Print Advertising Rate Card About Us Advertisers Info Pay My Advertising Bill Subscribe Your Account Single Paper Multi-paper Buy Log out Archives Meredith News Winnisquam Echo Gilford Steamer Record Enterprise Granite State News The Baysider Carroll County Independent Coos County Democrat Littleton Courier Berlin Reporter Mountain Ear Newfound Landing Photo Reprints Facebook Coos County Democrat Salmon Sports (Wolfeboro) NH Front Page Meredith News Taylor property sale tabled at town meeting by Erin Plummer MOULTONBOROUGH A warrant article to sell the Taylor property was tabled at town meeting after Huggins Hospital stated it had no immediate plans to buy it to expand its facilities. Article 15 was a petitioned article asking for any discussion and decisions on the sale of the property at 970 Whittier Highway to take place at town meeting. The article initially contained a proposal to sell the property for $62,700, though since then a potential buyer had pulled out. During its May 6 meeting, the board of selectmen presented a draft letter of intent between the town and Huggins Hospital for the hospital to buy the property for $75,000 for a possible expansion of Moultonborough Family Medicine. Both the town and the hospital had talked over the years about the center's needs and expanding patient base, including options for future expansion. The selectmen compiled the letter of intent to present at town meeting for legislative approval on Saturday to move forward with a potential project. Huggins Hospital, however, later stated that it had no immediate plans to expand that facility and the letter of intent was premature. As a result, the selectmen asked for Article 15 to be tabled as there was no proposal to decide on. Monika O'Clair, vice president of strategy and community relations for Huggins Hospital, said before the meeting that a few years ago the hospital started talking with the own about expanding the building. After a previous expansion project, it was clear they couldn't expand any more in the space they were in. Conversations came up about the abutting property and that the town had been trying to come up with plans for a proposal. O'Clair said the town approached the hospital and mentioned that they might be able to sell the Taylor property. She said the hospital told the town they would love to talk about this if the town needed to go through more of a process. The letter of intent stated that the hospital could build an 8,500- to 10,000-square-foot facility. O'Clair said a comment was made during the process that if the hospital did expand, a building of 8,500 to 10,000 square feet was a ballpark figure mentioned as something that would meet their needs. Any specific buildings would be formally reviewed. The selectmen out forth a draft letter of intent to get any possible process moving in time for town meeting. O'Clair, however, said the hospital would have to formally review such a letter and decide if they wanted to sign it before any formal agreement could be made. She said they have been unable to do this process in such a short amount of time. "If we had plans already ready, if we definitely needed the new building, we would have been pushing as hard as we could," O'Clair said. "It's a little early for us; we need to think of what would be our time frame, what would be our needs." O'Clair said Huggins will continue any potential conversations with the town and discuss any possible options in the future, but it is too soon to have this discussion now. Huggins submitted a statement to the town. "We would like to continue conversations with town officials and residents regarding options if there is a need for expansion in the future," read the statement. "At this time, it is too soon for us to make any formal agreements regarding a purchase of property as we need more time to evaluate the community's needs and our options for growth." As a result, the selectmen asked for a motion to table the article since there was no proposal. Some residents said they were disappointed that there were no plans for an expanded health center. Some concerns were expressed that the proposal was withdrawn because of people strongly opposing the demolition of the Taylor house. Heritage commission chair Cristina Ashjian shared her own correspondence with Huggins about how there was no formal plan on the hospital's end. She also said this wasn't a matter of saving the building versus making progress in town. Asjhian said it would have been a big opportunity for the town if the expansion took place, though she said the letter of intent went against a number of studies and community planning efforts done in the past 10 years. Questions were raised about who approached who first, if Huggins approached the town or if the town approached Huggins. Board of selectmen chair Kevin Quinlan said the hospital approached the town and there were a number of discussions held in nonpublic session about the use of that land. The center's business had grown significantly and there was a possible need for expanding their clinical and physical therapy services. Quinlan said the draft letter of intent was necessary to start moving the process forward and would lay out everything that is currently known. He said it was up to the legislative body to make the decision on whether or not to more the letter forward and they worked to get it out to the voters in the short window of time they had. The letter would go to Huggins and would be the step toward any possible purchase and sale agreement. He said any plans Huggins had for that facility would be at least two years down the road and would require planning for the future. At the same time, they were also under legal obligation to present any proposals for the Taylor property at town meeting with the petition submitted requiring any discussion to take place at town meeting. "We'd just like the citizens of Moultonborough to understand we're just trying to do - and the previous boards by the way - have tried to do everything that we can to bring things to you in a proper time and in a proper fashion," Quinlan said. "Sometimes, it's a little difficult and in this case here we probably jumped the gun thinking we could do something to get it to town meeting ahead of time." Selectman Jean Beadle also said that the letter of intent stated if Huggins wasn't able to carry out any plans on that property in two years, then the property would revert back to the town. The motion to table the article passed. O'Clair also emphasized that there was no intention for Huggins to pull its facility of Moultonborough no matter what it space needs were. She also said the hospital is aware of concerns about the Taylor building and if they do look at that property, they would want to do more research on the building and if it could be used as part of a facility. MOULTONBOROUGH A warrant article to sell the Taylor property was tabled at town meeting after Huggins Hospital stated it had no immediate plans to buy it to expand its facilities.Article 15 was a petitioned article asking for any discussion and decisions on the sale of the property at 970 Whittier Highway to take place at town meeting. The article initially contained a proposal to sell the property for $62,700, though since then a potential buyer had pulled out.During its May 6 meeting, the board of selectmen presented a draft letter of intent between the town and Huggins Hospital for the hospital to buy the property for $75,000 for a possible expansion of Moultonborough Family Medicine. Both the town and the hospital had talked over the years about the center's needs and expanding patient base, including options for future expansion.The selectmen compiled the letter of intent to present at town meeting for legislative approval on Saturday to move forward with a potential project. Huggins Hospital, however, later stated that it had no immediate plans to expand that facility and the letter of intent was premature.As a result, the selectmen asked for Article 15 to be tabled as there was no proposal to decide on.Monika O'Clair, vice president of strategy and community relations for Huggins Hospital, said before the meeting that a few years ago the hospital started talking with the own about expanding the building. After a previous expansion project, it was clear they couldn't expand any more in the space they were in. Conversations came up about the abutting property and that the town had been trying to come up with plans for a proposal.O'Clair said the town approached the hospital and mentioned that they might be able to sell the Taylor property. She said the hospital told the town they would love to talk about this if the town needed to go through more of a process.The letter of intent stated that the hospital could build an 8,500- to 10,000-square-foot facility. O'Clair said a comment was made during the process that if the hospital did expand, a building of 8,500 to 10,000 square feet was a ballpark figure mentioned as something that would meet their needs. Any specific buildings would be formally reviewed.The selectmen out forth a draft letter of intent to get any possible process moving in time for town meeting. O'Clair, however, said the hospital would have to formally review such a letter and decide if they wanted to sign it before any formal agreement could be made. She said they have been unable to do this process in such a short amount of time."If we had plans already ready, if we definitely needed the new building, we would have been pushing as hard as we could," O'Clair said. "It's a little early for us; we need to think of what would be our time frame, what would be our needs."O'Clair said Huggins will continue any potential conversations with the town and discuss any possible options in the future, but it is too soon to have this discussion now.Huggins submitted a statement to the town."We would like to continue conversations with town officials and residents regarding options if there is a need for expansion in the future," read the statement. "At this time, it is too soon for us to make any formal agreements regarding a purchase of property as we need more time to evaluate the community's needs and our options for growth."As a result, the selectmen asked for a motion to table the article since there was no proposal.Some residents said they were disappointed that there were no plans for an expanded health center. Some concerns were expressed that the proposal was withdrawn because of people strongly opposing the demolition of the Taylor house.Heritage commission chair Cristina Ashjian shared her own correspondence with Huggins about how there was no formal plan on the hospital's end. She also said this wasn't a matter of saving the building versus making progress in town. Asjhian said it would have been a big opportunity for the town if the expansion took place, though she said the letter of intent went against a number of studies and community planning efforts done in the past 10 years.Questions were raised about who approached who first, if Huggins approached the town or if the town approached Huggins.Board of selectmen chair Kevin Quinlan said the hospital approached the town and there were a number of discussions held in nonpublic session about the use of that land. The center's business had grown significantly and there was a possible need for expanding their clinical and physical therapy services.Quinlan said the draft letter of intent was necessary to start moving the process forward and would lay out everything that is currently known. He said it was up to the legislative body to make the decision on whether or not to more the letter forward and they worked to get it out to the voters in the short window of time they had. The letter would go to Huggins and would be the step toward any possible purchase and sale agreement.He said any plans Huggins had for that facility would be at least two years down the road and would require planning for the future. At the same time, they were also under legal obligation to present any proposals for the Taylor property at town meeting with the petition submitted requiring any discussion to take place at town meeting."We'd just like the citizens of Moultonborough to understand we're just trying to do - and the previous boards by the way - have tried to do everything that we can to bring things to you in a proper time and in a proper fashion," Quinlan said. "Sometimes, it's a little difficult and in this case here we probably jumped the gun thinking we could do something to get it to town meeting ahead of time."Selectman Jean Beadle also said that the letter of intent stated if Huggins wasn't able to carry out any plans on that property in two years, then the property would revert back to the town.The motion to table the article passed.O'Clair also emphasized that there was no intention for Huggins to pull its facility of Moultonborough no matter what it space needs were.She also said the hospital is aware of concerns about the Taylor building and if they do look at that property, they would want to do more research on the building and if it could be used as part of a facility. Meredith News Laverack Trail celebrates one-year anniversary MA seniors awarded scholarships Thanks for visiting SalmonPress.com MIDDLETOWN With tax season finally wrapped up, the Middlesex United Way is proud to announce another successful year for the Middlesex Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program. VITA has a long history of helping low- to moderate- income households file their taxes for free. In spite of significant challenges posed by COVID-19, Middlesex VITA was hugely successful in helping hundreds of local residents this year. The program adapted its procedures to ensure the health and safety of clients and volunteers. Clients were encouraged to go virtual and utilize a new online platform, which meant that an IRS-certified volunteers would assist online and by phone. For those without access to technology or in need of more assistance, limited in-person sessions were held at the North End Action Team office for the first time. Middlesex VITA invested in upgraded equipment, including several scanners and laptops, in order to serve as many clients as possible in this new environment. Offering both virtual and in-person services, Middlesex VITA filed over 360 tax returns. For many clients, filing a return allowed them to receive the Recovery Rebate Credit, also known as stimulus funds. In total, clients received over $360,000 in tax refunds, which is not only good for the taxpayer but local businesses. This was a challenging tax year, as both our volunteers and our clients had to learn a new process of tax preparation, said Jay Keiser, VITA site coordinator. Fortunately, all parties met the challenge, which resulted in another successful tax year. Earlier this month, Middlesex VITA volunteers gathered in Veterans Memorial Park to celebrate their accomplishments for the year. Volunteers were recognized by Middletown Mayor Ben Florsheim and Connecticut Association for Human Services Director of Asset Building Programs Takima Robinson. In addition to volunteers, over 10 local organizations were recognized by Keiser, including the Middlesex United Way as a member of the VITA Steering Committee. Middlesex VITA relies on the support of partners and this year was no different. Their support is just another example of how our community comes together when it matters! To learn more about the VITA program, or if you are interested in becoming a volunteer, please contact Middlesex United Way at 860-346-8695. Kevin Wilhelm is president and CEO of Middlesex United Way in Middletown. Nobody knows how much a massive health care package earmarked for veterans affected by military toxic exposure will cost -- and Republicans want a price tag and further analysis from the Department of Veterans Affairs before the bill moves forward. The House and Senate Veterans Affairs committees are trying to pass legislation that would provide care and disability compensation for a half-century's worth of veterans sickened by burn pits and other environmental toxins on duty. It's now the best chance for passage such a bill has ever had, but concerns over cost and a perceived lack of support from the VA are threatening to stall progress. The key to a legislative package is language that would create a presumptive service connection to veterans suffering from a long list of diseases who were exposed to burn pits during deployments. Without such a presumption, it's often difficult for veterans to link their medical conditions to their service and prove to the VA they served near burning garbage. Under the proposed presumption policy, veterans would only need to prove they served overseas to establish a service connection for their condition. Read Next: Key Middle East Base Is First to Get Drone-Fighting Quadcopters VA data shows veterans of the post-9/11 wars are twice as likely as non-deployed veterans to file claims related to cancer, and three times more likely to suffer respiratory issues. VA estimates 3.5 million veterans have been exposed to burn pits since 1990. That means legislation covering their conditions would be one of the largest health care bills passed in years, and would come with a hefty price tag. Rep. Mike Bost, R-Ill., the top Republican on the House VA committee, told Military.com his goal is to get a bill to President Joe Biden's desk this year. Bost and other lawmakers, feel urgency to get a bill passed, fearing a repeat of the Agent Orange debate. Vietnam veterans who say they were sickened by the chemical defoliant waited decades for legislation connecting their conditions with military service. Lawmakers and veterans advocates largely agree that this is the year to act on toxic exposures. However, Bost says the VA still needs to give Congress at least a loose idea of the cost. Considering the scope of the bill, trimming the fat and fine-tuning the details could be critical to its passage. "We don't want a bill that ends up being so expensive it falls under its own weight," Bost said Wednesday. Bost also sent a letter to VA Secretary Denis McDonough Wednesday asking for "formal views and cost estimates" on each of the 15 toxic exposure bills the House is considering for inclusion in a larger health care law. A spokesman for VA said the department is in communication with Bost's office and is "actively working to determine the cost and resource implications" of a new major toxic exposure law. "VA continues to work diligently and proactively to seek every avenue possible to develop a process with the utmost rigor where presumptives for toxic exposure can be determined in a more expedient and holistic manner for veterans," the spokesman said in a statement to Military.com. Yet Bost thinks the VA delaying a complete analysis could bog the process down and put Congress at risk of not getting the details right. "That's the danger, that's why the administration needs to work with us," Bost said. "My biggest fear is that it gets snagged that way." Yet the House doesn't have to have VA's input or cost analysis to move forward. House Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman Mark Takano, D-Calif., said the agency has given lawmakers some input and he plans to announce a toxic exposure package next week. "Veterans have waited far too long for relief from toxic exposure," Takano said in a statement to Military.com. "We welcome VA's participation and they have provided input on many of the provisions being considered, but this is the cost of war that Congress should recognize. That's why the committee is unveiling legislation next week to reform VA's presumptive decision making process and address this issue once and for all, so we no longer have to address this disability by disability and location by location." Bost, like other lawmakers pushing the bill, say the price tag ultimately doesn't matter, and that the final measure will simply amount to the government paying its war tab. It's not clear, though, that all lawmakers feel this way. After the Senate and House pass their versions of the toxic exposure package, the two chambers will need to come together to work out the differences in the two bills and pass a final version for the president to sign into law. Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., who chairs the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, said in a hearing Wednesday that he would not put a toxic exposure package onto the floor for a full chamber vote without the full support of Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kansas, the committee's top Republican. "We'll work this out, we'll work together. We need your help and you have the opportunity to help us now. Please engage with us to make sure we have a bill that's functional," Moran said during the confirmation hearing for VA officials. However, Tester suggested the committee may have to move forward without VA's input. "I think we have to set the mark in the sand," Tester said at a confirmation hearing for the VA deputy secretary. "If we don't, come October we won't have kicked the ball forward." -- Steve Beynon can be reached at Steve.Beynon@military.com. Follow him on Twitter @StevenBeynon. Related: Senate Poised to Deliver Gigantic Bill Covering 11 Military Toxic Exposure Illnesses Tens of thousands of sailors and Marines will participate in the biggest U.S. naval exercise in a generation to test how the services will fight across vast distances as they prepare for possible conflict with China or Russia. Aircraft carriers, submarines, planes, unmanned vessels, and about 25,000 personnel will participate in Large Scale Exercise 2021, which will begin in late summer. The massive exercise will span 17 time zones with sailors and Marines in the U.S., Africa, Europe and the Pacific joining. Live forces will participate in both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. "LSE is more than just training, it is leveraging the integrated fighting power of multiple naval forces to share sensors, weapons, and platforms across all domains in contested environments, globally," said Adm. Christopher Grady, commander of U.S. Fleet Forces, told Military.com in an email. The exercise, he added, will be the first in a series "that will continue to push the envelope of what it means to be the superior maritime force." Read Next: Super Hercules Crew Receives DFC, Air Medals for Daring Afghanistan Flight Under Fire The Navy and Marine Corps are working more closely after decades of missions focused on the Middle East. As competition for influence builds with China and Russia, the Department of the Navy is shifting its focus from a largely land-based fight against terror groups to deterring aggression. Three dozen units will participate in physical portions of the large-scale exercise, while more than 50 will join the exercise remotely, said Lt. Cmdr. Tabitha Klingensmith, with U.S. Fleet Forces Command. Participating units will include personnel from all three Marine expeditionary forces and sailors from the Navy's Second, Third, Sixth, Seventh and Tenth fleets. While the U.S. has held big naval exercises like Bold Alligator and Rim of the Pacific, Klingensmith said the training events are growing in scope and complexity. Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Mike Gilday has referred to the upcoming large-scale exercise as the biggest naval training event in a generation. That's because combining live and virtual participants "will expand the playing field beyond what has ever been achieved in live-only exercises," Klingensmith said. "LSE 2021 will use technologies similar to what you see in virtual video gaming environments to expand the number of participants by linking commands and units around the globe virtually, thereby increasing the number of players, real and synthetic, to better replicate the realistic scale of scenarios the Navy and Marine Corps team is likely to face in the future," she added. The sailors and Marines participating will test several concepts they're likely to encounter in a possible conflict with China. Scenarios will test the sailors and Marines' ability to conduct distributed operations; expeditionary advanced-base operations; littoral operations in a contested environment; and command and control in a contested environment. "We've been applying warfighting concepts like Distributed Maritime Operations ... to fleet battle problems at the strike group level to rapidly advance organizational learning," Grady said. "LSE 2021 is important because we will apply those lessons learned at-scale to further our employment of synchronized, integrated operations across all domains globally, to ensure we remain the superior maritime force in a high-end fight." The Navy and Marine Corps are finalizing details on the exercise, but Klingensmith said they plan to incorporate at least one unmanned platform -- the Autonomous Littoral Connector, a surface vessel that can provide logistics support from shore to ship. That's traditionally a Navy mission, she said, but during the exercise it'll be under the command and control of the Marine Corps. The 2021 updates to Commandant Gen. David Berger's Force Design plans for the Marine Corps call for that service to -- in partnership with the Navy -- explore developing "littoral maneuver groups" to operate the future light amphibious warship. Editor's note: This story has been updated to correct the number of time zones involved in the exercise. -- Gina Harkins can be reached at gina.harkins@military.com. Follow her on Twitter @ginaaharkins. Related: Marines Hop Islands, Set Up Long-Range Fires as Force Preps for Clash with China The Defense Department has logged more than 1,640 "breakthrough" cases of COVID-19 in beneficiaries who have been fully vaccinated, including 24 cases requiring hospitalization, the head of the Defense Health Agency said Thursday. There have been no deaths connected with the breakthrough cases. And with more than 1.5 million people within the DoD fully vaccinated, data shows that vaccine effectiveness is exceeding the 95% efficacy rates seen in clinical trials, Army Lt. Gen. Ronald Place said during a briefing with reporters. "If you do the math, [the vaccine is] 99.9% effective for our beneficiaries in preventing infection, 99.999% effective at preventing hospitalizations and 100% effective at preventing death," Place said. "That's incredible." Read Next: Congress Hopes to Deliver Biggest Veterans Health Care Bill Ever. But What Will it Cost? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced last week that it planned only to monitor breakthrough infections that result in hospitalization or death, a switch from its previous efforts to track all breakthrough cases. CDC officials said they made the change to ensure that they are gathering data on cases of biggest concern -- those that cause serious illness or death. Many breakthrough infections may go unnoticed or unidentified because they result in asymptomatic or mild cases. Place said the DoD has entered all of its COVID-19 cases into a database so it can track issues with beneficiaries, including breakthrough cases. "So even though the CDC isn't requiring it, we still track it," he said. The DoD has diagnosed nearly 300,000 cases of COVID-19 in its population since the beginning of the pandemic, including 193,737 among U.S. military personnel, and recorded 351 deaths. As of Wednesday, the DoD had administered 3.3 million COVID-19 vaccination doses, including more than 1 million to troops. According to Dr. Terry Adirim, acting assistant secretary of defense for health affairs, 58% of the active-duty force has received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. Currently, 29 individuals are hospitalized for COVID-19 in the military health system, Place said, the lowest number since June 2020. "[This is] another indication of the degree to which the vaccine is keeping people healthy and out of the hospital," he said. Defense Department officials issued a memo Wednesday containing guidance to leaders to encourage personnel to get vaccinated against COVID-19. The memo tells commanders to make sure the vaccine is available to all who want it; to engage hesitant personnel at all levels, "acknowledging concerns in a non-judgemental way and addressing questions;" to educate personnel on the science of the vaccines; and to use policies and procedures to encourage participation, such providing liberty passes to personnel who choose to get vaccinated or giving them non-chargeable leave for vaccine recovery. Adirim explained that commanders have "wide authority" to use personnel policy to encourage vaccinations. "For example, one of the policies is that people who are vaccinated do not have to quarantine pre- and post-travel, but if you're not vaccinated, you still have to," she said. Installations across the services have embraced this approach. At Fort Bragg, North Carolina, for example, Army leaders began reopening the installation in late March, starting with a mess hall and gym exclusively for use by fully vaccinated personnel. Soldiers must show their vaccine cards for entry. "Our dining facilities were closed for dining-in for more than a year," Col. Joe Buccino, a spokesman for XVIII Airborne Corps, said during an interview last month. "The concern for us is the social benefits of coming together. There is a lot of value in joining together." Some beneficiaries have said that such tactics are a form of coercion. An Army spouse who lives in Georgia but asked that her name not be used said incentives "restrict the freedom of movement and thus creates a culture of coercion in clear violation of medical ethics." "Many efforts to 'compel' the uptake of the vaccinations and tie it to one's ability to reintegrate within society or military functions [are] a topic of immense concern," she said. Buccino noted, however, that the incentives don't actually change the status quo for the non-vaccinated, who will continue to get their meals via takeaway and may use gyms that offer weight training just as they have for the past 14 months. Adirim said the DoD has seen a rapid increase in the number of personnel getting the vaccine, with 58% of the force vaccinated now compared to just 37% a month ago. She added that the DoD currently has no plans to make the vaccines mandatory and will revisit its decision if the Food and Drug Administration gives them full approval. The vaccines are currently being distributed under Emergency Use Authorizations. "Thank you to our service members and other duty personnel who have chosen to get vaccinated, and to continue to encourage their fellow service members, family members and friends to do the same as well," Place added. -- Patricia Kime can be reached at Patricia.Kime@Monster.com. Follow her on Twitter @patriciakime. Related: Pentagon Tracking 14 Cases of Heart Inflammation in Troops After COVID-19 Shots Retired Army Col. Ralph Puckett waited more than 70 years to receive the nation's highest award for combat valor. And when he got word that he'd be presented with the Medal of Honor, he questioned why the White House would go to all the trouble of presenting it to him. "I understand that your first response to us hosting this event was to ask 'why all the fuss ... can't they just mail it to me?'" President Joe Biden quipped at Friday's presentation ceremony. "I'm incredibly proud to give Col. Ralph Puckett's acts of valor the full recognition they have always deserved." On Nov. 25, 1950, then-1st Lt. Ralph Puckett Jr. exposed himself to enemy machine guns, effectively using himself as bait to enable his Army Rangers to spot their locations. That evening, he led his 51-man company in defending against hundreds of Chinese soldiers who attacked their position for hours. Puckett repeatedly left the safety of his foxhole to spot the enemy and direct artillery fire, sometimes calling in "danger close" attacks, meaning he was ordering them to drop bombs close to his own position to keep the Chinese assault at bay. Read Next: Space Force CO Fired Over Comments About Marxism in the Military Now Subject of IG Probe In doing so, he was wounded several times and eventually was unable to move. Fearing their position was about to be overrun, Puckett ordered his men to fall back and leave him behind so as not to slow them down. Two privates, Billy G. Walls and David L. Pollock, ignored his order and carried him to safety. Then-1st Lt. Ralph Puckett Jr. led fellow Army Rangers across frozen terrain under enemy fire to seize and defend Hill 205 in Unsan, North Korea. He received the Medal of Honor on May 21, 2021, or going above and beyond the call of duty as the Eighth Army Ranger Companys commanding officer during a multiday operation that started on Nov. 25, 1950. (Courtesy photo via the U.S. Army) "This is an honor that was long overdue," Biden said. "More than 70 years overdue." Puckett's Medal of Honor ceremony was unique in that it was the first to be attended by a foreign world leader, according to the White House. Biden welcomed South Korean President Moon Jae-in to highlight the alliance between the two nations and discuss a wide variety of topics and to hold a joint press conference. "Col. Puckett is a true hero of the Korean War," Moon said in remarks during the ceremony. "Without the sacrifice of veterans including Col. Puckett, [the] freedom and democracy we enjoy today couldn't have blossomed in Korea." Retired Col. Ralph Puckett Jr. attends the 2021 Best Ranger event. (U.S Army photo by Markeith Horace) Puckett was pushed in a wheelchair to a stage at the East Room at the White House to receive the medal. Two young Army officers initially stood beside him, supporting him as he stood for Biden's remarks. But when the citation was read, he stood up on his own. A soldier quickly retrieved a walker for him to hold onto, but he pushed it away. Puckett wore the Army's new Green Service Uniform, sporting his other awards, including five Purple Hearts. Puckett, 94, was originally awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his actions leading the 8th Army Ranger Company on Hill 205, just 60 miles from the Chinese border. He received a call from Biden last month, informing him that his DSC would be upgraded to the Medal of Honor. Related Video: "It was quite a shock," Puckett said in a call with reporters Thursday. "I was surprised I received a call from the president. I never thought he'd be calling to speak to me. I was surprised by how humble and ordinary he sounded." Puckett noted the huge gravity of earning the Medal of Honor. Some previous recipients have called the award a burden or felt undeserving of the prestige. "I'm certainly honored," he added. "The people who earned that medal are the Rangers who did more than I asked. I think it's important for them. They're the ones who did the job; they did the fighting and suffered." Puckett had a 22-year career that included a second Distinguished Service Cross and two Silver Stars in Vietnam. He earned five Purple Hearts across the two wars, as well as two Bronze Stars with "V" device for valor. He retired as a colonel in 1971. He is an "honorary colonel" for the 75th Ranger Regiment and is a frequent speaker for the Army. He regularly meets with Rangers at Fort Benning, Georgia. -- Steve Beynon can be reached at Steve.Beynon@military.com. Follow him on Twitter @StevenBeynon. Related: It's Official: Legendary Army Ranger Ralph Puckett to Receive Medal of Honor at 94 A year after the Navy issued a contract to begin production of the first frigate in the new Constellation class, officials announced the service will spend another $554 million for a second small-surface combatant. The Wisconsin-based Fincantieri Marinette Marine was awarded a contract Thursday to build the future guided-missile frigate Congress. It will be the second new Navy vessel named in honor of George Washington's six original frigates. "As the second ship of the Constellation Class Frigate Program, the USS Congress will provide a highly capable, next-generation surface combatant that our Navy and Nation needs," Capt. Kevin Smith, major program manager for the Constellation-class frigates, said in a statement following the announcement. Read Next: Biggest Navy Exercise in a Generation Will Include 25,000 Personnel Across 7 Time Zones The frigate will be built at Fincantieri Marinette Marine's Wisconsin shipyard, where preparations for construction on the lead ship, Constellation, are underway. Navy officials say the future frigate Congress will be capable of air, anti-submarine, surface and electronic warfare. It will carry the MK 110 57mm gun and Mk 41 vertical-launch system. "The Constellation Class Frigate will be an important part of the Navy's future Fleet," a service news release on the deal for the second next-gen frigate states. "It represents the evolution of the Navy's small surface combatant force with increased lethality, survivability, and improved capability to support the National Defense Strategy across the full range of military operations. "It will help conduct distributed maritime operations more effectively and improve the Navy's ability to fight both in contested blue-water and littoral environments," it adds. The Navy has plans to build up to 20 of the new frigates. The initial contract awarded to Fincantieri Marinette Marine to design and build the first of the new guided-missile frigates also included plans for up to nine more ships from the firm -- a deal that's ultimately worth more than $5.5 billion. Leaders say the new vessels will allow the Navy to fight both on the high seas and near the shore. The ships are expected to have more capabilities than littoral combat ships, but will cost less than cruisers and destroyers. "Though it's classified as a small-surface combatant, it really falls nicely in between our small-surface combatants and our large-surface combatants," Vice Adm. Jim Kilby, deputy chief of naval operations for warfare requirements and capabilities, told reporters last year. "And I see it doing multiple things. This is going to be a real workhorse for the United States Navy, supporting distributed maritime operations in the future." Former Navy Secretary Kenneth Braithwaite announced during a December hearing on Capitol Hill that the second new frigate would be named Congress. "USS Congress to honor and recognize the work that you and your staff do every day to support our sailors, our Marines and the people of the United States of America," Braithwaite told Senate Armed Services Committee members. -- Gina Harkins can be reached at gina.harkins@military.com. Follow her on Twitter @ginaaharkins. Related: Navy's New Frigate Will Be Based on Italian Ship With 'Officer-Quality' Staterooms The military is starting its review to rename bases or other assets that commemorate the Confederate States of America, or people who willingly served with the Confederacy, by looking at 10 Army forts. Starting this summer and continuing into the fall, a commission tasked with renaming these facilities will visit and consider Fort Bragg, North Carolina; Fort Rucker, Alabama; Fort Benning and Fort Gordon, Georgia; Fort Hood, Texas; Fort Polk, Louisiana; and four locations in Virginia, including Fort A.P. Hill, Fort Belvoir, Fort Lee and Fort Pickett, Retired Navy Adm. Michelle Howard, who chairs the commission, said in a news conference Friday. The eight-member panel is officially known as the Commission on the Naming of Items of the Department of Defense That Commemorate the Confederate States of America or Any Person Who Served Voluntarily with the Confederate States of America, but is commonly referred to by its shorter nickname, the Naming Commission. Read Next: 'An Honor Long Overdue:' After 70 Years, Ranger Legend Ralph Puckett Receives Medal of Honor The commission has a lot of work ahead of it. Beyond the first 10 Army installations, it will also review everything from ships, buildings and equipment to vehicles and even streets named to commemorate the Confederacy or its figures, Howard said. The list of things potentially requiring renaming could run into the hundreds or even thousands. But its work will also be politically volatile. Pressure dramatically increased on the Pentagon to stop honoring Confederate figures in recent years, as the nation focused on racial justice and the legacy of slavery. Resistance has also been fierce, with former President Donald Trump repeatedly denouncing efforts to change base names and disparaging the calls to do so as "cancel culture." Congress ordered the commission's creation as part of the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act. Trump vetoed the legislation in his final weeks in office, in part because of the renaming issue, but Congress voted Jan. 1 to override his veto. The commission first met March 2 and has since met five more times on a biweekly basis. It plans to keep to that schedule. It must report its progress to the House and Senate Armed Services Committees on Oct. 1 and have completed its work a year after that. Howard said the Navy has also identified a Navy vessel, the oceanographic survey ship Maury, that may need to be renamed. It was named for Matthew Fontaine Maury, who resigned his commission as a U.S. Navy officer at the outbreak of the Civil War and joined the Confederacy. She also cited the guided-missile cruiser Antietam, named after the Civil War battle, as an example of a ship whose name could be considered. "We're going to have to get through the process of working through, with the services, what was the historical context of the naming, was it meant to commemorate the Confederacy, or was there another purpose behind the naming?" Howard said. A reporter asked why the Antietam might need to be renamed, since the Union claimed it as a victory, which was soon followed by President Abraham Lincoln releasing the Emancipation Proclamation. Some historians consider Antietam, one of the bloodiest battles in American history, a stalemate. "That's a great question, because it depends on whether or not you see Antietam as a Union victory," Howard said. "Does it honor the Confederacy in any way? And so that needs more exploration behind what the ship was named [for]." She said the commission will also consider the intentions of those who made the choice at the time of an asset's naming. The Navy ship Chancellorsville is also named after the 1863 battle won by Confederate Gens. Robert E. Lee and Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson, though Howard did not refer to that ship in the conference. A Navy task force earlier this year called for renaming assets such as the Chancellorsville that honor the Confederacy. Howard said the commission is not just considering installations named for people who served the Confederacy, but names that commemorate it in other ways. For example, she said, Fort Belvoir is named after the plantation it was built on. The commission will send Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Congress a plan for renaming installations -- including suggestions for new names -- but it will be up to the SecDef to choose how to implement the plan and which new names to choose. Howard said the commission is already receiving letters with suggestions for new names, although no active-duty troops have made recommendations so far. She said the commission will hold on to those suggestions until the time comes for deciding new names. Howard said the NDAA ordered the commission to build an inventory of military assets, such as bases, installations, buildings, ships, aircraft and equipment, bearing names that commemorate the Confederacy. Grave markers are exempt, she said, and the commission is not looking at museums or artifacts within museums. But if a museum has an exhibit that commemorates the Confederacy or someone who willingly served it, Howard said the commission expects that to be brought to its attention. The Army is the main service supporting the commission, Howard said, and has ordered its components to start surveying installations and preparing lists of what might need to be changed, including smaller assets such as street names. The commission is developing the criteria for whether and how it will rename installations, and is discussing and reviewing the military's guidance for naming installations. Howard said the commission will next meet with leadership at installations, some of whom have already started planning for a possible renaming. The commission also has plans to visit the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, and the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis. During these visits to installations, the commission will meet with local civic leaders and others who have a stake in the decision to rename them. Howard said the commission will take local sensitivities into account. Base commanders typically have strong ties to their communities, Howard said, and the commission will have them set up conversations with local stakeholders. The commission will also reach out to district lawmakers. She added that the commission's mandate limits it to looking only at defense assets with names tied to the Confederacy, saying that looking at other assets named for officials with questionable racial histories -- such as the aircraft carrier Carl Vinson, named for a staunch segregationist -- would fall outside of its mandate. The commission has also started to talk to the National Guard to get an understanding of which of its bases might commemorate the Confederacy. The commission does not cover those Guard installations that fall under state authority. The Louisiana National Guard's Camp Beauregard, named for Confederate Gen. P.G.T. Beauregard, is an example of an installation that does not fall under the commission's authority, Howard said. -- Stephen Losey can be reached at stephen.losey@military.com. Follow him on Twitter @StephenLosey. Related: Pentagon Begins Process to Purge Confederate Names from Military Bases, Property A Texas Republican senator is taking heat after slamming the U.S. military as being "emasculated" in light of a new recruiting ad. "Holy crap," Sen. Ted Cruz said on Twitter. "Perhaps a woke, emasculated military is not the best idea ..." He shared a TikTok video comparing what appears to be Russian military propaganda, showing hypermasculine soldiers in ground combat training and jumping out of planes, and an animated U.S. Army ad featuring Cpl. Emma Malonelord, a soldier who was raised by two mothers in California, telling her story of advocating for LGBT freedoms and then enlisting in the service. Cruz's comments were met with scorn from many in the military and veteran community. Some bashed him for seeming to attack a female soldier even as the Defense Department faces a pervasive sexual assault crisis and tries to make the military more welcoming to women. "I think it's incredibly disturbing to see a sitting U.S. senator publicly push Russian propaganda, while simultaneously degrading the service of a very real soldier," 1st Lt. Kait Abbott, who serves in the Army National Guard, told Military.com. Read Next: Space Force CO Fired over Comments About Marxism in the Military Now Subject of IG Probe "Cruz's comments provided a beacon for those who might believe otherwise, and who will continue to push the message and belief that those who do not fit the straight, white male mold are not welcome here," she added. "We are still seeing pushes for equity and equality for women, and the senator's comments provided a bed for misogyny to live in and thrive. My frustration lies here: The origin story of any young, white male is called the American Dream. Why does it become 'woke' when that story doesn't quite fit the narrative?" Cruz responded to the backlash on social media, saying, "We have the greatest military on earth, but Dem politicians & woke media are trying to turn them into pansies." Erin Perrine, Cruz's communications director, said the "media are politicizing" the armed forces to "promote a woke agenda." Cruz's office didn't respond to questions from Military.com asking whether the senator knew the Army's commercials featured a real soldier and if he plans an apology. "Our military should be focused on winning wars, and we endanger our national security and our service members when they focus on anything else," Perrine said in a statement to Military.com. The military services in recent years have expanded recruiting tactics to fill talent gaps. Though combat roles actually make up a minority of jobs, there's no shortage of recruiting commercials highlighting combat. The elite 75th Ranger Regiment publishes new ads almost monthly. Cruz and other Republicans have made recent efforts to turn military issues into a cultural fight. Last month, he wrote a letter to the Pentagon slamming the military for "being mobilized against the speech of American citizens or in the service of left wing political causes." The letter was in response to military leaders calling out Fox News host Tucker Carlson for disparaging servicewomen and mocking the Defense Department for making uniforms that fit them better. Some GOP lawmakers have taken issue with the effort to uncover extremists within the ranks after a number of veterans and active military personnel took part in the pro-Trump mob that attacked the U.S. Capitol in January. Maj. Maggie Seymour of the Marine Corps Reserve told Military.com she thinks Cruz "knows exactly what he's doing, pandering to his base." "He's getting them riled up, stoking their own fears and insecurities surrounding masculinity and heteronormativity," Seymour told Military.com. "It's playing into two threats really. The obvious Russian propaganda external threat. But also the internal threat that comes from the idea that the very presence of women and gays is a threat to the 'masculinity' of the military. And then people wonder why women are sexually harassed, abused or killed by their fellow service members." -- Steve Beynon can be reached at Steve.Beynon@military.com. Follow him on Twitter @StevenBeynon Related: The Rise of Female Commanders in Combat Arms Military Wants to Use Rockets to Deliver Cargo Anywhere in the World in Less Than an Hour The Air Force announced that "Rocket Cargo" will be the fourth experiment under its Vanguard program. Meredith News Moultonborough voters cast their ballots by Erin Plummer MOULTONBOROUGH Jean Beadle, Kevin Quinlan, and Shari Colby will serve on the board of selectmen after the town's election. Moultonborough voters cast their ballots for town and school district elections on Tuesday after elections were postponed from March. Jean Beadle will serve another three-year term on the board of selectmen and will be joined by Shari Colby in a three-year position. Beadle received 564 votes and Colby received 433. Chris Shipp received 342 votes. Kevin Quinlan was reelected to a two-year term on the selectmen with 500 votes, while Susan Price received 310. For supervisor of the checklist, Kathleen Remson will serve a one-year term after receiving 582 votes against 208 cast for Barbara Koehler. The rest of the offices were uncontested. Julia Barry Marchand was elected as town clerk with 777 votes. Nancy Goss will serve as town treasurer with 766 votes. Paul Daisy was reelected as trustee of the trust fund with 714 votes. Peter Olsen and Sherry Wakefield will return to the library trustees, Wakefield with 684 votes and Olsen with 588. Sandra Kelly was reelected to the planning board with 694 votes. Amy Lindamood received 48 write-in votes for the other open seat on the planning board. For the zoning board, Robert St. Peter was reelected with 593 votes and Sean Polaian will join the board with 592. Voters also approved one zoning amendment article on the ballot. Article 2 changed the name of the Small Wind Energy Ordinance to Energy Systems Ordinance and added a new section establishing a Solar Facilities Ordinance to "accommodate solar energy collection systems and distributed generation resources in appropriate locations throughout town while protecting the public's health, safety, and welfare." The article passed in a vote of 625 in favor and 166 against. All Moultonborough School District offices were uncontested. Kathleen Garry will serve another three-year term on the school board with 751 votes. Paul Punturieri was reelected as school district moderator with 666 votes. Dylan Oliver was elected as school district clerk with 713 votes. Nancy Goss will serve another three-year term as school district treasurer with 777 votes. MOULTONBOROUGH Jean Beadle, Kevin Quinlan, and Shari Colby will serve on the board of selectmen after the town's election.Moultonborough voters cast their ballots for town and school district elections on Tuesday after elections were postponed from March.Jean Beadle will serve another three-year term on the board of selectmen and will be joined by Shari Colby in a three-year position. Beadle received 564 votes and Colby received 433. Chris Shipp received 342 votes.Kevin Quinlan was reelected to a two-year term on the selectmen with 500 votes, while Susan Price received 310.For supervisor of the checklist, Kathleen Remson will serve a one-year term after receiving 582 votes against 208 cast for Barbara Koehler.The rest of the offices were uncontested.Julia Barry Marchand was elected as town clerk with 777 votes.Nancy Goss will serve as town treasurer with 766 votes.Paul Daisy was reelected as trustee of the trust fund with 714 votes.Peter Olsen and Sherry Wakefield will return to the library trustees, Wakefield with 684 votes and Olsen with 588.Sandra Kelly was reelected to the planning board with 694 votes. Amy Lindamood received 48 write-in votes for the other open seat on the planning board.For the zoning board, Robert St. Peter was reelected with 593 votes and Sean Polaian will join the board with 592.Voters also approved one zoning amendment article on the ballot. Article 2 changed the name of the Small Wind Energy Ordinance to Energy Systems Ordinance and added a new section establishing a Solar Facilities Ordinance to "accommodate solar energy collection systems and distributed generation resources in appropriate locations throughout town while protecting the public's health, safety, and welfare." The article passed in a vote of 625 in favor and 166 against.All Moultonborough School District offices were uncontested.Kathleen Garry will serve another three-year term on the school board with 751 votes.Paul Punturieri was reelected as school district moderator with 666 votes.Dylan Oliver was elected as school district clerk with 713 votes.Nancy Goss will serve another three-year term as school district treasurer with 777 votes. Meredith News Laverack Trail celebrates one-year anniversary MA seniors awarded scholarships Thanks for visiting SalmonPress.com Much attention has been drawn in the past three years to the deplorable condition of military family housing, but one particular segment -- barracks for unaccompanied service members -- needs more scrutiny, according to House lawmakers. Rep. Jackie Speier, D-Calif., and Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-Texas, said Thursday that some of the barracks they've seen "showed years of neglect." "I've been shocked by the poor conditions of the barracks that house our service members -- conditions that must be addressed to mitigate issues of safety, security and overall well-being [of] our service members," Escobar told members of the House Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies subcommittee, referring to unaccompanied housing at Fort Bliss, Texas. Read Next: House Approves $1.9B to Bolster Capitol Security After Riot In a written statement to the panel, Speier said that, when she traveled to Fort Hood, Texas, last September with a congressional delegation to investigate the Vanessa Guillen case, the veterans with her described the barracks they visited as "the worst they'd ever seen." After the delegation left, however, service members contacted her to say the group had been taken to one of the posts nicer barracks, Speier said. "I ask the subcommittee to support the Army's and all of the other services' plans to renovate unaccompanied personnel housing to ensure that all service members have safe, comfortable, and modern places to live," she said in her statement. A scandal erupted in 2018 over the state of military family housing managed by private contractors, with reports of vermin and mold infestations; lead contamination; and shoddy construction, repairs and maintenance. The military services launched a series of inspections and a number of fixes, to include instituting a Tenant Bill of Rights to improve service members' bargaining power to resolve problems. Issues with military barracks, which are primarily run by the services but are in some cases managed under a public-private venture partnership with contractors, have largely flown under the radar. A person familiar with conditions in the barracks at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, wrote Military.com last September saying junior Marines were living in older facilities contaminated with mold. "It's pretty bad. Guys are constantly bleaching. Who is looking into that?" she asked. The Army announced last year it plans to spend $10 billion to renovate and repair its barracks. According to Speier, 43% of the Army's barracks do not meet minimum acceptable standards. The Navy and Marine Corps have a number of projects underway, but have not announced any major initiatives to overhaul all unaccompanied housing. Air Force officials told the House subcommittee this week that they plan to request funds for a number of construction projects in the fiscal 2022 budget, but did not provide details. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., said her subcommittee is supportive of efforts to improve service members' quality of life. "We expect [the services] would be considering the quality of life and the impact on our troops' ability to do their jobs. You don't ask, you don't get. ... We expect them to ask," she said. -- Patricia Kime can be reached at Patricia.Kime@Monster.com. Follow her on Twitter @patriciakime. Related: The Military's Expanded Tenant Bill of Rights Is About to Take Effect - By Geneva Abdul When Mahatma Gandhi gave his famous "Do or Die" speech on August 8, 1942, galvanizing Indians to demand the end of British rule, Usha Mehta heeded the call. With the help of other activists, Mehta, who was 22 at the time, secured a ghost transmitter and started an underground radio station to amplify Gandhi's message. "When the press is gagged and all news banned, a transmitter certainly helps a good deal in furnishing the public with the facts of the happenings and in spreading the message of rebellion," Mehta recalled in a 1969 interview. Gandhi had called for the start of a mass civil disobedience movement, the Quit India campaign, but he was quickly arrested by the British, as were the Congress leaders who were supporting him. On August 14, Mehta and her colleagues, broadcasting from a secret location, went live. "This is Congress Radio calling on 42.34 meters from somewhere in India," she said from behind the microphone, referring to their wavelength. Mehta and others relayed news, patriotic speeches and appeals directed at the people she called "workers in the struggle" students, lawyers and police officers. She passed along information from the All India Congress Committee and delivered messages from across the country. The broadcasts were originally once a day but quickly transitioned to twice a day: once in the morning and once in the evening, in both English and Hindustani. Mehta, who at the time was a political science student at Wilson College in Bombay (now Mumbai), said she had read about how radio stations aided movements in the past. The broadcasts, she realized, could reach beyond India to gain the attention of other countries. "Our perusal of the history of the past campaigns had convinced us that a transmitter of our own was perhaps one of the most important requirements for the success of the movement," she said in 1969. Mehta and her collaborators broke the news of a Japanese air raid on a British armory at Chittagong, a port city that is now part of Bangladesh. They also reported on the Jamshedpur Strike, as labor workers from the Tata Iron and Steel Company, the largest integrated steel mill in the British Empire, went on strike for 13 days in support of the Quit India movement and demanded that a national government be formed. And they told the nation about the deadly riots in Ashti and Chimur, as the police opened fire on people protesting the arrests of Congress leaders. As the military was sent in to thwart the uprising, accounts of atrocities against the villagers surfaced. "When the newspapers dared not touch upon these subjects under the prevailing conditions, it was only the Congress Radio which could defy the orders and tell the people what actually was happening," Mehta said. Mehta and her colleagues were regularly chased by a police van, forcing them to shift from place to place to hide their location. To avoid further risk, they had a recording station separate from the broadcast station and for a period aired messages across two transmitters. "So far we were conducting movements, but now we are conducting a revolution," Ram Manohar Lohia, a founder of the Congress Socialist Party, said in one broadcast, adding, "Our hatred is for an administration which seeks to perpetuate human injustice." After the official All India Radio which other activists referred to as "Anti-India Radio" jammed their broadcasts, Mehta and her crew persistently tried to retaliate. But their luck fell short on November 12, 1942, when they were caught after a technician betrayed them by revealing their location. "When finally the government traced them down, the police were knocking on the door where they were running this underground radio," her nephew Ketan Mehta, a prominent Bollywood filmmaker, said in a video call from Mumbai. "And she asked all the others to leave, but she continued to broadcast until they broke down the door." More than 50 officers stormed through the three bolted doors. Mehta and another activist were arrested; two others were caught in the following days. After a prolonged investigation, time in solitary confinement and a five-week trial, Mehta was jailed until March 1946. "I came back from jail a happy and, to an extent, a proud person, because I had the satisfaction of carrying out Bapu's message, Do or die,'" she said, using a term of respect for Gandhi that means "father," "and of having contributed my humble might to the cause of freedom." Usha Mehta was born on March 25, 1920, in Saras, a village in the western state of Gujarat, to Gheliben Mehta, a homemaker, and Hariprasad Mehta, a district-level judge under the British Raj. Throughout her upbringing, members of Usha's family were involved in India's independence struggle. After her father retired in 1930, the family relocated to Bombay. To her father's displeasure, Mehta later joined the movement, distributing bulletins and selling salt in small packets as part of Gandhi's "salt march" to protest a colonial law allowing the government to regulate and monopolize salt. Mehta never married or had children. When India finally achieved independence in 1947, the British drew a dividing line that became the border between India and Pakistan, sending the region into chaos that resulted in mass bloodshed as more than 10 million Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs sought to find their place in what would become history's largest migration. Mehta was torn. "In a way I was very happy, but sad at the same time because of partition," she was quoted as saying in the book "Freedom Fighters Remember" (1997). "It was an independent India but a divided India." Later in life Mehta wrote the script for a documentary on Gandhi that was produced by one of her colleagues at the radio station. She earned a Ph.D. in Gandhian thought at the University of Bombay, where she taught political science and ran the politics department. She also taught at Wilson College for 30 years. She was president of the Gandhi Peace Foundation and in 1998 received one of India's highest civilian honors, the Padma Vibhushan. She lived a simple, even frugal life. She rode the bus instead of driving a car and dressed in khadis, a handwoven garment that became a symbol of defiance in Gandhi's time. She often subsisted on only tea and bread. She woke at 4 a.m. each day and worked late into the evening. She died on Aug. 11, 2000. She was 80. One morning shortly after Congress Radio's first broadcast in 1942, Mehta's uncle brought her a note from Ram Manohar Lohia, the Congress Socialist Party founder. "I do not know you personally," the note read, "but I admire your courage and enthusiasm and your desire to contribute your might to the sacrificial fire that has been lit by Mahatma Gandhi." Courtesy: The New York Times, dt. 13.05.2021. A Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania jury has convicted Felipe Vazquez on fifteen counts stemming from a sexual assault of a 13-year-old girl, Rich Cholodofsky of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review and Chris Hoffman of CBS Pittsburgh were among those to report. Specifically, Vazquez was found guilty on ten counts of sexual abuse of children, two counts of unlawful contact with a minor, one count of statutory sexual assault, one count of corruption of a minor, and one count of indecent assault of someone under 16 years old. He will be sentenced in approximately three months and faces a potential decades-long prison term and/or possible deportation to his native Venezuela. Vazquez was acquitted on ten counts of unlawful contact or communication with a minor. Vazquez was arrested in September 2019 after it was revealed hed begun a sexual relationship with the underaged girl in 2017. The victim moved to Florida in 2018, where Vazquez allegedly continued to have sex with her. A Florida-based prosecution related to those allegations is still pending, Cholodofsky notes, as is a Missouri child pornography case based on sexually implicit images Vazquez allegedly received from the victim while he was in St. Louis in 2019. The Pirates placed Vazquez on the restricted list in the immediate aftermath of his arrest. The guaranteed portion of his contract expires at the end of the 2021 season. The Reds placed infielder/outfielder Nick Senzel and left-hander Wade Miley on the 10-day injured list, the team announced. Senzel is dealing with left knee inflammation while Miley has a left foot sprain. In other moves, Cincinnati also designated right-hander Carson Fulmer for assignment, selected the contract of right-hander Brad Brach, and called up outfielder Scott Heineman and righty Ashton Goudeau. Senzel has missed the last three games with the knee issue, and hell now make what has unfortunately become a rather familiar trip to the injured list. The 25-year-old has been set back by a wide variety of health problems in his young career, ranging from shoulder surgery to injuries to his ankle, groin, and finger, as well an illness-related absence last season and multiple bouts of vertigo. The second overall pick of the 2016 draft, Senzel has yet to really capitalize on his potential due to all these injuries, with a modest .246/.308/.396 slash line over his first 616 plate appearances in the majors. Miley left his most recent start after 4 2/3 innings due to his foot injury. An MRI didnt reveal any structural damage, so its possible Miley could return after just the minimum 10 days, and perhaps only miss one start thanks to a Reds off-day on May 24. The veteran southpaw has a 3.50 ERA/3.72 SIERA over 43 2/3 innings this season, succeeding despite a below-average strikeout rate by limiting hard contact. Mileys year, of course, was highlighted by his no-hitter against the Indians on May 7. Brach signed a minors contract with Cincinnati earlier this month, after he elected free agency rather than accept an outright assignment to the Royals Triple-A affiliate in April. The 35-year-old has already been a member of three different organizations in 2021, after being released by the Mets in February. Brachs first appearance for the Reds will officially put him on the books for his 11th Major League season, though he struggled over 66 2/3 innings with the Cubs and Mets in 2019-20. Fulmer has been well-traveled himself over the last year, as he has been claimed five times off the DFA wire since July 2020. Beginning with the White Sox, Fulmers sojourn included stints with the Tigers, Orioles, and two different stops with the Pirates before landing with the Reds in March. The results havent been good for Fulmer in Cincinnati, however, as he posted a 6.66 ERA over 25 2/3 frames out of the Reds bullpen. Its probably fair to assume that Fulmers time with the Reds could be nearing an end, given his past popularity on the waiver wire. Goudeau can even top Fulmers mark, as Goudeau has been a part of six different waiver claims and six different organizations since November. After making his MLB debut with 8 1/3 innings for the Rockies in 2020, Goudeau now looks to be in line to make his first Major League appearance of 2021 after his many trips through DFA limbo. Listen to article Information available indicates that the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) will soon shut down due to debts owed some utility providers. It has emerged that the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) last week disconnected its service to TOR over debt. This is because TOR is indebted to the service provider to the tune of about Ghc4million in water bill as of March 2021. This portal has gathered that the situation has forced the company to depend on its 11,200 cubic meter water reservoir which is projected to run out in the next 72 hours after which the Refinery would not even have water to run its washrooms. Some workers who spoke to this reporter on condition of anonymity said the water cut to the Refinery puts the Refinery at high risk due to the flammable nature of the plant and also the fact that water is an essential need of the Refinery since it is used to generate steam and also for emergency firefighting purposes. Checks conducted by this reporter has it that the Refinery as of March this year also owes the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) an amount of about Ghc2.3 million sitting in its books. Also, TOR in the workers' Provident Fund has accumulated arrears to the tune of about Ghc34 million. This puts workers' investment at risk and workers who are due to access the fund are unable to access it. Again, this reporter gathered that TOR is also in arrears of about Ghc21million in the payment of workers SSNIT tier one and two as of April 2021. It also owes the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) to the tune of about Ghc85 million in taxes as of April this year. According to some persons who are familiar with the matter, the Refinery could collapse anytime soon if nothing is done to reposition it as soon as possible. Some workers say the current Managing Director (MD) of the Refinery, Francis Adu Tutu Boateng is failing to see reason and make the plant viable as all suggestions made to him to get the Refinery on track proved futile. They said they have tried to make the new MD understand the current state of the plant and find reason in turning it around to make it viable but he seems not to understand the business of the Refinery. They complained that currently the Refinery is struggling to pay salaries of workers and pensioners due for pension are unable to access their end of year benefit due to the lack of funds in the company's accounts. The workers further complained that, in the face of all the numerous financial challenges the plant is facing, the MD continues to make political employment. "We are struggling to pay workers salary, we are unable to pay our bills, and we do not know the future of this Refinery, yet our MD continues to do political employment," a worker said. Meanwhile, the grade six workers being the lowest paid worker at the Tema Oil Refinery receives a take-home salary of Ghc2,879 plus a mid-month salary allowance of Ghc700 and a fuel coupon of Ghc900 per month. This year alone, 15 new category six workers have been employed on political grounds despite the numerous debt and financial challenges the Refinery faces. In a notice to its staff in October last year, the Human Resources and Administrative Manager announced the appointment of one Mr. Charles Anafi, a former Principal Engineer of the Refinery as the Refinery's Optimization Manager, a newly created position. The function of the newly created Optimization department according to the HR and Admins General Manager, Jane Ohenewaa Gyekye in the notice to the staff in October last year, "is to commercially optimize the overall Refinery operations, study market trends and recommend useful technology/process to improve the Refinery's viability and commercial position to achieve the company's revenue target". Similarly, a new appointment was again made on 12 March, 2021 where one Frank Kwaku Duah was appointed as the acting inspection manager of the plant. However, the workers believe these appointments are needless especially when the Refinery is financially bankrupt. According to workers, the appointments form part of the many wastages the current MD is seen to be making instead of helping revive the plant. Currently, the Refinery has ceased refining as a tolling contract signed with Woodfields Energy Resources limited has been terminated with the MD unable to tell what is next for the Refinery in terms of where to get the next crude for refining. Early this year, Divisional Workers Union within the Refinery petitioned the President to remove its MD and dissolve the current board on the grounds of incompetence as they are unable to point to any future prospects, opportunities, initiatives, negotiated agreement that could assure workers of a better future. Efforts to reach management of the Refinery to get their side of the story as required by the ethics of the profession has proved futile. As part of the preparation of spatial plans for the siting of the Ghana National Petroleum-Hub project in the Jomoro Municipality, the Land Use and Spatial Planning Authority(LUSPA), the Ministry of Energy and the Jomoro Municipal Assembly, have concluded phase one of the project. The first phase land-use plan covers two main towns, Old Kabenla Suazo and Bokakole-Nkwanta, which are to be considered for resettlement. A Principal Planner at the Land Use and Spatial Planning Authority in Accra, Mr Eugene Nyansafo, said this at a multi-stakeholder final validation workshop on the structure and local plans of the proposed Ghana National Petroleum-Hub. He said LUSPA, in collaboration with the Ministry of Energy, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Jomoro Municipal Assembly, would ensure a composite local plan, including environmental protection, site safety, integration and economy. He said 60 per cent of the land would be for industrial activities and 40 per cent for activities such as residential, educational, transportation and protective buffer zones within and outside the petroleum hub enclave. Mr Nyansafo assured stakeholders that the implementing partners would work in line with the Petroleum Development Corporation Act of 2020 to ensure that the implementation strategy was satisfactory and successful. He said existing settlements and adjoining ones such as Bonyere and Nawule would be considered within the local plan area. The Principal Planner said the heavy and light industrial users would be catered for in the plan. Mr Nyansafo said an area was earmarked for a Naval Base within the petroleum hub project. A Senior Spatial Planner, Madam Nada Tandoh, said the structure plan area covered a total land area of about 50,000 acres with the intervention area being the petroleum hub enclave of about 20,000 acres as recommended by the master plan. She said the petroleum hub development corporation would exercise oversight responsibility for the industry. Madam Tandoh asked traditional rulers to collaborate with the Petroleum Development Corporation and the Municipal Assembly in preparation for the petroleum hub. She said feasibility studies were undertaken on assessment of water sources, treatment of waste and siting of an Airstrip. In a welcome address, the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Jomoro, Mr Ernest Kofie, said the initiative would create more jobs in the oil and gas sector of the economy and provide opportunities for companies in and outside Ghana. He said the municipal Assembly would give priority and attention to new capital projects and upgrade existing social amenities to contain the pressure due to the influx of people into the area. He said the Assembly would collaborate with relevant agencies at every stage of the project to ensure its success. The Paramount Chief of Western Nzema Traditional Council (WNTC), Awulae Annor Adjaye, who chaired the function, commended the land-use planners for the in-depth job done on phase one of the project. He, however, asked the government to undertake 60 per cent of the project and allocate 40 per cent to the private sector to ensure the successful completion of the project. Awulae Annor Adjaye encouraged the government to fastrack the project to bring more jobs to the people. ---GNA Ethiopia's poll body on Thursday said twice-delayed national elections would be held on June 21, kicking off a fresh countdown to a major test of democratic reforms under Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. Africa's second most populous country was first due to hold the polls last August, but officials pushed them to June 5 of this year because of the coronavirus pandemic. Then last weekend electoral board chairwoman Birtukan Mideksa announced a new delay was needed because of logistical woes related to tasks like training electoral staff and printing and distributing ballot papers. The new date was revealed at a press conference by electoral board spokeswoman Solyana Shimeles, following meetings with Abiy's government, opposition parties and regional officials. Solyana said she did not expect any further delays, citing the upcoming rainy season which begins in June and can wreak havoc with infrastructure. "We're trying to keep it before the rainy season," she said. The logistical challenges promise to be daunting even with the delay, and Solyana estimated Thursday the board would need to hire more than 100,000 additional staff and train them on voting day procedures and tabulating results. Staff shortages have been especially apparent so far in Afar and Somali regions, where registration started late, she said. Conflict complications Abiy came to power in 2018 on the back of several years of anti-government protests and promised to break from Ethiopia's authoritarian past in part by holding the most democratic elections the country had ever seen. His reform agenda earned him the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize, but his tenure has been marred by security challenges, most prominently the six-month-old war in the northern Tigray region, which will not participate in the June 21 polls. Elections will not be held in the war-ravaged Tigray region. By EDUARDO SOTERAS (AFP/File) Around 36 million Ethiopians had registered to vote as of last weekend, though no registration had occurred in several constituencies rocked by ethnic violence, including in the country's most populous regions, Oromia and Amhara. Solyana said it would be "very difficult" to include these conflict-hit constituencies on June 21. But she said she expected voters in those areas to be able to cast ballots before a new parliamentary session begins in early October. The elections will choose national and regional parliamentarians. The national MPs elect the prime minister, who is head of government, as well as the president -- a largely ceremonial role. The ruling coalition that preceded Abiy claimed staggering majorities in the two previous elections, which observers said fell far short of international standards for fairness. A more open contest in 2005 saw big gains for the opposition but led to a lethal crackdown on protests over contested results. This year some opposition parties, notably in Abiy's native Oromia region, have opted to boycott, complaining that their candidates have been arrested and their offices vandalised. The Acting National Security Co-ordinator, Major General Francis Adu Amando has alleged that the Regional Security Coordinator, DCOP Kweku Opare Addo (rtd) was removed from office as a result of alleged criminal activities. He alleged that the embattled DCOP Kweku Opare Addo was also lazy. Reacting to the allegations, DCOP Kweku Opare Addo (rtd) described the assertion as false, stressing that he has always exhibited high professional stands in his work. According to him, he has always exhibited high professional standards in his work adding that his record in the various capacities are there for all to see. "I joined the Ghana Police Service through their officers cadet programme in 1989 and passed out in 1990 as an Assistant Superintendent of Police and was assigned as the Secretary to the then Inspector General of Police, J.Y.A. Kwofie. I served in this capacity for almost seven years and the longest serving secretary to the longest serving IGP in Ghana," he stated. DCOP Kweku Opare Addo (rtd) was forced out of his office by gun-wielding men believed to be members of the pro-NPP vigilante group, Delta Force. Read full statement below: I have ways exhibited high professional standards in my work-DCOP Kwaku Opare-Addo(Rtd) My attention has been drawn to comments by the Acting National Security Coordinator, Major General Francis Adu Amanfo, alleging that I was a non-performer in my Regional Security Liaison Officers role and was involved in criminal activities which led to my removal from office. Ordinarily, I would not have responded to such accusations but I find the comments by Major General Adu Amanfo distastefully unprofessional and a direct attack on my unblemished professional career spanning over three decades in the Ghana Education Service and the Ghana Police Service. Even though I am glad that he indicated that an investigation will be conducted into my tenure, it is apt to set the records straight and state that the alleged criminal activities are completely false and a figment of his imagination. I have always exhibited high professional standards in my work and my record in the various capacities are there for all to see. Work Experience prior to my role as Ashanti Regional Security Liaison Officer. I joined the Ghana Police Service through their officers cadet programme in 1989 and passed out in 1990 as an Assistant Superintendent of Police and was assigned as the Secretary to the then Inspector General of Police, J.Y.A. Kwofie. I served in this capacity for almost seven years and the longest serving secretary to the longest serving IGP in Ghana. Deputy Commandant/Directing staff of Ghana Police College Head of Interpol, Deportation and Extradition Unit, CID Headquarters Divisional Police Commander-Mampong, Ashanti Region Deputy Regional Police Commander, Ashanti Region Regional Police Commander, Brong Ahafo Region Regional Police Commander, Greater Accra Region Regional Police Commander, Ashanti Region Director General, Legal Directorate at the National Police Headquarters Director General, Technical, National Police Headquarters Barrister- at- Law for twenty-one years Apart from my regular work, I am a Special Consultant and designer of the Security Sector Reform Participants Manual on Reform, Restructuring and Rebuilding of Police Institutions, an 86-page manual with an accompanying 24 page Facilitators Notes at the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre in Accra. I have facilitated several training programs for the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre, Facilitated the Security Sector Reform (SSR) Police Course in Lilongwe, the Republic of Malawi. Also, I facilitated the Security Sector Reform(SSR) Police course in Banjul, the Gambia I was Civilian Police Adviser and Ghanaian Police Contingent Commander for UNMIL: LIBERIA, CP 15. I also developed teaching manuals for the Liberian Police College 1. The constitution of Liberia; Summary and comments 2. Rules of Evidence 3. International Criminal Investigation Standards 4. Legal Aspects of Criminal Investigations My above work experience has been achieved on the basis of professionalism and integrity without any iota of criminality and non-performance. With over two decades of service as a senior police officer in the Ghana Police Service, there was not a single allegation against my hard earned reputation and for this reason I find the comments made by the Acting National Security Coordinator as a misrepresentation of facts and unfortunate cultivated lies by an Officer of the ilk of a retired Major-General. Signed DCOP Kwaku Ayesu Opare-Addo(Rtd) Eligible voters will now be able to register all year round, this is part of proposals approved by the Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) at the just-ended review workshop on the 2020 presidential and parliamentary elections. The workshop was to give the political parties in the country and the Electoral Commission (EC) the opportunity to review the 2020 polls and come up with ways to reform Ghanas elections. Currently, the EC sets different dates to conduct voter registration exercises. In a communique issued after the workshop, IPAC said the stakeholders agreed that the Electoral Commission should no longer compile voters register from scratch as part of preliminary preparations for the conduct of presidential and parliamentary polls. Implement the Continuous Voter Registration Exercise to enable citizens who turned 18 years and those who had not previously registered to do so. To this end, a committee will deliberately be set up for the implementation of modalities for continuous voter registration. The continuous voter registration according to IPAC would be implemented with proof of citizenship being limited to the use of Ghana card and Ghana passport since the guarantor system is often abused. In all, IPAC approved 16 resolutions aimed at improving subsequent elections. Some civil society organizations, including the Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO), have, in the past, recommended the proposal adding that there needs to be an integrated system that will automatically identify 18-year-olds who qualify to register. Other agreed proposals Exhibition 1. Introduce an all-year-round Voter Exhibition Exercise through the use of technology (SMS shortcode). Additionally, maintain the periodic mass verification at Exhibition Centres. 2. Put in place a cut-off time for the Continuous Voter Register Exhibition to allow for the compilation of the Register for voting on Election Day. Filing of Nominations 1. The Five (5) day period for filing of Nominations introduced in 2020 should be maintained. 2. The period set aside to enable the Political Parties to obtain signatures from their supporters should be increased. 3. The period for the Election Campaign should be defined. It should commence after the nominations are filed. 4. Encourage nominations of female and persons with disabilities (PWDs) candidates by reducing their filing fees by 50%. Special Voting 1. Current arrangement whereby the Media, Security Services and Election Officials are allowed to apply and vote under the Special Voting period should be maintained until such time that the process is fully entrenched. Elections 1. The polls should end at 3:00 pm instead of at 5:00 pm. 2. Certified Regional Collated Results should be announced by the Chairperson to reduce tension and suspicion. However, the Commission should state clearly the percentage of results yet to be released, etc. Security 1. Security around elections is the responsibility of the Ghana Police Service. 2. Ghana Police Service should arrange a periodic platform to engage IPAC and other Stakeholders, 3. Ghana Police Service should provide updates on the 2020 Elections malpractices and violence. 4. Political Parties and the Media must show commitment to the democratic process and be mindful of their comments, as some of their statements have the tendency to provoke violence and inflame tensions and suspicions. ---citinewsroom The IMF is continuing meetings to restructure Chad's debt, the fund spokesman said Thursday, despite the country being run by a military junta after the death of President Idriss Deby Itno in battle. "I can tell you the creditor committee had a technical meeting earlier this week, and a follow-up meeting is planned for next week," Gerry Rice told reporters at the IMF headquarters in Washington. Chad in January became the first country to request debt restructuring under a new mechanism established last year by the G20 as it dealt with a heavy debt burden exacerbated by the downturn caused by Covid-19, which sunk prices of its main export oil. The country is among several in Africa dealing with high debt loads, and Ethiopia and Zambia have made similar debt relief requests. In late January, the Washington-based crisis lender announced a four-year interim agreement under its Extended Credit Facility and Extended Fund Facility, both viewed as necessary steps in restructuring Chad's debt. However, the IMF executive board has not approved the programs. According to fund data, Chad's external debt stood at 25.6 percent of GDP as of the end of 2019. "Chad urgently needs a debt relief to help recover from this crisis, and success with (Chad's) common framework request will also help more countries step forward if they need debt restructuring," Rice said. G20 and Paris Club creditors -- including China, France, India and Saudi Arabia -- had supported a request from Chad for debt restructuring following a mid-April meeting. But days later, Deby was killed in fighting with rebels, plunging Chad into political turmoil amid claims from the opposition that the junta's takeover amounted to an "institutional coup." Rice did not comment on the political situation in his press conference. Winnisquam Echo Interviews underway for Tilton Police Chief TILTON After narrowing down the field of candidates from 25 to four, Municipal Resources Inc. completed its task of recommending the most highly qualified law enforcement officers to the Tilton Selectmen for consideration. The Board, wanting community involvement in the process, appointed an experienced group of individuals to serve as the Interview Team for the Police Department's next Police Chief. That team included a Tilton Police Officer, a local Police Chief, a community member experienced in mental health, a long-standing and highly respected community member, and one Selectman. The Interview Team has narrowed the field to three finalists who will be interviewed over the next three weeks (one candidate a week) beginning with the first candidate on May 20. Each candidate will have an opportunity to tour the new Police Department, meet with Police Department personnel and interested community members, and end with a non-public interview with the Tilton Selectmen. The community interviews will take place from 6 to 7 p.m. for the next three Thursdays (May 20, 27, & June 3) and are expected to take place at the Police Department at 45 Sanborn Rd. (Please call or check the Web site to confirm the location if you wish to attend.) Selectman Ruggles, who serves on the Interview Team, said "We thought it was extremely important that stakeholders in our community have the opportunity to meet the candidates. We want this process to be open and transparent; our next Chief will lead us into 21st Century Policing, and embrace not only our community but also the tenets of the NH Commission on Law Enforcement Accountability, Community and Transparency" To learn more about how you might participate in the process, please visit the Tilton Web site at tiltonnh.org or call Town Administrator Jeanie Forrester at 286-4521, ext. 101. TILTON After narrowing down the field of candidates from 25 to four, Municipal Resources Inc. completed its task of recommending the most highly qualified law enforcement officers to the Tilton Selectmen for consideration.The Board, wanting community involvement in the process, appointed an experienced group of individuals to serve as the Interview Team for the Police Department's next Police Chief. That team included a Tilton Police Officer, a local Police Chief, a community member experienced in mental health, a long-standing and highly respected community member, and one Selectman. The Interview Team has narrowed the field to three finalists who will be interviewed over the next three weeks (one candidate a week) beginning with the first candidate on May 20.Each candidate will have an opportunity to tour the new Police Department, meet with Police Department personnel and interested community members, and end with a non-public interview with the Tilton Selectmen. The community interviews will take place from 6 to 7 p.m. for the next three Thursdays (May 20, 27, & June 3) and are expected to take place at the Police Department at 45 Sanborn Rd. (Please call or check the Web site to confirm the location if you wish to attend.)Selectman Ruggles, who serves on the Interview Team, said "We thought it was extremely important that stakeholders in our community have the opportunity to meet the candidates. We want this process to be open and transparent; our next Chief will lead us into 21st Century Policing, and embrace not only our community but also the tenets of the NH Commission on Law Enforcement Accountability, Community and Transparency"To learn more about how you might participate in the process, please visit the Tilton Web site at tiltonnh.org or call Town Administrator Jeanie Forrester at 286-4521, ext. 101. Winnisquam Echo Hall pitches Raiders into Division III Final Four Tilton to host Plan NH charrette Thanks for visiting SalmonPress.com Police is waiting for the Attorney General's advice on the slain Mfantsiman Member of Parliament (MP) Ekow Quansah Hayford, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Fuseini Yakubu, told an Accra Circuit Court when sitting resumed on Wednesday. Eight persons have so far been arrested for their alleged involvement in the murder and robbery of the deceased legislator. They are Alhassan Abubakar, aka, Abu Fulani, Naziru Fudailu Nash, aka, SP, Alhassan Mahama Yahaya, aka, Mystical Cloud, Amadu Yakubu, Haruna Osmanu, Adam Alhassan, Fuseini Alhassan, aka, Black Smith and one Mohammed. The others are said to be at large. The accused persons are facing various charges of conspiracy to commit crime and robbery and remanded into custody by the Court, presided over by Mrs Evelyn Asamoah. On October 8, last year, the MP was killed after he had filed his nomination for re-election and returning from a campaign tour within his constituency. He was allegedly attacked and shot by the robbers. The matter has been adjourned to June 15. GNA Ex-President John Dramani Mahama has withdrawn his acceptance as the African Union (AU) envoy to Somalia. He has therefore written a letter to the Chairperson of the AU Commission to that effect. While thanking the AU for the confidence reposed in him, Mr. Mahama noted that the high political importance of the proposed assignment requires that the High Representative enjoys the unalloyed support and co-operation of all political stakeholders. Mr. Mahamas appointment as the AU envoy has been roundly welcomed by the Council of Presidential Candidates of Somalia, and the Coalition of Somalia's Federal Member States He further cautioned in his letter to the AU Chairperson, Moussa Faki Mahamat, that the lack of support by the Federal Government could jeopardize the whole process and undermine the hopes that the entire world has in bringing peace to the esteemed land of Somalia. The former President continues to receive requests from various international bodies and groups, and is widely respected for his commitment to democratic consolidation, peace-building, and development. Mr. Mahama used the opportunity to reaffirm his commitment to the African Union's vision of an integrated, prosperous, and peaceful Africa, that includes Somalia. AU had appointed John Mahama, as the High Representative to Somalia following the East African countrys renewed political crisis recently after the incumbent President, Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed decided to extend his tenure by two more years. He was to work with the Somali stakeholders, to reach a mutually acceptable compromise towards an all-encompassing resolution for the holding of Somali elections in the shortest time possible. The newly formed Somali National Salvation Forum (NSF) had declared its support for John Mahama. But Somalia's Foreign and International Cooperation Minister, Mohamed Abdirazak in a letter to the AU said the Ghanaian ex-leader is closely associated with the leadership in Kenya hence it rejects his appointment. Elvis Afriyie Ankrah addresses journalist at the NDC party headquarters in Accra on Thursday Listen to article The National Democratic Congress (NDC) it will continue to boycott meetings of the Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) due to what it describes arrogance of Jean Mensah-led Electoral Commission (EC). The main opposition party has consistently absent itself from meetings of IPAC especially when it was invited for a post 2020 election review. At a press conference today, the NDC has explained why it continue to boycott the activities of the EC. According to Elvis Afriyie Ankrah, the Director of Elections for the NDC, the party has distanced itself temporarily from IPAC due to the bastardization of the revered body by the Jean Mensah/Bossman Asare-led Electoral Commission. He told journalists that although 1992 Constitution affords the EC the independence to work, their arrogant posture and abuse of that independence make it impossible for the NDC to work with them. The current leadership of the Electoral Commission has turned IPAC from a consultative and consensus-building platform to an information-sharing platform where the EC only comes to impose its decisions on IPAC without room for meaningful deliberations and exchange of ideas. It became so bad to the point that the EC even announced publicly that IPAC had agreed to the decision to compile a new register for the 2020 elections when the issue of a new register had not even been discussed at the said meeting, Elvis Afriyie Ankrah said at the press conference. The Director of Elections for the NDC added, These issues coupled with the non-equitable voting arrangement at IPAC meetings, is the reason why we have taken a principled position to boycott IPAC until the right changes are effected to ensure fair and meaningful deliberations at IPAC. Below is the part of the speech read by Elvis Afriyie Ankrah on the NDCs boycott of IPAC meetings. OUR BOYCOTT OF IPAC Ladies and gentlemen of the media, you may be aware, the National Democratic Congress has decided to boycott IPAC temporarily due to the bastardization of that revered body by the Jean Mensah/Bossman Asare-led Electoral Commission. Ladies and Gentlemen, the framers of the 1992 Constitution in their wisdom created the Electoral Commission as an independent institution to perform its constitutional functions without the control of any person or group of persons. The independence given to the EC under the 1992 Constitution is based on the presumption that the Electoral Commission will at all times perform its duties conscientiously in the ultimate interest of Ghana. However, this does not mean that the Commission is not accountable to the people and can therefore decide to act whimsically or capriciously in ways that undermine our democratic experiment. Unfortunately, the Jean Mensa led Electoral Commission has misinterpreted this independence to mean arrogance and non-accountability. And it is sad that the Supreme Court of the country endorsed this irresponsible conduct of the NDC and allowed them to get away with the embarrassment they caused this country in the 2020 general elections. Ladies and Gentlemen, one unique convention of Ghanas electoral system which has become international best practice is the Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC). The rationale for IPAC, as it has been over the years, is to create a platform for consensus building on major issues affecting elections with key stakeholders involved in elections. Over the years, IPAC has served Ghana well as a platform where ideas are shared on various issues, before the EC takes substantive decisions on critical electoral matters. Indeed, to promote transparency in our electoral process, IPAC has been involved in the drafting of Constitutional Instruments on elections as well as procurement processes of the EC under previous Chairpersons. IPAC is supposed to serve as a platform where political parties participate in all electoral activities throughout the electoral cycle, such as, voter registration, exhibition of the voters register, printing of ballot papers, observing the voting process at all polling stations through polling agents as well as collation of results at both the constituency and national levels. Unfortunately, since the June 2018 ouster of the chairperson of the Electoral Commission and her 2 deputies and their subsequent replacement with Jean Mensa and Bossman Asare, all these best practices have been thrown to the dogs. The current leadership of the Electoral Commission has turned IPAC from a consultative and consensus building platform to an information sharing platform where the EC only comes to impose its decisions on IPAC without room for meaningful deliberations and exchange of ideas. It became so bad to the point that the EC even announced publicly that IPAC had agreed to the decision to compile a new register for the 2020 elections when the issue of a new register had not even been discussed at the said meeting. Ladies and Gentlemen, the Jean Mensa led EC appears to be in a world of its own. The Commission appears to be tickling itself and laughing. The Electoral Commission has for the first time in our history conducted elections that leaves doubts on the mind of Ghanaians and other observers on the credibility of the elections. The Commission declared wrong results and even after issuing an unsigned press release to subsequently correct same, the figures still do not add up. Instead of taking advantage of the election petition to clear itself of the mess caused, the EC failed to mount the witness box to testify and explain to Ghanaians how it arrived at its results. These issues coupled with the non-equitable voting arrangement at IPAC meetings, is the reason why we have taken a principled position to boycott IPAC until the right changes are effected to ensure fair and meaningful deliberations at IPAC. The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has constituted a committee to put together a comprehensive document on electoral reform proposals on the back of a review of the 2020 general elections. This was after the NDC kicked against the recent proposals adopted at a two-day post-election 2020 review workshop held for IPAC members which it was absent. This has been confirmed by Elvis Afriyie Ankrah who is the Director of Elections of the umbrella party at a press conference at the partys headquarters in Accra on Thursday, May 20, 2021. The party has constituted a committee to come up with a compressive document on electoral reform proposals and we shall share that with you in the coming days, he told journalists at the presser. In the interim, the NDC has released six proposals it wants the Electoral Commission to look at and adopt before the next general election in 2024. The NDC wants the participation of IPAC and its advisory role in the electoral process to be given legal backing, without encroaching on the constitutional independence of the Electoral Commission. In addition, it wants the EC to adopt an equitable voting formula for political parties in IPAC deliberations based on their representation in Parliament. Among many other things announced by Elvis Afriyie Ankrah at the press conference on Thursday, he also noted that the main opposition party proposes that in the next election, the Ghana Police Service should be in charge of security. That, the Electoral Commission reverts to the time-tested election security arrangement where the deployment of security for election purposes is reserved to the Ghana Police service acting within a framework provided by the Electoral Commission. This security arrangement should have minimum involvement of the military and no interference whatsoever by so-called National Security operatives, as recommended by the Emil Short Commission, Mr. Ankrah told journalists. According to the NDC, it intends to engage various stakeholders such as the media, civil society organizations, religious leaders, traditional leaders, development partners, the diplomatic community, and the general public on all the preliminary proposals. Below is the six proposals: NDCS PROPOSED REFORMS Ladies and Gentlemen, after a painstaking review of the 2020 elections, the following are the preliminary proposals for electoral reforms which the NDC intends to engage various stakeholders such as the media, civil society organizations, religions leaders, traditional leaders, development partners, the diplomatic community, and the general public. These preliminary proposals are as follows: 1. That, the participation of IPAC and its advisory role in the electoral process should be given legal backing, without encroaching on the constitutional independence of the Electoral Commission. 2. That, the EC adopts an equitable voting formula for political parties in IPAC deliberations based on their representation in Parliament. 3. That, the Electoral Commission complies with the use of the legally-prescribed Statement of Poll/Pink Sheet (Form 8A & 8B) provided for in our Election Regulations to prevent the omission of BVD entries so as to preserve the ballot accounting process and makes it possible to check multiple voting, ballot stuffing, impersonation and other forms of rigging. 4. That, the high rate of rejected ballots recorded in the 2020 general elections be addressed through the use of the appropriate ink pads and that same should be stipulated in our election regulations. 5. That, the EC employs and trains highly competent staff to accurately fill election result forms and collate results so as to forestall the reoccurrence of the widespread cases of arithmetic errors recorded in the 2020 general elections, 6. That, the Electoral Commission reverts to the time-tested election security arrangement where the deployment of security for election purposes is reserved to the Ghana Police service acting within a framework provided by the Electoral Commission. This security arrangement should have minimum involvement of the military and no interference whatsoever by so-called National Security operatives, as recommended by the Emil Short Commission. The party has constituted a committee to come up with a compressive document on electoral reform proposals and we shall share that with you in the coming days. Africas premium business-to-business (B2B) event company InstinctWave, has announced the 3rd edition of the Africa Procurement & Supply Chain Awards 2021. This years edition of the prestigious awards is scheduled to hold at the Movenpick Ambassador Hotel, Accra on the 11th June 2021 Previously known as the Ghana Procurement & Supply Chain Awards (GPSCA), the awards scheme has rebranded into Africa Procurement & Supply Chain Awards (APSCA), to expand participation to industry players from other countries. Now in its third year and very abnormal times brought about by the ravaging COVID-19 pandemic, APSCA 2021 is set to reward success, innovation and various experts contributing to the smooth running of the procurement and supply chain sector in the face of the ravaging COVID-19 pandemic. Procurement and supply chain is key to Africas overall business space and the relevance of the sector has been seen now more than ever through the innovative ways by which players in the industry have handled the outbreak of the pandemic, its effect on global logistics, movement of goods, people and logistics and kept business activities running smoothly regardless. Given the adverse impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Africas business development, APSCA will recognize those businesses that have gone beyond responding and recovering, but transforming and rebuilding their organizations in the new norm occasioned by the pandemic for a stronger future. APSCA will recognize leading procurement experts, teams and top procurement & supply chain organizations, whose outstanding leadership and practices have raised the standards of procurement within the profession, showcasing top ethics, best practices, tact and brilliance in managing organizations supplies as well as promoting business growth and sustainability. The awards will also throw the spotlight on those working across the procurement industry and supply chain support service providers, who have worked tirelessly to achieve incredible successes for their clients. InstinctWave Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Akin Naphtal, expressed his excitement about the 3rd edition of the awards scheme, describing it as a unique schemes that propels human motivation in terms of contribution to the success and growth of African businesses and the economy of Africa at large. We cannot underestimate the role of the procurement and supply chain industry players and their importance to national development and the development of the entire continent of Africa. We are excited to honor and celebrate with organizations at the forefront of promoting business growth and lifting the veil on individuals and firms that have contributed immensely to the industry, Mr. Naphtal added. He added that that the awards will inspire a new generation of robust work ethics, industry leaders and desired processes in the procurement and supply chain industry. Entries are open to all organizations and bodies within the procurement and supply chain across Africa. All industry players are to visit the events website https://apscawards.com/ to submit entries. The National Media Commission (NMC), has begun its probe into the assault on Citi FM journalist Caleb Kudah, the harassment of another journalist, Zoe Abu-Baidoo, and the subsequent invasion of the media organization by National Security operatives. The Executive Secretary of the Commission, George Sarpong, made this known in an interview with journalists in Accra on Thursday, May 20, 2021. He said the Commission has received a petition from the Accra-based radio and TV station, which has been forwarded to the National Security Ministry for their reaction in honour of the principle of natural justice. We have submitted the petition to the National Security Ministry for their comment, and we have indicated the timeline, and we expect that they will provide us with their response before 24th of this month. After that, we will meet with the parties on the 26th of May for the hearing. Our hope is that in that meeting, we should be able to conclude with the issues involved, he noted. This comes at the back of an ongoing internal investigation by the National Security Ministry itself. In a statement released on May 13, 2021, and signed by its Chief Director, Lt. Col. Ababio Serebour (Rtd), the intelligence-gathering organization took note of the allegations of brutalities against the journalist and commenced investigations into them. Responding to a question about whether the ongoing investigations at the National Security Ministry could affect the Commission's investigations, Mr. Sarpong said the NMC's investigation is independent of that of the National Security Ministry, and that the Commission is bent on assessing the issue separately and provide a way forward. He further assured journalists of the Commission's support through the newly created office of the Coordinated Mechanism for the Safety of Journalists to investigate, validate and take the necessary steps on assaults of journalists. He called for support for the office, emphasizing that the office will do all it can to guarantee the safety of journalists in the country. We want every journalist in this country to see this as a game-changer once the constitution guarantees them the rights to do their work, and offers them constitutional protection. This is the first time that we have been able to set up a mechanism that achieves that purpose of protecting the safety of journalists. So I want all of us to see the novelty of it, and to rally behind the idea because ultimately, our collective safety as journalists will depend on how well we all work together to make the mechanism work, he added. Listen to article The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has described as ridiculous and laughable the claim by the Electoral Commission (EC) that it save Ghana an amount of $90 million in the conduct of the 2020 general elections. In a press release from the EC on Wednesday, May 19, 2021, it revealed that although the cost of elections went up all over the world amidst the Coronavirus pandemic, it still managed to save a sum of GHS522 for Ghana, a figure that amounts to over $90 million. In response to the claim of achievements by the EC, the NDC on Thursday, May 20, 2021, held a press conference at its party headquarters in Accra on the theme Assessing the So-called Achievements and Electoral Reform Proposals of the Jean Mensah-led Electoral Commission'. Speaking to Journalists at the presser, Elvis Afriyie Ankrah who is the Director of Elections for the NDC noted that the facts show that the state contrary to the claims by the EC incurred losses that could have been avoided. .the claim by the EC that an amount of $90 million was saved in the conduct of the 2020 general elections is completely contrived. The facts show that the state incurred avoidable financial losses as a result of the procurement of a facial recognition technology by the EC that turned out as a fiasco, he said. Mr. Afriyie Ankrah added, It is therefore ridiculous and laughable to say the least, that an Electoral Management Body that has failed to pay its temporary staff their allowances, five (5) months after an election will make the claim that they have saved the nation money. We wish to entreat the public to treat this baseless claim with the contempt it deserves and wait for a credible audit into the ECs expenditure for the 2020 general elections. In addition, the NDC has laughed off the claim by the EC that last years general election was one of the most credible in the history of the country. According to the main opposition party, the unprecedented cases of state-sponsored violence and killings at constituency collation centers occasioned by the reckless and unlawful conduct of some EC officials and the despotic Akufo-Addo government and in contravention of our time-tested election security arrangement is a clear indication that the 2020 general election was poorly conducted. Find below the full speech read by Elvis Afriyie Ankrah at the NDCs presser: THEME: ASSESSING THE SO-CALLED ACHIEVEMENTS AND ELECTORAL REFORM PROPOSALS OF THE JEAN MENSAH-LED ELECTORAL COMMISSION. 20th May, 2020 Good afternoon distinguished ladies and gentlemen of the media. You are welcome to the Headquarters of the NDC for this all-important press conference. The NDC has taken notice of several false claims made by the chairperson of the Electoral Commission Mrs. Jean Adukwei Mensah in her speech delivered at the just-ended two (2)-day workshop between the EC and the Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) at Alisa Hotel in Accra. The purpose of this press conference is to formally respond to and expose the many unfounded claims peddled by the EC Chairperson in her speech at the program and to explain to you the reasons for our boycott of these IPAC engagements. Friends from the media, contrary to the claims by the EC Chairperson that the 2020 general elections was the best ever in the history this country and calls for the nation to celebrate some so-called unprecedented successes chalked by the EC in the conduct of the elections, the facts show that last years elections was one of the most poorly conducted, flawed and manipulated elections in the history of this country, a situation that has undermined the strides we have made since the inception of this 4th republican democratic dispensation. And we say this for the following reasons: 1. The dubious handling of the printing and distribution of ballot papers and other electoral materials that led to ballot stuffing by the NPP in their strongholds and other regions. 2. The unprecedented number of rejected ballots recorded in the elections owing largely to the incompetence and recklessness of the EC in using unapproved stamp pads instead of the approved voting ink pad that we have used in previous elections. 3. The use of illegal Statement of Polls/pink sheets (Form 8B) that omitted BVD entries in about 7,581 polling stations, thereby undermining the ballot accounting process and the integrity of the entire results. This totally belies the the claim by Jean Mensah that only 11,000 people voted by manual verification in the 2020 general elections. 4. Widespread cases of patent arithmetic errors on the faces of pink sheets and constituency results summary sheets by incompetent EC staff in the filling of electoral forms and aggregation of valid votes. 5. Manipulation of figures by the EC leading to a disparity between constituency collated results aggregate (13,118,640) and regional collated results aggregates (13,119,460). 6. Padding of votes at the constituency collation centers in favor of candidate Akufo-Addo. 7. No proper collation at the national collation center by the Returning Officer for the Presidential elections, Mrs. Jean Adukwei Mensah. 8. Unprecedented cases of state-sponsored violence and killings at constituency collation centers occasioned by the reckless and unlawful conduct of some EC officials and the despotic Akufo-Addo government and in contravention of our time-tested election security arrangement. 9. Also contrary to the claim that the International community has hailed the conduct of the 2020 general elections as Jean Mensah will have us believe, the European Union is on record to have decried the non-transparency of the collation process for the elections. So flawed was the conduct of the 2020 general elections that for the first time in the history of this country, a whole district made up of the Satrokofi, Akpafu, Likpe and Lolobi (SALL) communities were deliberately disenfranchised by the EC for the sole purpose of assisting the New Patriotic Parliamentary Candidate, John Peter Amewu win the Hohoe seat. Is this what Jean Mensa and her bias Commission is inviting us to celebrate? 11. Again, the claim by the EC that an amount of $90 million was saved in the conduct of the 2020 general elections is completely contrived. The facts show that the state incurred avoidable financial losses as a result of the procurement of a facial recognition technology by the EC that turned out as a fiasco. It is therefore ridiculous and laughable to say the least, that an Electoral Management Body that has failed to pay its temporary staff their allowances, five (5) months after an election will make the claim that they have saved the nation money. We wish to entreat the public to treat this baseless claim with the contempt it deserves and wait for a credible audit into the the ECs expenditure for the 2020 general elections. PROPOSED REFORMS BY THE ELECTORAL COMMISSION. Ladies and Gentlemen of the media, we have taken note of some proposals for reforms that the Electoral Commission has put forward for the consideration of IPAC. However, the first and most important reform required is for the EC to reform itself. Jean Mensa and Bossman Asare must be the first to reform and change their attitude of arrogance and bias. Ladies and gentlemen of the media, I will now proceed to do a critical and objective analysis of the the four (4) reform proposals put forward by the EC. 1. Closure of polls at 3pm in 2024 Ladies and gentlemen of the media, the NDC finds the proposal by the Jean Mensah-led EC to change the closing time of polls from 5PM to 3PM in 2024 baffling and mind-boggling. Since the 1992 elections, polls have always closed at 5PM. This has worked perfectly without any challenges whatsoever. It therefore beggars belief that the EC would want to change this time-tested arrangement and go for a poorly thought-through alternative which is bound to disenfranchise eligible voters and create needless problems for our electoral system. This is particularly so given the undue delay we usually record in the delivery of electoral materials to some polling stations and other technical challenges that usually characterize voting in this country. Ghanaians will recall how a similar hasty decision by the EC to declare results within 24 hours after closure of polls in the 2020 elections failed miserably and led to the rushed declaration of a patently flawed results that yielded a percentage aggregate of more than 100%, by the Returning Officer, Mr. Jean Adukwei Mensah. One would have thought that Jean Mensah would have learnt the right lessons by now but that appears not to be the case. Friends form the media, our position on this proposal is simple. The current arrangement of closing polls at 5PM has worked perfectly in seven (7) general elections in this country and does not require any fixing. Like the Chairperson said in her speech, if it aint broke, dont fix it. 2. Substitution of periodic mass registration with continuous registration. We wish to remind the Electoral Commission that the all-round continuous registration of eligible voters is not new. The law requires the Commission to put in place mechanisms to ensure that at any time that citizens become eligible to vote, they can be registered. However, continuous registration cannot be a substitute for periodic nationwide registration because the all-round registration can only be done at the district offices of the Electoral Commission. Eligible voters may have to travel several kilometers to district offices to register and not everyone can do this. Secondly, political parties always assign agents to observe the voters registration process. It will therefore be ludicrous for the EC to suggest that political parties should employ permanent agents at their district offices to observe the registration of eligible voters all-year round. This proposal also comes against a major challenge of transparency in verifying the claims of prospective registrants at the district office level. 3. Introducing all-year round Voter Exhibition exercise through the use of technology. The proposal by EC to have a year-round exhibition is a laudable idea but cannot be a substitute for the periodic exhibition exercise of the voters register that is normally done after voter registration. This is simply because the Voter exhibition exercise is not only intended to afford voters the opportunity to verify and confirm their details but to also; a) ensure ineligible registrants (minors and foreigners) are challenged and removed from the register. b) help clean the names of dead people from the register. C) afford voters the opportunity to confirm their captured biometric features. And this cannot be achieved through the system the EC is proposing. Given the errors that occurred in the run up to the 2020 elections when this system was deployed and the fact that not all Ghanaians have mobile phones to assess this system, it cannot be a replacement for periodic Voters Register Exhibition. 4. Restrict data entry of election results to the constituency collation level and generate regional and national reports. The proposal to have the entry point of data done only at Constituency Collation Centres will introduce another opportunity for rigging through hacking and other means of manipulation of the results. The way to build further efficiencies into the collation process and eliminate inaccuracies is to hire and train competent EC staff to ensure accurate data entry and collation and not to throw away the time-tested practice of collation at the national level. Data entry and collation must be done at constituency level and sent to the national collation center for aggregation by the Returning Officer and with the participation of political party representatives. This will ensure accuracy and transparency in the aggregation of constituency results for free and fair election results declaration. OUR BOYCOTT OF IPAC Ladies and gentlemen of the media, you may be aware, the National Democratic Congress has decided to boycott IPAC temporarily due to the bastardization of that revered body by the Jean Mensah/Bossman Asare-led Electoral Commission. Ladies and Gentlemen, the framers of the 1992 Constitution in their wisdom created the Electoral Commission as an independent institution to perform its constitutional functions without the control of any person or group of persons. The independence given to the EC under the 1992 Constitution is based on the presumption that the Electoral Commission will at all times perform its duties conscientiously in the ultimate interest of Ghana. However, this does not mean that the Commission is not accountable to the people and can therefore decide to act whimsically or capriciously in ways that undermine our democratic experiment. Unfortunately, the Jean Mensa led Electoral Commission has misinterpreted this independence to mean arrogance and non-accountability. And it is sad that the Supreme Court of the country endorsed this irresponsible conduct of the NDC and allowed them to get away with the embarrassment they caused this country in the 2020 general elections. Ladies and Gentlemen, one unique convention of Ghanas electoral system which has become international best practice is the Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC). The rationale for IPAC, as it has been over the years, is to create a platform for consensus building on major issues affecting elections with key stakeholders involved in elections. Over the years, IPAC has served Ghana well as a platform where ideas are shared on various issues, before the EC takes substantive decisions on critical electoral matters. Indeed, to promote transparency in our electoral process, IPAC has been involved in the drafting of Constitutional Instruments on elections as well as procurement processes of the EC under previous Chairpersons. IPAC is supposed to serve as a platform where political parties participate in all electoral activities throughout the electoral cycle, such as, voter registration, exhibition of the voters register, printing of ballot papers, observing the voting process at all polling stations through polling agents as well as collation of results at both the constituency and national levels. Unfortunately, since the June 2018 ouster of the chairperson of the Electoral Commission and her 2 deputies and their subsequent replacement with Jean Mensa and Bossman Asare, all these best practices have been thrown to the dogs. The current leadership of the Electoral Commission has turned IPAC from a consultative and consensus building platform to an information sharing platform where the EC only comes to impose its decisions on IPAC without room for meaningful deliberations and exchange of ideas. It became so bad to the point that the EC even announced publicly that IPAC had agreed to the decision to compile a new register for the 2020 elections when the issue of a new register had not even been discussed at the said meeting. Ladies and Gentlemen, the Jean Mensa led EC appears to be in a world of its own. The Commission appears to be tickling itself and laughing. The Electoral Commission has for the first time in our history conducted elections that leaves doubts on the mind of Ghanaians and other observers on the credibility of the elections. The Commission declared wrong results and even after issuing an unsigned press release to subsequently correct same, the figures still do not add up. Instead of taking advantage of the election petition to clear itself of the mess caused, the EC failed to mount the witness box to testify and explain to Ghanaians how it arrived at its results. These issues coupled with the non-equitable voting arrangement at IPAC meetings, is the reason why we have taken a principled position to boycott IPAC until the right changes are effected to ensure fair and meaningful deliberations at IPAC. NDCS PROPOSED REFORMS Ladies and Gentlemen, after a painstaking review of the 2020 elections, the following are the preliminary proposals for electoral reforms which the NDC intends to engage various stakeholders such as the media, civil society organizations, religions leaders, traditional leaders, development partners, the diplomatic community, and the general public. These preliminary proposals are as follows: 1. That, the participation of IPAC and its advisory role in the electoral process should be given legal backing, without encroaching on the constitutional independence of the Electoral Commission. 2. That, the EC adopts an equitable voting formula for political parties in IPAC deliberations based on their representation in Parliament. 3. That, the Electoral Commission complies with the use of the legally-prescribed Statement of Poll/Pink Sheet (Form 8A & 8B) provided for in our Election Regulations to prevent the omission of BVD entries so as to preserve the ballot accounting process and makes it possible to check multiple voting, ballot stuffing, impersonation and other forms of rigging. 4. That, the high rate of rejected ballots recorded in the 2020 general elections be addressed through the use of the appropriate ink pads and that same should be stipulated in our election regulations. 5. That, the EC employs and trains highly competent staff to accurately fill election result forms and collate results so as to forestall the reoccurrence of the widespread cases of arithmetic errors recorded in the 2020 general elections, 6. That, the Electoral Commission reverts to the time-tested election security arrangement where the deployment of security for election purposes is reserved to the Ghana Police service acting within a framework provided by the Electoral Commission. This security arrangement should have minimum involvement of the military and no interference whatsoever by so-called National Security operatives, as recommended by the Emil Short Commission. The party has constituted a committee to come up with a compressive document on electoral reform proposals and we shall share that with you in the coming days. Signed, Hon. Elvis Afriyie Ankrah Listen to article ***Counsel Niger Delta youths ****Urge oil companies to ignore seven days ultimatum ***Justify forensic audit, appointment of sole administrator South-South leaders on Thursday took a swipe at some youths in the zone, urging them to be decorous. The leaders also queried the rationality of the ultimatum given to international oil firms to vacate the Niger Delta region. There is no reason for any such thing. Leader of South-South Front (SSF), Chief John Harry and other notable leaders in the zone, said the South-South had fared better in the last few years under President Muhammadu Buharis administration. They described the position of the youths on the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) forensic audit as unfortunate. We believe they are misguided and they need the counsel of the elders to regain their focus. They warned the youths not to destroy through reckless accusations the only institution that is promoting accelerated development in the Niger Delta region. We strongly believe that the stance of some youths is not in the interests of the South-South geo-political zone. Speaking at a solidarity forum organized by South-South Front in Abuja in honour of ministers from the South-South geo-political zone, the leaders faulted the stance of the youths in the appointment of sole administrator and the achievements of the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Chief Godswill Akpabio. We are grateful for having Chief Godswill Akpabio as Niger Delta Affairs Minister. He has performed greatly since his appointment by President Muhammadu Buhari. The leaders chided Chief Edwin Clark for evolving pathetic little schemes to ensure his continued relevance, engaging in a fruitless campaign against the former governor of Akwa Ibom State and shying away from the conclusion that, as a minister, Akpabio has already restructured the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). We state without any trepidation that it is most unfair and very uncharitable for some people to throw muds at the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs. The leaders scolded the youths for their propensity to issue unsavory rebukes and impolite pronouncements. They are gang of spoilers the leaders said. The leaders hailed Akpabio for taking far reaching decisions, bringing about a reform to save NDDC from the clutches of some individuals and doing everything within his power to better the life of the Niger Delta people. Godswill Akpabio has put the Niger Delta region on the path to true development. They also commended him for formulating policies to check leakages, making NDDC more responsive and accountable to all its principal stakeholders and ensuring the spread of the gospel of transparency and accountability which are essential ingredients of good governance. The Commission needs to have sufficient resources required for recurrent and capital expenditure. Listen to article To compete in the job market of this century, students need some basic computer training. The question, therefore, is not whether we need computers in our classrooms because theyre already here and have come to stay; the question is whether computers do improve teaching and learning. More than 12 years since the first national computers in the classroom program in Ghana, little is known about how these programs improved teaching and learning. Yet, the impulse to stuff our schools with computers has been resurrected and rightly so, due to the pandemic. The Minister for Education, for example, recently stated that bridging the digital divide to improve virtual learning is one of his priorities. The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) is also advocating for one laptop, one modem for teachers. Similarly, during the State of the Nation Address ( SONA ) on March 9, President Akufo Addo reiterated the need for computers in the classroom. He promised that his government is facilitating the acquisition of two hundred and eighty thousand laptops for members of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), and the Coalition of Concern Teachers (CCT) this year. The good news, it seems to me, is that the minister for education is still working out the details (per the Presidents SONA speech) so theres still time for suggestions to avoid past mistakes. Because, whereas laptops can be powerful tools for learning, laptops alone cannot improve teaching and learning. The government will be better off if it embraces the current trends in online learning infrastructures that have been shown to improve teaching and learning. Previous Attempts In 2005, Nicholas Negroponte, an MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) professor proposed the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) initiative. The aim was to transform the lives of school children across the globe (especially those in underserved regions). Unfortunately, the initiative failed and with it, the grand strategy to reform education. The government of Ghana and other countries were enticed by the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) initiative. The government thought that handing out laptops to students might somehow transform the education system. So, in the 2007 Budget Statement and Economic Policy, the then Kufuor administration indicated that his government would enhance the usage of computers in schools. After an initial pilot with about 100 laptops, the government signed an agreement with the OLPC program to purchase 10,000 laptops. And between January 2008 and May 2009, about 11,000 laptops arrived in Ghana for school children. Again, in 2010, the government announced the Better Ghana Agenda which, among other things, provided laptops to school children. In partnership with RLG Communications , the Better Ghana Agenda was to distribute about 90,000 laptops to senior high and vocational schools in the country. It was reported that at least, 800 senior high schools, technical, and vocational schools benefited. This project, although well-intentioned, also fell apart like the Negroponte initiative. Why Previous Attempts failed Indeed, five years after the Negropontes initiative, signs of its failure were on the horizon. Walter Bender, the former president of software and content for the OLPC program (who left the organization after 3 years), admitting their flawed vision in 2010, stated that: Building a learning environment is hard work....[T]o take root, it's got to be a prolonged community effort. If you simply present it as, "We're going to give computers to kids," the story is not adequate. The key to success is to really take a holistic approach to the servers, the infrastructure, the logistics, the software, the preparation and training, the pedagogy, and the community that is using all this stuff. To ensure that computers improve teaching and learning, teachers, students, and skilled technical support must collaborate. Handing out computers to teachers and students will not improve teaching and learning; instead, these computers should be equipped with online learning infrastructures such as personalized learning tools, augmented realities, assistive technologies, artificial intelligence, and many others that have been shown to improve teaching and learning. Improving Teaching and Learning with Computers Despite the mixed results, theres evidence to show that some online learning infrastructures such as personalized technologies, assistive technologies, and augmented realities do help. But compared to face-to-face teaching, the difference if any, is miniscule. These infrastructures, however, have become part of our lives and are present in most of our devices such as smartphones and tablets. Personalized technologies, for example, can tailor the learning process for each student, depending on his/her strength and abilities. Students are not the same: some are fast learners, others are slow learners, but when given the opportunity, they will all succeed in the end. However, we all know that most normal classrooms do not afford students these opportunities. The teacher has 60 students if not more, to teach and must sometimes go with the majority feeling of the class. Sometimes painfully. With personalized technologies, students can progress at their own pace with the assistance of the teacher. Teachers can monitor students progress to personally provide extra support for those who are struggling. Personalized technologies are built on the principle that the tortoise will ultimately reach its destination, albeit slowly. It should, however, be stressed that computers and their accompanying infrastructures are tools (and can be powerful tools) but they must be treated as such. Nothing more, nothing less. The tendency to overstate what computers can do has garnered strong opposition against computers in the classroom. In a recent article , : imagine a world where teachers are replaced with computers, the author (John-Paul Eyinam), a primary 6 pupil, opined that should computers replace teachers, students would lose a lot. Because teachers are more than what they do: they are mentors. They are supporters. They are our inspirations. Inside and outside of the classroom for informative excursions, they are there for us. Better yet, they entertain us. The good news is that computers cannot replace teachers. Computers in the classroom need teachers to function as needed. Like most technologies, computers are mere aids to human beings. They help us work efficiently and productively. And sometimes do the mundane activities for us so that we can concentrate on the important ones. Cars, for example, did not replace our legs. Instead, it made traveling from Dormaa Ahenkro to Tamale a less treacherous journey. It saved time, energy, and saved us from being eaten by hungry prey. Imagine then if teachers can assign regular tests (not as a metric to compare students but to improve learning) because they have online learning systems that automatically grade assigned homework/exercises? Teachers will assign more tests/homework, and students will learn more (an idea known as test-enhanced learning ). Also, students would no longer perceive tests/exams as a punishment in disguise (sometimes leading to school dropouts and low self-esteem), but as an essential part of the learning process. The Role of Teachers Whether computers can improve teaching and learning largely depends on teachers. Their perception, attitudes, and knowledge can either be a solution or a problem. Like the car, a good driver behind the steering wheel can drive you safely home, but the reckless driver is a recipe for an accident. Similarly, teachers who are well equipped can use computers (with their accompanying infrastructures) to facilitate teaching and learning whereas those who are ill-equipped might harm students, especially those who need special attention. To effectively deploy computers in our classrooms to enhance teaching and learning, current teachers can receive ongoing training on how computers (and online learning infrastructures) can facilitate teaching and learning. ICT classes for teacher trainees must go beyond mere hardware (keyboard, mouse, monitor, etc.) to current trends in online learning platforms and how their potentials can be harnessed to improve our education system. Challenges and Solutions Deploying computers in schools, like most large-scale policy changes in complex institutions, are rarely without challenges. However, those challenges can be well-managed when well-thought-through implementation strategies are carried out incrementally not only by government officials but by all stakeholders including teachers and other civil societies. Computers are tools that require resources (such as internet connectivity/access, reliable electricity, technical support, etc.) to function efficiently. These resources, however, are disproportionately distributed in the country. Some students do not have electricity in their homes. Some cant afford the needed devices and even if they could, they might not be powerful to support some apps or afford high-bandwidth internet access. But there is no price too high for educating the youth of a nation. The government can facilitate and expand rural electrification by investing in and providing solar panels to deprived areas. Also, through a public-private partnership, the government can work with local telecommunication agencies (such as MTN, Vodafone, etc.) to provide special plans for students (say, free internet or subsidized internet for students each day from 6 pm to 9 pm). Through similar initiatives, hotspots and Wi-Fi can be provided to schools. The government can also invest in online infrastructure that works effectively offline so that students can still use their systems with unstable internet access. And 24-hour technical support should be assembled across the regions and districts. Some countries have succeeded in complementing the basic educational needs (such as decent classrooms, well-paid teaching, and nonteaching staff, etc.) with computers, but others have failed. We should, therefore, not copy blindly from other countries. Of course, we must learn from those who have done it right as well as those who have failed (both have something invaluable to teach us). The initiative must be Ghana-centered: a system that serves the interest of Ghanaian school children and the nation. Decades of research have shown that the education system can be improved when students have enough nutritious food to eat; a decent classroom that is well-furnished; adequate teaching and learning materials; a stable home; parental support; and well-paid teaching and non-teaching staff. Whereas computers can complement these basic educational needs, where it is implemented, how it is implemented, and why it is implemented is what will make the difference. By: Kennedy Damoah, Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) Email: [email protected] The Commission of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is holding a two-day consultative workshop with media organisations from the Region in Monrovia, Liberia from the 20th to 21st May 2021. The consultation with the media is part of a wider consultations with stakeholders on the development of the ECOWAS Vision 2050. While expressing gratitude to President of Liberia H.E. George Manneh Weah, and the Government and good people of the Republic of Liberia for the constant support to the ECOWAS Commission, H.E. Madam Finda E. M. Koroma, Vice President of the ECOWAS Commission, represented by Nathaniel Walker, Officer-in-Charge at the ECOWAS Special Representation in Liberia, underscored the importance of Media to the society. Media are vital sentinels of our societies, providing information, ensuring citizens have access to diverse opportunities, and most time clarifying complex issues to citizens She said. Madam Koroma added that by disseminating positive socio-economic changes, through evidence-based stories, the media becomes important change agents in our region, and providing all stakeholders with valuable early warning signals that ensure that projects remain on the right implementation path. Honourable Ledgerhood J. Rennie, Minister of Information, Cultural Affairs & Tourism of Liberia, welcomed participants to the very important meeting, and thanked the Vice President for hosting the meeting in Liberia. He urged participants to be bold and pragmatic in their deliberation, ensuring that all the media aspirations are captured in the Vison 2050. H.E. Dee-Maxwell Saah Kemayah, Senior, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Liberia in his opening address appreciated the ECOWAS Commission for the support it renders to the people of Liberia especially through the programmes it is implementing in the country. He encouraged ECOWAS to consider the indispensable role of the Media in the development of the ECOWAS Vision 2050. He reaffirmed the commitment of the country to ensure peace, security and development and noted that the media is very critical in achieving this. The Head of the ECOWAS National Office of Liberia, Mr. Benedict Roberts in his statement highlighted the importance and commitment of the Media from the 15 ECOWAS Member attach to the process of the development of the ECOWAS Vision 2050 documents and its implementation framework for the development of the Region. The ECOWAS Vision 2050 aims to consolidate on the gains of the ECOWAS Vision 2020 in transforming the region from ECOWAS of the States to ECOWAS of the People. A GOVERNMENT investigation, whose preliminary findings have been submitted to President Emmerson Mnangagwa, has exposed rampant corruption at the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water and Rural Resettlement, which derailed governments projects and prejudiced the fiscus of revenue. The government investigation spans the broad economic spectrum, with a special focus on identifying, exposing and arresting intricate syndicates fuelling graft. As reported in the Zimbabwe Independent last week, part of the investigations have also identified top government officials at the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development, who have scuttled foreign direct investment (FDI) into Zimbabwes economy by soliciting bribes from potential investors. According to the probe, Zimbabwe Geological Survey director Forbes Mugumbate and director of research, value-addition and beneficiation in the Mines ministry Tichaona Makuza are accused of allegedly asking for bribes from a South African mining firm Lephalale chairperson Cliff Motsepe and chief operating officer Mashile Mokono. The duo at the Mines and Mining Development ministry, is accused of asking for bribes during a meeting held with Motsepe and Mokono on March 29, 2021. In the latest investigation on the Lands, Agriculture, Water and Rural Resettlement ministry, initial findings suggest that the department has degenerated into a haven of corruption activities, fuelled by closely knit syndicates with tentacles spreading beyond the countrys porous borders. A document shows that the fresh investigation implicated top officials at the Agriculture ministry who were enriching themselves through corruption at the expense of key national projects. Reference is made to a memorandum from the deputy Director General-Operations of December 2020, wherein it was stated that information was received that the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water and Rural Resettlement has become a haven of corruption activities, a government investigation report reads. Subsequently the graft, according to the document, sabotaged key government projects, thereby prejudicing the state and enriching individuals at the expense of the government coffers. The document was generated on February 22, 2021. A trail of the correspondence shows that a top government official had assigned a department to roll out an operation that would expose the extent of the industrial-scale corruption at the Agriculture ministry. The memorandum further called for an exhaustive investigation into the operations of key personnel at the ministry including an elaborate operational plan to expose the rot. The main terms of reference of the operation are: (to) account for the lifestyles of targeted personnel (within) the ministry, the document reads. The document emphasises that the issuance and payment of licenses, permits and fees was replete with graft, while officials at the ministry were demanding bribes from investors, resulting in capital flight. It reads: Preliminary information gathered has revealed that possible corrupt synergies in the issuance and payment of licenses, permits and fees begins from various low-level officers to the directorship level, with complacency at secretarial and ministerial level enabling the rot. The issuance of import and exports permits is also marred with irregularities. The syndicates also span all the way to road blocks, and to exit and entry points into Zimbabwe. It is alleged that kickbacks are demanded for the implementation of various projects, a practise which is leading to investor fatigue. The report noted that cabinet reshuffles, which often result in officials being deployed to new ministries, created a fertile ground for government bureaucrats to ask for bribes from potential investors. The investigations findings were submitted to Number 1, a term widely used within the government ranks to refer to the President. Approached for comment, Agriculture deputy minister Vangelis Haritatos could not explain measures put in place to contain corruption at his ministry. With the ruling Zanu PF party gripped by factional squabbles supposedly between Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga and Mnangagwa, the document revealed how the internecine fights affected economic revival projects. The main terms of reference of the operation are to: investigate the personal and political fights within the party (Zanu PF) which spill over to the ministry thereby affecting key projects, reads the document, in part. Zanu PF regards agriculture as a low hanging fruit, whose potential, if realised, could be utilised to boost election prospects during the 2023 polls. Though Mnangagwas administration has vociferously spoken against economic saboteurs, the problem persists. According to the Agriculture ministry, some of the programmes under the portfolio include Pfumvudza, the Accelerated Irrigation Rehabilitation Programme, the Belarus Farm Mechanisation Programme, the John Deere Farm Mechanisation Programme and Local Manufacture of Farm Implements. Over the years, state enterprises under the ministry have been hamstrung by corruption and mismanagement. Some of the parastatals include CSC, Agriculture Marketing Authority (AMA), AgriBank, Agriculture Research Council (ARC), Grain Marketing Board (GMB) and Pig Industry Board (PIB). During former President Robert Mugabes time, the ministry was cast into the vortex of corruption scandals after it emerged that the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe splurged millions of United States dollars in loans to senior Zanu PF and government officials that were never paid under the farm mechanisation programme. Lending details of the farm mechanisation programme, once a closely guarded government secret only came to light after Mugabe was pushed out of power in 2017. The bad loans were taken over by the government and passed on to the taxpayer under the Debt Assumption Act of 2015. Zimbabwe Independent Listen to article I must confess that I had mixed feelings when I read some time ago that the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service had submitted the dockets on the investigations of the alleged double salary grabbing NDC Members of Parliament to the Attorney General's Office for advice. In fact, my ambivalence stemmed from the fact that Ghana's justice system tends to clampdown heavily on the goat, cassava and plantain thieves, and more often than not, let go the impenitent criminals who hide behind the narrow political colorations. I have always maintained that if we are ever prepared to beseech the fantastically corrupt public officials to only return their loots without any further punishment, we might as well treat the goat, plantain and cassava thieves same. For after all, what is good for the goose is good for the gander. To be quite honest, it is quite nauseating to see some public officials who prefer to be called 'honourables' behaving somewhat dishonourably. Truly, Ghanaian politics has become a scorned profession, not a noble profession it used to be. Suffice it to stress that it takes good peoplegood citizens and leaders to build a prosperous nation. Yet a lot of good people would never go into politics. They dislike the toxic levels of partisanship. They hate the intrusive media scrutiny and they won't pay the high personal costs of the political life. Once upon a time, anyone who gained a seat in parliament was looked up to and respected by all, but alas, this is not the case anymore. Of course, the recipients of the alleged double salaries have an inherent right to the presumption of innocence. Suffice it to emphasise that it is the job of the Police to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, or to establish a prima facie case, and not a job for the suspects to prove their innocence. Besides, there is nothing out of the ordinary for an employee to receive double salary as the pay roll managers are not immune from human foibles. The pay roll managers are indeed susceptible to human errors and can therefore make unpardonable mistakes on the payroll. However, it is up to the recipient of such irregular payments to come out clean and notify the appropriate quarters. Needless to stress that if the alleged recipients of the double salaries refused or declined to disclose such anomalies as being alleged in the case of the NDC Members of Parliament, then such persons have questions to answer. The vast majority of Ghanaians, as a matter of fact, have a deferential regard for people who have the heart and the abilities to make sacrifices. Ghanaians, more often than not, hold people who have the seriousness and commitment to do the right thing in high esteem. Indeed, we are often inclined towards people who have the courage of their aspirations, and yet some politicians would betray the trust we repose in them. Why? Ghanaians cannot afford to do away with serious and forward-thinking politicians, in spite of the persistent disappointments. We, (the electorates), are prepared to give our votes to the politicians, who in turn, are obliged to implement expedient policies that would move the nation to the right direction. Thus, in contrast to our expectations, it will, be devilishly difficult to do away with politicians, in spite of the disappointments. Given the circumstances, therefore, we should not, and cannot stand accused of exhibiting risible and inborn proclivity towards the irresponsible public officials who prefer to dip their hands into the national purse as if tomorrow will never come. In most democratic and enlightened societies, the acceptable word is reasoning, unlike Ghana, where respect has always been the norm. Unfortunately, however, in Ghana, one must always seek to discharge his/her emotional intelligence and show deference for fear of being upbraided for upsetting the antiquated and the crude majoritarian Africa culture of respect. Obviously, it is that 'musty' and dowdy word respect that has given the grown up people in Africa as a whole the licence to misbehave over the years. If that was not the case, how come our shameless, incompetent and corrupt public officials continue to sink the economy deeper and deeper into the mire, create loot and share our resources, and, often go scot free? Mind you, you would be tagged disrespectful for criticising for instance, the Members of Parliament who shamefully choose to grab double salaries as if tomorrow will never come. For God sake, how could it be disrespectful for calling a spade a spade? In fact, our Members of Parliament must earn the honourable prefix/suffix by living exemplary lives and desist from desecrating our honourable parliament. How can honourable Members of Parliament knowingly keep double salaries to the detriment of the poor and disadvantaged Ghanaians? It beggars belief that individuals could form an alliance, create, loot and share gargantuan sums of money belonging to the state and would eventually slip through the justice net. For argument sake, if the law can excuse a suspected double salary grabbing Member of Parliament from prosecution, the law might as well make room for the equally important contributors such as farmers, teachers, and doctors, among others. Why must we allow a section of the population to perpetrate alleged criminalities and then hide behind the law? I am afraid, the democratic country called Ghana may not see any meaningful development, so long as we have public officials who are extremely greedy, corrupt, and insensitive to the plight of the impoverished Ghanaians. It may sound somewhat hackneyed in the ears of some observers, but the fact remains that we began life with the likes of South Korea, Malaysia and Singapore, and, look at where they are today. They are diligently making cars, Mobile phones, electronics, good roads and good housing. And, they have put in place pragmatic policies and programmes to developed their respective countries and just look at where we are today. Disappointingly, however, we now go to those countries we started life with, and beg for donations, or borrow money--do you recall the STX housing deal which was unsuccessfully pursued by Mills/Mahama administration, and yet cost us a staggering $300 million ? I weep for my beloved Ghana. Obviously, we need a true leadership with vision and ideas, altruistic and charismatic leadership devoid of corruption, greed, Incompetence and capable of transforming us into an industrialized and robust economy. Apparently, the unresolved cases of political criminals unscrupulous activities often leave concerned Ghanaians with a gleam of bewilderment. Indeed, when it comes to the prosecutions of the political criminals, we are often made to believe: the wheels of justice turn slowly, but it will grind exceedingly fine. And yet we can disappointingly recall a lot of unresolved alleged criminal cases involving political personalities and other public servants. Where is the fairness when the political thieves could shamefully dip their hands into the national purse as if there is no tomorrow and go scot free, while the goat, cassava and plantain thieves are incarcerated? I have always insisted that there is no deterrent for political criminals. For, if that was not the case, how come political criminals more often than not, go through the justice net, despite incontrovertible evidence of wrong doing? We hereby plead with the Attorney General and Minister of Justice that the law is not a respecter of persons, and therefore the alleged double salary NDC Members of Parliament must be investigated thoroughly and prosecute those who are found culpable of wrong doing. After all, the right antidote to curbing the unbridled sleazes and corruption is through stiff punishments, including the retrieval of all stolen monies, sale of properties and harsh prison sentences. K. Badu, UK. [email protected] Listen to article Residents of Dzodze in the Ketu North Municipality in the Volta Region are facing severe water crisis with no drop of water from their taps in several households for months. According to Christopher Kankpetinge who is a resident of Dzodze, many parts of the Municipality has experienced erratic or no water supply for close to a year. Unfortunately, the situation particularly got worse during the COVID-19 free water period. Now in May 2021, things are now out of hand with no drop of water for several months in many households. Before the crisis, residents had water supply from the Dzodze Community Water Board. The board claim they are currently unable to supply water to residents in the municipality due to the failure of the government to reimburse them for the COVID-19 free water they provided. Information from unofficial sources of the Municipal Assembly is that, the Community Water Board refused an audit of their accounts hence the Assembly's refusal to pay them for the free COVID-19 water. With residents suffering the consequences of what appears to be a standoff between the Dzodze Community Water Board and the Municipal Assembly, they are calling on the Ministry of Water Resources to intervene. We the Citizens of Dzodze therefore want to make a passionate appeal to the Government of Ghana especially the Minister of Water Resources and Work Housing to intervene as a matter of urgency to solve the impasse between the Assembly and the Community Water Board to save us from this problem, Christopher Kankpetinge who spoke exclusively to Modernghana News said. The concerned resident of Dzodze added, Buying water at exorbitant prices is putting a lot of financial burden on us the little our resources. Meanwhile, in the midst of the impasses between the Dzodze Community Water Board and the Municipal Assembly, the former has decided to share the accumulated bill of the free water to all the households in Dzodze to pay. Every household [including those that have never had water] has been served with the bill ranging from GHS500 to GHS3000 according to information gathered. There is currently an outlet in the Municipality where water flows daily with the owners taking advantage to milk residents. Water is sold to tricycles operators at GHS0.20 per "Kuffour gallon" who in turn sell it to households at GHS1.00 to GHS3.50 per gallon. Listen to article On Wednesday, May 19, 2021, at 1:00 p.m., a delegation of the Board of Directors for Coalition for Positive Impact (CPI), led by the Executive Director, Mr. Maazu Dramani Bayuoni paid a courtesy call on the Speaker of Parliament Rt. Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin. Among other things, the purpose of the meeting was to discuss the role of youth in National Development and to discover ways in which CPI can form a synergy with the Office of the Speaker to transform Ghanas demographic asset into an economic dividend. In his opening remarks, Mr. Maazu Bayuoni explained the mission of CPI to the Speakers delegation and tied it into the interest of the Speaker in youth activities while recounting the numerous roles that the Speaker had played in strengthening youth empowerment and development. He also acknowledged that one of the ways through which todays youth can be effectively developed is through imbibing in them the value of integrity, which happens to be a core value of CPI. He thanked the Speaker for affording the delegation a warm reception and requested for support for CPI to contribute to the achievement of national youth development goals. Mr. Gayheart Mensah, Communications Expert at the Office of the Speaker in contributing to the discussion, emphasized the need for CPI to stay abreast of emerging trends in youth development, notable among which are technology, artificial intelligence and the future of work for todays youth. He further commended CPI for the good work it is doing in developing talents of youths. The Rt. Hon Speaker, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, expressed great delight in the work of CPI and urged the Organization to work harder and to continue the good work it is doing for the youth of Ghana. He drew a distinction between youth empowerment and youth development, noting that people often confuse both terms unknowingly. He then stressed on the need to teach the youth to be responsible and lead their lives according to the highest principles of integrity. Rt. Hon Speaker applauded the delegation for taking the initiative to mentor and train the youth of the country and pledged the support of His Office to help the Organization to achieve its goals. The CPI delegation was made up of Mr. Maazu Dramani Bayuoni (Executive Director), Miss Naziha Amin Gombilla (Executive Secretary), Mr. Edem Baeta (Board Director) and Mr. Frank Anwelle (Board Director). Minority leader, Haruna Iddrisu Listen to article Why the wind of modern technology blowing across the world impact is less on Africas developments, yet when someone suggests something significant that could benefit a country, there is always an opposition to discourage it? According to a publication by ModernGhana news which appeared on May 19, 2021, at the 5th Ghana CEO Summit in Accra, the Vice-President, Mahamudu Bawumia, had said by the month of June 2021, all mobile phone users in the country are expected to register their SIM cards or risk having their phone numbers deactivated. Knowing perfectly well that that is a very positive step taken by the NPP government, since, in many developed countries, mobile phones of everyone are duly registered to reduce crime; I wasnt expecting the Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, to oppose that decision at all. According to Haruna Iddrisu, "undertaking a SIM re-registration exercise will not solve the issue of Mobile Money fraud as expected by Dr. Bawumia." Thats not true Minority leader, Haruna Iddrisu, actually, there is rampant mobile money fraud in Ghana because many of the criminals haven't registered their numbers, and therefore, they are unknown. Unregistered mobile users can easily commit a crime, and then get rid of the number for a new one. I will explain, contrary to what the Minority Leader said, developed countries, including Belgium, have massively embarked on phone number registration. This has helped governments to identify the owner of each phone and to reduce crime in their countries. Without registration, it will be very hard for the government to identify culprits and also for the police to make investigations. I think the NPP government has made the right decision; after all, we need to go forward as a nation and this might be the beginning that would benefit everyone, as well as making good use of the essentials of modern technology. If the government wants Ghana to progress, it should be a country that one cant make a call if your phone number is not registered. For example, in Belgium, at the moment, no one can make a call if your number is not registered. I understand the Minority Leaders argument that many Ghanaians are in the system and, therefore, don't have cards. Thats a challenge for the government to provide everyone with an Identity card to make it easier for those without one to register their mobile numbers. In this case, the government must make sure that every Ghanaian has an identity card and also extend the deadline of December, as suggested by the Minister of Communication, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful. The required registration procedure must remain free, no telephone company takes money from users during the phone number registration. Hon. Haruna Iddrisu, note also that the registration of mobile phone numbers is a measure taken as part of a package of legislative amendments in many developed countries, aimed at combating extremism, terrorism, and money laundering. Therefore, with the introduction of mandatory registration by the government, Ghana will definitely notice the crime rate in the country will gradually reduce to make life better for the common people. Someone may ask, how can I make a call with a new SIM card if my phone is stolen? You can get a new SIM card, then again, you register the new number with the provider. At dawn, Mame Mor Anta Ly washes his chestnut-coloured horse beneath a noisy overpass on the outskirts of Senegal's bustling capital. Dozens of other horses are tethered to the ground around him, feeding from troughs improvised from oil drums or rusting bathtubs. Ly, 40, is waiting to be hired for the day to transport iron rods or bags of cement on his horse-drawn cart. "Sometimes I wait all day," he said, prayer beads dangling from his neck. Hailing from a farming region about a hundred miles (160 kilometres) south of the seaside capital, Ly is one of a growing number of rural-dwellers who come to Dakar looking for work with their horses in tow. Horses are ubiquitous in the booming West African city of 3.5 million people, where carts weave through traffic-clogged streets and squeeze down narrow sandy alleyways. Drivers carry goods and people at a cheap rate, and increasingly, also collect garbage in neighbourhoods unserved by rubbish trucks. The work is a lifeline to many rural poor who normally earn little apart from the harvest season, according to Alphonse Sene, the director of equine development at Senegal's livestock ministry. He estimated the number of cart drivers in Dakar at about 7,000 -- and rising. Senegal's livestock ministry estimates the number of cart drivers in Dakar at about 7,000 -- and rising. By JOHN WESSELS (AFP) "It's growing because there's an employment problem in rural areas," he said. Though part of the fabric of the city, many motorists and municipal administrators view carts as a nuisance that cause congestion and accidents. There is a risk municipal authorities will eventually ban them, according to Sene. Cart driver Malick Seck, standing with his white mare outside a construction supplies depot, said he both struggles to make money and faces hostility from other road users. "No one considers us. People think we're low class," said the 45-year-old. Horse permits Drivers interviewed by AFP said that police can move them off roads arbitrarily and that residents place obstacles in the city's rare open spaces to stop drivers from keeping their horses there. "We are insulted all day long and mistreated," said cart driver Assane Ndiaye, echoing a widely held grievance. In a bid to ease pressure in urban areas, Senegal passed legislation in 2016 requiring drivers to have permits and tail-lights, and limiting when they are allowed to operate. With about one million horses and donkeys, Senegal has an unusually high equine population for the region. By JOHN WESSELS (AFP) But in practice the rules are ignored. Responsibility for enforcing them is also split between three government ministries. Sene, the director of equine development, acknowledged the disarray. But he said that his department is conducting a study of the horse-transport sector in Dakar with a view to revising the legislation. With about one million horses and donkeys, Senegal has an unusually high equine population for the region, said Emmanuel Boure Sarr, from the animal-welfare NGO Brooke. "Horse-drawn transport is a reality that cannot be ignored," he said, underlining the economic importance of the sector. 'No alternative' Most drivers, unaware of government attempts at regulation, pointed to money as their main concern. Senegal is a poor nation of 16 million people, where about 40 percent live on less than $1.90 (1.70 euros) a day, according to the World Bank. Cart drivers can earn comparatively well if they find clients -- between $8 to $12 a day, according to several -- yet most said they struggled after paying feeding costs. "You are born into it,' says Diodio Niamen, 51, explaining that horses are one of the few ways to earn money. By JOHN WESSELS (AFP) "It's very difficult. It costs about $4.50 a day to feed the horse," said Ly. Many of Dakar's cartmen are Serer people from the lush Fatick region about 140 kilometres (90 miles) southeast of the capital, where a strong traditional horse culture holds sway. "You are born into it," said Fatick native Diodio Niamen, 51, explaining that horses are one of the few ways to earn money. Leaning against his cart on a beach in the north of Dakar, Niamen said he wishes he could stay in his village and farm all year round. 'When I come to Dakar, it's because I have no money," he said. "There's no alternative." Nurses measure out vaccine doses in a sunny room with giant windows offering views of the grounds' rampant bougainvillea. By the end of the day, 90 residents and staff at the Evanna Tehuis retirement home will have received Covid-19 jabs. The home is in the rural town of Hartbeesfontein, surrounded by mines and cornfields, about 220 kilometres (135 miles) southwest of Johannesburg. Thanks to the vaccinations, "we can protect ourselves, protect each other, and not end up in ICU" (intensive care), said manager Theresa Swart. The pop-up vaccination operation is a joint project of the local district's health department and hospitals, aiming to decrease the risk of infection for vulnerable elderly people who would otherwise travel to vaccination sites. Caregivers were among the 90 people who received jabs at the Evanna Tehuis retirement home. By Michele Spatari (AFP) Standing on a veranda shaded from the winter sun, Swart tells AFP that the home had seen two Covid-19 outbreaks over the past year. But, she says, even though they are now vaccinated, visitors are banned for the time being. "We still want to keep our residents safe. And the vaccination does not guarantee that you won't get Covid." Looming third wave Douw Chamberlain, 62, received his first dose of the Pfizer vaccine along with his outgoing mother and frail father. "I feel more at ease," he tells AFP in Afrikaans, adding that while vaccines will not prevent his family from contracting the disease, they offer better protection. Manager Evanna Tehuis explains the operation to the retirement home residents. By Michele Spatari (AFP) South Africa's vaccination drive got off to a slow start. Since the initial rollout in February, some 480,000 people have received jabs. The government, which has been widely criticised for the sluggish pace of the campaign, says it has ordered enough doses to vaccinate at least 45 million of the estimated 59 million population. A second phase kicked off on Monday, focusing on citizens over 60, with Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize saying the government aims to vaccinate five million in this demographic by the end of June. After that, the drive will expand to younger adults. After a brief lull, infections in South Africa climbed by as much as 46 percent between the last week of April and the first week of May, with some experts blaming the jump on the delayed jab campaign. As South Africa is on the cusp of a third wave of infections, the slow vaccination rollout has had a serious effect on an already burdened healthcare system. Priscilla Makhongoana, a healthcare official in the North West Province, says she hopes to see a decrease in hospitalisations. South Africa's second vaccination phase kicked off on Monday, focusing on citizens over 60. By Michele Spatari (AFP) "When going back to normal, we'll be in the position to monitor the everyday chronic conditions, rather than this pandemic," she said. South Africa is the country hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic in Africa, recording more than 1.6 million infections and 55,210 deaths. Report available to this portal has it that the National Coordinator of School Feeding Program, Mrs. Gertrude Quashigah is still at post. On Tuesday, May 18, 2021, news of the sacking of Mrs. Quashigah went viral, after a letter purported to be her dismissal letter was shared on social media. But, the Deputy Director of Communications at the Office of the Vice President of the Republic, Mr. Maxwell Kwabena Asante, in a facebook post indicated that Mrs. Quashigah has not been sacked. According to Mr. Asante, an aide to the Minister for Gender and Social Protection Hon. Sarah Adjoa Sarfo, confided in him [Mr. Asante] that Mrs. Quashigah is not sacked. He added that the purported dismissal letter was not coming from the minister, whose ministry oversees the School Feeding Program. "From a credible source, the National Coordinator of Ghanas School Feeding Programme, Mrs Gertrude Quashigah, has NOT been sacked," the Vice Presidential staffer revealed in a Facebook post. When queried by a Facebook user who wants to be sure of what he was saying, Mr. Asante responded that; "I have spoken to her aide and still interacting with him." Check below some screenshots of the convo: --- // contributor on Modernghana Every right-thinking Ghanaian has been critical of the environment. Yes! This is partly due to the immense media discussions that continue to raise awareness about the dangers ahead of us as a country. To reduce the environmental problems emanating from the mining activities in Ghana, mining companies are compelled by law to clean up and repair degraded lands through various reclamation strategies in accordance with environmental impacts assessment. There is enough evidence alluding to the fact that our water bodies have been and continue to be destroyed unabated. Also, reserve forests, wildlife and farmlands are being degraded, polluted and extinct all in the name of mining. Both large-scale and small-scale miners are culprits in this regard. Efforts by successive governments to end their activities through operations Flush Out and Vanguard has been unfruitful. The current government is leading the crusade of flushing out Galamseyers due to their nefarious activities. Yes! you didnt know? Excavators are being burnt onsite as means of stopping illegal small-scale gold mining popularly known as galamsey. There is no denying fact that the problem of galamsey is a national security issue and therefore needs to be tackled with a deep thought approach. However, is burning the excavators the best option as a nation in need of desilting our drainage systems across the country every season? Is there any wisdom in these actions? Does the law give the minister the power to instruct any government agency to do this? Well, I need to be educated. Don tell me their work is illegal! Do you know their contribution to the Ghanaian economy? See in Owusu, Bansah, and Mensah (2019): Small in size big but big in impact: socio-environmental reforms for sustainable artisanal and small-scale mining. Indeed excavators are procured at huge cost by some Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) which they use for constructing roads, dumping sites, and other communal work for the benefit of the society. It will be beneficial to use the law to confiscate these excavators for the usage of MMDAs rather than burning them. Do you know what burning does to our environment? Are excavators belonging to politicians also burnt? Lets look at the approach as a country and proffer better solutions than using the propagandist approach which is bound to fail. Stephen Atubiga, a suspended member of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) and failed presidential aspirant has released the logo for his yet-to-be formed political party, National Liberation Congress (NLC). Stephen Atubiga shared the logo which bears the symbol of a tiger with the motto 'Probity, accountability and social justice', on his Facebook wall Thursday night. Prior to the release of the official symbol of the party he intends to establish, Mr. Atubiga gave hints about the future of his political career, after he was suspended from the party he went to jail for. "... the countdown is getting closer soon towards the new direction of my political ambitions, your prayers are needed for this bold step. "Love you all," Atubiga wrote in one of his Facebook posts recently. In another social media post, Atubiga hinted that "something big" will take place in the country which will "shake the foundation" of what is now suspected to be the NDC party. "Something big will be happening in Ghana very soon. Very positive news to shake the foundation of???????????? Soon," part of a post he made on Facebook last week reads. In March, 2021, Stephen Atubiga was suspended from the opposition NDC, after he refused to apologize to Prof. Joshua Alabi for some alleged disparaging comments he [Atubiga] made against him. Though Mr. Atubiga accepted in a meeting with the party's Functional Executive Committee (FEC) to apologize to the John Mahama 2020 campaign manager, he never acted. This subsequently led to his suspension from the party. Source: // contributor on ModernGhana Listen to article The Akyeampemhene of Koforidua-Asokore in the New Juaben Municipality, Nana Adomaa Kyirekuaa I has adminished traditional leaders in the rural areas to desist from all activities of illegal mining and support the government in the fight against 'galamsey'. Speaking to the media in respect to the fight against illegal mining in the country, Nana Adomaa has said that, "it's a shame to know that some traditional leaders at rural areas who are supposed to stand on their grounds and protect the natural resources of their land are now masterminding illegal mining. It's very heartbreaking to have known that some traditional leaders are championing "galamsey", knowing well of its immediate and future consequence on their society". She laments. Nana Adomaa Kyirekuaa I stressed to rebuke traditional leaders within the New Juaben Municipality and across the country to desist from all 'galamsey' operations and take on the responsibility of protecting the future of their people and the natural resources. "Where is your honour as leader of a community, if you take money from foreigners and permit them to destroy the source of water of your community? We were made leaders to protect our people, seek for their wellbeing and play a very important role in development strategies in our areas. We are mandated to proceed with the legacy of our forefathers who fought with every bit of their blood for this land. The future generation looks up to us" she lamented. The Akyeampemhene has also complimented the president Nana Addo Danquah Akuffo Addo on his fight against galamsey and called on all traditional leaders to support his course. "The president is doing his best to cease illegal mining in the country and we are charged to support his course. The battle against illegal mining is a call to every Ghanaian citizen and we should all get involved" she added. Nana Adomaa Kyirekuaa on Tuesday 18th May 2021 had paid a courtesy visit to the Asokore Community Clinic to donate some maternal items worth thousands of cedis to the maternity department of the Clinic. Items donated include Nightgowns and bathrobes, Nursing Bra, Laboring Clothes, Maternity pads, Toiletries among many other things. She had also visited the Akwadum Christian Village Orphanage Home with Blessed Hands Foundation For Needy Mothers to donate items such as bags of rice and beans, cartons of biscuits and oats, clothes, toiletries and many other items. Nana Adomaa Akyirekuaa is the leader and founder of Blessed Hands Foundation For Needy Mothers, a philanthropic organisation that seeks the welfare of mothers and the plight of the less privileged. The donation according to Nana Adomaa Kyirekuaa forms part of the Foundation's Corporate Social Responsibility project. PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa is faced with a dilemma over who to appoint the new chief justice (CJ), amid indications that the recently retired Luke Malaba could ditch the fight to extend his tenure by five years, it has emerged. This followed a ruling by the High Court last Saturday that Malaba had ceased to be chief justice by operation of law when he turned 70 on May 15. Justices Happias Zhou, Edith Mushore and Jester Helena Charewa ruled that Malaba could not benefit from Constitutional Amendment (No 2) Bill, which Mnangagwa had hurriedly signed into law a few days earlier, because the term extension provided by section 186 of the Constitution did not apply to any sitting judges of the Constitutional Court and Supreme Court. The ruling effectively blocked the move by Mnangagwa to extend Malabas tenure by five years. Government appealed the ruling with Justice minister Ziyambi Ziyambi attacking the judges for the ruling which left Mnangagwa having to choose a new CJ from a list he appears not to be comfortable with. Analysts said Mnangagwa begrudgingly recognised that he had made a mistake in extending Malabas term when he said on Tuesday that he accepted the ruling by the High Court in apparent rebuke to Ziyambi for questioning the Judiciarys impartiality. Sources close to the developments also said Malaba could throw in the towel following the furore and legal challenges the move had created. Following the recent amendments to the Constitution, Mnangagwa can appoint Malabas replacement without subjecting them to public interviews, although he still has to consult the Judicial Service Commission. In the event of Malaba electing to decline the extension of his era by the President, the pending appeals lodged by Ziyambi Ziyambi and the Attorney-General (Prince Machaya) will just be for academic purposes. This will render the selection of the next chief justice wide open, a source told NewsDay. Deputy CJ Elizabeth Gwaunza is the Acting CJ with sources saying the frontrunners were three judges with liberation war credentials Justices Charles Hungwe, George Chiweshe and Chinembiri Bhunu. Justice Gwaunza was also in the running, along with Justices Paddington Garwe and Rita Makarau, the sources added. Garwe and Makarau were appointed to the Constitutional Court yesterday. The Acting CJ is 68 years old and hails from Gutu in Masvingo while Makarau, who hails from Goromonzi in Mashonaland East, is the youngest contender at 61. She was strongly favoured before Malaba was appointed to replace the late Godfrey Chidyausiku by the late former President Robert Mugabe on March 27, 2017, some eight months before he was deposed by the military. Chiweshe (68) is the current Judge President, a position he has held since 2010. He comes from Mazowe and he has liberation war credentials his Chimurenga name was Cde Yasser Arafat after the late Palestinian leader. At independence, he joined the army and rose to the rank of brigadier general before retirement. He retired from the army in 2001 upon his appointment to the bench. He is also a former chairperson of the Delimitation Commission of Zimbabwe, to which he was appointed in 2004. In 2005, he was appointed to head the newly established Zimbabwe Electoral Commission. Another contender is Justice Hungwe, another war veteran and lawyer aged 63. He is the founding national chairperson of the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association. Justice Bhunu (63), from Masvingo, is a war veteran seen as another favourite. A former Senior President of the Labour Court, he was appointed to the Supreme Court in 2015. The 67-year-old Justice Garwe is one of the most senior judges currently on the bench. He previously held positions such as chief magistrate and secretary for the Justice ministry. It would be prudent for Malaba to preserve whatever little has been left of his legacy by declining the extension of his tenure. It is not in the best interest of the Judiciary in Zimbabwe that from the look of things he seems to have worked in cahoots with politicians to extend his tenure as CJ, wherein the Constitution was rushed through Parliament for his sole benefit, said a senior lawyer, who declined identification. Newsday The management of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), has justified its decision to place two physicians at key positions at the Laboratory Service Directorate. In an interview with Citi News, management reiterated its resolve not to heed the call for the removal of the said doctors from the directorate. They further explained that the decision to place the two Physicians at the Directorate was endorsed by the hospitals governing board and does not violate any law. The two doctors that they are referring to have received the requisite training certification to work as laboratory physicians, and therefore management was right in posting them to the laboratory service directorate where they were supposed to go and work. When we got the latest letter from the hospitals branch of the Ghana Association of Medical Scientists, we engaged them and told them at the moment, there is a court decision on the matter, and even though there is no board in place at the moment, the hospital cannot decide on the request that they are making, which is to reassign the two doctors. Members of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital Chapter of the Ghana Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists (GAMLS-KATH), declared a one-week sit-down strike on Thursday, 20th May, 2021 to protest the decision of the hospital's management to keep the two medical specialists in key positions at the Directorate. The Chairman of GAMLS-KATH, Ernest Badu Boateng, who spoke to Citi News after an emergency meeting with their members at the hospital, said the Ministry of Health and the management of KATH have the one-week window to reassign the medical specialists. He said if the authorities fail to change their stance, all medical laboratory scientists in the country will meet to take another action. We are starting a sit-down strike, and this strike is going to continue up till next week Wednesday 26th May 2021. We are giving management and the Ministry this window to quickly resolve the issue concerning the posting of these two medical officers so that peace will prevail, but should we go through this strike and the situation remains the same, then the general assembly, all members will meet again to decide on the next line of action, he said. The Ghana Medical Association (GMA) subsequently warned that it will be forced to react if the government or management of KATH heeds to the demands of the lab scientists. The Ministry of Health has also appealed to the striking laboratory scientists to call off its sit-down strike as it works to address their concerns amicably. ---citinewsroom Listen to article National Security Ministry has withdrawn three police officers involved in the attack on Citi News journalist, Caleb Kudah and the subsequent raid of Citi TV and Citi FM. The three are to face disciplinary action from the Ghana Police Service (GPS). It has also withdrawn the secondment of its Director of Operations, Lieutenant Colonel Frank Agyeman. A statement from the Ministry of National Security and signed by the sector minister, Kan Dapaah stated, The three (3) police officers involved have been withdrawn and are to report to the Ghana Police Service of investigation and disciplinary action, The statement added, The secondment of Lieutenant Colonel Frank Agyeman (Director of Operations) at the Ministry has been reversed. The officer is to report to the Chief of Defence for further investigations and appropriate action. The Ministry noted that the action by its operatives violated the Ministry's operating standards. This was concluded after the Ministry instituted an investigation into the assault. The National Security operatives arrested and assaulted Caleb Kudah after he filmed grounded MASLOC vehicles that were left to rot at the National Security Ministry car park. Gun-wielding operatives from the National Security subsequently raided Citi FM/TV in a Rambo-style to arrest Zoe Abu-Baidoo, a colleague of Caleb Kudah for receiving images and video files from him (Caleb Kudah). Here is full statement: Listen to article France's top constitutional authority has rejected a key article of a new security law that would criminalise the publication of footage of on-duty police officers with the intent to cause harm. Sending President Emmanuel Macron's government back to the drawing board, the Constitutional Council said that lawmakers who passed the controversial legislation had not set out clearly enough what would constitute a breach of the law in such situations. Article 52, which sparked massive street protests at the end of last year, is part of a security law drafted by Macron's ruling party and adopted by parliament on April 15. It says anyone causing police officers or other members of security forces to be identifiable during an operation could face up to five years in prison and a fine of 75,000 euros ($90,000). But the Council, known in France as "The Wise Ones", said the law failed to specify whether this related only to live operations or also to past ones, and what exactly constituted a police "operation". It also said it was unclear whether any "malevolent" intent to identify officers was already grounds for prosecution, or whether only the actual publishing of images was punishable. "The Constitutional Council concluded therefore that the legislative body did not sufficiently define the elements that constitute the offence in question", it said in its ruling. 'Improve the provisions' In response, Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said he would seek "to improve the provisions that were the subject of reservations by the Constitutional Council". Christophe Deloire, the head of press freedom group Reporters Without Borders (RSF), tweeted: "This is very good news for the ability of journalists to cover protests." The Council, which also took issue with other articles of the law, ensures that laws voted by both houses of parliament are compatible with the French constitution, and is often asked for its opinion on questions of civil liberties. Thousands of protesters took to the streets for several weekends at the end of last year against the law, with some of the demonstrations ending in rioting. Critics argue that the security law will make it harder for journalists and citizens to document cases of police brutality. Footage of white police beating up an unarmed black music producer in his Paris studio in November amplified anger over the legislation, seen as signalling a rightward lurch by Macron. Other incidents caught on camera include police in Paris using violence to tear down a migrant camp. In the face of mounting protests, the LREM ruling party agreed to rewrite the article dealing with filming the police. The government has argued that the law is needed because police officers have become targets of attacks and calls for violence against them on social media. Thousands of French police officers rallied in Paris on Wednesday demanding better protection and harsher punishment for attacks against them, two weeks after the killing of an officer sent shockwaves through the force. #photo2 Police unions had called for the gathering after officer Eric Masson was shot dead earlier this month while investigating activity at a known drug-dealing site in the southern city of Avignon. The death of the 36-year-old father-of-two caused deep shock, and reignited a debate over Macron's record on fighting crime ahead of next year's presidential election. General Mosquito and Kingsley Owusu Brobbey Listen to article Since Ghana's return from military rule to democratic governance in 1993, Ghanaians have constantly gone to the polls every four years to either retain or change government. Eight consecutive presidential and parliamentary elections have been held since the beginning of the Fourth Republic, and none ever ended without reports of bloodshed or chaos, yet the country is recognised as a beacon of peace for other emerging African democracies according to Gyekye Jandoh. Ghana's relatively stable and democratic trajectory is not devoid of violence. In recent years, the leaders of our political parties; especially the so called 'major political parties' have charted a certain path to achieve their political ambition either through fair or foul means. This position has become a norm for a while now; not just in Ghana but the sub-Saharan Africa as a whole, where the youth are incited and promised heaven in sacrifice of their blood for their preferred political parties before, and during, and after elections. Political vigilantism in sub-Saharan Africa has become a significant part of political strategy to either retain power or change government in power. And in all these, the youths have become the weapons used for these missions. Recently, in an interview with an Accra based radio station Angel 102.9fm-Angel FM, to be precise, a seasoned politician sat on the radio as a guest and issued threats as to how they as a formidable party National Democratic Congress (NDC) won't sit aloof for their opponent, New Patriotic Party (NPP) to use any guerrilla tactics to retain power any longer. "Electoral reforms would be very difficult to achieve," according to Johnson Kwadwo Asiedu Nketia, also known as General Mosquito a politician and the General Secretary of the opposition party, National Democratic Congress (NDC). The ruling NPP should change their notes if they have decided to adopt the use of these tactics to retain power. Political vigilantism has become more or less a permanent feature in Ghanaian politics, especially, in the last decade in the pursuit of political power. And the youth have been the conduitpipes being used to accomplish these tasks. We the youth won't be allowed to occupy very sensitive positions or given the opportunity to use our acquired knowledge to help govern our beloved country Ghana but rather for other mediocre tasks. We are widely awake and I'm calling on all the youth especially NDC Youth, not to allow themselves to be used as escape goats for their families to be the victims. How many youths have been offered meaningful jobs after being used as vigilantes? Vigilantism started as boys who were loyal to influential political figures but has over time, been formalized and given recognition by the political parties to provide security. Some other reasons for the formation of the vigilante groups are to protect ballot boxes during elections. We the youth are now widely awake and won't allow ourselves to be cheaply used or such missions. We will protect ourselves, families, and our values, not ballot boxes. It is the duty of the police to protect the ballot boxes. We are better than that. Source: Kingsley Owusu Brobbey Ashanti Regional Youth Organiser Hopeful's [email protected] The Ministry of National Security has reversed the secondment of Lieutenant Colonel Frank Agyeman, Director of Operations, and three police officers to the Ministry, for their inappropriate conduct over the arrest of Mr Caleb Kudah, a Citi FM journalist. They are to report to their respective authorities at their original agencies for further investigations and disciplinary action. A statement signed by Mr Albert Kan-Dapaah, the Minister of National Security, said the Committee set up by the Ministry to investigate a report of arrest of Mr Kudah on May 11, established that the conduct of Lt. Col. Agyeman, and the police officers was inappropriate and contravened the Ministry's standard operating procedures. It said the Committee also established that the journalist's unauthorised entry into the premises of the Ministry of National security was unlawful. It said the Ministry, acting upon the recommendations of the Committee, had, therefore, reversed the secondment of the officers. It asked Lt. Col. Agyeman to report to the Chief of Defence Staff for further investigation and appropriate action. The police officers were also to report to the Ghana Police Service for investigation and disciplinary action. The Ministry of National Security wishes to assure the public, and particularly, all media practitioners that the Ministry will expeditiously investigate any complaints against any personnel of its Agency, the statement said. The tenets of National Security in Ghana should be based on a whole-of-Government and a whole-of-society approach and cooperation from all well-meaning Ghanaians, it added. It assured the public that measures would continue to be taken to ensure the highest professional standards to engender public trust. Mr Kudah reported that he was manhandled by the officers when he was arrested for secretly filming some vehicles parked at the compound of the Ministry. Some security officers, subsequently, stormed the offices of the CitiFM in Accra to retrieve the footage Mr Kudah had sent to his colleague, Ms Zoe Abu Baidoo. The incident led to public outcry and criticisms against the perpetrators, as well as calls for reforms by the security agencies in their handling of suspects. ---GNA Listen to article The conversation elicited since the Asaba declaration of the Southern Governors of Nigeria is still ongoing but not with the unexpected clap back from different groups and individuals. Since the decision by the Governors to ban the much controversial Open Grazing, there has been a round of applause for the once regarded docile leaders, cutting across party lines, ethnicity, and religion. After a successful meeting hosted by the Delta State Governor in the wake of the rising insecurity in the country, trickling from the North and gradually spreading to the South, there has been a disturbing disquiet from their Northern counterparts, suggesting that they may have thrown their weight behind the Governors' decisions. It could also be that the Governors of the Northern States may be studying the communique issued by their Southern counterparts to ascertain the pros and cons as they affect a section of their subjects who may be affected by the proposed ban on Open Grazing otherwise known as Herding. Nigerians were again rattled by the comments of the highly revered Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami who happens to adorn the silk of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria-a feat not easily achieved by many in the legal profession. Malami, during a Television show tried hard to explain the difficult legal hurdles the Governors would face in implementing the law against Open Grazing. The man who has been fingered as President's point man since the demise of Abba Kyari, former Chief of Staff, chose to trivialize the issues at stake by comparing Open Grazing to the sale of Spare Parts, a business largely owned by Southerners particularly the South East people. This is the crux of the matter which has not only drawn attacks against the Attorney General of the Federation from different flanks but has pitched him against very many Nigerians including the leadership of the Nigerian Senate. But does Malami even budge? Your guess is as good as mine! The man has not only enjoyed unfettered access to the President where his colleagues and other privileged Nigerians have failed. He chose to speak when he ought to be taking notes on rumblings from all sides, if any, process them and come out with a position on how to help the Governors get the backing of the law. Malami deliberately chose to forget these Governors would not have embarked on such a meeting if they were not under intense pressure to stem the ugly tide of insecurity, of which they are not even exempt of being attacked, as it was in the case of the Imo Governor, Hope Uzodinma. Though the Governor of Ondo State, Rotimi Akeredolu who also is a distinguished Senior Advocate of Nigeria with many successes in his kitty before his venture into politics has responded appropriately, and on behalf of every discerning mind in the country, it is expedient that I lend my voice in condemning the unfortunate comment made by Malami, while I align myself completely with the position of Akeredolu. For those who may not be conversant with the issues or who have chosen to play politics of party, either for or against, this matter goes beyond such inclinations as the nation seeks an end to the problems associated with insecurity. Herdsmen and Farmers clash are as old as history of human existence. While it may not be completely resolved, it is important that we continue to explore options and new ways to combat and reduce the tension generated by these ancient clashes that have recently escalated into killings of human lives and destruction of properties. No doubt, the primitive but lucrative business of Herding or Open Grazing belongs to a particular ethnic group, Fulanis, found in the Northern side of Nigeria and stretches into West Africa and the Sahel region in Africa. Much as they are known to be Herdsmen, there is no doubt that it has afforded a minority group as this the opportunity to access other parts of the country while walking their economic animals in search of green pastures. They were not relatively known to attack natives apart from farmers who must jealously guide their crops from the invading herds of cattle. But in the recent past years, these Herdsmen have become preys and willing tools for a desperate, organized clique of terrorists, local or international. The battle for the soul of Nigeria's economy by insurgents aided by locals has taken a new turn with reports of armed herders marauding not just the farmlands but the forests in the Southern States. While I do not have to go into the legal implications of the ban on Open Grazing its merits and demerits, it is important to remind the Attorney General that the reason for the decision by the Governors of the South was borne out of the need to obliterate the threats of insecurity that is fast eroding our country, forcing a daily rise in the cost of food items as farmers can no longer go to their farms for fear of being killed or kidnapped for ransom by unknown herdsmen, popularly profiled as Fulani Herdsmen. The business of Open Grazing has been hijacked by invaders who may likely be working for the international terror group known as ISIS and now, ISWAP. The Governors were elected not just to construct roads and bridges but to also protect the lives and properties of their people, and this they have suddenly risen in unison to do! It is amusing and the same time repulsive that the one who ought to give life to the approach of the Governors is busy playing to the gallery by a nonsensical analogy. When has the business of spare parts for automobile become dangerous to human lives and properties? Of course, if by any chance it happens to be used as an undercover by rampaging insurgents to promote an evil agenda, such as is the case today, the ban on Spare Parts sale will not even come from a regional government but from the central government, as we know. It is becoming very difficult to defend highly placed Government officials as they daily exhibit a cantanrkerous, flippant and bitter divisive tendencies, simply because they are shadowed by immunity or ties with the powers that be. Those elected or appointed to serve must see beyond parochial attitudes, devoid of religion or ethnicity, if truly they believe in the unity of the country instead of becoming self serving. It is despicable for the Attorney General of the Federation to try to confirm the fears of a section of Nigerians at home and in the diaspora, that the Buhari-led Government is neck deep into the so-called "fulanization" agenda. By taking sides against a noble and timely decision by elected Chief Executives, not minding that some do not deserve the office, it calls to question the intent and purpose of some of those appointed to serve in Government. While I have never been an ethnic or religious bigot, I make do to remind Malami that the "F" in his office represents not what his heart revealed in that interview. It is Attorney General of the Federation and not Attorney General of the Fulanis. He should be reminded even as we do not expect any punishment from the President for such a myopic, careless and fiendish comment. Written by Obiaruko Christie Ndukwe, a publisher and columnist based in Port Harcourt Decongesting Accra has never been an easy task, previous efforts at doing so having ended midstream. The 'Make Accra Work Again' project of Henry Quartey which encompasses a decongestion component, the most critical, will certainly not be a walk on the park. Affected traders will resist and evil-minded politicians could wade into the efforts with bogus human-face pleas and unworkable templates as alternatives. Instructively having been at the helm for many years, such politicians could not address the problem. Over the years and different regimes, the features of a congested city with clutter of billboards and unauthorised structures have added to the unappealing skyline of the city. It takes a determined leadership to reverse this picture and we appear to have found in the new Greater Accra Regional Minister such a personality. All he needs is steadfastness and the support of relevant stakeholders not forgetting the municipal assemblies who must especially alter their approach to the subject. Previous decongestion efforts were hinged upon compulsion by agents of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), a template which attracted public flak. The Henry Quartey template in addressing the congestion of Accra, we have observed, has taken the form of engagement with the target groups as in the case of onion sellers yesterday prior to the D-Day when forceful ejection would be applied. That, we think, should be the way. After all, the decongestion is intended to reduce the inconvenience of movement in the nation's capital even while ensuring that the livelihoods of residents are not unduly disrupted. The onion sellers have demanded another extension which has been granted by the authorities, another human-face handling of the process. The Adjin Kotoku alternative, a facility constructed as far back as the regime of former President J.A. Kufuor, has remained fallow as traders expected to take possession refusing to do. So much public money was pumped into the project and to continue to allow it to remain unoccupied is unacceptable and a show of irresponsibility. Giving up on the decongestion of Accra cannot be an option to the unacceptable feature of the city. Moving around the business district of Accra is a difficult assignment for both motorists and pedestrians because of the clutter caused by traders taking position even on medians and killing the beautiful green grass. We are longing for the day when Accra will be bereft of eyesore structures on ceremonial roads, some of them obstructing the view of motorists and posing danger. Some cities in Africa present better skylines worthy of our emulation. Kigali, Rwanda was visited by some local officials from Ghana to see and learn about what makes the city tidy. It is all about the city's managers and the residents' commitment to ensuring that the environment is devoid of filth, simple. The new suburbs of Accra such as Adjin Kotoku and Amasaman will receive economic boosts when facilities such as the onion and yam markets relocate to them. Such relocation will decongest Accra when articulated trucks and others offload their cargo at such places without driving into the city's already choked roads. Decongesting Accra is a necessity requiring the support of all. It must succeed. ---Daily Guide Growing up in the ancient town of Jasikan, one of the lessons I learnt in my formative years is the wisdom in the adage that says if you cannot bear the heat, one should get out of the kitchen. It teaches us to quit when the ovation is still loud, and not end up getting out of situations ignominiously. About 22 years down the line, it looks very much as if the adage was created to suit the hole Kwame Baffoe popularly known as Abronye DC has dug for himself: that of relentlessly using the slightest pretext to drag the name and tenure of former Lands and Natural Minister, Kwaku Asomah-Cheremeh in the dirtiest of mud. Let me state upfront that I do not have the permission of Lawyer Asomah-Cheremeh to speak for him. But as a Ghanaian who is very interested in the fight against illegal mining. It smacks of hypocrisy of the highest order for Kwame Baffoe to single Asomah-Cheremeh out for vilification. Its amusing how Baffoe who dragged Kwabena Agyapong before Disciplinary Committee for hurting the image of the party to relish in rushing to the marketplace to wash the regimes proverbial dirty linen in public, God so kind, Asomah-Cheremeh doesnt even have any. Theres nothing wrong in criticizing one of your own, after all, mistakes are made to be corrected. It is Gods way of showing how imperfect we all are. But if you mean well, the best way to go about it is candid and constructive criticism, rather than seeking to reduce him in esteem, as Kwame Baffoe always does. To those who may not know, Kwame Baffoe served under Asomah-Cheremeh as Brong Ahafo Regional Youth Organizer. Today he is the Chairman for Bono Region NPP, but who also confuse some of us as to what the future holds for us when our leaders behave in such non-salutary manner. Baffoe has rolled out the drums to delegitimized Asomah-Cheremeh and his tenure at the Lands Ministry by wildly claiming the illegal mining was taken over by vested interests; suggesting he (Asomah-Cheremeh) did nothing to help the fight, and sensationally went on to say he was involved in the illegal trade. I am still trying to unwrap the reason(s) why a Minister who granted license i.e Leases to miners would himself do Galamsey? Unthinkable, isnt it? But very possible in the field of politics. This is marked in politics as cheap blackmail and a deliberately orchestrated smear campaign in. The litany of falsehood did not stop there. Baffoe tried so hard to blame the former Lands Minister for the failure in the galamsey war. He singled out Asomah-Cheremeh for mention, making all sorts of spurious claims that one can only make in a country like ours where the judicial system that ought to defend innocent citizens against reckless libel is slow, very expensive and somewhat unpredictable. A friend, with whom I monitored the TV programme, wondered whether Baffoes education has taken leave of him at the time he was making these terribly-spurious claims; something a child, in this digital age, could discern to be false with the touch of a button. One of the cheap lies he peddles, in a manner that betrays his personal hatred for Asomah-Cheremeh, for example, is his wild claim that Asomah-Cheremeh lied to the President about the fight against galamsey. In many other societies, that falsehood alone can earn Kwame Baffoe a sack or serious reprimand. A simple check on his hand-held device would have revealed that President Akufo-Addo clearly selected Prof. Kwabena Frimpong Boateng as the Chairman and leader of the Inter-Ministerial Committee against Illegal Mining (IMCIM) long before Asomah-Cheremeh. The Bono Chairman will have saved himself needless embarrassment if he cared to find out who was in charge of the anti Galamsey battle. Asomah-Cheremeh have acquitted himself excellently well in his assignment. Who in Ghana didnt know that Prof. Frimpong Boateng as the chairman of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining was in charge of the speed boats, vehicles, and monies devoted for the fight? How do you blame Asomah-Cheremeh when cars (about 27 Toyota Hilux) meant for an agency (Minerals Commission) for monitoring were seize and giving to GALAMSTOP? Who didnt know that about 500 excavators got missing under the renowned heart Surgeons watch? The water bodies were never clean as he sought to gaslight his victims. At what point of the fight did the water bodies became clean for human consumption? In fact, turbidity was very poor. Which of the water bodies was he looking at when he said the river bodies were clean? Was it Birim, Ankobra, Pra, or Offin? You cannot, as a Regional Chairman who has only held studio microphone all your tenure, teach a man who acquitted himself very well as a respected Regional Chairman who bequeathed to you eleven parliamentary seats, how to wage a guerrilla or any other warfare. It is because President Akufo-Addo deeply knows what he is doing that he has taken the decision to reassign Asomah-Cheremeh. Any day, anytime, Kwame Baffoe can never claim to be more patriotic, ad loyal to Ghana than Asomah-Cheremeh. Cunningly enough, rather than accounting for reasons why he couldnt preserve the ELEVEN Seats left under his care, is using Tarkwa as his basis to attack Asomah-Cheremeh. How dare he talk about Tarkwa? What about Wenchi? Jaman North, Jaman South and Dormaa West? Are those SEATS in any of the Galamsey areas? Whereas the Baffoe of this world are always quick to condemn anything beyond their appreciation, the fact remains that if not for the sacrifice and complete professionalism, and magnanimity of Asomah-Cheremeh, Kwame Baffoe could by now have been totally overwhelmed by court actions, and Baffoe would not have found the free and peaceful atmosphere to dish out the cheap falsehood and misinformation he keeps oozing out. Whereas Kwame Baffoe and his co-travelers are busy leaving nothing to chance in desperate efforts to pull down innocent personalities that are working their hearts out for Ghana, it is important to remind him that the war against illegal mining is still on. Can Kwame Baffoe alias Chairman Kyempe and his payers provide answers to the following; Who established GALAMSTOP? Was the Chief of Defense Staff -CDS aware of the existence of GALAMSTOP? And was the President, the Commander in-chief aware of GALAMSTOP? Who were the sponsors of GALAMSTOP? Why is Kwame Baffoe not telling Ghanaians about the number of licenses Wontumi renewed? Whom did small scale miners Association report to? Who took full control of the weapons seized? Where are the vehicles seized by GALAMSTOP and VANGUARD? What about the gold oars? The guns and high-power generators? Govt acquired drones at fantastic cost of $3miilion When did inter-ministerial Committee collapse? Need I tell Kwame Baffoe that the Security were not under the command of Asomah-Cheremeh? For your notice, Kwaku Asomah-Cheremeh was not responsible for reporting to the President. So, he couldnt have lied to the President. It was the chairman of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining that did and that person was Prof. Can you explain why Prof. Boateng failed to provide the inventory of equipment seized during the fight as provided by the mining act? A little research would have revealed that Asomah-Cheremeh was only brought on to manage the anger of the people going into the elections. A search would have led you to the reality of how much was advanced for the fight and who was signatory to the account that the monies were paid into. Before Asomah Cheremeh became a Minister, Wontumi of Wontumi TV was mining, Chairman Kissi former Board Chair of PMMC was a miner, John Boadu, Kate Gyamfua, Joejo Frimpong Boateng etc were all alleged to have been accredited to mine. Didnt you know that GALAMSTOP computers were under Prof. Boateng and his Inter-Ministerial Committee? Before him, Charles Bissiw was taped by Tiger I receiving bundles of money to fast tract the acquisition of licenses. So, how did Asomah-Cheremeh become the man to be executed for the sins of others? Why is he Jesus Christ? Before you destroy Asomah-Cheremeh to fix your masters, get your facts right. Now, Asomah-Cheremeh, as a well-acquitted Lawyer, Regional Chairman, and Lands Minister should never not even for a moment allow himself, the liberty of getting distracted by a he saved years ago who feels it is right to eat ones cake and still have it. Kwame Baffoe should never allow himself to be seen as one who thrives in biting the finger that feeds him. Charles McCarthy The writer is a Civil Rights Journalist @[email protected] Listen to article Why people have problems with African leaders summits in Europe-US and anywhere except African, I dont get it. The ongoing Post-Covid recovery strategic meeting in France is being championed by an IMF $650 billion dollars emergency reserve expansion facility targeted at helping poor countries recover from the pandemic. When the pandemic came to our borders, these international organizations and countries came together to support our economy in terms of credit facilities and free vaccine supplies. As we speak, our citizens are lined up under copies in our local communities receiving the second jab of the free-vaccine. You cant eat you cake and have it, the vaccine and the credit support your countries get is exactly the reason why you should allow your leaders to negotiate with their benefactors. In this whole pandemic, not a single African country came up with a vaccine to joined the global efforts towards the fight. Its these same western leaders and institutions that came to our aid. When your our leaders begin to take bold policy decisions, invest in health, education, and industry among others, you can have an issue when they are instructed to come and gather for a discussion about your future on a different continent. Are they not better than us? Until then, allow the global community who helped you to get your citizens vaccinated do their work anywhere they deem fit. We have no capacity in nothing , except raw material export, dilapidated hospital, to the point where our teaching hospitals lack basic health facilities like bed. Our national security belligerently beating up anyone they can reach including journalist, the police keep fighting for the top spot of corruption, our military on the continent is either in a fight with each other over power, or fighting home-grown terrorist groups whose objectives are unclear by day. These days, the military are heavily involved in elections at polling stations with a determined speed to replace its professional image on the altar of political machismo. Our roads, even those that connect to the raw materials that we busily exporting with little or no value addition are in sorry states. domestic airlines are renting services just like the country they find themselves in. In Somalia theres an unending war, Sudan is deeply at war, Cameroon divided between colonial language barriers and a leader who barely spent more than 31 days in the country. Nigeria, one of Africans biggest economy is saddled in debt, war to the north and Buhari can barely remember the cloth he wore yesterday. For over six (6) decades since independence and 400 years post slavery, we can barely get our house together. The Asian nations like Singapore and the rest, who started at almost the same level of poverty index with us, have uplift their citizens from poverty and destitution. Every four (4) years we queue to vote for people with provable incompetence surrounded by duncical babysitters who undisguised proclivity for non-performance is that the height of Kilimanjaro. When you cry about #fixthecountry, they respond with a discourteous #fixtyourselve hashtags. Im tired of running my mouth, maybe I should go mind my business, county broke, country no broke, we dey inside. PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa has been sucked into the exhumation of the late former president Robert Mugabes remains saga after it emerged he chaired a high-level meeting of the deceased strongmans clansmen. It is the same meeting at which the decision to summon Mugabes widow, Grace, to a trial at Chief Zvimbas traditional court was made, according to minutes seen by the Zimbabwe Independent this week. The meeting, held at the State House on September 11, 2020 was attended by several senior government and Zanu PF officials, as well as representatives of the Zvimba clan. This was just over a year after Mugabes death in Singapore at the age of 95. There was a vicious tug-of-war between Mugabes immediate family and the government over the burial of his body, with the family insisting they were bound to respect his wish to be buried besides his mother at their rural homestead in Zvimba while government wanted to bury him at the National Heroes Acre in Harare. As a result of this, the body spent almost a month at his Blue Roof mansion in Borrowdale before the family prevailed. According to the minutes, those who attended the State House meeting last year include Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga, Defence and War Veterans minister Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri, Information and Publicity minister Monica Mutsvangwa, Local Government and Public Works ministers July Moyo, Zanu PF secretary for administration Obert Mpofu, Chief Zvimba, Chief Beperere, Chief Chidziva, Headman Chisora, Phillip Chiyangwa, Madzima Bhajabha, Nyikadzino Kamuruko, EdwardTome and one Nelson Mawomo who was taking minutes. During the gathering, soon after introductions, Zvimba clan spokesman Edward Tome, declared that the purpose of the meeting was to discuss the manner in which Mugabe was buried, which he said is haunting the clan. He pointed out that the late Mugabe was appointed Chief Zvimba soon after his return from Ghana, but requested that someone represent him as he was involved in politics. Tome went on to say the family had, upon Mugabes death, requested for a mausoleum to be created at the national shrine, but after a misunderstanding with the former first lady Grace Mugabe both members of the Zvimba clan and his uncles from Gutu pulled out. Grace and foreign dignitaries went ahead with the burial. Tome further told the meeting that the former president should be buried like a chief not like an ordinary person. He gave the example of the popular Nyanga traditional leader, Chief Rekai Tangwena whose grave is at the National Heroes Acre but his remains were interred in his rural home in line with their culture. Bhajabha then interjected and told the meeting that the Zvimba clan was requesting government assistance rebury Mugabe. He went on to say some of the things needed for the reburial include a casket, national flag, transport before they bury the chief and report back to the president. Bhajabha added that a mausoleum could be erected after the burial and a tombstone in the image of the former leader with a clenched fist facing to the east erected. Before a ceremony could be conducted the clan requested access to the national shrine to carry out rituals. The whole process was supposed to be completed before the sacred month (Mbudzi) which starts on October 15 and ends on December 15 according to Shona culture. The clan also requested for a national commemoration in the form of the gala. According to the minutes, Mnangagwa agreed to the Zvimba clans requests but had questions over how the family intended to exhume and rebury the former president without attracting public attention. His Excellency the President indicated that as a government they were happy with the gesture by the clan which seeks to strengthen the relationships. The president agreed with the clan that indeed the former leader was the son of the country. He pointed out that they accepted the wish of the Zvimba people as they seek to strengthen the path which was soiled at the very end. He indicated that the future generation should be able to understand the correct history of our founding father, the minutes read. Chief Chidziva thanked Mnangagwa for accepting their request. Chief Zvimba said the clan would put into consideration the request by the government for more time to attend to the issue. The chiefs also took the opportunity during the meeting to ask Mnangagwa for favours in settling their personal grievances. Chief Zvimba told Mnangagwa that he was grounded because his farming equipment was attached by the High Court. He went on to accuse the district and provincial lands officers of being corrupt, singling out the District Development Coordinator (DDC) for Zvimba district. The President tasked minister Moyo to engage his counterpart to carry out an assessment on the farm. Chief Zvimba was then promised a tractor and a planter. Chief Beperere also bemoaned rampant corruption at the Zvimba district lands committee. He went on to say his farm was derelict as he was surrounded by former Local Government minister Chombos associates whom he accused of vandalising his irrigation equipment. Zimbabwe Independent The late Adiza Imoro Listen to article THE ASHANTI Regional Police are investigating the cause of death of Pw/L/cpl. Adiza Imoro, who was formerly stationed at the Kumasi Central MTTD. The body of the police woman was found in front of Golden Temple, a popular drinking spot at Asawase, a densely-populated area in Kumasi. One Paul Atambiri, a khebab seller at the drinking spot, spotted the motionless body on Tuesday around 1:20am and he quickly informed the Asawase Police. The body has since been deposited at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) morgue in Kumasi for autopsy to determine the exact cause of her demise. A police report said some officers, who initially had no idea that the deceased was a police woman, rushed to the crime scene after the khebab seller had reported the case. Police proceeded to the scene and found a body of a female adult aged about 34, lying dead in a supine position, the police report which DAILY GUIDE has seen said, adding that she was dressed in a white straight dress over a pair of black trousers and a pair of yellow slippers. The body, the report said, was carefully inspected but no mark of violence was seen to suggest any foul play, adding that investigations into the death is ongoing. The crime scene management team was invited to the scene for further investigations after which the body identified as Pw/L/cpl. Adiza Imoro, formerly stationed at Kumasi Central MTTD, was sent to the morgue, the report indicated. No arrest had been made yet and the report indicated that the khebab seller, who was the first to see the body, is assisting police in their investigations. ---Daily Guide A biography of the late Joseph Adams (JA) Braimah dubbed, JA Braimah: Biography of a Trailblazer, authored by Alhassan Ahmed has been launched by Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia. The national launch of the book, published by Digibooks Gh Limited, which took place in Accra, was chaired by Mr Yaw Osafo Maafo, Senior Adviser to the President. It was attended by the family of the late JA Braimah, traditional rulers of Gonjaland, academics, leading figures of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) as well as people from all walks of life. The well researched 368-paged book is not just biography of the first-ever Member of Parliament and Cabinet Minister from Northern Ghana, but a packed chronicle of the stormy political period of the pre-independent and immediate post-independent Ghana, narrated through the lens of a man in whose soul the development of Ghana and Northern Ghana in particular, burns. It highlights the slow but momentous inclusion of Northern Ghana in the affairs of the Gold Coast. As a Chief, the book captures JA Braimah's bumpy journey through the chieftaincy line of succession, as well as very fascinating Gonja history, with a focus on the Kpembe Traditional Area. Bimbaliwura Hamid Baba Braimah, the Head of the JA Braimah Family and his 38th Son, on behalf of the Family, thanked the author for the honour done their late father. Mr Osafo Maafo commended the author for producing a brilliant biography of JA Braimah through a very extensive research. He said JA Braimah's life was a life defined by perpetual struggling and sheer tenacity of purpose of overcoming. JA Braimah was one of the first three Members of Parliament from the Norther Region (Territory). Indeed, he was the first Minister from the northern part of Ghana, so, if we are talking about politicians, who matter in this land, we cannot do without mentioning JA Braimah, the Senior Presidential Adviser stated. He said the late JA Braimah worked with all Governments from Dr Kwame Nkrumah to Professor Kofi Abrefa Busia, because most people saw in him as a man of integrity, adding that, most people saw in him someone who was standing for the truth; so, people wanted him their governments. And his famous words, do not seek revenge, is an advice for all politicians. Do not seek revenge, the world goes round, Mr Osafo Maafo said. He recalled that JA Braimah was removed as a lower traditional ruler in Gonjaland but he came back later to become the Yagbonwura (Overlord of Gonjaland). This, he said was a mark of patience, perseverance, tenacity of purpose and integrity. Mr John Boadu, General Secretary of the NPP, said the giant Founding Fathers' of their political tradition such as JA Braimah, Simon Diedong Dombo, Joseph Boakye Danquah, Emmanuel Obetsebi-Lamptey and William Ofori Atta, stood for the rule of law, good governance, free market and property owning democracy, freedom and liberty of the Ghanaian and sacrifices for the collective good. Lepowura Alhaji MND Jawula described the late JA Braimah as a man, who was humble, patient but at the same time would speak his mind thoroughly without worrying at all at whatever he said. Mr Ahmed, the author of the book, said the biography of JA Braimah was the outcome of nearly three years of research. He expressed gratitude to all who contributed in diverse ways towards the publication of the book, namely Mr Salifu Adam Braimah, former Member of Parliament for Salaga South, who doubles as the Savanah Regional Minister and one of the late JA Braimah's sons, and the Lepowura Alhaji MND Jawula. ---GNA The Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Hon. Sarah Adwoa Safo has rescinded her decision after sacking the National Coordinator of the School Feeding Programme, Mrs Gertrude Quashigah. She said it was an administrative error. On Tuesday, May 18, 2021, a letter from the aforementioned Ministry signed by its Minister and addressed to Mrs Gertrude Quashigah noted that her appointment has been terminated. This is to inform you of the termination of your appointment as the National Coordinator of the Ghana School Feeding Programme. You will be paid one months salary in lieu of notice as stipulated in your contract agreement, the letter stated. Three days later, the Minister has backtracked on her decision with a new letter signed by Hon. Adwoa Safo explaining that there was some administrative error leading to the first decision. I write in respect to the above subject matter [withdraw] of termination of appointment]. This is to inform you of my decision to withdraw my earlier letter dated 18th May 2021. I wish to state that my earlier letter was as a result of administrative error, the letter from the Gender Ministry dated May 21, has said. Below is the new letter: Listen to article The Ashanti regional police command has said it has commenced probe into the death of one Kwame Appiagyei believed to be in his 40s. Mr Appiagyei died during a Chieftaincy dispute at Offinso Asamankama in the Ashanti region on Thursday. Mr Appiagyei was stabbed and later shot in the chest after he had allegedly shot one person in an attempt to disperse a crowd at Offinso Akwamuhenes palace at Asamankama, a suburb of Offinso. The confusion ensued when the royal family attempted to select a successor for the late chief for Asamankama, Nana Asamoah Okyere, who passed on three years ago. The Ashanti regional police command has deployed armed police personnel to the community to maintain law and order. ---starrfm Listen to article Member of Parliament (MP) for the Sissala West constituency, Mohammed Adams Sakparu, has bemoaned what he refers to as the exclusion of the Sissala West, Sissala East, and Wa West Districts from the European Union-funded feeder road projects in the Upper West Region. The government of Ghana received a grant of 35 million from the European Union for the rehabilitation and maintenance of 670 km of feeder and farm access roads in the region. The financial support is aimed at improving inter-connectivity between areas of production and marketplaces. In a joint statement released by the Ministry of Roads and Highways and the European Union, the sector minister, Kwasi Amoako-Atta, said the support falls in line with the government's vision to provide a better transportation system for farming communities. The Sissala West legislator in a statement lamented the deliberate exclusion of Sissala West, Sissala East and Wa East Districts from this noble project being undertaken by the government of Ghana and the European Union. He questioned the exclusion of the districts from the project, considering their agrarian nature. Considering the aim of the project, one would have thought that it would be fair to consider areas that are into massive agricultural production in the region. For instance, the Sissala enclaves that serve as a major food basket in the region and Ghana at large. It is further revealing to note that, Sissala West has been adjudged the best quality maize producer in 2019 at the National Farmer's Day celebration in the country as well as the second-highest producer of maize with Sissala East in addition. It is also a fact that, the government flagship policy, Planting for Food and Jobs success story cannot be told without mentioning the contribution of the Sissala districts. In spite of all these contributions being made by the two districts in ensuring food security in the country, surprisingly their road network is the worst in the region and if possible in the country, he bemoaned. He said all efforts made by the people of Sissala to get these bad roads fixed have proven futile. Series of visits were made to the presidency to that effect. Some of these visits are as follows. First, the Chief and people of Walembelle Traditional area visited the presidency in 2018, followed by, the Chief and Elders of the Gwollu Traditional area, the hometown of the late former President Dr. Hillah Limann in 2019, the Paramount Chief of the Gandawi Traditional area and his Sub-Chiefs were the next in 2020 and finally all the Paramount Chiefs from the Sissala areas including Sissala West, Sissala East, Lambusie, and Funsi in May 2021 also paid a visit to the presidency to ensure that the bad roads are fixed. All these visits were meant to passionately appeal to government to fix the bad road network in the Sissala area. That notwithstanding, the Sissala Youth Forum also waded into this call and even demonstrated against the bad roads and called on government to fix them. Based on these efforts made by the people, is it not proper that, if there is even a kilometre of road to be worked on in the region, it should go to the Sissala land without any prejudice. I am tempted to think that this whole attempt was well-orchestrated to marginalize and deprive the Sissala people from their share of the national cake. How can a project of this nature intended to improve farm access roads dubiously and greedily exclude Sissala areas that are predominantly agrarian areas? he queried. Mr. Sakpura further indicated that the Sissala area was neglected on the governments year of roads project declared in 2019. He called on the key stakeholders of the project to immediately consider the Sissala districts in this all-important road initiative. For the sake of fairness and equity, I demand immediate answers to the following questions from these individuals: The Regional Minister for Upper West, Hafiz Bin Salih, the Roads and Highways Minister, Mr. Amoako-Atta, the EU Ambassador to Ghana, The World Bank representative, the Department of Feeder Roads in Upper West and Chief Director of Feeder Roads in Accra. I appreciate the effort of Ghana government, the European Union and World Bank for bringing such a laudable project to the region in an attempt to improve farm access road network in the region to ensure sustainable agriculture. However, on behalf of the people of the Sissala Districts, I want to express my utmost disdain on the way and manner this project were selfishly and wickedly shared without considering the Sissala districts mostly known as the leading food hub in the region are not considered. I am using this opportunity to call on all the key stakeholders of this project to immediately consider the districts in all its projects. If this persuasion failed, the Sissala people would have no option than to hit the streets to register their displeasure against this shared greed and gross discrimination, he warned. Additional information about the grant The grant comes under the larger EUR 160 million European Union-Ghana Agricultural Programme (EU-GAP) to develop sustainable agriculture in the Upper West Region. The roads are organized in three packages, as follows: 1. Wa Municipal, Wa West, Nadowli-Kaleo (235 km) 2. Jirapa, Lawra, Daffiama-Bussie (210 km) 3. Nandom and Lambussie-Karni (225 km) This intervention aims at improving inter-connectivity between areas of production and marketplaces in the Upper West Region. The objective is to reduce the travel time on these sections of roads, promote road safety, and strengthen at the same time the institutional management of the transport sector. The feeder roads are commissioned under Output and Performance-Based Road Contracts (OPBRC) managed by the Department of Feeder Roads under the Ministry of Roads and Highways. To maximise the support intervention, the EU funding is administered under a Trust Fund administered by the World Bank as part of the Transport Sector Improvement Project' (TSIP), which finances a larger national transport programme. citinewsroom After being held in Cameroon for propagating false news for 10 months, journalist Emmanuel Mbombog Mbog Matip has gone on a hunger strike in prison in Yaounde, according to Alex Koko a Dang, the head of the national journalists' union SYNAJIC. Matip is the director of Climat Social daily in Cameroon, a newspaper which posts political commentary on Facebook. According to the New York-based watchdog Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), Matip was picked up by six armed men in plain clothes and held at the State Secretariat for Defense until 7 September. Matip was then brought in front of a military court judge who charged him with propagation of false news and ordered his detention in Kondengui Central Prison in Yaounde until 7 March, 2021. His release date came and went and he is still in prison, with no update on his case. Cameroonian authorities should immediately release journalist Emmanuel Mbombog Mbog Matip and cease the outrageous use of military courts to prosecute the press, said Angela Quintal, CPJ's Africa program coordinator. Support for Biya Matip wrote a letter to President Paul Biya where he spelled out that he has a disability. His feet were amputated after a traffic accident and he is the president of the National League for Defense of the Rights of Disadvantaged People, said a Dang, who showed the letter to CPJ. A Dang said that Matip stopped publishing Climat Social in 2019 due to lack of funding, but had continued reporting mainly on his personal Facebook page. The reporting he had done in the months before his arrest expressed support for Biya, according to posts reviewed by CPJ. Matip had been investigating an alleged coup attempt involving Colonel Joel Emile Bamkoui, commander of Cameroon's Division of Military Security and other senior officials. 'One of the worst jailers of journalists' A Dang told CPJ that Matip had denounced this on local radio broadcasts, but the media watchdog was unable to verify the recordings. He added that Matip wanted to alert Biya to the coup attempt via an audio message. The CamerounWeb news report stated that the individual was an informant for Bamkoui, and that reaching out to them may have contributed to the journalist's arrest, according to CPJ. Both a Dang and CamerounWeb said that Bamkoui beat and threatened Matip while he was at the State Secretariat for Defense, and that the journalist had the wounds to prove it. This is not the first time a Cameroonian journalist has been put through military courts, nor the first reports of beatings. In 2020, 300 days after police in Buea held popular pidgin journalist Wazizi incommunicado, his alleged torture and death was announced in Cameroonian media. Wazizi had also been put through a military trial, and was held at Kondengui Central Prison in Yaounde, the same prison as Matip. The military finally admitted in 2020 that Wazizi had been killed in August 2019. The fact that Cameroon remains one of the worst jailers of journalists in Africa is a grave indicator of the broader conditions for the media there, said CPJ Africa program coordinator Quintal. Listen to article The Effutu Municipal Divisional Police Command is on a manhunt for a gang of five, led by one Asafoatse, for allegedly opening fire on officials of Effutu Municipal Assembly while on duty at Gomoa Mpota. Chief Superintendent Samuel Asiedu Okanta, the Divisional Commander, told the Ghana News Agency that the Command received information about a shooting incident on Tuesday, May 20, at about 1130hrs at Gomoa Mpota. The Divisional Patrol team were quickly dispatched to the scene while another team visited the emergency ward of the Trauma and Specialist Hospital at Winneba where the six victims with multiple injuries were receiving treatment. The victims are Samuel Nana Asante, aged 45, who had wounds on his left shoulder and neck, Emmanuel Wobil, 42, was wounded at the back, and Philip Bortsie, 26, received multiple injuries on both legs. The rest are Ernest Fianko, 49, who was injured on his left thigh, Emmanuel Louis, 51, an American, had wounds on his shoulder, and Faustina Haynes, 52, wife of Louis, had head injuries. Chief Superintendent Okanta said they were all responding to treatment. Explaining the circumstances that led to the incident, he said preliminary enquiries revealed that at about 1100 hours on Tuesday, the Effutu Municipal Town and Country Planning officer, Mr Isaac Adowah, the Municipal Engineer and five others went to Mpota with a grader machine to demarcate a road to the land of Mr Louis. He said while working, they spotted about six men approaching them from the northern end of the land and on reaching about two hundred meters, one of them, who introduced himself as Asafoatse, ordered the officials to stop work. Supt Okanta alleged that Asafoatse snatched a pump action gun from one of his men and aimed it at the victims and some of the officials and fired severally at them, leading to the injuries. However, the officials from the Assembly escaped unhurt. Supt. Okanta said the police did not meet the suspects as they left soon after the operation and a search conducted in and around the place produced nine 12mm empty cartridges. He said Emmanuel Louis and the wife, Faustina Haynes, also an American, have been referred to the Greater Accra Regional Hospital for further treatment. GNA In the 12 years since Nigeria's jihadist insurgency erupted in the northeast, Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau has been reported dead several times, only to reappear. On Wednesday, intelligence sources say, rival Islamic State-allied jihadists launched an attack on Shekau's faction in their stronghold in the Sambisa forest in Borno state. Shekau was seriously wounded after trying to kill himself to evade capture by the IS jihadists who surrounded him after a series of battles, the sources said. Nigerian media was filled with speculation that the man who made international headlines for kidnapping nearly 300 schoolgirls in 2014 might finally be dead. But 24 hours after the news broke, the army was still investigating and details about what happened and where Shekau may be remain unclear. Here is what we know. Who are the factions? More than 40,000 people have been killed and over two million displaced from their homes by the conflict in northeast Nigeria since 2009, and fighting has spread to parts of neighbouring Chad, Cameroon and Niger. Since 2016, two rival factions emerged from the Boko Haram movement after disagreements over Shekau's indiscriminate attacks on Muslim civilians and use of children and women as suicide bombers. On one side, Shekau's Boko Haram faction, known formally as Jama'tu Ahlis Sunna Lidda'awati wal-Jihad or JAS, was based in the Sambisa forest. It also operates in the far northern border of neighbouring Cameroon as well as frontier areas of Chad and Niger. Map of Borno state in northern Nigeria.. By Jonathan WALTER (AFP) The other was Islamic State in West Africa Province or ISWAP with its stronghold in Alagarno forest and areas of Lake Chad, a vast body of water with scattered islands. Both groups target Nigeria's armed forces and those from states bordering northeast Nigeria. But sporadic clashes have also erupted between the two factions over influence and territory. According to the local intelligence sources, a new round of infighting erupted in April during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Boko Haram fighters ambushed an ISWAP brigade as they transported weapons to one of their main camps, sources said. Several ISWAP men were killed. In retaliation, ISWAP launched an attack on a Boko Haram camp located on Lake Chad. Both sides suffered losses. But, the sources said, ISWAP took the fight to Boko Haram directly in Sambisa forest located further south. What happened in Sambisa? According to details from two intelligence sources, on Monday a convoy of ISWAP trucks mounted with machine guns entered the Sambisa forest area. One group headed directly to the Boko Haram camp in Sabilul Huda, where Shekau had sought refuge. His faction had recently been weakened by air strikes by the military. ISWAP fighters managed to neutralise his guards and surrounded the house where Shekau had been holed up, the sources said. What happened next is not fully clear, but Shekau was seriously wounded when he tried to kill himself to avoid being taken alive. Intelligence sources said Shekau shot himself in the chest and was later rescued unconscious by some of his men and taken to an unknown location. "The truth is he may hardly survive his wounds," one source said. Dead or wounded? If sources are unclear about whether Shekau survived, the jihadist commander has surprised analysts before after multiple reports of his death over the years. The Nigerian army spokesman could not confirm any of the details and said an investigation was still ongoing. Neither ISWAP or Boko Haram have released any communique about the attack on Sambisa or the whereabouts of Shekau. What happens next? Whether he is seriously wounded or dead, the loss of Shekau would be a huge blow to his Boko Haram faction where he was a central figure for years, analysts said. ISWAP had already became the more dominant force in Nigeria's northeast showing its capacity to carry out complex attacks on the armed forces. Its fighters have recently overrun several army bases. Taking Shekau's Sambisa forest stronghold would allow ISWAP to consolidate territory it already holds in Alagarno forest and southern Lake Chad, potentially allowing the group to control roads leading to the Borno state capital Maiduguri. While some pro-Shekau brigades along the Cameroon border and in Niger and Chad may want autonomy, ISWAP may now access a pool of Shekau's fighters and a partial reunification may be in the works, said Vincent Foucher, a fellow at French National Centre for Science Research. "Surely it is under discussion, all these guys are connected, they know each other and there must be negotiations going on. There are still some unknowns but what is clear is that it is a big win for ISWAP," he said. "A lot of people are happy to see Shekau dead, but it is not very good news if ISWAP becomes the single jihadist force in the area." Listen to article The Volta Regional Police Command in Ho has arrested 21 persons said to be LGBTQI activists at Godokpui. Police have said they were having a workshop on LGBTQI. The suspects were made up of 16 women and five men between the ages of 20-35. They were arraigned before the Ho Circuit Court after their arrest on Thursday and charged with unlawful assembly. The court presided over by Justice Felix Dadzomor declined the bail application by the counsel for the accused persons. Some items retrieved from the suspects included materials on LGBTQI+ and transgender activities used during their gathering and their mobile phones, which are in the custody of the police to aid in their investigations. According to the police, the program was sponsored by some organizations championing the activities of LGBTQI. The Volta Regional Police Public Relations Officer, Sargent Prince Dogbatse, told Citi News, clearly there is an agenda by these people to propagate the LGBTQ behaviour. The case has been adjourned to June 4, 2021, while suspects have been remanded in the custody of the regional police command. In February, the LGBTQ community came under the spotlight after personnel of National Security locked up an apartment serving as an office for LGBTQI+ Rights Ghana in Accra. This prompted criticism from human rights advocates, while the church, the Islam community, and traditional leaders backed the government action. Some Members of Parliament have hinted at plans to table before the House a private motion bill seeking to clarify the country's position on LGBTQI issues. citinewsroom Much of South Asia has been left scrambling for Covid-19 vaccines after India halted export of doses to re-start its own inoculation drive, which ran into the ground after an explosive surge in infections left tens of thousands dead. Among the countries in the region most desperate for replenishments was Nepal, struggling with 480,000 infections, 5,600 deaths and spiralling shortages. India has so far sent 2.4 million doses to the impoverished nation, which included deliveries under Covax, a global alliance led by the World Health Organization. We do not have vaccines to provide second shots to people above 65 years old who were given first doses, Nepalese health ministry spokesman Samir Adhikari said. Nepal, which is currently reporting around 9,000 new infections daily, has sought help from China. Bangladesh said it urgently needed 1.6 million doses of Indian-made AstraZeneca vaccines to administer second doses. The government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, which stopped registration for inoculation on 5 May, was in touch with several potential suppliers including the US and Canada. "If we don't get it soon, the vaccination campaign will be suspended," Bangladesh public health chief ABM Khurshid Alam told local media in capital Dhaka. Sri Lanka was awaiting 1.5 million doses of AstraZeneca it has already paid for, officials in Colombo said as they reached out to Russia and China for stocks. The island nation is the first South Asian country to approve the Pfizer vaccine. A national pharmaceutical lobby assured the Indian moratorium was only temporary. India will begin exporting soon as we get a range of vaccines coming into the market in the next couple of months, Indian Drug Manufacturers' Association director Ashok Madan told an online journal. India first: warns shot-maker But India's Serum Institute, which produces AstraZeneca shots and has so far handed out 200 million doses, said it will not be exporting vaccines until 2021-end. We continue to scale up manufacturing and prioritise India, company chief executive Adar Poonawalla said in a statement earlier this week. We also hope to start delivering to Covax and other countries by the end of this year." The warning would also affect over 40 countries in Africa who received stocks from Covax and were counting on deliveries to keep their inoculation programmes afloat. Covax has given 65 million vaccines to 124 countries and WHO hopes the supplies will normalise after India's record-shattering surge receded. India promises more India's government meanwhile said it would produce at least two billion doses between August and December this year. Bharat Biotech, India's second homegrown vaccine supplier, promised to chip in. The company plans to produce 200 million doses of Covaxin per year in the facilities that are already operational, the company said. The Sputnik V vaccine was expected to reach inoculation centres soon. India received 210,000 shots after it gave its approval to the Russian product in April. India on Thursday said it had so far given 191 million shots to 13 percent of its 1.4 billion people, celebrating it as an achievement. The Covid vaccine curve is falling at a much faster rate than the infection or fatality curve in India, tweeted Bhramar Mukherjee, an Indian-origin biostatistician at the University of Michigan. India has so far reported 26 million cases and 291,000 Covid deaths. Both figures are believed to be an undercount. GOVERNMENT has with immediate effect put Kwekwe on a localised two-week lockdown to avert the spread of the deadly Indian Covid-19 variant which was recently detected in the town. The lockdown came into effect yesterday and the curfew hours for the city have ben reviewed and now start at 7PM and end at 6AM. Part of lockdown recommendation include the immediate ban of weddings, church services and other public and private groupings. All funerasls in Kwekwe, under the strict lockdown once approved will be supervised by health workers and should not gather more than 30 people. In a statement the Vice-President who is also the Health and Child Care Minister Dr Constantino Chiwenga, said the localised lockdown was part of measures by the Government to contain the spread of Covid-19. Since the onset of the Indian variant, the ministry tightened case investigations and contact tracing in Kwekwe to stop the spread of the variant. We quarantined positive cases and close contacts of those who tested positive. There was also disinfection of supermarkets, Amaveni dumpsite, National test seed pavements and old Gokwe Road, said VP Chiwenga. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has said it is reclassifying the highly contagious triple-mutant Covid variant spreading in India as a variant of concern, indicating that it has become a global health threat. According to WHO, a variant can be labelled as of concern if it has been shown to be more contagious and more deadly. Uganda was the first country In Africa to confirm the spresence of the Indian variant identified in India late last year in a sample taken from a traveller. The new wave of infections in Africa is thought to be partly associated with the emergence of some variants that are more transmissible. Following the detection of the Indian variant in Zimbabwe, Government has since announced measures, including the localised lockdown, to prevent it from spreading. Chronicle Listen to article Africas role model, Eritrea, located on the Red Sea will mark 30 years of independence this coming Monday, May 24. When a rag tag band of afro coiffed Eritrean rebels drove captured Ethiopian tanks into the streets of our capital Asmara thirty years ago it marked the first successful armed struggle for national liberation on the continent. Others had fought but only Eritrea took it all the way, defeating the occupying colonial army of Ethiopia and winning power by the barrel of a gun. This Independence Day has seen Eritrea overcome to many obstacles to name and not only preserved our national sovereignty but build a Pan Africanist unity here in the Horn of Africa that is threatening the very basis of neo-colonialisms continued exploitation of Africas people and resources. Eritrea, under the leadership of President Issias Aferwerki has brought about a remarkable transformation in our erstwhile enemy, Ethiopia, next door. Where once the gangster government of Ethiopia, the Tigray Peoples Liberation Front, were our sworn enemy all the while brutally repressing the Ethiopian people, today Ethiopia has destroyed the TPLF and begun to move away from its history of famine and war towards a self sufficient, independent and peaceful country. And this was all brought about by almost two decades of behind the scenes diplomacy and trust building with the new government lead by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. When in 2018 Issias Aferwerki announced at our Martyrs Day program that it was game over for the TPLF in Ethiopia we were all shocked. It had all been done secretly and when PM Abiy flew into our capital Asmara a short time later he had a lot of very positive things to say about Eritrea. How he wanted to emulate Eritreas self sufficiency and independence to the point where he said he would be our unofficial foreign ministerso he could help fight the lies being told about Eritrea. This wasn't the end of the TPLF, it wasn't until November of 2020 that following a desperate attempt to regain national power via a coup deta and the subsequent final destruction of the TPLF on the field of battle that the next chapter of Ethiopian freedom and prosperity was begun. Of course there are still major problems in Ethiopia, daunting challenges to those without a firm grasp of what is really going on. But as PM Abiy said when President Issias first visited Ethiopia on July 8, 2018, (to paraphrase the Amharic spoken by Abiy Ahmed) we have a lot of problems in Ethiopia to overcome but don't worry Issias [Aferwerki] is leading us. Straight from the horses mouths so to speak, this statement couldn't be denied only ignored, which of course it was. But there was no ignoring the new, close friendship and solidarity that has been growing between Ethiopia and Eritrea. PM Abiy credited Eritrea with playing a crucial role in defeating the TPLF coupsters and thanked us publicly for our support in this speech to the Ethiopian Parliament days after the final battle that finished off the TPLF army. Ethiopia is about to hold an election and all signs indicate a landslide by Abiy Ahmed and his supporters. PM Abiy has promised to write a new constitution for Ethiopia that will include the nationalization of all the land in Ethiopia and thus lay the basis to end the centuries old ethnic based violence over land ownership. If the government owns all the land how can they fight over what land belong to what ethnic group. The land will be assigned by the government to those that will use it and to hell with all the foreign bloodsuckers that have been ripping off Ethiopias wealth under the TPLF. Nationalizing the land, which is what Eritrea did upon winning independence on the battle field thirty years ago is a major change in Africa, and when adopted by the rest of the continent after they see just how important it was to do this by Ethiopia, how it lead the way in transforming Ethiopia from a backward, war and famine blighted country to the beginnings of a modern, self sufficient independent country similar to Eritrea, a major step will have been taken in the critical move away from western, mainly EU theft of African wealth and the beginning of a new truly Pan Africanist continent. Land nationalization is the first step in ending the bloodthirsty grip of neo-colonialism on our continent and this is what has got the western imperialist so upset, upset to the point where they have launched a vicious slander disinformation campaign about what is really going on in Ethiopia today, especially in the former stronghold of the TPLF, Tigray. Expect a lot of lies and slander about the upcoming election in Ethiopia to try and denigrate PM Abiys upcoming landslide. The TPLF regime were overwhelming hated by all Ethiopians and the destruction of the TPLF has been cheered by Ethiopians at home and in the diaspora. The popularity of PM Abiy and his program for change in Ethiopia will be demonstrated conclusively in this upcoming election so all the western banksters and their lackeys in the UN and the human rights mob will be able to do is try and spread disinformation and slanders in an attempt to taint the legitimacy of the election. The role model Eritrea has been for the last 30 years has begun to be noticed in Africa and the new government in Sudan is just one example of how Eritrea is leading the way in bringing peace to what used to be known as the Horn of Hunger in Africa. The end of the TPLF was publicly welcomed by all of the nations comprising the Horn of Africa, Kenya, Sudan, Somalia, Djibouti and others as well. While the future is still fraught with challenges and difficulties there is a role model for our neighbors, and eventually the rest of Africa to follow. Eritrea is Africas role model and has 30 years of independence proving it. Thomas C. Mountain is an educator and historian living and reporting from Eritrea since 2006. See thomascmountain on Twitter, thomascmountain on Facebook and he can be reached at thomascmountain at g mail dot com Philosophy teaches that behind every mans action is an intention hidden from public consumption. For now, Uganda says it is to pursue two objectives in eastern Democratic Republic of CongoDRC after establishing a long term military facility there: i) to end the rebel or terrorist Allied Democratic ForcesADF, ii) to protect regional joint road works. So what else could be concealed? A careful analysis of available facts can reveal it. The Western beneficiaries In this initiative, Museveni indicates to be pursuing a range of interests for othersnot for himself alone. Particular open beneficiaries include the European Union which is seeking to tap into the East African market via its Economic Partnership Agreements-EPAs, the United States that is in hot pursuit against ISIS and al-Qaeda affiliates in Africa, France that wants safety of its majority 72% stakes in the East African Community Oil pipeline-EACOP, as well as the host DRC that aspires to pacify its eastern region of armed rebel movements. For a while, and unless it backfires due to other emerging dynamics, the current situation firmly restores Museveni back in his favorite comfortable zone as the regional peace guarantor, a role he was bound to lose as troops withdraw from Somalia. But here is this opportunity in DRCupon which he either had obtained prior intelligence or correctly read the minds of all big powers as their next destination after Somalia. The biggest advantage to him is that this time he is not venturing into Congo upon the Wests urging but as his own initiative. The Russian big return to Africa With Russian assistance, Museveni is in the process of building a long desired strongest personal army on the African continent that is independent of Western influences and only reliant on African resourcesin this sense, specifically from the enormous mineral wealth of the DRC. In a nutshell, this constitutes Musevenis secret urge of establishing nearly a permanent military presence in DRCwithout foreign dictation of particular time frames of withdrawal schedules as experienced in the Somali project. After the U.S reduced cooperation with Ugandas Special Forces Command-SFC in 2015, Kampala now anticipates to singlehandedly hire Russian expertise to skill the SFC into an international outfit. Russia is actually already in touch with the SFC courtesy of the units commander Lt General Muhoozi Kainerugaba. Muhoozi, son to Museveni is widely perceived as being mentored for a takeover after his fathers time. Beside SFC connections, Russia is also in talks for developing Ugandas combat aircrafts plant as well as a weapons and ammunition factory. Alongside this is a planned nuclear technology facility that is emphasized; I dont know why, for peaceful purposes. Scores of Ugandans are already undergoing nuclear-related studies inside and outside the country. Is Museveni the African Czar in the making? Sunday May 16 2021 is going to enter the annals of history for Mr Museveni. Its when his inner circle generals legitimately reset bouts on Congolese soil after decades eager waiting due to a U.N embargo that barred them from doing so. They identified suitable sites for the said military facilities in a number of townships of North Kivu province of the DRC where troops have set camps. Although initiated by Uganda, this military operation process has the full blessing of Kinshasa, the E.U via its funded International Conference on the Great Lakes Region-ICGLR and the United States of America via its Africom headquarters in Djibouti. When Museveni repeatedly asserts that he still has an agenda to fulfil for Africa, as the reason for his continued stay in power, he exactly means his old dream of recurving the ancient geographical locations of the Chwezi Era to which he proudly identifies and his son, Muhoozi identifying himself as that dynastys last posterity. In his writings Museveni describes this location as stretching from parts of northern Tanzania to South Sudan and from western Kenya to eastern DRC. He strategized to achieve this first by recreating the East African CommunityEAC, which is why to him the regional grouping is useless unless he is its overall political leader. Whereas this is within achievable target, following indications of DRC joining the bloc soon, to firmly be in charge as the regional Czar, Museveni must be the gate way to Congolese mineral resources. With the easiest access to these resources, especially gold, for which Uganda already owns three world class refineries, that earn it over USD1bn annually, Museveni aspires to transform his army into the best outfit on the continent. So in 2019 he found a better way of circumventing the U.N limitations by exploiting his friendship with current DRC president Felix Tshisekedi whom he had backed for president and later convinced to conduct joint infrastructure development projects in eastern DRC. On this basis, Tshisekedi played the sovereign interest card to over step the U. Ns International Court of Justice injunctions and allowed the Ugandan military return onto the DRC land after nearly two decades since it was banished as one of the penalties for fighting in Congos Kisangani city with Rwanda. Rwanda is also certain to return to DRC as a deliberate counter-balance measure to Ugandas reemerging strong influence and this presents some uncertainties in regards to the regional stability question. But if everything remains uncertain, at least one is not: with Uganda already annually earning over a billion dollars from gold without involvement of its army; this must multiply several folds with official reentry of its military in the DRC and sure to sustainably surpass all forms of foreign aid combined. This is the true meaning of independence Mr Museveni craves. By Simon Kimoyi PhD Candidate, Kampala International University On Wednesday, May,2021, The President of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwah Akuffo Addo on his official tour in Belgium secured a 170 million facility from the European Investment bank for the establishment of the Development Bank Ghana(DBG) . Historically, the establishment of development banks date back to 1960, to help the developing countries by providing grants and low to zero-interest loans for projects and programs that boost economic growth, reduce poverty and improve poor peoples lives. Development banks are one of the largest sources of assistance for the worlds 76 poorest countries, 39 of which are in Africa. Over 1.6 billion people live in developing countries. Since 1960, these people have been supported by development banks in 113 countries. The Annual commitments have been an average of $21 billion over the last three years, with about 61 percent going to Africa. The announcement of the facility received by the government has come under serious attack by section of the population who lack proper understanding of the role of development banks in the developing countries like . I would like to offer a free tutorial for people who lack basic understanding on how the banking sector works . The primary role of banks are to support the economic system by acting as a mediator between depositors and loan seekers,banking is essential for the development of a country,it serves as the back-bone for the economy, without banks our economy will be in shambles. There are types of banks but I would like to stress much on commercial banks and development banks, my focus on these two banks are people linking the Consolidated bank Ghana to the Development Bank Ghana. Let's get the understanding of a commercial bank as a bank that provides financial services to industries and individuals, Commercial banks are formed under Companies act,commercial banks seek to maximize profits,funding for commercial banks are through investments and monies deposited by depositors. Example of such banks are;CBG and GCB. While A development Bank is set up to provide funds for infrastructural and economic development since they have a broad or longterm developmental agenda.development banks are formed under Special Act findings are raised through selling of securities and borrowing with a little or minimum interest and a long term payment plan their main or target groups are the government and corporate entities. Development banks are concerned or focused more on development .We have many types of development banks but would like to stress more on just two of such banks in Ghana the ADBG and Exim bank Ghana. The Agricultural development bank is a bank devise and provide specialised schemes for farmers and other primary sectorial needs. Export-Import Development Bank of Ghana Is also a bank that function as overseas financial institutions assisting cross border trade and investment in trade capital. for example, Export-Import Bank of Ghana(GEXIM Bank) . The Ghana Development Finance project is expected to increase the number of viable Micro, Small, Medium and Enterprises (MSMEs) with access to long-term financing. It will provide financial services to about 10,000 enterprises, including 2,000 women led MSMEs, and therefore contribute to economic growth and diversification. The project will also strengthen the oversight of development finance institutions and the adoption of Environmental and Social standards by financial institutions In 2002,the NPP government merged three financial institutions to form the EDAIF (Now GEXIM Bank) it was established under Act 582.it has seen series of amendments, in 2016 it was amended under an GEXIM Act 911 and since it's new act (Act 911) the Ghana Export Import Bank have facilitated the construction and expansion of 25 new factories. Ghana is currently doing very well in terms of exports and imports because of the support from the GEXIM Bank. No country in the world can grow or develop without a development bank. Development bank will focus creating a more conducive climate for the sharing of ideas, wealth and specializes areas of the economy . Is common for people to confuse development banks with that of commercial banks since they work separately West African development and investment bank supported our own consolidated bank Ghana with $50m to help support road contractors! These flowering package informs the mind of key roles development banks play in any economy. The establishment of this bank won't only help develop Ghana but will position Ghana very well in the financial and economic sector. Let's ignore people with proper understanding of the banking sector trying to display their gross ignorance in the media space. Congratulations to the President of the Republic of Ghana and the Ministry of Finance for such a great initiative,indeed Ghana is been fixed Ghana to be selected among African countries for the possible manufacturing of COVID-19 vaccines, the European Union (EU) has said. Vice President of the EU, Valdis Dombrovskis made the disclosure during President Akufo-Addos two-day working visit to Brussels in Belgium. This was contained in a statement issued by the Jubilee House on Friday, May 21, 2021. At the meeting with the Vice President of the European Commission, Valdis Dombrovskis, the European Commission indicated the selection of Ghana as a possible manufacturing hub for COVID-19 vaccines in Africa, the statement added. The selection of the West-African country follows the initiatives already taken by the Government of Ghana towards the domestic manufacturing of vaccines. Two task force teams from the EU and Ghana will meet shortly to discuss modalities towards the realization of the initiative. It was stated that the move if successful could get support from the European Investment Bank (EIB). The European Union (EU), has announced plans to remove Ghana from its list of countries noted for money laundering and terrorism financing. This decision is said to have been arrived at during President Nana Akufo-Addos two-day working visit to Brussels, Belgium, a statement from the Jubilee House said. The European Union acknowledged the efforts Ghana has made in implementing the action plan of the International Country Risk Guide (ICRG) in record time. The Commission, thus, congratulated Ghana for the reforms embarked on, as well as the sustainable, robust systems deployed towards being taken off the list the release added. It is expected that the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the global money laundering and terrorist financing watchdog, will in June 2021, announce that Ghana has been taken off its list of high-risk third-world countries with strategic deficiencies in Anti-Money Laundering and Countering of Terrorism Financing. In May 2020, Ghana was cited by the European Commission for anti-money laundering and terrorism financing concerns together with three other African countries including Botswana, Mauritius and Zimbabwe. They were all been subjected to financial transaction scrutiny. A report by the Commission said the findings were part of a comprehensive approach to further strengthen the EU's fight against money laundering and terrorist financing. Other countries that were listed include Bahamas, Barbados, Jamaica, Nicaragua, Panama, Cambodia, Mongolia and Myanmar. The listed countries were identified after a systematic assessment of their integrity of the EU financial system by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). In order for them to be delisted, the affected countries were to show a strong commitment to addressing the menace. Ghana was added to a list of 23 countries in February 2019 for the same reason. At the time, the Finance Ministry described as regrettable the decision of the European Commission to add Ghana to its lists of countries defaulting in the anti-money laundering and the financing of terrorism framework. It said Ghana's commitment to enforcing the anti-money laundering and the countering of the financing terrorism framework has been acknowledged by the global standard regulatory body, the Financial Action Task Force [FATF]. The Ministry explained that the process by which the European Commission decided on Ghana as a country with strategic deficiencies in AML/CFT is flawed adding that there were no prior engagements between Ghana and various regulatory agencies and stakeholders. The government of Ghana thus called on the European Commission to reverse its decision against the country. Martha Pobee Listen to article Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN), Antonio Guterres, has announced the appointment of Ambassador Martha Ama Akyaa Pobee of Ghana as Assistant Secretary-General for Africa. Ambassador Pobee is serve in the Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations (DPPA-DPO). She succeeds Bintou Keita of Guinea, who took up a new assignment as the Secretary-General's Special Representative and Head of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) in February. The Secretary-General is deeply grateful for her service and contributions as the first Assistant Secretary-General for Africa in DPPA-DPO, the United Nations said in a press release dated Friday, May 21, 2021. Ambassador Pobee has been serving as the Acting Chief Director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration of the Republic of Ghana since March 2021. She was the Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Republic of Ghana to the United Nations from July 2015 to November 2021 and the first female to hold that position. As a career Diplomat since 1989, she has held various positions in the Ghana Foreign Ministry and served also in different capacities in Ghana Missions in Moscow, Geneva, Tel Aviv, Washington and Pretoria. During her time at the UN, she performed special assignments, including Chair of the Advisory Committee for the United Nations Programme of Assistance in the Teaching, Study, Dissemination and Wider Appreciation of International Law from July 2015 to November 2021; Chair of the United Nations Population Awards Committee from 2016 to 2018; Appointed by Presidents of the 70th & 71st Sessions of the General Assembly as Co- Adviser on enhancing the participation of Indigenous Peoples and Institutions in the relevant meetings of the United Nations Bodies from February 2016 to September 2017; Served as the Chair of the African Group of Ambassadors in New York in December 2017; Vice-President of the 71st Session of the United Nations General Assembly from September 2017 to September 2018; Chair of the New York Group of Friends of the African Women Leaders Network from February 2018 to November 2021; Appointed by President of the 73rd Session of General the High-level meeting Assembly as Co- facilitator on Financing for Development from November 2018 -September 2019; Appointed by the President of the Economic and Social Council as Co-Chair of the 2020 Science, Technology and Innovation Forum; Appointed by President of the 74th Session of the General Assembly as Co-Chair of the Ad-hoc Working Group on the Revitalization of the work of the General Assembly; and Co-Chair of the Group of Friends on Gender Parity at the United Nations from November 2018 to November 2021. She holds Master of Arts Degree in Development Studies with specialization in Women and Development from the Institute of Social Studies, in The Hague and a Degree in English and Philosophy from the University of Ghana. She also holds Diplomas in Public Administration and Multilateral Diplomacy from the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) in Ghana and the Geneva Institute of International Studies in Geneva, respectively. Ms. Pobee was born on 4th September, 1961 in Kumasi in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. She loves reading, music and arts. Samuel Abu Jinapor, the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources said government will protect the human rights of Chinese nationals arrested for illegal mining, otherwise known as 'galamsey. He said government believed in the rule of law and would use judicial procedures to prosecute foreigners involved in illegal small-scale mining, and not mishandle them. Mr Jinapor gave the assurance when the new Chinese Ambassador to Ghana, Mr Lu Kun, paid a courtesy call on him at the Ministry in Accra, on Friday. The Minister said Ghana's laws did not allow foreigners to engage in small-scale mining, however, there had been instances where some Chinese nationals had been caught engaging in galamsey and subsequently arrested by the law enforcement authorities. The Minister, therefore, urged the new Chinese Ambassador to cooperate with government to ensure the Chinese nationals abided by the mining laws. He said the bilateral relations between Ghana and China dated back to the 1960s and should be sustained for the mutual benefit of their citizens. Mr Jinapor reiterated government's determination to rid the country's water bodies and forest cover of persons and logistics involved in illegal small-scale mining, irrespective of the foreign nationals involved. Mr Lu Kun, the Chinese Ambassador, pledged to cooperate with the Government to ensure that Chinese nationals resident in Ghana complied with the laws of the land. He urged Ghana to tighten immigration laws to make it difficult for foreign migrants to get Ghanaian visas to enter the country to do galamsey. He recounted the diplomatic relations between Ghana and China dating back to 1960s and pledged to sustain it for their mutual benefit. Currently, he said, more than 6,000 Ghanaian students were on Chinese Government scholarships, studying various courses in Chinese universities. Therefore, he said, it was imperative to maintain the bilateral relations to propel the economic development of the two countries. ---GNA Listen to article President of Artisanal Palm Oil Millers and Outgrowers Association of Ghana, Mr. Paul-Kwabena-Amaning has indicated that his outfit will create more jobs and factories in every district very soon. According to him, his outfit has created over two million direct and indirect jobs for Ghanaian youth. President Akufo-Addo and his government is committed to ensuring that he build factories and secure more jobs for Ghanaian youth, Paul-Kwabena-Amaning exclusively told Reynold Agyemang on Pae Mu Ka on Accra-based Kingdom FM 107.7 He added, These factories will throw up tens of thousands of direct jobs for you the youth. The food processing factories will see over 50% of our agriculture produce (the maize, tomatoes, peppers, corn, cassava, palm nuts, etc) processed, thus turning our currently predominantly peasant agriculture into commercial business. Paul-Kwabena-Amaning noted that, The potential of this real development to provide jobs for you the youth is enormous . And this is no pipe dream. This is a reality that will come to pass in the next four years in the NPP government. He indicated that the Ghanaian youth should be particularly excited about the massive and sustained industrialization programme going on in the country, through the one district, one factory policy. A communication team member of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Paul-Kwabena-Amaning says the New Patriotic Party-led government will work hard to break the eight-year tenure jinx that has characterised Ghanas political electoral system since 1992. Paul-Kwabena-Amaning noted that the ruling government is well aware of the countrys electoral trends since it returned to multiparty democracy in 1992. Its a well-known fact that since 1992, the Ghanaian electorate changes the political party that has governed the nation for eight years, no matter the performance of that particular party, Paul-Kwabena-Amaning exclusively told Reynold Agyemang on Pae Mu Ka on Accra-based Kingdom FM 107.7 He continued, We will break the eight-year cycle. You see, eight years forward, eight years back, it wont help this country and thats why I said. Those who have studied Development economics anywhere in the world see anywhere in the world that country that has developed went through this. He said the policies and programmes earmarked for implementation in the next four years would help rejuvenate the economy, create jobs and turn the electoral fortunes in favour of the NPP in the 2024 polls. Paul-Kwabena-Amaning expressed belief that governments GH100 billion Coronavirus Alleviation and Revitalisation of Enterprises Support (CARES) and Post-COVID-19 Recovery programmes would put the economy on a sound footing. According to him, the ruling government has created a lot of developmental projects and programs that have propelled the country but the progress been made always see denial when the party leaves power. Former Minister for Lands and Natural Resources Lawyer Kwaku Asomah Cheremeh has stated that he has never engaged in galamsey (illegal mining). He said he does not also own concession. Hon. Kweku Asomah Cheremeh who has been appointed as Ghanas Ambassador to China has been listed in a publication by some media houses and news portals as one of the many bigwigs of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) engaged in Galamsey kingpins. But, Hon. Asomah-Cheremeh, through his lawyer Kwabena Asare Atuah in a statement denied claims. My client wants to state emphatically that he has never engaged in galamsey (illegal mining) and owns no concession, the statement said. Read full statement below; 19TH MAY, 2021 TO: GHANAWEB REJOINDER: LIST OF NPP BIGWIGS RUMOURED TO BE GALAMSEY KINGPINS . Respectfully, I act as Counsel for Hon. Kwaku Asomah-Cheremeh (hereinafter referred to as my client) upon whose instructions I write this letter. My clients attention has been drawn to a story on your website and other media platforms titled LIST OF NPP BIGWIGS RUMOURED TO BE GALAMSEY KINGPINS where he has been rumoured to be involved in galamsey. The story goes further to state that my client was arrested by the MCE of Tarkwa together with his taskforce for taking monies from illegal miners when he was the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources. The news item further claimed that the case is at the Tarkwa Police station and this incident occurred in 2020. My client wants to state emphatically that he has never engaged in galamsey (illegal mining) and owns no concession. There has not been any circumstance in which my client aided, enabled or endorsed any entity or individual to engage in galamsey. Contrary to the allegations, my client had devoted his might, attention, knowledge and resources with the help of the officers at the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources to fight galamsey and would therefore urge the public to disregard any unfounded and false allegation levelled against him. My client has never visited any galamsey site to take monies from illegal miners nor has he been arrested by any person or by Hon. Gilbert Ken Asmah, the then MCE of Tarkwa. It is therefore unreasonable to say that my client had a hand in the dismissal of Hon. Gilbert Ken Asmah and he never reported or recommended the dismissal of Hon. Gilbert Ken Asmah to President Akufo-Addo. My client demands that the falsehood you have published against him in the circumstance above be retracted or face legal action. Finally, my client requests all and sundry especially the media houses and journalists to verify any information regarding galamsey from the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources before publication. Thank you. Yours faithfully, KWABENA ASARE ATUAH COUNSEL FOR HON. ASOMAH-CHEREMEH CC: ALL MEDIA HOUSES ENERGY deputy minister Magna Mudyiwa has told Parliament that the Zimbabwe Electrical Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC) is considering hiking tariffs to raise money for operations, including acquisition of new service vehicles. Mudyiwa made the remarks on Wednesday while responding to questions by MPs on the ministrys plan on purchase of vehicles for ZETDC maintenance works. We are looking at reviewing the tariffs and if that review is granted, then ZETDC can have funds to purchase the much needed vehicles for their operations, Mudyiwa said. The debtors who owe huge amounts to ZETDC are mostly local authorities which we cannot switch off to enforce payment, some government departments and some few domestic users, but we cannot increase the tariffs. She added: While we are working on how we can collect our revenue from our usual debtors, being local authorities, we cannot switch off local authorities for humanitarian purposes. We are not penalising those citizens, but the operational costs have gone up, economics tells us that everything has gone up since last year. She also bemoaned vandalism of power infrastructure All those copper cables are being targeted by the vandals and that is one set back that ZETDC is going through. They are failing to replace the copper cables that have been stolen. It is an exercise that is going on to try and replace those cables with the aluminium cables, she said. Newsday Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abudulai Jinapor has called for a closer partnership between Ghana and China to curb illegal mining activities across the country. He said there was an urgent need for the two countries to work closely together to efficiently regulate Ghanas small-scale mining sector. The Minister said this when the Chinese Ambassador to Ghana, H.E Lu Kun called on him in Accra on Friday, May 21, 2021. Mr. Jinapor indicated that the Ghanaian government will continue to work with the Chinese side for greater development for their respective citizens. On his part, H.E Lu Kun mentioned that China was an important partner for Ghana, adding that the bilateral cooperation between the two countries is enjoying a sound momentum of growth. The relationship between Ghana and China has been enhanced since they established diplomatic ties 60 years ago. The government recently renewed its commitment to fight illegal mining at a National Consultative Dialogue on Small Scale Mining , where stakeholders charged the government to take steps to strictly apply the country's mining laws. This has led to many actions being taken in that regard. The government ordered persons undertaking prospecting activities in forest reserves across the country to indefinitely suspend such activities . It also directed the Minerals Commission to desist from processing or granting any request for the renewal of prospecting licences in forests. President Akufo-Addo subsequently deployed 200 military personnel to flush out illegal miners destroying water bodies in the country. Currently, the Ghana Armed Forces have commenced the second phase of 'Operation Halt II', which is aimed at removing all persons and logistics involved in mining on water bodies. The new phase of the operation focuses on the tributaries of the Pra River, which have also been significantly affected by the activities of illegal miners, the statement added. The operation is being undertaken by 400 men of all ranks. Two accountants who stole GH970,000 belonging to Perseus Mining Ghana Limited, a gold mining company at Ayanfuri in the Central Region, have been sentenced to a fine of GH36,000 by an Accra Circuit Court. Ebenezer Sackey Aidoo and Michael Abekah, employees of the mining company, in default, would serve 36 months imprisonment each. This was after the court, presided over by Justice Ruby Aryeetey, a High Court Judge, sitting with additional responsibility as a Circuit Court Judge, found Aidoo and Abekah guilty on the charges of conspiracy to commit crime, two counts of stealing, and money laundering. Chief Inspector Seth Frimpong, prosecuting, said the complainant was the Security Manager of Perseus Mining Ghana Limited and the convicts were former employees of the company. Aidoo was at the Treasury and Abekah worked as an Account Payable Officer. In June 2014, the Management of Perseus detected that two of the company's blank cheques had been stolen from the safe and used to withdraw GH400,000 and GH570,000 respectively from the company's Barclays Bank Account at High Street, Accra. Prosecution said the company realised that the two cheques were written in the name of Asante Asuako Yeboah, a name that the company had no financial liabilities to. A report was made against Aidoo and Abekah to the Police and after several months, prosecution said, Aidoo was arrested at Dunkwa-On-Offin. Chief Inspector Frimpong said investigations later revealed that the account in the name of Asante Asuako Yeboah was a dummy account, which was opened by the two accused persons to enable them to deposit into it money they had conspired to write on the stolen blank cheques. On February 5, 2014, the second cheque of GH570,400 was also presented and paid into the dummy account at Obuasi Barclays Bank. Prosecution said all the monies were cleared from the account as soon as they hit it. Further investigations showed that a whooping GH480,000 was diverted in three tranches from the dummy account into another Barclays account number 1226725, which later turned out to be a personal account of Aidoo at North Kaneshie branch of the Bank, it said. Prosecution said Aidoo admitted that he planned and carried out the offence with Abekah after which he gave Abekah GH470,000 as his share of the booty. According to prosecution, Aidoo confessed that when the company detected the offence, Abekah gave him back GH90,000 out of his share to fly outside the country but he could not do so. In the case of Abekah, prosecution said he admitted having received only GHC230,000 from Aidoo out of which he refunded GH90,000 to Aidoo. Investigations established that Abekah confirmed the cheques before they were honoured by the Bank. ---GNA Mrs. Ivy Asantewaa Owusu, the Bono Regional Director of Education has advised students to avoid eating heavy meals at night to maintain quality physical and mental health to study soundly. She said research had shown that many Senior High School (SHS) students have suffered indigestion related illnesses resulting from late night eating. Mrs. Owusu gave the advice at the inauguration of a 12-unit classroom and a six-unit classroom blocks funded by the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) for the Mansen SHS at Wamfie in the Dormaa East District of the Bono Region. She dismissed claims that certain illnesses among students were as a result of contamination of food items from the buffer stock, citing eating 'indomie' and rice late in the night could be responsible for deteriorating health conditions of students and everyone. Mrs. Owusu, therefore, urged students of the school to stop eating heavy meals after they had taken supper and encouraged them to remain disciplined by "knowing what they can eat at the right time". Mr. Emmanuel Kofi Agyemang, the District Chief Executive (DCE) said the projects started in 2007 and came to a standstill due to lack of funding. Mr. Agyemang pledged to assist the school to construct a girls' dormitory to end the double-track system in the school. He counselled the students to seriously concentrate on their academic work since their successful livelihoods in future depended on that. Mr. Paul Apraku Twum Barimah, the Member of Parliament for Dormaa East expressed his determination to assist with the provision of infrastructure to improve Information, Communication and Technology education in the school. Mr Samuel Williams Asante, Chairman, Board of Directors of the school entreated the students to avoid acts that could destroy the reputation of the school and urged them to lead exemplary lives to bring honour not only to themselves and their families. Ms. Julie M. Yaa Opoku, the Headmistress of the School, thanked the government, the DCE and the chiefs for the completion of the two projects, noting that it would promote access to free SHS education. ---GNA Listen to article The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) has said the action taken by the National Security ministry against culprits in the assault on Citi FMs Caleb Kudah is not enough. An investigation carried out into the actions taken by some National Security personnel against Citi FMs two Journalists has concluded that the operatives breached the national security operating procedures. This is despite the committees conclusion that the journalists unauthorised entry into the premises of the Ministry of National Security was unlawful. The National Security Minister made this known in a statement issued on Friday, May 21, 2021. Following the investigations, the Ministry of National Security has withdrawn its Director of Operations, Lieutenant Colonel Frank Agyeman, and will also investigate three other police officers attached to the outfit, and institute disciplinary action against them. The Executive Director of the MFWA, Sulemana Braimah in a Post on Facebook said both the Ghana Armed Forces(GAF) and the Ghana Police Service must be bold and give stiffer punishment to their officers cited in the attack. Sending officers on secondment back to their mother organisations is no punishment. Of course, National Security cannot sack a soldier or police officer on secondment. Now, we look forward to what the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) and Ghana Police Service (GPS) will do to their officers who have been deported for misconduct. Will the two institutions prove that they dont tolerate or condone misconduct by their officers on secondment? Or they will prove that once an officer is on secondment they are allowed to do anything and face no consequence when they are deported by the agencies they were seconded to. The GAF and GPS have an opportunity to prove to Ghanaians how they uphold their values. National security has passed the baton to them. We wait to see! ---kasapafm The Bono Regional Police Command is investigating the death of Leticia Kyere Pinaman, a final year student of the Miracle Preparatory Junior/Senior High School, in Sunyani. Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Patrick Okai, the Command's Staff Officer, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) on Friday that the Command would address the media when necessary. The body of the 14-year-old student, who allegedly committed suicide, was found hanging at the School's dining hall at Baakoniaba, a suburb of Sunyani on Monday, May 17, around 1930 hours. That was at the time other students were attending Bible Studies at the School's Auditorium. The Police have since deposited the body at the Sunyani Municipal Hospital Mortuary for autopsy. Meanwhile Mr Agya Owusu, the Abusuapanin (family-head) of the deceased, said the family was still in shock about the mysterious death of their daughter and would cooperate with the Police to conduct thorough investigations into the incident. He told the GNA in an interview at Asufufu, a suburb of Sunyani, that the family was ready to go every length to unravel the mystery surrounding the death of their beloved daughter. Mr Owusu expressed the hope that the Police would conduct independent and expeditious investigations into the case. The family was still convinced that as a staunch Adventist and a member of the singing band, there was no way Pinaman would commit suicide, he said. Asked about preparations towards her burial, Mr Owusu said the family was waiting for the police and would subsequently give her a befitting burial after the investigation was completed. ---GNA The Accra Regional Police Command has rounded-up 33 sex workers, mostly foreigners, during a dawn operation at Pokuase, Accra. Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Effia Tenge, Head of the Public Affairs Unit of the Command, told the Ghana News Agency that the five-hour operation took place at Pokuase Timber Market on May 20, 2021. She said the operation was done in collaboration with the Ga North and West Immigration officers, NADMO personnel and task force from the Ga North Municipal Assembly, assisted by police personnel from the Amasaman Divisional Headquarters and Adjen Kotoku District. The exercise was based on intelligence to arrest commercial sex workers and destroy their unauthorised habitats, which mostly accommodated drug dealers, robbers and minors used in sexual exploitation. The operation also saw the demolishing of several unauthorised wooden structures inhabited by commercial sex workers mostly Nigerian nationals and few Ghanaians. DSP Tenge said the suspects would be screened and the foreigners handed to the Immigration Service for deportation, while the others would be investigated and put before the law courts if found culpable. ---GNA With states in India entering directly into contracts with global vaccine developers, there is an increased competition among states to obtain vaccines for coronavirus (COVID). In coordination with states, the Centre should enter into deals with these companies so that we can vaccinate a sizeable population, says the State Bank of India (SBI). In a report, Dr Soumya Kanti Ghosh, group chief economic adviser to the SBI, says, "Poorer states with high population would not be able to vaccinate themselves quickly. Meanwhile richer states may have to pay a much steeper price given the global oligopolistic market. Our best hope remains that the vaccines in regulatory trials and phase II and phase III are successful and are authorised for emergency use and can be the best target for procurement by states." India should ideally follow the European Union (EU) template in global vaccine procurement, the report says. The EU Commission, along with a joint negotiation team, carries out the negotiations with vaccine suppliers. The members of the joint negotiation teamrepresenting seven member statesare appointed by a steering committee. The steering committee discusses and reviews all aspects of the advanced purchase agreement (APA) contracts before signature. All EU member states are represented in this committee. All member states have endorsed this approach, which is at the heart of the EU vaccines strategy. India has so far given 187 million doses but total vaccination per 100 of the population in the country is still at 13.8. "However, if we consider the fact that EU had already entered into contracts for vaccine procurement well in advance, European countries have been able to vaccinate less than 50% of their population, it seems that vaccination drive might pick up pace once the supply becomes streamlined from July and India needs to move quickly if it wants to vaccinate its adult population by the end of this year," SBI says. Currently, there are 15 vaccines approved for emergency use and 15 potential candidates in phase-II or phase-III stage of development and four others in the regulatory review stage. Against this backdrop, states in India are floating global tenders for procurement of vaccines. The Central government is also in talks with global manufacturers with ribonucleic acid (RNA) technology such as Pfizer and Moderna, as well as Jannsen Pharmaceuticals to supply coronavirus vaccines in the country. As per UNICEF data, of the 3.9 billion vaccine doses with RNA technology, 2.69 billion have been secured by other nations. Thus, SBI says, "Indian states are in a fix as currently as they are facing an inelastic supply curve at least in the near two months." We had mentioned in previous weeks closing report that Nifty, Sensex may rally on global cues. The major indices opened rallied this week and ended with major gains. The trend of the major indices in the week is given in the table: On Monday, the indices opened rallied and closed with major gains. On the NSE, there were 1,333 advances, 627 declines and 339 unchanged. Bharti Airtel reported a net profit of Rs 759.2 crore against a loss of Rs 5,237 crore in the year-ago period. Total revenue came in at Rs 25,747 crore, up 17.6% YoY. Colgate Palmolive India reported net profit of Rs 314.66 crore for the Jan-Mar 2021 quarter compared to Rs 204 crore in the previous year. Revenue grew to Rs 1,289 crore from Rs 1,090 crore in the same period of the previous year. Natco Pharma has signed a royalty-free, non-exclusive, voluntary licensing agreement with Eli Lilly and Company, for the drug Baricitinib for Covid-19 indication in India. Shilpa Medicare has entered into a 3 year definitive agreement with Dr. Reddy's Laboratories for production-supply of the Sputnik V vaccine from its integrated biologics R&D cum manufacturing center at Dharwad, Karnataka. On Tuesday, the indices opened high and ended with major gains. On the NSE, there were 1,195 advances, 757 declines and 78 unchanged. Canara Bank reported a net profit at Rs 1,011 crore during the Jan-Mar 2021 quarter against a loss of Rs 3,259.3 crore in the corresponding quarter of the previous year (YoY). Net interest income grew 68.4% YoY at Rs 5,589.2 crore. Gross NPA was at 8.93% against 8.95% over the previous quarter. Jyothy Labs consolidated net profit for Jan-Mar 2021 quarter grew 2.7% YoY to Rs 27.3 crore. Consolidated revenue grew 26% YoY to Rs 495.1 crore. Mangalore Refinery consolidated profit came in at Rs 271.86 crore against a loss of Rs 1,889.1 crore YoY. Revenue jumped to Rs 20,827.5 crore from Rs 17,283 crore YoY. On Wednesday, the indices opened lower and suffered a minor loss. On the NSE, there were 1,097 advances, 860 declines and 68 unchanged. Indian Oil Corporation net profit rose 78.6% YoY to Rs 8,781 crore against Rs 4,916.6 crore. Sales grew barely to Rs 1.19 lakh crore from Rs 1.18 lakh crore YoY. Adani Green Energy plans to acquire the 5 GW renewable power portfolio from SB Energy for a fully completed enterprise evaluation (EV) of USD 3.5 billion. Tata Motors posted a consolidated loss of Rs 7,605.4 crore for the quarter ended March 2021 against a loss of Rs 9,894.25 crore in the corresponding quarter of the previous year. Torrent Pharma net profit came in at Rs 324 crore against Rs 315 crore YoY. Revenue remained nearly flat at Rs 1,937 crore compared to Rs 1,946 crore in the year ago period. On Thursday, the indices opened higher but declined and ended in losses. On the NSE, there were 936 advances, 1,008 declines and 78 unchanged. Cipla has launched a polymerase chain reaction RT-PCR test ViraGen for COVID-19 in India. ViraGen is Ciplas third offering in the COVID-19 testing segment. JK Tyre & Industries reported net profit of Rs. 137.18 crore, up from Rs 8.13 crore YoY. Net sales came in at Rs 2,022.82 crore, up from Rs 1,351.42 crore YoY. The board has recommended a dividend of Rs 2 per equity share. Brookfield India Real Estate Trust reported 2.5% YoY growth in income from operating lease rentals at Rs 6.1 billion, due to contract escalations. The Trust may distribute a total of Rs 12.75 per unit over the next two quarterly distributions. On Friday, the indices opened higher and made huge gains. On the NSE, there were 1,202 advances, 746 declines and 87 unchanged. SBI reported 80.15% rise in its net profit for the Jan-Mar 2021 quarter to Rs 6,451 crore compared to Rs 3,581 crore YoY. Net interest income increased by 18.89% to Rs 27,067 crore from Rs 22,767 crore YoY. JSW Steel reported net profit of Rs 4,198 crore compared to Rs 231 crore YoY. Revenue grew 50% to Rs 27,095 crore compared to Rs 18,009 crore YoY. SJVN has received letter of intent for 75MW solar power project in the Uttar Pradesh by Uttar Pradesh New and Renewal Development Agency (UPSEDA). Hindalco Industries reported net profit of Rs 1,928 crore for the Jan-Mar 2021 quarter compared to Rs 669 crore YoY. Revenue grew by 38% to Rs 40,696 crore from Rs 29,624 crore YoY. Reserve Bank will transfer Rs 99,122 crore as surplus to Centre for nine months ended March 31, 2021. The decision was taken at the 589th meeting of the Central Board under the chairmanship of RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das, through video conference. According to the RBI, the Board in its meeting reviewed the current economic situation, global and domestic challenges and recent policy measures taken by the Reserve Bank to mitigate the adverse impact of the second wave of Covid-19 on the economy. "With the change in the Reserve Bank's accounting year to April-March (earlier July-June), the Board discussed the working of the Reserve Bank of India during the transition period of nine months (July 2020-March 2021) and approved the Annual Report and accounts of the Reserve Bank for the transition period," the RBI said in a statement. "The Board also approved the transfer of Rs 99,122 crore as surplus to the Central Government for the accounting period of nine months ended March 31, 2021 (July 2020-March 2021), while deciding to maintain the Contingency Risk Buffer at 5.50 per cent. " The RBI approved a Rs 1,76,000 crore ($24.8 billion) dividend payment to the government, including Rs 1,48,000 crore for FY20. It earns via interest income on account of open market operations (OMOs), foreign exchange (FX) gains, and writing back of excess risk provisions. RBI's liabilities include issuance of notes and deposits held (CRR and reverse repos). The transfer of surplus is expected to help the government ease fiscal pressure caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and also aid it in giving the economy a boost. In the past, the demand on the RBI for higher dividends and to part with a greater share of its capital has been a hotly debated issue between the central bank and the government. "The amount of surplus to be transferred by the RBI to the Government of India is considerably higher than the budgeted level. This will offer a buffer to absorb the losses in indirect tax revenues that are anticipated in May-June 2021, related to the impact of the now widespread state lockdowns on the level of consumption on discretionary items and contact-intensive services," said ICRA Chief Economist Aditi Nayar. "Moreover, high commodity prices at a time when demand and pricing power are subdued, would dent the margins of corporates in many sectors, compressing the growth in direct tax collections." Disclaimer: Information, facts or opinions expressed in this news article are presented as sourced from IANS and do not reflect views of Moneylife and hence Moneylife is not responsible or liable for the same. As a source and news provider, IANS is responsible for accuracy, completeness, suitability and validity of any information in this article. MONTANA - We are tracking winter weather road conditions throughout Montana Friday morning with the Montana Department of Transportation requiring chains on certain passes in western Montana. BOZEMAN PASS The Montana Department of Transportation reported chains are mandatory on towing vehicles traveling on Bozeman Pass on I-90 westbound east of Bozeman. ROGERS PASS The Montana Department of Transportation reported chains are mandatory for towing vehicles traveling Rogers Pass to the bottom of the east side of the pass on Highway 200. In the wake of the health crisis, the city announced common-sense changes to the high school admissions process that were grounded in equity and directly addressed the unprecedented circumstances that families and our school system continue to grapple with, the citys Department of Education said in a statement. GREAT FALLS, Mont. - The citys historical Rocky Mountain Building sits mostly empty since a fire gutted it in 2009. However, after buying it in 2019, a local health center says its making progress in giving it new life. Thanks to $100,000 in grant money from the Brownfield Cleanup Fund, Alluvion can remove harmful parts of the century-old building. Besides getting rid of asbestos, lead-based paint and mercury, the money also goes towards cleaning up a sizeable pile of animal droppings. Because the roofs been open for so many years, its full of pigeon droppings and things like that, Alluvion Health Chief Operations Officer Zac Griffin said. This comes after talking with environmental groups like Montana DEQ, as they figure out their needs in creating a safe work environment for contractors. Just breathing it in, you know, any kind of animal waste isnt good, Griffin said. Theres quite a lot of it in that building so its going to take a little bit to get it cleaned out. The space still needs a remodeling afterwards, but once its ready down the road, Griffin says the building makes healthcare access easier for anyone living nearby. [Well have] behavioral health services, dental services. We have a full blown lab that will be in there Were looking at adding physical therapy, he said. For now, theyre waiting on bids, with the cleanup starting in July or August. Its been a kind of an uphill battle for a couple of years, but now were ready to go, Griffin said. Theres no projected end date yet, but the first phase of construction should start later this Fall. GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) Palestinians rallied by the thousands Friday after a cease-fire took effect in the latest Gaza war, with many viewing it as a costly but clear victory for the Islamic militant group Hamas. Israel vowed to respond with a new level of force to further hostilities. The 11-day war left more than 250 dead the vast majority Palestinians and brought widespread devastation to the already impoverished Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip. But the rocket barrages that brought life to a standstill in much of Israel were seen by many Palestinians as a bold response to perceived Israeli abuses in Jerusalem, the emotional heart of the conflict. Like the three previous wars, t he latest round of fighting ended inconclusively. Israel claimed it inflicted heavy damage on Hamas but once again was unable to halt the rockets. Even as it claims victory, Hamas faces the daunting challenge of rebuilding in a territory already suffering from high unemployment and a coronavirus outbreak, and from years of blockade by Egypt and Israel. The conflict brought to the surface deep frustration among Palestinians, whether in the occupied West Bank, Gaza or within Israel, over the status quo, with the Israeli-Palestinian peace process all but abandoned for years. The continued volatility was on display when clashes broke out between Palestinian protesters and Israeli police following Friday prayers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, a flashpoint holy site in Jerusalem sacred to Jews and Muslims. Clashes there earlier this month were one of the main triggers for the war. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu fended off criticism from his hawkish base who said he ended the offensive prematurely without a more decisive blow to Hamas. Israel had done daring and new things, and this without being dragged into unnecessary adventures, he said. Its forces caused maximum damage to Hamas with a minimum of casualties in Israel, he added. Netanyahu warned against further attacks, saying, If Hamas thinks we will tolerate a drizzle of rockets, it is wrong. He vowed to respond with a new level of force against aggression anywhere in Israel. He said Israeli strikes killed more than 200 militants, including 25 senior commanders, and hit more than 100 kilometers (60 miles) of militant tunnels. Hamas and the Islamic Jihad militant group have only acknowledged 20 fighters killed. Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh said in a televised speech from the Qatari capital of Doha that the war opened the door to new phases that will witness many victories. He called it a quantum leap that will build support among Palestinians for resistance rather than failed negotiations. The Gaza Health Ministry says at least 243 Palestinians were killed, including 66 children, with 1,910 people wounded. It does not differentiate between fighters and civilians. Twelve people were killed in Israel, all but one of them civilians, including a 5-year-old boy and 16-year-old girl. Celebrations erupted in Gaza, the occupied West Bank and east Jerusalem at 2 a.m. when the cease-fire took hold. In Gaza City, thousands took to the streets, and young men waved Palestinian and Hamas flags, passed out sweets, honked horns and set off fireworks. At noon prayers at Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, hundreds held similar celebrations, waving flags and cheering Hamas. It was unclear what sparked the ensuing violence, in which police fired stun grenades and tear gas, and Palestinians threw rocks. Israeli police said they arrested 16 people. Similar clashes broke out in parts of the West Bank. Gazans had a day of recovery after 11 days of Israeli bombardment. Shoppers stocked up on fresh fruit and vegetables at a Gaza City open-air market that reopened after being closed during the fighting. Workers swept up rubble. Life will return, because this is not the first war, and it will not be the last war, said shop owner Ashraf Abu Mohammad. The heart is in pain, there have been disasters, families wiped from the civil registry, and this saddens us. But this is our fate in this land, to remain patient. Residents in the hard-hit town of Beit Hanoun surveyed wrecked homes. We see such huge destruction here, its the first time in history weve seen this, said Azhar Nsair. The cease-fire is for people who didnt suffer, who didnt lose their loved ones, whose homes were not bombed. Rescue workers were still recovering bodies. Five were collected Friday in the town of Khan Younis, including that of a 3-year-old, the Red Crescent emergency service said. Tens of thousands returned home after sheltering in U.N. schools. At the peak, 66,000 people were crammed inside, but on Friday the number fell under 1,000, U.N. spokesman Sephane Dujarric said. After the cease-fire, the U.N. sent 13 trucks with food, COVID-19 vaccines, medical supplies and medicines into Gaza. The world body also allocated $18.6 million in emergency humanitarian aid. The bombardment struck a blow to the already decrepit infrastructure in the small coastal territory, home to more than 2 million Palestinians. It flattened high-rises and houses, tore up roads and wrecked water systems. At least 30 health facilities were damaged, forcing a halt to coronavirus testing in the territory. The fighting began May 10, when Hamas militants in Gaza fired long-range rockets toward Jerusalem. The barrage came after days of clashes between Palestinian protesters and Israeli police at Al-Aqsa. Heavy-handed police tactics at the compound and the threatened eviction of dozens of Palestinian families by Jewish settlers had inflamed tensions. Competing claims to Jerusalem have repeatedly triggered bouts of violence. Israel captured east Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza in the 1967 war and the Palestinians want them for their future state. Hamas and other militant groups fired over 4,000 rockets at Israeli cities. Dozens landed as far north as the bustling commercial capital of Tel Aviv. Israel, meanwhile, conducted hundreds of airstrikes. A senior Israeli army official said it hit 1,600 military targets. The United States, Israels closest and most important ally, initially backed what it called Israels right to self-defense against indiscriminate rocket fire. But as fighting dragged on and deaths mounted, the Americans increasingly pressured Israel to stop the offensive, and Egypt brokered the cease-fire. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken plans to visit the region to discuss recovery efforts and working together to build better futures for Israelis and Palestinians. the State Department said. He spoke Friday with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who asked that Washington follow up on stopping Israeli measures in Jerusalem, like raids on the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the planned evictions of Palestinians from the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood, Abbas office said. President Joe Biden welcomed the cease-fire. He said the U.S. was committed to helping Israel replenish its supply of interceptor missiles and to working with the internationally recognized Palestinian Authority not Hamas to provide humanitarian aid to Gaza. Later Friday, he said there has been no shift in his commitment to Israels security, but insisted a two-state solution that includes a state for Palestinians remains the only answer to that conflict. Speaking at the end of a visit by the president of South Korea, Biden also played down the idea that the newly ended fighting had opened a rift among Democrats, as scores of Democrats split with Bidens quiet diplomacy with ally Israel to publicly demand a cease-fire. My party still supports Israel, Biden said. Lets get something straight here, he added. Until the region says unequivocally they acknowledge the right of Israel to exist as an independent Jewish state, there will be no peace. The Palestinian militants claimed Netanyahu had agreed to halt further Israeli actions at Al-Aqsa and the Sheikh Jarrah evictions. An Egyptian official said only that tensions in Jerusalem will be addressed. Netanyahu faced heavy criticism from members of his hawkish, nationalist base. Gideon Saar, a former ally who leads a small party, called the cease-fire embarrassing. Itamar Ben Gvir, head of the far-right Jewish Power party, told Israeli TVs Channel 13 that, with the cease-fire, the government spat in the face of residents of southern Israel, and said it should topple Hamas and reoccupy Gaza. Krauss reported from Jerusalem. Associated Press writers Isabel DeBre in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Laurie Kellman in Tel Aviv, Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations, Jamey Keaten in Geneva, Iris Samuels in Helena, Montana, and Karin Laub in the West Bank contributed. The Opportunity for All Coalition filed a lawsuit Thursday to overturn Senate Bill 5096, which implements the new income tax on capital gains. This marks the second lawsuit filed against the tax. Plaintiffs include April Clayton (Red Apple Orchards), Kevin and Renee Bouchey (former owners S.K.D. Farms, Inc), Joanna Cable, Matthew Sonderen (Sonderen Packaging), Rosella and Burr Mosby (Mosby Farms), Christopher and Catherine Senske (Senske Services), and Washington State Farm Bureau. All of the plaintiffs are Washington Policy Center members. According to Director for the Center for Government Reform Jason Mercier, farmers are suing after lawmakers failed to address their concerns before adopting the income tax. Concerning the matter, former Attorney General Rob McKenna said, "Our complaint, which will be filed by a group of small business owners and farmers, will argue that the capital gains tax is not an excise tax, its an unconstitutional income tax. Even if found to be an excise tax, however, the capital gains tax is illegal because the tax is imposed on the basis of the taxpayers residence, not on where the taxable event occurs. It attempts to reach taxable events outside Washington, which the States excise taxes may not do . . . There is no legal argument that your income is not your property, just a policy argument. Washingtons constitution defines property as everything, whether tangible or intangible, that is subject to ownership. Income is certainly part of everything, and it is an intangible form of property that is owned by the people who earn it. To suggest otherwise is to say that you dont own your income; but if I dont own my income, how can I be liable for paying tax on it? Washingtons state Supreme Court has consistently ruled that income is property (meaning you own it). This is why a graduated income tax was prohibited without a constitutional amendment and a tax on income must conform with the constitutional restrictions on property taxes. Every state in the country, the Congressional Budget Office and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) say a capital gains tax is an income tax. According to the IRS: This is in response to your inquiry regarding the tax treatment of capital gains. You ask whether tax on capital gains is considered an excise tax or an income tax? It is an income tax. More specifically, capital gains are treated as income under the tax code and taxed as such." Excise taxes are applied at point of sale on price or volume. Examples of Washington's excise taxes and how imposed is pictured below: Farmers and small businesses wonder why this tax was ever adopted, since capital gains taxes as income taxes is not in dispute anywhere outside of Washington state. Emails from Senator Jamie Pederson were released discussing the goal for the new capital gains income tax: April 30, 2018: But the more important benefit of passing a capital gains tax is on the legal side, from my perspective. The other side will challenge it as an unconstitutional property tax. This will give the Supreme Court the opportunity to revisit its bad decisions from 1934 and 1951 that income is property and will make it possible, if we succeed, to enact a progressive income tax with a simple majority vote. December 15, 2018: I personally believe that adopting a capital gains tax is one of the best things we could do to help advance the possibility of an income tax in our state, because it could help resolve the legal uncertainty about whether an income tax is a property tax subject to constitutional limitations. Until that happens, it would take 2/3 majorities in the legislature (and a vote of the people) to adopt an income tax, which makes it very unlikely to happen." May 11, 2021: I feel hopeful that this case will open the door to a more significant overhaul of our tax structure, which many consider to be the most regressive in the United States. I note that there is some irony in the position that you are taking. Five men in 1934 decided that income is property and therefore that major changes to our tax system could not be made by simple majority vote: instead the stars would have to align for 2/3 majorities in both chambers of the legislature and a majority vote of the electorate. That is profoundly anti-democratic, in my view. "I feel confident that with the consistent history of the multiple court rulings invalidating a graduated income tax, the plain language of the 14th amendment defining property to include everything subject to ownership, and the fact voters have already rejected six constitutional amendments to overturn the graduated income tax restriction that this illegal income tax on capital gains will also be struck down," Mercier said. Lansdale, PA (19446) Today Cloudy with light rain this evening. Low 57F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%.. Tonight Cloudy with light rain this evening. Low 57F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%. Avon Schools Board of Education voted May 18 to award a three-year administrative contract to Jen Fitch to become the new assistant superinten Cultural relic-themed creative products receive high praise from consumers People's Daily Online) 15:18, May 21, 2021 Several museums and historical sites across China have recently launched ice cream bars or ice popsicles shaped like iconic treasures or local landmarks, stoking peoples enthusiasm for these treasures and triggering lively discussions among Chinese netizens. Photo shows an ice cream bar in the shape of a bronze mask unearthed from the legendary Sanxingdui Ruins in southwest Chinas Sichuan province. (Photo/Shanghai Observer) The heated competition began on the first day of the May Day holiday, when the Sanxingdui Museum in southwest Chinas Sichuan province rolled out 1,200 ice cream bars in the shape of two millennia-old bronze masks unearthed from the legendary Sanxingdui Ruins. The creative products became a massive hit and quickly sold out. The ice cream came in two flavors -- chocolate and matcha -- and soon became a hot topic on social media, with some saying they would visit the museum just to taste them. Ice cream bars shaped like other cultural relics in more flavors such as lime and strawberry will also be introduced, according to relevant staff members. Other museums, historical sites and tourist attractions around the country, such as Chengdus Wuhou Shrine, Wuhans Yellow Crane Tower, Nanchangs Tengwang Pavilion, and Beijing's Badaling section of the Great Wall, soon joined the social media carnival with their own offerings, which were all well-received by visitors. Not long ago, the National Museum of China in Beijing also rolled out its own ice cream bar by drawing inspiration from a 6,000-year-old eagle-shaped pottery ding vessel, which takes the shape of an eagle standing on its feet and originates from Neolithic Yangshao Culture. This cute eagle-shaped ice cream bar once again helped the museum win over the hearts of many. Photo shows an eagle-shaped ice cream bar rolled out by the National Museum of China in Beijing. (Photo/Shanghai Observer) The eagle-shaped pottery ding vessel (Photo/Shanghai Observer) A woman surnamed Jin in the city visited the museum with her son and remarked that the ice cream bar tasted exceptionally good, adding that this has given her more reason to visit exhibitions in the museum. Apart from ice cream, some museums have also tried out other ingenious products. The Hubei Provincial Museum in central Chinas Hubei province introduced some creative cultural relic-themed desserts, including mango-flavored mousse cakes featuring a pattern of the Sword of Gou Jian, which was named after its master king of the State of Yue from the Spring and Autumn Period (770 B.C. -476 B.C.), chocolate cakes in the shape of a chime bell, a treasure of the museum dating back to the Warring States Period (475 B.C.-221 B.C.), red velvet cakes themed on the Bronze Crane with Antlers, and tiramisu topped with a pattern of a drum with tiger-shaped seats and a bird-shaped frame. Last year, the Shanghai Museum introduced canned beers themed on ancient Chinese art, with cans containing patterns from its collections including ancient Chinese paintings. Photo shows beers launched by the Shanghai Museum, with cans containing elements of ancient Chinese paintings from its collections. (Photo/Shanghai Observer) Photo shows canned beer launched by the Shanghai Museum, with the can featuring a porcelain pattern from one of the museums collections. (Photo/Shanghai Observer) Photo shows a chocolate cake in the shape of a chime bell launched by the Hubei Provincial Museum in central Chinas Hubei province. (Photo/Shanghai Observer) The beautifully decorated beer cans were a hit with consumers. Many of them said they liked the cans exquisite design and would continue using the cans as vases or pen containers. These fashionable cultural and creative products inspired by cultural treasures will certainly bring cultural relics closer to people, an industry insider remarked. (Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun) Under the deal, Noel and Thomas admit that they falsely filled out forms that theyd made rounds checking on inmates in the Special Housing Unit of the federal Metropolitan Correctional Center in lower Manhattan the night of Aug. 9, 2019 into the following morning. Noel and Thomas were captured on surveillance video neglecting their duties the night Epstein hanged himself. Moultrie, GA (31768) Today Thunderstorms likely. Rainfall will be locally heavy at times. Low 72F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%.. Tonight Thunderstorms likely. Rainfall will be locally heavy at times. Low 72F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. ConocoPhillips continues its transition after the $9.7 billion deal to acquire Concho Resources. And CEO and Chairman Ryan Lance told CNBC in an interview earlier this month that means reducing $5 billion in debt over five years and make its balance sheet stronger for the volatile commodity price world that we live in. Lance told the financial news network that ConocoPhillips has preached volatility for a long time and that even while there has been some stability in prices recently, its a really artificially propped up. He said OPEC+ is holding back excess supplies and the market hasnt rebalanced completely. But we have been able, thanks to the efforts of OPEC, to maintain some stable production, Lance said. But we always think in this commodity business, that its going to be volatile. We believe thats going to still be the case. And the real question is, How do you run just as well at $40 and $50, as you run at $60, and $70? Business isnt as hard at $60 and $70. It gets really hard in that $40 world, and thats where weve really set up the company to be successful in that $40 world. We dont know what prices are going to give us. Weve just got to be prepared for that volatility. When asked about mergers and acquisitions, he said ConocoPhillips hands are full with the integration of Concho, its millions of barrels and low-cost supplies. We announced $750 million worth of synergy, Lance said, and were well on our way to executing that. And were really focused on that transaction. He added that M&A is not done in the sector. Weve got too many players doing the same thing. Weve got way too many choices for investors to think about. So consolidation is going to continue. And were going to be around to play in that in the future. Lance told CNBC that the search for the best rocks will have ConocoPhillips looking into Qatar, the Permian, Alaska, Malaysia and Norway. It really is all about best rocks and lowest cost and supply, Lance said. Thats the true competitive advantage in this business. Its your people and its the rocks that you have in your portfolio. When asked about the tax environment and the Biden administration, Lance said, Its certainly going to make us companies less competitive, if you go to a 28 percent tax rate. Thats the highest in the (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development), even based on a GDP-weighted tax code. So you know, its going to have an impact. Now, were not in a taxpaying position for a couple of years. But certainly, if this would persist, it would make us less competitive and impacts U.S. jobs. And ultimately, in our industry, it means youll be importing crude from less secure places that have a higher greenhouse gas footprint. So in the end, it seems counterintuitive to all the different objectives that the Biden administration has. Some of the question-and-answer from the appearance of Ryan Lance, ConocoPhillips CEO, on CNBC earlier this month. CNBC: Does that mean that you see a more volatile oil environment and prices that arent going to be $70 WTI for the foreseeable future? LANCE: Well, weve preached volatility for a long time. Thats what we have to expect in this business. And while were doing some stable run of prices here recently, its really artificially propped up. Demand is still off little bit -- the excess supplies being held back by the OPEC+ group. So really, the market hasnt had a chance to rebalance itself completely. But we have been able, thanks to the efforts of OPEC, to maintain some stable production. But we always think in this commodity business, that its going to be volatile, we believe thats going to still be the case. And the real question is, how do you run just as well at $40 and $50, as you run at $60, and $70? Business isnt as hard at 60 and 70. It gets really hard in that $40 world, and thats where weve really set up the company to be successful in that $40 world. We dont know what prices are going to give us. Weve just got to be prepared for that volatility. CNBC: Do you think you will be looking at acquisitions again in the future? Or is that hands off. LANCE: Our hands full right now with the integration with Concho, which has been a tremendous opportunity for the company 9 million barrels, under $40 costs of supply resource. We announced $750 million worth of synergy; were well on our way to executing that. And were really focused on that transaction. The capital efficiencies are improving every day, the avoiding capital getting on the Concho learning curve for legacy Permian assets is improving. So every aspect of the business, the costs are coming down with respect to the transaction and the synergy. So were pretty pleased with the way its going. Thats our focus today. But to your question M&A is not done in the sector. Weve got too many players doing the same thing. Weve got way too many choices for investors to think about. So consolidation is going to continue and were going to be around to play in that in the future. CHANDLER, Ariz. (AP) The annoyed shopper paced around and knocked on the windows of a minivan blocking him from leaving his Costco parking spot. He didnt seem to notice, or care, that there was no one inside. A colleague and I had called for the Waymo ride our first in a fully driverless vehicle and quickly encountered a hiccup: figuring out how to tell it to meet us at the curb. We ended up spotting the minivan across the bustling parking lot, and hurried over. As we pulled away, the shopper raised his arm and extended his middle finger. Welcome to the United States first large-scale ride-hailing service with no backup drivers, which Waymo recently launched in suburban Phoenix. An AP photographer and I took it for a spin and discovered some impressive technology. Waymos minivans skillfully adhere to traffic laws and can detect people, vehicles and objects from several hundred yards away. But amid the advances lurk challenges that developers face as they race to bring autonomous cars to the masses: adapting the machinery to human behavior and getting passengers to feel at ease without a person behind the wheel. The technology is great, but the experience isnt there yet, said Andrew Maynard, a professor at Arizona State Universitys College of Global Futures who studies the social and ethical aspects of autonomous vehicles and other emerging technologies. Waymo, a unit of Google parent Alphabet Inc., is one of several companies testing driverless vehicles in the U.S. While there are some low-speed driverless shuttle services in operation, Waymo is the first offering lifts to the public at roadway speeds with no human in the drivers seat who can take over in sticky situations. During our rides, the minivans slowed for speed bumps and carried out a textbook right-on-red turn. Most impressive was a careful maneuver at a green light where a woman with a walker stood dangerously close to the corner. But customers in crowded parking lots might find it hard to pinpoint pickup locations without drivers who can call, text or simply watch for them. A Waymo minivan also made an aggressive turn at a green light that we would have never taken. Another failed to go the requested location, dropping us off about a four-minute walk away. And watching the wheel turn by itself was, well, eerie. The company said it is listening closely to customer feedback and acknowledges it needs to improve passenger pickups. It's also working to set the proper expectations with riders and has launched a campaign that provides tips. Automakers and tech companies were moving quickly to put self-driving vehicles in action in 2018, but a fatal crash involving an Uber test vehicle in Tempe slowed development. Only recently did the industry show signs of recovery. Still, most experts believe there wont be widespread use for another five years or so, and autonomous vehicles wont be in every major city until at least late this decade. Waymo started offering autonomous rides to a limited number of customers during 2019 in an early testing program in Arizona. Last fall, it opened its ride-hailing program to anyone seeking a ride within its 50-square-mile (129-square-kilometer) service area covering parts of Chandler, Tempe and Mesa. Our trip began with a welcome from the minivan an automated voice correctly pronounced my French first name, which people often mangle. A partition separated the empty front seats from the rest of the vehicle, with a sign saying, Dont touch the steering wheel. I felt uneasy as the minivan crept into an intersection and waited for oncoming traffic to pass before making a left turn. It was as if a ghost was handling the steering wheel. My jitters lifted until minutes later, when we made a bold left turn at another green light. With several oncoming cars zipping toward us, the minivan darted across the road into a parking lot. Though we didn't come close to crashing, the turn frightened us. Waymo later examined the maneuver, saying the cameras and remote-sensing technology in a dome atop the minivan had detected the oncoming cars, knew their speed and understood that the vehicle could make the turn safely. In your case, it was certainly safe, Saswat Panigrahi, a senior director for product management at Waymo, told me. The company said customers' comments are being used to refine its autonomous driving systems and user interfaces to address such safety concerns. Its ride-hailing program serves hundreds of passengers each week and offers prices in line with Uber and Lyft. Waymo runs 300 to 400 vehicles in Arizona for the program and testing. We hailed another Waymo minivan to a public library, but were dropped off on a nearby private street instead. Panigrahi believes the minivan might have been rerouted due to traffic or a road closure in the area. From there, we tried to catch a ride back to Costco, but Waymo canceled four trip requests and stopped accepting my credit card as a fraud prevention measure, because several requests had been made in a matter of minutes. With my Waymo account locked up, I requested a ride from another ride-hailing service with a human driver. He warmly chitchatted about his career plans but, when first picking us up, carefully avoided trying to pronounce my name. ___ Associated Press writer Tom Krisher in Detroit contributed to this report. ___ This story was first published on May 20, 2021. It was updated on May 21, 2021 to correct the title of Waymo employee Saswat Panigrahi. He is a senior director for product management, not a senior product manager. It also has been updated to show Waymo's service area in suburban Phoenix is 50 square miles, not 55 square miles. BOSTON (AP) A courtroom sketch artist who drew pictures of defendants in some of the most notorious cases tried in federal court in Boston, and whose work was used by news outlets worldwide, has died, according to her family. Jane Flavell Collins, died Sunday, her son, Peter, told WBZ-TV. She was 84. Cameras are not allowed in federal courtrooms so The Associated Press as well as local media outlets would often call on Collins to capture the goings-on during trial. She sketched Boston gangster James Whitey Bulger and shoe bomber Richard Reid, disgraced Massachusetts politicians like former House Speaker Sal DiMasi, and more recently, actors Lori Loughlin and her husband, Mossimo Giannulli, when they were sentenced in the college admissions bribery scandal. Collins did not set out to be a sketch artist. A graduate of the Massachusetts College of Art, she trained in Italy in her 20s. Never in a million years did I think my art would lead me in this direction, she told The Boston Globe for a story in 2018. She honed her portrait skills while still in college, making a few extra bucks by drawing tourists on Cape Cod. Even as a young art student, I liked drawing portraits, she told the Duxbury Clipper newspaper last June. I worked in Hyannis drawing quick portraits for about $2 apiece back then. She also painted landscapes in acrylics, oils and watercolors, and drew portraits that she displayed on her website. Born in 1937 in Rockland, she had most recently lived in Duxbury. Her husband, Peter Collins, died in 2019. Her sister, Constance Flavell Pratt, also a courtroom sketch artist, died in 2016. She is survived by three sons, six grandchildren, and a brother. Funeral arrangements are pending. JAMES DURBIN Nearly two months have passed since the devastating Winter Storm Uri swept through Texas. During this time, thousands of Texans stepped up to serve the greater needs of our communities and our state. To our first-responders, nurses and doctors, frontline workers and volunteers who ensured every Texan had enough food to feed their families, we thank you. You are what makes Texas the greatest state to call home. To the thousands who persevered by continuing to carry out their essential responsibilities through the storm, we see you and recognize the immeasurable impact your contributions have made to communities across Texas. The greatest investment we can make for our hard-working families and communities in the aftermath of Uri is to provide the tools and policies necessary to ensure Texas businesses can sustain their day-to-day operations. This all starts with a resilient natural gas sector to ensure businesses in Texas can operate at full, unrestricted capacity in the face of any storm. We all remember the Alamo, right? The aging Texas landmark has been the subject of a revitalization project for years, and some pieces might be falling into place. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick vowed to raise up to $300 million for the project, part of which would go toward housing the collection of British rock star Phil Collins. Yes, you read that right. The rock star of Genesis and "Tarzan" soundtrack fame, Collins has reputedly one of the most extensive collections of Alamo artifacts in the world. But a new book casts doubt on the validity of several of Collins' most noteworthy pieces. MCGOVERNHEY?: Matthew McConaughey continues with this 'running for governor' nonsense In their upcoming book "Forget the Alamo: The Rise and Fall of an American Myth," authors Chris Tomlinson, Jason Stanford and Bryan Burrough chronicle the strange and storied tale of Collins' collection and its central role in revitalizing the Alamo. An excerpt from the book published in Texas Monthly's forthcoming June edition lays out some of the contested artifacts, which include a knife supposedly owned by Jim Bowie that was authenticated by a psychic. Other items include horseshoes, belt buckles and buttons dug up from under a shop near the mission. A sword belt purported to have belonged to Colonel William Barret Travis is also listed among Collins' haul. The collection undoubtedly holds many authentic items, but some have a much murkier history. A fellow Alamo enthusiast, Patrick has vowed to find the remaining $200-$300 million needed for the site's revitalization at the unveiling of a temporary exhibit in the Alamo's plaza last month, according to San Antonio Express-News' Scott Huddleston. The proposed project includes building a four-story museum to house Alamo artifacts, including the Phil Collins Texana Collection. But that $300 million price tagwhich could come at the expense of Texas taxpayerscould be better spent elsewhere, some pointed out on Twitter. WILD HOUSTON: Mattress Mack's wife helped rescue Houston's missing tiger, India Adding to the drama is the long-running feud between Patrick and Texas land commissioner George P. Bush over the Alamo project. This saga, almost as dramatic as the battle itself, shows no sign of slowing or ending any time soon. Adding Phil Collins to the mix only adds weirdness to the fire. It was one punch and I was out, Munna said in Urdu, as his worried daughter, Nosheen Khalid, translated. I was standing outside talking to my friend. I had no idea who was coming from behind me and then he hit me. I fell over and fainted. We'll keep you connected to all the updated local news and information about what's happening in Murfreesboro and Rutherford County! Click Here to Subscribe! We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Contact us This sweeping proposal would make it impossible for police officers to determine whether or not we are permitted to use force in a given situation. The only reasonable solution will be to avoid confrontations where force might become necessary. Meanwhile, violent criminals certainly arent hesitating to use force against police officers or our communities. The bottom line: more cops and more regular New Yorkers are going to get hurt. Lynch said. Muskogee, OK (74401) Today Sunshine and clouds mixed. High 91F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight Thunderstorms likely this evening. Then a chance of scattered thunderstorms overnight. A few storms may be severe. Low 73F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Discuss this article with your neighbors or join the community conversation. Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Facebook on Friday announced that it may allow former President Donald Trumps Facebook and Instagram accounts to be reinstated in January 2023. At that time, the social media company will re-evaluate whether the risk to public safety of allowing Trump back onto its services has receded. This two-year suspension will prevent Trump from using Facebook or Instagram to broadcast to his followers until after the 2022 U.S. midterm elections. Do you think tech giants like Facebook are using their power to censor political speech and manipulate U.S. politics? Choices are: You voted: The Marco Polo would not have fit into the docks at Port Elizabeth five years ago. The Port Authority raised the height of the Bayonne Bridges roadway in 2017, which officials said became necessary after some large ships antennas were hitting the lower span as they passed through. Gov. J.B. Pritzkers emergency rule requiring businesses to mandate masks has been repealed and a leading retailers association says they are not being asked to check customers vaccine status but could if they wanted. Pritzker first issued a mask mandate on May 1, 2020. He then filed consecutive 150-day emergency rules requiring businesses to post the mask mandate on their entrances and to enforce the mandate. The latest emergency rule, which was set to expire in early June, was repealed Wednesday. After the new mask guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Pritzker administration updated its guidance that fully vaccinated people dont need to wear masks indoors in most instances. The latest order, issued Monday, says the governors bridge reopening plan does require retailers to cap occupancy at 60% of store capacity, or, alternatively, at the occupancy limits based on store square footage, though vaccinated individuals dont count to that. Retailers also must communicate with customers through in-store signage, and public service announcements and advertisements, about the social distancing and face-covering requirements, the order says, but that doesnt impact vaccinated people. Illinois Retail Merchants Association President Rob Karr said retailers are not being asked to post anything about a universal mask requirement. Theyre also not being required to check vaccine status, though they could. But thats a real practical impossibility, Karr said Wednesday. Theres fake vaccination cards out there. For most retail outlets, or for businesses for that matter, its just a practical impossibility. Its a significant diversion of manpower. Chicago announced those attending the outdoor music festival Lollapalooza this summer will have to show proof of vaccine or a negative COVID-19 test. It is possible things could revert to stricter guidelines if the COVID-19 numbers trend upward, Karr said. The pandemic has certainly taken twists and turns over the course of the last 18 months or so but we remain hopeful that weve turned a corner, Karr said. Despite the relaxed face-covering rule, Illinois lawmakers are still wearing masks while doing the peoples business. In the Illinois House on Tuesday, state Rep. Mark Batinick, R-Plainfield, said lawmakers should drop the masks while legislating to set an example for the rest of the state. Its time to open, its time for people to go to work, its time for us to get out with our friends, its time to help our mental health, Batinick said. The CDC guidelines are pretty clear: If youre vaccinated, you dont need a mask inside. State Rep. Natalie Manley, D-Joliet, responded that the mandate should stay in place on the House floor. She said lawmakers are too close together while legislating and she worried the vaccine may not fully protect members. So I would like to go home and have everybody around me be healthy and I would appreciate your compliance with the House rule, Manley said. Im a say Im sorry instead of asking for permission kind of person, but when its life and death, I think we need to follow the rules. A state House task force continued its discussion about reevaluating controversial statues and whether new monuments commemorating minorities should be added to the state Capitol grounds. The hearing Wednesday is the second meeting of the bipartisan Statue and Monument Review Task Force, which was formed by Speaker Emanuel Chris Welch last month. The purpose of the task force is to conduct a review of monuments on state property and proposals for new monuments or statues. Adam Green, an associate history professor at the University of Chicago, was one of four speakers who shared their perspectives on the task forces charge. Green said statues, monuments and memorials and the naming practices for buildings, parks, streets and other components of the built environment play a crucial role in defining communities. They establish a heritage that gives our shared community a sense of origins, continuity and endurance, they signal which individuals and what actions or contributions are worthy of honoring or even emulating, Green said. They also identify implicitly, and sometimes quite explicitly, those values that are understood to be ones which the residents of the state and visitors to the state can consider aspiring to live by. Katherine Poole-Jones, associate art history professor at Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville, said the task force must ask what values they wish to collectively endorse in the public realm. We look at each monument, (and ask) is it representative of those shared community values and ideas, if it ever was? Poole-Jones said. Because thats also a possibility, that it never was. What is the value of the monument remaining in public space? How is the community benefiting from the monument? And I think we also have to carefully balance that against the discomfort, the pain, the alienation, it may cause some members of the community, because we have to understand that the spaces that monuments occupy cannot be entered into in a neutral way for everyone, she added. She said this is especially crucial to think about when discussing the grounds of government buildings, because, of course, the history of Confederate monuments was putting them up at statehouses as tools of intimidation. The city of Chicago is undertaking a similar examination of its statues, and two Chicago monuments of Christopher Columbus were temporarily removed last summer as part of this effort. Some cities, including Richmond, Va., Jacksonville, Fla., and Indianapolis, Ind., have removed statues of Confederate officers. Last year, former House Speaker Michael Madigan requested that the board of the Office of the Architect of the Capitol remove monuments of Stephen Douglas and Pierre Menard from Capitol grounds. Douglas, a slave owner, served as Illinois secretary of state, state Supreme Court justice and in the U.S. Senate among other roles. Menard, also a slave owner, was the first lieutenant governor of Illinois, and he supported political actions devised to ensure slavery was legal in the state. Rep. Mary Flowers, a Chicago Democrat who chairs the committee, suggested the task force consider adding monuments commemorating former President Barack Obama, as well as Harold Washington, Chicagos first black mayor; Ida B. Wells, a co-founder of the NAACP; and Rudy Lozano, a labor activist from Chicagos Little Village neighborhood. But Rachel Leibowitz, an assistant professor at the State University of New York, cautioned the task force against adding too many new figurative monuments and memorials to the Capitol grounds. She pointed to the Texas Capitol grounds, which has 22 statues, monuments or memorials. And, their site is physically larger than yours with the Stratton building, so this is just to say there can be a lot of physical clutter on the ground, she said. Leibowitz said the committee could also consider relocating statues or monuments from the Capitol grounds to another place, like a hall of statues. I suggest that only because then the state capitol grounds becomes open to everyone, Leibowitz said. There is no one there saying, I am not represented. There is no one saying, I dont see myself and my story reflected. It is the building, it is the ground. Its something to consider. Im not saying thats the solution, but I just want to offer that as a possibility. She also raised the possibility of constructing abstract memorials, such as the Vietnam Memorial in the Washington, D.C. I would encourage you also to consider as you move forwardis what you want more figurative statues, more great men or great women on pedestals, or do you want to create something that is more inviting? she said. Do you want to celebrate, for example, the life of Dr. King in a way that offers moments in time, that shows struggles and triumphs? How do you want to commemorate this history moving forward? You have options. Flowers and Republican spokesperson Rep. Tim Butler, of Springfield, have endorsed relocating and redesigning the statue of Martin Luther King Jr. that is currently placed across the street from the Capitol grounds. Secretary of State Jesse White, who also supports this proposal, has pledged $5,000 towards the construction of a new King statue. Flowers said White and the Architect of the Capitol Andrea Aggertt will present at the next task force meeting, which has not yet been scheduled. Jacksonville School District 117s board is considering issuing up to $13 million in bonds that would allow the district to proceed with school renovation or construction projects. Superintendent Steve Ptacek said the addition of online sales tax has increased the districts bonding potential, making it eligible for about $13 million in bond sales. We can use this money and make sure that our elementary schools can last for the next 30 years, Ptacek said. While the district has access to other funding sources including a total of $16 million in savings and up to $3.5 million in Elementary & Secondary School Emergency Relief Funds Ptacek said he would feel more comfortable waiting 30 days to have a bond hearing to see if community members oppose issuing bonds. That public hearing will be at 7 p.m. June 16 at the Central Office. During the 3o days leading up to the hearing, voters in the district can petition for the bond sale to go to a referendum in March if enough signatures are collected but the deadlines to use sales tax revenue and ESSER funds mean the district would have to limit or rush potential projects if it waits. Ptacek said the board will have to decide where the money will be spent. One project would be a complete renovation of Washington Elementary School. That project is expected to cost about $11.1 million, with roughly $3.5 million for HVAC coming from ESSER funds and $7.6 million coming from the general fund. Other options include renovations at South Jacksonville Elementary School, establishing a new school near Washington, building a new school in Murrayville or Woodson, or completing several large-scale renovations to the current Murrayville-Woodson building. Any feasible path most likely would include renovating Washington Elementary School, Ptacek said. I just want to make sure we are going down this road, Ptacek said. The board is expected to vote on the Washington project during its regular June 16 meeting, following the hearing. The board has given Ptacek the green light to create a community engagement committee made up of district staff, board members and community members to help facilitate discussions on what projects the community would like to see completed. The district will be using a program called ThoughtExchange, which allows online discussion, Ptacek said, noting the anonymous nature of the program hopefully will allow for a more varied discussion and for those who dont feel as if they can speak openly to provide an opinion. This will allow people around the community to provide their thoughts, Ptacek said. I think its the best way to get community engagement. Kassidy Walters, daughter of Shelley Scott of Greenfield, is among students who presented projects on Catalyst Day at Ripon College in Wisconsin. Catalyst Day is designed to showcase Ripon Colleges Catalyst curriculum and celebrate the achievements of the students who are completing the capstone seminar in applied innovation. Watertown, SD (57201) Today Sunny. High 79F. Winds WNW at 15 to 25 mph. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph.. Tonight Clear skies. Low near 55F. NW winds at 15 to 25 mph, decreasing to less than 5 mph. Awawdeh, of Brooklyn, has had several prior run ins with the law, police said. He got in trouble on Nov. 8 when he nearly hit someone in Bay Ridge while driving a 2003 Infiniti. He was charged with reckless endangerment and resisting arrest, among other things, according to police. Spain returns 6,600 to Morocco, families look for loved ones View Photo CEUTA, Spain (AP) Officials in Ceuta, a Spanish enclave in North Africa, faced complications Friday in reuniting worried Moroccan parents with hundreds of children and teenagers swept up in a diplomatic standoff between Madrid and Rabat over migration and the disputed territory of Western Sahara. So far, authorities have confirmed 438 unaccompanied minors were among more than 8,000 people who arrived in Ceuta from Morocco between Monday and Wednesday by scaling a border fence or swimming around it. Social service workers were checking the ages of many more young people who are in shelters or roaming the streets, Mabel Deu, a spokesperson for the autonomous city, said. A hotline set up Thursday had received 4,400 calls by a day later from desperate relatives seeking information, she said. Many of the inquiries were about minors. Our goal is that they reunite with their parents as soon as possible because we understand the anguish and worry of many families who dont know where their children are, Deu said. Morocco has already taken back over 6,600 of the migrants who made it to Ceuta, Spanish authorities said. Entering the city put them in European Union territory. Hundreds of thousands of asylum-seekers attempt to reach Europe from Africa each year. Many of the anxious relatives calling the hotline are just a few miles across the border, in the Moroccan city of Fnideq. But stepped-up vigilance along an 8-kilometer-long (5-mile-long) border and the overwhelmed resources on the Spanish side making the reunions difficult. Fatima Zohra told The Associated Press that other girls pushed her 14-year-old daughter to cross the border without her mothers knowledge. Zohra said she spotted her daughter in photos from inside the warehouse where Spanish officials are keeping the minors while they process them. Please help me find my daughter, she said. We always provided for her. We have money. Her father works in a private company. Spain is legally obliged to care for young migrants until their relatives can be located or until they turn 18. Authorities are deciding where in the Spanish mainland to distribute 260 of the minors already in Ceuta before the latest surge. But reunions are also proving difficult to bring about, Deu said. Some children told social services they really want to stay, even against their parents wishes. Others cant get home soon enough. I want to leave this place. I dont want Ceuta. I want Morocco, AP reporters heard a girl crying at a one center Save The Children, an international non-profit, said speeding up the return of the minors should be done on a case-by-case basis, upholding the childs safety and interests above everything else. The humanitarian crisis started as Morocco and Spain were at odds over Spain agreeing to provide COVID-19 care to a prominent Sahrawi leader fighting for the independence of Western Sahara, a territory once under Spanish control that Morocco annexed in the 1970s. While blaming Spain for creating a diplomatic dispute by hospitalizing the leader of the Polisario Front, Moroccan authorities have denied that they encouraged this weeks mass migrant crossings to Ceuta. Witnesses and reporters, including APs, have described seeing the border guard relax controls. But at least two Moroccan officials have separately attributed the massive surge to favorable weather or troops being tired following Ramadan celebrations. This was not improvised, it was planned. Morocco benefits by sending us and clearing people out, an 18-year-old who crossed this week into Ceuta told AP. We are Moroccos experiment. We are like lab rats. The young man asked for his name not to be disclosed for fear of deportation and other reprisals. Moroccos central police directorate called allegations that public agencies and officers encouraged the crossings false. In response to APs questions, the directorate said statements from minors not under the watch of parents or guardians cannot be relied upon or based on. Adult migrants remaining in Ceuta were scattered between makeshift shelters and a migrant holding facility where some asylum-seekers were taken. Many, especially Moroccans, were also roaming the streets, hiding from police patrols rounding up migrants. No more migrants arrived in the city without authorization for the third day in a row after Moroccan authorities stepped up vigilance. However, security forces on both sides of the fence separating Morocco from Melilla another Spanish territory in North Africa repelled groups of youths trying to reach Spanish soil. The government said at least 70 of them made it in throughout the day. Sovereignty claims over Ceuta and Melilla by Morocco have been an intermittent flashpoint between the two Mediterranean neighbors. But relations dipped to a low this month over Spains decision to host Brahim Ghali, who leads the Sahrawis fight against Moroccos annexation of Western Sahara. Ghali, who arrived under a different name with an Algerian passport, is recovering in a hospital from COVID-19. Moroccos ambassador to Spain, Karima Benyaich, on Friday warned that the crisis could worsen depending on how Spain deals with Ghali. To choose the same procedure for his departure is to choose the stagnation and the worsening of the crisis, Benyaich told Spains public broadcaster TVE. The self-declared Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, which Ghali also leads, blamed Morocco on Friday for using expansionist policies, aggression, and blackmail in trying to push European countries toward accepting its claim to Western Sahara, following the recognition the United States gave last year. The conviction by Moroccan diplomats that Trumps declaration could create a global dynamic to legitimize the annexation and illegal occupation of Western Sahara by Morocco resulted in a political fiasco, the group said. Morocco has offered to grant wide-ranging autonomy to the territory, where a U.N. peacekeeping force has monitored a cease-fire since 1991. The Polisario Front says local people have the right to a referendum on self-determination. ___ Aritz Parra in Madrid, Tarek Ananou in Ceuta, Spain, and Tarik El Barakah in Rabat contributed to this report. ___ Follow APs global migration coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/migration By RENATA BRITO and BERNAT ARMANGUE Associated Press Biden, South Koreas Moon deeply concerned about NKorea View Photo WASHINGTON (AP) President Joe Biden on Friday said he and South Korean President Moon Jae-in remain deeply concerned about the situation with North Korea, and announced he will deploy a new special envoy to the region to help refocus efforts on pressing Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear weapons program. Moon, meanwhile, welcomed Americas return to the world stage and said both leaders pledged in their meeting to work closely toward denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. Biden told a joint news conference with Moon that he was dispatching career diplomat Sung Kim, who previously served as ambassador to South Korea, to serve as the special envoy to the region. Moon said the move by Biden reflects the firm commitment of the U.S. for exploring diplomacy and its readiness for dialogue with North Korea. Biden also announced that the U.S. would vaccinate 550,000 South Korean servicemembers who serve alongside U.S. forces on the peninsula. This marks the first commitment by the Biden administration for what it plans to do with the 80 million vaccine doses it aims to distribute globally in the next six weeks. Biden has said he hopes to use domestically produced vaccines as a modern-day arsenal of democracy, a reference to the U.S. effort to arm allies in World War II. At the same time, the White House has pledged not to attach policy conditions to countries receiving the doses as global vaccine diplomacy heats up. Moon came to Washington seeking renewed diplomatic urgency by the U.S. on curbing North Koreas nuclear program, even as the White House signaled that it is taking a longer view on the issue. The two also discussed coordination on vaccine distribution, climate change and regional security concerns spurred by China. Their meeting was only Bidens second in-person session with a foreign leader because of the coronavirus pandemic. His first was with Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga. Moon said afterward he and Biden spoke like old friends and emphasized the need for cooperation on security issues in the region. The most urgent common task that our two countries must undertake is achieving complete denuclearization and permanent peace on the Korean Peninsula, he said. Biden did not rule out meeting North Korean leader Kim Jong Un Kim. But in a veiled reference to former President Donald Trumps charm offensive with Kim, Biden said he would not replicate the efforts of the recent past. Trump met face-to-face with the dictator on three occasions and exchanged what he called love letters with the leader. I would not give him all that hes looking for, Biden said of Kim, namely international recognition. Biden paid tribute to the long history of shared sacrifice by the two allies. His formal talks with Moon in the afternoon ran long, Biden said in earlier remarks, because I enjoyed the meeting so much that it caused us to move everything back. He said his staff interrupted repeatedly to warn they were over time. At the press conference, Biden also took a moment to note South Koreas growing influence on mainstream American culture. He said that now K-pop fans are universal and noted Korean actress Yuh-Jung Youn winning the Oscar award last month for her performance in Minari as well as the South Korean film Parasite winning the best picture award at the 2020 Oscars. Moon said, The world is welcoming Americas return, an oblique reference to Trumps attempts to disengage on some aspects of American diplomacy. The White House announced last month that it had completed a review of North Korea policy and Biden would veer from the strategies of his two most recent predecessors, rejecting both Trumps deeply personal effort to win over Kim and Barack Obamas more hands-off approach. But the administration has yet to detail what its third-way effort to try to prod the North to abandon its nuclear program will look like. Moon started his day at the White House complex by meeting with Vice President Kamala Harris and top Biden advisers. Moon also participated in a Medal of Honor ceremony for Ralph Puckett, a 94-year-old Army veteran who was celebrated for his gallantry during the Korean War more than 70 years ago. Without the sacrifice of veterans including Colonel Puckett freedom and democracy we enjoy today couldnt have blossomed in Korea, said Moon. Moon, who will leave office next May, is eager to resume stalled talks between Washington and Pyongyang and between Seoul and Pyongyang. But the Biden administration, which confirmed in March that it had made outreach efforts to the North without success, has been less enthusiastic about the idea of direct negotiations in the near term. Still, Moon made clear before the meeting that he would nudge Biden to renew diplomatic efforts with the North. Biden also used the meeting to press South Korea to adopt a more ambitious 2030 target for curbing carbon emissions and to urge Seoul to do more to counter Chinas growing influence in the Indo-Pacific region. Biden also wants Moon to take a strong stance on Chinas activity toward Taiwan and other provocative moves Beijing has made in the region. Biden has sought to rally Pacific allies to coordinate on China, which Biden sees as the United States fiercest economic competitor. South Korea could be reluctant to speak out about China, an important trading partner that it also sees as key in dealing with the North Korean government. Moon told the press conference there was no pressure on the issue from Biden in their meeting. ___ Associated Press writer Alexandra Jaffe contributed reporting. By AAMER MADHANI, DARLENE SUPERVILLE, and ZEKE MILLER Associated Press Thailand reports 1st cases of Indian coronavirus variant View Photo BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) Thailand on Friday said it has detected its first locally transmitted cases of the coronavirus variant discovered in India, as it announced the formal rollout of its national vaccination plan next month. The Ministry of Public Health said 36 cases of the Indian variant were found in a camp for construction workers in Bangkok. Of those, 21 are Thai, 10 are from Myanmar and five from Cambodia, said Dr. Supakit Sirilak, chief of the Medical Sciences Department. The government has banned the arrival of any non-Thais from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal in an effort to prevent the spread of the variant. Thailand reported 3,481 new coronavirus cases and 32 more deaths on Friday. Its total number of confirmed cases has now grown to 123,066 since the outbreak started, including 94,203 reported since a surge broke out at the beginning of April. It has reported 735 deaths, including 641 since April. The Center for COVID-19 Situation Administration said a nationwide state of emergency will be extended to the end of July to help contain the virus. The government also announced it will begin its national vaccination campaign on June 7, and that foreign residents will be allowed to sign up. The government had for weeks see-sawed on whether foreigners would be included and had said they would be vaccinated last. Thailand hopes to vaccinate 70% of the estimated 70 million people living in the country by the end of the year. Natapanu Nopakun, deputy spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said foreign migrant workers, who number more than 1 million, would be vaccinated separately by the labor ministry. Thailand has already started vaccinating some of the 150,000 Chinese citizens living in the country. China has supplied Thailand with millions of vaccine doses. About 200,000 other foreigners from Australia, Japan, Europe, the United States and elsewhere are mostly professionals and retirees. Thailand largely contained coronavirus cases last year by closing its borders, enforcing mandatory quarantines and actively tracing contacts of those found to be infected. The measures devastated its lucrative tourism industry but kept the pandemic at bay, for the most part, until early April. Then a surge that began in high-end nightspots in central Bangkok spread rapidly as people were allowed to travel during a mid-April national holiday. A partial lockdown in recent weeks has made limited headway in containing outbreaks, especially in Bangkok and in prisons. Camps for construction workers have recently become another major cluster. There are 409 construction camps across Bangkok housing 62,169 people. Of that number, 26,134 are Thai and 36,035 are migrant workers. About 87% of the cases detected recently in Thailand are from the coronavirus variant first found in Britain, Supakit said. Father of Londoner found dead in Pakistan demands justice View Photo LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) The father of a British woman of Pakistani origin who was found dead at a home in the eastern city of Lahore said he was dissatisfied with a police probe into the murder, but investigators on Friday said they were on the right track. Muhammad Zulfiqar appealed for help to Pakistans Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai, who was shot by the Taliban in 2012 for her work as an advocate for womens education. He asked Yousafazai, to advocate for justice on behalf of his 24-year-old daughter Mayra Zulfiqar. My dear daughter Malala, I appeal to you for Gods sake please raise your voice for my daughter. She was like your sister, he told The Associated Press late on Thursday, sobbing. Your voice is heard. The only difference is that you have gone abroad after studying here and my daughter came to Pakistan to serve humanity. In the interview, he also asked for help from Prime Minister Imran Khan. Mohammad Amin, who is investigating the case, said Friday that police were questioning two key suspects. It is a complicated case, but we are on the right track and God willing those who are involved in this crime will not go unpunished, Amin told the AP, reporting significant progress in the investigation. Zulfiqars daughter arrived in Pakistan earlier this year to attend a wedding. She was staying at home with a friend when she was found dead with two bullet wounds and signs of torture on her body. Police at the time arrested two men who had proposed to her to determine whether they had any involvement in the murder. Police in Pakistan were also seeking the arrest of more suspects. However, Pakistans police have not yet disclosed any major breakthrough into the murder. The slain womans father said he was not satisfied. Zulfiqar was a law school graduate from London who wanted to work as a lawyer in Pakistan to give free legal assistance to poor people, her father said. Zulfiqar said he wants an example made of those linked to his daughters murder. I have been made a shuttlecock between different departments of the police but still, there is no headway in the investigations, he said, as he hoped Malala could play a role in highlighting his ordeal. Yousafzai won international renown after she was shot by the Taliban in Pakistan, where she received initial treatment and later was taken to England for further care. She stayed on in the United Kingdom, where she recently completed her education. She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014. Zulfiqar said Mayra was his only daughter. I will continue raising my voice until I get justice and her murderers are publicly hanged, he said. By BABAR DOGAR Asscociated Press Sacramento, CACalifornians applying for a Real ID from the DMV now have one less document to provide during the application process. Following an update to federal rules, the DMV no longer requires applicants to provide a Social Security card or W-2 to prove they have a Social Security number. Starting today, Californians can now simply provide their Social Security number. The process can be started online by filling out an application, Californians can bring their confirmation code and documents to the DMV office at their convenience, even the same day, and get express service, with no appointment required. Once at the service window, it now takes less than 10 minutes to complete the process. DMV Director Steve Gordon explains Getting a REAL ID in California just got a little easier, We continue to streamline the REAL ID process so that customers can upload required documents, avoid long lines and get a REAL ID well in advance of the federal enforcement date. The website to start the online application can be found here Sacramento, CA State regulators have halted talks that were scheduled for today as they are rethinking a proposal for a July relaxation of restrictions. California regulators are now aiming for a mid-June easing of workplace masking and social distancing requirements to conform with a broader state order. They asked to delay todays debate on how quickly they should drop coronavirus safety rules for employees as they are rethinking a current proposal. It is before the California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board and would require vaccinated workers to wait until July 31 before they can stop wearing face masks indoors unless everyone in the room is fully vaccinated. Cal/OSHAs staff said it would aim to make possible a targeted effective date of June 15, 2021, This week, California health officials relayed they will keep the states rules that generally require indoor masking and distancing until the state more broadly lifts its pandemic restrictions on June 15, a date also endorsed by Gov. Gavin Newsom. Saying the later date will cause confusion, business groups agree and want the workplace regulator to ease its restrictions starting June 15. California has made a quick transition from being an epicenter for the virus at the start of the year to a record low infection rate of less than 1% and an economy with all sectors now reopened, notwithstanding the restrictions. More than half the states population of nearly 40 million has received at least one vaccination dose. FBI employee accused of storing classified documents at home View Photo WASHINGTON (AP) An FBI employee has been indicted on charges that she stored classified documents and other national security information at home over the course of more than a decade, the Justice Department said Friday. Kendra Kingsbury, 48, is accused of having unauthorized possession of a broad swath of sensitive government documents, including materials that describe sources, methods and operations and that contain information about operatives such as a suspected associate of Osama bin Laden. Kingsbury worked as an intelligence analyst in the FBIs Kansas City office for 12 years until her suspension in December 2017. The two-count indictment, filed in the Western District of Missouri, alleges that during that time, Kingsbury illegally removed documents she was granted access to at work and stored them at home. Though Kingsbury held a top-secret security clearance and was assigned to squads covering a range of crimes and threats, she did not have a need to know the information in most of the documents, prosecutors say. According to the indictment, the records Kingsbury stored at home included details about specific investigations, sensitive human source operations, intelligence gaps with regard to terrorist organizations and foreign intelligence services, and information about the FBIs technical capabilities. The materials also discuss al-Qaida members, including a suspected bin Laden associate, prosecutors say. The indictment does not provide a reason for why Kingsbury mishandled the documents, nor does it accuse her of having transmitted the information to anyone else. The Justice Department declined to elaborate beyond the indictment on Friday. The breadth and depth of classified national security information retained by the defendant for more than a decade is simply astonishing, Alan E. Kohler Jr., the assistant director in charge of the FBIs Counterintelligence Division, said in a statement. The case underscores the risk to national security posed by insider threats, Assistant Attorney General John Demers, the Justice Departments top national security official, said in a statement. Court documents do not identify a lawyer for Kingsbury, of Dodge City, Kansas. A message left at a phone number connected to her was not immediately returned. ____ Follow Eric Tucker on Twitter at http://www.twitter/com/etuckerAP By ERIC TUCKER Associated Press Xcel Energy wants customers to prepare for electricity outages amid storm season. The company suggests having an evacuation plan for the family in the event of long-term outages, stockpiling perishable food items and bottled water and checking flashlight batteries. We continue to strengthen the power grid that serves our area to make it more resilient in the face of high winds and lightning, but outages do happen, said Brad Baldridge, director of customer and community relations for Xcel Energy in Texas and New Mexico. Now is a good time for customers to think about how they will manage if a storm disrupts their power service. The company has several ways to communicate when outages are restored. Customers can find this information at xcelenergy.com or on their Xcel Energy smart device app. Customers can report outages by phone by calling 1(800)895-1999. The company also noted things to watch out for in the event of an outage or storm-caused damages: ATHENS, Greece (AP) Greek firefighters were battling a major forest fire in the Corinth region west of Athens for a second day Friday, with more settlements evacuated overnight. Civil Protection head Nikos Hardalias said Friday that more than 4,000 hectares (nearly 9,900 acres) of mostly forest in mountainous terrain had been burned. Dozens of houses were also destroyed, mostly holiday homes or small dwellings outside of villages. The fire, which broke out late Wednesday near the village of Schinos, was fanned by gale-force winds that blanketed the Greek capital about 70 kilometers to the west with acrid smoke throughout the day Thursday. During the night there were many fronts that were exceptionally dangerous for our forces, said Hardalias, adding that three settlements and one monastery were evacuated as a precaution during the night. More than 300 firefighters, ground teams, members of the military and volunteers were fighting the flames, while 21 water-dropping planes and helicopters were deployed at first light Friday to assist from the air. Despite exceptionally difficult circumstances, firefighting forces managed to prevent the flames from reaching a wildlife refuge south of the main fire, and from expanding further east towards the town of Megara, Hardalias said. The fire destroyed power lines, causing local blackouts, and reached a nearby coastline. The Civil Protection Authority activated a cellphone-enabled alert service to help with evacuation efforts on Thursday and overnight to Friday. Wildfires are common during Greeces hot, dry summers, but this blaze started well before the full heat of summer. The country had been experiencing unseasonably hot weather over the past week. In 2018, a blaze that hit the summer resort area of Mati east of Athens killed more than 100 people. The victim was pushing her cart in the street on Albany Ave. when a 69-year-old man driving in the same direction struck her. Saturdays Petersburg Day event will be centered on the final weeks of the current high school building. Petersburg is near completion of its new high school facility and the old school is scheduled to be demolished in June. This is the last chance for all exes, all alumni to come to the school and visit it one last time, said Dustee Solis of the Petersburg Chamber of Commerce. Parts of the Petersburg ISD campus, which houses pre-kindergarten to 12th grades, were constructed more than 90 years ago while the more updated portions were remodeled or built in the 1960s. Some local families have attended school in Petersburg for multiple generations. The day-long Petersburg Day event will center on the high school with all previous graduating classes able to hold reunions in classrooms. Solis said about 28 former classes have requested rooms for their own reunions. Another aspect to the old schools final hoorah will be a silent auction where people can bid on memorabilia and paraphernalia that will not be going to the new PHS building. Festivities begin at 9 a.m. on Saturday with a ribbon cutting and grand opening of The Well at Petersburg, which is a non-profit Rural Health & Wellness organization that is located at 1706 Ave. G. That will be followed by the veterans memorial program at The Plaza. The traditional parade will commence on Main St. at 10:30 a.m. Some of the classes that are holding reunions will be recognized during the parade, which will also include commercial vehicles, floats for each of the four PHS classes and classic and antique cars. The PHS senior class will be holding a lunch fundraiser at the school cafeteria, which will be followed by the class reunions that will take place around campus. Guided tours of the new school building begin at 1 p.m. A memory book will also be on sale for those looking for another souvenir of the old school. Solis said the 70-plus page book features photos and other fun information about the history of Petersburg HS as well as the city. The cost for the book is $20. Complete information for Petersburg Day can be found at the Chambers Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/petersburgtxchamber/. This summer, the Witte Museum is bringing the stink the stink of death that is as part of an upcoming installation highlighting natures most extreme creatures. The rare Titan Arum plant, more commonly known as the corpse flower, is characterized by its rotten, famously repugnant scent. Recently, a blooming corpse flower made headlines by drawing a crowd to an abandoned gas station in California. While the local museum will not showcase a live plant in bloom, they will however give you an opportunity to smell the unique botanical creature first hand. Patrons will be privy to a 10-foot-tall model (corpse flower plants can grow up to 15 feet tall), and a smell station that mimics the carrion-like aroma. READ MORE: These new mini chamoy keychains are a San Antonio essential The question remains: are you brave enough to sniff? The exhibit provides a special opportunity, since the plants blooming is so rare. Typically, a growing corpse flower takes anywhere from seven to 10 years before it flowers producing the signature stench and sometimes an equal amount of time before it blooms again. The feature, part of the upcoming "Extreme Creatures: Life at the Limits," opens Saturday, May 29, and intends to showcase the diverse and sometimes strange adaptations of our planets flora and fauna. It will run through September 6, 2021. After reviewing new CDC policies, the Witte Museum has updated their safety protocols, now permitting fully inoculated patrons to leave their masks at home. However, those who are not vaccinated are still requested to continue wearing their face coverings. To catch a whiff of the corpse flower, tickets for this smell expedition are on sale online for $5 dollars (on top of general admission) and $4 dollars for museum members. Camille Sauers is a freelance writer based in San Antonio. Follow her on twitter @camillesaccount. Send her email tips to camillefrancissauers@gmail.com After being a travel nurse for many years, Rene Burnias incorporated cultures he learned from working in Honduras, El Salvador, and more into his dream coffee shop. Chico's Coffee Shack, named after Burnias' cute pug that friend brought to him from Mexico, is scheduled to open with a Latin American menu on Thursday, July 1, in downtown San Antonio, located on 119 South Flores. READ ALSO: Boerne restaurant gets 'vicious' phone calls after COVID vaccine policy leak The Rio Grande Valley native plans to roast in-house the raw coffee beans he will get from small farms in Latin American, including Honduras, El Salvador, Costa Rica, and Mexico. He said it was important to import from small farms rather than larger ones, as he wants to help out those smaller communities. "I've always liked coffee," the 47-year-old said. "It always intrigued me to learn where coffee comes from and how it's made, so when I wanted a coffee shop, I went to a seminar that urged me not to roast my own coffee, but I knew I had because there are not a lot of shops that roast their own." Burnias also looks forward to creating a menu with pastries from two different countries, such as Guatemalan banana bread, pan de coco from El Salvador, and a Houduran quesadilla. The menu and coffee list is a work in progress at the moment, but Burnias said the community can expect at least three different styles of coffee and pastries. After opening day, Burnias said he will expand the drink list with more flavors. Editor's note: This is part of a weekly column focusing on local TV personalities, producers and everyone that makes TV news happen in San Antonio. Want to learn more about a specific personality? Send Candice a note at candice.garcia@express-news.net. At just 28-years-old, Univision 41's Gabriel Torres has accomplished a lot in his broadcast career. From getting his degree in meteorology while working full-time to winning four Emmy Awards, Torres is a "goal-getter." Fresh from a trip to the gym for a workout (one of Torres' favorite hobbies), we started to chat about how his love for meteorology began as a kid, but grew as he joined the television industry. "I was always interested in weather as a kid. It wasnt until I started in the industry that I became fascinated with the science behind meteorology, he told MySA. "I didnt just want to read someone elses forecasts. I wanted to understand the science for myself." He says he owes a lot of his success to his colleagues who he looks up to. "You know, my TV journalist role models are usually unknown to people because theyre the true journalists behind the scenes. Throughout my career, Ive always had great producers and news directors that supported me and made me who I am today," he said. "From my first news director in Laredo to my current news director, Moana Ramirez, Ive always had great supporters behind me." Minority farmers who for decades have faced systemic discrimination will begin to receive debt relief beginning in early June under what Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack called Friday one of the most significant pieces of civil rights legislation in decades. In an op-ed piece published Friday in USA Today, Vilsack also called the debt relief a major civil rights victory," saying it responds to systemic discrimination perpetrated against farmers and ranchers of color by the Agriculture Department. It is a historic move that will symbolize that USDA actually cares and that the Biden administration is doing whatever they can to mend fences and show the minority farmers that they do care about them during his administration, said Abraham Carpenter, a 59-year-old Black farmer whose family grows fruits and vegetables on about 1,500 acres near Grady, Arkansas. Carpenter expects the debt relief will pay off about $200,000 in farm loans, freeing up money that can now be put toward farm operations like buying seed and equipment instead of making loan payments. I know they have said it about a thousand times that they wanted to bring everybody together to make sure everybody was treated fairly. You can say it a million times., but until you show it nobody really believes it," he said. "But this action of paying off debts for the minority farmers shows they actually do care about treating everybody fairly. The U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency announced Friday it has published the first notice of funding availability under the American Rescue Plan Act for borrowers with qualifying direct farm loans. A subsequent notice for farmers with government-guaranteed agricultural loans held by private lenders will be published within 120 days. A provision in the pandemic relief law directs USDA to pay off the farm loans of nearly 16,000 minority farmers and begin to address racial equity challenges. It authorizes the Agriculture Department to pay up to 120% of direct and guaranteed loan outstanding balances for socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers. Im feeling really good, said Rod Bradshaw, a 68-year-old Black farmer who raises wheat, cattle and milo on 2,000 acres near Jetmore, Kansas. We knew it was coming, we didnt know when. Bradshaw, who has been farming since buying his first ground in 1976, has made several discrimination complaints with Agriculture Department over the years. He said he has four direct loans totaling more than $300,000 with USDA that he anticipates will be paid off under the debt relief plan. Its going to free us up and let us halfway conduct business as usual, Bradshaw said upon learning of Friday's announcement. This has been going on for so long, this is the first step of getting Black farmers and farmers of color back to where they need to be. The Agriculture Department said in its news release that for much of its history, socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers have faced discrimination, sometimes overt and sometimes through deeply embedded rules and policies. USDA is recommitting itself to gaining the trust and confidence of Americas farmers and ranchers using a new set of tools provided in the American Rescue Plan to increase opportunity, advance equity and address systemic discrimination in USDA programs, Vilsack said. Some weekend rentals come with a cupboard full of Snoopy puzzles you can stare at while your group is waiting for the gummies to hit. Then theres the real-life, actually mind-blowing visual treats of Chalk Draw, a rental property in far West Texas where you can spend the afternoon hunting down 46 prehistoric petroglyphs and pictographs scattered across the ranchs 20,000 acres before hiking to a mesa where you can take in Santiago Peak, the Rio Grande and the seemingly infinite, whiskey-colored vista stretching deep into Mexico. Its kind of a different vibe from your standard Airbnb. Thats exactly the goal of Explore Ranches, a two-year old Texas outfit connecting the landowners of some of the most epic properties in the state (and a few beyond it) with people craving big views and an interesting place to hang their hat. These rentals arent for everybody. For one, theyre pricey: costs range from about $600 to $5,000 or more a night. Theyre also remote: Chalk Draw is 60 miles from the nearest town, so Uber Eats will not come to bail you out if you get the munchies (though you can add on a private chef and guide for an additional $500 a night). As with other ranches on the Explore Ranches list of offerings, there are no neighbors at Chalk Draw, but there are bobcats and mountain lions and snakes, and plenty of silence. Ranch 2810 Marfa Explore Ranches And that is just what some folks are looking for: the idealized version of Texas we have in our head but rarely see. Its a point that Explore Ranches co-founder Jay Kleberg who grew up on the legendary King Ranch brought up in his initial meetings. I had spent eight years with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation doing land acquisition, and you become really familiar with the fact that Texas is 97% privately owned, says Kleberg. Its hard to keep up with the demand for public access to the outdoors. Kleberg teamed up with Allison Ryan, who at the time was trying to figure out how she and her siblings were going to manage the care and maintenance of Withers Ranch in the Davis Mountains in far West Texas, and Jesse Womack, a fifth-generation rancher from Victoria County. For owners, putting their property for rent on Explore Ranches opens a revenue stream that might help provide a lifeline to keep a ranch in the family in the face of rising property taxes. Stewardship is really important for most of these people they want their children and their grandchildren to be able to have access to the same experiences and the same landscape that they did, says Kleberg. Theres a lot of romanticism around that in Texas. Withers Ranch Explore Ranches Each of the properties is so unique and some so extremely remote that the Explore Ranches website provides more information than you might be used to from other vacation sites. Youll see cinematic drone-shot videos of the property, sample itineraries and details on whether the property is hosted (someones staying on site) or semi-hosted (someone will meet you at the gate). Customized experiences are the norm, so Explore Ranches can set you up with fishing and wildlife guides or grocery deliveries in advance. There are more than 20 ranches on offer now, and Kleberg expects the list to grow to around 30 by years end. Bookings, he says, are triple last years. When I ask him about the quintessential Explore Ranches property, he hems and haws. Rancho Buena Vida ($5,000/night; sleeps 19) is a sprawling family retreat in Hill Country thats just an hour from Austin, on a bluff overlooking a spring-fed creek filled with trout and bordered by cypress trees. Its surprisingly modern not what some people might think of as a ranch, says Kleberg. Then theres the Hudspeth River Ranch ($650/adult per night) at the source of the Devils River the Caribbean-blue waterway thats on every in-the-know Texas outdoorsmans bucket list. It lives up to its reputation. You feel like youre seeing something thats existed as it is for 10,000 years. But Kleberg says he holds a special reverence for Withers Ranch ($650/adult per night). The 1,600-acre property is located in one of the deepest canyons in Texas, within the Davis Mountains, where there are mountain lions and elk and bear roaming around, and the sky is just littered with stars, says Kleberg. Its just wild to be in a place thats still so remote. I was out there a few months ago with my phone turned off for three days. It reminded me of that book The Nature Fix. I felt myself becoming more hopeful, more creative, more philosophical. I cant wait to go back. This article was featured in the InsideHook Texas newsletter. Sign up now for more from the Lone Star State. The post Forget Airbnb: Explore Ranches Lets You Rent the Whole Ranch appeared first on InsideHook. We are disappointed that a dismissal on these grounds does not foreclose the possibility that a misguided prosecutor may attempt a similar prosecution in the future, Beckers trial counselor, Jacqueline Goodman, explained. As a result, we are left to play a sort of whack-a-mole, ever vigilant that we find and prevent any similar efforts to charge a woman with murder for the outcome of her pregnancy. By Jerri-Lynn Scofield, who has worked as a securities lawyer and a derivatives trader. She is currently writing a book about textile artisans. And now for something completely different: this post is about cotton farming, and was inspired by a reader comment. As part of an exchange, In response to yesterdays post about Turkeys decision to ban (most) plastic waste imports, Waste Watch: Turkey Bans Plastic Waste Imports, reader James Simpson commented: Its certainly true that most modern varieties of cotton use vast amounts of water to grow not to mention pesticides and chemical fertilisers. Cotton production is responsible for the drying up of the vast Aral Sea, located in Uzbekistan. According to the Guardian: The Aral Sea was once the worlds fourth largest lake, home to 24 species of fish and surrounded by fishing communities, lush forests and wetlands. While the lake was salt water, the rivers that fed it were fresh water. In the 1950s the Soviet Union began using the rivers to irrigate the surrounding agricultural area, a process that has been continued to this day by Uzbekistans brutal dictator Islam Karimov. The exposure of the bottom of the lake has released salts and pesticides into the atmosphere poisoning both farm land and people alike. Carcinogenic dust is blown into villages causing throat cancers and respiratory diseases. The fashion industry is linked to this horror of dictatorships and environmental devastation by the fact that the crop being grown with the river water is cotton 1.47m hectares of cotton. A hugely water intensive crop, one shirt can use up to 2,700 litres. Conventional cotton (as opposed to organic cotton) has got to be one of the most unsustainable fibres in the world, says fashion designer and environmentalist Katharine Hamnett. Conventional cotton uses a huge amount of water and also huge amounts of pesticides which cause 350,000 farmer deaths a year and a million hospitalisations. Reflecting on the loss of the Aral Sea, Hamnett states: This is not just climate change this is an extinction issue. As Vandana Shiva said no species has deliberately designed its own extinction, but with industrial agriculture we have. The fashion industry is one of the most polluting industries in the world, causing human misery, enormous cost of life and gigantic environmental devastation. In addition to the environmental devastation caused by producing cotton in Uzbekistan, slave labor is still employed to pick the crop, according to this 2020 Human Rights Watch report, Forced Labor Persists in Uzbekistans Cotton Fields. Im not going to discuss that horror in this post and will instead concentrate on the environmental impact of cotton production. Its not growing cotton per se thats the problem. Instead, its the methods by which most cotton is currently grown using industrial agricultural methods and modern hybrid seeds that wreaks the environmental devastation. A Solution? Is that the only alternative? Of course not. Let me discuss one. The Khamir NGO, based in the westernmost part of India, close to the Pakistani border, in the state of Gujarat, in the Kachchh district, in 2007 launched the Kala Cotton Initiative to revive the growing of kala cotton. From Khamirs website: Kala cotton is indigenous to Kachchh and by default organic, as the farmers do not use any pesticides and synthetic fertilizers. It is a purely rain fed crop that has a high tolerance for both disease and pests, and requires minimal investment. It is both resilient and resurgent in the face of stressful land conditions. Kala Cotton is one of the few genetically pure cotton species remaining in India, and one of the only species of pure, old world cottons to be cultivated today on a large scale. It forms a strong, coarse, stretchable fibre that is often used in denim. As it is difficult to produce fine quality textiles with it, as its short staple length translates to fewer twists per inch of yarn, over time its use has diminished significantly in mainstream markets. Ive visited Kachchh many times a place that sees few foreign tourists, except for birders and textile aficionados, despite its considerable natural beauty. And Ive bought lengths of handwoven kala cotton from Khamir. In texture, cloth woven from this cotton is rather nubby, but calling it coarse gives the wrong impression of its softness: its cotton after all, not jute. As a rough comparison, think of raw silks texture, as compared to smooth silk. That analogy provides some idea of what the kala cotton I had made into kurtas tunics looks and feels like, compared to the cotton of a mens dress shirt. The cloth was naturally dyed, one piece raspberry pink, the other the orangey-pink of wild salmon. And like a good flannel or denim shirt, the cotton only gets softer and softer every time I launder it, Click on the link to Khamirs website to see pictures of the fiber woven into cloth, which should provide an idea of its texture. More on the Kala Cotton Initiative: Khamir began this initiative in 2007, by partnering with Satvik, an association of organic farmers in Kachchh, to explore the production possibilities for Kala Cotton. As the cottons short staple length makes it difficult to spin and weave, Khamir and Satvik first consulted with many experts to develop a process for converting it into yarn. Additionally, local weavers had to be convinced of the value of Kala Cotton a particular challenge since weaving it requires changes in the loom set-up, as well as differing yields and shafts. After years of experimentation and perfecting both spinning and weaving techniques, Khamir began producing its first Kala Cotton goods in 2010. Today, the Kala Cotton Initiative encourages sustainable cotton textile production in harmony with local ecology. The project aims to create a value chain at multiple levels by working with marginalized communities and promoting locally grown species. To implement this initiative, Khamir and Satvik have created a supply chain between the Kala Cotton farmers, ginners, spinners and weavers to convert the raw cotton into hand woven products. It is hoped that eventually, the Kala Cotton Initiative will serve as an example for other communities to replicate. Now, I dont mean to imply that Khamirs kala cotton initiative alone can be scaled up to solve even a small part of cottons environmental problems. But that kala cotton can thrive in the arid environment of Kachchh which stretches from the Arabian Sea and includes both the Great Rann of Katchchh and the Little Rann of Katchchh, salt marshes wthin the That Desert using only rain water, suggests that cotton doesnt necessarily need to be irrigated to grow. Kala cotton is only one traditional Indian cotton fiber; once these were handwoven into textiles and exported throughout the world (some ending up in ancient Rome and others in South America, albeit much later,). Yves posted a link a couple of months back to a BBC article about dhaka muslin, a textile was made from another special type of cotton grown in what was then the easternmost part of India and which produced as fine a cloth as kala cotton is rough (see The ancient fabric that no one knows how to make).I Note that Dhaka is as wet as Kachchh is dry. My point is only that cotton could likely be bred to grow using less water, without pesticides, and chemical fertilisers, if sustainability concerns were brought to the fore, to replace current preoccupations with maximizing efficiency and profits. India still includes a large handweaving sector, and the organisers of the Kala Cotton Initiative appreciated that they needed the skills of weavers to succeed, so the initiative was designed so as to encourage their participation. I thank reader James Simpson for his thoughtful comment, as its spurred me to write about the Kala Cotton Initiative and to recall many pleasant visits to Kachchh, at a time when Im greatly concerned about the health and well-being of my many friends in India. (Natural News) Joe Biden tried to get a few laughs during his first commencement address by quoting a Chinese communist leader. Hes now facing criticism for citing words by Mao Zedong in a speech before a class of Coast Guard cadets. (Article republished from OANN.com) The Democrats remarks came Wednesday at the U.S. Coast Guard Academys graduation ceremony in New London, Connecticut. He made the following statement while citing the founding father of the Peoples Republic of China: Theres a saying, used in a different context, a Chinese saying that says, women hold up half the world. Its an absolute stupid position not to make sure they represent at least half of what we do. Biden used this quote from Chairman Mao to emphasize the importance of appointing women to commanding positions in the military for the sake of so-called social justice. Mao is known for being responsible for the deaths of an estimated 80 million people during the so-called Cultural Revolution in 1960s China. When the cadets didnt respond, Biden tried to poke fun at their lack of enthusiasm. President Biden, in his commencement speech to the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, called the class of graduating cadets "dull" for not laughing at his poorly delivered joke about the Navy. pic.twitter.com/O3i6dX03LF The College Fix (@CollegeFix) May 20, 2021 Biden previously quoted Mao Zedong on his campaign trail last year when he led a fundraiser event with Iran-tied Democrat operative Valerie Jarret. Read more at: OANN.com and JoeBiden.news. (Natural News) A fatal fungal infection has been spreading among current and recovered Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) patients in India due to intensive medical intervention. Known as the black fungus infection or mucormycosis, the disease mainly affects people with weakened immune systems. In a health advisory on Sunday, May 9, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) warned that the fungus could damage the sinuses or lungs when inhaled. Patients who were on medication for some time and those who required prolonged stays in the ICU are particularly susceptible to the infection, the council added. Symptoms include pain and redness around the eyes and nose, shortness of breath, bloody vomiting and an altered mental state. The deadly fungal infection had been present in India before the COVID-19 pandemic, but cases were very rare back then. Infectious diseases specialist Atul Patel told AFP that cases in recovered coronavirus patients were nearly four to five times higher than pre-pandemic numbers. Khusrav Bajan, a consultant at Mumbais PD Hinduja National Hospital, said that up to 300 cases had been detected in the state of Maharashtra, which is home to Indias financial hub Mumbai. State-run hospitals in the state of Gujarat also reported about 300 cases across four cities, including the states largest Ahmedabad. The rise in cases was attributed in part to intensive medical intervention, which includes putting oxygen tubes through the nose. The mortality rate for the infection is very high, and even the few who recover are often left disfigured by the extensive and aggressive surgery required to get rid of the fungi. Indeed, local media outlets reported COVID-19 patients who lost their eyes and upper jaws after getting treated for the disease. This is a fast-moving infection. It can grow within two weeks, said Bajan, who is also a member of Maharashtras COVID-19 task force. Its a Catch-22, coming out of a virus and getting into a fungal infection. Its really bad. The ICMR advised doctors to monitor an infected patients blood sugar levels and to use clean, sterile water in humidifiers that are used for oxygen therapy. The council also warned against the overuse of steroids, which it said could worsen the infection. Amid the rise in cases, Gujarat ordered government hospitals to set up separate treatment wards for patients with mucormycosis. Fungal infection is another challenge in Indias fight against COVID-19 This comes as India is battling a second wave of Wuhan coronavirus infections. For the past couple of weeks, the country logged recorded more than 300,000 COVID-19 cases every day, Bloomberg reported. As of Tuesday, May 11, its total caseload stood at nearly 23 million, which is the second-highest after the U.S. Pundits predicted that Indias daily case count would breach 500,000 by the middle of this month, fueling calls for lockdowns and other restrictions. During a federal government meeting in late April, Indian officials agreed that heavily populated states such as Maharashtra and Gujarat would be the major drivers to the surge. The officials raised concerns about the healthcare system in each state, noting that it is already not adequate to cope with the present situation. (Related: Hospital fire in India kills 15 amid second wave of coronavirus infections.) In Gujarat, all government hospitals are now fully occupied, but COVID-19 patients are still pouring in by the handful every day. Many religious and social organizations stepped in and converted their buildings into COVID-19 care centers to relieve the strain. In the city of Vadodara, a mosque was converted into a 50-bed treatment facility equipped with medical supplies and a team of doctors, nurses and paramedical staff. Experts warned that the sheer size of the outbreak in India would likely generate new virus mutations. According to William Haseltine, a former Harvard Medical School professor who now heads the think tank Access Health International, second- or third-generation versions of the Indian variant known as B.1.617 could be circulating in the country. Some of those might be more dangerous, he said, meaning they could be more transmissible or current COVID-19 vaccines might be ineffective against them. Read the latest news about the COVID-19 pandemic and how countries are faring at Pandemic.news. Sources include: Bloomberg.com 1 ChannelNewsAsia.com WorldOMeters.info TheStar.com.my NationalHeraldIndia.com Bloomberg.com 2 (Natural News) Danish toy company Lego announced on Thursday its Everyone Is Awesome set, a new LGBT-themed product scheduled for release on June 1, the first day of Pride Month, that includes a purple drag queen. (Article by Dillon Burroughs republished from WesternJournal.com) Set designer Matthew Ashton, Legos vice president of design, said in the companys statement, I wanted to create a model that symbolises inclusivity and celebrates everyone, no matter how they identify or who they love. Everyone is unique, and with a little more love, acceptance and understanding in the world, we can all feel more free to be our true AWESOME selves! This model shows that we care, and that we truly believe Everyone is awesome! The new products specifications state, Presented in a spectrum of colors, this buildable display includes 11 monochrome minifigures against a rainbow backdrop. They add, Each minifigure features its own color scheme with matching hairpiece, showcasing the diversity we see in the world around us. The set will be available through LEGO.com and LEGO branded stores according to the statement. Were super excited to reveal our new set LEGO Everyone is Awesome! Because we celebrate every LEGO builder #LEGO #EveryoneIsAwesome, Lego tweeted. Were super excited to reveal our new set LEGO Everyone is Awesome! Because we celebrate every LEGO builder #LEGO #EveryoneIsAwesome pic.twitter.com/J7KSz3zWik LEGO (@LEGO_Group) May 20, 2021 Twitter users responded with a variety of thoughts on the new Lego product. I can't wait to get this and tell my kids exactly why it was made and what it stands for Cinderella (@JustCinders) May 20, 2021 So are we donating to LGBTQ Charities? Or is this just for show? x Funny how you chose the colours carefully, but avoid mentioning anything queer. Aaron (@IsMiseAaron) May 20, 2021 One Twitter user complained about the fact that Lego appears to be marketing the product to those 18 years of age or older. and why the 18+? It's useful we teach our children that inclusivity is important, why wait so long? pic.twitter.com/zMWCgPv6tX C a t e r D e S m e t (@dewlanna) May 20, 2021 In a statement, Ashton explained his story behind the LGBT-inspired Everyone Is Awesome product, including his motive behind including a drag queen. I purposely put the purple drag queen in as a clear nod to the fabulous side of the LGBTQIA+ community, Ashton said. Representation is so important. I grew up in the 80s and was obviously a gay kid. There was a lot of negativity back then around being gay; it was right in the middle of the AIDS crisis when I was a young teen and that was incredibly daunting and scary. Ashton added, This sends a signal to everyone that this is what we stand for at The LEGO Group and that we want to embrace all of you, because creativity is for everyone. We do truly feel that everyone is awesome. We all have the right to be accepted, to be loved and also to be creative. With this set, we hope to show that we care, no matter who you are. Read more at: WesternJournal.com and Gender.news. (Natural News) The most obnoxious and ineffective medical experiment forced masking is finally coming to an end in Texas. Governor Greg Abbott recently signed an Executive Order that ends mask mandates in every county, city and school district. Starting on June 4, students, faculty members and visitors will NOT be forced to wear a face mask while on campus. Any school authority, public health official or government authority who requires a face covering can now be fined up to $1,000 per incident. The bullying of parents and the abuse of their children must come to an end. The need for restoration of individual liberty is dire The act of concealing ones face and restricting ones airways is a personal choice, a private medical decision. Forcing that decision onto others is an act of violence and abuse. Likewise, one is free to believe that masks are healthy and prevent death, but this is a personal set of beliefs. The government of Texas now recognizes that it cannot establish a set of beliefs and force every individual to accept this religion by force. This is a violation of the First Amendment of the Bill of Rights, the Supreme Law of the Land, which prohibits the making of any law pertaining to an establishment of a federal or state religion, or impeding the free exercise of religion. This act of force is also a violation of Title II of The Civil Rights Act (Public Accommodations) 42 U.S.C. 2000a (a)All persons shall be entitled to the full and equal enjoyment of the goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, and accommodations of any place of public accommodation, as defined in this section, without discrimination on the ground of race, color, RELIGION, or national origin. Abbott, who never had the authority to suspend civil liberties in the first place, admitted, Texans, not government, should decide their best health practices, which is why masks will not be mandated by public school districts or government entities [any longer.] We can continue to mitigate COVID-19 while defending Texans liberty to choose whether or not they mask up. The order does not end all medical experimentation in Texas; the order does not apply to state-supported living centers, government-owned or operated hospitals, Texas Department of Criminal Justice facilities, Texas Juvenile Justice Department facilities, or county and municipal jails. On July 3, 2020, Texas Governor Greg Abbott issued a statewide mask mandate, requiring face coverings over the mouth and the nose for Texans who live in counties with more than 20 coronavirus cases. Under intense political pressure to appear as if he is keeping people safe, Governor Abbott suspended civil liberties throughout the state, depriving people of their rights. Overnight, people without face masks were considered guilty of being diseased and causing others to die. Presumption of innocence and the principle of due process was vanquished overnight, as unmasked citizens were wrongfully convicted and shamed for nonexistent crimes, for which no evidence existed. The Fifth Amendment says to the federal government that no one shall be deprived of life, liberty or property without due process of law. The abuse of childrens minds and the forced medical experimentation of their bodies MUST END For nearly a year, authority figures intimidated, discriminated, socially ostracized, segregated and threatened people with trespassing charges and false imprisonment, all because these healthy individuals made the personal decision to breathe freely and not subject their mind or body to duress. But the state inflicted duress on these people regardless, threatening healthy, unmasked citizens at every door and entryway. Worse, school boards seized parental rights, forcibly abusing children on a daily basis with mask mandates and punishments for breathing. These acts of intimidation and coercion must not be forgotten. (Related: Masked schoolchildren are harmed physically, psychologically, behaviorally and suffer from 24 distinct health issues.) The Nuremberg Code is clear about this abuse. For any medical experiment, the voluntary consent of the individual is absolutely essential. Every parent and every child should have the legal capacity to give consent and have the ability to exercise free power of choice, without being subjected to intimidation, force, fraud, deceit, duress or any other form of constraint or coercion. In addition, the administrators of medical experiment must provide comprehensive information to help the person (parent and child) make an adequate decision. The experiment must disclose the duration and purpose of the experiment and be transparent about any expected inconveniences, health effects and hazards related to the experiment. Over the past year, none of these principles of informed consent were followed, as an unlawful, longstanding and ineffective mask mandate deprived individuals of life and liberty. History will be unkind to those authority figures who participated in the abuse of children and the violation of civil liberties. Sources include: BigLeaguePolitics.com Justice.gov TexasTribune.org NEJM.org NaturalNews.com (Natural News) California dealt with an intense wildfire season that scorched about 10 million acres in 2020. This year, it looks like the state is in for another crisis in the form of extreme drought conditions. In fact, the Golden States drought conditions went from bad to worse in just a month. Warm temperatures last month melted most of the Sierra Nevada snowpack. But instead of melting into a generous volume of water and replenishing the states gasping reservoirs, the snowpack evaporated and trickled into the ground. Officials had been counting on the snowpack to replenish state water sources in anticipation of a dry spell. We got unlucky, said Jeffrey Mount, a geologist and water expert at the Public Policy Institute of California. A lot of [the snowpack] didnt make it into the reservoirs. The unfortunate output of the Sierra Nevada mountain range helps explain why nearly a quarter of the state by land area is in extreme drought conditions or worse, including the entire Sacramento Valley and Bay Area, according to the latest map from the U.S. Drought Monitor, a weekly hydrological analysis by the federal government. In particular, the monitor shows that 93 percent of California is in extreme, severe or exceptional drought. Last month, only two-thirds of the state was facing those conditions. Most of California faces extreme drought conditions The worsening conditions follow another winter of below-average rainfall, creating a dire water situation. Now, farmers in California are still waiting on their meager five percent water allocation from the federal governments Central Valley Project. On Wednesday, May 5, the Bureau of Reclamation said it was putting the release of the water allocations on hold. The announcement was a blow to rice farmers in Sacramento Valley, who produce about 97 percent of the states rice. Even those farmers with special contractual rights that entitle them to enhanced deliveries from the Central Valley Project will be facing a minimum 25 percent reduction to their water allocation, according to Jim Morris, spokesman for the California Rice Commission, a nonprofit representing rice farmers and handlers. California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who is currently facing a recall election, initially declared a drought emergency last month but only for the Sonoma and Mendocino counties. On Monday, May 10, he expanded the proclamation to include 39 more counties. The new order also covers the Sacramento and San Joaquin river watersheds, the Tulare Lake basin region and the Klamath region in Northern California. Roughly 30 percent of the state is now covered by the order, including the greater Sacramento area and a handful of counties in the San Joaquin Valley. However, the new order doesnt include mandatory drought conservation measures that could force businesses and residents to conserve water and curtail outdoor usage. Wade Crowfoot, the state secretary for natural resources, warned that Newsoms proclamation could cause the state water board to further limit farmers access to water from Californias elaborate complex of dams, reservoirs and canals. California is familiar with droughts. From 2012 to 2016, the state also saw extreme drought conditions because of below-average rainfall and warm temperatures. The five-year drought cost the state billions of dollars in economic losses, killed millions of forest trees and brought a number of fish species close to extinction. California might end up repeating history unless the government gets on top of its water crisis. In addition, there is also the risk of wildfires ahead of wildfire season. Hot and dry conditions coupled with gusty winds make it easier for fires to spread. Forests filled with dried-up trees are effectively tinder. On Friday, May 7, the National Weather Service issued red-flag warnings for the Sacramento Valley and northern San Joaquin Valley effective Saturday morning through Tuesday evening. (Related: Californias San Joaquin Valley, once fertile farming ground, now succumbing to drought.) Learn more about the current drought in California at Collapsifornia.com. Sources include: Breitbart.com SacBee.com Deadline.com CA.Water.USGS.gov SFGate.com Following a forensic interview with the girl, whose name is redacted from the complaint, authorities concluded that there was no medical evidence to suggest she was anything but healthy. Despite that, Abbuhl went as far as putting her daughter into counseling so she could learn how to process her own death. (Natural News) The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) decided to limit its tracking of people who contracted the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) despite vaccination. It recorded more than 9,000 breakthrough COVID-19 cases a tiny percentage of the total number immunized. The CDCs move drew concern from scientists who remarked that it only made investigations on the breakthrough infections more difficult. According to the public health agency, it would only report patients with COVID-19 vaccine breakthrough infection that were hospitalized or died effective May 14. It cited a need to maximize the quality of the data collected for the decision. The CDC nevertheless acknowledged that breakthrough cases are to be expected as no vaccine is 100 percent effective in preventing illness. CDC official Dr. Thomas Clark elaborated that it shifted its reporting strategy due to few worrying patterns in their collected data. He continued that the agencys current data suggested a focus on more severe cases. I dont think were missing out on this data. Its just sort of a package of how were looking at these questions [regarding breakthrough infections], Clark said in an interview. However, the public health agency noted that the official numbers are probably an undercount. This is because its Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System is passive and relies on voluntary reporting from state health departments. These departments may be reporting incomplete figures, the CDC added. Clark commented that the agency has planned other vaccine studies to look at the severity of COVID-19 cases in both vaccinated and unvaccinated people. It also planned to look at the frequency of infections caused by circulating Wuhan coronavirus variants in both groups. The CDC has partnered with a network of health centers for this particular purpose. But some scientists have argued in favor of tracking and sequencing all breakthrough infections. They claimed that it helps figure out who may be more at risk, when vaccine protection decreases and if new variants bypass vaccine-induced protection. Scripps Research Translational Institute Founder and Director Dr. Eric Topol said: We shouldnt be narrowing the focus, [Instead,] we should be broadening and [developing] a systematic plan. Washington University in St. Louis Associate Vice Chancellor Michael Kinch said information on breakthrough COVID-19 cases should be recorded as much as possible. He added that cases that do not progress to hospitalization should also be tracked nevertheless as some patients could eventually go down that path. Its essential that we stay on top of this. If we let our guard down, we will pay the price, Kinch said. The CDC appears to be covering up the real reason why people still get COVID-19 despite getting immunized Observations on the breakthrough COVID-19 cases found that affected patients showed mild symptoms or none at all. But according to Alex Greninger of the University of Washington Medical Center, the specific mechanisms behind these breakthrough infections should be further examined. Greninger explained that those who mount less of an immune response to vaccines are conventionally more susceptible to breakthrough infections. However, he mentioned seeing a few cases where people still got infected despite their immune systems mounting a strong response. Other researchers are looking at the role of Wuhan coronavirus variants in breakthrough infections. But Stefan Green of Rush Universitys Regional Innovative Public Health Laboratory said that studying this aspect will be challenging given the number of small cases. He continued that some cases may not be detected at all due to having mild symptoms or none at all. Green also remarked that he had seen cases where the viral loads were too low to perform whole-genome sequencing on. In reality, the vaccines themselves are the main cause of breakthrough infections. One such vaccine is the Pfizer/BioNTech BNT162b2 shot, which both the U.S. and Israel used. In fact, an Israeli research team discovered that the mRNA vaccine actually made people more susceptible to contracting certain Wuhan coronavirus strains. (Related: The vaccine is the pandemic: MULTIPLE countries seeing spike in covid deaths AFTER covid vaccines began.) Researchers from Tel Aviv University (TAU) and Israeli health provider Clalit Health Services found that those who completed the two-dose Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine were eight times more likely to contract the South African B1351 variant. They also found that those who got at least one dose of the mRNA vaccine were more likely to contract the British B117 variant. Lead researcher and TAU professor Adi Stern said: We found a disproportionately higher rate of the South African [B1351] variant among people vaccinated with a second dose, compared to the unvaccinated group. Based on patterns in the general population, we would have expected just one case of the South African variant but we saw eight. She commented that her teams study suggested that the B1351 strain could bypass vaccine-induced immunity to some extent. (Related: Study finds Pfizer coronavirus vaccine puts people at HIGHER risk of covid variants.) Visit Pandemic.news to read more articles about breakthrough Wuhan coronavirus infections. Sources include: MSN.com CDC.gov LifeSiteNews.com (Natural News) A report shows that China emitted more greenhouse gases in 2019 than all developed nations combined. Led by the American research firm Rhodium Group, the report notes that the Communist nations greenhouse gas emissions are more than 30 million metric tons higher than the combined total of all developed nations, including the United States. Researchers arrived at this finding after measuring the amounts of carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons and sulfur hexafluoride that were emitted by 190 nations. Global emissions rose by 11.4 percent in the last decade to reach 52 gigatons (52 billion metric tons) in 2019. China emitted more than 14 gigatons to contribute 27 percent to this global total. That was triple the countrys emissions from the 1990s. The second-biggest emitter was the U.S., which accounted for 11 percent of the total, or less than six gigatons. India edged out the European Union for the first time to come in third at 6.6 percent, or over 3.5 gigatons. Chinas emissions not only eclipsed that of the US the worlds second-largest emitter, at one percent of the global total but also, for the first time, surpassed the emissions of all developed countries combined, Rhodium Group wrote on its website. For the study, the researchers defined developed nations as those that belonged to either the EU or the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Emissions from all members of the OECD and the EU reached 14,057 million metric tons 36 million metric tons short of Chinas 14,093 million. While the Communist nations 2019 per capita emissions (emissions per person) were lower than those of OECD member countries combined, Rhodium Group expects this to change for last year. While final figures are still pending, the firm noted that the organizations members sharply reduced their emissions amid the Wuhan coronavirus pandemic. China, on the other hand, increased its emissions by 1.7 percent. China promises to cut emissions but continues to rely on coal Chinese President Xi Jinping promised to reach peak emissions by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060. But concerns abound about how Xi would keep its promise since China invests heavily in coal. Last year, the country brought 38.4 gigawatts of new coal-fired power into operation more than three times what was brought online everywhere else. A total of 247 gigawatts of coal power is now in planning or development, which is nearly six times Germanys entire coal-fired capacity. China also proposed additional new coal plants that would generate 73.5 gigawatts of power more than five times the combined total of 13.9 gigawatts proposed by the rest of the world. Last year, Chinese provinces approved the construction of coal power projects with a combined capacity of 47 gigawatts, which is three-fold the capacity the country permitted in 2019. According to a Climate Action Tracker analysis, if China reached its peak emissions this decade as promised, its annual carbon dioxide emissions in the next decade would still be up to 15 percent above 2015 levels. (Related: China plans to finance and build thousands of coal-fired power plants worldwide.) This continued reliance on coal highlights the contrast between Chinas aims to cut carbon emissions and its overriding goal of fostering economic growth to lift the living standards of its 1.44 billion people. In the short term, the Communist Partys chief concern is growing the economy by around six percent every year. To achieve that, it needs to ramp up its power generation. Given Chinas dependence on coal, that means expanding the use of this fossil fuel. Energy security in the Chinese context primarily means coal, Li Shuo, a climate policy advisor at Greenpeace East Asia, told Yale Environment 360. So how do you reconcile these two narratives? I dont think the plans that have been announced have given us a clear answer, she added, referring to Beijings recent economic policies. For more about plans to reduce carbon emissions and why these are not feasible, follow ClimateScienceNews.com Sources include: DailyMail.co.uk RHG.com E360.Yale.edu (Natural News) Documents obtained by the Department of State (DOS) revealed that Chinese scientists have been preparing for a third world war fought with biological and genetic weapons, including coronaviruses, since 2015. According to the document, they will be the core weapon for victory in a conflict of that magnitude. Titled New Species of Man-Made Viruses as Genetic Bioweapons, the documents outlined the perfect conditions to release a bioweapon and documented the impact it would have on the enemys medical system. Analysts determined that the set of documents has 18 authors working at high-risk labs. Attacks using bioweapons should not be carried out in the middle of a clear day as intense sunlight can damage the pathogens while rain or snow can affect the aerosol particles, according to the authors. (Related: BIOWARFARE: Chinese communists intentionally unleashed Frankenstein COVID-19, says Wuhan scientist.) Instead, it should be released at night, dusk, dawn or under cloudy weather with a stable wind direction so that the aerosol can float into the target area. The authors also noted that such an attack would result in a surge of patients requiring hospital treatment, which could cause the enemys medical system to collapse. Next world war will be biological The documents authors insisted that the next world war will be biological, unlike the first two wars which were described as chemical and nuclear respectively. Following developments in other scientific fields, there have been major advances in the delivery of biological agents, the authors wrote. For example, the new-found ability to freeze-dry microorganisms has made it possible to store biological agents and aerosolize them during attacks. The reports made by Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) scientists and health officials examined the manipulation of diseases to make weapons in a way never seen before. This brings up Chinas alleged gain of function research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV). Gain-of-function research refers to the serial passaging of microorganisms to increase their transmissibility, virulence, immunogenicity and host tropism by applying selective pressure to a culture. The WIV has been collecting numerous coronaviruses from bats ever since the SARS outbreak in 2002. The lab is just eight miles from the Huanan wet market, which is where the first cluster of infections erupted in Wuhan. Scientists at WIV work with Chinese military Scientists studying bat diseases at WIV were engaged in a massive project to investigate animal viruses alongside leading military officials despite the countrys denials of any such links. A fact sheet released by the DOS stated that WIV has engaged in classified research, including laboratory animal experiments, on behalf of the Chinese military since at least 2017. The controversial virology institute participated in a project sponsored by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) a state-funded scientific research institution from 2012 to 2018. The project team comprised five military and civil experts who conducted research at WIV labs, military labs and other civil labs. This research led to the discovery of animal pathogens [biological agents that causes disease] in wild animals. Results of the project were published by the NSFC on its website in February of 2018. The NSFC stated that the project discovered over 1,640 types of new viruses by using the metagenomics technology, and that the research was performed by a civil and military team. As an advanced virology institution, the WIV has the only P4 lab the highest biosafety level lab in China and the biggest repository of bat coronaviruses in Asia. The fact that such a virus-detection project is led by both civilian and military scientists appears to confirm incendiary claims from the U.S. alleging collaboration between the WIV and the countrys 2.1 million-strong armed forces. (Related: More signs point to coronavirus being engineered in Wuhan lab.) The schemes five team leaders include Shi Zhengli, the WIV virologist nicknamed Bat Woman for her trips to find samples in caves, and Cao Wuchun, a senior army officer and government adviser on bioterrorism. Shi denied the allegations. I dont know of any military work at the WIV. That info is incorrect, she said at a public webinar on March 23. Earlier this year, China purged all references to studies done by Shi in the NSFC database. This included the details of more than 300 studies, including those that investigated diseases that passed from animals to humans. Australian Strategic Policy Institute Executive Director Peter Jennings raised concerns over Chinas biological research into coronaviruses potentially being weaponized in the future. There is no clear distinction for research capability because whether its used offensively or defensively is not a decision these scientists would take, he said. If you are building skills ostensibly to protect your military from a biological attack, youre at the same time giving your military a capacity to use these weapons offensively. You cant separate the two. COVID-19 may have been intentionally released Intelligence agencies suspect COVID-19 may be the result of an inadvertent Wuhan lab leak. But its also possible that the SARS-CoV-2 the virus that causes COVID-19 was intentionally released. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the World Health Organization (WHO), said in March that all theories on the origins of COVID-19 remained open after reading the report of the WHO experts and Chinese scientists, which dismissed the lab leak theory and said the transmission of the virus from bats to humans through another animal is the most likely scenario. Weve got real concerns about the methodology and the process that went into that report, including the fact that the government in Beijing apparently helped to write it, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a recent CNN interview. China rejected that criticism and accused the U.S. of exerting political pressure on the fact-finding mission experts. The U.S. has been speaking out on the report. By doing this, isnt the U.S. trying to exert political pressure on the members of the WHO expert group? asked Chinas Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian. Leaders from other countries believe the virus originated in China. Just recently, Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro accused China of creating COVID to spark a chemical warfare. Its a new virus. Nobody knows whether it was born in a laboratory or because a human ate some animal they shouldnt have, Bolsonaro said. But it is there. The military knows about chemical, bacteriological and radiological warfare. Are we not facing a new war? Which country has grown its GDP the most? I will not tell you. While Bolsonaro did not specify the name of the country, data from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development showed that China is the only G20 member whose GDP showed a growth during the pandemic in 2020 expanding by 2.3 percent. The G20 is an international forum for the governments and central bank governors of 19 countries and the European Union. Follow Pandemic.news for more news and information related to the coronavirus pandemic. Sources include: DailyMail.co.uk TheEpochTimes.com (Natural News) Now that stores are beginning to open as normal due to more people getting vaccinated for the Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19), many who have decided not to take the injection are wondering if being around others in public who have might cause dangerous spike proteins and other chemicals to be shed onto them. Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, got a chance to talk to Dr. Christiane Northrup about the issue of vaccine shedding during a recent Brighteon Conversations chat watch below and what she had to say is nothing short of disturbing. One of the Five Docs, as she calls them, who is investigating the situation, Dr. Northrup says that thousands upon thousands of unvaccinated women, for example, are now experiencing dramatic changes to their periods from being around others who were jabbed with Wuhan Flu shots. Something is clearly being transmitted, she explained, revealing horrific stories about babies as young as just a few months old experiencing blood clots coming out of their vaginas after having been in contact with recently inoculated people. If you look at the Pfizer document from the very beginning, on page 67 it actually says that no male should be impregnating a woman for seven weeks, and no female should get pregnant for seven weeks, and they say right on there because of skin contact or sexual contact.' So you have to ask yourself, what did they know, or do they know, that theyre not telling us? When did Western medicine become a mass experiment with constant chemical injections? As an OBGYN herself, Dr. Northrup is horrified that suddenly it has become normal for doctors and nurses to be injecting their patients and themselves with experimental medicines like this, as well as with flu shots and other government-imposed injections. Especially now that it is becoming undeniably apparent that Chinese Virus injections are extremely dangerous for unborn children, why on earth has it become the norm for pregnant women and their husbands to be taking the high-risk shots with pride? What is it that we are doing in the first place? she asked during the segment, also noting that it is insanity to inject newborn babies with dozens of childhood inoculations that contain bio-persistent chemicals like aluminum that lodge within the brain and never leave. If that was not bad enough, now the medical fascists are injecting synthetic mRNA technology that has never been proven safe or effective into both children and their parents, who are then exposing others to these chemicals when they come into close contact. To be clear. Dr. Northrup has been warning about the dangers of vaccines for many years, she appeared on Oprah back in 2006 to warn about the Gardasil vaccine, for instance, telling viewers that it was not a good idea for them to get their daughters, and in some cases sons, injected with the shot because of its severe risks. That was long before all these girls died or were maimed from it, or got POTS syndrome. So I didnt change anything, she notes about her philosophical approach to the question of vaccine safety and efficacy. What changed is they ramped up the propaganda and then decided if you couldnt beat them, if they were being effective at reaching people, then what you needed to do was eliminate them or have a smear campaign against them. Be sure to check out this other Brighteon Conversations episode in which Adams and Dr. Jeffrey Prather talk about how pine needle tea may help to mitigate the risks of vaccine shedding. You can also keep up with the latest news about injuries and deaths caused by Chinese Virus injections at ChemicalViolence.com. Sources for this article include: Brighteon.com NaturalNews.com (Natural News) While billionaire globalist Bill Gates has been hailed in the past year as a generous and exceptionally knowledgeable man regarding COVID-19, deeper research reveals a darker side of his character, his desires for control over the globe in a manner drawn from much-criticized eugenic policies, as well as disturbing links to self-confessed sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. (Article by Michael Haynes republished from LifeSiteNews.com) The 65-year-old founder of Microsoft is hailed throughout the world as a kind-hearted philanthropist, thanks in great part to the media frontage and the constant promotion which he enjoys. During the recent COVID-19 times, he has been consulted as if an eminent scientist, capable of solving the apparent crisis, and providing timelines for the worlds return to normality. However, overlooked investigations and evidence present a darker side, and perhaps a more honest appraisal of Gates. A well-documented Corbett Report from May 2020 has provided evidence which the mainstream media has largely overlooked in its praise of Gates, but which is corroborated in various reports. Most generous person on earth or ruthless profit seeker? Gates has been hailed as the best businessman of our century, founding one of the greatest companies of the 20th century, namely Microsoft. However, the launch of Microsoft was surrounded by a number of circumstances which paint a different picture of the generous genius. Gatess success cannot be solely attributed to himself, as his mother played a key role in launching his career, by lobbying International Business Machines (IBM) on her sons behalf. The New York Times reported in 1994 that following this, in 1981 IBM then took a chance by hiring Microsoft, after weighing up the company against a number of competitors. In 2000, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) described how Microsoft then spent four years working with IBM in developing a software operating system, OS/2, but on the same day it launched, Microsoft launched its own platform of Windows 2.0. Microsoft claimed it was merely acting defensively, yet critics accused the company of double-crossing IBM. A number of software companies also attack Microsoft for having a ruthless drive for business. Such companies needed Microsofts help to craft programs, since Microsoft owned the operating system, but Microsoft was simultaneously making competing software, leading to complaints from competitors that the arrangement allowed it to take advantage of its knowledge of both MS-DOS and competitors projects. The WSJ wrote that no company fights as hard or as long (or as ruthlessly) for the smallest slice of market share as Microsoft. This business model of profit before all else would seem to be driving Gates throughout his career, including in his more recent foray into the world of healthcare innovation. In practice, he has hardly been an altruistic person and champion of those in need, and instead a life-long eugenicist with a racist, Planned Parenthood population control family history. As Dr. Mercola wrote, Gates does not practice philanthropy, but rather philanthrocapitalism. Not only does Gates wield incredible influence in the tech and vaccine world, but Mercola noted that he also mirrors this power in agriculture and food policy (including biopiracy and fake food), weather modification and other climate technologies, surveillance, education and media. This was supported by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who wrote that Gates practices weaponized philanthropy, a tactic he employed to resuscitate his reputation after the Microsoft antitrust case exposed him as a lying, cheating, thieving, manipulator intent on felonious monopoly control of global information conduits. With Gatess own personal net worth increasing to nearly $130 billion, his much advertised philanthropy has proven to be personally profitable. The accumulation of wealth comes at a cost, although not to Gates himself. In 2004 the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) partnered with the Rockefeller Foundation in the $424 million Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), supposedly to increase food productivity and incomes, while lowering food insecurity. Gates forced the local farmers to abandon their traditional techniques, and instead use imported commercial seeds, petroleum fertilizers and pesticides, for which he supplied the infrastructure. He also pressured African governments into large spending and made them use draconian penalties and authoritarian control to force farmers to buy his expensive inputs and comply with his diktats. Nutrition and productivity dramatically declined, and a 2020 report, False Promises: The Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) revealed that in the countries Gates selected, extreme hunger had increased by 30%. The Corbett Report noted that the 9,000,000 people who die every year of hunger would be best served by securing food supplies, running water and other basic necessities, not costly medical interventions for rare diseases. But there is no return on investment to be made from that kind of charity. Gates the ruler of the world Gatess desire for control seems to have grown exponentially since his early days building a software empire. His influence is seemingly in all crucial areas of life: lobbying and controlling organizations such as the World Health Organization; quietly building up an empire of land ownership, now being the largest private owner of farmland in the U.S.; calling for nations to abandon their eating habits, and ditch meat in favor of chemical alternatives; fear-mongering and lobbying entire nations into climate change-oriented policies; controlling populations by declaring that life will not return to normal after COVID, until the world is widely vaccinated. As noted by the Corbett Report, Gates is also intent on controlling identities, through the imposition of an all-encompassing ID system, and ensuring that all financial transactions are conducted through the purview and control of the mainstream monetary sphere, as opposed to novel, purely digital systems which are much harder to track. No, this is not about charity. It is about control, declared the Corbett Report. Robert Kennedy recently reported on the effect which Gatess so called charity for the global health was actually having. The global lockdowns that Bill Gates helped orchestrate and cheerlead have bankrupted more than 100,000 businesses in the U.S. alone and plunged a billion people into poverty and deadly food insecurity that, among other devastating harms, kill 10,000 African children monthly while increasing Gates wealth by $20 billion. Gates working from eugenicist policies As Gatess control over the global population expands almost exponentially, thanks especially due to COVID-related measures, the Corbett Report pointed to a possible explanation for the desire for such control. The Gates family long had an interest in the subject of population control and reproductive health. In 1998, a Salon report noted that Gates Sr. was on the board of Planned Parenthood, and Gates himself stated that his father was head of Planned Parenthood, a role which he described a controversial at the time, but fascinating. Population control and reproductive health were both terms born out of the terminology of eugenics, the pseudoscience which holds that certain people deserve to lead while others deserve to serve, based on genetics. Eugenicists even wished to kill people they deemed to be of no use to society, and to spend world resources on the preservation of the upper classes, the rich, intelligent, useful members of society, instead of the poorer sectors. The famous Rockefeller family was heavily committed to the eugenic movement. Rockefellers helped fund the Eugenics Record Office (ERO), and the founding director of the Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research sat on EROs board. The Rockefeller family heavily funded and was personal friends with the eugenicist pioneer and Planned Parenthood founder Margaret Sanger. It was with substantial Rockefeller support that Sangers Negro Project was rolled out, with her professed aim being to exterminate the Negro population. Rockefellers also sponsored eugenics studies at the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute in Germany, including the man who later drafted the Nazi forced sterilization law: Hence, the family commitment to the eugenic cause was no mere passing incident. Corbett noted that when the American Eugenics Society became embarrassed of its own name, its long-time director, Frederick Osborne, merely took over as president of the Rockefeller-founded Population Council. What does the Rockefeller family have to do with Bill Gates? In 2009, Gatess father, William Gates Sr., penned a book in which he expressed his deep admiration and collaboration with the Rockefeller dynasty. He wrote that every corner weve turned in the field of global health, weve found that the Rockefellers were already there, and had been for years A lesson that we learned from studying and working with the Rockefellers, is that to succeed in pursuing audacious goals, you need like-minded partners with whom to collaborate. The Gates family held true to these words of working with like-minded partners, collaborating with the Rockefeller family in a number of high-level enterprises, such as the global vaccine alliance, GAVI. Their close ties were noted by Andreas Moritz in his book Vaccine-Nation: Poisoning the Population, One Shot at a Time, calling the two foundations old friends and partners. Both Gates Sr. and Bill Gates have partnered with the Rockefeller family in academic settings to discuss global policy, most notably in 2009, when Gates and David Rockefeller joined with George Soros, Oprah Winfrey, and Warren Buffet in a meeting discussing population control. Gates, Rockefeller and Buffet have been collectively dubbed The Good Club. The Corbett Report noted the interesting circumstance that on the anniversary of the First International Eugenics Congress, held in London exactly 100 years prior, the Gates Foundation organized its London Summit on Family Planning in July 2012, at which the Gates recommitted themselves to funding population control in the third world. A major 2016 report from the Global Policy Forum then noted the huge influence of both foundations, their great similarities, and the dangers which were posed by such power. The Gates Foundation and the Rockefeller Foundation are currently mirroring each other in their call for digital IDs and widespread track and trace in the light of COVID-19, in a move described as coordinating efforts in the direction of social control. Indeed, in many instances of global policy lobbying, funding of NGOs, funding of health care research, population control, climate change policies, the Gates Foundation has simply publicly taken over where the Rockefeller Foundation left off. Gates has even revealed his own devotion to the topic of so called death panels, when he discussed the beneficial trade-offs which were made between choosing whether to fund jobs or provide end of life health care. Gates and Epstein a firm friendship and shared ideals Another aspect of the life of Bill Gates which has been left widely unreported until very recently, is the curious relation he had with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Epstein was arrested and charged in July 2019 with one count of sex trafficking of minors and one count of conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking of minors in a high-profile case that was believed to implicate many prominent figures around the world. He then allegedly killed himself in his cell at New Yorks Metropolitan Correctional Center (MCC) in August 2019. Gates insisted in comments to the Wall Street Journal in 2019 that he did not have any relationship with Epstein at all, and a spokesman for Gates later added that Epstein had sought business relations with Gates, which Gates had rejected. However, the New York Times reported one month later that Gates had visited Epstein multiple times, even starting his relationship after Epstein had been convicted of sex crimes and served time in jail for soliciting prostitution from a minor. Indeed, the relationship seems to have been more than a passing acquaintance. In 2011, Gates emailed his staff describing Epsteins lifestyle as very different and kind of intriguing although it would not work for me. Epstein reciprocated the relation, writing in an email that Bills great, following a meeting of several hours between the pair. The Corbett Report noted how flight logs reveal that Gates actually flew on Epsteins infamous lolita express plane from New Jersey to Florida, even though Gates has his own private plane. A spokesman for Gates later claimed that Gates did not know whose plane he was on. Thorbjrn Jagland, the former Prime Minister of Norway, also attested to the lucrative business interests which Epstein and Gates were working on together, saying that at a 2013 meeting held in Jaglands residence, regarding vaccine production, Bill Gates and Epstein arrived together, followed by the others. Norwegian paper DN Magasinet noted that Epstein, who knew Gates, was the person that introduced the billionaire to IPI [International Peace Institute], which later partnered with Gates in the fight against polio. However, the Corbett report pointed to another possible shared interest of both Epstein and Gates, the devotion to eugenic policies. Epstein wanted to seed the human race with his DNA, looking to advance the policy of transhumanism: the science of improving the human population through technologies like genetic engineering and artificial intelligence. Such a methodology is, of course, eerily similar to the directives of the Great Reset and the Fourth Industrial Revolution, of which Gates is a firm supporter. Epsteins plan was to use his New Mexico ranch to inseminate numerous women, who would then give birth to his babies. Epsteins drive led him to fund research in the matter, including funding the controversial scientist George Church, who has been a longstanding and public advocate of eugenicist policies. He also acted as scientific advisor to a group looking to eradicate disease by altering genetic codes. Funding for this came from a group of investors led by Epsteins appointed backup executor, Dr. Boris Nikolic. Naturally, that group of investors included Bill Gates. Boris Nikolic himself appears to have been an important link between Epstein and Gates, for he served as chief scientific advisor to Microsoft and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and was subsequently named as backup executor of Epsteins will, just days before Epstein was discovered dead in his prison cell. The Gates divorce unveils hidden secrets about the generous Bill Gates With evidence increasingly proving that Gates and Epstein enjoyed a strong relationship, despite Gatess protestations to the opposite, new reports suggest that their connection was so strong as to play a part in the now-public divorce proceedings between Bill and Melinda. In fact, reports are now circulating, indicating Melinda started exploring options for divorce when her husbands connections to the convicted sex offender were made public. Since at least 2019, Melinda Gates has been working with numerous lawyers from different firms in order to effect the divorce. The Daily Beast reported that a former employee of the Gates Foundation revealed Melinda had expressed her concerns about Epstein to her husband in 2013, who continued his relations with Epstein regardless. Indeed, far more than this, Gates reportedly took advice from Epstein about how to end the marriage, after Gates complained about his wife and described the marriage as toxic. The Daily Beast was informed of this by an individual who attended the meetings, and the report mentioned dozens of meetings between Gates and Epstein, not just an occasional meeting. The two men were very close, and Gates discussed how Epstein could even become involved in his foundation. Aside from this connection to Epstein, Gates had garnered a particular kind of reputation for himself, even before Melindas meeting with divorce lawyers in 2019. According to people with direct knowledge of his overtures, Gates pursued women who worked for him at Microsoft and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. In 2020, Microsoft board members decreed that Gates step down from the board while an investigation was underway into a previous romantic relationship with a Microsoft employee. In 2019, the Microsoft engineer had penned a letter alleging that she had had a sexual relationship with Gates, lasting years. Gates stepped down from the board before a formal decision could be taken. A spokeswoman for Gates did not completely deny the allegations, saying instead, There was an affair almost 20 years ago which ended amicably. Gates currently serves as technology adviser to Microsofts current CEO. It remains to be seen whether Gates will face any future questioning about his relations with Jeffery Epstein, his own adherence to eugenicist policies, or his reported not infrequent womanizing. Read more at: LifeSiteNews.com (Natural News) Many people are unaware of just how long Anthony Fauci has been a mainstay in the federal government. Going back all the way to the early 1980s, Fauci has been trying to scare people into fearing their loved ones, just as he continues to do today with the Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19). Back in 1983, it was AIDS that Fauci was touting as the scary pandemic of that day. He was the first to publish an article in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) warning that people within the same household could spread AIDS to each other without sexual contact, which was never actually proven. The mainstream media ran with Faucis narrative, though, even though it lacked definitive scientific proof. A UPI wire dated May 5, 1983 warned that Household contacts can transmit AIDS again, despite the fact that Fauci never proved this and even admitted to such. From there, fear began to spread as people worried that they might catch AIDS from their kids or their doctors, or perhaps the waitress at the local diner. AIDS was everywhere, was the messaging that was trumpeted, thanks to Faucis claims, and the goal was to get everyone vaccinated for AIDS at some point in the future. That plan failed when the medical establishment never actually came up with a workable jab for AIDS, but you can be sure that Fauci tried. And he has continually tried with each new iteration of some scary new virus, whether it was MERS, SARS, or most recently the Chinese Virus. We now know, of course, that Faucis theory was wrong, reports Blacklisted News about Faucis fake science concerning the spread of AIDS. HIV, the virus that was later discovered to cause AIDS, only transmits by exposure to infected bodily fluids such as blood, or by sexual contact. The damage was already done though, as the media went to work stoking alarm about AIDS transmission through simple routine contacts. Hundreds of newspapers disseminated the distressing theory from Faucis article. Writing a few weeks later, conservative columnist Pat Buchanan enlisted Fauci as the centerpiece of a rebuttal against Health and Human Services Secretary Margaret Heckler, who told him there is no evidence that the general population is threatened by [AIDS].' Fauci has continually proven his untrustworthiness for nearly 40 years Many people eventually figured out that the mainstream news had wildly overblown how AIDS actually spreads, but most did not make the connection to Fauci. Back then, he made brief appearances, if any at all, before slithering back into his hole to come up with the next public health hoax. Looking back on Faucis legacy, it becomes clear that he was always careful to use words like could or may, which freed him, at least publicly, from liability for his bizarre claims. Fauci would drum up some new scare story behind the scenes about some deadly new virus, the media would run with it, it would later be debunked, and Fauci would just move on to the next false narrative. This political dinosaur has never been honest, is rarely correct about anything, and yet he would seem to have permanent tenure within the constructs of the federal government. We have to ask ourselves: Why do we put up with these charlatans, let alone continue to pay them our tax dollars to keep lying to us about the next great scare? Fauci should be jailed for crimes against humanity, wrote one commenter at Blacklisted News about where Fauci belongs. He is the perfect demon versus humanity on planet earth, responded another, noting that Fauci fits right in with all the self-serving politicians who continue to cover for him. More related news about Faucis legacy of lies and deception can be found at Corruption.news. Sources for this article include: BlacklistedNews.com NaturalNews.com (Natural News) A federal judge ruled Wednesday that students of the opposite biological sex must be allowed to share shower spaces and dorms at a Christian college in Missouri. (Article by Thomas Catenacci republished from DailyCaller.com) Judge Roseann Ketchmark of the District Court of Western Missouri ruled against the College of the Ozarks, a Christian college which had sued President Joe Bidens administration over its transgender discrimination policies, lawyers representing the school said Wednesday evening. The college had challenged Biden over his Jan. 20 executive order, which prevented schools from denying children access to bathrooms of their choosing. Women shouldnt be forced to share private spaces, including showers and dorm rooms with males, and religious schools shouldnt be punished simply because of their beliefs about biological sex, Julie Marie Blake, senior counsel for the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), told reporters following the ruling Wednesday evening. The Biden administrations overreach continues to victimize women, girls and people of faith by gutting their legal protections, and it must be stopped, she continued. The College of the Ozarks filed the lawsuit against Biden and the Department of Housing and Urban Development in April, two months after Biden signed the order. The school had argued that the government cannot force a private religious school to place biological males into female dormitories. The college faces six-figure fines if it violates the Biden administrations order. School administrators said they expected to appeal Ketchmarks decision. While we are disappointed in todays ruling, we expect to appeal so that schools are not forced to open girls dorms to males and violate their religious beliefs, College of the Ozarks Chief Communications Officer Valerie Coleman said during the Wednesday press briefing. We will continue to fight, she said. Bidens executive order, which was among his first actions as president, was criticized by many who argued it would hurt women. They argued that the order chips away at Title IX protections that women and girls have enjoyed for 50 years. However, supporters of the order applauded it as a win for LGBTQ Americans. They argued it recognized transgender civil rights. It is of great significance to the LGBTQ community that on their first day in office, this administration has made it clear that discrimination has no place in the federal government, National LGBTQ Task Force Executive Director Rea Carey said in a statement. Read more at: DailyCaller.com and GenderConfused.com (Natural News) That old hag from California, Nancy Pelosi, whom they call the Speaker of the House, is attempting to force all members of Congress to get vaccinated for the Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19), and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) is having none of it. In a series of tweets, Greene blasted Pelosi for even attempting to force others to get jabbed for the Chinese Virus, especially since the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not even officially approved them though, to be clear, nobody can force anybody else against their will to get an FDA-approved vaccine, either. Vax records, along with ALL medical records, are private due to HIPAA rights, Greene wrote. Within the House of Representatives, Greene added, Pelosi is currently running an unethical, oppressive work environment by not only badgering its members about getting jabbed, but also tyrannizing and fining members who refuse to wear a face mask. Forcing mask compliance and demanding vaccine records in order for me to represent the people of #GA14 is tyrannical, Greene further wrote. Greene is concerned not only about members of Congress being oppressed by these unlawful demands, but also about everyday Americans and their children, some of whom are now being told that they have to get injected in order to continue working or going to school. Bodily autonomy is a human right, and one that cannot be trampled unless the Constitution were to become null and void, which many far-leftists are attempting to make happen in order to force all Americans to get injected. I stand with all Americans especially the children who are being forced against their will to wear masks or take an experimental vaccine, Greene says. If we dont stand now against these tyrannical aggressions, then we will be forced to our knees and be unable to stand later. Hey, Nancy: How about you get a drug test and show us the results? On Thursday, Pelosi issued a demand that members of Congress who refuse to prove their vaccination status be denied access to the House floor. According to Pelosi, who once again appeared drunk or addled on pharmaceuticals, there should never be freedom of choice or any type of personal privacy when it comes to Chinese virus injections and masks. I mean, we could come to a place where we say if you dont want to wear a mask if youre not vaccinated, dont even come to the floor, Pelosi rambled. We have facilities up above in the gallery where people can come to vote. Either the vaccines work, in which case vaccinated members of Congress have nothing to worry about, or they do not work and the whole thing is a sham. There is no other option, despite what Pelosi, the media, Anthony Fauci, Donald Trump, Joe Biden, and other corrupt politicians insist about the injections needing to get into every arm before we can return back to normal. This is what Greene is speaking out against, and hopefully other colleagues of hers will do the same in defense of the Constitution and the right of all Americans to choose their own medicine without government interference. Sadly, GOP leader Kevin McCarthy has not been so bold, providing no pushback against Pelosis rogue agenda. Pelosi has since ruled that her unconstitutional proxy voting scheme be extended through July 3. If you are vaccinated, why worry about those who arent? one commenter wrote. Unless theres something else going on. We should demand to know all of the medications that people like Nancy take, on a regular basis, and why they need them, suggested another, adding that it is also necessary for Nancy to take a drug test and a blood test since she is rarely cogent enough to speak properly. More related news about Chinese Virus oppression can be found at Pandemic.news. Sources for this article include: Twitter.com NaturalNews.com TheGatewayPundit.com (Natural News) There is no legitimate excuse for the medical police state to have unleashed vaccines for the Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) when the jabs are known to create and spread variants of the disease, warns French virologist and Nobel Prize winner Luc Montagnier. Calling the injections an enormous and unacceptable mistake, Montagnier is sounding the alarm about how the jabs are causing and spreading the Chinese Virus among both the vaccinated and the unvaccinated, which is going to lead to disaster. Its an enormous mistake, isnt it? A scientific error as well as a medical error. It is an unacceptable mistake, he stated during a recent interview. The history books will show that because it is the vaccination that is creating the variants. Many believe that Montagnier is being too kind by calling it a mistake when it seems obvious that this was all planned long in advance for this very purpose to create the problem rather than cure it. At least he is talking about it, though. Many other epidemiologists and virologists are choosing to remain silent about the antibody-dependent enhancement that occurs after people are injected with these chemical cocktails. It is the antibodies produced by the virus that enable an infection to become stronger, he told Pierre Barnerias of Hold-Up Media in an interview earlier this month. While it is certainly possible that some variants are occurring without the help of vaccines, the mass vaccination drive, he says, is clearly causing a bulk of the problem. What does the virus do? Does it die or find another solution? he asked. It is clear that the new variants are created by antibody-mediated selection due to the vaccination. Vaccinating during a pandemic is unthinkable, Montagnier says There should not even be vaccinations being administered during a pandemic, Montagnier added, calling the notion unthinkable and yet here we are with medical experts everywhere telling us that this is a good thing. Injecting people with chemicals directly associated with a circulating virus will only make the problem worse, he implied, noting that we are now seeing the same trends all over the world post-injection. The new variants are a production and result from the vaccination. You see it in each country, its the same: in every country, deaths follow vaccination. Montagnier spoke out last spring as well, warning that the Wuhan Flu was clearly lab-created and did not just come from some bats at a wet market. He also warned the world that the genetically modified (GMO) virus had been spliced to contain the DNA of HIV, which just so happens to be what Anthony Fauci was focused on during the early days of his decades-long federal government career as an infectious disease authority. Ever since Chinese Virus injections were introduced, the disease and death rate has only continued to skyrocket, the latest data shows. Especially among young people, the death count has exploded in every county where the jabs are now being widely administered. The fake news media is calling each of these cases breakthrough, the sentiment being that they are abnormal. The truth, however, is that vaccine-caused variants are the norm, and more people would realize that if only they would take the time to look at the science for themselves. The technology for the faux vaccines is the same as that used to produce GMO plants, one commenter at LifeSiteNews noted. Seeds from GMO plants cannot be saved and sown the next year which can be done with non-GMO seeds. Why does the doctor assume that a man-made virus will mutate normally? Is this another prevarication from the news media? More of the latest news about Chinese Virus injections can be found at ChemicalViolence.com. Sources for this article include: LifeSiteNews.com NaturalNews.com (Natural News) An area resident from South Dade County in Florida made a shocking discovery the other day upon taking his trash to the local landfill. Instead of finding normal garbage, the man noticed pallets upon pallets full of Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) ventilators, all brand new, that had been discarded for some unknown reason. Video footage captured at the site shows the boxes of ventilators still covered in plastic wrap. All of these boxes were presumably flattened by the plow that comes by daily to make room for more trash. I just thought it was a lot of waste, the resident told a local media outlet. I mean, thousands and thousands of medical units that are being just tossed out. The manufacturer listed on the boxes was Beijing Aerospace Changfeng Ltd., based out of China. A posting from a broker shows that the devices were selling for upwards of $26,000 last year during the height of plandemic hysteria. As you may recall, ventilators were supposedly in such short supply that car manufacturer Ford started making them out of repurposed ventilation fans. Interestingly, Beijing Aerospace Changfeng Ltd.s ventilator is not listed among the 86 models that were authorized for emergency used by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This creates even more questions as to how and why they ended up in a United States landfill. I can understand if they were used or damaged, but these were brand new units still in the packaging, the resident added, perplexed at the discovery. How did unauthorized, unapproved Chinese ventilators make it through Customs into Florida? At the time the resident arrived at the landfill, there was actually a truck dumping more ventilators into the pile. He just happened to be present at just the right time to film it all happening. Local 10 News reportedly tracked down the owner of the truck, a broker called Doral, to inquire as to how the devices even cleared U.S. Customs. Since we are the customs broker, who clears customs for whoever the actual importer was, we cant give that information without first getting authorization from the importer, was the response given by Sergio Lozano, Vice President of Alpha Brokers Corp. According to the FDA, any medical device that it does not approve or emergency authorize cannot be used in the United States. Apparently, these devices made it through Customs and were later identified as unlawful, prompting their destruction. Who ordered them in the first place, though? And why are they even needed now that we know ventilators greatly increase the risk of death when used on Chinese Virus patients? Based on the volume of brand-new ventilators spotted at the Miami-Dade landfill, the collective cost of these things was probably in the millions. Who paid for that and what is the story behind how and why the devices got here? Who would want to use anything from China during Covid-19 peak time? one commenter wrote, obviously confused about the fact that the pandemic is long over. The public may never know the real Covid-19 truth in who, what, where and why at least until years from now, wrote another. The wasteful spending and fraud will continue with plenty of slapping cash to spend. The $1.9 trillion hasnt even made a dent. From the very beginning with the fear, hysteria and ignorance on all sides, so sad. Others suggested that perhaps the devices could have been shipped elsewhere where they might have been put to good use rather than simply tossed into the garbage wastefully. I know stuff made in China is junk but they could at least donate them, suggested one of them. More related news about Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) deception can be found at Pandemic.news. Sources for this article include: Local10.com NaturalNews.com Multiple 911 calls came in on the afternoon of May 9 concerning a naked female walking around and jumping in and out of vehicles at a retail business that sells motor vehicles in Mankato, about 81 miles southwest of Minneapolis, according to the document. (Natural News) A highly anticipated first-ever trial pitting farmers against the global agricultural giant Syngenta AG over allegations that Syngentas paraquat weed-killer causes Parkinsons disease has been moved to June 1 due to a combination of scheduling and COVID issues. The trial, titled Hoffman V. Syngenta, is supposed to begin Monday, May 10, at St. Clair County Circuit Court in Illinois before Associate Judge Kevin Hoerner. There are at least 20 lawsuits alleging Syngentas weed-killing pesticide paraquat causes Parkinsons disease. The plaintiffs are farmers and their spouses who developed Parkinsons after repeated exposure to paraquat products, specifically Syngentas widely used Gramoxone brand. Three of the original plaintiffs in the case have died, including plaintiff Thomas Hoffman. Missouri lawyer Steve Tillery, representing the plaintiffs in Hoffman V. Syngenta, plans to introduce evidence that includes internal company records showing Syngenta has known for decades that its product causes Parkinsons disease. Six more lawsuits were filed in Pennsylvania, California and Illinois, adding to at least 14 similar lawsuits filed by eight different law firms in six different federal courts across the country. The latest complaints were filed on April 30 by a team of law firms: DiCello Levitt Gutzler, Saltz Mongeluzzi & Bendesky, P.C. and Searcy Denney. (Related: Lawsuits piling in against Syngenta over paraquat weed-killer, which causes Parkinsons Disease.) The lawsuits all allege that exposure to paraquat, which is banned in more than 30 countries but not in the U.S., causes the incurable and progressive Parkinsons disorder that affects nerve cells in the brain. Mark DiCello, one of the plaintiffs attorneys, said Chevron and Syngenta have long known they were peddling this poison, and that the science surrounding paraquat is conclusively on the side of the plaintiffs. Syngenta, Chevron deny allegations The Swiss-based Syngenta and Chevron USA are the defendants in the Hoffman case, as well as the other cases filed. Both Chevron and Syngenta deny that there is a connection between the disease and the weed-killing pesticide. Parkinsons disease leads to shaking, stiffness and difficulty with walking, balance and coordination. Parkinsons symptoms usually begin gradually and get worse over time. As the disease progresses, people may have difficulty walking and talking. Advanced cases result to severe physical debilitation and often dementia and death. Many Parkinsons experts say the disease can be caused by a range of factors, including exposure to pesticides such as paraquat and other chemicals. One such expert, Dutch neurologist Bastiaan Bloem, predicts the number of people suffering from Parkinsons will double to more than 13 million in the next 20 years. Bloem is one of many scientists who blame exposure to paraquat as among the multiple risk factors for developing Parkinsons. Chevron distributed and sold paraquat products in the U.S. starting with an agreement with a Syngenta predecessor called Imperial Chemical Industries, which introduced a paraquat-based herbicide called Gramoxone in 1962. Under a license agreement, Chevron had the right to manufacture, use and sell paraquat formulations in the U.S. Syngenta said in a statement that its paraquat products have been approved as safe and effective for more than 50 years and that it will vigorously defend the lawsuits. Syngenta is owned by China National Chemical Corporation, known as ChemChina. Lawyers asks judicial panel to consolidate lawsuits Jeffrey Goodman, another one of the plaintiffs attorneys, said the filings so far are but the tip of the iceberg of what he expects to expand into a major mass tort case. The manufacturers of paraquat knew for decades that their product was linked to Parkinsons disease yet chose to hide this information from regulators and the public, Goodman said. Lawyers suing the Swiss chemical company have asked a judicial panel to consolidate the lawsuits under the oversight of a federal judge in California. According to the motion, filed April 7 by the Texas-based Fears Nachawati law firm with the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation, there are currently at least 14 lawsuits in six different federal courts across the country filed on behalf of plaintiffs who have been diagnosed with the neurodegenerative disorder. Six more similar lawsuits have been filed since. The cases are excellent candidates for coordinated pretrial proceedings because they arise from the same poisonous toxin causing the same crippling disease resulting from the wrongful conduct of the same three defendants, stated the Fears Nachawati in support of its motion. The motion seeks transfer specifically to Judge Edward Chen in the District Court for the Northern District of California. Majed Nachawati, a partner with the Fears Nachawati firm, said the firm was still investigating the size and scope of the overall litigation but believes the paraquat litigation against Syngenta will be significant and material in nature. Very soon, there is going to be litigation in dozens of federal courts across the country, Nachawati said. The Miller Firm of Virginia, which helped lead the Roundup cancer litigation against Monsanto that resulted in an $11 billion settlement with Monsanto owner Bayer AG, is among the law firms joining in the paraquat litigation. (Related: International Monsanto Tribunal: Monsanto on trial for crimes against humanity and the environment.) The Miller firm supports the effort to consolidate the federal actions in California, where thousands of Roundup cases were also consolidated for pretrial proceedings, according to the firms lead attorney Mike Miller. We are confident that science strongly supports the causal connection between paraquat and the devastation of Parkinsons disease, Miller said. The Northern District of California is well equipped to handle these cases. Lawyer C. Calvin Warriner III, who represents one of the plaintiffs, said he predicts hundreds if not thousands of cases will be filed in the next year because of solid scientific evidence linking paraquat to Parkinsons. Follow Pesticides.news for more news and information related to pesticides and their bad effects on your health. Sources include: USRTK.org ChildrensHealthDefense.org EHN.org (Natural News) A group of researchers from different universities have insisted that the possibility of the Wuhan coronavirus escaping from a laboratory remains viable. The 18 biologists comprising the group wrote a letter calling for further scrutiny on the viruss origins. While claims of the pathogen escaping from a research facility have been dismissed as conspiracy theories, they remarked that it cannot be ruled out just yet until more evidence is presented. Dr. David Relman of Stanford University and Jesse Bloom of the University of Washington organized the letter, which was published May 14 in Science. Sixteen other biologists mostly from the U.S. signed the letter. Other researchers from Canadian, British and Swiss universities also co-signed. The letter noted that theories centering on animal-to-human transmission and accidental laboratory release remain valuable. It also mentioned that a joint investigation by China and the World Health Organization (WHO) assessed a likely to very likely possibility of the pathogen jumping from animals to humans. The same probe concluded that a laboratory-related incident was extremely unlikely. However, the biologists remarked that both theories were not given balanced consideration as only four pages of the 313-page WHO report and its annexes touched on the lab escape theory. They also cited in the letter a comment by WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus regarding the theory. The WHO head said the report did not sufficiently consider evidence in support of a laboratory accident and offered to provide additional resources to look at the theory more closely. The letters 18 signatories continued that greater clarity about the pandemics origins is necessary and feasible to achieve. The U.S., EU and 13 other countries also shared the WHO director generals sentiment. Knowing how COVID-19 emerged is critical for informing global strategies to mitigate the risk of future outbreaks, the researchers noted. Thus, they called to take hypotheses about both natural and laboratory spillovers seriously until sufficient data is obtained. They also called on public health agencies and research laboratories to make their data public. They also called on investigators to document the origins and accuracy of data used for analyses and conclusions to enable independent experts to reproduce the same findings. China goes on the defensive after lab escape theories are raised Speaking to British newspaper The Times, Relman said many of the scientists who signed the letter feel the same way that researchers simply just dont have enough information. Anyone who asserts a strong opinion one way or another cant really be basing it on a whole lot of good data. Lets try to refrain from offering speculation where we really dont have a basis for it, especially when were trying to maintain our credibility as purveyors of good science, he said. Meanwhile, Shi Zhengli of the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) denounced the letter as unacceptable. The WIV chief scientist for emerging infectious diseases said in an email to the MIT Technology Review that the letters suspicions were misplaced. Shi wrote in her email: Its definitely not acceptable. Who can provide an evidence that does not exist? (Related: Chinese Communist Party destroyed evidence linking Wuhan Institute of Virology to the coronavirus.) The Chinese scientist elaborated: Its really sad to read this letter written by these 18 prominent scientists. This [laboratory leak] hypothesis is just based on the expertise of a lab which has long been working on bat coronaviruses. She warned that the lab leak claim espoused by the 18 researchers will definitely damage the reputation and enthusiasm of scientists dedicated to work on novel animal viruses that could cause the next pandemic. Early this year, the WHO conducted a fact-finding mission in Wuhan the pandemics ground zero to investigate the pathogens origins. Dr. Peter Ben Embarek, the leader of the WHO team, focused on two out of three possible theories during a Feb. 9 press conference. First, a single person was exposed to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, through direct contact with the host species the horseshoe bat. Second, the SARS-CoV-2 pathogen most likely jumped to a human from a host animal. Third, the pathogen may have entered China through imported frozen food. Embarek dismissed the laboratory leak theory as extremely unlikely and called on scientists to quit probing the matter further. (Related: No surprise: WHO kowtows to communist China, announces the virus didnt come from the Wuhan lab.) Visit Pandemic.news to read more articles about theories on the origins of the Wuhan coronavirus. Sources include: DailyMail.co.uk Science.ScienceMag.org TechnologyReview.com BBC.com OLYMPIA, WA The Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has increased the Fire Danger Rating from low to moderate for Yakima, Sign up to get breaking news, weather forecasts, and more in your email inbox. Sign Up Now BRUSSELS (AP) Hundreds of specialized forces kept hunting Friday for a heavily armed Belgian soldier who is on a federal anti-terror watch list and was seen early this week near the home of a person he had threatened. Jurgen Conings, 46, an expert marksman known for his extreme-right sympathies, was still thought to be hiding in a vast nature park in northeastern Belgium that over 400 soldiers and police officials have combed for three straight days. Contributed photo The members of the New Canaan Mens Club, in its first in-person meeting on Friday, May 21, in more than a year, will hear from Dr. Allison Ostroff, a geriatrician with Stamford Health, who believes in treating her patients medical issues along with the often complex social needs that come with aging. Back at Morrill Hall in St. Marks Episcopal Church, located at 111 Oenoke Ridge, the Mens Club has been meeting virtually throughout the coronavirus pandemic. This upcoming meeting, the clubs first in-person gathering, will begin at 10 a.m. To attend, members must show proof of a COVID-19 vaccination. Social distancing and masking protocols will be followed amid the pandemic from the new virus, as well. Mens Club meetings will continue to be available on Zoom for anyone not wishing to attend in person. Contributed photo The community is embracing New Canaan Chamber Music and the feeling is mutual. We're sold out for our Spring concert at the First Presbyterian Church on May 22 at 5:30, so Channel 79 is stepping up to provide a video simulcast for those who can't attend. The concert also will be available on demand in high definition on YouTube at NCTV79. Under the artistic direction of hometown boy made good (NCHS '92) and virtuoso pianist Andrew Armstrong, we already have become part of the fabric of New Canaan life and culture. In addition to dozens of passionate individuals, we have felt the love from local organizations such as Karl Chevrolet, The Jeniam Foundation, Bankwell, Staying Put, the Carriage Barn Arts Center, New Canaan Community Foundation, the New Canaan Museum and Historical Society the New Canaan Chamber of Commerce, Allegro Pianos and of course the First Presbyterian Church of New Canaan. Powell, who was found at a motel in neighboring Paramount, was armed with a gun but was taken into custody without further incident, according to the sheriffs office. He was expected to be charged with first-degree robbery, victimizing someone over the age of 65 in a violent crime and being a felon possessing a gun and ammunition. GCF is an independent Norwich church GCF is an independent Norwich church Grace Christian Fellowship (GCF) is an independent, Holy Spirit-filled, Bible-based church meeting in Norwich, writes Serena Jones. Newburyport, MA (01950) Today Showers this evening becoming a steady rain overnight. Low around 55F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%.. Tonight Showers this evening becoming a steady rain overnight. Low around 55F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. South Africa: Employment and labour inspection blitz heads to the Eastern Cape In recognition of Workers Month, the Department of Employment and Labour, in the Eastern Cape, has embarked on blitz inspections and advocacy sessions focusing on the wholesale and retail sectors. In a statement, the department said the programme, which commenced on 11 May, started in Graaff-Reinet with inspectors conducting blitz inspections and an advocacy session, which saw 25 employees in attendance at Zizamele Community Hall. The Blitz inspections continue this week; 18 - 21 May 2021, in Aliwal North. On 21 May 2021, the departmental Provincial Executive Committee will accompany inspectors as they conduct an inspection at Pick n Pay, Aliwal North, said the department in a statement on Thursday. Meanwhile, an advocacy session was conducted on Thursday at Greenslade Hall in Aliwal North. Employees in the wholesale and retail sector will be educated on the Sectoral Determination 9, which focuses on wholesale and retail, Basic Conditions of Employment Act, Unemployment Insurance Act, National Minimum Wage Act, Compensation of Injuries and Diseases Act and Occupational Health and Safety Act. These information sessions are done to influence compliance with labour laws and the department will assist non-compliant employers and act against those who flout labour laws. The wholesale and retail sector is considered as one of the most vulnerable and this was more exposed during the hard lockdown. These platforms will ensure that employee rights are not infringed and that compliance with labour legislations is encouraged, said Chief Director for Provincial Operations, Nomfundo Douw-Jack. Employers and employees who have further enquiries regarding labour legislation are reminded to contact the Aliwal North Labour Centre for further assistance. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2021-05-21. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Across China: Tibetan children's author encourages early reading through picture books Xinhua) 15:27, May 21, 2021 Photo taken on April 3, 2021 shows Tatse telling stories from picture books to children in Lhasa, capital of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Dainzin Nyimaquzhub) LHASA, May 20 (Xinhua) -- Opening a book decorated with simple pictures and written in the Tibetan language, Tatse introduces his latest work to readers. "This book is called 'My First Tibetan Alphabet Book,' and it teaches children the Tibetan language through pictures," said Tatse, 33. Though born in rural areas in southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, Tatse received good compulsory education, went to university and then studied abroad. After returning to Tibet, he chose to promote picture books to create a more colorful world for local children. He has two more books under his belt and they will be published soon, he said. Tatse's passion to teach children about the world comes from his own childhood experience. Tatse was born in the county of Gyantse and he was not a fan of school when he was a child. "I often broke the windows of the classroom," he recalled. "But I remember I was quite interested in painting, and I often wrote or drew on the blackboard." Tatse's mother died when he was still a child. To get him a better education, his father took him to Tatse's uncle, who was a teacher. "When I was in sixth grade, my uncle brought me a set of blue picture books. It was a selection of the world's most famous fairytales, and there were eight books." Containing both pictures and characters, the books were easy to digest, and Tatse finished reading them quickly. "I was quite excited after reading them," he said. It was the first time he had seen picture books, and the first time he had experienced the "amazing combination of characters and pictures." When Tatse began attending high school, his father died. He said it was a big blow, but that it also "awakened" him. "I started studying diligently," he said. In 2005, he ranked first in his class in the national college exam, and was enrolled at Southwest Jiaotong University in Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province. Tatse majored in traditional Chinese medicine and international trade, but his chosen fields did not stir his passion. "I was a little lost in college," he said. After graduation, he became an English teacher for a training agency in Chengdu. It was there that he developed an interest in education. Photo taken on April 1, 2021 shows Tatse telling stories from picture books via online streaming in Lhasa, capital of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Dainzin Nyimaquzhub) In 2013, he returned to Lhasa, the capital of Tibet, and together with three other people, he launched his own training agency. It was then that he officially began his picture book work. "An increasing number of people born after 1985 and in the 1990s have become parents," said Tatse. "They know picture books well and many of them want their children to read picture books." Picture books not only tell stories and spread new knowledge, but also facilitate children to form good reading habits, he said. In 2014, Tatse and his friends began to create a picture book based on Tibetan legends that advocate mutual respect and love, revering the elderly and caring for the young. It took a lot of time and effort but in 2018, the picture book was published. In the same year, Tatse won a scholarship overseas and left Tibet to continue his education. He majored in children's early education. With a broader horizon, Tatse explored the industry further. He launched a public account called "Bedtime Stories for Children" on the instant messaging service WeChat. He also launched a bookshop selling a variety of children's picture books in different languages. He was able to obtain 3 million yuan (466,200 U.S. dollars) in low-interest loans through preferential government policies. These days, Tatse seizes every opportunity to promote picture books, including via online streaming. "I hope that more children, and even their parents, will get to enjoy the happiness brought by picture books," he said. (Web editor: Shi Xi, Liang Jun) This is a request that Ms. Hampton had made repeatedly, she had filed grievances. And the reality is that Ms. Hampton is a woman and should have been housed in accordance with her gender from the very beginning of her stay in DuPage County, she added. By Express News Service NEW DELHI: Divestment-bound national carrier Air India is looking to hire chief executive officers for its subsidiaries Air India Air Transport Services Ltd (AIASL), Air India Engineering Services Ltd (AIESL) and Alliance Air Aviation Ltd (AAAL). The selected candidates will be hired for a contract period of three years, extendable by two years based on performance, the national carrier said in three different notifications on Wednesday. "Applications are invited from eligible candidates from the open market to fill up the post of Chief Executive Officer, AIESL. He will be on contract for a period of three years the tenure can be extended or curtailed as per the requirement of the company...,"Air India said in a notification. Similar notifications were issued for AIASL and AAAl. AIASL is the ground handling subsidiary of Air India while AIESL is the maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) unit. Alliance Air is a regional airline wing of Air India. The latest development comes at a time when privatisation of Air India is in full swing and a large section of current employees have raised concern on their future with the airline. The government already initiated the process for inviting financial bids for the sale of Air India and expects to conclude the sale by September this year. Tata Group was among the companies that had put in initial bids to buy the loss-making airline in December last year. By PTI MUMBAI: The Reserve Bank of India approved paying a higher-than-expected Rs 99,122 crore to the government as a dividend, providing cushion to the state at a time when a crippling second wave of the novel coronavirus may strain public finances. In a statement, the RBI said its central board headed by Governor Shaktikanta Das has approved transferring Rs 99,122 crore surplus (commonly called dividend payment) out of the excess it generates from market operations, investments and printing of currency, for the accounting period of nine months ended March 31, 2021. The higher-than-expected dividend or surplus transfer will aid the government in a year that may see lower tax collections due to the pandemic. "The board in its meeting reviewed the current economic situation, global and domestic challenges and recent policy measures taken by the Reserve Bank to mitigate the adverse impact of the second wave of COVID-19 on the economy," the RBI said. This is the highest ever transfer by the RBI in a year after the Rs 1.76 lakh crore payout in the 2018-19 fiscal. That year, the payment included Rs 1.23 lakh crore as dividend and Rs 52,637 crore excess provisions identified as per the revised Economic Capital Framework (ECF). The payout exceeds the 2021-22 budget estimates of Rs 53,510.6 crore revenue from dividends by the RBI and state-owned banks and financial institutions. Just the surplus paid by the RBI has surpassed that target by around Rs 45,611 crore. For fiscal 2020-21, it was revised downwards to Rs 61,826.29 crore, from the earlier estimate of Rs 89,648.51 crore. The RBI had transferred Rs 57,128 crore as surplus to the central government for the accounting year 2019-20 (July 2019 to June 2020) but this isn't comparable with the current payout because of a change in the accounting year. The RBI this year changed its accounting year to sync with April to March financial year. The earlier years were for the period July to June. The payment this time around is for a nine-month period. Besides worry on tax revenues, the government also has to generate a record Rs 1.75 lakh crore from the sale of stake in state-owned firms. The RBI also decided to maintain a Contingency Risk Buffer at 5.50 per cent in line with recommendations of the Bimal Jalan Committee report. The panel had prescribed a Contingency Risk Buffer range of 6.5 per cent to 5.5 per cent. With the change in the Reserve Bank's accounting year to April-March (earlier July-June), the Board discussed the working of the RBI during the transition period of nine months (July 2020-March 2021). During the meeting, the board approved the Annual Report and Accounts of the Reserve Bank for the transition period. "The Board also approved the transfer of Rs 99,122 crore as surplus to the central government for the accounting period of nine months ended March 31, 2021 (July 2020-March 2021), while deciding to maintain the Contingency Risk Buffer at 5.50 per cent," the statement said. The 589th meeting of the Central Board was attended by Deputy governors Mahesh Kumar Jain, Michael Debabrata Patra, M Rajeshwar Rao and T Rabi Sankar. Other directors of the Central Board, N Chandrasekaran, Satish K Marathe, S Gurumurthy, Revathy Iyer and Sachin Chaturvedi also attended the meeting. Debasish Panda Secretary, Department of Financial Services and Ajay Seth, Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs too attended the meeting. By Express News Service BHUBANESWAR: Senior IAS officer Dr Krishan Kumar saved the life of an accident victim who had none to come to his rescue due to the lockdown, along the Bhubaneswar-Puri National Highway on the outskirts of the Capital city on Thursday. The man, later identified as Ratnakar Pradhan of Sakhigopal, was found near Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture (CIFA) campus in Kausalyaganga area. He had sustained bruises on both his hands and on the left side of his face. He also had sustained head injuries but received no help as there were hardly any passers-by due to the lockdown. Kumar, Commissioner-cum-Secretary of the Works Department and Chief Administrator of Shree Jagannatha Temple Administration, stopped the vehicle and arranged a car for the injured and shifted him to Capital Hospital in the city. He followed Pradhan to the hospital to ensure he received timely treatment. Capital Hospitals Director Dr Laxmidhar Sahoo and other doctors were present to check the health condition of Pradhan. A CT scan was conducted and injury to his head was found to be not critical by the doctors. A 2002 batch officer, Dr Kumar was returning to Bhubaneswar after reviewing the construction work of the chariots in Puri when he came across the accident. As Odisha continues to battle the ferocious second wave of the pandemic, many IAS and IPS officers have gone beyond the call of duty to help people of the State. IG Operations Amitabh Thakur had recently ensured that a case was registered against a drunkard man in Ganjam district for allegedly harassing his 76-year-old mother. C Shivakumar And Thinakaran Rajamani By Express News Service CHENNAI/TIRUNELVELI/TENKASI: Several units at industrial estates in Chennai are struggling to survive owing to workforce shortage as the labourers had left for their native following the second wave. Many units in Guindy have shut down, says Industrial Estate Manufacturers Association president KV Kanakabaram. A lot of people tested positive here and the so the labourers left for their hometowns. Even I had to close down my unit, he said. All eyes are now on the packages that could be announced by MK Stalin after he assumes the Chief Minister office, to support the ailing small scale industries. According to Chennai District Small Scale Industries Association president TV Hariharan, though 20 to 30 per cent of the industrial units in the city have shut down, the MSMEs are continuing production as they are still receiving orders. We are operating with available manpower, which recently depleted by 30 per cent, as orders keep coming. Around 1,500 units in Ekkaduthangal have been hit due to the pandemic. In this situation, it would be better if the government imposes a total lockdown, he added. However, Ambattur Industrial Estate Manufacturers Association president M Balachandran told Express that the second wave has not affected the Ambattur Estate much. We are getting orders and there is no shortage of manpower as of now. Most of the employees have also been vaccinated. But the rise in prices of raw materials and the new restrictions are challenging. I request the Railways to allow industrial labourers access to suburban trains similar to the health workers, he added. Unorganised sector workers lose jobs Labourers, particularly those employed at textile showrooms, malls, grocery stores and flower shops, have lost their livelihoods once again with the partial lockdown. Speaking to Express, Chelladurai, an employee at an Alangulam-based textile showroom in Tirunelveli, said, When I lost my job for about 50 days during last years lockdown, our company offered me one-month salary, and the Centre also announced some relief. This helped me run my family. This time, my showroom owner has said that there will be no pay. If the State or Central governments do not announce a stimulus package urgently for workers like me, my family will have to face many hardships. Ramalingam, owner of a flower shop in Alangulam, said customers cancelled their orders after the restrictions. As we can function only till 12 pm, I have asked half of my labourers to stay home, he added. By PTI NEW DELHI: After fighting with COVID-19 at a city hospital for 10 days, Neelam Rani was finally allowed to leave the facility, but only if her daughter, could arrange oxygen support at home for her recovery. Short of money and hope, Neelam's daughter Shweta Nagpal contacted all the people who could help, even looked to buy oxygen cylinders but lost the hope to get one for her mother. But when she came to know about Delhi government's oxygen concentrator bank, her hope revived. "I called them on the helpline on May 15, and they told us -- bring the patient home the next day and we will deliver the oxygen concentrator," Shweta, a resident of Indira Park in south west Delhi said. Days after Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced the launch of an oxygen concentrator bank, a Delhi government official said a total of 351 such machines have been delivered across 11 districts. Oxygen concentrators have been provided to 44 people in north Delhi, 38 people in southwest Delhi, 52 in west Delhi, 41 in New Delhi, 22 in central Delhi, 33 in northeast Delhi, 32 in south Delhi, 21 in southeast Delhi, 25 in Shahdara, 16 in east Delhi and 27 in northwest Delhi, the official said. For Shweta's 60-year-old mother, it was a breath of relief, both physically and financially. "For the last two years, we have been surviving on our savings. In such a condition, it was difficult to manage hospital costs. With the concentrator she is now feeling better," Shweta, who is the sole bread earner of the family of three, said. Kejriwal had said each district in Delhi will have a stock of 200 concentrators that will be rushed to the doorsteps of the patients requiring oxygen within two hours. The patients can contact the helpline number -- 1031 -- and oxygen concentrators will be provided free of cost after it is recommended by the doctors, he said. The family of 70-year-old Sona Devi was also worried when her oxygen level suddenly dropped on May 5 after suffering from COVID-19 since April 22. Even after spending 12 days in the hospital, the doctors told them she required oxygen support at their home in Shahdara. "We quickly contacted the helpline and received the oxygen concentrator within a few hours," her grandson Rajesh Bansal said. "The Delhi government has been very quick and helpful in our situation, the condition is so bad outside. You can't find oxygen cylinders and concentrators on your own," he added. Delhi Health minister Satyendar Jain had said the COVID patients under home isolation or those discharged from the hospital can avail the facility of the first oxygen concentrator bank in Delhi, after it is prescribed by the doctors. Oxygen concentrators are portable devices that enrich oxygen content in the air breathed by a person. Chhatarpur-resident Liyaqat Ali Khan had a similar story to tell. His brother 53-year-old Mohd Arif Khan was relieved with the government's help. Now, Arif is breathing easier and maintaining oxygen saturation level above 95 per cent. "We received the concentrator the same day on May 17 after contacting the helpline. He has been recovering well and thanks to the concentrator, his oxygen level is improving steadily," Liyaqat said. The oxygen concentrators will be returned after the patients do not need it. The devices will be sanitised, and given to other patients in need, the Delhi government had said. By Express News Service KOCHI: New industries minister lone representative from dist in Pinarayi 2.0; several projects awaiting his attention. Improving Keralas ranking from current 28th position in ease of doing business to be his biggest challenge As P Rajeeve, the new industries minister, assumed office on Thursday, Ernakulam district is expected to reap rich dividends not just because hes the only representative from the district in the Pinarayi 2.0 cabinet, but also because the district is the states commercial capital with many big pending projects awaiting his attention. The first Pinarayi Vijayan-led government saw several loss-making public sector undertakings (PSUs) turning around to report profits, and the new industries minister is expected to further streamline the functioning of the state PSUs, putting them on the path of modernisation. A slew of projects, including the Petrochemical Park on about 500 acres of land in Ambalamugal and another for pharmaceutical industries adjacent to the plot, the revival of the industrial belt on the Eloor-Edayar stretch and the KINFRA Export Promotion Industrial Park at Kakkanad are awaiting Rajeeves immediate attention. In the first Pinarayi governments term, Industries Minister E P Jayarajan did a commendable job in making the investment climate conducive. Rajeeve now has to take this forward. Ernakulam, being the industrial capital of the state capital, will be the biggest beneficiary, said a Kochi-based businessman, who did not wish to be named. Kerala had signed an expression of interest (EoI) with Toshiba Group for technology transfer and manufacturing of Li-ion (Lithium-ion) batteries for electric vehicles in 2019. The new industries minister is expected to take the project forward, which will mark the Japanese multinational conglomerates second entry into the state. The biggest challenge, however, for Rajeeve would be to improve the states ranking in the ease of doing business index. Kerala was ranked 28th among states in the Ease of Doing Business ranking for 2019. The states ranking has been consistently dropping from 18th position in 2015-16. To attract investments to the state, ease of doing business has to improve. This will be a big challenge for Rajeeve, said an official at an industry chamber. The first Pinarayi government had banned the notorious nokkukooli effective from May 1, 2018. However, the practice, in which trade unions claim monopoly for supplying labourers in some sectors, still exists in one form or other. Though this comes directly under the Labour department, officials expect a direct intervention from the new industries minister to attract investments. By IANS CHENNAI: Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) Founder Seeman on Friday demanded calling off the Amazon Prime web series 'The Family Man 2' as it portrays Tamils as vicious and the Liberation Tiger for Tamil Eelam (LTTE) as terrorists. In a statement issued here Seeman said that the trailer of the web series 'The Family Man 2' is shocking. "The series seeks to intentionally portray the LTTE as terrorists and Tamils as vicious people. It is no coincidence that Chennai has been chosen as the location," Seeman said. According to him, the web series story revolves around an Eelam - in Sri Lanka- woman who is portrayed as a militant. "The colour of her dress resembles that of an LTTE uniform, with dialogues referring to links between the militant group and the Pakistani ISI," Seeman said. "In a situation where 2 lakh Tamils in Eelam have been slaughtered by the tyranny of Sinhala chauvinism, the attempt to portray the Tamils as terrorists through a web series that stand as the greatest democrats and seeking justice in the international forums through moral and legal struggle is highly condemnable," Seeman added. According to him as soon as the trailer of the series, which was created to mislead Tamils, was released, Tamils all over the world have been registering their condemnation with great anger. Urging the web series be banned, Seeman said that already, the films such as "Inam" and "Madras Cafe" that portray Tamils in a wrong manner were refrained from screening in theatres due to widespread opposition. WATCH TRAILER HERE: By PTI MUMBAI: Filmmaker duo Raj Nidimoru and Krishna DK have remembered late actor Asif Basra, whose final screen appearance will be in the second season of their show "The Family Man". Basra, known for his scene-stealing acts in movies such as "Jab We Met", "Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai" and "Kai Po Che!", was found hanging in a private complex in McLeodganj, Dharamshala in November last year. He was 53. Raj Nidimoru and Krishna DK recently unveiled the trailer for "The Family Man" season two, which will feature Basra as a marriage counsellor. Taking to Instagram on Thursday, the director duo shared a picture of Basra from the show and said they were deeply affected by the actor's death. ALSO READ | Before 'The Family Man 2' we never were the sequel kind of people: Raj and DK "Many of us have been affected by the loss of a loved one in the last year. Asif Basra shot with us for Season 2. He was brilliant! And losing him to suicide has left us heartbroken! May your soul find peace and comfort wherever you are Asif Basra!" read the post on their page. Fronted by Manoj Bajpayee, "The Family Man" season two was scheduled to return earlier this year. The new season will see Bajpayee's Srikant Tiwari pitted against a new, powerful and brutal adversary named Raaji, essayed by Samantha Akkineni, who makes her digital debut with the show. The nine-part thriller series will also feature Priyamani, Sharib Hashmi, Seema Biswas, Darshan Kumar, Sharad Kelkar, Sunny Hinduja, Shreya Dhanwantary, among others. The second season of the show is slated to be released on June 4 on Amazon Prime Video. WATCH TRAILER: By Express News Service CHENNAI: Revenue authorities sealed the EVP film city at Chembarambakkam, outskirts of Chennai, on Wednesday as shooting for Bigg Boss Malayalam continued in the lockdown despite a ban on film and television production. It is believed that a few workers on the set also tested positive for the COVID-19. According to sources, the EVP film city started the shooting on February 7 and was scheduled to end on June 6. A part of the premise was allotted for Bigg Boss Malayalam shooting, said the police. The press statement read that some 240 workers were staying in the premise and were not allowed to leave the compound. However, three migrant workers from Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh tested positive on Tuesday and the shooting continued in spite of the management knowing the men tested positive for the virus, said the police. After the information reached officials, the Poonamallee Tahsildar Shankar, Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO) Thiruvallur Preethi Parkavi, along with the police, vacated all contestants, cameramen, technicians and other staff from the production house. The officials locked the premise and sealed it as per procedure. A case was booked under the provisions of the Tamil Nadu Disaster Management Act for violation of government guidelines. It was an apparent road rage incident between the two vehicles. Were not sure how many rounds were fired, but a shot was fired into the car which struck the child, CHP Officer Florentino Olivera told the Daily News. By Express News Service COIMBATORE: All Religious Affinity Movement (ARAM) State president J Mohamed Rafi is feeding the roadside dwellers and the poor by providing them chicken and egg biryani free of cost with the help of his wifes savings during this ongoing lockdown. This is not the first time he is doing so. It is to be recalled that last year, Rafi fed the migrant workers in Coimbatore by selling his wife's gold jewels worth several lakh. Speaking to TNIE, Mohamed Rafi said, "We are providing food to 1,000 people who have no jobs, including construction workers and bakery workers, due to the lockdown and those who are living on the pavements in Coimbatore government hospital, townhall, flower market, Kavundampalayam, etc., everyday. The food is being prepared at his brothers shop at Saibaba colony in the city. Sharing about the experience last year, Rafi said, "During the lockdown last year, my wife and daughter came forward to sell their jewels to help the poor. As a result, we were able to provide food to the migrant workers for a total of 62 days based on the directions of local police on the workers' needs. Moreover, We have also provided grocery items such as rice and sugar for tribal families and Srilankan Tamils. Our aim is to fill the stomach of the poor who cannot afford to buy food. We are happy to do this. This year, it is not just Rafi's family who are contributing for the poor, but also his elder and younger brothers and sisters. By Express News Service KOZHIKODE: Praises and blessings are pouring in for a Hindu woman doctor who recited the Islamic prayer for a Muslim patient on the latters deathbed at a private hospital in Pattambi in Palakkad.The patient, who was suffering from Covid pneumonia, was on ventilator for more than two weeks and her relatives were not allowed in the ICU. The patient was taken out of the ventilator on May 17 as her conditions worsened. As doctors felt that there was very little they could do in such a condition, we informed the situation to the relatives, Dr Rekha Krishna, who is working at Sevana Hospital and Research Centre, said. As I approached her, I felt that she was having some problems in leaving the earthly abode. Then, I slowly recited Kalima (La Ilaha Illalla, Muhammadur Rasululla) in her ears. I could see her taking a few deep breaths and then she flatlined, said Dr Rekha. My act was not planned. It happened at the spur of the moment. I was born and brought up in Dubai and I knew the customs and practices followed by Muslims, she said. The doctor said she only returned the respect and consideration she got in the Gulf. I was never discriminated against because of my faith when I was in the Gulf and I returned the respect when I got a chance. I was brought up in a surrounding where every faith is respected, Dr Rekha said. I dont think mine is a religious gesture; it is a humane act. A major problem with Covid-19 patients is that they feel lonely and isolated. Health workers are the single point of contact for them without their family around and we should do all we can to help the patients, she said. Doctor has set a new example for the country As a person who knows Arabic, Dr Rekha recited the prayer fully comprehending its meaning. It says that there is no other God except Allah and Muhammad is his Prophet, she said.Dr Rekha had no intention of making her gesture public. She shared the incident with a fellow doctor at the hospital while narrating the extraordinary experiences during the time of Covid-19. However, the news of the incident reached more people after that doctor wrote a post about it on social media. This post subsequently went viral, she said.Many Muslim scholars have congratulated the doctor for taking the initiative to perform a custom which is usually done by relatives. The news is heartening, especially at a time when people are beaten to death because of their religion. The doctor has set a new example for the country, wrote Sunni scholar Abdul Hameed Faizi Ambalakkadavu. The Prophet had opened the doors of the masjid in Medina for the Christian delegation from Najran for their prayers, he wrote in a Facebook post. This is Islams approach to other faiths. We sincerely hope that those who nurture hatred towards Islam and Muslims get a chance to study the religion, he added. ALSO WATCH | Kerala's Covid-19 fight: A tale of two waves | TNIE Documentary Chetana Belagere By Express News Service BENGALURU: Breathless and fighting for her life, Niveditha (name changed), a Covid-19 positive patient suffering due to low oxygen levels was turned away from every hosptial in the city due to lack of oxygen beds. This is when her friend started looking for help on WhatsApp. During this bed-hunting, they found the number of Bengaluru's 'Oxygen man' Yatish Babu. On calling Yatish, his humble attitude and assuring words gave so much hope for Nivedithas brother Abhi. "Cylinder reached us promptly and we could save my sisters life. She is now recovering at home and we managed to even get a hospital bed the next day. He is indeed a saviour," says Abhi about the 'Oxygen man'. A resident of Bengaluru, Yatish, in the last 25 days has supplied oxygen cylinders to more than 100 families not just in Bengaluru Urban but even to the citys remote corners. Yatishs phone doesnt stop buzzing during this second-wave of Covid-19. Speaking to The New Indian Express, Yatish tells how it all started. He says "during the previous lockdown, he along with his brother and biker friend, delivered essential medicines to people in rural areas." His father went through an episode of severe breathlessness due to a non-Covid chest infection but had recovered. His doctor had told Yatish to keep an oxygen cylinder handy just in case his father might need it. Being in a joint family of almost 12, Yatish purchased three cylinders. He gave one to his friend who needed it and decided to keep two cylinders for emergency purposes. However, one week passed by and he began to see on the news about peopel dying due to lack of medical Oxygen. Feeling guilty of keeping two cylinders at home for a week, Yatish started to lend these cylinders to people whoe needed it on urgent basis. He then slowly began to procure cylinders from a company in Jigani. Each Jumbo Oxygen cylinder cost Rs 19,350. Even with regular use the cylinders would suffice for two days. "My friends, Vijay, Praveen and Basavaraj came back from their villages to help me with this service." he added. "There are many families where only senior citizens are at home and in need of oxygen cylinders. The four of us ensure that we take the risk and deliver cylinders to them. We ensure we climb up all the way to even third or fourth floor and get it delivered." he said. Yatish says "the first thing he does is to ensure he recieves every single call that comes to him. If due to a busy line or some other reason I don't answer, I have made it a point to call them back." For Yatish, "One call means there is a life waiting for my help. I always give confidence by talking positively to the person on the other line. That boosts their hopes. There have been times when I have not been able to deliver but that person has called me back and thanked me for speaking so confidently to them and they had managed to get someone else to help," Yatish also has a friend's ambulance at service and uses BBMP's ward ambulance to help those who need an ambulance with oxygen to take them to the hospital. Remembering his callers, Yatish says, "Once I was coming back after providing cylinder to save a pregnant woman, though she wasn't covid positive, her oxygen levels had dropped and she needed help. I took the cylinders all the way to Hesaraghatta and helped her. On my way back home in Malleshwaram, I recieved a call from a young girl. She said, it's only her mother, herself and grandmother at home and her granny was Covid-19 positive. She needed the cylinder and I sent my friends with the cylinder." They told me the girl's family lived in a very small hut and won't be able to buy the regulator which costs about Rs 4,500. So the team provided her with a new flowmeter. A day later the girl called Yatish and thanked him for the cylinder. She then asked him to collect the cylinder back as "grandmother didn't has passed away." The girl said said "I am glad that she didn't die due to lack of oxygen. She died a decent death. Please help more families with this cylinder". Yatish apparently sent Rs 10,000 with her friends who had gone to collect the cylinder but the girl refused and asked them to use it to help other people. He says, these encounters and good wishes from people has kept him going during these tough times. However, there is a new problem now, he says. The state government has recently passed an order saying no individual is allowed to refill cylinders. "This is going to be a big problem and hindrance not just to me but even those who are under home isolation due to lack of oxygen beds and are managing with such oxygen cylinders." He intends to now have a small team with one doctor, one nurse and an ambulance with oxygen so that he can provide immediate medical help too for the needy and those who cannot afford to pay. By Express News Service KOLKATA: West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee on Thursday described PM Narendra Modis meeting with chief ministers as a "super flop" event. Banerjee also said the meeting "humiliated" the participant CMs as none of them was allowed to speak. The Prime Minister had no option left other than fleeing away hiding his face as he had no answer in the wake of the second wave of Covid pandemic resulted by the Centres mismanagement, the CM alleged. Urging all participants to protest for not being allowed to speak in Thursdays meeting, Mamata also said the chief ministers are not Modis bonded labourers or puppets. The sharp rift between the state government and the Centre surfaced at a time when the CBI arrested three TMC MLAs, including two ministers. The ruling partys supporters described it as a fallout of BJPs defeat in Assembly elections. ALSO READ | BJP says Mamata Banerjee tried to derail PM Modi's meeting with district magistrates "None of the chief ministers was allowed to speak for a second. Armed with documents, we were prepared to place our demands. All the chief ministers were sitting like puppets. We are not bonded labourers. We, the chief ministers, felt humiliated. It was a casual and super flop meeting," Mamata lashed out. The CM accused Modi of bypassing the federal structure. "This was not a one-way communication. It was one-way humiliation. One nation, all humiliation. Is the Prime Minister so insecure that he didnt want to listen to the chief ministers? Why is he so scared? If he didnt want to hear the chief ministers, why did he call us? They are bulldozing the countrys federal structure with their arrogance. What is happening is dictatorship, like martial law is going on." Hitting out at the Centre for not providing vaccines, oxygen and essential medicines to treat Covid patients, Mamata said, "The Centre is announcing different time gaps between the two doses. Is there any research or specific guideline? In the meeting, they (Centre) didnt talk about vaccine, oxygen and Remdesivir. He (Modi) fled away hiding his face because he had no answer on all these issues." Referring to the heart wrenching scene of bodies floating on the Ganga, the CM said how many central teams were sent to BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh and Bihar after it was found that bodies of Covid patients were floating on the river. Mamata, had on Thursday, written to Modi requesting him to provide 20 lakh vaccines for the both state government and central government employees. By PTI RANCHI: Twenty-six Jharkhand migrant workers, stuck in Nepal due to COVID-induced lockdown there would reach India on Saturday and a bus and an ambulance have been sent to Indo-Nepal border to bring them back, the Jharkhand government said on Friday. These 26 migrant workers from Jharkhand, engaged in a project in Nepal by Larsen & Tourbro, through a contractor, had sent SOS messages including video messages to the Jharkhand government for rescue. The migrant workers hailing from Dumka district had appealed to the government for rescue, saying they were unwell and stranded in Sindhupalchok district of Nepal. Former legislator Kunal Sarangi, JMM Legislator Basant Soren took up their cause and Chief Minister Hemant Soren as well as Indian Embassy in Nepal also intervened. "A prompt action was initiated for the return of migrant 26 workers stuck in Nepal at the instance of Chief Minister Hemant Soren. The state government took up the issue with the Nepal government." "As a result of the initiatives, the workers will be returning to Jharkahnd on Saturday," a state government official said Sarangi said members of Janata Samajwadi Party Nepal helped in locating the workers and also in their return back home. Chief Minister's office said a bus and an ambulance have been rushed to the Indo-Nepal border to bring back workers. Dumka district administration has sent a bus to Nepal border for their transportation as the workers had mentioned that they are unable to find any transportation and are stuck in adverse circumstances, the official said. Approval from Nepal government has already been sought for this, the official added. On their return, the workers will undergo health check and COVID tests, the official said. The Jharkhand government has imposed lockdown-like restrictions that mandate compulsory seven-day quarantine for people coming to the state. The workers will be brought to Dumka's indoor stadium first. Former legislator and BJP leader Kunal Sarangi who had escalated the matter urging the Ministry of External Affairs besides Indian Embassy in Nepal and others thanked the Indian Embassy in Nepal too for swinging into action. In a letter to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nepal the Indian Embassy seeking requisite travel permit said: "a vehicle has been arranged to ferry the stranded Indian nationals from Kathmandu-Sinduli-Biratnagar. "The vehicle would return without passengers from Biratnagar to Kathmandu." Dumka Deputy Commissioner, Rajeshwari B flagged off a bus from Indoor stadium to Nepal border alongwith officials for the ferrying workers. Dumka legislator Basant Soren expressed hope that the migrant workers would soon return to their respective villages. When contacted, a Larsen & Toubro spokesperson confirmed that the workers were engaged by the company at a project site through a contractor. Chief minister Soren had on Thursday retweeted a message by a non-profit body Shubh Sandesh Foundation: "Doing our best to assist 26 Jharkhand migrants stuck in Nepal. Our friends in Nepal are in touch coordinating food, travel pass, medicine etc for them." Earlier, former legislator Sarangi tweeted: "I sincerely request @DrSJaishankar Sir & @IndiaInNepal to get it looked into. These poor migrant labourers from Jharkhand are stuck in Nepal and they are very unwell. Pls rescue them." Sarangi said the Indian Embassy officials in Nepal had assured him to help the workers and the contractor who engaged the workers has agreed to pay for their transportation. In the video message, the migrant workers are seen appealing to the Jharkhand government to rescue them while saying that they are stranded in Nepal due to the lockdown and most of them have fallen sick but are not getting any medical attention and food. In a separate message later, the workers said that they have received a communication from the Shubh Sandesh Foundation that arrangements are being done for their safe return. By PTI GUWAHATI: Assam assembly Speaker Biswajit Daimary on Friday said that he will raise with authorities concerned the issue of alleged manhandling of anti-CAA activist and MLA Akhil Gogoi by security personnel inside the assembly complex. Besides Gogoi himself, the opposition Congress and AIUDF raised the alleged manhandling of the Independent MLA when he was brought to the assembly complex by jail authorities for the oath-taking ceremony on the first day of the three-day session. He has been arrested on terror and sedition charges after leading a movement against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). He is currently in judicial custody. When Gogoi arrived in a heavily escorted bus from the Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), where he is undergoing treatment, he was seen pushed by security personnel when the MLA tried to speak to the media outside the gate. The security personnel were seen pushing and dragging him again when he was about to step inside the House. "How can the police behave to an MLA this way? In this pandemic time, 20 policemen came with Gogoi and then pushed and dragged him inside the Assembly building. I request you (Speaker) to take note of this," Congress MLA Bharat Narah said inside the House. AIUDF MLA Aminul Islam also demanded "an action" from the Speaker for dragging the jailed leader "in front of a magistrate" coming in the bus. Reacting to these, Daimary said, "The House cannot do anything as it took place outside. However, I will raise the issue with the authorities concerned." Earlier outside the House, Gogoi protested against the behaviour of the security personnel claiming that it is "an attempt to silence his voice". "I am an MLA of this Assembly. How can you push and drag an MLA like an animal? This is an insult to the Assamese people and the people of Sibsagar (Gogoi's constituency). No one can silence my voice," he shouted while being pushed inside the House. After taking oath, Gogoi raised the issue inside the House and, according to him, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma directed Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pijush Hazarika to look into the matter. On May 11, a Special NIA Court permitted Gogoi to attend the first day of the 15th Assam Legislative Assembly to take oath as a legislator. Raising the issue of permission granted by the court, Gogoi requested the Speaker to write to the authorities concerned for allowing him to attend the remaining two days of the session. "I got the Assembly schedule late, so could not inform the court. There is precedence in the country. The Delhi Assembly Speaker had written for allowing a convicted BJP MLA to attend the House. So, you can also do it," he told Daimary. The Congress also supported the request and its MLA Narah urged the Speaker to write to the administration to do the needful. "We want you to write to the chief secretary and the DGP saying that he is an MLA and you want him in every session," he added. The Congress MLA also demanded immediate release of Gogoi in view of the COVID-19 pandemic across the state. Daimary said that he will consult with officials concerned and will intimate Gogoi accordingly. Gogoi, the chief of the newly formed Raijor Dal who defeated the BJP's Surabhi Rajkonwari from the Sibsagar constituency, is the first Assamese to win an election from behind the bars without any physical campaigning. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) had arrested Gogoi in December 2019 for his alleged role in violent anti- Citizenship (Amendment) Act protests across the state. He was last year admitted at Gauhati Medical College and Hospital for treating COVID-19 and he remains there for other ailments. On April 14, the Gauhati High Court upheld the bail order of Gogoi by a Special NIA Court by dismissing an appeal by the NIA and said that any act aimed at creating civil disturbance would not come within the purview of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 unless committed with the requisite intention. Gogoi is still in judicial custody as his bail prayer was rejected in another case related to anti-CAA violence and is being investigated by the NIA. By PTI DIBRUGARH: A COVID-19 positive woman gave birth to healthy twin babies conceived by IVF at Assam Medical College and Hospital (AMCH), Dibrugarh, an official said. The principal of AMCH, Dr Sanjiv Kakati in a communique said a cesarean delivery was carried out on Wednesday night at a 35 weeks pregnant woman hailing from Moran who had attained pregnancy by In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) procedure. On May 19th night the woman was admitted with some complications in a private hospital, where she was detected to be COVID-19 positive, hospital sources said. As she was COVID positive the woman was referred to AMCH from the private hospital, the sources said. A team of doctors from AMCH successfully carried out emergency cesarean section on her and delivered two babies - a 2.5 kg boy and 2 kg girl, the communique said. Both the babies are COVID negative, it said, adding that the mother and babies are doing fine. "It is a great achievement. A salute to the dedicated doctors serving at AMCH", said Dr Kakati. Till date during the second wave of COVID, he said 34 successful deliveries, including 20 cesarean section and 14 normal, had been carried out on COVID positive mothers in April and May, the communique said. By PTI INDORE: A day after 'janta curfew' in Indore in Madhya Pradesh was tightened by eight days as a "last attack on the viral infection", senior BJP leader Kailash Vijayvargiya in a tweet on Friday asked if such a move was needed in a "disciplined city". "What was the need to thrust upon an undemocratic and dictatorial decision on a disciplined city like Indore? The decision which is being widely condemned should be reviewed taking on board administration and public representatives," Vijayvargiya tweeted. Explaining the move to reporters, collector Manish Singh said, "Cases of coronavirus are on the decline. The tightening of curfew was the last attack on the viral infection. Hopefully, this would bring about more improvement and open up business activities from June 1 slowly and gradually." CM Chouhan, while addressing crisis management groups here online on Thursday, had said the aim was to enforce corona curfew in the state till May 31 "to clear the way for restoring normal life slowly and gradually." Meanwhile, authorities, quoting an official order, said wholesale and retail grocery stores will remain closed along with fruit and vegetable outlets till May 28, while companies would home deliver groceries from 6 am to 5 pm during this period. Indore has an active caseload of 10,577, the highest for any district in the state. It added 937 cases in the last 24 hours and witnessed eight deaths from the infection. Madhya Pradesh on Friday reported 4,384 new coronavirus cases and 79 fatalities that raised the tally of infections to 7,57,119 and the toll to 7,394, an official from the state health department said. The recoveries outnumbered the fresh infections, bringing the count of active cases below the 70,000-mark to 67,625. With the addition of 9,405 patients discharged from hospitals in the last 24 hours, the count of recoveries in the state has reached 6,82,100, the official said. Indore's caseload went up to 1,43,609, after 937 persons tested positive for the infection, while Bhopal's tally rose by 609 to 1,16,481, he said. With 11 deaths in the day, Bhopal's count of fatalities went up to 895 and eight casualties took Indore's toll to 1,294, he said. Indore is now left with 10,577 active cases, while Bhopal has 10,339 patients undergoing treatment, the official added. As per the health department's release, 78,268 swab samples were tested during the day, taking the total number of tests conducted in the state to 91,48,503. Madhya Pradesh has recorded 1,93,792 cases and 1,778 fatalities so far this month, it was stated. Coronavirus figures in MP are as follows: Total cases 7,57,119, new cases 4,384, death toll 7,394, recovered 6,82,100, active cases 67,625, number of tests so far 91,48,503. By PTI NEW DELHI: Noting that the spread of mucormycosis is becoming a cause of concern, the Centre has advised all states and union territories to review their preparedness for prevention and control of fungal infections as well as hygiene and sanitation in hospitals. In recent days, some states and UTs have reported an increasing number of patients suffering from mucormycosis, commonly known as black fungus. Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan has written to the Chief Secretaries and Administrators of all states and UTs, urging them to undertake activities/ practices to ensure that there are robust infection prevention and control practices in COVID-19 hospitals and other healthcare facilities. Bhushan in his letter advised them to establish/activate the Hospital Infection Control Committee with the head of the institution or an administrator as the chairperson, designate an infection prevention and control nodal officer -- preferably a microbiologist or senior infection control nurse. He also asked them to prepare and implement the Infection Prevention Control (IPC) Programme in the hospital/health facilities, as per the guidance given in National Guidelines for Infection and Control in Healthcare Facilities. Transmission-based precautions need heightened focus on droplet, airborne and contact precautions from the perspective of protecting healthcare workers and ensuring patient safety, he said in the letter. Besides, the letter stressed on the improving the environment and facilitate ventilation with focus on fresh air and natural ventilation wherever control systems with requisite air changes are not available, cleaning, disinfection and sanitation of the hospital environment and frequently touched surfaces, with recommended disinfectants like 1% sodium hypochlorite or 70% alcohol and safe water and food to prevent water or food borne diseases in hospital settings . ALSO READ | Covid and mucor hunting together? Experts for studies to find out reasons for black fungus outbreak The letter stated that biomedical waste needs to be managed as per the CPCB guidelines available and that Infection Prevention and Control practices needs to be enhanced in Intensive Care Units (ICUs) using a bundle-approach to prevent device associated infections such as ventilator associated pneumonia or catheter-associated blood stream, urinary infections etc. Infection prevention and control practise in the clinical laboratories and those attached to hospitals are very crucial for the safety of laboratory/hospital staff and health security of the community, the letter stated. Meticulous adherence to infection prevention and control while managing immunocompromised patients such as COVID-19 patients on steroid treatment, with co-morbidities (such as diabetes where good glycemic control needs to be established), the letter underlined. In due course, establish surveillance of healthcare associated infections with focus on ventilator associated pneumonia, catheter-associated blood stream infection, catheter-associated urinary tract infection, surgical site infections, gastro-intestinal outbreaks. Train all hospital staff to develop their skills in IPC, irrespective of their individual routine duties, in implementing procedures and protocols described in the Hospital Infection Control Manual. A State Nodal Officer needs to be identified to monitor the implementation of infection prevention and control to provide evaluation and feedback of the IPC programme in the state. ALSO READ | Gujarat sees 4,251 COVID cases, 65 deaths; over 1,100 mucormycosis patients admitted in hospitals in four cities The Union Health Ministry on Friday said license has been given to five more manufactures for production of Amphotericin-B, used in the treatment of black fungus, and they will start producing 1,11,000 vials of the drug per month from July. Efforts are being made to supplement the domestic availability of the anti-fungal drug through import, the ministry said, adding that 3,63,000 vials of Amphotericin-B will be imported in May, resulting in the total availability of 5,26,752 vials (inclusive of the domestic production) in the country. It said 3,15,000 vials will be imported in June and along with the domestic supply, the countrywide availability of Amphotericin-B will be enhanced to 5,70,114 vials in June. Several states and union territories have reported an increasing number of patients suffering from COVID complications in the recent days in the form of Mucormycosis, popularly known as black fungus, the ministry said in a statement. There is also a reported shortage of Amphotericin-B, it stated. The Union Health Ministry along with the Department of Pharmaceuticals and Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) are making proactive efforts for significantly ramping up domestic production of Amphotericin-B drug, it said. The Union government has also made effective efforts in supplementing the domestic availability through securing supply from global manufacturers, the statement said. ALSO READ | At least 20 black fungus cases in Puducherry, disease spreading fast: LG Tamilisai The five manufacturers which have been given the license to produce the Amphotericin-B within the country are NATCO Pharmaceuticals, Hyderabad, Alembic Pharmaceuticals, Vadodara, Gufic Biosciences Ltd, Gujarat, Emcure Pharmaceuticals, Pune and Lyka in Gujarat. These companies will start producing 1,11,000 vials of Amphotericin-B per month from July this year, the statement said. The Union Health Ministry and department of Pharmaceuticals are together trying to proactively facilitate these five manufacturers to prepone some of this production so that these additional supplies begin in June, the statement said. There are five existing manufacturers of Amphotericin-B in the country and one importer -- Bharat Serums & Vaccines Ltd, BDR Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Sun Pharma Ltd, Cipla Ltd, Life Care Innovations and Mylan Labs (importer). "The production capacity of these companies was extremely limited in the month of April. "As a result of the hand-holding by Government of India, these domestic manufactures will cumulatively produce 1,63,752 vials of Amphotericin-B in May. This will be further ramped up to 2,55,114 vials in June," the ministry said. Efforts are also being made to supplement the domestic availability of this anti-fungal drug through import, it said. "In May, 3,63,000 vials of Amphotericin-B will be imported, thereby resulting in total availability in the country (inclusive of the domestic production) of 5,26,752 vials" "Besides, 3,15,000 vials will be imported in June. Hence, along with the domestic supply, the countrywide availability of Amphotericin-B will be enhanced to 5,70,114 vials in June," the ministry said. ALSO READ | Mucormycosis: UP to declare black fungus notifiable disease under Epidemic Diseases Act Together, these companies will start producing 1,11,000 vials of Amphotericin-B per month from July, it added. The Union Ministry of Health in collaboration with MEA is also actively exploring other global sources from where the Amphotericin-B drug can be imported. The ministry is also trying to procure other anti-fungal drugs which can be used in treatment of black Fungus, the statement added. Rajesh Kumar Thakur By Express News Service PATNA: The Bihar chapter of Indian Medical Association (IMA) on Friday constituted a committee of prominent doctors in Patna to investigate the reasons behind the highest number of doctors' death in the state. According to Dr Sunil Kumar, the honorary state secretary of Bihar chapter of IMA, 96 doctors including Dr TN Singh, director of Bihar Health department, Dr VK Sinha (skin specialist), Dr Rana Mithilesh (radiologist), Dr Shatrughan Ram (joint replacement surgeon), Dr JA Goswami (Bihar health services, Saran), Dr Ajay Aggarwal and Dr Prabhat Kumar (Patnas topmost cardiologists) died of Covid during the second wave of Covid in Bihar. Bihar reported the highest number of doctors' death in the country. The committee formed by the IMA will investigate the reasons behind their death. These doctors attained martyrdom while serving the people, Dr Sunil Kumar said. Recently, Dr US Kumar became the first doctor from Bihar to die of black fungus. At present, more than 400 Covid-infected health personnel are undergoing treatment. ALSO READ | Covid and mucor hunting together? Experts for studies to find out reasons for black fungus outbreak The IMAs committee has Dr Sahajanand Prasad Singh as its chairman, Dr Ajay Kumar (convener), Dr (Capt.) VS Singh, Dr Manju Gita Mishra, Dr Basant Singh, Dr DP Singh, Dr Rajiva Ranjan and Dr Sunil Kumar as the members. They will submit the report to the IMA after finding out the reasons behind the deaths of such a huge number of doctors. The probe report will also be shared with the government, Dr Sunil Kumar said. More than 329 doctors died of Covid in the ongoing second wave in India. After Bihar, more than 73 doctors had died in Delhi, 41 in UP, 22 in AP and 20 in Telangana. Meanwhile, Pratyay Amrit, the additional chief secretary, who is heading the state health department, said the government is mulling to declare the outbreak of black fungus as an epidemic. Bihar has reported more than 197 cases of black fungus and four cases of white fungus. A Centre of Excellence has been set up in the Patna IGIMS and the AIIMS for the specialised treatment of black fungus patients. The medicines prescribed for black fungus patients have been made avaibale in all the government hospitals to meet the requirement, Amrit said. Vazquez was an All-Star reliever with the Pirates in 2019 and drew the attention of several teams at the trade deadline. The Pirates hung on to him, and he has not thrown an MLB pitch since his arrest in September of that year. By Express News Service KOLKATA: West Bengal agriculture minister Shovandeb Chattopadhyay, who was elected from Bhowanipur Assembly constituency in the recently-held elections, has resigned to pave the way for Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to contest from the seat. Mamata, who was defeated by BJP candidate and her once-trusted lieutenant Suvendhu Adhikari in Nandigram, must get elected within six months to continue her membership in the West Bengal Assembly. My party did not ask me to resign. I was under no pressure. I took the decision as a sincere member of the Trinamool Congress so that Mamata Banerjee can contest from Bhowanipore again. He role in state and national politics is more important now, said Chattopadhyay after tendering his resignation. Chattopadhyay tendered his resignation to Assembly speaker Biman Bandyopadhyay in the presence of senior party leader and his ministerial colleague Partha Chatterjee. There is speculation that Chattopadhyay may contest from Khardah Assembly constituency in North 24 Parganas, which was won by the Trinamool Congress candidate Kajal Sinha, who later died of Covid-19. Another possibility is that Chattopadhyay might be nominated to Rajya Sabha. By PTI NEW DELHI: A Supreme Court bench on Friday stayed a bunch of orders on Covid management issued by the Allahabad High Court to the Uttar Pradesh government recently, agreeing they were impossible to implement. It also advised high courts dealing with Covid cases to refrain from dealing with issues that have trans-national and international ramifications, since the top court itself is seized of pan-India matters. The Allahabad High Court had on May 17 ordered the UP government to upgrade its health facilities on a war footing, specifically directing it to provide two ambulances with ICU facilities to each village within a month. But a Supreme Court bench comprising justices Vineet Saran and Bhushan Gavai agreed with the states position, represented by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, that UP has 97,000 villages and an order of this magnitude was impossible to implement within the HCs deadline. We are of the opinion that high courts should normally consider the possibility of execution of their directions. If such directions cannot be implemented, then such orders may not be passed. The doctrine of impossibility is equally applicable to courts, the bench said. It added that the high courts May 17 order can be treated as advice and not directives. The Allahabad High Court has been scathing in its observations of the state governments handling of the pandemic, going to the extent of saying that the states healthcare system is Ram Bharose (at Gods mercy). Mehta also sought a direction from the bench to transfer all Covid-19 related matters pending in various high courts to benches headed by their respective chief justices. In Allahabad High Court, there are other PILs which are listed before other benches in which notice has been issued. Similar cases in other high courts, too. But, let such matters be placed before only Chief Justice-led benches, he urged. However, the court said it could not pass such sweeping orders as the constitution of benches was the prerogative of the chief justice of the high court. We cannot demoralise the high courts, it said. At this, Mehta said, Health infrastructure can never be ignored. But these directions are impossible to comply with...we understand the anxiety of the court. But this is a matter of concern. Courts should also have some judicial restraint and not pass orders which are difficult to implement. No stay on further proceedings We are staying the order but we are not staying the proceedings before the Allahabad High Court. The matter be listed on July 14, the Supreme Court bench said while appointing senior advocate Nidesh Gupta as amicus curiae to assist in the matter Sumi Sukanya Dutta By Express News Service NEW DELHI: As states sent out SOSes to procure crucial antifungal drug amphotericinB in the wake of rising cases of mucormycosis, also known as black fungus, the Centre on Friday assured that over 5 lakh vial of this medicine is going to be available by the end of this Month through ramped up production and imports. The Centre said it has issued licences to five more companies to manufacture the medicine, considered the first line treatment for mucormycosis, and is in the process of importing 6.8 lakh vials in May and June. The import is part of all round efforts to ramp up supply and availability of the medicine, said the Union Health Ministry in a statement. The government said that the production capacity of the companies producing the drug was extremely limited in April but following the support from the Centre, these firms will cumulatively produce 1,63,752 vials of the drug by May-end. The production will be further ramped up to 2,55,114 vials in June, claimed the Centre. ALSO READ | Covid and mucor hunting together? Experts for studies to find out reasons for black fungus outbreak As per unconfirmed reports, nearly 5,000 cases of the disease have been reported in India during the current outbreak while more than 125 people may have succumbed to it. Doctors said that one patient needs 4-8 vials of the medicine every day for this disease for about 15-30 days during the course of the treatment. Unexpectedly high demand of amphotericinB over the last few weeks has meant that it is suddenly out of stock in most places, prompting the Union government to engage in its centralised, quota wise distribution. The Ministry, meanwhile, in a letter to states, asked them to ensure infection prevention and control as well as hygiene and sanitation in hospitals. Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan, in his letter to all states and UTs, asked them to establish or activate the hospital infection control committee with the head of the institution or an administrator as the chairperson. The letter also said that hospitals should designate an infection prevention and control nodal officer, preferably a microbiologist or senior infection control nurse, and prepare and implement the infection prevention control as per the guidance given in National Guidelines for Infection and Control in Healthcare Facilities. By PTI BHOPAL: Madhya Pradesh Congress chief Kamal Nath on Friday claimed that over one lakh people have died in the state due to COVID-19 in March-April this year as per the figures provided by the cremation grounds and graveyards, and accused the Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led BJP government of hiding the real fatality count. The state government, however, termed his claim as "false and misleading". Addressing a virtual press conference, Nath said, "We have collected figures from cremation ground and graveyards in March and April this year, and came to the conclusion that 1,27,503 bodies arrived there for the last rites and 80 per cent (1,02,002) of these deaths were caused due to COVID-19." The government is misleading people on the issue. It asks people to bring certificates from competent authorities to prove that they died of COVID-19, he said. Responding to his claim, Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra asserted that what Nath said was "false and misleading", and challenged him to give evidence about it. Mishra said if Nath fails to give evidence then he should resign from his party post, and added that he would step down from his position as a minister if the allegations turn out to be true. The minister also urged the Madhya Pradesh Governor to act against Nath for "spreading falsehood and for indulging in anti-national activities by defaming the country at the international level on the issue". Rajesh Asnani By Express News Service JAIPUR: With a faction of MLAs allied to Sachin Pilot mounting pressure on Rajasthans Ashok Gehlot government, the Congress high command on Thursday said that it will not bend to the wishes of a few. Ajay Maken, the Congress in-charge for Rajasthan, said Pilot is an asset, but the party will not be run according to the wishes of a few leaders. After the resignation of Congress MLA Hemaram Chaudhary, other MLAs from the Pilot camp have expressed dissent. MLA Ved Solanki has appealed to the party high command for decentralisation of power after Hemarams resignation. He has stated that if his demands are not met, he too will have to step down. Two more MLAs from the Pilot campMurari Meena and Mukesh Bhakarhave come forward and asked the party leadership to listen to the demands of Chaudhary and others. Maken said, the party does not take decisions based on a few peoples wishes. Sachin Pilot is an asset and a star campaigner in Rajasthan. He was instrumental in getting our party elected in the state. In coming times, party will give him responsibilities keeping all of these things in mind. By PTI MUMBAI: The Bombay High Court on Friday said all prisoners had a fundamental right to access their own medical records. A bench of Justices SJ Kathawalla and SP Tavade directed Maharashtra prison authorities to provide lawyer-activist Sudha Bharadwaj, an accused in the Elgar Parishad-Maoist links case, with her medical records, and said such relief must be extended to all prison inmates across the state. The HC was hearing a plea filed by Bharadwaj's daughter last week through senior counsel Yug Chaudhry seeking medical aid and medical bail for her mother. On Friday, however, Chaudhry told the bench that after the plea was filed, Bharadwaj was taken to state run JJ hospital and got requisite medical treatment. Therefore, he would not press for medical bail for Bharadwaj at present, Chaudhry said. He, however, urged HC to consider his request to direct the state to provide all prisoners with their medical records, and to permit them to have a phone conversation with family members or their lawyers after every visit to a hospital or a medical examination conducted outside the prison premises. Chaudhry said in the absence of such an order, inmates were forced to file petitions to get access to their own medical records, pathology test results, etc. Additional Solicitor General Anil Singh, who appeared for National Investigation Agency, and the state's counsel, YP Yagnik, opposed the request, telling the court Chaudhry had not filed a PIL so he could not seek a general order. "This is not a PIL. You can get an order for your own case. Specific orders can be passed on a case to case basis. There are various orders passed by HC from time to time taking care of prison inmates," ASG Singh said. The bench, however, said it agreed with Chaudhry's submission that prison inmates must have access to their own medical records under their fundamental right to life as guaranteed by Article 21 of the Constitution. "In our view, prisoners have a right to their own medical records under Article 21. All medical records, details of tests, medicines prescribed etc., should be given to the petitioner (Bharadwaj). In fact we will go a step further and say this order must apply to all prisoners," the HC bench said. The bench also said Bharadwaj was permitted to make a phone call to an approved family member after any visit to a hospital outside the prison premises, and the family member could then update the lawyer about the inmate's condition. "This facility in our view should also remain available to all prisoners," it said. Bharadwaj, an accused in the Elgar-Parishad Maoist links case, is currently lodged in Byculla women's prison here. Last week, Chaudhry had sought medical treatment and interim bail for Bharadwaj on medical grounds, given the activist's comorbidities and the risk of her contracting COVID-19 while in prison. Chaudhry had said Bhardwaj was kept in a prison ward with 50 other women under extremely unsanitary conditions, with just three toilets for all of them. "The ward where she is lodged is a literal death trap," Chaudhry had said at the time. He told the court on Friday that he and Bharadwaj's family members had made numerous phone calls and written several emails to Byculla prison authorities seeking medical aid for the activist, but all these had gone unanswered. Bharadwaj was finally taken to the JJ hospital after the present plea was filed, he said. "We don't want bail unnecessarily but give us medical attention and our medical reports. We have a right under Article 21," Chaudhry said on Friday. The HC disposed of the plea following Chaudhry's submissions. By ANI NEW DELHI: In a biggest single day load, more than 1,018 MT of Liquid Medical Oxygen (LMO) has been delivered to various states in the country via 13 Oxygen Expresses, the Railways said on Friday. The Oxygen Expresses had been delivering nearly 800 MT of LMO to the nation each day for the last few days. In its statement today, Railways said 208 Oxygen Expresses have completed their journey, delivering 13,319 MT of LMO in more than 814 tankers to various states across the country so far. Oxygen relief by Oxygen Expresses has reached out to 13 states, namely Uttarakhand, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Haryana, Telangana, Punjab, Kerala, Delhi, and Uttar Pradesh. As per the latest data released by the ministry, Delhi has received the most oxygen relief with 4,110 MT, followed by Uttar Pradesh with nearly 3,338 MT. Maharashtra has received 614 MT of oxygen relief so far, while Haryana and Punjab received 1,619 MT and 153 MT respectively. Telangana has received 772 MT and Tamil Nadu 649 MT oxygen relief. Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala have been delivered 714 MT, 292 MT, and 118 MT of LMO respectively. Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Uttarakhand got 521 MT, 98 MT, and 320 MT of oxygen relief. The Railways have mapped different routes with Oxygen supply locations and have kept themselves ready with any emerging need of the states. The states provide tankers to the Railways for bringing LMO. Oxygen Express started with its delivery of oxygen relief days back on April 24 in Maharashtra with a load of 126 MT. To ensure that oxygen relief reaches in the fastest time possible, Railways has created new standards and unprecedented benchmarks in the running of Oxygen Express Freight Trains, the ministry informed. The average speed of these critical Freight trains, in most cases, is way above 55 over long distances. These trains run on high priority Green Corridor, with the highest sense of urgency. The operational teams of various zones have also been working round the clock in these challenging circumstances to ensure that Oxygen reaches in the fastest possible time frame. Railways said that technical stoppages have also been reduced to 1 minute for crew changes over different sections. "Tracks are kept open and high alertness is maintained to ensure that Oxygen Express keeps zipping through. All this is done in a manner that speed of other Freight Operation does not get reduced as well", the ministry added. (ANI) By Express News Service NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday granted bail to rebel YSRC MP Kanumuri Raghu Rama Krishnam Raju, who was arrested in a sedition case by AP CID.A vacation bench of Justices Vineet Saran and BR Gavai formed the prima facie opinion that Raju was possibly ill-treated while in police custody after going through the medical report submitted by Army Hospital in Secunderabad. The apex court imposed several bail conditions on Raju, including that he should not give any interview to the media with regard to the case. On May 17, the top court had ordered forthwith shifting of Raju to the Army Hospital in neighbouring Telangana from a prison in AP for medical examination and hospitalisation till further orders. Raju, an MP from Narasapuram, alleged that the sedition case was filed against him by the State police because of political vendetta as he has been criticising the actions of his own party. Considering the totality of the plea and the health condition of the petitioner since he has undergone open heart surgery, we deem it fit that the petitioner be enlarged on bail, the SC order read, while directing Raju to cooperate with the investigation and present himself when called by the investigation officer. He is required to furnish a bond of Rs 1 lakh and two sureties of the same amount before the trial court within 10 days. During the hearing conducted through video-conferencing, the bench stated that the report received from the Army Hospital mentioned that Raju has fracture in his toe. Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Raju, said, That means the allegation of torture is proven. If this happens to a sitting MP, what will happen to an ordinary person? Please grant him bail and the matter of torture should be investigated by the CBI, he added. Senior Advocate Dushyant Dave, appearing for the Andhra Pradesh government, however, opposed the contention and said, Something seems to have happened between the examination by the medical board as requested by the petitioner and now with the Army Hospital examination. We dont know if these are self inflicted injuries or not. On Rajus statement that the sedition charge was invoked against him, Dave said, He did not restrict himself to fair criticism of the government, but tried to stroke hatred among two communities. This caused public disharmony. Dave argued that the rebel YSRC MPs plea seeking bail should be dismissed. The bench was hearing two appeals, including one by Raju, against the AP High Court order dismissing his bail plea and asking him to go to appropriate forum for the relief. In the second appeal, his son K Bharath has sought Rajus medical examination by a private hospital. On May 15, the CID, which arrested Raju on various charges, including sedition, also named two media houses and others as accused in the case. They were charged for alleged offences under Sections 124A (sedition), 153A (promoting enmity between different groups), 505 (statements conducing public mischief) read with 120B (conspiracy) of the IPC. The CID, which registered the case on its own, alleged that Raju did not restrict himself to fair criticism of the government but has made every attempt to create hatred, contempt disaffection towards the government. Not only has he done this through his words, but also used visual gestures of face and hands to provoke his followers to take up violence. They are seditious in nature. It also alleged that the MP particularly targeted two communities and tried to stoke hatred against them by trying to portray that the government has been favouring the two. What Supreme Court said Charges against the petitioner are not such that custodial interrogation should be required Considering the totality of the plea and the health condition of the petitioner since he has undergone open heart surgery, we deem it fit that the petitioner be enlarged on bail MP Raju should not give any interview to the media and cooperate with the investigation By PTI MUMBAI: Jesuit priest Stan Swamy, an accused in the Elgar Parishad-Maoists links case, told the Bombay High Court on Friday that his health has deteriorated steadily since his arrest, but he would rather "suffer and possibly die" than getting treatment at a state-run hospital here. Swamy, 84, was produced before a bench of Justices S J Kathawalla and S P Tavade through video-conference from the Taloja prison in neighbouring Navi Mumbai where he is lodged as an under-trial. The prison authorities also submitted a medical report from Mumbai's J J Hospital, where Swamy had been examined earlier this week in compliance with the high court's order. The bench read out the report, which stated that Swamy suffers from extreme hearing loss in both ears, his upper limbs were sluggish and suffered tremors. It also said that he required physical assistance in the form of walking stick or wheelchair. However, his overall condition including the pulse rate were stable and Swamy was "responsive" and "cooperative," the report said. Swamy told the court that he had suffered much while in prison. "I was brought here eight months ago. When I came to Taloja, my whole system, my body was still very functional. But during these eight months, I have gone through a steady regression of all bodily functions," Swamy said. "The main issue is that eight months ago I could take a bath by myself; I could take a walk; I could do some writing by myself. But all of these are disappearing one after another. So, Taloja jail brought me to a situation where I can neither write nor go for a walk by myself. I can't eat. Somebody has to feed me through a spoon," he said. The bench then asked if Swamy wished to be admitted to the state-run J J Hospital for "general treatment to improve his overall health." Swamy, however, said that he had been admitted to that hospital on two previous occasions and he did not think that admission there could help him. "What medicines will the J J Hospital give me? I have been there twice. I know the set-up. I don't want to go there," Swamy said. "I would rather suffer and possibly die. I would rather be in Ranchi with my friends," Swamy said, insisting that he be granted interim bail instead. The bench, however, said that the court was hearing arguments on the point of hospital admission only and not on interim bail. It further said that Swamy's health problems seemed to be general in nature and were probably just "age-related." Swamy's advocate, senior counsel Mihir Desai, urged the court to adjourn the hearing for a week to permit him to speak with Swamy and to convince him to get admitted to a hospital. "Since he is a priest, he feels 'forgive them, for they do not know what that do'. This is the approach he has taken," Desai said. The bench granted him the liberty to approach the HC again if Swamy changed his mind about hospital admission. The bench said, "Someone must have told him, or he himself is an intelligent man. He knows his problems are only age related. That's why he is pressing only for interim bail and says won't take hospital admission." The HC directed the Taloja prison to follow all the recommendations made by J J Hospital on providing health facilities and treatment to Swamy while in prison. Swamy approached the HC through advocate Desai earlier this year challenging a special court's rejection of his bail plea, filed on medical grounds as well as merits of the case. As per his counsel, Swamy suffers from Parkinson's disease and several other ailments. By Express News Service NEW DELHI: A group of 116 former civil servants have written an open letter to PM Narendra Modi urging the Centre to provide for a free vaccination to all Indian citizens and ramp up RT-PCR testing in both rural and urban areas. The civil servants, including former cabinet secretary K M Chandrasekhar, former health secretary K Sujatha Rao, former foreign secretary and ex-national security adviser Shivshankar Menon, former adviser to the PM T K A Nair, former chief information commissioner Wajahat Habibullah and former Delhi L-G Najeeb Jung, said the government seems to be more concerned with managing the narrative of efficient management of the Covid crisis rather than addressing the crucial issues. They added that the steady erosion of the Cabinet system of governance, the worsening of federal ties with the states the lack of informed consultation with experts and Parliamentary committees, the failure to take the timely advice of expert panels and the absence of effective coordination with state governments have had disastrous consequences for the poor and disadvantaged and now for the better-off sections of society as well. Despite warnings from the international community and our scientists, the breathing space between the first and the second waves was not used to augment critical resources such as medical staff, hospital beds, oxygen supplies, ventilators and drugs and other medical supplies, the letter said. The former bureaucrats also said the holding of assembly elections may have been unavoidable, but party functionaries threw all caution to the winds by conducting huge public rallies in different states. Make adequate funds available to the states for provision of medical facilities and stop expenditures on non-essential items like the Central Vista Redevelopment Project. Draw on the existing surplus foodgrain stocks to provide free rations to the families of the marginalised and deprived sections of society as well as unorganised labour, they added. On PM Cares fund, the letter said the PM-Cares fund was set up when there was already a PM National Relief Fund in place. Two days later, after watching the video, he saw that the student had indeed been compliant, and told her that her bus privileges would be reinstated the following Monday. By PTI NEW DELHI: Several women's rights activists on Friday questioned the grounds on which journalist Tarun Tejpal was acquitted in a rape case and said the Goa court's verdict would deter other women from coming forward to report cases of sexual assault and abuse. Some of the activists pointed out that Tejpal had himself admitted to attempting to assault the woman and tendered an apology, and said the judgement is disappointing and demotivating. Tejpal, the then editor-in-chief of Tehelka, was accused of sexually assaulting a female colleague inside the elevator of a five-star hotel in Goa. In the wake of sexual assault allegations, Tejpal stepped down as the editor-in-chief of Tehelka. The case had become a test of the amended law against sexual assault that expanded the definition of sexual assault and made punishment stricter. After a sessions court in Goa acquitted Tejpal, women rights activist and cyber safety expert Akancha Srivastava said he had himself admitted that he attempted to assault her. "Half of these cases don't even go in court and those which reach court and are fought and then to have this judgement is extremely demotivating. When a person has already accepted that he has misbehaved, then on what grounds has he been let off. If he is saying he did then he did it," she said. "When we set precedent with such verdicts then we deter more and more victims from coming forward to filing cases and fighting it," she said. All India Progressive Women's Association secretary Kavita Krishnan said the judicial system lets down another woman and the survivor had to go through hell. "The judicial system lets down another woman. No wonder women do not want to file a complaint with the police, she said in a tweet. Krishnan said Tejpal penned several apologies admitting to the incident. "Goa police took suo motu notice, got FIR filed. Since then the survivor has been dragged through hell," she tweeted. "The hell of being yanked around by police, courts, repeatedly to Goa." "The hell of having this case tied to her neck like an albatross. The hell of systematic slander campaigns against her by TT (Tarun Tejpal) and Friends. Her integrity being smeared in court and in social parties," Krishnan said in another tweet. She said at the end of it all, the courageous woman did not get even a tiny taste of justice. Rape trials are deeply violent towards survivors. "Yet again, a survivor has been demeaned, humiliated, and let down," she tweeted. Chhavi Methi of the Bharatiya Samajik Jagritik Sanghatan said the judgement was disappointing. "It is disappointing for the whole humanity because it sets the precedent that someone who has power can get away with anything without any repercussions for their actions," Methi said. Talking about the amended law, human rights lawyer Shilpi Jain said the new law expanded the ambit of rape to include cases of sexual assault other than sexual intercourse. "Tejpal's case was included in this expanded definition of law (IPC Section 376). Because of this new law which has been brought in as a knee-jerk reaction to 2013 (Nirbhaya case), we will have more and more cases like that of Tarun Tejpal which will end up nowhere." "This verdict was a writing on the wall as this law is bound to become a tool to blackmail men as in case of sexual intercourse there is some kind of corroborative evidence," she said. "I feel the previous law was proper and the only thing they needed to do was Section 354 which is outraging the modesty of a woman. Instead of making it bailable they should have increased punishment and made it non-bailable. Now with this amendment they have gone from one extreme to the other," she said. The nationwide public outcry, in 2012, following the December 16 gang rape and murder in Delhi led to the passing of the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act in 2013 which widened the definition of rape and made punishment more stringent. The Network of Women in Media, India (NWMI), an organisation with over 500 women in media profession across the country, said it stands in solidarity with the survivor and applauds her courage and determination to pursue justice. In a statement, the NWMI said the seven-and-a-half-year journey has been a long and difficult one for the survivor and her family, dealing with major disruptions in her life and work, travelling to Goa periodically to give evidence under hostile circumstances. Dealing with immense pressures, relentless and harrowing backlash on social media and elsewhere, she has stood firm. "Her struggle has been the struggle of every woman facing sexual harassment and sexual violence at the workplace and attempting to push back the asymmetric power of dominant men in the media. It has been a conversation starter in newsrooms to better understand gender-based violations and has given courage to women to jettison shame and speak out about workplace harassment and violence," the NWMI said. The Goa police had registered an FIR against Tejpal in November 2013, following which he was arrested. The Goa crime branch had filed a charge sheet against Tejpal, who has been out on bail since May 2014. He faced trial under IPC sections 341 (wrongful restraint), 342 (wrongful confinement), 354 (assault or criminal force with intent to outrage modesty), 354-A (sexual harassment), 354-B (assault or use of criminal force to woman with intent to disrobe), 376(2)(f) (person in a position of authority over women, committing rape) and 376(2)k) (rape by a person in a position of control). Sudhir Suryawanshi By Express News Service MUMBAI: Goa is the only state in the country to have registered more than 50% positivity rate in the second coronavirus wave, overburdening the health infrastructure, and leading to the death of more than 2,000 people. The mortality in Goa is 1.49% against 1.54% in Maharashtra and 1.11% all-India average. The Bombay High Court of Goa has slammed the state government over Covid patients death due to lack of oxygen. Digambar Kamat, former Goa CM and the leader of the Opposition, says the BJP-led government has lost the moral right to remain in power. He said the deaths occurred because the government was unable to arrange hospital beds, medical oxygen and other health facilities. This is nothing but murdering the people. We kept demanding enforcement of a lockdown and mandatory RT-PCR tests for those who stepped out of their houses. But they kept ignoring us, which has resulted in 2,000 deaths, said Kamat. He said the government was on record having admitted that they failed to supply oxygen to patients, killing 75 people in just four days. We demand chief minister Pramod Sawant and his health minister Vishwajit Rane must step down, Kamat said. Sumit Naik, a senior journalist from Goa, told this paper that the state government went horribly wrong on many fronts, starting from taking political decisions to ignoring warnings of health experts. He said after the first wave, Goa rather than remaining on alert, opened all its doors to tourists. The virus spread in such a huge manner that the state government looked helpless. The deaths due to lack of oxygen are unprecedented, said Naik. In the midst of the pandemic, the CM and the health minister were engaged in an internal political tussle, he said. The differences between Sawant and his health minister were on imposition of a lockdown and making the RT-PCR mandatory from outsiders. While the CM was more worried about the economy than the lives of the people, the health minister went in the opposite direction. This changed the focus of the government. The government moved only when the people started posting pictures of the horrible conditions of Covid patients in hospitals, Naik said. In Goa, the number of Covid cases started rising from May 1. From 2,303 cases being registered, the count almost doubled to 4,100 on May 7. On May 2, the positivity rate was 42 % with 52 deaths while on May 5 and May 6, the positivity rate went up to 51.6% and 51.5% respectively with 71 and 58 deaths respectively. Dr Shivanand Bhandekar, Dean of Goa Medical College, said the situation soon went out of hand as the Goa Medical College and Hospital received 900 patients against its capacity of only 350 beds. By PTI LUCKNOW: The Uttar Pradesh government will declare black fungus as a notifiable disease under the Epidemic Diseases Act later in the day, a senior official said after Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath issued directions in this regard. The Union government had on Thursday urged states and Union Territories to make mucormycosis or black fungus a notifiable disease under the Act, stating that the infection is leading to prolonged morbidity and mortality among COVID-19 patients. A notifiable disease is required by law to be reported to the government authorities. The collection of information allows the authorities to monitor the disease and provides early warning of possible outbreaks. During a meeting on Friday, the Uttar Pradesh CM said, "In compliance with the order of the central government, black fungus should also be declared a notified disease on the lines of COVID. Order in this regard should be issued today and be made effective,'' a government statement said. Additional Chief Secretary (Information) Navneet Sehgal said the order will be issued by Friday evening. In consultation with health experts, the state government is making arrangements for proper medical treatment of all patients, the statement said quoting the CM said. According to the statement, officials at the meeting told the CM that medicines for the treatment of black fungus have been made available in every district. Details of all patients suffering from black fungus are being made available to experts, the statement said. So far, around 300 COVID patients suffering from black fungus have been admitted to hospitals in the state, an official spokesman said. According to information received from Lucknow's King George's Medical University, 73 patients have been admitted there, of which 23 were admitted in the past 24 hours. By Express News Service BHOPAL: Two young women, both sisters, are reportedly being questioned by police and military intelligence in Mhow town of Madhya Pradeshs Indore district on Friday for suspected links with Pakistans Inter Services Intelligence (ISI). The two women aged between 28 and 32 years were on police and military intelligences radar following specific inputs about them being in regular touch with contacts in Pakistan, particularly suspected ISI operatives and possibly retired and present army officers across the LoC. According to sources privy to investigation, one of the sisters is a school teacher, while the other woman has worked with an electricity company in the past. They were using fake IDs on social media to regularly communicate with contacts (possibly ISI operatives) in Pakistan, for over a year. The two women were in contact with a man hailing from Kupwara district of Jammu and Kashmir. The J&K man also has possibly been picked up by the cops and military intelligence for questioning. The two women, who hail from Gawli Palasia area near Mhow town, are daughters of an ex-serviceman, who after retirement had worked as a security guard at a nationalized bank branch in Mhow only. While refusing to share details of the entire development, the Inspector General of Indore Zone Harinarayanchari Mishra told The New Indian Express that the local police and intelligence agencies are jointly working in the matter. By PTI NEW DELHI: The government has asked social media companies to immediately remove any content from their platform that uses or refers to the term 'Indian variant' of coronavirus, to curb misinformation around COVID-19, sources said Friday. According to sources, the IT Ministry has written to all social media platforms asserting that the World Health Organization (WHO) has not associated the term "Indian Variant" with the B.1.617 variant of the coronavirus in any of its reports. The sources said that a notice has been issued in this regard on Friday by the IT Ministry, which states that a false statement is being circulated online that implies that an "Indian variant" of coronavirus is spreading across countries. The sources said the matter has already been clarified by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on May 12 through a press release. They added that social media platforms have been asked to "remove all the content that names, refers to, or implies 'Indian variant' of corona virus from your platform immediately". Previously, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology had issued advisories regarding curbing of false news/misinformation concerning coronavirus on social media platforms. By PTI MUMBAI: The Bombay High Court on Friday directed the police not to arrest former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh in a case under SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act till May 24. A division bench of Justices S J Kathawalla and S P Tavade on late Friday night heard a petition filed by Singh, seeking to quash the FIR lodged against him and demanding a CBI probe into the case. While Singh's counsel claimed that the FIR was a backlash over his allegations of corruption against former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh, the government said the FIR was registered as the complaint disclosed commission of offence. The bench, however, questioned the timing of the FIR and said, "We do not understand why all this after Param Bir Singh has had a fallout with the government." After hearing the parties at length for over an hour, the court at midnight said it now ceases to be a vacation bench, and hence the matter would have to be heard on Monday. "Since the matter is part heard, the State of Maharashtra in the meantime shall not arrest Param Bir Singh till the next date of hearing," the court said. Singh's counsel Mahesh Jethmalani argued that the FIRs lodged against Singh was a result of the letter the former Mumbai commissioner of police wrote to Maharashtra Chief Minister against Deshmukh. "There is not a shred of evidence against Singh in this case. The state is just vindictive towards someone who has proved to be inconvenient to them. A disgruntled person, who is already accused in several cases, is picked up by the government only to implicate Singh," Jethmalani said. He further argued that the provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act cannot be attracted unless the offense is committed due to caste motivations. Senior counsel Darius Khambata, appearing for the Maharashtra government, alleged that Singh indulged in corrupt practices. "Singh tried to get the complainant (Bhimrao Ghadge) do his dirty work and when he refused, Singh got him suspended," he argued. The FIR is based on a complaint by police inspector Ghadge, now posted at Akola in Maharashtra. Ghadge made a series of allegations of corruption against Singh and other officers when Singh was posted in Thane. The IPS officer pressured him to drop the names of some persons from a case and when he refused, Singh framed him up in false cases, the FIR, now transferred to Thane, claimed. By PTI KOLKATA: West Bengal minister Firhad Hakim on Friday returned home after the Calcutta High Court ordered the house arrest of him and three others arrested by the CBI in connection with the Narada sting tape case. Hakim, the state's transport minister and chairman of the board of administrators of the KMC, came back to his Chetla residence in the evening, amid tight security. "We urged his supporters to not celebrate his return as he and the others are yet to get bail. Please ensure the court directive that there shouldn't be any crowding in front of the residence," one of his daughters said. Apart from Hakim, the high court earlier in the day ordered the house arrest of Panchayat Minister Subrata Mukherjee, Trinamool Congress MLA Madan Mitra and former Kolkata mayor Sovan Chatterjee. The court passed the direction modifying its earlier order that stayed their bail granted by a special CBI court on Monday when the four leaders were arrested. However, Mukherjee, Mitra and Chatterjee will not be able to return home immediately as they are undergoing treatment for various health conditions. Mitra, who had recently recovered from COVID-19, was diagnosed with severe pulmonary problems. "Mr Mitra's condition is critical. He needs to be in hospital for treatment and is not in a position to be discharged," one of the three doctors of the medical board constituted for the treatment of the three political leaders, said. Chatterjee, who suffers from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder (COPD) and is highly diabetic, has developed cirrhosis of the liver, he said. The doctor said Mukherjee is on nebuliser. "We have to continue their treatment. At the moment, they are under observation," he added. Shekhar Pathak By Express News Service The departure of Sunderlal Bahuguna (9 January 1927-21 May 2021) to another planet is the end of an epoch. This epoch started when the Indian freedom struggle and Prajamandal struggles were going on. Born in the family of a state official, he had the resources to pursue other things, but opted for the arduous route. In 1942, when he was a student in Lahore, he was inspired to participate in the freedom struggle. He went underground and reached Tehri, where Praja Mandal was trying to work in the state. This organisation was denied entry. Shridev Suman tried to convince state officials, but he was arrested and rearrested and died after 84 days of historic hunger strike. Suman's death gave life to Praja Mandal and Tehri people under the feudal state. They organised themselves under Praja Mandal and a rainbow of leaders emerged out of it. Bahuguna was among them. He was not only inspired by Suman, but also met him a few times. After the merger of Tehri state in the Indian union in 1949, Bahuguna became the secretary of Tehri Congress. He was educated, a good looking orator and committed to Gandhian ideals. He had a great future in politics. But when his marriage with Vimala Nautiyal was initiated, her first argument was that if he wanted to marry her, he had to leave politics and join social work. This was a new beginning in the lives of both. In 1956, they thought about establishing Navjivan Ashram in Silyara, a remote village in Balganga valley in the inner parts of the district. Education for women and dalits was one of the aims. After a few years, a hostel was built for the downtrodden in Tehri town. Both were involved in this project with many others. It was some kind of a renaissance in Tehri. Before that, a Sarvodaya team was developed in Uttarakhand with Sarala Behn at the top. The others were Man Singh Rawat, Sunderlal, Vimla, Radha Behn, Chandi Prasad Bhatt, Sohanlal Bhubhikshuk, Ghanshyam Shailani, Diwan Singh Bhakuni, Sher Singh Karki and many others, who participated in different works of Bhudan. The Bhudan yatras taught them the real issues of the mountains. First, they worked for the entry of Dalits in the temples. After that, they brought their kids to schools. The next movement was against alcoholism. This movement spread to all parts of Uttarakhand. The Bahuguna couple and others participated and in 1969, prohibition was introduced in five districts. It continued almost for two decades. In 1970, floods in Alaknanda prompted the Sarvodaya workers to analyse it. They found that apart from landslides and tectonic activities, felling of forests was also responsible for this flood. This was the time when angu trees in the Chamoli forests were allotted to a sport goods company. This gave rise to Chipko in Gopeswar. The word Chipko emerged in a meeting with villagers in Gopeswar. Early in 1973, Mandal protests stopped the axe men and in the second half, the Phata protest also succeeded. For the first time, women participated in large numbers in the protests. On March 26, 1974, the women of Reni village wrote another chapter of Chipko, when 27 of them led by Gaura Devi gave a turning point to the movement. A Chipko committee was formed by the government and many demands of the movement were accepted. The Emergency became detrimental for the further rise of Chipko, as the Sarvodaya team was divided over supporting or opposing the move. But when Janata Party formed the government in 1977, people started hoping for a good policy for forest issues. Janata Party failed in dealing with those issues. It gave acceleration to the movement and Chipko came out in different regions of Uttarakahnd in a participatory form, dominated by women and young people including students. Till 1980, Uttarakhand was under the voices and echoes of the Chipko movement. With the change of government in 1980, most of the initial demands of Chipko were accepted. After that Chipko activists diverted their energy to other initiatives. Chipko initiated the idea of environmentalism of the poor dealing with economy and ecology together. Bahuguna organised a Kashmir-Kohima tour in 1980-82 to spread a message to people and rulers to look at Himalayan issues in a more committed way, placing nature and people at the centre. The idea of 'ecology is permanent economy' emerged. After that, he became active in Anti Tehi Dam movement initiated by VD Saklani in 1978, by lodging a writ in the Supreme Court. Bahuguna led the movement with support from locals and people who love the Himalaya. But the state machinery developed the villains, and supporters of the Dam. Political parties also played a dirty role. Many PMs of India bluffed at him. Many times his hunger strikes ended with some promise that were never fulfilled. The movement failed, but it sparked a big debate over the pattern of development in Himalaya. Bahuguna was among the very few true Gandhians. In Uttarakhand, Chandi Prasad Bhatt, Radha Behn and a few others are old and ailing. He was a true voluntary worker, sensitive writer, strong traveller and smiling inspirer. He followed the path of Gandhi and Suman and Gandhi's two British daughters Sarala and Mira. At times, people felt his working style bordered on heroism. Sometimes Sarla Behn disagreed with his hunger strikes too. He continued working in his own style. He never compromised. He may have had weaknesses. But for the larger good, he stuck to his point. Some of his points proved true later. Uttarakhand lost a father figure of Himalayas and the country a fighter for the Himalayan cause. So many things which he taught us, I hope, will be part of the lives of people, especially young people. He taught us going back to villages is the only way of sustained life in the Himalayas. He gave us the idea of Askot Arakot Abhiyans. We salute him and his great contributions. (The writer is a Padma Shree award winning environmentalist/historian who has written many books) By PTI UNNAO: A 17-year-old boy died Friday after he was allegedly beaten up by the police here for "violating" the ongoing 'corona curfew' in the state, his family claimed, following which a constable was suspended and a homeguard jawan sacked. The incident took place in Bhatpuri locality in Bangarmau area when the boy was selling vegetable outside his house. The police said in a statement that an FIR will be registered against the policemen involved and the entire matter probed. His family alleged that the boy was caught by a constable for allegedly violating 'corona curfew' and thrashed with a stick. He was later taken to a police station, where he was again thrashed following which his condition deteriorated and he was rushed to the Community Health Centre, where he was declared dead, the family alleged. Agitated with the police action, the locals created a jam at Lucknow road crossing, demanding action against the guilty, a government job and compensation for the victim's family. Later, the police said in a statement, "Constable Vijay Chodhury has been suspended with immediate effect in the matter and services of homeguard Satyaprakash have been terminated. The entire matter will be probed and an FIR will be registered against the policemen." Senior officers are reaching the spot to meet the family members. The Uttar Pradesh government has imposed 'corona curfew' in the state till 7 am on May 24 to curb the spread of coronavirus cases. Bibek Debroy By Most people have read, or are familiar with, George Orwells Animal Farm. It was published in 1945. But the Introduction/Preface wasnt published until much later, in 1972. The sinister fact about literary censorship in England is that it is largely voluntary. Unpopular ideas can be silenced, and inconvenient facts kept dark, without the need for any official ban. At this moment what is demanded by the prevailing orthodoxy is an uncritical admiration of Soviet Russia. Everyone knows this, nearly everyone acts on it. Any serious criticism of the Soviet regime, any disclosure of facts which the Soviet Government would prefer to keep hidden, is next door to unprintable. It is important to distinguish between the kind of censorship that the English literary intelligentsia voluntarily impose upon themselves, and the censorship that can sometimes be enforced by pressure groups. The Wuhan virus has ravaged the world, through mortality, morbidity and long-term effects we arent even aware of today. Across the world, understandably, there has been criticism and questions have been raised about culpability of governments in handling the crisis. But oddly, or perhaps understandably, few questions are raised about the origin of the virus. There is a conspiracy of silence. I was reminded of Orwells Introduction/Preface (with Soviet government replaced) when I read Nicholas Wades long essay on the origins of Covid-19. It was first published in Medium, but has been reprinted in several places since then. With personal lives devastated, I think the Wade arguments deserve better dissemination, so that some culpability is fixed. Whether one uses the appellation Wuhan or not, that the virus originated in Wuhan is undeniable fact and cannot be wished away. Was it (a) nature; or (b) nurture? Robust causal evidence to establish either is missing. Wade teases through circumstantial evidence (which everyone should carefully read) to argue that the balance of probability is in favour of (b). Yet, most people seem to think it was (a), jumping from wildlife to humans via Wuhans wet market. But there were cases in Wuhan with no link to the wet market and preceding December 2019. Nevertheless, as public, we believe what scientists and virologists tell us. This brings us to a Lancet piece in February 2020 and a Nature Medicine piece in March 2020. In both cases, there was no evidence to prove the virus originated in nature. Yet, both pieces were categorical that this hadnt been the case. To quote Sherlock Holmes, Insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit theories, instead of theories to suit facts. Thats precisely what these two pieces did. Without using standard filters required for a scientific proposition to be categorically established, they jumped the gun. Skipping details of scientific evidence (one should read Wade), nature is implausible becausegeography is wrong (Yunnan, where bats live, is 1,500 km away from Wuhan and bats dont fly that far); timing is wrong (the first cases occurred in September, before wet market cases of December 2019); climate is wrong (it is so cold in September in Hubei that bats hibernate); no intermediate host of transmission, or geographical process of transfer, has been found. There are pigs on Pluto. This is a proposition that cant be falsified, at least, not yet. But most people and scientists and virologists will accept that the proposition is implausible and improbable, possible though it might be. In the same way, though we dont know for sure, the origin of this virus species through natural selection and transmission is implausible. Wuhan is a centre for research on coronaviruses through Wuhan Institute of Virology, and possibly other labs too. If thats the case, since Wuhan is the place where cases were detected, one should start with nurture in Wuhan, not nature in Yunnan. Why has there been no finger-pointing towards Wuhan research? There is a strong hypothesis and a weaker variant. In the strong hypothesis, research in Wuhan has been funded by individuals and organisations from the West, who authored pieces and tried to form public opinions without disclosing conflicts of interest. There was a perverse incentive, since were the nurture proposition to be true, they would have had to share part of the blame. We do know research in Wuhan Institute of Virology was funded from the West. We do know some of these were gain-of-function experiments, attempts to enhance capabilities of viruses. We do know this research involved bat coronaviruses, with samples collected from Yunnan. We do know the Wuhan Institute possessed capability to produce Covid-19, though we dont know it actually did. Given weak regulatory controls and safety measures in Wuhan Institute of Virology, or other labs there we dont know about, it was possible for Covid-19 to escape and cause the pandemic. I mentioned a strong hypothesis and a weaker variant. In the strong hypothesis, there are individuals and organisations who have actually funded research in Wuhan. In the weak hypothesis, virologists in general are reticent and non-transparent about the kind of research they are engaged in, one that is of dubious value and potentially, extremely dangerous. There is a conspiracy, but not a global conspiracy to unleash the pandemic on humanity. The conspiracy is one of silence and reluctance to part with information, which is why I quoted George Orwell (Nicholas Wade uses the word omerta, with a phonetic resemblance to many Indian words that mean death). Do read the Wade essay. With lives ravaged, surely there should be culpability. Bibek Debroy, Chairman, Economic Advisory Council to the PM. (Tweets @bibekdebroy) Views are personal. Daunte Wrights death was a tragedy, he added. He should not have died on the day that he did. He should not have died the way that he did. His parents, brothers, sisters, and friends must now live the rest of their lives without him. His son, only two years old, will grow up without his father. Amid the raging second wave and vociferous discussions over lives claimed by the virus, Odisha presents a curious picture. The proclaimed case fatality rate (CFR) in the state is not only among the lowest in India, but more astoundingly, has gone down considerably from the first wave. Is it a medical miracle or a classic case of data management? Hovering around 0.4%, Odishas CFR is lower than almost all states barring Kerala or Mizoram. In the last fortnight, the states CFR averaged a mere 0.16%. The state reported its highest daily Covid fatality of 25 on Thursday. Before that, the maximum was 22 on three occasions. The total Covid deaths recorded in Odisha, currently, stand at 2,403, which include last years numbers too. In the second wave, the state has officially reported only 485 fatalities. For a state that has been consistently reporting about 10,000 cases daily for a while, the CFR is too low to be true. States like Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Rajasthan and Punjabwith as many daily infections or lowerreport much higher deaths, which suggests something is not right about the numbers dished out on a daily basis in Odisha. But the dead do not lie. The pyres raging in the funeral grounds day and night, the grieving families in the cremation grounds, they dont lie either. Nor do crematorium staff, their bodies and minds exhausted and overwhelmed from watching the flames consume the deceased hour after hour. Across the state, as districts scramble for new cremation grounds to accommodate the mounting bodies, the governments numbers make little sense. What does the under-reporting achieve? Nothing, because, eventually, it is all going to reflect in death certificates and Registrar General of India data. On the other hand, honesty helps. It builds confidence and trust among people that the government acknowledges their loss. It also aids the medical community, researchers and experts prepare a road map for a better strategy when the crisis comes calling next time. The raging pandemic has put governments not just through a gruelling test of ability but also one of character. It would pay to be transparent to the very people they serve. ALSO WATCH: By PTI AMARAVATI: As thousands of people began flocking to Krishnapatnam village in SPS Nellore district to get what is being touted as a miracle cure for COVID-19, the state government on Friday roped in the Central Ayurvedic Research Institute to conduct a "very scientific and authentic exercise" to determine the efficacy of the medicine. The Ayush Department of the state government collected samples of the medicines and sent them for laboratory tests in Hyderabad to detect the ingredients being used and to check if there is anything harmful. The Ayurvedic preparation, which has now come to be known as 'Krishnapatnam Medicine', has created quite a buzz in the social media, resulting in a heavy rush of people to the village over the last few days. The ruling YSR Congress MLA and party SPS Nellore district president K Govardhan Reddy is said to be promoting the medicine. Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, during a high-level review on the COVID-19 situation in the state,noted that since there was a belief among a large number of people that the medicine was helping them tackle Covid, both in a curative and preventive manner, there was a need for a very authentic understanding of the issue. Accordingly, Principal Secretary (Health) Anil Kumar Singhal spoke to Union Ayush Department Secretary and also the Director General of CARI, requesting them to undertake a study on the medicine. The CARIs regional centre based in Vijayawada would be sending its team of experts to Krishnapatnam on Monday to study the process of medicine preparation, the ingredients used and other aspects. "The experts will take up an appropriate study of this treatment and arrive at an authentic and authoritative conclusion on the effectiveness of what is happening there," Anil told a press conference here on Friday night. He said the state Commissioner of Ayush was now camping in Krishnapatnam with a team and has spoken to people who have taken the medicine. The Commissioner reported that only about 4,000 people who went to Krishnapatnam on Friday could get the medicine. "They all expressed satisfaction. In fact, none has been able to identify people who have reported negative effects after treatment or reported negatively about the treatment, he pointed out. "But we dont know what is the reality or outcome of the whole exercise," the Principal Secretary observed. Tests of the samples collected so far revealed no harmful ingredient in the medicine, Anil added. Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu, who hails from SPS Nellore district, also asked Union Minister for Ayush Kiren Rijiju and Indian Council of Medical Research Director Balram Bhargava to conduct a study on the Krishnapatnam medicine. He asked them to come out with a report as early as possible, a release here said. Doctor-turned-bureaucrat (retired) P V Ramesh, who previously worked as Principal Secretary (Health) and also Special Chief Secretary to Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, dubbed the so-called Krishnapatnam medicine "yet another recipe for disaster". "Governments must stop such epidemics of superstition. Those preparing and promoting this Krishnapatnam concoction are punishable under the Pharmacy Act, 1948, and Drugs and Magic Remedies Act, 1954," Ramesh, who actively oversaw the AP governments Covid-19 management last year, said. From tens to hundreds and now thousands, people are flocking to Krishnapatnam village, even violating COVID-19 protocols, to take the medicine being offered by an Ayurvedic practitioner B Anandaiah, who once worked as the village sarpanch and later a member of the mandal parishad. He began the medicine distribution on April 21, Sri Rama Navami day. A team of Ayurvedic doctors from the Department of Ayush visited the village a couple of days ago and enquired about the medicine and submitted a report to the government, saying the medicine preparation, treatment process and the after- effects needs to be studied in a scientific manner. The team said none of those who took the medicine complained of any ill effects on taking the Krishnapatnam medicine. It said Anandaiah was preparing five different medicines using natural herbs,honey and spices and giving it to COVID-19 positive patients, suspects and those with lung problems. "One of the COVID-19 patients saw his oxygen level rise to 95 from 83 in an hour after getting two drops of the medicine administered in his eyes. We have spoken to the patients," the Ayurvedic doctors said in the report. The SPS Nellore district medical and health officer and Nellore Revenue Divisional Officer were also part of the official team. The team, however, said no COVID-19 rules were being followed in the village where the medicine was being given. On Friday, there was a virtual stampede at Krishnapatnam as over 10,000 people thronged it for the medicine, the supply of which was resumed after a break for a few days. By Express News Service NELLORE: Even though the state government has not approved the ayurvedic medicine for COVID-19 being prepared by Bonigi Anandaiah, people in large numbers visited Krishnapatnam village in Muthukur mandal, Nellore district, to obtain it. The rush was such that there was a stampede like situation. Following his announcement on Thursday, Sarvepalli MLA Kakani Govardhan Reddy launched the re-start of distribution of ayurvedic medicine to the public in the village on Friday. Hours after the start of distribution of medicine, organizers postponed it for two days in view of the heavy rush. Mandatory physical distancing and Covid safety precautions were discarded. With the news that the distribution of Ayurvedic medicine will commence from Friday going viral on social media platforms, people in huge numbers started visiting the village from the early hours of Friday. Large queues were witnessed at the medicine distribution point in this small seaside village, located 26 km from the district headquarters -- Nellore. ALSO READ: In Covid-19 era, thousands choose Ayurveda in Andhra Pradesh for recovery Roads leading to Krishnapatnam were full of vehicles and even 3-4 ambulances with infected patients were seen waiting for their turn. Krishnapatnam Police arranged check posts at various places and tried to control the traffic but in vain. When the MLA left the medicine distribution camp after inaugurating it, organizers administered medicine to some people and announced that the medicine distribution programme has been postponed for two days. After some arguments with organisers, several of those who came to get the medicine started returning to their respective places. The herbal medicine prepared by Bonigi Anandaiah is administered as eye drops. Following reports of ayurvedic medicine for COVID-19 being distributed in Krishnapatnam and also on the directions of the Lokayukta, the district collector KVN Chakradhar Babu on May 17 constituted a three-member committee to probe the matter. The team comprising district panchayat officer M Dhana Lakshmi, DMHO Dr S Rajyalakshmi, Nellore rural DSP Y Harinath Reddy along with Ayush doctors, visited and collected samples from the practitioner. The team reported to the Collector that the practitioner is not a qualified ayurvedic doctor and the preparation is not a medically approved standard recipe. They also opined that the ingredients being used in the preparation are general herbs available in the market and the dosages are substandard. The team also stated that the ingredients used in the eye drops may affect the eyesight in the long run. Further, they opined that the medicine may be given a fair clinical trial. District Collector KVN Chakradhar Babu submitted a report to the Lokayukta on the same day and the report was also submitted to the state government. Bonigi Anandaiah from Krishnapatnam who created the medicine hails from an agricultural family. He was interested in ayurvedic medicine and learnt the basics and medicine formulas from his teacher Swamy Guravaiah who is also a follower of Venkaiah Swamy in Golagamudi. Further, he learnt more techniques in preparation of ayurvedic medicine in Red Hills in Tamil Nadu. The Ayurvedic medicine is prepared with some medicinal herbs. It is prepared as both preventive and curative medicine. I had been distributing the medicine for the last one month. The rush has been increasing day by day. My son has donated around Rs.1 lakh for preparing the medicine in the initial days. Now, people are voluntarily donating herbs and other useful material for the preparation of the medicine, said Bonigi Anandaiah. Some of the ingredients used in the preparation of medicine are honey, pepper, green camphor, nutmeg, black cumin, cinnamon and leaves of some herbal plants. He along with some others have been preparing the medicine and distributing it free of cost in Krishnapatnam village. Meanwhile, P V Ramesh, retired IAS officer, described it as another recipe for disaster and tweeted, Those preparing and promoting this Krishnapatnam concoction and statement are punishable under the Pharmacy Act 1948 and Drugs & Magic Remedies Act 1954,. ALSO WATCH| Kerala's Covid-19 fight: A tale of two waves | TNIE Documentary Arunkumar Huralimath By Express News Service HUBBALLI: While other districts in Karnataka are struggling to get sufficient oxygen supply to meet the demand amid a surge in COVID-19 patients, Dharwad, which has adequate stocks, has lent 20 MT of liquid medical oxygen to neighbouring Belagavi. Dharwad district has more than 6000 active COVID-19 cases, of which around 2100 patients are on oxygen support. The district requires around 42-45 MT oxygen every day and it is being supplied 41 MT oxygen daily. To meet the demands of Dharwad and for patients who get admitted at KIMS and other private hospitals from neighbouring districts, two huge oxygen tankers from Kuwait with 50 MT oxygen capacity had been sent to Dharwad on May 17. Of that, 20 MT was stored in KIMS hospital and the remaining 30 MT was sent to the neighbouring districts. On the same day, another tanker from Madhya Pradesh with 20 MT oxygen also reached Hubballi and waited for three days to get emptied. ALSO READ: Covid-19: Karnataka High Court declines to entertain 'publicity interest litigations' Due to sufficient storage in Dharwad, the oxygen tanker on Thursday was sent to the neighbouring district of Belagavi where there was oxygen shortage. Speaking to The New Indian Express, Dharwad deputy commissioner Nitesh Patil said KIMS hospital in Hubballi has a storage capacity of 40 KL and it was full after 20 MT oxygen arrived here from Kuwait. "Apart from that, the district is getting 41 MT oxygen allotment every day. Oxygen tankers from Madhya Pradesh were supposed to arrive here last week but they are late. Meanwhile we were supplied from Kuwait tankers. Therefore the state government oxygen committee was consulted before sending the tanker that came from Madhya Pradesh to Belagavi where oxygen was required, he said. As of now there is no issue with respect to oxygen in the district. We have sufficient storage and are also getting everyday oxygen allotment from the Jindal unit of Ballari. If there is requirement, we will request the government to supply more oxygen, he added. By Express News Service BENGALURU: Questioning the steps taken by elected representatives to address the issues around Covid-19 in the state, the Karnataka High Court on Thursday declined to entertain 'publicity interest litigations' filed by MLAs. A special division of Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas and Justice Aravind Kumar orally observed that not a single political leader came forward when Covid-19 issues were being heard since the past 14 months and now suddenly they have started filing petitions. "That too publicity interest litigations," the court said. The high court declined to entertain a PIL filed by MLA H K Patil seeking directions to use government agencies, including ISRO, to address Covid patients' grievances, after the court questioned the petitioner's approach of coming to court instead of taking them up with the government. The court took up another petition filed by Leader of Opposition in Legislative Council SR Patil on Covid issues in Bagalkot district. The court directed Patil to submit a representation to the state government on making sure sufficient beds are available for Covid-19 patients in the said district. The state was directed to consider the representation within a week from the date of receipt. Similarly, on making adequate Remdesivir doses available, the court asked him to submit details to Amicus Curiae Vikram Huilgol who will bring it to the attention of the court while hearing the main PILs which were being heard. The court also disposed of a PIL filed by MLA KR Ramesh Kumar after directing the state to submit a response to his request to issue directions to it to make arrangements for collection of swab samples from remote villages for RT-PCR test and mobile testing facility. Noting that there cannot be any dispute on this issue and it will be considered on the next date of hearing PILs, the court said that it would be appropriate for the state government to issue a circular to all private hospitals asking them to strictly adhered to the provisions of KPME Act. Notice to central government on PIL by former IIM-B professor The court issued a notice to the Centre and its other agencies based on a PIL filed by former professor of IIM-B S Chandrashekar. He sought directions to the Centre to invoke Section 92 of the Patent Act to allow various global manufacturers of Covid vaccine to voluantarily execute licenses to manufacture them in India. He also asked the court to issue directions to constitute a rapid action task force to oversee the upscaling of the manufacture of vaccines and rapid inoculation of people. Karthik K K By Express News Service MYSURU: Even before the commercial launch and supply of the 2-DG oral anti-viral drug, developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in collaboration with Dr Reddys Laboratories, several hospitals have already started giving prescription to people to source it on their own to help speed up recovery of Covid-19 patients. The new drug 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG) is said to help Covid patients with moderate and severe conditions by reducing their oxygen dependence. Though Dr Reddys Laboratories has issued a statement stating that the commercial launch and supply of the drug to major government and private hospitals are expected to commence only in mid-June, doctors of many private hospitals across the state are prescribing the drug. The New Indian Express has a copy of the prescription given by a doctor of a private hospital in Mysuru suggesting to a 42 - year- old male Covid patient to get 10 sachets of 2-DG. This was prescribed by the doctor treating my brother who is infected with Covid-19... the doctor said it will help him in faster recovery. I called many pharmacy agents and reached out to many friends and family members, only to realise that it is yet to be launched. This is causing us more stress amid the pandemic along with the anxiety of our loved ones being hospitalised, he added. Experts and drug controllers point out that such a trend can result in miscreants selling fake drugs in the market. The same thing happened with Remdesivir. There is a need to monitor such practices and curb them, a retired drug controller said. When The New Indian Express reached out to Dr Reddys, they clarified that they have no stock of 2-DG at the moment. We are working hard to advance the launch and expect it to be in the market by mid-June. 2-DG is meant for use in a hospital setting under a qualified doctors supervision and one must beware of agents selling 2-DG now. This may be spurious and illeg al and could even be harmful to patients, the statement by Dr Reddys Laboratories read. By Express News Service BENGALURU: Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on Friday announced an extension of the existing lockdown in the state by another 14 days. The guidelines issued for the existing lockdown, the Chief Minister said, will continue to be in place till June 7. The decision, Yediyurappa said, was taken based on the technical advisory committee's recommendation to contain the spread of COVID19 in the state. ALSO READ: Covid-19: Karnataka High Court declines to entertain 'publicity interest litigations' "To stop the spread of COVID19 at the village level and save lives, we have taken decisions for the welfare of the people. I request citizens to please cooperate," BS Yediyurappa appealed before he announced the extension of the lockdown. "Due to the restrictions we have ordered till May 24, cases are coming under control but we need to stop the spread at the village level. It has been decided that the lockdown will be extended by another 14 days, till 6 am on June 7," Yediyurappa said. He added that people are violating prohibitory orders and are seen commuting outside the 6 am to 10 am window allowed for essentials. "If permission is till 10 am then people should be returning to their homes by 9.45 AM instead of roaming about unnecessarily. Police have been asked to strictly enforce the lockdown and take action against violators," Yediyurappa added. The government also announced free treatment for mucormycosis - black fungal infection - at government hospitals. "Since not everybody can afford the treatment given its cost, the government has decided to provide free treatment at district hospitals," he said. The number of new COVID-19 related fatalities declined to 353 in Karnataka, as the state reported 32,218 fresh cases, which continues to be outnumbered by recoveries with 52,581 discharges, the health department said on Friday. While the total number of infections so far stands at 23,67,742, the toll is 24,207. The state during the last three days had reported 548, 468 and 525 fatalities respectively. Out of the 32,218 new cases logged on Friday, 9,591 were from Bengaluru Urban alone and the city saw 26,956 discharges. Cumulatively 23,67,742 COVID-19 positive cases have been confirmed in the state, which includes 24,207 deaths and 18,29,276 discharges,the Health department said in a bulletin. The total number of active cases stood at 5,14,238. While the positivity rate stood at 24.22 per cent, the case fatality rate (CFR) was 1.09 per cent. Among 353 deaths reported on Friday, 129 were from Bengaluru Urban, Bengaluru Rural had 30, Ballari 23, Uttara Kannada 22, Shivamogga 20, followed by others. Bengaluru Urban accounted for most number of cases with 9,591, Mysuru 2,355, Hassan 2,071, Tumakuru 1,773, Ballari 1,650, followed by others. Bengaluru Urban district topped the list of positive cases, with a total of 11,03,844, followed by Mysuru 1,21,987 and Tumakuru 90,952. Among discharges too, Bengaluru Urban headed the list with 8,04,056, followed by Mysuru 1,07,934 and Ballari 65,389 A total of over 2,84,53,442 samples have been tested so far, out of which 1,33,013 were on Friday alone. (With PTI Inputs) By Express News Service HASSAN: A woman gave birth to a baby in an auto rickshaw in front of Shantigrama primary health unit in Hassan district late on Thursday after hospital staff allegedly refused to admit her demanding a COVID-19 test report. The woman's husband and in-laws brought her to Shantigrama PHU from Halasinahalli when she developed severe labour pains. She gave birth to a baby boy around 12.10 am in the autorickshaw. Learning about the incident, hospital staff rushed to the spot and shifted the mother and infant to the delivery ward. Sources said both the mother and baby are healthy. Protesting the incident, the kin of the patient and villagers gathered in front of the hospital and condemned the attitude of the health staff by raising slogans. The villagers also urged the district health officer to suspend the nurses on duty on charges of dereliction of duty. The nurses on night duty allegedly lodged a complaint against the driver of the auto rickshaw at Shantigrama police station for recording the episode and posted it on social media. On condition of anonymity, one of the health staff said the woman gave birth before visiting the hospital. The DHO was not available for comment in this regard. By PTI THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Journalist-turned- politician Veena George will helm Kerala's Health Ministry in the successive LDF cabinet, replacing K K Shailaja at a time when the state is witnessing an unprecedented Covid-19 surge. Shailaja's non-inclusion, after she played a leading role in the state's fight against Covid-19, had created a flutter and various sections of the society including celebrities had batted for her reinstatement. George, a two-time legislator, represents Aranmula constituency in the state assembly. Expectations are high on the 45-year old mother of two to match up to Shaialaja's work in covid management, although Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had said that it was a collective effort of the government. Known for her leadership qualities, well-articulated speech and matured interactions, George's name was being widely speculated for the challenging post since the Marxist party began discussion for portfolio allocation. With her induction in the Pinarayi Vijayan-led LDF coalition cabinet, George earned a rare achievement of being the first woman journalist to reach the position in the southern state. Wresting of Aranmula, a traditional Congress fort in Pathanamthitta, in 2016 assembly polls and retaining the seat with a remarkable margin of 19,000 votes in the April 6 polls were considered to be among several other factors that helped her to cement a cabinet berth. A surprise entrant in the poll fray, George had defeated her nearest rival Sivadasan Nair of Congress by a margin of 7,646 votes in the 2016 election. She unsuccessfully contested in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Her able leadership was widely praised during the time of flood relief in Pathanamthitta in 2018 and 2019. As a TV personality, she was the co-presenter of "Naam Munnott", the television programme in which Vijayan used to interact with select audience. Before plunging into politics, she had a striking career in visual media for over 15 years as she had been an established news anchor in prominent Malayalam channels including Manorama News and Reporter TV. A mother of two, George was noted for her in-depth questions and political analyses during her TV media stint and won several awards also for journalistic excellence. A rank holder of MSc (Physics) and B.Ed, George began her political career as an activist of Students Federation of India (SFI), a wing of the CPI(M). She also tried her hand at teaching for a short period before beginning the media career. A member of the CPI(M) Pathanamthitta area committee, George was given the challenging portfolio of Health when the Marxist party was facing severe backlash, especially on social media platforms for not retaining Shailaja, who had won global acclaim for her deft leadership in checking the Covid-19 surge, in the new cabinet. A section of international media had earlier described Shailaja as a 'rockstar' health minister. People from various walks of life including politicians, writers and celebrities have come out in open questioning the Left party's decision to drop the well- performing woman minister. ALSO WATCH | Kerala's Covid-19 fight: A tale of two waves | TNIE Documentary But the party made it clear her omission was part of its policies to give new faces an opportunity. Barring Vijayan, all 11 other CPI(M) nominees in the LDF coalition government are first time ministers. By giving the health and family welfare portfolio to another woman legislator, the Marxist party expects to douse the protests to some extent. Besides tackling the covid pandemic situation in an effective manner, George also has an added challenge of showcasing a better performance than her illustrious predecessor in the state's health sector. Her husband Dr George Joseph, a higher secondary school teacher, has served as secretary of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church. By Express News Service KASARGOD: Lawmakers from Kerala have condemned the Kasaragod-based Central University of Kerala's decision to suspend political science assistant professor Gilbert Sebastian, who criticised the Centre's vaccine policy and called the RSS-BJP a proto-fascist organisation during his class. Student organisations, barring the complainant ABVP, have demanded that the university revoke the suspension order. Congress's Shashi Tharoor too echoed their demands. Debate him, don't silence him, the Lok Sabha member from Thiruvananthapuram suggested. Writing on Twitter and Facebook, Tharoor said he had expressed concern about the dwindling space for dissent on campuses when discussing the National Education Policy. Kasaragod Lok Sabha member and Congress leader Rajmohan Unnithan wrote to the minister for human resource development Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank' seeking his intervention to revoke the suspension of Dr Sebastian. "The teacher has all the qualifications and merits to teach. Proto-fascism is a technical term and he used it in his class to describe and elaborate on certain political situations. Such a witch-hunting is a transgression into the academic freedom of the university profession," Unnithan said. ALSO READ | Gram panchayat in Kerala mandates Covid test for parents to get school admission for their kids CH Kunhambu, CPM's MLA from Udma, where the university is situated, said suspending teachers for giving lectures would instil fear in the minds of young thinkers and also teachers. In his letter to vice-chancellor Prof H Venkateshwarlu, he said: "The university should revoke the suspension and uphold the academic freedom and create a fearless, healthy and uncensored space for education." During his online class on Fascism and Nazism on April 19, Dr Sebastian of the Department of International Relations and Politics said: "The RSS and its affiliate organisations, together called as the Sangh Parivar meaning the Sangh family (including the BJP) in India can also be considered proto-fascist." Proto-fascist movements are those influenced by classical fascist organisations. In the class, he said Spain under General Franco, Portugal under Salazar, Argentina under Juan Peron, Chile under Pinochet, the apartheid regime in South Africa, and the Hutu ultranationalist and supremacist movement of Rwanda in the early 1990s could be considered proto-fascist, and posed a question whether India under Narendra Modi since 2014 was one. In the same class, the assistant professor also criticised the government for exporting vaccines at a time when the country's vaccine needs were not met. "That shows their patriotism," he said. The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) -- the students' wing of the RSS -- has threatened mass protests if the VC did not take action against the faculty member. A Vinod Karuvarakundu, a member of the National Monitoring Committee on Education (SCs, STs, Persons with Special Needs and Minority Education) under the Ministry of Human Resource Development, also wrote a complaint to the vice-chancellor. In his letter, he alleged Dr Sebastain tried to "instil hatred and poison" in the minds of the first-semester MA students against the democratically elected government headed by Narendra Modi. Vinod Karuvarakundu was the former president of ABVP's Kerala unit. The Congress's Kerala Students Union state president K M Abhijith said this was probably the first time in the country that a teacher has been suspended for the content shared in an online class. The Ambedkar Students' Association (ASA) of the university said the complaint filed by the ABVP was a distortion of facts and also an infringement on academic freedom. The suspension also amounted to infantilising the students, it said. "Does the university believe aspiring political science graduates are infants who are unable to voice their opinions against their teacher if they find the argument illogical?" it said. The Students Federation of India (SFI), affiliated with the CPM, said the suspension was evidence of the excessive influence the ABVP and the RSS exerted on the administration. "The ABVP is acting as a vigilante group in classrooms," it said. The Muslim Students Federation (MSF), affiliated with the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), said any attempt to silence the critiquing voices was fascism. Instead of debating the issue and countering the charge, suspending the teacher makes them (the dispensation) vulnerable to the characterisation, said political scientist, China scholar, and human rights activist Prof Manoranjan Mohanty. Rajya Sabha member and CPM leader V Sivadasan said Dr Gilbert was suspended for critically evaluating the politics of RSS-BJP in the classroom. "The suspension is an act of cowardice to curtail academic freedom and critical thinking, without which the idea of a university is dead," he said and added the Modi government should also put an end to the attempts to imprison the universities. "Ideas cannot be suspended," he said. ALSO SEE: The dismissal of the charges ended the trial of former Jackson officers Desmond Barney and Lincoln Lampley after the prosecution was able to bring their witnesses to testify while the defense had yet to bring any according to local news outlets. Amiya Meethal By Express News Service KOZHIKODE: To fight the poor testing rate, Azhiyur grama panchayat has decided to make Covid testing mandatory for parents if they want their children to get school admission. The panchayat authorities hope the decision which is backed by the education department will bring people in large numbers to the testing camps. Azhiyur has had a test positivity rate (TPR) of 32-35 per cent for the past one month. "We arrange tests daily for 100 people but only around 40 turn up. Only symptomatic people appear now and a majority of them turn positive. Reluctance to undergo the tests keeps the TPR high," said panchayat president Ayisha Ummer. The panchayat has 17 government, aided and private schools. According to panchayat secretary T Shahul Hameed, the reluctance to undergo Covid tests began after the protocol of 17-day home quarantine for positive people came into force. "People may not want to spend these many days in the confines of their homes. The panchayat's poor testing rate was mentioned in the district collector's review meeting also. Hence, we came up with the new idea. Sarva Shiksha Kerala (SSK) under the education department has welcomed it," he said. According to the plan, parents can produce RT-PCR or antigen test result certificates during school admission. The panchayat is conducting RT-PCR tests on every Monday and Friday and antigen tests in the rest of the days. As many as 23 persons died of Covid in the panchayat, of whom 13 died during the second wave. It has had 1,800 Covid positive persons till now, of whom 191 are active cases. ALSO WATCH | Kerala's Covid-19 fight: A tale of two waves | TNIE Documentary CYNTHIA CHANDRAN By Express News Service THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Three days after TNIE reported that 168 Catholic priests have died of Covid during the two waves of the pandemic so far, it is learnt that 143 nuns have also lost their lives in the second virulent phase alone. 30 of these nuns were Malayalis associated either with schools or hospitals in Kerala and other states. It is also learnt that the majority of these nuns had initially tried self-medication, but by the time their situation aggravated, it was too late. The exhaustive data was compiled by Fr Suresh Mathew, chief editor of Indian Currents, published by the Catholic Church from New Delhi for the past 24 years. The reports about the death of 168 priests, including three bishops, due to the pandemic had sent shock waves across the country. Initially, Fr Suresh had plans to prepare only the data of priests, but when the media fraternity asked him about the statistics on nuns, he didnt have any. Subsequently, Fr Suresh was shocked to learn from the various congregations across the country about the alarming mortality rate among nuns since March this year. According to him, of the 168 priests and 143 nuns who died, 40 priests and 30 nuns were Malayalis. Twelve nuns belonging to a single congregation, Mother Teresas Missionaries of Charity, who have been doing yeoman service among the community, especially among leprosy patients, are no more. There were three major factors noticed among these nuns: they were asymptomatic, elderly or had comorbidities. Death is a reality we take for granted. We have never felt, seen or heard of such a large-scale deaths as we do now as Covid spreads, Fr Suresh told TNIE. However, Sr Jessy Kurien, a senior Malayali lawyer practising in the Supreme Court and a Covid-19 survivor herself, feels that the high rate of casualties among the nuns is due to them working in remote areas where good medical facilities are rare, their asymptomatic condition and delay in proper diagnosis. She was the first Catholic nun in India to hold a quasi-judiciary post as a member of the National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions and is the first member of her congregation to study law. I was diagnosed with Covid-19 on March 10 and became negative only on May 2. Except for slight phlegm, I was perfectly alright. But that was not the case of 12 of my colleagues. In fact, 33 lawyers practising in the Supreme Court were also in quarantine during the same period. To my utter horror, all of them died. God saved me from the brink of death, said Sr Jessy, who belongs to the Sisters of St Annes Providence, Secunderabad. With the alarming death rate among the priests and nuns coming to limelight, various congregations have taken steps to ensure that they attend webinars and talks by the medical fraternity to stave off the pandemic and combat it if one among them is infected. WHY HIGH RATE? Sr Jessy Kurien, a senior Malayali lawyer practising in SC, feels the high rate of casualties among nuns is due to them working in remote areas where good medical facilities are rare, their asymptomatic condition and delay in proper diagnosis By Express News Service THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Iidentifying eradication of acute poverty as one of the major tasks of the LDF government in its second term, the newly sworn-in cabinet led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, in its first meeting, decided to task local self-government department to undertake a comprehensive survey as a first step towards realising this objective. Over the next five years, acute poverty will be eradicated from the state. Each destitute person and family suffering from poverty will be identified. Through local and domestic projects, they will be brought above the poverty line, the chief minister said after the cabinet meeting on Thursday. Governor Arif Mohammed Khan administered oath of office and secrecy to Pinarayi Vijayan and 20 ministers at the Central Stadium. The cabinet also decided to enact a strong legislation to prevent people from being evicted from their homes due to revenue recovery proceedings by financial institutions. A committee comprising the additional chief secretary (Finance), additional chief secretary (Planning) and a few expert lawyers have been entrusted with the task of preparing a detailed report by July 15. Aimed at reducing the workload of women engaged in domestic work, a Smart Kitchen project will be rolled out. The cabinet has assigned the chief secretary and secretaries of LSG and women and child development departments to devise the project. Pinarayi said the LDF had promised in its election manifesto that it would provide assistance to women engaged in household work.The chief minister said Kerala Development and Innovation Strategic Council (K-DISC) had evolved guidelines for creation of jobs for 20 lakh educated people. Single-window grievance redressal mechanism for entrepreneurs, chaired by senior IAS man On the basis of these guidelines, K-DISC has been directed to prepare a detailed report before July 15, he added. The cabinet also decided to launch a massive project to ensure delivery of all government services online at the peoples doorsteps. The decision has been taken as part of the vision that availing all government services was the right of the people. The project will be rolled out on October 2 (Gandhi Jayanti). The IT secretary and experts in the IT industry will give final shape to it, the chief minister said. It has also been decided to broaden the implementation of e-office and e-file systems and a committee has been constituted for its implementation, Pinarayi said. The cabinet has decided to bring out a single window grievance redressal mechanism to prevent prospective entrepreneurs from visiting multiple offices to address their complaints. A grievance reddressal committee, chaired by a senior IAS officer, will be set up and a legislation will be enacted for the purpose. A official-level committee has been appointed to examine the draft bill, Pinarayi said. The cabinet has also decided to recommend to the governor to convene the first session of the 15th Legislative Assembly on June 24 and 25. Long-term objectives While listing out the immediate priorities of the new government, Pinarayi also mentioned the long-term objectives of LDF government 2.0 in various sectors. The government has devised an ambitious plan of raising the living standards of people in the state on a par with developed countries over the next 25 years. Over the next five years, the government aims to create a productive economy that is modern and has high job-generation capacity. The state has the capacity to double its production of paddy and vegetables over the next five years, the Chief Minister reminded. The LDF government also plans to double IT exports from the state over the next three to five years. The other major programmes planned over the next five include thorough modernisation of PSUs, achieving self sufficiency in milk production, working in mission mode to achieve maximum growth in meat and egg production and achieving targets in both production and increasing the extent of inland fish farming. ALSO WATCH | Kerala's Covid-19 fight: A tale of two waves | TNIE Documentary The government will also complete the Kochi- Palakkad hi-tech industrial corridor and setting up of industrial parks. It will also take steps to set up a PSU recruitment board. Higher education will be modernised and a special policy will be evolved for the sector. The condition of local water bodies will be improved. Big reservoirs are being planned to prevent rain water from ending up in the sea. This will fulfill irrigation and drinking water needs during summer season, says Pinarayi Vijayan Karappuzha, Banasura Sagar, Pazhassi and Idamalayar projects will be fully operationalised by 2023-24, he said. P T A Rahim named protem speaker By PTI NEW DELHI: The family of Captain Deepak Sathe, who died when an Air India Express flight crashed at the Kozhikode airport on August 7 last year, is still waiting for the compensation from the government. Deepak Sathe's son Dhananjay wrote on Twitter on Thursday that it has been 10 months since his father's death and "individuals in employee compensation commissioner office (Mumbai, BKC) are misguiding and setting up hoops for my mother in the middle of a pandemic". A day after the crash, the Union and the Kerala government had announced Rs 10 lakh compensation each to the families of those who died in the crash. An Air India Express flight from Dubai with 190 people, including its six-member crew, overshot the tabletop runway during landing at the Kozhikode airport amid heavy rains on the evening of August 7 last year. The narrow-body B737 plane fell into a valley 35 feet below and broke into pieces, killing 21 people, including both pilots. Responding to Dhananjay Sathe's tweet on Friday, the Ministry of Civil Aviation said on Twitter that the Aviation Secretary has contacted Maharashtra's Chief Secretary over the issue of employee compensation of late Captain Dipak Sathe. "The compensation amount was deposited by Air India with Employees Compensation Commissioner Pallakkad, Kerala. It was then transferred to Employees Compensation Commissioner, Bandra on request of your relatives," the ministry noted. "It can be disbursed after filing claim by legal heir of the deceased employee before the said authority. It is statutory provision which needs to be followed," it added. A five-member panel of Aircraft Accident Investigation Board (AAIB), formed on August 13 last year, is inquiring into the circumstances of the crash. It has not submitted its report yet. Captain S S Chahar, a former DGCA-designated examiner for pilots of B737NG aircraft, is the investigator-in-charge of the panel. Shyamsundar N By Express News Service VELLORE: In a possible case of negligence at a Vellore hospital, a Covid-infected elderly mans dead body was removed only after six hours from the Covid ward on Thursday. This reportedly led to the other Covid-19 patients stage a boycott by refusing to take their breakfast. The 67-year-old man, a resident of Tamil Nadu Housing Board (TNHB) in Walajah in Ranipet district, died of the coronavirus at the Covid ward in Government Pentland Hospital, in the early hours of Thursday. About 70 patients were admitted to the ward and the delay in removing his body had caused health concerns among them, sources said. When asked about the reason for delay, the hospitals chief medical officer (CMO), Dr Anitha said, Since the deceased was not from Vellore, we had to coordinate with the officials from the native district of the person, which is Ranipet in this case. We had to wait till the officials concerned located a place for burial/cremation in the village of the deceased. Had it been a local death, we would have cleared the body without any delay, said the CMO. The death occurred at 2.25 am and the body was removed from the Covid ward only at around 8.20 am, said the CMO. After holding talks, the Covid-19 patients accepted the breakfast. By PTI CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu Congress Committee on Friday said it does not agree with Chief Minister MK Stalin demanding the Centre to set free the seven Rajiv Gandhi assassination case life convicts and denounced what it called 'political pressure.' A day after Stalin wrote to President Ram Nath Kovind seeking orders to release the convicts immediately, TNCC president K S Alagiri said his party does not concur with Stalin on this issue and him writing to Kovind. "We do not agree to it," Alagiri told reporters over the demand and Stalin writing to Kovind urging the release of convicts. After paying floral tributes to a portrait of Rajiv Gandhi on the former Prime Minister's 30th death anniversary at the party headquarters here, Alagiri said convicts should not be differentiated on any basis be it religion, caste, language or race. Only the courts should award punishment for the guilty and also set convicts free and there must be "no political pressure" on such matters and this is the stand of TNCC, he said. Political pressure on such issues would in future lead to "several undesirable happenings in society and there would be no law and order," he said. If the premise for seeking release of Rajiv case convicts was that they were Tamils and if the same yardstick was applied to all Tamils who have spent over 20-25 years in jails, it could then be a humanitarian ground for seeking early release, he said. However, when this argument was used only for securing the release of seven Rajiv case prisoners, it does not appear to be just and hence unacceptable, he said. "The Congress party does not welcome it and does not desire it (release of Rajiv case prisoners)." Over 100 Tamil prisoners were languishing in prisons in Tamil Nadu for over 25 years, he said, apparently wondering why the government wanted the release of only seven of them. Asked about Congress leader Rahul Gandhi months ago stating that he had forgiven those responsible for the killing of his father Rajiv Gandhi in 1991, Alagiri said pardoning was one thing and release of convicts was another thing. "The court will not accept if an aggrieved person forgives one found guilty." Chief Minister M K Stalin, meanwhile, paid floral tributes to a portrait of Rajiv Gandhi in Tiruchirappalli. Led by the CM, government officials took the anti- terrorism pledge in Madurai on the death anniversary of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, which is observed as anti-terrorism day. Chief Secretary V Iraianbu and all other government officials similarly took the pledge. Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated on May 21, 1991 at Sriperumbudur near here by a woman suicide bomber Dhanu at an election rally of the Congress party. By PTI TIRUCHIRAPALLI: A decision on whether to extend the two-week lockdown in Tamil Nadu or not do so would be deliberated with a committee of experts and a panel of all-party legislators, Chief Minister M K Stalin said here on Friday. Whether the curbs should be continued further and in case of extension of restrictions, what relaxations could be offered would all be discussed with experts and MLAs from all parties on Saturday in Chennai, he told reporters. The lockdown that commenced on May 10 to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 will end on May 24. Answering a question, the Chief Minister said elected representatives were of the opinion that the curbs should be further extended. "A decision will be taken (on extension of lockdown) tomorrow following consultations with experts and representaives of all parties (in the Assembly)," he said. Citing the view of medical experts that the virus spread is likely to peak soon in Tamil Nadu, he said everyone must follow the COVID-19 related guidelines. There were views thata third wave of the virus was also a probable and "we have to be ready to tackle it also," he said. The day when no one was infected with the virus would really be a day of joy and only then would he be happy, the Chief Minister said. ALSO READ | TN's taxi ambulance, Rajasthan's mobile OPD, oxygen nurses of Kerala, among India's best COVID practices Stalin, who arrived here as part of his two day official tour of five districts to review COVID-19 related government work, said the pace of the virus spread has been slowed down and the number of fresh infections have been controlled. This was due to the lockdown and many measures aimed at preventing the spread of COVID-19, he added. On Thursday and Friday, the CM visited Salem, Tirupur, Coimbatore, Tiruchirappalli and Madurai districts. The Chief Minister said the second instalment of Rs 2,000 under the Rs 4,000 COVID-19 relief assistance plan for rice ration card holders would be disbursed before June 3, the birth anniversary of former Chief Minister 'Kalaignar' M Karunananidhi. To another question, he said though the Centre has been considering Tamil Nadu's request for medical oxygen and allotting it, there was a 'problem' in respect of procuring coronavirus vaccines and the state government has been urging the union government to ensure supplies. In view of the pandemic, there were constraints in visiting Delhi and calling on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and if circumstances favoured, he would go to the national capital and "seek rightfully, the funds and other facilities for Tamil Nadu." Medical and Family Welfare Minister Ma Subramanian said that Modi, in a virtual meet, lauded the state government and the CM for its virus related initiatives like the 'car ambulance' and favoured its replication in the rest of the country. ALSO WATCH | Kerala's Covid-19 fight: A tale of two waves | TNIE Documentary By PTI ISLAMABAD: At least seven people were killed and 13 others injured when a bomb exploded during a pro-Palestine rally in Pakistan's restive Balochistan province on Friday, officials said. The rally was taken out to express solidarity with the people of Palestine, which over the last 11 days has been involved in a tense confrontation with Israel that has led to the death of over 240 people, and threatened to destabilise the volatile Mideast. Balochistan Government Spokesman Liaquat Shahwani said the rally was passing through Murghi Bazar area of Chaman town when the bomb went off. "Six people have been killed and 14 injured in the attack," Shahwani said in the first official update on the attack. Later, officials updated the toll to seven, as they said three persons continue to be critical. The dead and 10 of the injured were shifted to local hospitals, while the rest of the injured were rushed to provincial capital Quetta. The blast site has been sealed by security forces. News channels showed images of glass shards, blood stains and debris, as policemen cordoned off the area. The rally was organised by political outfit Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Nazaryati (JUI-N). Party leaders Abdul Qadir Luni and Qari Mehrullah were leading the rally and are said to be safe, though Luni sustained some injuries. "The enemies of solidarity with the oppressed Palestinians are on the side of Israeli aggression," Shahwani said. Preliminary reports suggest an improvised explosive device was planted near the vehicle of a religious leader, which was triggered when the rally was about to end. Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Kamal Khan condemned the attack. "Terrorist elements do not deserve any leniency. No one will be allowed to disturb the law and order of the province, he said. No outfit has taken responsibility for the attack. However, Baloch nationalists and Taliban insurgents are active in the area and often carry out such attacks. The incident comes a month after a bomb exploded in the parking lot of the Serena Hotel in provincial capital Quetta, killing at least five people and wounding 12 others. The Chinese ambassador was staying at the hotel at the time of the attack, but was away on a visit. By PTI JOHANNESBURG: Achieving herd immunity against the COVID-19 may be unrealistic due to the mutations of the virus that causes it, South African experts have said, as they called for long-term vaccination strategies amid uncertainty about current vaccine efficacy. "Many governments are targeting herd immunity, but it is unachievable in the same way it is unachievable for flu," said Professor Alex van den Heever, health and social security systems specialist of the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) School of Governance. Van den Heever was speaking on an expert panel hosted by leading managed care provider and medical scheme administrator Agility Health. The other panellists were virology expert Prof Sim Mayaphi and clinical pharmacology expert Dr Jacques Snyman. "If we are vaccinated this year, this could mean we don't necessarily have immunity for the strains that emerge next year," said Snyman. "Various vaccines are targeting various sites of the virus. That particular antibody will only be effective as long as that part of the virus has not mutated. "The Johnson & Johnson and Pfizer vaccines are only partially effective, but they reduce the likelihood and severity of illness," he added. Snyman said nobody knew whether the current vaccines would protect in the future. "The next strain may not be affected by the antibodies we have vaccinated for. It is therefore likely that long-term vaccination strategies will be required," Snyman said. Mayaphi, who is head of the Department of Medical Virology at the University of Pretoria, said the pandemic had caught everyone by surprise, as he called for better planning to prevent the next pandemic. "Surveillance programmes are needed to look at the animal-human interface of viruses and the prevalence of viruses in animal hosts to see if we can predict these viruses being transmitted from host animals to humans. We already have many examples of this, including COVID-19," Mayaphi said. Van der Heever also expressed concern about the late discovery that COVID-19 was an airborne virus. "This poses the most extreme risk for a pandemic (as) it is the fastest (way in which) it could be transmitted. "That is the one that is going to overrun testing and tracing - it's going to overrun border controls," he said. Data by Johns Hopkins University on Friday showed 3,431,904 deaths and 139,963,964 cases globally due to the coronavirus. By AFP WASHINGTON: The IMF on Friday proposed $50 billion plan to end the Covid-19 pandemic, with a target of vaccinating at least 40 percent of the world's population by the end of 2021. "Our proposal sets targets, estimates financing requirements, and lays out pragmatic action," said Kristalina Georgieva, head of the International Monetary Fund, at the Global Health Summit held in Rome as part of the G20. Looking ahead to a long-term sustainable global economic recovery, the plan then aims to have at least 60 percent of the world's population vaccinated by the end of 2022. The authors of the report point out that it is now recognized that there will be no real end to the economic crisis without an end to the health crisis. It is therefore in the interest of all countries to put a definitive end to the pandemic, it argues. "For some time we have been warning of dangerous divergence of economic fortunes," said Georgieva. "It will only worsen as the gap widens between wealthy countries that have access to vaccines and poor countries that do not." At the end of April, less than two percent of the population of Africa had been vaccinated while more than 40 percent of the population in the United States and more than 20 percent in Europe had received at least one dose of vaccine against Covid, the IMF said. The fund is prioritizing closing the vaccine gap to put the world back on the path to growth. The goal is to "help bring the pandemic substantially under control everywhere for everyone's benefit," Georgieva said. To get there, the IMF stressed the need for additional subsidies for the international Covax scheme -- which was set up to try to prevent rich countries from hoarding vaccine, but is proving ineffective so far. Those subsidies would come through donations of surplus doses and ensuring the free cross-border flow of raw materials and vaccine. The estimate of $50 billion is a combination of at least $35 billion in subsidies, plus resources from governments and other funding, the IMF said. Eric Orgen of Teaneck described the incident in a Facebook post, saying he was walking with his wife and teenage daughter in Bal Harbour on Tuesday when a group of unidentified men in a white SUV threw garbage at them while shouting obscenities and threats. By Associated Press BOSTON: A highly contagious disease originating far from America's shores triggers deadly outbreaks that spread rapidly, infecting the masses. Shots are available, but a divided public agonizes over getting jabbed. Sound familiar? Newly digitized records including a minister's diary scanned and posted online by Boston's Congregational Library and Archives are shedding fresh light on devastating outbreaks of smallpox that hit the city in the 1700s. And three centuries later, the parallels with the coronavirus pandemic are uncanny. "How little we've changed," said CLA archivist Zachary Bodnar, who led the digitization effort, working closely with the New England Historic Genealogical Society. "The fact that we're finding these similarities in the records of our past is a very interesting parallel," Bodnar said in an interview. "Sometimes the more we learn, the more we're still the same, I guess." Smallpox was eradicated, but not before it sickened and killed millions worldwide. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say the last natural outbreak of smallpox in the United States occurred in 1949. In 1980, the World Health Organization's decision-making arm declared it eradicated, and no cases of naturally occurring smallpox have been reported since. But in April 1721, after an English ship, the HMS Seahorse, brought it to Boston, it was a clear and present danger. By winter of 1722, it would infect more than half of the city's population of 11,000 and kill 850. Much earlier outbreaks, also imported from Europe, killed Native Americans indiscriminately in the 1600s. Now, digitized church records are helping to round out the picture of how the colonists coped when it was their turn to endure pestilence. The world's first proper vaccination didn't occur until the end of that century, when an English country doctor named Edward Jenner inoculated an 8-year-old boy against smallpox in 1796. Before then, doctors used inoculation, or variolation as it was often called, introducing a trace amount of the smallpox virus into the skin. The procedure, or variations of it, had been practiced since ancient times in Asia. Jenner's pioneering of vaccination, using instead a less lethal strain of the virus that infected cows, was a huge scientific advance. Yet just as with COVID-19 vaccines in 2021, some took a skeptical view of smallpox inoculations in the 18th century, digitized documents show. The Rev. Cotton Mather, one of the era's most influential ministers, had actively promoted inoculation. In a sign of how resistant some colonists were to the new technology, someone tossed an explosive device through his window in November 1721. Fortunately, it didn't explode, but researchers at Harvard say this menacing message was attached: "Cotton Mather, you dog, damn you! I'll inoculate you with this; with a pox to you. '' Among the recently digitized Congregational Church records are handwritten diary entries scrawled by the Rev. Ebenezer Storer, a pastor in Cambridge, Massachusetts. On March 11, 1764, as smallpox once again raged through Boston, Storer penned a prayer in his journal after arranging to have his own children inoculated. The deeply devout Storer, his diary shows, had faith in science. "Blessed be thy name for any discoveries that have been made to soften the severity of the distemper. Grant thy blessing on the means used," he wrote. Three weeks later, Storer gave thanks to God "for his great mercy to me in recovering my dear children and the others in my family from smallpox." For Bodnar, the archivist, it's a testament to the insights church records can contain. "They're fascinating," he said. "They're essentially town records, they not only tell the story of the daily accounting of the church but also the story of what people were doing at that time and what was going on." By PTI WASHINGTON: Expressing concern over the US government's support for waiving some intellectual property (IP) protections related to the COVID-19 vaccines, more than 100 Republican lawmakers have urged President Joe Biden to rescind the move that they say would "serve as a massive giveaway" to countries like China, Russia and India. Early this month, US Trade Representative (USTR) Katherine Tai announced to support the move of India and South Africa at the WTO to temporarily waive some Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) rules amid the coronavirus pandemic. "We strongly urge you to work with Congress, industry and other governments to rapidly and responsibly increase the supply and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines worldwide and rescind this harmful and misguided proposal," wrote the Republican congressmen in a letter to Biden, a Democrat. "It is imperative that we lead the world in increasing global access to COVID-19 vaccines while also affirming our nation's long and storied history of protecting IP to spur innovation. American jobs, innovation, and the health and welfare of the entire world are at stake," they said in the letter dated May 20. Asserting that they remain committed to working together to address the global needs of vaccine distribution, the Republican lawmakers said that this proposed waiver will not help them meet that goal. Intellectual Property protections have fostered life-saving biomedical innovation, strengthened the US economy, created millions of good-paying jobs, and made America the world leader in the development of cutting-edge diagnostics, treatments, and cures, they said. Congressman Earl L Carter, who along with Vern Buchanan led the move said that waiving the IP protections for the COVID-19 vaccines will be a disaster. "The insane move from the Biden administration not only counters our patent system, but it will also stifle the innovation of lifesaving drugs and cures by removing the incentives for investment," Carter said. It is also a gift to China who has spent decades trying to steal American innovation, and who spent all last year trying to steal COVID-19 vaccine IP. We cannot allow this to happen, and I thank the more than 100 Republicans for standing with us," he said in a statement. Buchanan said intellectual property rights encourage innovation and help boost the economy. "The Biden administration's misguided proposal to waive intellectual property protections would discourage innovation and make it more difficult to achieve the next life-saving medical breakthrough. "It would also serve as a massive giveaway to countries like China, Russia and India who have been trying to steal American innovators' intellectual property for years," he said. The lawmakers in the letter argued that waiving the IP protections would only serve to undermine innovation and make it even more difficult for the industry to respond to both the current pandemic and future health emergencies. "Moreover, if implemented, the proposal could have the opposite effect, by reducing the availability of critical raw materials necessary to manufacture these vaccines," the lawmakers said. "Recently, Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel rejected the notion of waiving global IP protection because of the additional hurdles it would cause in the manufacture of these vaccines. Chancellor's Merkel's opposition underscores the dangers of this policy," the letter said. By PTI LONDON: Anvee Bhutani, an Indian-origin Human Sciences student from Magdalen College at the University of Oxford, has pledged to fight for students' rights in her role as the new president-elect of the Oxford Student Union (SU). Bhutani, who was declared the winner at the end of a closely fought byelection at the Oxford SU on Thursday evening, said she felt humbled by the support she had received and excited about her plans for her upcoming term. She had fought on a platform of reform across key areas of access and mental health at the university and feels that is what won her the backing in a byelection that saw the highest-ever turnout. "Oxford has historically been a place for the white elite to attend university, so to even be here feels like a great honour. I never imagined I'd one day be standing for the presidency of the SU and have the chance to represent the entire student body and I feel so humbled to have won," said Bhutani. "The SU fundamentally needs to be a union that fights for students' rights and I'm really excited to have run on a platform to bring reform to four key areas: access and academics, community affairs, welfare and mental health, and societies and clubs. I want the SU to go back to being a hub that supports students and provides them with the resources they need," she said. Congratulations to Anvee Bhutani your Oxford SU President-Elect for 2021/22. Thank you to all students who took the time to vote, and a special thank you to all the candidates who took part in this year's President By-election pic.twitter.com/9WgeUx0FYQ Oxford SU (@OxfordStudents) May 20, 2021 "I'd genuinely like to extend a massive thank you to everyone who voted for me. I'm so excited for where I'll take things with the other sabbatical officers this year and I am eternally grateful for your support," she added, in reference to her new Oxford SU team. The vice-president elect in the team for the 2021-22 academic year is also of Indian-origin, Devika, as is trustee-elect Dhitee Goel. Bhutani's experience includes being co-chair of the Campaign for Racial Awareness and Equality (CRAE) at Oxford SU and President of the Oxford India Society. She has also worked as a shift leader at Turl Street Homeless Action, and in her manifesto suggests working with this group to support the local homeless population via food and supply donations. Bhutani had used her manifesto to detail priorities of campaigning for the implementation of the Oxford living wage, delinking welfare services and disciplinary action, and diversifying the curriculum. "Use suggestions from student campaigns to work with initiatives like the Oxford and Colonialism hub to push for a more diverse curriculum," reads her winning manifesto. "Lobby for more funding towards existing mental health support programmes including for graduate students; work towards more access and lower wait times for university counselling services," it notes. Around 2,506 students turned out to vote in the leadership contest, which had the highest turnout and also the maximum number of candidates in an Oxford SU presidential election, with Bhutani beating 10 other students for the top spot. The byelection followed the resignation of Indian student Rashmi Samant, who was forced to step down soon after her election to the post in February amid a row over her past social media posts. By PTI LONDON: Princes William and Harry have both condemned the 'deceit' that lay behind their late mother Princess Diana's famous BBC interview over 25 years ago in which she first spoke about her troubled marriage to their father, Prince Charles. In separate statements following an independent inquiry's conclusion that the BBC "fell short of the high standards of integrity and transparency which are its hallmark", her sons blamed the controversial 1995 interview for her 'fear and paranoia' that damaged their parents' relationship. In a rare candid intervention, William said his mother was failed not just by the "rogue reporter" but by BBC bosses "who looked the other way rather than asking the tough questions". "The findings are very concerning, that BBC employees lied and used fake documents to obtain the interview with my mother, made lurid and false claims about the royal family, which played on her fears and fuelled paranoia," William, the Duke of Cambridge, said in a video statement. "(The BBC) displayed woeful incompetence when investigating complaints and concerns about the programme and were evasive in their reporting to the media and covered up what they knew from their internal investigation. It is my view that the deceitful way in which the interview was obtained substantially influenced what my mother said," he said. The 38-year-old second in line to the British throne, who was 15 years old at the time of his mother's death in a car crash in Paris two years after the interview in 1997, recalled her final years with sadness. "The interview was a major contribution in making my parents' relationship worse and has since hurt countless others. It brings indescribable sadness to know that the BBC's failures contributed significantly to her fear, paranoia and isolation that I remember from those final years with her," said William. "What saddens me most is that if the BBC had properly investigated the complaints and concerns first raised in 1995, my mother would have known that she had been deceived," he said, branding the interview a "false narrative" which must never be aired again. His younger brother, Prince Harry - the Duke of Sussex, blamed a toxic media culture for his mother's death. In his separate statement, Prince Harry said that the "ripple effect of a culture of exploitation and unethical practices" ultimately took his mother's life. He expressed concern that such practices "are still widespread today", adding that it was "bigger than one outlet, one network or one publication". "Our mother lost her life because of this, and nothing has changed. By protecting her legacy, we protect everyone, and uphold the dignity with which she lived her life," said Harry, who stepped back as a frontline royal last year and is now based in California. During the BBC interview, Diana sensationally claimed there were "three of us" in her marriage to Prince Charles referring to Camilla, now his wife and Duchess of Cornwall. The interview with Martin Bashir, who left the BBC recently, was a worldwide scoop as it was the first time a serving royal had spoken so openly about life in Britain's royal family. But since then her brother, Earl Spencer, has claimed that Bashir had lied to get the interview and showed him forged bank statements in order to gain his confidence so that he would introduce him to Diana. Lord John Dyson, the retired judge who led the inquiry, delivered his findings on Thursday. "I am satisfied that the BBC covered up in its press logs such facts as it had been able to establish about how Mr Bashir secured the interview," his report concluded. The BBC issued a "full and unconditional" apology and has also written to apologise to Princes William and Harry, as well as the Prince Charles and Earl Spencer. By PTI SINGAPORE: Facebook and Twitter along with Singapore's largest media house have complied with the government's directive to issue a correction to the users of social media platforms in the city-state after Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted about a new COVID-19 "Singapore variant". Singapore's Ministry of Health on Thursday invoked the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (Pofma) in response to a statement circulating online claiming that there is a new variant of COVID-19 which originated in the city-state that is more harmful to children. ALSO READ: 'New variant' concern? Singapore invokes misinformation law to swat COVID strain claim On Tuesday, Kejriwal on Twitter claimed that a new strain of the coronavirus found in Singapore could be very dangerous for children and urged the Indian government to cancel all air links with Singapore. Singapore's Health Minister Ong Ye Kung on Thursday had instructed the Pofma Office to issue a correction direction to Facebook, Twitter and the HardwareZone forum owned by Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) Magazines. There is no Singapore variant of COVID-19 and that there is also no evidence of any COVID-19 variant that is "extremely dangerous for kids", the Singapore Government has said. The government has also made a diplomatic complaint to the Indian Government, a first of its kind between the two countries which had always maintained "friendly ties" with a large number of bilateral pacts covering trade, economy, defence training and social activities as well as the larger umbrella, the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement signed in 2005. Kejriwal's remark about a "new form" of COVID-19 in Singapore prompted the Indian government to assert that the Delhi chief minister does not speak for India after Singapore conveyed its strong objections to the "unfounded assertions". Following the Singapore foriegn ministry's reaction, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said Kejriwal's comments were "irresponsible" and that the Delhi chief minister does not speak for India. "The Ministry of Health is aware of a false statement circulating online by multiple media outlets and social media platforms, which implies that a new, previously unknown variant of COVID-19 originated in Singapore and/or risks spreading to India from Singapore," the ministry's statement said. "The strain that is prevalent in many of the COVID-19 cases detected in Singapore in recent weeks is the B1.617.2 variant, which originated in India," it added. A Facebook spokesman told The Straits Times, "We've carefully reviewed the direction and are legally compelled to issue a correction notice from the Singapore Government to all people using Facebook in Singapore." Facebook issued a temporary prompt on its news feed for users in Singapore on Thursday, according to a Channel News Asia report. Twitter said a specialist global team, which looks into requests from governments and law enforcement agencies, reviewed the "request" from the Singapore Government and found it to be applicable under Singapore law. "In-line with our values around openness, transparency and trust, this request will be reflected in Singapore's section of the Twitter Transparency Report, which we publish twice-yearly," the Channel quoted a Twitter spokesperson as saying. The notification includes a tweet from the Singapore Government stating that it is legally required. The SPH said, "SPH Magazines has complied with the Pofma office recommendations to put up the notice in HardwareZone forum by 1.20 am this morning." Earlier in the week, both MOH and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) issued statements on claims by a politician in India regarding the supposed new variant. MOH said in a statement on Tuesday that there was no truth to his claims while MFA stated that it "regrets the unfounded assertions" made by Kejriwal on social media. Help support your local hometown newspaper/website. Independent local news reporting matters. Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription, for as little as $3, so we can continue to provide independent local reporting on our communities. While my wife and I were in those chairs, gripping each others hand, the moment the lights go down, Meghan starts crying. Im feeling sorry for her, but Im also really angry with myself that were stuck in this situation, Harry continued. I was ashamed that it got this bad. I was ashamed to go to my family. Because to be honest with you, like a lot of other people my age could probably relate to, I know that Im not gonna get from my family what I need. Free access for current print subscribers As a home delivery subscriber, you get free unlimited digital access to news-daily.com including stories, photos, obituaries, e-edition and more on your computer, tablet or phone. All you need is your print subscription account number and your last name. Don't know your subscription number? Email access@news-daily.com with your delivery address. Activate your account now. Pikeville, KY (41501) Today Scattered thunderstorms this evening, then cloudy with rain likely late. Low 67F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 70%.. Tonight Scattered thunderstorms this evening, then cloudy with rain likely late. Low 67F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 70%. Reporter Debra Pressey is a reporter covering health care at The News-Gazette. Her email is dpressey@news-gazette.com, and you can follow her on Twitter (@DLPressey). One of Editor & Publishers 10 That Do It Right 2021 On Thursday, thousands turned out to pay tribut to Champaign police Officer Christopher Oberheim, killed in an exchange of gunfire early the morning before, with a processional from the coroner's office in Urbana through Monticello to a funeral home in Decatur, and later, at the softball game of daughter Avery, a senior at Monticello High School. Close Reporter Mary Schenk is a reporter covering police, courts and breaking news at The News-Gazette. Her email is mschenk@news-gazette.com, and you can follow her on Twitter (@schenk). Life will return, because this is not the first war, and it will not be the last war, said shop owner Ashraf Abu Mohammad. The heart is in pain, there have been disasters, families wiped from the civil registry, and this saddens us. But this is our fate in this land, to remain patient. Richmond Heights Councilwoman Kim Thomas organizing pop-up vaccination clinic on May 29 Richmond Heights Councilwoman Kim Thomas organizing pop-up vaccination clinic on May 29 500 doses of Moderna vaccine will be available to Richmond Heights residents and surrounding communities Daniels Park in Willoughby was closed on May 21 due to an ongoing investigation by the Lake County Bomb Squad and Wright-Patterson Air Force Base of unidentified object found in the river that appeared to be possibly be military in nature. Campylobacter infection, one of the most common foodborne illnesses in the Western world, can also be spread through sexual contact, according to a new research discovery by an OU Hudson College of Public Health faculty member, working in conjunction with colleagues in Denmark. The team's research has been published in Emerging Infectious Diseases, a journal published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and is the first known study to prove this mode of transmission for Campylobacter. During a time when COVID-19 has dominated news about infectious diseases, the research is a reminder that many other pathogens affect lives around the world every day. The study was led by infectious disease epidemiologist Katrin Kuhn, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology in the OU Hudson College of Public Health. "This research is important for public health messaging and for physicians as they talk to their patients about risks associated with sexual contact," Kuhn said. "Although Campylobacter infection is usually not a serious disease, it causes diarrhea, which can result in people missing work, losing productivity or perhaps losing their job. It poses an additional risk for people with underlying health conditions." Campylobacter infections usually occur when people eat chicken that has not been cooked thoroughly or when juices from uncooked poultry make their way into other food. Infections can also be caused by drinking unpasteurized milk or water that has been contaminated by the feces of infected animals. However, those didn't account for all cases of infection, Kuhn said, and she wondered if there was another route of transmission that remained unproven. An outbreak of Campylobacter infections in northern Europe among men who have sex with men prompted her to study that population of people in Denmark, where she was working when the research began. The study results showed that the rate of Campylobacter infection was 14 times higher in men who have sex with men than the control subjects. Although the study focused on men who have sex with men, the results are relevant to people of any sexual orientation who engage in sexual behavior that may involve fecal-oral contact, Kuhn said. Two other bacteria, Salmonella and Shigella, were used as comparisons in the study. Salmonella is spread primarily through infected foods, while Shigella can be transmitted through food or sexual contact. Salmonella has a high infectious dose, meaning people must ingest a significant amount of the bacteria before they become ill. However, Shigella and Campylobacter have low infectious doses, which makes transmission easier. That's an additional reason why we believe Campylobacter can be transmitted through sexual contact like Shigella is - because people can become infected when only small amounts of the bacteria are present" Katrin Kuhn, Ph.D., Infectious Disease Epidemiologist and Assistant Professor, Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, OU Hudson College of Public Health Campylobacter infections are probably more prevalent than the numbers show. For every one person who goes to the doctor and is diagnosed, epidemiologists estimate that 20 more people are infected, Kuhn said. Although treatment is usually required only for severe cases, complications can occur, especially in people who have compromised immune systems. In some cases, infection can result in reactive arthritis, in which the body's immune system attacks itself, causing pain in the joints. Infection can also lead to Guillain-Barre Syndrome, a serious nerve disorder that can cause paralysis. "This is an interesting time because COVID-19 has made people more aware of the importance of monitoring infectious diseases in general, not only during a pandemic," she said. "There are many infections like the one caused by Campylobacter that make people sick. It's important that we spotlight the fact that these diseases exist and that we continue to conduct research on their effects and modes of transmission." Before arriving at the OU Hudson College of Public Health, Kuhn served as a senior infectious disease epidemiologist at Statens Serum Institut in Denmark. Her work focused on food- and water-borne infections, and she was responsible for the national surveillance of Campylobacter and Shigella. She began this study while in Denmark and completed it after moving to Oklahoma. Statens Serum Institut is the Danish national institute for infectious diseases and the primary institute for surveillance of and research on infectious diseases in Denmark. "A formal collaboration between OU Hudson College of Public Health and Statens Serum Institut will build a solid foundation for strengthening transatlantic research and, not least, improving the way that we monitor, understand and prevent infectious diseases in Oklahoma," Kuhn said. Marissa Castrigno was walking through downtown Wilmington, North Carolina, when she spotted the sign in the window of one of her favorite dance clubs. After months of being shuttered by the pandemic, Ibiza Nightclub was reopening April 30, it announced. Thrilled, Castrigno immediately made plans with friends to be there. About 50 miles north in Jacksonville, Kennedy Swift learned of Ibiza's reopening on social media. He, too, decided to attend with friends. But on the night of April 30, the two groups were in for a surprise one they would react to in starkly different ways. In addition to IDs, they learned, they'd need to show covid-19 vaccination cards for entry. The club was letting in only people who had had at least one shot. "I was shocked," said Swift, 21. He learned of the policy a few hours before the reopening, when the club posted it on its Facebook page. He and his friends had to cancel their plans, since none of them was vaccinated. Marissa Castrigno (back center) and her friends, most of whom had been fully vaccinated since early April, felt the clubs vaccine card policy made their return to nightlife even better. (McKenzie Teter) "I'm not against [Ibiza] exercising their rights as a business," Swift said. "I just think it's foolish. This will discourage a lot of former patrons from returning to the club." On the other hand, Castrigno and her friends, most of whom had been fully vaccinated since early April, felt the policy made their return to nightlife even better. "There was raw excitement about going out to a place and feeling safe," said Castrigno, 28. Similar conversations are playing out across the country as vaccination rates increase and bars, clubs and other businesses navigate how to reopen. The concept of vaccine passports which allow people who have been inoculated against covid and are at lower risk of contracting or spreading the disease to participate in certain activities has been floated for clubs, cruise ships and other spaces where large groups gather in close quarters. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's recent announcement that vaccinated people can safely gather indoors and outdoors without masks has reignited the idea. Yet these passports remain highly controversial and their implementation is largely piecemeal. Many private businesses are making their own decisions, and governments in different parts of the country are adopting varying stances. In New York, for instance, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced in early May that places where proof of vaccination or a negative covid test are required can operate at a greater capacity. Some nightclubs there have implemented policies similar to Ibiza's. In Florida, however, Gov. Ron DeSantis recently signed a law prohibiting businesses, schools and government offices from requiring proof of vaccination, with fines of up to $5,000 per incident. For Ibiza Nightclub in southeastern North Carolina a political battleground state the vaccine card requirement is proving to be a lightning rod. The club's Facebook post announcing the policy had sparked 70 comments as of mid-May, and posts across other platforms echoed different sides of the issue. "I am thrilled to see a personal business putting the health and safety forward in order to keep their business running," one comment read. Others took a markedly different tone: "This is pretty dumb!" "Discrimination, expect lawsuits," read another. The honor code Last week, after the CDC said vaccinated adults could largely live their lives mask-free, Raleigh restaurant owner Hisine McNeill felt a troubling pang of deja vu. He owns Alpha Dawgs, a sandwich shop in southeast Raleigh, and said small businesses like his carried the burden of mask enforcement for much of the pandemic. Now, he said, they're tasked with trusting adults who say they've been vaccinated. He isn't ready to do that. Hisine McNeill stands inside his Raleigh, North Carolina, restaurant, Alpha Dawgs, where he now requires customers who don't wear a mask to instead show their vaccine card. (Casey Toth/The News & Observer) "I don't have the luxury of taking chances on an honor code," McNeill said. "If I have an outbreak because someone didn't wear a mask and have to close down, who's going to help keep me open?" McNeill opened Alpha Dawgs in 2018 and, like most restaurateurs, he said, struggled through the pandemic, professionally and personally. He said he has lost friends and family members and doesn't believe the pandemic is over. "I know people personally in the ICU still recovering from [covid]," McNeill said. "I don't need any more examples about how serious this is." So McNeill posted a new requirement on the restaurant's Facebook page. He asked everyone to continue wearing masks unless they were prepared to show him a vaccine card. "To whom it may concern," McNeill wrote. "If you decide to come into my establishment claiming that you are fully vaccinated, I WILL ASK TO SEE YOUR CARD. If you don't want to provide it then you will have to wear a mask in my store. And if you still don't want to comply with either then I have the right to deny service. Thank you for your cooperation." The owner of Alpha Dawgs, Hisine McNeill, now requires customers who don't wear a mask to instead show their vaccine card. (Casey Toth/The News & Observer) A sign requiring masks is displayed on the front door of the restaurant. (Casey Toth/The News & Observer) The day after he posted that statement, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper eased most covid-related restrictions in the state, including its mask mandate. The Alpha Dawgs post stirred some online debate over masks and vaccinations and led to a few responses, including one from the Raleigh Republican Club. "Should you be in the area," it read. "Eat somewhere else." McNeill felt the Raleigh Republican Club was calling for a boycott. Afterward, he noticed multiple one-star reviews pop up on Google, not from people who had been to the restaurant, but people accusing McNeill of discrimination. "This is not political for me, this is a personal belief," McNeill said. "I have an 85-year-old grandmother I see every other week. I'm going to make sure she's protected." Raleigh Republican Club board member Guy Smith said the group's post was written collectively, but he didn't see it as a call for a boycott. "Our philosophical position is it's his business, the owner can choose to do what they choose to do within the confines of the individual business," Smith said. "Our philosophical position is, to demand someone to demonstrate they're vaccinated with a card, we think that's out of bounds." Smith said the group also condemns writing bogus reviews of a business. McNeill said Alpha Dawgs' business has not suffered from the online dust-up. "I haven't had any problems," McNeill said. "Only the online harassment." The nightclub expected opposition Charles Smith, general manager of the club, said he knew the policy would garner backlash, but "we've always put the health and safety of both staff and our patrons, and their families, first." Since opening as a gay bar in 2001, Ibiza has been a pillar of the LGBTQ community in Wilmington. Although its clientele has expanded over time, it's still known for drag shows on Friday nights. Last year, the club shut down March 12, about a week before Gov. Cooper ordered all North Carolina bars and restaurants to stop dine-in service. Ibiza remained shuttered for 14 months, using the time to renovate, Smith said, and leaning on federal and state assistance for small businesses. When it came to reopening, he said, "the question was: How do we provide the absolute safest experience alongside the nightlife experience we've been known for?" It wouldn't be easy. Nightclubs are a perfect cocktail of covid risks: lots of people socializing and dancing in close quarters. Alcohol lowering inhibitions. Music forcing people to speak louder, releasing more droplets into the air. "The concept of social distancing in a nightclub is an oxymoron," Smith said. And the club's staff didn't want to be "the police of nightlife," trying to separate people on the dance floor, he added. The safest option, it seemed, was to require people to be vaccinated. The club waited till all adults in the state were eligible for vaccines before reopening. Now Ibiza requires patrons to present their vaccine cards or photos of the cards for entry. On reopening night, the club asked customers to wear masks and limited its capacity to 50%, per an executive order from the governor. But as of May 14, the state lifted its capacity restrictions and masking requirements. Castrigno, who'd been looking forward to that night for weeks since she saw the sign in the club's window, said it was "the most jubilant I'd ever seen Ibiza." Several performers put on a drag show. Customers took turns dancing on poles. Some people wore masks with rhinestones to match their outfits, she said. She wasn't surprised that many people took the vaccine requirement in stride. "Queer people are well versed in the risks of public health crisis and protecting the community," she said, referring to the AIDS crisis, which devastated the community in the '80s and '90s. For James Colucci, who has been a customer since 2016, supporting Ibiza's vaccine policy is about protecting the club's employees. Some of them have "spearheaded the [LGBTQ] movement, so we can get together and have events like this," he said. But others say the policy is discriminatory and injects the nightclub into people's personal health care decisions. Joey Askew, a 37-year-old from Greenville, wrote on Ibiza's Facebook page, "I'll never go back to this club until they lift this mandate!!" In an interview with KHN, Askew said he's not ready to get the vaccine because there haven't been lifetime studies of recipients to determine long-term side effects. He's willing to wear a mask and maintain physical distance, but a vaccine requirement goes too far. "A mask is something I can buy from anywhere and take off whenever I choose," he said. "But I can't take a vaccine out. It's a permanent choice that [the club] is involving themselves in, and it's not their place." In between the people condemning the club's policy and those applauding it are many who are conflicted. Mark Russell, 29, is a nurse in Washington, D.C., who cares for covid patients and contracted covid last year. He plans on visiting Ibiza Nightclub in late May while attending a small wedding in North Carolina where everyone will be vaccinated. The club's policy makes him feel safer, Russell said. But he also worries about its effect on people of color, who in many places have faced barriers to vaccination. "It's a battle in my own brain, thinking those two things," Russell said. For Heidi Martek, 55, the policy raised a personal question. "What about those who can't get the vaccine?" she wrote on Ibiza's Facebook page. She has an autoimmune disease, making her body hypersensitive to any vaccine, Martek said, even the flu shot. But when commenters on Facebook suggested she sue the club, Martek pushed back. The club is facing difficult choices, she told KHN, and there's no right answer. "Whether I can go in or not, I support them," said Martek, who's been a patron at Ibiza for six years. She wants the club to survive the pandemic, unlike other establishments that have closed in the past year. "It's not like Wilmington is overwhelmed with LGBTQ clubs," Martek said. "Ibiza is really important." President Biden predicted a genuine opening for lasting peace in the Middle East on Thursday after Israel and the militant Hamas group reached a ceasefire deal in the wake of nearly two weeks of uninterrupted fighting that has left hundreds of people dead, most of them Palestinians in the war-torn Gaza Strip. A record of medicine utilization patterns assembled by an interdisciplinary team of researchers at the University of California, Irvine and the UC San Diego School of Medicine reveals the thought, care and scientific rigor clinicians at UC Health medical centers applied in their treatment of patients with COVID-19 in 2020. For a study published today in Journal of the American Medical Association Network Open, the investigators examined data on the usage rates of 10 different medicines and medicine categories to map how drugs were used on people hospitalized with the viral infection. The authors got their data from the University of California COVID Research Data Set and tracked 22,896 patients admitted to UC Health medical centers in Davis, Irvine, Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco between March 10 and Dec. 31, 2020. The home run of this paper is really in the figures built from the UC CORDS database. You can clearly see how usage of certain medicines grew or declined over the course of the pandemic and how those movements were tied to evidence-based decisions being made by UC healthcare providers in real time. You can monitor the evolution in how we treat our sickest patients." Jonathan Watanabe, Study Lead Author and Professor of Clinical Pharmacy, University of California - Irvine A stark example can be seen in the shift in acceptance of the antimicrobial medication hydroxychloroquine, which was the subject of public discussion in White House briefings and substantial media attention. In the early stages of the pandemic, the drug was given to more than 40 percent of patients, but by June, usage was below 5 percent. Usage of another drug in that class, azithromycin, fell from 40 to 30 percent in that same timeframe. "There were some studies conducted in the early part of the pandemic that were not particularly well-designed and were limited in size that appeared to show hydroxychloroquine to be useful," said Watanabe, who's also UCI's founding associate dean of pharmacy assessment and quality in UCI's School of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences. "We saw high uptake of the drug early on, but then it just cratered, because as time progressed and more high-quality trials came in, it was shown to be not effective." The opposite can be seen with dexamethasone, which increased from being administered to 1.4 percent of patients per day on March 31 to 67.5 percent by the end of December. The inexpensive, generic corticosteroid was found to be effective in large trials in hospitalized patients in the U.K., according to Watanabe. "At first glance, a lot of people might say you wouldn't want to use a corticosteroid that, theoretically, could reduce the immune response in a COVID patient," he said. "But the trials really demonstrated that the knee-jerk mechanism of action-response was not correct in this case: The anti-inflammatory effect of the drug to tame cytokine storms was evidently more important than any blunting of the immune response." Remdesivir use grew 12-fold, from 4.9 percent on June 1 to 62.5 percent on Dec. 31. Watanabe said one possible explanation for this is that the medication was only available in conjunction with trials in the UC system in the early part of the pandemic and was more widely distributed as time went on. Enoxaparin, used to both treat and prevent thrombosis, also proved effective against COVID-19, of which blood clots are a common symptom. The drug remained above 50 percent in usage throughout 2020. "We tend to put hospitalized patients in general on an anticoagulant to reduce the risk of clots, which can happen because they may be lying in place immobile for long stretches," Watanabe said. "But then we started to notice thrombophilia in COVID patients, so enoxaparin and heparin both became very important not just as prophylaxis but as treatments." He noted that the utilization numbers in the paper show how physicians and other healthcare professionals responded to evidence and their own observations effectively in real time and that such information is important for clinicians to know for future planning purposes in terms of both treatment decision-making and ensuring a robust supply of proven drugs. "This JAMA study is a thoughtful chronicle of the steps doctors, nurses and staff at UC Health medical centers took to help patients with a potentially life-threatening disease," said Jan Hirsch, founding dean of UCI's School of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences. "In the beginning, not a lot was known about the right course of treatment for COVID-19, but our people learned fast and responded to evidence about what was effective on a daily and sometimes even more frequent basis." Almost 1 million extra deaths relating to the covid-19 pandemic occurred in 29 high income countries in 2020, finds a study published by The BMJ today. Except for Norway, Denmark and New Zealand, all other countries examined had more deaths than expected in 2020, particularly in men. The five countries with the highest absolute number of excess deaths were the US, UK, Italy, Spain, and Poland. Measuring excess deaths - the number of deaths above that expected during a given time period - is a way of assessing the impact of the pandemic on deaths in different populations. However, previous studies have not accounted for temporal and seasonal trends and differences in age and sex across countries. To address this, a team of international researchers, led by Dr Nazrul Islam from the Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, set out to estimate the direct and indirect effects of the covid-19 pandemic on mortality in 2020 in 29 high income countries. Using a mathematical model, they calculated weekly excess deaths in 2020 for each country, accounting for age and sex differences between countries, and also for seasonal and yearly trends in mortality over the five preceding years. Overall an estimated 979,000 total excess deaths occurred in 2020 in the 29 countries analyzed. All countries experienced excess deaths in 2020, except New Zealand, Norway, and Denmark. The five countries with the highest absolute number of excess deaths were the US (458,000), the UK (94,400), Italy (89,100), Spain (84,100), and Poland (60,100). New Zealand had lower overall deaths than expected (2,500). The total number of excess deaths was largely concentrated among people aged 75 or older, followed by people aged 65-74, while deaths in children under 15 were similar to expected levels in most countries and lower than expected in some countries. In most countries, the estimated number of excess deaths exceeded the number of reported deaths from covid-19. For example, in both the US and the UK, estimated excess deaths were more than 30% higher than the number of reported covid-19 deaths. However, other countries such as Israel and France had a higher number of reported covid-19 deaths than estimated excess deaths. The cause of this variation is unclear, but may result from access to testing and differences in how countries define and record covid-19 deaths. In most countries, age specific excess death rates were higher in men than in women, and the absolute difference in rates between the sexes tended to increase with age. However, in the US the excess death rate was higher among women than men in those aged 85 years or older. The researchers point to some study limitations, including a lack of data from lower and middle income countries and on factors such as ethnicity and socioeconomic status, and they acknowledge that many indirect effects of a pandemic may need a longer timeframe to have a measurable effect on mortality. Nevertheless, this was a large study using detailed age and sex specific mortality data with robust analytical methods, and as such adds important insights on the direct and indirect effects of the covid-19 pandemic on total mortality, they say. Reliable and timely monitoring of excess deaths would help to inform public health policy in investigating the sources of excess mortality in populations and would help to detect important social inequalities in the impact of the pandemic to inform more targeted interventions, they add. Future work will also be needed to understand the impact of national vaccination programmes on mortality in 2021, they conclude. These findings confirm the huge toll of the covid-19 pandemic on mortality in high-income countries in 2020, say researchers at Imperial College London in a linked editorial. But they warn that its full impact may not be apparent for many years, particularly in lower income countries where factors such as poverty, lack of vaccines, weak health systems, and high population density place people at increased risk from covid-19 and related harm. And they point out that while mortality is a useful metric, policy informed by deaths alone overlooks what may become a huge burden of long-term morbidity resulting from covid-19. There is an urgent need to measure this excess morbidity, support those with long-term complications of covid-19, and fund health systems globally to address the backlog of work resulting from the pandemic, they conclude. The blood-brain barrier is an impenetrable barrier between the circulating blood and the brain established before birth that prevents immune cells from entering the brain from the body's immune system. Thus, the brain has its own immune system with a key actor called microglia. As wardens and housekeepers, the microglia play a central role in both monitoring and defending the brain and maintaining its normal functions. At the start of his career, German professor Marco Prinz became fascinated by these cells, which were at that time primarily thought to be the brain's garbage collectors. Most people found them boring, because they were thought to simply remove waste during illness. Our research has shown that their function extends far beyond this role and that the development of microglia dates back to a remarkably short period during fetal development. Microglia are key in maintaining the normal function of the brain, and their failure can therefore also lead to several very serious brain disorders." Dr Marco Prinz, Professor and Director, Institute of Neuropathology, Medical Center, University of Freiburg Early alarm clock in the brain In brains affected by multiple sclerosis or Alzheimer's disease, microglia become activated, expand in numbers and respond rapidly to reduce damage by gobbling up dying cell parts and characteristic protein build-ups. However, after a few weeks of cleaning unwanted material, they get exhausted and aged, eventually contributing to developing severe brain disorders. "I think we are now starting to understand how these police officers in the brain work. Based on what we and other groups find in terms of signatures, of function, this can be used for patients, because the microglia seem to be the first to respond during almost any brain disease. So if we can identify some molecules, genes or markers that are really typical for microglia-specific disease, we could possibly develop better diagnostics and treatments," says Marco Prinz. For his unique efforts, Marco Prinz is receiving the Novo Nordisk Prize, which is accompanied by DKK 5 million. The Novo Nordisk Foundation awards the Prize to honour an active scientist who has provided outstanding contributions to advance medical science to benefit people's lives. "Marco Prinz is an exceptional clinician scientist who exemplifies how basic and clinical research can come together to generate paradigm-shifting new knowledge. He has contributed to drawing a novel picture of the role of the innate immune system in the central nervous system, elucidating the function and origin of the brain's microglia and their functional connection to the intestinal tract and the microbiome. With the 2021 Novo Nordisk Prize, we celebrate bridging the gap between basic and applied research in neuroimmunology," says Jrgen Frkir, Chair of the committee that awards the Prize. Marco Prinz is delighted to receive the Prize and says: "It was hard to imagine 25 years ago that I would receive these honours and distinctions, because at that time not many paid attention, so I accept the Prize with great humility and pride. Predicting how this field might develop during the next 10 years is difficult, but it is exploding currently, with interest and potential possibilities for curing some of these disabling and deadly brain diseases, and this is still the driving force in my daily work." Future treatment Marco Prinz imagines that it might be possible in the future to identify some of the microglia-specific molecules using magnetic resonance imaging or positron emission tomography in living patients and thus diagnose the disease even before symptoms appear. "This is like an early alarm clock in the brain that can tell us things that are not possible to tell us today. Brain disease today is usually diagnosed based on the symptoms or even small biopsies from the human brain. If the microglia in a specific region are activated, we can then tell that the patient seems to be developing a specific brain disease," explains Marco Prinz. Today most brain diseases are diagnosed when the disease has already progressed and the patients have difficulties. With early diagnosis, the patients can potentially get more specific treatment that might be-microglia-based in the future. "We consider microglia to be obvious targets for treating people with central nervous system disorders such as multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer's. We call these neuromodulatory therapies. They can be pharmaceutical interventions or brain stimulation to remedy and cure the diseases," says Marco Prinz. Jeffersonville, IN (47130) Today Scattered thunderstorms early, then becoming clear after midnight. Low 69F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%.. Tonight Scattered thunderstorms early, then becoming clear after midnight. Low 69F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%. E-commerce brings profitable sales channels for Inner Mongolians Xinhua) 15:36, May 21, 2021 Photo taken on May 12, 2021 shows two salespersons of an e-commerce company selling products via livestreaming in Hinggan League, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Zhang Yuyang) HOHHOT, May 20 (Xinhua) -- Standing beside his profitable greenhouses, villager Xing Changqing still remembers that just five years ago, his farming business was impacted by the cheap prices of vegetables and fruits grown in his field. "Back then, fresh products during the harvest season were not only devalued but also hard to sell in traditional marketplaces," said Xing, 58, who lives in a village in Horqin Township, Horqin Right Wing Front Banner, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. Without corporate support, individual farmers like Xing suffered from a lack of stable sales channels and standardized quality control, which hindered them from reaching more consumers. However, an internet-savvy agricultural cooperative established in his town substantially transformed the gloomy business landscape for Xing. The cooperative provides fertilizer and cold-chain storage for organic agricultural products grown by its members, and collectively purchases and sells these products through unified sales channels including its burgeoning e-commerce store. After joining the cooperative, the only thing that Xing needs to do is to manage the 10 greenhouses that are contracted to him, which grow different kinds of vegetables and fruits in turn throughout the year and generate an annual income of around 500,000 yuan (77,563 U.S. dollars) for him, he said. "Now the sales of my agricultural products have been boosted and their price is double what it was before," said Xing, whose goods can now reach more customers across the country through the cooperative's e-commerce outlet. A photo shows a farmer working in his greenhouse in a village in Hinggan League, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, May 15, 2021. (Xinhua/Zhang Yuyang) The co-op that changed Xing's life is just one of the 88 local cooperatives in his town. Four of these co-ops have seen their annual online sales records exceed 3 million yuan, according to Guan Pengfei, deputy head of Horqin Township. Next, the cooperatives will tap the markets of major cities such as Beijing and Shanghai by using the Internet of Things and establishing premier brands, said Guan. He Gaowa, who used to sell her dairy products on roadsides and in traditional marketplaces, is another beneficiary of the development of e-commerce in the region. "At that time, it was really hard to sell all the milk products that I had made," said He, who lives in a town in Horqin Right Wing Middle Banner. Just like Xing's story, things started to look up for He after she became a supplier for a local e-commerce company, which purchases dairy products from qualified workshops and sells them online. "Now I get a stable monthly income of 3,000 yuan by just delivering my products, which are in great demand, to the company," said He. Since the company was founded in 2015, it has cooperated with over 120 local farmers and herders, and assisted people from low-income families by providing them with work opportunities, said Zhou Yinan, the company's founder. Through marketing techniques such as livestreaming sales, the company last year sold 14.5 million yuan worth of goods on two major e-commerce platforms: Taobao and Pinduoduo. Photo taken in Hinggan League, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region on May 12, 2021 shows staff of an e-commerce company packaging parcels. (Xinhua/Zhang Yuyang) Thanks to the stable sales channels provided by the company, more and more farmers and herders like He have now shrugged off the long-standing problem of how to sell their products, and many have since expanded their dairy businesses. "I hope the local specialties from my hometown will be promoted to a wider market," said Zhou, who now plans to improve his products in collaboration with local processing factories. (Web editor: Shi Xi, Liang Jun) But Biden, who spent nearly 40 years in the Senate priding himself on his ability to reach bipartisan consensus, has said repeatedly that he hopes to get at least some GOP backing for the infrastructure bill, especially after his $1.9 trillion coronavirus stimulus package passed Congress without a single Republican vote earlier this year. (Newser) There's no sign that the protection from the COVID-19 vaccines is fading for anyone yet, but the Pfizer and Moderna chief executives said we can expect to have a third shot before long. The data are showing "there will be a need for a booster somewhere between eight and 12 months," Pfizer's Albert Bourla said. That would mean the first people to be vaccinated will be due again in September or October, Axios reports, but the timeline isn't set. "I think as a country we should rather be two months too early, than two months too late with outbreaks in several places," said Moderna's Stephane Bancel in an email. He's suggesting starting booster shots in September. story continues below Dr. Anthony Fauci agreed but didn't commit to a schedule. "We will almost certainly require a booster sometime within a year or so after getting the primary because the durability of protection against coronaviruses is generally not lifelong," he said. Britain has started a 3,000-volunteer trial to study how well booster shots work, per the Hill. A White House COVID-19 official told a Senate hearing that there's federal money to pay for the booster shots, which will be distributed free of charge to recipients, he said, "just as the last round." A Cornell University virologist suggested slowing down. "It's not proven that we need boosters yet," he said. (Read more coronavirus vaccine stories.) (Newser) The BBC has admitted it deceived Princess Diana in order to get its bombshell 1995 interview with her, and after the revelation Thursday, Prince William said that interview indirectly led to his mother's death. It also was a "major contribution to making my parents' relationship worse," he says in a statement cited by the BBC. He said his mother was failed not just by "rogue reporter" Martin Bashir, who interviewed her, but by the leadership of the BBC who "looked the other way." Because of that, he said, she never learned about the deceit. story continues below Prince Harry issued his own statement decrying a toxic media culture, NPR reports. "Our mother lost her life because of this, and nothing has changed. By protecting her legacy, we protect everyone, and uphold the dignity with which she lived her life," he said. As for Bashir, who recently retired, he also released a statement Thursday, CNN reports. He said it was "saddening" this issue had "been allowed to overshadow the princess' brave decision to tell her story." (Read more Princess Diana stories.) (Newser) Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Greenland Thursdayand confirmed that the US is no longer interested in buying the autonomous Danish territory. The Guardian reports that Blinken smiled when a reporter asked if the US had ruled out plans to buy Greenland. "I can confirm thats correct," he said. Blinken, who met officials including Mute Egede, Greenland's new prime minister, said he was there because the US "deeply values our partnership." In 2019, Donald Trump said the US was interested in acquiring the island in "a large real estate deal." Trump abruptly called off a trip to Denmark after its government rejected the "absurd" idea. story continues below "Greenland is not Danish. Greenland is Greenlandic," Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said at the time. Thankfully, the time where you buy and sell other countries and populations is over." Trump described Frederiksen as "nasty." The New York Times reports that Greenlands foreign minister referred to Trump's remarks when discussing talks with US officials Thursday, saying "this is not considered a real estate deal." "Secretary Blinken has made it very clear that he is here for the people living in the Arctic, for the people living in Greenland," Pele Broberg said. (A former Trump administration official says the former president suggested trading "dirty" Puerto Rico for Greenland.) (Newser) Photos taken by a Mississippi River kayaker about five years before a crack was found in the Interstate 40 bridge linking Tennessee and Arkansas appear to show the fracture that led transportation officials to close the span indefinitely last week, the AP reports. Arkansas transportation officials said they cannot confirm or refute whats shown in the 2016 photos, which raise questions about how early the crack (which an ex-inspector missed in both the 2019 and 2020 inspections) appeared. The I-40 bridge connecting Memphis and the Arkansas city of West Memphis was shut down May 11 after inspectors found a crack in one of two 900-foot horizontal steel beams that are critical for the bridges structural integrity. River barge traffic under the span was closed that day but reopened three days later. Road traffic has been rerouted to the nearby Interstate 55 bridge. story continues below Repairs to the heavily used, six-lane I-40 bridge are expected to begin this week, but a long-term fix could take months, officials said. The states are relying on the four-lane, 71-year-old I-55 bridge to get cars and trucks across the Mississippi River and maintain the flow of commercial vehicles. Engineers are inspecting the I-55 bridge to make sure it can withstand the heavier traffic. Barry W. Moore, 64, told the Associated Press on Wednesday that he took the photos while kayaking on the Mississippi River in August 2016 with a group of friends from the Boy Scouts, where he volunteers. Moore said he stored the images in his computer after the trip and went back to look for them after he heard about the discovery of the crack. Moore said he zoomed in on the photos, found the crack and showed them to his brother. Our jaws dropped, Moore said. (More here.) (Newser) Three kids are being blamed for a two-alarm fire that triggered a "mushroom cloud" explosion in Northern California on Wednesday. The fire destroyed a Martinez home, displacing three people, and threatened a dozen houses, though no one was injured, per NBC News. Contra Costa County Fire Protection says three "youth" were playing with fire "that got out of hand in current conditions." They had reportedly dug a hole in a backyard with tall grass and built a fire within. A woman who called 911 said the fire had spread up a hill around 1:30pm despite the kids' attempts to put it out. "There was no way to stop it," the woman told KTVU. story continues below Battalion Chief Vito Impastato said smoke came in contact with high-power lines and triggered a massive explosion caught on video. A witness said propane tanks also exploded. "When it blew and made a mushroom cloud, it blew everything at once," Edward Raya told KTVU. Raya said the home of his neighbor, an auto mechanic and car collector, had burned along with several vehicles. A shed and fences were also destroyed, while 8,000 customers were left without power. KTVU describes an "aggressive firefighting response." "We definitely dodged a bullet," Steve Hill of Contra Costa Fire tells the outlet. The three youth were questioned, then released to their parents. (Read more explosion stories.) (Newser) Taiwan, long considered a success story, reported 312 new confirmed cases on Friday as part of its worst outbreak since the beginning of the pandemic. Health Minister Chen Shih-chung says most of the cases have a clear source, but 72 of the new ones were not apparently linked to the previous infections, the AP reports. Chen urged the islands residents to refrain from socializing and stay at home. "On these two days, if everyone can reduce the flow of people to the lowest level, and if then we can gradually cut the line of transmission, it will be greatly helpful to us, he told a daily briefing. Taiwan raised its alert level this week, banning indoor gatherings of more than five people and outdoor gatherings of more than 10. story continues below Schools are shut for two weeks, and many are working from home. More than 600,000 people are in quarantine. The majority of the cases have been discovered in Taipei, the capital, and neighboring New Taipei city. Taiwan has reported an average of 200 to 300 cases in the last week alone, and has recorded a total of 3,139 confirmed cases. Taiwanwhich started monitoring flights from China after the first reports of a mysterious virus in Wuhan in late 2019went 253 days in 2020 without a locally transmitted case. Before last weekend, the number of locally transmitted cases throughout the pandemic was under 100. (Read more Taiwan stories.) (Newser) For almost three decades, Alabama has banned yoga in public schools. But that ban will end with the start of the new school year. Gov. Kay Ivey on Thursday signed a bill to allow the practice in schools for the first time since 1993, though restrictions will remain in place. For instance, teachers aren't allowed to chant, utter the mantra "om," or say the traditional salutation "namaste," a combination of Sanskrit words meaning bow, obeisance, or adoration. Teachers must also avoid all Sanskrit terms for poses, hypnosis, guided imagery, meditation, and "any aspect of Eastern philosophy," reports the New York Times. Ivey signed the measure into law over the objections of critics who equate yoga with Hinduism and Buddhism, calling it a religious activity that violates the separation of church and state. story continues below "Anyone who has taken yoga, we know that namaste is not something religious," but "with the evangelicals and this being a Bible state, they felt it was like a threat to Christianity," says Democratic State Representative Jeremy Gray, a former certified yoga instructor who introduced the bill. But it wasn't just evangelicals who wanted the ban kept in place. One yoga practitioner says Christians and atheists became "strange bedfellows" in the matter, because the latter camp doesn't "want anything even remotely religious to be taught in schools," per NPR. It will be up to school boards to decide whether yoga will be offered to students from kindergarten through 12th grade as an elective. Participating students will need permission slips from their parents. (Read more Alabama stories.) (Newser) A driver on one of Japan's famously punctual bullet trains took an unauthorized bathroom break, leaving a conductor alone in the caband if the train had been on time, he might have gotten away with it. But the bullet train ended up a minute behind schedule, prompting an investigation that found the driver had asked the conductor, who wasn't qualified to drive the train, to sit in the driver's seat while he went to the bathroom, the Guardian reports. The conductor did not touch the controls during the three minutes the driver was away. The train, traveling from Tokyo to Osaka, was going at 93mph and had around 160 passengers aboard. story continues below The driver told the company he had been experiencing abdominal pain and he did not want to delay the train by informing the operations center and stopping at the next station, as drivers experiencing a medical issue are supposed to do. The Central Japan Railway Co. apologized for the "extremely inappropriate act" and said it is considering punitive measures against the driver and conductor, who are both 36 years old, the Japan Times reports. This is the first known case of a driver abandoning the cab of a moving passenger train during the 57 years bullet trains have been operating in Japan. During that time, there has not been a single passenger fatality from a derailment or collision. (Read more Japan stories.) (Newser) In September 2019, 26-year-old Chelsea Becker, who was 8 1/2 months pregnant, delivered a stillborn baby. Two months later, she was arrested and charged with murder, accused of taking meth just days before her stillbirth. Those charges have now been dismissed, with a California judge ruling that prosecutors didn't prove that Becker took drugs knowing her son could be killed. Per the New York Times, Judge Robert Shane Burns handed down his decision Thursday in Kings County Superior Court. Becker challenged the murder charges in 2020 and had her efforts rejected by both that court and an appellate court, bouncing it back to the Kings County court. At the center of the case is California's homicide law, which includes fetuses as potential victims, with some exceptions. Critics of the charges against Becker say the statute was never meant to cover stillbirths and miscarriages. story continues below In Becker's case, although the coroner's report listed the fetus's death as a homicide due to toxic levels of meth, Becker's legal team said her medical records, which showed she'd had three reproductive tract infections that could have caused the stillbirth, were ignored, per the AP. Dan Arshack, one of Becker's attorneys, tells the Los Angeles Times that Becker didn't seem to realize what the drugs could do to her fetus, as she'd given birth to three other children with little issue while dealing with her addiction. Although glad their client is in the clear, Becker's legal team had hoped the judge would rule the law doesn't apply to pregnant women. "We are disappointed that a dismissal on these grounds does not foreclose the possibility that a misguided prosecutor may attempt a similar prosecution in the future," says Jacqueline Goodman, another of Becker's lawyers. Meanwhile, Arshack says his client is "incredibly relieved" at the outcome and that she's now in a drug treatment facility. (Read more stillbirth stories.) (Newser) "Help me! They're going to kill me," William Jennette shouted at a responding police officer as corrections officers wrestled with him in a Tennessee county jail. Once he was taken to the ground, police officers joined jailers in holding the handcuffed father of five in the prone position for almost four minutes. As officers pressed into his back, the 48-year-old said he couldn't breathe. "You shouldn't be able to breathe, you stupid bastard," an officer responded. The inmate at Marshall County Jail in Lewisburg was soon dead, reports WTVF, which obtained video of the May 6, 2020, encounter. Arrested two days earlier for resisting arrest, public intoxication, and indecent exposure, Jennette was detoxing and suffering from hallucinations, jail records show. Corrections officers had called for back-up, saying he wouldn't get in a restraint chair. story continues below Officers bent Jennette's legs to his back, seeming to direct more pressure onto his middle, even after he said he couldn't breathe. At one point, an officer warned about asphyxiation. But an officer mocked Jennette, saying "I cant breathe," while her colleagues laughed, per the Washington Post. The man's last words"I'm good"came as an officer pressed his knee into Jennette's back. "You're going to lay right there for a f---ing minute," he said. Jennette had several fractured ribs, per the Daily Beast. His death was ruled a homicide due to "asphyxia," though the primary cause was given as "acute combined drug intoxication." A grand jury declined to bring criminal charges, though an expert on use of force tells WTVF that the video shows "the exact opposite of what generally accepted training has taught officers for the last 25 years." Jennette's daughter, Dominique, is suing several officers, the county, and the city of Lewisburg. (Read more inmate deaths stories.) Where climate change does factor in, however, is the rate of these breakoffs, experts say. Scientists suspect that the rapid disintegration of all those large icebergs could be linked to warming, CBS News noted, given that several areas of Antarctica may be losing stability as climate warms and currents shift in both ocean and atmosphere. (Newser) One of the San Francisco Bay Area's largest hospitals finally has some pandemic news to cheer about: For the first time in 15 months, it doesn't have a single COVID-19 patient. The first known COVID-19 patient arrived at San Francisco General Hospital on March 5, 2020, per KNTV. By Jan. 19, the number of patients had peaked at 67, per the San Francisco Chronicle. On Thursday, after weeks of declining case numbers, the hospital reported that the last of its COVID-19 patients had left. For Vivek Jain, director of the SFGH Infectious Diseases Clinic, it was "a truly momentous day." story continues below He applauded his colleagues "who have kept up the energy and perseverance throughout, never stopping, never tiring," but noted the hospital would certainly admit more COVID-19 patients in the coming weeks and months. Still, "this is a huge milestone in the pandemic to show the power of the effectiveness of the vaccines," Monica Gandhi, an infectious disease specialist at the hospital, tells the Chronicle. This "continues to assure us the epidemic in San Francisco is no longer a public health threat," she adds, noting 76% of residents 16 and older have received at least one vaccine dose. The city celebrated hitting its 1 millionth vaccine dose on Wednesday. (Read more San Francisco stories.) (Newser) CNN says it wants the Justice Department to explain why it secretly obtained the phone and email records of one of its journalists during the Trump administration, apparently as part of an effort to identify her sources. The network says it was informed in a May 13 letter from the department that it had obtained Barbara Starr's records for two months in 2017, reports the Washington Post, which received a similar notification relating to three of its reporters earlier this month. The letter said the government obtained information about the senders and recipients of Starr's emails but not the content. In the first months of his administration, Donald Trump strongly criticized both CNN and the Post and said he had ordered the DOJ to crack down on "criminal" leaks, the New York Times notes. story continues below CNN says that during the period in question, Starr reported on military options in North Korea that were to be presented to Trump, as well as stories on Syria and Afghanistan. "CNN strongly condemns the secret collection of any aspect of a journalist's correspondence, which is clearly protected by the First Amendment," said CNN President Jeff Zucker. In a statement, DOJ spokesman Anthony Coley said the legal process to obtain the records was approved last year, reports the AP. He promised that department leadership would soon meet with reporters to address their concerns. The Times notes that rules on when the DOJ can secretly obtain information on reporters' phone calls were tightened in 2013 after a backlash to the Obama administration's investigation of reporters from the AP and Fox News. (Read more Justice Department stories.) We use cookies. By Clicking "OK" or any content on this site, you agree to allow cookies to be placed. Read more in our privacy policy (Newser) The nation's two largest cities are investigating attacks on Jewish bystanders by pro-Palestinian demonstrators. The New York and Los Angeles police departments are looking into the assaults this week as possible hate crimes. In New York, a man was kicked and beaten by several people when pro-Palestinian marchers fought pro-Israeli counterdemonstrators and police Thursday night in Times Square, the Wall Street Journal reports. Police, who are looking for suspects in the beating, did not say whether the man was hurt. Video of the beating was posted online. "We will bring the perpetrators of this vicious act of hate to justice," Mayor Bill de Blasio posted Friday. The chairwoman of the police Hate Crime Review Panel said, "Yesterday was an attack on this man simply because he is Jewish." story continues below In West Los Angeles, a string of cars was rolling slowly through an area with synagogues and Jewish schools, with people waving Palestinian flags and one saying "Israel kills children" into a megaphone, when men got out and confronted Jewish diners sitting outside a sushi restaurant. At least one person was hurt in the fight, per the New York Times. Part of the attack was captured on video. Witnesses said the men threw bottles at the diners and used anti-Semitic slurs. Dozens of men from the caravan ran to the restaurant and asked, "Whos Jewish?" they said. One witness said, "It was prepared, they came to fight with Jewish people. Anti-Semitic attacks often rise during Middle East violence, an expert said. Mayor Eric Garcetti said he hoped for quick results from the investigation. "We have to recognize this for what it is: It's anti-Jewish and anti-Semitic." (Read more anti-Semitism stories.) (Newser) New York City bills its new park as an oasis, and there are many reasons for that. The spot is a redeveloped Pier 54 in the Hudson River, and 132 concrete "tulips" provide the foundation, making it appear as if the park rises from the river, WABC reports. Pedestrians can reach it on one of two bridges. The Manhattan spot, which opened Friday, provides unique views of the city and the river. The Diller-von Furstenberg Family Foundation put up $260 million for the park, and Barry Diller said, "All of it is an oasis of everything fun, whimsical, playful that we can conjure." The place has been in the works since 2014 but was held up by lawsuits and other disputes. Little Island includes: story continues below 35 species of trees, 65 species of shrubs, and 290 types of grasses, vines, and perennials, per the AP. An emphasis on melding art and nature. Families can participate in free arts activities, per WNBC, and the park will start its independent arts programming next month. Little Island plans to host hundreds of local artists. An amphitheater seating 687 people for live performances of music and dance, plus other places that can host events, per the AP. Most events will be free to the public. Educational programs, also free, six days a week, led by teaching artists. A central plaza for dining and performances. Winding, explorable paths through the 2.4-acre grounds. A history, per the New York Times. Pier 54 is where the Carpathia brought the Titanic's survivors in 1912. (Read more New York City stories.) Viewers felt the TV star stumbled over his words and seemed dazed while discussing how he took a cookie jar from the Friends set and gifted it to Lisa Kudrow. "He sounds like he's had a stroke. Is he ok?," one Twitter user wrote. "I hope hes seeing a neurologist," said another. "This makes me sad," added a third, while one tweet read simply: "Yikes!" Meanwhile, some fans rushed to Perry's defense, calling the commentary on his appearance "disheartening". A Tauranga woman has spoken out about her "nightmare" dealings with a New Zealand online marketplace as a warning to others. She's sharing screenshots of messages from the company that appear to be abusive and share her private information publicly. However, the store says it is the victim, accusing the woman of harassing and threatening the business after changing her mind about a purchase. Amber White, 25, bought a dress for an upcoming party off 'Auckland E Store', a shopping website which also has a Facebook page. As documented on her TikTok, White says the dress arrived weeks after she needed it and after contacting the store, she was offered a full refund upon the item's return. New Zealand was the only country in the OECD to have fewer deaths than expected in pandemic-hit 2020, a new analysis has found. Researchers in Europe and the US looked at mortality data from 29 of the wealthy bloc's countries - those with complete data tracking weekly deaths from not just COVID-19, but all causes. Excess mortality rates are often used in research to measure the true impact of epidemics and pandemics - they pick up deaths from the disease in question that might not have been officially recorded, as well as indirect deaths, for example people who couldn't get treatment because of overloaded health systems. The US, Italy, England and Wales, Spain, and Poland came off worst in the new analysis, with tens to hundreds of thousands more people dying than expected. "The Ministry's current assessment remains that the weak positive results are likely from recent positive cases in managed isolation or due to recently recovered cases who are not infectious but continue to shed the virus," a ministry statement said. "There is no risk of infection from COVID-19 in wastewater." Each of three new cases reported on Friday are recent returnees. Two arrived on Wednesday, May 19 - one from the UK via the UAE, the other direct from Qatar - and one flew into Auckland from India via Qatar on Friday, May 14. The latter is the contact of a previously reported case. Four previously reported cases recovered on Friday, bringing the total number of active cases in New Zealand to 23. The total number of confirmed cases is 2306. One previously announced confirmed case has now been reclassified as historical. Meanwhile New Zealand laboratories processed another 4747 tests on Thursday, with the total number processed to date now standing at 2,100,168. The skeletal remains will be reassembled and DNA testing will be conducted to identify the victims, at least nine of whom are believed to be women and several of which are believed to be children. Grant Robertson says the Government is reviewing how it helps low-income people meet the cost of growing rents, fearing most of the current assistance just ends up in landlords' back pockets. The Accommodation Supplement is being looked at closely as part of a wider review of the Working for Families scheme, the Finance Minister has revealed. "What we do know about the Working for Families system is it's been in place now for the best part of 15 years - well, 16 years," he told Newshub Nation. "It's actually a system that's served New Zealand well, but within it, there are components that I think everybody would question, the Accommodation Supplement being a really obvious one - very important for supporting people's needs, but a real question mark about whether it's the best way to deliver accommodation support, given that it tends to end up going towards landlords ultimately." The End of Life Choice Act will come into effect in November, allowing for safeguards and processes outlined in the legislation to be established. In Budget 2021, $11.8 million is allocated to implement assisted dying services until June 2022. The Budget also includes funding to keep people "of extreme risk", like the Christchurch mosque terrorist who was sentenced to life behind bars, under maximum security. The Prisoners of Extreme Risk Unit, set up four months after Brenton Tarrant murdered 51 worshippers in March 2019, has been given $6.4 million over four years to "continue to effectively care for, and manage" high-risk criminals. The 2019 Christchurch terror attack shocked the country to its core and in December, the Royal Commission of Inquiry made 44 recommendations covering both national security, and wider social community matters, to help the victims heal and prevent a similar atrocity. More than $4 million has been committed to "building community trust and confidence" in response to the inquiry's recommendation to establish an Implementation Oversight Advisory Group. A further $2 million will go towards standing up a counter-terrorism unit within police to coordinate prevention work, including "providing wraparound services and support to individuals at risk of radicalisation". The head of the UK's only pill-testing outfit says claims by a New Zealand politician it's responsible for an uptick in drug deaths there are "nonsense". Parliament here is currently debating the Drug and Substance Checking Legislation Bill, which had its first reading on Tuesday night. It would make drug-testing facilities at music festivals legal - the current legislation, rushed into law late last year, expires in December. National MPs are opposed to it, saying it encourages festival-goers to take drugs. "By pill testing we provide a false confidence and encourage a view that the pill taking is safe and that use goes up," Simon Bridges said during Tuesday's debate. "Because that use goes up with that false confidence around the safety of the pills, fatalities will increase." The debate was focused on MDMA, also known as ecstasy. New Zealand pill-checking group Know Your Stuff said a quarter of 'MDMA' pills it tested over summer "turned out to be cathinones", particularly eutylone, which the Government's High Alert drug warning service says is "particularly risky" and can cause "intense, unpleasant and potential dangerous experiences". At one festival, half of all ecstasy pills turned out to be eutylone. Bridges, quoting figures which show the number of deaths in the UK linked to ecstasy have risen in recent years, linked it to the rise of pill-testing at festivals. "Its use went up, and inextricably fatalities went up in the United Kingdom... If this is an evidence-based, harm-reduction issue, which I suggest most of those around me say it is, well, actually, we shouldn't do this. Use goes up, fatalities go up." "Just making sure that New Zealand is the place that we believe it to be; fair, a place where when you need help and support, that you're able to access it," Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said during a visit to Wellington City Mission on Friday. Ministers proudly did the rounds on Friday doing breakfasts and business rounds, showing off their first proper Labour Budget, which - perhaps not surprisingly - didn't win over National. "There's nothing for middle New Zealand," said National leader Judith Collins. "There's nothing for people who are out working every day to pay the bills and pay taxes." Ardern sees things differently. "I hear constantly from New Zealanders that they want to see everyone doing well and so people from all walks of life have often raised with me the issue of poverty." Beneficiaries were the big winners of the Budget, getting up to $55 a week more, to try and lift kids out of poverty. It's not just about lack of enough food - people need homes. The Government also had to give the Ministry of Social Development an extra $3 million a year to hire more staff to deal with emergency motel demand. Finance Minister Grant Robertson told Newshub it's not an admission that the housing crisis is going to get worse. "No it's not, it's an admission though, that we do have a lot of work to do." They sure do and the public wants more action. In the latest Newshub-Reid Research poll we asked: Is the Government doing enough to address the housing crisis? Only 27.2 percent of people said yes while a clear majority - 61.6 percent - said no. People Newshub spoke to on the streets of Wellington described the house prices as "out of control" and "astronomical", "diabolical" and "unaffordable". Treasury reckons runaway house prices are going to stall, forecasting a whopping 17 percent growth in prices this year, but next year predicting house prices won't even increase by 1 percent. It doesn't quite go as far as saying prices will fall, which is actually what Kiwis want. The Newshub-Reid Research poll also found that 73.4 percent of New Zealanders want house prices to fall while just 20.7 percent said no and the rest weren't sure. A woman Newshub spoke to said she doesn't want that to happen because she's a homeowner, but a man said he'd "love to" see prices fall while another said "100 percent, because I want to be able to afford a house". Politicians have been forever too terrified to say that house prices need to come down in case voters punish them in the polls. But when nearly three quarters of Kiwis are telling you that they want house prices to fall, perhaps saying it doesn't require that much bravery. It means weekly benefit rates will increase by between $32 and $55 per adult by April 2022. The Government expects that 109,000 families and whanau with children will be, on average, $175 a week better off as a result of changes to income support, since 2017. But with rents continuing to rise - the national median rent is $495 - the Government had to consider if landlords might bump up rent prices knowing that beneficiaries have more to spend. "On rents, one thing I would say is people have raised the question: will these increases in main benefits go directly to rent increases or cause rents to go up?" Jacinda Ardern told reporters on Friday. "We went back through the evidence, through recent times [when] we've had changes to the amount of assistance people receive, and we haven't seen a correlation that rents go up as a result." The Government has been warned about sparking rent increases before. A document dump last month related to the big housing policy announcement in March showed rent caps were considered to stop landlords passing on increased rents. In that policy announcement, the Government announced plans to phase out tax deductions on interest costs for rental properties over four years, among a raft of other measures, to help first-home buyers and bring down ballooning house prices. The documents showed the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development warned that "most landlords may consider increasing rents" to meet the shortfall, and some would be "likely to sell", with potentially significant consequences for renters. Property investors immediately threatened to increase rents to make up for the increased costs. But Ardern stood by the policy, because investors now make up the biggest share of buyers in the housing market. But the Government's housing policies - including extending the investor tax bright-line test to 10 years and expanding eligibility for first-home buyer assistance - could pay off, according to Treasury forecasts in Budget 2021. Treasury predicts house price growth will peak at 17.3 percent in June before levelling out to 0.9 percent by mid-2022. The slower pace of house price growth "means house prices end up around 4 percent lower in June 2025", Treasury says. National MP Simon Bridges doubts house prices will go down, telling The AM Show on Friday the predictions are "UFO stuff". Ardern is between a rock and a hard place when it comes to house prices. "We don't want massive house price growth, but also, for many New Zealanders, once they are entering into the housing market, their house is the most important asset they have, so if you see a sudden dive in the value of their asset, that equally creates problems for the New Zealand economy and for homeowners, so it's about getting that balance right. "What we of course, with our significant interventions earlier in the year - our housing package - we wanted to see that house price growth come away, and so you can see now Treasury are saying that they believe that will be successful, because those massive increases in house prices weren't good for anyone, including those who already own homes." Ardern said she's proud of the Budget her Government delivered. "It's an important one. I think I'll look back on this one and see it as a real milestone for us in just making sure that New Zealand is a place that we believe it to be - fair, a place that when you need help and support that you're able to access it." The outgoing boss of New Zealand's biggest airport says he's been fielding multiple job offers in the 24 hours since announcing he's resigning from the role. Adrian Littlewood revealed on Thursday he was leaving his role as CEO of Auckland International Airport after nine years in the job. "There's been a lot of calls, but I've intentionally said no," Adrian Littlewood told Newshub. He planned to take his first break in 13 years with his wife and three children. The latter of his nine year tenure was dominated by COVID-19 challenges. Passenger numbers tanked as airlines canned services in and out of New Zealand. To save money the airport made a quarter of its workforce redundant, slashed pay for remaining staff by 20 percent, suspended $2 billion worth of infrastructure projects and raised $1.2 billion on the sharemarket. The airport's bottom line will be in the red when Littlewood leaves mid-year, with an expected net loss of $35 million. "You never want to be in that case, but I look at the preceding seven years, it was a period of rapid growth," he said. It's been more than a month since Australia under-armed its tourism advertising campaign at New Zealanders, but it wasn't until this week that our tourism board got its equivalent up on its foils and across the ditch. But who is winning the trans-Tasman tourism ad battle, Australia or New Zealand? Entitled 'Stop dreaming about New Zealand and go', the ad begins with an Australian man asleep in bed being woken up by a Kiwi who has seemingly snuck into his bed to awaken him up by whispering sweet kia oras in his ear. A conversation follows about the man's dreams about coming to New Zealand... and having a beard. Israel said Hamas, Islamic Jihad and other militant groups fired around 4350 rockets from Gaza during the conflict, of which around 640 fell short into the Gaza Strip. The Israeli military said that 90 percent of those that crossed the border had been intercepted by the Iron Dome missile defence system. Iran, which does not recognise Israel but supports Hamas and says it has transformed the Palestinian fighters' arsenal, said they had won a "historic victory" over Israel. The Iranian Revolutionary Guards warned Israel to expect "deadly blows". Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh cast the fighting as successful resistance to a militarily and economically stronger foe. "We will rebuild what the occupation (Israel) destroyed and restore our capabilities," he said, "and we will not abandon our obligations and duties to the families of martyrs, the wounded and those whose homes were destroyed." Haniyeh expressed gratitude to Egyptian, Qatari and UN mediators, and to Iran, "which has not given up on providing the resistance with money, weapons and technology". Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei urged Muslim states in a statement to "support the Palestinian people, through military ... or financial support ... or in rebuilding Gaza's infrastructure". Ezzat el-Reshiq, a senior member of the Hamas political bureau, told Reuters in Doha the movement's demands included protection for the Al-Aqsa mosque, and for Palestinians threatened with eviction from their homes in East Jerusalem. Ramadan clashes The Israel-Hamas hostilities were set off on May 10 in part by Israeli police raids on the Al-Aqsa compound and clashes with Palestinians during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Thousands gathered there again for this Friday's prayers, with many demonstrating in support of Gaza. Israeli police fired stun grenades towards demonstrators, who threw rocks and petrol bombs at officers, and Palestinian medics said some 20 Palestinians were wounded. The confrontations died down within about an hour, with Israeli police pulling back to the compound's gates. Civilians on both sides of the Gaza border were sceptical about the chances for peace. "What is truce? What does it mean?" said Samira Abdallah Naseer, a mother of 11 children sitting near the wreckage of a building near Beit Hanoun in the north of the Gaza Strip. "We returned to our houses, and we found no place to sit, no water, no electricity, no mattresses, nothing," she said. In a cafe in the Israeli port city of Ashdod, north of Gaza, student Dan Kiri, 25, said Israel should continue attacking Hamas until it collapsed. "It's only a matter of time until the next operation in Gaza," he said. The truce appeared to be part of a two-stage deal, with Cairo sending security delegations to Tel Aviv and the Palestinian territories to agree on measures to maintain stability. Egypt, which mediated the deal, discussed measures to avoid a resumption of the rocket attacks from Gaza and Israeli strikes on the enclave. A Western diplomat said Biden, who on Thursday made his first call as president to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, appeared to have played a key role. The biggest obstacle to securing a deal was concern from Israel and Hamas about the public reactions from their own side, and their opponents, if they accepted a ceasefire, two Egyptian security sources said. "In our negotiations with the two parties, we depended on the need for each of them to see the scale of the damage done to civilians, and we charged each party with its criminal and international liabilities towards civilians," one of the sources said. Reuters Israel and Hamas will cease fire across the Gaza Strip border as of 2 am on Friday (2300 GMT Thursday), an official with the Palestinian Islamist faction said, bringing a potentially tenuous halt to the fiercest fighting in decades. Israel's security cabinet said it had voted unanimously in favour of a "mutual and unconditional" Gaza truce proposed by mediator Egypt, but added that the hour of implementation had yet to be agreed. The development came a day after US President Joe Biden urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to seek de-escalation, and amid mediation bids by Egypt, Qatar and the United Nations. A Hamas official told Reuters the ceasefire would be "mutual and simultaneous". Here's New Zealand's statement, which was delivered by Justin Fepuleai, the deputy Permanent Representative of New Zealand to the United Nations: Mr Vice President, Madam Deputy Secretary General, and colleagues, Aotearoa New Zealand welcomes the opportunity for the General Assembly to focus on this important matter. As this Assembly convenes, the deadly violence and bloodshed in Israel and Palestine persists. By days end, more civilians will have tragically and needlessly lost their lives, some of them infants and children innocent victims of a senseless conflict. Aotearoa New Zealand is gravely concerned by the escalating violence and hostilities. We are appalled by the rising civilian death toll. The numbers in Gaza are especially shocking. The violence has seen more than 75,000 people internally displaced in Gaza alone. Healthcare facilities, already under stress from COVID-19, are now under increased pressure with many damaged in the conflict. Essential civilian infrastructure in Gaza, including electricity networks and water installations, has been irreparably damaged. The delivery of urgently-needed humanitarian staff and supplies has been impeded by the continued violence. We condemn the actions of both sides when the result is the loss of innocent civilian lives, especially children. We have serious concerns about whether Israels actions are proportionate in the circumstances. In addition, there are serious doubts as to whether both sides have fulfilled their obligations under international humanitarian law to distinguish between military targets and civilians. The indiscriminate firing of rockets on Israel by Hamas is unacceptable and must stop. There can be no military solution to this conflict. That is why we are also deeply concerned that repeated calls for a ceasefire have been rejected. This is not a time for political posturing, it is a time for urgent de-escalation. We therefore look forward to confirmation of the breaking news that a ceasefire may have been agreed. As the current conflict rages on, prospects for a genuine peace are bleak worse than at any time in recent memory. The viability of the two-state solution the only basis to achieve sustainable peace appears to be a distant prospect if both sides are unwilling to call a ceasefire. Aotearoa New Zealand remains committed to a two-state solution and a just and lasting peace for Israelis and Palestinians alike. We call on the international community to take urgent action to preserve the two-state solution and advance the Middle East Peace Process. Without tangible progress towards a two-state solution, the violence we are witnessing will simply reoccur later down the track. More lives will be lost, more seeds of discord sown, and a region already beset by instability and conflict will become ever more complex, volatile and fractured. Mr Vice President, Aotearoa New Zealand continues to call for the United Nations Security Council to take urgent action to help end the violence and bring about a lasting ceasefire. We stand ready to assist in any constructive way we can to support these efforts. Thank you. North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un before a meeting with US President Donald Trump on the south side of the Military Demarcation Line that divides North and South Korea, in the Joint Security Area (JSA) of Panmunjom in the Demilitarized zone (DMZ) on June 30, 2019. (BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images) The Cook Islands are where memories are made. One couple's memories will be forever linked with the travel bubble. COVID-19 put a stop to their first wedding plan. They had arrived at the airport only to find the border shut. "Actually made it to checkout and then they changed the laws and we didn't quite make it," said the groom, Jethro Slimo. But Pacific Resort's wedding planner is glad that they instead ended up being the first tourists to get married in Rarotonga since the bubble opening. "It's brought everything back to life and it's like we've been waiting for this, we've been ready for this and it's really exciting," said events coordinator Kate Payne. Since the pandemic began, the Cook Islands Government has been looking at ways to diversify from tourism. One particular focus is agritech, with loans of up to $50,000 for businesses to kickstart an idea. At JungleFarm, their plan is for large-scale production of honey products. "We've got a friend in New Zealand who does honey mead and he's been for years trying to push us towards that direction, so we saw an opportunity and pretty excited to do it ourselves anyway," says Tama Heather of JungleFarm. The goal is to become less reliant on imports. "Almost all honey products are from New Zealand and the United States and we can do that here," says Esther Heather. Esther left her job marketing a Cook Islands resort to pursue the family's new business producing the honey, which she says has a unique local flavour. "We're surrounded by coconut trees up here and palm trees so there's a light honey that comes from there. A lot of the native trees that produce a really dark toffee, a really rich honey." The travel bubble may soon bring a new hive of activity but Cook Islanders are busy making contingency plans should that stop again. Local top story OLOL graduating class told to follow their passions, dream big and keep God an active part of their lives Mark Gilger / HARRY DEITZ/FOR THE NEWS-ITEM Guest speaker Kevin Metrocavage addresses Our Lady of Lourdes Regional School graduates during commencement ceremonies Thursday night. Mark Gilger / HARRY DEITZ/FOR THE NEWS-ITEM Lourdes graduate Anne Metrocavage, receives her diploma Thursday night from Daniel Breen, Secretary of Education/Superintendent of Catholic Schools for the Diocese of Harrisburg. On the right is Lourdes Principal Sister Mary Anne Bednar, IHM. Mark Gilger / HARRY DEITZ/FOR THE NEWS-ITEM Robert Lawrence Scalia, valedictorian of the 2021 Class at Our Lady of Lourdes Regional School, and salutatorian Ashley Alexandra Albert, attach their name plates to the honor plaque in the school's hallway Thursday night. Relaxing in the school cafeteria prior to the commencement exercises are several members of the senior class who were awarded diplomas Thursday night. From left are Nick Demanicor. Emma Shimko, Meryl Czeponis and Nathan Catino. Graduates of the Class of 2021 at Our Lady of Lourdes Regional High Schoiol were presented diplomas during commencement exercises Thursday night in the school gymnatorian by Daniel Breen secretary of education and superintendent of schools in the Diocese of Harrisburg, center, and Sister Maray Anne Bednar, high school principal. Receiving her diplomas is graduat Anne Elizabeth Metrocavage.e Mark Gilger / HARRY DEITZ/FOR THE NEWS-ITEM Lourdes seniors and part of the crowd are shown during graduation ceremonies Thursday night in the Lee E. Korbich Memorial Gymnasium. COAL TOWNSHIP Follow where your passion leads you and dream big. Be who you are and say what you feel. Keep God an active part of your lives. That sage advice to the 25 members of the Class of 2021 at Our Lady of Lourdes Regional School was offered by guest speaker and alumnus Kevin Metrocavage, salutatorian Ashley Alexandra Albert and valedictorian Robert Lawrence Scalia at graduation ceremonies Thursday night in the Lee E. Korbich Memorial Gymnasium. Lourdes Principal Sister Mary Anne Bednar, IHM, presented a welcoming address, introduced the speakers, congratulated the seniors and talked about the significance of being a Lourdes graduate. Daniel Breen, Secretary of Education/Superintendent of Catholic Schools for the Diocese of Harrisburg, conferred diplomas to each of the graduates as their names were read by Lourdes Director of Studies Douglas Rubendall, who also announced the senior award winners. Metrocavage, a 1991 Lourdes alumnus whose niece, Anne Metrocavage, was among the graduates, serves as the International Space Station operations manager for the Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C. After congratulating the class and telling them they should be proud of themselves for their accomplishments, the guest speaker told the class to be thankful for the excellent faculty, staff, friends and family that helped guide them through the years. He recalled his own high school graduation 30 years ago and said many of the friendships he built at Lourdes remain strong three decades later. I truly hope you have the same affection for your classmates thirty years from tonight, he said. My first piece of advice is to follow where your passion leads you and dream big, Metrocavage added. He also told the graduates that they are capable of much more than they think. The sky is not the limit, he said. In the words of former President Theodore Roosevelt, I challenge each of you to dare mighty things. Its far better to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to know neither victory nor defeat. Its a motto NASA has embraced for our planetary exploration missions, most recently during the Perseverance rover landing on Mars. Metrocavage, a son of Paul and Pat Metrocavage (longtime business office employee at Lourdes), of Coal Township, told the graduates not to be afraid of failure. He praised his parents for their hard work, unselfishness and dedication to others through their successful professional and volunteer experiences. The speaker also commended his older brother, Paul, and older sister, Maria, for serving as outstanding role models and leading fulfilling careers after graduating from Lourdes. Metrocavage told the Class of 2021 to always keep fighting and moving forward through the difficult challenges they will face in life. He stressed the importance of teamwork, discipline, competence, confidence, responsibility, toughness and vigilance in succeeding in life. He concluded by telling the graduates to stay positive, never stop learning, have faith in themselves and their God, dream big, work hard and reach for the stars. Albert, who thanked everyone for attending the commencement ceremonies, said, This pandemic has not been easy for any of us in the slightest, so I thank everyone for joining us. I would also like to thank the faculty and staff for making this ceremony possible and our school year the best that it could be. I appreciate every one of you. Thank you to the parents, siblings, family, and friends who have supported our class during this difficult year. None of us could have done it without the tremendous amount of support and love that we received. She said the following quote by Dr. Seuss resonated with her the most: Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind dont matter and those who matter dont mind. Albert, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Bryan Albert, of Coal Township, said, I must stay true to who I am and continue to do what I love. When we go out into the world, we must all be true to ourselves. I encourage you, my classmates and the audience, to be who you are. Find what you are truly passionate about and pursue that, no matter how many people disagree or how challenging that may be for you. As long as you are happy with your choices, thats all that matters. Make your life meaningful. I ask that you leave an impression on this world. Do not just simply exist, but live. Let people come to know who you are, and remember to act with kindness, as God would have wanted you to, as you continue your journey. She told her classmates that they are in charge of their fate and that they will find happiness and success by doing what they love. Albert said Lourdes has become a home with countless memories, including multiple humorous ones from various classes. The salutatorian said she was very grateful for receiving a fine education at Lourdes, but it was time to move on. We all have so much more of our lives to live yet, so this was only the beginning, she said. The salutatorian thanked her parents, relatives, friends, administrators, teachers, staff, classmates and underclassmen for preparing her for this world and creating many memories. May God continue to bless you all on this journey of life, she said. Scalia, a son of Kaleen Kovalich and Robert Scalia, of Kulpmont, opened his remarks by thanking God for blessing him with the opportunity to have been educated at a Catholic school. He went on to thank his parents for always believing in him and pushing him to study and work hard. The valedictorian expressed his appreciation to high school secretary Kathy Masser for always doing her best to keep the school organized and for being there to answer one million questions. He praised his teachers for the wealth of knowledge they have passed onto him. Scalia urged his classmates to keep God an active part of their lives. He said, This has been one of the most important lessons we have been taught at Lourdes, so I believe it is one that should never be forgotten as we move forward with whatever we have decided to do. He talked about the many happy, sad and funny memories his class has made over the past four years of high school. Scalia stated, If there is one thing I will keep with me from my time at this school for the rest of my life, it will be the ways in which my class has changed me over the years. When I started at Lourdes, I was very shy and kept mainly to myself. Thanks to my classmates though, I have broken much more out of my shell. The valedictorian said his classmates pushed each other to mature and become better students. In closing, Scalia said, Our Lady of Lourdes may be a small school, but it is a truly remarkable one that really prepares its students to be able to handle all of the tough challenges that the real world has in store. Metrocavage inducted the 2021 Class into the Lourdes Alumni Association that boasts 9,000 graduates in 50 states in numerous professions. Breen also congratulated the graduates and praised them, administrators, teachers, staff and parents for enduring the many challenges that the COVID-19 pandemic has presented. He especially commended Bednar for her leadership during some tough times caused by the virus. He told the graduates to use the faith and reason instilled in them at Lourdes and to lead their future lives by providing charity, love and service to others. Father Andrew Stahmer, school chaplain, offered the invocation and benediction. Following the singing of the alma mater, faculty members, administrators, board of education directors, Metrocavage and graduates recessed out of the gym. Please purchase a subscription read this premium content. If you have a subscription, please sign up for a digital website account or log in. Let us know what you're seeing and hearing around the community. Submit here The Daily News-Miner encourages residents to make themselves heard through the Opinion pages. Readers' letters and columns also appear online at newsminer.com. Contact the editor with questions at letters@newsminer.com or call 459-7574. Community Perspective Send Community Perspective submissions by mail (P.O. Box 70710, Fairbanks AK 99707) or via email (letters@newsminer.com). Submissions must be 500 to 750 words. Columns are welcome on a wide range of issues and should be well-written and well-researched with attribution of sources. 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Reuters | Bahrain The Daily Tribune www.newsofbahrain.com Bahrain said on Thursday it would restrict access to most public venues to immunised people only after coronavirus cases hit a record high. Health Ministry Undersecretary Waleed Al Manea attributed the spike to large gatherings at home during Ramadan and Eid holidays as well as increased testing. As of May 21, only people aged above 18 who have completed 14 days since their second vaccine dose or who have recovered from the virus will be allowed at commercial centres, except for supermarkets, banks, pharmacies and hospitals. The restrictions, which apply to shopping malls, restaurants, salons and cinemas as well as offices providing government services, will last until June 3. The kingdom of 1.7 million people on Wednesday registered 2,354 new Covid-19 infections and eight deaths to bring its total to 206,878 cases with 773 deaths. On May 15, authorities had recorded around 1,300 infections. We urge society to get vaccinated and to comply with precautionary measures for the sake of Bahrain, Manea said in remarks posted on the ministrys Twitter account. Around 48 per cent of the eligible population has completed 14 days since their second vaccine shot, said a member of the state coronavirus committee, Dr Manaf Al Qahtani, adding this was equivalent to around 37 per cent of the total population. Qahtani said only between 1 per cent to 2 per cent of this category caught the virus but that the majority had mild symptoms. Of the eligible population, 75 per cent have received the first dose from among the four vaccines on offer. Bahrain and the UAE this week said they would offer a booster shot for Chinas Sinopharm vaccine. Saudi Arabia reopened its borders on May 17, including a highway linking the kingdom with Bahrain. TDT | Manama The Daily Tribune www.newsofbahrain.com A top official of the National Medical Task for Combating the Coronavirus pandemic warned yesterday that commitment to action today is no longer an option, but a patriotic duty. Bahrain, Lt. Col. Dr Manaf Al Qahtani said, needs strong determination of all its people here in the next two weeks to bring down the coronavirus curve. He also pointed out that the low infection rate after vaccination is a shot in the arm for the inoculation drive here, which, so far, has covered 48.6% of the total people eligible for vaccination. He was speaking during a press conference held at the Crown Prince Center for Training and Medical Research by the National Taskforce to address the Coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak. Manaf Al-Qahtani, an Infectious Disease Consultant & Microbiologist at the BDF Hospital and a member of the National Medical Taskforce for Combating the Coronavirus, confirmed that the Kingdom had witnessed only 2% Covid-19 infections post inoculations against 98% infections in non-vaccinated people. The percentage of existing cases in vaccinated people who completed two weeks after taking their second jabs using vaccines by Pfizer-Biotech, Covishield-AstraZenka vaccine and the Sputnik ranged between 1% to 2%. Mohd Al Emadi TDT | Manama The Daily Tribune www.newsofbahrain.com Entry to shopping malls, markets, internal services of restaurants, cinemas, and salons will be only for those who had completed 14 days after their second Covid-19 jab, those who have recovered, and those above 18 years of age, Dr Waleed Khalifa Al Manea said. Banks, hospitals and pharmacies are exempted from the above decision, the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Health said. The decision also restricts entry to retail shops, indoor services at restaurants, cinemas, salons, and similar places. Service centre and government offices are also limited entry to vaccinated, recovered and aged 18 years and above. Proof of vaccination and recovery on the BeAware application is mandatory. Today, more than ever, we rely on your awareness and commitment. Preserving the health of our family members, relatives and loved ones and our society is a shared responsibility that requires full commitment to Covid-19 protocols. The solution to the pandemic, he said, not lies in reducing or restricting traffic through our ports but in full adherence to preventive measures. He also pointed out that despite the limited number of existing cases detected in arriving passengers, Bahrain had stringent measures to ensure safety. Dr Al-Manea said the Kingdom is holding an increased number of checks daily to further strengthening the pandemic battle. The daily Covid-19 test results show that the prevalence rate remains high within the community and not due to arrivals outside. The number of cases detected from people coming from abroad is limited, he said, adding that the Kingdom detected only 14 cases in arriving passengers yesterday while 2,354 were among people here. The positive tests rate of travellers who arrived in Bahrain during April was 1.76%. Citing statistics, Dr Al Manea also pointed out that the percentage of existing cases among Bahraini nationals in the total number of cases reached 60% in adults and 42% in children in the age group 0 -18 years. This needs to be taken seriously. On this note, he urged all to get inoculated and continue adhering to Covid-19 protocols mandated by the Kingdom. He also revealed identifying an increase in the number of existing cases due to gatherings during the blessed month of Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr. Contact tracing, he said, revealed the source of those infections as gatherings in homes and residences, which represented 71.3% of the total number of existing cases on 13 May 2021 or 59% of the total number of Covid-19 cases. Half of the cases were Bahraini nationals. He said the challenge today is reducing the number of existing cases to the previous levels, for which requires the commitment of every individual and families in the Kingdom. Everyone should reinstate their commitment against gatherings in-home and limit that to family members, he urged. Dr Al Manae also announced increasing the frequency of vaccination by expanding the number of centres to more areas. TDT | Manama The Daily Tribune www.newsofbahrain.com Bahrain has welcomed the ceasefire between the State of Israel and the Palestinian factions in the Gaza Strip following the success of the efforts of Egypt in leading negotiations between both parties to reach a long-term truce to end the military operations in the Gaza Strip. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs commended the effective joint international efforts to stop the military operations between both sides to prevent the destructive operations in preparation for political negotiations to restore security and stability and work to deliver humanitarian aid and relief supplies to the residents of the Gaza Strip. The ministry stressed the importance of continuing international efforts to solve the Palestinian issue based on the two-state solution by international legitimacy resolutions and to establish lasting peace in the Middle East. Garland Joseph Nelson has an extensive history of writing bad checks, and prosecutors say his last one lead to an alleged double homicide. News-Press NOW reviewed court documents that show Nelson owed money to multiple individuals after writing checks he couldnt cover. He was turned in several times and nobody did anything about it, Pam Diemel, the mother of two Wisconsin brothers allegedly killed by Nelson, said. It could have been prevented. Online court records show Nelson pled guilty to two different counts of passing a bad check in 2015. A bankruptcy filing shows Nelson wrote a $1,111 bad check to a Hamilton, Missouri woman in 2014. He wrote bad checks to a nearby veterinary service for $266.20, and one for almost $300 to a sandwich shop. While those checks were for relatively small amounts, officials allege Nelson owed the Diemels a significant sum of money. Prosecutors allege in court documents that Nelson killed Nick and Justin Diemel, the two brothers from Wisconsin, after the pair arrived at his farm to collect over $200,000. A recent federal indictment returned by a grand jury indicates Nelson sent a severely damaged check by FedEx to the Diemels in June of 2019. Prosecutors said an envelope that contained the check wasnt damaged, and they allege Nelson purposely damaged the check made out for some $215,936. Prosecutors allege Nelson only had 21 cents in his bank account and the check was intentionally voided to buy Nelson more time. The next month, Nick and Justin flew from Wisconsin to Missouri where they rented a truck and drove to Nelsons farm in Braymer, Missouri. State and federal prosecutors say the brothers didnt survive that encounter. Nelson is charged with two counts of first degree murder, for which prosecutors are seeking the death penalty. Nelson has entered a not guilty plea, and has denied any wrongdoing through his lawyer. Until this week, Nelson had only faced charges in state court. On Tuesday, federal prosecutors announced their indictment for one count of mail fraud, though they incorporate many of the same allegations as the state case. Kate Mahoney, chief of the fraud and corruption unit for the United States Attorneys Office Western District of Missouri, told News-Press NOW that the feds wouldnt have access to Nelson until his state case ends. Nelson is scheduled for a capital murder trial in June of 2022. Some of the rhetoric that Ive heard directed against Israel is just so vitriolic, so hyperbolic. Those of us in elected office have to be mindful of the words we use and the ideas we amplify. Are we using words and ideas that are aimed at promoting peace? Or are we using words and ideas that are aimed at inciting hatred? A new study found Missouri would gain 50,000 new jobs if the state expands Medicaid, though the governor said the state cant currently afford expansion. The study, conducted by researchers at George Washington University, found some $3.4 billion would flow into the state if Medicaid is offered to more individuals. So far, Republican Gov. Mike Parson has blocked expansion after the legislature failed to fund the program. The Missouri constitution calls for the state to accept new patrons on July 1. When that much money new comes in, the first place it goes is to hospitals, doctors, offices, pharmacies, because more people get health care, Dr. Leighton Ku said. Then (those places) pay their staff and they go out and do things like you and I do when we have income: We buy groceries, pay rent, go to a movie. A recent lawsuit filed by lawyers tied to previous governors is seeking to force the states health care program, MO HealthNet, to accept patrons who should be eligible under the constitution, effective July 1. Some 275,000 Missourians are estimated to be eligible under Medicaid expansion. A constitutional amendment to implement the program was passed by voters last year, bypassing the state legislator. Opponents to expansion declined to fund the program, and Parson revoked expansion because it could make the entire program insolvent, even for those who are currently eligible. Former assistant attorney general Elad Gross told News-Press NOW a court is likely to rule that the newly eligible residents must be accepted, but not to order the legislature to fund the program. That would leave Parson and the General Assembly to work out new funding. The thing that I think is paradoxical in this situation is that one of the things the American Rescue Plan did was throw a bonus to states that expand Medicaid, Ku said, referring to recent legislation passed through Congress to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. Ku said the George Washington University analysis shows that bonus, paid by the federal government and not the state, would cover the cost of the first two years of Medicaid expansion. So I must admit, I dont exactly understand why Missouri legislators are taking this stance, Ku said. Those looking to travel over Memorial Day weekend may want to get an early start as AAA estimates 34 million people to be taking to the roads and skies during the upcoming holiday. Conditions are changing daily here with whats opening and restrictions being lifted, said Nick Chabarria, public affairs specialist for AAA. Its certainly a fluid situation, but we believe we have a pretty good handle on this years numbers. Travel is projected to increase by 60% compared to 2020, which had record-low numbers. Our biggest change is coming from air travel, which is up about 577%, Chabarria said. Numbers are still a little below from 2019. People continue to catch up on missed vacations, causing a huge influx in business for hotels and car rentals, with rising gas prices expected to have minimal impact. AAA travel advisors here in Missouri include road trip destinations to Florida, Las Vegas and National Parks out west, Chabarria said. Folks who are looking to travel a bit further and fly are going to Mexico, the Caribbean and Hawaii. Other top locations include Myrtle Beach, Denver, Nashville, Anchorage and Colorado Springs. Our advice would be to plan as early as you can and know the travel restrictions where you are headed, Chabarria said. Talking with a travel advisor before can tell you whats open and give you a bit more preparation before you travel. If youre going on a road trip, expect traffic. Although vehicle trips are down as much as 40% in some metros, afternoon congestion is nearly back to pre-pandemic levels, said Bob Pishue, transportation analyst for INRIX. Travelers should anticipate delays to start on Wednesday and continue through Memorial Day. Avoid commuting during these times and have plans to use alternative routes for the safest and fastest trip possible. Gas prices also are going to be the highest since 2014, with an average price of $3 nationally. Before taking to the roads, have an emergency kit packed and a way to reach out for roadside assistance if necessary. Some items to include in an emergency kit are jumper cables, phone chargers, water and non-perishable foods. An inmate who was being held at Western Reception, Diagnostic and Correctional Center has died, Missouri Department of Corrections officials said. Matthew Schwarz, 39, was pronounced dead Tuesday night at Mosaic Life Care in St. Joseph, according to a department of corrections release issued Friday morning. No details on the cause of death were given. Schwarz was serving an 11-year sentence for possession of a controlled substance from Lafayette County and two four-year sentences for possession of a controlled substance and a four-year sentence for tampering with evidence from Ray County. He entered the Missouri Department of Corrections on May 16, 2006. A newly minted Salt Lake City airline has announced it will begin flying out of Connecticuts Bradley International Airport. Breeze Airways made its national debut Friday by announcing the Windsor Locks-based airport will be one of its destinations, according to officials with the Connecticut Airport Authority. Breeze is launching four nonstop destinations this summer between Bradley and Charleston, Columbus, Norfolk and Pittsburgh, all of which are new destinations in terms of non-stop service, according to Kevin Dillon, executive director of the Connecticut Airport Authority, which oversees Bradleys operations. Gov. Ned Lamont said in a statement that the announcement by Breeze Airways is further recognition that one of our greatest assets as a state and a region is Bradley International Airport. These new destinations allow for residents to be connected to new business and tourism travel markets, Lamont said. Breeze Airways was founded by David Neeleman, who also started JetBlue. Neeleman, who said he used to live in Connecticut, said he sees a significant number of unserved markets from Bradley that will provide us with many years of growth opportunities. Dillon described Breeze Airways as a low-cost airline. We look forward to introducing its innovative model to our market, and we are confident that Breeze Airways will quickly gain in popularity locally, leading to success at Bradley International Airport, he said. The airline will begin flying non-stops to Charleston starting May 27. Service to the other three non-stop destinations will begin July 22. Breeze Airways offers booking flexibility, according to Dillon, with no change or cancellation fees for flights changed or canceled up to 15 minutes prior to the scheduled departure time. Even the CCA was announcing Breeze Airways commitment to Connecticut, Dillon said another airline will start providing regular passenger servide to Bradley. Minnesota-based Sun Country Airlines is now offering new, non-stop service to Minneapolis. Dillon said Sun Country already flies into Bradley with cargo and with some charter flights. Sun Country has been bringing cargo for e-commerce giant Amazon for about 18 months, he said. We are thrilled to offer new service on Sun Country Airlines giving our passengers even more options to travel conveniently and affordably, Dillon said. We are excited that they are expanding their footprint at the airport with the introduction of passenger service to Minneapolis. We look forward to this strengthened partnership and future route launches with Sun Country Airlines. The airline will fly between Bradley and Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport twice a week, on Friday and Mondays, according to Dillon. In addition to the service between Bradley and Minneapolis, Dillon said Sun Country Airlines will also be launching new, nonstop service to Orlando. That route will start in September he said. Sun Country is a privately held business that has operated since 1983. It was founded by a group pilots and flight attendants. The commitment from Breeze Airways comes even as officials with the Tweed New Haven airport Authority were negotiating with the carrier. Tweed is owned by the city of New Haven and does not come under the purview of the CAA. Sean Scanlon, executive director of Tweed, said Friday the deal Breeze Airways reached with Bradley doesnt preclude the airline from flying out of New Haven. Tweed straddles the East Haven-New Haven border. There is still room for that to happen, Scanlon said. I think its great that they (Breeze) were able to reach a deal to fly out of Bradley. We continue talking with Breeze and just about every carrier about serving Tweed. The pace and frequency of those discussions has picked up dramatically, according to Scanlon, since a longer runway at Tweed was approved earlier this year in Tweeds 20-year master plan update. We really believe strongly that Connecticut needs a second airport (with regular passenger service), he said. The fact that officials at two airports located about 90 minutes apart in the same state have been negotiating with the same airline has the potential to ruffle some feathers between the Tweed Airport Authority and the CAA. Dillon has been blunt recently that there needs to be some coordination between the two authorities, especially since the CAA has no control over Tweeds operation. They want to work with us in terms of coordination, (but) I knew nothing about his (Dillons) announcement, Scanlon said of the Breeze Airways announcement. Hopefully he will be happy when good things happen for us. A potential further complication is that Dillon said he has been encouraging Breeze Airways to consider some kind of service at Sikorsky Airport, which serves Bridgeport and New Haven County. The CAA has no control over Sikorsky Airport, which like Tweed is also operated by an independent authority. luther.turmelle@hearstmediact.com WASHINGTON (AP) President Joe Biden on Thursday hailed the cease-fire in the fighting between Israel and Hamas, saying he sees a genuine opportunity toward the larger goal of building a lasting peace in the Middle East. Biden credited the Egyptian government with playing a crucial role in brokering the cease-fire and said he and top White House aides were intensely involved in an hour by hour effort to stop the bloodletting. I believe the Palestinians and Israelis equally deserve to live safely and securely and enjoy equal measures of freedom, prosperity and democracy, Biden said. My administration will continue our quiet, relentless diplomacy toward that. The president spoke soon after Israel and Hamas announced a cease-fire would go into effect at 2 a.m. local time Friday, ending an 11-day war that caused widespread destruction in the Gaza Strip and brought life in much of Israel to a halt. The fighting killed at least 227 in Gaza and 12 in Israel. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus office said Israel accepted the Egyptian proposal after a late-night meeting of his Security Cabinet. Hamas quickly followed suit and said it would honor the deal. Biden, who spoke to Netanyahu six times in the last 11 days, said Thursday the prime minister credited the Iron Dome missile defense system with limiting the death toll inside Israel. The system is designed to intercept and destroy short-range rockets and artillery shells. Biden said he assured Netanyahu that his administration would work to quickly restock the missile defense system. Biden and Netanyahu spoke twice Thursday, first after the Israeli Cabinet decided to accept the Egyptian proposal, according to an official familiar with the matter who spoke on the condition on anonymity. There was still about 2 hours to go before the cease-fire went into effect and both U.S. and Israeli officials were concerned that Hamas could fire another barrage of rockets and unravel the agreement. As the deadline drew near, Netanyahu called Biden again to let him know he believed the cease-fire was moving forward. The cease-fire was announced one day after Biden told Netanyahu in a telephone call that he expected significant de-escalation of the fighting by days end, according to the White House. But the prime minister came right back with a public declaration that he was determined to continue the Gaza operation until its objective is achieved. Hours before the cease-fire agreement was reached, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said the Israelis had achieved significant military objectives in their strikes intended to degrade Hamas military capabilities and reiterated that Biden expected the Israelis to start winding down their operations. We believe the Israelis have achieved significant military objectives that they laid out to achieve in relation to protecting their people and to responding to the thousands of rocket attacks from Hamas, Psaki said. The White House, according the official, was not concerned by Netanyahus comments that seemed to contradict Biden's call to de-escalate. The prime minister, administration officials believed, did not want to telegraph to Hamas that he was ready to accept terms to end the violence and was also sending a message to a domestic audience that had become traumatized by the barrage of rocket fire. Biden, who studiously avoided extensive public comment about the Israeli military strikes through the 11-day conflict, was facing mounting pressure from fellow Democrats to speak out against the Israelis as the death toll climbed in Gaza and tens of thousands of Palestinians were displaced by the aerial bombardment. Throughout the crisis, Biden, in carefully-worded statements and brief exchanges with reporters, underscored Israels right to defend itself. But as the death toll and suffering of innocent bystanders in Gaza spread, the position was becoming more difficult to sustain with his Democratic caucus and the international community. On Tuesday, while in Michigan to visit a Ford facility, Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib confronted Biden on the Detroit airport tarmac and called on him to speak out forcefully against the Israeli strikes. Meanwhile, Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York introduced resolutions to block the sale of $735 million in military weaponry to Israel thats already been approved by the Biden administration. As the outside calls for Biden to speak more forcefully grew, Biden and top aides privately made the case to Israeli officials that time wasnt on their side in the court of public opinion. Biden and Netanyahu have known each other for more than 30 years and have frequently butted heads. Their conversations through the crisis were far from scripted and they probed each other on how they were gaming the path forward, according to the official familiar with the leaders' conversations. Administration officials pointed to Hezbollahs stature rising in the region after their 34-day war with Israel in 2006 to make the case for limiting the time of the military action. Israeli officials pushed back that a slightly prolonged campaign to degrade Hamas military capabilities was necessary and in their interest, according a person familiar with the talks who was not authorized to discuss them publicly. Hamas had sought to portray their rocket barrages as a defense of Jerusalem. Israeli officials made the case to the White House that Hamas message lost resonance as mob violence against Arabs in mixed Israeli cities, including Lod, was tamped down. Biden, in his remarks Thursday, reiterated that United States continues to fully support Israels right to defend itself against indiscriminate rocket attacks by Hamas and other Gaza-based militants. Biden also offered condolences for Palestinian lives lost during the conflict and vowed humanitarian aid would quickly flow through the Palestinian Authority, which is in control of the West Bank but not Gaza. We will do this in full partnership with the Palestinian Authority, not Hamas ... and in a manner that does not permit Hamas to simply restock its military arsenal, Biden said. WASHINGTON President Joe Biden signed new legislation into law Thursday that is intended to increase the reporting of hate crimes and help law enforcement investigate and prosecute them, particularly crimes against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, who have faced more discrimination during the pandemic. All of this hate hides in plain sight, Biden said. Too often is it met with silence. U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., who authored part of the bipartisan bill, attended the White House signing ceremony Thursday afternoon and was applauded for his work on the legislation. Connecticut Attorney General William Tong was also at the ceremony and spoke with Biden after the signing. This is such an important day for Asian American and Pacific Islander families, Tong said. Many lives will be saved because of this legislation. Vice President Kamala Harris said a year ago, 1,100 hate crimes against Asian Americans had been reported, but today that number is more than 6,600. Anti-Asian sentiment has increased in visibility because, among other reasons, the coronavirus pandemic is believed to have originated in China. Im talking about incidents where businesses are being vandalized in the biggest cities and the smallest towns, Harris said. Eight people in Atlanta getting shot on a Tuesday night. This violence did not come from nowhere and none of it is new. The law establishes online reporting systems for hate crimes and provides grants for states to establish and run hate crime hotlines.The bill would train law enforcement on using the National Incident-Based Reporting System on reporting hate crimes and provide support for law enforcement agencies that train officers or establish units to work on hate crimes. It will also allow judges to require people convicted under federal hate crime laws to undergo community service and education on the communities they harmed. Finally, it would expand public campaigns aimed at raising awareness about hate crimes and their victims. The legislation passed Congress with broad bipartisan support. Jason Chang, director of the Asian and Asian American Studies Institute at the University of Connecticut, supported the law but warned it was not enough because it generally only addresses the issue after it has happened. He added, I would like to see greater attention on prevention and dismantling of racist culture and white supremacy. He was also concerned that increasing policing of hate crimes could result in more incarceration of people from Black and brown communities. Michael Keo, an activist in residence at the Asian and Asian American Studies Institute, helped launch the I am not a virus campaign, which has gathered stories of hate incidents and discrimination against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders during the pandemic. In April, a man in Milford was arrested for a hate crime in allegations that he yelled go back to China and drove his car in reverse toward another man walking in the street. Keo said his group heard from other AAPI people, including a Waterbury firefighter was verbally harassed at the grocery store for 30 minutes and a Connecticut woman who was denied entry to a local shop, although white males were allowed to enter. Two AAPI people who went to grocery stores in West Hartford and Bristol were sprayed with disinfectant while shopping, he said. But much of the discrimination faced by Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are so-called micro-aggressions more subtle comments and actions that can make people feel undervalued and excluded, Chang said. emilie.munson@hearstdc.com; Twitter: @emiliemunson SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) California workforce regulators will aim for a mid-June easing of workplace mask and social distancing requirements to conform with a broader state order, postponing a vote on whether to revise coronavirus safety rules for employees. Cal/OSHA's staff said it would aim to make possible a targeted effective date of June 15, 2021, instead of proceeding with a proposal that would have made businesses wait until July 31 to ease some pandemic restrictions. The same regulations also would impose new requirements that dozens of business groups called too onerous during a hearing Thursday by the California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board. Having two conflicting enforcement dates would be a huge source of confusion and problems, California Chamber of Commerce policy advocate Rob Moutrie told the board. The board delayed voting on the new rules after staff said they wanted to reconsider them based on last week's U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance that fully vaccinated people can now skip face coverings and distancing in virtually all situations. California health officials said this week they will keep the states rules requiring indoor masking and distancing until the state more broadly lifts its pandemic restrictions on June 15, a date also endorsed by Gov. Gavin Newsom. But Cal/OSHA board members said they are inclined to temporarily retain revised workplace safety rules perhaps past July 31, over the objections of some business groups. They set a June 3 hearing to consider revised rules. I think we need to continue to have some COVID requirements in place the crisis isnt over. But I think we need to recognize that its been mitigated to some extent, board member Chris Laszcz-Davis said. Cal/OSHA regulations apply in almost every workplace in California, including those in state and local governments. Its emergency temporary standards related to the pandemic apply to all employees except those working from home or where there is a single employee who does not have contact with other people. California has made a remarkably fast transition from being an epicenter for the virus at the start of the year to a record low infection rate of less than 1% and an economy with all sectors now reopened, albeit with restrictions. More than half the states population of nearly 40 million has received at least one vaccine dose. Employers told the board that the improvement makes the rules less necessary, while worker advocates said having half the population unvaccinated means precautions are still needed. Proposed additional employer mandates intended to make up for some relaxed regulations would create new unnecessary burdens and requirements, said Helen Cleary, director of the Phylmar Regulatory Roundtable, a coalition of large businesses. Business groups are particularly upset with a proposal requiring that employers provide masks for voluntary use starting July 31. That potentially means regularly providing N95 face masks to 2 million workers, CalChamber's Moutrie said, assuming 20% of the states 20 million workers cant or wont be vaccinated and half of those work indoors. The rules also would require employers to provide free coronavirus testing during work hours to unvaccinated employees with COVID-19 symptoms. Standards board chairman David Thomas later said he was inclined to permit less effective face coverings like his own blue surgical-style mask. But others said that easing some safeguards makes it more important that workers have the type of mask that provides the most protection. Thomas, like other board members, said regulators must be cautious in lifting safety regulations for fear of triggering a new surge. Hopefully were getting to a place where we can open things up, Thomas said, but weve seen this before and we just dont want to get, for lack of a better word, we dont want to get stupid. Requiring employers to provide masks and make other provisions like installing partitions and air filters adds more burdensome obligations to employers just as the federal government is loosening restrictions and Californias Governor appears to believe California is on track to open in June, more than 40 groups said in a comment letter. They include organizations representing California cities and counties, retailers and restaurateurs. More than 40 agricultural organizations separately objected that the state cannot reopen if businesses are still required to comply with strict and unnecessary COVID-19 restrictions. But labor and other advocates urged caution in lifting workplace pandemic safety rules. Every day we hear from workers about their fear of going to work, getting the virus and bringing it home to their families, said Eddie Sanchez of the Southern California Coalition for Occupational Safety and Health, which advocates particularly for workers who are immigrants or people of color. We know from experience now that employers will not do whats right or whats safe on their own. Maggie Robbins, occupational health specialist with Worksafe Inc., an Oakland-based worker advocacy group, said Cal/OSHA shouldn't ease workplace rules just because the state is relaxing requirements in social settings, a development she said could lead to basically open season in the workplace for all controls to be relaxed. The board's staff is now reconsidering rules that would require workers to wait until July 31 before they can stop wearing masks indoors and distancing, unless everyone in the same room is fully vaccinated and not showing coronavirus symptoms. Exemptions for fully vaccinated employees will not work if 100% of the workforce must be vaccinated to benefit, Cleary said. But Cal/OSHA's staff warned that some regulations are needed even as conditions improved. Even if the state is able to reopen fully in June, COVID-19 is likely to remain a significant workplace hazard for months to come, if not longer, they advised the board. HOUSTON (AP) While officials with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice are blaming miscommunication for preventing reporters from witnessing the states first execution in nearly a year, legal and death penalty experts worry it's another example of what they see as a lack of transparency and competency in how the death penalty is carried out in the U.S. Two reporters, including one with The Associated Press, had been set to witness Wednesdays execution of Quintin Jones at the state penitentiary in Huntsville. But they were not escorted into a viewing room adjacent to the death chamber because a call was never made to summon them. Jones, condemned for the September 1999 killing of his great-aunt, Berthena Bryant, was executed with no media present. The previous 570 executions carried out since Texas resumed capital punishment in 1982 all had at least one media witness and it was often an AP journalist. The AP aims to cover every U.S. execution, one of the gravest procedures carried out by governments, and has for decades because the public has the right to know about all stages of the criminal justice process. The AP often is the sole media presence at U.S. executions, and explains the American death penalty process to the world. Media witnesses hold government officials accountable when executions are flawed. In recent years, reporters have been able to witness and tell the public about botched or problematic executions in Alabama, Arizona, Oklahoma and Ohio, where inmates could be seen gasping for breath for long periods of time or writhing and clenching their teeth while on the gurney. Reporters have also highlighted efforts by states to prevent the public from knowing the source of lethal injection drugs they use. An investigation into what led to the miscommunication in Texas continued Thursday, said state Department of Criminal Justice spokesman Jeremy Desel. It was unknown how long the investigation would take to complete. We are taking steps to ensure that what happened doesnt happen again in the future, he said. Desel said the prison agency does not believe any state laws were violated by not having media witness the execution. The Texas Code of Criminal Procedure does not specifically mention media in connection with witnessing an execution, Desel said. A part of the Texas Administrative Code rules and regulations that govern state agencies lists individuals who are authorized to witness an execution, including a media pool consisting of five reporters. The AP is specifically designated as one of the five pool reporters. Desel said the administrative code does not mention or use the word must in any way, just that the following persons may be authorized to witness. In a Thursday tweet, state Rep. Jeff Leach, R-Plano, welcomed the investigation. It was a mistake and/or a miscommunication is not acceptable. This is an unfathomable, colossal screw-up and we need answers, he said. The office of Gov. Greg Abbott did not immediately reply to an email seeking comment. Robert Dunham, executive director of the Death Penalty Information Center, said while the administrative code is written in a way to give the state has some deniability as to whether it violated the law, not letting reporters witness Wednesdays execution was a violation of the law and describing it as anything but that is parsing words. The mistakes that led to what happened on Wednesday speak to the ability of Texas and the 23 other states that currently have the death penalty to carry out executions, said Dunham, whose group takes no position on capital punishment but has criticized the way states carry out executions. Texas has more experience in carrying out executions than any other jurisdiction in the Western Hemisphere and if Texas can make a mistake like this, what confidence can the public have in what other states are doing? he said. Joseph Larsen, a Houston attorney who is also on the board of directors of the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas, called the lack of media witnesses inexcusable and executions must be done with complete transparency to maintain the integrity of the judicial process. It is not different from requiring that the trial of the person charged be public and witnessed, he said. Texas officials would like to restrict media access to the extent (most) possible, mostly for political reasons. Larsen also believes the Texas Department of Criminal Justice violated state law by not having media witnesses on Wednesday. Executions were once held in front of courthouses and often turned into public spectacles but since they became more solemn and somber activities within prison walls, the media has functioned as a way to ensure public accountability and to report if anything goes wrong, Dunham said. No reporters during Wednesdays execution also meant the public wasnt able to get firsthand details from the media about several changes that have been made in the execution procedure. Accommodations have been made to allow an inmates spiritual adviser in the death chamber. Last month, prison officials reversed a two-year ban on advisers created after the U.S. Supreme Court halted the execution of an inmate who had argued his religious freedom was being violated because his Buddhist spiritual adviser wasnt allowed to accompany him. The death chamber has also undergone some renovations, including soundproofing and new paint and carpet. Dunham said states and the media have an uneasy relationship when it comes to executions as states need the media to preserve the legitimacy of executions while they try to also avoid accountability when things go wrong. Its a balance between legitimacy and accountability, he said. States need the media, but they also want to restrict it. ___ Associated Press writers Michael Graczyk in Huntsville and Paul J. Weber in Austin contributed to this report. ___ Follow Juan A. Lozano on Twitter: https://twitter.com/juanlozano70 CLARKSVILLE, Ind. (AP) A fire has destroyed a cabin built 20 years ago as a re-creation of the home where Revolutionary War figure George Rogers Clark spent his retirement years in southern Indiana. Firefighters called Thursday evening to the Falls of the Ohio State Park found the building fully engulfed in flames, said Clarksville Fire Chief Brandon Skaggs. The cabin's roof collapsed and only a portion of the exterior remained standing once the fire was doused. Were sad that we lost that cabin, but right now theres no injuries reported, firefighters or civilians. So thats the positive, Skaggs told The Courier-Journal. Several agencies are investigating the fires cause, including the Indiana State Fire Marshals Office. Skaggs said the fire at the park's George Rogers Clark home site in Clarksville was reported along with three other brush fires, including one about 150 yards (137 meters) from the cabin. The cabin, which overlooked the Ohio River just north of Louisville, Kentucky, was built in 2001 with the same dimensions as the home where Clark lived from 1803 to 1809, according to the parks website. The original home was destroyed in 1854. Clark was best known for his Revolutionary War role in leading American soldiers who defeated British forces in 1779 and captured Fort Sackville in Vincennes, located in southwestern Indiana along the Wabash River. The site of Clark's home in present-day Clarksville has been known for nearly two centuries as Clarks Point. It overlooks a sharp curve along the Ohio River and offers commanding views up and down the waterway. The site is also where Clarks younger brother, William, met Meriwether Lewis a year before they embarked in 1804 on an exploration of territory west to the Pacific Ocean. Dan Bortner, the director of the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, said Friday afternoon in a statement that the agency was deeply saddened by the loss of the re-created 19th century cabin. This is where Meriwether Lewis and William Clark first met, in 1803, and began their journey of discovery together. It has long served as a peaceful place for Americans to meet, reflect, and celebrate events in their lives, he said. The fight to protect Jewish CUNY students is not easy, and it will require the marshaling of all resources available. Those who care about civil rights and safety for oppressed minorities have always been outgunned and outspent. Thats part and parcel of standing in the line of fire. Resources are scarce and appropriations decisions are necessarily fraught. But for those who care about Jewish safety, and the very heart and soul of New York City, the battle at CUNY simply cannot be lost. A foundation launched by prominent Asian American business leaders earlier this month said Thursday it has raised more than $1 billion to support Asian American and Pacific Islander communities. The announcement from The Asian American Foundation, or TAAF, came minutes after President Joe Biden signed legislation aimed at curtailing the rise in hate crimes against Asian American and Pacific Islander communities in the United States. Sonal Shah, the foundation's president, and TAAF board members were also at the White House, where they briefed administration officials, including domestic policy adviser Susan Rice. They discussed how the foundation plans to spend the $1.1 billion in donations to fight back against hate crimes directed at these communities, according to a statement from the foundation. Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris dropped by the meeting to express their support, the foundation said. Thursday's news builds on the foundation's prior announcement that it had raised $300 million from its board members and other donors. More donors have since pledged contributions to its AAPI Giving Challenge," an initiative to bring additional funding to Asian American and Pacific Islander organizations that have traditionally been neglected in philanthropy. TAFF was founded to close critical gaps of support for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and end the longstanding underinvestment in our communities, said Shah, who previously served as a deputy assistant to former President Barack Obama. Todays historic announcement should send a clear signal to the 23 million AAPIs living in this country that TAAF and our AAPI Giving Challenge partners are here to upend the status quo in favor of a better, brighter future for AAPI communities." The Asian American Foundation has said its giving will focus on supporting organizations and leaders measuring and challenging violence against Asian American and Pacific Islanders; developing a common data standard that tracks violence and hate incidents; and helping create K-12 and college curriculums that reflect the history of Asian American and Pacific Islanders as part of the American story. Members of the foundation's advisory council, including CNN host Lisa Ling and actor Daniel Dae Kim, virtually joined the White House meeting alongside representatives from donors, including Mastercard and the MacArthur Foundation. Separately, TAFF is producing a TV special designed to expand support for Asian American and Pacific Islander communities. The program, called See Us Unite for Change The Asian American Foundation in service of the AAPI Community," will air Friday on multiple channels, including MTV, BET, VH1 and Comedy Central. __ The Associated Press receives support from the Lilly Endowment for coverage of philanthropy and nonprofits. The AP is solely responsible for all content. For all of APs philanthropy coverage, visit https://apnews.com/hub/philanthropy. On May 10, 2021, Troy Campbell and his wife Erika were travelling on Highway 407 ETR on their way to the hospital to have their third child. Erika was in labour and when she realized she wasn't going to make it to the hospital, her husband pulled over. Moments later, baby Nova Marie arrived, with a 911 dispatcher and their midwife on the phone. The whole birth was caught on video which the couple posted to their YouTube channel. "The Campbells demonstrated amazing strength under very stressful circumstances and we are thrilled that mom and baby are doing well after this emergency delivery," said Javier Tamargo, 407 ETR's President and CEO. "It's not every day that we're part of story like this, and we're happy to send our congratulations to the Campbells with a gift to help them transport their young family around the GTA as quickly and safely as possible." "I never could have imagined me delivering my baby at the side of 407 ETR," said Erika Campbell. "The amount of emotions I felt within those few moments are indescribable. But I thank God everything worked out and our new baby Nova Campbell came into this world strong and healthy." ABOUT 407 ETR AND THE ROAD TO RECOVERY 407 ETR supports 19 hospitals across the GTA each year and as part of the company's Road to Recovery Program, it made an additional $1.2 million donation to GTA hospitals for PPE and equipment at the outset of the pandemic. The Road to Recovery initiative also included a $4 million commitment to United Way Agencies in Hamilton, Halton, Peel, York, Toronto and Durham that provided emergency support for the immediate COVID-19 response, and will help fund programs as the recovery takes place. Visit 407etr.com/community to learn more about 407 ETR's community investments. SOURCE 407 ETR Concession Company Limited For further information: Kevin Sack, Vice President, Marketing, Communications and Government Relations, [email protected], Mobile: (416) 455-5262 Related Links http://www.407etr.com VANCOUVER, BC, May 21, 2021 /CNW/ - Today, to mark national tourism week (May 23-30), Destination Canada has launched two new initiatives to inspire Canadians to travel domestically as restrictions allow. The domestic campaign efforts highlight the faces and places that make travel in our country so important and unique. Heartbeat of Canada: Tourism Anthem video Produced by Canadian director, Mark Zibert, the industry anthem video spotlights the makers, performers, business owners, and staff who make up Canada's tourism sector. The people featured are not actors; they are tourism workers and among the one in 10 Canadians whose jobs are tied to the sector. Canadian drummer Sharon Rose Ransom is central to the video, and delivers a powerful drum solo that's full of energy, symbolizing hope and a desire for rebirth. The prominence of drums in the video reflects Canada's spirit and "heartbeat", as an instrument of celebration and motivationrepresenting an industry that, despite facing hardship, remains positive. Download the video here. Inspiring Domestic travel: Postcard campaign Destination Canada is inviting Canadians to send a postcard to the family and friends they have missed during the pandemic. The initiative was inspired by Destination Canada's research, which shows that 39% of Canadians expect their first trip will be to visit loved ones and friends. The series of postcards are inspired by destinations from coast to coast to coast and can be sent in French and English. Canadians can access the postcards online, then have them printed and mailed anywhere in Canada. This effort is meant to inspire Canadians to explore and enjoy travel in our country, when restrictions lift. You can view and complete a postcard here. Quotes: "We have seen the strength and resilience of the tourism sector shine through in what has been an incredibly challenging 14 months. Tourism is central to our quality of life offering rich social, economic and cultural benefits to all Canadians. The Government of Canada is proud to have invested $15 billion towards tourism, culture and arts, since the onset of the pandemic with an additional $1 billion announced for tourism in the 2021 Federal budget. In recognition of tourism week, I encourage all Canadians to embrace our magnificent country and consider the endless potential of the new and familiar destinations waiting to be discovered. - The Honourable Melanie Joly, Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages "From baristas and brewers to designers and festival directors to historians and hotel owners, the richness of our diversityand the heartbeat of this countrycan all be found in Canada's tourism industry. Tourism week is a great opportunity to remind Canadians about the impact of our industrysupporting tourism means enhancing the quality of life for all Canadians. Despite the enormous challenges faced by the sector, we have a resilient industry that is ready to welcome Canadians back into our hotels, airplanes, tour buses, museums, restaurants, and beyond, once restrictions are lifted." - Marsha Walden, President and CEO, Destination Canada Supporting Facts: Tourism week: the national event organized by the Tourism Industry Association of Canada recognizes Canada's tourism economy, and the impact it has on every community across the country. In 2021, it is being celebrated from May 23-30 . the national event organized by the Tourism Industry Association of recognizes tourism economy, and the impact it has on every community across the country. In 2021, it is being celebrated from . Canadians are key to supporting the recovery of the tourism sector: If Canadians shift two-thirds of their planned spend on international leisure travel towards domestic tourism; it will make up for the estimated $19 billion shortfall currently facing our visitor economy, help sustain 150,000 jobs and accelerate recovery. If Canadians shift two-thirds of their planned spend on international leisure travel towards domestic tourism; it will make up for the estimated shortfall currently facing our visitor economy, help sustain 150,000 jobs and accelerate recovery. Canadian tourism businesses are ready to host travellers as restrictions allow: Canadians can feel confident in making travel plans as tourism businesses throughout Canada have made huge investments in new hygiene protocols. The health and wellbeing of tourism employees and guests is paramount. Canadians can feel confident in making travel plans as tourism businesses throughout have made huge investments in new hygiene protocols. The health and wellbeing of tourism employees and guests is paramount. Tourism improves the quality of life for all Canadians: One in 10 Canadian jobs is tied to tourism, which represents over 1.9 million jobs. Tourism is the only sector that employs Canadians in every province, territory and electoral riding. One in 10 Canadian jobs is tied to tourism, which represents over 1.9 million jobs. Tourism is the only sector that employs Canadians in every province, territory and electoral riding. View all of Destination Canada's Key Messages. About Destination Canada: Destination Canada believes that tourism enhances the quality of life of Canadians and enriches the lives of visitors. Its mission is to influence supply and build demand for the benefit of locals, communities and visitors through leading research, alignment with public and private sectors, and marketing Canada nationally and abroad. Destination Canada is a Crown corporation wholly owned by the Government of Canada. For more information visit www.destinationcanada.com SOURCE Destination Canada For further information: To book interviews or for more information, please contact: [email protected] OTTAWA, ON, May 20, 2021 /CNW/ - Intouch Insight Ltd., ("Intouch or the Company") (TSXV: INX) (OTCQX: INXSF) today announced its operating and financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2021. Revenue from Q1 2021 was $3,209,074, which was 32% lower than revenue of $4,754,107 in Q1 2020 due to impacts resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. Loss from operating activities was $261,108 in Q1 2021 compared to a loss of $293,782 in Q1 2020. The quarter's net loss was $137,114 compared to a loss of $201,348 in Q1 2020. Company-defined adjusted EBITDA was $238,169 for Q1 2021, compared to $415,702 in Q1 2020. Gross Margin increased to 52.7% in Q1 2021 from 50.4% the prior year. "Financial results in Q1 were solid despite the impact on revenue from the ongoing pandemic, and we are very pleased that the strength of the underlying business is shining through as we continue to recover with the economy and plan for future growth. Investment in sales and marketing increased in Q1 and will accelerate as the year progresses. With a light at the end of the tunnel in the form of vaccines, Intouch is ready to take advantage of opportunities as 2021 unfolds," said Cameron Watt, President and Chief Executive Officer. "We remain focused on supporting our clients whether they are up and running today or rebuilding post-pandemic. We will continue to search for opportunities to accelerate growth while maintaining financial stability and retaining the resources necessary," said Watt. Consolidated Statement of Operations Consolidated Statements of Operations Q1 2021 Q1 2020 Revenue $ 3,209,074 $ 4,754,107 Cost of services 1,516,821 2,356,589 Gross margin 1,692,253 2,397,518 Total operating expenses 1,953,361 2,691,300 Earnings (loss) from operating activities (261,108) (293,782) Other earnings (expense) including taxes 123,994 92,434 Net loss $ (137,114) $ (201,348) About Intouch Insight Intouch Insight offers a complete portfolio of customer experience management (CEM) products and services that help global brands delight their customers, strengthen brand reputation and improve financial performance. Through its flagship SaaS product, LiaCX, Intouch helps clients collect and centralize data from multiple customer touch points, gives them actionable, real-time insights, and provides them with the tools to continuously improve customer experience. Founded in 1992, Intouch is trusted by over 300 of North America's most-loved brands for their customer experience management, customer survey, mystery shopping, mobile forms, operational and compliance audits, and event marketing automation solutions. For more information, visit intouchinsight.com. Certain statements included in this news release contain forward looking statements, which by their nature are necessarily subject to risks and uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such statements reflect the Company's current views with respect to future events, and are based on information currently available to the Company and on hypotheses which it considers to be reasonable; however, management warns the reader that hypotheses relative to future events which are beyond the control of management could prove to be false, given that they are subject to certain risks and uncertainties. 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 Intouch Insight Ltd. For further information: Cathy Smith, Chief Financial Officer, [email protected], 613-270-7916 Related Links www.intouchinsight.com Still, the strategy in Gaza is clearly not working, and after 15 years has failed to resolve a genuine problem one affecting Gazans most of all. The only hope for a better life for Gazans and for a restoration of peace efforts is removing Hamas. That isnt easy, but it will become conceivable if Israel offers an olive branch so sincere and contrite, so financially generous and spiritually dazzling, that Arab countries and the outside world unite to overwhelmingly compel the group (probably after a severe internal conflict) to find some way to declare victory and hand Gaza back to the Palestinian Authority. There are other alternative strategies to the current one. TORONTO, May 20, 2021 /CNW/ - Retail Council of Canada (RCC) and its members are frustrated and incensed by today's announcement from the Ontario government that retail will not be allowed to open until June 15 and only at 15% capacity. The time has come to move forward with the reopening of retail. Additional delays are not warranted and are not based on scientific evidence. Retailers have always asked that any pending closures or lockdowns be made in a manner that is evidence-based. And, even though the government's own data has consistently shown that retail stores are very low-risk environments, retailers have done their best to stay the course over the past many months for the sake of public good. However, retailers can no longer stand by idly and watch their businesses falter. The ongoing lockdowns have created economic carnage resulting in unwarranted job losses and business closures, without improving health outcomes. In-store transmissions are almost non-existent, yet over 53,000 Ontario retail jobs have been lost since the start of the pandemic. By June 15, when retailers are allowed to reopen according to the plan presented today, retailers in Toronto and Peel specifically will have been closed for 144 consecutive days or a staggering 230 days since the start of the pandemic. It will be even worse for retailers within malls who cannot reopen unless they have an externally facing door. Every day counts and unfortunately, existing supports are not nearly enough to allow businesses to survive. Retail is not the problem, and it's time to move forward. Retailers in many jurisdictions across Canada and around the world have proven that stores can reopen safely and responsibly. We implore the Ontario government to let retailers reopen immediately at reduced capacities and with the continued health and safety measures that retailers continue to adhere to. About Retail Council of Canada Retail is Canada's largest private sector employer. Retail Council of Canada (RCC) members represent more than two thirds of retail sales in the country. RCC is a not-for-profit, industry-funded association that represents small, medium and large retail businesses in every community across the country. As the Voice of Retail in Canada, we proudly represent more than 45,000 storefronts in all retail formats, including department, grocery, specialty, discount, independent retailers and online merchants. www.RetailCouncil.org SOURCE Retail Council of Canada For further information: or to schedule media interviews, contact [email protected] Related Links http://www.retailcouncil.org Unifor Local 252 workers, who manufacture Kit Kat, Aero, Coffee Crisp and Smarties, have been on strike since just after midnight May 1, fighting for full-time status for its contract employees and improved pension benefits. "If you're at a P0 classification, from the date of hire and at the end of three years, you will be at the top rate. This is what solidarity is all about it. Today is an incredible day," added Dias. The company also agreed to give a $1 increase contribution into the defined benefit pension plan each year over the three-year agreement. Among the other gains are wage increases, the consolidation of jobs and many benefit improvements, including eyeglasses and dental increases. "This means security for workers going forward," said Eamonn Clarke, the President of Local 252. Clarke said the tentative deal was reached around 10:30 p.m. Wednesday night. On the picket line this morning, he thanked Dias for intervening to expedite the bargaining process for Local 252 members. "Our members now know the company's investing in them, which means they're investing in the plant and investing in everybody's future. The community came out and supported them," said Clarke. The tentative agreement will be voted on over the next two days. Unifor is Canada's largest union in the private sector, representing 315,000 workers in every major area of the economy. The union advocates for all working people and their rights, fights for equality and social justice in Canada and abroad, and strives to create progressive change for a better future. SOURCE Unifor For further information: please contact Unifor National Communications Director Natalie Clancy: [email protected] or (416) 707-5794 Related Links http://www.unifor.org Bharat Biotech has announced move to scale up the manufacturing capacity of Covaxin by 200 million doses at its subsidiary Ankleshwar-based facility in Gujarat. India has also received two consignments of Sputnik V but it is currently being administered only in Hyderabad. Amid repleting vaccine stocks, India has witnessed a dip in its vaccination graph, with 7 day average lowest in 2 months. While the country has administered 19,18,79,503 vaccine doses till now, it still has a long way to go. In light of the situation, several vaccine centres across the states have been shut, several are only administering vaccines to 45+ while several centres have only slots for the first dose, and not the second. Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan will be chairing a meeting with Health Ministers of Chattisgarh, Goa, Himachal Pradesh, Purucherry and LGs/Administrator of A&N Islands, Chandigrah, Dadra Nagar Haveli, Daman & Diu, J&K, Ladakh & Lakshadweep to review the Covid-19 situation and vaccination progress. In order to ramp up vaccine production, Bharat Biotech has announced move to scale up the manufacturing capacity of Covaxin by 200 million doses. The Hyderabad-based company has ramped up manufacturing capacity at its subsidiary Ankleshwar-based facility in Gujarat. In an official statement, Bharat Biotech said that the company plans to produce 200 million doses of Covaxin per year in its GMP facilities. It added that the production of vaccines will be based on inactivated Vero Cell platform technology under stringent levels of GMP and biosafety. With this, India has also received two consignment of Sputnik V. However, it is currently being administered only in Hyderabad. For India to resolve the issue of vaccination paucity and steer clear of further waves of Covid-19, it is important to inoculate a population of 130 crores, as it is the only hope for citizens of India. A mutual and simultaneous' truce between Israel and Palestine will begin today at 2 am. The ceasefire comes after 11 days of bloodshed and intense fighting. Ending a devastating war, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus office on Thursday informed that the Israeli security cabinet has approved the ceasefire with Hamas in the Gaza Strip yesterday after 11 days of bloodshed and intense fighting. A mutual and simultaneous truce with Israel will begin today at 2 am, the Hamas officials confirmed as a genuine opportunity for lasting peace in the Middle East. The Israeli army further confirmed Hamas and other Islamist armed groups in Gaza have fired more than 4,300 rockets towards Israel over the course of the conflict. Sending out a clear message to the world, the Ministry of External Affairs of India on Thursday announced that India stands for peaceful resolution of bilateral disputes through political and diplomatic means and is expected to make a statement in UNGA over the Israel-Palestine conflict. TS Tirumurti, Indias Permanent Representative to the United Nation, grieved on the lives lost from two sides of the line and condemned the airstrikes from Gaza to Israel. U.S. President Joe Biden also welcomed the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas on Thursday after he spoke with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel and other leaders in the region. President Biden during a White House briefing expressed his sadness saying, I send my sincere condolences to all the families, Israeli and Palestinian, of those who lost loved ones and my hope for a full recovery for the wounded. Also read: Ahmednagar model village: How Hiwre Bazar became Covid free Israel launched hundreds of airstrikes during the operation, targeting what it said was Hamas military infrastructure, including a vast tunnel network, At least 230 Palestinians were killed, including 65 children and 39 women, with 1,710 people wounded, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which does not break the numbers down into fighters and civilians. Also Read: Vaccine crunch slowing Indias vaccination drive: Time to ramp up production Public Acts Passed by the General Assembly of the State of Connecticut Friday marks the 120th anniversary of speed limits, which originated here in Connecticut. On May 21, 1901, Connecticut became the first state to pass speed limit laws, regulating motor vehicles to 12 mph within city limits and 15 mph on country roads. The law was enacted after Robert Jeremiah Woodruff, a 27-year-old state representative from the town of Orange, submitted a bill proposing the regulation of motor vehicle speeds to 8 mph within city limits and 12 mph on country roads. After slightly raising the limits Woodruff proposed, the Connecticut General Assembly voted to adopt An Act Regulating the Speed of Motor Vehicles, which became the first speed limit law in the United States. In addition to regulating the maximum drive speed of motor vehicles, the law required drivers in Connecticut to slow down upon approaching and crossing intersections, as well as horse-drawn vehicles. If a horse appeared to be frightened, the driver of a motor vehicle was required to come to a stop. Those who violated the speed limit law faced a fine of up to $200. Connecticut was a pioneer when it came to speed limit laws. In fact, about a quarter of states had no established speed limits in the 1930s. In an effort to reduce fuel consumption, a 55 mph national speed limit was signed into law in 1974. Thirteen years later, Congress passed a law allowing states to increase rural interstate speed limits to 65 mph. The national speed limit law was eventually repealed in 1995 with the passing of the National Highway System Designation Act, which returned control of setting speed limits to the states. Following the lifting of the national speed limit, all 50 states raised their posted rural interstate speed limits, and many raised the limits on urban interstates and noninterstate roads, according to a 2009 study published in the American Journal of Public Health. Connecticut today has established statewide speed limits on all interstates, roads and routes owned and maintained by the state, but allows municipalities to establish speed limits for town roads through the Office of the State Traffic Administration. Information on Connecticuts state highway and roadway speed limits can be found at http://bit.ly/CTspeedlimits. HAMDEN Quinnipiac University students donated six tons of food to those in need throughout the area, according to the school. Students donated nonperishable items as well as meal points from their food plans for the drive, which will benefit Columbus House Inc. of New Haven, the Hamden Food Bank, Masters Manna of Wallingford, the New Haven Pride Center, New Reach of New Haven and the Ulbrich Boys and Girls Club of Wallingford, according to a release. At this time in our nations history, it is more important than ever to utilize the resources we each have to respond to the needs of our neighbors and communities, Vincent Contrucci, director of community service at Quinnipiac, said in the release. Today, more and more families and individuals struggle to meet basic costs and the food donated through this drive assists our partners in combatting food insecurity in our local area. Masters Manna picked up food and donations Thursday at the York Hill Student Center, the release said. Masters Manna is a food pantry that provides help the community and those less fortunate, Clayton Johnson, food reclamation manager for the organization, said in the release. This is a fantastic donation from Quinnipiac that will go a long way. According to the release, the donation to the Wallingford organization was made through Tap Out Hunger, a program between the Office of Community Service, the Student Government Association, the Graduate Student Council and Chartwells dining services. Through Tap Out Hunger, students donated $75,000 in unused meal points that non-profit partners will be able to use to purchase food items for their programs. Tap Out Hunger is an exciting new opportunity for students to assist our community partners, Contrucci said in the release. Students donate points from their meal plans and partner agencies are able to purchase food through Chartwells food providers at cost. What is exciting is that partners are able to purchase items that directly meet the needs of their pantries or kitchens either frozen, fresh produce or shelf-stable staples. MILFORD A brutal local murder from 2006 was featured on an episode of an Investigative Discovery Network series that aired Friday afternoon. The episode, originally released in 2019, focused on the death of Alexandra Ducsay, an aspiring actress and dancer, who was found by her mother beaten to death in the basement of her Milford home 15 years ago. Ducsay, who was 26 at the time, was killed by her ex-boyfriend Matthew Pugh. With the homicide capturing attention again, here are five things to know about the case: Who was Alexandra Ducsay? Ducsay was a Milford resident, and aspiring actress and dancer. She once appeared on an episode of the Law & Order television series. She graduated from Albertus Magnus and ran her own charity that brought holiday gifts to schoolchildren in need. Her mother found Ducsay beaten to death in their Milford home on May 19, 2006. Who was Matthew Pugh? Pugh was Ducsays ex-boyfriend at the time of her slaying. Two years prior, he was released from prison after a drug conviction. What do we know about Ducsay and Pughs relationship? Pugh started dating Ducsay when she was 16, according to his arrest affidavit. Ducsays mother later testified she believes they met in a bookstore. The two broke up when he was sent to prison on drug offenses. While he was in prison, Ducsay said Pugh threatened to hurt her. When he was released in 2004, two years before her death, he started to stalk Ducsay and kept harassing and threatening her, the affidavit said. What led investigators to Matthew Pugh? A small piece of black vinyl tape. The evidence was found stuck to Ducsays cheek. Police said it was a rare brand, locally distributed by a New London company. It wasnt available online or in outlet stores. Police found that the specific type of tape was sold to three in-state companies. Pugh was an employee at one of those companies. A roll of the tape was found in Pughs home, police said. What happened to Matthew Pugh? More than six years after Ducsay was killed, Pugh was arrested by Milford authorities in September 2012. He was 40 at the time. In 2017, a judge sentenced Pugh to 60 years in prison. The Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence said survivors of domestic violence looking for services or someone to talk to can visit CTSafeConnect.org or call 888-774-2900. Individuals can also text that number. Its available 24/7. All services are free, voluntary, safe and confidential. NEW YORK (AP) An incoming first-year student at Stanford University has been named the new National Youth Poet Laureate. Alexandra Huynh, 18, is a second-generation Vietnamese American from Sacramento, California, who sees poetry both as a means to self-expression and social justice. I spend a lot of time in my head, so poetry is for me a sort of survival mechanism, Huynh said Thursday night during a telephone interview from her home. I wouldn't be able to move through the world with the same amount of clarity had I not worked it out first on the page. Her appointment to a one-year term was announced Thursday during a virtual ceremony presented by the Kennedy Center and by the literary arts and development organization Urban Word, which established the national youth laureate program in 2017. In her new position, she will visit with students and hold workshops around the country. She counts among her goals passing on her own experiences to others. Huynh was selected from among four regional finalists for a position first held by Amanda Gorman, who became an international celebrity in January after reading at President Joe Biden's inauguration and for Huynh became an inspiration. Her trajectory has changed what I thought was possible for a poet, she says, noting that Gorman has appeared on the cover of Vogue magazine and read at this year's Super Bowl. She has encouraged me to dream big. Huynh says she has been writing song lyrics since age 7 and became serious about poetry in high school, especially after performing during a local poetry slam and sensing the added power of words when said out loud. She cites Ocean Vuong and Diana Khoi Nguyen as among her favorite writers, and she hopes to eventually publish her own work and see it translated into Vietnamese, her mother tongue. Vietnamese itself is a very poetic language, she said. In Vietnamese culture, poems are spoken every day. They're pop culture references. For me, having poetry in my life never felt like I was going against the grain. Words are so natural to her that in college she plans to study engineering instead of literature because she doesn't need a classroom to encourage her to read. At Stanford, she hopes to challenge herself to think in ways she hasn't before and work out ideas across disciplines. Since March 2020, New Yorkers have existed in a heightened state of fear, uncertainty and despair unlike anything experienced in most of our lifetimes. The virus isolated people in our most vulnerable population groups, such as those experiencing homelessness, addiction and enhanced risks of violence, and made accessing important support services more difficult. Were kidding ourselves if we think that all New Yorkers or their communities have recovered from the stress and myriad hardships, whether from loss of loved ones, unemployment, or food and housing insecurity, associated with this mass tragedy merely because restrictions were lifted. Indeed, in our office, we are seeing a greater share than usual of violence originating from random disputes, signaling that after this hellish year people are still on edge. SOUTHINGTON In text messages, the police chiefs son admitted to an apparent sexual assault, but later denied the accusations when confronted by investigators, according to his arrest warrant. Lt. Keith Egan confirmed Mark F. Daly, who was charged with the fourth-degree sexual assault last week, is the son of Southington Police Chief John F. Daly. There was no phone number listed for either man. The chief did not return a request for comment. Deputy Chief William P. Palmieri said when police received the complaint against Mark Daly an immediate investigation was initiated. Daly, 24, of Heather Lane, was processed on the charge on May 13. Palmieri said Daly turned himself in at police headquarters and was released on a $500 bond. The arrest warrant stemmed from an investigation into a criminal complaint about Daly having sexual contact with a 19-year-old woman without her consent, Palmieri said. He is expected to appear in New Britain Superior Court on May 28. The victim reported the incident to police on April 17, according to a police report. The victim told police she slept at Dalys house on April 16 and that while she was in a state she described to the investigating officer as half asleep, she felt the man rub her buttocks over her pants, rub her back, rub her hair and rub her right breast, the report said. According to the report, the woman said she thought she might have been dreaming, but immediately woke up when Daly allegedly touched her breast. She told police she asked him what he was doing and he responded sorry, the report said. The victim left Dalys home. She told police she was not hurt and that Daly did not make any threats or have any weapons. The report said the victim, who has known Daly for seven years, told investigators she did not have contact with anyone else at Dalys home. The police report included the content of multiple text messages exchanged between Daly and the victim after the incident. In the messages, which were started by Daly thanking the victim for being his friend, the woman confronted him about the incident. You dont get to touch me without my consent, the victim said in one text to Daly, according to the report. Ive told you numerous times I just want to be friends not to touch (me) like that because this isnt the first time. Daly responded by telling the victim that he was attracted to her, according to the report. The victim told Daly not to talk to her anymore, and he obliged, and then added, But if I hear you talk down on my name there will be hell to pay, the report said. The victim told Daly not to blame her for your nasty doing, the report said. Sorry for ever coming into your life, Daly responded in the exchange of text messages, the report said. I hope you have a good life dude im sorry for sexually assaulting you I will leave you alone for good. Palmieri spoke with Daly after the victim filed the report and told him to not have further contact with the woman, the report said. In a statement provided in the arrest affidavit, Daly denied the sexual assault. [Victim] never said anything to me before she left that I assaulted her. I never sexually assaulted [victim], Daly said in his statement, given to police in the presence of his parents, according to the affidavit. Also in his statement, Daly said the victim asked him to rub her head. The affidavit said after a few minutes, he started to rub her back and her stomach over her sweatshirt, then reached under her sweatshirt. She didnt react to me doing this and I dont know if she was awake or not, Daly said in his statement, according to the affidavit. I eased my right hand and began rubbing her butt ... for not even five seconds. Daly told investigators the victim nudged him and grunted as to let me know to stop, the affidavit said. He told police he stopped immediately. The affidavit said Daly told investigators he didnt touch the victims breasts. The victim told police she has slept at Dalys house before without previous issues, the report said. However, she said he previously smacked her buttocks on a few occasions and she has told him to stop, the report said. She said he had expressed romantic interest in her, but that she told him she wanted to remain friends, according to the report. NEW YORK (AP) Eighteen electronic devices taken during raids last month on Rudy Giulianis home and his law firm in a probe of his dealings in Ukraine belong to Giuliani and employees of his firm, Manhattan prosecutors revealed Thursday. The previously redacted facts were disclosed when prosecutors re-filed an April 29 letter on the public record in Manhattan federal court. The raids occurred April 28. They disclosed that 18 electronic devices were seized in the search of locations belonging to the former New York mayor and private lawyer to ex-President Donald Trump and his firm, Giuliani Partners LLC. Prosecutors said the devices belonged to Giuliani and certain employees of Giuliani Partners. The letter had sought the appointment of a special master to ensure nothing subject to attorney-client privilege was revealed to the government. The investigation is examining Giulianis ties to Ukraine and whether he violated a federal law that governs lobbying on behalf of foreign countries or entities. Giuliani has insisted that his activities in Ukraine were conducted on behalf of Trump. At the time, Giuliani was leading a campaign to press Ukraine for an investigation into then-presidential candidate Joe Biden and his son, Hunter. Some Ukrainians who were in touch with Giuliani have said publicly that they also hoped he could help them with other matters in the U.S., including arranging meetings with the U.S. attorney general and ousting the U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, Marie Yovanovitch. Giuliani has maintained through his lawyers that prosecutors had no reason for the raids last month because they had already accessed materials from his Apple iCloud account in 2019. On the same day of the Giuliani searches, a third search warrant was served on a phone belonging to Washington lawyer Victoria Toensing, a former federal prosecutor and close ally of Giuliani and Trump. Her law firm has said she was informed that she is not a target of the investigation. In the letter posted publicly Thursday, prosecutors said the device seized from Toensing was brought to the Southern District of New York, which includes Manhattan, on April 28 and the government sought and obtained a warrant to search for device for evidence of enumerated offenses. Prosecutors also withdrew redactions that had referenced search warrants they obtained in November 2019 for iCloud accounts for Giuliani and Toensing and for an email account belonging to Toensing. They said the government has used a filter team composed of prosecutors and FBI agents who are not part of the criminal probe to review the 2019 materials to safeguard materials protected by attorney-client privilege. Prosecutors said their review of materials taken in 2019 was substantially complete. They also said they believed that some, but not all, of the materials on the electronic devices seized last month could be the same as materials seized in 2019. Lawyers for Giuliani have challenged last month's raids on the grounds that anything gathered from the 2019 search warrants was illegally obtained because investigators improperly intruded on private communications with the president during their secret inquiry. In a letter to a Manhattan judge that was made public last week, Giuliani's lawyers said prosecutors treated "a distinguished lawyer as if he was the head of a drug cartel or a terrorist, in order to create maximum prejudicial coverage of both Giuliani, and his most well known client the former President of the United States. Late Thursday, prosecutors publicly filed a response to those arguments, saying that the government has gone above and beyond what is required by requesting appointment of a special master to protect Giuliani and Toensing from anything subject to attorney-client privilege. To be clear, the mere fact that Giuliani and Toensing are lawyers does not mean that they are above the law or immune to criminal investigation. Yet that is effectively what Giuliani and Toensing argue, they wrote. Prosecutors also revealed in the letter that the FBI had successfully downloaded 11 devices belonging to Giuliani and returned them to him. They said seven more devices belonging to Giuliani and his business cannot be fully accessed without a passcode and will require more time to unlock. They added that the FBI has already downloaded and returned Toensings device and investigators have not reviewed any of the materials yet. Asked about the identities of the other individuals whose devices were seized at Giulianis firm, defense attorney Robert Costello said Thursday in a text message that he could not comment. A spokesperson for prosecutors also declined comment. ___ Associated Press writer Eric Tucker in Washington contributed to this report. LANEXA, Va. (AP) Washington Republicans may be rushing to embrace former President Donald Trump's falsehoods about fraud costing him a second term, but next door in Virginia the GOP candidate in the year's only major election is doing the opposite. Former private equity executive and political newcomer Glenn Youngkin, the Republican nominee for this November's gubernatorial election, once dodged questions about whether President Joe Biden was fairly elected. But now he acknowledges Bidens win. He campaigned for days with Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, a key leader of a congressional effort to overturn the election results. Cruz is unlikely to headline events this fall, an advisor said. Youngkin's new tack may preview what's to come from other Republicans tasked with winning swing voters in midterm elections next year, when the party is hoping to retake control of Congress. After months of GOP leaders and activists demanding allegiance to Trump and rewriting history on the 2020 election, Youngkin's race could test whether Republicans can still distance themselves from the former president's lies about the election. Sometimes, when you spoon with an issue like that, its hard to get out of bed with it," said Denver Riggleman, a former Virginia Republican congressman who is now a Trump critic. In recent weeks, most top national Republicans have not appeared worried about getting too close to Trump. The party's House members took the extraordinary step of ousting Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney from a leadership post for repudiating Trump's false claims of election fraud. They also mostly opposed the creation of a 9/11-style commission to investigate the deadly insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. Prior to winning the GOP nomination last week, Youngkin appeared to be onboard with his national party. He refused to publicly answer a number of direct questions about the legitimacy of the election of Biden, who carried Virginia by a comfortable 10 points. He formed an election integrity task force, called safeguarding balloting a top priority" and campaigned with Cruz. After besting six primary rivals, many of whom were more pro-Trump, Youngkin is now openly acknowledging that Biden's election wasn't marred by fraud. Joe Biden was legitimately elected our president," he said on Fox Business last week. That may put Youngkin out of step with many in his party, but it gets him closer to voters he needs to win over. A poll released in February by Virginias Christopher Newport University found that 61% of Republicans, but just 19% of independents statewide, said Biden didn't win November's election legitimately. A Youngkin adviser, who discussed campaign strategy on condition of anonymity, acknowledged the necessity of retaining Trump loyalists while still winning more centrist voters. Youngkin won't bring in conservative figures, like Cruz, to vouch for him, but his fundamental message as the pro-business outsider wont change, the adviser said. Its a test case of whether Republicans can find a way of uniting Trumps base with suburban voters that have defected from the party, and Youngkin is probably the best candidate they could have chosen to do that, said Bob Holsworth, a Virginia political consultant who has served on bipartisan boards and commissions. But, to do that, they have to do something other than emphasize the issues that won him the nomination. Holsworth said that, in addition to embracing false claims of election fraud, other signature Trump issues, like promises to drain the swamp," never played well in Virginia where the northern part of the state's Washington suburbs and other areas have economies dependent on the federal bureaucracy. "What he did was, he drained Northern Virginia of Republicans, Holswroth said. The Democratic gains that began there have creeped to all of Virginias largest metropolitan areas, part of a deeper rejection of the Republican Party under Trump in suburbs nationwide. They have even begun to include places like forest- and reservoir-dotted Lanexa, where camping and hiking overshadows politics. With a population of barely 5,000, the community straddles the counties of New Kent which Trump won by 35 percentage points and James City County, where an increasingly suburban population helped Biden become the first Democratic presidential candidate to win in 50-plus years. Jen Tierney, chairwoman of the James City County Democratic Party, said that, before November, a group of Republican veterans switched sides and helped mobilize voters for Biden and shes worried they are the kinds of Virginians who could now flip back to the GOP. She thinks the Republicans' internal fights over the 2020 election might prevent that, though. It's good "for people to see that the Republican Party, its not mainstream anymore, Tierney said. "They are allowing the tail to wag the dog because they need those most ardent Trump folks." Tom Miller, corresponding secretary of the New Kent County Republican Committee, said he supports some of Youngkin's election integrity proposals including voter ID requirements though he observed presidential election ballot counting and saw nothing "even close to lack of integrity. But he also said Virginia voters aren't likely to let questions about the 2020 presidential race effect how they vote for governor. The Liz Cheney thing?," Miller asked. "Who gives a crap? Democrats will try to make them care, and there are signs of concern among Republicans facing tough races next year. Thirty five GOP House members defied their party and voted to support the commission on the Capitol attack, including some from swing districts and others whose territory includes fast-growing suburban areas. Republican Rep. Rob Wittman, who represents James City and New Kent counties, did not join. Virginia Democrats won't choose their gubernatorial nominee until next month, but the Democratic Governor's Association is already running digital ads linking Youngkin to Trump's claims about the election. Former Gov. Terry McAuliffe, the frontrunner for that nomination, has tweeted that Youngkin is a Big Lie believing Trump loyalist. If youre not focused on jobs and improving the quality of schools rather than ideological agendas then youre going to lose, said former House majority leader Eric Cantor, who represented parts of New Kent County but lost his seat in a 2014 primary upset. Youngkin's team points to his fundraising success $1 million since winning his party's nomination as validation of his strategy. After Youngkin won the nomination, Trump issued a relatively routine, written endorsement, rather than scheduling a high-profile Virginia visit. Still, the former president's shadow is likely to loom large over the race. Republican pollster Whit Ayres said during Virginia's last governor's race, Republicans had a reasonable, articulate, professional, smart candidate in Ed Gillespie, who got "blown out of the water in northern Virginia by voters trying to send Donald Trump a message. Maybe some of those voters shift back, Ayres said. But it would take a lot of them. ___ Barrow reported from Atlanta. BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (AP) Indiana University is requiring all students and employees to receive COVID-19 vaccinations for the fall semester and is threatening to cancel class registrations and fire staff members who dont comply. IU officials announced the requirement for its campuses across the state Friday, saying it will allow the university to lift most coronavirus-related restrictions such as face masks and physical distancing. Knowing that the vast majority students and employees are vaccinated is the only way it can confidently return to in-person classes, more in-person events and a more typical university experience, the university said in a statement. IU is among a growing number of colleges across the country requiring COVID-19 vaccinations, even as opposition to similar mandates led Indiana legislators to prohibit the state or local governments from issuing vaccine passports. IU President Michael McRobbie said the universitys seven campuses are planning a return to mostly normal operations for their some 90,000 students. Requiring the COVID-19 vaccine among our students, faculty and staff continues to extend the universitys comprehensive and thoughtful approach to managing and mitigating the pandemic on our campuses and brings us one step closer to making a return to normal a reality, McRobbie said in a statement. Exemptions to the IUs vaccination requirement will be limited to a very narrow set of criteria, including medical reasons and documented and significant religious objections, the university said. Purdue University plans to require students and employees to either provide proof of vaccination for the fall semester or participate in frequent COVID-19 testing. Some other Big Ten Conference schools, such as Rutgers, Maryland and Northwestern, are requiring student vaccinations. Among Indianas private colleges, Notre Dame, DePauw and Valparaiso, have announced are ordering similar vaccination requirement for students. IUs students, faculty and staff members should have their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine by July 1 in order to meet the universitys requirement. They will have to demonstrate that two weeks have passed since theyve received the final vaccine dose by Aug. 15 or when they first return to campus. Faculty and staff members who dont meet the vaccination requirement will no longer be able to be employed by Indiana University, the schools statement said. Republican legislators last month pushed through a new law prohibiting state or local governments from issuing or requiring COVID-19 vaccine passports. Conservatives across the country portray them as a heavy-handed intrusion into personal freedom and private health choices. The Indiana law doesnt include any limits on schools or private businesses. MILFORD The owners of the Greek Spot Cafe e & Grill have experienced heartbreak and bittersweet moments in this pandemic year, but also happiness in their business success. The heartbreak was when owners Leo and Stephanie Koutikas lost a son, Stergios Sted Koutikas, 25, who died unexpectedly March 11. Im just started to feel like myself, Leo Koutikas recently said. Then there was that Leo Koutikas had to sell his New Colony II Diner in Bridgeport that his father opened in 1976, as the pandemic wiped out business. Its bittersweet, he said. Less stress but taking down my fathers pictures was hard. He was there 45 years. The couples happiness leading into their busy summer season is due to their Greek Spot Cafe & Grill at 726 E. Broadway having fared better than many restaurants during the pandemic because of its aestablished takeout model and Stephanie Koutikas marketing expertise. Brian A. Pounds / Hearst Connecticut Media That strong takeout business was organic, rather than anything they planned, because of their proximity to the beach across the street and the eaterys location just a stones throw from Silver Sands State Park. In other words, who wants to sit inside or on a patio when the sand and sea are right there? Arnold Gold / Hearst Connecticut Media file It kept us alive, Stephanie Koutikas said of the takeout business. Thank goodness we had the cafe to keep themm going financially through the pandemic when the diner closed, she said. Although business was down, it kept them afloat. Stephanie Koutikas, who had a 14-year marketing career in Manhattan for a cosmetics company and left about a year-and-a-half ago, also stepped up the marketing. What we learned is the power of social media and marketing. It just gave us hope, she said. The cafe with Greek island flair stayed open throughout the pandemic using Uber Eats and Grub Hub delivery, as well as walk-up customers, and Stephanie Koutikas social media acumen. Their customers are like family and on social media the couple share posts and videos of Greek culture, their food, Leo Koutikas preparing dishes and their family life which includes three young sons ages five to 10. One recent Facebook post on their business page shows a current real estate advertisement for a circa-1750 home in Milford that mentions the house is a 5-minute car ride to the famous Greek Spot Cafe. Its a place where people love to grab their food, sometimes their own chair and eat at the beach. They ride in on bicycles, then go to the beach, and in summer they line up for food in their bathing suits. The eatery now has 12 outdoor tables back in place since the 50 percent capacity restrictions were lifted and its an ultra-inviting scene, with views of Long Island Sound and Charles Island from some tables. Brian A. Pounds / Hearst Connecticut Media file The desirable beachfront neighborhood adjacent to Silver Sands State Park is densely populated. When people were locked-in with children, we were a destination, she said. Theyd get food to go, people grabbed their own chairs. People are not afraid to go outside with the food or just go home. Of course, the draw of the taste of their traditional Greek food and other specialty dishes might have had something to do with peoples motivation to get there even during a pandemic. Aside from the best-selling classics souvlaki, moussaka, Greek salad, spinach pie Leo Koutikas puts a twist into the menu with dishes such as lamb burgers with feta cheese, souvlaki salad with octopus, and a dish called the Charles Island a crabcake topped with seafood salad, lettuce, tomato, feta cheese and sriracha sauce. They also are famous for the fries, including truffle, lemon, garlic/feta, cilantro/feta, and even one that resembles a gyro. They have the best gyros Ive ever had, said customer Kate Arango of Norwalk, who used to live in the neighborhood and eats at the cafe whenever shes in town. Its great comfort food and theyre so nice here, Arango said, noting that by her plate was a bagged cup of lemon chicken orzo soup for the next day. It was during their honeymoon in 2009 on the Greek islands of Santorini and Mykonos that the Koutikases fell in love with outdoor European cafes and talked about opening one someday. Leo Koutikas knew a lot about food and Greek recipes, as he had been running the New Colony II diner on Main Street since age 18. They opened the Greek Spot Cafe & Grill in 2013 and it was a dream come true, Stephanie Koutikas said. They lived on East Broadway and one day noticed this little place, and decided to give it a go. We cleaned it up and called it our little Greek island cafe, she said. I love that it tells a story about our family. We like making people happy and food is happiness. The inside of the tiny place where people line up single-file to order has a feel like Greek island meets Milford beach. There are starfish on the walls, seashells, scenes of Greece, arrow signs in Greek with English translations that say Milford, Beach and more. Theres a shelf of childrens art part of a kindness rock painting project by the couples three young sons, and other children who come into the restaurant. The interior is made to look like an outdoor Greek cafe with strings of outdoor lights with big bulbs hanging from the ceiling. The walls are painted white with real blue shutters hung on them to make the inside appear like an outdoor space. The white building with the blue shutters look is classic Greek, she said. They no longer have seating inside. It has a Greek island vibe. It feels youre on vacation in Milford, Stephanie Koutikas said. People say, It doesnt feel like Im in Milford. The mostly Greek music in the cafe typically is loud and this spring gets louder as time goes on something Stephanie Koutikas considers a good sign of the balance returning to her husband after the loss of their son. Although they refer to Stergios as our son, he was from an earlier relationship of Leo Koutikas. Were grateful he worked here (son Stergios) he was loved and we felt supported by customers after his death, she said. Its a difficult year, we take it day to day. On a recent weekday a little after noon, the customers poured in, including Jean Marconi, whose daughter who lives nearby, and Jeans friend. Its our favorite spot, Jean Marconi said. Currently I drive here from Shelton to get it. Her friend, Debbie Santos of Trumbull, said she loves the rice pudding and the specials. Marconis daughter, Danielle Marconi, said she adores the watermelon salad with shrimp and feta, as well as the french fries with sea salt and truffle. Everythings really fresh, said Danielle Marconi, owner of Bend Yoga Studio. I like that they have a variety if I want something warm, something cold. The Koutikases live so close to the cafe that Stephanie Koutikas can look out their kitchen window and wave to Leo or see whether the restaurant is busy. Shes Portuguese and from Bridgeport, having come to America with her family as a young child. She was raised around the corner from the diner owned by Leo Koutikas father. Leo Koutikas was born in the United States to parents who came from Greece, and was raised in Monroe. The two were friends growing up, but didnt date until later in her college years, although she said she had a crush on him for years. Finally, I got the nerve to ask her for a date, he said. They married when she was 30 after dating for eight years. She cooks Portuguese food and the affectionate couple jokes about how someday shell open a restaurant close by and call it The Portuguese Spot and they will compete. They are looking for another spot to open a restaurant of a similar type, maybe in Milford, they said. I love dealing with people, making them happy, Leo said. He said the best thing about working close to home is hes close to his kids during day. LAS VEGAS (AP) Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo has begun building out a campaign for what appears to be a likely run for governor next year. A person familiar with Lombardos thinking who was not authorized to speak publicly told The Associated Press that Lombardo is leaning toward running, has hired political consultants and will make an announcement in the next month or so. Former Lt. Gov. Mark Hutchison, who served from 2015 to 2019, said he will be serving as chairman of Lombardo's campaign. Lombardo, who last month told the Las Vegas Review-Journal that he was considering a campaign, did not immediately respond to telephone and text messages from the AP on Friday. Lombardo would face North Las Vegas Mayor John Lee, who announced his campaign Monday, in a Republican primary. They are vying to take on incumbent Democratic Gov. Steve Sisolak, who was elected in 2018. Lee said that he made a courtesy phone call to Lombardo letting him know he would be running and Lombardo returned the favor and said he would run. He called me up maybe two weeks later and said, Hey, I want to give you the same courtesy that I think you gave me, and Im going to run too.' And I said let's go," Lee said. Candidates' declaration forms are not filed until early next year. But candidates would typically start fundraising this year or earlier if they are planning a campaign. Northern Nevada Rep. Mark Amodei, a Republican, said Friday that he's still weighing whether to run for governor and did not have a timeline for when he might make a decision. We're just going through our process, Amodei said. He said he spoke with former U.S. Sen. Dean Heller a week ago, who told Amodei he was interested in running for governor. Heller did not return a text message seeking comment. Republican former Attorney General Adam Laxalt, who ran for governor against Sisolak in 2018, has been considered a potential candidate for governor next year or a U.S. Senate candidate challenging incumbent Democrat Catherine Cortez Masto. Laxalt said in a statement Friday that he was humbled by the encouragement he has received from Nevadans to run for another public office but did not say if he would enter the governor's or Senate race. I will continue to have these conversations with friends and supporters, and I will make a decision regarding a future run at a time most appropriate for my family and me, he said. Sisolak was elected in 2018 by 4 percentage points. The Nevada Independent was the first to report that Lombardo had hired campaign consultants and brought on Hutchison as campaign chair. ___ Associated Press writer Ken Ritter in Las Vegas contributed to this report. She said he commanded her to strip under threat of being thrown in his Jacuzzi, and she complied out of fear before he ordered her upstairs and penetrated her in his shower and bedroom without consent. SALTILLO, Miss. (AP) A north Mississippi police department is looking for a new chief. Saltillo Police Chief Grant Bailey turned in his resignation Monday, after eight years in the post. His last day will be May 31, The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal reported. I was looking for a change in my life for personal reasons, Bailey said. The new administration coming in had nothing to do with this. I have been doing some soul searching for the last few months and thinking about getting out of law enforcement for a while. Being a police officer is a calling and right now, something else is calling me. Bailey has not said what his future plans include. The Saltillo Board of Aldermen accepted Baileys resignation letter. During a special meeting Tuesday, aldermen named Bill Roberts as interim chief and voted to begin advertising to fill the chiefs slot permanently. Other than a brief stint as a part-time officer at Guntown, Baileys entire career has been with the Saltillo Police Department. He began in 2004 as a reserve officer, went to the police academy and was later hired as a certified officer. He's served as a patrol officer, a DUI officer and the department's K-9 officer. He also held the position of sergeant. I started at the bottom of the totem pole and was able to move my way up, Bailey said. He was promoted to chief in July 2013. Bailey said he tried to time his resignation to allow the new city administration a chance to put their stamp on the future of Saltillos police department. In July, the city will have a new mayor and two new aldermen. One of the first things the new chief will have to do is to select an assistant chief. Just one day after Bailey turned in his resignation, current Assistant Police Chief Chris Joshlin filed his two-week notice. Bailey said Joshlin has 22 years with the department. With overtime and having worked at other agencies, he was eligible for state retirement. HOLLY SPRINGS, Miss. (AP) Officials say a Mississippi inmate has died several days after he was assaulted by fellow prisoners. Torrie Ellis, 40, died Thursday at a hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, news outlets reported. Ellis had been serving a life sentence at Marshall County Correctional Facility in Holly Springs. Ben Lambert / Hearst Connecticut Media NEW HAVEN Two young men were shot Thursday night in New Haven, according to New Haven police, as a violent period in the city continues. Officers responded to White Street between its intersections with Congress and Columbus avenues around 8:27 p.m. after 911 calls reported that two people had been wounded, Officer Scott Shumway said in an email. BOSTON (AP) Massachusetts will end its COVID-19 vaccine preregistration system at the end of May, the Baker administration announced Friday. The state's COVID-19 Vaccine Finder will remain available. The site lists more than 900 locations across the state to receive a shot. Also Friday, the administration announced that beginning Monday, it is expanding the states homebound vaccination program to help schedule in-home vaccinations for eligible residents who are unable to get to a vaccine site. The homebound program is primarily using Johnson & Johnson vaccines, a vaccine that only requires one visit to an individuals home. For individuals 12-17 years old who are homebound, the program is offering Pfizer vaccines. Over the next several days, all those still in the preregistration system will be contacted with an opportunity to book appointments before the system closes on May 31. All remaining people who have preregistered will be given an opportunity to book before the system shuts down, officials said. Residents will still be able to track down a location to receive a COVID-19 shot using the states vaccine finder website. Officials said there are thousands of appointments available across the state. The website also includes information about walk-up appointments at select locations, accessibility information, and how individuals can plan for their appointment using the MBTA trip planner tool. Individuals can also filter by type of vaccine offered to ensure that people under 18 or their parents can search for locations that only offer the Pfizer vaccine. Those who need more help can call 211 to reach the Massachusetts Vaccine Scheduling Resource Line for assistance booking an appointment. The state launched the preregistration system on March 12. Since then, nearly 2 million people have preregistered and nearly 600,000 appointments have been scheduled, officials said. ___ VIRUS BY THE NUMBERS The number of new daily cases of COVID-19 increased by about 400 Friday while the number of newly confirmed coronavirus deaths in Massachusetts rose by 11. The new numbers pushed the states confirmed COVID-19 death toll to 17,453 since the start of the pandemic, while its confirmed caseload rose to nearly 659,000. The true number of cases is likely higher because studies suggest some people can be infected and not feel sick. There were about 300 people reported hospitalized Friday because of confirmed cases of COVID-19, with about 80 in intensive care units. The average age of those hospitalized was 59. There were an estimated 11,000 people with current active cases of COVID-19 in the state. ___ IMMUNIZATIONS More than 7.4 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in Massachusetts as of Friday. That includes more than 4 million first doses and more than 3.1 million second doses of the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines. There have been more than 238,000 doses of the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine administered. Nearly 3.4 million people have been fully immunized. ___ HIGH-RISK COMMUNITIES The number of Massachusetts communities still considered at high risk for coronavirus transmission has dropped to just two, according to the state Department of Public Health. Lawrence and New Bedford are the only two communities in the so-called red zone, down from six last week. The number of high-risk communities peaked at 229 in mid-January but has now declined for six consecutive weeks as more and more people have been vaccinated against COVID-19. The state has 351 distinct municipalities. As of Thursday, more than 4 million Massachusetts residents had gotten at least one coronavirus shot and 3.3 million were fully vaccinated, according to the health department. The state has specifically targeted the hardest-hit communities for vaccinations, COVID-19 Command Center spokesperson Kate Reilly told the Boston Herald. Focusing on the states 20 hardest-hit communities, outreach teams have knocked on more than 118,000 doors, made 25,000 phone calls, had 37,000 one-on-one conversations and dropped off more than 31,000 flyers, she said. Larger communities are designated high risk if they have an average of more than 10 cases per 100,000 residents and a positive test rate greater than or at 4% during a given week. ___ U.S.S. CONSTITUTION REOPENS The U.S.S. Constitution took to Boston Harbor as it reopened to the public Friday. The ship known as Old Ironsides is again welcoming visitors for tours Friday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The ship fired a 21-gun salute as it passed Castle Island. Public visits were suspended in March 2020 at the start of the pandemic, but the ship reopened in August only to close again in November. The U.S.S Constitution is the worlds oldest commissioned warship still afloat, and played a crucial role in the Barbary Wars and the War of 1812, actively defending sea lanes from 1797 until 1855. It earned its nickname during the War of 1812 when British cannonballs bounced off its wooden hull. CASABLANCA, Morocco (AP) Nine premature newborns that a 25-year-old Malian woman gave birth to are being closely monitored in a Moroccan clinic, with medical staff working around the clock to stabilize their health. Halima Cisse gave birth to the nonuplets five girls and four boys earlier this month in Morocco after the Malian government flew her there for specialist care. The babies weighed between 500 grams to 1 kilogram (1.1 pound to 2.2 pounds) at birth. MADISON, Wis. (AP) A Madison suburb has become the latest Wisconsin municipality to ban sexual conversion therapy. The Sun Prairie City Council passed an ordinance Tuesday requiring anyone who gets a complaint about a therapist or physician practicing conversion therapy to report it to the board or agency that licenses the practitioner, the Wisconsin State Journal reported Friday. The move appears largely symbolic; Jake King, the city's communications and diversity strategist, said he's not aware of any conversion therapy practitioners in the city. Almost a dozen other municipalities have passed similar bans, including Milwaukee, Madison, West Allis, Racine and Sheboygan. Opponents of conversion therapy fear it can be used to try to turn gay, lesbian and transgender people straight. They say such therapy can be harmful, especially for minors. The American Psychological Association and the American Psychiatric Association have come out against the practice. Democratic lawmakers in Madison have introduced bills to ban conversion therapy statewide but their prospects are dim given Republicans control the Legislature. Breeze Airways announced on Friday that it will be flying out of Bradley International Airport to four destinations. For Connecticut residents looking to get away, the airline will begin flying out of the Windsor Locks airport in time for Memorial Day weekend. Take a look at Breeze Airways prices this summer. Niagara Falls, NY (14301) Today A few clouds. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 61F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight A few clouds. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 61F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer held a press conference on the Rainbow Bridge calling on federal officials to work with Canadian officials and develop a reopening plan for the northern border on May 5. On his left is Niagara Falls Bridge Commission CEO Ken Bieger with Mayor Robert Restaino at right. The whole incident I related in my own life, Barrymore said about Grants scandal. I think that whether its an actor or politician or anything in between, we expect people to be infallible, perfect, never flawed and God forbid we do anything in our personal lives that we would like to remain personal... I just had to reach out to you. Lagos State Government has disclosed that 120,000 public primary and secondary schools pupils/students across its Six Educational Districts... Lagos State Government has disclosed that 120,000 public primary and secondary schools pupils/students across its Six Educational Districts have been empowered with basic computer skills under its Digital Skills Initiative (DSI). The students/ pupils were trained in the areas of Basic Computer Skills, Coding Skills, Scratch, Cloud Service and World Wide Web, Internet Technology, Interactive and Visualized Coding to prepare them ahead of the global information technology requirement Special Adviser to Governor Sanwo-Olu on Education, Tokunbo Wahab made this disclosure on Friday at a Ministerial Press Briefing at Alausa , Ikeja Lagos as part of the activities commemorating the 2nd year anniversary of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu s administration in the State. Wahab explained further that Digital Skills Initiative (DSI), which was implemented in collaboration with Advent Management Solutions with its delivery partners LoftyInc Allied Partners Limited and Scholarx, was aimed at empowering youths and young students in Lagos primary and secondary schools by equipping them with knowledge, skills, and know-how that would enable them to thrive in the technology space in a couple of years time and compete in the future Job Market with digital skills like their counterparts from any part of the world. While noting that Digital Skills Initiative is in tandem with the State Government vision for Education and Technology, which is the 3rd Pillar of the T.H.E.M.E.S development agenda of Governor Babjide Olusola Sanwo Olu administration in the State. Digital Skills Initiative is a program that aimed at providing opportunities for pupils of the state of Lagos to learn coding skills, basic computer skills, introduction to the World Wide Web and internet technology so as to develop their digital skill and prepare them for the 21st century global information technology challenges, Eko Digital Skills is one of our own way of achieving Education and Technology part of the six Pillars Development Agenda of Governor Sanwo-Olu administration and Mr. Governor is very passionate about this project and had committed huge resources into it to make sure that students from our public schools are not lagging behind in the use of modern technology, he stated In addition to this, the Special Adviser disclosed that the success recorded in the Digital Skills Lagos has encouraged the State Government to commence the Phase two of the Digital Skills Initiative which aimed at empowering Youths and young students of Lagos state that are out of primary and secondary schools but yet to obtain a higher level of education either in a vocational training institute or tertiary institutions. The Phase 2 of the Digital Skills Initiative, Wahab noted has been helpful in capturing numerous out of school young population into a training and education curriculum, designed to equip them with knowledge, skills, and know-how that would enable them to thrive in the technology space and entrepreneurship skills needed for self reliance. He added that a total of 25,000 have so far benefited from different ICT training programmes under the Phase 2 of the scheme. He said they were trained in different areas of ICT knowledge including; Computer networking, Coding, Computing and Advance worldwide Web, internet technology skills such as cloud computing and virtualization, among others. Many of the beneficiaries of this particular initiative, the Special Adviser explained, were at present self-employed and employers of labour. They have been using their acquired knowledge in basic computer programming to develop soft ware and computer applications that provided them with means of livelihood, he said. While acknowledging the fact that challenges in education is enormous, Wahab explained that the State Government has been proactive in taking a holistic approach towards bringing a total reform that would address various challenges and make the sector rank among the best anywhere in the world Apart from exploring technology to the fullest in the State School curriculum, the Special Adviser disclosed that the State Government had embarked upon full rehabilitation, rebranding and digitalization of the public school s libraries to compliment classroom teaching and learning, while students capacity is built in the application of technology for learning. He disclose that a total of one hundred and seven public schools libraries have so far being upgraded and equipped with ICT facilities in the last one year , while two Divisional libraries in Epe and Badagry were renovated and fully equipped with relevant textbooks and ICT facilities to the best standard to encourage reading and healthy competition among the populace. Lagos State Government renovated and upgraded a total of 107 Libraries and ICT centers in public secondary schools to the best standard across the six Educational Districts of the State, while two Divisional libraries in Epe and Badagry have been upgraded to encourage reading among the populace. Work has also commenced on other Divisional libraries in line with the State Government vision for mass literacy for general development Wahab explained The Special Adviser who noted that the State Government huge investments in Education to reform the sector is yielding positive result with the outstanding performance of the public school students in external examinations and improved performances of their senior colleagues in various tertiary institutions owned by the State Government. The Special Adviser who noted the ranking of the Lagos State University as the Second best University in Nigeria and one of the best six hundred institutions across the world by the Times Higher Education Ranking for the Year 2020 and 2021 was an indication that the State Governments efforts at making the Educational system of the State a model for the country and West African sub Region is a reality. Barely 24 hours after two lives were lost in an explosion that hit the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, another gas explosion has o... Barely 24 hours after two lives were lost in an explosion that hit the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, another gas explosion has occurred in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital leaving two persons injured. The gas explosion which occurred at Onikoko area of Abeokuta around 10:am on Friday caused serious panic. This explosion will be the fifth incident that has occurred in Abeokuta in the last nine days, killing about eleven persons. Our correspondent who visited the scene of the incident gathered that it was an industrial gas belonging to a construction company kept in its garage that exploded. An iron splinter from the exploded gas cylinder flew to about 200 metres inside St. Leos College, Onikoko, and hit one of the victims whos a woman in her chest, injuring one of her breasts. The effect of the explosion was seen on nearby buildings, shattering walls and glasses. Confirming the incident, Commissioner for Special Duties, Lekan Ogunbanwo, and Special Adviser to the governor on Environment, Ola Oresanya, said two were injured. Ogunbawo said, Within the last one week, we have lost about eleven persons while others were in hospital in critical conditions. We were able to trace one of the sources together with the Commissioner of Police and Director of the DSS. Meanwhile, the state government has sealed off an industrial gas retailing depot at Omida. The iconic TAG Heuer Monaco collection revisits its origins with a new and exclusive special edition to mark the prestigious Monaco Grand Prix: the TAG Heuer Monaco Titan Special Edition, a sporty, understated and lightweight model. TAG Heuer delights its racing fans and lovers of fine watchmaking with a new and limited-edition collectable, the TAG Heuer Monaco Titan Special Edition an instant classic inspired by the collections origins in motorsports, this time in an unexpected and striking material, titanium. Expressing the timeless elegance of the TAG Heuer Monaco, this exclusive chronograph limited to 500 pieces is also infused with bold modernity. TAG Heuer Monaco Titan Special Edition Chronograph 39 mm Calibre 11 Automatic TAG Heuer A homage to the Grand Prix de Monaco Heuer launched the Monaco in 1969. Named after the most glamorous of the Formula One Grands Prix, an icon was born that was to leave its mark on both its own and future generations. The original Heuer Monaco was instantly recognisable thanks to its daring and iconic design, which was radical in every aspect: its blue metallic dial, red and light blue hands, and above all the square-shaped waterproof case housing the first-ever automatic chronograph movement and positioning the crown on the left-hand side. The name Monaco owes nothing to chance. Jack Heuer considered motorsports to be a natural fit for a chronograph and timekeeping expert, and a powerful tool to promote watches, including this disruptive model. He wanted his watches to display strong links with the racing world, which is why the TAG Heuer Monaco was named after the famous Formula One Grand Prix de Monaco, of which TAG Heuer went on to become the Official Watch. Moreover, TAG Heuer is the official timekeeper of the classic Grand Prix de Monaco Historique and the Official Watch of the Monaco Top Cars Collection museum. The story continues today with a brand new interpretation: the TAG Heuer Monaco Titan Special Edition. The TAG Heuer Monaco Titan Special Edition This new TAG Heuer Monaco goes beyond the norm and opts for titanium, a material rarely used in this collection. The case is made of Grade 2 titanium, renowned for being both exceptionally light and tough, refined by sandblasting for a matte finish which lends the watch a raw beauty. TAG Heuer Monaco Titan Special Edition Chronograph 39 mm Calibre 11 Automatic TAG Heuer This new TAG Heuer Monaco Titan Special Edition features a vivid and gleaming silver-coloured dial which perfectly complements the titanium case. A rare edition in the TAG Heuer Monaco collection, the light dial offers the benefit of very good visibility and an attractive contrast to the sub-dials, indexes and hands of the watch. The black sub-dials, bright red accents on the central hand and the red index marker at 12 oclock add character to the overall look while revelling in references to racing circuits and the official colours of TAG Heuer. The world of motor racing also inspired the rubber look of the sporty anthracite alligator strap and recalls the tyre grooves of racing cars. The indexes and sub-dials are coated with Super-LumiNova to ensure optimum visibility in any conditions. Finally, this special-edition TAG Heuer Monaco Titan is equipped with a modern version of the famous Calibre 11 automatic chronograph movement which celebrated its debut in the original 1969 Monaco. This reinterpretation of the movement links back to the 1969 case with its engraved Monaco Heuer logo. The sporty design also recalls the original model in brushed steel, as do the push buttons, which as in the first edition are placed on the right, while the crown is positioned on the left-hand side of the case: one of the features contributing to the uniqueness of the TAG Heuer Monaco since its creation. This version of the Calibre 11 combines all the technology and expertise of TAG Heuer and celebrates a design on which the worlds first ever automatic chronograph was based in 1969. TAG Heuer Monaco Titan Special Edition Chronograph 39 mm Calibre 11 Automatic TAG Heuer The TAG Heuer Monaco Titan Special Edition is offered in a special edition of 500 pieces. The watch will be presented in a new packaging which was created to evoke the racing heritage of the TAG Heuer Monaco collection and will be sold exclusively in TAG Heuer boutiques and on www.tagheuer.com from 21 May 2021. Fifty years on, the story of the TAG Heuer Monaco continues in modern interpretations. With each new launch, this iconic timepiece reflects the spirit of avant-garde watchmaking art by TAG Heuer and confirms its status as one of the most remarkable watches of all time. Now, more than ever, the TAG Heuer Monaco Titan Special Edition, created to mark the thrilling race through the winding roads of the Principality, solidifies the TAG Heuer Monaco as the icon of cool. Kimora blasted the lawsuit Friday, calling it extortive harassment and an ill-advised attempt by Russell to use the legal system to access funds he is in no way entitled to, and which his own legal team confirms Russell did not pay for, People magazine reported. A visitation for Officer Jeremy Brinton is set for Tuesday, June 1 at Nogales High School. The public is welcome from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. The next day, a Mass celebration will be held at NHS at 10 a.m. Some residents living in western Rio Rico say their peaceful neighborhood has been disrupted by noise and air pollution coming from a newly es The suds started flowing Thursday at a new taproom in Old Jefferson, and the first people to belly up to the bar raised glasses for toasts. But this latest addition to the ranks of local craft drinks isnt a brewery. Kingfish Cider makes and serves its own hard cider. This crisp, bubbly alcoholic drink has a growing following in the U.S. Now it has a new outpost that represents a major first for Jefferson Parish. The local revival of the craft beverage industry has mostly been centered on New Orleans, along with some north shore communities, where breweries and distilleries now dot the map. Kingfish Cider is the only taproom of any category in Jefferson Parish, but local officials say its debut could augur growth for more to follow. For Kingfish founder Colleen Keogh, the cidery is a chance to build her own business and stake out some new turf. Its such a different drink, and cideries are different, too, she said. Theyre somewhere between a winery and a brewery, but different from either one. I think theyre very welcoming and accessible for people to learn and try new things. Kingfish is on Iris Avenue, part of an industrial stretch between Jefferson Highway and the levee lined with workshops and garages and a smattering of homes. The nondescript exterior of its metal building hides a colorful taproom with a vintage theme intricately worked across the space. Pieces of old cars compose the bar (the cider menu is drawn on the hood of an ancient Chevy). Stage lights from an old theater shine down from above. A rusty bicycle holds up a table made from refurbished bowling lanes. The ciderys namesake is Huey P. Long (aka the Kingfish), and the politicians iconic imagery is all around the taproom too. The cider list takes similar cues. The Huey Perry is a cider made from pears. The Uncle Earl (named for the Kingfishs brother) is a hopped cider with a spicier flavor. Kingfish is licensed to serve beer and liquor as well as its own cider, though its not stocked like a conventional bar. It has four Louisiana beers on draft, and it keeps a short list of locally made spirits to mix cider cocktails like one blending hard cider, ginger beer and Black Pearl Rum from Seven Three Distilling Co. in New Orleans. Kingfish sells its cider at the taproom only, at least for now. Distribution could come later. The taproom pours flights to sample, full glasses or cans that are sealed up on the spot to take away. The taproom stocks a fridge of cheese and meats from St. James Cheese Co. for visitors to assemble their own charcuterie boards. In the future, Kingfish may host food trucks too. +13 New Orleans first brewpub reopens with old world approach for a new world of beer Pouring a pilsner direct from the brewing tank one recent morning, Crescent City Brewhouse founder Wolfram Koehler described a beermaking proc Though its a cidery, Kingfish is regulated by the state as a micro-distillery, because there is no designation for cider making. Still, the process is closer to wine making. Hard cider is made from fermented apples or pears, and it typically has an alcohol content similar to beer. The drink is naturally gluten-free. Food and restaurant news in your inbox Every Thursday we give you the scoop on NOLA dining. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up The motto at Kingfish is sharp or bitter but never angry, a sly wink at Angry Orchard, a big national cider brand. More common in apple-producing areas around the US and especially overseas, craft cider is a niche within a niche for the still-new craft beverage business in this region. One other example of the type is Broad Street Cider, which opened in New Orleans in 2017. Keogh works in health care information technology. She developed a passion for cider and studied cider production at Washington State University on her way to building her business. She worked with the Jefferson Parish Economic Development Commission (JEDCO) for years to develop the plan and its financing. The location on Iris Avenue was guided by parish zoning laws, which allow breweries and distilleries only in industrial areas. The last brewery in the parish of any sort was a brewpub operation at Zea Rotisserie & Bar in Metairie, though brewing ceased there years ago. But JEDCO president and CEO Jerry Bologna said there is momentum building to adjust zoning rules to encourage more craft producers to set up shop in Jefferson Parish. These places are magnets for talent; we want to see more of them, he said. Bologna was joined at Kingfishs opening on Thursday by a host of local elected officials, including Parish President Cynthia Lee Sheng and councilmen Deano Bonano and Scott Walker. They praised Keogh for developing the new business in their parish. In New Orleans, the growth of craft breweries has led to a clutch of new businesses and jobs, fostered a different kind of social space apart from conventional bars and created a new draw in the citys tourism industry. Though Kingfish is tucked away on an Old Jefferson side street, Keogh looks at the proximity of Ochsner Medical Center, nearby neighborhoods and even Tulane and Loyola universities just over the parish line as promising sources of business. If tourists find us, thats great, but were out to serve the locals here, she said. Kingfish Cider 331 Iris Ave., Jefferson, (504) 273-7868 Wed./Thu. noon to 6 p.m.; Fri./Sat. noon to 8 p.m.; Sun. 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. +34 See how these 33 historic New Orleans restaurants managed to reopen in pandemic Historic restaurants are landmarks of a very New Orleans type, repositories of personal traditions, shared memories and long relationships ent +9 At Metairie sushi bar Yakuza House, the hand roll trend finds a cozy new home In the galaxy of sushi styles, hand rolls are the speedsters fast, efficient, direct. The chef rolls them by hand, without sushi mats, then A Louisiana hotel owner is suing the world's largest hotel group, which operates under such brand names as Holiday Inn, InterContinental and Crowne Plaza, alleging a pattern of fraudulent and anticompetitive practices, including kickbacks from vendors that franchisees are forced to use. Vimal Patel, a Laplace-based hotelier, filed his lawsuit against U.S. subsidiaries of London-based InterContinental Hotels Group on Thursday in federal court in New Orleans. He is seeking class action status and said he expects at least a dozen other IHG franchise owners around the country to join the lawsuit. "This class action lawsuit seeks to put an end to IHG's unlawful, abusive, fraudulent, anticompetitive and unconscionable practices designed solely to benefit and enrich IHGs shareholders and to do so at the expense and to the detriment of [Patel] and the class members," according to the suit. Patel owns Holiday Inn Express franchises in LaPlace and Donaldsonville, as well as a Candlewood Suites in Houma and a Staybridge Suites in Lake Charles, all of which are brands owned by IHG. He said that the squeeze IHG has put on them as franchisees has meant that the owners have seen no profit over the last five years and have only drawn wages, like any other employee. "We haven't had a [profit] distribution in five years," Patel said. "We're basically employees of the brand." Patel said he decided to be the first to sue, despite the fear of retaliation from the franchisor, because he and others like him have become fed up. "Many people are fearful for the retaliatory tactics but I think they've had enough and want to do something," he said. One of the practices outlined in the suit is the way IHG manages the property improvement plans that franchisees are required to undertake periodically. It can cost franchisees millions of dollars to renovate, remodel and complete new construction, and the lawsuit alleges that IHG uses the process to jack up prices that franchisees then have to pay. "IHG manipulates and shortens the warranty periods on mandated products the franchisees must purchase, then disingenuously uses this to justify PIP requirements as purportedly necessary to meet 'brand standards,'" the lawsuit said. In reality, it added, "IHGs sole purpose is to maximize its kickbacks and unjustifiably run up costs on their franchisees in bad faith." The lawsuit also alleges that the hotel chains' points programs shortchange franchisees and that the supposed benefits of bulk buying offered to franchisees is an illusion. 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 "In fact," the suit alleges, "IHG's primary goal in negotiating with vendors has little to nothing to do with the best interests of franchisees but rather is to secure the largest possible kickback for itself, which vendors finance through the above-market rates charged to franchisees in collusion with IHG." Jennifer Cook, an IHG spokesperson, said the company is "reviewing the complaint, which appears to have been filed by a single owner of Holiday Inn Express and Staybridge Suites-branded hotel properties in Louisiana, and will respond to all claims through the appropriate legal processes." Keith Miller, who owns several Subway franchises in California and runs a franchisee advocacy group, said the Patel lawsuit is the latest in a slew of recent actions that have sought to bolster franchisee rights. Last month, U.S. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto D-Nevada published a report she commissioned as ranking member on the economic policy subcommittee that detailed some of the alleged abuses of franchise operations in the U.S. "There are good franchise corporations out there that provide profits to investors, living wage jobs, and support for the community," the report said. "But for too many and for too long, some franchise corporations and lenders have treated entrepreneurs unfairly, which cascades into low-wage employment and stores closing." Miller said that "one of the biggest fallacies in franchising is this group purchasing power thing," which serves as a reason to increase the royalties that franchisees pay or sometimes allows the chain owners to seek payments from vendors. "If you could buy a towel for $10 but through the franchise you have to buy it for $12 because it has the Holiday Inn logo on it, that's just another way of charging a royalty," said Miller. The firm representing Patel, Chicago-based Marks & Klein, brought a lawsuit against the Quizno's sandwich franchise a decade ago that resulted in a $200 million settlement. Joe Peiffer, a New Orleans lawyer who is also representing plaintiffs on the lawsuit, said franchisees of these mostly smaller, roadside hotel operations, many of whom are immigrants or first-generation Americans of Indian descent, have become increasingly disgruntled at their treatment by IHG. He said the lawsuit is being filed in Louisiana simply because Patel had decided to be the first. "You've got to be pretty damned brave to come out and be first in this kind of thing and put your name on it," Peiffer said, "because when you have a franchisor they can do all kinds of stuff to make your life horrible." Breeze Airways, a new budget airline launched by the founder of JetBlue will fly 10 new direct routes from Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport beginning in July, making the city one of the new carrier's four main bases when it commences operations later this month. The new airline from David Neeleman, who has launched four other airlines over the past four decades, is aiming to tap demand for direct, low-cost travel to smaller and mid-sized U.S. cities that are known for attracting leisure travelers, the company said as part of its announcement Friday. The first flight from New Orleans will be on July 8 to Charleston, South Carolina, followed by Akron-Canton, Ohio, on July 15. The other new routes are: Bentonville-Fayetteville, Arkansas; Huntsville, Alabama; Louisville, Kentucky; Norfolk, Virginia; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Richmond, Virginia; Tulsa, Oklahoma; and Columbus, Ohio. In all, Breeze Airways will fly 39 direct routes between 16 cities in the south, southwest and eastern parts of the U.S. The other three base cities will be Charleston, Tampa and Norfolk. The airline's first flight will be on May 27 from Charleston and the others will be rolled out through the summer. The new airline flying out of New Orleans is the latest sign that the city's travel and leisure industry is recovering after the devastation of the coronavirus pandemic. Several other airlines have added service from New Orleans in the last few months, including Silver Airways, which will start offering direct flights to Jacksonsville, Florida, in June. Also, Boutique Air started flying its small aircraft on direct routes to Greenville, Mississippi, in April. Some of the larger operators from the airport have also added or resumed flights, including American Airlines' new route to Austin and Southwest's and Spirit's new flights to Central American destinations. Neeleman said the airline has been in the works for several years. It was ready for launch more than a year ago but was postponed because of the pandemic. The company started talking to GNO Inc., the regional economic development agency, back in 2019. He said he believes the market for leisure travel now looks ready for a robust recovery. "We've had our foot on the brake and the gas at the same time," he said in an interview, noting that final Department of Transportation certification was granted to the airline Thursday. "As it turned out with the vaccines out there, I think the timing is pretty good." As with Neeleman's other airline launches Morris Air, WestJet, JetBlue and Brazilian airline Azul the concept of Breeze is to provide direct travel routes that don't already exist and to offer budget prices while minimizing the misery factor. The new flights start at $39 one way and flyers can cancel up to 15 minutes before departure without penalty. The airline will fly a fleet of 13 Brazilian-made Embraer aircraft, 10 Embraer 190s with 108 seats each and three Embraer 195s with 118 seats. 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 Neeleman said the pandemic has made these airplanes, which are soon to be replaced by a new generation of Embraer models, relatively cheap to acquire. That will help keep down costs and seat prices. The launch of the new airline with New Orleans as one of its base cities was welcomed by tourism officials and politicians, with Gov. John Bel Edwards saying he expects it will create more than 1,000 new direct and indirect jobs. Louisiana Economic Development said Breeze will be investing $6.6 million at the airport and will create 261 new direct jobs there, with salaries averaging $65,000. LED estimated an additional 877 new indirect jobs will follow, for a total of more than 1,138 new jobs in the New Orleans area. The state has agreed to an incentive package with Breeze that includes a performance-based grant of $2.3 million over 10 years, as well as tax breaks on its jobs and training programs. "I am confident this is just the beginning of what will be a long and fruitful partnership. said Kevin Dolliole, director of aviation at Louis Armstrong International Airport, in a prepared statement. The New Orleans community is more than ready to take advantage of everything Breeze Airways has to offer." Neeleman, 61, said later this year Breeze will add Airbus A220-300 aircraft to its fleet, which give it the capacity to travel much longer distances than the Embraer planes do. He said this could open up the opportunity to add routes to international destinations from New Orleans, particularly routes to Central and South America. Neeleman said that while the airline starts with 39 routes, he sees the potential to add "literally hundreds" of direct routes, most of which don't already exist. Breeze will have its corporate headquarters in Salt Lake City, Utah, where Neeleman began his career in the early 1980s, selling budget Hawaii holiday packages to his fellow Salt Lakers. A famously hard-charging executive who was fired by both JetBlue and Southwest Airlines, Neeleman has already courted some controversy with the new airline even before its first official flight. One of the airline's low-cost innovations is to offer students at Utah Valley University scholarships in exchange for training and work as flight attendants. The move drew criticism from the Association of Flight Attendants, among others, saying the program undervalued their work and role in the passenger safety. Breeze countered that the students will be trained to the same Federal Aviation Administration standards as other attendants. The coronavirus variant that has spread rapidly through India in recent months has been detected in two coronavirus patients in Louisiana for the first time, according to researchers at LSU Health Shreveport. The variant, dubbed B.1.617.2, was declared a "variant of concern" by the World Health Organization last week. It is thought to be more transmissible, though it poses little threat to the vaccinated, according to LSU Health Shreveport virologist Jeremy Kamil, who has sequenced coronavirus samples from all over the state. Its almost no worry to someone whos fully vaccinated. If youre not vaccinated, theres an extra reason to be careful and consider getting vaccinated, said Kamil. In Louisiana, about 35% of the population has received at least one vaccine, giving variants plenty of potential hosts. On average, U.S. states have vaccinated around 48% of their populations. Louisiana ranks second-to-last among all states for the percentage of its population that has been vaccinated, ahead of only Mississippi. The two cases were found in people in northwest Louisiana, according to state officials. At least one of the cases originated from a patient at a hospital in Caddo Parish, said Kamil. It was not clear if either patient with the B.1.617.2 variant had been vaccinated. "Although these are the first reported cases of the B.1.617 variant in Louisiana, it is likely that there are additional undetected cases circulating," according to a press release from the Louisiana Department of Health. The B.1.617.2 strain is one of three spin-offs stemming from the B.1.617 variant, which was first identified in India in October. It is unclear how widespread the variant is in India because of a lack of surveillance. Vaccine news in your inbox Once a week we'll update you on the progress of COVID-19 vaccinations. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up But in Britain, which is one of the world's leaders in genomic sequencing, cases of B.1.617.2 more than doubled over six days, British authorities said, from 1,313 on May 13 to 2,967 on Wednesday. While the presence of the new variant in the state is not a cause for panic, its a sign to public health experts that the virus is continuing to evolve. Given enough opportunity and time, these small changes could add up to a more efficient virus that could one day evade antibody protections from the vaccine. +2 Louisiana confirms 2 cases of Brazil COVID variant; neither patient recently traveled The first two cases in Louisiana of a more infectious COVID-19 variant known as P.1 and often referred to as the "Brazil variant" have been id Its like a leak in a roof, said Kamil. Water finds a way. Evolution is like that as well. If you give the virus an opportunity to keep trying different tricks, it will find a way past immune defenses. To date, LSU Health Shreveports Center for Emerging Viral Threats has sequenced over 2,600 COVID samples, representing 56% of all genomic surveillance in the state. The B.1.1.7 variant, which was first detected in the U.K., remains the dominant variant in the U.S. There have been at least 51 cases in Louisiana, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The P.1 variant, first identified in Brazil and Japan, has also been found in Louisiana. Two additional cases of the P.1 variant were detected in the latest batch of samples sequenced by LSU Health Shreveport, bringing the total from Louisiana to 18. Cases and deaths have remained relatively steady over the last two months after trending downward in Louisiana in early February. There were 238 new cases on Friday and a seven-day average of 316 new daily cases. The state averaged around five COVID-related deaths daily over the last week. A case that started with a New Orleans man firing a bullet into his neighbors home last year ended with him admitting Thursday in federal court that he was a convicted felon who kept a small arsenal of pistols, rifles, ammunition and gun accessories. Lloyd Washington pleaded guilty to illegally possessing guns as a convicted felon, possessing machine guns and possessing unregistered guns, the U.S. attorneys office said. Washington fell under scrutiny when his neighbors in the 4100 block of Eagle Street in Hollygrove called police April 20 to report that a bullet had been fired into their home. No one was hit, but police determined the bullet came from the direction of Washington's house. During questioning, Washington admitted he accidentally fired a gun toward his neighbors house, prosecutors said. Outside his house, police spotted a .38-caliber pistol, a 40.caliber pistol and a 7.62-millimeter rifle and two magazines taped together. Inside, they found four pistols, a rifle, a scope, several boxes of ammunitions and magazines, including a circle drum. He faces as long as 10 years in prison and a fine of as much as $250,000. His sentencing hearing is tentatively set Aug. 19. In 2015, Washington pleaded guilty in Orleans Parish Criminal District Court to being a felon with a gun, possession of heroin and possession of a stolen gun, authorities said. In 2018, he pleaded guilty in Criminal District Court to aggravated assault, negligently discharging a gun and being a felon with a gun. Nine months after Slidell waitress Brooke Buchler was shot in the head and dumped in an abandoned Navy base in Bywater, police suspect her killers were two men seeking to silence her because she knew they nearly beat to death a man she accused of rape. The story of the grisly crime, detailed in recently filed court records, is the most complete account yet of what police think led to Buchlers killing. Investigators say they pieced together the story from mobile phone records, tips to Crimestoppers Inc. and a recorded jailhouse telephone call after Buchler was reported missing Aug. 22. The next day, she was found dead in the former Naval Support Activity building near the intersection of Poland Avenue and Dauphine Street. +2 St. Tammany pair accused of murdering woman who was found dead at abandoned Navy base in New Orleans Two men are accused of fatally shooting a woman found dead at an abandoned U.S. Navy base in New Orleans in late August, days after they alleg Dylan Craddock, 27, and Cody Matthews, 33, have been charged in St. Tammany Parish with kidnapping and attempting to murder the man Buchler accused of sexually assaulting her. The men, in custody since September, also each face a count of second-degree murder in New Orleans for allegedly killing Buchler. Authorities moved Craddock from the St. Tammany Parish jail in Covington to the Orleans Justice Center on May 14, prompting police to file documents laying out their theory of the case at Criminal District Court. Buchler, who was 25 when she was killed, attended Slidell High School and later worked as a server at the popular Olde Towne Slidell restaurant Tacos & Beer. Her death generated an outpouring of condolences for her friends and family. The saga began Aug. 20, when Buchler told several people that a man she knew had raped her in Slidell, New Orleans police investigators wrote. In apparent retaliation, Dylan Craddock and Cody Matthews severely beat the [man] inside of Buchlers apartment and relocated [him] to another location in Slidell, police wrote. +5 2 men arrested in attempted murder of man linked to woman found dead in vacant New Orleans Naval base A man was stabbed, beaten to within inches of his life and left for dead in a remote spot off Bayou Paquet Road outside of Slidell last month. The mans name wasnt disclosed in the court records. Authorities in Slidell have previously said the beating took place in an apartment in the 1800 block of Fifth Street in Slidell. Police said the man was also stabbed and left for dead in a remote tract of pine and marshland on the western edge of the north shore city. 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 He survived, found help and was taken to a hospital. Craddock and Matthews fled to a hotel in St. Bernard Parish, New Orleans police wrote. Buchler was there with them on Aug. 21, was reported missing a day later, and was found dead by a squatter Aug. 23. Police obtained Craddocks phone records during the ensuing murder investigation, and they suggested he had been in contact with Buchler the morning of Aug. 21. That night, he was also near the spot where Buchler was ultimately discovered dead, according to the records, police alleged. +2 Woman found dead in Bywater's vacant Naval base last month was fatally shot, coroner reveals A woman whose body was found in the abandoned Naval Support Activity complex in Bywater last month had been shot to death, the Orleans Parish Other evidence on the phone included text messages to the mother of Craddocks children on the morning of Aug. 22. Police said Craddock told her he would leave the phone at his mother's home while making a drop, potentially setting up an alibi. But police said Craddock had photos of himself and Matthews at the abandoned naval building a week earlier, suggesting they had prior knowledge of the site. Several tips to Crimestoppers also implicated Craddock, with tipsters saying he had murdered Buchler because she was a liability after the beating, stabbing and kidnapping in Slidell. Slidell police arrested Craddock and Matthews on Sept. 3 on counts of attempted murder and kidnapping of the man whom Buchler had accused of rape. The alleged rapist has not been arrested on that charge. While being recorded on a jailhouse phone call, Matthews told someone he was present when Craddock killed Buchler, police wrote. Matthews said he wouldnt tell authorities where the murder weapon was unless they granted him immunity from prosecution for the murder, police alleged. Because New Orleans police have jurisdiction in the Buchler killing because her body was found in the city, they obtained warrants to arrest Craddock and Matthews. Both were booked with second-degree murder by Oct. 1. The men have pleaded not guilty to the charges in St. Tammany and await separate trial dates there, tentatively scheduled for June. Craddock remained in the New Orleans lockup in lieu of a $1 million bond on Friday. Matthews remains in custody in St. Tammany in lieu of $625,000 bond. Under Louisiana law, both would face mandatory life imprisonment if convicted of murder. An attempted murder conviction could carry up to 50 years in prison, while the kidnapping charge could carry five to 40 years in prison. A big passion of mine is being in the outdoors and helping youth to appreciate that theres more than Facebook, Twitter, social media, he said. You need to get out there and you need to spend time in nature not just for an afternoon, but you need to spend nights and days and weeks out there so you can learn about yourself. Five people, including three teenagers, were injured in shootings in a 24-hour period in New Orleans, police said Friday. The shootings were among several major offenses reported to police in a 24-hour period from 7 a.m. Thursday to 7 a.m. Friday. Authorities also investigated two carjackings and a robbery. Here's what we know via preliminary information from the New Orleans Police Department. Woman shot in Holy Cross area A 24-year-old woman was injured in a shooting Thursday night in the Holy Cross area, police said. The shooting was reported around 6:30 p.m. in the 900 block of Forstall Street (map). The woman was in a fight with several other women, police said, when a group of men and women arrived and started shooting. The woman was shot and taken via EMS to a hospital. No other details were immediately available, including her condition. Teen shot in Village de L'Est area A 16-year-old was injured in a shooting Thursday night in the Village de L'Est area, police said. The shooting was reported at 7:17 p.m. at Henri and Saigon drives (map). Someone called 911 about gunfire in the area, and the teen later arrived in a private vehicle at the hospital, police said. No other information was immediately available, including his condition, a description of a shooter or a motive in the shooting. 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 2 teens shot in 7th Ward Two boys, ages 14 and 16, were injured in a shooting Thursday night in the 7th Ward, police said. The shooting was reported at 11:34 p.m. in the 1900 block of Allen Street (map). The teens were in the area when police say a pickup truck came down the street and someone inside the vehicle started shooting. The two teens were hit and went in a private vehicle to a hospital. No more details were immediately available, including their conditions, a motive or a description of the shooter. Man shot in 7th Ward A 28-year-old man was walking in the 7th Ward early Friday when he was shot, New Orleans police said. The shooting was reported at 2 a.m. in the 1600 block of Frenchman Street (map). He told police he heard shots and then realized he was injured. He went in a private vehicle to the hospital, and his condition was not immediately available. No other details were available. Anyone with information about these crimes is ask to call Crimestoppers at 504-822-1111. NEW ORLEANS (AP) Beaten and shackled by Louisiana state troopers, Black motorist Ronald Greene desperately tried to roll over in what may have been a struggle to breathe but was ordered to stay on his belly, according to body-camera video newly obtained by The Associated Press. And the long-secret autopsy report, also newly secured, cited Greene's head injuries and the way he was restrained as factors in his 2019 death. It also noted he had high levels of cocaine and alcohol in his system as well as a broken breastbone and a torn aorta. +3 'I'm scared!': Video of Ronald Greene's deadly arrest by Louisiana State Police released Louisiana state troopers can be seen on a dark roadside stunning, punching and dragging a Black man as he apologizes for leading them on a hig "I beat the ever-living f--- out of him, choked him and everything else trying to get him under control," Trooper Chris Hollingsworth can be heard telling a fellow officer in the newly obtained batch of video. "All of a sudden he just went limp. ... I thought he was dead." "You all got that on bodycam?" the other officer asks over the phone, at which point Hollingsworth switches his camera off. The footage and the autopsy report add to the growing wealth of details about Greene's death, which has long been surrounded by allegations of a cover-up and is now the subject of a federal civil rights investigation. Louisiana State Police initially blamed his death on a car crash and made no mention of use of force by officers. Can't see video below? Click here. AP earlier this week published previously unreleased body-camera footage that showed troopers converging on Greene's car outside Monroe, Louisiana, after a high-speed chase, repeatedly jolting the 49-year-old unarmed man with stun guns, putting him in a chokehold, punching him in the head and dragging him by his ankle shackles. Use-of-force experts say the most dangerous and troubling parts of the arrest came after the struggle, when officers left the heavyset Greene facedown on the ground with his hands and feet restrained for more than nine minutes. At one point in a new 30-minute video, Greene can be seen struggling to prop himself up on his side. "Don't you turn over! Lay on your belly! Lay on your belly!" Trooper Kory York yells before briefly dragging Greene by the chain that connects his ankle shackles. York then kneels on Greene's back and tells him again, "You better lay on your f------ belly like I told you to! You understand?" "Yes, sir," Greene replies. "The trooper's wrong and what he did is excessive," said Charles Key, a use-of-force expert and former Baltimore police lieutenant. "It's a mistake because he can't breathe. You see Greene drawing his legs up, and that may be because he can't freaking breathe." Louisiana trooper kicked, dragged Ronald Greene before he died, body camera footage show A Louisiana State Police trooper has been suspended without pay for kicking and dragging a handcuffed Black man whose in-custody death remains Police are highly discouraged from leaving handcuffed suspects in a prone position, particularly when they aren't resisting, because it can greatly hinder their breathing a point made repeatedly at the trial this spring of the former Minneapolis officer convicted of murder in the death of George Floyd. Louisiana State Police said federal authorities have barred them from commenting on the Greene case. The U.S. Justice Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. 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 While the autopsy on Greene listed his cause of death as "cocaine induced agitated delirium complicated by motor vehicle collision, physical struggle, inflicted head injury and restraint," it did not specify the manner of death a highly unusual move that did not make it clear whether Greene's death could be deemed a homicide, an accident or undetermined. Arkansas State Crime Lab pathologists Jennifer Forsyth and Frank J. Paretti, who conducted the autopsy in May 2019 for the Union Parish Coroner's Office, found Greene had a "significant" level of cocaine in his system 1,700 nanograms per milliliter and a blood-alcohol content of 0.106, just above the 0.08 level that amounts to drunken driving in Louisiana. They said it "cannot be stated with certainty" whether many of Greene's injuries including a fracture of the sternum, or breastbone, and a laceration of his aorta were attributable to the car crash or the struggle with troopers. "There were lacerations of the head inconsistent with motor vehicle collision injury," they wrote. "These injuries are most consistent with multiple impact sites from a blunt object." Ronald Greene's family views graphic video of his death in Louisiana State Police custody BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) Family members viewed long-secret body-camera video this week of a Black man who died in Louisiana State Police custod In the latest video, Greene, his legs shackled and his hands cuffed behind his back, is prone on the ground, and two troopers can be seen hovering over him before he suddenly cries out. One of the officers tells him, "Yeah, yeah, that s hurts, doesn't it?" "OK! Oh, Lord Jesus. Oh, Lord!" Greene screams out. "OK, OK. Lord Jesus! OK, I'm sorry. I'm sorry." It's not clear from the video what the officer is describing, but several law enforcement officials who reviewed the footage indicated this might be the moment when one of them sprays Greene with pepper spray. A use-of-force document not previously made public shows pepper spray was used in the arrest. "If they pepper-sprayed him at that point, that's excessive," Key said. "There has to be some threat. He's handcuffed." Minutes after Greene's outburst, he begins to moan and make gurgling noises as two troopers keep holding him down. The new video, recorded on Lt. John Clary's body camera, remained under wraps for months even within State Police but was recently turned over to the FBI as part of its investigation, according to three law enforcement officials. They were not authorized to discuss the investigation and spoke on the condition of anonymity. Louisiana trooper recorded saying he beat the 'ever-living f---' out of Black man who then died In graphic, matter-of-fact chatter picked up on his body-camera mic, a Louisiana State trooper implicated in the death of a Black man can be h At one point, after medical help arrives, a paramedic is heard saying, "He's not getting enough air" and appears to put his blood oxygen level at 86, which Key described as critically low. Yet nobody appears to be giving Greene oxygen. Louisiana officials had for two years rebuffed repeated calls to release footage and details about what caused Greene's death after the chase, which began over an unspecified traffic violation. Troopers initially told his family he died on impact after crashing into a tree. State Police later released a brief statement acknowledging only that Greene struggled with troopers and died on his way to the hospital. That secrecy extended to the autopsy, which pathologists said was hindered by the State Police's failure to provide even the most routine documents relating to Greene's arrest, including police reports, collision details or emergency medical records. Andrew Scott, a former Boca Raton, Florida, police chief who testifies as an expert use-of-force witness, said Greene's case is an example of how "stonewalling is the Achilles' heel of law enforcement." "The only reason I can even conjecture that this information would not be provided to the medical examiner's office is because they didn't want them to see it," Scott said. "They intentionally thwarted the facts of this case to be truly revealed." Public school students in New Orleans will have to return to their classrooms this fall, as schools Superintendent Henderson Lewis Jr. announced that the district's collection of charters won't be required to offer remote or hybrid options next school year. Although vaccinations currently remain unavailable for children under the age of 12, and the remote and hybrid options were widely taken advantage of this school year, Lewis said during the Orleans Parish School Board's meeting Thursday night that he expects schools to only offer remote learning in special circumstances, such as students being ordered to quarantine. "I want to be very, very clear, as we come out of this pandemic, that distance learning can no longer be the norm," Lewis said. "Students are the safest physically and emotionally when they receive their education face-to-face with their teachers and shoulder-to-shoulder with their peers." It's an about-face for NOLA Public Schools, which last August required a fully remote start to the school year. The district eventually brought younger students back to class full-time and older students back on a hybrid schedule, but then reverted back to online-only in January after the city saw a spike in coronavirus cases. Even after they were given the choice to return to campus, about 40% of the district's 45,000 students continued with remote learning, officials said earlier this year. By April, 20-30% of elementary and middle school students were still learning at home, district officials told WWNO radio, and 40-50% of high school students were still in all-remote instruction. Figures from the Louisiana Department of Education from this spring showed that virtual or hybrid learning rates were higher in New Orleans than the statewide average, which showed 29% of students opting for all virtual or hybrid learning. Around the state, school districts are taking different approaches to remote learning for next school year. For instance, some Baton Rouge area districts are reworking their online classes as a way to separate them from brick-and-mortar efforts. Jefferson Parish public schools also opened applications earlier in May for Jefferson Virtual High School, a new standalone virtual school that will operate for the first time in the 2021-22 academic year. But across Lake Pontchartrain in St. Tammany Parish, officials announced last month they were scrapping STPPS Virtual School, an initiative they'd planned prior to COVID-19 to recapture students leaving for other virtual schools. 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 St. Tammany officials said the nascent effort was overwhelmed when COVID-19 hit, and that the virtual school didn't work well with younger students or high school students wanting honors classes and career training. In pushing for in-person learning next year, Lewis and other school leaders point to downward trends of coronavirus infections and data showing COVID's spread inside school buildings has been minimal. "Our data-driven, measured approach to health and safety has turned our classrooms into safe havens for students and staff during this unprecedented pandemic," Lewis said. He also pointed to the availability of vaccines. However, although New Orleans is the second-most vaccinated parish in Louisiana with nearly 46% having gotten at least one shot, efforts have plateaued in recent months. Federal officials made the vaccine available to children ages 12 to 15 earlier in May, but so far only about 5.8% of an estimated 55,491 kids under 17 in Orleans Parish have received at least one shot, according to Louisiana Department of Health data. Lewis said mask-wearing and social distancing advised by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control would stay in place next year. He said the district will ensure access to COVID tests and vaccines for eligible students and staff. The United Teachers of New Orleans, the local teacher's union, didn't immediately respond. But Randi Weingarten, the president of the American Federation of Teachers, sent an open letter to the CDC asking for updates on mask mandates as schools return to in-person learning, and as the vaccine remains limited and more concerning COVID-19 variants spread. "Our members have expressed concern about being assigned the role of 'mask police' at a time when they want to build trust and confidence with their students," part of the letter reads. Staff writer Jeff Adelson contributed to this report. Louisiana landowners who lose property due to eminent domain must be fully compensated, according to the state Constitution. Now a 6-1 ruling from the state Supreme Court, favoring landowners in a dispute over the Bayou Bridge Pipeline being built through their property, says compensation includes footing the bill for the landowners' attorneys and legal fees. The decision leaves the company that built the pipeline needing to pay more money to cover the legal costs of three landowners who had previously been awarded a total of about $30,000 in damages. The high court's ruling upholds an earlier decision by the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeal in Lake Charles. +5 With Bayou Bridge Pipeline, Louisiana again weighs oil, environment BAYOU SORREL -- Down Louisiana 3066 and the Lower Grand River, past the middle of swampy nowhere, rests a cypress marsh hamlet of oyster shell The exact amount of additional money will be determined by the trial judge, according to the Supreme Court's decision. But the ruling is nonetheless significant because it marks the first time that the state's high court has held that the Constitution permits the awarding of attorney and litigation costs as an element of just compensation to landowners in all eminent domain proceedings. In this case, Bayou Bridge Pipeline LLC began building the 163-mile pipeline through a 38-acre wooded parcel in St. Martin Parish without settling up with all affected owners, including Peter Aaslestad. He sued along with two others in 2018 to halt construction, forcing the company into eminent domain proceedings. Louisiana appeals court orders pipeline company to pay $30K for building without permission A Louisiana appeals court on Thursday ordered the company that built the Bayou Bridge Pipeline to pay a group of landowners $30,000 plus legal The company ultimately earned the rights to the property, yet lower courts found the company had trespassed and violated the landowners' due process, awarding each $10,150. The company sought at the Supreme Court to avoid paying attorneys' fees and other legal costs incurred by the landowners. But the high court found that the Constitution plainly states property owners losing their land in eminent domain proceedings can only be made "truly whole" if legal fees are part of their compensation. Aaslestad said he was "elated." He and his siblings inherited a stake in the property from his mother. Though he lives in Virginia, both of his parents were Louisiana natives, and frequent visits to the state made it feel like a second home. "I dont think anyone anticipated that [Bayou Bridge Pipeline] would lose the Supreme Court fight because theyve never been challenged before," Aaslestad said. "It's a conservative court in a conservative state, and they made a conservative decision, really, by protecting the rights of landowners and by drawing a line to the Louisiana Constitution in the decision." Environmental news in your inbox Stay up-to-date on the latest on Louisiana's coast and the environment. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up +4 'Without just compensation': Louisiana gives pipeline owners broad authority to seize land In the patchwork of rice fields and pastures spreading across southwest Louisiana is a parcel Jay Lewis family has called their own for longe Environmental advocates hope the ruling emboldens more landowners to seek legal help when negotiating property rights with a pipeline company that knocks on their door, and to encourage more attorneys to take on these cases. "A lot of folks may not want to take on a case like this because they may not get paid at the end," said Misha Mitchell, an Atchafalaya Basinkeeper attorney who helped with Aaslestad's case. "There's a deficit of pro bono attorneys who do work like this." Energy Transfer Partners, the pipeline's primary owner, would not comment on the Supreme Court's ruling. Spokesperson Alexis Daniel said the company doesn't comment on litigation. In what felt like a battle of David vs. Goliath, Aaslestad said, "It showed that there's hope for the little guy." "I don't think it's going to stop people from trying to build pipelines and railroad them through private lands," he continued. "But at least they'll know that if they're wrong and if [landowners] fight back, there will be a steeper price for out-of-state companies who aren't respecting Louisiana law." Construction will begin on the first new building to emerge on the former Southeast Louisiana Hospital campus in Mandeville since the 1970s, a training and education center for law enforcement officers and others who work with people needing behavioral health services. Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards and New Orleans Archbishop Gregory Aymond were among those on hand Friday as St. Tammany Parish President Mike Cooper and other parish officials broke ground on the 4,000-square-foot, $850,000 center set to open in the winter of 2022. The parish has been transforming the former state mental hospital property off U.S. 190 into a behavioral health campus called Safe Haven since St. Tammany bought it from the state in 2015 after then-Gov. Bobby Jindal closed the state hospital. Edwards alluded to the closure in brief remarks, saying that no state in the nation, including Louisiana, is doing all it can in providing accessible, affordable and effective treatment options for people with mental health needs. The need has been even greater during the pandemic, Edwards said, with people suffering from extreme stress, loneliness and sadness that has resulted in surges in crime, substance abuse and suicide. "This whole campus is an inspiration, because you all know in 2012, when Gov. Jindal announced the closure of Southeast Hospital, this community pulled together and you said, 'OK, that hospital might close, but the need isn't going to go away, so what can we do?'" Former state Sen. Jack Donahue, who was in office at the time, said that the closure might have turned out to be a blessing in disguise, but no one in St. Tammany thought so at the time. But local efforts resulted in the parish buying the 296-acre site from the state for $15.4 million to begin creating what then Parish President Pat Brister described as a comprehensive behavioral health campus. St. Tammany top stories in your inbox A weekly guide to the biggest news in St. Tammany. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up Edwards praised the parish for coming up with "a plan that really does work, and I think that is being exemplified by the fact that we're here today talking about the first new construction on this campus in a very long time, decades," he said. State capital outlay money will be used to pay for 50% of the project, with 24% covered by revenues from the parish's public health millage. Another 16% will come from St. Tammany's share of the Deepwater Horizon settlement. The Safe Haven Foundation is providing the remaining 10%, which will cover the furnishings. The idea for the training center emerged from a study done by the Louisiana Public Health Institute and the National Council for Behavioral Health that recommended more training for law enforcement, behavioral health staff and those who work in primary care and emergency departments. It also cited a need for training for what's called mental health first aid. Cooper said that the center will be a place for healthcare workers, peer support and family support to learn and to de-stigmatize mental illness. The National Alliance on Mental Illness St. Tammany is expected to use it for 120 meetings a year that include support groups and mental health first aid, according to a news release. When the building is complete the parish will seek an organization to operate it. The building was designed by Burgdahl & Graves Architects and will be built by Guy Hopkins Construction Company, with construction to start soon. A bicyclist was struck and injured Thursday by paneling that blew off the abandoned Plaza Tower skyscraper in New Orleans Central Business District, officials said. High winds dislodged pieces of the 45-story building at 1001 Howard Ave. before 4:30 p.m., said Jonathan Fourcade of Emergency Medical Services. One piece hit a passing cyclist, who was taken to an area hospital. The biker's injuries were not thought to be life-threatening, Fourcade said. City officials said traffic would be blocked around the building until winds subsided. It was unclear how long the closures might last. Plaza Tower was built in 1969 and was one of the city's first skyscrapers. After the Superdome was built and Poydras Street became the city's financial center, tenants steadily left the high rise for better downtown locations. Eventually, toxic mold and asbestos found in the building prompted several class action lawsuits against the building's owner at the time. Plaza Tower has been vacant and unused since 2002. The current owner, Alexandra Land & Development LLC, purchased the building in 2014 and performed asbestos remediation, according an April report by WDSU. The company's agent is Ryan Jaeger, son of prominent real estate developer Joseph Jaeger, who did not respond to a request for comment Thursday. +8 Can you guess what was New Orleans' first skyscraper? Trivia time: What building owns the distinction of being the first skyscraper in New Orleans? The company put together a prospectus and worked with a broker to identify potential redevelopment projects, but the pandemic halted things, officials told WDSU. 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 Today the financial markets for hospitality projects are not interested at this time, and we are hoping that next year, financing will loosen up, the statement said. "Plaza Tower won't be taken to the financial market until after the first of the year. City Councilman Jay Banks said the fact that there were only minor injuries from Thursday's accident was "a blessing from God" that should serve as a wake-up call that something needs to be done with the tower. In the short term, he said he was calling on the Department of Safety and Permits to inspect the building to ensure there would not be another incident, particularly with hurricane season starting in 11 days. And he said he hoped that the attention brought to the tower could serve to spur its owners to sell or redevelop the building. Banks said he hoped to see it used for affordable housing. "Maybe this will be the impetus to encourage some progress on it. We certainly don't want it to continue to deteriorate," he said. This is not the first time dangerous debris has plunged to the street from New Orleans buildings that have fallen into disrepair. In 2011, concrete soffits from one side of the 33-story World Trade Center building broke off and crashed almost 400 feet into the street. +11 One person injured after scaffolding collapses; doors break, hail falls in New Orleans amid storms As more thunderstorms moved through New Orleans on Wednesday afternoon, hail briefly fell and high winds blew over a section of scaffolding at In August 2014, a chunk of stone cornice from Gallier Hall's facade crashed on the steps below. No one was injured in either incident. Jeff Adelson contributed to this report. Staff Writer Reese Gorman covers elections, local politics and the COVID-19 pandemic for The Norman Transcript. He started as an intern in May of 2020 and transitioned into his current position as a staff writer in August of 2020. Walter F. Huebner, age 93, renowned astrophysicist and lifelong traveler, passed away peacefully at his home in Norman, Oklahoma, on June 1, 2021, surrounded by family. No services at this time. View full obituary and share condolences online at www.havenbrookfuneralhome.com. South Williamsport, Pa. -- What started as an idea to have a "little yard sale" to raise money to benefit the Adriana Grace Memorial has grown in leaps and bounds. Saturday, May 22 is now a "huge!" benefit gift card, basket raffle, and yard sale at the Zafar Grotto in South Williamsport. The event runs from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The motivation behind the yard sale is uplifting and powerful, although the need for it was born from struggle and sadness. On March 24, 2020, a South Williamsport family lost their beloved daughter, niece, grandaughter, sister to suicide. Adriana Grace Niven-Whitcraft was just 14 years old. Together, the family has traveled through the stages of disbelief, anger, and grief. More than a year later, they still struggle with the devastation of losing Adriana Grace--"Adri," but have pushed through to find strength. "All we want to do every day and all day is to give to others to see them smile. Thats how were remembering her," said Adri's aunt Jamie Niven Pike. She explained how the money raised during Saturday's event will go toward a scholarship for a Lycoming County senior, and to benefit community efforts. The family has partnered with Thrivent, a 501c, to raise money that can be distributed to community groups who help people in need. Her niece's death was sudden, leaving the family to plan for the funeral in shock. "Community donations helped us bury her," said Pike. Adri's younger brother set up a GoFundMe campaign that Pike said at first made the family a little uncomfortable. But as friends, neighbors, and complete strangers reached out to lend a hand, she realized the impact of the extreme kindness. Now random acts of kindness are what the family does for others whenever they're able. To giving huge tips to a server, buying someone's meal or coffee, and now establishing dedicated ways to give to those in need in Adri's name. "We cant bring her back, but the amount of love and support was so strong, we want to give that to the next person," Pike said. "If we can help a family with therapy, food, bills, whatever, that's the goal." While the family is yet unsure what the scholarship will look like, they want to find a graduating senior each year who emulates the qualities they found in Adri. "She loved animals," said Pike. "We are hoping to include someone who does volunteer work or exhibits love for animals," she said. Also, Adri wanted to attend college for nursing, so the family is considering a nursing-specific scholarship. The basket raffle and yard sale will include 35 donated baskets to be raffled, with tickets costing just $1 per ticket. The family started collecting items back in February, and ended up needing three storage units and more space to store all of the items before the big event on Saturday. This July, Adri would have been turning 16. The family plans continued activities to help remember the girl they loved by leaving rocks with loving messages wherever they go, establishing a "giving day." "We leave huge tips, pay for people's gas, anything we can do to encourage kindness for others," said Pike. "There's enough ugliness and hate," she said. "You don't know what that kind word or gesture might do to turn a person's day around." Williamsport, Pa. - This March, the Central Pennsylvania Food bank held its annual "Chopped" competition in a virtual format, celebrating National Nutrition Month. On May 20, the Food Bank announced the winners in eight categories and released a free cookbook containing recipes for every entry. The annual Chopped Competition is a way for the Food Banks partner agencies (food pantries, soup kitchens, emergency shelters and more) to share resources and best practices for nutrition education and wellness that they can pass to the neighbors they serve on the local level. For this years virtual competition, partners were asked to make a healthy recipe using squash, ham steak, and beans. Bonus points were awarded if more than one of the healthy ingredients were used in each recipe. The Food Banks Agency Services team members choose the top two recipes from each category based on ease of preparation, presentation, and creative use of ingredients. The winners were: Best Soup and Salad Emma Witwer, Project SHARE of Carlisle, Carlisle (Cumberland County): Asian-Inspired Crunchy Rainbow Salad Runner Up for Soup and Salad Maryann Combs, The New Love Center Cafe, Jersey Shore (Lycoming & Clinton County): Spring Minestrone Soup Best Side Dish Melissa Edmonds, STEP Head Start, Williamsport (Lycoming County): Zucchini Cheddar Corn Biscuits Runner Up for Side Dish (Tied) Maryann Combs, The New Love Center Cafe, Jersey Shore (Lycoming & Clinton County): Black Bean & Chickpea Puree Runner Up for Side Dish (Tied) Amy Dettinger, Lifepath Christian Ministries, York (York County): Black Bean & Tomato Salsa Best Main Entree Lori Shienvold, HANNAs Pantry/HANNA Foundation, Harrisburg (Dauphin County): Crustless Zucchini Quiche Runner Up for Main Entree Darlene Colon & Captain Michael Buzzard, Lancaster Salvation Army, Lancaster (Lancaster County): Spaghetti Squash Burrito Bowls Best Dessert Amy Dettinger, Lifepath Christian Ministries, York (York County): Butternut Squash chocolate Mug Cake Runner Up for Dessert Bonnie Strayer, Bedford Food Outreach, Bedford (Bedford County): Zucchini Squash Cake Access these and more recipes by clicking here! The Chopped Competition is always a fun event bringing together many of our partner agencies and allowing them to share resources with each other, including recipes they can share with the people they serve, said Joe Arthur, executive director of the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank. Our partners share their winning recipes with their clients and teach them how to use the food they receive in their weekly distributions. We believe everyone deserves access to good, nutritious food, and it is a joy to help folks learn how to deliciously prepare it. We congratulate our winners and are happy to have been able to continue this event virtually this year. The Central Pennsylvania Food Bank, with locations in Harrisburg and Williamsport, helps to sustain its mission of feeding neighbors in need at the local level by sharing its resources with its 1,000 partner agencies and programs across its 27-county service territory. In 2020, the Food Bank awarded hundreds of thousands of dollars in direct Bold Goal Grants to supply, support, and sustain many of these partners. These grants allowed partners to improve their capacity, provide more refrigerator and freezer space, expand their selection of food items, and set up safe no touch distribution methods. During the pandemic the Food Bank waived the usual modest cost sharing for nearly 400,000 Crisis Response Boxes of healthy, shelf-stable food and delivered more than 30 million pounds of fresh fruits, vegetables, dairy, and protein, much of which was available at no cost to partners from USDA commodities programs. He did a bunch of comedy to our alligators, which was really funny because they just kind of got up and started walking away in the middle of it, Boan said with a chuckle. Then he would be like, Oh, I guess he didnt like that joke. Well, Ill come back next week. Hes such a smart, quick-witted comedian, so it was really great to be able to spend that time with him. Bloomsburg, Pa. - A Kentucky man will face three active cases in the Court of Common Pleas in Columbia County after officers said he shot a BB gun into a home, broke into another, and violated a Protection from Abuse order in Bloomsburg. David Nelson Auge, 29, was charged with first-degree terroristic threats with intent to terrorize another and first-degree stalking. Both misdemeanors. He was also charged with two summary offenses. In a separate case against Auge, he is charged with a third-degree felony of endangering the welfare of children. In a third case, Auge is charged with first-degree felony burglary, third-degree felony criminal trespassing, and second-degree misdemeanor theft. Auge is being held on $60,000 monetary bail at the Columbia County Prison. According to court records, he is awaiting a preliminary hearing scheduled for 3:15 p.m. with the honorable Judge Russell Lawton on May 26. In an incident that occurred a little before 10 a.m. in the morning on May 3, Auge is accused of shooting a BB gun into a home in Columbia County. Authorities said at the time of the incident there were two young children present in the home. One person at the home admitted to officers she had been shot in the arm. Auge arrived at the home and told the resident he was packing and showed them the gun, according to officers. The resident told officers she repeatedly tried to get Auge to leave, but he refused. According to the report, Auge kicked a hole in a door and grabbed the person by the arms. Authorities said he also punched another resident in the face and threw a brick through the windshield of their car. Damages were estimated at $254.38. The owner of the vehicle called police, but Auge fled before they arrived. Another incident occurred five hours later when a resident of the home noticed belongings missing. The caller told officers she believed Auge was in the apartment next door. Officers said they searched the apartment, which was vacant, and discovered Auges belongings along with clothes, fog lights from a vehicle, a backpack, and various other items that belonged to the caller. According to the report, witnesses said they saw Auge run across the street near the Unity Food Mart at 7th and East Streets in Bloomsburg. Berwick, Pa. The Pennsylvania SPCA, working with the Briar Creek Police Department, intervened at a residence in Berwick, removing 188 animals this week. Philip Malencore, who has a home address listed as 163 Kachinka Road in Berwick, was warned about the locations conditions in 2017. According to a release from the SPCA along with information from a sworn affidavit, Malencore appeared not to have heeded the warnings. This week, he Malencore was charged with 353 counts of animal cruelty after police and SPCA officers raided his residence to rescue the animals. Malencore, who authorities said was warned about animal neglect and cruelty in 2017, was charged with one court of third-degree felony aggravated cruelty to animalstorture and 10 counts of third-degree felony aggravated cruelty to animalscausing SBI or death. Malencore was also charged with three counts of third-degree neglect of animals and one count of third-degree misdemeanor neglect of animalsvet care. Malencore was charged with 139 counts of the summary offense of neglect of animals and 191 counts of the summary offense of neglect of animalsvet care. Malencore was released on $100,000 unsecured bail and refused to release the animals. According to the complaint, after repeated failed attempts to reach Malencore, contact was made with authorities as they were at the residence. Officers said during their discussion with Malencore, he stated he sold the pigeons for $8 and the doves for $20. Malencore refused to surrender any of the animals besides one ill white male rabbit. Malencore told authorities the donkey on the property was used to protect the sheep. The felony charge of torture is a direct of Malencores treatment of the donkey, according to authorities. The donkey, identified as Doodlebob, was observed to have overgrown hooves that caused prolonged pain and suffering. According to the report, a forensic examination of the donkey showed navicular changes in the boney structures of the legs due to the direct neglect of routine farrier care. The examination showed Doodlebob experienced great pain and suffering as a result of this neglect, according to authorities. Malencore was charged with seven felony counts directly stemming from the condition of the seven sheep found on the property. The report shows Malencore failed to provide sustenance to three adult sheep that were underweight causing bodily injury or placing the sheep at risk for serious bodily injury. According to the report, Malencores neglection of further animals resulted in low egg counts and body condition scores of two or less out of five. Malencore was charged with a third-degree felony for his alleged failure to care for a mini horse identified as Mystery. The horse was underweight with severe malocclusion and dental abnormalities. Mystery will require routine dental care every six months for the remainder of its life. Malencore was also charged with three summary offenses stemming from his care of two dogs and a rabbit. According to the report, authorities said both dogs were covered in ticks and tested positive for Lyme disease. They also tested positive for whipworms. The rabbit was observed standing abnormally with a splayed appearance and an increased respiratory effort that required medical intervention. Malencore is scheduled to appear for a preliminary hearing on May 24 with the honorable Judge Richard Knecht. Malencore is currently out on bail. Docket Sheet Rome, GA (30161) Today Thunderstorms likely this evening. Then a chance of scattered thunderstorms overnight. Low near 70F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Thunderstorms likely this evening. Then a chance of scattered thunderstorms overnight. Low near 70F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%. Local Giving back: Prison crews build railroad-inspired picnic tables for Lindale train platform Contributed The new picnic tables, built by Floyd County Prison inmates, are located at the Lindale Train Viewing Platform on Park Avenue. Floyd County Prison inmates were able to showcase their hard work and skills through the new picnic tables and benches recently installed at the Lindale Train Viewing Platform. Besides providing work crews throughout the county, inmates can also learn to hone skills at the prison, including welding, sawmill work and carpentry. Warden Mike Long was recently approached by Floyd County Public Works Director Michael Skeen about building some benches for the old train depot on Park Avenue in Lindale. After pulling up pictures of railroad trestles, Long talked to the welding shop inmates about using railroads as a theme for the tables. We bought material from Coosa Steel and our guys at the shop welded it as an inmate project, Long said. The trees that were recently taken down at Ridge Ferry Park were run through the prisons sawmill and turned into the table tops for the project. We built one initially as a design concept and put it out there to see what people thought and we got a lot of positive feedback, the warden said. This isnt the first project the Floyd County Prison inmates have worked on for the county. They actually helped build the platform itself a couple years ago, and built doghouses for Public Animal Welfare Services to auction off. Everything the prison builds is donated, whether it goes to the city, county or a local nonprofit, such as Elevation House or the Boy Scout troops. Long said the workshops serve as a major stepping stone for inmates. As they hone their skills, they can move on to the work release center and eventually use those skills upon their release. What were trying to do, holistically, is to help inmates get ready to step back out into the community and have a successful re-entry, Long said. Not just how to get a job, but to also retain it. If we are successful with treating these social issues on the front end, my budget will then peel off on resources that were normally devoted to the tail end, meaning incarcerations [and] arrest rates, he said. ... If we can get people healthy and clean and no longer incarcerated, then I think that we ultimately do good for our citizens, we do good for the people that are on that journey, and then we ultimately balance out our budget by just reprioritizing where we spend and how we spend money. Methodist Hospitals honored exemplary employees during Hospital Week 21 for supporting the health and wellness of the community. The health care system with hospitals in Gary and Merrillville gave Humanitarian, Leader, Employee and Safety Star of the Year awards to recognize workers' dedication and compassionate care. These award winners truly demonstrate the 'One Methodist' spirit, and we thank them for their exceptional performance and dedication to our community," said Matthew Doyle, president and CEO of Methodist Hospitals. Mekeda Henderson, a cashier at food services, was named Humanitarian of the Year for excellent performance at work, a great impact on the lives of people in the community and making a difference in the world. Pharmacist Jacquelyn Ivankovic and Nurse Lyndsay Simpson were named co-Leaders of the Year based on peer feedback for embodying "the values, mission, vision and Model of Care and Conduct of Methodist Hospitals, including our I-Care Values of integrity, compassion, accountability, respect and excellence," according to a press release. Nurse Brittany Decrescenzo and Clinical Nurse Specialist Jill Sarbenoff were named co-Employers of the Year for outstanding contributions and exemplifying the Methodist Model of Care and Conduct. In 2019, Merriam-Webster updated its entry for "they" to include the nonbinary pronoun among its definitions. It also named "they" its word of the year. Here it is in an example sentence, from Merriam-Webster: "I knew certain things about ... the person I was interviewing.... They had adopted their gender-neutral name a few years ago, when they began to consciously identify as nonbinary that is, neither male nor female. They were in their late 20s, working as an event planner, applying to graduate school." Using "they" to refer to an individual isn't just a case of political correctness, either. Sakurai said they've been in spaces where this has been a practice for decades. "It might be something that people are now becoming more aware of in more mainstream, broader spaces, but it's not something that's a new conversation for trans people or even for some people in the LGBT community sometimes," Sakurai told CNN in 2019. I want to be respectful, but I'm not sure where to start Often, someone will outright tell you what pronouns they'd like for you to call them. If so, respect that. Unmask the children! one mother wrote on the Orange school districts Facebook page after it announced Monday that face masks would be required through the end of the school year. Good grief as educators you should know the importance of facial cues and responses. The children need to see smiles and hear you fully! Enough!! VALPARAISO A Crown Point firefighter/paramedic who has been placed on indefinite suspension pleaded not guilty to driving while intoxicated Thursday. Cory M. Neises, 40, of Crown Point, was arrested on the evening of Feb. 6 after allegedly striking a utility pole while drunk, police said. Neises is facing a level 6 felony of operating while intoxicated with prior conviction within seven years, as well as four misdemeanor charges, court records show. According to online court records, this is Neises' second operating while intoxicated offense since 2015. Neises told police he was the driver of the pickup truck that crashed into a NIPSCO pole on Feb. 6 and admitted "to drinking three to four 'beers' at a friend's house prior to the incident (crash)," records state. After snapping the pole in half, Neises drove across a street, through a ditch and a small field, before traveling across County Line Road onto 157th Avenue and again driving into a ditch and becoming stuck, police said. Neises failed three field sobriety tests, had bloodshot eyes and was swaying before he submitted to a chemical test on the scene, where it was determined he had a blood alcohol level of 0.155, records state. MICHIGAN CITY Two men were shot Thursday afternoon, one fatally, in a drive-by shooting in the 200 block of North Ridgeland Avenue, police said. The men were standing outside a residence shortly before 1:30 p.m. when an SUV drove by and someone inside began shooting, Michigan City police said. Both men, ages 23 and 21, were struck by gunfire before the vehicle fled the area, police said. The 21-year-old, identified by police as Tyrese Morris-Cross, was flown from a local hospital to Memorial Hospital in South Bend, where he later died from his injuries. The 23-year-old victim is in stable condition with non-life-threatening injuries, police said. Officers recovered multiple pieces of evidence from the scene and continue to interview witnesses, according to police. Police Chief Dion Campbell said, "I applaud the efforts of our department in investigating this homicide. Our supervisors and officers showed great leadership and poise during a senseless act that occurred in broad daylight." When officials still didn't start the meeting, Deanna Hegedus, whose child does not attend the district, came to the front of the room and began speaking in the microphone. It was quickly turned off, but she continued to speak. "It seems as though they don't want to proceed with the scheduled agenda, so we'll start with public comment," she said. She listed off "side effects of wearing a mask," the number of COVID-19 related deaths among children in Indiana, and held up printed out correspondence she had with the governor's office back in December where she asked for data backing up the state's mask mandate through a Freedom of Information Act request. When asked why she attended Thursday night's meeting despite not having kids in the district, she said she heard about it from other people and believes it is "all of our job to stand up for our children." Hegedus decided to homeschool for part of last year because she didn't want her child subjected to "this garbage." Police at Valpo school board meeting Police were called to a Valparaiso Community Schools board meeting after parents and community members showed up without masks. Around 6:45 p.m., district officials came back into the room with police present saying the meeting would be rescheduled. They asked everyone to leave the room. GARY Youth leaders within the city were encouraged to use their voices during a town hall meeting Thursday at City Hall. During the first "Our Voices Matter" Youth Town Hall, youth leaders were asked to share ideas and strategize on public safety, youth engagement, employment, programming and mental health, and economic development in Gary. Youth leaders also were asked to sign a pledge to help reimagine the city through their actions and by using their voice. "Your voice matters. This is not the day to be silent. ... This is the day to give voice to the concerns that you have; the issues that are when I say issues, I want to be clear, I'm not talking about the negativity. We've done that for years in the city of Gary," said event co-organizer McKenya Dilworth, who also is the director of The Morning Bishop Theatre Playhouse in Gary. "What we're talking about is presenting solutions because we're looking for you to be the future leaders. Right now, you're youth leaders." Dilworth said members of Gary's youth council, officials and two members from each Gary school gathered Thursday to hear what youths were willing to do to help the city. MERRILLVILLE After a year of being allowed to remain out of the pews because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Catholics across the Region will be welcomed back beginning June 11, the Diocese of Gary announced Friday. "With the decrease of COVID-19 cases in our state, a widespread availability of vaccines, and guidance of public health officials, Bishop Robert J. McClory of the Diocese of Gary, along with the other bishops of Indiana, agreed that Catholic churches can safely accommodate more parishioners for Masses and lift the dispensation which has been in effect for more than a year," the diocese said. "Effective June 11, the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, the general dispensation from the obligation to attend Mass is lifted throughout the state of Indiana," it was announced. McClory encouraged the laity to reach out to their parish with any questions about specific needs, concerns or safety protocols. "The celebration of the Eucharist at Mass is the source and summit of our life and mission as Catholics," McClory said. HAMMOND Five days after 12-year-old Kyrin Carter went missing, the Little Calumet River and Hammond hotel he was last seen leaving is lined with hundreds of shiny pink balloons. As Thursday came to a close, the sun set on another day of continued search efforts. Family members said pink was his favorite color, and they hope the balloons will draw him out where he can be spotted in the open. For fellow searchers, the balloons serve as a reminder that Kyrin remains in the minds of a community that hasnt given up hope. Seeing the balloons was touching to me, said Leanne Curtis, of Merrillville. I came out early one day and there was no one else out besides police and I was worried people had forgotten. Then I came back to see all of the balloons everywhere. It showed people are still caring. It gives me hope. Curtis is one of many people who have said that Kyrins story has weighed heavy on their minds since Saturday, when he went missing from the Best Western in Hammond. Hammond police are still focusing their efforts on the Little Calumet River, a portion of which borders the Best Western hotel where the 12-year-old boy was last seen. Test positivity, a measure of the number of people who take coronavirus tests that come back positive, was 4.9% in the region on Thursday. The World Health Organization goal is 5% or below to relax restrictions. Sibella said more than 4,000 people will be hired over the next three weeks to fill the resort's workforce of 5,500. Most already have offers, he said, and most are vaccinated against COVID-19 and won't have to wear masks. I want to commend you on all the work that youve done and the investment that youre putting into the state of Nevada and the Las Vegas economy right now, Commissioner Rosa Solis-Rainey said. I, too, look forward to seeing your diversity and inclusion efforts. Thats important to the community and to the state. Resorts World is on the site of the former Stardust, a longtime 32-story Las Vegas landmark that closed in 2006 and was imploded in 2007. The Stardust was the largest hotel in the world when it opened in 1958 with 1,500 rooms. Moran recalled his first jobs there as a restaurant worker and a lifeguard. The new red-colored, curved 59-story Resorts World will have three Hilton-branded hotels, including 236 upper-floor suites in its exclusive Crockfords gambling and hotel area. In addition to ending the extra payment, most of the same states are also withdrawing from programs that provide jobless aid to self-employed or gig workers and to people who have been unemployed for more than six months. Among them is Latricia Hampton, who worries that without the $300 weekly federal check, she will fall behind on her mobile phone and internet bills. Those smaller bills are what Im going to have to get rid of, said Hampton, 40, who lives in Gary, Indiana. That might not sound like much to some people, but thats another barrier to me finding work. Thats my kids who cant do schoolwork at home on the computer." Hampton had worked at a hair salon near Gary until last April, when it shut down because of the pandemic. Now, she spends hours a day applying for jobs on her phone but has yet to make it past the interview stage. She also has had trouble finding jobs that fit with her two young children's schedules, who are 4 and 8. "Its not like I can just go pick up a job at McDonalds, and thatll solve my problems, she said. I have two young kids. They need me, and when Im not there, they need to be cared for. Im a working-class single parent. We still need help in this pandemic, not pushed off the edge of a cliff and told to fly again. A giant panda cub born during the pandemic and so far only seen by the public on a virtual "Panda Cam" will greet visitors in person for the f Several of those individuals have never experienced any mental health concerns, which is alarming, Robinson said. The ages of individuals who have struggled have varied from young children to the elderly, she said. Those who have a history of a mental illness have been shown to have an exacerbation of symptoms, Robinson said. Erin Swinson, a licensed mental health counselor and national certified counselor with Clarity Clinic in Northwest Indiana, said her clinic has seen similar results, along with the return of many individuals who have sought treatment in the past. Not only have we seen an influx in new clients, we have also seen a pattern of past clients who havent been in our office in over a year coming back to therapy, she said. Depression can run on a continuum from mild to severe, Swinson said. Clinical depression is different from feeling down or sad, she said. Depression is a persistent feeling of sadness or hopelessness that lasts for at least two weeks. Other symptoms of depression include worthlessness, anger or irritability, disinterest in normal activities, sleep disturbances and the feeling of loneliness or isolation. An assortment of new lip products promises exactly that. Take, for example, Guccis Rouge de Beaute Brillant Glow & Care Shine Lipstick, introduced last month. Encased in a slender, vintage-look tube, it leaves a thin wash of color. (Like many of these products, the shades appear considerably more saturated in the package than on the lips.) The Tinted Lip Balm from Byredo, which came out earlier this month, is offered in three sheer, low-key options that suit many complexions. Hermes recently added Rosy Lip Enhancer to its makeup line, in three pink-based versions that deliver a soft, pretty hint of pigment. (Its pricey $67 per tube with luxe touches like the trademark Hermes orange box as part of its packaging.) Guerlains KissKiss Shine Bloom Lipstick, which was released in April, comes in 20 hues, most of which are quite neutral; one, My Kiss Glow, is a pale pink that adapts to the pH of each wearers lips to create a natural-looking tone. Illamasquas new Hydra Lip Tints also offer a subtle slick of color. They look a bit edgy in the tube but blend into a quiet veil of plum, mauve or pink. Theres no fuss, and theres no major transformation that you have to think about, said Gucci Westman, the makeup artist and co-founder of Westman Atelier. Its just like, I want to enhance myself. In April, her company released Squeaky Clean Lip Balm in muted, transparent shades of beige, pink and red; later this month will come the Lip Suede compact in Les Nudes, with four emollient colors that can be smudged together and applied with a brush or simply a finger. Ms. Westman said her goal was to create a civilian level of approachability and achievability. Like most other products of this sort, theyre easy to apply, even for mere mortals. Some, like her Lip Suede colors, work on cheeks as well. Ilias Balmy Tint Hydrating Lip Balm, which comes out next month, can be put on without a mirror, according to Sasha Plavsic, the Ilia founder. This article is part of our latest special report on Museums, which focuses on reopening, reinvention and resilience. The artist Jesse Krimes had a unique way of adapting during his nearly yearlong stint in solitary confinement. I didnt have access to any materials, so I ended up using my local newspaper, pieces of prison-issued soap and playing cards sold in the commissary, he recalled. He cut out mug shots and photos of well-known people from the paper, and transferred them onto the damp surface of slivers of soap with the help of wet toilet paper. Then he cut out the faces of the kings, queens and jacks from decks of playing cards, replacing them with the 292 soap portraits, and mailed them undetected to a friend outside prison. The husband of the mayor of Rochester, N.Y., was arrested on Wednesday after the police said they discovered drugs and guns in searches of his car and home, the latest crisis for the mayor in a year continually whipsawed by scandal. Mayor Lovely Warrens husband, Timothy Granison, 42, was accused of being part of a midlevel cocaine trafficking ring and charged on Thursday with drug and gun possession in what prosecutors said was the culmination of a seven-month-long investigation. Six other people were charged in connection to the case, and additional charges are expected, according to the Monroe County district attorney. Ms. Warren was not charged with a crime, and prosecutors have not suggested she was a target of the investigation. A lawyer for Mr. Granison said Ms. Warren had no involvement with anything of which he is accused. The resistance reflected the lingering anger among Democrats in Congress, particularly lawmakers of color, about the contrast between the law enforcement response to the Capitol rioters a mostly white group and high-profile episodes of excessive use of force against Black Americans by police officers around the country. The attack on the Capitol was one of the most violent in American history. Nearly 140 police officers were injured, and at least five people died in connection with the riot. The bill would provide more than $520 million to reimburse the National Guard, which has supplied thousands of troops to patrol the newly fortified Capitol; $250 million to create retractable fencing and other security features; $200 million to create a quick reaction force in the National Guard to respond to future emergencies; $160 million to harden windows and doors; more than $175 million to protect federal judges and courts; and nearly $40 million to fund the prosecution of people accused of storming the Capitol. It includes smaller pots of money to equip Capitol Police officers with body cameras and bolster its intelligence division, and increases protection of lawmakers as they travel the country. Like many of us in the Capitol community, I am still shaken by the violence and terror of that day and the tragedies in its aftermath, Representative Rosa DeLauro, Democrat of Connecticut and chairwoman of the House Appropriations Committee, who said the Capitol Police were in dire need of better equipment. The bill would also rename the Capitol Police wellness center after Officer Howard Liebengood, who died by suicide in the aftermath of the attack. Many of the proposals, which have been endorsed by the Capitol Police, were recommended by a panel led by Russel L. Honore, a retired Army lieutenant general appointed by Speaker Nancy Pelosi to investigate Capitol security after the riot. In a statement on Thursday, Philip Esbenshade, executive assistant district attorney with the Kings County District Attorneys Office, said that the office was considering its options. It is the opinion of our office that sufficient evidence was presented at the preliminary hearing to hold Ms. Becker to answer for trial, he wrote in an email. The judge who presided over that preliminary examination, upon hearing that evidence and considering arguments from both sides, did find such sufficient evidence existed. Judge Burns, the judge who dismissed the case this morning, apparently disagrees with that finding. Ms. Becker, who lives in Hanford, Calif., near Fresno, was 26 years old and eight and a half months pregnant when she delivered a stillborn baby in September 2019. That November, when she was arrested and charged with murder, the Hanford Police Department said in a statement that the Kings County coroners office had ruled the fetuss death a homicide because of toxic levels of methamphetamine in the fetuss system. Ms. Becker further admitted to law enforcement she used methamphetamine while she was most recently pregnant as late as three days prior to giving birth to the stillborn fetus, the department added. Ms. Beckers lawyers argued that there was no scientific basis for saying that the stillbirth had been caused by methamphetamine. There is no medical knowledge that the drug would have that effect, Lynn M. Paltrow, the executive director for the National Advocates for Pregnant Women, which provided legal counsel to Ms. Becker, said in an interview Thursday night. All three officers, who were members of the Jackson Police Department, were charged in an indictment with pulling Mr. Robinson from his car, throwing him headfirst onto the pavement and then striking and kicking him multiple times on the head and the chest. Mr. Owens said an autopsy report had found that Mr. Robinson died of blunt-force trauma to the head, and an independent medical examiners report had indicated that the cause of death was homicide. Mr. Owens said 12 witnesses had testified in the trial, and three of them said that officers had body-slammed Mr. Robinson. He said he was surprised and disappointed that the case had been dismissed. We disagree with the courts ruling and are of the opinion that the jury should have been allowed the opportunity to determine the defendants fate, Mr. Owens said in a statement. We pray for George Robinson and his family that they can reach some kind of peace. Francis Springer, Officer Lampleys lawyer, said the injuries to Mr. Robinson did not support the allegation that he had been body-slammed. He said his client was relieved that the charges had been dropped. He never lost faith that this would be the outcome, but he was glad when it got there, Mr. Springer said. Michael Cory, who represented Officer Barney, said he was not surprised that the judge had ended the trial before the defense had presented its first witness. Within hours of the Supreme Court accepting a case that could lead it to overturn or scale back a landmark abortion rights ruling, Senator Michael Bennet, a Colorado Democrat facing re-election next year, issued a dire warning to supporters: The fate of Roe v Wade is on the line. We cannot move backwards, Mr. Bennet said in a campaign statement. Colorado was a leader in legalizing abortion six years before Roe v Wade. I will always fight for reproductive justice and to ensure everyone has safe and legal access to the health care they need. His declaration was among the first in a quickly intensifying clash over abortion, long a defining issue to many voters but one likely to gain additional prominence as the court weighs the possibility of rolling back the constitutional protections it provided to abortion rights in Roe 48 years ago. Motivated in part by a belief that the Supreme Court will give them new latitude to restrict access, Republican-dominated states continue to adopt strict new legislation, with Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas signing into law on Wednesday a prohibition on abortions after as early as six weeks. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken on Thursday confirmed that the United States was no longer interested in buying Greenland, scuttling for good a quixotic 2019 proposal by the Trump administration to annex the self-governing Danish territory. I can confirm thats correct, Mr. Blinken said during an appearance in Greenland with Danish officials and the premier of Greenland, Mute Egede, in response to a reporter who asked him to definitively say that the United States does not seek to buy Greenland. Earlier in the day, the secretary of state toured the territory and met privately with the premier to discuss bilateral trade and investment. Mr. Blinkens brief remarks closed the book on a bizarre episode in U.S. foreign policy. The Wall Street Journal had first reported in August 2019 that President Donald J. Trump had repeatedly asked aides to pursue a purchase of Greenland, in part to exploit the territorys abundant natural resources. Mr. Trumps advisers were highly skeptical of the idea, but agreed to investigate the matter. News of Mr. Trumps interest in annexing Greenland quickly became the butt of jokes online, while receiving a cold reception both from residents of the semiautonomous territory and among Danish leadership, who took umbrage at the then-presidents suggestion that the territory could be bought as, essentially, a large real estate deal. SAN ANTONIO A Texas man convicted of killing an older relative 22 years ago was put to death on Wednesday evening in Huntsville, Texas, as a spiritual adviser assigned to him and a witness from the public looked on. Absent were two journalists who had been scheduled to attend the execution but whom prison officials said they had accidentally failed to summon. The reporters, from The Associated Press and The Huntsville Item, a local outlet, were waiting at an office across the street as the man, Quintin Jones, was executed by lethal injection. Mr. Jones, 41, whose case had garnered national attention as his family pleaded for clemency, was the 571st person to be executed in Texas and the first in the state in nearly a year. He was convicted of the 1999 murder of his great-aunt Berthena Bryant. Supporters of Mr. Jones expressed grief that clemency efforts had failed. Critics of the death penalty and civil liberty groups also denounced the fact that media outlets had not been granted access. Reporters traditionally cover executions to provide accountability to the public about the process; they have sometimes brought details of problems to light, including a faulty lethal injection in Oklahoma in 2014. The federal authorities have confiscated 69 big cats from an Oklahoma animal park run by Jeffrey Lowe, the man who took control of an exotic-animal complex at the center of the popular Netflix documentary Tiger King, the Justice Department announced on Thursday. Prosecutors said in a 52-page affidavit that they believed a jaguar, seven lions, 46 tigers and 15 lion-tiger hybrids owned by Mr. Lowe and his wife, Lauren Lowe, had been sold, purchased or transported a violation of the Endangered Species Act that protects the animals and makes them subject to seizure. The affidavit stated that the animals, kept at Tiger King Park in Thackerville, Okla., had been harmed and harassed. This seizure should send a clear message that the Justice Department takes alleged harm to captive-bred animals protected under the Endangered Species Act very seriously, said Jean E. Williams, the acting assistant attorney in the Justice Departments Environment and Natural Resources Division. The Lowes are the latest figures from the documentary, about feuding exotic-animal owners and animal-rights activists, to face accusations of wrongdoing by the government. Though the date has been recognized in other parts of the state in the past, this was the first time in recent memory that it had been celebrated in Orlando. The acknowledgement in Orlando was part of a campaign led by the Orange County Florida Branch of the NAACP, said Tiffany Hughes, president of the local chapter of the civil rights group. Germanys foreign minister called for a cease-fire between Hamas and Israel on Thursday and pledged his countrys support for Israels right to defend itself against what he called massive and unacceptable attacks from Hamas, the militant group that controls the Gaza Strip. The fact that we see that Hamas has already fired rockets in the south of Israel since we arrived is an indication for us of how serious the situation in which the people of Israel find themselves is, said the minister, Heiko Maas, during a brief visit to the region to speak with Israeli and Palestinian leaders. He met with his Israeli counterpart, Gabi Ashkenazi, at the airport in Tel Aviv shortly after his arrival. The number of victims is raising daily. That is very concerning and the reason we are supporting international efforts to reach a cease-fire, Mr. Maas said, adding that his diplomatic efforts were supported by Egypt, Jordan, Qatar and the United States. A statement from Mr. Netanyahus office cautioned that it is the reality on the ground that will determine the future of the operation. Hamas, in a statement by the spokesman Taher al-Nono, said that The Palestinian resistance will abide by this agreement as long as the occupation abides by it. The mini-war was the worst in Gaza since a 2014 battle that lasted seven weeks, included an Israeli ground invasion and killed about 2,200 people, mostly Palestinians. But its rapid escalation and high civilian toll more than 60 children were killed shocked the world. It quickly became a fight that galvanized Palestinians in the occupied territories and elsewhere, set off explosions of ethnic violence in Israeli towns and cities, divided Jews around the world, fed anti-Semitism in Europe and tested President Biden, who faced pressure to both stand by Israel and press it to end the fighting. In an address from the White House on Thursday, Mr. Biden lamented the tragic deaths of so many civilians, including children, and lauded Israeli and Egyptian officials. Noting that he had spoken with Mr. Netanyahu six times during the crisis, he said, I commend him for the decision to bring the current hostilities to a close in less than 11 days. He vowed to marshal international resource to rebuild Gaza, adding, we will do this in full partnership with the Palestinian Authority not Hamas, the Authority in a manner that does not permit Hamas to restock its arsenal. Israel and Hamas Begin Cease-Fire in Gaza Conflict The truce came into effect on Friday morning in the Middle East, after days of fighting that claimed hundreds of lives. Follow our live coverage of the Gaza conflict. A fragile peace takes hold after an intense diplomatic effort. Video Celebrations broke out in Gaza after Israel and Hamas agreed to a cease-fire on Thursday. The truce comes after more than 10 days of fighting that has taken hundreds of lives. Credit Credit... Photo by Samar Abu Elouf for The New York Times The sirens across southern Israel were silent on Friday, and the thunder of bombs bursting in Gaza City was replaced by sounds of celebratory gunfire as a fragile cease-fire between Israel and Hamas went into force, bringing an end to more than 10 days of fighting that claimed more than 200 lives. The truce, mediated by Egypt, began at 2 a.m. in Israel as people on either side of the divide watched nervously to see whether it would hold. As morning dawned with no reported violations of the truce, both sides were beginning to take stock of the deadliest Israeli-Palestinian fighting in seven years. A small skirmish was reported outside the Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem on Friday afternoon between Palestinians and the Israeli police, but they appeared limited in scope. However, tensions remained high, and past cease-fires between Israel and Hamas have proved fragile, so both sides were watching developments nervously. Hamas and Israel have been engaged in some form of conflict since the Palestinian group was founded in the 1980s. This particular round of military action began as Hamas fired a barrage of rockets at Jerusalem in response to several police raids on the Aqsa Mosque, one of the holiest sites in Islam, and the planned evictions of several Palestinian families from their homes in the city. Even with the pause in fighting, the underlying causes of the conflict remain: the dispute over land rights in Jerusalem and the West Bank, religious tensions in the Old City of Jerusalem and the absence of a peace process to resolve the conflict. Gaza remains under a punishing blockade by Israel and Egypt. Image A building in Zikim, Israel, that was hit by a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip this week. Credit... Amir Levy/Getty Images But the immediate concern for world leaders was the rapidly escalating humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the growing death toll which included dozens of Palestinian children. President Biden spoke to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel six times in recent days turning increasingly blunt as the crisis stretched on. He warned the Israeli leader that he could not withstand mounting international criticism of the Gaza strikes for long. The presidents advisers said he believed he could quietly push Mr. Netanyahu, whom he has known for 40 years, to bring an end to the violence. And in the hours before the cease-fire announcement, Mr. Biden also held a call with President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi of Egypt to discuss the possibility of brokering a deal. After the agreement was announced, Mr. Biden offered praised what he described as a mutual, unconditional cease-fire. I believe the Palestinians and Israelis equally deserve to live safely and securely, Mr. Biden said in brief remarks delivered at the White House, and to enjoy equal measures of freedom, prosperity and democracy. Diplomats from Egypt, Qatar and the United Nations worked intensively to broker the deal between Hamas and Israel, which do not talk to each other directly. The final details were hammered out late Thursday, and Mr. Netanyahus office security cabinet voted unanimously to accept the Egyptian proposal. Around the same time, Hamas officials confirmed that they, too, had accepted. Each side cautioned that its compliance could depend on the others actions. Patrick Kingsley, Katie Rogers and Cease-fires can be fragile, and short-lived, with underlying disputes unresolved. Children leaving a shelter in Ashkelon, Israel, on Friday. Credit... Ronen Zvulun/Reuters Cease-fire agreements are precarious things, diplomats and Middle East experts cautioned, even as the deal between Hamas and Israel held in place on Friday. After announcing the agreement on Thursday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus office warned that the reality on the ground will determine the continuation of the campaign. Similarly, a Hamas spokesman, Taher al-Nono, said on Thursday, the Palestinian resistance will abide by this agreement as long as the occupation abides by it. No immediate violations were reported after the cease-fire began officially at 2 a.m. local time Friday. Past deals between Israel and Hamas, which has ruled Gaza since 2007, have often fallen apart. But the agreements can offer periods of calm to allow time for negotiating a longer-term deal. They also give civilians a chance to regroup and allow displaced people to return to their homes. Previous cease-fires have usually gone in stages, beginning with an agreement that Israel and Hamas will stop attacking each other, a dynamic that Israelis call quiet for quiet. That means Hamas halting rocket attacks into Israel and Israel ceasing bombardment of Gaza. Pauses in the fighting are usually followed by other steps: Israel easing its blockade of Gaza to allow humanitarian relief, fuel and other goods to enter; Hamas reining in protesters and allied militant groups that attack Israel; and both sides exchanging prisoners or those killed in action. But bigger challenges such as a more thorough rehabilitation of Gaza and improving relations between Israel, Hamas and Fatah, the Palestinian party that controls the West Bank have remained elusive over the past several rounds of violence. There is rebuilding after every cycle of violence, usually with aid from the United Nations, the European Union and Qatar, but without a permanent peace, reconstruction is always risky. Despite the devastating toll on Palestinian civilians and the extensive damage to homes, schools and medical facilities in Gaza, the current conflict has been more limited than the wars Israel and Hamas waged in 2008 and 2014, when Israeli troops entered Gaza. In July 2014, six days after the Israeli Army began bombarding Gaza, Egypt proposed a cease-fire that Israel agreed to. But Hamas said that it addressed none of its demands, and the cycle of rocket attacks and Israeli airstrikes resumed after less than 24 hours. Egypt announced another cease-fire two days later, but Israel then sent in tanks and ground troops and began firing into Gaza from the sea, saying that its aim was to destroy tunnels that Hamas uses to carry out attacks. Over the next several weeks, Israeli forces periodically halted their attacks to allow humanitarian aid, but the fighting continued. In all, nine pauses in fighting came and went before the 2014 conflict ended, after 51 days, with more than 2,000 Palestinians and more than 70 Israelis killed. Ronen Bergman and Advertisement Continue reading the main story Hamas supporters in Gaza and West Bank celebrate victory. Palestinians took to the streets and celebrated in Gaza after the cease-fire was announced. Credit... Hosam Salem for The New York Times As the cease-fire between Israel and Hamas took effect at 2 a.m. local time on Friday, thousands of Palestinians gathered in the streets of Gaza City to celebrate what Hamas supporters were calling a defeat of the Israeli forces. With the skies free from the threat of Israeli bombardment for the first time since May 10, loudspeakers at mosques blared God is great, a chant more often heard during holidays such as Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Voices on speakers called on people to come out to celebrate the victory, while some Hamas supporters passed out sweets and others toted weapons on their shoulders, occasionally firing into the air. I feel we won, said Ibrahim Hamdan, 26, adding that barrages of rocket attacks by Hamas had forced Israel to accept the cease-fire. Its the first time that the resistance has hurt the enemy, he said. Ibrahim al Najjar, a 26-year-old who joined the rally with two friends, said Hamas had achieved a milestone when its rockets reached Tel Aviv, the bustling Israeli coastal city that for the first time last week found itself in the militants firing line, with Israeli beachgoers forced to scurry to safety. Its the most luxurious victory, because at least we struck Tel Aviv, Mr. al Najjar said. I wasnt as happy on my wedding day as I was when they hit Tel Aviv. Some Hamas supporters chanted, We are Mohammed Deifs men, referring to the Hamas military commander whom Israeli officials said they had been trying to kill, so far without apparent success. But the celebratory mood belied the devastation in Gaza, where Israeli airstrikes killed more than 200 Palestinians, destroyed buildings, left huge swaths of the territory without electricity or water, and forced tens of thousands to flee their homes. Some in the crowd questioned what the conflict had accomplished. A jubilant mood on Friday was also apparent in the West Bank, where hundreds participated in marches in several cities to celebrate what Hamas supporters call the victory of the resistance. In southern city of Hebron, many marchers held up green Hamas flags a rare site in the West Bank, where Israel and the Palestinian Authority have forcefully cracked down on Hamas and often do not tolerate public showings of support for the militant group. In Gaza, Ramadan Smama came out not to celebrate, he said, but to take in the destruction. The 53-year-old said that he admired the growing capabilities of Hamass arsenal of rockets, but that it was too soon to tell whether the fighting would improve life for the two million people of Gaza. I dont see achievements, he said, but I hope there will be achievements. Iyad Abuheweila and International pressure for a cease-fire had been growing. Amna Hadayed standing next to an unexploded Israeli bomb that fell inside her daughters home on Thursday in Khan Younis, southern Gaza. Credit... Samar Abu Elouf for The New York Times As the humanitarian situation for the two million people living in the Gaza Strip grew more dire by the day, international pressure mounted to find a way to persuade Israel and Hamas to end a cycle of violence in which civilians are bearing a heavy cost. President Biden spoke with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel on Wednesday, telling the Israeli leader that he expected a significant de-escalation today on the path to a cease-fire, administration officials said. On Thursday, Mr. Biden spoke with President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi of Egypt, whose nation has acted as an intermediary in the negotiations as neither the United States nor Israel deal directly with Hamas. And at a special meeting of the United Nations General Assembly, Secretary General Antonio Guterres called for a halt to the bloodshed and destruction. The fighting must stop immediately, he said. I appeal to all parties to cease hostilities, now and I reiterate my call on all sides for an immediate cease-fire. Video transcript Back bars 0:00 / 0:51 - 0:00 transcript U.N. Secretary General Calls For Israel-Hamas Cease-Fire At a special meeting of the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday, Secretary General Antonio Guterres called for a halt to the fighting between Israel and Hamas. He cited more than 200 Palestinian deaths, including 60 children, since the conflict started. The past 10 days have witnessed a dangerous and horrific surge in deadly violence in the occupied Palestinian territory, particularly Gaza, and in Israel. I am deeply shocked by the continued air and artillery bombardment by the Israeli Defense forces in Gaza. As of 19 May, these have claimed the lives of at least 208 Palestinians, including 60 children, and injured thousands more. The fighting must stop immediately. I appeal to all parties to cease hostilities now, and I reiterate my call on all sides for an immediate cease-fire. The hostilities have caused serious damage to vital civilian infrastructure in Gaza, including roads and electricity lines contributing to a humanitarian emergency. At a special meeting of the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday, Secretary General Antonio Guterres called for a halt to the fighting between Israel and Hamas. He cited more than 200 Palestinian deaths, including 60 children, since the conflict started. Germanys foreign minister, Heiko Maas, met with Mr. Netanyahu on Thursday and also pressed for peace. Since the start of the conflict 11 days ago, Israeli airstrikes have killed more than 200 Palestinians, including over 60 children, according to the Gaza health ministry. The Israeli military said that more than 130 of those killed were combatants. Hamas rocket attacks have killed more than a dozen people in Israel, including two children, according to the Israeli authorities. Hamas has launched more than 4,000 rockets at southern Israel the vast majority shot down by Israeli defenses, falling short of their targets or landing in unpopulated areas. That steady onslaught appeared to slow overnight, with Israeli military officials recording 70 rockets between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m. Israel has targeted around 1,000 sites in Gaza that it claims hold significant military value, according to Israeli military officials. However, the campaign has also caused widespread destruction of homes and critical infrastructure, displacing tens of thousands from their homes and causing dire shortages of water and medical supplies. While the pace of the air assault eased overnight, Israeli warplanes launched several airstrikes before dawn, sending fiery explosions and huge plumes of smoke into the night. The continued fighting highlighted how fraught the final hours before any cease-fire deal can be with the risk of miscalculations high and last-minute attempts to strike a blow derailing diplomatic efforts. Ronen Bergman, Marc Santora and On the ground: Visiting a mixed Arab-Jewish city recently rocked by mob violence. An Israeli Arab woman and her daughter walking past the wreckage of a car in Lod, Israel, on Wednesday. Credit... Dan Balilty for The New York Times The mob violence between Jews and Arabs has been among the most disturbing developments of the latest Israel-Gaza conflict, prompting President Reuven Rivlin of Israel to warn of the perils of civil war. This week, The Timess Jerusalem correspondent Isabel Kershner visited the Israeli city of Lod, a few miles south of Tel Aviv, as the conflict continued into its 11th day. A veneer of calm has been restored to Lod, a mixed Arab-Jewish town of 80,000. It was a stark contrast to the scene just over a week ago. At that time, some 40 Orthodox Jewish families fled their homes as angry mobs rampaged in the streets. Many needed police protection when they fled and rioters set fire to cars, apartments, synagogues and even a religious school during three nights of unrest. About 30 families had returned by Wednesday. Some Arab families from the same neighborhood were also forced to flee after dozens of right-wing Jewish vigilantes from outside the city, including armed West Bank settlers, came into town and attacked Arab property. Witnesses in the city said they had heard gunshots from both sides. Even with calm mostly restored and most of the burned-out cars and trucks removed, the air is still filled with a faint acrid smell lingering from the arson attacks. The city, which had an uneasy and fragile coexistence even before the latest conflict, remained under a state of emergency as hundreds of Border Police officers patrolled areas of friction. A Jewish resident who was critically injured when Arab protesters threw a heavy rock at him from a bridge died of his wounds and was buried on Tuesday. Another Jewish resident who was stabbed and severely wounded a week ago remained in hospital. Similar scenes of violence played out in other mixed cities and Arab towns, including Acre and Haifa, long proud of their relations with their neighbors. Jews beat a driver who was presumed to be Arab almost to death in a Tel Aviv suburb. I believe we can get back to where we were before, said Avi Rokach, a leader of the religious community in Lod. But it might take some time. Rami Salama, an Arab resident of a mixed Lod neighborhood that was worst hit by the violence, said, I only want peace and love here, really. But he said he feared that peace might prove elusive as people seek vengeance for the violence and blood demands more blood. Advertisement Continue reading the main story In pictures: Scenes of conflict and destruction. Northern Gaza Strip Hosam Salem for The New York Times Khan Yunis, Gaza Strip Samar Abu Elouf for The New York Times Ashkelon, Israel Dan Balilty for The New York Times Northern Gaza Strip Hosam Salem for The New York Times Israel-Gaza border Jack Guez/Agence France-Presse Getty Images Gaza City Hosam Salem for The New York Times Petah Tikva, Israel Nir Elias/Reuters slide 1 slide 2 slide 3 slide 4 slide 5 slide 6 slide 7 These images capture some of the destruction and loss in 11 days of conflict between Israel and Hamas. On the ground: What Israelis said about the latest eruption of violence. Running for shelter in Tel Aviv last week as Hamas fired rockets from Gaza. Credit... Dan Balilty for The New York Times Tel Aviv has long rejoiced in its reputation as a secular, largely liberal city, where drag queens, women in head scarves, and men in skullcaps walk the same streets and the tumult of Israeli politics can be easily set aside in favor of an oversized beachside margarita. But in recent days the strife between Israel and Hamas has laid bare the fragility of the citys bubble. A barrage of thousands of rockets has frayed nerves, even in a place conditioned by decades of war and protected by Israels Iron Dome antimissile system. New York Times correspondents across Israel, including Tel Aviv, its commercial center, spoke to Israelis of various ages on Thursday to take the temperature on the ground. My personal feeling is that this operation is justified, said Jonathan Navon, 25, an engineering student from Tel Aviv. I can say that as a civilian living in Tel Aviv who spent three consecutive days in shelters, we really feel attacked by a terror organization. Mr. Navons sentiment echoed that of many Israelis who have been posting on social media about the fright of hearing the sound of missiles and antimissile defenses exploding as well as the terror of calculating the time it would take to get to a shelter. Although the streets are less crowded than usual, Tel Aviv residents said they were trying to maintain a veneer of normalcy, including going to work. But there is an edginess in the air. Beyond the visceral fear of incoming rockets, the conflict can be polarizing when it comes to apportioning blame. Some Israelis have criticized Israels Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for fanning the recent tensions in Jerusalem among the police, right-wing Israelis and Palestinian protesters that boiled over into conflict. But Israelis on both the left and right said they supported the governments goal of disabling Hamas. The conflict has spurred an international backlash against Israel, with condemnation by political leaders and pro-Palestinian protesters taking to the streets in Paris, London, Montreal and elsewhere, and castigating Israel for killing civilians, including more than 60 children. Mr. Navon said he was frustrated by efforts to try to prosecute Israel on social media. These attempts to simplify and flatten this entire conflict to one or two sentences on a story in Instagram is a mistake, misses the point and mainly deceives people, he said. Amir Efrimi, 54, a designer from Tzur Hadassah, a town southwest of Jerusalem, blamed Mr. Netanyahu for aggravating tensions in Jerusalem. But he, too, pushed back against criticism of Israel. We have been in these situations before where horrible footage is screened on TV, but I have never gotten condemnations from regular people in other countries, he said, blaming outspoken interest groups. I have stopped worrying about them, he added. As diplomacy aimed at stopping hostilities grows more feverish with each passing day, some Israelis appeared divided on wisdom of declaring a cease-fire. Noga Kolonski, 18, a student at the Jerusalem High School for the Arts, said that it didnt make sense to wait any longer, with the trials of the coronavirus pandemic having been quickly supplanted by the need to run for a bomb shelter. We have to give people a moment to live, she said. But Hen Shmidman, 16, a student at a religious school who lives in a Jewish settlement south of Jerusalem, was adamant that Israels offensive should continue. Its just an endless cycle, and we have to break the cycle and finish it, he said. We have to take down Hamas. Dan Bilefsky, Irit Pazner Garshowitz , Myra Noveck and Advertisement Continue reading the main story In a flash, an unimaginable loss leaves two bloodied survivors in Gaza. Riad Ishkontana, 42, kissed his daughter, Suzy, 7, at Shifa Hospital in Gaza City on Tuesday. They were pulled from the rubble of their home after an Israeli airstrike killed his wife and their four other children. Credit... Abdel Kareem Hana/Associated Press GAZA CITY Riad Ishkontana had promised his children that their building on Al Wahida Street was safe, though for Zein, his 2-year-old son, the thunder of the airstrikes spoke louder than his reassurances. The Israelis had never bombed the neighborhood before, he told them. Theirs was a comfortable, tranquil area by Gaza City standards, full of professionals and shops, nothing military. The explosions were still far away. To soothe them all, he started calling home the house of safety. Mr. Ishkontana, 42, tried to believe it, too, though around them the death toll was climbing not by inches, but by leaps, by housefuls, by families. He was still telling the children about their house of safety all the way up until after midnight early Sunday morning, when he and his wife were watching more plumes of gray smoke rising from Gaza on television. She went to put the five children to bed. For all his attempts at comforting them, the family felt more secure sleeping all together in the boys room in the middle of the third-floor apartment. Then a flash of bright light, and the building swayed. He said he rushed toward the boys room. Boom. The last thing he saw before the floor gave way beneath him and the walls fell on him, then a concrete pillar, then the roof, was his wife pulling at the mattress where she had already tucked in three of their children, trying to drag it out. My kids! she was screaming, but the doorway was too narrow. My kids! Iyad Abuheweila and Young American Jews confront different pressures, and a wrenching turmoil. Activists in support of Palestinians gathered on the National Mall in Washington on Saturday. Credit... Stefani Reynolds for The New York Times As violence racks the Middle East, turmoil of a different kind is growing in the United States. Many young American Jews are confronting the regions longstanding strife in a very different context, with very different pressures, from their parents and grandparents generations. The Israel of their lifetime has been powerful, no longer appearing to some to be under constant existential threat. The violence comes after a year when mass protests across the United States have changed how many Americans see racial and social justice. The pro-Palestinian position has become more common, with prominent progressive members of Congress offering impassioned speeches in defense of the Palestinians. At the same time, reports of anti-Semitism are rising across the country. Many Jews in America remain unreservedly supportive of Israel and its government. Still, the events of recent weeks have left some families struggling to navigate both the crisis abroad and the wide-ranging response from American Jews at home. What is at stake is not just geopolitical, but deeply personal. It is an identity crisis, said Dan Kleinman, 33, who grew up in Brooklyn. Very small in comparison to what is happening in Gaza and the West Bank, but it is still something very strange and weird. Elizabeth Dias and As the conflict kills foreign workers, the Philippines says it will pause sending migrants to Israel. Israeli-born Filipino children with their families at a 2019 protest in Tel Aviv over the deportation of undocumented foreign workers. Credit... Abir Sultan/EPA, via Shutterstock The government of the Philippines, one of the largest sources of foreign labor in Israel, said on Thursday that it would temporarily stop sending its citizens to work there because of the conflict. The announcement came a day after a rocket attack by Hamas militants killed two Thai agricultural workers and wounded at least seven others at a packaging house in southern Israel. A week earlier, a Hamas strike killed an Indian woman who worked as a caregiver in the city of Ashkelon. The Philippines labor secretary, Silvestre Bello III, told the ABS-CBN news network that it would not allow workers to travel to Israel until we can ensure their safety. As of now we wont be deploying workers, he said, adding: As we can see, theres bombing everywhere. If we deploy, it would be difficult it would be my responsibility. About 30,000 Filipinos work in Israel, mostly as domestic workers and as caregivers for older or disabled Israelis. They are part of a large labor force of more than 200,000 foreigners who work in primarily low-wage jobs in sectors like construction and agriculture. Investigations by news outlets and rights groups have highlighted these workers accusations of underpayment, crowded living conditions and occupational hazards. Filipino workers, most of whom are female, risk deportation if they marry or give birth, both of which are forbidden under Israeli laws governing foreign workers. Yet more Filipinos are applying to work in Israel, where they earn higher salaries than they could at home, and demand for their services is increasing. The Israeli government recently relaxed educational requirements for overseas caregivers, and 400 Filipinos were set to travel to Israel until the Philippine government announced the pause. No Filipino has been injured since fighting between Israel and Hamas militants began on May 10, officials said. The Philippine government has said that it is prepared to bring its citizens home from Israel amid the conflict, but that none have expressed interest. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel said in a briefing on Wednesday that the recent deaths of the foreign workers were one more manifestation of the fact that Hamas indiscriminately targets everyone. Israel has likewise been criticized for military airstrikes in Gaza that have killed more than 230 Palestinians and wounded more than 1,600 since May 10. Advertisement Continue reading the main story This article is part of our latest special report on Museums, which focuses on reopening, reinvention and resilience. Museum shows are always collaborations to some degree, because artists and curators work together to create them. But Each/Other: Marie Watt and Cannupa Hanska Luger, opening this weekend at the Denver Art Museum, reflects the work of more hands than usual. Not only does the exhibition pair two contemporary artists, who are displaying their separate works as well as one joint project, many of the pieces were made also with hundreds of contributions from non-artist volunteers, a mode known today as social practice and one with much older roots. PERLMAN To Kevs credit, he always had confidence it would be a thing, but I wasnt sure. We originally wrote the web series as a pilot, but it didnt make sense to people we showed it to. So we cut anything that would need budget because we had none. Of the 35 pages, we shot 15, but we had to do it piecemeal wed shoot for one day, and then we couldnt shoot for another three weeks because that was the next time we could borrow a camera. How minimal was that budget? PERLMAN The biggest expense in the first one was a couple of hundred to bribe a janitor to let us into a school in Queens on a Saturday. And then we had to reshoot anyway because the girl who played Zeyna had a school dance that day, and she was the one person we needed. Join Times theater reporter Michael Paulson in conversation with Lin-Manuel Miranda, catch a performance from Shakespeare in the Park and more as we explore signs of hope in a changed city. For a year, the Offstage series has followed theater through a shutdown. Now were looking at its rebound. ISO Outside of the writing, the thing Im most proud of, in terms of finessing some stuff, was in the second episode. We were filming in Brownsville and wanted to feature this mural, but we needed lights. My credit limit was $4,000. I went to B&H and bought lights for $3,500. Man, on the Monday after we filmed, I was there to return the lights saying: Yo, here are the lights, man. Can I have my money back? What lessons did you learn from that project that helped with the Showtime version? ISO You can see the flaws where we tried things that didnt work. When we showed it in Montreal, the reaction was crazy. But Im highly critical of myself, and Im thinking, OK I tried a joke there, and it didnt get a laugh or it didnt read well. So we learned its better to have the show live in the moment than to try and knock something out of the park with a punchline. How different is writing the series from creating your stand-up sets, and how much of that comedic mind-set translates to the show? ISO I tried a joke from my set in the script, and it felt like I was trying to force feed something in there. It worked onstage but this is a different medium, so you go through it and you learn. International art fairs may be the shopping malls of billionaires and celebrities, but they also provide an equal and rare opportunity for all who attend to spend time with art that may not be seen again for decades and to catch glimpses of history that, in some places, remains underexplored. Even with fewer exhibitors this year, Art Basel Hong Kong offers a number of fruitful byways for local visitors and remote viewers to venture down as it runs this weekend. Among them is radical art in postwar Japan, a moment when artists were reimagining homegrown styles and techniques while incorporating avant-garde developments from Europe and the United States. Taking part in a Basel fair for the first time, the Shibunkaku gallery of Kyoto, Japan, has devoted its entire booth to Shiryu Morita (1912-98), who pushed calligraphy into the realm of experimental contemporary art. He brushed characters into vigorous gestural abstractions, used unorthodox materials such as metallic paint and worked in front of live audiences. The core idea of his calligraphic theories, I think, is Zen meditation, to reach a supreme state of absolute nothingness, Sae Ryo, a researcher at the gallery, said in a video interview. But Padel dwells on how different, how apart, Beethoven must have felt, even while savoring the familys attention. The mother told her children to let their young visitor alone when he slipped into, as Padel puts it, the solitude she calls raptus and displayed his surly way of shouldering people off, his fits of reverie, lost/in a re-tuning of the spheres. As Padel perceives it, Beethoven early on drifted into states that prefigured how deafness would increasingly isolate him: This boy has no idea that before hes thirty some inflamed wet muddle of labyrinth and cochlea, thin as a cicada wing, will clog his ears with a whistling buzz, then glue them into silence. In Moonlight Sonata, Padel, in an imaginative leap, describes that famous piano work as music of loss not just of love, but of hearing: Bass clef/High treble only once/and in despair. For Beethoven, she continues, this is the new shocked calm of Is it true. Is this what it sounds like, going deaf? In a poem about Beethovens five-month stay in Heiligenstadt, Padel recounts her own visit there with views of the Danube canal and vineyards in bud as she follows his steps into a cobbled yard: God invents curious/torture for his favourites. Hes thirty-one./Fate has swung a wrecking ball. Beethoven has walked into a place of zero sum, she writes, where he must cast himself as victim or as hero. Though he cannot hear the driving rain, he is sketching a funeral march a symphony taking him down a new path. In Eroica Padel arrestingly describes that path: You are havoc on the brink, a jackhammer shattering the night and soaring past world-sorrow. Against everything that can happen to you or anyone, you pitch experiment and the next new key, ever more remote. Most traditional biographers are reticent about guessing how Beethovens deafness affected his composing. Padel, though, suggests daringly but compellingly that Beethovens isolating deafness contributed to his greatness. What we forget, she writes, makes us who we are perhaps for Beethoven that eventually included the actual sound of music. Describing what she felt as she examined the manuscript of the late Op. 131 String Quartet, Padel asks, Does being deaf break the chains? Could he, she writes, have written this otherwise? Padel knows her history. But a poet is free to inhabit her subject and elaborate on the record. And she describes Beethovens music vibrantly, as in her acute phrases on the sublime slow movement of the Op. 132 String Quartet: Cloud iridescence; Wave-shadow like mourning ribbon; Quiet as a wreath of sleep/for anyone in sorrow. The tide was already turning in 2019, when the Museum of Modern Art in New York inaugurated its new building with 100 percent of its galleries devoted to its own art, and announced a new approach to programming (and membership sales) that put collection displays first. These should be golden years for collection presentations, and young curators in particular should take this chance to redeploy collections for new aims. Look at the Cleveland Museum of Art, whose recent acclaimed show Stories From Storage absorbed hundreds of rarely displayed objects medieval illustrations of plague saints, Tibetan thangka paintings, animal figurines from interwar Vienna into a chorus of new meanings. 2. Think beyond the exhibition. But a show may not always be the smartest route. At the Serpentine Galleries in London, the curator Lucia Pietroiustis General Ecology program has delved into climate and culture through conferences, publications, podcasts, reading groups, residencies, film screenings and almost no exhibitions. If the post-Covid museum must first rediscover its own collection, it could also imagine new and interlocking forms of programming that stretch well past the gallery walls. An added bonus: such programming is usually cheaper and greener. 3. Join together and co-produce. Opera and dance companies have been doing this for years: when a production gets pricey, they share the costs and then the glory. A post-Covid museum could distribute the burden of its largest undertakings as will happen with this falls Jasper Johns retrospective, jointly organized by the Whitney and the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Institutions rightly appear to be getting more comfortable with joint collection acquisitions, as when the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and J. Paul Getty Museum co-acquired the archive of Robert Mapplethorpe, or the Philadelphia Museum and the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts together bought Thomas Eakinss Gross Clinic. Museums could also help themselves by fashioning more ongoing partnerships: consider LInternationale, a consortium of seven European modern art museums (from the Museo Reina Sofia in Madrid to SALT in Turkey) with a common program of exhibitions, debates and online projects. Why shouldnt a yearslong research initiative span two university museums, or three? Might a museum in Minneapolis, with its substantial Somali population, have an ongoing partnership with one in Mogadishu? 4. Partner beyond the art world. From the American Museum of Natural History in New York to the Castello di Rivoli outside Turin, Italy, museums this spring have turned their galleries into vaccination sites. Why not let the doctors and nurses stay a while? Joining up with local hospitals, universities, labs and other (well-funded) research institutions seems a natural move for the post-Covid museum: imagine a psychiatrist collaborating on displays of portraiture, or a legal scholar engaging with the challenges of conceptual art. 5. Everything is digital; not everything is hi-res. Schenkars writing is witty, sharp and light-handed, a considerable achievement given the immense detail of this biography, the novelist Jeanette Winterson wrote in a review in The New York Times. Highsmith was a detail junkie. Schenkars nonlinear organizing method was a brilliant idea to save herself and the reader from data overload. Joan Marlene Schenkar was born on Aug. 15, 1942, in Seattle to Maurice and Marlene (von Neumann) Schenkar. Linda Gaboriau, a close friend for many years, said Wikipedia and other online sources list her as having been quite a bit younger, by Ms. Schenkars own design. About the time of the Highsmith biography, Ms. Gaboriau said, Ms. Schenkar set about tweaking her age because of the way people over 65, especially women, were often marginalized. What she had decided to do, Ms. Gaboriau said in a phone interview, was take a neat 10 years off her life. Her father was in real estate, and Ms. Schenkar may have picked up some of his skills, Ms. Gaboriau said; wise real estate investments over the years gave her financial security. She received a degree in literature at Bennington College in Vermont, where she studied under Stanley Edgar Hyman, the literary critic and writer for The New Yorker, and was friends with his wife, the horror and mystery writer Shirley Jackson. Ms. Schenkar acquired a farm in Vermont, alternating between living there and in New York, and began writing plays, experimental works built on absurdity and out-there humor. She used the phrase a Comedy of Menace as a subtitle for many of them. Signs of Life, staged at the American Place Theater in Manhattan in 1979, involved an imagined P.T. Barnum attraction named Elephant Woman; a gynecologist partial to an instrument called the uterine guillotine; and the author Henry James. Cabin Fever featured three characters who sit on a porch and talk about the harsh winter and the neighbors apparent resort to cannibalism. The Universal Wolf upended the Red Riding Hood story, with the Grandma character a retired butcher looking for an opportunity to dust off her old skills. COURAGE UNDER FIRE: The 101st Airbornes Hidden Battle at Tam Ky (Casemate, $34.95) is essentially a diary of one units experience in a combat operation in the late spring of 1969 that the United States Army and the Nixon administration kept almost secret because, on the heels of the Hamburger Hill battle, American casualties in the war had become a sensitive political issue. Written in a pedestrian and sometimes awkward fashion by Ed Sherwood, an Army officer who himself was wounded in the Tam Ky fight, the book is a slog to read, but faithfully conveys the day-to-day life of American soldiers in combat, probably more accurately than would a smoother, more dramatic narrative. Like the operation it describes, Courage Under Fire feels like one continuous, long grind. Yet for all its flaws, I found its earnestness compelling, with an urgency that kept me going. One gut-punching fact that leapt out at me: In just 23 days of combat, one battalion of the 101st Airborne Division saw nine of its medics killed. By contrast, I finished reading Robert J. Thompson IIIs CLEAR, HOLD, AND DESTROY: Pacification in Phu Yen and the American War in Vietnam (University of Oklahoma, $39.95) only because I was reviewing it. Typical of the poor writing is an unfortunate reference to a grizzly situation with American corpses on a battlefield. I mention the book here because I dont understand why some American historians even now rely only on one side for most of their information about this war and in this case, the losing side. I dont think the books conclusions are necessarily wrong. But I think it would be a lot more persuasive if it took into account North Vietnamese and Vietcong views. The Columbia University historian Lien-Hang Nguyen, for instance, provided an excellent example of how to do this several years ago with her splendid study titled Hanois War. AIR POWERS LOST CAUSE: The American Air Wars of Vietnam (Rowman & Littlefield, $39) is a far better book, well argued and readable. But as the author, Brian D. Laslie, who teaches history at the United States Air Force Academy, acknowledges at the outset, it has the same fundamental problem as Thompsons: Official sources inside Vietnam today remain difficult to access, and the inability to delve into Vietnamese archives is perhaps the central problem for Americans studying the air war. Indeed, Laslies study relies almost entirely on American documents and developments. Some of them are interesting. He concludes, for example, that during the war the Navy did far better than the Air Force in improving both aviation technology and pilot training. Still, I came away wondering why a book written now, decades after the war, about the failure of the air campaign refers to hardly any sources from the targets of that campaign. Nguyen has demonstrated how to do this. Reading these two books led me back to contemplate how much less enlightening Ferlings book on the end of the American Revolution would be if, for some bizarre reason, he had chosen to limit the scope of his research to documents from the British and the Loyalists. How much longer will American scholars try to understand the Vietnam War while largely disregarding the views of the victors? Under the collective bargaining agreement between the City of Orlando and the Fraternal Order of Police, when a disability application is pending for more than 180 days the agency is normally required to terminate the employee. Monopolys Megaphone To the Editor: Liaquat Ahameds review of Amy Klobuchars Antitrust: Taking on Monopoly Power From the Gilded Age to the Digital Age (May 9) focuses too much on the legal philosophies of the Gilded Age and not enough on her central premise: By restricting competition the trusts not only hurt consumers and workers and damaged the functioning of the capitalist system, they also came to be seen as a threat to American democracy itself. After George W. Bushs Federal Communications Commission deregulated media ownership restrictions, locally controlled radio stations ceased to exist in many markets. Within a few years, iHeartMedia/Clear Channel Communications had effective control over 850 local stations and regularly replaced most local programming with talk radio or music feeds from centralized studios. Rush Limbaughs contract with iHeartMedia put him on about 600 of those stations. I would argue that a man with a megaphone like that could easily become a threat to democracy. He represented one voice, instead of the 600 he replaced. Jeff Davis Akron, Ohio Pro and Con To the Editor: I was taken aback by the conclusion of Lionel Shrivers review of Cynthia Ozicks novella Antiquities (May 9), which I read (at best) as a pre-emptive strike against any unhappiness the review might cause Ozick, who is a pro. What, exactly, does this word mean? That she has had a long, significant life in writing, and that writers roll with the punches? Who doesnt know that, especially as the reviewer points out at age 93? The review concludes with Shriver talking to herself. She was absolutely the go-to person for getting manuscript material and books, David DeVorkin, the recently retired curator of astronomy at the National Air and Space Museum at the Smithsonian Institution, said in a phone interview. Ms. Freitag died at 96 on Oct. 3 at a nursing home in Falls Church, Va., where she had been living for 11 years. Her death went largely unreported at the time, announced only in a short obituary by the Charles E. Snyder funeral home in Lancaster, Pa., where Ms. Freitag was born and raised and where she was buried, with military honors. Her friends at the Library of Congress were unaware of her death. Constance Carter, a longtime colleague, visited Ms. Freitag last year just before the Covid-19 pandemic shut down nursing homes, then lost touch. She finally looked her up on Google this spring and came across the obituary. In a way, Ms. Freitag was her own analog version of Google, providing answers to a wide array of queries from writers and researchers in astonishing depth and detail decades before computers and the internet transformed the research process. Ruth was known for her ability to find a needle in a haystack, Ms. Carter said. Her strong suit was compiling epic bibliographic guides and resources. Her notable subjects included the star of Bethlehem, the flat earth theory and women in astronomy. But her crowning achievement was her illustrated, annotated, 3,235-entry bibliography on Halleys comet, replete with citations of books, journals, charts and pamphlets, as well as references in fiction, music, cartoons and paintings. It was indexed and bound and published by the Library of Congress in 1984, just in time for the celebrated comets last pass-by of Earth in 1986. Even the Halleys Comet Society in London called Ms. Freitag for information. For decades, the story of American steel had been one of job losses, mill closures and the bruising effects of foreign competition. But now, the industry is experiencing a comeback that few would have predicted even months ago. Steel prices are at record highs and demand is surging, as businesses step up production amid an easing of pandemic restrictions. Steel makers have consolidated in the past year, allowing them to exert more control over supply. Tariffs on foreign steel imposed by the Trump administration have kept cheaper imports out. And steel companies are hiring again. Evidence of the boom can even be found on Wall Street: Nucor, the countrys biggest steel producer, is this years top performing stock in the S&P 500, and shares of steel makers are generating some of the best returns in the index. We are running 24/7 everywhere, said Lourenco Goncalves, the chief executive of Cleveland-Cliffs, an Ohio-based steel producer that reported a significant surge in sales during its latest quarter. Shifts that were not being used, we are using, Mr. Goncalves said in an interview. Thats why were hiring. One of the beautiful things about sausages is that, as long as they contain enough fat to crisp up in all the right places, you can fill them with almost anything. In the United States, pork predominates, though turkey, chicken, tofu and vegan versions are gaining ground, available in some form at supermarkets across the country. Less common are sausages made from lamb and beef, particularly merguez, and these are worth seeking out, at least for a once-in-a-while treat. Other caregivers ran into trouble accessing health care, either for themselves or their loved ones. Ora Larson, 82, was scheduled for back surgery in the spring of 2020 in St. Paul, Minn., and was looking forward to relief from the disabling pain of spinal stenosis. Then, as hospitals filled with Covid patients, her operation was postponed until October, then delayed again. As she waited, her ability to get all kinds of therapy went away, said her daughter, Susan Larson, 57. She couldnt go to exercise, or have a physical therapist or trainer come to the house, so she got weaker and weaker and her pain increased. As Ms. Larson watched her lively mother grow depressed and lose much of her ability to walk, I felt stressed in the way you do when youre not sure what your next move is going to be, she said. Her mother finally underwent surgery in March and is recovering well. Further studies will reveal more about the ongoing effects of Covid on caregivers. Perhaps they adapted as the pandemic ground on, and their stress abated. Some welcome the meaning and purpose that comes with helping family members. But the cumulative negative effects, month after month, could also mean greater hardship. And as Dr. Park pointed out, there would be a greater probability of bereavement and grieving. The caregivers interviewed here, and their family members, have been vaccinated and are slowly starting to resume visits and local excursions. But they also recognize that elder care tends to grow more demanding, not less. Those they care for have lost ground physically and cognitively, and may be unable to return to their prepandemic selves. Stacey Lantagne, 40, a law professor at the University of Mississippi, spent the pandemic with her family in Rhode Island, where she helped care for her grandmother while also teaching a full course load online. It was not the intent to be a capital infusion to the largest and most financially stable providers to allow them to simply grow their slice of market share, said Representative Katie Porter, Democrat of California. She is calling for hearings and for the Federal Trade Commission to review whether the funds were properly used for patient care and operations. The hospitals say the Covid aid played no role in these deals, some of which were in the works before the pandemic. Major hospital chains argue that their size and reach helped them better care for patients, allowing them to divert supplies and people to hard-hit areas during the health crisis. Consolidated systems have saved lives during Covid, said Dr. Rod Hochman, the chief executive of Providence, a large chain, and chairman of the American Hospital Association, at a Senate hearing this week. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are pushing for greater oversight of hospitals. In the hearing on Wednesday, Senator Amy Klobuchar, Democrat of Minnesota, asked for more resources so regulators could tackle the vicious cycle of hospital consolidation. When mergers are anti-competitive, they must be stopped, she said. Major employers had warned Congress that bailouts to the health care industry could spur even more consolidation and lead to price-gouging in medical care. Some of the nations most powerful hospital chains, experts cautioned, would take advantage of the crisis, resulting in even higher prices for medical care that would wind up on the shoulders of private insurers, employers and individuals. Things were relatively quiet until 3 a.m., when a tower housing a currency-exchange shop operated by a friend was destroyed. He had recently gotten engaged and went into debt to pay for his wedding. He had just lost everything. I braced for a Palestinian response, and it came quickly, with more rockets aimed at Tel Aviv and Ben-Gurion airport, and a direct hit on an Israeli oil tank in Ashkelon. This meant a new escalation, for sure. But strangely, it didnt come. At 5:30, I tried to sleep. Not 20 minutes later, my phone rang. It was a friend calling from Turkey, a Palestinian who had emigrated from Gaza, eager to check in. He realized I had been sleeping and apologized, but we kept talking. Through the phone, he could hear the drones hovering. We were both wondering why Israel hadnt struck back. I said, Maybe theres a truce. He said, Maybe this is the quiet before the storm. I wish he hadnt said that. Moments later, Gaza erupted with the most violent and powerful explosions of my life. It felt like blast waves were hitting my face and body. It felt like our neighborhood was under attack. I staggered to my window to look outside. I got scared Israel was lashing out, striking randomly and everywhere. But the neighborhood was still standing. I ran downstairs to my parents apartment. I told them I wanted to be with them, because it was much safer on the first floor. My sisters, Ayda, 16, and Maysaa, 21, were crying. My 14-year-old brother, Ayman, was very scared; his face turned yellow. My mother and sisters put on headscarves in case they had to flee. Liang is especially desperate to figure out what happened because he has cancer and this could be his last case. Nothing in the convoluted plot is at it seems, and The Soul careers wildly from one red herring to another, from horror to procedural to science fiction to melodrama to thriller to romance, and back again. For the most part Cheng succeeds in keeping his disparate themes in the air: Its like watching someone juggle a knife, a ball, a pin and a glass, only occasionally dropping one. And underneath the oh no, they didnt! plot twists, the movies bittersweet concern is our inability to accept the inevitable and let things or people go. Doors Buy or rent it on Amazon Prime, Google Play, Vudu. The campaign material began appearing in Yiddish earlier than usual this year, declaring that the best defense that ultra-Orthodox Jews in New York City could have against a hostile world would be to elect Andrew Yang as mayor. One ad, invoking a passage from the Babylonian Talmud, told voters that Mr. Yang was the sort of honest man who is loved by God, not someone who says one thing with his mouth but means another in his heart. Another ad cast the choice in existential terms, urging people to vote for Mr. Yang because he alone supports our right to educate our children according to our fundamentals and values our way of life. With the June 22 Democratic mayoral primary roughly a month away, Mr. Yang, a former 2020 presidential candidate, has been able to push to the top of the contest through a potent mix of celebrity, optimism and tireless outreach, both in person and on social media. Hudson Valley bricks are an inescapable presence in New York City, George V. Hutton, a retired architect, wrote in his book about the once-booming industry. Mr. Hutton, despite his clear bias he was from a prominent brickmaking family in Kingston, N.Y. was not wrong. Its fairly safe to assume that any brick building constructed between 1800 and 1950 includes some form of sediment from the banks of the Hudson River. The Empire State Building, the Museum of Natural History, the arches of the Brooklyn Bridge, Delmonicos and countless residential buildings including the Parkchester development in the Bronx and Stuyvesant Town-Peter Cooper Village in Manhattan were all built from Hudson Valley bricks. During the industrys turn-of-the-century heyday, there were more than 135 brickyards along the riverbanks mining seemingly endless deposits of clay. In Ulster County alone, 65 brickyards were once in operation. In 1904, 226,452,000 bricks came out of Ulster County, according to its archives office, and most of them were sent directly to New York City. My experience from some of these other hotels and motels, where they have financial issues, they hunker down, they hide, they get an attorney who never says anything publicly, and then they try to get into bankruptcy to avoid some of these debts, and they try to sell. And residents can suffer legally, he said. By the time Jon Stepanian pulled his beat-up Dodge van out of a Trader Joes parking lot on Long Island late one recent afternoon, it contained more than eight tons of scavenged food: romaine and romanesco, Bulgarian yogurt and Key lime mousse, flats of organic strawberries and cartons of frisee, dragonfruit and kumquats and olive-size baby kiwis, wedges of $28.99-a-pound Gabietou cheese and balls of local mozzarella and cases of vanilla Almond Breeze. Not just plain old whole-wheat bread but sourdough bread and olive bread and Balthazar baguettes, plus challah and pretzel rolls and blueberry scones, paleo noodles made from julienned rutabaga, Soothing Touch Tuscan Bouquet brown sugar scrub and prebiotic cleaning foam with rose-stem cells, a 30-pound box of prunes like a box of bricks, Mr. Stepanian said as he hefted it and more than $1,000 worth of oranges. Mr. Stepanian, a co-founder of a nonprofit called Community Solidarity that feeds 15,000 people a week, had spent the day hopscotching across the mallscape of central Long Island from one giant supermarket to the next. He was headed to a pop-up food pantry to give it all away. When we unload, he said, the crazy part is, within 45 minutes, all this food is gone. Fifteen months into the pandemic, hunger still grips the region. Government food programs remain in overdrive. Big, well-known distributors like City Harvest, which move salvaged food by the tractor-trailer load, have doubled their deliveries. But need persists: In late March, nearly one in 10 households with children in the New York Metro area more than half a million families said they sometimes or often did not have enough to eat, according to a census survey. This sweeping proposal would make it impossible for police officers to determine whether or not we are permitted to use force in a given situation, he said in a statement. The only reasonable solution will be to avoid confrontations where force might become necessary. Democratic lawmakers have yet to meet to discuss the proposal, but it appears to have the support from the partys State Senate leaders. Senator Michael Gianaris, the deputy majority leader, spoke in favor of the bill at the news conference on Friday. The legislation could become part of a broader police-accountability package that lawmakers hope to pass before their current session ends in June. Ms. Jamess office already oversees a unit that is responsible for investigating police killings of unarmed people. The unit, established after the death of Eric Garner in police custody on Staten Island in 2014, has never secured a conviction. While the proposed law could make it easier for prosecutors to bring charges against officers who use lethal force, the way it is written could make it easier to convince juries of reasonable doubt, said Dennis Kenney, a John Jay College of Criminal Justice professor. He noted that juries have historically given officers the benefit of the doubt in ambiguous circumstances. It creates a great deal of unnecessary ambiguity, Professor Kenney said. They may more easily be able to bring charges, but theyll have more difficultly getting convictions because its easier to create reasonable doubt. In one recent high-profile case the attorney generals unit was involved in, Ms. James announced in February that a grand jury had declined to indict officers in Rochester who handcuffed and pinned a Black man, Daniel Prude, to the pavement until he lost consciousness. He died a week later. Several New York City elected officials on Friday denounced clashes that took place between pro-Israeli and pro-Palestinian protesters in Midtown Manhattan, leading to more than two dozen arrests and at least two people being hospitalized. The clashes on Thursday afternoon and evening began in Times Square and spread to the Diamond District, a small neighborhood south of Rockefeller Center that is home to many Jewish-owned businesses, as Israel and Hamas agreed to a cease-fire after days of fighting that killed more than 230 people in Gaza and 12 in Israel. By midday Friday, 27 people in the city had been arrested on charges including disorderly conduct and unlawful assembly, the police said. Videos taken from the scene and shared on social media showed fights breaking out among small groups, with people throwing punches and stealing Israeli flags from demonstrators as jeers were exchanged. It was unclear what incited several of the individual clashes or who had started them, the police said. The cease-fire between Hamas militants in Gaza and Israel didnt come a second too soon. Israelis should not have to live in fear of rockets raining down, which killed a dozen people living in Israel since fighting broke out 11 days ago. Nor should people in Gaza live in fear that they might become collateral damage from Israeli bombs. Israeli airstrikes and artillery killed at least 230 Palestinians, including militants and many civilians. Israel has a right even a responsibility to put a stop to the rocket attacks at their source. More than 4,000 were fired at Israel from Gaza in 10 days, though most were intercepted by the Iron Dome antimissile system. But the fighting took an unbearable toll on civilians, the vast majority of them Palestinian. More than 60 children in Gaza were killed, tens of thousands of people were displaced, and hundreds of buildings were destroyed or severely damaged. The most intractable problems facing Israel and the Palestinians cannot be bombed away. When the dust settles, the misery and resentment will remain, starting in motion the next round of fighting. It is not in the interests of Israel, the United States or the rest of the world to make life unlivable in Gaza or to see another generation of children grow into adulthood knowing no government but Hamas, no economy but blockade and no certainty about the future except periodic bombardment. As this round of fighting ends, two million people remain penned into 141 square miles of Gaza, with no escape from the devastation and economic blockade. There is now civil unrest and sectarian violence in communities in Israel that no Iron Dome or separation wall can parry. Across the region, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians mounted a general strike, the largest peaceful demonstration of unity in many years. And that moment the rise of Black Lives Matter in turn recalled the movement galvanized by the death of Emmett Till, a 14-year-old boy from Chicago, who was murdered with impunity in Jim Crow Mississippi. The horror of his lynching inspired a generation of children who looked like Till to confront a system that denigrated their Black lives and undermined democracy. Over the next decade and a half, they grew up to be the college students and young adults who led sit-ins at lunch counters, organized Freedom Summer in Mississippi, petitioned their fellow Americans to see voting rights as a moral issue at Selma and built a Rainbow Coalition in Chicago to advocate the dignity of all poor people. The reckoning that Emmett Tills generation demanded took time and it was subverted and sabotaged at every turn. But the young people who saw themselves in Till eventually contributed to a Second Reconstruction of America in the mid-20th century, expanding democracy and pushing the nation toward the promise of a government that would represent all of its citizens. Now the Trayvon Martin generation has come of age and is pushing the nation toward a Third Reconstruction. The death of Mr. Floyd, along with those of Breonna Taylor and so many more whove joined the litany of lives taken, marked a turning point in the movement: His cries of I cant breathe united this generation in a collective gasp for justice. But what does that justice look like? Accountability for Mr. Floyds murder is not justice. If we cannot stop the killings of unarmed Black people before they happen, any collective affirmation of Black life rings hollow. As hard as it may be to achieve, the Third Reconstruction is about more than Black people surviving encounters with law enforcement. Its about America taking steps to protect and value its Black citizens as it has never done before. A Third Reconstruction is about ensuring Black Americans are no longer twice as likely as white Americans to die in a pandemic. Its about remaking a system that saddles them with student debt and then offers them poverty wages. In recent days, there has been a lot of talk about the Democratic Partys purportedly changing position on Israel. And reports have emerged contending that two opposing far-edge stances are the Democrats so-called real position one side asserting that Israel should no longer receive U.S. security assistance and another suggesting full-throated, uncritical support of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, no matter how extreme his policies have become. Let me be clear: These oversimplified narratives couldnt be further from the truth. Extreme positions on all sides of the political spectrum will always receive more coverage. But the vast majority of Democrats are thoughtful and considerate, and recognize nuance in a conflict shaded by centuries of complexity, suffering and pain, and this has always been the case. We know that the only solution is one where both Jewish and Palestinian people have the right to self-determination and security. We support the humanity of both parties in the conflict as well as small-d democratic values. And we stand resolutely against attacks on Israels right to exist. Really, this moment reflects a coming out of the silent majority of American Jews whose values are both liberal and supportive of Israel, as a recent Pew study indicates. As the most senior Jewish member in the House of Representatives, a longtime Congressional Progressive Caucus leader and the House member who represents the largest and most diverse Jewish population, Im more familiar with this issue than most. The Democratic Party, of course, welcomes robust debate. However, the conversations I have had with a wide range of members of my party, including many of the 25 Jewish Democrats in the House as well as a number of progressives, reflect a reality that the headlines do not: On Israel, there exists a broad, mainstream consensus around a number of core principles. We start from the belief that both Jewish and Palestinian people each have the right to self-determination and the right to live with peace and security. We unequivocally condemn acts of terrorism by Hamas, which have killed both Israeli and Palestinian civilians and caused so much devastation. We support Israels obligation to protect its citizens, are heartbroken that Israeli airstrikes have killed many innocent Palestinians and ache over the suffering they have endured in this protracted conflict. We reject the hatred and extremism on both sides of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that have precipitated so much violence. And as I and a group of Jewish members wrote in a letter to President Biden on May 14, we supported a cease-fire and encouraged the Biden administration to facilitate the bold diplomatic engagement needed to achieve peace. During the Trump years, there was a small boom in documentaries about cults. At least two TV series and a podcast were made about Nxivm, an organization that was half multilevel marketing scheme, half sex abuse cabal. Wild Wild Country, a six-part series about Bhagwan Shree Rajneeshs compound in Oregon, was released on Netflix. Heavens Gate was the subject of a four-part series on HBO Max and a 10-part podcast. Indeed, there have been so many recent podcasts about cults that sites like Oprah Daily have published listicles about the best ones. In many ways the compelling new podcast The Turning: The Sisters Who Left, which debuted on Tuesday, unfolds like one of these shows. It opens with a woman, Mary Johnson, hoping to escape the religious order in which she lives. We always went out two by two. We were never allowed just to walk out and do something, she explains. So I wouldnt have been able to go, you know, more than five or six paces before somebody ran up to me and said, Where are you going? Johnson sees an opportunity in escorting another woman to the hospital, where theres a room full of old clothes that patients have left behind. She makes a plan to shed her religious uniform for civilian garb and flee, though she doesnt go through with it. It is what she wants to flee that makes The Turning so fascinating. Johnson spent 20 years in Mother Teresas Missionaries of Charity before leaving through official channels in 1997. The Turning portrays the order of the sainted nun Mother Teresa was canonized in 2016 as a hive of psychological abuse and coercion. It raises the question of whether the difference between a strict monastic community and a cult lies simply in the social acceptability of the operative faith. No one likes needles. Of all the barriers to Covid-19 vaccination, fear of needles may seem trivial to overcome. But millions of American adults, not to mention children, still need to be injected to keep themselves and their communities safe. And its likely some of them arent doing so in part because they fear or just dont like needles. About one in four adults and two out of three children have some fear of needles, and adults may find their fears too shameful to share. This is a substantial public health problem, because a body of research shows that around one in 10 adults are so afraid of needles that they will delay or avoid vaccinations. Vaccine hesitancy is a complex phenomenon with many contributing factors, including needle fear. Fear can be adaptive in a dangerous situation like reacting to seeing a bear in the woods or it can be out of proportion to the danger thats present. Needle fear also exists on a spectrum, with people who are nervous about needles on one end and people with extreme levels of needle fear that meet the diagnostic criteria for whats called blood injection injury phobia on the other. The latter is a mental health diagnosis thats estimated to occur in 3.2 percent to 4.5 percent of people, which is most likely an underestimate given that many people do not acknowledge these fears to health care professionals and never receive a diagnosis. High levels of needle fear, with or without a diagnosis, can affect vaccination programs. Some people might avoid getting vaccinated altogether, and others might endure it under immense distress, putting them at risk for what experts call immunization stress-related responses such as feeling dizzy or fainting during an injection. Experiencing an immunization stress-related response can worsen needle fears, both among people getting vaccinated and those who see or hear about them. The vaccine can also be falsely blamed for an immunization stress-related response, which can derail vaccination programs. With its unprecedented investment in local law enforcement, Johnsons Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 offered a short-term solution that became a long-term reality. As the United States waged the Vietnam War abroad, federal policymakers built a pipeline to deliver riot control training, surplus army weapons and technological innovations to police in order to put down domestic political radicalism and Black rebellion. With its initial $400 million outlay (about $3 billion today) for crime control, the legislation enabled cities to flood police into areas that seemed prone to violence. Black, Puerto Rican and Mexican-American communities had long been subject to targeted surveillance, frequent encounters with police, mass arrests, illegal searches and outright brutality. But after the Safe Streets Act, residents in big cities like New York, midsize cities like Phoenix, and smaller cities like Waterloo, Iowa, would be patrolled by police departments with arsenals at their disposal: new AR15s and M4 carbines, steel helmets, three-foot batons, masks, armored vehicles, two-way radios, tear gas these and other techniques, weapons and tools flowed into thousands of cities across the United States. The collective violence that this federal law inadvertently fueled was a consequence of the all too predictable presence of the police. The rebellions usually started when law enforcement meddled, often violently, in everyday activity. They happened when police seemed to be there for no reason or when the police intervened in matters that could be resolved internally (in disputes among friends and family, for example). Rebellions often began when the police enforced laws that would almost never be applied in white neighborhoods (laws against gathering in groups of a certain size or acting like a suspicious person). Likewise, they erupted when police failed to extend to residents the common courtesies afforded to whites (allowing white teenagers to drink in a park but arresting Mexican-American teens for the same behavior). If they would just leave us alone, there would be no trouble, said a Black teenage boy who threw rocks in Decatur, Ill., during an uprising in August 1969. His common sense solution was a straightforward reaction to an obvious problem. Rebellion was always possible when ordinary life was policed, and often the mere sight of police was enough to prompt a violent response. During a five-day battle between police and Black residents in York, Pa., in July 1968, a reporter asked a male participant, Why are young black Yorkers throwing rocks and bottles at policemen? To which the young man replied, Why do police hit people on the heads with their clubs? This was the cycle that entrenched racial inequality and put this nation on a path to mass incarceration: the recurring pattern of overpolicing and rebellion, of police violence and community violence, that helped define urban life in segregated low-income communities of color back then and through today. The cycle began with police officers, who moved through the ghettos of America like an occupying soldier in a bitterly hostile country, as James Baldwin famously observed in 1960, so that their very presence their perceived callousness to the inequality around them felt violent in itself. As the cycle played out in cities large and small across the United States in the late 1960s and early 1970s, it set in motion dynamics between residents and police for decades to come, laying the foundation for zero tolerance and broken windows policing characterized by the aggressive enforcement of misdemeanors in order to prevent disorder. As rebellions persisted through the 1970s and beyond (although not with the frequency of those in the immediate post-civil-rights era), the cycle remained unbroken, further demonstrating that aggressive policing tends to incite violence, especially when residents are protesting the very thing that they are then subjected to. The cycles consequences have, at times, taken the form of mass violence to which all Americans have been witness: in Miami in 1980, in Los Angeles in 1992, in Cincinnati in 2001, and in more recent years in Ferguson, Mo., Baltimore, and in Minneapolis last summer. Each was set off by an instance of police violence. Each drew calls for more law and order. Each involved heavily militarized police confronting residents who were fighting against a larger system of oppression. We in the commentariat have leapt at covering police violence against Black citizens since George Floyds murder a year ago, but I dont think weve been as good at responding to other inequities that cost a far greater number of lives. Even if Floyd hadnt been murdered, he still very likely would have died prematurely because of his race. There would have been no headlines, no protests, no speeches. But the average Black man in America lives about five fewer years than the average white man. A newborn Black boy in Washington, D.C., has a shorter life expectancy than a newborn boy in India. One of the challenges for those of us in journalism is to do a better job highlighting these inequities that dont come with a viral video. Academic atmosphere, opportunities in high-tech industries cited as reasons If people wonder which Chinese cities are the most attractive to foreigners, the results of an annual poll by the State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs offer some valuable insight. The administration started to release results after surveying thousands of expatriates living in China over the course of several months in 2019. For two consecutive years, Hefei, capital of East China's Anhui province, was listed among the Top 10 cities. To spread the word about Hefei, Mohamed Noureldin from Egypt is thinking about making some interactive social media programs. He first came to Hefei to work as a language teacher 14 years ago."Then I got to love the city and wanted to stay," he said. "I knew that the University of Science and Technology of China, one of the best universities in the country, is based here, so I decided to try furthering my studies." Seven years ago, he entered USTC as a postgraduate. He remained a student until last year when he got his PhD in public affairs administration and is now part of a visiting scholars program. Noureldin believes that Hefei offers a very good academic atmosphere. "I want to do more research and apply what I have learned during my stay at USTC. It's a good opportunity to be at such a prestigious university," he said. "Also, COVID-19 control in China is safe and stable, but it's horrible outside," he added. Pursuing an academic career is also the main reason that has kept Ammar Hawbani in Hefei for 16 years. Attracted by USTC's renown, the Yemeni came to study information science and technology at the university in 2005, after he passed college entrance examinations in his home country with very high marks. Now an associate professor of wireless network technology, Hawbani said he enjoyed being at the university so much that he chose to stay for his master's and PhD degrees in 2009. He said that through his observations of students, many young Chinese people exhibit innovative and productive traits. "Many of my Chinese classmates started their own businesses here, as the city's robust high-tech industries have been offering them more and more opportunities," said Hawbani, who is 36 and the father of a boy born in Hefei. Cho Sung-hye, who is from the Republic of Korea, said: "We didn't expect that we would come to love Hefei as much as we do." A fluent Mandarin speaker, Cho has been living in the city with her family for 25 years. For most of that period, she has been teaching Korean at Hefei University. Now, she chairs a Hefei-based company dedicated to promoting cultural exchanges between the two countries. Cho and her husband, who have two sons, came to Hefei to fulfill their elder son's dream. "When he was in the third year at middle school, his history teacher, who had some experience in China, suggested to students that they go and live there and see the old country," Cho said. The boya great fan of Chinese history who is able to name more than 900 figures from the Chinese classic, the Romance of the Three Kingdomswas inspired and wanted very much to follow his teacher's suggestion. Due to its location, Hefei has connections to many stories from the Three Kingdoms period (222-280). "My son also wanted to explore the inland areas of China more," said Cho, whose children both attended college in the nation. "On our first visit to Hefei, I found it was not very developed but thought it had great potential," she said, adding that later, her prediction turned out to be right. Cho felt the rapidly developing city offered many opportunities to foreigners and persuaded more of her relatives to come. "At the peak, I had 21 relatives living here. Now, there are roughly 800 people from the South Korea in Hefei, and before the COVID-19 pandemic there were many more," she said, adding that most of her countrymen work in the city's high-tech industries, such as the integrated circuit sector. Impressed by how the history teacher had influenced her son, Cho has encouraged Chinese students to go to South Korea. She has helped more than 3,000 students from Anhui study in her country, and more than 1,000 later found job opportunities there. She has also brought even more students from South Korea to China. In 2002, she became the first person from her country to receive China's Friendship Award, the highest honor given to foreigners by the central government. In 2006, she also became the first South Korean citizen to gain permanent residency in China, and in 2010, she was listed as one of the most influential women of the century in Hefei. The benefits of this are far-reaching. Not only are Floridians able to save money on their energy bills, but low natural-gas prices have effectively increased Floridians purchasing power, freeing up household income to be spent on other goods and services, or saved. Using typical Florida household spending patterns, this new purchasing power and associated spending and saving creates adds 44,009 sustainable net new jobs and $3.53 billion annually in net new gross domestic product (GDP) to the Florida economy. The U.S. Energy Information Administration expects the natural gas price advantage to persist and benefit consumers and businesses for decades to come. Our deaths only matter if they can provoke an emotional response from white Americans George Floyds death has made me resent the power that white people have to define justice in our society. Black Americans have been getting murdered by the police and vigilantes for as long as this country has existed, and yet it feels like our deaths only matter if they can provoke an emotional response from white Americans. This time around, it took a nine-minute video of a Black mans brutal killing to elicit that response. That, and last summers protests, pushed me to start writing about politics for the first time. Now I write a column about race and justice for my college newspaper. I live in one of the most disadvantaged neighborhoods in Chicago, a neighborhood that is majority Black. Even though millions of people committed to racial justice last summer, my neighborhood still struggles with the same issues it had before the protests, the same issues it faced decades ago, when my grandparents were my age. I turned 18 in 2020. Becoming an adult during a time of political change has been strange. So I reached out to my grandmother, who turned 18 in 1968, and we had a conversation about the similarities between her experiences and my own. That conversation showed me just how much we have in common and how little our country has changed over the past 50 years. Caleb Dunson, 18, West Side, Chicago The nonstop barrage of violence only made me a stronger abolitionist The protests were intense. I had already woke up to the reality of racism in America, but seeing people out in the streets gave me some small hope that I was not so alone in my anger anymore. But things didnt change like we wanted, and in Louisville, where Im from, people lost their lives. The second night of protests, we were tear-gassed in the streets. Not long after, David McAtee was killed by law enforcement. The nonstop barrage of violence only made me a stronger abolitionist. I spent the summer learning as much as I could about abolition and police violence. We must come up with a way of implementing police abolition in our communities. There have been small changes in Louisville since. But things are moving slowly. The private sector made promises of change but I saw very little happen on a local governmental scale. Every time I meet someone who is racist, Im surprised. I guess Ive spent too much time with a community moving in solidarity and not enough time trying to convince folks that Black and brown and Asian and Indigenous people deserve to live on equal ground. Those conversations are really painful. Avalon Gupta VerWiebe, 23, Louisville, Ky. They may listen but they do not truly hear us As a person of color, I have always known that racism is prevalent in the United States. Mr. Floyds death, and the controversy surrounding it, has shown me that racism will be a pressing matter for generations to come. The protests and growing racial justice movement have been weird to navigate. There is peer pressure to post about social justice issues on social media and while this does spread awareness, I wonder how effective this form of activism truly is. It feels as though we are preaching into an abyss. Progress on restoring Mrs. Whitneys Village studio has been stymied in part by technical challenges that came to light during studies by teams from the University of Pennsylvania and New York Universitys Institute of Fine Arts, with additional leadership from the architectural conservator Mary A. Jablonski. In the cases of both the fireplace and ceiling, which are coated with multiple layers of white paint, its pretty difficult, if not impossible, to get back to the original layer without destroying it, said Bonnie Burnham, a board member of the Studio School who was also chief executive of the World Monuments Fund when the studies were performed. She added that any restoration would necessarily be speculative and that the studio space is at odds with the central mission of the school, and there are just so many question marks and so many competing priorities for the institution that nothing has really moved forward. For now, the schools immediate goals for the room extend no further than repairing the windows. Meanwhile, that Village studio and the Long Island studio are both incredibly imperiled, said Gina Wouters, a co-editor of the book Robert Winthrop Chanler: Discovering the Fantastic. Its the integral nature of the artwork thats been the problem in these spaces that were originally so private, she said. Its like a brilliant conundrum that Whitney and Chanler created for us: How do you preserve them and how do you make them accessible, when its almost impossible to do either? For weekly email updates on residential real estate news, sign up here. Follow us on Twitter: @nytrealestate. It has always troubled me that I have no background in science. We didnt have a science teacher in my elementary school, and there were limited courses available when I got to high school. But despite my lack of scientific knowledge, or perhaps because of it, I have long been deeply inquisitive. Why does the sun stay hot? I wondered. Why doesnt it cool down at the end of the day? As a young man I may not have found the answers, but I never stopped asking questions. As Albert Einstein once said, Curiosity has its own reason for existing. Years later, when I entered public life, I was as curious as ever. As a Democratic senator from Nevada, I visited Area 51, the top-secret Air Force testing site in southern Nevada long associated with U.F.O.-related conspiracy theories. What I saw fascinated me, though much of it must remain classified. During one visit I traveled a short distance to the facility that housed the Air Forces secret new stealth fighters. For security reasons the pilots could fly them only at night under the same Nevada stars I had gazed upon as a boy. Though Area 51 was developed decades ago, during the height of the Cold War, its existence wasnt publicly acknowledged by the U.S. government until 2013. To do so earlier would have been detrimental to our security as a nation, given that our government constantly balances the competing priorities of secrecy and transparency in a democracy. Until recently, many military pilots feared the possibility of retribution for reporting sightings of unidentified aerial phenomena. But I believed that an unofficial taboo regarding the frank discussion of encounters could harm our national security and stymie opportunities for technical advancement. Which is why, along with Senators Stevens and Inouye, I helped create that secret Pentagon program in 2007. We wanted to take a close, scientific look at the technological implications of reported U.F.O. encounters. I believe that there is information uncovered by the governments covert investigations into unidentified aerial phenomena that can be disclosed to the public without harming our national security. The American people deserve to know more and hopefully they will soon, with the release of a comprehensive government report requested by the Senate Intelligence Committee on the militarys encounters with U.F.O.s. (The report is due in June, though it may be delayed.) What have I personally learned from official investigations into unidentified aerial phenomena so far? The truth, disappointing as it may be, is that theres still a great deal we dont understand. Its unclear whether the U.F.O.s we have encountered could have been built by foreign adversaries, whether our pilots visual perception during some encounters was somehow distorted, or whether we truly have credible evidence of extraterrestrial visitations. There may be other, as yet unknown explanations for some of these strange sightings. Regardless, I believe its crucial to lead with the science when studying U.F.O.s. Focusing on little green men or conspiracy theories wont get us far. Of course, whatever the science tells us, some portion of the public will continue to believe in the reality of otherworldly U.F.O.s as a matter of faith. Ultimately, the U.F.O. debate can be broken down into a sincere belief in science versus a sincere belief in extraterrestrials. I side with science. Let me be clear: I have never intended to prove that life beyond Earth exists. But if science proves that it does, I have no problem with that. Because the more I learn, the more I realize that theres still so much I dont know. Harry Reid is a former United States senator from Nevada. He served as the Democratic Senate majority leader from 2007 to 2015. Elizabeth Conway and Kyle Manley were brought together in an old-fashioned sort of way. Theirs was not a relationship born of perusing profiles online, but rather by the improbable pairing of two people who filled a conversation had by longtime friends who frequently get on the line, with each other, as Ms. Conway put it. Those two people happen to be Ms. Conways mother, Deborah Conway, and Mr. Manleys aunt, Libby Murray, who have been best friends since growing up a street apart in Rumson, N.J. My mother and Kyles aunt talk all the time on the phone, said Ms. Conway, 35, who works in New York as the manager of consumer communications at Cruise, the electric vehicle subsidiary of General Motors based in San Francisco. They began talking about me and Kyle, Ms. Conway said. They thought it would be a nice thing for the two of us to at least say a quick hello to each other. Thats one of the risks of having low coverage, Sarah said. If patients are missing out on necessary care, then you have fewer symptoms getting sorted out, and less general knowledge of what long Covid looks like. F.A.Q. on children and vaccines Now that American children as young as 12 are eligible for the vaccine, The Timess Well section answered some common questions. What vaccines are approved for children? The F.D.A. so far has approved only the Pfizer vaccine for young people aged 12 to 17. Two other vaccines Moderna and Johnson & Johnson are likely to be approved for children in the coming months. Can a child who recently got other vaccinations get the Covid shot? The C.D.C. says Covid vaccines can be given with other inoculations without regard to timing. Previously, it recommended a two-week gap as a precautionary measure. Are vaccine side effects any different for children than adults? Fevers were slightly more common in 12- to 15-year-olds compared with adults, but in general, the side effects reported in children have been similar to those seen in older people. Can I give my child Tylenol to minimize the side effects of the vaccine? You should not give your child a pain reliever before getting vaccinated, or immediately after the shot that can blunt the effectiveness of the vaccine. But if your child develops a headache, body aches or other side effects requiring pain relief, its fine to administer the recommended dose of an over-the-counter pain reliever. President Biden awarded a Korean War hero, Ralph Puckett Jr., the Medal of Honor on Friday, seven decades after he led 51 Rangers in fighting off successive waves of enemy counterattacks after he was gravely wounded by a hand grenade. Colonel Puckett, 94, initially received a Distinguished Service Cross for his command of the Eighth U.S. Army Ranger Company in November 1950. But that citation was upgraded after a campaign by a retired Army officer who believed the actions by the young lieutenant from Georgia warranted the nations highest military honor. I wish our son Beau were able to see this, Mr. Biden said as he placed the ribbon around Colonel Pucketts neck, invoking the memory of his late son, Beau Biden, who served in the Army Judge Advocate Generals Corps. Mr. Biden honored Colonel Puckett, who has also been decorated for his valor in Vietnam, during a visit to the White House by President Moon Jae-in of South Korea. It was the first time Mr. Biden has issued the medal as president and the first time a foreign leader was present for such a ceremony, according to White House officials. You can only hear a general say we are turning the corner so many times, said Representative Peter Meijer, Republican of Michigan and a veteran of the Iraq War. What we are seeing now is not a kneejerk deference to senior military officials, but a responsibility to exert civilian oversight over military leaders. I frankly think that blanket deference has been shown to not be to the benefit of the Department of Defense or our system, which is predicated on civilian control. The last two presidents have set some of this tone. One of Mr. Obamas early actions was to relieve Gen. David D. McKiernan as the commander in Afghanistan, the first top wartime commander to be dismissed since Gen. Douglas MacArthur during the Korean War. Mr. Obama then tangled with his successor, Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, who was fired after aides were quoted disparaging the administration in a Rolling Stone article. Joseph R. Biden Jr., then the vice president, often advised Mr. Obama that military leaders were trying to box him in. Even so, Mr. Obama approved a significant troop surge for the Afghan war effort although some senior civilian advisers, including Mr. Biden, had pressed for a military campaign that focused on counterterrorism. Many in the Obama White House also privately expressed outrage that the Pentagon quietly lobbied allies in Congress to support the troop increase, which Mr. Obamas advisers viewed as an end-around maneuver to pressure the president. During his four years in the White House, Mr. Trump repudiated military brass, often disdained their advice while trying to enlist them in politics. Gen. Mark A. Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was criticized when he joined the president in a walk from the White House to a church in his camouflage uniform after police violently cleared protesters from the streets. General Milley later apologized, strongly. But the military, led by General Milley and the Joint Chiefs of Staff, also successfully pushed back on several significant initiatives by Mr. Trump a full troop withdrawal from Syria, his musings on bombing Irans nuclear facility in Natanz and deploying active-duty troops in the capital during the protests last year. As you note in the story, because of Texas size and influence, changes to school curriculums there can have a big effect on educational materials that circulate well beyond the state. How does that play out? And have we seen this happen in the past? Some of this has to do with the sheer size of Texas, which has more than 29 million people. Textbook publishers found it was more profitable to take a book crafted to appeal to Texas State Board of Education and market it, largely unchanged, in other states, rather than write an entirely different textbook. But this sway that Texas has in shaping whats taught in other parts of the country also reflects exceptionally assertive efforts by conservative activists in Texas to influence what goes into textbooks in the state. For instance, a textbook in California might explain that court rulings about the Second Amendment allowed for some regulations of gun ownership, while a similar textbook in Texas would just leave that space blank. Its also important to note that Democrats in Texas have been making inroads to curb such practices. Several have won seats on the State Board of Education, and in 2018 they succeeded in introducing a Mexican-American studies curriculum. Its not just Texas state government that is passing these kinds of laws to restrict the teaching of slavery and discrimination, right? Would it be accurate to say theres a broader movement afoot nationwide among conservative legislators, aimed at preventing schoolchildren from learning about the role of racism in American history? Absolutely. This is happening in Republican-controlled legislatures around the country. Lawmakers in states including Louisiana and New Hampshire have introduced similar bills that would essentially limit or even prohibit teaching about the legacies of slavery and segregationist policies that endure to this day. Good morning. Soon after moving to San Francisco in 2016, I walked into a Walgreens in North Beach to buy an electric toothbrush. As I was paying for it, a man walked into the store, grabbed a handful of beef jerky and walked out. I looked over at an employee, who shrugged. Then I went to Safeway next door for some groceries and I saw a man stuffing three bottles of wine into a backpack and walking casually toward the exit. On his way out he bagged some snacks. I asked the Safeway clerk about the thefts. Im new to San Francisco, I said. Is it optional to pay for things here? Five years later, the shoplifting epidemic in San Francisco has only worsened. At a board of supervisors hearing last week, representatives from Walgreens said that thefts at its stores in San Francisco were four times the chains national average, and that it had closed 17 stores, largely because the scale of thefts had made business untenable. SYDNEY, Australia An Australian writer and businessman is scheduled to face trial in Beijing next week on a charge of espionage, bringing to the fore one of the disputes that have sent relations between China and Australia tumbling into icy antagonism. The trial of the businessman, Yang Hengjun, is set to take place on Thursday, more than two years after he was detained in China in early 2019, the Australian foreign minister, Marise Payne, said in a statement. Despite repeated requests by Australian officials, Chinese authorities have not provided any explanation or evidence for the charges facing Dr. Yang, Ms. Payne said in the statement issued on Friday. We have conveyed to Chinese authorities, in clear terms, the concerns we have about Dr. Yangs treatment and the lack of procedural fairness in how his case has been managed. Despite the Australian governments request to send diplomats to observe the hearing, Mr. Yang is likely to be tried in secret, said Feng Chongyi, a professor in Sydney, who is Mr. Yangs friend and former academic adviser. He said Mr. Yangs family, who were notified of the court date by the Chinese authorities, were told the trial would be held in Beijing. When I was a kid, SeaWorld was the Harvard of marine mammal training. No one questioned that the animal trainers were experts in their fields, and the animals that called SeaWorld home were ambassadors for their species. Live animal shows were a prominent staple of the park. Most importantly, when I was a kid SeaWorld loudly and confidently stood up for the work they did and didnt bow down to uninformed activists they educated them. They fought back. Japan on Friday approved the Moderna and AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccines for use in adults, giving the country much-needed new options as it tries to speed up an inoculation campaign that has been one of the slowest in the developed world. Previously, only the Pfizer vaccine had been authorized for use in Japan, where just 4.1 percent of the population has received a first shot. Vaccinations have been held up by strict rules that allow only doctors and nurses to administer shots, and by a requirement that vaccines be tested on people in Japan before they are approved for use. Japan is in the midst of a fourth wave of coronavirus infections, just two months before the Summer Olympics in Tokyo are set to begin. Tokyo and eight other prefectures are under a state of emergency that will last at least until the end of this month, and Okinawa is expected to be added to that list. Japan has been reporting about 5,500 cases a day, compared to 1,000 in early March. A Health Ministry panel recommended on Thursday night that the government approve the Moderna and AstraZeneca vaccines. The health minister, Norihisa Tamura, said that the Moderna shots would be used at mass inoculation sites scheduled to open on Monday in Tokyo and Osaka, which will be staffed mainly by military doctors and nurses. A court in India on Friday acquitted a prominent journalist of charges that he raped a junior colleague, bringing an end to a politically charged case that had been closely watched as a test of a new sexual assault law. The journalist, Tarun J. Tejpal, was accused of sexually assaulting a staff reporter for Tehelka, a well-known investigative magazine that he edited, in 2013. Mr. Tejpal, 58, who pleaded not guilty to the charges, initially apologized to the reporter but later said the encounter had been consensual. The truth will come out, he told an Indian news channel in 2019. In a statement on Friday, Mr. Tejpal thanked the judge in the court in the coastal state of Goa and repeated his assertion that he had been targeted for prosecution as part of a political vendetta against him. As an 18-year-old, I was looking forward to going to university, getting a degree, getting a job, maybe getting married, she said by telephone on Friday. Always interested in politics, she had expected to move into the field over time. But things were sped up unexpectedly. Sometimes life doesnt work out necessarily how you thought it might. She had long been expected to become prime minister one day but as Mr. Tuilaepas successor, not his opponent, said Iati Iati, a political scientist at Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand. Ms. Mataafa spent three decades in Mr. Tuilaepas party, the Human Rights Protection Party, eventually becoming its deputy leader. But she left it in November over what she saw as a slide toward autocracy, including legislation that threatened to change the structure of the Samoan judiciary. It wasnt a difficult decision to make, Ms. Mataafa said. What really led me to make the decision to step away was the dismantling of essentially the rule of law. Because of that huge majority that the H.R.P.P. had, she added, it became a lot more rampant, even the internal checks werent there I was getting to feel a bit like the lone voice. If you cant do it from the inside, you have to step outside. She became the leader of a new opposition party, known as FAST, which drew a number of other H.R.P.P. defectors. Now they were gone, an absence that never leaves her, a silence that will not allow her to be quiet. Charb dead. Cabu (Jean Cabut) dead. Georges Wolinski dead. Tignous (Bernard Verlhac) dead. The cartoonists who had inspired her in a country where, at least since the time of Honore Daumier in the mid-19th century, the political cartoon has held a special place. A fist in your face, but in a velvet glove, as Cabu used to say of the cartoonists work. In all, the Kouachi brothers killed a dozen people that day. It is hard to imagine a more brutal confrontation of a free press and the fanatics fury. The words of the Kouachi brothers, whom the police killed two days later, fill a page of the book: We have avenged the Prophet. We have killed Charlie Hebdo. I was left with terrible guilt feelings, Ms. Rey said in the interview. I had the impression of making a choice, when really there was none. Over 10 pages of To Draw Again, she evokes her self-interrogation in a maelstrom of captioned images: And if I had screamed for help? And if I had tried to flee? And if I had pushed them down the stairs? And if. And if. And if One absurd image, of her kicking her massive assailants in the face, conveys that there was no if, just as at Auschwitz, in Primo Levis memorable phrase, there was no why. The programs struggles are one factor among many in the growing gap in vaccination coverage between the worlds rich and poor. Only 0.3 percent of the vaccine doses administered globally have been given in the 29 poorest countries, home to about 9 percent of the worlds population. Covax has been underfunded and behind schedule even before it faced its most significant blow last month when India, facing a devastating coronavirus crisis, halted vaccine exports. That meant that Covax could no longer receive doses from its major supplier, the Serum Institute of India. The Serum Institute signaled this week that it would not be able to provide vaccines beyond India before the end of this year. And the world is nowhere close to having the 11 billion doses that are needed to vaccinate 70 percent of the worlds population, the rough threshold needed for herd immunity, researchers at Duke University estimate. While global production is difficult to measure, the analytics firm Airfinity estimates the total so far at 1.7 billion doses. The massive shortfall in supply has left low-income countries increasingly dependent on donations from wealthy countries. President Biden has pledged to donate 80 million doses of vaccines, most from AstraZeneca, and some of which are expected to be given through Covax. The president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said on Friday that the bloc aims to donate 100 million vaccine doses to low- and middle-income countries this year. Other vaccine makers have also said they would step up supply to low-income countries as they fight a push, supported by the Biden administration, to increase vaccine supply by waiving intellectual property protections on Covid vaccines. Albert Bourla, chief executive of Pfizer, said on Friday that the company expects to deliver two billion doses of its vaccine to developing countries in the next 18 months. That projection reflects existing deals with governments, anticipated future agreements and Pfizers pledge to supply 40 million doses to Covax. Prashant Yadav, a management scientist who specializes in health care supply chains, wrote in a guest essay in The New York Times this week that the Covax shortfall shows how the world has become too dependent on India for vaccines. Based on data from the Global Commission for Post-Pandemic Policy, Mr. Yadav calculated that more than 65 percent of all doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine produced globally by April had been manufactured by the Serum Institute of India. As violence raged between Israeli and Hamas for 10 days, President Biden spoke with Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, privately six times, conversations in which he pressed him to answer a simple question: How does this end? Mr. Bidens tactic was to avoid public condemnation of Israels bombing of Gaza or even a public call for a cease-fire in order to build up capital with Mr. Netanyahu and then exert pressure in private when the time came, according to two people familiar with the administrations internal debates. In private conversations, Mr. Biden and other American officials reiterated to the Israelis that they had achieved some significant military objectives against Hamas, the militant group that fired thousands of rockets at Israel from Gaza, including targeting its tunnel networks. Mr. Biden pressed Mr. Netanyahu on what his objective was, and what would allow him to say he had achieved it so that a shorter war was possible, rather than a drawn-out military conflict. In response, according to the people familiar with the discussions, Mr. Netanyahu did not lay out specific objectives that he had to accomplish before agreeing to a cease-fire. Across the West Bank, the Israeli police used rubber bullets and tear gas to repel demonstrators, many of whom carried Hamas flags, as a new wave of protest across the West Bank continued to build. At least 97 Palestinians were reported injured. For some in Gaza, the cease-fire is a chance to let off steam, after nearly two weeks of hunkering down at home. On the beach in Gaza City, families strolled on the shore or gathered at waterfront cafes, many of which were opening for the first time since the fighting started. When I see the sea and its rolling waves, I feel there is a change, said Shahed Abu Khousa, a jobless 25-year-old, as she relaxed at a beach cafe. I see the hope there. But on Al Wahda Street, where the Abul Ouf home once stood, the mood was despondent. Up the street, the Kollak family was mourning its dead at an open-air wake. The family had lost 22 members in an airstrike that hit the same night as the Abul Ouf attack, the survivors said. Just five of them survived. One, Muhammad Kollak, a 24-year-old shopkeeper who said he spent five hours under the rubble on Sunday morning, shrugged at the mention of the cease-fire. What good was a truce, he asked, when his family was already largely dead? And what chance of rebuilding the economy given the blockade? A cease-fire doesnt really have a point, he said, his arms still scarred by his ordeal under the rubble. The blockade continues. ASHKELON, Israel Finally, the sirens had fallen silent. Residents of Ashkelon, an Israeli city barely a dozen miles north of Gaza, emerged gingerly from their houses on Friday, hours after a cease-fire had come into effect. During 11 days of fierce fighting, they had been under siege from incessant salvos of rocket fire. Now, the skies were as calm as the nearby sea, and people said they were glad for the respite. Yet here, and across Israel, there were other common sentiments: a nagging sense of disappointment that nothing had been resolved by the fighting, and concern that the truce was fragile and premature. Instead, many Israelis said that the military should have carried on pounding Hamas for another week or two. The shared dissatisfaction throughout the country signaled Israelis growing impatience with what they see as hastily arranged, unconditional cease-fires. Each successive, inconclusive round of conflict has only added to the sense of futility, with no decisive victory or conclusion in sight. As Israel and Hamas observed a tenuous cease-fire that began early Friday, Israeli commentators took stock of the 11-day conflict, with many questioning what the extended bombardment of Gaza had accomplished. Several analysts and political rivals criticized Israels prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, over an operation that they said had drawn international condemnation but failed to deliver a decisive blow to Hamas, the militant group that rules Gaza. Despite the heaviest Israeli bombardment since 2014, they noted, Hamas continued to fire rockets into Israel until the hours before the truce went into effect. With the best intelligence and air force in the world, Netanyahu managed to extract from Hamas an unconditional cease-fire. Embarrassing, tweeted Gideon Saar, a conservative politician and former ally of Mr. Netanhayus who broke with the prime minister in 2019. Every round of Israeli-Palestinian conflict brings questions and recriminations in Israel, which as the superior military power is often criticized for its use of disproportionate force and for the harm to civilians. Israeli airstrikes since May 10 killed more than 230 people in Gaza, according the Gaza health ministry, wounded more than 1,600 and prompted protests in cities around the world. Unlike Hamas, which fires unguided rockets indiscriminately at residential areas, Israel argues that officers and military lawyers weigh these questions carefully before beginning an assault, and have canceled attacks where they perceive there is a risk of killing civilians though they have carried out many attacks that killed and wounded civilians. Chief among the Israeli militarys targets was a 250-mile tunnel network that allowed militants to hide from airstrikes, move around without detection by Israeli drones and launch rockets from underground facilities. By Thursday night, the Israeli military said it had destroyed nearly a third of that network, degrading one of Hamass most treasured assets. Nearly 30 senior Hamas commanders were killed in Israeli strikes, as well as a key engineer involved in rocket production, one Israeli officer said. And key research and development centers, including one used to jam the Israeli antimissile defense system, were destroyed, according to several officers. The Israeli military also managed to foil an attempt by militants to use one tunnel to cross into Israel, avoiding a repeat of an embarrassing episode in the last major escalation, in 2014, one senior officer said. In general, that officer said, Israel had managed to achieve more in 50 hours of fighting than in the 50 days of the war in 2014. Israel even extended the war a few days longer than some military commanders believed was necessary. They did so to diminish Hamass political achievements by trying to disconnect Palestinians perceptions of the war from the factors that led to its eruption like land rights and religious tensions in East Jerusalem. But even if Israels military leadership deems the military campaign a short-term win, the question of what constitutes a victory in the longer term and whether Israel adhered to international law in the process is much more contested. For Ami Ayalon, a retired admiral and former head of the Israeli Navy, Israels airstrikes have brought only an artificial quiet. The core issues driving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict the lack of a sovereign Palestinian state, millions of West Bank Palestinians under military occupation, the blockade of Gaza remain unaddressed. The 2021 voter suppression law is just the latest in a long line of voter suppression laws targeting Floridas Black voters, Latino voters, and voters with disabilities, said the lawsuit, which named Secretary of State Laurel Lee as the defendant. For far too long, Floridas lawmakers and elected officials have created a vast array of hurdles that have made it more difficult for these and other voters to make their voices heard. RAMALLAH, West Bank Less than 12 hours after the rockets and airstrikes stopped on Friday, tear gas veiled Jerusalems Al Aqsa Mosque and Israeli security forces stormed the holy compound, an echo of the police raids two weeks ago that preceded the deadliest fighting between Israelis and Palestinians in years. In a Jerusalem neighborhood overlooking the mosque, the Israeli police tried to contain a crowd of hundreds of Palestinians carrying the flag of Hamas, the militant group that controls Gaza. The police used stun grenades to chase away protesters who had thrown stones and fireworks at them. And across the West Bank, Israeli soldiers used rubber bullets and live rounds to disperse Palestinians demonstrating after Friday prayers. In all, the Red Crescent said, 97 Palestinians were injured in the West Bank and Jerusalem on Friday. An Egyptian-brokered cease-fire between Hamas and Israel might have hit pause on the formal hostilities of the last 11 days. But the unrest made clear that Palestinians still felt they had plenty to fight for: If anything, the war had only inflamed the Palestinian quest for greater rights and recognition, demonstrators said, with the truce doing next to nothing to address the broader inspiration for the rocket fire and stone-throwing. Several key metrics of defining wealth had fallen in the past three years. In 2018, 65 percent of respondents felt that wealth gave them peace of mind, but that number had fallen to 53 percent by this spring. Half of the respondents equated wealth with happiness, four percentage points lower than in 2018. In another shift, more people said wealth meant success in life that was up to 50 percent, from 40 percent last time. A big component of success is still making money, but its just not making money to increase your financial capital, Mr. Baker said. Its accomplishing something in the process, to build other things, to take some of that financial capital and put it into something else. Mr. Norton said his priorities had shifted to focusing more on the people around him, so he decided to pay the first half of his companys Christmas bonus to employees in May. I did it just to make sure they were OK, he said. I focused less on my net worth and income and more on making sure were doing the right thing for our clients but also making sure my staff and my family was OK. For others, though, the mandated isolation focused their mind. Douglas Swets, an angel investor in early-stage start-ups, said the pandemic brought greater clarity and focus to the investments he and his partners were making. After a year of Zoom meetings, I can have a lot more meetings and its improved our due diligence, he said. We can have more people doing reference calls. You get all the questions answered. At the same time, Mr. Swets, who is married with two adult children, said the investments that he reviewed were not necessarily better given the extra time. If anything, they were actually riskier, but the pandemic gave him a different view on investing. The New York Times News Quiz, May 21, 2021 Did you follow the news this week? Take our quiz to see how well you stack up with other Times readers. Well be back next Friday with a new weekly quiz. Sabrina Horn Sabrina Horn, the high-tech PR guru who sold her Horn Group to Finn Partners in 2015, has published Make It, Dont Fake It. The book explains how avoiding short hacks can lead PR pros toward practicing authentic and enduring leadership. "Make It, Dont Fake It" draws on Horns 25 years of experience in the field to show readers why a solid foundation in the truth can result in greater rewards for agencies. Writing as both a leader in PR and the CEO of her own firm, Horn offers advice for successfully negotiating many of the pitfalls that agencies facewithout playing fast and loose with the facts. The book goes into such topics as: how to deal with the harsh truths of a crisis, why making false promises to customers and investors often ends badly, getting rid of the feelings of impostor syndrome that many leaders feel, and developing the confidence and clarity to make sound business decisions. My mission in this book is to help people achieve business success with integrity by dismantling the fake it till you make it ethos, which only serves to corrupt integrity and hinder long-term success, Horn writes in the books introduction. Order Make It, Dont Fake It. Geben Communication acquires Women Online, a content and influencer marketing agency that specializes in national social impact and nonprofit clients. Women Online founder Morra Aarons-Mele is joining Gebens leadership team as executive vice president and will lead the development of a national social impact practice. The Women Online team has a rich history of successfully implementing creative, innovative campaigns that shift behaviors, engage stakeholders, and educate audiences, said Geben founder and president Heather Whaling. This acquisition expands our expertise, elevates our services, and creates new ways for us to support our clients goals. Weber Shandwick Ireland rebrands as Kano Communications following the agencys management buyout by managing director Siobhan Molloy last September. Kano remains Irish partner to the Weber Shandwick network. Co-founded over 30 years ago as Financial & Corporate Communications by Eileen Gleeson and Mary McCarthy, the business became part of Weber Shandwick in 2000. Molloy joined the agency in a senior role in 1997 from Carr Communications before becoming managing director in 2004. Its client roster includes Nestle, the Irish Hotels Federation, Ericsson, Amazon Prime, Ardmore Film Studios and WaterWipes. Wunderlich Kaplan Communications is now accepting cryptocurrency as a form of client payment. The Museum of Graffiti and Grow. House, a decentralized cannabis NFT game, are the first two WKC clients to pay in crypto. In addition to selectively accepting cryptocurrency as payments, the agency says it will continue to work in the cryptocurrency space with chosen clients. With the announcement of Goldman Sachs, and most recently, Wells Fargo looking to offer cryptocurrency funds to clients, along with Space X accepting alt coins, we are following suit. Clients have begun to ask to pay in the form and we have realized, we need to evolve with the nature of our clients, WKC president and founder Dara Kaplan. Van Eperen, which has offices in Rockville, MD and Baltimore, is rebranding as FOVNDRY. The agency says that the new brand reflects its expanded creative services and marketing team, and is part of a new focus on delivering holistic solutions from the start. The transformation is set to affect all aspects of the agency, from client services and solutions to operations. The time was right to rebrand Van Eperen and create a brand that truly reflects our teams talent and service offerings across the communication spectrum, said founder and CEO Laura Van Eperen. "It's a bold move, but so is our approach to helping clients break through typical results. Alden Global Capitals bid to acquire Tribune Publishing has been successful. Tribune shareholders approved the deal, which is valued at $630 million, on Friday. Patrick Soon-Shiong, who, in addition to owning the Los Angeles Times and San Diego Union Tribune controls 24 percent of Tribunes stock, abstained from voting on the transaction. Alden, which currently owns such papers as the Boston Herald, Denver Post and San Jose Mercury News through its Digital First Media chain, already owned one-third of Tribune. The company is known for aggressive cost-cutting measures at its papers. The deal has been opposed by many Tribune employees as well as outside observers, but the search for an alternate buyer failed. The purchase of Tribune reaffirms our commitment to the newspaper industry and our focus on getting publications to a place where they can operate sustainably over the long term, said Alden president Heath Freeman in a statement. Bob Garfield New York Public Radio fires Bob Garfield, who has co-hosted its On The Media program for 20 years, over what NYPR calls a pattern of behavior that violated New York Public Radios anti-bullying policy. According to a statement from NYPR, Garfield had been investigated over similar charges in 2020. After having found that he violated the anti-bullying policy, the company says it issued him a warning about the potential consequences if the behavior continued, and a meaningful opportunity to correct it. On his Twitter feed, Garfield said, I was not fired for bullying per se, but for yelling in five meetings over 20 years. Brooke Gladstone, who co-hosted the program with Garfield, is now handling the hosting duties solo. We recognize Bobs contributions to our industry and our listeners, New York Public Radio said. We also affirm New York Public Radios commitment to providing an inclusive and respectful environment for our employees, guests and listeners. Byron Allen Allen Media Group has filed a $10 billion racial discrimination suit against McDonalds, charging that the fast-food chain intentionally discriminated against Entertainment Studios and Weather Group [both of which are part of AMG] through a pattern of racial stereotyping and refusals to contract. A press release from AMG claims that out of a $1.6 billion annual television advertising budget, McDonalds spends just $5 million on African American-owned media. As a point of comparison, it notes that McDonalds CFO Chris Kempczinski takes home about $11 million a year. AMG also says that its 23 broadcast television stations and its cable networks, which include Comedy.TV and The Weather Channel, are relegated to an African American marketing tier with a much smaller budget and less favorable pricing than its general market tier. This is about economic inclusion of African American-owned businesses in the US economy, said AMG founder, chairman and CEO Byron Allen. The suit comes as McDonalds announced an initiative to increase its advertising dollars in diverse-owned media companies and content creators. Chris Brandon Chris Brandon will join Jack in the Box Inc. on June 7 as VP-investor relations after a 14-year stint at Dominos Pizza. He exited Domino's as IR director and earlier managed its government affairs, PR and franchisee events activity. Before landing at the pizza chain, Brandon did a four-year run at NASCAR in sales & marketing. Jack in the Box CFO Tim Mullany praised Brandons ability to build trusting relationships with the investment community and his deep knowledge of the franchise restaurant industry. The San Diego-based hamburger chain has more than 2,200 outlets. It posted a 19 percent hike in revenues to $257M during the quarter ended April 11. Net income surged 220 percent to $35.9M compared to the COVID-impacted year-ago period. Jack in the Box stock trades at $115 per share. The price ranged from $64,.83 to $124.53 during the past 52 weeks. A Tullamore teenager drove dangerously around the town in the early hours of the morning just over a week after his 18th birthday, the local District Court heard. Thomas Power, 47 Grand Canal Court, pleaded guilty to 13 counts of dangerous driving when he appeared before Judge Catherine Staines. Sergeant James O'Sullivan said a garda on patrol saw a 04 registered Astra on February 27 last at Harbour Street which was missing a headlight. Gardai followed it at a safe distance and when they activated the blue lights it failed to stop. The car drove on O'Moore Street, New Road, Church Road, the N52 bypass, Daingean Road, O'Carroll Street and Chancery Lane. Sergeant O'Sullivan said it was speeding and engaging in dangerous manoeuvres. It swerved at a patrol car at Church Street and hit a traffic light pole and an electrical junction box. When the accused was stopped gardai ascertained he had no driving licence and no insurance. He had no previous convictions. Defending solicitor Donal Farrelly said Mr Power had been extremely stressed and bored because of Covid and bought the vehicle for 300 with the intention of doing it up. He knew he should not have done what he did and Mr Farrelly suggested the young man would benefit greatly from the Probation Service and mental health matters could be explored. Judge Staines said it was an 'appalling incident of dangerous driving' but she would put sentence back to July 28 for a probation report. Hopefully there will be a positive report on that date, said the judge. BORD na Mona have admitted the Boora bike hire contract could have been handled better, the Cathaoirleach of Offaly County Council said on Monday as the petition to reverse the decision has reached over 16,000 signatures. UPDATE: Bord na Mona and Pat Barrett issue joint statement on Lough Boora Bike Hire contract Cllr John Carroll was reporting on what the energy company's representative had said at a meeting of the Midlands Regional Transition Team the previous Wednesday. Cllr Carroll said the issue had been raised at the meeting by a union representative and then addressed by himself and Offaly Fianna Fail TD Barry Cowen. What I can say is that we got assurance from the representative of Bord na Mona that they were actively seeking resolution to the matter and they did agree that it could have been handled better and we hope to have some developments on that before the week is out, said Cllr Carroll. He said he wanted to put on record the concerns all councillors had about the appointment of the bike hire contractor at Lough Boora and voice the anger, frustration and annoyance which was felt by the people of Offaly at how it was handled. We have just come through one of the most difficult years with Covid and dealing with the social and economic fall-out, power station closure, peat harvesting ending and the Covid, with massive uncertainty in the region regarding jobs, said the Cathaoirleach. We need Bord na Mona to act in a manner that supports just transition which is ensuring that every support is given to creating and protecting employment in this region as they pursue their brown to green agenda. The original provider, Lumcloon man Pat Barrett, a Bord na Mona employee, lost out in a tender competition to a bike hire company run by Dublin GAA star Conal Keaney. What's Included With a Digital Only subscription, you'll receive unlimited access to our website and e-edition. Our digital products are available 24/7 and are accessible anywhere, anytime. If you have any questions or need further assistance, please call our customer service team at 716-372-3121 or email nfinnerty@oleantimesherald.com. I realized a day after you were there that I had made a $100 contribution to a campaign but it was the first time I have ever made a contribution to a campaign and I thought at the time that the girl running as an independent sounded cool and would be better than the republicans and democrats that have messed things up so much, the email said. Since then, SpaceX successfully completed its demonstration missions for its own vehicle, the Crew Dragon, and has now flown two operational flights to the station. The commercial crew program allows NASA to launch its astronauts from U.S. soil, and end its reliance on Russia after the end of the Space Shuttle program. Canada's deputy chief medical officer says the country's COVID-19 vaccination rates have doubled in five weeks, reaching nearly 20 million doses administered to date, while daily cases continue to decline. As COVID cases reach record highs, opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim called on the Prime Minister to resign. There is no coherence and clear incompetence. Palestinians rallied in their thousands early Friday after a ceasefire took effect in the latest Gaza conflict, with many viewing.. Belfast Telegraph 21 May 2021 The police fired stun grenades towards Palestinians who threw rocks and Molotov cocktails at officers outside Jerusalems flashpoint Al-Aqsa Mosque, just hours after Israel and Hamas reached a ceasefire in Gaza. Weisselberg said she is cooperating with prosecutors because "it's so horrifying that Donald Trump could be president again, knowing what I know." Prince William and his brother Prince Harry are finally on the same page about something -- condemning the BBC for the way it treated their mother ... specifically regarding her now infamous 1995 TV interview. The Royal bros both made strong Politicians reiterated the country's "special responsibility" at a Berlin demonstration, which aimed to show solidarity with Israel and reject antisemitism. For some onlookers, the government response was "one-sided." The coronavirus pandemic has given a huge boost to internet crime. The number of offenses is on the rise while the number of successfully solved cases is stagnating in Germany. The president of the International Auschwitz Committee dedicated his life to fighting against antisemitism. He helped organize Holocaust survivors into a movement and demanded Germany pay reparations. Bleacher Report AOL 24 May 2021 The recovery work has started in Gaza as the Israel-Hamas ceasefire takes effect. As Palestinians in Gaza are reeling from the.. Above left, an artists rendering of the evacuation of Fort Ontario by the British on July 15, 1796; it was the last of six northwest posts held by the British at the end of the Revolutionary War. Above right, local history expert and Fort Ontario State Historic Site Manager Paul Lear leads a tour group on the very same ground in this Jan. 2, 2017 file photo. Lear will be one of the featured presenters at the upcoming History on Tap, returning after a year hiatus. Eurasia Review 24 May 2021 The Palestinian revolt of 2021 will go down in history as one of the most influential events in irreversibly changing the.. Sergio Aguero will go down as one of the greatest goalscorers in the history of the Premier League - but for his effort in training.. Daily Star 31 May 2021 Eurasia Review 26 May 2021 US Secretary of State Antony Blinken jetted to Egypt on Wednesday as he pressed ahead with a diplomatic mission aimed at shoring up.. Pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian demonstrators gathered on opposing sides of the street in New York's Times Square on Thursday night following the announcement of a ceasefire in the Middle East. A Syrian has been sentenced to life in prison for stabbing two gay men in Dresden last year, killing one and seriously injuring his partner in an attack that prosecutors said was motivated by anti-LGBT Islamic extremist beliefs. The Canadian government has extended its ban on flights from India and Pakistan until June 21 in a move to prevent and control the spread of the novel coronavirus and its variants. Protesters have thrown stones and soldiers fired rubber bullets and tear gas amid unrest around the holy site in Jerusalem. It comes just hours after Israel and Hamas agreed a cease-fire. Clashes broke out between Palestinian protesters and Israeli police following Friday prayers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, a flashpoint holy site in Jerusalem that is sacred to Jews and Muslims. Issues in the News moderator Kim Lewis discusses with VOA senior TV correspondent Chris Simkins and VOA executive editor Steve Redisch the top stories of the week including the conflict between Israel and Palestinian militants, the U.S. House approval of a commission to investigate the January 6th, riots at the U.S. Capitol and more. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is likely to visit the United States in the coming week, the visit is at the planning stage. There is no official announcement of the visit yet. India is engaged in talks with various US entities involved in Covid vaccines production and is looking forward to procuring and subsequently producing these vaccines. Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - A European Union (EU) mission on Thursday visited the Libyan border post of Ras Jedir, shared with Tunisia, to inquire about the working mechanism and the material resources available rime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday choked with emotion while thanking doctors, frontline workers during video conference with them. "I thank every Kashiwasi, especially our doctors, nurses, technicians, ward boys, ambulance drivers, the work you all have done is commendable," said PM Modi. The anti-Asian hate crimes bill is finally signed into law by President Joe Biden, who got emotional while discussing racial discrimination. On Thursday afternoon, one could almost hear the collective sighs of relief through official Washington, D.C., as the White House announced that Israel and the Palestinian Directorate had agreed to a ceasefire to immediately end the violent clash of the past week. But... Spain will allow visitors from the UK and Japan for holidays without a negative PCR test for COVID-19 from Monday, the country's government has said. The Biden administration has dropped its effort to impose a 100-day moratorium on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deportations after a legal effort from Texas blocked the Biden campaign promise from taking place -- with the administration saying the time for it to go into effect has now passed. Israel and the two main armed groups in Gaza agreed to a ceasefire on Thursday aimed at ending end 11 days of deadly violence. A statement from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus office said the security cabinet had unanimously accepted the recommendations to accept an Egyptian initiative for an unconditional ceasefire. Hamas and Islamic Jihad [] Beijing on Friday welcomed a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, the Islamist movement which controls the Gaza Strip, saying China hopes there will be a cessation of violence and a return to peace talks. A ceasefire came into force early Friday after 11 days of deadly fighting that killed hundreds of Palestinians and 12 [] Apple announced a line of slim iMac computers and iPads with higher-quality video that use its own processors, as it speeds its.. Reuters - Politics 20 Apr 2021 A police officer has been fined for breaching coronavirus rules after he was spotted among thousands of Rangers fans in Glasgows George Square. President Joe Biden signed legislation designed to combat a dramatic rise in hate crimes against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. At a White House ceremony, Biden praised lawmakers who seem to agree on little but came together against hate. (May 20) Conakry, Guinea (PANA) - Travel restrictions against some political personalities in Guinea, especially from the opposition, do not fall within the domain of the executive and political power, the government spokesperson, Tibou Kamara, told the press on Thursday after a session of the council of ministers In his new series for Apple TV+, "The Me You Can't See," Harry, The Duke of Sussex, admits he used to feel overwhelmed with anxiety about flying into London after traveling. It was a place where he felt trapped and hunted by cameras. Harry admits those old feelings resurfaced when he flew back in April for the funeral of his grandfather, Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh, after more than a year away. He was able to cope using skills learned in therapy. (May 20) From New York and California to Illinois and Utah, the recent conflict between Israel and Gaza has generated a disturbing backlash against American Jews who have found themselves the targets of death threats, hate speech and violent physical attacks. Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren's husband, Timothy Granison, pleaded not guilty Thursday to criminal drug and weapons charges. Warren calls the arrest 'suspicious,' noting that his next court appearance is the day before primary voting. (May 21) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday warned the Palestinian militant group Hamas against any rocket fire, saying Israel will respond with "new level of force." A cease-fire took effect early Friday, after 11 days of violence. (May 21) A Mexican judge on Thursday ordered the detention of a suspected serial killer after a womans body and other skeletal remains were found in his home near the capital, prosecutors said. The 72-year-old suspect, named as Andres N, was arrested on Tuesday on suspicion of murdering a 34-year-old woman whose dismembered corpse was discovered in [] Eurasia Review 22 May 2021 The interview was infamous, made his name and was bound to enrage. It also received a viewing audience of 23 million people who.. Eurasia Review 27 May 2021 By Dr. Alon Ben-Meir* Since a ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinians has been agreed upon, there are those who.. Eurasia Review 23 May 2021 US President Joe Biden on May 20, 2021 signed a historic legislation to halt the phenomenal rise in hate crimes against Asian.. CABI scientists have conducted the first comprehensive study on the economic impact of a range of Invasive Alien Species (IAS) on Africa's agricultural sector, which they estimated to be USD $3.6 trillion a year. This is equivalent to 1.5 times the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of all African countries combined - or similar to... New York, US (PANA) - The UN chief has welcomed the ceasefire declared between Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas, following 11 days of rocket and air attacks, which have left more than 240 reportedly dead and thousands injured, the majority in the occupied Palestinian enclave of Gaza (RFE/RL) -- U.S. President Joe Biden said May 10 that Russia has some responsibility to address a ransomware attack that has.. Eurasia Review 10 May 2021 Eloina Feliciano begged her mother not to sell her into marriage aged 14 under an ancestral tradition in their indigenous community in southern Mexico, but her pleas were in vain. I dont want to be sold, she remembers telling her mother at their home in the mountains of Guerrero state. Were not animals. Animals are the [] There is nothing new under the sun about protesters on opposite sides clashing in the streets. There is something different, however, when innocent people who are minding their own business get attacked simply because they are of the same racial, ethnic or religious stock of one of the parties to the protest. This happened in... The Wrap 28 May 2021 Seth Meyers is fed up with the insanity in Arizona as it continues its sham election audit, and he compared Republicans that.. FOXNews.com 21 May 2021 Wyoming state Sen. Anthony Bouchard, a Republican who has emerged as one of the most high-profile primary challengers to Rep. Liz.. CBS 13 Sacramento 20 Feb 2020 Some people in Oregon are petitioning to leave the state but they dont want to move, they want to move the Oregon-Idaho.. Laxman Pai, Opalesque Asia: Pan-European focused fund house Kartesia Kartesia has held the final close on its fifth credit opportunities fund at the hard cap of 1.5bn ($1.8bn). According to the London-headquartered private credit firm, the vehicle, Kartesia Credit Opportunities Fund V (KCO V), targets sponsorless transactions, providing credit solutions to lower mid-market European companies across the capital structure, in both primary and secondary markets. Kartesia targets opportunities in which they can invest between $12m and $98m and have the ability to fund and hold up over $122m, with the support of limited partners. "To date, the Fund has already completed 27 investments benefitting from the Team's strong sourcing and execution capabilities, which have allowed for a swift deployment of capital in high-quality opportunities," claimed a press release from the privately-owned European specialist financing small and middle-market companies. The 27 investments, totaling more than 500m, include financing Flywheel Partners' acquisition of ES Global in the UK, the provision of a credit facility to finance Headfirst Group in the Benelux region, and financing the acquisition of Orbus Software by Silvertree. "We are grateful to both our existing and new investors for their continuous support and trust in these uncertain times and would also like to thank Campbell Lutyens and Everest Holding for their assistance in helping us achieve our fundraising goals,"...................... To view our full article Click here Two Green Thumbs and More Launches Online Store with Hand-Carved Collection Commemorating the Old North State Local Small Business Adds eCommerce to Their Model with Hand-Carved Hospitality Pieces Honoring Their Heritage HICKORY, NC, MAY 19, 2021 / - Desiring to expand their artisan business to meet the growing demands for their pieces while maintaining proper post-pandemic protocols, the husband and wife team of Two Iran starts pumping oil into strategic Goreh-Jask pipeline 05/21/21 Source: Tehran Times Managing director of the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) has announced the beginning of oil transfer operation through Goreh-Jask pipeline which is laid from Goreh oil terminal in the southwestern Bushehr Province to Jask oil terminal along the Gulf of Oman. Masoud Karbasian made the announcement on the sidelines of the signing ceremony of Farzad B gas field development deal on Monday, the NIOC portal reported on Wednesday. Stating that the Goreh-Jask oil transfer project is currently the largest project in Iran's oil industry, Karbasian said: "Production of transmission valves, electric pumps, laying a thousand kilometers of pipeline along with the construction of storage tanks, terminals and the single point mooring (SPM) in Jask port using domestic capacities shows the national determination for completing this great and strategic project." According to the official, the Goreh-Jask project, due to its high sensitivity, has gone through several additional tests in various stages to make sure that the project will be completed without any defects and with the best quality. He further noted that it will take less than a month for the pumped oil to reach Jask oil terminal and then the project will be officially inaugurated by President Hassan Rouhani. As the country's second major oil terminal, Jask terminal is under construction on 60 hectares of land and with nearly 260 million Euros of investment. The Goreh-Jask oil transfer project is going to provide Iran with an alternative route for the country's crude oil exports that are currently carried out through the Strait of Hormuz. Back in December 2020, the official had announced that the implementation of Goreh-Jask project by domestic contractors had saved the country over 500 million Euros. Goreh-Jask project, which is aimed at expanding the oil transport capacity in the south of the country to one million barrels a day, was started in late June 2020. AGENCY [mdash]MaryAnn Wanner, 75, of Agency, died at 4:45 a.m. June 9, 2021 at Ridgewood Specialty Care. She was born February 18, 1946 in Lake City, IA to Lubbert and Erma DeVries. She married Martin Joseph Wanner and he preceded her in death on March 18, 2021. MaryAnn had worked as a beaut Clifford R. Cliff Miles lived a life of public service and was dedicated to doing good in the community. The former Midland city manager died Monday, May 17 at the age of 96. He was very energetic, very community-minded. He was interested in helping in any way that he could, said Gene Robinson, former mayor of Coleman. Born in Muskegon to the late Roy and Etta Miles in 1925, Cliff served as an aviation cadet in the U.S. Navy from 1943 to 1946. He went on to obtain a degree in civil engineering from the University of Michigan in 1948 and married the former Esther Debruin that same year. The couple celebrated 60 years together before Esther died in 2008. He was the biggest Boy Scout. He never lied, he was a good practical joker, though, said his son, Jim Miles of Ypsilanti. Cliff had a long history of serving as city manager before he arrived in Midland, following in the footsteps of his father, who was the city manager of Muskegon Heights. Cliff was the engineer and assistant manager of Ann Arbors water department from 1948 to 1953, and the city manager of Gaylord from 1953 to 1956, Three Rivers from 1956 to 1960, and Adrian for 13 years before coming to Midland. In 1973, he was appointed as Midland city manager, preceded by Fred L. Yockey. His tenure stretched to 1992 and was succeeded by Karl Tomion. He is the gold standard of city managers, said Jenee Velasquez, executive director of the Grace A. Dow and Herbert H. Dow Memorial Foundation. Former city manager Jon Lynch, now president of Three Rivers Corporation, explained how Cliff didnt view his position as city manager as a job, but rather lived the role. Cliff put in long hours, despite being repeatedly told by the council to slow down; while he typically worked 45-hour weeks, 80 hours a week was not unusual for him. Even after his retirement, Cliff would call Lynch about a minor detail like a streetlight that needed to be fixed. He took great pride in the community. It was something he loved to do. He had a servant leaders spirit for sure, Lynch said. Cliff also wrote a regular column in the Daily News along with other key decision makers in Midland. Cliffs topics ranged from cable television and housing for the elderly population to energy management, Grace A. Dow Memorial Library and the importance of seatbelt laws. He also strengthened Midlands connection with its sister city, Handa, Japan through a visit with other local officials in 1987. During his term, Cliff helped expand Midlands infrastructure, including its roads, sewage system and water plant. In 1990, a new city hall was built to better accommodate the growing staff and be more accessible. The entire move took place from the offices closing on Friday afternoon to the following Monday morning. That speaks to the spirit that Cliff brought to the table. He made sure that everybodys needs were addressed, said Lynch. Cliffs accolades stretch across the public sector. He received Rotary Internationals Paul Harris Fellow Award in 1991 for his outstanding service to the community, became the 60th honorary life member of Michigan Municipal League in 1992, and was named a goodwill ambassador of Grace A. Dow Memorial Library in 1995. Cliff also received Michigan City Management Associations John M. Patriarche Distinguished Service Award in 1997. As Cliff worked with Patriarche, who was a city manager in East Lansing, this particular honor meant a great deal to him. Velasquez met Cliff as he was transitioning into retirement. She praised his integrity and humble spirit, explaining that he worked for very little money as he believed he had the capacity to serve. Humility mattered to Cliff. He would do things and folks wouldnt know what was going on behind the scenes, Velasquez said. One of his favorite phrases was, You get more done if you dont care who gets the credit. Cliff remained active in the community during his retirement, offering his expertise to local municipalities as a part-time consultant for the Midland County Economic Growth and Development Corp now known as Midland Tomorrow in 1997. He maintained a steady work schedule, working 20-30 hours a week, sometimes pushing it to 40 hours or more. He also served on the Projects Committee for the Midland Foundation, the Tri-County Economic Club board of directors, the Local Issues Committee of the Midland Area Chamber of Commerce and the Midland County Council on Aging. Hes a life member of Rotary. He contributed philanthropically to the Presbyterian church, but he also contributed to smaller churches that he liked. He was a great Christian man, Jim said. Robinson, who was the mayor of Coleman for 28 years, described Cliff as unselfish with his time, and was grateful for the effort his friend put toward promoting the community during his tenure with Midland County Economic Growth and Development Corp. He did a lot of good things for the city of Coleman. He was a good connection between us and the foundations to get money, Robinson said, adding that Cliff kept track of getting applications from foundations and attended council meetings. What he did for the community is quite visible. He was a promoter of community. Cliff is survived by four of his five children, a sister, brother, along with many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. There are no immediate plans for a service due to COVID-19 restrictions; a memorial service will be announced at a later date. Funeral arrangements are being handled by Ware-Smith-Woolever Funeral Directors. SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) California no longer will require social distancing and will allow full capacity for businesses when the state reopens on June 15, the state's top health official said Friday. Were at a place with this pandemic where those requirements of the past are no longer needed for the foreseeable future, Secretary of California Health and Human Services Dr. Mark Ghaly said. He said dramatically lower virus cases and increasing vaccinations mean its safe for California to remove nearly all restrictions next month. The state of nearly 40 million people has administered nearly 35.5 million vaccine doses, he said, and more than three-quarters of residents over 65 have received at least one dose. As one result, the state in mid-June will end its color-coded four-tier system that restricts activities based on each countys virus prevalence. Limits on how many people can be inside businesses at any one time will disappear, he said, and there will no longer be (physical distancing) restrictions for attendees, customers and guests in business sectors. That won't mean an abrupt end to wearing masks, he said, but the state will adjust its guidelines to correspond to national guidelines. Officials already announced this week that they would wait until mid-June to follow the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's new mask guidelines that say its safe for fully vaccinated people to skip face coverings and social distancing in virtually all situations. The federal guidelines state that everyone should still wear masks in crowded indoor locations such as airplanes, buses, hospitals and prisons. Californias workforce regulators are separately developing safety rules that will continue to apply to employers, Ghaly said. "I cant emphasize enough how the vaccine has allowed us to get to a place where we can safely do the things that we loved to do before the pandemic," said Los Angeles County health director Barbara Ferrer. The state's lingering deaths, she said, "are almost all among people not fully vaccinated. This is preventable. The state will still require vaccine verification or negative test results within 72 hours for indoor events with more than 5,000 attendees. State officials will also recommend that organizers of outdoor events with more than 10,000 people require attendees to provide verification that they have been vaccinated or have tested negative for the coronavirus. Those who cant or dont provide the verification should be encouraged by organizers to wear masks, Ghaly said. Im very confident in their decisions and very confident this is the right move, said Dr. Monica Gandhi, an infectious disease expert at the University of California, San Francisco. Gandhi said there is plenty of evidence that vaccines are effective and California has done a good job of distributing doses. State officials do not anticipate that they will create or require a vaccination passport or other formal verification, Ghaly said. The more than three weeks of lead time before the changes go into effect will provide ample time for our businesses, organizations and residents to prepare for these changes, Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger said. California also plans to follow federal CDC guidelines on travel, meaning it will not be discouraged except in places where visiting is not advised. We have weathered the storm, and I am hopeful that this finally signals our return to normalcy, Barger said. California was the first state to issue a statewide shutdown as the virus emerged in March 2020 and it was the nation's epicenter for the disease at the start of 2021. More than 61,000 people have died from the virus in California, the most in any state in the nation. Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, has said for weeks that the state expected to generally lift most business and social restrictions by June 15. I think our shared objective has always been to get the economy open as quickly as we can by safely doing so, said Dee Dee Myers, director of the Governors Office of Business and Economic Development. Newsom faces a recall election this fall driven in large part by those frustrated with his restrictions during the pandemic. Restrictions around eating and drinking, open bars, buffets, things like that will all go away, she said. People can now also plan with certainty for weddings, conventions and large sporting events, a really important milestone" as officials try to reinvigorate the economy. On some recent days, newly reported infections in California have fallen below 1,000 and there are currently just over 1,300 people hospitalized with the virus. The state's current positivity rate is just 1%. Lifting restrictions will inevitably result in some increased transmissions, but the health care system should be able to handle them and local officials can still impose additional limits if there are outbreaks, Ghaly said. Health officials will continue tracking whether virus mutations start breaking through vaccinations, which he said could mean renewed health measures. Were going to be watching that very closely," he said. "But I think we are in a place statewide where we have a significant number of people vaccinated and protected. ___ This story has been corrected to say that more than 61,000 people have died from the coronavirus in California, not nearly 63,000. ___ Associated Press writer Kathleen Ronayne contributed to this story. SAUGATUCK, Mich. (AP) A plan to turn a former church camp into luxury homes in a sand dune area near Lake Michigan can be challenged by some neighbors, the Michigan Supreme Court said Thursday. After objections arose, the developer sold some land to create a buffer between the project and critics. But the court, 4-2, said the maneuver doesn't kill the challenge. WASHINGTON (AP) An FBI employee has been indicted on charges that she stored classified documents and other national security information at home over the course of more than a decade, the Justice Department said Friday. Kendra Kingsbury, 48, is accused of having unauthorized possession of a broad swath of sensitive government documents, including materials that describe sources, methods and operations and that contain information about operatives such as a suspected associate of Osama bin Laden. Kingsbury worked as an intelligence analyst in the FBI's Kansas City office for 12 years until her suspension in December 2017. The two-count indictment, filed in the Western District of Missouri, alleges that during that time, Kingsbury illegally removed documents she was granted access to at work and stored them at home. Though Kingsbury held a top-secret security clearance and was assigned to squads covering a range of crimes and threats, she did not have a need to know the information in most of the documents, prosecutors say. According to the indictment, the records Kingsbury stored at home included details about specific investigations, sensitive human source operations, intelligence gaps with regard to terrorist organizations and foreign intelligence services, and information about the FBI's technical capabilities. The materials also discuss al-Qaida members, including a suspected bin Laden associate, prosecutors say. The indictment does not provide a reason for why Kingsbury mishandled the documents, nor does it accuse her of having transmitted the information to anyone else. The Justice Department declined to elaborate beyond the indictment on Friday. The breadth and depth of classified national security information retained by the defendant for more than a decade is simply astonishing, Alan E. Kohler Jr., the assistant director in charge of the FBIs Counterintelligence Division, said in a statement. The case underscores the risk to national security posed by insider threats, Assistant Attorney General John Demers, the Justice Department's top national security official, said in a statement. Court documents do not identify a lawyer for Kingsbury, of Dodge City, Kansas. A message left at a phone number connected to her was not immediately returned. ____ Follow Eric Tucker on Twitter at http://www.twitter/com/etuckerAP NEW YORK (AP) First lady Jill Biden on Thursday told young immigrants who were brought to the U.S. illegally as children that she feels inspired by them because they didn't just receive a college education, they "fought for it." "Your journey from this day forward will be both heartbreaking and hopeful, bruised and beautiful. But you already know that the inner strength that got you here will serve you well," the first lady said during a virtual commencement ceremony. Jill Biden, an English and writing teacher at Northern Virginia Community College, delivered the keynote speech at a ceremony organized by TheDream.US, a scholarship providing organization for young immigrants often described as dreamers." Her speech took place nearly a week after president Joe Biden met in the Oval Office with six young immigrants who benefited from an Obama-era program that protected those brought to the U.S. illegally as children. Biden held the meeting as part of his efforts toward overhauling the nations immigration laws. The president has renewed his call for Congress to codify the program, called Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals or DACA. The U.S. House recently passed a bill that would provide ways to obtain permanent legal status for DACA recipients, as well as other immigrants in the country under temporary programs protecting them from deportation. There are, however, few signs of progress on Capitol Hill, as Republicans have launched political fusillades over problems at the U.S.-Mexico border, especially unaccompanied minor children. More than 1,000 dreamers who benefited from scholarships provided by the TheDream.US and who are expected to graduate this academic year from 77 colleges and online were invited to Thursday's ceremony. We know you have so much to contribute to this nation in the days ahead. Thats why the president is working to build an immigration policy that creates better pathways to citizenship for students like you, said Mrs. Biden. The first lady explained that many of her students are immigrants, refugees and dreamers. Theyve shared with me their journeys and their challenges, experiences that Im guessing will sound familiar to a lot of you. Leaving loved ones behind, learning a new language, experiencing violence, enduring poverty, living in fear of being forced to return to countries theyve never known, she said. Im inspired because they arrive in my class filled with optimism and hope. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said in March that his agency was issuing a rule to preserve and fortify DACA, but the policy faces a Texas court challenge that could invalidate the protections established under Obama. Hundreds of thousands of immigrants currently benefit from DACA in the U.S. Kevin Ortiz, a Mexican immigrant who came to the U.S. at 12 years old, was one of the speakers on Thursday's ceremony. He graduated from the University of Central Florida and now works in leadership development in the financial services industry. Winds of change are blowing, he said. The world needs your perspective, your leadership. So lead. The following list includes recent reports from the Midland County Sheriffs Office and the Midland Police Department. Compiled by reporter Andrew Mullin. Tuesday, May 18: 11:00 p.m. Deputies assisted a Michigan State Police trooper with a possible domestic assault complaint. A deputy transported a 21-year-old Midland male to a residence in the city of Midland. 10:38 p.m. Deputies initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle at a Porter Township location for an equipment violation. After a brief investigation, the license of the driver, a 20-year-old Porter Township male, was suspended. The driver was cited for the offense. A report was forwarded to the prosecuting attorney's office for review. 9:58 p.m. A deputy responded to a Jerome Township location regarding a 27-year-old Jerome Township female who reported that her 27-year-old male friend from Coleman touched her inappropriately and she wanted to press charges. The male suspect was interviewed, and he denied that the assault occurred. A report was completed and forwarded to the prosecuting attorneys office for review. 7:33 p.m. Officers responded to a vehicle crash and OWI on East Ashman Street. 5:50 p.m. A dark brown van failed to pay for $47 in gas at a Warren Township gas station. 5:32 p.m. Officers responded to conditional bond and personal protection order violations in the area of Jerome Street and West Larkin Street. 5:18 p.m. Officers responded to a two-vehicle crash in the area of Eastman Avenue and Joe Mann Boulevard. 4:24 p.m. Deputies responded to a Lee Township park for a report of individuals smoking marijuana. Deputies contacted a 25-year-old Midland male and his 23-year-old girlfriend. The male denied they were smoking marijuana. The male had questions regarding smoking marijuana in public and deputies answered his questions. 4:13 p.m. A deputy was dispatched to a Larkin Township residence to speak with a 61-year-old male regarding a suspicious situation. The 61-year-old male said while he was at work, his home video camera captured footage of an unknown male walking in his driveway. He stated that a red and gray pickup truck with wood sides on the truck bed pulled into his driveway. A shorter male with a gray beard exited the driver's seat and walked to his front door. After nobody answered, the male got into his truck and left the property. The 61-year-old male thought that it was suspicious, so he wanted to report the incident. 4:12 p.m. Officers responded to a vehicle crash on Eastman Avenue. 3:56 p.m. Officers responded to a vehicle crash on Wellness Drive. 1:57 p.m. Officers pulled over an uninsured motorist in the area of South Saginaw Road and Austin Street. 3:26 p.m. Officers responded to a hit and run on Eastman Avenue. 12:12 p.m. Officers responded to a case of identity theft. 9:48 a.m. A deputy was dispatched to a Homer Township residence to check on the wellbeing of 20-year-old female after an individual from the U.K. reported that she was making suicidal statements on social media. The deputy checked the residence and learned that the 20-year-old female no longer lives at the Homer Township residence and now lives at an unknown residence in Merrill. 9:38 a.m. Officers responded to a hit and run on Wellness Drive. 8:00 a.m. Deputies responded to a Homer Township location for a report of sexual contact between a 15-year-old-male and his 11-year-old sister. This case is under investigation. 1:10 a.m. Deputies responded to a property damage accident at a Warren Township location. Upon arrival, deputies contacted a 27-year-old Warren Township male. The male advised he was a passenger in the vehicle and the driver fled the scene on foot. The passenger refused to provide deputies with the drivers information. A UD-10 was completed. 1:04 a.m. A deputy responded to a Mount Haley Township location regarding an unoccupied vehicle parked partially in the roadway. The vehicle appeared to be disabled and no one was in the area. The deputy attempted contact with the registered owner but was unsuccessful. The vehicle was impounded due to being a traffic hazard. Midnight Officers responded to a traffic hazard on the South Saginaw Road overpass. Chinese President Xi Jinping will attend the Global Health Summit and deliver a speech via video in Beijing on Friday, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying announced on Thursday. Xi was invited by Mario Draghi, prime minister of Italy that holds the G20 presidency, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Hua said. Enditem The group had an initial valuation of just over 48mln at the issue price of 5p ( ) has begun trading in London after raising a gross 16.5mln in its initial public offer. The UK-based pharmaceutical company specialises in cannabinoid drug development, with a focus on pain treatments. OCT aims to become a global leader in developing prescription medicines that target the endocannabinoid system to address significant unmet medical needs in pain treatment. The company owns a proprietary library of 93 cannabinoid derivatives and has in-licensed its lead drug candidate. It plans to use the placing proceeds to primarily fund the pre-clinical development and Phase 1 clinical trial of this drug candidate, develop a second drug candidate, and advance potential third and fourth drug candidates from the cannabinoid library. Chief executive John Lucas said: As a British pharmaceutical business, we are pushing back the frontiers of cannabinoid-based drug development. Being a listed company will provide new investors with the opportunity to participate in the next chapter of our exciting story. This IPO will enable us to take our pipeline of drugs through the next stage of development, including taking two of our drug candidates into clinical trials." A total of 960.4mln shares were floated on the market, giving the group an initial valuation of just over 48mln at the issue price of 5p. But the shares immediately soared 50% to 7.5p in early trading on Friday, though by mid afternoon the initial high wore off and they were back to 5.05p. BEIRUT (AP) Ever since their last war in 2006, Israel and Lebanons powerful Hezbollah militia have constantly warned that a new round between them is inevitable. Yet once again, a potential trigger has gone unpulled. Hezbollahs shadow loomed large during Israel and Hamas two-week battle, with the possibility it could unleash its arsenal of missiles - far more powerful than Hamas - in support of the Palestinians. Instead, Hezbollah stayed on the sidelines. And if a ceasefire that took effect early Friday holds, another Israel-Hamas war will have ended without Hezbollah intervention. For now, both sides had compelling reasons not to clash, including - for Hezbollah - the bitter memory of Israels punishing 2006 bombing campaign that turned its strongholds in Lebanon to rubble. Lebanon is also in the grips of an economic and financial collapse unparalleled in its modern history and can ill afford another massive confrontation with Israel. For Israel, the Iranian-backed group in Lebanon remains its toughest and most immediate security challenge. Israel needs to manage the conflict in Gaza with a very open eye toward what is happening in the north, because the north is a much more important arena than Gaza, said Amos Yadlin, a former Israeli military intelligence chief who currently heads the Institute for National Security Studies. He spoke before the truce took effect at 2 a.m. Friday. Hezbollahs reaction during the 11 days of Israeli bombardment that engulfed Gaza in death and destruction was relatively mute. Its leader, Hassan Nasrallah, did not make any public comments, even after a Hezbollah fighter was shot dead by Israeli soldiers at the border during a protest last week. Late Thursday, Netanyahus Security Cabinet approved a unilateral cease-fire to halt the Gaza operation, a decision that came after heavy U.S. pressure to stop the offensive. Hamas quickly followed suit and said it would honor the deal. Throughout the current round of fighting, Hezbollah's show of solidarity including unclaimed rocket barrages from south Lebanon into Israel on three separate occasions in the past week appeared carefully calibrated for limited impact. Most landed in open areas or in the Mediterranean Sea. The rockets are believed to have been fired by Palestinian factions based in south Lebanon, likely with Hezbollahs blessing. The political message is we are here, and safety for Israel from its northern border is not to be taken for granted and neither is the deterrent that was established in 2006 when the two sides fought each other to a draw, said Joyce Karam, an adjunct professor of political science at George Washington University. At the tense Lebanon-Israel border, Hezbollah supporters wearing yellow hats organized daily protests over the past week. On at least one occasion, dozens of people breached the fence and crossed to the other side, drawing Israeli shots that struck and killed a 21-year-old. He was later identified as a Hezbollah fighter, and given a full-fledged funeral with hundreds in attendance. Analysts said chances of Hezbollah joining in the fighting with Israel were low, particularly given the political and economic implosion happening in Beirut and the array of challenges the group faces internally with social tensions on the rise. Even among Hezbollahs supporters, there is no appetite for a confrontation as Lebanese suffer under an economic crash that has driven half of the population into poverty. Also, Hezbollahs patron Iran is engaged in nuclear talks with the West, with growing hopes an agreement might be reached. Tehran has also been holding talks with longtime regional rival, Saudi Arabia, signaling a possible de-escalation following years of animosity that often spilled into neighboring countries. Hezbollah so far doesnt seem inclined to spoil Irans talks with world powers on the nuclear front because it wants to see sanctions relief for its primary political, military and financial backer, said Karam, who covers Mideast politics for the regional newspaper The National. Speaking at a rally in south Beirut on Monday, senior Hezbollah official Hashem Safieddine bragged about the groups firepower, which he said has multiplied many times since the 2006 war, but suggested the time has not come for Hezbollah to get involved. We in Hezbollah look to the day where we will fight together, with you, side by side and shoulder to shoulder, on all fronts to extract this cancerous cell, he said, addressing Palestinians and referring to Israels presence in the Arab world. This day is coming, its inevitable. Hezbollah has grown considerably more powerful in the last decade and amassed a formidable army with valuable battlefield experience backing the forces of Syrian President Bashar Assad in the neighboring country's civil war, Israeli defense officials say. During the inconclusive, monthlong 2006 war, the group launched some 4,000 rockets into Israel - as many as Hamas and other Palestinian groups fired at Israel during the current round of fighting - most of them unguided projectiles with limited range. Today, Israeli officials say Hezbollah possesses some 130,000 rockets and missiles capable of striking virtually anywhere in Israel. Yadlin, the former Israeli military intelligence chief, said all intelligence assessments, however, indicate that Hezbollah does not want a full-on conflict with Israel. Nasrallah is in the position that he doesnt want to repeat the mistake of 2006. He knows he wont be the defender of Lebanon, he will be the destroyer of Lebanon, said Yadlin. He had a lot of opportunities and he hasnt taken them. He was referring to Israeli strikes targeting Hezbollah assets in Syria for which the group vowed to retaliate, but still has not. Qassim Qassir, an analyst and expert on Hezbollah affairs in Lebanon, concurred that there seemed to be no intention to open the southern front because it would lead to an all-out war with consequences no one can predict. For now, both Israel and Hezbollah consider the deterrence established following the 2006 war to be holding, with Hezbollah threatening to strike deeper than ever inside Israel, including at its nuclear facilities, and Israel vowing to target civilian infrastructure, inflicting massive damage. Karam said both Hezbollah and Israel have been saying since 2006 that round two is inevitable, but its cost has only gone up for both sides. For the moment, both seem satisfied with keeping their tensions on Syrian territory rather than having another war in Lebanon. But each day brings closer the possibility of an unwanted conflict coming to bear. For now, this paradigm seems to hold, she said. ___ Associated Press writers Josef Federman and Ilan Ben Zion in Jerusalem contributed to this report. Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Jim Stamas, R-Midland, issued the following statement after state fiscal and economic leaders made their economic and state tax revenue projections during Fridays annual May Consensus Revenue Estimating Conference: We will have an historic amount of funding available this year, and along with that comes a responsibility to Michigan families to use that money in a fiscally responsible manner. BLOOMINGTON The coronavirus pandemic has caused more seniors to embrace technology. "The pandemic did push that forward," East Central Illinois Area Agency on Aging Executive Director Susan Real said. "For many people, they said they'd never participate in a Zoom meeting and they are." Some area agencies hope they can continue to narrow the digital gap that exists between older adults and their younger counterparts, those with easy access to internet and those without. Although the pandemic may be abating, the push for broader internet and technological literacy persists. Elizabeth Kosuth, a grant project manager at Illinois State University's Mennonite School of Nursing, said the pandemic brought to the forefront the frustrations of "older adults struggling with the social isolation, and the need for avenues to help older adults take advantage of technology to reduce social isolation to increase their access to health care" and other areas. That's why part of a federal Health Resources and Services Administration grant Kosuth helps to manage is being directed toward establishing peer-to-peer technology classes throughout McLean County. "The research that I have done is that you need to be able to meet (seniors) where they are at," she said. "So if you can approach it with, 'What would you like to do?' ... I think that's the best way to get them interested." In the Bloomington-Normal area, Kosuth said, there's been a positive response to the peer-to-peer training idea, which would equip older adults to teach other, older adults how to do what they're interested in, be it Facebook, Photoshop or something else. It's enough of a response, she said, to make her feel "gratified." Please log in to keep reading. {{featured_button_text}} Enjoy unlimited articles at one of our lowest prices ever. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} "I'm hoping that if the program proves itself to be valuable to users here that that maybe the senior professionals might be willing to go out to the rural areas," she said. "We're trying to take this step by step, and manage expectations and want to make sure that we're doing the best we can to meet the needs that are out there, considering the constraints of our grant funding and staffing." Similarly, Real's nonprofit was hoping to ramp up efforts to deliver more technological training at area libraries or nursing homes, something that was in demand before COVID hit, but was halted when group classes weren't able to meet, she said. "There is a lot of interested but it hasn't gelled yet to have a bona fide program," she said. "We want deliverables and we know there is more we can do." One thing Real hopes to bring to McLean County: More devices in seniors' hands. Last year, the state kicked off the Illinois Care Connections program, which helped agencies like long-term care facilities apply to receive devices like iPads or desktop computers for their residents. Slated to continue through September 2021, the program is already out of money, Real said, adding that not too many older adults in the area were able to get the devices, given the state's limited supply. "That program may surface with a little more thought of delivery and I will make a point of thinking about making sure that nursing home residents," she said. "When it comes to placing devices with it there needs to be support technical support sometimes the nursing home staff are not able to do that. Then we have to decide as to where the support would come from and that's certainly a worthy challenge and when I'm willing to take on." DECATUR Crowds filled Central Illinois sidewalks and overpasses Thursday to pay respects to Chris Oberheim, the Champaign police officer killed in a shootout. First-responders escorted the body of Oberheim, 44, from Champaign through Monticello, where he lived. The procession then moved along Interstate 72 to Decatur, where Oberheim was raised and began his police career. One of those standing across the street from Graceland Fairlawn Funeral Home was Adam DeJaynes, who grew up playing baseball with or against Oberheim before they both graduated from Stephen Decatur High School in 1994. I spent 15 years in law enforcement, DeJaynes said. I had multiple lethal force-type situations that I was in, but fortunately never materialized in the same thing, like what happened to Chris. Oberheim died in an exchange of gunfire while answering a domestic violence call at an apartment complex on Champaign's north side early Wednesday, authorities said. Watch now: Bloomington, Normal chiefs react to Champaign officer killed in shooting McLean County law enforcement are honoring a Champaign police officer fatally shot early Wednesday while responding to a domestic disturbance call. A second officer was wounded. The suspect, 24-year-old Darion Marquise Lafayette of Champaign, was killed. Oberheim served with the Decatur Police Department for seven years before he joined the Champaign Police Department in 2008. His younger brother, Joe, still is with the department. The motorcade included members of Champaign, Rantoul, Vermilion County, Danville, Charleston, Mattoon, Paxton, the University of Illinois, Parkland College, Urbana, Champaign County, Macon County and Decatur agencies. Please log in to keep reading. {{featured_button_text}} Enjoy unlimited articles at one of our lowest prices ever. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} In Monticello, people lined Bridge Street to show respect to their neighbor. Vic Zimmerman, superintendent of the Monticello School District, said in a statement that Oberheim was involved in the lives of his four daughters, three of whom currently attend Monticello schools. Police officers, firefighters, and other first responders put their lives on the line every day to ensure that the rest of us are safe they are there when we need them during our most difficult times and are often not appreciated for their daily work, Zimmerman said. Decatur residents Mary Kay Ennis and her husband Morris stood on the edge of the Diamonds Restaurant parking lot on Oakland Avenue waiting with flags in hand. We wanted to honor the officer that passed away, Mary Kay Ennis said. The couple's son-in-law is also a police officer. We just want him to come home every evening to his family, Mary Kay Ennis said. Like many waiting for the motorcade, Chris Moore, from Decatur, wanted to honor the fallen officer any way she could. I just put my hand over my heart and pray for him as he goes by, she said. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Contact Donnette Beckett at (217) 421-6983. Follow her on Twitter: @donnettebHR Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 3 Angry 0 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. BLOOMINGTON Keagan Hall and Emilie Collins of Pontiac just graduated from high school but the two 18-year-olds already have environmental legislation working its way through the General Assembly. House Bill 3928, written by the two students, would create the Illinois Thirty-by-Thirty Conservation Task Force Act. The task force would have listening sessions in three areas of the state regarding ways Illinois can protect 30% of its land and water resources by 2030. The bill passed unanimously in the House on April 22 Earth Day. It received unanimous approval from the Senate Environment and Conservation Committee Thursday after Hall and Collins testified before the committee via Zoom. It now heads to the Senate for action. Weve learned how to talk to people and learned how to communicate. Their teacher, Pontiac Township High School ecology and science teacher Paul Ritter, said, This is one of those lessons that just doesnt come from a textbook. He also teaches college-credit classes as part of Heartland Community Colleges College Now program. Ritters students have been involved in a lot of non-traditional learning experiences in his classroom and with Operation Endangered Species. Among the projects on which they have worked is one to aid the recovery of the endangered alligator snapping turtle in Illinois and another to establish pollinator plots to help butterflies and bees. One of the great feelings in the world is to know you gave students the tools to make real change, said Ritter. Hall and Collins took their inspiration from previous students, Claire Nyi and Lauren Durham, who came up with the 30-by-30 idea for Illinois, part of a larger national conservation effort. Please log in to keep reading. {{featured_button_text}} Enjoy unlimited articles at one of our lowest prices ever. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} Protecting 30% of Illinois land by 2030 is important for the climate and to protect biodiversity, said Collins. The initiative also is about the changing climate, food security and protecting species, said Hall. I want to hand down the world in better shape than it is, said Collins. State Rep. Tom Bennett, R-Gibson City, was the chief sponsor in the House. State Sens. Jason Barickman, R-Bloomington, and Dave Koehler, D-Peoria, are the chief sponsors in the Senate. We wrote the legislation but we dont know the government lingo, said Collins, explaining how the lawmakers and their staffs provided assistance. Ritter said the students have worked for months on the project, reaching out to environmental groups, sportsmens groups and agriculture groups. One they did that, they were able to bring everybody to the table, said Ritter. Youve got Republicans and Democrats alike coming together on this piece of legislation. In addition to writing the bill and testifying at the House and Senate committee hearings, the students also wrote more than 2,000 postcards and wrote a rap song that they are turning into a video. The exciting part is when the vote comes, the kids will know they have left nothing to chance, said Ritter. Collins will be studying criminal justice and psychology at Olivet Nazarene University this fall and Hall will study psychology at Heartland, with plans to transfer to a four-year school. Both said they intended to remain involved in the issue and the listening sessions the task force will have, if the bill becomes law. As for the future beyond that, Collins said, I see myself as more of an activist rather than running for office, but you never know. Contact Lenore Sobota at (309) 820-3240. Follow her on Twitter: @Pg_Sobota Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. "Our project management team estimate that the new wet circuit is 80% complete," said Mike Houston, the executive chairman of BlueRock BlueRock Diamonds PLC ( ) said the expansion project at Kareevlei remains on track to be commissioned in July, with around 80% of the work completed. The expansion project at the mine, in the Kimberley region of South Africa, is expected to more than double the diamond producers annual revenue to around US$16mln while the companys total unit cost is set to reduce significantly to around US$220 per carat compared with BlueRocks average sale price for the first three months of 2021 of US$446 per carat. BlueRock revealed its new project management team has undertaken a full review of the project and its costings as a result of which the upfront capital and development costs have increased. Meanwhile, the company has agreed in principle to issue a 1.61mln loan note to the Teichmann Group; the intention is to replace this loan note with a convertible loan note that will, if fully converted, increase the Teichmann Groups stake in BlueRock to 49%. "I am pleased that Teichmann is demonstrating its commitment by investing a further 1.61mln into the company, which will provide us with the capital to deliver the expansion project while providing the working capital to further develop mining operations. In addition, we will benefit from a further strengthening of our already close working relationship with Teichmann, which will provide a greater depth of expertise at the operational and management level in South Africa, said Mike Houston, the executive chairman of BlueRock. Gary Teichmann, the executive director of Teichmann Group, said the group was looking forward to cementing its relationship with BlueRock over the coming year. We firmly believe that Kareevlei is an exciting asset and will endeavour to assist BlueRock in completing its project as planned and achieving its production targets, Teichmann said. BlueRock also told investors that it has beefed up its management team and board, with the appointment of Rob Croll as a non-executive director, while it has appointed Minexec to work alongside its Kareevlei boss, Gus Simbanegavi, to provide additional management support and to ensure that the delivery of the increased tonnages is achieved with the maximum efficiency. Croll, a veteran of the South African mining industry, will head a technical committee of the board. "We will keep shareholders updated regularly during what is a challenging but exciting phase in the development of BlueRock into a mid-sized mining company," Houston said. BLOOMINGTON With her election to the second-highest office in the country, U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris sparked a glimmer of hope. To some future educators, Harris is a new role model for young girls. She is the first woman, the first Black person, and the first Asian-American to be vice president. But to others, Harris represents something else whether it's a crack in the glass ceiling or finally seeing oneself represented in one of the highest offices in the nation. I think all of history to date has been succession of seeing qualified women women of color not get positions, not get the job, not get the opportunity," said Helen Lee, 42, during a visit to uptown Normal earlier this week. Lee, of Madison, Wisconsin, said she felt a "four-year sigh of relief" when she read that major networks had declared Joe Biden and running mate Harris winners of the presidential election. It was "very joyful to be able to look at my daughter and be able to say that Kamala Harris is her vice president-elect," she said. Harris' election is a "firm stake in the ground to have an example of: heres someone with all of the qualifications, all of the intellect, all of the experience, who has finally garnered the respect, the power and authority to take on this monumental role," she said. An inspiration The announcement Saturday that Biden and Harris were the presumptive winners followed a bruising battle with the campaign of President Donald Trump, who has not conceded and has vowed to challenge the vote tabulations. Harris was born in Oakland, California, in 1964 to civil rights activists Shyamala Gopalan, from India, and Donald Harris, from Jamaica. She has served as San Francisco's district attorney and California's attorney general before becoming only the second Black woman elected to the U.S. Senate, following Illinoisan Carol Moseley Braun. Kyle Ciani, associate professor of history at Illinois State University, said the election of Harris is huge for the country but also very important for children and adolescents, especially girls. As a daughter of immigrant woman, child of a biracial union and incredibly powerful senator, Harris provides for a lot of people a model to follow in terms of staying the course, said Ciani, a faculty member in ISUs womens and gender studies program. A lot of women noticed that Harris wore white, the color of the women suffragists, on the night of her acceptance speech in Delaware, Ciani said. The amendment giving women the right to vote was ratified 100 years ago this year. I dont want to say its symbolic, because its more than that. Its an illustration of how long activism takes, she said. It took 100 years for a woman to be elected to this high position. Before becoming Bidens running mate, Harris was among several women seeking the Democratic presidential nomination, a field that included Kirsten Gillibrand, Amy Klobuchar and Elizabeth Warren along with more fringe candidates Tulsi Gabbard and Marianne Williamson. Women have landed on major-party tickets occasionally in the past few decades. Most recently was Hillary Clinton, who lost to Trump four years ago. The also was Sarah Palin, Sen. John McCain's running mate in 2008, and Geraldine Ferraro, with Walter Mondale in 1984. Allyssa Savagilo, 21, of Plainfield, and Daisy Wenc, 21, of Cary, both elementary education majors at Illinois State University, were thinking of their future elementary students when they heard of Biden and Harris' win. Savagilo said she could imagine the future little girls in her classroom, when asked what they wanted to be when they grew up, could see Harris as a role model in politics instead of stereotypical occupations such as nurses and teachers. "The doors have already been open; I just feel like they've been harder to go through," Wenc said about opportunities for women in male-drive careers. "If we really put our minds to it and try, no one can say anything about it now because she's here doing it. "I do feel like it's really empowering," she said. Julissa Ortiz and Roneth Pineda, two 20-year-old ISU students from Elmwood Park, added that Harris is an inspiration to many Black women, especially younger girls. "It's really moving," said Pineda. "We're in an era where women need to feel that type of empowerment in order to feel heard and to have a voice. Please log in to keep reading. {{featured_button_text}} Enjoy unlimited articles at one of our lowest prices ever. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} "I think her representation in office just allows us to have a space and feel safer in way; almost feel accepted and welcomed." Debbie Shelden, of Bloomington, saw that excitement and empowerment first-hand during a Saturday visit to Champaign. The 53-year-old was exiting her car outside a friend's apartment just as the news was announced. At that time, there was young Black girl with her family outside the apartment who yelled "Kamala won!" to Shelden from across the parking lot, to which Shelden excitedly yelled back, "I know." "Then we kind of did a little dance to each other," Shelden told The Pantagraph Monday outside Medici in Normal. "I can't imagine I'm old and crusty now and I can't imagine what it's like to be a young person and to have that representation." Lindsay Holick, 21, of Naperville, said she is excited for the Biden-Harris administration. "I think it's amazing, especially considering there are leaders of other countries that are women, and other countries have and women leaders for a long time and we are just now catching up," she said Monday while reading outside Coffee Hound in Uptown Normal. But does Harris' election spell the end of the so-called glass ceiling that blocked the upward path of women in politics? Ive been told by friends who are people of color its not a glass ceiling; for them its concrete, said Ciani. I think its cracked. I dont think its at all shattered. Women, particularly women of color, dont have a level of participation in political positions thats equal to their percentage of the population, she noted. And, Ciani said, they are more likely than white men to have their motives and intellect and even in some cases their national origin questioned. Until that changes, the glass ceiling wont be gone, she said. Jasmyn Jordan, president of the Normal West Black Student Union, said she is eager to see how in Harris new position influences female youth of color to become impactful leaders of the United States, and added she doesnt want Harris to be the last Black, South Asian and woman vice president-elect this country sees. Harris election demonstrates the progression of the U.S. as an entire country by being the first person of color as a Black and South Asian American to serve in the United States second highest office, 17-year-old Jordan said. The work continues The fight for equality is certainly not over, said city of Bloomington Ward 6 Alderwoman Jenn Carrillo. Harris' legacy as a female role model will not be determined by her presence in the White House alone, but by her actions. "Feminism isn't about just having women in power," said Carrillo, who was inspired to run for Bloomington City Council after seeing a lack of women of color in office. "It's about having women in power who want to empower the working class women, and the working class women of color." The work is far from over, and Carrillo fears people will see "some very ugly sexism" directed toward Harris in the coming months and years. Carie Anna Courtad, 52, of Normal, also worries Harris' election will be "a flash in the pan. "I don't want it to be the one and done," said Courtad, who was eating lunch with Shelden on Monday. Shelden added that, while Harris' election is exciting, it seems there are a million crises to address. To that, she said, it's time to "Celebrate; then work. And, as white women, celebrate and work more than we have been." Jordan also views Harris' election as a double-edged sword because Harris could bring regression if her words dont match her actions when she takes office in January. If Harris says she will create positive change, it is our implicit duty as Americans and women of color to see her actions through, the senior West student said. Women of color now have someone in office who does not just speak to them, but for them. We need to utilize Harris and hold her accountable. Every single time Black, Asian, female and anyone elses rights are in danger locally, regionally, or nationally, we as United States citizens need to speak up and stand up, Jordan said. It is the only way to make the United States the absolute best it can be. How Bloomington-Normal reacted this weekend to Joe Biden's projected victory How Bloomington-Normal reacted this weekend to Joe Biden's projected victory Watch now: Jubilation, frustration in Bloomington-Normal with Biden projected victory Pence continues Hoosier streak of one-term Republican vice presidents Watch now: Kamala Harris VP win a historic moment, says Bloomington-Normal NAACP president McLean County GOP chair: Media doesn't declare winners, voters do There are examples of many stories of possible voting fraud, said Joe Alexander, Clinton resident. ... All legal votes should be counted and all illegal votes should not. McLean County GOP chair: Media doesn't declare winners, voters do 12 years after Biden came to Springfield, a call for calm as new president-elect Watch now: 'Unbelievable relief' with Biden win, says McLean County Democratic Party chairwoman Watch now: Illinois State University graduate reacts to Biden win Watch now: Central Illinois residents celebrate Biden win Contact Sierra Henry at 309-820-3234. Follow her on Twitter: @pg_sierrahenry. The Associated Press contributed to this story. Love 3 Funny 2 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Sierra Henry Normal Reporter Follow Sierra Henry Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today Lenore Sobota Education Reporter Education Reporter for The Pantagraph. Follow Lenore Sobota Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today The diplomatic flurry was over and Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu was on the phone telling President Joe Biden that it appeared the furious fighting between Israel and Hamas was about to end. But Biden remained wary even after the afternoon phone call. Things still could go crosswise with hours to go before the cease-fire took effect, his team reasoned. Nervous White House aides dialed contacts in Tel Aviv and Cairo to suss out whether the truce would hold. Officials in both the U.S. and Israel worried that another barrage of Hamas rockets still could sink the Egyptian-brokered agreement, according to an official familiar with the conversations. Then came another call from Netanyahu his second to Biden in a matter of hours with reassurances for the American president that the 11-day war really was halting. Biden's first extended foreign policy crisis one he handled largely by avoiding the cameras and maneuvering instead behind the scenes had abated. The president went before cameras in the Cross Hall of the White House to describe "intensive high-level discussions, hour by hour, literally" by the U.S. that involved Egypt, the Palestinian Authority and other Middle Eastern countries. All of it, he said, came "with an aim of avoiding the sort of prolonged conflict we've seen in previous years when the hostilities have broken out." Biden and Netanyahu's talks were just a small sample of the furious diplomacy that the White House conducted. The president and senior aides had over 80 engagements -- by phone or in person -- as it looked for an endgame to the fighting, according to the White House. Biden's speech celebrating the cease-fire lasted just 3 minutes delivered just in time for evening news broadcasts. He reiterated his belief that Israel has a right to defend itself, expressed condolences for Palestinian civilians who died in the Israeli bombardment and promised that humanitarian aid to Gaza Strip was on its way. It was an enigmatic, and perhaps fitting, bookend to the sort of messy Middle East crisis he had hoped to avoid, particularly early in a presidency already oversubscribed with managing the public health and economic tumult caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The conflict had also exposed a rift between Biden and members of his own party. The president who over nearly 50 years in national politics has burnished a reputation for unwavering support of Israel leads a Democratic Party that has trended toward a far more divided outlook on the correct path to peace between Israel and the Palestinians. And Republicans, for their part, were all too eager to use the raging violence as ammunition against Biden's presidency. Biden had studiously avoided extensive public comment about the Israeli military strikes as the conflict raged. But as the days wore on, he was facing mounting pressure from fellow Democrats to speak out against the Israelis as the death toll climbed in Gaza and as tens of thousands of Palestinians were displaced by the aerial bombardment. When it was over, Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut expressed relief at the cease-fire and commended Biden and his team for their work. But he also laid out ongoing worries, saying, "I am deeply concerned that without meaningful progress towards a two-state future, the conditions of despair will deepen, further fuel extremism and lead to a tragic renewal of the cycle of violence." Please log in to keep reading. {{featured_button_text}} Enjoy unlimited articles at one of our lowest prices ever. The cease-fire announcement came after Biden on Wednesday upped his pressure on Netanyahu, telling the Israeli leader in a phone call that he expected "significant de-escalation" of the fighting by day's end, according to the White House. But the prime minister came right back with a public declaration that he was "determined to continue" the Gaza operation "until its objective is achieved." Biden's advisers were not overly concerned that Netanyahu's comments seemed to reject the president's public call to ease off, according to the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the person was not authorized to publicly discuss private discussions. U.S. officials believed Netanyahu did not want to telegraph to Hamas in advance that he was ready to accept terms to end the violence, and the Israeli leader also was sending a message to a domestic audience that had become traumatized by the barrage of rocket fire from Gaza. But pressure was building on Biden, and he, in turn, was making that known to Netanyahu. On Tuesday, while in Michigan to visit a Ford facility, Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib confronted Biden on the airport tarmac and called on him to speak out forcefully against the Israeli strikes. Also this week, Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York introduced resolutions to block the sale of $735 million in military weaponry to Israel that had already been approved by the Biden administration. "Let us hope that the ceasefire in Gaza holds," Sanders tweeted Thursday evening. "But that's not enough. Our job now is to support desperately needed humanitarian and reconstruction aid to Gaza's people, and find a way to finally bring peace to the region." Biden advisers had concluded in the first days of the crisis, as Hamas rained down hundreds of rockets on Israel, that a call from the president for Israeli restraint would have fallen flat. At the same time, early in the crisis, there was deep worry inside the White House that the fighting could morph into something that would take months to tamp down. As the outside calls for Biden to speak out more forcefully grew, the president and top aides privately made the case to Israeli officials that time wasn't on their side. Biden and Netanyahu have known each other for more than 30 years and have frequently butted heads. Their conversations throughout the crisis probed one another as they tried to game out a path forward, according to officials. White House officials have pointed to some grim evidence to argue that Biden's attempts at behind-the-scenes diplomacy worked: The latest Israel-Hamas war in which at least 230 people in Gaza and at least 12 in Israel died was shorter and less blood was spilled than in some of the other recent major outbreaks of violence in the region. Biden, in his brief remarks about the ceasefire, noted that but for the Iron Dome, a missile defense system developed by the U.S. and Israel, the body count would have been far worse. The system is designed to intercept and destroy short-range rockets and artillery shells. Biden said he assured Netanyahu that his administration would work to quickly replenish it. He also pledged that humanitarian aid would quickly flow through the Palestinian Authority, which is in control of the West Bank but not Gaza. "We will do this in full partnership with the Palestinian Authority, not Hamas ... and in a manner that does not permit Hamas to simply restock its military arsenal," Biden said. The details of missile system supplies and humanitarian aid, though, could wait for another day. Biden ended on a hopeful note: "I believe we have a genuine opportunity to make progress, and I'm committed to working for it." Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 EFFINGHAM The Effingham County Board has unanimously accepted a proposal by Board Chairman Jim Niemann for establishing voting districts that will be in place for 10 years. Niemann said that the county has not yet received census data for Effingham County precincts. He said if the data is not available by the July deadline, a commission made up of State's Attorney Bryan Kibler, Effingham County Clerk Kerry Hirtzel, the chairs of the Effingham County Republican and Democratic parties, along with a representative of the Illinois Attorney General's office, will by Illinois law determine the the nine representative districts of the county. Niemann's proposal: The county residents continue to be represented by nine board members. Each of those board members be elected from districts comprised of the same number of residents to within 10 percent of each other. That the county board chairperson continue to be elected by the county board at the first organizational meeting of the board after relative elections. The board review the per diem paid to county board members and finalize that amount prior to the filing date for candidacy for the Effingham County Board this year. Niemann's proposal also states the redistricting committee should meet and make a recommendation to the county board at its June meeting. Serving on the redistricting committee is Committee Chairman David Campbell, Vice Chairman John Perry and committee member Elizabeth Huston. In another matter, the board approved a $20,000 Revolving Fund loan for the Country Haven Event Center owned by Erik Pike. The loan will allow the event center to expand its food services. Campbell said there is roughly $15,000 left in the fund. Effingham Public Library Director Amanda McKay and Case Manager Kayla Schumacher gave board members an overview of the Effingham County Case Manager program. "We started this program soon after the pandemic began connecting people with whatever they needed and at that point in time it was mostly phones. Getting access to phones," McKay said. "We helped the self-employed to apply for unemployment because that was a whole new process not available in the past." She said Johnna Schultz and Libby Moeller and a few volunteers were instrumental in getting the project started. "Then we were able to secure funding from the Southeastern Illinois Community Foundation, along with private donors as well," McKay said. McKay said they have been operating an office in the basement of the library for the past 11 months. She said right now funding is coming from the Illinois Public Health Association through a statewide grant program. "We are connecting people with different resources and it's based on the need of the community," McKay said. "Our goal is to facilitate connections for people who are struggling within our community." Jeff Fritchtnitch, the former Altamont Unit 10 superintendent, representing the Effingham County Chamber of Commerce and ECCC Foundation, addressed the board about a new program starting soon called Effingham County JOBS, which stands for Job Opportunities for Business Success. "It is based upon a website platform that we will be rolling out to all of the county school systems to allow students and their families to see the businesses in Effingham County and skills needed for specific jobs," Fritchtnitch said. "Our goal is to be able to link employees with employers." He said Lake Land College is a partner. "I'll be back to give you updates as things transpire," Fritchtnitch said. Sheriff David Mahon said farewell to the board. Mahon is retiring as of June 1. Please log in to keep reading. {{featured_button_text}} Enjoy unlimited articles at one of our lowest prices ever. "This is my last official monthly county board meeting. I want to thank the board," Mahon said. "I've been blessed with a great working relationship with the county board. The county board has always had the best interest of the sheriff's office in mind." "We may not have agreed on every decision that was made, but I always felt the board had the thoughts and fortitude to give the best advice for the Effingham County Sheriff's Office," Mahon said. "Thank you very much." Effingham County Coroner Kim Rhodes recognized Mahon for his work as sheriff. "I would like to thank Sheriff Mahon for his work the last six and a half years. He's done a great job and I appreciate it," Rhodes said. The board made the following appointments: Steve Robinson to the Edgewood Bi-County Fire Protection District for a term starting May 17 to May 2024. Lindsey Mette to the Montrose Fire Protection District starting May 17 to May 2024. Jeffrey W. Evans to the Tri-County Fire Protection District starting May 17 to May 2024. Agricultural Area Board John Perry and Joseph Thoele, with terms starting June 1 to May 30, 2024. Charles Braasch to the Effingham County Board of Review for a term starting June 1 to May 30, 2023. Jake Buhnerkempe to the 911 Board for a term starting June 1 to May 31, 2024. Dr. Nanci Huels to Effingham County Veterinarian for a term starting June 1 to May 31, 2023. Sue Ann Minor to the Effingham County 708 Board for a term starting May 17 to Dec. 31, 2024. Norma Lansing to the Effingham County Economic Development Board for a term starting May 17 to Sept. 30, 2021. In other matters, the board: Approved a donation of $2,000 for the Altamont Sesquicentennial event to be held Sept. 2-5. Approved a resolution abating the FY 2021 GIS fee per intergovernmental agreement with the City of Effingham and the City of Altamont. Approved a three-year agreement with Bushue HR for the amount of $11,700 per year. Approved an Effingham County Chamber connect membership in the amount of $295. Approved a resolution in support of the airport capital improvement project. The resolution would support a project to lengthen runway 11-29 by 900 feet to allow larger jets to take of and land, along with relocation of County Road 1500 East to the east outside of the Runway Protection Zone. Airport Commission member and Airport Superintendent Greg Koester said the resolution could help in applying for funding. Approved the Downtown Effingham Business Group use of the Effingham County Museum parking lot for two food trucks beginning in June for two days a month. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 New York Attorney General Letitia James is playing major league poker with former president Donald Trump and she just raised the stakes. The AGs office announced that its civil investigation of the Trump Organization for filing false tax returns has now become an active criminal investigation. In response, Trump issued a 900-word statement denouncing the investigation as politically motivated. Trump despisers may be tempted to take some heart from the news of the investigation, which will proceed alongside the until-now separate criminal investigation being conducted by the district attorney of New York County, Cyrus Vance Jr. But this is a high-risk move by James. Trumps opponents would do well to remember the sizable risk that would come with prosecuting the one-term president: He could be acquitted. And if that happened, Trump could use the bounce-back as a highly effective tool to support a presidential bid in 2024. The announcement by Jamess office was brief and opaque and it didnt mention the president by name. It said simply that the AGs office had informed the Trump Organization that our investigation into the organization is no longer purely civil in nature and that it was now actively investigating the Trump Organization in a criminal capacity, along with the Manhattan D.A. At a minimum, the statement implies that Trump personally has not (yet) been made a direct, formal target of the criminal investigation, or at least has not been so informed. Its possible for prosecutors to go after the corporation for criminal liability even without prosecuting all of its principals. So in theory, at least, the Trump organization could be criminally charged with filing false state tax returns even if prosecutors didnt think they could prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Trump himself knew about the false filings. Please log in to keep reading. {{featured_button_text}} Enjoy unlimited articles at one of our lowest prices ever. Trumps reaction, however, suggests that he is worried about becoming a criminal target in his personal capacity. A conviction of the Trump organization is something he could explain away by describing it as merely a kind of a fine. Most ordinary people threatened with the possibility of criminal prosecution would be well advised not to attack their potential prosecutors. The offices of the AG and the district attorney possess prosecutorial discretion that is almost absolute. It is extremely difficult even impossible to intimidate them out of bringing charges when they think they can prove that crimes occurred. Its a terrible idea to antagonize prosecutors who may believe that it is their public duty to make sure no one can stop them from bringing a prosecution by threats. Trump, however, is in a different situation. For him, the best way to attempt to hold off a prosecution is to try to create conditions that would make any trial into even more of a political circus than it would in any case become. Thats because, from the prosecutors perspective, the worst thing that could happen would be to bring Trump to trial and fail to get a conviction. Their own credibility would be shot. To Trump opponents, the prosecutors would look incompetent. To Trump supporters, they would look like partisans trying to politicize the criminal justice system. Whats more, Trump could ride the failed prosecution back to the White House and the prosecutions failure would no doubt be blamed for that outcome by many observers. It follows that, for the prosecutors, the only plausible decision to prosecute Trump would be when conviction by a New York jury would be essentially certain. And that explains, at least in part, why Trump is putting such an effort into insisting that the investigation is illegitimate. Noah Feldman is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 0 Paris, TN (38242) Today Sunshine and clouds mixed. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 88F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 72F. Winds light and variable. 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 Parsons Sun office at (620) 421-2000 if you have any questions Apple Inc Chief Executive Tim Cook on Friday told a court that threats to iPhone security and privacy required tight control of the App Store, which "Fortnite" game maker Epic Games says is a monopoly that Apple illegally abuses. The testimony constitutes Cooks most extensive public remarks on the App Store to date. The Reuters report noted that "Cook under questioning said he had higher concerns about the phone than Mac computers. 'You have a phone in your pocket most of the time and you want instant service. We felt both the use cases and the threat profile would eventually be much greater because of the number of iPhones on the market.'" Cook said an Apple document produced in the trial and showing a 78% profit margin for the App Store did not account for several costs and was meant to show trends, not a true bottom line. Apple has sought to persuade Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers that its rules for developers are aimed at keeping its customers information private and safe from malware. Cook on Friday said developer fees were necessary to support the App Store. John Bergmayer, legal director at consumer advocacy group Public Knowledge told Reuters that "This case has always been part of a bigger narrative rather than something thats going to decide the issue on its own." Bloomberg's report states that " Apple Inc. Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook said it would be "terrible" for iPhone and iPad users if a judge ordered the company to allow third-party app marketplaces, in addition to its own App Store, as Epic Games Inc. is demanding in a high-stakes antitrust battle. "It would be a huge convenience issue, but also the fraud issues would go up" because customers would have to enter credit-card information multiple times, Cook testified Friday in Oakland, California, as a three-week trial winds toward its close. Easing up on Apple restrictions that block alternative app stores would also require Apple to figure out an alternate way of collecting commissions it charges developers for in-app purchases, Cook said. Apple would then have to "chase" down developers, which "seems like a process that doesnt need to exist," he said. Cook said the number of developers and competition on the App Store have driven down the price of software, and provided users with millions of choices of apps for their iPhones and iPads. Cook said the vast majority of app developers pay 15% commissions to Apple, not 30%. When asked by Apple attorney Veronica Moye about the App Review process, Cook said that Apple does a far better job vetting apps for iPhone and iPad users than third-party companies. Third parties "are not as motivated" as Apple to protect users against malicious malware, Cook said. For us, the customer is everything." C/Net's coverage was interesting at times. One last point made stated that "As court was starting Friday, Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers asked lawyers to include in their final filings some discussion of 'remedies,' or how to solve this problem. She said she's still debating the question of whether Apple has an illegal monopoly over its own products. And she said the lack of competition for 30% commissions worries her." On a different note, Snap CEO Evan Spiegel stated during a CNBC TechCheck interview: "We really feel like Snapchat wouldnt exist without the iPhone and without the amazing platform that Apple has created. In that sense, Im not sure we have a choice about paying the 30% fee, and of course, were happy to do it in exchange for all of the amazing technology that they provide to us in terms of the software but also in terms of their hardware advancements." Hollard Ghana, with subsidiaries, Hollard Insurance and Hollard Life Assurance has announced season two of its popular webinar series, H.Insured: All About Insurance to kickstart on Thursday, May 20 via zoom at 4 pm. The webinar forms part of the insurance groups ongoing initiative to drive insurance penetration and financial inclusion in Ghana. The series, launched last year, saw the likes of reputable and seasoned business leaders like Kojo Addai-Mensah, CEO of Data Bank, Michael Kofi Andoh, NIC Deputy Commissioner, Freda Duplan, Chairperson Zenith Bank Ghana Ltd, Board of Directors, Patience Akyianu, Group CEO of Hollard Ghana, Daniel Boi Addo, MD of Hollard Insurance, Nashiru Iddrisu, and MD of Hollard Life Assurance, among others. Speaking on the companys motivation for the initiative, Group Head of Marketing and Corporate Affairs, Cynthia Ofori-Dwumfuo said: As an unconventional company, with a business purpose to create and to secure a better future, we constantly seek relatable ways to positively impact the lives of Ghanaians. Last season was astounding. We featured a variety of resource persons from different backgrounds to flavour our conversations on life and financial planning. With overwhelmingly positive reviews from last year, we have refreshed the series with exciting topics this season. Episode 1 of Season 2 is this Thursday, May 20th. Does One (1) Cedi insurance make a difference will be our focus of discussion. Collaborators of Hollard Life's exciting new microinsurance product, MeBanbo, will discuss how customer-first thinking, innovation, and technology can positively impact Ghanas abysmal insurance penetration rate. Join Dorothy Salifu, Head of Operations, Hollard Life, Godwin Mashiri, Chief Life & Principal Officer of top Zimbabwean company, Cassava Fintech and Martison Obeng-Adjei, Managing Director of Vodafone Cash as they sit down for an enlightening conversation, she added. The webinar remains free and will be streamed on Facebook live at Hollard Ghana. Just as we did last year, it will take a jargon-free and conversational format where attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions and get instant responses. About Hollard Ghana The countrys favourite insurance group Hollard Ghana, with subsidiaries Hollard Insurance and Hollard Life Assurance combines its deep local knowledge of the market with the world-class expertise of an international insurance brand. With feet firmly planted on Ghanaian soil but headquartered in South Africa, Hollard delivers innovative insurance solutions customized to the unique risks Ghanaians face. Hollard was previously Metropolitan Insurance which operated in Ghana for over 25 years. Hollard offers various life and general insurance products including funeral, personal accident, motor, business, home, and more; and can be reached via the following means: 0501603967 (Hollard Insurance) and 0501533698 (Hollard Life). Beyond various nationwide office branches and Hollard 2U franchise shops, Ghanaians can find Hollard at Shell Fuel Station Welcome Shops, Melcom stores and online at www.hollard.com.gh for all their insurance needs. 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 Fidelity Bank Ghana, one of the top Banks in Ghana, has over the years initiated strategic projects with key industry stakeholders to support the growth and development of the financial and capital markets in Ghana. The Bank has teams that specialize in a number of strategically important sectors that support Ghanas real economy. They recognize that achieving sustained economic growth requires strong partnerships with critically important market stakeholders, if they are to realize lasting positive changes. One of their key markets of focus is the countrys financial and capital markets. Fidelitys commitment to support Ghanas economic growth led to the establishment in 2017 of a specialized unit to develop tailor made solutions to assist the private and public sectors to take advantage of the nations vibrant financial and capital markets. This successful setup has quickly become a sound model for the market, providing a suitable framework for other participants to build out new and important business lines to further support the growth of our markets. Commenting on Fidelitys contribution to Ghanas financial and capital markets, Sam Aidoo, Deputy Managing Director of Fidelity Bank, stated that: Fidelity Bank is committed to partnering with both private and public institutions in creating more marketable offerings in a bid to attract sustainable international and increasingly important, local financing for development projects in the country. The successful issuance of the recent US$3.025 billion Eurobond by the government of Ghana is proof of the enormous financing opportunities that are available to the government and businesses in the financial and capital markets space. Mr. Aidoo further commented that this recent Eurobond issuance not only marked the first time a zero-coupon bond denominated in USD had been issued by an Emerging Market Nation but more importantly that its success is largely attributed to the fact that more than half of the new money raised in this novel tranche came from the local Ghanaian investor base. He added that this result was due to the strong collaboration between Fidelity Bank and other local financial institutions. Over the years, the Bank has spearheaded a number of innovations and market developments in Ghanas financial and capital markets that have resulted in substantial financial gains for the country. Some of these development projects are in the energy and construction sectors, as well as international financial transactions like the aforementioned US$3.025 billion Eurobond issuance. On international transactions, Fidelity Bank was the first local bank to manage the logistics for a Eurobond issuance for Ghana. Prior to 2018, leading any aspect of a countrys access to global financial markets was deemed the preserve of only multinational banks in developed countries. Following Fidelitys success as the logistics bank for the 2018 Eurobond issuance, the status quo has changed and other local banks have had the opportunity to contribute to Ghanas Eurobond issuances. For the past four consecutive years, Fidelity Bank has assisted the public sector by working with Joint Lead Managers and other local banks to ensure successful Eurobond issuances. On the local front, Fidelity Bank continues to add value to Ghanas future economic growth potential. In July 2017, the Bank was appointed as Joint Lead Manager for the GHC 10 billion E.S.L.A. Plc Bond Programme under which cedi-denominated medium to long-term amortizing bonds were issued. Over GHS 7 billion has been raised since the launch of the Programme and its success created the financing solution blueprint for other cedi-denominated bond issuances. In order to deepen local market participation, in 2018, Fidelity Bank was made Joint Bookrunner for the public sectors medium to long term bonds. This bold move resulted in an increase in local participation from 34.57% in December 2017 to 72.10% as at March 2021, largely driven by the efforts of Fidelity Bank and its partners. Additionally, to lead innovation in the local financial market, Fidelity Bank in December 2018 executed the first ever cross-currency total return swap of approximately USD 40 million with Societe Generale and Frontclear. Hitherto, cross-currency swap transactions were not pursued by industry players due to the myriad of challenges that confront parties when executing cross-border transactions. The successful execution of this transaction clearly showcased to the international community and to local players that with the right structuring, cross-currency transactions can be executed in frontier markets like Ghana. Future Outlook According to Fidelitys Divisional Director of Financial and Capital Markets, Prince Thomas Essilfie Fidelity Bank is looking to broaden its product offerings in domestic financial and capital markets by partnering with the public and private sector, retail and institutional investors, and domestic banks to foster overall economic development. He further noted that The Bank believes that its financing solutions and product offerings will deepen the knowledge of the domestic banking space and further contribute to the capacity development of the domestic financial and capital markets. Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has rolled out a tax incentive scheme for taxpayers to help cushion businesses and people against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. The scheme involves waiving the penalty and the accrued interest on tax arrears for both corporate and individual taxpayers as a motivation for them to regularise their tax obligations during the crisis period. The package from the authority took effect from April this year and allowed people and institutions that had either not registered with the GRA or breached the tax payment and the filing of returns schedules to apply to the authority for waivers. It followed the passage of the Penalty and Interest Waiver Act, 2021 (Act 1065) that allowed the GRA to grant waivers to taxpayers for penalty and interest on accumulated tax arrears up to December 31, last year. Interested people have between now and September 30 to apply for the waiver from the tax collection and administration body. Prosecution The authority was responding to a Daily Graphic enquiry about Act 1065, which in part says: A person who takes advantage of this limited-time opportunity will not be liable to prosecution or face any other enforcement action with respect to the tax due for the relevant period. It explained that the waiver was applicable to taxpayers who had not previously registered with the GRA but now wanted to benefit from the waiver. It said such people would have to apply for registration as taxpayers and make full disclosure of the necessary information for assessment. The waiver is also applicable to persons registered with the GRA but who have not submitted or filed the required tax returns or have defaulted in the submission of tax returns or are in arrears for the payment of taxes, it said. It noted further that the waiver was not applicable to a person who has failed to comply with the provisions of any law administered by the Commissioner-General that relates to the furnishing of a tax return or payment of a tax due from January 1, 2021. It is, however, important to note that the waiver does not apply to payments and returns due from January 1, 2021, it explained. Application The GRA advised taxpayers and prospective ones to take advantage of the programme to regularise their tax obligations by applying for the waiver from any of the taxpayer service centres (TSCs) or Post Clearance Audit, Customs Division, nationwide. It said applicants were required to submit returns or amended returns and make full disclosure of undisclosed liabilities relating to the period up to December 31, 2020. It added that the application must also include the payment or payment arrangements to pay all resulting taxes, as well as the payment or payment arrangements to pay assessed and outstanding taxes. Benefits to taxpayers A policy by the government, the penalty and interest waiver was first announced in the 2021 Budget Statement as an incentive package to help revitalise businesses and help them back to conformity with tax laws after the COVID-19 pandemic affected their fortunes. A Professor of Economics, Prof. Peter Quartey, told the Daily Graphic yesterday that the initiative was a booster to both taxpayers and the economy. He said the COVID-19 had affected the cash flow of businesses so much that it made it difficult for some of them to be able to honour their tax obligations fully. By granting taxpayers amnesty, he said, the government, through the GRA, was hand-holding them out of challenges to a point where they would be stronger again to continue to honour their tax obligations. When you visit some of these firms, you notice that because of the impact of the COVID-19, some of them struggle to even pay their workers. It means that their ability to pay taxes is limited and so giving them this temporary relief will give them additional income to continue to operate and be able to pay taxes in the long run, he said. The Director of the Institute for Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER) of the University of Ghana, Legon added that the waiver programme would also reduce the cost of litigation between the GRA and defaulting taxpayers to the economy. Ultimately, this will benefit businesses and they will be able to create and sustain jobs and increase tax payments in the long run, he added. The GRA projects to collect GH57 billion in non-oil tax revenue this year, after collecting GH47 billion in 2020. 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 Hargreaves Lansdown has been on a great run but is this as good as it gets? ( ) has very strong current operating momentum according to Citigroup but the US broker wonders how much better it can get. Citi downgraded the stock to sell from neutral, citing a current valuation that is above the historical average. The new target price is 1,560p. The online wealth management platform has had a good run during the pandemic, with savers channelling cash that might otherwise have been spent on holidays or socialising into investment products sold by Hargreaves Lansdown but Citi reckons that revenues are more likely to fall next year than to rise. Net new business is likely to slow from the exceptionally strong 11.5% annualised growth rate over Jan-Apr, Citi said. We are constructive on UK wealth secular growth, which we see as one of the few credible structural growth stories within European financials. As the leader in the UK D2C [director-to-consumer] platform market, HL is well-positioned to benefit from the trend of off-platform assets moving onto platforms but we prefer to play UK wealth via intermediary peer Quilter, which is a self-help driven recovery story with more catalysts, Citi concluded. Shares in Hargreaves Lansdown were down 1.3% at 1,659p in mid-morning trading. The Managing Director of GCB Bank Ltd, Mr Kofi Adomakoh has described Ghanas digital transformation agenda as laudable. He has cautioned however that while pursuing digitilisation goals, we must take cognisance of the inherent risks associated with digital transformation such as cyber-security, fraud, data and privacy breaches. Addressing the 5th CEO Summit in Accra in the presence of the Vice-President of Ghana, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, Mr. Adomakoh stressed the need to continually invest in security infrastructure and other capacity building opportunities to keep all stakeholders abreast of the risks. GCB is a platinum sponsor of the 5th edition of the annual CEO Summit organised by the CEOs Network. The GCB MD noted that while the Government of Ghana has put in place policies and structures through institutions like the Data Protection Commission to safeguard personal data, corporate organisations also have a responsibility. He pointed out that Ghanas digitilisation drive could be anchored strategically around three interrelated stakeholder points. These include digitally-enabled government, a digitally-enabled private sector and a digitally-enabled citizenry. A credible and comprehensive identity system has implications for every aspect of our national life; from mitigating identity fraud, fighting crime and improving tax compliance, he added. Mr Adomakoh explained that apart from being the foundation for a more comprehensive digitilisation strategy, it will unlock new level of credit access and provide the platform for building a reliable credit scoring system. He expressed excitement at the addition of digitisation to the name of Ministry of Communications saying that it would give impetus to Ghanas Africa Beyond Aid goal of becoming a leader in innovative digital technology by 2023. Touching on G-Money, GCBs mobile wallet, Mr Adomakoh announced that G-Money had recorded one million plus customers just after a year of being introduced. GCB, he said, has been at the forefront of the financial inclusion agenda for the past 67 years, diligently meeting the financial needs of Ghanaians with great success. While expressing appreciation to GCB and G-Money customers for assisting to push Ghanas cash-lite agenda, he explained that the feat achieved by GCB is a proof of commitment to offer the public not only bank-based financial services, but also provide a more broad based platform to serve others outside the banking system. 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 A former President of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), Mr Alexander Mawusi Buadi, has asked the association to consider an upward review of its contribution to the Teachers Fund to provide better pension for members on retirement. He said GNAT, with its numerical strength, had what it takes to better the lot of teachers, both in active service and in retirement. Addressing the sixth Quadrennial Ho District Delegates Conference of the association in the Volta Region, Mr Buadi said as contributors, teachers deserved to enjoy value added benefits. The conference elected new executives for 10 positions in the Ho District, reviewed activities for the previous year and developed strategic plans for the future. The Teachers Fund was instituted in 1998 to serve as a supplementary pension scheme for GNAT members. Effective management of fund Mr Buadi, who acted as President of GNAT in 2013, also said the fund, if properly managed, could be transformed into a Teachers Bank to offer support to members. After many years of service, the teacher must enjoy a decent life to the full. Leaders must continue to press home for better pension. Today, nobody knows how pension calculations are done where are our past credits? Are they still with the government, SSNIT or GLICO? he asked. Mr Buadi claimed that the current pension regime in the country was a killer scheme which did not help pensioners live stress-free lives and, therefore, there was the need for GNAT to come up with more innovative packages to assist members. He commended GNAT for establishing a cancer fund and also purchasing a centre that would soon be transformed into a hospital for members. The Ho West Education Director, Celestine Korsi-Agordo, advised teachers to contribute to the fund to enable them to enjoy welfare benefits, including the acquisition of loans to save them from some throat-cutting financial institutions. Invest more in education The National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament for Adaklu, Kwame Governs Agbodza, entreated the government to invest more in education for the accelerated development of the country. According to him, some teachers refused posting to rural areas because of the lack of infrastructure, such as schools and accommodation, and, therefore, urged the government to include teachers in the national discourse to help in shaping the educational sector. The incumbent District Chairperson of GNAT, Madam Lois Tipong-Asare, was retained. 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 Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia Thursday commissioned Nano Foods Limited, a pineaple juice processing factory at Nsawam of the Eastern Region, under the One-District, One-Factory (1D1F) initiative. The Company, which becomes the 77th factory in operation under the 1D1F programme, started commercial production in April, this year. It is expected to produce up to 6,000 metric tonnes of pineapple fruits into juice per annum, which translates to eight million cans of finished packaged products. The Nano Foods Limited, a defunct ASTEK Refresh Pineapple Juice Factory, was rejuvenated with US$1.6 million capital support, through the Ghana Export-Import Bank (EXIM Bank) in 2018. The capital support was facilitated by the One-District, One-Factory Secretariat, in collaboration with the Ghana Export Promotion Authority, Ghana Investment Promotion Centre, Food and Drugs Authority and Free Zones Board. Vice President Bawumia, addressing the staff, management and key stakeholders of the pineapple processing factory, during the Commissioning ceremony in Duayedin, near Nsawam, said the Akufo-Addo-led government, through the EXIM Bank, would inject an additional two million dollars into its operations. He was optimistic that the second phase of the Company's expansion would propel it for US$10 million annual turnover in the next two to three years and increase the staff strength from 100 to 300. The Vice President said the 1D1F initiative was a major component of the 10-Point Industrial Transformational Agenda of the Government, which started in 2017. So far, a total of 232 projects are at various stages of implementation, 76 factories in operation, 107 projects under construction, 13 are pipeline projects while construction has begun on 36 factories. "The charge by the President is that we must move away from harvesters and exporters of low value unprocessed agricultural products, and we must do so in a hurry, he said. "Planting for Food and Jobs is our first step. 1D1F is the second step to linking agriculture and industry. "This is the way to enhance agricultural productivity, scale up production, add value to what we produce, create jobs, increase incomes, and improve livelihoods." That, he said, was the way to build sustainable food security for the country, add value to raw materials and boost the value of Ghanaian exports. "We can strengthen the links between agriculture and industry, stimulate investment in commercial agriculture, and open the pathways for accelerating national development and economic stability. "Without doubt, if Ghanaians can capitalize on the numerous benefits of the 1D1F, it could be a game changer for the post COVID-19 economic recovery and transformation of Ghana," the Vice President added. Dr Bawumia commended Dr Albert Owusu, the Founder of the Company, for harnessing the benefits of the 1D1F initiative. He commended Mr Frank Anor Dompreh, the Member of Parliament for Nsawam Adoagyiri, who was instrumental in linking the company to the 1D1F Secretariat, Ministry of Trade and Industry and the EXIM Bank. The Nano Foods Limited currently deals with 13 Pineapple Associations and Co-operatives in the Nsawam-Adoagyiri Municipalities and Akuapem South District. These farmers now supply pineapple fruits to the factory, thereby increasing their income. The factory has machinery that can process up to 6,000 metric tonnes of pineapple fruits into juice per annum, which translates into eight million cans of finished products. It processes pineapple fruits from farms located mainly in the Eastern and Central regions for export to USA, Western European, and Middle Eastern markets. There is confirmed demand for these pineapple products primarily from Spain, Hungary and Cyprus. The project would improve the countrys trade balance and foreign exchange reserves as well as contribute to Governments drive towards reducing the rate of unemployment in the economy. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Speaker of Parliament, Mr Alban S.K. Bagbin, has emphasised the need for Africa to embrace and promote its cultural identity, including indigenous languages, to propel the social and economic development of the continent. He said African countries, including Ghana, must chart a new path to growth centred around Africas cultural identity because none of the developed countries relied on foreign cultures to attain their current status. According to Mr Bagbin, Africa lagged behind in development because African countries had, over the years, followed the ideas and value systems of other cultures that did not conform to Africas way of life. He was speaking during a call on him by the leadership of the Tijaniya Muslim Council of Ghana, led by Sheik Muhammed Mutawakil Iddris, at Parliament House in Accra. Tijaniya is a form of the Sufi movement of the teachings of Sidi Ahmad al Tijani in North Africa but now increasingly prevalent in West Africa, predominantly in Senegal, The Gambia, Mauritania, Mali, Guinea, Niger, Chad, The Sudan and Northern Nigeria. Its devotees are called Tijaniya. The delegation was in Parliament to, among other things, discuss issues of mutual cooperation and also congratulate Mr Bagbin on his elevation to the high office of Speaker of Parliament. Western benchmark The Speaker urged Africans to avoid the tendency of using the benchmark of the Western world as measurement of Africas level of development. That tendency, he said, had contributed to the under-development of the continent because it was not realistic or progressive. "The poverty in Africa is not the poverty of wealth or property but rather the poverty of the mind," Mr Bagbin added. He called for a more radical approach to the growth of the continent by working towards swaying the minds of the people, particularly the youth, to embrace and promote their own culture and identity. The youth, Mr Bagbin noted, were often tagged as being impatient, emotional and prone to violence because of borrowed cultures and systems, adding: "We must see a paradigm shift." Gratitude Sheik Iddris expressed gratitude to the Speaker for the support he had offered the council over the years. He appealed for more assistance for the initiatives and programmes of the council, including agriculture, education and youth empowerment. 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 Resilient Ghana, a youth-inspired and community-driven capacity building programme, has assembled 803 youth from the African sub-region based in Ghana, to empower entrepreneurial youth to identify, create and present innovative solutions to real-life problems post COVID-19. The project dubbed RESILIENT GHANA Mentorship session gave participants access to a pool of mentors from industries including; Agriculture & Agri-business, IT, Education, Finance/Banking and Consulting etc., to move proteges ideas into world-class practicable solutions for implementation. Speaking on the focus of the 6th edition of the mentorship session, Nana Serwah Arthur Osafo, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Resilient Ghana said: This years mentoring sessions were delivered as virtual workshops, webinars, seminars and one-on-one meetings where mentors, who are seeking to change mindsets, assisted their proteges to drive themselves with ambition, self-motivation and build their own 'internal engine', to measure success with tangible, empirical metrics. Nana Serwa said the RESILIENT GHANA initiative is supported by the Ministry of Finance, as a critical programme that aligns with the Governments effort at building human capital for a resilient Ghana. In the wake of the dire effects that COVID-19 has had on the Ghanaian economy, we needed to create a platform such as this to develop solutions to improve the socio-economic landscape of mother Ghana and the entrepreneurial youth in Africa. The RESILIENT GHANA initiative adopts a two-pronged approach: A Mentorship Programme and A Challenge Event. Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Ghana has been selected to be a manufacturing hub for COVID-19 vaccines. This was revealed during a two-day visit by the President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, to Brussels, Belgium, from the 19th to 20th May. The selection of Ghana to manufacture COVID-19 vaccines is inspired by ''initiatives already taken by the Government of President Akufo-Addo towards the domestic manufacturing of vaccines'' and will be principally supported by the European Investment Bank (EIB). ''At the meeting with the Vice President of the European Commission, Valdis Dombrovskis, the European Commission indicated the selection of Ghana as a possible manufacturing hub for COVID-19 vaccines in Africa. This, according to the Commission, follows the initiatives already taken by the Government of President Akufo-Addo towards the domestic manufacturing of vaccines. The taskforce teams from the EU and Ghana will meet shortly to discuss modalities towards the realization of this initiative, which, in principle, could be supported by the European Investment Bank (EIB)'', a statement issued by the Acting Director of Communications, Eugene Arhin, read. Another good news is that Ghana will, in June 2021, be taken off countries on the list of the European Union (EU) money laundering. The statement further read; ''As a consequence of the two-day working visit by the President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, to Brussels, Belgium, from the 19th to 20th May, the European Commission has announced the decision to remove Ghana from the list of countries that are deficient in Anti-Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing. ''It is expected that the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the global money laundering and terrorist financing watchdog, will, in June 2021, announce that Ghana has been taken off its list of high risk, third-world countries with strategic deficiencies in Anti-Money Laundering and Countering of Terrorism Financing.'' Read full statement below: Your browser does not support iframes. 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 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. One person is feared dead after an underground mining pit, which is part of the concession of Anglogold Ashanti Obuasi Mine, caved in and trapped some miners, last Monday. According to mining workers who spoke to Citi News on condition of anonymity, four persons working for Underground Mining Alliance, UMA, a company contracted by Anglogold Ashanti Obuasi mine, were trapped underground. They said there was an unusual sound after the supervisor of the group, who was ahead of them, went further deep as the pit began to cave in. The three persons behind him were able to escape, while a search party has been deployed to find one person, who went deep. The management of Anglogold Ashanti Obuasi Mine, said it was still gathering information on the incident. This is not the first time a mining pit had caved in on miners in the country. In November, 2020, an illegal small scale mining pit in the outskirts of Ayanfuri in the Central Region, collapsed and trapped eight persons between the ages of 24 and 35 years. The illegal miners were rescued by residents and rushed to the Dunkwa-on-Offin Government Hospital where they were pronounced dead on arrival. A similar situation was recorded in October, 2020, in which five persons died when they were trapped in a mining pit at Ayamfuri in the Upper Denkyira West District of the Central Region. Fifteen others, who were also trapped in the cave, suffered injuries. 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 The Ghana Navy and Air Force have started a search operation for the arrest of eight pirates, who have kidnapped five expatriate crew members of a Ghanaian Tuna-Fishing Vessel; Atlantic Princess. The pirates, suspected to be Nigerians, abducted the Captain, a Korean, three Chinese - the Chief Officer, Second Chief officer, and Chief Engineer - and a Russian Boatswains mate. The pirates are also said to have rummaged the vessel and took away personal belongings, including laptops, phones, money and other valuables. According to an Ecowas MMCC Zone F Incident Report, made available to the Ghana News Agency, in Tema, there were no injuries to the remaining crew, and the vessel was sailing back towards Tema Port. The report stated: Information received indicates that at about 191830 UTC, the Ghanaian registered Tuna-fishing vessel ATLANTIC PRINCESS (IMO: 8124412) was attacked at position 04 33.5N, 000 15.6 E approximately 66NM South of Tema, Ghana. The vessel was approached and fired upon by a skiff boat with eight armed perpetrators on board. The vessel then stopped and five armed pirates with AK 47 boarded the vessel. The pirates upon getting on board instructed the vessel to alter course further South East and remained on board until 200145 hours UTC when they finally disembarked with the five expatriate crew members kidnapped. The exact location of the kidnapping and disembarkation is 03 56.4 N, 000 27.5 E approximately 103NM SSE of Tema. In all the pirates spent about 6 hours onboard the vessel. The report said two hours prior to the attack, a rusted looking mini tanker vessel was sighted far off the horizon with the AIS off. The vessel quickly moved away from the suspicious looking tanker, it said, adding that it was highly likely that the pirates were using the tanker vessel as a mothership. Given the time lapse between the incident occurring and the reporting to coastal authorities, it is possible the pirates might have gotten closer to their final destination. It, however, expressed the hope that a search around the Niger Delta region could help locate and intercept the pirates before they landed ashore. It encouraged the Coastal Authorities, especially Togo, Benin Republic and Nigeria, to increase monitoring and surveillance along their coastal areas to help intercept the pirate skiff boat. All mariners are cautioned that there is high possibility of pirates mothership in the form of a rusty looking small size tanker, operating in support of pirates within the general area deep offshore Tema and stretching further East into Togo, Benin and Nigeria EEZs, it said. All vessels are, therefore, to exercise extra vigilance and preparedness to harden their vessels and report any suspicious boat/skiff immediately to coastal states for prompt response. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The action taken by the National Security Minister Albert Kan Dapaah against the National Security officers who assaulted Citi FM Journalist Caleb Kudah is a first to resolving issues of this nature, Managing Editor of the Daily Dispatch, Mr Ben Ephson, has said. Asked whether Mr Kan Dapaahs action is to be celebrated, Mr Ephosn told 3FM Friday May 21 that I think it is a first step, not celebration per se but is a first step and warning shot to the security agencies involved. He further said the swift manner this matter was handled could be an indication of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addos resolved to have a good record with the media. He wants that when the records of government and media are being written and analyze he will have some positive outcomes, he said. The Ministry of National Security has completed its investigations into the recent alleged assault on Citi FM journalist Caleb Kudah. According to the Minister of National Security, Albert Kan Dapaah, who issued a statement dated Thursday, May 20, 2021, the conduct of Lieutenant Colonel Frank Agyeman and some police officers on the said day was inappropriate and contravened the Ministrys standard operating procedures. The Committee also established that the journalists unauthorised entry into the premises of the Ministry of National Security was unlawful. Among the action taken by the Ministry are the reversal of the secondment of Lt Col. Agyeman as Director of Operations and the withdrawal of three police officers as operatives. Lt. Col. Agyeman is to report to the Chief of Defense Staff for further investigation and appropriate action while the police officers are to report to the Ghana Police Service for investigations and disciplinary action. The Ministry of National Security wishes to assure the general public and particularly all media practitioners that the Ministry will expeditiously investigate any complaints against any personnel of its agencies. The tenets of National Security in Ghana should be based on a Whole-of-Government and a Whole-of-Society approach and cooperation from all well-meaning Ghanaians, Mr Kan Dapaah stated. The notice to investigate this issue by the Ministry was shot down by many, claiming there will be no fairness. As a result, calls were rather made for an independent probe into the incident. Source: 3news.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 Rock star ARK investment manager Cathy Wood, former Treasury Secretary Lawrence Summers and hedge fund manager Ray Dalio will also be speaking at the conference Cryptocurrencies are expected to stay volatile in the coming week and beyond as speculators weigh the impact of Chinas crackdown and Teslas U-turn against the recent growth in institutional interest, analysts reckon. Teslas decision to suspend Bitcoin payments on environmental concerns is a hammer blow for the digital currency and there is a risk that other big companies who have adopted Bitcoin may follow suit, said Fawad Razaqzada at ThinkMarkets. China is obviously trying to dampen risky speculative trading and at the same time maintain capital controls by forcing people to use its own currency and its digital yuan. But the fact that it is China the worlds second largest economy makes a big difference. Long bitcoin, ie betting the price it is going up, is the most crowded trade, according to a survey of money managers by the , and that unwinding of these positions either willingly or by forced liquidation could see strong downward pressure being exerted on prices, Razaqzada said. Concerns over tighter regulation may come to the forefront of investors minds, he added. On that note, Monday will see the start of the four-day Consensus 2021 cryptocurrency conference, with Fed policymaker Lael Brainard kicking things off with a speech, her first on the subject of cryptos since last August. Former Treasury Secretary Lawrence Summers, hedge fund manager Ray Dalio and rock star investment manager Cathy Wood will also be speaking at the conference. Perhaps [Brainard will] give us some clues on where the Fed stands with regards to central bank digital currencies, said market analyst Marshall Gittler at BDSwiss, following comments from Fed chief Jerome Powell in the past week that cryptocurrencies may carry potential risks to those users and to the broader financial system leading to a need for greater regulation. As the market for digital currencies grows, so must our attention to the appropriate regulatory and oversight framework, Powell said. This came after a week when the entire crytpo market lost around a quarter of its value on one day, topping off a 40% decline over a month. This weeks action shows two of the headwinds facing cryptocurrencies, said Gittler. On the one hand, most people arent buying them to use as payment methods but rather as a store of value. I got an intensive lesson in this fact recently when I wrote an article about cryptocurrencies and tested some of my ideas out on Twitter. Crypto advocates ridiculed my observation that Bitcoin is not an efficient means of payment. That function isnt at all important in their assessment of Bitcoin, rather, they are focusing on Bitcoins use as a store of value insulated from government interference, he added. Cryptos recent price movements might make people wonder what kind of a store of value acts in such a way, Gittler added. Im sure this wont dissuade retail speculators, but professional money managers can ill-afford such volatility in their P&Ls. Its not only the Fed that sees regulation looming, with the Bank for International Settlements, the G7, and the G20 all have their eyes on the field, with the US government having already taken numerous regulatory actions, the Biden administration expected to do more and the UK having just started the consultation process. Governments are not going to surrender their monopoly on the monetary system without a fight. In that respect, we should pay attention to next Mondays speech, said Gittler. She seems to be the point person for digital currencies on the FOMC. But the introduction of regulation is no bad thing and the long-term outlook for cryptocurrencies remains positive, says Anatoly Crachilov, CEO of Nickel Digital. We will continue to see significant swings in valuations of crypto assets, hence this space is best suited for investors with a long-term view, and who are able to tolerate interim volatility, Crachilov said. This volatility can be mitigated either through appropriate sizing (Nickel would argue directional exposure should not exceed 1-3% of investors portfolios) or through dedicated market-neutral implementations. Indeed, while such price corrections are damaging for some investors, for an investment manager running a market-neutral arbitrage strategy, armed with proper risk management systems and resilient trading infrastructure, this level of volatility offer incredible opportunity. He pointed out that there are several factors that make Bitcoin attractive to institutional and other professional investors, which bode well for its long-term prospects, including: The Local Government Committee of Parliament has stressed the need for the early release of funds by the Ministry of Finance to facilitate the completion of District Assembly Common Fund (DACF) infrastructure projects in the six newly created regions. The committee said efforts to complete DACF-funded projects in the new regions would continue to lag behind if the Ministry of Finance failed to release the funds on time. Tour The Ranking Member on the committee, Nii Lante Vanderpuye, stated this in an interview with the Daily Graphic in Techiman after a tour of some ongoing projects in the Bono East Region. He led a seven-member committee to inspect various DACF-funded projects that were being executed in the Western North, Bono, Bono East, Ahafo and the Ashanti regions. During the tour, some contractors and officials of the Architectural and Engineering Service Limited (AESL) and Eco-planners Engineering Consult, supervisors of the projects in the beneficiary regions, mentioned delayed payments of contractors as one major hurdle facing early execution of the projects. The team visited Techiman, the regional capital of the Bono East Region, to inspect the construction of three staff bungalows, as well as a GH16.9 million new administration block for the RCC, which is being executed by Alke Ghana Limited. The project started in October 2019 and was supposed to be completed in August 2020 but is currently said to be 68 per cent complete. Delayed payment The Project Manager, Mr Daniel Enyimah, identified delayed payment as a major factor slowing the progress of work on the project. If there is prompt payments of funds, it will significantly facilitate speedy execution of the project, he told members of the committee. In the Nkoranza North District in the Bono Region, the team inspected the construction of a two-storey administration block for the assembly at Nkoranza. The project was awarded by the Ministry of Regional Re-organisation and Development in Accra in November 2019 to Joemart Construction Company and it was expected to have been completed in August 2020. Currently, the contractor is said to have abandoned work on the GH3.74 million project. The project is said to be 48 per cent complete. The contractor left the site because he complained of delayed payment, the Zonal Consultant of the AESL, Mr Edward Agyeman-Prempeh, who is overseeing DACF-funded projects in the Ahafo, Bono and Bono East regions, told the committee. At Jinijini, the capital of the Berekum West District Assembly, also in the Bono Region, the team inspected works on the administration block for the assembly. The project was also awarded by the Ministry of Local Government to Jabora Company Limited, started in February 2020 and was expected to be completed in August 2020. 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 Chairman of the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has said this is the last time that we are going to court to settle an election dispute, warning: Well settle matters of the election at the polling stations and the collation centres. The party challenged the results of the 2020 presidential poll at the Supreme Court but President Nana Akufo-Addo's victory was upheld. At a press conference on Thursday, 20 May 2021, Mr Ofosu-Ampofo said: We, NDC, are taking [the] 2024 [elections] very seriously and well not leave any stone unturned in ensuring that a level-playing field is provided to ensure that we have free [and] fair elections which outcome would be accepted by everybody. The press conference, which tackled the EC and its Chairperson, Mrs Jean Mensas claim that they organised a well-conducted 2020 election, accused her of unjustifiably using state security to intimidate opposing voices. Ive participated in elections since 1992 to 2020. It is only in the 2020 elections that military people invaded collation centres, Mr Ofosu-Ampofo said. Again, he said it is only in the 2020 elections that you have military people whether they are military or vigilantes, nobody can say but today. Im beginning to believe that they are not regular military people because even DCOP Opare-Addo has stated that the people that he was dealing with were vigilante groups. Meanwhile, he noted, the national security says they are national security people. In Mr Ofosu-Ampofos view, national security people have no business in our elections. It is the police which has the responsibility, he noted. But whom do you blame? he asked, indicating: The EC [Chair] herself has militarised the EC headquarters. Today, it is like a war zone. Now when you are going for IPAC meetings, military people fully armed with AK-47s are all over the place, he observed. You turn round to say that the security of the election is not in your hands, meanwhile, you have mlitarised your own office, Mr Ofosu-Ampofo complained. Source: classfmonline.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 popular film director in Iran, Babak Khorranmdin, 47, has reportedly been murdered by his family in an honour killing row over not getting married. Khorranmdin's body parts were discovered in a suitcase and bins outside his parents' home in Iran following an 'honour killing' for not getting married. Babak Khorranmdin, who is a London-based film director, was sedated and cut into pieces, and his body parts were discovered in bins and a suitcase on Sunday, May 16 after he returned from living in London, iranwire.com reported. His father confessed to the killing after he and his wife were arrested in Ekbatan, west Tehran, according to Rokna news agency. His father reportedly said: Because of the disputes we had, I sedated him this morning (Sunday) by giving him anaesthetics, then stabbed him to death. Then I dismembered his body and threw it in the nearest trash can on the street with my wife." Tehrans Police Station found evidence of the murder whilst searching the family home, it was reported. Since the news broke, tributes from friends who knew Mr Khorramdin through his work and studies in UK cinema have been pouring in. He moved to London a year after graduating from the Faculty of Fine Arts of the University of Tehran in 2009 with a master's degree in cinema. He studied film in the capital and had returned to Iran to teach the subject to his country folk when he was killed. According to Iran International TV, the honour killing "has shocked the country". Iran International TV Middle East Analyst and Editor Jason Brodsky said: I think the horrific death of Babak Khorramdin is only the latest example of a long pattern of domestic violence that we have seen in Iran. "It follows the tragic death of Ali Fazeli Monfared, who was killed by family members after they found out he was gay. That is not to mention the case last year of Romina Ashfrafi, a 14-year-old girl who was beheaded by her father in an honour killing. Despite a child protection law being passed in 2020 in Iran, honour killings and domestic violence continue more broadly, and this is an area the international community needs to address with Iran. 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 Mignonne Wood and Elmie Saaltink lead two of 15 local organizations that have come together under the umbrella of Aging Well Penticton. Police in the Okanagan are urging construction companies to take extra security precautions after seeing a surge in thefts of building materials elsewhere in the province. People walk past the University of Toronto campus during the COVID-19 pandemic in Toronto on Wednesday, June 10, 2020. A Federal Court judge accused of bias against Palestinians over his views on a proposed appointment at the University of Toronto made serious mistakes, but can stay on the job, a judicial review body concluded on Friday. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette The owner and/or operator of Lebanese and Eastern Mediterranean restaurants, today announces that, following the lifting of the lockdown restrictions on Monday 17th May, all 21 company owned and 3 franchise managed sites have now reopened to trade. All appropriate measures are in place to ensure government guidelines concerning social distancing and customer safety are fully adhered to. 21 May 2021 @HybridanLLP *A corporate client of Hybridan LLP Dish of the day ( ) has joined the Main Market (Standard). A pre-revenue pharmaceutical company with an objective to develop cannabinoid-based prescription medicines approved by regulatory agencies including the US Food and Drug Administration, the European Medicines Agency, and the Medicines and Products Healthcare Regulatory Authority. Their drug development strategy includes the development of proprietary cannabinoid derivatives, natural phytocannabinoids and other drug compounds that interplay with the endocannabinoid system. The company has raised 16.5m with a market cap of 48m. Off the menu No Leavers Today. Whats cooking in the IPO kitchen? The Artisanal Spirits Company to join AIM. It is the holding company of the Group, whose principal operating subsidiary, The Scotch Malt Whisky Society Limited ("SMWS") trades under the Group's flagship brand The Scotch Malt Whisky Society. SMWS is the leading curator and provider of premium single cask Scotch malt whisky and other spirits for sale primarily online to a discerning global membership. SMWS has a presence in over 30 international markets. Offer TBA. Due 4 June Therapeutics announces intention to Float on AIM. The revenue generating biopharmaceutical company that is targeting improving patient care by bringing innovative medicines to market through the enhancement of existing therapeutic products using its innovative proprietary formulation technology platform, Arestat. Admission is expected to occur in early June 2021. Deal details TBC. expected intention to float on the London Stock Exchange. Marex have a broad service offering, primarily across energy, commodity and financial markets through its Market Making, Commercial Hedging, Price Discovery and Data & Advisory businesses, and has strong positions across its core energy and commodities markets, executing around 35m trades and clearing over 175m contracts in 2020. Headquartered in London, the Group was formed in 2011 and currently has 19 offices worldwide with around 1,000 employees and more than 12,000 clients across Europe, Asia and America. In the year ended 31 December 2020, the Group's net revenue increased by 17.7% from $352.2m to $414.7m, and adjusted operating profit before tax increased by 15.2% from $53.4m to $61.5m. Should Marex proceed with an IPO, the current expectation is that the shares would be admitted to the Premium Listing Segment of the LSE and the offer would comprise of an offer of existing shares to be sold by certain existing shareholders of the Company. Trellus Health which is commercialising a scientifically validated, resilience-based, connected health solution for chronic condition management to float on AIM. Expected to raise gross proceeds of approximately 25m. Due 28 May. Elcogen Group has announced its intention to IPO on AIM. They are a manufacturer of ceramic anode-supported, low temperature solid oxide cell technology. Elcogen has two core product lines, ElcoCell and ElcoStack. Both product lines are used by customers to integrate into their own end products or systems either for distributed power generation (fuel cells), green hydrogen production (electrolysers) or syngas production (co-electrolysis). The Group operates in Estonia and Finland with headquarters in Tallinn, Estonia. Company financials and deal details TBC. Expected admission date early June 2021. Pioneer Media Holdings Inc to join the Access Segment AQSE Growth Market. The Company is an investment company focused on the eSports and mobile gaming industries, and all business sectors related thereto. No funds being raised. Due 25 May. Pharma C Investments to list as a SPAC on the Access Segment of the AQSE Growth Market. It is specifically seeking to take advantage of the dynamic regulatory environment surrounding legal Medicinal Cannabis. Raising 1m Due 26 May. Clarify Pharma, an investment vehicle specialising in biotech and life sciences companies seeking to prove the safety and efficacy of psychedelic-based substances, announced its intention to apply for admission of its Ordinary Shares to trading on the Access Segment of the AQSE Growth Market. The flotation is expected to value Clarify Pharma at approximately 10.5m. The Company plans to raise approximately 5m. Aquila Energy Efficiency Trust to admit its shares on the Main Market (Premium). Seeking raise of up to 150m. The Company will seek to generate attractive returns for Shareholders, principally in the form of income distributions by investing in a diversified portfolio of Energy Efficiency Investments. Due 2 June. Taylor Maritime Investments to join the Main Market (Premium). The Company is an internally managed investment company with an Executive Team led by Edward Buttery. The Executive Team has to date worked closely together for the Commercial Manager, Taylor Maritime. Established in 2014 by Edward Buttery, Taylor Maritime is a privately owned ship-owning and management business with a seasoned team that includes the founders of dry bulk shipping company Pacific Basin Shipping (listed in Hong Kong 2343.HK) and gas shipping company BW Epic Kosan (formerly Epic Shipping) (listed in Oslo BWEK:NO). Taylor Maritime's team of experienced industry professionals is based in Hong Kong and London. Taylor Maritime's principals have been some of the most active buyers of Handysize and Supramax dry bulk ships having made over US$1.3b of asset purchases and sales since 1987. Seeking a $250m raise. Due 27 May 2021. Kitwave Group, the independent, delivered wholesale business to join AIM. The Placing of the Placing Shares will raise gross proceeds of 64.0m for the Company and the Placing of the Secondary Placing Shares will raise gross proceeds of 17.6m for the Selling Shareholders. Mkt cap 105m. The management team, led by Paul Young, has overseen significant growth in both revenue and operating profit with revenue and Adjusted EBITDA growing to 592.0m and 27.6m respectively in FP20 (an 18-month period). In the 12 months to 30 April 2020, the Group's revenue and Adjusted EBITDA was 399.0m and 17.5m respectively. Due 24 May. Belluscura to join AIM. The designer and manufacturer of FDA cleared, lightweight and portable oxygen concentrators to raise 15m, with an expected pre-money market capitalisation of 35-40m. Due late May. Dianomi, the provider of native digital advertising services to premium clients in the Financial Services and Business sectors, announces its intention to seek admission of its shares to trading on AIM. Admission is expected to take place during May 2021. Offer details TBA. In FY 2020, revenue was 28.43m, representing growth of 58.8% compared to FY19. The majority of the Group's revenue is generated in the Americas (FY20: 76.6 %) followed by EMEA (FY20: 17.0%.), and APAC (FY20: 6.4%.) Earnings before interest and taxation was 2.02m in FY20 having grown from 0.25m in FY19. Voyager Life, the health and wellness company established to supply high-quality Cannabidiol (CBD) and hemp seed oil products, announces the Company's intention to seek admission to trading on the Access Segment AQSE Growth Market. Admission is expected to occur before the end of June 2021. Voyager was incorporated in November 2020 as a health and wellness business focused on CBD and hemp seed oil products. The Company's directors believe that a significant opportunity exists in the CBD market due to the forecast growth and ongoing regulatory changes. Thor Explorations (TSXV:THX) seeking a secondary listing on AIM. The Company is targeting Admission during Q2 21. Segun Lawson, President & CEO, stated: Thor Explorations has advanced significantly, in both project development and capitalisation since the acquisition of Segilola in 2016. This year, the Company is well positioned to achieve two major milestones with the commencement of gold production at Segilola in Nigeria and a maiden resource at Douta in Senegal, as well as continuing to progress our highly prospective Nigerian exploration portfolio on the Ilesha Schist belt. Imperial X ( ) to join the Main Market (Standard). It is also proposed that on Admission to the Official List, the Company will change its name to Cloudbreak Discovery Plc. With effect from Admission, Imperial X will hold equity positions and royalties in a variety of projects in the natural resources sector across multiple jurisdictions, primarily in the Americas and Africa. The Company is proposing to raise up to 1.5m by way of placing of new Ordinary Shares to support further prospect acquisitions. Due 3 June Banquet Buffet Alba Mineral Resources 0.27p 16.8m ( ) The second phase of the Company's underground drilling programme at the Clogau-St David's Gold Mine has commenced. This follows the successful 559m Phase 1 underground drilling programme completed in October 2020. Phase 1 intersected what Alba believes to be the westerly, 550-metre extension of the Clogau Main Lode, source of most historic production at Clogau-St David's Gold Mine. The main focus of Phase 2 is to continue with the exploration and delineation of the Main Lode to the north. Phase 2 surface drilling is also progressing well, with two holes completed to date. Arkle Resources 0.875p 2.8m ( ) Results from the first hole of the twelve hole diamond drilling programme being undertaken at the Company's 100% owned Mine River Gold Project in Wicklow / Wexford. Five intersections, best 4.69 g/t from 12.60 to 14.40 metres The 1,000 metre drilling programme has been designed to follow up the Company's recent visible gold find at Mine River. The drilling programme is fully funded and included in the 2021 budget. Comptoir Group 9.75p 11.96m ( ) The owner and/or operator of Lebanese and Eastern Mediterranean restaurants, today announces that, following the lifting of the lockdown restrictions on Monday 17th May, all 21 company owned and 3 franchise managed sites have now reopened to trade. All appropriate measures are in place to ensure government guidelines concerning social distancing and customer safety are fully adhered to. Circassia 33.2p 138.8m ( ) AGM trading update from the medical device company focused on respiratory diagnostics and monitoring. Circassia is now exclusively focussed on the Niox business. Trading in the first four months of the year has been slightly ahead of management's expectations, principally as a result of a strong performance in the Research business. Unaudited sales for the four months to the end of April were 9.3m, 9% ahead of the same period in 2020 (8.5m). As previously communicated, the breakeven point for the Niox business is now lower, reflecting tight cost control measures implemented under the new management team, and the change in the sales and marketing strategy, with greater emphasis on third party distribution. Accordingly, while this level of sales is circa 7% lower than normalised sales for the same period in 2019 (pre- pandemic), the Niox business (excluding Head Office costs) traded at close to EBITDA breakeven over the four-month period. This performance is in line with management expectations at this time for the full year. Induction Healthcare 85p 35.7m ( ) Proposed acquisition of Attend Anywhere, a private Australian-based video consultation provider in the UK. The consideration for the Acquisition comprises 15.56m in cash plus an amount equal to Attend Anywhere's net assets at completion of the Acquisition. Also looking to raise 25m at 70p. The unaudited financial statements of Attend Anywhere for its financial year ended 30 June 2020 showed revenue of 4.6m and an EBITDA loss of 0.1m. Following its success with a national contract with NHS Scotland, Attend Anywhere won a 4.85m national contract with NHS England in the first calendar quarter of 2020, which was quickly followed by a further national contract with NHS Wales. The pro forma summary unaudited management accounts of Attend Anywhere for the 12 months ended 31 March 2021 showed revenue of 9.7m and EBITDA of 3.3m. 1.15p 4.4m ( ) (Kibo Energy* 25.37% stake) The Tanzanian focused exploration and development company announced financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2020. Overview. The Company entered into a binding conditional agreement to form a 50/50 unincorporated joint venture in South Africa, focused on the reprocessing of an existing 1.34m ounce of gold JORC compliant tailings resource. The Company completed technical work related to the upgrade and restatement of the Blyvoor Gold Tailings Project resource statement. Significant progress was made towards securing the necessary funding. The Haneti Joint Venture was further strengthened, with ( ) acquiring a further 10% taking their holding to 35% with Katoro retaining 65%. The commencement of a 2,000 m RAB drilling programme at the Haneti Project which consists of approximately 50 holes drilled. The programme seeks to verify the existence of near surface nickel sulphide mineralisation at each target whilst increasing the geological understanding in order to ensure the follow-up diamond drill programme can be optimised. Post period end: Drilling results from the RAB drill programme carried out at the Haneti project, confirmed the results from previous exploration work done, which was the primary objective. The latest results provided the confirmation desired to take the next step in the exploration strategy for Haneti. Raised 960k (gross) through a Placing and Subscription of 48,000,000 new ordinary shares of 1.00p each in the capital of the Company at 2.00p per share. At Blyvoor Gold Tailing project, the technical team continue to work towards conclusion of all preparatory work and funding negotiations. Kibo Energy* 0.28p 6.7m ( ) The multi-asset energy development company, notes that its 55% subsidiary, MAST Energy Developments PLC today announced an exciting update, in which the company announced that its Bordesley project has now reached construction-ready status following a rigorous work programme since its LSE listing on 14 April 2021. MAST with adequate funding available, also implemented a work programme to review and evaluate its available pipeline of sites to ensure successful and timely delivery of its business strategy stated in the Company Prospectus. Full RNS can be viewed at: https://polaris.brighterir.com/public/mast_energy_developments/news/rns/story/wklm52x Physiomics* 6.55p 6.4m ( ) The consultancy using mathematical models to support the development of drug treatment regimens and personalised medicine solutions, has been awarded two further contracts by existing client Bicycle Therapeutics that it expects to be completed over the next six months. These projects relate to two of Bicycle's lead clinical assets and build on earlier work completed by Physiomics on these assets. Physiomics CEO, Dr Jim Millen, commented: "We are delighted that Bicycle continues to commission new projects with us and believe that it demonstrates the strength and depth of the relationship we have developed with this key client." 845p 248m ( ) The Department for Transport has now published the Williams-Shapps Plan for Rail, which is available to view here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/great-british-railways-williams-shapps-plan-for-rail . Recent strategic investments made across the Tracsis Group in both new technology and acquisition appear to be well aligned with the future direction of the rail industry. With the rail industry focused on improving safety, improving timetabling and on time train performance, increasing pre-emptive/asset condition maintenance and accelerating innovation in areas like pay as you go smart ticketing and delay repay, Tracsis is well positioned to benefit from the commitment to greater innovation and investment in a digital railway. This is currently reflected in the pipeline of new opportunities. Yew Grove REIT EUR0.98 EUR105.5m ( ) The diversified portfolio of Irish commercial property assets, has exchanged contracts for the purchase of an industrial building in Dundalk and two adjoining office properties in Citywest Dublin. In Dundalk, the Company has exchanged contracts on Tanola House on Coes Road, Dundalk, a recently constructed high bay industrial building of 86,451 sq. ft. over two adjoining blocks. The property has a 12.5m eaves height, 120 car parking spaces and is tenanted by a US multinational under two leases which together have a weighted average unexpired lease term ("WAULT") to first break of approximately 8.4 years and a WAULT to expiry of 18.4 years. Tanola House was acquired for c. EUR8m, with a current annual rent of EUR601,000 stepping up in approximately four years across both leases to EUR631,000, representing a net initial yield of 6.9% and increasing to 7.3% at the step up. The Company has also exchanged contracts to purchase Blocks E&F, Citywest Dublin, for EUR11m. The property has two adjoining office blocks of 45,972 sq. ft. with 165 car parking spaces and is fully tenanted by three multinational tenants paying a current annual rent of EUR984,000. This represents a net initial yield of 8.2% with a potential reversionary yield of 9.2%. The property has a WAULT of 4.0 years to first break and 6.4 years to expiry. 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Winds N at 5 to 10 mph. Thank you for reading the Philadelphia Tribune. You have exhausted your free article views for this month. Please press the "subscribe" button below and see our introductory price of $0.25 per week for 13 weeks. Otherwise, we look forward to seeing you next month. Nicole Hemmer is an associate research scholar at Columbia University with the Obama Presidency Oral History Project and the author of "Messengers of the Right: Conservative Media and the Transformation of American Politics." She co-hosts the history podcasts "Past Present" and "This Day in Esoteric Political History" and is co-producer of the new podcast "Welcome To Your Fantasy." CNN Freshleaf said its prediction that 2021 will see an industry consolidation is coming to life with the recent merger and acquisition activities Freshleaf said its prediction that 2021 will see an industry consolidation is coming to life with recent merger and acquisition activities The Australian medicinal cannabis market is continuing its strong growth trajectory and is expected to exceed growth expectations in 2021, by more than doubling to $200 million from around $100 million in 2020. Patient numbers are estimated to rise to about 75,000 active patients by the end of December 2021, up from 30,000 end-2020 and 45,000 at the close of the first quarter of 2021. Special Access Scheme Category B (SAS-B) approvals for 2020 doubled to 100,000, with February 2021 achieving a record-breaking 8,000 approvals. Year-to-date sales in 2021 have already surpassed full-year revenues in 2019. In FreshLeaf Analytics' first half 2021 report on the 'Australian Medicinal Cannabis Market: Patient, Product and Pricing Analysis', the research house also sees a large increase in authorised prescribers after a long period of stagnation which it sees as a key driver of market growth. While SAS-B remains the primary channel for accessing medicinal cannabis, Freshleaf estimates that almost one-in-five active patients are now prescribed medicinal cannabis by an authorised prescriber. The forecasts exclude Schedule 3 low-dose CBD products as they are unlikely to be available in 2021. 2021 pivotal FreshLeaf Analytics noted that as predicted, 2021 will be a pivotal time for the legal cannabis industry in Australia with industry consolidation, changes in regulatory, product and pricing landscape. It said: These shifts are beginning to take shape: multiple regulatory changes are underway impacting patient access and product quality, there has been a flurry of M&A activity. Further, some industry players have altered their focus in the value chain as the market begins to move away from vertical integration. Product analysis FreshLeaf noted that the number of products has more or less doubled each year since 2018, with 190 products now available for prescription in Australia, bringing choice but also challenges. Medicinal cannabis products remain highly commoditised and there is little ability for physicians to differentiate between them beyond formulation and price. It highlighted that product growth in the last six months came mainly from oil, with the number of oil products available rising to 123 from 89. There has been modest growth in flower products, while the number of wafer products tripled. The industry has recently experienced significant supply issues with flower. There are currently 32 flower products on the market, including granulated flower supplied by nine manufacturers, but only four are cultivated locally. Australia is still heavily dependent on Canada and Europe for both cultivation and manufacture of flower products. Local cultivators and manufacturers have responded quickly to shortages, with some releasing home-grown flower products for the first time while others have altered production plans to meet demand. Only one new delivery format The first half has been a quiet period for innovation in delivery formats compared to 2019/2020, which saw a range of different delivery formats from sprays to patches, wafers and capsules. Only one new format has been introduced since FreshLeafs last report: chews. Low-dose CBD products In the last six months, total product numbers rose by 40 but almost three-quarters of products that exited the market were low-dose CBD products containing either 10 or 25 mg/ mL of CBD. FreshLeaf speculated companies that manufacture low-dose CBD products that may not be suitable for Schedule 3, are shifting their focus elsewhere either introducing suitable Schedule 3 formulations or moving away from the low-dose CBD category entirely. It also noted almost 70% of products that entered the market over the past six months were Schedule 8 products (containing >2% THC). Substantial drop in retail floor price Freshleaf noted that the price war seen over the past three years is heating up with continued downward pressure seen due to intense competition and record numbers of products introduced to market. It highlighted an astonishing drop in the retail floor price to around $0.03/mg with an average price of $0.16/mg. Price drops were seen across almost all product formulations, with a notable drop for High THC products and CBD Isolate S4 products. Balanced products were the only group that did not see a drop in floor price, holding steady at $0.11/mg. Of the 190 products on the market, 35 or 18%, had a retail floor price of below $0.10/mg. The minimum wholesale price the price that a pharmacy pays to the manufacturer also dropped to $0.025/mg, with an average price of $0.14/mg following steep declines over the past three years. Shift to legal cannabis It noted that a 2019 survey revealed only 3.9% of those who used cannabis for medical purposes obtained it by prescription and that a total of 600,000 Australians are believed to be medical cannabis users. This effectively means there are around 555,000 Australians who are obtaining medical cannabis illegally. Based on a median spend on illicit cannabis of $50 per week, the total market revenue today could be as high as $1.5 billion per year. Changes in Australian regulatory landscape Following the Australian Government response to a Senate enquiry into barriers to patient access to medicinal cannabis in Australia, Freshleaf expects to see: Changes to the SAS-B authorisation pathway; Potential reforms to the Authorised Prescriber Scheme; Additional ongoing funding of $1.7 million for the ODC; Changes to the medicinal cannabis licence and permit system; and Possible changes to the Medicare Benefits Scheme for primary care in 2021. Challenges to low-dose CBD market Freshleaf noted that the down scheduling of low-dose CBD has been a frustrating milestone for the medicinal cannabis industry and patients alike. The onerous path to market has resulted in frustration for patients who are unable to access products over-the-counter in pharmacies, and for medicinal cannabis companies who are navigating an expensive and time-consuming process to get products on shelves, it said. S3 products must be approved by Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) and included on the ARTG before they can be supplied and this has created a sizable challenge for organisations pursuing S3 registration as applications must be supported by data demonstrating the quality, safety and efficacy of the medicine. FreshLeaf estimates that the pharmacist-only CBD market in Australia will grow to $250 million in product sales at market maturity, capturing around 2 million consumers. Currently, almost 1-in-4 medicinal cannabis patients take a CBD product at a daily dose below 150mg, spending an average of $8.02 per day. FreshLeaf expects that this patient cohort will migrate to the pharmacy channel once low-dose CBD products become available over the counter. This means the first product or products to hit the S3 market will take the lions share of this group around 10,000 patients spending almost around $29 million a year. FreshLeaf expects that once Schedule 3 products become available, more manufacturers will exit this category as not all companies will be able to register their product, or they may be too late to market with few patients left accessing low-dose CBD through the unapproved pathway. Speed to market will be a critical competitive advantage for those looking to tap into this new and lucrative market. Gateway to medicinal cannabis in Asia FreshLeaf noted that while the regulatory environment evolves, questions have been raised about the pace at which the industry is moving forward, with concerns that if regulatory frameworks continue to change slowly, Australia may miss its opportunity to become the gateway to the medicinal cannabis industry in Asia. It added: Australia has much to gain from taking a pharmaceutical approach to medicinal cannabis although it brings with it the challenge of balancing pharmaceutical rigour with speed so that the industry matures in strides. Key focus on manufacturing standards FreshLeaf believes manufacturing standards will be a key focus for the medicinal cannabis industry in 2021. A review of manufacturing standards on imported products is underway with the Department of Health, as part of a wider set of potential reforms to medicinal cannabis manufacturing, labelling and packaging requirements. Whatever the outcome of the review, imposing GMP standards on imported products will likely affect the number of products in the market and potentially also the pricing of products, it noted. In addition, medicinal cannabis companies are coming to grips with the manufacturing data requirements for registering a Schedule 3 medicine - a requirement for GMP manufacturing in a facility that is certified by the Therapeutic Goods Administration. Growing investment in R&D Recent merger and acquisition activities and increases in the valuation of ASX-listed medicinal cannabis companies who are pursuing a registered pharmaceutical product pathway has drawn attention to the market value of owning products that are protected by IP and are registered, or on the path to being registered. With the growing interest in cannabinoid therapies, 2020 appeared to be a record year for research into medicinal cannabis across a range of indications covering most aspects of the research pipeline from preclinical research and veterinary medicine, to systematic reviews and analyses. FreshLeaf anticipates that growing investment in R&D will continue throughout 2021, driven by substantiation of the commercial advantages of pursuing a product registration strategy, as well as clinical research requirements for registering a Schedule 3 product. Industry consolidation FreshLeaf said its prediction that 2021 will see an industry consolidation is coming to life with the recent merger and acquisition activities. Developments have been seen at the business and operational level, including refined business models, improved manufacturing capacity, new production facilities, introduction of new technologies and the arrival of new players, which bodes well for 2021. We expect these trends to continue throughout 2022 as the market further matures and consolidates around the major players, FreshLeaf added. The exploration focus of Cervantes moving forward will be on the Primrose Project, however, the company will also look at other opportunities in the resource sector. Cervantes has raised a total of $3,366,512 before costs Cervantes Corporation Limited ( ) has raised more than $3.36 million after completing the capital raisings announced on April 1. These funds will be spent on exploration work, particularly two reverse circulation (RC) drilling programs at Primrose Gold Project in the Paynes Find Goldfield of Western Australia, as well as continuing to seek other opportunities in the sector. The following securities have been issued: 268,004,155 shares and 134,002,075 free-attaching options under the rights issue offer at an issue price of $0.003 per share to raise $804,012 (before costs); 750 million shares and 375 million free-attaching options under the placement offer at an issue price of $0.003 per share to raise $2.25 million (before costs); and 625 million options under the option placement offer at an issue price of $0.0005 per option to raise $312,500 (before costs). Board changes Cervantes has also appointed Robert Downey as non-executive chairman and Matthew OKane as a non-executive director. Downey is admitted as a barrister and solicitor in Western Australia and has practised as a corporate and commercial lawyer for more than 20 years. He advises a wide range of public and private companies as well as high net worth individuals in relation to commercial and corporate transactions. Downey has been a director of many public listed and private companies with particular experience in relation to day-to-day listing rule compliance, disclosure and governance issues. OKane is an experienced mineral industry executive and company director with 25 years of experience in the mining, commodities and automotive sectors. He has held senior leadership roles in Australia, the USA and Asia, in both developed and emerging markets. OKane has served on the board and as an executive of mining companies in Canada, Hong Kong and Australia, and is currently the managing director of Comet Resources Limited ( ), non-executive director of ( ) and non-executive director of Azarga Uranium Corp ( ). During his career, he has worked with companys involved in production, exploration and development. "Company well-positioned" Company secretary Patrick ONeill has stepped down with the appointment of Chris Achurch. Achurch provides company secretarial, corporate advisory and general consulting services to a number of ASX listed clients. Cervantes also advises that Collin Vost and Justin Vost have resigned as directors effective today. Non-executive chairman Robert Downey said: On behalf of the board and our shareholders I would like to thank Collin and Justin for their time and commitment to Cervantes over more than 10 years, leaving the company well-positioned to progress the companys projects. "We wish them every success in their future endeavours. The company looks forward to working with Justin over the next 12 months, assisting Cervantes with a smooth and efficient transition. Itemizer-Observer report DALLAS Lyle Elementary School was among four schools awarded $2,000 in OnPoint Community Credit Unions 12th annual Prize for Excellence in Education Community Builder Awards. The Community Builder Awards provide up to $5,000 for each schools special projects that enrich their communities. Since the pandemic began, teachers and students have navigated unparalleled circumstances and worked hard to discover creative new ways to engage and teach students, said Rob Stuart, President and Chief Executive Officer, OnPoint Community Credit Union. In reviewing nominations, we discovered all the innovative and inspiring ways educators have come together to support each other and engage students. Lyle Elementary received the $2,000 award for its Recess for All program which will redesign its recess so all students can engage in activities that will benefit their physical and mental health and prepare them to return to the classroom ready to learn. OnPoints annual education awards ceremony began in 2010 and celebrates local educators and schools that creatively engage students, inspire innovation in the classroom, and impact the lives of students and families. In its 11-year history, the contest has awarded more than $470,000 in prizes to 285 local educators and schools. The 2021 OnPoint Prize for Excellence in Education will award up to an additional $100,000 to deserving public and private K-12 teachers and schools. The incredible schools and teachers recognized today have raised the bar for excellence in education, inside and outside the classroom, Stuart added. OnPoint thanks the finalists and winners, their fellow nominees and the rest of our education community for the enduring impact they have on children and families across Oregon and Southwest Washington. OnPoint Community Credit Union is the largest credit union in Oregon, serving over 437,000 members and with assets of $8.3 billion. Founded in 1932, OnPoint Community Credit Unions membership is available to anyone who lives or works in one of 28 Oregon counties (Benton, Clackamas, Clatsop, Columbia, Coos, Crook, Curry, Deschutes, Douglas, Gilliam, Hood River, Jackson, Jefferson, Josephine, Klamath, Lane, Lincoln, Linn, Marion, Morrow, Multnomah, Polk, Sherman, Tillamook, Wasco, Washington, Wheeler, and Yamhill) and two Washington counties (Skamania and Clark) and their immediate family members. For more information, go to www.onpointcu.com. , Cookies . cookies. Would you like to receive breaking news notifications from The Post and Courier? Sign up to receive news and updates from this site directly to your desktop. Breaking News Columbia Breaking News Greenville Breaking News Myrtle Beach Breaking News Aiken Breaking News Click on the bell icon to manage your notifications at any time. Success! Please click the 'Allow' button in the 'Show Notifcations' alert in your browser if one is available. Thank you for signing up! Please enable notifications in your browser and reload the page. JERUSALEM Israel and Hamas agreed to a cease-fire Thursday, halting a bruising 11-day war that caused widespread destruction in the Gaza Strip, brought life in much of Israel to a standstill and left more than 200 people dead. At 2 a.m. local time, just as the cease-fire took effect, frenzy life returned to the streets of Gaza. People went out of their homes, some shouting Allahu Akbar" or whistling from balconies. Many fired in the air, celebrating the truce. Like the three previous wars between the bitter enemies, the latest round of fighting ended inconclusively. Israel claimed to inflict heavy damage on Hamas but once again was unable to halt the Islamic militant group's nonstop rocket barrages. Almost immediately, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faced angry accusations from his hard-line, right-wing base that he stopped the operation too soon. Hamas, the Islamic militant group sworn to Israels destruction, also claimed victory. But it now faces the daunting challenge of rebuilding in a territory already suffering from poverty, widespread unemployment and a raging coronavirus outbreak. Netanyahus office said his Security Cabinet had unanimously accepted an Egyptian cease-fire proposal after recommendations from Israels military chief and other top security officials. A statement boasted of significant achievements in the operation, some of which are unprecedented. It also included a veiled threat against Hamas. The political leaders emphasized that the reality on the ground will determine the future of the campaign, the statement said. The fighting erupted on May 10, when Hamas militants in Gaza fired long-range rockets toward Jerusalem. The barrage came after days of clashes between Palestinian protesters and Israeli police at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound. Heavy-handed police tactics at the compound, built on a site holy to Muslims and Jews, and the threatened eviction of dozens of Palestinians by Jewish settlers had inflamed tensions. The competing claims to Jerusalem lie at the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and have repeatedly triggered bouts of violence in the past. Hamas and other militant groups fired over 4,000 rockets into Israel throughout the fighting, launching the projectiles from civilian areas at Israeli cities. Dozens of projectiles flew as far north as Tel Aviv, the country's bustling commercial and cultural capital. Israel, meanwhile, carried out hundreds of airstrikes targeting what it said was Hamas military infrastructure, including a vast tunnel network. At least 230 Palestinians were killed, including 65 children and 39 women, with 1,710 people wounded, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which does not break the numbers down into fighters and civilians. Twelve people in Israel, including a 5-year-old boy and 16-year-old girl, were killed. The United States, Israel's closest and most important ally, initially backed what it said was Israel's right to self-defense against indiscriminate rocket fire. But as the fighting dragged on and the death toll mounted, the Americans increasingly pressured Israel to stop the offensive. In a rare public rift, Netanyahu on Wednesday briefly rebuffed a public call from President Joe Biden to wind things down, appearing determined to inflict maximum damage on Hamas in a war that could help save his political career. But late Thursday, Netanyahu's office announced the cease-fire agreement. Hamas quickly followed suit. Militants continued to launch sporadic rocket at Israel early Friday, before the 2 a.m. cease-fire took effect. In Washington, Biden hailed the cease-fire. I believe we have a genuine opportunity to make progress, and Im committed to working for it, he said. Biden said the U.S. was committed to helping Israel replenish its supply of interceptor missiles for its Iron Dome rocket-defense system and to working with the internationally recognized Palestinian Authority not Hamas to provide humanitarian aid to Gaza. Netanyahu quickly came under heavy criticism from members of his hawkish, nationalist base. Gideon Saar, a former ally who now leads a small party opposed to the prime minister, called the cease-fire embarrassing. In a potentially damaging development for the Israeli leader, the Palestinian militants claimed Netanyahu had agreed to halt further Israeli actions at the Al Aqsa Mosque and to call off the planned evictions of Palestinians in the nearby Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood. An Egyptian official said only that tensions in Jerusalem will be addressed. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was discussing behind-the-scenes negotiations and provided no details. Itamar Ben Gvir, head of the far-right Jewish Power party, tweeted that the cease-fire was a grave surrender to terrorism and the dictates of Hamas. The cease-fire comes at a sensitive time for Netanyahu. In the wake of an inconclusive election in March, Netanyahu failed to form a majority coalition in parliament. His opponents now have until June 2 to form an alternative government of their own. The war greatly complicated the efforts of his opponents, who include both Jewish and Arab parties and were forced to suspend their negotiations in such a fraught environment. But the inconclusive outcome of the war could give them renewed momentum to restart those talks. Meanwhile in Gaza, a Hamas spokesman, Abdelatif al-Qanou, said Israel's announcement was a declaration of defeat. Nonetheless, the group said it would honor the deal, which was to officially go into effect at 2 a.m. Ali Barakeh, an official with Islamic Jihad, a smaller group that fought alongside Hamas, said Israels declaration of a truce was a defeat for Netanyahu and a victory to the Palestinian people. Despite the claims, both groups appeared to have suffered significant losses in the fighting. Hamas and Islamic Jihad said at least 20 of their fighters were killed, while Israel said the number was at least 130 and probably higher. Some 58,000 Palestinians fled their homes, many of them seeking shelter in crowded United Nations schools at a time of a coronavirus outbreak. Since the fighting began, Gazas infrastructure, already weakened by a 14-year blockade, has rapidly deteriorated. Medical supplies, water and fuel for electricity are running low in the territory, on which Israel and Egypt imposed the blockade after Hamas seized power from the Palestinian Authority in 2007. Since then, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has governed autonomous areas of the Israeli-occupied West Bank and has limited influence in Gaza. Israeli attacks have also damaged at least 18 hospitals and clinics and destroyed one health facility, the World Health Organization said. Nearly half of all essential drugs have run out. Israeli bombing has damaged over 50 schools across the territory, according to advocacy group Save the Children, destroying at least six. While repairs are done, education will be disrupted for nearly 42,000 children. Akram reported from Gaza City, Gaza Strip. Associated Press writers Ilan Ben Zion in Jerusalem, Samy Magdy in Cairo, Zeke Miller in Washington and Iris Samuels in Helena, Montana, contributed reporting. The company continues to drive rapid resource growth at the 3.02-million-ounce Abujar Gold Project with the delivery of milestones during 2021 including a definitive feasibility study on track for Q3. Strong news flow is expected to continue with more than 7,000 Abujar samples at the laborartory Tietto Minerals Ltd ( ) has hit 3 metres at 58.61 g/t gold including 1-metre at 174.72 g/t at AG South within the Abujar-Gludehi (AG) deposit which is part of its 3.02-million-ounce Abujar Gold Project in Cote dIvoire. The new results from infill extensional drilling extend the high-grade gold strike of 200 metres at AG Section lines 4-5-6 to Section Line 9 and will be included in the next Abujar resource update due by the end of June. Tiettos infill diamond drilling program has been extended to a cut-off date of May 24 for the inclusion of additional results in the resource update. "Increasing confidence" Managing director Dr Caigen Wang said the infill and extensional drilling program at AG had delivered a range of metrics including exceptionally high grades, increased resource confidence and resource growth. We have delivered more highgrades with ZDD539 hitting 1-metre at 174.72 g/t gold adding to the string of high gold grades we have reported at AG South including a project best intercept of just over 1-metre at 0.53 kg/t gold which was delivered last week. Our infill drilling is increasing confidence in the mineral resource, confirming mineralisation at or above expectations as we close up the drill pattern to Indicated spacing." Expecting "material increase" in reserves He said: "We have extended the known limits of gold mineralisation at AG Core down to 560 metres below the surface and up to 200 metres downdip without deepest holes confirming this large gold system remains open at depth. "Results from the infill program will be used in the resource update which is expected in June. "This model will be handed over to the mining engineers for open pit optimisation studies and we expect to see a material increase in Abujar ore reserves in the DFS. "Once the infill program is completed, we intend to use our diamond drill rigs to test the multitude of exploration targets around our proposed mill at Abujar to drive future resource growth." Results facilitate progress towards DFS On the development front, he said the company's recent initiatives and work program demonstrated progress towards delivery of its fully funded Abujar DFS in quarter three and more broadly, positioning the project as West Africas next gold mine. New results from sections 4-5-6 include: 3 metres at 52.95 g/t gold from 71 metres, including 1-metre at 121 g/t; 4 metres at 26.05 g/t from 63 metres, including 1-metre at 50.75 g/t; 5 metres at 109.06 g/t from 99 metres, including 1-metre at 532.05 g/t; and 7 metres at 51.56 g/t from 53 metres. Other results include 15 metres at 2.34 g/t from 558 metres, including 6 metres at 3.36 g/t gold, 3 metres at 10.85 g/t from 144 metres and 27 metres at 1.14 g/t from 347 metres, including 3 metres at 4.10 g/t. Tietto expects recent drilling will underpin a material upgrade to Abujar ore reserves of 15.7 million tonnes at 1.7 g/t gold for 860,000 ounces at the maiden open pit and within AG of 22.9 million tonnes at 1.5 g/t gold for 1.12 million ounces. Next steps The company is aggressively exploring at Abujar to drive rapid resource growth by: Targeting 100,000 metres of diamond drilling in 2021 using its fleet of diamond drill rigs drilling at US$35/metre; Drill testing 8.5 kilometres of fertile Abujar main shear along strike from the existing AG and APG deposits; and Drill testing high-priority regional targets. Tietto is negotiating the Abujar mining convention with the Ivorian Government, which is the final regulatory step with all mining and environmental approvals secured. Moncks Corner, SC (29461) Today Thunderstorms this evening, then skies turning partly cloudy after midnight. Low 71F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight Thunderstorms this evening, then skies turning partly cloudy after midnight. Low 71F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%. State-owned Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum named the leader of a Texas World War II museum as its next executive director. Rorie Cartier was elected by board members unanimously May 21. Cartier will bring prior experience with military-focused museums to the Yorktown aircraft carrier when he starts the new job in July 1. Cartier is currently museum director for the National Museum of the Pacific War in Fredericksburg, Texas, about 70 miles north of San Antonio. Previously, he was assistant director of development for the Admiral Nimitz Foundation and held leadership positions with the National World War II Museum in New Orleans, Patriots Point said in statement. The Mount Pleasant military and visitors attraction said it received about 90 applications for the opening. Patriots Point Development Authority vice chairman Wayne Adams said that Cartier was chosen after a "thorough nationwide search." His combination of energy and experience as an educator, fundraiser and service at two of the most respected military museums in America provides an enviable skill set to lead Patriots Point into the future," Adams said. Sign up for our new business newsletter We're starting a weekly newsletter about the business stories that are shaping Charleston and South Carolina. Get ahead with us - it's free. Email Sign Up! Cartier also serves on various museum and tourism-related boards, including his local visitors bureau and the Texas Association of Museums. He has a Ph.D. in history from Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland. At the National Museum of the Pacific War, which focuses on World War II in the Asiatic-Pacific theater, Cartier helped to gain accreditation from the American Alliance of Museums. In February, the museum announced its new status as a Smithsonian Affiliate. Patriots Point started looking for a new executive director after Larry Murray announced in February he was stepping down after about two years. He is now a senior principal at the defense consulting firm Burdeshaw Associates LLC, according to his LinkedIn page. Murray's predecessor at Patriots Point, Mac Burdette, was at the museum's helm for nine years before he retired in 2019. South Carolina lost jobs in April, and the hospitality sector's recovery continued to lag behind other industries. Seasonally adjusted, the state was down 4,200 positions for the month. After staying flat in March, leisure and hospitality jobs dropped again, by 1,300. The state's unemployment rate declined slightly, in the same increment that it has for the last few months. Since January, the jobless rate has decreased by 0.1 percent every month, taking it from 5.3 percent in January to 5 percent last month. Overall, Laura Ullrich, a regional economist with the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, described the April jobs data as "disappointing." Compared to pre-pandemic jobs numbers, the state was down 83,100 jobs last month. Since April 2020 was a low point for employment during the pandemic, every sector posted dramatic year-over-year job gains, but comparisons to pre-COVID-19 numbers gave the best insight into how sectors are actually faring. Construction, for example, is now 1,900 jobs above February 2020, a gain of 135 percent. Leisure and hospitality remains the outlier on the other side of the spectrum of job recovery. Of the tourism jobs lost during the pandemic, about 68 percent have been recovered, Ullrich said. She said it's disheartening to see no growth at this stage for the hospitality industry, which was hardest hit by job losses due to COVID-19 last spring. "I think what it's showing is that the stories that you're hearing about people having a hard time hiring are true," Ullrich said. "They're not able to add the jobs they're wanting to add." The question of why, Ullrich said, is more complicated. South Carolina is a little over a month away from terminating federal pandemic unemployment benefit programs. Gov. Henry McMaster was the second Republican governor to announce that he would opt out of the programs before they're set to expire. Since then, the number of states ending benefits early has grown to nearly two dozen. The reasoning cited by each of the states is that some employers, especially in the hospitality business, are having a hard time recruiting enough applicants. Extra unemployment benefits have been cited as a reason why, though experts have weighed in to argue that other factors are at play. Sign up for our new business newsletter We're starting a weekly newsletter about the business stories that are shaping Charleston and South Carolina. Get ahead with us - it's free. Email Sign Up! A new working paper from the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco found that the $600-per-week benefits that unemployed Americans were receiving earlier in the pandemic had "moderate disincentive effects" when it came to applying for jobs. The $300 benefit in place now has "small effects." In a statement on the April employment numbers, Dan Ellzey, director of the S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce, said "now is the time to act," cautioning that he predicts a "rush for the open positions" after June 26, when federal benefits programs end in South Carolina. "We dont want people to be caught off guard when these benefits stop in June, so please reach out for help if you need it," Ellzey said. Ullrich said she's "a little skeptical" that there will be a rush to claim jobs once those benefits programs are terminated. "I think it will move the needle, but I think there's other things going on as well," she said. Either way, there's "no doubt" that some employers in the state are having trouble finding help. "We're hearing that often," Ullrich said. Before the pandemic, employers were reporting similar troubles. At that time, South Carolina had a historically low unemployment rate. "It seems like what's happening is we're reentering a tight labor market, even though we still have a lot of jobs that haven't been recovered, which is surprising," said Ullrich, who added it will be interesting to compare states that are and are not terminating the federal aid. South Carolina is ending four different programs, including one that that pays out $300 weekly to anyone who qualifies for unemployment checks, either state or federal. All claimants will be affected when that program ends. For the week ended May 15, about 90,800 residents were collecting jobless benefits. The vast majority of the state's weekly unemployment payouts are attributed to the federal programs that will end next month. About 88 percent of the close to $60 million paid in unemployment last week was connected to a federal COVID-related benefits program. South Carolina's jobs agency took a smaller step toward its pre-pandemic rules in April by reinstating a policy that applicants complete two weekly job searches to keep their benefits. Ellzey said Friday that most claimants are complying but a "large number of individuals" are not, which means they disqualify themselves for aid for at least the week they did not fulfill the requirement. As of May 21, there were about 82,000 online job listings for claimants to browse for those work searches, he said. Georgetown, SC (29440) Today Partly to mostly cloudy skies with scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Low 71F. Winds SW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 90%.. Tonight Partly to mostly cloudy skies with scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Low 71F. Winds SW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 90%. MAULDIN On a warm May morning, Joel Ann Chandler works behind the Mauldin Open Air Market, hauling bales of tightly packed pine needles out of a tractor trailer and onto the flatbed of her friend's truck. She is 70 years old but doesn't shy away from the labor. After about four decades running the market, she's become an expert at stacking the bundles to maximize space and keep them from moving. Chandler has many nicknames. JoJo. Peach Queen, her old CB radio handle. And, perhaps most fittingly, Ms. Mauldin. "I've been called a lot of things. Lazy ain't never been one of them," she said with a smile as she stacked another block of pine needles in the back of the trailer. Since she first started the Open Air Market in the early 1980s, Chandler and her business have become cornerstones of the Mauldin community. The roadside shop, at the corner of East Butler and Bridges roads, is open every day of the year except Christmas and serves a steady flow of locals and shoppers from around the Upstate. Chandler seems to know them all by name and greets them warmly. She hugs, jokes with them, asks about their families. "I'd rather come here than anywhere," said Trisha Phillips, a Conestee resident who has shopped at the market and brought produce there for about 10 or so years. "It's homey. She makes it homey." Walking through the market, Chandler can point to any product and tell exactly where it came from. Milk from Happy Cow in Pelzer. Banana peppers from the Senn Brothers in West Columbia. A variety of honey from local farms. Much of it comes from the Upstate. Every Monday and Friday, Chandler also rides in one of her three tractor trailers to load up on produce from Columbia. She knows what her customers like and keeps the store well stocked. But she also tries to offer things they might not expect. "I'm always on the lookout for something new and different," she said. "I've introduced people to a lot of different stuff that they've never even heard of before." Sign up for our Greenville development newsletter. Get all the latest updates on the Upstate real estate market, more openings and closings, exclusive development news and more in your inbox each week. Email Sign Up! Chandler grew up on the expansive property across from her market and still lives there. Some of her first memories are working in her family's peach orchard. When she first started the stand all those years ago it was little more than a collection of blue tarp, boards and chicken wire where she sold watermelons and tomatoes. But business took off almost immediately and she expanded quickly. She credits God, her customer service and the fresh produce for her success. "We've got indoor plumbing now, we're uptown," she said, laughing. Chandler sees the market as an extension of herself and with persistent effort it has flourished. But it has not come without its challenges. More than once through the years, South Carolina Department of Transportation plans to update the intersection have threatened to displace the business. Most recently, initial proposals for improvements to East Butler would have used a large piece of her property, which Chandler said would have forced her to close shop. "They were basically trying to shut me down again," she said. "But I'm a fighter. I don't give up." Each time, Chandler went on a letter writing campaign, sending her concerns to officials throughout SCDOT, from the director down. Each time, it worked. Now, she said, people in the community come to her to ask for advice when they have issues with state or local agencies. "I'll tell them what I've done," she said. "I can pass that along if it will help them in anyway. I'm willing to help anyone I can." Chandler has spent her entire life so far on those parcels of land along East Butler and said she has no plans to leave. The people who walk through her doors every day in search of fresh produce, local preserves or a good conversation are her family. She wants to keep serving them any way she can and for as long as she can, she said. "Mauldin is my town," she said. "And I care about what's going on in Mauldin." Amid an unprecedented demand for real estate on Lake Keowee, The Cliffs company has announced the release of 27 new waterfront homesites at its lakeside development near Clemson. The homesites at The Landing at The Cliffs at Keowee Springs range from .7 to 3 acres, and all are equipped for private docks and feature expansive lake and mountain views. The properties range in price from $850,000 to $3 million. An exclusive addition of more than 600 acres at The Cliffs at Keowee Springs, The Landing includes a limited number of homesites with plans for future added amenities. The Cliffs owners, South Street Partners, are currently planning a new Lake Club for members of The Landing, which will include a grand lawn area, pools, wellness amenities and a club snack bar. The release comes on the heels of an announcement in April, when the Travelers Rest-based company released 33 homesites at The Landing. Demand for Lake Keowee real estate was evident in The Cliffs numbers for the first quarter of 2021, when the company saw a 345 percent volume increase over the same period in 2020, represented in 37 transactions worth $17.7 million. Located less than an hour from Greenville, Lake Keowee has experienced a boom in popularity, driven largely by out-of-state buyers seeking an escape from city life. Active waterfront listings on Keowee are in short supply--as of last month, there were fewer than 30 on all 300 miles of the lakes shoreline. NAI Earle Furman finds Crossroads HQ Drew Stamm of the Greenville commercial real estate firm NAI Earle Furman represented tenant Crossroads Treatment Centers in leasing 20,824 square feet of office space located at 200 East Broad St. in the Elliott Davis building. Crossroads is a behavioral healthcare company founded in 2005, providing medication-assisted treatment and measurement-based care to patients with substance use disorders and mental health illnesses. Terms of the lease were not disclosed. Communication is key throughout the process, and whether I had a question during the day, or in the evening on the weekend, they were always there for us, said Cory Lesko, chief development officer for Crossroads. Drew seemed genuinely committed to us succeeding. Leadership shuffle at Herlong Joan Herlong and Associates Sothebys International Realty has made two changes to its leadership team. Jackson Herlong, who had been broker-in-charge since September of 2017, has been promoted to chief strategy officer as well as broker-in-charge of the Clemson office. There he will oversee the agencys short- and long-term messaging and market positioning along with focusing on the firms relationship with Sothebys International Realty. Meanwhile, William Herlong, who had been serving as in-house legal counsel, will become the new chief operating officer as well as broker-in-charge of the Greenville office. Herlong and Associated has been selling real estate in the Upstate since 2011, and earlier this year recorded a $10 million transaction that was a record for the company. Upstate firms welcome new agents Several Upstate real estate firms welcomed new agents recently. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices C. Dan Joyner Realtors welcomed Stacie Hogan to its North Pleasantburg office, and Aaron Pastor and Katie Phillips to its Spartanburg office. Hogan has a background in construction management and has also worked at the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Pastor has lived in the Upstate for 25 years, and holds associate degrees in applied science and general technologies. ReMax Realty Professionals recently welcomed Rebecca Harrison, who was born in Greenville and raised in Pickens. And Joy Real Estate of Mauldin and Taylors welcomed Danny Monroe, who has been a pastor for the past 20 years. Raimondo to probe lumber costs Pressure from the National Association of Home Builders on public officials to address soaring lumber costs may have borne fruit. U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo promised to make the matter a priority when speaking with lawmakers during a recent Congressional subcommittee hearing on the proposed 2022 federal budget. Lumber prices have jumped 250 percent over the past year, adding thousands to the cost of building a home. NAHB officials have been lobbying members of Congress and the Department of Commerce to address the subject. The home building industry and the housing sector is a vital portion of our economy, and they are struggling as you say. A lot of supply chains have been disrupted during the pandemic. It isnt just lumber, Raimondo said in response to a question during the hearing. So right now we are trying to get under the covers of whats going on, what are the root causes, and then what can we do to try to solve the problem. Because I understand the problem, and it affects the whole industry. NAHB chairman Chuck Fowke was glad to hear it. I was greatly encouraged to see that our efforts to make the lumber issue front and center in Washington are paying dividends, he said. Revitalization Award nominees sought The Greater Greenville Association of Realtors is seeking nominees for the 2021 Revitalization Awards, which celebrate those who have invested a substantial amount of time and money into a property and seen it greatly impact an area of the community. Eligible properties include but are not limited to individual residential homes, subdivisions, commercial businesses, multifamily dwellings, public property such as parks and trails, or historic homes or landmarks. Deadline for entry is July 30. Contact GGAR at (864) 672-4427 for further information. Agent Spotlight and open house ads Upstate real estate agents can now be featured on The Greenville Post and Couriers website, as well as place free ads for open houses. Realtors interested in being showcased in The Greenville Post and Couriers Agent Spotlight can submit their information here. Required information includes a short bio as well as contact information. A different agent will be spotlighted each week on the real estate homepage. Agents interested in placing a free ad for open houses can submit their information here. The ads run free for seven days in The Greenville Post and Couriers open house listings. Kingstree, SC (29556) Today Chance of an isolated thunderstorm early, then variable clouds overnight with more showers at times. Low 71F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%.. Tonight Chance of an isolated thunderstorm early, then variable clouds overnight with more showers at times. Low 71F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%. CONWAY Coastal Carolina University, Clemson University and College of Charleston have this week announced changes to their mask mandates, though with some concessions. At CCU, masks and social distancing both indoors and outdoors will no longer be required on campus as of May 21, according to an internal email. One exception is that face masks will still be required on university shuttles and in health care facilities on campus. CCU's staff members have been encouraged to take precautions according to their level of risk, whether or not they have received the COVID-19 vaccine, and their comfort level. While face coverings are no longer required, individuals are allowed to continue wearing them and practice social distancing if they so choose. Clemson and CofC both eased their mask mandates, but only for students who have been vaccinated. All students who are not vaccinated are still expected to wear a mask throughout either campus. Clemson, which made its announcement May 21, as well, will still require students to wear masks in classrooms and labs. At CofC, which made its announcement May 19, masks will be required for classes over 30 people. All universities asked people to be respectful of a student or staff member's decision to wear a mask. The University of South Carolina still requires masks on campus, according to its website. The Post and Courier Myrtle Beach was not able to immediately confirm if the university plans to make any changes. NORTH CHARLESTON Authorities have identified a man who died after he was shot at a nightclub on Ashley Phosphate Road earlier this week. Kadeem Felder, 30, died at 7:30 a.m. May 19 at Trident Medical Center of a gunshot wound, according to the Charleston County Coroner's Office. Off-duty police officers were working security at 11:49 p.m. May 18 at Vibez Restaurant and Lounge, 2611 Ashley Phosphate Road, when a large crowd started fleeing the building, according to a North Charleston Police Department incident report. At first, some patrons told officers someone dropped a bottle on the ground, but a group of people carrying a man by his arms came out, the report said. They put the man on the ground near the club's entrance. A sergeant tried to staunch a gunshot wound on the mans back as other officers secured the area, the report said. Paramedics arrived and transported the man to Trident Medical Center for further treatment, but he died the following morning. Officers who viewed surveillance footage from the club determined the man was shot on the dance floor, according to the report. The incident report listed Felder's city of residence as Goose Creek, while the Coroner's Office said he lived in North Charleston. It wasn't clear which was his primary place of residence. Securities will remain halted until Tuesday, May 25 or when an announcement is released to the market. The company recently received its Part IV Environmental Approval for the Lake Way Project in Western Australia ( ) ( ) ( ) (FRA:W1D) has been granted a trading halt by the ASX with an announcement pending in regard to a potential capital raising. The halt will remain in place until the beginning of regular trade on Tuesday, May 25, or when an announcement is released to the market - whichever occurs earliest. Confidence in Lake Way Project Earlier this month, the company has unveiled a change in its board with the resignation of Bryn Jones as a non-executive director, who was appointed to the board in June 2017 is stepping down due to increased work commitments outside of SO4. SO4 Chief executive officer Tony Swiericzuk said: I would like to thank Bryn for his contribution to SO4, in particular his technical input during the companys formative years. Jones said: I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at SO4 and am confident that the board, management team and importantly, the Lake Way Project will form the basis of a strong company moving forward in an exciting new industry for Western Australia. Final environmental approval The company recently received its Part IV Environmental Approval for the Lake Way Project in Western Australia covering full-scale operations of 245,000 tonnes per annum of sulphate of potash (SOP). This permit enables SO4 to finalise the construction of pond trains 4-6 as well as associated trench and bore construction that will support full-scale operations at Lake Way. Construction of the final components of the on-lake infrastructure will begin this quarter. The Part IV Environmental submission has been approved by the WA Government, having been recommended by the EPA with no appeals in January 2021. Gregory Yee covers breaking news and public safety. He's a native Angeleno and previously covered crime and courts for the Press-Telegram in Long Beach, CA. He studied journalism and Spanish literature at the University of California, Irvine. People who think the University of South Carolinas Board of Trustees works just fine, thank you very much, have really lucked out over a couple of years of presidential problems. The tumultuous non-hiring, followed by the controversial hiring, of Bob Caslen started as the 2019 legislative session was drawing to an end, and by the time lawmakers returned to work for the pandemic-abbreviated 2020 session, Mr. Caslen had gotten off to a decent start as president. Then this month, the boards bungling reaction to Mr. Caslens disastrous commencement speech went down in the final week of the regular legislative session, which means itll be January before the Legislature can make any changes. By then, its possible that the board will be in the midst of a promising search for the university's next president, which means the Legislature will probably once again move on to other problems. Were not terribly optimistic about a smart search. As Columbia businesswoman and USC donor Lou Kennedy told The Post and Couriers Andy Shain: I dont know what would give us any hope that the handling of this search will be any different. I mean, if its the same people with the same opinions, with the same training in the same way, how can we possibly expect something different? However the search develops, the Legislature needs to recognize that there were problems with the board long before Harris Pastides announced his retirement in 2018, and the board has failed repeatedly as it moved into the post-Pastides era: Even if you believe Mr. Caslen was the right president at the right time, the way the board handled his hiring was an embarrassment that needlessly engendered animosity on campus and helped set him up for failure. Even if you believe his departure was overdue, the board also should have handled that more smoothly. So regardless of where the search for a new president is in January, we need reforms to fix the problems with the board. The sort of good news is that in the wake of Mr. Caslens resignation, a handful of legislators filed bills, which will be waiting when the next regular session starts in January, to overhaul the board. The better news is that they and other lawmakers have all summer and fall to come up with something better. While both Sen. Dick Harpootlians S.813 and H.4410 by Reps. Gary Simrill, Kirkman Finlay and Gilda Cobb-Hunter would reduce the board to a more workable size, neither gets at the board's central problem. In the assessment of many critics, that central problem is that trustees are too white, too male, too old and too professionally monolithic. The Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges agrees with that assessment and points to an even bigger problem: Its too political. Sign up for our opinion newsletter Get a weekly recap of South Carolina opinion and analysis from The Post and Courier in your inbox on Monday evenings. Email Sign Up! S.813, H.4410 and the previous efforts to overhaul the board seek to solve that problem by removing the governor as ex officio chairman. That absolutely needs doing; South Carolina is the only state where the governor serves in that capacity, and as we saw in the Caslen hiring, his presence created distractions that helped no one. But that only gets at the most glaringly obvious problem and not the central one. In addition to the governor and one trustee he appoints, the board is composed of the state superintendent of education, the chair of the alumni association and 16 more trustees, all appointed by the Legislature from the state's different judicial circuits. Experts USC paid to recommend reforms to avoid accreditation problems in the wake of the Caslen hire told senators that the Legislature is more involved in trustee selection here than in any other state. (Only four states allow legislators to appoint any trustees.) The bills filed this month would reduce the number of trustees appointed by the legislators to seven of 11 or nine of 12; the governor would appoint two trustees. So while lawmakers would control a smaller portion of the board, theyd still be firmly in charge and able to exercise their influence individually and behind the scenes, in a way a governor rarely can. There are two ways to fix that problem. The most straightforward is to let the governor appoint most or all of the trustees, as most states do. Thats also a sure way to increase turnover and diversity, because a governor can structure the board's mix. When 170 people make a decision, no one is responsible for that decision. And individual legislators look at every race individually, form different coalitions in every contest to get their favorite candidate elected and dont have the ability to structure the mix. An even better solution is to empower an independent merit-selection commission to screen candidates on specific criteria and present two or three nominees for each seat to the governor, whose selections would be confirmed by lawmakers. Combine either of those ideas with a smaller board that the governor doesnt chair, and wed reduce the turmoil at USC and improve the process for selecting a president either this time or the next time that has to be done. Down the road from where I live on rural Edisto Island there is an old, healthy grand oak, 40 inches in diameter. Grand oaks that big have been around for at least 100 years. They are the hurricane survivors, the ones that have met the test of time. On May 3, Charleston Countys Board of Zoning Appeals voted to grant some homebuilders a variance to zoning rules that will allow landowners to cut down this tree simply because it stands in the center of their undeveloped 5-acre parcel in the precise spot where they want to build a home. It is, to say the least, disturbing. Many Charleston County residents revere our grand trees, which are protected by county ordinance. So, it was shocking that this quasi-judicial body would rubber stamp a request from the homebuilders. The decision makes no sense. The property owners refused to change building plans to move the house as little as 20 to 30 feet. They said they would feel unsafe with a tree so close to their new home. They also said they thought they might not be able to alter plans to move a septic field, but they hadnt actually checked on that. Unfortunately, the zoning board accepted their lawyers request to make an immediate decision. The tree could have waited two more weeks for more information before the zoning board rendered its verdict. Now, it has a death sentence. Interested people can hire a lawyer to appeal the boards decisions, but few can afford to do that. This board is getting away with rubber stamping property owners requests instead of upholding Charleston Countys law. FRED PALM S.C. Highway 174 Edisto Island Mace vote hidden Rep. Nancy Mace harshly criticized Charleston County Sheriff Kristin Graziano for a lack of transparency in the death of Jamal Sutherland in a violent encounter with jailers. As she said, we, as elected officials, have to be transparent, we have to be honest and responsible. But what about Rep. Maces own lack of transparency when she refused to reveal how she voted in the removal of Rep. Liz Cheney from her leadership position in Congress? Shouldnt we know exactly where Nancy Mace stands on such important and consequential votes? SUE JONES JOHNSON Gilmore Road Charleston Viable third party Our political system is not broken, but it sure is in need of a major overhaul. The agenda and identity of both Democrats and Republicans have been, or are in the process of being, usurped by extremists. When moderates from both parties are elected, they are quickly forced to toe the party line. The result is that Americans with moderate views are effectively being disenfranchised by extremists on the left and right. Our two-party system has served us well, but it is time for a viable third party that can, and will, give a voice to Americans with moderate views. VAUGHN HOWARD Sign up for our opinion newsletter Get a weekly recap of South Carolina opinion and analysis from The Post and Courier in your inbox on Monday evenings. Email Sign Up! Gaillard Lane Summerville Plan creates wealth A May 9 letter to the editor argued that President Joe Bidens tax plan wants to achieve financial equity by destroying wealth and economic opportunity. Actually, our president plans to create more wealth and economic opportunity for more Americans. The letter writer noted that tax cuts under President Donald Trump triggered a large growth in jobs. Trumps best year of job growth was in 2018 after the tax cuts. President Barack Obama created more jobs in each of his last three years in office before Trumps tax cut, according to Forbes. The letter pointed out that our corporations needed tax cuts due to global competition. Yet, 55 corporations paid no federal income tax last year and made more than $40 billion in profits, according to the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy. Shouldnt corporations pay taxes like the rest of us, even with global competition? To build wealth for more Americans, Biden will give more tax benefits to more Americans. Instead of giving 65% of the tax benefits to the top 20% of households, Biden will give them only 11%, with the rest for everyone else. That is creating wealth and economic opportunity for more Americans. MIKE CUBELO Palmetto Road Edisto Prisoners are failed I am writing about the addition of a firing squad option for death row prisoners. When I first moved to the Charleston area, I volunteered at the main Charleston County Public Library in the sorting room. We sorted books by categories such as history and fiction. When a shelf was full, the books were boxed and the categorys color was put on the top and side. When I asked why, I was told that when the library holds its annual sale, the boxes are taken from the truck to the tables with matching color codes by prisoners, many of whom could not read. When I volunteered to help build the Palmetto Trail, prisoners were used to construct the trestles over the water. Even the orange litter bags on the side of the roads were filled by prisoners. May God have mercy on our prison and education systems. RUTH SLOGGETT Liberty Midtown Drive Mount Pleasant Guam officials as of Friday were still learning more about an advocacy group's push for the use of Guam as a temporary location for thousands of Afghan interpreters who helped American troops, while their visas are being processed to resettle in the United States. Some members of Congress quoted by national media also expressed support for the use of Guam, which also hosted refugees to await visa processing after the Vietnam War and the first Gulf War. Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero and Del. Michael San Nicolas' offices had yet to respond to questions about the use of Guam as an evacuation site, but the chairman of the Legislature's military and veterans affairs committee, Sen. Jose "Pedo" Terlaje, said if called upon to assist, Guam will help. "If history calls upon us to temporarily host refugees of war again, as we have in decades past with Vietnamese and Iraqi Kurds, we will show the same spirit of inafa'maolek we always have," Terlaje told The Guam Daily Post on Friday. "If anyone understands a people's need for help after a war, it is the people of Guam." Terlaje, however, said proper social distancing during the pandemic must be maintained. The senator also said the federal government must have a plan for quarantine, COVID-19 testing and daily personal protective equipment as well. "I'm not sure where they can achieve the necessary social distancing except in our hotels. We will continue to monitor the situation," Terlaje said. The U.S. plans to complete the withdrawal of all American troops from Afghanistan on Sept. 11, 2021, the 20th anniversary of the terror attacks that drew the U.S. into its longest war. Advocates said it's too late to rely on the Special Immigrant Visa program to bring Afghans, along with their families, into the United States with the short time frame. These Afghans face harm from the Taliban once American troops pull out of Afghanistan. Matthew Zeller, a co-founder of No One Left Behind, which helps former Afghan and Iraqi interpreters who resettle on U.S. soil, said Guam is the best place to send Afghan interpreters in the interim. "We're out of options. The time to save these people with the (Special Immigrant Visa) program is the 13 years it's existed. We're out of time. It's Guam or bust," Zeller told Defense One, which delivers news, breaking analysis, and ideas on the topics and trends on U.S. defense and national security. The same Defense One piece quoted Rep. Seth Moulton, D-Mass., as agreeing to the use of Guam as an "obvious" option because the island was used to evacuate refugees of past wars, but he said he's also open to other options. "We need to evacuate our Afghan allies and friends before they are slaughtered in the wake of our departure," Moulton told Defense One's senior national security correspondent Jacqueline Feldscher. Zeller wrote in a column on time.com that the U.S. "must hammer out evacuation methods for bringing the Afghan (SIV) applicants to a safe place while they wait for their visas to be issued." "History provides a model of how the U.S. should move forward," Zeller wrote in time.com. "In 1975 and 1996, the U.S. evacuated its Vietnamese and Kurdish allies, respectively, to Guam. They lived in safety while their permanent visa applications were processed. We should do the same for our allies in Afghanistan, while there is still time." Zeller, a U.S. Army veteran, told Defense One there are about 18,000 translators and interpreters who applied for the Special Immigrant Visa and are still awaiting approval. On average, he said, translators bring three family members with them to the U.S. Oliver Nathan, 14, was one of the first children in Idaho to get the vaccine last week. Within an hour after the FDA OK'd the shot, Nathan's friend messaged him about the news, and he was inoculated at Mountain View Hospital in Idaho Falls. School was where he found a lot of his in-person social interactions. But once the pandemic hit, and his middle school closed, a "bubble" of close friends were the only ones he saw without masks and social distancing. As the 2020-2021 school year approached, Nathan decided to go to school only online. He wanted to be safe. Both his parents are doctors specializing in infectious disease. Masks and distancing were "pretty inconvenient," he said, but better than contracting a novel virus. "We don't really know, or at least I don't really know, the long-term effects of COVID because it really has only been around for a year," Nathan said in a phone interview. He isn't the only child who's been vaccinated against COVID-19 in Idaho. But he's one of relatively few just 6% of teens age 12 to 15 in Idaho, or more than 6,000 children, have received at least their first shot. Amy Gamett, who directs clinical services at Eastern Idaho Public Health, said she expects more children to be vaccinated as the next school year approaches. For those searching for shots in the meantime, the Post Register developed a guide answering your vaccine questions and mapping sites that may be presently giving out the vaccine to children in Idaho Falls and Ammon. Kids can't get any shot they want to, though. Only the two-dose vaccine by Pfizer is authorized for use in people younger than 18 years old. The shot uses new mRNA technology to coax immune systems into responding to an imaginary coronavirus infection. It isn't being administered at every vaccination site. To identify sites that might have the only vaccine approved for use in children, we used information from vaccines.gov. Before your appointment, here's what you should know about vaccines for kids. Why should children get vaccinated? Anyone can contract the coronavirus, including kids. Contracting the virus can also keep kids out of school, and infected kids can pass the disease along to at-risk family members, teachers or others. A study released in January suggested that children who contract COVID-19 may suffer long-term complications from COVID-19, a group of people commonly called long-haulers. While children are much less likely to show symptoms, or even show severe symptoms, it is possible, said Dr. Tyler Mayo, an Idaho Falls family doctor. Vaccinating children "wouldn't just be protecting them," Mayo said in a phone interview, "but other people they come into contact with." During last week's Centers for Disease Control and Prevention panel meeting to review pediatric vaccine data, one official pointed out how risky COVID-19 actually is for children. Data reviewed said 22.2 million kids between 5 and 17 years old have contracted COVID-19 and 127 children have died, according to online health news outlet Stat. "CDC epidemiologist Sara Oliver noted that while that number appears low, with that many deaths COVID would have ranked in the top 10 causes of death among children in 2019, the last year for which cause of death data are available," Stat reported. Unvaccinated people who don't wear masks will spread the coronavirus more, Mayo said. The vaccines don't guarantee you won't catch the virus, but evidence suggests vaccines are incredibly effective at not only preventing all COVID-19 cases, but severe cases that land people in hospitals or morgues. "People who have been vaccinated, according to CDC guidelines, are good without a mask (in most situations)," Mayo said. "However we can't guarantee that every one of them gained 100% immunity, so we want to reduce their risk. But there will also be people in our community that don't wear masks regardless of vaccination status." Was it tested? Is it safe? Vaccine trials for COVID-19 were completed much faster than typical clinical trials. That's in part because pandemic-related trials rapidly gathered funding, said Amy Gamett, clinical services director at Eastern Idaho Public Health. But, she noted that trials testing infectious disease treatments need people to be exposed as well. That also happened quicker with the coronavirus's widespread circulation. "There was even lower adverse reaction rate in children than I've seen in adults," Mayo said. Severe adverse reactions are incredibly rare for kids, he said, around two instances per million people. Pfizer expects to request emergency use authorization for younger children to receive its vaccine this fall. How bad are side effects? Not bad. Mayo said most of his patients experience very few symptoms. The most common side effects are discomfort, and swelling and stiffness at the injection site. Feeling under the weather is common. The biggest reaction to look out for is signs of anaphylactic reaction an extremely rare occurrence that would show within minutes of receiving the shot. That's why vaccination sites request people stick around for 15 to 30 minutes afterward. "It's just not common at all," Mayo said about the reaction, "whereas the complication rate form having COVID is dramatically higher." "Evidence-based medicine supports the use of this vaccine," Boise-based pediatrician Dr. Vaun Archibald wrote in an Idaho Press column last week. "The vaccine has been fully tested, its been vetted and its safe. Otherwise we would not be offering it. I trust this vaccine as well as I do any other vaccine that I offer in my clinic." Does the vaccine cost money? No. People may be asked to provide insurance information. Insurers should cover administrative costs, but uninsured people can get vaccines for free. Sites should not bill you directly for the vaccine, regardless of you having health insurance or not. Is it different from the adult vaccine? No. "The vaccines are given in the same dosage as for adults: two 0.3 mL doses of vaccine 21 days apart," according to a blog post by the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare. Where can you find it near you? Albertsons/Sav-On Pharmacy: Locations at 590 E. 17th St. in Idaho Falls and 1901 S 12th E. in Ammon. Visit bit.ly/AlbertsonsCOVID19. For the Idaho Falls location, call 208-523-1090. For the Ammon location, call 208-524-1616. Blair Family Medicine: At 2001 S. Woodruff Ave. in Idaho Falls. Call 208-357-4633. Broulim's Pharmacy: Locations at 1855 W. Broadway St. in Idaho Falls; 3160 E. 17th St., Suite 164 in Ammon; and 2730 E. Sunnyside Road in Ammon. Visit bit.ly/BroulimsCOVID19. For Broadway, call 208-529-3638. For 17th, call 208-529-1795. For Sunnyside, call 208-522-3257. Costco: At 2495 Lincoln Road in Idaho Falls. Visit www.costco.com/covid-vaccine.html or call 986-497-3159. Eastern Idaho Public Health, an agency that oversees COVID-19 vaccinations for the region, hosts a vaccine clinic at the Grand Teton Mall, located at 2300 E. 17th St. in Idaho Falls. Call 208-533-3223. Visit eiph.idaho.gov for details. Fred Meyer Pharmacy: At 1555 Northgate Mile in Idaho Falls. Visit bit.ly/FredMeyerCOVID19 or call 208-535-2553. Heartland Pharmacy: 32250 E. 17th St. in Ammon. Call 208-497-3575. Mountain View Hospital: At 2327 Coronado St. in Idaho Falls. Call 208-360-7421. Rocky Mountain Pharmacy at 3910 Washington Pkwy, Suite A in Idaho Falls. Call 208-528-9658. Sam's Club: 700 E. 17th St. in Idaho Falls. Visit bit.ly/SamsClubCOVID19 or call 208-529-2300. Southeast Idaho Family Practice: At 2775 Channing Way in Idaho Falls. Call 208-524-0133. Sterling Urgent Care: at 7017 Daisy Lane in Idaho Falls. Visit bit.ly/SterlingCOVID19 or call 208-534-5878. Walgreens: Locations across Idaho Falls and Ammon with phone numbers are listed below. Visit for bit.ly/WalgreensCOVID19 online scheduling. 1. 1604 W. Broadway St. in Idaho Falls. Call 208-522-4655. 2. 535 E. 17th St. in Idaho Falls. Call 208-542-4569. 3. 3475 E .17th St. in Ammon. Call 208-227-5083. 4. 1725 1st St. in Idaho Falls. Call 208-419-4864. Walmart: At 500 S. Utah Ave. in Idaho Falls and 1201 S 2nd East in Ammon. Visit bit.ly/WalmartCOVID19. For Idaho Falls, call 208-528-8735. For Ammon, call 208-522-0204. Note: We've recently updated our online systems. If you can't login please try resetting your password. You must login with an email address. If you don't have an email associated with your account email circulation@postregister.com for help creating one. featured POTTSTOWN Local man plans journey to assist Native Americans in need The Times of Israel reports that Hamas claims victory as Palestinians celebrate after first night of calm, and maybe they have a point. Before we take up the point, consider the problem that Israel faced in the hostilities just terminated, however tentatively. The New York Posts Yaron Steinbuch draws attention to the Israeli military video showing the scope of its airstrikes against Hamas tunnels. Steinbuch links to the video to which the headline refers, but it isnt embeddable. The two IDF videos in the tweets below tell most of the story. Hamas has spent the last decade building the 'Metro' terror tunnel network. In just 5 days, we neutralized it: pic.twitter.com/aobcEJcg4t Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) May 20, 2021 A photo caption in Steinbuchs story adds: The tunnels run under civilian neighborhoods and one airstrike caused several buildings to collapse and killed 42 people. It's not easy fighting a terrorist organization that embeds its military infrastructure in civilian areas. We use the latest military technology to precisely strike Hamas targets, while minimizing damage to the surrounding areas. Take a look: pic.twitter.com/oSXDZTVZlW Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) May 20, 2021 The ceasefire between Hamas and Israel seems to have taken effect overnight, but Irans war on Israel and the United States continues on many fronts. The Biden administration is in the process of resetting American foreign policy to appease and fund the Islamic Republic of Iran, accommodate its nuclear weapons program, and realign American interests (so they think) with Irans. Michael Doran and Tony Badran unpack the underlying story in their Tablet essay The Realignment. In light of recent developments, Mosaic editor Jonathan Silver tracked down Doran to record a podcast summarizing the argument of the Tablet essay. Doran explains: Our argument is very simple: the Biden administration represents the third term of Barack Obama. The Biden administration is trying to complete what Obama started. When people hear that, their first inclination is to think that hes trying to complete the JCPOA, the Iran nuclear deal, and were saying no. If you listen carefully to what Barack Obama said in his interviews back when he was president, if you look at this article in Foreign Affairs by Rob Malley called The Unwanted Wars, and if you look at this article by Jake Sullivan in Foreign Affairs called Americas Opportunity in the Middle East, you see that one, theyre all saying the same thing, and two, theyre not just talking about the Iran nuclear deal. Theyre talking explicitly about a new order in the Middle East and this new order is one in which the United States works in partnership with Iran, rather than as the leader of a coalition to contain Iran. A coalition to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon and to contain it on the ground in the region. What both the Biden administration and before the Obama administration have done is they recognized that if they openly say to the American people, were seeking a partnership with Iran, thats a political showstopper, a minefield for them politically. So they developed a whole vocabulary that allows them to hide that dimension of their policy while actually pursuing it. When I say they want a partnership, in particular they want a partnership with Iran in order to stabilize Iraq, Syria, Yemen, and also Gaza. This is one of the reasons why theyre not flagging Iran in Gaza. Ideally they want to stabilize the whole region, all the areas where Iran is supporting its proxies, by recognizing Irans interests and working with it to stabilize the region. If you want to understand the unfolding fiasco, I think every minute of Dorans lucid comments in the podcast below is worth your time. The company aims to supply ethically and sustainably sourced materials to the battery industry worldwide and has developed disruptive extraction technologies. ( ) ( ) (FRA:3MW) non-executive director Phil Thick has demonstrated his confidence in the companys strategy with the purchase of shares in an on-market transaction. On May 19 Thick acquired 800,000 shares in an indirect interest worth a total of A$96,187, marking his first purchase. Fieldwork begins at Greenbushes South JV The company welcomed the start of fieldwork by ( ) at the Greenbushes South Lithium Project joint venture, 200 kilometres south of Perth in Western Australia earlier this week. The project is an unincorporated joint venture 20% owned by LIT with the remaining 80% held by Galan, which is the operator. Galan's team has been granted initial private access to parts of the relevant geological areas of interest to proceed with fieldwork that includes soil and rock chip sampling as well as mapping. Desktop geological work is also planned soon on the recently granted E70/4777 tenement around 25 kilometres north of the Greenbushes mine. Another JV tenement, E70/5680, was also recently granted. At a few schools, it is certainly possible. Hillsdale and Liberty. Also at some lesser-known colleges, no doubt. (No slight intended, it is probably a badge of honor these days.) And presumably at a smattering of Southern colleges and universities. But, can a Republican be a president of a major university or university system outside the South? Mark Kennedys experience at the University of Colorado suggests that it may not be in the cards. Kennedy served several terms as a Congressman from Minnesota before teaching at George Washington U. and then becoming President of the University of North Dakota. From there, he became President of the University of Colorado in 2019. His hiring was greeted with howls of execration from student leftists who subjected him to a bizarre on-stage inquisition at the beginning of his tenure. That tenure has now come to an end. I should add that Mark is a friend of mine. He is a moderate Republican, politically, and a moderate person in every respect. But insufficient wokeness is a firing offense in todays academia. The Federalist reports: University of Colorado President Mark Kennedy announced earlier this month he would step down after a brief two years on the job culminating in turbulence from student and faculty protest of a president insufficiently leftist for their tastes. The Board of Regents and I have entered into discussions about an orderly transition of the presidency and the university in the near future, Kennedy said in a May 10 statement. The board has a new makeup this year, which has led to changes in its focus and philosophy. That is a polite way of saying that Democrats have now taken over the Board of Regents. They cant abide a Republican university president. Last fall, Democrats flipped the nine-member board of regents governing the Colorado university system, putting it in their control for the first time in 41 years. That put Kennedy, a Republican whose resume included three terms representing Minnesota in the House of Representatives before three years as president of the University of North Dakota prior to his tenure in Colorado, on the chopping block under the new board. I dont suppose Democrats really need an excuse to get rid of a Republican university president, but for what it is worth, the excuses here were feeble: This spring, leftist students and faculty looking for an opportunity to attach the racist label on their conservative college president found their remark to propel the expulsion. Never mind that Kennedy, according to the schools Vice President of Communications Ken McConnellogue, hired the university systems first chief diversity officer and established a $5 million fund for race-conscious initiatives. Among the initiatives were a program to offer in-state tuition for members of indigenous tribes home in Colorado. Kennedy also contributed $1 million in his own funds for a school of medicine scholarship for students in underrepresented communities, McConnellogue told The Federalist. He contributed his own money? That was probably just another offense to the liberals, who consider it a virtue to steal your money rather than donating their own. In March, university faculty voted to censure Kennedy for his failure of leadership with respect to diversity, equity, and inclusion. In other words, leftists suspected that Mark wasnt entirely with their program. As, being sane, I am sure he wasnt. But still: didnt he have to do something to justify being fired? This is the best the Democrats could come up with: On-campus is declining and online is growing, Kennedy said in August. If we dont get online rightwe have a trail of tears in front of us. A trail of tears? OMG! How dare President Kennedy demean the experience of the Cherokees, 200 years ago? Mark apologized, but the damage was done. A minor lesson of this story is the reminder that apologizing never helps. But more fundamentally, it raises the question whether in most states, Republicans are banned, as a practical matter, from running public universities. And the private colleges and universities are even worse. I dont know how to respond except by cutting funding for public universities, which several states are now attempting, and ceasing all alumni donations to private schools that enforce a left-wing orthodoxyi.e., the vast majority. Support for Israel used to be a bipartisan element of American foreign policy, but as our nation has grown more divided, bipartisanship is rare on any issue. As many have noted, politics in the U.S. has become largely a team sportmany of us cheer for our team, more or less regardless of the facts. And it has now become clear that Hamas is part of the Democratic Partys team. This is reflected in poll results from the Trafalgar Group. Trafalgar surveyed 1,100 likely voters between last Saturday and Monday, asking them who they think is most to blame for the current violence. The results are interesting in several ways, but the partisan split is most notable. Republicans reflect Americans traditional support for Israel. Just 12.5% blame Israel for the violence, while 67.6% hold Hamas, Iran or the Palestinian Authority primarily responsible. Click to enlarge: With Democrats, the picture is entirely different. A plurality, 38.5%, blame Israel, while only 27.1% can bring themselves to fault any combination of Hamas, Iran and the P.A. Apparently a lot of Democrats cant make up their minds: Why do so many Democrats side with Hamas? Partly it is a function of the team sport aspect of current politics. President Trump was pro-Israel, so many Democrats think they must be anti-Israel. But of course, the Democrats drifting away from Israel predates the Trump administration. Many Democrats see Israelis (Jews) as white and Palestinians as non-white, which is pretty much all they need to know. And the Democratic Partys most popular leaders, Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Ilhan Omar, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, etc., are virulently anti-Israel and take a benign view of Hamas. So we have come to a place in our political life where a substantial plurality of one of our major parties prefers an openly terrorist and genocidal organization to one of Americas staunchest and most important allies. Yesterday, Elizabeth Warren tweeted: This ceasefire is good news, but it wont bring back the hundreds of innocent civilians killed or prevent future violence. The Biden administration must press for a just, lasting two-state agreement, and that starts with taking all appropriate steps to end the occupation. Warren has it backwards. It was Israels decision to stop occupying Gaza that led to the deaths of innocent civilians there. If Israel still occupied Gaza, Hamas would find it difficult, if not impossible, to launch large-scale rocket attacks at Israel. And Israel would find it much easier to respond to such attacks without itself launching rockets that, thanks in part to Hamas strategy of hiding behind women and children, sometimes kill innocent people. Israels decision to leave Gaza was a mistake in my view, and we said so at the time. The mistake is irreversible, as a practical matter. Israelis arent going to reestablish a presence in Gaza, and who can blame them? But Israel shouldnt repeat its mistake by ending the occupation of the West Bank. The Gaza experience confirms that, were Israel to pull out of the West Bank, it would face the likelihood of rocket attacks and other incursions from that front, on top of the threat from Gaza and from the North. The Biden administration should ignore Sen. Warrens advice and indulge its alleged desire to pivot away from the Middle East. It can do less harm elsewhere. This week, voters in five rural Oregon counties Baker, Grant, Lake, Malheur and Sherman approved ballot measures to advance efforts to have these jurisdictions leave Oregon and become part of Idaho. The five counties join two others Jefferson and Union that already had approved such measures. The seven counties are sparsely populated. However, they make up three-quarters of the state in terms of area, according to this report. The counties in question are all conservative. The residents desire to leave Oregon stems from disgust with the left-wing policies the states liberals want to impose on them. Its entirely understandable. It wont happen, though. The ballot measures dont even call for secession. They merely call on lawmakers to consider the idea. The Washington Post observes that for the departure from Oregon to occur, lawmakers in Oregon and Idaho would have to enact bills to redefine the states boundaries and redistrict their legislatures. They likely would also have to muster the votes needed to override a veto from the respective governors. Finally, Congress would have to sign off on the move. The odds against all of this happening seem overwhelming. However, the fact that residents of seven counties want out of Oregon has significance. It signifies that, increasingly, conservatives dont want to co-exist with liberals not in the same political entity, anyway. And I believe the feeling is mutual. Indeed, the Oregon counties arent alone in wanting to secede. Counties in California have voiced support for establishing the State of Jefferson. And a bill introduced in Minnesota proposes that counties in that state be allowed to request exclusion from Minnesota possibly to join South Dakota. If conservatives and liberals dont want to co-exist in the same states, its fair to ask whether they will want to co-exist in the same country. After all, the ability of the U.S. government to affect how we live seems to be increasing at the expense of the ability of states to do so. State Sen. Melissa Wintrow, an Idaho Democrat from Boise complained that the secession vote is not the right move for a country trying to heal its political wounds. But where is the evidence that we are trying to heal those wounds? What have the Democrats who now run Washington done by way of healing? The cliche-ridden Idaho Dem continued: Folks are digging in, in different camps, and thats not how to live a life. Its time for us to take a deep breath, be honest and realistic about our history and where were going to go together. But maybe thats what the conservative Oregon counties have done. Maybe they took a deep breath and decided they honestly want to go to Idaho, together. The Washington Times reports that Israel has announced a cease fire in its battle against Hamas: Israel on Thursday announced a cease-fire in the bruising 11-day war against Hamas militants that caused widespread destruction in the Gaza Strip and brought life in much of Israel to a standstill. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus office announced the cease-fire after a late-night meeting of his Security Cabinet. It said the group had unanimously accepted an Egyptian proposal, though the sides were still determining exactly when it was to take effect. Senior defense officials, including the military chief of staff and national security adviser, recommended accepting the proposal after claiming great accomplishments in the operation, the statement said. One member of the Security Cabinet said the cease-fire would take effect at 2 a.m., roughly three hours after the announcement. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the closed-door talks. However: Shortly after the announcement, air-raid sirens indicating incoming rocket fire sounded in southern Israel. Maybe Hamas was trying to get its last licks. Ideally, Israel would conquer and destroy Hamas. But this would require an invasion of Gaza. Israelis dont want to undertake that operation, and who can blame them? The next best option is massively to degrade Hamas ability to strike Israel, to kill as many Hamas leaders and fighters as reasonably can be done through air attacks, and to inflict enough damage in Gaza to deter Hamas from attacking Israel again for more than just a few years. Has Israel accomplished all or any of this? I dont know. Im not sure whether even the Israeli military and government know. I hope that Israel at least has good reason to believe it has made substantial strides in these regards. Otherwise, it shouldnt agree to a cease fire yet. On the positive side, it now looks like my wife will be able to take her planned trip to Israel next month. Yes, no matter what Yes, but it depends on variety No, for medical reasons, uncertainty No, principle Vote View Results The Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) has recorded a 343 per cent growth in Total Comprehensive Income totalling N160.06 billion in 2020 compared to N36.15 billion in the previous year and 33 per cent growth in Net Assets, rising up to N772.75 billion from the previous N579.54 billion. This was one of the major highlights in the NSIA report presented at todays National Economic Council (NEC) meeting chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo. At todays meeting of the council, which comprises the 36 state governors, the Federal Capital Territory minister and the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), besides other federal government officials, a session was devoted to holding the AGM of the NSIA where reports and financial statements, including the audit were presented. In particular, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the NSIA, Uche Orji, submitted that the NSIA achieved a core income of N109 billion compared to N33.07 billion in 2019, excluding forex gains of N51 billion in 2020 and N1.29 billion in 2019. The NSIA presentation noted that despite the challenges of COVID-19, it had a favourable year owing to strong performance from its investments in international capital markets, improved contribution from associates, as well as exchange rate gains from foreign currency positions. In response to COVID-19, the NSIA partnered with Global Citizen, a not-for-profit group, to form the Nigeria Solidarity Support Fund (NSSF), acquired and distributed oxygen concentrators to 21 teaching hospitals as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility; in addition to staffing support to the Presidential Taskforce on COVID-19 towards combatting the pandemic. Other major milestones reached by the NSIA were recorded across domestic infrastructure projects, specifically in roads, agriculture, healthcare, technology and gas industrialization. NEC also received a presentation on the Digital Switch Over (DSO) by the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed. He stated that it was the International Telecommunications Union, ITU, that decided on member states switching off analogue television transmission to go digital. The DSO will be taking off first in Lagos, Kano and Rivers States, he stated. According to him, the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) and the DSO Ministerial Task Force are tasked with ensuring that Nigeria digitizes and develops a public information and awareness campaign to inform citizens about DSO/FreeTV. The minister disclosed that the switch-over has a revenue generation potential of N20 billion annually; and that the funds will enable the NBC support and upgrade DSO initiative, as well as fund local producers. The council also received an update on Nigerias response to the COVID-19 pandemic by the Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Chikwe Ihekweazu. According to the DG, NCDC, in the last two months there has been reduction in the number of cases globally, stating that even India has also experienced reduction in its infection rates in the last five days. He added that in Nigeria, the total number of cases as of May 19, 2021, was 165,809, while the number of cases tested was 2,002,653, with 7,323 active cases. It was also disclosed that discharged cases were now 156,419, while there had been 2,067 deaths. According to the NCDC boss, the transmission rate in the country is low, adding that attention is now on tracking the new B1.617.2 variant from India. He said there are only three such cases identified in Nigeria so far. He added that focus should remain on the protocols to stop the spread of the virus, while the health authorities and agencies will keep an eye on tracking the Indian variant. Governments and leaders in the society are also urged to discourage pandemic fatigue and stick to the COVID-19 safety protocols. Earlier, the Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Clem Agba, gave the council the monthly update on the under-listed accounts as follows: 1. EXCESS CRUDE ACCOUNT (ECA) ADVERTISEMENT Balance as at 18th May 2021 stands at $72,413,574.70 2. STABILIZATION ACCOUNT Balance as at 18th May, 2021 stands at N24,741,213,941.88 3. DEVELOPMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES ACCOUNT Balance as at 20th May, 2021 stands at N23,650,579,140.23 On the Budget Support Facility, state governors restated their request to defer the repayment of the loans, which was to have started this month. Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi, who is also Chairman, Nigeria Governors Forum, reported interactions with the finance minister and the CBN Governor regarding the matter. The CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, also emphasized the importance of the timely repayment of loans, especially those owed to commercial banks, indicating the challenges inherent in a further delay in payment, including audit concerns. He said the repayment of the commercial loans should resume this month. In addition, the vice president stated that he will be holding a meeting soon with representatives of the state governors, the finance minister and the CBN governor to resolve the issue raised. Laolu Akande Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity Office of the Vice President The controversy around embattled Yoruba actor, Olanrewaju Omiyinka aka Baba Ijesha, deepened on Friday as at least two counsels have claimed to be representing him. Adeshina Ogunlana has been at the forefront of fighting for his release. But another, Kayode Olabiran is also laying claim to be the thespians lawyer. Mr Ogunlana, a former chair of the Nigerian Bar Association, Ikeja branch, has in the last two weeks written several letters to the Lagos Commissioner of Police seeking Baba Ijeshas bail. He has also kept the actors fans abreast of the updates on the case on his Facebook page. It was Mr Ogunlana, who doubles as the chairperson of the Radical Agenda Movement In The Nigerian Bar Association, (RAMINBA), that raised an alarm over Baba Ijeshas deteriorating health. But on Friday Mr Olabiran described Mr Ogunlana as a self-paraded lawyer in a statement. Mr Olabiran said himself and one Jane Ogunbiyi are Baba Ijeshas only legal representatives. Confusion Mr Olabiran said a relative of the actor, whom he did not identify, also gave credence to the fact that his (Olabirans) legal team are Baba Ijeshas only recognised representative. In addition, he said the actors relative recognises his own team as the people who facilitated his bail and not Mr Ogunlana. Mr Olabiran also said the actors family member warned him (Baba Ijesha) against making the case a social media matter. As a family member of the accused person, we have been talking with Barrister Kayode Olabiran and Ogunbiyi and Co which was well briefed by our brother. The team were the lawyers who visited him and facilitated his bail and as at when I spoke last with my brother, the team of Olabiran and Co are still battling to perfect the bail. To the best of my knowledge, the delay is no longer from the police, he quoted the unnamed relative as saying in his statement. PREMIUM TIMES has not been able to gain access to the actor since the story broke. More confusion Meanwhile, Mr Ogunlana told PREMIUM TIMES on Friday morning that the beef (disagreement) between himself and other lawyers (Mr Olabiran and co) representing Baba Ijesha contributed to their inability to secure his freedom. He revealed that Baba Ijesha has two sets of lawyers. According to him, Mr Olabiran and his partner, who belong to the first set are the conservative group while he and his team are the radical and confrontational set. Reacting to Mr Ogunlanas claim in an interview with this newspaper on Friday evening, Mr Olabiran debunked his colleagues claim that the police were working against securing Baba Ijeshas freedom. The bail condition was premised on conditions when you are granted bail, it is after the fulfilment of these conditions, that the same magistrate who granted the bail will now order the release of the suspect. We are still on the verge of meeting the conditions of the bail. The bail conditions include two relatives of Baba Ijesha, one civil servant of grade 16 and a refundable bond of N500,000 to be paid into the Lagos High court account, said Mr Olabiran. Mr Olabiran also accused his colleague, Mr Ogunlana, of distorting facts which has in turn prompted his reaction. ADVERTISEMENT He is mixing things up and that is why we have to come out to correct this position. Now, it is not the police that is holding Baba Ijesha. We have to fulfil the bail condition and the court is on strike, so, we are just lucky to have benefitted from that. Now what we are told is that the magistrate is likely coming back next Monday. So, when they come, we will be able to present what we have, he said. PREMIUM TIMES reported how Baba Ijesha was granted bail by Chief Magistrate Oluwatoyin Oghre on Monday evening on health grounds but his team of lawyers are yet to perfect the bail conditions at the time. The circumstances leading to the death of notorious terror group leader, Abubakar Shekau, have been disputed by various reports, with many insisting that he may in fact still be alive. Information reaching HumAngle from informed sources within the insurgency has, however, thrown more light on the developments. Shekau had since 2009, and until his death, led a faction of Boko Haram known as the Jamaat Ahl as-Sunnah lid-Dawah wal-Jihad (JAS). HumAngle learnt that the invasion of his groups camp in the Sambisa forest area on Wednesday by the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), which broke away from JAS in 2016, was the culmination of years of preparation. For over a year, ISWAP had adopted a pacifist approach that enabled it to gain the trust of many of Shekaus fighters and commanders. Whenever Shekaus fighters overpowered ISWAP members, they would disarm and kill them, considering them to be traitors (khawarij). But if ISWAP fighters overpowered Shekaus men, what they mostly did and have done consistently was to disarm, preach to them, and allow them to go. ISWAP, which is known to lay claim to four governorates in the region, instructed the wali (governor) and ameeru-l-fiha (military commander) of the Timbuktu axis, Bako Gorgore, to lead the operation against Shekaus camp. The governorate is considered one of the most important ISWAP positions after the Lake Chad islands. ISWAP fighters in the area are closer to Shekaus area of influence and so often have more information about his movements. They also depended on insider sources to be able to monitor and track him. During the assault on Wednesday, many of Shekaus top fighters were either neutralised or already working with ISWAP. This made it easy to trap Shekau. Several sources informed HumAngle that Shekau, who was in the company of a top lieutenant, was cornered after attempting to escape around the maghrib period (early evening). Bako Gorgore then approached him alongside a top ISWAP fighter and engaged in a discussion with Shekau after disarming him and his fighter. They tried to persuade Shekau and his follower to remove their suicide vests and surrender themselves. They had also told Shekau they would be fair to him if he gave himself up, in line with plans to simply restrict him in one of ISWAPs camps. However, in the course of their discussion, Shekau ordered the top fighter that was with him to detonate his improvised explosive device by calling out in Hausa ka bude tamin, but Gorgores aide shot him before he could execute the instruction. Shekau then proceeded to detonate his own suicide vest, killing both himself and Gorgore. Those with Gorgore were at a reasonable distance at the time, HumAngle learnt, and so survived the explosion, which happened outdoors. Information from the frontlines of the insurgency contradict reports in other media that Shekau shot himself using a gun and may have survived the attempt to take his own life. The former extremist leader was known by associates to have always worn explosive belts because of his determination not to be captured alive by the Nigerian military. While suicide is strictly prohibited by Islamic law even during warfare, extremist groups such as al-Qaeda and Boko Haram have permitted self-sacrifice as a way of inflicting harm on those they consider their enemies. With the latest development, ISWAP has completely taken over Boko Harams Sambisa camp, but it is not clear if it will be collapsed under the Timbuktu governorate, declared as a new state under the terror groups control, or even made the new ISWAP operational headquarters. Shekau left behind an enormous cache of arms. He was obsessed with hoarding weapons because, having survived a number of coup attempts, he did not trust anyone with too much access, believing it would increase the chances of him getting overthrown. As a result, the success of ISWAPs onslaught gives the terror group access to an overwhelming amount of arms and ammunition. Likewise, many of Shekaus fighters have jumped the fence to ISWAPs faction and the group expects Shekaus former top commanders, who interfaced directly with members of various cells and sub-factions, to persuade even more men to give in. Majority of JAS top lieutenants have already pledged allegiance to ISWAP or are in the process of doing so. Sources expect ISWAP to release an official announcement soon. They say the silence so far may be because the group is trying to get full control of the situation before making definite statements. ADVERTISEMENT Backed by international jihadi forces, ISWAP has grown in strength and numbers since its formation in 2016. Experts believe that Shekaus death and a merger between the two rival forces, JAS and ISWAP, will likely worsen the insurgency in Northeast Nigeria and the Lake Chad region. It will be a negative development for Boko Haram and positive for the Lake Chad region if the death of Shekau worsens the [Boko Harams] factional dispute. It will however be a positive development for the group if this leads to a reunification of the group. EDITORS NOTE: We have HumAngles permission to republish this content. The Nigeria police has assured residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and Plateau State to go about their normal activities without any fear of attacks. The police gave the assurance in a statement by its spokesperson, Frank Mba, on Friday. The assurance is coming on the heels of a viral internal memo that was leaked to the public on Friday. In the memo, acting Inspector-General of Police, Usman Alkali, urged the commissioners of police in the FCT and Plateau State to be on the alert over imminent attacks by Boko Haram members. The memo, addressed to the commissioners of police in the two jurisdictions, was dated May 19, and signed by the Principal Staff Officer to the IGP, Idowu Owohunwa. He said an intelligence report revealed that terrorists were planning to attack Abuja and Jos. The circular with reference number TB: 0900/IGP.SEC/ABJ/VOL.TI/47 was titled Terror elements to expand frontiers of attack. He then directed the commissioners of police to review their security architecture and beef up security around government facilities particularly in Abuja and Jos. In response to the reactions that greeted the leaked memo, the police said it was nothing but a deliberate, intelligence-driven and proactive measure which they said was designed to prepare the law enforcement community for a comprehensive response to any threat to lives and property. Read full statement by the police: PUBLIC SAFETY ALERT: PLATEAU AND FCT ARE SAFE, IGP ASSURES CITIZENS Says No Cause for Panic The Inspector-General of Police, Ag. IGP Usman Alkali Baba, psc (+), NPM, fdc has assured citizens of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Plateau State and other contiguous States, of safety and security as they go about their lawful day-to-day activities. The IGPs assurance is coming on the heels of the unintended, viral spread of an internal directive issued to the Commissioners of Police in Plateau State and FCT Commands to forestall any likelihood of attack or breach of security by organized criminal elements in their Areas of Responsibilities (AOR). The IGPs directive, which is a deliberate, intelligence-driven and proactive measure, is designed to prepare the law enforcement community for a comprehensive response to any threat to lives and property. The IGP noted that the security alert, rather than becoming a source of panic to the citizens, should instead send a message of re-assurance to them about the intelligence depth, capacity and operational preparedness of the Nigeria Police to pre-emptively deal and contain any threat to public peace and security. The alert does not in any way suggest that an attack is imminent in any of the two States. The Police High Command therefore calls for calm, urging citizens to go about their normal activities with renewed sense of vigour, patriotism and vigilance as the Police continue to work with other relevant stakeholders to keep our public space safe. CP FRANK MBA FORCE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER FORCE HEADQUARTERS ABUJA ADVERTISEMENT -- Fourty years ago, Chinese ornithologist Liu Yinzeng rediscovered seven wild crested ibises -- which were thought to be the last remaining specimens in the world -- in the Qinling Mountains of northwest China's Shaanxi Province. -- Years of unrelenting efforts have yielded promising results. It is estimated that there are more than 5,000 crested ibises in the world today. Yangxian County, where the last seven crested ibises were found, has now turned into an Eden of the auspicious bird species. -- Hear what Liu and others tell British conservationist Terry Townshend about the positive and inspiring story of bringing species back from the brink of extinction -- the rediscovery and recovery of the crested ibis. Photo taken on Aug. 2, 2020 shows a crested ibis flying in Yangxian County, northwest China's Shaanxi Province. (Xinhua/Lan Hongguang) British conservationist Terry Townshend described his return to Yangxian County, dubbed the "hometown of the crested ibis," as a great honor, not only because he got to see these majestic birds once again, but because he was able to drop in on a prominent figure whose name has become synonymous with this still endangered species. Sunday marks the 40th anniversary of rediscovery of the crested ibis. Townshend, with a particular interest in birds, has been living and working in China for over 10 years. Invited by Xinhua's China Chat show, he paid a visit to 85-year-old veteran ornithologist Liu Yinzeng, widely known and esteemed for his rediscovery of the crested ibis 40 years ago. "We hear a lot of negative stories about losing species, so it's really important to hear positive stories and to know that species can be saved and brought back from the brink of extinction," Townshend said. British conservationist Terry Townshend (1st L) and Xinhua journalist Miao Xiaojuan (1st R) talk with Liu Yinzeng, an ornithologist with the Institute of Zoology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences at Liu's home in northwest China's Shaanxi Province, April 12, 2021. (Xinhua/Xu Yongzheng) Believed to have existed for over 60 million years, the crested ibis, known as "the Oriental gem," is one of the oldest bird species in the world and once flourished in China, the Korean Peninsula, Japan and Russia. The bird was designated as an internationally protected bird in 1960. Yet the widespread use of pesticides and fertilizers, hunting and habitat loss due to deforestation brought the birds to the brink of extinction. The crested ibis was once thought to be extinct, yet its population has undergone a miraculous revival thanks to decades of conservation efforts made by researchers like Liu and many local people who believe the bird is auspicious. THE IBIS MAN Kin, Japan's last crested ibis born in the wild, died in 2003 at the age of 36, well over 100 in human years. A figure deeply rooted in Japanese history and culture, the crested ibis was first recorded in the "Nihon Shoki" (Chronicles of Japan), a history of the nation compiled in the year 720. When famous Japanese environmental journalist and scientist Ishi Hiroyuki lamented the death of Kin in a 2017 article, he also claimed that Kin's demise did not mean the extinction of the species. "The same species of crested ibis was found to still exist in China," Hiroyuki wrote. "Researchers in China were successfully breeding other wild crested ibises that they had discovered earlier." Liu Yinzeng was the man who led a small team that found seven crested ibises, two adult pairs and three fledglings, in Yangxian of northwest China's Shaanxi Province on May 23 and 30, 1981. They were thought to be the last remaining specimens in the world. Photo taken on Jan. 28, 2021 shows two crested ibises by a river in Yangxian County, northwest China's Shaanxi Province. (Photo by Tao Benyao/Xinhua) Before their exciting discovery, Liu and his colleagues at the Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences had painstakingly conducted field research for three years, trekking over 50,000 km across China in search of crested ibises. Yet their search was in vain. "At that time, I had prepared my paper concluding that the crested ibis had become extinct," Liu recalled. Yet before the survey team formulated their final judgment on the extinction of crested ibises in China, Liu requested a field visit to Yangxian. His faith paid off, and his new paper was published in 1981 in Current Zoology, then known as Acta Zoologica Sinica, titled "Recovery of Japanese Crested Ibis in Qinling Range." Photo taken on Nov. 23, 2020 shows a crested ibis perching on a tree in snow in Yangxian County, northwest China's Shaanxi Province. (Photo by Wang Ping/Xinhua) "It was an important decision to declare their extinction to the world. If I were to do this all again, I would do the same," Liu said. "When it comes to scientific work you must be rigorous, nothing can slip through the cracks." Upon catching sight of the long-beaked, red-faced birds, Liu had mixed feelings. He was gratified that their efforts had not been in vain, while at the same time, he felt no relief, instead worrying whether such a tiny population could survive. The team members safeguarded the birds around the clock, spreading butter on trees and installing protective devices to deal with predators such as snakes. THE PROMISED LAND "Giant pandas are savage beasts, though they look cuddly," Liu said, noting that the proximity of crested ibises to humans makes it possible for the birds and people to keep each other company, thus the protection of this particular species differs from that of other animals. The locals love the birds. They like to call them "red cranes" instead of crested ibises, believing the color red symbolizes prosperity. Yangxian has turned into an Eden of crested ibises. To better protect the species, the local government has introduced bans on hunting in the bird's habitats, cutting down trees where it nests, using chemical fertilizers and pesticides in its foraging areas and firing guns in its breeding areas. Photo taken on June 20, 2020 shows crested ibises foraging in the paddy fields in Yangxian County, northwest China's Shaanxi Province. (Photo by Xia Yongguang/Xinhua) Furthermore, protective nets were installed on both sides of a section of track of the Xi'an-Chengdu High-speed Railway in Yangxian, to prevent any damage to the birds. Hua Ying, president of the Yangxian County Bird Watching Association, transformed his front yard into a sanctuary for the crested ibises a few years ago. He has been a volunteer since 1993, promoting knowledge on the protection of the crested ibis in local schools. Now he runs a homestay for bird enthusiasts and photographers. Every morning, people can find crested ibises walking through the paddy field in front of Hua's homestay. According to Hua, crested ibises are extremely sensitive to their living environment, which means the villagers must ensure they employ organic farming methods, planting crops such as black rice, so as to live in harmony with the local wildlife. British conservationist Terry Townshend (C) and Xinhua journalist Miao Xiaojuan (L) observe crested ibises with Hua Ying, president of Yangxian County Bird Watching Association, at Hua's courtyard in northwest China's Shaanxi Province, April 13, 2021. (Xinhua/Xu Yongzheng) "Back in 2003, I proposed to forestry and wildlife protection authorities that the local government should help promote the sales of our pollution-free products," Hua said. He also suggested the county should develop its tourism industry and build facilities like a bird-watching platform to minimize the impact on the crested ibises brought by birders. "Happily all my ideas were adopted," Hua said. A REMARKABLE COMEBACK China took the rediscovery of the crested ibis seriously and started captive breeding of the birds in 1991. Years of unrelenting efforts have yielded promising results. It is estimated that there are more than 5,000 crested ibises in the world today. The bird's habitat in China has risen from less than 5 square km in 1981 to 15,000 square km today. There are more than 3,000 crested ibises in Yangxian alone, according to Liu. China also donated five crested ibises to help rebuild the species in Japan in the 1990s, while Japan has been supporting the protection of the crested ibis habitat in China through both governmental and non-governmental projects. The bird has become a bridge of friendship between the two countries. Japan was able to artificially breed more crested ibises from pairs brought over from China. The several hundred birds living today in Japan are all descendants of these Chinese trailblazers. Undated file photo shows crested ibises flying in the rural area of Yangxian County, northwest China's Shaanxi Province. (Photo by Zhang Yueming/Xinhua) "Properly balancing the relationship between species protection and human development is a subject for our long-term exploration in the future," Liu said, adding that such work goes beyond the scope of biology and wildlife conservation. "I have a special connection to the crested ibis, and decided to live with the bird for the rest of my life," said the retired avian expert, who came back to Yangxian three years ago and has remained there ever since. Hanging on the wall of Liu's living room is a group photo taken in July 2019. In the picture, Liu is sitting in the middle of the front row, holding a bouquet of flowers and celebrating his birthday with some 50 crested ibis researchers from around the country. (Reporting by Ma Yunfei, Miao Xiaojuan, He Zhanjun and Fu Ruixia) (video editor: Miao Xiaojuan) These appointments will significantly enhance the experience and skill set available to Metro in successfully managing and growing its bauxite business. Following Metros annual general meeting on May 25, Stephen Everett will step down as chairman ( ) (FRA:6ME) has made several changes to its board, including appointing Douglas Ritchie and Simon Wensley as non-executive directors. This will come into effect on May 25, following the conclusion of the companys annual general meeting (AGM). After the AGM, the chairman of the board Stephen Everett will step down and Ritchie will be appointed to the position. Everett will remain on the board as a non-executive director. These appointments will significantly enhance the experience and skill set available to Metro in successfully managing and growing its bauxite business. Next growth phase Chairman Stephen Everett said: After nine years as chairman of Metro Mining, I feel the timing is right to transition over the role of chair to Doug as the company embarks upon its next growth phase with the Stage 2 expansion. Doug and Simon, both have deep experience in not only the bauxite industry but also in the Chinese resources industry and in building relationships with consumers of Australian raw materials. These are skills which will be critical to the long-term success of Metro. I look forward to working with both individuals moving forward. Experienced resource executives Ritchie and Wensley are highly respected and experienced executives in the resources sector with significant public company and management experience. Both have spent the majority of their professional careers in various divisions of Rio Tinto Ltd and have been intimately involved in the aluminium value chain. Ritchie has more than 40 years experience in the resources industry and worked for Rio Tinto from 1986 to 2013 and was a member of Rio Tintos executive committee and the group executive responsible for China. He is a fellow of the Australian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy and a fellow of the Australian Institute of company directors and formerly a director of the Queensland Resources Council. Wensley has more than 30 years experience in the metals and mining business. He spent five years at Kobe Steel Ltd in Japan, 20 years with Rio Tinto, culminating in global senior management roles and is currently co-founder and director of MineVeritas Pty. Ltd., an advisor to investors in the resource industry. Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State has vowed that his administration would not honour a meeting with the Nigeria Labour Congress unless electricity is restored in his state. The governor also lambasted the federal government for allowing workers of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) owned by it to disrupt electricity supply to his state. Mr El-Rufai made the comment after the NLC announced a suspension of a five-day warning strike called to protest the Kaduna governments plans to lay off some of its civil servants due to what it blamed on a severe fiscal crisis. The NLC suspended the industrial action after the intervention of the Minister of Labour, Chris Ngige, who requested parties to sheathe swords for a federal government-mediated negotiation to hold in Abuja. But shortly after the NLC announced it was suspending the strike to enable it to honour the planned Abuja meeting, a defiant Mr El-Rufai issued a statement that said no official of his government would negotiate with the unions unless electricity is restored in the state. The National Union of Electricity Employees is an affiliate of the NLC and its members had on Sunday switched off electricity supply in the state and joined the strike. In his statement early Thursday morning, Mr El-Rufai said, No official of Kaduna State will go to Abuja for any meeting with FGN (Federal Government of Nigeria) or NLC when the citizens of the State have no electricity. We hold the FGN responsible for (its) inability to assert its ownership rights over TCN (Transmission Company of Nigeria). No electricity, no meeting. Hours before his latest update, the state government had said it was yet to see evidence that the NLC is backing off from its campaign of economic and social sabotage against the people of the State. Electric power is yet to be restored after it was shut down at dawn on Sunday, 16th May 2021, in brazen violation of the laws protecting essential services and infrastructure, Muyiwa Adekeye, the spokesperson to Mr El-Rufai, had said in a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES at 9:21 pm on Wednesday. That action removed any basis for state government officials to meet the NLC last Sunday. Denying our people electricity about 18 hours to the advertised commencement of their organised sabotage was akin to putting a gun on the governments head. Government has a lawful duty not to indulge blackmail. Restoring electricity is vital to relieving some of the pain that needless acts of lawlessness have inflicted on our people. The unimpeded provision of essential services is vital to civilised order. Those who have disrupted it should promptly reverse themselves, not expect that it will be a matter for negotiation, much less being viewed as a precondition. KDSG will not participate in such a negotiation or countenance one whilst our people are still being denied their right to electricity. Mr Ngige had on Wednesday afternoon announced that he had apprehended the strike and invited parties to an emergency conciliation meeting at his office in the nations capital by 11 am on Thursday. The minister further directed the two parties to maintain the status quo ante bellum pending the resolution of the issues in contention. The letter Mr Ngige separately addressed to both Governor El-Rufai and the president of the NLC reads in part: Sequel to the strike prompted by the Nigeria Labour Congress(NLC) one of the federations of Trade Unions in Nigeria, and the subsequent withdrawal of work and services in almost all public sector establishments and institutions in Kaduna State, including but not limited to the essential services in electricity, water and health, which has consequently resulted and inflicted huge damage and loss to the economy and well-being and even loss of lives to the people of Kaduna State in the last three days. ADVERTISEMENT I am therefore constrained in the exercise of my powers as the Minister of Labour and Employment, under the Trade Disputes Act, CAP. T8, Laws of Federation of Nigeria (LFN) 2004; to invite you and your top officials to the emergency trade dispute conciliation meeting. The letter said between the transition period for the meeting, you are please requested to maintain the status quo ante bellum before this dispute so that the enabling climate for the resolution of the issues in dispute will not be hindered by the creation of new issues. Under the Trade Disputes Act, which is the principal law dealing with the settlement of industrial disputes in Nigeria, the Minister of Labour has powers to intervene in a trade dispute for the purpose of settling it. The Kaduna State Government and the Nigeria Labour Congress have reached an agreement on the plan by the state government to lay off workers. The NLC has since Monday led workers to protest against the plan by the Kaduna government to lay off the workers. The late Thursday agreement between the two parties was brokered by the federal government in Abuja. Part of the agreement was that the Kaduna government will follow due process and theprinciple of redundancy, as stipulated in Section 20 of the Labour Act, in its Public Service Revitalization and Renewal Programme, which is expected to lead to the retrenchment and sack of workers. The parties also agreed that the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) twill no longer continue with its industrial action while no worker shall be victimized by the state government on account of his or her participation in the industrial action. The Kaduna State Government had earlier announced the sack of hundreds of university teachers and nurses for joining the strike. That announcement is expected to be reversed. A 10-member bi-partite committee comprising six representatives of the Kaduna State Government, three officials of the NLC, and one of the federal labour ministry was also set up to engage further on how to execute the agreement and ensure that the state government adhered to the principle of redundancy. The meeting The Thursday meeting was called by the labour minister, Chris Ngige, to put an end to the strike and protest by the NLC over the Kaduna governments plan to sack workers. In the agreement signed by both parties and the representative of the federal government, it was resolved that it is the right of an employer to retrench workers. But in doing so, due process, especially the principle of redundancy, must be followed strictly. It was resolved that the principle of redundancy as stated in section 20 of Labour Act, Cap L 1 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (LFN) should apply, the agreement reads. The agreement was signed by Bariatu Mohammed, Head of Service, Kaduna State; Ayuba Wabba, President NLC; Jaafaru Sani, Commissioner of Local Government Kaduna State; Najeem Usman, Deputy President NLC; Omoabie Akpan, Director Trade Union Services and Industrial Relations; and Muoneke Aloy, Director Finance and Accounts, representing the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Labour. The Agreement The agreement reads as follows: Following the three days industrial action embarked upon by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on the 17th of May, 2021 in Kaduna State, the Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment apprehended the industrial dispute by holding an emergency conciliation meeting between the Kaduna State Government (KDSG) and NLC to deliberate on the following contentious issues as alleged by the NLC. Retrenchment of workers by the Kaduna State Government; Compulsory Retirement of workers on Grade Level 14 and above; Compulsory Retirement of workers who have attained the age of 50 years irrespective of their Grade Levels; Reduction of the staff strength of Local Government to 50 in each of the 23 Local Government Areas (LGAs); and Casualization of workers on Grade Level 1-6. After an exhaustive deliberation of all the issues above at the meeting, the officials of Kaduna State Government debunked all the five issues listed above and ascribed them to political opponents of the State Government. They also said they were only trying to implement the Kaduna State Government Public Service Revitalization and Renewal Programme approved by the State Executive Council since 2016. The NLC also explained their position that they got into the dispute following reports by their Kaduna State affiliate Unions and Negotiating Councils. On the resolutions reached, the agreement said: the meeting agreed that all the listed issues fall within the ambit of redundancy therefore, it was resolved that the principle of redundancy as stated in section 20 of Labour Act, Cap L 1 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (LFN) should apply. The meeting also recognized that the current impasse was caused by communication gap between the State Government and NLC occasioned by both the local chapter and even the Kaduna State Government Officials. ADVERTISEMENT It added, in view of the foregoing, the meeting resolved to constitute a 10-man Bi-partite Committee comprising six representatives of State Government and three officials of the NLC to engage further with the objective of reverting with a work plan on how to integrate the provision of section 20 of the Labour Act CAP L1 LFN 2004 to resolve the impasse between the State Government and the NLC. The meeting also resolved that the Committee should have as Chairman, the Head of Service of the Kaduna State Government and assisted by a Deputy National President of the NLC. The Committee is expected to revert with the work plan for peaceful resolution of all issues in contention to the Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment by Tuesday 25th May, 2021. The work plan is to itemize the structure and sub-structure in the State and Local Government of their activities, time of commencement and envisaged final tenure of the Committee or make recommendations if in its wisdom it thinks the Committee should be a Permanent Standing Committee. It was agreed that there shall be no further industrial action on these issues and no worker shall be victimized on account of his or her participation in the industrial action. After many years of crisis between farmers and herders across various parts of Nigeria, the 17 southern governors on May 11 resolved to ban open grazing of cattle in their states. The governors who made the decisions include Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State, Gboyega Oyetola of Osun State, Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, Seyi Makinde of Oyo, Dapo Abiodun of Ogun and Babajide Sanwo-olu of Lagos State. Other governors at the meeting where the resolution was made were : Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State, Emmanuel Udom of Akwa Ibom, Willie Obiano of Anambra, Diri Duoye of Bayelsa, Ben Ayade of Cross Rivers, Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta, Dave Umahi of Ebonyi, Godwin Obaseki of Edo, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu, Hope Uzodinma of Imo and Nyesom Wike of Rivers States. PREMIUM TIMES reported that the meeting, which lasted for four hours, took place in Asaba, the capital city of Delta State. The governors said the incursion of armed herders, criminals, and bandits into the Southern part of the country has presented a severe security challenge such that citizens are unable to live their normal lives. They, therefore, resolved that open grazing of cattle be banned across Southern Nigeria; noted that development and population growth has put pressure on available land and increased the prospects of conflict between migrating herders and local populations in the South. Given this scenario, it becomes imperative to enforce the ban on open grazing in the South (including cattle movement to the South by foot). Controversy The decision of the governors was criticised by the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami. He said the governors decision does not align with the provisions of the Constitution, hence it does not hold water. It is about constitutionality within the context of the freedoms expressed in our Constitution. Can you deny the rights of a Nigerian? He, however, advised the governors to work towards the amendment of the 1999 Constitution in their move to prohibit open grazing. If you are talking of constitutionally guaranteed rights, the better approach to it is to perhaps go back to ensure the Constitution is amended. But he was quickly tackled by Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State, who insisted that the decision of the governors was irreversible. He said it was most unfortunate that the AGF is unable to distil issues as expected of a Senior Advocate. Nothing can be more disconcerting. He urged Mr Malami to approach the court to challenge the legality of the Laws of the respective states banning open grazing and decision of the Southern Governor Forum taken in the interest of their people. We shall be most willing to meet him in Court. The decision to ban open grazing stays. It will be enforced with vigour, said Mr Akeredolu, who is also a Senior Advocate of Nigeria. Meanwhile, the Federal High Court, Abuja on Thursday affirmed the right of Nigerian states to implement anti-grazing laws in their domains. Open grazing and insecurity Open grazing is an old practice of roaming ruminant animals in open fields, plains and bushes in search of pasture or foliage. The system in the last few years has triggered conflicts between host communities and migrant herders, leading to several deaths in many states across the country. ADVERTISEMENT Aside deaths of different individuals, it has also led to loss of property worth millions of Naira and food shortages due to neglect of farm lands and destruction of crops. The common way through which open grazing is done in Nigeria is that cattle are taken out to the field every morning for sedentary grazing and during the period of looking for what to feed on, they damage peoples crops. While some crop owners may get compensated, other incidents would lead to conflicts. Some farmers have in the past also been alleged of poisoning cattle. PREMIUM TIMES reported how the conflicts between herders and farmers have strengthened the debates around true federalism and restructuring which, among other things, will allow state governors to have control over state police. Both herders and farmers often raise allegations and counter allegations against themselves. It became more pronounced when some herders destroyed the farm of a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Olu Falae. After the destruction, Mr Falae was abducted by armed herders on his farm in Akure, Ondo State. He reportedly paid N5 million to regain his freedom. This ,among many other cases, has been reported in the past and has triggered ethnic crises in some South-weststates where locals are demanding the eviction of herders. Even with the creation of a regional security network code named Operation Amotekun by South-west governors, the farmer-herder crisis continues. Curbing farmer-herder violence A security expert told PREMIUM TIMES that if not politicised, the decision of the governors to ban open grazing has the potential of curbing farmer-herder violence in Nigeria. Timothy Avele, managing director of Agent-X Security Limited, said the ban may have both positive and negative effects. On one hand, it will definitely reduce the issue of criminal herdsmen kidnapping because the alibi of staying in the forest in the guise of rearing cows will no longer be there as a cover. More so it will also put a stop to the herders/farmers crisis in the South but triple in the north and Middle Belt. Im afraid if no compromise is reached between the northern governors and their southern colleagues on this issue, it could lead to another bigger crisis altogether. This is beside the Fulanis expected revolt should the plan come into action. Every side needs to tread softly, he said. On his part, Mr Falae, former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, applauded the decision of the governors. It is obvious that open grazing of cattle in other peoples farms is the source of general insecurity in Nigeria. I knew herdsmen bringing their cattle from the north to be friendly but the relationship in the last 15 years Before then, they dont destroy farms but rather to sell. The moment there was pressure in the north and desert encroachment in the north, they moved to the south and carried out open grazing. Grazing is a universal activity and virtually all states of the world pass through open grazing but they left that behind centuries ago. So, what is left for Nigeria to do is to make a transition from open grazing to proper grazing where the herdsmen will acquire their land, fence their land and secure them. The problem is that the owners of the cattle want to continue to raise them at our expense. Thats the problem. I will say once open grazing comes to an end, especially in the southern part of Nigeria, I will say 80 per cent to 90 per cent of the (insecurity) battle is won. The law that says everybody can live anywhere does not guarantee the destruction of other peoples farms, he said. Also, the spokesperson of Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Emmanuel Yawe, said the group agreed with the decision of the governors. We have resolved that carrying of cattle all over the place is not the best. It is not the most modern and it puts herders at risk. We have already decided on ranching and in the last meeting we had with the Miyetti Allah (cattle breeders association), they also agreed with us. Even the Miyetti Alllah said open grazing is not allowing their children to even face their education and they are being used for kidnappings because they dont have skills to do other things. They just give them guns and even when they get ransom, they give them less than N10,000. So, they said if the government decides on ranching, they will prefer that to roaming around. We do not disagree with the governors except the fact that governors may grandstand. These killings have been happening over and over and we are tired of it too. Let the governors work it out. Let them work on modalities to achieve this. They should confine herdsmen on how to do ranching and not make their decisions look political. It is a problem that affects all of us. The ban is part of the solution, he said. Authorities must be intentional While experts commended the governors, they urged them to be intentional with their decisions. A Nigerian economist, Tope Fasua, said such a move will help to reduce farmer-herder clashes. The point is that in this modern age, theres no more fallow land, the population is increasing and if we are in a serious country, the fallow lands should be cultivated. Let the governors take this step forward by collaborating with the private sector for mechanized farming. No land should be fallow. Everything should be actively used and it does not require much thinking to know that such a resolution should have been passed a long time ago. The Southern Senators Forum in a statement encouraged the governors to swiftly follow up on their resolutions by immediately approaching the leadership of the National Assembly with a view to working with the two arms of the parliament to ensure that their well-articulated positions on the state of the nation are thoroughly addressed through the ongoing constitutional review exercise. Also, the Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO) advised that each of the governors should back the decision with the law in their respective states. The CLO in a statement by its Chairman, Franklyn Isong, and Secretary, Christopher Ekpo, called on the respective governors to initiate bills to their state Houses of Assembly without delay. ADVERTISEMENT The lifeless body of Alphonsus Bello, a reverend father, was found this morning, May 21, on a farmland behind the Catechetical Training School, Malumfashi in Katsina State. The training school is part of Sokoto diocese under Bishop Matthew Kukah. Mr Bellos death followed an earlier report at about 1.35am on Friday by the Dean of Malumfashi Deanery, Stephen Ojapah, that the parish house of St. Vincent Ferrer Church was attacked by bandits numbering about 15. Mr Bello and Joe Keke, another reverend father, were taken away by the bandits during the attack. The Director of Communications for Sokoto diocese, Chris Omotosho (reverend father) in a note to the national communications office of the Catholic Secretariat in Abuja, confirmed the incident. He said the attack by the bandits occurred at about 11.30pm on Thursday and that Mr Bello was, until his death, the parish priest of St. Vincent, while Mr Keke, 75, was a priest-in-residence. The whereabouts of the priest is still unknown at the moment. The bandits who abducted him are yet to make any contact with his church or family. The spokesperson for the Katsina Police Command, Gambo Isah, confirmed the incident to PREMIUM TIMES. Mr Isah, a police superintendent, said operatives of the Command responded to a distress call from the church after the incident, went on the trail of the bandits only to stumble on Mr Bellos body. He said the operatives remained on the trail of the abductors with a view to rescuing Mr Keke. Mr Isah said two people, suspected to be complicit in the abduction, have been arrested as part of the ongoing investigation. The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has endorsed the recommendations of the visitation panel to the Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo, including the dissolution of the institutions Adebayo Ninalowo-led governing council. PREMIUM TIMES had exclusively hinted of this on May 11, a day after the report was submitted by the panel. Mr Sanwo-Olu, who had been in dilemma since the panel, headed by the Pro-Chancellor of the Ekiti State University and former Vice-Chancellor of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Bamitale Omole, submitted its report on May 10, took the decision on Friday. Other members of the visitation panel are a former vice-chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt, Joseph Ajienka; a renowned political scientist, Ayo Olukotun; former Lagos Solicitor-General, Lawal Pedro; former Registrar of University of Ibadan (UI), Olujimi Olukoya, and a director in the states public service, Funmilola Olajide, who functioned as the panels secretary. In a statement signed by the commissioner for information, Gbenga Omotosho, the governor listed six adopted recommendations to include governing council dissolution, cancellation of the second selection process, exemption of members of the universitys senate who participated in the failed processes from taking part in the new processes. The universitys registrar, Olayinka Amuni, has also been asked to embark on compulsory leave pending the conclusion of a new process. PREMIUM TIMES gathered from reliable sources that Mr Amuni is being punished for allegedly not properly guiding the governing council to adhere strictly to the laws in the selection process in the appointment of the institutions 9th substantive vice-chancellor. Also, the panel, in its three-volume report, had recommended the constitution of another full-fledged visitation panel to the university, and the governor has also endorsed the recommendation. Background Five years after relative peace returned to the university, LASU, again attracted public attention for the wrong reasons. The seemingly unending controversies over the appointment of a successor for the institutions 8th substantive VC, Olanrewaju Fagbohun, may have taken over the universitys recent gains which threw it up as Nigerias second-best university in the last two years consecutively. After rejecting the first nominations by the universitys governing council earlier in the year due largely to complaints by some applicants and others, Mr Sanwo-Olu ordered a fresh process by the same selection committee of the governing council. But the council had consistently ranked a professor of public health and director of the universitys research and innovation unit, Olumuyiwa Odusanya, first in its recommendations. A former chairperson of the universitys branch of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Kabir Akinyemi, ranked second in the first exercise, a former deputy vice-chancellor, Sena Bakre, was ranked third. However, in March, after another round of rigorous selection processes, a fresh recommendation was made to the governor with the best three as Mr Odusanya, who scored 87.94 per cent; a professor of public health at Usmanu Danfodio University, Sokoto, Mohammed Ibrahim, who scored 80.95 per cent, and a professor of public mental health and incumbent acting provost of the universitys college of medicine, Abiodun Adewuya, with 76.61 per cent, taking first, second and third positions respectively. There had been allegations of compromise against the governing council, and particularly the institutions joint senate and council selection committee. The statement issued by the state government is reproduced below: SANWO-OLU DISSOLVES LASU COUNCIL Governor Adopts Visitation Panels Report, Orders Fresh Process for Vice-Chancellors Appointment* Ag. VC, Management Staff to Elect New Council Members, As Sanwo-Olu Sends Registrar to Council on Compulsory Leave ADVERTISEMENT The Governor of Lagos State and the Visitor to the Lagos State University (LASU), Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, after consideration of the report of the Special Visitation Panel on the appointment of the 9th Vice-Chancellor and by the powers conferred on him by the Lagos State University Law, Cap L69 volume 7, Laws of Lagos State, 2015 (as amended), hereby adopts the recommendations and directs as follows: (1) The immediate dissolution of the Lagos State University Governing Council and the removal of the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council for flagrant violations of the extant laws and regulations of the University guiding the appointment of a Vice-Chancellor. (2) Cancellation of the second failed exercise to appoint the 9th Substantive Vice-Chancellor as a result of the flagrant contravention of extant laws, breach of due process, failure and total disregard to follow its own laid down criteria guiding the process for the appointment of a 9th Vice-Chancellor as publicly advertised. (3) In due course, a new Governing Council for the Lagos State University will be constituted. The reconstituted Council shall conduct a new process for the appointment of the 9th Vice-Chancellor. (4) Members of the Joint Council and the Senate Committee who participated in the two failed exercises of 2020 and 2021 to appoint a 9th Vice-Chancellor are exempted from further participation in the new exercise for the appointment of the Vice-Chancellor. The Acting Vice-Chancellor and Management of the University are hereby directed to elect new council members from the Senate. (5) The Registrar and Secretary to Council is to proceed on leave with immediate effect till the end of the process for the appointment of the Vice-Chancellor, having failed to advise the Joint Council and Senate Committee against taking wrong decisions, which were against the provision of the law during the two failed exercises of 2020 and 2021. An Acting Registrar will superintend over the new exercise. The Acting Vice-Chancellor is to forward to the Governor/Visitor through the Surrogate Council (Special Adviser on Education) the list of all the Deputy Registrars of Lagos State University for the purpose of appointing an Acting Registrar for the University. (6) The Governor/Visitor following the recommendation of the Special Visitation Panel, shall be setting up a full Visitation Panel for Lagos State University immediately. The days-long siege by Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters on one of the locations where Abubakar Shekau, leader of the Jamaat Ahl as-Sunnah lid-Dawah Wal-Jihad (JAS), lived, following several months of trailing, seems to have paid off for his former associates turned arch-rivals. The details trickling in so far surrounding his death are conflicting. However, one line remains consistent, Shekau is dead. Whether he killed himself to avoid humiliation or he died from injuries after he was shot is unclear. Mr Shekaus death happened during an operation conducted by Bako Gorgore, one of ISWAPs most influential fighters. Mr Gorgore died alongside Mr Shekau after the latter detonated an explosive vest. The operation, according to multiple sources, was conducted and executed by ISWAP fighters familiar with the Sambisa environment and Mr Shekaus routine. This contradicts news reports that the putsch was successfully carried out with the active participation of foreign combatants from Libya. An impeccable source however confirmed the presence of dozens of foreign and returning diaspora fighters to ISWAP in northern Borno, notably in the Lake Chad islands, but added that their role is greatly exaggerated. Both factions have often described each other as Khawarij (renegades). For ISIS, there cannot be two Islamic State fighters operating in the same region with conflicting ideologies and strategies, especially those they refer to as exaggerators in Takfir (announcing labels of infidels). One report said the invasion of the Sambisa forest followed months of efforts by ISIS leaders to advise the Boko Haram leadership against mimicking IS themes and identity. Meanwhile, one of the immediate implications of Mr Shekaus death is that it calls into question the capacities of state actors. With various reports over the years of failed attempts to kill Mr Shekau by the Nigerian military and the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF), his death in the hands of a technically defeated non-state actor is considered embarrassing for the countrys intelligence and military institutions. With Mr Shekau gone, more ISWAP foot soldiers, arms enter In addition to overrunning military bases, including super camps, killing Mr Shekau adds to ISWAPs gains within the Jihadi sphere and will further advance the terror groups recruitment drive. For ISWAP, Boko Haram has been a major distraction in their fight against the military and getting rid of Mr Shekaus leadership may not only win over most of his fighters to their fold but eliminate any distraction in confronting state forces. Close observers say, to prevent the chaotic northwest Nigeria conflict dynamics from getting replicated in northeast Nigeria and Lake Chad, ISWAP must rally Mr Shekau loyalists to their fold, especially Boko Harams biggest sub-faction in the Lake Chad Basin. HumAngle can authoritatively report that ISWAP had gotten the support of more than 70 per cent of Boko Haram qaids, a set of senior military leaders, weeks before the days-long siege on Mr Shekaus most visited home. Only two out of about 20 qaids were loyal to Mr Shekau as of the time of the gun battle, said a source within the insurgency. One cannot overrule the possibility of some members defecting to enrol in the Nigerian governments Operation Safe Corridor programme, fleeing to major cities, or rather joining armed bands like what is the case in northwest Nigeria. ISWAPs original plan was to persuade Mr Shekau to appear in a video asking his fighters in the northeast, north-central and northwest Nigeria, Niger Republic, Chad, and Cameroon to pay allegiance to ISIS (the Islamic State). Without such a statement from Boko Harams former strongman, it will be difficult to convince the rest of his teeming fighters to submit to IS authority, particularly those that were not in the theatre during the latest battle. Another important point to note is that Mr Shekau left behind an enormous cache of arms. He was obsessed with hoarding weapons because, having survived a number of coup attempts, he did not trust anyone with too much access, believing it would increase the chances of him getting overthrown. As a result, the success of ISWAPs onslaught gives the terror group access to an overwhelming amount of arms and ammunition, both from Mr Shekaus stockpile and those held by his many fighters. Safer hideouts Seizing control of the Sambisa forest area, which has for many years been a stronghold for the Shekau-led JAS, gives ISWAP fighters a new location to operate from. Together with the Gwoza mountain and the Timbuktu area, this has strategic value for the group. Notably, the area provides them with the best possible cover against military air raids compared to the Lake Chad Basin whose terrain leaves them more vulnerable. ADVERTISEMENT The Sambisa forest is located about 60 km southeast of Maiduguri, the capital of Borno, covering parts of the states of Borno, Yobe, Gombe, Bauchi along the corridor of Darazo, and Jigawa in northwest Nigeria. The Gwoza hills in the East have peaks of 1,300 meters above sea level and form part of the Mandara Mountains range along the Cameroon-Nigeria border, which is considered a treasured location for the insurgent groups in the region. For some ISWAP members, Sambisa also holds wives, mothers, and children whom they left behind after fleeing Mr Shekaus brutal regime to form Abu Musabs ISWAP faction. The August 2016 split had made Boko Haram a pariah in the global jihadi sphere and left the group without a benefactor, unlike ISWAP. Available information to our reporters indicates that ISWAP members have started preparing to reunite with their family members in Sambisa who were forcefully separated from them by Mr Shekau since 2016. Expansion and increased risks for locals Mr Shekaus death may also mark the end of indiscriminate killings, which we have seen with Boko Haram when the late leader had the resources to attack communities. ISWAP on their part may spare Muslim communities, but are as ruthless as Boko Haram when dealing with Christians, students, teachers, civil servants, and NGO workers who can also be found in large numbers in Gwoza, Askira, Madagali, Michika, Gombi, Damboa, and Hawul. These communities are in Adamawa and Borno, both states that fall within the Sambisa general area. The lives of over 200,000 people in Gwoza and surrounding communities such as Pulka and Izge hang in the balance. Bama town and surrounding communities close to Sambisa forest such as Banki, which have much higher populations, are also at risk of being attacked repeatedly in the same manner as Dikwa, Geidam, and other areas where ISWAP has operated in the past. While some of these communities may not be attacked directly if they are Muslim-majority, the presence of ISWAP alone in the area scares humanitarian actors, which may, in turn, bring untold suffering to the people. The takeover of Sambisa could expand ISWAP activities further into Adamawa and southern Borno. This is in addition to the control it already wields in other parts of Borno and, recently, Yobe State. As if all these are not enough, a former hunter turned vigilante informed HumAngle that it is now easier for ISWAP to access the south-south of Nigeria from Sambisa through Taraba and Cross River. The terror group can also access the northwest from Sambisa through Bauchi and Jigawa. This wasnt possible from their former base in the Lake Chad islands. HumAngle had previously reported ISWAPs long-term ambition to isolate Maiduguri, Borno state capital, by depriving the residents of electricity and other supplies, after circling the city. The latest developments appear to be working in favour of this plan because, by getting rid of competition, they are now positioned to focus their eyes on the ball. Increase in revenue Another reason for ensuring an end to Mr Shekaus influence and eliminating the vestiges of his 12-year-old brutal legacy is for ISWAP to safeguard villagers who paid taxes and levies to them but came under consistent attacks by Boko Haram. According to knowledgeable sources in the region, Mr Shekaus Boko Haram ensured that not only did they seize the goods and properties of the people who were under ISWAP control but, like the Nigerian military, they also punished anyone found to have paid levies and taxes to the Islamic State. For ISWAP, crushing anything Boko Haram is a moral duty they owe to tax farmers, herders, traders, and commercial drivers while they ensure their security. Taking over Sambisa also provides access to more ungoverned spaces, which brings with it more resources and recruiting opportunities for ISWAP. Stronger IS affiliate A bigger ISWAP, in a bigger territory, with little opposition from a rival group like Boko Haram, coupled with the social services they provide in areas they control is far more dangerous to the security and stability of the region than the ISWAP before the death of Abubakar Shekau. ISWAP currently has no substantive leadership and instead has an interim leader in the person of Abu Musab al-Barnawi, the son of the founder of Boko Haram, late Muhammad Yusuf. He is in the process of reorganising the group after the entire Shura and sectional leaderships were dissolved. Overthrowing Mr Shekau strengthened Abu Musab, who had promised the late Boko Haram leader in 2016 that he would be back. It also presents an opportunity for the group to host a new stream of fighters from Libya and parts of the Sahel looking for new transit camps and safe-havens. With ISWAP assuming the place of the dominant Jihadi group with a large expanse of ungoverned territory, at a time when the militaries of Cameroon, Chad and Nigeria are overstretched trying to contain rebellion and insurrections in their countries, we are likely going to see the terror group incubating to become a formidable force that portends more danger to the countries in the Lake Chad region. This analysis is published under a partnership between HumAngle Media and the Premium Times Centre for Investigative Journalism (PTCIJ) under the media and terrorism programme. ADVERTISEMENT Nigerians have reacted with outrage after the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) said in a new report that it will collect the identification numbers of their phones. The IMEI number allows phones to be tracked and monitored, and allows access to sensitive data of users. The NCC said President Muhammadu Buhari ordered the compilation of IMEIs for all registered mobile phones before the end of July. The disclosure was made in the NCCs Revised National Policy for Sim Card Registration, released this week. The policy said the implementation of a Centralized Equipment Identity and Register (CEIR), otherwise known as Device Management System (DMS) will serve as a repository for keeping records of all registered mobile phones International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) and owners of such devices. It said the IMEIs that have been reported as either stolen or illegal; will be shared through the DMS to all the operators and service providers. The purpose is to ensure that such devices do not work even if different SIM Cards are inserted in those devices. Accordingly, His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, has directed that the Device Management System should be implemented within three months, it added. The IMEI can be submitted to the telecommunication agency and the agency obtain the digits via IPS of the phone without contacting the user. Coming after the government made it mandatory for citizens and residents to link their phone numbers to their National Identity Numbers, the new policy has sparked outrage. Nigerians on social media on Friday deplored the plan to collect the IMEIs, citing privacy concerns. The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, kicked against the directive describing it as illegal and a violation of the 1999 Constitution. We urge President Buhari to direct the Nigerian Communications Commission to immediately withdraw the illegal directive asking Nigerians to submit the International Mobile Equipment Identity of their phones, the group said in a statement, according to Punch newspaper. The directive cannot be justified under any circumstances, as it amounts to mass surveillance, which is contrary to the Nigerian Constitution of 1999 [as amended], and violates the rights to privacy, freedom of expression, and would have a profound impact on other human rights. Asking Nigerians to submit their Phone ID is illegal and unconstitutional. Others criticised the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, who approved the decision. Mr Pantami came under fire in April after his past extremist views became public. Calls by Nigerians for his dismissal were rebuffed by the president who instead backed the minister. I havent linked my NIN and Im definitely not going to submit my IMEI to NCC and Isa Pantami, said a Twitter user, Elvis Tunde. Nigerian state governors have reached an agreement with the striking judiciary and parliamentary workers on the autonomy of the arms of government, according to a statement by the federal ministry of labour, Friday. The resolution followed a stormy conciliatory meeting with the leaderships of the workers unions on Thursday, the statement said. The statement signed by Charles Akpan, the Deputy Director Press and Public Relations of the ministry, quoted the labour minister, Chris Ngige, as saying the implementation of the newly signed agreement would begin next week. Mr Ngige said the workers would call off their strike as soon as the implementation begins. Members of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria have been on strike since April 6, shutting down all courts across the country in agitation for the financial autonomy of the judiciary, particularly at the state level. Likewise, Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN), members are also said to be on strike in some states over the denial of state Houses of Assembly their financial independence. Mr Ngige presided over the meeting with the leadership of the two unions on Thursday the latest in the series of conciliatory talks. The meeting was attended by the Secretary of the Presidential Implementation Committee on the Autonomy of the Judiciary and Legislature, Ita Enang, who doubles as the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Nigeria Delta Affairs. The governors were not present, but Mr Ngige, who heads the federal governments negotiation team on the financial autonomy matter, said they had agreed to the terms of the agreement. PREMIUM TIMES understands that the document signed by parties present at the meeting is to be passed to all the 36 governors to append their individual signatures. Efforts by our correspondent to confirm the position of the governors on the matter were unsuccessful as the director-general of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF), Asishana Okauru, did not immediately answer our reporters calls or reply to his text message. Agreement The meeting began at about 6.45 p.m. and ended at about 10.p.m. on Thursday with the adoption and signing of a Memorandum Of Action (MOA), the labour ministrys statement read. A major highlight of the MOA titled, Implementation of Financial Autonomy for the State Legislature and Judiciary, is Article D, upon which the suspension of the strike is predicated. The implementation of the agreement will be triggered as from Monday, May 24, 2021, when the April FAAC to states is expected to start dropping, the statement added. Speaking after Thursdays meeting, Mr Ngige said the parties signed the document containing the framework for each of the state governments to grant autonomy to their legislature and judiciary. He noted that state governors had studied the document and were in agreement with it. Confident that all the 36 state governors would sign the agreement, the minister assured that the implementation would commence next week with the distribution of the April allocation from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC). The assurance, however, tallies with a promise by the NGF chairman, Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, in April that the implementation of the financial autonomy of the state judiciary and legislature would start by May ending. ADVERTISEMENT Historic The minister described the signing of the document as historic and a fundamental kick-starting of restructuring being clamored for by some Nigerians. This is a restructuring that has granted autonomy to the state judiciary and legislature. I am happy that we are part of this history-making and that we made this history in the life of the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, he said. He praised President Muhammadu Buhari for achieving the feat through the instrumentality of the fourth alteration that gave birth to Section 121 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the Presidential Executive Order 10 and the establishment of the implementation committee. Presidential implementation committee speaks Speaking earlier, Mr Enang, commended Mr Ngige for bringing his wealth of knowledge and experience to bear in resolving the crisis. Mr Enang is the secretary of the presidential committee that saw to the issuance of Executive Order 10 by President Muhammad Buhari for the implementation of the financial autonomy of the judiciary and the legislature at the state level. He blamed past administrations for turning blind eye to the autonomy of the legislature and the judiciary. We struggled for this thing for 21years now since the Constitution of Nigeria, 1999 was promulgated. The autonomy was there. It was said not to be clear and was clarified, and clarified, but it was not obeyed by our brothers, he said. The advocacy for the enforcement of Executive Order 10 by the presidential committee has not gone down well with the governors, who have, for years, foot-dragged on the implementation of the financial autonomy being demanded by the striking workers. The 36 state governors at their meeting under the auspices of the NGF, had on Wednesday, called for the dissolution of the presidential committee led by the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami. The governors accused the committee of basically misguiding and overheating the relationship between State Governments and the other arms of government. JUSUN official speaks Meanwhile, the National Treasurer of JUSUN, Jimoh Musa, confirmed the signing of the MOA to PREMIUM TIMES on Friday. Our reporter asked Mr Musa if the signing of the agreement did not imply the union backtracking on its earlier rejection of the governors proposed template for the implementation of the judiciarys financial autonomy. Responding, he said the proposal had been modified to suit the demand of the union. For instance, an aspect of the agreement that gives the ministries of works of various states the role of executing construction projects for the judiciary has been removed upon our demand, he said. He added that a major highlight of the newly signed agreement is that the state judiciaries would receive their funds directly from the federation account as stipulated by the constitution. We agreed that the implementation will begin next week. We will call off the strike once the state judiciaries gets their allocations from source, he added. PREMIUM TIMES had reported how the union, in rejecting the governors previous proposal, insisted on strict compliance with constitutional provision on financial autonomy for the judiciary. It said the provisions of the constitution cannot be negotiated, doctored, manipulated and therefore must be obeyed. As a condition to end its ongoing strike, the union had insisted that all the state judiciaries funds for October 2020 till May 2021 must be deducted directly from the source, the federation account, and paid to the heads of courts through the NJC as prescribed by the constitution. Highlights of signed agreement The statement issued Friday by the labour ministry gave some highlights of the new agreement. The agreement read in part, The governments of the respective States shall credit the Accounts of each State House of Assembly and each State Judiciary with the pro-rata amount due each of the two arms of Government under the 2021 Appropriation for each State in accordance with B(iii) of this Memorandum of Action commencing from April 2021 State Allocation from the State Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF) as a sign of good faith. And the B(iii) in reference says whenever there is Revenue shortfall, lower than the Budgeted fund, the monthly allocations to each arm of government shall reflect a percentage of the appropriated sum or an irreducible minimum amount to be allocated every month for the purpose of meeting its costs whichever is higher. This percentage will reflect as 100 per cent in Personnel Cost. The Running Cost and Capital Cost will be pro-rata of Revenue performance as per the State Appropriation Law. Upon fulfilment of the above, the ongoing Industrial Action shall be suspended with immediate effect from the date of the agreements contained in this Memorandum of Action (MOA), provided item D above is effected immediately and others effected within the 45 days window as prescribed in this MOA. The framework adds, annually upon the determination of budget ceilings or envelopes from the Budget Committee of the State, anchored by the Budget Office of the State headed by the Commissioner in-charge, each arm of government Executive, Judiciary, Legislature, acting through its own Budget and/or Funds Management Committee, shall prepare its Budget Estimates/Details and submit same to the State House of Assembly; There shall also be established in each State a State Account Allocation Committee (SAAC) to be given legislative backing in the various Fund Management Laws and charged with the responsibility to oversee the distribution of available resources to each arm of Government. Membership to reflect the template of the FAAC. Every State Commissioner of Finance and State Accountant General shall on a monthly basis furnish the Committee with the revenue performance of the State within a stipulated timeline not exceeding 7 days after each FAAC meeting. Based on the revenue receipt, evaluations and the needs of each arm, the Committee shall work out an appropriate budget release based on the Appropriation for each Arm of Government for that year. The Presidential Implementation Committee shall give a biweekly appraisal and follow-up. ADVERTISEMENT Nigerias army chief, Ibrahim Attahiru, has died in an air crash while on an official trip to Kaduna, PRNigeria, a news agency with ties to the military, has reported. The Nigerian Air Force confirmed that a crash occurred but did not provide any details. An air crash involving a @NigAirForce aircraft occurred this evening near the Kaduna International Airport. The immediate cause of the crash is still being ascertained. More details to follow soon, Daily Trust quoted Edward Gabkwet, the air force spokesperson, as saying in a statement. PRNigeria reports that some of Mr Attahirus aides also died in the crash. Mr Attahiru was recently appointment army chief by President Muhammadu Buhari. Until his appointment in January, he was the General Officer Commanding 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, Enugu. With service number 8406, he was a member of Regular Course 35 of the Nigerian Defence Academy. At a time, he was the Theatre Commander of the Operation Lafiya Dole until he was sacked in 2017 for alleged incompetence. Under his watch, suicide bombings and attacks on military formations were on the rise. Barely a month after he assumed office, Boko Haram insurgents attacked Maiduguri, the Borno State capital. Details later ADVERTISEMENT The Nigerian Army has confirmed the death of the Chief of Army staff, Ibrahim Attahiru, in a plane crash on Friday. In a statement by its spokesperson, Mohammed Yerima, on Friday, the army said details of the death would be announced in due course. The Nigerian Army regrets to announce the passing away of its Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Ibrahim Attahiru . The sad event occurred following an air crash in Kaduna which also claimed the lives of 10 other officers including the crew. The COAS was enroute Kaduna from Abuja on Friday, 21 May, 2021 when the unfortunate incident happened. Details of the sad incident and burial arrangements will be communicated soon, the Army spokesperson stated. PREMIUM TIMES had reported how an Air Force aircraft conveying the late Mr Attahiru and other senior officers of the army crashed around Kaduna airport. The Air Force also did not give details of the occupants in the ill fated aircraft in a statement by its spokesperson, Edward Gabkwet. Meanwhile, the Presidency has described the late army chief and other military personnel as heroes who paid the ultimate price for peace and security in the land. In a statement by Femi Adesina shortly after the incident, the Presidency pledged that the departed would not die in vain. President Muhammadu Buhari is deeply saddened over the air crash that claimed the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, and other military officers. The President condoles with families of the deceased, the military, and Nigerians in general, describing them as heroes who paid the ultimate price for peace and security in the land. While praying that God receives the souls of the patriots, the President says the crash is one mortal blow to our underbelly, at a time our armed forces are poised to end the security challenges facing the country. The President pledged that the departed would not die in vain, the statement said. Mr Attahiru was recently appointed the chief of army staff by President Buhari. Until his appointment on January 26, he was the General Officer Commanding 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, Enugu. With service number 8406, he was a member of Regular Course 35 of the Nigerian Defence Academy. Mr Attahiru, who hailed from Kano State, once served as the Theatre Commander of the Operation Lafiya Dole. FYI Resources in exclusive talks with Alcoa to bring $1 billion HPA Project to life FYI Resources Ltd (ASX:FYI) (OTCMKTS:FYIRF) (FRA:SDL) is positioning itself to be a significant producer of high quality, high purity alumina (HPA) in Western Australia, having entered into a nine-day exclusive period for a joint venture negotiation with Alcoa Australia (NYSE:AA) (FRA:185). Wise-Owl.com has released a research report detailing the strategic significant of the agreement, with outcomes from the negotiations expected to provide a clear path for the HPA project development, funding, operation and product marketing. The company's Cadoux Kaolin Project has a 3.2 million tonne reserve and a >25yr mine life of aluminous kaolin clay, grading 24.8% aluminium oxide and around 10,000 tonnes per annum of feedstock would be produced via the company's proposed HPA production facility in Kwinana. "Show of faith by a multinational" The report said: "The outcomes of these negotiations should provide investors with much greater clarity on how the project's costs will be funded. "The JV could arguably prompt analysts to revise valuations due to a dilution in risk metrics surrounding product development and the securing of financing and offtake agreements. "Making this development even more significant is Alcoa's close involvement with FYI during the testing process and the establishment of an updated DFS - in short, this is a show of faith by a multinational that has an intimate knowledge of FYI and its capabilities. "With investors now able to place a value circa US$1 billion on FYI's project and a strengthening of its relationship with Alcoa, the company should continue to benefit from positive momentum and has been significantly de-risked." Notably, the company also has backing for up to A$80 million from Luxembourg-based private equity group, GEM Global Yield LLC SCS which provides capital support for the development of the project, particularly at key funding requirement stages. A Nigerian broadcaster, Ahmed Isah, popularly known as Ordinary President, on Wednesday apologised for hitting a lady he was interviewing for his show. Mr Isah, who anchors Brekete family show on Human Rights radio, Abuja, was shown in a BBC documentary, which premiered May 17, slapping Susan John, who was accused of burning her little nieces hair. Ms John had labelled her niece a witch. Documentary: Below is the transcript of Mr Isahs apology, which he made in pidgin English on his show on Wednesday. I, Ordinary Ahmed Isah, the President and Founder of Brekete Family of Human Rights Radio and TV. The ordinary President dey tender my unreserved apology to everyone wey I don ever offend whether before this incident or during this incident. E get people wey dey see me as a colleague. E get people wey dey see me as a son. E get people wey dey see me as a friend. E get people wey dey see me as a father. E get people wey dey see me as somebody we dem dey look up to as a mentor. Please my regulators, everyone wey I don offend one way or the other, please, na human being I be. I am bound to make mistakes. Na the zeal inside of me and the passion wey dey push me. And as a human being, even computer dey malfunction sometimes. I get blood inside of me. Na him make may I dey emotional sometimes. I notice if I go emotional, una go see say if I realise am on time, I go apologize and try to correct the mistake wey I make. Please for those of una wey dey disappointed in me, please forgive me. For those people wey I don offend, find a place in your heart to forgive. I am only but a human being and this work wey I dey do, I know say some people go talk say who send you. Say government organizations we suppose stand for ordinary Nigerians no fit do their job, na him make I carry this load for my head. My family no dey enjoy me. My wife no dey enjoy me. People around me wey dey see the way I dey do this thing. I no even sabi the thing we be tiredness. I no know wetin be relaxation. I no know how to socialize. I no know wetin be vacation for my life because this thing wey I dey do na him complete me as a human being but I have a made mistake and I have made mistakes in the past. Please I am not proud of myself. I am not proud of wetin I do. Anywhere you dey. If you know say I don offend somebody wey you know and e no dey listen now, carry this message to the person whether he or she. May them forgive me as a human being I am bound to make mistakes. I no sure say e get any human being on Earth wey go talk say e never make mistake before. If people go criticize me for the mistakes wey I do, I dey beg una make una check the small good, God don use me do, make una use am forgive me for this one wey I do. And for Peter Nkana (Nkanga), BBC, Kaura and that Lebanese man that followed them make una put them for prayer and all the people like one man wey dey help one government organization wey supposed listen to Nigerians. Dem cry wey the organization don fail, e no dey work since when the former oga don comot, wey dey put fire. Nigerians make I prepare una mind. This one wey dem commot na Part 1 be that. They wan plan many things we dem one do to destroy their enemy. But dem no go succeed by the grace of God. Anything wey una see wey dem comot, part of my life, I dey apologize on behalf of the Brekete Family entirely, Human Rights radio and Brekete Family radio and TV, all the members of Brekete Family all over the world, I take the responsibility, I am ashamed of myself. It was very stupid of me, very foolish of me to have done what I did. I did it out of empathy and sympathy of this little girl. For una wey see the short video clip wey dem send, una don hear from the father, una don hear from the mother, una don hear from the neighbor we be say no be the same compound, another compound hear this pikin cry. ADVERTISEMENT Madam Susan John (the woman slapped), I call personally to apologise. I dont deserve any apology now. I am the one apologising. Abeg, make una help me. Pastor as she send you message to me, I wan beg you and other Nigerians make una help me go to her make una tell am say make she forgive me for the slap way I slap her. Na because she tie six years old girl for ground, tie her hand, tie her leg with weavon for the small pikin head. Come pour kerosene, throw the small pikin for ground, come light fire and matches on top of the girl and the way I imagine way I imagine say the small girl pass through na him make I slap am but I am very sorry. I am ready to stand before her for her to give me ten slaps in place of the one slap wey I slap her please. ADVERTISEMENT The Oyo State Judicial Panel of Inquiry into human rights violation committed by the police has ordered the states Hospitals Management Board to release the corpse of Kehinde Omotoso to his family for burial. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mr Omotoso, a trader, died in police custody on July 21, 2020 after he was arrested by police officers attached to Area Command in Iyaganku, Ibadan. He was said to have been arrested instead of his nephew for an alleged offence. The panel, which was set up in the aftermath of last years #EndSARS protests against police brutality, gave the order for the release of Mr Omotosos corpse after the defence counsel, Olokooba Jimoh, closed her case. The defence lawyer closed her case with the testimony of Shuaib Ibrahim, a police inspector, who was one of the police officers that arrested Mr Omotoso. Mr Ibrahim confirmed to the panel during cross-examination that nothing incriminating was found in the house of the deceased when it was searched. Order for release of corpse, recommendation to follow Toyese Owoade, counsel representing the family of the deceased, had earlier applied for an order for the release of the corpse to the family for burial. The panel, chaired by former Oyo State Chief Judge, Badejoko Adeniji, granted the request and ordered the hospital management board to release the corpse to the family. Corpse still in mortuary Mr Adeniji further said that the panel would make its recommendations on the matter later. The panel had earlier summoned Olawale Oladimeji, a doctor at the State General Hospital, to clarify issues on the location of the corpse and the condition of Mr Omotoso when he was brought to the hospital. Mr Oladimeji testified that Mr Omotoso was brought to the hospital dead on July 21, 2020 around 11:15a.m. by Shuaibu Ibrahim, a police sergeant of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Iyaganku, Ibadan. He said what the hospital did was to confirm him dead as there was no sign of life in him. He added that the corpse was then moved to the hospital morgue and kept there till date. NAN reports that the family of the deceased had lodged a complaint on the Flagit App of Akin Fadeyi Foundation immediately after his death. The foundation then contacted Afe Babalola chambers to take over the matter. (NAN) ADVERTISEMENT Armed bandits on Thursday killed the son of the Emir of Kontagora, Bashir Namaska, during a raid of the emirs farm in Kontagora Local Government Area of Niger State. Two other persons sustained injuries in the attack. The states police commissioner, Adamu Usman, confirmed the incident to the News Agency of Nigeria but did not disclose the name of the deceased prince. The prince was killed in the farm house of the farm located in Lioji village on the outskirt of Kontagora town. Sources said the gunmen also rustled cows and other livestock in the farm house. The deceased held the traditional title of Sardaunan Kontagara and had been overseeing the administration of the emirate council following the poor health condition of his father. He was certified dead by at a hospital in Kontagora. The police commissioner said the assassins bullet caught the deceased on his left arm and he died while being taken to the hospital. The two injured men are receiving treatment at Kontagora General Hospital, the police boss said. ADVERTISEMENT Nigeria on Thursday recorded 49 new cases of COVID-19 across seven states. The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) gave the update on Thursday evening on its official Twitter handle. The new figure, which is slightly higher than the 43 cases recorded on Wednesday, brings the total number of infections in the country to 165,901. The agency said the new cases were recorded in six states with Lagos leading the chart with 21 cases. No fatality was also recorded from the disease on Thursday according to the NCDC. This implies that the country has only reported six deaths in the past 45 days. This ,according to experts, is a huge improvement for the country, especially when compared with the past experiences where an average of 70 fatalities was recorded per week. Nigerias last fatality case was recorded on Monday. But health officials and professionals are still keen on maintaining safety protocols, warning Nigerians against letting down the guard. Specifics Meanwhile, NCDC said the 49 new cases recorded on Thursday were reported in six states. Lagos topped the statistics chart with 21 cases while Rivers took a share of 16. The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) recorded five; Kano reported three, Akwa Ibom- two, while both Ebonyi and Ekiti reported one case each. Nigeria, a country of roughly 200 million people, has conducted about 2 million tests. Nigeria has so far vaccinated 1,842,437 citizens with the Oxford vaccines. ADVERTISEMENT The Federal Government has identified Kwara and Plateau as the states with the highest population who engage in open defecation. One of its officials also said Nigeria still has the highest number of persons defecating openly. The Director, Water Quality Control and Sanitation, Ministry of Water Resources, Emmanuel Awe, disclosed this at the 2021 First Quarter Lunch Time Seminar for Media Executives in Abuja. He called for concerted efforts from all Nigerians to do more towards ending open defecation practice. Mr Awe said the ministry has inaugurated 77,400 youth volunteers to act as hygiene ambassadors towards scaling up sanitation and hygiene in the country. He said that the data was obtained from the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene National Outcome Routine Mapping Survey (WASH-NORM), launched in 2018 to fill the chronic gaps in monitoring and routine assessment of the status of the WASH services in Nigeria. According to him, Nigeria still has the highest number of persons defecating openly, saying no fewer than N455 billion was lost annually to poor sanitation. Mr Awe said that if the country could invest more in sanitation infrastructure, there would be sustainable ways of safe disposal of wastes, business opportunities and improved productivity for all. He said that the impact of poor sanitation was seen in underdevelopment of children, loss of manpower, low socioeconomic development, among others. The director identified open defecation as a major contributor to rising cases of kidnapping and sexual violence, noting that this could occur as a result of searching for convenient places to answer the call of nature. READ ALSO: Minister Open defecation contributes to rape and kidnapping cases that we hear about lately, we want everyone to take ownership of building and using their toilets at all times. The Director, Water Supply with the ministry, Benson Ajisegiri, said the ministry was working to improve access to potable water through the Partnership for Expanded Water Sanitation and Hygiene (PEWASH) programme. This, he noted, would see how to improve capacity, repair broken down schemes, saying strengthening sector infrastructure was critical to changing the poor narrative of state water agencies. Mr Ajisegiri added that through the PEWASH interventions, 25 states have declared a state of emergency in the water and sanitation sector, adding that this has seen more commitment towards improving access to potable water in the country. (NAN) Adeshina Ogunlana, one of the lawyers to the embattled Yoruba actor, Olanrewaju Omiyinka, popularly called Baba Ijesha, has accused the Lagos police of trying to extort his client before granting him bail. Mr Ogunlana, who said this in a Facebook video on Thursday, also lamented the fact that Baba Ijesha is yet to be released despite fulfilling the bail conditions. He said the bail conditions include two sureties with one being Baba Ijeshas relative and an N500,000 bond. I was there on Tuesday and met a hostile senior police officer. I had an interesting interface with her. She led me to where Baba Ijesha was and he looked depressed and almost lifeless. He was just nodding his head and the senior police officer attacked me for saying that he is lean. I said it was what I saw. She said that I have to work with a particular lawyer. And I queried that. I cannot plead for our clients rights. They termed that confrontational. I asked Ijesha where are your people? He said his phone was with the senior officer and he could not reach them. I demanded to see the phone, and another drama began. She insisted that a particular lawyer must represent Baba Ijesha. The lawyer also said the policewoman denied him access to anything and this prompted him to leave the station at 1 p.m. Discrepancies Upon returning to the police station, Mr Ogunlana claimed the police said the bail bond needs to be paid and they had to check Baba Ijeshas phone to know the amount of money he has. He added that the Baba Ijeshas sureties were ready but the police insisted that bond had to be paid. I told them this is a bail bond and not a physical payment. I challenged the police to refute this. How can you be monetising bail? A burden that the magistrate has not imposed. Dont give the judiciary a bad name. There was no demand for money by the magistrate. She never ordered that money should be paid. Factions Mr Ogunlana also mentioned that the beef (disagreement) between himself and other lawyers representing the actor also contributed to their inability to secure his freedom. Baba Ijesha has two sets of lawyers. The first set is the conservative group and the other one is led by me we are radical and confrontational, he added. They said that our crusade is too strong for them and it is antagonising the police. They said the police have been cooperating since we came into the matter. I dont know why they will say the police are cooperating despite keeping him in detention for up to a month. I had spoken with the colleague that the senior police officer preferred to handle the case. While we were speaking, the issue of someone planning to steal their glory came in. I wondered which glory is being stolen. Bail bond Speaking with PREMIUM TIMES on Friday, Mr Ogunlana said the N500,000 bail bond ought to be paid only if the suspect, Baba Ijesha, absconds. You dont pay for bail. If you sign for a person and the person has been granted bail to the monetary consideration, you will sign as a surety undertaking that if the person (suspect) should abscond you will pay so much (N500,000). It is mere bail, you dont pay the sum of the bail until the person absconds. This is elementary knowledge, he said. Police reacts Reacting to the allegations, the Lagos police spokesman, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, told this newspaper, Anybody making that allegation is mysterious. Baba Ijesha is yet to meet any of his bail conditions and besides the money is for the Lagos government, not the police. ADVERTISEMENT Baba Ijesha has been in the eye of the storm since April 22, when he was arrested on allegations of rape involving a minor and has been in police custody for the alleged offence. PREMIUM TIMES reported how Baba Ijesha was granted bail by Chief Magistrate Oluwatoyin Oghre on Monday evening on health grounds but the team was yet to perfect the bail conditions at the time. ADVERTISEMENT The Executive Director of the Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA), Ayisha Osori, says early education is a potent tool in tackling growing misinformation and disinformation in Nigeria. Ms Osori, while giving opening remarks at the Kwame Karikari Fact-Checking and Research Fellowship, said building a questioning attitude in children would imbue in them a culture of seeking truth from early life. The fellowship, now in its third year, is a brainchild of West Africas verification and fact-checking platform, Dubawa, under the auspices of the Premium Times Centre for Investigative Journalism (PTCIJ). The lawyer cum communication strategist also said inculcating fact-checking into schools curriculum would help children discern the rudiments of truth and spur them to verify every information they come across. All these things are things that only a sound education can work against and that is part of the reason why you are here., she said addressing the fellows. Child education to help them discern, to ask the question that you as adults would be asking yourself, is this true, is this correct? Can I verify it, does it make sense. She said the fellowship is part of the overall education solution to tackling the menace of information disorder. You are undertaking one of the most crucial tasks in the world today. Am I talking about the COVID-19? Well not that pandemic, but you all will be dealing with a different kind of pandemic with similar powers to destabilise us. We are talking about the weaponisation of information and the ascendancy of doubt which can only be managed with rigorous fact-checking. She further tasked the fellows on accurate fact-checking to sustain democracy which she noted is currently in the middle of a wave of misinformation and disinformation. Misinformation has become one of the preferred instruments for discrediting the institutions of democracy, influencing the behaviour of voters, exploiting diversity and insecurities and creating disunity. As democracy progresses across the globe right now we are definitely in the middle of a wave where the wave is going down, and of course, we know its going to go up but while it is down, we have to do anything we can do. The Dubawa 2021 fellowship now christened Kwame Karikari Fact-Checking and Research Fellowship in honour of Ghanaian Professor, Kwame Karikari, is the third with its first in 2019. This years fellowship has 26 fellows inducted with the aim of combating misinformation in the sub-region. Participants were drawn from Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone, The Gambia and Liberia. ADVERTISEMENT The United States has said it will not give the Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) the $7 million bounty it earlier placed on the late leader of Boko Haram, Abubakar Shekau. PREMIUM TIMES on Thursday published a report by Humangle indicting that Mr Shekau had died in his hideout in Sambisa forest. According to the news platform, the incident occurred on Wednesday evening following the invasion of the terror groups stronghold in the Sambisa forest area by a column of Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters. ISWAP, which had broken away from the Shekau-led Boko Haram faction in 2016 after pledging allegiance to the Islamic State (ISIS), raided the groups hideout using multiple gun trucks. Mr Shekaus fighters were also said to have been killed in the process, followed by a gunfire exchange between the invading group and his bodyguards. $7 million bounty The United States Government had in 2020 placed a $7 million (N2.5 billion) bounty for information that leads to the arrest of Mr Shekau. The U.S. made the announcement via a tweet by the U.S Department of Rewards for Justice Programme. The United States Department of State is offering a reward of up to $7 million for information leading to the arrest of the terrorist Abubakar Shekau, boss of #BokoHaram. The U.S. State Department, while reacting to the death of the terrorist on Friday, said the bounty was not meant for a group under ISIS. News reports today indicate that Boko Haram terrorist Abubakar Shekau blew himself up in a confrontation with ISIS affiliates. Hey, ISIS guys. To clarify: no you are not eligible for the reward for information on his identity or location. Thats not how the program works, the US State Department for justice tweeted. Mr Shekau took over the leadership of the deadly Boko Haram group in 2010 following the killing of Mohammed Yusuf, its former leader. He garnered public attention in 2014 globally following the abduction of over 300 female school children from a school in Chibok, Borno State. The development later generated a social media outburst campaign across the world with the hashtag #BringBackOurGirls among celebrities, activists and former US first lady Michelle Obama. In June 2012, the United States Department of State designated Mr Shekau as a terrorist and offered a reward of up to $7 million (4.6m) for information about his location. On June 21, 2012, the country designated Mr Shekau a specially designated global terrorist under executive order 13224. The Boko Haram group kicked off as a religious institution and a critic of the affairs of the government. In 2014, it regenerated to neighbouring Chad basin countries in Niger, Cameroon and Chad. It has caused the death of over 35,000 persons in the ongoing crises in Adamawa, Borno, and Yobe states and other parts of Nigeria since the beginning of the conflict in 2009, according to the UN. The Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, on Tuesday, presented brand new SUVs to 25 first-class traditional rulers in the state, valued at over N800 million, if purchased directly from the manufacturer. This expenditure is despite the fact that local government workers in Nasarawa are being paid modulated salaries and some state workers are owed for two months. Workers ,who spoke with PREMIUM TIMES, described the project as a misplaced priority but the state government said it was initiated by the local governments. The state government also refused to say how much was spent to acquire the vehicles and the source of the fund. Exotic vehicles Mr Sule presented the 25 brand new Lexus SUVs to first class traditional rulers in the state to mark his second anniversary in office. Presenting the keys of the vehicles to the royal fathers at the Government House in Lafia, the governor said the vehicles are to ease the discharge of their responsibilities, considering the vital role the royal fathers are playing in the maintainance and sustenance of security in the state. In his speech on the occasion, the Chairman of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON) in Nasarawa, Muazu Aminu, said the project, which enjoyed the express approval of the state government, was conceived by relevant stakeholders, including the local council chairmen and the ministry of local government development and chieftaincy affairs. This was an issue that started long term ago almost a year. It was initiated and put together by the various stakeholders in the state that is the commissioner and other bureaucrats in the ministry of local government development and chieftaincy affairs and the 13 local government Council chairmen. When this issue was agreed by all of us, we took it under the honourable commissioner to His Excellency and His Excellency expressly gave his note and blessings. It might interest all of us to know that His Excellency never interfered in the process for the procurement of these vehicles. He specifically mentioned it that there was no interest and luckily all of us followed the clue and the result is here for all of us to see, Mr Aminu said. All government officials, who spoke at the event, including the governor, were silent on the source of the money used to procure the vehicles. Nevertheless, Governor Sule promised that the next batch of cars will be distributed to the second class and third class traditional rulers. Now, it goes back to other traditional rulers, the second class and the third class, we are going in that line. God is with us. We are trying as much as possible to ensure that this is the first hurdle, the next hurdle is going to be our second class and third class traditional rulers to get their own, he assured. Cost of vehicles? Keep guessing Governor On the cost of the vehicles, Mr Sule said they got the best deals, noting that he was not going to mention the amount spent on each. Keep guessing, he told the audience, who cheered with another round of applause. But checks by this newspaper showed that each of the Lexus LX 570 2020 model would cost nothing less than $86, 380 (excluding the shipping costs), if purchased directly from the manufacturing company, Lexus. Using the N412/1 dollar exchange rate, each would cost N35,588,560, which implies that the 25 will be purchased for N889,714,000 million. ADVERTISEMENT When confronted with this estimate, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Ibrahim Adra, disputed the figures, saying the cars are not brand new ones. He, however, kept mum when our reporter showed him pictures of the vehicles with leather coverings in the interior. Mr Adra later redirected our reporter to the ALGON Chairman, Mr Aminu, who declined comments when contacted. Good evening, please kindly direct your inquiries to the appropriate quarters, Mr Aminu wrote via text. Misplaced priority Several workers who spoke with this newspaper who did not want their names mentioned berated the decision of the state government, accusing it of neglecting the welfare of civil servants. Two workers in Keana local government area of the state told PREMIUM TIMES that they got only a little above 70 per cent of their salaries last month while the government is still owing them for two months. In December (2020) some people received salaries while some of us are yet to get ours, one of the workers said. According to him, no one knows whether the fault is from the local government area or the state government. Instead of paying salaries, they are buying cars for traditional rulers. In this period? God will judge them, another worker said. Also, a lecturer at the Nasarawa State University, said he is still owed two months salary. They dont pay salaries regularly, the don told our correspondent. Last May, local government workers in Nasarawa embarked on a seven-day warning strike in protest of the inconsistency in salary payment. Reacting to this, Mr Adra said the governor gave the local government authorities autonomy and cannot answer for the chairmen on salary payment. Regarding the state of salary payment in Nasarawa State University, the governors spokesperson declined comments. The ALGON chairman also did not respond to enquiries sent by PREMIUM TIMES. Commenting on the recent development, a civil rights crusader, Obadiah Adei, accused the Governor Sule-led government of gross unfaithfulness. The recent purchase of SUVs Lexus cars to traditional rulers in NASARAWA STATE by this same man who said there is no money in the state appears worrisome and another explicit proof that Sule is helpless and clueless. On the issue bothering the citizens of the state, a gesture he tagged as EXCEED EXPECTATIONS of NASARAWA STATE citizens , it is NOT only condemnable but insultingly inconsequential, demeaning, devaluing, denigrate and places Nasarawa state with at the disadvantaged. This move by the Governor and the lame duck Speaker to defraud the local government workers using their unpaid salaries to campaign for his re-election is facing a stringent disapproval of the majority of the citizens and I hope the governor will realise the plight of the masses and address the issue swiftly. Another activist in the state, Jato Ashwe, said the decision of the state government was detrimental to the poor Nasarawa indigenes. In the midst of economic hardship, my governor is sharing cars worth millions of naira to the already enriched traditional rulers. Its high time we stopped impressing the rich class at the detriment of the poor Nasarawa state indigenes, its unfair your excellency. This is a misplacement of priority. Voice of posterity! ADVERTISEMENT Some residents of Maiduguri, Borno State have expressed delight over media reports on the death of a Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau. A cross-section of residents who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday said they were excited with the news and prayed it was true. I am happy like others in Borno about this news and pray its real. I also pray that the development will serve as a major breakthrough that will facilitate the end of this crisis, a member of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), who simply identified himself as Lawan, said. A student, Sadiq Ibrahim, said the news signified that something positive was about to happen for the people who had been praying for an end to the insurgency. We have been praying over the years and even observed special prayers during the just-concluded Ramadan for divine intervention and it seems God has answered our prayers, Ibrahim said. Bala Musa, a driver, said that the news was a big relief to the public who yearned for an end to the insurgency. People are happy about this development and we hope its true. If you observe, wherever you see a group of excited people discussing when the news broke out, the issue of discussion by such groups is Shekaus death. We hope our security forces will seize this opportunity of the conflict among the insurgents, to further degrade them, Musa said. (NAN) The company is looking at producing Hydrogen at multiple plants across Australia and we expect to supply to many parts of Australia. Pure Hydrogen (ASX:PH2) is focused on providing the best energy solutions for Hydrogen and Clean Energy. Pure Hydrogen signs MOU for hydrogen refuelling hubs in Australia Pure Hydrogen Corporation Ltd (ASX:PH2) (OTCMKTS:STRXF) has signed an MOU with leading Australian hydrogen focused company H2H Energy Pty Limited, which has agreed to supply and maintain refuelling outlets on a number of the company's proposed sites. The H2H Energy team has supported the delivery of multiple hydrogen refuelling stations throughout Australia, New Zealand and further abroad and the services provided include design, construction, installation and sustainment. Among the refuelling solutions is H2H Energy's Gateway RefuellerTM, a Queensland designed and manufactured, low-cost, short lead-time, mobile hydrogen refueller with both 350 and 700 bar refuelling capability and 18 months of field-proven performance. Developing hydrogen refuelling hubs Pure Hydrogen is planning to develop hydrogen refuelling hubs on the East Coast of Australia to supply local customers with hydrogen fuel at the required pressure of 35 or 70 MPa. These sites will be used to refuel motor vehicles (especially trucks) powered by hydrogen gas. H2H's refuelling stations are expected to be supplied to Pure Hydrogen when the first refuelling station is planned to start operation within 18 months. This also marks a step closer to the rollout of hydrogen gas as a clean and sustainable alternative to petroleum and diesel in the country and the development of a larger hydrogen network across Australia. Nigeria needs a Developmental Labour Movement that will advocate for a progressive development agenda. With a developmental state and a developmental Labour movement, Nigeria can smoothly cross into the 21st Century, while engaging in negotiations that are based on well researched positions and using modern tools. It has been a while since the Nigerian labour movement, particularly the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), bared its fangs (some say broken teeth). Many have given up on the Congress as a bunch of self-serving labour aristocrats making hay while the sun shines. This view is not unconnected to the fact that during the several rounds of oil price increases, the NLC was loud in its silence. Suddenly, the NLC has come out firing on all cylinders. They have selected Kaduna State, with a governor that the Nigerian public loves to hate, and at a time when the State is under siege. The impression is that the NLC thinks that Governor Nasir El-Rufai is at his weakest and vulnerable for the kill. For me, this is wrong targeting and wrong timing. Wrong targeting and timing because all eyes and the national attention is on Kaduna State, which has been specifically targeted by bandits and kidnappers for destruction, just because Governor El-Rufai is standing his ground not to pay ransom for those kidnapped. Ordinarily, Labour should have been sympathetic towards the State and side with the governor to end the siege before pushing its demands. To dive into the storm in a move that seemingly provides the urban side to the rural banditry and targeted kidnapping going on, shows wrong thinking by the NLC leadership. Governor El-Rufai is therefore justified to categorise the NLC as a terrorist organisation that should be treated just like the other nefarious groups. How will those whose children or loved ones are in the hands of kidnappers think of the NLC action? How will communities that have been at the mercy of the bandits relate to this effort of Labour to further weaken the Kaduna State government and distract it from pursuing bandits and tracking kidnappers? The Kaduna State governor is indeed not an easy person to do business with, particularly when issues of state management are concerned. Although an Accidental Public Servant, the governor seems to have a rule book printed on stone that guides what he seeks to do in the State. Love him or hate him, El-Rufai has significantly departed from the lackadaisical attitude of other governors who want to make omelette without breaking eggs. He is courageous in taking action that he believes will be beneficial to the State and its people. His determination has placed Kaduna on the map of States that are attracting massive capital investments and turning things around. His administration has made massive investment in education and health, respectively allocating 30 per cent and 16 per cent of Kaduna States annual budget respectively to these sectors. Some may say, at what cost? I say at a cost that is relatively less, if we push these changes to the future. And if the government is to lay a firm developmental foundation for future generations, these steps are necessary to be negotiated now. A key point being made by the administration in Kaduna State is that governments in Nigeria, like elsewhere, must rejig their priorities to reflect global realities. The world has significantly changed and the new global economy demands a different structure of governance at the sub-national, national and global levels. The present global system requires small, quick, innovative and smart governments that are able to move quickly and respond to the myriad of problems and pandemics that the world faces in this age in a surefooted manner. This is because all other actors are adopting this mode, including terrorists, criminal gangs and even the civil society. It looks to me that all levels of government in Nigeria will either reform or crash and thus throw Nigeria into anarchy. The World Bank published a book a decade ago written by Moises Naim titled The End of Power. In this book, the author clearly shows that we are living in a different world, in which governments, big armies and big corporations are shrinking, while non-state actors are mushrooming. Governments across the globe, including that of Kaduna State, must either reform to acquire the 21st Century attributes or become victims of circumstances. What the NLC is doing is protecting this ancient regime and blocking Nigeria from transiting into the 21st Century, with a public service that has the capacity to efficiently deliver services to the majority of Nigerians, and one that can create conditions for the structural transformation of the economy, which will result in increased investments and the creation of jobs for millions of people. Nigeria today is struggling to voyage into the 21st Century with an ancient governance structure weighed down particularly by the deadweight of a dysfunctional public service that does not deliver any goods, is corrupt and anti-development, and one that is consuming most of the revenue of governments at all levels. This is not sustainable now and in the future. El-Rufai, therefore, correctly says we cannot continue deceiving ourselves that we can move Nigeria into prosperity with this ancient system, whereby public servants have acquired such a high sense of entitlement, have a very low productivity rate and are opposed to changes that will lead to the development of the country. What the NLC is doing is protecting this ancient regime and blocking Nigeria from transiting into the 21st Century, with a public service that has the capacity to efficiently deliver services to the majority of Nigerians, and one that can create conditions for the structural transformation of the economy, which will result in increased investments and the creation of jobs for millions of people. The NLC did the same when the El-Rufais administration sacked about 20,000 teachers who failed an examination meant for Primary Four pupils. In turn, the government hired 25,000 qualified teachers into its public schools. At that time, the NLC leadership should have been asked how many of them have their children in public schools. Most labour leaders have their children in private primary schools. This is because they do not trust the quality of teachers in public schools. Yet, they still opposed the Kaduna State government for taking action that will provide quality education for pupils in the State. The 21st Century public service requires skills in ICT literacy and public sector workers must be proficient in multiple languages; they must multi-task and have the ability to work without supervision. These are issues that should be of interest, not only to governments but also to trade unions. As one who worked in the ranks of the NLC some decades ago, the organisation has degenerated after the leadership of Ali Chiroma, when we had a developmental Labour movement that engaged government, not only through strikes but intellectually. NLC then responded to changes in the global economy by producing position policy papers that outlined how reforms could take place with minimised hardship to workers and the poor masses. The NLC then made its policy papers public, forcing the government to respond, while equally enabling the public to judge for themselves. During this period, the unions under the leadership of the NLC had the capacity to put alternative policy and development agenda on the table. On the strengths of its alternative development framework, the NLC would go into negotiations with governments on how to ensure reforms that will result in the development of the country, and be beneficial to not only workers but the majority of the Nigerian people. Because of this capacity, the NLC, in particular, and trade unions, in general, extracted concessions that were beneficial to their members and the average Nigerian. That was how the NLC managed the transitions necessitated by the Structural Adjustment Programme and the commercialisation of certain governmental functions. However, NLC under the Adams Oshiomhole leadership, with his pseudo-progressive stance, turned into an organisation, not of workers but of labour leaders who were multi-millionaires, if not billionaires. Ordinary workers are unhappy about what their federation has turned into. To quieten workers, labour leaders often have to pay them before they participate in May Day rallies, demonstrations or strikes. With a leadership so spoilt and focused on self-aggrandisement, is it any surprise that they no longer fight for the Nigerian people, but narrowly for themselves and abstract workers issues One would have thought that now that the NLC is heavily resourced, and only recently had a professor as its General Secretary, it would acquire the status of a well-organised 21st Century platform for workers to think strategically and engage governments and employers, using 21st century instruments. But no, the current leadership of the Congress has adopted the same ancient approach, with no clear comprehensive development vision for its members and the country. It is clear that the Nigerian public service must change, whether we like it or not. It is the law of nature. This change is not going to be easy, as such trade unions must muster the ability and capacity to constructively engage, so that the hardships of transiting to the new economy and governance are not borne by workers alone. While the Kaduna State government can afford some tough talking, the NLC cannot because as a platform of workers, its actions have to be more measured and collaborative, ensuring the best outcomes for its members and the poor masses of Kaduna State. It must focus on dialogue with the State government and wherever workers are facing challenges. At all times, NLC must focus on the greater collective good, and not that of its members alone. It must think of how the country can manage its resources more efficiently, so as to create decent jobs for Nigerians. This will, in the medium to long run, benefit the NLC, as it will increase the size of its members. In effect, NLC should engage governments across the country, including that of Kaduna State, in a manner that will result in a win-win situation, but not as a zero-sum game. It is clear that the Nigerian public service must change, whether we like it or not. It is the law of nature. This change is not going to be easy, as such trade unions must muster the ability and capacity to constructively engage, so that the hardships of transiting to the new economy and governance are not borne by workers alone. The NLC must constructively engage the Kaduna State government on the current issues that led to the current strike action. The issues should be addressed on their merits, and not by emotions. The NLC must, among other things, come up with proposals on how the State can increase its revenue base, and how it will work with the government to achieve this. And it must also address the issue of certain categories of workers, such as clerks, secretaries and typists, whose positions are shaky in a 21st century public service. Ultimately, the NLC should focus on engaging the Kaduna State Government and other State governments on how to manage public resources in a way that will lead to job creation and other aspects of development. My friend, Dr. Omano Edigheji, has just published a book on the developmental state titled, Nigeria: Democracy Without Development: How to Fix it, arguing for Nigeria to evolve a developmental state. I think we must extend this to Labour. Nigeria needs a Developmental Labour Movement that will advocate for a progressive development agenda. With a developmental state and a developmental Labour movement, Nigeria can smoothly cross into the 21st Century, while engaging in negotiations that are based on well researched positions and using modern tools. Chom Bagu is a former Assistant General Secretary of the NLC. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Leadership is about reading the tea leaves and acting proactively for the maintenance of the system. There are consequences for not acting, as and when due. The consequences are not in our collective interest. Oga President, listen to Nigerians. The big news this week is the reported death of Abubakar Shekau in the hands of the ISWAP faction of Boko Haram. This time, Nigerians appear to believe he has really been killed because the information did not come from the army. Previously, the army had reported numerous times that they had killed Shekau only for him to later appear on video to mock them. Their efforts to eliminate him since 2009 failed because his hideout in Sambisa forest is impregnable to the Nigerian Army. However, the ISWAP forces, which set out with armoured vehicles and mounted guns, drove in a column from the shores of Lake Chad straight to his headquarters and eliminated him. Is Sambisa forest ungoverned territory to Nigerias armed forces alone? There are reports that the bombardment of ISWAP locations by the Air Force has made life difficult for them, pushing them to seek to takeover Sambisa forest, which has more cover; so our armed forces played a role in what ultimately happened to Shekau. Nonetheless, I would have preferred that he was captured by our troops, as there is no joy in another faction of terrorists becoming stronger. Significant parts of rural Nigeria have become ungoverned due to the activities of well-armed terrorists, bandits and kidnappers, who are on rampage against the people, the police and even the army. Educating our children has become a major challenge as students of secondary and tertiary levels of education have become the major victims of kidnappers. Some of the schools, which have witnessed attacks in the past few months, include Government Science College, Kagara in Niger State; Government Girls Secondary School, Jangebe in Zamfara State; Federal College of Forestry Mechanisation and Greenfield University, both in Kaduna State; and recently, Abia State University. For years, the attitude of the Presidency was that they would crush the terrorists and bandits. The president has repeatedly told Nigerians that he had directed service chiefs to devise new strategies that will end the attacks by the insurgents, bandits, kidnappers and other criminals and return life to normal. He has said it so many times that he certainly appears to talk as a broken record. More recently, however, he also appears to have lost hope. Following the release of 27 students abducted from the Federal College of Forestry Mechanisation, Afaka in early May, the president appealed to the bandits to release the others kidnapped: The President appeals for the release of the students of the Greenfield University and all other citizens held in captivity, expressing the strong determination of his administration to ensure that Nigerians live in a country where everyone can move where they want, when they want without the fear of kidnapping and banditry. Why would hardened criminals making millions daily from their dastardly activities listen to an appeal? They are getting away with murder, rape, arson and sequestration of citizens. The Senate President and the Minister of Justice both stepped into the fray, condemning all those who are making demands for national dialogue and restructuring. They appear to believe that the concerns of the people can be dismissed and nothing would happen. They are wrong. Concerned by the drift towards anarchy, the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) raised the alarm that Nigeria was becoming ungovernable, partly because the president was unwilling to listen to advice on charting a way forward. They demanded that: President Muhammadu Buhari directly speaks to Nigerians on the crisis of insecurity, rather than speak through his spokespersons; The President convenes a national conference geared towards implementing restructuring and devolution of power. These demands were repeated subsequently by the Southern Governors Forum and many others. Rather than respond, the President went off to France to beg for more money to govern. The Senate President and the Minister of Justice both stepped into the fray, condemning all those who are making demands for national dialogue and restructuring. They appear to believe that the concerns of the people can be dismissed and nothing would happen. They are wrong. As the Bishops said: It must be clearly stated to the Federal Government that if they continue to ignore the constructive criticisms and recommendations of Nigerians from every sector, the country will collapse and become ungovernable. It is already happening. The Nigerian Army cannot go into Sambisa but ISWAP can. Police stations are being burnt and their personnel killed all over the South-East and South-South. When the police go into hiding, so that armed civilians wont kill them, then we are in deep trouble. The Inspector General of Police has just announced an operation to retake control of the South-East from the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and the Eastern Security Network (ESN). The need for retaking the zone is an indication that they have lost it. Some APC governors were in Calabar yesterday to beat the drums and celebrate the defection of Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). They are completely focused on manoeuvres to retain power in 2023. They are not aware of the fire on the mountain. Some APC governors were in Calabar yesterday to beat the drums and celebrate the defection of Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). They are completely focused on manoeuvres to retain power in 2023. They are not aware of the fire on the mountain. While they were dancing, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) reminded the country this week that there has been a spate of arson and vandalisation targeting the Commissions facilities and property that has become profoundly worrisome. He announced that in the last three weeks alone, three INEC local government offices in Essien Udim in Akwa Ibom State, Ohafia in Abia State and Udenu in Enugu State have been set ablaze by unidentified persons. On Sunday, May 16, 2021, the INEC State office in Enugu suffered yet another arson and vandalisation, in which parts of the building were ransacked and several vehicles razed. This past Tuesday, May 18, 2021, two more INEC offices in Ebonyi and Ezza North Local Government Areas of Ebonyi State were burnt down, alongside materials including, ballot boxes, voting cubicles, generating sets and office furniture and equipment. According to the INEC Chairman: Surely, these attacks are no longer freak events but appear to be quite orchestrated and targeted at INEC. Clearly, these are acts of unjustifiable aggression which may undermine the Commissions capacity to organise elections and dent the nations electoral process. The facilities of the Commission are there to serve the local communities for the most fundamental aspect of democratic governance, which is elections. Therefore, targeting such important national assets and repositories of electoral materials that took time and enormous resources to procure cannot be justified. There are clearly signs to indicate that if these targeted attacks continue, elections may not hold and our democracy would be in jeopardy. Leadership is about reading the tea leaves and acting proactively for the maintenance of the system. There are consequences for not acting, as and when due. The consequences are not in our collective interest. Oga President, listen to Nigerians. A professor of Political Science and development consultant/expert, Jibrin Ibrahim is a Senior Fellow of the Centre for Democracy and Development, and Chair of the Editorial Board of PREMIUM TIMES. On paper, Nigeria is a republic consisting of individual federating units. In practice, however, what obtains is a highly centralised system where the Force reports directly to the President. The governors, though constitutionally the Chief Security Officers of their States, have no control over the Police; the case of Generals without armies. There is no worse time than now to be a police officer in Nigeria. With the wave of quotidian insurrections visited on the officers and men, especially in the South-East and South-South regions of the country, the members of Force could officially be counted among the endangered species of this world. Police officers today have been granted permission to show up to duty in street clothes, acting more like secret agents in the shadowy world of espionage. Once upon a time, it used to be that the mere presence of an officer in uniform was in and of itself considered a deterrent to crime. How things have changed and the hunters have now become the hunted. Though many in our communities are terrified to death about the prospect of what is to come when the Force is completely decimated, a good number of people see the attacks as a case of sowing the wind and reaping the whirlwind. In my last opinion piece titled: Insecurity in the Southeast: Between Scylla and Charybdis, published on May 7, I attempted to explain the reason why Nigerians, especially those from the South-East and South-South geopolitical zones, see the police more like a force of occupation. They perceive the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) as a tribal establishment whose stock-in-trade is to extort money from innocent citizens, while providing cover for armed bandits and killer herdsmen. A good percentage of the public is highly distrustful of officers and do not believe they are genuinely committed to fighting crime. Maybe a little history might be helpful here. The initial effort in colonial Nigeria to establish a police force was by a representative of the British Crown simply known as Consul Foote. He wanted a consular guard started in Lagos but the request was turned down by her Majestys government for economic reasons. It was not until April 1861 that the then acting governor of the Lagos colony, McCaskey established a constabulary of 30 men, which became the origin of modern policing in Nigeria. The personnel of the McCaskeys constabulary, however, were mainly freed Hausa slaves from Sierra Leone. This was intentional since the British figured that deploying armed Hausa police men in a predominantly Yoruba city would send the message of coercion to the conquered territory. In order words, the colonialist used the police as a tool to bully the people into submission. Unfortunately, since independence and even after the Nigerian-Biafran war, this has become the favoured model adopted by successive Nigerian governments, civilian and military. Even as I write this piece, of all the five State Commissioners of Police in South-East Nigeria, none is Igbo. The practice of policing with outsiders has never been successful, even in other climes. Part of the reason behind the constant tension between the Police and black America arises from the fact that black communities are mostly policed by white officers who, in many cases, have little or no interest in the growth and well being of the communities they are meant to serve. In an inquiry following the fatal shooting of Michael brown Jr, an 18-year old blackman in Ferguson, Missouri, by a white Police officer, Darren Wilson, the U.S. Justice Department found racially discriminatory practices involved, which severely undermine public trust in the Police. These practices, the ensuing report revealed, were not instituted for public safety, but as a way of generating revenue. State policing in a federation permits, to a large extent, regional self-operations. For a state police officer, its easy to connect with the community with whom s/he serves. Being that s/he is likely from the area, s/he will share things in common, such as language and culture, making it easy to earn public trust, which is vital to creating an ecosystem where citizens become willing partners in fighting crime. On paper, Nigeria is a republic consisting of individual federating units. In practice, however, what obtains is a highly centralised system where the Force reports directly to the President. The governors, though constitutionally the Chief Security Officers of their States, have no control over the Police; the case of Generals without armies. The current arrangement has the hands of the governors tied and unable to tackle crime, while the Federal Government of Nigeria is busy manipulating the activities of the Force for its own gains. The 1999 Constitution contains 68 Items under the Exclusive Legislative List. Unlike the Concurrent list, where powers are shared jointly between the federal and state governments, only Abuja can legislate on the subjects on the Exclusive List. Interference by the State in matters on that List is therefore viewed as unconstitutional and could be declared as null and void. Listed as number 45 on the Exclusive List is Police and other government security services established by law. On Thursday, September 17, 2020, President Buhari signed what was called a harmonised Nigeria Police Force Establishment Bill into law. The goal for doing this, as stated by the government, was to rejig the erstwhile Police Act of 2004, in order to make the Force more efficient, effective, accountable and transparent. It also emphasised the building of a partnership between the police and the communities it serves. As laudable as that sounds, the truth is that the 2020 Police bill is simply more of the same. Its like the current built on quicksand effort to amend the deeply flawed 1999 constitution. The house of Police does not need a make-over; it needs to be completely re-built. Although Nigerias democracy is modeled after the American presidential system, there is no national police force in America. Policing is organised at the local and state levels. There are the city police services that deal with schools and traffics. Others are the county police, transport police, sheriffs departments, state police, also called state troopers, etc. State policing in a federation permits, to a large extent, regional self-operations. For a state police officer, its easy to connect with the community with whom s/he serves. Being that s/he is likely from the area, s/he will share things in common, such as language and culture, making it easy to earn public trust, which is vital to creating an ecosystem where citizens become willing partners in fighting crime. A cop who was born and raised in one community is likely to show more interest and commitment to the growth and well being of that community. Early last year, former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu introduced the State Police Bill for consideration on the floor of the eighth Senate. Details of the proposed legislation sought to restructure the existing federal police and at same time allow an independent state police, in which the governors would be empowered to appoint commissioners of police in their respective states. The Senate voted in favour of the bill, which even passed a second reading. Granted that one is neither a lawyer nor a policy wonk, it does appear that some of the provisions of the Bill are a tad complicated and may not have convincingly addressed the current issues plaguing the Force. For example, it advocated multiple policing under the control of both the state and federal governments. Although one may point to America as one country where such multiple systems are implemented, we also have to observe that in that system, policing is entirely a function of the states and local governments, and not under the control of the United States government. Its doubtful that our democracy has evolved to the point of successfully dealing with all the legal entanglements that might come with operating multiple police forces. This is a country where everyone waltzes around with an over-sized ego and a tendency to usurp every authority there is. Truth is, nothing works in Nigeria, not because of inadequate legislation, but because the laws exist only in the breach. One can argue that all the ills that bedeviled local and regional policing in the First Republic obtain in the current centralised arrangement, if not more. There are way too many vested interests working daily and overtime to game the system. Another area of concern is the proposed role of the National Police Service Commission. The bill has this to say: Supervising the activities of the Federal Police and State Police to the extent provided for in this constitution or by an Act of the National Assembly. Such provision would work against the autonomy required of a state force, thereby ceding control once again to the federal government, which is the bane of the current arrangement. ADVERTISEMENT Even with the aforementioned concerns, however, the Ekweremadu Bill has at least provided the skeletal framework for further discussion on this very important matter. One key area that the Bill focused on is how to prevent the abuse of the force by the governors, which was the reason General Yakubu Gowons government gave for centralising the police force and why the native police force ceased to exist in Nigeria since February 1968. With all the clamouring for the devolution of powers to States, there is a palpable fear that their Excellencies would abuse their powers and convert the police under their command to private armies for use in intimidating political opponents. In fact, many state governors, through their past and present actions, have demonstrated tendencies to gravitate towards autocracy and despotism, with total disregard for the rule of law. A ThisDay investigation, published in January 2020, revealed that as many as 12 states of the federation were still running local government administrations without elected officials, despite a Supreme Court judgment about four years earlier, which expressly forbade them from doing so. While states like Borno and Yobe cited insurgency in the NorthEast as the reason for not conducting on council elections, what reasons do States like Ekiti and Oyo in the South-West, alongside Enugu and Anambra in the South-East have? Truth is that the governors are using appointed council chairmen as illegal conduits to siphon monies allocated to local government areas (LGAs), or as an avenue to settle loyal party men. In another related development, just last month the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN) threatened an industrial action due to the failure of most of the 36 state governments to implement financial autonomy for their legislative arms. This is coming a little over two years since it was approved by President Buhari. That is an executive overreach that threatens the functioning of a co-equal branch of government. How can our democracy work well when the state legislators have to go cap-in-hand begging the governors for funds. But thats the arrangement preferable to their Excellencies steeped deep in prebendal politics. Truth is, nothing works in Nigeria, not because of inadequate legislation, but because the laws exist only in the breach. One can argue that all the ills that bedeviled local and regional policing in the First Republic obtain in the current centralised arrangement, if not more. There are way too many vested interests working daily and overtime to game the system. Our statute books are full of lofty checks and balances that exist only on paper. No doubt, there is no silver bullet that could deliver the lethal shot to the hydra-headed monster of pervasive corruption ravaging the Nigerian society. In the face of the mounting security challenges and the threat to men and women of the NPF, however, an individual state-controlled policing option is an idea whose time has come. Osmund Agbo, a public affairs analyst is the coordinator of African Center for Transparency and Convener of Save Nigeria Project. Email: eagleosmund@yahoo.com ADVERTISEMENT We had thought that Africa had gone beyond such criminality. But young Debys presence, pounding the floors of the hallowed chambers of Nigerias Presidency in military boots, is a sad reminder that coups are not a thing of the past. It also gives the impression that while Nigerias democratic physique is civil, its soul is military. Mahamat Idriss Deby, 37, bedecked in the military fatigue of a four star general, spotting a red beret and some decoration on his chest, was seen at the Nigeria Aso Rock Presidential Villa on Friday, May 14. He had at least two other four star generals in similar fatigue, red and blue berets, which announced in unmistakable terms that this is the military dictator of another unfortunate African country. The non-condemnation, non-rejection, or the acceptance of his coup by so called democracies, is a testimony to the fact that coups are not out of fashion, out dated or unacceptable in the world. If anything, it is a confirmation that a coup in Africa is welcome if it fits into the agenda of the beholder. Not even in the mad seasons of Nigeria coup plotting and subversion of professionalism would a 26-year old have become a general, as is the case of Mahamat, who was seven when his father overthrew the Chadian government and within nineteen years, he had gone through formal education, military training and become a general! The senior Deby died on Tuesday, April 19, reportedly of gunshot wounds sustained in a fight with rebels. But rather than allow the Speaker of the National Assembly, Haroun Kabadi, to act as President for 40 days, while fresh elections are held in accordance with the constitution, Mahamat executed a coup sacking the government, dissolving parliament and suspending the constitution. When Chadians protested against the coup, they were killed, injured or detained. Those like overlord France and big neighbour Nigeria that should condemn the coup, insist on the supremacy of the constitution, stand by democracy and caution the coup plotters against killing protesters, supported the plotters. French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, whose country will never allow an unconstitutional take over in its territory, justified the coup, citing a so-called needed stability and security in the country. He claimed the overthrow of democracy in Chad was logical because: There are exceptional circumstances. For those of us who fought gruelling and bloody battles against military rule on Nigeria streets, and ensured the return of civilian governance, from which Buhari is benefitting, the image of a so-called African Head of State in military fatigue, sitting under our countrys Coat of Arms in the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, is a disgusting and disturbing image. In a dishonest rendering of events, Le Drian said: Logically, it should be Mr Kabadibut he refused because of the exceptional security reasons that were needed to ensure the stability of this country. What choice did the Speaker have with guns trained on him? Nigerian Foreign Minister, Geoffrey Jideofor Onyeama, in justifying the coup said Nigeria does not want a power vacuum. To solidify military rule in Chad, President Muhammadu Buhari rolled out the red carpet for the coup plotters. He told them: We are bound together by culture and geography, and we will help in all ways we can. He did not ask them to stop killing those protesting against the coup or bring the killers to justice. Rather, he told them: We will also help you to ensure a smooth transition in 18 months, as you have promised your people. For those of us who fought gruelling and bloody battles against military rule on Nigeria streets, and ensured the return of civilian governance, from which Buhari is benefitting, the image of a so-called African Head of State in military fatigue, sitting under our countrys Coat of Arms in the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, is a disgusting and disturbing image. We had thought that Africa had gone beyond such criminality. But young Debys presence, pounding the floors of the hallowed chambers of Nigerias Presidency in military boots, is a sad reminder that coups are not a thing of the past. It also gives the impression that while Nigerias democratic physique is civil, its soul is military. So, even if the chameleon changes its colours, it does not change its essence. If a man says he is against theft, why is he supporting his neighbour to steal? For some African leaders, while coups are forbidden dishes, there is nothing wrong in sniffing them or enjoying their aroma, provided they are cooked in other shores. They are like chichidodo, the neat, clean bird which hates excrement but feeds on maggots It is interesting that apart from the constitution forbidding the non-democratic seizure of power, the Nigerian government and military have been shouting themselves hoarse against any coup. On December 5, 2020, the then Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Tukur Yusuf Buratai, declared, while decorating 39 newly promoted Major Generals, that: Democracy has come to stay. We will not tolerate any agent of destabilisation. The years of military misadventure in politics have never carried us anywhere. It is over. He warned the new Generals: Do not hobnob with politicians. At this rank of two star Generals, do not lobby for appointment. If you want to lobby for appointment, lobby the Chief of Army Staff and you can only do this through hard work, discipline and loyalty. The crop of officers (39 Major Generals) decorated yesterday will never be dragged into any interest that is contrary to the sustenance of democracy in our nation. All our eyes are on you. We know there are several moves to get your attention. You must make sure that whatever you are doing, and when some persons approach you, you must act within the confines of the constitution. In the face of the deteriorating security situation in the country and general unease, the Nigerian secret services, the Department of State Services (DSS), on Sunday, May 2, raised a red flag against any attempt to force an unconstitutional change in the country. As if on cue, the next day, the Nigerian Armed Forces issued a statement firmly rejecting any unconstitutional change of government. It said: We categorically declare that the Armed Forces of Nigeria remain totally committed to the current administration, as well as all the democratic institutions associated with it. The statement further declared that: We will continue to remain apolitical, subordinate to the civilian authority, firmly loyal to the President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari and the 1999 Constitution as amended. The Presidency followed up these declarations by claiming there are Nigerians who want to force a change in the country. The Presidency, in a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, claimed that: The agent provocateurs hope to achieve through artifice and sleight of hands, what they failed to do through the ballot box in the 2019 elections. Nigerians have opted for democratic rule, and the only acceptable way to change a democratically elected government is through elections, which hold at prescribed times in the country. Any other way is patently illegal and even treasonable. Of course, such would attract the necessary consequences. So, if the Nigerian government is so firmly against coups, why is it supporting and encouraging the coup in Chad? If a man says he is against theft, why is he supporting his neighbour to steal? For some African leaders, while coups are forbidden dishes, there is nothing wrong in sniffing them or enjoying their aroma, provided they are cooked in other shores. They are like chichidodo, the neat, clean bird which hates excrement but feeds on maggots growing in the lavatory or excess dog faeces. Owei Lakemfa, a former secretary general of African workers, is a human rights activist, journalist and author. Illustrious Professor Wim Vanhaverbeke, professor of Digital Innovation and Entrepreneurship at University of Surrey and ESADE Visiting professor and open innovation and Dr Tony Raven, CEO of Cambridge University Enterprise since 2011, are faculties on TEXEMs forthcoming programme Leading And Driving Innovation For Success During Tough Times scheduled to hold between 26-27 May. Under Dr Tony Ravens leadership, the number of spin-outs created by Cambridge University Enterprise, where Dr Tony Raven is the CEO, has gone up by 250%. The Cambridge University Enterprise venture funding capacity has grown by 730%. Compared to its international peers, the Cambridge University Enterprise generates more licences per /$ of research funding and the lowest cost per license. Compared to its global peers, it generates more licences per /$ of research funding and the lowest cost per licence. Also, Cambridge University spin-outs have raised the largest amount of investment in total over the past five years. Starting in academia and before coming back into academia, Tony had a long history as a successful technology entrepreneur. The companies Dr Tony Raven has founded include Summit Technology, the pioneer of laser refractive surgery, which Nestle Alcon acquired in 2000 for $893 million; publicly quoted Cambridge technology consultancy Sagentia plc; and Diomed Inc., a pioneer of surgical diode lasers, which was listed in the US in 2002 before being acquired by Angiodynamics Inc. in 2008. Dr Tony Raven shares insights into why leading and driving innovation in tough times is critical and why executives should attend TEXEM, UKs forthcoming programme slated to hold later this month in this interview. Why is it necessary for all leaders to be innovative? It is not necessary to be innovative in everything you do. Still, if your organisation does not innovate in its core products and services, others will do it for you vide Kodak, Nokia, Blackberry, Polaroid Better to obsolete your products and services with innovations than have someone else do it for you. Is organisational success attainable during tough times? Absolutely. It is easy to prosper in good times, but it needs good leadership and management with a clear focus on how to thrive in tough times. Moreover, when you emerge from the tough times, the well-managed companies that are still standing will have a market cleared of the less well-managed competitors that did not make it. How could executives optimise the benefits of virtual executive development programmes? This is not an exercise in cut and paste what you have heard/learnt. Its about stimulating you to think deeply about your context and how to make it work for you. As my mentor said to me, Dont follow whats written in the leadership textbooks, do the things the next textbooks will be written about. There is a whole range of successful leadership styles out there, from autocratic to leaderless. Work out which one is you, and then be true to yourself. Very few can carry off the sustained act of being someone they are not. During this forthcoming programme, Prof Wim and I would be leveraging TEXEMs tested and proven methodology to deliver a truly exciting, inspiring and valuable experience on how to win through innovation. Dr. Tony Raven, CEO, Cambridge University Enterprise What are the skills necessary to drive innovation? A mind that is open to new possibilities and a belief that you will succeed. We will be exploring this and more during this programme. Whats the role of the leader during tough times? To act early, understand the environment or potential environment, share your vision and communicate, communicate, communicate what is happening and what you want from the team. What would happen if leaders refuse to innovate? Others will do it for you and take your business from you in the process. This TEXEMs forthcoming leadership programme will offer valuable insights into this. How can leaders spot opportunities in tough times and harness them? Tough times are the best times for spotting opportunities and doing something about them because everyone sees the imperative to change. The most challenging times to innovate are the good times where complacency is the enemy of doing something new. Would we have discovered all the new ways in which we now work if the pandemic hadnt forced it to happen? ADVERTISEMENT Why is Texem Uks Leading and Driving Innovation programme important for all executives to attend? There are three types of people: those that make things happen, those that watch things happen or those that wonder whats happened. Innovation is the way you make things happen. This programme leading and driving innovation in tough times would inspire you on how to be a successful innovative leader. No executive and aspiring strategic leader can afford to miss this programme. Participant such as CEOs, Chief Operating Officers, Chief Financial Officers, Chief Innovation Officers, Head of Product Development, Human Resource Managers, General Managers, Chief Marketing Officers, Chief Accounting Officers, and Chief Procurement Officers are welcome on this programme. In addition, participants could include Chief Publicity Officers, Chief Commercial Officers, Chief Sales Officers, Chief Technical Officers, Chief Learning Officers and everyone else who occupies a leadership position. Dear visionary leader, this TEXEM UKs leadership programme is a rare opportunity to glean valuable and requisite actionable insights to thrive irrespective of your challenging and fast-paced operating context. You can choose to apply as an individual or as a group from your organisation. ADVERTISEMENT Akwa Ibom State is endowed with numerous natural resources, the most prominent among which is oil. The state is Nigerias largest oil producer, accounting for over 30 per cent of the countrys oil a fact that is known to all. What may perhaps not be known by many is the fact that Akwa Ibom is basically an agricultural state whose people have always depended on farming for existence, though at subsistent level. In fact, before oil replaced agriculture as Nigerias economic mainstay, the state, then part of the Eastern Region, was a major contributor of palm produce which the country was the worlds number one producer. About five decades of neglect of agriculture at the national level adversely affected the agricultural fortunes of the people of Akwa Ibom, as it did the entire country. Now, with the reality of a post-oil era staring the country in the face against the background of over-dependence on oil, the need for a return to agriculture has never been more compelling. In Akwa Ibom, Governor Udom Emmanuel did not wait for the current fluctuating fortunes of oil to knock on the door before he commenced the process of diversification into agriculture. He saw today and indeed, the future. He declared, on assumption of office in 2015, his commitment to the revival of agriculture as a major component of his development programme that is aimed at turning Akwa Ibom from civil service into an industrialized state. He made agricultural promotion an integral part of Job Creation under his Five-Point Development Agenda. And to underscore the seriousness and importance his administration attaches to agriculture, he made it a cardinal programme of the Eight-Point Completion Agenda of his second term. Today, with his administration approaching the home stretch, the seeds the governor sowed in the last six years have begun to bear fruits, indicating new dawn for what may turn out to be an agricultural revolution in the state. He has not only encouraged the people of the state to go back to agriculture, his administration has made it possible for them to do so through assistance in terms of policy, incentives, farming inputs and modern farming techniques, to enable them to take agriculture beyond the subsistent level where it was before now. Agriculture is now being practiced at commercial level all over the state. The aim is to have a state that is able to produce enough food to feed its people, and enough to sell to other parts of the country and for export. There are ongoing efforts to revive production of some of the commodities for which Akwa Ibom was well known in the hey days of agriculture, like cassava, rice, cocoa, yam, citrus fruits, etc, and also venture into areas that were hitherto not explored, like cultivation of tomato, cucumber and lettuce. More than 1, 200 hectares of rice have been cultivated under the Central Bank of Nigerias Anchor Borrowers Programme, while over 20, 000 rice farmers have been registered in 15 local government areas of the state. This is intended to make Akwa Ibom a major rice producing state in Nigeria. The government launched an integrated cassava production programme under a project known as the Dakkada Cassava Task Force. This has made it possible for 2, 000 hectares of cassava to be cultivated under the FADAMA project, while micro processing mills for cassava have been constructed in different parts of the state. The variety of cassava that is being cultivated in the state is among the best in the world, and with the huge international demand for the commodity, it will become a major foreign exchange earner for the state when the current massive investments in the sector begin to yield dividends. Akwa Ibom will soon join the league of Nigerias top cocoa producing states, courtesy of the various strategies the government has put in place to increase participation of farmers in cocoa production. It has distributed over 500, 000 improved cocoa seedlings at highly subsidized rates to farmers in 28 local government areas with capacity for cocoa production, and trained over 450 youths on cocoa maintenance. It set up the Cocoa Development Community to handle the task of reviving cocoa production at commercial level. By investing so much in agriculture, the government hopes to achieve the twin objective of getting farmers to produce staple food like yam, rice, cassava, plantain and vegetables for consumption and also promoting establishment of agro-allied and food processing industries such as fruit juice, canned food, snacks, vegetable oil, livestock feeds, etc. To this end, it has planted 500 citrus seedlings, 1, 000 pineapple suckers and 600 hybrid plantain suckers. The government established the Vegetable Greenhouse using the most modern technology to cultivate tomato, cucumber and lettuce in commercial quantity. Traders in those commodities in Akwa Ibom and neighbouring states will no longer have to travel to the northern part of the country to get them. With increase in food production, essential food items are not only going to be readily available in every part of the state, they are going to be highly affordable. This will enable the average family in the state to be able to afford the basic food that is required to guarantee good health and general wellbeing. The government strives to build an Akwa Ibom that is economically self-sufficient through industrialization and green revolution. With what it has packed into six years in terms of achievement, there is reason to believe that the process of sustainably developing the state for present and future generations has well begun. Etuk, a public affairs commentator, is based in Abuja ADVERTISEMENT About 12 persons, mostly males, were reportedly abducted by gunmen in Madalla, a major town near Nigerias capital city, Abuja, on Thursday. The gunmen, according to residents and police official who spoke with PREMIUM TIMES on Friday, stormed Kwankashe, an area located along Suleja expressway on Thursday morning. A resident who preferred not to be named for security reasons, said about 12 persons have been confirmed missing while one was killed on the spot before they abducted his wife. I can confirm to you that one person was killed by the gunmen, they cut his throat before taking away his wife, the source told this newspaper. Another resident who simply identified himself as Kay, said the gunmen who attacked the community were not less than 30 in number and were dressed in military uniforms. I didnt see them during the operation but people who saw them said they were dressed in military uniform, Mr Kay said. Another source, who has lived in the area for years, said the incident was the first in recent time. Efforts by this newspaper to hear from the families of abductees were futile as they kicked against speaking with the media out of fear. There has, however, not been any demand made for ransom from the kidnappers at the time this report was filed. We cant confirm number of persons abducted Police In a phone interview with PREMIUM TIMES on Friday, the Niger State Police PRO, Abiodun Wasiu, confirmed the incident but added that he could not ascertain the total number of persons abducted in the area. Yes, there was an incident of such around that Kwankashe area in Madalla, where some victims were taken away, Mr Wasiu told this reporter, 24 hours after the development. The states police spokesman registered the force efforts to ensure the return of the victims and arrest of the gunmen. When asked to confirm if the police were aware of the killed victim, Mr Wasiu said the details were still sketchy. Against some purported rumour that the incident happened in a school, it is not in a school. Some houses were attacked around that area and few people were taken away. The total number of the victims is still sketchy but what is clear is that few people were taken away. Details on whether some have been killed are still sketchy,. I cant tell you categorically that someone was killed, the police PRO told PREMIUM TIMES. Nigeria has seen an astronomical surge in insecurity, crimes and violence and no state appears to have been spared despite the frantic efforts of security outfits to curb the trend. ADVERTISEMENT The Nasarawa State is discussing with the Federal Government and private investors on the construction of the Abuja-Keffi rail line. Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State said this on Friday in Karu during a town hall meeting with stakeholders as part of activities to commemorate his second anniversary in office. He said the light rail track would ease traffic on the congested Keffi-Abuja expressway. Mr Sule said the state government is committed to the provision of infrastructure to improve the lives of the people. The governor further explained that his administration would provide infrastructure and invest in Karu, given its proximity to Abuja. He said the provision of infrastructure would also stimulate the states socio-economic activities, revenue base and the overall development of communities across the state. Mr Sule said that the achievement made by the government is geared towards bringing the much-needed dividends of democracy to the doorsteps of residents. On the ongoing Karu Mega Bus Terminal, the governor said that the consultant handling the project assured him that it would be completed in July. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Karu Mega Bus Terminal will serve as the hub of all transport activities within the Karu LGA of the state which is neighbouring FCT. It will also serve most areas of the FCT, Abuja. The terminal has the capacity to accommodate over 900 vehicles and more than 20,000 passengers daily and to provide access to many destinations. NAN reports that facilities at the terminal are designed to provide a safe, secure, comfortable and relaxing environment, unlike the current bus parks and garages, where transport services take place in an unhygienic environment with no facilities and with very rickety vehicles. PREMIUM TIMES understands the Karu Mega Bus Terminal facilities will cost the government about N1.9 billion. (NAN) ADVERTISEMENT The Zamfara State has revoked all land titles in the state and introduced the electronic certificate of occupancy (C of O). The spokesperson of the governor, Yusuf Idris, in a statement, said Governor Bello Matawalle has directed property owners to go to the states Geographic Information System (ZAGIS) for the recertification of their titles and to obtain electronic certificates. The governor made the announcement at the flag-off of the issuance of the Electronic Certificates of Occupancy, which will henceforth be done only by ZAGIS. The statement said the decision is to check corrupt practices in the manual issuance of C of Os in which unsuspecting property owners were cheated by fraudulent officers handling the process. Land, being the most valuable resource, needs to be carefully guarded against abuse and misuse,the governor said, noting that under the new system, all e-C of Os to be issued would be strictly based on the extant land use regulations, the statement said. The governor said the land certification initialisation is part of his governments efforts to create a new, technology-driven economy in the state. All problems associated with land transactions will be resolved with the use of modern technology as the recertification of all land titles will assist in the current fight against banditry and sundry crimes, the statement quoted the governor as saying. Owners of all land titles would now have their records available in a secured database; and that the new e-C of Os would also make it easier for financial institutions to check the authenticity of certificates for those who choose to use them as collateral for bank loans. The governor urged fresh applicants for all types of land titles to do so through ZAGIS, which is the only government agency saddled with the responsibility of processing all land titles. He assured those who want to recertify their titles and prospective titleholders that the Zamfara States e-C of Os is of the highest quality as it is produced by the Nigeria Security Printing and Minting Company bearing all security features that would make the production of its counterfeit impossible. He urged all landowners to come forward and certify their titles and also to pay their ground rents as and when due, the statement said ADVERTISEMENT At least nine persons were reported killed on Tuesday in attacks by armed bandits in Dansadau and Hanhan in Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara State. Residents said seven of the victims were killed at a tea joint in Hanhan while two were gunned down in Dansadau, the main town in the local government area. The police spokesperson in the state, Muhammad Shehu, confirmed the incident but said there was no human casualty but hundred of cows were rustled. However, residents of the area and hospital officials confirmed the casualty figures to PREMIUM TIMES. They said the bandits operated for hours in broad daylight in Dansadau town without challenge by security agents despite repeated distress calls from the residents. According to the residents, the bandits stole virtually all cows in Dansadau. Residents and hospital officials identified those killed in Dansadau as Ayuba Garba, also known as Gayu, and Janyau Makiyayi, a herder. Those killed in Hanhan were identified as Musa Bawa, Suleiman Adamu, Shamsu Adamu, Bako Ladan, Rashidu Dansanda, Dalibu Isiya and Dantani Sabo. A resident said Mr Sabo left behind three wives and 13 children. A survivor, Sani Bawa, is receiving treatment at the Dansadau General Hospital, the source also said. According to the source, the bandits rode to Dansadau on motorcycles, brandishing sophisticated weapons. They shot into the air to scare away residents before settling down to rustle the cows. Residents blamed the impunity of the bandits on the alleged nonchalant attitude of the security agents stationed in the area. They said kidnappings and cow rustling had persisted in Dansadau area because security agents seldom respond to distress calls. The police spokesperson insisted that cows were rustled, but no one died in the two attacks. No death was recorded, residents might be referring to casualty figures in previous attacks, but for the latest incident in Dansadau, no reported case of death, Mr Shehu said. The agreement with Polvet Healthcare Teodorowski Spoka Jawna broadens CPHs footprint in Europe and marks the companys first entry into Eastern Europe. Polvet plans to target its established wholesale and retail network to drive uptake. ( ) (FRA:1X8) has signed a non-binding, non-exclusive Letter of Intent (LOI) with Polish company Polvet to progress a commercial agreement to market and distribute Cresos cannabis-based animal health products for companion animals and livestock in Poland. The agreement with Polvet Healthcare Teodorowski Spoka Jawna broadens Creso Pharmas footprint in Europe and also marks the companys first entry into Eastern Europe. Under the agreement, Polvet will distribute Creso Pharmas animal health range including anibidiol granules hemp flour-based, oils for pets and anibidiol hemp flour-based for for large companion animals and livestock. These anibidiol product lines are aimed at the management of stress and improved well-being of pets and livestock. New commercial relationship Creso Pharmas Swiss International Operations CEO Jorge Wernli said: We are very proud to announce this new commercial relationship with Polvet Poland, which has been operating in animal and human health for over a decade, representing a perfect fit for both companies to expand operations into the Polish market. This is a key milestone entry into a growing economy and a first step to strengthen Cresos presence in Eastern Europe. The agreement covers several Creso Pharma products including: anibidiol2.5; anibidiol 8 ; anibidiol500 ; anibidiol dogs treats ; anibidiol EQUI ; and anibidiol SWINE Targeting established network The Polvet group has been in operation since 2008 and has an established network across Poland and the group distributes, sells and commercialises its animal health products via its own e-commerce channels online shop, besides selling directly to hospitals, clinics and veterinarians. Polvet plans to target its established wholesale and retail network to drive uptake. The initial term of the agreement is one year and will automatically renew unless either party notifies the other of their decision to not renew the agreement within 90 days before the expiry of the initial or renewal term. If both parties are not able to enter into a formal commercial agreement on or before November 2021, the LOI will automatically terminate. Polish market Poland provides a large opportunity for Creso Pharma as it has a strong domestic consumer population of 38 million and is one of the largest pet markets in the Central-Eastern European region. The Polish animal health market more broadly is substantial and based on 7.7 million dogs, 6.6 million cats and 11 million swine. ADVERTISEMENT The police in Osun on Friday said it had arrested two suspected members of a highway robbery gang after they were identified by one of their victims in Ile-Ife. According to a statement by the Osun Police spokesperson, Yemisi Opalola, the suspects were arrested at about 12 noon on Friday after the driver of a bus they robbed earlier in the day spotted them at a bank and alerted the police. We have arrested two suspected armed robbers, namely; Abiodun Abdulahi, 35, living in Ado Ekiti and Godwin John, 19, living in Lagos, but hails from Imo state. ALSO READ: Police arrest suspected traffic robbers in Lagos They were arrested today at about 12 p.m. at Ile-Ife by policemen. The two and other gang members now at large, at around 9:45 a.m. on Friday, robbed and dispossessed passengers of a bus coming from Lagos and heading towards Ilesa via Ife/Osu express road of their valuables and escaped. However, when the driver of the bus went to block his ATM card at one of the new generation banks in Ile Ife, he suddenly saw and identified two of the suspects that robbed them. Police were quickly alerted and they were arrested. They have confessed to the crime and efforts are ongoing to arrest the fleeing gang members, the statement said. (NAN) Sterling Heights, MI (48312) Today Isolated thunderstorms this evening. Skies will become partly cloudy after midnight. Low 64F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%.. Tonight Isolated thunderstorms this evening. Skies will become partly cloudy after midnight. Low 64F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%. PLATTSBURGH [mdash] Anthony Tarricone, 94, of Plattsburgh, passed away Monday in his home with his loving wife by his side and under the care of hospice. He was born in Yonkers on Aug. 13, 1926, the son of George and Nancy Tarricone. He graduated Horton High School in Yonkers. He also gradua Sherry Cross Child, a Canadian resident of Stand Off, Alberta, receives a COVID-19 vaccine at the Piegan-Carway border crossing near Babb, Mont., on April 29. The Blackfeet tribe in northern Montana gave out surplus vaccines in April to its First Nations relatives and others from across the border. North Country Assemblyman Billy Jones (D-Chateaugay Lake) has called on New York State to help Canada in its vaccine rollout by offering shots to essential Canadian truck drivers who cross the border daily, KYIV, Ukraine, May 20, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- At a ceremony hosted by the Babyn Yar Holocaust Memorial Center (BYHMC), Ukraine's Head of the Presidential Office of Ukraine Andrii Yermak, Prime Minister Denys Shmygal, and Ukraine's Minister of Culture and Information Policy Oleksandr Tkachenko honored Ukrainians who saved Jews during the Holocaust. Mr. Yermak announced that those still alive will receive a lifelong monthly state stipend, in recognition of their heroism. Head of the Presidential Office of Ukraine Andrii Yermak (credit: BYHMC) (PRNewsfoto/Babyn Yar Holocaust Memorial Center) The ceremony marked the first Remembrance Day for Ukrainians who rescued Jews during World War II. Earlier this year, Ukraine's parliament passed a resolution designating 14 May as an annual commemoration to honor their actions. Head of the Presidential Office of Ukraine Andrii Yermak commented, "Babyn Yar became a terrible symbol of the Holocaust in Eastern Europe because of the massacre of World War II. In just two days, almost 34,000 Jews from Kyiv were killed. Today, it is important to honor the memory of these people and praise those who saved them at the risk of their own lives. Express gratitude for the hope they have given back to the world. And I hope that future generations will remember this feat for centuries." Following World War II, a total of 2,659 Ukrainians were awarded the prestigious title of "Righteous Among the Nations" by Yad Vashem, Israel's official memorial to the victims of the Holocaust. Of all countries, Ukraine has the fourth largest number of "Righteous Among the Nations." However, it is believed that a far greater number of Ukrainians risked their lives and those of their families to save Jews from the Nazis. BYHMC is working to uncover many of these unknown stories. At the ceremony, it was announced that the 18 Ukrainian "Righteous Among the Nations" who remain alive today, will each be recognized by the state for their bravery with a monthly state stipend for the remainder of their lives. Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmygal said, "This landmark event is a clear indication that the Ukrainian public consciousness affirms high ideals of respect for human life and recognition of responsibility and memory, which contribute to the construction of a free, democratic societyOn the Day of Remembrance of Ukrainians who saved Jews during the Second World War, we honor the feat of these courageous people who have become and remain for us an example of humanity and self-sacrifice." Minister of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine Oleksandr Tkachenko emphasized the importance to "honor the memory of tens of thousands of Jews from Kyiv who died in Babyn Yar during the terrible Holocaust," adding "it is very symbolic that we are doing this on the Day of Remembrance of Ukrainians who risked their lives to save Jews. Today we also honor the feat of all these courageous people." Chief Strategist and Head of the Academic Council at BYHMC, Father Patrick Desbois said, "Babyn Yar, a discreet ravine, where one thousand German people came to assassinate almost 34, 000 Jews, including children and women in broad daylight, in front of everybody. It is a place of mass murder, from where we have to teach the younger generation all over the planet not to engage in mass shootings, in mass crimes today. Unfortunately, until now, every day, on every continent, mass shootings are devastating the world - In Kabul, in Iraq, in Sria and elsewhere. Babyn Yar must be an international center to prevent mass crimes." The ceremony took place at the new symbolic synagogue at Babyn Yar and was attended by state officials, diplomats, religious leaders, cultural and community figures. The symbolic synagogue is the first construction to be completed in the planned Babyn Yar memorial complex, which will stretch over an area of 150 hectares, making it one of the world's largest Holocaust memorial centers. A dozen buildings will eventually be erected as part of the complex. 33,771 Jewish victims were shot at Babyn Yar by the Nazis during just two days, 29 and 30 September 1941. Tens of thousands of Ukrainians, Roma, mentally ill and others were shot thereafter at Babyn Yar throughout the Nazi occupation of Kyiv. The estimated number of victims murdered at Babyn Yar is around 100,000, making it Europe's largest mass grave. This year marks the 80th anniversary of the Babyn Yar massacre and commemorations will culminate in an international event including global leaders in September October 2021. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1515497/Babyn_Yar_Holocaust_Memorial_Center.jpg SOURCE Babyn Yar Holocaust Memorial Center NEW DELHI, May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Jaguar Overseas Limited (JOL), the Indian headquartered Project Exports Company, is celebrating 30 years of pioneering innovation and sustainable development in the Design, Engineering, Procurement and Construction industry. With presence across Africa and Asia, JOL has successfully executed projects in the segments ranging from Power, Oil & Gas, Agriculture, Renewables and Civil Infrastructure. From humble beginnings in the 90s, the company has consistently evolved with the changing ecosystem and kept pace with technological advancements to emerge as one of the leading Indian project exports companies to leave a mark globally. JOL has been trusted with the execution of global development projects by leading funding agencies. This includes the construction and operations of Afghanistan's first utility scale solar power project in the province of Kandahar, funded by USAID, and an ADB project for electrification work at Pul-e-alam in the Central Asian country. It has also successfully executed World Bank funded projects such as rural electrification in Benin and end-to-end execution of a 132 KV transmission line in Nepal. The company has also undertaken significant projects under the Line of Credit extended by the Government of India for various infrastructure and development projects in Africa and Asia. Talking about their journey and vision for the future, Mr. Manas Agarwal, Jaguar Overseas Limited, said, "As the company celebrates 3 decades of its journey, the company is committed to continue to play a pivotal role in advancing infrastructure design and engineering in India and across various geographies. The company is always cognizant of the changing trends and have been ahead of times in terms of the latest technologies and avant-garde designs. Our use of drones for stringing of power conductor in hilly terrains and integration of high end software in our projects is a testament to our ingenuity. We have, and will continue to, strive towards excellence and fostering a culture of cutting-edge innovation. What truly inspires us is the impact that we have on communities worldwide." "Rooted in India, we are also heavily invested in not just taking our expertise to other countries, but in the process, also contributing to the Indian economy. We will continue to work on projects on behalf of the Government of India to extend our expertise to countries in need, with an aim to ensure sustainable and equitable development to improve lives of millions across the world. We are focussed on power projects within the country. Infrastructure projects, we feel, will not just generate employment but also support economic development," he added. The ongoing projects for the company including construction of 409 health posts covering large parts of Zambia has received tremendous appreciation from local communities and from the Zambian High Commission in India. The initiative is a means to provide access to cost-effective and quality health services as close to communities as possible under their universal health coverage scheme. This project comes under the EXIM Bank of India's Line of Credit for infrastructure projects in the south African country. Other significant projects funded by Government of India include the power evacuation to Herat city from 42 MW Afghan-India Friendship Dam which was inaugurated by Honourable Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi and construction of an Information Technology Park in Mozambique. Given the current situation, the company follows stringent safety protocols viz. usage of masks, sanitizers, face shields, social distancing etc across its various sites to ensure safety and well-being of all its employees. Within India, JOL is bullish about future projects in the infrastructure and electrification space. A fast growing sector, the construction industry alone, is expected to reach USD 738.5 bn by 2022. In the next few years, while India continues to remain a focus market, JOL is looking to further expand its footprints worldwide augmenting its position as the leading Indian-Global player in infrastructure design and engineering. It aims to strengthen India's position on global map as an enabler of high-impact, innovative and quality construction and infrastructure projects bringing in cutting-edge technology for sustainable development. About Jaguar Overseas Limited Jaguar Overseas Ltd. (JOL), is an ISO certified Project Export Company engaged in Design, Engineering, Procurement and Construction projects. Headquartered in New Delhi, India, the company has global presence with operations upto 11 countries in Asia and Africa. JOL boasts of expertise in segments ranging from Power, Oil & Gas, Renewables and Civil Infrastructure. The company is committed to sustainable development through innovative engineering and cutting-edge technology adoption, and creating stakeholder value with uncompromising quality and safety standards. SOURCE Jaguar Overseas Limited WASHINGTON, May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Alion Science and Technology has been awarded a $285 million task order with a 48-month period of performance for Engineering, Integration, Modeling & Simulation, and Cyber Security for Leading Edge Training for the Naval Surface Warfare Center Corona (NSWCCO). This task order is to provide Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation (RDT&E) of new software, technologies, and methods to enable improvements within the Navy Continuous Training Environment (NCTE). Alion will support software engineering, systems integration, and cyber security across a wide spectrum of NCTE engineering projects. Alion was awarded this contract under the Department of Defense Information Analysis Center's (DoD IAC) multiple-award contract (MAC) vehicle. These DoD IAC MAC task orders are awarded by the U.S. Air Force's 774th Enterprise Sourcing Squadron to develop and create new knowledge for the enhancement of the DTIC repository and the Research and Development (R&D) and Science & Technology (S&T) community. "The Alion NCTE team's technical understanding, experience, and customer insight ensures continued Fleet training capability development and delivery. We have brought more than 20 years of significant technology innovation for Fleet training with our high-quality software development and engineering team," said Glenn Goodman, Alion's Senior Vice President and General Manager of the Live, Virtual and Constructive Solutions Group. "As the prime developer of NCTE's Navy Training Baseline (NTB) software and Enterprise Tactical Training Network, we enhance productivity using agile engineering to provide continuous evolution of training technologies and solutions to support Navy, Joint, and Coalition mission partners." Over the past 15 years, the NCTE has integrated new capabilities, systems, and training networks for the Fleet and delivered advanced distributed weapon systems training in the execution of Fleet Synthetic Training (FST) and Combatant Commander (COCOM) Live, Virtual, Constructive (LVC) exercises. The NCTE includes an enterprise network of interconnected nodes located throughout the United States and multiple coalition partner nations with over 90 training sites currently connected to the network. Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Corona Division (NSCWCORDIV), Range Systems Engineering Department, Training Range Systems (RS-20) is responsible for the management of the NCTE and the Navy Combined Tactical Training Ranges (CTTR) which enable the training of Naval Forces throughout the Optimized Fleet Response Plan (OFRP). ABOUT DOD IAC PROGRAM The DoD IAC program operates as a part of Defense Technical Information Center and provides technical data management and research support for DoD and federal government users. Established in the 1940s, the IAC program serves the DoD Science & Technology (S&T) and acquisition communities driving innovation and technological developments by enhancing collaboration through integrated scientific and technical information development and dissemination for the DoD and broader S&T community. ABOUT ALION SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION Solving some of our nation's most complex national security challenges, Alion works side-by-side with our Defense and Intelligence communities as we design and deliver advanced engineering solutions to meet current and future demands. We go beyond the superficial and dive deep into the root of the engineering complexities and bring innovation to reality. With global industry expertise in Big Data, Analytics, and Cyber Security; Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning; Live, Virtual, and Constructive Solutions; Electronic Warfare and C5ISR; and Rapid Prototyping and Manufacturing, Alion delivers mission success where and when it matters most. To learn more, visit www.alionscience.com. Disclaimer. "This material is based upon work supported by the DoD Information Analysis Center Program Management Office (DoD IAC PMO), sponsored by the Defense Technical Information Center (DTIC)under Contract No. FA807518D0002." Approved for Public Release, Distribution Unlimited. "Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the 774th Enterprise Sourcing Squadron (774 ESS)." SOURCE Alion Science and Technology Corporation Related Links http://www.alionscience.com COOS BAY, Ore., May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Lone Mountain Holdings, Inc. d/b/a Arathi Cannabis Company, has completed its consolidation of its founding companies, and registered with the S.E.C. for capital expansion. The company has registered with the S.E.C. bearing CIK # 0001859072. The Reg. D offering memorandum, may be viewed at the company's password protected tab on its project website at www.lonemountainholdingcorp.com. The company's password protected privacy for the accreditation process also on this website. The predecessor companies have been in business and show earnings. The company has a retail store that is profitable, in Coos Bay, Oregon. The retail store is named Arathi Dispensary, and has a website at arathidispensary.com. The primary purposes of the capital raise are for expansion of covered and indoor growing areas, for purchase of more land, to open other retail stores, and to expand into other States. Company president, Eric Haskins said: "We're excited about having gone through the S.E.C. process, because it gave us the opportunity to bring all of our companies into alignment for better transparency." Co-founder and vice president, Rob Peters added: "This process has helped us with our corporate governance, a process that investors will appreciate." Scott Tobia, another co-founder, stated: "We can now better show our full process, farm-to-retail customer, in a more organized manner. We look forward to expanding our licensing, growing and marketing capabilities." ABOUT LONE MOUNTAIN HOLDINGS, Inc.: Lone Mountain Holdings, Inc. succeeded High Octane Organics, Inc. and Arathi Dispensaries OR, Inc., as the company founders grew their cannabis project in the State of Oregon. Lone Mountain has adopted the trade name, Arathi Cannabis Company, and the company board members remain as the founders of all of the companies, including Eric Haskins, Robert Peters and Randy 'Scott' Tobia. By board resolution, company officials registered the company with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, bearing EDGAR CIK # 0001859072. With its registration, the company filed its first Form Reg. D. onto EDGAR. For viewer privacy, company officials have added a password protected tab to this website. Viewers may register under no obligation, and may view and download documents once registered. Company officials do not retain any viewer information. The Reg. D offering memorandum may be viewed at the password protected tab on this website. The parallel Series A offering may, also, be viewed at the password protected tab on this website. In Massachusetts, company officials await zoning reviews, before beginning a new project there. With changes in the law in the State of Oklahoma, company officials are now in the early stages of exploring a project potential in that State. ABOUT STR Capital, Inc.: The company is a sales fulfillment company that has been retained by Lone Mountain Holdings, Inc., in order to assist with processing its shares sales, as an administrative task. At the present time in its S.E.C. stage, Lone Mountain Holdings, Inc., does not believe that any sales volume would require the retainer of a formal transfer agent. Investors may purchase shares at the privacy protected password tab. Investor funds are held in escrow, pending the three-day right of withdrawal period, in the trust account of an attorney. Upon further investor authorization, funds are transferred to the company, and STR Capital, Inc., sends the shares certificate to the purchase. As no shares of the company are beyond the bounds of a Reg. D or Series A offering, there is no requirement for a FINRA broker, at this stage of the company's organization. ABOUT OTC 251, INC.: OTC 251, Inc. is a filer support and marketing company. The company limits its business to securities writings for JOBS Act offerings, OTC filings, private series sector offerings, and to grant writing, where it has considerable experience. The company website is at www.otc251.com. FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENT: May 21, 2021 - Lone Mountain Holdings, Inc. is registered with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (S.E.C.). The S.E.C. file number, known as the CIK # is: 0001859072. On April 27, 2021, the Company uploaded its Form Reg. D onto its file, pursuant to Rule 506(c). The company is doing business under its trade name: Arathi Cannabis Company. The Reg. D offering memorandum may be viewed at the password protected tab on this website. The parallel Series A offering may be viewed at the password protected tab on this website. Any information on this press release is made solely for information and orientation purposes. No persons should rely on any statements made on this press release. Investors may view any offering documents in a password protected privacy setting at the password tab above. There is no obligation to purchase securities by creating a login registration, and we do not keep your information. There is nothing in this press release that could be, or should be, construed as representing that the S.E.C. has, in any way, shape or form, endorsed any of the contents above, including any of the offerings described herein. INVESTING IN THIS OFFERING CARRIES A HIGH DEGREE OF RISK. OTC 251 Inc. [email protected], +1 212-618-1557 SOURCE Arathi Cannabis DALLAS, May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Immigration powerhouse Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP (BAL) is once again a top-ranked law firm in the just-released Chambers USA 2021 guide, the prestigious annual ranking of the best law firms in the United States. Chambers rated BAL a Band 1 firm, calling it a "powerful force" in corporate immigration having "the capacity to handle a range of highly complex matters." Clients interviewed by the researchers hail BAL for being "extremely hard-working, smart and dedicated to producing excellent work product and excellent results," and especially strong in "the use of technology to help create scalable solutions." This marks the 13th year in a row that BAL is ranked in Chambers' California, Texas and USA Nationwide categories. In further recognition of BAL's excellence, the firm's New York and Massachusetts practice groups join the esteemed Chambers rankings this year. "These recognitions reinforce our eminence across regional markets, industry sectors and nationwide," said BAL Partner Rob Caballero who manages the firm's Houston, Austin and New York offices. "More importantly, our clients express strong approval of our exceptional capabilities, dedication to service and responsiveness to their needs." Chambers praises the "stellar track record" of BAL's Texas offices, and calls the practice a "strong choice" for multinational companies that benefit from the firm's international network. BAL's three offices in California are cited for their "commanding" practice and "high-caliber team of attorneys," while clients note the practice's successes in obtaining "very high approval rates" in immigration filings. Chambers cites BAL New York for its "impressive client roster" including major pharmaceutical, financial services and technology clients, and skill in advising on extraordinary ability visas. Five BAL attorneys are distinguished for their caliber of legal skills, quality of work and attentiveness to clients. Founder David Berry, based in San Francisco, is ranked as a Senior Statesman for his more than four decades as a recognized leader in immigration law. BAL Managing Partner Jeremy Fudge in BAL's Dallas headquarters is singled out as an Eminent Practitioner. "It's an honor to once again be recognized by this distinguished publication," Fudge said. "Last year's unprecedented environment, worldwide lockdowns and travel bans made our services to our clients more critical than ever before, and challenged us to redouble our commitment to helping them through these extraordinary times." In a year of policy upheaval, Partner Lynden Melmed, who leads the firm's Government Strategies team, ranks in both the USA Nationwide category and Washington, D.C. region. Clients call him both "extremely knowledgeable" and "incredibly responsive," and note his ability to "decipher complex legislative changes" and "devise appropriate strategies to mitigate risks." Edward Rios , BAL Partner who manages the firm's Boston office, and Senior Associate Josiah Curtis, are both ranked in Chambers' debut Massachusetts rankings. A client sums up their experience with the practice: "I'm blown away by their expert knowledge. They are a walking Wikipedia of immigration knowledge." "We are thrilled that Chambers has recognized our team's efforts in the New England market and beyond," said Rios. "It is extremely gratifying to see the positive impact we are making in the immigration field and in people's lives." About Chambers and Partners Chambers and Partners, covering 185 jurisdictions, has ranked the best lawyers since 1990 and is known for its strength-in-depth editorial and research team. Chambers publishes an annual guide ranking the world's best lawyers on the basis of technical expertise, business acumen, prompt delivery, and value for the money. A team of more than 170 researchers conducts thousands of interviews worldwide to produce the rankings. Lawyers cannot buy their way into Chambers rankings; as a result, its annual directories are considered among the most accurate and reliable. About Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP (BAL) BAL is singularly focused on meeting the immigration challenges of corporate clients around the world in ways that make immigration more strategic and enable clients to be more successful. Established in 1980, BAL has consistently provided immigration expertise, top-notch information security and leading technology innovation. The firm operates in 11 major U.S. markets and internationally in more than 135 countries through its alliance with Deloitte UK. SOURCE Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP The sale of its mineral tenements is consistent with AXEs strategy to monetise non-core assets to fund its Advanced Materials business. Both transactions are expected to complete by the end of September 2021. ( ) ( ) (FRA:38A) is progressing well with the sale of Australian mineral tenements to fund its Advanced Materials business strategy with both transactions expected to complete by the end of September 2021. Previously, the company announced its intention to sell the mineral tenements to companies that intend to undertake an initial public offering and list on the ASX. Archer is selling two Eyre Peninsula tenements in South Australia to NextGen Materials Pty Ltd, formerly Baudin Minerals Pty Ltd, and all of the companys remaining tenements to iTech Minerals Pty Ltd. NextGen and iTech have informed Archer that they each expect to lodge a prospectus and list on ASX by the end of September 2021. The sale of the tenements will allow Archer to apply for a change of GICS code to Semiconductors and inclusion in the S&P/ASX All Technology Index (ASX:XTX). NextGen Materials transaction The purchase price payable by NextGen for the purchase of the two Eyre Peninsula tenements include: Payment of A$2 million, of which Archer has already received A$150,000 cash and, at completion, will receive the remaining A$1.85 million cash or NextGen shares; Bonus payment equal to 5% of the enterprise value of NextGen at the time of ASX listing, paid in cash or shares at the election of NextGen; and A 2% net smelter return royalty on the value of all minerals extracted from the NextGen tenements. Archers Campoona Graphite project and other graphite mineral resources are on the NextGen tenements and the company has retained these graphite projects and the right to explore for graphite on them. The company intends to use the proceeds from the sale of the tenements to fund the building of the 12CQ quantum computing chip and Archers biochip. iTech Minerals transaction Archer has agreed to sell the graphite rights and all of the companys remaining mineral tenements, excluding the NextGen tenements, to iTech Minerals Pty Ltd. After the completion of the sale and purchase of the iTech Assets, Archer will receive 50 million ordinary shares in the capital of iTech, following its intention to undertake an initial public offering at A$0.20 per share and list on ASX. At completion, Archer will receive 50 million consideration shares, which the board plans to distribute to Archer shareholders by way of a pro-rata in-specie distribution, subject to the receipt of favourable tax advice and regulatory and Archer shareholder approvals. Shareholders are likely to receive one new iTech share for every 4.6 Archer shares held at the record date. The exact ratio may vary and will be dependent on the number of Archer shares on issue at the record date and the effects of rounding partial entitlements. This sale of the iTech assets will be subject to Archer shareholder approval at a general meeting. The record date for the entitlement to iTech shares will be a date set by the Archer board after the meeting, which the company intends to hold in late July 2021. Reason for sale The sale of the tenements will see Archer simplify its business model and turn into a pure-play deep technology company, focusing on its Advanced Materials business. This is consistent with Archer's strategy of monetising non-core mineral exploration assets to fund and grow its Advanced Materials business, in particular the development of its 12CQ room-temperature quantum computing chip and the A1 Biochip. The sale of the mineral tenements will: Partially fund the building of the 12 CQ quantum computing chip; CQ quantum computing chip; Allow the company to dedicate additional funds and management to the development and commercialisation of the 12 CQ quantum computing chip and its biochip technologies; and CQ quantum computing chip and its biochip technologies; and Enable the company to apply for a change of GICS code to Semiconductors and seek admission to the S&P/ASX All Technology Index (ASX:XTX). Benefit to shareholders Archer will retain exposure to any exploration success on the NextGen tenements through the royalty, and possible NextGen shareholding should NextGen elect to pay the balance of the purchase price in NextGen shares rather than cash. Archer shareholders will retain exposure to exploration success by iTech through their iTech shareholding, thus allowing its shareholders to be benefitted from any exploration success on the mineral tenements. Semiconductor industry The global market for manufacturing chips is valued at over US$400 billion and, by some estimates is forecast to reach US$1 trillion by 2030. Chips currently address end markets valued at US$4+ trillion, which include processor, sensor and memory devices. Archer is building advanced semiconductor devices, including processor chips relevant to quantum computing. 12CQ is a world-first qubit processor technology that Archer is building to enable quantum computing powered devices for mobile and data-centric applications. VIENNA, Va., May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Blu Venture Investors, a primary source venture capital firm, today announced the launch of the BVI Cyber Fund, a $25M fund targeted at Series A growth companies in cybersecurity. This fund builds on the success and momentum Blu Ventures has established in supporting the cybersecurity ecosystem in the Mid-Atlantic region and beyond. "With over 800 cybersecurity firms in the Washington, D.C. region, Blu Ventures is seated at the center of the cyber/intelligence ecosystem," said Michael Sutton, Investment Committee member and former CSO of Zscaler. "We are excited to continue helping fast-growing cyber companies scale and tackle the most difficult cybersecurity challenges facing commercial and government organizations today." The timing of the BVI Cyber Fund comes at a pivotal time given the record-breaking increase in sophisticated breaches and cyberattacks and President Biden's May 12, 2021 Executive Order on Improving the Nation's Cybersecurity. Blu Ventures has and will continue to invest in forward-looking cybersecurity technologies within core areas that include Endpoint Detection & Response, Data Storage; Web & Cloud; Messaging; Network; Industrial & Internet of Things (IoT); Threat Intel; Mobile; Fraud Protection & Transaction; Risk, Compliance & Training; Specialized Threat Analysis & Protection and Security Ops & Incident Response. About Blu Venture Investors Founded in 2010, Blu Ventures has deployed $85MM in capital to date in early-stage cyber and enterprise software firms. Currently, the firm is invested in 35 cyber companies to include ID.me, Cybrary, Huntress Labs, Ostendio and Threat Quotient. As a primary source venture capital firm, Blu's principals bring expertise across a variety of industries and an investment perspective closely aligned with entrepreneurs. For more information, visit https://bluventureinvestors.com . Media Contact: Christine Blake W2 Communications [email protected] Blu Ventures Contact: Ben Ebenezer [email protected] Related Images bvi-cyber-fund.png BVI Cyber Fund SOURCE Blu Venture Investors According to Chambers , Burns & Levinson is a "Quality firm respected for its adroit counseling of plaintiffs in all aspects of the working relationship, spanning from the pre-hiring process to the termination of employment." Specific areas of expertise include "discrimination, wrongful termination and wage and hour issues, before both state and federal courts" and "advising on labor relations and employee benefits issues." Zucker was singled out as "an extremely good advocate for her clients" who "commands great respect for her litigation skills" in "employment disputes for high-level executive clients" and in "discrimination case work." Studen, who is a talented trial lawyer, was "praised for being relentless in helping her clients" in their plaintiff-side employment disputes. Chambers has ranked the best law firms and lawyers since 1990, and covers 190 countries worldwide. Inclusion is based solely on extensive, confidential interviews with thousands of lawyers and clients to identify the leading law firms and lawyers worldwide. Law firms and individual lawyers are ranked based on their technical legal ability, professional conduct, client service, commercial astuteness, diligence, and commitment. Attorneys and law firms are ranked in bands from 1-6, with 1 being the highest. About Burns & Levinson LLP At Burns & Levinson, we provide high-level, client-centric and results-oriented legal services to our regional, national and international clients. We are a full-service law firm with over 125 lawyers in Boston, Denver, Providence, and London. Our areas of expertise include: business/finance, business litigation, divorce/family law, venture capital/emerging companies, employment, estate planning, government investigations, intellectual property, M&A/private equity, probate/trust litigation, and real estate. We partner with our clients to solve their business and personal legal issues in a collaborative, creative and cost-effective way. For more information, visit Burns & Levinson at www.burnslev.com . Contact: Amy Blumenthal or Kristen Weller Blumenthal & Associates Chief Marketing & Business Development Officer (617) 879-1511 (617) 345-3555 [email protected] [email protected] SOURCE Burns & Levinson NEW YORK, May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany (Claims Conference) mourns the loss of Roman Kent, a leading voice among Holocaust survivors who negotiated billions of dollars in compensation for Jewish Holocaust survivors from the German government. Mr. Kent passed away earlier this morning at age 92. Born in Lodz, Poland in 1929, Roman survived the Lodz ghetto and several camps including Merzbachtal, Dornau, and Flossenburg and Auschwitz. Roman's father died of malnutrition in the Lodz ghetto and his mother was murdered in Auschwitz-Birkenau. Roman and his brother Leon were liberated by the U.S. army in 1945 while on a death march to Dachau. The brothers were reunited with their two sisters, Dasza and Renia in Sweden after liberation, but sadly, Dasza was very ill and died a few months later. In June 1946, Roman and Leon immigrated to the United States as part of a government program to admit 5,000 orphans. Roman lived in Atlanta, Georgia with his foster parents where he attended Emory University, graduating and going on to start a successful international trade company. His adult life was dedicated to Jewish philanthropy and advocacy, serving as a voice for those murdered in the Shoah. "As Chairman of the American Gathering of Jewish Holocaust Survivors, Roman was a long-time board member and Co-Chair of the Claims Conference negotiating committee," said Gideon Taylor, President of the Claims Conference. "Roman made himself available for every cause that we put in front of him, tirelessly giving of his time and energy. He will be remembered as an unwavering force of good will and an undeniable advocate for the global Jewish community. He was more than a colleague he was family and his loss will leave a hole that can never be filled." At the Claims Conference, Roman Kent was as a long-time board member serving in many capacities over the years including as: treasurer, Co-Chair of the Claims Conference negotiating committee, on the Leadership Council, and as a Special Advisor to the President. In addition, he was the Chairman of the American Gathering of Jewish Holocaust Survivors and Their Descendants and the President of the International Auschwitz Committee. Greg Schneider, Executive Vice President of the Claims Conference, said, "None of these titles even begins to scratch the surface of the work he did during his lifetime. From negotiating billions of dollars in pensions and compensation for Jewish Holocaust survivors from the German government, championing survivor interests with insurance companies, German industry, and eastern European governments, to advocating for Holocaust education, to taking on Facebook in demanding that they remove Holocaust denial posts from their platform, no task was too large or too demanding. Even as his own health waned, he continued to fight against antisemitism and hatred." Claims Conference Special Negotiator, Ambassador Stuart Eizenstat, said, "The loss of Roman Kent as my co-chair is staggering and incalculable. I had the distinct privilege of working side by side with Roman during our ongoing negotiations on behalf of Holocaust survivors for more than a decade. He made it his personal mission to advocate for his fellow survivors to the very end, participating on negotiations calls as recently as last week. His strength and fortitude were unmatched, and his drive and determination to see justice served knew no bounds. There will be an enormous empty chair when we next negotiate with the German government. He will be sorely missed by all who were fortunate enough to know and him. Roman was not just my colleague in seeking justice for Holocaust survivors, he was my friend and my inspiration. Life will never be the same for me without him." Recently, in his last public appearance, Roman shared his thoughts in a video as part of the Claims Conference's #ItStartedWithWords campaign, a digital, Holocaust education effort featuring videos of survivors from around the world reflecting on those moments that led up to the Holocaust. The video is emblematic of his longstanding efforts to raise awareness about how words of hate can lead to deadly consequences. About the Claims Conference: The Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany (Claims Conference), a nonprofit organization with offices in New York, Israel and Germany, secures material compensation for Holocaust survivors around the world. Founded in 1951 by representatives of 23 major international Jewish organizations, the Claims Conference negotiates for and disburses funds to individuals and organizations and seeks the return of Jewish property stolen during the Holocaust. As a result of negotiations with the Claims Conference since 1952, the German government has paid more than $80 billion in indemnification to individuals for suffering and losses resulting from persecution by the Nazis. In 2021, the Claims Conference will distribute approximately $625 million in direct compensation to over 260,000 survivors in 83 countries and will allocate approximately $640 million in grants to over 300 social service agencies worldwide that provide vital services for Holocaust survivors, such as homecare, food and medicine. About #ItStartedWithWords #ItStartedWithWords is a digital, Holocaust education campaign featuring videos of survivors from around the world reflecting on those moments that led up to the Holocaust a period of time when they could not have predicted the ease with which their long-time neighbors, teachers, classmates, and colleagues would turn on them, transitioning from words of hate to acts of violence. The campaign uses survivor testimony to give context to the origins of the Holocaustthe foundation of antisemitism that Hitler and the Nazis used to generate support across Europe before a single act of war was undertaken. The goal of the campaign is to show how words of hate can become actions, and how those actions can have unimaginable outcomes. The campaign also includes ItStartedWithWords.org, a website that provides educational resources from partner museums and institutions, as well as the collection of the survivor videos from the campaign. SOURCE Claims Conference Related Links http://www.claimscon.org Once again, due to suspected IoT vulnerabilities and exploitation, there has been another catastrophic cyberattack on an important piece of utility and energy infrastructure. As many know due to the widespread news coverage and impact on fuel prices, on Friday May 7, Colonial Pipeline, a privately-held company and one of the largest pipeline operators in the United States, reported that it had been the latest victim of a large-scale ransomware cyberattack. May 26 Webinar: https://www.sightline.com/may-cybersecurity-webinar-vulnerabilities-you-never-knew-were-there/ Attack Facts: Target: Colonial Pipeline Industry: Oil & Gas, Critical Infrastructure Date: 05/07/2021 Type of Attack: Ransomware Demand: Demand of at least $4.4m bitcoin, confirmed by Colonial to have been paid Suspected Perpetrator: DarkSide, a ransomware as a service (RaaS) criminal organization based in Russia Eastern Europe with suspected nation state ties, as well as a network of criminal co-conspirator affiliates Method of Attack: Reported targeting of employes and extortion/purchase of user credentials Unchecked access throughout the network and of IT & OT systems Anti-detection mechanisms reportedly used, including script self-encryption Immediate Impact: Colonial CEO has confirmed a payment of $4.4m Bitcoin ransomware payment Company forced to shut down all of its 5,500 miles of pipeline for multiple days Took over 6 days for operations to fully resume Has impacted already soaring gas & fuel prices around the country These types of events can be avoided and the impact minimized. The introduction of "zero trust" networks and micro-segmentation helps to reduce the attack footprint within an environment. Sightline Systems and Unisys Corporation have introduced SIAS, combining their two state of the art solutions into one, they are providing manufacturers with easy to use yet powerful security to better protect their environments. "SIAS brings zero trust, cloaking, encryption and micro segmentation to network management in an easy-to-use package." says Brandon Witte, CEO Sightline Systems. "Leveraging SIAS helps organizations reduce their attack footprint, which minimizes the scope and impact of attack exploitations such as this one" says Brandon. "At the end of the day, you can't attack what you can't see." -Brandon Witte, CEO of Sightline Systems For republication in full, additional coverage, or interview requests please contact: Lily Maley Chief Marketing Officer, Sightline Systems 301-778-8339 [email protected] SOURCE Sightline Systems Corp Related Links sightline.com Read the 120-page research report with TOC and LOE on "Furniture and Furnishings Market Procurement Intelligence Report, Pricing Outlook in Geographies that include APAC, North America, South America, and MEA, and insights into best practices to optimize procurement spend." SpendEdge's reports now include an in-depth complimentary analysis of the COVID-19 impact on procurement and the latest market data to help your company overcome sourcing challenges. Our Furniture and Furnishings Market procurement intelligence report offers actionable procurement intelligence insights, sourcing strategies, and action plans to mitigate risks arising out of the current pandemic situation. The insights offered by our reports will help procurement professionals streamline supply chain operations and gain insights into the best procurement practices to mitigate losses. Information on Latest Trends and Supply Chain Market Information Download Our FREE Sample Report Insights into the Market Price Trends Suppliers in this market have moderate bargaining power owing to moderate pressure from substitutes and a moderate level of threat from new entrants. Buyers can benchmark their preferred pricing models for Furniture and Furnishings Market, Procurement, Management with the wider industry information and identify the cost-saving potential. Insights to help buyers identify and shortlist the most suitable suppliers for their Furniture and Furnishings Market requirements. This procurement report answers the following questions: Am I engaging with the right suppliers? Which KPIs should I use to evaluate my incumbent suppliers? Which supplier selection criteria are relevant for? What are the Furniture and Furnishings Market category essentials in terms of SLAs and RFx? Grab your Free Sample now to unlock further information on other key aspects of this market Insights into strategies that will help buyers optimize their category management practices. The report answers the following questions: What should be my strategic procurement objectives, activities, and enablers for the Furniture and Furnishings Market category? What negotiation levers can I pull for cost-saving? What are Furniture and Furnishings Market procurement best practices I should be promoting in my supply chain? Some of the top Furniture and Furnishings Market suppliers enlisted in this report This Furniture and Furnishings Market procurement intelligence report has enlisted the top suppliers and their cost structures, SLA terms, best selection criteria, and negotiation strategies. Herman Miller Inc. Steelcase Inc. HNI Corp. Okamura Corporation Knoll Inc. Kimball International Inc. Haworth Inc. Kokuyo Co. Ltd. Kinnarps Holding AB Itoki Corporation Get access to regular sourcing and procurement insights to our digital procurement platform- Contact Us . Table of Content Executive Summary Market Insights Category Pricing Insights Cost-saving Opportunities Best Practices Category Ecosystem Category Management Strategy Category Management Enablers Suppliers Selection Suppliers under Coverage US Market Insights Category scope Appendix About SpendEdge: SpendEdge shares your passion for driving sourcing and procurement excellence. We are the preferred procurement market intelligence partner for 120+ Fortune 500 firms and other leading companies across numerous industries. Our strength lies in delivering robust, real-time procurement market intelligence reports and solutions. To know more https://www.spendedge.com/request-for-demo Contacts SpendEdge Anirban Choudhury Marketing Manager US: +1 630 984 7340 UK: +44 148 459 9299 https://www.spendedge.com/contact-us SOURCE SpendEdge Related Links https://procurement.spendedge.com/talk-to-us?report=IRCMSTR21019&type=sample&src=report&utm_source=PRnewswire&utm_medium=Pressrelease&utm_campaign=T2BW_Week20_rfs6&utm_content=IRCMSTR21019 DUBLIN, May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Pressure Sensor Market - Forecasts from 2021 to 2026" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The pressure sensor market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 6.35% to reach US$4.896 billion in 2026 from US$3.183 billion in 2019. Pressure sensors are devices equipped with pressure-sensitive elements to measure physical quantity such as length, force, temperature, and pressure and converted into an electrical or optical signal. The pressure sensor determines the actual pressure applied to the sensor and some parts to convert the value to an electronic signal as output data. The use of the pressure sensors is depending on the material and application for which the pressure needs to be measured. It is widely used to monitor relative systems pressure in process applications such as hydraulics and pneumatics. The global pressure sensor market is highly competitive on account of its wide consumer base and the presence of well-diversified international, local and regional players. The rising requirement of existing technology and the further investment in the technological upgrades is leading to the increase in the market share thus, attracting more players into the market. Intense competition in the pressure sensor market is paving the way for the strategies such as mergers and acquisitions and others to enhance their market share. However, pricing pressure on companies due to intense competition and huge expenditure on R&D activities will restrain the demand for pressure sensors during the forecast period. Market players included in the report include STMicroelectronics, TE Connectivity, General Electric, Emerson Electric Co., Robert Bosch GmbH, ABB, Denso Corporation, NXP Semiconductors, Siemens AG, and Omron Corporation. Bosch Sensortec announced the BMP390, a barometric pressure sensor for altitude tracking in smartphones and wearable and hearable devices in April 2020. It can support GPS applications for outdoor navigation and calorie expenditure estimation tasks. It is available for hearable manufacturers, wearable, and high-volume smartphones. Market Drivers: Factors driving the growth of the pressure sensor market include a rise in applications especially in the automotive industry, increasing demand for the pressure sensor in consumer electronics, and favorable government regulations regarding the applications of the pressure sensor is boosting the market growth of the pressure sensor. Also, the rise in the trend of the internet of things (IoT) and the growing demand for pressure sensors in the development of smart cities are expected to augment the pressure sensor market. In the IT dominant world, people are shifting their preference towards automation-based solutions and services. IoT is a technology that provides internet or networking for all applications and uses electronic software, actuators, and sensors to connect the devices to the common network. It incorporates various sensors such as proximity sensors, temperature sensors, and pressure sensors. Thus, the major adoption of IoT-connected devices is anticipated to boost the growth of the pressure sensor market. Segment Analysis: The pressure sensor market by product is classified as absolute pressure sensor, differential pressure sensor, and gauge pressure sensor. By technology, the market is segmented into piezoresistive pressure sensor, electromagnetic pressure sensor, optical pressure sensor, resonant solid-state pressure sensor, capacitive pressure sensor, and others. Technology is enhancing pressure sensors and is leading to significant growth over the forecasted period on account of increasing applications across the industries. For instance, in December 2019, The Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) developed a highly sensitive wearable pressure sensor for health monitoring applications. It is capable of early diagnosis of diseases. The pressure sensor has application across different industries and the market by application is segmented by application as automotive, food, and beverage, aerospace and defense, consumer electronics, medical, industrial, and others. The automotive segment holds a larger share. The pressure sensor is being increasingly deployed in the automotive industry for engine optimization, emission control, and safety enhancement. the rise in environmental and safety concerns is further enhancing the demand for sensors in the automotive industry. The high demand is motivating the manufacturers to form multiple expansion strategies. For instance, in January 2020, JK Tyre introduced a Tire Pressuring Monitoring System (TPMS) by previously acquired TREEL mobility solutions, TREEL sensors. Whereas, it is being used in the industries for leak detection, flow monitoring, gas detection, pneumatic controls, and many others. The sensors help the manufacturers in reducing the manufacturing cost by assisting them to avoid untimely failures which can cause excessive downtime. Regional Analysis: Geographically, the global Pressure Sensor market is segmented as North America, South America, Europe, Middle East and Africa, and the Asia Pacific. North America holds the major share in the market on account of the high rate of automation. The region is a dominating market for smart offices and homes and has witnessed the highest adoption of technology in the healthcare industry compared to other regions. Further, with several smart city projects and initiatives, it is expected by 2025 that there would be around 30 global smart cities and a major of these will be likely to be located in North America and Europe. Government regulations in North America regarding passenger safety in automobile safety are expected to boost the market growth of the pressure sensor. For instance, the US government passed the TREAD act to mandate the installation of the Tire Pressure Monitoring Safety (TPMS) in every automobile. Due to the large applications of the pressure sensor in the region, the region is offering various opportunities and that is expected to boost the market during the forecasted period. COVID-19 Impact: The outbreak of covid-19 pandemic and lockdown globally has negatively impacted the manufacturing activities especially in the Asia-Pacific region where major pressure sensors and other semiconductor components are manufactured. Pandemic interrupted the supply chain causing delay and also, the fear of being infected led to the absence of the factory workers causing a delay in the manufacturing process. However, by May 2020 many of the manufacturing had started their operations and were recovering their loss. Key Topics Covered: 1. Introduction 1.1. Market Definition 1.2. Market Segmentation 2. Research Methodology 2.1. Research Data 2.2. Assumptions 3. Executive Summary 3.1. Research Highlights 4. Market Dynamics 4.1. Market Drivers 4.2. Market Restraints 4.3. Porters Five Forces Analysis 4.3.1. Bargaining Power of Suppliers 4.3.2. Bargaining Power of Buyers 4.3.3. Threat of New Entrants 4.3.4. Threat of Substitutes 4.3.5. Competitive Rivalry in the Industry 4.4. Industry Value Chain Analysis 5. Global Pressure Sensor Market Analysis, By Product 5.1. Introduction 5.2. Absolute Pressure Sensor 5.3. Differential Pressure Sensor 5.4. Gauge Pressure Sensor 6. Global Pressure Sensor Market Analysis, By Technology 6.1. Introduction 6.2. Piezoresistive Pressure Sensor 6.3. Electromagnetic Pressure Sensor 6.4. Optical Pressure Sensor 6.5. Resonant Solid State Pressure Sensor 6.6. Capacitive Pressure Sensor 6.7. Others 7. Global Pressure Sensor Market Analysis, By Application 7.1. Introduction 7.2. Automotive 7.3. Food and Beverage 7.4. Aerospace and Defence 7.5. Consumer Electronics 7.6. Medical 7.7. Industrial 7.8. Others 8. Pressure Sensor Market Analysis, By Geography 8.1. Introduction 8.2. North America 8.2.1. North America Pressure Sensor Market Analysis, By Product 8.2.2. North America Pressure Sensor Market Analysis, By Technology 8.2.3. North America Pressure Sensor Market Analysis, By Application 8.2.4. By Country 8.2.4.1. United States 8.2.4.2. Canada 8.2.4.3. Mexico 8.3. South America 8.3.1. South America Pressure Sensor Market Analysis, By Product 8.3.2. South America Pressure Sensor Market Analysis, By Technology 8.3.3. South America Pressure Sensor Market Analysis, By Application 8.3.4. By Country 8.3.4.1. Brazil 8.3.4.2. Argentina 8.3.4.3. Others 8.4. Europe 8.4.1. Europe Pressure Sensor Market Analysis, By Product 8.4.2. Europe Pressure Sensor Market Analysis, By Technology 8.4.3. Europe Pressure Sensor Market Analysis, By Application 8.4.4. By Country 8.4.4.1. Germany 8.4.4.2. Spain 8.4.4.3. United Kingdom 8.4.4.4. France 8.4.4.5. Others 8.5. Middle East and Africa 8.5.1. Middle East and Africa Pressure Sensor Market Analysis, By Product 8.5.2. Middle East and Africa Pressure Sensor Market Analysis, By Technology 8.5.3. Middle East and Africa Pressure Sensor Market Analysis, By Application 8.5.4. By Country 8.5.4.1. Saudi Arabia 8.5.4.2. South Africa 8.5.4.3. Others 8.6. Asia Pacific 8.6.1. Asia Pacific Pressure Sensor Market Analysis, By Product 8.6.2. Asia Pacific Pressure Sensor Market Analysis, By Technology,2019 to 2026 8.6.3. Asia Pacific Pressure Sensor Market Analysis, By Application 8.6.4. By Country 8.6.4.1. China 8.6.4.2. Japan 8.6.4.3. Australia 8.6.4.4. India 8.6.4.5. Others 9. Competitive Environment and Analysis 9.1. Major Players and Strategy Analysis 9.2. Emerging Players and Market Lucrativeness 9.3. Mergers, Acquisitions, Agreements, and Collaborations 9.4. Vendor Competitiveness Matrix 10. Company Profiles 10.1. STMicroelectronics 10.2. TE Connectivity 10.3. General Electric 10.4. Emerson Electric Co. 10.5. Robert Bosch GmbH 10.6. ABB 10.7. Denso Corporation 10.8. NXP Semiconductors 10.9. Siemens AG 10.10. Omron Corporation For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/lrhln7 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: 646-607-1904 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 SOURCE Research and Markets Related Links http://www.researchandmarkets.com MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- AliveCor, a leading innovator in FDA-cleared personal electrocardiogram (ECG) technology and services, today announced that the US International Trade Commission (ITC) issued a Notice of Institution of an Investigation into Apple's alleged infringement of three AliveCor patents. Last month, AliveCor filed the case with ITC, alleging the infringement and seeking to bar the importation of Apple Watches incorporating the infringing technology into the United States. The ITC announcement came late Thursday and commences an inquiry into whether Apple illegally incorporated AliveCor's patented electrocardiogram monitor technology into the Apple Watch. About AliveCor AliveCor, Inc. is transforming cardiological care using deep learning. The FDA-cleared KardiaMobile device is the most clinically validated personal ECG solution in the world. KardiaMobile provides instant detection of Atrial Fibrillation, Bradycardia, Tachycardia, Sinus Rhythm with Supraventricular Ectopy, Sinus Rhythm with Premature Ventricular Contractions, Sinus Rhythm with Wide QRS and Normal Heart Rhythm. Kardia is the first AI-enabled platform to aid patients and clinicians in the early detection of atrial fibrillation, the most common arrhythmia and one associated with a highly-elevated risk of stroke. AliveCor's enterprise platform allows third party providers to manage their patients' and customers' heart conditions simply and profitably using state-of-the-art tools that provide easy front-end and back-end integration to AliveCor technologies. AliveCor protects its customers with stringent data security and compliance practices, achieving HIPAA compliance and SOC2 Type 1 and Type 2 attestations. AliveCor is a privately-held company headquartered in Mountain View, Calif. "Consumer" or "Personal" ECGs are ECG devices available for direct sale to consumers. For more information, alivecor.com. Contact: Eric Herman [email protected] SOURCE AliveCor Related Links https://www.alivecor.com MAKKAH, Saudi Arabia, May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Muslim World League (MWL) welcomes the announcement of an unconditional cease-fire to end the recent hostilities in Gaza, Jerusalem and elsewhere. The MWL now urges immediate efforts to address the long-standing grievances of the Palestinian people. The MWL, which is headquartered in the Holy City of Makkah and represents the interests of the world's 1.8 billion Muslims, believes that preserving the sanctity of life for innocent men, women and children must be paramount. Too many innocent people died in the recent violence. The League emphasizes the peaceful nature of the true, moderate Islam, and notes that Muslims, Christians and Jews share a common Abrahamic heritage. All of our religions hold as sacred the principles of harmonious and peaceful coexistence. We need to focus on these values. Violence cannot and will never be the answer. The MWL concurrently demands that authorities preserve the sanctity of Muslim holy sites in Jerusalem and elsewhere, and avert any evictions or other provocative actions against the Palestinians that would only risk reigniting the crisis. It is now more important than ever that leaders put the interests of their people above all else. We need all sides to come together to re-establish the foundational principles of peace, coexistence and understanding through dialogue and interaction. Only through such engagement, conducted in good faith, can we better understand and identify the common ground and shared values that will allow everyone to enjoy a just and comprehensive peace and security, with opportunity to prosper. As humans, there is so much more that unites us than divides us. And the children of Abraham should be partners in global efforts to combat extremism and terrorism, and reject those who see the inevitability of a clash of civilizations. This is why the MWL advocates for a just and comprehensive peace that establishes a viable state for the Palestinian people, using the Arab Peace Initiative as the basis for a settlement. Such an agreement not only would ensure the Palestinians receive their legitimate rights, but also advance a sustainable peace and collective security for the region. SOURCE Muslim World League WASHINGTON, May 20, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The measures countries have taken in response to COVID-19, ranging from large-scale lockdowns to the mass deployment of personal protective equipment, have resulted in environmental effects. To study those, NASA, ESA (European Space Agency), and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) will host an Earth Observation Dashboard Hackathon from June 23-29, taking advantage of powerful Earth observation tools. During the weeklong, virtual event, participants will create teams and solve various socioeconomic and environmental challenges using data from the dashboard gathered over the duration of the pandemic. All coders, entrepreneurs, scientists, designers, storytellers, makers, builders, artists, and technologists are encouraged to participate in the hackathon. Registration is now open. Challenge topics will include air and water quality, economic, social, and agricultural impacts, greenhouse gas effects, and interconnected Earth system impacts. The hackathon is launching a year after the agencies introduced the Earth Observing Dashboard, an interactive data resource that provides policymakers and the public with a unique tool to probe the short- and long-term impacts of pandemic-related restrictions implemented around the world. "NASA, ESA, JAXA represent a unique and valuable human asset: Earth-observing instruments in space that we can use every day to benefit society and advance scientific knowledge about our home planet," said Thomas Zurbuchen, NASA's associate administrator for science. "Our three space agencies realized that if we could combine forces, we could bring a more powerful set of analytical tools to understand the environmental, social and economic impacts of the global pandemic." "In the face of the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, the three agencies created the Earth Observing Dashboard to release the joint analysis results of satellite data last June," said Koji Terada, vice president and director general for the Space Technology Directorate I at JAXA. "We would like to welcome many proposals to solve the challenges using this website." "We have created a dashboard that allows us to have a time-series of critical information over different areas, and therefore compare information," said Toni Tolker-Nielsen, director of Earth Observation Programmes at ESA. "I am particularly glad to say that this is not only a European effort, we have joined forces with global space powers NASA and JAXA and really combined our assets." Hackathon participants will interact with experts from NASA, ESA, and JAXA in chat channels and offer solutions to help improve the dashboard. The Earth Observation Dashboard Hackathon is a NASA-led initiative organized in collaboration with Booz Allen Hamilton, Mindgrub and SecondMuse. For more information about the hackathon, visit: http://www.eodashboardhackathon.org SOURCE NASA Related Links http://www.nasa.gov Highlights include: *Note that the host structures are interpreted to be steeply dipping and true widths are generally estimated to be 60% to 80% of reported intervals. Infill veining in secondary structures with multiple orientations crosscutting the primary host structures are commonly observed in drill core which could result in additional variability in true width. Intervals are calculated at a 1 g/t Au cut-off grade; grades have not been capped in the averaging. This table shows highlight intervals, a number of these holes returned additional intervals of gold mineralization as reported in Table 2 below. The interval of 146.2 g/t Au over 25.6m in NFGC-21-182 is a 65m down-plunge step-out to the south from the previously furthest south high-grade intercept (hole NFGC-21-143, 63.7 g/t Au over 8.4m and 16.9 g/t Au over 2.5m , see New Found news release April 27, 2021 ) and is the deepest assay interval returned to date at Keats (see Figure 1). in NFGC-21-182 is a down-plunge step-out to the south from the previously furthest south high-grade intercept (hole NFGC-21-143, 63.7 g/t Au over and 16.9 g/t Au over , see New Found news release ) and is the deepest assay interval returned to date at Keats (see Figure 1). The high-grade zone at Keats has now been drill defined over 425m in the down-plunge direction. The zone remains open and step-out drilling is continuing to the south, vertically above and below this zone, and to the north. Denis Laviolette President of New Found, stated: "The interval of 146.2g/t over 25.6m in hole NFGC-21-182 has a grade x width of over 3,700 g/t Au x m, the highest to date on this metric at Keats, benchmarked against a long list of outstanding holes. Very significantly, as a step out 65m down plunge and as the furthest down-plunge hole and the deepest assay interval returned to date at Keats, this hole demonstrates that the outstanding zone of high-grade gold at Keats is continuing and perhaps strengthening with depth. We couldn't be more excited to be continuing to intercept such a phenomenal interval on such a large step-out down plunge at Keats and this continues to build our confidence that Keats is a very significant high-grade gold discovery." Note: Au g/t x m calculations include all Keats Main intervals for each hole as reported in Table 2. Core Photos, Hole NFGC-21-182 Drillhole Details *Note that the host structures are interpreted to be steeply dipping and true widths are generally estimated to be 60% to 80% of reported intervals. Infill veining in secondary structures with multiple orientations crosscutting the primary host structures are commonly observed in drill core which could result in additional variability in true width. Intervals are calculated at a 1 g/t Au cut-off grade; grades have not been capped in the averaging. Sampling, Sub-sampling and Laboratory True widths of the intercepts reported in this press release have yet to be determined but are estimated to be 60% to 80% of reported core lengths. Infill veining in secondary structures with multiple orientations crosscutting the primary host structures are commonly observed in drill core which could result in additional variability in true width. Assays are uncut, and calculated intervals are reported over a minimum length of 2 meters using a lower cut-off of 1.0 g/t Au. All HQ split core assays reported were obtained by either complete sample metallic screen/fire assay or standard 30-gram fire-assaying with ICP finish at ALS Minerals in Vancouver, British Columbia, or by entire sample screened metallic screen fire assay at Eastern Analytical in Springdale, Newfoundland. The complete sample metallic screen assay method is selected by the geologist when samples contain coarse gold or any samples displaying gold initial fire assay values greater than 1.0 g/t Au. Drill program design, Quality Assurance/Quality Control and interpretation of results is performed by qualified persons employing a Quality Assurance/Quality Control program consistent with National Instrument 43-101 and industry best practices. Standards and blanks are included with every 20 samples for Quality Assurance/Quality Control purposes by the Company as well as the lab. Approximately 5% of sample pulps are sent to secondary laboratories for check assays. Qualified Person The technical content disclosed in this press release was reviewed and approved by Greg Matheson, P. Geo., Chief Operating Officer, and a Qualified Person as defined under National Instrument 43-101. Mr. Matheson consents to the publication of this news release dated May 21, 2021 by New Found. Mr. Matheson certifies that this news release fairly and accurately represents the information for which he is responsible. About New Found Gold Corp. New Found holds a 100% interest in the Queensway Project, located 15km west of Gander, Newfoundland, and just 18km from Gander International Airport. The project is intersected by the Trans-Canada Highway and has logging roads crosscutting the project, high voltage electric power lines running through the project area, and easy access to a highly skilled workforce. The Company is currently undertaking a 200,000m drill program at Queensway. Seven rigs are currently in operation at Queensway with the drill count planned to increase to ten rigs by Q2 2021. With a current working capital balance of approximately $79 million, New Found is well funded for this program. Please see the Company's website at www.newfoundgold.ca and the Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com. Acknowledgements New Found acknowledges the financial support of the Junior Exploration Assistance Program, Department of Natural Resources, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. Contact To contact the Company, please visit the Company's website, www.newfoundgold.ca and make your request through our investor inquiry form. Our management has a pledge to be in touch with any investor inquiries within 24 hours. New Found Gold Corp. Per: "Craig Roberts" Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-Looking Statement Cautions This press release contains certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation, relating to further the exploration and drilling on the Company's Queensway gold project in Newfoundland. Although the Company believes that such statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts; they are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "intends," "estimates," "projects," "aims," "potential," "goal," "objective," "prospective," and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will," "would," "may," "can," "could" or "should" occur, or are those statements, which, by their nature, refer to future events. The Company cautions that forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company's management on the date the statements are made, and they involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Consequently, there can be no assurances that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Except to the extent required by applicable securities laws and the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements if management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change. Factors that could cause future results to differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements include risks associated possible accidents and other risks associated with mineral exploration operations, the risk that the Company will encounter unanticipated geological factors, the possibility that the Company may not be able to secure permitting and other governmental clearances necessary to carry out the Company's exploration plans, the risk that the Company will not be able to raise sufficient funds to carry out its business plans, and the risk of political uncertainties and regulatory or legal changes that might interfere with the Company's business and prospects. The reader is urged to refer to the Company's reports, publicly available through the Canadian Securities Administrators' System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval (SEDAR) at www.sedar.com for a more complete discussion of such risk factors and their potential effects. SOURCE New Found Gold Corp. Related Links https://newfoundgold.ca/ Two quickfire deals see the company establish 32,000 boepd of production in a new focus area for just over US$300mln ( ) confirmed it has raised US$225mln in a placing and retail offer as it advances its latest acquisition. It will issue 141.5mln new shares at 112p per share. Proceeds will cover the cost of the newly announced Blackbeard acquisition which sees the company pick up another 820 wells producing 16,000 barrels oil equivalent per day (boepd) in its recently established Central regional focus area (RFA). The deal consideration is US$166mln. Blackbeard is the second package of assets to be acquired for the Central area, following the Cotton Valley acquisition which closed this week. The first deal gave the company 16,000 boepd of production across 780 net operated wells. Chief executive Rusty Hutson highlighted the strong momentum that the company has quickly built in the Central area. With just two transactions, the Central RFA adds nearly a third to our daily production, and will benefit both from our Smarter Asset Management programmes and from the additional scale that future infill acquisitions will afford us to reduce costs and further improve already strong margins, Hutson said. By largely funding these two initial acquisitions with equity and reducing our leverage to just 1.8 times Net Debt-to-Adjusted EBITDA, we have positioned ourselves with an even stronger balance sheet, in an acquisition-rich environment, with the ability to move quickly to build additional scale in a highly-accretive way for shareholders using our access to low-cost financing. The company's Central RFA comprises Louisiana, Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas. The company sees it as having a similar footprint to Diversified's existing Appalachia region and the assets available in the region also share similar asset characteristics. In April, DEC said it sees a significant opportunity to grow scale through complementary bolt-on and/or larger deals. The placing price represented an 8% discount to Thursdays closing price, and 2.5% of the 30-day volume-weighted average price. The retail offer sees further new shares sold to investors via the Primary Bid platform Receive FREE Sample Report in Minutes! Key Highlights Offered in the Report: Information on how to identify strategic and tactical negotiation levels that will help achieve the best prices. Gain information on relevant pricing levels, detailed explanation of the pros and cons of prevalent pricing models. Methods to help engage with the right suppliers and discover KPI's to evaluate incumbent suppliers. Fetch actionable market insights on post COVID-19 impact on each product and service segments. Some of the Top Payments Processing suppliers listed in this report: This Payments Processing procurement intelligence report has enlisted the top suppliers and their cost structures, SLA terms, best selection criteria, and negotiation strategies. PayPal Holdings Inc. Square Inc. Stripe Inc. Adyen NV Flagship Merchant Services Payline Data Services LLC Due Inc. BitPay Inc. GoCardless Ltd. ChronoPay SpendEdge suggests three forecast scenarios (optimistic, probable, and pessimistic) considering the impact of COVID-19. SpendEdge's in-depth research has direct and indirect COVID-19 impacted market research reports. Request for a FREE sample to access the definite purchasing guide on Payments Processing procurement. Related Reports on Financial Services Include: 1. Cyber Insurance Sourcing and Procurement Report- Forecast and Analysis: The cyber insurance will grow at a CAGR of 26.70% during 2020-2024. Prices will increase by 3%-4.5% during the forecast period and suppliers will have a moderate bargaining power in this market. 2. Forensics Accounting Services Sourcing and Procurement Report: The pressure from substitutes and a moderate level of threat from new entrants has resulted in the moderate bargaining power of suppliers. This makes it extremely important to get the pricing and pricing model right. Buyers should align their preferred pricing models for forensics accounting services with the wider industry and identify the cost-saving potential. 3. Supply Chain Insurance - Sourcing and Procurement Intelligence Report: The supply chain insurance market will register an incremental spend of about $ 2.45 billion during the forecast period. Only a few regions will drive the majority of this growth. On the supply side, North America, Europe, APAC, South America, and Middle East and Africa will have the maximum influence owing to the supplier base. To access the definite purchasing guide on the Payments Processing that answers all your key questions on price trends and analysis: Am I paying/getting the right prices? Is my Payments Processing TCO (total cost of ownership) favorable? How is the price forecast expected to change? What is driving the current and future price changes? Which pricing models offer the most rewarding opportunities? Table of Content Executive Summary Market Insights Category Pricing Insights Cost-saving Opportunities Best Practices Category Ecosystem Category Management Strategy Category Management Enablers Suppliers Selection Suppliers under Coverage US Market Insights Category scope Appendix About SpendEdge: SpendEdge shares your passion for driving sourcing and procurement excellence. We are the preferred procurement market intelligence partner for 120+ Fortune 500 firms and other leading companies across numerous industries. Our strength lies in delivering robust, real-time procurement market intelligence reports and solutions. To know more https://www.spendedge.com/request-for-demo Contacts: SpendEdge Anirban Choudhury Marketing Manager Ph No: +1 (872) 206-9340 https://www.spendedge.com/contact-us SOURCE SpendEdge Related Links https://www.spendedge.com/contact-us?utm_source=PRnewswire&utm_medium=Pressrelease&utm_campaign=T3_Week20_rfs11&utm_content=IRCMSTR21249 LAS VEGAS, May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Premier Development & Investment, Inc. (PDIV.PK) ("The Company" or "Premier") confirms that it has acquired a loan due and payable by GNCC Capital, Inc. (GNCP.PK) and from a third party. Premier is already the largest stockholder in GNCC Capital, Inc. Premier is treating its shareholding in and its loans to GNCC as Investments and will not be seeking to acquire GNCC Capital, Inc. The amount of this loan acquired was $3,425,081. Premier has disclosed full details on an OTCIQ Filing today. This Filing clearly sets out Premier's intentions and details our accounting treatment. A link to this Filing: https://backend.otcmarkets.com/otcapi/company/financial-report/284472/content ABOUT PREMIER:- Premier holds claims to Rare Earth Mining Exploration Properties in New Mexico, has options over Oil & Gas Wells in Oklahoma and holds some 37.68% of the outstanding Common Stock of GNCC Capital, Inc. (OTC: GNCP) which gives Premier an indirect exposure to their claims to Gold and Silver Mining Exploration Properties. Forward-Looking Statements:- This press release may contain forward-looking statements. The words "believe," "expect," "should," "intend," "estimate," "projects," variations of such words and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements, but their absence does not mean that a statement is not a forward-looking statement. These forward-looking statements are based upon the Company's current expectations and are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Among the important factors that could cause actual results to differ significantly from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements are risks that are detailed in the Company's filings, which are on file with the OTC Markets Group. Contact Information: BOARD OF DIRECTORS PREMIER DEVELOPMENT & INVESTMENT, INC. Telephone: (702) 992- 0494 E Mail: [email protected] Investor Relations Contact: E Mail: [email protected] Twitter: @premier-pdiv SOURCE Premier Development & Investment, Inc. MONTREAL, May 21, 2021 /CNW Telbec/ - Resolute Forest Products Inc. (NYSE: RFP) (TSX: RFP) today held its virtual annual meeting of stockholders. A total of 66,680,355 common shares, or 83.5% of the outstanding shares, were voted at the meeting. Shareholders voted in favor of each proposal, including the election of the seven director nominees, by a 99.1% majority: NOMINEE FOR AGAINST ABSTAIN NON-VOTES # of shares % # of shares % # of shares Randall C. Benson 60,798,009 98.9 695,357 1.1 4,709 5,182,280 Suzanne Blanchet 61,378,856 99.8 113,951 0.2 5,268 5,182,280 Jennifer C. Dolan 60,809,283 98.9 683,608 1.1 5,184 5,182,280 Remi G. Lalonde 61,291,479 99.7 200,457 0.3 6,139 5,182,280 Bradley P. Martin 61,094,607 99.4 398,760 0.6 4,708 5,182,280 Alain Rheaume 60,376,412 98.2 1,116,943 1.8 4,720 5,182,280 Michael S. Rousseau 60,714,300 98.7 779,026 1.3 4,749 5,182,280 The other proposals on which stockholders voted favorably included: The ratification of the appointment of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as the company's independent registered public accounting firm for the 2021 fiscal year. An advisory vote to approve compensation of the company's named executive officers, as disclosed in the proxy statement. About Resolute Forest Products Resolute Forest Products is a global leader in the forest products industry with a diverse range of products, including market pulp, tissue, wood products and papers, which are marketed in over 50 countries. The company owns or operates some 40 facilities, as well as power generation assets, in the United States and Canada. Resolute has third-party certified 100% of its managed woodlands to internationally recognized sustainable forest management standards. The shares of Resolute Forest Products trade under the stock symbol RFP on both the New York Stock Exchange and the Toronto Stock Exchange. Resolute has received regional, North American and global recognition for its leadership in corporate social responsibility and sustainable development, as well as for its business practices. Visit www.resolutefp.com for more information. SOURCE Resolute Forest Products Inc. Related Links www.resolutefp.com Today's launch included the introduction of the Spinal Champion Advocates program. A select group of superior Spinal Champions will now partner with the Foundation to offer support and share their patient experience while being available for individuals seeking patient-to-patient guidance. Members of the NSHF community can access these Advocates via e-mail at any time when they have specific questions. New Spinal Champion community; patients share their experiences, provide support and hope to others at spinehealth.org "We are thrilled to be building a thriving network and community that offers patients a seamless stream of communication when they need it," said NSHF CEO, Dr. Rita Roy. In celebration of the new program, the Foundation featured interviews on their Facebook page with staff members, Spinal Champions, NSHF Ambassadors, Advocates and a special announcement from NSHF Medical and Scientific Board President Dr. Thomas Schuler. Given that nearly 100 million people suffer from spine health issues in the United States, it's vital that patients are made aware of community-rich resources like this. When people join the community, they also receive an invitation to NSHF's nearly 1,000-member private Facebook support group. "This program will allow you....to understand that there is hope for you to overcome your problems," said Dr. Schuler. "We are proud to represent Spinal Champions across the country and help you get back to your life." The National Spine Health Foundation is the nation's only spine health patient advocacy group. The Spinal Champion community and advocates program brings patients together to ignite the healing process from the inside out. Learn more at spinehealth.org SOURCE National Spine Health Foundation Related Links www.spinehealth.org MIAMI, May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Royal Caribbean International's U.S. comeback marks its first step forward with the cruise line's return to Alaska this summer. Today, the cruise vacation company announced plans to launch its Alaska season with 7-night cruises roundtrip from Seattle on returning favorites Serenade and Ovation of the Seas, beginning July 19 and August 13, respectively. After more than a year with cruising on pause and the significant impact its had on the beloved Alaskan communities, travelers can now chart a course for the culture-rich destinations they have looked forward to discovering while helping revive the local economies. The new summer 2021 Alaska cruises on Serenade and Ovation's existing sailings are available to book today. May 2021 - Royal Caribbean will mark its long-awaited return to Alaska in July 2021 with 7-night cruises roundtrip from Seattle on board Serenade and Ovation of the Seas. Cruising the Gulf of Alaska, Serenade will offer itineraries to popular ports of call and sights, including Sitka, Ketchikan and Icy Strait Point, Alaska. In August, Ovation ventures out to cruise the Inside Passage and visit bucket-list destinations, such as Glacier National Park, Juneau and Skagway, Alaska. Serenade of the Seas touts ocean-facing glass elevators and floor-to-ceiling windows throughout, delivering to vacationers breathtaking sights of every destination. The Radiance Class ship also features onboard experiences for guests of all ages, from rock climbing, to poolside movie nights under the stars, to guest-favorite dining venues such as Chops Grille, Giovannis Table and Izumi. Ovation of the Seas offers a lineup of activities, including the FlowRider surf simulator, skydiving with RipCord by iFly, and the SeaPlex, the largest indoor active space at sea featuring a trapeze school, full-size basketball court, roller-skating rink and bumper cars. "Any traveler who visits Alaska immediately understands how special it is, given its natural beauty, the welcoming locals, and the culture carefully preserved over centuries," said Michael Bayley, president and CEO, Royal Caribbean International. "The past year has been a challenging time for us all, and the Alaskan communities heavily reliant on cruise tourism have felt it deeply. To see the communities, industry and government successfully pass a solution that will help bring these communities back to life shows the great progress and clear paths we can make together. We are confident this is just the first part of our return to cruising from the U.S." Serenade will begin cruising in July, sailing roundtrip from Seattle a change from its previously scheduled homeport in Vancouver. On board, the ship will deliver awe-inspiring views from its signature ocean-facing glass elevators and floor-to-ceiling windows as guests travel from one far-flung destination to the next. The week-long itinerary features a lineup of popular ports of call, including Juneau, Sitka, Ketchikan and Icy Strait Point, Alaska, as well as the jaw-dropping Endicott Arm fjord and Dawes Glacier. Ovation follows suit in August for a different take on Alaskan adventure, pairing the region's natural wonders and wildlife-filled fjords with a thrilling lineup of experiences on board. From the North Star glass observation capsule to the RipCord by iFly skydiving simulator, vacationers can get their adrenaline pumping as they take in deck-defying sights of the scenic landscape and lush scenery of the destinations, such as Glacier National Park, the Inside Passage, Juneau and Skagway, Alaska, from unparalleled viewpoints. Travelers can plan their Alaska cruise with peace of mind knowing that all crew members and vacationers 16 years of age or older will be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, and everyone 12 or older as of August 1. Those underage will receive a test prior to sailing. These measures are part of the cruise line's Royal Promise commitment to the health and safety of every guest, crew member and community visited. The measures will be evaluated and updated as public health circumstances evolve. Royal Caribbean will continue to work closely with local health officials on specific measures outlined for the region. Guests and travel partners impacted by the affected sailings will be contacted directly with their options. These reservations are covered by Royal Caribbean's Cruise with Confidence program. About Royal Caribbean International Royal Caribbean International has been delivering innovation at sea for more than 50 years. Each successive class of ships is an architectural marvel featuring the latest technology and guest experiences for today's adventurous traveler. The cruise line continues to revolutionize vacations with itineraries to more than 270 destinations in 72 countries on six continents, including Royal Caribbean's private island destination in The Bahamas, Perfect Day at CocoCay , the first in the Perfect Day Island Collection. Royal Caribbean has also been voted "Best Cruise Line Overall" for 18 consecutive years in the Travel Weekly Readers' Choice Awards. Media can stay up to date by following @RoyalCaribPR on Twitter and visiting RoyalCaribbeanPressCenter.com. For additional information or to make reservations, vacationers can call their travel advisor; visit RoyalCaribbean.com; or call (800) ROYAL-CARIBBEAN. Royal Caribbean International is applying the recommendations of its Healthy Sail Panel of public health and scientific experts to provide a safer and healthier cruise vacation on all of its sailings. Health and safety protocols, regional travel restrictions and clearance to visit ports of call, are subject to change based on ongoing evaluation, public health standards, and government requirements. U.S. cruises and guests: For more information on the latest health and travel alerts, U.S. government travel advisories, please visit www.royalcaribbean.com/cruise-ships/itinerary-updates or consult travel advisories, warnings or recommendations relating to cruise travel on applicable government websites. SOURCE Royal Caribbean International Related Links http://www.royalcaribbean.com SAUSALITO, Calif., May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Sausalito Art Festival Foundation (SAFF) regrets to announce that it has canceled production of its signature event, the 2021 Sausalito Art Festival, due to the uncertain prospects of a homeless encampment being relocated to Marinship Park, the traditional location of the Festival. In December of last year, a man erected a tent to live in on the Sausalito waterfront next to Dunphy Park. Since then, an entire encampment of homeless people has congregated on the park. Thereafter, the Sausalito City Council has been trying to relocate the homeless encampment from its central and prominent location near Dunphy Park to the less visible area of Marinship Park. The Sausalito Art Festival Foundation has a multi-year agreement to use Marinship Park over Labor Day Weekend (Sept. 4-6), for the Festival. However, movement of the homeless encampment to Marinship Park would negate the use of the park for the 2021 Festival and potentially beyond 2021. Since becoming aware of the City's intention to move the encampment to Marinship Park, SAFF members have been working with the Sausalito Parks and Recreation division to find an alternative location for the 2021 Festival. In the process, the group identified Dunphy Park as the most viable location for the event, assuming the homeless encampment would be moved to Marinship Park. However, during public meetings with the Sausalito Parks and Recreation Commission, opposition to the use of Dunphy Park was voiced by Commissioners as well as Sausalito residents. In an attempt to find a solution to the opposition of the iconic Sausalito Art Festival, a sub-committee was formed to address the issues addressed by the opposition. "Unfortunately, we are simply out of time to work through the opposition voiced to the movement of the Festival to Dunphy Park, and we can no longer wait for Judge Chen (U.S. District Court Judge Edward M. Chen), to make a decision on whether or not the City has the right to move the homeless encampment to Marinship Park in the first place," stated Sausalito Art Festival Foundation Chairman Louis Briones. For months, the local chapter of the California Homeless Union has opposed the movement of the encampment to Marinship Park, and the Sausalito City Council has been fighting their opposition. "We've been uncertain about our ability to use Marinship, so we started to create production plans for both Marinship and Dunphy Park. However, the events industry is rapidly coming back to life and we can't wait any longer to start ordering and reserving materials. It's impossible to do so because the park requirements are vastly different," added Briones. As of last week, Judge Chen has yet to make a definite decision on the encampment relocation to Marinship Park, and it's clear that it will take weeks if not months for SAFF to work with the Parks and Recs sub-committee to come to a resolution and agreement with the various stakeholders required to hold the Festival at Dunphy Park. "At this point, we owe it to the artists who have committed to exhibit at the Festival, to release them so they can attend other Labor Day Weekend events," stated Briones. The city is restricted in its options by a recent legal decision impacting public property. In Martin v. Boise, the United States Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit affirmed that people cannot be punished for sleeping outside on public property when a city is unable to offer them a suitable alternative shelter option. In addition, the pandemic has created a new level of complexity to the situation. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), encampments should "remain where they are," to prevent infectious disease spread. On May 14, Judge Chen asked the City of Sausalito to provide within three days information on how many individuals residing at the encampment had received their first and second COVID-19 vaccinations in an effort coordinated by the City and the County of Marin Department of Health and Human Services. This information may or may not result in a final decision about the relocation by Judge Chen. "This situation is extremely difficult for everyone involved. After spending the last year to reimagine the 68th annual Sausalito Art Festival, we very much looked forward to bringing the Festival back to the community of artists, locals and visitors. We were confident that we could meet the requirements imposed on us by the Feds and State in regards to Covid restrictions, but the pandemic has created a chain reaction of events that we could not anticipate. It impacted the homeless, which impacted the parks, which impacted the City, which impacted the Festival. There clearly is no winner here but with help, we'll all be in a better place next year and the Festival will return" stated Briones. For More Information: [email protected] About the Sausalito Art Festival Foundation The Sausalito Art Festival Foundation is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) cultural and fine arts organization. The mission of the Sausalito Art Festival Foundation is to encourage, promote, and support the arts for the community. The Sausalito Art Festival Foundation Board of Trustees governs the Foundation's activities, including the annual Sausalito Art Festival and other year-round community programs. The Board of Trustees is composed of civic, community, and business leaders who volunteer their time, service, and expertise in support of the Foundation's public purpose. Proceeds from the annual Festival support Bay Area arts and community non-profits through grants, artist awards, and scholarships. Through this support, the Foundation makes a significant investment in the future of its community, totaling over $1,600,000 in recent years. SOURCE Sausalito Art Festival Foundation LAS VEGAS, May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Today Absolute Dental Group LLC ("Absolute Dental") announced that it has opened its newest dental practice in Nevada. The practice, located at the intersection of Rainbow and Flamingo in Las Vegas, NV, was previously a dental office for 15 years and has been completely remodeled with the latest dental technology. "This newest supported dental practice continues to underscore Absolute's commitment to making patient care more accessible in Southern Nevada. We're excited for this new growth chapter and expect this practice to be followed by a series of additional practices to be opened this year," said David Drzewiecki, CEO of Absolute Dental Group LLC. About Absolute Dental Group Headquartered in Las Vegas Nevada, Absolute Dental is Nevada's largest branded Dental Service Organization (DSO) with nearly 30 affiliated dental practices throughout Northern & Southern Nevada.With practices in Las Vegas, Henderson, Summerlin, Reno, and Carson City, Absolute Dental's affiliated dentists change lives one smile at a time. Beginning with one practice in 2002, Absolute Dental has positioned itself as a leading DSO dedicated to complete oral healthcare and exceptional service for patients. Absolute's mission is to offer all dentistry in one place and provide trusted dental care to the communities that they serve. Media Contact: Julie Cotton 702-779-3668 [email protected] SOURCE Absolute Dental BARCELONA, Spain, May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Almirall S.A. (BME: ALM), a global biopharmaceutical company, announced today that the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has issued a positive opinion for the regulatory approval of Klisyri (tirbanibulin), indicated for the topical treatment of actinic keratosis (AK) on the face or scalp. Tirbanibulin is a novel, topical first-in-class microtubule inhibitor with a selective antiproliferative mechanism of action that represents a significant step forward in the treatment of AK due to its short treatment protocol - once daily application for 5 days -, proven efficacy and safety profile with very acceptable local tolerability. AK is one of the most common diagnoses in dermatology practices and data available suggests that its prevalence can be calculated to be around 18% of the population in Europe[1], [2]. Treatment is a critical aspect of the disease as it may progress to invasive squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). In December 2020, Almirall's development partner, Athenex, Inc., received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the commercialisation of Klisyri (tirbanibulin) in the United States for the topical treatment of actinic AK of the face or scalp. "We are delighted to receive the positive recommendation announced by the CHMP for Klisyri. The medicine represents an important therapeutic option for dermatologists and their patients in Europe. To this end early feedback from dermatologists in the US, has been very encouraging. The short duration of treatment, combined with proven efficacy and a good safety and tolerability profile may result in improved adherence to therapy, making Klisyri a valid alternative to current treatment options for AK in the EU", stated Volker Koscielny, Chief Medical Officer at Almirall. The CHMP opinion is based on two phase III studies (KX01-AK-003 and KX01-AK-004) positive results. These two double-blind, vehicle-controlled, randomized, parallel-group, multi-centre phase III clinical trials, which included 702 patients from 62 clinical sites across the US, showed that application of tirbanibulin ointment 1% (10 mg/g) in adults with AK on the face or scalp is effective and well tolerated. Both phase III studies achieved their primary endpoint, which was defined as 100% clearance of the AK lesions at Day 57 within the face or scalp treatment areas, each study achieving statistical significance (p<0.0001) on this endpoint. In the KX01-AK-003 study, complete clearance was observed in 44% of the patients treated with tirbanibulin versus 5% for vehicle-treated groups. In the KX01-AK-004 study, complete clearance was observed in 54% of the patients treated with tirbanibulin versus 13% for vehicle-treated groups. Local reactions were mostly mild-to-moderate erythema, flaking or scaling, application-site pruritus, and application-site pain that resolved spontaneously[3] . The European Commission (EC) generally follows the recommendations of the CHMP (EMA) and delivers its final decision thereafter. The approval of Klisyri (tirbanibulin) is expected in approximately 60 days and its launch in Europe could take place in late 2021. Concerning other territories, Almirall submitted for a marketing authorisation in Switzerland in Q4 2020 and the dossier is currently under review by Swissmedic. The company will also submit in Great Britain via the European Commission Decision Reliance Procedure. IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS Ophthalmic Adverse Reactions KLISYRI may cause eye irritation. Avoid transfer of the drug into the eyes and to the periocular area during and after application. Wash hands immediately after application. If accidental exposure occurs, instruct patient to flush eyes with water and seek medical care as soon as possible. Local Skin Reactions Local skin reactions, including severe reactions (erythema, flaking/scaling, crusting, swelling, vesiculation/pustulation and erosion/ulceration) in the treated area can occur after topical application of KLISYRI. Avoid use until skin is healed from any previous drug, procedure, or surgical treatment. Occlusion after topical application of KLISYRI is more likely to result in irritation. ADVERSE REACTIONS The most common adverse reactions (incidence 2%) were local skin reactions, application site pruritus, and application site pain. Please see Full Prescribing Information for Klisyri at https://www.klisyri.com/. About Klisyri (tirbanibulin) Klisyri (tirbanibulin) is a microtubule inhibitor indicated for the topical treatment of actinic keratosis of the face or scalp. Two phase III studies (KX01-AK-003 and KX01-AK-004) evaluated the efficacy and safety of tirbanibulin ointment 1% (10 mg/g) in adults with actinic keratosis on the face or scalp. The studies achieved their primary endpoint, which was defined as 100% clearance of the AK lesions at Day 57 within the face or scalp treatment areas, each study achieving statistical significance (p<0.0001) on this endpoint.[3] About Actinic Keratosis Actinic keratosis (AK) or solar keratosis is a chronic and precancerous skin disease that occurs primarily in areas that have been exposed to ultraviolet (UV) radiation for a long period of time. It is usually found on the face, ears, lips, bald scalp, forearms, the posterior part of the hands, and lower legs. It is not possible to predict which AK lesions will develop into squamous cell carcinoma. AK is the most common pre-cancerous dermatological condition[4] . About Almirall Almirall is a global biopharmaceutical company focused on skin health. We collaborate with scientists and healthcare professionals to address patient's needs through science to improve their lives. Our Noble Purpose is at the core of our work: "Transform the patients' world by helping them realize their hopes and dreams for a healthy life". We invest in differentiated and ground-breaking medical dermatology products to bring our innovative solutions to patients in need. The company, founded in 1943 and headquartered in Barcelona, is publicly traded on the Spanish Stock Exchange and is a member of the IBEX35 (ticker: ALM). Throughout its 77-year history, Almirall has retained a strong focus on the needs of patients. Currently, Almirall has a direct presence in 21 countries and strategic agreements in over 70, through 13 subsidiaries, with about 1,800 employees. Total revenues in 2020 were 814.5 million euros. For more information, please visit almirall.com [1] Lucas R, McMichael T, Smith W, Armstrong B. Solar ultraviolet radiation: Global burden of disease from solar ultraviolet radiation: World Health Organization, 2006. [2] Worldometer. Population of Europe. 2020. Available at: https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/europe-population/ Accessed: October 2020. [3] Blauvelt A, Kempers S, Lain E, et al. Phase 3 Trials of Tirbanibulin Ointment for Actinic Keratosis. N Engl J Med. 2021 Feb 11;384(6):512-520. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa2024040 [4] Skin Cancer Foundation. Actinic Keratosis Overview. Available at: https://www.skincancer.org/skin-cancer-information/actinic-keratosis/#:~:text=Actinic%20keratosis%20(AK)%20is%20the,to%20ultraviolet%20(UV)%20radiation January 2021 Almirall Corporate Communications contact: Mar Ramirez [email protected] Phone: (+34) 659 614 173 SOURCE Almirall, S.A. Related Links https://www.almirall.com/ CALABASAS, Calif., May 20, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- American Homes 4 Rent (NYSE: AMH) (the "Company") today announced that it has priced an underwritten public offering of 16,300,000 of its Class A common shares of beneficial interest, $0.01 par value per share ("Class A common shares"), of which 5,500,000 shares were offered directly by the Company, and 10,800,000 shares were offered, at the request of the Company, by the forward purchasers (as defined below) or their respective affiliates in connection with the forward sale agreements described below. The underwriters have been granted a 30-day option to purchase an aggregate of up to an additional 2,445,000 Class A common shares. The offering is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to close on or about May 25, 2021. In connection with the offering of the Class A common shares, the Company expects to enter into a forward sale agreement with each of JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association and Bank of America, N.A. or their respective affiliates (who are referred to in such capacity individually as a "forward purchaser" and collectively, the "forward purchasers"), with respect to 10,800,000 Class A common shares covered by the offering. The forward purchasers or their respective affiliates are expected to borrow from third parties and sell to the underwriters 10,800,000 Class A common shares in connection with the forward sale agreements (or an aggregate of 13,245,000 shares if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares in full). Pursuant to the terms of the forward sale agreements, and subject to the Company's right to elect cash or net share settlement under the forward sale agreements, the Company intends to issue and sell, upon physical settlement of such forward sale agreements, 10,800,000 Class A common shares to the forward purchasers (or an aggregate of 13,245,000 shares if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares in full) in exchange for cash proceeds per share equal to the applicable forward sale price per share, which will initially be the public offering price per share in the offering, less underwriting discounts and commissions, and will be subject to certain adjustments as provided for in the forward sale agreements. The Company expects to physically settle the forward sale agreements in full and receive proceeds by May 21, 2022. The Company will receive proceeds from the sale of the Class A common shares offered by it in the offering, but will not initially receive any proceeds from the sale of the Class A common shares offered by the forward purchasers or their respective affiliates to the underwriters, except in certain circumstances described in the prospectus supplement relating to the offering. The Company estimates that gross proceeds to it, before deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and other estimated offering expenses, will be approximately $599.0 million, assuming full physical settlement of the forward sale agreement and excluding the option to purchase additional shares. The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the offering to repay indebtedness under its revolving credit facility, to partially fund the previously announced redemption of its Series D and Series E Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Shares and for general corporate purposes. J.P. Morgan, BofA Securities and Wells Fargo Securities are acting as joint book-running managers for the offering, and Morgan Stanley and Raymond James are acting as book-running managers for the offering. PNC Capital Markets LLC, BMO Capital Markets, Mizuho Securities, Scotiabank, BTIG, Citigroup, Regions Securities LLC, Ramirez & Co., Inc., and BBVA are acting as co-managers for the offering. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful before registration or qualification thereof under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction. The offering is being made pursuant to an effective shelf registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") and only by means of a prospectus and prospectus supplement. Copies of the preliminary prospectus supplement relating to the offering and the final prospectus supplement, when available, may be obtained by visiting EDGAR on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov or from J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Attention: Broadridge Financial Solutions, 1155 Long Island Avenue, Edgewood, NY 11717, by telephone: 1-866-803-9204; BofA Securities, Inc., NC1-004-03-43, 200 North College Street, 3rd Floor, Charlotte NC 28255-0001, Attn: Prospectus Department or by email at [email protected]; or Wells Fargo Securities, Attention: Equity Syndicate Department, 500 West 33rd Street, New York, New York, 10001, at (800) 326-5897 or email a request to [email protected]. About American Homes 4 Rent American Homes 4 Rent (NYSE: AMH) is a leader in the single-family home rental industry and "American Homes 4 Rent" is a nationally recognized brand for rental homes, known for high-quality, good value and tenant satisfaction. We are an internally managed Maryland real estate investment trust, or REIT, focused on acquiring, developing, renovating, leasing, and operating attractive, single-family homes as rental properties. As of March 31, 2021, we owned 53,984 single-family properties in selected submarkets in 22 states. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains "forward-looking statements" that relate to beliefs, expectations or intentions and similar statements concerning matters that are not of historical fact and are generally accompanied by words such as "estimate," "project," "predict," "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "intend," "potential," "plan," "goal," "outlook," "guidance" or other words that convey the uncertainty of future events or outcomes. These forward-looking statements may include, but are not limited to, the Company's ability to complete the offering and the intended use of net proceeds. The Company has based these forward-looking statements on its current expectations and assumptions about future events. While the Company's management considers these expectations to be reasonable, they are inherently subject to risks, contingencies and uncertainties, most of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond the Company's control and could cause actual results to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. These and other important factors, including "Risk Factors" disclosed in, or incorporated by reference into, the prospectus from the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020 and our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the three months ended March 31, 2021, and in the Company's subsequent filings with the SEC, may cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from anticipated results expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Investors should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Contact: American Homes 4 Rent Investor Relations Phone: (855) 794-2447 Email: [email protected] SOURCE American Homes 4 Rent Related Links https://www.americanhomes4rent.com COLOMBO, Sri Lanka, May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Asia Pacific Institute of Digital Marketing (APIDM), has become the first in the region to offer digital credentials to its successful programme graduates. Digital badges offer a transparent and reliable way of showcasing qualifications to the benefit of both certificate holders and prospective employers. APIDM, which is already the first Sri Lankan digital skills provider to be accredited by the CPD certification service in the UK, has partnered with international consultants Everitas and digital credentials specialist Credly to launch the scheme. The initiative is part of APIDM's ambitious growth plans to become the most respected marketing skills provider for the APAC region by 2024. APIDM CEO Amitha Amarasinghe said the need for the scheme had become far more acute over the past 12 months due to the acceleration of digital transformation across many industries caused by the pandemic. He said: "We saw massive growth in the online education sector as well with more and more people electing to do professional upskilling programmes online. "At a certain point, it almost became impossible for someone to recognise the real good quality professional qualifications from mediocre programmes developed with less rigour. "APIDM wanted a way to distinguish the level of proficiency of our qualification holders in an internationally recognised way." He said the partnership with Everitas and Credly, the global giant in issuing digital credentials, enabled them to achieve that objective. "This move will enable the qualified students of APIDM to distinguish their proficiency and stand out in the field, while the organisations that face many challenges in attracting high-quality candidates will benefit by having a trusted source to identify and verify the talent," he said. Shareena Lantra, APIDM manager operations and student success, said: "By providing a secure, digital representation of APIDM certifications our students, trainers and employees can more easily manage, share and make use of their credentials within their networks, across social media platforms and on their resumes. "For employers, our new digital badges make it easy to identify individuals with the skills they need to build an effective marketing function." Jonathan Finkelstein, CEO of US based Credly, said businesses were now keenly aware of the direct connection between the skills of their employees and the growth potential of the company. "Digital credentials like those offered by APIDM help employers make better human capital decisions, while ensuring individuals achieve their full professional potential," he said. Everitas, Australia's leading digital credentialing consultancy and Credly representative in the Asia Pacific region, provided regional support to APIDM in the development and launch of their digital badging programme. Everitas' founder and director, David Kinsella said, "It is an honour to work with APIDM on this initiative, and inspiring to work with its leadership team, who not only display great vision for the future of regional professional development, but also understand that delivering high quality marketing education programmes is more than simply transferring knowledge. "It is about delivering outcomes to better connect programmes participants with professional opportunities, and strengthening relationships with alumni for long term mutual benefit. "APIDM digital credential programme will play a vital role in making this vision a powerful reality, and will ultimately provide wide-ranging benefits for the regional economy overall." For more information about APIDM's digital credential programme, visit https://www.apidm.lk/digitalbadges Photos: https://www.prlog.org/12870096 Press release distributed by PRLog SOURCE Asia Pacific Institute of Digital Marketing Related Links https://www.apidm.lk Under the nearly US$25 million deal with Mineros subsidiary Hemco Nicaragua, Royal Roads also will get a 1.25% net smelter royalty Royal Roads also will invest US$7.5 million over a five-year period on exploration programs Royal Road Minerals Limited ( ) ( ) ( ) has completed the sale to Hemco Nicaragua SA of its 50% interest in the Luna Roja Project that comprises the Monte Carmelo I and Monte Carmelo II mining concessions in Nicaragua. The project had previously been jointly owned and operated by the company and Hemco since 2017. Hemco is a subsidiary of Mineros SA. Under the terms of the transaction, Royal Roads sold its 50% interest in the project on the following key terms: Royal Roads will get US$24,485,294 million, of which US$20,812,000 was paid in cash at closing. The remaining US$3,672,794 was retained by Hemco to be remitted to the applicable governmental authorities in accordance with withholding tax requirements under Nicaraguan law; Plus, there will be a 1.25% net smelter return royalty on all future mineral production from the Monte Carmelo I and Monte Carmelo II mining concessions; and Royal Roads will invest US$7.5 million over a five-year period for exploration programs and budgets approved by a joint Hemco/Royal Roads management committee pursuant to the Strategic Alliance Agreement struck in 2017. Royal Roads said the Strategic Alliance Agreement, as amended, will continue in effect, including with respect to the jointly-owned Caribe Project and the company's other joint projects with Hemco in Nicaragua. Contact the author: patrick@proactiveinvestors.com Follow him on Twitter @PatrickMGraham STOCKHOLM, May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- ASSA ABLOY has acquired Sure-Loc, a leading supplier of residential locks and associated hardware in the US. "I am very pleased to welcome Sure-Loc into the ASSA ABLOY Group. This acquisition delivers on our strategy to strengthen our position in the mature markets through adding complementary products and solutions to our core business," says Nico Delvaux, President and CEO of ASSA ABLOY. "The acquisition of Sure-Loc complements our mechanical hardware portfolio, supporting our ambitions to grow our residential business in the US," says Lucas Boselli, Executive Vice President of ASSA ABLOY and Head of the Americas Division. "Sure-Loc's reputation for quality products and excellent customer service reflect our values and I'm excited for them to become part of ASSA ABLOY." Sure-Loc was established in 2002 and has some 45 employees. The main office is located in Salt Lake City, USA. Sales for 2020 amounted to about 14 MUSD (approx. 120 MSEK) with a good EBIT margin. The acquisition will be accretive to EPS from start. For more information, please contact: Nico Delvaux, President and CEO tel. no: +46 8 506 485 82 Erik Pieder, CFO and Executive Vice President tel. no: +46 8 506 485 72 Bjorn Tibell, Head of Investor Relations tel. no: +46 70 275 67 68 About ASSA ABLOY The ASSA ABLOY Group is the global leader in access solutions. The Group operates worldwide with 48,000 employees and sales of SEK 88 billion. The Group has leading positions in areas such as efficient door openings, trusted identities and entrance automation. ASSA ABLOY's innovations enable safe, secure and convenient access to physical and digital places. Every day, we help billions of people experience a more open world. This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com https://news.cision.com/assa-abloy/r/assa-abloy-acquires-sure-loc-in-the-usassa-abloy-acquires-sure-loc-in-the-us,c3351167 The following files are available for download: SOURCE ASSA ABLOY " The Attacca Quartet uniquely combine infinite creativity with uncompromising quality," says Per Hauber, President of Sony Classical, of the exclusive signing. "The first two projects for this year already promise to be very exciting. Everyone at the label is extremely enthusiastic and, we look forward to working with them!" "We've always loved to dream big and imagine the grandest expressions a string quartet can make,"says Attacca Quartet. "Partnering with Sony Classical has inspired us to think even bigger than before and to fully realize our dreams, both our most personal statements and most outlandish." Melding the worlds of classical and electronic on the forthcoming album, REAL LIFE, today, the Attacca Quartet premiere the album's lead single and video "Electric Pow Wow Drum." A powerfully euphoric take on The Halluci Nation's fan-favorite anthem, the string collective reimagines the track with regal strings wrapped around a tribal stomp listen and watch the video here. For Real Life, Attacca Quartet notably worked in the studio with GRAMMY Award-winning composer, multi-instrumentalist, producer, and Snarky Puppy bandleader Michael League. On the album, the groupDomenic Salerni [violinist], Amy Schroeder [violinist], Nathan Schram [violist], and Andrew Yee [cellist]re-envision, reshape, and reimagine tracks originally recorded by some of today's most influential artists in electronic music, including Flying Lotus, Squarepusher, Louis Cole, Anne Muller, Daedelus, and Mid-Air Thief. Many of these producers, as well as guest collaborator TOKiMONSTA, in turn, contributed new layers to Attacca Quartet's interpretations. Emphasizing the ability to perform all the tracks live as a four-piece, they implemented distortion, plucked and scraped the strings, tapped, and went so far as to reverse the tape itself. "We thought about what the dream album could be that we hadn't been able to make until we got this opportunity" says Schram, "and this idea just started to flower; to bring all the different electronic music we listen to, into our string quartet world and to collaborate with a lot of different musicians, particularly Mike League, while using all the possibilities of music technology to make the biggest string quartet album we could. We all dug really deep into our interests and abilities and created an amazing, experimental, rocking, touching album that is Real Life." Attacca Quartet manage to perfect the confluence of classical and electronic with all of the magic of both respective halves intact on Real Life. The musicians intimately amplify the emotional resonances of Flying Lotus's "Remind U" by weaving in cinematic violin as TOKiMONSTA adds her quintessential club beats and samples. Then, on "Drifting Circles," they take Anne Muller's template and widen the scope with wintry violin bouncing off the icy production. Additionally, they serve up two brand new bespoke tracks, namely "Xetaka 1" (feat. Squarepusher) written by Squarepusher and "Holding Breadth" (feat. Daedelus) by Daedelus. Full tracklist below. "It's a celebration of collaboration, and how technology can increase human connection," says Salerni of Real Life. "What with today's opportunities for mixing art forms, mixing genres and expanding the horizons of classical music in composition and in playing - it's a really exciting time to be a musician." explains Schroeder. "We never think: 'Can we do it?'," exclaims Yee. "We just want to do it, and so we give ourselves the goal." On Real Life, Attacca Quartet most certainly accomplish that goal of successfully blending musical worlds and breaking down barriers of genre, in the process creating an imitable sound all their own. For Attacca Quartet, they're only just beginning their music exploration. ATTACCA QUARTET REAL LIFE TRACKLISTING 1. "Electric Pow Wow Drum" by The Halluci Nation 2. "Real Life" by Louis Cole 3. "Why?" by Mid-Air Thief 4. "Clock Catcher" by Flying Lotus 5. "Remind U (feat. TOKiMONSTA)" by Flying Lotus 6. "Pilgrim Side Eye" by Flying Lotus 7. "Xetaka 1 (feat. Squarepusher)" by Squarepusher 8. "Holding Breadth (feat. Daedelus)" by Daedelus 9. "Drifting Circles" by Anne Muller 10. "More Love Less Hate" by Louis Cole ARTWORK (FOR MEDIA USE): DOWNLOAD APPROVED IMAGE (CREDIT: David Goddard): DOWNLOAD CONNECT WITH ATTACCA QUARTET WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | YOUTUBE ABOUT ATTACCA QUARTET Formed in 2003, Attacca Quartet present a new paradigm for string quartets in the 21st century. The New York string collectiveDomenic Salerni [violinist], Amy Schroeder [violinist], Nathan Schram [violist], and Andrew Yee [cellist]have performed on six acclaimed albums, including Caroline Shaw: Orange. For the latter, they garnered the 2020 GRAMMY Award in the category of "Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance." Receiving widespread critical acclaim from New York Times, Noisey, and more, The Nation notably praised how the Attacca Quartet "lives in the present aesthetically, without rejecting the virtues of the musical past." Not to mention, they've performed at Carnegie Hall Neighborhood Concerts, New York Philharmonic's Nightcap Series, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, and at Lincoln Center White Lights Festival and Miller Theatre with Caroline Shaw. Residencies include stints as Julliard's Graduate Resident String Quartet and Quartet in Residence at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Plus, they've touched down for performances on four continents. In addition, the musicians of the quartet have collaborated with acclaimed artists such as Bjork and James Blake and the quartet even appears in the popular video game Red Dead Redemption 2. They were also featured on the soundtrack for Amazon's Mozart in the Jungle (2016). With 2021's REAL LIFE, they add a classic twist to a modern sound, defying genres and eras all at once. Sony Music Masterworks comprises Masterworks, Sony Classical, Milan Records, XXIM Records and Masterworks Broadway imprints. For email updates and information please visit www.sonymusicmasterworks.com/. MEDIA CONTACTS: Larissa Slezak | Jamie Bertel Sony Music Masterworks Geo Corona Terrorbird Media SOURCE Sony Classical The Board of Directors of Avino recommends that Shareholders vote for all proposed resolutions. Shareholders who have questions or require voting assistance may contact Laurel Hill Advisory Group toll free in North America at 1-877-452-7184 (416-304-0211 outside North America ), or by email at [email protected] . VANCOUVER, BC, May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Avino Silver & Gold Mines Ltd. (TSX: ASM) (NYSE American: ASM) (FSE: GV6) ("Avino" or "the Company") would like to remind shareholders of Avino (the "Shareholders") to vote in favor of all proposed resolutions for the Company's upcoming annual general and special meeting of shareholders (the "Meeting") being held at 11:00 a.m. (Vancouver time) on May 27, 2021. The proxy deadline to vote is May 25, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. (Vancouver time). YOUR VOTE IS IMPORTANT PLEASE VOTE TODAY The Board of Directors recommends that Shareholders vote FOR all proposed resolutions. Shareholders are encouraged to read the materials relating to the Meeting and to vote in advance of the proxy voting deadline on May 25, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. (Vancouver time). In the interest of time, Shareholders are encouraged to vote by telephone or via the internet following the instructions found on their form of proxy or voting instruction form. Shareholders may visit the Company's website at: https://www.avino.com/investors/agm/ for copies of the Meeting materials. Shareholder Questions or Voting Assistance Shareholders who have questions or need assistance with voting can contact the Company's proxy solicitation agent, Laurel Hill Advisory Group, as follows: Laurel Hill Advisory Group North America Toll Free: 1-877-452-7184 Outside North America: 1-416-304-0211 Email: [email protected] About Avino: Avino is primarily a silver producer with a diversified pipeline of silver, gold, and base metal properties in Mexico. Avino produces from its wholly owned Avino Mine near Durango, Mexico. The Company's silver, copper and gold production remains unhedged. The Company's mission and strategy is to create shareholder value through its focus on profitable organic growth at the historic Avino Property and the strategic acquisition of mineral exploration and mining properties. We are committed to managing all business activities in a safe, environmentally responsible and cost-effective manner, while contributing to the well-being of the communities in which we operate. On Behalf of the Board "David Wolfin" David Wolfin President & CEO Avino Silver & Gold Mines Ltd. Neither the TSX nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. SOURCE Avino Silver & Gold Mines Ltd. Related Links http://www.avino.com/ DUBLIN, May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Baltic States (Estonia - Latvia - Lithuania) Data Centre Landscape - 2021 to 2025" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. This new report considers the growth of Data Centre space, power, pricing for the Baltic region covering Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. The analyst forecasts that the Baltic States (Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania will see a 58% revenue growth over the 4-year period mid-2021 to mid-2025, equivalent to a CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) of 14.4 percent per annum. The report shows the revenues for Cloud and Data Centre Market forecast over the period from the beginning of 2021 to the beginning of 2025 and provides profiles of the Data Centre providers in the Baltic States. About the Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania Data Centre Landscapes There are over twenty Data Centre Providers across the three states hosting in just under 50 facilities. The facilities if compared with for example the Nordics countries, are relatively small with the largest being in Lithuania with a DC space of just over 3,000 m2, followed by Infonet's in Estonia with a space of 1,725 m2. 74% of the DC facilities located in the Baltic States have less than 1,000 m2 of Data Centre Space. There is an investment in the region with the MCF Data Centre facility in Estonia to become the largest facility in the region currently under construction and is due to be completed by the end of 2021 with up to 14,000 m2 of Data Centre raised floor when built out. Key Topics Covered: Estonia Data Centre Landscape Estonia Data Centre Summary Estonia - Digital Statistics Summary - Digital Statistics Summary A simplified map of Estonia The key sub-sea cable systems connecting Estonia The key domestic fibre networks available in Estonia The Key third-party Data Centre Providers & Facilities in Estonia The Key Data Centre Provider Profiles in Estonia Estonia Data Centre space forecast Estonia Data Centre power in kWH The key Data Centre Clusters in Estonia Estonia Data Centre Pricing Forecast Estonia Data Centre Revenue Forecast Estonia Public Cloud Revenue Forecast The key trends for the Estonia Data Centre market Estonia Data Centre Outlook The Data Centre Landscape in Latvia Data Centre Summary Digital Statistics Summary The key sub-sea cable systems connecting Latvia The key domestic fibre providers in Latvia The key third-party Data Centre Providers & Facilities in Latvia The key Latvian Data Centre Provider Profiles Latvia Data Centre Space Forecast Latvia Data Centre Power Forecast Latvia Data Centre Power in kWH The key Data Centre Clusters in Latvia Latvia Data Centre Pricing in Latvia A Data Centre Revenue Forecast in Latvia A Public Cloud Revenue Forecast in Latvia The Key Trends for the Latvia Data Centre Market Latvia Data Centre Outlook Lithuania Data Centre Landscape Data Centre Summary Lithuania Digital Statistics Summary The key sub-sea cable systems connecting Lithuania The key domestic fibre networks in Lithuania The key third-party Data Centre Providers & Facilities in Lithuania The key Data Centre Provider Profiles in Lithuania Lithuania Data Centre Space Forecast Lithuania Data Centre Power Forecast Lithuania Data Centre Power in kWH The key Data Centre Clusters in Lithuania Lithuania Data Centre Pricing A Data Centre Revenue Forecast for Lithuania A Public Cloud Revenue Forecast for Lithuania Companies Mentioned Infonet MCF Data Centre For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/ppro3n 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 CHICAGO, May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Beltmann Integrated Logistics is pleased to announce its collaboration with the Global Water Center, a renowned non-profit organization that leverages the brightest minds, best practices, and innovations to solve the global water crisis. This partnership will enable the Global Water Center to bring their first-of-its-kind Mobile Discovery Center (MDC) to every major city in the country. The initiative is part of a larger plan of reducing the number of people affected by the global water crisis from 2.2 billion to 0. As a prominent environmental advocate in the logistics industry, Beltmann Integrated Logistics will ensure the free traveling exhibit is ready to receive the public at every point of the tour. The company will be responsible for the MDC's pickup, storage, delivery, and setup. This is a significant feat considering the number of systems and technologies involved, including outside water activity pavilions. "The 25,000 square foot traveling exhibit provides an experiential journey educating visitors about the world's global water crisis and motivating guests to become advocates for safe water," explained Chris Holdorf, DSL, Executive Director for the Global Water Center. "Stories are told through highly interactive visual mediums, including augmented reality and radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology." Beltmann Integrated Logistics has a proven track record of successfully helping B2B clients around the world manage their logistics needs and meet critical timelines while reducing the environmental impact across various industries. BIL has been an avid promoter of green logistics for years, offering clients climate-friendly solutions. "We are extremely proud to be of assistance to Global Water Center in their endeavor to expand awareness of a global crisis that many Americans may not know even exists. Access to clean water is fundamental to good health and the ability to thrive." Marc Van Kley, President & COO, Beltmann Integrated Logistics For information about the MDC visit globalwatercenter.org/mobile-discovery-center/ or check out the events calendar at globalwatercenter.org/events/ . About the Global Water Center Opened in 2013, the Global Water Center (GWC) is a 98,000 sq. ft. (9,104 m2) facility located in downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin housing water-centric research, office and collaboration facilities for universities, existing water-related companies, and new, emerging water technology companies. With over 45 tenant organizations, the GWC continues to be a magnet for U.S. and foreign dignitaries, global water technology businesses, economic development organizations, and students from all levels. The development of the GWC was an important milestone as it established a highly visible headquarter base for The Water Council and a landing pad for organizations to participate in the leading U.S. water technology hub. For more information, visit globalwatercenter.org . About Beltmann Integrated Logistics Beltmann Integrated Logistics is a leader in the world of logistics due to its flexibility, service performance, and customer focus. Their service offerings include everything from project planning and management to final mile delivery and installation. They also use a proprietary web-based technology tool to allow order tracking and management, including customizable reporting features. Beltmann Integrated Logistics focuses on retail, healthcare, asset recovery, transportation, and FF&E (furniture, fixtures, and equipment) for the hospitality industry. Their complete line of logistics services are available locally, nationally, and internationally. For additional information, visit www.beltmannlogistics.com/ . SOURCE Beltmann Integrated Logistics Related Links https://www.beltmannlogistics.com BOSTON, May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Berkshire Hills Bancorp, Inc. (NYSE: BHLB), announced today the results of its Annual Meeting of Shareholders on May 20, 2021, which included the election of Deborah P. Bailey and Michael A. Zaitzeff to the Company's Board of Directors. Berkshire's meeting materials also reported the Board's appointment of Director David M. Brunelle as Vice Chairperson of the Board. Mr. Brunelle has served for three years on the Board, including as Audit Committee Chair since March 2019. Shareholders further approved all proposals which were presented at the meeting, including a non-binding, advisory vote to approve the Company's executive compensation and the ratification of the selection of Crowe LLP as the Company's independent registered public accounting firm for fiscal year 2021. All director nominees and other proposals received at least 96% of the votes cast, and 91% of outstanding shares eligible to vote were represented at the meeting. "After a thoughtful and comprehensive process, we look forward to welcoming Deborah and Michael to our Board," said Nitin Mhatre, CEO of Berkshire Hills Bancorp and Berkshire Bank. "Both Deborah and Michael will bring valuable new perspectives and independent expertise to the Board. I look forward to collaborating with them as we advance Berkshire's strategic transformation plan to improve financial performance and support our positioning as the leading socially responsible and omni-channel Bank in the communities we serve." Named Berkshire's Exciting Strategic Transformation ("BEST"), this plan was launched at a virtual investor presentation on May 18, 2021 and may be viewed at ir.berkshirebank.com. Mr. Mhatre added, "On behalf of the Board and the Company's many stakeholders, I would also like to thank and express our deep appreciation to Cornelius D. (Neil) Mahoney and D. Jeffrey (Jeff) Templeton, who did not stand for reelection and have retired after 15 years on our Board, for their long-standing commitment, service and dedication to Berkshire." Deborah P. Bailey Deborah Bailey is a Governor of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA). Previously she was Managing Director of the Financial Regulatory Practice at KPMG and Vice Chair and Managing Director of the Banking & Securities Regulatory Practice at Deloitte & Touche LLP. She previously was an officer of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve, rising to Deputy Director of Banking Supervision and Regulation where she was a direct report to Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke. She started her career at the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, where she attained the position of Field Office Director for New York and New Jersey, managing the largest field office in the country, and where she headed a Task Force that led to restructuring of the regional field offices and creation of the Large Bank Supervision Program. Ms. Bailey is a graduate of the University of Georgia with a BBA in Banking and Finance. Michael (Misha) A. Zaitzeff Misha Zaitzeff is a co-founder and managing member of VM GP II LLC, the general partner of HoldCo Asset Management, LP. Mr. Zaitzeff has served as a member of numerous corporate boards, oversight committees and creditor committees. Mr. Zaitzeff served on the Trust Advisory Board of WMI Liquidating Trust, a trust created to implement the Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Plan of Washington Mutual, Inc. Mr. Zaitzeff holds a Bachelor of Arts in Computer Science from Brown University. David M. Brunelle David Brunelle is Co-Founder and Managing Director of North Pointe Wealth Management in Worcester, Massachusetts. He has over 20 years of experience in financial services working with businesses, individuals, families and charitable foundations. Mr. Brunelle is a former Director of Commerce Bancshares Corp. and Commerce Bank & Trust Company and served on Commerce's audit and loan committees. He has also served as trustee or corporator for numerous non-profit entities in and around Worcester, including The Nativity School of Worcester, The Worcester Regional Research Bureau, The Worcester Educational Development Foundation, the UMass/Memorial Foundation, Becker College and the Greater Worcester Community Foundation. ABOUT BERKSHIRE HILLS BANCORP Headquartered in Boston, Berkshire Hills Bancorp is the parent of Berkshire Bank, which operates 118 banking offices primarily in New England and New York. The Bank is transforming what it means to bank its neighbors socially, humanly and digitally to empower the financial potential of people, families and businesses in its communities as it pursues its vision of being the leading socially responsible omni-channel community bank in the markets it serves. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This document contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. You can identify these statements from the use of the words "may," "will," "should," "could," "would," "plan," "potential," "estimate," "project," "believe," "intend," "anticipate," "expect," "target" and similar expressions. There are many factors that could cause actual results to differ significantly from expectations described in the forward-looking statements. For a discussion of such factors, please see Berkshire's most recent reports on Forms 10-K and 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and available on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov . Investor Relations Contacts: Kevin Conn, SVP, Investor Relations & Corporate Development Email: [email protected] Tel: (617) 641-9206 David Gonci, Capital Markets Director Email: [email protected] Tel: (413) 281-1973 Media Contact: John Lovallo Email: [email protected] Tel: (917) 612-8419 SOURCE Berkshire Hills Bancorp, Inc. Related Links http://www.berkshirebank.com PORTLAND, Maine, May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- In a year where social distancing has become the new normal, the debut of the endearing and transparent Dear Jane column by Betoken CBD, a female-founded wellness brand, is a welcomed respite, bringing its audience a new digital best friend from the safety of their phones and laptops. Founded by mother, entrepreneur, and former lawyer, Liz Kirby, Betoken CBD makes adulting easier through its array of CBD products ranging from capsules, creams, bath bombs, and more, that help to relax and calm the mind, body, and soul. Betoken CBD Products Now, the wellness brand is bringing its purpose to life through its Dear Jane column where readers, customers, and social media followers can write in with their real life problems and receive down-to-earth advice on how to make navigating their lives a little bit easier. The voice of the column is Betoken CBD's in-house writer, Candy Washington, who's a female founder, content creator, and digital influencer whose focus is on wellness and self-care. "I knew Candy was a fit to be the voice behind the column because she shares our common goal of ending the shame behind asking for help when we, as women, feel stressed, overwhelmed, or anxious. We're excited to be a meaningful part of the movement to normalize seeking support," explains Liz on her pick for the column's writer. The Dear Jane column serves as a digital safe space for women to ask real questions about their lives that they might be too embarrassed or ashamed to ask their in-real-life friends. In alignment with this, the popular series of articles tackles the themes of how anxiety, depression, painful periods, and achy bodies can affect all aspects of the quality of a person's day-to-day life from her romantic relationships, career goals, friendships, family issues, body image, self-esteem, and more. The column is currently accepting Dear Jane letters and it honors privacy so no real names are used when publicly answering the reader's questions. Email [email protected] with submissions and for a chance to have your question answered on the site. PRESS CONTACT Contact Mikayla at [email protected] for questions or to schedule an interview. Betoken CBD 866-783-5750 553 Shore Rd, Unit 4 Cape Elizabeth, Maine 04107 Related Images betoken-cbd-products.jpg Betoken CBD Products Betoken CBD Products SOURCE Betoken CBD SALT LAKE CITY, May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Blackrock Neurotech, the world's leading brain-computer interface (BCI) technology innovator and manufacturer, announced recently published research in Science Magazine by the University of Pittsburgh's Rehab Neural Engineering Labs called "A brain-computer interface that evokes tactile sensations improves robotic arm control." The research team used Blackrock's NeuroPort System to control a bidirectional prosthetic arm to restore function for a participant with a spinal cord injury. The team at the Rehab Neural Engineering Labs had previously demonstrated a BCI system that enabled reaching and grasping movement in up to 10 continuously and simultaneously controlled dimensions. However, BCI control of the arm relied on visual cues and lacked critical sensory feedback. In the current study, artificial tactile percepts were enabled using sensors in the robotic hand that responded to object contact and grasp force and triggered electrical stimulation pulses in sensory regions of the participant's brain. The male participant has tetraplegia due to a C5/C6 spinal cord injury and was 28-years-old when the devices were implanted. Two Blackrock NeuroPort Arrays were implanted in the hand and arm region of the motor cortex to decode movement intent and two NeuroPort Arrays were implanted in the cutaneous region of the somatosensory cortex to receive signals from the robotic hand. Prior to these sensory feedback experiments, the participant had practiced the grasping tasks for approximately two years using only visual cues. "This technology could eventually assist people with amputations or paralysis who have not been able to move freely," said participant Nathan Copeland. "The research we have conducted shows that by implanting the NeuroPort Arrays in parts of the brain that normally control movement and receive sensory signals from the arm, we can produce more natural and fluid motions." The goal of the task was to pick up an object from one side of the table and move it to the other, which also included an additional simulated water pouring task. Tasks were scored from 0-3, based on time, with a maximum score of 27. The team found that in the sessions with artificial tactile sensations driven by the robotic touch, Nathan achieved a median score of 21, compared to the median score of 17 over the next four sessions without sensation. Scores improved because sensory percepts allowed the participant to successfully grasp objects much faster, which cut the overall trial times in half. Professor Florian Solzbacher, Co-founder and Chairman of Blackrock Neurotech, stated, "Our research and technological implementation of the NeuroPort Arrays, combined with the University of Pittsburgh's advances in the neuroscience of bidirectional BCIs is another step forward to provide every person in need with the ability to move and feel again." "With over 20 years of experience in BCI, Blackrock's deep technology in implantable clinical solutions is unparalleled," said Marcus Gerhardt, CEO and co-founder of Blackrock Neurotech. "Working with the University of Pittsburgh's Rehab Neural Engineering Labs has only deepened our expertise in creating sensations to improve robotic arm control. The future of BCI is here and we are at the forefront of these developments." Robert Gaunt, Associate Professor in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, investigator in the Rehab Neural Engineering Labs and co-senior author, said, "This study shows that restoring even imperfect tactile sensations by directly stimulating the correct parts of the brain allows the performance of brain computer interfaces to be significantly improved." Co-senior author, Jennifer Collinger, Associate Professor in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and investigator in the Rehab Neural Engineering Labs, said, "We are excited to show that the performance of brain computer interfaces can start to approach the abilities of able-bodied people for simple tasks, and look forward to transitioning this technology to home use environments." "Blackrock Neurotech is proud to contribute to this pivotal research as we all advance neural engineering to restore function to Move Again, Feel Again, Hear Again, See Again," said Professor Solzbacher. About Blackrock Neurotech Blackrock Neurotech's mission is to provide innovative tools and neurotech expertise to translate technology into novel, implantable clinical solutions that improve human lives. Blackrock's precision electrode technology is at the core of many worldwide innovations in Brain-Computer-Interfaces (BCI) and through neural signal processing and stimulation has enabled BCI Pioneers to SeeAgain, HearAgain, MoveAgain, and TalkAgain. For more information, please visit https://blackrockneurotech.com. Media contact: Kerri McCoy Lightspeed PR [email protected] SOURCE Blackrock Neurotech Related Links https://blackrockneurotech.com WASHINGTON, May 20, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Blue Star Families (BSF), the nation's largest non-profit dedicated to supporting military families and strengthening communities across the United States, and the COVID Collaborative, a national assembly of experts, leaders and institutions in health, education and the economy to turn the tide on the pandemic, released today preliminary data from its Military Families' Perceptions of the COVID-19 Vaccine (Part II) Poll, showing that, while a majority of respondents had been or planned to be vaccinated, among as-yet unvaccinated respondents without scheduled appointments, 50% of active-duty service members and spouses will probably or definitely not get vaccinated and many remain undecided without intervention. The survey of nearly 2,500 military-connected families found that, like civilians, for military families concerns about the vaccines' effectiveness, safety, and development process continue to be primary factors influencing their decision not to receive the vaccine. In addition to vaccine concerns, reasons driving these decisions such as religious beliefs, time off from work, and personal health reasons indicate a critical need for continued outreach, information sharing, and credible messengers among the military community. After briefing officials at the U.S. Department of Defense on the poll findings, the Pentagon announced a number of initiatives reflecting Blue Star Families and COVID Collaborative's recommendations. "While there has been tremendous progress to vaccinate our military community, it is increasingly clear there remains a significant gap when it comes to messages that could drive decisions on vaccinating themselves and their families," said Kathy Roth-Douquet, CEO of Blue Star Families. "The health and safety of our military is key to ensuring U.S. military readiness and national security, and we commend the initiatives announced today by the Pentagon that align closely with our recommendations. This is a critical time to encourage vaccination and take steps to make our troops, families and communities safer. We appreciate the leadership of the COVID Collaborative in these efforts." Alongside partners like the American Red Cross, Blue Star Families has been successfully empowering military families to make informed decisions about the vaccine and has reached over 70,000 families. A recent post-event survey from a Town Hall with Dr. Anthony Fauci and military leadership revealed that 43% of vaccine-hesitant respondents received information that helped change their opinion. Blue Star Families and COVID Collaborative have made specific recommendations to help increase vaccine uptake in the military community, all of which can be tailored to support vaccination efforts among civilians: Offering a choice: 66% of active-duty servicemembers say a choice in type of vaccine increases their likelihood of receiving one. 66% of active-duty servicemembers say a choice in type of vaccine increases their likelihood of receiving one. Guaranteeing time off: 22% of active-duty servicemembers reported difficulty in obtaining an appointment that fits with their schedule. 22% of active-duty servicemembers reported difficulty in obtaining an appointment that fits with their schedule. Increasing information to military-connected spouses: 30% of active-duty spouses remain unsure if the vaccine is available to them. "Our military community has made good progress in vaccinating servicemembers and their families. But our findings suggest our hardest work to protect the military and our frontline readiness lies ahead of us," said John Bridgeland, CEO of COVID Collaborative. "This survey helps point the way forward to offer more choice in vaccines, provide time off, and increase information on availability of vaccines. Groups like Blue Star Families and other Military and Veteran Service Organizations will continue to be critical messengers as we work together to make everyone safe." The survey also found that among active-duty service members, the top reason for getting a vaccine was in equal percentages to ensure our national security by protecting the force so it is mission ready (57%) and to protect families and loved ones (57%). "It is no surprise that those getting the vaccine are motivated by a commitment to protecting both our nation and neighbors," said Four-Star General Stanley McChrystal (Ret), a member of the COVID Collaborative. "We need more of that spirit in the country today." The survey was conducted with 2,468 military families between April 1-12, 2021, and is the second in a series conducted by Blue Star Families since December 2020. About Blue Star Families Blue Star Families is the nation's largest grass-roots military family support organization, with a mission to support military families to improve military readiness. Its distinctive approach builds stronger communities around military families through knowledge and programs that address the unique needs of those who serve. Blue Star Families' nationally recognized surveys and analysis give military families an important voice that informs policymakers and its military family programs. It uses the power of its collective resources and cross-sector collaborations to make a difference in the lives of hundreds of thousands of members of military families to strengthen the troops, their families, and our nation as a whole. For more information, visit bluestarfam.org. About the COVID Collaborative COVID Collaborative, a project of UNITE, is a national assembly of experts, leaders and institutions in health, education and the economy and associations representing the diversity of the country to turn the tide on the pandemic by supporting federal, state and local COVID-19 response efforts. The COVID Collaborative is co-chaired by former Governor and U.S. Senator Dirk Kempthorne (R-ID) and former Governor Deval Patrick (D-MA). The Ad Council and COVID Collaborative have a vaccination education campaign called, It's Up to You. SOURCE Blue Star Families; COVID Collaborative Related Links https://bluestarfam.org NEW YORK, May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Ichnos Sciences Inc., a global biotechnology company developing innovative biologic treatments in oncology and autoimmune diseases, today announced that Alessandro Riva, M.D., will be leaving Ichnos effective August 15, 2021. We want to thank Dr. Riva for his visionary leadership as the first CEO of Ichnos. His strategic and scientific drive have given Ichnos a solid foundation to create and develop new medicines for patients. We wish him well in his future endeavors. Effective immediately, Cyril Konto, M.D., is appointed interim CEO and Alessandro Riva will provide transition assistance and support. Cyril is an oncologist by training, with 15 years of experience in the development of cancer immunotherapies, and he held positions of increasing responsibility at Allogene Therapeutics, Pfizer, and Bristol Myers Squibb before joining Ichnos. He will work with the Ichnos Board of Directors and other members of the executive team to advance the pipeline, demonstrate clinical proof of concept for the BEAT platform1, and complete the transition to an independent company. "We are pleased with the progress Ichnos has made since launch and thank Alessandro for his instrumental contributions," said Glenn Saldanha, Chairman of the Ichnos and Glenmark Boards of Directors. "Looking ahead, Glenmark remains committed to supporting Ichnos as the company moves forward, and I welcome Cyril to his newly expanded role." About Ichnos Sciences A fully integrated, global biotech with the spirit of a start-up, Ichnos is shifting the way the world thinks about innovation in medicine through its research and development of transformative, disease-centric treatments in oncology and autoimmune diseases. The company, with headquarters in New York, N.Y., is rapidly advancing a clinical-stage pipeline of novel, first-in-class candidates designed to address complex diseases and to treat patients holistically. With a patented BEAT technology platform, along with pioneering teams at two locations in Switzerland, Ichnos Sciences has a mission to provide breakthrough, curative therapies that will extend and improve lives, writing a new chapter in healthcare. For more information, visit IchnosSciences.com. 1 Bispecific Engagement by Antibodies based on the T-cell receptor SOURCE Ichnos Sciences Related Links http://ichnossciences.com The BLESSWELL CBD line features 100% US grown and processed hemp products that focus on a more natural approach to achieving the healthiest hair and skin The BLESSWELL launch will be enhanced by the release of a limited, three-part guided meditation series voiced by Khaled The beat goes on for Endexx Corporation ( ), as the provider of CBD products and its partner, Grammy Award-winning artist and record executive DJ Khaled, have launched a new line of CBD-infused men's grooming items, BLESSWELL. The sustainably sourced collection, which was inspired by DJ Khaled's pursuit for wellness and time spent in the Honeywell of the Jamaican Irie, features 100% US grown and processed hemp products that focus on a more natural approach to achieving the healthiest hair and skin. We are elated to be partnering with the multi-hyphenate powerhouse that is DJ Khaled. Creating these unique, premium products with someone of his caliber has been monumental for the Endexx Corporation brand, Endexx Corporation CEO Todd Davis said in a statement. His passion for the category started with his personal and professional journey in the wellness realm and he has since become someone people look up to for personal care advice and expertise, Davis added. Endexx noted the eco-friendly, clean line of products features a variety of natural elixirs from beard oils, shaving creams, face cleansers, and body washes amongst other nutrient rich skin savers all of which are infused with 300 milligrams (mg) of CBD and are designed to sooth, hydrate, and nourish the skin. "Self-care is something that I preach to myself. I try to bless myself, in many ways. And BLESSWELL, was just perfect for everything that I represent," DJ Khaled said in an interview with PEOPLE recently. The BLESSWELL launch will be enhanced by the release of a limited, three-part guided meditation series voiced by Khaled himself, with one part of the series set to be released on streaming platforms, such as Apple and Spotify, and the full set being available only as a gift with product purchase via the BLESSWELL website. I'm going to be able to give you that Khaled feel meditation and hopefully, you'll be inspired and motivated, Khaled added. BLESSWELL products, paraben and sulfate free as well as being vegetarian-friendly, are available for purchase exclusively at Blesswell.co. BLESSWELLs sales and integrated marketing efforts will be led by Miami-based IMPACT Brokers, which Endexx said has been recognized as a best-in-class agency specializing in CBD brands. DJ Khaled produced the last two albums for multi-platinum rapper and pop superstar Drake. He is also a big believer in CBD as part of his personal-wellness journey. Endexx, through its operating division CBD Unlimited, develops and distributes all-natural CBD products derived from cannabis sativa plants containing less than 0.1% THC. Its products include oils, capsules, topicals, and pet products, all with the shared purpose of therapeutic and pain relief. Contact Sean at sean@proactiveinvestors.com In his previous role as VP, International Development & Franchisee Profitability, Russ Sumrall negotiated deals to launch Texas Chicken into seven countries in East Africa, Cambodia, and Qatar. In addition, he executed numerous new development agreements in Canada, growing Church's Texas Chicken restaurants across many provinces. Sumrall also supported existing franchisees, by signing new business agreements to add new restaurants with existing franchisees in Mexico, Thailand, Singapore, and the Middle East. He has built a high-performing team, which allowed the company to open a record 72 new restaurants during a very challenging 2020. "We are truly primed for tremendous international growth with our Church's Texas Chicken and Texas Chicken brands. This has resulted in record setting growth each of the last three years," said Russ Sumrall. "Today, we operate in 27 international markets and have agreements in place to expand to nine more. Beyond that we are focused on 18 additional markets in the next four years. Our team is ready to bring on great new franchisees to realize dramatic growth for our brands. We are truly bringing the flavorful legendary taste of Texas to the world and I'm honored to lead this growth." Prior to joining Church's Chicken in 2018, Sumrall served in various leadership capacities within the QSR industry also in the chicken category. He started in the QSR industry as a crew member in 1977 and rose to executive positions over the last 40 years. His domestic operations focus transitioned to international markets in 2000. In his elevated leadership role with Church's, Russ will continue to strengthen our international market entries and bring profitable growth for the brand and our franchisees alongside the brand's senior leadership team. "Even in the most challenging of times, Russ has effectively navigated new country entries and robust develop agreements focus on improving profitability across APAC, EMEA, and the Americas. I am proud of the leadership Russ brings to our brands and realizing our tremendous growth across the world," said Kevin Corning, EVP International Business. Sumrall holds a master's degree in Global Hospitality Management from Georgia State University and a Bachelor of Science in International Trade and Finance from Louisiana State University. About Church's Chicken / Texas Chicken Founded in San Antonio, TX, in 1952 by George W. Church, Church's Chicken, along with its sister brands Texas Chicken and Church's Texas Chicken outside of the U.S., is one of the largest quick-service chicken restaurant chains in the world. The brands specialize in Original and Spicy Chicken freshly prepared throughout the day in small batches that are hand-battered and double-breaded, Tender Strips, sandwiches, honey-butter biscuits made from scratch and freshly baked, and classic, home-style sides all for a great value. Church's Chicken, Texas Chicken and Church's Texas Chicken have more than 1,500 locations in 25 countries and global markets and system-wide sales of more than $1 billion. For more information about Church's Chicken, visit churchs.com. For information on Texas Chicken or Church's Texas Chicken, visit the landing pages, churchstexaschicken.com and texaschicken.com . Media Contact: Kim Miller [email protected] 866-571-3449 SOURCE Church's Chicken Related Links http://www.churchs.com CHICAGO, May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Citadel and Citadel Securities today announced that their team members have committed more than $40 million to support The Asian American Foundation (TAAF). Launched earlier this month, TAAF is committed to accelerating opportunity and prosperity for the 23 million Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders who strive to build a better future in the United States. Citadel Securities CEO Peng Zhao has joined other business and social impact leaders in launching TAAF as a convener, incubator and funding source for the AAPI community. Funding provided by the Citadel and Citadel Securities teams will support TAAF's work to promote appreciation of AAPI history and culture and broaden understanding of AAPI contributions in the United States. It will also facilitate data-driven research to create opportunity and ensure safety for those within AAPI communities. "The American dream is based on the belief that anyone from anyplace has a chance to compete and succeed," said Peng Zhao, Citadel Securities CEO and TAAF Founding Board Member. "By bringing investments and resources to AAPI communities, along with an ambitious and data-driven approach, we are working to make that a reality by accelerating opportunity and prosperity at this critical moment and well beyond." "We have seen what is possible when talent and ambition meet opportunity," said Sonal Shah, President of TAAF. "Support from Citadel and the broader business community is critical to ensuring members of the AAPI community can thrive." This commitment from the Citadel and Citadel Securities teams builds on the firms' longstanding support of organizations and initiatives that expand access to resources and opportunities. Over the last year, these initiatives have included Chicago Connected, Miami Connected, the Last Mile Education Fund, MarketWorks and Saga Education. About Citadel Citadel is one of the world's leading alternative investment managers. Citadel manages the capital of prominent investors from around the world, including retirement programs, endowments and foundations, and sovereign wealth funds. For more information, visit www.Citadel.com. About Citadel Securities Citadel Securities is a leading global market maker, delivering a broad array of fixed income and equity products to banks, broker-dealers, government agencies, corporations, insurers, and sovereign wealth funds. For more information, visit www.CitadelSecurities.com. Media Contact Zia Ahmed [email protected] SOURCE Citadel GUANGZHOU, China, May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- CNFinance Holdings Limited (NYSE: CNF) ("CNFinance" or the "Company"), a leading home equity loan service provider in China, today announced that it will report its unaudited financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2021, before U.S. markets open on Thursday, May 27, 2021. CNFinance's management will host an earnings conference call at 8:00 AM U.S. Eastern Time on Thursday, May 27, 2021 (8:00 PM Beijing/ Hong Kong Time on Thursday, May 27, 2021). Dial-in numbers for the live conference call are as follows: International: +1-412-902-4272 Mainland China +86-4001-201203 United States: +1-888-346-8982 Hong Kong: +852-3018-4992 Passcode: CNFinance A telephone replay of the call will be available after the conclusion of the conference call until 11:59 PM ET on June 3, 2021. Dial-in numbers for the replay are as follows: International: +1-412-317-0088 United States: +1-877-344-7529 Passcode: 10156822 A live and archived webcast of the conference call will be available on the Investor Relations section of CNFinance's website at http://ir.cashchina.cn/. About CNFinance Holdings Limited CNFinance Holdings Limited (NYSE: CNF) ("CNFinance" or the "Company) is a leading home equity loan service provider in China. CNFinance conducts business by collaborating with sales partners and trust company partners. Sales partners are responsible for recommending micro-and small-enterprise ("MSE") owners with financing needs to the Company and the Company introduces eligible borrowers to its trust company partners who will then conduct their own risk assessments and make credit decisions. The Company's primary target borrower segment is MSE owners who own real properties in Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities in China. The loans CNFinance facilitates are primarily funded through a trust lending model with its trust company partners who are well-established with sufficient funding sources and have licenses to engage in lending business nationwide. The Company's risk mitigation mechanism is embedded in the design of its loan products, supported by an integrated online and offline process focusing on risks of both borrowers and collateral and further enhanced by effective post-loan management procedures. SOURCE CNFinance Holdings Limited Related Links www.cashchina.cn MIAMI, May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- It's been more than a year since the pandemic turned the world as we knew it upside down, leaving many struggling with mental health challenges such as increased anxiety and depression, difficulty managing external circumstances and stressors, or new mental health diagnoses. According to the CDC, during June of 2020, 40 percent of U.S. adults reported they were struggling with mental health issues or substance abuse. These abnormally high numbers have disproportionately affected younger adults, racial and ethnic minority groups, essential workers, and unpaid adult caregivers. "There are many reasons why people don't seek treatment for mental health issues, but one big reason is stigma, which refers to a negative way some people judge those who have a mental health condition," says Dr. Jamie Huysman, psychologist, author and chief compassion officer for WellMed. "Talking openly about mental health can reduce stigma over time. In addition, sometimes taking care of yourself means not doing it alone, especially given the pandemic and other crises that are affecting our world." Dr. Huysman offers some important messages to keep top-of-mind: Self-care tips include regularly doing what makes you feel good such as yoga or meditation, painting, reading, walking, jogging, whatever hobby or activity comforts you. Talk with your doctor, especially if you are unsure about the meaning of your symptoms. Connect with others and consider talk therapy. Talk therapy from counselors, clinical social workers, psychologists and psychiatrists can help people deal with feelings and behaviors and suggest ways to cope. Educate yourself by accessing online resources like the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) or PsychHub. The more you know, the more you can dispel misinformation or myths that can increase the stigma around mental illness. If someone you know needs help, listen in a non-judgmental way. It's important to genuinely express your concern and avoid blaming, criticizing, minimizing or assuming things about their experience. If you determine that the crisis is an emergency, or the person expresses a desire or plan to hurt themselves, then contact a lifeline center, such as 1-800-273-TALK (8255) to discover resources in your area. For more information about mental health, please visit WellMedHealthcare.com . Media Contact: Evie Reichel |EGR Communications | [email protected] | (210) 872.3843 SOURCE WellMed Medical Management Related Links http://www.wellmedhealthcare.com Currently, 2 'CUVIS-spine's are being used in Severance Hospital (Korea) and 1 has been exported to an Australian medical facility company. CUREXO also plans to expand their focus on global markets including the US and Europe. Spinal surgery robot 'CUVIS-spine' is a next-gen spinal surgery robot that guides the insertion of a pedicle screw according to the surgery plan. It uses a high precision robot arm, wireless one-step, navigation based on a real-time OTS sensor to provide precise, safe and faster surgery compared to traditional manual surgery. Also, it minimizes the filming and reduces the radiation exposure of both patients and medical staff. Both 2-dimensional filming (C-arm) and 3-dimensional filming (O-arm) are applicable with this solution which provides great expandability. With the Wireless One-step and the robot system, it allows multiple steps (Needle, K-wire, Dilation, Tapping) of traditional manual surgery to be performed with one surgery tool and it reduces surgery duration greatly. It allows Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS) which means that the patient's recovery time will be quicker compared to manual surgery. Mr Jae-Joon Lee (CEO of CUREXO) said that "the spinal surgery robot 'CUVIS-spine' that we have developed and manufactured with our technology has acquired FDA (US)'s licensing. This is the 3rd license that we have acquired, followed by Korea and Europe, and now we can sell our solution in all countries including the US which is the biggest medical market." He also said that "CUREXO plans to focus on our medical robots sales, including 'CUVIS-joint', 'CUVIS-spine' and 'Morning Walk' to not only the Korean market but also to advanced medical markets such as the US and Europe." Media Contact: Hoyong Lee [email protected] SOURCE CUREXO Related Links curexo.com LOS ANGELES, May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Ministry of Hemp's 61st episode saw the host Matt sit down with Jordan Lams, the CEO of Moxie, a Long Beach-based marijuana cultivation and manufacturing company. The duo wanted listeners to know how it feels to take Delta 8 THC and its potential impact on the hemp industry. Initially, Matt was hesitant to talk about Delta 8 THC on the show because of the uncertainty regarding its legality. Jordan clarified that although Delta 8 THC's legality was unknown, it was derived from hemp and not from cannabis. During the show, Matt also asked Jordan to explain to listeners what Delta 8 THC was . Being the cannabis expert he is, Jordan pointed out that Delta 8 THC was just another cannabinoid, with the only difference being that it's a different isomer of THC. Although it's a byproduct of CBD oil, Delta 8 THC can also occur naturally. Does Delta 8 THC Get Users High? Since it's THC-rich, Delta 8 certainly gets users high. However, it leaves users with a relaxing and mild high feeling, but without the anxiety that users sometimes experience after using Delta 9 THC. Delta 8 is like a fun version of weed and an excellent choice for individuals looking for a different high devoid of psychoactive side effects. Jordan stated that he once had a firsthand experience with Delta 8 . Although Moxie is known for producing gummies using Delta-9 THC, the company once tried to use Delta 8. Jordan says that he found the gummies pleasant, mellow, and less imposing upon his sense of being. To avoid feeling groggy after taking Delta 8, Jordan advised users to start with smaller dosages and go slow. In doing so, they will tell how it affects them since it also has THC. At the end of the podcast, Matt agreed with Jordan that Delta 8 THC provides a relaxing high that doesn't impair users in any way. He had taken some of it at the start of the show. About the Ministry of Hemp The Ministry of Hemp is America's leading hemp advocate. It provides product guides and reviews for enabling hemp users to be mindful of the products they consume. It works with renowned brands to help users understand CBD and hemp, and ultimately, choose the right products. For more information, click on https://ministryofhemp.com/about/ SOURCE Ministry of Hemp Related Links http://www.ministryofhemp.com BLESSWELL solidifies its entrance into the CBD health & wellness arena by way of premium body, beard, and face solutions. The clean cannabis-minded men's grooming line is designed to be an essential toolkit for a man's complete at-home self-care needs. The eco-friendly, clean line of products features a variety of natural elixirs from beard oils, shaving creams, face cleansers, and body washes amongst other nutrient rich skin savers all of which are infused with 300mg CBD. "Aside from love and family, health and wellness are our greatest blessings. That's the key," said DJ Khaled. "Reflecting on my quest to a better mind and body, I found my daily habits to have the most impact on my overall outlook of life. I created BLESSWELL to provide men with an at-home CBD grooming solution that allows them to put their game face on, build their confidence and get their mind in the right zone." "We are elated to be partnering with the multi-hyphenate powerhouse that is DJ Khaled," stated Todd Davis, CEO of Endexx Corporation. "Creating these unique, premium products with someone of his caliber has been monumental for the Endexx Corporation brand. His passion for the category started with his personal and professional journey in the wellness realm and he has since become someone people look up to for personal care advice and expertise." To amplify the launch, BLESSWELL will release a limited, three-part guided meditation series voiced by none other than Khaled himself. The BLESSWELL guided meditation series will center on the megastar's mantra to Live Well, Love Well, and BLESSWELL. One part of the series will be available to stream across all supporting platforms - Apple, Spotify, etc. The full series will only be available as a gift with purchase via the BLESSWELL website. The BLESSWELL core products include: Blue Charcoal Face Mask ($23) - A pore-reducing, toxin absorbing, nutrient-rich mask naturally scented with lavender and mint to help calm the mind and invigorate the senses. The mask's creamy texture coupled with nature's enzymatic power of clay and charcoal will leave skin impeccably clean, purified, and soft. Designed for all skin types including blackhead, ingrown hair, and acne prone. - A pore-reducing, toxin absorbing, nutrient-rich mask naturally scented with lavender and mint to help calm the mind and invigorate the senses. The mask's creamy texture coupled with nature's enzymatic power of clay and charcoal will leave skin impeccably clean, purified, and soft. Designed for all skin types including blackhead, ingrown hair, and acne prone. Conditioning Beard Oil ($26) - This luxury blend sets the gold standard with its non-greasy formula that tames and smooths facial hair. A combination of natural oils featuring watermelon seed and argan oil that softens and conditions the beard to promote growth while also nourishing the skin underneath to eliminate irritation. ($26) - This luxury blend sets the gold standard with its non-greasy formula that tames and smooths facial hair. A combination of natural oils featuring watermelon seed and argan oil that softens and conditions the beard to promote growth while also nourishing the skin underneath to eliminate irritation. Daily Moisturizer ($20) - This light-weight moisturizing cream with hyaluronic acid helps soothe dry and sensitive skin while revitalizing the look of dull or fatigued skin. Witch Hazel and Chamomile keep excess oiliness in check while helping balance, tone and tighten the appearance of pores. - This light-weight moisturizing cream with hyaluronic acid helps soothe dry and sensitive skin while revitalizing the look of dull or fatigued skin. Witch Hazel and Chamomile keep excess oiliness in check while helping balance, tone and tighten the appearance of pores. Facial Cleaning Scrub ($20) - Take your skin to smooth, refined and bright in minutes with this deep cleansing formula. Calendula and Willowbark help remove impurities and pore-clogging debris while fighting breakouts. Vitamin E and White Tea help calm sensitive skin and combat the look of aging from damaging free radicals. - Take your skin to smooth, refined and bright in minutes with this deep cleansing formula. Calendula and Willowbark help remove impurities and pore-clogging debris while fighting breakouts. Vitamin E and White Tea help calm sensitive skin and combat the look of aging from damaging free radicals. Lathering Body Wash ($15) - Recharge your mind and body with a refreshing wash that rejuvenates and conditions skin with ultra-rich, sulfate-free lather. A combination of arnica and green tea are welcomed relief for tired or over-worked muscles. - Recharge your mind and body with a refreshing wash that rejuvenates and conditions skin with ultra-rich, sulfate-free lather. A combination of arnica and green tea are welcomed relief for tired or over-worked muscles. Ultimate Shave Cream ($19) - No brush required! This cooling, non-lathering shave cream with cloudberry and shea butter creates a protective cushion that fights nicks and razor burn, for a closer non-irritating shave. Glide around sideburns, beards, and mustaches with ease to leave skin comfortable and perfectly polished. Heading up sales and integrated marketing efforts is Miami-based IMPACT Brokers, recognized as a best-in-class agency specializing in CBD brands. "We are thrilled to work alongside BLESSWELL and Endexx Corporation in this new and exciting partnership. We look forward to driving deep brand awareness through education, while elevating the BLESSWELL narrative within the CBD market space," says Ryan Stender, CEO of IMPACT Brokers. BLESSWELL's inaugural line unlocks the keys to quality, at-home grooming care. The brand is committed to a holistic approach and delivers on the promise to keep products paraben and sulfate free, vegetarian-friendly, and absent of any ingredient that utilizes animal-testing or animal by-products. Further, BLESSWELL conducts rigorous third-party laboratory testing, quality control and provides clear and detailed certificates of authenticity. Each product formula is evaluated through clinical testing according to cosmetic industry standards. Every product also features traceable lot codes allowing customers to review product Certificates of Analysis (COA). The BLESSWELL line will be available for purchase beginning May 21st, exclusively at Blesswell.co. For more information, visit Blesswell.co. About DJ Khaled For over two decades, the very mention of DJ Khaled has implied an elevated level of musical greatness, entrepreneurial excellence, and cultural impact. You've heard him across a GRAMMY Award-winning multi-platinum catalog, seen him in blockbusters such as Bad Boys For Life, caught him on the cover of Rolling Stone, watched him on numerous television programs, and felt his presence from the streets all the way up to the Barack Obama White House. He has achieved dozens of multi-platinum and gold certifications, including the sextuple-platinum Billboard Hot 100 #1 "I'm The One" [feat. Justin Bieber, Quavo, Chance the Rapper, & Lil Wayne], quadruple-platinum "Wild Thoughts" [feat. Rihanna & Bryson Tiller], and double-platinum "No Brainer" [feat. Justin Bieber, Chance the Rapper, & Quavo]. The latter propelled his 2019 album, Father of Asahd [We The Best Music Group/Epic Records], to the top of the charts. Not only did it garner a platinum certification, but it also became his third consecutive Top 2 debut on the Billboard Top 200 and emerged as the "#1 Most-Streamed Record" upon release. To date, he has moved 20 million singles and 6 million albums in addition to gathering 4 billion-plus streams. Not to mention, he launched We The Best Music Groupa record label, management, publishing, and production company and in-demand studio. As a committed philanthropist, he founded his 501(c)3 organization The We The Best Foundation. It uplifts individuals throughout underserved communities across the United States and supports various non-profits. He has supported the fight against COVID-19. U2 frontman Bono recruited him as the first social media ambassador for Project Red, and he serves as the national spokesperson for Get Schooled. Now, the power of this legacy defines his thirteenth full-length albumwhich bears his birth nameKhaled Khaled [We The Best Music Group/Epic Records], preceded by two chart-busting bangers alongside frequent collaborator Drake, namely "POPSTAR" and "GREECE." About Endexx Corporation Endexx Corporation, through its operating division CBD Unlimited, develops and distributes all-natural CBD products derived from cannabis sativa plant (Hemp), containing less than 0.01% THC. Its products range from oils, capsules, topicals, and pet products, all with the shared purpose of therapeutic and pain relief for humans and pets. Phyto-Bites are CBD soft chews for animal use that are formulated to promote health and support the reduction of separation anxiety, pain, and inflammation. The science behind these products involves over half a decade of clinical research in the field and lab work to provide accuracy in dosage and delivery of optimal absorption per serving. Media Contacts: IMPACT Brokers Jessica Meisels Email: [email protected] Endexx Corporation Todd Davis Email: [email protected] 480-595-6900 SOURCE BLESSWELL Related Links https://www.blesswell.co/ As the Chinese Government propose to prohibit foreign curricula, international private schools are moving out of China. This is creating a turbulent time for students and their families. According to The Times: "Private schools with branches in China are retreating for fear their brands may be damaged by tighter restrictions on international education in the country. The 50 international schools operated by British institutions face limits on what they can teach and many are looking elsewhere, MPs and education experts have said. "The Chinese government maintains a firm grip over education. In March the education ministry issued new guidelines for evaluating schools including bilingual private schools, and any schools teaching local pupils must follow the national curriculum there." Providing Stability During Changes to Education in China Many families will be dealing with the fallout from international private schools having to move. It is another disruption to the children's education on top of a year disturbed by the pandemic. Founder of Tutors International and experienced education consultant, Adam Caller, supposes that full-time private tuition is the solution. Whether families are seeking a private tutor to manage the transition period as their child's school relocates, or if they wish to switch to high-quality homeschooling full-time, then private residential tuition could be both a stabiliser and an improvement on their current education. Tutors International is a prestigious private tutoring company specialising in personalised residential tuition. Unlike almost all other tutoring companies, which keep a database of tutors, Tutors International recruits from a global talent pool and conducts an individually customised search for each client enquiry. This results in a tailored high-quality education from a world-class tutor who is a bespoke match for that student and their family. Tutors International is experienced in sourcing the best tutors who can travel with families and provide stability for students. They can complement and accommodate the travel and lifestyle of HNWIs and their families. Adam Caller's Advice Adam Caller details a recent enquiry from a client concerned about the changes to education in China and its impact on international private schools: "Recently, a Client got in touch to say that he wanted to provide a stable high-quality education for his son and was concerned about the changes happening to education in China. He is not alone. Many are left seeking reliability and a high standard of education, and high-end private tuition can provide this. For both expats and Chinese people, there are options and we are one of them." Tutors International's highly personalised service and superlative standards do mean they have a high net-worth clientele; however, Mr Caller offers an inventive solution for those who may otherwise be precluded: "If our costs are prohibitive, then you can organise some family friends to join you, then we can find a tutor to move through several children. This is more complex and a cooperative plan requires more organisation than can be summarised here, but you can call or email us to discuss your options." This cooperative system, as well as the micro school concept, are cutting-edge movements in education and something Tutors International have experience recruiting for. Private Tutoring Means Educational Freedom One of the key problems causing private schools to retreat from China is that their Government are barring foreign curricula. If a prospective client was seeking a more globalised education but was reluctant to relocate, then a residential private tutor could give them more freedom in what their child was learning about. As Adam Caller states, "Tutors International is able to provide an international context to the child's education." Private Tuition in China As well as tighter control on curricula, China is also proposing restrictions on private tutoring. An exclusive in Reuters details the planned new rules: "China is framing tough new rules to clamp down on a booming private tutoring industry. [] Under the planned rules, on-campus academic tutoring classes will be banned, as will both on and off-campus tutoring during weekends, two of the [sources] said. Regulators will also clamp down on off-campus tutoring, in particular for English and math, they added, restricting class times on weekdays." How they will enforce these rules remains to be seen. That said, a residential tutor could circumvent even these restrictions. A live-in or residential tutor becomes an extension of the family. Whatever tuition they provide will be monitored by the families who employ them. It is a different, personalised and more thorough approach to private education. Considering a Private Tutoring Solution? Anyone looking into options in light of the changes to education in China should consider a private tutor. Full-time private tutors enable stability, personalised education and can accommodate global lifestyles. Get in touch with Tutors International as soon as possible; the thorough and customised recruitment process takes time, so if you are seeking a tutor for the academic year commencing September 2021, Tutors International recommends that you get in touch imminently. A preliminary enquiry is free. About Tutors International Tutors International provides an unparalleled private tutoring service that matches the right private home tutor with the right child, in order for the student to fully reach their personal potential and academic excellence. Providing an international private tuition service for children of all ages at different points in their educational journeys, Tutors International is founded on a commitment to finding the perfect tutor to realise the specific goals and aspirations of each student. Tutors are available for residential full-time positions, after-school assistance, and homeschooling. Founded in 1999 by Adam Caller, Tutors International is a private company based in Oxford, a city renowned for academic excellence. Our select clientele receives a personally tailored service, with discretion and confidentiality guaranteed. Contact Details Web: www.tutors-international.com Email:[email protected] Phone: +44 (0) 1865 435 135 Tutors International Clarendon House 52 Cornmarket Street Oxford OX1 3HJ UK SOURCE Tutors International ALBUQUERQUE, N.M., May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Teamsters Local 492 members have unanimously ratified a first-time contract with the Eldorado Area Water and Sanitation District, gaining wage increases and workplace protections. The workers who service, inspect, test, repair and maintain the clean water management facilities in Eldorado, N.M., joined Local 492 in an NLRB election last August. The local worked hard during the pandemic to negotiate a strong agreement. The contract includes wage increases, no-cost health care, safety improvements, a grievance procedure and other workplace protections. "Congratulations to this group of members! We look forward to working with you into the future," said Trey White, President of Local 492. Melissa Malcolm-Chavez will be the business agent representing the bargaining unit. Melissa, along with White, organized the group and negotiated the contract. The Eldorado Area Water and Sanitation District provides safe and reliable water services for customers in the Eldorado area of Santa Fe County, N.M. Teamsters Local 492 represents approximately 3,400 Teamsters covering 28 different contracts at 65 locations across the entire state of New Mexico, as well as numerous additional contracts and locations in the movie and pipeline industries. Contact: Kara Deniz, (202) 497-6610 [email protected] SOURCE Teamsters Local 492 As the former home of the historic Tammany Hall, the landmark building recently underwent an $85 million renovation, including the addition of a stunning panoramic glass dome. The 12,000 square foot dome was constructed to resemble the shell of a turtle rising out of the water the namesake of the 17 th century leader Chief Tammanend, who was celebrated as a champion of peace and friendship. Union Square is a central Manhattan neighborhood known for trendy restaurants, sought-after retail shopping, and high-quality mixed-use buildings surrounding the iconic park. This property offers multiple open floors of elliptical, light-filled office space along with expansive 21' ceiling heights and broad views overlooking Union Square Park. Together with the highly visible and distinctive exterior, the renovated building creates an ideal opportunity for both retail and office tenants. "The strength of the collateral is unmatched both from an architectural design and location standpoint," says ECC Managing Partner Mark Bahiri. "The property offers a one-of-a-kind opportunity for tenants to build their brand in one of the most coveted live-work neighborhoods in New York City. The strong borrower sponsorship added to the appeal of the transaction." Financing for the loan was originated by ECC Managing Director Jeff Seidler and arranged by Egor Petrov of Estreich & Company. "It was a pleasure working with Emerald Creek's team on this transaction. They showed flexibility when needed and executed the deal extremely quickly," comments Petrov, who secured the financing for a subsidiary of Reading International, Inc. About: With offices in Manhattan, Boston, Pennsylvania and South Florida, Emerald Creek Capital has built a reputation as the industry leader in the alternative finance space. The firm provides bridge loans secured by commercial real estate in primary markets through both its domestic and offshore investment vehicles. To date, the firm has provided over $2 billion in 1st mortgage loans across more than 400 loan transactions. SOURCE Emerald Creek Capital Related Links http://www.emeraldcreekcapital.com (CVE: DEF OTCQX: DNCVF) CEO Chris Wright and Vice President of Corporate Development Doug Cavey joined Steve Darling from Proactive to provide further details on the company that is exploring the Zacatecas Silver Project and the 100% owned Tepal Gold/Copper Project in Mexico. Wright shares with Proactive more about the capital raise that was just announced and the demand so far. Cavey talks about their projects and the work so far. He also talks about what the plan is for both projects moving forward. Key players are concentrating on research & development activities to present new products in the market and provide more treatment options. Launch and approval of new fibromyalgia treatment drugs are anticipated to aid market expansion in future. The global fibromyalgia treatment market is estimated to be valued at US$ 1.2 Bn in 2021, and is expected to exhibit a CAGR of around 7% over the forecast period (2021 2031). Key Take aways from Market Study Under products, anticonvulsants hold the highest value in the market, as they help provide relief from pain and treat the same for a long term. By distribution channel, hospital pharmacies hold a notable revenue share of around 46%. North America accounted for a share of over 40% in 2020 to become the most lucrative among all regions, and is expected to show significant growth over the next ten years. accounted for a share of over 40% in 2020 to become the most lucrative among all regions, and is expected to show significant growth over the next ten years. Europe is the next dominating region with a market share of 20% in 2020, due to well-developed medical infrastructure largely supported by governments in the region. Request for sample PDF of report: https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/32455 "Increasing burden of chronic pain, rising incidence of traumatic stress and road accidents, growing awareness among the population, and increasing research & development activities are all expected to drive market growth," says a Persistence Market Research analyst. Collaborations and Acquisitions - Imperative Strategy for Market Players Major companies are actively engaging in acquisitions and expansion in order to enhance their product portfolios and outreach to a large number of customers. Globally, leading companies, in order to maintain their market position, follow the trend of acquiring companies who are facing a large number of product recalls. Know the methodology of report by asking an expert: https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/ask-an-expert/32455 In May 2020 , AbbVie acquired Allergan plc, which helped the company broaden its existing portfolio and strengthen its presence in the global biopharmaceutical sector. , AbbVie acquired Allergan plc, which helped the company broaden its existing portfolio and strengthen its presence in the global biopharmaceutical sector. In October 2020 , FDS BioSciences, Inc. acquired a U.S.-based company, Prismic Pharmaceuticals, which is engaged in developing novel therapies for fibromyalgia treatment. Get full access of report: https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/checkout/32455 What else is in the report? Persistence Market Research offers a unique perspective and actionable insights on the fibromyalgia treatment market in its latest study, presenting historical demand assessment of 2016-2020 and projections for 2021-2031, based on product (anti-depressants, anticonvulsants, muscle relaxants, and analgesics) and distribution channel (hospital pharmacies, retail pharmacies, drug stores, and online sales), across seven key regions of the world. Browse Research Release at: https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-reports.asp Browse End-to-end Market: Healthcare Related Reports: Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatment Market: https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/rheumatoid-arthritis-treatment-market.asp https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/rheumatoid-arthritis-treatment-market.asp Scar Treatment Market: https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/scar-treatment-market.asp About Persistence Market Research Overview: Persistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance. To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes. Contact Rajendra Singh Persistence Market Research (PMR) U.S. Sales Office: 305 Broadway, 7th Floor New York City, NY 10007 +1-646-568-7751 United States USA - Canada Toll-Free: 800-961-0353 Email: [email protected] Visit Our Website: https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com SOURCE Persistence Market Research Pvt. Ltd. Cohort represents diverse financial technologies, including tools for homeownership, healthcare planning, small/midsize business accounting, supply chain and estate planning CHICAGO, May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - BMO Harris Bank and 1871 are proud to announce the five participating companies selected to join their 2021 WMNFINtech Program. WMNFINtech is a fintech industry program for women-founded and -led startups and the latest evolution of the BMO Harris / 1871 Innovation Program. Launched in 2020 and now returning for its second year, WMNFINtech was designed to help bridge the gender gap in the startup and tech community and give more women entrepreneurs the opportunity to bring innovative technologies and products forward. The following five women-led companies were invited to participate in the 2021 cohort of WMNFINtech: Arena Pay (Fairfax, Va.) Arena Pay helps small and medium sized businesses actively manage accounts payable, optimize payment timing, and pay business expenses. The Arena Platform syncs to accounting software to categorize payments in real time, Arena Pay enables active cash flow optimization and Arena CFO provides a full suite of CFO services to US businesses. Heather Tuason , Founder & CEO Caribou (Boca Raton, Fla.) Healthcare is the biggest expense in retirement, the number one reason for bankruptcy, and is currently the top financial concern for Americans. And yet, financial advisors are not equipped to incorporate healthcare into their financial planning process. Caribou is a healthcare planning and navigation solution for financial advisors to differentiate themselves, build deeper client relationships and be better life planners. Christine Simone , Cofounder HomeZada (El Dorado Hills, Calif.) HomeZada is a digital home management platform that empowers homeowners to manage, maintain, protect, improve and differentiate their home for sale during the entire homeownership journey. It is a proven mainstream platform that combines multiple apps, content, and data to manage their largest financial asset and biggest expense. HomeZada is also a solution that assists businesses and organizations that service homeowners in industries like insurance, mortgage, real estate, home building and more to retain and engage their existing customers and gain net new customers. Elizabeth Dodson , Cofounder Indie Tech Indie Tech is an exciting new startup that is set to radically improve the way large enterprise clients and external consultants work together. Recognizing the myriad of issues that both clients and consultants face every day in trying to successfully complete projects through third-party sources, Indie Tech has embarked on a bold and ambitious plan to overhaul the flawed process by developing an AI-driven SaaS consulting management system. Sophia Stone , Founder & CEO Trustate (Tampa, Fla.) Losing a loved one is hard enough. The administrative work that comes along with it shouldn't be. Trustate is an end-to-end estate administration service that uses "tech + touch" to help people quickly and efficiently settle the estate of a deceased loved one. In addition to full estate settlement services, Trustate's digital products include "estate prep" tools to guide families in the creation, management and organization of their estate. Leah Del Percio , Founder & CEO , Founder & CEO Tara Faquir, Cofounder & COO "We are proud to join our longtime partner BMO Harris Bank to welcome the members of the second cohort of WMNFINtech," said Betsy Ziegler, CEO of 1871. "These five women-led startups are leading the way toward building the future of the financial sector, and through the WMNFINtech Program we seek to provide the resources, mentorship, and industry insight they need to thrive." "We are delighted to shine a light on these fintechs and their founders and to help support and learn from them as they grow," said Hugh McKee, head of BMO Partners, BMO Financial Group. "They have all found innovative ways to solve important financial challenges with technology, delivering value for users and helping them make real financial progress. All of us at BMO look forward to following their successes during the WMNFINtech Program year and beyond." About WMNFINtech WMNFINtech is designed for startups that create services or solutions for the financial sector, offer insights and advice to customers or help identify customer needs. Eligible startups have a woman founder or co-founder and are based in the U.S. WMNFINtech provides selected startups with: A three-month program with guidance from industry experts at BMO, including an executive champion who will offer leadership guidance A four-month membership and working space at 1871, the number one private business incubator in the world i Curriculum focused on enterprise sales cycles, vendor management, information security and risk and regulatory requirements The opportunity to pitch venture capital investors for feedback, mentoring, continued connections and/or funding About 1871 1871 is Chicago's technology hub and the #1 ranked private business incubator in the world. It exists to inspire, equip, and support early stage, growth scalers and innovators in building extraordinary businesses. 1871 is home to ~450 technology startups, ~300 growth stage companies, and ~1,500 members, and is supported by an entire ecosystem focused on accelerating their growth and creating jobs in the Chicagoland area. The member experience includes virtual and in person access to workshops, events, mentorship, and more. The nonprofit organization has 350 mentors available to its members, alongside access to more than 100 partner corporations, universities, education programs, accelerators, venture funds and others. Since its inception in 2012, more than 650 alumni companies are currently still active, have created over 11,000 jobs, and have raised more than $1.65 billion in follow-on capital. About BMO Harris Bank BMO Harris Bank provides a broad range of personal banking products and solutions through more than 500 branches and fee-free access to over 40,000 ATMs across the United States. BMO Harris Bank's commercial banking team provides a combination of sector expertise, local knowledge and mid-market focus throughout the United States. For more information about BMO Harris Bank, visit the company fact sheet. Accounts are subject to approval. BMO Harris Bank N.A. Member FDIC. BMO Harris Bank is part of BMO Financial Group, a highly diversified financial services provider with total assets of CDN$973 billion as of Jan. 31, 2021. i UBI Global, World Rankings Report, 2019-2020, https://resources.ubi-global.com/hubfs/Publications/Rankings/UBI%20Global%20-%20Rankings%201920%20v2.pdf. SOURCE BMO Harris Bank COCONUT GROVE, Fla., May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Fund Street Technologies has two more reasons to celebrate. Their technology driven small business financing brand, One Park Financial, was named one of the Best and Brightest Companies to Work for in the Nation for the fourth time in a row and Miami's Best and Brightest Companies to Work for by the National Association for Business Resources. One Park Financial qualified for the "Best and Brightest Companies to Work for" regional program, along with other 47 winning organizations from Charlotte, Denver, Miami, Nashville, and New York, from out of 480 nominations. In this program, winning companies were assessed by an independent research firm, which reviewed several key measures relative to other nationally recognized winners. According to this assessment, this division of Fund Street Technologies has developed a work environment that champions a culture of integrity, engagement, and commitment to excellence in operations. "We are proud that this challenging year did not diminish our capacity to respond, but instead reinforced our abilities to step up and give our employees the support and encouragement they deserve. This award rewards our team members for their resilience and proactive attitude," says Fund Street Technologies Co-Founder and Chief Credit Officer, Ben McCrery. One Park Financial has managed to keep employee satisfaction levels high throughout the years with many initiatives. One of them is the "Dream Weaver" program, intended to fulfill employees' dreams. Additionally, they host internal company awards to reward high performance and have nurtured a long-time alliance with Nicklaus Children's Hospital to give back to their community. About Fund Street Technologies LLC: Fund Street Technologies LLC "FST" is a technology-driven small business financing company. With over a decade of experience in technology and financing, FST developed in-house systems and joined forces with best in-class technology partners to develop their three core platforms: Eagle-FST, Skynet-FST, and Apex-FST. Fund Street Technologies is committed to make financing equally accessible to all small business owners nationwide. For more information, visit fundstreet.tech. About One Park Financial LLC: One Park Financial LLC, Fund Street Technologies subsidiary established in 2010, is a leading provider of financing for small businesses nationwide. Founded by entrepreneurs, One Park Financials' mission is to make working capital easily and equally accessible to all small business owners nationwide. One Park Financial is headquartered in Miami, Florida with a presence in Houston and Dallas, Texas. For more information, you can visit oneparkfinancial.com. Photos: https://www.prlog.org/12866149 Press release distributed by PRLog SOURCE Fund Street Technologies LLC NASHVILLE, Tenn., May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Genesco Inc. (NYSE: GCO) ("Genesco" or the "Company") today announced the appointments of three new independent directors, former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Deckers Brands, Angel Martinez; Chief Financial Officer of Valvoline Inc. and former Chief Financial Officer of DSW Inc., Mary Meixelsperger; and former Chief Executive Officer of Tractor Supply Company, Greg Sandfort, to the Genesco Board of Directors, effective immediately. Current directors Kathleen Mason and Marty Dickens will retire from the Board at the start of Genesco's 2021 Annual Meeting of Shareholders (the "Annual Meeting"), at which time the Board will be comprised of nine directors. These updates and changes are part of Genesco's ongoing Board refreshment program and align with its commitment to diversity and new perspectives. Following the Annual Meeting, a majority of Genesco's directors will have been appointed since 2019, four of Genesco's dedicated and longer-serving directors will have retired over the same period, and the average tenure on the Board will be five years. These changes strengthen the skillset, enhance the diversity, and substantially reduce the average tenure of Genesco's Board. Matthew Diamond, Genesco's Lead Independent Director and Chair of the Board's Nominating and Governance Committee, said, "Genesco is committed to maintaining a highly engaged, independent Board, and we regularly evaluate Board composition to ensure it reflects the right mix of skills and experience to help support the Company's future direction and continued growth. Since last fall, we have intensified our Board development process and have been considering and evaluating potential candidates, including John Lambros whom we added to the Board in October. As part of this ongoing effort, we are thrilled to welcome Angel, Mary and Greg to the Board, all of whom bring years of public company leadership and deep expertise in the retail sector, including footwear, having managed and optimized successful brand portfolios and driven significant value creation at their respective companies. On behalf of the Board, I'd like to thank Kathleen and Marty for their service, dedication and commitment to Genesco and all of our stakeholders. Their unwavering support and contributions over the years have been immeasurable, and we know they will remain part of our Genesco family." Mimi Vaughn, Board Chair, President and CEO of Genesco, added, "I am also delighted to welcome Angel, Mary and Greg to Genesco, three seasoned retail and brand executives who bring tremendous knowledge and experience into the boardroom and whose perspectives will be invaluable as we work to accelerate Genesco's transformation as a footwear focused company and capitalize on synergies to drive growth and profitability across our portfolio. At a unique and dynamic time in the retail industry, we are proud to bring on directors of their caliber and look forward to their many contributions. I'd also like to extend my sincere thanks and appreciation to Kathleen and Marty, who have been exemplary directors and have given so much to Genesco. They have both played an instrumental role in the success of the company, and their collaboration and guidance will be greatly missed." Among other skillsets as a former CEO, Mr. Martinez brings expertise in business transformation, corporate strategy, product and marketing innovation and an esteemed track record of recognizing and shaping trends with multiple brands in the footwear industry over his 40-plus year career. Mr. Martinez said, "Genesco's management team and Board have developed a strong footwear focused strategy that has positioned the Company extremely well to succeed in a complex and ever-changing environment. I am excited to be joining the Board and to be part of Genesco's continued evolution." Ms. Meixelsperger brings to Genesco a wealth of experience in capital allocation, finance, accounting, portfolio optimization, regulatory reporting, treasury, financial planning and analysis, risk management, business development, strategic planning and information technology stemming from her tenures as CFO of multiple private and public companies. Ms. Meixelsperger said, "Genesco's well-positioned and diverse retail portfolio, paired with the Company's shared operations, technology and services, present compelling omni-channel growth prospects that I believe will continue to drive strong financial performance. I am thrilled to join the Genesco Board at this exciting time for the Company." With a career spanning over 40 years, Mr. Sandfort has held a number of senior executive positions in the retail industry and brings a depth of knowledge of all facets of strategic growth, shareholder value creation and the business, including merchandising, marketing, brand management, operations, strategic planning, human capital and resource management and logistics. Mr. Sandfort said, "I am pleased to join Genesco's Board alongside an experienced and diverse set of directors and look forward to collaborating with Mimi and her team to build on their progress and momentum coming out of the pandemic. Genesco's commitment to product innovation, to building deep customer relationships, and to investing in future growth make this a unique and desirable company to join." In addition to Ms. Meixelsperger and Messrs. Martinez and Sandfort, six of Genesco's incumbent directors, who collectively bring significant leadership experience, financial, strategic and retail expertise, and track records of building enduring brands and creating sustainable value for shareholders, will stand for reelection at the Company's Annual Meeting. These incumbent directors include: Mimi Vaughn , President, CEO and Board Chair since 2020 and a driving force in leading Genesco's long-term footwear focused strategy; , President, CEO and Board Chair since 2020 and a driving force in leading Genesco's long-term footwear focused strategy; Matthew Diamond , Lead Independent Director since 2019 and an investor, entrepreneur and operator, has managed some of the largest retail and media youth brands of the last 25 years, such as Delia's, "Gossip Girl," and Channel One Media, driven creative youth-oriented marketing and brand innovations and has deep digital media expertise; , Lead Independent Director since 2019 and an investor, entrepreneur and operator, has managed some of the largest retail and media youth brands of the last 25 years, such as Delia's, "Gossip Girl," and Channel One Media, driven creative youth-oriented marketing and brand innovations and has deep digital media expertise; Joanna Barsh , Chair of the Compensation Committee, Senior Partner Emeritus at global consulting firm McKinsey & Company with strategic, retail, consumer and organization performance expertise, and a respected advocate for women in the workplace; , Chair of the Compensation Committee, Senior Partner Emeritus at global consulting firm McKinsey & Company with strategic, retail, consumer and organization performance expertise, and a respected advocate for women in the workplace; John Lambros , an active advisor to and operator in the digital media and emerging technology markets, with deep experience in M&A, recapitalizations, debt offerings and other transactions; , an active advisor to and operator in the digital media and emerging technology markets, with deep experience in M&A, recapitalizations, debt offerings and other transactions; Thurgood Marshall, Jr. , an expert in corporate governance, ethics and risk management who brings extensive government and private sector experience and plays a central role in Genesco's diversity initiatives and stakeholder relations oversight; and , an expert in corporate governance, ethics and risk management who brings extensive government and private sector experience and plays a central role in Genesco's diversity initiatives and stakeholder relations oversight; and Kevin McDermott , Chair of the Audit Committee with significant experience in auditing and SEC reviews as well as business financial planning, having retired as Partner at KPMG after serving at the firm for 33 years. With the nomination of Genesco's nine-member slate, the Board has the skills and qualifications that best enable it to oversee and support the implementation of the Company's footwear focused strategy, including diversity in professional and personal experience, background, race, gender and age, which promote fresh perspectives and new ideas. Collectively, the Board has deep experience in areas critical to enhancing oversight and bolstering Genesco's business, such as: retail and specialty retail, e-commerce, branding and marketing, C-Suite leadership, public company board expertise, financial literacy and accounting, capital allocation, digital and omni-channel marketing, technological expertise, supply chain management, operations and strategy, portfolio management, navigating business transformations, human capital management, corporate governance and ethics, risk oversight, regulatory affairs and experience with M&A, joint ventures, divestitures and other corporate transactions. The Board is well positioned to serve the short and long-term needs of the Company and its shareholders in the rapidly evolving retail industry. Response to Legion Partners' Nominees In addition, after careful consideration and due diligence from Genesco's Board and Nominating and Governance Committee, the Board has unanimously determined not to nominate any of the seven candidates assembled by Legion Partners Asset Management, LLC ("Legion"). The Committee noted, among other concerns, that Legion's candidates lack the relevant skills, experience, track records and leadership to serve on Genesco's Board. Throughout Genesco's Board refreshment process, which intensified last year prior to Legion's recent investment and current campaign, the Company has repeatedly offered Legion an opportunity to participate but Legion has consistently rebuffed Genesco's efforts to engage constructively and has repeatedly pressed Genesco to replace a majority of its Board at this year's Annual Meeting. Legion has also declined to engage with Genesco about Legion's director candidates or their slate's qualifications, nor would Legion allow their candidates to be interviewed, including by the internationally recognized global leadership advisory firm Egon Zehnder, which has been supporting the Board's self-assessment, board development and potential nominee review process. Filing of Preliminary Proxy Statement The Company also intends today to file its preliminary proxy statement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") in connection with Genesco's Annual Meeting. The date of the Annual Meeting has not yet been scheduled. Important information related to the Annual Meeting can be found at www.GenescoDrivingValue.com. Shareholders and other interested parties are encouraged to register on the site to receive real-time updates. Additional materials and information will be published as they become available. Detailed information about Genesco's director nominees will be included in the Company's preliminary proxy statement. Bank of America Securities is serving as financial advisor to the Company and Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz and Bass, Berry & Sims PLC are serving as legal advisors. About Angel Martinez Mr. Martinez most recently served as chief executive officer of Deckers Brands from 2005 until his retirement in 2016, during which he oversaw revenue growth of 600%+ and EBITDA growth of 340%+ through his last fiscal year, while share price increased by over 350% over his tenure at Deckers. During this time, Deckers, best known for its iconic brands including UGG, HOKA, Teva, Sanuk and Koolaburra, was named "Company of the Year" by Footwear News and Footwear Plus and named "Best Places to Work" by Outside Magazine in five separate years. While at Deckers, Mr. Martinez helped grow its investments in its direct-to-consumer platform and enhanced its omni-channel capabilities allowing Deckers to increasingly engage existing and prospective consumers in a more connected environment. Mr. Martinez previously served as President and CEO of The Rockport Company, where he successfully directed the development and global implementation of a product and marketing program dedicated to broadening the brand franchise to a younger consumer, as well as achieving significant sales and profit increases. Earlier in his career, Mr. Martinez served as Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of the Reebok portfolio of brands, where as an early employee, his vision was instrumental in the creation of the Reebok Brand worldwide. Mr. Martinez has experience serving on public company boards, including as a director of Tupperware Brands Corporation from 1998 to 2020 and Chairman of the Board of Deckers Brands from 2008 to 2017. About Mary Meixelsperger Ms. Meixelsperger has served as Chief Financial Officer of Valvoline Inc. since 2016, where she is responsible for Valvoline's global financial and information technology organizations. During her tenure, Valvoline's retail footprint has grown by almost 50% and system-wide retail sales have almost doubled. Ms. Meixelsperger played a key role in Valvoline's successful IPO, leading efforts to implement standalone public reporting processes and procedures, and she led the development of a three-year information technology strategic roadmap. From May 2014 to June 2016 Ms. Meixelsperger served as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of DSW Inc., a leading branded footwear and accessories omni-channel retailer that operates over 500 stores in the U.S., as well as DSW.com, a fully managed e-commerce site. At DSW, Ms. Meixelsperger played a key role in the development of omni-channel demand and fulfillment reporting to drive greater understanding of profitability by fulfillment source at DSW. Prior to DSW, she served as Chief Financial Officer, Controller and Treasurer at Shopko Stores, where she led successful business growth for the $3 billion retailer. She began her career in public accounting at Arthur Young and Co. About Greg Sandfort Most recently, Mr. Sandfort served as Chief Executive Officer of Tractor Supply Company from May 2016 to January 2020 and as President and Chief Executive Officer of Tractor Supply from December 2012 to May 2016, where he oversaw revenue growth of 100%+ and EBITDA growth of 150%+ through his last fiscal year, while share price increased by over 100% over his tenure at Tractor Supply. Mr. Sandfort played a critical role in implementing Tractor Supply's ONETractor initiative, an omni-channel strategy that helped Tractor Supply significantly outperform the industry. Prior to joining Tractor Supply, Mr. Sandfort served as President and Chief Operating Officer at Michaels Stores, Inc. Mr. Sandfort has experience serving on public company boards, including as lead director at WD-40 since 2020 (director since 2011) and as a director at Kirkland's from 2017 to 2019. About Genesco Inc. Genesco Inc., a Nashville-based specialty retailer and branded company, sells footwear and accessories in more than 1,455 retail stores throughout the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, principally under the names Journeys, Journeys Kidz, Little Burgundy, Schuh, Schuh Kids, Johnston & Murphy, and on internet websites www.journeys.com, www.journeyskidz.com, www.journeys.ca, www.littleburgundyshoes.com, www.schuh.co.uk, www.johnstonmurphy.com, www.johnstonmurphy.ca, www.nashvilleshoewarehouse.com, and www.dockersshoes.com. In addition, Genesco sells footwear at wholesale under its Johnston & Murphy brand, the licensed Levi's brand, the licensed Dockers brand, the licensed Bass brand, and other brands. For more information on Genesco and its operating divisions, please visit www.genesco.com. Forward-Looking Statements This release contains forward-looking statements, including those regarding the performance outlook for the Company and all other statements not addressing solely historical facts or present conditions. Forward- looking statements are usually identified by or are associated with such words as "intend," "expect," "believe," "anticipate," "optimistic" and similar terminology. Actual results could vary materially from the expectations reflected in these statements. A number of factors could cause differences. These include adjustments to projections reflected in forward-looking statements, including those resulting from the effects of COVID-19 on the Company's business, including COVID-19 case spikes in locations in which the Company operates, additional stores closures due to COVID-19, weakness in store and shopping mall traffic, restrictions on operations imposed by government entities and/or landlords, changes in public safety and health requirements, and limitations on the Company's ability to adequately staff and operate stores. Differences from expectations could also result from stores closures and effects on the business as a result of civil disturbances; the level and timing of promotional activity necessary to maintain inventories at appropriate levels; the imposition of tariffs on product imported by the Company or its vendors as well as the ability and costs to move production of products in response to tariffs; the Company's ability to obtain from suppliers products that are in-demand on a timely basis and effectively manage disruptions in product supply or distribution, including disruptions as a result of COVID-19; unfavorable trends in fuel costs, foreign exchange rates, foreign labor and material costs, and other factors affecting the cost of products; the effects of the British decision to exit the European Union and other sources of market weakness in the U.K. and Republic of Ireland; the effectiveness of the Company's omni-channel initiatives; costs associated with changes in minimum wage and overtime requirements; wage pressure in the U.S. and the U.K.; weakness in the consumer economy and retail industry; competition and fashion trends in the Company's markets; risks related to the potential for terrorist events; risks related to public health and safety events; changes in buying patterns by significant wholesale customers; retained liabilities associated with divestitures of businesses including potential liabilities under leases as the prior tenant or as a guarantor; and changes in the timing of holidays or in the onset of seasonal weather affecting period-to-period sales comparisons. Additional factors that could cause differences from expectations include the ability to renew leases in existing stores and control or lower occupancy costs, and to conduct required remodeling or refurbishment on schedule and at expected expense levels; the Company's ability to realize anticipated cost savings, including rent savings; the Company's ability to achieve expected digital gains and gain market share; deterioration in the performance of individual businesses or of the Company's market value relative to its book value, resulting in impairments of fixed assets, operating lease right of use assets or intangible assets or other adverse financial consequences and the timing and amount of such impairments or other consequences; unexpected changes to the market for the Company's shares or for the retail sector in general; costs and reputational harm as a result of disruptions in the Company's business or information technology systems either by security breaches and incidents or by potential problems associated with the implementation of new or upgraded systems; the Company's ability to realize any anticipated tax benefits; and the cost and outcome of litigation, investigations and environmental matters involving the Company. Additional factors are cited in the "Risk Factors," "Legal Proceedings" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" sections of, and elsewhere in, the Company's SEC filings, copies of which may be obtained from the SEC website, www.sec.gov, or by contacting the investor relations department of Genesco via the Company's website, www.genesco.com. Many of the factors that will determine the outcome of the subject matter of this release are beyond Genesco's ability to control or predict. Genesco undertakes no obligation to release publicly the results of any revisions to these forward-looking statements that may be made to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. Forward-looking statements reflect the expectations of the Company at the time they are made. The Company disclaims any obligation to update such statements. Important Additional Information and Where to Find It Genesco intends to file preliminary and definitive proxy statements (the "Proxy Statement") and accompanying proxy card in connection with the solicitation of proxies for the 2021 annual meeting of Genesco shareholders (the "Annual Meeting"). INVESTORS AND SHAREHOLDERS ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO READ THE PROXY STATEMENT AND ACCOMPANYING PROXY CARD AND OTHER DOCUMENTS FILED WITH THE U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") CAREFULLY AND IN THEIR ENTIRETY WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE AS THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION. Shareholders may obtain the Proxy Statement, any amendments or supplements to the Proxy Statement and other documents filed by Genesco with the SEC for no charge at the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. Copies will also be available at no charge in the Investors section of Genesco's corporate website at www.genesco.com. Participants in the Solicitation Genesco, its directors and certain of its executive officers may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from Genesco shareholders in connection with the matters to be considered at the Annual Meeting. Information regarding the names of Genesco's directors and executive officers and certain other individuals and their respective interests in Genesco by security holdings or otherwise is set forth in the Annual Report on Form 10-K of Genesco for the fiscal year ended January 30, 2021, and Genesco's definitive proxy statement for the 2020 annual meeting of Genesco shareholders, filed with the SEC on May 15, 2020. To the extent holdings of such participants in Genesco's securities have changed since the amounts described in the proxy statement for the 2020 annual meeting of Genesco shareholders, such changes have been reflected on Initial Statements of Beneficial Ownership on Form 3 or Statements of Change in Ownership on Form 4 filed with the SEC. Details regarding the nominees of Genesco's Board of Directors for election at the Annual Meeting will be included in the definitive proxy statement, when available. SOURCE Genesco Inc. Related Links http://www.genesco.com DUBLIN, May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Baby Monitor Market - Global Outlook and Forecast 2021-2026" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The global interactive baby monitor market by revenue is expected to grow at a CAGR of approx. 15% during 2020-2026. Baby monitors are increasingly marking their presence among end-users worldwide. The penetration of these devices is growing rapidly in the overall baby safety and convenience products market across the world. Advanced smart baby monitor models with innovative technology can now keep an eye on the baby from anywhere via smartphones. Thus, the demand for these devices is increasing rapidly among end-users. Global Interactive Baby Monitor Market Segmentation The audio & video segment by volume accounted for over 53% share in 2020. The APAC region is expected to be a major revenue contributor to the audio & video segment. It is expected to pose an absolute growth of over 125% during the forecast period in terms of unit shipments with high scope for innovation. Audio and video baby monitors are the largest revenue contributors to the market. The increasing preference for real-time interaction among parents is boosting the growth of video monitoring features. However, the cost of ownership is higher, which hinders their acceptance among end-users, especially in developing economies. The digital segment by revenue constituted over 81% market share in 2020. North America and Europe accounted for the most significant share in the digital segment. A majority of baby monitors available in the market using digital transmission. It is expected that digital baby monitors with eco-mode could be in high demand as they are designed to emit radiation only when activated by a sound or motion. With the expected rise in disposable income, spending power, and affordability, digital baby monitors in emerging economies expect to gain momentum during the forecast period. By revenue, the conventional segment accounted for over 65% in 2020 and is expected to pose an absolute growth of 110% during the forecast period. However, the segment estimates to lose its share to the booming smart category due to enhanced audio and video quality, security, voice integration, and portable nature. The affordable cost of conventional baby monitors is likely to drive the momentum in emerging economies where the parents' requirements are confined to monitor within a specific range. In 2020, the retail segment was the highest revenue contributor to the global interactive baby monitor market. Despite the high growth momentum for the online segment, it faces intense competition from the retail segment because of the entry of traditional security product manufacturers and camera vendors, which has increased the visibility of baby monitors on store shelves across the world. The availability of counterfeit versions has also increased concerns as monitors are associated with babies' health and security. However, the growth in online sales is set to increase by over 13% YoY in terms of shipments during the forecast period because they offer various options to choose from compared to retail stores. INSIGHTS BY GEOGRAPHY The North American interactive baby monitor market has been experiencing high challenges over the past few years due to the decrease in birth and fertility rates. The falling birth rates have led to a shift in the population of the region. In 2020, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic skyrocketed the savings rate in the region. It witnessed a peak of over 32% in April 2020, up from 12.7% in March. It was also estimated that consumer spending declined by around 12.6% in the same period with the rise in the unemployment rate. However, the region expects to generate steady demand during the forecast period owing to new births from the increasing young immigrant population. Vendors have capitalized on the booming smart home penetration, and smart monitors act as the leverage for enhancing the market share of vendors. Thus, the region is likely to witness higher growth from digital and smart monitors. It also expects to witness high demand for baby monitors because of their reliability, ease of installation, and convenience. With rapid advances in technology, they deliver high performance and have become user-friendly. INSIGHTS BY VENDORS The global interactive baby monitor market is witnessing an increase in the influence of digital consumerism on retail sales. Dorel Industries, Motorola Mobility, VTech, Lorex Technology, and Summer Infant are the major companies. There is a broad scope for vendors to increase their profitability by adopting e-commerce as a business platform. With the increasing internet penetration, several online websites have come to serve parents that seek convenience and easy accessibility to get these products. E-retailing of several innovative childcare products, including baby monitors, is gaining popularity. Currently, many customers prefer to shop online for the convenience that online shopping offers. This trend has encouraged many companies to focus on the internet-savvy customer segment and venture into the omnichannel retail format. Moreover, this business model saves operating costs as the online retail format requires lesser operating costs, thereby increasing profitability. Prominent Vendors Dorel Industries Motorola Mobility VTech Lorex Technology Summer Infant Other Prominent Vendors Koninklijke Philips Samsung Electronics Foscam iBaby Labs Hanwha Techwin The Holding Angelcare Hisense Mayborn Group Snuza International iBabyGuard International infanttech Jablotron MonDevices Nanit Owlet Baby Care Respisense Safetosleep Evoz Eufy Miku Infant Optics MOBI Panasonic Corporation Procter & Gamble Levana Baby Delight Invidyo FaceLake HelloBaby Eastman Kodak Company Arlo Lollipop Cubo Ai CasaCam Wyze Labs Key Topics Covered: 1 Research Methodology 2 Research Objectives 3 Research Process 4 Scope & Coverage 4.1 Market Definition 4.2 Base Year 4.3 Scope of The Study 5 Report Assumptions & Caveats 5.1 Key Caveats 5.2 Currency Conversion 5.3 Market Derivation 6 Market at a Glance 7 Introduction 7.1 Overview 7.1.1 Macroeconomic Factors Enabling Market Growth 7.1.2 Per Capita GDP in Developing Markets 7.1.3 Dual-income Households in Developed Markets 7.2 COVID-19 Impact 8 Market Opportunities & Trends 8.1 Growing Demand For Smart Baby Monitors 8.2 Increase In Tech-Savvy Millennial Parents 9 Market Growth Enablers 9.1 Reduced Infant Mortality Rates 9.2 Growing Awareness on Infant Safety 9.3 Influence of Internet on Consumer Purchase Decisions 9.4 Growth in Nuclear Families & Women's Employment 10 Market Restraints 10.1 Health Hazards Due to Electromagnetic Radiation 10.2 Changing End-User Sociography 10.3 Low Penetration Rate in Emerging Economies 11 Value Chain Analysis 11.1 Overview 11.1.1 Raw Materials 11.1.2 Manufacturers 11.1.3 Distributors/Dealers 11.1.4 Retailers 11.1.5 End-users 12 Market Landscape 12.1 Historical Data 2015-2019 12.2 Market Size & Forecast 2020-2026 12.3 Five Forces Analysis 13 Product 13.1 Market Snapshot & Growth Engine (Revenue & Unit Shipments) 13.2 Market Overview 13.3 Audio & Video 13.4 Movement Monitor 13.5 Audio Only 14 Transmission 14.1 Market Snapshot & Growth Engine (Revenue & Unit Shipments) 14.2 Market Overview 14.3 Digital 14.4 Analog 15 Type 15.1 Market Snapshot & Growth Engine (Revenue & Unit Shipments) 15.2 Market Overview 15.3 Conventional 15.4 Smart 16 Distribution 16.1 Market Snapshot & Growth Engine (Revenue & Unit Shipments) 16.2 Market Overview 16.2.1 Manufacture, Production, and Distribution 16.3 Retail Stores 16.4 Online For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/e4eiy6 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: 646-607-1904 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 SOURCE Research and Markets Related Links http://www.researchandmarkets.com DUBLIN, May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Cardiovascular Drug Delivery - Technologies, Markets & Companies" report from Jain PharmaBiotech has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The cardiovascular drug delivery markets are estimated for the years 2018 to 2028 on the basis of epidemiology and total markets for cardiovascular therapeutics. The estimates take into consideration the anticipated advances and availability of various technologies, particularly drug delivery devices in the future. Markets for drug-eluting stents are calculated separately. The role of drug delivery in developing cardiovascular markets is defined and unmet needs in cardiovascular drug delivery technologies are identified. Drug delivery to the cardiovascular system is approached at three levels: (1) routes of drug delivery; (2) formulations; and finally (3) applications to various diseases. Formulations for drug delivery to the cardiovascular system range from controlled release preparations to delivery of proteins and peptides. Cell and gene therapies, including antisense and RNA interference, are described in full chapters as they are the most innovative methods of delivery of therapeutics. Various methods of improving the systemic administration of drugs for cardiovascular disorders are described including the use of nanotechnology. Cell-selective targeted drug delivery has emerged as one of the most significant areas of biomedical engineering research, to optimize the therapeutic efficacy of a drug by strictly localizing its pharmacological activity to a pathophysiologically relevant tissue system. These concepts have been applied to targeted drug delivery to the cardiovascular system. Devices for drug delivery to the cardiovascular system are also described. The role of drug delivery in various cardiovascular disorders such as myocardial ischemia, hypertension, and hypercholesterolemia is discussed. Cardioprotection is also discussed. Some of the preparations and technologies are also applicable to peripheral arterial diseases. Controlled release systems are based on chronopharmacology, which deals with the effects of circadian biological rhythms on drug actions. A full chapter is devoted to drug-eluting stents as treatment for restenosis following stenting of coronary arteries.Fifteen companies are involved in drug-eluting stents. New cell-based therapeutic strategies are being developed in response to the shortcomings of available treatments for heart disease. Potential repair by cell grafting or mobilizing endogenous cells holds particular attraction in heart disease, where the meager capacity for cardiomyocyte proliferation likely contributes to the irreversibility of heart failure. Cell therapy approaches include attempts to reinitiate cardiomyocyte proliferation in the adult, conversion of fibroblasts to contractile myocytes, conversion of bone marrow stem cells into cardiomyocytes, and transplantation of myocytes or other cells into injured myocardium. Advances in the molecular pathophysiology of cardiovascular diseases have brought gene therapy within the realm of possibility as a novel approach to the treatment of these diseases. It is hoped that gene therapy will be less expensive and affordable because the techniques involved are simpler than those involved in cardiac bypass surgery, heart transplantation and stent implantation. Gene therapy would be a more physiologic approach to deliver vasoprotective molecules to the site of vascular lesions. Gene therapy is not only a sophisticated method of drug delivery; it may at times need drug delivery devices such as catheters for transfer of genes to various parts of the cardiovascular system. Selected 83 companies that either develop technologies for drug delivery to the cardiovascular system or products using these technologies are profiled and 80 collaborations between companies are tabulated. The bibliography includes 200 selected references from recent literature on this topic. Key Markets Introduction Epidemiology of cardiovascular disease Cost of care of cardiovascular disorders Cardiovascular markets according to important diseases Antithrombotics Anticholesterol agents Antihypertensive agents Drugs for congestive heart failure Markets for innovative technologies for cardiovascular disorders Markets for cell therapy of cardiovascular disorders Markets for gene therapy of cardiovascular disorders Markets for drug-eluting stents Major players in DES market Impact of safety issues on future markets for DES DES market in Asia Patenting and legal issues of DES The financial impact of DES on cardiovascular markets Unmet needs for cardiovascular drug delivery Role of DDS in developing cardiovascular markets Markets for cardiovascular devices Marketing of innovative cardiovascular drug delivery devices Direct to consumer advertising of DES Future trends in the integration of drug delivery with therapeutics Future of cardiovascular drug delivery Key Topics Covered: Executive Summary 1. Cardiovascular Diseases 2. Methods for Drug Delivery to the Cardiovascular System 3. Cell Therapy for Cardiovascular Disorders 4. Gene Therapy for Cardiovascular Disorders 5. Drug-Eluting Stents 6. Markets for Cardiovascular Drug Delivery 7. Companies involved in Cardiovascular Drug Delivery 8. References For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/qqxmpd 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 DUBLIN, May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Medical Cannabis Market Forecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis By Product Type, Medical Application, and Geography" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The global medical cannabis market is expected to reach US$ 49,116.4 million by 2028 from US$ 8,926.6 million in 2020. It is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 23.9% from 2021 to 2028. Developing countries in South and Central America, Asia, and the Middle East & Africa, North America, and Europe have legalized the use and cultivation of medical cannabis. However, despite widespread legalization for the use of cannabis, its legal cultivation and production has earlier been mostly limited to developing countries. In September 2019, the Ministry of Commerce, Agriculture, and Fisheries of Jamaica announced a partnership with Harvard International Phytomedicines and Medical Cannabis Institute (HIPI) for conducting research on the pharmacological benefits of cannabis. At the same time, Jamaica aims to capitalize on this partnership and utilize this opportunity to grow and develop its national marijuana industry. Moreover, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), ~80% of the world's population utilizes marijuana or cannabis for medical remedies. Therefore, the growing acceptance, cultivation, and production of cannabis in developing countries is contributing significantly to the growth of the medical cannabis market. Based on product type, the medical cannabis market is segmented into flower, concentrates, cannabis oil and topical ointments, capsules, tablets and beverages and edibles. In 2019, the flowers segment held the largest share of the medical cannabis market, by product type. However, the beverages and edibles segment is expected to witness the highest CAGR over the coming years. Based on medical application, the medical cannabis market is segmented into pain management, neurological health management, mental health management, and others. In 2020, the pain management segment held the largest share of the market and is anticipated to witness the fastest CAGR in the medical cannabis market. Based on compound, the medical cannabis market is segmented into tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)-dominant, cannabidiol (CBD)-dominant, and balanced THC and CBD. In 2020, the THC dominant segment held the largest share of the market and is anticipated to witness fastest growth rate in the medical cannabis market. Major primary and secondary sources referred to while preparing the report on the medical cannabis market are Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, National Centre for Biological Sciences, The Food and Drug Administration, National Research Foundation, European Observatory on Cannabis Cultivation, South African Health Products Regulatory Authority, and World Health Organization, among others. Key Topics Covered: 1. Introduction 1.1 Scope of the Study 1.2 Research Report Guidance 1.3 Market Segmentation 2. Medical Cannabis Market- Key Takeaways 3. Research Methodology 4. Medical Cannabis Market- Market Landscape 4.1 Overview 4.2 PEST Analysis 4.3 Expert Opinion 5. Medical Cannabis Market - Key Market Dynamics 5.1 Market Drivers 5.1.1 Increasing Number of Approvals for Medical Cannabis Products 5.1.2 Rising Acceptance for Medicinal Use of Cannabis in Developing Countries 5.1.3 Growing Research on Medicinal Use of Cannabis 5.1.4 Escalating Government Funding for Spreading Awareness and Exploring Medicinal Benefits of Cannabis 5.2 Market Restraints 5.2.1 Illegal Use of Cannabis as Street Drug and Misconceptions Regarding Cannabis 5.3 Market Opportunities 5.3.1 Growing Demand for Cannabis During COVID-19 5.4 Future Trends 5.4.1 Widespread Distribution of Medical Cannabis 5.4.2 Continuous Growth of Pharmaceutical Industries Worldwide 5.5 Impact Analysis 6. Medical Cannabis Market- Global Analysis 6.1 Global Medical Cannabis Market Revenue Forecast and Analysis 6.2 Global Medical Cannabis Market, By Geography - Forecast and Analysis 6.3 Market Positioning of Key Players 7. Medical Cannabis Market Analysis - By Product Type 7.1 Overview 7.2 Medical Cannabis Market Revenue Share, by Product Type (2020 and 2028) 7.3 Flowers 7.4 Concentrates 7.5 Topical Ointments 7.6 Tablets 7.7 Capsules 7.8 Beverages and Edibles 8. Medical Cannabis Market Analysis - By Medical Application 8.1 Overview 8.2 Medical Cannabis Market Revenue Share, by Medical Application (2020 and 2028) 8.3 Pain Management 8.4 Neurological Health Management 8.5 Mental Health Management 9. Medical Cannabis Market- By Compound 9.1 Overview 9.2 Medical Cannabis Market, by Compound, 2020 and 2028 (%) 9.3 Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)-Dominant 9.4 Cannabidiol (CBD)-Dominant 9.5 Balanced THC and CBD 10. Medical Cannabis Market - Geographical Analysis 11. Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Global Medical Cannabis Market 12. Industry Landscape 12.1 Overview 12.2 Growth Strategies Done by the Companies in the Market, (%) 12.3 Organic Developments 12.3.1 Overview 12.3.2 Organic Developments Done by Companies 12.4 Inorganic Developments 12.4.1 Overview 12.4.2 Inorganic Developments Done by Companies 13. Company Profiles 13.1 Key Facts 13.2 Business Description 13.3 Products and Services 13.4 Financial Overview 13.5 SWOT Analysis 13.6 Key Developments Aphria, Inc. Aurora Cannabis Cannabis Science, Inc. Canopy Growth Corporation Medical Marijuana, Inc. VIVO Cannabis Inc Tikun Olam Tilray The Cronos Group CANVORY For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/w357of 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 DUBLIN, May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Next Generation Network OSS and BSS Market by Infrastructure, Components, Applications, and Services 2021 - 2026" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. Next Generation Network OSS and BSS Market by Infrastructure, Components, Applications, and Services 2021 - 2026 provides the most comprehensive coverage of NGN OSS/BSS including opportunities driven by 5G, Data Analytics, and IoT. The Next Generation Network OSS BSS market provides capabilities that have become an absolute requirement for Communication Service Providers (CSP) of all types including integrated legacy carriers (fixed, wireless, and cable/Internet), Multiple System Operators (MSO), and Over-the-Top (OTT) providers. Select Report Findings: The overall global NGN OSS/BSS market will reach $70.2 billion by 2026 by 2026 Authentication and authorization will reach $8.4 billion globally by 2026 globally by 2026 Billing automation and settlement will reach $7.2 billion globally by 2026 globally by 2026 NGN OSS/BSS in mobile networks will reach $36.1 billion globally by 2026 globally by 2026 Global 5G networks will account for $11.9 billion of NGN OSS/BSS by 2026 of NGN OSS/BSS by 2026 NGN OSS/BSS support for IoT solutions will reach $19.3 billion globally by 2026 The report provides a comprehensive analysis of the drivers and issues related to the technical and business aspects of the next generation OSS BSS market, deployments, and operations issues, and quantitative analysis with forecasts for anticipated growth through 2026 including the following emerging areas: IoT Platforms, OSS and Billing, Data Management 5G Operations Support including Network Slicing Management Mobile Edge Computing including Infrastructure, Apps, and Services The report includes specific recommendations for Next Generation Network OSS BSS vendors, CSPs, Enterprise, and infrastructure suppliers for 5G and IoT systems and solutions. Questions answered in the report include: What changes will take place in the OSS/BSS vendor landscape? How will NGN affect current OSS/BSS architecture and modules? How will emerging technologies impact the legacy OSS/BSS systems? How will NGN OSS/BSS systems need to support the Internet of Things (IoT)? What kind of transformation will take place in legacy OSS/BSS to the next generation systems? What will be the implications of NGN OSS/BSS in terms of managing telecom business operations? What are the impacts on managed and cloud services including social media, business intelligence, and analytics? When we first began coverage of the Next Generation Network OSS BSS market in 2007, it was driven largely by two things: (1) The need to consolidate operational support and billing as well as (2) Prepare for next-generation IP-based networks and services. While these are still two very important reasons for CSPs to leverage NGN OSS BSS platforms, there are now many more reasons: Fifth Generation (5G) Cellular: Requirements for Next Generation Network OSS BSS market support for Network Slicing in 5G, both in terms of administration of slice allocations (including SLA) as well as billing for slices and usage. CSPs will also require Next-Gen OSS BSS for support of massive IoT systems enabled by 5G. Internet of Things (IoT): Presenting many issues and opportunities, IoT will require operational support for intermediation between networks and systems. In addition, IoT Billing and Settlement represents a significant near-term growth area for the Next Generation OSS BSS market. Longer-term, IoT Authentication and Authorization and the use of Blockchain will also emerge as a key area reliant upon NGN OSS. Next-Generation Apps and Services: As a result of 5G in particular, there will be many next-generation services, many of which will be highly immersive such as the Virtual Reality market. New business models will emerge for VR and other next-gen apps that will require Next Generation Network OSS BSS support. For example, CSPs will need to support virtual identity as well as bridge the virtual and real worlds with Mixed Reality offerings. These areas will require operational support. Report Benefits: Technical evaluation of OSS and BSS in next-generation networks Identify market potential by service components of OSS/BSS functions Understand the market dynamics regarding legacy vs. next generation Understand the drivers and timing for evolution to next-generation OSS/BSS Understand opportunities for NGN OSS/BSS in support of IoT networks and data Identify companies and their services, products, and solutions for next-generation OSS/BSS Identify emerging technologies, third networks, and standards supporting solutions for next-generation OSS/BSS Recognize the opportunities for next-generation OSS across many different service, solution and product categories Detailed market forecasts for OSS/BSS including IoT Billing, Settlement, Authentication, and Authorization 2021 to 2026 Market Dynamics NGN vs. Existing Networks Packet Network Transport Technologies Independent Technologies Unfettered Access Mobility What is NGN OSS BSS? NGN OSS BSS Market Drivers Increasing Interests from Telecom Operator and Solution Vendors Enhanced Performance with Access Technologies Reduction of Excessive Dependency of Vendor Solution Positive Impact on Return on Investment NGN OSS BSS Market Challenges Requirement of Large-Scale Capital Expenditure to Deploy the Solution Operational Challenges Integration of Private Networks and Applications with Public Networks Quality of Service Disparities Regulatory Challenges including National Security and Competitive Policies Carrier Business Models, NGN Challenges, and Role of CSPs Key Topics Covered: 1.0 Executive Summary 2.0 Introduction 3.0 Legacy vs. Next Generation OSS and BSS 4.0 Important NGN OSS/BSS Technology Considerations 5.0 NGN OSS/BSS Value Chain Analysis 6.0 Cloud-based Billing for Telecom Companies 7.0 Telecom Cloud Billing Case Studies 8.0 NGN OSS/BSS Company and Solution Analysis 9.0 NGN OSS BSS Market Forecast 2021 - 2026 10.0 Conclusions and Recommendations 11.0 Appendix One: 5G Network Slicing Market Analysis and Forecasts 12.0 Appendix Two: 5G IoT Market Analysis and Forecasts 13.0 Appendix Three: IoT Billing & Settlement Market Analysis and Forecasts Companies Mentioned Accedian Accenture Advanced VoIP advantage360 AdvOSS Alcatel-Lucent Amdocs Aricent Aruba Networks ASC technologies Ascom Network Testing AsiaInfo Astellia Avotus Azure Solutions Bill Perfect , Inc. , Inc. BSG Clearing Solutions CBOSS Centina Systems Cerillion Technologies Cherwell Cisco Comarch Comptel Corporation Convergys CSG International CustomCall Data Systems cVidya Digital Route AB Dorado Software Elitecore Technologies Enghouse Networks Ericsson ETI Software Solutions Evolving Systems EXFO Formula Telecom Solutions GE H2O by Overgroup Hewlett-Packard Huawei Technologies IBM InfoGix Infovista INOC Intec Intraway Corporation ItsOn Juniper Networks Kapsch CarrierCom Level 3 Communication LogiSense LogNet System Matrixx Software MaxBill MDS MEF MegaSoft Metratech MindCTI Mobinets MycomOSI Nakina Systems Netadmin Systems NetBoss Technologies NetCracker Technology Netformx Neural Technologies NMSWorks Software Nokia Networks Ontology Systems OpenCloud Openet OpenVault Operax Oracle OSSera Overture Networks Peter Service RAD RAO Infosystems Redknee Ribbon Communications Sandvine SAP SevOne Sicap Sigma Systems Skyline Communications Sonus Networks Spirent Subex SynchronOSS Tail-f Systems Telarix Telco Systems TEOCO TIA UBIqube Ushacomm VAS-X Ventraq (NetPlus) Veryx technologies VPIsystems WebNMS Xalted XINTEC Xura ZIRA Ltd. ZTE Corporation For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/x4b6a5 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 SAN FRANCISCO, May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Hagens Berman urges Danimer Scientific, Inc. (NYSE: DNMR) investors with significant losses to submit your losses now. Class Period: Oct. 5, 2020 - May 3, 2021 Lead Plaintiff Deadline: July 13, 2021 Visit: www.hbsslaw.com/investor-fraud/DNMR Contact An Attorney Now: [email protected] 844-916-0895 Danimer Scientific, Inc. (NYSE: DNMR) Securities Fraud Action: The complaint alleges that Danimer made misrepresentations and omissions concerning its production of polyhydroxyalkanoate ("PHA") a biodegradeable alternative to petrochemical-based plastics, which the company sells under its proprietary Nodax brand for usage in water bottles, straws, and food containers. The truth emerged over a series of disclosures, beginning on Mar. 20, 2021, when the Wall Street Journal questioned whether Nodax's breaks down far more quickly than fossil-fuel plastics, finding "many claims about Nodax's are exaggerated and misleading." One plastics expert labeled Danimer's claims about Nodax's biodegradability as "not accurate" and as "greenwashing." Next, on Apr. 22, 2021 analyst Spruce Point Capital Management published a scathing report noting: red flags; various inconsistencies about Danimer's historical and present claims about the size of its operations; Nodax's makeup and degradability; and the company's expected profitability. Finally, on May 4, 2021 Spruce Point published a follow-up report after acquiring documents from Kentucky's Department of Environmental Protection and accused Danimer of "wildly overstating" production figures, pricing, and financial projections. According to Spruce Point, Danimer materially misreported its monthly PHA production for the Kentucky facility by as much as 100% in some months and its average selling price for Nodax's was overstated by 30 40%. Each of these revelations sent the price of Danimer shares crashing lower. "We're focused on investors' losses and proving Danimer misled investors by greenwashing and misstating its true performance metrics," said Reed Kathrein, the Hagens Berman partner leading the investigation. If you are a Danimer investor and have significant losses, or have knowledge that may assist the firm's investigation, click here to discuss your legal rights with Hagens Berman. Whistleblowers: Persons with non-public information regarding Danimer should consider their options to help in the investigation or take advantage of the SEC Whistleblower program. Under the new program, whistleblowers who provide original information may receive rewards totaling up to 30 percent of any successful recovery made by the SEC. For more information, call Reed Kathrein at 844-916-0895 or email mailto:[email protected]. About Hagens Berman Hagens Berman is a national law firm with eight offices in eight cities around the country and over eighty attorneys. The firm represents investors, whistleblowers, workers and consumers in complex litigation. More about the firm and its successes is located at hbsslaw.com. For the latest news visit our newsroom or follow us on Twitter at @classactionlaw . Contact: Reed Kathrein, 844-916-0895 SOURCE Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP Related Links https://www.hbsslaw.com BOCA RATON, Fla. , May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- HEALTHdrum.com LLC, a Boca Raton healthcare technology company, announced today the launch of their cost-transparent healthcare marketplace platform for cash price, routine office-based or outpatient care. The platform allows buyers (consumers) of healthcare services to connect directly with sellers (providers) of care with costs that are often less than insurance-based pricing. The key reasons behind HEALTHdrum's marketplace development are the increasing inconvenience and costs associated with the flawed insurance coverage of day-to-day healthcare needs. While most medical services in the U.S are routine office-based or outpatient, administrative costs for this insurance-covered care have ballooned to $840 billion yearly, driving physician's practice overhead to 70 percent. This gross inefficiency wastes precious healthcare dollars from being used for care. HEALTHdrum's digital health marketplace improves efficiency of healthcare delivery and cuts unnecessary administrative costs that are now passed on to patients. Without the need for restrictive networks, enrollment periods and non-medical health plan intermediaries delaying, rationing or denying treatment, care will be dictated solely by the consumer. Patients pay only for what they need - there are no surprise bills, copays, deductibles or non-covered services. Although designed initially for the healthcare consumer without health benefits, HEALTHdrum's free-market healthcare platform allows anyone access to as-needed, high-quality routine care at affordable prices. Said Bert Vorstman, CEO, "HEALTHdrum's mission is to reshape healthcare and help people connect directly with the caring community." "Users of the HEALTHdrum's consumer-directed care platform will find and compare costs for routine healthcare services so that they can budget and manage their own health needs," highlights David Hartmann, CTO. This freedom from artificial healthcare rules and restrictions returns decision-making autonomy to patients and doctors, supports market forces and allows employers to choose less expensive high-deductible plans to cover unlikely major medical or catastrophic needs. HEALTHdrum's key product details: - Healthcare price search engine for routine office-based and outpatient care. - Displays costs for services provided by generalist and specialist physicians, imaging centers, laboratories, rehabilitation centers, wellness clinics, fitness centers, paramedical and alternative medical providers. - Ability to compare costs between services and providers. - Ability to request appointments. - Posts record of appointments in personal profile. Summary: HEALTHdrum is a cost-transparent digital healthcare marketplace that connects consumers, employers and providers with cash price, self-pay options for as-needed routine healthcare services. About HEALTHdrum.com: HEALTHdrum.com LLC (http://www.HEALTHdrum.com) is a healthcare technology company based in Boca Raton, Florida. HEALTHdrum maintains and hosts a marketplace platform in partnership with The SilverLogic (TSL) (https://tsl.io) accessible to all healthcare consumers, employers and the extended caring community. This press release was issued through 24-7PressRelease.com. For further information, visit http://www.24-7pressrelease.com. SOURCE HEALTHdrum.com Related Links http://www.HEALTHdrum.com In 2020, the group struck an extensive exploration tie-up with mining titan Barrick Gold Corp (NYSE:GOLD) (TSE:ABX) for 29 of Japan Gold's 31 projects With more than 70 past producing gold mines and no less than five gold deposits of 1 million plus ounces, it is little wonder Japan is attracting interest from the mining sector With more than 70 past producing gold mines and no less than five gold deposits of 1 million plus ounces, it is little wonder Japan is attracting interest from the mining sector. But the fact that almost all the country's gold mines were closed during the Second World War, means the full potential has not been fully assessed or realized. Corp (TSXV:JG) (OTCMKTS:JGLDF) is hoping to change all that. In 2020, the group struck an extensive exploration tie-up with mining titan Barrick Gold Corp ( ) ( ) for 29 of 's 31 projects. We caught up recently with CEO John Proust (JP) and asked him how the company has evolved and where it is now. PROACTIVE: It is well documented that you are a first mover in Japan. Can you briefly outline your history and the scale of the opportunity you believe you have? John Proust: is a unique mineral exploration and development company. Our goal is to reactivate the gold mining industry in Japan, a country with very low geopolitical risk, which has been under-explored and inactive since the government-imposed closure of all gold mines in 1943 during the Second World War. A 2012 change in the mining law in Japan allowed foreign companies the ability to conduct activities in Japan and we were the first company in the world enter based upon this change. To be clear, we were there four and a half years before another company came in and acquired prospecting rights. We were able to access the full country database and evaluate all the gold provinces in Japan specifically focusing on the 64 closed gold mines that had been closed by the government in 1943 -and never re-opened. That allowed us to look at those 64 mines and determine the specific type of each gold mine and the potential of the surrounding areas. We were looking specifically for one type of historic gold mine, low sulphidation epithermal gold mines. Simply put, those are mines with quartz veins that contain gold and alluvium. The analogy that we were looking at was the only active gold mine in Japan today, Sumitomo Metal Minings Hishikari Gold Mine. The Hishikari Gold Mine was discovered more recently in 1981 by the Metal Mining Agency of Japan, a Japan Government agency which was the only explorer in Japan at that time. Hishikari is one of the highest grade, tier one, gold mines in the world operating today and has produced, since starting operations in 1985, over 8 million ounces of gold at an average grade of between 30 and 40 grams per tonne (g/t) with significant reserves remaining. is looking for similar opportunities. For the first two years, we were able to study the gold provinces of Japan and the closed mines. Through that same time period we were also able to provide input to the Japanese government on the permitting process as they were designing the new permitting process; fortunately, they included all our suggestions. By the end of our first two years in Japan we had evaluated the prospective areas of the country and we had a permitting process that was one of the best permitting processes in the world. From there, we went ahead to apply for key areas that we had identified and currently we have acquired 31 projects across Japan, dominating the major gold provinces in the country. Because of our aggressive activities in Japan, we started attracting the attention of the global mining community and several large mining companies and mid-tier producers took a detailed look at the gold mining opportunity in Japan and evaluated the Japan Gold portfolio. The first mining company that became involved with Japan Gold was Goldcorp. Goldcorp had independently come up with the idea that Japan would be a good exploration destination and when they determined Japan Golds prominent position, they acquired an equity stake in Japan Gold and were granted the right of first refusal to be our joint venture partner on two of our 31 projects. Shortly thereafter, Newmont acquired Goldcorp. Newmont already had a relationship with Japan Gold and recognized the Japan opportunity, so they were very pleased to inherit the Goldcorp agreement. Newmont currently owns 13% of Japan Gold and inherited those joint venture rights of first refusal. So that was our first corporate transaction with a major mining company. Subsequently, we realized that we would need large partners to advance all 31 projects. So just over a year and a half ago we initiated a competitive process for a countrywide alliance partner. Five companies competed for that spot, Newmont, Barrick and three other companies and ultimately, we selected Barrick to be our alliance partner. PROACTIVE: Can you outline what the Barrick Alliance is and what it means for the company's development? JP: Three important points in the Barrick Alliance. First, we have the freedom to release news when we deem it appropriate regarding the Barrick Alliance activities or results, which is very important for a junior exploration company. The second point is that Barrick is looking at all 29 projects, the other two being excluded because of the relationship with Newmont. The third point is we wanted Barrick to solely fund the evaluation and advancement of all 29 projects. Another important term of the Barrick Alliance is that Barrick only has 2 years, commencing on February 23, 2020 to complete their initial evaluation of the 29 projects. Unfortunately, the COVID 19 pandemic occurred shortly after the formation of the Barrick Alliance. Japan Gold quickly designed a COVID 19 operating plan, and we have strictly adhered to it since without incident. Fortunately, Japan Gold is fully operational in Japan with our own geologists, field assistants, permitting group and drilling division with 4 company owned diamond core drill rigs. Barrick really appreciated this capability, with Japan Gold being fully operational in Japan they did not need to build their own teams from scratch. This in country operational capability has allowed the Barrick Alliance to complete our substantial work programs, pandemic notwithstanding and come up with meaningful results. PROACTIVE: How are you evaluating all these projects? JP: The Barrick Alliance is completing two very large regional programs that impressed investors due to the sheer size as they cover the 29 projects totaling approximately 1,900 square kilometers. The regional programs consist of two components. The first is geochemistry, where our teams are walking up all the streams and catchments and collecting stream sediment samples and rock samples. These samples are then assayed for gold and multiple elements. We also do BLEG analysis, which stands for Bulk Leach Extractible Gold analysis, where we identify the naturally occurring background level of gold in all the 29 projects so that we can find areas within the projects where there is anomalously high gold. The second component is geophysics. In Japan, a type of geophysics that you can do from the ground, called gravity, is very successful. Many of the major past producing mines, and the currently producing Hishikari mine are found on the edge of a gravity high. We are completing geophysics gravity surveys - across all 29 projects. When you overlay these large geochemical and geophysical data sets, and identify gold anomalous areas coincident with gravity highs, those become prospective areas of high priority. That leads to making new discoveries. What I am very pleased and proud about is that as operator of the Barrick Alliance, our Japan Gold team has been incredibly efficient and effective over the last 14 months covering many of the projects with geochemistry and geophysics. We plan to have all projects covered by geochemistry in July, with the final geophysical gravity surveys to follow. With the geophysical gravity surveys, we use outside international contractors but due to the pandemic we had to pivot and use domestic contractors Sumitomo and JX Nippon and they are doing an excellent job. The speed and efficiency with which Japan Gold has been able to evaluate the Barrick Alliance property portfolio across the major gold provinces of Japan, has not gone unnoticed. Barrick has commented that Japan Gold is one of the very best junior companies that has been able to operate efficiently through the pandemic, safely meet our work programs and come up with meaningful results. PROACTIVE: What can investors expect this year? JP: Two things. Number one, the Barrick Alliance. Japan Gold will regularly report on the progress of the Barrick Alliance projects evaluation. We are well into the second year of the Barrick Alliance 2-year evaluation phase and by the end of the second year Barrick must select which projects they are going to advance. If a project does not meet the Barrick criterion there are several other mining companies that would potentially like to be the partner on those projects and Japan Gold can use the data collected in the Barrick Alliance to advance new potential partnerships. This year the Barrick Alliance is completing the evaluation of 29 projects and this is essentially a free 'look-see' across our portfolio that allows Japan Gold to better understand our assets. We look forward to the evaluation being completed and the Barrick selection going forward. The next stage of the Barrick Alliance advanced exploration should include comprehensive drilling programs and potentially making discoveries. If Barrick decides to advance a project, they earn a 51% interest when they fund and complete a pre-feasibility study and when they fully fund and complete a bankable feasibility study, they can earn a 75% interest in the project. Japan Gold is fully carried through the completion of a bankable feasibility study. Japan gold would retain a 25% stake in the project and then consider working with Barrick to identify the financing for our 25% share of the mine build or seeking the financing elsewhere. Number two. Japan Gold has two projects that are not included in the Barrick Alliance, as Newmont has the right of first refusal to be our joint venture partner on those projects. Those two projects are our most advanced projects in the country. We have done a lot of work on the two projects with input from a technical committee we have with Newmont and we have spent approximately $16 million to date. We have achieved with very good results, identifying many prospects and demonstrating that there is great potential on both of those projects. So, we are at a point now, where we are considering the joint venture route. This would have a joint venture partner spending their capital to earn an interest in our projects. Regardless of how we proceed, this year we will go ahead with very active, focused exploration programs advancing prospects with the drill bit, with the drilling starting in June. PROACTIVE: How do you bring modern exploration techniques to these areas in Japan? JP: We made the decision early on to become fully operational in Japan. We have our own geologists with significant in-country and international experience, field assistants, permitting group and a drilling division of 22 people utilizing 4 company owned diamond core drill rigs. We can move ahead on our own schedule with cost effective exploration programs. We also have a relationship with three universities in Japan and key outside contractors, to help us advance. So that's how we could be very nimble and cost effective. PROACTIVE: You mentioned earlier that you felt you dealt nimbly and effectively with the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic? JP: Yes, we designed a protocol plan right at the very beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, got good input from Barrick and strictly adhere to the plan. We have had no issues and have completed our programs and where we have had to, modified our activities to fit the pandemic requirements. PROACTIVE: Is there a specific message about the company you want to get out there to investors? JP: The market appetite for junior explorers is generally focused on the immediacy of the drill bit. We recognize that, but Japan Gold is unique. We have gone into Japan with a thesis of evaluating a whole country that has been under-explored. We have assembled a property portfolio of over 2,000 square kilometers of the best mineral rights across all the main gold provinces. In order to come up with the best results, we have advanced in a very careful, methodical way, with significant input from the two largest gold producers in the world. Our goal is to restart the gold mining industry in Japan. We have a technical committee with Barrick. We have a technical committee with Newmont. And while it may be taking us a little bit longer, the prospects and the opportunity for Japan Gold are as good or better than anything else in the world in terms of a company at our stage. In addition, given the geopolitical safety and prospectivity that the Japan setting provides with the intersection of tectonic plates, of volcanic activity and faulting, and the fact that one of the highest-grade tier one gold mines in the world is located there, makes investing in Japan Gold compelling. PROACTIVE: Are you a potential acquisition target? JP: We are capable of exploring, developing and mining in Japan. We have significant Japanese representation on our board and senior management team, with representatives having previously held senior positions at Sumitomo Corporation and Sumitomo Metal Mining Co Ltd. Japan Gold will likely become a pipeline of projects where some will proceed with Barrick, others advance with additional joint venture partners and some we may develop ourselves. In amongst all of that, I could certainly see a large mining company trying to make a bid for us because there is just too much opportunity in Japan. The Japan Gold portfolio offers a nice addition to large mining companies by providing geopolitical safety and high-grade gold mining potential. CHICAGO, May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Hecate Energy announced today that construction has commenced on two solar projects totaling 600 megawatts. In Falls County, Texas, Hecate developed the solar and battery storage project, Roseland Solar, from inception and transferred it to the North American subsidiary of a European utility in March. In Highland County, Ohio, Hecate developed the New Market Solar project and transferred it to Canadian utility Algonquin Power & Utilities in May. Construction has started at both projects. The announcement follows last week's announcement that global energy company Repsol acquired a 40% interest in Chicago-based Hecate Energy. Roseland Solar & Storage (Falls County, Texas) The 500 megawatt Roseland Solar project, one of the largest projects under construction in Texas, will be combined with a 50 megawatt battery storage system. The hybrid power facility commenced construction on May 5, and is expected to achieve commercial operation in Q3 of 2022. Hecate developed the project and entered an agreement with a major European producer of renewable energy who will oversee construction and operation of the project. "Hecate Energy is proud to play a part in building a renewable energy future for Texas," said Hecate Energy's Senior Vice President of Operations, Craig Overmyer. "The combination of reliable, resilient, emission-free solar power and battery storage will enable the Roseland project to help stabilize the power grid, increase operational efficiency, and lower power costs." Highland 2 & 4 New Market Solar / (Highland County, Ohio) The 100 megawatt Highland Solar project consists of two separate solar facilities in Highland County, located 45 miles east of Cincinnati. The project broke ground on May 13, with the first of the projects expected to achieve commercial operation in December 2021. The projects will supply 100% of the City of Cincinnati's municipal electricity. This will make all buildings and electrical services owned and operated by the government of Cincinnati carbon neutral by the end of this year. "Hecate Energy is at the forefront of transitioning our electric system to emission-free renewable energy. The New Market Solar project in partnership with the City of Cincinnati is leading progress toward a zero-carbon future in Ohio," said Patti Shorr, Hecate's Senior Vice President of Development. Repsol Investment On May 12, Repsol and Hecate Energy signed an agreement for Repsol to acquire a 40% stake in Hecate Energy. The acquisition is Repsol's first investment into the U.S. renewable energy market. "This partnership supports Hecate Energy as one of the leading renewable energy developers in the United States. We are pleased to align ourselves with a major global energy company that is leading the transition to a multi-energy future," Hecate Energy Chairman David Tohir said. "With this acquisition we enter the U.S. renewable market with the best possible partner and advance our strategic objective of becoming a global low-emissions operator. We continue to demonstrate our commitment to multi-energy and move forward with the transformation of Repsol into a net zero emissions company," Repsol's Executive Managing Director of Client and Low-carbon Generation Maria Victoria Zingoni said. Guggenheim Securities, LLC acted as exclusive financial advisor and placement agent to Hecate Energy in connection with the transaction. Legal and accounting services were provided to Hecate Energy by international law firm Winston & Strawn LLP, and the major accountancy firm CliftonLarsonAllen LLP. Hecate Energy's portfolio of renewable projects totals more than 40 gigawatts, including 16.8 gigawatts of solar projects and energy storage at advanced stages of development. The company's geographically diverse assets include projects in the North American electricity regions of PJM Interconnection, the Electricity Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO), the Southwest Power Pool (SPP), the New York Independent System Operator (NYISO), and the Western Electric Coordinating Council (WECC). Repsol is a global multi-energy company that is leading the energy transition with its goal of achieving zero net emissions by 2050. Present throughout the energy value chain, the company employs 24,000 people worldwide and distributes its products in nearly 100 countries to around 24 million customers. The Low-Carbon Generation business area is one of the pillars of Repsol's strategy to reach zero net emissions by 2050. The company currently has a total installed capacity of 3,300 megawatts and is planning to increase its asset portfolio as it expands internationally and becomes a global operator, reaching a generation capacity of 7,500 megawatts by 2025 and 15,000 megawatts by 2030. Repsol intends to reach its objective of zero net emissions by 2050 through enhanced efficiency, increased low-emissions power generation capacity, production of low-carbon fuels, development of new customer solutions, and by driving breakthrough projects to reduce the industry's carbon footprint. About Hecate Energy Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, Hecate Energy is a developer of solar, wind, and energy storage projects. Founded in 2012 by a team of energy industry veterans who have worked together for more than 25 years, Hecate Energy has developed thousands of megawatts of clean energy projects across North America. Repsol in the United States Repsol has been present in the United States for more than two decades. The country is a key region for the company, which has upstream assets in Pennsylvania, Texas, the Gulf of Mexico, and Alaska. In addition, Repsol is involved in the marketing and trading of natural gas, crude oil, and products. For more than 10 years, it has also been selling lubricants for motorcycles and the industrial sector. Through these activities, Repsol employs more than 500 people locally. Contact: Steven C. Sullivan, 518-441-7272 / [email protected] SOURCE Hecate Energy LOS ANGELES, May 20, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Herbarium is officially partnering with CBX to fundraise for The Last Prisoner Project and advocate for the decriminalization of cannabis. CBX Takeover, presented by Herbarium and CBX, will be held May 28th, 2021 in Herbarium's LA location. The war on drugs and cannabis policies have left disastrous impacts in communities throughout the United States, disproportionately affecting Black and Brown people. While state and federal cannabis policies are changing, there is still a long way to go to establish and maintain equity and justice. Herbarium stands with communities of color and people who've been wrongfully imprisoned for cannabis. "Herbarium has built itself a very strong platform where we're able to influence. We've always been at the forefront of advocacy, progression, and change. We want to bring attention to this mission and act on it. We've decided to work with one of our top partners, Cannabiotix, who shares the same values and beliefs we do. We're coming together with LPP to be a catalyst for change. Because that day will come" Adie Meiri (Founder & CEO). Herbarium has invested in a thought-provoking billboard campaign all around Los Angeles County to raise awareness and advocate for social change. 10% of CBX proceeds for the day will be donated to The Last Prisoner Project by Herbarium. Our patients and event attendees will be able to donate at the registers, to our donation boxes, or directly to The Last Prisoner Project via QR codes or WWW.lastprisonerproject.org . There will be flyers with information on our mission and a pen pal directory provided by The Last Prisoner Project. We hope that our event presented by Herbarium, CBX, and The Last Prisoner Project will not only raise awareness but inspire others to act and contribute to our collective mission. For more information on CBX Takeover, FAQs, registration, or donationsvisit WWW.Herbarium.LA and WWW.LastPrisonerProject.org. About Herbarium Herbarium is a California-based cannabis brand, with vertically integrated shops, committed to educate people about cannabis and its benefits, advocate for the decriminalization of cannabis, and elevate people's lifestyles and experiences. Herbarium is the only cannabis brand that caters to their clientele by constantly improving products while providing the lowest prices in the region. Herbarium LIC#: C11-0000571 979 N La Brea Ave, Los Angeles CA 90038 Www.Herbarium.LA FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: Leslie Vargas, Publicist & Communications Coordinator Herbarium 617-712-5049 or [email protected] SOURCE Herbarium LA Related Links https://herbarium.la/ CAMBRIDGE, Mass., May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Inari, the SEEDesignTM company, announced a strategic collaboration with Mertec, LLC and M.S. Technologies, LLC that enables access to a genetic base from Stine's industry-leading soybean breeding program to accelerate the development of unique and competitive products. "Our ability to increase genetic diversity using predictive design and advanced multiplex gene editing technologies all starts with a strong genetic base," said Ponsi Trivisvavet, chief executive officer at Inari. "While we continue to bolster our proprietary genetic pool, we are committed to pursuing partnerships that can broaden the positive impact of our technologies and maximize the productivity of the products available to farmers. We're excited about the opportunity this collaboration provides to continue unlocking the untapped potential in seed." Inari's SEEDesign platform is working to provide a 20% yield boost per acre for soybeans. With a diverse genetic base, Inari can harness the power of artificial intelligence and gain a true understanding of the complexities and opportunities of nature. From sequence to phenotype to field performance, data science and software engineering are used to power the platform to drive Inari's advanced multiplex gene editing technology. Collaborative partnerships continue to be a key focus for Inari as the company looks to apply its technology to more crops and geographies. About Inari Inari is embracing diversity to build a new, more sustainable food system using unsurpassed technology to unlock the full potential of seed. Through its SEEDesign platform, Inari unlocks new possibilities to bring step-change products to market. Founded by Flagship Pioneering in 2016, Inari is based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, with additional sites in West Lafayette, Indiana, and Ghent, Belgium, and a growing team of more than 180 employees. To learn more, visit Inari.com SOURCE Inari STOCKHOLM, May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Cupcake-making, trail-running races, dog training, and a three-hour live meditation are among the events scheduled during the Week of Hope by Bambuser. From 24-30 May, anyone can arrange almost anything to support the fight against childhood cancer. Even before the start, the event has nearly reached its fundraising goal - one million kronor. Since 1982, The Swedish Childhood Cancer Fund, or Barncancerfonden, has been helping more children survive cancer while bringing affected families the care and support they need. Thanks to generous contributions from in STOCKHOLM dividuals, companies, and organizations, the Childhood Cancer Fund is the single largest funder of childhood cancer research in Sweden. "Every day, a child in Sweden falls ill with cancer, and today, 85 percent survive. It is our goal to not just increase this survival rate, but help these children get through their illnesses with as few long-term side effects as possible. During the Week of Hope, we are asking the public to join our commitment to raising money for childhood cancer research and supporting our initiatives for these children and their families," says Malin Paulsson, project manager for Week of Hope at the Childhood Cancer Fund. Week of Hope by Bambuser is a new initiative from the Swedish Childhood Cancer Fund. During the week from 24-30 May, individuals and companies can participate in or create their own activities based entirely on their preferences, interests and prevailing COVID restrictions. Week of Hope is being conducted in collaboration with Bambuser, and all participation fees will be contributed to the Childhood Cancer Fund to continue the organization's work. Even before the event's start, the initiative has nearly reached the fundraising goal of one million kronor. Among the week's many activities will be two interactive live shows benefiting the Childhood Cancer Fund's important work. With the help of Bambuser's technology, visitors to the Childhood Cancer Fund's website will be able to follow the live broadcast, interact via likes and live chat, and give a gift completely frictionless. "Childhood cancer is, unfortunately, the most common cause of death in children aged 1-14 years. We are honored to support the Swedish Childhood Cancer Fund's important work and are pleased to see our technology make a significant contribution, helping to spread the message and intensifying the fundraising work," says Maryam Ghahremani, CEO of Bambuser. In the live shows, viewers and donors will be able to follow a digital lecture on reducing food waste at home with Filip Lundin from Sopkoket. In addition, an evening is offered in the candy kitchen together with Sebastien Boudet and Sara Aasum Hultberg. The live shows will be broadcast from Soderhallarna in Stockholm, a long-standing sponsor of the Swedish Childhood Cancer Fund. About Week of Hope by Bambuser When: May 24-30, 2021 . . What: A week-long fundraising initiative from the Childhood Cancer Fund in collaboration with Bambuser, during which individuals and companies can arrange and participate in a variety of activities. How: Individuals can choose whether they want to pay SEK 100 , 250, or 500 in participation fees, and all fees will go to the Childhood Cancer Fund. , 250, or 500 in participation fees, and all fees will go to the Childhood Cancer Fund. Why: Aims to raise one million kronor for the fight against childhood cancer. Contact information Sherry Smith, Corporate Communications, Bambuser AB | +46 8 400 160 00 | [email protected] Certified Adviser Erik Penser Bank AB | +46 8 463 83 00 | [email protected] About Bambuser AB Bambuser is a software company specializing in interactive live video streaming. The Company's primary product, Live Video Shopping, is a cloud-based software solution that is used by customers such as global e-commerce and retail businesses to host live shopping experiences on websites, mobile apps and social media. Bambuser was founded in 2007 and has its headquarters in Stockholm. This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com https://news.cision.com/bambuser/r/interactive-events-to-raise-funds-for-the-fight-against-childhood-cancer,c3351622 The following files are available for download: https://mb.cision.com/Main/15749/3351622/1420945.pdf Release https://news.cision.com/bambuser/i/week-of-hope-by-bambuser,c2915652 Week of Hope by Bambuser SOURCE Bambuser Company highlights quarter-to-quarter growth in originations and strong cash position, announces Post-Pandemic Growth Plan. Loan origination volume grew to US$25.3 million in Q1 2021, representing an increase of 32.2% over Q4 2020. in Q1 2021, representing an increase of 32.2% over Q4 2020. IOU continued to sell primarily all of its loan originations to institutional buyers. Increased corporate cash position to $11.5 million at March 31, 2021 from $9.9 million at December 31, 2020 . MONTREAL, May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - IOU FINANCIAL INC. ("IOU" or "the Company") (TSXV: IOU), a leading online lender to small businesses (IOUFinancial.com), announced today its results for the three-month period ended March 31, 2021. "IOU continues to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic in a position of strength as evidenced by the sequential growth in loan originations in Q1 2021 over Q4 2020 and strong cash position at quarter end" said Phil Marleau, CEO. "We look forward to focussing on scalable quality growth supported by a forward-looking Post-Pandemic Growth Plan (PPGP)." Funding Small Business Growth: IOU is well positioned for loan origination growth thanks in large part to the successful implementation of its Pandemic Resilience Plan. In the first quarter ended March 31, 2021, the Company's loan originations amounted to US$25.3 million, representing an increase of 32.2%, on a sequential basis, over Q4 2020 loan originations as IOU gradually resumed lending to more businesses and geographical areas in the US. For the month of March 2021, IOU originated in excess of US$12 million of loans, representing the highest monthly loan origination volume since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Emerging from Q1 2021 in a Position of Strength: Despite the adjusted net loss for the quarter ended March 31, 2021 of $0.4 million, IOU's corporate cash position increased from $9.9 million at December 31, 2020 to $11.5 million at March 31, 2021. This was achieved as IOU preserved cash collected from its loan portfolio and sold primarily all of its loan origination volume to institutional buyers in Q1 2021. Investing for the Future: IOU will support the future growth in loan originations by investing in innovation and resources as part of its 2021 Post-Pandemic Growth Plan (PPGP), which is based on 3 pillars: Product expansion: The Company intends to expand its ability to support the post-pandemic growth of small businesses with innovative new funding products designed to meet a wider range of business needs. The Company intends to expand its ability to support the post-pandemic growth of small businesses with innovative new funding products designed to meet a wider range of business needs. Product distribution: IOU is focussed on launching initiatives to expand its network of quality brokers, adding to its sales team, and investing in marketing and communications programs to generate new levels of awareness, differentiation and growth. IOU is focussed on launching initiatives to expand its network of quality brokers, adding to its sales team, and investing in marketing and communications programs to generate new levels of awareness, differentiation and growth. Technology innovation: The Company is investing in its IOU360 technology platform to better support its network of brokers, merchants and employees with a frictionless user experience for all stakeholders. FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS Please refer to the table below for adjustments made to IFRS gross revenue and operating expenses in order to better reflect the actual operating performance of the business. Loan Originations: For the three-month period ended March 31, 2021, the Company funded US$25.3 million in loans (2020:US$38.1 million), representing a decrease of 33.5% over the same period last year. The decrease in loan originations was a result of the COVID-19 pandemic whereby IOU modified its underwriting standards to cease lending to industries and geographical areas which were strongly impacted by COVID-19. On a sequential basis, loan originations increased 32.2% over Q4 2020 loan originations of US $19.1 million. Adjusted Gross Revenue: Decreased to $2.3 million representing a decrease of 64.6% for the three-month period ended March 31, 2021 compared to the same period in 2020. The decrease in adjusted gross revenue is due primarily to the decrease in interest revenue of 88.1% year over year as a result of a decrease in the average commercial loan receivable balance of 81.3% in Q1 2021 as compared to Q1 2020. Servicing and Other Income: Servicing and other income increased 16.7% to $1.7 million in Q1 2021 from Q1 2020 mainly due to an increase in fees earned as the Company increased its loan sales by 29.5% over Q1 2020. Cost of Revenue: Decreased to $0.3M, down from $5.9M in Q1 2020, mainly due to a decrease in interest expense and provision for loan losses as the Company primarily sold all of its loan originations to institutional buyers. Adjusted Operating Expenses: Decreased 7.1% to $2.4M in Q1 2021 compared to Q1 2020 due mainly to lower wages and salaries year over year. Adjusted Net Loss: IOU closed on its three-month period ended March 31, 2021 with an adjusted net loss of $0.4 million compared to adjusted net loss of $2.1 million for the three-month period ended March 31, 2020. On a per-share basis this represents an Adjusted Net Loss of $(0.00) per share, compared to an Adjusted Net Loss of ($0.02) per share for the same period in 2020. IFRS Net Loss: IOU closed on its three-month period ended March 31, 2021 with an IFRS net loss of $0.1 million compared to an IFRS net loss of $2.1 million for the three-month period ended March 31, 2020. On a per-share basis this represents an IFRS Net Loss of $(0.00) per share, compared to IFRS Net Loss of ($0.02) per share for the same period in 2020. Adjusted and IFRS net (loss) earnings For the three-month period ended March 31 2021 $ 2020 $ Interest revenue 591,612 4,969,386 Servicing & other income 1,674,380 1,434,393 Adjusted Gross Revenue 2,265,992 6,403,779 Interest expense 324,432 984,479 Provision for loan losses 62,764 5,242,009 Recoveries (104,964) (310,474) Cost of Revenue 282,232 5,916,014 Adjusted Net Revenue 1,983,760 487,765 Adjusted operating expense 2,421,476 2,607,080 Income tax expense - - Adjusted Net (Loss) Earnings (437,716) (2,119,315) Adjusted Net (Loss) Earnings per Share (0.00) (0.02) Adjusted Net (Loss) Earnings (437,716) (2,119,315) Non-cash gain on sales of loans 1,102,681 786,577 Non-cash amortization of servicing asset (723,998) (847,065) Non-cash stock-based compensation (20,431) (35,283) Non-recurring gain - 73,478 Net (Loss) Earnings per IFRS (79,464) (2,141,608) Net (Loss) Earnings per Share (0.00) (0.02) OUTLOOK Despite the setback caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Company continues to work on bringing its loan origination volumes back to pre-pandemic levels and a return to profitability on an annual basis. For all of 2021, the Company is targeting loan originations in the range of US$165M to US$200M as compared to US$84.9M in 2020 and US$154.2M in 2019. IOU's financial statements and management discussion & analysis for the quarter ended March 31, 2021 have been filed on SEDAR and are available at www.sedar.com. CONFERENCE CALL The Company will hold a conference call at 4:30 (EST) on May 26, 2021, to discuss its financial results. The dial-in number to access the conference call from Canada and the United States is 1 (888) 231-8191 (toll-free), conference ID:1157639. About IOU Financial Inc. IOU Financial Inc. is a wholesale lender that provides quick and easy access to growth capital to small businesses through a network of preferred brokers across the US and Canada. Built on a proprietary technology platform that connects underwriters, merchants and brokers in real time, IOU Financial has become a trusted alternative to banks by underwriting US$898 million in loans to fund small business growth since 2009. To learn more about IOU Financial's corporate history, financial products, or to join our broker network please visit www.IOUFinancial.com. Forward Looking Statements Certain information set forth in this news release may contain forward-looking statements that involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond the control of IOU including, but not limited to, the impact of general economic conditions, industry conditions, dependence upon regulatory and shareholder approvals, the execution of definitive documentation and the uncertainty of obtaining additional financing. Readers are cautioned that the assumptions used in the preparation of such information, although considered reasonable at the time of preparation, may prove to be imprecise and, as such, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements. IOU does not assume any obligation to update or revise its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. 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. Definitions Adjusted gross revenue is defined as gross revenue prepared in accordance with IFRS for the period, plus amortization of servicing assets less gain on sale of loans. The Company uses adjusted gross revenue as it eliminates items that do not necessarily reflect how the Company is performing. Specifically, it eliminates the non-cash gain on sale of loans and the non-cash amortization of servicing assets which influence operating results depending on the timing and amount of the loan sales. Adjusted operating expenses is calculated as follows: total operating expenses prepared in accordance with IFRS for the period less: stock-based compensation and non-recurring costs, plus non-recurring gains. The period-to-date ratios are calculated on a two-point basis, using December, and March period end balances, presented on an annualized basis. The Company uses adjusted operating expenses as it eliminates items that do not necessarily reflect how the Company is performing. Specifically, it eliminates non-cash stock-based compensation which is given at different times and prices and non-recurring costs and gains which affects operating results only periodically. The calculation of adjusted net (loss) earnings is defined as net (loss) earnings for the period prepared in accordance with IFRS less: gain on sale of loans and non-recurring gains, plus: amortization of servicing assets, stock-based compensation and non-recurring costs. SOURCE IOU Financial Inc. Related Links https://ioufinancial.com/en-ca/ DUBLIN, May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Iraq Smartphone Market (2020-2026): Market Forecast by Operating System, by Display Type, by Display Size, by Price Range, by Distribution Channel, and Competitive Landscape" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. Iraq Smartphone Market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 5.2% during 2020-2026F. The Iraq smartphone market witnessed moderate growth during the period 2016-2019 underpinned by decent growth in the mobile subscribers owing to the improving living standard of the population of Iraq. The increasing demand for smartphones by youngsters is the major driver for the smartphone market in Iraq. However, the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic brought a decline in market revenues during the year 2020 as a result of the supply chain disruptions caused by the closure of international borders, along with the stringent lockdown imposed in the country that further reduced the consumer demand. Moreover, recovery is expected in market revenues post-2020, with the gradual opening of the retail sector and restart of the business operations which would improve the economic conditions of the country resulting in an increased purchasing power of the consumers. Iraq Government has allowed the operators to extend their spectrum for 5 years and in return, the operators pledged to launch 4G services across the country by 2021. The government is currently examining the use of spectrum at 450 MHz, 1,500 MHz, 2,300MHz, 2,600MHzand 3,500MHz taking into account the need for 4G and 5G services in the country. Global smartphone giants like Samsung, Apple, Huawei and Xiaomi are working on several latest technologies for making high-end smartphones with enhanced energy efficiency, brighter display, high-resolution cameras and high-performance processors for creating the best user experience. Thus, the striving government efforts to provide the necessary infrastructure for supporting 4G and 5G along with rising internet penetration would bode well for the smartphone market in the country over the coming years. The android operating system has captured the majority of the market revenue share in the smartphone market of Iraq during 2019, and the segment is expected to dominate the overall market in the forecast period as well since android smartphones are loaded with fancy features at an affordable price. Smartphones with AMOLED display type and screen size ranging between 4.1 inches to 6 inches held the majority share in the market revenues during the year 2019. The Iraq smartphone market report thoroughly covers the market by the operating system, display type, display size, price range and distribution channel. The market report provides an unbiased and detailed analysis of the ongoing market trends, opportunities/high growth areas and market drivers which would help the stakeholders to devise and align their market strategies according to the current and future market dynamics. Key Topics Covered: 1. Executive Summary 2. Introduction 2.1 Report Description 2.2 Key Highlights of the Report 2.3 Market Scope & Segmentation 2.4 Research Methodology 2.5 Assumptions 3. Iraq Smartphone Market Overview 3.1 Iraq Smartphone Market Revenues and Volume, 2016-2026F 3.2 Iraq Smartphone Market-Industry Life Cycle 3.3 Iraq Smartphone Market-Porter's Five Forces 4. Iraq Smartphone Market Dynamics 4.1 Impact Analysis 4.2 Market Drivers 4.3 Market Restraints 5. Iraq Smartphone Market Trends 6. Iraq Smartphone Market Overview, By Operating System 6.1 Iraq Smartphone Market Revenue and Volume Share, By Operating System 6.2 Iraq Smartphone Market Revenues, By Operating System, 2016-2026F 6.2.1 Iraq Smartphone Market Revenues, By Android Operating System, 2016-2026F 6.2.2 Iraq Smartphone Market Revenues, By iOS Operating System, 2016-2026F 6.2.3 Iraq Smartphone Market Revenues, By Other Operating System, 2016-2026F 6.3 Iraq Smartphone Market Volume, By Operating System, 2016-2026F 6.3.1 Iraq Smartphone Market Volume, By Android Operating System, 2016-2026F 6.3.2 Iraq Smartphone Market Volume, By iOS Operating System, 2016-2026F 6.3.3 Iraq Smartphone Market Volume, By Other Operating System, 2016-2026F 7. Iraq Smartphone Market Overview, By Display Type 7.1 Iraq Smartphone Market Revenue Share, By Display Type 7.2 Iraq Smartphone Market Revenues, By Display Type, 2016-2026F 7.2.1 Iraq Smartphone Market Revenues, By TFT-LCD Display Type, 2016-2026F 7.2.2 Iraq Smartphone Market Revenues, By IPS-LCD Display Type, 2016-2026F 7.2.3 Iraq Smartphone Market Revenues, By OLED Display Type, 2016-2026F 7.2.4 Iraq Smartphone Market Revenues, By AMOLED Display Type, 2016-2026F 7.2.5 Iraq Smartphone Market Revenues, By Other Display Type, 2016-2026F 8. Iraq Smartphone Market Overview, By Display Size 8.1 Iraq Smartphone Market Revenue Share and Revenues, By Display Size 8.1.1 Iraq Smartphone Market Revenues, By Below 4 Inches, 2016-2026F 8.1.2 Iraq Smartphone Market Revenues, By 4.1-6 Inches, 2016-2026F 8.1.3 Iraq Smartphone Market Revenues, By Above 6 Inches, 2016-2026F 9. Iraq Smartphone Market Overview, By Price Range 9.1 Iraq Smartphone Market Revenue Share and Revenues, By Price Range 9.1.1 Iraq Budget Smartphone Market Revenues, 2016-2026F 9.1.2 Iraq Mid Range Smartphone Market Revenues, 2016-2026F 9.1.3 Iraq Premium Smartphone Market Revenues, 2016-2026F 10. Iraq Smartphone Market Overview, By Distribution Channel 10.1 Iraq Smartphone Market Revenue Share and Revenues, By Distribution Channel 10.1.1 Iraq Smartphone Market Revenues, By Exclusive Stores, 2016-2026F 10.1.2 Iraq Smartphone Market Revenues, By Retailer, 2016-2026F 10.1.3 Iraq Smartphone Market Revenues, By E-Commerce, 2016-2026F 11. Iraq Smartphone Market Key Performance Indicators 12. Iraq Smartphone Market Opportunity Assessment 12.1 Iraq Smartphone Market, Opportunity Assessment, By Operating System, 2026F 12.2 Iraq Smartphone Market, Opportunity Assessment, By Display Type, 2026F 12.3 Iraq Smartphone Market, Opportunity Assessment, By Display Size, 2026F 12.4 Iraq Smartphone Market, Opportunity Assessment, By Price Range, 2026F 12.5 Iraq Smartphone Market, Opportunity Assessment, By Distribution Channel, 2026F 13. Iraq Smartphone Market Competitive Landscape 13.1 Iraq Smartphone Market Revenue Share, By Company, 2019 13.2 Iraq Smartphone Market Competitive Benchmarking 13.2.1 Iraq Smartphone Market Competitive Benchmarking, By Technical Parameters 13.2.2 Iraq Smartphone Market Competitive Benchmarking, By Operating Parameters 14. Company Profiles 14.1 Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. 14.2 Apple Inc. 14.3 Xiaomi Corporation 14.4 Realme Chongqing Mobile Telecommunications Corp. Ltd. 14.5 Shenzhen Transsion Holdings Co. Limited 14.6 Nokia Corporation 14.7 Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. 14.8 Lenovo Group Limited For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/7r0zde 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: 646-607-1904 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 SOURCE Research and Markets Related Links http://www.researchandmarkets.com AUSTIN, Texas, May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- JC Data Solutions, Inc. (OTC: JCDS) and TerraData.ai today announced that they have entered into a definitive merger agreement under which TerraData.ai has agreed to acquire JCDS in an all cash merger. The closing of the merger is subject to certain customary conditions, including approval of the merger by the affirmative vote of a majority of holders of a majority of JCDS's outstanding capital stock present at a properly called shareholders meeting and entitled to vote. Cary Allen, the Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of JCDS, agreed to vote shares beneficially owned by him, representing approximately 57% of the aggregate voting power of JCDS in favor of the merger. Upon consummation of the merger, JCDS shareholders (except for JCDS shareholders who have properly exercised rights of dissent and appraisal) will receive $0.0012 in cash for each share of JCDS common stock and JCDS will become a private, wholly owned subsidiary of TerraData.ai. The transaction is expected to close in Q2 2021. About JC Data Solutions JC Data solutions has been a leader in the funds and document distribution industry. Their premier service, Payment Manager, has saved Oil & Gas companies thousands and thousands of dollars - all while improving and streamlining their funds distribution process. About TerraData.ai TerraData.ai is a technology company focused on aggregating real property information to provide models, insights and highly configurable visualizations, specializing in real property, oil and gas and alternative energy information. Forward-Looking Statements This press release may contain forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are those that address activities, events or developments that we intend, expect, project, believe or anticipate will or may occur in the future. Forward-looking statements are those that use terms such as "may," "will," "expect," "believe," "intend," "should," "could," "anticipate," "estimate," "forecast," "project," "plan," "predict," "potential," and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements contained in this and other written and oral reports are based on management's assumptions and assessments in light of past experience and trends, current conditions, expected future developments and other relevant factors. The Company's forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties and are not guarantees of future performance, and actual results, developments and business decisions may differ materially from those envisaged by such forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstances that could give rise to the termination of the Merger Agreement; the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against the Company related to the Merger Agreement; the inability to complete the transaction due to the failure to obtain the required vote or the failure to satisfy other conditions to completion of the transaction, including the receipt of all regulatory approvals related to the transaction; the disruption of management's attention from the Company's ongoing business operations due to the transaction; the effect of the announcement of the transaction on the Company's relationships with its customers, operating results and business generally; the effects of local and national economic, credit and capital market conditions. Factors or events that could cause the Company's actual results to differ may emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for the Company to predict all of them. The statements made herein are made as of the date of this disclosure and the Company undertakes no obligation to update them, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise. SOURCE JC Data Solutions, Inc. RAPID CITY, S.D., May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Black Hawk residents forced by collapsing subsurface mines to risk their lives in unstable homes have won an important legal victory in a lawsuit to hold the state of South Dakota accountable for failing to safely close, remediate and maintain subsurface of mines owned and operated by the state. A state court judge on May 14 rejected the argument made by the state of South Dakota that the homeowners lack legal standing to seek damages. The court's ruling means the lawsuit, brought following the 2020 collapse of ground supporting over 150 homes in the Hideaway Hills neighborhood, has overcome an important legal hurdle and will proceed. "The named Plaintiffs have demonstrated that their injuries likely will be redressed by a favorable decision i.e., an award of damages, based on their constitutional right to individually bring an inverse condemnation case against the State," wrote Circuit Court Judge Kevin Krull in the ruling. Hideaway Hills homeowners are seeking class-action status so all affected residents may be compensated for the loss of their homes, said attorney Kathleen Barrow of the Fox Rothschild law firm, who along with Terence Quinn of Rapid City's The Quinn Law Firm, is representing the homeowners. "South Dakota can't have it both ways," Ms. Barrow said. "You can't make millions off mining and retain the ownership of the subsurface estate, but then say you're not responsible for the damage caused to homes on the surface." For generations, the state operated gypsum mines throughout the region and still owns the subsurface mineral rights. The lawsuit charges the state failed to properly remediate and maintain unstable land after the mining operation was shuttered in the early 1990s and the surface property was sold to developers who built the Hideaway Hills neighborhood. Homeowners were not informed of the hidden dangers to the land and their homes caused by the state's mining activity and neglect, Ms. Barrow said. "This is an important ruling for Hideaway Hills homeowners," Ms. Barrow said. "We will now proceed with the class-certification process." The large sinkholes that opened in April 2020 forced some homeowners in Hideaway Hills to evacuate their homes. Houses in the neighborhood cannot be sold and property values have plummeted. South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem has said the state is not responsible for the destruction, even though a trust fund created with revenue generated from the mining operation is now valued at over $300 million. The case is Andrew Morse and John and Emily Clarke et al. v. State of South Dakota et al., No. 46CIV-20-000295 in the Circuit Court, 4th Judicial District, County of Meade, South Dakota. Fox Rothschild has grown to a 950-lawyer national law firm with 27 offices by focusing on client service and responsiveness, and by attracting bright and creative lawyers who know how to deliver. More information at foxrothschild.com. Media Contact: Mark Annick [email protected] 800-559-4534 SOURCE Fox Rothschild Related Links https://www.foxrothschild.com The 2021 P4G Seoul Summit is the second of the three major international conferences on the environment this year. It comes between the Leaders Summit on Climate hosted by U.S. President Joe Biden in April, and the 26th U.N. Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) to be held in November. In the April summit, Korean President Moon Jae-in, U.S. President Biden, Chinese President Xi Jinping and other leaders of major countries discussed ways to reduce carbon emissions. During the COP26, an annual meeting of the parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), leaders of 195 countries will discuss global environmental standards. The P4G Summit is a platform for public-private partnerships that can complement these inter-governmental climate responses. The summit aims to create a model to deliver both climate action and economic growth and help developing countries achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), through the P4G Partnership involving governments, businesses, and civil societies. The P4G Partnership funds up to $1 million for private companies with promising ESG (environmental, social, and corporate governance) initiatives, through which the companies generate profits while improving environmental problems in developing countries. Under the theme of "Inclusive Green Recovery towards Carbon Neutrality," the summit will consist of five thematic sessions on water, food and agriculture, energy, cities, and circular economy, and 10 special sessions on issues including responding to climate change, inclusive green growth and sustainable development. During a special session on "Action of Local Governments toward Carbon Neutrality," governments will share their experiences on carbon neutrality and discuss measures to cooperate with each other. A session on "Business Paradigm Shift in the Era of ESG & Green Tech" will explore eco-friendly business strategies for companies and try to help partner companies join the transition. The Korean government has actively publicized the summit and continued to declare its resolve to address climate crisis to the international community. "Korea will exert every effort to prepare for the summit that inspires an actionable vision and stronger cooperation." President Moon Jae-in said during the Leaders Summit on Climate on April 22, while asking world leaders for interest and participation in the 2021 P4G Seoul Summit. At the first P4G Summit in Copenhagen, Denmark, in October 2018, the leaders of member countries along with the representatives of partner institutions, companies, and civil organizations agreed to expand innovative public-private partnerships for sustainable development and climate change response and declared their resolve with the Copenhagen Commitment to Action. In addition to partner countries and organizations, the upcoming second P4G Summit has invited leaders and representatives of non-member countries, international organizations, companies, and environmental civic groups, drawing attention to whether it will help promote international environmental awareness and provide a momentum for global carbon reduction. "Korea, as the fifth-largest exporter in the world and a member of the G20, will fulfill all its responsibilities as the chair of the 2021 P4G Seoul Summit," said Yoo Yeon-chul, the executive director of the 2021 P4G Seoul Summit Preparatory Office. "Though the summit, the Korean government will show the global community its strong commitment to combatting climate change, while promoting international cooperation ahead of the upcoming COP26," he added. SOURCE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Korea Operations Resume Following Assumption of Control by External Management BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Akylbek Japarov, Member of the Jogorku Kenesh (Parliament) of the Kyrgyz Republic and Chairman of the State Commission created by resolution of the Jogorku Kenesh on February 17, 2021 (the "State Commission"), today provided an update on the status of the Kumtor Mine ("Kumtor"). Operational control of Kumtor has been fully transferred to an external management team, led by Tengiz Bolturuk. On May 17, 2021, the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic (the "Government") approved a legal process to enable it to assume control of the operations for a period of three months. Kumtor was previously operated by Kumtor Gold Company ("KGC"), a subsidiary of Centerra Gold Inc. ("Centerra") (TSX:CG) (NYSE:CGAU), under an agreement established with the Government in 2009. "We are pleased to have quickly addressed the most critical issues at Kumtor and the mine has been restored to full operations," said Akylbek Japarov, Chairman of the State Commission. "Our team, led by Tengiz Bolturuk, has evaluated the situation and taken decisive steps to ensure both the safety of our workers and the protection of our environment." Progress achieved at Kumtor in its first week under the control of the new management team includes the following: Completed an initial evaluation of all critical functions at the site and implemented a short-term plan to resume operations. Implemented manual processes to replace vital systems that had been shut down remotely by the previous operators after vacating the site. Took steps to ensure safe conditions for all employees, contractors and suppliers to return to the site Gave assurances to all employees that wages owing to them will be paid in a timely manner. Made arrangements with suppliers to continue to provide materials essential to operations. Resumed production of gold at the site. Arranged for the short-term funding required to maintain operations, and began discussions relating to longer-term financing options. "Kyrgyz nationals represent approximately 95% of Kumtor employees and they have the collective experience and skills required to continue operations. Our first priority has been to restore the mine to a state in which our team can do their jobs safely," said Tengiz Bolturuk, general manager of Kumtor. "Now that the situation has stabilized and operations have resumed, our focus will begin to shift to optimizing the mine plan with a view to increasing gold production over the longer term." Tengiz Bolturuk is a professional engineer with more than three decades of experience in the mining industry. A native of the village of Tyup, Issyk-Kul region of Kyrgyzstan, he has worked on mining projects spanning four continents, including one year as Mill Foreman at Kumtor. Mr. Bolturuk holds a B.Sc. in Mineral Processing from National University of Science and Technology in Moscow and an M.Sc. in Metallurgy from the Clausthal University of Technology in Germany. About the Kyrzyg Republic State Commission The State Commission was established by Jogorku Kenesh of the Kyrgyz Republic through resolution #4405-VI dated February 17, 2021 and resolution #4422-VI dated February 24, 2021. Its central task is to conduct a thorough investigation of concerns relating to the operation of Kumtor, including its safety record, waste management and other environmental practices. The State Commission has presented its interim findings to the Jogorku Kenesh, and concluded that a temporary assumption of control of Kumtor was warranted. SOURCE Akylbek Japarov Once dominated by agriculture sector, eastern province has turned its attention to high-end manufacturing Editor's note: This year, the Communist Party of China is celebrating the 100th anniversary of its founding. China Daily is publishing a series of stories looking at the tremendous changes that have occurred in provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities under the leadership of the Party. They also include stories of the people and places that have left indelible marks in the Party's path to glory. "A bird may go unnoticed if it doesn't sing for 10 years, but once it sings, it will sing high and amaze the world," said Li Jinbin, Party chief of Anhui province, referring to an old Chinese idiom. Li, who is secretary of the CPC Anhui Committee, made the remark while delivering his speech to officials and entrepreneurs from across the country during the 2020 China (Anhui) Transformation Fair of Scientific and Technological Innovation Achievements, which concluded in the provincial capital of Hefei on April 27. "For those innovative projects that will surely prosper, we will be all in with our support, and even for others whose prospects we are not sure about, we will also support them and be tolerant," Li said. Before 1978, farmers from Fenyang county in the inland province were known for singing songs begging for food while traveling around China. At that time, China's collectivized farming policy was in force. The policy disallowed individual farms and made farmers combine their lands to grow crops for all. In December that year, after the policy had been in effect nationwide for about 20 years, 18 farmers in the county's Xiaogang village secretly signed an agreement to subdivide their common farmland into family plots in hopes of increasing crop yields. The people of Xiaogang then became the first in the country to escape famine, setting a milestone for China's rural reform. In 1978, Anhui's annual GDP was 11.4 billion yuan ($1.77 billion). Last year, it reached 3.87 trillion yuan, according to the provincial government's data. Manufacturing a future At a news conference held by the State Council Information Office for the province in 2019, Li said Anhui had finished a historic transformation from an agriculture-dominant province to an emergent power of industry. Yaohai district, in northeast Hefei, is home to a 30-square-kilometer area of old factory plants that is transforming into a base for art venues and leisure grounds. As people contemplate the glorious history of a preserved furnace of a steel company built in the 1950s, modern buildings and large mansions are rising on a brand-new 34-sq-km eastern subcenter of the city, like bamboo shoots after a spring rain. To the west of the city's urban area, the 1,130-hectare Hefei Xinqiao Intelligent Electric Vehicle Industrial Park broke ground for construction on April 29, with an initial investment of 50 billion yuan. In November, the Hefei municipal government pledged to increase the city's new-energy vehicle industry annual output value to 100 billion yuan by 2025. The new park is more ambitious, aiming to raise the output value to 500 billion yuan in the few years after 2025. Automotive industry The investors include Nio, a major electric car startup who has its domestic headquarters in Hefei and its global headquarters in Shanghai. By April, more than 100,000 Nio vehicles had rolled off its Hefei production line. During an interview last year, Li Bin, founder and CEO of Nio, said the company has been manufacturing in Hefei since the company was founded in 2014, and the team in Hefei has grown rapidly, laying a solid foundation for the company's growth. Volkswagen is also making its mark in the city. "Hefei will be Volkswagen's main production base for electric vehicles in China," said Joerg Mull, chief finance officer of Volkswagen Anhui, a joint venture of Volkswagen AG and Hefei-based JAC Motors. Other major automakers include Chery, the largest Chinese auto brand, which is based in Wuhu city and sees annual sales revenues of more than 100 billion yuan. Year-on-year, production of NEVs in Anhui soared to 39,000 units in the first quarter of this year, according to the provincial Department of Economy and Information Technology. With auto manufacturing as a pillar industry, Anhui has nearly 1,000 major companiesthose with an annual turnover of at least 20 million yuanengaged in the auto industry, according to the department. The authorities said the whole industrial chain for the auto manufacturing industry has been well formed. Near Nio's plant in the Hefei Economic and Technological Development Area is the LCFC company, Lenovo's largest PC manufacturing base in China which has been the province's largest exporter for seven consecutive years. The company, whose annual sales revenue surpassed 100 billion last year, receives more than 60 percent of the parts from over 70 suppliers from the province, according to Bai Peng, CEO of LCFC. In the development zone also lies Chang-Xin Memory Technologies, one of the earliest integrated circuit companies to invest in Hefei in 2016. In May last year, the company entered a new phase with an investment of 33.3 billion yuan and broke ground for construction in the zone. The company specializes in dynamic random access memory chips and will amass a total investment of 220 billion yuan. Now the city is enjoying an intact chain for integrated circuit development and related companies, including those engaged in original material production, chip designing, manufacturing and package testing. Other major high-tech companies in Hefei include BOE Technology, a leading Chinese supplier of display products and solutions. By last year, the number of high-tech enterprises in the province had increased to 8,559 from 1,742 of 2012. The average ownership of invention patents in the province has also reached 15.4 patents per 10,000 people, compared to 1.3 in 2012, according to the Anhui provincial government. The province has especially stood out for its efforts in developing the chip industry as the country endeavors to be self-reliant on key technologies and lessen its dependence on microprocessors from overseas, according to provincial authorities. Aurania Resources (CVE: ARU OTCQB: AUIAF) President Richard Spencer joined Steve Darling from Proactive to bring news the company has made a discovery of silver-zinc mineralization in outcrop over 2.7 kilometres in the Tiria-Shimpia area of the lost cities project in Ecuador. Spencer telling Proactive it was a smart idea to do some follow-up on a high-grade boulder that was found. LAS VEGAS, May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Since its Grand Reopening in August 2020, Las Vegas Premier Marketing has been busy helping Nevadans get back to work. With Covid-19 Pandemic restrictions lessening thanks to the community's compliance with CDC guidelines, and vaccines becoming more accessible to the public, Las Vegas Premier Marketing has experienced an increase in open marketing positions. With many Las Vegas businesses reopening, the demand for marketing services has increased. To keep with the momentum of the Grand Reopening, to meet the demands of their consumers, and to help provide support for the Las Vegas community the company is now hosting a June Hiring Event. Las Vegas Premier Marketing, Inc. The Las Vegas Premier Marketing recruiting team has been steadily hiring and providing jobs since its Grand Reopening. However with many businesses reopening and the capacity within businesses reaching higher levels the company has now found themselves in a position to provide even more jobs to the Las Vegas community. During the June Hiring Event, Las Vegas Premier Marketing's goal will be to book at least 30 interviews a day. The Interviews will be held primarily in person, with Zoom interviews available for those with special circumstances. Interviews will be booked Monday through Friday during business hours. The company intends to hire as many go-getting, game-changing, and innovative marketers as possible for what is expected to be a busy summer of vaccinated Americans getting back to business as usual. Las Vegas Premier Marketing is eager to be able to provide support to its community in the form of jobs. The Covid-19 pandemic has transformed and impacted many businesses, Las Vegas Premier Marketing, included. But, if there is one thing the company as a whole has learned throughout the pandemic it is that public support is essential to the survival of a business. Las Vegas Premier Marketing has survived solely because it is a business that the Las Vegas community supported and trusted to provide safe working conditions and a steady income. The team at Las Vegas Premier marketing is hoping the June Hiring Event sees big success because the success of this event is equivalent to the success of the people in the community. CEO Joey Ortiz feels that in a time of financial uncertainty it is the company's responsibility to reciprocate the support by providing more job opportunities within the community. "The pandemic has taken a financial toll on many Americans but we are aiming to provide many more Las Vegas residents with not only the opportunity to become a part of an amazing team opportunity to earn a steady income." -Joey Ortiz, CEO Connect with Las Vegas Premier Marketing on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and more to stay up to date on all the company events. Contact us at [email protected] or (702) 249-5605 to join our team and start the career of a lifetime! Related Images image1.jpeg SOURCE Las Vegas Premier Marketing, Inc. NEW YORK, May 20, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Lionpoint Group, an award-winning global technology enablement and operations advisory firm, is now part of Alpha FMC, plc, a UK-AIM listed company (AIM. AFM). Lionpoint's acquisition by Alpha will help grow the former's geographical reach, breadth of services to alternative investment managers, investors, and advisors, and range of clientele to include multi-strategy clients who combine traditional and alternative assets. By joining forces, both firms will complement each other's capabilities as alternative investment firms increasingly permeate retail investors and other traditional asset managers, dramatically reshaping client requirements. "Lionpoint is a fantastic addition to Alpha and closely aligns with our strategy to grow our capabilities in the rapidly growing alternative investment space and our footprint in North America," said Alpha global chief executive officer Euan Fraser. "It brings to the table a complementary blue chip client base, leading technology solutions and key vendor partnerships, and a strong global management team and culture that will help double the business in four years. We look forward to growing our businesses together." Under the terms of the acquisition, co-founders Nick Moore and Jonathan Balkin will continue to lead the Lionpoint team comprising more than 120 operations and technology consultants, spread across five international offices in New York, Denver, London, Geneva, and Sydney. "We believe Lionpoint's expansion into new geographies couldn't have happened at a better time or with a better firm," Moore said. "As a management team we are excited to become part of a firm whose core values align with Lionpoint's and underpin a culture of innovation." Jonathan Balkin added: "This partnership is in direct alignment with the changes we're seeing in the industry. Our capabilities are expanding to help alternative investment managers stay ahead of rapid industry changes and uncover new opportunities by providing specialized strategy, operations and technology expertise. Together, Alpha and Lionpoint can provide more comprehensive and innovative data and technology solutions as the marketplace shifts to a multi-strategy approach to asset management." Lionpoint is a certified implementation partner of over 20 specialist private markets technologies and was awarded Europe's Best Technology Advisory Firm Award for 2021 by Private Equity Wire. Reed Smith LLP served as legal advisor and Equiteq as investment banker to Lionpoint Holdings throughout the transaction. About Alpha FMC ( www.alphafmc.com ) Alpha FMC is a leading global provider of specialist consultancy services to the asset management, wealth management and insurance industries. With over 430 consultants across twelve offices spanning the UK, Europe, North America and Asia, Alpha has the largest dedicated team in the industry. Alpha has provided consultancy services to over 400 clients, including 85 per cent. of the 20 largest global asset managers by AUM and a range of other buy-side firms. About Lionpoint ( www.lionpointgroup.com ) Lionpoint Group is a leading global consulting firm delivering operations transformation and technology enablement solutions to the alternative investments market. Our consultants have domain expertise across private equity, real estate, infrastructure, and private debt. Our core services include strategic advisory, operating model optimization, technology roadmap and solution selection, and systems integration to solve the complex operational and technology challenges across the front, middle, and back office. SOURCE Lionpoint Group Related Links http://www.lionpointgroup.com NEW YORK, May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Capriotti's Sandwich Shop, a national sandwich brand known for its award-winning, hand crafted cheese steaks. Turkey subs, and more, will debut a new location in Manhattan at 1711 2nd Avenue on May 24. Capriotti's brings the Upper East Side a 45-year tradition of handmade sandwiches that includes slow-roasting whole, all-natural turkeys in-house and hand-pulling them every morning. Capriotti's is known for its wide array of sandwiches including The Bobbie, made with our fresh oven-roasted turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing and mayo, the Capastrami, made with hot pastrami, Swiss cheese, Russian dressing and homemade coleslaw and the cheesesteak is made with premium steak, chicken or Impossible plant-based meat and melted cheese plus hot or sweet peppers. The location will offer a convenient order-ahead option, in addition to third-party delivery services. The new shop will bring 20 new jobs to the Manhattan community. The new Capriotti's store is owned and family operated by Ashok and Mallika Israni and their son Krishna Israni, who moved to the U.S. with their family from west Africa 20 years ago. Prior to Krishna attending medical school, the Isranis lived in Las Vegas, where they were first introduced to Capriotti's. Ashok has owned several businesses throughout Krishna's life and Krishna has always had a passion for helping his dad operate the family businesses. Ashok wanted his son to have the opportunity to pursue an education and promised Krishna they could open a business together again in the future. Ten years later, that's exactly what they did. Krishna is a local physician and has been a business owner with his dad for over a year now. This is their first Capriotti's, with plans to expand in the future. "We're excited to make Capriotti's available to Manhattan residents," said Krishna. "Whether someone is vegetarian or a meat-lover, there are options for everyone, which is why we love what Capriotti's has to offer. The food is fresh and delicious and we can't wait for everyone to experience it for themselves." The Upper East Side Capriotti's fans can download the CAPAddicts Rewards app on iOS and Android to earn and redeem rewards and score free food. The restaurant also features online ordering. Capriotti's in the Upper East Side offers catering for any event from corporate events to birthday parties with items such as party trays with cold subs, box lunches or a hot homemade meatball bar. For more information, please visit www.capriottis.com or call the location at 646-590-1500. About Capriotti's Sandwich Shop Founded in 1976, Capriotti's Sandwich Shop is an award-winning national franchised restaurant chain that remains true to its 45-year tradition of slow-roasting whole, all-natural turkeys in-house every day. Capriotti's fresh ingredients, homemade subs and unique menu items have won numerous accolades including being named one of the "10 Great Places for a Surprising Sandwich" by USA Today and many "Best of" awards across the country. Capriotti's cold, grilled and vegetarian subs, cheese steaks and salads are available at more than 100 locations across the U.S. Capriotti's signature sub, The Bobbie, was voted "The Greatest Sandwich in America" by thousands of readers across the country and reported by AOL.com. Capriotti's fans can also download the CAPAddicts Rewards app for iOS and Android, where they can earn and redeem rewards. For more information, visit capriottis.com. Like Capriotti's on Facebook, follow on Twitter or Instagram. Media Contact: Grant Hennessy, Fishman PR | [email protected] | 630-453-8187 SOURCE Capriotti's Sandwich Shops Related Links https://www.capriottis.com C$ unless otherwise stated TSX/NYSE/PSE: MFC SEHK: 945 TORONTO, May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Manulife Financial Corporation ("Manulife") today announced the applicable dividend rates for its Non-cumulative Rate Reset Class 1 Shares Series 3 (the "Series 3 Preferred Shares") (TSX: MFC.PR.F) and Non-cumulative Floating Rate Class 1 Shares Series 4 (the "Series 4 Preferred Shares") (TSX: MFC.PR.P). With respect to any Series 3 Preferred Shares that remain outstanding after June 19, 2021, holders thereof will be entitled to receive fixed rate non-cumulative preferential cash dividends on a quarterly basis, as and when declared by the Board of Directors of Manulife and subject to the provisions of the Insurance Companies Act (Canada). The dividend rate for the five-year period commencing on June 20, 2021, and ending on June 19, 2026, will be 2.34800% per annum or $0.146750_ per share per quarter, being equal to the sum of the five-year Government of Canada bond yield as at May 21, 2021, plus 1.41%, as determined in accordance with the terms of the Series 3 Preferred Shares. With respect to any Series 4 Preferred Shares that remain outstanding after June 19, 2021, holders thereof will be entitled to receive floating rate non-cumulative preferential cash dividends on a quarterly basis, calculated on the basis of actual number of days elapsed in each quarterly floating rate period divided by 365, as and when declared by the Board of Directors of Manulife and subject to the provisions of the Insurance Companies Act (Canada). The dividend rate for the three-month period commencing on June 20, 2021, and ending on September 19, 2021, will be 0.38363_% (1.52200% on an annualized basis) or $0.095908____ per share, being equal to the sum of the three-month Government of Canada Treasury bill yield as at May 21, 2021, plus 1.41%, as determined in accordance with the terms of the Series 4 Preferred Shares. Beneficial owners of Series 3 Preferred Shares and Series 4 Preferred Shares who wish to exercise their right of conversion should instruct their broker or other nominee to exercise such right before 5:00 p.m. (Toronto time) on June 4, 2021. The news release announcing such conversion right was issued on April 22, 2021 and can be viewed on SEDAR or Manulife's website. Conversion inquiries should be directed to Manulife's Registrar and Transfer Agent, AST Trust Company (Canada), at 18007839495. The Series 3 Preferred Shares and the Series 4 Preferred Shares have not been and will not be registered in the United States under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), or the securities laws of any state of the United States and may not be offered, sold or delivered, directly or indirectly in the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, a "U.S. person" (as defined in Regulation S under the Securities Act) absent registration or an applicable exemption from such registration requirements. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation to buy securities in the United States and any public offering of the securities in the United States must be made by means of a prospectus. About Manulife Manulife Financial Corporation is a leading international financial services provider that helps people make their decisions easier and lives better. With our global headquarters in Toronto, Canada, we operate as Manulife across our offices in Canada, Asia, and Europe, and primarily as John Hancock in the United States. We provide financial advice, insurance, and our global wealth and asset management segment, Manulife Investment Management, serves individuals, institutions and retirement plan members worldwide. At the end of 2020, we had more than 37,000 employees, over 118,000 agents, and thousands of distribution partners, serving over 30 million customers. As of March 31, 2021, we had CAD$1.3 trillion (US$1.0 trillion) in assets under management and administration, and in the previous 12 months we made $31.3 billion in payments to our customers. Our principal operations are in Asia, Canada and the United States where we have served customers for more than 155 years. We trade as 'MFC' on the Toronto, New York, and the Philippine stock exchanges and under '945' in Hong Kong. SOURCE Manulife Financial Corporation Related Links http://www.manulife.com GAITHERSBURG, Md., May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, three Maryland public high school teachers have been awarded Maryland Tech Council's (MTC) STEM Educator of the Year award in recognition of their commitment to STEM education and the extraordinary dedication demonstrated during the COVID-19 pandemic. Erin Lukomska-Schlauch and Karen Shelton, both of Charles Herbert Flowers High School in Springdale, Maryland, and Jamie Proctor, of Wilde Lake High School in Columbia, Maryland, were recognized as STEM Educators of the Year during the Maryland Tech Council's Industry Awards Celebration today. The three educators were nominated by their peers, receiving recommendations from students, teachers, friends and family. Learning Undefeated, a nonprofit organization that provides life-changing STEM experiences for K-12 students, as well as AstraZeneca, a global, science-led biopharmaceutical company, co-sponsored the annual STEM Educator of the Year Award. Awards were presented by co-sponsor AstraZeneca's Head of US Government Affairs, Julie Garner, and co-sponsor Learning Undefeated's Vice President of Communications and Events, Janee Pelletier. "These incredible teachers are deserving of our STEM Educator of the Year Award," said MTC CEO Marty Rosendale. "Their work with Maryland students is creating a talented future workforce who will continue to propel our great state forward. We applaud each award winner for their selfless acts and work to make a difference through STEM in the lives of students." "These educators represent an unwavering commitment to Maryland's science, technology, engineering and math students in such a challenging year," said Pelletier. "We honor their accomplishments, particularly all the creative ways they brought STEM subjects to life while students were learning at home." Department chair and science teacher at Charles Herbert Flowers High School, awardee Erin Lukomska-Schlauch demonstrates a passion for science and belief that STEM education is a powerful foundation for success. She believes it's her rapport with her students that allowed them to make it through such a difficult time this past year. "Ms. Lukomska-Schlauch is one of the most intellectual, compassionate, and passionate teachers I ever had the pleasure to be taught by," raved one of her students. "Even in a pandemic, her passion can be seen through the lesson plans. She creates interactive lectures filled with fun projects and labs that utilize basic household materials so that students can follow along. She's genuinely one of a kind." Wilde Lake High School Science Teacher and Instructional Leader Awardee Jamie Proctor has worked as an educator for thirteen years, teaching courses like biology, forensic science, environmental science and earth and space science. Her peers remark on her dedication to students and STEM, citing a mastery of the ideals and practices. "Jamie is a master teacher who is a powerful force in implementing a comprehensive and authentic science program for our students and community at Wilde Lake High School," said Marcia L. Leonard, Wilde Lake High School principal. "She creates a simultaneously rigorous and supportive classroom for her students, not an easy feat, and she ensures that her students are engaged in authentic learning experiences throughout the year. Jamie is exactly the type of instructional leader we need in our schools." The final awardee, Karen Shelton is a Science and Technology Internship Program Coordinator for Prince George's County Public Schools (PGCPS). Shelton worked tirelessly this past year to ensure that students in the PCGPS Science and Technology Program didn't sacrifice any experiences due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As one of three coordinators in the county, she managed to ensure students were able to practice STEM skills hands-on through innovative hybrid learning techniques. In Fall 2020, Shelton collaborated with non-profit organization Learning Undefeated to custom-develop an at-home science kit for more than 2,000 PGCPS high school students. "Karen Shelton's strong commitment to student-led investigations and hands-on experiences enable students to build the skills they need to succeed in a STEM career," said Learning Undefeated Education Program Manager Kristin Diamantides. "The students at Flowers High School are lucky to have Ms. Shelton finding creative ways for them to engage with STEM." MTC is Maryland's largest technology and life sciences trade association and hosts an annual Industry Awards Celebration each year. The event recognizes the leaders and innovators in the life sciences and technology communities from Maryland and the Mid-Atlantic Region. About Learning Undefeated Learning Undefeated (formerly MdBio Foundation) is a non-profit organization that provides life-changing science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education opportunities for underserved communities. Through innovative and experiential education programs for grades K-12, we are sparking interest in STEM careers and building the workforce that will drive the innovation economy. Learning Undefeated's flagship education program features mobile STEM labs that have provided hands-on learning opportunities to more than 300,000 K-12 students in 18 states since 2003. Learning Undefeated also operates several other celebrated STEM education programs including digital and hybrid learning, college and career exploration experiences; mentorship; student competitions; after-school programs; curriculum development; and disaster recovery education. Visit learningundefeated.org or follow on social media @LearningUNDFTD. About the Maryland Tech Council The Maryland Tech Council (MTC) is a collaborative community that is actively engaged in building strong technology and life science industries by supporting the efforts of our individual members. We are the largest technology and life sciences trade association in the state of Maryland, and we provide value by giving members a forum to learn, share, and connect. MTC brings the region's community together into a single, united organization that empowers our members to achieve their business goals through advocacy, networking and education. The vision for the Maryland Tech Council is to propel Maryland to become the number one innovation economy for life sciences and technology in the country. For more information: mdtechcouncil.com. SOURCE Learning Undefeated Related Links http://www.learningundefeated.org NEWARK, N.J., May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- MD Johnson, Inc. announces the completion of the sale of Planet Honda of Union New Jersey to Lithia Auto Group. Planet Honda, with revenues of 230 million dollars annually, retailed 6,146 New Honda's and 2118 pre owned, from Planet's Route 22 location in Union New Jersey. Lithia has retained the "Planet" Brand in the Tri State area and will continue to operate as Planet Honda. No sales price was disclosed. The Ciasulli family has a lengthy track record of success in the automobile business, especially with Honda. The dealership has been in the family for nearly 60 years, starting out as a Pontiac dealership. In 1973 the Ciasulli family was awarded 4 Honda franchises which included the Union location. Tim Ciasulli, President and owner of Planet Honda took over management 44 years ago. The Union dealership started out as Maxon Honda and became Planet Honda in 1996. Planet has been in the Top 5 nationally for all Honda dealerships over the past ten years. In addition to volume, Planet Honda ranked at the very top of all Honda dealerships for sales and customer satisfaction. Tim Ciasulli commented that "Lithia was the right fit for me and at the right time. They hired virtually every one of my employees and their processes during the transition are literally the best I have ever seen. Selling the dealership to Bryan DeBoer was literally like making a deal with a close friend." Mark Johnson and Fred O Halloran of MD Johnson Inc managed the transaction on behalf of Ciasulli. Joe Aboyoun Esq. of Aboyoun Dobbs represented Ciasulli in the transaction. In the past 20 years, Mark Johnson has worked with Lithia on numerous projects and has sold dealerships to Lithia and sold dealerships for Lithia. Ciasulli will continue his automotive career at his brand new, state of the art, Planet Honda Dealership in Tilton New Hampshire. MD Johnson, Inc. for the past 20 years, has provided automotive dealers with buy sell, strategic planning and financial advisory services. The firm advises dealers, both public and private on the purchase, sale, analysis, succession and valuation of automobile dealerships, dealership platforms as well as dealership real estate through their wholly owned real estate entity, MDJ Realty Inc. The firm represents clients nationwide supporting their buy sell activities and has advised on several Billion dollars in transactions. The firm has also worked extensively as the advisor to court appointed receivers. SOURCE MD Johnson Inc. Related Links http://www.mdjohnsoninc.com COLUMBIA, S.C., May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Michael Baker International, a global leader in engineering, planning and consulting services, announced today that John Walsh, P.E., has been promoted to Senior Vice President and Regional Director for the Mid-Atlantic Region, and Renee Tison, P.E., has been named Vice President and Office Executive for Columbia, Greenville and Charleston, South Carolina. In these new roles, Mr. Walsh and Ms. Tison will provide leadership, support and vision in the firm's Mid-Atlantic Region. Both will be based in Michael Baker's Columbia, South Carolina, office. "I am confident the expertise John and Renee bring to their leadership roles will help us accelerate growth and deliver project excellence for our clients throughout the company and Mid-Atlantic Region," said Mike Brescia, P.E., Chief Operating Officer of Michael Baker International. "These two key promotions speak to the impressive talent we have within our company and the colleagues who are ready to step up for our clients, lead our people and lead our business." Both Mr. Walsh and Ms. Tison bring decades of experience to their new roles: John Walsh , P.E. , most recently served as Office Executive for the Carolinas and has more than 30 years of experience in Infrastructure Programs and Project Management, as well as management and leadership of multidisciplined, large-scale organizations. Mr. Walsh's career has focused on delivering and managing complex Transportation, Environmental, Architecture, Aviation, Water and utilities projects. Prior to joining Michael Baker in 2014, he spent 25 years with the South Carolina DOT, completing his tenure as Deputy Secretary for Engineering. Mr. Walsh holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from Clemson University . , most recently served as Office Executive for the Carolinas and has more than 30 years of experience in Infrastructure Programs and Project Management, as well as management and leadership of multidisciplined, large-scale organizations. Mr. Walsh's career has focused on delivering and managing complex Transportation, Environmental, Architecture, Aviation, Water and utilities projects. Prior to joining in 2014, he spent 25 years with the South Carolina DOT, completing his tenure as Deputy Secretary for Engineering. Mr. Walsh holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from . Renee Tison, P.E., most recently served as Office Manager of Michael Baker's Columbia, South Carolina , location, and will now oversee offices across the state, including Columbia , Greenville , and Charleston . Since joining Michael Baker in 2000, Ms. Tison has negotiated and managed large contracts, including the $180 million I-85 Design-Build widening in Cherokee County and the $75 million Nexton Parkway Interchange west of Charleston, South Carolina . She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the University of South Carolina Columbia . About Michael Baker International Michael Baker International is a leading provider of engineering and consulting services. The firm's Practices encompass all facets of infrastructure, including design, civil engineering, planning, architecture, environmental, construction and program management. For more than 80 years, the company has been a trusted partner, providing comprehensive services and solutions to commercial clients and all branches of the military, as well as federal, state and municipal governments. Embracing emerging technologies and the latest innovations like intelligent transportation and design-build project delivery Michael Baker is an industry leader that delivers expertise and quality. The firm's more than 3,000 employees across nearly 100 locations are committed to Making a Difference for clients and communities through a culture of innovation, collaboration and technological advancement. To learn more, visit https://mbakerintl.com/. Contact: Julia Covelli [email protected] (866) 293-4609 SOURCE Michael Baker International Related Links http://www.mbakerintl.com LANSING, Mich., May 20, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Michigan Chamber expressed optimism over an agreement announced today by legislative leaders and the Governor to withdraw the proposed MIOSHA permanent COVID-19 workplace rules, work together to negotiate the state budget and federal funding from the CARES Act and the American Rescue Act and to work to give the legislature more legislative input on future Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) Epidemic Orders. "We are encouraged that the state seems to be turning a page on its endless COVID restrictions, which is appropriate given that cases are trending down, vaccination rates are up and governors across the country are moving more decisively to safely reopen their states," said Wendy Block, Vice President of Business Advocacy and Member Engagement for the Michigan Chamber. "The Chamber has been calling for an end to the constant stream of arbitrary, confusing and constantly changes state orders coming from Lansing." "We are pleased to hear that, under the deal announced today, MIOSHA will be withdrawing its proposed permanent COVID-19 workplace rules, but disappointed that the rules were proposed in the first place," said Jim Holcomb, Executive Vice President of Michigan Chamber. "The Governor should not have used the State's economy and Michigan jobs providers as political bargaining chips. We applaud the leadership of the Majority Leader Shirkey and Speaker Wentworth to deliver a deal that is a good first step towards more fully reopening the economy and helping job providers turn the page on COVID-19." The Michigan Chamber is a statewide business organization that represents employers, trade associations and local chambers of commerce. The Chamber represents businesses of every size and type in all 83 counties of the state. It was established in 1959 to be an advocate for Michigan job providers in the legislative, political and legal process. www.michamber.com SOURCE Michigan Chamber of Commerce Related Links http://www.michamber.com WASHINGTON, May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Mississippi Department of Education and the State Board of Education have approved Get Set for School Complete Pre-K curriculum. With this approval, districts across Mississippi can make this breakthrough curriculum available to Pre-K students, providing a proven education program to ensure their readiness to start Kindergarten. Mississippi is the third state to recently approve Get Set for School, joining Texas and Florida, which also approved this time-tested and proven learning program to get their students ready for Kindergarten. "We thank the Mississippi Department of Education and the State Board of Education for conducting a thorough review and recognizing the value that Get Set for School delivers to the earliest learners, and approving it for Mississippi Pre-K students," said Terry Nealon, CEO of Learning Without Tears. "Learning Without Tears has a decades-long commitment to early childhood education, something unique in today's cluttered educational landscape. Teaching those earliest learners and supporting those educators is core to our company mission." "Developed with decades of expertise in foundational literacy, Get Set for School is a complete, developmentally appropriate, Pre-K program that is expert-backed, research-based, and has been a proven success," explained Dr. Elizabeth DeWitt, the curriculum expert at the center of Get Set for School. "Emergent reading and oral language development are the keys to foundational literacy. These are a student's first steps down a path of successful learning. With the approval of the State Board of Education, Mississippi's earliest learners can join the tens of millions of students across the globe that have benefited from Get Set for School and ensured their readiness for Kindergarten." Get Set for School delivers a multimodal-multisensory approach to Pre-K education with hands-on learning through purposeful play offered through both print and digital formats, along with dynamic, world-class implementation and training support. Get Set for School is available in both English and Spanish, ensuring Kindergarten readiness for students in both dual-language and bilingual Pre-K classrooms. More information on Get Set for School in Mississippi can be found here: https://www.lwtears.com/learning-without-tears-correlations-state-standards#Mississippi About Learning Without Tears Learning Without Tears is an early education company offering a proven and unique approach to teaching and learning, from crucial readiness skills in Pre-K to foundational writing and typing skills, including handwriting, keyboarding, and cursive. The Pre-K to elementary school-level programs benefit all learners with multisensory, developmentally appropriate, proven practices, and are used by millions of students around the world. SOURCE Learning Without Tears Related Links lwtears.com MILILANI, Hawaii, May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The NA KOA line of leather goods with authentic Polynesian tattoo art (www.nakoa.com) introduces four wallets with tattoo art by Che Pilago (Kona, Big Island of Hawaii), Kuaika Quenga (Maui, Hawaii), Sulu'ape Akiu "Q" Sale (Oahu, Hawaii), and Sulu'ape Si'i Liufau (Orange County, California). Polynesian tattoos are composed of a variety of ancient motifs, which the artists use to express meanings. The focus of Polynesian tattoo artist Sulu'ape Si'i Liufau's wallet art is a fish hook and the Samoan navigational mana lua pattern. He combined traditional Samoan motifs to create a design that speaks of strength and reaching your hopes, dreams, and goals. He also included the practical matters of the wearer's path to earn money, and hold on to your money. The tattoo art is applied to a leather wallet offered by NA KOA Leather Tattoo artist Che Pilago draws on his Hawaiian, Marquesas, and Tahitian heritage in this tribal tattoo design for a bifold wallet by NA KOA Leather. The overall design is primarily in a very modernized the French Polynesian style, with some traditional motifs like tiki eyes and the enata pattern to signify a tiki. Che's tattoo wants to inspire the wallet's owner to look and move forward in life. For example, Samoan tattoo artist Si'i Sulu'ape Liufau chose the central images of a fish hook and the mana lua navigational motif for a design that talks about the strength and discipline to provide for the family, and accomplishing your goals, dreams and hopes. He also included the practical matters of your daily path to earn money, and holding on to your money perfect for a wallet! Big island tattoo artist Che Pilago incorporated his Hawaiian as well as French Polynesian roots to create a modern Marquesas style tattoo design that is all about moving forward in life. He combined French Polynesian and some Hawaiian motifs to create a forward-looking tiki face. Look closely, and you'll see tiki ears and enata to represent tiki eyes. The shark teeth motif adds strength and Che's take on the koru fern motif further points to the future. "NA KOA was started as a labor of love," says Andrea Buter, the founder of the brand. "At the time, I couldn't be sure that tattoo artists with a deep understanding of the cultural significance of Polynesian tattoos would give me the time of day, let alone create original art for NA KOA." "All I had going for me was a sincere passion for the art and underlying culture, and a burning desire to create quality products that connect Pacific Islanders to their roots. It's so gratifying that renowned and award-winning artists like Si'i, Che, Kuaika and Q, are entrusting me with their creations." The NA KOA website includes explanations of all tattoo designs and their origins with each item on offer. About NA KOA The NA KOA product line of leather accessories with Polynesian tattoo art was launched in 2015 as a labor of love by Patch of Shade, Inc owner Andrea Butter after several years of research. The product line launched with a small collection of men's bifold wallets and card holders. Today you can choose from a wide variety of men's and women's wallets, cuff wristlets, and even bags, with authentic tattoo art created by award-winning tattoo artists with Hawaiian, Maori, Marquesan, Samoan, and Tahitian backgrounds and training. Each tattoo design combines motifs and images that create meanings and tell a story. The art gets placed on leather using a proprietary process that makes the art completely durable yet preserves the characteristic touch of the genuine, quality leather. NA KOA products can be found at www.nakoa.com and across Hawaii in stores that offer Hawaiian and Polynesian cultural products, including the Pacifica shop at the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum in Honolulu. Contact Information Patch of Shade, Inc Andrea Butter Tel: 808-757-9027 Email: [email protected] SOURCE Patch of Shade, Inc US Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas): I understand from whats been testified to the Forest Service and the BLM [Bureau of Land Management], you want very much to work on the issue of climate change. We know theres been significant solar flare activity, and so is there anything that the National Forest Service or BLM can do to change the course of the moons orbit, or the Earths orbit around the sun? Obviously that would have profound effects on our climate. Jennifer Eberlein, associate deputy chief for the National Forest System, responded that she would have to follow up with you on that one, after a brief pause. Gohmert: Well, if you figure out a way that you in the Forest Service can make that change, Id like to know. HOUSTON, May 20, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- NAIOP Houston is pleased to announce two new members to the NAIOP Hall of Fame. The new inductees, Jim Foreman and Scott Wegmann, will be honored at a ceremony on May 25, 2021 at River Oaks Country Club. "These remarkable men exemplify the leadership, work ethic, and dedication that is essential to the success of our industry," said Matt Damborsky, NAIOP Houston President. "It is an honor to welcome these highly esteemed and accomplished individuals into the NAIOP Hall of Fame." The NAIOP 2021 Hall of Fame inductees were chosen for their production and excellence within the industry. They represent Houston's most iconic commercial real estate brokers. Jim Foreman, Executive Director at Cushman & Wakefield, brings over 36 years of experience. Throughout his career with Cushman & Wakefield, Foreman has completed sales transactions with an aggregate value of more than $3.5 billion, including the largest investment sales transaction in Texas history. Foreman was chosen as NAIOP's Industrial Broker of the Year in 2003 and 2019, and was a finalist in 2012 and 2016, and the recipient of Houston Business Journal's Heavy Hitters award for multiple years. Scott Wegmann, Vice Chairman, and Managing Principal at Cushman & Wakefield has over 39 years of experience. He has completed transactions in more than 75 US cities, Asia, Europe, Australia, Canada, and South America throughout his career, totaling more than 20 million square feet. Wegmann has received many accolades for his achievements, including being honored as NAIOP's Office Broker of the Year in 1997 and 2005, and the recipient of Houston Business Journal's Heavy Hitters award for multiple years. About NAIOP Houston NAIOP, the Commercial Real Estate Development Association, is the leading organization for developers, owners, and investors of office, industrial and mixed-use real estate. NAIOP provides advocacy, education, and business opportunities by connecting members in a powerful North American network. NAIOP advances responsible, sustainable development that creates jobs and benefits the communities in which our members work and live. SOURCE NAIOP Houston Chapter WASHINGTON, May 20, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- NASA will host a media teleconference at 1 p.m. EDT Wednesday, May 26, to discuss select science investigations launching on the next SpaceX commercial resupply flight to the International Space Station. From research on water bears that could help understand human stress factors in space to testing ultrasound technologies for medical use on future deep space missions, the launch will deliver experiments to benefit people on and off the Earth. Audio of the teleconference will stream live online at: https://www.nasa.gov/live SpaceX is targeting 1:29 p.m. Thursday, June 3, for the launch of its Dragon spacecraft on a Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. This will be SpaceX's 22nd Commercial Resupply Services mission and the second cargo resupply mission on the company's upgraded version of its Dragon spacecraft. To participate in the teleconference, media must contact Kathryn Hambleton at: [email protected] by 11 a.m. Wednesday, May 26, for dial-in information. Participants in the briefing will be: Jennifer Buchli , deputy chief scientist for NASA's International Space Station Program Science Office, who will share an overview of the research being conducted aboard the space station and how it benefits exploration and humanity , deputy chief scientist for NASA's International Space Station Program Science Office, who will share an overview of the research being conducted aboard the space station and how it benefits exploration and humanity Dr. Thomas Boothby , assistant professor of molecular biology at the University of Wyoming and principal investigator for Cell Science-04, which will examine how tardigrades commonly called water bears adapt to conditions in low-Earth orbit, which could advance understanding of the stress factors affecting humans in space , assistant professor of molecular biology at the and principal investigator for Cell Science-04, which will examine how tardigrades commonly called water bears adapt to conditions in low-Earth orbit, which could advance understanding of the stress factors affecting humans in space Dr. Jamie Foster , professor in the Department of Microbiology and Cell Science at the University of Florida and principal investigator for the ADSEP-UMAMI investigation, which will study bobtail squid as a model to examine the effects of spaceflight on interactions between beneficial microbes and their animal hosts , professor in the Department of Microbiology and Cell Science at the and principal investigator for the ADSEP-UMAMI investigation, which will study bobtail squid as a model to examine the effects of spaceflight on interactions between beneficial microbes and their animal hosts Dr. Jonathan Himmelfarb , principal investigator for the Kidney Cells-02 tissue chip experiment, which could help develop better pharmaceuticals and therapies for treating kidney disease on Earth , principal investigator for the Kidney Cells-02 tissue chip experiment, which could help develop better pharmaceuticals and therapies for treating kidney disease on Earth Kadambari Suri , integration manager for the Butterfly IQ Technology demonstration, which will test a portable ultrasound technology that could provide important medical capabilities for future exploration missions beyond low-Earth orbit , integration manager for the Butterfly IQ Technology demonstration, which will test a portable ultrasound technology that could provide important medical capabilities for future exploration missions beyond low-Earth orbit Maurice Marnat, payload manager and system engineer at the Centre national d'etudes spatiales, who will discuss Pilote, a technology demonstration testing the effectiveness of remotely operating robotic arms and space vehicles, using virtual reality and haptics interfaces SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft also will carry crew supplies and hardware to the orbiting laboratory to support the Expedition 65 and 66 crew. The space station is a convergence of science, technology, and human innovation that demonstrates new technologies and enables research not possible on Earth, and has been occupied continuously since November 2000. In that time, 242 people, as well as a variety of international and commercial spacecraft, have visited the orbiting laboratory. The space station remains the springboard to NASA's next great leap in exploration, including future human missions to the Moon and eventually to Mars. For launch countdown coverage, NASA's launch blog, and more information about the mission, visit: https://www.nasa.gov/spacex SOURCE NASA Related Links https://www.nasa.gov LOUISVILLE, Ky., May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Stored Value Solutions (SVS), the world's leading gift card program manager, and NEXCOM, The Navy Exchange Service Command, announced an extended partnership to power the Industry Leading NEXt Level Rewards Loyalty Program. The Loyalty Program was launched on April 1, 2021, in conjunction with NEXCOM's 75th Anniversary. Each time a customer shops in store or online and provides their information, they will earn rewards. The more they shop, the more rewards customers will earn. "We are proud to launch this first-to-market loyalty program for the Navy Exchange. We want to give a little back and personalize the experience for our customers. By working with SVS, we can give shoppers monthly rewards delivered right to their email, that can be stored in their mobile wallet so they are easy to use," said Jeremy Sherman, vice president of Marketing Innovations and Insights for NEXCOM. Consumers will receive a $10 reward, to be used on their next visit to the Navy Exchange simply for signing up for the program. Monthly rewards will then be sent based on how much the customer shops with the Navy Exchange. Rewards will be emailed to customers and can be stored in Apple Wallet (Google coming soon). "We are excited to bring the digital gift card technology that allows these rewards to be safely sent to all Navy Exchange Customers and participants in the NEXt Level Rewards Loyalty Program," said Mark Schatz, president of SVS. "SVS has partnered with NEXCOM to deliver a state-of-the-art experience that allows customers to safely receive their email reward and store it in a convenient, easy to use fashion. The card balance will be secure and available anytime a customer shops at the Navy Exchange." For more information about this program, please visit https://www.mynavyexchange.com/NEXtLevelRewards. About SVS: As a leading prepaid provider, SVS manages more than 700 hundred million card products and processes over 1.5 billion transactions annually. We partner with top retailers around the world to offer stored value solutions that will effectively drive the behavior that will lead to business success. SVS is headquartered in Louisville Kentucky, USA, and owned by the Atlanta-based FLEETCOR Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: FLT). For more information, visit: www.storedvalue.com . About NEXCOM: The Navy Exchange Service Command is one of 11 commands under Commander, NAVSUP. NEXCOM oversees six business lines that include Navy Exchange (NEX) stores, Navy Lodges, the Ships Store Program, the Uniform Program Management Office, the Navy Clothing and Textile Research Facility and the Telecommunications Program Office. NEXCOM's mission is to provide authorized customers quality goods and services at a savings and to support Navy quality of life programs for active duty military, retirees, reservists and their families. Since 1946, NEXCOM has given nearly $3.7 billion to support Navy MWR quality of life programs. Shop online at myNavyExchange.com. SOURCE SVS; Stored Value Solutions Related Links https://www.storedvalue.com/ DUBLIN, May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Data Centre Nordics 2021-2025" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The Data Centre Nordics 2021 to 2025 report provides analysis of the key third-party Data Centre & Public Cloud developments across the five countries of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. It provides the key trends in each market with Data Centre Provider profiles with forecasts for Data Centre space, Data Centre power, Data Centre pricing, Data Centre revenues, power costs and Public Cloud revenues for each of the five countries from 2021 to 2025. The Data Centre Nordics 2021 to 2025 report provides an update of the Data Centre Landscape in each market including sub sea cable connectivity, Data Centre space, Data Centre power, Data Centre pricing and Data Centre revenues for each country over the period. It also provides a forecast for Public Cloud revenues in each of the five countries. There are over 100 DC Providers offerings services in over 200 Data Centre facilities across the Nordic region including the five countries with Data Centre space just under 400,000 m2 and over 600 MW of Power. The Data Centre Nordics 2021 to 2025 report analyses the Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden third-party Data Centre and Cloud markets over the period - and finds that the region is set for renewed growth particularly for HPC (High Performance Computing) users. From the report DCP finds that the Nordic Region is dominated by the Swedish and Norwegian markets - which each have over 120,000 m2 of third-party Data Centre raised floor space. Both countries benefit from an abundance of low cost renewable power attracting new users with high density power hungry IT applications. Facilities are being built which offer high power densities per rack with the Swedish at North facility (at Kista near Stockholm) supporting up to 40 kW of power per rack (if air cooled) and 100 kW of power per rack (if liquid cooled). In Norway, the Government is considering new legislation to encourage excess heat from the Data Centre to be reused in a nearby district heating network, proposing that companies who consume 2 MW of power or more to reuse excess heat. The Norwegian Government argues that as power costs in Norway are low legislation is required to encourage more efficient power use. Selected Data Centre Providers in the Nordics are expanding their facilities in the region. DigiPlex, a Norwegian Data Centre Provider is to build its first Data Centre campus near Copenhagen with up to five Data Centre facilities when built out. Green Edge Compute AS, a recent start-up in Norway, is to open its first facility near Trondheim in Norway, to support IoT (Internet of Things) with plans to open in other cities throughout Scandinavia. Iceland the smallest of the five countries has introduced a number of facilities aimed at bitcoin mining or HPC (High Performance Computing) applications based on low cost renewable power. Iceland has seen campus facilities from at North, Verne Global & Etix Borealis offering high power densities provided as standard. With the emphasis on low cost renewable energy and the ability to significantly lower the Data Centre carbon footprint by deploying applications in the Nordics, the analyst finds that there is the opportunity for the Nordic Region to continue to expand its market reach and challenge the established Tier 1 European market based on the most favourable energy costs in Europe. Key Topics Covered: Summary The Danish Data Centre Landscape Summary Box - Denmark Data Centre Summary Data Centre third-party Data Centre Providers and Facilities in Denmark Key Danish Data Centre Provider Profiles Danish Data Centre raised floor space forecast - in m2 (2021 to 2025) Danish Data Centre Customer Power (DCCP) forecast - in MW (2021 to 2025) Danish Data Centre Power Costs - in Euro per kWH The Key Danish Data Centre Clusters Danish Data Centre Pricing Forecast - in rack space, m2 space & per kW rentals (2021 to 2025) Danish Data Centre Revenues Forecast - in millions of Euro per annum (2021 to 2025) Danish Public Cloud Revenues - in millions of Euro per annum (2021 to 2025) The Key Trends in the Danish Data Centre Market Danish Data Centre Outlook The Icelandic Data Centre Landscape The Finnish Data Centre Landscape The Norwegian Data Centre Landscape The Swedish Data Centre Landscape Companies Mentioned DigiPlex Etix Borealis Green Edge Compute AS Verne Global For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/mj2wb9 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: 646-607-1904 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 SOURCE Research and Markets Related Links http://www.researchandmarkets.com PALMETTO, Fla., May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Mark Pentecost, It Works! CEO and entrepreneur, advocates for philanthropy now more than ever as communities look to rebuild. Throughout his professional career as a business self-starter, he has remained passionate about creating equal opportunity and contributing to charitable initiatives to help others. According to Pentecost, giving back is an integral part of being a business leader. The "It Works! Gives Back Foundation," co-founded by Pentecost and his wife, Cindy Pentecost, aims to illustrate the impact of collective efforts through encouraging supporters to give what they can and that even the smallest donations can, together, make a difference. For as little as $1 per month, supporters can sign up to make a donation that matters. "During a pandemic, the stress and pressure on these families are even greater. It's times like these that it's more important than ever to have support from our partners to help the children going through treatment and their families." - Meg Lokey, Executive Director of The Payton Wright Foundation. It Works!'s loyal customers and distributors are asked to join in and make a difference around the world. During this time of focus and remembrance, It Works! looks to continue cause-worthy impact and take strides to a better global humanitarian future. It Works! Gives Back Foundation partners across a wide number of charitable causes and is proud to support: Anti-Human Trafficking: The It Works! Gives Back Foundation is passionate about shining a light into the darkness of human trafficking and pursuing its end by supporting Selah Freedom. The It Works! Gives Back Foundation is passionate about shining a light into the darkness of human trafficking and pursuing its end by supporting Selah Freedom. Humanitarian Aid: By supporting the international organization Children's Cup, the It Works! Gives Back Foundation is committed to serving vulnerable children and families around the world with food, water, discipleship, skills training, and hope. By supporting the international organization Children's Cup, the It Works! Gives Back Foundation is committed to serving vulnerable children and families around the world with food, water, discipleship, skills training, and hope. International Crisis Response: Through the support of Samaritan's Purse, donations have been sent all around the world to South America , Canada , Australia , Europe , the Middle East , and throughout the United States . Through the support of Samaritan's Purse, donations have been sent all around the world to , , , , the , and throughout . Fighting Pediatric Cancer: It Works! is dedicated to joining the fight against pediatric cancer, giving to both The Payton Wright Foundation and The V Foundation. It Works! is dedicated to joining the fight against pediatric cancer, giving to both The Payton Wright Foundation and The V Foundation. Veterans Support: It Works! is honored to be able to help support Veterans through the efforts of the Gary Sinise Foundation, an organization dedicated to honoring our defenders, veterans, first responders, their families, and those in need. It Works! is honored to be able to help support Veterans through the efforts of the Gary Sinise Foundation, an organization dedicated to honoring our defenders, veterans, first responders, their families, and those in need. Community Outreach: The It Works! Gives Back Foundation offers year-round support to communities through organizations including food banks, domestic violence shelters, homeless outreach programs, youth development centers, and more. "Giving back through effective charitable initiatives is an aspect of leadership that I find to be especially crucial," said Pentecost. "It provides an opportunity to express gratitude for those in essential service and gives the chance to make a positive change in the world. By growing our local and global communities, we are becoming better leaders and providing resources for the leaders of tomorrow." Over the years, Pentecost has discovered the true value in the "business" of giving back. By taking the money he has made and always reinvesting it into the economy and community, he has been able to benefit individuals and businesses on a local, national, and international level. To learn more about Mark Pentecost, the charitable causes that It Works! Supports, and how to join him in making a difference, please visit The It Works! Gives Back Foundation. About It Works! Gives Back Foundation The It Works! Gives Back Foundation (GBF) was founded in 2014 by Mark and Cindy Pentecost. GBF is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that strives to make a lasting difference in communities locally and globally through financial, practical, and emotional support. Since its inception, GBF, through its partners, has provided 9.5 million meals to children in need around the world, given to 14 crises across four continents, donated over $175,000 towards pediatric cancer research, and provided financial assistance for over 365 families with children battling cancer. About It Works! It Works!, a Palmetto, Florida-based direct sales company that was founded in 2001, is known for its health and wellness lines with famed items like their Skinny Brew, a premium coffee. Their innovative product line includes nutrition, lifestyle, and beauty products, including collaborations from celebrities, such as the world-renowned Dr. Paul Nassif. It Works! has received countless awards and accolades. For five consecutive years, It Works! earned a spot on Inc. 500 and Inc. 5000's list of "Fastest-Growing Private Companies in America." In 2016, the company was ranked as a "Top 20 Fastest-Growing Direct Sales Organization in North America" by DSN Magazine. Direct Selling News honored the company in 2017 and 2018 with its "Best Place to Work" award, and in 2020, It Works! received Platinum Status by the Consumer-Centric Recognition Program that's hosted by Direct Selling News. The company has expanded into 23 countries and currently has over 150,000 independent distributors worldwide and maintains a debt-free status to date. With a strong brand culture founded in values of connection, friendship, fun, and freedom - It Works! continues to provide science-backed, real solutions for its community of entrepreneurs and consumers. Visit www.ItWorks.com for additional information. Follow ItWorks! on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. CONTACT INFORMATION: Tiffany Kayar [email protected] Related Images it-works-logo.jpg It Works! Logo It Works! logo SOURCE It Works! TAMPA, Fla, May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Urban Bay Housing Fund officially announced the opening of its new office set for June 1, located in the heart of Tampa. Led by Caleb Walsh, nationally recognized real estate expert and one of the Top 100 People in Real Estate to watch by Top 100 Magazine, Urban Bay has positioned itself to help other investors by offering premium commercial real estate (CRE) loans specializing in working with clients who have had trouble dealing with a bank in the past. Caleb Walsh Fund Director observing future site of a multi family development Downtown Tampa "We've been discussing this growing demand for multifamily units in Florida for some time now," said Walsh. "We invested in it because the potential continues to grow: 1000 people a day move to this state. That is not going to change anytime soon. Major hedge funds and commercial real estate investment firms are in the process of both laying out new development plans for mixed-use communities, while also trading parcels that have become ripe for development. So we've been in the process of hiring top professionals from major banks across the country to help us offer CREs to various investors who want to explore this potential." Urban Bay Housing Fund: The Right Loan at the Right Time A nationally recognized market leader in acquiring, developing and managing multifamily and commercial properties throughout the U.S., Urban Bay now offers CRE loans for both Floridian properties and properties across the nation. Urban Bay is especially geared for those who have been told "no" by the bank before, or those who feel their credit is not quite at an optimum level. CRE hard-money loans offer a variety of features that can help investors who have solid experience but are frustrated by the increasingly rigid algorithms used by financial institutions. "The strict guidelines used by most banks prohibit many competent developers from entering the real estate investment marketplace," said Walsh. "While also limiting the growth of the bank's employees. We've changed that model. Our brokers are cutting solid CRE deals, an average of $20 million at a time. This has two major immediate effects: first, it opens this type of investment to those who have the skill and experience to manage and revitalize properties, but were turned down over and over again by a bank. Second, it brings in the best talent to Urban Bay by offering eager young brokers a chance to create fantastic deals for our clients while also securing a portion of the transaction. It's an absolute win-win for our brokers and clients both." Once approved, Urban Bay works with each client investor step-by-step, providing acquisition term sheets as quickly as possible and upon acceptance completing a short underwriting process. And all with a quick application process and fast closings. Urban Bay can help clients acquire many different types of commercial properties, including senior housing, shopping centers, office buildings, apartment complexes and mobile home parks, hospitality, self-storage, mixed-use, and almost any other income-generating commercial property. Potential investors are urged to learn more by going online and completing a short application process. About Urban Bay Housing Fund The Urban Bay Housing Fund group is comprised of highly skilled real estate specialists with varied and nuanced expertise in every sector of the commercial real estate industry. Specializing in multifamily and hospitality off-market transactions as a core of its commercial acquisitions, Urban Bay buys and holds lucrative, self-managed real estate ventures in major markets before matching them to the best, complimenting franchises with a broad focus in properties located in the Western and Southern United States. Learn more at: www.UrbanBayHousingFund.com. Media Contact: Josh Mance Urban Bay Housing Fund, LLC 4868 W Gandy Blvd, Tampa, FL 33611 OFFICE: 813-219-4000 DIRECT: 609-791-9814 FAX: 1-813-441-7334 Web: www.urbanbayhousingfund.com Email: [email protected] SOURCE Urban Bay Housing Fund NEW YORK, May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- OTC Markets Group Inc. (OTCQX: OTCM), operator of financial markets for 11,000 U.S. and global securities, today announced Nova Leap Health Corp. (TSX-V: NLH.V) (OTCQX: NVLPF), an acquisitive home health care services company, has qualified to trade on the OTCQX Best Market. Nova Leap Health Corp. upgraded to OTCQX from the Pink market. Nova Leap Health Corp. begins trading today on OTCQX under the symbol "NVLPF". U.S. investors can find current financial disclosure and Real-Time Level 2 quotes for the company on www.otcmarkets.com. Upgrading to the OTCQX Market is an important step for companies seeking to provide transparent trading for their U.S. investors. For companies listed on a qualified international exchange, streamlined market standards enable them to utilize their home market reporting to make their information available in the U.S. To qualify for OTCQX, companies must meet high financial standards, follow best practice corporate governance and demonstrate compliance with applicable securities laws. "We are pleased to reach the milestone of trading on OTCQX, as this will make it easier for our U.S. employees and investors to purchase shares in Nova Leap," said Chris Dobbin, President and CEO of Nova Leap. "A significant portion of Nova Leap's business is in the U.S. and the feedback we have received from U.S. based investors suggested that OTCQX was a natural progression for the Company." B. Riley Securities, Inc. acted as the company's OTCQX sponsor. About Nova Leap Health Corp. Nova Leap is an acquisitive home health care services company operating in one of the fastest-growing industries in the U.S. & Canada. The Company performs a vital role within the continuum of care with an individual and family centered focus, particularly those requiring dementia care. Nova Leap achieved the #2 ranking on the 2020 Report on Business ranking of Canada's Top Growing Companies and the #10 Ranking in the 2019 TSX Venture 50 in the Clean Technology & Life Sciences sector. The Company is geographically diversified with operations in 7 different U.S. states within the New England, South- Central and Midwest regions as well as Nova Scotia, Canada. About OTC Markets Group Inc. OTC Markets Group Inc. (OTCQX: OTCM) operates the OTCQX Best Market, the OTCQB Venture Market and the Pink Open Market for 11,000 U.S. and global securities. Through OTC Link ATS and OTC Link ECN, we connect a diverse network of broker-dealers that provide liquidity and execution services. We enable investors to easily trade through the broker of their choice and empower companies to improve the quality of information available for investors. To learn more about how we create better informed and more efficient markets, visit www.otcmarkets.com. OTC Link ATS and OTC Link ECN are SEC regulated ATSs, operated by OTC Link LLC, member FINRA/SIPC. Subscribe to the OTC Markets RSS Feed Media Contact: OTC Markets Group Inc., +1 (212) 896-4428, [email protected] SOURCE OTC Markets Group Inc. Related Links http://www.otcmarkets.com "It is incredible to see the upcoming generation of fashion leaders and their concepts for the future of fashion, that reject gender binaries and promote individuality and freedom of expression. At Pacsun, we are committed to offering innovative gender-neutral collections, and the two winners align perfectly with our mission. We are thrilled and honored to foster their journey and bring their designs to life," says Brieane (Brie) Olson President of Pacsun. Over the past several months, more than 200 students across FSF Alumni and the Class of 2021 FSF Scholars submitted their designs for an original gender-neutral capsule collection, tapping into creativity, identity, and storytelling. Eight finalists had the opportunity to present their visions earlier this month to a panel of industry leaders and two young designers were officially chosen. The judging panel included Calyann Barnett (Stylist, Creative Director, and founder of The Shop Miami), Whembley Sewell (Editor-in-Chief, them.), Jerome LaMaar (Creative Director / Designer and Stylist), Ashley Cimone (co-founder of New Yorkbased design label ASHYA unisex travel accessories), Co-Chief Executive Officer of Pacsun Alfred Chang, VP of Men's Merchandising Richard Cox, and Executive Director of the Fashion Scholarship Fund Peter Arnold. "The FSF received an impressive breadth of gender-neutral design submissions, a reflection of the remarkable and diverse talent in our network of scholarship winners. Ultimately, Allegra Abrams and Oli Perez were selected for presenting highly original, well-executed concepts. We are so grateful to Pacsun for joining us in our mission to create an all-encompassing space that allows for the next generation of fashion talent to showcase their creative visions," said Peter Arnold, Executive Director of the Fashion Scholarship Fund. Allegra Abrams currently attends the University of Wisconsin - Madison, studying towards a Bachelor of Science in Textiles and Fashion Design, with a minor in Entrepreneurship and Sustainability, and is a 2021 FSF Virgil Abloh Post-Modern Scholar. Oli Perez attended Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles, graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Fashion Design, and was a 2018 FSF Scholar. Both designers will work closely throughout the summer with Pacsun's design and product development teams to have their collections developed and manufactured, bringing their co-branded collections to market to be sold at Pacsun stores around the country and through Pacsun.com later this year. ABOUT PACSUN Pacsun is a leading specialty retailer offering a cross section of emerging brands and trending fashion through the lens of youth culture. Throughout the contemporary, streetwear and active lifestyle markets, Pacsun partners with the best brands to offer curated collections, rare and exclusive products, and creative collaborations on every level. Founded in 1980, Newport, CA. Curated in Los Angeles. Follow @pacsun on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and TikTok. ABOUT THE FASHION SCHOLARSHIP FUND The Fashion Scholarship Fund is the foremost fashion-oriented education and workforce development nonprofit in the U.S. The FSF works directly with the country's most talented young students from diverse backgrounds and awards over $1 million each year in scholarships to help these students succeed in all sectors of the industry including design, merchandising, marketing analytics, and supply chain. The FSF also provides scholars with a wide range of internship and career opportunities, mentorship, networking, professional development, and unprecedented access to the industry's most influential leaders and companies. SOURCE Pacsun Related Links https://www.pacsun.com/ The women honored on this year's list pushed forward with comprehensive business plans, marketing initiatives and other innovative ideas to support their partners and customers, helping them through the uncertainty brought on by the global COVID-19 pandemic. CRN celebrates these exceptional women for their leadership, dedication and channel advocacy. Karkula was selected due to the accomplishments she achieved to better position Paessler's channel partners for success. Highlights include: Launched Time to Connect, Paessler's first North American channel partner conferences and pivoted to a virtual format once the pandemic made in-person event no longer possible; Brought Paessler's new enterprise license PRTG Enterprise Monitor, to the channel despite challenges of marketing when travel was limited due to the pandemic; Designed and piloted Paessler's newest partner certifications and successfully certified the first North American channel partners to hold these designations, which positions them to better grow their organization's long-term sales opportunities; and Leveraged distribution programs and channel relationships while growing existing relationships and expanding a focused VAR team organized by territory. "Amanda truly cares about helping our channel partners grow their businesses, which is evident in the long-term, deep relationships she continues to build with them," said Peter Campisi, regional manager channel sales, Americas. "Her innovative approach helps Paessler's channel partners strategically break into monitoring technology in IoT, industrial manufacturing, healthcare, CCTV and other high-growth opportunities, on top of traditional IT monitoring. We are proud of her accomplishments and are grateful to CRN for recognizing her leadership in the channel." "CRN's 2021 Women of the Channel list acknowledges accomplished, influential women whose dedication, hard work, and leadership accelerate channel growth," said Blaine Raddon, CEO of The Channel Company. "We are proud to honor them for their many accomplishments and look forward to their continued contributions to the IT channel." The 2021 Women of the Channel list is featured in CRN Magazine on May 10th and online at www.CRN.com/WOTC. To learn more about Paessler's channel partner program, contact [email protected]. About Paessler AG Paessler believes monitoring plays a vital part in reducing humankind's consumption of resources. Monitoring data helps its customers save resources, from optimizing their IT, OT and IoT infrastructures to reducing energy consumption or emissions for our future and our environment. That is why Paessler offers monitoring solutions for businesses across all industries and all sizes, from SMB to large enterprises. Paessler works with renowned partners, and together they tackle the monitoring challenges of an ever-changing world. Since 1997, when Paessler first introduced PRTG Network Monitor, it has combined its in-depth monitoring knowledge with an innovative spirit. Paessler knows the challenges of complex IT, OT and IoT infrastructures and networks. Paessler products empower its customers to monitor everything, and thus help them optimize their resources. Learn more about Paessler and their products at www.paessler.com About The Channel Company The Channel Company enables breakthrough IT channel performance with our dominant media, engaging events, expert consulting and education, and innovative marketing services and platforms. As the channel catalyst, we connect and empower technology suppliers, solution providers, and end users. Backed by more than 30 years of unequalled channel experience, we draw from our deep knowledge to envision innovative new solutions for ever-evolving challenges in the technology marketplace. www.thechannelcompany.com Follow The Channel Company: Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook. 2021. CRN is a registered trademark of The Channel Company, LLC. All rights reserved. Media Contact Hughes Agency Amanda Long T: +1 864.271.0718 [email protected] www.hughes-agency.com Paessler AG Gimena Robles Marketing & PR Manager T: +49 911 93775-0 F: +49 911 93775-409 [email protected] www.paessler.com The Channel Company Jennifer Hogan [email protected] SOURCE Paessler AG - The Monitoring Experts Key Highlights Offered in the Report: Information on how to identify strategic and tactical negotiation levels that will help achieve the best prices. Gain information on relevant pricing levels, detailed explanation of the pros and cons of prevalent pricing models. Methods to help engage with the right suppliers and discover KPI's to evaluate incumbent suppliers. Request a Free Sample Report for More Information Insights into buyer strategies and tactical negotiation levers: Several strategic and tactical negotiation levers are explained in the report to help buyers achieve the best prices for Polyethylene Terephthalate market. The report also aids buyers with relevant Polyethylene Terephthalate pricing levels, pros, and cons of prevalent pricing models such as volume-based pricing, spot pricing, and cost-plus pricing and category management strategies and best practices to fulfill their category objectives. Insights on buyer strategies and tactical negotiation levers Key Drivers and Trends Fueling Market Growth: The pressure from substitutes and a moderate level of threat from new entrants have resulted in the low bargaining power of suppliers. Price forecasts are beneficial in purchase planning, especially when supplemented by the constant monitoring of price influencing factors. Identify favorable opportunities in Promotional Products TCO (total cost of ownership). Expected changes in price forecast and factors driving the current and future price changes. Identify pricing models that offer the most rewarding opportunities. Some of the top Polyethylene Terephthalate suppliers listed in this report: This Polyethylene Terephthalate procurement intelligence report has enlisted the top suppliers and their cost structures, SLA terms, best selection criteria, and negotiation strategies. DuPont De Nemours Inc. Far Eastern Group BASF SE LANXESS AG Nan Ya Plastics Corp. Saudi Basic Industries Corp. SJSC Alfa S.A.B de C.V. Celanese Corp. Indorama Ventures Public Co. Ltd. Toray Industries Inc. Related Report on Chemicals Include: To access the definite purchasing guide on the Polyethylene Terephthalate that answers all your key questions on price trends and analysis: Am I paying/getting the right prices? Is my Polyethylene Terephthalate TCO (total cost of ownership) favorable? How is the price forecast expected to change? What is driving the current and future price changes? Which pricing models offer the most rewarding opportunities? Table of Content Executive Summary Market Insights Category Pricing Insights Cost-saving Opportunities Best Practices Category Ecosystem Category Management Strategy Category Management Enablers Suppliers Selection Suppliers under Coverage US Market Insights Category scope Appendix About SpendEdge: SpendEdge shares your passion for driving sourcing and procurement excellence. We are the preferred procurement market intelligence partner for 120+ Fortune 500 firms and other leading companies across numerous industries. Our strength lies in delivering robust, real-time procurement market intelligence reports and solutions. To know more https://www.spendedge.com/request-for-demo Contacts: SpendEdge Anirban Choudhury Marketing Manager Ph No: +1 (872) 206-9340 https://www.spendedge.com/contact-us SOURCE SpendEdge NEWSALERT-PULITZER-CITATION Pulitzer Prizes award special citation to Darnella Frazier, the teenager who recorded the killing of George Floyd. (AP)Pulitzer Prizes award special citation to Darnella Frazier, the teenager who recorded the killing of George Floyd. (AP) RESTON, Va., May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Public Interest Registry (PIR), the people behind the .ORG domain, has been named one of the "Best Places to Work" in the Washington, DC region for the second year in a row. The 2021 award holds special significance because it reflects the virtual workplace environment required to meet the unique demands of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Washington Business Journal's annual Best Place to Work Awards celebrate Washington, DC area companies that prioritize organizational culture and create strong connections to the workplace for employees. PIR was honored in both 2020 and 2021 because of its culture of caring and respect, its deeply held mission, and its commitment to honoring its people. "PIR believes in putting our people first and fostering a culture of caring, inclusiveness, and respect," said Jon Nevett, CEO of Public Interest Registry. "This award is a reflection of our incredible team and the thought and care that we've put into building a culture and environment where people are seen, heard, and respected." "2020 was a year unlike any other, and our amazing workforce never lost sight of our mission: supporting the inspiring organizations and people who make the world a better place through their efforts," Nevett continued. "The PIR team stayed true to our mission by focusing on our culture and caring. And for this reason, and because of the culture we already had in place, I believe that PIR was able to accomplish our goals." PIR closed its office on March 12, 2020, and nearly all of its team members have worked virtually since. PIR took many steps to ensure that its culture extended to the virtual workspace and embraced three basic principles -- flexibility, resilience, and engagement. The goal through it all was to make sure the team felt connected and respected during this difficult time. Flexibility -- PIR adjusted work hours to give team members control over their schedules; enabled employees to use up to 80 hours of sick leave to assist with children doing virtual learning; and implemented weekly "coffee breaks" to give employees time, opportunity, and space to socialize in an unstructured format. PIR adjusted work hours to give team members control over their schedules; enabled employees to use up to 80 hours of sick leave to assist with children doing virtual learning; and implemented weekly "coffee breaks" to give employees time, opportunity, and space to socialize in an unstructured format. Resilience -- PIR checked in with team members on a weekly basis to make sure they felt supported; conducted surveys seeking employee feedback on how it was doing; and established a "Return to Office" team to develop guidelines to ensure a safe, phased-based return to the office. -- PIR checked in with team members on a weekly basis to make sure they felt supported; conducted surveys seeking employee feedback on how it was doing; and established a "Return to Office" team to develop guidelines to ensure a safe, phased-based return to the office. Engagement -- PIR put in place activities to do what it could to replace office camaraderie -- everything from sending snack boxes to team members at home, to scheduling virtual happy hours with live performances and conducting monthly team "game time" events. PIR also matched employee contributions to charities working on Covid-response and hosted a virtual holiday party. PIR's culture includes a commitment to its mission of supporting the global .ORG Community and a fundamental belief that each employee is a whole person, and is to be respected and valued as such. The Best Places to Work Awards are determined based on a quantitative survey of Washington-area employees, administered by a third-party organization. Respondents were asked to rank their organization on qualities such as team effectiveness, trust in senior leaders and coworkers, manager effectiveness, communication, work-life balance and alignment with company goals. The Washington Business Journal honored PIR at a virtual event held on May 20, 2021. About Public Interest Registry Public Interest Registry (PIR) is a nonprofit that operates the .ORG top-level domainone of the world's largest generic top-level domains with more than 10.5 million domain names registered worldwide. PIR has been a champion for a free and open Internet for more than 15 years with a clear mission to be an exemplary domain name registry, provide a trusted digital identity and help educate those who dedicate themselves to improving our world. PIR was founded by the Internet Society (internetsociety.org) in 2002 and is based in Reston, Virginia, USA. .ORG is open to everyone, providing a global platform for mission-driven organizations, associations, clubs, businesses and individuals to bring their ideas to life. For more than 30 years, .ORG has built an enduring legacy of trust, preserving an open and secure Internet where diverse communities can establish a trusted online identity and freely share ideas. PIR believes that more mission-driven organizations make our communities a better place. Visit www.TheNew.org for more information. Media contact: Scott Gerber, [email protected], 408-202-4255 SOURCE Public Interest Registry SHANGHAI, May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Quectel Wireless Solutions, the leading global supplier of IoT modules has announced the release of two new 5G New Radio (NR) module series, the RG500S and RM500S. Based on the new Qualcomm 315 5G IoT Modem-RF System, both modules are able to support customers in building dedicated 5G devices for a variety of verticals including industrial IoT, retail, smart energy, private 5G networks, and many others. Utilizing the powerful Qualcomm 315 5G IoT modem, the RG500S and RM500S support extended life software maintenance, helping create long-lasting IoT devices for the duration of their life span. Offering seamless integration, the RM500S is pin to pin compatible with Quectel's LTE Cat 4 module EM05, Cat 6 module EM06, Cat 12 modules EM12-G/EM12xR-GL, Cat 16 module EM160R-GL as well as 5G module RM500Q, which provides more competitive 5G solutions to the IoT market. These features will help accelerate the 5G IoT market in the industrial and consumer IoT segments with use cases across robotics, automation, intelligent manufacturing, energy distribution, precision agriculture, construction, and mining. The RG500S and RM500S modules support 5G NR Sub-6GHz bands in stand-alone (SA) mode offering backward compatibility with LTE networks. With network slicing in SA mode, the two modules are able to offer end-to-end traffic isolation for critical traffic, guaranteed data rates and bandwidth as well as lower latency than in non-standalone (NSA) mode, which meets the demands of ultra-reliability and SLAs (service level agreement) of typical industrial and enterprise scenarios. The two modules are embedded with rich interfaces and incorporate high-speed USB 3.0/3.1, PCIe 3.0, U(SIM), RGMII and more. Additionally, the RG500S and RM500S integrate a multi-constellation GNSS receiver, which simplifies the product design and provides accurate positioning services for users. Read the full text: https://www.quectel.com/news-and-pr/quectel-unveils-new-5g-nr-modules-to-accelerate-commercial-use-of-5g-sa-devices/ About Quectel Quectel's passion for a smarter world drives us to accelerate IoT innovation. A highly customer-centric organization, we create superior cellular and GNSS modules and antennas backed by outstanding support and services. Our growing global team of over 3,000 professionals, the largest in the IoT modules industry worldwide, ensures we are first to market and continue to set the pace of development. Listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange (603236.SS), our international leadership is devoted to advancing IoT across the globe. For more information please see: www.quectel.com, LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter Contact: Ashley Liu, +86-551-6586-9386x8016, [email protected] SOURCE Quectel Related Links http://www.quectel.com HORSHAM, Pa., May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson announced today the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted the accelerated approval of RYBREVANTTM (amivantamab-vmjw) for the treatment of adult patients with locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) exon 20 insertion mutations, as detected by an FDA-approved test, whose disease has progressed on or after platinum-based chemotherapy.1 RYBREVANTTM is the first fully-human, bispecific antibody approved for the treatment of patients with NSCLC that targets EGFR exon 20 insertion mutations, which are the third most prevalent activating EGFR mutation.1,2 Today's approval follows the FDA's decision to grant Breakthrough Therapy Designation (BTD) in March 2020 and to initiate a Priority Review of the Biologics License Application (BLA) in December 2020. This indication is approved under accelerated approval based on overall response rate and duration of response.1 Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in the confirmatory trials.1 "Today's FDA approval is an important development for people living with non-small cell lung cancer with exon 20 insertion mutations who, until now, have had no approved treatment options to target their disease," said Jill Feldman, co-founder of the EGFR Resisters, an advocacy organization patient group, and a lung cancer patient advocate. "We are excited by the promise this new treatment option brings to people with this particular type of lung cancer and their families." Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among both men and women, accounting for almost 25 percent of all cancer deaths.3 Currently available targeted treatments, like EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) are generally insensitive in treating NSCLC driven by EGFR exon 20 insertion mutations and are not FDA-approved for these patients.4,5,6 In addition, NSCLC driven by this mutation carries a worse prognosis and shorter survival rates compared with lung cancer driven by more common EGFR mutations, such as exon 19 deletions and L858R substitutions.7,8 Patients newly diagnosed with metastatic NSCLC with EGFR exon 20 insertion mutations have a real-world median overall survival (OS) of 16.2 months (95 percent confidence interval [CI], 11.0 19.4), which is lower than patients with EGFR exon 19 deletions/L858R mutations, who have a real-world median OS of 25.5 months (95 percent CI, 24.5 27.0).9 "Lung cancer is a complex disease, and through the study and deeper understanding of genetic alterations like EGFR exon 20 insertion mutations, we are able to target the disease in new ways and improve treatment outcomes for patients," said Joshua K. Sabari, M.D., New York University Langone's Perlmutter Cancer Center and study investigator, who presented the latest clinical trial results at the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer's (IASLC WCLC) 2020 World Conference on Lung Cancer Singapore. "Amivantamab-vmjw is an innovative bispecific antibody that brings an important new therapeutic approach to physicians caring for patients with this serious and rare type of lung cancer." RYBREVANTTM is a fully-human bispecific antibody directed against EGFR and MET receptors.1 RYBREVANTTM binds extracellularly (outside of the cell) inhibiting tumor growth and leading to tumor cell death.1 Today's accelerated FDA approval is based on positive results from the Phase 1 CHRYSALIS study, a multicenter, open-label, clinical study evaluating RYBREVANTTM as a monotherapy in patients enrolled in the prior platinum containing chemotherapy cohort.1,10 Initial results from the CHRYSALIS EGFR exon 20 insertion mutation population, which supported the BTD, were presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology 2020 Virtual Scientific Program, and updated results were presented at the IASLC WCLC 2020. "The approval of RYBREVANT, along with the companion diagnostic test, addresses high unmet need in the treatment of people with genetically defined non-small cell lung cancer," said Peter Lebowitz, M.D., Ph.D., Global Therapeutic Area Head, Oncology, Janssen Research & Development, LLC. "At Janssen, we are committed to the development of innovative therapies like RYBREVANT and believe that advancing medicines targeting specific pathways can bring the greatest benefits and improve outcomes for patients with tumor alterations such as EGFR and MET." The FDA simultaneously approved Guardant Health's Guardant360 CDx liquid biopsy blood test as a companion diagnostic for use with RYBREVANTTM. Next-generation sequencing test offers an alternative to polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based tests which fail to identify 50 percent or more of exon 20 insertion mutations.11 Information on FDA-approved tests for the detection of EGFR genetic alterations in NSCLC is available at: http://www.fda.gov/CompanionDiagnostics. "Today's milestone reflects progress and determination in our mission to develop and deliver transformational therapies to improve the lives of people diagnosed with some of the most devastating and complex diseases of our time," said Mathai Mammen, M.D., Ph.D., Global Head, Janssen Research & Development, Johnson & Johnson. "The approval of RYBREVANT, the first lung cancer treatment for Johnson & Johnson, strengthens our commitment to harness science, expertise and scale to dramatically alter the trajectory of lung cancer, and reduce the impact of the world's leading cause of cancer mortality." About RYBREVANTTM RYBREVANTTM is being studied in a comprehensive clinical development program for people with untreated advanced EGFR-mutated NSCLC, including the Phase 3 MARIPOSA (NCT04487080) trial studying RYBREVANTTM in combination with lazertinib**.12 Another Phase 3 trial, PAPILLON (NCT04538664), is studying RYBREVANTTM in combination with carboplatin-pemetrexed for people with advanced or metastatic EGFR-mutated NSCLC with exon 20 insertion mutations.13 RYBREVANTTM received U.S. FDA BTD in March 2020 and Priority Review Designation following the BLA announcement in December 2020.14,15 Janssen has filed regulatory submissions for RYBREVANTTM with health authorities in Europe and other markets. **In 2018, Janssen Biotech, Inc. entered into a license and collaboration agreement with Yuhan Corporation for the development of lazertinib. About the CHRYSALIS Study CHRYSALIS (NCT02609776) is a Phase 1 open-label, multicenter, first-in-human study to evaluate the safety, pharmacokinetics and preliminary efficacy of RYBREVANTTM as a monotherapy and in combinations including with lazertinib, a novel third-generation EGFR TKI16, in adults with advanced NSCLC.10 The study consists of two parts: RYBREVANTTM monotherapy and combination-dose escalations and RYBREVANTTM monotherapy and combination-dose expansions.10 In the ongoing Phase 1 CHRYSALIS study, patients with locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC with EGFR Exon 20 insertion mutations weighing less than 80 kg received RYBREVANTTM 1050 mg and patients weighing at least 80 kg or more received RYBREVANTTM 1400 mg weekly for four weeks, with the initial dose as a split infusion in week 1 on day 1 and day 2, then administered every two weeks thereafter until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.1 Disease response using overall response rate (ORR), per Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors Version 1.1* (RECIST v1.1) as evaluated by Blinded Independent Central Review (BICR), was the primary endpoint.1 In the prior-platinum chemotherapy treated cohort (n=81), the confirmed ORR, as assessed by blinded independent central review, was 40 percent (95 percent CI, 29 51), with 3.7 percent having complete responses (CR) and 36 percent achieving partial responses (PR).1 Permanent discontinuation of RYBREVANTTM due to an adverse reaction (AE) occurred in 11 percent of patients who received RYBREVANTTM.1 AEs resulting in permanent discontinuation of RYBREVANTTM in greater than or equal to one percent of patients were pneumonia, infusion-related reactions (IRR), pneumonitis/interstitial lung disease (ILD) dyspnea, pleural effusion and rash.1 Dose interruptions of RYBREVANTTM due to AEs occurred in 78 percent of patients.1 IRR requiring infusions interruptions occurred in 59 percent of patients.1 Adverse reactions requiring dose interruption in greater than or equal to five percent of patients included dyspnea, nausea, rash, vomiting, fatigue and diarrhea.1 The most common AEs (greater than or equal to 20 percent) in patients who received RYBREVANTTM were rash (84 percent), IRR (64 percent), paronychia (50 percent), musculoskeletal pain (47 percent), dyspnea (37 percent), nausea (36 percent), fatigue (33 percent), edema (27 percent), stomatitis (26 percent), cough (25 percent), constipation (23 percent) and vomiting (22 percent).1 *RECIST (version 1.1) refers to Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors, which is a standard way to measure how well solid tumors respond to treatment and is based on whether tumors shrink, stay the same or get bigger.17 Access to RYBREVANTTM (amivantamab-vmjw) Janssen offers comprehensive access and support information and resources to assist patients in gaining access to RYBREVANTTM. Janssen will work closely with payers and providers to ensure RYBREVANTTM is broadly accessible and affordable for people with NSCLC with EGFR exon 20 insertion mutations. Our comprehensive patient support program, Janssen CarePath, helps patients get started on RYBREVANTTM and stay on track. Janssen CarePath helps verify insurance coverage for patients, provides reimbursement information, helps find financial assistance options for eligible patients and provides ongoing support to help patients start and stay on RYBREVANTTM. If patients have commercial or private health insurance and need help paying for RYBREVANT, the Janssen CarePath Savings Program may be able to help. For more information, visit Rybrevant.JanssenCarePathSavings.com. If patients don't have commercial or private health insurance, Janssen CarePath can provide information about other resources that may help with out-of-pocket medication costs. Learn more at JanssenCarePath.com/Rybrevant or call a Janssen CarePath Care Coordinator at 833-RYBREVANT (833-792-7382). About Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) Worldwide, lung cancer is one of the most common cancers, and NSCLC makes up 80 to 85 percent of all lung cancers.18,19 The main subtypes of NSCLC are adenocarcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and large cell carcinoma.19 Among the most common driver mutations in NSCLC are alterations in EGFR, which is a receptor tyrosine kinase supporting cell growth and division.8 EGFR mutations are present in 10 to 15 percent8,11,20,21,22 of people with NSCLC adenocarcinoma and occur in 40 to 50 percent of Asians.23,24 The five-year survival rate for all people with metastatic NSCLC and EGFR mutations treated with EGFR TKIs is less than 20 percent.25,26 EGFR exon 20 insertion mutations are the third most prevalent activating EGFR mutation.2 Patients with EGFR exon 20 insertion mutations have a real-world five-year OS of 8 percent in the frontline setting, which is worse than patients with EGFR exon 19 deletions or L858R mutations, who have a real-world five-year OS of 19 percent.9 RYBREVANT IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION1 WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS Infusion Related Reactions1 RYBREVANT can cause infusion related reactions (IRR); signs and symptoms of IRR include dyspnea, flushing, fever, chills, nausea, chest discomfort, hypotension, and vomiting. Based on the safety population, IRR occurred in 66% of patients treated with RYBREVANT. Among patients receiving treatment on Week 1 Day 1, 65% experienced an IRR, while the incidence of IRR was 3.4% with the Day 2 infusion, 0.4% with the Week 2 infusion, and cumulatively 1.1% with subsequent infusions. Of the reported IRRs, 97% were Grade 1-2, 2.2% were Grade 3, and 0.4% were Grade 4. The median time to onset was 1 hour (range 0.1 to 18 hours) after start of infusion. The incidence of infusion modifications due to IRR was 62% and 1.3% of patients permanently discontinued RYBREVANT due to IRR. Premedicate with antihistamines, antipyretics, and glucocorticoids and infuse RYBREVANT as recommended. Administer RYBREVANT via a peripheral line on Week 1 and Week 2. Monitor patients for any signs and symptoms of infusion reactions during RYBREVANT infusion in a setting where cardiopulmonary resuscitation medication and equipment are available. Interrupt infusion if IRR is suspected. Reduce the infusion rate or permanently discontinue RYBREVANT based on severity. Interstitial Lung Disease/Pneumonitis1 RYBREVANT can cause interstitial lung disease (ILD)/pneumonitis. Based on the safety population, ILD/pneumonitis occurred in 3.3% of patients treated with RYBREVANT, with 0.7% of patients experiencing Grade 3 ILD/pneumonitis. Three patients (1%) discontinued RYBREVANT due to ILD/pneumonitis. Monitor patients for new or worsening symptoms indicative of ILD/pneumonitis (e.g., dyspnea, cough, fever). Immediately withhold RYBREVANT in patients with suspected ILD/pneumonitis and permanently discontinue if ILD/pneumonitis is confirmed. Dermatologic Adverse Reactions1 RYBREVANT can cause rash (including dermatitis acneiform), pruritus and dry skin. Based on the safety population, rash occurred in 74% of patients treated with RYBREVANT, including Grade 3 rash in 3.3% of patients. The median time to onset of rash was 14 days (range: 1 to 276 days). Rash leading to dose reduction occurred in 5% of patients, and RYBREVANT was permanently discontinued due to rash in 0.7% of patients. Toxic epidermal necrolysis occurred in one patient (0.3%) treated with RYBREVANT. Instruct patients to limit sun exposure during and for 2 months after treatment with RYBREVANT. Advise patients to wear protective clothing and use broad spectrum UVA/UVB sunscreen. Alcohol free emollient cream is recommended for dry skin. If skin reactions develop, start topical corticosteroids and topical and/or oral antibiotics. For Grade 3 reactions, add oral steroids and consider dermatologic consultation. Promptly refer patients presenting with severe rash, atypical appearance or distribution, or lack of improvement within 2 weeks to a dermatologist. Withhold, dose reduce or permanently discontinue RYBREVANT based on severity. Ocular Toxicity1 RYBREVANT can cause ocular toxicity including keratitis, dry eye symptoms, conjunctival redness, blurred vision, visual impairment, ocular itching, and uveitis. Based on the safety population, keratitis occurred in 0.7% and uveitis occurred in 0.3% of patients treated with RYBREVANT. All events were Grade 1-2. Promptly refer patients presenting with eye symptoms to an ophthalmologist. Withhold, dose reduce or permanently discontinue RYBREVANT based on severity. Embryo Fetal Toxicity1 Based on its mechanism of action and findings from animal models, RYBREVANT can cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman. Advise females of reproductive potential of the potential risk to the fetus. Advise female patients of reproductive potential to use effective contraception during treatment and for 3 months after the final dose of RYBREVANT. Adverse Reactions1 The most common adverse reactions (20%) were rash, IRR, paronychia, musculoskeletal pain, dyspnea, nausea, fatigue, edema, stomatitis, cough, constipation, and vomiting. The most common Grade 3 or 4 laboratory abnormalities (2%) were decreased lymphocytes, decreased albumin, decreased phosphate, decreased potassium, increased alkaline phosphatase, increased glucose, increased gamma-glutamyl transferase, and decreased sodium. Please read full Prescribing Information for RYBREVANT. About the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson At Janssen, we're creating a future where disease is a thing of the past. We're the Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson, working tirelessly to make that future a reality for patients everywhere by fighting sickness with science, improving access with ingenuity and healing hopelessness with heart. We focus on areas of medicine where we can make the biggest difference: Cardiovascular & Metabolism, Immunology, Infectious Diseases & Vaccines, Neuroscience, Oncology and Pulmonary Hypertension. Learn more at www.janssen.com. Follow us at www.twitter.com/JanssenGlobal and www.twitter.com/JanssenUS. Janssen Biotech, Inc. and Janssen Research & Development LLC are part of the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson. *Dr. Sabari has served as a consultant to Janssen; he has not been paid for any media work. Cautions Concerning Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains "forward-looking statements" as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 regarding RYBREVANTTM (amivantamab-vmjw). The reader is cautioned not to rely on these forward-looking statements. These statements are based on current expectations of future events. If underlying assumptions prove inaccurate or known or unknown risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results could vary materially from the expectations and projections of Janssen Research & Development, LLC, Janssen Biotech, Inc., any of the other Janssen Pharmaceutical companies, and/or Johnson & Johnson. Risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: challenges and uncertainties inherent in product research and development, including the uncertainty of clinical success and of obtaining regulatory approvals; uncertainty of commercial success; manufacturing difficulties and delays; competition, including technological advances, new products and patents attained by competitors; challenges to patents; product efficacy or safety concerns resulting in product recalls or regulatory action; changes in behavior and spending patterns of purchasers of health care products and services; changes to applicable laws and regulations, including global health care reforms; and trends toward health care cost containment. A further list and descriptions of these risks, uncertainties and other factors can be found in Johnson & Johnson's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 3, 2021, including in the sections captioned "Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements" and "Item 1A. Risk Factors," and in the company's most recently filed Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, and the company's subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Copies of these filings are available online at www.sec.gov, www.jnj.com or on request from Johnson & Johnson. None of the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies nor Johnson & Johnson undertakes to update any forward-looking statement as a result of new information or future events or developments. 1 RYBREVANTTM Prescribing Information. Horsham, PA: Janssen Biotech, Inc. 2 Arcila, M. et al. EGFR exon 20 insertion mutations in lung adenocarcinomas: prevalence, molecular heterogeneity, and clinicopathologic characteristics. Molecular Cancer Therapeutics. 2013; Feb; 12(2):220-9. 3 Key Statistics in Lung Cancer. American Cancer Society. https://www.cancer.org/cancer/lung-cancer/about/key-statistics.html. Accessed May 2021. 4 Remon, J et al. EGFR exon 20 insertions in advanced non-small cell lung cancer: A new history begins. Cancer Treatment Reviews. 90 (2020). 5 Baraibar I et al. Novel drugs targeting EGFR and HER2 exon 20 mutations in metastatic NSCLC. Critical Reviews in Oncology. 2020. 6 O'Leary C, Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR)-Mutated Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC). Pharmaceuticals. 2020, 13, 273; doi:10.3390/ph13100273/. 7 Vyse, S., Huang, P.H. Targeting EGFR exon 20 insertion mutations in non-small cell lung cancer. Sig Transduct Target Ther 4, 5 (2019). 8 Oxnard, JR et. al. Natural history and molecular characteristics of lung cancers harboring EGFR exon 20 insertions. J Thorac Oncol. 2013 Feb;8(2):179-84. doi: 10.1097/JTO.0b013e3182779d18. 9 Girard N, BazhenovaL, MinchomA, OuSI, GadgeelSM, Trigo J, et al. Comparative clinical outcomes for patients with NSCLC harboring EGFR exon 20 insertion mutations and common EGFR mutations. Abstract presented at: World Conference on Lung Cancer Annual Meeting; January 29, 2021; Singapore. 10 ClinicalTrials.gov. Study of JNJ-61186372, a Human Bispecific EGFR and cMet Antibody, in Participants With Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. Available at: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02609776. Accessed May 2021. 11 Bauml, JM, et al. Underdiagnosis of EGFR Exon 20 Insertion Mutation Variants: Estimates from NGS-based Real World Datasets. WCLC Poster #3399. January 2021. 12 ClinicalTrials.gov. A Study of Amivantamab and Lazertinib Combination Therapy Versus Osimertinib in Locally Advanced or Metastatic Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (MARIPOSA). Available at: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04487080 . Accessed May 2021. 13 ClinicalTrials.gov. A Study of Combination Amivantamab and Carboplatin-Pemetrexed Therapy, Compared With Carboplatin-Pemetrexed, in Participants With Advanced or Metastatic Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Characterized by Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) Exon 20 Insertions (PAPILLON). Available at: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04538664?term=PAPILLON&cond=NSCLC&draw=2&rank=1. Accessed May 2021. 14 Janssen Announces U.S. FDA Breakthrough Therapy Designation Granted for JNJ-6372 for the Treatment of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. https://www.jnj.com/janssen-announces-u-s-fda-breakthrough-therapy-designation-granted-for-jnj-6372-for-the-treatment-of-non-small-cell-lung-cancer. Accessed May 2021. 15 Janssen Submits Application to U.S. FDA Seeking Approval of Amivantamab for the Treatment of Patients with Metastatic Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer with EGFR Exon 20 Insertion Mutations. https://www.jnj.com/janssen-submits-application-to-u-s-fda-seeking-approval-of-amivantamab-for-the-treatment-of-patients-with-metastatic-non-small-cell-lung-cancer-with-egfr-exon-20-insertion-mutations. Accessed May 2021. 16 Ahn, J. et al. Lazertinib in patients with EGFR mutation-positive advanced non-small-cell lung cancer: results from the dose escalation and dose expansion parts of a first-in-human, open-label, multicentre, phase 12 study. Lancet Oncology. 2019. 20 (12): 1681-1690. 17 Eisenhauer E.A. et al. New response evaluation criteria in solid tumours: Revised RECIST guideline (version 1.1). European Journal of Cancer. 2009. 45: 228 247. 18 The World Health Organization. Cancer. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/cancer. Accessed May 2021. 19 American Cancer Society. What is Lung Cancer? https://www.cancer.org/content/cancer/en/cancer/lung-cancer/about/what-is.html. Accessed May 2021. 20 Riess JW, Gandara DR, Frampton GM, et al. Diverse EGFR exon 20 insertions and co-occurring molecular alterations identified by comprehensive genomic profiling of NSCLC. J Thorac Oncol. 2018;13(10):1560-1568. doi:10.1016/j.jtho.2018.06.019 21 Pennell, NA et al. A phase II trial pf adjuvant erlotinib in patients with resected epidermal growth factor receptor-mutant non-small cell lung cancer. J Clin Oncol. 37:97-104. 22 Burnett H, Emich H, Carroll C, Stapleton N, Mahadevia P, Li T. Epidemiological and clinical burden of EGFR exon 20 insertion in advanced non-small cell lung cancer: a systematic literature review. Abstract presented at: World Conference on Lung Cancer Annual Meeting; January 29, 2021; Singapore. 23 Zhang et al 2016 (Oncotarget, Vol. 7, No. 48) study which estimated prevalence of EGFR mutations across various patient subgroups, including Asians. 24 Midha et al. EGFR mutation incidence in non-small-cell lung cancer of adenocarcinoma histology: a systematic review and global map by ethnicity. Am J Cancer Res. 2015;5(9):2892-2911 25 Howlader N, Noone AM, Krapcho M, Miller D, Brest A, Yu M, Ruhl J, Tatalovich Z, Mariotto A, Lewis DR, Chen HS, Feuer EJ, Cronin KA (eds). SEER Cancer Statistics Review, 1975-2016, National Cancer Institute. Bethesda, MD, https://seer.cancer.gov/csr/1975_2016/, based on November 2018 SEER data submission, posted to the SEER web site. 26 Lin JJ, Cardarella S, Lydon CA, Dahlberg SE, Jackman DM, Janne PA, et al. Five-Year Survival in EGFR-Mutant Metastatic Lung Adenocarcinoma Treated with EGFR-TKIs. J Thorac Oncol. 2016 Apr;11(4):556-65. Media Contacts: Ania DiAntonio Phone: +1 215-620-9717 Suzanne Frost Phone: +1 416-317-0304 Investor Relations: Christopher DelOrefice Phone: +1 732-524-2955 Jennifer McIntyre Phone: +1 732-524-3922 U.S. Medical Inquiries: +1 800-526-7736 SOURCE Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson 13,500+ online bidders from 66 countries registered for the May 18 19 unreserved auction FORT WORTH, Texas, May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Buyer demand and equipment pricing continues to trend upwards at Ritchie Bros. auctions around the globe. Most recently the company sold 4,300+ equipment items and trucks for US$55+ million at its site in Fort Worth, TX. The May 18 19, 2021 online auction attracted 13,500+ bidders from 66 countries. "We continue to break registration records, resulting in strong pricing across almost every single equipment category," said Chuck Roberson, Regional Sales Manager, Ritchie Bros. "Sellers were very happy with returns, with several consignors planning to sell more through our Houston auction next month, or through one of our IronPlanet or Marketplace-E solutions. We encourage sellers to contact us today to take advantage of unprecedented demand across all our sales channels." With 100% of the bidding online, the Fort Worth auction attracted 100+ equipment views per lotup 52% year over yearand 29,000+ PriorityBids. Approximately 85% of the equipment in the Fort Worth auction was sold to U.S. buyers, including 38% purchased by Texans, while the remaining 15% was sold to international buyers from as far away as Australia, Belgium, India, and Thailand. Five Big Sellers: 2011 Grove RT9150E 150-ton 4x4x4 rough terrain crane US$380,000 2016 Caterpillar PM620 crawler cold planer US$340,000 2018 Caterpillar 745 6x6 articulated dump truck US$290,000 2013 Peterbilt 367 Quad/A w/ National NBT45 45-ton boom truck US$255,000 2018 Caterpillar 972M wheel loader US$210,000 AUCTION QUICK FACTS: FORT WORTH, TX (MAY 2021) Gross Transaction Value (GTV): US$55+ million Total Registered Bidders: 13,500+ Total Number of Lots: 4,300+ Total Number of Consignors: 650+ Ritchie Bros. will sell more than 50,000 equipment items and trucks in its upcoming auctions, including a Rocky Mountain Regional Event on May 26 27; a Phoenix, AZ auction on June 4; a Timed Auction event in Sacramento, CA on June 9; and a Houston sale on June 15 16. For more information, visit rbauction.com. About Ritchie Bros.: Established in 1958, Ritchie Bros. (NYSE and TSX: RBA) is a global asset management and disposition company, offering customers end-to-end solutions for buying and selling used heavy equipment, trucks and other assets. Operating in a number of sectors, including construction, transportation, agriculture, energy, oil and gas, mining, and forestry, the company's selling channels include: Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers, the world's largest industrial auctioneer offers live auction events with online bidding; IronPlanet, an online marketplace with featured weekly auctions and providing the exclusive IronClad Assurance equipment condition certification; Marketplace-E, a controlled marketplace offering multiple price and timing options; Mascus, a leading European online equipment listing service; and Ritchie Bros. Private Treaty, offering privately negotiated sales. The Company's suite of solutions also includes Ritchie Bros. Asset Solutions and Rouse Services LLC, which together provides a complete end-to-end asset management, data-driven intelligence and performance benchmarking system. Ritchie Bros. also offers sector-specific solutions including GovPlanet, TruckPlanet, and Kruse Energy, plus equipment financing and leasing through Ritchie Bros. Financial Services. For more information about Ritchie Bros., visit RitchieBros.com. Photos and video for embedding in media stories are available at rbauction.com/media. SOURCE Ritchie Bros. MIAMI, May 20, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Skypod is pleased to announce their support of the Alzheimer's Association with a $1 million Skypod credit donation in June 2021 for Alzheimer's and Brain Awareness Month. Worldwide, 47 million people are living with Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia. Most families first notice lapses in short-term memory, which can lead to difficulty following complicated conversations or carrying out the day-to-day tasks of daily life. Skypod is donating $1 million Skypod credits this June, to support the Alzheimer's Association, which allows individuals and families suffering from the impact of degenerative brain disease to celebrate life's precious memories by creating and sending free digital time capsules. These digital time capsules can be made viewable both during and after life. Skypod is offering a $50 Skypod credit for every qualified person's account. Up to 20,000 individuals may sign up at www.skypod.com/alz to receive their free Skypod credits. No credit card information will be needed and they may use their Skypod credits within one year. "I decided to dedicate my life to meaning when I created Skypod. I thought, if I could help people send pictures, videos, and messages to loved ones, and make them viewable both during and after life, then I could help them fill the voids I've experienced through the loss of close family members. I could help people fill the holes I've been unable to fill my whole life." Richard Jardine, CEO, and Founder of Skypod About Skypod: Skypod is an innovative, patent-pending, cloud storage platform that allows users to save, record and upload personal videos, photos, and other digital files to be encrypted then delivered to recipients and made viewable for the future. The encrypted digital time capsules are safe and secured, ideal for those who may want to share a video message on a momentous occasion, including end of life planning, birthdays, holidays, and anniversaries, or to leave behind words of wisdom. About Alzheimer's Association The Alzheimer's Association is the largest non-profit funder of Alzheimer's disease research and leads the way "to eliminate Alzheimer's disease through the advancement of research; to provide and enhance care and support for all affected, and to reduce the risk of dementia through the promotion of brain health." For more information visit Skypod.com. You can also follow Skypod on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Twitter. SOURCE Skypod Related Links https://www.skypod.com/ NEW YORK, May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- CI&T, a leader in driving digital transformation for global brands, today published (Re)open for Business, a new report examining how banks can better serve small businesses in a post-pandemic world. The research revealed that while the pandemic caused accelerated digital change in financial services, small businesses still want, and need, banking relationships. "Small businesses are considered the lifeblood of the American economy, and banking relationships are the lifeblood of small businesses," said Robin Borelli, Business Director, Financial Services at CI&T. "The post-pandemic rebirth of small businesses in the U.S. will create enormous opportunities for the banking industry. The primary research that formed the foundation of this study revealed significant insights into the possibilities and risks for small business-banking relationships of the future." This report analyzed survey responses, focus groups and interviews from 500+ U.S. based small and medium-sized businesses with an annual revenue up to $25M. Two key themes emerged from the research for small business-banking relationships in the future, including: Redefining value: 84% of small businesses reported having "very much" or some degree of trust in their bank, but focus groups and interviews revealed that while there is trust in banks, expectations are rising along with frustration and confusion over complex and opaque fee structures. Banks are uniquely positioned as the key partner for small businesses seeking efficient, day-to-day operations management such as payroll services, expense management, and tax advice. Banks may not want to provide these as direct offerings, but being a connector can create a deeper customer relationship. The winners will be those banks that can help the needs of these small businesses beyond that of the traditional deposit and credit model. Digital as the primary way of doing business: Small business customers understand the convenience and cost-saving benefits of automation, but still want personal interaction and relationships due to the complexity of their work. Small businesses have options when it comes to technology and platforms designed to make their lives easier. This presents an excellent opportunity for trusted, reliable partners like banks to help with the technical and operational demands of making these systems work cohesively. According to a 2020 report from the U.S. Small Business Administration, small businesses account for 44% of economic activity in the United States, employ 60.6 million people, which equates to over 47% of the private workforce. The impact of the pandemic was hard on small businesses, but as the country begins recovering, CI&T's research shows the rebirth of small businesses presents an opportunity for banks to reform those partnerships. View the full report here. About CI&T CI&T is a digital solutions partner for some of the world's biggest companies, helping them drive growth and continuous innovation across business, people and technology. With operations across North America, Latin America, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific region, CI&T has a proven track record of delivering complex end-to-end solutions for the digital enterprise. For more information, visit www.ciandt.com. Media Contact Illume PR Stephanie wheeler [email protected] SOURCE CI&T Related Links http://www.ciandt.com Franklin served as President of Morehouse from 2007 to 2012 and is currently a Senior Advisor to the President of Emory University. He also is the James T. and Berta R. Laney Professor in Moral Leadership at Emory. Previously, he was the director of the interfaith religion department at Chautauqua Institution (2013-2017) and a visiting scholar at Stanford University (2013). He is also a presidential fellow for the Andrew Young Center for Global Leadership at Morehouse College. Franklin was the Presidential Distinguished Professor of Social Ethics at Emory University (2004-2007), where he provided leadership for a university-wide initiative titled "Confronting the Human Condition and the Human Experience" and was a senior fellow at the Center for the Study of Law and Religion at the law school. He provides commentary for the National Public Radio (NPR) program, "All Things Considered," and weekly commentary for Atlanta Interfaith Broadcasting Television. An insightful educator, Franklin has served on the faculties of the University of Chicago, Harvard Divinity School, Colgate-Rochester Divinity School and at Emory University's Candler School of Theology, where he gained a national reputation as director of Black Church Studies. He also has served as program officer in Human Rights and Social Justice at the Ford Foundation, and as an adviser to the foundation's president on future funding for religion and public life initiatives. Franklin also was invited by American film producer Jeffrey Katzenberg to prepare an online study guide for the congregational use of The Prince of Egypt, a DreamWorks film (1999). Franklin also served as an advisor to the History Channel's presentation titled, "The Bible" (2013). In 1997, Franklin assumed the presidency of the Interdenominational Theological Center (ITC), the graduate theological seminary of the Atlanta University Center consortium, and served until 2002. He served as Theologian in Residence for the 2005 season at the historic Chautauqua Institution. Franklin is the author of four books: Moral Leadership: Integrity, Courage, Imagination (2020); Crisis in the Village: Restoring Hope in African American Communities (2007); Another Day's Journey: Black Churches Confronting the American Crisis (1997); and Liberating Visions: Human Fulfillment and Social Justice in African American Thought (1990). He has co-authored (Don S. Browning, et. al.) a volume titled, From Culture Wars to Common Ground: Religion and the American Family Debate (2001). He also penned the foreword to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s, Letter from Birmingham Jail, reprinted by Trinity Forum in 2012. Franklin worked with three U.S. Presidents on various initiatives (President Clinton's "One America" Initiative; President Bush's "Faith Based Advisory Committee"; and President Obama's "My Brother's Keeper" Initiative. Active in a range of organizations, Franklin serves on the boards of the Salvation Army, the CNN Dialogues Advisory Committee, and NASA's 100-year Starship Project Advisory Board directed by former astronaut, Dr. Mae Jemison. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity (Kappa Boule). He is a member of the Atlanta Falcons Advisory Board; Atlanta Rotary Club; 100 Black Men of Atlanta; the 1999 class of Leadership Atlanta; the Leadership and Sustainability Institute Working Group (of the Open Society Foundation); and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. He has previously served on the boards of the Atlanta Regional Council for Higher Education (ARCHE); the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce; the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra (Executive Committee); the White House HBCU Capital Financing Advisory Board; the Atlanta Business League; and the Atlanta Mayoral Board of Service. Previously, he served on the boards of the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, Public Broadcasting of Atlanta, and Atlanta Interfaith Broadcasting. In 2000, Mayor Bill Campbell appointed him co-chair of Atlanta 2000, the city's official coordinating committee for Y2K activities and celebrations. He is the recipient of a Ford Foundation grant to examine religion in public life in Asia and produced NPR commentaries based on this research. He has also served as a consultant for the Annie E. Casey Foundation's work on alleviating poverty and strengthening fragile families. Franklin graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Morehouse in 1975 with a degree in political science and religion, and earned an M.Div. at Harvard Divinity School (1978). He was a 1973 English Speaking Union Scholar at the University of Durham, UK, and earned a doctorate in ethics and society, and religion and the social sciences from the University of Chicago in 1985. He is the recipient of honorary degrees from Bethune-Cookman University, Ursinus College, Bates College, University of New England, Centre College, Hampden Sydney College and Swarthmore College. About Washington & Jefferson College Washington & Jefferson College, proudly located in Washington, Pa., is a historic liberal arts college founded in 1781 that values ethical leadership, professional readiness, and inclusive communities. Our highly customized and intellectually engaging student experience develops professionals of uncommon integrity to lead in an ever-changing world. For more information about W&J, visit www.washjeff.edu, or call 888-W-AND-JAY. Contact: Erin Jones, 724-223-6535, [email protected] SOURCE Washington & Jefferson College Related Links www.washjeff.edu BOGOTA, Colombia, May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Ecopetrol S.A. (BVC: ECOPETROL;NYSE: EC) informs that, in line with the downgrade of the rating of the Republic of Colombia, the rating agency S&P Global Ratings downgraded the company's credit rating from BBB- (negative outlook) to BB+ (stable outlook). S&P Global Ratings maintained Ecopetrol's Stand-Alone rating (without incorporating government support) at bbb-. Ecopetrol is the largest company in Colombia and one of the main integrated oil and gas conglomerates in Latin America, with more than 13,000 employees. It accounts for more than 60% of the hydrocarbon production in Colombia, and it owns the largest refineries and most of the country's oil-pipelines and multi-purpose pipelines network. It also participates in the commercialization of energy and in the distribution of gas. At the international level, Ecopetrol focuses on strategic basins on the American continent, with E&P operations in the United States (the Permian basin and the Gulf of Mexico), Brazil and Mexico. This press release contains statements relating to business prospects, estimates of operating and financial results, and Ecopetrol's growth prospects. All are projections, and therefore are based solely on management's expectations of the company's future and its continuous access to capital to finance its sales plan. Achieving these estimates in the future depends on its performance under given market conditions, regulations, competition, the performance of the Colombian economy and industry, and other factors; therefore, they are subject to change without prior notice. For further details, please contact: Head of Capital Markets Tatiana Uribe Benninghoff Phone: +571-234-5190 Email: [email protected] Media Engagement (Colombia) Jorge Mauricio Tellez Phone: + 571-234-4329 Email: [email protected] SOURCE Ecopetrol S.A. Related Links http://www.ecopetrol.com.co Local businesses, residents, and the Chamber of Commerce came out to show their support for the new location in this growing community. The attendees enjoyed music, giveaways, and special treats from Kona Ice the mobile shaved ice company. The staff also provided office tours to the guests to showcase the office's unique decor, which was designed to honor the long-standing history of the city's annual Hot Air Balloon Festival. Pediatric Specialists Matthew Zimmer, DMD, Kaitlin Valerio, DDS, and David E. Thome, DDS, performed the ceremonial ribbon cutting. "It's amazing to see the community come together to celebrate our official grand reopening and the unveiling of our new building," said Dr. Matthew Zimmer. "We now have an office that is bigger and can see more patients. We have new technology that we have brought in, and we are excited to celebrate with everyone." Statesville Pediatric Dentistry's mission is to provide quality care to every guest and patient through attentiveness, open communication, and education. The pediatric dental practice is suited to create a unique experience for all guests and patients, from its contemporary interiors to its up-to-date equipment. About Matthew Zimmer, DMD Dr. Matthew Zimmer, a Board-Certified Pediatric Dentist of over seven years, strives for perfection and works tirelessly to educate patients on good overall dental health and proper dental hygiene. He is an expert in his field and has served as a trusted local source for dental-related topics and needs throughout the community. Dr. Matthew Zimmer is a Diplomat of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry, a member of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, and the American Dental Society. To learn more about Dr. Matthew Zimmer, read his biography at StatesvillePediatricDentistry.com/ About David E. Thome, DDS, FAAPD Dr. David E. Thome, a Board-Certified Pediatric Dentist of over 19 years, strives to make every child's visit an enjoyable experience to help them and their parents understand the essentials for building good oral health. In 2019, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) renewed Dr. David E. Thome's fellowship and membership status, FAAPD. This fellowship honors and recognizes pediatric specialists who go above and beyond in the field of pediatric dentistry and organized dentistry. Dr. David E. Thome also serves as a Diplomate to the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry. To learn more about Dr. David E. Thome, read his biography at NCPediatricdentistry.com/David-Thome/. About Kaitlin Valerio, DDS As a pediatric dentist, Dr. Valerio strives to create a safe, fun, and inviting environment for her patients and their families. Her energetic and passionate personality allows her patients to feel comfortable so she can provide the best care possible. Dr. Kaitlin Valerio is a proud member of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and the American Dental Association. To learn more about Dr. Kaitlin Valerio, read her biography at StatesvillePediatricDentistry.com/. About Statesville Pediatric Dentistry Statesville Pediatric Dentistry is a trusted pediatric dental practice with a modern approach to oral care. Based on a genuinely patient-centered model, Statesville Pediatric Dentistry is just as dedicated to the community as it is to its patients through the support of various local and regional charitable organizations. Statesville Pediatric Dentistry is a proud affiliate of NC Pediatric Dentistry. Press Contact: Denica Harrell 980-223-2607 https://statesvillepediatricdentistry.com SOURCE Statesville Pediatric Dentistry Related Links https://statesvillepediatricdentistry.com GREENVILLE, S.C., May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Academy of Thermology (AAT), the nation's premier medical thermology organization whose mission is to promulgate the use of infrared imaging into clinical medicine, announces the creation of three new platforms which will utilize a DICOM format to standardize acquisition. These innovations will allow the application of artificial intelligence within the field of medical thermology. The intent is to enhance sensitivity, specificity, and the clinical utility of infrared imaging to improve patient outcomes within the health care industry. The Artificial Intelligence Infrared (AIIR) Imaging Alliance will share resources for the enhancement of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine learning (ML), and Software as a Medical Device (SaMD) in medical thermology. The AAT IIRR provides a platform that contains the tools necessary for the creation of AAT compliant medical thermology reports, and the support structure needed to accomplish the same. The OEM & Business program is directed toward OEM's & Businesses that desire to have medical input into thermographic equipment, software, or clinical decision making. The AAT has created the AIIR committee along with its sister organizations: The Association of Brazilian Thermography (ABRATERM) and the Korean Society of Thermology, and The Data Center for Korean Body Temperature. As a result of this alliance, we have access to a large stable of studies for machine learning. Each committee is already active. The AIIR committee is starting out with the creation of a new medial thermology DICOM compatible protocol for facial studies. The IIRR committee plays in integral role in the creation of AAT compliant protocols, the first of which is also for facial studies. The OEM & Business Liaison Ambassador committee is engaged with interpreting physicians, entrepreneurs, OEM's and business leaders to integrate, trouble shoot and help businesses incorporate AI compliant technology into their business models. The AAT believes the potential for significant advancement of the medical thermology industry is right in front of us and hopes use its expertise and resources to help lead the way. For further information visit aathermology.org. About the American Academy of Thermology The American Academy of Thermology is a 501c(3) that promulgates the scientific application of medical thermology. The AAT was founded in 1971 and is a multi-disciplinary organization that promotes education, research and the clinical application of medical infrared imaging. Contact Robert Schwartz, MD Chairman of the Board, American Academy of Thermology 864-236-1073 [email protected] SOURCE American Academy of Thermology Related Links https://aathermology.org A descendant of the Holy Last Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), El Sheikh Gillani was the Sufi Master of the Qadri Order, Spiritual Custodian of the Shrine of Hazrat Mian Mir, Spiritual Guide of The Muslims of America Inc. (TMOA) and the 6th Sultan of Awliya. The humanitarian work of El Sheikh Gillani spans many decades, beginning in the early 1960's with the creation of the Climbers Club of Pakistan, that promoted character-building through adventure, a concept continued internationally till present. The 1970's saw El Sheikh Gillani developing the El Gillani Methodology (EGM) in Taif, Saudi Arabia at the request of King Fahad (then Crown Prince), in order to provide the World Health Organization (WHO) with an alternative methodology for treating incurable mental and physical diseases. EGM is a methodology scientifically demonstrated before a panel of researchers from 8 countries, under the auspices of WHO, in a psychiatric research institute in Saudi Arabia. EGM is currently being practiced on a clinical level internationally. In 1980, guided and inspired by Almighty Allah, El Sheikh Gillani journeyed to the United States, where he found a community of oppressed African American Muslims who were searching for a sincere mentor and religious instructor. El Sheikh Gillani was accepted as their spiritual guide. He provided the American Muslims with a thorough Islamic education and social uplifting. He founded TMOA and established a civil, moral and societal code of living based on equality and justice. El Sheikh Gillani developed self-sufficient villages throughout North America and the Caribbean, in which 4 generations of educated citizens contribute to society as teachers, doctors, attorneys, engineers, social workers etc. The funeral prayer for El Sheikh Gillani was held at Mian Mir Shrine, Lahore and was also offered in absentia internationally. El Sheikh Gillani was buried in Gillaniville, Lahore. Contact: Muhammad Matthew Gardner TMOA Public Relations Director Phone: 1 (434) 352-1166 Email: [email protected] SOURCE The Muslims of America Inc. DUBLIN, May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Global and China Flying Car Industry Report, 2020-2026" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. This report analyses eVTOL ((Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing) from the perspective of status quo, trends, business models, financing, the layout of major players, and product solutions. Morgan Stanley predicts that the flying car market will reach $320 billion by 2030. Compared with traditional cars and aircrafts, eVTOL has gradually materialized, featuring zero emission, low cost, point-to-point low-altitude flight (short mobility time without geographical restrictions), vertical take-off and landing, land and aerial applications. For example, EHang 216 with multi-rotor electric vertical take-off and landing is used as an ambulance in the coronavirus crisis. Investors favor urban air mobility (UAM). The total financing of the three unicorns exceeds $1.5 billion By 2030, 60% of the population will migrate into cities, which may pose enormous pressure on urban ground transportation. By then, the demand for urban aerial short-distance mobility will increase significantly. Flying cars have been favored by many investors due to the broad application prospects. Larry Page, cofounder and CEO of Alphabet, Google's parent company, was among the first to recognize their potentials, personally funding three companies, Zee Aero, Opener and Kitty Hawk. Particularly, Sebastian Thrun, Google's self-driving team founder turned CEO of flying vehicle startup Kitty Hawk. This indicates the trend of the mobility market: the future transportation may develop in the sky. Among the three flying car unicorns, Joby Aviation is from the United States, Volocopter and Lilium are from Germany. Joby Aviation has raised the overwhelming USD820 million. Volocopter has announced the signing of their Series D funding round, and its investors include Geely, Daimler, Geely, Daimler, DB Schenker, Intel Capital, etc. Currently, 5 flying car models have been mass-produced. Electrification and autonomous driving are the mainstream American companies (accounting for nearly 50%) are the most enthusiastic about developing flying cars, followed by Chinese companies. Many companies aim to materialize flying cars around 2025. Five flying car projects have seen mass production, and 38% have realized automation. Automotive technology and aviation technology are merging with each other. Benefiting from the development of automotive electrification, flying cars have a progress in endurance. For example, Airbus Vahana eVTOL has a range of up to 50 kilometers, which basically enables urban short-distance mobility. Amid many participants, Geely, Xpeng, Hyundai and other OEMs have deployed the market Currently, traditional airlines such as Boeing, Airbus, Bell, etc. have embarked on flying car projects. Technology companies follow suit. For example, Uber has established Uber Elevate to develop flying taxis with 9 partners including Embraer, Aurora Flight Sciences, Jaunt Air Mobility, etc. The CEO of the OEM Xpeng recently stated that it will build flying cars in 2021. Geely completed its acquisition of the US flying-car startup Terrafugia, and invested in Volocopter, a German electric flying taxi R&D company, demonstrating its ambition to deploy UAM. Recently, Transition (TF-1), a subsidiary of Geely, obtained the world's first special airworthiness certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), USA. The United States, Germany, China, South Korea, Japan and many other countries have paid attention to the concept of flying cars, and many of them have formulated UAM development plans. Affected by favorable policies, insufficient urban road traffic space, autonomous driving and the development of 5G communication technology, flying cars are expected to become an important way of smart mobility in the future. Key Topics Covered: 1. Overview of Flying Cars 1.1 Definition 1.2 Classification 1.3 Development History 1.4 Features and Advantages 1.5 Comparison of Autonomous Flying Cars, UAVs and Shared Cars 1.6 Technology 1.7 Grades of Autonomous Flying Car Technology 1.8 Development of eVTOL Technology 1.9 Applications 2. Global and Chinese Flying Car Market 2.1 Status Quo 2.2 Laws and Regulations 2.3 Development Plan in Japan 2.4 Development Plan in South Korea 2.5 Development Plan in Europe and America 2.6 Development Plan in China 2.7 Market Size 2.8 Competitive Landscape 2.8.1 Parameter Comparison of Flying Cars in Mass Production 2.8.2 Financing 2.8.3 Financing Ranking 2.8.4 Cooperation between Domestic and Foreign OEMs and Technology Companies 2.9 Business and Management Models 2.10 Key Challenges 2.11 Development Trends 3. Airlines Which Lay out Flying Car Field 3.1 Boeing 3.1.1 Profile 3.1.2 Flying Car Prototype: PAV and CAV 3.1.3 Flying Car Prototype: Parameter Comparison of PAV and CAV 3.1.4 Flying Car Layout Schedule 3.2 Airbus 3.2.1 Profile 3.2.2 Development History of Vahana 3.2.3 Technical Parameters of Vahana 3.2.4 Development History of Flying Car Project 3.2.5 Technical Parameters of Flying Cars 3.2.6 Cooperation and Development Plan in the UAM Field 3.3 Bell 3.3.1 Profile 3.3.2 Parameter Comparison of Air Taxis 3.3.3 Cooperation and Development Plan in the UAM Field 3.4 MuYu Aero Technology 3.4.1 Profile 3.4.2 Air, Land and Sea Flying Car 3.4.3 Air, Land and Sea Flying Car: Parameters 3.4.4 Air, Land and Sea Flying Car: Parameters and Development Plan 3.5 Embraer 3.5.1 Profile 3.5.2 UAM Aircraft 3.6 AVIC 3.6.1 Profile 4. Flying Car Manufacturers 4.1 Volocopter 4.1.1 Profile 4.1.2 Main Investors 4.1.3 Development History 4.1.4 eVTOL Industry Chain 4.1.5 Parameters and Layout Plan 4.1.6 Commercial Operation and Layout Plan 4.2 AeroMobil 4.2.1 Profile 4.2.2 Flying Car 4.2.3 Parameters of AeroMobil 4.0 4.2.4 Commercialization 4.3 Lillium 4.3.1 Profile 4.3.2 Lilium Jet 4.3.3 Development Roadmap of Lilium Jet 4.4 SkyDrive 4.4.1 Profile 4.4.2 Development History 4.4.3 Partners 4.4.4 Parameters 4.4.5 Commercialization Roadmap 4.4.6 Application Scenarios 4.5 Joby Aviation 4.5.1 Profile 4.5.2 Financing 4.5.3 Development History of Joby Aviation 4.5.4 Joby Aviation S4 4.5.5 Commercialization Roadmap of Joby Aviation 4.5.6 Joby Aviation Acquired Uber Elevate 4.6 PAL-V 4.6.1 Profile 4.6.2 PAL-V Liberty 4.6.3 Parameters of PAL-V Liberty 4.7 Kitty Hawk 4.7.1 Profile 4.7.2 Kitty Hawk 4.7.3 Parameters of Heaviside 4.8 Opener 4.8.1 Profile 4.8.2 Development History of Opener 4.8.3 Parameters of Blackfly 4.9 EHang 4.9.1 Profile 4.9.2 Development History of Flying Cars 4.9.3 Flying Car Certification 4.9.4 Financing 4.9.5 Parameters of Autonomous Aircrafts 4.9.6 Capacity Expansion Plan in China 4.9.7 UAM Ecosystem Layout 5. Automakers and Technology Companies Which Lay out the Flying Car Field 5.1 Geely 5.1.1 Profile 5.1.2 Development History of Transition 5.1.3 Parameters of Transition 5.1.4 Geely invested in Volocopter 5.2 Xpeng 5.2.1 Profile 5.2.2 Traveler T1 5.3 Hyundai 5.3.1 Profile 5.3.2 Parameters of S-A1 5.3.3 Hyundai and Urban Airport Cooperate to Build Flying Car Airports 5.3.4 Future Smart Mobility Vision 5.4 General Motors 5.4.1 Flying Car Layout 5.5 Aston Martin 5.5.1 Flying Car Layout 5.6 Porsche 5.6.1 Flying Car Layout 5.7 Toyota 5.7.1 Flying Car Layout 5.8 Daimler 5.8.1 Flying Car Layout 5.9 Uber 5.9.1 Profile 5.9.2 Partners of Uber Elevate 5.9.3 Business Models of Uber Elevate For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/crlpki 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 ELK CITY, Idaho, May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Therapeutic Solutions International, Inc., (OTC Markets: TSOI), announced today new data and patent filing demonstrating that the FDA cleared drug, lithium carbonate, substantially augments the scar inhibiting activity of its licensed JadiCell universal donor stem cell therapy. Furthermore, the data reveals that the JadiCell was superior to other stem cells at inhibiting development of lung scarring in the bleomycin model of pulmonary fibrosis. "After patients recover from COVID-19 approximately one-third of those who were hospitalized develop long-term scarring of the lung,1" said Dr. James Veltmeyer, Chief Medical Officer of the Company. "There are no known treatments for this condition, and in some cases its progression leads to continuous deterioration in lung function. We are currently developing the JadiCell for treatment of acute lung failure. The data disclosed today suggests the possibility of expanding the use of JadiCell to address post-COVID lung failure, a condition which appears to be rising exponentially." The use of JadiCells for treatment of lung pathology and COVID-19 is exclusively licensed and owned by Therapeutic Solutions International. In an FDA double blind, placebo controlled clinical trial the JadiCell was successful at substantially improving survival in end-stage patients with COVID-19 associated acute lung failure2. Specifically, treatment was associated with significantly improved patient survival (91% vs 42%, P = .015), Serious Adverse Event-free survival (P = .008), and time to recovery (P = .03). The Company plans to initiate a phase III pivotal registration trial and seek marketing approval for use of JadiCell in acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and other lung diseases. "There are at least 660,000 patients suffering from post-COVID lung fibrosis if you look at the CDC statistics reporting over 2,000,000 COVID-19 related hospitalizations,3" stated Famela Ramos, Vice President of Business Development for the Company. "To our knowledge Therapeutic Solutions International is the only Clinical Stage Cell Therapy company aggressively addressing not only the acute lung failure associated with COVID-19, but also its long-term consequences." "The findings reported today are an excellent example of the cross-fertilization occurring between our Company and our Spin-off Campbell Neurosciences," said Timothy Dixon, President and CEO of Therapeutic Solutions International. "Who would have thought that a neurological acting drug, lithium carbonate, which is sold under the names Lithobid and Eskalith, would have such potent ability to program stem cells to reduce scarring? These sorts of discoveries are only possible when scientific groups of diverse interest are brought together and provided resources to let their imagination run rampant." About Therapeutic Solutions International, Inc. Therapeutic Solutions International is focused on immune modulation for the treatment of several specific diseases. The Company's corporate website is www.therapeuticsolutionsint.com, and our public forum is https://board.therapeuticsolutionsint.com/ 1 Post COVID-19 fibrosis, an emerging complicationof SARS-CoV-2 infection (nih.gov) 2 Umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells for COVID19 acute respiratory distress syndrome: A doubleblind, phase 1/2a, randomized controlled trial - Lanzoni - 2021 - STEM CELLS Translational Medicine - Wiley Online Library 3 COVID Data Tracker Weekly Review | CDC [email protected] SOURCE Therapeutic Solutions International Related Links therapeuticsolutionsint.com DALLAS, May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Tuesday Morning Corporation (OTCQX: TUEM), a leading off-price retailer of home goods and decor, today announced that Mr. Marc Katz, has been named Interim Chief Financial Officer, effective immediately. Mr. Katz is a well-respected financial leader with a proven history of optimizing financial growth for retail businesses. The announcement follows the recent appointment of Mr. Fred Hand as Tuesday Morning's Chief Executive Officer and Board Member, who joined the Company on May 17, 2021. Mr. Hand stated, "I am very excited to welcome Marc to the team. At Burlington, he was an experienced and well-respected leader with a track record of creating value and financial opportunities. His expertise will be invaluable to our operations in addition to assisting us conduct our search for our permanent CFO." Mr. Katz worked at Burlington Stores Inc. from 2008 through 2019 with his last position being Chief Financial Officer/Principal. During his tenure at Burlington, Marc oversaw finance, information technology, supply chain, asset protection and legal. Prior to his eleven years at Burlington, Mr. Katz served as Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President of A.C. Moore Arts & Crafts and Chief Information Officer and Senior Vice President at Foot Locker, Inc. He received a Master's of Business Administration from St. Louis University and an undergraduate degree from the University of Missouri-St. Louis. As Interim CFO, Mr. Katz will lead Tuesday Morning's finance organization and will be responsible for accounting, treasury, tax, and financial planning. "I look forward to once again working with Fred, as well as the entire Tuesday Morning organization," said Mr. Katz. Grant Inducement Awarded to Chief Executive Officer Following Recent Appointment In connection with the appointment of Fred Hand as the Company's Chief Executive Officer, on May 19, 2021, the Company granted to Mr. Hand an award of 1,538,462 time-based restricted stock units (the "RSUs") and an award of 1,230,769 performance-based restricted stock units (the "PSUs," and together with the RSUs, the "Inducement Grants") as an inducement material to Mr. Hand's acceptance of employment with the Company. The RSUs generally will vest in equal annual installments over three years following the grant date, subject to Mr. Hand's continued service with the Company. The PSUs are subject to both time-based and performance-based vesting and only fully vest when both time-based and performance-based vesting conditions are met. The PSUs time vest as follows: 20% on the 36-month anniversary of grant date, 30% on the 42-month anniversary of the grant date, 40% on the 48-month anniversary of the grant date, 5% on the 54-month anniversary of the grant date, and 5% on the 60-month anniversary of the grant date, in each case, subject to Mr. Hand's continued service with the Company. The PSUs are divided into three equal tranches (Tranches A, B, and C), each of which will performance vest if the value of the Company's common stock equals or exceeds a specified threshold for a period of 30 consecutive trading days as follows: Tranche A, $6.00 per share; Tranche B, $9.00 per share; and Tranche C, $12.00 per share. The Inducement Grants were approved by the Company's Board of Directors and will be issued outside of the Company's 2014 Long-Term Incentive Plan. The Company operates 490 stores in 40 states providing a solid footprint for future growth. It continues to provide a consistently attractive product mix of name-brand, high-quality products for the home at favorable prices for consumers. About Tuesday Morning Tuesday Morning Corporation (OTCQX: TUEM) is one of the original off-price retailers specializing in name-brand, high-quality products for the home, including upscale home textiles, home furnishings, housewares, gourmet food, toys and seasonal decor, at prices generally below those found in boutique, specialty and department stores, catalogs and on-line retailers. Based in Dallas, Texas, the Company opened its first store in 1974 and currently operates 490 stores in 40 states. More information and a list of store locations may be found on the Company's website at www.tuesdaymorning.com . MEDIA: [email protected] SOURCE Tuesday Morning Corporation DUBLIN, May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "A Maturing U.S. Neo-Bank Market: Growing Pains and Opportunities" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. A Maturing U.S. Neo-Bank Market: Growing Pains and Opportunities, discusses the neo-bank market in the U.S. and predicts what the future may hold for these companies. Since their inception, neo-banks have attracted large customer bases and significant venture capital backing. Their approach to the business of banking is markedly different than traditional financial institutions, and some are rightfully wary of the threat they represent. Still, neo-banks themselves face numerous challenges - regulatory, financial, and otherwise. "The future is uncertain for neo-banks. Powerful new entrants are seeking a share of the neo-bank market. Venmo - owned by PayPal - is increasingly pursuing banking functions, and Walmart has expressed its intent to expand into the market as well. More important, neo-banks will need to find their own pathways to profitability. With their emphasis on limited fees and focus on bank accounts and debit products, neo-banks, for the most part, are not generating large profits," comments Laura Handly, market research analyst and author of the report. Highlights of the report include: Analysis of trends within the U.S. neo-bank market and discussion of the effect that the Covid-19 pandemic has had. Mapping of five different segments of digital banking and examination of the ways in which neo-banks are distinct from the other four segments. Review of the banking charters available to neo-banks, with examples of companies that have chosen each type. Assessment of the primary threats facing neo-banks, including heightened competition, consolidation within the market, and stricter regulations. Predictions for the future of the neo-banking market, including trends towards greater personalization and the pursuit of profits. Key Topics Covered: 1. Executive Summary 2. Introduction 3. Trends in Neo-Banking 4. Five Segments of Digital Banking Full service online banks Premium deposit harvesters Brokerage and insurance-owned online banks Online divisions of diversified banks Fintechs and bank partners 5. The Banking Charter Challenge 6. Different Charters Available for Neo-Banks National banking charter Individual state charters Industrial Loan Company charter Federal special purpose national banking charter Payments charter Purchase a pre-existing financial institution with its own charter 7. What Does the Future Hold? Powerful new entrants Consolidation within the neo-bank market Trends towards greater personalization Exposure to new regulations Search for profits 8. Conclusion 9. References Companies Mentioned Ally Bank Aspiration Axos Bank Bancorp Bank Barclays BVVA CapitalOne 360 Charles Schwab Cheese Chime Choice Bank Daylight Douugh E*Trade Evolve First Boulevard Golden Pacific Community Bank Goldman Sachs Green Dot JPMorgan Chase MetaBank Middlesex Federal Savings Bank N26 PayPal PNC Bank Simple Bank SoFi Synchrony The Clearing House Varo Bank Venmo Wal-Mart For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/st9jwt 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 DUBLIN, May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "PreK-12 Policy & Budget Outlook, 2021-2022" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. PreK-12 Policy & Budget Outlook, 2021-2022 provides information and analysis on U.S. K-12 funding and policy. Also provided is information on how the COVID-19 pandemic is impacting funding at the federal and state levels and how the pandemic is changing policy, including accelerating the trend toward technology-based learning. Other trends covered include the push for school choice, attempts to address school climate issues, the boom in career and technical education and the momentum to teach computer science. A main source of the data is the U.S. Department of Education with additional information from state education departments and government websites. Other sources tapped for information include Child Trends, Funds for Learning, the National Association of State Budget Officers, and the U.S. Census Bureau. The information and analysis contained in PreK-12 Policy & Budget Outlook, 2021-2022 is intended to help developers and marketers of instructional technology, educational content and school services learn more about the current state of K-12 policy and funding so they can sharpen their planning. Funding and the policies that drive its allocation are important considerations for providers of instructional resources to consider as they market current products and develop future offerings. Key Topics Covered: Introduction Policy & Funding History Policy & Funding in the ESSA Era Funding Biden on Education When Candidate Reopening Schools: A New Policy Area Annual Exams Required, Some Flexibility Federal Funding Continues to Rise Education Department Appropriations, FY2019-FY2021 (selected K-12, $ in millions) Pandemic Leads to CARES Act Rethink K-12 Part of CARES Act More Funding from Second Stimulus Selected Approved Rethink K-12 Education State Plan Highlights, 2020 American Rescue Plan Provides Another Wave of K-12 Funding COVID-19 Relief Education Funding ($ in billions) Title I's 50 Largest Allocations 50 Largest Title I Allocations to LEAs, FY2019 ($ in thousands) Support for Classroom Connectivity E-Rate Applicants Value the Program Moving the Bar on Connectivity Needs Connectivity for Homes as Well as Schools E-rate to Support Cybersecurity Trends Winning Federal & State Support Promoting the Switch to Digital Computer Science Moving from Elective to Requirement States with State Plan for Computer Science Education High Schools Teaching Computer Science States that Require High Schools to Offer Computer Science Education Career and Technical Education Booms Selected Approved Perkins Career & Technical Education State Plan Highlights, 2020 State Education Funding Overview Adoption States Influence Market & Offer Opportunities Per-Pupil Funding Varies by State & District Per Pupil Funding by State, FY 2018 Inequities in District-Level Funding 20 Largest School Districts & Per-Pupil Spending, FY2018 Fiscal 2021 Budgets Approved Amid Change Select States with FY2021 K-12 Initiatives or Funding Changes & 2020 Approval Dates For FY 2022, K-12 Support Takes New Forms New York California Florida Illinois Pennsylvania Georgia Michigan Texas For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/jce4iv 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 WASHINGTON, May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Department of Commerce today issued its preliminary determination in the second administrative review of softwood lumber imports from Canada, and once again confirmed that Canadian imports are heavily subsidized and dumped into the U.S. market by issuing a combined anti-subsidy and anti-dumping duty rate of 18.32%. "A level playing field is a critical element for continued investment and growth for U.S. lumber manufacturing to meet strong building demand to build more American homes," said Jason Brochu, U.S. Lumber Coalition Co-Chair and Co-President of Pleasant River Lumber Company. "The U.S. Lumber Coalition applauds the Commerce Department's continued commitment to strongly enforce the U.S. trade laws against subsidized and unfairly traded Canadian lumber imports." Since the trade cases against subsidized and unfairly traded Canadian softwood lumber imports were brought by the U.S. industry and initiated by the U.S. government in 2016, U.S. sawmill investment and capacity expansion has been robust, which has produced an additional 11 billion boardfeet of lumber over that period -- enough lumber to have built 730,000 single-family American homes. And more capacity-expansion is underway, creating more American jobs, not just in the mills themselves but also in typically rural communities that support those workers. "Any consideration of the value of the softwood lumber trade case to the U.S. economy must consider the lumber supply situation had this new capacity not been added since 2016," said Brochu. "More lumber being manufactured in America to meet domestic demand is a direct result of the trade enforcement, and we strongly urge the Administration to continue this enforcement." A level playing field is a critical element for continued growth of U.S. lumber manufacturing, the U.S. forestry industry, and its hundreds of thousands of workers, and thousands of communities across the United States. The U.S. industry remains open to a new U.S.Canada softwood lumber trade agreement if and when Canada can demonstrate that it is serious about negotiations. Until then, the U.S. Lumber Coalition fully supports the continued strong enforcement of the U.S. trade laws to address Canada's unfair softwood lumber trade practices. "More U.S. lumber being produced by U.S. workers to build U.S. homes is a win-win for America. Strong trade enforcement is creating long-term confidence in the U.S. sawmilling industry. This is exactly what must happen for further expansion of U.S. softwood lumber manufacturing and jobs," concluded Brochu. About the U.S. Lumber Coalition The U.S. Lumber Coalition is an alliance of large and small softwood lumber producers from around the country, joined by their employees, and woodland owners, working to address Canada's unfair lumber trade practices. Our goal is to serve as the voice of the American lumber community, and effectively address Canada's unfair softwood lumber trade practices, including its gross underpricing of timber. For more information, please visit the Coalition's website at www.uslumbercoalition.org. CONTACT: Zoltan van Heyningen [email protected] | 202-805-9133 SOURCE The U.S. Lumber Coalition SALT LAKE CITY, May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- USANA Health Sciences, Inc., and its subsidiary in ChinaBabyCare, Ltd.announced this week a research collaboration agreement with Beijing University of Chinese Medicine (BUCM), a well-known university in China. Under the agreement, USANA and BUCM will cooperatively research the field of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). The objective of this collaboration is to bring together modern nutritional science and TCM to improve the health and wellness of individuals and families around the world. USANA and Beijing University of Chinese Medicine sign research collaboration agreement USANA and BUCM will collaborate in several areas, including evaluating the effectiveness of TCM to replenish qi (an ancient Chinese healing art involving meditation), evaluating the effectiveness of TCM ingredients, creating new health products based on the concept of TCM, and developing targeted nutritional regimens for people of different body types. Under the agreement, USANA has the right to commercialize any nutritional/TCM products resulting from the collaboration. The collaboration will also promote mutual scholar and scientist visits, set up post-doctoral workstations, provide scholarships to TCM students at BUCM, and support the U.S. Center for Chinese Medicine established by BUCM. To celebrate this agreement, USANA and BUCM held a joint signing ceremony on May 19 with university and corporate officials including President of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine Dr. Xu Anlong, USANA CEO and Chairman of the Board Kevin Guest, USANA Chief Scientific Officer Dr. Rob Sinnott and USANA Chief Officer and Managing Director Brent Neidig. "Beijing University of Chinese Medicine is an educational base for cultivating high-level innovative Chinese medicine, a research powerhouse for knowledge and technological innovation in Chinese medicine, and a top-ranking Chinese medicine university in China," said BUCM President Dr. Xu Anlong. "Our mission is to promote global awareness and practice of Chinese medicine and to contribute to the development of human health and the progress of civilization." USANA CEO Kevin Guest explained how the research collaboration agreement is in line with the company's history and vision for the future. "Since USANA was founded, we have remained committed to quality, advancement in nutritional technology, and continuous scientific validation," he said. "With this agreement, USANA has set a clear vision and long-term strategy of bringing Traditional Chinese Medicine and the results of this collaboration into the growing health product market. We believe through the cooperation of BUCM and USANA, we will improve health and promote Chinese medicine around the world." About USANA USANA (NYSE:USNA) prides itself on providing consumers the highest quality nutritional products in the world. From its award-winning supplements to its innovative skincare line, USANA has proven for more than 25 years why it's a company you can trust. Media Contact: Ashley Collins Executive Vice President of Marketing (801) 954-7629 media(at)usanainc(dot)com SOURCE USANA Related Links http://www.usana.com A win-win: get vaccinated now to protect yourself and others & get the chance to fund your future through a scholarship. Tweet this "We are excited that Treasury's College Savings Plan can help with the effort to increase vaccination rates in Oregon," said State Treasurer Tobias Read. "This is a win-win: get vaccinated now to protect yourself and others, and get the chance to fund your future through a scholarship that can be used for higher education and job training." Scholarship prize dollars will be placed in Oregon College Savings Plan accounts with the Oregon Treasury serving as the account owner, and the individual prizewinner designated as the beneficiary. Accounts are simple to manage and flexible. Funds can be used at most U.S. higher education institutions and many abroad, including trade school, community college, and apprenticeships. "Managing these scholarships fits perfectly with the mission of the Oregon College Savings Plan," said Michael Parker, Executive Director for the Oregon Treasury Savings Network. "We are committed to making higher education more accessible and affordable to communities statewide by offering year-round incentives to make it easier for Oregonians to save and to save early." Popular Oregon College Savings Plan incentives include their Baby Grad and Kinder Grad programs, which provide a $25 match to accounts opened for a child before their first birthday and for Kindergartners. Oregon also offers a refundable tax credit (up to $300) for higher education savings, allowing more families to benefit from saving for college. The Oregon College Savings Plan is a state-sponsored higher education savings program that comes with special tax advantages and can be opened by just about anyone. Contact: Kasey Krifka [email protected] 503-431-7976 SOURCE Oregon College Savings Plan Related Links https://www.oregoncollegesavings.com/ LONDON, May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- My Personal Therapeutics Ltd. (trading as Vivan Therapeutics), a global leader in personalised cancer therapeutics and in-vivo high throughput drug screening, is pleased to announce the addition of Lilly Wollman to its distinguished board of directors. Vivan Therapeutics Lilly Wollman is a seasoned team-builder and entrepreneurial leader with a 20-year track record in finance and investing. Currently, she is pursuing an MPhil in Computational Biology from the University of Cambridge and is dedicated to a second career solving complex problems in human health through the application of data science and machine intelligence. She is currently a research intern in the CRUK Early Detection Programme and at the Milner Therapeutics Institute. Previously, she was in a leadership position at the foremost sustainability investment firm as partner and co-head of the Growth Equity platform for Generation Investment Management, the $25 billion investment firm founded by Al Gore and David Blood. She was responsible for the firm's investments in early-stage technology companies driving a transition to a sustainable economy and led a team of 20 individuals across the London and San Francisco offices. Lilly served as a member of the Board of Directors of Labstep, Sophia Genetics, Andela and Cibo Technologies. Before Generation, Lilly held investment roles at The Baupost Group, and Fortress Investment Group, where she worked in the special opportunities fund. Lilly started her career at Goldman Sachs in the Fixed Income, Currency and Commodities Division. Lilly graduated magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Dartmouth College with a BA in Mathematics and a minor in Classics. She received her MBA from INSEAD and her MSc in Finance from London Business School. Vivan Therapeutics' platform technology, the Personal Discovery Process, was developed at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, N.Y., and is now being used to provide treatment insights to patients and their clinicians. The Personal Discovery Process is a unique platform that enables screening of a vast array of molecules and combinations in disease-relevant patient models. Its growing data enables efficacy studies, evaluation of combinations, competitive profiling and rapid virtual clinical studies across numerous disease-relevant in-vivo models or custom-designed models. "I'm grateful for Lilly's contributions to Vivan's strategic growth to date and welcome Lilly's vast industry experience and leadership in helping us plot the course of our future development," said Laura Towart, CEO of Vivan Therapeutics. Lilly Wollman commented, "I am delighted to join the board of Vivan Therapeutics. Vivan is the only in-vivo cancer treatment modeling platform, uniquely capable of delivering high-throughput, personalised and combination therapy insights to medical practitioners, biopharma, and to aid drug discovery. With its focus on integrating machine learning and predictive toxicological screening, Vivan has the opportunity to dramatically reduce the time and cost of treatment and discovery for the benefit of patients and the life sciences ecosystem." About Vivan Therapeutics Ltd. Vivan Therapeutics offers personalised cancer therapeutics utilising technology developed at and in partnership with Mount Sinai Medical Center. We identify personalised cancer treatments for patients based on their tumour genetics. For each patient, we build a genetically matched fruit fly model of the tumour, which is used for large-scale drug screening to find novel and effective drug combinations. This platform can treat even difficult cancers with combinations of approved drugs. Nearly all combinations incorporate non-cancer drugs, making them less toxic and more affordable. Using our proprietary screening data, we are building a powerful AI-driven digital health tool, which can predict effective treatment options rapidly. Our in-vivo, high throughput drug screening platform is also used to power biopharma discovery and development. For more information please contact: Laura Towart / Founder & CEO [email protected] Related Images lilly-wollman.jpeg Lilly Wollman SOURCE Vivan Therapeutics Former owners of VIM Airlines declared bankrupt flickr.com/ Papas Dos 10:29 21/05/2021 MOSCOW, May 21 (RAPSI) The Moscow Commercial Court has declared ex-president of VIM Airlines Rashid Mursekayev and his wife Svetlana bankrupt, according to court records. The asset sale procedure has been introduced in their case for six months. In November 2020, the Basmanny District Court of Moscow issued an arrest warrant for co-owner of VIM Airlines Svetlana Mursekayeva in absentia on scale credit fraud charges. The court ruled that Mursekayeva should be placed in pretrial detention. As the defendant has been put on the international wanted list, the detention term is to make two months since the date she is apprehended within the territory of the Russian Federation, or since the date she is extradited to the national territory from abroad. Late in 2017, the Moscow Basmanny District Court arrested in absentia yet another co-owner of VIM Airlines, Rashid Mursekayev (husband of Svetlana Mursekayeva) on abuse of office charges. In May 2020, Mursekayev and his wife filed a cassation appeal against recovery of wages totaling to 28.9 million rubles (over $450,000) which had been paid in excess to them. In late December 2019, Mursekayev and his wife were ordered to return the overpaid funds. The court therefore declared salary orders as well as accounting and paying scale up wages registered in March 2017 invalid upon an application lodged by bankruptcy trustee Alexander Maksimov. Later, an appeals instance upheld the ruling. In July 2019, the court extended bankruptcy proceedings against VIM Airlines for six months upon a motion by Maksimov. In April 2019, he filed claims to recover over 7.5 million rubles (about $120,000) of overpaid salary and compensation for employment agreement termination from 17 ex-managers of the air carrier. He also demanded invalidation of salary orders as well as accounting and paying scale up wages from January 2018 to late March 2019 invalid and collection of compensation from the former managers. On September 26, 2018, the court declared VIM Airlines bankrupt on the request of the company RNGO. Earlier in August, the court granted an application filed by the company, including a 3 billion-ruble ($44 million) debt into the creditors demands list. On October 17, 2017, a criminal case was launched over premeditated bankruptcy of VIM Airlines. In September of the same year the court returned a bankruptcy claim against the airline back to the Deposit Insurance Agency (DIA). According to the court, due to the social tensions surrounding the activities of the airline, the applicant decided to recall the motion. Investigators believe that certain top managers and owners of the air carrier intentionally made losing bargains in 2016 and 2017 including those aimed at siphoning of assets abroad. The deals led to enormous financial outlay and undoubtedly resulted in the companys failure to pay debts to creditors in full. According to investigators, employees of VIM Airlines continued to sell tickets to clients despite being aware that the airline was not able to transfer passengers because there were not enough funds to buy fuel. Investigators believe that the employees embezzled more than one million rubles ($17,000). VIM Airlines CEO and chief accountant Alexander Kochnev and Yekaterina Panteleyeva have been arrested as part of the case. Co-owners of VIM Airlines Rashid Mursekayev and Svetlana Mursekayeva fled Russia and are currently residing abroad, according to investigators. Allegedly Mursekayev and Kalashnikova fled Russia to hide from investigative authorities. In December, the Basmanny District Court of Moscow issued an arrest warrant for Mursekayev in absentia. NEW YORK, May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Weber Shandwick, one of the world's leading global communications and marketing solutions firms, celebrated several wins across its network at the 2021 PRWeek Global Awards, held virtually on Thursday. The agency earned top honors across five categories, the most of any agency, including Campaign of the Year for Prime Weber Shandwick's work on "The Climate Store" campaign with client Felix, which also won Best Campaign in Europe (Outside UK). "Todos Pela Saude" with Itau Unibanco won Best Campaign in LATAM. "Amid the many complex challenges of 2020, our incredibly talented teams around the world went about solving the seemingly unsolvable delivering high-impact, high-value work when our clients needed it most," said Gail Heimann, president and CEO, Weber Shandwick. "The work honored, including Campaign of the Year, represents the breadth and depth of our boundary-pushing solutions and the real impact we can have on society's biggest challenges. These recognitions speak to the hard work, agility and relentless focus of our people and client partners." Two regional leaders also received top honors at the PRWeek Global Awards. Amanda Berenstein, CEO, Weber Shandwick Mexico and client leader, Latin America was named Best PR Professional in LATAM for her achievements leading one of the agency's fastest-growing offices and driving the development of its creative and digital offerings. In awarding the recognition, a PRWeek judge noted, "Amanda is a force in the Latin American market with a global outlook. She is an impressive individual, not just shown through her business acumen but her breadth of extra-curricular activities she is involved in." "Amanda has been foundational to Weber Shandwick's success in Mexico, building our operation into an award-winning industry leader in the region," said Laura Schoen, president, global healthcare practice and chair, Latin America, Weber Shandwick. "Her vision, global mindset and deep partnership with clients have been key drivers in making Weber Shandwick Mexico all that it is today." Ziad Hasbani, CEO, Weber Shandwick MENAT, was named Best PR Professional in Middle East in recognition for his innovative use of data and analytics as part of integrated communications strategies for clients in the region, as well as his focus on employee engagement. According to a PRWeek judge, "Ziad clearly has that rare ability to be both an effective leader who delivers business growth as well as being someone who empathetically understands what his clients and teams are going through. A great example of a PR professional who walks the walk." "Under Ziad's leadership, Weber Shandwick MENAT has built a formidable offer, consistently delivering a world class client experience that delivers measurable impact," said Susan Howe, chief growth officer, Weber Shandwick. "He is an innovative leader and true solver, always looking ahead to prepare our teams and clients for what's next." Weber Shandwick also received additional honors in these categories: Laura Schoen received a high commendation in the Global PR Professional Agency category. received a high commendation in the Global PR Professional Agency category. "Arresting the Spread of Covid in Asia's Largest Slum" by Weber Shandwick India with The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation received high commendations in two categories: Non-Profit and Issues and Crisis Largest Slum" by Weber Shandwick India with The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation received high commendations in two categories: Non-Profit and Issues and Crisis "'got milk?' 2.0" with the Milk Processor Education Program (MilkPEP) received a high commendation in the Product Brand Development category The 2021 PRWeek Global Awards follow several recent honors earned by Weber Shandwick. Earlier this year, the agency received the Platinum SABRE Award for Best in Show at PRovoke's 2021 North America SABRE Awards, was named PR Agency of the Year by Campaign U.S. and received an Honorable Mention in Gartner's Magic Quadrant for Global Marketing Agencies. In 2020, the firm was named PRovoke Global Agency of the Decade, PRovoke North America Agency of the Decade, PRWeek Purpose Agency of the Year and PRWeek U.S. Large Agency of the Year. Weber Shandwick was also named to Ad Age's 2020 Agency A-list the only communications firm to be included. About Weber Shandwick Weber Shandwick is a leading global communications network that delivers next-generation solutions to brands, businesses and organizations in major markets around the world. Led by world-class strategic and creative thinkers and activators, we have won some of the most prestigious awards in the industry. Weber Shandwick was named to Ad Age's Agency A-List in 2020 and Best Places to Work in 2019. Weber Shandwick was also honored as PRovoke's Global Agency of the Decade in 2020 and PRWeek's Global Agency of the Year in 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018. The firm earned 25 Lions at the 2019 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. Data-led, with earned ideas at the core, the agency deploys leading and emerging technologies to inform strategy, develop critical insights and heighten impact across sectors and specialty areas, including brand and B2B marketing, healthcare marketing, change management, employee engagement, corporate reputation, crisis management, data and analytics, technology, public affairs, social impact and financial communications. Weber Shandwick is part of the Interpublic Group (NYSE: IPG). For more information, visit http://www.webershandwick.com Contact: Jill Tannenbaum Company: Weber Shandwick Phone: 212-546-7815 Email: [email protected] SOURCE Weber Shandwick Related Links http://webershandwick.com DUBLIN, May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Surgical Lights Market - Forecasts from 2021 to 2026" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The surgical lights market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 5.75% to reach US$1,086.111 million in 2026 from US$734.793 million in 2019. Surgical light is a medical device used for assisting doctors and surgeons to perform surgical procedures by helping in illuminating the area where surgery is to be performed. Surgical lights are also known as operating lights or surgical overheads. It is mostly a combination of several lights and accessories. The demand for surgical lights is growing due to an increase in the number of hospitals, growth in the number of surgeries, a growing global aging population, and the rising prevalence of lifestyle diseases. Rising investments in healthcare infrastructure, especially in developing economies. Hospitals are focusing on providing better healthcare facilities and equipping hospitals with the best of devices and technology for improving health care services is boosting the market growth of surgical lights. Supportive government policies and initiatives such as exemptions from taxes and duties for imported medical systems and drugs and subsidized rates for hospital establishments, to improve the country's health facilities are further contributing to the market growth of surgical lights globally. The increasing standards and regulatory approvals required from the government for operating room equipment are also growing the market for surgical lights as manufacturers are increasingly investing to expand their product portfolio as per regulatory standards across different regions or countries. Integra LifeSciences introduced a new Codman in April 2019 a specialty surgical product, including Integra Duo, LED surgical headlight. The growing geriatric population, due to the adoption of a better lifestyle, availability of better health facilities, and declining birth rate, is another factor that is positively impacting the market growth of surgical lights. According to the World Bank Data, the population ages 65 and above of the total population have increased from 7.49% in 2008 to 8.87% in 2018. Since aged people go through a relatively more number of surgeries, this continuous rise in the aging population will increase the demand for surgeries, thereby leading to the market growth of surgical lights during the forecast period. Major players of the surgical lights market include Hill-Rom Services Inc., Stryker, Getinge AB, Steris plc, Skytron, LLC, Shenzhen Mindray Bio-Medical Electronics Co., Ltd, S.I.M.E.O.N. Medical GmbH & Co. KG, Signify Holding, Engineered Medical Solutions Company, LLC d/b/a/ BihlerMed, and Integra LifeSciences Corporation Market Drivers The demand for surgical lights is increasing due to the rise in the number of surgical procedures. Further, the increasing regulatory approvals for the operating room equipment to offer better patient care across the various healthcare facilities are expected to drive the demand for surgical lights during the forecasted period. The key drivers of the surgical market include a rise in the number of accidents, increasing technological advancement, and the growth in the geriatric population. According to the recent advancement in the market, the LED lights are increasingly used due to their lesser tendency to burn the tissue by the heat generated when used for a longer duration. The rise in the product availability, accessibility of the healthcare facilities, and the high demand for well-equipped operating rooms by healthcare professionals and surgeons especially in the emerging regions are further expected to augment the market of the surgical lights. The expansion of the advanced healthcare facilities is another key driving factor of the market of the surgical lights. The healthcare system in the emerging economies is witnessing an influx of private players entering directly or through Public-Private-Partnership (PPPs) which is augmenting demand for the advanced healthcare facilities in these countries. The initiatives adopted by the government of China and India to offer advanced healthcare, increasing investment in the various healthcare institutions, and the subsidies provided to the organizations for the investment in the medical facilities. Also, the rise in the number of cardiovascular, dental surgeons, and neurological are increasing the usage of the surgical lights as the advanced led lights have a longer life cycle thus leading to the faster replacement of the lights in the operating rooms Segment Analysis The surgical lights market is segmented as LED Lights and Halogen Lights by type. LED is observed to hold a considerable market share as these offer long-term cost reduction, quantity and quality of the illumination and the adequate intensity of illumination is leading to increasing preference for the LED in the healthcare settings. The increase in demand is motivating the market players to offer advanced products. The introduction of the advanced LED lights has operational benefits over the halogen lights which is proving to be instrumental and is attracting demand by surgeons and other key decision-makers. While by application the surgical lights market is classified as Cardiac Surgery, Neurosurgery, Oncology, Gynaecological Surgery, ENT Surgery, and others. Cardiac surgery is estimated to hold a significant share in the market of the surgical lights by application and is expected to continue its dominance during the forecasted period. According to the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), heart disease is one of the leading causes of death for both women and men in the USA. One person dies every 37 seconds due to cardiovascular disease and around 647,000 Americans die from heart disease every year. The surgical lights market by end-users is segmented as hospital operating rooms, ambulatory surgical centers, and others. Hospital operating rooms are dominating the market of the surgical lights majorly due to the rising investment in building and expanding new hospitals in different regions, exponential growth in the advanced healthcare facilities in the countries including China, UAE, India, and Saudi Arabia. The rapidly developing hospital infrastructure including technologies and medical devices especially during pandemic is expected to drive the demand for surgical lights during the forecasted period. The ambulatory surgical center is expected to witness higher growth during the forecasted period as the patients are preferring their surgery in ambulatory surgical centers than in hospitals to avoid costly hospital bills. COVID-19 Impact The outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic has impacted every industry including healthcare. The lockdown that followed the pandemic and the change in the priority to the covid-19 patients affected the surgery-associated market for the patients dealing with the severe diseases and the patients going through resultant surgeries. Most of the countries with most cases of the covid-19 transformed their hospital beds to the covid-19 wards. This significantly impacted and reduced the number of dental, gynecological, cardiovascular, and other types of surgeries. Key Topics Covered: 1. Introduction 2. Research Methodology 3. Executive Summary 4. Market Dynamics 4.1. Market Drivers 4.2. Market Restraints 4.3. Porters Five Forces Analysis 4.3.1. Bargaining Power of Suppliers 4.3.2. Bargaining Power of Buyers 4.3.3. Threat of New Entrants 4.3.4. Threat of Substitutes 4.3.5. Competitive Rivalry in the Industry 4.4. Industry Value Chain Analysis 5. Global Surgical Lights Market Analysis, By Type 5.1. Introduction 5.2. LED Lights 5.3. Halogen Lights 6. Global Surgical Lights Market Analysis, By Application 6.1. Introduction 6.2. Cardiac Surgery 6.3. Neurosurgery 6.4. Oncology 6.5. Gynaecological Surgery 6.6. ENT Surgery 6.7. Other 7. Global Surgical Lights Market Analysis, By End-User 7.1. Introduction 7.2. Hospital Operating Rooms 7.3. Ambulatory Surgical Centers 7.4. Others 8. Global Surgical Lights Market Analysis, By Geography 8.1. Introduction 8.2. North America 8.2.1. North America Surgical Lights Market Analysis, By Type 8.2.2. North America Surgical Lights Market Analysis, By Application 8.2.3. North America Surgical Lights Market Analysis, By End-User 8.2.4. By Country 8.2.4.1. United States 8.2.4.2. Canada 8.2.4.3. Mexico 8.3. South America 8.3.1. South America Surgical Lights Market Analysis, By Type 8.3.2. South America Surgical Lights Market Analysis, By Application 8.3.3. South America Surgical Lights Market Analysis, By End-User 8.3.4. By Country 8.3.4.1. Brazil 8.3.4.2. Argentina 8.3.4.3. Others 8.4. Europe 8.4.1. Europe Surgical Lights Market Analysis, By Type 8.4.2. Europe Surgical Lights Market Analysis, By Application 8.4.3. Europe Surgical Lights Market Analysis, By End-User 8.4.4. By Country 8.4.4.1. Germany 8.4.4.2. Spain 8.4.4.3. United Kingdom 8.4.4.4. France 8.4.4.5. Others 8.5. Middle East and Africa 8.5.1. Middle East and Africa Surgical Lights Market Analysis, By Type 8.5.2. Middle East and Africa Surgical Lights Market Analysis, By Application 8.5.3. Middle East and Africa Surgical Lights Market Analysis, By End-User 8.5.4. By Country 8.5.4.1. Saudi Arabia 8.5.4.2. South Africa 8.5.4.3. Others 8.6. Asia Pacific 8.6.1. Asia Pacific Surgical Lights Market Analysis, By Type 8.6.2. Asia Pacific Surgical Lights Market Analysis, By Application 8.6.3. Asia Pacific Surgical Lights Market Analysis, By End-User 8.6.4. By Country 8.6.4.1. China 8.6.4.2. Japan 8.6.4.3. Australia 8.6.4.4. India 8.6.4.5. Others 9. Competitive Environment and Analysis 9.1. Major Players and Strategy Analysis 9.2. Emerging Players and Market Lucrativeness 9.3. Mergers, Acquisitions, Agreements, and Collaborations 9.4. Vendor Competitiveness Matrix 10. Company Profiles 10.1. Hill-Rom Services Inc. 10.2. Stryker 10.3. Getinge AB 10.4. Steris plc 10.5. Skytron, LLC 10.6. Shenzhen Mindray Bio-Medical Electronics Co., Ltd 10.7. S.I.M.E.O.N. Medical GmbH & Co. KG 10.8. Signify Holding. 10.9. Engineered Medical Solutions Company, LLC d/b/a/ BihlerMed 10.10. Integra LifeSciences Corporation For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/xy29ia 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 Southern Gold is focused on the discovery of high-grade precious metal deposits in South Korea. When I think about Southern Gold Ltd ( ) (FRA:UH4) with its Korean strategy, it reminds me of the same story as Gold Road Resources Limited (ASX: GOR). Gold Road picked up the Yamana Greenstone Belt, a suite of rocks believed to be in the wrong geochronological sequence for gold mineralization. However, after systematic exploration, millions of ounces of gold have been discovered. is currently the only player in South Korea. The last major explorer in the country was Ivanhoe Mines Limited, a Canadian listed company that was very active almost 20 years ago. In this episode of Coffee with Samso, Paul Wittwer shares with us his thoughts on geology, exploration, and the prospects of their Korean projects. Many investors find it hard to understand the principal concept of a mineral exploration company where geology is very important in the story. This concept of technical credibility is often lost in the market place as investors rush following commentaries of the share prices going up through herd mentality. There is no doubt that the market rush can be a factor in the share market, but, when you speak to those that have made money consistently over time in this murky industry, it has always been about the quality of the management and the technical narrative. In this episode, I explain what Epithermal geology is about and how Southern Gold is tackling the exploration steps. As we try to understand the style of Epithermal gold deposits, we will gain a good idea of why this is such a prospective strategy for investors looking at . Chapter 00:10 Introduction 00:33 Paul Wittwer Introduction 02:03 South Korea as a mining jurisdiction 03:50 The Epithermal Style in South Korea 05:54 Lack of exploration in South Korea 07:35 Korea has good rock textures 09:39 Textures tell a better story 11:02 Why Korea is a great place to explore 13:02 Epithermal is more about Chemistry 14:08 Epithermal = closer to surface 16:29 What is Epithermal System 101 18:37 Epithermal geology = High Grade 20:26 What makes a good Epithermal deposit 22:52 Conclusion PODCAST About Paul Wittwer Exploration Manager BSc (Hons) Geol, MAIG, MAusIMM, MSEG Paul Wittwer is the Competent Person for Reporting of Exploration Results. Mr. Wittwer is a Geologist with over 15 years experience in exploration, mining and resource development. He has worked on Gold and Copper Projects in South Australia and Western Australia, low sulphidation epithermal systems (Eastern Australia, Thailand) and high sulphidation epithermal systems in Chile. Mr Wittwer has a broad experience of the full resources cycle, having performed both Senior Exploration Geologist and Senior Mine Geologist roles, taken exploration targets through to full production and reconciliation and was involved in the approvals process for the start-up of the Tarcoola Gold Mine. About (view points from Simon Mitchell, Managing Director) Southern Gold Limited ( ) is a company with one unified vision: to become an internationally recognized high-grade gold-silver project generator in South Korea. Southern Gold wants to be known for its highly professional technical team which has a reputation for making valuable discoveries in a manner that shows respect for its operating environment and the local people. Southern Gold drove this vision with a business model of monetizing small gold deposits while searching for the big ones. They are conservative with the issuance of their scrip and look to put as many dollars as possible into drilling holes to make the next big discovery. What does Southern Gold look for when looking at opportunities in the exploration space? We focus on gold, although we recognize that in the Korean context silver will be an important component of many of our projects. Gold is kind to small capitalisation companies due to its relatively low capital intensity to develop. We focus on high-grade gold opportunities. Grade is still king, and a high-grade deposit is a lot more forgiving than a low-grade one. It helps manage risk and provides a buffer for what is a fundamentally cyclical industry. Southern Gold likes being near infrastructure. If they find something small, there is a greater chance of still turning it into money. If they find something large, it will be all the more valuable for being close to that which will make its development happen at more modest capital cost. South Korea has incredible infrastructure and important project development advantages due to its advanced manufacturing sector. Southern Gold is not afraid to joint venture to those that know what they are doing. Southern Gold is a small company with a highly professional team. They do not have the large-scale execution capability in mining, while other larger or more specialist companies have teams at hand and the expertise to execute. They manage risk by getting them to do so. Southern Gold is principally guided by geology. Their business is the business of rocks, preferably rocks with precious metals. To find the world class deposit, they are better off starting with the most fundamental characteristic: geological provinces with the right tectonic architecture to allow gold deposits to form in the first place. South Korea is the ideal place to conduct this search. Pre 20th century, South Korea was well recognised as an historic gold producer. This profile has eased in the past several decades and so represents a time capsule gold industry that is poorly developed but was once substantial. Having said that, South Korea is a modern, industrialised economy, a representative democracy and has substantial infrastructure advantages. But the reason Southern Gold is in Korea is the geology: we are wedged between China and Japan in geological time, with subduction zone ring of fire geology. In other words, it hosts some of the best plumbing systems in the world when looking for the emplacement of precious metal deposits. Our technical team believes South Korea is ripe for modern-style gold exploration and discovery. Southern Gold's Strategy Southern Gold is focused on the discovery of high-grade precious metal deposits in South Korea. And they are doing so in a two-pronged approach: A 'boots on the ground' grass roots exploration effort based on first principles geological assessment; and in parallel a focus on drill testing early to either elevate or degrade a project in the portfolio. As they progress these two approaches the quality of their South Korean portfolio will improve with time, ultimately to the point where they can either vend a portion or all of the position and/or look to joint venture to a major gold company when they wish to take the portfolio to the next level. Of course, if one or more of the projects is well suited to a major drilling campaign and the rapid expansion of a JORC resource they will do this 'in house'. Over the next 3 to 5 years they believe that several new gold discoveries will be possible and the potential for significant JORC resources (high quality, high grade gold ounces) will be unlocked during this period. Strategically speaking, we are looking for another 'Hishikari' - one of the longest running, highest grade gold mines in the world, situated just across the strait in Japan - a 'Tier 1' world class deposit. Why invest in Southern Gold? If you are looking for: a junior company with a tight capital structure that is well funded and well supported by its major cornerstone shareholders; a significant exploration ground position in a very safe offshore jurisdiction in South Korea, where security of tenure is extremely high; a footprint of exploration ground that has the fundamental geological architecture for the emplacement of precious metal deposits; a focus on getting and developing the right people with a view to building a culture of technical excellence; a company with a modern sensitive exploration culture that respects local stakeholders and protects the environment; and is on the cusp of confirming not one but perhaps several new high-grade gold-silver discoveries; then Southern Gold is the company for you and your equity market investment! VMS (Volcanogenic Massive Sulfide) Deposits Explained In simple terms, Volcanic-associated Massive Sulphide (VMS) deposits are caused by underground metal-rich volcanoes rising and creating a cooking environment. Please let know your thoughts and send any comments to info@Samso.com.au. Remember to Subscribe to the YouTube Channel, Samso Media and the mail list to stay informed and make comments where appropriate. Other than that, also feel free to provide a Review on Google. For further information about Coffee with and Rooster Talks visit: www.samso.com.au About Samso Samso is a renowned resource among the investment community for keen market analysis and insights into the companies and business trends that matter. Investors seek out Samso for knowledgeable evaluations of current industry developments across a variety of business sectors and considered forecasts of future performances. With a compelling format of relaxed online video interviews, provides clear answers to questions they may not have the opportunity to ask and lays out the big picture to help them complete their investment research. And in doing so, Samso also enables companies featured in interviews to build valuable engagement with their investment communities and customers. Headed by industry veteran Noel Ong and based in Perth, Western Australia, Samsos Coffee with Samso and Rooster Talk interviews both feature friendly conversations with business figures that give insights into Australian Stock Exchange (ASX) companies, related concepts and industry trends. Noel Ong is a geologist with nearly 30 years of industry experience and a strong background in capital markets, corporate finance and the mineral resource sector. He was founder and managing director of ASX-listed company from 2009-2017 and has also been involved in several other ASX listings, providing advice, procuring projects and helping to raise capital. He brings all this experience and expertise to the Samso interviews, where his engaging conversation style creates a relaxed dialogue, revealing insights that can pique investor interest. Noel Ong travels across Australia to record the interviews, only requiring a coffee shop environment where they can be set up. The interviews are posted on Samsos website and podcasts, YouTube and other relevant online environments where they can be shared among investment communities. Samso also has a track record of developing successful business concepts in the Australasia region and provides bespoke research and counsel to businesses seeking to raise capital and procuring projects for ASX listings. Disclaimer The information contained in this article is the writers personal opinion and is provided for information only and is not intended to or nor will it create/induce the creation of any binding legal relations. Read full disclaimer. The project is prospective for the high-value commodities of copper and gold that have strong future market fundamentals and a favourable pricing outlook. Diamond drill rig at first of three planned drill holes in a program expected to take five weeks. Limited ( ) has started a three-hole 1,500-metre diamond drill program at its 100%-owned El Dorado Project in Chile. The rig is drilling the first of three targets at El Dorado, a 750-hectare tenement that is highly prospective for copper and gold and that directly adjoins Freehills 67 million tonnes Yerbas Buenas magnetite project. Drilling at El Dorado follows the completion of encouraging geophysical work during 2020 and is designed to test a high intensity induced polarisation (IP) anomaly and other targets. Expanding exploration activities Freehill chief executive officer Paul Davies said: The drill program at El Dorado is the next logical step in expanding Freehill's exploration activities on this highly prospective target. Our technical team has done an enormous amount of work to determine the three locations of the drill holes and it is pleasing drilling is underway. El Dorado is prospective for two commodities that have excellent fundamentals and where the pricing outlook is favourable, copper and gold. We look forward to sharing updates as the drill program unfolds. Drilling program The first drill hole has been designed to test the high-intensity IP chargeability anomaly identified during exploration in late 2020. The remaining two drill holes are proposed to test a number of targets outlined during a mapping and geophysical survey undertaken in December 2019. Drilling is expected to take five weeks and the core samples from all holes will be submitted to ALS Global facility in Peru for analysis. The webinar will feature Lotus Resources, Peninsula Energy and Alligator Energy with projects in Africa, the US and Australia respectively. Speakers will present for 12 minutes each followed by a five-minute Q&A session. Proactive will host a Uranium Webinar next Tuesday, May 25, featuring three ASX-listed companies Ltd ( ), ( ) and ( ). Each company will present for 12 minutes, followed by a five-minute Q&A session, and the event will be live-streamed on the Proactive YouTube channel to be viewed at any time afterwards. Click here to register. Questions for the speakers can be submitted before and during the online presentations by email to John Phillips at john.phillips@proactiveinvestors.com or by text to 0431 597 771. First to kick off the presentations will be , which is focused on the Kayelekera Uranium Project in Malawi. Managing director Keith Bowes will speak about a number of recent developments, including the appointment of highly experienced Robert Rich as uranium marketing and sales executive. In March, the company moved to 85% ownership of Kayelekera a proven producing asset with major work programs underway driving future development. Lotus completed its secondary listing on the OTCQB market in the United States on April 29, which will allow potential North American investors to both trade and settle during US trading hours in US dollars. Peninsula Energy Second in line will be Peninsula Energys managing director and CEO Wayne Heili. Its MU1A low-pH field demonstration at the flagship Lance Uranium Project in Wyoming, USA, is progressing with further changes to the configuration of the injection and recovery well patterns implemented. The evaluation of several alternative uranium recovery process options with the objective of reducing downstream processing costs has also begun. Peninsula has set out a six-month pathway to production following a final investment decision. The Lance Project is one of the USAs largest uranium projects based on size and scale. Alligator Energy Alligator Energys chief executive officer Greg Hall will outline progress on the companys exploration for uranium in the West Arnhem region of the Northern Territory using modern techniques. The company has also recently consolidated its Samphire Project on South Australias Eyre Peninsula by acquiring an adjacent exploration tenement from Ltd ( ). This tenement contains existing historic uranium intersections and borders the southern end of the Samphire project. It is deemed prospective for extensions to the historic non-JORC Plumbush Uranium Deposit. Event details When: Tuesday, May 25 Time: 12pm Sydney time/ 10am Perth time Focus: Uranium Register here: https://event.webinarjam.com/register/63/vo16ru73 New Delhi, May 21 : Well-known theatre director from Chandigarh, GS Chani, known for his street plays, succumbed to Covid-19 on May 20. He was on ventilator for a while now. Recipient of the Sangeet Natak Akademi honour and a Fulbright Scholar at Boston University College of Communication, he was the Director of Centre for Education & Voluntary Action (CEVA) in Chandigarh. Also a filmmaker with more than 20 documentary films to his credit, the artist, a National School of Drama (NSD) graduate who went on to teach at the Film & Television Institute of India (FTII), Chani, who would always be seen in his trademark colourful pagdis was one of the few theatre artists in the region who never let go of his roots -- street theatre. From his first play 'Dafa 144' that emerged after the Emergency to his later works, he was known for his socially relevant work revolving around contemporary issues. Theatre director Neelam Mansingh Chowdhry adds, "His work with clowning, where he engaged with children admitted to hospitals is commendable. He was one year junior to me at the National School of Drama (NSD), and it was nice to have someone from the same region around." Born in Punjab in 1951, Chani who joined a technical college after B.Sc., only to quit after a year, took admission in the Indian Theatre Department at Panjab University in in 1972. It was later that he joined NSD in New Delhi. He would always credit dramatist Balwant Gargi, who started the department at PU for introducing him to the world of art, music, poetry and politics. As Chairperson of the Chandigarh Sangeet Akademi till a few years ago, he was instrumental in exposing the city residents to some of the country's best directors, musicians and folk artists. It would be fair to say that the Akademi's best days were under his chairmanship as he never fell into the trap of just promoting local and regional artists if they were mediocre. One of the few artists in the region to criticise the government openly when the latter failed to provide any relief to artists during the lockdowns, conceptual photographer Diwan Manna, President of Punjab Lalit Kala Akademi, remembers Chani not just as an accomplished artist but also as a giving human being. "He was a mentor to us. We came from rural backgrounds and had little exposure. During our art college days, when we joined his street theatre group, he made it a point to take us to art galleries in Delhi, join a film club and introduce us to major artists. His passing on is a major loss to me." (Sukant Deepak can be contacted at sukant.d@ians.in) Brussels, May 21 : World Trade Organization (WTO) Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has argued in favour of expanding Covid-19 vaccine production and ending export restrictions, saying that getting a patent waiver would not be enough. She said this when answering a question on what measures are needed to accelerate equitable access to vaccines during a meeting of the European Parliament's Committee on Trade, Xinhua reported. "Getting the Intellectual Property (IP) rights waiver for vaccines will not be enough," she said on Thursday. Okonjo-Iweala listed three other routes, namely, reducing export restrictions and reinforcing supply chains for vaccines, working with manufacturers to expand production, and transferring the necessary technology and expertise to produce the complicated vaccines. "The IP waiver is a hot issue on which I cannot take sides. But we need more flexibility and automatic access for developing countries, and at the same time we have to protect research and development," added the WTO chief. The Trade Committee is set to discuss calls for patent waivers for Covid-19 vaccines on May 25. No consensus was reached among the members of the European Parliament (MEPs) on Wednesday regarding a proposal for a temporary waiver of patent rights for Covid-19 vaccines in a bid to speed up the global vaccine rollout. A resolution will be put to a vote at the European Parliament's plenary session in June. Any decision on waiving IP rights will be taken by the WTO. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) London, May 21 : The English rock band Muse will celebrate the 20th anniversary of "Origin Of Symmetry" with a remix LP of the album. The band, which comprises of Matt Bellamy, Chris Wolstenholme and Dominic Howard, will bring out a collection that includes a new version of the album's hit number, "Citizen erased". The LP is expected to release on June 18, around a month before the anniversary of the album, which originally released on July 17, 2001. Bellamy said that he would have ideally done a special show for the occasion. "If the live scene exists next year, we could do a special show to celebrate it in some way. I wouldn't be against that. As soon as concerts open up again, Muse will be keen to do something," he said in an earlier interview with NME, reports contactmusic.com. Moscow, May 21 : Russian President Vladimir Putin has threatened to "knock out the teeth" of his country's opponents, in comments aimed at nations that he said were trying to steal parts of Russian territory. Foreign enemies regularly try to snatch away Russian territories, Putin said, DPA reported citing the Interfax news agency. "Everyone would like to 'bite' us somewhere or 'bite off' some part of us, but they should know that we knock the teeth out of those who want to do that, so they can't bite," Putin said. The long-time ruler in the Kremlin said this was guaranteed by the progress the military has made of late. Although a third of Russian territory was lost in the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russia is still the largest country in the world in terms of area. Russia has modernized its military in recent years, with official figures saying that more than 3 trillion roubles (more than $41 billion) will be invested in national defence this year alone. Lucknow, May 21 : Zafaryab Jilani, secretary of All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), well known layer and former additional advocate general of Uttar Pradesh has been hospitalised after he suffered brain haemorrhage. Jilani, 71, slipped and hit his head on the ground on Thursday evening in his office in Lucknow. He fell unconscious and was rushed to city based Medanta hospital by his family. His condition is said to be critical. His nephew Zia Jilani told reporters: "We admitted him to Medanta Hospital. Doctors have said he has suffered a brain haemorrhage and is in the ICU." "His treatment has started and doctors are saying that his condition is stable for now. They have said that there may be a need for an operation, but for now, he is stable. He is not fully conscious but is slipping in and out of consciousness," Zia Jilani said. The senior advocate is also convener of Babri Masjid Action Committee (BMAC) and has played a key role in the Ayodhya movement. He is an active voice on Muslim issues, involved member of the civil society, expert on Muslim Personal Law and the Indian Penal Code. He is also a senior member of AIMPLB's legal cell. E-justice used in over 400,000 cases examined in Russia flickr.com / Mr Seb 13:44 21/05/2021 ST. PETERSBURG, May 21 (RAPSI, Mikhail Telekhov) In 2020, electronic justice systems were used when considering more than 400,000 cases in Russian courts, Alexey Solokhin, Counselor to the Department of Systematization of Legislation and Analysis of Judicial Practice of the Russian Supreme Court said at the Digitalization and Cybersecurity in Courts track of the St. Petersburg International Legal Forum (SPBILF) 9 . According to Solokhin, 2020 has shown the importance of the development of e-justice, which began to be gradually introduced since 2000. During the period of self-isolation, the proceedings continued thanks to many years of accumulation of respective experience. However, recently new opportunities appeared. Until 2020, remote participation in court sessions could be possible only via video conferencing, when a participant in the process had to come to court at the place of residence or stay, from where that participant was connected with the relevant court. Now a participant in the process can take part in the proceedings using a personal computer by connecting to the conference via the Internet, Solokhin said. According to the speaker, in addition to the already routinely used procedures of submitting documents in electronic form, there is now available an option to remotely study case materials, audio recordings of hearings, as personal data are automatically excluded from the published sentences. The newly available options are included in a bill submitted to the lower house of the Russian parliament, Solokhin noted. Another speaker at this SPBILF track, Angela Denning, Chief Executive Officer of Court Service of Ireland, who shared the national experiences in using e-justice, as well as digitalization and overcoming acute problems of caused by the need to guarantee cybersecurity. New Delhi, May 21 : Indian Army chief General M.M. Naravane reviewed operational preparedness of the force along the border with China in Arunachal Pradesh region. The Army chief also reviewed security situation in the hinterland of North East states. General Naravane arrived at Dimapur in Nagaland on May 20 for a two day visit to review the operational readiness. "On arrival at the Corps Headquarters in Dimapur, the Army Chief was briefed by Lieutenant General Johnson Mathew, General Officer Commanding Spear Corps and the Division Commanders on the prevailing situation and operational preparedness along the Northern borders," Indian Army chief stated. He complimented all ranks for maintaining excellent vigil and exhorted them to stay alert and keep watch on activities along the Line of Actual Control with China. Earlier this month, the General has visited forward areas of the Jammu division and reviewed security situation along the Line of Control with Pakistan and in the hinterland during his two-day visit to the region. General Naravane reached at the headquarters of the Nagrota-based 16-corps -- White Knight Corps -- on May 11 and visited the forward areas, including Aknoor, Rajouri and Naushera in the Jammu region. Naravane, accompanied by Northern Army Commander Lt Gen Y.K. Joshi, was also briefed regarding the prevailing security situation, operational preparedness, Covid-19 management and the assistance provided to the veterans and the people of the region "in our fight against the pandemic". He had also interacted with troops deployed in the forward areas and appreciated the sustained efforts of all ranks of the White Knight Corps towards "maintaining the sanctity of the Line of Control (LoC)". -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Chennai, May 21 : International Finance Corporation (IFC) part of the World Bank Group plans to invest up to $15 million in South Asia Growth Fund II, L.P (SAGF II) focussed on investing in companies focussed on clean energy. According to IFC, it is proposing to invest up to $15 million, capped at 20 per cent of aggregate commitments, with an equivalent amount of co-investment envelope, in SAGF II. The Fund, a limited partnership organized under the laws of Province of Ontario, Canada is targeting $200 million in commitments to invest in 8-10 companies focused on clean energy supply and resource efficiency in India and opportunistically in Bangladesh, IFC said. The Fund's offshore sponsor is GEF Capital Partners, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (GEF Capital). The Fund will engage GEF Capital to carry out certain investment management and administration duties. GEF Capital was founded in 2018 and is led by Raj Pai, Sridhar Narayan and four other partners, IFC said. United Nations, May 21 : UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday welcomed the ceasefire agreement reached between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas, following 11 days of escalating tension between the two sides on the Gaza Strip. "I welcome the ceasefire between Gaza and Israel, after 11 days of deadly hostilities," Guterres told reporters a few minutes before the ceasefire took effect at 2 a.m. on Friday. According to the latest media reports, a total of 232 Palestinians, including more than 60 children, and at least 12 Israelis, have been killed since violence erupted near the Gaza border on May 10. Guterres extended his deepest condolences to all the victims of the violence, and their loved ones, across Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory. "I commend Egypt and Qatar for the efforts carried out, in close coordination with the UN, to help restore calm to Gaza and Israel," he said, calling on all sides to observe the ceasefire. Guterres said it was essential for the wider international community to work with the UN, and develop "an integrated, robust package of support for a swift, sustainable reconstruction and recovery, that supports the Palestinian people and strengthens their institutions". Leaders in Israel and Palestine have a responsibility "beyond the restoration of calm, to start a serious dialogue to address the root causes of the conflict", he said. Describing Gaza as an "integral part of the future Palestinian state", he said no effort should be spared to bring about "real national reconciliation that ends the division". Guterres underscored the UN's "deep commitment" to working with Israelis and Palestinians, and with all international and regional partners, including through the Middle East Quartet, "to return to the path of meaningful negotiations to end the occupation and allow for the realization of a two-state solution on the basis of the 1967 lines, UN resolutions, international law and mutual agreements". Stabilizing the ceasefire is the immediate priority, he added. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Washington, May 21 : The US Treasury Department said it proposed that the global minimum tax rate should be at least 15 per cent, noting that the final rate could go even higher. In a statement on Thursday, the Department said over the last two days, department officials participated in meetings with the Steering Group of the Inclusive Framework on base erosion and profit shifting, as part of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)/G20 international tax negotiations, reports Xinhua news agency. The negotiations came less than two months after President Joe Biden proposed a series of corporate tax changes that could raise roughly $2 trillion over 15 years to pay for infrastructure investments in eight years. Biden's proposal would increase the US corporate income tax rate to 28 per cent, up from the current 21 per cent, attempting to partially reverse the tax cuts under the former Donald Trump administration. It would also raise the global minimum tax on multinational corporations from 10.5 per cent to 21 per cent, in a bid to discourage offshoring and create incentives for investment in the US. In the statement, the Treasury Department underscored that 15 per cent is a "floor" and that discussions should continue to be "ambitious" and push that rate higher. "Treasury reiterated that with the global corporate minimum tax functionally set at zero today, there has been a race to the bottom on corporate taxes, undermining the US' and other countries' ability to raise the revenue needed to make critical investments. "Treasury made clear that a global corporate minimum tax rate would ensure the global economy thrives based on a more level playing field in the taxation of multinational corporations, and would spur innovation, growth, and prosperity while improving fairness for middle class and working people," it added. Lucknow, May 21 : A man was cheated of Rs 30,000 after unidentified persons withdrew the amount from his bank account using Aadhaar Enabled Payment System (AEPS). The victim, Ajay Kumar Srivastava, a resident of Virat Khand, Gomti Nagar, said that he has an account in the Vinay Khand branch of a public sector bank. "The miscreants withdrew Rs 10,000 on March 19, Rs 10,000 on May 8 and another Rs 10,000 on May 9 from my account. In the last two instances, the money was transferred on second Saturday and Sunday, both bank holidays," Srivastava said in his complaint to police. When he contacted the bank about the transaction, bank officials told him the money was transferred using the Aadhaar Enabled Payment System. The police have lodged an FIR and an investigation has been launched by Station House Officer Gomti Nagar, Keshav Kumar Tiwari. Superintendent of police, UP Cyber Cell, Triveni Singh said, "It is a typical fraud case in which money was withdrawn from account through AEPS by cloning finger prints. The physical presence of Aadhaar card holder is must for fingerprint matching for these transactions." He said that it appears that the fraudsters download Aadhaar card and accessed digital fingerprints. Then they use thermal scanner, butter paper, mirror, thinner gel, glue and image booster chemicals to create thumb impressions on rubber. "They put these cloned fingerprints on scanners of biometric machines attached with National Payment Corporation Of India (NPCI) and UIDAI which authenticate the fingerprints and money was then withdrawn from the bank account," the SP said. As per the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) guidelines, Rs 10,000 can be withdrawn per day through AEPS. The SP said that investigation is underway and the accused would be arrested soon. Brussels, May 21 : The European Union (EU) has signed a third contract with pharmaceutical companies BioNTech and Pfizer, securing an additional 1.8 billion Covid-19 vaccine doses between the end of 2021 and 2023. The European Commission said in a statement on Thursday that the new contract requires that the vaccine production is based in the EU and those essential components are sourced within the bloc, reports Xinhua news agency. It also stipulates that from the start of the supply in 2022, timely delivery to the EU is guaranteed. Member states can resell or donate doses to countries in need outside the EU or through the COVAX Facility, contributing to global and fair access to the vaccine across the world, according to the statement. "Potential contracts with other manufacturers will follow the same model, to the benefit of all," said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety Stella Kyriakides added that the EU was prioritising "technologies that have proven their worth", like mRNA vaccines, but it was keeping its options open. The EU has already signed contracts with AstraZeneca, Sanofi-GSK, Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, CureVac and Moderna for vaccine supplies. The Commission has granted conditional marketing authorization for the vaccines developed by BioNTech and Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, as well as Johnson and Johnson. This diversified portfolio ensures the EU has access to enough doses to immunise its whole population, including for the virus variants, the Commission said in the statement. Moscow, May 21 : Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said he was concerned over Washington's plans to deploy rotational troops in Poland and addressed the issue during his meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on the sidelines of an Arctic Council meeting in Reykjavik, Iceland. "In particular, plans (on increasing the presence of NATO troops) are being openly discussed, I asked Blinken about this yesterday (Wednesday)," the Minister said during a press conference on Thursday following a ministerial meeting of the Arctic Council. "Washington is discussing plans to deploy additional, substantial forces in Poland, which would be a direct violation of the Russia-NATO Founding Act," he added. Lavrov said he hoped NATO members would understand that this problem was not a bilateral one, but directly concerned the multilateral commitments the bloc has to Russia. The Kremlin said on Thursday Lavrov's meeting with Blinken was a "positive signal", adding that the dialogue was constructive according to the Minister. The results of the dialogue would help understand the prospects for a possible meeting between the US and Russian Presidents in the future, the Kremlin added. Wednesday's meeting was the first between a member of US President Joe Biden's administration and a high-ranking Russian official. Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden has suggested a meeting with his Russian counterpart Vladmir Putin in a third country at a summit, but it is unclear whether the latter will accept the invitation. US-Russia ties have nose-dived over Washington's allegations of election interference and cyberattacks, the treatment of Navalny and the conflict in eastern Ukraine. The two sides have imposed a wave of sanctions and counter-sanctions. New Delhi, May 21 : Popular social media platform Snapchat has reached over 500 million monthly active users, with roughly 40 per cent of its community located outside of North America and Europe. In India, Snapchat has seen over 100 per cent (year-over-year) growth in daily active users (DAUs) in each of the last five quarters, the company announced during its third Snap Partner Summit virtually late on Thursday. Snap also announced new features, latest updates and Augmented Reality (AR) experiences, like new AR tools and camera experiences, the next generation of Spectacles and launched 'Story Studio' -- a new standalone app offering powerful editing tools to creators on mobile. "Built with Creators in mind, Story Studio will offer insights into trends happening on Snapchat. It is launching later this year on iOS and will be available for free," the company said in a statement. Snap also launched Creator Marketplace where brands can find and contact verified creators, starting with top AR Lens Creators and, in the future, Snap Stars and Creators on Spotlight. "Subscribers can now send Gifts to official Snap Stars to kickstart conversations. Snap Stars earn a share of the revenue from Gifts, which are received through Story Replies and purchased via in Snapchat Tokens," the company informed. "Spotlight" on the web is a new destination where creators can upload video into Spotlight directly from Chrome or Safari, and anyone, even without a Snapchat account, can see the best of what's happening. Snap unveiled the next generation of Spectacles, its first pair of glasses that bring augmented reality to life. Not for sale and designed for creators, Spectacles enable augmented reality creators to discover new ways to fuse creativity and utility through immersive experiences built in Lens Studio. "Spectacles are fully integrated with Lens Studio. This powerful desktop application designed for augmented reality creators and developers is used to build and distribute Lenses across Snap's AR platform," the company said. More than 170 million Snapchatters use Scan every month, and now Snapchat is adding Scan to the home camera screen. "Scan matches what you see through the camera with relevant AR experiences," Snap said. With over 200 million Snapchatters engaging with AR daily, Snap has added a new round of technically-advanced and fashion-forward features that make virtual shopping and 'try-on' experiences that much more realistic, accurate, and easy to use. "For the first time, friends can interact with each other through Lenses, from across the room or across the world," Snap added. New Delhi, May 21 : Only 24 hours after recording less than 4,000 deaths, India on Friday once gain breached the grim milestone as daily fatalities due to Covid-19 rose to 4,209, according to the Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry, even as new cases dropped to its lowest at 2,59,551 in exactly a month. India registered record deaths due to Covid on Wednesday with 4,529 deaths -- the highest number of fatalities from Covid infection in any country so far. It surpassed 4,468 deaths in the US on January 12, and earlier 4,211 in Brazil on April 6. These three are the worst-hit by the pademic. Fresh Covid cases came down below the three lakh-mark for the first time on May 17 after touching record high of 4,14,188 on May 7. India's overall tally of Covid-19 cases now stands at 2,60,31,991 with 30,27,925 active cases and 2,91,331 deaths so far. According to the Health Ministry, a total of 3,57,295 people have been discharged in the last 24 hours, with 2,27,12,735 being cured from Covid till date. The Health Ministry said that a total of 19,18,79,503 people have been vaccinated so far in the country, including 14,82,754 who were administered vaccines in the last 24 hours. According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), 32,44,17,870 samples have been tested up to May 20 for Covid-19. Of these 20,61,683 samples were tested on Thursday. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text San Francisco, May 21 : Calling for stricter cryptocurrency rules, the US Treasury Department has said that any cryptocurrency transfer worth $10,000 or more has to be reported to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). In a new report on tax compliance proposals, the Treasury Department's Office of Tax Analysis estimated that the move will help raise an additional $700 billion in tax revenue over the next 10 years and could bring in as much as $1.6 trillion in the following decade, reports The Verge. "Cryptocurrency already poses a significant detection problem by facilitating illegal activity broadly including tax evasion. This is why the President's (Joe Biden) proposal includes additional resources for the IRS to address the growth of cryptoassets," the department said in a statement on Thursday. Businesses would also be required to report cryptocurrency transactions above $10,000 under the new requirements. Requiring large crypto transactions to be reported would help "to minimise the incentives and opportunity to shift income out of the new information reporting regime," it added. The decision comes at a time when the price of bitcoin tumbled below $40,000 for the first time in months and other cryptocurrencies were pressured earlier this week, after the People's Bank of China apparently warned against using digital coins as payment. On Wednesday, nearly $1 trillion was wiped off the market capitalisation of the entire crypto sector, before it got stablised at around $40,000 per coin. It was the second jolt to the fast-growing crypto market after Tesla last week applied brakes on Bitcoin as a payment mode to buy its electric vehicles, citing environmental harm. Russian Supreme Court upholds Ukrainian ex-ministers sentence for terrorist calls RAPSI, Vladimir Burnov 17:36 21/05/2021 MOSCOW, May 21 (RAPSI) The Military Collegium of the Russian Supreme Court on Friday upheld sentence passed on ex-defense minister of Ukraine Anatoly Gritsenko for calls through media to blast Russian trains and cars in absentia, RAPSI was told in the court. The Second Western Military Court earlier sentenced Gritsenko to 6 years in prison for terrorist calls in absentia. Additionally, the defendant was prohibited from managing the affairs and business for 3 years. Investigation into the case was competed in late 2019. The former Ukrainian official was charged with publicly calling for terrorist activity with the use of mass media. According to investigators, in July 2014 and July 2017, when going on the air in programs on the Ukrainian TV Gritsenko called for car bomb attacks in Moscow and Taganrog and exploding Russian trains in regions near the border with Ukraine. The linguistic examination of the video showed that his statements contained pleas for conducting terrorist activities. He was put on the international wanted list and arrested in absentia in April 2019. Currently, Gritsenko is still hiding in Ukraine from where he cannot be extradited in accordance with the international law provisions and Ukrainian national legislation, Russian investigators state. London, May 21 : An independent inquiry has revealed that the BBC "fell below its high standards of integrity and transparency" over the 1995 interview with the late Princess Diana. The inquiry revealed on Thursday that former BBC reporter Martin Bashir had acted in a "deceitful" way and faked documents to obtain the interview while the broadcaster's own internal probe in 1996 into what happened was "woefully ineffective", Xinhua news agency. The independent inquiry, by retired judge Lord Dyson, was commissioned by the broadcaster last year, after Diana's brother, Earl Spencer went public with allegations about how the interview was obtained. It found Bashir mocked up fake bank statements that falsely suggested individuals were being paid for keeping the Princess, who died in a car crash in France 1997, under surveillance. He later showed the fake documents to Spencer, to gain his trust in order to gain access to the Princess of Wales and persuade her to agree to give the interview. The BBC carried out its own investigation into the issue in 1996, but it "fell short of the high standards of integrity and transparency", according to the inquiry. In response to the findings, the British broadcaster sent written apologies to Princes William and Harry, as well as the Prince of Wales Charles and Spencer. The BBC's incumbent Director-General, Tim Davie, said: "Although the report states that Diana, Princess of Wales, was keen on the idea of an interview with the BBC, it is clear that the process for securing the interview fell far short of what audiences have a right to expect. "We are very sorry for this. Lord Dyson has identified clear failings." He added that the BBC should have "made greater effort to get to the bottom of what happened at the time and been more transparent about what it knew". In a letter sent by Davie to Prince Charles, the Director-General apologised for Bashir's "lurid and untrue claims" and accepts that the veteran journalist made the claims "intending to play on the Princess's fears, in order to arouse her interest in him, and without concern for the impact on those he maligned". According to the the BBC, this was the first time a serving British Royal had spoken openly about her life, including her "unhappy marriage" to Prince Charles, their affairs and her bulimia. Responding to the inquiry findings, Prince William said he was "most saddened" that his mother never learned she had been deceived, adding that she was failed "not just by a rogue reporter" but also by "BBC bosses". In a separate statement, his brother Harry said that the "ripple effect of a culture of exploitation and unethical practices" ultimately took his mother's life. "Our mother lost her life because of this, and nothing has changed. By protecting her legacy, we protect everyone, and uphold the dignity with which she lived her life," the Duke of Sussex added. Bashir, who is one of the UK's best known journalists and had also made headlines for his 2003 interview with the late pop star Michael Jackson, has stepped down from his role as the BBC's religion editor, the corporation confirmed last week. Chandigarh, May 21 : In the midst of coronavirus crisis and consequent vaccine hesitancy, senior officers of Mohali district in Punjab have set an example by starting a philanthropy initiative by adopting a village to sponsor vaccine of entire population between 18 and 44 years from their pocket. They have adopted Masol village, some 30 km from the district headquarters, where the 45 plus population has already been vaccinated, said Mohali Deputy Commissioner Girish Dayalan, who led the first-of-its-kind initiative. Dayalan along with other officers -- Additional Deputy Commissioners Aashika Jain and Rajiv Kumar Gupta and Sub-divisional Magistrates -- Himanshu Jain, Kuldeep Bawa and Jagdeep Sehgal -- have decided to bear the vaccination. "When you lead by example, you create a picture of what's possible. It then becomes easy for others to follow. So, I along with my colleagues decided to pay for the vaccination of 18-44 years population of Masol village" Dayalan said. Joining the philanthropy spirit, entrepreneur Priyanka Gupta has announced to sponsor vaccine for 18-44 years of another village in the district. "Hearty Thanks to Priyanka Gupta owner of 'The Great Bear', Sector 26, Chandigarh, for sponsoring vaccine for 18 to 44 year population of village Nagalgarhian," Dayalan informed in a tweet. Tokyo, May 21 : A Japanese government panel of experts approved two Covid-19 vaccines developed by US drug maker Moderna Inc. and the UK-based AstraZeneca Plc, with the Health Ministry expected to formaliae the approval of the use of the two jabs on Friday. The expected approval, based on the expert panel's assessment of Japan's own clinical trials of the vaccines as well as those from overseas and the efficacy of the vaccines against Covid-19, will bring the number of jabs available in the country to three, reports Xinhua news agency. Japan is already using the vaccine developed by US pharmaceutical giant Pfizer. The country's vaccine rollout has come under fire for lagging well behind the pace in other advanced countries, with Japan's inoculation campaign the slowest among OECD nations and allowing its current fourth wave of infections to spread largely unabated, informed sources have said. Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga has pledged to ramp up inoculations to 1 million shots a day and finish vaccinating the elderly by the end of July. Japan began inoculating its elderly population of about 36 million in mid-April, but multiple municipalities have said they expect to miss the government's end-of-July deadline, due to a lack of healthcare workers available to administer the shots. Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato has said a team to be launched within his Cabinet Secretariat will come up with ways to provide certification and permit people who have been vaccinated to travel overseas. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) New Delhi, May 21 : A MiG-21 aircraft of Indian Air Force (IAF) crashed near Moga in Punjab early Friday in which the pilot was killed, IAF officials said. The IAF aircraft was on a routine training sortie when the accident happened. "There was an aircraft accident last night involving a Bison aircraft of the IAF in the western sector. The pilot, Sqn Ldr Abhinav Choudhary, sustained fatal injuries. IAF condoles the tragic loss and stands firmly with the bereaved family," the Air Force said. A senior IAF officer said that the incident took place around 1 a.m. The MiG-21 crashed at Langiana Khurd village of Baghapurana in Moga. This is the third crash of a MiG-21 aircraft in 2021. The cause of the accident and the damages are yet to be known. A Court of Inquiry has been ordered to ascertain the cause of the accident involving a Bison aircraft of IAF in the western sector, the Indian Air Force said. In March, a Group Captain of the IAF was killed in an accident involving a MiG-21 aircraft at an airbase in central India. Group Captain A Gupta was killed in the accident. A court of inquiry was ordered to determine the cause of the accident. In January, a MiG-21 aircraft of the Indian Air Force crashed near Suratgarh in Rajasthan. The pilot of the aircraft managed to eject safely from the aircraft. London, May 21 : A total of 3,424 cases of the Indian Covid-19 variant have been recorded in the UK, according to the latest figures from the Public Health England (PHE). The B1617.2 variant of concern is believed to be more transmissible than the Kent variant that had become dominant in Britain, Xinhua news agency reported citing the PHE as saying on Thursday. The spread of the variant first detected in India has resulted in surge testing and vaccinations in many areas across the UK. The latest figure came after Health Secretary Matt Hancock said on Wednesday that 2,967 cases of the coronavirus variant have been reported in Britain, 28 per cent up from Monday's figure of more than 2,300. Hancock has warned that the variant can "spread like wildfire" among those who haven't received a jab. Earlier Thursday, a UK government advisory scientist warned that the Indian coronavirus variant could lead to another wave in the country. "The virus just got faster," said Andrew Hayward, a professor from the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE), indicating that the country could be at the start of a third wave of the pandemic. "That really brings it back down to this race against the vaccine and the virus," Hayward, an infectious diseases expert at University College London, told the BBC. Nearly 37.2 million people, or more than 70 per cent of adults in Britain, have received the first jab of the coronavirus vaccine, according to the latest official figures. The UK has so far reported 4,471,061 coronavirus cases and 127,963 deaths. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) Thiruvananthapuram, May 21 : Versatile actor, Superstar Mohanlal, on Friday turned 61 as wishes poured in from all corners for Kerala's most popular son. Winner of five national awards, for those in the industry he is Lal, but those who consider him dear refer to him as 'Laletten' and for actress Neena Gupta he is Mohan. As the Covid pandemic is in full swing, there will be no celebrations. The superstar is at the moment resting at his Chennai residence. His glittering screen career began way back in 1978, when he did his first film 'Thiranottam', which was canned, but he has had no reason to look back as he has had a wonderful career donning the grease paint for some 345 films. The biggest blockbuster of his, directed by Priyadarshan -- "Marakkar: Arabikadalinte Simham" is currently held up for release on account of the lockdown and its producer, who is also his closest aide - Antony Perumbavoor said they are planning to release the film in August. Their last film 'Drishyam-2', a sequel, released on the OTT platform turned out to be a blockbuster hit and Perumbavoor on the superstar's birthday said they are working on a new film , directed by Jeethu Joseph who directed the sequels 'Drishyam'. Incidentally, on Thursday Mohanlal appeared on the video wall singing as part of a musical tribute that was shown just before Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan was sworn in for an unprecedented second term. As birthday wishes poured in, one was from a first year engineering college student from Malappuram-Vaishnav, who in a matter of 8 hours drew 100 pictures of the actor in various roles from his films on a canvas and is waiting to meet the actor to gift him. The li'l champs of ZEE Keralam's music reality show SaReGaMaPa Keralam Li'lChamps have come up with a birthday tribute to Mohanlal in the form of short videos compiling all-time hit songs of Lalettan's films. In 2009, he was inducted into the Territorial Army as a (Hon) Lt.Colonel. And now all eyes are on his debut directorial venture -- Barroz, that has already started rolling, but now wound up on account of Covid. It is a 3D film and is expected to go on the floors next year. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Chandigarh, May 21 : An Indian Air Force MiG-21 Bison fighter aircraft crashed in Punjab's Moga district on Thursday night, killing pilot Sqn Ldr Abhinav Choudhary. The aircraft was on a routine training sortie when the mishap took place near Langeana Kalan village, some 24 km from district headquarters. The pilot was returning to the Suratgarh airbase in Rajasthan after the training sorties, officials said. The body of the pilot was found some 2 km from the crash spot, a police official said. "There was an aircraft accident last night involving a Bison aircraft of IAF in the western sector. The pilot, Sqn Ldr Abhinav Choudhary, sustained fatal injuries. IAF condoles the tragic loss and stands firmly with the bereaved family," the IAF said in a tweet on Friday. A court of Inquiry has been ordered to ascertain the cause of the accident, it added. Chennai, May 21 : DMK MP Kanimozhi has urged Centre to increase the supplies of drugs needed to treat mucormycosis or black fungus. Kanimozhi has also written to Union Ministers Harsh Vardhan and D.V. Sadananda Gowda saying that the drugs to treat mucormycosis, Amphotericin B or Liposomal Amphotericin B are under shortage in Tamil Nadu and there are possibilities of more such cases in the coming days. The DMK leader, who is also the sister of Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, said that the production of the drugs can be increased by allowing companies to import Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients required to prepare the drugs without any hindrance. Tamil Nadu has already ordered 5,000 vials with a private pharmaceutical company of Hosur for procuring the Amphotericin B drug as the government is anticipating a demand following the possibility of spike in such cases across the state. Mumbai, May 21 : Actress Narayani Shastri, who portrays Rajvee Rawal in the show "Aapki Nazron Ne Samjha", says she has never been a method actor and loves to be spontaneous on screen. "Rajvee Rawal is a confident, sorted and strong person who wears her heart on her sleeve. She always shows her love for her sons. Her family is everything for her. As a person, she is very fair and has immense integrity. I am not a method actor. I do things spontaneously once I understand the personality of the character I play," she told IANS. Actor Vijayendra Kumeria plays her son in the show. "Vijayendra is so easy to work with. He is very professional, always prepared with his lines and open to suggestions. He met me as Darsh, not Vijayendra, which made our chemistry the way it is," she says. Talking about her journey in the industry, the actress says that she has no complaints. "I have had a beautiful journey, full of fun. I did everything that I wanted to do and have no regrets. The journey had its ups and downs but that is the fun. I feel blessed with all the opportunities," she says. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Panaji, May 21 : Former editor-in-chief of Tehelka Tarun Tejpal was on Friday acquitted of rape charges, filed by a junior colleage who had alleged that the senior journalist had sexually assaulted her in a five-star resort in Goa in 2013. Tejpal has been booked under sections under sections 376 (rape), 341 (wrongful restraint), 342 (wrongful confinement) 354A (sexual harassment) and 354B (criminal assault), of the Indian Penal Code. "He has been acquitted from all charges. Order not given yet. It will be uploaded later," Tejpal's defence counsel said. In a statement Tejpal said: "The past seven and a half years have been traumatic for my family as we have dealt with the catastrophic fallout of these false allegations on every aspect of our personal professional and public lives. We have felt the boot of the state, but through it all we have cooperated fully with the Goa Police and the legal system, through hundreds of hours of court proceedings". "We have unwaveringly followed every mandate of due procedure and abided by every principle of law laid in the Constitution. We have also endeavoured to uphold every norm of decency expected in a case like this," Tejpal said in a written statement, while thanking the court for its "rigorous, impartial and fair trial". According to the complaint filed against Tejpal by the junior colleague, the rape allegedly occurred on November 7, during a conference organised by the Tehelka media group in 2013. Tejpal subsequently stepped down as editor of Tehelka on November 20, three days before the Goa Police filed a First Information Report against him accusing him of rape. Tejpal was arrested on November 30, after a local court rejected his anticipatory bail application. After his arrest, Tejpal spent nearly eight months in police and judicial custody. He was later released on bail by the Supreme Court, months after a 2,846 page chargesheet by the Crime Branch of the Goa Police. Charges against Tejpal were later framed by the trial court in Goa in 2017, paving way for the trial. -- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind. Beirut, May 21 : Syrian Ambassador to Beirut Abdel Karim Ali said that a judicial complaint will be filed against Lebanese protesters who attacked refugees heading to the Embassy here to cast their votes for the Syrian presidential election. "We want the judicial bodies, the army and political parties to take this matter seriously because it destroys Lebanon's image and harms relations between Syria and Lebanon," Xinhua news agency quoted Ali as saying in a statement on Thursday. He noted that Syria has spared no efforts to provide facilities for the return of the displaced to their homeland. The Lebanese have on several occasions complained about the presence of 1.5 million Syrian refugees in the country that is grappling with the worst economic crisis in its history. The attack came as Syrian expatriates and refugees living outside their war-torn home country on Thursday started voting in the presidential election. In Lebanon, buses loaded with Syrians carrying pictures of al-Assad and waving the Syrian flag headed towards the Syrian embassy on the outskirts of the capital Beirut for the one-day vote. United Nations, May 21 : Relief workers in Ethiopia's northern Tigray region blame parties to the conflict for the denial of cargo movements and confiscating of aid trucks and supplies, the UN humanitarian agency said. "Sporadic fighting and military reinforcement are being observed across the region," Xinhua news agency quoted the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) as saying on Thursday. "Access in some areas, however, is feasible but volatile." Military checkpoints aggressively search humanitarian vehicles and regularly demand proof of permission from local authorities or the military, the Office said in a release. Humanitarian partners are scaling up their response but are not yet able to keep pace with mounting needs. The challenge is from a combination of insecurity, access constraints, ongoing communications disruptions, and a lack of funding, OCHA said. Of the 5.2 million people targeted to receive food assistance, out of a total population of a little more than 7 million, only about 1.8 million people received aid since late March. The Unicef and partners said they screened more than 172,000 children under five years of age and found severely acute malnutrition levels at 2.7 per cent and moderate acute malnutrition at 19.6 per cent. Malnutrition levels among 45,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women were an alarming 46 percent, the humanitarians said. Screening and treatment for children and pregnant and breastfeeding women have decreased in the past two weeks due to lack of access. On May 9, OCHA said it visited Adwa in the central zone with teams from the International Organization for Migration. Internally displaced people were not getting sufficient aid. However, the World Food Programme gained access to Zana town in the northwestern area. The Northern Ethiopia Humanitarian Response Plan targets all of the estimated 5.2 million people in need in Tigray with assistance, including an estimated 2 million displaced people. The UN and partners seek $853 million for the relief plan until the end of the year, but there is a significant shortfall of more than $500 million. Ottawa, May 21 : Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that restrictions along the country's border with the US against non-essential travel has been extended another month until June 21 to stem the spread of Covid-19. "To protect your health and limit the spread of Covid-19, we're extending the measures currently in place by another 30 days. Non-essential travel between our two countries remains restricted until June 21," the Prime Minister tweeted on Thursday. The restriction, which was enforced in March 2020, has been renewed every month since, reports Xinhua news agency. Essential workers such as truckers and emergency service providers, as well as vital healthcare workers including nurses who live and work on opposite sides of the border, are exempt from the restrictions. Canada has so far reported a cumulative total of 1,347,445 Covid-19 cases, with 25,111 deaths. While the country's national-level data show continued declines in disease activity with an average of 5,227 cases reported daily over the latest seven day period, a decrease of 25 per cent from the week prior, daily case counts remain very high, the Public Health Agency of Canada said on Thursday. There are growing calls to reopen the Canada-US border as Covid-19 vaccination rates rise in both countries. The Canadian Chamber of Commerce CEO Perrin Beatty said the 14-month closure has created "enormous difficulties" for businesses, particularly for the tourism sector. Some C$2 billion worth of trade crossed the Canada-US border every day, and before the Covid-19 lockdown last year, about 300,000 people reportedly crossed daily. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) Chennai, May 21 : The Tamil Nadu health department which is expecting the Covid-19 second wave to peak by the end of May is worried with more children in the age group of 0-12 testing positive for the virus. Doctors are of the opinion that more newborns are also testing positive and the percentage of children getting infected due to Covid-19 is more during the second wave than in the first. A study by the health department revealed that around 1,000 to 1,300 children are testing positive on a daily basis in Tamil Nadu. Dr S. Srinivasan, Nodal officer- Child health, Tamil Nadu state said, "The number of children testing positive is on the rise. When parents test positive, children are also getting infected." However the good news is that while children are getting affected, the disease is not becoming a high risk for the children except for a few cases. Dr Manonmani Arun, Pediatrician at Madurai while speaking to IANS, said, "There is of course a rise in the number of children including newborn getting infected with the disease but the cases are not turning fatal and this is welcome. The immunity of the children might be the reason for the disease not progressing among them." She added, "Children with co-morbidities like malignancies, chronic diseases and others having immunity problems have to be protected as these children once infected will have a higher risk of turning fatal and hence all efforts must be made to prevent this." Dr Rajesh Nityananad, a neonatologist with a private hospital in Erode while speaking to IANS said, "A study by our team revealed that even during the first wave several newborns were tested positive but they were asymptomatic but now during the second wave newborns are with symptoms and one or two cases of newborns with multi- system inflammatory syndrome(MIS- C) which was generally seen in older children." Doctors are of the opinion that pregnant women who develop symptoms like fever should tell the doctors on their medical condition as even mild infections can have implications for the baby. Dr Lakshmi Suresh, Gynecologist, Chennai while speaking to IANS said, "We are testing all pregnant women before delivery for Covid-19 tests to ascertain whether the baby is at risk and we do recommend testing the baby in 48 hours after delivery." Neonatologists in unison said that parents should watch for multi system inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C) in newborns which are a re-appearance of fever, diarrhoea and irritability. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Washington, May 21 : Months into the US' Covid-19 inoculation campaign, African-Americans' vaccination rates are still lagging behind, while Hispanics are closing the gap and Native Americans show the highest rates overall, latest federal data has revealed. Only 22 per cent of African-Americans have received a shot, and the rates still trail those of Whites in almost every state, according to the data obtained and released on Thursday by Kaiser Health News from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The data revealed a sweeping national look at the race and ethnicity of vaccinated people on a state-by-state basis, reports Xinhua news agency. Targeted efforts have raised vaccination rates among other minority groups. Hispanics in eight states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico are now vaccinated at higher rates than non-Hispanic Whites. Yet 29 per cent of Hispanics are vaccinated nationally, compared with 33 per cent of Whites, according to the data. While 45 per cent of Native Americans have received at least one dose, stark differences exist depending on where they live, and Asian vaccination rates are high in most states, with 41 per cent getting a shot. "The analysis underscores how vaccine disparities have improved as availability has opened up and (Joe) Biden administration officials have attempted to prioritize equitable distribution. "Still, gaps persist even as minority groups have suffered much higher mortality rates from the pandemic than Whites and are at risk of infection as states move to reopen and lift mask mandates," CNN said in a report on Thursday citing the figures and rates. Currently, some 47.9 per cent of Americans have received at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, according to official figures. The government has set a goal to have 70 per cent of Americans get at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine before July 4. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) Lucknow, May 21 : A 28-year-old employee of a private company, handling the social media cell in the state information department, ended his life by suicide. Parth Srivastava was found hanging from the ceiling fan at his house in Indira Nagar on Thursday. He was rushed to Ram Manohar Lohia hospital by his father Ravindra Nath Srivastava where the doctors declared him brought dead. Station House Officer (SHO), Indiranagar, Ajay Tripathi, said "We got the information through a memo which was sent by the hospital administration and autopsy was conducted. The family has not lodged any complaint so far." The deceased's elder sister Shivani Srivastava, however, told reporters that Parth had tweeted a suicide note from his twitter account, but it was deleted by somebody. She also alleged that Parth often spoke about how some seniors were harassing and belittling him. Senior police officials said that if the parents of the victim give a written complaint, then due action will be taken. New Delhi, May 21 : Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday paid tributes to former Prime Minister and his father Rajiv Gandhi here on his 30th death anniversary. Rahul Gandhi visited Veer Bhumi and paid floral tributes to his father. "Truth, Compassion, Progress," he later wrote on Twitter with the hashtag #RememberingRajivGandhi. He also attached a photograph of his father. Priyanka Gandhi also paid tributes to her father and in a tweet wrote, "There is no greater strength than love, no greater courage than kindness, no greater power than compassion and no greater teacher than humility. #RememberingRajivGandhi" She attached a photograph of her father speaking to the patients in a hospital. Priyanka Gandhi's husband Robert Vadra also paid tribtues to Rajiv Gandhji and said, "Remembering Rajiv Gandhiji on his Death Anniversary, May 21, 1991. A family man, a visionary leader...If he was alive, this country would have been economically stronger, more secular and every citizen would've been medically healthier. We miss him. RIP." He also attached the link of Rajiv Gandhi's speech at the United Nations. Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated on May 21, 1991 in Tamil Nadu. The former Prime Minister was killed by an LTTE suicide bomber on May 21, 1991 night at Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Jaipur, May 21 : The Rajasthan High Court on Friday dismissed the interim bail plea of Asaram Bapu, the controversial self-styled 'godman' who is serving a life sentence in connection with a rape case, Asaram, who tested positive for Covid-19 a few days ago, had pleaded for a two-month interim bail seeking to undergo Ayurvedic style of treatment in Kerala. On his petition, the High Court had asked the Jodhpur AIIMS to submit a thorough medical report. The High Court bench comprising Judge Sandeep Mehta and Judge Devendra Kachhawah dismissed Asaram's petition on Friday. Currently, Asaram is undergoing treatment at the Jodhpur AIIMS. Asaram is lodged in the Jodhpur jail after his arrest in 2013 in a sexual harassment case of a minor girl. Since 2013, he has tried to get bail more than a dozen times but his bail plea has been dismissed each time. Panaji, May 21 : In a major setback, the Goa government lost the rape case against former editor-in-chief of Tehelka after a metropolitan magistrate court on Friday acquitted the senior journalist of rape charges, filed by a junior colleague who had accused Tarun Tejpal of sexually assaulting her in a five-star resort in Goa in 2013. Goa government will not tolerate any wrong done to a woman, said Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and added that his government would appeal against the verdict in the Bombay High Court. According to the special public prosecutor Francisco Tavora, the verdict was a "serious setback" and the state government will be preparing to file an appeal against the order in the High Court. Tejpal has been booked under sections under sections 376 (rape), 341 (wrongful restraint), 342 (wrongful confinement) 354A (sexual harassment) and 354B (criminal assault), of the Indian Penal Code. "He has been acquitted from all charges. Order not given yet. It will be uploaded later," Tejpal's defence counsel said. In a statement Tejpal said: "The past seven and a half years have been traumatic for my family as we have dealt with the catastrophic fallout of these false allegations on every aspect of our personal professional and public lives. We have felt the boot of the state, but through it all we have cooperated fully with the Goa Police and the legal system, through hundreds of hours of court proceedings". "We have unwaveringly followed every mandate of due procedure and abided by every principle of law laid in the Constitution. We have also endeavoured to uphold every norm of decency expected in a case like this," Tejpal said in a written statement, while thanking the court for its "rigorous, impartial and fair trial". Speaking to reporters after the verdict, Tavora said claimed that the prosecution team was seriously aggrieved by the order, which he said would be challenged in the Bombay High Court. "Accused has been acquitted of all charges. We are waiting for a copy of the judgement, but the state will be preparing for an appeal against the judgement. That's all that I can say at this point," Tavora told reporters. "Initially, the accused wanted to be discharged from the case, so he went to the SC and got a stay order. That is how the trial was stopped for a good two years. It was resumed in August 2019. Since September 2020, it has been going on on a day-to-day basis," Tavora said. Reacting to the verdict, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said that the state of Goa would not tolerate any injustice against women. "The Goa government will not tolerate any wrong done to a woman. We are filing an appeal (against the verdict) in the High Court," Sawant said, adding that he had already spoken to the special public prosecutor and the investigating officer about the appeal. The Chief Minister also said that he had seen the evidence on record and documents related to the case and was personally convinced that the verdict should be appealed against. According to the complaint filed against Tejpal by the junior colleague, the rape allegedly occurred on November 7, during a conference organised by the Tehelka media group in 2013. Tejpal subsequently stepped down as editor of Tehelka on November 20, three days before the Goa Police filed a First Information Report against him accusing him of rape. Tejpal was arrested on November 30, after a local court rejected his anticipatory bail application. After his arrest, Tejpal spent nearly eight months in police and judicial custody. He was later released on bail by the Supreme Court, months after a 2,846 page chargesheet by the Crime Branch of the Goa Police. Charges against Tejpal were later framed by the trial court in Goa in 2017, paving way for the trial. Chennai, May 21 : With the Tamil Nadu government sounding an alert of surging mucormycosis or black fungus cases, the authorities have ordered 5,000 vials of Amphotericin from a private pharmaceutical company in Hosur. The medicine is effective in treating the disease and a patient requires five to six vials to get cured. In Chennai a vial costs between Rs 8,000 and Rs 9,000 and medical distributors are of the opinion that the prices may go up as there is an acute shortage. Mukundan Ramakrishnan from Madurai told IANS, "There will be a shortage of the medicine as no one would have stocked Amphotericin in large numbers as only ten to twenty cases are reported a year in Tamil Nadu and 1,000 vials of stock used to be there in the state. With the sudden demand, there would naturally be a shortage and the government has to procure it immediately to cure." While doctors of government hospitals are of the opinion that there is adequate stock of the vial effective in treating mucormycosis, there is apprehension among nursing homes and private hospitals. Sources in the pharmaceutical industry said that there could be a delay of 10 to 15 days to get the medicine owing to shortage of raw materials for the production. Muthuperumal, a medical distributor, said: "There can be delay in getting the medicines as the raw materials required are to be imported from China. Hence there would be delay in getting the medicines. We are trying to procure from neighboring states like Karnataka and Kerala to meet the demand if it arises." Social media expert and influencer, Rajan Mathew Roy said that a lot of people across the country with special emphasis on Tamil Nadu are searching more and more on black fungus and the medicine to cure it. He said, "People are searching about the disease, its severity and the medicine to combat it. Many are then resorting to twitter and facebook for appeals to procure the drug and stock it. This is not acceptable as any disease has to be treated by a doctor and medicine needs to be procured with the doctor's prescription." Mumbai, May 21 : Actor Anshuman Jha, who plays a homosexual man in his new release "Hum Bhi Akele Tum Bhi Akele", says although he is open to working in commercial potboilers, he does not necessarily work for fame or money. "Honestly speaking I am not offered too many films that are in the commercial space, where I can express myself as an actor. When such an offer will come my way, I will explore that too. I am not rigid that way. After my debut film 'Love, Sex Aur Dhokha' I was offered 'Kismat, Love, Paisa, Delhi'. It was supposed to be a commercial film and I was excited about my character in the film. The film flopped. Usually for a new actor, if the film does not work, opportunities get narrowed. That happened to me. Also, I am not acting for fame and money," Anshuman told IANS. He added: "I love acting, there is a joy in entertaining people. It gives me a high when a group of people sit before me, I perform and they react. For me, acting is the process of building a character. The result -- which is hit or flop -- is a byproduct that is not in my hand. My conscious decision is to play a character and be a part of stories that are interesting." The actor has always appeared in films like "Yeh Hai Bakrapur", "X: Past Is Present", "Chauranga", "Angrezi Mein Kehte Hain", "No Fathers In Kashmir" and the web series "Mastram" earlier. His latest-released film "Hum Bhi Akele Tum Bhi Akele", also featuring Zareen Khan, streams on MX Player. (Arundhuti Banerjee can be contacted at arundhuti.b@ians.in) -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text New Delhi, May 21 : Proponents of lab escape can explain all the available facts about SARS2 considerably more easily than can those who favour natural emergence, said Nicholas Wade, a science writer. Writing in the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists, Wade said, "For the lab escape scenario, a Wuhan origin for the virus is a no-brainer. Wuhan is home to China's leading center of coronavirus research where, as noted above, researchers were genetically engineering bat coronaviruses to attack human cells. They were doing so under the minimal safety conditions of a BSL2 lab. If a virus with the unexpected infectiousness of SARS2 had been generated there, its escape would be no surprise". "It is clear that the Wuhan Institute of Virology was systematically constructing novel chimeric coronaviruses and was assessing their ability to infect human cells and human-ACE2-expressing mice," says Richard H. Ebright, a molecular biologist at Rutgers University and leading expert on biosafety. Researchers at the Wuhan Institute of Virology, led by China's leading expert on bat viruses, Shi Zheng-li or "Bat Lady," mounted frequent expeditions to the bat-infested caves of Yunnan in southern China and collected around a hundred different bat coronaviruses, Wade said. Shi then teamed up with Ralph S. Baric, an eminent coronavirus researcher at the University of North Carolina. Their work focused on enhancing the ability of bat viruses to attack humans so as to "examine the emergence potential (that is, the potential to infect humans) of circulating bat CoVs [coronaviruses]." Wade said in pursuit of this aim, in November 2015 they created a novel virus by taking the backbone of the SARS1 virus and replacing its spike protein with one from a bat virus (known as SHC014-CoV). This manufactured virus was able to infect the cells of the human airway, at least when tested against a lab culture of such cells. Wade said natural emergence was the media's preferred theory until around February 2021 and the visit by a World Health Organization (WHO) commission to China. The commission's composition and access were heavily controlled by the Chinese authorities. Its members, kept asserting before, during, and after their visit that lab escape was extremely unlikely. But this was not quite the propaganda victory the Chinese authorities may have been hoping for. What became clear was that the Chinese had no evidence to offer the commission in support of the natural emergence theory, Wade said. This was surprising because both the SARS1 and MERS viruses had left copious traces in the environment. The intermediary host species of SARS1 was identified within four months of the epidemic's outbreak, and the host of MERS within nine months. "Yet some 15 months after the SARS2 pandemic began, and after a presumably intensive search, Chinese researchers had failed to find either the original bat population, or the intermediate species to which SARS2 might have jumped, or any serological evidence that any Chinese population, including that of Wuhan, had ever been exposed to the virus prior to December 2019. Natural emergence remained a conjecture which, however plausible to begin with, had gained not a shred of supporting evidence in over a year," Wade said. "And as long as that remains the case, it's logical to pay serious attention to the alternative conjecture, that SARS2 escaped from a lab," Wade said. Panaji, May 21 : The Goa cabinet on Friday resolved to extend the ongoing curfew in the state to May 31, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said after a meeting of the state cabinet. "We are extending state curfew to May 31. Norms will continue as they were," Sawant said. On May 17, Sawant had announced a state-level curfew in Goa from May 9 to May 23, amid a steep surge in Covid cases in the state. Stores selling essential items, grocery shops, liquor stores are allowed to stay open from 7 am to 1 pm during the period of the curfew, while medical stores and restaurant kitchens are allowed to function from 7 am to 7 pm during the curfew period. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) Gaza, May 21 : An Egypt-brokered ceasefire came into effect on Friday between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas movement, ending an 11-day bloodshed in the Gaza Strip. The ceasefire came into force at 2 a.m., reports Xinhua news agency. According to Egypt's official MENA news agency, Cairo will send two security delegations to Israel and Palestine to ensure the implementation of the truce. The heaviest fighting between Israel and the Gaza militants since 2014 has so far killed 232 Palestinians, including 65 children, and 12 Israelis. After mediation by Egypt, Israel's Cabinet approved the unilateral ceasefire late on Thursday, with a Hamas representative confirming the Islamist organisation's agreement shortly afterwards. Taher al-Nuno said the Palestinian "armed resistance" would honour the ceasefire as long as it is upheld by the Israel side. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his country's political leadership has stressed that the reality on the ground will determine whether fighting continues. If the Palestinians continue with rocket attacks, the ceasefire will be lifted immediately, he added. US President Joe Biden welcomed the ceasefire, expressing "sincere gratitude" to Egypt for its role in brokering the deal. "I extend my sincere gratitude to President al-Sisi and the senior Egyptian officials who played such a critical role in this diplomacy," Biden said at the White House. He said the US, the UN and other partners stand ready to help the Palestinian Authority with humanitarian aid and reconstruction assistance. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres welcomed the ceasefire and called on all sides to observe it. Israeli forces and Gaza Strip militants have fired thousands missiles back and forth since May 10, in response to the rockets fired by Palestinian militants in Gaza to retaliate for Israel's violation of the sacred Islamic holy site of Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. According to the Israeli Defence Forces, the Palestinian side fired some 4,070 rockets towards the Jewish state. But over 90 per cent of the rockets heading toward populated areas were intercepted by the Israel's Iron Dome. About a third fell inside the Gaza Strip. In response, Israeli fighter jets kept carrying out intensive airstrikes on buildings and infrastructure in the besieged enclave. New Delhi, May 21 : Noida Traffic Police, with the help of Fortis Hospital, Noida has launched the 'Auto-ambulance initiative wherein dedicated autos will be responsible for taking suspected and confirmed COVID patients to the hospital. To ensure proper care is provided to the patient during the journey, oxygen cylinders & pulse oximeters have been installed in the autos. Additionally, training has been provided by medical professionals from the hospital on how to ensure basic life support, help a patient put on an oxygen mask, operate an oxygen cylinder, measure the pulse, SPo2 and blood pressure of the patients. All auto drivers will be given PPE kits and taught on how to safeguard themselves against infection. Mr Hardeep Singh, Zonal Director, Fortis Noida said, "We are very proud of the collaboration with the Noida Traffic Police. In preparation for the coming months and the ongoing case load, the auto-ambulance initiative is imperative. It will allow patients from every part of the city to avail emergency services and reach the hospital for treatment. As a responsible healthcare provider, Fortis Noida is working with the traffic authority, under the guidance of the government in this fight against COVID-19 to ensure that it continues in a structured and efficient manner." The service can be availed through a helpline number +91 99710 09001 (IANSlife Features can be contacted at ianslife@ians.in) Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) New Delhi, May 21 : The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will transfer Rs 99,122 crore as surplus to the Centre for nine months ended March 31, 2021. The decision was taken at the 589th meeting of the Central Board under the chairmanship of RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das, through video conference. According to the RBI, the Board in its meeting reviewed the current economic situation, global and domestic challenges and recent policy measures taken by the Reserve Bank to mitigate the adverse impact of the second wave of Covid-19 on the economy. "With the change in the Reserve Bank's accounting year to April-March (earlier July-June), the Board discussed the working of the Reserve Bank of India during the transition period of nine months (July 2020-March 2021) and approved the Annual Report and accounts of the Reserve Bank for the transition period," the RBI said in a statement. "The Board also approved the transfer of Rs 99,122 crore as surplus to the Central Government for the accounting period of nine months ended March 31, 2021 (July 2020-March 2021), while deciding to maintain the Contingency Risk Buffer at 5.50 per cent." --IANS rv/sn/ash Get Outlook for iOS Srinagar, May 21 : Jammu and Kashmir police said on Friday that the issue of local boys joining militant ranks is a serious concern which the security forces are working hard to plug. Vijay Kumar, IGP (Kashmir), told reporters at the district police lines in Srinagar on the occasion of the national anti-terrorism day, "Today we take a pledge to condemn all forms of violence, militancy and its related activities. "Our motive is not only to kill a militant, but to end militancy as well to secure the environment for the people of Kashmir. I will go to the field with a message to our men on ground that they must continue their great work and their contribution towards making the atmosphere more peaceful in the time ahead". Asked about the local recruitment into militant ranks, the IGP said local boys joining militancy is a matter of concern and many steps have been taken to plug it. "We delay encounters by two to three hours only to allow the local boys to surrender. There is need for more hard work and effort to keep local boys away from militancy. A vast network of overground workers (OGWs) of militants has already been busted. "Motivators who lure boys to join militancy are being tracked. "Due to the second wave of COVID many steps taken by police to bring youth into the mainstream like sports, cultural events and other programmmes have been out on hold for the time being," IGP said. Washington, May 21 : In the November 2020 US presidential elections, Indian-Americans reported the highest rate of voting at 71 per cent among adult citizens, according to the publisher of demographic data and policy research on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI). Japanese Americans came second with 66 per cent, an AAPI Data blog reveals. "For Indian-Americans, this was a 9 percentage point increase compared to the 2016 election, while for Japanese Americans, the increase was a modest 4 per cent," it said. The blog further said that the election on November 3, 2020, witnessed a major increase in voter engagement among AAPI community, "building on record gains in voting in the 2018 midterm elections, where midterm voter registration and turnout jumped across every segment, including by nativity, age, gender and geography". Karthick Ramakrishnan, the Director of AAPI Data, told NPR there was a stark increase in voting among second-generation immigrants, who were born in the US to immigrant parents, The American Bazaar reported. "This second generation is coming of political age and especially during this moment of Covid and the increase in anti-Asian racism and hate incidents, you are seeing a kind of political consciousness that's forming that will likely last a generation. "Given the success of Kamala Harris as the highest-ranking Asian American elected official, as well as senators and members of Congress that have done very well over the last decade, we will likely see many more Asian Americans running for office in the future inspired by those examples," he was quoted as saying. New Delhi, May 21 : On average, 1 in 7 Covid (14 per cent) patients were hospitalised in India, during the second wave, higher than the western world where cumulatively 5 to 10 per cent of Covid positive patients have been hospitalised. According to a research by Goldman Sachs on the state of the pandemic in India it's difficult to ascertain currently if the delta is arising due to higher hospitalisation requirements driven by the double mutant variant or these are more precautionary in nature. US Epidemiology data presented by FDA, from early December-2020, also did show that weekly hospitalisation rates reached 15 per cent in the US in the 2nd wave. Covid related hospitalisations are starting to dip but ICU occupancy remains high We have seen Covid related hospitalisations dip over the past week as case load has reduced and recoveries/discharges have increased. If we were to go by the US experience of hospitalisations where the peak was in early January, India should see a substantial decrease in hospitalisations over the coming month. Although the overall bed occupancy for all Covid beds has dipped to 65 per cent, ICU bed occupancy in key metros (especially in the South of India) remains critical, the report said. Goldman Sachs said Covid fatalities have disproportionately been among the elderly population (> 60 years) at 60 per cent. If we were to include the adjacent cohort of 50 years, this proportion rises to 80%, given the multiple co-morbidities this population also suffers from, the report said. The report said state governments have ramped up Covid bed capacity by over 3.3x in the past 75 days, led by higher allocations in both government and private facilities. In the 13 states tracked, Covid bed capacity rose from 146k in early March to 486k by the middle of May. "We have seen Covid related hospitalizations in India starting to dip over the past week and if the US experience is to go by, we could see significant improvements over the next month," Goldman Sachs said. Drug and oxygen shortages seem to be easing, led by a combination of increased domestic production, repurposing alternate sources as well as expedited imports. Testing protocol has been diversified with the addition of allied testing such as C-RP, D-Dimer and CT Scans, to ease the load off RT-PCR capacity as well as serve as a cross-check given concerns around false negatives/lower sensitivity. Vaccinations have been targeted at high risk groups, which has yielded positive results. For instance, the case fatality rate has declined by more than half among those more than 50 years of age in the second Covid wave. This is encouraging, as vaccinations continue to roll out, the report said. The virus reproduction rate, which is a key epidemiological barometer, has fallen below the critical rate of 1, implying that infection rate should continue to decline. Apart from the unavailability of hospital beds, the second big challenge in April was the shortage of key drugs required for clinical management of Covid patients: Remdesivir and Tocilizumab. Most key manufacturers have stepped up production of Remdesivir and as per Ministry of Health data, monthly capacity has reached 10mn from 3.9mn in the beginning of April. Cipla also noted during its Q4 earnings call, that with additional capacities coming online, the demand-supply gap has narrowed considerably. India has also placed an import order with GILD for 450K doses and received 75K recently. We have seen domestic growth seen a sharp surge in April (+53 per cent yoy) driven by Covid-19 related therapies: Favipiravir/Anti infectives, Vitamins/Nutrients and Gastrointestinal. Although there was adequate production of oxygen in the country in the early part of April, only 15 per cent of it was logistically linked to be used for medical purposes. The 2nd wave saw a sharp surge in medical oxygen requirements in April as cases picked up, leading to an acute shortage at healthcare facilities. Government action included production rampup from key suppliers, diverting oxygen from Industrial to medical purposes as well as placing import orders from surplus nations. In the phase 1 of the vaccination drive, vaccination has been targeted at healthcare and frontline workers as well as population above 50 years of age or with co-morbidities. The Ministry of Health also recently put out data on fatality rates in 2021 (vs. 2020) in the 2nd Covid wave - the key conclusion is that in the high risk group (more than 50 years of age), the case fatality rate has declined by more than half. This could potentially be explained by the progress achieved on vaccination. India has currently 11 per cent of the population that has taken the first dose and 3 per cent that has taken the second dose. However, if we were to look at the high risk individuals that the government has identified of c. 300mn (Healthcare, Frontline and Population more than 50 years or those with co-morbidities), the vaccination progress is better. A 40 per cent of this group has already taken a first dose while 14 per cent have been fully vaccinated. (Sanjeev Sharma can be reached at sanjeev.s@ians.in) Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) Bhopal, May 21 : The Covid-19 situation in Madhya Pradesh is improving gradually. While the number of new cases has fallen to less than 5,000 in a day, the positivity rate has declined to 10 per cer cent across 40 districts of the state. There are nine districts where the positivity rate has come down to less than five per cent. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan is constantly monitoring the Covid-19 situation. He says that in those districts where the new cases have not declined for the last few days, it is necessary to break the chain of the infection by strictly following the 'Kill Corona' campaign and enforcing the 'Corona curfew'. Chouhan said, "We have to make every effort to stop the Covid-19 infections in all districts of the state by the end of this month so as to normalise life from the coming month. Under the direction of the ministers in-charge, all the officials in-charge should make an area-specific strategy in their districts and strictly implement it." "While reviewing the Covid-19 situation in Bhopal district it revealed that between 650 and 700 infected cases have been coming up for the last few days. This suggests that the Covid-19 chain is not broken in some regions. For this an area-specific strategy will be worked out and the chain of infection will be broken." Several cases of black marketing of medicines have also come to light. Criminal cases have been registered against 72 people for allegedly selling fake Remdesivir injections and indulging in black marketing of medicines. Action has been taken against many hospitals for overcharging from Covid patients. Taking strict action in 265 such cases, an amount of Rs one crore nine lakh has been returned to the families of the Covid-19 patients. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) New Delhi, May 21 : Siemens India has announced a slew of relief measures amid the pandemic and enhanced its contribution of Rs 40 crore towards Covid-relief. In April 2020, Siemens pledged a contribution of Rs 20 crore towards its efforts against COVID-19. Following the second wave of COVID-19, which has resulted in stretching the healthcare infrastructure in the country further, and the company has announced a further contribution of Rs 20 crore. A company statement said that its interventions range from providing government hospitals across the country with COVID-19 testing lab, state-of-the-art computer tomography scanner, testing kits, ventilators, oxygen concentrators, oxygen generators, medical supplies and gear. It also provided migrant and daily wage workers with dry rations and hygiene kits. These efforts have been supported by the Siemens Caring Hands Foundation in Germany. To support families of employees, who have lost their lives to COVID-19, Siemens announced a lumpsum financial assistance of Rs 25 lakh in addition to one year's salary of the employee. Furthermore, support towards school fees and continued medical insurance for immediate family members will be given. Siemens will grant supplemental leave for colleagues recovering from COVID-19 and additional 10 days Wellness Leave for every employee. The measures are in addition to Siemens' commitment to facilitate vaccinations for all employees and their families. "In these difficult and exceptional circumstances, the community and our employees need concrete measures for their well-being. We will continue to support every employee and their family at this very difficult time. The organization is doing everything possible to ensure that every employee feels safe and cared for," said Sunil Mathur, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Siemens Limited. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) Kabul, May 21 : Jalrez district in Afghanistan's Maidan Wardak province have fallen to the Taliban after heavy attacks by the militant group for three straight days, an official confirmed on Friday. Mahdi Rasikh, an MP from the province, said the district Governor's compound and the police headquarters were captured by the Taliban, TOLO News reported. He added that at least seven security force members were killed during the attacks on the district, adding that some soldiers were missing, while others captured. Rasikh reiterated that "no action was taken by the central government to help the district" during the heavy fighting. Taliban has claimed that they have captured Jalrez district located in the west of Maidan Wardak province. It lies 62 km southwest of Kabul. This is the second district in Maidan Wardak that fell to the Taliban in less than two weeks, reports TOLO News. On Thursday, Dawlat Shah district in Laghman was captured by the Taliban, according to lawmakers from the province. But the Defence Ministry said that the security forces made a tactical retreat in the district. Violence has remained high in the country despite peace efforts. The Afghan forces and the Taliban observed a three-day ceasefire from May 12 to May 15, but a day after the truce ended, the Ministry reported clashes in 18 provinces. Lucknow, May 21 : A case has been lodged by Barabanki police against seven people for allegedly resorting to fraud and cheating to get a mosque that was demolished earlier this week, registered as a Waqf property. The case was lodged on Thursday lodged a case against some members of the committee, including a former UP Sunni Central Waqf Board inspector, The district administration had demolished the mosque in the village of Bani Kada in Ram Sanehi Ghat tehsil on Monday, claiming it was an "illegal structure". It was locally known as the Gareeb Nawaz Masjid. A day after the demolition, the Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Waqf Board issued a statement terming the action as illegal and a violation of an Allahabad High Court directive. According to Ram Sanehi Ghat Station House Officer (SHO) Sachidanand Rai, the people named in the FIR had fraudulently got a structure in the tehsil premises registered as a Waqf property. "They had formed a committee to do so," the SHO added. The "fraudulent registration" was done in 2019. The FIR has named committee president Mushtaq Ali, vice president Waqeel Ahmad, secretary Mohamad Aneesh, members Dastageer, Afzaal, Mohammad Naseem, and then UP Sunni Central Waqf Board Inspector Mohammad Taha. The complaint has been filed by Sonu Kumar, who is the District Minority Welfare Officer. The complainant said, "This is to bring to your notice that these people formed a committee and then through cheating and fraud, got a structure registered as a Waqf property on January 5, 2019. The structure is within the Ram Sanehi Ghar tehsil and is opposite the SDM residence." It further stated, "This was done under a conspiracy, which included these people and also then UP Sunni Central Waqf Board Inspector Mohammad Taha." Hathras : , May 21 (IANS) A young girl was allegedly shot dead by a youth from Mathura under mysterious circumstances. The incident took place on Thursday evening and the girl, Priyanka, was immediately taken to district hospital from where the doctors referred her to Aligarh. The girl, who was critically injured, died in the hospital during the treatment. According to police, they got the information about the incident, which took place in Kailora village in Hathras late on Thursday. The accused Rinku, 21, was arrested from the spot. The police have recovered an illegal country made pistol used in the crime. Rinku, during interrogation, said that he was known to girl through Facebook for the past one year. They were also talking on phone but recently things soured between them and he decided to take this step. The girl's mother, Rama Devi, said that her daughter was a minor but the police said she was 18 years old. Hathras superintendent of police, Vineet Jaiswal, said that the accused has been arrested and further investigations are on. He added that police force has been deployed in the village to prevent fallout of the incident. New Delhi, May 21 : Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday highlighted the work of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi on his 30th death anniversary and also attacked the government for bulldozing the democratic set up. Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated on May 21, 1991 in Sriperumbudur town of Tamil Nadu by a suicide bomber during election campaigning. "False allegations were made throughout the years and even today bogus investigations are being continued after 30 years to deny him his legacy," Kharge said. The Congress leader alleged that Rajiv was targeted from both inside and outside. "There was a concerted attempt to weaken his efforts to develop India from within his own government and party. Security was withdrawn from him by the government which led to his assassination." Kharge said that the circumstances are totally different today as because there are no principles at the highest level and there is a government with much less mandate than Rajiv Gandhi that pushes Billwould create 200,000 jobs in the first five years, with the majority going to Sri Lankan nationals. He said that the Port City bill provides a competitive framework to attract investment. Port City Colombo Director of Sales and Marketing Yamuna Jayaratne said that Sri Lanka already enjoys several advantages in the cost of doing business in comparison with established and mature services hubs such as Hong Kong and Dubai. Colombo is planned to become a major financial and services hub in South Asia. Washington, May 21 : S President Joe Biden will receive his South Korean counterpart Moon Jae-in at the White House on Friday for talks dominated by the North Korean nuclear threat. It is only the second visit by a foreign leader since Biden took office in January, reports dpa news agency. In April, Biden hosted Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga. Moon is in his final year in office, and his opportunity to advance peace with the North running short. North Korea's rogue regime test-fired short-range missiles in March. It was seen as a challenge to the new Biden administration and propelled Pyongyang to one of the President's most pressing foreign policy issues. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin travelled to Seoul in recent months as part of Washington's efforts to coordinate strategy with the South. Biden has promised "responses" if North Korea escalates, but has not offered a detailed outline of his approach beyond efforts to pursue talks with North Korea. Former US president Donald Trump engaged in face-to-face diplomacy with North Korean ruler Kim Jong-un, with whom he had two face-to-face meetings. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki was asked by a reporter on Thursday if a Biden-Kim encounter was possible. "I don't expect that to be top on his agenda," she said. Moon and Biden, who will hold a joint press conference after their talks, are also expected to discuss climate change and vaccine supply issues. Tel Aviv, May 21 : Israeli Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi said US Secretary of State Antony Blinken would visit the region in the coming days, as an Egyptian-brokered ceasefire to halt 11 days of bloody fighting between the Jewish state and Hamas was enforced on Friday. Ashkenazi tweeted that Blinken said in a phone call he "intends to visit the region soon", reports dpa news agency "I welcomed his decision and told him that we would welcome him warmly and that I look forward to continuing our discussions on advancing regional strategic issues for maintaining Israel's security and regional stability," Ashkenazi wrote. The fighting in the Gaza Strip since May 10 killed 232 people in Gaza and 12 people in Israel. According to the Israeli army, the majority of those killed in the Gaza Strip were Palestinian militants. According to the Ministry of Health in Gaza, around a quarter of the fatalities were minors. Among those killed on the Israeli side were a soldier, two workers from Thailand, an Indian nurse and Arab Israelis. The ceasefire came into effect at 2 a.m. Israeli forces and Gaza Strip militants have fired thousands missiles back and forth since May 10, in response to the rockets fired by Palestinian militants in Gaza to retaliate for Israel's violation of the sacred Islamic holy site of Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. According to the Israeli Defence Forces, the Palestinian side fired some 4,070 rockets towards the Jewish state. But over 90 per cent of the rockets heading toward populated areas were intercepted by the Israel's Iron Dome. About a third fell inside the Gaza Strip. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Kolkata, May 21 : Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who lost to BJP's Suvendu Adhikari in Nandigram, is likely to contest from Bhawanipur. Bhawanipur sitting Trinamool MLA Sovandeb Chattopadhyay has submitted his resignation to the Speaker on Friday. However, Chattopadhyay is likely to continue as a cabinet minister and contest from some other seat. Sources in the party said that the party has decided Banerjee will contest from her traditional winning seat -- Bhawanipur in South Kolkata. Banerjee had in the last two assembly elections contested and won from the Bawanipur seat but this time she decided to contest from Nandigram in East Midnapore against turncoat Suvendu Adhikari. Banerjee was, however, defeated by Adhikari. Though Banerjee was sworn in as the chief minister of the state, according to the rule she will have to become an MLA within six months after the formation of the government. Party sources indicated that Banerjee expressed her willingness to contest from Bhawanipur and so Chattopadhyay who is now the state agriculture minister has been asked to resign from that seat. Chattopadhyay, who submitted his resignation to Speaker Biman Banerjee in the afternoon, said that he had resigned following the party's decision. The minister, however, didn't divulge other details saying that he would do whatever party will ask him to do. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Islamabad, May 21 : Pakistan's coronavirus death toll crossed 20,000 on Friday as authorities struggle to contain a third wave of the pandemic that has battered the South Asian nation. More than 100 people died of Covid-19 on Thursday, taking the total number to 20,089, dpa news agency quoted the Health Ministry as saying. The number of total infections in one of the world's most populous countries has reached 893,461 with more than 3,000 new cases in the past day, the Ministry said. Most deaths have occurred during the ongoing third wave as a majority of new patients were infected by a variant first found in Britain, health chief Faisal Sultan said. "The UK variant is dominant. There are some cases of South African strain. Both spread faster than the ones that hit Pakistan during the previous waves," Sultan said. A slow pace of the national inoculation drive was another reason of rising infections and deaths, said doctor Ashraf Nizami of the Pakistan Medical Association (PMA), the biggest national body of medics. Around 5 million people have been vaccinated in Pakistan so far, a small fraction of the country's over 200 million population. Officials blamed the unavailability of vaccine in the international market and delay in the supply of jabs under the global distribution system COVAX. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) Bangkok, May 21 : Myanmar's military rulers have ignored a tentative peace plan agreed a month ago by the 10-country Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), according to lawmakers from across the region. The ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR) group on Friday urged the bloc's nine other member-states to push for "immediate and effective implementation of the Five-Point Consensus," as the blueprint is called, "and to hold the military accountable for its blatant disregard" of the deal, dpa news agency reported. Myanmar junta leader Min Aung Hlaing signed up to the consensus, which includes calls for an end to violence and the visit to Myanmar of a regional envoy, during an ASEAN summit one month ago. The army seized power in Myanmar on February 1, arresting civilian government leaders including Aung San Suu Kyi, the 1991 Nobel peace laureate. Nationwide protests against the coup have been met with fierce army reprisals that activists say have killed over 800 people. The April ASEAN deal came about after some neighbouring governments voiced concerns about spill-over as refugees fled border-region fighting between the army and ethnic militias. "Nothing has changed," said Malaysian opposition lawmaker Charles Santiago, the APHR chair, who on Friday accused Min Aung Hlaing of "blatantly ignoring" the deal. Kasit Piromya, a former Thai foreign minister, said ASEAN governments run the risk of being seen as acting "to protect them (the junta) against global condemnation, not to end the violence". In recent years, China has become a world leader in quantum science and technology breakthroughs, with many made by scientists from Hefei, capital of the eastern province of Anhui. The latest advance comes from a research team at the University of Science and Technology of China, or USTC, in the city. The team has designed a prototype 62-quantum-bit programmable superconducting quantum computer. Six months before news of the advance was published in the international journal Science, the scientists, led by the university's renowned physicist Pan Jianwei, created the world's first light-based quantum computer. The scientists said the computer can reliably demonstrate "quantum computational advantage", a milestone in which a quantum machine can tackle a problem no classical supercomputer can solve within a reasonable amount of time. Three of China's top quantum scientistsGuo Guangcan, Du Jiangfeng and Pan, all academicians at the Chinese Academy of Scienceswork at the university. Together, they have won the nickname "GDP". With more breakthroughs coming from local labs, the commercialization of quantum science and technology has been gathering momentum in the city. Five private companies working in fast computing, precise measurements and long-distance secure communications using quantum technology have been founded in the Hefei National High-tech Industry Development Zone. They are all located on a road in the zone that leads to "Quantum Avenue", a thoroughfare that is home to a large number of related companies, said Lyu Changfu, deputy director of the zone's administrative committee. According to the Anhui authorities, more than 20 quantum-related startups are currently operating in the province. Initially founded in the zone by USTC in May 2009, QuantumCTek was the first company in Anhui to operate in the sector. "Our primary task is to transform quantum communication from academic papers to real products and services, especially Quantum Key Distribution, which is an important technology for information security," said Zhao Yong, the company's president. China has now built quantum-secured communication networks extending more than 7,000 kilometers, with more than 6,000 km of those networks currently using QuantumCTek's products, according to the company. In July, QuantumCTek listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange Science and Technology Innovation Board at a price of 36.18 yuan ($5.61) per share. Now, each share is worth about 190 yuan. As the scope of the companies' business varies, more quantum outfits have become potential "unicorns"startups worth more than $1 billionand they are looking to list and trade publicly, said Lyu, adding that more such enterprises have been founded in recent years. Pan, who began putting his team together at USTC in 2001, said, "Anhui province and Hefei city both provide good conditions for scientists to conduct cool research." "In recent years, the Anhui provincial and Hefei municipal governments have invested a total of 4.6 billion yuan to support research, scientific facilities and education in the quantum science and technology sector," he told the 2020 China (Anhui)Transformation Fair of Scientific and Technological Achievements, which was recently held in Hefei. In a previous interview, Pan said he was pleased to see that more entrepreneurs are willing to support fundamental scientific research, even though such activity may not appear profitable in the short run. Luo Xisheng, vice-president of USTC, said, "Money is not a problem as many privately owned funds want to be part of the sector because they believe the technology will fundamentally reshape many industries and thus enjoy a very bright future." Lyu said, "As these new technologies are brought closer to people's lives, these companies will lead industrial development in the future." Zhao said his company will also assist the CAS Center for Excellence in Quantum Information and Quantum Physics, which is headed by Pan, to upgrade its quantum computing cloud platform next year to connect real quantum computers. "Our dream is to build quantum information networks, such as a quantum internet, which will connect quantum computers, quantum sensors and other quantum terminals via quantum communication technologies," he said. "That will enable information and communications technology systems with quantum ability to become more secure and intelligent." Gadchiroli : , May 21 (IANS) Notching a significant victory, the Maharashtra Police on Friday gunned down 13 Maoists, including 7 women, in a fierce gun-battle in the deep forests near Etapally, officials said here. The 90-minute encounter between the Maoists and the crack force of C-60 commandos, which started around 6 am today in the Paydi-Kotmi jungles, may have resulted in at least 4-5 more of the rebels getting injured but they escaped in the jungle. Home Minister Dilip Walse-Patil visited the Gadchiroli Police headquarters and felicitated the top police officers including Sanjay Saxena, Sandip Patil, Ankit Goyal, Manish Kalvaniya, Sameer Shaikh and Somay Munde, Bhausaheb Dhole, all IPS, among others. An official spokesperson for the Anti Naxal Operations (ANO) said that early today, following a tip-off that a group of Maoists were planning to come to the local villages for its regular extortion purposes, a team of C-60 commandos was deployed to carry out combing operation in the forests. At that time, a gang of around 60-70 heavily armed Maoists opened indiscriminate firing in the direction of the police teams. The police first made appeals to the rebels to lay down arms and surrender, but they failed to comply and the commandos replied back with firing at the Maoists. After about 90 minutes, the Maoists escaped in the thick forests ending the dawn encounter after the police extracted a heavy toll on the rebels' side. A subsequent search of the vicinity revealed the bodies of 13 Maoists, including 7 women and six men, and they belonged to the dreaded groups active locally. The police also recovered weapons like AK-47s, SLRs, Carbines, 303 revolvers, 12-bore rifles, and a huge stock of ammunition and explosives, besides articles of daily use from what appeared to be a temporary camp area. The district police and surroundings are put on alert in other talukas for any retaliatory attacks by the Maoists. This is the second important success in the anti-Maoist crusade of the Maharashtra Police in the past 7 months after an October 2020 encounter in Gyarapatti forests saw 5 Maoists, including 3 women, shot dead. New Delhi, May 21 : On the 30th death anniversary of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, the Indian Youth Congress (IYC) on Friday arranged a blood donation camp, distributed food packets and rations to the people in need and provided financial assistance to children orphaned due to Covid-19 pandemic. The National Students Union of India also distributed PPE kits, sanitizers, face shields and face masks to the frontline workers in the national capital. Paying tributes to Rajiv Gandhi, IYC National President Srinivas B.V. said that the former Prime Minister was the architect of modern India, who worked towards making India strong and self-reliant. He said that the IYC has organised ration kits distribution and blood donation camp to the needy people across the nation on the death anniversary of Rajiv Gandhi, today we are also providing financial assistance to the children orphaned due to Covid-19 pandemic. Srinivas said that poor and helpless people are very much disturbed due to lockdown across India, Covid-19 pandemic has affected all sections of society ruthlessly, therefore as per the instructions of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and keeping in mind the ideals of Rajiv Gandhi and his service to mankind, the IYC is organising such programs across the country. Since the nation-wide lockdown imposed last year, the IYC till date has been working day and night to provide food, oxygen cylinders, ICU beds, and other necessary things to the people in Delhi and elsewhere. The IYC state units are also working day and night to help the people as much as possible, it is the ideals of the Congress and its great leaders that its members are working smoothly at the grassroots and will continue to do so. Recalling the works of Rajiv Gandhi, the IYC leader said, "The country is still taking advantage of the foresight of the former Prime Minister. The design of the vaccination process in the country is based on previous vaccination processes. It is said that it is Rajiv Gandhiji's foresight that has placed India in the category of strong, modern nations. "Under the leadership of Rajiv Gandhiji, India touched the dimension of development. He worked to strengthen every section of the country by paying attention to its upliftment. Rajiv Gandhi paved the way for development in the country through the establishment of peace. We pay our respects to him on his death anniversary," he added. IYC National Media Incharge Rahul Rao said that today IYC organised various programs at the state, district and block levels across the country on the death anniversary of former Prime Minister Bharat Ratna Rajiv Gandhi and provided ration to the needy people, organised blood donation camps, distributed various essential relief materials including food distribution and paid tributes to him. NSUI national president Neeraj Kundan in a tweet said, "Ongoing preparations at NSUI headquarters to distribute PPE kits, sanitizers, face shields and masks for Covid front line warriors including doctors, medical staff,ambulance drivers and sanitation workers. We reiterate our pledge #LadengeAurJeetenge with #RememberingRajivGandhi." Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) New Delhi, May 21 : K-Pop super band BTS' latest song "Butter" set a new record a record with 10 million views on YouTube in just 13 minutes, upon release on Friday. The band's new music video also drew around 3.89 million concurrent viewers during its midnight (EST) premiere. In its first five hours of release, the track had over 47,034,131 views on YouTube and 4.8 million likes, according to Forbes. "Butter" is a dance pop track with the band's distinctive baseline and crisp synth sounds. The choreography is a combination of group and unit dances, with highlight gestures such as stroking of hair, blowing kisses and walking on tiptoes. The band will perform "Butter" for the first time at the upcoming Billboard Music Awards on May 23. They are nominated in four categories at this year's award -- Top Duo/Group, Top Song Sales Artist, Top Social Artist and Top Selling Song. The band also kicks off Good Morning America's Summer Concert Series on May 28. Geneva, May 21 : Europe has recorded a 60 per cent drop in new coronavirus infections over the past month, the World Health Organization said, while cautioning that the progress may be fragile, the media reported. The WHO's announcement comes as the European Union plans for reopening its borders for fully vaccinated tourists and other nonessential travelers. The weekly number of new cases across Europe dropped to nearly 685,000 last week from 1.7 million in mid-April, the New York Times reported, Hans Kluge, the WHO's European director as saying. However, as regulations get relaxed, social gatherings and travel during the summer holiday season will rise, and could result in more transmission of the virus, Kluge said, adding that deadly variants spreading within the bloc remained a cause for concern. "This progress is fragile, we have been here before," Kluge told reporters at a news conference, advising vigilance over outbreaks "that could quickly evolve into dangerous resurgences." The B1617 variant, first identified in India and has been deemed a variant of concern by the WHO, has now spread to 26A countries in the European region. Kluge said that although most cases of the variant were connected to international travel, transmission of the variant was occurring within Europe, the report said. "We are heading in the right direction, but need to keep a watchful eye on a virus that has claimed the lives of nearly 1.2 million people in this region," Kluge said. While vaccines had so far been effective against the Covid variants, it has only reached a small percentage of people in Europe, and that precautions like social distancing and wearing masks were still necessary, Kluge said. "Vaccines may be a light at the end of the tunnel, but we cannot be blinded by that light," he noted. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Berlin, May 21 : A 21-year-old Syrian refugee was handed a life sentence by a German court on Friday for a fatal knife attack on two tourists in the city of Dresden in October last year motivated by Islamist extremism. A 55-year-old man died, while his partner survived. The couple was visiting Dresden from the state of North Rhine Westphalia when they were attacked from behind, dpa news agency reported. The prosecution called for the highest sentence possible on the grounds there were no mitigating circumstances. The court followed this and ruled that the convicted assailant, named as Abdullah A, should serve a full 15 years before being eligible for release. Defence lawyers had accepted their client's guilt but pleaded for him to be sentenced under youth court provisions as a result of his immaturity at the time of the murder, when he was 20. After entering Germany as a minor in 2015, Abdullah A received a sentence from a youth court in 2018 for disseminating propaganda for the Islamic State terror group. While in prison he attacked prison officers, receiving an additional sentence. He was released under strict conditions at the end of September last year, and went on to attack the couple on October 4, 2020, just five days later. He managed to escape following the attack, but was tracked down on the basis of DNA evidence almost three weeks later. When arrested, he was carrying a large knife. Patna, May 21 : Five students of Patna Women's College prepared a safety bracelet to help women in crisis situations. Sonali Mishra, Anamika Singh, Khusboo Kumari, Anjali Rai, and Noor Fatima developed the bracelet over a period of 7 months. The bracelet will help women to protect themselves from eve teasing, molestation, and sexual assault. "We have given the name 'safelet' having features to start an inbuilt alarm with one touch and its sound can be heard within a one km radius. Moreover, it will also send alert messages to mobile numbers registered with it," said Sonali Mishra, one of the team members. "After pressing the alarm, local police can track the victim through GPS and Google map to save their lives," she said. The cost of the project was Rs 4,000. The students were the finalists in a national innovation contest organized every year by the education and innovation cell of All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE). Their's was the only team from Bihar. Now, Innovation cell will grant Rs 10 lakh to these students for further projects. Thiruvananthapuram, May 21 : A day after the Pinarayi Vijayan government began its second term, the official list of the portfolios of ministers released on Friday saw one major change, which has left the Muslim community displeased. In the outgoing cabinet, the Welfare of Minorities department was handled by K.T. Jaleel and it was also a norm under the Congress-led UDF that the charge was handled by a Muslim minister from the Indian Union Muslim League. Likewise when the names of the second Vijayan ministry surfaced, the department was given to V. Abdurahiman but according the official list was released on Friday, it was listed in the portfolios to be handled by Vijayan. Expressing their opposition to the change, a few Muslim organisations have expressed their displeasure and they feel that this was done by Vijayan to appease the Christian community. This has also been bolstered by a purported letter of the Kerala Catholic Youth Movement to their bishop that adequate steps should be taken to prevail upon Vijayan that this department should either be taken over by the Chief Minister, if not given to a Christian minister, doing the rounds. Incidentally, Mizoram Governor and a former state BJP chief P.S. Sreedharan Pillai has gone on record to say that Cardinal George Alencherry, the Major Archbishop of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, has raised "very important issues", particularly concern that 80 per cent of the funds for the minority community are going to one particular community and the entire Christian community is getting just 20 per cent. Of the 3.34 crore Kerala population, Muslims account for 88.73 lakh, while the Christian population stands at 61.41 lakh. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Kohima, May 21 : The district authority in Nagaland has asked the police to investigate into the killing of eight pet dogs by the members of a local students body, reportedly because their owners did not vaccinate the canines despite directives. The Deputy Commissioner of Mon district in Nagaland, Thavaseelan K, said on Friday that he has asked the police to register an FIR and probe the matter. "We would take appropriate action after getting the police report. Details of the happenings are under collection," the Deputy Commissioner told IANS over phone from the district headquarters. He said the district authorities have received different versions of the incident related to the killing of the dogs on May 17. According to the police, the Nokzang Students' Union in Mon district had served a notice on May 8 asking the villagers to vaccinate their pet dogs before May 15, failing which 'action would be taken against the canines'. The students' union asked all the dog owners in the tribal dominated village of Nokzang to vaccinate their pets against rabies. The police said that members of the students' union shot dead eight 'infected' dogs for attacking livestock and children. Local media reports said that some members of the students' body also collected a fine of Rs 500 each from the owners of the eight dogs for defying their directives. According to media reports, the students' association members claimed that the dogs were a threat to the cattle and children of the village, which lacks proper road connectivity for the locals to avail medical care in emergency situations. With a population of 2,50,260, Nagaland's Mon district, bordering Myanmar, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh, is the third largest district in the state, representing 10.77 per cent of the total area of Nagaland. After Mizoram, the Nagaland government had in July last year banned commercial import and trading of dogs and dog markets and also the sale of dog meat, both cooked and uncooked. However, the Kohima bench of the Gauhati High Court in November last year had granted an interim stay to the Nagaland government's July 2 decision to ban commercial import, trade and sale of dogs and dog meat in the markets of the northeastern state. The Nagaland government had referred to the food safety regulations as the main reason for the prohibition, but the decision was believed to have been taken under pressure from animal rights groups, both in India and abroad. BJP MP and animal rights activist Maneka Gandhi, journalist and former parliamentarian Pritish Nandy and many other animal lovers have been urging the governments of northeastern states, including Mizoram and Nagaland, to ban killing and religious slaughtering of animals, including dogs. Dog meat is a delicacy among certain communities in the two northeastern states of Nagaland and Mizoram. (Sujit Chakraborty can be contacted at sujit.c@ians.in) Mumbai, May 21 : Mumbai Police on Friday shared a series of witty memes on their official Instagram account featuring Bollywood stars. The memes are intended to remind people to take precautions amid the ongoing second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic. The memes feature dialogues of Amitabh Bachchan, Rajesh Khanna, Ayushmann Khurrana and Kajol, and are humorous as well as informative. A meme featuring late actor Rajesh Khanna's photograph urges people to order food at home instead of stepping out. It reads: 'Rajesh' order 'Khanna' at home. Image Source: IANS News Along with the meme, Mumbai Police posted: "Pushpa, we hate rule-breakers! Stay home rey... #BeBollyGood #KakaWouldSay #StayHomeStaySafe #takingoncorona." Image Source: IANS News A meme featuring Amitabh Bachchan reminds people to wear masks properly. It reads: 'Big-B'lunder wearing your mask below nose. A meme featuring Kajol' picture says: You can't 'Kajol' us into thinking getting chocolates is essential. Mumbai Police borrowed from a popular dialogue of Kajol from "Kuch Kuch Hota Hai" to write alongside the meme: "Cheater, cheater, cheater... That's what you are!" The meme featuring Ayushmann Khurrana warns people against stepping out. It reads: 'Ayush, Maan' Ja -- it is very unwise to step out unnecessarily. Image Source: IANS News Alongside the meme, it is written: "Be 'Zyada Saavdhan' today to ensure everything's 'Shubh Mangal' everyday." Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) -- Syndicated from IANS The ceasefire between Israel and Hamas after 11 days of deadly hostilities is a welcome step for the innocent people suffering casualties in the crossfire, provided all sides observe this ceasefire judiciously. The Israel- Palestine struggle is one of the oldest struggles in the world with Israeli occupation of West Bank and Gaza Strip 53 years back, interspersed with wars and conflicts at varying scale intermittently, with no signs of permanent peaceful solution so far. This truce after the latest round of fighting, like previous wars, has ended inconclusively, with Israel claiming heavy damage to Hamas, but unable to stop their rockets (killing 12 Israelis and over 200 injured). Hamas also claims victory, despite heavy casualties (230 Palestinians killed, over 1900 injured), facing challenges of rebuilding Gaza, poor confidence with troubled population (58000 Palestinians fled their homes) already suffering poverty due to coronavirus pandemic. Gaza is controlled by Hamas (post Israeli disengagement in 2005), which also operates militant wing and West bank with 167 enclaves of Palestinians are governed by Fatah (claiming to represent erstwhile Palestinians Liberation Organisation) amidst 230 Israeli settlements governed by Israel. Both factions (Hamas and Fatah) have different ideologies and differences, but form a Palestinian Unity Government under President Mahmoud Abbas since 2014, negotiating peace through Quartlet (US, Russia, EU and UN). The competing claims to Jerusalem, which is crucial to Christians, Jews and Palestiniansis the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and have repeatedly triggered incidences of violence in the past, like the present one. Trigger for Current Crisis The renewed violence started on 6 May, when Palestinian protests began over an anticipated decision of the Supreme Court of Israel (Yet to be announced), on the eviction of six Palestinian families from Sheikh Jarrah, a neighborhood of occupied East Jerusalem, resulting increasing skirmishes between Israelis and Palestinians in the Old City of Jerusalem. On May 8, Palestinian Muslims streamed to the Haram al-Sharif for Ramadan prayers, in large numbers to mark the revelation of the Qur'an to the Prophet Muhammad, considered not only the most sacred night of Ramadan, but of the whole Islamic calendar. Simultaneously, some Israeli Jews were gathering ahead of Jerusalem Day (May 10) marking Jewish control over the Old City of Jerusalem secured during the 1967 war. The focal point of those celebrations is the Western Wall of the Temple Mount (the holiest site in Judaism), the same elevated platform that Muslims call the Haram al-Sharif.Israeli police stormedthe compound of the al-Aqsa Mosque, the third-holiest site in Islam and the confrontations occurred resulting more than 300 people injured, mostly Palestinians. Closure of Damascus gate was another irritant. This resulted in a barrage of rockets fired by Hamas on Israel, responded by repeated air attacks by Israel on Gaza, along with other arsenal, causing heavy destruction and casualties, which continued for last 11 days. Internal Dynamics This confrontation has happened at a time when there is political crises in Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA). Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel recently failed to put together a ruling coalition even after the fourth round of elections in just two years; hence lacksa popular mandate. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, whose term expired 12 years ago, also lacks popular mandate. He recently cancelled legislative elections, after his party was trailing badly in the polls. With leaders on both sides lacking legitimacy any peace talks regarding such complex situation may have little chances of success, with a risk of reckless action by either. Moreover the Arab population in Israel was also on streets and incidences of lynching may have potential to ignite if pending Supreme Court decision is one sided. The Hezbollah also came out in support of Hamas further adding complexity to the problem. The truce therefore is quite fragile. International Reaction During UNSC resolutions USA found itself isolated in backing Israel. It was therefore in tight spot to broker peace amidst growing pressure against Israel seen to be using excessive force. It also needs to be noted that after erstwhile President Trump recognised Jerusalem as capital of Israel, he shifted US embassy there and offered an unviable peace solution, which was rejected by PA, but Prime Minister Netanyahu seems to have assumed that entire Jerusalem belongs to Israel and others need to slowly vacate it. This is disastrous because from historic and religious point of view Jerusalem is non-negotiable to Christians, Jews and Palestinians, who coexist there since ages. International community although recognises Israel's right to defend itself, but not at the cost of pulverising civil areas of Gaza, causing heavy civil casualties, even if it accuses Hamas of basing itself amidst population (a tactics adopted by most terrorist groups in the world). As per UN, the truce seemed to be brokered by Egypt and Qatar (normally accused of supporting Shia based Hamas, along with Iran). What is grossly different this time was over-reaction by Erdogan, trying to pose himself as new leader of Islamic world and Pakistan with loud voices against Israel. This confrontation happened when Israel was improving relations with some countries of Arab world, which may suffer a temporary setback due to their objection to Israeli actions on the Haram al-Sharif. Most Arab states otherwise are hostile to Hamas, and differentiate well between the Palestinian people and the Hamas fighters. Future Peace Prospects Fed up of insecurities, In 2007, according to a number of polls, the majority of Israelis and Palestinians, prefer the two-state solution over any other solution, as a means of resolving the conflict, which was initiated in Oslo Accords in 1993-95. With complexities of entanglement of 167 Palestinian enclaves embedded in 203 Israeli settlements and related governance issues, it's not really practical that it may be possible for Israel to agree to vacate West Bank. I don't visualise any Israeli leadership ever agreeing to such a proposal. Same is the case with Jerusalem. Any attempt to push out any one religious community from its religious site is bound to have serious backlash. Peaceful coexistence may not be preferred option but seems to be the only practical option. There is also a possibility of outside peace spoilers like Erdogan igniting religious disharmony, which must be curbed by both the parties and Quartlet. There have been some voices from Palestinians expecting Indian mediation as India has good relations with Israel as well as Palestine, but the issue is so complex and sensitive that current Indian policy of maintaining independent relations with both with no interference in internal affairs of either, may be the best policy for India. Considering all the factors, the current truce is a welcome step, but its longevity is questionable in light of political uncertainties both sides and mistrust between communities. (Major General S.B. Asthana is a strategic and security analyst, a veteran Infantry General. He is the Chief Instructor, United Service Institution of India. The views expressed are personal) -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) Founder Seeman on Friday demanded calling off the Amazon Prime web series 'The Family Man 2' as it portrays Tamils as vicious and the Liberation Tiger for Tamil Eelam (LTTE) as terrorists. In a statement issued here Seeman said that the trailer of the web series 'The Family Man 2' is shocking. "The series seeks to intentionally portray the LTTE as terrorists and Tamils as vicious people. It is no coincidence that Chennai has been chosen as the location," Seeman said. According to him, the web series story revolves around an Eelam - in Sri Lanka- woman who is portrayed as a militant. "The colour of her dress resembles that of an LTTE uniform, with dialogues referring to links between the militant group and the Pakistani ISI," Seeman said. "In a situation where 2 lakh Tamils in Eelam have been slaughtered by the tyranny of Sinhala chauvinism, the attempt to portray the Tamils as terrorists through a web series that stand as the greatest democrats and seeking justice in the international forums through moral and legal struggle is highly condemnable," Seeman added. According to him as soon as the trailer of the series, which was created to mislead Tamils, was released, Tamils all over the world have been registering their condemnation with great anger. Urging the web series be banned, Seeman said that already, the films such as "Inam" and "Madras Cafe" that portray Tamils in a wrong manner were refrained from screening in theatres due to widespread opposition. The NTK is the third largest party in terms of vote share after the recently concluded assembly polls in Tamil Nadu. The party had secured about seven per cent vote share. New Delhi, May 21 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday provided a new mantra for Covid management -- 'Jahan Bimar Wahan Upchar'. Modi said that bringing Covid treatment to the patient's doorstep will reduce the burden on the health system. The Prime Minister interacted with doctors and officials of Varanasi through video conferencing. During the interaction, the doctors and officials thanked Modi for his continuous and proactive leadership that helped in ramping up health infrastructure and ensured adequate supply of necessary medications and critical equipment like ventilators and oxygen concentrators. The Prime Minister hailed the initiative of micro containment zones and appreciated the home delivery of medicines. He also asked the health workers to make this campaign as comprehensive as possible in the rural areas. "Bringing doctors, labs and e-marketing companies together to provide a tele-medicine facility named 'Kashi Kavach' is also a very innovative initiative," Modi said. The Prime Minister was apprised of the efforts undertaken in the last one month to contain the spread of Covid, vaccination status, and the ongoing steps and plans to prepare the district for future challenges. The doctors informed the Prime Minister that they have been vigilant about the threat of mucormycosis or black fungus and have already taken steps and created facilities for the management of the disease. During the interaction, the Prime Minister underscored the importance of continuous training of the manpower fighting Covid and advised the officials and doctors to conduct training sessions and webinars, especially for the paramedical staff and doctors serving in the rural areas. He also asked the officials to work towards bringing down vaccine wastage in the district. Modi praised the speed with which the number of oxygen and ICU beds have been increased in such a short time in Banaras and the way the Pandit Rajan Mishra Kovid Hospital has been activated at such a short notice. He also expressed happiness that the Integrated Covid command system in Varanasi worked very well and said Varanasi's example inspires the world. The Prime Minister gave the example of substantial control of encephalitis cases in children in the Purvanchal region due to active efforts of the UP government and urged the officials and doctors to work with the same sensitivity and vigilance. He cautioned against the new challenge posed by black fungus in the battle against the pandemic. "It is important to pay attention to the precautions and arrangements required to deal with it," Modi said. The Prime Minister hailed the leadership provided by public representatives of Varanasi in the fight against Covid. He urged the public representatives to remain connected with the public and advised them to show full sensitivity towards their concerns despite criticisms. "If any citizen has any grievance, then it is the responsibility of the public representatives to be concerned about it," Modi added. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Hyderabad, May 21 : Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Friday mourned the death of well-known environmentalist and founder of the famous Chipko Andolan Sunderlal Bahuguna. Chipko Andolan was a people's movement aimed at protecting the trees and forests. The CM recalled that Sunderlal Bahuguna sacrificed his entire life to lead a movement for five decades against cutting of the trees, in the protection of the forests and birds which were becoming extinct. Rao termed the death of Sunderlal Bahuguna as a deep void in environment and biodiversity sectors in the country. He conveyed his condolences to members of the bereaved family. Bahuguna died at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Rishikesh on Friday after battling Covid-19 for several days. He was 94. Patna, May 21 : The Patna High Court on Friday acquitted 13 persons who were accused in the infamous Senari massacre case, in which an erstwhile Maoist group had killed 34 upper caste men in 1999 at the Senari village in Bihars Jehanabad district. On March 18, 1999, the cadres of Maoist Communist Centre (MCC) killed 34 people belonging to a particular upper caste. The cadres forced the victims out of their houses and lined them up near a temple, before killing them with blunt objects and firearms. A high court bench comprising Justices Ashwani Kumar Singh and Arvind Srivastava acquitted the 13 accused persons in the absence of evidence. All the 13 accused were serving life terms after a lower court in Jahanabad district had sentenced them to life imprisonment. Anshul Raj, the defence lawyer in this case, said: "There are no eyewitnesses in this case who can recognise my clients for their involvement in the massacre in Senari village. The prosecution lawyer did not present any witness or valid proof to hold them guilty. Hence the high court double acquitted them with immediate effect." The first chargesheet in this case was filed in 2002 against 74 persons. However, with 18 of them absconding, the trial was held against 56 persons. The Senari incident was the last of a series of caste-related massacres in Bihar during end '90s. It is believed to be retaliation to the Lakshman-Bathe massacre of 1997 in which 57 Dalits were allegedly killed by the members of Ranvir Sena, an upper caste private force. Hyderabad, May 21 : The surging Covid-19 pandemic has caused untold miseries for many households and even completely wiped out some families - the family of police officer G. Krishna Prasad, who was killed by suspected terrorists in Hyderabad in 1992, has lost at least five members over the last one and a half months. Krishna Prasad's wife Jankai, daughter G. Deepthi and son G. Vivek were all infected by Covid-19. Jankai was admitted to a hospital with lung infection and succumbed on May 4. Fifteen days later, her daughter lost her battle against Covid at a hospital in Secunderabad. Deepthi, 41, was serving as the General Manager in the Telangana State Mineral Development Corporation (TSMDC). According to Deepthi's relatives, she was admitted to hospital last week with low saturation levels. As her condition started deteriorating, she was kept in Intensive Care Unit (ICU). However, she too succumbed to the pandemic late Wednesday. Deepthi's last rites were performed at Bachupalli on Thursday. Her brother Vivek has recovered and is the only surviving member in the family. The siblings' paternal uncle Janardhan Rao and aunt Mary also died of Covid in Hyderabad recently, while maternal uncle Veerabhadra Rao succumbed to Covid in Guntur in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh. Krishna Prasad, then Additional Superintendent of Police, Special Intelligence Branch, was killed on November 29, 1992 when suspected terrorists hiding in a house in Hyderabad opened fire. Prasad's gunman Venkateswar Rao was also killed in the attack, which took place when the officer was raiding an alleged hideout of the terrorists. Prasad hailed from Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh. Deepthi, who was selected for Group-1 in 2007, worked in the Audit Department for five years and later served in the Employment Generation Marketing Mission. In 2018, she was appointed General Manager (Sales & Marketing) in the TSMDC. She was known as a dedicated officer who discharged key responsibilities in departments like online sand sale and e-office. Her husband Vikas Bansode is a well-known lawyer. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) New Delhi, May 21 : K-Pop super band BTS' latest song "Butter" set a new record with 10 million views on YouTube in just 13 minutes, upon release on Friday. The band's new music video also drew around 3.89 million concurrent viewers during its midnight (EST) premiere. "Butter" is also the second BTS song after "Dynamite" to be performed entirely in English, which vastly improves its prospects at radio, according to forbes.com. In its first five hours of release, the track had over 47,034,131 views on YouTube and 4.8 million likes. "Butter" is a dance pop track with the band's distinctive baseline and crisp synth sounds. The choreography is a combination of group and unit dances, with highlight gestures such as stroking of hair, blowing kisses and walking on tiptoes. The band will perform "Butter" for the first time at the upcoming Billboard Music Awards on May 23. They are nominated in four categories at this year's award -- Top Duo/Group, Top Song Sales Artist, Top Social Artist and Top Selling Song. The band also kicks off Good Morning America's Summer Concert Series on May 28. -- Syndicated from IANS Hyderabad, May 21 : Union Minister of State for Home Affairs G. Kishan Reddy on Friday said that the Centre has provided 1,405 ventilators to Telangana under the PM CARES Fund. Reddy said these ventilators were dispatched to various government hospitals in the state. Those hospitals which did not have even a single ventilator have also been provided with ventilators during this Covid pandemic, the Minister said. He released a break-up of the ventilators provided to Telangana. According to the list, the ventilators were made available to 46 hospitals in the state. The highest number of ventilators (295) were provided to Gandhi Hospital in Hyderabad. Another 190 ventilators were given to Telangana Institute of Medical Sciences (TIMS) in Hyderabad. RIMS in Adilabad and MGM in Warangal were provided 100 ventilators each. Referring to reports that many ventilators were lying unused in hospitals, Kishan Reddy demanded that staff with required skills to operate these ventilators should be recruited. "It is a known fact that the government of Telangana is getting all sorts of aid and cooperation from government of India in order to control and contain the Covid pandemic through provision of oxygen cylinders, establishment of PSA oxygen plants, ventilators, vaccines, PPE kits, N-95 masks and free ration to the needy," the Minister said. "In our country, since Independence until the past 8 months, we had only 1900 ventilators. They were also imported from different countries. But today through the initiative of Make in India, the government hospitals across the country have been provided with 51,000 ventilators from PM CARES funds," he added. He pointed out the fault of the Telangana government in stopping Covid vaccination in the state. "Vaccination was stopped a week ago and those due for a second dose are facing severe hardships." He demanded that the Telangana government should not look into the issue from a political angle and vaccinate those due for their second dose. Reddy on Friday flagged off a packaged food delivery service to Covid-19 patients and the needy in Hyderabad under the 'Seva hi Sangathan' programme of the BJP. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) Chandigarh, May 21 : Self-styled jailed godman and Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, who is undergoing a 20-year sentence for raping his two disciples, was finally granted parole on Friday to look after his ailing mother, officials said. Earlier, he was denied bail on several occasions, including his plea to meet the ailing mother. "Ram Rahim was granted parole as per the jail manual and after getting permission from the district administration and the police," said the official said. Ram Rahim, who had applied for parole on May 17, was taken to Gurugram under heavy security to meet his mother. Last week, he was hospitalised at the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences in Rohtak after he complained of low blood pressure. But he refused a Covid-19 test in the hospital. Reacting to his parole, murdered journalist Ram Chander's son Anshul Chhatrapati told the media, "The government should refrain from releasing such dreaded criminals and it is foolish to let such a criminal be released from the jail." Earlier, Ram Rahim was granted parole on October 24 last year on his wife Harjit Kaur's plea that his mother Naseeb Kaur, 85, suffering from a heart disease was seriously ill. Ram Rahim (52) is currently lodged at the high-security Sunaria jail in Rohtak, 250 kms from state capital Chandigarh. At that time he was taken to the Gurugram hospital where he stayed during the day and was brought to the jail in the evening. In June 2019, Ram Rahim Singh had withdrawn his parole plea after the state BJP government was cornered by opposition parties for favouring the self-styled godman, who sought parole for 42 days to tend to his agricultural fields at his sect's headquarters in Sirsa town. Also, the high court had rejected his parole plea for attending the wedding ceremony of his foster daughter. Ram Rahim was sentenced to 20 years in jail in August 2017 for raping two women. A special CBI court in Panchkula this January 2019 also sentenced Ram Rahim and three others to life imprisonment for the murder of journalist Ram Chander Chhatrapati over 16 years ago. His conviction on August 25, 2017, had led to violence in Panchkula and Sirsa, leaving 41 people dead and over 260 injured. Ram Rahim was patronised by political leaders and parties in Punjab and Haryana for nearly two decades due to his ability to influence the votes of his followers. New Delhi, May 21 : With the rising number of cases of 'black fungus' in the capital complaints regarding shortage of Amphotericin B, a drug used to treat black fungus, have started coming in. Also, private hospitals are struggling to procure the suddenly in-demand drug. The private healthcares in Delhi have voiced concern that the rare 'fungal' infection is only going to increase in the days to come. As per the reports, several private hospitals have pointed out that a committee setup under the Delhi Government to provide medicines is causing delay in providing Amphotericin B due to a lot of paperwork having to be done for the purpose. Doctors said that in normal situations, they use drugs immediately but now they would have to undertake paperwork and get the drug use cleared by the government. They say the paperwork has certainly added to the hospitals' troubles. It's time consuming to fill in patient details on the government portal. The government could consider daily delivery of the drug to a hospital since it would be easier this way to check the usage as well. Replying to a query in the matter, Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain said on Friday that the supply of Amphotericin B and other required medicines are controlled by the Centre and the states are receiving supply of medicines as per the allotted quota. "Shortage of Amphotericin B is not only in Delhi but across the nation. Delhi government will provide it to the hospitals as soon as the medicine is received from the Centre," Jain added. "The Centre will provide around 2000 injections of Amphotericin B and the state administration will supply it to the hospitals as soon as it is received," Jain added. An advisory issued by the Delhi Government stated that a committee has been formed to prevent the indiscriminate use of this injection and to establish a transparent, efficient and time-bound system of distribution of this drug to the needy Covid-19 patients on clinically approved grounds. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text New Delhi, May 21 : US officials rushed to defend Amazons business practices in India after a global news wire reported in February that the company had favoured certain sellers on its website and bypassed local law that requires foreign e-commerce companies to treat all vendors equally. The global news wire reported that emails obtained through the US Freedom of Information Act from the office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) showed that US officials prepared a note for John Kerry, a top envoy of President Joe Biden, about the February 17 report. The note, contained in an email dated February 18, said that India's antitrust watchdog had reviewed many such allegations against US e-commerce companies and found nothing wrong. Biden's envoy, former US Secretary of State Kerry, is in charge of climate change policy. He was scheduled to speak that day with India's Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal. The US government was concerned that Goyal would bring up the global news wire story, so it hastily drafted a note about the article in case he did, the emails show. "This could come up in the call since as you know Minister Goyal is prone to bring up tangential topics," Thomas Carnegie, a US Embassy official in New Delhi, emailed an official at the USTR. Philip M. Ingeneri, another US Embassy official, also told the USTR official in an email on February 18 that he had "verified" the contents of the note prepared for Kerry with Amazon India's government affairs chief as "true and accurate". The emails do not describe what ultimately happened during the Kerry-Goyal call. The US Embassy in New Delhi referred questions to the US Department of State in Washington, which said it expected that any issues regarding US e-commerce companies' practices in India would be reviewed by the Competition Commission of India (CCI) "with the same level of independence, transparency, and professionalism it has demonstrated in the past". New Delhi, May 21 : The Delhi High Court on Friday held the imposition of Integrated Goods and Service Tax (IGST) on import of oxygen concentrators for personal use as "unconstitutional". A division bench comprising Justices Rajiv Shakdher and Talwant Singh said the imposition of IGST on oxygen concentrators imported by individuals or received by them as gifts, for personal use is unconstitutional. The High Court quashed the May 1 notification levying 12 per cent IGST on imported oxygen concentrators. The court noted that importers of oxygen concentrators would have to furnish a letter of undertaking to the concerned authority, declaring that device is for personal use, and not for commercial use. The order was passed on the plea of a Covid-19 patient, whose nephew had sent an oxygen generator as gift from the United States of America. Senior advocate Sudhir Nandrajog, representing the petitioner, had argued that the imposition of IGST by the central government on devices meant for personal use violated the Article 14 and also abridged the right to have oxygen, which was part of the right to life under Article 21 of the Constitution. The petitioner had challenged the May 1, notification issued by the Ministry of Finance and contended that it was forceful payment of IGST of 12 per cent on the oxygen concentrator. It was also cited before the High Court that certain imports had already been exempted from IGST till July 31. The government counsel had argued that imposition of taxes could not be subject to judicial review, and IGST was imposed in the present matter to maintain parity with a commercial user and to avoid black marketing and profiteering. During the hearing, the High Court had suggested that the central government should consider granting exemption to levying IGST on oxygen concentrators imported for individual use by way of gift, in the backdrop of ongoing Covid-19 health crisis. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) After the Union Health Ministry urged the states and Union Territories (UTs) to make mucormycosis or 'black fungus' a notifiable disease under the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897, the Gujarat government on Thursday declared the fungal infection as an epidemic. While urging all the states and UTs to declare black fungus as a notifiable disease, the Health Ministry said that the infection is leading to prolonged morbidity and mortality amongst Covid-19 patients. The governments have been asked to follow the guidelines for screening, diagnosis and management of mucormycosis issued by the Health Ministry and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). The guidelines are applicable to private health care facilities as well. Following th Centre's recommendation, the core committee headed by Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani held a meeting on Thursday, where it was decided to declare the fungal infection as an epidemic under the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897. Accordingly, all the medical facilities in the state will have to report all suspected and confirmed cases of post-Covid complication to the state's health department. All government and private health facilities, medical colleges will follow the guidelines for screening, diagnosis and management of mucormycosis, issued by the Union Health Miistry and the ICMR. According to the notification, it will be mandatory for all the healthcare facilities to report all suspected and confirmed cases of black fungus to the health department through district-level chief medical officers and subsequently to the surveillance system of the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP). Rajasthan had declared Mucormycosis as an epidemic on Wednesday. New Delhi, May 21 : The Congress on Friday slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi after he got emotional while addressing the frontline workers in his Parliamentary constituency of Varanasi, asking if 'he sheds some tears in guilt today, will it wash away the pain of those who lost their loved ones. Addressing a press conference here, Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera said, "If the Prime Minister sheds some tears in guilt today, will it wash away the pain and tears of those who lost their loved ones?" "People's non-stop tears are more important than the Prime Minister's," Khera added. The Congress spokesperson was responding to a question during a press conference convened on the 30th death anniversary of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. Earlier in the day, the Prime Minister became emotional while virtually addressing the frontline workers, including doctors, nurses and hospital staff, in Varanasi, as he expressed his condolences for the people who succumbed to the dreaded virus. Modi also hailed the doctors, nurses, technicians and ward boys engaged in the fight against Covid-19 in its deadly second wave. He also hailed the efforts being made by the ambulance drivers in Varanasi. Congress spokesperson Radhika Khera said in a tweet, "To overcome the challenges, Modiji's weapons -- 'tears'. Make people cry everyday and then shed crocodile tears on television." Bengaluru, May 21 : Indian office workers feel stagnant in their roles and waste five business hours per week on mundane tasks, according to a survey by enterprise automation software firm UiPath. The 2021 Office Worker Survey showed that 63 per cent of office workers in India believe they can't efficiently help customers as they are faced with too many time-consuming tasks to complete. Emails (66 per cent), scheduling calls and meetings (62 per cent) and inputting data/creating datasets (56 per cent) were the top tasks Indian workers prefer to be automated. More than two-third (67 per cent) office workers globally feel they are constantly doing the same tasks over and over again. About 68 per cent people surveyed said they wish they had more time to explore how to incorporate new responsibilities into their day-to-day routines; and 58 per cent believe their jobs don't allow them to be as creative as they'd like to be, the survey found. "It's no surprise that employees are looking for ways to feel more engaged at work. Automation unlocks workers' productivity, and, more importantly, frees them to focus on meaningful work that is creative, collaborative, and strategic," UiPath's Senior Vice President of Learning, Tom Clancy, said in a statement. "It's critical that companies provide training for and access to automation and other digital technologies to create more fulfilled and energised employees," he added. The UiPath survey assessed the views of office workers working from home due to the Covid-19 pandemic about how their roles have changed over the past year and how they see their roles evolving in the future. The survey also found that automation is being more widely adopted by organisations. India and Singapore had the highest rates of companies scaling their existing automation software, totaling 51 per cent and 44 per cent, respectively. In India, 65 per cent said they received automation training and 94 per cent credit it with a boost in job performance. Further, the survey showed that digital transformation is changing the future of work. About 65 per cent of all respondents believe it is possible their jobs will evolve in the next 10 years and thus upskilling is key to keeping pace with digital transformation. Most workers used their remote work period to enhance their skill sets. Employees also believe their employers should offer training on digital technologies. The 2021 Office Worker Survey, which polled 4,500 office workers across the US, UK, France, Germany, India, and Singapore, was conducted in March 2021. New Delhi, May 21 : The Supreme Court on Friday granted bail to rebel YSR Congress Parrty MP Kanumuri Raghurama Krishnam Raju in the sedition case registered against him by Andhra Pradesh Police. A bench comprising Justices Vineet Saran and B.R. Gavai, citing the Army Hospital medical report, said that Raju was ill-treated in police custody. "We are of the opinion that charges against the petitioner are not such where custodial interrogation is required," it noted. "Considering the totality of the plea and the health condition of the petitioner since he has undergone open heart surgery, we deem it fit that petitioner be enlarged on bail," it added. While granting bail, the top court also directed Raju to cooperate with the investigation and present himself when called upon by the investigation officer. He has also been prohibited from giving any interview to the print or visual media on anything connected with the case. "Please ask the petitioner to not display injuries to the press, else it will be an obstruction of justice. We will take serious view of the same," the bench said. On May 17, the top court had directed Raju's medical examination should be conducted at Army Hospital, Secunderabad, and stated that his bail plea would be heard on May 21. The Army Hospital, in its report, had informed the top court that Raju had a fractured toe and swellings from blunt injuries. Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Raju, contended that this indicated his client was tortured by CID police in Andhra Pradesh. Senior advocate Dushyant Dave, representing the Andhra Pradesh government, however, submitted thar there is a possibility that these are self-inflicted injuries. He added that the medical report was inconclusive and does not prove any injury in the police custody. On the aspect of sedition case registered against Raju, Dave argued: "He (Raju) did not restrict himself to fair criticism of the government but tried to stoke hatred among two communities. This caused public disharmony." He also cited the Akhil Gogoi and Siddique Kappan cases, where the court had declined to refused to grant interim bail. Raju is required to furnish a bond of Rs 1 lakh and two sureties of the same amount before the trial court within 10 days. The top court has also directed Raju not to tamper with any evidence or witness. In his appeal before the top court, Raju had contended that High Court did not consider any of the grounds for bail. Mumbai, May 21 : The Mumbai Police has lodged an FIR invoking charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder against the master of the Barge Papaa-305 and others in connection with the vessel tragedy in the Arabian Sea which left at least 51 dead and many more missing, officials said here on Friday. The Yellowgate police station acted on a complaint filed by the Barge chief engineer Rahman H. Shaikh who was among the survivors rescued by the Indian Navy earlier this week even as Oil & Natural Gas Corporation Ltd (ONGC) and Afcons Infrastructure Ltd (AIL) announced compensation for the victims. The development came two days after the police launched its probe based on an accident death report to ascertain why the barge allegedly failed to adhere to safety norms despite warnings of the impending Cyclone Tauktae which wreaked havoc on the country's west coast last Sunday onwards. Besides culpable homicide not amounting to murder, the barge master and others are also charged with common intentions, negligent acts causing hurt to others, etc, Mumbai Police spokesperson, Deputy Commissioner of Police S. Chaitanya, said. That of the 342-plus offshore installations of the ONGC, including 243 fixed and the rest floating, five of the latter including the Barge Papaa-305 were caught in the turbulence of the cyclone and the barge sank late on Monday. A spokesperson for ONGC said that it will provide an immediate relief of Rs 1 lakh to all survivors and Rs 2 lakh to the families of the deceased or missing. AIL announced comprehensive compensation package for those deceased on the company rolls and also those who were employed with sub-contractors. The deceased including its employees would get a total compensation equivalent to the balance period of service upto 10 years' service combined with ex-gratia and insurance, which could range between Rs 35 lakh-Rs 75 lakh per family of the deceased. Additionally, the AIL would form a Trust to take care of the educational needs of the children of the deceased through scholarships besides arranging trauma and grief counselling to help the families tide over the loss of their dear ones. ONGC and maritime sources said that during the Cyclone Tauktae's fury, there were an estimated around 10,000 people in and around the vicinity of the Bombay High Fields, around 175 kms off Mumbai. These included over 7,600 of the ONGC, 1,290 of Afcons Infrastructure Ltd, and the others on smaller barges or supply vessels providing various types of services on the high seas at the BHF. Of the total human presence in the BHF region, around 6,900 were on different types of 94 floating vessels, and the rest on the ONGC's fixed installations like oil rigs, drills or platforms, which did not suffer known damage or report any human casualties. Kolkata, May 21 : West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who had lost the Assembly elections from Nandigarm against her one-time aide-turned BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, is likely to contest the bypoll from Bhowanipur, the south Kolkata constituency she had represented twice since 2011. Earlier in the day, the sitting Trinamool Congress MLA from Bhowanipur, Sovandeb Chattopadhyay, tendered his resignation to Assembly Speaker Biman Banerjee, which was immediately accepted. Speaker Banerjee said in a statement, "Chattopadhyay has resigned on his own will and he has not been forced to do so. So, I accept the resignation." However, Chattopadhyay will continue as the state Agriculture Minister and is likely to contest bypolls from Khardaha in North 24 Parganas district. Speaking to the media after submitting his resignation, Chattopadhyay said, "It is always sad to resign, but I am happy that I am stepping down because the Chief Minister will contest from this seat. She will have to come back to the Assembly as an elected representative. The state needs her. So someone will have to resign and I am happy that the party has chosen me for this purpose." "There was no pressure on me. The party had left it on me to decide and I chose to quit. I shall continue to work as a party worker," he added. There are indications that Chattopadhyay might contest from the Khardaha Assembly constituency. The party had earlier decided that Finance Minister Amit Mitra, who didn't fight the elections this year, would contest from this North 24 Parganas constituency, but sources in Trinamool said that Mitra is not willing to contest and so Chattopadhyay will contest from this seat. The Khardaha Assembly seat is lying vacant because Kajal Sinha, the Trinamool candidate who won from the seat, died after the elections. Sources in the party also said that Chattopadhyay was asked whether he would like to represent the party in the Rajya Sabha, but he expressed his reluctance and so it was decided that he would contest from Khardaha. When asked about it, Chattopadhyay said, "I am not waiving out any possibility but the final call will be taken by the party and the Chief Minister." Though Trinamool Congress has not officially announced the candidature of the Chief Minister from Bhowanipur, but indications are ripe that she would contest from the south Kolkata seat from where she had won in the last two terms. This year she decided to contest from Nandigram in East Midnapore against Adhikari, where the latter emerged winner by a slim margin. Though Banerjee was sworn-in as the Chief Minister of the state, according to the rules, she will have to become an MLA within six months after the formation of the government. Party sources indicated that Banerjee had expressed her willingness to contest from Bhowanipur and so Chattopadhyay was asked to resign. Patna, May 21 : A legislator of the ruling Janata Dal United said that his wife lost her life since ventilators were not functional at the Sadar Hospital in Bihar's Araria district and at the Covid care centre in adjoining Forbesganj. Achmit Rishidev, the JDU MLA from Raniganj in Araria district, revealed his ordeal after Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, after learning of the incident, consoled him over the phone on Friday. "My wife could have been be saved if she had got a ventilator faciility in time," Rishidev reportedly told the CM. Rishidev's wife Manjula Devi was having symptoms of Corona but her test report came negative. She was suffering from high fever for 10 days and died on Wednesday evening. "Manjula was admitted to Sadar Hospital in Araria district. That hospital has 6 beds with ventilator facilities but all of them were not operational. When her oxygen level declined, the doctors of the hospital suggested that she be taken to another hospital with a ventilator facility. We took her to the Covid care centre in Forbesganj in the adjoining Madhubani district. The doctors at the centre gave her oxygen support but her oxygen levels did not improve. The doctors said she required immediate ventilator support," Rishidev said. "We searched for ventilators in several hospitals in Araria and adjoining districts and one ventilator was available in a private hospital located at Murliganj sub-town. We decided to shift her to that hospital, but Manjula lost her life on the way," Rishidev said. M.P. Gupta, the civil surgeon of Araria, said: "She was admitted in Sadar Hospital but her test reports came negative. She was having breathing problems and died on Wednesday." Following her death, Rabri Devi, the former CM of Bihar, slammed CM Nitish Kumar for lack of preparedness in hospitals and Covid care centres. "This incident has revealed the ground realities of Bihar. CM Nitish Kumar should be ashamed of it," Rabri Devi said in a tweet. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) Chennai, May 21 : It was on this day three decades back that former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated by a suicide bomber from the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). A controversy has now arisen in the ruling DMK front of Tamil Nadu with the state Congress chief coming out against Chief Minister MK Stalin writing to President Ram Nath Kovind pleading for clemency for the seven convicts in the Rajiv assassination case. Stalin had written a letter to the President on Thursday requesting him to pardon the seven convicts as they had been in jail for the last thirty years. Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) president KS Alagiri after paying tribute to Rajiv Gandhi at the state Congress headquarters told reporters that his party does not agree with the Chief Minister writing to the President to pardon the seven convicts. Alagiri said, "Convicts should not be differentiated on any basis, be it religion, caste, language or race and only courts should award punishment to the guilty and also set convicts free" The TNCC president said that there should not be any "political pressure" in this matter and this was the stand of the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee. The senior leader said that more than 100 Tamil prisoners are languishing in different jails of Tamil Nadu for the past twenty five years and wondered why the state government is worried about only these seven convicts. When asked about the statement of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi forgiving the convicts in the assassination case of his father, Alagiri said "Forgiving was one thing and releasing the convicts from jail was another thing." He said the Congress party does not welcome it and does not desire their release. He said that political pressure on such matters would lead to serious consequences in the society in future leading to several undesirable things and there would be no law and order. Alagiri added: "This is quite unacceptable and if the same yardstick is applied to all Tamils who have spent 20-25 years in jail, then it could turn into a humanitarian thing, seeking early release." Earlier in the day, Chief Minister MK Stalin paid floral tributes to Rajiv Gandhi by garlanding his photograph at Tiruchirappalli. Mumbai, May 21 : DJ Aqeel has a special surprise for fans on his 44th birthday on Friday. He has released a cinematic EDM set that has been shot at Taj Mahal, Agra. The 51-minute-long cinematic EDM features themed tracks from Marvel, "Mission Impossible", "Game Of Thrones", "Rocky" and more. "My only intent with this set is to entertain people during the lockdown phase with some tracks which could divert their mind from the pandemic worldwide and encourage them to spend more time at home without feeling bored," he said. The Prime Minister's Office gave permission to DJ Aqeel's team to shoot and perform at Taj Mahal. "I am grateful that I could shoot this at the Taj Mahal, which all the EDM and Techno lovers worldwide could enjoy while experiencing the elegance and charm of India's most prestigious monument," he added. DJ Aqeel shared the video on Instagram, too, writing: "Since about 2 years, I have been working on some new, something magnificent. Days have been slow and nights have been while working for this, to create new ideas and vision. I finally bring you out cinematic edm experience. And to showcase all the hard work and Love. I went above and beyond to do it right in front of the marvel of the world - Taj Mahal. Something that has never been done in the history of the world has happened now. Presenting you the Cinematic EDM experience by DJ AQEEL, going LIVE all the way from the beautiful TAJ MAHAL... I wanna express my sincere gratitude and very special thanks to my dear friend @shaileshsharma_official for his kind help and support." Kathmandu, May 21 : Amid high-drama at Nepal Presidents office on Friday evening, both the ruling and opposition parties staked claim to form the new government in the Himalayan nation. After both Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli and opposition leader Sher Bahadur declared to have majority signatures and staked claim over the new government, the President's office said that it will verify the signatures and will reach a conclusion soon. Nepal President Bidhya Devi Bhandari had on Thursday called for the formation of the new government as per Article 76 (5) of the Constitution. Any individual lawmaker who can garner majority votes could stake claim for the top post, it was said. Bhandari's office said in a statement that the President has called on the members of the House of Representatives to present claim for a new Prime Minister as per Article 76 (5) of the Constitution. After Oli failed to win a vote of confidence on May 10, the President had called on the opposition parties to form a coalition government as per Article 76-2 of the Constitution by May 13. After the opposition failed to form the coalition government, Bhandari invoked Article 76-3 and reappointed Oli as the Prime Minister on May 13, as the leader of the opposition parties. The Prime Minister appointed under the Article 76-3 should also seek a vote of confidence within one month, it was said. But Oli, not seeking a vote of confidence, recommended the President on Thursday evening to invoke Article 76-5 as he did not hold majority in the House. Bhandari, who belongs to Oli's party and has always supported Oli, invoked the article and called on any individual lawmaker to stake claim over the new government by 5 pm on Friday. Before the President's deadline ended, opposition parties - Nepali Congress, Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Center), a section of Oli's own lawmakers and a faction of the Janata Samajbai Party -- reached the President office with the signatures of 149 lawmakers. At least 26 lawmakers from Oli's party signed to appoint opposition party leader Sher Bahadur Deuba as the next Prime Minister. Any lawmaker who claimed the majority needed 136 votes. As soon as the opposition parties reached the President's office, officials there informed the opposition party leaders that Oli has also submitted the signatures of 153 lawmakers. Oli said in his claim that he has the support of 121 members and 32 from the Janata Samajbai Party. With the support of Janata Samajbai Party, the Prime Minister has staked claim over the new government, Oli's Chief Advisor Bishnu Rimal said. However, 26 lawmakers from his own party and 13 from the Janata Samajbai Party had also signed in the opposition's claim. "After the signatures of 39 lawmakers were found on both sides, we now have to verify those signatures and will reach a decision soon," said Tika Dhakal, communication expert to President Bhandari. Out of the 149 signatures, 61 lawmakers of the Nepali Congress, 49 of the Maoist Centre, 26 of the Nepal faction of the UML and 12 of the Upendra Yadav-led faction of the Janata Samajbadi Party Nepal and one from Janamorcha Nepal have supported Deuba. New Delhi, May 21: The Pakistan-based faction of the Hurriyat conference is set to launch a Kashmir-centric campaign to promote a separatist narrative on Kashmir, by falsely pivoting the May 21 gunning down of Mirwaiz Moulvi Farooq and Abdul Ghani Lone as turning points of a Kashmiri secessionist movement. The cynical use of the two as symbols of separatism is both counter-factual and farcical. But the Hizbul Mujahideen under instructions from Pakistan's Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) had to kill both these leaders-Mirwaiz Farooq on this day in1990 and Lone 12 years later, for exactly the opposite reasons. Their target, in the end, was not only the two iconic leaders, but Kashmir's mainstream ideology. Far from supporting secession, the two tall leaders of Kashmir-Mirwaiz and Lone-- were the embodiments of quintessential Kashmiri values-Kashmiriyat, Insaniyat and Jamhuriyat, While Kashmiriyat stood for inclusivity and peaceful co-existence especially with Hindu Kashmir pandits, Insaniyat spotlighted a mindset based on universal human values. Jamhuriyat, in turn, illuminated the path to good governance. But the Pakistan driven discourse in Kashmir has been exactly the opposite. Its essential ingredient was ethnic cleansing, which led to the tragic exodus of Kashmiri pandits from the valley due to targeted violence. Instead of Jamhuriyat, Pakistan promoted an Islamic theocratic model of "governance", gender-discrimination on an industrial scale and establishment of a Jihad factory. Outside Kashmir the ISI had, by the mid-nineties, already perfected its medieval socio-political model in Taliban ruled Afghanistan. From around 1996, Afghanistan became a safe haven for international terror groups, led by Al Qaeda, which demonstrated its psychic inhumanity with the 9/11 attacks on the twin-towers in New York. Stoning to death of Afghan women became a regular public sport. Flogging and amputations of people accused of petty crimes, based on a gross misinterpretation of Shariyat were routine. It is therefore not implausible to conceive that had Pakistan succeeded in its version of "mission Kashmir," the nefarious shadow of the Hindukush and Global Jihad, along with its unbelievable depravity would have loomed large over the picturesque valley. The brutal killings of the revered Mirwaiz and Lone, were therefore essential turning points to rail Kashmir along the path of radicalism, where Wahabi and Salafist tradition of Islam would become predominant, torching the unique fusion of Sufi Islam and Hinduism that for centuries had elegantly knitted the social fabric of Kashmir. But after several false starts, Kashmir is coming back into its own. Despite an avalanche of negativity promoted in the media, including the social media, many in Pakistan, especially in the powerful military, have concluded that after the abrogation of Article 370 nearly two years ago, it's game- over in Kashmir. The massive turnouts in the Kashmiri panchayat elections, the promise of structural integration of the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh through bold connectivity projects of building roads, tunnels and railways demonstrate that Kashmir and the rest of India are set to bond with each other tighter than ever before. Besides, the sharp drop in street protests, despite the so-called bogey of "state-repression" are blaring signs of a fundamental turnaround in Kashmir, which the big boys in Pakistan fully understand. Those in the Pakistani wing of the Hurriyat conference, which are planning their stir today, little realise that their messaging of Kashmiri separatism is now anachronistic. It is no longer capable of stirring a critical mass of support among Kashmir's computer-savvy youth, who see a bright future for themselves not in holding the Kalashnikov but in mass entrepreneurship, start-ups, and access to micro-finance that India, an emerging economy, and not Pakistan, can provide them in abundance. Unsurprisingly, the real puppeteers of the Hurriyat in the GSQ in Rawalpindi have already read the tea leaves right. Despite the expected flip-flops because of domestic pulls and pressures, the generals in Rawalpindi know that, in the end, only a constructive engagement with India on Kashmir can work for them. International pressures on Pakistan, especially from the rich Petro-monarchies of Gulf countries, and even within the OIC mainstream are bearing powerfully on Islamabad, exhorting it to change track on Kashmir. Despite backtracking later, none other than Pakistan's hawkish foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has gone on to acknowledge on public television that Article 370 is India's internal affair. Earlier, Pakistan agreed to revive a dormant ceasefire agreement along the Line of Control (LOC) and the International border, which essentially implied, at least theoretically, that Islamabad will not infiltrate cross-border militants under the cover of fire from across the LOC. Abandoned by the people and in the end, its Pakistani masters, the Hurriyat is indeed doomed. It is time for it to shed the blinkers, get real, and so long as the opportunity exists, head for the negotiating table rather than stream into the streets for a cause that no longer exists. (This content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com) --indianarrative/ Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday paid tributes to former Prime Minister and his father Rajiv Gandhi here on his 30th death anniversary. Rahul Gandhi visited Veer Bhumi and paid floral tributes to his father. "Truth, Compassion, Progress," he later wrote on Twitter with the hashtag #RememberingRajivGandhi. He also attached a photograph of his father. Priyanka Gandhi also paid tributes to her father and in a tweet wrote, "There is no greater strength than love, no greater courage than kindness, no greater power than compassion and no greater teacher than humility. #RememberingRajivGandhi" She attached a photograph of her father speaking to the patients in a hospital. Priyanka Gandhi's husband Robert Vadra also paid tribtues to Rajiv Gandhji and said, "Remembering Rajiv Gandhiji on his Death Anniversary, May 21, 1991. A family man, a visionary leaderiIf he was alive, this country would have been economically stronger, more secular and every citizen would've been medically healthier. We miss him. RIP." He also attached the link of Rajiv Gandhi's speech at the United Nations. Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated on May 21, 1991 in Tamil Nadu. The former Prime Minister was killed by an LTTE suicide bomber on May 21, 1991 night at Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu. New Delhi, May 21: It's the 31st death anniversary of Moulvi Farooq, Mirwaiz of Kashmir who was murdered by his "own" people at his residence at Nageen in downtown Srinagar on May 21, 1990. Mirwaiz Farooq, was a well-known cleric and staunch supporter of "Kashmiriyat". He was also a fierce opponent of Pakistan supported terrorism in the state in the name of "Jihad". Three pro-Pakistan Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists Abdul Rehman Shingan, alias Inayat, along with Mohammad Ayub Dar and Zahoor Ahmed were caught as suspects for Mirwaiz's assassinations. But the leader, Javed Ahmed, alias Ajmal Khan and his deputy Zahoor Ahmed, alias Bilal, are still absconding. In 2009, Pakistani journalist Arif Jamal in his book Shadow War: The Untold story of Jihad in Kashmir, has detailed the role played by the Pakistani establishment, especially the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), in promoting terrorism and killings in Kashmir. He writes that Hizbul Mujahideen militants murdered some of the prominent leading scholars and political leaders in Kashmir and scores of fighters from the rival groups including the pro-independence Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF). "Mirwaiz Farooq, a leading prominent personality in Srinagar was also killed; Syed Ali Shah Geelani ordered his elimination." And the killing spree went on till 1995. Those who had publicly opposed Pakistani Jihad, were killed. Mirwaiz was the biggest potential rival of Syed Ali Geelani. Geelani could not emerge as the sole political leader of the militants while Mirwaiz Farooq was alive. It is commonly thought that an individual called Ajmal Khan directed his killers. But the book says that Ajmal Khan was not in contact with Hizbul at that time, so it seems unlikely that he was asked to perform the task. The killing of Mirwaiz was not unexpected. In a situation where the fundamentalist, Pakistan supported and funded Jamaat-e-Islami had been seeking to grab his following, Mirwaiz had survived by walking a tightrope. Though Mirwaiz was on the militant hit-list, he had refused police protection. He was in favour of popular rule and had a line open at the center to Minister for Kashmir Affairs George Fernandes. For the government, he was the only sobering element among the fundamentalists. In fact, in April 1990, the Pak media had unleashed harsh criticism against the Mirwaiz, branding him as a "stooge of India and the paid agent of New Delhi." It appeared that Pakistan was apprehensive that due to his popularity, the Mirwaiz could eventually assume political leadership of Kashmir, upsetting Islamabad's plans. The immediate provocation for the killing could well have been three letters the Mirwaiz wrote to the then Pakistan prime minister Benazir Bhutto, the second to President Ghulam Ishaq Khan, and the third to the prime minister of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK), Sardar Abdul Qayoom Khan. Pained and passionate, the letter was half-appeal, half-protest. Killing innocent persons must stop, he wrote, asking how he would answer God on Judgment Day for these deaths. The letters stressed that killing of innocent persons had to stop, something that would have made the Pakistanis uncomfortable. Earlier, he had publicly denounced the Rubaiya Sayeed kidnapping as un-Islamic. His live contact with the National Front Railway Minister George Fernandes, was another red-line which Pakistan thought he had crossed. Mirwaiz was known for his courage to stand against state oppression, especially on human rights violations but also against political corruption and political injustice. He never hesitated to candidly express his thoughts in his own inimitable way-even after he was put behind bars in 1965 for a period of two years and ten months. At a press conference held at the Mirwaiz Manzil on 25th May, 1983, he said, "I strongly condemn violence, aggression, dissension, prejudice and mistrust. My motto has all along been, "Live and let others live". I am opposed to tyranny, dictatorship and gangsterism". Twelve years after Mirwaiz Farooq's assassination, Abdul Ghani Lone, All Party Hurriyat Conference leader, was gunned down as he attended the 12th memorial service for Mirwaiz Moulvi Farooq, at the Eidgah in Srinagar's old town. Sajjad Lone, son of Abdul Gani Lone, had blamed Pakistan's ISI for his father's death. "ISI is behind my father's killing," he had said. A decade ago, in 2011, exonerating the Indian forces of long-held allegations of assassinating prominent Hurriyat leaders- Mirwaiz Moulvi Muhammad Farooq, Abdul Ghani Lone and JKLF ideologue Prof. Abdul Ahad Wani, leader of the Hurriyat Conference's moderate faction Prof. Abdul Gani Bhat admitted for the first time, that the killings were actually 'an insider's job'. "Lone sahib, Mirwaiz Farooq and Prof. Wani were not killed by the army or the police. They were targeted by our own people. The story is a long one, but we have to tell the truth," he asserted, stopping short of naming any terrorist group supported by the then Hurriyat chief, which killed them or delving into the circumstances under which the murders took place. (This content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com) --indianarrative/ New Delhi, May 21 : A group of students from the Rotaract Club of Jagannath Institute of Management Sciences (JIMS) at Vasant Kunj has initiated an innovative idea to ensure adequate supplies of Covid-19 medicines for those undergoing free treatment in Delhi-NCR. For this unique initiative, the club has launch of its a#handsthathelp@rotaractjimsvkii' campaign on social media, wherein 12 Covid medicines collection points have been created for sourcing leftover Covid medicines from the residential pockets of Delhi-NCR. The collection points for three days (May 21-23), where people can hand over medicines, are: Gate No 1, Sector A, Vasant Kunj, Jeevan Anand Apartments in West Enclave, New Universal Public School in Mahavir Enclave, Raj Dairy in Virender Nagar, Sahibjot Apartments in Phase-II Chattarpur Enclave, Mukul Jain Store at Munirka Main Market. Other collection stores are located at Bharat Guest House in Surya Nagar (Ghaziabad), Guardroom, E Block (Opposite to Paras Hospital) in Gurugram, Geeta Bhawan Mandir in Malviya Nagar, PNB Main Gate in Patel Nagar, MCD Dispensary in Mahipalpur, Gate No 3, Sector 13 in Vasundhara etc. "One of our faculties lost a family member due to-non availability of Remdesivir injection that the doctors wanted. This got us thinking about the plight of those struggling to breathe without access to medicines," says Preeti M Surya, HOD, Journalism and Mass Communication, who is spearheading the campaign. "Our campaign project is aimed at the grassroot mobilisation by steering the collective consciousness of the society. It is time for us to stop looking at governments and take responsibility for the well-being of the people in our immediate space," Surya added. Anoushka Sapra, Club President, said not only will they collect Covid medicines but will also ensure that the collected medicines reach those in dire need. "We cannot sit back and watch people die. There are days when our families are getting as many as five news of deaths." says Sapra. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) New Delhi, May 21 : The National Investigation Agency (NIA) said on Friday that it has filed a chargesheet against seven CPI (Maoist) operatives, including Anduluri Annapurna of Pragatisheela Karmika Samakhya (PKS), for their role in conspiring, supporting and furthering the activities of the Maoist group in Andhra Pradesh and nearby states in connection with the Munchingput Maoist case. An NIA spokesperson said here that besides Annapurna, the agency has named Pangi Naganna; Akkiraju Harigopal, member, Central Committee of CPI (Maoist), advisor and in-charge of Andhra-Odisha border; Boppudi Anjamma of Amarula Bandhu Mitrula Sangham (ABMS); Rela Rajeshwari of Chaitanya Mahila Sangham (CMS); Manukonda Srinivasa Rao of VIRASAM; and Jangala Koteshwar Rao aka Koti of Pragatisheela Karmika Samakhya (PKS), for their role in conspiring, supporting and furthering the activities of CPI (Maoist). The official said that they have been chargesheeted under several sections of the IPC, UAPA, Explosives Substances Act and Arms Act. The case relates to furthering the activities of proscribed organization CPI (Maoist) in Andhra Pradesh in the guise of frontal organisations. So far, six people have been arrested in connection with the case. The official said that the case was originally registered on November 23 last year by the Visakhapatnam Police and was re-registered by the NIA on March 7 this year. The case pertains to seizure of revolutionary literature of CPI (Maoist) and explosive substances from accused Naganna, who worked as a journalist. Naganna was intercepted by Munchingput Police in Visakhapatnam Rural during vehicle checking. The police recovered a large cache of explosives and arms which were to be further handed to the members of CPI (Maoist) by Naganna. The NIA registered a case on March 7, 2021. The NIA has named 64 people in the case. The prominent activists named in the FIR are Chilika Chandrasekhar, Duddu Prabhakar, and V.S. Krishna, the Human Rights Forum (HRF) coordinator for Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, who have been speaking against Andhra's anti-Naxal force -- the Greyhounds -- for allegedly raping 11 tribal women in 2007 in the Vakapalli incident. The official said that investigation has revealed that ABMS, CMS, PKS, VIRASAM and PKM are frontal organisations/Praja Sanghalu of CPI (Maoists) and were floated in pursuance to the Tactical United Front strategy of CPI (Maoist). The NIA official said that the five accused leaders of these frontal organisations used to meet Akkiraju Harigopal, advisor and In-charge, Andhra-Orissa Border, Special Zonal Committee, CPI (Maoist), and other leaders in the forest along with Naganna, who in the guise of working as a journalist was organising meetings and appointments with senior leaders of CPI (Maoist). "During the meetings, the leaders of the frontal organisations used to discuss their strategy for organising agitations, dharnas and other activities against the government in order to spread the Maoist ideology and garner support from various sections of society for the cause of CPI (Maoist)," the NIA official said. On April 1, the NIA had carried out searches at 31 locations in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, including the premises of advocate V. Raghunath, K. Padma and K.S. Chalam, and several civil and tribal rights activists in connection with its probe into the Munchingput Maoist case, and recovered cash to the tune of Rs 10 lakh and several other incriminating documents. The searches were spread across eight districts of Andhra Pradesh -- Visakhapatnam, Guntur, Prakasam, Srikakulam, Kurnool, Krishna, East Godavari and Kadapa, and four districts of Telangana -- Ranga Reddy, Hyderabad, Medchal-Malkajgiri and Medak. The NIA team seized 40 mobile phones, 44 SIM cards, 70 storage devices like hard discs, micro SD cards and flash cards, 184 CDs or DVDs, 19 pen drives, tabs, audio recorders, Rs 10 lakh in cash from one accused, sickles, axe, machetes besides CPI (Maoist) flags, as well as huge number of incriminating documents, handwritten letters, party literature, press notes etc., an NIA spokesperson had said. Jaipur, May 21 : Soon after the resignation of 6-time Congress MLA Hemaram Choudhary, the Rajasthan Congress again looks split into two camps headed by CM Ashok Gehlot and former Dy CM Sachin Pilot, issuing their own different statements. While Pilot termed his resignation as a worrying factor for the ruling party, Rajasthan PCC chief and state minister Govind Singh Dotasara said that the party has given a lot to Choudhary in the same manner as he has nurtured the party since long. Choudhary is known to be from the Pilot camp and stood firmly with him during the rebellion in July last year. Choudhary sent his resignation to Assembly speaker CP Joshi a few days back asking him to accept it on the same day. However, his resignation is yet to be accepted. Pilot on Friday said that the resignation of Hemaram Choudhary is a worrying factor for the party. Pilot, speaking on the contributions made by Choudhary to the Congress party, said, "There might not be any second example as of Choudhary when it comes to honesty, simplicity and humble nature." "He is one amongst the most senior MLAs of Rajasthan who has contributed a lot to Congress. He served as Leader of Opposition as well as cabinet minister and has also served as MLA for six terms," Pilot added. PCC chief Dotasara said the Congress has also given many senior positions to Choudhary in the same way as he dedicated himself to the party. "He is a senior member and the party and government shall continue respecting him for his seniority. We have spoken twice with him and shall try to resolve all his grudges." Speaking on another MLA Ved Prakash Solanki from the Pilot camp who also spoke in favour of Choudhary two days back, Dotasara said, "We shall ensure completion of each worker's job and that no work is delayed." Mumbai, May 21 : Sunny Leone has revealed what she is addicted to, in a social media video she posted on Friday. In the Instagram clip, she seems to be on set of the reality show "Splitsvilla". Co-host Rannvijay Singha can be seen in the background. The clip shows Sunny standing with her back towards the camera in an off-shoulder dress, as a crew member uses a massage gun on her back. Rannvijay is heard telling her: "She has a problem... She is addicted", while Sunny enjoys the massage. "My addiction!! @rannvijaysingha," Sunny wrote as caption for the video clip. Sunny is currently in Kerala to shoot her the upcoming psychological thriller film "Shero". The film is directed by Sreejith Vijayan and will be released in Tamil, Hindi, Telugu and Malayalam. Maharashtra Police's ceack C-60 Commandoes gunned down 13 Maoists including 7 women in the forest of Etapally, on Friday. Image Source: IANS News Gadchiroli : , May 21 (IANS) Registering a major victory in the ongoing war againt rebels, the Maharashtra Police on Friday gunned down most-wanted 13 Maoists, including 7 women, in a fierce gun-battle in the deep forests near Etapally, officials said here. The 90-minute encounter between the Maoists and the crack force of C-60 commandos, which started around 6 am today in the Paydi-Kotmi jungles, may have resulted in at least 4-5 more of the rebels getting injured but they escaped in the jungle. Home Minister Dilip Walse-Patil visited the Gadchiroli Police headquarters to personally congratulate the teams and the top police officers including Sanjay Saxena, Sandip Patil, Ankit Goyal, Manish Kalvaniya, Sameer Shaikh and Somay Munde, Bhausaheb Dhole, all IPS, among others. An official spokesperson for the Anti Naxal Operations (ANO) unit said that early Friday, following a tip-off that a group of Maoists were planning to come to the local villages for its regular extortion purposes, a team of C-60 commandos was deployed to carry out combing operation in the forests. At that time, a gang of around 60-70 heavily armed Maoists began firing indiscriminately in the direction of the police teams. The police first made appeals to the rebels to lay down arms and surrender, but they failed to comply and the commandos replied by firing at the Maoists. After an encounter lasting for about 90 minutes, the Maoists made good their escape in the thick forests, ending the dawn firing in which the police extracted a heavy toll on the rebels' side. A subsequent search of the vicinity revealed the bodies of 13 Maoists, including 7 women and six men, carrying a collective reward of Rs.60-lakhs on their heads, and they belonged to the dreaded groups active locally. The police also recovered a cache of weapons like one AK-47 and one stengun,, 5 SLRs, three 303 revolvers, two 8mm guns, one pistol, and a huge stock of ammunition and explosives, besides articles of daily use from what appeared to be a temporary camp area. The district police and surroundings have been put on alert in other talukas for any retaliatory attacks by the Maoists. This is the second important success in the anti-Maoist crusade of the Maharashtra Police in the past 7 months after an October 2020 encounter in Gyarapatti forests saw 5 Maoists, including 3 women, shot dead. New Delhi, May 21 : The Supreme Court on Friday stayed the directions issued by the Allahabad High Court in connection with Covid-19 management in Uttar Pradesh, stressing that the high courts should not pass orders "that are impossible to implement". While passing its directions, the Allahabad High Court had observed the entire medical system of the state, especially in smaller cities and villages, can only be taken to be like famous Hindi saying, "Ram bharose" (at the mercy of god). An apex court bench comprising Justices Vineet Saran and B.R. Gavai observed said the High Courts must ponder over the practicality of implementation of their orders. Noting that governments became active after orders were passed by various High Courts, it said that the courts should also look into the submissions made by the government. "Courts should also have some judicial restraint and not pass orders which are difficult to be implemented," said the bench during the hearing of a plea filed by the Uttar Pradesh government challenging the High Court order. During the hearing of a PIL on the Covid-19 situation in UP, the Allahabad High Court had passed a slew of directions on May 17 in connection with providing ambulances with ICU facilities in all villages, making oxygen beds available in all nursing homes, upgradation of medical college hospitals in the state etc, on an urgent basis. But, the top court said the High Court should consider the possibility of directions being implemented and avoid passing the orders which are impossible. It also added that High Courts must avoid dealing with pan-India issues, when it is already looking into them. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the UP government, submitted that all Covid-19 related matters should be listed before bench led by the Chief Justice of High Courts. He contended that health infrastructure can never be ignored, but these directions are impossible to comply with. He also cited the High Court which directed imposition of lockdown in several cities, which was stayed by the top court. "There are trans-state issues too. Some issue in Kerala High Court can have repercussions in Karnataka," he said. The top court emphasised that High Courts hearing Covid-19 management matters should refrain from dealing with issues which have transnational ramifications. It noted that UP government has submitted that there are over 97,000 villages in the state and it is not possibly to provide 2 ambulances in every village within one month. The bench also observed that there are submissions that certain directions have also been made directing medical companies to take formulas and start producing vaccines which, according to the state government, cannot be implemented. The state government also objected to the observation terming the medical system "Ram bharose". The top court said these observations, in its view, may have been passed in anxiety and concern for general public. "But since apparently the same cannot be implemented, the said directions may be treated by as only observations and not directions," it noted. The bench further added: "It would be desirable that this matter be also be heard by bench presided by Chief Justice." It reiterated that High Court should also consider possibility of implementation of their order and emphasized that the doctrine of impossibility is equally applicable to courts. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) New Delhi, May 21 : The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday carried out searches at 13 premises belonging to businessman Navneet Kalra and Gagan Duggal in Delhi and Haryana's Gurugram in connection with the alleged oxygen concentrator black marketing case. According to informed sources in the ED, the duo had imported more than 7,000 oxygen concentrators from China in the past one month and sold them to the public at exorbitant prices by claiming that the concentrators were made with German technology. The source said, "The forensic examination of the concentrators has revealed that they are very low quality equipment. Their import price per unit is Rs 15,000 and the same have been sold for Rs 69,999 per unit." The source said that Kalra and Duggal took advantage of a raging pandemic and made huge profits by cheating the public. "During searches, ED officials also found more than 150 foreign brand liquor bottles at Kalra's house on Mandi Road in South Delhi's Mehrauli. Several incriminating documents and digital devices have also been seized by ED officials," the source said. The source said the locations included the residences of Kalra and Duggal on Mandi Road and Kalra's restaurants -- Khan Chacha, Nege and ju, Town Hall, and Dayal Opticals in upscale Khan market. The source said that the bank lockers of Kalra were also searched by the ED officials. The ED action comes after it registered a case of money laundering against Kalra and others on Tuesday. The Delhi Police seized over 500 oxygen concentrators on May 6 and 7 from the three restaurants and a farmhouse in south Delhi. Kalra was arrested on Sunday evening by the sleuths of Delhi Police and sent to three-day police custody. On Thursday, he was sent to 14-day judicial custody. Thiruvananthapuram, May 21 : Johnson Olippuram (55) from Kerala was an English teacher in Andhra Pradesh and Uttarakhand for 13 long years. However, after putting in this many years into teaching, Johnson decided to call it a day and turn to his real calling - farming - in his home state. Johnson took to farming like a fish to water and his resilience and never-say-die attitude even during the Covid-19 pandemic helped him excel in this field. He has been preserving various rice varieties and has 28 varieties in his kitty. That's not all. To promote farming, especially organic farming, among the youth, he created a huge symbolic image of a lighted lamp ('dia') in his paddy field. This he made by planting various varieties of paddy of different colours. Speaking to IANS, Johnson said, "I created the lighted lamp in my paddy farm using four multi-hued varieties of rice. This was a symbolic move to prove that the farmers have not given up hope and that we will overcome the Covid challenges too." The teacher-turned-farmer created the lamp art in his paddy field spread across 20 cents. He drew an outline in the field and sowed different varieties of rice, so that once they grew, they took the shape of a 'dia'. He has also created an Ashoka Chakra on the base of the dia. Congress leader and Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi had visited his farm and appreciated the "paddy art". The four varieties that are used for the paddy art include Nassarbath from Maharashtra, which gives coffee brown leaves for the flame, and the Kalabath variety that has black leaves and grains for the inner core of the flame. He also used the Clero rice variety, which has golden brown colour, and Kakhishala with dark coloured grains. The last variety, according to him, is from Odisha. Johnson has also grown 19 other traditional rice varieties in the same field. The farmer said that while Covid-19 has created lot of misery and problems for the farmers just like for people from other walks of life, it has also made people think about healthy eating habits. "There are a lot of enquires about my Rakthashali rice variety which has medicinal properties. Same for the Njavara rice and some other varieties," he said. Johnson is farming in a total area of 10 acres of land, but the paddy art in this 20-cent field, which is adjacent to the main road, provides a view of the field to give people idea about the various varieties of rice. The farmer, who is preserving organic rice varieties to develop a culture of farming and to popularise organic farming, said, "Paddy art is my way of communicating to the masses as to what I am doing. Once people see this art, curiosity arises and they enquire about me and my farm. "I have been called from several places for talks on this, including local schools and other institutions, in which I get a chance to interact with the young generation on the importance of farming and the varieties of rice which I am preserving for the generations to come." Johnson is also farming in fields taken on lease from others and he is the president of a 90-member farm produce company. The farmer, who is cultivating in areas close to the tribal hamlets, said that he got the rich traditional knowledge of organic farming from the tribal people and he is now into mixed farming also. Coffee, paddy, pepper, coconut, arecanut and plantains are some of the produces of his farm land which is spread over a vast area. "The turning point of my farming carrier was when I came across Bolan Peruman, the tribal head of a small community in Wayanad. He shared his rich farming experience with me, which helped me know about the various varieties of rice and the medicinal value of these items," he said. Johnson had incurred heavy losses during the devastating floods of 2018, but he has somehow climbed back and is now into group farming also with the support of other farmers in the area. He is also helping the tribal children learn the nuances of English language and is teaching them during his free time. The teacher-turned-farmer is planning more experiments in farming and has also bought a variety of cows and dug ponds for fresh water fish. As far as paddy art is concerned, Johnson has been dabbling into it for the past six years and each year he comes up with a different art. He had even tried a floral design during the Onam season - the harvest festival of Kerala. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) New Delhi, May 21 : Digital transformation provider Tech Mahindra on Friday announced the roll-out of the vaccination drive against Covid-19, for its associates and dependent family members above the age of 18 years at its office campuses in Delhi NCR and Bengaluru. The vaccination drive also includes the company's support staff and contract staff workers. Tech Mahindra will cover the cost of vaccination and has partnered with Fortis Healthcare in Delhi NCR and Kauvery Hospital in Bengaluru to initiate the first phase of vaccination drive. "Timely vaccination for everyone is our best chance to win this war against Covid-19. As India battles the second wave of the pandemic, our first and foremost priority is to get all our associates, their families and our entire partner ecosystem vaccinated at the earliest. As part of our #ResolveToRISE initiative, we are taking proactive measures and collaborating with leading hospitals to organise vaccination drives to ensure 100 per cent employee vaccination," said Harshvendra Soin, Global Chief People Officer & Head - Marketing, Tech Mahindra, in a statement. Tech Mahindra has also institutionalised a 360-degree approach to employee well-being with a huge emphasis on mental health and wellness programmes. In addition, the company has also collaborated with leading hospitals to convert its campuses in Noida, Pune, Bengaluru and Chennai as Covid care Units with round-the-clock medical observation. Online food delivery platforms Swiggy and Zomato have also begun vaccination drives for its delivery partners and frontline staff. Zomato started vaccinating its delivery partners in NCR, last week. It aims to start vaccinations in Mumbai and Bengaluru from tomorrow followed by other cities next week. "In one of the largest efforts of its kind, we are facilitating a free and safe vaccination drive for more than 150,000 of our frontline staff and employees. Thousands of our delivery partners are already vaccinated," Deepinder Goyal, Founder - Zomato, shared in a tweet on Friday. Zomato is also encouraging its delivery partners to find a slot in their vicinity and get vaccinated on their own. The company will, however, cover the cost, Goyal said. The vaccination status of Zomato's delivery partners will soon be visible on the app. Swiggy has also launched a vaccination drive against coronavirus in Bengaluru for its delivery partners and frontline staff from its grocery delivery service Instamart and its brand kitchens. "Thousands of partners have already received their first dose and we are confident that a large portion of our fleet will participate and get themselves vaccinated in the coming weeks," said Vivek Sunder, COO, Swiggy, in a statement on Thursday . Swiggy will enable quick and free vaccine access and cover the loss of pay for the period the delivery partner spends in getting both the doses. If partners choose to get vaccinated at a government facility, Swiggy will continue to cover the loss of pay for that period. While some have already received the first dose of the vaccination, Swiggy aims to cover all of its delivery partners and frontline staff across all major cities in the next few weeks. Swiggy will soon notify users on the delivery partners' vaccination status on the app. Meanwhile, global ICT solutions provider Huawei on Friday announced to facilitate 400 oxygen concentrators, 400 contactless vital parameter monitoring devices, 25 HFNC CPAP oxygen therapy systems, and other medical supplies worth Rs 5 crore. It collaborated with local NGOs, specialised institutions to facilitate medical resources to strengthen the efforts in managing the crisis. In addition, Huawei is also contributing to provide meal support for more than 18,000 government schoolchildren whose families are affected by Covid-19. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) Notching a significant victory, the Maharashtra Police on Friday gunned down 13 Maoists, including 7 women, in a fierce gun-battle in the deep forests near Etapally, officials said here. The 90-minute encounter between the Maoists and the crack force of C-60 commandos, which started around 6 am today in the Paydi-Kotmi jungles, may have resulted in at least 4-5 more of the rebels getting injured but they escaped in the jungle. Home Minister Dilip Walse-Patil visited the Gadchiroli Police headquarters and felicitated the top police officers including Sanjay Saxena, Sandip Patil, Ankit Goyal, Manish Kalvaniya, Sameer Shaikh and Somay Munde, Bhausaheb Dhole, all IPS, among others. An official spokesperson for the Anti Naxal Operations (ANO) said that early today, following a tip-off that a group of Maoists were planning to come to the local villages for its regular extortion purposes, a team of C-60 commandos was deployed to carry out combing operation in the forests. At that time, a gang of around 60-70 heavily armed Maoists opened indiscriminate firing in the direction of the police teams. The police first made appeals to the rebels to lay down arms and surrender, but they failed to comply and the commandos replied back with firing at the Maoists. After about 90 minutes, the Maoists escaped in the thick forests ending the dawn encounter after the police extracted a heavy toll on the rebels' side. A subsequent search of the vicinity revealed the bodies of 13 Maoists, including 7 women and six men, and they belonged to the dreaded groups active locally. The police also recovered weapons like AK-47s, SLRs, Carbines, 303 revolvers, 12-bore rifles, and a huge stock of ammunition and explosives, besides articles of daily use from what appeared to be a temporary camp area. The district police and surroundings are put on alert in other talukas for any retaliatory attacks by the Maoists. This is the second important success in the anti-Maoist crusade of the Maharashtra Police in the past 7 months after an October 2020 encounter in Gyarapatti forests saw 5 Maoists, including 3 women, shot dead. Hyderabad, May 21 : As no public examinations could be conducted for Class 10 in Telangana this year due to Covid-19 pandemic, the state education authorities have declared all students qualified. Education Minister P. Sabitha Indra Reddy on Friday announced the results, declaring all students who paid their fee for Secondary School Certificate (SSC) exams passed. She said students were allotted grades considering their internal assessment marks. The results could be viewed on the websites www.bse.telangana.gov.in and http://results.bsetelangana.org All 5,21,073 students who had applied and paid fee declared qualified. They included 5,16,578 regular and 4,495 candidates who had failed earlier. Of the total regular students who passed, 2,62,917 were boys and 2,53,661 were girls. As many as 2,10,647 students secured a perfect 10/10 Grade Point Average (GPA) in the examinations. All students in as many as 535 schools secured 10/10 GPA. The minister said as the SSC exams could not be conducted due to the pandemic, students who had applied were declared passed as per the decision of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao. Last year too, the Class 10 exams could not be conducted due to the pandemic situation and all the students were declared qualified. Officials said students can get their marks memos from their respective head masters and any discrepancies in the marksheets should be brought to the notice of the SSC Board by the headmasters concerned New Delhi, May 21 : The Congress on Friday paid tributes to former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi on his 30th death anniversary and recalled his contributions saying his dedication to change India and usher it into the 21st century was "unstoppable". The Congress also attacked the central government saying it was caught napping during the second Covid wave, which hit the country in January-February 2021. Congress General Secretary In-charge - Organisation K C Venugopal addressing a press conference here said that today is a solemn day for all of us as 30 years ago our leader Rajiv Gandhi was mercilessly assassinated by destructive forces. "It didn't deter us from walking the path of truth. Rajiv Gandhi's compassion and resolve to boldly take the road less travelled and implement out of the box initiatives was legendary," he said. Venugopal said that his "unfathomable dedication" to change India and usher it into the 21st century was "unstoppable". The Congress leader said that Rajiv Gandhi's zeal to use information technology, telephony and computers as tools of equality and empowerment of India's people reflected his "foresight". It is only natural that in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic and unimaginable devastation, we rededicate ourselves to the life of a leader, who not only dared to dream but implemented life altering transformation and change. Millions of workers and leaders of the Indian National Congress have, therefore, undertaken a special 'SEVA' drive on Friday in the service of the people," Venugopal said. He said that over the last one year, the Congress, its frontal organisations and its workers and leaders have completely dedicated themselves to the service of the people in the time of the Covid-19 pandemic. "To heal, to hold hands, to share and alleviate the pain has been our sole motto, as guided by Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi," he said. Launching an attack on the central government, he said that as a deliberately negligent and callous leadership in the central government was caught napping during the second Covid wave, which hit the country in January-February 2021, the Congress and its frontal organisations, especially the Indian Youth Congress (IYC), have done stellar work in the service of fellow countrymen, with dedication and humility. He said that from providing free ambulances to hearse vehicles, from providing oxygen and oxygen concentrators, from providing medicines to home isolation kits, from arranging plasma donors to tele-consultations, from providing dry ration to food packets and even assisting in cremation and burial of the loved ones, the Congress and its workers have shown fortitude and resilience in the most painful times. Venugopal said that the Congress President had set up a four-member "AICC Control Room" on April 25, 2021 to create PCC Control Rooms and co-ordinate with them in providing relief to those in need during the pandemic. Subsequently, the Congress President constituted a high-level COVID-19 Relief Task Force on May 11, 2021 under the chairmanship of Ghulam Nabi Azad to co-ordinate, supervise and guide the relief measures being carried out by the party across all the States and Union Territories ever since the onslaught of the second wave of Covid-19, he said. Venugopal said that the Committee held extensive deliberations with the party general secretaries, in-charge of respective States and Union Territories, the Congress Committee Presidents, the District Congress Committee Presidents and the State Control Rooms. Pursuant to these deliberations, the task force arrived at a list of relief measures to be provided to the people throughout this crisis. These measures will continue for as long as required for the people of India, he said. Slamming the government, he said, "We cautioned the government about the impending danger; giving constructive suggestions to protect our people from this onslaught. Today is not the day to talk about the government's attitude with us! but it breaks our heart to realise that when Congress men and women are out in the field helping whoever can be helped - with whatever possible - oxygen, medicine, ambulance etc the party in power, the BJP, is busy maligning us, our leadership through absolute fakery." "They created fake content just to divert attention from their own failure," he said. "We are happy that BJP and its leadership's bluff has been called. They have been exposed!! We don't want to say anything about these serial offenders. We want to leave it to the highest court - people's Court. I could have demanded action from the BJP President but what action can one expect if he himself is involved in peddling lies," Venugopal said. Highlighting the work of the party since April, he said, "Since April, across the country, 1,600 ambulances have been arranged, out of which 456 have been arranged from the MLA LAD Funds of various states, 1,34,000 requests for hospital Blbeds fulfilled, 64,000 requests for Oxygen cylinders fulfilled, 15,00,000 home isolation kits arranged, 3,23,700 requests for critical Covid medication fulfilled, 89,000 requests for tele-consultation fulfilled, 50,000 requests for Oxygen concentrators have been fulfilled." He added that 5,000 requests for Plasma and 976 Dldoctors onboard for Hello Doctor, have been fulfilled. He said that on Rajiv Gandhiji's martyrdom day, the party takes the opportunity to place the efforts and rehabilitation undertaken so far as also the special SEVA drive being undertaken. He said that 1.50 crore masks, 25 lakh sanitisers and over 10 lakh home isolation medical kits as approved by physicians, food distribution drives for the poor and for those in need of assistance in and around hospitals, funeral sites etc., 11 lakh dry ration kits for the poor who have been impacted by the pandemic have been provided. Congress MLAs and MLCs from some states have set aside a significant amount from their MLA and MLC LAD funds to procure medicines for Covid-19 patients and distribute them for free. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) Patna: Junior doctors and other medical staff of AIIMS, Patna stage a demonstration to press for their various demands on July 23, 2020. (Photo: IANS) Image Source: IANS News Patna, May 21 : Resident doctors at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Patna, threatened to go on an indefinite strike from May 24 if the hospital administration did not reserve 20 beds for them. The doctors say they are working in the middle of a pandemic and chances of infection cannot be ruled out. Hence, they are demanding quality treatment in case any of the doctors get infected during the duty period. "Hospitals are running out of beds in the Corona period. The situation may turn worse if any of us are infected with the virus during duty hours. Reserve beds will give us a higher comfort level. We also want eight days leave every month," said Dr Rahul Sharma, one of the resident doctors. Meanwhile, 50 MBBS interns of the Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical sciences (IGIMS) here also went on strike, demanding higher honorarium and insurance. They began an agitation outside the office of the IGIMS director to raise their demands. Bengaluru, May 21 : South Korean firm Seoul Semiconductors has donated medical supplies worth Rs 7.5 crore to treat Covid patients in Karnataka, Deputy Chief Minister C.N. Ashwath Narayan said on Friday. "The medical supplies include face masks, gloves, PPE kits, mobile air purifiers and equipment to sterilise against air-borne bacteria and viruses," he said, adding that the medical equipment will help to keep ICU wards and ambulances protected and prevent the virus spread. "India and South Korea share common cultures and are good trade partners in many sectors. The bilateral relations are extended to humanitarian service as well," Narayan, who holds the IT, biotech, science and technology portfolios, and heads the Covid task force set up by the state government to fight the pandemic, said. The city-based Korean chip firm has donated the medical supplies under its corporate social responsibility (CSR) fund. "The high-end masks, gloves, air purifiers and equipment will also protect healthcare and frontline warriors, including doctors, nurses, paramedics, civic sanitation workers and police personnel," its country Vice President Arshi Krishnachar said. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) Kolkata, May 21 : The acting Chief Justice of Calcutta High Court on Friday constituted a five-member bench to hear the interim bail plea of four Trinamool Congress heavyweights in West Bengal, who were arrested on Monday by the CBI in the Narada sting operation case. The case will come up for hearing on May 24. The state has been witnessing high drama since Monday morning after CBI sleuths arrested two Trinamool Congress ministers -- Firhad Hakim and Subrata Mukherjee - along with present MLA Madan Mitra and former Kolkata Corporation Mayor Sovon Chattopadhyay in connection with the Narada sting tapes cases, in which several politicians and a high-ranked police officer were allegedly found accepting cash for providing unofficial favours to a fictitious company. While a lower court granted interim bail to all the four Trinamool leaders on Monday evening, the Calcutta High Court put a stay on the order late on the same night. In an order issued by the court on Friday, it has been said that a five-member bench has been constituted that includes acting Chief Justice Rajesh Bindal, and justices I.P. Mukerji, Harish Tandon, Soumen Sen and Arijit Banerjee. The larger bench was formed after the division bench comprising Bindal and Banerjee had a difference of opinion on the judgement pertaining to the interim bail to the heavyweight leaders. Earlier in the day, the difference of opinion cropped up when Justice Banerjee granted interim bail to the four arrested, but acting Chief Justice Bindal differed and said they must be kept under house arrest. According to the rule, the interim-bail issue has been referred to a larger bench in view of the difference of opinion. There were several twists and turns in the case that started on Monday when the CBI arrested four heavyweights in connection with the 2016 Narada sting operation case. A virtual hearing was held on Monday at the Bankshall court in Kolkata over the arrests. The accused were virtually produced before the court from Nizam Palace. The arrests attracted huge controversy as Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee went to the CBI office and demanded unconditional release of the arrested persons. Trinamool supporters also gathered the CBI office and protested against the arrests. They even pelted stones and scuffled with the central forces, leading to a serious breakdown of the law-and-order situation in the area. The Bankshall court had granted bail to the four Trinamool leaders. However, the Calcutta High court stayed the order soon after as CBI challenged it while stating that they are unable to work properly and that their investigation is getting affected. The case was heard by the division bench on Wednesday but as it remained inconclusive, it was again heard on Friday. The CBI has made Chief Minister Banerjee, Law Minister Moloy Ghatak and Trinamool MP Kalyan Banerjee parties to the case. Pressing for the interim bail, defence lawyer Abhishek Manu Singhvi said, "Difference of opinion should lead to liberty. The bench should be constituted on Friday itself." Referring to Firhad Hakim, Singhvi added, "The person is a minister and is responsible for handling the Covid situation in the city as well as in the state. In this condition, the minister should be given access to meet the officials and handle files regarding Covid related work." Responding to the plea, the bench said that the arrested persons can access files and meet officials, but only through video conference and they are allowed to continue with the work they are doing. The bench, however, refused the request of CBI's plea on the stay of the order. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) Chennai, May 21 : The Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), which is an alliance partner of the ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu, has come out in support of the position taken by Chief Minister M.K. Stalin for the clemency to the seven convicts in Rajiv Gandhi assassination case. VCK leader and MP Thol Thirumavalavan in a statement welcomed Stalin's request to President Ram Nath Kovind to release the seven convicts. He also called upon the state cabinet to again pass a resolution to release all the seven convicts in the case and send its recommendations to the Governor. The Dalit leader said that the previous AIADMK government had passed a similar resolution and sent the recommendations to the Governor who had delayed the decision before finally saying that it was only for the President to take a decision on the matter. He also said that the present government's request to the President would justify the actions of the Governor. Thirumavalavan said that till the Governor gives his assent to the release, the seven convicts must be released on parole. This is in contradiction to the state Congress -- another alliance partner in the DMK led front - which took a diametrically opposite position of no clemency or pardon for the convicts. Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) President K.S. Alagiri had earlier in the day come out strongly against Stalin writing a letter to the President requesting him to grant pardon to the seven convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case. New Delhi, May 21 : The Supreme Court on Friday stayed the directions issued by the Allahabad High Court in connection with Covid-19 management in Uttar Pradesh, stressing that the high courts should not pass orders "that are impossible to implement". While passing its directions, the Allahabad High Court had observed the entire medical system of the state, especially in smaller cities and villages, can only be taken to be like the famous Hindi phrase "Ram bharose" (at the mercy of god). An apex court bench comprising Justices Vineet Saran and B.R. Gavai observed said the High Courts must ponder over the practicality of implementation of their orders. Noting that governments became active after orders were passed by various High Courts, it said that the courts should also look into the submissions made by the government. The top court also asked the High Courts to not pass orders having national and international ramifications, and leave these matters for the top court to examine. "Courts should also have some judicial restraint and not pass orders which are difficult to be implemented," said the bench during the hearing of a plea filed by the Uttar Pradesh government challenging the High Court order. During the hearing of a PIL on the Covid-19 situation in UP, the Allahabad High Court had passed a slew of directions on May 17 in connection with providing ambulances with ICU facilities in all villages, making oxygen beds available in all nursing homes, upgradation of medical college hospitals in the state etc, on an urgent basis. But the top court said the High Court should consider the possibility of directions being implemented and avoid passing the orders which are impossible. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the UP government, submitted that all Covid-19 related matters should be listed before bench led by the Chief Justice of the High Courts. He contended that health infrastructure can never be ignored, but these directions are impossible to comply with. He also cited the High Court which directed imposition of lockdown in several cities, which was stayed by the top court. "There are trans-state issues too. Some issue in Kerala High Court can have repercussions in Karnataka," he said. However, the top court declined to entertain Mehta's submissions that only Chief Justice's bench in High Courts should hear Covid-19 matters, saying that it won't pass such sweeping orders. "Constitution of Benches is the prerogative of the Chief Justice of the concerned High Court. We will not pass an order for every High Court," said the top court. It noted that UP government has submitted that there are over 97,000 villages in the state and it is not possibly to provide two ambulances in every village within one month. The bench also observed that there are submissions that certain directions have also been made directing medical companies to take formulas and start producing vaccines which, according to the state government, cannot be implemented. The state government also objected to the observation terming the medical system "Ram bharose". The top court said these observations, in its view, may have been passed in anxiety and concern for general public. "But since apparently the same cannot be implemented, the said directions may be treated by as only observations and not directions," it noted. The bench further added: "It would be desirable that this matter be also be heard by bench presided by Chief Justice." It reiterated that High Court should also consider possibility of implementation of their order and emphasized that the doctrine of impossibility is equally applicable to courts. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) Mumbai, May 21 : Actress Malavika Mohanan says being a part of the unit of the blockbuster "Master", starring Thalapathy Vijay and Vijay Sethupathi, was like working with a "dream team". The budding actress describes the film as a "great milestone" in her career. "This was my first film with Vijay sir and it was exciting for me to share the screen with him. Working with a sensation and an icon made this experience even more exciting. It was great to be a part of the film where some of the best artistes -- like Thalapathy Vijay, Vijay Sethupathi, (composer) Anirudh (Ravichander) and (director) Lokesh (Kanagaraj) came together. We all were really close-knit and we spent a lot of time together. It was like working with a dream team," said Malavika, who made her Hindi debut in Iranian maestro's Majid Majidi's 2017 release "Beyond The Clouds". "It's been a great milestone to have in my career and I am looking forward to working with the same team again, hopefully in the future," she added. The film recorded blockbuster collections despite opening during the unlock phase in January, and will soon be aired on Zee Cinema. New Delhi, May 21 : The real estate sector, which witnessed gradual recovery after total halt in the first wave of Covid-19 and resultant lockdowns last year, is again witnessing a slowdown in the current Covid crisis across the country. Sales and construction in the sector have come to a near halt. Developers and experts have sought relief amid these tough times including additional liquidity support. Axis Ecorp CEO & Director Aditya Kushwaha said: "Just when recovery was in sight, the second wave has derailed the growth momentum for the real estate industry." He suggested that proactive measures that can cushion the impact on the industry such as loan restructuring, interest moratorium, and additional liquidity support should be considered by the RBI. According to Kushwaha, real estate companies are facing challenges to give timely deliveries of their ongoing projects and on top of it, new launches have been put on hold. "To enable the industry to recover faster from the impact of this wave, the RBI will have to step in and offer some relief measures," he said. AMs Project Consultants Director Vinit Dungarwal observed that the second wave of the pandemic has had a widespread impact on all businesses. Describing the announcements made by RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das on Covid relief measures for small businesses, individuals and MSMEs is a welcome move, he said: "The resurgence of the pandemic and resultant concerns of its impact on the economy and businesses demands a resilient approach and we are hopeful that appropriate measures will be taken to address the needs of the real estate sector." Savills India's MD, Residential Services, Shveta Jain, however, was of the view that it is too early to assess the outcome of the ongoing second wave of the pandemic. "The residential market was seeing an upswing post opening of the first lockdown last year. We expect the same momentum to continue once the current situation stabilises." At the moment, given the severity of the ongoing heath crisis and non-mobility due to the lockdown, businesses are on a standstill and transactions are likely to remain low for at least next few months, Jain said. "As the vaccination drive catches up, we expect the end-user demand to return similar to what we saw post the first wave of the pandemic." She said that measures such as reduction in stamp duty and circle rates should again be introduced by the government to boost housing demand during the pandemic. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) New Delhi, May 21 : National carrier Air India on Friday reported that some information of its passengers has been compromised in a massive cyber data breach with its vendor SITA PSS. According to industry sources, the data breach has impacted other global airlines as well. Recently, systems of SITA PSS came under a cyber-security attack leading to personal data leak of certain passengers. The vendor is responsible for storing and processing of personal information of the passengers. In a statement on Friday, Air India said the incident has affected around 4,500,000 data subjects in the world. "The breach involved personal data registered between 26th August 2011 and 3rd February 2021, with details that included name, date of birth, contact information, passport information, ticket information, 'Star Alliance' and 'Air India' frequent flyer data (but no passwords data were affected) as well as credit cards data." "However, in respect of this last type of data, CVV or CVC numbers are not held by our data processor." The airline said it is investigating the data security incident, securing the compromised servers, engaging external specialists of data security incidents, and notifying and liaising with the credit card issuers. Furthermore, the airline said the data processor has ensured that no abnormal activity was observed after securing the compromised servers. "While we and our data processor continue to take remedial actions including but not limited to the above, we would also encourage passengers to change passwords wherever applicable to ensure safety of their personal data." "The protection of our customers' personal data is of highest importance to us and we deeply regret the inconvenience caused and appreciate continued support and trust of our passengers." Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday provided a new mantra for Covid management -- 'Jahan Bimar Wahan Upchar'. Modi said that bringing Covid treatment to the patient's doorstep will reduce the burden on the health system. The Prime Minister interacted with doctors and officials of Varanasi through video conferencing. During the interaction, the doctors and officials thanked Modi for his continuous and proactive leadership that helped in ramping up health infrastructure and ensured adequate supply of necessary medications and critical equipment like ventilators and oxygen concentrators. The Prime Minister hailed the initiative of micro containment zones and appreciated the home delivery of medicines. He also asked the health workers to make this campaign as comprehensive as possible in the rural areas. "Bringing doctors, labs and e-marketing companies together to provide a tele-medicine facility named 'Kashi Kavach' is also a very innovative initiative," Modi said. The Prime Minister was apprised of the efforts undertaken in the last one month to contain the spread of Covid, vaccination status, and the ongoing steps and plans to prepare the district for future challenges. The doctors informed the Prime Minister that they have been vigilant about the threat of mucormycosis or black fungus and have already taken steps and created facilities for the management of the disease. During the interaction, the Prime Minister underscored the importance of continuous training of the manpower fighting Covid and advised the officials and doctors to conduct training sessions and webinars, especially for the paramedical staff and doctors serving in the rural areas. He also asked the officials to work towards bringing down vaccine wastage in the district. Modi praised the speed with which the number of oxygen and ICU beds have been increased in such a short time in Banaras and the way the Pandit Rajan Mishra Kovid Hospital has been activated at such a short notice. He also expressed happiness that the Integrated Covid command system in Varanasi worked very well and said Varanasi's example inspires the world. The Prime Minister gave the example of substantial control of encephalitis cases in children in the Purvanchal region due to active efforts of the UP government and urged the officials and doctors to work with the same sensitivity and vigilance. He cautioned against the new challenge posed by black fungus in the battle against the pandemic. "It is important to pay attention to the precautions and arrangements required to deal with it," Modi said. The Prime Minister hailed the leadership provided by public representatives of Varanasi in the fight against Covid. He urged the public representatives to remain connected with the public and advised them to show full sensitivity towards their concerns despite criticisms. "If any citizen has any grievance, then it is the responsibility of the public representatives to be concerned about it," Modi added. New Delhi, May 21 : The National Students Union of India (NSUI) asked the Delhi University Vice Chancellor not to conduct the final semester examinations in view of second wave of Covid-19 which has struck India hard, and warned of protests otherwise. In a letter to the Vice Chancellor, the Congress' student wing cited the "current distressful situation" as it said that it is not at all feasible to conduct the final year examination. NSUI national Secretary, Lokesh Chugh said: "The situation is deteriorating and is out of control of the government... in such conditions, it is not at all justified to put additional pressure on students regarding the examination." Noting the life of youth cannot be risked by calling them out for examinations, he said: "NSUI strictly demands the VC and the government cancel the final year examination. If not, then the NSUI will be bound to come on streets and protest for the student community." Bengaluru: Pigeons in front of closed shops at APMC Yard, Yeshwanthapura during lockdown in the wake of the 2nd wave of COVID-19, in Bengaluru on Friday 14 May 2021. (Photo: IANS) Image Source: IANS News Bengaluru: Deserted look at MG Road during lockdown in the wake of the 2nd wave of COVID-19, in Bengaluru on Friday 21 May 2021. (Photo: IANS) Image Source: IANS News Bengaluru, May 21 : With the deadly second wave of Covid infections spreading in rural parts of the state, Karnataka on Friday decided to extend its lockdown, slated till May 24, till June 7. After a meeting with experts, senior bureaucrats and ministers here, Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa told reporters that the state government has also decided to bear the medical expenses for treatment of mucormycosis, or 'black fungus', in government hospitals. There is already a 14-day lockdown in force till May 24, while the government had also imposed corona curfew from April 27. Answering to a question, the Chief Minister said that there will be no changes in the restrictions but observed that people were still breaching lockdown protocols and this has forced the police to take action against such violators. "The state government has given full freedom to police to impose regulations strictly in this fortnight. Though as per rules, the essential shops are supposed to close at 10 a.m. but the police will start imposing rules from 9.45 a.m. itself, which means to say that common man who comes to buy essentials must finish his billing before 9.30 a.m. itself and be ready to leave shop prior to 9.45 a.m.," he said. Public transportation, including state road transport corporations buses and Benglauru Metro services, will continue to remain prohibited except for emergencies, like getting vaccinated or for the movement of those employed in essential services. Yediyurappa said that shops dealing with food, groceries, fruits and vegetables, dairy and milk booths, meat and fish, and animal fodder will be allowed to function from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. Hotels, restaurants and eateries shall be permitted to operate kitchens for takeaway/home delivery of food items only. No vehicles will be allowed to be used by persons for taking parcels/takeaway, but hotels and restaurants can use them. Even liquor sale permitted through take away but it is restricted till 10 a.m. unlike hotels/restaurants allowed to operate till night. He also said that only scheduled flights and trains will continue to operate during this period, and flight and train tickets shall serve as the passes for movement of persons by personal vehicles/taxis/cab aggregators/auto rickshaws to airport and stations. Seeking to allaying fears about black fungus disease, the CM said that the mucormycosis is a very rare infection and it is caused by exposure to mucor mould which is commonly found in soil, plants, manure, and decaying fruits and vegetables. "This is a very old disease and doctors are aware of treatment for this disease, therefore, there is no worry on this front. We have decided to waive off the expenses of this disease for those who get treated in government hospitals," he said. New Delhi, May 21 : Former Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Friday again launched a direct attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the Covod vaccination drive in the country, saying 'vaccinate and don't delay it'. "Mr Modi, Vaccinate! Don't Procrastinate," he said in a tweet, attaching a news report which claimed that 70 per cent of the districts in the country have received less than 20 doses per 100 population. Several state governments have red-flagged the government over the shortage of Covid vaccines. Bengaluru, May 21 : Railways has transported more medical oxygen to Karnataka as it faces growing demand amid the Covid surge, an official said on Friday. The 6th Oxygen Express, carrying 73 tonnes of liquid medical oxygen, arrived at the inland container depot near Whitefield station from Jamnagar (Gujarat), a South Western Railway (SWR) official said. Railways said it has transported 713 tonnes of liquid medical oxygen to the state, while two more trains, carrying 120 tonnes and 109 tonnes, will reach Bengaluru on early Saturday from Tatanagar (Jharkhand) and Jamnagar. New Delhi, May 22 : Mumbai Police has registered a rape case at the city's DN Nagar Police Station against a man named Kumar Hegde under Sections 376 and 377 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Reports in sections of the media have claimed Hegde is actress Kangana Ranaut's personal bodyguard, although police refuse to ascertain the accused's identity. "A case has been registered against a man named Kumar Hegde under sections 376 and 377 IPC. Prima facie, they had a live-in relationship and a break-up," Senior Police Inspector Bharat Gaikwad of DN Nagar Police Station told IANS. IPC Sections 376 pertains to rape while Section 377 pertains to unnatural sex. Asked to confirm reports identifying Hegde as Kangana's personal bodyguard, Senior Inspector Gaikwad said: "Police ko pata nahin woh kya kaam karta hai (the police is not aware of what work he does)." According to a report in the website peepingmoon.com, the victim alleged in her statement that she came in contact with the accused eight years ago, and last June accepted Hegde's proposal for marriage. However, the accused then started forcibly establishing physical relationship on multiple occasions. She also alleged that on April 27, Hegde fled with Rs 50,000 from her flat. The website, one of several that have referred to the accused as "Kangana Ranaut's personal bodyguard", also said that Hegde has also been charged under Section 420, which pertains to cheating, and added that all the cases against him were registered after medical examination and the statement of the victim late on Wednesday night. We reached out to Kangana's office and a response is awaited. Bengaluru, May 22 : Reeling under the impact of the extended lockdown across the state, the Federation of Karnataka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FKCCI) on Friday sought concessions from the state government to the business community suffering mounting losses. "We urge the state government to waive fixed charges on power levied by state-run distributors on all industrial and commercial establishments, which are reeling under the Covid-induced lockdown that has been extended till June 7," said FKCCI president Perikal Sundar in a statement here. The trade body also asked the government to defer payment of current and water bills by 3 months till August 31, as trading and business activities have come to a standstill due to the lockdown imposed since April 27 to contain the virus spread in the pandemic's second wave. "The state government should reduce property taxes and license fee by 50 per cent to all industries and commercial firms and defer their payment by 3 months," reiterated Sundar. Though positive cases have declined since the lockdown was imposed, the number of active cases and fatalities continue to be high across the state despite containment measures. State Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa on Friday extended the lockdown by 14 days from May 24 to June 7 to contain the virus spread across the state. "The state government should reimburse salaries and wages paid to employees by traders, manufacturers, businesses and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) for 3 months," asserted Sundar. Alternately, the state government should credit Rs 10,000 per month in the bank accounts of all employees working in the private sector, as a financial package, said the statement. Though the lockdown has been further extended, the trade body said industries should be allowed to resume functioning from May 24, at least in Bengaluru, where Covid cases have declined during the last 10 days. "The Agriculture Producers Market Committee's (APMC) yards and businesses should be allowed to function from 6am to 6pm from May 24 to recover from the losses they have suffered due to the lockdown," Sundar said. The trade body also urged the government to permit inter-district movement of people in trade and services sectors. In a related development, the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (FKCC) urged the chief minister to grant aid to all working in the Kannada film industry, popularly known as Sandalwood, as they have been facing financial crisis due to the extended lockdown. "About 18,000 people employed in Sandalwood have been without work since April 27 when the lockdown was imposed and extended by another 5 weeks," said KFCC secretary N M Suresh in a memorandum to the chief minister. Though the state government has given a financial package to people working in other sectors on Wednesday, those working in the Kannada film industry have been left out of it. The chief minister announced a Rs 1,112-crore relief package to people working in the unorganised sector, as they have been in distress since the lockdown has deprived them of earning. The beneficiaries include farmers, growers, barbers, tailors, housemaids, auto and taxi drivers, weavers, construction labour and folk-artiste troupes. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) Washington, May 22 : The 7-day average of new Covid-19 infections was about 29,100 as of Thursday, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University, marking the first time the average was below 30,000 since June 22, 2020. Following roughly 30,100 reported cases on Thursday, the nationwide average of daily new infections stood at 29,100. The country had reported fewer than 30,000 cases for five straight days through Wednesday, another milestone not seen since last summer, Xinhua reported. The US was witnessing an average of 552 Covid-19 deaths per day, according to the Hopkins data, the lowest level since July. More than 588,000 Covid-19 deaths have been reported in the United States since the start of the pandemic. Meanwhile, federal data showed that the country reported 1.8 million daily vaccinations on average over the past week, with 48 per cent of the population having received one shot or more. The government has set a goal to have 70 per cent of Americans get at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine before July 4. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) Dubai Airport, Dubai, United Arab Emirates [ DXB / OMDB ] If you are planning to travel to Dubai or any other city in United Arab Emirates, this airport locator will be a very useful tool. This page gives complete information about the Dubai Airport along with the airport location map, Time Zone, lattitude and longitude, Current time and date, hotels near the airport etc... Dubai Airport Map showing the location of this airport in United Arab Emirates. Dubai Airport IATA Code, ICAO Code, exchange rate etc... is also provided. Dubai Airport Info: Dubai Airport IATA Code: DXB Dubai Airport ICAO Code: OMDB Latitude : 25.2528 Longitude : 55.3644 City : Dubai Country : United Arab Emirates World Area Code : 971 Airport Type : Large Dubai Airport Address / Contact Details : Dubai International Airport (DXB) - Dubai - United Arab Emirates, Phone: +971 4 224 5555 Dubai Website : http://www.dubaiairports.ae/ Airport Type : Public Owner : Government of Dubai Operator : Dubai Airports Company Hub for : Emirates, Flydubai, Qantas, Al Rais Cargo, Emirates SkyCargo Timezone : Asia/Dubai Dubai Airport Timezone : GMT +04:00 hours Current time and date at Dubai Airport is 00:22:07 AM (+04) on Saturday, Jun 12, 2021 Looking for information on Dubai Airport, Dubai, United Arab Emirates? Know about Dubai Airport in detail. Find out the location of Dubai Airport on United Arab Emirates map and also find out airports near to Dubai. 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DXB - Dubai Airport IATA Code and OMDB - Dubai Airport ICAO code lilgourmets Veggie Meals now at Whole Foods Market lilgourmets, the Chicago-based, women-owned and minority-owned, organic food start-up, is excited to bring their veggie meals to Whole Foods Market stores across Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Oklahoma. lilgourmets, the Chicago-based, women-owned and minority-owned, organic food start-up, is excited to bring their veggie meals to Whole Foods Market stores across Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Oklahoma. Available now in the stores refrigerated dairy case, the brand strives to cultivate curiosity in lilones by exposing them to veggie-focused, global cuisines to help foster a love of vegetables and diverse foods for life. Furthering the brands commitment to providing the highest-quality food for babies and toddlers, lilgourmets now boasts the Clean Label Project certification for its standard of purity. The mission of lilgourmets speaks to Whole Foods Market shoppers who value organic, nutrient-rich foods. lilgourmets created the only fresh, organic veggie meal for babies and kids. Its authentic global recipes deliver 1+ serving of vegetables or beans per 3.5oz cup, combined with nourishing ingredients like coconut milk and extra virgin olive oil, finished with chef-crafted spice blends to create uniquely delicious, closest to homemade meals with no added salt or sugar. Through the early introduction of diverse, veggie-forward foods, lilgourmets not only delivers essential nutrients today, but strives to shape a lifetime of healthy eating habits. We are thrilled to partner with Whole Foods Market to further expand their nutritious fresh kids options. Our products are based on the latest research in children's nutrition and serve as an ideal first food for a baby or a deliciously convenient snack or dip for kids. With flavor profiles unlike anything else in baby or even kids food today, and the nutrient-density that comes with our cold-processed veggie meals, we strive to be a convenient option that parents feel great about feeding their children. Now being available at Whole Foods Market, we can help fulfill parents' growing demand to have easy access to fresh, nutrient-dense foods for their lilones at a place where theyre already doing their primary grocery shopping, said Shibani Baluja, Founder of lilgourmets. lilgourmets debut at Whole Foods Market isnt the only milestone theyre celebrating. The brand is also honored to have recently received The Clean Label Project Purity Award. lilgourmets Clean Label Project Purity Award Considered a prestigious recognition for brands across various categories, lilgourmets is now part of an exclusive group of baby food brands to receive the Clean Label Project Purity Award. The Clean Label Project, a nonprofit organization that focuses on health and transparency for product labeling to help empower consumers, uses random retail sampling and unbiased testing to certify qualifying brands. lilgourmets was rigorously tested against 560 other baby and toddler food brands to look for harmful substances, chemicals of concern, and industrial and environmental toxins and contaminants (like heavy metals, pesticide residues, and plasticizers) that have the long-term potential to adversely affect health and well-being. We are so proud to award lilgourmets with the Clean Label Purity Award. lilgourmets is trailblazing a new category with their uniquely delicious, nutrient-dense, globally-inspired fresh veggie meals. Babies first foods set the foundation for lifelong, healthy eating habits, so parents are looking for that extra reassurance that what theyre serving their little ones is of the highest standard of purity and quality. And now with the Purity Award, parents can feel good knowing that lilgourmets is going above and beyond to prevent harmful toxins, herbicides and pesticides from contaminating their cups of veggie goodness, said Jaclyn Bowen MPH, MS, food safety quality and systems engineer and Executive Director of Clean Label Project. Try lilgourmets in 6 authentic global cuisines lilgourmets organic veggie meals also earned the Partnership for a Healthier Americas Veggies Early & Often certification for its meaningful delivery of vegetables. The products are available in six global cuisines: Cinnamon Beets & Apples (US), Coconut Cauliflower Mash (Australia), Moroccan Butternut Squash (Morocco), Pumpkin Navy Bean Shawarma (Middle East), Spanish Corn & Bean Gazpacho (Spain) and Sweet Potato Curry (India). lilgourmets organic veggie meals retail for $3.69 and are available in Whole Foods Market stores across Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Oklahoma. To learn more, or find the nearest Whole Foods Market location, visit lilgourmets.com. About lilgourmets lilgourmets is the first and only fresh organic veggie meal for kids. Created with a unique veggie-first promise, all of lilgourmets authentic global recipes feature veggies and beans as the first and primary ingredients, delivering 1+ serving of vegetables per cup. With only 2-5g of natural sugars, no added salt or sugar, and uniquely delicious chef-crafted spice blends, these fresh, ready-to eat veggie meals are a perfect meal for a baby or a healthy snack or dip for kids. lilgourmets also proudly serves as a Sustaining Partner to the Partnership for Healthier America, pledging support and resources to the Veggies Early & Often campaign. Winner of the NEXTY award for Best New Natural Kids Product, lil'gourmets products are refrigerated, certified organic, non-GMO, vegan, plant-based, gluten-free, and cold-pressure processed. All 6 global varieties of lilgourmets are now available nationwide online, and in select grocery and retail locations across ten states. For more announcements and up-to-date information about lilgourmets, visit lilgourmets.com or follow on Instagram. Tyrone Sharpe, a disabled Vietnam veteran, has completed his new book, The Vanderhorns, a gripping and potent tale about some seriously misguided individuals, hell-bent on murder and revenge. Tyrone writes, In the last few years, the Vanderhorns have both married a couple of losers pregnant and very unhappy. Their husbands leave a lot to be desired. They are both lazy, drunken bums prone to violence. Harriets husband, James Hobart, is skating on thin ice. Harriets temperature is on boil, as is Gloriaswhose husband, Edward Biptoe, is a drug-crazed fool who cant keep a job. At one time, they loved their husbands, but now its hate. Enough is enough. One way or another they must go to hell, preferably. After hashing out different scenarios, they settle on onethey will hire someone to take them out. Gloria calls Cool C. After she tearfully explains her plight, Cool C agrees to see them dead for $80,000 dollars. After a 40,000-dollar deposit, the wheels of justice is set into motion. Published by Page Publishing, Tyrone Sharpes tormenting tale takes readers through the depressing lives of residents in Cowdung, Tennessee, featuring Harriet Vanderhorn. Harriet had a difficult life. She was an orphan who was morally corrupt. Becoming pregnant at seventeen, she was coerced by her social worker and foster family to keep the baby. She has a baby girl that she names Gloria. Her foster father gives her money to survive for a few years on her eighteenth birthday. She decides to get out of town and moves to Cowdung, Tennessee. Harriet was searching for a better life, thinking things would get easier from then on, but she was completely wrong. Things only grew worse for Harriet in Cowdung. The whole town is plagued by the influence of the devil. Readers will follow along the journey of Harriet and Gloria as they navigate life in this awful town. Readers who wish to experience this chilling work can purchase The Vanderhorns at bookstores everywhere, or online at the Apple iTunes Store, Amazon, Google Play, or Barnes and Noble. For additional information or media inquiries, contact Page Publishing at 866-315-2708. About Page Publishing: Page Publishing is a traditional, full-service publishing house that handles all the intricacies involved in publishing its authors books, including distribution in the worlds largest retail outlets and royalty generation. Page Publishing knows that authors need to be free to create, not mired in logistics like eBook conversion, establishing wholesale accounts, insurance, shipping, taxes, and so on. Pages accomplished writers and publishing professionals allow authors to leave behind these complex and time-consuming issues and focus on their passion: writing and creating. Learn more at http://www.pagepublishing.com. Mumbai Police has lodged an FIR invoking charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder against the master of the Barge Papaa-305 and others in connection with the vessel tragedy in the Arabian Sea which left at least 60 dead and many more missing, officials said on Friday. Yellowgate Police have acted on a complaint filed by barge chief engineer Rahman H. Shaikh who was among the survivors rescued by the Indian Navy earlier this week even as Oil & Natural Gas Corporation Ltd (ONGC) and Afcons Infrastructure Ltd (AIL) announced compensation for the victims. The development came two days after the police launched its probe based on an accidental death report to ascertain why the barge allegedly failed to adhere to safety norms despite warnings of the impending Cyclone Tauktae which wreaked havoc on the country's west coast last Sunday onwards. Besides culpable homicide not amounting to murder, the barge master and others are also charged with common intentions, negligent acts causing hurt to others, etc, said Mumbai Police spokesperson, Deputy Commissioner of Police S. Chaitanya. Of the 342-plus offshore installations of the ONGC, including 243 fixed and the rest floating, five of the latter including barge Papaa-305 were caught in the turbulence of the cyclone and the vessel sank late on Monday. A spokesperson for ONGC said that it will provide an immediate relief of Rs 1 lakh to all survivors and Rs 2 lakh to the families of the deceased or missing. AIL announced comprehensive compensation package for those deceased on the company rolls and also those who were employed with sub-contractors. The deceased, including its employees, would get a total compensation equivalent to the balance period of service upto 10 years' service combined with ex-gratia and insurance, which could range between Rs 35 lakh to Rs 75 lakh per family of the deceased. Additionally, the AIL would form a Trust to take care of the educational needs of the children of the deceased through scholarships besides arranging trauma and grief counselling to help the families tide over the loss of their dear ones. ONGC and maritime sources said that during the Cyclone Tauktae fury, there were an estimated around 10,000 people in and around the vicinity of the Bombay High Fields, around 175 kms off Mumbai. These included over 7,600 people of the ONGC, 1,290 of Afcons Infrastructure Ltd, and the others on smaller barges or supply vessels providing various types of services on the high seas at the BHF. Of the total human presence in the BHF region, around 6,900 were on different types of 94 floating vessels, and the rest on the ONGC's fixed installations like oil rigs, drills or platforms, which did not suffer known damage or report any human casualties. Kevin Hammersmith, Hammersmith Team founder and lead The Hammersmith Team has established an impressive presence by consistently delivering best-in-class real estate service and expertise to their clients." - Terri Bracciale, Baltimore Metro & Eastern Shore Regional President Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices PenFed Realty, one of the countrys fastest-growing brokerages with more than $6 billion in annual sales and over 2,000 agents, welcomes the Hammersmith Team to the companys office in Columbia, Md. We are absolutely thrilled to welcome Kevin Hammersmith and his incredible team of agents, said Baltimore Metro & Eastern Shore Regional President Terri Bracciale. The Hammersmith Team has established an impressive presence by consistently delivering best-in-class real estate service and expertise to their clients. It is this spirit of excellence that not only makes them a renowned team in the region, but a perfect addition to the PenFed Realty family. Led by founder Kevin Hammersmith, the Hammersmith Team has been serving the Maryland, Delaware and Washington D.C. markets for over 30 years by providing buyers and sellers top-notch customer service with an informed market perspective and leading-edge marketing tactics. Through their core values of honesty, integrity and loyalty, the Hammersmith Team has been a top-producing and award-wining team in the Mid-Atlantic region year after year. This is an exciting next step for our team of premier agents, said Hammersmith. With PenFed Realtys comprehensive support and superior tools and programs, we are gearing up to innovate our real estate service offerings in new and exciting ways so that we can continue to go above and beyond for our clients. The Hammersmith Team can be reached by phone and text at (301) 370-3147, and by email at Kevin.Hammersmith@PenFedRealty.com. About Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices PenFed Realty Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices PenFed Realty (http://www.penfedrealty.com) is a full-service real estate company with an annual sales volume of over $6 billion. The company has over 2,000 agents and almost 60 offices, providing complete real estate services nationwide. PenFed Realty is a wholly owned subsidiary of PenFed Credit Union and is a member of the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices brokerage network, operated by HSF Affiliates LLC. Membership with PenFed Credit Union is not required to conduct business with BHHS PenFed Realty. We are proud to be an equal employment opportunity employer. Equal Housing Opportunity. Linda Alonzo Bahena served in the National Guard and is enrolled at Bellus Academy's Chula Vista campus. With our headquarters campus located near major military bases, we are reminded continually of the selfless service our nations military members live out in their vocation In recognition of Military Appreciation Month, Bellus Academy is honoring those who serve with complimentary haircuts on Friday, May 28. Services will be offered to active military members, veterans and their spouses at Bellus Academy salons in California and Kansas. With our headquarters campus located near major military bases, we are reminded continually of the selfless service our nations military members live out in their vocation, said Lynelle Lynch, owner of Bellus Academy. She noted that Bellus Academy has equipped a number of veterans for careers in the professional beauty and barbering sectors. A recent graduate who served two tours in the Marines served as an ambassador for Bellus Academy speaking to workforce development groups about the opportunities that beauty presents as a career path. Belus Academy will also provide services to spouses of military members. Complimentary services are available by appointment. ABOUT BELLUS ACADEMY The top academy in North America, Bellus Academy has been recognized by the prestigious Intercoiffure Award. It is one of the nations most innovative and influential esthetic programs, and is the first school in North America to offer the prestigious CIDESO Skincare Certificate and the first school to offer the Wellness for Cancer training program. Media Contacts: Bellus Academy Susan Miller 765-620-2007 / smiller@5metacom.com "By working together with insurtech partners, I believe we can build a P&C industry that is more resilient and inclusive for all parties involved. Dave Tobias Over 50,000 Florida homeowner policies have been dropped by three major carriers just prior to the start of hurricane season, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports. "The dramatic move underlines the importance of developing more proactive and inclusive insurance solutions during a time of increased risk," says David Tobias, co-founder of insurtech platform Betterview. The insurance industry is poised for massive growth in the next decade, says Tobias, citing the global coverage gap and new risk assessment technologies as major factors contributing to this growth potential. At the same time, there are multiple directions in which this growth could go. One would be for large carriers to use innovative new property intelligence tools in a reactionary manner, denying coverage and taking other punitive measures against high risk properties. That may be what we are seeing in Florida right now. And while this approach may seem to make sense for the carriers bottom line, I am worried that in the long term it will erode trust and create a more hostile relationship between the insurers and their insured. The other approach that carriers can choose to adopt moving forward, according to Tobias, would be one that is more proactive and inclusive, allowing insurers and homeowners to become partners in risk mitigation. Machine Learning driven property intelligence tools, such as those provided by Betterview, can provide underwriters with a more intuitive and actionable risk profile than ever before, Tobias says. With that technology, they can determine exactly what factors contribute to higher risk, share that insight with homeowners and their agents, and work together to mitigate those risks. This could be as simple as repairing a roof or trimming back some trees on the property, but the result is a lower loss ratio for carriers, reduced disruption and uncovered losses for insureds, and a partnership between the two built on transparency, shared goals, and mutual trust. The need for a more inclusive approach to property insurance comes amidst increased climate related risks, particularly in coastal states. For the first time in 2021, the National Hurricane Center issued their routine tropical weather outlook forecast on May 15th instead of June 1st, effectively moving up the start of the hurricane season. This is in recognition of the fact that the Atlantic region has seen major storm activity prior to the start of June for six consecutive years, reports CNN. While this new measure is designed to to better serve the communities impacted by early-season tropical systems, the policy cancelations from three major Florida insurers Universal Insurance of North America, Gulfstream Property & Casualty, and Southern Fidelity may leave these vulnerable property owners even more exposed. The decision to cancel so many policies did not come completely out of the blue; carriers have been shedding risk in highly exposed areas, citing them as sources of inflated damage claims, excessive litigation and outright fraud. David Tobias recognizes that the individual carriers cannot be chastised for seeking to improve their bottom line. I respect that the carriers need to improve their loss and expense ratios, he says. However, I also believe they can accomplish these goals in a way that doesnt leave behind homeowners. By working together with insurtech partners, I believe we can build a P&C industry that is more resilient and inclusive for all parties involved. About Betterview: Betterview is quickly becoming essential to every transaction around buildings and properties by making every property thoroughly understood. We provide software and services that capture, organize, and analyze data for buildings and properties to unlock valuable insight. Betterview is pioneers on the journey alongside their customers who are transforming the way they do business with data-driven decision-making. To learn more, visit http://www.Betterview.com Vaccination is essential in the fight against this pandemic, and we are actively encouraging COA's team members to take this important step," said Tammy Dagey, VP of Field Operations at COA. With Americans across the nation becoming eligible for COVID-19 vaccines, Children of America (COA), is supporting their employees to get vaccinated by paying up to four hours to get their shots. "We want to remove all obstacles for our team when it comes to getting vaccinated and make sure that our team members do not have to choose between earning an income and protecting their well-being. We are offering them hourly pay whether they get their shots during scheduled work time, after hours, or on the weekend" says, Children of America, CEO, Ted Hockenberry. The company is also taking steps internally to create excitement by presenting vaccinated employees with a gift basket to thank each person who gets fully vaccinated against COVID-19. "Vaccination is essential in the fight against this pandemic, and we are actively encouraging COA's team members to take this important step," said Tammy Dagey, VP of Field Operations at COA. COA is not mandating COVID-19 shots, but as vaccine distribution opens up to more age-groups, the company wants to galvanize its position of being a leader in health and safety for the childcare industry. Relying solely on masks and social distancing to protect their employees and families from the coronavirus is not going to be enough to put this pandemic behind us. For more information about COA centers and programs, please visit childrenofamerica.com About Children of America Children of America operates facilities throughout Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Wisconsin. The company expansion plans include several locations in the SC and TX areas over the next two (2) years. COA offers the highest level of childcare for children ages six weeks to twelve years of age. The premier programs include infant care, toddler care, nationally renowned preschool and pre-kindergarten programs, before-and-after school care, and summer camp. An industry pioneer, Children of America is a subsidiary of World Wide Child Care Corp. Visit childrenofamerica.com for more information or follow COA on YouTube, Instagram and Facebook. Graduating from college is a significant achievement for any person, especially for those who completed the task amid a global pandemic. Toyota of San Luis Obispo in California rewards recent college graduates for their efforts and achievement by providing a rebate on new Toyota models and no payments for 90 days when financing through Toyota Financial Services. By doing this, the dealership provides recent college grads a reward for countless nights of studying, attending classes through Zoom and cramming for finals. The Toyota of San Luis Obispo College Graduate Program provides individuals who graduated college within the past two calendar years or will graduate within the next six months and can provide proof of doing so, along with proof of employment, with a $500 rebate on all new unlicensed Toyota models when they finance through Toyota Financial Services. Additionally, shoppers can enjoy no payments for 90 days on select finance programs. Individuals interested in participating in the College Graduate Program at Toyota of San Luis Obispo must prove that they graduated from an accredited four-year college, university or nursing program, two-year college with an associate degree or undergraduate academic degree awarded by a community college, junior college, technical college or university, two-year trade or vocational school or an accredited graduate school. They can do so with a copy of their diploma, a letter from the respective establishments registrars office that says the graduation date and degree or certificate earned or with a copy of their current transcript confirming current enrollment in a graduate degree program. Those interested in learning more about the College Graduate Program at Toyota of San Luis Obispo can visit the dealerships website at https://www.toyota-slo.com/ or by calling 805-543-7001. Toyota of San Luis Obispo is located at 12350 Los Osos Valley Road in San Luis Obispo. Destinations International, the global trade association for destination organizations today announced the Destinations International Canadian Alliance, a newly formed organization of Canadian members of Destinations International. Destinations International is committed to providing our members around the world with the resources they need to be successful, said Don Welsh, President and CEO of Destinations International. This strategically-formed organization will enable our team to provide our Canadian members with important education, research and tools. By aligning with Destinations International, Canadian destination organizations are laying the foundation for a strong recovery of the tourism industry and working together to strengthen Canada to be one of the top destinations in the world, said Kathleen Trainor, President of the Destination Marketing Association of Canada. Currently, 23 Canadian destination organizations are members of Destinations International, the most of any country besides the United States. Those destination organizations will benefit from being part of this newly formed organization that will create educational content that is relevant to Canadian members and make recommendations on topics, themes and issues that are important to Canadian destination organizations. To learn more about the Destinations International Canadian Alliance, please visit destinationsinternational.org/canadian-alliance. ### About Destinations International: Destinations International is the worlds largest resource for official destination organizations, convention and visitors bureaus (CVBs) and tourism boards. Destinations International is about serving destination marketing professionals first and foremost. Together with almost 6,000 members and partners from nearly 600 destinations in approximately 15 countries, Destinations International represents a powerful forward-thinking, collaborative association; exchanging bold ideas, connecting innovative people and elevating tourism to its highest potential. For more information, visit http://www.destinationsinternational.org. About the Destinations International Canadian Alliance The Destination International Canadian Alliance is comprised of destination organization executives from across Canada. The alliance provides a forum for Canadian destination organization executives to meet regularly throughout the year to coordinate on key industry issues including advocacy, resourcing, policy, and marketing. The alliance represents Canadian membership within Destinations International and provides strategic guidance to the association and recommendations for how the Association can best serve its Canadian members. This includes developing content and programs that are valuable to Canadian destination organizations. Our proprietary technology infrastructure, Diamante Net, has the ability to process 100 million+ transactions per day. Weve built the Diamante ecosystem to combine smart, secure, cost-effective, and instant financial transactions using advanced blockchain technology. Diamante Blockchain Holdings Inc., a Delaware corporation, reached its first goal by raising $200K through the equity crowdfunding campaign on Wefunder. The company has hit its first target by raising funds from nearly 120+ investors. Dinesh Patel, co-founder, and CEO said, We are a unique combination of the diversified industries and advanced technology that solves real problems. Our proprietary technology infrastructure, Diamante Net, has the ability to process 100 million+ transactions per day. Weve built the Diamante ecosystem to combine smart, secure, cost-effective, and instant financial transactions using advanced blockchain technology. Our approach to the fintech space is absolutely at best, said Erik A Jens, former CEO Diamond and Jewellery Clients of ABN AMRO bank and senior advisor of Diamante Blockchain, adding that the native digital asset, DIAM, results in bridging the gaps by addressing the challenges of global finance and payments. The native digital asset, DIAM plays a vital role in the Diamante ecosystem. Built on the Diamante Net, DIAM Coin provides access to the suite of products and services. In the current scenario, it is the most powerful digital asset that has come up with a more sustainable and eco-friendly nature that the planet has been waiting for. DIAM has also been recognized by the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority, FINMA. The Diamante infrastructure is the need of the hour that addresses the real challenges such as time-consuming international payments, expensive cross-border remittances, and volatile transaction costs. About the Company: Diamante Blockchain is a global decentralized finance platform implementing and developing a competitive proprietary blockchain infrastructure for trade, payments, and financing. It leverages advanced technology to deal with cross-border payments, trading, and finance in a unique way. The company aims to solve the most significant problems that are threatening global commerce today. The Diamante Consortium, the companys global platform, has over 400 diamond industry participants. The consortium represents $82 billion of potential revenue. The Diamante Ecosystem: 1. Diamante Net - Proprietary blockchain network 2. PayCircle - DeFi payments application 3. DiamCircle - Blockchain applications 4. DIAM - Native digital asset on Diamante Net 5. CreditCircle - DeFi credit application 6. Consortium of luxury goods and service industry stakeholders - Diamante Consortium Also, Diamantes global DeFi payment application, PayCircle, has successfully completed its POC and initiated Pilot Testing for the application. Related Links: https://wefunder.com/diamante https://www.diamanteblockchain.com/ https://paycircle.io/ https://diamcircle.io/ It has been a great experience and privilege to bring this professional-quality kitchen tool to homes across the U.S. We take pride in providing such a premier product to all home chefs who want to make delicious food for a lifetime. Bluewater, a DTC marketing, and advertising agency and the distribution partner of bamix of Switzerland, announced today that the 100% Swiss, hand-crafted hand blenders company has received top ratings in its product category from the Chicago Tribune and other industry analysts. In addition to the Chicago Tribune, several unbiased reviewers ranging from professional chefs to kitchen appliance experts to foodies and home chef bloggers have weighed in with accolades. Specific products tested included The Sophisticated (Mono Pro-1 NSF), The Expert (Gastro Pro-2 NSF), The Qualified (G200 Gastro Pro-2 Professional), and The Cosmopolitan (Mono). Each unit was tested against competitors such as KitchenAid, Breville, Phillips, and Cuisinart for quality, speed, comfort, power, warranty, and overall quality. Notably, the Chicago Tribunes expert reviewer, Jennifer Blair, reported The Sophisticated as her top choice, as did Bryan Vu from yourbestdigs.com, who specifically rated the Sophisticated higher than a Breville hand blender. Even consumers on Amazon are raving about bamix hand blenders with reviews such as the following: Forget the plastic consumer-grade products. This one is a monster and can handle anything. Heavy and solid, built the way things should be - to last a lifetime. Worth every dollar. Powerful, and super easy to clean!!!! Making me wanna toss my KitchenAid Standing Blender.... Bluewater, the strategic marketing partner of bamix in the United States, has been connecting home chefs with hand blenders for over two years. In addition to making the product available direct-to-consumers on mybamix.com, partnerships are established with influential chefs such as restaurateur and celebrity chef, Jamie Oliver, and former Top Chef contestant, executive chef, and restaurateur Jeffrey Jew. The recent praise and accolades of bamix were noticed by Bluewater as more consumers began their home cooking journey shortly after the peak of COIVD-19 shutdowns. Bluewater President and COO, Gina Pomponi, said, It has been a great experience and privilege to bring this professional-quality kitchen tool to homes across the U.S. We take pride in providing such a premier product to all home chefs who want to make delicious food for a lifetime. Who needs a restaurant when you can make even better food at home and have control over the nutrition? Through 2021 and into 2022, Bluewater has plans for expanding the reach of bamix products into retail stores so more consumers can have the experience of bamix. All aforementioned reviews were conducted and published independently from any bamix marketing or business efforts. About bamix Since 1954, bamix has been producing the worlds best and smallest food processor in Switzerland. We are the inventor of the hand blender and we are proud to accompany our customers in the kitchen for a lifetime. No similar product manager to combine so man applications in a single, space-saving, easy-to-use and easy-to-clean kitchen appliance. Throughout all the years, bamix continues to stand for quality and longevity power, precision and performance versatility in application. Visit our website at mybamix.com or find us on Facebook @bamixus. About Bluewater: Bluewater has one core metric of success: yours. Were a DTC marketing and advertising agency converging all the services needed to be relevant to consumers where they live, work, and play. Our experienced, talented team of converged professionals makes us remarkable. We attack the work differently. We are always inquisitive. The pride and accountability we put in our work are at the root of what makes us better. Just ask to see our results. Visit the company website at https://bluewater.tv or on LinkedIn @bluewater-media. Felt+Fat is elevating nationally in popularity as the go-to tableware manufacturer for restaurants in the United States and even other countries. A few years ago, a Philadelphia artist started a small project when asked to design plates for Eli Kulps new concept that became the award-winning restaurant High Street on Market. The artists small project bloomed into what is now known as Felt+Fat after receiving publicity from Food&Wine magazine. Since their first publication feature, Felt+Fats ceramic work has made appearances in the Philadelphia Inquirer, Bon Appetite, Saveur, Luxe, Dwell, Surface, and The New York Times. I began my work in tableware very organically. After attending the Tyler School of Art in Philadelphia, I split my time between art-making and paying the bills as a server in fine dining restaurants. One day, a chef I worked under asked if I could make him some custom plates for a new restaurant. That first job took me down the road that got me to where I am today, running a large studio with a team of partners and employees producing tens of thousands of pieces per year for restaurants and at-home chefs all over the country, said Nate Mell, Founder and CEO of Felt+Fat. The booming organization now has five partners and 11 employees. The tableware manufacturers original business model revolved around and heavily focused on catering towards supplying professional chefs and restaurant owners with custom tableware to serve food on for customers. As Felt+Fat continues to develop, Mell has seen significant growth in the direct-to-consumer arena fueled by sales from the companys website. This result was driven by hard work, organic growth, Instagram marketing, and pay-per-click advertising. Mell emphasized how paid social media advertising proved wonders for increasing Felt+Fats direct-to-consumer sales. With the pandemic, we had to decide whether or not to play it safe, hunker down, and cut spending or to change the business model from wholesale to direct-to-consumer, which required a lot of spending. We decided to take the risk, and it has proved out to be the right choice, with direct-to-consumer sales up nearly 600 percent year-over-year since the shift, said Mell. Felt+Fat is excited to see their products desired and used by more at-home chefs. The respected organization is most known for its handmade ceramic dishes that present durable and elegant tableware. It also produces home goods such as vases and planters that give a modern touch to any room. The proprietary blends of porcelain and glazes used by the studio manufacturer to create its pieces accredit homage to their name that was inspired by the mid-century German artist Joseph Beuys artistic beliefs and material exploration. For more information on Felt and Fat or to browse the companys products, visit its website at https://www.feltandfat.com/. About Felt+Fat Felt+Fat is a tableware manufacturer in Philadelphia, well-known for exquisite, handmade ceramic dishes. Their customers include famous chefs like Eli Kulp, and their work has been featured in publications such as the Philadelphia Inquirer, Food&Wine, Bon Appetite, and The New York Times. Established in 2014, Felt+Fat has developed proprietary blends of porcelain and glazes to create elegant, durable tableware. Safety Marking Inc. is sponsoring the Youth of the Year virtual event on May 24, 2021, one of the many important initiatives at Wakeman Boys & Girls Club of Fairfield. Mark Kelly supports their mission to guide and inspire young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, and responsible citizens. It is a privilege and an honor to be able to help The Wakeman Boys and Girls Youth of the Year Program and support their important initiatives in providing for those in need, particularly throughout the COVID pandemic, said Mr. Kelly. Mark Kelly started Safety Marking Inc. in 1973 as a small, family-owned striping business. The Bridgeport based company is now known in the pavement marking industry as a pacesetting leader. Since its inception, businesss development has broadened with more significant contracts and expansions. It now offers eight major types of services in three states, including Connecticut, Rhode Island, and New York. Safety Marking Inc. has always prided itself on its involvement in charity work and is now is giving back to the community again by sponsoring The Wakeman Boys and Girls Club. Since 1947, Youth of the Year has been Boys & Girls Clubs of America's premier recognition program, celebrating extraordinary achievements of its Club members. The program today has evolved into a comprehensive leadership development program, which includes Youth of the Month and Junior Youth of the Year. Youth of the Year is Boys & Girls Clubs of Americas premiere youth leadership program, honoring extraordinary young people and their achievements in leadership, service, academics, and their dedication to living a healthy lifestyle Each year, Wakeman selects two exceptional Club members to be the Boy & Girl of the Year from each Clubhouse. These extraordinary members serve as both an exemplary ambassador for Wakeman Boys & Girls Club youth and as a strong voice for the Club's young people. Donations from supporters and charitable organizations like Safety Marking Inc. help make the Wakeman Boys and Girls Club services possible. Youth of the Year is a signature effort in Fairfield County designed to foster a new generation of leaders who are fully prepared to lead successfully in todays diverse, integrated, global, and fast paced society. This premier program prepares young people for the 21st century workplace, with essential leadership skills such as communication, goal setting, scholarship, teamwork, citizenship, and community service. CEO of Wakeman Boys & Girls Club, Sabrina Smeltz explains, It would not be possible for us to do the work we do in Bridgeport and Fairfield without the tremendous support of Safety Marking. For over 30 years, Mark, a Club Alumnus, has been a champion of Wakeman Boys & Girls Clubs missionto guide and inspire young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring and responsible citizens. For more information about Mark Kelly, Safety Marking Inc.s Founder, and their involvement with The Wakeman Youth of the Year program, visit the company website at http://www.safetymarking.net/giving-back/ About Mark Kelly Mark Kelly is the Founder and President of Safety Marking, Inc. He started the company in 1973 as a small family-owned striping business servicing Fairfield County, Connecticut. He instilled in it his values of accountability, teamwork, and integrity and managed to redefine the marketplace by setting the industry standard with premium products and services. Mark Kellys dedication resulted in Safety Marking Inc. becoming a pavement marking leader, providing top-notch services in New York, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. Contact Info: Daniel King Djking@safetymarking.net https://safetymarking.net/ 255 Hancock Ave., Bridgeport, Ct 06605 (203) 814-3436 Israel on Thursday announced a cease-fire in the bruising 11-day war against Hamas militants that caused widespread destruction in the Gaza Strip and brought life in much of Israel to a standstill. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus office announced the cease-fire after a late-night meeting of his Security Cabinet. It said the group had unanimously accepted an Egyptian proposal, though the sides were still determining exactly when it was to take effect. In one way or another, everyone in this dealership contributes to making our customers happy, and every member of our team shares in this achievement. Demonstrating its commitment to exceeding customer expectations, Mercedes-Benz of Augusta has been certified in the J.D. Power 2021 Dealer of Excellence Program - which recognizes a select number of vehicle dealerships throughout the United States that provide exceptional customer service. This certification sets us apart, especially coming from such an authority as J.D. Power, said Nathan Cartwright, General Manager at Mercedes-Benz of Augusta. In one way or another, everyone in this dealership contributes to making our customers happy, and every member of our team shares in this achievement. Known for its Voice of the Customer research for more than 50 years, J.D. Power and, subsequently, its Dealer of Excellence Program help consumers identify leading retailers that will go the extra mile. According to J.D. Power, buying a vehicle is a significant financial transaction and can be stressful because theres so much information to digest. The Dealer of Excellence Program assists auto buyers who are looking for an exceptional dealership where they can confidently buy a vehicle. Certified dealers also benefit by leveraging the J.D. Power brand and promoting their dealerships commitment to an outstanding customer purchase experience. Dealer of Excellence is an exclusive program and not all dealerships can qualify. Those that do must pass a three-step process: As the first qualification criterion, J.D. Power limits the percentage of eligible dealerships by nameplate based on each brands performance in the most recent J.D. Power U.S. Sales Satisfaction Index (SSI) Study. Thus, proportionally more dealerships from top-performing brands can become a J.D. Power Dealer of Excellence. Second, dealerships must rank among their brands top performers in key customer satisfaction areas consistent with measurements found in the SSI Study. Finally, qualifying dealers must pass an audit to show they meet or exceed J.D. Power sales best practices. Those best practices include, but are not limited to, listing vehicle inventory and pricing on the dealership website; negotiating in an efficient and transparent manner; offering a fair trade-in value; and presenting a clear and easy-to-understand menu of finance and insurance products. ABOUT GROUP 1 AUTOMOTIVE Group 1 owns and operates 186 automotive dealerships, 242 franchises, and 49 collision centers in the United States, the United Kingdom and Brazil that offer 31 brands of automobiles. Through its dealerships, the Company sells new and used cars and light trucks; arranges related vehicle financing; sells service contracts; provides automotive maintenance and repair services; and sells vehicle parts. ABOUT MERCEDES-BENZ OF AUGUSTA Mercedes-Benz of Augusta has earned a reputation of success stemming from the service and award-winning quality they provide their customers. As a Best Silver Laurel Award Recipient, Mercedes-Benz of Augusta offers a first-class experience unlike any other for buying new and certified pre-owned vehicles with The Augusta Advantage providing even more exclusive benefits at no additional charge. Visit MBOfAugusta.com to learn more. Dr. Alex Herman, Vice President of Veterinary Services We take pride in doing our part to help rescue and protect animals in the wild, through our partnerships and collaboration with CDFW, Bay Area Puma Project, and the San Francisco Police Department Oakland Zoo assisted with the rescue of a two-year-old male mountain lion found in San Francisco this morning by California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CADFW) officers. He was transported to Oakland Zoo for a temporary stay while receiving a complete exam, bloodwork, and preventative care vaccines. Mr. Handsome, unofficially named by Oakland Zoo veterinary staff, was placed in a holding area of the Zoo's Veterinary Hospital overnight until examinations this morning. He was determined to have a total bill of health- strong, hydrated, and at a healthy weight of 98.5 lbs. He was treated for internal and external parasites (common in wildlife) and given vaccinations during his exam. 'Long-range travel' into urban neighborhoods isn't out of the ordinary for mountain lions of this age. Mountain lions are long-ranging species known to exhibit 'dispersing behavior', causing them to travel long distances searching for food, good homes, and mates. "We take pride in doing our part to help rescue and protect animals in the wild, through our partnerships and collaboration with CDFW, Bay Area Puma Project, and the San Francisco Police Department says Dr. Herman, Vice President of Veterinary Services at Oakland Zoo. Mr. Handsome is currently on his way to be released in a rural, unpopulated area of Santa Clara County by CDFW, to continue living freely in the wild. Mountain lions face numerous threats in California, often struck by cars, killed with depredation permits, and illegal poaching. These factors culminate in the human-wildlife conflict, putting them at odds with humans, encroaching urban areas and developments. Oakland Zoo partners with conservation organizations like the Mountain Lion Foundation and the Bay Area Puma Project to educate the public on the issue and help conserve the species in the wild. Oakland Zoo helped found BACAT (Bay Area Cougar Action Team) in 2013, an alliance with the Bay Area Puma Project and the Mountain Lion Foundation, to help support the CADFW to save mountain lions caught in the human-wildlife conflict. Contact: Erin Harrison Oakland Zoo eharrison@oaklandzoo.org Office: 510-632-9525 ext. 120 Cell: 415-601-1619 Isabella Linares Oakland Zoo ilinares@oaklandzoo.org Office: 510-632-9525 ext. 239 Cell: 650 776 -9589 ### ABOUT OAKLAND ZOO AND THE CONSERVATION SOCIETY OF CALIFORNIA: Oakland Zoo, home to more than 850 native and exotic animals, is managed by the Conservation Society of California (CSC); a non-profit organization leading an informed and inspired community to take action for wildlife locally and globally. With over 25 conservation partners and projects worldwide, the CSC is committed to conservation-based education and saving species and their habitats in the wild. Oakland Zoo is dedicated to the humane treatment of animals and is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), the national organization that sets the highest standards for animal welfare for zoos and aquariums. Old Dominion University's Chrysoula Malogianni works to arrange the 2021 Center for Learning and Teaching annual summer conference In a year marked by a huge online shift in education, Old Dominion University's Center for Learning and Teaching hosted their widely-attended annual conference this year. This year's conference, themed Transforming the Online Student Learning Experience, was virtually attended by more than 200 people from across the country. Collaborators from major universities joined to share and discuss their experiences as distance educators, as well as successes and development given the 2020-2021 switch to a full time online learning environment. This year, conference attendees discussed: Plan, organize, develop, and deliver an effective online/hybrid course Design effective and engaging assignments and assessments Foster faculty presence, availability, and responsiveness Encourage faculty to embrace online course design as a strategy to rethink their teaching practices "The collaboration at this year's conference was just outstanding," said Chrysoula Malogianni, Associate Director for ODU's Center for Learning and Teaching. "We were joined by higher education professionals from all over the country, who shared and discussed their experiences and findings in online teaching and learning at their respective colleges and universities. I'm sure everyone who attended walked away with some good ideas, new connections, or plans to transform the online student experience at their practice." Attendees, speakers, presenters and guests were in great hands. "Our Center for Learning and Teaching is such an asset to ODU's distance learning team," said Andy Casiello, Associate Vice President for Distance Learning. "Their wealth of knowledge in course design, student experience, and technology in education makes us a leader in online learning, and we're so proud of this opportunity to collaborate with our partners and friends in education." To learn more about the 2021 faculty summer conference as well as the mission and services of the Old Dominion University Center for Learning and Teaching, visit https://clt.odu.edu/. About Old Dominion University Old Dominion University, located in the coastal city of Norfolk, is Virginia's entrepreneurial-minded doctoral research university and has been delivering distance learning programs for 30 years. We offer more than 100 programs through ODUOnline in a variety of formats, allowing students to complete degree programs across the world. ODU serves more than 24,000 students annually by providing the same rigorous academics online and on-campus. Learn more about ODUOnline's programs by visiting online.odu.edu. Who doesn't love putting the word 'dragon' on their label? - Chris Hodge, Director of Sales for Fermentation, Oregon Fruit Products Oregon Fruit Products LLC has launched new Dragon Fruit Puree, the companys latest seasonal addition to its wide offering of fruit purees for the fermentation market. Lightly fruity in taste and a radiant purple-pink color, this puree features eye-catching color and is ideally suited to blend with more assertive fruits to achieve harmonious tart and sweet notes in the finished beverage. Dragon fruit is mildly sweet, akin to a pear or kiwi, and pairs well with bold citrus or more acidic tropicals. Oregon Fruit sources red dragon fruit for its vivid magenta flesh, resulting in bright pink and purple brews. Dragon Fruit Puree adds dimension and flair to a variety of beer styles such as lagers, hefeweizens, wheat beers, and fruited sours. It also adds a refreshing exotic touch to kombuchas and seltzers. Using unsweetened, pure dragon fruit puree puts the creative control into the hands of brewer, says Director of Sales for Fermentation Chris Hodge, who acknowledges that most dragon fruit products are sweetened, contain additives or are lacking in quality. Consistent, shelf-stable Dragon Fruit Puree infuses novelty and whimsy into beverages while ensuring a uniform flavor profile across multiple batches. Says Hodge: In an increasingly competitive craft brewing market, brewers are looking for unique ingredients and enhancements that will help them stand out. Dragon Fruit Puree fits the bill perfectly. Plus, who doesnt love putting the word dragon on their label? Oregon Fruit Dragon Fruit Puree is now available while supplies last in 42 lb. bag-in-box. Tips for brewing with Oregon Fruit Products Fruit for Fermentation are available here. About Oregon Fruit Puree Oregon Fruit Purees are 100 percent real fruit, lightly heated for shelf-stability and to ensure the best fresh fruit flavor and color. They contain no added sugar, colors, thickeners or preservatives. Oregon Fruit Puree requires no cold storage and is sealed in ready-to-use aseptic bags for a shelf life of up to 18 months in ambient temperature. The purees are kosher certified, made in the U.S.A., non-GMO, gluten-free and vegetarian. Oregon Fruit Products does not use, nor does it allow, any of the eight major allergens (milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, soy and wheat) in the products or processing areas. Oregon Fruit Products LLC Founded in 1935, Oregon Fruit Products offers a complete line of canned, frozen and shelf-stable premium fruit for consumers, foodservice operators and ingredient sales. The company is located in Salem, Oregon and can be found on the web at http://www.oregonfruit.com/fermentation. It was important that we found a buyer who shared a similar philosophy of supporting and enhancing their communities. - Jesse Stopnitzky, Performance Brokerage Services Performance Brokerage Services, the leading automotive dealership brokerage firm, advises in the sale of McCurley Integrity Toyota in Walla Walla, Washington to the Lum Family. McCurley Integrity Dealerships was founded in 1981 by Bill McCurley. The company has 5 stores in the state of Washington, with locations in each of the Tri-Cities, and offers 7 brands. The company believes in being a part of their local communities and participates in numerous charitable events. For the past 19 years, they have organized an annual Octoberfest that raises donations for the local food banks during the holiday season. Bills son, Mason McCurley, serves as the President. Over the last 5 years, Performance Brokerage Services has represented for sale over 200 automotive dealerships, making it the highest volume automotive dealership brokerage firm in North America. Jesse Stopnitzky, the exclusive agent for this transaction and a Partner of Performance Brokerage Services commented, We would like to thank McCurley Integrity Dealerships for entrusting us with the sale of their Toyota dealership in Walla Walla. Working with two first-class and highly ethical organizations, the transaction was smooth, quick and remained confidential through the closing. It was important that we found a buyer who shared a similar philosophy of supporting and enhancing their communities. We wish the Lum Family great success with their acquisition. The Lum Family has owned and operated dealerships for over 50 years. David Lum opened the familys first dealership in 1969 in his hometown of Astoria, Oregon. The store was originally Toyota of Astoria, but has since moved 6 miles to Warrenton and renamed Lums Auto Center, offering Toyota, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram. They added another store in 2018, again with the help of Performance Brokerage Services, with the purchase of Lums Buick GMC Cadillac in McMinnville, Oregon. The Lum Family has remained active in their Astoria community by supporting various non-profit organizations and serving on boards across Clatsop County. The dealerships are now under the leadership of David and his wife Shirleys three daughters Lori, Julie, and Pam. The recently acquired dealership will remain at its current location at 606 North Wilbur Avenue in Walla Walla, Washington 99362 and be renamed Walla Walla Toyota. Justin Teubner, former General Sales Manager at Lums Auto Center of Warrenton, is now a Partner and General Manager for Toyota of Walla Walla. Representing the Lum Family in this transaction were Craig Nichols and his son, Geoff Nichols, of Nichols Law Group, LLC based in Portland, Oregon. Representing the McCurley Integrity Dealerships in this transaction was Jim Aiken of Aiken Law Group based in Issaquah, Washington. About Performance Brokerage Services Performance Brokerage Services, Inc. is the nations highest volume dealership brokerage firm, specializing in intermediary services to buyers and sellers of automotive, commercial truck, motorcycle, RV and equipment dealerships. Performance Brokerage Services offers a unique approach by providing complimentary dealership assessments, no upfront fees, no reimbursement of costs and is paid a success fee only after the transaction closes. Clients benefit from utilizing an extensive network of industry related accountants, attorneys, hundreds of registered buyers and longstanding relationships with most of the auto manufacturers. With corporate offices in Irvine, California, and 5 regional offices in Utah, Florida, Texas, Virginia and New Jersey, Performance Brokerage Services provides its clients national exposure with local representation. After 25 years, 700 transactions and with a 90% closing rate, the companys reputation is unmatched and governed by the utmost ethical conduct, integrity and transparency. For more information about the services offered by Performance Brokerage Services, visit https://performancebrokerageservices.com. We would like to thank President Biden and Vice President Harris for including family caregivers in the American Families Plan and the plan for a comprehensive national paid family medical leave program." On April 26, 2021 The National Alliance for Caregiving (NAC), The Arc, and UsAgainstAlzheimer's joined forces alongside nearly 60 state and national disability rights and patient advocacy organizations in a letter urging the White House to prioritize unpaid caregivers when developing additional economic recovery policies, including a permanent paid family and medical leave policy inclusive of all family caregivers across the lifespan. The letter is attached to this press release. On April 27, 2021 the White House released the American Families Plan, an investment in our nation's kids, families, and economic future. The plan details how it will address the paid family and medical leave needs of our nation's families and caregivers through a comprehensive national paid family medical leave program. According to the White House factsheet, "The program will ensure workers receive partial wage replacement to take time to bond with a new child, care for a seriously ill loved one, deal with a loved ones military deployment, find safety from sexual assault, stalking, or domestic violence, heal from their own serious illness, or take time to deal with the death of a loved one. It will guarantee twelve weeks of paid parental, family, and personal illness/safe leave by year 10 of the program, and also ensure workers get three days of bereavement leave per year starting in year one. The program will provide workers up to $4,000 a month, with a minimum of two-thirds of average weekly wages replaced, rising to 80 percent for the lowest wage workers. We estimate this program will cost $225 billion over a decade." We would like to thank President Biden and Vice President Harris for including family caregivers in the American Families Plan and the plan for a comprehensive national paid family medical leave program, said Mike Wittke, Vice President of Research and Advocacy at the National Alliance for Caregiving. Paid leave is a crucial job support that enables family caregivers to fully participate in the workforce and the new paid family and medical leave program outlined in the American Families Plan truly meets the needs of all working people and meets basic standards that protect and support all types of caregivers, including those standards identified in our letter to the White House. We are also encouraged by commitments from House Ways and Means and Senate Finance leadership to work with the White House to ensure significant investment in paid leave for Americas working families." At a glance, these basic standards include: Providing medical, parental and caregiving leave. Covering all workers, including part-time workers and self-employed workers, regardless of employer size, regardless of their job or employer, and allowing leave for all Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) covered events. Including workers receiving Social Security Disability Insurance benefits or Supplemental Security Income benefits. Guaranteeing that people can take the time off they need without fear of retribution or having to worry if their job will still be there for them when they return. Affordably and sustainably funded to not create an undue burden on either employees or employers. Having sufficient administrative resources to not burden the agency from which it is administered and should be created with new funding sources and not be carved out of or borrowed from funds dedicated to Social Security or other crucial federal safety net programs. Having a broadly inclusive definition of family and must expand the list of those eligible under FMLA to, at a minimum, include siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews, grandparents, grandchildren, and domestic partners. This letter amplifies NACs mission to improve quality of life for friend and family caregivers, and those in their care, and to enhance the capacity of the caregiving movement by calling for a comprehensive paid and family medical leave program. NAC, on behalf its community of caregiving partners and advocates, thanks the President and Vice President for prioritizing caregivers across the lifespan in its economic recovery policies. About the National Alliance for Caregiving Established in 1996, the National Alliance for Caregiving envisions a society that values, supports, and empowers family caregivers to thrive at home, work, and life. NACs mission is to build partnerships in research, advocacy, and innovation to make life better for family caregivers. Working in coalition with national and international organizations and advocates, NAC provides thought-leadership, builds strategic alliances, and convenes stakeholders and advocates. Learn more about our work at http://www.caregiving.org. Follow on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Mark Thibodeau, Senior Partner, Tier One Executive Search "...they are extremely strong in markets where we are weaker. It's really an ideal match." As a result of a deal finalized this week, Detroit based Tier One Executive Search has become a part of TRANSEARCH International, a Top 10 global retained search firm. With an impressive reach, TRANSEARCH has over 60 offices in almost 50 countries. We had been approached by several firms over the years and none of them felt right at the time notes Tier Ones Senior Partner Mark Thibodeau. In a couple of early cases, we werent ready to give up 100% equity. In other cases, the strengths of those firms were largely in the US market they were firms founded here. Considering that TRANSEARCH is a European based firm, they are extremely strong in markets where we are weaker. Its really an ideal match. Tier One Executive Search will become the Detroit office for TRANSEARCH and will also maintain its office in Windsor, Ontario. Tier Ones Shanghai office will dismantle, as TRANSEARCH already has several offices in China including Shanghai. The Detroit based office will continue to specialize in executive recruitment within manufacturing and Thibodeau will continue as Managing Partner and Vice President of Automotive and Industrial, Americas. On this new development, TRANSEARCH CEO Celeste Whatley states Weve always had a strong automotive and manufacturing presence in other geographies, but we were missing an important piece of the puzzle a strong Detroit presence and expertise. Mark and Tier One Executive Search were unquestionably that perfect fit. In regard to the transition, Thibodeau says hes most excited about being able to offer client companies complete global coverage, and the industrys absolute best assessment tools developed by TRANSEARCHs in house psychologist, Dr. John Burdett. Irv Kaage and Adriana Soldi, Transor Filter Brazil Providing customers with a quality product, strong local service and support has been a key component of our success. Transor Filter is proud to announce the 10th anniversary of conducting business in Brazil. In introducing their unique edge filtering concept to Brazil, it afforded companies that produce products such as carbide cutting tools an opportunity to be more competitive in a global market. Adriana Soldi, Manager for the South American market based in Sao Paulo, has educated the market in the advantages of Transors One Micron Filtration and found a receptive market. Business has continually grown as customers have experienced more productivity and improved quality since employing this technology, said Ms. Soldi. With options for a single machine or a large department, quality benefits are available for companies of all sizes. Providing customers with a quality product and strong local service and support has been a key component of our success, continued Ms. Soldi. As the market grows, we expect to grow with it. CEO Irv Kaage noted, The people in Brazil are open to new ideas and suggestions as to how to improve their business. With corporate headquarters in the US near Chicago, Transor is a global company established in 1984 with systems in over 30 countries. They have factories in Chicago and Kunshan, China along with offices in Tokyo, Japan and Sao Paulo. For complete details, contact Transor Filter USA; 515 Busse Road, Elk Grove Village, IL 60007; 847.640.0273, FAX: 847.640.0793 or email info@transorfilter.com ABOUT TRANSOR FILTER Transor Filter is a world leader in providing filtration solutions for a variety of manufacturing applications such as grinding, honing, lapping, super finishing and EDM. In addition, Transor manufactures a complete line of high performance EDM dielectrics and grinding oils. Over 18,000 Transor units have been installed in over 30 countries. Transor has offices in the US, Latin America, Europe and Asia providing sales and service. Tucker Hill Air, Plumbing & Electric, a commercial and residential plumbing and HVAC service provider, recently acquired Simple Home Comfort, LLC. Tucker Hill Air Plumbing, & Electric has acquired numerous home service businesses in the Phoenix area and continues to vigorously pursue its 2021 expansion goals. Speaking about the acquisition, Tucker Hill CEO Jeremy Prevost said, Simple Home Comfort, LLC is a trusted local provider of HVAC services and we were drawn to their honest and transparent business practices. Prevost continues, We hope to continue serving their customers with the same level of quality, honesty, and professionalism. Tucker Hill Air, Plumbing & Electric CEO Jeremy Prevost has decades of experience in the home service industry and has helped many small businesses grow and prosper. His commitment to building businesses that offer quality service at competitive prices will help Simple Home Comfort, LLC reach more customers and expand the business. Simple Home Comfort, LLC was founded by Tyler Stettler in 2015 and offers heating and cooling services to residents of Phoenix, AZ and surrounding areas. Explaining why he chose Tucker Hill Air, Plumbing & Electric, Stettler said, I chose Tucker Hill because I know they will take care of my clients and friends as I do. They have the same honest business philosophy and are a great group who can handle any cooling or heating issue. Simple Home Comfort, LLC has prepaid a year of Tucker Hill Club Preventative Maintenance services, which include one pre-season A/C tune-up and inspection, one heating tune-up and inspection, one annual water heater sediment flush and safety check, and one annual electrical system and main panel review. The total value of this offer is $476. To learn more about Simple Home Comfort, LLC, visit https://simplehomecomfortaz.com/. To learn more about Tucker Hill Air, Plumbing & Electric, visit https://tuckerhillaz.com/. About Tucker Hill Air, Plumbing & Electric: Tucker Hill Air, Plumbing & Electric is the industry leader in the Phoenix market for light commercial and residential HVAC, plumbing and electrical services. The companys licensed, bonded and insured technicians are available 24/7 and are highly trained, experienced and have passed a background check. Tucker Hill Air, Plumbing & Electric specializes in residential and commercial maintenance, repairs and installation of all air conditioning, heating, plumbing and electrical systems. The company is committed to industry leading customer service and provides daily training for both technicians and office staff. Tucker Hill Air, Plumbing & Electric is dedicated to serving seniors with honesty and professionalism. Len Crouse alongside Lisa Ventriss Lens significance cannot be understated and his legacy will live on within the department and the captive industry. The State of Vermont honors the legacy of Leonard Len Crouse after his passing on May 6, 2021. Len was appointed the first Deputy Commissioner of the then newly created Captive Insurance division in 2003 and prior to that served as the Director of Captive Insurance since 1990 for the Vermont Department of Financial Regulation (formally, the Department Banking, Insurance, Securities, and Health Care Administration). While Deputy Commissioner, Len was responsible for Vermonts administration and regulation of captive insurance companies at a time when the industry was rapidly growing. Lens significance cannot be understated and his legacy will live on within the department and the captive industry, said Commissioner Michael Pieciak. The number of captives licensed in Vermont tripled during Lens time with the department and Vermont saw its highest growth when Len transitioned to the role of Deputy Commissioner. Vermont continues to be a prominent leader in the industry, ranked first nationally and third globally with over 1200 licensed captive insurance companies to date. Len received numerous awards for his contribution to the broader captive insurance industry, including the Captive Insurance Companies Associations Distinguished Service Award in 2007 and in 2017 when he was inducted into the Captive Review inaugural Hall of Fame, an award which was recognized under resolution by the Vermont State Legislature that same year. Len made sure to greet everyone he saw. He was genuinely interested in people, and when he asked how you were doing, he sincerely wanted to know, said Deputy Commissioner of Captive Insurance, David Provost. He set the tone for the expectation of respect and communication that we continue to strive for today. As he made his way through a captive conference or event, he became known as someone who could be tough with you on a captive issue at a meeting earlier in the day and then have a drink with you later that evening as an old friend, said Richard Smith, President of the Vermont Captive Insurance Association. He will sorely be missed by all who knew him. Lens family has asked that donations in his name be sent to Central Vermont Home Health and Hospice in Barre, Vermont, or a Memorial Tree be planted in memory of him. For more information on Vermonts captive insurance industry, visit http://www.vermontcaptive.com, call Brittany Nevins at 802-398-5192 or email brittany.nevins@vermont.gov. Edison, NJ -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/21/2021 -- The latest update of Global Airport Retailing Market study provides comprehensive information on the development activities by industry players, growth opportunities and market sizing for Airport Retailing, complete with analysis by key segments, leading and emerging players, and geographies. The 130 page study covers the detailed business overview of each profiled players, its complete research and market development history with latest news and press releases. The study helps in identifying and tracking emerging players in the market and their portfolios, to enhance decision making capabilities and helps to create effective counter strategies to gain competitive advantage. Some of the players profiled/ part of study coverage are InMotion, Compass, Delaware North, XpresSpa, Areas, ParadiesLagardereTravelRetail, Pacific Gateway, Paradies-Legardere, OTG, HMSHost, Hudson Group, TGI, SSP Group, Sodexo & Concessions International. Get free sample copy before purchase: https://www.htfmarketreport.com/sample-report/3248095-global-airport-retailing-market-5 HTF Market Intelligence study explored over 15+ countries with detailed data layout spread from 2015 to 2026 and nearly 12+ regional indicators of Global Airport Retailing Market. The study is built using data and information sourced from various primary and secondary sources, proprietary databases, company/university websites, regulators, conferences, SEC filings, investor presentations and featured press releases from company sites and industry-specific third party sources. Enquire for customization in Report @ https://www.htfmarketreport.com/enquiry-before-buy/3248095-global-airport-retailing-market-5 MARKET SCOPE & TARGET WITH KEY FINDINGS / OBJECTIVES 1. The Airport Retailing Market Key Business Segments Growth & % Share Large Airport, Medium Airport & Small Airport are the segments analysed and sized in this study by application/end-users, displays the potential growth and various shift for period 2014 to 2026. The changing dynamics supporting the growth makes it critical for businesses in this space to keep abreast of the moving pulse of the market. Check which segment will bring in healthy gains adding significant momentum to overall growth. , Electronics, Books, Apparel, Perfume and Cosmetics, Souvenirs, SPAS & Gift Food have been considered for segmenting Airport Retailing market by type. Additionally, the study provides an in-depth overview of country level break-up classified as potentially high growth rate territory, countries with highest market share in past and current scenario. Some of the regional break-up classified in the study are North America (Covered in Chapter 9), United States, Canada, Mexico, Europe (Covered in Chapter 10), Germany, UK, France, Italy, Spain, Russia, Others, Asia-Pacific (Covered in Chapter 11), China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, India, South America (Covered in Chapter 12), Brazil, Argentina, Columbia, Middle East and Africa (Covered in Chapter 13), UAE, Egypt & South Africa. 2) How Study Have Considered the Impact of Economic Slowdown of 2020 ? Analyst at HTF MI have conducted special survey and have connected with opinion leaders and Industry experts from various region to minutely understand impact on growth as well as local reforms to fight the situation. A special chapter in the study presents Impact Analysis of current scenario on Global Airport Retailing Market along with tables and graphs related to various country and segments showcasing impact on growth trends. 3. Who is staying up in Competition Due to pandemic, significant economic challenges confront China. Amid the growing push for decoupling and economic distancing, the changing relationship between China and the rest of the world will influence competition and opportunities in the Airport Retailing market. Negotiations between the 2-largest global economies will continue in 2020, shaping all the uncertainty and worry-making still some emerging players are tapping highest growth rate and establishing its market share whereas reliable giants of Global Airport Retailing Market still tuned with their strategic moves to challenge all competition. How Key Players of the Global Airport Retailing Market are Identified and What all Scenarios are considered while profiling players such as InMotion, Compass, Delaware North, XpresSpa, Areas, ParadiesLagardereTravelRetail, Pacific Gateway, Paradies-Legardere, OTG, HMSHost, Hudson Group, TGI, SSP Group, Sodexo & Concessions International. - Disruptive competition tops the list of industry challenges - Customer experience, Revenue Monetization models and cost analysis. - Top innovative Strategies, drivers, competitive moves etc. Buy this research report @ https://www.htfmarketreport.com/buy-now?format=1&report=3248095 Extracts from the TOC: The exhaustive study has been prepared painstakingly by considering all important parameters. Some of these were - Market sizing (value & volume) by Key Business Segments and Potential and Emerging Countries/Geographies - Market driving trends - Consumers options and preferences, Vendor and Supplier Landscape - Regulatory Actions and Regional Policy Impacts - Projected Growth Opportunities - Industry challenges and constraints - Technological environment and facilitators - Consumer spending dynamics and trends - other developments Read Detailed Index of full Research Study at @ https://www.htfmarketreport.com/reports/3248095-global-airport-retailing-market-5 Thanks for reading this article; you can also get individual chapter wise section or region wise report version like North America, MINT, BRICS, G7, Western / Eastern Europe or Southeast Asia. On March 30 of last year, just weeks after the U.S. began locking down to combat the Covid-19 pandemic, Blue Box Press, the second imprint of boutique publisher Evil Eye Concepts, released Jennifer L. Armentrouts fantasy novel From Blood and Ash. And Blue Boxs three proprietorsLiz Berry, author M.J. Rose, and Jillian Steinknew they had a potential hit on their hands. Armentrout quickly turned in drafts for two sequels of a planned six books in the Blood and Ash series, which she described as being like if A Game of Thrones had vampires. The three titles that Blue Box has already published have sold about 900,000 copies across digital and print formats. The third book in the series, The Crown of Guilded Bones, has been on a number of e-book bestseller lists since its April 21 release. And Armentrout, whose books in the series average around 200,000 words apiece, just keeps writing: a prequel series, Flesh and Fire, will kick off in October with A Shadow in the Ember. When we published From Blood and Ash, it did remarkably well, and it had great legs, said Berry, Armentrouts editor. But when [the second book] A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire came out, everything got crazy. Because the readers could devour book one and then book two. That type of marketing was part of the strategy. I knew when I started writing that if I was able to get the book published in spring of 2020, there would be a gap in other releases, and that if this fantasy had a chance to pick up steam, it would happen when some of the other series that are popular had finished, Armentrout said. She also knew that print-focused traditional publishers couldnt get the book out as quickly as she wanted, so she turned to Blue Box. Blue Box was formed late in 2019, but its parent company, Evil Eye Concepts, was started by Berry and Rose in 2013. Under its other imprint, 1,001 Dark Nights Press, Evil Eye has published romance novellas since 2014, primarily in e-book format for $2.99 but also in print-on-demand paperbacks from Amazons KDP, digital audiobooks, and the occasional print-on-demand hardcover put out by Barnes & Noble Press or Lightning Source. Dark Nights releases roughly 2024 books per year, plus a handful of five-book backlist bundles. According to Rose, Dark Nights books have collectively sold more than three million copies in all formats to date. Rose and Berry launched Evil Eye in order, Rose said, to see what would happen if a publisher treated an author the way an author wanted to be treated. The company began by employing a strategy the duo called strategic elevated marketing, which focused on having its authors cross-promote each others works. They felt confident the strategy would succeed specifically in the romance market, after research found that roughly 50% of romance readers will try a new authora much higher percentage than readers of other genres. Dark Nights published a dozen books in its first year, all edited by Berry and marketed by Roseand the authors themselves. On each books release day, all of the presss authors put up dedicated posts on Facebook about it, including links to where to buy it. (As social media has evolved, cross-marketing strategies at the company have moved beyond Facebook, including marketing to a newsletter audience.) To promote each book, the company also contracts with Roses other company, the marketing service AuthorBuzz, and public relations firm Social Butterfly PR, spending what Rose described as way upwards of $10,000 on promoting each title. Its really powerful when you have Gina Showalter posting about Larissa Ione, and then Heather Graham is posting about her, and then Kristen Ashley is posting, and Kennedy Ryanall of these different wonderful authors posting about one book, Berry said. The fans love it, and they like to see the relationships, and they like to see that the authors like each other and like each others books. The reason the cross-promotions work, Rose explained, is because Evil Eye is a small company and only publishes books by people she and Berry know. The presss legal agreements, which Berry referred to as handshakes, really drive the point home. Our contracts with our authorswith every single authorare just one page, Rose said. I think that that says so much about everything that were doing. It is a different relationship, and thats why it works. Under the contracts, authors do not receive advances but earn higher-than-usual royalties. By 2019, Dark Nights authors were looking to publish bigger books with the press, and Rose and Berry decided it was time to launch Blue Box. Thats when they brought in Stein, who had been Evil Eyes social media manager for years, as a partner. Blue Box published seven books in 2020 and intends to publish eight to 12 books a year going forward. In addition to Armentrouts The Crown of Gilded Bones and A Shadow in the Ember, 2021 titles include the first installment of a new contemporary romance series by Kristen Ashley, which she will write in part by collaborating with her Facebook audience via polls suggesting plot developments and the like; a book by Steve Berry and Rose in July; and the first in a new series of longer-length novellas penned by Rose and C.W. Gortner. Rose will also publish a standalone through Blue Box once a year. Her first one, The Last Tiara, was released in February. (She has published 21 books with traditional houses, but when her contract with Simon & Schuster expired, she declined a two-book deal. I own a publishing company, she said. I decided to try out the merchandise myself and couldnt be happier.) Its an ambitious slate for three people running a publishing house remotely from three different stateswhich they did long before the pandemic struck (Berry lives in Florida, Rose in Connecticut, and Stein in Pennsylvania)with a staff of 10 or so contract workers. But its clearly paid off. And Blue Box and the Blood and Ash series have pushed Evil Eye into new territory. While e-books have been the companys bread and butter since its founding, the popularity of Armentrouts series has encouraged it to branch out into small print runs with Lightning Source. Evil Eye is even starting to keep Blue Box print books on hand and allow independent booksellers to buy directly from it at cost, plus what Rose called a small royalty for authors. This is one of those situations that just happens in publishing that you cant predict and cant make happen, Rose said of Blood and Ash, which Blue Box initially marketed by sending out expensive influencer boxes the day before the first books release. We could do the same marketing, and the same social media for any book, and the book would probably do well, because we put a lot behind it. But you cant create a phenomenon. A phenomenon happens because the book touches something in readers, and the readers take it to heart, and word of mouth starts, and the retailers pick up on whats going on, and then they start pushing the book. Armentrout thinks the women of Evil Eye are too humble about their role in her books success. Still, she said, the source behind the Blood and Ash boom is easily identifiable: TikTok. It was BookTok. It just blew up. Im still flabbergasted by some of the numberslast time I had looked at one of the hashtags for From Blood and Ash, it had 20 or 30 million views. Berry, for her part, credits Armentrout. I dont even know how Jen did this with the speed and the expertise that she did, she said. In this genre, typically the fastest youre going to get a new book from an author is once a year, 18 months, or two years. These are massive books. But she finished the first one and immediately started writing the second one, which we were able to release in September of the same year. She has a capability to drive the plot and romance forward, while mixing character development with high-concept plotting, that few people have. Rose added that Armentrouts speed is what allowed the momentum for the series to really build. Once The Crown of Gilded Bones was published, she said, a whole new group of readers who waited to binge started buying books one, two, and three all at the same time. Thats when everything just went kablooey. If you're interested in submitting a Letter to the Editor, click here. Submit New York City, NY (11385) Today Showers early, then cloudy overnight. Low 61F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%.. Tonight Showers early, then cloudy overnight. Low 61F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%. Developed with Zebra Technologies, the Aruba User Experience Insight (UXI) AI software agent embedded in Zebra mobile computers analyses real-time voice and data traffic and proactively flags issues that could affect application, Wi-Fi connectivity, roaming and voice performance. The early warning provided by Aruba UXI informs remedial actions so that business-critical applications and end user experiences are not impacted. The result is higher up-time, increased productivity, and more expeditious problem remediation. The solution enables IT teams to automate the collection, analysis, and remediation of performance issues in real-time using data observed from the devices that are being impacted, as simulated or historical data simply cannot provide the same level of accuracy as live data. For example, connectivity and voice performance might vary considerably while standing at floor level, moving on a forklift, or while picking at the top of a storage rack. The combination of Arubas UXI agents and Zebra Worry-Free Wi-Fi Edge Insights will expose these differences, enabling IT staff locally or remotely to precisely target solutions. The real-time nature of data collection means that even transient events that might otherwise go unnoticed are captured and analysed. COOs are laser focused on improving operational efficiency, reducing downtime, and making the best use of skilled labour. Many of the most vexing problems are transient in nature and extremely challenging to troubleshoot," commented Michael Tennefoss, vice president of IoT and Strategic Partnerships at Aruba. "Capturing real-time information right at the point of impact gives the most insightful view of whats happening, and best informs how to fix it. And thats exactly what the combination of Zebras new Worry-Free Wi-Fi Edge Insights and Arubas UXI accomplishes. Julie Johnson, vice president of global product management and portfolio for enterprise mobile computingat Zebra Technologies, added: Zebra developed WorryFree Wi-Fi Edge Insights to deliver superior device communications and management services. WorryFree Wi-Fi Edge Insights will provide businesses with an edge-to-cloud early warning system that can directly enhance productivity, efficiency, and profitability. The Aruba UXI Agent will be available in October 2021. Today Rain. Low 62F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch. Locally heavy rainfall possible. Tonight Rain. Low 62F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch. Locally heavy rainfall possible. Tomorrow Cloudy skies. Slight chance of a rain shower. High around 80F. Winds light and variable. Miami, FL -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/21/2021 -- The Dauers, from Coral Springs, FL, are the proud owners of this South Florida gem. The museum is 30,000-square-feet located in an industrial building to the west of Hiatus Road. It houses 70 fully restored classic cars. The museum was previously invitation-only, hosting many fundraisers and charitable events. Through the years, they have raised millions for organizations like the Boys and Girls Clubs of Broward County and the American Heart Association. The family still hosts these events but has since decided to allow the public into the incredible space. Joanne Dauer, museum curator and owner, says, "We wanted to share it with other people. What better than to show it and learn about the nation's history." Each car is in mint condition and authentic to how they were originally manufactured to stay true to the vehicle's history. Collections include limited quantity and original issued cars Cadillacs such as the 1953 Cadillac Eldorado, the 1953 original Buick Skylark, and 1953 Oldsmobile Fiesta. The museum even includes a 1906 Cadillac delivery truck with original kerosene highlights. The family has taken great care to preserve the details and history behind each vehicle, each coming with its own story to tell. You can visit the Dauer Museum of Classic Cars at 10801 NW 50th St. in Sunrise, FL, from Monday to Friday from 10 am to 4 pm, and at night and on weekends by appointment. Admission is $12.50, and admission for military and first responders is free. South Florida has many things to offer - sand, sun, and a never-ending list of sights like the Dauer Museum of Classic Cars. If you're thinking about heading to the beach for your next vacation, call us at 786.558.5196 for more information on South Florida vacation rentals and Coconut Grove vacation rentals. In 2014, Russia invaded and annexed Ukraines Crimean Peninsula in the largest land seizure in Europe since World War II. Since then, experts have made various predictions of what Moscows next target for expansion might be. And there is no shortage of potential next targets in the region. Since Crimea was annexed, Russia has occupied part of eastern Ukraine, engaging in skirmishes with domestic insurgents. Over the last several months, there was a rapid buildup of Russian troops in the Donbas region of Ukraine, followed by a rapid withdrawal once the alarm raised by NATO and the criticism from the international community became more vocal. (However, about 80,000 Russian troops remain in those areas). Likewise, Moscow seized on the institutional vacuum left in Belarus after 2020's wave of protest attempting to oust authoritarian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka, who quickly converted himself into a closer Putin ally than he was before the protests erupted. This soft takeover in Minsk has allowed Russia to move tanks and troops to Belarus border with Poland. The Baltic statesEstonia, Latvia, and Lithuaniahave been one of the most commonly identified future hot spots and a particularly disastrous area for conflict to break out. Once Russian satellites like most countries in the area, they are often seen as the next most likely targets for Russian aggression. Because of their NATO membership, unlike with Ukraine and Belarus, military action there would automatically draw in the rest of the alliance. One of Moscows main justifications for annexing Crimea was on the basis of reuniting Russia with Crimeas ethnic Russian majority. In 2014, that population was about 60 percent. Each of the Baltic states has a Russian-speaking minority population, but that number is 25 percent in Latvia and Estonia. These numbers, combined with the small size of each country and their shared Soviet history, have made the Baltics seemingly vulnerable to becoming the next Crimea. They are also at a geographic disadvantage due to their small sizes and close proximity to the heavily-armed Russian oblast of Kaliningrad. However, their actual vulnerability compared to Crimea is more nuanced. Unlike the 60 percent Russian-speaking majority in Crimea, it is extremely unlikely that Russian speakers in the Baltics would be inclined to sympathize with Moscow, nor that their national governments would hold a referendum on whether to become part of Russia, like the local government in Crimea did. As was the case in Belarus before this year, Russian influence in the civil societies of Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia is limited. But unlike Belarus, the Baltics have had concrete institutional divisions from Russia for almost two decades; besides being NATO members, all three countries have been members of the European Union since 2004 and are committed liberal democracies. Likewise, Estonians closely identify with their Nordic neighbors, while Latvians and Lithuanians view themselves as Eastern Europeanbut not Russian. On the one hand, because of the strength of Baltic institutions, using hard power over covert political destabilization is likely Moscows path of least resistance there. There is already a heightened level of preparedness for a sudden invasion; as a measure of deterrence, security forces in Estonia and Latvia are already trained to attack Russian troops on sight. Those forces are supported by NATOs Baltic Air Policing (BAP) mission, where fighters are deployed on a rotating basis by country at Estonias Amari Air Base and Lithuanias Siauliai Air Base. On the other hand, it should not be assumed that Russias hard-power annexation of Crimea is the new playbook for its future expansion elsewhere. Russian aggression in the Baltics is likely to look different from Crimea because of the risk that comes with attacking NATO members. Russia would have to ensure that their attack is successful and that their forces are prepared to overwhelm the inevitable response from the rest of the alliance. In any case, it is Moscows soft-power strategy that remains more unpredictable. If it fails to influence civil society in the Baltics or undermine its national governments, it is just as likely to deploy other covert methods that have not been observed before. However, Russian aggression toward the Baltics plays out, if it plays out, the U.S. and NATO should not take the security measures in place there for granted. Potential vulnerability in the Baltics is a good enough reason to fortify NATO defenses, especially on the Polish border, and to increase the support given to deterrence measures by Baltic security forces. So far, a military response from NATO has been off the table due to both sides nuclear arsenals. As a result, NATO has had few options in terms of a response apart from sanctions regimes. Despite how much economic damage might have been done to Russia, they never seem to be successful in deterring Moscows future explorations of how far it can expand its sphere of influence. And while sanctions are the only option, they backfire. Russian President Vladimir Putin has used sanctions imposed by the West as a rhetorical device to bolster his own position and agenda for Russia at home. Sanctions are framed as evidence that the U.S. and Europe are trying to stifle Russias recovery from the fall of the Soviet Union, likewise characterized by Putin as a national humiliation from which the West benefitted enormously. On the military front, sanctions have also not achieved the desired result. Indeed, despite a struggling economy, Russias military has only grown stronger and more sophisticated since 2014, as have its attempts to undermine the West and Western-style democracies. Ultimately, Russias increasing military sophistication means that the U.S. and NATO should now be prepared to modernize proportionally to help defend the Baltic states and treat the potential for the eruption of conflict in the Baltics as a threat in the near term. Fortunately, NATO has modernized its defenses in Northern and Eastern Europe, with the F-35 fighter supplementing or replacing older fleets in several countries, including two of the Baltics Nordic neighbors, Norway and Denmark, along with Poland. In Poland, one of NATOs frontline states due to its proximity to Russia, the F-35 is in especially urgent demand. The F-35 is especially important in deterring Russian aggression because not only does it collect more intelligence than other tactical aircraft, it is invisible to Russian radar. Poland has also purchased Patriot missiles from the U.S., which it will be receiving within the next few years, and neighboring Romania has received them as well. Poland is currently in discussions to acquire the M1 Abrams tank, also produced by the United States; if successful, it would be the first European country to do so. The M1 Abrams would both replace Polands 500 Soviet-made tanks and eliminate its problem of not being able to join France and Germanys Main Battle Tank coalition. Though none of the three Baltic states has acquired the F-35, it was recently deployed there for the first time when four Italian F-35s arrived at Estonias Amari Air Base to take over the BAP mission from Germany in April. Despite the readiness of Baltic security forces, BAP is the closest thing that the three countries have to an air defense system, but it has been criticized as insufficiently able to respond to simulated Russian air attacks. Therefore, the development of a domestic air defense system in Latvia, Lithuania, or Estonia, if not the outright sale of the F-35 to one of them, would be more reason to make Russia think twice before launching a conventional attack. Sarah White is a Senior Research Analyst at Arlingtons Lexington Institute. The views expressed are the authors own. Today, the data shows a looming mismatch between the worlds strengthened climate ambitions and the availability of critical minerals that are essential to realizing those ambitions, says Fatih Birol, executive director of the International Energy Agency (IEA). Yet the U.S. and the world are in the midst of a great energy transition to fight climate change one intended as a complete transformation of our energy sector, from production to transportation to utilization. We are told that this journey will help us move away from oil, coal, and natural gas to a world dominated by windmills, solar panels, and electric cars. This will surely be a herculean challenge: oil, coal, and gas meet over 80% of Americas current energy needs, while wind and solar supply just 4%. The U.S. has over 270 million cars that run on oil; it has just 2 million that use electricity. The hard truth: an energy system powered by these green technologies differs enormously from one fueled by traditional hydrocarbon resources. It goes routinely unmentioned, for instance, that the energy transition will require an immense mining revolution for the raw materials needed to manufacture green-energy technologies. Renewables and electric cars are far more mineral-intensive than their conventional counterparts so much so that many green-energy advocates have been forced to contradict their own positions because they opposed large-scale mining and mineral extraction. The IEAs new report, The Role of Critical Minerals in Clean Energy Transitions, explains all this quite clearly. The IEA notes that a typical electric car requires six times the mineral inputs of a conventional car, and an onshore wind plant requires nine times more mineral resources than a natural gas-fired power plant. Demand for a long list of minerals is already starting to surge as clean-energy transitions gain momentum. The types of minerals required vary by technology. In terms of improving performance, longevity, and energy density, lithium, nickel, cobalt, manganese, and graphite are key to the batteries used in electric cars and the backup-storage systems needed to compensate for the natural intermittency of wind and solar power. The 17 listed rare-earth elements are integral for permanent magnets used in wind turbines and electric car motors. More quietly but just as importantly, these critical materials are also engrained in the technologies that enable the U.S. national security apparatus. Since 2010, the average amount of minerals needed for a new unit of power generation capacity has increased by 50% and thats just to bring wind and solar to a 10% share of the worlds electricity (and 4% of all energy). The changes needed for the world to meet net-zero carbon by 2050 are simply staggering. Per the IEA: By 2030, the world must add more than 1,000 gigawatts of wind and solar power capacity annually only slightly less than the entire electric power system in the U.S. uses today. Electric passenger cars must reach 60% of new sales by 2030, while half of heavy trucks purchased by 2035 must be electrical. Indeed, a global energy transition like the one President Biden insists upon will send the need for critical materials skyrocketing by 2040: Lithium: +4,200% Graphite: +2,500% Nickel: +1,900% Rare-earths: +700% The U.S. is setting itself up for major geopolitical risk: according to the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, China provides more than 85% of the worlds rare-earths and holds 67% of the global supply of scarce metals and minerals. The U.S. itself imports some 80% of its rare-earths from China. China also controls the supply chains, utilizing its widening Belt and Road Initiative that now encompasses 45 countries (more aptly termed partners). We have already seen the devastation that such Chinese supply dominance can bring. If we dont start thinking more strategically, we are on a path toward cartel dependence. Given the urgency of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, this is a possibility that we simply cannot afford. Americas energy transition must therefore center on a domestic mining revolution. Since 2008, the shale revolution has demonstrated how quickly we can transform energy markets through advanced technologies. As RealClear showed back in October, expanding our mining capabilities enjoys bipartisan support. The U.S. has far more stringent environmental regulations and standards for ethically responsible mining than our competitors. Congo, for example, the worlds main supplier of the cobalt critical for electric cars, uses child labor. China uses forced labor for the production of solar panels. Thus, a U.S. mining and manufacturing revolution for renewables and electric cars should be strongly promoted by private firms like Blackrock, and by foundations and NGOs that claim to care so much about environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG). President Biden has linked his American Jobs Plan to green energy, but his vision wont materialize without the necessary raw materials. It has been projected that the U.S. has access to $67 trillion in mineral resources, but we need a more streamlined permitting process. For example, large lithium resources have been identified in Arkansas, California, Nevada, North Carolina, and Utah. The IEA wants the U.S. to start massive domestic development now: todays mineral supply and investment plans fall far short of whats needed to transform the energy sector, raising the risk of delayed or more expensive energy transitions. Higher costs will erode public support. Renewables are already confronting input issues from various angles. Extracting the raw materials and manufacturing the technologies here at home must become a non-negotiable pillar of Americas energy and climate goals. It is a project that deserves the support of both Democrats and Republicans. Jude Clemente is the editor at RealClearEnergy. "Breathing freely doesn't seem like something we should have to ask any other people permission for," said 10-year-old John in a now-viral video in front of the Martin County, Florida, school board. Well, Iowa has taken up that call and has now banned all school districts and local officials from ever instituting a mask mandate again. This should be a model in every red state. Good morning, its Friday, May 21, 2021, the day of the week when I reprise quotations intended to be uplifting or educational. Todays comes from Amelia Earhart, who on this date in 1932 became the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. Starting in Newfoundland a day earlier, Earhart had hoped to land in Paris, but fate and lousy weather brought her red Lockheed Vega to a cow pasture on a family farm outside Derry in Northern Ireland. When a laborer at the Gallagher farm asked her where she had come from, Earhart said simply, America. My curiosity got the better of me after a minute or two and I went up to the plane as well, Mrs. Gallagher recalled later. Standing beside it was a tousled-headed girl in trousers and leather coat. She didn't seem at all excited. Movie-star-handsome aviator Charles Lindbergh had flown the first solo transatlantic flight in 1927, but when an equally charismatic and photogenic aviatrix did it five years later, the world was enthralled. Women must try to do things as men have tried, Earhart noted in a 1937 letter to her husband, George Putnam. They do get more glory than men for comparable feats. But, also, women get more notoriety when they crash. It was a fateful and prophetic observation for a pilot whose disappearance that same year remains a source of eternal fascination. But its not the Amelia Earhart line I have in mind this morning. That will come in a moment. First, Id point you to RCPs front page, which presents our poll averages, videos, breaking news stories, and aggregated opinion pieces spanning the political spectrum. We also offer original material from our own reporters, columnists, and contributors: * * * Israel Faces Hard Problems After the Gaza Fighting. Charles Lipson explains why the political outcome of the conflict may be far different from the military outcome. Where Is the Charles Evans Hughes of 2021? John Maxwell Hamilton and Bruce Sanford hold out Hughes as an example for both Democrats and Republicans: a principled man who narrowly lost to Woodrow Wilson in 1916, led the Supreme Court and held other high positions with distinction. Why China Could Vanquish the U.S. in New Space Race. Brandon J. Weichert outlines Beijings ambitious plans, and the risks faced if America greets them with a shrug. Will Biden's Carter Impression Lead to Reagan 2.0? At RealClearPolicy, Brad Lips sees the potential for history to repeat itself. States Must Team Up to Compete With California. At RealClearMarkets, Paul Watkins advises implementing cross-state regulatory harmonization to offer businesses an environment larger -- and more appealing -- than the Golden States. Russian Aggression in the Baltics Will Not Look Like Crimea. At RealClearDefense, Sarah White writes that the development of a domestic air defense system in Latvia, Lithuania, or Estonia would make Putin think twice before launching an attack. What Climate Science Tells Us, and What It Doesnt. At RealClearEnergy, Rupert Darwall reviews Steven E. Koonins new book, Unsettled. * * * The letter quoted above was written to Amelia Earharts husband the day before her last flight. She wasnt trying to assure him shed return safely -- she conceded she didnt know that -- but she explained that she was heading into danger because flying was her passion and because she felt obliged to other women to follow her heart. Please know that I am aware of the hazards, she wrote. I want to do it because I want to do it. Women must try to do things as men have tried. When they fail, their failure must be a challenge to others. And thats our quote of the week. Carl M. Cannon Washington Bureau chief, RealClearPolitics @CarlCannon (Twitter) ccannon@realclearpolitics.com Its hard waging war against terrorists camped out among civilians. Its even harder when your best ally starts edging away. That was the position Israel faced after an abrupt change-of-face by the Biden White House. Until Wednesday, the Biden team supplied the press with readouts stressing Americas strong and unwavering support for Israel, based on the presidents calls to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Those days are over. Biden buckled under growing pressure from anti-Israel factions within the Democratic Party and some allies in Europe and the Middle East. The administrations revised goals were Israels immediate de-escalation and a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas. Progressives want to go further. They hope to block a huge, scheduled sale of military equipment to Israel, including Iron Dome defensive missiles. (That progressive goal is a long shot since the Biden administration publicly supports the sale.) The administrations pressure on Israel returns the Biden White House to Obama-era policies, much like its resumption of Obamas policies toward Iran. The people tied to those old policies are back, too. They have learned from their mistakes and can repeat them exactly. The policies themselves have become mainstream among Democrats and represent two decades of steady effort by the partys left wing, including some progressive Jews, led by J Street. Netanyahu tried to resist the new White House pressure, insisting Israel would fight until it achieved its objectives. But it was difficult to hold out for long. International pressure was building, not on Hamas terrorists firing rockets at civilians but on the Jewish state defending against them. The result was a cease-fire, brokered by Egypt, that began Friday morning. Like all such arrangements, it doesnt come with a long-term warranty. Cease-fires are fragile. In any case, it is far short of a peace deal and even farther from resolving the Palestinian conflict. The deadly exchange of fire has drowned out public discussion of several large and difficult questions that confront Israel as the fighting ends. The answers to these questions will determine the political outcome of the 2021 Gaza conflict, which may be different from the military outcome. For Israel, the military objectives were clear. It wanted to deter Hamas from any future rocket attacks on its civilian population and severely degrade its capacity to conduct them. It wanted to decapitate Hamas senior leadership and demolish its subterranean hiding holes, which shelter both leaders and weaponry. And it wanted to do all that without launching a ground invasion. Israels military project proceeded apace, with considerable success, despite near-misses in taking out Hamas two senior leaders, Mohammed Deif (head of its military wing) and Yahya Sinwar (one of the wings founders). Those two have survived, so far, but a whole swatch of senior leadership has not. Hamas massive underground tunnel system was systematically destroyed, a difficult and sensitive task since the terrorists routed it under civilian structures. That route was deliberate. Hamas uses human shields to protect its assets, situating them in hospitals, schools, playgrounds, mosques, businesses, and homes. Israeli Defense Forces say they still have hundreds, perhaps thousands, of Hamas targets left to hit, but political leaders must have figured they had achieved their main goals and would pay a heavy diplomatic price to continue fighting, once Hamas agreed to quit. Bidens switch changed the calculus in Jerusalem, which knew international pressure was building amid concern over civilian casualties and fears the conflict could spill over into other countries. One obvious concern was Hezbollah, on Israels northern border. Like Hamas, it is an Iranian proxy and is armed with tens of thousands of missiles (far better ones than Hamas has). It held back from the Gaza fight this time, but the longer that fight continued, the greater the risk it would become involved. When the fighting ceased depended partly on Hamas. It had to decide when to stop firing rockets at Israeli homes, schools, and hospitals. But the cease-fire also depended on what Israel still hoped to accomplish or, rather, what it still considered essential, and what price it was willing to pay to achieve those ends. It is crucial to recognize that Israels goals and problems go beyond its military objectives. Though these are linked to the fighting, they are fundamentally political. The problems are obviously compounded by the countrys now-chronic inability to form a stable government. The first problem is: Who speaks for the Palestinians now? Answering that in their own favor is why Hamas started lobbing rockets in the first place. They wanted to supplant the corrupt, ineffective gerontocracy that is the Palestinian Authority. Neither Hamas (in Gaza) nor the PA (in the West Bank) has delivered for its people. Although Palestinians in the West Bank are doing far better, Hamas is clearly more militant and aggressive. The sharper the ideological conflict, the better for Hamas. The PA has not held a presidential election since 2005, is led by a man in his mid-80s, and called off the latest vote when it realized he was likely to lose. The PA, eager to shift the blame onto the Israelis, encouraged mass demonstrations. Those swiftly escalated into violence outside the sacred Al-Aqsa Mosque and elsewhere. They were exacerbated by an inept Israeli police response. Hamas decided to outbid these demonstrations by firing rockets at Israeli towns and villages. The Al-Aqsa protests were on May 7. Hamas began its rocket barrages three days later and launched well over 1,300 before accepting the cease-fire. Its goal was to underscore its rejectionist stance and dominate the PA-backed demonstrations. Hamas leaders badly miscalculated the Israeli response. They never expected a relentless aerial bombardment, using well-developed coordinates, based on detailed intelligence. They didnt expect that intelligence would reveal where their leaders were hiding. That discovery caused panic within Hamas, uncertain how Israel found out this most secret of secrets. Despite Hamas heavy losses, it could still win its strategic battle with the PA if Hamas emerges as the main voice for Palestinians, or at least a co-equal one with the PA. That would be an enormous achievement and an equally enormous defeat for both the Palestinian Authority and Israel. Preventing that political outcome was one reason Netanyahu resisted a premature cease-fire, which would allow Hamas to claim some kind of victory. Put differently, Netanyahu wanted to destroy Hamas leadership and its military capacity both to establish military deterrence and to weaken the terrorist groups political influence. The second big problem facing Israel is radicalization and violence among Israeli Arabs, who are citizens of Israel and live within its core territory, not in the West Bank or Gaza. They are governed by Israel, not the PA or Hamas, and share nearly all civil rights with Israelis. Despite the screeds of Islamists and leftist ideologues in the U.S., Canada, Britain, and Europe, the country is a democracy and not an apartheid state. No other country in the region comes close, and it has managed to sustain its democracy under almost continuous lethal attack. Still, Israeli Arabs do have significant political grievances, particularly concerning land transfers and permission to build. And, of course, they share a common religion and sense of identity with Palestinians in the territories. One of the most shocking aspects of the current conflict, at least for Israeli Jews, has been rioting by its Arab citizens, going far beyond peaceful street demonstration, sporadic rock throwing, or small-scale confrontations with police. The deadly riot in Lod, not far from Tel Aviv and well within Israel, was ferocious. Some have likened it to the pogroms against Jews in tsarist Russia or Kristallnacht in Nazi Germany. It is unclear how widespread this radical movement among Israeli Arabs is, how violent it will be, or whether it will link up with Israels enemies, who are eager to provide support. In any event, the violence by Israeli Arabs poses two immediate problems for the Netanyahu government and a third for the medium term. The most pressing problems are preventing any further outbreaks and stopping counter-violence by extreme, right-wing Jews. After coping with those immediate problems, the government needs to develop plans to deal with Israeli-Arab grievances and integrate a restive (and perhaps radicalized) younger generation into Israeli society. Yet another big problem is how to repair the physical damage in Gaza. It wont be like rebuilding Dresden or Tokyo, where the post-war governments were allied with the victor. The rulers in Gaza are almost certain to be virulently anti-Israeli. How can physical structures be fixed or replaced if building supplies and donor aid can be easily diverted, as previous aid has been, for rockets, tunnels, and salaries for terrorists? To rebuild, you need concrete, steel reinforcement, and heavy equipment, but Israel wont allow those to enter Gaza if they can be used to build terror assets. President Bidens announcement of the cease-fire clearly recognized this problem, as well as the need to weaken Hamas. The U.S., he said, would provide humanitarian aid and reconstruction assistance "in full partnership with the Palestinian Authority -- not Hamas -- in a manner that does not permit Hamas to simply restock its military arsenal." The goal is not only to prevent materials from being diverted but to strengthen the PA politically. Even if reconstruction aid is used for purely civilian purposes, it can generate rewards for the political authorities who funnel the money to recipients. Thats how all authoritarian governments profit from Western aid. They are industrial-scale grifters. The money, building materials, and even medicine meant for the poor end up lining the pockets of dictators, warlords, and their clients. Thats a serious problem for Israel since whoever rules Gaza after the fighting is almost certain to list terrorist-warlord on their LinkedIn profile, along with enemy of the Zionist entity. They are not good-government enthusiasts. Israel faces all these problems regardless of the military outcome in Gaza, and the scale of these problems depends on how extensive the military victory was and who rules Gaza after the fighting. Since Israel is determined to avoid ruling Gaza directly, the most likely outcome is that Hamas or some similar Islamic group will do so. Its also possible the PA will play a much bigger role, which would be far better than Hamas for Israel and the U.S. but is sure to meet violent resistance from more radical groups. The Israelis hope (but cannot be certain) that whoever rules in Gaza will be chastened and deterred. They almost certainly will be, militarily. At least for a while. But they may be emboldened politically and more consequential within Israel and in the West Bank. Israels foreign enemies will certainly seek to fund them, rearm them, and provide political direction. These, then, are the political stakes for the Jewish state. It has fought the rejectionists time and again since 1948; it lacks a clear governing majority in the Knesset; it has a skittish U.S. ally; and it faces an existential threat over the horizon: a radical Iranian regime that openly hates Jews, wants to expand its regional power, and is working relentlessly to acquire nuclear weapons and the missiles to deliver them to Tel Aviv. And yet, in the teeth of all these challenges, the Jewish state survives. This week's Democratic primary election for Philadelphia district attorney could presage outcomes in the 2022 and 2024 elections, but not in the way the winner would like. Foreigners are often surprised that Americans elect most of their local prosecutors -- and that these prosecutors can become major forces in public force. But we do and they can. Thomas Dewey, as a 38-year-old Manhattan district attorney, was a major presidential candidate in 1940 and was the Republican nominee in the following two elections. Pat Brown got his political start as San Francisco DA, and he and his son, Jerry, were governors of California for 24 of the 60 years from 1958 to 2018. Vice President Kamala Harris' first electoral office was also San Francisco DA. In Philadelphia, Arlen Specter switched to the Republican Party to be elected DA in 1965 and reelected in 1969, and a young assistant DA he hired, Ed Rendell, in 1977 defeated the man who beat him in 1973. Their careers as senator, mayor and governor lasted until 2010. Politically upwardly mobile DAs have typically been tough on crime. That's not the case -- just the opposite -- for Larry Krasner, the incumbent Philadelphia DA who was renominated Tuesday, and for the other "reform" prosecutors backed by billionaire George Soros, who have been elected in Chicago, St. Louis, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Boston. Krasner, a longtime criminal defense lawyer, replaced almost the entire staff, promised never to seek the death penalty, decriminalized prostitution and theft under $500, and reduced charges in controversial homicide and domestic abuse cases. As for Philadelphia's huge increase in homicides -- 499 were killed in 2020, the most since 1990 -- Krasner blames them on COVID-19 and shutdowns. He doesn't seem to connect that with the "mostly peaceful" protests and Black Lives Matter demands for defunding the police that began after George Floyd died last May. Sympathetic media and academe take the same view. A January New York Times article looking back on the 2020 crime spike never mentions BLM or the protests in its 1,983 words. A Princeton sociologist interviewed in The Atlantic avoids mentioning BLM and, while admitting police withdrawal from "dominating public spaces" was followed by an upsurge in crime, nevertheless denies that "protests cause violence." Evidently, most Philadelphia Democratic voters -- or those who showed up on Tuesday -- agreed. In figures available at this writing, Krasner defeated challenger Carlos Vega by a 65% to 35% margin. But reported turnout was only about 164,000, far under the 743,000 in November 2020, when Philadelphia voted 81% to 18% for Joe Biden. The result possibly would have been closer, or different, with a larger turnout. Another Soros-backed "reform" prosecutor, Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx, had more difficulty running for reelection in 2020, after abruptly dropping charges against hate-hoaxing actor Jussie Smollett in 2019. Foxx won renomination with just 50.2% over three opponents last March and won reelection over a Republican in November, with just 54%, far below Joe Biden's 74% the same day and the 72% she won in 2016. That's with presidential-year turnouts of 892,000 and 2.2 million, respectively. Other Soros-backed "reform" prosecutors may face political backlash. St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner faces misconduct charges in her case against former Gov. Eric Greitens, and there has been talk of recalling San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin and Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascon. But the real political peril may come to national Democrats. Their kente cloth-clad congressional leaders took a knee for Black Lives Matter in June 2020 and then suffered unexpected House seat losses in November. "The Republican attacks against the 'defund the police' movement," a recent post-mortem concluded, "proved more potent than Democrats ever anticipated." Soros-backed "reform" prosecutors have won in jurisdictions dominated by central cities with large black or Hispanic populations and whose white liberal college-graduate voters, as The New York Times' Thomas Edsall has noted, are more "anti-racist" than blacks. Almost entirely absent in these cities and counties are the white ethnic non-college-graduate homeowners who cast crucial votes against soft-on-crime mayors and prosecutors in the high-crime years of 1975 to 1995. Staten Island and Queens made Rudy Giuliani mayor of New York in 1993, and blue-collar Delaware suburbs with Philly TV prompted Joe Biden to sponsor the crime bill in 1994. But most such voters in "reform" prosecutor constituencies have died or moved to Florida or Texas or far-out exurbs. Where they still linger, in downscale Cook County suburbs, they've voted anti-"reform." The problem for Democrats is that there are many more like-minded voters beyond these heavily Democratic cities and counties, and that poll after poll after poll shows support dwindling for Black Lives Matter and defunding the police -- even, as their increased support for Donald Trump in 2020 suggests, among some Hispanics and blacks. For just as liberal voters tend to vastly overestimate police violence against blacks, so Soros' "reform" prosecutors seem to underestimate the number of offenders capable of repeated vicious violence. Unfortunately, there are some people who are genuinely vicious and unpredictably violent, from whom the larger public deserves and demands protection. If the body count goes on, Soros' "reform" prosecutors may hang on, but a lot of Democrats across the country may not. COPYRIGHT 2021 CREATORS.COM What both political parties need now is a Charles Evans Hughes. It is not a familiar name today, as it once was, but it should be. As Republicans fret over how to unify themselves despite Post-Trump Stress Disorder and as Democrats worry that Thinking Big Biden will tax and spend them into an economic black hole, the party that locates the next Hughes will prosper. And so will the country. Whos Hughes, you say? Not just an old white guy with a luxurious silver beard. Barely remembered today and without a decent biography, Hughes almost won the 1916 presidential election over Woodrow Wilson, and why he didnt is telling. With one more campaign trip to California and a mere 3,773 more votes there, he would have defeated Wilson even though he had had to reunite a Republican Party splintered four years earlier by Teddy Roosevelts third-party candidacy. But unlike Wilson, who ran on the slogan He has kept us out of war, Hughes was unwilling to mislead the public by implying hed keep the country out of World War I. What marked Hughes for greatness and a model for todays political leaders was brains, self-control, and adherence to principle rather than political pandering. He would go on to serve as one of the two best chief justices of the Supreme Court and one of the three best secretaries of state, where he distinguished himself by securing the worlds first international disarmament agreement. Hughes wasnt glamorous or charismatic. Roosevelt ridiculed him as the bearded iceberg. But the public saw and admired his character, not his palaver. Indeed, a 1935 New Yorker article said of him: Tourists throng to sessions of the Court. They gaze respectably at Chief Justice Hughes and carry home word that he is one of the best sights in Washington comparable to the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial. Hughess entry into politics began when, as a successful Wall Street lawyer, he received a surprise call to head a 1905 investigation of the inflated rates set by gas and electricity trusts in New York. On the strength of that success, he was asked to investigate insurance companies, whose executives enriched themselves at the expense of policy holders and also used policy holders money to support politicians. Although powerful Republicans advised him not to go so far, he revealed large insurance company contributions to Roosevelts presidential campaign fund. From that sensational pair of outcomes, Hughes went on to be a popular, two-term reform governor of New York. President Taft subsequently appointed him an associate justice of the Supreme Court. He resigned the position when the Republicans nominated him to run for the White House in 1916. Hughes returned to private law practice after his defeat but remained engaged in politics on one dramatic occasion showing his true colors as a man of principle. When the New York State Assembly refused in 1920 to seat five duly elected assemblymen because they were socialists, the Republican Hughes took it on himself to write to the Assembly speaker, This is not, in my judgment, American government. Hughes chaired a state bar committee seeking a reversal. He failed, but as constitutional scholar Zechariah Chafee noted, the action made the conservative press and sober citizens realize the absurdity of the Red Menace. As chief justice, Hughes wrote the landmark 5-4 decision in Near v. Minnesota, the foundational First Amendment decision of American history. It ruled unconstitutional a state law allowing public officials to punish and censor any publication they saw as malicious or scandalous. It would have been hugely politically popular for Hughes to uphold the Minnesota law; the scurrilous rag under attack was as horrible as any online trash today. But Hughes wrote broadly that no prior restraint of news by the government could be permitted unless it revealed crucial military information during wartime, contained obscenity, or directly incited violence. Hughes could shrewdly combine principle with good political judgment. When FDR over-reached with his court-packing plan in 1936, Hughes skillfully drained away enthusiasm for the plan by having the court uphold the constitutionality of some New Deal laws in ways that also preserved constitutional principles. Americans abiding love for the democratic principles that undergird our nation give leaders who harness themselves to those principles a special, powerful appeal. Presidents Truman and Reagan knew the publics perception of them as men of principle was critical to their success. The nation will be much better off if the next generation of successful politicians discovers that too. These leaders will win elections and help restore a sense of confidence in our democratic system. As Hughes said on the eve of becoming chief justice of the Supreme Court in 1930, The question is no longer one of establishing democratic institutions but of preserving them. John Maxwell Hamilton, a journalism professor at Louisiana State University and a Global Fellow at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, is author most recently of Manipulating the Masses: Woodrow Wilson and the Birth of American Propaganda. The tech hub is providing wide-ranging assistance to help young companies achieve their potential In the China AI Development Report for 2020 and the AI Open Index, 10 cities were listed among the world's top 100 cities by artificial intelligence innovation power. Hefei, capital of Anhui province, ranked fourth among all the Chinese cities listed and third among those on the Chinese mainland. Since 2013, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the Anhui Provincial Government have been developing China Speech Valley, a high-tech industrial park, into a major hub for the AI industry. In the facility, located in the Hefei National High-tech Industry Development Zone, the human voice is bearing new technological fruit for use in daily life. The products range from robots used for a range of purposes to computer mice with convenient speech input functionsfor Mandarin, English and even some Chinese dialectsto various wearable smart devices. In addition, more than 1,000 companies are working in the facility, aiming to grab a slice of the country's huge AI development market. Among them, publicly-traded iFlytek reported operating revenue of more than 13 billion yuan ($2 billion) last year, with net income of 1.36 billion yuan, according to its annual report. So far, iFlytek's open-access platform has served millions of entrepreneurs and third-party developers who use its AI and speech-recognition technologies to conduct business, it said. It is also a big creator that can spur on smaller outfits. With the support of iFlytek's platform, MiMouse, a technology startup in speech-recognition technologies, settled in China Speech Valley six years ago. The company has turned creative ideas into commercial products, such as its smart mouse. Other companies headquartered in the zone include Huami Corp, a United States-listed maker of smart wearables. Qi Dongfeng, CEO of China Speech Valley, said the facility has made great efforts to help its clients, mostly small and medium-sized enterprises, build up business in the AI field. Among them, 17 have annual operating revenue of more than 1 billion yuan, according to Qi's management team. Official assistance In 2017, the Anhui government issued a blueprint to build the valley with a 5 billion yuan investment, aiming to foster a world-class industrial AI cluster with international competitiveness. To further optimize the business environment and better serve high-tech companies, the city government introduced a range of measures to simplify administrative procedures. In the Government Service Center of the Hefei High-tech Zone, the time needed to start a company has been reduced to one day or even less, and it only takes three to four days to obtain a business license, compared with at least one month previously. Qi said entrepreneurs can receive help with many issues such as low-cost office rentals, recruitment of college graduates, support from AI experts, expanding market share and obtaining bank loans. "We should not just chant meaningless slogans, but do real favors for entrepreneurs," he said. According to the provincial government's plan, it can provide China Speech Valley with 800 million yuan a year to improve its industry chain, help entrepreneurs reduce office rental costs and increase investment in research and market expansion. With a population of 9.37 million, about one-third that of Beijing, Hefei is being built into a "municipality of innovation", according to the city government's plan. Mao Yuanyuan, vice-president of China Speech Valley, said,"The University of Science and Technology of China and some institutes with the Chinese Academy of Sciences based in Hefei have made fruitful achievements thanks to our creativity." For example, Infervision, a company that develops medical-related AI technology in the hub, has created an auxiliary diagnostic system and equipped dozens of hospitals nationwide with it to aid the fight against COVID-19. Miami, FL -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/21/2021 -- Historically, Florida's alimony laws had originated from the days when the husband was the primary provider for a family, but this is no longer the case. Both men and women are a family's economic providers. The Women's Bureau of the US Department of Labor noted in 2017 that the percentage of families with children under 18 where the mothers were considered equals in terms of pay and income or where the primary and/or sole providers grew from 15.6% (1970) to 40.4% in 2017, with the expectancy that that number will continue to rise. "In Florida, it's time for us to update the tired, obsolete, and frankly reflexive approach to the award of alimony in Florida. With the support of the volunteer-run group Florida Family Fairness, I'm working with state Sen. Joe Gruters of Sarasota to build a fresh policy to retire our forever alimony law and join the 44 other states that have ended permanent alimony," Rodriguez says of his initiative. The proposed legislation (CS/HB 1559/SB 1922) seeks to end permanent alimony and set divorced couples up for success as they transition into independence and self-sufficiency. "We have taken smart, principle-driven, conservative action to increase economic opportunity for people across our state, provide relief from taxes, and stimulate job creation. This careful proposal to reform our out-of-date divorce laws is a reality-based one." Alimony can be a tiring process. If you need a Miami family law lawyer to assist you, please call family law attorneys in Miami Rafool, LLC. to get the help you need. This information is provided for educational or informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice. The information is not provided in the course of an attorney-client relationship and is not intended to substitute for legal advice. There are now only two nations in the history of humanity that have successfully landed rovers on the surface of the Red Planet: The United States and the Peoples Republic of China. You can expect this to be the dominant headline in all matters related to space for many years to come. After all, humanity is due for another round of great state competition and it seems that the two major contenders in this strategic competition will be the United States and China. For too long Western observers have downplayed Chinas rapidly growing space technology industry. The Chinese Martian rover, Zhurong, is nowhere near as advanced as NASAs Perseverance, which recently made headlines. Yet, it took NASA almost 30 years to reach the level of complexity in its rover operations that the storied American space agency now enjoys. Certainly, China can expect to stay trailing the Yanks for many years to come or so argue the naysayers who downplay the threat that Chinas ambitious, though less advanced, space program poses to the United States. Suppose it doesnt take several decades for Beijing to catch up to the Americans in space. After all, there are no greater teachers than experience and competition. For the former, China learns by doing and Beijing embraces a leap-without-looking mentality that once defined Americas storied program. As for competition, China truly believes it is in a new space race with the Americans whereas most American leaders do not. The new space race between these nations will determine not only who gets human beings to Mars first, but also will decide which one dominates the strategic high ground of space (and whoever controls the high ground rules the territory below). Right now, the Americans hold this position but barely. Chinas competitive and nationalistic view of space means that, unless the Americans fundamentally change the way they operate, the United States will be knocked from its perch in space in much the same way the British denied the French access to North America in the 19th century. How do the Americans view space? Some the naysayers have a pessimistic outlook. They (wrongly) believe it is a vast wasteland that will do nothing other than drain our country of vital resources. Others, the utopians, believe space can be maintained as a sanctuary and that the Americans can cooperate with China to share space. Fat chance. If Washington viewed space as Chinas rulers do, theyd be authorizing the $1 trillion, decade-long investment into the program and other high-technology pursuits that Ive been advocating. American leaders from both parties would be cutting through the bureaucratic red tape to ensure that the best elements of our budding private space sector were married to nationalistic goals for dominance. Wed have astronauts on Mars by now, too. Look at it this way: Chinas space program did not take serious flight until 2003. By that time, America had been dominating the stars for decades. In 2003, China first placed a taikonaut into orbit. During the intervening 18 years, Beijing has not only repeatedly placed its people into Earth orbit, but has successfully developed counterspace capabilities (weapons intended to deny others access to space in the event of a war). Beijing has landed the first rover on the dark side of the moon in history. Red China has also successfully placed the first of three components necessary to complete their modular space station which is meant to rival the American-built International Space Station. Now, China has its first (of many) rovers on the Martian surface. Where will Chinas space program be in another 18 years? Beijing leaders have already outlined their plans for the next decade: by 2024, to have an automated base built on the south pole of the moon. In 2028, Chinese (and possibly Russian) personnel will be permanently stationed at that lunar base. China seeks to have taikonauts on the Martian surface by 2030. The same naysayers in the West whove laughed off Chinas space ambitions for the last two decades now scoff at its achievements made in that time. These naysayers continue to belittle Chinas chances of achieving its space dreams. Meanwhile, the utopians pine for joint missions -- which would only serve as tech transfers from America to China. So long as American policymakers listen to these voices, China will catch up and ultimately beat America in this new competition. Unlike the American government, Chinas regime has identified dominating space as a key tenet for their China Dream 2049 program. By the 100-year anniversary of the rise of Communist Party in China, 2049, Beijings leaders envision their nation displacing the United States as the worlds hegemon. Raising the Chinese flag on Mars first is a major goal in that regard. In the meantime, Washington is still holding up Americas manned space program until a female-friendly space suit can be made. This is what losing looks like, America. Athens, GA (30605) Today Scattered thunderstorms early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Low around 70F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%.. Tonight Scattered thunderstorms early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Low around 70F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%. Melbourne, Australia -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/21/2021 -- The saying, beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder still stands true, even in a time and age like this. Contributing to this saying are the ornaments and the jewelries women wear to make them appealing and ever beautiful. Offering for sale of these ornaments and beauty items are online, and offline jewellery stores trusted to offer quality products to their customers and clients from all over the world. For example, in Australia, Mays, a leading and reputable opal jewellery store, offers quality Australian opal jewellery and other gemstones online to customers worldwide. Responding to a query, Mays spokesperson commented, "Through the years, we have made sure that people look excellent and charming, with the sales of our appealing and beauty-enhancing gemstones that have taken the marketplace by storm. With ornaments and gemstones of different sizes, cuts, and feels, we can allow our customers and clients to select from a wide range of products that guarantee them a royal appearance, thereby setting them on a pedestal of social importance. From our online store, people can purchase the best Australian Opal Jewelries and other Gemstones that catch their fancy". As one of the best Australian opal jewelry online stores, customers get to have access to a range of gorgeous gemstones - the Opal, which is known for its impressive display of lovely and eye-catchy colours trendy among jewelers who have eyes for quality and opulence. Every piece of the opal gemstone resonates unparalleled charm, and not only does it give off an ambience of royalty and importance, the colour of the stone changes based on the angle from which it is viewed amazing, anyone would say. People looking for genuine and quality Australian Opal stone can get to purchase the gemstone from Mays, as they have built a reputation of excellence over the years. The spokesperson further added, "We offer to our clients and customers from different parts of the world the opportunity to purchase the most exquisite gemstones in wholesale. This provision is made possible because we are renowned for selling precious gemstones and jewellery and are home to a collection known for its uniqueness and splendour. We emphasise consistency and quality, as our gemstones are directly sourced from mines in Burma. As home to an unrivalled range to suit every taste and budget, we are the gemstone dealer anyone can trust for genuine products that appeal to the sight at every point in time". Mays offers quality gemstone wholesale in Australia. Customers can explore their comprehensive range collection to discover beautiful gems, opal, spinel, sapphire, ruby, and more that are a feast to the eyes. About Mays Mays is a leading opal jewellery store in Australia, renowned for the finest gemstones and jewellery sales. Customers can also get to purchase natural sapphire online at affordable prices that lie within budget. Contact Information: Mays St Kilda Rd Towers Suite 421, 1 Queens Road Melbourne, VIC 3004 Australia Phone: 1800 006 297, +61 3 7035 3990 Email: info@mays.com.au Web: https://www.mays.com.au/ Greenville, NC (27833) Today Showers with a possible thunderstorm early, then variable clouds overnight with still a chance of showers. Low 71F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near an inch. Locally heavy rainfall possible.. Tonight Showers with a possible thunderstorm early, then variable clouds overnight with still a chance of showers. Low 71F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near an inch. Locally heavy rainfall possible. Greenville, NC (27833) Today Mixed clouds and sun with scattered thunderstorms. High 88F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%. Locally heavy rainfall possible.. Tonight Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm this evening, then some lingering showers still possible overnight. Low 71F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near an inch. Locally heavy rainfall possible. Edison, NJ -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/21/2021 -- Latest released the research study on Global Student Information System Software Market, offers a detailed overview of the factors influencing the global business scope. Student Information System Software Market research report shows the latest market insights with upcoming trends and breakdown of the products and services. The report provides key statistics on the market status, size, share, growth factors of the Student Information System Software. The study covers emerging player's data, including: competitive situation, sales, revenue and global market share of top manufacturers are SAP (Germany), Oracle (United States), Ellucian (United States), Workday (United States), Jenzabar (United States), Unit4 (Netherlands), Skyward (United States), Arth Infosoft (India), Tribal Group (United Kingdom), Campus Management (United States), PowerSchool (United States), Foradian Technologies (India). Free Sample Report + All Related Graphs & Charts @ : https://www.advancemarketanalytics.com/sample-report/86866-global-student-information-system-software-market Definition: Due to the growing number of educational institutions and the implementation of technology to do work more efficiently, the student information software market is expected to expand in the future. Student information software is a type of data management software that allows educational institutions to monitor their activities. It's also useful for keeping track of test and examination results, attendance, and other student-related details. Analyst at AMA have conducted special survey and have connected with opinion leaders and Industry experts from various region to minutely understand impact on growth as well as local reforms to fight the situation. A special chapter in the study presents Impact Analysis of COVID-19 on Global Student Information System Software Market along with tables and graphs related to various country and segments showcasing impact on growth trends. Market Drivers - Rising Government Support towards Education Sector - Adoption of Technological Advance System for Educational Process Market Trend - The Emergence of AI in Student Information System Software Opportunities - Acceptance of Advance Education System and Smart System - Growth in the number of Educational Instructions in Developing Countries Challenges - Lack of Infrasture in Underdeveloped Countries - The Dearth of Expertise to Handle the Software The Global Student Information System Software Market segments and Market Data Break Down are illuminated below: by Type (Solution, Services (Professional Services and Managed Services)), User (K-12, Higher Education), Deployment Model (Cloud-based, On-premise) Enquire for customization in Report @: https://www.advancemarketanalytics.com/enquiry-before-buy/86866-global-student-information-system-software-market Region Included are: North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Oceania, South America, Middle East & Africa Country Level Break-Up: United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Chile, South Africa, Nigeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Germany, United Kingdom (UK), the Netherlands, Spain, Italy, Belgium, Austria, Turkey, Russia, France, Poland, Israel, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, China, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, Singapore, India, Australia and New Zealand etc. What benefits does AMA research studies provides? - Latest industry influencing trends and development scenario - Open up New Markets - To Seize powerful market opportunities - Key decision in planning and to further expand market share - Identify Key Business Segments, Market proposition & Gap Analysis - Assisting in allocating marketing investments Strategic Points Covered in Table of Content of Global Student Information System Software Market: Chapter 1: Introduction, market driving force product Objective of Study and Research Scope the Student Information System Software market Chapter 2: Exclusive Summary the basic information of the Student Information System Software Market. Chapter 3: Displaying the Market Dynamics- Drivers, Trends and Challenges of the Student Information System Software Chapter 4: Presenting the Student Information System Software Market Factor Analysis, Post COVID Impact Analysis, Porters Five Forces, Supply/Value Chain, PESTEL analysis, Market Entropy, Patent/Trademark Analysis. Chapter 5: Displaying the by Type, End User and Region/Country 2015-2020 Chapter 6: Evaluating the leading manufacturers of the Student Information System Software market which consists of its Competitive Landscape, Peer Group Analysis, BCG Matrix & Company Profile Chapter 7: To evaluate the market by segments, by countries and by Manufacturers/Company with revenue share and sales by key countries in these various regions (2021-2026) Chapter 8 & 9: Displaying the Appendix, Methodology and Data Source Finally, Student Information System Software Market is a valuable source of guidance for individuals and companies in their decision framework. For Early Buyers | Get Up to 10-25% Discount on This Premium Report: https://www.advancemarketanalytics.com/request-discount/86866-global-student-information-system-software-market Key questions answered - Who are the Leading key players and what are their Key Business plans in the Global Student Information System Software market? - What are the key concerns of the five forces analysis of the Global Student Information System Software market? - What are different prospects and threats faced by the dealers in the Global Student Information System Software market? - What are the strengths and weaknesses of the key vendors? Definitively, this report will give you an unmistakable perspective on every single reality of the market without a need to allude to some other research report or an information source. Our report will give all of you the realities about the past, present, and eventual fate of the concerned Market. Thanks for reading this article; you can also get individual chapter wise section or region wise report version like North America, Europe or Asia. About Advance Market Analytics Advance Market Analytics is Global leaders of Market Research Industry provides the quantified B2B research to Fortune 500 companies on high growth emerging opportunities which will impact more than 80% of worldwide companies' revenues. Our Analyst is tracking high growth study with detailed statistical and in-depth analysis of market trends & dynamics that provide a complete overview of the industry. We follow an extensive research methodology coupled with critical insights related industry factors and market forces to generate the best value for our clients. We Provides reliable primary and secondary data sources, our analysts and consultants derive informative and usable data suited for our clients business needs. The research study enable clients to meet varied market objectives a from global footprint expansion to supply chain optimization and from competitor profiling to M&As. Brattleboro, VT (05301) Today Rain showers early will evolve into a more steady rain overnight. Low 53F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch.. Tonight Rain showers early will evolve into a more steady rain overnight. Low 53F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch. Beckley, WV (25801) Today Scattered thunderstorms early, then mainly cloudy after midnight with light rain possible. Low 64F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%. Locally heavy rainfall possible.. Tonight Scattered thunderstorms early, then mainly cloudy after midnight with light rain possible. Low 64F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%. Locally heavy rainfall possible. Scientists at the University of California, Los Angeles took a closer look at vocal play signals or what might be thought of as laughter across the animal kingdom. Play is common in a few lineages of the animal kingdom, being especially prevalent among some birds and many mammals. Many theories of the function and types of play have been proposed, although difficulties exist, including but not limited to the basic problems of defining, identifying, and quantifying supposed play behavior. In a new review of scientific literature, University of California, Los Angeles Professor Greg Bryant and graduate student Sasha Winkler focused on social play, the most frequently described type of play in mammals. They looked for information on whether the animal vocalizations were recorded as noisy or tonal, loud or quiet, high-pitched or low-pitched, short or long, a single call or a rhythmic pattern seeking known features of play sounds. This work lays out nicely how a phenomenon once thought to be particularly human turns out to be closely tied to behavior shared with species separated from humans by tens of millions of years, Professor Bryant said. When we laugh, we are often providing information to others that we are having fun and also inviting others to join, Winkler added. Some scholars have suggested that this kind of vocal behavior is shared across many animals who play, and as such, laughter is our human version of an evolutionarily old vocal play signal. The researchers found vocal play behavior documented in at least 65 species, including a variety of primates, domestic cows and dogs, foxes, seals, and mongooses, as well as three bird species, including parakeets and Australian magpies. Our comprehensive literature review reveals that vocal signals during social play are quite common across mammal species, and some birds, further challenging the once conventional wisdom that animal play is silent, they said. Theres much existing documentation of play-based body language among animals, such as what is known as play face in primates or play bows in canines, they added. Since what constitutes play in much of the animal kingdom is rough-and-tumble and can also resemble fighting, play sounds can help emphasize non-aggression during such physical moments. While further observation and research into vocalizations would be fruitful, such observations can be hard to come by in the wild, especially for animals whose play sounds might be quieter, they noted. Paying attention to other species in this way sheds light on the form and function of human laughter and helps us to better understand the evolution of human social behavior. The findings were published in the journal Bioacoustics. _____ Sasha L. Winkler & Gregory A. Bryant. Play vocalisations and human laughter: a comparative review. Bioacoustics, published online April 19, 2021; doi: 10.1080/09524622.2021.1905065 A shift to remote work and school during the COVID-19 pandemic has caused many to attend meetings or classes through the eye of a computer camera. But as the pandemic wanes and those who previously spent their days behind their at-home work setup head back into offices or fill their social calendars, they might be opting for a miniature makeover before they do. At Modern Dermatology in Westport, partner and co-founder Dr. Deanne Mraz Robinson, MD, FAAD, said her office is seeing patients come in that are seeking a visual upgrade before they resume life as normal. We're definitely seeing the 'Zoom Boom' at our office, an overall lift in cosmetic consultations and treatments as people begin to return to their offices and social schedules, she said in an email. For many, spending hours a day on Zoom has drawn their attention to specific issues they are looking to rejuvenate. At Greenwich Point Dermatology, Dr. Sarah Dolder has found a similar pattern among her clients. Not only does Zoom invite unflattering angles and lighting, but its just not natural to spend hours a day looking at our own face and scrutinizing every wrinkle, she said in an email. As a result, Zoom has caused a real boom in aesthetic treatments that address wrinkles and jowls." Botox and injectables Peter Dazeley/Getty Images So far, Dolder has seen an increase in using injectables to treat patients cosmetic concerns. Botox is a quick fix for eliminating the 11 lines between the brows that furrow when staring at a computer, she said. Our second most popular treatment at the moment is Morpheus8, which injects radiofrequency with microneedling to tighten the jowls, jawline and neck. For Robinson and co-partner Dr. Rhonda Klein, MD, MPH, FAAD, there have been four particular treatments that are being requested among patients that focus on several key parts of the face, jaw and neck. Tech Neck is real, Robinson said. All that time spent hunched over our devices is markedly linked to expedited signs of aging in the jawline and neck area. We're doing a lot of Kybella an injectable agent that permanently destroys fat cells in the submental chin, a.k.a. the double chin. For Dolder, the gradual return to life as normal has allowed patients to pursue some treatments that come with a longer recovery period. Resurfacing laser treatments that involve a week of downtime are more popular now than ever, because people have fewer social commitments that would otherwise make the recovery from such procedures difficult to schedule, she said. Skin appearance isn't the only motivation for seeking an aesthetic change clients also want to revamp the look of their eyes, according to Klein. With mask-wearing and Zoom calls, the focus on the eyes is paramount, she said in an email. We're doing lots of non-surgical Brow Lifts with Botox and with Ultherapy, an ultrasound energy-based technology that stimulates collagen production in the deeper layers of the skin. With remote work continuing, Dolder said now is a great opportunity to undertake a facial reset, especially if youre eyeing treatments that require longer downtime. But before seeking cosmetic treatments, Klein and Robinson said there are some things that can be done at home to help ease some of the effects of increased screen time. First, Klein suggested to start with skincare because even the most effective cosmetic treatments can't fix bad skin, while Robinson urged the use of SPF of 30+ daily and an antioxidant serum daily. Just because you're indoors doesn't mean you don't need SPF, she said. Exposure to blue light from laptop and phone has been linked to accelerated signs of aging. Klein and Robinson said those looking to do a cosmetic procedure for the first time should make sure to find a board-certified dermatologist and do research before committing to a doctor or treatment. Hair makeovers Facial upgrades arent the only transformations taking place, however. For Sonia Santavenere, owner of Main Switch Salon in Middletown and Norwalk, customers of all ages are coming in to her salons and asking for drastic changes. Their hair is not done or cut or colored for a whole year, she said. So when they come in the salon, [they get] whatever style they wanted. From getting full ponytails of hair cut off to coloring clients hair blue or purple, Santavenere said shes seen it all. Everybodys ready for change, and they're brave, she said. They're coming out with their hair shaved, with blue and purple and green hair it's like spring into a new look. Its fantastic, and as stylists, were eager and happy to do the transformation. Others, however, just want to achieve their pre-pandemic looks, Santavenere said. I had another lady that was a complete wreck, and she was so happy to get out and to get it cut and colored, she said. Everybody just wanted to look human againThey said I survived pandemic, I can do a new haircut. Another trend Santavenere is seeing? People accepting the hair they have and learning how to work with it. A lot more people are embracing their curls, she said. They've been living with it for a year, and [now] they're just asking for products Some people didn't even know they have curls. When the pandemic hit, you cant go get relaxer, so they just grew their hair hour and finally they realize, I can maintain it, I just need some education and some products to figure out how I can keep my hair wash and go. While clients come in with varying requests, she said she makes sure to consult with them on the style that would best suit their face shape. Otherwise, Santavenere said she has only three words for clients coming in and requesting a hair makeover: "Go for it." Everybody have a new look at lifeafter this whole pandemic, get what you want, she said. BOSTON (AP) A highly contagious disease originating far from America's shores triggers deadly outbreaks that spread rapidly, infecting the masses. Shots are available, but a divided public agonizes over getting jabbed. Sound familiar? Newly digitized records including a minister's diary scanned and posted online by Boston's Congregational Library and Archives are shedding fresh light on devastating outbreaks of smallpox that hit the city in the 1700s. And three centuries later, the parallels with the coronavirus pandemic are uncanny. How little we've changed, said CLA archivist Zachary Bodnar, who led the digitization effort, working closely with the New England Historic Genealogical Society. The fact that were finding these similarities in the records of our past is a very interesting parallel, Bodnar said in an interview. Sometimes the more we learn, the more were still the same, I guess. Smallpox was eradicated, but not before it sickened and killed millions worldwide. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say the last natural outbreak of smallpox in the United States occurred in 1949. In 1980, the World Health Organization's decision-making arm declared it eradicated, and no cases of naturally occurring smallpox have been reported since. But in April 1721, after an English ship, the HMS Seahorse, brought it to Boston, it was a clear and present danger. By winter of 1722, it would infect more than half of the city's population of 11,000 and kill 850. Much earlier outbreaks, also imported from Europe, killed Native Americans indiscriminately in the 1600s. Now, digitized church records are helping to round out the picture of how the colonists coped when it was their turn to endure pestilence. The world's first proper vaccination didnt occur until the end of that century, when an English country doctor named Edward Jenner inoculated an 8-year-old boy against smallpox in 1796. Before then, doctors used inoculation, or variolation as it was often called, introducing a trace amount of the smallpox virus into the skin. The procedure, or variations of it, had been practiced since ancient times in Asia. Jenner's pioneering of vaccination, using instead a less lethal strain of the virus that infected cows, was a huge scientific advance. Yet just as with COVID-19 vaccines in 2021, some took a skeptical view of smallpox inoculations in the 18th century, digitized documents show. To be sure, there was ample reason to worry: Early smallpox treatments, while effective in many who were inoculated, sickened or even killed others. The Rev. Cotton Mather, one of the era's most influential ministers, had actively promoted inoculation. In a sign of how resistant some colonists were to the new technology, someone tossed an explosive device through his window in November 1721. Fortunately, it didn't explode, but researchers at Harvard say this menacing message was attached: Cotton Mather, you dog, damn you! Ill inoculate you with this; with a pox to you. Among the recently digitized Congregational Church records are handwritten diary entries scrawled by the Rev. Ebenezer Storer, a pastor in Cambridge, Massachusetts. On March 11, 1764, as smallpox once again raged through Boston, Storer penned a prayer in his journal after arranging to have his own children inoculated. The deeply devout Storer, his diary shows, had faith in science. Blessed be thy name for any discoveries that have been made to soften the severity of the distemper. Grant thy blessing on the means used, he wrote. Three weeks later, Storer gave thanks to God for his great mercy to me in recovering my dear children and the others in my family from the smallpox. For Bodnar, the archivist, it's a testament to the insights church records can contain. They're fascinating, he said. They're essentially town records they not only tell the story of the daily accounting of the church, but also the story of what people were doing at that time and what was going on. ___ Follow AP New England editor Bill Kole on Twitter at http://twitter.com/billkole. SHADDADI, Syria (AP) The Iraqi government is expected to bring home about 100 Iraqi families from a sprawling camp in Syria next week, a first-time move that U.S. officials see as a hopeful sign in a long-frustrated effort to repatriate thousands from a site known as a breeding ground for young insurgents. During a visit Friday to Syria, where he met with troops and commanders, the top U.S. general for the Middle East expressed optimism that the transfer from the al-Hol camp will happen. Marine Gen. Frank McKenzie has repeatedly warned that the youth in the camps are being radicalized and will become the next generation of dangerous militants. It would be the first step in many such repatriations, and I think thats going to be the key to bringing down the population in the al-Hol camp, and indeed in other camps across the region, McKenzie told reporters traveling with him, Nations need to bring back their citizens, repatriate them, reintegrate them, deradicalize them when necessary and make them productive elements of society. A U.S. official said the transfer of people from the camp in northeast Syria is one of a number of issues the U.S. and Iraqi governments are discussing as they work out a road map for future diplomatic and military relations. The issue came up during meetings on Thursday, when McKenzie stopped in Baghdad, the Iraqi capital. The official was not authorized to public discuss internal deliberations and spoke on condition of anonymity. Iraqi leaders earlier this year talked about repatriating some of their citizens, but did not follow through. So the plans for next week have been met with a bit of skepticism, and it appeared unclear whether it might be more than a one-time deal. The al-Hol camp is home to as many as 70,000 people mostly women and children who have been displaced by the civil war in Syria and the battle against the Islamic State group. As many as half are Iraqis. About 10,000 foreigners are housed in a secure annex, and many in the camp remain die-hard IS supporters. Many countries have refused to repatriate their citizens who were among those from around the world who came to join IS after the extremists declared their caliphate in 2014. The groups physical hold on territory was ended in 2017, but many countries balk at repatriating their citizens, fearing their links to IS. In late March, the main U.S.-backed Kurdish-led force in northeast Syria conducted a five-day sweep inside al-Hol that was assisted by U.S. forces. At least 125 suspects were arrested. Since then, McKenzie said, security has gotten better at the camp. But, he added, security has no real impact on the radicalization of the youth there. Thats what concerns me, he said as he stood at a base in northeast Syria, not far from the Turkish border. The ability of ISIS to reach out, touch these young people and turn them in a way that unless we can find a way to take it back its going to make us pay a steep price down the road. As McKenzie crisscrossed eastern Syria, stopping at four U.S. outposts, his message was short and direct: U.S. forces remain in Syria to fight the remnants of IS, so the militants cant regroup. Pockets of IS are still active, particularly west of the Euphrates River in vast stretches of ungoverned territory that are controlled by the Syrian government led by President Bashar Assad. Out there and in the camps, the underlying conditions of poverty and sectarianism that gave rise to IS still exist, said British Brig. Gen. Richard Bell, the deputy commanding general for the coalition fight against IS in Iraq and Syria, who traveled with McKenzie. McKenzie said it was important to keep the pressure on IS because the militants still have "an aspirational goal to attack the United States homeland. We want to prevent that from happening. He spoke to reporters from The Associated Press and ABC News who agreed because of security concerns not to report on the Syria trip until they left the country. As he spoke, a row of M-2 Bradley fighting vehicles were lined up behind him a reminder of clashes U.S. forces had last year with Russian troops in the north. At the time, McKenzie requested and got more troops and armored vehicles to deter what the U.S. said was Russian aggression against patrols by U.S. and Syrian Democratic Forces. But he said they also represented Americas continued commitment to the mission in Syria, to assist the SDF in the battle against IS. Look at the Bradleys behind me, look at the base that were sitting in right now, McKenzie said. I think its a pretty strong testament to our commitment. Bell said the ongoing coalition commitment is a concern the SDF asks about. The answer, he said, is a political decision for nation's leaders, but the coalition is in Syria to ensure the enduring defeat of IS. They are attempting to reconstitute themselves, Bell said. Until the last remnants are completely defeated, and that their will is also broken to stop them from trying to come back, then I think theres going to be requirements to assist our partner forces. But when asked how long U.S. troops will stay, he quickly says it is up to President Joe Biden. During his daylong visit, McKenzie met with the SDF commander, Mazloum Abdi, at an undisclosed military base in eastern Syria. In a tweet Saturday, Abdi said they discussed security and economic challenges in the region. He added that "we have received messages about the continued presence of Coalition forces, joint cooperation to combat ISIS & efforts to protect & stabilize the region. Biden has ordered a full withdrawal from Afghanistan, but so far has said little about the close to 1,000 U.S. troops in Syria and the roughly 2,500 in Iraq. Americas presence in Syria is part of a global posture review now being done by the Pentagon. MIDDLETOWN A high school student is being held on more than $1 million bond after police say he fatally stabbed a woman 10 times during an apparent domestic dispute on Thursday. Eugenio Vela III, 18, a Middletown High School student, was arraigned Friday in state Superior Court in Middletown on charges of murder, first-degree assault and violation of a protective order. Middletown police said because the homicide has been classified as a domestic violence case, they will not release the victims name or any identifying information about the person. However, Velas arrest warrant refers to the victim as a woman. Dr. James Gill, the states chief medical examiner, said Alicia Medina, 53, died Thursday in Middletown. Gill said she was the victim of a homicide caused by stab wounds to the neck, torso and upper left extremity. A woman by that name with a Middletown address was listed as an emergency contact on Velas arrest report on April 4 when he was charged with violating a restraining order and second-degree threatening. Vela has not entered a plea to the April charges and was released on a promise to appear in court, according to state judicial records. Police said Vela, who was staying at the Wesley Inn & Suites on Washington Street, got into a domestic dispute with a woman inside a car Thursday afternoon, according to his arrest warrant. Police said the severely injured victim drove to the Westfield Volunteer Fire Department and was found around 2:15 p.m. Thursday. The woman was rushed to Middlesex Hospital where she died an hour later, the arrest warrant said. Vela was taken into custody shortly after police arrived at the firehouse, the warrant said. His clothing and hands had a brownish-like substance on them, the warrant said. His right hand, which had fresh cuts on it, was wrapped in a bandanna, which also appeared to have blood on it, the warrant said. Vela told investigators he stabbed the victim during an argument when the person began spazzing in a car, the warrant said. The victim had been hitting him, Vela said, according to the warrant. At the hospital, Vella told police he used a 4-inch knife, which officials say was recovered in the area, according to the warrant. Vela told officers he did not know the victim, the warrant said. However, Vela is the subject of two protective orders involving the victim, police said. Police said they also discovered Vela had an active arrest warrant for violating one of the protective orders. Police said the assault occurred on East Street between Tuttle and Ridgewood roads. Four witnesses told police they heard what sounded like a person yelling for help, then heard screams coming from a vehicle on the side of the road, the warrant said. One said a male was [whaling] (striking hard) on the driver, the warrant said. The vehicle began driving away, which allowed witness 1 to observe [the victim] was covered in blood, and the male had blood on him, the warrant said. When the victim was at the fire station, a witness told police the person was severely injured and in massive shock, according to the warrant. Police said the vehicle had blood-soaked seats, blood on the floors, drivers door, steering wheel, and apparent blood spatter on the exterior passenger side mirror, according to the warrant. Vela told detectives the victim was slapping him while driving and tried to stab him in the car with what he described as a kitchen knife, the warrant stated. Thats when he started stabbing the person, Vela said, according to the warrant. Vela told police when the car stopped on East Street, he was trying to pull the victim out of the car to finish the job, but she was caught in the seat belt, the warrant said. When detectives asked him to explain, Vela said he was trying to kill her, the warrant said. Vela stated he thought about driving the victims body to the police department after killing [the person], the warrant said. When officers asked why he didnt get out of the car and run away, as opposed to stabbing the victim multiple times, he said no, because he is a fighter, police said in the warrant. Velas public defender, Angela Anastasi, asked Judge Kevin J. Murphy to order her client to undergo mental health treatment and receive age-appropriate housing. Murphy rejected the attorneys request to have her clients bond lowered to a $250,000 cash surety. Velas bond was set at $1,001,000, and he is due back in court June 8. Anyone with information on the homicide is asked to call the Special Investigations Unit at 860-638-4132. Staff reporter Tara ONeill contributed to this story. The Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence said survivors of domestic violence looking for services or someone to talk to can visit CTSafeConnect.org or call 888-774-2900. Individuals can also text that number. Its available 24/7. All services are free, voluntary, safe and confidential. State budget revenues have surged by nearly half a billion dollars the second major improvement in less than a month, Gov. Ned Lamont announced. And while the administration didnt comment on whether it expects this latest good news to continue, one key lawmaker said this years improvement can only help legislative leaders and the governor reach a deal soon on the next two-year state budget. Thursdays report which came just three days after the state income tax filing deadline also follows an April 30 forecast that upgraded revenues by $205 million for the current fiscal year and by a whopping $1.6 billion for the next biennial cycle. That doesnt happen very often in the state, Lamont said during a late afternoon, live-streamed briefing. People are beginning to pay attention. Wall Street credit rating agencies have improved Connecticuts bond ranking twice this spring as the state which amassed a record-setting budget reserve last fiscal year has built upon it in 2021. Connecticut now is poised to accelerate reduction of its massive pension debt by hundreds of millions of dollars. Even with that, though, unfunded pension obligations will remain a huge challenge for Connecticut for decades to come. Budget surplus on the rise Lamonts budget office projected a $470 million surplus Thursday a little over 2% of the General Fund for the fiscal year that ends June 30, up $220 million from its forecast one month ago. And 80% of that improvement, $176 million, involves revenue, with sales, corporation and estate tax receipts all on the rise, as well as income tax payments related to paycheck withholding. But the rest of the latest surge, about $300 million, is technically outside of the General Fund. It largely involves income tax payments tied to capital gains and other investment earnings. Because these sources can fluctuate greatly from year to year, the state created a volatility adjustment program in 2017 that captures a portion of these revenues when they clear a certain threshold, holds them outside of normal finances and transfers them after the fiscal year ends directly into the rainy day fund or to the cash-starved pensions. Lamont said Connecticuts volatility adjustment program now holds just over $1 billion, about $300 million more than his budget office projected one month ago. Lamont did not address, though, whether his administration projects these revenue improvements to continue in the 2021-22 and 2022-23 fiscal years. His budget staff began closed-door negotiations Thursday with top lawmakers to craft a new biennial spending-and-revenue plan. Leaders confident in a deal soon Both House Speaker Matt Ritter, D-Hartford, and Senate President Martin M. Looney, D-New Haven, predicted the latest revenue jump earlier this week. Connecticut normally sets an April 15 state income tax filing deadline to match the federal government. Both deferred it to May 17 this year because of the coronavirus pandemic, meaning state analysts had to begin their revenue projections to assist the budget negotiations based upon incomplete tax filing data. But legislative leaders and Lamont have been hinting all spring that early tax returns showed promising numbers. Ritter and Looney said Wednesday they expect to reach a deal with Lamont before the regular legislative session closes on June 9, and Thursdays forecast, they added, only helps. But both leaders cautioned that despite improving forecasts, legislators and the governor must be prepared to compromise to reach a deal on time. Lamont, a fiscally moderate Democrat, opposes any tax hikes at this time, while progressive legislators support income tax surcharges on the rich and a new digital media ads tax aimed at online giants like Google and Facebook. Liberal Democrats want to use these funds to provide state income tax cuts for low- and middle-income households, a $50 million bailout for restaurants, hundreds of millions of dollars in increased aid to cities and towns, added funds for social services and health care, and to finance long-term investments in poor urban centers. Theres going to have to be some understanding that theres going to have to be some more investments in communities and businesses harmed by the pandemic, Ritter said. Staycations in Connecticut were snapped up quickly for this summer, but one home recently put on the market is like a staycation in and of itself. Sitting on Bantam Lake, Connecticut's largest natural lake, the a four bedroom, six and a half bathroom home on 10 Evans Passway in Morris was just listed for $4.995 million. Outside the home, there is a rooftop bar, according to the listing, as well as a full outdoor kitchen complete with a pizza oven, a lounge area with a TV, a Gunite infinity pool and spa, a fire pit and a dock with a beach area. Within the home's 8,700 square feet and 16 rooms, are features that make it "the total party house," according to Brown Harris Stevens associate real estate broker Jill Sloane. According to the listing, there are two master suites: one upstairs and one on the home's main level. The home also has a movie theater with a high-definition projector, a wine and cigar room and a recreation room with a pool table, the listing notes, as well as a spa with a steam shower, a sauna and an elevator. For Sloane, the home's decor is also unique. "One of the things that I think is an amazing feature besides being an adult's Disney World are the hand-painted murals throughout the house," she said. "Not the current owner, but the one prior had someone live at the house for six months to hand paint them." Take a look inside the home. POTTSVILLE A Philadelphia man will spend more time behind state prison bars after admitting on May 13 to a Schuylkill County judge that he assaulted a guard in February 2019 at State Correctional Institution/Frackville. Shawndell Miller, 26, pleaded guilty to aggravated assault and harassment. Prosecutors withdrew charges of assault by prisoner and simple assault. Judge Charles M. Miller accepted the plea and, pursuant to an agreement between prosecutors and the defendant, sentenced Shawndell Miller to serve 27 to 54 months in a state correctional institution, pay costs and $50 to the Criminal Justice Enhancement Account and submit a DNA sample to law enforcement authorities. The judge made the sentence consecutive to one of three to eight years in a state correctional institution, plus five years consecutive probation, from Philadelphia that the defendant already is serving for robbery and related crimes. Youll have more time to serve, Judge Miller said. You are a repeat offender. State police at Frackville charged Shawndell Miller with assaulting Corrections Officer Ralph Erdley on Feb. 6, 2019, at SCI/Frackville. Shawndell Miller already is an inmate at SCI/Camp Hill in Cumberland County, and the judge conducted the hearing by videoconference. Also in the county court, Chase A. Fegley, 23, of Schuylkill Haven, pleaded guilty on May 12 to flight to avoid apprehension, fleeing or eluding police, recklessly endangering another person and failure to yield. Judge Christina E. Hale accepted the plea and, pursuant to an agreement between prosecutors and the defendant, sentenced him to time served to 23 months in prison with immediate parole, plus 12 months consecutive probation, and to pay costs, $525 in fines and a $50 CJEA payment, undergo mental health treatment and submit a DNA sample to law enforcement authorities. State police at Schuylkill Haven alleged Fegley led them on a chase on Aug. 16, 2020, on Route 183 and Navajo Drive in Wayne Township. The chase endangered Fegleys passenger, police said. Prosecutors withdrew two counts of defiant trespass and one each of improper turning movements, failure to drive at a safe speed, careless driving, reckless driving and damaging real property by operation of motor vehicle. In another May 12 case Jill M. Lick, 58, of Schuylkill Haven, pleaded guilty to retail theft. Hale placed her on probation for four years, and also sentenced her to pay costs, a $50 CJEA payment and $16.65 restitution, and submit a DNA sample to law enforcement authorities. State police at Schuylkill Haven alleged Lick stole a six-pack of alcohol from the Sheetz convenience store in North Manheim Township on Aug. 26, 2020. Man charged with harassment TAMAQUA Tamaqua police have filed charges against a borough man after an incident around 9:30 a.m. April 28. Police said Francis Lamar Eisenberg, 33, of 114 Cherry St., was charged with tampering or fabricating physical evidence and harassment. Police said officers were called to 322 Orwigsburg St. and learned that Eisenberg was at the home, knocking on the door, moving security cameras and yelling at a woman living there. Police said Eisenbergs actions were in violation of a protection from abuse order issued by a Schuylkill County judge on Aug. 31, forbidding him to have contact with the woman. Woman charged with trespassing TAMAQUA A borough woman was charged by Tamaqua police after an incident at 29 Mauch Chunk St. around 9:45 a.m. May 3. Police said Amanda L. Sarver, 34, of 421 W. Broad St., was charged with defiant trespass after she entered a home that was condemned by the borough and posted against entry. Police said Sarver used a chair to climb through the front window and was seen standing near a window inside the building by officers. Police arrest man after incident TAMAQUA A Barnesville man was arrested by Tamaqua police after an incident at Pine and Mauch Chunk streets around 7:40 p.m. April 30. Police said Fasil Foday-Rucker, 22, of 15 S. 15th Ave., was charged with arrest prior to requisition. Police said they stopped a vehicle for a traffic violation and smelled marijuana odor coming from inside. It was also determined, police said, that Foday-Rucker had an outstanding warrant for his arrest. A subsequent search of the vehicle led to the discovery of a small amount of marijuana inside a cigarette container in the center console, police said. Man cited for careless driving LENHARTSVILLE A Pine Grove man suffered minor injuries when the 2016 Subaru Crosstrek he was driving crashed on Interstate 78, at mile marker 33.6, in Windsor Township, Berks County, around 6:45 a.m. Tuesday. State police at Hamburg said Jason Herman, 38, was driving east when he fell asleep, went off the road and struck a guide rail. Herman was taken to a hospital by Hamburg EMS Virginville. Firefighters assisted, police said. Police added that, as a result of the crash, the man was cited for careless driving. Man charged in harassment case RINGTOWN A Ringtown man was charged with harassment by state police at Frackville after an incident at 116 Farmers Road in Union Township around 7:10 p.m. Sunday. Police said Timothy Carden, 44, shoved Charles Benincasa, 37, of Kingston, during an argument over a rental agreement. The charge against Carden will be filed in district court. Police investigate Route 443 crash NEW RINGGOLD State police at Frackville investigated a crash that occured on Route 443, just west of Pine Creek Road, in East Brunswick Township, around 4:30 p.m. Monday. Police said a 17-year-old Orwigsburg boy was driving a 1999 Toyota Camry east when he went off the road and struck a tree head-on. After hitting the tree, police said, the car spun counterclockwise and came to an uncontrolled stop, facing northwest in the eastbound lane. The teen was flown to Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest by helicopter for injuries he received, police said, adding that the boy will be cited for not driving on roadways laned for traffic. A new genus and species of side-necked turtle that lived 96 million years ago (Cenomanian age of the Late Cretaceous epoch) has been identified from the fossilized remains found in Texas. This discovery suggests that side-necked turtles those that withdraw their necks sideways into their shells when threatened migrated to North America during the Cenomanian age, between 100 and 94 million years ago. The new species belongs to Bothremydidae, an extinct group of side-necked (pleurodiran) turtles that was geographically widespread and occupied a wide range of ecological niches. The group originated in the southern continent of Gondwana, migrating to northern continents beginning in the Early Cretaceous. Named Pleurochayah appalachius, the new turtle is one of the earliest examples of intercontinental dispersals by the group and is the oldest bothremydid found in North American and Laurasian sediments. This discovery provides the earliest evidence of side-necked turtles in North America and expands our understanding of the first migrations of the extinct bothremydids, said lead author Dr. Brent Adrian, a researcher in the Department of Anatomy at Midwestern University. The fossilized remains of Pleurochayah appalachius were discovered at the Arlington Archosaur Site of the Woodbine Group in Texas, the United States. They predate Paiutemys tibert, a turtle species from Utah that was previously recognized as the oldest known North American side-necked turtle. The discovery further establishes the Arlington Archosaur Site as an important fossil unit that is revealing the foundations of an endemic Appalachian fauna, Dr. Adrian noted. Pleurochayah appalachius had an intriguing combination of morphological adaptations to a highly aquatic lifestyle that likely facilitated its long-distance migration. Its upper arm bone shows large bony attachments for muscles that support a powerful recovery from swimming strokes. The functional morphology of the bone also indicates that the turtle likely utilized an aquatic rowing mode of swimming, as opposed to the flapping motion of modern sea turtles. The microanatomy of its shell bone reveals a comparatively thick external compared to internal cortex, similar to later marine-adapted bothremydid species. However, its marine adaptations are not as derived as in later bothremydids, which are found throughout the fossil record of North American later in the Late Cretaceous. The skull of Pleurochayah appalachius had a unique combination of primitive and derived traits that it shares with other bothremydid species. It shares most characteristics with two of the basal bothremydid clades, Cearachelyini and Kurmademydini. Based on the findings, Dr. Adrian and colleagues suggest that early bothremydid turtles migrated from Gondwana to North America during or prior to the Cenomanian age via the central Atlantic Ocean or the Caribbean. It is likely that bothremydid dispersals to North America during or prior to the Cenomanian were influenced by the vicariant event of the opening of the central Atlantic, and the periodic connection of the Western Interior Seaway to the Gulf of Mexico, the paleontologists said. However, allopatric speciation may be responsible for the multiple-continent distribution of basal bothremydids, as demonstrated for other Late Early Cretaceous pelomedusoid clades. The study was published this week in the journal Scientific Reports. _____ B. Adrian et al. 2021. An early bothremydid from the Arlington Archosaur Site of Texas. Sci Rep 11, 9555; doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-88905-1 POTTSVILLE A venerable Shenandoah landmark finally is coming down, as the Schuylkill County commissioners voted Thursday to spend more than $50,000 to raze a borough school building. The former Jefferson Elementary School will be torn down, thanks to a grant of $56,818.18 from the state Department of Community and Economic Development. The commissioners approved the supplemental budget appropriation needed to enable work to begin on demolishing the building at West Centre and South West streets. I put it in for demolition and that was accepted, County Administrator Gary R. Bender said. Theres no use for it anymore. (Municipal officials) wanted that one torn down the last time. Borough Manager Anthony Sajone said he was pleased that the building will come down. We had been trying to get that down for a few years, Sajone said. Sajone said the building had been on a list of properties to be demolished a few years ago but it had to be postponed. He hopes to replace the eyesore with nice houses or businesses. Its a nice piece of property, Sajone said. Bender said the demolition will be done in three steps. That would be asbestos inspection, asbestos abatement and demolition, he said. Approximately 100 properties in the county are under consideration for demolition, according to Bender. Funding would come from the Community Development Block Grant program, he said. Were hoping to do two, with the second to be done if any money remains after the Jefferson building is torn down, Bender said. Bender said the old Jefferson school is not the only one in the county that should come down. A lot of old schools have asbestos in them, he said. HAMBURG 2021 marks the 175th consecutive year the Hamburg Police Department is serving residents of this northern Berks County community. The department was established on March 28, 1846, nine years after Hamburg was incorporated as a borough. During the department recognition ceremony on Wednesday, Chief Anthony Kuklinski said the department is one of the oldest continuously serving police departments in Berks County and probably in the commonwealth, since it is 59 years older than the Pennsylvania State Police. The ceremony began with the posting of colors and the Pledge of Allegiance by an honor guard from the department, Detective William Kramer and Officers Keven Chase, Joseph Mikos and Ryan Brobst. Following an invocation by the Rev. Don Cieniewicz, of St. Mary Roman Catholic Church, recognition was given to former police chiefs including Michael Painter, Gene Shappell and the late Wilson H. Lewars. Lewars was the first member of the department killed in the line of duty and also the first chief of police in Berks County killed in the line of duty. Painter told more that 50 people attending that Lewars was shot in 1928 as he and a constable interrupted five men who were looting the Paterson Silk Plant. He died the following day. As a result, Painter said that state police later apprehended four of the looters, who were all convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life at the Eastern State Penitentiary, where one died in September of 1934. On Dec. 1, 1939, the fifth man was apprehended in Atlantic City, New Jersey. He was charged with complicity in Lewars murder and also sentenced to life in prison. Shappell also recognized Patrolman John Ayello, who died in the line of duty on Sept. 8, 2000. He said that Ayello was conducting a felony arrest when he became stricken with a life-threatening illness. Patrolman Levi Williamson was also listed as a line of duty death, but no other information could be found, Kuklinski said. Citations were presented to Kuklinski by state Sen. David G. Argall, R-29, Rush Township, and Rep. Jerry Knowles, R-123, Rush Township, and Tom Gerard, representing U.S. Rep. Dan Meuser, R-9. Hamburg Mayor George Holmes said he is proud of the department, not only in its current status but also over the past 175 years. There were remarks as well by Berks County Commissioner Christian Y. Leinbach. You are an example of what great policing is all about, said Leinbach, who is commissioners chairman. David Steffen, chief of the Northern Lancaster County Regional Police Department and president of the Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association, also commended Kuklinski and his department for reaching the milestone. Distinguished Unit Citations and pins were presented to nine members of the department, seven full time and two part time, for their work during the COVID-19 pandemic. While taking the proper precautions, Kuklinski said, his officers remained on the streets, protecting residents and businesses. The ceremony under sunny skies outside the police department concluded with a benediction by the Rev. Mark Caston, of The Bridge Church, and remarks by Holmes. It was followed by a light lunch and open house of the department, featuring numerous items of memorabilia highlighting its 175-year history. For more than a year, weve been trained to follow the science on COVID-19 transmission: Stay 6 feet apart, wash your hands, wear a mask. Now that science from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicates we can drop masks if were vaccinated, and we should expect to move through our daily lives maskless in most settings and without side-eye. If youre vaccinated, the science says you cant spread the disease, and the chances of getting sick are extremely low. But can we do it? Trust the honor system that when we see people maskless in public, theyve been safely vaccinated? For those who considered mask-wearing a political statement, this might be a challenge. It shouldnt be. Illinois Democratic governor, J.B. Pritzker, is following the federal guidelines that say fully vaccinated people can resume activities without wearing a mask or physically distancing, except where required by federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial laws, rules, and regulations, including local business and workplace guidance, according to the CDC website. June 11 is the target date for a full reopening of Illinois, but only if cases of COVID-19 remain flat. Chicago is on a slower schedule, aiming for a full reopening by the July 4 holiday. In a statement Monday, Pritzker said: With public health experts now saying fully vaccinated people can safely remove their masks in most settings, Im pleased to follow the science and align Illinois policies with the CDCs guidance. I also support the choice of individuals and businesses to continue to mask out of an abundance of caution as this pandemic isnt over yet. So lets proceed, masks on or off, based on our personal comfort levels, without disapproval. In Indiana, most counties have dropped mask mandates completely. The state of Michigan is following the CDC guidelines for mask-wearing with businesses able to implement stricter rules. Wisconsin establishments have been dropping mask mandates, prior to the CDC recommendations, after a state Supreme Court ruling two months ago struck down Gov. Tony Evers mask mandate. In Illinois, the mask rules are not universal; local governments and businesses still can implement their own policies, and many have. If your gym wants to kick you out for not masking up, it can. If your grocery store keeps a mask policy in place, you still have to follow it. And if youre in any health care setting, the CDC strongly recommends a continuation of face coverings. But the shaming the confrontations and the glaring at people not wearing masks comes to an end. Right? In a letter to the editor published online Wednesday by the Chicago Tribune, Chicago resident David Whiteis suggests public health officials encourage unmasking for vaccinated people as a measure to protect our mental health. Now, though, with scientific data clearly showing that the vaccines not only protect us against contracting the disease but also lower the risk of transmission significantly, I believe that we should begin looking at unmasking (for most people) as essential to our public MENTAL health, just as masking and distancing have been essential to our physical health and survival for over a year, he writes. Sounds like a plan. Were making strides toward a return to normalcy. Lets embrace it safely. Normalcy is just as important to our well-being as getting through the pandemic. Chicago Tribune Seeing the alarming rise of 'Black Fungus' cases in the state, the Haryana government has decided to import medicines from abroad to bring the cases of black fungus under control. The Haryana government has also written to the Centre urging them to allocate "a proper share" of the medicines which the Centre aims to procure for treatment of Black Fungus. Haryana Health Minister Anil Vij chaired a meeting on Thursday to discuss the issue of Black Fungus. Vij said he has ordered to float a global tender to procure anti-fungal injection Amphotericin B along with one crore COVID-19 vaccines and Tocilizumab injection. ANIL VIJ MINISTER HARYANA (@anilvijminister) May 21, 2021 States declaring Mucormycosis or Black Fungus as notified disease The state has reported 316 cases of Black Fungus, of which 48 were reported on Thursday. The state has witnessed 8 deaths so far due to the infection as on Thursday, according to a PTI report quoting officials. Mucormycosis, commonly known as Black Fungus, has been increasing across the states owing to the rise of COVID-19 infections and the increasing use of steroids in the treatment of COVID-19 patients. Maharashtra, Karnataka, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Assam, Chandigarh have declared Mucormycosis as a "Notifiable Disease" under the Epidemic Act, to let patients avail treatment under government insurance, owing to its surge in the respective states among COVID-19 patients. So far Maharashtra has reported the highest cases of Black Fungus - 2000 cases and 90 deaths, followed by Gujarat with 1163 cases. Madhya Pradesh has reported 281 such cases and 27 deaths, followed by Uttar Pradesh (73 cases, 2 deaths) and Telangana (60 cases). What is Mucormycosis or Black Fungus? While speaking with Republic Media Network over the issue of Mucormycosis, Dr Shashank Joshi - part of Maharashtra Task Force, elaborately explained what is Mucormycosis and how it spreads. While it is very rare, it can lead to loss of the upper jaw and sometimes even the eye. Symptoms of the Black Fungus include pain and redness around the eyes or nose, fever, headache, cough, shortness of breath, bloody vomit and altered mental status. The infections is frequent in COVID-19 patients who have been on high doses of steroids and immunosuppressants, uncontrolled diabetes and other co-morbidities. Early diagnosis can be treated. Simple measures like cleaning mouth throat nose and controlling the glucose levels during and after COVID for three months. "Mucormycosis or the Black Fungus is rhinocerebral which means it comes through the nose, eyes and brain. Usually, it is seen in people who have uncontrolled diabetes or people who are immunosuppressed. People have received large doses of steroids, immunosuppressant drugs like Tocilizumab and various other medications during COVID treatment. Due to which their sugar levels shoot up making them susceptible to unusual atypical infections, one of them is Mucormycosis," Shashank Joshi said. Prices of cryptocurrency like Bitcoin have dropped massively on May 19 after China reinforced the ban on cryptocurrencies. Crypto investors were unhappy with the market turn out and they had blamed Tesla CEO Elon Musk for their loss. Musk who has been a supporter of cryptocurrency has however shown faith in Bitcoin. In his latest tweet, Musk has signalled that he has no plans to sell cryptocurrency despite the downfall in the market. The billionaire on May 19 tweeted, Tesla has "diamonds hands" by using the emoji for diamond and hands. Elon Musk tweets about diamond Musk in his latest tweet said Tesla has "diamond hands" which means that the company will not be selling its $1.5 billion stakes in bitcoin. "Diamond Hands" is a symbol that is used on Reddit to signal an intention of holding on to a stock. Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies faced a major downfall on May 19 and amid the bitcoin crash, tweet from Musk implies that he is not selling cryptocurrency. In another tweet, Tesla founder said, "Credit to our master of coin". Tesla has Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 19, 2021 Credit to our Master of Coin Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 19, 2021 Elon Musks crypto tweet certainly holds a lot of value as these posts have managed to hike up the price of a particular cryptocurrency in a matter of days. Last week, Tesla chief on his Twitter handle last week had said that his electric car company would no longer accept payments in Bitcoin citing excessive use of fossil fuels for its mining. The tweet led to an immediate plunge in the value of the cryptocurrency, which has continued since then. Many crypto investors have been calling Elon Musk a market manipulator, as a large number of people around the world have lost millions of dollars due to his comments. Many in the crypto industry are unhappy with the influence a single person on the market. Sir only because of you I lost a lot amount of money today on Crypto ... You used to be my idol..But now I hate you ... Priyanka Singh Raghuvanshi (Priya) (@PatrioticPri94) May 19, 2021 Lost all my family savings,my husband is about to leave me and take the kids . I have lost my job and I am about to be homeless Thank you elon Mademoiselle Winny (@SisterHuncho) May 19, 2021 You made me lose all my life savings elon (@waqas_amjaad) May 19, 2021 I lost $300 in doge Thats all I had Can I recover? Naren Kishinani (@nannadear) May 20, 2021 Tesla has an egoist CEO who only cares about personal Branding. Emperor (@EmperorBTC) May 19, 2021 Elon i invested my Entire life Savings into the imaginary coins and have lost literally everything i will never see my kids again i have been living on the street for 3 days thank u for tweeting this Sir can u please keep tweeting so i can get my money and life back sir Dolan Dark (@DolanDark) May 19, 2021 IMAGE: Elon Musk Twitter/AP STORY: Morocco Youth Hopes - Young men in Morocco dream of better future abroad LENGTH: 02:36 FIRST RUN: 2151 RESTRICTIONS: TYPE: Arabic/Natsound SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS STORY NUMBER: 4326968 DATELINE: 20 May 2021 - Rabat SHOTLIST: RESTRICTION SUMMARY: ASSOCIATED PRESS Rabat - 20 May 2021 1. Various of street seller Hicham Kacimi selling onions 2. SOUNBITE (Arabic) Hicham Kacimi, street trader: "I am a typical example of this street. All doors are closed in front of us and we don't get any help. Most young people dream of going abroad when doors are shut in front of them. I am one of them. I applied for visas at many embassies to go abroad, but I did not fulfil all the requirements. My ambition was to go and live outside Morocco where life is better. We have (seen) so many successful cases here." 3. Various of people walking in Hay Al Farah neighbourhood 4. Various of Mohammed Ouhaddou, a street seller, talking to hairdresser Mohamed Jarmoun and other young men 5. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Mohammed Ouhaddou, street seller "If you ask anyone in Rabat or in Hay Al Farah, that person will tell you that they want to go to Europe, I mean migrate. This is everyone's obsession. Here there is no work, no hope. Young people are desperate. There is no health, no education. Things have changed a lot in Morocco. Politicians are not doing anything. They are asleep and no one listens to us." 6. Various of people walking in the street 7. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Mohammed Jarmoun, hairdresser: "When you go back home, you see that your mother is suffering and you see that you're suffering too. If we have to suffer, it is better to suffer abroad, not in our own country. If it happens outside your country, it could be acceptable - but not in your own country. We see very young children resisting for their country (in Palestine), while here, we want to leave". 8. Various of buildings in Hay Al Farah neighbourhood STORYLINE: In Hay Al Farah, a low income neighbourhood in the middle of the Moroccan capital Rabat, most young people share a dream: to seek a better future abroad. Hicham Kacimi, a street seller in Rabat and a father of two, said he hoped to move to a country "where life is better". He got his bachelor's degree and applied for visas at several embassies to emigrate legally, but all of his requests were rejected because he does not "fulfil" the criteria, he explained. Kacimi sells vegetables in the street to feed his family, but he still struggles to earn enough to get by. He is not alone. Official statistics show that most unemployed people in Morocco are under 35. "Young people are desperate" said Mohammed Ouhaddou, another street seller in Rabat. "There is no health, no education.Politicians are not doing anything. They are asleep and no one listens to us" he complained. Since Monday, tensions at the border between Morocco and Spain have increased, with thousands crossing the border to reach European land in one of the biggest diplomatic spats between the two countries in recent years. Spain says that more than 8,000 people have crossed into Spanish territory in 48 hours, although at least 5,700 have been expelled in bulk pushbacks. Many of those who crossed were young unemployed men who decided to leave their homes after being left without work since the border was closed because of the pandemic. Others travelled from different regions of Morocco in an attempt to enter into Spain to find work. Migrants from other African countries were also among those crossing the border. Hundreds reaching Ceuta were unaccompanied minors who were crammed into charity-run warehouses for a 10-day compulsory coronavirus quarantine under police watch. Under Spain's laws, the minors remain under the care of regional authorities until their relatives can be found or they come of age. Morocco's loosened border watch came after Spain decided to grant entry - for medical treatment - to Brahim Ghali, the chief of a militant group fighting for the independence of Western Sahara. Morocco annexed the sprawling region on the west coast of Africa in 1975. Ghali, the head of the Polisario Front, flew into Spain in mid-April with a false Algerian passport. The border between Fnideq and Ceuta became porous following warnings from the Moroccan government to Spain that it would face consequences over Madrid's decision to provide coronavirus treatment to Ghali. Over the decades, Spain has built a close relationship with Morocco to crack down on illegal border crossings, but also to increase economic ties and fight extremism. =========================================================== Clients are reminded: (i) to check the terms of their licence agreements for use of content outside news programming and that further advice and assistance can be obtained from the AP Archive on: Tel +44 (0) 20 7482 7482 Email: info@aparchive.com (ii) they should check with the applicable collecting society in their Territory regarding the clearance of any sound recording or performance included within the AP Television News service (iii) they have editorial responsibility for the use of all and any content included within the AP Television News service and for libel, privacy, compliance and third party rights applicable to their Territory. (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) Italy and the European Union promised Thursday to support Tunisia's economy as part of their efforts to stem migration across the Mediterranean Sea toward Europe. Italian Interior Minister Luciana Lamorgese and EU Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson visited Tunisia for talks with President Kais Saied and Prime Minister Hichem Mechichi. More than 67 migrants drowned or disappeared off the coast of Tunisia in recent days after their boats sank. Saied called for a global approach on migration issues that goes beyond security solutions...to treat the deep roots of the phenomena via fighting poverty and unemployment and supporting development policies in the countries of origin, according to a statement from the Tunisian presidency. Italy committed to support Tunisia though increased investment and by helping to create jobs for the youth, the statement said. Both countries stressed "their determination to fight against criminal human trafficking networks, it added. Lamorgese and Johansson said Italy and the EU were ready to help Tunisia overcome its economic and social difficulties, exacerbated by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Lamorgese also called for more cooperation to accelerate the return of migrants to their country of origin after they arrive illegally in Italy. Johansson stressed the need to provide opportunities for young Tunisians to come to Europe legally. We have more than 1 million Tunisians who are working in European countries, and we are ready to welcome more" to contribute to the bloc's economy, she said. The Tunisian Forum for Social and Economic Rights, a non-governmental organization, issued a statement denouncing Italian and European pressure on Tunisia" to make it accept an unfair cooperation that is infringing on the countrys sovereignty and on migrants human rights." The organization also criticized Tunisian authorities for doing the police work of Europe in the Mediterranean Sea instead on focusing on other priorities. The organization said at least 153 people have been found dead in Tunisia's waters and on its beaches and dozens of others disappeared since the beginning of the year. Lamorgese reported Tuesday that of the 13,358 migrants who have arrived in Italy this year, nearly 9,000 had come from Libya and over 3,000 from Tunisia. (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) Ireland on Thursday said that it was testing a decryption tool that will help the software experts to unlock IT systems disabled by human-operated ransomware that attacked the Health Service Executive (HSE) systems. This comes amid reports that cybercriminals had threatened to make the patient data public, next week prompting Ireland's Health Service Executive (HSE) to shut down its networks totally, which obstructed diagnostic services. According to local broadcaster The Irish Times, experts at the National Cyber Security Centre were working with private contractors to examine the Health IT systems for the safe restoration of medical services. HSE chief executive, Paul Reid, told the network that the teams were trying to determine what level of data is compromised in the ransomware attack. Due to the ransomware attack on our IT systems, there continues to be disruptions to our services. More details on service disruptions here: https://t.co/AaXcK1cwr0 pic.twitter.com/sZ7dfmoMoc HSE Ireland (@HSELive) May 20, 2021 The HSE is attempting to secure backups for the compromised data from its IT systems, which has curtailed Irelands hospital services, Reid informed. He continued, that the IT experts will rebuild the infrastructure as he cited threats from the international cybercriminal groups behind the cyberattacks that are attempting double extortion by threatening the government of leaking the data as well withholding the hacked data. Also, the Conti ransomware group behind the attack asked the health service to pay $20m to restore services, according to the screenshots of the chats that circulated online on Irish social media. "We are providing the decryption tool for your network for free, the hacked website read. It was also strange why the attackers decided to release a decryption tool for free. The cyber attack on our IT systems has had an impact on HSE Radiotherapy Centres across the country. Patients waiting for radiation treatment will be contacted directly about their appointments. Learn more here: https://t.co/4OAmJKP6PS pic.twitter.com/A7eazpd6xB HSE Ireland (@HSELive) May 20, 2021 Decryption tool may 'unlock systems' In a separate statement to RTE, HSE officials said that they were trying to retrieve the compromised data in a safe manner one by one. He said that the cyberattack was carried out by the highest level of the intelligence forces of the State and was conducted in an advanced and sophisticated manner. A decryption tool may unlock the systems for access to HSE officials, authorities said, adding that the ransomware infection of computers has caused some malicious software to bar government access. Irelands Taoiseach Micheal Martin announced at a presser that Ireland will not pay any ransom to hackers that compromised the data and hacked into the states health services systems. Minister of State for Communications Ossian Smyth similarly told reporters that the hackers sought a bitcoin ransom Health Service Executive (HSE) computer systems were attacked. It is one of Irelands most significant cybercrime attacks, ever, said Smyth. The political instability in Nepal persisted as PM KP Sharma Oli expressed unwillingness to seek a vote of confidence in the House of Representatives. This development comes barely a week after he was re-appointed Prime Minister as per Article 76(3) of Nepal's Constitution as the rest of the opposition parties failed to garner adequate numbers to stake claim for government formation. He was required to prove his government's majority within 30 days of his appointment to the post, i.e by June 14. In wake of this, Nepal President Bidya Devi Bhandari took recourse to Article 76(5) giving another opportunity to political parties to bid for the Prime Minister's post by 5 pm on Friday. The Nepal President's Office wrote, "It has been recommended by the Cabinet on 20 May to initiate process about formation of an alternative government stepping on Article 76(5) which has also been further requested by the Prime Minister. It has been therefore requested to all the lawmakers of House of Representatives to come forward with bases about forming an alternative government attributed to provisions mentioned in Article 76(2) of constitution by 5 pm on Friday". According to Article 76(5), if no one is able to garner the support of a majority of the lawmakers, the Parliament will be automatically dissolved and a new election shall be held. The political situation in Nepal With 121 seats, the Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML) is the largest party in the 275-member House of Representatives. On the other hand, the Nepali Congress, the CPN-Maoist Center of ex-PM Pushpa Kamal Dahal and the Janata Samajbadi Party have 63, 49 and 34 seats respectively. The rivalry between the Oli and Madhav Kumar Nepal camps in the CPN-UML camps escalated to the extent that the Nepal President dissolved the Parliament on December 10, 2020, and set the ball for fresh elections. While the country's Supreme Court reinstated the Parliament in February, the Nepal PM escalated the feud by suspending Nepal and other senior leaders close to him for 6 months. Amidst the turmoil within the ruling party, Oli finally decided to seek a vote of confidence on May 10. However, he was dealt another blow as the CPN-Maoist Center withdrew its support, reducing the government to a minority. Thereafter, he lost the confidence motion after securing just 93 votes in the session attended by 232 lawmakers. Whereas 124 members voted against the motion, 15 others stayed neutral. Though the CPN-Maoist Center decided to back the Nepali Congress, the CPN-UML rival faction and Janata Samajbadi Party showed hesitancy in the formation of an alternative government. Although Oli was back at the helm of affairs, he received a setback on Thursday as his candidate for a seat in Nepal's Upper House- Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa lost to a candidate fielded by the CPN-UML rival faction. Moreover, the nation's SC issued an interim order restraining 7 members of the Cabinet from discharging their ministerial responsibilities. Defecting to the PM's party from the CPN-Maoist Center, they had been disqualified from Parliament. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday said that meeting and holding a dialogue with the Russian President Vladimir Putin would end the seven-year conflict in Donbas, Eastern Ukraine, the Ukrainian president's press service reported. "I believe that in addition to the Normandy format (Ukraine, Russia, France, and Germany), there should be a direct conversation with the President of the Russian Federation, the Ukrainian leader said at a presser. He added, I also see a format for involving the United States President Joe Biden in this discussion. Zelensky reiterated that he wanted to end hostilities on the Ukrainian border and as of now, the de-occupation of Ukrainian territories remains his priority as it may become the subject of an all-Ukrainian referendum. Earlier last month, the Ukrainian President held a conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel to ease tensions with Moscow amid the military build-up. The issue of the security situation in eastern Ukraine and the de-occupation of our territories needs to involve leaders of Russia, France, and Germany", Zelensky said as he held a video conference with Merkel during the meeting with Macron. Meanwhile, the French President told a news conference, All our work is aimed at avoiding an escalation and defusing tensions at Moscow Ukrainian border. The so-called "Normandy" format talks between France, Germany, Ukraine, and Russia, have been stalled since 2019 as the conflict in eastern Ukraine and annexed Crimea spiked with Moscows provocative" military build-up. "Does Ukraine want the war? No. But is Ukraine ready for the war? Yes," Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky had said last month adding that his country wants to settle tensions and end the conflict with Moscow through diplomacy. Putin welcomed his Ukrainian counterpart 'at any time convenient' As Russia, last month, diffused tensions after Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu ordered 150,000 armed personnel to withdraw and return to their permanent bases by May 1, Ukraines president said that his country welcomes any steps to decrease the military presence and deescalate the situation in Donbas. Russian military pull-out came in the aftermath of several military drills, and partial violations of ceasefire at the 1,200-mile border near the annexed Crimea. However, Shoigu asked Russian soldiers to leave behind some weapons and armoured vehicles and withdraw from the region. The Ukrainian President had then said in footage said that he was willing to meet with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in the Donbas region. Putin meanwhile said that Russia was ready to host Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy for talks in Moscow at any time convenient for him. Processing the death of a loved one in an out-of-control pandemic. by Nitheesh Narayanan Indias second COVID-19 wave has caused large-scale death and devastation leading to bodies piling up in overwhelmed hospitals and crematoriums , which have reached their breaking point . In front of the mortuary of Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital , one of the biggest government hospitals in New Delhi, India, on May 5, the day starts with five bodies being piled up in a van-turned-ambulance, which are taken to the crematorium, as more ambulances stand in a queue, waiting for their turn to ferry half-a-dozen more dead bodies there. I witnessed these scenes on the early morning of May 5 with 20-year-old Arjun, whose father had succumbed to death due to COVID-19 hours earlier. Arjun and his cousin stayed outside the hospital building the entire night, unable to muster the strength to inform Arjuns mother and younger brother about the death of their loved one. One of the five bodies that were piled into the van-turned-ambulance outside the mortuary of the hospital was that of Arjuns father. Arjuns 61-year-old father, Sreedharan, was employed in a private publishing firm in Delhi and lost his job during the first wave of the COVID-19 crisis approximately a year ago, which hit the working population of India hard. According to a report by the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy, about 21 million salaried jobs were lost between April and August in 2020. Sreedharan and his family had been living in Delhi for the past 20 years. After he lost the job, Sreedharan had planned to move to his home state, Kerala, in southern India. The family had even started building a house in Kerala, which they planned to move into once it was ready by the end of June. But, as the second wave of COVID-19 started engulfing the Indian population, a different fate awaited the family. Sreedharan, who had been experiencing a severe cough for a few days around the third week of April, was told to get himself to a hospital immediately when he consulted a doctor on April 21. The doctor had checked Sreedharans oxygen level and found that it had dropped below the normal level. There were no hospital beds available in Delhi by then due to the sudden surge of cases witnessed in the city from April onward. Sreedharan set out with Arjun to look for a hospital bed for himself soon after he spoke to the doctor but returned home around 2:30 a.m., disappointed and more tired. By the time he got a bed in Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital on April 22, his oxygen level had dropped to 60 percent normal oxygen levels range from 95 to 100 percent. Despite this, he was unable to get proper oxygen support. His oxygen level had dropped further to a dangerously low 54 percent, and nothing but an ICU bed could have saved him. However, he had to wait two more days until April 24 before he started getting the required oxygen support and was moved to the ICU ward of the hospital four days later. He spent a total of 12 days in the hospital. By then, all his family membersincluding Arjun, as well as Sreedharans wife and younger sonhad tested positive for COVID-19. According to the medical protocol, they should have isolated themselves and quarantined while monitoring their symptoms. However, after witnessing the lack of medical staff and the suffering of other patients in the hospital, who were not receiving timely medical assistance, Arjun stayed with his father day and night, despite being sick himself. No one in the hospital encouraged him to stay at home despite knowing that he was sick, nor did he receive any surety that his father would receive the medical attention he needed, in his absence. He remained there, as he felt that he could monitor his fathers situation better. Yet, his fathers health kept deteriorating day by day, and he died at 2:30 a.m. on May 5. His body, along with four others, was put into an ambulance, which then proceeded to the Punjabi Bagh Crematorium in Delhi. Arjun, Sreedharans nephew and I followed the ambulance in a taxi. Sreedharans wife and younger son were at home. They were not informed about his death, as there was no one around to console and comfort them. A few people who did come to know about Sreedharans death did not want to go near his house out of fear of COVID-19. We wanted to head home and asked the hospital authorities if they could cremate the body without us. We were told that if we wanted to ensure that the funeral took place, we would have to head straight to the crematorium ourselves and present some documents. Once we reached the crematorium, it took almost two hours just to register for the burial. Ambulances carrying dead bodies kept coming during this time. The authorities at the crematorium informed us that if we wanted to carry out the last rites using the electric crematorium, we would have to wait there all day since there were many dead bodies already in the queue to use the facility. As in life, the dead are also being made to wait for their last rites during the second wave of this COVID-19 crisis in India, snatching away their dignity and rights even after life. The other option before us was to burn the body on a funeral pyre. But we would have to set it up ourselves. Out of the 80 places available to carry out the last rites, we would be allotted one. The graveyard seemed like a burning woodshed with endless rows of burning funeral pyres providing the last resting place for human beings who had been made to fight hard for each gasp of breath. More dead bodies kept coming into the crematorium grounds every 10 minutes as we witnessed more mourning relatives joining our ranks. Wanting to head home and be with Arjuns mother and brother, we wanted to carry out the last rites as soon as possible and stood by for the necessary permission to do so. We were, however, made to wait longerthe arrangement of the endless rows of funeral pyres required that more bodies made their way to the funeral grounds and their loved ones set up their funeral pyres before we could begin. Vijoo Krishnan, a leader of Communist Party of India (Marxist), said that in early May, he witnessed an argument between the relatives of two patients over an oxygen cylinder. One of them died in front of his eyes. In the crematoriums, similar quarrels were seen over whose body would make it to the crematorium grounds first. The second wave of COVID-19 has increased the sense of helplessness witnessed by people in India, who have had to go through seeing a loved one struggle to get the medical attention necessary for their survival. After the funeral of a man whom I had never met before his death, I returned to his home with his son and his nephew where his wife and younger son were still unaware of the departure of their loved one and were alone at home. As many families continue to experience losses similar to that of Arjuns family, they increasingly feel anger and a sense of alienation as they deal with their grief alone in the absence of a responsible government, as the BJP-led government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi chooses to distance itself from any blame for this crisis. The result is a dehumanization of the whole experience of mourning the loss of a loved one in India. Meanwhile, outside the ICU, people continue to wait impatiently for the death of patients to free up ICU beds and the mortuary, and ambulances wait for more dead bodies to be dumped so that they can be taken to the crematorium. At the crematorium, people wait for space to free up so that their own loved ones can be cremated. On the way back, I remembered my friend Rahul, age 28, whom a few of us were able to airlift to a government medical college in Kerala a few days prior from the same hospital where Sreedharan had died. Rahuls doctor had referred him to get admitted to an ICU, but after he was admitted to Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital on April 23 for a week, he was unable to get an ICU bed. Fortunately for him, he was taken to Kerala, and he is out of danger now. Arjuns father was, however, not this lucky. This article was produced by Globetrotter In the wake of the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, Chile is set to lift lockdowns in 13 towns on Monday. Health Minister Enrique Paris emphasized on the Step-by-Step Plan (determines lockdowns and restrictions) while the Ministry continues to gradually ease pandemic restrictions across Chile despite detecting more than 7,600 fresh COVID-19 infection cases in a day. Chile Minister Paris at a press conference said, "the Step-by-Step Plan is under constant review and meetings are held every Monday and Thursday. We base ourselves on evidence and take into account various factors in decision-making." Among the towns currently under lockdown, three are located within the Metropolitan region, home to the capital Santiago. Three localities will advance to phase 2, which means lockdown measures will be in force only on weekends, and restaurants and recreational centres will be able to operate from Monday to Friday but obviously not at full capacity. COVID-19 Situation in Chile Chile has registered 1,308,311 confirmed COVID-19 cases since March 2020. In the past 24 hours, 7,680 new cases were reported, the highest daily count since April 30 while 172 fresh deaths were reported. The death toll of the country stands at 28,169 and 1,241,426 COVID-19 patients have recuperated from the virus. Paris said, "We are extremely concerned and we want to transmit that concern to society because it is necessary to reverse the situation and take care of ourselves much more. We must maintain a fair balance between legitimate and desired freedoms and our responsibilties which oblige us to take care of ourselves and others. We cannot lower our guard." Most vaccinated Chileans have received a single dose, meaning they are still largely unprotected from infection. A study published by researchers at the University of Chile found that the CoronaVac vaccine was 56.5% effective in preventing infections two weeks after a second dose but only 3% effective after a single dose. Some 93% of the doses administered were the CoronaVac vaccine, manufactured by Chinese state-run pharmaceutical Sinovac, and 7% the more effective Pfizer BioNTech vaccine. Chiles CoronaVac study results are comparable to previous CoronaVac trials elsewhere. Free Peru Party supporters and some union representatives marched through Lima on Thursday, demanding a transparent second round of elections from the National Jury of Elections. Peru's presidential runoff between newcomer Pedro Castillo, on the left, and political heir Keiko Fujimori, on the right, is sharply dividing the vote, just days before the June 6 election. The latest IPSOS survey, published in the Peruvian newspaper El Comercio, gives Pedro Castillo 51.1% of valid votes against 48.9% obtained by Keiko Fujimori. While the recent study made by Datum pollster states that Pedro Castillo is supported by 44% of the citizens, while Keiko Fujimori enjoys the support of 41%. The march was followed and guarded by members of the national police, with no incidents reported. (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) A truck is loaded with iron ore at the Christmas Creek iron ore mine located south of Port Hedland, Australia, in a file photo. China may be running out of retaliatory steps that it can afford to take against Australia after cutting off communications on economic affairs with its key commodity supplier this month. On May 6, China's top planning agency announced that it had suspended all contacts under its bilateral Strategic Economic Dialogue with Australia "indefinitely." "Recently, some Australian Commonwealth Government officials launched a series of measures to disrupt the normal exchanges and cooperation between China and Australia out of Cold War mindset and ideological discrimination," the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) said in a statement. China's Ministry of Commerce adviser Mei Xinyu blamed the cutoff on the "wildness of Australian politicians," while Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin cited an "insane suppression targeting China-Australia cooperation," the Daily Mail and Reuters reported. Although no specific reasons were given, the references were to Prime Minister Scott Morrison's decision in April to cancel the state of Victoria's agreement to cooperate with China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Beijing's far- reaching trade and infrastructure building program was not in Australia's "national interest," Morrison said. In practical terms, the closure of the dialogue channel may have little effect since the two sides have not met under its auspices since 2017. "Successive Australian trade ministers have been unable to secure a phone call with Chinese counterparts since diplomatic tensions worsened in 2020," Reuters said. Differences between the two trading partners date back several years with issues ranging from Australia's ban on China's 5G phone network developers to criticism of its sovereignty claims in the South China Sea. Disputes have also erupted over China's repression of Uighurs in Xinjiang and Australia's support for tracing the origins of COVID-19. Last November, China issued a list of 14 grievances against Australia including its support for policy positions of the United States. In December, the NDRC raised the economic stakes for its leading foreign coal supplier by barring further shipments from Australia, stranding dozens of cargoes offshore at Chinese ports. Despite a free trade agreement between the two countries in 2015, China has slapped high tariffs and other barriers on Australian products including wine, barley, lobsters, cotton, and timber. The value of Australia's exports to China has been propped up by China's continuing demand for iron ore, but trade in most categories has dropped by 40 percent, Australia's ABC News reported in late March. Last December, the country's coal exports to China plunged 83 percent from pre-pandemic levels a year earlier, the network said. Limited retaliation But the patterns of China's punishments indicate that it is carefully limiting retaliation to measures that it can afford. The cutoff of the strategic dialogue mechanism has grabbed headlines, but talk is relatively cheap compared with the potential economic impact of China's trade curbs. China accounted for 35 percent of Australia's merchandise exports in March, Argus Media said, as demand continued to support supplies of liquid natural gas (LNG) and iron ore to the Chinese market. Analysts suggest Australia will continue to be China's indispensable source of those commodities, although Beijing's anger over policy differences may spare little else. In the wake of the strategic dialogue suspension, industry sources "mostly dismissed" the risk that China would retaliate against Australia's LNG trade, Argus said. "Surely, China can't do without Australian LNG in this market," the news service quoted one Europe-based trader as saying. "That would be nearly impossible," the insider said. Australia supplied 43.4 percent of China's LNG imports last year and 44.5 percent of its intake in March, Argus reported. In April, China's LNG imports of over 3 million metric tons (mmt) hit a record high, Reuters said Friday, citing Chinese customs data. Such large volumes are unlikely to be replaced by other suppliers, and major cuts could incur higher costs. Much of Australia's LNG exports to China have been covered by long-term contracts, which protect buyers from spot market price spikes in winter but may be seen as a disadvantage when prices slump, as during last year's oil glut. Rising tensions reportedly made China's national oil companies wary of seeking new long-term contracts with Australia as old ones began to expire last year. Investment in new projects has also been under a cloud. But despite the wide swings in the spot market, China is committed to increasing gas use as it tries to reduce reliance on high-polluting coal. In March, energy consultancy ICIS forecast a 13-percent increase in China's LNG imports to 76 mmt this year, the official English-language China Daily reported. "As China is pushing to increase the share of gas in the energy mix by substituting for coal, this requirement for LNG will continue to grow," said Philip Andrews-Speed, a senior principal fellow at the National University of Singapore's Energy Studies Institute. "Despite the growth of the spot market, the sale of LNG continues to rely on long-term supply contracts, especially for new, very large projects, unlike coal, which is much more flexible," he said. Andrews-Speed also cited the stoppage of a major LNG project in Mozambique following attacks by Islamic State-affiliated militants in March. The deadly conflict caused Total of France to withdraw all staff, calling a halt to the U.S. $20-billion (128.3-billion yuan) development. As a result, "the medium-term outlook for global LNG supply looks rather tighter now than it did a few months ago," Andrews-Speed said. Uncertain confidence But confidence in the immunity of Australia's LNG exports from China's retaliatory measures is not set in stone. On May 10, Bloomberg News reported that two of China's smaller importers have been effectively barred from buying new LNG cargoes from Australia. "The firms have received verbal orders from government officials to avoid purchasing additional LNG from Australia for delivery over the next year," Bloomberg said, citing unidentified "people with knowledge of the directive." So far, major buyers have not received similar orders, and the NDRC has not responded to inquiries, the report said. The ban for smaller buyers may be China's way of demonstrating its displeasure, suggesting major economic consequences for trade in a commodity that was considered exempt from the retaliation campaign against Australia. On May 19, Reuters reported that China's national oil companies had entered into talks with Qatar to take part in its U.S. $28.7-billion (184.7-billion yuan) North Field expansion, the biggest LNG project in the world. China's interest could be a sign that it plans to dispense with Australian LNG in the longer term. A miner holds a lump of iron ore at a mine located in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. File photo: Reuters Tensions over iron ore Tensions are also rising over iron ore, Australia's top export to China and an irreplaceable resource for the world's leading maker of steel. Last year, Australian ore exports of 713 million tons accounted for 61 percent of China's ore imports, according to data from Beijing Lange Steel Information Research Center, cited by China's Communist Party tabloid Global Times. China has been running out of patience and options for punishing Australia, raising the risks for the iron ore trade as prices climb, the South China Morning Post reported this month. "Neither side wants to use this card. We are basically holding each other's neck," the paper quoted a diplomatic source as saying. Record prices for iron ore supplies have increased concerns over growing cost pressures in China's steel industry, although the major cause of the price spike has been Chinese demand. Last year, China's output of crude steel topped 1 billion metric tons, setting a record as production rose 5.2 percent on the strength of COVID recovery and infrastructure investment. Production has climbed again so far this year, gaining 15.6 percent through March. The government has ordered major changes in the steel industry to reduce reliance on iron ore imports, but pre- emptive buying has given an added push to prices before the changes can take effect. "Some Chinese importers also rush to stockpile iron ore over political risk-aversion concerns, which also drove up the trade volume in April," the Global Times said. Analysts are split over how far China will go to break ties with Australia on the critical commodities of iron ore and steel. The website of Australian Mining magazine quotes principal analyst Shirley Zhang at the international consulting firm Wood Mackenzie as saying that China is "unlikely to ban imports of Australian commodities it has a heavy reliance upon, including iron ore." Instead, China is expected to raise administrative costs for imports, Zhang said. But the Global Times sounded a more ominous note, quoting unnamed analysts as saying that "a trade decoupling between the two countries is imminent amid icy bilateral relations." This week, the NDRC said that China should diversify its iron ore sources, sending another warning signal to Australian suppliers. "Chinese firms should boost domestic exploration for the steel-making input, widen their sources of imports, and explore overseas ore resources," the agency said, according to Bloomberg. The title is granted by royal decree to anyone who contributes at least U.S. $500,000 to the government. Cambodia should examine the merit and sources of income of wealthy individuals before deciding to grant them ancient honorary titles, because many are involved in corrupt activities, political analysts said this week after Prime Minister Hun Sen set up a working group to manage the issue. The title of Oknha meaning nobleman or lord is granted by royal decree to civilians who contribute at least U.S. $500,000 to Cambodias government. Many who hold the title of nobility have amassed vast fortunes through successful business ventures in the Southeast Asian country. Some have used the coveted status to enable or cover up corruption, participate in sex scandals, and claim immunity from prosecution following the commission of crimes. In the past, tycoons with the Oknha title have disgraced themselves in the eyes of ordinary Cambodians because they use their titles to protect their own interests instead of contributing to society, said outspoken political analyst Kim Sok who lives in Finland. Some of them have engaged in land grabbing from the poor, illegal logging and sand dredging, the destruction of natural resources, and drug trafficking. This is a very bad example for our society, he said. This type of Oknha reflects very bad leadership. Now people say that the most illegitimate [leadership] role is that of the prime minister, and the worst title is that of Oknha with its declining values. Political analyst Meas Ny said the government should examine the sources of wealth of prominent individuals before they are given the title of Oknha to avoid accusations of conspiracy, given their history of dishonesty in business ventures. Lets suppose that I acquire the title of Oknha, but I got my money through money laundering or I was involved in drug trafficking or illegal logging, and then I gave this money to the state to get the title of Oknha, he said. So that could mean that the government conspired with me in as I engaged in illegal acts. This is all about the ethics of the Oknhas career. A noble moral example Unofficial research puts the number of Oknha and higher-status Neak Oknha at no fewer than 1,000. Since 1994, after Cambodia held its first democratic elections supported by the United Nations, philanthropists who donated U.S. $100,000 or more to the state could be appointed by the government as Oknha. By late 2017, the titles price had increased fivefold. Meas Ny praised a recent decision by Prime Minister Hun Sen to establish an inter-ministerial working group to manage issues related to the title and to review the legal process of granting and withdrawing the honorary status. The political analyst said that the group should examine an individuals qualifications, profile, and sources of income before deciding to grant the Oknha title. We [also] need to have a transparent mechanism for providing this title [and] a mechanism for control [because] we see some tycoons misusing their roles, he said. Cambodias Court of Appeal last week released powerful businessman Oknha Kith Theang who was arrested, convicted, and sentenced two years ago for being a ring leader in a drug distribution ring centered in the capital Phnom Penh. He was originally sentenced to four years in prison, but the higher court reduced his jail term to two years and quietly freed him. He used his wealth and powerful connections during the past two years to pare his jail stay down to only two weeks, while spending the rest of the time in a hospital, claiming that he was sick. Individuals need to demonstrate morality and integrity before they are granted Oknha titles, said Kim Sok. The individual should be a person who sets a noble moral example in daily life and is a role model in society, not one who rapes people and then sues them, he said. Some tycoons and Oknha have had their assets in the U.S. frozen by the U.S. government, while others continue to use money to buy property abroad. At the same time, there are virtuous individuals who have donated money earned legally to social and humanitarian causes. Reported by RFAs Khmer Service. Translated by Sum Sok Ry. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin. Pol Hams move comes as Cambodia National Rescue Party figures seek political rehabilitation nearly four years after crackdown. Supporters of the Cambodia National Rescue Party stage a rally on the last day of the commune election campaign in the capital Phnom Penh, June 2, 2017. A senior leader from the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) has left the banned political group and joined a new party after the countrys King Norodom Sihamoni granted his request for political rehabilitation on Thursday. CNRP Deputy President Pol Ham said he made the move to join the Cambodian Reform Party, set up by a former CNRP lawmaker, so he can run in June 5, 2022, commune elections, and because he cannot wait until general elections in July 2023. Pol Ham, CNRP President Kem Sokha, and other CNRP members recently requested rehabilitation from Cambodias Ministry of Interior in an attempt to have their political rights restored. The politician said he made the request because he wanted to regain the right to be involved in the countrys politics. I have not done anything for the past three years and six months so I think now it is time to have the political ban lifted, he told RFA, adding that he now wants to combine Cambodias small political parties and recently rehabilitated CNRP politicians. I want to see another opposition party in which all leaders are former CNRP members, he said. We cant get the CNRP back, but there is no law that prevents us from using the same CNRP spirit, so that we comply with the law. We cant be too extreme. Pol Ham also said that he used to be close to Kem Sokha, but now the two politicians have different strategies. The former CNRP president is trying to convince Prime Minister Hun Sens ruling Cambodian Peoples Party (CPP) to discuss a political solution to the countrys prolonged political stalemate and has asked other countries for help, Suon So Rida, a former CNRP lawmaker and Kem Sokha loyalist, told RFA in an earlier report. Prime Minister Hun Sen had Kem Sokha arrested for treason in September 2017, and the CNRP was dissolved by the Supreme Court two months later, over an unsubstantiated claim he plotted to overthrow the government. The court ruling also removed the political rights of 118 CNRP elected lawmakers for five years. Kem Sokha went on trial in January 2020 but the hearings were suspended two months later on the pretext of the coronavirus pandemic. Hun Sen has hinted that the trial may conclude until 2024, long after the next election cycle. In the meantime, Kem Sokha remains under judicial supervision and must refrain from engaging in political activities in Cambodia. The CPP easily won all 125 parliamentary seats in the 2018 elections after removing the opposition party and spearheading a crackdown on NGOs and the independent media. Starting at the grassroots level Pol Ham said his colleagues requested that he join the new party. Speaking the truth, I am interested in the Cambodia Reform Party, he said. I support the party. When asked about the new partys prospects in next years commune elections, Pol Ham said he expected that candidates from the new party would receive some votes. Its better to get some rather than none, he said. In the meantime, Pol Ham said it would be best for CNRP officials both inside and outside Cambodia to band together to compete in the elections. We can start with the commune elections because it is very important to have representatives at the grassroots level to resolve the problems of their constituencies, he said. Pol Ham also said that in his letter requesting political rehabilitation, he did not apologize, but rather thanked King Norodom Sihamoni for giving me justice and giving me the freedom to be involved in politics At a news conference on Asias future on Thursday, Hun Sen told reporters that about 20 parties will compete in the elections in 2022 and 2023, and that Cambodia will move forward with its democratic process. Those who were banned from politics and requested political rehabilitation have formed parties, he said. Yesterday, I requested that the king allow two people to participate in politics. I knew that they were planning to establish a party, so the democratic process in Cambodia will continue. Former CNRP lawmaker Ou Chanrath, whose political rights were reinstated more than two years ago, announced in January that his newly formed Cambodian Reform Party would run against the CPP in the upcoming elections. Ex-CNRP lawmakers have launched three other parties the Khmer Will Party founded in 2018 by Kong Monika, the Khmer Conservative Party former in 2019 by Real Camerin, and the Cambodian Nation Love Party founded in early 2020 by Chiv Kakada. Reported by RFAs Khmer Service. Translated by Samean Yun. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin. Fighting in recent weeks has displaced some 45,000 civilians in Chin and Kachin states. At least 10 military junta troops were killed and around 20 critically wounded in five clashes over the last two days in Myanmars Chin state, militia groups said Thursday, while tens of thousands of civilians have fled and are living in dire conditions as fighting has intensified in the region. Four of the engagements took place in Chins Hakha township, killing and injuring regime soldiers, a Hakha-based Chin-land Defense Force (CDF) spokesman told RFAs Myanmar Service. The first occurred when CDF forces entered Lot Klone village on May 18 and were fired on by the junta troops, while the second took place the following morning, when a CDF unit ambushed soldiers on Matupi Road, killing seven, he said. This morning [Thursday] we heard from sources close to the area that more than 10 troops were killed and more than 20 injured, the spokesman said. Additionally, the CDF reported, a clash took place at a security checkpoint near Hakha University on May 18 and another near the intersection of Hakha Thar 6 and Hakha-Gangaw Roads the same day. On the evening of May 19, the military set fire to more than 30 motorbikes owned by Hakha CDF members, the group said, although no casualties were suffered. In Chins nearby Mindat township, the Mindat Peoples Administration (MPA) militia said it engaged with regime troops on May 19 between mile markers 40 and 50 on Mindat-Matupi Road, killing three junta soldiers, including a sergeant. As of Thursday, the military had yet to confirm details of any of the clashes in Chin state, where soldiers are battling volunteer militias wielding mostly home-made weapons more than three months after it overthrew the countrys elected government in a Feb. 1 coup and reinstated junta rule. Za Op Ling, deputy executive director of the Chin Human Rights Organization (CHRO), told RFA that more than 35,000 civilians from Chin state have fled their homes since the attack on Lot Klone village15,000 of whom have crossed Myanmars border into Indias Mizoram state. Whenever there is a clash, the soldiers later search every house and make arrests, he said. Their main target is young people, so all the youths have fled to nearby villages. Some escaped to the Indian border. All this happened mostly in Mindat and at least 8,000 people have fled from the township alone. Za Op Ling said that local authorities in Mizoram state have asked Indias central government to provide assistance to the refugees from Myanmar. A resident of Mindat confirmed that the township is nearly deserted after the military opened fire with heavy artillery, killing several residents. In this kind of situation, it isnt possible for people to live in the town. Its not safe to stay at home at all, she said. People just fled to nearby forests or villages. The young people from our village have helped some of the refugees. Now there are only some elderly people left in the town, most of whom are trapped. Around 3,000 people taking shelter in four villages in Mindat township are currently facing food shortages due to logistical difficulties and with water and power cut off, according to a local aid worker. A member of the Mindat CDF, which is helping the refugees, said the group plans to ask the United Nations refugee agency for help in distributing food and other necessities. A spokesman for the U.N. Secretary-General said in a statement on Tuesday that that the UN Office for Human Rights is investigating reports of arbitrary detentions, including the killing of six people in Mindat over the weekend. The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights said at least 797 civilians, including dozens of children, have been killed by security forces since the latest military coup, while more than a thousand civilians have been injured. The fighting in Mindat over the weekend prompted Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) on Thursday to condemn the militarys blocking of humanitarian and medical aid and access to clean water. The reports out of Mindat expose the horrifying reality of ongoing violence against tens of thousands of civilians in Mindat by the Myanmar military, the group said. These actions further echo the unconscionable actions and severe breaches of international human rights law perpetrated by the Tatmadaw since the group seized power in a February 1 coup detat, it said, using the Burmese name for the military. Physicians for Human Rights is appalled by the Myanmar militarys unlawful implementation of martial law in Mindat, who has pushed civilians into Mindats surrounding jungles to escape detention, and the reported obstruction in access to clean drinking water. The group noted that the fighting has left women and children in Mindat vulnerable to tactics of war it said the military regularly employs, including sexual and gender-based violence. In Kachin state, where junta troops have also been fighting the veteran ethnic Kachin Independence Army (KIA) since clashes broke out between the two sides on April 10, residents told RFA that the military has launched more than 30 airstrikes in the area over the past 40 days. The two sides have engaged in some 90 engagements in Kachin states Momauk township alone, prompting more than 10,000 people to flee from 20 villages. More than 3,000 have arrived in camps for internally displaced persons (IDPs), while the remainder are in hiding in forests near their homes, hoping to remain able to harvest their crops. A woman refugee from Momauks Sihak village told RFA her family had lost nearly everything in the fighting. The three or four houses in front of ours were razed to the ground during the clashes, she said. The owners have nowhere to live and have fled. A resident of Momauks Kone Law village said that clashes intensified just as farmers were preparing to harvest peanuts, and many crops were damaged. We should have been harvesting then, but now, the harvest time has passed, and the ground has become very hard, he said. Its very difficult to pull out the plants. We had to hire more people, but we still cant get it done because the soil has hardened. There are a lot of people who dare not go to the fields because the soldiers are too close. Civil society groups are attempting to provide food, shelter and medicine to Momauk, but refugees told RFA that the military is blocking them from doing so and confiscating the goods. Residents also complained that soldiers regularly plant landmines in area fields that kill essential cattle, but then demand compensation from farmers for destroying their weapons. A civil society worker who is assisting refugees in Momauk told RFA there are still not enough camps for those who have fled the fighting. Even monasteries that used to take in refugees are full, so many people lack shelter because there is no place for them to live, he said. We are now trying to find ways to set up a new camp in a convenient location with the help of U.N. agencies, but it is difficult because of the rising number of refugees. While the most intense fighting between the military and KIA has taken place in Momauk, clashes have also occurred in several other townships in Kachin state, including Laiza, Hpakant, Mohnyin, Mogaung, Tanaing, Bhamo, Putao, Mansi and Myitkyina. This handout photo from local media group Kachinwaves taken on May 18, 2021 and released on May 20, 2021 shows displaced people arriving at a Buddhist monastery in Bhamo district, Kachin state amid ongoing attacks by the military following clashes with the ethnic rebels. Kachinwaves/AFP Inter-ethnic conflicts In addition to clashes with the military regime, Myanmars myriad ethnic armies have continued to fight amongst themselves in the pursuit of new territory, further exacerbating the countrys refugee crisis. Clashes between the Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS) and the combined forces of the Shan State Progress Party/Shan State Army-North (SSPP/SSA-N) and Taang National Liberation Army (TNLA) broke out near Manli village in northern Shan states Namtu township in April. More than 2,000 residents of Namtus Panlong, Chaungsa and Manli villages, have since fled to the nearby town centers of Hsipaw and Namtu. Additionally, clashes between the SSPP/SSA-N and RCSS on May 19 prompted another 1,000 villagers to flee Hsipaws Wan Sein village, bring the total number of IDPs in the area to around 3,000. The SSPP/SSA-N and TNLA have called on the RCSS to withdraw their troops back to their home base in southern Shan state to ease fighting in the northern part of the region. Fighting between the RCSS and the TNLA intensified between 2015 and the end of 2017 in northern Shan state and in April 2018, the TNLA began joint operations with the SSPP/SSA-N in Namtu township. According to the SSPP/SSA-N, talks between the two Shan ethnic armies have yielded little progress. Reported by RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Ye K.M. Maung and Thane Aung. Written in English by Joshua Lipes. The army-installed election body wants to overhaul the voting system that delivered back-to-back defeats to its proxy party. Deposed leader Aung San Suu Kyis party and other groups in Myanmars pro-democracy camp are shunning a meeting on Friday of an election commission set up by the military junta that overthrew the government, with one party condemning the army regime for having rejected the democratic path chosen by the people. The coup led by military commander-in-chief Min Aung Hlaing that arrested Aung San Suu Kyi and ousted her National League for Democracy (NLD) government on Feb. 1, citing electoral fraud, said it would hold elections in a year. However, the junta has been widely rejected in the multi1ethnic country of 54 million people, drawing widespread street protests, teacher and doctor strikes, and armed resistance in several ethnic states in border areas. The army has killed more than 800 civilians in heavy-handed crackdowns on protesters. The militarys claims of electoral fraud in the November 2020 election that was swept by the NLD, never backed by evidence, were rejected Monday by an election monitoring group that confirmed the integrity of the vote. The State Administration Council, the formal name of the junta, has set up a new Union Election Commission (UEC) after disbanding the previous one, and is pushing ahead with a plan to change Myanmars electoral system to one that gives the army proxy party that has fared poorly in past elections a better shot. At a first meeting in the capital Naypyidaw on Feb. 26, the army-installed UEC called for replacing the current first-past-the-post voting system with one based on proportional representation, a proposal that was discussed after the 2010 and 2015 elections. The first meeting was attended by the military proxy Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) and 52 minor parties, but the NLD and 38 other parties stayed away. The USDP, made up of retired army officers, won the 2010 vote as a result of a boycott by the NLD, but lost badly in 2015 and fared even worse in 2020. The The USDP refused to accept the results of the 2020 elections in which it won only 71 parliamentary seats against 396 for the NLD in both houses of parliament. Its calls for a new election set the stage for the military takeover. First-past-the-post system In a report issued Monday, the Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL), an election monitoring group that observed the 2020 vote, dismissed the military's claims of fraud and voting irregularities, calling the polls were largely representative of the will of the Myanmar people. While ANFREL observers reported some inconsistencies in the implementation of polling procedures, the integrity of the vote was not found to be affected, the report said. The elections were not as free and fair as the 2015 vote on account of the COVID-19 pandemic, internet service shutdowns in Rakhine and Chin states, and the postponement of voting in constituencies in conflict zones, it said. A proportional representation system, which allots seats based on the percentage of votes received, is considered more favorable to smaller parties than first-past-the-post voting in which the winner takes all irrespective of vote share. The USDP, which might have fared better under proportional representation, and other pro-military or small political parties, say they will attend Fridays conference while the NLD, the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD), and other pro-democracy parties are skipping the gathering. The NLD and ethnic political parties that won seats in the last elections oppose a proportional representation system run under the 2008 constitution, written by a previous military junta that ruled the country, that appoints uniformed military officers to a quarter of the seats in the national, state, and regional parliaments. RFA was unable to reach NLD party members because most top officials and elected lawmakers are being detained by the military regime or they have fled to areas of the country controlled by ethnic armed groups. But several parties in the democratic camp were emphatic in rejecting the electoral meeting. The SNLDs policy is that we dont accept the military regime or any other authoritarian regimes. Thats why, we will not attend the UECs meeting, said party secretary Sai Kyaw Nyunt. He declined to comment on the SNLDs stance on proportional representation. The ethnic Lahu National Development Party declined mail and phone invitations to attend the UEC meeting, said chairwoman Aye Thidar Myint. They have rejected the democratic path chosen by the people, she said, referring to the military junta. Ours is one of the parties that won seats, she said. Other major parties also won the election by the peoples vote. Now the military has rejected these votes and is trying to change the political system. Its just not right. 88 Generation surprise The Arakan National Party, an ethnic Rakhine party that dominates Myanmars westernmost state, attended the first session, but will sit out the second one over security and transportation issues, said general secretary Tun Aung Kyaw. One outlier in the pro-democracy camp is the Peoples Party, led by former 88 Generation Student Group leaders from an abortive 1988 anti-military movement. We decided to attend this meeting under the collective agreement of party members, said party chairman Ko Ko Gyi, a democracy activist who spent more than 17 years in prison at different times between 1989 and 2012. We have opposed the military coup since the first day of the coup. We have never cooperated with the military council, Ko Ko Gyi said. But more than three months after the coup, the partys leaders began to rethink their position on dealing with the junta. Instead of sitting out and remaining silent, it is better to have a presence and have a voice, Ko Ko Gyi said. We decided to work on our political mission by expressing our beliefs to them in a face-to-face setting. Not everyone in the Peoples Party agreed with the decision. Ye Naing Aung, party co-founder and general secretary, resigned after officials decided to attend. Yangon-based political analyst Than Soe Naing said the parties that will show appear to condone the militarys plan to hold new elections in a year. Some groups didnt win anything in the election, he said. They may be trying to exploit the situation to their advantage by attending the meeting. Reported by RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Ye Kaung Myint Maung. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin. Millions of Vietnamese will go to the polls on Sunday to vote in elections discredited by the arrests of self-nominated candidates who had planned to run for seats in the National Assembly and Peoples Councils, hoping to shake up rule under the countrys Communist Party. More than 69 million people of Vietnams population of 98 million are eligible to vote in the general elections. Though the government has shown greater openness amid its shift from a centrally planned to a market economy in recent decades, the Communist Party still retains a tight grip on the rubber-stamp parliament and the media, and tolerates little opposition to its policies. In all, 868 candidates are contesting for nearly 500 seats in the legislature, including 74 non-Party candidates who had to pass muster with the Vietnamese Fatherland Front, a political coalition group aligned with the Communist Party that reviews candidates. Nine of those running are self-nominated, and six of them are members of the Vietnamese Communist Party, according to state media. There also are 6,201 candidates contesting for 3,727 seats in Peoples Councils at all levels, state media said. Female candidates account for 393, or over 45 percent, of the total number of candidates vying for assembly seats. The government has set a target of increasing the percentage of female deputies in the National Assembly to more than 35 percent by 2030. More than 130 Vietnamese women won legislative seats in the 2016 general elections, bringing the level of female deputies to nearly 27 percent. Dang Thi Anh Dao, a two-term Peoples Council representative in Can Tho City, said most women are held back from higher office because they hold lower-level positions in government agencies and organizations Our provincial experiences show that although many female candidates have better education background and expertise than their male competitors, they still fail in the elections [for the National Assembly and Peoples Councils at all levels] as their political positions are very low, she said during an online conference hosted by the United Nations Development Programme on Wednesday. If we want to have over 35 percent of the members of the National Assembly and Peoples Councils being women, we must set a similar target for women in leadership at government agencies she said. Vietnam is ranked at 87 out of 156 countries in the World Economic Forums Global Gender Gap Report 2021. Arrests of self-nominated candidates Authorities have arrested several self-nominated candidates in recent months, including Hanoi-based blogger Tran Quoc Khanh and Le Trong Hung, online broadcaster for CHTV, for disseminating anti-state materials, even though the central government has openly discussed an initiative to open doors wider for self-nominated candidates. Authorities also indicted Nguyen Thuy Hanh, a well-known activist who raised funds for the families of jailed prisoners of conscience, and Nguyen Tuong Thuy, an independent journalist and former RFA Vietnamese Service blogger, on the same charges. The two were self-nominated candidates in the 2016 National Assembly elections. In April, police detained ethnic Cham poet Nguyen Quoc Huy, who goes by the pen name Dong Chuong Tu, who advocates for assistance for the poor in his hometown Ma Lam and had expressed his hopes to represent fellow members of the ethnic Cham minority in the countrys National Assembly. He was released after four days of investigation. Independent National Assembly candidate Le Trong Hung was arrested on March 27 when he nominated himself as a candidate from Hanoi city, and was detained at the Hanoi Police Departments Detention Center No. 1. He was charged with creating, storing, disseminating information and materials against the state. Now, Hung can no longer receive items from his family, sparking concern that he may have gone on a hunger strike or fallen seriously ill, his wife Le Na told RFA on Tuesday, adding that when she went to the detention center to take her husband some supplies, a staffer told her to take a seat and wait. After about half an hour, the staff member came out and gave me a note saying that from now on, Mr. Hung will not receive any gifts or money deposits from his family, she said. The person said Hung wanted his wife to save the money to better care for their two children. But Le Na said she found the explanation to be unreasonable because Hung could have asked her to bring fewer items or to send only presents to him. Sending nothing means that from now on, we wont be able to see his signature when we go to the detention center, she added, referring to the receipts he must sign when receiving money or supplies. The signatures were an indication that Hung was still alive and healthy enough to sign. RFA was unable to reach detention center officials because no telephone numbers are publicly available and the national call center refused to provide the officials numbers or addresses. On Monday, Hanoi police investigation officer Phan Quoc Uy informed Le Na that it is up to the detention center to decide whether detainees can receive supplies and gifts from their family members, and that Hanoi security authorities do not allow detainees to see their families during investigation periods. The U.S. State Department said in a 2020 report on human rights practice in Vietnam that the 2016 National Assembly elections were not free and fair because of limited competition among Communist Party-vetted candidates and a lack of monitoring by NGOs. Communist Party candidates won 475 of the 496 seats in the 2016 elections, while the remaining 21 want to non-party members and independent candidates. Nearly 100 independent candidates had contested in the elections. Reported by RFAs Vietnamese Service. Translated by Anna Vu. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin. The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has found Azerbaijani authorities guilty of torturing blogger Aleksandr Lapshin and trying to kill him in a Baku prison. The court said in the unanimous ruling, published on May 20, that Baku must pay compensation of 30,000 euros ($36,500) to Lapshin, who was detained in Belarus in 2016 and extradited to Azerbaijan, where he was charged with illegally visiting Nagorno-Karabakh -- a breakaway region in Azerbaijan that was controlled by ethnic Armenian separatists. Lapshin, a travel blogger and journalist who holds Russian, Ukrainian, and Israeli passports, has maintained his innocence, saying his visit to the breakaway region did not have any political motives and he considers Nagorno-Karabakh to be Azerbaijani territory. He was sentenced to three years in prison in July 2017. In September 2017 Lapshin said he was attacked while in solitary confinement and almost killed. Officials said it was a suicide attempt and three days later President Ilham Aliyev granted Lapshin a pardon. Lapshin spent three days in the intensive care unit of a Baku hospital before he was deported to Israel, where he made a statement to the press rejecting the Azerbaijani claims. Medical examinations conducted in Israel confirmed the bloggers version that someone had tried to murder him. Independent experts in Russia and the Netherlands also confirmed the assassination version, which became the basis for filing a complaint against Azerbaijan at the ECHR. The court found that "the respondent State had failed to satisfy the burden of proof resting on it to provide a satisfactory and convincing explanation as regards the incident which had put the applicants life in danger." It added that "medical and other evidence available clearly showed that the applicants life had been in serious and imminent jeopardy and that his survival had been down to prompt medical intervention," adding that Azerbaijani authorities failed to adequately investigate the incident. Journalist Artsyom Mayorau has been sentenced to 15 days in jail for "petty hooliganism" after he reported on a police raid at the popular news site Tut.by. Mayorau, who works for the Belarusians And The Market newspaper, was sentenced by the Moskovsky District Court in Minsk on May 21. A police report said that a policeman allegedly approached Mayorau to have a "preventive conversation" with the journalist, when he "started swearing and waving his arms." Belarusian authorities have launched a severe crackdown on independent journalists in the country as they look to silence reporters from covering a wave of dissent sparked by a disputed presidential election last August that handed authoritarian ruler Alyaksandr Lukashenka his sixth consecutive term in power. Mayorau was reporting when financial police launched a probe into Tut.by, the country's largest independent online media outlet, and raided its offices and the homes of some of its staff saying it violated media laws by publishing content on behalf of BYSOL, a foundation that helps victims of political repression but lacks proper state registration. Fourteen Tut.by staff members and workers from companies affiliated with the site remain in custody following the raids. The widow of Tut.by founder Yury Zisser, Yuliya Charnyauskaya, has been put under house arrest. The United States, human rights groups, and media freedom watchdogs have denounced the move against Tut.by. Calling the case against Tut.by a new attempt to silence the most well-known independent media in Belarus, Christophe Deloire, executive director of Reporters Without Borders (RSF), has urged the United Nations and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe to ensure respect for the right to the freedom to inform" in the country. Tens of thousands of people in Belarus have been swept up in the crackdown. Protesters say the election was rigged in favor of Lukashenka, who has ruled Belarus since 1994. Dozens of reporters have been temporarily detained or jailed over the ensuing nine months. Following the presidential election, "dozens of sociopolitical and media sites were blocked in Belarus, and a number of print outlets were forced to stop publishing," according to the Belarusian Association of Journalists. As of May 18, 16 journalists and other media workers were behind bars, it said. Lukashenka has insisted he won the August 9, 2020 election and has refused to negotiate with the opposition. Opposition leader Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who insists she won the vote, says she was forced to leave Belarus for Lithuania a day after the election amid threats to herself and her family. To provide a mere statistic regarding the number of people who have been injured or killed would take away from the basic fact that every life lost is important and each of the Palestinian families who grieve must be taken seriously. by Vijay Prashad and Arwa Abu Hashhash No one can ignore the events in Palestine. No one disputes the horror of it all. Images of the Israeli bombing of Gaza and the human toll exacted against the Palestinians who live in Gaza have saturated social media and have increasingly drawn attention to the violence by the Israeli state and Zionist settlers against Palestinians in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) and inside Israels de facto border. All of it is ugly. To provide a mere statistic regarding the number of people who have been injured or killed would take away from the basic fact that every life lost is important and each of the Palestinian families who grieve must be taken seriously. But this is not just a story about loss. It is also a story of resistance. Despite the horrid occupation, the author of this calamity, Palestinians have not surrendered. They know that for them, liberation is irresistible. Massacres in Gaza Imagine waking up one day and finding out that your entire family has been wiped out. This horrific nightmare was experienced by Mohammed Abu Haddab and Muhammed Al-Hadidibrothers-in-lawwho lost their wives and children during a bombing when they were gathered together at home on May 15 to celebrate Eid al-Fitr (the holiday at the end of Ramadan). Only Hadidis infant son survived the attack. Israeli warplanes struck the three-story building in the Al-Shati refugee camp where the two women and their eight children were sleeping. Standing outside Al-Shifa Hospital, in Gaza City, Muhammad Al-Hadidi said that the children were safe at home, unarmed, without rockets. They were still wearing their clothes to celebrate Eid when their lives were taken from them during the Israeli bombings. That same day, just north of Al-Shifa Hospital, Israeli warplanes struck several homes on Al-Wehda Street in Al-Rimal. The bombs killed 13 members of the Al-Kulk family, who were between ages 1 and 85. When the bodies arrived in Al-Shifa Hospital, emergency medic Fahad Al-Haddad said that an examination of the bodies revealed that they were alive when their building collapsed on them, and the rubble that fell on them killed them eventually. These bombs that killed several members of the Al-Kulk family also landed on the home of Dr. Mouin Ahmad Al-Aloul, Gazas chief neurologist; he was killed along with his wife and five sons. The other lives the bombing claimed were those of Dr. Ayman Abu Al-Ouf, the head of the coronavirus team at Al-Shifa Hospital, and Rajaa Abu Al-Ouf, a psychologist at the Hayat Center for the Protection and Empowerment of Women and Families. This one incident not only killed the three doctors, who lived on that same street, but also ended the lives of 11 other members of their familyfrom 82-year-old Majdiya to nine-year-old Mir. On the morning of May 16, 34 people were killed when the Israelis bombed three buildings again in Al-Rimal. Among them were 21 members of one family, which included 90-year-old Amin Muhammed Al-Qoalaq and six-month-old Qusai Sameh Fawaz Al-Qoalaq. In a flash, another family was wiped out entirely because of the senseless bombings. Apartheid These stories can be multiplied many times over. The depth of suffering and sadness rarely makes it into the news reports in the West that focus obsessively on the rockets fired from Gaza. The bombardment of Gaza, which has been going on punctually since 2006, is only one part of this assault on the Palestinians. The core issuethe evictions in Sheikh Jarrah, Jerusalemare rooted in Israels policy to remove Palestinians from the region west of the Jordan River and claim the entire land for a Jewish state. It is that policy, over decades, which has made life for Palestinians inside the OPT virtually unlivable, and it has institutionalized the second-class status of Palestinians inside Israel. This would explain the telling title of an April 27 report published by Human Rights Watch, A Threshold Crossed: Israeli Authorities and the Crimes of Apartheid and Persecution. The violence against Gaza is mirrored in the violence by the Israeli state authorities and Zionist settlers in the OPT. It was hideous to watch a video of the killing of 25-year-old Ismail Tobasi in the village of Al-Riheieh, near Hebron. Tobasi was trying to stop Zionist settlers from setting an old olive grove on fire; this method of destruction of the olive groves is used to demoralize and uproot Palestinian families from their livelihood and their lives. The settlers shot Tobasi in the head, then as he lay dying, they stabbed him with knives. Israeli soldiers stood by watching the atrocity and did nothing. Protests are a regular feature in the West Bank. One of the authors of this article, Arwa, has been to several protests in the past few days, one of which lasted for seven hours. These protests often take place at checkpoints, which are a site of existential humiliation for Palestinians. Every day, Palestinian workers must line up and face the outrageous behavior of the Israeli soldiers who appear to relish trying to intimidate Palestinians of all ages. In the case of one protest at a checkpoint, the Israeli army fired live rounds at young people who had nothing else in their hands other than stones. An Israeli army drone dropped tear gas on the crowd, while the live firing injured 10 people. Impunity and Resistance On May 10, a Zionist settler killed 31-year-old Moussa Hassouna. Moussa was shot in the streets of Lydd during a protest against the attempted annexation of Jerusalem. The video images of the incident that are available show several settlers involved in the crime. Four of them were arrested, but three days later, the Israeli courts released them. In 2015, Israels parliament passed a law that imposes a 20-year sentence on anyone who throws rocks during a protest. Meanwhile, use of live fire by Israeli troops against Palestinian rock throwers has become commonplace. Erosion of basic democratic norms and the discriminatory character of these lawsthat permit Israelis to kill and shoot Palestinians who protestis considered normal in Israel. Absence of any prosecution of violence by Israeli settlers and by Israeli soldiers merely strengthens the resolve of the Zionist settlers and the soldiers to ignore the human rights violations of the Palestinians. One key area of routine illegality is the Israeli state and settler practice of destroying homes in the OPT. Any destruction by the Occupying Power of real or personal property belonging individually or collectively to private persons is prohibited, says Article 53 of the Geneva Convention (IV), 1949. Yet, Israel has a policy of administrative and punitive demolition for the West Bank and East Jerusalem and a policy of aerial bombardment for Gaza which is totally against international law. In March 2021, the International Criminal Courts prosecutor Fatou Bensouda opened an investigation into the situation in Palestinethe U.S. pressure on her to back off from these investigations has been immense. Palestinians have long been told that if the Israelis, backed by the U.S. government, are able to make life unlivable, then in a few more decades the memory of Palestine and the desire for Palestine will die out. But this is not the case. Looking at the young men and women who have been turning out for the protests, it is clear that a fourth generation, after the Nakba (Catastrophe) of 1948, have taken to the streets. They know that their existence is threatened by their failure to resist. This article was produced by Globetrotter. Vijay Prashad is an Indian historian, editor and journalist. He is a writing fellow and chief correspondent at Globetrotter. He is the chief editor of LeftWord Books and the director of Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research. He is a senior non-resident fellow at Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies, Renmin University of China. He has written more than 20 books, including The Darker Nations and The Poorer Nations. His latest book is Washington Bullets, with an introduction by Evo Morales Ayma. Arwa Abu Hashhash is a Palestinian researcher and a member of the Palestinian Peoples Party. For eight years, she worked for the Palestine Economic Policy Research Institute (MAS), which is based in Ramallah, Palestine. She is the assistant editor of the International and is on the editorial board of the Future of Internationalism. The local administration of Srebrenica is due to discuss a proposal to name the Bosnian town's main thoroughfare after Austrian writer Peter Handke, a Nobel Prize winner and an apologist for Serbian war crimes. Srebrenica, located in Republika Srpska, the Serbian entity of Bosnia-Herzegovina, was the site of the July 1995 massacre of more than 8,000 Muslim men and boys by Bosnian Serb forces -- the worst atrocity committed in Europe since World War II that was ruled as an act of genocide by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY). The proposal, to be discussed on May 24,was put forward by a so-called citizens' association called the Eastern Alternative of Republika Srpska. The street currently bears the name of Marshal Josip Broz Tito, the longtime leader of communist Yugoslavia. The president of the association, Vojin Pavlovic, told RFE/RL that "it is absurd for the Marshal Tito Street to exist in Srebrenica nowadays, while a Nobel laureate cannot have his own street." "Peter Handke is a man who is a great friend of the Serbian people first, and secondly, a great fighter for the truth," Pavlovic told RFE/RL. Handke, a controversial choice for the 2019 Nobel Prize for Literature, has long been known as a supporter of the late Serbian strongman Slobodan Milosevic's policies in the 1990s. He was criticized by the international community for his support for Serbia during the break-up of the former Yugoslavia, visits to Milosevic in the Hague tribunal's detention unit, and attendance at his funeral. Bosnia, Albania, Croatia, North Macedonia, Kosovo, and Turkey boycotted the Nobel Prize award ceremony in 2019. Protests were also held in Sweden on the day the awards were presented in Stockholm. Handke, 78, who is considered to be one of the most original German-language writers alive, has argued that Serbs were unfairly portrayed by the Western press as the only aggressors in the conflict. Pavlovic said that, even if the proposal is rejected by the Srebrenica Municipal Assembly, his association intends to place street signs with Handke's name on the thoroughfare and adorn it with posters and other symbols. He said he will personally finance the initiative. So far, 94 mass graves have been exhumed in Srebrenica and the surrounding municipalities, and the remains of more than 6,900 victims killed by Republika Srpska Army forces have been identified. SOFIA/SKOPJE -- Bulgaria says it does not plan to lift its veto on long-delayed accession talks between North Macedonia and the European Union over a language and history dispute with its neighbor. No change in Bulgaria's national position regarding the Republic of North Macedonia can be expected," caretaker Bulgarian Foreign Minister Svetlan Stoev said after meeting with visiting EU officials in Sofia on May 21. Bulgarian President Rumen Radev said that EU enlargement in the Balkans must be based on achieving sustainable results in building good neighborly relations. "That is why we want to see not declarations, but clear guarantees for our national security and for our national interests," Radevs office quoted him as saying. In November 2020, Bulgaria blocked the start of EU accession talks with North Macedonia by refusing to approve the so-called negotiation framework with Skopje. Unanimity is required from all EU member for the adoption of the negotiating framework. Any new developments on the issue before Bulgaria holds snap parliamentary elections on July 11 appear unlikely. European Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement Oliver Varhelyi and Portuguese Foreign Minister Augusto Santos Silva, whose country holds the EU's rotating presidency, also visited North Macedonia after their talks in Sofia. North Macedonia Prime Minister Zoran Zaev said the two EU officials presented a proposal which he said provided a good basis for resolving his countrys dispute with Bulgaria. This draft solution does not touch or encroach our Macedonian identity issues, Zaev said, without revealing any details of the proposal. Bulgaria, which joined the EU in 2007, wants Skopje to acknowledge that both its identity and language have Bulgarian roots. Skopje has long insisted Macedonian is a distinct South Slavic language that forms part of the country's culture and national identity, while Sofia says Macedonian is a regional dialect of Bulgarian. A joint commission of historians was established to resolve the standoff but has failed to find common ground. With reporting by AP SOFIA -- Bulgaria is investigating claims that opposition politicians were wiretapped under the government of former Prime Minister Boyko Borisov ahead of last months general elections. Borisov's center-right GERB party, which has ruled the country for almost a decade, came in first in the April 4 elections with 26 percent of the vote. New elections are scheduled for July 11 after three failed attempts by the countrys main parties to form a government. Atanas Atanasov, an opposition politician and the former chief of the counterintelligence services, claimed on May 20 that 32 opposition politicians were wiretapped ahead of the elections. He said the politicians included his own liberal, Western-leaning grouping Democratic Bulgaria and others who participated in nationwide anti-corruption protests last year. The current caretaker prime minister, Stefan Yanev, a critic of Borisov, was among them, Atanasov said. Sofia prosecutors said in a statement on May 21 that they were looking to establish if there had been "any irregularities in the use of special surveillance devices." Caretaker Interior Minister Boyko Rashkov said he was alerted that "the state agency for national security is currently destroying documents" allegedly related to the wiretapping. With reporting by AFP The Memorial Human Rights Center says it has recognized four Crimean Tatars being tried for their alleged association with a banned Islamic group as political prisoners. The Moscow-based group said the four are being illegally persecuted for political reasons after being arrested "in connection with their non-violent exercising of their rights to freedom of religion and association" "The Memorial Human Rights Center, according to international criteria , considers Seytumer Shukrievich Seytumerov, Osman Seytumerov, Amet Suleimanov and Rustem Seytmemetov political prisoners, and Seytumer Veliyevich Seytumerov -- illegally persecuted for political reasons," the group said in a statement released on May 20. "Memorial calls for an immediate end to the prosecution of all those involved in this case and the release of those who are unreasonably detained," it added. The four were arrested on March 11, 2020, at their homes in Crimea. They were charged with creating a cell of Hizb ut-Tahrir, an Islamic group that is banned in Russia, but is legal in Ukraine. "The persecuted Muslims were only guilty of the fact that, according to the investigation, they were members of a public religious association," Memorial said. "They are not charged with preparing terrorist attacks or voicing terrorist threats," it added. Russia took control of Crimea from Ukraine in March 2014 after sending in troops, seizing key facilities, and staging a referendum dismissed as illegal by at least 100 countries. Moscow also backs separatists in a war against government forces that has killed some 13,200 people in eastern Ukraine since April 2014. Moscows takeover of the peninsula was vocally opposed by many Crimean Tatars, who are a sizable minority in the region. Exiled from their homeland to Central Asia by the Soviet authorities under dictator Josef Stalin during World War II, many Crimean Tatars are very wary of Russia and Moscow's rule. Rights groups and Western governments have denounced what they describe as a campaign of repression by the Moscow-imposed authorities in Crimea who are targeting members of the Turkic-speaking Crimean Tatar community and others who have spoken out against Russia's takeover of the peninsula. The European Parliament has voted to stop a massive investment deal with China -- a move following tit-for-tat sanctions and a prolonged dispute over Beijing's treatment of its Uyghur and Muslim population in Xinjiang Province. In order for the investment deal to come into effect, it must be ratified by the European Parliament. But under a resolution passed on May 20, European lawmakers have demanded that "China lift the sanctions before parliament can deal with the Comprehensive Agreement on Investment (CAI)." The motion to freeze the deal was overwhelmingly passed by a vote of 599-30, with 58 abstentions. Some legislators signaled that they won't support the agreement even if China lifts its sanctions, which were imposed in March against five members of the European Parliament and various institutions. The vote is a blow to hopes that the European Union-China deal -- championed by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and hammered out through seven years of negotiations -- could be ratified in the coming months. Instead, the outcome is another sign of deteriorating relations between the EU and China. The 27-nation bloc is now struggling to balance between growing concerns about human rights in China and its desire to gain deeper access to China's lucrative market. Brussels also is searching for its place amid an intensifying global rivalry between Beijing and Washington. "Those observing EU-China relations knew that it was questionable whether the European Parliament would approve the agreement," Vuk Vuksanovic, a researcher at the Belgrade Center for Security Policy and a former Serbian diplomat, told RFE/RL. "The real lesson from this situation is that the EU still has not devised a policy to deal with the rise of China and the world of a growing Sino-American rivalry." The decision to freeze the deal also comes as China is more intertwined with domestic European politics, with countries like the Czech Republic, Germany, and Hungary all facing elections that could usher in new governments and a harsher line toward Beijing. "China-related issues [have] become major political topics in many [Central and Eastern European] countries, and may have an impact on coming elections in the Czech Republic [in September], or in Hungary [in 2022]," says Tamas Matura, an assistant professor at Corvinus University in Budapest. Deal On Ice The investment agreement signed in December 2020 was controversial from the beginning. The pact aimed to offer European companies access to Chinese markets by loosening some of Beijing's notoriously strict rules for foreign firms and facilitate Chinese investment in Europe. But as soon as final talks wrapped up between Chinese President Xi Jinping, French President Emmanuel Macron, Merkel, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, the deal faced immediate pushback from the bloc's China critics, who urged Brussels to prioritize human rights in its relations with Beijing. Then, on March 22, the EU imposed sanctions against Beijing for its treatment of Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities in Xinjiang -- where China is accused of running an internment-camp system. Those sanctions were the first imposed by Europe over China's human rights record since the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre. Beijing denies it is running internment camps. It immediately announced countersanctions against members of the European Parliament, as well as members of national parliaments, EU committees, and several European researchers who focus on China. Since then, the agreement has remained on ice -- with European lawmakers holding up ratification as criticism about the deal has grown louder. "CAI is not beneficial for European geopolitical interests," Jakub Janda, director of the Prague-based European Values for Security Policy, told RFE/RL. Ripple Effects The resolution on freezing the investment deal comes as many member states -- and the EU as a whole -- begin to adjust their policies toward China. In a move largely aimed at China, the European Commission proposed rules on May 5 to restrain companies that benefit from foreign subsidies to buy EU businesses or take part in public tenders. The bloc signed a deal with India on May 8 to increase cooperation on funding infrastructure. It is also engaged in discussions with the United States ahead of a G7 summit in June about how to form an alternative to Beijing's massive infrastructure project, the Belt and Road Initiative. Analysts say the decision to freeze the deal could also embolden China critics and lead to potential policy changes for several European countries, both in and outside the EU. Germany, Europe's largest economy, will hold federal elections in September as Merkel will step down after serving as chancellor for 16 years. Under Merkel, Germany has mostly taken a middle path in its policy toward Beijing. It has spoken up about human rights violations and democratic ideals, while also pushing for greater access to Chinese markets. Forecasts suggest a coalition between Annalena Baerbock's Greens and Armin Laschet's Christian Democratic Union is the most likely outcome. The latest polls, however, show Baerbock, who has criticized China during her campaign and slammed Merkel's approach, in the lead to become chancellor. That signals a potential shift on foreign policy that could ripple out across the bloc. In Hungary, where Prime Minister Viktor Orban maintains close relations with Beijing, the construction of a controversial Chinese university has become a growing political issue in Budapest. At issue is the use of public funds by Orban's government and land previously allotted for affordable student housing. One of the most vocal critics of the project is Budapest Mayor Gergely Karacsony. He is running as an opposition candidate who is trying to unseat Orban in Hungary's 2022 parliamentary elections. The Czech Republic has elections in October. A coalition with the major opposition blocs, who are outspoken China critics, is gaining ground against Prime Minister Andrej Babis's government. "It could be one of the most hawkish ones on China in Europe," Janda says. The decision to hold up the agreement could also have ramifications in the Balkans, especially in Serbia -- China's main partner in the region. According to Vuksanovic, the move will be noticed across the region and the decision could make Belgrade's balancing act between China and the EU more difficult. "[Belgrade] will not be able to hide behind the EU-China deal as a justification for its own collaboration projects with Beijing," Vuksanovic says. "However, Serbia will not terminate its partnership with China. It will pursue its [existing] course as long as the risks are not too high." Hungary will lift most remaining COVID-19 restrictions, including a night-time curfew, as soon as the number of those vaccinated reaches 5 million this weekend, Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on May 21. In his weekly interview with state radio, Orban said masks would no longer need to be worn in public, and gatherings of up to 500 people could be held in the open air. Events in closed spaces will be open to those with vaccination cards, he said. "This means we have defeated the third wave of the pandemic," Orban said, adding that the time has come to say "goodbye to masks" in public places. Hungary is the only EU member state that has given the green light to Russian and Chinese vaccines in large quantities before the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has examined or approved them. Hungary now has one of the EU's highest inoculation rates, with 50 percent of its population of around 10 million having already been given at least one shot. According to a deal reached yesterday, citizens of the EU's 27 countries will be able travel within the bloc once they get a digital health pass displaying their vaccination status, results of COVID-19 tests, or whether they have recovered from a coronavirus infection. However, it remains unclear if Hungarians inoculated with the Russian and Chinese vaccines will enjoy the same travel facilities as the rest of the EU citizens who got the EMA-approved jabs. On May 20, Hungary opted out of a new agreement the EU has signed with Pfizer and BioNTech for the supply of up to 1.8 billion doses of their COVID-19 vaccine -- the only member of the bloc to do so. With reporting by Reuters and AFP Why do protesters put their lives in danger and use hunger strikes as a form of protest? What happens to the human body when it doesn't have enough nutrients for such a long period of time? And what sparked the first major hunger strike believed to have been held in Russia? And in 2018, prominent Ukrainian film director Oleh Sentsov didn't eat for 145 days, calling for the release of Ukrainian political prisoners held in Russia. In 2019, another opposition activist, Lyubov Sobol, went on a hunger strike for 32 days to protest the exclusion of her and other activists from running in local elections in Moscow. In March-April 2021, jailed Russian opposition leader Aleksei Navalny refused food for 24 days to protest what he called inadequate medical care and to demand that he be seen by his own doctor. What Is A Hunger Strike? A hunger strike is a method of protest during which food is refused. It is mostly used by those who have no other form of protest available -- usually prisoners. Such an action is often aimed at protesting prison conditions, achieving a policy change, or bringing attention to a certain case or cause. By refusing food (or food and fluids, in the case of what's called a dry hunger strike), protesters put their lives in danger, risking permanent damage to their health and, eventually, death. What Does A Hunger Strike Do To The Human Body? Long-term refusal of food affects most organs and systems in the human body. Such behavior causes muscle weakness, vulnerability to infections, psychological problems, and, eventually, organ failure. It is estimated that if a protester is healthy before going on a hunger strike, and continues to receive fluids, he or she is at risk of dying from malnutrition after six to eight weeks. However, a protester can die much sooner -- after three weeks if they're seriously ill. If refusing fluids, too, death can come after one week. While the loss of muscle mass may be significant, a person usually dies because of an infection or organ failure. Systems In The Human Body That May Be Affected (During a hunger strike) While people can survive up to several weeks without food under certain conditions, physical and mental impairment can begin within two to three days. Due to a lack of carbohydrates, the body switches to its fat and protein reserves and starts using them as its main source of energy. This leads to fat and muscle loss as well as changes in the body's processes. Levels of electrolytes also drop significantly, which can lead to impairment of various bodily functions. After two weeks, a person can experience dizziness, weakness, loss of coordination, and a low heart rate. Within the next week, he or she may suffer from vision loss or other neurological problems. After one month or after losing more than 18 percent body weight, there may be permanent damage to the body. The person may experience difficulty swallowing, vertigo, hearing and vision loss, and possible organ failure. After 45 days, there is a high risk of death, mostly due to infection or cardiovascular collapse. Hunger Strike Symptoms By Day (Compared to the length of some hunger strikes occurring in Russia) Even after a protester decides to end a hunger strike, there is the potential risk of "refeeding syndrome." This syndrome occurs as a result of shifts in fluids and electrolytes, meaning that giving too much food or fluids too quickly may be dangerous and potentially fatal. It may include liver dysfunction, heart arrhythmia, and pulmonary, neurological, or other symptoms. Therefore, the U.K.'s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence suggests that trained health-care professionals make sure that nutrients are cautiously and gradually introduced to anyone who has refused food for five days or more. Refeeding Syndrome Signs (Examples of symptoms) How Do Officials React To Hunger Strikes? A hunger strike is a special type of protest in which participants are prepared to harm themselves to achieve a goal. Hunger strikers often rely on the moral force of their protest, as some may be determined to even die for their cause. This type of action might also bring a certain amount of publicity to their case and help them succeed. There are several reasons why authorities usually don't want a hunger striker to die. For example, it is generally expected that a responsible society will not allow a preventable death, so authorities might face consequences from the public or censure by foreign institutions. In addition, they may fear that, if they let a protester die, he or she could become a martyr for that cause. That is why officials sometimes forcibly feed hunger strikers -- or threaten to do so. Force-feeding is done against someone's will, usually by inserting a plastic tube through the hunger striker's nose into the stomach. While the goal might be to keep the protester alive, force-feeding is considered to be cruel, inhumane, and degrading treatment. It is also extremely painful and can cause serious bleeding or other complications. A Modern History Of Hunger Strikes It is believed that one of the first major hunger strikes in modern history occurred at the end of the 19th century in Russia. According to a study written by Kevin Grant, a professor of history at Hamilton College in New York, one of these hunger strikes was recorded in 1878, when political prisoners held in the Peter and Paul Fortress in St. Petersburg refused food to protest against inhumane prison conditions. In the following years, there were also several hunger strikes by female political prisoners in Siberia, which were "remarkable given the relatively small number of female political prisoners sent" there. One of these strikes started in solidarity with a prisoner, Yelizaveta Kovalskaya, who had been violently transferred after she had allegedly insulted a visiting official. The episode, which resulted in several deaths (some of the prisoners ended their hunger strikes to eat poison) became known as the "Kara tragedy" and the prison was closed soon after. Yelizaveta Kovalskaya This so-called "Russian method" of protest, as it was described by several media outlets at the time, was later used by British suffragettes, with the first one being held by Marion Wallace Dunlop in 1909. Due to fears that she might die in prison and thus give the movement more sympathy among the public, she was released after 91 hours. Other suffragettes followed her example. Many were released from prison, but others were forcibly fed. The next decades would witness many other hunger strikers around the world. India's Mahatma Gandhi staged several hunger strikes to protest British rule, the longest said to have been 21 days. Bobby Sands, a member of the Irish Republican Army (IRA), starved himself to death in 1981 after 66 days on hunger strike while demanding to be treated as a political prisoner, not as a criminal. Soviet dissident Anatoly Marchenko went on several hunger strikes and died in prison in 1986, most likely from complications of a hunger strike. Indian activist Irom Sharmila ended her hunger strike in 2016 after refusing food for 16 years -- arguably the longest such fast in the world. The government had force-fed her through a nasal drip for more than 10 years. Notable Hunger Strikes Examples Of Recent Hunger Strikes In Russia Maria Alyokhina, a jailed member of the Russian performance-art punk band Pussy Riot, started a hunger strike because she was not allowed to attend her own parole hearing. She later said that, in an attempt to turn other prisoners against her, prison officials locked inmates in their rooms and restricted their movement. She ended her protest 11 days later after these restrictions were lifted. Another member of the group, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, started a hunger strike in September 2013 to protest against prison conditions. She was forced to end the fast after nine days due to her health. She was later moved to a different prison. Ukrainian military pilot Nadia Savchenko said she was captured by Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine and smuggled into Russia in 2014. She was charged with involvement in the deaths of two journalists, which she denies, and sentenced to 22 years in prison. She launched several hunger strikes, including one that was 83 days long. On April 6, 2016, she started a "dry" hunger strike, refusing both food and fluids. She was eventually swapped for two Russian prisoners in May 2016 after serving two years of her sentence. Ukrainian filmmaker Oleh Sentsov, arrested in Crimea in 2014 after Russia's forcible annexation, started a hunger strike on May 14, 2018. He demanded the release of all Ukrainian political prisoners being held in Russia. Under the threat of force-feeding, he agreed to take oral nutritional supplements about two months later, according to his lawyer. Facing permanent damage to his health and the prospect of being force-fed, he ended the hunger strike on October 6, 2018. He served five years of a 20-year sentence before being released in a prisoner swap between Kyiv and Russia-backed separatists. Russian opposition activist Lyubov Sobol launched a hunger strike in July 2019 after she was barred from running in an election for Moscow's city legislature. She ended her monthlong protest due to concerns over the health of one of her aides who had joined the hunger strike in solidarity. Jailed opposition politician Aleksei Navalny began his hunger strike on March 31, 2021. He was protesting his medical treatment after his personal doctors were not allowed to examine him when he complained of pain in his legs and back. He ended the hunger strike 24 days later after his doctors warned him that he was at risk of suffering cardiac arrest. NUR-SULTAN -- Builders working in the Kazakh capital, Nur-Sultan, say they have formed an independent labor union, the first to do so since the country last year amended its organized labor law to streamline the union-registration process. The union, called Umit, said it received documentation confirming if was officially registered with the city's Department of Justice on May 20. The head of the union, crane operator Kairat Aidar, said the move was prompted by the failure of crane operators in several cities to receive a wage increase given the inherent danger of the work. "When the crane workers raised the issue of their salaries, we sought help from many unions. But they couldn't solve the problem," he said. "So we decided to create a trade union that would protect the rights of all workers in the construction industry. We work within the law, and we require employers to comply with labor law," he added. Last year, workers across Kazakhstan protested over poor working conditions and low wages in the oil-rich country. The government approved reforms in May 2020 that made the registration process more straightforward and lifted a mandatory affiliation requirement that was seen as a major obstacle for creating unions. Still, rights activists and labor leaders say the government has steadily increased pressure on unions since a series of deadly protests staged by oil workers in western Kazakhstan in 2011. They note that early this year the right of workers to organize and carry out their activities without government interference was dealt a blow when the Specialized Interdistrict Economic Court in Shymkent suspended the independent Industrial Trade Union of Fuel and Energy Workers for six months for allegedly failing to register in accordance with the union law. Human Rights Watch has said that claims the union violated registration provisions in the trade union law were "unsubstantiated or based on legal provisions that either no longer exist or do not apply." "The improvements to the trade union law are nothing but lip service if Kazakh authorities are still trying to paralyze independent trade unions in practice," the rights watchdog's senior Central Asia researcher, Mihra Rittmann, said after the court ruled on February 5. Russia's lower house of parliament is planning to tighten a bill ahead of its second reading to ban supporters and members of "extremist" organizations from being elected to any post. The draft law that first passed in the State Duma on May 18 barred individuals involved in the activities of an organization that has been recognized by a court as extremist or terrorist from running in elections for the lower house for up to five years. The measure appears aimed at neutralizing the foundation of jailed opposition politician Aleksei Navalny that Russian authorities are seeking to have declared extremist ahead of parliamentary elections in September. His Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK) has already been declared a foreign agent, a punitive designation under a separate law. FBK wrote on Twitter that "the law prohibiting everyone who is against Putin from being elected has yet to be adopted, but it is already being 'improved.'" In its current form, the bill provides for the restriction to apply retroactively, meaning that it would also target individuals who joined organizations before they were declared as extremist or terrorist. The second reading of the proposed law is scheduled for May 25, with its authors expecting that it will come into force before the September elections. Well, the main secret of our time has been revealed: why [President Vladimir] Putin never pronounced the name 'Navalny!' Because everyone who has said it at least once will not be allowed to participate in the elections, a close Navalny associate, Leonid Volkov, tweeted. Vladimir Putins regime aims to fully purge vocal critics from the civic space, said Natalia Zviagina, the Moscow director for Amnesty International, after lawmakers gave preliminary backing to the draft legislation. The main target of this latest particularly brazen attack is the movement led by Aleksei Navalny. Having unjustly imprisoned its archfoe, the Kremlin is now targeting all those who had the nerve to support him, Zviagina said. The ruling United Russia party is facing polls showing its support at some of the lowest levels ever. A group of Russian lawmakers has introduced a bill to parliament that would require foreign IT companies to set up local units or face penalties, including a possible ban, as Moscow continues to tighten its control over the flow of information on the Internet. The bill, presented to parliament on May 21, comes as the Internet rapidly gains clout in Russia, offering a vehicle to challenge the Kremlin narrative and prompting President Vladimir Putin to turn his sights on social-media companies. In 2019, Russia passed a "sovereign Internet" law that gives officials wide-ranging powers to restrict online traffic, up to the point of isolating the country from cross-border Internet connections during national emergencies. Aleksandr Khinshtein, the head of the State Duma Committee on Information Policy and one of the authors of the bill, said the legislation is primarily about the cross-border transfer of personal data. The legislation obliges foreign IT companies with a daily traffic count in Russia of 500,000 or more to establish full-fledged branches that would take responsibility for violations of Russian law and interact with government agencies. If the foreign entity refuses to comply, they would face penalties including a ban on advertising their services, a ban on collecting payments, or partial or full blockage of their services in the country, Khinshtein said. Lawmaker Anton Gorelkin, who is a member of the information policy committee, said in a post on Telegram that he expected the legislation would make tech giants more attentive to Russian demands. "With the emergence of the necessary regulatory framework, interaction should improve," Gorelkin wrote. Moscow has repeatedly warned that it is ready to use the "sovereign Internet" law if unrest were to reach a serious scale. In January and early February, a series of massive anti-government rallies actively promoted on platforms such as Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok, the Chinese video app that played an outsize role in hosting content by opposition politician Aleksei Navalny and his supporters, ushered in an intensified push to fine-tune what appears online in Russia. Russia has been punitively impeding the speed of Twitter since March and has warned other tech platforms, including YouTube, over failing to delete content it deems illegal. With reporting by TASS and AFP May 21 marks the 30th anniversary of the grotesque killing of the former Prime Minister, who was believed to be on a comeback trail to power. In retrospect, everyone is wise. One will, however, be never sure what destiny would have had in store for Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) chief Velupillai Prabhakaran had he not ordered the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. May 21, 2021, will mark the 30th anniversary of a well-planned and well-executed grotesque killing that snuffed out the life of an Indian leader believed to be on a comeback trail to power. Though the LTTE and Prabhakaran kept denying its role in the suicide bombing, the killing sealed his fate. It was Dharmalingam Siddharthan, a former Sri Lankan Tamil MP, who was among the first to realise the heavy cost Prabhakaran would pay for the killing. Ezharai Sani [a bad phase of life, according to astrology] will go away for everyone after seven-and-a-half years, Siddharthan told me a long ago. I can say without hesitation that Ezharai Sani gripped Prabhakaran on May 21, 1991, and it will not leave him until he dies. Looking back, Siddharthan turned out to be on the dot. None of this would have been evident to the LTTE chief when he, along with his intelligence boss Pottu Amman, decided to do away with Rajiv Gandhi, fearing that he might again dispatch Indian troops to Sri Lanka. Sivarasan gets the task Once the task of killing Gandhi was handed over to the LTTE intelligence operative known by his nom de guerre Sivarasan, the Tigers decided that the latter should not get mixed up with the existing LTTE network in Tamil Nadu. The LTTE knew that Indian security agencies were aware of almost all its activists in the State, including those working for the intelligence wing. Accordingly, one day in September 1990, a boat packed with Tamil civilians fleeing the war in Sri Lankas northeast reached the Tamil Nadu coastal town of Rameshwaram. Two men and a woman from the group met Indian officials and registered themselves as refugees but moved on to Chennai, saying they had friends in the city. A few days later, another boat of Tamil refugees also reached the Tamil Nadu coast. As in the first instance, two men and a woman registered themselves as refugees and said they, too, would prefer to live with friends in Chennai. The two groups rented out separate houses in Chennai, telling those who cared to ask that they were lucky to be away from the war. The six Sri Lankans did not know themselves but their arrival in Tamil Nadu marked the unleashing of a deadly plot Prabhakaran had drawn up to assassinate Rajiv Gandhi. Sivarasan, known as One-Eyed Jack because of a glass prosthesis he wore in place of an eye he lost in a battle, realised soon that the men sent in advance as refugees were not enough for the tough job he had on hand. By then, two LTTE intelligence operatives, Nixon and Kanthan, also reached Tamil Nadu. After a brief stay in the State, Sivarasan went back to Sri Lanka and returned to Chennai in January 1991. Sacking of the DMK government It was the month the Indian government sacked the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) government in Tamil Nadu for turning a blind eye to LTTE activities and placed the State under direct federal rule. After taking permission from Pottu Amman, Sivarasan telephoned Sathasivan Krishnakumar, alias Kittu, the London-based LTTE representative, and sought introduction to a reliable Indian contact in Chennai. Sivarasan did not realise that this was a blunder. Since the June 1990 assassination of Eelam Peoples Revolutionary Liberation Front (EPRLF) chief K. Pathmanabha and his associates in Chennai and the easy escape of the killers, Indian security agencies had stepped up surveillance on LTTE activists in Tamil Nadu. Kittu telephoned an Indian national, Muthuraja, who was close to the Tigers, and asked him to help out a new group of LTTE members from Sri Lanka. Kittu cautioned Muthuraja against speaking to anyone about the new arrivals. Unknown to Kittu and Muthuraja, the latter was under the watch of the Intelligence Bureau. The intelligence officers were surprised by Kittus instruction and surmised that something sinister was afoot. Pandit Nehru in Delhi with his grandson Rajiv Gandhi, future Prime Minister of India. Even as a crackdown on the LTTE followed the sacking of the DMK government, Muthuraja introduced Nixon to some Indians who ended up playing a key role in the assassination. Muthuraja also introduced another LTTE intelligence operative, Murugan, to an Indian family. This is when Muthuraja suddenly disappeared one day. He was being shadowed in Chennai by Indian security agencies but gave the slip one evening at Egmore. It was later learnt that he had left for Sri Lanka, ostensibly on the request of Pottu Amman. Muthuraja, however, never reached Sri Lanka. His boat sank in the sea after being hit by a Sri Lankan naval vessel. Believing he died, the LTTE honoured him. But Indian security agencies believe that Muthuraja did not die. The Sri Lankan Navy took him into custody after his boat collapsed. Prabhakaran, meanwhile, asked an LTTE member, Kasi Anandan, to meet Rajiv Gandhi to convey his best wishes for the upcoming general election in India. The meeting took place in New Delhi on March 5, 1991. Some days later, a Sri Lankan Tamil banker based in London also called on Rajiv Gandhi with a message that the Tigers were eager to make up with the Indian leader. Both meetings were meant to make the Indian security brass believe that Prabhakaran was willing to bury the past and start a new chapter with New Delhi. Arrival of Dhanu Sivarasan, who had again gone back to Sri Lanka, returned to Tamil Nadu by sea early in May 1991 with Dhanu, the suicide bomber. They landed in the coastal town of Vedaranyam and left for Chennai by bus. Within 10 days of their arrival, Dhanu and a companion, Shuba, wrote to the LTTE leadership: We are determined to attain our objective. By now, the Intelligence Bureau had intercepted a couple of complex, coded radio messages from Tamil Nadu to Jaffna. The IB headquarters in Delhi was pressed to break the code. One of the LTTE messages, decoded after Rajiv Gandhi was killed, was a revealing one-liner from Sivarasan to Pottu Amman: Nobody [in India] knows about our operation. Another explicit message, intercepted on May 7 but again deciphered after Rajiv Gandhi had been killed, was a vow by Sivarasan: If I return to Jaffna, it will be as Pottu Ammans man, having achieved the incredible feat of assassinating a world leader. Sivarasan, who pretended to be a journalist when it suited him, found out from some Congress party functionaries about Rajiv Gandhis election rally in the small town of Sriperumbudur, near Chennai, on May 21, 1991. A rehearsal To ensure that everything went well, the LTTE had carried out a rehearsal at an election rally of former Prime Minister V.P. Singh in Chennai. As Singh was leaving, Dhanu walked up to him and touched his feet as a mark of respect for an elder. The whole exercise was recorded on video and viewed by the LTTE many times to check if there were any flaws. Clearly, there were none. On May 20, 1991, the LTTE killer squad watched a Tamil movie at a cinema hall in Chennai. The next evening, the group proceeded to Sriperumbudur and was met by a young Indian photographer, Hari Babu, who had no clue about the planned assassination. At the rally, Dhanu was armed with a sandalwood garland and a deadly suicide vest which was hidden by a loose-fitting bright orange salwar-kameez. When a policewoman tried to question Dhanu after seeing her near the VIP enclosure, Hari Babu intervened to say she would garland Rajiv Gandhi. Sivarasan, dressed in a white kurta-pyjama, stood near the dais. Eventually, when Rajiv Gandhi made his way towards a waiting crowd, Dhanu moved close to him. The same policewoman tried to push her back. But he stopped her and remarked: Let everybody get a chance! Dhanu put the garland around him and bent down as if to touch his feet. But she never got up. She switched on the toggle switch attached to her suicide vest, triggering a terrible blast that ripped through her, Rajiv Gandhi and 16 others. The author is a Sri Lanka watcher and has written a biography of LTTE chief Velupillai Prabhakaran Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that Moscow would "knock the teeth out" of any country that tried to take pieces of his country's vast territory. Putin made the remarks on May 20 during a televised virtual meeting of the National Security Council, saying that foreign efforts to contain Russia date back centuries. "Everyone wants to bite us somewhere or to bite off something from us. But they -- those who are going to do it -- should know that we will knock their teeth out so that they cannot bite," the Russian leader said. "This is quite obvious, and the key to this is the development of our armed forces. Putin also said that Western sanctions against Russia are continuing a longtime historic trend of containing a powerful rival and alleged that some critics of Moscow whom he didn't name have argued that it's unfair for Russia to keep its vast natural riches all to itself. "Even after we lost one-third of our potential" when former Soviet republics became independent after the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union, "Russia is still too big for some," Putin said during the meeting. Western countries have imposed sanctions on Russia over the complaints about Moscow's activities and behavior, including election interference, the annexation of the Ukrainian region of Crimea, and the treatment of jailed opposition activist Aleksei Navalny. Putin also claimed that Russia now has the most modern strategic nuclear forces compared to other nuclear powers, noting that Moscw this year is set to spend the equivalent of $42 billion on defense. The comments came amid a push for a summit between Putin and U.S. President Joe Biden as ties with Western countries slump to a post-Cold War low. Based on reporting by AP, Reuters, and dpa The usual narrative of the unraveling of the Soviet Union moves from the promising reforms of Mikhail Gorbachev to the dashed hopes of Boris Yeltsin to the authoritarian counterrevolution of Vladimir Putin. But within that narrative, the story of Andrei Sakharov -- the physicist, human rights advocate, and 1975 Nobel Peace Prize laureate who died on December 14, 1989 -- is one of the tantalizing "might-have-beens." "If [Sakharov's] ideas had been realized even by half, we would be living in a different country, a completely different state," Russian political analyst Valery Khomyakov told RFE/RL in May. Speaking to U.S. television in February 1990, Soviet-era dissident and then-Czechoslovak President Vaclav Havel said it was "a real tragedy for the Soviet Union that Sakharov died, because otherwise very soon he might have become president there." "He was, as far as I can see, the only integrating personality in the present-day Soviet Union," Havel said. It was months after Czechoslovakia's Velvet Revolution shed one-party rule and weeks before the first of the so-called restored states would declare independence as the U.S.S.R. collapsed in what current President Vladimir Putin has described as "a great geopolitical disaster of the [20th] century." Celebrated Socialist Hero Sakharov's path to such stature was an unlikely one. He began his rise in the early days of the Cold War when he played a leading role on the Soviet Union's top-secret hydrogen-bomb project. Through the 1950s and early 1960s, he accumulated an unprecedented number of Soviet honors for his work -- three Hero of Socialist Labor awards, four Orders of Lenin, a Stalin Prize in 1953 and a Lenin Prize in 1956. In 1953, at the age of 32, Sakharov became the youngest person ever elected to the Soviet Academy of Sciences. At the peak of his career, he had more money and more privileges than many Politburo members. But Sakharov's career as a dissident also had its roots in the hydrogen-bomb program. "My position enabled me to know and see a great deal," Sakharov wrote in the preface to his collected writings in English in 1974. "It compelled me to feel my own responsibility; and at the same time I could look upon this whole perverted system as something of an outsider." Like many scientists in other countries, Sakharov worried about the environmental effects of the huge number of nuclear tests being conducted. When he argued with Nikita Khrushchev's government that the tests weren't technically necessary, he realized the weapons were being used for political ends. Nonetheless, he persevered and became one of the most important lobbyists in the Soviet Union for what eventually became the 1963 Limited Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, which banned such tests in the atmosphere, in space, and underwater. He was also among the first Soviets to argue for a ban on antimissile systems, a vision that became reality with the Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty in 1972. Standing Up For Truth After Khrushchev's fall in 1964 and the end of the relative liberalism of his regime, Sakharov became increasingly outspoken in his dissent. He resisted efforts under Leonid Brezhnev to rehabilitate the reputation of dictator Josef Stalin and came out in support of many prisoners of conscience. "In 1966, I was one of the signers of a collective letter on the 'cult' of Stalin sent to the 23rd Congress [of the Soviet Communist Party]," Sakharov wrote. "Thus, for the first time, my own fate became intertwined with the fate of that group of people -- a group that was small but very weighty on the moral (and, I dare say, the historical) plane, who subsequently came to be called 'dissenters.'" In 1968, Sakharov came to international and national prominence with the publication of his first manifesto: Thoughts On Progress, Peaceful Coexistence, And Intellectual Freedom. "I read it while a university student in physics," former Soviet dissident Vyacheslav Bakhmin said. "For me, this feat of a man who had everything from the government, who was three times a Hero of Socialist Labor.... For such a person, who had everything, to undertake such a feat -- I can't think of anyone else like that in the Soviet Union. A person on such a level decided that for him, the truth was more important than all his personal benefits." When Sakharov's book was published abroad, the state responded by removing him from all secret projects. From then on, he became primarily a dissident, pushing the Soviet government tirelessly for freedom of speech, for the release of political prisoners, for open trials, and for the rights of ethnic minorities. He donated nearly all his substantial savings from his state prizes to charity, an act he later said he regretted because he could have used the money to help the families of political prisoners and other dissidents. During this period, Sakharov began focusing on the rights of individuals that had been destroyed by the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917 and, particularly, by Stalin's reign of terror beginning in the 1930s. "The dissident movement represented the opposite of everything that totalitarianism stood for -- primarily what [political philosopher] Hannah Arendt called 'the destruction of the moral person' and the destruction of the legal person," said Vladimir Tismaneanu, professor of comparative politics at the University of Maryland and former chairman of the Presidential Commission for the Analysis of the Communist Dictatorship in Romania. "Both the moral and the legal person were resurrected in the thinking and the activities of the dissident movement in the former U.S.S.R. And the paradigmatic symbol of this search for the rehabilitation of the citizen was, of course, Andrei Sakharov." Resurrecting The Person Russian political analyst Mark Urnov noted that "Sakharov had a fundamentally different starting point -- the humanization of the country, the humanization of society." In the Soviet context, this was "a different way of thinking." For centuries of Russian history, the interests of the state always trumped the rights of the individual -- and Sakharov dared to say this was both immoral and a major obstacle to the successful development of the country. "In the course of 56 years our country has undergone great shocks, sufferings, and humiliations, the physical annihilation of millions of the best people (both morally and intellectually), decades of official hypocrisy and demagoguery," Sakharov wrote in 1975. "We are still living in the spiritual atmosphere created by that era." In 1970, while standing outside a courtroom in the city of Kaluga to protest a political trial, Sakharov met fellow dissident Yelena Bonner. They married in 1972 and formed a lifelong political and personal partnership. "The main thing was her bright mutual love with Andrei Sakharov," physicist, dissident, and Sakharov protege Sergei Kovalyov said when Bonner died in 2011. "Sakharov was a person who was absolutely free from any kind of outside pressure. He was attentive and willing to listen to various points of view, including, first of all, Bonner's. You could convince him. You could change his mind. But you could never have a decisive influence over him. Bonner understood this and they lived together in harmony." Also in 1970, Sakharov and two other dissidents founded the Committee on Human Rights, which monitored and reported on human rights issues throughout the country. "Thus I was brought into contact with what is perhaps one of the most shameful aspects of present-day Soviet reality: illegality, and the cynical persecution of persons coming out in defense of basic human rights," Sakharov wrote. Enemy Of The State Sakharov won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1975 for his steadfast opposition to "the abuse of state power and all forms of violation of human dignity," as well as his dedication to "the idea of government based on the rule of law," according to the Nobel Committee's citation. One year later, in a closed meeting of KGB officers, KGB head Yury Andropov called Sakharov "domestic enemy No. 1." In 1980, after Sakharov spoke out against the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, the government had enough. It rescinded all of his Soviet honors and exiled him to the closed city of Gorky, now Nizhny Novgorod. Watched by the KGB around the clock, he had almost no direct contact with anyone except Bonner. By the time Gorbachev solidified his power and began pushing to reform the Soviet Union, Sakharov had become an important domestic and international symbol of Soviet oppression. On December 19, 1986, Gorbachev personally called Sakharov and told him he was released from exile and could resume his "patriotic work" in Moscow. True to form, Sakharov used the opportunity to harangue Gorbachev about other political prisoners and to remind him that Anatoly Marchenko had died in a Soviet prison just 10 days before, following a 90-day hunger strike. "Gorbachev had started to understand that he needed an alliance with the democratic intelligentsia," Tismaneanu said. "To convince the democratic intelligentsia of the trustworthiness of glasnost [openness], this opening to someone like Andrei Sakharov was critical." 'Voice For The Voiceless' Sakharov's unconditional release was one of the first signs to Soviet society, especially following the mishandling of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster just months before, that Gorbachev's reform drive might be the real deal. That drive reached high gear in 1988, when Gorbachev pushed through a plan to create an entirely new legislative body called the Congress of People's Deputies. Although the elections held in March 1989 were far from democratic, they were the first Soviet elections in decades that featured competitive races with multiple candidates and that brought to power deputies with a wide range of political views, including anticommunists. To the surprise of many of his colleagues and despite his rapidly deteriorating health, Sakharov sought and won a mandate, being elected as a representative of the Academy of Sciences. "Sakharov went into the government knowing that a person of his stature might be able to influence and accelerate the processes that were then going on in the country," former dissident Bakhmin said. "He understood that the things that he could say from the podium -- and tens of millions of people in Russia and abroad were listening -- could be said by no one else." Analyst Urnov noted that the congress "set the style...for relations with the government." By standing up directly to Gorbachev and the Communists, "Sakharov acted like an icebreaker." Sakharov "became the voice of those who for decades had been voiceless, Tismaneanu said. Sakharov's main demand was the repeal of Article 6 of the Soviet Constitution, which gave the Communist Party a monopoly on political power. Speaking from the tribune of the congress, Sakharov outlined his political program. "I am presenting a draft text of a declaration on power that I propose we adopt," Sakharov said. "'Declaration on Power. Proceeding from the principles of popular government, the Congress of People's Deputies declares (1) Article 6 of the Constitution of the U.S.S.R. is repealed. (2) The adoption of laws of the U.S.S.R. is the exclusive right of the Congress of People's Deputies of the U.S.S.R. On the territory of the union republics, laws of the U.S.S.R. gain legal status after they are approved by the highest [republican] legislative body.'" It takes effort now to remember how radical it was in the post-Stalin and post-Brezhnev Soviet Union to be the first to stand up and make such demands. The demand to end the Communist Party's monopoly on political power was finally realized in March 1990 when the congress declared all political parties equal -- potentially paving the way for a multiparty democracy. 'What Might Have Been' By then, however, Sakharov was already dead. He died of heart failure on December 14, 1989, at the age of 68, while resting before making yet another speech before the congress. (Two weeks later, on December 29, Vaclav Havel became the first freely elected president of Czechoslovakia.) Hundreds of thousands of Soviet citizens paid their last respects to Sakharov. Gorbachev and the entire Soviet Politburo saluted his casket. Politically, Boris Yeltsin, the charismatic and populist fellow deputy in the congress who went on to become the head of the Russian soviet republic and later first president of Russia, increasingly set the tone for the anti-Soviet opposition. "Yeltsin did not address the fundamental issues of democratization as an institutional project," Tismaneanu said, suggesting that Yeltsin was driven largely by his own ambition for power and his personal conflict with Gorbachev. "Andrei Sakharov and some of the people in his circle understood how important it was to have institutional guarantees for a nonreturn to the old order." The Soviet Union, of course, was a large and complex entity with a tortured history. It is impossible to compare "what might have been" there with, for instance what happened in Czechoslovakia, Poland, and other Soviet-bloc countries. "But I think if [Sakharov] had been alive, it is possible in 1991 that we might have had such a president," former dissident Valentin Gefter said. "But we were unlucky. That man died in 1989, and no one else with that kind of reputation and authority appeared in his place." "There is something that I have learned over many years of studying the history of totalitarianism and the deradicalization of Marxist regimes -- the role of personalities," politics professor Tismaneanu said. "That is something that cannot be exaggerated. Simply put: No Gorbachev, no glasnost. No Sakharov, very difficult times for the human rights movement in the former Soviet Union." "Both now and for always," Sakharov said in his 1975 Nobel address, "I intend to hold fast to my belief in the hidden strength of the human spirit." With reporting by Vladimir Kara-Murza of RFE/RL's Russian Service and Martina Boudova of RFE/RL's Info Unit To receive Steve Gutterman's Week In Russia via e-mail every Friday, subscribe by clicking here. If you have thoughts or feedback, you can reach us directly at newsletters@rferl.org. Born a century ago, atomic bomb designer and dissident Andrei Sakharov died two years before the Soviet Unions collapse, cutting short his struggle for "pluralism, freedom, and respect for the individual." What would he think of Russia today? 'Sources Of Strength' On December 14, 1989, Andrei Sakharov was preparing for "battle" in the Soviet Congress of Peoples Deputies the following day, readying a speech in which he would press for the Communist Party to be stripped of its monopoly on political power. He never delivered it: Sakharov died that evening, at the age of 68, after leading a remarkable life that affected the world and altered the fate of the Soviet Union -- but ended two years before the country he was trying hard to change for the better ceased to exist. Sakharovs demand was fulfilled three months after his death, at least in principle, when the congress declared all political parties equal. Coming a year after he was elected in the first balloting in decades that featured competitive races with multiple candidates, it was another step in the direction of democracy. Sakharov, a brilliant physicist and Soviet hydrogen-bomb program pioneer who became what a colleague called a "fearless, selfless, and unprejudiced" fighter for human rights and freedoms, was born in Moscow on May 21, 1921. If he were still alive, he would be 100 years old now. What would he think about Russia today? The way things were going at the time of his death, it seems safe to assume that despite the concerns he aired prominently, Sakharov held high hopes for fundamental changes in the areas he found most important -- "pluralism, freedom, and respect for the individual," to name three he listed in his memoirs as "all-important sources of strength and flexibility in a society." More than three decades later, however, there are plenty of signs suggesting he might feel frustrated and dismayed, lamenting an apparent reversal of progress made in the last few years of his life and in the turbulent times that followed. An obvious example is electoral politics. In the months before Sakharovs death, the Congress of Peoples Deputies that had been elected in March was the setting for vital, sometimes raucous debates about the troubled past and the uncertain future. Its televised sessions a daytime drama that played out against the backdrop of momentous change in Eastern Europe, which was slipping fast from Moscows grasp, mesmerized the nation. Hours before he died, in remarks to opposition members of the congress, Sakharov had said Mikhail Gorbachevs government was "leading the country to catastrophe" by foot-dragging on reforms. Two years later Gorbachev resigned, signing the death notice of a country that had effectively ceased to exist and paving the way -- in principle -- for democracy in the 15 independent countries that emerged. 'No Place' But elections in Russia today are marred by evidence of fraud and the heavy-handed use of political levers gripped tightly by the Kremlin, and parliament is seen widely as a rubber stamp for President Vladimir Putin's policies. The lower house, the State Duma, dominated by the Kremlin-controlled United Russia party for years, was once described by its own speaker as "no place for discussions." The presence of liberal opposition lawmakers in the Duma is a fading memory, and while three parties that are nominally in the opposition hold seats -- including the Communists, who claim the mantle of the Soviet-era party Sakharov struggled to defang -- critics say they are little more than foils for United Russia, window dressing put up to in a faux show of pluralism. The upper house is an unelected body seen widely as a resting place for members of the ruling apparatus who have outlived their usefulness as officials but need to be kept in the Kremlins orbit. Theres also the justice system. Like many in the human rights movement that took shape in the 1960s, such as the late Lyudmila Alekseyeva, some of Sakharovs earliest dissident activity revolved around the courts. He met his wife, fellow activist Yelena Bonner, outside a political trial they both were trying to monitor in 1970. Such a meeting would be easy to imagine happening today: Politically charged trials occur on what sometimes seems like a daily basis, and opponents of the Kremlin often risk police action to gather outside courthouses and support defendants. Perhaps more than by anything else, Putin's 22 years as president or prime minister have been defined by prominent prosecutions and trials -- and in some cases by multiple trials of a single defendant, such as former oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky and Aleksei Navalny, the Kremlin opponent and anti-corruption crusader who is now serving 2 years in prison after returning to Russia following treatment abroad for a near-fatal poisoning he blames on Putin. Like in the Soviet Union, acquittals are rare -- so rare that, for government opponents, a suspended sentence is often seen as a victory of sorts -- the best possible outcome. And there is also dissent itself, and the government's attitude toward those who challenge the state or champion the rights of the people. When Sakharov was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1975, the committee cited his steadfast opposition to "the abuse of state power and all forms of violation of human dignity" and his dedication to "the idea of government based on the rule of law." One Mans Patriot Those pursuits did not sit well with the Kremlin. A year after he won the prize, KGB chief Yury Andropov, who would later become Soviet leader for a 15-month period before his death, told a closed meeting of the security service that Sakharov was "domestic enemy No. 1." And in 1980, he was banished to Nizhny Novgorod, the Volga River city called Gorky at the time. In December 1986, three years before Sakharovs death, Gorbachev telephoned the physicist and activist to tell him he was being released from internal exile. He was free, the Soviet leader said, to return to his "patriotic work" in Moscow. That characterization may have been a piece of political calculation by Gorbachev, who needed liberal allies to fend off pressure from hard-line opponents of reform. But it is the polar opposite of the way Putin and his government frequently refer to many of those who challenge the state and its narratives. A "foreign agent" law that Putin signed in 2012 resurrected Soviet-era terminology of the kind that Sakharov and his allies in human rights advocacy abhorred. The legislation has since been expanded to enable the authorities to target media outlets as well, and to allow for the criminal prosecution of journalists. Meanwhile, Russian officials and state media have stepped up efforts to portray Navalny as a treasonous tool of the United States and the West, and the imprisoned opposition leader's organizations in Moscow and his offices nationwide may soon be outlawed as extremist. Many supporters of Navalny, as well as some merely perceived as such, have been expelled from university, sacked from their jobs, or subjected to prosecution. Dozens of Moscow subway workers have been fired or forced to quit in the past few weeks in a campaign of dismissal linked to alleged support for Navalny. Sakharov was one of the most prominent in a line of dissidents, stretching back before the failed experiment with communism and continuing after the Soviet Unions demise, who have suggested that the country will never really thrive until a situation in which the perceived interests of the state trump the rights of each of its citizens is reversed. Putin has never been seen as an advocate of the individual, and analysts say that a raft of constitutional amendments he secured last year, including one allowing him to run for two more six-year terms when his current stint in the Kremlin ends in 2024, have moved Russia further away from that goal. 'Walking Upright' The amendments have "indirectly undermined the first principle articulated in Article 2 of the Russian constitution, namely, that the individual rights and freedoms shall be of supreme value, William Pomeranz, deputy director of the Kennan Institute at the Wilson Center, a U.S.-based think tank, wrote last year. The changes in the constitution also weaken the judiciary and strengthen prosecutors, Pomeranz wrote ahead of their adoption in a nationwide vote denounced by Kremlin opponents as a farce. With the constitutional changes, he added, Putin has quashed speculation about "the possibility of a more vibrant legislature" and "reforged a unified, autocratic, centralized, and highly personalized state." "Russia will require yet another constitution if it ever wants to reclaim its status as an emerging democracy," Pomeranz wrote. Political analysts predicted that the amendments, and the prospect of Putin remaining president until 2036, would embolden Russian law enforcement structures and leave government opponents and other ordinary citizens even more vulnerable to abuse at the hands of the state. Those forecasts have been borne out by the crackdown that gathered force late last year and intensified following Navalnys return to Russia in January. And by one very direct measure, Putins Russia seems to have fallen short of Sakharovs vision of openness: Ahead of the centenary of his birth, Moscow authorities prevented an exhibition meant to mark the occasion from taking place. The show was to have consisted of a series of street displays featuring photographs of Sakharov and quotes from his writings and speeches, as well as remarks others made about him. One of those remarks, from the literary scholar Sergei Averintsev, was this: "It will never be forgotten that Sakharov stood tall without waiting for permission to do so, and thus helped immensely to bring about the moment when walking upright became possible for the weaker ones -- that is, for the rest of us." GALION -- The Galion Middle School seventh grade team of teachers wanted to put a different twist on the average Field Day experience for their students this school year. Thanks to a strong relationship with the United States Army Recruiting Office in Mansfield, the team was able put a program together that focused team building and communications skills on Tuesday, May 18. We had four of the U.S. Army recruiters from Mansfield come in with team building and communication activities, seventh grade Social Studies teacher Troy Yunker said. We also invited five former GMS/GHS alumni who are currently serving in the Guard/Reserves to be part of the event. Galion alumni Colten Skaags, Mitch Dyer, Kade Dyer, Kelli (Mann) Sorgenfrei, and Ethan Pigg spoke to current Middle School students about military careers, post high school education opportunities, and their life experiences. The Army recruiters handed out awards and lunch passes to the students who displayed the best teamwork and hard work during the activities. It was cool to hang out with people and learn why they decided to join the military, seventh grader Cameron Smith said. My favorite part of the day was when we had the chance to talk to the sniper during the event! I liked that everyone was working together as a team and they taught us about what inspired them to join the Army, seventh grader Bianca White said. I learned that the Army can be fun and that it brings people together as a team, and that inspired a lot of students during the event. May is also Military Appreciation Month, which was designated by Congress in 1999 to ensure the nation was given the chance to publicly show their appreciation for troops past and present. We need to thank Colten, Mitch, Kade, Kelli, and Ethan for being part of this exciting day, Yunker said. These five alumni are just another example of Galion City Schools best, and we thank them for their service to our country! ASHLAND -- A transmission line that feeds an Ashland substation lost power Thursday afternoon, leading to more than 3,000 customers without power. FirstEnergy Ohio Edison's website shows 3,058 customers were without power at 3 p.m. Most of those customers, 2,121, live within Ashland city. Lauren Siburkis, a spokeswoman for Ohio Edison, said crews are working to get power back up to all customers by 4:30 p.m. She said the company is still investigating the cause for the downed transmission line. Andrea Gravenhorst, director of communications and IT for Firelands Electric Cooperative, said the transmission line feeds into an Ashland substation, she said. Firelands Electric Cooperative is a nonprofit electric utility, serving around 9,100 customers in the rural parts of Ashland, Huron, Lorain and Richland counties. Gravenhorst said outage reports started at around 1:30 p.m. As of 3:20 p.m., Firelands' website said the outage affected 765 of its customers in Ashland County and 296 customers in Richland County. Rob McCrea, a captain at Ashland Fire Department, said the crew responded to two small fires Thursday. One was reported at a pole along Township Road 1504 at around 1:50 p.m. that involved Armstrong, an internet service provider, and Ohio Edison. Another fire, which McCrea described as a "small grass fire," was reported at around 2 p.m. along Township Road 853. "Whether those were the sources (of power outages) or a secondary because of something else, I'm not sure," he said. No injuries were reported, McCrea said. Ashland Middle School also lost power, with about an hour of instruction left in the day, said Matt White, the school's principal. "Most of our computers run under battery power, so we were able to continue with instruction," he said. Commissioners from Richland and Crawford counties, representing the joint ditch district, visited sites on the Black Fork on Thursday afternoon along East Ganges Road, northeast of Shelby. The visit is a requirement of the process that could lead to improved drainage and reduced flooding in and around Shelby. They were joined by residents from around the area, many of whom had questions about the process, what it could cost landowners and what it could mean to properties in the area. Leaders from the Richland Soil & Water Conservation District guided the group. Commissioners from both counties will view drone footage of 15 miles of the Black Fork on Friday morning at 9:30. A petition asks the Black Fork be cleaned and maintained annually by removing felled trees, leaning trees, log jams and debris piles. A public hearing on the issue is scheduled Aug. 5 at 6:30 p.m. at the Longview Center in Mansfield. Close MANSFIELD In March, Richland Source published an editorial urging government officials to "slow way down" when it came to American Rescue Plan funding. The American Rescue Plan provides an opportunity to dramatically improve life in north central Ohio. Richland, Ashland, Knox and Crawford counties will receive $54 million combined. City governments in Mansfield, Ashland, Mount Vernon and Bucyrus will take in another $31 million. We asked for deep, thoughtful conversations about how these funds might be invested in the communities they serve. The editorial also urged government officials to think outside themselves and seek expert advice. Together with the moral and financial backing of the Richland County Foundation and the Richland Area Chamber & Economic Development, we're pleased to offer some help in that department. Click here to register Click here to register for a unique community event Please join us Tuesday, May 25, at 6 p.m. to visit with experts from the Greater Ohio Policy Center about the best use of American Rescue Plan funds. Their mission is to champion revitalization and sustainable growth in Ohio communities. We've invited every single local elected official in our coverage areas to attend. The GOPC will make a short presentation and leave ample time for questions - that's where you come in. The Richland Source team will moderate polls and questions during the event. Now is not the time for incremental changes or quick decisions made in a vacuum behind closed doors with little or no public input. It's time for everyone to participate in the conversation -- business and industry leaders, charitable foundations and non-profits, entrepreneurs, health care leaders, educational leaders, union leaders, and yes, local residents. We hope to see you there. MANSFIELD James Davis remembered how nervous he was in that job interview. He said all he needed was someone to give him a chance. Local manufacturer Mansfield Engineered Components (MEC) offered an opportunity to Davis, who was released from a correctional institution in September. Mary Casto, the interviewer and assembly manager for MEC, told him she believed in a second chance. Davis said he had nothing when coming back to society. His income was extremely low. There was a lack of work history. He tried to survive one day at a time before getting into a social service agency, where he filled out a job application for MEC. The company offered him a job in October, Davis said. With the help of MEC and many community organizations, he got his ID, birth certificate, social security card and eventually, a drivers license. Davis said he received help with food and clothes when needed. Seven months after being hired, he now has a truck and lives in an apartment. When you get that type of help, that makes you want to do even much better, he said. Starting as an assembly worker, Davis has been promoted to a stamping press operator who runs a $250,000 machine every day. He takes real pride in his job, he said wearing a blue hoodie with the companys logo on it. A company got creative in finding employees More than 70 percent of workers on MECs production lines are returning citizens like Davis, according to vice president Steve Cummins. It all started in 2019 when MEC tried to deal with the labor shortage, an issue many manufacturers are still facing today. We have to be a little bit creative in terms of where we look for people, Cummins said. Our location the prisons close by certainly makes us think about that potential workforce. By reaching out to different resources in the area, the company has developed its own second-chance hiring program over the years. Sonja Osborne, production personnel coordinator for MEC, is one of the key people who make it happen. She said hiring returning citizens is far more than providing job opportunities. They don't have clothes half the time (when they are released). They don't have a vehicle to get there (workplace). They have no support system, she said. The company learned along the way what resources each organization and agency could provide to its employees. It now works with multiple community groups for hiring and supporting the workers, including Catholic Charities, Goodwill and the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction (ODRC). Osborne said she is involved in the Richland County Citizen Circle that gathers more than 40 community members who want to help ex-offenders return to society. She also goes to the re-entry court several times a month to look for people who want to work. Casto, the assembly manager, said she has been surprised with the skill level of some second-chance hires. For example, the company found an employee has a major skill level in automation soon after he started on the assembly line. The person was immediately moved into an auto technician position, Casto said. The employees shows all kinds of skills and experiences, which Casto said is something she never expected. Hiring returning citizens alleviates the workforce shortage at MEC. The benefit to this is you end up with long-term employees. Employees who are grateful, who really put forth effort, Casto said. But it is not just about solving a business problem. It helps the community as a whole. When you begin to invest in them as not only an employee but a human being part of your work family, it becomes something a lot more than just hiring someone, Casto said. Osborne said many people think helping ex-offenders is the responsibility of ODRC, probation officers or the judges. It should be a community effort. And employers can provide returning citizens stability with employment and other resources. How do we succeed as a community if we aren't helping them succeed, too? Osborne said. Now, he can be the person he dreamed to be Coming back to society and working a full-time job has not been easy for Davis. He said he sometimes feels like he takes two steps forward and one step back. A colleague told him next time, he should remember to turn around and look how far he has come. Davis said he felt blessed with all the assistance and encouragement he has received. I just tell them thank you on a daily basis through my actions. And I do the best I can to become a better person, he said. He also started joining meetings to share his experience as a way to give back. He is humble with his job, the better life he is living and the opportunity to tell his story. When I say a dream come true is like the person that I always knew that I can be and always dreamed that I can be. Today, I had the opportunity to be him, he said. Cummins said while Davis gave MEC a lot of credit, he was the one who made everything happen. The company only tried to set up an environment where the right connections can be made and some encouragement can occur. We're just trying to get some soil where things can grow. We're not anything special, Cummins said. The vice president also said MEC is willing to share its experience with any business interested in hiring returning citizens. The government offers employers various incentives for recruiting people who are formerly incarcerated. Lisa Fernandez, reentry coordinator for ODRC, said businesses are eligible for the Work Opportunity Tax Credit if they hire returning citizens. Employers can apply for the Federal Bonding Program if they have a concern about the hiring. Recruiting returning citizens with Certificate of Qualification for Employment or Certificate of Achievement and Employability can also relieve employers from liability issues. Fernandez said finding a job is usually the first thing people want to do when getting out of the institution. They want to work and take care of their family. It is a large, diverse pool of people who are educated and qualified for different jobs, Fernandez said. At a time when businesses are having trouble hiring, it is a potential workforce that employers would not want to miss. Richmond, KY (40475) Today Mostly cloudy skies this evening will become partly cloudy after midnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 67F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight Mostly cloudy skies this evening will become partly cloudy after midnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 67F. Winds light and variable. 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Governments increasingly recognise the importance of aligning post-pandemic economic and social recovery with SDGs. The goal of this inaugural joint ISEAS-RIETI webinar is to take stock of the current progress achieved in meeting some of the key elements of SDGs in Southeast Asia. It will begin with a presentation of Southeast Asias overall SDG progress and the recent the Climate Change Outlook Survey conducted by ISEAS. This will be followed by a presentation on SDGs in Indonesia. Two presenters from the private sector will then discuss the contributions of and opportunities for businesses in the region. *This webinar will be held as one program within the ASEAN-Japan Business Week. For more information, please refer to the special website at the following link; https://ameicc.org/aseanjapan_businessweek/en/ ISEAS Yusof Ishak Institute (ISEAS), formerly known as Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, is an autonomous organization established by an Act of Parliament in 1968, was renamed ISEAS Yusof Ishak Institute in August 2015. It is a leading research centre dedicated to the study of socio-political, security, and economic trends and developments in Southeast Asia and its wider geostrategic and economic environment. Weather Alert ...AIR QUALITY ADVISORY ISSUED FOR KENOSHA, RACINE, WALWORTH, WAUKESHA, JEFFERSON, WASHINGTON, DODGE, AND FOND DU LAC COUNTIES... The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has issued an Air Quality Advisory for Ozone which will remain in effect until 11:00 PM CDT June 11. This advisory affects people living in Kenosha, Racine, Walworth, Waukesha, Jefferson, Washington, Dodge, and Fond du Lac Counties. The air quality index is expected to reach the UNHEALTHY FOR SENSITIVE GROUPS level. Sensitive groups, including children, elderly people, individuals with respiratory and cardiac problems, and anyone engaged in strenuous outdoor activities for a prolonged period of time, should avoid extended outdoor exposure. For more information on current air quality, please see: https://airquality.wi.gov Management at The Oaks Course is dedicated to growing the game of golf. One segment of the population that is a focus is junior golf. The Oaks regularly hosts junior events where young players can develop the future of the game and have fun. On Friday, June 11, The Oaks hosted a US Kids Golf Click for more. Rocky Mount, NC (27804) Today Scattered thunderstorms this evening followed by occasional showers overnight. Low near 70F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%. Locally heavy rainfall possible.. Tonight Scattered thunderstorms this evening followed by occasional showers overnight. Low near 70F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%. Locally heavy rainfall possible. Roanoke Rapids, NC (27870) Today Variable clouds with showers and scattered thunderstorms. Storms more numerous this evening. Low 66F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 70%. Locally heavy rainfall possible.. Tonight Variable clouds with showers and scattered thunderstorms. Storms more numerous this evening. Low 66F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 70%. Locally heavy rainfall possible. After four years in the formerly poverty-stricken village of Chenxiaozhai, Liu Yuan says he will probably leave but will always cherish his experiences there. In April 2017, the now 54-year-old Liu was one of 753 officials dispatched to hundreds of key villages in East China's Anhui province to work on poverty relief. Formerly attached to the publicity department of the CPC's Fuyang city committee, Liu was appointed first Party secretarya Party member deployed by higher authorities usually to oversee poverty relief workof the village, which is in southern Linquan county, and he has been working to meet his goal ever since. With a population of over 2.3 million according to the hukou, or household registration system, Linquan is China's most heavily populated county and was one of its most impoverished areas. "About half the 6,900 villagers have migrated to cities for work," said Liu, adding that nearby Fuyang, which has a population of over 10 million, is famous as a source of migrant workers. Before arriving in Chenxiaozhai, the new secretary was told that 112 villagers were classified as poverty-stricken and would be treated as a priority. According to China's national definition of poverty at the time, the classification referred to anyone with an annual income of less than 2,855 yuan ($443). "Poverty relief is not simply about increasing incomes, it's also about creating a better environment to ensure improvements will last," said Liu. He said that he will never forget the sight that greeted him when he first arrived in Chenxiaozhai on April 28, 2017. Infrastructure, like paved roads, was nearly nonexistent, and the offices of those responsible for the part-time administration of the village were located in an abandoned primary school. "The most important, and the most difficult thing, was not telling the government that a village needs money, it was deciding how to spend the money on the right things," he continued. Since then, he has helped Chenxiaozhai secure millions of yuan from the government to improve infrastructure, and he says that there are now paved roads leading to every household. 1 2 Michigan aims to restrict sale of marijuana-like products currently available in gas stations Rutland, VT (05701) Today Rain showers early will evolve into a more steady rain overnight. Low around 55F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 80%.. Tonight Rain showers early will evolve into a more steady rain overnight. Low around 55F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 80%. Salamanca, NY (14779) Today Some clouds. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 59F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight Some clouds. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 59F. Winds light and variable. Danvers, MA (01923) Today Cloudy with rain developing after midnight. Low near 55F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%.. Tonight Cloudy with rain developing after midnight. Low near 55F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Review: 'The Handmaid's Tale' is far from perfect. Here's why I'm not giving up on it yet Peterborough - Eva H. Sacharuk died, peacefully, at her home in Peterborough, N.H. on June 1, 2021. Before moving to Peterborough in 2019, she was a long-time resident of Wenham, Massachusetts where she raised her family with her husband Serge since 1960. Eva is survived by her loving husban Sanford, NC (27330) Today Scattered thunderstorms early, mainly cloudy late with a few showers. Low 68F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%.. Tonight Scattered thunderstorms early, mainly cloudy late with a few showers. Low 68F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%. Success! An email has been sent with a link to confirm list signup. A request to ease the process of approval for mining and quarry activities met with resistance from Lee County Commissioner Robert Reives. Where did this come from? he asked at Wednesdays meeting of the board of commissioners after a presentation by Marshall Downey, director of the Sanford/Lee County Joint Planning Board. I thought it was put in for the protection of the community, Reives said. The recommendation came from the Joint Planning Board, which has been involved in a massive update of zoning policies required by the General Assembly. The request was presented by Downey on behalf of the Joint Planning Board and called for removal of the overlay district the application of additional standards to property in a district regardless of its zoning classification. The recommendation was to eliminate the Mining Special Use Overlay District. If that step is taken, then Special Use Requests for mining purposes would not require approval from the countys governing board, according to Downey. Instead, the request would need approval only from the Board of Adjustment. Supplemental development regulations that have been required for such requests in the past would remain in place, Downey said. Charles Taylor, chairman of the Joint Planning Board, introduced the change, according to Downey. Taylor, a member of the Sanford City Council, was in the audience and came to the podium to answer Reives questions. Before you do that, am I correct that it was recommended by our consultant to help protect the people in our county? Reives asked. Taylor conceded that it was the purpose. When we looked at this, dealing with this particular issue is that it may have been susceptible of being held up in court for a challenge, Taylor said. By eliminating the commissioners for the approval process, Taylor said, it would take liability off the board. Taylor said he had met with County Manager John Crumpton and Whitney Parrish, the countys lawyer, about the matter. Reives asked Taylor if the joint planning board held a public hearing on the matter. Our meetings are open to everyone, Taylor said. I think if more people understood what youre proposing, they would be concerned, Reives responded. When I heard about it, I was concerned. I thought it was a safety cap for Lee County. Reives continued to press Taylor to explain why he supported the change. We had concerns from people doing sand pits and quarries, Taylor replied. Reives chuckled and said he was through with his questions. Two more Lee County residents voiced opposition to the change, one via email and one at the meeting. In general, I have a concern that loosening the regulation for mining permits especially may discourage the growth (commercial and residential) in Lee County, David Smoak, president of Carolina Trace Association, said in an email. I understand the importance of resources and minerals. But we are such a small county, if we allow too many, it may not be healthy, he said. Gerald Merritt, who lives in Carolina Trace, said his research showed by 53% of North Carolinas 100 counties prohibit mining activities in all zoning districts except those zoned for heavy industrial use. Many counties dont allow mining activities, he said. Merritt was involved in a debate over the Little River Quarry several years ago, he said. At that time, Lee County was unique in that if you have five acres you can apply for a special use permit and open a quarry, Merritt said. Changes in the countys zoning requirements for quarries and mines is compromised, Merritt said. This undermines everything weve accomplished and what your consultant recommended to you, he said. The commissioners will hold a public hearing on the request at their June 7 meeting. People walk near a statue at Indiana University South Bend before in-person instruction was suspended and the campus closed due to the coronavirus pandemic. University officials are preparing for a return to in-person instruction of students this fall. Close NASA will send the Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER) will be sent to the Moon by NASA in 2023. The space agency said this will be the agency's first autonomous robot. It will be tasked with exploring the moon's farthest reaches. The aim is to chart resources near the Moon's South Pole that astronauts might one day be able to harvest. According to NASA, VIPER will be the first rover with headlights, which will be crucial for exploring the Moon's dark areas. The space agency points out that the permanently shadowed areas of the lunar surface have been shielded from sunshine for billions of years, protecting secrets and artifacts that mankind is just just starting to discover. Lori Glaze, director of NASA's Planetary Science Division at the agency's headquarters in Washington, said the data from VIPER can help scientists determine exact positions and amounts of ice on the Moon, as well as analyze the atmosphere and potential opportunities at the lunar south pole in preparation for Artemis astronauts. This is yet another reminder of how robotic science missions and human exploration work together as astronauts plan to create a long-term presence on the Moon, Glaze added. As part of NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program, the space agency said on its website that they gave Astrobotic a task order to launch, transit, and send VIPER to the lunar surface. ALSO READ: Intuitive Machines Selects SpaceX for Next Lunar Lander Mission VIPER to Use Different Tools to Scan Moon's Craters The mobile robot is set to debut by the end of 2023, according to NASA. The tiny rover will use an ice drill, hammer, mass spectrometer, and near-infrared spectrometer to scan the Moon's craters. VIPER will take the place of NASA's Resource Prospector, which was cancelled in 2018. It will be best suited for the task. Before VIPER, NASA plans to test early prototypes of these instruments on the Moon to ensure they perform as intended. The rover's suspension mechanism and wheels have been specially built to accommodate different soils and inclines in these craters. VIPER is an essential part of NASA's Artemis program in general. mission program scientist Sarah Noble explained VIPER would be the most capable robot NASA has ever sent to the Moon. Noble said the said rover allows them to discover areas of the Moon that they have never seen before. "VIPER would be the most capable robot NASA has ever sent to the Moon, allowing us to discover areas of the Moon that we have never seen before," Noble said in a statement uploaded on NASA's official website. VIPER's design has progressed significantly. In another post on NASA's website, the agency recently approved the rover's entry into the mission production process after it completed its formulation phase. Its growth proceeds at a breakneck pace. NASA has committed $433.5 million to the mid-size rover's mission production and activities. The current valuation of Astrobotic's distribution contract to send VIPER to the Moon through CLPS is approximately $226.5 million. RELATED ARTICLE: Will UAE Send Its Own Lunar Rover to the Moon Through Japan's ispace? Check out more news and information on Space on Science Times. Homestead, FL (33030) Today Mainly cloudy. A few peeks of sunshine possible. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 89F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy this evening with more clouds for overnight. Low 76F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. LONDON (AP) British broadcaster BBC, seen as a respected source of news and information around the world, is facing questions at home about its integrity following a scathing report on its explosive 1995 interview with Princess Diana. Britains justice secretary said Friday that the government would review the rules governing oversight of the BBC after an investigation found that one of its journalists used deceitful behavior to secure the interview and the corporation obscured this misconduct for 25 years. Princes William and Harry, Dianas sons, excoriated the BBC late Thursday, saying there was a direct link between the interview and their mothers death in a traffic accident two years later as she and a companion were being pursued by paparazzi. The interview on the Panorama program came under renewed scrutiny after Dianas brother, Charles Spencer, complained that journalist Martin Bashir used false documents and other dishonest tactics to persuade Diana to grant the interview. As a result, the BBC commissioned an investigation by retired Judge John Dyson, who released a 127-page report on his findings Thursday. It wasnt just the decision of a reporter or a production team, there were decisions made much further up the chain about the conduct of these individuals that have now proved, according to Lord Dyson, to be unfounded and wrong, Justice Secretary Robert Buckland told the BBC. And therefore, government does have a responsibility to look very carefully to see whether the governance of the BBC does need reform in the light of these devastating findings. The BBC, founded in 1922, is Britains publicly funded but editorially independent national broadcaster. The rules governing its operations are set out in a royal charter that requires the corporation to be impartial, act in the public interest and be open, transparent and accountable. A mid-term review of the BBCs governance is scheduled to begin next year. Even before the Dyson report, the BBC was under pressure from some members of Prime Minister Boris Johnsons Conservative Party who believe the broadcaster has a liberal bias. Johnson said he was concerned about the findings and hoped that the broadcaster would make sure nothing like this ever happens again.'' At the heart of the scandal were documents made to look like bank statements, falsely suggesting that members of Diana's inner circle were being paid to spy on her. Spencer alleged that Bashir used the documents to gain his trust so Spencer would introduce the journalist to Diana. He also alleged that Bashir made up stories about the royal family to strengthen Dianas belief that there was a conspiracy against her. When graphic designer Matt Wiessler, who had been commissioned by Bashir to create mocked-up documents, saw the program, he immediately made the connection between his commission and the interview. He brought his concerns to BBC management, but he has long contended that they made him a scapegoat. He said there is a culture within the BBC that "the little people'' don't need to be addressed. His business faltered after the BBC blacklisted him from assignments. Only under duress do we get some sort of apology and some sort of acknowledgement, he told the BBC. Amid the outcry following the report, the BBC's director-general, Tim Davie, said the broadcaster should have made greater effort to get to the bottom of what happened at the time and been more transparent about what it knew.'' But the BBC also insisted that it had strengthened rules making it possible to outpoint failings. There has been radical change over the past 25 years. We now have a thorough and industry-leading whistleblowing scheme, which provides clear and independent routes to raise concerns and, if necessary, direct access for whistle-blowers to a non-executive director on the BBC board,'' the BBC said. That is very different to the past. In the interview, a major scoop for Bashir, Diana famously said that there were three of us in this marriage referring to her husband Prince Charles relationship with Camilla Parker-Bowles. Her candid account of her failing marriage was watched by millions and sent shockwaves through the British monarchy. Bashir went on to forge a successful career on both sides of the Atlantic. He conducted another bombshell interview with Michael Jackson in 2003 for ITV and worked for both ABC and MSNBC. He returned to the BBC in 2016 as religion editor. James Harding, the director of BBC News at the time Bashir was re-hired, apologized and said responsibility for the journalist's return sits with me. Bashir, who resigned this month citing ill health, apologized for faking the documents. But he said it had no bearing whatsoever on the personal choice by Princess Diana to take part in the interview.'' The impact of the interview lives on. Prince William, 38, said the interview had created a false narrative about Diana that should be corrected by the BBC and news organizations. It is my view that the deceitful way that the interview was obtained substantially influenced what my mother said, he said in a broadcast statement. The interview was a major contribution to making my parents relationship worse and has since hurt countless others. William also criticized the BBCs woeful incompetence in investigating complaints about the program. What saddens me most is that if the BBC had properly investigated the complaints and concerns first raised in 1995, my mother would have known that she had been deceived, he said. She was failed not just by a rogue reporter but by leaders at the BBC, who looked the other way rather than asking the tough questions. VENICE, Italy (AP) In the time it has taken to prepare for the Venice Biennale, violence in the Middle East has overtaken a Palestinian family farm in Gaza featured in one of the exhibits. It gives real-time urgency to the question posed by the Biennale curator: How will we live together? The 17th International Architecture Exhibition opens Saturday after a one-year pandemic delay, during which time architecture has emerged as one of the key disciplines in the global coronavirus response. One exhibit Border Ecologies and the Gaza Strip, looks at how Israeli control of the border impacts the Qudaih family farm in the Gaza village of Khuza'a. It recounts, for example, that 20 of the Qudaih familys olive trees were bulldozed to create a buffer zone, and a greenhouse necessary to grow tomatoes has been repeatedly destroyed. Since 2014, the village had been more or less quiet, said curator Malkit Shoshan. But as she prepared for the Biennale opening, violence erupted anew. The farm, near the border fence, has been destroyed by bombs and the family is sheltering in their home, which has been damaged by shells, about a mile away, said one of the sons, Amir Qudaih, who lives in the United States and who helped put the exhibit together. Qudaih, a 27-year-old recent engineering graduate, was supposed to be in Venice for the opening. But he said he is too anguished by the bombing and uncertainty over his familys safety to travel. Communications are spotty due to interruptions in electricity and the internet, and his last contact was earlier in the week. My family cannot access the farm anymore because it is very close to the border and no one can leave the house. They are running out of the food," which mostly comes from the farm, Qudaih said by phone. Every time I text them or call them, it could be the last call because things are happening 24/7 there. It is very stressful. Not every exhibit in Biennale carries the same immediacy, but the issues driving it are fundamental to shared existence, also with other species. The event curated by Hashim Sarkis also examines how architecture can address other global issues, ones that helped him formulate the title question well before the pandemic: climate change, political polarization, increasing inequalities and population displacement. Exhibits look at how climate change and an international presence is affecting Antarctica; illustrate how global warming endangers sea life and how rising seas may be left as hollow spaces without life; and trace the architecture of man-made infrastructure on the outside of a globe, while making a more utopian proposal on the inside of how it might look under a regime of strategic preservation. The strongest lens for this Biennale, though, is the pandemic. More than ever before, architecture is present in our lives, and in our thinking, said Sarkis, a Lebanese architect who is the dean of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's architecture and planning school. We are now able to measure with our eyes what a meter is, what two meters are. That is a new skill everyone has had to acquire. Some architectural responses to the pandemic have already emerged in everyday life: Zoom meetings have replaced conference rooms, giving new importance to virtual architecture, restaurant tables have taken over sidewalks, parking spots and traffic islands while public and private spaces from train stations to art galleries are being repurposed as vaccine centers. People are more aware of the impact of ventilation systems, and everyone has become an interior decorator, Sarkis noted. Even the new rituals on public behavior that have emerged during the pandemic, and are part of Biennale protocols, signal a paradigm shift that emphasizes architecture: Visitors must maintain social distancing, have their temperatures checked and wear masks. Some 112 architects from 46 countries are participating in the main show curated by Sarkis, while 61 countries have organized national pavilions. Some projects had to be rescaled, due to pandemic complications on shipping, with some architects sending plans for Italian artisans to construct projects out of locally sourced materials. Due to rolling travel restrictions around the globe, a handful of pavilions will open late and the arrival of some participants and jury members has been delayed. Sarkis decided, as a result, to delay the awarding of prizes, which usually happens on opening weekend, until August. The Biennale runs until Nov. 21. After a year when public assembly has been mostly outright banned, the idea of presence is key in several exhibits. The Canadian pavilion is covered with a green textile, and visitors can download a smart phone application that uses CGI technology to transform the pavilion into the backdrop of a film that used a Canadian city as a stand-in for other places, from Tokyo to Moscow or Paris. The opening backdrop scene is from the The Handmaids Tale. Germany facilitates virtual visits to its pavilion, which is empty apart from some QR codes on the interior walls, putting virtual users on the same footing as physical visitors. Both wander the virtual pavilion with avatars that can interact and even speak with each other. The Venice Biennale also is seen as a neutral place that creates space for dialogue. Chilean architect Alejandro Aravena, who curated the 2016 event, has created a space where he hopes Chileans and the Mapuche indigenous people can meet to discuss age-old disputes over land. The architecture created by his Elemental studio meets criteria stipulated by Mapuche tradition: that it be circular with an eastward orientation, and made of wood placed vertically. Aravena said the Mapuche accepted the design. Aravenas team took wooden piles of the sort used to support Venetian palaces and criss-crossed them in a circular pattern to create an interior courtyard. It has been built on the side of a canal inside the Arsenale, the spiked tops of its piles visible from a distance, with the hopes that both Mapuche and Chileans could travel to Venice and hold a parley, or traditional negotiation. But COVID has made that uncertain. It is not clear if they will come at some point during the Biennale. If not, this thing is traveling back to Chile in any case, Aravena said. If all goes well, this could be one concrete legacy to the question: How will we live together? LOS ANGELES (AP) After three days of dramatic and often emotional testimony from three women who said That 70s Show actor Danny Masterson raped them nearly 20 years ago, a judge on Friday found that he must stand trial. Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Charlaine F. Olmedo ordered Masterson to trial on three counts of rape by force or fear, charges that could get him up to 45 years in prison. She said she found the women's testimony credible for the purposes of the preliminary hearing, where the bar for sufficient evidence is significantly lower than it will be at the forthcoming trial. That trial will represent the rare prosecution of a Hollywood figure in the #MeToo era despite dozens of investigations by police and the Los Angeles district attorney, most of which have ended without charges. Masterson, 45, has pleaded not guilty. His lawyers said they would prove his innocence, and during the hearing repeatedly challenged the women on discrepancies in stories they alleged the accusers had coordinated in the years since their alleged rapes. The lawyers said the age of the incidents, which date from 2001 and 2003, made accurate memories impossible. Memories fade and memories change, Masterson attorney Sharon Appelbaum said. The actor had no visible reaction to the judge's decision as he sat in court, with a small group of family and friends behind him. Masterson's lead attorney Thomas Mesereau, who also defended Michael Jackson and Bill Cosby in their sexual misconduct cases, declined to comment outside court. During the hearing, Mesereau suggested that police, prosecutors and witnesses were tainted by anti-religious bias against the Church of Scientology. Masterson is a prominent Scientologist, all three women are former Scientologists. Scientology and its teachings came up so frequently during the hearing that the judge felt compelled to say the church was not a defendant. The organization is likely to loom even larger at trial, where most of the witnesses will be either members or former members. In her ruling, the judge said that a church document on members not going to police about other members and allowing the institution to mediate instead, sufficiently explains to this course the hesitancy of these women from reporting their accusations to police for years. Appelbaum said the three women had colluded to form a sisterhood that seems to want to take down Mr. Masterson and take down Scientology. Appelbaum said they had spoken to each other, at times in violation of orders, changing accounts they had initially given police. Over time their stories are becoming more similar to one another, she said. Theyre taking the language of one another. Deputy District Attorney Reinhold Mueller said the testimony was anything but coordinated. These were not rehearsed statements, Mueller said. They were heartfelt, and they each had their versions of what happened. If there is any consistency in these statements, it was because the defendant was consistent in these acts. One woman, identified in court only as Jen B., testified that in 2003, Masterson, a friend from the church where she had been born a member, had taken her upstairs from the hot tub at his Los Angeles home and raped her in his bedroom. Masterson's attorney said the two had consensual sex. They pointed out that her testimony that Masterson threatened her with a gun hadn't appeared in an initial police report in 2004. Another woman, identified in court only as Christina B., was five years into a relationship with Masterson in 2001 when she said she woke to him raping her during the night, and fought back and got him to stop by pulling his hair. Masterson's lawyers argued that that she had reframed the incident in recent years only after another alleged rape she reported could not lead to charges. The third woman, identified in court only as N. Trout, said Masterson raped her on a night in 2003 after he texted telling her to come to his house, saying she had set boundaries and was clear there was to be no sex. Defense attorneys said she knew she was going to his house for sexual purposes, that she voluntarily stayed most of the night and that she sought a dating relationship with him that she did not get. The Associated Press does not typically name people who say they were victims of sexual abuse. Defense attorneys also said a lawsuit filed by the women showed they were seeking financial gain. The prosecutor countered that the lawsuit was filed to stop the harassment they had been receiving from the church since coming forward. The church has denied all the allegations in the lawsuit. The allegations happened at the height of Mastersons fame, when he starred as Steven Hyde on Fox TVs retro sitcom That 70s Show from 1998 to 2006 alongside Ashton Kutcher, Mila Kunis and Topher Grace. He had reunited with Kutcher on the Netflix Western sitcom The Ranch but was written off the show when the LAPD investigation of him was revealed in March 2017. Masterson, who has been free on bail since his June arrest, was told to return to court for a new arraignment on June 7. ___ Follow AP Entertainment Writer Andrew Dalton on Twitter: https://twitter.com/andyjamesdalton. WARSAW, Poland (AP) The European Unions top court on Friday ordered Poland to immediately stop mining brown coal at the Turow mine, on the border with the Czech Republic and Germany. The Czech Republic filed in March for an injunction, saying the open-cast lignite mine in Poland drains ground water away from inhabited areas and has other negative effects on Czech residents. The decision by the EUs Court of Justice is a temporary measure pending the courts final judgement on Prague's complaint. Poland is heavily reliant on coal and had argued against the decision, which was praised by environmental campaigners. This ruling is a welcome reprieve for people living on the front line of this crisis, who have been forced to live with the mine gulping their drinking water and undercutting their houses, said Kathrin Gutmann, campaign director for the Europe Beyond Coal group. The message for polluters like PGE is clear: The rules are the same for everyone, and they are there to protect everyone. In January, the German city of Zittau, just across the border from Turow, also took Poland to the EU's court, saying the mine was harming the city and was draining away groundwaters. Polands state PGE energy group, which runs the lignite mine, argues that the mine needs to continue operations for years to allow Poland to phase out black coal in line with the European Union's climate policies. It said on Twitter the court's decision is a path toward a wild, uncontrolled transition to green energy that threatens an unplanned loss of jobs and livelihoods. Planning to stick to coal mining beyond 2030 will mean that Poland's region around Turow will miss out on EU's funds for so-called Just Transition that economically helps localities that turn away from producing coal. It would thwart Poland's hopes of being the biggest beneficiary of the 17.5 billion-euro transition fund. Black coal accounts for over 48% of Poland's energy production compared with under 17% from lignite. Turow also has a lignite power plant. Polish Climate Minister Michal Kurtyka recently extended the mine's license until 2044. Poland's new energy plan says the last black coal mine will be closed no later than 2049, but critics and environmentalists say the country's inefficient coal mining must end sooner. The court said the previous 2026 license for Turow had infringed EU laws because it was granted without prior environmental evaluation. The order by the court's Vice President Rosario Silva de Lapuerta said due to its negative effects the Turow mine must immediately cease lignite extraction activities. The Czech government filed the suit after not finding a solution in talks with Poland on the subject, but says the dialogue will continue. Almost 25% of Poland's energy comes from renewable energy sources like wind, solar, hydropower and biofuels. ___ Follow all AP stories on climate change issues at https://apnews.com/hub/climate. BRUSSELS (AP) NATO will continue to train Afghan special forces outside the country after it winds up 18 years of security work in conflict-torn Afghanistan in coming months, the military organizations top civilian official said Friday. As we end our military presence, we are opening a new chapter, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told reporters in Paris after talks with French President Emmanuel Macron that were focused on preparations for a summit of the alliances leaders next month. Stoltenberg said NATO's revised role would involve giving advice and capacity-building support to Afghan security institutions, as well as continued financial support. He said NATO also plans to provide military education and training outside Afghanistan, focusing on Special Operations Forces. It was not immediately clear where the training will take place. U.S. military leaders are still grappling with how best to carry out President Joe Bidens order to withdraw all American troops from Afghanistan by September while helping Afghan forces and monitoring the threat that prompted the U.S. invasion of the country after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. Americas allies in Europe plus Canada rely on U.S. logistical and transport help to operate in Afghanistan, and their troops are obliged to leave the country as well. Many officials have expressed concern that once the U.S. leaves, the Afghan government and its armed forces will be quickly overrun by the Taliban. It remains unclear what level of security might be needed, and who would provide it, to protect international embassies spread around the capital, Kabul. The citys airport, the main international gateway to Afghanistan, must also be protected. Stoltenberg said NATO plans to fund the provision of services, including support for the functioning of Kabul airport. Asked for clarification, a NATO official said, Were now looking into the details and consulting on next steps. Violence is surging in Afghanistan. Roadside bombings in southern and central Afghanistan killed 13 people, including nine members of one family, officials said Thursday. Meanwhile, militants stopped a bus in the west of the country, ordered three men to get out and shot and killed them. No one claimed responsibility for the attacks. The government blamed the Taliban, who denied responsibility. KATHMANDU, Nepal (AP) Dozens of Spanish nationals who have been stuck in Nepal since the Himalayan nation went into a coronavirus lockdown last month were flown out of the country Friday on a chartered repatriation flight. The flight arranged by the Spanish government took back 99 Spanish mountaineers, trekkers and tourists who arrived in Nepal to climb its famed mountain peaks or hike its trails before the country went into lockdown on April 29 amid a spike in virus cases. Authorities have closed the country's borders and canceled all domestic and international flights except for emergency and repatriation flights. Schools, shops and markets have been closed, and people are allowed to shop in neighborhood stores for groceries for only a few of hours in the morning. Vehicles are not allowed on the streets. Earlier in the week, Nepal allowed half a dozen chartered flights arranged by commercial airlines to fly out stranded passengers to the United Stated, Europe, Thailand and Saudi Arabia. The lockdown came as the country's spring mountaineering season was starting. There are still hundreds of foreign mountaineers up on the country's mountains, including Mount Everest. Though some of them have already summited the mountains, there are many more who are still climbing and will be returning to Kathmandu in the next few weeks as season ends. Nepal has been recording its record daily new cases and deaths this month, while struggling with shortages of hospital beds, medication and oxygen. It reported 8,305 new infections and 190 deaths on Thursday, bringing the nation's totals since the pandemic began to more than 488,500 infections and 5,847 deaths. Nepal has been appealing to international community for help in fighting the virus. The Spanish plane arrived in Nepal on Thursday, bringing in health aid given by the Spanish government. The shipment included respirators, oxygen concentrators, face masks and virus test kits. The U.S. Agency for International Development, meanwhile, announced Thursday that it was sending flights with emergency assistance. The first of three flights had already departed for Kathmandu carrying surgical masks, face shields and gloves for health care workers. Kenneth Gill, age 65, husband of 47 years of Marsha Gill of Lily, Kentucky went home to be with the Lord on Saturday, June 5, 2021 at his residence. He was the father of Kenneth E. Gill, Jr., of Hamilton, Ohio and Jessica Bowman and husband Terry of London, Kentucky; the brother of Vic Gill Local breaking top story Keene mask mandate to expire June 1; outdoor portion ends immediately Keenes mask mandate will expire on June 1, and the outdoor requirement has been removed from the ordinance effective immediately. After weeks of discussion about the future of the mask ordinance, the City Council voted 13-2 Thursday night to amend it so it ends in a little more than a week, rather than having its expiration tied to New Hampshires COVID-related state of emergency as originally written. The councils decision follows new recommendations from public health officials and increasing rates of vaccination. The CDC is in agreement with ending the mask ordinance, Councilor Mitch Greenwald said during Thursdays meeting, referring to the agencys most recent guidance for mask-wearing. I do want to stress, its not saying ending the need for masks, but the mandatory masks. Weve received many public communications that this needs to end. We need to get back to normal. This is about personal and mental health, its about business, its about personal responsibility. Only Councilors Bobby Williams and Catherine Workman ultimately voted against lifting the mandate on June 1. Keenes mandate requires that those 10 and older wear a mask when inside public places, and also required face coverings be worn outdoors where business is conducted. Those with a medical or developmental condition who could be negatively affected by wearing a mask were exempted. But while councilors agreed that the mask mandate does eventually need to be lifted, there was significant debate about the best time to do so. The councils Planning, Licenses and Development Committee voted last week to recommend that the mandate expire July 1. But after the CDC issued guidance last week saying vaccinated people could safely gather indoors without masks, the council voted Thursday to amend this by moving up the expiration date a month. Not all councilors agreed with the June date. Some argued that a July 1 expiration would be most appropriate. Others suggested doing away with the mask mandate right away. Williams raised a concern about removing the mandate before city schools let out for summer vacation. He called the June 1 date aggressive and said that with vaccine eligibility opening up only recently to kids aged 12 to 15, it will still be some time before most are fully inoculated. One thing I really was hoping to see before this mask ordinance goes away would be an effort to have a vaccination clinic in the high school so that everyone above age 12 could get their vaccination, Williams said. Without that, youre asking my kid to be going to school with a lot of unvaccinated kids in an environment where possibly theres more COVID going around, because once everyone takes off those masks, I do expect we will get something of a bump [in cases]. Though he voiced support for the later expiration date, Councilor Raleigh Ormerod, who is also a member of the Keene Board of Education, noted that the plan is to keep requiring masks in schools for the time being. Private businesses and organizations will not be barred from continuing to enforce their own mask requirements. Councilors Gladys Johnsen, Philip Jones and Workman also supported keeping the ordinance until July 1. Workman noted that some public health officials, such as N.H. State Epidemiologist Benjamin Chan, have expressed concerns about the CDCs recent guidance on indoor mask-wearing. Before a final vote was taken on the matter, Councilor Michael Remy pitched a new amendment that would have enabled the mandate to expire on Saturday. He said that there has been confusion since the CDC issued its new guidance, saying that hed heard from one business owner that many people living outside Keene have been walking into their store maskless because they arent familiar with the citys mandate. Remy moved to end the ordinance this weekend to bring the city in line with the federal guidelines. I appreciate the interest in giving businesses a little bit of time to adjust, but I would offer that I think moving it up to tomorrow, end of day, gives them a day and a half to figure out ... their mask policy and put up a sign on their window, he said. I think the businesses have been dealing with the confusion for two weeks now, and they probably already know what they want to do. Though some councilors agreed with terminating the mask ordinance sooner than later, Remys motion was defeated. Randy Filiault, who originally pitched a city-wide mask mandate in the spring of 2020, said theres no one right time for it to expire. But he said June 1 is a good date that gives businesses and individuals a chance to adjust. Theres no such thing as a perfect date, he said. June 1 isnt my particular pick, but its a great compromise. Keene, NH (03431) Today Showers this evening, becoming a steady rain overnight. Low 52F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch.. Tonight Showers this evening, becoming a steady rain overnight. Low 52F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch. Thank you for reading! You have reached your 30-day limit of free access to SentinelSource.com, The Keene Sentinels website. If you would like to read two more articles for free at this time, please register for an account by clicking the sign up button below. We hope you find The Sentinels coverage of the Monadnock Region valuable. We rely on our subscribers to bring you strong local journalism and hope you will consider supporting our work by taking advantage of this special subscription offer here. Trader Joes is paying employees at two Oakland stores different amounts for similar work, even though they face the same dangers from the coronavirus pandemic. Employees allege that the new policy circumvents a local law that mandates hazard pay for grocery workers. The grocers updated policy, which went into effect Monday, applies to its 530 locations across the country, except for stores in cities that require hazard pay, according to internal company documents reviewed by The Chronicle. The company has more than 40 stores in the Bay Area. In Oakland, a local law requires that stores more than 15,000 square feet and with over 500 employees nationwide pay workers an extra $5 per hour on top of their base pay. Last year, Trader Joes, which is not unionized, voluntarily granted $2 per hour hazard pay to all of its workers and raised the amount to $4 in February. Employees at the Trader Joes store in Rockridge are still receiving hazard pay but employees at the Lakeshore Avenue store near Lake Merritt are not. In February when the law was passed, employees at the Rockridge store received the city-level hazard pay of $5 but employees at the Lakeshore location received the company-wide hazard pay of $4, which was reduced to $2 on May 1 and eliminated on May 17. The discrepancy seems to be in the stores sizes, employees say. Rockridge measures more than 18,000 square feet and the Lakeshore location is 14,560 square feet, according to public property records. Trader Joes did not respond to multiple requests seeking comment. The company did notify employees that it will increase its minimum hiring rate to $16 per hour and that all employees will receive an hourly raise of 50 cents to $1 per hour on May 17. These arbitrary company policies are increasingly tone-deaf, said an employee at the Lakeshore Trader Joes, who was granted anonymity in accordance with The Chronicles policy on confidential sources because of fear of reprisals at work. You mean to tell me that if I simply worked at the other store, Id have an additional $5 in hourly pay? That is ridiculous. Like many grocers, Trader Joes began offering thank you pay in March 2020 to its employees deemed essential workers by public health officials who worked during the pandemic and faced an ongoing risk of contracting COVID-19. As local health orders began lifting last fall and vaccinations became more accessible this spring, companies began rescinding the added compensation. Bay Area cities including San Francisco, Oakland, Concord, San Leandro, San Jose and San Mateo began passing local laws earlier this year mandating hazard pay for grocery workers. Other cities such as Montebello and West Hollywood did the same, following Long Beach, the first city to take such a step in California in January. According to a recent Brookings Institute report, hazard pay is one way to immediately correct the financial injustice for frontline essential workers who risk their lives and their families lives without the dignity of wages that can support them. Another Trader Joes Lakeshore Avenue worker, who was also granted anonymity, said the past year has been stressful and the emotional residue of the pandemic is hard to navigate even more now due to the loss of supplemental pay. Yes, vaccinations are widely available but there is no way of knowing if the customers we interact with have had their shots. There are still people who lean over us, take their masks down to ask us questions, refuse to socially distance and are sometimes hostile toward us all this on top of lesser pay, the employee said. I dont know how they (management) cant see how badly were affected by all this. Oakland city officials would not comment on whether the Lakeshore Trader Joes, which employs approximately 100 employees, is breaking any rules, but Council Member Nikki Fortunato Bas, one of the ordinances main authors, said via email that Trader Joes should do right by all its Oakland workers. Trader Joes, as one of the largest grocery corporations in the country, should share some of the incredible wealth theyve accumulated during this pandemic with their frontline workers who are still risking their lives at work day in and day out, Bas said. Employees say the grocer may have found a workaround in the citys mandate on hazard pay based on store size. The Chronicle did not receive an answer from Oakland city officials on what the consequences, if any, would be for Trader Joes, and how the city enforces the law on hazard pay. Interactive Vaccine Tracker: Latest developments Detailed information about the coronavirus vaccines as it becomes available. It seems that Trader Joes is simply complying with whatever theyre being told to do by the local law, said Kirthi Kalyanam, director of the Retail Management Institute at Santa Clara University. Kalyanam said that its possible Oakland may have come up with the 15,000 square feet criterion to protect small businesses, but the unintended consequence is that smaller chain stores can benefit from not having to offer supplemental pay. You have to ask, what is the logic behind 15,000? It looks to be an arbitrary threshold, he said. To offer hazard pay at one location and not the other doesnt make a lot of sense, said Helen Bulwik, a retail consultant in Oakland, and former partner with the Newport Board Group, a professional services firm. Trader Joes might be inviting problems by doing this. Theres been a backlash against cities instituting hazard pay. The California Grocers Association has sued the cities of San Leandro, Oakland and others after similar laws mandating supplemental pay for grocery workers were passed. The trade association says the pay increases are illegal and is seeking to have the new laws declared invalid and unconstitutional, according to court documents. Some of the lawsuits, such as one filed against the city of Seattle, have been dismissed. For me, taking a 20% pay cut is terrifying, said one of the three Lakeshore employees The Chronicle spoke with who is no longer receiving the hazard pay. Its the unfairness of implementing these policies that really gets me. Shwanika Narayan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: shwanika.narayan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @shwanika Instagram: @shwanika San Francisco prosecutors are waiting on the results of DNA and fingerprint tests in more than 100 uncharged cases they sent back to police for more investigation, District Attorney Chesa Boudin told the citys Police Commission. His remarks on Wednesday came days after police tied two killings in Potrero Hill last weekend to the same person a man who was arrested last month in connection to an early April shooting and then released after prosecutors said they could not bring charges without more evidence. Prosecutors said they sent the earlier case against suspect Robert Newt back to police, awaiting forensic test results they never received. At the Police Commission meeting, Police Chief Bill Scott said the department would work to get to the bottom of the testing-related delays and police commissioners suggested launching an investigation into the matter. The revelation about the wait times adds a new dimension to ongoing debates over public safety in San Francisco one in which Boudin and his philosophies around criminal justice reforms play a central role. One of the main arguments behind the dual signature-gathering campaigns to oust Boudin from office is that his policies have made San Francisco less safe and that those policies are prone to letting violent criminals roam free. At the meeting, Boudin said prosecutors had not faltered when they let Newt go free in the April case. Prosecutors are forced to wait for up to six weeks to get results on critical forensic evidence tests, if they receive it at all, he said. And tragically thats what happened here, Boudin told the commissioners when asked about the Newt case. We asked for DNA, we never got it, and now weve got two murders on our hands. In an interview with The Chronicle on Thursday, San Francisco Police Lt. Derrick Lew said police felt the case could have been charged without the DNA evidence, and that the forensics there would have been a great bonus. Newt, Lew said, was caught in a car with the same distinct features as the suspect vehicle in the April shooting, and the rifle found in the car was the same caliber of the casings found at the scene. We would not have presented the case to SFDA if we did not believe there was sufficient evidence to charge and prosecute this case, Lew said, adding that the DAs office did not ask for a rush on the forensic testing. Police on Tuesday night issued a rare call for public assistance in locating Newt, a 32-year-old San Francisco man wanted on murder warrants in the Saturday killings of 61-year-old Darryl Haynes and 54-year-old Randy Armstrong and on an attempted murder warrant for the shooting of another man. Just weeks earlier, on April 21, Newt was pulled over after driving on the wrong side of the road and in a vehicle tied to a reported shooting that caused no injuries on April 4. A search of the car revealed an unserialzed and untraceable AR-15-style firearm, the type of weapon commonly referred to as a ghost gun, according to police. Newt was taken into custody and booked on suspicion of multiple crimes including possession of an assault weapon, being a felon in possession of a firearm, discharging a firearm in a grossly negligent manner and driving without a license. While not all gun cases require forensics evidence, Boudin said there were several issues with the case that warranted further investigation. The victim who was shot at described a shooter as Samoan, which does not match Newts description. And witness reports stated multiple people had access to the car Newt had been driving, making it difficult to link Newt to the gun without fingerprint or DNA evidence, prosecutors said. No witness reports tied Newt to the vehicle prior to police stopping him. Prosecutors declined to file charges in the case, sending it back to police to return with more forensic evidence. At the Wednesday meeting, Boudin said prosecutors never received those results, despite what police say is a two-week turnaround time for DNA testing. Boudin said prosecutors regularly wait for about six weeks for such results to come back, and that state law only allows suspects to be held in custody for 48 hours without charges. In many cases, Boudin said, there is no way we can lawfully file charges that could result in their detention unless we have credible evidence like DNA, like fingerprints. Scott said there was no backlog in DNA testing and the typical return time should be two or three weeks. Scott said police plan to review the DAs list of more than 100 cases in limbo to understand the delay in getting evidence back to prosecutors. The crime lab is run by the police department. This issue was just raised to me today, Scott said when asked about the lag in testing Newts case in particular. Well get to the bottom of what the facts are on this case. Police Commission President Malia Cohen said that while she felt it was unfair to lay the blame at the feet of the police department, I do know that we can have an investigation and ask some questions and work to figure out where the backlog is. Megan Cassidy is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: megan.cassidy@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @meganrcassidy Police on Thursday continued to search for the motorist who fatally struck software engineer Lovisa Svallingson and critically injured another pedestrian at a San Francisco intersection Tuesday. Svallingson, 29, was walking near the intersection of Polk and Hayes streets Tuesday evening when she was hit by a Chevy Avalanche after it collided with another car. She died at the scene. The driver, who fled on foot, had not been arrested or identified by police as of Thursday afternoon, said Robert Rueca, a spokesman for the San Francisco Police Department. Santiago Mejia / The Chronicle Investigators have canvassed the area for video surveillance and have seized any form of evidence in the hit-and-run crash, Rueca said. The surviving pedestrian victim, a 28-year old man, suffered life-threatening injuries. Authorities declined to say whether the man was with Svallingson at the time of the crash. He was taken to San Francisco General Hospital, where he remained in critical condition Wednesday, according to San Francisco Supervisor Matt Haney. At the time of her death, Svallingson was employed as a software engineer at Patch, a tech company based in San Francisco. Lovisas brilliance and sense of humor was apparent from the moment you met her, Patch co-founders Brennan Spellacy and Aaron Grunfeld said in a statement on behalf of the companys 10 employees. She had a natural gift for lifting the spirit of everyone around her. This sudden loss has left a massive void. Were all incredibly grateful to have known Lovisa, and will miss her deeply. Santiago Mejia / The Chronicle Author and software engineer Emily Freeman, who met Svallingson when the two were learning to code at the Turing School in Denver, called Svallingsons death a phenomenal loss for the tech industry. She mentored dozens of software engineers especially people from underrepresented backgrounds to help them transition careers and become developers, Freeman said. Svallingsons death marks the citys eighth pedestrian fatality of 2021. Since San Francisco officials set out to eliminate traffic fatalities six years ago, more than 200 people have died in traffic incidents and another 20,000 have suffered serious injuries. The city is on track for another really bad year of pedestrian fatalaties, said Jodie Medeiros, executive director of Walk San Francisco, a pedestrian advocacy group. The intersection where Svallingson was struck and killed saw six crashes between January 2016 and December 2020, two of which resulted in injuries to pedestrians, Medeiros said. Advocates have pressed city traffic engineers to make the intersection safer, she said, by changing the signal timing, installing speed bumps or reducing the number of lanes of traffic. People are running through that red light, Medeiros said. Chronicle Staff Writer Michael Cabanatuan contributed to this report. Nora Mishanec is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: nora.mishanec@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @NMishanec SACRAMENTO In spite of a pandemic that has killed about 62,000 Californians more than enough to pack Dodger Stadium Gov. Gavin Newsom has again declined to boost the budgets of the states underfunded and understaffed local public health departments. Public health officials, responsible for steering the states COVID-19 response, had asked the Democratic governor for $200 million per year for the nuts and bolts of public health, starting in the 2021-22 budget year that kicks off July 1. But Newsom did not grant their request in his $268 billion budget proposal released Friday, despite a projected surplus of $76 billion. If Newsom does not change his mind before the budget is finalized, this would mark the third consecutive year that he has denied funding requests to help rebuild Californias devastated public health infrastructure and workforce, threatening the states ability to control COVID and prepare for future threats, public health experts say. Were extremely dismayed and disappointed, said Michelle Gibbons, executive director of the County Health Executives Association of California. We cant wait until the next pandemic or public health crisis to start thinking about funding public health. We have to do it now. Californias 61 local public health departments are responsible for keeping their communities safe but, throughout the pandemic, city and county public health leaders had to abandon fundamental public health functions, such as contact tracing, communicable disease testing and enforcement of public health orders because they do not have enough staffing or resources. Last year, in the thick of the crisis, Newsom said the state couldnt afford to boost local public health budgets. California was staring down a projected $54 billion deficit that required the governor to retreat on his biggest health care ambitions. But the unexpected surplus projected by the Newsom administration this year fueled primarily by surging tax revenues is allowing the first-term Democrat to dream big again. Newsom wants to expand the states Medicaid program for low-income people, called Medi-Cal, to income-eligible unauthorized immigrants age 60 and up, at a cost of $1 billion in the first year. He proposes to spend $7 billion to convert hotel rooms into permanent housing for homeless people. Hes calling for new mental health and substance abuse services for kids and teens in schools. And he is spearheading a transformation of Medi-Cal to expand behavioral health treatment and social services, such as food and housing assistance, for homeless, formerly incarcerated and other medically vulnerable people. The federal government provides the lions share of public health funding in California, and Newsoms budget would use tens of billions in additional federal COVID relief money to support state and local health agencies. But health care leaders say federal spending does not sufficiently support ongoing public health infrastructure needs such as staff compensation and data collection systems. You need strong public health and you need a strong health care system, and to think that you can invest in one to the exclusion of the other is just foolhardy, said Dr. Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo, chair of the department of epidemiology and biostatistics at the University of California San Francisco. Public health leaders say an infusion of $200 million annually could help fund long-term staff positions including nurses and epidemiologists, pay for new public health laboratories the state has lost 11 since 1999 and rebuild obsolete data systems that have crashed, a problem that officials say has cost lives during the pandemic. Asked why he did not provide the funding in his budget blueprint, Newsom pointed to proposed investments in other health care programs, such as his transformation of Medi-Cal, expected to cost $1.5 billion per year, and $300 million for public hospitals. I hope folks celebrate that, said Newsom, who will likely face a Republican-driven recall election this year. He added that his budget proposal is simply a starting point for negotiations with state lawmakers that will continue over the coming weeks. The legislature has until June 15 to send a revised budget proposal to him for approval. But state Democratic lawmakers, who control both houses of the legislature, dont think Newsoms proposed investments in Medi-Cal and public hospitals are enough. For the first time, the leaders of the Senate and Assembly and the chairs of the health committees in both houses are publicly calling on the governor to invest in local public health departments, too. We know how difficult the past year has been for public health officers and our county public health staff, said Senate President Pro Tempore Toni Atkins. Their commitment is tireless, and theyve gone above and beyond in their efforts to protect our health and safety during the pandemic. Assembly member Jim Wood, who chairs the Assembly Health Committee, said he would personally lobby Newsom. Unknown to the average Californian, there has been an ongoing erosion of funding for local public health departments, Wood said. California has let its guard down and made us all susceptible and vulnerable to future health threats. Without additional money, lawmakers fear the state will fall further behind on controlling communicable diseases like measles or tuberculosis, and chronic diseases like heart disease and diabetes. We can do more, said state Sen. Sydney Kamlager (D-Los Angeles), who is calling for a long-overdue reckoning. An ongoing $200 million investment will not only help heal and restore a public health system left shaken from the devastating COVID-19 pandemic but is essential in preparing for the crises that are already here, like the sexually transmitted infections epidemic and the ones to come, she said. State Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly said the Newsom administration is eyeing ongoing funding for local health departments, but not until next year. He pointed to $3 million in the governors current spending plan that would identify the public health systems long-term needs and assess lessons learned from the coronavirus pandemic. Assembly member Phil Ting, D-San Francisco, who chairs the Assembly Budget Committee, agreed that a detailed inventory of public health needs is critical. We definitely need to make an investment in public health infrastructure, Ting said. But what counties seem to want is a blank check. Newsom is expected to face intense lobbying on health care proposals. Some lawmakers want Newsom to expand Medi-Cal eligibility to all unauthorized immigrants in California, an expensive proposition that the nonpartisan Legislative Analysts Office says could cost $2.4 billion per year. Newsom also faces pressure to go bigger on mental health and homelessness, and increase state-based financial assistance for people purchasing health coverage through the Covered California health insurance exchange. This is not just about providing some justice to public health and essential workers who have struggled throughout the pandemic, but about making a health care system that is stronger with everyone included, said Anthony Wright, executive director of the nonprofit advocacy group Health Access California. This story was produced by Kaiser Health News, which publishes California Healthline, an editorially independent service of the California Health Care Foundation. Good morning, Bay Area. Its Friday, May 22, and a super blood moon is coming next week. Heres what you need to know to start your day. For the first time since March 2020, San Francisco General Hospital has reported zero COVID-19 patients. The development Thursday marked a major pandemic progress point for San Francisco and one of its biggest and best-known hospitals. Officials said COVID-19 vaccinations were largely to thank. This is a huge milestone in the pandemic to show the power of the effectiveness of the vaccines, said Monica Gandhi, an infectious disease expert at UCSF and medical director of the HIV Clinic at the hospital. This milestone continues to assure us the epidemic in San Francisco is no longer a public health threat. Read more from Kellie Hwang. San Francisco announces looser COVID restrictions at live events, workplaces, indoor bars. More: New rules mean you can now drink while standing at bars in S.F. And: Latest key dates to know in the citys reopening. For six Bay Area counties, the yellow tier has been frustratingly out of reach. California workplace standards could change to end social distancing for vaccinated employees. Thats what the Lord wanted us to do Paul Kuroda/Special to The Chronicle Its been a decade since Harold Camping predicted the world would end, spearheading an international multimillion-dollar media blitz from the confines of his modest Alameda home and Oakland radio ministry. Today marks the 10th anniversary of the bogus doomsday declaration. Robert Fitzpatrick, who spent about $300,000 most of his life savings to warn Earthlings about the end of the world, has no ill will toward Camping, who died in 2013. In fact, the 70-year-old retiree said it was all part of Gods plan. Read more from Matthias Gafni. Around the Bay S.F. public safety debate: District Attorney Chesa Boudin cites evidence delays in arrest that preceded Portrero Hill slayings. Californias 2021 drought: Whats happening now and what the water shortages mean for you. Also: Parts of the Bay Area are suddenly in the worst drought category. And: Where California regions rank on the fire danger Burning Index right now. Housing plans: Two soaring high-rises are on track at Oaklands Lake Merritt BART Station 500-plus homes as well as office space. Also: New state law could become important tool to increase housing production. Lunar eclipse: A super blood moon is coming next week. Heres how to see it in the Bay Area. Video: Mountain lion seen roaming S.F.s Bernal Heights is captured, will be returned to the wild. Cybercrime sleuthing: A nonprofit that helps the poor lost $650,000 to scammers. The boss had to go after them herself. Politics: Is wokeness killing Democrats? Heres what the new DNC chief says. Also: Election day holiday bill dies in Sacramento as panel culls legislation. Datebook Scott Strazzante/The Chronicle The southwestern wall of the San Francisco LGBT Center on Market Street has become one of the most talked-about spaces in San Francisco public art. Since June, it had been the home to a mural by the artist known as fnnch featuring three of his signature honey bears painted in LGBTQ Pride flag colors. The bears have provoked heated discussions in recent weeks about gentrification and who gets to represent San Franciscos street art scene, erupting recently in a confrontation caught on video between fnnch and an activist that went viral. Now, center Deputy Director Roberto Ordenana says, We need to move on. In an exclusive announcement to The Chronicle, Ordenana reveals that San Francisco artists Juan Manuel Carmona and Simon Malvaez began work this week on a mural that they hope will be completed by June 1, the first day of LGBTQ Pride Month. Read more from Tony Bravo. Stern Grove Festival to return to in-person performances next month. New circus show to take the stage in Club Fugazi, former venue of Beach Blanket Babylon. Bay Briefing is written by Taylor Kate Brown, Anna Buchmann and Kellie Hwang and sent to readers email inboxes on weekday mornings. Sign up for the newsletter here, and contact the writers at taylor.brown@sfchronicle.com, anna.buchmann@sfchronicle.com and kellie.hwang@sfchronicle.com. If theres one thing to know about the architecture of airports, it is this: Theyre like convention centers. Theyre always in an expansion mode. When one portion is unveiled with a flourish, you can guess that plans are being made to tear down something else. A relentless progression of building projects is the surest sign of success. So even as San Francisco International Airport opened the final boarding gates of its $2.4 billion Harvey Milk Terminal 1, officials were preparing for the next wave of dust clouds and detour. Construction is never done at SFO, said Doug Yakel, the airports public information officer. His comment came after a tour to preview the new portions of the terminal that opened to the public last Tuesday. There are seven boarding gates, along with a generous play area for young children with energy to burn. A first-ever corridor to SFOs International Terminal allows travelers to go back and forth without needing to go back through security. Speaking of security, the clearing within the metal detectors has been enlarged with a recompose area where, at the very least, you can put your shoes back on without fear of being run into from behind. There are displays on Milk, who was San Franciscos first openly gay elected official before being slain in 1978, and a corridor lined with with aviation artifacts from SFOs museum. Public art includes four large tile mosaics by artist Emily Fromm that celebrate slices of San Francisco: Chinatown, the southern stretch of the Embarcadero, Castro Street and Mission Street. I wanted to steer away from highlighting obvious tourist attractions, said Fromm, who lives in the Outer Sunset. Go for deeper cuts. Stephen Lam/The Chronicle The improvements come 13 months after the opening of nine gates, a check-in lobby and the all-important baggage claim carousels. Three years from now, a lobby to the north is planned along with a spacious connection to the old Central Terminal, now known as T2. They also follow a pandemic that descended in March 2020 and no spoiler alert needed brought normal life and the regional economy to a terrifying halt. COVID-19 didnt influence what debuts this week: Wed already hired all the contractors and ordered all the materials we needed, Yakel said, so it made sense to keep the gears in motion. But modernizing the section that links with T2 was put on hold for nearly a year: Airport projects are funded by bonds that base their revenue models on the number of travelers who are expected from month to month. We havent even started demolition of that area, Yakel said, referring to elements like the ticket counters that remain from long-ago days when the site held what opened in 1963 as the South Terminal. We didnt want the debt curve to accelerate as passengers were decelerating. Now, cross fingers, the worst of the pandemic is behind us. Passenger traffic at SFO has returned to 40% of pre-virus levels; this works out to roughly 30,000 daily, compared with just 2,000 intrepid fliers on a typical day in May of 2020. Even so, plans are still on hold for remaking the western wing of Terminal 3, which was built in 1971 and overhauled in 1979. Part of the terminal was rebuilt in 2014, and SFO was intending to update the rest as soon as Harvey Milk Terminal 1 was all wrapped up. Instead, design work probably wont begin in earnest until travel returns to pre-pandemic levels. Trivia note: The lead architect for Terminal 3s east wing upgrade, Gensler, also led the design team in the newest piece of Harvey Milk Terminal. As well as T2, which opened in 2011 on the site of 1954s Central Terminal. The prior remake of the structure came in the early 1980s, a conversion that was designed by ... Gensler. Gordon Peters/The Chronicle Many of the forces behind the perpetual makeover are measurable. Planes get larger, for instance; several of the new gates can accommodate the two-level A380 mega-jets that hold as many as 500 people. The number of passengers using SFO climbed nearly 50% between 2000 and 2019, to 57.5 million. Another factor is that SFO was one of the first U.S. airports to pursue the idea of terminal as amenity a space that is part of the journey. Not just in the dramatic first impression, or cattle-chute efficiency, but the overall sense of a composed environment where you dont mind killing an hour or two. The recompose area, for instance, isnt just a wide clearing beyond the security checkpoint. The terrazzo floor may be tough and long lasting, but it comes with a gentle sky-blue tint a color selected for its soothing tone. Its a balance of pragmatics and aesthetics, said Ryan Fetters, an architect at Gensler who specializes in airport design. SFO realized earlier than other airports that there are all kinds of journeys, and design should reflect that. The last piece of SFO built from scratch is the International Terminal that debuted in 2000, in the middle of the horseshoe formed by the three oft-altered terminals. Spacious, almost cathedral-like, it was conceived before online ticketing made grand ticketing halls functionally obsolete. According to Yakel, there are no renovation plans yet. But once Terminal 3 is completed, whenever that might be, the International Terminal is next on the list. John King is The San Francisco Chronicles urban design critic. Email: jking@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @johnkingsfchron Robert Fitzpatrick has no regrets. And no ill will toward doomsayer Harold Camping. In fact, 10 years after the transit engineer spent about $300,000 most of his life savings to warn people of the end of the world, the 70-year-old retiree said it was all part of Gods plan. I think thats what the Lord wanted us to do and me to do, Fitzpatrick said in a phone interview with The Chronicle from his apartment in Hawaii. No regrets. Its been a decade since the late Camping predicted the world would end, spearheading an international multimillion-dollar media blitz from the confines of his modest Alameda home and Oakland radio ministry. Friday marks the 10th anniversary of the bogus doomsday declaration, an embarrassing development in the world of Apocalyptic shot-callers. After the predicted series of massive earthquakes encircling Earth failed to materialize on May 21, 2011, a lot has changed. Camping, the butt of jokes leading up to the failed Judgment Day, would soon die after suffering a stroke, leading to a wholesale change in his nonprofit Family Radio. In recent years, the evangelical radio ministry apologized for its role in the 2011 prediction and completely separated itself from Camping, moving its headquarters from an industrial property on Hegenberger Road in Oakland to Tennessee. And yet, other fringe groups emerged with new dates, such as QAnon and the Storm. Camping was kind of quaint compared to whats out there, said Charles Sarno, an associate professor of sociology at Holy Names University, a small Catholic liberal arts college nestled in the Oakland hills. Sarno studies the sociology of religion and has followed Camping and Family Radio for a decade. Theres lunacy out there. Camping in relation to the storming of the Capitol is kind of benign. Fitzpatrick got some notoriety back in 2011 as Camping and Family Radio, his network of religious radio stations that propagated his teachings, spent millions of dollars buying billboard space and air time proclaiming May 21 the end of the world. Sarno estimated there were a few thousand loyal Campingites who donated to Family Radio, volunteered to caravan across the country and helped spread the word. Fitzpatrick cashed out most of his savings and bought more than 1,000 ads. Its expensive to advertise on the subway, he said. On May 21, Fitzpatrick stood in Times Square in New York and nervously glanced at his watch, becoming perplexed as Campings predicted calamity failed to transpire. He was captured by a documentary film crew and other reporters as passersby mocked him. We thought that thats what the Lord wanted us to do, he said. We wanted to let everyone know that Judgment Day was approaching. Paul Kuroda / Special to The Chronicle He quickly pivoted and followed Camping, who amended his claim and said the world would end five months later on Oct. 21, 2011. When that didnt happen, Fitzpatrick said he returned to the Bible and pored over the numbers. By early 2012, he said he realized that the May 21 date was still significant. It marked the end of Salvation, he said. But, Camping erred in believing man could foretell the date of Judgment Day, he said. I was able to correct his mistakes, he said. Fitzpatrick wrote two books and moved to Hawaii, where he lives off his pension from his years as a New York transit engineer. In August 2018, Family Radio President Tom Evans, who took over for Camping after the founders 2013 death, went on a religious podcast and apologized for the nonprofits role in the Judgment Day debacle. I do want to humbly apologize to those who are listening here who were affected by Family Radio, said Evans, Campings longtime second-in-command. I cannot defend Mr. Camping. I will not. Its time now to let it go. We made a mess of things. Evans did not return a request for comment from The Chronicle. In the 82-minute conversation, Evans revealed publicly for the first time how the radio ministry that got its start airing gospel music and Bible study classes became known as a doomsday cult. In 1992, Evans said Camping gathered staff and told them hed written a book titled 1994? which predicted the world would end that year. He told staff he was 99% sure, Evans said. In 2000, Camping released the End of Church Age doctrine, which drove a wedge with organized religion. Six years later, the 2011 prediction was born. He genuinely believed the world would end and Christ would come for his church on May 21, 2011, Evans said. It wasnt an act. It wasnt a publicity stunt. As far as Sarno could tell, Camping made no money off the operation, working as a volunteer and living in a simple house with his wife. He differed from other religious figures. It wasnt Jonestown. Even his narcissism seems kind of tame and mellow, Sarno said. He was never after political power. ... He always really believed what he said. As Campings prediction took shape and grew an audience from 2008 to 2011, Family Radio took in $77.3 million, mostly in donations, and spent $161.3 million, according to tax returns. Despite the heavy spending, the groups Form 990 indicated the nonprofit had $67 million in assets. In the podcast, Evans described his morning after the failed prediction to the host. If you can imagine waking up on May 22, 2011, and realizing, Wow, what did we just do?! he said. Evans recalled watching a shell-shocked and visibly drained Camping at his May 23 news conference at the Oakland headquarters defending his actions. When Camping pushed the date back to October, Family Radio insiders began to lose faith and Camping isolated himself, the president said. The beginning of the end was June 2011 after Camping suffered a stroke. Much of his numerology and teachings were lost with his memory, Evans said. The Lord took Mr. Camping, Evans said. Since 2014, Family Radio has been on a completely different mission. Over that time, Family Radio has been operating on a deficit, taking in $37.5 million in revenue, largely off donations, and spending $77.6 million, according to its tax returns. Late last year, the nonprofit sold a valuable New York property for $51 million. The nonprofit owns valuable property and broadcasting licenses. Above the doorbell on Campings two-story pink, brown and brick home in Alameda was a sign Visitors Please Wear Masks with a smiley face on the eve of the 10th anniversary. One of Harold Campings daughters answered the door. The wind gently pushed open the front door as she went to ask her mother if she wanted to speak to a reporter. Shirley Camping stood in the kitchen. My mothers 97. Shes not up for this, the daughter said. Later Thursday, another daughter, Susan Espinoza, who used to serve on the Family Radio board, wrote The Chronicle by email. Obviously my father was wrong about the end of the world, though he believed with all his heart and soul that it was going to happen, she wrote. By Gods mercy the peoples of the world were given more time to repent of their sins and get ready to meet God when the world does end. There is no question that Christ will return. A little more than a mile away at the Veterans Memorial Building, Camping used to rent a downstairs room and hold meetings with his Alameda Bible Fellowship. The group still exists, although for more than a year members have not met because of the pandemic. Their website still allows users to access Campings teachings. Brad Cowan is a fellowship member who now lives in San Diego. In 2011, he volunteered to spread the Judgment Day prediction in the Boston area, handing out pamphlets. There was a lot of biblical evidence pointing to that date, he said in a phone interview with The Chronicle. I believe he was on the right track, but he just happened to not get that date right. When the world did not end, Cowan felt it was even more urgent to save as many people as he could. And 10 years later, he said the world is just that much closer to Judgment Day. I dont have a date in mind, but I definitely believe theres a date out there, he said. I just dont know it. Cowan said he was disappointed in Family Radios new direction and abandonment of Camping. We are trying to take up where Family Radio left off, he said. Even after it moved to the Nashville area, Family Radio kept a satellite office in Alameda, a suite in an office park next to Oakland International Airport and the old Oakland Raiders headquarters. A knock on the upstairs door Thursday was not answered. The downstairs office was mostly empty with a few Family Radio signs, an old stereo and a box of religious books among a hodgepodge of items. The old Family Radio headquarters along Hegenberger Road has fallen into disrepair. Behind a dilapidated cyclone fence, the front facade of the building is covered in graffiti, windows are shattered, and a tipped-over shopping cart rests among weeds in front of the walkway where dozens of media assembled a decade earlier to hear from a deflated Camping. On Thursday, Anna Jac waited for customers next door at the Hegenburger. She bought the restaurant a couple of years ago, and the pandemic has significantly curtailed business along the airport corridor. She looked confused when a reporter asked about the End of the World sensation that sprung to life 10 years ago in the neighboring property. Never heard of it, she said. Matthias Gafni is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: matthias.gafni@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @mgafni Hundreds of California housing developments could avoid getting delayed for years by expensive and time-consuming environmental lawsuits under a bill Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law on Thursday. Standing near Diridon Station in San Jose, where Google is planning to build a campus with 4,000 housing units, Newsom signed Senate Bill 7, which allows projects of more than $15 million to apply for an expedited review under the California Environmental Quality Act, which is often used by development opponents to slow down or kill new housing. The bill, which was sponsored by Senate President pro Tempore Toni G. Atkins and passed the state senate unanimously, is an expansion of Assembly Bill 900, which expired at the start of this year. The old law targeted jumbo projects of more than $100 million to apply for streamlining. In San Francisco the old bill was used for Chase Center and the redevelopment of the UCSF campus in Laurel Village, as well as the Potrero Hill Power Plant and Balboa Reservoir projects. In San Francisco, projects comprising 5,458 housing units qualified for AB900. The bill allows developers of housing, clean energy and manufacturing projects to apply for a special status that requires planning officials to streamline them. Once a project qualifies, any lawsuit filed under the California Environmental Quality Act goes directly to an appeals court and must be resolved within 270 days. Atkins called it an important tool for increasing housing production across California, ensuring communities small and large and urban and rural can benefit from economic development and generating good jobs for skilled workers in many trades. Whether or not many smaller projects will take advantage of the new law is an open question, according to Matt Regan, a vice president with the pro-business group Bay Area Council. The legislation requires 15% of new housing units be affordable to low-income families and also that the projects be built with union labor. While San Francisco and Oakland developments are typically union jobs and require at least that amount of affordable units, those requirements may be a tough sell in outer parts of the Bay Area where housing is typically less expensive. This could have been a game-changer but you have to figure in the math and economics, said Regan. We know there is a shortage of union labor in California and a significant increased cost involved in using union labor. Regan said the law would likely be taken advantage of primarily in the inner Bay Area. You are only going to see this in the high-end coastal markets, not in the Inland Empire or Central Valley, he said. You are taking a lot of California off the map in terms of where it will have an impact. Newsom, who is currently facing a recall challenge, said he was tempted to sign the bill within 20 minutes of receiving it last Friday, but felt it was important to draw attention to it with a ceremonial bill-signing. Given its unanimous support in the Senate, its likely that the publicity swirling around its signing will not hurt his effort to beat back the recall. This bill is about our comeback, he said, after ticking off a plethora of Californias recent economic accomplishments. This bill is about our renewal. This bill is about our grit and tenacity. J.K. Dineen is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jdineen@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @sfjkdineen For the first time since March 2020, San Francisco General Hospital has reported zero COVID-19 patients. The development Thursday marked a major pandemic progress point for San Francisco and one of its biggest and best known hospitals. Officials said COVID-19 vaccinations were largely to thank. This is a huge milestone in the pandemic to show the power of the effectiveness of the vaccines, said Monica Gandhi, an infectious disease expert at UCSF and medical director of the HIV Clinic at the hospital. This milestone continues to assure us the epidemic in San Francisco is no longer a public health threat. She pointed to the 76% of San Francisco residents 16 and older who have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, and the citys low virus case rate and positive test rate. A milestone at SF General @ZSFGCare today, Dr. Sumant Ranji, division of hospital medicine chief at San Francisco General, tweeted Thursday. COVID-19 inpatient census: 0 patients. First time since March 5, 2020. Ranji said he distinctly remembers learning of the first coronavirus case in San Francisco, and how little everyone knew back then. I think about how much we have learned and how much the community has come together to turn the tide on this pandemic, and its really gratifying, he said. He said he compares the current moment to mid-December when the first vaccines were being administered to health care staff, and it was the first sign we had a light at the end of the tunnel. Ranji said the hospital hit its peak of 67 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 on Jan. 19, when staff and resources were really stretched and many were working extra shifts. A month later, when thousands in the city were vaccinated, Ranji said the hospital had about 20 coronavirus patients. For the past few weeks, the hospital recorded one or two COVID-19 patients who had recovered but remained at the facility awaiting placement because they were experiencing homelessness or otherwise vulnerable, according to Gandhi. Once we started rolling out vaccine to the general population, the hospitalizations plummeted even further, and we have had fewer than 10 hospitalizations at SFGH for more than six weeks, she said. As of May 16, there were 13 total confirmed COVID-19 patients across all of San Franciscos hospitals with 41% of intensive-care unit beds available, according to the citys online dashboard. At the pandemics peak in San Francisco during the winter surge, 259 patients were hospitalized with COVID-19 on Jan. 11. Daily hospitalizations have hit their low point of nine COVID-19 patients multiple times in the past month. The development came as San Francisco officials on Thursday announced they would further loosen restrictions for indoor bars, outdoor live events and workplaces. The city was already in Californias least restrictive yellow reopening tier, but it had maintained stricter rules than that status allows. The new guidelines bring it more in line with state COVID restrictions. In announcing the move, officials noted that San Franciscos coronavirus case rate now stands at 18 per day, the lowest since it first declared a state of emergency in March 2020. Ranji said one unfortunate circumstance he has seen recently is more people coming into the hospital with other ailments after delaying care and routine health appointments. He urges anyone with health concerns to go in, and assured them that hospital operations are back to normal and COVID-19 infection precautions are very strong. Ranji said that while people will still get sick and be hospitalized with COVID-19 down the line, he is encouraged by how steady everything has been for some time. I do not see us going back to the situation we had in January, or even our previous peak last summer, he said. Gandhi said immunity to the virus is the only way to fight the pandemic, and she believes the promising outlook for San Francisco will stick. We have achieved this by some natural immunity and high rates of vaccination in the city of San Francisco, she said. This will continue given the effectiveness of the vaccines in the long run. Kellie Hwang is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: kellie.hwang@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @KellieHwang If you walked across San Francisco today, youd likely encounter more fully vaccinated people than partially and unvaccinated people combined. Fifty-four percent of San Franciscans were fully vaccinated as of May 18. Thats far more than the U.S. overall rate of 38%. Its also higher than all U.S. counties with 250,000 people or more, save three Cumberland County in Maine, Dane County in Wisconsin, and neighboring Marin County, which topped the list at 60%. Its not just San Francisco and Marin, though; most of the Bay Area is vaccinating residents at unusually high rates. Of the regions eight counties with over 250,000 people, seven make it into the top 25 U.S. counties. Napa County, which has fewer than 250,000, also has a vaccination rate far above the national average. (The vaccination data comes from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. To find out whats driving such high rates in the Bay Area, the Chronicle analyzed how counties vaccination rates correlated with several other demographic metrics, including education levels, poverty rates, rates of uninsured residents, and the share of Black, Hispanic and Asian residents. Basically, we wanted to know which one metric best predicts a countys vaccination rates. The analysis excluded counties with fewer than 250,000 people, plus six states with incomplete data: Georgia, West Virginia, Virginia, Texas, Colorado and Vermont. We found that, by far, a countys vaccination rate was most strongly correlated with the percentage of its adult residents with college degrees. Knowing the share of people with a college degree explains about half of the difference between counties in vaccination rates. For every 1% increase in a countys rate of college-educated adults, there is an almost 0.5% greater share of people fully vaccinated. This relationship could help explain San Franciscos high vaccination rate: 58% of its residents aged 25 or older have bachelors degrees, making it the 10th most college-educated populous county in the nation. Marin County is 6th; Alameda, San Mateo and Santa Clara all make the top 40. The relationship between education and vaccination rates makes sense, according to Bela Matyas, health officer for Solano County. Higher levels of education ...definitely correlate with all aspects leading to better health, he said. He noted that people who voted for Biden in the last election tend to be more willing to get vaccinated and theyre also more likely to have college degrees. Matyas added that higher education levels can help individuals navigate the confusing waters of information about the vaccine particularly online misinformation, like rumors about Bill Gates and microchips. A lot of social media stories ... dissuade people from getting vaccinated, he said. Solano County has the lowest vaccination rate of any county in the Bay Area. Just 35% of its residents are fully vaccinated. It also has the lowest percentage of college-educated adults in the region, at just 27% of residents 25 or older. Another particularly strong correlation lay with counties share of uninsured residents. This relationship was even stronger than the correlation between vaccination and poverty rates. A 1% higher share of uninsured residents in a county was associated with a 1% decrease in its vaccination rate. In a recent New York Times survey, 9% of respondents reported concerns about vaccines costing too much money or taking too much time, despite vaccines being free. The report recommended that public health officials spend more time stressing that vaccines dont cost anything, and locate vaccine hubs in locations that people frequent, like restaurants and religious venues. The Latino Task Force, which has been working to vaccinate San Franciscos Latino population, is doing exactly this. Now that most vaccine-eager residents have gotten their jabs, LTF coordinator Valerie Tulier-Laiwa said the task force is shifting focus toward more hesitant people in two major ways: One, by spreading the word that the vaccines are free, and two, by setting up small pop-up vaccine hubs at COVID testing sites and at neighborhood events. One of our mantras has been, low barrier, low barrier, low barrier, she said. We try to make everything as simple and easy as possible so they will have access to it. Still, among residents without insurance particularly for undocumented Latino people vaccine hesitancy rates have been relatively high, Tulier-Laiwa said. One, they are afraid because they dont have insurance. Theyre also afraid if they dont have documents, and thats really important. Monique LeSarre, executive director of the Rafiki Coalition for Health and Wellness, which has been coordinating vaccine outreach efforts to San Franciscos Black community, said shes also heard concerns about cost. Some folks have been told that they will be charged for it, she told The Chronicle in an email. They also have heard that there are different prices and that J&J is the vaccine you get if you are unhoused. Still, only an estimated 4% of San Franciscans are uninsured, compared to an average of 9% across all populous U.S. counties in our analysis. In Solano County, where 6% of residents are uninsured, Matyas said he hasnt specifically heard of hesitancy related to misinformation about vaccine cost. But, he said, his department has struggled to reach populations that tend to be uninsured, including unhoused people and undocumented immigrants. Methodology: Using data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, we calculated the correlation coefficients between vaccination rates of counties with 250,000 people or more and several independent factors, including the counties rates of uninsured residents, their share of adults 25 or older with college degrees and their poverty rates. We also ran regressions on the uninsured and college degree variables to further understand the nature of their relationships to counties vaccination rates. Susie Neilson is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: susie.neilson@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @susieneilson Windsor Mayor Dominic Foppoli said Friday he was resigning from office, bowing to pressure that continued to build six weeks after a Chronicle investigation first detailed several womens allegations that the politician and winemaker sexually assaulted them. The move came less than three hours after Chronicle reporters emailed Foppoli seeking comment about an investigation by Palm Beach police. A Los Angeles woman alleged that Foppoli sexually assaulted her in the Florida town in March, her attorney said in an interview. The alleged victim is Farrah Abraham, a social media influencer and former reality television star. A representative for the Palm Beach Police Department said Abraham, 29, is a party to a report filed on April 2, 2021. The Chronicle does not typically identify alleged victims of sexual crimes, but Abraham agreed to be named in this story. Foppoli announced his resignation, effective immediately, in a written statement. I have always and will always maintain that I did not engage in any non-consensual sexual acts with any woman, he said. Foppoli and Orchid Vaghti, the criminal defense lawyer representing him, could not be reached by Friday night and did not respond to the original email from reporters. In his statement, Foppoli said he recently learned that a woman in Palm Beach, Florida is accusing me of non-consensual acts while I was visiting there in March of this year. She made her allegations after she learned of the April 8, 2021 San Francisco Chronicle story. I have no doubt she is making these allegations in an attempt to leverage the situation to her advantage. Foppolis statement is false. Abraham filed her police report three days before Chronicle reporters first approached Foppoli about their investigation, and six days before the article was published. Foppolis announcement capped weeks of tumult in Windsor, a small town in the heart of Wine Country that has been rocked both by the sexual assault allegations made against its mayor and by Foppolis repeated insistence that he would not resign, even as dozens of elected officials demanded he do so and more women came forward with accusations against him. Instead, Foppoli spent the past six weeks unleashing attacks on the women and his onetime political allies. A longtime friend working with Foppoli threatened to release a sex tape depicting one of the women, who said she feared the video from a surveillance camera at Foppolis winery captured a sexual assault. The other eight Sonoma County mayors, all of his Windsor Town Council colleagues, both U.S. representatives for the North Bay, and scores of residents condemned Foppoli, beginning a long stand-off between a town and its mayor. As recently as Wednesday, Windsors town manager released a statement saying, among other things, that Foppoli has indicated he has no intention of vacating his office. In his Friday statement, addressed to the Residents of Windsor, Foppoli said he was stepping down because he did not want undue national attention to have a negative impact on the Windsor community because of lawful, but poor choices, I have made in the recent past. Spencer Kuvin, the West Palm Beach attorney representing Abraham, said her police report documents a very serious allegation of sexual assault against Foppoli connected to an encounter that occurred in Palm Beach in March. Through Kuvin, Abraham declined comment, citing the active criminal investigation. Kuvin said Abraham had provided police with photographs, video and audio supporting her account, but he would not reveal further details. This is not a he said, she said situation. She has physical proof, Kuvin told The Chronicle. We believe it is in felony territory. Abraham is the ninth woman to accuse Foppoli, who turns 39 on Saturday, of sexual assault or sexual misconduct. Allison Britton, who told The Chronicle that Foppoli sexually assaulted her in a Reno hotel room in 2012, said she was overwhelmed with emotion upon learning that he would leave office. Britton said she hoped the decision would not take pressure off the sheriffs criminal probe. I feel a great sense of relief, but Im hoping this wont result in a reduced public accountability for the investigation, she said. Former Sonoma Mayor Rachel Hundley, who accused Foppoli of sexual misconduct in a January 2015 incident in Sacramento, called news of his resignation a relief. I am relieved Sonoma County can start to heal and to take a hard look at who we choose as leaders and how we will take faster action the next time someone comes forward, Hundley said. I hope we all recognize this wake-up call. Town Manager Ken MacNab said Friday that Windsor leaders were aware of Foppolis announcement but had yet to receive official notice from the mayor. We have attempted to contact him to confirm his intent to resign and the effective date, MacNab said. We will continue to keep the community updated on these matters. In an email obtained by The Chronicle, Vaghti, Foppolis attorney, said Foppolis resignation letter had been provided to the town on Friday. The Town Council voted last month to formally demand Foppoli's resignation, but could not oust the mayor; as an elected official, Foppoli could only be removed through limited means, including a felony conviction or a recall election. Residents filed paperwork to start the recall process in late April. Now that Foppoli has said he will resign, MacNab said, the Town Council has several options for filling the mayoral seat: appointing a council member to serve as mayor for the remainder of Foppolis term; appointing a member of the public; or holding a special election, which would cost the town between $50,000 and $80,000. Foppolis term was to end in November 2022. The Sonoma County Sheriffs Office opened its own criminal investigation last month into the sexual assault allegations made against Foppoli. Its detectives learned about the Palm Beach accusation in the course of the local probe. During the scope of the investigation, it being such a high-profile case, detectives became aware of the incident in Palm Beach, said Sgt. Juan Valencia, a department spokesman. He declined to comment further, saying that although Sonoma County and Palm Beach authorities were in communication, the Florida case was separate from the local investigation. Foppoli traveled to Palm Beach in mid-March, according to posts he made on his personal Facebook page. The Chronicle obtained screenshots of the posts, which are no longer public. Chronicle composite of Facebook screenshots On March 15, Foppoli posted a photo of a drink on a table at Lola 41, the restaurant at the boutique White Elephant Palm Beach hotel. Continuing a tradition of having a Boss Hog Manhattan at Lolas, Foppoli wrote. Day 1 of a week long market visit. Wine events start tomorrow. Let me know if anyone is around to meet up for drinks. On March 19, the mayor posted photos of himself at South Florida businesses that were featuring Christopher Creek wines, urging people to go check them out! Foppoli tagged his location as Palm Beach. Abraham, who first rose to prominence in 2009 when she appeared on MTVs reality television series 16 and Pregnant, was also in Palm Beach in mid-March, according to a social media post and news reports. On March 14, she posted a video to Instagram of herself and her 12-year-old daughter at the Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach. They had attended a Wine Women & Shoes fundraiser for Big Dog Ranch Rescue, a nonprofit organization linked to former President Donald Trumps daughter-in-law, Lara Trump. The two-day event was held at the former presidents Palm Beach residence on March 12 and 13. In her post, Abraham wrote that it meant the world to attend the fundraiser with her daughter, noting that March was Womens History Month. She praised Trump for supporting regulations on animal cruelty. Trump was at Mar-a-Lago that weekend and made appearances at both the Big Dog Ranch Rescue event and a fundraiser for Sarah Huckabee Sanders. A former White House press secretary, Sanders is campaigning to be governor of Arkansas. Kuvin declined to answer questions about the length of Abrahams stay in Palm Beach, or whether she visited the wealthy island town at any other time in recent months. Kuvin has previously represented several women in high-profile civil cases against financier Jeffrey Epstein, alleging that he paid teens for sex at his Palm Beach mansion, and against Bill Cosby, alleging that he drugged and sexually assaulted a model at the Playboy Mansion in Los Angeles. After starring in 16 and Pregnant, Abraham appeared in MTVs subsequent series Teen Mom, which continued to document Abraham as she raised her daughter. During her seven years on the show, Abraham publicly addressed her struggles with mental health. She also accused her mother, Debra Danielsen, of physical abuse, ultimately moving out with her daughter after Danielsen was arrested for suspicion of domestic abuse and serious assault in 2010. She was later charged with domestic assault. Danielsen eventually pleaded to a lesser charge and received a suspended 30-day jail sentence, according to news reports. In 2013, Abraham starred in an adult film alongside James Deen, whom she said she was dating at the time they shot the film. Two years later, she was quoted in the Daily Mail accusing Deen of drugging and sexually assaulting her. Deen has been accused of sexual assault by at least a dozen women. There was no criminal investigation and Deen has denied all of the allegations. In 2016, on her podcast Farrah and Friends, Abraham said that an Uber driver had almost raped her and that police had been involved; Abraham later clarified that the driver had looked at her lecherously and that she feared the episode could have escalated into a rape situation. Uber said police were not involved in the matter, and that Abraham was banned from the ride-hailing service after her friend poured an alcoholic drink on the car seat. In 2017, Abraham was fired from Teen Mom for her participation in the adult film industry, according to news reports. She filed a $5 million lawsuit against MTVs parent company, Viacom, alleging wrongful termination. In 2018, Abraham settled with Viacom; the terms of the settlement were not released. Abraham has since published four books, released a pop-music album and amassed a social media following of over 3 million on Instagram and Twitter. Until last month, Foppoli was a rising star in Sonoma County politics, a proponent of development who was vocal about transforming Windsor into a tourist destination in Wine Country. The initial Chronicle investigation documented four womens allegations of sexual assault against Foppoli. The women accused him of groping, rape and forced oral copulation in encounters that allegedly occurred between 2003 and 2019, when Foppoli was in his first term as Windsors mayor. Foppoli had indicated he would not resign, even as four more women including a former girlfriend, a Windsor Town Council colleague, and a former Sonoma mayor came forward with allegations of assault or misconduct against him. In two of the cases, the women said they believe they were also drugged at the winery he co-owns, Christopher Creek Winery outside Healdsburg. Foppoli has declined multiple interview requests from The Chronicle. In an April 10 statement, he said he was a victim of political attacks, and that he had had consensual sexual relations with the five women who had accused him at that time. On April 14, Foppoli said he would step back but not resign from his mayoral duties, saying, I know deep in my heart that I have done nothing criminally wrong and eventually will be cleared. Sexual assault detectives with the Sonoma County Sheriffs Office are working on the case and have not yet submitted their findings to the California Attorney Generals Office, which will determine whether to file criminal charges against Foppoli, said Valencia, the spokesperson. The Sonoma County District Attorneys Office has recused itself from the case, citing a conflict; Esther Lemus, a deputy district attorney, as well as a Windsor Town Council member, is one of the women who has accused Foppoli of sexually assaulting her. In a statement to The Chronicle on Friday, Lemus said, As a council person I am very pleased that Mr. Foppoli has chosen to resign in the face of yet another accusation so that the town of Windsor can move forward without this black cloud over it, or face the expense of a recall. On a personal note, Lemus said, I continue to support all survivors who have been courageous enough to come forward and share their sexual assaults by Dominic Foppoli. I know how difficult it is and I stand united with them. I look forward to justice being served. Alexandria Bordas, Cynthia Dizikes and Julie Johnson are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: alexandria.bordas@sfchronicle.com, cdizikes@sfchronicle.com, julie.johnson@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @CrossingBordas @cdizikes @juliejohnson Port City Colombo invites local and global companies to set foot upon the gateway to South Asia Port City Colombo, Sri Lankas brand-new reclaimed land,slated as the Gateway to South Asia, now officially becomes the countrys first service oriented Special Economic Zone (SEZ). The Sri Lankan Parliament,today (20th),adopted a powerful Bill enabling a giant step in Port City Colombobecominga pivotal global financial and services hub for South Asia. The act provides a stable policy environment; backed by efficient administrative processes coupled with globally competitive incentives. CHECPort City Colombo, the project companys Managing Director Mr. Jiang Houliang welcomes the timely and strategic decision taken by the Sri Lankan Government in enacting the Colombo Port City Economic Commission Bill. The project company has expressed confidence in the said bill and believes that its enactment will provide the required progressive policy environment and ease of doing business to ensure Port City Colombo will truly be the envisaged catalyst in driving much needed FDIs and promoting export of services.The Project Company, invites local and foreign investors to connect with the companys marketing team and explore the unique investment opportunities now available at Port City Colombo and to be a part of South Asias city of the future. As per the new law, Port City Colombo will be an international business and multi-services Special Economic Zone with operations in any recognized foreign currency. Experts say that Port City Colombo SEZ will fill the gap between Dubai and Singapore, to be the mostsought-after hub with modern infrastructure in place. Late last year, CHEC and Sri Lankas Browns Investment signed a $1 billion joint venture for Port City Colombos first vertical development project - the Colombo International Financial Centre (CIFC). In a discussion with Ms. Yamuna Jayaratne, Director Sales and Marketing for Port City Colombo; she states that Sri Lanka already enjoys a 70 to 80 % advantage in the cost of doing business in comparison with established and mature services hubs such as Hong Kong and Dubai.The enactment of the Colombo Port City Economic CommissionBill will serve to further enhance this cost advantage; but more importantly serve to address investor pain points such as efficient and timely dispute resolution and administrative efficiency in terms of approvals etc. This improved ease of doing business; coupled with cost advantages, geographic location and the quality of life on offer in Sri Lanka would serve as a first step in creating a compelling value proposition for investors. The state of art future ready infrastructure built on sustainable principles within Port City Colombo surrounded by the natural beauty that Sri Lanka has to offer provides an enviable physical setting required to compete with any world class modern metropolitan city. Therefore, we are very confident that Port City Colombo will be a catalyst for FDIs into the country. On the sideline to the SEZ law enactment, Port City Colombo launched its awareness campaign Loku Ratak locally and is also planning its global launch campaign within the year.However, plans remain fluid due to the global COVID pandemic. About Port City Colombo Port City Colombo is a brand-new city development built as an extension of the existing Colombo CBD, with an initial investment of $ 1.4 billion and an expected $ 15 billion overall investment when completed. Port City Colombos entire reclaimed land of 269 hectares is owned by the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL). 91 hectares of land is dedicated for common amenities such as parks, green shaded roads etc.; while 178 Ha are slated for state the art developments constituting A Grade office, retail destinations, unique residential developments as well as medical facilities, educational facilities, an integrated resort, a luxury marina, hotels and other lifestyle developments. TUNIS, Tunisia (AP) Italy and the European Union promised Thursday to support Tunisia's economy as part of their efforts to stem migration across the Mediterranean Sea toward Europe. Italian Interior Minister Luciana Lamorgese and EU Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson visited Tunisia for talks with President Kais Saied and Prime Minister Hichem Mechichi. More than 67 migrants drowned or disappeared off the coast of Tunisia in recent days after their boats sank. Saied called for a global approach on migration issues that goes beyond security solutions...to treat the deep roots of the phenomena via fighting poverty and unemployment and supporting development policies in the countries of origin, according to a statement from the Tunisian presidency. Italy committed to support Tunisia though increased investment and by helping to create jobs for the youth, the statement said. Both countries stressed "their determination to fight against criminal human trafficking networks, it added. Lamorgese and Johansson said Italy and the EU were ready to help Tunisia overcome its economic and social difficulties, exacerbated by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Lamorgese also called for more cooperation to accelerate the return of migrants to their country of origin after they arrive illegally in Italy. Johansson stressed the need to provide opportunities for young Tunisians to come to Europe legally. We have more than 1 million Tunisians who are working in European countries, and we are ready to welcome more" to contribute to the bloc's economy, she said. The Tunisian Forum for Social and Economic Rights, a non-governmental organization, issued a statement denouncing Italian and European pressure on Tunisia" to make it accept an unfair cooperation that is infringing on the countrys sovereignty and on migrants human rights." The organization also criticized Tunisian authorities for doing the police work of Europe in the Mediterranean Sea instead on focusing on other priorities. The organization said at least 153 people have been found dead in Tunisia's waters and on its beaches and dozens of others disappeared since the beginning of the year. Lamorgese reported Tuesday that of the 13,358 migrants who have arrived in Italy this year, nearly 9,000 had come from Libya and over 3,000 from Tunisia. ___ Follow APs global migration coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/migration Regarding Gov. Gavin Newsoms recall, just why would we want a new governor? California has a lower average of COVID-19 cases than the national average. But why did Newsom shut down schools and businesses? The point was not to have schools and businesses closed but to have people away from each other so the coronavirus would stop spreading and the hospitals could handle the people who unfortunately got COVID-19 and needed ICU care and respirators. Isolation was the way to keep from having people dying without medical care. And remember what Newsom did to get medical supplies? Little was known at first as to how COVID-19 did and didnt spread, studies told us all what part we needed to play in limiting the spread. Now the economy is roaring back. It is great to be vaccinated. Linda Bailey, Taylorsville, Plumas County Kudos to Pence column Regarding Love for city that loved Pence back (May 19): Heather Knights column was a true ray of sunshine as we begin to come back from the pandemic. Two winners: the gifted Knight and the irrepressible Hunter Pence, coming together in a very uplifting and encouraging piece of writing. Michael Traynor, Burlingame Overcoming vaccine fear Regarding Making the connections for anti-vaxxers (Open Forum, May 20): I was deeply saddened as I read Dr. Dipti Barots poignant and heart-searing op-ed, where she describes the death of her beloved uncle in India from COVID-19 juxtaposed with her difficult dialogue with an anti-vaccine patient. Her response to her 20-year-old patient was reminiscent of a similar exchange I had with a young colleague, who had experienced COVID-19. She said she was afraid to get the vaccine, noting the still confusing CDC advice about when those who had actually had COVID-19 should get the vaccine. I said, of course youre afraid, which prompted her to ask about my vaccine experience and that of my wife. I shared that I had the much reported 24 hours of flu-like symptoms after the second dose, and my wife just some fatigue and headaches. I added that my feisty 8-year-old granddaughter had proclaimed, Im getting it, Grandpa. I dont like shots, but Im getting it! My colleague smiled and said, I need to hang around with your granddaughter. Yesterday, she told me that she had gotten her first dose saying, Your granddaughter would be proud of me. Barry Goldman-Hall, San Jose Too many speed bumps In a city with so many streets in serious need of repair and repaving, why are speed bumps being installed on many quiet residential streets, sometimes two in one block? With stop signs at each end of the block, what is the purpose of the speed bump? That asphalt could be put to much better use where it is needed. Who is making these decisions and why? Joe Owen, San Francisco Tweak law on frame-ups Regarding Prosecutors need to examine mistakes, too (Open Forum, May 19): Karyn Sinunu-Towery proposes that criminal prosecutors offices examine false imprisonment and publicly and internally dissect wrongful convictions. She is right, but she is missing something perhaps more important. When a police officer takes part in a frame-up he can in principle (often not in practice, but that is a topic for another letter) be made to compensate the injured party. A prosecutor, thanks to Government Code Sec. 821.6, cannot. Man being sinful, prosecutors do often attempt frame-ups. Equivalents to sec. 821.6 are found throughout the U.S. The Canadian Uniform Law on Actions Against the Crown, on the other hand, provides that No Servant of the Queen may allege that the Queen ordered him to commit any tort, so Canada has less malicious prosecution, less police corruption and less crime in general. In California, there is no queen: the people are sovereign. Let us rewrite Section 821.6: No Servant of the People of the State of California may allege that the People ordered him to commit any tort. That should get the incidence of malicious prosecution down and have multiplier effects for a more just society. In 1994, then-California Gov. Pete Wilson found himself up for reelection as the state reeled from an economic crisis. And so he made a choice: He was going to peg his reelection prospects to the scapegoating of immigrants and Latinos. Enough is enough, Wilson proclaimed in his television ads, intended to stoke white voter fear of the states rapidly changing demographics. Proposition 187, the anti-immigrant ballot measure that sought to deny undocumented immigrants social services like education and health care, became a linchpin of Wilsons campaign. In turn, he became its chief proponent. Wilson campaigned across the state blaming immigrant communities for Californias weakened position. Voters believed him. Prop 187 passed with nearly 60% approval. Wilson, too, won his reelection. But his Republican party ultimately paid a heavy price. Prop 187 catalyzed a generational movement that centered Latino voter participation and political candidacy as a vehicle to diminish Republican dominance in California. That movement persists to present day. Nearly 30 years after the passage of Proposition 187, Wilson and his Republican party remain a cautionary tale one that current Gov. Gavin Newsom appears to be well-studied in. Last Friday, Newsom unveiled the largest budget in California history a whopping $267 billion proposal that aims to address a deeply traumatized state reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic. To put it into perspective, this plan is larger than the budgets of every country in Central America. Combined. Rather than stripping immigrants of social services as the economy begins to recover, Newsom is centering his California Comeback on them instead. Notably, Newsoms budget revolves around the two main services Prop. 187 attempted to deny immigrants: education and health care. In his proposal, Newsom is offering more than $250 million to create debt-free college pathways for the states students including undocumented immigrants. The governor is also proposing an additional $25 million in his budget to help Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival program (DACA) recipients pay the fees to file their extensions. On health care, unlike Wilson, Newsom is making history for what he intends to provide, instead of what he plans to take away. California is poised to become the first state in the nation to expand health insurance to all residents 60 and above, regardless of immigration status. The list of pro-immigrant proposals in Newsoms budget goes on: $35 million to help immigrants become entrepreneurs and start businesses; more direct relief to undocumented tax-filing families; and a multimillion-dollar investment to unaccompanied immigrant minors to find a new home in the Golden State. Of course, there is always room for improvement. Undocumented immigrant communities have been afraid to seek COVID testing, treatment and vaccinations, because of concerns of immigration enforcement. Giving them free access to health care can offer a semblance of assurance that the state has their backs. Undocumented workers make up one in 10 workers in California. Newsom rightly understands that immigrants are not a drain to the economy. They are driving it. Newsom is clearly betting that punishing immigrants is no longer a winning political strategy in California. And he is moving forward with the economic recovery plan to back up this conviction. The May Revise budget is far from the finish line. But what we do know is that Newsoms current plan is poised to help him become one of the most consequential governors in American history for immigrant communities provided he works with the Legislature to pass this budget and execute his plans as intended. The latter is critical. In a year that saw undocumented immigrant essential workers left out of federal relief efforts, now is not a time for California to sell out its immigrant neighbors. If our politicians dont recognize that, our economy will: undocumented immigrants contribute $3 billion in state and local taxes. Immigrant communities have waited a long time to see a state budget like this. Its resources must reach the people who need it. Nearly three decades after Prop 187, Newsoms budget shows that California has rejected the politics of anti-immigrant hate and embraced the humanity and sacrifice of immigrant families. Jacqueline Martinez Garcel and Christian Arana are Chief Executive Officer and Vice President of Policy of the Latino Community Foundation, respectively. California is slated to fully reopen its economy on June 15 and Health Director Dr. Mark Ghaly said in a press conference Friday that with COVID-19 cases dramatically dropping and vaccinations increasing, the state is on track to lift nearly all restrictions next month. "We feel like we are tracking well," Ghaly said. The most significant change that will come next month is the end to capacity limits and physical distancing requirements for all businesses. Everything from bars and restaurants, to concert venues and grocery stores can operate at full capacitythough counties can opt to impose more stringent rules than the state and keep capacity requirements in place. California will align its mask guidance with the CDC's guidelines that say fully vaccinated peoplethose who are two weeks past finishing a vaccine seriesdon't need to wear a mask outdoors, except in crowded settings such as at music festivals, parades or sporting events. The state will continue to have restrictions for what it describes as mega events and released details on what those guidelines will be, beginning June 15. Vaccine verification or negative testing will be required for indoor mega events of 5,000 people or more and recommended for outdoor mega events of 10,000 people or more. Mega events may have either assigned or unassigned seating, and may be either general admission or gated, ticketed and permitted events, according to the new state guidelines. Ghaly said California has no plans to adopt a vaccine passport program. LONDON (AP) The respected British broadcaster BBC is facing questions about its integrity following a scathing report on its explosive 1995 interview with Princess Diana. Britains justice secretary said Friday that the government would review the rules governing oversight of the BBC after an investigation found that one of its journalists used deceitful behavior to secure the interview and the corporation obscured this misconduct for 25 years. Here's a look at the impact of the interview: WHAT HAPPENED? Princess Diana, who was already separated from her husband, Prince Charles, gave a 1995 interview to the BBC in which she said the marriage had failed because Charles, then 47, was still in love with an old flame, Camilla Parker Bowles, then 48. Diana, then 34, said she was devastated when she found out in 1986 five years after her marriage that Charles had renewed his relationship with Camilla. She said she was so depressed that she deliberately hurt herself in a desperate bid for help. There were three of us in this marriage, so it was a bit crowded, Diana said. HOW WAS THE INTERVIEW SEEN AT THE TIME? The interview with now-disgraced BBC reporter Martin Bashir was widely seen as the princess retort to her husbands nationally televised confession in 1994 that he had strayed from his marriage vows. Diana said she was devastated when she found out about Charles affair and that the discovery led to a feeling of failure and rampant bulimia. Though the couple had separated in December 1992, the princess revelations shocked television audiences and evoked sympathy from millions of Britons. The Sun tabloid reported floods of calls running at 75% in favor of Diana after the 55-minute interview. Diana disclosed that Charles had asked for the separation and said she wasn't seeking a divorce because of the impact it would have on her sons. But she added: Obviously we need clarity in the situation. I await my husbands decision of which way we are all going to go. After the interview, Queen Elizabeth II recommended that the couple divorce quickly. The marriage was legally dissolved the following year. WHY WAS IT SO IMPORTANT? The interview marked the first time Diana had offered her side of the story in what was dubbed the war of the Windsors, said Ed Owens, author of The Family Firm: Monarchy, Mass Media and the British Public, 1932-53. The now-famous comment about three people in the marriage made clear that Charles had long been unfaithful, all but ensuring the collapse of their marriage. It was also a turning point in the way the media reported on the monarchy, in that journalists increasingly looked for inside scoops which could shed light on the dysfunctional elements of royal family life that were usually concealed from public view, Owens said. Equally, other royals have since used the one-to-one tell all interview as a way of getting their side of the story across, Owen added. He cited Prince Andrews self-destructive 2019 interview with the BBC about his links to convicted American sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and the interview that Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, gave to Oprah Winfrey this year. WHAT WAS THE AFTERMATH? As a result of the divorce, Diana lost many of her royal perks. Two years after the interview, the princess died in a Paris traffic accident as she and a companion were being pursued by paparazzi. Both of her sons, Princes William and Harry, have said they see a direct link between deceptive tactics that were used to secure the BBC interview and their mothers untimely death. ___ Follow all AP stories on the royal family at https://apnews.com/hub/PrinceHarry. MIAMI BEACH (AP) New York chef Mario Carbone has achieved that consummate New York get at his new Italian restaurant in Miami hes created a restaurant where its nearly impossible to get a reservation. His old-world restaurant serves classics like spicy rigatoni and veal parmesan with homemade mozzarella, hand-cut at curved banquette tables. The rooms are accented with 1950s flairs like Murano-style glass chandeliers and dramatic terracotta-hued curtains. Carbone, which opened in January, often has a wait list that tops 3,000 a night. Beyonce and Jay-Z and Victoria and David Beckham have all dined in the restaurants secret outdoor nook. The Italian eatery was the first Miami outpost for Major Food Group, expanding on a portfolio that includes 10 New York eateries, two James Beard best-restaurant nominations and three Michelin Stars. ZZs, a swanky oyster bar with a members-only lounge upstairs, opened in the trendy design district, with three more Miami spots to follow. ZZs has joined the growing number of high-end New York restaurants expanding in Florida, a trend accelerated by the pandemic. Many are also brimming with Michelin stars and James Beard awards. Pastis, the iconic French bistro that started in Manhattans Meatpacking District, is opening next year. Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto expanded his empire last year with a ramen spot in Miamis Wynwood neighborhood, which also welcomed Cote, the Michelin-starred and James Beard Award-nominated Korean steakhouse. Across town, Chopped judge Marcus Samuelsson, who owns Red Rooster in Harlem, opened a second one in Miamis impoverished Overtown neighborhood. And New York spot Azabus new Miami location has a hidden sushi counter helmed by Tokyo-trained chefs. Its more than South Beachs sexy allure and the well-trodden New York-to-Miami snowbird pipeline that has drawn these restaurants to this palm-tree paradise. Floridas Republican governor has allowed establishments to operate at full capacity for months with no mask restrictions, while many other states were shuttered. Major Food Group was already planning to open Carbone pre-COVID-19, but decided to expand even further, moving its headquarters to Miami. Once we realized this market was going to be the most business-friendly, the most open of all in the United States, we quickly took our team and we pivoted and we sent as many people down here as we could, and we started building as fast as we could, said Carbone. Right before COVID-19 hit, and fresh off the spotlight that the 2020 Super Bowl brought to Miami, Albert Garcia, chairman of Wynwood Business Improvement District, was fielding calls from developers interested in the increasingly popular foodie art hub, known for its muraled buildings. The pandemic paused plans for a few months, while also leading many New Yorkers to flee cramped apartments to ride out lockdown across South Florida. By June, Garcia's phone was buzzing again from restaurateurs eager to seize on the market. Local headlines include frequent announcements from New York eateries coming to Miami, although several arent opening until later this year or in 2022. Everyones feeling really bullish about that market, said Garcia. COVID delayed plans for Morimotos upscale ramen spot Momosan in Wynwood. But the location ended up perfectly suited to the pandemic with its vast outdoor patio, which he said will now be incorporated "into all future plans when opening new restaurants. Michael White, the chef behind Michelin-starred spots Marea and Ai Fiori in New York, opened Osteria Moreno here in January. He also noted the migration of high-end purveyors like Dairyland USA, Pat Le Frieda meats (for his secret Bolognese recipe), and fish flown in daily with several selections of tuna, not just the local pompano and hogfish available in past years. Our purveyors that are part of the New York fabric are also now in Miami, said White, who was in town this week along with Morimoto, Carbone and Samuelsson for the South Beach Wine and Food Festival. Its a real hub. Many restaurant managers, cooks and service workers have also come to Miami. Theres a lot of talent there now. Theres been a mass exodus" from New York City, White said. When Marc Kasky and his wife Cat Carr moved into their house in the Presidio in 1995, they were the first residents that had lived there since the military moved out. But this isnt your typical apartment hunting story. Kasky was the executive director of Fort Mason in 1994 when he took a meeting with the person from the U.S. Army in charge of transitioning the land to the park service. He didnt think much of the meeting until one year later, when the landlord of his North Beach apartment told him he was selling the building and he had to get out. Kasky decided to check on what was going on with the housing in the Presidio, and sure enough, that same man thought maybe he could help him. He gave Kasky the keys to a house near the Main Post and told him to go check it out and he would see what he could do. Luckily, Kasky had a history in seeing the potential in dilapidated spaces and said theyd take it. Kasky knew the situation may not be long term, but it seemed like too unique an opportunity to pass up. We got a one-year lease and I thought if we got a second year it would be worth what we did to get in here just to live in a national park in San Francisco for two years. What a gift. Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE For starters, the floors of the former sergeant majors home had been sheathed entirely in linoleum, and the terms of the lease said Kasky was responsible for any renovations. After peeking underneath the flooring, Kasky revealed fir wood, so he paid to remove and refinish the flooring. The 1889 home also needed a fresh coat of paint and a few electrical updates, but the couple finally settled into the spacious home and embraced the quiet. And it was quiet. The park service wanted to renovate most of the homes themselves before renting to the general public, so much of the housing stock wouldnt get residents for years. Kasky estimates they didnt have any neighbors anywhere close to them for at least eight years. It was fabulous, we lived in the country here, he said. People would ask me, Arent you scared over there? I would say, Are you kidding me? Its wonderful. There would be coyotes and raccoons and skunks and everything. It was an unbelievable experience. ... We lived in, not a ghost town, but something akin to that. While the two-bedroom home looks modest from the outside, at least 10 spacious rooms hide behind the facade, including a living room, a parlor, a dining room, a pantry area and a breakfast room. Kasky removed many of the doors that shut one room from another, so it has a better flow and lots of natural light. Tourists and Bay Area residents are often curious about the homes when they visit the Presidio. Kasky said people often come to talk with them when theyre sitting on the front porch and hell invite them in sometimes. Hes even had old Army families come by that had previously lived at the home. Due to the homes historic nature and location, Kasky said when they moved in he knew they had an obligation to share the home with the city. He estimates theyve hosted almost 300 events at the house, from weddings to memorial services to lectures and musical performances through friends of their own or through Kaskys connections to the nonprofit community. In San Francisco, having a place where you can accommodate 40, 50, 60 people and they can park is really unusual, Kasky said. ... Were trying to let it have a positive impact on our larger community. Plus, Kasky still doesnt have many neighbors at night. Most of the buildings closest to their home are offices or schools, so the streets are usually pretty empty in the evening. Without all the typical city light pollution and no buildings taller than three stories near them, he said thats a great time to look at the sky. For Susanna Benningfield, a resident of the west side of the Presidio since 2005, that access to the sky meant raising two birding proteges. She and her husband moved from the Inner Sunset when their two sons were just two months and two years old, and living in a national park is all the kids have ever known. Where my friends would have to make play dates and take their kids to the park, we would open the door to the backyard and say, Go outside and play. They could go a mile from the house without crossing the street, she said. It felt like going back to the '70s like when I grew up. ... Our kids became little naturalists. Our kids can name all the birds, plants, lizards. Her oldest son founded the Northern California chapter of the California Young Birders Club and has even helped develop bird guides for the Presidio. Benningfields husband worked in an office in the park when he suggested the move because he loved working in the park so much. While Benningfield has loved her time there, she said the living style isnt for everyone. If you love green and open space it's going to be a good place for you to go. If you love being able to walk right down the street to the coffee shop, it's not the place for you, Benningfield said. For me it's the best of both worlds. We look out on green and blue, but we could still be at the symphony in 15 minutes. She said due to this nature, some people come and go, while some people have stayed as long as they have. Thats pretty unique, since everybody in the park is a renter. Its the best view money cant buy, Benningfield said with a laugh. Nash Hurley thought his family would live in the Presidio for three to five years at most. They were moving back to the Bay Area from New York in 2010 and he thought the area was a perfect opportunity to still live in a dense urban area while raising his two young kids in a unique, nature-filled way. Eight years later, they loved it so much they even moved within the park when they wanted a bit more space. Both he and his wife are artists, hes an architect and his wife designs childrens books and prints, so they find a lot of inspiration from their surroundings, in addition to loving raising their kids there. Perhaps the best perk is the free shuttle service that runs for the park residents that goes through the park and then through the Marina and into downtown. For the years Hurley worked downtown, his commute cost nothing. While it could be a little harder to get around when they moved in without a car, now with the influx of bike sharing, Uber, Lyft and electric scooters, Hurley said the biggest deterrent for most people doesnt really exist anymore. Julie Brown, who has lived in the Pilots Row neighborhood across from the Golden Gate Bridge since 2015, loves that her rent goes to supporting the park, as opposed to a random landlords pocket. In just the past two years, she started giving walking tours in the park through an Airbnb experience that ends with a drink in her backyard. Shes thought about moving, but she and her husband cant think of a place that could ever be better. Where else could we go thats going to be this memorable or this beautiful? - Its Presidio Month at SFGATE. Well be diving deep into the neighborhood for the entirety of May as part of a new series where well be highlighting a different corner of San Francisco every month this year. CHICAGO (AP) Two men were ordered held without bond Friday in connection with the shooting of a 2-year-old girl who was riding in an SUV with her family last week in Chicago. Cook County prosecutors said Rodolfo Irigoyen, 21, was driving the vehicle from which David Contreras, 18, fired the shot that wounded the girl on May 14. The two men believed they were targeting rival gang members. MADISON, Wis. (AP) Wisconsin election officials identified just 27 potential cases of voter fraud out of 3.3 million ballots cast in the November presidential election and forwarded them to local district attorneys for possible prosecution, based on documents obtained Friday by The Associated Press under the state's open records law. More than half of the cases came in a single city, where 16 people had registered with their mailing address at a UPS store, rather than their residence as required by law. A search of online court records shows no charges have yet been filed against any of the 27 people. Also, future cases of potential fraud could always be forwarded to prosecutors. The identified potential cases of fraud to date are in line with suspected voter misconduct in past elections in the battleground state. They are also far below unsubstantiated accusations made by former President Donald Trump and his supporters of widespread fraud and abuse in the election won by more than 20,600 votes by President Joe Biden in the state. Trump attempted to toss out more than 221,000 legally cast ballots in Wisconsin, losing in multiple state and federal courts. Wisconsin Republican lawmakers are pushing more than a dozen bills this year that would make it more difficult to vote absentee in Wisconsin. The measures are making their way through the Legislature and any that pass are expected to be vetoed by Democratic Gov. Tony Evers. The bills are part of a national push by Republicans to change voting laws following Trumps defeat in November and his bogus claims that there was widespread fraud and abuse. Republicans in Wisconsin have also ordered an audit of the election, which is expected to take months, and the Assembly Elections Committee has approved launching its own investigation. Lawmakers say they received thousands of complaints of irregularities, but the records obtained by AP show just a handful that were identified by election officials charged with making sure voting laws are followed. The AP received every case identified by local clerks that were forwarded to the Wisconsin Elections Commission as required under state law. The records detail cases where election officials noted an irregularity that may be have been illegal and flagged it for prosecutors to investigate. More than half of the total cases, 16 of 27, were people in the city of La Crosse whose registered address was at a UPS Store. State law requires voters to be registered at their residential address. The clerk sent those voters a letter giving them 30 days to register at a residential address for future elections. Of the 11 other cases: four people voted both in person and absentee; one was a convicted felon; one was an absentee ballot returned by the son of the person who requested it and who voted in person; three people voted in two places; one person returned two absentee ballots; and one person who had been adjudicated incompetent and wasnt allowed to cast a ballot. Its impossible to know who those identified voted for, since ballots are secret. Voters also do not register by political party in Wisconsin, so its not known if they were Republican or Democrat. Republican legislative leaders, including those who have called for investigations into the election, did not immediately return messages seeking comment Friday. A spokeswoman for the state Republican Party also had no immediate comment. Democratic state Sen. Jon Erpenbach said the numbers are no surprise and Republicans need to accept that Biden won. Trump foes have been using the big lie to describe his repetition of his fallacious claim that the election was fraud-ridden. Whatever excuse the Republicans have for massive fraud in Wisconsin, its just simply not true, Erpenbach said. Its all based on the big lie. They need to stop spreading the big lie. The Wisconsin Elections Commission will be conducting audits for voting by felons and cross-state voting as soon as data becomes available, said the agencys spokesman Reid Magney. Those numbers will be reported later this year, he said. The last report, issued following the spring 2019 election when turnout was 1.2 million, found just 15 cases of suspected fraud. The latest numbers are in line with past elections, Magney said. BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) Louisiana is offering a $30 million voluntary buyout program to residents of a neighborhood that has flooded three times in recent years, Gov. John Bel Edwards said Friday. This weeks rains brought the latest floods to the Greinwich Terrace neighborhood in Lake Charles, a city which was hit by Hurricanes Laura and Delta last year and Harvey in 2017. This program gives our residents a reason to be optimistic about the future, no matter how painful the present," Mayor Nic Hunter said in a news release from the governor's office. The money is from a $1.2 billion federal mitigation grant the state announced in 2018 and received access to in September, after plans were drawn up and approved. This weeks floods are a painful reminder of the devastation water continues to inflict on our state something the people of Southwest Louisiana know all too well and how urgent it is that we continue making investments to create more resilient, sustainable communities, Edwards said. The buyout program will be managed by the Louisiana Watershed Initiative, which Edwards created in 2018 to manage flood-reduction programs within areas defined by waterways rather than along parish lines. Weve been working with the Louisiana Watershed Initiative to identify solutions that address the impacts of recent storms, and recently zeroed in on the Greinwich Terrace neighborhood as a community best suited for this program, Calcasieu Parish Police Jury President Brian Abshire said. These buyouts will not only deliver immediate relief to the residents of this area who want to relocate out of harms way but also provide greater capacity to store water and benefit many more throughout the floodplain and beyond." MALE, Maldives (AP) Maldives police have arrested the fourth and final suspect who was being sought for the bombing that severely wounded the country's former president earlier this month. Authorities have blamed Islamic extremists for the assassination attempt on Mohamed Nasheed, who is currently the Parliament speaker and has been an outspoken critic of religious extremism in the predominantly Sunni Muslim nation. Police said on Twitter the 23-year-old man who had been at large since the May 6 bombing was arrested Wednesday night. Authorities have not disclosed how the four suspects were linked to the bombing or if they had ties to extremist movements. The charges they may face and when they may appear in court are uncertain. Police say the homemade explosive device containing ball bearings was attached to a motorbike parked near the ex-presidents car. The 53-year-old Nasheed, two of his bodyguards and two apparent bystanders, including a British citizen, were wounded. Nasheed underwent surgeries to his head, chest, abdomen and limbs and has since been flown to Germany for further care. Nasheed was the first democratically elected president of the Maldives, serving from 2008 to 2012, when he resigned amid protests. He was defeated in the subsequent presidential election, and was ineligible for the 2018 race due to a prison sentence, but was elected speaker of Parliament in 2019. Preaching and practicing non-Muslim faiths are banned by law in the Maldives. Hard-liners have criticized Nasheed for being close to the West and favoring liberal policies. The Indian Ocean archipelago is known for its luxury resorts but has experienced occasional violence. In 2007, a blast in a park in the capital wounded 12 foreign tourists, and was also blamed on religious extremists. HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (AP) A judge scheduled a sentencing hearing for August for an officer who remains employed by the Huntsville Police Department despite being convicted of murder in the on-duty killing of a mentally disturbed man. Officer William Darby, 28, could receive a prison term ranging from 20 years to life for the slaying of Jeffrey Parker during a hearing set for Aug. 20 before Circuit Judge Donna Pate, news outlets reported. Demonstrators have protested the fact that he remains on the police force. The hearing couldn't be held earlier because attorneys involved in the case have scheduling conflicts, the judge said. The city, which cleared Darby of wrongdoing before he was indicted and allowed him to remain an officer on desk duty while awaiting trial, said Darby remains an officer but is not working while on accrued leave. Immediately after the conviction, he was placed on paid leave while also free on $100,000 bond. Evidence showed that two officers went to Parkers home in 2018 after he called 911 saying he was suicidal and had a gun. The officers found Parker seated on a couch and holding a gun to his own head when they arrived. One of the officers told jurors she was talking to Parker, who wasnt acting in a threatening manner, when Darby entered the room, ordered Parker to drop his weapon and shot within seconds. Prosecutors argued that Darby had no justifiable reason to open fire. Jurors rejected defense claims that the killing was justified. While the city said it has begun personnel proceedings that could result in Darby's termination, it also has paid nearly $90,000 toward his defense. Activists have called for the resignation of Mayor Tommy Battle and Police Chief Mark McMurray, who both publicly criticized jurors' decision to convict Darby. NEW YORK (AP) The Associated Press is being criticized for firing a young journalist over her social media activity, with some suggesting the news agency bowed to a political pressure campaign over her pro-Palestinian views from when she was in college. Emily Wilder, 22, had started at the AP on May 3 as a news associate for the Western U.S., based in Phoenix. On Wednesday, just over two weeks later, the AP informed her that she was being terminated for violations of its social media policy that took place after she became an employee. In the days before her firing, Wilder had been targeted in conservative media for her pro-Palestinian rights activism while a student at Stanford University, where she graduated in 2020. AP spokeswoman Lauren Easton would not say what Wilder had written that violated the policy. Wilder said she wasnt given specifics. Her Twitter feed since joining the AP contains a few retweets that appear sympathetic to Palestinians in the current Gaza conflict, including a video clip of demonstrators chanting, Free, free Palestine! On Sunday, she tweeted: objectivity feels fickle when the basic terms we use to report news implicitly take a claim. using israel but never palestine, or war but not siege and occupation are political choices yet media make those exact choices all the time without being flagged as biased. AP prohibits employees from openly expressing their opinions on political matters and other public issues for fear that could damage the news organization's reputation for objectivity and jeopardize its many reporters around the world. We have this policy so the comments of one person cannot create dangerous conditions for our journalists covering the story, Easton said. Every AP journalist is responsible for safeguarding our ability to report on this conflict, or any other, with fairness and credibility, and cannot take sides in public forums. In an interview, Wilder said that she had received social media training from the AP and had taken it seriously. She said she had even taken down a reference to supporting Black Lives Matter from her Twitter profile. Because I have an opinion about an issue that is deeply political and personal doesnt mean that I am incapable of fact-based, contextual and fair journalism, she said. She also said: "There's no question that this was all precipitated by an onslaught of harassment against me. On Monday, two days before her firing, a Twitter post from Stanford Republicans had criticized Wilder, who is Jewish, as an anti-Israel agitator while on campus. They posted a 2019 article she had written in the college newspaper referring to conservative media figure Ben Shapiro as a little turd. Shapiro has been fiercely critical of the Palestinians. On Tuesday, an article in the Washington Free Beacon was headlined, AP Hires Anti-Israel Activist as News Associate. APs Objectivity in Question Amid Revelations it Shared Office Space with Hamas. It was picked up in other forums, including the Fox News website. Over the past few days, AP itself has been criticized by some conservative figures following the Israel airstrike last Saturday that destroyed the building that housed the news agency's offices in Gaza. The AP has said it had no knowledge that Hamas operated out of the building, as Israel claimed. Following the bombing, the AP sent a memo to its staff members reminding them of its policy against expressing opinions on contentious public issues. The message was repeated on Monday. Janine Zacharia, Wilder's journalism professor at Stanford and a former Jerusalem bureau chief for The Washington Post, said she could not understand why the AP didn't just discuss concerns about the tweets with Wilder instead of firing her. Zacharia said she believes that Wilder's activism in college was the real issue and worries about the message that the AP is sending. Many one-time activists put their passion into journalism, as Wilder did as an intern at The Arizona Republic, she said. What happens if you were a college activist and then decide that you want to become a journalist? she said. Does this mean that you can't? Social media and the generation that has grown up with it have posed challenges at news organizations as they try to uphold standards of objectivity. The AP maintains doing so is important for an organization whose calling card is fairness. It's important to recognize that for an organization like the AP, there are colleagues all over the world covering every possible topic, said Kathleen Carroll, the organization's former executive editor and now chairwoman of the Committee to Protect Journalists. That's why journalists covered by the social media policy need to be careful that their posts don't jeopardize the ability of their colleagues to work freely, Carroll said. What may be personal expression to one person is right at the heart of a story to a colleague somewhere else." The AP stressed that the firing was based on what Wilder had done while employed at the news organization. As for the news organizations use of terminology, the AP Stylebook urges against references to Palestine because it is not a fully independent, unified state. The AP has made references to Israeli occupation and said that Gaza -- and Israel have been under siege during the latest fighting. MAY 14 - 20, 2021 This photo gallery highlights some of the most compelling images made or published by Associated Press photographers in Latin America and the Caribbean. It was curated by AP photo editor Anita Baca. BULLHEAD CITY, Ariz. (AP) Authorities say an Arizona man has been arrested after his stepfather was stabbed to death. The Bullhead City Police Department says it arrested 46-year-old John Ashley James after the Thursday killing of 65-year-old Gabriel Paz Toledano. South Africa: Parliament saddened by passing of MP Mpho Tongwane Parliaments Presiding Officers have extended their condolences following the passing of Member of Parliament, Mpho Tongwane, on Wednesday. The Presiding Officers, Speaker Thandi Modise of the National Assembly and Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces Amos Masondo, said Tongwane was a hardworking and dedicated Parliamentarian who served the people of South Africa with diligence, passion and commitment. Through her experience, knowledge and understanding of legislative and oversight matters, she made an immense contribution to the quality of laws and other work of the committees she participated in, said the Presiding Officers in a statement on Thursday. Tongwane joined Parliament in 2008 and served as a member of the National Assembly. She served in the Portfolio Committees on Environmental, Forestry and Fisheries, Home Affairs and Human Settlements in the sixth Parliament and was a member of the Portfolio Committee on Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries in the fifth Parliament. This has been one of the most trying and difficult periods in the history of Parliament. The institution has been losing its great resources. We are all left poorer by the passing of such a devoted public representative with untiring commitment and dedication to the service of the people, the officers said. Parliament sent its heartfelt condolences to the Tongwane family, comrades and friends. Also extending heartfelt condolences to the Tongwane family, the Portfolio Committee on Environment, Forestry and Fisheries Chairperson Fikile Xasa described Tongwane as a pleasant, lovely and soft-spoken person. She will certainly be missed and the committee is truly poorer without Tongwane who brought a useful insight, experience and a unique perspective to the work of the committee. Tongwane considered her role as a public representative serious and served her people well as a member of the committee in the sixth Parliament, said Xasa. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2021-05-21. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Regarded as the starting point of China's modern tourism development, Huangshan, a city in the eastern province of Anhui, has been working hard to upgrade the sector in the new era. Tangyue village in Huangshan's Shexian county has long been famous for its complex of seven well-preserved ancient arches that run along an old road at the center of the village. In 1996, the Tangyue Memorial Archway was listed as a key national cultural protection unit as it is the largest and best-preserved arch complex in the province. Several hundred meters from the entrance to the arches lies a 130-hectare agriculture leisure park, which features an agricultural science and technology museum, a greenhouse containing tropical plants and other vegetable and fruit cultivation bases that provide visitors with hands-on experience. Though it will not officially open to the public until October, about 5,000 people got an early glimpse when they visited the site during the five-day Labor Day holiday, which began on May 1, according to Zhu Sheming, general manager of the park, whose name, April Village, is derived from a famous pastoral poem. Construction started in 2019 on land transferred from local villagers. The same year, Tangyue received nearly 1 million visits, mostly to the arches, according to the county government. On May 1, the management committee of the Huangshan Mountain Scenic Spot warned that the number of online appointments for the next day had reached the upper limit of 35,500. Though a further 2,000 tickets were reserved for people who had no access to online platforms, such as seniors, many others had to wait at the entrance or visit other destinations. "Huangshan enjoys abundant natural and cultural tourism resources, and local residents and visiting tourists want to enrich their experience here, especially as they care greatly about their children's enjoyment," said Zhu from the agriculture park. Before the COVID-19 outbreak, the daily limit for visits to Huangshan Mountain, aka the Yellow Mountain, was 50,000, equivalent to half the entire number of visits in 1979. In July 1979, Deng Xiaoping, China's leader who initiated the reform and opening-up policy in 1978, visited the mountain as one of about 104,000 trips made that year. During his visit, Deng urged local officials to develop the mountain into an internationally renowned tourism destination. Since then, Huangshan's tourism sector has grown rapidly, benefiting local people. Inspired by Deng's ideas, residents of Shangzhang, a village in Tangkou township at the foot of the mountain, founded Feicuigu Tourism Co in 1987. The villagers named the collectively-owned scenic spot Feicuigu, or "Emerald Valley", because the water in the brooks and pools is crystal clear with a green tinge like an emerald. By the end of the first year of operation, the company had earned more than 100,000 yuan from entrance fees. In 2019, about 74 million visitors came to Huangshanabout seven times the number of visitors to Hawaii the same yearwhile visitor numbers from outside the Chinese mainland were 2.87 million, about twice those to Hainan province, according to local government statistics. In a recent Guangming Daily report, Sun Yong, Huangshan's mayor, said the city's tourism sector has had to be upgraded. Many measures have been taken, including preventing unreasonable rises in ticket prices, improving facilities at the growing number of hostels and enriching the tourism content, which is the aim of Zhu's agricultural park project. Hu Weimin, a marketing executive with Yixian Huihuang Tourism Group, a State-run company in Yixian county, said hardly any towns and villages are not benefiting from Huangshan's tourism sector, while competition among them and with other attractions nearby is becoming fiercer. "Tourists keep coming, but sightseeing is just an old-fashioned way of travelingwe have to think about how to attract people to stay for as long as possible and really enjoy their stay," Hu said. His company runs 13 of the 17 major tourist attractions in the county, including Xidi and Hongcun villages, which are jointly listed as a UNESCO Cultural Heritage Site. The villages are known for their history and the preservation of residences built during the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties. "In the daytime, visitors can enjoy every piece of delicate carved artwork on the old buildings, while we want them to have more fun at night," Hu said. With investment of 30 million yuan ($4.6 million), the company installed a water screen film in Xidi village in 2019, which straddles several ponds and brooks and lights up all the outdoor areas. Xu Dahe, director of the Huangshan Culture and Tourism Bureau, told Guangming Daily, "Extending the tourists' visits also extends the scope for tourism consumption." Protesters march in St. Louis on Friday, July 3, 2020. Protesters also closed Highway 64, by marching to the Interstate then sitting on the road for about ten minutes. WASHINGTON (AP) In the early days of the pandemic, New Jersey Rep. Tom Malinowski scolded those looking to capitalize on the once-in-a-century health crisis. This is not the time for anybody to be profiting off of selling ventilators, vaccines, drugs, treatments, PPE (personal protective equipment), anywhere in the world, the two-term Democrat and former assistant secretary of state told MSNBC in April 2020. He did not heed his own admonition. Since early 2020, Malinowski has bought or sold as much as $1 million of stock in medical and tech companies that had a stake in the virus response, according to an analysis of records by The Associated Press. The trades were just one slice of a stock buying and selling spree by the congressman during that time, worth as much as $3.2 million, that he did not properly disclose. The issue of congressional stock trading took on a new urgency last year when at least three senators were the subject of inquiries about whether they made financial decisions based on insider information. Though no one was charged, their dealings stirred outrage and highlighted the limitations of the Stock Act, a 2012 law intended to curtail stock market speculation by lawmakers. Malinowski's trades received little attention at the time. Yet his subsequent failure to report his trading activity to Congress as required by law, which was first reported by Business Insider, have made him the latest to face scrutiny, with two complaints filed against him with the Office of Congressional Ethics. When millions were out of work and markets were hemorrhaging, Malinowski snapped up securities at bargain prices profiting when valuations recovered. In other cases, he sold shares before they fell substantially, according to the AP's analysis of a list of trades that his office said he made in 2020. He also engaged in the controversial practice of short-selling stocks, placing bets that the values of specific businesses would decline at a time when many companies were pleading with the government for a financial lifeline. It boggles my mind why he's doing it, said Richard Painter, a University of Minnesota law professor who served as President George W. Bushs ethics attorney and later ran for Senate as a Democrat. "It's a huge conflict of interest and not an acceptable situation. There is no indication Malinowski acted on inside information to make his investment decisions. Still, its difficult to assess the full scope of his financial activity. Nearly six months after 2020 drew to a close, mandatory reports to Congress detailing his trades have not been made public. In an interview Thursday, Malinowski said his failure to file was a mistake that I own 100%. He said the reports, some of which were due over a year ago, have been submitted though not released by the congressional ethics office, which did not respond to a request for comment. Malinowski said his broker handles all of his trading decisions and he does not speak to the firm about specific transactions. His office provided a statement from the firm, Gagnon Securities, stating that it made trades without Congressman Malinowskis input or prior knowledge. At no point in the last 25 years have I directed, suggested, or even asked questions about a particular trade being made by my brokerage firm, Malinowski said. He said the one exception was a request to sell stock that he was obligated to get rid of after joining President Barack Obamas State Department in 2014. He also said he was in the process of setting up a blind trust to hold his financial portfolio, which he will have no control over. He said other members of Congress should do the same. Painter noted that Malinowski had ultimate control over his account when the trades were made, a fact the congressman acknowledged. Of course he is going to say his broker makes all the decisions," Painter said. The Stock Act, which proponents initially said would end stock speculation among members of Congress, passed with bipartisan support in 2012 in the wake of a stock trading scandal. The law bars members from using inside information to make investment decisions and requires that all stock trades be reported to Congress within 45 days. Yet in the nearly 10 years since it was enacted, no one has been prosecuted under it even as many members continue to conspicuously trade. I thought no congressman or senator would want to get caught in that sort of controversy, even if it just had the appearance of insider trading, said Craig Holman, a lobbyist for the Washington-based government watchdog group Public Citizen. But clearly theres still a significant number of members of Congress who still want to abuse their access to insider knowledge. Trades by Malinowski follow a familiar, albeit less overt pattern when compared with others who have drawn scrutiny. In March 2020, he bought between $190,000 and $625,000 worth of stock as the virus drove a market collapse, records show. Some of the companies he invested in were developing COVID-19 testing or therapeutics to combat illnesses caused by the disease. Last June, he bought between $1,001 and $15,000 worth of shares of TFF Pharmaceuticals, which is developing an antibody treatment. They have nearly doubled in value since. In November, he sold between $15,001 and $50,000 worth of stock in drug maker Merck, which he had not previously disclosed owning. The companys value tumbled two months later after it announced it would end its efforts to develop a COVID-19 vaccine. In at least one case Malinowski benefited from exceptional timing. In February 2020, days after members of Congress were briefed on the virus, records show Malinowski sold between $1,001 and $15,000 shares in Kimco Realty, a company that owns shopping centers across the U.S. A month later, when the companys share price dropped nearly 50%, he bought back far more stock in the company, worth somewhere between $15,001 and $50,000. Theyve increased in value by 50% since. I dont think it would be possible for any investor in the market to instruct their broker not to take into account the most important thing happening in the economy, Malinowski said of the pandemic. But it is Malinowskis short selling of stocks that government watchdogs find particularly troubling. "A shorting congressman? Its just nuts, said Painter, the ethics lawyer. A short sale is a stock transaction where an investor borrows shares in a company and sells them in hopes of buying them back later at a lower price and pocketing the difference. Its a practice that during the pandemic has come under criticism from some economists and academic experts because it has the potential to throttle existing market anxiety, drive rumors and lead to irrational buying decisions that could harm otherwise solid companies. Xu Jiang, a Duke University business school professor, said members of Congress face a moral responsibility during such times. There is merit to banning short selling during a crisis period, said Xu Jiang. It can drive rumors and take down viable firms. Malinowski has been a prolific short seller throughout his time in Congress. Its unclear whether he short sold in 2020 because the list of stock transactions released by his office is incomplete. But a recent disclosure reveals he short sold between $62,000 and $230,000 worth of stock in at least six companies in 2021. It is part of how investment on the stock market works in our capitalist system, Malinowski said, later adding, "I don't think there's anything inherently wrong with Americans engaging in these kinds of normal investment activities." Whether Malinowski's trading will pose a liability with voters will be tested as he campaigns for a third term and Democrats are on defense trying to hold their narrow House majority. Republican Sens. David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler, of Georgia, both lost their runoff bids for the Senate in January after their own stock trades became a major campaign issue, handing control of the chamber to Democrats. Both were investigated by the Justice Department, but ultimately cleared. Perdue had dumped between $1 million and $5 million worth of stock in a company where he was formerly a board member. After markets crashed, he bought it back and earned a windfall after its price skyrocketed. Loeffler and her husband, the CEO and chairman of the parent company of the New York Stock Exchange, dumped millions of dollars in stock following a briefing on the virus. Republican Sen. Richard Burr of North Carolina drew perhaps the most scrutiny for his trades. He stepped aside as chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee chairman after the FBI obtained a search warrant to seize a cellphone. Burr and his wife sold between $600,000 and $1.7 million in more than 30 transactions in late January and mid-February, just before the market began to dive and government health officials began to sound alarms about the virus. Burr was captured in a recording privately warning a group of influential constituents in early 2020 to prepare for economic devastation. The Justice Department investigated Burr's actions, but cleared him of wrongdoing. Despite the spate of cases, congressional leaders have shown little appetite for strengthening stock trading rules. Yet the temptation to use insider information remains. We are constantly apprised, before the public has the information, about what specific provisions might benefit particular entities, said Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., who sponsored a bill that would ban lawmakers from stock trading. What you saw during COVID was one of the most horrific examples. It's not the first time Malinowski has run afoul of government trading rules. As an assistant secretary of state during the Obama administration, he agreed to sell shares held in CNinsure Inc. following his 2014 confirmation to the post. In a letter to a State Department ethics lawyer, he acknowledged that the investment in the Chinese insurance company, now known as Fanhua Inc., posed a heightened prospect of a conflict of interest given his work, which dealt heavily with human rights abuses, including those by China. Yet the stock remained in his portfolio for over a year, well beyond a 90-day window to sell that he agreed to, records show. He sold it for more than he initially reported it to be worth, collecting somewhere between $15,001 and $50,000 in June 2015, following a period in which the stocks value was held down following allegations of fraud made against the company. Malinowksi said he instructed his broker to sell the shares earlier, but it failed to do so. They were sold after he sent a June 2015 email inquiring about them. As we discussed last year, I cant hold Chinese stocks (or any stocks from countries that might pose conflicts with my State Department job, which, to be safe, would include any country outside Europe/Canada). Could you make sure this is sold? he said, according to an email provided by his office. Some members of Congress, acknowledging the shortcomings of the Stock Act, are proposing a bipartisan bill that would require lawmakers to place assets like stock in a blind trust. I dont know that you should be buying and selling stock when the people we represent are facing what will invariably be the most horrific and challenging years of their lives, said Rep. Abigail Spanberger, a Democrat from Virginia who is co-sponsoring the bill with Republican Rep. Chip Roy of Texas. If you are not willing to make certain sacrifices to be in public service, then perhaps there might be a different job thats best for you. ISTANBUL (AP) A Turkish court ruled Friday to keep a leading philanthropist behind bars during his retrial over accusations that he organized and financed mass antigovernment protests in 2013. Human rights groups have denounced the case as being politically motivated. Businessman and civil rights activist Osman Kavala has been jailed in Turkey for more than three years despite not having been convicted of a crime. He is on trial again with 15 other defendants, charged with attempting to overthrow the government through the nationwide demonstrations that started at Istanbuls Gezi Park. Kavala and eight of the defendants were cleared of the charges in February 2020, but an appeals court overturned their acquittals earlier this year. Seven of the defendants, including journalist Can Dundar and actor Mehmet Ali Alabora, have left Turkey and are being tried in absentia, after they were added to the case for the retrial. Kavala, 63, also is charged with espionage and attempting to overthrow the government in connection with a failed military coup in 2016. He has denied all the accusations, and faces a life term in prison without parole, if convicted. Kavala, who has been in custody since October 2017, is known for his support of the arts and his funding of projects promoting cultural diversity and minority rights. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has accused him of being the Turkish leg of billionaire U.S. philanthropist George Soros, whom Erdogan alleges has been behind insurrections in many countries. Kavala addressed the court by videoconference Friday from a prison in the outskirts of Istanbul. He called on the court to uphold the previous decision to acquit him and other defendants. Despite the fact that there is no evidence against me, that I was acquitted, and despite the (European Court of Human Rights) ruling concerning the violation of my rights, I am being held in jail to keep alive the perception that I planned, managed and financed the Gezi protests, he said in a statement in response to the decision to keep in custody. Human rights groups have denounced the proceedings against him as unjust and have called for his release. The European Court of Human Rights ordered Kavalas release in December 2019, but Turkey has yet to implement that decision. The 2013 protests were organized to oppose the planned development of a shopping mall on the site of the small park in central Istanbul. The demonstrations soon grew into a nationwide protest against the government of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who was prime minister at the time. KYIV, Ukraine (AP) A Belarusian journalist who reported on a police raid at a popular news site has been given a 15-day jail term, a media rights group said Friday. The Belarusian Association of Journalists said Artym Mayorau of the Belarusians and the Market newspaper has been in custody since Tuesday when he came to cover the raid at the Tut.by office and was detained by police. The Moskovsky District Court in Minsk convicted Mayorau on charges of petty hooliganism and handed him a 15-day sentence. Belarusian authorities on Tuesday made the Tut.by news site unavailable to readers and raided its offices and the homes of some staff members. Officials maintained that the news site, arguably the most popular one in Belarus, violated media laws by publishing content on behalf of BYSOL, a foundation that helps victims of political repression but lacks proper state registration. The authorities also accused Tut.by of tax evasion and launched a criminal investigation against the sites top staff members. They could face charges that carry a maximum penalty of seven years in prison. Fourteen Tut.by staff members and workers from companies affiliated with the site have remained in custody following the raids. The widow of Tut.by founder Yury Zisser, Yuliya Charnyauskaya, has been put under house arrest. The U.S. and the European Union have strongly condemned the crackdown on Tut.by. The raids on Tut.by are part of a sweeping governmental campaign to stifle dissent and independent media. Large protests were triggered by authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenkos re-election to a sixth term in August in a vote that the opposition rejected as rigged. More than 34,000 people have been arrested in Belarus since August, and thousands were brutally beaten. Authorities also have targeted independent media outlets, leveling criminal charges against some reporters. The Belarusian Association of Journalists said 27 media workers are currently behind bars, either awaiting trial or serving sentences. Belarus has become the most dangerous country in Europe for journalists, said the association's head, Andrei Bastunets. The crackdown on Tut.by and the strengthening of repressions against journalists have deprived millions of Belarusians of freedom of information. ___ Follow all AP stories on Belarus at https://apnews.com/hub/Belarus. DJIBO, Burkina Faso (AP) When the jihadis started coming to the town in northern Burkina Faso just to buy food and not kill people nervous residents didn't know what to think. We dont know if it is a pause in fighting or if it will resume. We are just waiting, said one resident of Djibo, the arid, remote town regarded as the current epicenter of the country's extremist violence. While Burkina Faso's government never confirmed negotiating with Islamic extremists, others said the lull in fighting earlier this year was a sign that a cease-fire of sorts had been reached with the militants blamed for thousands of deaths in recent years. Now, though, there are growing signs that that truce might be short-lived. While Djibo remains relatively calm, fighting has surged across the country. More than 50 people died in multiple attacks in a single week in April, including two Spanish journalists and an Irish conservationist. The attacks have continued in May. Suspected jihadis killed 15 people attending a baptism near the town of Tin-Akoff, marking the fourth time this month that the area has been targeted by militants. While some factions might be negotiating and sticking to the agreements, others are not and could torpedo these negotiations, said Assane Diallo, mediation advisor for The Center for Humanitarian Dialogue, a Swiss-based organization. Islamic extremist violence already has left thousands dead and displaced more than 1 million people in this landlocked country that had long been spared the kind of jihadi violence that destabilized neighbors Mali and Niger. Before presidential elections in November, Burkina Faso's government began quietly negotiating with the jihadists wreaking havoc in the country, according to a diplomat, aid workers, security analysts and two men who say they were militants before the tentative cease-fire. The secret talks with at least one faction of jihadists active in Burkina Faso the al-Qaida-linked group known as JNIM took place near Djibo, the current epicenter of the violence. The deal included the jihadis allowing peaceful elections to proceed last year in exchange for the release of about 100 prisoners who had been detained for years on accusations of links to extremists. The arrangement also allowed for the militants to move freely in Djibo so they could visit the market and family members, according to multiple sources familiar with the talks. Initially the tentative truce appeared to be paying off: There was a nearly 50% reduction in clashes between security forces and the jihadis from November to January compared to the three months prior, according to the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project. Still, there were early signs that the government's mixed messages were undermining the deal. One man who said he'd fought alongside the jihadis said there was confusion about whether anything had really changed. Even if we all put down the guns and come back to the community, we dont have anything to do. We dont have jobs. The same army might say that we are all delinquents and start arresting us again, said the 27-year-old, who spoke on condition that AP use his nom de guerre, Mohamed Taoufiq, citing fear of government recriminations. The government army has been accused of committing human rights abuses against people perceived to be working with the jihadis, particularly the ethnic Fulani, who are dominant in Djibo. While civilians and extremists have so far have been able to coexist in Djibo, the surrounding villages are controlled by jihadis who impose Shariah law on the population, forcing women to cover themselves and men to cut their pants. Women are buying so many veils to hide their faces, that the price spiked nearly tenfold this year, locals said. The government's minister of reconciliation said earlier this year that the government would never negotiate with international terrorists," though was willing to take back the local Burkinabe fighters among their ranks. Zephirin Diabre said it was the countrys responsibility to bring back children who were recruited, indoctrinated, influenced, which led to mistakes to take arms against their fatherland." But there are no established systems to demobilize and reintegrate those who return. And communities said there was a limit to how far the negotiations could go from the start. There are things well never agree on, like Shariah law. We can negotiate if were able to live like normal human beings, one Djibo resident told The Associated Press amid the lull in fighting. Some of the jihadis themselves had said they regretted their actions and just wanted to come home. After three years of working with JNIM, first as a fighter on the front lines and then as a spy, Abu Asharawi said he was relieved when his commanders told him to stop in October, because a deal had been reached. The AP was unable to independently verify that he was a former jihadi though others identified him as having been among the fighters' ranks. I was so glad to hear the order to let down our guns, because thats what I was longing for. We were tired of fighting and seeing people killed. We did not know how to find the solution, he said. Still, there have been early signs that not all the jihadis are ready to put down their weapons for good. In a propaganda video filmed in February seen by AP, some militants pledged to continue fighting the government. They promised civilians, though, they wouldnt be targeted so long as they dont help the military. Let no one be afraid," said a jihadi in the video. "If you dont betray us, we will never deceive you. MONTREAL (AP) The Canadian government has given its final approval for construction and operation of power line to serve as a conduit for hydropower to reach the power grid in New England, officials said Friday. The Canada Energy Regulator, which must sign off on international utility projects, issued a permit Thursday allowing work north of the U.S. border that's necessary for the $1 billion New England Clean Energy Connect. CHICAGO (AP) Chicago firefighters recued a 17-year-old boy who fell about 40 feet down an air shaft early Friday, authorities said. The teen initially was taken to a hospital in serious-to-critical condition following the rescue that took two hours, Deputy District Fire Chief Dennis Carbonneau said. Police said the teen suffered minor injuries. The teen was with friends on a rooftop in the Old Town neighborhood on Chicago's north side when he fell about 4 a.m. down the shaft between two buildings, police said. Two firefighters were lowered using a rope-rescue system to reach the teen, Carbonneau said. The state House of Representatives on Thursday approved a scaled-down package of statewide zoning reform measures that proponents acknowledged is just one step toward addressing long-standing housing inequities in Connecticut, an issue that has received intense attention since the police killing of George Floyd. The bill, which passed on an 84-59 vote and now awaits Senate action, requires cities and towns to allow in-law apartments unless they follow an opt-out process. It also mandates regular training for local planning and zoning officials and defines character of a district by physical standards ideas taken from numerous bills proposed this session and woven into the final proposal. It doesn't, however, include some of the more contentious ideas floated earlier in the legislative session, such as the elimination of some public hearing requirements. Todays bill is a step forward. But its really is a step on a long road that we have to take to address the affordability needs of our residents and ... how we plan for all land use in our future, said Rep. Cristin McCarthy Vahey, D-Fairfield, co-chair of the General Assemblys Planning and Development Committee. The compromise bill has generated criticism from various sides of the housing issue. For example, the statewide coalition Desegregate Connecticut, created after Floyd's death and which proposed its own package of zoning reforms to help better integrate the state, opposes allowing communities to opt out from allowing the accessory apartments, or in-law apartments, on single-family properties. Meanwhile, some Republican lawmakers who represent smaller communities argued the bill is still an overreach by state government, even though some of the more controversial concepts were dropped during the committee process. While this might be a watered-down version, this is a huge boot in the door for state control over our towns that would eliminate that uniqueness that makes Connecticut so special, said Rep. Laura Devlin, R-Fairfield. Devlin credited citizens who held rallies against the legislation and towns that passed resolutions for some of the changes ultimately made to the legislation. They have been loud. There have been rallies. I heard somebody say, oh, theres just all these noisy rallies. That is the voices of the people saying, we do not want this, Devlin said. Among other things, those groups argued that local people and not state government should be making local zoning decisions. But House Majority Leader Jason Rojas, D-East Hartford, said that's why Connecticut still has racial and economic inequities. Theres been comments about top down approach, bottom up approach, he said. I would only suggest that the bottom up approach has led us to where we are today, which is a segregated state. Rojas acknowledged the bill does not go as far as he wanted. But he urged his colleagues to still support the legislation. It is moving us in the right direction by balancing the goals of updating our zoning and land use statutes while recognizing the premium that I think we all place on local control and local decision making, he said, promising that housing and zoning policy will be debated again in the House. Despite her disappointment in the bill, Sara Bronin, founder of Desegregate Connecticut, said the legislation lays the groundwork for a more equitable state and toward more inclusive communities. Before Thursdays debate, House Speaker Matt Ritter, D-Hartford, called the legislation a tough bill and recognized it doesn't go far enough for many people. But incrementalism does happen in this building, he said. I think well continue to work at it as the years go on. NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) Cyprus has asked the European Union to act swiftly to stop boats loaded with migrants from leaving Syrias port of Tartus, saying the east Mediterranean island nation is saturated and cant take in any more. Interior Minister Nicos Nouris said Friday that EU member Cyprus is in a state of emergency because smugglers' boats have arrived daily from Syria over the past week, causing migrant reception centers to overflow. We are seeking from the European Commission its immediate and active intervention in order to prevent illegal departures from the Syrian coast and especially the port of Tartus, Nouris said. He didn't say how he expected the EU to thwart migrant boat departures from Syria, but he insisted that the capabilities are there. There have been several reports of new migrant arrivals along the southeastern coast of Cyprus, which is 100 miles (160 kilometers) from Tartus. Nouris said after one arrival, migrants including many children were taken off the boat and offered shelter in an ad-hoc coastal tent camp because the countrys main reception center was full. Nouris says Cyprus doesnt have the resources to host any more migrants and cannot be turned into a massive migrant camp. We have all the good will to help people who are in real need, but at the same time, we cant to send a clear message that our capabilities arent inexhaustible," he said. "We have long since exceeded our ability to host people. Nouris said a chronic problem with delays in processing asylum claims has been overcome, and 4,000 such claims have been rejected. He said the real issue is the lack of bilateral agreements that would allow Cyprus to deport people with rejected asylum claims. He said Cyprus has consistently petitioned the EU to move ahead with repatriation agreements that would obligate countries to take back their citizens whose asylum claims have been rejected. Cyprus has an agreement with neighboring Lebanon to prevent boats loaded with migrants from reaching its shores. But human rights groups say the agreement breaches international law because Cypriot authorities dont offer migrants the opportunity to file for asylum. Asylum claims cannot be examined at the point of departure, nothing in the law provides for this, said human rights lawyer Corina Drousiotou. PHOENIX (AP) Come fall, Arizona residents who want to have their favorite restaurant deliver a meal to their home may also be able to get a cocktail delivered. Credit the coronavirus pandemic, which prompted Republican Gov. Doug Ducey to issue an executive order last May allowing the practice. That led to a protracted legal battle with bars who pay much more for their liquor licenses and objected to restaurants getting the chance to poach some of their business. The bars won a court order in November saying Ducey had overstepped his bounds, and the practice ended. But cocktails to go had traction, and the Legislature worked for months to come up with a new law that satisfied both sides and allows mixed drink delivery to become a permanent part of the Arizona dining scene. Ducey signed the legislation, championed by Republican Rep. Jeff Weninger of Chandler, on Friday. It allows restaurants to buy an additional permit to deliver drinks to patrons who order food delivered, using contract delivery services. It also allows bars and liquor stores to do the same under complex legislation that was the result of months of negotiations involving restaurants, bars and grocery and convenience stories that currently have licenses to sell liquor, beer and wine, either for on-premises consumption or to take home. Under the deal, about 3,000 restaurants will be able to get permits to sell cocktails to go, Weninger said. They will be charged an administrative fee by state liquor regulators and for five years have to pay another fee that will go into a fund to compensate bar and grocery store owners. Not all of those outlets will get the money. It will be dispersed through a lottery system. Restaurants will also be able to lease a license allowing them to deliver beer and wine. But the bottom line is that consumers will be able to have a martini delivered with their steak or a margarita with their enchilada dinner. This is one of the things that I've heard over and over from constituents that they thought was pretty cool, Weninger said in an interview. Secondly, my other constituents, which are bars and restaurants, want to do it and believe that they can derive revenue from it. And, he added, the state gets some revenue too. The deal shows that there are some good things, like the move to telemedicine, that have come from the pandemic, Weninger said. You see that it's not the boogieman that people have made it out to be, and you put forward a reasonable policy and allow people a little more freedom, he said. Ducey said in a statement business owners showed during the pandemic that offering to-go beverages can be done responsibly and safely. The Arizona Restaurant Association praised the new law, which will go into effect late this summer. Restaurants, bars and liquor stores throughout the state will have the opportunity to drastically expand their operations thanks to the signing of House Bill 2773, Steve Chucri, the group's president and CEO, said in a statement. CAIRO (AP) Egyptian military forces arrived in the Sudanese capital of Khartoum ahead of a joint drill amid mounting tensions with Ethiopia over a decade-long Nile water dispute, Sudan's state-run news agency reported Friday. The dispute focuses over the controversial dam that Ethiopia is building on the Blue Nile, the Nile Rivers main tributary. Egypt and Sudan want an international agreement to govern how much water Ethiopia releases downstream, especially in a multi-year drought, fearing their critical water shares might be affected. According to Sudans state-owned SUNA news agency, Sudanese and Egyptian forces will hold the maneuvers dubbed Guardians of the Nile from mid-next week to the end of the month aimed at strengthening bilateral relations and unifying methods on dealing with threats that both countries are expected to face. The report did not say how many troops would participate. Apart from those that landed at Khartoum Air Base, another contingent of soldiers and army vehicles were expected to arrive by sea. Last November, Egyptian and Sudanese commando units and air forces held the drill dubbed Nile Eagles-1 the first joint military exercises since the ouster of Sudanese autocrat Omar al-Bashir in 2019. Talks with Ethiopia stalled in April; international and regional efforts have since tried to revive the negotiations over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam without success. In March, Egypt's President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi warned that his countrys share of the Nile waters was untouchable and that there would be instability that no one can imagine in the region if Ethiopia fills the reservoir without an international agreement. Egypt and Sudan argue that Ethiopias plan to add 13.5 billion cubic meters of water in 2021 to the dams reservoir is a threat to them. Cairo and Khartoum have called for the U.S., U.N, and the European Union to help reach a legally binding deal. The agreement would spell out how the dam is operated and filled, based on international law and norms governing cross-border rivers. Egypt relies on the Nile for more than 90% of its water supplies. Ethiopia says the $5 billion dam is essential, and that the vast majority of its population lacks electricity. Sudan wants Ethiopia to coordinate on the dams operation to protect its own power-generating dams on the Blue Nile. The Blue Nile meets the White Nile in Khartoum, before winding northward through Egypt into the Mediterranean Sea. Today, Tribune Publishing shareholders voted to put profit and greed over local news in our country, the Tribune news guilds said. unions. While we are saddened by the turn of events, we know that our work over the past year to build allies in the community and to raise awareness about Alden is not in vain. Those allies will support us as we fight against Alden to protect local news and the cuts that they will inevitably try to make. LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) The father of a British woman of Pakistani origin who was found dead at a home in the eastern city of Lahore said he was dissatisfied with a police probe into the murder, but investigators on Friday said they were on the right track. Muhammad Zulfiqar appealed for help to Pakistans Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai, who was shot by the Taliban in 2012 for her work as an advocate for womens education. He asked Yousafazai, to advocate for justice on behalf of his 24-year-old daughter Mayra Zulfiqar. My dear daughter Malala, I appeal to you for Gods sake please raise your voice for my daughter. She was like your sister," he told The Associated Press late on Thursday, sobbing. Your voice is heard. The only difference is that you have gone abroad after studying here and my daughter came to Pakistan to serve humanity. In the interview, he also asked for help from Prime Minister Imran Khan. Mohammad Amin, who is investigating the case, said Friday that police were questioning two key suspects. It is a complicated case, but we are on the right track and God willing those who are involved in this crime will not go unpunished," Amin told the AP, reporting significant progress in the investigation. Zulfiqar's daughter arrived in Pakistan earlier this year to attend a wedding. She was staying at home with a friend when she was found dead with two bullet wounds and signs of torture on her body. Police at the time arrested two men who had proposed to her to determine whether they had any involvement in the murder. Police in Pakistan were also seeking the arrest of more suspects. However, Pakistan's police have not yet disclosed any major breakthrough into the murder. The slain woman's father said he was not satisfied. Zulfiqar was a law school graduate from London who wanted to work as a lawyer in Pakistan to give free legal assistance to poor people, her father said. Zulfiqar said he wants an example made of those linked to his daughter's murder. I have been made a shuttlecock between different departments of the police but still, there is no headway in the investigations," he said, as he hoped Malala could play a role in highlighting his ordeal. Yousafzai won international renown after she was shot by the Taliban in Pakistan, where she received initial treatment and later was taken to England for further care. She stayed on in the United Kingdom, where she recently completed her education. She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014. Zulfiqar said Mayra was his only daughter. I will continue raising my voice until I get justice and her murderers are publicly hanged," he said. LA VISTA, Neb. (AP) The FBI has joined the search for an autistic 11-year-old boy missing since Monday, when he walked out of his elementary school during changes in morning classes. The search entered its fifth day on Friday for Ryan Larsen, of La Vista, and there is growing concern for his safety as he has been without medication he takes for seizures. ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) A federal judge sentenced a former St. Paul police officer Friday to six years in prison for kicking a suspect and allowing a police dog to maul him. Thirty-three-year-old Brett Palkowitsch apologized through tears during the sentencing hearing before U.S. District Judge Wilhelmina Wright, Minnesota Public Radio reported. He said he would be willing to put himself in front of future officers to make sure they know right from wrong, and how quick it can happen, and make sure it never happens again. SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) A federal judge will allow a Native American tribe to join legal arguments opposing South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem's efforts to put on a July Fourth fireworks display at Mount Rushmore. The Republican governor has sued the Department of the Interior after the National Park Service denied the state a permit to hold a fireworks display at the monument. The Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe had asked the judge to allow it to join the legal arguments, arguing it had a stake in the decision because the Black Hills, which include Mount Rushmore, are sacred for the tribe. It argued the fireworks event would violate the religious and first amendment rights of Native American people. Noem's lawyers had opposed the tribe's request in the U.S. District Court for South Dakota. But Chief Judge Roberto Lange, who was appointed by former President Barack Obama, ruled Thursday the tribe could intervene. Lange granted the tribe's request in part because the Park Service cited concerns from local Native American tribes for denying the state's application. Noem has argued that the permit denial was arbitrary and capricious and political punishment from President Joe Bidens administration. The governor successfully pushed last year for a return of the pyrotechnic display after a decadelong hiatus, and the event drew national attention when former President Donald Trump joined Noem on July 3 to give a fiery speech. The governor and the tribe have also feuded over whether the tribe was consulted before the event last year. The tribe this week charged the governor with falsely claiming that the tribe was consulted on the fireworks event. However, the two sides disagree on what even constitutes a government-to-government consultation. Court documents show that Steve Vance, the Cheyenne River Sioux tribes historical preservation officer, attended two days of tribal cultural survey meetings hosted by the Park Service in February 2020 to discuss the event. A tribal council member also attended one of the meetings, which the Park Service listed as tribal consultation meetings in court filings. But Remi Bald Eagle, a spokesman for the tribe, said that their attendance didn't mean the tribe engaged in a consultation with the Park Service. Only the full tribal council or the tribal chairman are authorized to do that, Bald Eagle said. Representatives from other tribes at the meetings also expressed at the time they were not authorized to engage in a formal consultation. Neither were there on behalf of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, Bald Eagle said. Lange has indicated hell likely decide by June 2 whether to issue a preliminary injunction order to force the Park Service to allow the fireworks this summer. In the order, he summarized Noems arguments by writing, From Noems and the States perspective, not permitting fireworks for Independence Day weekend at Mount Rushmore is, to put it bluntly, unjustified and un-American. MERRITT ISLAND, Fla. (AP) Authorities in Florida arrested and charged with murder the fiance of a woman who was shot to death in her apartment. Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey said Philip Keller, 39, was arrested late Thursday on first-degree premeditated murder six days after Alicia Campitelli, 35, was found dead in Merritt Island, Florida. Keller was set to appear before a judge Friday. MIAMI (AP) The Florida Department of Health is accusing a Miami anesthesiologist of medical malpractice in the case of a 57-year-old patient who died after he wasn't properly ventilated following a heart surgery. The Miami Herald reports the agency filed an administrative complaint against Dr. John Sciarra. The physician has not faced any previous disciplinary actions. Sciarra said he could not comment on the administrative complaint when reached out by the newspaper. LOVELAND, Colo. (AP) Two former police officers facing criminal charges over the rough arrest of a woman with dementia last year turned themselves into authorities on Thursday and were released later on bond. Austin Hopp, 26, and Daria Jalali, 27, were taken into custody at the Larimer County jail in Fort Collins about an hour apart, the Loveland Reporter-Herald reported. Jalali was released in the morning. Hopp was released at around 4 p.m. after posting bond, which had been set by a judge at $20,000, Larimer County Sheriff's Office spokesman Jered Kramer said Friday. CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (AP) A former nurse at a Tennessee high school who had more than 700 illicit images of juvenile girls has been charged in federal court with attempted production of child pornography, authorities said. Leon B. Hensley, 40, formerly of Clarksville, Tennessee, was arrested Thursday near his current home in Lake Wales, Florida, Acting U.S. Attorney Mary Jane Stewart for the Middle District of Tennessee said in a statement. More than 40 victims are suspected to be students at North East High School in Clarksville and range in age from 12 to 17, the statement said. The images appear to have been taken by a hidden camera in a bathroom and caught girls in various stages of undress, authorities said. Hensley worked at the school from August 2017 to November 2019. That's when police began investigating a report that Hensley had sent a photo of a nude woman to a juvenile and asked her to pose for photos, a criminal complaint said. The Clarksville Police Department found several images on Hensley's phone that depicted the sexual exploitation of children and during a later search found numerous electronic devices, including a small covert video camera, the complaint said. The large volume of images led police to contact federal authorities, who conducted a more thorough forensic exam. Authorities said they found images of what appeared to be juveniles using the private student bathroom in the nurses station at the high school and females in hospital exam rooms at Tennova Hospital in Clarksville, where Hensley was employed prior to his job at the school. Hensley faces 15 years to life in prison if convicted, the U.S. Attorney said. It wasn't immediately clear whether Hensley has an attorney. None was listed in federal court documents available online. ___ An earlier version of this report had an incorrect spelling of Lake Wales, Florida. He does not come in until after 4 p.m. or later during the week. We have an outsourced security staff ... so we have coverage at all times, Sobelson wrote, but the evenings are really our challenging times for incidents, etc., so we have the Chief during those highest incident times, PITTSBURGH (AP) A Michigan man has pleaded guilty to hacking a University of Pittsburgh Medical Center employee database, stealing the personal information of more than 65,000 people and then selling the information online. Justin Johnson, 30, is being held at Butler County Prison and will be sentenced in four months, the Tribune-Review reported. HONOLULU (AP) Hawaii will once again require people receiving unemployment insurance benefits to search for work as a COVID-19 testing program for travelers and growing vaccinations fuel a recovery of the tourism industry, Gov. David Ige said Tuesday. Those filing for unemployment will need to report at least three steps they took to look for work from May 30 through June 5 when they submit their weekly claim on June 6, said Anne Perreira-Eustaquio, the director of the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations. These steps can include filling out job applications, interviewing for jobs and registering at the jobs website HireNetHawaii.com, she said. Hawaii suspended the search-for-work requirement during the pandemic. Hawaii's unemployment rate was 9% in March, the highest in the nation and above the national average of 6% But the rate has improved since peaking at 23.8% in April 2020. At this point, the public health measures we implemented and the success of our vaccine program have allowed us to begin to re energize our economy. With our pre-travel testing program in place, were seeing more people traveling to Hawaii. And as tourism has picked up, more employers are looking for people to fill positions, Ige said at a news conference announcing the new policy. The governor said he would maintain other pandemic-era unemployment insurance benefits, including a weekly $300 federal government supplement to weekly benefits. Ige said he believed this extra payment helps unemployed residents pay rent and other expenses, which helps the economy. As you know, the cost of living in Hawaii is higher than in other jurisdictions. And we have heard of many in our community who continue to struggle to find work and who continue to be unemployed, Ige said. The state will evaluate whether to continue this payment as the economy recovers and more people return to work, he said. Hawaii will also continue to pay unemployment insurance benefits to gig workers and independent contractors, the governor sad. Twenty-two states, from Texas and Georgia to Ohio and Iowa, plan to begin blocking the $300-a-week federal payment starting in June, according to an Associated Press analysis. All have Republican governors and legislatures. Ige is a Democrat. The Hawaii House and Senate are also controlled by Democrats. About 106,000 people in Hawaii will need to look for work under the reinstated rule. Gig workers and contractors won't need to, nor will union members, Perreira-Eustaquio said. Those who aren't able to return to work because they need to care for their children during the pandemic will be exempt if they receive Pandemic Unemployment Assistance unemployment insurance benefits, Perreira-Eustaquio said. The regular unemployment insurance benefit program doesn't include a childcare exemption. She said the department would enforce the search-for-work requirement by randomly checking whether claimants actually made their three job search contacts as declared. The department will also conduct internal audits to investigate whether claimants looked for work. Finally, she said employers could go online to www.hawaiiunemploymentinfo.com to report when a job applicant failed to show up for an interview or didn't accept a suitable job offer. NEW YORK (AP) Ten years after the drama In Treatment signed off, the HBO show is back with a group of new patients and a new therapist, but a similar theme: Physician heal thyself. Uzo Aduba takes over from Gabriel Byrne as the psychotherapist at the center of the show, now playing buttoned-down Dr. Brooke Taylor with a thriving practice but a whole lot of personal demons. The safest that she seems to feel is when shes in the room with her patients because thats the way she can feel control," says Aduba. "When she leaves the room, you get to see just how out of control and how much avoidance plays a part in her everyday life. The show, which starts airing Sunday, has traded the previous episodes' Brooklyn brownstone for a chic and immaculate home in an affluent neighborhood in Los Angeles. Shot during the pandemic, it leverages the times by incorporating social distancing and setting all the therapy sessions inside the home of Aduba's character. Even if a therapist has a home office, theres usually division between their life and home life, she said. Because of pandemic, both the audience and her patients get an even larger view of who she really is, just by the mere fact that they enter her home. Aduba's Taylor has three patients: In the Heights actor Anthony Ramos plays a troubled home health aide, John Benjamin Hickey plays a white-collar criminal angry at the world and Quintessa Swindell portrays a wealthy teen with an overbearing grandmother. Ramos said he leapt at the chance of portraying a complex Latino character who embraces talk therapy. The actor, who said hes personally benefited from therapy, hopes he can remove any stigma from seeking help. I remember I told someone in my family I was going to therapy and they were like, Well, whats wrong? he said. "I was like, A lot. What do you mean whats wrong? Life is hard. Ramos character is quarantining with a wealthy family to look after one of their members. He and Aduba's doctor bond over their love of Gabriel Garcia Marquez. He's having trouble sleeping, but she worries about prescribing medication. This work its not sexy, its not fast," she tells him. Unlike the therapist's other patients, Ramos' character has his sessions on Zoom, a challenging prospect for both actors. Ramos and Aduba were in different rooms on set. I was afraid that it wouldnt be as connective an experience, but it actually was in the end when we did it, said Aduba. I could see a world where teletherapy is now just a part of the therapeutic experience. Over time, the immaculate-looking, straight-arrow of Dr. Brooke Taylor slowly deflates as viewers learn she is wounded by loss but hiding it. Shes excellent at her job, but were seeing a little bit of the fissures of her not being at her best in terms of keeping out the outside and not bringing so much of it inside, said Aduba, who recently won her third Emmy in FXs Mrs. America. An interesting dynamic develops in which even as she guides her patients to their truths, they also dig into hers. Did she grow up in privilege? What about her romantic life? Her patients see her, too. You know what I mean? she said. They may not see the whole of her, but there are aspects of her life that they are also able to see and are not inaccurate. Filming started in November, and each episode took two days of work. The tough schedule and subject were lightened somewhat by occasional socially distanced dance parties in front of the actors' trailers during lunch breaks. Ramos gave credit to Aduba for setting a professional and caring tone on the set. It helps when youre doing it with somebody like Uzo. Shes so beautiful in the way she articulates herself, in the way she treats the work, he said. When your lead actress is asking you what you need, thats a gift. He said he hopes In Treatment can be more than just gripping weekly drama. Hopefully this show can give somebody the courage to take that small step to making a phone call to find somebody that they could talk to," he said. "I think it can help us all." ___ Online: https://www.hbo.com/in-treatment ___ Mark Kennedy is at http://twitter.com/KennedyTwits TACOMA, Wash. (AP) The director of the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department, an Asian man, says he was attacked on a footbridge in Tacoma. The News Tribune reports that Dr. Anthony Chen said he doesnt think the assault in Tacoma, Washington, was connected to his ethnicity, but it comes at a time of increased concern about violence directed toward Asians in the United States. In a blog posted Friday afternoon, Chen wrote, Early Wednesday morning, as I walked across the Chihuly Bridge of Glass in Tacoma, a man whom I had never met, attacked me. He said he drove himself to the emergency room, was banged up and sore but not seriously hurt. Chen said the attack happened when he noticed a man damaging public property and tried to talk to him. Suddenly, he knocked me down from behind and punched me as I stood up. He continued to attack me even as I tried to back away, Chen wrote. Wendy Haddow, spokeswoman for the Tacoma Police Department, said according to the initial report filed with the authorities, the alleged attack occurred about 1:40 a.m. May 19. The suspect was described as a 20- to 30-year-old male. On Thursday President Joe Biden signed legislation to curtail a dramatic rise in hate crimes against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. The new law will expedite Justice Department reviews of hate crimes by putting an official in charge of the effort. Federal grants will be available to help local law enforcement agencies improve their investigation, identification and reporting of bias-driven incidents, which often go underreported. ___ This story has been updated to correct the erroneous reference to Tacoma being Washington state's second largest city. John Greilick/AP DETROIT (AP) The star of HGTVs Rehab Addict Rescue has won a dispute with Detroit over ownership of a blighted home. Nicole Curtis said she has spent at least $60,000 to start fixing up the home after buying it from a couple for $17,000. But the Detroit Land Bank Authority stepped forward and said it was the actual legal owner. HUTCHINSON, Kan. (AP) A Hutchinson woman whose car went off a road, killing one person and injuring six others, has pleaded guilty to one count of involuntary manslaughter while driving under the influence. Viola Rhodes, 61, also pleaded guilty Wednesday to six counts of aggravated battery. In exchange for the plea, prosecutors agreed not to charge her with reckless second-degree murder, The Hutchinson News reported. JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) More than a thousand Muslims rallied outside the U.S. Embassy in Indonesias capital on Friday to denounce American support for Israel and demand an end to Israeli airstrikes in the Gaza Strip. The protesters marched from several mosques after Friday prayers to a major street outside the embassy, which was under heavy police guard. They halted traffic along the way as they chanted Allahu Akbar, or God is Great, and Save Palestinians. ANAMOSA, Iowa (AP) An Iowa man convicted of stabbing his 3-week-old son to death in 1982 has died in prison, officials said. The Iowa Department of Corrections said in a news release that Michael Cecil Craney, 68, of Jesup, died Wednesday likely of natural causes at the Anamosa State Penitentiary. TOKYO (AP) A Japanese journalist who was freed from a Myanmar prison said Friday that military and police interrogators repeatedly asked him about his friends, clients and made-up allegations. Yuki Kitazumi, a freelance journalist and a former reporter for Japans Nikkei business news, also said other inmates told him about abuses they suffered at the hands of authorities, including repeated beatings during nonstop, dayslong interrogations. Kitazumi was detained at Yangons notorious Insein prison for a month before his release and return to Japan last week. He was arrested by authorities while in the country covering the aftermath of the February's military coup and accused of offenses including violating the terms of his visa. The ruling military junta said he was released as a gesture of friendship toward Japan. While in prison, Kitazumi said he met political prisoners who he became friends with. He said they shared news and discussed their concerns about developments in Myanmar and the country's future. They also asked him that once he returned to Japan to report whats happening in Myanmar to the rest of the world. With no stationary, he dipped a bird feather into instant coffee or grape juice to write a memo on scrap paper. They also told tales of abuse. The Feb. 1 coup that ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi reversed years of progress toward democracy in Myanmar after five decades of military rule. It was met with widespread public opposition that the military has tried to silence through force, including killing people protesting on the streets and imprisoning activists and journalists. Even during civilian rule Myanmar's security forces were accused of abuses, most notably against minority Muslim Rohingya who were forced to flee the country by the hundreds of thousands to escape what the U.S. has called a campaign of genocide. Although I was released, none of the problems in Myanmar have been resolved, Kitazumi said at an online news conference hosted by the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan. Kitazumi said other prisoners told him about abuses they suffered before coming to Insein. He said they described being blind-folded, handcuffed behind their backs and forced to kneel on concrete floors while being interrogated in that position, sometimes for days without sleep or rest. He said any negative comments about the junta led to being beaten. Ghastly interrogations are going on," Kitazumi said. Kitazumi said he was given far better treatment during his own interrogations and suffered no such abuse. He said his interrogators only went as far as banging on a desk and yelling. Officials repeatedly asked him about what he said was an untrue allegation that he had bought and given a video to his local friend. He said he repeatedly denied the allegation, but nevertheless said a confession presented to him said he didn't clarify otherwise. He refused to sign it. Myanmars army-run Myawaddy TV has said Kitazumi was arrested for inciting anti-military civil disobedience and riots. Kitazumi also became the first foreign journalist charged with violating visa regulations under a new statute that the state press has described as aiming at fake news. Despite the charges, Kitazumi said he was never asked in his court hearing about details of his stories or footage he mostly sent and published in Japan. He believes his arrest was a warning to other foreign journalists. With his release, all charges were dropped, he said. About 80 journalists have been arrested since the coup. Roughly half are still detained. Japan has criticized the military governments deadly crackdown on opposition but has taken a milder approach than the U.S. and some other countries, which have imposed sanctions against members of the junta. Securing a vast infrastructure plan is Bidens top priority as he seeks to make good on his campaign pledge to build back better in the aftermath of the coronavirus crisis and the economic churn from a shifting economy. With narrow Democratic majorities in the House and Senate, the president is reaching out to Republicans for support on a potentially bipartisan approach rather than relying simply on his own party to muscle the proposal to passage. A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit claiming a Mississippi city was at fault in the death of a lawyer who killed himself in the wake of a political scandal that defined Mississippi's bitter 2014 U.S. Senate race. U.S. District Judge Carlton Reeves ruled Wednesday that relatives of late Ridgeland lawyer Mark Mayfield had not proven that the city of Madison had improperly retaliated against Mayfield for constitutionally protected speech or political activity. Dorsey Carson, a lawyer for the Mayfields, said Friday that he was reviewing and evaluating the order and declined further comment. A lawyer for the city didn't immediately return phone calls and emails seeking comment. During the 2014 Republican primary between state Sen. Chris McDaniel and now deceased U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran, a group of McDaniel supporters conspired to take pictures of Cochran's wife, who was living at a Madison nursing home because of dementia. After a photograph was briefly published online in an attempt to claim Cochran was unfaithful to his bedridden wife, an uproar ensued. Police began investigating even as Cochran went on to win a runoff against McDaniel, and then win reelection. Cochran died in 2019, a year after retiring. Police arrested three people John Mary, Clayton Kelly and Mayfield. Mayfield, whose mother lived at the same nursing home, was accused of giving Mary directions to Cochran's room and was arrested by city police and charged with charged with conspiracy to exploit a vulnerable adult. He killed himself a little more than a month later. Mary and Kelly later each pleaded guilty to conspiracy. In 2017, Mayfield's family sued the city, Madison Mayor Mary Hawkins-Butler, the police chief, an investigator, the Butler Snow law firm, the firm's managing partner and another lawyer alleging they were Cochran supporters who conspired to target Mayfield for prosecution to help Cochran's reelection chances. All those defendants except the city itself had already been dismissed from the case before Wednesday. Reeves wrote that despite sworn statements from former Madison County Assistant District Attorney Dow Yoder that this case was handled unlike any other case that ever came through the DAs office," there was no evidence that Mayfield was investigated or arrested by city police because of constitutionally protected speech or political activity. Instead of rounding up the most vocal McDaniel supporters, city investigators followed the evidence from Kelly to Mary to Mayfield, Reeves wrote. The police were given free rein to conduct their investigation as they saw fit, without direction from the mayor, a Cochran supporter. There is no evidence that before the Rose Cochran incident, the city of Madison was itching for an excuse to go after McDaniel supporters. And there is no evidence of differential treatment of McDaniel and Cochran supporters. He also ruled the Mayfields weren't entitled to wrongful death damages because they couldn't prove his suicide was immediately caused by acts of the city that created an irresistible impulse. Here, the Mayfields have no evidence, expert or otherwise, that Mark Mayfield acted under an irresistible impulse, Reeves wrote. DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) The leader of Iowas largest school district violated his duty by not complying with a law intended to ensure students could learn in classrooms during the pandemic, an administrative law judge ruled, without specifying how he should be punished. Administrative Law Judge David Lindgren said during an Iowa Board of Educational Examiners hearing Thursday that Des Moines Superintendent Thomas Ahart violated an ethical duty to comply with all laws applicable to the fulfillment of this professional obligations as alleged." However, the Des Moines Register reported that the judge gave no timeline for when he would decide how or even if Ahart should be punished. Ahart is facing potential sanctions because the Des Moines school board violated a state mandate early in the 2020-2021 academic year that districts must offer at least half-time in-person learning. For two weeks to start the school year, Des Moines offered only virtual instruction. After complaints were filed with the Board of Educational Examiners, the panel in March found that Ahart should surrender his administrators license or agree to a lesser sanction. Members of the board are appointed by Gov. Kim Reynolds, who throughout the pandemic has called for districts to offer classroom learning and has been critical of districts that hesitated to reopen schools because of high COVID-19 infection rates. Ahart appealed the board's decision. Ahart's attorney Dustin Zeschke told the judge it was wrong to punish the superintendent for carrying out the school board's instructions. School board vice chairman Rob Barron made a similar argument to Lindgren, saying Ahart kept the board informed and carried out its decisions. I dont know if I can say this, but he shouldnt be here in this position right now," Barron said. Everything he did was what me and my colleagues told him to do. I should be over there at that table and not him." Jesse Ramirez, an assistant attorney general, told the judge that Ahart should be punished but doesn't think his license should be revoked. MINNEAPOLIS (AP) A judge is expected to rule within weeks whether to toss out a disorderly conduct charge against a former central Minnesota mayor who yelled at police for making a traffic stop. The Minneapolis Star Tribune reported Friday that then-Nisswa Mayor Fred Heidmann was arrested in August last year after he confronted officers who were trying to make a traffic stop on State Highway 71. He allegedly yelled at officers that they should be patrolling neighborhoods rather than making traffic stops. SEOUL (AP) K-pop band BTS on Friday released their long-awaited single, Butter, which they described as a lighthearted and fun song for summer. BTS composed of J-Hope, RM, Suga, Jungkook, V, Jin and Jimin held a socially distanced news conference in Seoul to unveil the synth-heavy dance pop track. As you can see from the title, its a lighthearted song, said Jimin, adding that the song will melt listeners hearts like butter." The music video of Butter racked up over 17 million views on Youtube in less than an hour upon its release. The song also topped iTunes Top Songs charts in multiple countries, including the United States. Butter is the bands second English-language single after Dynamite, which topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart for the first time ever for a South Korean group last year. The bands leader, RM, co-wrote the lyrics for Butter with a range of musicians including Rob Grimaldi and Stephen Kirk. We always think about what we want to express and what people want to hear from us, RM said. BTS will perform Butter for the first time at the 2021 Billboard Music Awards on Sunday. Suga said the Billboard Music Awards are very meaningful for the band. BTS is nominated for four categories - Top Duo/Group, Top Song Sales Artist, Top Social Artist, and Top Selling Song. Last year, the band was nominated for two categories and won the Top Social Artist award. Since their debut in 2013, BTS has garnered global recognition for their self-produced music and activism, which includes giving a speech at the United Nations and publicly calling out anti-Asian racism. The band topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart three times in 2020, and was nominated for prominent music awards like Billboard Music Awards and MTV Video Music Awards. TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Budget legislation signed Friday by Gov. Laura Kelly increases funding for Kansas courts, provides extra dollars for higher education and funds a new state health laboratory. The measure contains a piece of a nearly $21 billion spending blueprint for state government for the budget year beginning July 1. CONROE, Texas (AP) A 75-year-old Kansas City, Kansas, man has been arrested on a murder warrant in a nearly four decade old homicide in southeast Texas. Thomas Elvin Darnell was taken to the Montgomery County jail Thursday after being arrested Monday in Kansas on a murder warrant for the 1983 death of Laura Purchase, according to Montgomery County Sheriffs Lt. Scott Spencer. EMPORIA, Kan. (AP) A Chase County man is jailed on 155 counts of sexual exploitation of a child after child pornography was found at his home, authorities said. Leland Zachariah Taylor, 71, of Cedar Point, was arrested May 8 after Chase County Sheriff's deputies were called to his home. WICHITA, Kan. (AP) A southeastern Kansas woman has been sentenced to three years probation and ordered to repay nearly $87,000 she fraudulently collected in Social Security benefits for children who did not live with her. Teresa Grant, of Arkansas City, was sentenced earlier this month after she pleaded guilty to one count of unauthorized acquisition of Social Security Administration benefits, the U.S. Attorneys Office for Kansas said in a news release. BOISE, Idaho (AP) An Idaho lawmaker facing criticism for publicizing the name of an intern who accused another lawmaker of rape has announced a run for lieutenant governor. Rep. Priscilla Giddings, a three-term Republican from White Bird, declared her candidacy Friday, calling herself Top Gun in reference to her military service. She is currently a major in the Air Force Reserves. I am running for Lieutenant Governor because Idaho deserves to be represented by a proven conservative, Giddings said in a prepared statement. I will be a champion for limited government, a fighter for our Second Amendment rights, a tireless advocate for the unborn. Current Lt. Gov. Janice McGeachin announced earlier this week that she was running for governor. Another Republican lawmaker, Rep. Luke Malek from Coeur d'Alene, announced in November that he is running for the lieutenant governor's post. Critics have called for an ethics hearing for Giddings over her actions in connection with a rape investigation involving former Rep. Aaron von Ehlinger of Lewiston. After a 19-year-old legislative intern reported that von Ehlinger raped her, Giddings shared a far-right blog post that included the young woman's name, photo and identifying information on a social media page and in a newsletter to constituents. Giddings also disparagingly referred to the woman as a honey trap" in the newsletter. Von Ehlinger has denied any wrongdoing and maintains he had consensual sexual contact with the woman. The Boise Police Department is investigating. Von Ehlinger resigned after an ethics committee found he committed conduct unbecoming of a lawmaker. Giddings' decision to publicize the accuser's name and personal details led to an outcry, with thousands of people signing petitions and sending letters mostly form letters to legislative leaders demanding an ethics hearing. The Idaho Female Veterans Network has condemned Giddings and asked the Air Force to investigate her actions. Giddings did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Associated Press left at her campaign office on Friday. The voice mail box for Giddings' home phone number was full. Giddings spent nine years in active duty with the Air Force and served on three combat deployments. Harrys self-work may be relatively recent but he and older brother William, The Duke of Cambridge, have long championed the importance of mental health. In 2016, Harry, William and his wife Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge, launched Heads Together, an initiative to speak up and not be ashamed to ask for help when mental well-being is at stake. NEW YORK (AP) Musical luminaries including Nas, LL Cool J, and Fat Joe came out Thursday to the birthplace of hip-hop for a ground-breaking ceremony to launch the capital campaign for the new Universal Hip Hop Museum. They joined a slew of politicians in the Bronx, where the now-global cultural force that is hip-hop has its roots. SORRENTO, La. (AP) A suspect was critically wounded and a Louisiana sheriffs deputy was injured Friday in a fight between two deputies and three other men, Louisiana State Police said. The Ascension Parish deputy suffered a moderate injury, Trooper First Class Taylor Scrantz said in a news release. BRUSSELS (AP) French President Emmanuel Macron said Friday that NATO leaders must make a clear, unequivocal commitment to the military organizations values and rules at a summit next month a thinly veiled swipe at Turkeys conduct within the alliance. Macron ruffled feathers at NATO just ahead of the last summit in December 2019 when he lamented the brain death of the 30-nation alliance, due to a perceived lack of U.S. leadership under former President Donald Trump and unilateral military actions taken by Turkey in Syria without warning its partners. Speaking to reporters in Paris Friday alongside NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, Macron said the leaders, including U.S. President Joe Biden, must openly discuss cohesion within NATO at their June 14 summit in Brussels. That means to be clear among ourselves about the values, principles and the rules that underpin our Alliance, Macron said. Solidarity among allies is not simply a word that can mean anything at any time. It involves duties, responsibility to each other. It involves each ally committing to respect international law and clear rules of conduct, he said. Macron said its important for countries not to focus on national interests that are contradictory to the security of other allies, as has been the case in recent years in Syria, the Eastern Mediterranean, Libya, in the Caucasus." He also mentioned the "interoperability of armaments, which is absolutely critical in NATO. The French president did not mention Turkey by name, but Turkey has been widely criticized for its energy exploration work in contested parts of the Eastern Mediterranean. Last year, Turkish warships also prevented a French frigate policing the U.N. arms embargo on Libya from inspecting a cargo vessel. Turkeys purchase of Russian-made S-400 missiles, which NATO says would compromise its own defenses, saw the country kicked out of the F-35 stealth fighter program by the United States. Despite this, it is understood in NATO circles that Ankara intends to buy more. Stoltenberg said only that the leaders will reinforce our unity and solidarity in future. This means consulting more in NATO on all issues that affect our security, reaffirming our fundamental values, and strengthening our commitment to collective defense, including with increased investments, the former Norwegian prime minister said. PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) A Woodburn man accused of kidnapping a Gervais 17-year-old and leading law enforcement officers on a chase that ended in an exchange of gunfire last week is accused of killing the teen, according to prosecutors. A grand jury on Thursday indicted Kenneth William Peden III in the death of Oliver Ollie Taylor, The Oregonian/OregonLive reported. Taylor died on Wednesday. SAN GABRIEL, Calif. (AP) A man with a history of arson-related arrests pleaded not guilty Thursday to setting a fire that caused millions of dollars in damage to a historic Southern California Roman Catholic mission. John David Corey, 57, is charged with breaking in and setting a July 11 pre-dawn blaze that engulfed the rooftop and most of the interior of the San Gabriel Mission, east of Los Angeles, as it was undergoing renovations to mark its upcoming 250th anniversary celebration. No one was hurt. Prosecutors said the flames caused millions of dollars in damage but firefighters managed save the mission's altar and historic paintings. Corey, who has been described as homeless, entered pleas in Los Angeles to two counts of arson of an inhabited structure and one count each of arson during a state of emergency, first-degree residential burglary and possession of flammable material. The church was the fourth in a string of Roman Catholic missions established across California by Junipero Serra an 18th-century Franciscan priest who was canonized by Pope Francis in 2015 during the era of Spanish colonization. While many credit Serra with spreading Catholicism along the West Coast, he has long been a symbol of oppression among Indigenous activists. Authorities have not released a motive for the arson, although Corey has a history of arson-related arrests in the San Gabriel area. Corey was arrested two days after the fire on suspicion of trying to burn a San Gabriel business. He pleaded no contest and was sentenced that September to three years in jail, the San Gabriel Valley Tribune reported. Authorities say they later tied him to the church blaze. Court records show he also was sentenced to three years in county jail for setting fire to a dilapidated structure at a construction site and got 50 days in jail for setting a fire in a restaurant in 2015, the paper said. Corey's criminal record also included convictions for drug use, theft and burglary and vandalizing a house of worship, according to the Tribune. JACKSON, Miss. (AP) A Mississippi middle school teacher has been arrested on a charge of sexual battery. Collins Robinson was arrested Thursday, news outlets reported. It was unknown if he has an attorney who could speak on his behalf. Robinson was a seventh grade teacher at Bailey APAC Middle School in Jackson. He was put on administration leave earlier this month amid an investigation into allegations of inappropriate contact. He was fired following his arrest. While we are deeply saddened by the allegations, the safety and well-being of our students remains a top priority for our District, according to a statement from Jackson Public Schools. Further details about the allegations have not been released. BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) A Billings, Montana, woman pleaded not guilty Friday to deliberate homicide in the shooting death of a Wyoming man who refused to give her and her male companion cigarettes and a ride. Kristy Lynn Chavez, 31, could face between 10 and 100 years in prison if convicted in the death of Dennis Gresham, 33, of Sheridan, Wyoming, The Billings Gazette reported. NAYPYITAW, Myanmar (AP) The head of Myanmars military-appointed state election commission said Friday that his agency will consider dissolving Aung San Suu Kyi's former ruling party for alleged involvement in electoral fraud and having its leaders charged with treason. Suu Kyis National League for Democracy came to power after a landslide 2015 election victory, and won an even greater majority in last Novembers general election. It was set to start a second term in February when the military seized power in a coup, arresting her and dozens of top government officials and party members. Junta leader Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing cited electoral fraud as the reason for the armys takeover, saying there was terrible fraud in the voter lists. The army-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party, which suffered unexpectedly heavy losses in the election, made similar allegations. Independent observers dispute the assertions of widespread irregularities. Political parties were called to discuss planned changes in the electoral system at a meeting Friday, There, Union Election Commission chairman Thein Soe said an investigation of last year's election that would soon be completed showed that Suu Kyi's party had illegally worked with the government to give itself an advantage at the polls. "We will investigate and consider whether the party should be dissolved, and whether the perpetrators should be punished as traitors, he said. Asked for U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' reaction, his spokesman Stephane Dujarric said: Should that happen, that would be a clear step in the wrong direction." What we have all been working for, what the Security Council, the international community has been working for, is a restoration of democracy and a restoration of the voice of the people of Myanmar," Dujarric said. Suu Kyi's party, which has thrown its weight behind the mass popular movement against the military takeover, has faced constant harassment since the coup, with its members arrested and offices raided and closed. The junta initially announced that it would hold new elections a year after taking power, but it later hedged and said the delay could be up to two years. Before the start of democratic reforms a decade ago, Myanmar was ruled by the military for 50 years. Suu Kyi's party also won a 1990 election, but the military stepped in to prevent it from taking power. Suu Kyi and other members of her government already face various criminal charges that could keep them from running in the next election. Their supporters assert all the charges are politically motivated. The announced purpose of Fridays commission meeting was to discuss the juntas plan to change the countrys election system from first past the post to proportional representation. In first-past-the-post systems, the candidate with the most votes in a given constituency is the winner, while in proportional representation, the share of winning parliamentary seats in an area with several seats is allocated according to the proportion of the vote won by each party or candidate. Almost all the major parties including Suu Kyi's NLD refused to go to Fridays commission meeting, as they regard the body as illegitimate. Local media reported that almost a third of the parties boycotted the gathering in the capital, Naypyitaw. Many of the 62 attending were pro-military organizations that polled badly in last Novembers election, failing to win a single seat. After taking power, the military dismissed the members of the election commission and appointed new ones. It also detained members of the old commission, and, according to reports in independent Myanmar media, pressured them to confirm there had been election fraud. The new commission declared the last election's results invalid. A non-partisan election monitoring organization said this week that the results of last Novembers voting were representative of the will of the people, rejecting the militarys allegations of massive fraud. The Asian Network for Free Elections said in a report that it lacked sufficient information to independently verify the allegations of voter list fraud because the election law did not allow it access to voting lists, but that it had not seen any credible evidence of any massive irregularities. However, the group also called Myanmars electoral process fundamentally undemocratic because its 2008 constitution, implemented under army rule, grants the military an automatic 25% share of all parliamentary seats, enough to block constitutional changes. It also noted that large sectors of the population, most notably the Muslim Rohingya minority, are deprived of citizenship rights, including the right to vote. The military ruled Myanmar from 1962 up to 2011, when a quasi-civilian administration backed by the army took over. CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) Long-simmering disputes over coronavirus restrictions in the Nevada statehouse boiled over on Thursday when the Democratic majority voted to punish Republican lawmakers for refusing to comply with rules in place to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Under rules announced Wednesday, people in the statehouse can roam the building without face-coverings as long as they have been vaccinated. Republican Assemblywomen Annie Black and Jill Dickman went mask-less on the Assembly floor, but they refused to make known whether or not they had received vaccines on Thursday. Dickman was escorted out of the Assembly floor after staff told her that she would have to prove that she had been vaccinated. She refused. In a party-line vote, the Assembly elected to strip Black of her right to vote on measures and address the chamber until she apologized for violating legislative rules. She remained on the Assembly floor. This is WAY out of control! Black tweeted after the incident. Democratic Assembly Speaker Jason Frierson said the Assembly rules allowed people to forego masks but required they wear them if they have not been vaccinated. "We were informed that there were persons who had not confirmed they were vaccinated and would not wear masks, so they didn't comply with our rules, he said. It's unclear how legislative staff determines who has been vaccinated. Frierson directed questions to Legislative Counsel Bureau Director Brenda Erdoes, who did not respond to requests for comment. The mask fight mirrors similar clashes in other statehouses and the U.S. Congress. Congressional Republicans were fined on Wednesday for not complying with the body's mask rules. In the Nevada statehouse, Republicans have clamored for months about coronavirus restrictions. They have argued that if restaurants, bars and casinos can open, then the Legislature should as well. Democrats, who control the statehouse, have argued that restrictions mirror those in place in many workplaces and are necessary to protect the health and safety of staff. Black, who attended the Save America protest in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 6, has been admonished for posting videos of herself in the statehouse unmasked. Tensions have risen since last week, when lawmakers bickered over whether wearing masks should be required for an outdoor group photograph. On Tuesday, Black violated the rules by taking off her mask to address the Assembly and was later warned that she could be censured and stripped of her right to vote if she continued to flout rules that lawmakers approved when the Legislature convened in February. The Nevada Legislature continues to insist that everyone wear a mask here in this building unless cloistered alone in their office, Black said on the Assembly floor after removing her mask. Its especially absurd to require masks here on the floor of the Assembly, where were not only sufficiently social distanced, but separated by plexiglass shields. Dickman said she believed nobody should have to disclose personal medical information and said government officials asking people to show a paper to prove vaccine status was coercive and overreaching. I am not willing to make public my private information, Dickman said. Apparently we have de facto vaccine passports in the Nevada Legislature which since we dont have them in the state or the country doesnt make sense to me. The restrictions in place in the statehouse have gradually been loosened throughout the four-month legislative session as infection rates have fallen and vaccination rates have risen. The building was initially closed to the public except for a limited number of reporters but reopened on an appointment-only basis in April. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on May 13 eased face-covering guidelines outdoors and in most indoor settings, but left it to state and local governments to implement their own rules, which can differ between public settings and individual workplaces. ___ Sam Metz is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. South Florida House rankings Mast, ranked 56th, up slightly from 56 in 2020. U.S. Rep. Ted Deutch, Democrat who represents parts of Broward and Palm Beach counties, is 150, lower than last years 104. Diaz-Balart, a Republican who represents parts of Miami-Dade, Collier and Hendry counties, is No. 168, lower than last years 121. U.S. Rep. Donna Shalala, a Miami-Dade County Democrat, was 170, higher than last years 233. (Shalala was defeated for re-election in November.) U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings, a Democrat who represented parts of Broward and Palm Beach counties, was 198, up from the previous years 227. (Hastings died on April 6). The halfway point was 219. U.S. Rep. Lois Frankel, a Palm Beach County Democrat, is 232, up from last years 240. U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, a Democrat from Broward and Miami-Dade counties, was 276, lower than last years 233. U.S. Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, a Democrat who represented Miami-Dade and Monroe counties, was 391, up from 409 last year. (Mucarsel-Powell was defeated for re-election in November.) Wilson was 415, up from the previous years 424. The House has 435 members, but there were 437 ranked because of turnover. The House speaker and minority leader werent ranked because their jobs are inherently partisan. HAIZI MOUNTAIN, China (AP) Astrophysicist Cao Zhen opens a steel hatch on a windswept Tibetan Plateau and climbs down a ladder into inky darkness. His flashlight picks out a boat floating on a pool of purified water above thousands of glittering orbs the size of beachballs. Hes inside a $175 million observatory that isnt technically complete but has already discovered something tantalizing: bursts of gamma rays from outer space that may someday help explain how matter is created and distributed across the universe. The Large High Altitude Air Shower Observatory, the biggest device of its kind, has detected a dozen sources of ultra high-energy gamma rays, according to a study in the journal Nature, from what Cao calls many hot spots, in our Milky Way galaxy. Gamma rays with such high energy have never been detected before, and the findings suggest these rays can come not just from dying stars, but are also generated inside massive young stars. These results are really stunning some of the most exciting I have ever seen, said Alan Watson, an astrophysicist working with the Pierre Auger Observatory in Argentina. Caos team traced 530 high-energy gamma rays to 12 sources including a massive cluster of young stars called the Cygnus Cocoon and the interstellar cloud called the Crab Nebula. Gamma rays are a type of extreme radiation generated by the hottest and brightest explosions in the universe, like when a large star implodes. Those implosions also create the matter that make up planets and everything that lives on them, including us. Of all the electromagnetic waves in the universe, gamma rays have the smallest wavelengths and the most energy. They can release more energy in 10 seconds than our sun in 10 billion years. The pool of purified water at LHAASO that Cao paddled across measures the subatomic shrapnel the air shower in the observatorys name created when gamma rays and high energy particles called cosmic rays crash into the Earths atmosphere. The shrapnel includes mysterious particles called muons that can be seen as faint blue flashes known as Cherenkov radiation in the observatory's dark water. The array of 3,120 beachball-sized globes contain tiny sensors that measure the radiation. We can trace these gamma rays back to their source in the sky, said Cao, dressed in blue scrubs to keep the water clean. We can find something new. LHAASO is one of dozens of devices on Earth and in orbit suspended in ice tunnels in Antarctica or inside toaster-sized satellites trying to understand how matter such as carbon, oxygen and iron came to be. Located near the 4,400-meter-tall (14,500-foot-tall) Haizi Mountain, it houses separate instruments that can study different phenomena, including cosmic rays, high energy subatomic particles that scientists believe come from the same sources as gamma rays. Cosmic rays are like sparks from a massive stellar crucible each contains flecks of material from the forging process. Gamma rays are more like light from a glowing hearth. By studying both, the observatory can learn more about what generated them. The Chinese observatory offers unprecedented sensitivity, said Avi Loeb, a Harvard University astrophysicist, that may, for example, help physicists tell whether if some rays come from inside our galaxy or farther away. Its not yet complete, however. Cao said that by the end of June the instruments will be in place, including 5,195 electromagnetic detectors, 1,188 muon detectors, and 18 Cherenkov telescopes each the size of a shipping container that will study air showers in the sky. The outcome really justifies the massive effort, Watson said of the new findings. This is just the tip of the iceberg. ___ Associated Press video producer Olivia Zhang in Haizi Mountain and science writer Seth Borenstein in Washington contributed to this report. MIAMI (AP) The New England Patriots' team plane has delivered 500,000 Chinese-made COVID vaccines to El Salvador and in the process inadvertently inserted itself into a testy, geopolitical fight for influence in Latin America. The Pats Plane was greeted upon arrival in San Salvador early Wednesday, just after midnight, by China's top diplomat to the tiny Central American country. The team says it had been aware of the flight but didnt arrange it that was done by a company that leases out the plane when the Patriots arent using it. While the Boeing 767 emblazoned with the six-time Super Bowl champions' red, white and blue logo drew much of the local and international media attention, when the cargo bay opened to offload a huge crate bearing Chinese script. Ambassador Ou Jianhong said China would always be a friend and partner of El Salvador. Her comments were a not-so-subtle dig at the Biden administration, which in recent weeks has slammed President Nayib Bukele over the removal of several Supreme Court magistrates and a top prosecutor, which it warned undermines El Salvador's democracy. Bukele, who hasnt been shy about leveraging budding ties with China to seek concessions from the U.S., touted the vaccine delivery El Salvador's fourth from Beijing since the pandemic began in several social media posts. To date, the country has received 2.1 million doses from China but not a single shot from the U.S., its traditional ally and biggest trading partner as well as home to more than 2 million Salvadoran immigrants. Go Pats, Bukele tweeted out Thursday with a smiling face with sunglasses emoji even though the team itself had almost nothing to do with the flight Across Latin America, China has found fertile ground for so-called vaccine diplomacy that seeks to turn back decades of U.S. dominance. The region is the hardest hit in the world from the virus, with eight countries among the top 10 deadliest on a per capita basis, according to Our World in Data, an online research site. Meanwhile, a deep recession has wiped out more than a decade's worth of economic growth and governments in several nations are facing mounting pressure and even violent protests from voters outraged by the failure to control surging infection rates. This week, the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission, which advises Congress on the national security implications of China's rise, warned that the U.S. needed to begin sending its own vaccines to the region or risk losing support from longtime allies. The Chinese have made every delivery to an airport tarmac into a photo op, R. Evan Ellis, a China-Latin American expert at the U.S. Army War College Strategic Studies Institute, told the panel on Thursday. The president comes out and the boxes roll off with Chinese flags on them. So the Chinese, unfortunately, have done a much better job marketing." Stacey James, a Patriots spokesman, said the team played no direct role in the vaccines delivery and dismissed suggestions it was picking sides in a geopolitical fight. Last year, at the start of the pandemic, Patriots owner Robert Kraft brokered a deal with China using one of the teams two planes to transport 1 million N95 masks from Shenzhen to Boston. The plane, when not in use by the team, is leased for chartered flights by Philadelphia-based Eastern Airlines, James said. Its great to be associated with positive missions to deliver vaccines where theyre needed, said James. But this wasnt a political mission. As part of its vaccine diplomacy, China has pledged roughly half a billion doses of its vaccines to more than 45 countries, according to an Associated Press tally. And just four of Chinas many vaccine makers claim they are able to produce at least 2.6 billion doses this year. U.S. health officials haven't certified the Chinese vaccines as effective and Secretary of State Antony Blinken has complained about China's politicization of its vaccine sales and donations. Meanwhile Democrats and Republicans alike have harshly criticized Chinas human rights record, predatory trade practices and digital surveillance as a deterrent to closer ties. But many in the developing world struggling to inoculate their populations have little tolerance for the badmouthing of China and accuse the U.S. of hoarding western-made shots. President Joe Biden on Monday pledged to share an additional 20 million vaccine doses of its own stocks in the coming six weeks, bringing the total U.S. commitment abroad to 80 million. Countries in Latin America are also grateful for Chinese investment in major infrastructure projects and purchasing of the regions commodities amid the pandemic-induced recession. Also this week, El Salvadors congress, which is dominated by Bukeles allies, ratified a cooperation agreement with China that calls for 400 million yuan about $60 million in investment in a water purification plant, a stadium and a library among other projects. The agreement was the outgrowth of the previous Salvadoran government's severing of diplomatic relations with Taiwan in 2018 and establishment of ties with communist Beijing. The Biden administration should stop giving Latin American policymakers public advice vis-a-vis China, said Oliver Stuenkel, an international affairs professor at the Getulio Vargas Foundation in Sao Paulo, Brazil, speaking to the congressional advisory panel. It sounds arrogant and dishonest given the many positive economic consequences trade with China has had in Latin America. ___ Follow Goodman on Twitter: @APJoshGoodman NEW YORK (AP) New York's attorney general said Friday that she's assigned two lawyers to work with the Manhattan district's attorney's office on a criminal investigation into former President Donald Trump's business dealings. Attorney General Letitia James said her office is working alongside and cooperating with Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. on the criminal probe. Vance's office has been investigating Trump for about two years. James, a Democrat, said her office is also continuing its ongoing civil investigation into the the Republican ex-president and his company, the Trump Organization. Two of our assistant attorney generals have been cross designated as district attorneys," James said at a news conference on an unrelated topic. It was James' first appearance before the news media since her office announced Tuesday night that its Trump investigation had evolved into a criminal matter. She did not say what prompted her office to expand its investigation into a criminal probe. Trump issued a statement Wednesday complaining that hes being unfairly attacked and abused by a corrupt political system. He contends the probes are part of a Democratic plot to silence his voters and block him from running for president again. Duncan Levin, a lawyer for a witness whos cooperating with both investigations, said theyve been talking to prosecutors from the attorney generals criminal division since March. Levin represents Jen Weisselberg, the former daughter-in-law of Trump's longtime finance chief, Allen Weisselberg. Jen Weisselberg has given New York investigators reams of tax records and other documents as they look into whether some Trump employees were given off-the-books compensation, such as apartments or school tuition. Allen Weisselberg was subpoenaed in James civil investigation and testified twice last year. Vances office has been investigating whether Trump, his company or people connected to them committed crimes relating to matters including hush-money payments for women who say they slept with Trump, property valuations and employee compensation. James civil investigation has centered on some of the same issues. DEAL, N.J. (AP) New Jersey's wide, sandy beaches have been paid for by taxpayers across the U.S., from wheat farmers in Kansas to fishermen in Alaska. But for decades, local governments in some Jersey Shore towns and elsewhere around the country have used a variety of tactics to keep outsiders off their sand. One of the most effective methods has been restricting parking near the beach. The practical effect in shore towns like Deal, a wealthy enclave popular with New York doctors, lawyers and business executives, has been that people who don't live within walking distance of the sand are often not able to use it. This is happening despite numerous requirements that the state's beaches be equally accessible to all, including a state law incorporating a legal concept stretching back to the Roman emperor Justinian that the tidal waters are the common property of all, held in trust by the state. And the ongoing federally funded replenishment of beaches along the coast by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers comes with a requirement that adequate parking be provided near the taxpayer-funded sand. But Deal has a long history of wanting to keep its beaches to itself. It would ticket or arrest surfers before a court decision ended the practice. It has vacated street endings that terminate at the beach and sold the land to adjacent property owners, in some cases closing off access points to the beach that the public had long used. It toyed with selling parking permits for streets near the beach for $100 apiece before backing down. And it is trying, yet again, to restrict summer weekend parking in streets closest to the ocean; residents would be given placards to put on their dashboards indicating their right to park on the street. Everyone else would have to park several blocks away, needing to cross a busy main street known for heavy traffic in the summer. The only way to the beach for the rest of us is walking, in sometimes dangerous situations, said Patty Verrochi, who lives in a nearby shore town and likes to take short trips to Deal's beach. She questioned the policy's effect on people who are disabled, have young children in strollers or are carrying accessories like coolers and chair for a day at the beach. "I had a couple incidents last year when I just gave up and went home, she added. That, according to Deal's critics, is precisely what the tony seaside enclave wants. There is a long and shameful history of beach towns trying to keep people off their sand, said Tim Dillingham, executive director of the American Littoral Society, which is suing Deal over its sale of a street end popular with surfers to an adjacent homeowner. The law in New Jersey is clear: you cannot deny people access to the shore. This is becoming a big public issue, and the people in these residential areas are some of the most wealthy and powerful people in the state. This is getting to be an annual thing every spring, added John Weber, a councilmember in Bradley Beach and an executive with the Surfrider Foundation, which sued Deal over its prosecution of surfers for violating a no swimming ordinance. Deal's mayor and administrator did not respond to numerous requests for comment. Their proposed residents-only parking law is up for a final vote June 2. Deal has a year-round population of just over 500, but its summer population swells to more than 10 times that amount. It is over 90% white; the average property is worth $2.2 million. The state Department of Environmental Protection, which is in charge of enforcing New Jersey's beach access laws, says it has spoken with Deal officials about the proposed law. I land conceptually on the side to make sure everyone has access, Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy said. Two state lawmakers recently wrote to Deal's leaders asking them to scrap the parking ordinance, writing that the beaches belong to everyone, equally." "No government body has a right to restrict access to the ocean and beaches to provide exclusivity to people who are fortunate enough to live along the beachfront, they added. Deal is far from the only town in New Jersey or the country, for that matter to impose onerous parking restrictions near its beaches. Although it has a public parking lot at its main beach, Sea Bright bans public parking along a majority of its nearly 5-mile (8-kilometer) oceanfront sea wall; the only ones allowed to park there are people who own homes on the opposite side of Ocean Avenue, and who can easily walk to the beach. Parking on many side streets is also restricted to residents. California is rife with tales of conflict between Pacific coast homeowners clashing with surfers, and towns prohibiting parking in ritzy beach areas. In New York City's Rockaway section, designation of one beach neighborhood as a fire zone prohibits all on-street parking. Other nearby areas ban all weekend street parking from May 15 through Sept. 30. It's not just ocean beaches, either. Elsinboro is a Delaware River township in the southwest corner of New Jersey that's popular with bird watchers. Its beach was recently widened with material dredged from the river, but public parking is scarce, and violations can range up to $1,000 and six months in jail. The situation is so bad for public parking that the Audubon field guide to bird watching advises people who can't find a spot in one particular site to give up and go somewhere else, rather than risk a parking ticket. Elsinboros mayor, Sean Elwell, said the Army Corps of Engineers, DEP, and township worked together to ensure appropriate access to the beach. Jim Grant, who owns a local inn, says some signs pointing out public access points have disappeared and unauthorized no parking signs have been placed by residents in some spots. We have one vigilante that goes out and puts stickers on people's cars, or his family parks all their vehicles on the street, he said. It's one big Keep off sign near this beach. ___ Follow Wayne Parry at http://twitter.com/WayneParryAC A North Carolina farmer has been sentenced to six and a half years in prison in connection with a smuggling operation that moved tobacco into Canada, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. A news release said Phil Howard, 55, was sentenced for conspiring to commit money laundering and filing a false tax return. The judge also ordered Howard to serve three years of supervised release and to pay approximately $1 million in restitution to the U.S. A roundup of some of the most popular but completely untrue stories and visuals of the week. None of these are legit, even though they were shared widely on social media. The Associated Press checked them out. Here are the facts: ___ Arizona election database is not missing CLAIM: The election database in Maricopa County in Arizona has been deleted, seals were improperly broken on boxes that hold the votes, and ballots are missing. THE FACTS: An unprecedented, partisan audit of the 2020 election in Arizonas largest county is being used to spread false information about the vote. Though a partial hand recount and two extra audits found no issues in the election that gave Biden a margin of victory of less than 10,500 votes in the battleground state, Republicans in the Arizona state Senate used their subpoena power to take possession of all 2.1 million county ballots, the machines that counted them and hard drives full of data, and hired a Florida-based cybersecurity firm to comb through it. The firm, Cyber Ninjas, is run by a supporter of former President Donald Trump who has promoted election conspiracy theories. On May 12, Senate President Karen Fann sent a letter to the chairman of the Republican-controlled Maricopa County Board of Supervisors accusing county officials of deleting election databases. The letter also questioned why there were discrepancies between certain batches of ballots and log sheets, and why broken seals were found in ballot boxes. Trump released a statement echoing Fanns letter, which also spread on social media. It read, in part: The entire Database of Maricopa County in Arizona has been DELETED! This is illegal and the Arizona State Senate, who is leading the Forensic Audit, is up in arms. Additionally, seals were broken on the boxes that hold the votes, ballots are missing, and worse." At a meeting Monday, county officials refuted the allegations and issued a 14-page response to Fann, calling her accusations false, defamatory, and beneath the dignity of the Senate. The letter, along with a separate technical memo, detailed the procedures around the vote and explained how they had been misunderstood by those behind the Senate's audit. In refuting the claim about deleted databases, the county listed a number of technical mistakes that may have been made by the firms running the audit when they configured a copy of the data and searched for the files in question. Furthermore, Megan Gilbertson, communications director for Maricopa County Elections Department, told The Associated Press that the county backs up and archives all of its election data. On Tuesday, Ben Cotton, the founder of a computer forensics firm working on the audit, told key senators the data in question had been deleted from the server he copied but he also acknowledged he had recovered the data and had access to it -- thereby undermining the claim that the database had been permanently destroyed. Seals were not improperly broken on ballots, as was alleged. They were opened before the tabulated ballots were put in long-term storage, which is standard procedure, according to county officials. As for the allegation that ballots were missing: If a ballot cannot be read by the tabulation machine, it must go through a distinct process to be duplicated and is tracked in a separate set of logs. Liz Howard, senior counsel for the Democracy Program at the Brennan Center for Justice, said those running the audit are basically looking at the wrong tracking sheets, the wrong documents." Election integrity experts who reviewed the countys documents said the evidence indicates the county followed established protocols, but those conducting the audit lacked professional election experience to understand what they were examining. Experts have raised concerns over how those conducting this review would not know what they were looking at and that they would draw incorrect and malicious conclusions to support their own agendas, said Tammy Patrick a former Maricopa County official and senior adviser to the elections program at Democracy Fund. Fann did not respond to a request for comment. Associated Press writers Jude Joffe-Block in Phoenix and Terrence Fraser in New York contributed this report. ___ Moderna vaccine ingredient falsely targeted as unsafe CLAIM: SM-102 is an ingredient in the Moderna vaccine that is not safe for humans or for veterinary use. THE FACTS: As millions of Americans receive COVID-19 vaccines, posts online are falsely claiming that an ingredient listed in the Moderna vaccine is unsafe for humans and animals. One Instagram user posted a video that compares the ingredient list for the Moderna vaccine with the ingredients in a chemical solution made by the Michigan biotech company Cayman Chemical. Both products list SM-102, a lipid, as an ingredient. The Cayman product comes with a warning that it is to be used for research purposes only and contains chloroform. Its unbelievable how many people are just following this blindly, and not doing active research to find out what they are putting into their, and now their childrens body, the caption on the video reads. In fact, SM-102 the ingredient both products have in common is harmless to people and isnt what makes the Cayman Chemical solution dangerous. Only the Cayman product contains chloroform, a hazardous solvent. The posts ignore information on the Cayman Chemical safety sheet that lists chloroform as a dangerous component and lists SM-102 separately under other ingredients. In response to the misleading social media posts, Cayman Chemical released a statement reaffirming that the product being mentioned online is made up of 90% chloroform and 10% SM-102. It is intended for research purposes only. The company has a separate division for products for human and veterinary use. While it is a common solvent, chloroform has several known serious hazards, the company said in a news release. Neither the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Registry of Toxic Effects of Chemical Substances (RTECS), or the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) Classification and Labelling Inventory list any hazards associated with SM-102. The Moderna vaccine uses SM-102 to deliver the genetic code, or mRNA, of the spike protein that coats the coronavirus into our cells. Experts say there is no need to be concerned about SM-102 in the vaccine. The amount of lipid used in the vaccine is very small, said Lisa Morici, an associate professor in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at Tulane University School of Medicine, in an email. Our own cell membranes are composed of lipids, she said. Representatives for Moderna could not immediately be reached for comment. Associated Press writer Beatrice Dupuy in New York contributed this report. ___ Video shows child having epileptic seizure, not COVID-19 vaccine reaction CLAIM: A video shows a child shaking uncontrollably in response to the COVID-19 vaccine. THE FACTS: A video of a child with epilepsy experiencing a seizure is being shared online to falsely imply the child is reacting to a COVID-19 vaccination. The video shows a young boy in an orange and blue shirt trembling as an adult woman soothes him, saying, Come on, baby and telling him to breathe. Overlaid text on the clip reads, But theyre safe right?! and copies language about the safety of COVID-19 vaccines from the World Health Organization. In a version that amassed more than 2 million views on Facebook, a second video alongside the first shows a woman crying and shaking her head in fear. Taken together, the post falsely implies the childs physical symptoms are somehow related to the COVID-19 vaccine. But in a May 6 Instagram post, the boys father explains that the child has epilepsy and has experienced seizures since 2009. No, nothing to do with Covid, the post reads. In the post, the father does claim that his sons epilepsy is related to vaccines he received as a young child. But that is not supported by scientific evidence, Dr. Paul Offit, a vaccine expert at the Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia, told The Associated Press. Vaccines do not cause epilepsy, Offit said. One side effect of many vaccines is a fever, which can cause seizures in a small percentage of young children, Offit explained. But those seizures, known as febrile seizures, are short-lived and do not cause permanent harm, he said. Data on the millions of COVID-19 vaccinations administered so far does not show any link between the vaccines and seizure disorders, Offit said. U.S. health advisers endorsed the use of Pfizers COVID-19 vaccine in kids as young as 12 last week. The two-dose vaccine made by Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech was studied in more than 2,000 kids ages 12 to 15 and was found to be safe and effective. Children who havent been vaccinated should still wear masks and keep 6 feet apart, according to the CDC, which recommends masks for children age 2 and older in public settings and when with people outside their household. Associated Press writer Ali Swenson in Seattle contributed this report. ___ Image of pyramids lit with Palestinian flag is manipulated CLAIM: A photo shows Egypt projected the Palestinian flag on its Giza Pyramids during the latest war between Palestinian militants in Gaza and the Israeli military. THE FACTS: An internet search reveals this image was fabricated using a 2014 photo of the pyramids that did not feature the flag projection. Since fighting broke out between Israel and the Hamas militant group in Gaza on May 10, neighboring Egypt has treated wounded Palestinians and sent trucks carrying humanitarian aid and medical supplies to Gaza. However, Egypt has not shown solidarity with the Palestinians in the form of a light show on its three famed pyramids of Giza, despite a fake image suggesting as much on social media. The image circulated widely on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter on Tuesday, with captions in both Arabic and English. Egypt showing the flag of Palestine on the pyramids, wrote a Facebook user. Thank you Egypt! In reality, the widely circulating picture is an edit of a 2014 image of the pyramids that can be found on Wikimedia Commons. On Thursday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus office announced Israel would halt its offensive against Hamas militants. Ali Swenson ___ Biden did not fake driving electric truck CLAIM: President Joe Biden was caught fake driving a Ford F-150 Lightning truck during a visit to a Ford safety testing center Tuesday. A man in the passenger seat was operating the vehicle using a second steering wheel. THE FACTS: An article shared thousands of times on Facebook this week falsely claimed that the president faked his Tuesday test drive of an electric Ford truck at Fords Rouge Electric Vehicle Center in Dearborn, Michigan. WOW! Biden Caught Fake Driving -- Someone Else Is Steering Vehicle -- It Was All a Stunt! a headline on the conservative website The Gateway Pundit read. The story misrepresented videos and pictures to claim they showed a passenger in the truck was steering instead of the president. Theres no truth to these claims, according to Melissa Miller, manager of government and public policy communications at Ford. There was only one steering wheel in the vehicle the president drove yesterday, Miller said in an email Wednesday. Photos and videos of the event show that the passenger in the vehicle, who was identified to reporters as a member of Bidens Secret Service detail, was adjusting a camera that was resting on the dashboard, not operating the car. Associated Press photos of the inside of the vehicle show the right side of the dashboard was obstructed by a black cloth covering, which car experts say is typical in prototype vehicles before they are released. Cloth coverings are very common on the interior of prototype vehicles because theyre designed to hide the dashboard from prying eyes before the product is officially released to the market, said Billy Rehbock, social media editor at the automotive website MotorTrend. The Gateway Pundit did not respond to a request for comment. Ali Swenson ___ Find AP Fact Checks here: https://apnews.com/APFactCheck ___ Follow @APFactCheck on Twitter: https://twitter.com/APFactCheck MANORVILLE, N.Y. (AP) A police officer on Long Island responding to a report of a suspicious person lying on the back seat of a vehicle fatally shot the man after a struggle, authorities said Friday. Suffolk County police said they were investigating the shooting late Thursday night on a residential street in Manorville, about 50 miles east of New York City. ARTESIA, N.M. (AP) The New Mexico State Police says it's investigating a traffic accident that killed an Artesia police officer. The agency says an the initial investigation shows Artesia Police Cpl. Thomas Wade Frazier was driving a truck northbound Friday on U.S. Hwy 285 when for unknown reasons it struck the rear of tractor-trailer. Frazier died at the scene. SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) Police in southwestern Missouri are searching for a suspect in the shooting death of Springfield teen. Officers were called early Thursday morning to a stretch of Chestnut Street for a report of a person lying in the road, police said in a news release. Officers who arrived shortly after 3:30 a.m. found Bobby Gooch Jr., 18, of Springfield, suffering from a gunshot wound, police said. Andalucia is updating its tourism image as it adapts it to the challenges of the new coronavirus times. A new 3.5-million-euro promotion campaign was unveiled at the Fitur international tourism fair in Madrid and Malaga actor Antonio Banderas spoke of his "pride of being an ambassador of Andalucia. In a recorded message, Banderas referred to his "unconditional support for tourism", which he recognised "is so important for the region." He finished his speech by pointing out that The world needs joy. That is why visiting Andalucia now is a necessity. The vice president of the Junta and Minister of Tourism, Juan Marin, explained that twelve companies submitted tenders for the new promotion campaign for the amount of 3.5 million euros. Ambassador Andalucia is something unique and that is how we want all people to feel it, he said. To demonstrate this, they wanted a campaign that would be creative and capable of facing challenges such as Covid. "We wanted a dynamic, flexible campaign that is committed to storytelling and that those stories will be told in the next three years," said Marin. The DEC [the winning firm] option is the best proposal because it is easy to be translated into any language that uses all communication channels, he said. "And, for Andalucia and there can be no better ambassador than Banderas." BURLINGTON, Ky. (AP) A county constable in northern Kentucky is facing felony charges for allegedly pointing a gun at a man during a collections visit in a county outside his jurisdiction. Danny Cope was indicted in Boone County Tuesday on charges of endangerment, unlawful imprisonment and official misconduct. LOS ANGELES (AP) Los Angeles police are investigating a potential link between two antisemitic attacks this week in a heavily Jewish neighborhood of the city, authorities said Thursday. The violence in the city's Fairfax District both involved vehicles flying Palestinian flags, according to witnesses and video. Dominic Choi, a deputy chief in the Los Angeles Police Department, said investigators have reached a critical point in the cases. The FBI is also involved in the probe. We do believe that these two incidents are related, by some evidence that's available," Choi said. Choi declined to elaborate on the possible connection between the two hate crimes on Thursday during a news conference outside City Hall, where faith and community leaders called for peace and unity in the wake of the violence. The news conference came hours after Israel and Hamas agreed to a cease-fire Thursday in the bruising 11-day war. At least 230 Palestinians have been killed, as well as a dozen people in Israel, amid the heavy fighting. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, who is Jewish, said it's understandable that passions run high as peace is negotiated. That's OK, that's human, he said. What is not OK is to take that out on innocent people, on groups of folks who are dining, because of who they are, to try to target and chase people down because of their religion, or what you think they look like. On Monday, two motorists chased a Jewish man who was on foot. The man, a Hasidic Jew and a father of six, was forced to literally run for his life, according to Rabbi Abraham Cooper of the Simon Wiesenthal Center in Los Angeles. The next night, pro-Palestinians in "a similar caravan of cars" got out and attacked Jewish diners who were seated outside a sushi restaurant in the Beverly Grove area, police said. Witnesses said members of the caravan were flying Palestinian flags. Both crimes were captured on video, officials said. Cooper called the incidents attacks by latter-day Nazis. Hedab Tarifi of the Islamic Center of Southern California, who is a Palestinian and was born in Gaza, decried the violence against the Jewish bystanders in LA. Hate and violence of any and all sorts should be condemned, she said. Whether on the streets of Los Angeles, in Jerusalem or Gaza. Between Jan. 1 and April 30, hate crimes increased 80% in Los Angeles over the same time period last year, Choi said. Most of them were race-related incidents. The city and much of the country has also been rocked by a surge in anti-Asian violence over the last year because the coronavirus pandemic originated in Wuhan, China. Some have blamed former President Donald Trump for fanning flames of intolerance by calling COVID-19 the China virus and kung flu. President Joe Biden on Thursday signed bipartisan legislation intended to curtail a striking rise in hate crimes against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. The law expedites the review of hate crimes at the Justice Department and makes grants available to help local law enforcement agencies improve their investigation, identification and reporting of incidents driven by bias, which often go underreported. OMAHA, Neb. (AP) A woman shot over the weekend in Omaha died days later from her injuries, police said. Shaleigh Sovey, 22, died Tuesday at Nebraska Medical Center, police said in a news release Friday. LONDON - Britain's Prince Harry revealed more of his mental suffering - and anger at his father, heir to the throne - in a series of interviews with his production partner, Oprah Winfrey, revealing that he spent years drinking excessively and taking drugs to numb the pain of his mother's death and to calm his anxiety at performing royal duties. The deeply personal narrative by the runaway prince is being rolled out in a series of episodes of a new documentary series, called "The Me You Can't See," that the prince is co-creating with Winfrey for the streaming service Apple TV Plus. The series deploys celebrities - Harry, singer Lady Gaga, actress Glenn Close, basketball star DeMar DeRozan - to both de-stigmatize mental illness and draw more eyeballs. Harry described his years from age 28 to 32 as "a nightmare time in my life," when he suffered from sweat-soaked panic attacks and severe anxiety. "I was just all over the place mentally," Harry said, noting that he would consume a week's worth of alcohol in a single Friday or Saturday night. He did not say exactly how much he drank or what drugs he took, nor whether he should be considered an alcoholic or addict. Britain's National Health Service say men and women are advised not to drink more than 14 units a week on a regular basis, which is six pints of lager or a bottle and a half of wine. "I was willing to drink, I was willing to take drugs, I was willing to try and do the things that made me feel less like I was feeling," said the 36-year-old prince, now married to Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, an American actress, and living in a seaside mansion in southern California with their son Archie - and another baby on the way. Harry blamed his trauma on his mother Princess Diana's death in a high-speed car crash in a Paris tunnel in 1997 and the stress of living the royal life, which he earlier compared to being an animal in a zoo, to be put on display and gawked at the monarch's subjects. He directed some of his anger, again, at his father, claiming Prince Charles made him "suffer" as a child. He also said his family never spoke of Diana's death. "My father used to say to me when I was younger, he used to say to both William and I, 'Well, it was like that for me, so it's going to be like that for you,'" Harry said. One of his most traumatic moments as a child, Harry said, was when he followed his mother's horse-drawn casket in a public funeral cortege at age 12, passing by throngs of onlookers, many of them openly sobbing - and staring at him. "The thing I remember the most was the sound of the horses' hoofs going along the Mall," Harry told Winfrey. "It was like I was outside of my body and just walking along doing what was expected of me. (I was) showing one-tenth of the emotion that everybody else was showing: This was my mum - you never even met her," he said. It is worth remembering that - in contrast to the interview with Winfrey that aired on CBS in March - these interviews are not traditional journalism. Harry is co-creator and co-executive producer with Winfrey of the Apple TV series and as such would have control of the questions, staging and editing. He is both subject and director. Harry is also being paid for his product. The amount is unknown. In 2019, the prince's spokesperson said he would donate money from the series to mental-health charities. But on Friday, a spokesperson declined to answer questions about the current financial arrangements and what profit Harry might take from the series. Harry and Meghan's website separates the nonprofit work of their Archewell Foundation from their media production deals. And Harry has acknowledged doing least some of those deals - with Netflix and Spotify - to make money, to support his family and pay for their security, after he was cut off financially from the royals. In the Apple show, Harry said, even today, being in London prompts fight-or-flight emotions. He returned briefly for the funeral of his grandfather, Prince Philip. "London is a trigger, unfortunately, because of what happened to my mum, and because of what I experienced and what I saw," he said. The interviews are awfully intimate - perhaps too much for some. In one scene, Harry is filmed by Winfrey's cameras during a therapy session known as "Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing," showing the prince closing his eyes, deep breathing and crossing his arms across his chest, as he recalls past trauma. In the explosive interview that Harry and his wife gave to Winfrey in March, the duchess said she had suffering from depression and considered suicide. Harry and Meghan claim the palace - and the royal family - were little help. The palace did not respond to the latest accusations by Harry, though after the original interview with Winfrey in March, Queen Elizabeth II said "the whole family was saddened to learn the full extent of how challenging the last few years have been for Harry and Meghan," adding "the issues raised, particularly that of race, are concerning." Harry repeats his charges in the Apple series: "I thought my family would help, but every single ask, request, warning, whatever it is, just got met with total silence, total neglect. We spent four years trying to make it work. We did everything that we possibly could to stay there and carry on doing the role and doing the job. But Meghan was struggling." PAWTUCKET, R.I. (AP) Two Rhode Island cities have asked a judge to take a step toward the refurbishment of an abandoned train station that straddles the border between them. The Beaux Arts-style station, which opened in 1915, sits on the border between Pawtucket and Central Falls on the Northeast Corridor rail line, the Providence Journal reported Thursday. PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) Gov. Daniel McKee has signed into law legislation that increases Rhode Islands minimum hourly wage incrementally to $15 over the next few years. The current $11.50 minimum will go up to $12.25 next Jan. 1, then will increase annually until it hits $15 on Jan. 1, 2025. RICHMOND, Va. (AP) After a monthslong evaluation of casino development projects, officials in Richmond announced Thursday that a panel is recommending the Urban One project. News outlets report that Mayor Levar Stoney will introduce plans to the City Council on Monday to partner with Urban One to build a casino in south Richmond. Voters will decide whether to permit the project in a referendum on Nov. 2, pending City Council approval. City officials dont plan to provide public funding or incentives for the project. Soon after moving to San Francisco in 2016, I walked into a Walgreens in North Beach to buy an electric toothbrush. As I was paying for it, a man walked into the store, grabbed a handful of beef jerky and walked out. I looked over at an employee, who shrugged. Then I went to Safeway next door for some groceries and I saw a man stuffing three bottles of wine into a backpack and walking casually toward the exit. On his way out he bagged some snacks. I asked the Safeway clerk about the thefts. Im new to San Francisco, I said. Is it optional to pay for things here? Five years later, the shoplifting epidemic in San Francisco has only worsened. At a board of supervisors hearing last week, representatives from Walgreens said that thefts at its stores in San Francisco were four times the chains national average, and that it had closed 17 stores, largely because the scale of thefts had made business untenable. Brendan Dugan, the director of the retail crime division at CVS Health, called San Francisco one of the epicenters of organized retail crime and said employees were instructed not to pursue suspected thieves because encounters had become too dangerous. Weve had incidents where our security officers are assaulted on a pretty regular basis in San Francisco, Dugan said. The retail executives and police officers emphasized the role of organized crime in the thefts. And they told the supervisors that Proposition 47, the 2014 ballot measure that reclassified nonviolent thefts as misdemeanors if the stolen goods are worth less than $950, had emboldened thieves. The one trend we are seeing is more violence and escalating and much more bold, said Commander Raj Vaswani, the head of the investigations bureau at the San Francisco Police Department. We see a lot of repeat offenders. San Francisco has suffered in a variety of ways during the pandemic. The city has had twice as many fatal drug overdoses as coronavirus deaths. Tents of legions of homeless people lined sidewalks during the lockdowns. But the hearing last week focused on something much more prosaic: One of the richest cities in America is struggling with sticky fingers. The hearing did not answer a crucial question: Why San Francisco? If the problem stems in part from a change in California law, why arent other cities in the state seeing similar spikes in shoplifting? On Thursday I called Ahsha Safai, the member of the board of supervisors who organized the hearing. We talked about the thefts we had witnessed in the city and the sidewalk thieves markets where steaks, bicycles and other stolen goods are fenced. Safai said he had recently stopped to inspect one of these markets at 24th and Mission. Half of Walgreens was on the sidewalk. Im not kidding, Safai said. I was blown away. Ive never seen anything like it in this city. He talked about what he called a laissez-faire attitude in San Francisco. It has become part of the landscape, he said of thefts. People say, Oh, well, that just happens. Thieves are obviously choosing locales based on what the consequences are, Safai said. If there are no consequences for their actions, then you invite the behavior. Over and over. This article originally appeared in The New York Times. SEATTLE (AP) Former Washington Attorney General Rob McKenna has filed a lawsuit seeking to strike down the states new capital gains tax, arguing it is an illegal income tax. The lawsuit, filed Thursday in Douglas County Superior Court, was brought on behalf of state residents including manufacturing business owners, investors, and the Washington State Farm Bureau, The Seattle Times reported. Democrats who hold majorities in the state Legislature this year passed a capital-gains tax meant for the states wealthiest residents. The new tax would be paid by fewer than 1% of state taxpayers. The measure adds a 7% tax on capital gains above $250,000 a year, such as profits from stocks or business sales. It would raise an estimated $445 million a year, starting in 2023. The Legislature called the new tax an excise tax on the sale or exchange of certain capital assets not an income tax. But the lawsuit argues that every taxing authority in the country, including the IRS and all other state revenue departments, agrees that capital gains are income. The lawsuit also cites a history of decision by courts and voters rejecting income taxes in Washington. Supporters of the tax, including education and child care advocates, denounced the lawsuit as an attempt to protect the states wealthiest residents from paying their fair share. The lawsuit is the second one challenging the tax. The Freedom Foundation, an Olympia-based conservative think tank, filed a lawsuit in April. McKenna said he expects the two lawsuits will be combined and considered together by courts. BOISE, Idaho (AP) Some Idaho taxpayers will see a one-time tax rebate this summer as part of the income tax legislation passed earlier this year. Boise State Public Radio reports the one-time rebate will go to full-time Idaho residents who filed income tax returns in 2019 and 2020. Each person will get either a minimum of $50, plus $50 for each dependent, or 9% of the state income tax they paid in 2019, whichever is greater. MADRID (AP) Spain is revving up for a return of summer tourists, with Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Friday offering an upbeat outlook after his government lifted travel restrictions on British visitors and the European Union moved a step closer to allowing cross-border travel. Sanchez said those two developments will bring a very much better summer than last year, when the tourist industry in one of the worlds most popular vacation destinations was crushed by limits on travel and gatherings due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We are hugely thrilled at the prospect of our tourism industry recovering, of the streets of our towns and cities filling up once more, he told an annual tourism congress in Madrid. Spain, Sanchez said, will be delighted, extremely delighted to receive British tourists again. Spain is lifting its restrictions on travelers from the United Kingdom beginning Monday. In 2019, Britain sent 18 million people to Spain, the most of any country. However, Sanchez didnt mention that Spain is on the U.K. governments amber list, meaning people traveling back to the U.K. from Spain still need to go into quarantine for 10 days and get multiple COVID-19 tests a consideration that is likely to dampen enthusiasm for a Spanish holiday. Britons who can't work from home likely will not be going to Spain until the rules change. Sanchez said it was extraordinary news that the EU is poised to introduce by July 1 a system of COVID-19 travel certificates for EU citizens, allowing them to travel freely across the bloc. Tourism is a mainstay of the Spanish economy and Sanchez expressed hope that it can be the engine that hauls the economy forward after the economic devastation of the pandemic. The tourism sector accounted for 12% of Spanish GDP in 2019, but that plummeted to just under 6% in 2020. ___ Follow more of APs pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic and https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-vaccine LANSING, Mich. (AP) The Michigan health department has settled a lawsuit by releasing information about people in long-term care sites who died of COVID-19, attorneys for a journalist said Friday. The department agreed to provide ages and dates of death but was unable to say whether the infection occurred at a long-term care facility due to inadequate tracking, the Mackinac Center Legal Foundation said. BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) The North Dakota Supreme Court has ruled that Gov. Doug Burgum had the authority to close businesses during the coronavirus pandemic. Somerset Court LLC and salon operator Kari Riggin in April sued Burgum and then-State Health Officer Mylynn Tufte in an effort to allow the assisted living facilitys in-house hair salon to continue providing services to residents. They asserted that Burgums orders went beyond his authority and denied plaintiffs their constitutional right to earn a living. ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) A federal judge ruled Friday that a parents' group can move forward with a lawsuit alleging that new admissions policies at an elite public high school in northern Virginia discriminate against Asian Americans. Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology was rated the best public high school in the country last month by U.S. News and World Report. Asian Americans constitute more than 70 percent of the student body, and for decades Black and Hispanic students have been woefully underrepresented there. The Fairfax County School Board, seeking to increase diversity at the school, drastically overhauled the admissions process at the school, scrapping a standardized test that had been the linchpin of the process. The new system now allocates slots at the highly competitive school in a system that distributes the vast majority of slots to the top 1.5 percent of students at each of the county's middle schools. School board members have said that increasing geographic diversity at the school should improve racial diversity. Other items that were seen as a barrier to Black and Hispanic families, including an application fee, have been eliminated. Opponents of the changes say the new process will no longer attract the very best students to the school, and that the changes target Asian American families who prospered under the old system. At a hearing Friday in U.S. District Court in Alexandria, lawyers for the Fairfax County School Board urged the judge to dismiss the lawsuit entirely. Attorney Stuart Raphael said the new admissions policy is explicitly race-neutral and that admissions evaluators don't even know the race of the applicants. And he said that under federal case law, a school board is within its rights to be motivated by a desire to increase opportunities for Black and Hispanic students, as long as they don't show a specific intent to discriminate against Asian Americans. But Erin Wilcox, an attorney for the Pacific Legal Foundation, which is representing the parent group Coalition for TJ, said the practical effect of changing policies to increase Black and Hispanic students is to necessarily reduce slots for Asian Americans. There are a finite number of seats at TJ, as the school is commonly known, Wilcox said. You cannot intend to increase the seats for one race without knowing it will decrease the seats for another race. U.S. District Judge Claude Hilton expressed skepticism about the school system's assertions that its new admissions policy is race neutral. Everybody knows the policy is not race neutral, and that it's designed to affect the racial composition of the school, he said. You can say all sorts of beautiful things while you're doing others. While Hilton allowed the lawsuit to move forward to the next stage, he denied a request for an injunction that would have barred the school system from using the new policy for the incoming class of freshmen. He said it would be too disruptive to order a change at such a late date Raphael said the school system is nearly completed with its review of applications for the upcoming fall semester, and that students will find out in June whether they have been admitted under the new process. Julia McCaskill of Herndon, a Coalition for TJ member who has an eighth grader waiting for word on whether she'll be accepted to TJ, said she was disappointed that the judge declined to issue an injunction. She said her Asian American daughter attends a middle school that has a large number of high-performing students and typically sends large numbers of students to TJ. With all but 100 of the 550 slots in the freshman class reserved for just the top 1.5 percent of students at each school, she said the new rules diminish her daughter's chances of acceptance. She said the school system needs to improve student performance at all of its schools, rather than imposing a rule requiring TJ to accept equal numbers of kids from each middle school. They need to bring up everybody to make it better, she said. The TJ admissions lawsuit reflects a national debate over admissions and racial composition of elite public high schools. Similar lawsuits and debates have emerged at top-tier schools in New York, California and elsewhere. The daughter of a man who died in a Tennessee jail last year claims in a federal lawsuit that he was asphyxiated while being held on his stomach as one officer answered his cries that he couldn't breathe with, You shouldn't be able to breathe. On Thursday, Nashville television station WTVF-TV posted video of the moments leading up to the death of William Jennette. The Associated Press has filed public records requests for the video on Friday, but Marshall County and the city of Lewisburg did not immediately respond to the requests. The video shows a group of officers, both Black and white, holding down Jennette, who was white, in a prone position as he struggles. He is handcuffed first, then his legs are restrained in cuffs. Then officers then fold his legs up and pin them to his buttocks. Jennette says he can't breathe, and an officer identified in the complaint as Marshall County Sheriff's Deputy Kendra Burton tells him, You shouldn't be able to breathe and calling him by an expletive. Dominique Jennette sued the two municipalities and seven officers in October, claiming the officers violated her fathers constitutional rights because they used excessive force and failed to protect him. In court filings, the officers deny that they acted improperly. A response from Marshall County says officers did not use force other than was necessary to gain control as he fought, bit, kicked, and struggled against being detained. The officers, in separate filings, claim immunity from prosecution. They also say they acted in self defense and in defense of their fellow officers. Attorneys for Marshall County and Lewsiburg did not immediately respond to phone messages left for them on Friday afternoon. Assistant District Attorney William Bottoms said the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation looked into Jennettes death, and the case was brought before a grand jury but they declined to indict anyone. An autopsy report lists Jennette's manner of death as homicide but lists acute combined drug intoxication as the cause of death with asphyxia listed as a contributing cause. Jennette was arrested on May 4, 2020, for public intoxication, indecent exposure and resisting arrest, according to court records. Officers took him from his cell in the early morning of May 6 after he was pounding on the door, according to court filings. They intended to put him in a restraint chair, the filings said. It's unclear exactly how the physical confrontation began. On video from the jail, Jennette can be seen talking to three officers when one of them suddenly shoves Jennette down the hallway into a wall. Jennette begins to struggle, pushing the officers away and grabbing at them. After about two minutes, another officer arrives and Jennette yells, Help me! They're gonna kill me! The officers get Jennette on the ground and begin to restrain him. At one point after Jennette says on video that he can't breathe, someone identified in the complaint as Lewisburg Police Officer Christopher Stallings can be heard telling the others to remember about asphyxiation. Thats why Im not on his lungs," Stallings says. "Let him breathe. However, officers continue to hold him down. He was held prone for between three and four minutes total, according to the complaint. Attorneys for Stallings and another officer said in court filings that Jennette was given a moment to calm down" and that his condition was being monitored. Mr. Stallings became concerned about Mr. Jennette, investigated, rolled him over, and immediately started life-saving activities, Stallings' response to the complaint reads. Emergency Medical Services arrived and transported Jennette to the hospital where he was pronounced dead. The lawsuit claims the officers should have been trained in the dangers of placing inmates on their stomachs for a prolonged period. The United States Department of Justice has warned law enforcement for decades about the dangers of prone restraint, the complaint reads. Dominique Jennette is seeking damages for pain and suffering as well as punitive damages. BERLIN (AP) A Syrian man was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison Friday for stabbing a gay couple in the German city of Dresden, killing one man and seriously wounding his partner in an attack last year that prosecutors said was motivated by Islamic extremist beliefs. The state court in Dresden convicted the 21-year-old, who has been identified only as Abdullah A.H.H. in line with German privacy rules, of murder, attempted murder and bodily harm, news agency dpa reported. Judges ruled that he bears particularly severe guilt, which effectively means he won't be released after 15 years as is common in Germany. The attack took place on Oct. 4 as the two men in their 50s were visiting Dresden. The court found that the defendant attacked the couple from behind because he believed homosexuality to be a grave sin. The presiding judge, Hans Schlueter-Staats, said the defendant had confessed not out of remorse but to reveal his motives, and the court said it considers him still dangerous. It was a crime committed out of religious delusion, Schlueter-Staats said. The judge said the two men's injuries showed with what force and absolute intention to kill he stabbed them, and one of them survived only by luck. The defendant, a native of Aleppo who came to Germany as a refugee in 2015, had been released from prison a month before the attack after serving a three-year juvenile sentence for promoting the extremist Islamic State group and subsequently attacking a prison guard. He was arrested almost three weeks after stabbing the couple in Dresden. Maximilian Klefens, a lawyer for the surviving victim, said the sentence was a just punishment." "My client can now find peace, he said. The defendant listened to the verdict without showing any obvious emotion. His lawyer, Peter Hollstein, said it was not yet clear whether he would appeal. I can't say whether he will accept it, he said. The defense had argued for him to be tried under juvenile law. ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) Police in St. Paul are investigating a shooting outside a community center that left two teenagers wounded. The St. Paul Pioneer Press reported Friday that police received a report about 8:30 p.m. Thursday that shots had been fired into the playground area at the Frogtown Community Center. The center was closed at the time. Sgt. Natalie Davis, a police spokeswoman, said officers found a 14-yearold boy lying in the middle of the street. He'd been shot in the leg and foot. Soon after, someone dropped a 16-year-old boy off at a hospital. He also had been shot in the leg. Neither teen was cooperative with police. Officers found three casings in the street and two in the community center's southwest corner as well as an ammunition magazine. CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) Labor groups in West Virginia say a new state law that prohibits union dues or fees from being withheld from state employee paychecks is discriminatory and was passed out of spite. A dozen organizations filed a lawsuit Thursday in Kanawha County Circuit Court. The law bans the deductions unless a worker provides written consent. LAS VEGAS (AP) Federal authorities have ordered a complete recall of a Las Vegas-based bottled water brand Real Water and ordered the company to surrender records in investigations of at least one death and multiple cases of liver illness among people who reported drinking it. Brent Jones, company president, and attorneys for the company and the bottler, AffinityLifestyles.com Inc., did not immediately respond Friday to email messages about a U.S. District Court order issued Wednesday. The order stopped the production and distribution of the product marketed primarily in Nevada, Arizona, Utah and California. Jones and the company did not contest the order, called a consent decree, or admit wrongdoing pending further hearings. Telephone numbers for Jones and the company were no longer in service. The product is sold as premium alkalized drinking water in distinctive boxy blue bottles touting E2 Electron Energized Technology. Labels say it is infused with negative ions and offers healthy detoxifying properties. The federal civil complaint calls the product brand Re2al Water Drinking Water," and says it is treated with chemicals including caustic lye and a mineral salt. Water is drawn from the Las Vegas-area municipal supply, according to the complaint, filtered and processed with potassium hydroxide, or lye, the chemical potassium bicarbonate and magnesium chloride, a salt. Defendants claim to use a proprietary ionizer apparatus to apply an electrical current to this mixture, which allegedly creates positively charged and negatively charged solutions, the complaint says. It says the negatively charged solution is marketed as E2 Concentrate taste-enhancer for coffee, tea and wine and diluted in tanks and packaged for home delivery and commercial sales as alkaline Real Water. The complaint alleges the manufacture and distribution of adulterated and/or misbranded bottled drinking water and chemical concentrate that may have been rendered injurious to health. The consent decree requires the company to recall and destroy all the product produced before Wednesday; to turn over to the FDA records about processing, bottling and distribution; and to submit to unannounced inspections of company facilities in Las Vegas, suburban Henderson, Nevada, and Mesa, Arizona. The company is committed to paying the cost of FDA activities at a rate of more than $100 per hour, and it must notify the agency before any change of ownership, reorganization or bankruptcy. The Las Vegas-based Southern Nevada Health District on Thursday reported five more cases of liver illness believed to be linked to Real Water, including the death of a Clark County woman in her 60s who had underlying medical conditions. The report brought to 16 the number of acute non-viral hepatitis cases tied by the district to the product. Several negligence and deceptive trade practices lawsuits in state court allege many more injuries. They accuse Jones, Real Water and Affinitylifestyles.com Inc. of causing a womans death; liver damage to children and internal organ damage to adults leading to hospitalizations; and at least one liver transplant. A case pending in U.S. District Court in Las Vegas seeks class-action status on behalf of anyone injured in the U.S. after buying Real Water. In court filings, the company acknowledges the FDA investigation but not that Real Water caused illnesses. Jones, a former Nevada state Republican lawmaker, issued an apology in mid-March on the company's drinkrealwater.com website and an assurance that "the lessons learned in this will drive further improvement in the brand. The FDA issued a statement in April calling it crucial" for people not to "drink, cook with, sell or serve Real Water alkaline water. LAS VEGAS (AP) A federal judge said Thursday he may order Nevada prison officials to disclose the type of drugs they would use for the first lethal injection of a condemned prisoner in the state in 15 years, even if they haven't finalized a plan for how the execution would be carried out. U.S. District Judge Richard Boulware II also said he might order the district attorney in Las Vegas to join attorneys for the state, convicted mass murderer Zane Michael Floyd and the local newspaper in hearings Boulware is holding on a request to block Floyds execution, possibly in late July. The judge appeared frustrated that Floyds attorneys were asking him, in his words, to stay an execution that hasnt been scheduled yet, and that the state has not disclosed the type of drugs it would use, whether it has them, the names of the manufacturers or the lethal injection method to be used. Randall Gilmer, the state attorney representing the Nevada Department of Corrections and prisons chief Charles Daniels, said the state isnt obligated to make public its execution plan, called a protocol, until officials complete their confidential deliberative process" and an execution warrant is issued. Only then can defense attorneys and the public challenge the plan, Gilmer said. The deputy state attorney general also expressed concern that once the information is public, officials involved in the execution will face harassment from death penalty opponents. Boulware is reviewing a log the state is providing to Floyds attorneys of documents relevant to the case, to determine which ones should remain sealed. He denied a bid by an attorney for the Las Vegas Review-Journal to make the log public as part of the court record. I fully anticipate that when the protocol is finalized, we will have a significant discovery hearing about a great many things, Boulware acknowledged. It seems to me that the longer this takes for this execution protocol to be finalized the longer will be the stay that I ultimately enter as it relates to the execution date, he said. He said he might consider a block of up to 120 days. Mr. Floyds entitled to be able to determine whether or not theres a proper choice made about the drugs or even ... the protocol, the judge said. Floyd, 45, is fighting his death sentence for the 1999 shotgun killings of four people and the wounding of a fifth at a Las Vegas supermarket. He lost appeals in state and federal courts, and the U.S. Supreme Court declined to take his case. A state judge in Las Vegas plans a June 4 hearing also about the status of the execution protocol and might issue a warrant for execution for the late July date, Floyd's defense attorney, David Anthony, told Boulware. The federal judge scheduled his next hearing June 3. Between now and then I will consider the extent to which I am going to order the disclosure, or not, of the drugs under consideration, Boulware said, along with arguments about blocking the execution date. MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) The Vermont Legislature adjourned on Friday, ending a historic session during the coronavirus pandemic where they mostly met virtually and deliberated on how to spend about $1 billion in coronavirus recovery funds. The Democrat-controlled legislature reached agreement on a $7.3 billion budget that the Republican Gov. Phil Scott said earlier in the day Friday that he could likely support, barring any unforeseen last-minute details. He said his administration worked with the Legislature on what he called historic investments including $190 million for housing, $150 million for broadband and $50 million to mitigate climate change this year with intent language to ensure future investments in priority areas for the states recovery. The funding came from the federal rescue plan, the states General Fund surplus and other federal funds, Scotts office said. As I said in my Inaugural Address, this year was an opportunity for us to rise above politics and gamesmanship. To rise above the difficulty of a global pandemic thats taken thousands of lives and disrupted so much. To rise to the challenge and embrace the opportunities so we can solve problems, help people, and emerge stronger and more resilient than ever, Scott told lawmakers. He also said the state's response to the once-in-a-century pandemic has been a team effort, and said he thanked each lawmaker and every Vermonter who helped. Weve worked hard to pass legislation that supports our kids, assists workers and families, keeps businesses and communities viable, and restores faith in our democratic institutions," said Senate President Pro Tempore Becca Balint in a statement. The chancellor of the Vermont State Colleges also praised what she called the Legislatures historic investment in public higher education and student scholarships, including $88.9 million in the Vermont State Colleges System and Vermont students. CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) West Virginia's largest city plans to host free drive-in movie events this summer. The city of Charleston said in a news release that Frozen 2 will be shown on June 9, Moana on July 7 and Godzilla vs. Kong on Aug. 4 in the parking lot of the Big Lots on Patrick Street. Each movie night will begin with a 30-minute cartoon. Parking will start 90 minutes before each event and be on a first-come, first-served basis, the statement said. We saw major success hosting drive-in movies last year and heard positive feedback from folks looking for outdoor activities to do during the pandemic, Charleston Mayor Amy Shuler Goodwin said. EDWARDSVILLE Madison County States Attorney Tom Haine announced Friday that Philip P. Riley, 33, of Wood River, has been charged with one count of aggravated cruelty to animals and one count of the violation of the Humane Care for Animals Act. Cruel, violent acts against defenseless animals are unacceptable and have no place in our society, Haine said. Madison County is home to numerous shelters and rescue organizations that provide care for animals in need, and there is absolutely no excuse for this kind of cruelty and abuse. Apart from pineapples and macadamia nuts, Kona coffee might be the most recognizable Hawaiian product to reach consumers on the mainland. Advertising campaigns in the 20th century seized on mainlanders fascination with the Hawaiian Islands, marketing the coffee as a novel delicacy. Coffee wasnt native to Hawaii, however. Its introduction to the islands is inseparable from the history of missionary work, capitalism and imperialism that transformed Hawaii in the 19th century. More: University of Hawaii to require COVID vaccines for students. The rule will take effect when at least one of the three COVID-19 vaccines, currently authorized for emergency use, receives full approval. Read more. Former Maui Pineapple workers receive $4.8M after abuse case. This is not the end. This is the beginning." Read more. Hawaii area can expect 2 to 5 storms during hurricane season. The annual National Weather Service prediction said there is about an 80% chance of a near or below-average season. Read more. Southwest unveils a major expansion of Hawaii service. It's adding routes from more mainland cities and increasing service from existing gateways. Read more. Last week's top story: Hawaii saw 78K visitors over Mother's Day weekend as many return to travel. Travel is rapidly rebounding to its pre-pandemic levels. Read more. On Hawaii is curated by Jasmine Garnett and Fiona Lee. Email Garnett at Jasmine.Garnett@sfgate.com and Lee at Fiona.Lee@sfgate.com. Emily Wilder, a journalist and 2020 graduate of Stanford University, started a new job as an Associated Press news associate based in Maricopa County, Arizona, on May 3. Two weeks later, she was unceremoniously fired by the news outlet after conservatives resurfaced old social media posts that drew attention from Republicans as prominent as Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton. In Wilder's eyes, her firing is the latest example of right-wing cancel culture. "There's no question I was just canceled," Wilder told SFGATE by phone Thursday afternoon. "This is exactly the issue with the rhetoric around 'cancel culture.' To Republicans, cancel culture is usually seen as teens or young people online advocating that people be held accountable over accusations of racism or whatever it may be, but when it comes down to who actually has to deal with the lifelong ramifications of the selective enforcement of cancel culture specifically over the issue of Israel and Palestine it's always the same side." Wilder, who worked with the Arizona Republic upon graduation until this May, became a national news story after the Stanford College Republicans wrote a Twitter thread Monday highlighting Wilder's pro-Palestine activism in college as well as some of her old Facebook posts. In one post, Wilder referred to the late Sheldon Adelson who was a Jewish billionaire, Republican mega-donor and staunch defender of Israel as a "naked mole rat." Wilder, who is Jewish, said she would not have used such language today. Not long after the thread started to gain steam on Twitter, Wilder says an Associated Press editor called her and said she would not get in trouble for her past activism and social media activity. "The editor said I was not going to get in any trouble because everyone had opinions in college," Wilder said. "Then came the rest of the week." On Tuesday, the conservative Washington Free Beacon published an article about Wilder, writing, "The hire could fuel concerns about the AP's objectivity amid revelations that the news outlet shared an office building with Hamas military intelligence in Gaza." On Saturday, an Israeli airstrike destroyed the Associated Press offices in Gaza after the Israeli government said the militant group Hamas operated out of the same building. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Monday he hasnt yet seen any evidence supporting Israels claim. Reportedly, a cease-fire was issued on Thursday, after the deaths of at least 227 people in Gaza and 12 in Israel. Adel Hana/AP On Wednesday, two more conservative outlets The Federalist and Fox News published their own stories on Wilder, and Cotton tweeted of Wilder's employment, "Not a surprise from a media organization that shared office space with Hamas." Wilder said she received an "onslaught of absolutely vile messages" as the story picked up steam. On Thursday, her employer delivered the final gut punch. "They told me that I violated their social media policy and would be terminated immediately, but they never said which tweet or post violated the policy," she said. "I asked them, 'Please tell me what violated the policy,' and they said, 'No.'" An Associated Press spokesperson confirmed to SFGATE that Wilder "was dismissed for violations of APs social media policy during her time at AP," but did not address any other issue Wilder raised, stating that the AP generally does not comment on personnel matters. Wilder said that because her editor originally noted that "everyone had opinions in college," she sees her firing as selective enforcement against those who have expressed criticisms of Israel. "This is clearly a case of selective enforcement," she said. "I dont buy their convenient cover story at all because they never told me what specifically I did wrong, and in the termination letter, they said the harassment campaign prompted the review, and in that review they found supposed violations of their policy. "Thats an admission this was prompted by the campaign against me, and it's really unfortunate the Associated Press is abdicating their responsibility to not only me, but to all journalists just because a group of college students wanted to engage in a witch hunt." Wilder has since received support on Twitter, with several prominent journalists coming to her defense. "Amazing how quickly a talented young reporter's career can be snuffed out by a Twitter mob that decided to feign outrage over some college tweets," tweeted the Washington Post's Glenn Kessler. "And if [Wilder] somehow violated @AP's social-media rules, the solution is to offer guidance, not termination, to a new reporter." "'Hire [Emily Wilder]' is something more and more people are saying," wrote Kessler's Washington Post colleague Dave Weigel. Wilder notes she was covering Arizona-specific news for the Associated Press prior to her termination, and while she still has strong opinions on the Israel-Palestine conflict, "every journalist has opinions" that are not relevant to "fact-based reporting." The now-unemployed Wilder is currently in the process of sorting out her next steps but said she regrets none of her past activism. "Its devastating of course," she said. "I love journalism and part of what I think makes me such a capable, powerful journalist is how much I care about the people I write about, particularly the marginalized. Thats why I joined the Associated Press, and they saw me as capable. This is of course a really hard situation, and I'm not sure whats going to happen next." Windsor Town Council/Handout After months of refusing to resign amid allegations of sexual misconduct, Windsor Mayor Dominic Foppoli formally announced his resignation Friday, stating that another woman has come forward alleging "non-consensual acts." Five women told the San Francisco Chronicle that Foppoli assaulted them, the Chronicle reported in April. The alleged incidents took place from 2002 to 2019 and include claims of forced oral copulation and rape, prompting the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office to open an investigation. (SFGATE and the San Francisco Chronicle are both owned by Hearst but operate independently of one another.) Meet Nandi, she'll be your guide in the video tour for 3790 21st Street. Nandi is a rescued Serval cat, native of Africa, but in this video, she seems quite at home in the "Bauhaus," a $7.9 million home in San Francisco's Dolores Heights. This unique way to market a home is a collaboration between Compass agent Erin Thompson and The Lyon Ranch, a Sonoma based animal rescue organization that has "been retraining abused and neglected animals for animal-assisted therapy programs [and] rescuing exotic animals from heartbreaking circumstances" for over 20 years. "Their dedication has touched our team and we couldn't be more excited to present this collaboration," Thompson said. A percentage of Thompson's commission will be donated to The Lyon Ranch. Make sure to watch the video here. The home is 4,400 square feet, designed with Bauhaus lines and constructed largely with materials sourced from Scandinavia. The custom features and metalwork envelope a legal-two unit building, including the main home and a separate apartment. The penthouse level features a wraparound deck boasting magnificent, nearly 360-degree views, an outdoor kitchen and an indoor wet bar. I do not like this, I say to a total stranger who is trying, and failing, to get me to stand still so she can take the picture I requested and be free of me and my phone. Why am I doing this? Every time I turn to her to pose for the photo is a moment I dont have my eyes on the supposedly domesticated animal Im trying to feed. The first time I tried the only time I was smiling I turned my head back around to find an ostrich hungrily clapping its beak mere inches from my face. Every photo after that was me grimacing in a twisted, fearful half-smile while trying to keep an eye on the imminent threat on my immediate left: a 9-foot-tall feathered monster looking for something to chew on. I come to the Santa Ynez Valley, on the Central Coast in Santa Barbara County, often, usually to try out another few of its 120 wineries. Its an area thats gaining more and more recognition as a wine region but still manages to preserve its Old West idiosyncrasies, like the curious and somewhat terrifying roadside attraction where I found myself last week. The day before, I had gone to the Santa Ynez Valley Historical Museum, where my guide had told me there used to be eight or nine local farms supplying ostrich meat to the area. Today, Ostrichland USA, an ostrich and emu sanctuary, is the only remaining place to see ostriches in Santa Ynez Valley and one of only five ostrich farms in the state. (Ostrichland sells ostrich jerky, but not from its own birds.) Julie Tremaine I've driven past Ostrichlands sign countless times on Route 246. The road connects 101 to Solvang, that little Danish town with the windmills and the bakeries with lines out their doors, thats also home to these birds. Come feed this bad boy, the sign says in bright white letters underneath a painting of an ostrich with its enormous wings spread wide. Its partly an enticement and partly a dare. Walking in, I knew two things about the place. First, it shares a property line with The Hitching Post II, the legendary steakhouse that serves huge ribeyes and sirloins grilled over white oak in the Santa Maria barbecue style alongside pinot noirs they make themselves. I had spent many afternoons sitting at the restaurants lunchtime picnic tables that overlook Ostrichland, watching the birds from a distance as they ran around the farms expanse. They would flap those 6 feet of wings and get into tussles, two huge birds rising to their full height in an attempt to assert dominance. Even from a few hundred yards away, it looked scary. Julie Tremaine The only other thing I knew about Ostrichland was from a brief mention in Sideways, the movie that put Santa Ynez Valley pinot noir in the national spotlight (and tanked merlot sales so badly that the varietal still hasnt recovered). One of the lead characters had been caught sleeping with a married woman. He managed to escape her violent husband, but not with his clothes or a room key, and had to run 5 miles back to the hotel, naked, in the wee hours. At one point I had to cut through an ostrich farm, he says in the film, shaking. Those fkers are mean. That was the phrase echoing through my mind as I pull into the parking lot, which was full even midday on a Monday in May. Read the safety rules, the teenager manning the register says to me as he takes my $6 and hands me a bowl that's full of pellets and mounted to a dustpan that serves as a sort of makeshift handle. Have a good time. Julie Tremaine The safety rules have both the ostriches and the guests in mind. The first: Hold on to the handle of the dust pan tightly with two hands. The birds may attempt to grab the bowl from you. Ominous. Then instructions to keep your fingers clear of the bowl itself, not to touch the birds, and to meet them halfway so they dont stick their heads too far out of the holes in the fence and strain their necks. The last one is the one I should have paid the most attention to. Please do not stand near the fence unless you are feeding, it read. You could get pecked. Let me tell you: Those birds are cute from a distance, but up close, they are hungry, and they are not polite about it. There are also signs on the fences Yes, we like to bite! that make it clear the worlds largest birds are not the friendliest ones youll ever meet. And meet them you absolutely will. Julie Tremaine Theres no way for you to get into the ostrich pens, but there are plenty of open spaces designed to let the birds stick their heads through to eat, and plenty of fences low enough that you could get nipped if you arent careful. It is worth mentioning that the entire time I was there, I didnt see a single person actually get bit, not even the toddlers sticking their hands way too close to ostrich mouths for my comfort. But still, try to tell me that in the moment and I would not have listened, being preoccupied with trying to keep my cool while thrusting that feed bowl towards ostriches greedily fighting each other to be the first to reach the feed. Julie Tremaine (Its also worth mentioning that they are so well fed that on busy weekends the farm sometimes has to cut off feed sales to prevent the birds from overeating, and that all the birds at the sanctuary seemed healthy and well cared for, with plenty of space to roam.) Maybe I wouldnt have been so shaken if one ostrich hadnt taken me by surprise as soon as I reached the fence. But in that moment, it all became clear to me: These birds are trying to get me. It didnt help that there was one, clearly the ringleader of this feathered gang, who spent the entire time I was there pecking at the chain and padlock that keeps the fence closed. He knew where the escape was, and he was going to get it. Julie Tremaine It only took a few minutes for a couple of particularly interested ostriches to empty out my feed bowl. Once I put it down, I spent another hour there, taking pictures, but also just standing still and observing the birds. Theyre curious and alert, and everyone at Ostrichland seemed happy to experience them up close. By the time I was leaving, I finally felt ready to go to the area with the lowest fences, where you can get the clearest views and also have the most direct exposure to the birds. Once they were done with the feeding frenzy at least the one I was providing they seemed a lot less menacing to me. On the way out, I stopped at the gift shop, bought some postcards and briefly considered what Id do with a volleyball-sized ostrich egg, if I were to buy one. The ostrich jerky I left untouched on the counter. We were friends now. You are now listening to the sounds of the New Generation. A podcast created for those who desire a new way of gaining information rather than reading a traditional newspaper. In our show we will discuss everything from sports, pop culture, politics, and local news. To stay up to date on our latest episodes every week be sure to follow us on your favorite podcast service. And dont worry, we keep it short. Somewhere back in ancient history so ancient I was still a teenager a great American statesman in the tradition of Marcus Tullius Cicero, the renowned Roman orator and scourge of every high school Latin student, muttered this memorable comment: In the United States today, we have more than our share of nattering nabobs of negativism. As I fondly recall those words of Vice President Spiro T. Agnew, serving dutifully under President Richard M. Nixon, I have to wonder: What the heck was he talking about? I was never sure what a nabob was, although it sounded like something edible that you could cook on a George Foreman grill. However, that phrase entered popular culture and stuck like Gorilla Glue for the past 50 years. I confess that I love to natter although I wouldnt describe myself as a nabob, as much as a nitwit or narcissist. Its widely thought that Agnew was attacking the media. CNN, you see, actually means Cable Nattering Nabobs and NPR stands for Nabobs Public Radio. Others claim Agnew was chiding politicians critical of the Nixon Administration, when he delivered his speech at the California Republican state convention in 1970. The words were written by speechwriter William Safire, who for many years had a highly regarded column about words and nabobs in The New York Times. Safire was addicted to alliteration just as some of us are addicted to processed sugar and credit cards. He wrote, In the United States today, we have more than our share of nattering nabobs of negativism. They have formed their own 4-H Club the hopeless, hysterical hypochondriacs of history.' He was probably inspired by the poet Gerard Manley Hopkins, who once wrote, I caught this morning mornings minion, kingdom of daylights dauphin, dapple-dawn-drawn Falcon, in his riding... I never understood what a nattering nabob of negativism was, so I turned to the dictionary to decipher that confounding usage. To natter means to gossip, talk or chatter. A nabob is variously defined as a Muslim official, a governor under the Mogul empire or a person of conspicuous wealth or high status. And negativism is a state of mind common to Americans of both political parties. Was Agnew suggesting that rich Muslim officials who liked to complain were causing problems for Nixon? Or that Americans who sit around gossiping at country clubs should shut up and stop criticizing the president and eat their cucumber sandwiches? Maybe he should have said something like the clattering crackpots of crapola or devious dunces of deceit or malevolent minions of mistrust or putrid purveyors of poppycock. Or better yet, purveyors of putrid poppycock. Safire and his mouthpiece Agnew were prophetic. Today, America is suffering from a contagion of negativism that began even before Donald Trump was invented of discovered or created. Whichever it was. My intention isnt to ignite even more political hysteria. I was forced to listen to enough of it over the holiday. Im non-partisan. Over the years, Ive voted for candidates of peculiar third parties, who I later discovered were alien life forms; however, I dont identify myself as a Republican, Democrat or Martian. I believe in the promise of democracy, although Im more philosophically aligned with Henry David Thoreau, who famously nattered, That government is best which governs least. Perhaps he should have used alliteration to make his point and said, That government is greatest that goes for gridlock. Or Gridlock will make America GRRREAT again. (Out of desperation, Ive secretly joined the ranks of nattering nincompoops.) Politics is like a contagious rash that afflicts even the most honorable people and makes them pursue questionable goals. Once they get elected, they forget how to compromise, and they succumb to pressure from party leaders and groups like Greenpeace, the NRA and the National Pot Growers Association. Lately, more and more families and friends are fighting about politics. Republicans say we have to make America great again. Democrats say America was never great. So lets call a temporary moratorium to the political arguments and only discuss serious topics like religion, sex and Kim Kardashian. As Spiro Agnew once said, O tempora! O mores! Or maybe that was Cicero. Joe Pisani can be reached at joefpisani@yahoo.com. WASHINGTON (AP) The House on Thursday narrowly approved $1.9 billion to fortify the Capitol after the Jan. 6 insurrection, as Democrats pushed past Republican opposition to try to harden the complex with retractable fencing and a quick-response force following the most violent domestic attack on Congress in history. The bill's 213-212 passage came a day after the House approved the formation of an independent commission to investigate the deadly mob siege by President Donald Trumps supporters, who battled police to storm the building in a failed attempt to overturn Democrat Joe Bidens election. The two measures now face an uncertain outcome in the evenly divided Senate as most Republicans have objected to both. Tensions are running high at the Capitol, with Democrats growing exasperated with Republicans who refuse to acknowledge the severity of the insurrection because of what appears to be their devotion to Trump and fears of crossing him. We have a major political party in the country thats ignoring it were trying to solve a problem, they clearly dont want to sit down and talk about it, said Rep. Tim Ryan, D-Ohio, chairman of an appropriations subcommittee handling legislative branch security. At the same time, the idea of bolstered security at the Capitol saddened many lawmakers who said they see no other choice because of the ongoing threats on Congress. Several leading liberal Democrats opposed the security money over concerns about policing, as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other Democratic leaders worked the floor during votes to ensure passage. Together, the package of bills stemming from the domestic assault by Trump supporters on the Capitol reminded some lawmakers of the changes that emerged from the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Then, a landmark commission investigated the attack's root causes and authorities hardened the security apparatus across the federal government. Thursday's vote capped two days of emotionally wrenching debate as the political divide, particularly in the House, has widened in the months since the January assault. House Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Rosa DeLauro recalled her own experience being trapped in the House gallery that day as the attackers tried to break in, calling her husband to tell him she was OK after Capitol Police told her to duck on the floor. This bill is not about politics, its not about settling scores, DeLauro said. Its about ensuring that every person who comes into the Capitol is safe and is protected. Republicans argued that the spending bill is too expensive and no fencing is needed. Many of them said lawmakers should be spending money on border security, not Capitol security. Rep. Lance Gooden, R-Texas, contended that Democrats would rather spend money on a wall "around this building in D.C. than they would on finishing a border wall advocated by Trump. Already, National Guard troops have been protecting the building for months and public access is severely limited. Though razor-wire-topped fencing that stood as a stark reminder of the siege has been removed, an extended perimeter fence remains in place, cutting off access to the lush grounds popular with the public. The Democrats who opposed the security legislation were some of the most liberal in the House. Some have expressed the view that police treat people of color unfairly. Democratic Reps. Cori Bush of Missouri, Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts and Ilhan Omar of Minnesota voted against it. Omar said she had not been convinced of the importance of the money. Democratic Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Jamaal Bowman of New York and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan voted present, effectively saving the measure from going down to defeat. The chairwoman of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, Rep. Pramila Jayapal of Washington, said the lawmakers wanted to make sure that there were accountability measures on the security funds. She voted for the bill. Senate Democrats will not be able to pass either bill on their own in the evenly split 50-50 Senate and could have trouble persuading enough Republicans to vote with them after Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell announced he would oppose the inquiry. Ten GOP senators would need to join Democrats to meet the 60-vote threshold needed to advance legislation. Changes could be made to win over their support. Months in the making, the emergency spending package incorporates the recommendations from an outside panel of experts to beef up security after the mob attack. The bill includes money for new fencing either retractable or pop in, according to Democrats that would protect the grounds. The legislation bars money from being used for permanent above-ground fencing, reflecting the wishes of most members of Congress that the area should be open to the public. Other changes would fortify windows and doors, install new security vestibules and cameras, and protect members with increased security at home and in Washington, as threats against them have doubled in the last year. There is also money to protect federal judges who are prosecuting the rioters and have received threats, and to repay the Capitol Police and other federal agencies for their efforts on Jan. 6. Some lawmakers have objected to the proposal for the National Guard to maintain a quick response force nearby after it took hours for Guard troops to arrive Jan. 6 as attackers were brutally beating officers. Leading Republicans on the armed services committees in the House and Senate oppose relying on the troops for the work of protecting the Capitol. The National Guard Association of the United States said in a statement that the Guard should only be used for law enforcement as a last resort. Democrats said they, too, are uneasy with many of the military-like measures, but say they have little choice but to protect the building. The delays in sending the Guard to the Capitol have been blamed in part for the failure to contain the violence. Five people died, including a Trump supporter shot and killed by police as she tried to climb through a broken window to access the House chamber, and a police officer who fought off the mob and died later. Weve never had a quick response for us here you know, weve never had an insurrection, either, Ryan said. So thinking has to evolve in order to try to solve some of these problems. ___ Associated Press writer Lolita C. Baldor contributed to this report. JERUSALEM (AP) Israel and Hamas agreed to a cease-fire Thursday, halting a bruising 11-day war that caused widespread destruction in the Gaza Strip, brought life in much of Israel to a standstill and left more than 200 people dead. At 2 a.m. local time, just as the cease-fire took effect, life returned to the streets of Gaza. People went out of their homes, some shouting Allahu Akbar" or whistling from balconies. Many fired in the air, celebrating the truce. Like the three previous wars between the bitter enemies, the latest round of fighting ended inconclusively. Israel claimed to inflict heavy damage on Hamas but once again was unable to halt the Islamic militant group's nonstop rocket barrages. Almost immediately, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faced angry accusations from his hard-line, right-wing base that he stopped the operation too soon. Hamas, the Islamic militant group sworn to Israels destruction, also claimed victory. But it now faces the daunting challenge of rebuilding in a territory already suffering from poverty, widespread unemployment and a raging coronavirus outbreak. Netanyahus office said his Security Cabinet had unanimously accepted an Egyptian cease-fire proposal after recommendations from Israels military chief and other top security officials. A statement boasted of significant achievements in the operation, some of which are unprecedented. It also included a veiled threat against Hamas. The political leaders emphasized that the reality on the ground will determine the future of the campaign, the statement said. The fighting erupted on May 10, when Hamas militants in Gaza fired long-range rockets toward Jerusalem. The barrage came after days of clashes between Palestinian protesters and Israeli police at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound. Heavy-handed police tactics at the compound, built on a site holy to Muslims and Jews, and the threatened eviction of dozens of Palestinians by Jewish settlers had inflamed tensions. The competing claims to Jerusalem lie at the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and have repeatedly triggered bouts of violence in the past. Hamas and other militant groups fired over 4,000 rockets into Israel throughout the fighting, launching the projectiles from civilian areas at Israeli cities. Dozens of projectiles flew as far north as Tel Aviv, the country's bustling commercial and cultural capital. Thousands gathered Friday morning in the southern Gaza Strip town of Khan Younis outside the family house of Mohammed Dief, the shadowy Hamas commander who had ordered the rocket attacks. Supporters shouted victory and waved green Hamas flags. Israel, meanwhile, carried out hundreds of airstrikes targeting what it said was Hamas military infrastructure, including a vast tunnel network. At least 230 Palestinians were killed, including 65 children and 39 women, with 1,710 people wounded, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which does not break the numbers down into fighters and civilians. Twelve people in Israel, including a 5-year-old boy and 16-year-old girl, were killed. The United States, Israel's closest and most important ally, initially backed what it said was Israel's right to self-defense against indiscriminate rocket fire. But as the fighting dragged on and the death toll mounted, the Americans increasingly pressured Israel to stop the offensive. In a rare public rift, Netanyahu on Wednesday briefly rebuffed a public call from President Joe Biden to wind things down, appearing determined to inflict maximum damage on Hamas in a war that could help save his political career. But late Thursday, Netanyahu's office announced the cease-fire agreement. Hamas quickly followed suit. Militants continued to launch sporadic rocket at Israel early Friday, before the 2 a.m. cease-fire took effect. In Washington, Biden hailed the cease-fire. I believe we have a genuine opportunity to make progress, and Im committed to working for it, he said. Biden said the U.S. was committed to helping Israel replenish its supply of interceptor missiles for its Iron Dome rocket-defense system and to working with the internationally recognized Palestinian Authority not Hamas to provide humanitarian aid to Gaza. Netanyahu quickly came under heavy criticism from members of his hawkish, nationalist base. Gideon Saar, a former ally who now leads a small party opposed to the prime minister, called the cease-fire embarrassing. In a potentially damaging development for the Israeli leader, the Palestinian militants claimed Netanyahu had agreed to halt further Israeli actions at the Al Aqsa Mosque and to call off the planned evictions of Palestinians in the nearby Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood. An Egyptian official said only that tensions in Jerusalem will be addressed. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was discussing behind-the-scenes negotiations and provided no details. Itamar Ben Gvir, head of the far-right Jewish Power party, tweeted that the cease-fire was a grave surrender to terrorism and the dictates of Hamas. The cease-fire comes at a sensitive time for Netanyahu. In the wake of an inconclusive election in March, Netanyahu failed to form a majority coalition in parliament. His opponents now have until June 2 to form an alternative government of their own. The war greatly complicated the efforts of his opponents, who include both Jewish and Arab parties and were forced to suspend their negotiations in such a fraught environment. But the inconclusive outcome of the war could give them renewed momentum to restart those talks. Meanwhile in Gaza, a Hamas spokesman, Abdelatif al-Qanou, said Israel's announcement was a declaration of defeat. Nonetheless, the group said it would honor the deal, which was to officially go into effect at 2 a.m. Ali Barakeh, an official with Islamic Jihad, a smaller group that fought alongside Hamas, said Israels declaration of a truce was a defeat for Netanyahu and a victory to the Palestinian people. Despite the claims, both groups appeared to have suffered significant losses in the fighting. Hamas and Islamic Jihad said at least 20 of their fighters were killed, while Israel said the number was at least 130 and probably higher. Some 58,000 Palestinians fled their homes, many of them seeking shelter in crowded United Nations schools at a time of a coronavirus outbreak. Since the fighting began, Gazas infrastructure, already weakened by a 14-year blockade, has rapidly deteriorated. Medical supplies, water and fuel for electricity are running low in the territory, on which Israel and Egypt imposed the blockade after Hamas seized power from the Palestinian Authority in 2007. Since then, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has governed autonomous areas of the Israeli-occupied West Bank and has limited influence in Gaza. Israeli attacks have also damaged at least 18 hospitals and clinics and destroyed one health facility, the World Health Organization said. Nearly half of all essential drugs have run out. Israeli bombing has damaged over 50 schools across the territory, according to advocacy group Save the Children, destroying at least six. While repairs are done, education will be disrupted for nearly 42,000 children. ___ Akram reported from Gaza City, Gaza Strip. Associated Press writers Ilan Ben Zion in Jerusalem, Samy Magdy in Cairo, Zeke Miller in Washington and Iris Samuels in Helena, Montana, contributed reporting. Between late March of 2020 and this month, as hundreds of thousands of residents struggled to make ends meet, Connecticuts 14 billionaires amassed an additional $12.6 billion in wealth, according to Forbes. They are now worth a combined $75.7 billion a staggering statistic and one that the progressive group Recovery for All CT is using to push Gov. Ned Lamont and the state legislature to raise taxes on the richest residents as path to economic equity. Recovery for All, a coalition of groups working with liberal Democrats in the General Assembly, enlisted some of its richest members to help hammer that point Thursday. The coalition unveiled a report that shows how most of the billionaires saw their wealth shoot up dramatically. For those of us with healthy stock portfolios, we had a good year. Our investments flourished even as a record number of Connecticut residents were unemployed and essential workers struggled to survive, said Robert Nixon, a consultant and author from Norwalk. The scale of our inequality crisis demands a bold response. Nixon is a founding member of Fair Share CT, which bills itself as a group of wealthy residents committed to creating a fair tax system that solves the states fiscal crisis and reinvests in communities. The current tax structure is upside down. Working people and the poor in Connecticut pay a much larger effective tax rate than the billionaires profiled in this report, said Puya Gerami, campaign director for Recovery for All. Thats the bottom line and its morally unconscionable. The comments, and the report Thursday, reflect the view of the progressive wing of the Democratic Party, and stand in contrast to moderate Democrats, led by Lamont. Lamont has said repeatedly that he opposes raising income and sales taxes on anyone, including the richest residents. Connecticut doesnt need the added revenue to balance its budget, Lamont argues, and, with thousands of people moving into the state, his oft-repeated phrase is, lets have more taxpayers, not higher taxes. Gerami repeated the words of Sen. Gary Winfield, D-New Haven, that have become part of the debate between a Lamont and members of his own party who are seeking higher taxes on the rich to address the problems of urban poverty, lack of opportunity and access to health care and education: equity requires revenue. The report, Recovery for All or Recovery for the Few? Billionaire Wealth Soars in Connecticut, is based on data from Forbes Billionaires in real-time list. Forbes estimates the wealth of billionaires based on public and private data. Greenwich resident Alexandre Behring, co-founder and executive chairman of the hedge fund 3G Capital who serves as chair of Kraft Heinz and co-chairman of Restaurant Brands International, tops the list for the largest gains in wealth over the past 14 months. His net worth, which was estimated at $4.3 billion on March 18, 2020, grew to $7.5 billion as of May 12 a gain of $3.2 billion. Ray Dalio, also of Greenwich, founder and co-chairman of Bridgewater Associates, remains the states wealthiest resident. His net worth grew from $18 billion on March 18, 2020 to $20.3 billion on May 12 a gain of $2.3 billion. The gains, based largely on increased value of corporate stock and other financial instruments, are not limited to the richest people, but include anyone with a retirement fund. The Standard & Poors index of 500 large companies is up 41 percent over the last 12 months. The gains shown in the report do not reflect a collapse in stock market values in February and March of 2020. Including that drop, the S&P 500 is up 23 percent in the last 15 months significantly less than the gains reflected in the coalitions report. The list includes 14 Connecticut billionaires, two of whom, Christian Haub, of Greenwich, CEO of retail group Tengelmann, and Karen Pritzker, of Branford, whose family founded the Hyatt Hotel chain, did not see their net worth change. Haubs net worth is estimated by Forbes at $3 billion and Pritzkers at $4.9 billion. Hedge fund manager Clifford Asness, of Greenwich, manager and founding principal of AQR Capital Management, is the only billionaire on the list whose net worth declined during the pandemic, decreasing from $2.6 billion on March 18, 2020 to $1.4 billion on May 12 a loss of $1.2 billion. The unprecedented wealth amassed by billionaires and big corporations during the pandemic provides Connecticut with a rare opportunity to raise progressive revenue, reform the states tax structure, and address the systemic burden borne by literally 95 percent of our residents, said state Rep. Anne Hughes, D-Easton. Lets make a down payment to address real equity in Connecticut and make a significant step towards reforming our regressive tax structure, Hughes said at Thursdays press conference. UNITED NATIONS, May 20 (Xinhua) -- Zhang Jun, China's permanent representative to the United Nations, on Thursday called on the international community to give more play to the Security Council's role in making efforts to solve the Palestinian question. "China commends the great majority of Council members for their efforts and urges the relevant member to demonstrate its sense of responsibility. Despite the difficulties, China will continue to support the Council in taking actions, remaining united and speaking with one voice, so as to work with the international community in an unremitting, unrelenting effort to end the current crisis, and find a just solution to the Palestinian question," Zhang told the UN General Assembly plenary meeting on the situation in the Middle East and Palestine. Zhang, who is also the president of the Security Council for the month of May, called for efforts to cease hostilities and violence immediately to avoid more civilian casualties. "China condemns all violence against civilians, opposes all violence-inciting rhetoric and calls for the immediate end of hostilities and violence," he said. The ambassador urged parties concerned to earnestly implement UN resolutions and protect the legitimate rights and interests of the Palestinian people. "China calls on Israel, in line with the UN resolutions, to stop building settlements on the occupied Palestinian land, stop eviction of Palestinian families, halt the demolition of Palestinian houses, suppress violence against the Palestinians, and earnestly protect legitimate rights and interests of Palestinian people in the occupied territories. The historical status quo of holy sites in Jerusalem's Old City must be maintained and respected," said Zhang. He also demanded efforts to take robust measures to prevent humanitarian disasters. The ambassador expressed the hope to "redouble the efforts to promote peace talks, and a two-state solution." "The root causes of the repeated eruption of conflict between Palestine and Israel is the fact that the Middle East peace process has been off track and UN resolutions are not effectively implemented," he said. "China supports all efforts conducive to the realization of the two-state solution. To this end, the international community, especially countries with influence on the parties, should play an active role," said the envoy. "As a sincere friend of the Palestinian people, China firmly supports Palestine's just demand and the establishment of a fully sovereign, independent Palestinian state by its people on the basis of 1967 borders and with East Jerusalem as its capital. China will continue to make efforts for this endeavor," said the ambassador. SEATTLE (AP) Despite recent guidance from federal and state officials, the top health official in Washington's most populous county urged people Thursday to keep wearing face masks in public, indoor settings. King County Health Officer Dr. Jeff Duchin issued a directive strongly recommending that residents age 5 and up wear face coverings whether or not they are vaccinated until 70% or more of the county's residents 16 and older are fully inoculated. The agency projects the county will reach the threshold in late June. About 57% of those residents in King County home to Seattle were fully vaccinated as of Thursday, according to the directive. The county is home to about 2.26 million people. The directive applies to public indoor spaces including grocery and retail stores, government buildings and anywhere else members of the public can enter freely unless a state-approved method of checking vaccination status is implemented. It does not apply to outdoor places. Last week, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said fully vaccinated people can stop wearing masks outdoors in crowds and in most indoor settings and give up social distancing. Gov. Jay Inslee later said Washington state would immediately adopt the new guidance from the CDC. Inslee also said businesses would retain the right to require customers to wear masks, and that, as the CDC said, masks would still be required in hospitals, schools, airplanes, prisons and on public transportation. Duchin said Thursday he thinks there was uncharacteristically poor planning by the CDC regarding their rollout in communication of that guidance, which took him and many others by surprise. It has led to unnecessary and avoidable confusion and frustration, he said. With some people wondering why they should wear a mask inside if they're vaccinated, Duchin said it's because there's no easy way to know who is vaccinated and it's impractical for businesses to determine that. If unvaccinated people do not wear masks, the risk for COVID-19 spread increases," he said. "From a practical and community health perspective, the most reliable way to ensure everyone is safe is for everyone to wear a face mask in indoor public spaces for a few more weeks, until we get vaccination rates higher and disease rates lower. COVID-19 cases and hospitalization rates in the county have been decreasing but are still at elevated levels that show the county is just turning the corner on a fourth wave of infection, officials said. Duchin also said the county's relatively high rate of vaccination is not seen equally throughout the county's population, because the majority of vaccinated people are older adults. Vaccination rates for people of color and in certain geographic locations are lower, as well, and Duchin said without a mask mandate the virus will continue to spread in those communities. King County, like all counties in the state, is in a reopening phase that allows businesses such as restaurants, bars and gyms to operate at 50% indoor capacity. Last week the governor said businesses can open fully once 70% or more of residents age 16 and up statewide have received at least one vaccine dose. Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan said the city has had low virus death rates, cases and hospitalizations because it has relied on local public health experts and scientists. "We know masking in indoor public spaces will continue to allow our community to have the highest level of protection, she said. There have been nearly 392,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases plus another nearly 33,000 probable cases in Washington state and 5,673 deaths since the pandemic began. LANSING Michigan Department of Natural Resources conservation officers assisted in a multi-agency search and rescue that concluded Tuesday for an angler who was reported missing Monday, according to a press release from the DNR. Conservation Officer Cole VanOosten received a call from the Chippewa, Luce and Mackinac Counties Central Dispatch at 9:40 p.m., Monday, reporting a 64-year-old angler from Free Soil failed to meet up with his fishing partner earlier in the day, according to the release. The man, who is not being identified by the DNR, was reported missing at 8 p.m. by his fishing partner. VanOosten and Conservation Officer Colton Gelinas reported to the Luce County Sheriffs Office Incident Command Post that was established near the anglers last known location near the intersection of Luce County Road 421 and the Tahquamenon River. VanOosten and Gelinas kayaked the river until the search was postponed at 1 a.m. Tuesday. At 7:30 a.m., Conservation Officers Mark Zitnik and Cpl. Kevin Postma, Luce County Sheriffs Office and U.S. Border Patrol agents joined VanOosten and Gelinas to continue searching the river, according to the release. At 1 p.m., a Michigan State Police helicopter arrived and within 20 minutes located the missing angler. VanOosten, Gelinas, Zitnik and Postma received the anglers GPS coordinates and began the three-quarter mile hike towards the angler from the command post. It took the conservation officers 45 minutes to reach the missing man, who was dehydrated and extremely happy to see the officers. Conservation officers carried the man piggy-back style until they neared the helicopter. The man told the officers that he left the river Monday afternoon and tried to go cross-country back to the anglers truck but he became disoriented. Once he realized he did not know the way out and it was getting dark, he found a small piece of high ground, started a fire and settled in for the night. This is a great example of a missing person who used good survival skills to preserve his own strength, said Chief Gary Hagler, Michigan DNR Law Enforcement Division. Conservation officers receive unique search and rescue training to conduct searches in difficult terrain, such as the dense, swampy areas encountered during this search. Once the man realized he was lost, he stayed put, started a fire and waited for help. Often when people become lost, they keep going farther away from where they started and from where a search would logically begin. Were all happy this had a positive outcome, (and) it was a team effort by all agencies. Led by Luce County Sheriffs Office, other assisting agencies included the Luce County Auxiliary, Luce County EMS and the Luce County Emergency Management Coordinator, the Michigan State Police Aviation Unit and Central Dispatch. Michigan conservation officers are fully commissioned law enforcement officers who provide natural resources protection, ensure recreational safety and protect citizens by providing general law enforcement duties and conducting lifesaving operations in the communities they serve. Her NGO Teach for Change will be extending support to 1,000 kids who have lost their parents to the virus. Their team is already on the ground, identifying such kids. They will be helping them with education, basic necessities and also help build a foundation for themselves. Actress Lakshmi Manchu is doing her bit to help children who have lost their parents to Covid. "On a personal front, I have been helping as many people as I can, trying to find medications or hospital beds and vice versa. The effect of Covid is more devastating post getting Covid even for the families and children who lost parents during this time," she says. She adds: "We, at Teach for Change, are committed to taking care of 1,000 kids from lower-income households -- of their education, tuition, clothes and whatever it is they need help with." Recently, the actress also stepped up to help the community of Hyderabad by donating 1,000 cooked meals in hospitals. "The initiative started with the lockdown where most people around the hospitals have been coming in from smaller towns and have no access to food. So, we chose a few hospitals that we would distribute 1000 meals during the entire lockdown. Our team at Teach for Change, our volunteers, our team members have been doing this every single day and are so grateful to be able to feed people and take hunger away from them," she says. For more stories click here: Kollywood l Malayalam l Bollywood l Telugu New Delhi: Pune's Mylab Discovery Solutions on Thursday launched India's first self-testing kit for COVID-19, which has received the approval of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). "This test is for self-use. If you test positive via this there's no need for the RT-PCR test as per ICMR. Any adult can use this kit by reading our manual," Director of Mylab Discovery Solutions, Sujeet Jain told ANI. "It takes 2 minutes to conduct the test and 15 minutes to get the result. It will be available by end of next week in more than 7 lakh pharmacies and our online pharmacy partners across India. Our target is to reach 90 percent pin codes in India," informed Jain. The COVID testing kit can be used by any common person at home without the assistance of any lab or health official. The kit named 'CoviSelf' delivers the result just in 15 minutes. The kit will cost Rs 250 in the market. While speaking to ANI Sujit Jain, Director of My Lab Discovery Solutions said, "This kit is the result of hard work of six months and it ensures complete safety. Anybody having a basic knowledge can also get this test done at home." "As per ICMR guidelines, if anybody gets tested positive with this test, he/she does not need to do RT-PCR test again. This is the first-ever self-testing kit approved by ICMR in India,' he added. Yesterday, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) said that only symptomatic individuals and immediate contacts of COVID-19 positive patients are advised for home testing by Rapid Antigen Tests (RAT). "Home testing by RAT is advised only in symptomatic individuals and immediate contacts of laboratory-confirmed positive cases. Indiscriminate testing is not advised. Home testing should be conducted as per the procedure described by the manufacturer in the user manual (pictorial and video link of the user manual is provided below against the name of the approved test kit)," stated the ICMR advisory. ICMR suggested users download the home testing mobile app on their smartphones and said the app is a comprehensive guide of the testing procedure. 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! What's Included With a Digital Only subscription, you'll receive unlimited access to our website and e-edition. Our digital products are available 24/7 and are accessible anywhere, anytime. If you have any questions or need further assistance, please call our customer service team at 712-243-2624 or email circ@ant-news.com. Lamborghini is the latest supercar maker to pivot from screaming V-12 combustion engines to electric. Volkswagens Italian brand announced on Tuesday that by 2024, it will offer plug-in hybrid versions of each model in its lineupfrom the bestselling Urus SUV to the track-suited Aventadorwith the first arriving in two years. Lamborghini also will launch its first vehicle powered purely by battery in the second half of the decade, Chief Executive Officer Stephan Winkelmann said. Going electric: Lamborghini will offer will offer plug-in hybrid versions of its Aventador SVJ Roadster within three years. Credit:Lamborghini The brand will spend 1.5 billion ($2.4 billion) to develop the new fleet that, starting in 2025, will halve emissions across the product line, Winkelmann said in an interview. The outlay will be the largest investment ever for Lamborghini. The reduction of the CO emissions is interesting to the big brands of the automotive industry, but its even more difficult and even more impacting for a super-sports-car manufacturer like Lamborghini, Winkelmann said. You need to reduce the emissions, but on the other hand you have to stay a performance-oriented, super-sports-car manufacturer without any doubt. So its a big challenge for us. In a very simple way, you have to change everything not to change anything. Few private citizens are more central to Western Australias affairs than billionaires Andrew Forrest and Kerry Stokes. Both men are among the states biggest employers, dominating the mining and media sectors respectively. And now theyre working together to develop a landmark site on the banks of Perths Swan River, which they secured for just $1. An artists impression of the East Perth power station redevelopment. The WA government has valued the landmark riverfront site at just $1. Forrest and Stokes private companies clinched the waterfront site in a public tender process. The site houses a century old power station and is the size of 10 soccer pitches, which the private companies of Forrest and Stokes will convert into a residential, commercial and cultural precinct that will cost at least $300 million. The development will create up to 3200 jobs, and the Labor government of Premier Mark McGowan is expected to unveil more details about it next month. But the deal has also triggered outrage, with arguments that taxpayers should be getting more for the East Perth Power Station site. The justification for charging the dollar for 8.5 hectares at the edge of the city was that it had substantial remediation costs. Well, the state has already kicked in $66 million. So why is it worth zero? We get no answers, says Mike Nahan, a former Liberal Party opposition leader and also treasurer in premier Colin Barnetts conservative government. I am having my first COVID-19 vaccine shot today. Given all the media furore about the vaccine, I find myself very mildly anxious. This has reminded me, if I ever needed reminding, that like most who identify as human beings I am not always quite as rational in my thinking as I would prefer. The anxiety arises out of the murky concept of side effects. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics Use of Medications, 1995 survey: 24 per cent of the population used pain relievers in that year. Yet if you inspect the product information for these products you will see a list of possible side effects that are every bit as alarming as those reported for the COVID-19 vaccines. An emergency services worker getting a COVID-19 vaccination. Credit:Nick Moir The point is that these risks are generally infinitesimally small, especially when administered under medical guidance as is the case with the COVID vaccines. Incidentally the same survey reported lower usage of pain relievers amongst those who never married or are widows. I am not sure what conclusions (if any) to draw from that! The risk of a serious side effect from a COVID vaccine for someone over 55 is currently thought to be about 0.0004 per cent (according to the Winton Centre for Risk and Evidence Communication). Obviously it is early days, and the complete picture will not be known for some time. Almost on cue, her husband walks into the room. Hes tall and man-bunned and is holding their five-month-old son, Nilo, on his shoulder. Its feeding time. He needs to retrieve the baby bouncer from the lounge room where we sit, with a piano against one wall and various bata drums on the floor. He is Fabian Almazan, a Cuban-American jazz pianist, environmentalist and founder of the Biophilia record label. After we bump elbows in greeting, he excuses himself to go and feed his son. Later I can hear him singing to him in the kitchen. Linda May Han Oh is the first teacher in the jazz department at Berklee to go on maternity leave. Credit:Shervin Lainez Oh was born in Malaysia but her family moved to Perth when she was only three. Her two older sisters May-Chin (now a veterinarian) and May-Sian (now a GP) learnt piano, and Oh remembers being fascinated watching them as a toddler and she was soon desperate to play herself. She started learning at age four. By 11, she was playing clarinet and bassoon. As she grew up, May-Chins record collection exposed her to rock (Led Zeppelin, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Mr. Bungle) and jazz (Bill Evans, Miles Davis, John Zorn). When an uncle gave her an electric bass at the age of 15, she started playing in the Churchlands school jazz band and a garage band with friends. Later, hearing legendary bassist Ray Brown play on Oscar Petersons 1963 album Night Train prompted her switch to double bass. Oh moved to New York in 2006 to study at the Manhattan School Of Music, which is where she met Almazan. The two played in each others bands and were friends for nine years before they got together romantically. They married in 2018 and live in Harlem. When COVID hit last year, and with Oh four months pregnant, they decided to temporarily relocate to Ohs home town in Western Australia, moving in with May-Sian and her family. They plan to return to New York later this year. As well as releasing five albums as bandleader, including the APRA award-winning Aventurine in 2019, Oh is the bassist for iconic guitarist Pat Metheny. She is also an associate professor at Berklee College Of Music in Boston. On her to-do list for 2021 is to tour Europe, record a commission she wrote for Chamber Music America, and score a documentary about the landmark 2007 US Supreme Court case that forced the EPA to regulate greenhouse gases as pollutants. For the majority of Australians, the science is in: vaccines are the only way to end the COVID-19 pandemic, heralding a return to the world as we knew it. But over the past week the challenge of convincing people to be vaccinated has leapt into focus. An exclusive survey for The Sydney Morning Herald by research company Resolve Strategic found 14 per cent of people are not at all likely and 15 per cent not very likely to sign up for vaccines in the next few months, even if they are available. There is anecdotal evidence that some doctors are not even ordering vaccines for their clinics because they cannot convince enough patients to sign up. The problem of vaccine hesitancy in Australia should not be exaggerated. The survey results are roughly similar to comparable countries such as the United States. Just when you thought that the restaurant industry would be providing some solace to the casual diner of modest means, were getting caviar trolleys and lobster burgers. What on earth is going on? I havent seen so many big-ticket items on menus since the 1980s, which was also the last time I could afford them. Not only that, but the trappings are back. Linen tablecloths. Silver accoutrements. Beeswax candles. Velvet booths. Gueridon (trolley) service. Carpet! And marble! So much marble. Restaurateurs report that while dining numbers may be down, customer spend is up. Its hard to believe, but theres so much money around, says one, who calls his restaurant a revolving door for lobster, scampi and Western Australian crystal crab. Illustration by Drew Aitken. Credit: Cashed-up non-travellers are doing whatever they can to pretend theyre in Paris, Monaco, Shanghai or Dubai. Theyre running their finger down the wagyu steak prices and stopping on the highest, not the lowest. Theyre actively looking for supplements on truffles and caviar rather than avoiding them. Theyre splurging, trying to wipe away the memory of all those lockdown takeaway meals; all that lasagne. You see it happening in Melbourne at the glamorous Gimlet, with its raised tiers of tables, caviar served in antique silver and 1930s cocktail service, and will see it again when the dazzling Society restaurant opens in Collins Place in July. In the Harbour City, the $6 million fit-out of Seta Sydney all soaring marble columns and libraries of wine, whisks me back to the grand Italian restaurants of yesteryear, when dining out was a matter of dressing up and spending up. The news outlets being sued by Ben Roberts-Smith have sought the former SAS soldiers medical records amid a factual dispute over whether he was having an affair when he allegedly punched a woman in the face. Mr Roberts-Smith, a highly decorated former soldier and Victoria Cross recipient, is suing The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald over reports he allegedly committed murder during deployments to Afghanistan between 2009 and 2012 and allegedly punched the woman with whom he was having an affair in the face in Canberra in 2018. Former soldier Ben Roberts-Smith. Credit:Getty Images Mr Roberts-Smith denies the allegations and says the reports are defamatory because they portray him as a criminal. The media will defend the claim using a truth defence at a defamation trial starting on June 7. NSWs ban on Sikh students taking their ceremonial dagger into public schools has sparked an international furore and the Sikh parliament is calling on Indias external affairs minister and high commissioner to intervene. The ban has also made news among big Sikh communities in the United Kingdom and Canada, which warned it would lead to xenophobia. There has also been widespread criticism in India, where about 20 million people practise Sikhism. NSW put a temporary ban on the kirpan - a small dagger carried by baptised Sikhs to symbolise their duty to protect the innocent - after a 14-year-old boy used one to stab a 16-year-old at Glenwood High School in Sydneys north-west two weeks ago. Baptised Sikhs are required to wear a ceremonial dagger, symbolising their duty to protect the innocent. Credit:Skielor Sikh organisations say the state government had been working with them to find a compromise solution until the story hit the media on Monday. They were told of the ban - which only applies to public schools - that afternoon. The legal soap opera was about as salacious as it gets but the courtroom was relatively empty for the opening arguments on Monday morning. Days later, a packed public gallery in the County Court was watching one of Melbournes most sensational defamation trials, as lurid allegations of sex addiction, drug use and cheating were aired in public. Selina Holder arrives at court this week. Credit:Justin McManus On one side of the room sat the plaintiff, 48-year-old IT consultant Constantine Arvanitis. He wore suits in various shades of grey and blue during the week as he answered for his womanising, occasionally sweeping back his thick black hair as he did so. Selina Holder, his 39-year-old ex-girlfriend, sat on the left of the courtroom as the defendant. When not taking notes, she tapped her ringed fingers on the page and listened to her former boyfriend give evidence about her being violent towards him and sending abusive messages. People living around Lygon Street have vented their frustration with authorities after a man was wounded in an early morning drive-by shooting near the popular Carlton restaurant strip. The 21-year-old was standing near Argyle Square park, which borders Lygon Street, when he was shot about 4am on Saturday. Part of Lygon Street, Carlton, was closed on Saturday morning while police investigated an early morning shooting. Credit:Joe Armao Police believe the shots were fired from a light-coloured car, which then left the scene. The victim was taken to the Royal Melbourne Hospital under police guard with non-life-threatening injuries. He was in a stable condition on Saturday evening. Victorias Supreme Court has been asked to reopen one of the gangland wars most notorious episodes the slaying of crime patriarch Lewis Moran after fresh evidence cast doubt on a 12-year-old murder conviction. Evangelos Goussis, a one-time aspiring Olympic boxer who is serving a life sentence for two gangland murders, has lodged a new appeal against his 2008 conviction for the killing of Moran on the basis of information either unknown or concealed from his legal team at the time of his trial. The Sydney Road crime scene on the night Lewis Moran was murdered by a masked gunman inside the Brunswick Club. Credit:Paul Harris Goussis lawyers have summoned Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Shane Patton to provide all relevant information about the involvement of defence barrister-turned informer Nicola Gobbo in his case and secret dealings between police detectives and a career criminal and self-confessed perjurer who implicated Goussis in the 2004 murder. Despite being a fringe player in the bloody drug feud between the Moran clan and their one-time henchman Carl Williams, Goussis is serving a non-parole term of 35 years in prison one of the heaviest sentences meted out to any gangland figure. Mining billionaire Clive Palmer has declared he is confident he will win his defamation case against WA Premier Mark McGowan, revealing he plans to give evidence at the trial. Youre all invited to the High Court in June to have drinks with me and to crack the champagne, he told the media during a press conference in Brisbane on Friday when asked if he was confident in his fight against Mr McGowan. Mining magnate Clive Palmer and WA Premier Mark McGowan are still destined for the courts. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen/Trevor Collens Ill be personally appearing in the High Court before the seven judges, putting my position. Freedom exists in Australia and I think that if you look at the legal commentary around the commentary, they think that what has been attempted by comrade McGowan wont prevail. Today Thunderstorms. High 83F. Winds SW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Tonight A few clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 61F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph. Tomorrow A mainly sunny sky. High 87F. Winds NNE at 10 to 15 mph. Liberal minister Christian Porter says he remains totally committed to his electorate when asked at his first media conference since taking mental health leave earlier this year if he would stand at the next federal election. Mr Porter, who has launched a defamation case against the ABC for an online article making an allegation of rape against him, has made limited public appearances since taking a break on March 3 and losing his role as attorney general in a cabinet shuffle on March 30. Mr Porter vehemently denies the allegation. Industry, Science and Technology Minister Christian Porter makes his first media appearance in Perth since he went on health leave in March. Credit:Peter de Kruijff The Industry, Science and Technology Minister told reporters in Perth on Friday the past few months had not been an easy period for him personally. But Im very much enjoying the new portfolio and Im feeling well and truly back to work, Mr Porter said. London: Tony Hall bounced into work on November 21, 1995 thinking he was onto a winner. What he really had on his hands was a ticking time bomb which finally exploded this week. The BBCs then-chief of news and current affairs entered the office that day elated about the previous nights Panorama program, in which Princess Diana sensationally declared there were three of us in this marriage. Hall was in such a good mood that he penned a handwritten letter to Martin Bashir, the little-known reporter responsible for the ratings bonanza. Princess Diana on the BBC's Panorama program in November 1995. Credit:AP Dear Martin, Hall gushed. You should be very proud of your scoop. It was the interview of the decade - if not of our generation. But equally importantly, you handled it with skill, sensitivity and excellent judgement. I also think you have carried yourself during this whole episode in absolutely the appropriate fashion. We now know Bashir did nothing of the kind and that the scoop of the decade has its own dark story. The journalist used faked bank documents to secure the interview with Diana and later lied about it. A mystery burglary conveniently eliminated potentially significant evidence. A graphic designer who first raised concerns about Bashirs dealings was instead made a scapegoat. And in a new twist, a major investigation has found the BBC - the worlds most revered public broadcaster - covered some of it up. SABA:--- On Monday, May 17, International Telecommunications Day, Sabas telecommunications provider Satel NV, which celebrated its 45th anniversary, honored its former director and telecommunications pioneer Chester Zagers by naming its main building after him. Satel befittingly utilized the occasion of International Telecommunications Day and the customer appreciation day for the companys 45th anniversary to pay special tribute to Zagers, who worked for the company for almost 40 years and who after his retirement served as chairman on Satels supervisory board for another 10 years. Sonia Johnson of Satel, who acted as the MC during Mondays event, reflected on Zagers tenure in the telecommunications industry. When Zagers started his career in 1959 at the age of 17, technology was far from what it is now, and his duties focused on radio/telephone connection and Morse code. The only direct and consistent communication was with St. Maarten and St. Eustatius. Telegram Communication from other islands than St. Maarten and St. Eustatius arrived via telegram. He had the very challenging job of delivering telegrams announcing the death of relatives living overseas. According to Zagers, this was the hardest part of his job. Chester was very dedicated to his work: he worked seven days a week and on weekends his hours were even longer, up to 12-hour shifts. He worked alone for the first eight years. A big change came in 1976 with the agreement between the Saba Government and Landsradio to establish an automatic telephone system and a ship to shore coast station on Saba. Saba Radio was in operation for 20 years, a 24-hour service divided into three shifts. Saba Radio closed its operations in 1997. It played a very important role in the Eastern Caribbean, assisting ships in need of information or in distress helping to save lives. Fiber optic cable Another advancement in the telecommunications field on Saba occurred when a fiber optic cable was laid from The Bottom to Windwardside in order to prepare for a new telephone system. Additionally, a tower for the microwave link between Saba and St. Maarten was constructed. This link greatly benefitted the island and its people because it allowed private citizens to have telephones at home and gave them the ability to make international calls. A second fiber cable was laid from Windwardside to Mount Scenery as a backup system, and a building was placed on top of the mountain to house the equipment. An additional building in St. Johns housed the equipment for a microwave link from St. Johns to St. Eustatius. A Canadian contractor laid a new network of cables throughout the entire island, and the St. Maarten telephone company Telem NV installed an aerial telephone network. Chester managed and supervised this entire undertaking. It was a tremendous opportunity in his career and he felt privileged to spearhead this operation, said Johnson. Satellite link The next development in telecommunications brought Saba in the modern technology age when the internet was installed via a satellite link from Miami and Saba obtained multimedia service. Zagers was also in charge of the television repeater on Peter Simmons Hill which brought in TV reception from St. Croix and the PBS station in St. Thomas. If the wind turned the antenna around or affected its signal, Zagers climbed the hill to manually fix the problem. Unfortunately, Hurricane Hugo destroyed the site and the antennas. Johnson and the other speakers, Commissioners Rolando Wilson and Bruce Zagers, and Satel board member Mizaida Hassell-Linzey spoke highly of Zagers qualities and dedication. His outstanding leadership qualities have made him an exemplary role model to other civil servants and that is why we are proud to honor and celebrate him today, said Johnson. Professional dedication Commissioner Wilson referred to Zagers professional dedication to a job done with pride and commitment. But, he added, there was much more to him than his job, because Zagers was also a highly dedicated family man, a man of faith and presence in the Catholic church, and a man of service to his community by chairing the board of the Sacred Heart Primary School, the Saba Red Cross, and the Saba Lions Club. Chester has been a stalwart figure in the community, and the renaming of the Satel building after him is but a small demonstration of appreciation to someone who has done so much, for so long and so very well. We thank you and salute you, said Wilson. To say that Chester has given his time and dedication to the advancement of telecommunications on Saba, would be an understatement. Chester has given his heart and soul to the field, his dedication throughout his professional life. He truly is a pioneer and an icon. There is no more fitting person to name this building after than Chester. His lifes work and dedication deserve to be honored, said Bruce Zagers, on behalf of former Commissioner Chris Johnson. Role model He has been a mentor and role model for many on Saba, said Satel Director Jennifer Zagers. Board Member Hassell-Linzey said Zagers dedication to his job was without limits. Everything he did was in the best interest of the company and the Saba people with total commitment and selflessness. It is because his devotion, we name the Satel main building after him. We bestow this great honor to him and his legacy will live on as a great contributor to telecommunications on our beloved Saba, Hassell-Linzey said. The last speaker before the unveiling of the sign was Chester Zagers himself. He said that it was a very special day for him and his family. My job at that time, being 17 was my only link with the outside world. It was my pleasure to serve Saba for all those years. Thank you for recognizing my efforts and for naming the building after me, he said. The event will be held at the Hotel Embajador on June 9-10th and follows the biosafety guidelines of the Ministry of Public Health and the World Tourism Organization. Santo Domingo:--- As a result of COVID-19, we have lived a year of confinement and learning when it comes to safety and preventive health. In that sense, the organizers of the V International Health and Wellness Tourism Congress are reinforcing the already strict security measures offered by the host hotel through the support of Ducto Limpio, a company that offers preventive protocols and decontamination of indoor environments. During the event, Ducto Limpio will have HEPA filters and hospital-grade air purifiers and disinfection of the area with their electrostatic nebulization and short-wave UV light. Amelia Reyes Mora, president of AF Comunicacion Estrategica, the congress co-organizer along with the Dominican Health Tourism Association, said that for this edition, the logistics of the assembly changed because of the effects of the pandemic, a situation that, as a company of public relations and events, represents a challenge that we are ready to tackle since the priority is the health and safety of the attendees. By trusting Ducto Limpio, the air circulating, sanitation, disinfection, and cleaning of all the areas where the international event will take place, we want to transmit the necessary confidence to the face-to-face attendees, since COVID-19 is our reality for a while. As a company we are committed to guaranteeing the good development of corporate events under international security standards in times of pandemic, added Reyes Mora. Similarly, Reyes Mora pointed that the Hotel Embajador has health protocols per the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO), government institutions, and international organizations such as the WTTC (World Travel and Tourism Council). In a recent audit by Cristal International, the hotel obtained an excellent score in the POSI (Prevention of the Spread of Infection) protocol. The general manager of the Ducto Limpio, Julio Arencibia said that before the pandemic we were not so concerned about air purification, we believed that cleaning was enough. Now, that is not enough. It is necessary to clean, sanitize and purify under strict protocols that guarantee the removal of viruses, bacteria, and fungi. We use our products according to the CDC of Atlanta application methodology guidelines. Ducto Limpio has a promotion program about the importance of air purification to trap those microorganisms that can trigger allergies, asthma attacks or produce diseases. "As these microorganisms are not seen, it is difficult for us to understand that they are present. Thats the opposite of cleaning, where we see the impurity or dirt on the surfaces and after cleaning we no longer see it", says the air quality expert Arencibia. It is important to clarify that to minimize the spread of contagious diseases in our indoor environments, it involves a holistic approach composed of cleaning, which is the process of physically removing those unwanted substances on a surface and this action by itself. it begins to reduce the number of microorganisms present, he added. Disinfection removes and prevents the growth of pathogenic microorganisms on surfaces to levels that do not pose a threat of disease; air purification removes a large percentage of these microorganisms and other pollutants before they reach our breathing zone, minimizing our exposure to them and in turn reduces the number of microorganisms and other pollutants that are deposited on surfaces, which can convert into fomites that are defined as inanimate surfaces that become vectors of disease. The company leads the market in the Dominican Republic with incomplete solutions to improve indoor air quality, as well as the decontamination of indoor environments, helping to provide a healthy and healthy indoor environment that promotes well-being, productivity, and enjoyment of both residential, corporate, and business spaces. Skeena Intersects 155.76 g/t Au over 3.22 metres at Snip Gold Project Posted by Publisher Internet Skeena Resources Limited (TSX: SKE, OTCQX: SKREF) (?Skeena? or the ?Company? https://www.commodity-tv.com/ondemand/companies/profil/skeena-resources-ltd/) is pleased to report diamond drill core results from the 2021 Phase 3 infill and exploration drilling program at the Snip gold project (?Snip? or the ?Project?) located in the Golden Triangle of British Columbia. The Phase 3 program is designed to upgrade areas of existing Inferred resources from the Company?s 2020 Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE), to the Measured and Indicated categories. Reference images are presented at the end of this release as well as on the Company?s website. Snip 2021 Phase 3 Drilling Highlights: 76 g/t Au over 3.22 m (S21-076) 50 g/t Au over 0.50 m (S21-078) 40 g/t Au over 3.00 m (S21-080) 30 g/t Au over 0.50 m (S21-083) True widths range from 60-90% of reported core lengths. Length weighted Au composites are constrained by geological considerations. Grade-capping of individual assays has not been applied to the Au assays informing the length-weighted Au composites. Samples below detection limit were nulled to a value of zero. New High-Grade Mineralization Intersected Below Twin Zone Situated in the footwall sediments below the Twin Zone, occurrences of high tenor, vein-hosted mineralization have been intersected grading 155.76 g/t Au over 3.22 m including 376.00 g/t Au over 0.89 m and 194.00 g/t Au over 0.83 m (S21-076), and 140.50 g/t Au over 0.50 m (S21-078). These surface-based drill holes were targeting Inferred resources hosted by footwall veins that were previously only populated by widely spaced, selectively sampled historical drill holes in this area of the deposit. The new high-grade mineralization, defined by S21-076, occurs hanging-wall to the known footwall veins. Additional footwall vein-hosted mineralization was also encountered by surface drill hole S21-080 which intersected 8.40 g/t Au over 3.00 m including 12.20 g/t Au over 1.50 m. This drill hole intersection occurs 100 m northwest S21-076 and correlates spatially with the modelled resources. 2021 Phase 3 Program Description The 2021 drilling program at Snip is designed to convert Inferred resources from the Company?s 2020 MRE to higher confidence categories (Measured and Indicated) through surface and underground drilling. Dedicated geotechnical drilling is also being completed at the Project. Approximately 3,100 m of surface-based drilling and 8,000 m of underground drilling remain to be completed in 2021. The Company is currently operating two underground rigs at Snip and additional surface rigs will be added once permits are received. About Skeena Skeena Resources Limited is a Canadian mining exploration company focused on revitalizing the past-producing Eskay Creek gold-silver mine located in Tahltan Territory in the Golden Triangle of northwest British Columbia, Canada. The Company released a robust Preliminary Economic Assessment in late 2019 and is currently focused on infill and exploration drilling to advance Eskay Creek to full Feasibility by Q1 2022. Additionally, Skeena continues exploration programs at the past-producing Snip gold mine. Qualified Persons Exploration activities at the Snip Project are administered on site by the Company?s Exploration Managers, Raegan Markel, P.Geo. and John Tyler. In accordance with National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects, Paul Geddes, P.Geo. Vice President Exploration and Resource Development, is the Qualified Person for the Company and has prepared, validated and approved the technical and scientific content of this news release. The Company strictly adheres to CIM Best Practices Guidelines in conducting, documenting, and reporting the exploration activities on its projects. Quality Assurance ? Quality Control Once received from the drill and processed, all drill core samples are sawn in half, labelled and bagged. The remaining drill core is subsequently securely stored on site. Numbered security tags are applied to lab shipments for chain of custody requirements. The Company inserts quality control (QC) samples at regular intervals in the sample stream, including blanks and reference materials with all sample shipments to monitor laboratory performance. The QAQC program was designed and approved by Lynda Bloom, P.Geo. of Analytical Solutions Ltd., and is overseen by the Company?s Qualified Person, Paul Geddes, P.Geo, Vice President Exploration and Resource Development. Drill core samples are submitted to ALS Geochemistry?s analytical facility in North Vancouver, British Columbia for preparation and analysis. The ALS facility is accredited to the ISO/IEC 17025 standard for gold assays and all analytical methods include quality control materials at set frequencies with established data acceptance criteria. The entire sample is crushed and 1 kg is pulverized. Analysis for gold is by 50 g fire assay fusion with atomic absorption (AAS) finish with a lower limit of 0.01 ppm and upper limit of 100 ppm. Samples with gold assays greater than 100 ppm are re-analyzed using a 50 g fire assay fusion with gravimetric finish. Analysis for silver is by 50 g fire assay fusion with gravimetric finish with a lower limit of 5ppm and upper limit of 10,000 ppm. Samples with silver assays greater than 10,000 ppm are re-analyzed using a gravimetric silver concentrate method. A selected number of samples are also analyzed using a 48 multi-element geochemical package by a 4-acid digestion, followed by Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-AES) and Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectroscopy (ICP-MS) and also for mercury using an aqua regia digest with Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-AES) finish. Samples with sulfur reporting greater than 10% from the multi-element analysis are re-analyzed for total sulfur by Leco furnace and infrared spectroscopy. Cautionary note regarding forward-looking statements Certain statements made and information contained herein may constitute ?forward looking information? and ?forward looking statements? within the meaning of applicable Canadian and United States securities legislation. These statements and information are based on facts currently available to the Company and there is no assurance that actual results will meet management?s expectations. Forward-looking statements and information may be identified by such terms as ?anticipates?, ?believes?, ?targets?, ?estimates?, ?plans?, ?expects?, ?may?, ?will?, ?could? or ?would?. Forward-looking statements and information contained herein are based on certain factors and assumptions regarding, among other things, the estimation of mineral resources and reserves, the realization of resource and reserve estimates, metal prices, taxation, the estimation, timing and amount of future exploration and development, capital and operating costs, the availability of financing, the receipt of regulatory approvals, environmental risks, title disputes and other matters. While the Company considers its assumptions to be reasonable as of the date hereof, forward-looking statements and information are not guarantees of future performance and readers should not place undue importance on such statements as actual events and results may differ materially from those described herein. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements or information except as may be required by applicable securities laws. Neither the Toronto Stock Exchange nor the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Somerset, KY (42501) Today Thunderstorms early, then variable clouds overnight with still a chance of showers. Low 66F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 80%.. Tonight Thunderstorms early, then variable clouds overnight with still a chance of showers. Low 66F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 80%. Somerset, KY (42501) Today Thunderstorms this evening followed by a few showers overnight. Low 66F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%.. Tonight Thunderstorms this evening followed by a few showers overnight. Low 66F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. The iconic Sample Gates are seen on the Indiana University campus in Bloomington, Tuesday, April 23, 2019. They look from the campus out to Kirkwood Avenue. Support local journalism Now, more than ever, the world needs trustworthy reportingbut good journalism isnt free. Please support us by making a contribution. Contribute Bir Lehlou, May 21, 2021 SPS- The foreign Affairs Ministry confirmed today, that Morocco's fabrication of crises with several countries, international and regional organizations, is only due to the total and utter failure of its aggressive and expansionist adventure against the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic. The Text of the Communique: "Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic Foreign Affairs Ministry Communique Morocco's fabrication of crises with several countries, international and regional organizations, is only due to the total and utter failure of its aggressive and expansionist adventure against the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic. This uncovering of defeat and isolation heavily felt in Rabat causes great dismay and deep bitterness. The calculations of the Moroccan occupier, based on the belief by the Moroccan diplomacy, that Trump's statement would generate a global dynamic that would seal the legitimization of the Moroccan illegal annexation and occupation of Western Sahara, have all resulted in a political fiasco. Rabats aggressiveness agains Germany and Spain in particular, is the direct consequence of the global wave and the great momentum against Trump's statement, but is also the result of the international communitys attachment to the legal nature of the Saharawi issue and its rejection of Moroccos sovereignty over Western Sahara. The fabrication of false pretexts and the evocation of deceitful arguments cannot conceal the shock received by Morocco which relied, out of a political mistake, on certain member countries of the European Union to constitute the locomotor that will endorse Trump's statement. That statement, which did not last longer than the period Trump had left in the White House, could not hold water due to its inconsistency with international law and because it totally opposed the policy of the United States, its interests, its reputation, and the role entrusted to it in resolving conflicts and in establishing international peace and security. The Saharawi government and the Polisario Front call on the United Nations, the African Union and the European Union to intensify efforts in order to put an end to the Moroccan illegal occupation of parts of the territory of the SADR with a view to enable its people to fully exercise their national rights to freedom and sovereignty, and thus ending their suffering and enabling their state to occupy its right place among peoples and nations. It is time for the international community to assume its responsibilities arising from Moroccan denial of its obligations agreed upon in the 1991s Settlement Plan and obstruction of United Nations and African Unions efforts aimed at ending colonialism from Western Sahara and reaching peace between the two countries. It has become necessary, and indeed urgent, to compel Morocco to respect recognized international borders and to turn the page on expansionism, aggression and blackmail. It is no more acceptable to allow Morocco to continue its policies of annexation of neighbours territories, committing torture, oppression, war crimes and crimes against humanity against the Saharawi people all that while enjoying total impunity The Kingdom of Morocco must stop being a permanent source of destabilization and a vector of instability in the North West African region and in the Mediterranean. We urgently call on the UN, AU and EU to compel Rabat to stop aggression, drug use, illegal immigration and give up the shameful use of terrorism and the complicity with its agents and networks as a state policy. Bir Lehlu 21 May 2021" SPS 090/110 One of the best companies to work for in America. Avero has been named to Inc. magazines annual list of the Best Workplaces for 2021. Hitting newsstands May 18 in the May/June 2021 issue, and as part of a prominent Inc.com feature, the list is the result of a wide-ranging and comprehensive measurement of American companies that have created exceptional workplaces and company culture whether teams are operating in person or remotely. Collecting data from thousands of submissions, Inc. singled out 429 honorees this year. Each nominated company took part in an employee survey, conducted by Quantum Workplace, on topics including management effectiveness, perks, and fostering employee growth. The organizations benefits were also audited to determine the companys overall score and ranking. "At Avero, we pride ourselves in looking after the wellbeing of our employees as much as we do our customers. Averos culture is founded on two proven principles. The first principle, idea meritocracy, encourages all Avero team members to come to the table with their best ideas, which will not be merited by positional power. Simply put, the best idea wins. Secondly, creating a performance-driven organization enables executives to motivate all team members to perform and achieve success. Avero is involved in activities that solve the most pressing problems through technology and enrich lives within the community." -- Abhijit Verekar, President & CEO of Avero The definition of a positive workplace has changed drastically over the past year, says Inc. magazine editor-in-chief Scott Omelianuk. Stocked fridges and nap pods were no longer perks many companies could rely on once work went remote. So, this years list is even more important as it reveals organizations that continue to enrich the lives of its employees amid a pandemic. About Avero Advisors Avero Advisors is an "end to end" information technology advisory firm that positions our clients for success through effective application of tailor-made technology management strategies. Our advisors have been practicing for over a decade and are experienced in cradle to grave technology implementations using industry standard, and at times, unconventional methodologies. With a diverse clientele and an in depth understanding the cloud era, and traditional technology environments, we focus on answering the age-old question of "Yes, its new and shiny, but how does it fit into my organization and how does it help further our strategic interests?". Avero Advisors team of consultants works with a portfolio of public sector clients and has supported engagements for several government agencies across the country. Our experience serving local governments has made us pros at identifying the best way to use internal resources and where to invest in new technology and infrastructure. About Inc. Media The worlds most trusted business-media brand, Inc. offers entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections, and community to build great companies. Its award-winning multiplatform content reaches more than 50 million people each month across a variety of channels including websites, newsletters, social media, podcasts, and print. Its prestigious Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The global recognition that comes with inclusion in the 5000 gives the founders of the best businesses an opportunity to engage with an exclusive community of their peers, and the credibility that helps them drive sales and recruit talent. The associated Inc. 5000 Conference is part of a highly acclaimed portfolio of bespoke events produced by Inc. For more information, visit http://www.inc.com. About Quantum Workplace Quantum Workplace, based in Omaha, Nebraska, is an HR technology company that serves organizations through employee-engagement surveys, action-planning tools, exit surveys, peer-to-peer recognition, performance evaluations, goal tracking, and leadership assessment. For more information, visit QuantumWorkplace.com. For the original version on PRWeb visit: https://www.prweb.com/releases/avero_ranks_among_highest_scoring_businesses_on_inc_magazine_s_annual_list_of_best_workplaces_for_2021/prweb17948617.htm STAMFORD When Dudley Williams was awarded Stamford Citizen of the Year in 2017, the most common response from people was something along the lines of, What took so long? Williams, the CEO of the Mill River Park Collaborative and former senior vice president of citizenship and diversity for GE Asset Management, was a ubiquitous presence in the community, serving on numerous boards and volunteering for multiple organizations. Land-use consultant Rick Redniss was on the committee that chose Williams, and he was one of many wondering why Williams hadnt been chosen yet. When people looked at the nominations they said, We didnt honor him already? The body of work hes done for this community and continues to do is just crazy, Redniss said, in 2017. On Friday morning, Williams died at the age of 65 after a long bout with cancer. Among his many roles, Williams served three terms on the Stamford Board of Education from 1995 to 2004, and was president of the board during his tenure. Stamford schools Superintendent Tamu Lucero said she was shocked and deeply saddened by the news of his passing. He has always been a champion to Stamford Public Schools, long after his tenure on the BOE, she said, in a written statement. I am fortunate to have been able to count him among my personal friends and someone I could rely on for advice and insight. The Stamford community has lost one of its great leaders. Mayor David Martin called Williams death a terrible, terrible loss for his family and the community. He is so much a part of what has made this community great, Martin said. I think many aspire to be the family man and the community man that he was. Martins last encounter with Williams was about three weeks ago, he said, and even though social distancing was still encouraged, Martin couldnt help but give him a hug. There were so many people who could honestly call him a friend and so many people that he was a friend to, he said. Michael Pollard, Martins chief of staff, said Williams found it rewarding to help people. We know why we love Dudley and its because Dudley loved us, Pollard said. Arthur Selkowitz, chairman of the Mill River Park Collaborative, issued a statement on Williams passing. Williams joined the collaborative in 2017 as the interim CEO. By August of that year, he was named the permanent head of the organization. Dudley brought to the collaborative a long history of community service and a passion for education, wrote Selkowitz. Although he said he knew very little about parks when he accepted the position, he knew about community and what parks can do to bring community together. In this he succeeded admirably as he saw how Mill River Park has developed into Stamfords Central Park and a place where everyone is welcome and everyone comes together in community. The Whittingham Discovery Center, which Williams spearheaded, is under construction and will be an important part of his legacy, Selkowitz said. Dudley was a major force in our community. ... Indeed, he was highly respected and admired throughout the community, and our city will be the lesser for his passing, Selkowitz wrote. The Board of Education also released a joint statement, touting Williams as a champion for special education and instrumental in bringing funding to Stamford schools through the GE Futures grant. His commitment to the students of Stamford and to the greater Stamford community through the years was unwavering, the statement read. Dudley will always hold a special place in our hearts and in the hearts of all who knew him. Besides the Board of Education, Williams also had stints on the Planning Board and Board of Finance. He served in numerous leadership and volunteer roles for organizations, including the Center for Sexual Assault Crisis Counseling and Education, Childrens Learning Centers of Fairfield County, Stamford Achieves, Urban League of Southwestern Connecticut, Connecticut Science Center and the Nellie Mae Education Foundation. He was on the boards of The Avon Theatre, Connecticut Center for School Change, Ferguson Library and Stamford YMCA. Williams formed a power couple with his wife Juanita James, also a past Stamford Citizen of the Year winner, and the president and CEO of the Fairfield Countys Community Foundation. James was previously the chief marketing and communications officer at Pitney Bowes. U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., added his voice to those who remembered Williams tireless commitment to the city. Dudley Williams was a magnificent, shining star of public service a dedicated model and mentor for so many, Blumenthal wrote in a statement. He brought his unique combination of compassion, energy and insight to bear to serving community and helping friends. Our family has been so proud and grateful for his and Juanitas friendship. Our hearts go out to his family. ignacio.laguarda@stamfordadvocate.com COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) The number of people in Ohio age 16 and older who received their initial COVID-19 vaccine jumped 33% in the week after the state announced its million-dollar incentive lottery, though an analysis shows vaccination rates lag well behind what they were in March and most of April. In the week after the May 12 announcement about the lottery, 119,394 people age 16 and older received either the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine or their first part of the two-dose Pfizer or Moderna vaccination, according to Ohio Department of Health data. That's an increase of nearly 30,000 from the 89,464 people in the same age group who received a first shot during the seven-day period from May 6 to May 12, according to an analysis of state data by The Associated Press. The analysis did not include vaccination numbers for children ages 12 to 15, who only became eligible for the vaccine the day the lottery was announced. Ohio's data doesnt track motive, so it's impossible to know just how many more adults or children were persuaded to receive a vaccine by the shot at a million-dollar prize or a college scholarship. The Health Department said the post-Vax-a-Million boost was promising. The bottom line is that this has changed the trend line in Ohioans starting the vaccination process, and rather than a decline, the trend is moving upward, said spokesperson Alicia Shoults. But the data indicates the lottery helped reverse a significant slump in vaccinations. Only about 1.5% more people got vaccinated in the seven days after the Vax-a-Million lottery was announced as compared to the the period from April 29 through May 5 when 117,578 people received the first vaccine. The number vaccinated following the lottery announcement is also considerably lower by 17% than the 143,527 vaccinations during the period from April 22 to April 28. Its great if the incentive helps get thousands more residents vaccinated, but the state still has a long way to go if its overall vaccination rate continues to increase so slowly, said Mark Cameron, an immunologist and infectious disease researcher at Case Western Reserve University. He noted that less than half of Ohioans are vaccinated. If we cant figure out how to get the population past the remaining either vaccine refusal or vaccine hesitancy, you know, then we could have issues, Cameron said. He said he worries that the urgency about getting vaccinated is dwindling and that another surge in cases is possible as restrictions are lifted and we approach Memorial Day and the start of summer. State Health Director Stephanie McCloud has said the incentives were needed to reinvigorate interest in getting vaccinated and that there was a dramatic increase in vaccinations in the 16-and-older group. More than 5.1 million people in Ohio had at least started the vaccination process as of Friday, or 44% of the state. About 4.5 million people are done getting vaccinated, or 38% of the state. More than 1 million people have entered Ohio's vaccine lottery since Gov. Mike DeWine announced it during a statewide address May 12. The Health Department plans to release the total number of entrants May 24 after the first names are drawn and those entries are verified. Winners must be permanent Ohio residents and have received at least one dose of the vaccine, meaning the first person drawn by the state might not be the eventual winner. The first winners will be announced on May 26 at the end of Cash Explosion, the official Ohio Lottery TV show. Both adults hoping for the $1 million prize and teenagers looking for the college scholarships can register themselves, but parents or legal guardians must verify their eligibility. DeWine's proposal inspired similar vaccine-incentive lotteries in New York State and Maryland. PHOENIX (AP) Children in Arizona as young as 12 can get a COVID-19 vaccine when receiving other immunizations, health officials said Friday. Dr. Cara Christ, director of the state Department of Health Services, said pediatricians, per Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance, can administer the Pfizer vaccine alongside other childhood vaccines. Previously, the CDC had recommended children wait two weeks in between vaccinations. The hope is to further reduce potential missed opportunities to vaccinate, Christ said during a virtual media briefing. Furthermore, parents need to make sure children are caught up on childhood immunizations in general because fewer were sought during the pandemic. Christ also expressed optimism that the Pfizer vaccine would be approved for children ages 2-11 by September. Vaccine demand has been low statewide. Arizona at its peak doled out between 60,000 to 80,000 doses daily, according to Christ. In recent days, around 20,000 doses have been administered. As a result, the hours and days of operations at some state vaccine pods will be modified. A pop-up vaccination clinic for children planned for Saturday in Phoenix's largely Latino Maryvale neighborhood will mark a renewed effort to get to underserved communities. The Arizona Department of Health Services said people will be going door-to-door to educate residents about vaccines and distribute yard signs. Overall, more than 5.6 million vaccine doses have been given out in the state. Roughly 3.2 million people, or 44.3% of Arizonas eligible population, have received at least one dose. Around 2.7 million are fully vaccinated. The state dashboard on Friday reported 577 new confirmed COVID-19 cases and 22 more deaths. The total number of pandemic cases and deaths now stands at 875,766 and 17,531, respectively. The in-patient hospitalizations because of the virus decreased slightly to 581. Of those, 167 were patients in the ICU. The seven-day rolling average of Arizona's daily virus cases was 575.3 as of Thursday, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. The seven-day rolling average of daily virus-related deaths was 10.1. HONOLULU (AP) The U.S. Navy says a jet fuel spill at its Red Hill fuel farm on Oahu caused no environmental damage and didn't pose a risk to the area's drinking water, but a committee established by the Hawaii Legislature still has questions. Navy Capt. Gordie Meyer, commander of Naval Facilities Engineering Command Hawaii, told the committee Thursday that the release of about 1,000 gallons of fuel at the facility near Pearl Harbor earlier this month had been captured and fully contained," the Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported. The hearing was held before a committee comprised of state lawmakers, the congressional delegation, Honolulu Board of Water Supply, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, military, state Department of Health and the public What we do know is that the containment system in the lower access tunnel worked exactly as intended to capture the fuel spilled from the pipeline, Meyer said. The Navy is working closely with the DOH to confirm our assessment that there is no environmental impact or impact to the groundwater. But members of the committee grew frustrated as Meyer declined to give details about what happened, citing an ongoing investigation. State Sen. Mike Gabbard asked about reports that less than 1,000 gallons were recovered. The investigation is ongoing, said Meyer. We stand by and continue to identify that less than 1,000 gallons were released. On May 7, the day after the spill, the Navy said, approximately 1,000 gallons of fuel was released during a fuel transfer and properly collected by the fuel containment system. State health officials said the Navy told them about 700 gallons had been recovered. State health officials said it took the Navy 13 hours to notify them despite there being a 24-hour emergency hotline. How was DOH notified and when? asked Ernie Lau, manager and chief engineer of the Honolulu Board of Water Supply. Meyer would only say that the Health Department was notified very quickly. The Department of Health, along with the EPA, is in charge of regulating the facility, which contains 20 underground fuel tanks. State officials said some fuel could have entered the soil. Based on soil vapor data provided by the Navy thus far, our preliminary review indicates that some fuel entered the subsurface and there are elevated soil vapor measurements as compared to measurements prior to May 5, said Joanna Seto, the Health Departments environmental health program administrator. The Navy wouldnt say what might have caused the leak, how long the investigation would take or if the results of the investigation would be made public. In 2014, the Navy faced scrutiny and calls to relocate the facility after 27,000 gallons of fuel leaked from a tank, raising concerns that the fuel could impact drinking water. David Kimo Frankel, an attorney for the Hawaii Sierra Club, an environmental group that has called for the tanks to be relocated, became frustrated with the lack of answers. Are you going to let the Navy repeat the mantra that it is being transparent and then refuse to answer every single pertinent question? Frankel asked the committee's moderator. NEW CANAAN Two years since their mothers disappearance, Jennifer Dulos five children are healthy and well, according to a close friend who says the family seeks justice as courts reopen following the pandemic. In a statement released by Carrie Luft, the spokesperson for Jennifer Dulos family and friends, they thanked the efforts of law enforcement and the support from the community, while calling attention to another Connecticut missing mother. The statement described Jennifer Dulos as an extraordinary woman, a devoted mother and daughter, a brilliant writer, a true friend. We are moved by the continued interest in Jennifers case and by the concern for her children and family, all of whom are thankfully healthy and well, Luft said. Although this past year has understandably slowed the process, the investigation into Jennifers death and disappearance is ongoing. The statement also praised the recent passage of SB 1091, also known as Jennifers Law, named for Jennifer Dulos and Jennifer Magnano, who was killed by her ex-husband in 2007. The bill is intended to strengthen the legal definition of domestic violence. At the time of her death, Jennifer Dulos was in the midst of a contentious divorce with her estranged husband, Fotis Dulos. The statement offered support to the family of Jessica Edwards, a new mother to a 7-month-old son who went missing this month. The 30-year-old South Windsor resident was last seen leaving her home around 7 a.m. May 10 and was reported missing by relatives. Authorities in South Windsor say theyve been doing a lot of behind-the-scenes work to track down Edwards this week. Police said they havent been able to find the unknown person Edwards supposedly left her house with the morning she was last seen. Investigators are pursuing all possible leads in Edwards disappearance as her family and friends continue to plead for her safe return. It is our fervent hope that she is found safe and sound, Luft said of Edwards. The two-year milestone of the Jennifer Dulos disappearance on Monday will mark two weeks since Edwards was last seen. While police in Edwards case say theyre looking into every angle, including the possibility of foul play, investigators in the Dulos case know she was the victim of a serious physical assault. Dulos was believed to have been attacked in her New Canaan garage on May 24, 2019, after dropping off her five children at school. The 50-year-old woman likely wouldnt have survived the attack, arrest warrants indicated. Law enforcement investigators said the attack was at the hands of her estranged husband, Fotis Dulos. He was accused of having his then-girlfriend, Michelle Troconis, and an attorney and friend, Kent Mawhinney, help him cover up the alleged crime. Police originally arrested Fotis Dulos and Troconis on tampering with evidence and hindering prosecution offenses in June 2019. By January 2020, Fotis Dulos was charged with murder while Troconis and Mawhinney were each charged with conspiracy to commit murder. Fotis Dulos died by suicide later that month. Troconis and Mawhinney have pleaded not guilty to the charges and their cases remain pending. Mawhinney appeared in court this week, while Troconis is scheduled for a hearing on Tuesday. Law enforcement officers have gathered a lot of evidence in the case like the bags police say Fotis Dulos dumped along Albany Avenue in Hartford the night of the disappearance that contained his estranged wifes blood. A shallow human grave was found in East Granby at the Windsor Rod and Gun Club, which Mawhinney founded years earlier, an arrest warrant said. Investigators, as recent as earlier this year, have continued to search properties tied to Fotis Dulos, like the home and grounds at 80 Mountain Spring Road in Farmington, for any clues without luck. Despite nearly two years of searching, Jennifer Dulos body has never been found. After the courts reopen, the two people charged with conspiracy to murder will stand trial, Luft said. We remain extremely grateful to the Connecticut State Police, New Canaan Police, and other law enforcement organizations that have worked to bring closure to Jennifers case. ATLANTA (AP) The advisory board for Georgias public health agency stopped holding meetings for more than a year during the coronavirus pandemic a move that its leaders say was necessary to focus on the emergency response, though critics contend it made the agency less transparent at a time of crisis. The board of physicians and health professionals that advises the Georgia Department of Public Health held its last meeting Feb. 11, 2020, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported Friday. That was before the first COVID-19 infections were confirmed in Georgia. The advisory board, which typically met monthly prior to the pandemic, still hasnt held a public meeting more than 15 months later. During that time, the virus has killed more than 17,800 people in Georgia and sickened more than 892,000. Dr. Kathleen Toomey, the health agencys leader, defended the lengthy hiatus. She said her staff needed to focus on fighting the virus. We made a broad decision in discussions with various leadership that we would not have meetings at this time, but really invest in the work of the pandemic, Toomey said. Because our epidemiologists were tied up. Toomey noted she has fielded questions on Georgia's handling of the pandemic at dozens of media briefings and appearances, often at the side of Gov. Brian Kemp. Richard T, Griffiths of the Georgia First Amendment Foundation said it's still difficult to understand why an agency leading the state's pandemic response wouldn't meet at all during the crisis. Even if they are not making key decisions, it would have been a vital way for the public to understand whats going on in Georgia and how the states public response was taking place and provide context for the states response," said Griffiths, the foundations president emeritus. Georgia lawmakers created the Board of Public Health in 2011, when the Department of Public Health became a standalone agency. The agency oversees health emergencies, investigates disease outbreaks, conducts laboratory testing and provides routine vaccinations. Unlike many other Georgia agencies, the department isn't governed by a board. Instead, the nine-member Board of Public Health advises the agency and assists in forming policy. Renee Unterman, a former state senator who pushed to make the Department of Public Health its own agency, said the board was created to promote transparency. But she also sympathized with department leaders faced with battling a deadly pandemic with limited resources. Its not a waste of energy, but its a sideline to what youre doing in a crisis, Unterman said of Public Health board meetings. You have to prioritize what youre doing. While the Board of Public Health shelved its monthly meetings, Toomey said she remained in close contact with its members about the state's pandemic response. Georgia law is generally silent on whether a board like the Board of Public Health has to hold meetings at all, said Greg Lisby, chairman of the Department of Communication at Georgia State University. But those who do meet, he said, need to do so in public. Any group that influences public funding, public policy and public behavior should really default to public meetings, Lisby said. SAN FRANCISCO (AP) JANUARY 2020 The Orange County Health Care Agency reports Californias apparent first case of COVID-19, a man who had traveled to Wuhan, China. FEBRUARY The Feb. 6 death of a a San Jose woman is the first known U.S. death from COVID-19. A California resident becomes the first confirmed non-travel related case, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A Solano County woman becomes the first U.S. case involving community transmission, meaning she didnt have any known contact through travel or with a known infected person. MARCH The number of confirmed cases in California increases. By months end, it will pass 7,000. As the caseload increases, Gov. Gavin Newsom declares a state of emergency. Several counties also declare local emergencies. On March 19, Newsom issues the nations first statewide stay-at home order, closing all nonessential businesses and restaurant dining. He writes President Trump to say 25.5 million Californians could be infected within two months. While cases are rising, they never come close to that level. APRIL Californias death toll from the virus tops 1,000 and climbs throughout the month. Confirmed cases are around 40,000. MAY The state has seen more than 50,000 infections but new cases and weekly death tolls fall for the first time. Newsom praises Californians for helping slow the infection rate. Following a decline in hospitalizations, Newsom announces new criteria allowing larger counties to reopen more of their economies if they have the virus adequately in check. Within a month nearly every county in the state is approved for reopening large segments of their economies. JUNE-JULY Virus cases and hospitalizations rise across the state, leading Newsom to order some renewed social distancing restrictions as infections spike. COVID-19 cases are now reported in every county in the state. In late July, California has a record daily total of cases, topping 400,000 and overtaking New York for the most cases in the country. More than 7,000 deaths are recorded. AUGUST Newsom says California is showing improvement in its fight against the virus, citing a lower number of confirmed new cases and a sharp dip in the hospitalization rate. Even so, by the end of the month California has the most confirmed virus cases in the nation at more than 700,000. SEPTEMBER Infection rates fall to their lowest level of the pandemic and by late in the month hospitalizations have dropped to a level not seen since the first week of April. The state is closing in on 800,000 confirmed cases and more than 15,000 deaths. But the declines prompt officials to loosen restrictions in many counties, with more businesses reopening. OCTOBER California has been seeing several thousand new cases a day but by mid-month the number of deaths ands hospitalizations drop. Some counties get state permission to cautiously ease coronavirus restrictions. However, infections and hospitalizations begin to inch up by the end of the month with the deadly winter surge to come. NOVEMBER Newsom attends a birthday dinner at the exclusive French Laundry with lobbyists. Photos show there are more people than recommended by state guidelines, sitting closely together and without masks. Health officials plead with the public to stay home for the Thanksgiving holiday as hospitalizations rise. The governor orders almost all nonessential businesses to close. The state hits 1 million infections and more than 18,000 dead. DECEMBER The crisis prompts Newsom to create a conditional stay-at-home order for different regions of the state based on ICU bed capacity. Vaccine shipments start arriving as hospitalizations and deaths rise. Hospitals treat patients in makeshift tents, auditoriums, anywhere they can find space. California hits a record 2 million confirmed coronavirus cases on Christmas Eve as nearly the entire state is under a strict stay-at-home order. JANUARY 2021 The new year starts on a grim note with funeral homes running out of space and 8,000 people in hard-hit Los Angeles County hospitalized. California hits 3 million cases and reports a one-day record of 764 COVID-19 deaths, but the rate of new infections starts to fall. Newsom lifts the regional stay-at-home home orders. Newsom expands vaccine eligibility to the general public, starting with people 75 and older, and taps insurer Blue Shield to operate a new statewide vaccine delivery system. FEBRUARY California surpasses 50,000 dead and the Federal Emergency Management Agency opens its first joint mass vaccination sites in LA and Oakland. San Francisco sues its own school board to reopen classrooms as the governor pushes to get kids back in school. In the U.S., half a million people have died from the coronavirus. MARCH New case rates continue to plummet but vaccine supply remains extremely tight. It's clear residents are violating self-certified eligibility rules to get their shot at a confusing array of sites, including mass vaccination centers, pop-up clinics catering to the poor and pharmacies. Newsom announces that 40% of vaccine doses will go California's hardest-hit neighborhoods. Disneyland announces it will open in April. APRIL California reports the lowest average COVID-19 cases per capita in the country. Major League Baseball welcomes fans back to outdoor stadiums. The governor announces that indoor concerts and sporting events will reopen with limited capacity April 15, the same day everyone 16 and older becomes eligible for vaccination Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco begin welcoming students back into classes after more than a year of distance learning. The state sets a statewide reopening date of June 15. MAY With continuing record-low cases, the governor aligns with CDC guidelines saying that fully vaccinated people don't have to wear masks outdoors unless in crowds. But he declines to adopt federal guidelines allowing fully vaccinated people to go virtually mask-free indoors. State officials confirm on May 21 that they will drop social distancing and nearly all other restrictions when the state reopens June 15. More than 61,000 people are dead from the virus. STAMFORD A city firefighter was injured in a roof fire at a 16-story building under construction in downtown Stamford, fire officials said. Firefighters responded to 885 Washington Blvd. around 10:25 a.m. on reports of a blaze atop the up-and-coming high-rise apartment building. The building, called The Smyth, sits across from Stamfords Government Center and is a replacement for one of the three cylindrical towers of the St. John affordable housing project. When firefighters arrived, they found a fire stretching eight feet in the air, Deputy Fire Chief John Pritchard said. The smoke billowing from the development could be seen throughout Stamfords downtown Friday morning. Before firefighters arrived, construction workers fought the fire themselves with dirt and other chemicals, Pritchard said. The construction crews did a good job of containing it before we could arrive, Pritchard said. Pritchard said the first responding construction workers may have helped avert a crisis, as multiple crews of other construction workers were suspended hundreds of feet in the air on scaffolding used to do work on the buildings exterior. Those workers, however, managed to escape from the scene on their own without injury or any emergency evacuations, Pritchard said. Its fair to say that luck was on our side today. If that fire had happened on a lower floor, or made its way over the side of the roof, it couldve been a different story, he said. The fire was contained within an hour, according to Pritchard. One firefighter suffered a minor injury in the battle to control the blaze, but the injury did not require hospitalization, Pritchard said. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation by the Stamford Fire Marshals Office. As crews fought the blaze, Bell Street was completely closed to traffic, as was a portion of Washington Boulevard. More than 100 construction crew members congregated on Bell Street as firefighters got the fire under control. The Smyth has been under construction since 2019, when the affordable housing building it replaced was torn to the ground. The development will feature 414 apartment units and a mixed-use component. It is owned by LMC, a subsidiary of Miami-based Lennar Corp. DuBois, PA (15801) Today Cloudy skies. High around 70F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Mostly cloudy skies. Low 59F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph. This page requires Javascript. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Published: 21 May 2021 Greenhouse gas emissions decreased by 9 per cent According to Statistics Finlands instant preliminary data, the total emissions of greenhouse gases in 2020 corresponded with 48.3 million tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2 eq.). Compared with the previous year, emissions decreased by nine per cent. The fall in emissions was affected by the warm winter, recent changes in the structure of electricity production and a decrease in transport performance. The effect of the corona pandemic on emission reductions is not available from the inventory data, because the amount of emissions was affected not only by exceptional circumstances but also by weather and cyclical fluctuations in industry, but the exceptional conditions were visible as a decrease in transport emissions. Emissions not included in the EU Emissions Trading System fell by three per cent but exceeded the annual emission allocations set by the EU by 0.1 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent. On the basis of data so far, Finland will meet its emission reduction commitments for emissions not included in the EU Emissions Trading System for the period 2013 to 2020. Especially the decrease in fellings from the previous year increased the net sink of the LULUCF sector, i.e. land use, land-use change and forestry, which according to the instant preliminary data was -23.0 million tonnes of CO2 eq. Emissions and removals in the LULUCF sector are not included in the total emissions described above. In the instant preliminary data, the emissions and removals of the latest year are produced at a less detailed level than data for previous years. Finland's greenhouse gas emissions without the LULUCF sector in 1990 to 2020 and changes in emissions compared to 1990 and 2019 Statistics Finland releases instant preliminary data on greenhouse gas emissions of the previous year by sector and broken down between activities included in the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) and not included in the EU ETS. More information on greenhouse gas emissions, their development by sector and factors affecting the development, as well as the fulfilment of international commitments can be found in the review of this release. The Finlands greenhouse gas emissions 1990 to 2020 report (in Finnish only) will be published in June on Statistics Finland's website. According to the instant preliminary data, total emissions in 2020 decreased by nine per cent (4.8 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent) from the previous year and were 32 per cent lower than in the comparison year 1990. The sum of emissions and removals in the LULUCF sector, or the net sink are not included in the total emissions. The energy sector is Finland's largest source of emissions, significantly affecting the annual variation of total emissions. According to the instant preliminary calculation, the energy sectors emissions totalled 34.7 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent, which is 11 per cent lower than in the previous year and 50 per cent less than in the peak year of 2003. The fall in emissions was affected by the warm winter, recent changes in the structure of energy production and a decrease in transport performance. Emissions from industrial processes and product use (incl. F-gases) amounted to 5.2 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent in 2020 and they fell by six per cent from the year before. Emissions from agriculture totalled 6.6 million tonnes of CO2 eq. The emissions remained on level with the previous year: The instant preliminary data for 2020 were under half a per cent lower than the emissions of the previous year. Emissions from the waste sector went down by four per cent from 2019 to 2020, being 1.7 million tonnes of CO2 eq. According to the instant preliminary data, the net sink of the LULUCF sector was -23.0 million tonnes of CO2 eq. in 2020, or 56 per cent higher than in the year before. The change was particularly due to the 11 per cent drop in fellings from the year before. Greenhouse gas emissions and removals by sector in 1990, 2000, 2005, 2010, 2015, 2018 to 2020 (million tonnes of CO2 eq.) 1) 1990 2000 2005 2010 2015 2018 2019 2020 * Emissions and removals, mil. t CO2 eq Energy sector 53,5 53,7 53,7 60,2 40,6 42,1 39,1 34,7 where Transport 12,1 12,1 12,9 12,7 10,9 11,7 11,3 10,4 Industrial processes and products use 5,4 6,0 6,8 6,2 5,8 5,8 5,5 5,2 2) where Consumption of F-gases 0,1 0,7 1,2 1,4 1,3 1,2 1,2 1,1 Agriculture 7,5 6,6 6,5 6,7 6,6 6,5 6,6 6,6 Waste management 4,7 3,8 2,8 2,6 2,1 1,8 1,8 1,7 3) Indirect CO2 emissions 0,2 0,1 0,1 0,1 0,1 0,1 0,1 0,1 Emissions without LULUCF sector 71,2 70,3 69,9 75,7 55,1 56,3 53,1 48,3 4) LULUCF sector -13,5 -15,1 -20,5 -20,8 -17,9 -8,2 -14,7 -23,0 1) The time series 1990 to 2019 can be found in Statistics Finland's database tables (StatFin). Data for 2020 are proxy estimates (*).2) F-gases refer to fluorinated greenhouse gases (HFC, PFC compounds, SF6 and NF3).3) Indirect CO2 emissions from the energy sectors fugitive emissions and NMVOC and CH4 emissions from industrial processes and product use.4) Land use, and landuse change and forestry. The net sink describes the sum of the sector's emissions and removals. Emissions not included in the EU Emissions Trading System amounted to around 28.6 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent in 2020, and they fell by three per cent from the previous year. Emissions not included in the EU ETS are calculated as the difference between the total emissions and verified emissions of the sectors in the EU ETS, from which CO2 emissions from domestic civil aviation are deducted as calculated in the inventory. The data on the verified emissions (only in Finnish) of the emissions trading sector are published by the Energy Authority. Annual emission allocations for the years 2013 to 2020 have been defined in the EU's Effort Sharing Decision for emissions not included in the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) (only in Finnish). Although emissions have decreased in recent years, the target path is exceeded in 2016 and in 2018 to 2020. However, based on data so far, Finland is meeting the targets set for the commitment period by utilising the emissions allocations not used in 2013 to 2015 and in 2017. Target path for Finlands emissions not included in the EU ETS for the period 2013 to 2020, reviewed data on emissions not included in the EU ETS for 2013 to 2019, and instant preliminary data for 2020 and their difference to the target path 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 Mil. t CO2 eq. Target path for Finland in accordance with the EU's Effort Sharing Decision 31,8 31,3 30,8 30,3 30,2 29,6 29,1 28,5 1) 2) Emissions not included in the EU ETS 31,6 30,1 29,9 31,4 30,1 29,9 29,6 28,6 3) 4) Difference to the target path -0,2 -1,1 -0,9 1,0 -0,1 0,3 0,6 0,1 3) 1) Calculated as the difference between the total emission estimates, from which are deducted CO2 emissions from domestic civil aviation as calculated in the inventory, and the emissions trading data published by the Energy Authority.2) The figures used in the monitoring of the Effort Sharing Decision are set in connection with the annual review and they are not updated retrospectively (the years 2013 to 2019 in the table). The figures of the inventory submission and this release may differ from those presented in this table.3) Proxy estimate4) The difference to the target path is expressed as a negative figure when the realised emissions are below the path and as a positive figure when they are higher than the target path emissions. The instant preliminary data on emissions and removals for 2020 have been calculated at a less detailed level than the data for the preceding years, which means that they contain higher uncertainties than the data calculated using actual inventory methods. The 2020 emissions will become revised as all data used in the calculation are completed. Preliminary data of the statistics on greenhouse gases will be released in December 2021 and official data in March 2022. More detailed information about the calculation methods of the instant preliminary data can be found in the methodological description (only in Finnish).. Source: Greenhouse gas inventory unit. Statistics Finland Inquiries: Pia Forsell 029 551 2937, Paivi Lindh 029 551 3778, Sini Niinisto (LULUCF) 029 551 2954, kasvihuonekaasut@stat.fi Head of Department in charge: Katri Kaaja Publication in pdf-format (193.9 kB) Updated 21.5.2021 Referencing instructions: Official Statistics of Finland (OSF): Greenhouse gases [e-publication]. ISSN=1797-6065. 2020. Helsinki: Statistics Finland [referred: 11.6.2021]. Access method: http://www.stat.fi/til/khki/2020/khki_2020_2021-05-21_tie_001_en.html Friday, 21 May 2021 12:24:39 (GMT+3) | Istanbul In March this year, Turkey's coking coal imports decreased by 20.7 percent month on month to 405,537 mt, down 48.3 percent year on year, according to the data provided by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TUIK). Meanwhile, the value of these imports decreased by 26.3 percent to $45.10 million compared to the previous month and decreased by 55.8 percent year on year. In the January-March period, Turkey's coking coal imports increased by 10.0 percent to 1.57 million mt, while the revenue from these imports amounted to $181.34 million, down 0.8 percent, both year on year. In the given period, Turkey's coking coal imports from Australia amounted to 758,079 million mt, while coking coal imports from the US totaled 391,711 mt. Turkey's coking coal import sources in the January-March period: Country Amount (mt) January-March 2021 January-March 2020 Y-o-y change (%) March 2021 March 2020 Y-o-y change (%) Australia 758,079 262,903 188.35 270,380 262,903 2.84 US 391,711 596,522 -34.33 78,540 215,705 -63.59 Canada 213,102 376,319 -43.37 - 205,459 - Russia 151,634 71,685 111.53 56,617 37,598 50.59 Colombia 59,026 123,123 -52.06 - 62,099 - Turkey's main coking coal import sources on country basis in the January-March period are presented in the chart below: Minister of Agriculture Adrian Oros on Friday stated in Buzau when asked about the possibility that the price for bread will increase that he did not "expect this to happen." "I also that there were many such statements made last year too, coming from various areas, regarding an increase in the price for bread. What I think is that if we had no such spectacular increase in prices last year, when the crisis started and all supply chains were blocked, plus that we had a terrible drought here, in the south-eastern part of Romania, which caused cereal production to drop by 35-45 percent, then no, I don't think that we should expect something like this to happen this year. Plus that the level of precipitations this year was one that was favourable to crops, and the wheat market (...) is pretty stable," said Oros. The Minister of Agriculture, Adrian Oros, on Friday paid a visit to Buzau County, alongside the Speaker of the Deputies Chamber, Ludovic Orban, on which occasion they also visited the Bank of Plant Genetic Resources, reports agerpres. Hungary will not allow access of trucks with a capacity larger than 7.5 tons on the country's territory during the period of the Catholic Pentecost, from Saturday, 23:00 hrs, until Monday, 23:00 (Romania's time), informed, on Friday, the Arad Border Police. According to the quoted source, the authorities of the neighboring state have notified the Romanian authorities that during the period of the application of restrictions, the truck drivers will be obligated to station in the specially arranged parking spots, because they are not allow to travel on public roads in Hungary. The Romanian and Hungarian border police officers will carry out joint measures in order to streamline traffic after restrictions are lifted. Passenger and vehicle traffic through the border points will be carried out in normal conditions. The Border Police recommends truck drivers to head not only towards the large border crossing points after the restrictions are lifted, in order to avoid the traffic and forming large truck columns. At the Hungarian border, trucks can transit PTF Nadlac I, Nadlac II, PTF Varsand and PTF Turnu - in the county of Arad, PTF Bors I, Bors II and PTF Salonta - in Bihor and PTF Petea - in Satu Mare, reports agerpres. A number of 118 teams of students from 53 universities in Bulgaria, Greece, Romania, Serbia, Turkey and Ukraine are participating online in the regional phase of the International Collegiate Programming Contest (ICPC SEERC) - 2021 in Southeastern Europe, a competition hosted by the Bucharest Polytechnics University (UPB), where it will take place Saturday and Sunday. According to a release of the University Politehnica of Bucharest, on behalf of Romania, there will be 29 teams of students from 10 universities in Bucharest, Cluj Napoca, Iasi, Suceava, Targu Mures, Timisoara and Craiova. The competition is, at the global level, the oldest, largest and most prestigious programming competition in the world, bringing together tens of thousands of students from among the most talented in IT, the quoted source shows. The contest offers to students the possibility to solve complex problems in the real world using open source technologies and advanced programming methods, with a time-limit restriction of five hours. "Entering the tradition of the University Politehnica of Bucharest, the regional phase on Southeastern Europe of the International Collegiate Programming Contest represents for our entire academic community a perpetual international recognition of the value of Romanian superior technical education, this ample manifestation reuniting in 2021 as well, in online format, hundreds of elite students in the IT domain and we hope that the UPB, through the four representative teams, be among the universities that will accede to the final stage of this important competition," said Professor Engineer Nicolae Tapus, Ph.D., the coordinator of the regional stage on Southeastern Europe of the International Collegiate Programming Contest. In 2020, at the global level, 58,963 of the best students of 3,406 universities in over 100 countries competed at the world level in the regional phases of this competition. Details, including the program of the event and online access links, can be found on the competition's page at http://acm.ro/ The festivity to open the competition will take place Saturday, starting 14:00 hrs and is accessible to all, reports agerpres. Arad County law enforcement officers on Friday escorted out of Romania 18 foreign citizens in public custody who will be banned from reentering Romania for five years. According to a press statement released by the General Immigration Inspectorate (IGI), the expelled foreigners "no longer justify their stay in our country." They are from Pakistan, Afghanistan, Syria and Iraq, are between 18 and 59 years old and are in public custody. "Of these, 11 requested a form of international protection from the Romanian government, with their applications being dismissed in the asylum-seeking procedure; two were taken over under the Dublin Regulation, and the others were in the custody of the General Immigration Inspectorate when found fraudulent." During the public custody, the immigration officers made arrangements for escort removal under the Agreement between the European Community and the Republic of Serbia on the readmission of persons residing without authorisation. The foreigners are taken to the border with Serbia, and will be transferred to the local authorities. "Upon leaving the country, a five-year reentry ban was issued on their names, in keeping with Government Emergency Ordinance 194/2002 on foreigners in Romania, as republished," according to IGI, reports agerpres. Energy Minister Virgil Popescu visited on Friday the Lotru Ciunget Hydroelectric Power Plant in Valcea County, to discuss with President and CEO of Hidroelectrica Bogdan Badea the development of green hydrogen production technologies, according to a Hidroelectrica press statement. Also on Friday, Popescu called on the National Research and Development Institute for Cryogenic and Isotopic Technologies (ICSI) in Ramnicu Valcea, where he discussed a strategy to achieve the national decarbonisation targets set at European level. Analysed on these visits were technologies that have the potential to contribute significantly to the reduction of the carbon footprint, according to the Hidroelectrica press statement, agerpres.ro confirms. Popescu is quoted as explaining that he made the visits to see what hydrogen research means. "The Ministry of Energy is preparing a national hydrogen strategy. I came to Valcea County to discuss these issues; I wanted to see at the National Research-Development Institute for Cryogenic and Isotopic Technologies what research in this field means. Both Hidroelectrica and Nuclearelectrica have hydrogen projects. I am confident that together, under all the programmes that Romania will carry out, there will be partnerships between the government, industry and research," Popescu is quoted as also saying. Hidroelectrica CEO Bogdan Badea said that he is open to the idea of collaborating with other Romanian companies for the development of green hydrogen production capacities. Hidroelectrica is interested in diversifying its business to the green hydrogen production area, already unfolding a Green Hydrogen on the Blue Danube project. It is also concerned with electromobility development, as well as with the diversification of its portfolio to include wind and solar production. Hidroelectrica is a leader in electricity production and the main provider of technological services required for the National Energy System and a vital company for the strategic sector that has an impact on national security. Hidroelectrica is operating 209 hydroelectric power plants of an installed capacity of 6,482 MW. Also in the company's portfolio there is a wind farm at Crucea of an installed capacity of 108 MW. Minister of Foreign Affairs Bogdan Aurescu on Friday participated in the 131st meeting of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe (CoE), organised as a videoconference, on which occasion he stressed that solving prolonged conflicts is a priority for Romania. According to a MAE (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) press release, the discussions between the Foreign Ministers focus on the topical files at the level of the Council of Europe, in seeking solutions to the main challenges of the international context that fall under the competence of the Strasbourg-based body. Minister Bogdan Aurescu reiterated in his speech the active commitment of Romania in streamlining multilateralism and strengthening strategic resilience based on democratic values, as well as on the international law. Moreover, he underscored the need of building a common European legal space for a sustainable future, based on the rule of law principles. Aurescu also voiced his support for the efforts meant to discourage any type of propaganda for extremist ideologies and hate speech. In this context, he informed the Council of Europe and the member states about the recent adoption by the Government in Bucharest and the first national strategy for preventing and combating anti-Semitism, xenophobia, radicalization and hate speeches, which provided a "complex" inter-institutional mechanism, which will lead to a better approach of radicalization and hate-generating manifestations. The Minister of Foreign Affairs also addressed the challenges generated by the development of new technologies, including artificial intelligence, which will have to take place in observance of the fundamental rights and liberties and ethical standards. He hailed the entry into force of the 15th Protocol to the European Convention of Human Rights and voiced hope that EU will adhere to it as soon as possible. "In respect to the protracted conflicts, Minister Bogdan Aurescu emphasized that solving them is a priority for Romania. Thus, he underscored the need for resuming the political dialogue in view of identifying such peaceful solutions based on the principles of the international law and observance of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the respective states," showed the MAE. The ministers also highlighted the need for identifying such means of action to streamline the activity of the organisation, by coordinating and strengthening cooperation between the member states and partners in implementing programmes meant to promote the standards of the Council of Europe. The agenda of discussions also included: human rights in the digital era; the annual report of the secretary general of the CoE on human rights, rule of law and democracy in Europe; conflicts and crisis in Europe; guaranteeing long-term efficacy of the system of the European convention for Human Rights; cooperation between the Council of Europe and the EU. The meeting of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe marked the transfer of this body's presidency from Germany to Hungary, which will take over the lead of this forum for the period May-November 2021, reports agerpres. A number of 964 fines, worth 244,800 RON, were issued in the past 24 hours as part of actions to check the way in which the measures to prevent and combat the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic are applied. "Over 3,700 police officers, together with gendarmes, border police officers, ISU [Inspectorate for Emergency Situations] staff, local police officers, representatives of the ANSVSA [National Sanitary Veterinary and Food Safety Authority], ANPC [National Consumer Protection Authority], Ministry of Health, Ministry of Labor and Social Protection, Ministry of Transport and local public authorities, have conducted 669 verification actions at the national level," informs a release of the General Inspectorate of the Romanian Police (IGPR), sent, on Friday, to AGERPRES. A number of 47,245 checks with regard to the observance of the measures and interdictions imposed have been conducted. "We recommend people follow the legal provisions for the prevention of the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic," shows the quoted source, reports agerpres. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE) announced on Friday that, following the steps taken by the Romanian Embassy in Paris, the French judicial authorities have given their consent for the takeover of the dead body of the Romanian citizen who was killed in a parking in lot France for repatriation next week. According to an MAE release sent to AGERPRES, the Romanian Embassy in Paris has taken steps to identify and notify the family of the deceased person and is in contact with them, agerpres.ro confirms. Since the notification of the Romanian citizen's death on the territory of the French Republic, the Romanian Embassy in Paris has taken, as a matter of urgency, steps with the local authorities in order to obtain additional information on the circumstances of this incident, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. "Equally, the Romanian Embassy in Paris notified this case, through specific steps at the level of the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to express its concern and concern about the deterioration of the security situation in the areas used by professional carriers for rest. In this context, the suggestion was also made to consider possible public safety measures in such areas, so that, in the future, such incidents can be prevented," the release reads. The MAE states that the Romanian Embassy in Paris will maintain dialogue with the deceased's family and the French authorities, being prepared to provide specific consular assistance, including for completing the formalities related to the repatriation of the deceased's body and the issuance of the death certificate. Romania's President Klaus Iohannis will attend an extraordinary European Council meeting on Monday and Tuesday in Brussels to call for a swift and uniform implementation of digital green certificates at European level, reiterating the idea that they should not impinge on the exercise of the fundamental right of citizens to free movement. The main topics on the European Council's agenda are co-ordination at European Union level amidst the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, fighting against climate change, the European Union's relations with Russia and the United Kingdom. According to a statement from the Presidential Administration, as far as the COVID-19 pandemic is concerned, Iohannis will endorse ensuring close coordination among member states, as well as maintaining a vigilant approach. "President Klaus Iohannis will advocate for a swift and uniform implementation of digital green certificates at European level, reiterating the idea that they should not affect the exercise of the fundamental right of citizens to free movement. The President of Romania will also endorse making operational, as soon as possible, a European mechanism for donating vaccines to countries outside the European Union," says the Presidential Administration. Iohannis will underscore the need to create a flexible legal framework for combating climate change enabling the member states of the European Union to identify the best solutions to achieve the European Union's goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 55% by 2030 as against 1990. "The President of Romania will also call for ensure an equitable sharing of efforts, so that the contributions of each member state, especially in terms of costs, may not become an obstacle to their economic development," the Presidential Administration said. Regarding the relations between the European Union and the Russian Federation, Iohannis will advocate for a unity and solidarity approach on the part of the European Union based on the five previously agreed guiding principles. He will also advocate for the need to draw up a European Union strategic document on the future approach to relations with the Russian Federation. Iohannis will emphasise, in relation to the European Union's relations with the UK, the need for the European Union to maintain a constructive approach based on the principles of unity, solidarity and non-discrimination. "On the other hand, with regard to the differential treatment applied by the British authorities to European citizens regarding work visa fees, the President of Romania will insist that the European Union member states and institutions take sustained steps to persuade the British authorities to apply a non-discriminating treatment towards all the citizens of the European Union," the Presidential Administration also shows, reports agerpres. Content provided by SLUCare Physician Group. For women who are in high-risk pregnancies, keeping anxiety and stress at bay is important but difficult to do. For Morgan Hodits, having the support of specialists like SLUCare's Dr. Chris Buchanan made all the difference in the world. She took a part-time job at Lowes and decided to redo a couple of pieces of her own furniture, as a diversion. Then she picked up a few castaways from friends and bought a few more on the cheap from online marketplaces. She transformed them in her garage: sanding, stripping, filling in cracks, sanding some more. After a couple of coats of paint, shed layer on wax or glaze to add depth and accents. Wiesehans daughter helped her make a Facebook page, just to see what would happen. Three of her originals were snapped up. She sold 10 more at a craft fair in Moberly, Missouri. Its been a gradual build most of her clients so far have been friends or acquaintances but shes hoping to eventually make it full time. Nicole Genz launched her Kirkwood business, almost inadvertently, nearly a decade ago. She and her husband would go antiquing on the weekends as a way to unwind. Theyd find furniture in need of a refresh, paint it and flip it. It was the advent of the fixer-upper era, when reality shows exposed viewers to new decorating styles and emboldened homeowners to embrace salvaged fixtures, distressed finishes and one-of-a-kind looks. We got in when it was on its way up, said Genz. AWARDS David Gipson, city manager for the city of Clayton, received the 2021 Jay T. Bell Professional Management Award by the Missouri City/County Management Association. MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS Marshall Excelsior Co., a Harbour Group company, acquired certain assets of Ken Larsen Inc., which does business as Hurricane Products, a California-based manufacturer of regulators primarily sold to the RV and camping equipment markets. MILESTONES Holland Construction Services is celebrating 35 years in business. MORE BUSINESS Graphite Lab developed a new mobile game, Bratz Total Fashion Makeover. MOVING Midwest Family Wellness relocated from Cottleville to 1755 Stump Road in Dardenne Prairie. NAME CHANGE NEW YORK Kansas City Southern has abandoned its agreement to be acquired by Canadian Pacific, choosing instead a competing bid from Canadian National Railway with a bigger price tag, but also greater regulatory risks. The decision Friday comes one day after Canadian Pacific said that it wasnt budging from its initial $25 billion buyout agreement made in March, even after Kansas City Southern said that a $33.6 billion bid from Canadian National appeared to be superior. Canadian Pacific has consistently argued that a tie-up between Kansas City and Canadian National would have trouble getting approved by antitrust regulators and as recently as Thursday, said that it would not boost its original offer. Canadian Pacific has asserted that its combination with Kansas City Southern is most likely to get a green light from regulators. U.S. regulators havent approved any major railroad mergers since the 1990s, and officials have said that any deal involving one of the handful of Class 1 railroads, a group that includes Kansas City Southern, must enhance competition and serve the public interest. Branden Brooks joined Baker Sterchi Cowden & Rice as an associate in the area of civil litigation defense. Monique Levy was named chief executive officer of the St. Louis Fashion Fund. 4M Building Solutions added Zoran Lazic as account manager. Amy Rawlins was promoted to district manager, and Esed Ibrahimovic was promoted to field manager. Laura Niere joined the North East Community Action Corp. as a housing assistance counselor in St. Charles County. EFL Associates hired Omar Davis as an executive search consultant in its public retirement and capital markets practice. Accounting Career Consultants added Kelly Burris as an account executive in the project staffing division. Chris Imming was promoted to regional presidentcommercial banking at Midwest BankCentre. The Beverly Farm Foundation appointed Crystal Officer as chief executive officer. CHESTERFIELD A company planning to build an $88 million music and film production facility in Chesterfield is seeking tax incentives worth millions of dollars from St. Louis County. Gateway Studios LLC plans to acquire 32 acres at 950 Spirit of St. Louis Boulevard in Chesterfield, just north of the Spirit of St. Louis Airport, to build a four-studio campus for entertainers to design, manufacture, engineer, record and distribute content, according to the St. Louis Economic Development Partnership. The project would create 106 full-time jobs by 2023 with an average salary of $74,764, the Partnership said. The Partnership, a regional economic development agency, is asking St. Louis County to approve at least $88 million in Chapter 100 bonds toward financing the cost of the development, and as much as $130 million, to provide for contingencies. Such bonds could give developers 10 years of tax abatement. The Partnership said the St. Louis region competed with Nashville and the state of Georgia for the project. Partnership spokeswoman Kristin Lappin declined to provide more details, and said in an email that there are many steps to complete before anything is confirmed. The study did not look at the conditions for which doctors prescribed the medications, and Al-Aly acknowledged that further research will be needed on that point. He noted that joint and muscle pain are among the symptoms reported by people with long COVID, who experience the lingering and sometimes serious effects of COVID-19 for weeks or months after the initial infection. In the Washington University study, the researchers found higher incidence of mental health conditions, along with respiratory, nervous system, cardiovascular and gastrointestinal conditions. Nine opioid prescriptions per 1,000 patients may seem like a small number, Al-Aly said, but, given the sheer enormity of this pandemic, this is not a small number of people. In Missouri, nearly 595,000 people have tested positive for the virus since the beginning of the pandemic, according to state data. Nationwide, the known case count exceeds 32.8 million. Al-Aly said that the long-term effects of COVID-19 are real, and those patients pain should not be ignored. Were not saying we should not be treating or addressing pain, Al-Aly said. All were saying is that we should, to the extent possible, explore alternatives that do not have an addictive potential. Janessa Williams remembers the moment she realized she could draw. My dad is a comic book guy, so he used to lay me down on the floor to look at comic books with him and we would draw, she says. One day, she drew one of her favorite characters on Rugrats Spike the dog, complete with his flailing ears, tell-tale tail and bug-eyed good looks. And my drawing looked just like him, she said. Just then, at the age of 4 she decided to become an artist. Both of my parents have always been very supportive. They let me be creative and put me in an art classes to learn new skills, she says. She embraced each opportunity to learn new mediums and techniques. Her teachers also encouraged her. By the time she was in high school, she had branded herself as an artist. Seize the day, girl In college, she began to build her brand. I went to Southeast Missouri State to study graphic design, she says. Ive always loved art, and color has always been my thing. She made posters for school events, using her digital graphic design and illustration skills. In entrepreneurial moves she sold portraits from her dorm room and organized pop-up shows on campus. That was just me doing fun art stuff, you know? When we were at the scene of the murder in Brentwood, it caught everybodys attention that the victim was shot numerous times, Spiess said. The level of violence speaks to the mindset. They were on the run for crimes in South Carolina already. I dont know if youd call them desperate Id call them other things. St. Louis County prosecutors have not yet charged Simpson or Terry in connection with the shootings here. Seven investigators were flying to South Carolina on Thursday to talk to Simpson, who was jailed in Chester County, South Carolina, which is in the northern part of the state about 50 miles south of Charlotte, North Carolina. Simpson, 34, was caught late Monday following a shooting involving deputies. She was driving when the pair fled from an attempted traffic stop, authorities said. Terry, 26, ran from their vehicle and remained on the run Thursday. Spiess said investigators dont believe the pair has any ties to St. Louis. The vehicle they used in the St. Louis County shootings was the same one they used to flee authorities in South Carolina, he said. Its not clear what prompted the two to drive more than 700 miles to St. Louis. What they did between South Carolina and Missouri, we dont know yet, Spiess said. FARMINGTON, Mo. A teen reported missing from Farmington, Mo., was found dead on Thursday, sources told the Daily Journal Online. Mikayla Jones, 18, was reported missing on May 7 and was reportedly last seen on May 4 or May 5. Her cell phone had been off since Tuesday, and authorities traced the phone to unincorporated Washington County, Mo., where it was last active. In a statement Friday, Jones' mother, Stacie Jones, said, "Our lives have changed forever. As a parent there is no way to prepare for the unbearable feeling that comes with a tragedy like this. "But, comfort can be found knowing that I will see my daughter again. Im humbly appreciative of the unity the community has shown to group together and work cohesively as a large extended family with one goal in mind, to find Mikayla. A sincere thank you to the Washington County Sheriffs department for their tireless efforts, and to the outpouring of love, support and prayers from friends and strangers alike." The numbers have begun to ebb. The most recent week for which initial claims numbers are available is the lowest since the week ending March 14, 2020. Still, the number of initial claims currently being handled by DOLIR is more than twice as many as were handled prior to the pandemic, Browning said. Protiviti is a California-based firm that offers consulting services for governments and businesses. It has about 300 employees working in Missouri at the department. The labor agency has been at odds with lawmakers over its attempt to collect unemployment benefits that were paid to thousands of Missourians in error as COVID-19 job losses began mounting. Labor Director Anna Hui and Parson initially had said the money must be recouped, but later struck a deal with lawmakers to stop the collection process while the Legislature works on a solution. Colombo, May 20 (UNI) Sri Lankan Government on Thursday decided to suspend entry of foreign travelers into the island nation for a 10-day period as the country fights the COVID-19 pandemic. "All international Airports in Sri Lanka will not permit disembarking passengers into Sri Lanka with effect from 2359hrs [18:29 GMT] on 21 May 2021 (local time in Sri Lanka) until 2359hrs on 31 May 2021 (local time in Sri Lanka) with a view to control the Covid-19 situation in the Country," the Civil Aviation Authority said in a statement today. The country will remain open to transit passengers if their plane takes off from Sri Lankas airports no later than 12 hours after landing. GENEVA (AP) The U.N. refugee agency made an unusual plea Thursday for the Biden administration to lift pandemic-related restrictions on people seeking asylum in the United States. U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi asked for an end to so-called Title 42 authority, named for a section of an obscure 1944 U.S. public health law that former President Donald Trump used in March 2020 to effectively end asylum at the U.S.-Mexico border. President Joe Biden has kept the policy in place, though he has exempted children who are traveling alone. Under the practice, people from Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador are quickly expelled from the U.S. to Mexico without a chance to seek humanitarian protection. In a sharply worded statement, Grandi said denying rights to seek asylum and pushing people out of the country violates core precepts of the 1951 U.N. Refugee Convention and that the expulsions have had serious humanitarian consequences in northern Mexico. U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas testified in Congress last week that Title 42 is not a tool of immigration, it is a tool of public health authorized by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. His message is being met with growing skepticism as the U.S. slowly returns to normal. A Youngkin adviser, who discussed campaign strategy on condition of anonymity, acknowledged the necessity of retaining Trump loyalists while still winning more centrist voters. Youngkin won't bring in conservative figures, like Cruz, to vouch for him, but his fundamental message as the pro-business outsider wont change, the adviser said. Its a test case of whether Republicans can find a way of uniting Trumps base with suburban voters that have defected from the party, and Youngkin is probably the best candidate they could have chosen to do that, said Bob Holsworth, a Virginia political consultant who has served on bipartisan boards and commissions. But, to do that, they have to do something other than emphasize the issues that won him the nomination. Holsworth said that, in addition to embracing false claims of election fraud, other signature Trump issues, like promises to drain the swamp," never played well in Virginia where the northern part of the state's Washington suburbs and other areas have economies dependent on the federal bureaucracy. "What he did was, he drained Northern Virginia of Republicans, Holswroth said. HONG KONG (AP) Chinas internet watchdog said Friday it had found Bytedances Douyin, Microsoft Bing, LinkedIn and 102 other apps were engaged in improper collection and use of data and ordered them to fix the problem. The Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) said that the 105 apps violated laws by excessively collecting and illegally accessing users personal information, according to a statement posted on its site Friday. Other companies it named included short video app Kuaishou, search engine Sogou and Baidu. The watchdog said companies had to fix the problems within 15 working days or face legal consequences. The CAC has stepped up scrutiny of Chinese apps as authorities beef up protection of personal information protection and seek to prevent breaches of online privacy. One concern in China and elsewhere is that many internet companies have collected excessive user information to target consumers with advertisements. The crackdown comes even as the Chinese government itself collects information about its citizens on a massive scale. Critics accuse the authorities of using facial recognition to profile and track Uyghurs in Xinjiang, where over a million have been detained in re-education camps. Rush Limbaugh Day? No thanks The Missouri Legislature gets a lot of well-earned criticism from this newspaper because, well, state lawmakers have a penchant for putting boneheaded ideas into writing and submitting them as bills. Exhibit A this session was a proposal to create Rush Limbaugh Day in honor of the late conservative radio provocateur. Lots of Missourians reminded the GOP-controlled Legislature that Limbaugh hardly deserved any such honor. He denigrated women and pushed far too many race buttons. Weve listed his many offenses repeatedly in this space, so they dont need repeating. The point is, lawmakers recognized a bad bill when they saw it. They smartly opted not to approve it for Gov. Mike Parsons signature. Parson is probably grateful that the Legislature saved him from what would certainly have been major political discomfort, regardless of whether he signed it. Enough with the recounts Sane Republicans in Arizona have finally declared: Enough is enough, declaring that the audit of the 2020 presidential election in Maricopa County is a sham. Bill Gates, the vice chairman of the Maricopa Board of Supervisors (and not the Microsoft founder), expressed his frustrations with the ongoing audit from the 2020 election and said, Its time to say enough is enough. In Biden raises cease-fire, civilian toll in call to Netanyahu (May 17), Missouri Rep. Cori Bush is quoted as linking Palestinian issues to those of Black Americans. We oppose our money going to fund militarized policing, occupation, and systems of violent oppression and trauma, Bush tweeted. Bush has also tweeted: As someone who has been brutalized by police, I continue to stand in strong solidarity with Palestinians rising up against military, police, and state violence. Congress must stop funding human rights abuses by the Israeli military. I believe Bush fails to recognize that Israel is not dealing with a state actor, but a terrorist organization. Hamas has launched more than 3,000 rockets into Israel, aimlessly, to maximize destruction. The Chinese Coast Guard has apparently acquired more MA60 twin-engine MPAs (Maritime Patrol Aircraft). The MA60 is an updated Chinese version of the Russian Cold War era An-24. The MA60 entered service in 2000 and is a second-generation Chinese version of the An-24, a rugged design that was developed in the late 1950s. The first Chinese version of the An-24 was the Y-7, which entered service in 1984 and only about a hundred were built because it was basically a clone of the An-24. The MA60 was a major upgrade using lighter materials, better engines and modern electronics. An MPA version of the MA60 was revealed in 2002 but there were few customers, domestic or foreign. That slowly changed as lighter, cheaper and more powerful radars (maritime and air search) became available and many customers saw the MA60 MPA a more affordable MPA than the traditional four-engine models. The increased number of Chinese Coast Guard MA60 MPAs are needed for patrolling the South China Sea and more intense surveillance of Chinese coastal waters. The MA60 is a 21-ton, twin turboprop aircraft with a cruise speed of 430 kilometers an hour and endurance of 3.5 hours. This can be extended with additional internal fuel tanks. So far about 250 MA60s have been built or are on order. The MA60 is not certified to fly in Western nations because the target market is Chinese airlines and those in Asia and Africa, where AN-24s were always popular. The MA60 is lighter and more fuel-efficient than the AN-26 and has similar passenger and cargo carrying characteristics. The Chinese Navy uses the four-engine turboprop Y-8Q as its long range-MPA/ASW (anti-submarine warfare) aircraft. It is based on the Russian Cold War era An-12. The Y-8Q is Chinas answer to the American P-3C maritime patrol and anti-submarine aircraft. Both aircraft are similar in shape and equipment. While equipped in a similar fashion it is still unclear how close the Y-8Q is to the P-3C in capability. The first flight of a fully equipped Y-8Q/Gaoxin-6 took place in 2012, and apparently the design was being rushed into service. China has been building the Y-8 since the early 1980s. The basic fifty-four-ton Y-8 can, like the similar American C-130H, can carry twenty tons. China only built about 150 Y-8s since the 1980s and sold some to Sri Lanka, Myanmar, and Sudan. Meanwhile, more new uses are being found for the Y-8. One was converted to a medical evacuation aircraft, able to carry thirty-nine casualties on stretchers and fifteen able to sit, plus medical personnel. Many of the older An-12s are still flying. But Russia has grounded all its An-12s more frequently because of old-age related reliability problems. The Russian answer to the American C-130, the sixty-one ton An-12 entered service in 1959, two years after the C-130, but production ceased in 1973 after 1,280 were built. The seventy-ton C-130 remains in production and over 2,400 have been built. Meanwhile, the Chinese Y-8s are well maintained and constantly updated with new equipment. China is apparently increasing production and finding even more uses for this sixty-year-old design, as well as producing an upgraded model, the Y-9. The Y-8Q is a four engine turboprop aircraft that weighs sixty-one tons, has a thirty-eight-meter (124.7 foot) wingspan, and a cruising speed of six-hundred and sixty kilometers an hour. The Y-8 is based on the Russian An-12 and U.S. C-130. There is also a larger version, the seventy-seven-ton Y-9, which is believed to be a Chinese attempt to build an aircraft with similar characteristics to the American C-130J, and this version may also be used for ASW work. The similar American P-3 is based on the Electra civilian airliner that first flew in 1954. Only 170 Electras were built but there nearly four times as many P-3s. A few Electras and over 200 P-3s are still in service. What Is Streaming? At its most basic level, streaming media is the delivery of audio and video files from a server to a client over the internet or a cellular data network. The first streaming audio was delivered in 1995, while the first streaming video followed two years later; you can read more about the early history of the technology in the first version of "What Is Streaming," which we published in 2011. Needless to say, much has changed since then. What does streaming media look like in 2019? If youre new to the field, it probably looks like an impenetrable collection of standards, products, and technologies, and in truth, it is. But it can be broken down into a small set of decisions that streaming producers must make when defining their service. This guide identifies those decisions and points you to other content to help you make them. Target Streaming Devices Start by choosing the platforms that you want to deliver video to. Virtually all producers want to reach computers and mobile devices, but you have to dig a bit deeper. For example, which browsers do you want to support on computers, and how far back do you want to go? If your viewers work in government or educations you may need to support browsers like Internet Explorer 11 or earlier, which means support for legacy formats like Flash. If youre targeting younger viewers, Flash fallback is likely not an issue. For mobile, you need to decide between delivering via an app or the browser. Apps enable more features and design flexibility but increase development cost and time. Browser support is faster and cheaper but offers fewer features (see " Video: Browsers vs. Apps for Content Delivery "). The next major set of platforms tackled by streaming producers are OTT (over-the-top) devices like Roku, Apple TV, Chromecast, and Amazon Fire TV. Youll have to create a channel or the equivalent for each of these devices, but they represent an opportunity to support huge swaths of viewers with each development effort. If your target viewers are younger, you may also want to support game platforms like PlayStation or Xbox. The final set of target platforms typically undertaken by only the largest of streaming producers are smart TV platforms. Though there is some standardization through organizations like the SmartTV Alliance (Phillips, LG, Panasonic, Toshiba) or HbbTV , each platform will likely need a separate effort. For an overview on supporting these platforms, download the presentation handout from this Streaming Media West workshop entitled " Encoding 2018: Codecs & Packaging For PCs, Mobile, & OTT/STB/Smart TVs ." Adaptive Bitrate (ABR) Formats Each platform identified above supports certain adaptive bitrate (ABR) formats that dictate how the video files are encoded and packaged. If youre distributing video to iOS devices in the Safari browser, youll have to package your video into the HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) format (see " What is HLS "). If youre distributing to Android devices via a browser, Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP, or DASH, is preferred (see " What is MPEG DASH "). As noted, if you distribute video to mobile devices via apps, you can typically choose whichever ABR format you would like. For computers, your format decision will most likely depend upon the off-the-shelf player you select; an excellent starting point for technical readers is this video from Robert Reinhardt at Streaming Media West entitled " Choosing the Best Off-the Shelf Video Player ." All OTT boxes and smart TVs support one or more formats except Apple TV (of course) which only supports HLS. Some older gaming platforms are similarly inflexible and only support older formats like Microsofts Smooth Streaming. In the end, to reach their intended viewers, most producers end up supporting at least two formats, HLS and DASH, with a smattering of support for other formats. Well discuss how to support multiple formats in the Packaging & Encoding Schema section below. Feature Sets Fundamental to adaptive bitrate streaming is the concept that each input file, whether live or video on demand (VOD), is encoded to a different set of files with different resolutions and bitrates to optimize the playback experience for all viewers, whether watching from a mobile phone via 3G or on a 4K smart TV connected via 100Mbps broadband. The configuration for these different files is called an encoding ladder; the chart below is a suggested encoding ladder from Apples HLS Authoring Specification for Apple Devices. Apples suggested encoding ladder from the HLS Authoring Specification for Apple Devices. Your encoding ladder will change based upon the input of your video, the compression technology that you use, your target platforms, and even your geography. Here are two useful videos for creating your encoding ladderone covering bitrates , and one covering resolution. Here are some observations you can use to fine-tune your encoding ladder. Digital Rights Management If youre distributing sensitive or premium content, you may have to protect it with digital rights management technology, or DRM (heres a useful primer on DRM, while this article describes how Hollywood studios use DRM). As with ABR technologies, different platforms support different DRM technologies. For example, Chrome and Chromecast support Google Widevine; Apple TV, iOS, and MacOS support Apple FairPlay; and Edge supports Microsoft PlayReady. Fortunately, deploying multiple DRMs is simpler than it sounds from both a technology and an administrative perspective. Technology-wise, the transition from Flash to HTML5 was enabled by a specification called the Encrypted Media Extensions (EME) that allows a single file to include multiple DRM technologies. At the same time, multiple vendors offer licenses to all relevant DRMs simplifying the commercial side. Closed Captions For certain types of videos, closed captions may be required , while for others they may be desirable to reach the hearing impaired or for playback in loud or public places where audio may not be discernible. You can find a good overview of closed captioning in this article entitled " Closed Captioning for Streaming Media ." Streaming Codecs Codecs are the technologies that compress audio and video and allow you to deliver your content to viewers via a range of connections (see "What is a Codec," here ). Codecs are absolutely critical to streaming video; no codecs, no streaming video. For about the last ten years, a video codec named H.264 with AAC audio compression has been the technology of choice for almost all streaming producers. Over the last five years, however, two video codecs, HEVC and VP9 , have been deployed to reduce bandwidth costs and increase video quality over lower bitrate connections. This latter point is key; for example, where H.264 could deliver a high-quality 720p stream at 2 Mbps, HEVC and VP9 can deliver a high-quality 1080p stream at the same data rate, which will look better to most viewers. In 2018, a technology called AV1 started shipping, with a technology called Versatile Video Coding to follow in 2020 or so. Choosing and deploying a codec is a complex analysis involving factors like encoding efficiency, platform compatibility, and support within an ABR technology. For an overview of these considerations, check out this video from Streaming Media East, " HOW-TO: Comparing AV1, VP9, HEVC & H.264." Streaming Packaging and Encoding Schema As discussed above, to reach all of your target platforms youll likely have to support multiple ABR formats, typically DASH and HLS. There are two approaches; static and dynamic packaging. With static packaging, you encode and package all files necessary to deliver both ABR formats and upload them to an origin server for distribution. Depending upon how you encode your videos, this may double your encoding cost and will certainly increase online storage costs. The other approach is called dynamic packaging . Here, you encode all the rungs of your encoding ladder and upload those to an origin server. When a viewer clicks on your link, a separate server detects which format the player requires and automatically creates the required packaging in real time. Dynamic packaging minimizes storage and encoding costs but requires a server running 24/7 to package the content. Typically, dynamic packaging is cheaper than static packaging when considering all associated costs, but this varies by application. To learn more about how dynamic packaging works, check out this how-to article . At some point in 2020 or so, a technology called the Common Media Application Format (CMAF) will enable a single set of files to support both HLS and DASH for most newer platforms, but not all legacy platforms. For producers who can ignore legacy viewers, CMAF will slash the storage costs associated with static packaging and make this the most affordable option. Content Delivery Networks Compared to most other forms of web content, like text, images, and PDF files, streaming video is much larger and therefore harder to deliver. For this reason, most streaming producers deploy a content delivery network, or CDN, to deliver their video (See " What is a Content Delivery Network "). Larger organizations may want to deploy multiple CDNs, both for redundancy and to optimize delivery in different regions. To learn more about how and why to support multiple CDNs, check out the panel discussion from Streaming Media West entitled " CDN Optimization: Working Toward Broadcast Economics & Quality at Scale ." Quality of Service (QoS) and Quality of Experience (QoE) When streaming video is mission-critical to your organization, measuring how effectively your content is delivered becomes equally mission-critical. There are two basic technologies here; quality of service (QoS), which measures the technical effectiveness of your video infrastructure, and quality of experience (QoE), which measures the actual viewing experience. While obviously related, the concepts are definitely separate. For example, if your video packaging is flawed, QoS could be perfect, but the viewing experience would be awful. For this reason, most larger producers use different services to monitor both. For an overview of QoE and QoS technologies, check out " Measure it, Improve it: For Video Publishers, QoE and QoS are Critical ." For a tutorial on how to deploy a QoE technology, check out "How to Measuring Video Encoding QoE ." Weve thrown a lot of concepts at you in this "What Is" guide, but also a lot of resources. While this article is just a tip of the big toe into the world of streaming media, if youve made it this far youve got a great start. Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Related Articles What Is VP9? This is another installment in our series of "What Is...?" articles, designed to offer definitions, history, and context around significant terms and issues in the online video industry. VP9 is an open-source codec from Google that was developed from technology acquired from On2 Technologies in February 2010 for an estimated $124.6 million. The first codec Google released from this acquisition was VP8, which was paired with the Vorbis audio codec in the WebM file structure. VP9 is the next iteration of the codec, which became available on June 17, 2013. VP9 will be the last VPx-based codec released by Google, as the company contributed all codec technology to the Alliance for Open Media in September 2015. Both VP8 and VP9 are available under a free BSD license that enables users to deploy encode or decode capabilities in both proprietary software and open-source software without disclosing their source code in either instance. Technical Overview of VP9 VP9 development started in late 2011. Coding tools include multiple prediction block sizes, from 64x64 down to 4x4; up to 10 intra predictors, sub-pixel interpolation; three different transform types; and entropy encoding. The codec supports a maximum resolution of 8192x4352 at up to 120 fps and multiple color spaces, including Rec 601, Rec 709, Rec 2020, SMPTE-170, SMPTE-240, and sRGB. A technical paper detailing these codec components and operation is available here. VP9 Performance In terms of performance, VP9 has been compared to HEVC and H.264 multiple times by multiple researchers with wildly varying results. For example, in "Comparison of compression efficiency between HEVC/H.265 and VP9 based on subjective assessments," by Martin Rerabek and Touradj Ebrahimi, the authors concluded that, "objective-based measurements shows that HEVC achieves average bitrate savings of 39.6% versus AVC and 35.6% versus VP9, [while] subjective scores show an average bitrate reduction of HEVC by 52.6% in comparison to AVC and 49.4% in comparison to VP9." In other words, HEVC was significantly better than VP9, which really was no better than H.264. Next up is the paper entitled "Comparative Assessment of H.265/MPEG-HEVC, VP9, and H.264/MPEG-AVC Encoders for Low-Delay Video Applications," authored by Dan Grois Detlev Marpea, Tung Nguyena, and Ofer Hadarb. Here, the authors found, "According to the detailed experimental results, the coding efficiency of VP9 was shown to be inferior to H.265/MPEG-HEVC with an average bit-rate overhead of 32.5% at the same objective quality for the 1-pass encoding, and 32.6% for the 2-pass encoding. In other words, HEVC produced the same quality as VP9 at a data rate of about 32% lower. Other tests were more positive. Iain Richardson, founder of Vcodex and author of four video compression books, produced a comparison in September 2014 largely based upon ratings by ten subjective non-expert viewers. He concluded, "At the higher end of the quality scale (i.e. lower compression), both HEVC and VP9 achieve a similar viewing quality to H.264 with a 40-45% reduction in file size." In other words, HEVC and VP9 were at relative parity. In April 2015, Streaming Media published comparative results showing that HEVC and VP9 produced virtually identical quality on the nine test samples. This was followed in November 2015 by the first HEVC comparison released by the prestigious Moscow State University (MSU) Graphics and Media Lab. In its study, MSU found that HEVC produced the same quality as x264 at 82% of the data rate, with VP9 close behind at 87%, ahead of all other HEVC codecs. Figure 1. Moscow University found VP9 very close behind the x265 HEVC codec. Most recently, on May 24, 2016, in an article entitled "Netflix Discusses VP-9 Related Development Efforts," David Ronca, Netflixs director of encoding technologies, disclosed the companys preliminary findings regarding VP9 quality. Specifically, he stated "we are seeing very good results with VP9 vs. x264. Our current data suggests that VP9 is less efficient than HEVC, but still very good. We are currently conducting codec comparisons, and will publish our results around the end of summer." In real-world trials, in April 2015, VP9 and H.264 files downloaded from YouTube revealed that YouTube encoded VP9-based 1080p streams at a 43% lower data rate than H.264, with 720p streams about 35 percent lower, all with similar subjective quality. In encoding trials performed by JW Player prior to their release of VP9 in their online video platform, the company reported savings over H.264 of about 50% over their entire encoding ladder. Encoding efficiencies have been criticized by multiple parties, including Netflix, who stated, "VP9 is considerably slower than x264...[and] we believe that the current libvpx VP9 encoder would benefit from some optimizations." In tests performed by Streaming Media, while the codec proved very inefficient in a multiple-core environment, deploying multiple encoder instances on the same computer produced encoding speeds only about ten percent slower than x264. Encoding VP9 You can encode/decode VP9 in the command line using executables (vpxenc.exe) supplied by Google. Alternatively, you can use FFmpeg if compiled with libvpx support as described here. Using FFmpeg is simpler because the tool accepts many more input formats and provides much greater overall functionality. Documentation for VP9 encoding with either executable is sparse. You can encode using variable bitrate, constant quality, constrained quality, constant bitrate, or in lossless mode, as defined here. The most detailed explanation regarding VPX encoding is available on the VP8 Encode Parameter Guide, which addresses issues like encode quality vs. speed, but most specific recommendations use VP8 in the command line arguments, so the applicability of the documented techniques to VP9 are unclear. The WebM Wiki supplies some VP9-specific recommended settings for VOD, DASH, constant quality, and constrained quality here, but in Streaming Media tests, these settings proved very slow and the output quality was lower than presets supplied for our testing by JW Player. The JW Player-based presets used the capped CRF encoding mode, and were substantially faster than Googles recommended settings as well as outputting superior quality. As discussed above, the other issue with VP9 encoding with either command line tool is very low utilization of available CPU resources, particularly on computers with a very high number of cores. Developers seeking to build their own VP9 encoding systems will have to experiment to find the optimal settings, and deploy multiple simultaneous encoding instances to achieve commercially acceptable performance and quality. Producers seeking to buy or license a third party encoder, or encode in the cloud, can find a list of commercially available VP9 encoding tools/services here, though the list includes tools that support VP8 encoding and VP9 encoding, not just VP9. Known VP9 supporters include the JW Player Online Video Platform (OVP), Zencoder, and Amazon Web Services cloud encoding platforms, Wowza Transcoder, and Telestream Vantage, though this list should quickly expand. Single file VP9-encoded files are typically distributed in the WebM format. YouTube distributes adaptive bitrate files encoded in VP9 using the DASH container (Figure 2). To help promote consistent packaging of VPX-encoded files, Netflix has published a draft specification entitled VP Codec ISO Media File Format, which details DASH packaging and common encrytpion via ISO/IEC 23001-7 Part 7. Figure 2. YouTube distributes VP9 encoded video in the DASH container format. VP9 Playback Support VP9 playback is available on the most current versions of browsers Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and Opera. VP9 playback is also available in Android versions 4.4+. In terms of hardware support, Wikipedia maintains a list of chips, CPUs, GPUs, and SoCs that accelerate VP9 decoding available. As of the date of this writing, the list includes multiple CPUs from Intel, the Mediatek MT6795, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 750 SE/950/960 (GM206 GPU), NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070/1080 (GP104 GPU), NVIDIA Tegra X1, Qualcomm SnapDragon 820, Rockchip RK3188, Samsung Exynos 7 Octa 7420, and Samsung Exynos 8 Octa 8890. Google has made VP9 (and HEVC) support mandatory for Android TV devices, and VP9 playback is now starting to appear on many 4K Smart TVs like the Samsung Performance Bundle 48". Many pundits and industry observers have predicted that YouTubes support for VP9 will compel most Smart TV manufacturers to support VP9 in 2016 and beyond. Beyond Smart TVs, the Roku 4 Media Player also supports VP9 (and HEVC) playback. Deploying VP9 YouTube is by far the largest distributor of VP9-encoded videos, distributing more than 25 billion hours of VP9-encoded video by April 2015. In conversations with Streaming Media, YouTube executives have stated that though the service currently streams 4K videos in both H.264 and VP9 formats, they ultimately plan to drop H.264 and distribute UHD videos solely in VP9. JW Player will be the first OVP to deploy VP9, with trials starting in April 2016, and plans to start commercial streaming with VP9 before the end of summer of 2016. Brightcove has announced VP9 encoding support in their cloud encoding service Zencoder, with plans to deploy VP9 in their OVP by early 2017. Intellectual Property Issues In March 2013, MPEG LA and Google entered into agreements granting Google a license to technologies that "may" be essential to VP8 and one "next-generation VPx" codec, which turned out to be VP9. In return, MPEG LA dropped their plans to form a VP8 patent pool. Nokia, which was a member of the MPEG LA H.264 patent pool, but didnt sign the aforementioned agreement, later sued Android licensor HTC, claiming that VP8, as used in the Android operating system, infringed on one or more of its video compression-related patents. At the time, Florian Mueller, owner of the authoritative Foss Patents blog, stated that the royalty picture for VP8 is far from clear. In an email Mueller wrote, "Claims that VP8 is now free from per-unit or per-implementer license fees are grossly exaggerated. There are simply too many video technology patents out there, and the backers of WebM/VP8 are primarily companies whose own patent portfolios are too weak to resolve patent infringement issues through royalty-free cross-licensing." Nokia ultimately lost the suit, and in April 2016, Mueller commented that, "At this stage I'm not aware of any pending lawsuit over VP9." Alliance for Open Media On September 1, 2015, the Alliance for Open Media announced its formation, consolidating the efforts of open source codec developers Google, Mozilla, Cisco, Microsoft, and Intel into one codec, AV1, which is expected to ship by the end of March 2017. As with VP8 and VP9, the AV1 codec will be completely royalty- and disclosure-free. The AV1 codec is largely based upon VP10, and Google has stated that they will not deploy VP10 internally or release it publicly, making VP9 the last of the VPX-based codecs to be released by Google. Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Related Articles Companies and Suppliers Mentioned TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / May 20, 2021 / Tsodilo Resources Limited ("Tsodilo" or the "Company") (TSXV:TSD)(OTCQB: TSDRF)(FSE:TZO) is pleased to announce that at its Annual and Special Meeting of shareholders held on May 20, 2021, the following directors were elected: James M. Bruchs, Thomas S. Bruington, Jonathan R. Kelafant, Blackie Marole and Mark Scowcroft. The shareholders also approved the appointment of Crowe MacKay LLP, Vancouver, Canada, as auditors of the Company and voted to increase the number of shares reserved for issuance under the Company's Stock Option Plan to 9,830,420 to reflect an amount equal to 20% of the outstanding common shares issued as at the date of Shareholder approval, Grant of Stock Options Under the terms of its Stock Option Plan, Tsodilo granted option to directors, employees and consultants to purchase an aggregate of 650,000 common shares of Tsodilo exercisable at CDN$ 0.75. These options vest as to 25% effective May 21, 2021, and 25% on each of the sixth, twelfth and eighteenth month anniversaries of the date of the grant. The options are valid for five years. About Tsodilo Resources Limited Tsodilo Resources Limited is an international diamond and metals exploration company engaged in the search for economic diamond, metal deposits and industrial stone at its Bosoto (Pty) Limited ("Bosoto"), Gcwihaba Resources (Pty) Limited ("Gcwihaba") and Newdico (Pty) Ltd. ("Newdico) projects in Botswana and its Idada 361 (Pty) Limited ("Idada") project in Barberton, South Africa. The Company has a 100% stake in Bosoto (Pty) Ltd. which holds the BK16 kimberlite project in the Orapa Kimberlite Field (OKF) in Botswana and the PL216/2017 diamond prospection license also in the OKF. The Company has a 100% stake in its Gcwihaba project area consisting of seven metal (base, precious, platinum group, and rare earth) prospecting licenses all located in the North-West district of Botswana. The Company has a 100% interest in its Newdico industrial stone project located in Botswana's Central District. Additionally, Tsodilo has a 70% stake in Idada Trading 361 (Pty) Limited which holds the gold and silver exploration license in the Barberton area of South Africa. Tsodilo manages the exploration of the Newdico, Gcwihaba, Bosoto and Idada projects. Overall supervision of the Company's exploration program is the responsibility of Dr. Alistair Jeffcoate, Project Manager and Chief Geologist of the Company and a "qualified person" as such term is defined in National Instrument 43-101. This press release may contain forward-looking statements. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, that address activities, events or developments that the Company believes, expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future (including, without limitation, statements pertaining to the use of proceeds, the impact of strategic partnerships and statements that describe the Company's future plans, objectives or goals) are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements reflect the current expectations or beliefs of the Company based on information currently available to the Company. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that may cause the actual results of the Company to differ materially from those discussed in the forward- looking statements, and even if such actual results are realized or substantially realized, there can be no assurance that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on the Company. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations include, among other things, changes in equity markets, changes in general economic conditions, market volatility, political developments in Botswana and surrounding countries, changes to regulations affecting the Company's activities, uncertainties relating to the availability and costs of financing needed in the future, exploration and development risks, the uncertainties involved in interpreting exploration results and the other risks involved in the mineral exploration business. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise. Although the Company believes that the assumptions inherent in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, forward-looking statements are not a guarantee of future performance and accordingly undue reliance should not be put on such statements due to the inherent uncertainty therein. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that may cause the actual results of the Company to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements and, even if such actual results are realized or substantially realized, there can be no assurance that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on, the Company. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations include, among other things, uncertainties relating to availability and cost of funds, timing and content of work programs, results of exploration activities, interpretation of drilling results and other geological data, risks relating to variations in the diamond grade and kimberlite lithologies; variations in rates of recovery and breakage; estimates of grade and quality of diamonds, variations in diamond valuations and future diamond prices; the state of world diamond markets, reliability of mineral property titles, changes to regulations affecting the Company's activities, delays in obtaining or failure to obtain required project approvals, operational and infrastructure risk and other risks involved in the diamond exploration and development business. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise. Although the Company believes that the assumptions inherent in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, forward-looking statements are not a guarantee of future performance and accordingly undue reliance should not be put on such statements due to their inherent uncertainty. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange ("TSXV") nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. This news release may contain assumptions, estimates, and other forward-looking statements regarding future events. Such forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties and are subject to factors, many of which are beyond the Company's control, which may cause actual results or performance to differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT: James M. Bruchs Dr. Alistair Jeffcoate Head Office Website Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Project Manager and Chief Geologist Telephone +1 416 572 2033 http://www.TsodiloResources.com JBruchs@TsodiloResources.com Alistair.Jeffcoate@tsodiloresources.com Facsimile + 1 416 987 4369 SOURCE: Tsodilo Resources Limited View source version on accesswire.com: Acquisition Broadens CoolSys Presence in the Southeast and Expands Sustainable, Custom-Engineered HVAC Capabilities for Mission-Critical Industries BREA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- CoolSys, a parent of market-leading refrigeration, HVAC, engineering, and energy services companies nationwide, has announced the acquisition of Thermal Resource Sales and Supermarket Environment Services Company (TRS-SESCO), a commercial and industrial HVAC and energy solutions company headquartered in Kernersville, North Carolina. In addition to broadening its market presence in the Southeast, this acquisition will expand the CoolSys Professional Solutions division and its custom-engineered, sustainable HVAC system solutions for complex, mission critical applications. Our acquisition of TRS-SESCO represents an important step in our strategic growth plan by bringing new capabilities to our clients while introducing CoolSys into new industry sectors, comments Adam Coffey, CEO of CoolSys. As one of the premier HVAC-engineered solutions companies in the nation, TRS has established long-term client relationships and an outstanding reputation in supporting complex, mission-critical HVAC systems across various industries. The SESCO side of the business provides industry-leading energy and sustainability solutions primarily to grocery retail customers. We are excited to welcome the TRS-SESCO team and their customers to the CoolSys family. Established in 1996 as McNamara & Co., TRS-SESCO has provided mission-critical HVAC system design, program management, and energy solutions for the past 25 years to industries that require stable building environments, including healthcare, K-12 and higher education, research facilities, data centers, biotech/pharmaceutical, supermarkets, and governments. As one of the leading HVAC, plumbing and energy solutions providers in the Southeast, the companys mission is to build sustainable, state-of-the-art systems while delivering outstanding customer service. We are excited to join CoolSys as this brings new advantages to our customers and employees, comments Patrick McNamara, president of TRS-SESCO. As TRS-SESCO becomes a CoolSys company, we will stay true to our roots while being able to offer the expanded resources that CoolSys provides as a nationwide company. About CoolSys CoolSys is the market-leading refrigeration, HVAC and energy services company, specializing in a full spectrum of best-in-class service experiences and solutions for customers in the retail, foodservice, commercial and industrial market segments. CoolSys and its operating businesses cover every stage of mission-critical systems from engineering and design, to installation, service and maintenance, and energy optimization. Headquartered in Southern California, CoolSys has more than 3,000 employees nationwide, serving the daily needs of more than 45,000 customer locations across North America. For additional information, please visit www.coolsys.com. About TRS-SESCO Based in Kernersville, North Carolina, TRS-SESCO provides engineered commercial and industrial HVAC system design and implementation, and energy optimization solutions to its customers along the East Coast. TRS-SESCO is committed to providing outstanding customer service, and continuous learning and innovation, though its locations across the states of North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210520005238/en/ Mike Ochoa 714-510-9595 MOchoa@coolsys.com Source: CoolSys NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Coty Inc. (NYSE: COTY), one of the worlds leading beauty companies and the global leader in fragrances, today announced that Simona Cattaneo is to step down from her role as President, Luxury Brands, after five years at Coty. Cattaneo will remain with the company until Summer 2021. Her successor will be announced in due course. Commenting on the announcement, Sue Y. Nabi, Cotys CEO said: I want to sincerely thank Simona for her leadership, commitment and passion over the last five years. She played a key role in building our prestige brands portfolio - expanding our presence in the make-up space, and strengthening our relationships with Cotys licensors, as well as successfully integrating Kim and Kylies beauty businesses into our portfolio. Simona has helped lay the foundations for Cotys long-term success and we wish her the very best in the next chapter of her career. Simona Cattaneo, said: Having joined Coty in 2016 as Chief Marketing Officer, it has been a fantastic experience to work with so many inspirational people as I have progressed through the organization. Coty is fortunate to have passionate and dedicated staff throughout business and strong relationships with our licensors. As I move on from Coty to pursue other interests, Im delighted to see the business positioned for future success. About Coty Inc. Coty is one of the worlds largest beauty companies with an iconic portfolio of brands across fragrance, color cosmetics, and skin and body care. Coty is the global leader in fragrance, and number three in color cosmetics. Cotys products are sold in over 150 countries around the world. Coty and its brands are committed to a range of social causes as well as seeking to minimize its impact on the environment. For additional information about Coty Inc., please visit www.coty.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210521005039/en/ Investor Relations Olga Levinzon, +1 212 389-7733 / Olga_Levinzon@cotyinc.com Media Antonia Werther, +31 621 394495 / Antonia_Werther@cotyinc.com Source: Coty Inc. PARIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Regulatory News: GenSight Biologics (Euronext: SIGHT, ISIN: FR0013183985, PEA-PME eligible), a biopharma company focused on developing and commercializing innovative gene therapies for retinal neurodegenerative diseases and central nervous system disorders, today announced that the Companys country leads for three key European markets are in place. Laurence Rodriguez, Robert Schupp and Neil Dugdale have joined the Company as the country leads for France, Germany and the United Kingdom, respectively, marking an important milestone in local preparations to commercialize LUMEVOQ in H1 2022. LUMEVOQ, the Companys gene therapy for the treatment of Leber Hereditary Optic Neuropathy (LHON) caused by a mutated ND4 mitochondrial gene, is currently under review for marketing authorization in Europe. The European Medicines Agency decision is expected in H1 2022, with the company expecting to achieve UK approval in the same time frame. Early engagement with authorities and payers is critical in markets such as Germany and the UK, where commercial sales can be generated before the reimbursed price is finalized. The French ATU (Temporary Authorization of Use) process, granted to LUMEVOQ by the ANSM, similarly allows revenues to be generated from product use while the health technology assessment is still underway. Our team is delighted to welcome such accomplished individuals, who all combine well-honed operational skills in launching rare disease treatments in our key markets with an abiding passion for making a difference in patients lives, said Bernard Gilly, Chief Executive Officer of GenSight Biologics. Their appointments underscore our determination to achieve rapid commercial success for LUMEVOQ. Laurence Rodriguez joins GenSight with over 30 years experience in the life sciences industry, including 13 years in the rare diseases business at Sanofi Genzyme, where she held a range of commercial roles such as Marketing Manager, Marketing and Sales Manager and Business Unit Director. As Head of the Rare Diseases & Rare Blood Disorders unit at Sanofi Genzyme, she oversaw the successful launch of a number of rare disease products developed or acquired by the company. She holds a Bachelors degree in Biochemistry and a Masters degree from the Sciences Po, Paris, France, and completed an Organization Leadership Program at the Harvard Business School. I am delighted to join such a company as GenSight, which is focused on innovation and patients unmet needs, said Ms. Rodriguez. I look forward to driving the achievement of LUMEVOQ milestones as the Country Lead in France. Robert Schupp brings more than 30 years of commercial life sciences experience to GenSight, including success building the commercial organization and rare disease franchise at Celgene in Germany and establishing the ultra-rare disease franchise of Santhera in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. His five years in the General Manager role at Santhera enabled him to build a strong network among LHON stakeholders, marked by successfully achieving reimbursement for Raxone in Germany. In addition to an M.S. in Biology from the University of Cologne and a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the Technical University of Munich, he completed post-graduate studies in Business Administration (University of Cologne) and Market Access Management (European Business School). I am very excited to join the GenSight team and to help bring a true innovation in biomedical therapy to patients losing their sight due to a rare genetic disease, said Dr. Schupp. With the imminent approval of LUMEVOQ, I am eager to involve and get the support of all stakeholders to secure patients access to our promising gene therapy. Neil Dugdale joins GenSight after more than 25 years in a range of commercial leadership roles, most recently as the Vice President of the Northern Europe sub-region and General Manager of the UK and Ireland at Sobi (Swedish Orphan Biovitrum AB). He led the commercial launch of Sobis treatments for hemophilia in the UK and Ireland and the launch planning for primary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) and thrombocytopenia. He holds degrees from the University of Liverpool (B.Sc. [hons]) and the Chartered Institute of Marketing Diploma and recently completed studies in Digital Transformation at the University of Cambridge. I am pleased to join GenSight Biologics and honored to lead the UK business, said Mr. Dugdale. I am extremely excited to be working with the innovative gene therapy developed by GenSight and eager to bring great positive change to patients affected by LHON. About GenSight Biologics GenSight Biologics S.A. is a clinical-stage biopharma company focused on developing and commercializing innovative gene therapies for retinal neurodegenerative diseases and central nervous system disorders. GenSight Biologics pipeline leverages two core technology platforms, the Mitochondrial Targeting Sequence (MTS) and optogenetics, to help preserve or restore vision in patients suffering from blinding retinal diseases. GenSight Biologics lead product candidate, LUMEVOQ (GS010; lenadogene nolparvovec), has been submitted for marketing approval in Europe for the treatment of Leber Hereditary Optic Neuropathy (LHON), a rare mitochondrial disease affecting primarily teens and young adults that leads to irreversible blindness. Using its gene therapy-based approach, GenSight Biologics product candidates are designed to be administered in a single treatment to each eye by intravitreal injection to offer patients a sustainable functional visual recovery. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210518006202/en/ GenSight Biologics Chief Financial Officer Thomas Gidoin tgidoin@gensight-biologics.com +33 (0)1 76 21 72 20 LifeSci Advisors Investor Relations Guillaume van Renterghem gvanrenterghem@lifesciadvisors.com +41 (0)76 735 01 31 RooneyPartners Media Relations Jeanene Timberlake jtimberlake@rooneyco.com +1 646-770-8858 Orpheon Finance Retail Investors James Palmer j.palmer@orpheonfinance.com +33 (0)7 60 92 77 74 Source: GenSight Biologics BASEL, Switzerland--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Syngenta Group announced today that Daniel Vennard, former Global Director at the World Resources Institute, will join as Chief Sustainability Officer on July 26, 2021. He will be based in Basel, Switzerland, reporting to CEO Erik Fyrwald. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210520005404/en/ Daniel Vennard (Photo: Business Wire) As Chief Sustainability Officer, Vennard will help Syngenta Group continue strengthening its ability to help farmers practice regenerative agriculture. He will be responsible for developing and implementing Syngenta Groups sustainability and net-zero goals. He will also work with the business units to fully integrate sustainability into the Syngenta Groups business strategy. Daniel and his team will build on the companys Good Growth Plan, which is a bold set of commitments that provides a pathway towards regenerative agriculture to better enable food systems to work in harmony with nature. Sustainability is at the heart of the Syngenta Group. We believe agricultural innovations can contribute to the most pressing challenges facing the planet, including climate change, soil health, loss of biodiversity and food security. said Erik Fyrwald, CEO of Syngenta Group. Daniels creativity and remarkable expertise in sustainability will help us further advance regenerative farming practices and help mitigate the harmful effects of global warming. Im looking forward to Daniel helping us achieve our ambitious goals. I also thank Petra Laux for her great work as acting Chief Sustainability Officer. Daniel brings extensive experience developing sustainability strategies and launching global sustainability programs that deliver growth and impact. In his most recent position as Global Director at the World Resources Institute, he founded the Better Buying Lab and brought together a team of scientists who developed, tested and scaled innovations that helped consumers choose sustainable plant-based food. He also launched the Cool Food Pledge, which helped more than forty organizations reduce their food-related emissions. Prior to joining the World Resources Institute Daniel worked for fifteen years at Mars Incorporated and Procter and Gamble in corporate strategy, sustainability and marketing. (He holds a Bachelor of Science in Plant Sciences from Sheffield University, UK.) I am honored to join the Syngenta team and further build on their sustainability work, said Vennard. This is a pivotal moment in agriculture. By establishing more productive and climate- friendly agricultural products and services, we have an immense opportunity to create a more sustainable future for generations to come. Petra Laux, who served as acting Chief Sustainability Officer and Head Business Sustainability EAME, will take on the role of Head of Business Sustainability for Syngenta Crop Protection. In her new role, Petra will be responsible for integrating sustainability into all aspects of Syngentas Crop Protection strategy as well as crop protection regulatory affairs, product stewardship and implementation of public and government affairs globally. Petra will report to Jon Parr, President of Syngenta Crop Protection. About Syngenta Group Syngenta Group is one of the worlds leading agricultural technology and innovation companies, with roots going back more than 250 years. Its 49,000 people across more than 100 countries strive to transform agriculture through breakthrough products and technologies that play a vital role in enabling the food chain to feed the world safely, sustainably and with respect for our planet. Swiss-based and Chinese-owned, the group draws strength from its four business units Syngenta Crop Protection headquartered in Switzerland, Syngenta Seeds headquartered in the United States, ADAMA headquartered in Israel, and Syngenta Group China that provide industry-leading ways to serve customers everywhere. Data protection is important to us. You are receiving this publication on the legal basis of Article 6 para 1 lit. f GDPR (legitimate interest). However, if you do not wish to receive further information about Syngenta Group, just send us a brief informal message and we will no longer process your details for this purpose. You can also find further details in our privacy statement. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This document may contain forward-looking statements, which can be identified by terminology such as expect, would, will, potential, plans, prospects, estimated, aiming, on track and similar expressions. Such statements may be subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results to differ materially from these statements. For Syngenta Group, such risks and uncertainties include risks relating to legal proceedings, regulatory approvals, new product development, increasing competition, customer credit risk, general economic and market conditions, compliance and remediation, intellectual property rights, implementation of organizational changes, impairment of intangible assets, consumer perceptions of genetically modified crops and organisms or crop protection chemicals, climatic variations, fluctuations in exchange rates and/or commodity prices, single source supply arrangements, political uncertainty, natural disasters, and breaches of data security or other disruptions of information technology. Syngenta Group assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, changed assumptions or other factors. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210520005404/en/ Media Relations media@syngentagroup.com Source: Syngenta Group Three cruise line brands from Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE: CUK), the world's largest cruise company, are expected to return to service in the United States starting in July with Alaska sailings departing directly from Seattle. Based on recent guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and close collaboration with Alaskan officials, Princess Cruises, Holland America Line and Carnival Cruise Line plan to resume guest cruise operations for a partial season in Alaska, each with one ship sailing round-trip. These Alaska cruises are available for guests who have received their final dose of an approved COVID-19 vaccine at least 14 days prior to the beginning of the cruise and have proof of vaccination. Crew vaccinations will be in accordance with CDC guidelines. "We are excited to once again serve our guests from the U.S., and we express our deep gratitude to all national, state and local officials who have worked collaboratively with us, the CDC and our entire industry to make this possible. It is great news for cruising, for travelers ready to again explore the world and for all the communities in Alaska that depend on cruising and have suffered great hardships over the past year," said Arnold Donald, CEO of Carnival Corporation. "As one of America's natural treasures, Alaska is a land of beauty and wonder, and one of the most popular destinations for our guests. We look forward to our brands restarting this summer from the U.S. while also supporting our longtime partners and the communities in Alaska." Donald added: "Our highest responsibility and top priority are always compliance, environmental protection, and the health, safety and well-being of our guests, the people in the communities we touch and serve, and our shipboard and shoreside personnel. As we continue to work with the CDC on requirements for sailing in the U.S., we remain committed to returning to service in a way that serves the best interest of public health and provides our guests with a great cruise vacation at an exceptional value." Plans for these itineraries to fulfill obligations under the Passenger Vessel Services Act (PVSA) are expected to be approved. Princess Cruises, Holland America Line and Carnival Cruise Line are each continuing the return-to-cruising preparation already underway. Princess Cruises will resume operations in Alaska starting July 25 through September 26, with seven-day cruises onboard Majestic Princess, a MedallionClass ship. Its cruises will visit signature ports, glaciers and attractions in Alaska including Glacier Bay National Park, Juneau, Skagway and Ketchikan. Holland America Line will resume its cruise operations to Alaska with seven-day itineraries aboard Nieuw Amsterdam, calling at Juneau, Icy Strait Point, Sitka and Ketchikan, with scenic cruising in Alaska's iconic locales, including Glacier Bay and Stephens Passage. The first cruise for the brand is scheduled to depart July 24, with 11 Saturday departures that will operate through October 2. Carnival Cruise Line has already opened Alaska sailings departing from Seattle beginning July 27, with weekly departures through September 14 aboard Carnival Miracle. There are seven 7-day cruises featuring calls in Juneau, Skagway, and Ketchikan, as well as scenic cruising in Tracy Arm Fjord. The September 14 departure is an 8-day cruise with an additional stop in Icy Strait Point. Carnival Cruise Line is also working to finalize its plans to operate Carnival Horizon from Miami, and Carnival Vista and Carnival Breeze from Galveston in July. Itineraries along with specific details about protocols are expected to be finalized and announced next week. Additional details on the Alaska sailings will be announced in the coming weeks by each respective brand and available on their websites. Carnival Corporation and its brands continue to work with the CDC and other authorities on protocols and requirements for sailings out of U.S. ports, which continue to evolve with changing circumstances. Each of the brands will provide guests with advanced, detailed information about protocols in place at the time of departure, as full details continue to be updated in collaboration with medical and science experts and government authorities. The company is currently sailing with two of its brands in Europe AIDA Cruises and Costa Cruises using highly effective enhanced health and safety protocols developed in conjunction with national and global health authorities and medical experts. Additionally, eight of Carnival Corporation's nine cruise line brands have announced plans to resume guest operations this summer in Europe, the Caribbean and Alaska, with AIDA Cruises, Carnival Cruise Line, Costa Cruises, Cunard, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, Seabourn and P&O Cruises (UK) resuming sailings from global ports over the next several months. MILWAUKEE, May 21, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Brady Corporation (NYSE: BRC) (Brady) announced today that it has acquired Magicard Limited (Magicard or the Company) for approximately GBP 42 million (approximately USD 59 million). Brady Corporation will fund the transaction with cash held outside the United States. Magicard, with forecasted sales of approximately GBP 23 million (approximately USD 32 million) for the year ending December 31, 2021, is a pioneer of ID card-printing technologies with a full range of desktop devices to meet a wide variety of local, on-demand, secure ID card issuance requirements. Magicard was founded in 1992 and is headquartered in Weymouth, United Kingdom. The Company specializes in identification card printers with high-resolution, full-color image capabilities, built-in card security features and the ability to encode smart cards. In addition to card printers, Magicard offers TrustID desktop ID card issuance software and Securicards smart cards. The Companys products are sold into a variety of end markets and industries. Brady is a leader in high-performance niche application industrial printers and materials, and the acquisition of Magicard adds rigid card printing and encoding capabilities to Bradys extensive printer offering. Magicard is a highly regarded U.K.-based company that is well known globally for its innovation and differentiated products, said Bradys President and Chief Executive Officer, J. Michael Nauman. The acquisition of Magicard allows Brady to expand our product offering into rigid-card printing and encoding. Magicard has a complementary product offering that allows Brady to offer new printing capabilities to a diverse set of customers and industries. We intend to expand Magicards addressable market through Bradys global footprint throughout Europe, Asia and the Americas. Ian Cliffe, CEO of Magicard stated, Over the last several years, we expanded and enhanced Magicards new product development and manufacturing capabilities, and weve broadened our portfolio of high quality, versatile, secure printing solutions. The sale of Magicard to a market leader in printing and material solutions such as Brady presents an excellent opportunity for long-term profitable growth for our business. Excluding one-time acquisition-related costs, Brady expects this acquisition to be slightly accretive to earnings per diluted share for the remainder of the fiscal year ending July 31, 2021. Brady Corporation is an international manufacturer and marketer of complete solutions that identify and protect people, products and places. Bradys products help customers increase safety, security, productivity and performance and include high-performance labels, signs, safety devices, printing systems and software. Founded in 1914, the Company has a diverse customer base in electronics, telecommunications, manufacturing, electrical, construction, medical, aerospace and a variety of other industries. Brady is headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and as of July 31, 2020, employed approximately 5,400 people in its worldwide businesses. Bradys fiscal 2020 sales were approximately $1.08 billion. Brady stock trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol BRC. More information is available on the Internet at www.bradyid.com. In this news release, statements that are not reported financial results or other historic information are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements relate to, among other things, the Company's future financial position, business strategy, targets, projected sales, costs, earnings, capital expenditures, debt levels and cash flows, and plans and objectives of management for future operations. The use of words such as may, will, expect, intend, estimate, anticipate, believe, should, project, continue or plan or similar terminology are generally intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements by their nature address matters that are, to different degrees, uncertain and are subject to risks, assumptions, and other factors, some of which are beyond Bradys control, that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. For Brady, uncertainties arise from: Bradys ability to successfully integrate the acquisition of Magicard Limited; adverse impacts of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic or other pandemics; decreased demand for our products; our ability to compete effectively or to successfully execute our strategy; Bradys ability to develop technologically advanced products that meet customer demands; raw material and other cost increases; difficulties in protecting our websites, networks, and systems against security breaches; extensive regulations by U.S. and non-U.S. governmental and self-regulatory entities; risks associated with the loss of key employees; divestitures and contingent liabilities from divestitures; Bradys ability to properly identify, integrate, and grow acquired companies; litigation, including product liability claims; foreign currency fluctuations; potential write-offs of Bradys goodwill and other intangible assets; changes in tax legislation and tax rates; differing interests of voting and non-voting shareholders; numerous other matters of national, regional and global scale, including major public health issues and those of a political, economic, business, competitive, and regulatory nature contained from time to time in Bradys U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filings, including, but not limited to, those factors listed in the Risk Factors section within Item 1A of Part I of Bradys Form 10-K for the year ended July 31, 2020 and subsequent Form 10-Q filings. These uncertainties may cause Brady's actual future results to be materially different than those expressed in its forward-looking statements. Brady does not undertake to update its forward-looking statements except as required by law. For More Information:Investor contact: Ann Thornton 414-438-6887Media contact: Kate Venne 414-358-5176 Source: Brady Corporation ATHENS, Greece, May 21, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Diana Shipping Inc. (NYSE: DSX), (the Company), a global shipping company specializing in the ownership of dry bulk vessels, today announced that the Companys Annual Meeting of Shareholders (the Meeting) was duly held on May 20, 2021, in a virtual format only via the Internet, pursuant to a Notice of Annual Meeting of Shareholders dated April 9, 2021. Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. acted as inspector of the Meeting. At the Meeting, each of the following proposals, which are set forth in more detail in the Notice of Annual Meeting of Shareholders and the Companys Proxy Statement sent to shareholders on or around April 9, 2021, was approved and adopted: (1) The election of Simeon Palios, Anastasios Margaronis and Ioannis Zafirakis as Class I Directors of the Company, to serve until the Companys 2024 Annual Meeting of Shareholders; (2) The appointment of Ernst & Young (Hellas) Certified Auditors Accountants S.A. as the Companys independent auditors for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2021; and (3) The amendment to the Companys Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation to effect a reverse stock split of the Companys issued Common Shares, at a ratio of not less than one-for-two and not more than one-for-ten, and to authorize the Board of Directors to implement the reverse stock split by filing an amendment to the Companys Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation with the Registrar of Corporations of the Republic of the Marshall Islands. About the Company Diana Shipping Inc. is a global provider of shipping transportation services through its ownership of dry bulk vessels. The Companys vessels are employed primarily on medium to long-term time charters and transport a range of dry bulk cargoes, including such commodities as iron ore, coal, grain and other materials along worldwide shipping routes. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements Matters discussed in this press release may constitute forward-looking statements. The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides safe harbor protections for forward-looking statements in order to encourage companies to provide prospective information about their business. Forward-looking statements include statements concerning plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events or performance and underlying assumptions and other statements, which are other than statements of historical facts. The Company desires to take advantage of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and is including this cautionary statement in connection with this safe harbor legislation. The words believe, anticipate, intends, estimate, forecast, project, plan, potential, may, should, expect, pending and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements in this press release are based upon various assumptions, many of which are based, in turn, upon further assumptions, including without limitation, Company managements examination of historical operating trends, data contained in the Companys records and other data available from third parties. Although the Company believes that these assumptions were reasonable when made, because these assumptions are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies that are difficult or impossible to predict and are beyond the Companys control, the Company cannot assure you that it will achieve or accomplish these expectations, beliefs or projections. In addition to these important factors, other important factors that, in the Companys view, could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements include the severity, magnitude and duration of the COVID-19 pandemic, including impacts of the pandemic and of businesses and governments responses to the pandemic on our operations, personnel, and on the demand for seaborne transportation of bulk products; the strength of world economies and currencies, general market conditions, including fluctuations in charter rates and vessel values, changes in demand for dry bulk shipping capacity, changes in the Companys operating expenses, including bunker prices, drydocking and insurance costs, the market for the Companys vessels, availability of financing and refinancing, changes in governmental rules and regulations or actions taken by regulatory authorities, potential liability from pending or future litigation, general domestic and international political conditions, potential disruption of shipping routes due to accidents or political events, vessel breakdowns and instances of off-hires and other factors. Please see the Companys filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for a more complete discussion of these and other risks and uncertainties. The Company undertakes no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statement, or to make any other forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Corporate Contact: Ioannis Zafirakis Director, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Strategy Officer, Treasurer and Secretary Telephone: + 30-210-9470-100 Email: izafirakis@dianashippinginc.com Website: www.dianashippinginc.com Investor and Media Relations: Edward Nebb Comm-Counsellors, LLC Telephone: + 1-203-972-8350 Email: enebb@optonline.net Source: Diana Shipping Inc. c/o Diana Shipping Services S.A. YASMIN ODEH is a News Editor for The Vidette. She can be contacted at yaodeh@ilstu.edu. Follow her on Twitter at @yasminodeh3 IF YOU SUPPORT THE VIDETTE MISSION of providing a training laboratory for Illinois State University student journalists to learn and sharpen viable, valuable and marketable skills in all phases of print and digital media, please consider contributing to this most important cause. Thank you. TORONTO, May 21, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Excellence Canada is pleased to announce that, at the fifth annual Canadian Business Excellence Awards for Private Businesses, 26 Canadian organizations will be receiving the Canadian Businesses Excellence Awards for clearly demonstrating a strategic approach to successfully improving business performance and achieving goals, with a focus on the following three key performance areas: Delighted Customers; Engaged Employees; and Innovation. Excellence Canada's mission is to help improve organizational performance and recognize excellence, with a vision to promote and enable excellence in every organization in Canada. The Canadian Business Excellence Awards is an annual awards program that recognizes outstanding achievements by organizations in the private sector, from coast-to-coast across Canada. The awards will be presented at the 2021 Canadian Business Excellence Awards for Private Businesses Virtual Cocktail Reception on Wednesday, June 9th. The program features: Virtual Happy Hour Live DJ, Mixology Workshops, Photo Booth Networking VIP Roundtable & Keynote Address by Claudia Harvey, Founder and CEO of Dig It Apparel and President and Founding Partner of BG Wealth Group Presentation of the 2021 Awards For complete event details and registration, please visit www.cbeawards.com/reception We are pleased to announce the recipients of the 2021 Canadian Business Excellence Awards for Private Businesses: A1 Air Conditioning & Heating Oakville, ONAlexa Translations Toronto, ONAppCentrica Inc. Toronto, ONBeaverTails Canada Inc. Montreal, QCBrainworks Huntsville, ONDenesoline Corporation Yellowknife, NTElectromate Inc. Vaughan, ONFleet Optics Inc. Mississauga, ONGroupe MMI Inc. Saint-Laurent, QCHiilite Creative Group Inc. Kelowna, BCIntegracare Inc. Toronto, ONIonic Technology Group Lively, ONISU Corp Kitchener, ONJan Kelley Inc. Burlington, ONJonah Group Toronto, ONKognitive Tech Inc. Toronto, ONMako Design + Invent Toronto, ONMBC Managed IT Services Richmond Hill, ONMobials Inc. London, ONPetalMD Inc. Quebec City, QCQuartet Service Toronto, ONR. Khanuja Dentistry Brampton, ONStatflo Toronto, ONT&T Power Group Inc. Wellesley, ONWeston Forest Mississauga, ONWaterford Global Inc. Winnipeg, MB PROUD SPONSORS OF CANADIAN BUSINESS EXCELLENCE Excellence Canada gratefully acknowledges the support of the following sponsors and supporters of Canadian Business Excellence. Title SponsorCEO Global Network Media SponsorThe Globe and Mail Bronze SponsorSE HealthHappy Hour Academy About Excellence Canada Excellence Canada is an independent, not-for-profit corporation that is committed to advancing organizational excellence across Canada. Since 1992, Excellence Canada has helped thousands of organizations become cultures of continuous quality improvement and world-class role models, through its Organizational Excellence Standard and its multi-level progressive methodology. As a national authority on Quality, Healthy Workplace, and Mental Health at Work, Excellence Canada provides excellence frameworks, standards, and independent verification and certification to organizations of all sizes and in all sectors. It is also the custodian and adjudicator of the Canada Awards for Excellence program, of which the Patron is the Governor General of Canada. For further information, please contact us:www.cbeawards.com Allan Ebedes, President and CEO, Excellence Canada, Tel: 416-251-7600, ext. 230 A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/49c4c717-ed45-4bf1-a519-cc95b64a1a19 Canadian Business Excellence Awards for Private Businesses CBEA Diagram illustrating the attributes of award recipients: Delighted Customers, Engaged Employees, and a Culture of Innovation Source: Excellence Canada Rajants ES1 BreadCrumb Awarded Platinum-Level for Intelligent Communications Malvern, Pennsylvania (USA), May 20, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Rajant Corporation, the Kinetic Mesh wireless network provider, headquartered in Malvern, Pennsylvania, is a Security Today (1105 Media) magazines 2021 winner in The Govies Government Security Awards competition. The Govies honor outstanding government security products in a variety of categories. Rajants ES1 BreadCrumb is distinguished as the sole Platinum recipient for Intelligent Communications. Security Today launched its government security awards program in 2009 and for 2021 participation was greater than ever as government security continues to be an ongoing concern. An independent panel of judges from the security industry selected the top entries naming Platinum and Gold winners using criteria including features, innovation, user-friendliness, interoperability, quality, design, market opportunity and impact in the security industry, technical advances, and scalability. According to Security Today editor-in-chief Ralph C. Jensen, It is apparent that the COVID-19 pandemic had a very little effect upon product development and deployment in the government security sector. We appreciate all the manufacturers who labor diligently to ensure security in the government space, including federal, state, local, and Native American jurisdictions. Were pleased to honor these winners and thank all those who participated in this amazing process. Enabling highly mobile IoT applications for state and local government public safety and security, the Rajant ES1 is a compact, lightweight IP67 network node that supports 4.95-5.85GHz. The ES1 supports machine-to-machine (M2M), machine-to-infrastructure (M2I), and man-to-machine data, voice, and video communication to extend communication beyond the reach of LTE and Wi-Fi in challenging environments. It is ideal for wearable technology, like the Vorbeck HD4 vest, and robotic platforms, like Boston Dynamics Spot. Shares Rajants Executive Vice President of Global Sales & Marketing Geoff Smith, We are grateful for Security Todays Govie distinction. Like all other Rajant BreadCrumbs, the ES1 has the unique capability to perform flawlessly for mission-critical situations. The radio node can hold multiple simultaneous connections, over multiple frequencies, with other nodes in the Kinetic Mesh, eliminating the need for a controller node while adding network reliability. No connections have to be broken for new ones to be made, providing for resilient mobility and a level of autonomy that public safety and security demands. #### About Rajant Corporation Rajant Corporation is the broadband communications technology company that invented Kinetic Mesh networking, BreadCrumb wireless nodes, and InstaMesh networking software. With Rajant, customers can rapidly deploy a highly adaptable and scalable network that leverages the power of real-time data to deliver on-demand, mission-critical business intelligence. A low-latency, high-throughput, and secure solution for a variety of data, voice, video, and autonomous applications, Rajants Kinetic Mesh networks provide industrial customers with full mobility, allowing them to take their private network applications and data anywhere. With successful deployments in more than 60 countries for customers in military, mining, ports, rail, oil & gas, petrochemical plants, municipalities, and agriculture. Rajant is headquartered in Malvern, Pennsylvania with additional facilities and offices in Arizona and Kentucky. For more information, visit Rajant.com or follow Rajant on LinkedIn and Twitter. Attachment Gage Growth (CSE: GAGE), a leading high-quality craft cannabis brand and operator in Michigan, announced that it will be included in AdvisorShares Pure US Cannabis ETF (NYSE: MSOS), a cannabis-focused, exchange-traded fund (EFT). A leading sponsor of actively managed ETFs, AdvisorShares Pure US Cannabis ETF is the first and only actively managed ETF listed in the United States that provides dedicated cannabis exposure; the EFT focuses exclusively on U.S. companies with an estimated $1 billion in assets under management. MSOS is dedicated to achieving long-term capital growth and works to reach that objective by investing in some of the largest foreign and domestic cannabis companies. Inclusion in a leading ETF brings strong exposure to potential new investors, and we are pleased the AdvisorShares ETF has initiated a position in our company, said Gage CEO Fabian Monaco in the press release. This represents a strong milestone for the Company and provides us added exposure to the investment community, coupled with the success of our business in the cannabis marketplace. This milestone comes at a perfect time as we approach an exciting inflection point, which we believe will enable us to extend our strong growth as we look ahead in 2021. To view the full press release, visit https://cnw.fm/k9v4K About Gage Growth Corp. Gage is innovating and curating the highest-quality cannabis experiences possible for cannabis consumers in the state of Michigan and bringing internationally renowned brands to market. Through years of progressive industry experience, the companys founding partners have successfully built and grown operations with federal and state licenses, including cultivation, processing and retail locations. Gages portfolio includes city and state approvals for 19 Class C cultivation licenses, three processing licenses and 13 provisioning centers, or dispensaries. For more information about the company, visit www.GageCannabis.com. NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to GAGE are available in the companys newsroom at https://cnw.fm/GAGE About CannabisNewsWire CannabisNewsWire (CNW) is an information service that provides (1) access to our news aggregation and syndication servers, (2) CannabisNewsBreaks that summarize corporate news and information, (3) enhanced press release services, (4) social media distribution and optimization services, and (5) a full array of corporate communication solutions. As a multifaceted financial news and content distribution company with an extensive team of contributing journalists and writers, CNW is uniquely positioned to best serve private and public companies that desire to reach a wide audience of investors, consumers, journalists and the general public. CNW has an ever-growing distribution network of more than 5,000 key syndication outlets across the country. By cutting through the overload of information in todays market, CNW brings its clients unparalleled visibility, recognition and brand awareness. CNW is where news, content and information converge. To receive SMS text alerts from CannabisNewsWire, text CANNABIS to 21000 (U.S. Mobile Phones Only) For more information please visit https://www.CannabisNewsWire.com Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the CannabisNewsWire website applicable to all content provided by CNW, wherever published or re-published: http://CNW.fm/Disclaimer Do you have questions or are you interested in working with CNW? Ask our Editor CannabisNewsWire (CNW) Denver, Colorado www.CannabisNewsWire.com 303.498.7722 Office Editor@CannabisNewsWire.com CannabisNewsWire is part of the InvestorBrandNetwork. Gage Growth (CSE: GAGE), a leading high-quality craft cannabis brand and operator in Michigan, announced that it will be included in AdvisorShares Pure US Cannabis ETF (NYSE: MSOS), a cannabis-focused, exchange-traded fund (EFT). A leading sponsor of actively managed ETFs, AdvisorShares Pure US Cannabis ETF is the first and only actively managed ETF listed in the United States that provides dedicated cannabis exposure; the EFT focuses exclusively on U.S. companies with an estimated $1 billion in assets under management. MSOS is dedicated to achieving long-term capital growth and works to reach that objective by investing in some of the largest foreign and domestic cannabis companies. Inclusion in a leading ETF brings strong exposure to potential new investors, and we are pleased the AdvisorShares ETF has initiated a position in our company, said Gage CEO Fabian Monaco in the press release. This represents a strong milestone for the Company and provides us added exposure to the investment community, coupled with the success of our business in the cannabis marketplace. This milestone comes at a perfect time as we approach an exciting inflection point, which we believe will enable us to extend our strong growth as we look ahead in 2021. To view the full press release, visit https://ibn.fm/SAicH About Gage Growth Corp. Gage is innovating and curating the highest-quality cannabis experiences possible for cannabis consumers in the state of Michigan and bringing internationally renowned brands to market. Through years of progressive industry experience, the companys founding partners have successfully built and grown operations with federal and state licenses, including cultivation, processing and retail locations. Gages portfolio includes city and state approvals for 19 Class C cultivation licenses, three processing licenses and 13 provisioning centers, or dispensaries. For more information about the company, visit www.GageCannabis.com. NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to GAGE are available in the companys newsroom at https://ibn.fm/GAGE About InvestorWire InvestorWire is the wire service that gives you more. From regional releases to global announcements presented in multiple languages, we offer the wire-grade dissemination products youll need to ensure that your next press release grabs the attention of your target audience and doesnt let go. While our competitors look to nickel and dime you with hidden fees and restrictive word limits, InvestorWire keeps things transparent. We offer UNLIMITED Words on all domestic releases. While other wire services may provide a basic review of your release, InvestorWire helps you put your best foot forward with complimentary Press Release Enhancement. With our competitors, the work is done the second your release crosses the wire. Not with InvestorWire. We include follow-up coverage of every release by leveraging the ever-expanding audiences of the 50+ brands that make up the InvestorBrandNetwork. Get more out of your next press release with InvestorWire. Its unlike anything youve seen before. For more information, please visit https://www.InvestorWire.com Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the InvestorBrandNetwork website applicable to all content provided by IBN, wherever published or re-published: http://ibn.fm/Disclaimer InvestorWire (IW) 8033 Sunset Blvd Suite 1037-IW Los Angeles, CA 90046 310.299.1717 Office www.InvestorWire.com Editor@InvestorWire.com InvestorWire is part of the InvestorBrandNetwork. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 20, 2021) - Chesapeake Gold Corp.(TSXV: CKG) (OTCQX: CHPGF)("Chesapeake" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that at the 2021 Annual General Meeting ("AGM") held on May 18, 2021 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Chesapeake's shareholders voted in favour of all items of business. All seven director nominees were elected. A total of 40,289,078 common shares were represented at the AGM, being 59.81% of the Company's issued and outstanding common shares. The following is a tabulation of the votes submitted by proxy: Director Nominees Votes For % of Votes Randy Buffington 32,947,939 99.15% Christian Falck 32,801,057 98.71% Doug Flegg 32,948,124 99.15% Lian Li 33,105,752 99.63% Alan Pangbourne 33,169,164 99.82% John Perston 33,074,657 99.53% P. Randy Reifel 31,989,650 96.27% To re-appoint Saturna Group Chartered Professional Accounts LLP as auditor of the Company. 39,918,151 99.75% To adopt the Company's proposed "rolling 10%" stock option plan. 32,540,269 97.92% A recording of the AGM webcast is available on Chesapeake's website at https://www.chesapeakegold.com/annual/. Following the AGM, Chesapeake re-appointed Randy Reifel as Chairman of the Board, Christian Falck as Audit Committee Chair and Lead Independent Director, and Lian Li as Compensation and Governance Committee Chair. About Chesapeake Chesapeake Gold Corp. is focused on the discovery, acquisition and development of major gold-silver deposits in North and South America. Chesapeake's flagship asset is the Metates project ("Metates") located in Durango State, Mexico. Metates hosts one of the largest undeveloped gold-silver-zinc deposits in the Americas with over 18 million ounces of gold and over 500 million ounces of silver. Chesapeake also has developed an organic pipeline of satellite exploration properties strategically located near Metates. In addition, the Company owns 74% of Gunpoint Exploration Ltd. ("Gunpoint") which owns the Talapoosa Gold Project in Nevada. For Further Information: For more information on Chesapeake and its Metates Project, please visit our website at www.chesapeakegold.com or contact Randy Reifel or Alan Pangbourne at invest@chesapeakegold.com. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/84735 WASHINGTON, May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Teaching Artist Institute is hosting its 2021 Magufuli and Mandela East and South African World Tour. It launches in Tanzania with the Summer Learning Institute in Bagamoyo from June 7 to 21, with additional legs of the tour in October and November. "We have various opportunities and are looking for partners, sponsors, artists and speakers to join us." The mission of the Summer Learning Institute, whose tagline is "Teaching the Art of Possibility," is to create opportunities for students, researchers, and professionals in the United States to travel to Africa for cross-cultural exchange and study. "A delegation of 10 scholars will visit The TaSUBA Arts/Music University to participate in key talks regarding the numerous uses and expressions of art for social transformation," says Haki Ammi, SLI Instructor, African American-DMV-based Author, Activist and African Centered Success Scholar. Teaching Artist Institute (TAI Tours) is offering all Summer Learning Institute participants a unique artist-led travel experience that complements instruction, by providing curated excursions that illuminate indigenous Tanzania knowledge and artistic culture. The "Fertile Ground Tour" is October 11-23. There another delegation of ten business leaders will evaluate opportunities in Tanzania. TAI Tours has been operating in and offering Cultural Tours for 5 years and has partner curators in 16 countries. The world tour will end in Johannesburg, South Africa at the 5th International Conference on Art for Social Transformation-ARTIZEN Nov 5th to 19th 2021. These tours are ideal for college students, graduates, and professionals interested in deepening their knowledge in their current field, or in switching fields. Also invited are those who already understand the interdisciplinary nature of art, culture, and innovation, and are looking to adopt fresh, innovative approaches to their teaching, in partnership with universities around the world. "We have various opportunities and are looking for partners, sponsors, artists and speakers to join us," says Ammi. Media Contact: Haki S. Ammi Company: Teaching Artist Institute Web Site: www.Taitours.org Email: HakiAmmi@gmail.com Phone: 410-209-9687 View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/teaching-artist-institute-to-host-2021-magufuli-and-mandela-east-and-south-african-world-tour-301297106.html SOURCE Teaching Artist Institute MIAMI, May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Royal Caribbean International's U.S. comeback marks its first step forward with the cruise line's return to Alaska this summer. Today, the cruise vacation company announced plans to launch its Alaska season with 7-night cruises roundtrip from Seattle on returning favorites Serenade and Ovation of the Seas, beginning July 19 and August 13, respectively. After more than a year with cruising on pause and the significant impact its had on the beloved Alaskan communities, travelers can now chart a course for the culture-rich destinations they have looked forward to discovering while helping revive the local economies. The new summer 2021 Alaska cruises on Serenade and Ovation's existing sailings are available to book today. "Any traveler who visits Alaska immediately understands how special it is, given its natural beauty, the welcoming locals, and the culture carefully preserved over centuries," said Michael Bayley, president and CEO, Royal Caribbean International. "The past year has been a challenging time for us all, and the Alaskan communities heavily reliant on cruise tourism have felt it deeply. To see the communities, industry and government successfully pass a solution that will help bring these communities back to life shows the great progress and clear paths we can make together. We are confident this is just the first part of our return to cruising from the U.S." Serenade will begin cruising in July, sailing roundtrip from Seattle a change from its previously scheduled homeport in Vancouver. On board, the ship will deliver awe-inspiring views from its signature ocean-facing glass elevators and floor-to-ceiling windows as guests travel from one far-flung destination to the next. The week-long itinerary features a lineup of popular ports of call, including Juneau, Sitka, Ketchikan and Icy Strait Point, Alaska, as well as the jaw-dropping Endicott Arm fjord and Dawes Glacier. Ovation follows suit in August for a different take on Alaskan adventure, pairing the region's natural wonders and wildlife-filled fjords with a thrilling lineup of experiences on board. From the North Star glass observation capsule to the RipCord by iFly skydiving simulator, vacationers can get their adrenaline pumping as they take in deck-defying sights of the scenic landscape and lush scenery of the destinations, such as Glacier National Park, the Inside Passage, Juneau and Skagway, Alaska, from unparalleled viewpoints. Travelers can plan their Alaska cruise with peace of mind knowing that all crew members and vacationers 16 years of age or older will be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, and everyone 12 or older as of August 1. Those underage will receive a test prior to sailing. These measures are part of the cruise line's Royal Promise commitment to the health and safety of every guest, crew member and community visited. The measures will be evaluated and updated as public health circumstances evolve. Royal Caribbean will continue to work closely with local health officials on specific measures outlined for the region. Guests and travel partners impacted by the affected sailings will be contacted directly with their options. These reservations are covered by Royal Caribbean's Cruise with Confidence program. About Royal Caribbean International Royal Caribbean International has been delivering innovation at sea for more than 50 years. Each successive class of ships is an architectural marvel featuring the latest technology and guest experiences for today's adventurous traveler. The cruise line continues to revolutionize vacations with itineraries to more than 270 destinations in 72 countries on six continents, including Royal Caribbean's private island destination in The Bahamas, Perfect Day at CocoCay, the first in the Perfect Day Island Collection. Royal Caribbean has also been voted "Best Cruise Line Overall" for 18 consecutive years in the Travel Weekly Readers' Choice Awards. Media can stay up to date by following @RoyalCaribPR on Twitter and visiting RoyalCaribbeanPressCenter.com. For additional information or to make reservations, vacationers can call their travel advisor; visit RoyalCaribbean.com; or call (800) ROYAL-CARIBBEAN. Royal Caribbean International is applying the recommendations of its Healthy Sail Panel of public health and scientific experts to provide a safer and healthier cruise vacation on all of its sailings. Health and safety protocols, regional travel restrictions and clearance to visit ports of call, are subject to change based on ongoing evaluation, public health standards, and government requirements. U.S. cruises and guests: For more information on the latest health and travel alerts, U.S. government travel advisories, please visit www.royalcaribbean.com/cruise-ships/itinerary-updates or consult travel advisories, warnings or recommendations relating to cruise travel on applicable government websites. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-great-alaska-comeback-royal-caribbean-to-sail-the-last-frontier-this-summer-301297157.html SOURCE Royal Caribbean International Stillwater, OK (74074) Today Thunderstorms - some may contain locally heavy rain, especially this evening. A few storms may be severe. Low 72F. SSE winds shifting to WNW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall may reach one inch.. Tonight Thunderstorms - some may contain locally heavy rain, especially this evening. A few storms may be severe. Low 72F. SSE winds shifting to WNW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall may reach one inch. Changes to the SunCommercial's back end processing means the e-edition is getting a facelift. The biggest change is the e-edition, by default, is now presented in Text view. Fears for the health of their wives and future generations has led sawmill workers poisoned by toxic chemicals to restart their advocacy group, Sawmill Workers Against Poisons. While providing for their families, the men were exposed to chemicals with dioxins that cause cancer, high blood pressure, depression, skin issues, mood swings and blood disorders. The chemicals were brought back home to whanau on their clothing and on treated wood used to heat homes. The men have fought for very limited ACC cover for themselves but there is still nothing on offer for their wives or children, who suffered birth defects because of their fathers exposure. Following the death of SWAP stalwart Joe Harawira, the group became inactive, but former Whakatane Sawmill worker Kereama Akuhata says the time has come to reinvigorate the group to advocate for workers, their wives and children suffering the effects of the poisoning, but also for those living next to or on known dump sites of the chemicals. Just this morning, I had a phone call from a former sawmill worker who said ACC was refusing to pay for treatment of his skin cancer; hes going to have to find the $9000 to pay for that himself, says Mr Akuhata. In the last four months, we have had four men die and in the last year, seven. They have all died young of cancer, heart disease and diabetes and its all related to the chemicals. The average age of the deceased sawmill workers was 61. We dont know what we will get, or when we will get it, all we know is that we will die young, says Mr Akuhata. In 2010, after pressure from SWAP, the Government admitted sawmill workers had been poisoned at work and it set up a special health service to meet their needs. However, SWAP members say the service does not go far enough. Only minor of symptoms are treated for free, such as skin rashes and excessive sweating. It includes only one free health check a year, and it does not include the whanau of poisoned men. Research commissioned by SWAP showed that the children of poisoned workers will suffer birth defects and chronic health conditions for the next seven generations. It is not just the people who have been poisoned, but the land too. There are 33 known sawmill chemical dumpsites in the Whakatane region. The most poisonous in Whakatane, the Kopeopeo Canal, is being cleaned by bioremediation through action by SWAP and Greenpeace. However, other dump sites still exist and are not being cleaned. Mr Akuhata says he fears for the health of people living near or on these sites, such as those next to the second-most poisonous site, Mataatua Reserve near Wairaka Marae. There have been no studies on how those living by dump sites may be affected by the poisonous chemicals. Former New Zealand Maori Council chair and SWAP member Maanu Paul says the Government encouraged sawmills to hire Maori men by advertising them as cheap labour and it was up to it to right the wrong. Mr Paul says he would like to see the Government create a separate fund for sawmill workers to ensure free healthcare for them and their families. Its too late to reverse the poisoning, its in their blood, its in their DNA, says Mr Paul. The Government is responsible for the redress. Mr Paul says he believes the Government is simply waiting for all the sawmill workers to die so the problem will go away, however, it has not considered the plight of the children. He says the reinvigoration of SWAP will ensure the children of poisoned men are cared for. We will carry on for the children, they are innocent victims, collateral damage, Mr Paul says. I cannot stress this enough, but the Government is responsible for the poor health of the next seven generations. Part of the reinvigoration is to plan for succession when the sawmill workers pass away. Mr Paul says he hopes the Government will see the young ones coming to take the mantle and realise the problem is not going anywhere. SWAP will be holding an AGM this Sunday, 10.30am at Wairaka Marae. At the AGM members will be electing officers and seeking the mandate to go back to the Government to continue to seek redress. Those interested are welcome to attend. Maori wards will be adopted in Rotorua in time for the next local election. The decision was made by a full council meeting on Friday afternoon, right on the legislative deadline to introduce them. The vote, which was not unanimous, was met with a waiata from about 80 gathered in the public gallery. Te Taru White, centre, as those in the public gallery greeted the vote in favour of Maori wards. Councillor Tania Tapsell voted against the introduction of Maori wards. She was not alone in her opposition, however, with councillor Reynold Macpherson expressing his opposition but leaving the council chamber before the vote after what he described as "interruptions" to his speech. Tapsell says the district had a "long history of electing Maori" and Maori had often been among the highest polling candidates in local elections. "Being Maori is not a barrier to being elected." She says while some councils required Maori wards to ensure fair representation, Rotorua did not, and noted that any councillor elected via a Maori ward still had to work for the betterment of all constituents, not just Maori. Council manahautu Maori Gina Rangi presented councillors with three options - to not adopt Maori wards, to adopt them, or adopt them and begin broader review of governance arrangements. Ultimately the council voted in favour of the third option, although councillor Raj Kumar said he supported option two. A representation review, with full public engagement, would also be conducted to determine representation arrangements, as well as a wider review of the council's governance framework. About 80 people filled the public gallery at the Rotorua Lakes Council chamber. That review would explore the purpose, membership and powers of the council's committees and community boards and include a discussion with local iwi Te Arawa and the broader community about the possibilities of strengthening co-governance. The council directed staff to prepare a proposal on the process and scope of the proposed review process. It follows the passing of the Local Electoral (Maori Wards and Maori Constituencies) Amendment Act, which came into effect on March 2 2021. Prior to that the law stated that if a council established Maori wards, a local referendum on whether Maori wards had to occur if at least five per cent of the electors demanded one. The new law closed the door on that, and also established a transition period ending on May 21 in which a council could, regardless of any previous decisions or previous poll outcomes, resolve to establish Maori wards for the 2022 local elections. After the vote Te Tatau o Te Arawa chairman Te Taru White says the decision "means everything". "It means the word of our people has been heard. "We're simply the mangai, the spokesperson, the doorway to our people. The partnership is actually with our people. When they said they wanted wards, that's what we have delivered to them, and I'm very proud of that." He says he had no problem with some of the opposition to Maori wards expressed by some councillors and respected their opinions. Speaking to Local Democracy Reporting after the meeting Rotorua Mayor Steve Chadwick says she would have liked the vote to be unanimous but she'd known it wouldn't be. "That's democracy. "For me it is about the next step, about what we take out to our wider community. "We've still got a step ahead of us there." She says she's not as concerned about community backlash against the decision as she was when the council introduced the Te Tatau o Te Arawa partnership in 2013. She says there will be questions about how Maori wards would look, how many there will be and if it will limit those on the Maori roll on who they could vote for, but those questions will be explored and answered through community consultation. Bay Venues Limited director Mary-Anne Macleod has been appointed as interim chair of the Tauranga City Council-owned company. The appointment follows the resignation earlier this month of Michael Smith from both the board and the chairpersons role, to allow the development of the revised strategy for Bay Venues to be led, finalised and implemented by the new board. Mary-Anne will sit in the role until a new board of directors takes over the leadership of the organisation on July 1. Director Keith Tempest has also resigned and has been replaced by council executive appointee Gareth Wallis, who has been appointed for a 14-month term. Both former directors roles were scheduled to end on June 30. Bay Venues is a Council Controlled Organisation which operates a number of facilities and activities on the Councils behalf. These range from commercially viable facilities, such as Mount Hot Pools and Trustpower Baypark, to Council-funded, community wellbeing-focused assets such as halls, community centres, indoor sport facilities and swimming pools. The board changes follow last months decision by the council Commission to implement a range of changes to Bay Venues structure. Desired changes include a restructuring of the organisations financing and funding model and providing additional rates-funding to cover the real cost of non-commercial activities; developing a clearer statement of intent and performance indicators focused on delivering better community outcomes; and a more integrated governance model led by a new board of directors. Commission chair Anne Tolley has thanked the former directors for their service to the organisation and the community. She says the recent review had highlighted the Boards successes in growing external revenue by up to 73 per cent, as a result of increased visitor numbers, increased services and the creation of new commercial revenue streams and business units. The strategic review, along with the retirement of a number of board members, provides us with an opportunity to appoint a board with complementary commercial and community service delivery skills and bring closer strategic alignment between Bay Venues and Council, helping us to achieve even greater community outcomes, she says. Mary-Anne has been a director of Bay Venues Limited for two years. She was previously the chief executive of the Bay of Plenty Regional Council for seven years and is a member of the Institute of Directors and is a current member of the boards of NIWA, The Environmental Protection Authority and Dairy NZ. Gareth Wallis is currently General Manager: Community Services at Tauranga City Council. His role covers libraries, community development, Baycourt Community and Arts Centre, spaces and places, events, emergency management and civil defence, and council-controlled organisation governance. Gareth has worked in local government leadership roles for more than 20 years and also has a background in performing arts and event management. The Council is seeking expressions of interest in the Bay Venues director roles, to take effect from July 1, from suitably qualified and experienced people who are committed to delivering great community and commercial services for the city. Further information on the board roles can be found on the Council website. This morning at Tauranga Art Gallery, artist-researcher Gabby OConnor and Associate Professor Karen Fisher will be giving a free public talk about The Unseen, an artwork which is being unveiled at Tauranga Art Gallery today. Gabby led the creation of this collaborative artwork as part of her PhD research, and Karen is Gabbys PhD supervisor and a research theme leader at the Sustainable Seas National Science Challenge and will be giving the free public talk at 11am this morning. During the week of May 10-14, daily workshops were held for 450 local school students from seven Tauranga schools, where they used art to learn about the relationship between our marine environments and the risks of environmental and climate changes. Students from Otumoetai Intermediate, Matua School, Omanu School, Pillans Point School and Ohope School attended workshops held at Tauranga Art Gallery. Two workshops were also held at Bethlehem and Aquinas College with Associate Professor Kura Paul-Burke who is the Sustainable Seas project leader at University of Waikato. The students looked at the tides and seafood - kai moana - species in the sea near Tauranga and historical land reclamation. The children then used rope to draw what they learned. Gabby 's research has shown The Unseen a giant community artwork made from rope - successfully uses art to communicate the relationship between our marine environments and the risks of environmental and climate changes. Each rope drawing was added to The Unseen. The Unseen is an art-science collaboration that allows people and communities to participate directly in making art and accessing scientists and scientific research, says Gabby. Her PhD supervisor Associate Professor Karen Fisher from the University of Auckland Sustainable Seas Challenge agrees. The Unseen helps to build trust and connect people with the science in a way that is meaningful to them. It is especially compelling when its relevant to their local area, says Karen. The Unseen grows with every workshop. This latest iteration of the artwork incorporating the latest rope drawings created by Tauranga school students will be exhibited at the Tauranga Art Gallery from May 22 until September 14. Since 2017, Gabby has hosted workshops with more than 2,000 school students and 200 community members around New Zealand. When you see this massive intricate artwork and you know that youve been part of that you are a little piece in the puzzle. That helps you relate to your place in the world and how you engage with your local marine environment and the wider ecosystem, says Karen. More than 700 workshop participants have provided feedback so far and 96 per cent of respondents mention the science concepts. This is astounding from a research perspective. Having such a high percentage shows us art is an impressive medium for growing community engagement with our marine environment and the science that supports it, says Gabby. Gabby is now taking this growing collaboration on a final exhibition tour around New Zealand. It was exhibited in Wellington earlier this year. For the past seven years, the Sustainable Seas Challenge has been investigating ways for people to be engaged in marine management and the future of Aotearoa New Zealands vast marine world. The Unseen is part of the Navigating marine social-ecological systems project. Led by Karen Fisher, this project aimed to identify and/or improve our understanding of institutional, social and cultural factors that need to be incorporated into ecosystem-based management for it to be successfully used to manage Aotearoa New Zealands marine resources. The vision of Sustainable Seas is for New Zealand to have healthy marine ecosystems that provide value for all New Zealanders. It brings together around 250 ecologists, biophysical scientists, social scientists, economists, and experts in matauranga Maori and policy from across New Zealand. It is funded by MBIE and hosted by NIWA. Sustainable Seas is one of eleven National Science Challenges. These align and focus New Zealand's research on large and complex issues, bringing together scientists and experts from different organisations and across disciplines to achieve a common goal. The Unseen exhibition at Tauranga: Public talk: 11am, Saturday May 22, Tauranga Art Gallery Date of exhibition: May 22 September 14 2021 Time: 10am 4pm daily Location: Tauranga Art Gallery, 108 Willow Street, Tauranga Do you already have a paid subscription to any of the SWNewsMedia newspapers? If so, you can Activate your Premium online account by clicking here. Activation will allow you to view unlimited online articles each month. To activate your Premium online account, the email address and phone number provided with your paid newspaper subscription needs to match the information you use in setting up your online user account. If you are having trouble or want to confirm what email address and phone number is listed on your subscription account, please call 952-345-6682 or email circulation@swpub.com and we'll be happy to assist. Lawton, OK (73501) Today Scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Partly cloudy skies after midnight. Hot. Low 71F. Winds SE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 50%.. Tonight Scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Partly cloudy skies after midnight. Hot. Low 71F. Winds SE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 50%. Current Print Subscribers will be prompted to either login to their current site user account or to create a new one. A confirmation email will be sent when a new user account is created, which must be confirmed within three days in order to provide uninterrupted online access through your Print Subscription. Once the email address is confirmed please provide your Account Number to activate your Print Subscription Service. The Taos News delivered to your Taos County address every week for a full year! We offer our lowest mail rates to zip codes in the county. Click Here to See if you Qualify. Plan includes unlimited website access and e-edition print replica online. Your auto pay plan will be conveniently renewed at the end of the subscription period. You may cancel at anytime. Seminole, FL (33772) Today Some clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 77F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Some clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 77F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph. RahulNagaraj BHPian Join Date: Mar 2021 Location: Bangalore Posts: 159 Thanked: 1,724 Times Re: Ford to make all-electric F150 Electric Ford F-150 Lightning pickup truck unveil on 19 May Ford Motor Company has confirmed that its all-electric pickup truck will be called the 'F-150 Lightning'. The American car major also announced that the new electric Ford F-150 Lightning pickup truck will be globally unveiled on 19 May. The electric pickup truck will revive the 'Lightning' nameplate after a period of over 2 decades. The name was last used on the Ford SVT F-150 Lightning model from the early 1990s. Ford states that the new electric F-150 will be quicker than the original 'Lightning' model, while also continuously improving via over-the-air (OTA) updates. The new electric pickup truck is also expected to introduce a number of innovations, technologies and capabilities to the F-Series. While Ford is yet to reveal any further details, they have announced that the production of the F-150 Lightning will commence from Spring next year. The all-electric F-150 pickup truck will be manufactured at Ford's Rouge Complex in Dearborn, Michigan (USA). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3iS5f716oYQ Link to Team-BHP news Ford Motor Company has confirmed that its all-electric pickup truck will be called the 'F-150 Lightning'. The American car major also announced that the new electric Ford F-150 Lightning pickup truck will be globally unveiled on 19 May.The electric pickup truck will revive the 'Lightning' nameplate after a period of over 2 decades. The name was last used on the Ford SVT F-150 Lightning model from the early 1990s.Ford states that the new electric F-150 will be quicker than the original 'Lightning' model, while also continuously improving via over-the-air (OTA) updates. The new electric pickup truck is also expected to introduce a number of innovations, technologies and capabilities to the F-Series.While Ford is yet to reveal any further details, they have announced that the production of the F-150 Lightning will commence from Spring next year. The all-electric F-150 pickup truck will be manufactured at Ford's Rouge Complex in Dearborn, Michigan (USA). Last edited by RahulNagaraj : 11th May 2021 at 17:55 . Earn your Associate of Applied Business in Business IT (BIT) degree online from the University of Cincinnati. This program can be completed fully online, with curriculum customized to fit your schedule, interests and how quickly you want to complete your degree. Application deadline July 1, 2021. Learn More That old adage about crime never pays could not be more false, at least when it comes to modern-day cybercriminals. For those bad actors using ransomware as their weapon, crime is paying more than ever. Cybersecurity company Emisoft estimates that the true global cost of ransomware, including business interruption and ransom payments in 2020, was a minimum of US$42 billion and a maximum of nearly $170 billion. A survey by Veritas Technologies found that 66 percent of victims admitted to paying part or all of the ransom, according to a report released Wednesday by managed detection and response firm eSentire. The report, authored by eSentire's security research team it calls the Threat Response Unit (TRU), found that six ransomware gangs claimed at least 290 new victims fo far this year. The combined spoils tallied potentially $45 million for the hackers. Company researchers from eSentire teamed up with dark web researcher Mike Mayes to track the Ryuk/Conti, Sodin/REvil, CLOP, and DoppelPaymer ransomware groups. They also tracked two emerging cybergangs known as DarkSide and Avaddon. The DarkSide gang should ring some familiarity bells. It is the outfit responsible for the Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack earlier this month. Esentire's TRU and Hayes found that specific groups racked up hundreds of victims in 2020 and collectively compromised 292 new victim organizations between January 1 and April 30 of this year. Researchers estimated the average ransom organizations paid increased from $115,123 in 2019 to $312,493 in 2020, a 171 percent year-over-year increase. "There are many more successful ransomware attacks which have compromised companies than the public has any idea about. There really is no type of industry/business that is not a potential target of these groups," Mark Sangster, vice president at eSentire, told TechNewsWorld. Booming Business for Hackers Ransomware attacks are frequent. Their payouts are often not disclosed by the victims due to embarrassment or loss of public trust. The hacker groups are not shy, however, about self-reporting of their successful exploits on their personal blog/leak sites. The eSentire report noted three new attacks in the previous three months: Tata Steel -- compromised by Sodin/REvil ransomware group in April. Tata Steel refused to pay the $4 million ransom. Broward County School District -- compromised by the Ryuk/Conti gang in March. Threat actors demanded $40 million, and the district said they would not pay. Quanta Computer -- maker of Apple's next-generation MacBooks, also attacked by Sodin/REvil. Hackers in April reportedly demanded $50 million, first from Quanta who said no to the extortion, and then from Apple. But researchers noted that despite the increasing reports of ransomware attacks in the media, the victim organizations the media discloses are a drop in the bucket compared to the actual events. One ransomware incident which occurred last month but never went public involved a small private U.S. company. The threat actors demanded $12 million, which that company paid, according to a high-ranking employee of the organization who asked not to be named. With cyberattacks evolving at breakneck speed, cyberthreat intelligence (CTI) has become a critical component in cybersecurity programs. Without intelligence, organizations are flying blind through very stormy skies, offered Dov Lerner, Security Research Lead at Cybersixgill. "On a strategic level, CTI will enable executives to understand the threat landscape and assess risks to their organizations. On a more tactical level, CTI is used to block malicious indicators of compromise and to detect compromised data," Lerner told TechNewsWorld. As more daily business and activities become digitized, there is more opportunity for dark web actors to consume and exploit sensitive data posted to underground platforms, he added. The cybercrime underground is only continuing to grow, and pandemic and economic crisis may lead more threat actors to seek illicit financial activity and lately, radical political discourse. No Doubt About Successes Sangster said his researchers fully believe that the organizations these groups claim to have compromised are true for several reasons, which include: Each of the ransomware groups the report details provide numerous examples of various files and documents that they claim to have stolen from the victim companies. Plus, they all look authentic. Researchers have seen the threat groups post a victim on their leak site. Later on, perhaps weeks down the road, the target comes out publicly about suffering a ransomware attack. It does not benefit these ransomware groups to lie about the victims they claim to have hacked. If they did post victims on their leak site that they had not compromised, then the word would spread very quickly, and no victim would pay them. "Our security research team, TRU, and dark web researcher Mike Mayes went down into the dark web and spent a lot of time analyzing these six ransomware group's blog/leak sites, and we also analyzed the TTPs of these groups which we have gathered from tracking them since they began their crime spree," Sangster said. Researchers just wrapped up all of their findings and are in the midst of sharing the details with the various law enforcement agencies, he added. Expanded Attack List Esentire and Mayes found that the six ransomware groups they tracked for this report are not only continuing to target the usual suspects -- state and local government, school districts, law firms, and hospital and healthcare organizations. They have expanded their hit list to include manufacturers, transportation/logistics companies, and construction firms in the U.S., Canada, South America, France, and the U.K. Here is a summary of the new victims resulting from this expanded attack list: Ryuk/Conti The Ryuk/Conti ransomware group first appeared in August 2018. Their initial victims tended to be U.S.-based organizations. These included technology companies, healthcare providers, educational institutions, financial services providers, and numerous state and local government organizations. The gang hit a total of 352 organizations, compromising 63 companies and private sector organizations this year alone. TRU examined 37 of Ryuk's 63 victims, and among them, 16 were manufacturers that produced everything from medical devices to industrial furnaces to electromagnetic radiation equipment to school administration software. Ryuk reportedly compromised in 2021transportation/logistics companies, construction companies, and healthcare organizations. Sodin/REvil Sodin/REvil listed 161 new victims this year, with 52 being manufacturers, as well as a few healthcare organizations, transportation/logistic companies, and construction firms. In March, the group hit computer and electronics manufacturer Acer and demanded a $50 million ransom. When Quanta Computer, which manufactures notebook computers for Apple, refused to negotiate, as mentioned above, the Sodin criminals reportedly turned to Apple for the ransom. Sodin hackers posted on their blog called "Happy Blog," a warning stating that if they did not get paid, they would publish what they claimed were technical details for current and future Apple hardware. DoppelPaymer The DoppelPaymer ransomware group emerged in 2019. The DoppelPaymer group's website claims they compromised 186 victims since making their debut with 59 in 2021 alone. The victims include numerous state and local government organizations, plus several educational institutions. In December 2020, the FBI issued a warning that "Since late August 2019, unidentified actors have used DoppelPaymer ransomware to encrypt data from victims within critical industries worldwide such as healthcare, emergency services, and education, interrupting citizens' access to services." Many of the SMBs the group claims as victims were never reported in the press, nor have many of the public sector entities. One of the exceptions is the Illinois Attorney General's office, which first discovered the DoppelPaymer attack on April 10, 2021. Clop (Cl0p) The Clop ransomware first appeared in February 2019 and became better known in October 2020 when its operators became the first group to demand a ransom of more than $20 million. The victim, German tech firm Software AG, refused to pay. Clop made headlines this year for culling through victims' stolen data and retrieving contact information for the company's customers and partners and emailing them to urge them to make the victim company pay the ransom. DarkSide DarkSide is a relatively new ransomware group. Esentire's TRU began tracking it last December, about one month after it reportedly emerged. The operators claim on their blog/leak site to have infected 59 organizations in total, compromising 37 of them in 2021. Victims are located in the U.S., South America, Middle East, and U.K. They include manufacturers of all types of products, such as energy companies, clothing companies, travel companies. Late on May 13, the DarkSide blog/leak site went down with the DarkSide threat actors claiming that it had lost access to the infrastructure it uses to run its operation and would be closing. The notice cited disruption from a law enforcement agency and pressure from the U.S. Prior to the DarkSide website going down, the operators always stated that they provided their malware via a ransomware-as-a-service model. The DarkSide operators claimed they are like Robin Hood by only going after profitable companies that can afford to pay a ransom. The group's operators also noted that they will not attack hospitals, palliative care facilities, nursing homes, funeral homes, and companies involved in developing and distributing the Covid-19 vaccine, according to eSentire's report. Avaddon Avaddon operators, whose ransomware demands first appeared in the wild in February 2019, claim they infected 88 victims during their lifetime, 47 of them in 2021. The nine ransomware attacks followed the ransomware-as-a-service model. Its operators allow affiliates to use the ransomware with a portion of the profits paid to the Avaddon developers. The Avaddon threat actors also reportedly offer their victims 24/7 support and resources on purchasing bitcoin, testing files for decryption, and other challenges that may hinder victims from paying the ransom, according to Esentire. How to Avoid Ransomware Attacks Ransomware groups are wreaking havoc against many more entities than the public realizes, according to eSentire. No single industry is immune from this ransomware scourge which is happening across all regions and sectors. Esentire recommends these tips to defend against ransomware attacks: Backup all critical files and store them offline Require multifactor authentication to access your organization's virtual private network (VPN) or remote desktop protocol (RDP) services Only allow only administrators to access network appliances using a VPN service Domain controllers are a key target for ransomware actors. Ensure your security team has visibility into your IT networks using endpoint detection and response (EDR) agents and centralized logging on domain controllers (DCs) and other servers Employ the principle of least privilege with staff members Disable RDP if not being used Regularly patch systems, prioritizing your key IT systems Implement network segmentation Mandate user-awareness training for all company employee "From a cybersecurity industry perspective, there are some very effective security services, tools and policies available to companies to greatly help them protect their valuable data and applications from cyber threats such as ransomware, business email compromise, cyber espionage, and data destruction," Sangster advised. Jack M. Germain has been an ECT News Network reporter since 2003. His main areas of focus are enterprise IT, Linux and open-source technologies. He is an esteemed reviewer of Linux distros and other open-source software. In addition, Jack extensively covers business technology and privacy issues, as well as developments in e-commerce and consumer electronics. Email Jack. (Photo : from Google) Googles first retail store in New York is expected to be flooded by Pixel smartphones, Nest devices, and other gadgets! Google announced its plan to open its first brick-and-mortar retail store in New York City. Expect the tech giant's Pixel smartphones, Nest devices, and more! Specifically, the new store will be in Chelsea, New York, and its doors are about to open in June 2021, the company wrote on its blog. One of the close landmarks would be -- the Apple Store. It is also close to the NYC offices of Google. Google Store: What To Expect Inside? The retail shop, called Google Store, will be filled with products made by the tech giant -- as expected. Google, in its blog, announced that its "extensive selection of products" will be available to the customers in their soon-to-open store. Visitors should expect the Pixel smartphones, Nest speakers, Pixelbooks, Fitbit smartwatches, and other products that the company wishes to add soon. If customers prefer, these products may also be bought on GoogleStore.com and be picked up at the store. But aside from the wide range of products that Google plans to flaunt, there will be services that its current and future users may need. The company will also offer repair and troubleshooting services in its physical store. There will be how-to workshops, as well, for visitors curious about their products -- in hopes that they would buy it after test driving it. Google Store and COVID-19 protocols As the COVID-19 pandemic changed the normal ways of life, the Google Store will not be spared. However, the company will not let the pandemic get in the way of its customers' desire to experience their products before purchasing them. To create a safe shopping experience, Google vowed that all spaces of the shop will be cleaned throughout the day. The company said in the same blog that it will require customers to wear masks (similar to Apple Stores), sanitize their hands, and practice social distancing. Also, Google will only allow a limited number of guests inside their future store. Read Also: SpaceX's Starlink Eyes to Provide Internet to Enterprises, Teams Up With Google Cloud Other Attempts of a Google Store It is not the first time that Google thought of the idea of building a physical store. According to Forbes, the company has, in the past, launched pop-up shops to showcase their new products. But aside from the temporary small shops, Google has been selling its devices online. On the other hand, it has partnered with Best Buy and Walmart to have its in-person showcase of products, PYMNTS.com reports. In 2015, Ars Technica reported that Google leased a 5,000-square-foot retail space of what seems like a "flagship" store. But the said plan did not come to fruition. Apple, on the contrary, has had its retail store for 20 years now. It has improved, ever since, its retail store even offers one-day delivery. And, on April 10, it is opening another store in Bronx, New York. Related Article: Google and Samsung Team Up to Merge Wear OS and Tizen - Will It Better Compete with Apple's watchOS? This article is owned by Tech Times Written by Teejay Boris 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. India is near completing its deal with Russia, particularly with the S-400 anti-aircraft missiles which have been the center of a 2018 US sanction that has warned them of purchasing the weapon. The $5 billion purchase is near completion and would deliver by the end of 2021, making India equipped with Russian technology, something that would provide a conflict. India is a known ally of the United States, meaning that anything it does against the country's ideals and beliefs may result in its ties getting "shaky" and damaged, leading to a political conflict. And with the United States's conflict with Russia way back in the 2016 Presidential Election, the country has been blacklisted for the different aspects including weapons and arms. The United States has had several run-ins with foreign countries, especially as it aims to maintain its status as a global superpower in different industries, including that of electric vehicle production against China. Russia has been the focus of different rivalries with the United States, among this is its collaboration with China to create a lunar space station. Read Also: Russia Hits Apple With $12 Million Fine for Antitrust Violation Allegedly 'Worsened Conditions for Competitors' India's S-400 Anti-Aircraft Missles from Russia According to NDTV's latest report, India's multi-billion dollar deal has pushed through with a Russian arms company called "Rosoboronexport," for the sophisticated S-400 anti-aircraft missile. This missile is one of the most advanced technologies Russia has, particularly as it is a long-range surface-to-air missile defense system. The delivery date is expected at around October to December 2021, which is the last quarter of the year, and it is without a doubt, one of the highly advanced defense systems in the world. The device can target different aircraft systems up to 400 kilometers or 248 miles of range, ranging from missiles, hostile aircraft, and drones to ground or destroy them. US Sanctions on India for Buying Russian Weapons US and India relations are at a standstill, especially as the relationship sees a growing "friction" that brews between it, with the recent deal with the Russians for the air defense system. According to Reuters, it was initially sanctioned by the United States in 2018 against India, which the country has still pushed to take place. Not much can be said for the US's plans in the future with India, but this development makes it difficult for the tensions among the countries, including that of Russia which has conflicted with the country for various reasons. This venture remains a defense system for India and is not foreseen as a direct attack or assault against the US. Related Article: Russia Claims New Radars Can Detect Possible Weapon Attacks! Here's How the New Systems Work This article is owned by Tech Times Written by Isaiah Richard 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has yet again, helped researchers in discovery, in looking for a fast radio burst (FRB) or a "deep space radio signal source which has been unexplained for years now. The mysterious and disappearing source of the radio signal is now discovered to be coming from a distant galaxy, which is young and still forming. Deep space radio signals appear like phenomenons in the present world, especially as it aims to bring new knowledge and information about the cosmic entities around us which are still unknown. Thanks to the Hubble Space Telescope's technology, scientists can pinpoint locations and produce discoveries to learn more about what is around us. Humans still have a lot to learn about space, and the various discoveries by NASA, along with other global space agencies contribute to the growth of knowledge of the entities around us. Recently, a faint humming sound was discovered by NASA's Voyager-1, and it aims to explain more of the phenomenon, especially as it came as a surprise for those who witnessed it. Read Also: NASA Hubble Space Telescope Reveals Some Scary Versions of Jupiter's Atmosphere NASA Hubble Discovers FRB, Deep Space Radio Signal Source A humming sound is one thing, and a fast radio burst is another, with both having their degree of importance and relevance in the current society as humans continue to learn more about space. According to a research paper pre-published on arXiv, NASA researchers have elaborated on a newly discovered FRB from several distant galaxies. To date, there were five FRBs or deep space radio signal sources that were located by the NASA Hubble Space Telescope, which was a massive achievement of the space agency. Before, FRBs would make its radio signal available, then disappear without a trace, leaving scientists and researchers baffled on where it came from. Why are FRB discoveries Relevant in Society? NASA's Hubble has given a massive development to the case of mysterious FRBs and deep space radio signals in the world of astronomy today, especially as it reveals distant galaxies around Earth. Moreover, it has discovered of nearby galaxies which resonate with these radio signals are considered to be young and only beginning their life cycle. The FRB discoveries aim to learn more of the phenomenons and happenings around the Earth, and not only in the Milky Way galaxy or the current universe the world belongs to. The Hubble's help in delivering new information helps in escalating space knowledge of humans, which are still considered to be limited and barely touching its surface. Related Article: NASA Hubble Telescope Spots Twin Quasars Hailing from Ancient Galaxies-Shares Initial Findings This article is owned by Tech Times Written by Isaiah Richard 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. COVID-19 vaccines are now transitioning to the development of booster shots, with Pfizer and BioNTech, and Moderna CEOs discuss the immediacy of its need by year's end and delivering it by September. The booster is to help the immunization response of a person to improve its protection against the coronavirus to end its infection. The development of COVID-19 vaccines was one of the fastest immunization processes in the world, especially as it showed how technology has helped in fast-tracking its development. Currently, mRNA vaccines are leading the world with Pfizer and Moderna's vaccine which has the least adverse health effects, with high rates of protection. Vaccines cannot guarantee full protection or the so-called "perfect" 100 percent immunity rate against COVID-19 or any other diseases or viruses, but it sure helps out to ready people in the body's defense. With the many vaccines available against COVID now, people have even considered mixing and matching these to get the "optimal" results, which is not recommended. Read Also: Google Maps Encourages Android Users by Replacing the Usual Search Pin with Search for COVID-19 Vaccine COVID-19 Vaccine Boosters by September For Americans or other nationalities who have received COVID-19 vaccines as early as December 2020 and January 2021, the need for a booster shot is recommended by September or October this year. Pfizer and Moderna CEO have openly discussed this, saying that boosters are needed as early as seven to eight months after the first completion. According to Axios, this was openly discussed by both of the pharmaceutical companies' CEOs, particularly with Pfizer's Albert Bourla which has initially insisted on its need at least 12 months after. On the other hand, the US Center for Disease and Control Prevention (CDC) has not discussed any booster requirements after completing the two doses from different companies' vaccines. This includes those which have been approved for emergency use authorization (EUA), by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Boosters Are Coming by Year's End, Following the Near Completion of Vaccination CDC has tallied the statistics of the vaccinated population of the country and as of Thursday, May 20, the country has already fully vaccinated 38.1 percent of its population, and 48.2 percent with at least one dose. Boosters are not yet recommended by the CDC, but the pharma companies are aiming for its delivery by September towards the end of the year. Related Article: COVID-19 Vaccine Effectivity: Not That High with 'Immunocompromised' People, Transplant Recipients, Says Study This article is owned by Tech Times Written by Isaiah Richard 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Virgin Galactic will soon launch SpaceShipTwo on Saturday, May 22. It will mark as the third space expedition of the company in space. Besides payloads, a crew of explorers will ride aboard the VSS Unity spaceplane. Outside the field of space science, the company's shares surprisingly increased to 25% after it faced a 27% decline on Wednesday, May 19. Virgin Galactic's First Space Tests According to the recent report of Space, Virgin Galactic first underwent a flight test on its Unity in December 2018. During that time, it was carrying six passengers and two pilots on the board. In February 2019, the space tourism agency repeated the exploration. The two previous missions have begun in the Southeastern part of California, specifically in the Mojave Air and Space Port where the sub-orbital plane lifted off. What's ahead for the weekend journey will be the first spaceflight of the company which will start from the Land of Enchantment, in the company's commercial hub in Next Mexico. Particularly, the mission will be carried over from Spaceport America and this is the first time that it will come from the said origin point--the third spaceflight overall. On Dec. 12, 2020, VMS Eve, a carrier aircraft, unlatched the Unity at 50,000 feet (altitude). However, the plan did not go well for Virgin Galactic as the rocket motor malfunction. The bright side of this disaster was that both pilots Dave Mackay and C.J. Sturckow were safe upon Unity's landing on the runway of the spaceport. Read Also: Virgin Galactic Rolls Out New SpaceShipTwo Space Tourism Rocket The investigation followed up, and Virgin Galactic found out that the problem stemmed from the interference of an electromagnetic component in the spacecraft which rebooted the computer attached to the Unity by the time the ignition started. Soon, the company concluded that it will guarantee a series of precautionary measures in its next launches. Ahead of the scheduled trip on weekend, Virgin Galactic will conduct a test flight first of SpaceShipTwo to ensure if all parts are freely functional. "The flight will also incorporate all original test objectives, including assessment of the upgraded horizontal stabilizers and flight controls during the boost phase of the flight, evaluating elements of the customer cabin and testing the live stream capability from the spaceship to the ground," the representatives from Virgin Galactic said in a statement, Business Wire reported on Thursday, May 20. Virgin Galactic's Shares Unexpectedly Before SpaceShipTwo's Tour According to CNBC, the stock of the Virgin Galactic was believed to be affected by the postponement of the test flight since May. However, despite several issues that happened over the past months, its shares went as high as 25%. At the end of the day, it recorded a 14.7% increase which accounts for a $19.81 change. On Wednesday, May 19, the stock declined to 27% after its surprise growth in February. The past two months saw a timely rise in stocks of Virgin Galactic. The company shares also plunged after Jeff Bezos disclosed his plans for Blue Origin in the next two months. Related Article: NASA And Virgin Galactic Will Develop a Supersonic Aircraft Making New York City to Shanghai in 40 Minutes Possible This article is owned by Tech Times Written by Joseph Henry 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Apple's iOS 14 has a feature that checks the Air Quality in the environment, and they saw the potential in that last 2020. Through the said Weather app, those who want to see the air quality index within a particular location can have an idea if the air that they breathe is healthy or not. However, not everyone around the world has access to this exclusive feature. This year, the Cupertino giant plans for an expansion of it to other countries which previously do not have the Weather App trademark. 'Air Quality Feature in iOS 14.7 Could Reach Out Few More Regions This 2021 According to Cult of Mac's report on Thursday, May 20, several Twitter and Reddit users claimed that Apple's iOS 14.7 beta can bring the Air Quality feature to more nations through the Weather app in the iPhone. People all over the social media platforms said that the cities that will receive the Weather App feature are Spain, France, Italy, and the Netherlands. Some even said that the Air Quality tool is now available in North America, particularly in Canada. As a glimpse of the kind of air that we breathe in the United States, the reported Air Quality Index (AQI) recorded 0 to 500 range. This means that when the numbers are higher, the air quality is considered unhealthy for humans. That being said, better air quality accounts to lower numbers in the air quality index range. If you have an iPhone, you can visibly see the information written on the Weather App's colored bar. You can also discern the feature if you are using Apple Maps. Read Also: Apple's SignTime, a Sign Language Interpreter, Will Soon Be Available -- More Accessibility Features Coming! At the moment, the iOS 14.7 update is still under development. However, for those who use the Home app on their Apple devices like Mac, iPad, and iPhone, you can enjoy a new Home app feature that allows you to set and stop a timer. Currently, there is no official answer yet from Apple regarding the release date of the iOS 14.7 patch to the users. Apple's Weather Forecast App Drew Flaks in UK There are times that instead of an app providing substantial and "correct" information to the public, it produces a wrong forecast like in the case of what happened in the UK. According to the users, Apple's Weather Forecast app predicted that rain is about to come. However, what happened is far from its prediction, Express UK reported. In addition, there are reports that the feature had started from the Weather App's Dark Sky, which had been shut down in July 2020. There were claims that the Weather app told the people that snow or rain would arrive in a few hours. Using the data gathered from the "The Met Office," the UK weather forecast suggested the "next-hour precipitation forecast," but this did not sound well for the complaining users. According to one Twitter user, the Apple Weather app seems to be a joke this time. Another user from the same platform said that the forecast reveals a "100 % chance of whole-day raining," yet the Sun was out all day long. "Has Apple Weather changed the way it displays the forecast recently,?" another social media user shared. Related Article: Apple Acquires Sought After Weather App 'Dark Sky' and Will Completely Shut Down and End its Android Version in July This article is owned by Tech Times Written by Joseph Henry 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. (Photo : Pixabay/TheDigitalWay) Hacker ransomware CNA Financial insurance company may have paid one of the most expensive malware ransoms to date. This is the company's desperate move to free itself from the hackers. CNA Financial Insurance Company Paid Attacker According to Bloomberg, the US insurance company shelled out $40 million in late March to regain control of its network following a two-week lockout. In order to put that payout in perspective, the CEO of the Colonial Pipeline said in an interview with The Wall Street Journal this week that his company paid $4.4 million to hackers after a ransomware attack that led to fuel shortages across the United States. A spokesperson for the company told Bloomberg that CNA Financial is not commenting on the ransom and that CNA Financial followed all the laws, regulations, and published guidance, including OFAC's 2020 ransomware guidance, in its handling of the matter. Also Read: Korean Retailer 'E-Land' Suffers Ransomware Attack-Almost Half of its Operations Face Shut Down! The company fell victim to Phoenix Locker, an offshoot of the Hades ransomware created by the infamous Russian cybercrime operation Evil Corp. Some security researchers believe that Evil Corp is also behind WastedLocker, which is the malware linked to 2020's Garmin ransomware attack. In 2019, the US Treasury Department sanctioned the group for its activities. It is unclear if Phoenix, the group behind the CNA Financial attack, is affiliated with Evil Corp. Ransomware Attack Payment Ransomware attack payments are rarely disclosed. According to Palo Alto Networks, the average payment in 2020 was $312,493, and it is a 171% increase from the payments that companies made in 2019. The $40 million payment made by CNA Financial is bigger than any previously disclosed payments to hackers, The Verge reported. Disclosure of the payment is likely to draw the ire of lawmakers and regulators that are already unhappy that companies from the United States are making large payouts to criminal hackers who, over the last year, have targeted hospitals, drug makers, police forces, and other entities that are critical to public safety. The FBI discourage organizations from paying ransom because it encourages additional attacks and does not guarantee that data will be returned. Ransomware is a type of malware that encrypts the data of the victim. Cybercriminals using ransomware usually steal the data too. The hackers, then, ask for a payment to unlock the files and promise not to leak stolen data. In recent years, hackers have been targeting victims with cyber insurance policies and huge volumes of sensitive consumer data that make them more likely to pay a ransom. Last year was a banner year for ransomware groups, with security experts and law enforcement agencies estimating that victims paid about $350 million in ransom. The cybercriminals took advantage of the pandemic, a time when hospitals, medical companies, and insurance companies were the busiest. As per Bloomberg's report, CNA Financial initially ignored the hackers' demands while pursuing options to recover their files without engaging with the criminals. However, within a week, the company decided to start negotiations with the hackers, who were demanding $60 million. Payment was made a week later. Related Article: Ransomware Attack Helps Macbook Repair Shops Recover Lost Data -- How? This article is owned by Tech Times Written by Sophie Webster 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Facebook announced that it eliminated 14 million posts that spread misinformation about COVID-19. The said number is from March 2020 until December 2020 alone. Facebook has been under the spotlight of critics as misinformation dominates the platform, so the social media giant is ramping up its efforts to avoid the proliferation of false information and disinformation. The social network has clarified in its announcement that the company "uses disinformation to refer to behaviour that is inauthentic (ie. people misrepresenting themselves in ways that are false)." Whereas, the term misinformation pertains to false content. According to The Guardian, in February, Facebook and other social media companies have signed a code with the Australian government. The industry code is meant to fight both disinformation and misinformation from dominating the online world. And in turn, members of it are compelled to create yearly reports about their implementation. Faceboook Removed COVID-19 Misinformation Posts Facebook published its first report in compliance with the mandate. It wrote in its blog on Friday how many posts has the social media giant removed since then. The company said that it removed 14 million pieces of COVID-19 related posts globally as it included fake preventive measures and even exaggerated cure against the virus. Furthermore, Facebook said that such content may lead to harm. In addition, it has removed, in Australia alone, 110,000 misinformation posts. In April 2021, the number of removed posts has increased by 4 million, Bloomberg reported. It means that Facebook took down millions of COVID-19 misinformation posts from January to April only. The said figure showed as the company updated the public about its content removal and anti-account efforts. Informing People About COVID-19 To also combat misinformation, the social giant is also exerting efforts in informing its users about COVID-19. The company said, in the same blog post, that they have set up a COVID-19 Information Centre. It has shared the necessary information with its users throughout the world. In fact, around 2 billion people globally have at least once visited the said center. Read Also: Singapore Orders Facebook And Twitter to Inform Users of The Falsehood of New COVID-19 Strain Reports Other Efforts to Combat Misinformation It was reported by Tech Times that Facebook will change users' profiles if they resort to spreading false information. The company will do it even without consent from the owner. It is another move by the company to combat the presence of misinformation in its platform. Users, to safeguard their profiles, will then have to follow the rules and regulations of the social network. Related Article: Facebook Anti-Vaccine Profile Frames Becoming a Trend: FB Now Promotes Pro-Vaccine Photo Borders to Fight It This article is owned by Tech Times Written by Teejay Boris 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The situation in Myanmar has been mitigated since mid-April. Tthe Myanmar military has reiterated that it will hold an election after the end of the emergency state and hand over the state power to the elected political party. Its foreseeable that the Myanmar military wont hold the new election based on the current electoral system, so as to avoid another super party like the National League for Democracy (NLD) hard to control. In which way will Myanmar go then in its political development? There are not many options available. Some suggested that it may refer to the political path of its southeast Asian neighbor Indonesia and Thailand. Military interference in state governance is a common phenomenon in the political development of southeastern Asian countries after WWII. Myanmar, Indonesia, and Thailand used to be controlled by the military for a long time. The difference is that while Indonesia and Thailand witnessed rapid economic and social progress during the military reign, Myanmar stagnated. When the new junta was established in September 1988, it reflected, place social and economic development high on the agenda in 1988-2010, and drew on Indonesias experience in its political transformation. But the Indonesian mode isnt suitable for Myanmar at the moment, whereas the political system of Thailand may be more referable. The military regime led by General ThanShwe studied the political system in Indonesia in depth how the military participated in state governance and set proxies and tried to follow suit. Theoretically, the Than Shwe government was very interested in the Indonesian theory about the militarys dual role and enshrined the militarys leading position in state governance in the 2008 Constitution. In practice, Myanmar also drew on Indonesias tradition of reserving a fixed number of seats in the federal parliament. During Suhartos term, the Indonesian military had 75 seats in the parliament, which was reduced to 38 after Habibie came in power. This system was abolished in 2004. The Indonesian military also formed the Golkar, a political party representing the militarys interests, to run for state power, which is similar to Myanmars Union Solidarity and Development Party. As the Indonesian military has retreated from state power in the 21st century, and as the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) has lost two elections in 2015 and 2020, the Myanmar military is likely to reflect on the Indonesian model and draw lessons from Thailand. Bordering each other, Myanmar and Thailand differ greatly in economic achievements after WWII, but resemble each other in that their militaries both frequently interfere in state governance. In southeast Asia, Thailand witnessed the first and the most frequent military coups after WWII. The 1962 coup launched by Ne Win in Myanmar was to some extent influenced by Thailand, and many measures taken by the Ne Win regime were similar to those taken by Thailands contemporary SaritThanarat regime. After the Army Commander SuchindaKraprayoon resigned as prime minister in May 1992, Thailand entered a long period of scholarly governance, which created the illusion that the country had succeeded in its democratic transformation and the military would no longer meddle in state governance. It was, therefore, surprising when Thailands Army Commander SonthiBoonyaratglinwaged another coup 15 years later and overthrew the Thaksin government in September 2006. Sonthis visit to Myanmar on September 11-13, right before the coup, was suspected of being a study tour. The situation faced by the Thai military then is very much like the situation in Myanmar in early 2021. At that time, the Thaksin-led Thai Rak Thai (TRT) party, leveraged on its popularity with the lower-middle class, won several elections. Still, Thaksins policies seriously eroded the interests of the Thai royal family, the middle class, and the military. After the successful coup, the Thai military formed a transition government with former army chief SurayutChulanont as prime minister, and the constitutional court under military mandate ruled the TRT as violating the national constitution and forced its dissolution. Later the Peoples Power Party deriving from TRT won the election in December 2007, but was suspected of cheating and forced to dissolve by the constitutional court. Then the Puea Thai Party was formed based on the remaining force of the Peoples Power Party, which, leveraging Thaksins influence and his sister Yinglucks favorable image, won the election in July 2011. However, the country fell into the abyss of a protracted confrontation between the Peoples Alliance for Democracy(PAD) and the National United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD) afterward. In May 2014, Army Commander Prayuth Chan-ocha, after unsuccessful coordination, announced a coup, abolished the 2007 Constitution, and formed the National Council for Peace and Order comprised of the chief of various services to run the state. To legitimize their rule, the council also put together a provisional constitution and rushed it into force without having a referendum. To prevent the appearance of uncontrollable super parties like the TRT, the Peoples Power Party (PPP), and the Puea Thai Party (PTP), the Thai military, on the one hand, deployed power and legal means to keep down Thaksin and his followers. On the other hand, it set up the National Reform Council under its control to revise the constitution and the electoral system. In April 2017, the new constitution representing the interests of the royal family, the military, and aristocracy came into effect, according to which only candidates approved by the military-controlled senate could be elected as prime minister. In March 2019, Thailand held the first election in eight years according to the new constitution. The pro-Prayuth Citizens Power Party didnt win majority seats at the House of Commons, but it successfully got other parties with many seats to support Prayuth. This, coupled with the Prayuth-controlled senate, sent Prayuth to the position of prime minister again in June 2019. By reforming the political system, the Thai military has wiped out the possibility for Thaksin to make a comeback and turned former military leaders into elected state leaders. This may shed light on those in Naypyidaw now. (The author Li Chenyang is a researcher at the Center for Chinas Neighbor Diplomacy and the Institute of Myanmar Studies, Yunnan University, and a senior research fellow at The Charhar Institute.) Disclaimer: This article is originally published on this years 10th issue of World Affairs,a semi-monthly magazine on international politics, economics and culture. It 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. Want to live in Mountain Village? With the creation of several new housing initiatives it now may be easier than you think. (Courtesy photo) Madisonville, KY (42431) Today A few clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 71F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight A few clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 71F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Ada, OK (74820) Today Thunderstorms likely, especially this evening. Low 71F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%.. Tonight Thunderstorms likely, especially this evening. Low 71F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%. The spirit and legacy of longtime Lafayette educator Melinda Mangham was physically cemented Wednesday with the dedication of the 200 building at Lafayette High School as Melinda W. Mangham Hall. Mangham, who spent nearly two decades as a gifted English teacher at Lafayette High, died April 30, 2020, at age 79 after a short battle with cancer. Mangham, who retired in 2009, was remembered fondly by colleagues and students as a woman who approached life with confidence, grit and compassion, and inspired the same in others. Her daughter, Elizabeth Mangham, accepted a plaque marking the buildings official renaming in her mothers memory. The ceremony was the first opportunity the younger Mangham had been able to mourn and celebrate her mother with the community, and honor her courage, kindness, patience and fierceness, she said. We stood in awe of her energy, her tirelessness, her willingness to drive you to the point where you thought she would either kill you or you would break, and then whamo, everything became clear, you understood and it all clicked. You didnt think you could do it, but she knew you could, Elizabeth Mangham said in a speech. Melinda Mangham, longtime Lafayette educator, remembered for her 'steel and softness' Melinda Mangham, a larger than life Lafayette educator who championed students and teachers with undeniable passion for decades, has died. The elder Mangham was driven by the fierce need to ensure her life mattered and funneled that need into serving others daily, her daughter said. Hopefully, seeing her name on the school building will push a new generation of students to believe in themselves, and inspire teachers to notice when students need help, encouragement and a firm push, she said. Top stories in Acadiana in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up She was fond of saying that the only thing no one can take from you is your education, and I hope those kids know the value of why theyre coming here every day. And I hope they know theres someone watching over them whos pulling for them, Elizabeth Mangham said. Manghams influence and renown extended beyond her classroom; she was twice recognized as a White House Distinguished Teacher, was a former Louisiana Association of Educators Teacher of the Year, was appointed by Gov. John Bel Edwards to the College and Career Readiness Commission in 2017 and briefly served on the Lafayette Parish School Board by appointment to fill the seat of Mark Cockerham in 2014. Even when not serving on the board, Mangham was a fixture at school board meetings, offering thought provoking insights, commentary and her opinion on board decisions, the board said. Board members recalled her widsom and eagerness to mentor newly elected members as they navigated the complexities of the school system. +15 Meet Millie the giraffe, Zoosiana's cutest new addition Millie is like any newborn she takes comfort being close to her mother, shes learning the world and she needs frequent feedings but she a Id see her walk in and take a minute to say, Ms. Mangham, tell me all the ways Ive disappointed you lately. And then she would...but she would always include the ways I could make it up to her and be better in the future. I think that was the most impactful thing of all, her guiding hand helping each and every one of us, District 6 board member Justin Centanni said. Hannah Smith Mason, District 8 board member, studied under Mangham at Lafayette High in the 1990s. With the construction of a new Lafayette High campus on the horizon following a Wednesday approval by the school board, Mason said shes hopeful the dedication will carry forward to the new schools English building. Off the Hook, the fast-growing Thibodaux-based seafood chain, is set to open its first Baton Rouge location in the former Raising Canes on Corporate Boulevard. Plans are to open the restaurant by the fall, said Paxton Moreaux, director of operations. The restaurant is expected to hire between 40 and 50 people. Off the Hook has a motto of Real Cajun, Real Fast and specializes in fried seafood, gumbo, etouffee and hamburgers. The first Off The Hook opened in Thibodaux in 2012. A Houma restaurant opened in 2015 and the Gonzales location followed in June. A restaurant at 17775 Airline Highway in Prairieville is set to open in summer 2022. Raising Cane's on Corporate Boulevard closed due to leasing issues Raising Canes Chicken Fingers closed its restaurant on Corporate Boulevard near College Drive and Interstate 10 recently after more than a de The 5,300-square-foot Baton Rouge restaurant has been vacant since December 2019, when Raising Canes closed due to a lease dispute with the landlord. Canes had operated the Corporate Boulevard location since 2004, back when the companys restaurant support office was also located on the street. The flooding that hit Baton Rouge Monday came at a bad time for people who lost vehicles during the storm. Car rental companies already had thin inventories, as a result of selling off vehicles during the COVID-19 pandemic and supply chain disruptions, which also have hampered new car lots. Now that hundreds of people are looking for temporary replacements for flooded cars and trucks, rentals are in short supply and permanent replacements will be harder to get. My Mom talked with Enterprise and they said everything was unavailable, said JeVaughn Oubre. They told me the closest location for (rental) cars was probably Texas, but they might have some in New Orleans. Oubre and his wife Shannon live in the Siegen Calais apartments, where the floodwater was waist-deep. His Dodge truck and her Nissan Ultima are no longer running after they took on water. +9 'Just heartbreaking': Watch water rescues from flooded Siegen Calais apartments in Baton Rouge As storms inundated Baton Rouge with nearly 14 inches of rain late Monday, first responders at Siegen Calais Apartments began rescuing familie Shannon Oubre said the couple and their three children are relying on friends and family to take them to work and school. They have jobs as well, and they have got to go where they have got to go, she said. Its rough right now. We really do need transportation. A survey of the websites for Avis, Budget, Enterprise and National Thursday afternoon showed that none of the companies had rental cars available in all of Baton Rouge. Hertz had a handful of cars available. Problems began last year when rental companies sold off vehicles to generate revenue in the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic, when vacations and business travel were virtually non-existent. Auto manufacturing slowed down during the pandemic. Then, when cars started to be built again, manufacturers had to slow production because of a worldwide shortage of microchips, leaving the rental car industry without means of replenishing its fleet and reducing car dealership inventories. Did your home or vehicle flood? Here's what to do Hundreds of south Louisiana residents are needing to file insurance claims after their homes and automobiles were flooded by a torrential down Matt McKay, owner of All Star Automotive Group, which has nine auto dealerships in metro Baton Rouge, said his lots have about half, if were lucky as many new cars as normal. Ive been a car dealer since 1987; this is the most unique situation Ive been in, he said. The shortage of cars has gotten so bad that McKay has pulled vehicles from All Stars rental department, which are leased by customers getting work done at the dealership, and put them up for sale. Theyre commanding a very, very good price, he said. Weve got to have something on the lot to sell. 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 McKay said he expects demand for used cars will go up as a result of the flood because people will take the settlements they get from their insurance companies and buy used cars. Payments for a flooded car are based on the value of a vehicle, which means they may fall short of the cost of a new car. Matt Bowers said he has about 10% as many vehicles as he would normally have at his Baton Rouge Chrysler Dodge Jeep and Ram dealership. Its certainly a problem, he said. In the past day, several dozen people have called the service department at the dealership, looking for cars to replace flooded vehicles. I dont know how Im going to be able to help them, he said. Its difficult. Bowers, who owns four dealerships in Baton Rouge, Metairie and Slidell, said hes optimistic that the supply of new cars could improve in the next two months. Manufacturers are making cars with packages that dont require as many computer chips and theyve stopped production on models that dont sell as well. Theres some relief in sight, he said. If were fortunate, it might be at the end of June or July. +9 'Just heartbreaking': Watch water rescues from flooded Siegen Calais apartments in Baton Rouge As storms inundated Baton Rouge with nearly 14 inches of rain late Monday, first responders at Siegen Calais Apartments began rescuing familie David Paris, an analyst with J.D. Power, told Automotive News, that rental companies are trying to buy used cars to replenish their fleets. Theyre approaching wholesale dealers and their customers. Hertz said its looking for low-mileage used cars in a number of different channels, including auctions, dealerships and lease programs. In general, availability has been a problem at airports across the country during peak demand periods, said Jim Caldwell, a spokesman for Baton Rouge Metro Airport. Availability has been a little better at Baton Rouge Metro, but Caldwell said there have been limitations on peak days and times. Baton Rouge has fared better than some cities in terms of having rental cars available because most of the visitors are driving in from other markets, said Paul Arrigo, president of Visit Baton Rouge. Most of the large local hotels have vehicle fleets to shuttle visitors to and from the airport. But locally, this is going to be complicated by the flooding, he said. Thats going to generate more demand. Plans to offer regular flights from Baton Rouge Metro Airport to Gulf Shores, Alabama have been cancelled due to low passenger bookings. The Southeast Beach Express flights were set to launch June 3, with daily service between Thursday and Sunday. Gov. John Bel Edwards said Thursday the extra $300 in weekly federal unemployment assistance going to the jobless in Louisiana wont be cut anytime soon. He wants an economist to study the issue instead of rushing into a decision. The Democratic governors cautious approach comes as a growing number of Republican-led states announce an end to the federal aid, arguing that the relatively generous benefits are incentivizing unemployment and impeding employer efforts to rehire workers. Ten business groups representing Louisianas contractors, retailers, gas stations, restaurants, homebuilders, convenience stores and more made similar arguments in a letter sent to Edwards on Wednesday. We believe this additional benefit was an important short-term solution to help individuals who were adversely impacted at the start of the pandemic, the groups wrote. However, 13 months later, many employers are finding it near impossible to fully staff their business, which impacts the supply chain and timely delivery of goods and services. Louisiana will not end extra $300 unemployment aid despite request from business groups Louisiana business organizations Wednesday called on Gov. John Bel Edwards to join Republican-led states in cutting off the extra $300 in fede Edwards said hes reluctant to lift the benefits, which expire in September, without empirical state-level research on the impact it could have. He instructed his Workforce Commissioner Ava Dejoie earlier this week to retain an economist to quickly study the issue. Its going to be something that were going to be very deliberate about, Edwards said. Its not something were going to do prematurely. The governor added that Louisiana is heavily dependent on the tourism industry, which hasnt recovered from the pandemic and is entering the slower summer season. He said this separates Louisiana from the 20 other GOP-led states who plan to halt their benefits in the next few months. Louisiana legislators have hundreds of millions of dollars more to spend due to stimulus money Louisiana lawmakers are going to have a whole lot more money to spend over the next 14 months about $677 million more, the Revenue Estimatin We still have an awful lot of people in Louisiana whose livelihoods depend on the availability of jobs related to tourism, and we know that tourism is not back, Edwards said. The $300 weekly bonus is added on top of the states unemployment benefit, which is the second lowest in the nation and maxes out at $247 a week. As of May 14, there were just under 290,000 people in Louisiana receiving the supplemental benefit, according to Workforce Commission data. Additional unemployment benefits have become a cause celebre among Republicans in recent weeks with several of the partys governors in other states refusing the money on the belief that the enhanced benefits, alone, are responsible for the number of low-paying jobs going unfilled. That movement only intensified after the latest dismal jobs report, which saw only 266,000 new jobs created nationwide, a meager showing compared to the to the million economists had predicted. The scoop on state politics in your inbox Get the Louisiana politics insider details once a week from us. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up Louisiana now offering utility bill assistance to renters facing COVID-19 financial hardships Louisiana is adding utility payment assistance to its state-administered, federally funded program established to help renters and landlords i Louisianas job growth has similarly plateaued in recent months, but Greg Albrecht, the chief economist employed by the state Legislature, said at hearing Tuesday that the enhanced benefits likely arent to blame. When asked by Senate President Page Cortez, R-Lafayette, whether the lack of movement in the labor market was due to the $300 weekly bonus, Albrecht said, The economic literature doesnt show that as a big reason. Albrecht pointed to a handful of studies from last summer when the federal government was adding $600 to the states weekly benefit that found little evidence that the bonus disincentivized employment. Albrecht noted that in Louisiana, the biggest jump in the number of actual jobs added since the pandemic also came during that period of $600 benefits. More recent research from the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco estimated the $300 federal benefits likely had small but noticeable effects on job search and worker availability in early 2021, though the research is preliminary. The study estimated that in the beginning months of 2021, about seven out of 28 unemployed individuals received job offers they would normally accept, but one would turn it down because of the $300 benefits. The letter sent to Edwards which was signed by the influential Louisiana Association of Business and Industry and the National Federation of Independent Business said workforce shortages were hampering Main Streets recovery and urged the governor to follow his neighbors in Texas, Arkansas and Mississippi in cutting off the benefits. Only a few months ago, businesses were scaling back, reducing hours and limiting services because of the COVID-19 restrictions, Dawn Starns McVea, Louisiana director of NFIB, said in a statement. Now, theyre doing it because they cant find enough people to work. McVea cited an NFIB report from April which found that 44% of small business owners nationwide have job openings they can't fill. She said 31% of their members have reported upping their wages to attract workers. Jan Moller, the executive director of the left-leaning Louisiana Budget Project, said it would be "absolutely horrible policy to take unemployment benefits away from people who have suffered the most during this pandemic." Moller echoed that Louisiana's economy is heavily reliant on tourism and energy extraction industries that have been disproportionately hurt by the pandemic and have yet to fully recover. He added that the pandemic still isn't over and said many people still face issues with finding childcare. "A healthy economy is not measured by an unlimited availability of people willing to work at or near the minimum wage," Moller said. A proposal to raise the states unemployment benefit by $28 per week failed on the House floor Thursday. It included an amendment, tacked on by Republicans in committee, that would give residents on unemployment between $500 and $1000 to go back to work, but only if they gave up their right to claim unemployment benefits for six months. Gov. Edwin Edwards was so detested when he ran for re-election in 1987, because of scandal and a tanking economy, that the favored candidate t March for Palestine, Peaceful Solidarity Protest Cancelled By Organisers The Chief Minister, the Hon Fabian Picardo QC MP, held a meeting this afternoon with representatives of the organisers of the proposed March for Palestine, Peaceful Solidarity Protest planned for tomorrow, Saturday 22nd May. Also in attendance with the Chief Minister was the Commissioner of Police, Richard Ullger, and Superintendent Nolan Romero. The Chief Minister shared with the representatives of the organisers of the proposed march the concerns that had been expressed to and by the Commissioner of Police about the potential for serious public disorder to result if it were to go ahead. The Chief Minister and the Commissioner also shared with the representatives of the organisers the nature of the information that gave rise to their concerns. The representatives of the organisers of the proposed march used the opportunity of the meeting to share their motivations and concerns with the Chief Minister and the Commissioner. They expressed also their aims and objectives in the organisation of the proposed march. They were very clear in setting out that they wished their actions should not be seen as divisive. After a very frank and useful discussion, it was, however, agreed by the representatives that they will cancel the march and demonstration which they had advertised for tomorrow, Saturday 22nd March 2021. The representative of the organisers of the proposed demonstration have, nonetheless, agreed with the Chief Minister to continue to work together with his office and the Commissioner and his Senior Command Team to, instead, pursue the organisation of alternative events that will not raise concerns about any public order issues arising as a result of their organisation and which will be designed to be inclusive and promoting of the respect between all the communities that make up the social fabric of Gibraltar. The Chief Minister said: This evenings meeting was very respectful and cordial. I found the representatives of the organisers of the proposed demonstration helpful and engaging in explaining to the Commissioner and to me their motivations, intentions and objectives. I also found them very receptive and understanding of our concerns. I was very pleased at the understanding they displayed at the depth of our concerns about potential serious public disorder arising, which I have no doubt was the last thing the organisers would have wished to see emerge from their march. In the circumstances I am genuinely and deeply grateful for the decision taken by the representatives of the organisers to cancel the proposed march and demonstration tomorrow. I believe it is the right decision to ensure that we all put our little grain of sand into continuing to promote the respect and understanding that is the hallmark of our precious Gibraltar. I look forward to continuing to work with this group to promote these core values going forward as they shape their alternative proposals. Southwest Louisiana braced for more rainfall Friday as storm-weary residents continued drying out from severe flooding earlier in the week and rebuilding from last years hurricanes. Local officials said they were keeping an eye on a weather system in the Gulf that threatened to deluge the area with rain and possibly develop into a tropical depression. Sandbags were available at locations in Calcasieu Parish, which was hit by thunderstorms Monday that dumped as much as 18 inches of rain in some areas. Lake Charles Mayor Nic Hunter said Mondays rains were the third-heaviest in the citys history and the speed of the flash floods took many by surprise, stranding and displacing hundreds of residents, some of whom took boats to safety. Hunter has estimated that 400 to 500 houses and other structures were flooded. At KDs Diner in Lake Charles, where water outside rose nearly knee-deep, about 17 customers remained stranded for hours as flooding entered the building. Dwayne Penn, 49, who owns an air-conditioning business and is a KDs regular, said the water rose so fast he was stuck there for six hours. Everyone there took it in good humor, he said, sitting in the dark and talking with water at their feet. Videos have been shared on social media of the scene. But Penn and others threw up their hands Friday at the idea of more heavy rains, saying theres not much you can do except keep an eye on the forecast and gather sandbags. Lake Charles has taken a beating from last year's hurricanes Laura and Delta, followed by a fierce winter storm in February and this week's floods. Lake Charles news in your inbox Once a week we'll send you the top stories we find in the Lake Area e-mail address * Sign Up I think we need to get close to God. Thats what we need to do, Penn joked as he stood in the parking lot at KDs on Friday. The disturbance in the Gulf was expected to move inland into Texas on Friday night between Corpus Christi and Houston, according to AccuWeather, potentially soaking southwest Louisiana. Regardless of whether this thing becomes a depression or even a tropical storm, the main threats going to be heavy rain and thats likely whether it forms or not, Calcasieu parish spokesman Tom Hoefer said. He noted that sandbag locations were listed at calcasieuparish.gov/sandbags. Roof tarps and destroyed buildings remain a common sight in some parts of Lake Charles. Hurricane Laura, a Category 4 storm that hit in August, was Louisianas most powerful hurricane in terms of wind speed since 1856. Hurricane Delta, a Category 2, followed on a similar path six weeks later, causing significant flooding. Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size Burchell Hayes was driving from Port Hedland to Karratha in Western Australia on a long road where the sky looks boundless and the red earth, anchoring it to the landscape, stretches far beyond where the eye can see. Four of his grandsons were in the car with him. Their presence made the news he was about to hear even harder to take in. It was May 24, 2020 exactly a year ago this Monday and miner Rio Tinto had just set off a series of explosive charges at a place called Juukan Gorge, named after Hayes grandfather and sacred to his people. Two rock shelters there contained some of the worlds oldest evidence of continual human habitation and priceless cultural heritage. They had been blasted through and reduced to rubble. PKKP director Burchell Hayes, pictured here near Juukan Gorge, says laws can reflect spiritual values. Credit:PKKP It felt really terrible, as a grandfather, Hayes recalls, to know that I was not able to preserve the heritage which was on loan to me. For corporate Australia, 2020 will go down as a year like no other: the coronavirus crisis crippling swathes of the economy, business closures everywhere, widespread job losses. For the nations mining companies and the legions of institutional investors who hold shares in them it will also be remembered for another reason: the year the industry was rocked by one of the biggest scandals in recent memory. Advertisement The legal destruction of the 46,000-year-old rock shelters at Juukan Gorge devastated their traditional custodians, who describe their connection to the land as strong, direct and ancient and who were unaware of Rios plan to destroy them until it was too late. Over the course of 2020, the fallout focused the public spotlight on miners treatment of Indigenous peoples across the industry and lit a match beneath long-simmering concerns about the power imbalance that underpins those ties. It triggered protests and parliamentary hearings. Projects were paused across the industry and there were promises of legislative reform. While the fight is far from over, many now hope 2020 could be a turning point that changes forever how the mining sector and Australia treats its First Nations custodians. Loading Replay Replay video Play video Play video In the days that followed the destruction, the intense pain felt by Hayes and the wider Puutu Kunti Kurrama and Pinikura (PKKP) community reverberated rapidly through the country, and then around the world. The news made it all the way to the offices of Doug McMurdo, who chairs a coalition of 82 British pension funds managing $545 billion and became one of the first global investors to start seeking answers from the Anglo-Australian miner. While he didnt know it at the time, what transpired would become a rallying point for investors around human rights, and, specifically, the cultural rights of Indigenous peoples worldwide. The destruction of the rock shelters has certainly opened my eyes further, not just to Rio Tintos community-engagement practices but to the fact that these practices are largely deficient across the entire mining industry, McMurdo, the Local Authority Pension Fund Forum chairman, tells The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald. The way investors and traditional owners came together to ensure there were consequences for Rio Tintos actions was heartening. Advertisement The response McMurdo refers to was powerful and effective. Investment firms and First Nations leaders spoke publicly in the media, and, privately, pressured the board demanding answers and action. Rio Tinto was forced into an urgent review. It found multiple communication failures and missed opportunities that would have prevented the disaster, and the company apologised for this profusely. But its proposed punishments docking the bonus pay of CEO Jean-Sebastien Jacques and two of his deputies failed to quell the outcry and calls for accountability grew louder. In the end, it would cost the jobs of all three executives. Chairman Simon Thompson is standing down shortly. And now, the worlds biggest iron ore miner is confronting the task of rolling out large-scale changes, rebuilding relationships and mending a reputation in tatters. This will not be easy, Rios new chief executive Jakob Stausholm acknowledges. This is the start of a long journey. Before the first anniversary of the disaster this Monday, investors involved in last years uprising have offered their reflections recounting their shock at what happened, the lessons to be learnt and what must be done differently to prevent anything like this from happening again. A long-running theme in the investment world is that money managers have been placing exponentially more importance on how companies manage environmental, social and governance risks referred to as ESG. In mining, much focus has centred on companies contribution to global warming, both for the emissions caused by miners operations and for the carbon footprint of the fossil fuels they dig up and sell around the world. When it came to social risk, however, even the most ESG-minded investors deemed Rio among the best performers for its relationships with Indigenous peoples. It had been the first to recognise native title 30 years ago. We understood them to be a leader in the space of native title arrangements, and if you read their reconciliation action plan and all of their public statements it looked to be that they were the ones to follow, says Mary Delahunty, the head of impact at the $60 billion fund HESTA, which has shares in Rio. We thought we had an understanding of the way those organisations dealt with native title holders through their public statements. But this was incredibly eye-opening. Advertisement Clearly, there was an integrity gap between what Rio was saying and what it was doing, Delahunty concludes. If this was happening at Rio, what was happening elsewhere? Her team checked the funds wider portfolio and probed the practices of 14 other mining-sector companies it held how did they conduct their business with native-title holders, how did they strike agreements, were they doing enough to check with traditional owners that their free, prior and informed consent remained? We were left with the impression that the risks were systemic, Delahunty recalls. Some investors including HESTA are now in regular communication with traditional owners, including the PKKP, to gain visibility of what is occurring and not solely rely only on companies public statements. We wont do that again, she says. This is a line in the sand. For the mining and investment communities, the loss of the Juukan shelters has been an unmistakable wake-up call. In October, a coalition of investment giants managing $14 trillion of assets including Fidelity, the Church of England Pensions Board, Legal & General and local groups wrote to all of Australias top miners demanding assurances about their relationships with First Nations stakeholders. The Australian Council of Superannuation Investors (ACSI), whose 37 members own on average 10 per cent of every ASX200 company, was one of the signatories and is helping lead a collaborative approach to the problem. Institutional investors are working together to go to all of the mining companies that have these exposures to say, How are you managing these risks? and we are going to be watching over the coming years to see how you further develop your systems to make sure things like this would not happen on your watch, ACSI chief Louise Davidson says. Advertisement Investors have always seen this as a risk ... but will now be paying much closer attention. A good deal of this attention will be directed squarely on Rio and how its new CEO Stausholm and head of Australia, Kellie Parker, are seen to be responding to the enormous challenges ahead. In the face of criticism that part of Rios problems stem from its losing touch with Australia, the country that accounts for more than 80 per cent of its earnings, Parkers appointment appears a sound one. Rebuilding trust: Rio Tintos chief executive Australia Kellie Parker. Parker grew up in the Pilbara town of Wickham, where her parents were the towns pharmacists. She went to Curtin University in Perth to study occupational therapy, before joining Rio in 2001 as an injury-management adviser. After several safety and operational roles, Parker rose through Rios ranks to become managing director of the Pilbara Assets and Development team in 2014 and then, in 2018, managing director of Rios Australasian aluminium assets, based out of Brisbane. She cares deeply about the company, having worked there for 20 years, but speaks candidly about the shame she felt at the Juukan Gorge disaster. Advertisement Sydney Airport boss Geoff Culbert says Australias fortress mindset will start to crack as more of the population is vaccinated and people become comfortable with the idea of reopening the international border. Mr Culbert on Friday joined travel industry and business leaders calling for the nation to speed up its vaccine rollout so restrictions on overseas travel can lift sooner, which will be vital for the $16 billion airports financial recovery from the pandemic. Sydney Airport CEO Geoff Culbert says speeding up the vaccine rollout was key. Credit:Rhett Wyman The most critical thing is that have to get as many people vaccinated as fast as possible, he said following the companys annual shareholder meeting. The debate around international travel boiled over this week when politicians and social media users turned on Virgin Australia chief Jayne Hrdlicka for saying the country should reopen before mid-2022 - once the most vulnerable are vaccinated - even though some people may die. Not that bit! he says, laughing. Im probably going to be watching the film forgetting thats coming up and then just be like, Oh, god, thats right. Oh god. Herrimans Really Good BLT from Deus Cafe in Camperdown, Sydney. Credit:Janie Barrett Bits aside always an appropriate way to start a conversation Herriman is delightful company. He takes his work but not himself too seriously and is chatty to a fault. The quietest he gets is while studying the menu, settling on the boastful Really Good BLT I mean, it says its really good with fries and chipotle mayo. I choose the Japanese chicken karage lunch tray, which sounds modest until it lands in front of me. You just do not get bread like that in America, he says of his towering BLT. Im sure there are places that youd be able to track down, but that bread is so Australian to me. Because over there, its like a different recipe. Its almost like cake. For someone who has been acting since he was five, theres little evidence of Tortured Child Star Syndrome or of Sordid Tabloid Past. You wont find him publicly on social media and the closest he gets to being papped is being snapped this week by the Daily Mail on the set of TV series The Tourist in Adelaide (where the story astutely noted he had his salt and pepper hair on display). I dont really have a desire to have to be a public person, he says. I like being an actor. But I dont really want to be me as me. And I also grew up in a time when not bragging about yourself, or what youve just done, or what youre in next, was the norm. And now its become the norm to do that stuff. The Japanese chicken karage lunch tray from Deus Cafe in Camperdown, Sydney. Credit:Janie Barrett I dont judge anyone else for it, because its completely the way it is now but, for me, I cant do that. I cant have a Twitter account and be like, Hey guys, got this thing coming out. It makes me feel queasy. And its a shame because you hear people cast jobs now depending on how many [social media] followers you have. And I dont have any. Im of no use whatsoever. No use is a bit of a stretch. Hes exceptionally good at what he does, disappearing into roles so much hes become That Guy Who Was In That Thing. You Know, Him. That mulleted sexual shaman in the ABC comedy Laid? Yeah, that was him. What about the blond-streaked music svengali Chris Murphy in the INXS mini-series? Yep. And the transgender analyst on Secret City? Tick. For the past 15 years hes split his time between here and Los Angeles, where his US breakthrough came as dim redneck Dewey Crowe in the cable series Justified, as well as bit parts on CSI, Breaking Bad and a clutch of shows where hitman/detective/murder/thriller essentially sum up the plot. Hes so changeable on screen its hard to believe he was ever typecast as the supportive best friend (The Big Steal) or the thwarted love interest (Love My Way), but for years in Australia he couldnt even get into auditions as casting agents and directors couldnt see him any other way. Enter US reality TV star and hotel heiress Paris Hilton. Her 2005 schlock horror movie House of Wax was being filmed on the Gold Coast and Herriman managed to snag an audition for one of the few roles they were seeing Australian actors for. Herriman in his breakout role in the 2005 film House of Wax. It was probably one of the first times I played someone other than a best friend or a nerd from the office, he says. [The character] was this like someone out of Deliverance, this kind of inbred, Southern redneck. And I just did not get auditions for those roles in Australia normally. And maybe because it was an American production, there was no preconception. The casting director was not so blurred by what hed seen me do before. And I actually went to that audition looking very much like this inbred trucker. I put dirt on my face, and I put twigs in my bottom lip. So it juts out kind of like [he pulls out his bottom lip] this. Twigs? Yeah, I got them from my yard. He landed the part and ever since its been a rich seam of dirtbags and villains, dodgy priests and murderous soldiers. He reached peak psycho in 2019 when he was cast as Charles Manson twice in Netflix series Mindhunter and in Quentin Tarantinos Once Upon A Time in Hollywood. Serial killers, it seems, are like buses: you wait for one, then two come at once. It all got a bit much. There was a period there where I did The Nightingale, Judy and Punch, Lambs of God and two Charles Mansons all within two years, and they were all horrible people, he says. And that was the point where I went, OK. And occasionally someone would say, Youve become the go-to bad guy, havent you? And I was like, I dont really want to be the go-to anything. Looking at him the man who loves a slice from The Pie Tin and once wore a white skivvy on the Don Lane show as an eight-year-old theres little evidence of any latent evil lurking within. Im pretty sure Charles Manson wasnt refilling anyones water like Herriman does. What does he think people were seeing in him? The receipt for lunch with Damon Herriman at Deus Cafe in Camperdown. Its probably something to do with not having a conventional-looking handsome, symmetrical face, you know, thats part of it. You dont think youre handsome? (He is.) No! he says, laughing. I mean, you know if youre handsome or not, because life tells you. Its not just a personal opinion. Theres a level of good-looking that certain actors have that means that they are probably less likely to get the bad guy roles, and you are more likely to. Couple that with the fact that I love playing characters, something thats far away from me, that looks, acts, behaves, speaks differently. And those are often the bad guys as well. So living in LA hasnt turned him into a looks-obsessed monster? I dont think so. I mean, you spend enough time there and you could see how that could happen. Every time I come home, theres an instant feeling of being brought back to normality and down to earth. But yeah, if youre over there for a while, you know, every actor you meet has sparkling white teeth. And you think, I never thought my teeth werent white enough. But now I have the least white teeth of anyone in this room. NSW students have vowed to continue regular strikes for climate action, defying inclement weather and a demand by the NSW Education Minister Sarah Mitchell to stay in school. Thousands of students and participants from environmental groups gathered in Sydneys CBD on Friday for the first major climate strike since the coronavirus pandemic began last year. They were joined by thousands more at similar protests in more than 50 cities and towns around the country. Thousands of students and participants from environmental groups gathered in Sydneys CBD. Credit:Edwina Pickles David Soriano, school captain at Doonside Technology High School, travelled an hour to make it to the protest outside the Sydney Town Hall. He said his region was particularly exposed to more extreme weather in a warming world especially during heatwaves. Justin Hemmes has never done things by halves. In the past six months the hotel tsar has purchased $200 million worth of pubs and venues across NSW and Victoria in one of the biggest and highest-profile property shopping sprees in recent memory. Hemmes isnt showing any signs of slowing. An announcement on a Byron Bay purchase is expected next week while in the town of Narooma, on the South Coast of NSW, locals have been transfixed by the attention Hemmes family company Merivale has brought to the once sleepy town since it snapped up The Quarterdeck in March. The word on the streets of Narooma is that the towns hotel and restaurant jewel, The Whale, will follow. Justin Hemmes at Jimmys Falafel, Sydney. Credit:Louise Kennerley Its the same story in regional Victoria, where Merivale paid $38 million this week for The Lorne Hotel. Last month the Melbourne CBD was the target, where he paid around $40 million for Tomasetti House. Hemmes plays his cards close to his chest, declining to name the next targets of his acquisition rollout. But the 48-year-old concedes there are two deals brewing in Narooma and one at Byron Bay (rumoured to be the bar Cheeky Monkeys). On his home turf in Sydney where this week he bought Nortons Irish Pub in Leichhardt for $24 million to go with last months purchase of basement space in the historic Burns Philp building on Bridge Street hes always on the lookout for the next deal. My all-time favourite bridge is the funny little wooden thing near my farm. Unnamed, unmarked, unlisted, its up there with Venices Bridge of Sighs, Brunels Clifton Suspension Bridge in Bristol and the fabulous Knaresborough Viaduct in Yorkshire, but sweeter. Lately, though, Im conscious that each crossing could be the last. A bridge with no name, but with ample charm, greets Elizabeth Farrelly on the approach to her property. Credit:Elizabeth Farrelly Any bridge is a threshold, a conduit to another world, a Narnia wardrobe. As such, its an opportunity for experiential magic. And in the magic department, my humble clunkety-clunk timber bridge excels. It cues your entrance to the valley in three simultaneous ways. Marking the low point of a leafy gully and a sharp right-angle bend in the dirt road, it further heralds your arrival with a 20-second teeth-chattering soundtrack. You hear the troll grumble from below and you know youre on the home stretch. At any moment, though, this lovely thing may vanish. Not because floods will wash it away. And not because its great hardwood slabs and hand-driven bolts arent up to it. But because the Nationals got some money, and the Nationals cant be trusted with the bush. Business leaders are jostling for spots on the board of one of Sydneys most exclusive schools amid parent dissatisfaction over HSC results, fallout from a $7.3 million fraud and doubt about the schools ability to raise $81 million for a redevelopment when its still $25 million in debt. The president of Moriah College which charges up to $36,000 a year and has the elite of Sydneys corporate world among its alumni and parents has tried to allay concerns by enlisting former Westfield chief executive Steven Lowy, son of billionaire Frank, to advise on debt and fundraising, and the principals of Queenwood and Cranbrook schools to help lift its academic results. Moriah College in Queens Park in Sydneys east. Credit:Louise Kennerley Moriah has long been Sydneys premier school for orthodox Jewish families, but parents say many are now choosing Reddam House, a secular, private school with campuses in Bondi and Woollahra that regularly finishes among the states top 10 in the HSC. Its a brain drain, said one. Moriah was 41st on the Heralds top schools list last year, having slid from 15th in 2017. It aims to be in the top 30. Contos own experience frames the difficulty of defining and tackling rape culture and consent. Young people are growing up into a world in which adults themselves are not clear on the notion of consent. Truth be told, in the years before Contos attended that talk in Year 10 not long before shifting community attitudes began to coalesce around the #MeToo movement the prevailing secular morality of the adult world would also have shied away from defining the activities in which Contos and her peers were engaging as rape. Those who lamented sexualised culture, or hook- up culture, were dismissed as benighted prudes. This is how former private school girl Chanel Contos described the moment that inspired a social media post early this year asking whether anyone else in her social circle had been raped or sexually assaulted by students from all-boys schools: Me and my friends left that room and realised we had been raped ... It was a life-changing talk, but it happened too late. Contos and her friends participated in activities that the adult world had until recently celebrated as sexual empowerment; she matured into a world in which her discomfort had been accommodated into a broadened definition of rape. Unfortunately, at the same time as society came to understand that violation doesnt always look like the old notion of violent rape, the expanding definition increased the potential for confusion in the sexual arena. Everybody should by now understand that no means no. What we are now trying to work out, as a society, is how to manage less explicit situations. For instance, in which yes means no, or as Harvard Law professor Jeannie Suk Gersen wrote recently in The New Yorker, Students have felt deeply violated even when their partner followed affirmative-consent rules asking for and receiving a yes... Sometimes the explicit request for permission might have induced them to do something they were conflicted about. In other situations, consent is withdrawn silently during a consensual act often referred to as a freeze. Or the nature and extent of consent is misunderstood. In the US, there has also been discussion of whether consent has truly been given if it was based on a misrepresentation for instance if one participant was married but claimed not to be. Often these are situations in which consent or lack of it is connected to the emotional valence given to the act or its aftermath and this is something even adults are struggling to understand for themselves. The arc of Germaine Greers arguments describes almost perfectly where we started and where we have now fetched up. Greer, who has been important and influential in shaping ideas about sex in Australia and across the Western world, argued in her 1970 book The Female Eunuch, that women had been desexualised, or as she expressed it in an interview explaining the title separated from their libidos, faculty for desire and sexuality cut off from their capacity for action. She gave women permission to be lustful, but not emotional, and backed with the full persuasive vigour of Germaine, permission became fashion and the prevailing morality. By 2018, when Greer published her essay On Rape in the context of #MeToo, she had realised after half a century of hook-up culture that women in search of romance are coming to grief at the hands of men who are after conquest. Researchers at QUT have also made the earth-shattering discovery that males and females have different preferences based on their biology. You say romance, behavioural economists say disproportionate reproductive costs. Or as a schoolgirl told Good Weekend, If youve got a guy and youre like, Hes so nice, I want to get with him and do stuff with him and then Okay, done, [hes] moving on Then another guy tries and you think, Maybe this will be different and he might stay and talk to me and be interested in actually having a conversation with me, and just sticking with me, instead of leaving and trying to go further with another girl later. No amount of tea or milkshake metaphors not even explicit metaphor-free sexual instruction can teach emotional consent to boys and girls who are looking for different things. The World Customs Organization (WCO) launched an Integrity Diagnostic mission for the benefit of the South Africa Revenue Service (SARS). The mission will be held virtually between 13 May and 11 June 2021 and is conducted under the framework of the Trade Facilitation in Middle Income Countries (TFMICs) Programme, supported by the United Kingdoms Prosperity Fund. This mission is facilitated by the team of integrity experts from the WCO with the support of experts from Spanish Customs and Maldives Customs. During the high level executive kick-off meeting Mr. Beyers Theron, SARS Director Customs - Border Operations, Ports of Entry and Customs, emphasized that unquestionable integrity is part of SARS vision 2024 and that in this regard the WCO mission is critical to establish a baseline. Mr. Ricardo Trevino Chapa, WCO Deputy-Secretary General, noted that integrity is a crosscutting issue that should be part of the Customs DNA and internalized by all. The meeting gathered more than 80 SARS officers and private sector representatives, which illustrates the importance that SARS renders to integrity as a cornerstone of successful and sustainable Customs and trade facilitation reform and modernization initiatives. The objective of this mission is to assess the current integrity situation in Customs environment in which SARS operates, identify areas and opportunities for further improvement, provide strategic and technical advice, recommendations with regard to integrity agenda as well as support SARS in implementing international trade facilitation and integrity development standards, particularly as defined by the WTO Agreement on Trade Facilitation, the WCO Revised Arusha Declaration on Integrity in Customs and other associated WCO instruments and tools. For more information contact capacity.building@wcoomd.org. China is waving its arms and showing menacing teeth, yet it should occur to our own mandarins that this is just posturing. Some of our cabinet ministers have endorsed the drums of war rhetoric of a senior, if obtuse, senior public servant. They would be better off pointing out how much the 400 billionaire families who have indirect and sometimes direct control of major companies in China would lose if hostilities broke out. China is certainly no paper tiger. The armaments are very real, but it is beset with self-contradictions and hypocrisy. A socialist state that is a haven for-hyper capitalism needs to be handled with kid gloves. Richard Campbell, Brighton A balance between assertion and respect Penny Wong exhibits a natural ability for patience and respectful diplomacy towards obstinate foreign governments such as China (Opinion, 20/5). Whilst the alpha-male hubris and hyperbole of Scott Morrison and Peter Dutton dangerously escalate the tension, she stays calm and favours de-escalating tensions with China as the best way to maintain dialogue and pursue co-operative outcomes. This does not mean Australia should acquiesce to Chinas coercive behaviours, but panicked, sledgehammer responses will have far less success than using persuasion and respect. Paul Miller, Box Hill South Danger in taking an accommodating approach I am sorry, Senator Penny Wong, but the edited text of your speech sounds more like accommodation than diplomacy. Playground bullies rarely respond to waffling pleas for more engagement. Whiffs of Neville Chamberlain 85 years ago? Alan Cane, Frankston South Our right to speak up in defence of Taiwan Does treading carefully with China mean that we, the Australian people, must pretend that we are not 100per cent behind Taiwans ever-continuing independence as a nation? Barry Lamb, Heidelberg West THE FORUM Business can afford it Big businesses (The Age, 21/5) are complaining about a paltry 0.5per cent payroll tax surcharge (announced in the Victorian budget) which is chicken feed for those with payrolls of more than $10million. With that wages bill, their turnovers will be at least $20million, and the surcharge will only be $50,000 ie, 0.25per cent of turnover and, in most cases, a fraction of the JobKeeper subsidies from which they profited. Rob Rogers, Warrandyte Ways to dodge the tax Treasurer Tim Pallas plans to raise taxes on businesses with payrolls of more than $10million. Most businesses of this size have a structure of a head office in Victoria and satellite offices around Australia. When they do their business planning into the future, all they have to do is make one of their satellite offices their head office and this will avoid the tax increase. Regarding the increase in stamp duty on homes over $2million: people can buy interstate. Socialism only works if the money generator stays in your field of taxation. Roger Wolfe, Balwyn A very double standard I find it disingenuous that Harvey Norman founder Gerry Harvey should complain about the upcoming 0.5per cent levy on payrolls over $10 million, given that his company used the federal governments JobKeeper payments last year to help pay its wages. It has since transpired that Harvey Norman really did not need that assistance. Alan Becker, Illowa Clarify the exemptions Tim Pallas has increased land tax and stamp duty. However, universities in Victoria, which own huge land holdings and continually acquire more, are exempt from both taxes. They are businesses, not charities, so why the exemptions? George Greenberg, Malvern Under-valued, underpaid I feel sorry for Nicholas Cails (Letters, 18/5) who earns $31 an hour as a disability support worker. Try earning $22 an hour as a personal care worker in aged care and being totally undervalued because you are not a nurse. Helen Parker, Greenhill Towards accountability I have been involved in several projects that had grants from the federal government. In each case a detailed proposal was required and every dollar granted had to be accounted for. Any proposed change to what had been funded had to be negotiated with Canberra. If aged care were funded this way, there would not be huge profits going to some providers. This kind of transparency would also show where there was a legitimate need for further funding, including decent wages for aged care workers. It could show how much was going to contract hire companies rather than workers, and to what extent this contributes to low wages. There would be genuine accountability which is what taxpayers expect. And another royal commission would not be needed in a few years time. Jan Thomas, North Melbourne Leaders swayed by polls It is unbelievable that 73per cent of Australians support the closure of overseas borders, according to a Newspoll. We laughed at Yes Ministers witty lines like: Is that what my constituents think? Im their leader, I must follow. Sadly, this is no longer a joke, as it has become the modus operandi of our Prime Minister (and the majority of premiers). Oh, how I long for courageous, wise leaders with vision reaching further than the next election. Aila Copland, Mornington Security of protection My husband and I have both had our first jab and it has taken a great weight off our minds. We have family and friends in the US who are recovering from COVID-19 and it is deeply concerning hearing about the many ways some of them are struggling with the long-term effects. Statistically the chances of blood clots is far less than the chances of long-term health issues arising from catching COVID-19. The federal government is negligent in not running an informed campaign. Anne Maki, Alphington Learning from our past My appreciation goes to Stephen Duckett for his excellent article regarding vaccine hesitancy and opening our borders (Opinion, 20/5). There is one other possibility for consideration and this is a lesson from the past. Australia was able to remain smallpox-free from the the 1930s due to the policy of compulsory smallpox vaccination of all persons entering our country both new arrivals and returning travellers. Those extremely small number of people who were not able to be vaccinated for health reasons went into compulsory quarantine. Hence our long period of freedom from smallpox until its global elimination in 1979. Dr Jillian Grogan, Albert Park Why many are baulking The media beats up the extremely small dangers of the AstraZeneca vaccine, then headlines the information that almost a third baulk at COVID vaccination (The Age, 19/5). What else did they expect? Patsy Sanaghan, North Geelong Lets follow NSWs lead What a contrast NSW offers in managing to stay safe. Nearly all venues ask to see the tick on the Service NSW app, proving we have checked in, before they take orders. Their app permits one person to add dependents (companions), thereby simplifying the process. And it is all reinforced by messages aimed primarily at the businesses, informing them of fines for non-compliance. It seems that none of these aspects are evident in Victoria. Why? Ian Benjamin, Brighton East Where is everyone? That must have been Scott Morrison I saw leaning over the balcony of the Royal Exhibition Building. He was gazing down at the nearly vacant vaccination booths below, looked very puzzled and muttering: Where the bloody hell are they? Margaret Harrison, Clifton Hill Right idea, wrong site As a mother who lost a son to a drug overdose in the city several years ago, I would have been first in the queue to have a drug-injecting room open at that time. It could have saved his life. He left a regional centre to go to Melbourne to source drugs. However, the Degraves Street precinct is not the right choice for such a facility, however discreet it may be from the street. The amount of foot traffic going to and fro will be evident amongst all the families using Flinders Street Station and all the people who buy lunch in Degraves Street. A recipe for disaster (Letters, 21/5) indeed. Our CBD is still reeling from a lack of office workers and commuters to support businesses. Our traders need to survive. Please find another city venue that is more appropriate. Name and suburb withheld An impossible cost Federal Education Minister Alan Tudge wants Australians to know more about their Western heritage (The Age, 20/5). Is that why he increased the cost of degrees in classics and history? Peter Davis, Magill, SA Immoral, uneconomic Investing the Australian communitys hard-earned money in new gas fields and facilities is a wickedly cynical and immoral act, especially in light of the International Energy Agency (and all other climate and business experts) agreeing that the continued use of fossil fuels is having devastating consequences on our world. It is also uneconomic. This government acts as the ideological representative of the fossil fuel industry, certainly not in the longer-term interests of Australia. It will face the consequences of it actions, if not in the ballot box then in the future human rights courts of the world. Jen Evans, Blackburn South Facing up to the future The school kids are striking again, accepting the science of climate change and taking responsibility for their futures. In contrast, the Morrison government ignores the science and announces a new gas-fired power station as it clings to the fossil fuel industry like a baby clutching its mothers breast. Chris Young, Surrey Hills AND ANOTHER THING Credit:Illustgration: Matt Golding Environment With science, technology, economy and common sense screaming renewable, only fossil fools would waste $600 million on a gas power plant. Charles Laycock, Castlemaine Frightening. Uneconomic. For Morrison, the Kurri Kuri gas generator must be an offering. For planet Earth, its harakiri. Andrew Gunner, Brunswick West Scott Morrison says he will not take risks with Australians lives, yet does nothing to reduce the dangers of climate change. Vikki ONeill, Ashburton Politics Three certainties in life: death, taxes and negative responses from opposition parties to budgets. Catherine Healion, Seaford Pallas budget reminds me of the economic shambles of the Cain-Kirner governments final years. Martin Newington, Aspendale From trickle down to shakedown. Robyn Hewitt, Carlton North The LNP selection process (21/5): some people are chosen by God, others are chosen if they can drink more beer than their rivals. Belinda Burke, Hawthorn Last year Scott hammered the states to open borders for the economy. Now that borders are his responsibility, hes missing in action. Lindsay Donahoo, Wattle Glen COVID-19 Surely a marketing guru could run a have a vaccine campaign. Offer free sporting tickets as an incentive. Stan Marks, McKinnon The Ages editor Gay Alcorn writes an exclusive newsletter for subscribers on the weeks most important stories and issues. Sign up here to receive it every Friday. The best news this week was that the musical Hamilton is coming to Melbourne next year. (The Age had the scoop on that, by the way). I am not a huge musical fan, but theres something so splendid about Hamilton, so smart and glorious and improbable - a rappy musical about one of the leaders of the American Revolution and the first US secretary of the treasury, for goodness sake, who was possibly not quite the hip paragon of enlightened democracy as the show portrays him. Hamilton will call Melbournes Her Majestys Theatre home from as early as March next year. Credit:Daniel Boud Over the years, musicals have become formulaic - all Phantom of the Opera fizz - but this one is nerdy and ambitious. The cultural impact of Lin Manuel Mirandas creation is matched only by Andrew Lloyd Webbers 1970s rock opera, Jesus Christ Superstar. The past 12 months has brought WA Premier Mark McGowan a popularity rating the envy of politicians across the nation. But two recent snap lockdowns and various COVID-19-related restrictions have many questioning that popularity. Be careful what you wish for. Its hard to keep everyone happy. Former football star and Nine News Perth sports presenter Matthew Pavlich hiked 135 kilometres to support suicide prevention charity ZeroToHero. Credit:Matthew Pavlich The same applies for professional athletes. The more money they earn, the more expectation from coaches, the more pressure from the fans and the media. Over the past 20 years spent playing, administrating and broadcasting in the AFL, Ive seen clubs salary caps skyrocket to almost $13.2 million in 2021. For our free coronavirus pandemic coverage, learn more here. Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size National anxiety over the next phase of the pandemic has reached a point where some Australians believe an early election is the best way to settle the politics, give federal leaders a mandate and steer the nation out of crisis. We would love to see an early election, says one business leader who is frustrated at the way populism rules the debate over the policies needed this year and beyond. Prime Minister Scott Morrison does not want to calm the farm. He wants to talk about the forest fire next door. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer Fear of the coronavirus seems stronger than ever despite the countrys extraordinary success against COVID-19. That fear has the power to decide the next election. So much power, in fact, that no political leader will take the risk of swimming against the tide. Those who have to deal with political leaders have to be careful about what they say, but they know they will be forced to wait until after the election before they find out when the federal government will open the international border. The sooner the election, the sooner everyone knows the answer. Scott Morrison sees this national mood and knows how to put it to use. He has adjusted his message to Australians in the past two weeks to warn of greater dangers ahead, to the point where he seems to stoke the fears. Four months ago, when the country emerged from summer lockdowns and border closures, the Prime Minister thought the risks were subsiding. Confident that vaccines were on their way, he said COVID-19 could present a similar risk to many other viruses already in the community. Advertisement What Im saying is that the risk environment is reducing, he said on February 5. Not any more. Morrison now argues the pandemic is a greater threat than it was one year ago. The pandemic is raging. The pandemic is morphing. Its changing every day, he said last Tuesday. Im not going to take risks with Australians lives. Loading When Virgin chief executive Jayne Hrdlicka called for a road map to open the borders but made her unwise remark that some people may die from the pandemic, Morrison made no attempt to acknowledge her case for a clear plan to open the country. He slapped down the remark as insensitive and said it was difficult to have any truck with what she was saying. So Morrison does not want to calm the farm. He wants to talk about the forest fire next door. A clear majority wants this caution. The Resolve Political Monitor, published by The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age on Tuesday, shows overwhelming support for border controls at a time when 3.4 million people have died from COVID-19 worldwide. Asked about the federal budget assumption the border will stay closed until the middle of next year, 44 per cent said this was about right and 33 per cent said it was too optimistic. Only 9 per cent thought it was too pessimistic. Those who want a faster plan to open the border are clearly in the minority. Advertisement The same survey, based on responses from 1622 voters online in the five days after the budget, also showed majority support for the overall budget strategy, with 62 per cent agreeing with the priority of stimulus spending. Only 17 per cent prefer action on deficits and debt. Yet there is a caution on another front, too. The survey found 29 per cent of respondents were reluctant to take a vaccine against the coronavirus in the months ahead. To be exact, 14 per cent said they were not very likely and 15 per cent said they were not at all likely to do so. The survey found 35 per cent had registered for a vaccine or had already received one or two doses. It also found a separate 14 per cent were extremely likely to be vaccinated, 8 per cent were very likely to do so and 13 per cent were fairly likely to do so. The government has its own surveys showing similar concerns, which helps explain why Morrison said he was not overly troubled by the results. This is true of other results in Resolve Political Monitor, too. The survey reveals what the government knows. The Liberal Partys polling is finding the same reluctance to open the border. Morrison reflects the mood of the focus groups with his new tone. Morrison has been testing his new message since the May 11 budget, when Treasurer Josh Frydenberg outlined $74.6 billion in new spending on aged care, tax cuts, mental health, skills, disability services and more. Day by day, he has honed the message to be ready for the election. Advertisement And the Coalition went into campaign mode this week. Morrison went to Lilley in Brisbane for instance, held by Labor on a margin of just 0.64 per cent, and Dunkley in suburban Melbourne, held by Labor by 2.7 per cent. The visits to Coalition seats also took Morrison to Deakin, Goldstein and La Trobe in Melbourne, Bass and Braddon in Tasmania and at least five seats in Queensland: Bonner, Brisbane, Flynn, Forde and Longman. Morrison still strikes some observers, especially women, as too belligerent and arrogant at times. He has floundered on social issues over the past few months. Some expert observers, distant from Canberra but familiar with its ways, think he has been off his game since Brittany Higgins went public with her allegations of rape in Parliament House on February 15. Loading Replay Replay video Play video Play video Now, with a budget to sell, Morrison is back on safer ground. Again, the Resolve Political Monitor shows why. When voters are asked about policy issues, they generally favour the Coalition as the better party to run the country. Asked who is best to manage the COVID-19 situation, 46 per cent name the Coalition but only 20 per cent prefer Labor. The governments support is up from 42 per cent in the survey one month earlier. On economic management, 46 per cent name the Coalition as best to manage the issue but only 20 per cent name Labor. The result one month ago was much closer: 43 to 21 per cent. Advertisement Labor is in dire trouble because the Coalition leads in areas where Labor has usually held the advantage. On jobs and wages, voters favour the Coalition over Labor by 37 to 30 per cent. On health and aged care, the gap is 34 to 29 per cent. On industrial relations it is 33 to 31 per cent. On education it is 34 to 30 per cent. This is a different sort of budget bounce for a government. It is not the jump in primary vote that observers usually watch for. That core support was largely unchanged for both major parties in the latest survey. Resolve director Jim Reed says the result is way too close to call in two-party terms given the margin of error of 2.5 per cent on the survey results. And the Coalition goes to the election with a majority of one in the lower house, a starting position with no political capital to spare. Morrison has to craft his message to capture the national mood. On vaccines, he wants older Australians to take the AstraZeneca jab but is not going to force the issue in a way that provokes a backlash. Its a free country, he says. And he is right. The government is in no position to dictate this personal decision when more supplies from Pfizer and Moderna are due to arrive. But this is one area where Morrisons warnings about the pandemic could deliver a policy gain by convincing people to roll up their sleeves. On borders, he is deliberately vague. The government suggests it will open the international borders in the middle of 2022. This is central to the federal budget, which is a policy document authored by ministers. But Morrison presents the date as merely an assumption. Advertisement Scott Morrison is racing against the future. Hes trying to thread the needle of re-election before Australia is forced to do the one thing his government has been studiously, stubbornly, avoiding since the pandemic reset the global order: take climate change seriously. The Prime Minister understands that American President Joe Biden and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson are growing weary of his domestic excuses. But he is gambling that our allies wont want to make an example of him, either at the G7 meeting in Cornwall next month or at the United Nations climate change summit in Glasgow in November. Scott Morrison is a man racing against the future. Credit:The Age No Australian leader since Billy Hughes at Versailles has been this brazen before, demanding special treatment for our privileged people while the US and Britain try to build a new international order. Johnson was on the phone again on Friday, May 15, to press the case for an active Australian contribution at the G7 next month. According to Downing Streets version of the conversation, Johnson emphasised the importance of all countries setting ambitious targets to cut carbon emissions, and encouraged Australia to commit to reaching net zero by 2050 which will deliver clean jobs and economic growth. A good-faith ally would not have quibbled with these words. But Morrisons office wanted Australians to believe that the call proceeded on his ambivalent terms: They discussed efforts to address climate change and pathways towards net zero, including reducing emissions through technology. Defence Minister Peter Dutton has ordered his department and serving military personnel to stop pursuing a woke agenda after Defence held morning teas where staff wore rainbow clothing to mark the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Interphobia and Transphobia. Mr Dutton, who has vowed to shake up his department and refocus on its core mission, told The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age he ordered Defence Force Chief Angus Campbell and Secretary Greg Moriarty on Friday to issue a note ending events with particular clothes in celebration. Peter Dutton met soldiers in Townsville last month. Credit:ADF Ive been very clear to the chiefs that I will not tolerate discrimination. But we are not pursuing a woke agenda, Mr Dutton told this masthead. Our task is to build up the morale in the Australian Defence Force and these woke agendas dont help. In late 1988, The Bulletin ran its famous cover story: Mr 18% Why on earth does this man bother? The headline referred to the then federal opposition leader, John Howard. A Morgan Gallup poll had Howard at 18 per cent compared with Bob Hawkes 69 per cent as preferred prime minister. The damning Bulletin cover. Six months later, Howard was ousted from the leadership for Andrew Peacock. If 18 per cent seemed diabolical for Howard, then a 17 per cent preferred-premier result for NSW Labor leader Jodi McKay might appear terminal. With Labors statewide primary vote at 28 per cent, according to a new tracking survey of 1228 NSW voters released this week, there is only one thing that can save McKay: a win in Saturdays Upper Hunter byelection. For Labor, the byelection is a referendum on McKays leadership. For the Berejiklian government, it will test whether the halo effect of its handling of the COVID crisis extends beyond Sydney. Yangs upcoming trial is straining already fraught ties between Beijing and Canberra. We have conveyed to Chinese authorities, in clear terms, the concerns we have about Dr Yangs treatment and the lack of procedural fairness in how his case has been managed, Payne said on Friday. The Australian government will continue to advocate strongly for Dr Yangs rights and interests and to provide consular assistance to Dr Yang and his family. She said the governments thoughts were with Yangs family during this difficult period. As a basic standard of justice, access to the trial for observers should be a bare minimum to conform to international norms of transparency, Payne said. Foreign Minister Marise Payne said Chinas legal process was opaque. Credit:Rhett Wyman She said Chinese authorities had not provided any explanation or evidence for the charges against Yang to Australian officials. Yang has had no access to family and limited, delayed access to his lawyers since he was detained, Payne said. After almost two years of detention in China, prosecutors in Beijing indicted Yang last October, moving forward with a case that has contributed to deteriorating ties between Australia and the worlds second-largest economy. Relations between the two countries have been deteriorating for years and have reached new depths since China blocked or places tariffs on a series of imports from Australia after Canberra sought an investigation into the origins of the coronavirus pandemic. Loading Espionage allegations Yang was detained in Guangzhou in January 2019 after flying in from the US, and his arrest on espionage allegations was formally announced that August. Yang, a Chinese-born Australian national whos also known as Yang Jun, became well known as a writer and commentator after previously working as a Chinese foreign affairs official in Beijing. The relevant Chinese authorities are handling the case strictly and in accordance with the law, and fully protecting Yang Juns lawful rights, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told a news briefing in October. London: Julia Gillard had a choice after she was thrown out of office: join the crowded ranks of opinionated former prime ministers or pursue a second act where deeds mean more than words. She went for the latter and doesnt regret it. I partly looked beyond Australias shores for a way of pursuing the things I care about because I was very determined to not be a continuing commentator on Australian political affairs, she says. Julia Gillard says the coronavirus pandemic has caused a crisis for education in developing nations. Credit:James Brickwood Clearly, I will never have more power in my hands than I had whilst prime minister. But I like to think that good people who want to try to persuade the world about things that matter can influence in other ways. In the eight years since her 2013 toppling, Australias first and only female prime minister has quietly morphed into a connected international player. From 11 to 14 May 2021, as part of the SECO-WCO Global Trade Facilitation Programme (GTFP) and under the auspices of the WCO Mercator Programme, a Virtual Study Mission was held between the Mexican General Administration for Customs (AGA) and the Directorate of Taxes and National Customs of Colombia (DIAN). The core objective of the mission was to provide technical assistance to the DIAN officers in charge of the strengthening of the risk management structure in Colombia, using Mexicos experience on risk analysis and Post-Clearance Audit (PCA). During this four-day mission, AGA virtually hosted nine DIAN officers from different departments, offering a wide-range of insightful presentations delivered by the experts of each field, who not only introduced their Colombian audience to the matter, but also offered valuable experience and the best practice for the design, use and improvement of multiple virtual platforms and electronic tools used for Customs cargo processing and automated risk management. A total of 26 Mexican specialists gathered to contribute with valuable contents regarding the Risk Management Process of the Mexican Customs presented to the Colombian Delegation during the Mission. This mission allowed to identify key elements for the DIANs transformation efforts in risk management, PCA, cargo monitoring and overall automatisation of customs procedures. For more information on the GTFP please contact capacity.building@wcoomd.org After the shooting war over Gaza wound down early Friday, it seems that the Israelis and Palestinians may be poised to return to their fragile, if febrile, status quo. Israeli officials are already claiming their military objectives were met after close to two weeks of relentless bombardment of the blockaded Gaza Strip. After firing more than 4,000 rockets into Israeli territory, the Islamist group Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip, may also declare a kind of victory. It is likely to emerge from the fighting as it has after previous rounds, battered but unbowed, and perhaps boosted in the eyes of some of its brethren for having confronted an Israeli state that maintains an unflinching occupation over millions of Palestinians. Never mind the hundreds of Palestinians and dozen people in Israel who lost their lives in the process. Palestinians celebrate the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas on May 21, 2021 in Gaza City, Gaza. Credit:Getty Images Europe Yet to many analysts and close observers of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, there may be no going back to the way things once were. The intensity of this latest round of violence took both the Israeli government and the Biden administration by surprise. It should not have. The coals were stoked far from Gaza, by the provocations of Israeli police and emboldened Jewish far-right vigilantes marching through Jerusalem. Palestinian protests against planned evictions in the contested holy city and the clashes that ensued all came to a head when Israeli security forces decided to storm al-Aqsa Mosque. Hamas then saw an opportunity to don the mantle of the defender of the third-holiest site in Islam, as well as broader Palestinian claims to Jerusalem, and launched its attacks. The resulting war sprawled across the land between the river and the sea, with clashes in the West Bank as well as between Arab and Jewish Israelis in cities inside Israels 1967 borders. The price of living in a country with dynamic growth and a restless population is that entire communities get left behind by the transforming economy and that cost is paid most dearly by those who can least afford it. That is the case for the brother and sister at the center of Lights on the Radio Tower, Emily Goodson and Kevin James Thornton's new rock musical about a very awkward family reunion. It is now available for streaming until June 1. One might be tempted to call Jesse (Max Sangerman) the lucky one, since he skipped town as soon as he could, missing the last two decades of deindustrialization and despair. But one look at his disheveled appearance as he rides the Greyhound back to his Midwestern hometown will disabuse you of that assumption. His sister Molly (Carrie Manolakos) doesn't even recognize him when he walks into their childhood home, which she is cleaning out following their father's death. Dad's earthly remains now occupy a Folgers can that he once used as an ashtray. Jesse and Molly sift through his belongings and attempt to piece together their estranged relationship. Memories of drunken brawls between their parents mix with happier thoughts about their first gig as a brother-sister band at the local bowling alley, which ended with them drinking a tallboy while gazing at a radio tower across the Ohio River. But is that enough to hold them together as a family? Jesse (Max Sangerman) and Molly (Carrie Manolakos) gaze across the Ohio River in Lights on the Radio Tower. ( Five OHM Productions) As a native son of Southern Ohio with an undying reverence for classic rock instilled in me by WEBN, and whose childhood home's basement has transformed into a tiny crypt containing the ashes of dead relatives, I really wanted to love this musical but I couldn't. The conflicts in Goodson's book feel too contrived, their resolutions too convenient to offer the audience insight about the forces ripping apart American families in the industrial heartland. Thornton (who is the frontman of the band Indiana Queen) attempts to conjure the spirit of the Midwest with a rock score, but it comes across as imitation Jonathan Larson, stuffed with unprocessed adolescent angst. Lyrics like "Another rumor that you sold plasma for cash / Ain't no transfusion more confusing than that" are more baffling than edgy (Thornton and Goodson collaborated on lyrics). And a comic relief song about a sex dream starring Tom Selleck falls disappointingly flat. This is despite the fact that Sangerman and Manolakos sell every moment as if they are being paid on commission. Their performances would work better onstage than they do onscreen, but their high-flying rock vocals are irresistible. Lights on the Radio Tower is best when it is just the two of them with a guitar, singing their hearts out. It made me very much want to see their nightclub act. There are glimmers of what could be a very exciting stage show in director Gabriel Barre's production (this streaming version represents something of a world premiere for a musical that has only received developmental stagings). A flashback in silhouette is particularly striking. Jefferson Ridenour's scenic design suggests a garage floating in a void of memory, while his costumes convey time and place while pushing against stereotype (I particularly appreciated Jesse's emo getup during a flashback to the early aughts). Unfortunately, Barre undermines much of his good work with aggressive postproduction effects, including little starbursts of rage superimposed on the performers. While this seems meant to emphasize the heightened emotion of the moment, it makes a lot of the scenes look like music videos made for a bar mitzvah. The words "content warning" appear in a radical font at the top of the movie, in what seems like more of a sales pitch than an advisory. "Child abuse, mental illness, off-screen suicide, self-harm, alcoholism, homophobia, and statutory rape" are all promised to be addressed in an overloaded agenda that immediately betrays Lights on the Radio Tower as a working-class answer to the bourgeois musical afterschool special Jagged Little Pill. Not that this isn't a story that needs to be told, repeatedly, until American theatergoers actually care what is happening to their compatriots. Learn to Code is simply not a satisfactory response to the devastation that has gutted communities and families all across this country, but particularly in the industrial Midwest. I keep hoping that a musical will be able to get that across, and maybe, after some serious renovation, Lights on the Radio Tower can be it. Click here to see Lights on the Radio Tower. News featured County passes Bill of Rights ordinance Faulkner County Quorum Court met in its regular session Tuesday night. Justices passed the anticipated Bill of Rights ordinance on its third reading. Also reviewed, and passed, were ordinances for county employees and an ordinance in response to the expected American Rescue Plan stimulus money. While only briefly discussed in-meeting, the county putting some new effort into animal control was also presented. The final reading of the A Bill of Rights County Ordinance began with its sponsor, Justice John Allison III, making his case for presenting the ordinance, as he had at earlier readings. After invoking Patrick Henry and invoking Thomas Jeffersons quote, The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants, Allison said, I dont think were at the time of revolution but that time might come soon. Ordinances, when not created in an emergency, are given three readings across three Quorum Court meetings. At the final, third, reading is the final vote by justices which puts them into law, if passed. Citing a nation divided and a federal government intent on removing rights from its citizens, Allison said the ordinance was required to send a message as he invoked President Ronald Reagan and America being at a crossroads. Justice Jerry Boyer countered that he was in opposition to the ordinance, citing its requirement for county employees to, quoting from the ordinance, Faulkner County officials and employees shall uphold each and every provision of the Bill of Rights in the U.S. Constitution and the Declaration of Rights [and] Faulkner County officials and employees shall uphold the right of the citizens of this county to keep and bear arms as guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution Employee, Boyer said, is not in the Bill of Rights. By compelling an employee the county was interfering with freedom of speech rights, Boyer said, and asked for County Attorney Philip Murphys opinion. Murphy stated the requirement would not be a legal issue until it was enforced, then it could be grounds for legal action. Justice Matt Brown disagreed, citing court opinions including the difference between employees on the clock versus off the clock and the countys expectation for them to uphold policies. Boyer asked a question of the justices: If this doesnt pass, am I less of a J.P.? No, Faulkner County Judge Jim Baker replied. Boyer added that he swore his oath of office on the Bible, and as such his role needs no further affirmation. Allison responded that the ordinance was in response to the belief of his constituents that the government is assaulting our rights, for which he received a compliment from Justice Kris Kendrick, who cited that governments become tyrannical, citing fines for failing to comply with mask mandates as an example. A final question, by Baker, was what entity was going to enforce the ordinance? Allison replied it was up to the courts, when a citizen brought a complaint to the court about constitutional rights being violated. The debate finished, justices voted, with Boyer, Tyler Pearson and John Pickett voting no, the remainder voting in favor of the ordinance. A second reading was given of what would be a change to the countys personnel manual for unpaid family and medical leave from 12 weeks of leave to The County will grant up to twelve (12) weeks of unpaid leave a year to employees who qualify for medical leave pursuant to the Family Medical Leave Act. with the additional distinction, A year is defined as a twelve-month period measured backward from the date an employee uses any FMLA leave. This would allow use of Family Medical Leave Act 12 weeks for a 12 month period. The ordinance passed on this reading. Also passed on its second reading was an ordinance requiring county officials to put out for bid any purchase over $20,000. This was made in response to a recent change in state law which raised that number to $35,000, the desire being to keep the county at the original, $20,000, level, sponsor Justice Tyler Lachowsky told the court. Justices also passed an appropriations ordinance, a matter of routine for aligning county accounts month-by-month. In this months ordinance, it included accounting for just over $113,000 for E-crash for the sheriffs department. Faulkner County Sheriff Tim Ryals and department Fiscal Officer Angie Wooley said the money was from a grant for new equipment, including laptops, scanners and printers, so officers could participate in the states online E-crash system. The grant, sponsored by the state police will reimburse 90 percent of the expense for the required equipment, Wooley said. Justices also passed an ordinance, with an emergency clause meaning a single reading was all which was required, creating a line-time in accounting for American Recovery Act funds, anticipated to be $24 million to the county. Specifics as to the time line and requirements of the funds were still being determined, Faulkner County Treasurer Scott Sanson told justices. Justices also appointed Kent Baker to the county Equalization Board, as well as confirming Melinda Reynolds and LuAnn Deere to the board. At meetings end, Justice Randy Higgins announced the Courts and Public Safety committee, which he chairs, would have a special meeting June 1. The meeting was earlier than normal due to a developing situation, Higgins said. In an after meeting interview, Higgins said the county has an opportunity to purchase land with a building which could be used for an animal shelter, and the meeting would give justices a chance to review the offering and do any due diligence required before a decision was made, including a vote by the full court. Higgins cited the need in the community for a shelter, typified by the Sheriffs report, earlier in the meeting, which had 150 animal welfare calls for the previous month. Good morning, brothers and sisters, God loves you. It does not matter what anyone says, it is because of Jesus we are alive today. You may think you woke up on your own strength or that the kids, the dog, or the cat caused you to wake up. No, no, it was God who allowed you to wake up. It is As part of the new activities as WCO Regional Customs Laboratory for Europe, the Customs Laboratories European Network (CLEN) organised its first webinar on mask analysis on 18 May 2021. The webinar was attended by more than 80 analysts or scientists from customs laboratories and tariff departments of the Europe region. The presentations were given by the Italian customs laboratory and the Danish laboratory FORCE Technology. Face masks and gloves are increasingly used as personal protective equipment in the battle against Covid-19 and they must comply with EU standards before they can be sold on the European market. The objective of the webinar was to share knowledge, practices and experiences by discussing regulations and analytical aspects in order to ensure that masks meet the requirements for quality, safety and protection according to European standards. During the webinar, the standards for medical, filtering and community face masks were presented, including their classification on the Harmonized System using the EU Combined Nomenclature. The WCO congratulated DG TAXUD and the CLEN for organizing this first webinar. The WCO Secretariat also pointed out that controlling masks and gloves was also relevant for enforcement purposes to avoid the spreading of illegal medical supplies not meeting the required standards in the region. Regional Editor Derek Draplin is a regional editor at The Center Square. He previously worked as an opinion producer at Forbes, and as a reporter at Michigan Capitol Confidential and The Detroit News. Hes also an editor at The Daily Caller. Up for debate: Live legislation tracker Check out the latest developments on bills pending before state lawmakers in four key topics. Staff Reporter Nyamekye Daniel has been a journalist for five years. She was the managing editor for the South Florida Media Network and a staff writer for The Miami Times. Daniel's work has also appeared in the Sun-Sentinel, Miami Herald and The New York Times. If you have an event you'd like to list on the site, submit it now! Submit Staff Reporter Tim Gruver is a politics and public policy reporter. He is a University of Washington alum and the recipient of the 2017 Pioneer News Award for Reporting. His work has appeared in Politico, the Kitsap Daily News, and the Northwest Asian Weekly. John Hirschauer is a staff writer for RealClearFoundation. This article is part of a series of investigative reports by RealClearEducation: Inside the College Greek Life Report Card: A Survey of Greek-Letter Organizations Assessing Freedom of Association and Speech at U.S. Colleges and Universities. Migrants arrive at an intake area after turning themselves in upon crossing the U.S.-Mexico border Wednesday, May 12, 2021, in La Joya, Texas. The Cheyenne Police Department (CPD) Citizens' Police Academy caravaned to the department firing range, learned about the SWAT team, bomb squad, and received expert firearms instruction, Saturday, May 15. The Citizens' Police Academy was developed in 2017 as a citizen benefit. "The Citizen's Police Academy is an educational academy to increase transparency amongst citizens and help them understand what the Cheyenne Police Department does on a day-to-day basis," CPD Public Information Officer Alexandra Farkas said The group participated in lectures about SWAT (Special Weapons and Tactics) and firearms before heading out to the range to fire weapons and watch explosive detonations. SWAT team member Sargent Solberg discussed lethal and less-than-lethal weapons and protective armor the group uses. At the end of the discussion, students rode in a vehicle used on calls. Firearms training, presented by CPD Officer Remers, taught the four rules of firearms safety; all guns are always loaded, keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction, keep your finger off the trigger until you are ready to fire, and be sure of your target. Students learned how to use the sights on different weapons, proper stances, finger and hand location on a pistol. Each student fired a pistol, shotgun, and rifle at the firing range with the help and instruction from different CPD members. In the end, students learned what the bomb squad's function is within the department. Students watched explosive detonations starting with a small explosion working up to a large one. A few lucky students detonated explosions. The bomb squad could not bring out its robot for detonations because of wet and muddy conditions. The bomb squad is a joint unit with the Laramie County Sheriff's office. It provides render-safe response capabilities, post-blast investigation expertise, aids Cheyenne citizens and surrounding communities while ensuring the protection of lives and property and the prosecution of explosive or other hazardous device-related crimes. Wyoming Supreme Court interpreter Carolina Montalba said her motivation to join the academy was to increase her knowledge of how people end up in the court's system. "Even though I have the vocabulary, I don't have the knowledge of how we get there, " she said. "I thought this would be a very good opportunity to acquire that knowledge. When you have a trial or a hearing, you know why they are there, but you don't understand how they got there. I have gotten a lot of vocabulary that I thought I had and a lot of the rules and regulations since I did not grow up in this country. There is a lot of basic things I did not know. I did not know what a terry frisk is. That is something so basic that everyone should know." Kate Axlund joined the academy out of curiosity. "I wanted to see what the police force in Cheyenne does to be more aware of what goes on in the city," she said. "A lot of the legal stuff is clearer for me as far as the pat-downs warrants and those kinds of things. It is nice to have more knowledge of that. When they talk about, I know my rights, well, I want to know my rights, and this has helped with that. It has been a great experience, and I think more people in the community should do this program." The academy is held twice a year and open to 30 students 18 years of age or older, willing to have a background check and sign a liability waiver. Class curriculum includes training in constitutional law, criminal investigations, narcotics, crime scene processing, defensive tactics, traffic enforcement, building searches, and firearms familiarization. Classes are Monday and Wednesday nights for five weeks, along with two Saturdays, and free to the public. The United States Police Canine Association Region 14 Annual Certification was held in Lusk WY, on Saturday, May 15. Wyoming Department of Corrections (WDOC) was represented by Sergeant Jory Shoopman with K9 Zeke and Sergeant Randy Speiser with K9 Copper. Both K9 teams did an outstanding job and placed first and second, respectively. USPCA Region 14 includes the states of Kansas, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Montana, Idaho, Washington, Oregon, California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, and Hawaii. Annual Certifications in the disciplines of Patrol Work, Detection, and Tracking are hosted to measure that K-9 Teams across the United States are following carefully calculated standards. Region 14 is but one region in a large association. Major Timothy Rysell who manages the Investigative Services Unit (ISU) said, It is truly a pleasure to have not only one, but two outstanding K9 Teams. The WDOC and ISU are extremely proud of Sgt. Shoopman and Sgt. Speiser for their hard work and dedication to excellence in their field. Ive personally trained and observed these two teams and know they are top-notch Narcotics Detection Teams. Congratulations to both of you. Sgt. Jory Shoopman and K9 Zeke won the Top Dog Kyle Hall Memorial Award for Outstanding Narcotic Detection Score. Sgt. Shoopman and K9 Zeke won this award in 2020 also. Sgt. Shoopman and K9 Hunter (who is now retired) won in 2019 and 2016. Sgt. Randy Speiser and K9 Copper won the Kim "Joe" Clingan Outstanding K9 Team Award. This award is given out during a Regional Certification to any team that Joe and his panel of Judges, believe has made the most improvement or has had to overcome adversity to keep the K9 Team mission ready. Instant unlimited access to all of our E-Editions and content on thechronicleonline.com. The Chronicle E-Edition Newsletter emailed to you each week, the night before the paper hits the street! This subscription is for NEW or RENEWING online subscribers. (The charge will appear as "Country Media Inc." on your credit card statement) WEST HARTFORD Conards Gavin Sherry and Chloe Scrimgeour took home individual titles at the CCC Division A championships while the Simsbury girls team completed its revenge tour and the Hall boys battled to a team title Wednesday. This is the temporary subscription pass for users returning from the Vision Data subscription process. Your subscription will be updated within 24 hours, after your information is verified. Please click the button below to get your pass. Oneonta, NY (13820) Today Rain showers early will evolve into a more steady rain overnight. Thunder possible. Low 57F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 70%.. Tonight Rain showers early will evolve into a more steady rain overnight. Thunder possible. Low 57F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 70%. Editor's Note: Under the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC), China has worked with all other countries to build a community with a shared future for mankind, which has boosted confidence and added impetus for development of Asia and the world. For the celebration of the 100th funding anniversary of the CPC, we are launching the CPC in eyes of foreign military students series, viewing China and CPC from the perspective of foreign soldiers. By Prem Bahadur Karki It has been more than three years since I left China. Back then, I was studying engineering at China's Army Logistics University. Now I'm participating in the construction of roads in Nepal. The days of building roads in the deep mountains are tough, but whenever I remember in China, the people often say, to build fortune, roads should be built first, I feel this kind of hardship is worthwhile. As for going to China for training, I was hesitant about it at first because I didn't know much about China and the ruling party in this country. From time to time, some Western media news releases that slandered China could be seen online. I had no direct knowledge and experience on how the Communist Party of China (CPC) lead China to prosperity. As the plane landed at Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport, my journey to China began. From the airport to the university, everything along the way was pleasant and unforgettable. There is lush vegetation, beautiful buildings, busy roads, and friendly citizens. I remember that it was September, and Chongqing was still a bit hot, and I felt kind of excited. The landscape of China has remained in my memory for a long time. It would be a mission impossible to cerate such a beautiful environment if there were no impressive infrastructure. Convenient road traffic, stable water and power supply systems, advanced communications, and other public facilities that people take for granted have quietly accelerated Chinas social and economic development. The CPC vigorously promotes the construction of road transportation and other infrastructure and boosts educational and technological progress through various measures. I believe that the CPC is a political Party of vision that has formulated a scientific national development strategy for this great country in the East. This development strategy, known as the "roadmap", will promote the high-quality development of China's economy. China paves the way to development and prosperity. China focuses on improving infrastructure and optimizing the business environment. With the perfect supporting facilities, China will naturally attract more investment, and the national economy will develop better. Nepal's infrastructure conditions are still relatively backward, especially with the shortage of electricity supply. The situation became worse after the severe earthquake in 2015, and in some areas there even was no electricity supply. Chinese enterperises have invested in the construction of power stations in Nepal, which has stimulated local employment and injected vitality and impetus into local economic development. In recent years, Nepal and China have conducted more and more friendly cooperation. China has undertaken many aid projects in Nepal, including the inner-ring road reconstruction in Kathmandu, medical and health care, etc. The practice of promoting economic and social development through infrastructure construction has given me a deep impression. As a practitioner of engineering, it is my obligation to dedicate my knowledge and experience to Nepal's development and contribute to building roads to development and prosperity of my motherland. (This article is based on an interview by the PLA Daily with Major Prem Bahadur Karki assigned to Nepal Army, who had once studied at China's PLA Army Logistics University.) Vaccine Walk-ins Open at McCracken Health Clinic By West Kentucky Star Staff PADUCAH - Beginning Monday, walk-ins to receive the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine are welcome at the McCracken County Health Center Clinic at 916 Kentucky Ave.The Purchase District Health Department says the vaccine will be administered Mondays through Wednesdays from 8 a.m.-2 p.m to patients 18 and older.There is also no appointment needed at the drive thru on Thursdays from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. in the parking lot behind the Purchase District Health Department at the blue tent. The drive thru will offer the Johnson&Johnson vaccine only.Vaccines will not be administered on Fridays.If you would like a vaccine card sleeve pick one up at either the McCracken County Health Center or the Ballard County Health Center. Joe Guzzardi is a Progressives for Immigration Reform analyst who has written about immigration for more than 30 years. Contact him at jguzzardi@pfirdc.org. Michael Reagan is the son of the late President Ronald Reagan, a political consultant and the author of Lessons My Father Taught Me: The Strength, Integrity, and Faith of Ronald Reagan. A small boat used during a suspected human smuggling operation sits on La Jolla beach in San Diego, Calif., on Thursday, May 20, 2021. (Gregory Bull/AP Photo) 1 Dead Off San Diego Coast in Apparent Smuggling Attempt SAN DIEGOOne person was killed and eight were injured Thursday in an apparent migrant smuggling attempt off San Diegos tony La Jolla coast, authorities said. Lifeguards rescued 10 people in what the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department called rough water conditions, including eight who were hospitalized. Some of the migrants wore life vests. One person who was found underwater was pronounced dead on the beach. The fire department in a statement said it did not know how many people were aboard the boat. Lifeguards were alerted that people were in the water around 5:30 a.m., minutes before sunrise. The boat was in waters just offshore from Wipeout Beach, off the coast from multimillion-dollar homes, shops, and in an area that is popular with surfers, swimmers, walkers, and runners. The fire department said survivors were turned over to U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Earlier this month, a recreational cabin cruiser overloaded with 32 people capsized off the San Diego coast, killing three people in a smuggling attempt. Smuggling off the California coast has ebbed and flowed over the years but has long been a risky alternative for migrants to avoid heavily guarded land borders. Small boats with single- or twin-engines known as pangas enter from Mexico in the dead of night, sometimes heading hundreds of miles north. Recreational boats, like the one that capsized earlier this month, try to mix in unnoticed with fishing and pleasure vessels during the day. Wang Jingyu in an undisclosed location in an undated photo. (Courtesy of Wang Jingyu) 19-Year-Old Chinese Dissident Held in Dubai Fears Deportation Back to China A young Chinese dissident on the Chinese Communist Partys wanted list is seeking help after being held incommunicado for a month in the United Arab Emirates, with the prospect of being sent back to China to face torture. Dubai police arrested Wang Jingyu, a 19-year-old from Chongqing city in southern Chinas Sichuan Province, during his transfer flight to New York on April 6. Wang, who says he has done nothing wrong, has been in custody with limited contact with the outside world since his arrest. This is 100 percent linked to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), he said in an interview with The Epoch Times on May 20, the first time he has spoken with a media outlet since his detention. Wang initially got into trouble with the CCP in February, when he disputed the authorities account of the bloody border clash with India. The deadly brawl in June 2020 saw Chinese and Indian soldiers attack each other with iron rods and stones. India reported 20 deaths on its side, while China acknowledged four fatalitiesbut only eight months lateralthough unconfirmed reports put the death toll at as high as 45. Why did you announce the death toll so late? What on earth are you are hiding? Wang wrote on Chinese social media Weibo on Feb. 21, two days after Beijing broke its silence on the deaths. This social media activity, along with two more posts, eventually caught the local polices attention. He became one of seven people that Chinese police charged with defaming heroes and martyrs, with the police notice of his case circulated on Chinese media. He soon found his passport information, address in China, and other personal details publicized on Weibo. As Wang was not in China at the time, the Chinese police detained his parents and asked him to make a confession videoa request he refused. Wang left China for Istanbul in July 2019, shortly after posting a TikTok video in support of Hong Kong protesters. Despite having a local number, he received a flurry of text messages from strangers to intimidate him. People he suspected to be Chinese state agents would call him at his hotel to make personal threats, he said. How did they know where I live? he asked. Fearing for his safety, he booked a flight to New York. On April 6, after arriving in Dubai, two plainclothes men who identified themselves as officers from Dubais criminal informational department stopped him during his flight transfer and held him in the immigration bureau near the airport. Wang Jingyu. (Provided to The Epoch Times) They confiscated his passport, phone, and luggage, detaining him there for around 48 hours while giving him only some water. He was later transferred to a larger jail, around which time his friends secured a lawyer for him. Until that point, Wang was clueless about the reason for his arrest. At the immigration bureau, all he was told was wait, wait, wait, he said. They told his lawyer that he had insulted their religion and culture. Later, they told him he endangered national security, a wording that echoes the charge that the Chinese regime often slaps on dissidents. On April 19, the court granted him bail, but Dubai police refused to release him, citing a request from immigration authorities to deport him. Beijing has likely put pressure on Dubai authorities through diplomatic relations, he said. Employees from the Chinese embassy in Dubai met with him at least three times, trying to get him to sign a document consenting to go back to China. They said that nothing would happen to me if I go back to China, and that Im better off going back because I cant go anywhere here, he said. I didnt sign. Roughly two weeks ago, the court withdrew his case for lacking evidence, but the discussions about possible deportation continued. Earlier on May 20, Dubai police also asked him to sign a document in Arabic on two occasions, but he also refused, saying he couldnt understand what it said, he told The Epoch Times. I didnt do anything that violated the law in this country, he said. Bail document for Wang Jingyu. Some personal details have been redacted. (Courtesy of Wang Jingyu) In prison, Wang was provided only one meal each day due to the observance of Ramadan that ended on May 12. His cellmates often got into fights. He observed an absence of basic measures to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, including mask-wearing. Chinese police raided his parents home in February and briefly detained both in a bid to force is return to China and make a public confession in a video. They have been fired from their state-run company jobs. He hasnt been able to contact his parents for months. I have no regrets for everything I have done before, because I think what I did was right, he said. This is an evil party, it will eventually fall, he said, referring to the CCP. Through what happened to me, I want to tell the whole world to unite and bring [it] down. He didnt get to finish the sentence before the phone was cut off. The Dubai police didnt immediately respond to an inquiry regarding Wangs case. Gu Xiaohua contributed to this report. A Food 4 Less employee pushes carts past supermarket workers gathered to protest in front of the supermarket in Long Beach, Calif. on Feb. 3, 2021, after a decision by owner Kroger to close two supermarkets rather than pay workers an additional $4 in "hazard pay" for their continued work during the COVID-19 pandemic. (Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images) Anaheim Rejects Hazard Pay Proposal for Grocery Workers City council in Anaheim, Calif. voted to table a hazard pay ordinance that sought to pay grocery and retail workers an extra $3 per hour for 60 days due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The ordinance was initiated by Councilmember Jose Moreno during a May 11 city council meeting, and received support from councilmembers Jordan Brandman and Avelino Valencia. The topic was heavily debated, with the majority of councilmembers opposing the measure. During councils May 18 meeting, the hazard pay proposal was agendized both as an urgency ordinance and a traditional ordinance, at Morenos request. If the urgency ordinance had passed, the increased payments would have gone into effect immediately. If the traditional ordinance was approved, it would have required a second reading at councils next meeting before taking effect 30 days later. During the most recent meeting, Moreno and Valencia spoke in support of the issue, though a motion to table the item was created by Councilmember Trevor ONeil after he felt the item had already been discussed enough. Just last week we had a lengthy discussion on this issue and a majority of this council clearly expressed opposition to an ordinance like this, ONeil said. But here we are considering it again. Well, its been said that insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. To our staff, Im sorry that youre tasked to work on something that we all know has no chance of being adopted when we have so many other important issues to deal with in Anaheim. And to the public, Im sorry that there are members of this body who chose to waste taxpayer money in this exercise in futility. ONeils motion was approved by council in a 4-3 vote, with Moreno, Valencia, and Councilmember Jordan Brandman dissenting. Prior to the motion being introduced, Moreno shared his reasoning for the proposal. What we know is that grocery and drug and retail employees working during COVIDmerit additional compensation in part because they were asked by our city, by our county, by our consumers, by our nation to put themselves on the front lines when everyone was being asked to stay home, Moreno said. Moreno added that 14 months ago, people were really freaking out about the virus, yet workers were still expected to show up to their jobs. We also know that less than half of Orange County residents are currently fully vaccinated and the folks whove taken the brunt of this virus [are] low-income folks in our county and folks of color here in our county. Particularly Latino and immigrant families who traditionally work these jobs, he said. The executives of these industries made a lot of money during this period and the workers are not being provided the benefits of their hard work. Anaheim is the second Orange County city to reject hazard pay for frontline workers, with the City of Tustin voting against a similar ordinance in April. Irvine, Costa Mesa, Santa Ana, and Buena Park have enacted ordinances to provide hazard pay. Anaheims proposed ordinance would have only applied to stores whose owners or parent companies have 50 or more national retail establishments. Missing Mayfield Teen Found Safe By West Kentucky Star Staff MAYFIELD - Police say a Mayfield teen reported missing Thursday has been found.According to the Mayfield Police Department, 17-year-old Micah Lesley was located Thursday night.Police requested the public's help locating Lesley Thursday afternoon.Original story:Police are requesting the public's help with locating a missing Mayfield teen.The Mayfield Police Department said 17-year-old Micah Lesley was last seen in the area of the YMCA and Kess Creek Park at noon on Thursday.He is white, 6'1" tall, weighs approximately 225 pounds, with dark shaggy hair.He was wearing a black hoody, black jeans, black canvas shoes, and a black mask.Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to contact the Mayfield Police Department at 270-247-1621 or 270-856-3721 Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs removes a mask as she speaks to members of Arizona's Electoral College prior to them casting their votes in Phoenix, Ariz., on Dec. 14, 2020. (Ross D. Franklin/AP Photo) Arizonas Top Elections Official Tells Maricopa County to Get New Election Machines Machines being audited may have been compromised, Arizona's secretary of state alleges Arizonas secretary of state has warned the states largest county not to try to use election machines that are being audited or she would decertify the equipment. I have grave concerns regarding the security and integrity of these machines, given that the chain of custody, a critical security tenet, has been compromised and election officials do not know what was done to the machines while under Cyber Ninjas control, Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs, a Democrat, wrote in a May 20 letter to Maricopa County officials. Auditors hired by the Arizona Senate, including Cyber Ninjas, have been reviewing more than 2 million ballots cast and 385 tabulators used in the 2020 election, along with other materials. Auditors have said theyre following strict forensics protocols. We dont turn on a system if its delivered to us in a powered-off state. We remove the hard drives, we perform forensics imaging with write blocks to prevent any changes to those hard drives, and we produce a bit for bit forensics copy of that particular drive, Ben Cotton, founder of CyFIR, the company leading the technology component of the audit, told Arizona senators in a May 18 meeting. Ken Bennett, the former Republican Arizona secretary of state who is serving as the liaison for the state Senate for the audit, added that immediately upon receiving the machines on April 21, the equipment and ballots were placed into locked cages and have been under armed guard the entire time. We have not had any breaches of the cages where the ballots or the machines have been kept, he said. But Hobbs alleged that its unclear what security procedures, if any, were put into place to secure the machines. Indeed, our expert observers, as well as multiple news reports, have noted troubling security lapses. And Cyber Ninjas has failed to provide full transparency into what they did with the equipment, she wrote to Maricopa County officials. The lack of physical security and transparency means we cannot be certain who accessed the voting equipment and what might have been done to them. A county judge in April declined to grant an Arizona Democratic Party request to block the audit. The request, backed by Hobbs, was made because Democrats alleged there were security issues with the audit. But the judge said Democrats didnt provide substantive evidence backing up their claims. In the May 20 letter, Hobbs said there are no comprehensive methods to fully rehabilitate compromised equipment, meaning the county should acquire new machines to ensure secure and accurate elections moving forward. If the county chooses to re-deploy the subpoenaed equipment for use in future elections, Hobbss office may consider moving to decertify it. Maricopa County ballots cast in the 2020 general election are examined and recounted by contractors working for Florida-based company, Cyber Ninjas, at Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Phoenix, Ariz., on May 6, 2021. (Matt York/AP Photo/Pool) Before the audit began, Arizona Republican Senate President Karen Fann signed a document that provided indemnification to Maricopa County against third-party claims of any damages occurring to materials the county gave over to auditors. Representatives for the audit team and the Arizona Senate Republicans didnt respond to The Epoch Times requests for comment. The county is reviewing Hobbss letter, a county spokesperson told The Epoch Times via email. That letter is being reviewed by our attorneys and they will advise Board members before they take next steps. A spokesperson for the Elections Department told news outlets before the letter arrived that subpoenaing tabulation equipment was an unprecedented action in Arizona. State statutes and the Elections Procedures Manual never contemplated the tabulation equipment leaving the custody of the Elections Department. While the central count tabulators and other equipment were returned, the Senate still has 385 precinct-based tabulators that were subject to the subpoena, the spokesperson said in the statement. We are working with our attorneys on next steps, costs and what will be needed to ensure only certified equipment is used in Maricopa County. We will not use any of the returned tabulation equipment unless the county, state and vendor are confident that there is no malicious hardware or software installed on the devices. The voters of Maricopa County can rest assured that we will not use any equipmenteverthat could pose a risk to free and fair elections. The Elections Department has implemented back up plans that included using new tabulation equipment for elections in 2021, which was first used for the March Jurisdictional Election. Maricopa Countys Board of Supervisors in June 2019 approved a three-year contract to lease election equipment from Dominion Voting Systems through July 2022. The contract was worth $6.1 million. According to Hobbs, her concerns dont involve the Dominion voting system, which remains certified for use in Arizona, nor any election equipment that wasnt turned over to auditors. Artist Creates Gorgeous Animal Images Using Thousands of Nature Photos in Spectacular Unison Photographic illustrator Josh Dykgraaf is completely reimagining wildlife photography by digitally combining animals and landscapesfused together as oneto create something spectacular and unique. Inspired by objects and scenery found in nature, as well as animal photography, his digital series Terraform invites viewers to contemplate some of the wondrous patterns in nature which, when combined, resonate with both contrast and harmony. I was surfing through some images Id shot on a totally different project and had the observation that some rock formations in the Swiss Alps looked like the skin of an elephant, Dykgraaf, of Melbourne, Australia, told My Modern Met of the projects inception. The image of the Alps, joined with the similarly colossal, majestic beast, became his first hybrid piece, titled Ourea. Ourea combines photos of the Alps to create a hybrid composite image of an African elephant. (Courtesy of Josh Dykgraaf) Dykgraaf, who has been freelancing as an artist for almost a decade, didnt stop there. Noticing how certain leaves resemble bird feathers and some flower petals, scales, he delved deeper into his exploration and expanded his project. Each production is a labor of love. With a small lighting setup, he photographs leaf and flower collages from multiple angles before layering up to 3,000 images in Photoshop. The process of completing one picture takes anywhere from 30 to 60 hours. Technically, I work with the idea that any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic, he shared in an interview with Design Boom. Magnolia flower petals are combined to resemble the scales of a pangolin. (Courtesy of Josh Dykgraaf) Hundreds of tiny leaves are combined to create two tawny frogmouth birds. (Courtesy of Josh Dykgraaf) Protea flower blossoms perfectly mimic the scales of a frilled lizard. (Courtesy of Josh Dykgraaf) In one of his works, a coiled pangolin with its coarse, hardened scalescreated entirely out of delicate magnolia petalssets off a stunning contrast; in another, a pair of tawny frogmouth birds are comprised of countless tiny layered leaves in a clever composition; in yet another, a frilled lizards scales betray a striking resemblance with protea flower blossoms. The pangolin, said Dykgaard, is probably my favorite thing Ive created recently. The magnolias, found blooming along a street near his home, had just the vibe and color palette in his conception. During the 2020 lockdown, he focused entirely on natural objects and materials that could be sourced close to home, assembling his creations in a makeshift kitchen studio that he set up. Eastern rosella is composed from different colored leaves. (Courtesy of Josh Dykgraaf) An echidna is created by using photos of gum tree shoots in Dykgaards Bushfire series. (Courtesy of Josh Dykgraaf) Dykgaards true passion, he says, is creating art that causes an impact on people. All the effort is worth it when I see someone double-take at my work, he explains on his website. The buzz I get from that moment can keep me going for days. Besides his website, Dykgaard showcases his work on Instagram. Beyond the substantial achievement of the Terraform series, Dykgaard also uses his platform as a forum for the discussion surrounding threats to wildlife. This photo of a wombat, comprised of photos from the Grampians near Halls Gap, is another part of the artists Bushfires series. (Courtesy of Josh Dykgraaf) As the project has gone on, Ive moved on to working on other issues that I care about, he explained. The devastation we experienced here in Australia with the bushfires last year killed some three billion animals and are projected to push koalas to extinction in the wild in the coming decades. The tragedy from the bushfires motivated Dykgaard to travel to the sites of the fires and create a series based on the raw materials he found there. More works derived from these sources are in the pipeline, he says. Beach photos are transformed by the artist into a mother giraffe and her calf. (Courtesy of Josh Dykgraaf) Yellowed leaves comprise this owl image. (Courtesy of Josh Dykgraaf) The scales of a fish are depicted using feathers, including some from a white peacock from the Yarra Valley Nocturnal Zoo. (Courtesy of Josh Dykgraaf) A laughing kookaburra is composed of countless leaves. (Courtesy of Josh Dykgraaf) Winter landscape photos are transformed into a stag shot taken in Scotland. (Courtesy of Josh Dykgraaf) Share your stories with us at emg.inspired@epochtimes.com, and continue to get your daily dose of inspiration by signing up for the Epoch Inspired Newsletter at TheEpochTimes.com/newsletter Attack on Jewish Diners in LA by Pro-Palestinian Group Probed as Hate Crime: Officials An alleged violent attack on Jewish people eating at a restaurant earlier this week is being investigated as a possible hate crime, according to officials in Los Angeles. Footage of the incident showed a group attacking people at the Sushi Fumi restaurant in Los Angeles Beverly Grove neighborhood. The incident triggered condemnation from Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, a Democrat, who said there is no place for discrimination and anti-Semitism of any kind in Los Angeles. We as a city condemn last nights organized, anti-Semitic attack, he added. Jewish Angelenos, like all residents, should always feel safe in our city. Garcetti confirmed that the Los Angeles Police Department is investigating the incident. We as a city condemn last nights organized, anti-Semitic attack. Jewish Angelenos, like all residents, should always feel safe in our city.@LAPDHQ is investigating this assault as a hate crime, and we will respond with the full force of the law. MayorOfLA (@MayorOfLA) May 19, 2021 The Los Angeles Police Department told Fox News and other news outlets that the incident was being investigated as a hate crime. Three suspects are being sought. Witnesses told ABC7 that a pro-Palestinian group yelled anti-Semitic remarks at the diners, and video footage showed men punching another man on the sidewalk. We turned around, they start yelling. They stopped the car they were cussing at Jews, one witness, who said he is Jewish but remained anonymous, told the station. Glass bottles were then hurled at their table, he said. The video shows the men get out and push his friend to the ground, according to the witness. I realized I had to take something to scare them. There were many girls behind us. I was scared that they would attack everybody, he said, adding that he grabbed a rope barrier. Video of the incident was sent to Los Angeles City Councilman Paul Koretz, who said, Its absolutely outrageous. Were not going to allow this in the city of Los Angeles, according to KTLA. Were not going to bring the conflict from the Middle East here and allow people to be attacked on our streets because of what they look like and what they appear ethnically, Koretz said. The attack, and a number of other attacks in major metropolitan areas, came amid renewed fighting between Israel and Hamasa designated terror group since 1997in recent days. On Thursday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed that the two sides would engage in a ceasefire, while a Hamas spokesperson also confirmed the development to news outlets. Vials with Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine labels are seen in this illustration picture taken on March 19, 2021. (Dado Ruvic/File Photo/Reuters) Australia Wants mRNA Vaccines Made Onshore On Friday, the Australian government will commence an approach to market for developing the capacity to make messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines in Australia. This comes as the government negotiates with Moderna about setting up an onshore manufacturing facility for mRNA vaccines. In a statement, the government said onshore manufacturing would ensure a secure, long-term supply of Modernas mRNA-based vaccines against COVID-19, the disease caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, including variants and potential future pandemics. The process, which was signalled in the May 11 Federal Budget 2021-22, will be open for eight weeks from Friday. Industry Minister Christian Porter said Australian businesses and researchers were already developing mRNA capacity, describing it as a promising branch of science. However, our market analysis also shows there are gaps and challenges to scale up, which mean its not currently possible to commercially manufacture mRNA treatments locally. The government is inviting key commercial providers and potential providers to demonstrate their future capability and explain what government involvement, assistance or support could make that capacity a reality, Porter said. The mRNA vaccines, such as Pfizer BioNtech, are a new type of vaccine to protect against infectious diseases and are being used in the fight against COVID-19. Health Minister Greg Hunt said mRNA vaccines were already a key pillar of the governments vaccine strategy and that mRNA technology had the potential to treat many other diseases, including cancer, flu, and cardiovascular disease. Among the requirements set out by the government for applicants is that the submission includes fully costed proposals to establish an end-to-end onshore population-scale mRNA capability. The applicants would need to demonstrate access to necessary intellectual property for manufacturing processes and make products available to the Australian government as required and in priority over any other purchaser. Any manufacturer would need to deliver secure supplies of population-scale mRNA vaccines, including the ability to scale up production to respond to reasonably foreseeable health emergencies. The operation would also need to be sustained over 10 years with an undertaking to maintain the capability onshore on an ongoing basis. Currently, Australia has secured 25 million doses of the Moderna vaccine. In April, Acting Victorian Premier James Merlino said the Victorian government would commit $50 million to help establish a facility to manufacture coronavirus vaccines, such as those produced by Pfizer and Moderna, in Melbourne. AAP contributed to this report. Local residents line up for the COVID-19 testing at the Wanhua District in Taipei, Taiwan on May 19, 2021. (Sam Yeh/AFP via Getty Images) Beijing Launches Psychological War Against Taiwan After COVID-19 Outbreak Taiwanese government criticized the Chinese communist regime for using the islands COVID-19 outbreak to attack the self-ruled island on May 19. Beijing authorities made and spread fake information mixed with truth on Taiwan social media platforms and pro-Beijing Taiwanese media with a purpose to deepening the conflicts among Taiwanese people, worsening the outbreak, reducing the whole societys productive activities, damaging the economy and stock market, and frustrating Taiwanese people, spokesman for the unicameral legislature of Taiwan Lo Ping-cheng said at a press conference at the Executive Yuan in Taipei on Wednesday. Lo said the acts of psychological warfare were performed by the network system department of the Chinese Communist Partys (CCPs) Peoples Liberation Army, the Chinese Ministry of National Security, and Chinas Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council. Lo emphasized that the CCPs disinformation being spread among Taiwanese is as bad as the CCP virus, commonly known as the novel coronavirus, and can only hurt the people and the society. He urged Taiwanese people to be aware of the psychological warfare and not let the fake news change their behavior. He also asked people not to share and spread it. Seeding Disinformation and Fear Taiwan started to suffer a new COVID-19 outbreak in May, and new cases of local transmission are still increasing in recent days. Capitalizing on peoples worries and fears, disinformation was seeded by the CCP. It was quickly spread by people on social media. The Taiwanese government warned people that some of the rumors they are seeing were created by the CCP across the Taiwan Strait, in an act of psychological warfare. Tsai Ing-wen, Taiwanese president, on May 14 sought to clarify one rumor in a Facebook post, which claimed that disinfectants used by Taiwans Chemical Corps in Taipei and New Taipei City are highly toxic, causing many people to worry. Tsai said that the disinfectant used is 1:50 diluted bleach, which has no direct harm to the human body and can ensure the effectiveness of our disinfection effect. She criticized the many false messages being circulated and said that the epidemic prevention team would make greater efforts to better explain its operations. On May 16, Tsai urged people to only follow government notices because there is too much information being put out regarding the unfolding outbreak. We dont know if they are true or false, Tsai said. Medical workers prepare to perform COVID-19 rapid tests on residents, following an increasing number of locally transmitted cases in Taipei, Taiwan, on May 15, 2021. (Ann Wang/Reuters) Lo pointed to another example of psychological warfare during the press conference on May 19. On May 17, Zhu Fenglian, the spokeswoman of Chinas Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, said at a press conference in Beijing: A large number of Taiwanese compatriots are eagerly looking forward to using mainland China-made COVID-19 vaccines. The top priority of us is to remove the political barrier that Taiwanese government created and vaccinate the majority Taiwanese people with China-made vaccines. Chinese state-run media, Taiwanese pro-Beijing media, and Taiwanese pro-Beijing politicians then promoted Zhus statement. Lo pointed out that what Zhu said wasnt correct, and the CCP was trying to convince Taiwanese people that mainland China had successfully curbed the pandemic, and that the Taiwanese government hasnt done well. Meanwhile, authorities in numerous Chinese provinces are also dealing with their own local outbreaks of the CCP virus. Professor Tung Li-wen from the Department of Public Security at Central Police University told The Epoch Times on May 20 that the Chinese regime attacks Taiwan by spreading fake news. Once theres a significant development in Taiwan, the Chinese communist regime will strengthen its use of psychological warfare, he said. Tung listed the methods that the CCP uses: creating fake stories using content farms, using artificial intelligence to generate and spread the fake news, and organizing a large number of trolls to target Taiwanese people on social media platforms. They use extreme words to defame and discredit the efforts and achievements of the Taiwan government during the pandemic, Tung said, like Taiwan will collapse soon even a lockdown of the cities wont work. Tung said that, unfortunately, some Taiwanese people have believed the fake news, as the crafted messages are written in a way that is easily accepted by people. Taiwan Outbreak A homeless person (R) receives free facial masks and a bottle of alcohol for disinfection from a local resident in Ximen, a commercial zone, at the Wanhua District in Taipei, Taiwan, on May 19, 2021. (Sam Yeh/AFP via Getty Images) Taiwan had barely any locally acquired CCP virus cases until the middle of May. On May 20, the government announced 286 newly diagnosed patients from 10 different cities and counties. Chen Shih-chung, Taiwans Health Minister, told a press conference that 2,825 patients had been diagnosed in Taiwan since January 2020, with 1,103 of them being international arrivals. To date, 15 patients have died of COVID-19 in Taiwan. Since May 15, the first day that over 100 people were diagnosed with COVID-19 in Taiwan, the majority of Taiwanese people in Taipei and New Taipei Citywhere most cases were reporteddecided to stay at home without any requests from the government. Now, both Taipei and New Taipei City have announced level three restrictions, requiring people to wear masks in public areas, limiting get-togethers to five people indoors or 10 people outdoors, and the recommended closing of non-essential businesses. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) listens as South Korean President Moon Jae-in speaks during a meeting at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, on May 20, 2021. (Chip Somodevilla/Pool via Reuters) Biden and South Korean President to Discuss China, North Korea at White House Summit President Joe Biden is scheduled to meet South Korean President Moon Jae-in at the White House on Friday, with a senior administration official saying that the two leaders discussions will highlight the ironclad alliance between their respective countries and focus on mutual strategic and security challenges, including those posed by China and North Korea. The South Korean president will be the second world leader to meet face-to-face with Biden at the White House, with the meeting due to take place weeks after the Biden administration finalized its monthslong review of North Korea policy. A senior administration official said Thursday that, our policy calls for a calibrated, practical approach that is open to and will explore diplomacy with the DPRK [North Korea] to make practical progress that increases the security of the United States, our allies, and our deployed forces. The officials remarks echo those made by White House press secretary Jen Psaki, who on April 30 similarly characterized the Biden administrations North Korea policy as one that calls for a calibrated, practical approach. Our goal remains the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. With a clear understanding that the efforts of the past four administrations have not achieved this objective, our policy will not focus on achieving a grand bargain, nor will it rely on strategic patience, Psaki said. The senior administration official said Thursday that the two leaders would talk about North Korea policy extensively on Friday. Asked by a reporter whether a middle course between a grand bargain and strategic patience would mean limited sanctions relief in return for nuclear concessions, the official declined to lay out exactly our diplomatic strategy here and now but added that the intent was to design it to be flexible so as to give ourselves the best chance of diplomatic success. At this juncture, its really not in our interest to preview or comment on specific issues like an end-of-war declaration in hopes of spurring dialogue, the official added. Moon has been hoping to use his first summit with Biden to press a legacy policy of engaging North Korea, while Washington has played down the prospect of any quick impetus on the issue. Biden is poised to prioritize boosting cooperation with Seoul on regional security more broadlynotably in response to the challenge posed by Chinaincluding in high-tech industries such as microchips. Former President Donald Trump sought to engage deeply with North Korea to persuade Pyongyang to de-nuclearize under what some reports have characterized as a grand bargain framework, while the Obama administration pursued a policy of strategic patience. Biden administration officials have reportedly consulted with Trump administration officials who took part in the Singapore talks between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Trump at meetings in June 2018 and February 2019. The last face-to-face talks between senior officials from the two countries were held in Sweden in October 2019, while the Biden administrations efforts to resume a dialogue have been rebuffed. North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles into the Sea of Japan in late March, just days after firing two non-ballistic missiles into the Yellow Sea, with the launches coming after Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin traveled to Japan and South Korea that same month. At those meetings, Blinken strongly criticized North Koreas nuclear program and human rights record and called on China to use its tremendous influence to convince Pyongyang to de-nuclearize. On Thursday, Moon went to Capitol Hill to meet House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and other congressional leaders. President Joe Biden speaks before signing the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act into law, in the East Room at the White House in Washington, on May 20, 2021. (Kevin Lamarque/Reuters) Biden Vows to Replenish Israels Iron Dome Missile Defense System, Support Gaza Rebuilding Efforts President Joe Biden on Thursday pledged to provide support to Israelis and Palestinians following the announcement of a mutual ceasefire between Israel and the Hamas terrorist group. Biden said during a press conference that the United States will replenish Israels Iron Dome missile defense system, which helped destroy Hamas rockets fired into the Jewish nation. He also said that his administration will work with the Palestinian Authority, which lost rule of the Gaza Strip to Hamas in the Gaza War of 2008-2009, to provide humanitarian relief for the people of Gaza and Gaza reconstruction efforts. I believe the Palestinians and Israelis equally deserve to live safely and securely and enjoy equal measures of freedom, prosperity and democracy, Biden said. My administration will continue our quiet, relentless diplomacy toward that end, I believe we have a genuine opportunity to make progress and Im committed to working for it. This comes after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed that officials have agreed on a ceasefire with Hamas after 11 days of conflict. A statement from his office said that his security cabinet ministers agreed to accept the Egyptian initiative for a mutual ceasefire without any conditions, which will go into effect at an hour that will be determined later. Netanyahu previously said in a statement to media that he was determined to continue this operation until its objective is achieved in an effort to to restore quiet and security to you, the citizens of Israel. An official with Hamas, a designated terrorist group since 1997, told Reuters they would enter a mutual and simultaneous Gaza truce at 2 a.m. on May 21. Biden also credited the Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi for playing a key role in breaking up the protracted conflict. The U.S. president commended the efforts for peace while also reiterating his support for Israels right to defend itself and the Jews and Arabs living within its borders from missile attacks from terrorist groups. Amid the conflict, Hamas fired more than 4,000 rockets into Israeli civilian areas beginning on May 10. Israel responded with hundreds of airstrikes and several ground strikes to take down the offending and supporting Hamas infrastructure. Violence continued until minutes before the ceasefire deadline. Around 1:50 a.m. local time, the Israel Defense Force issued a statement on social media stating more rockets are being fired at southern Israel from Gaza. Hamas has linked its rocket assault to weeks of tensions over a court case to evict several Palestinian families in East Jerusalem, and in retaliation for Israeli police responding to Palestinian rioters who Netanyahus office said planned the unrest near the citys Al-Aqsa Mosque, Islams third holiest site, on May 10 during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Israel and Hamas have waged multiple conflicts since the terrorist group took control of Gaza in 2007. Israeli airstrikes in retaliation to rockets attacks from terrorist groups in Gaza are not rare. At least 230 Palestinians have been killed and 1,710 people were wounded, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, although it doesnt separate the numbers into civilians and fighters. Hamas and fellow terror group Islamic Jihad stated that at least 20 of their members were killed, while Israeli officials have placed that number as being much higher. Twelve people in Israel, including a 5-year-old boy, a 16-year-old girl, and a soldier, have been killed. The military said an anti-tank missile fired from Gaza hit an empty bus near the frontier on May 20, lightly wounding an Israeli soldier. Jack Phillips and the Associated Press contributed to this report. Supporters of the Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) rally to urge authorities to rescue hundreds of schoolboys abducted by Boko Haram affiliated gangs, in northwestern state of Katsina, Nigeria on Dec. 17, 2020. (Kola Sulaimon/AFP via Getty Images) Boko Haram Terror Leader Dead by Suicide Blast Although the Nigerian military says it is investigating claims that Abubakar Shekau, the mastermind of Boko Haram, is injured, The Epoch Times learned on May 20 that he is dead. The Islamic terrorists death by suicide blast late into the evening of May 19 was reported to The Epoch Times on May 20 by David Otto, a defense consultant with sources in the Nigerian military. Shekaus death was confirmed by The Wall Street Journal on May 21, citing conflict mediators, unnamed Nigerian officials, and intelligence shared by a West African spy agency. He died along with three of his henchmen after losing a battle with rival group Islamic State of West Africa Province [ISWAP], Otto said in a statement to The Epoch Times while stationed in the neighboring nation of Cameroon. He refused to surrenderseveral of his commanders had surrendered or were killed by the same group that split from his faction in 2016. The fundamentalist terrorist group was founded by Muhammed Yusuf, who died in 2009 while in police custody. Shekau emerged as his successor, launching a terror campaign that claimed more than 30,000 lives and saw thousands of civilians kidnapped for ransom. Shekaus group captured the attention of the West after the mass kidnapping of 300 girls at a private school in 2014. Boko Haram declared affiliation with the ISIS terrorist group in March 2015, but was rebuffed by ISIS in favor of a breakaway faction within the group that took on the name of ISWAP. During the last four years, the better organized and outfitted ISWAP proved to be a more effective battlefield threat to the Nigerian army, military specialists have observed. This brings to tatters one of the most powerful and deadliest terrorist groups in the worldBoko Haram, Otto said. If anyone tries to succeed him, they will have to face the same wrath from the relatively more powerful and organized ISWAP faction. Besides, they wont have a territory or stronghold to call their own as Boko Haram had the dreaded Sambisa Forest. Where his army took refuge is now under the banner of ISWAP. Shekaus faction took the name of Jamaatu Ahlis Sunna Lidda;awati wal-Jihad (JAS). JAS will likely follow Abubakar Shekau to the grave, leaving only one major faction for the Nigerian army to deal withISWAP, and perhaps diehard renegades of JAS who will select to float around terrorizing civilians for survival. Mourners attend the funeral of 43 farm workers in Zabarmari, about 12 miles from Maiduguri, Nigeria, on Nov. 29, 2020. The workers were killed by Boko Haram fighters who tied them up and slit their throats in rice fields near the village of Koshobe on Nov. 28, 2020. (Audu Marte/AFP via Getty Images) The death of Shekauif finally provedwill launch ISWAP into the undisputed leadership role of Nigerias terror war under the banner of the Islamic State, Otto said. This means the likelihood of ISWAP getting more fighters and monopolizing jihadist forces in West Africa, he said. But it could create further distrust within the remainder of the senior JAS jihadist circles who believe that infighting destroys the already damaged reputation of both factions of Boko Haram. Months prior to his death, Shekaus JAS was on the retreat after losing hundreds of combatants in battles with the Nigerian Army and the Chadian military in the region of Lake Chad, according to Nigerian media. The ISWAP rival units cornered Shekau and his bodyguards on May 19 and killed or forced the surrender of more than 30 of his commanders, according to Otto. Shekau reportedly surrendered and entered into an hours-long negotiation in which he was ordered to swear allegiance to Abu Musab al-Barnawi, the top leader of ISWAP. By most media accounts, his response was to commit suicide by detonating his suicide vest. His body will never be found, because it would only embarrass the ISWAP commanders, Otto said. Otto also noted that ISWAPs public image is likely to be tarnished by Shekaus death, as the current leader of ISWAP is the son of Boko Harams founding father, Muhammed Yusuf, whom Shekau succeeded as leader of JAS. ISWAP has instigated the death of the man who brought Boko Haram into Global recognition after kidnapping about 300 girls in Chibok in April 2014, according to Otto. But Shekaus death doesnt necessarily mean terror activity in West Africa will subside, according to one expert who spoke with The Epoch Times. ISWAP is about to scale up its activities, according to Lagos-based Rev. Ladi Peter Thompson, a security specialist and advisor to the Christian Association of Nigeria. Like the Fulani herdsmen militia, the Boko Haram is just another face of the terror hydra that can be discarded at will. Thompson is concerned that ISWAP and its arms suppliers in the Middle East and North Africa will stand empowered to overwhelm Nigerias military in a push toward making Africas wealthiest nation into a caliphate. The likely scenario is that ISWAP and her global backers are about to make a major move, and Nigeria is about to experience a major military onslaught, he wrote to The Epoch Times in an email. The Nigerian government has been infiltrated with moles in high places, and it seems that the U.S. policy direction of the Biden administration is willing to incentivize the terrorists within our territories. Sensing the return of the Hilary Clinton agenda, the global terror intelligentsia may believe that the United States will not bat an eyelash when Nigeria is overrun. If we see great troop movements in West Africa headed for Nigeria in the weeks ahead plus heavy armaments, then we can conclude that the long-expected Armageddon has finally arrived. Douglas Burton may be reached at Burtonnewsandviews@gmail.com Border Patrol agents apprehend about two dozen illegal immigrants in Penitas, Texas, on March 11. 2021. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times) Border Patrol Agents Arrest 32 Mexican Nationals Who Crossed Illegally Into Arizona Dressed in Camo Border patrol officers arrested 32 Mexican nationals who disguised themselves in camouflage and illegally crossed the Mexico-U.S. border near the Arizona-New Mexico state line, authorities announced on Thursday. Interim Chief Patrol Agent for the Tucson Sector John Modlin said the illegal immigrants were trying to blend in with the surrounding vegetation in an effort to disguise themselves. The Douglas Stations #Horse Patrol Unit arrested a group of 32 migrants after illegally crossing the border, Modlin announced on Twitter. The 32 Mexican Nationals utilized camouflage clothing to blend into the surrounding vegetation. Modlin shared a photo of the group of Mexican nationals surrounded by border agents on horses while a helicopter hovered above them. It comes after Modlin announced that 124 migrants had surrendered to border patrol agents near San Miguel, Arizona, on the morning of May 17. The interim Chief Patrol Agent noted that while the majority of those apprehended by the Tucson sector this fiscal year were single adults, this particular group contained 105 unaccompanied children. Border crossings have been rising steadily in recent months. Last week, Border Patrol agents in Texas discovered 20 migrants, including two children, crammed into a pickup truck and cargo trailer during a stop at a checkpoint on Interstate 10 near Sierra Blanca. Agents said there was no ventilation or space to move freely. On Monday, a suspected smuggling boat carrying nearly two dozen illegal immigrants had to be intercepted by the U.S. Coast Guard after it got stuck in kelp off the coast of Southern California. Border Patrol agent Shane Crottie told local outlet KPBS that everybody was able to get out safely and the occupants were taken into custody. There were 23 individuals on board20 Mexican nationals and three Guatemalan nationals. The United States Border Patrol took custody of the individuals after Coast Guard brought them ashore, Crottie said, adding that the individuals were taken to a facility for processing. President Joe Bidens administration has also committed to processing about 250 asylum seekers a day through border crossings with Mexico as part of negotiations to settle a lawsuit over pandemic-related powers that deny those arriving at the border a right to apply for asylum, an attorney said Monday. Those eligible would be exempted from the Title 42 policy, previously enacted by former President Donald Trump to prevent illegal immigrants from entering the United States during the pandemic and to expel those that did manage to enter and were caught. The Biden administration after taking office in January rolled back use of Title 42, allowing all unaccompanied minors to stay in the country and significantly decreasing the number of family units expelled under the order. In April, more than 178,000 immigrants were stopped at the U.S.Mexico border, marking a 21-year high in monthly apprehensions, according to figures published by Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Of those encountered, over 13,000 of them were unaccompanied minors. The number of monthly encounters was up slightly from March, in which CBP encountered just over 173,348 immigrants crossing into the United States from the border with Mexico. However, Tucson Sector officials warned migrants not to cross the desert in Arizona in a news briefing last week, saying the conditions are dangerous. The desert is vast and its treacherous, when you cross illegally you put your life in incredible peril, Sabri Dikman, acting deputy chief patrol agent, said at the time. Im telling you this not only as a Border Patrol agent, but as one who spent his entire 23-year career in Arizona. I speak from experience. Zack Stieber contributed to this report. British Museums Ancient Greeks Treasures Coming to Australia and New Zealand The British Museums treasures of Ancient Greece are coming to the National Museum of Australia, the Western Australian Museum, and the Tamaki Paenga Hira Auckland War Memorial Museum. Featuring a range of 180 objects, the exhibition will be centred around the concept of competition and how it appeared in sports, politics, drama, music, and warfare. The exhibition, titled Ancient Greeks: Athletes, Warriors and Heroes, will open first in WAs Boola Bardip Museum in June, before heading across to the National Museum of Australia (NMA) in Canberra from Dec. 17, then across the Tasman Sea to Auckland, New Zealand in 2022. NMA Director Mathew Trinca thanked the British Museum, saying this unique collaboration allowed cultural institutions to pool and leverage their resources to bring world-class shows of this type to their audiences. We are thrilled that we can finally bring Ancient Greeks to east coast audiences after a 12-month delay, Trinca said. I know audiences will be mesmerised by the stories of competition in the Ancient Greek world and by the beautiful depictions of athletes, the ceramics, sculptures, armour, and jewellery featured in the show. Echoing the sentiments of Trinca, WA Museum CEO Alec Coles noted that his museum was delighted to be the first stop of the exhibitions tour. Girl playing the aulos or double flute, circa 480 B.C. Attic red-figure on a vase. Fletcher Fund, The Metropolitan Museum of Art. (Marie-Lan Nguyen / CC-BY 2.5) The exhibition will include the British Museums iconic black and red-figured ceramics featuring finely drawn depictions of athletes, gods, and citizens; stunning marble and terracotta statues and reliefs; weapons and armour; toys and games; fine gold jewellery; and coins. Ancient Greek society is regarded as having been one of the roots of western society, which influenced modern-day language, politics, educational systems, philosophy, science, and the arts around the world. The Siren Vase, fifth Century B.C., the Siren Painter, Vulci, Greece. Earthenware, height: 13 inches. British Museum, London. (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0) The themes of Ancient Greek culture shared in this exhibition, including sport, arts, politics and philosophy, are legacies that continue to permeate our everyday life. I have no doubt Western Australian audiences, and visitors to our state, will marvel at the artistry and beauty of the objects and reflect on the profound influences of this period on our world today, Coles said. The exhibition was originally meant to tour the southern hemisphere in 2020 but was delayed amid the COVID-19 pandemic. It is the fourth collaboration for the British Museum and the Australian and New Zealand national museums, which have previously hosted Rome: City and Empire, A History of the World in 100 Objects and Encounters: Revealing Stories of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Objects from the British Museum. Exhibition Dates The exhibition will be opening in the following locations. New Concord Man Charged with Abuse of Infant By West Kentucky Star Staff CALLOWAY COUNTY - A Calloway County man has been charged with abusing and seriously injuring an infant.According to the Kentucky State Police, the Calloway County Department for Community Based Services contacted troopers regarding an infant that had sustained serious physical injuries.The infant was airlifted from Murray-Calloway County Hospital to Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville for treatment.Detectives arrested 24-year-old Matthew Dean Jones of New Concord on Thursday and charged him with first-degree criminal abuse.He was booked into the Calloway County Jail. A 3D-printed CCP virus model is seen in front of a British flag on display in this illustration taken March 25, 2020. (Dado Ruvic/Illustration/Reuters) Britons Told Not to Be Alarmed Over New Variant From Yorkshire People in the UK are asked not to be alarmed after another new CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus variant was identified in North England. The new variant, also known as variant #B11482, was designated as a Variant Under Investigation (VUI) VUI -21MAY-01by Public Health England (PHE). The government said on Thursday that PHE had been monitoring the variant since April and that there had been 49 cases, mainly concentrated in Yorkshire and the Humber. Greg Fell, director of public health in Sheffield, said on Friday that his team had been monitoring the new strain. We have been monitoring VUI-21MAY-01 and were managing this carefully as we do with all outbreaks across the city, Fell said in a statement. There is no evidence to suggest this strain is any more transmissible than other strains identified in the UK and across the world, or to suggest the vaccine doesnt work against this strain, he said. Please dont be alarmed, we want you to continue doing what you have been for the past year. Follow the guidance, continue to wash your hands regularly, and wear a mask indoors. Downing Street has also made a statement on the new variant. There have been a number of variants throughout the pandemic and there will continue to be so, the prime ministers official spokesman said on Friday. There are three mutations of the B1617 (Indian) strain, as I think has been discussed previously. But as we do with all variants where we spot and identify them through our genomic sequencing programme, we will continue to monitor them and we will designate them as variants under investigation, and then variants of concern if we deem them to be of greater risk, he said. But again, as youve seen throughout the pandemic, thats what weve done and we wont hesitate to put in measures that we think are necessary to try and tackle the transmission of any variants. Asked whether the discovery of the new variant would have an impact on the next stage of restrictions lifting on June 21, the spokesman said the five-week gap between measures relaxing would allow the variant to be monitored. As the prime minister has said, we will continue to look at all the statistical evidence and data, and well set out our plans as soon as the data allows, he said. The mobile CCP virus vaccination centre at the ESSA academy in Bolton, England on May 18, 2021. (Danny Lawson/PA) England is expected to remove all legal restrictions on June 21 if all goes well, but ministers havent ruled out the possibilities of delaying the reopening or imposing local lockdowns. Health Secretary Matt Hancock has said that the decision is due to be made on June 14, and that a new variant is one of the four factors that the cabinet bases its decisions on. Tim Spector, a Kings College London professor who created the COVID Symptom Study mobile app, said he didnt expect another lockdown in the future. Spector regularly makes video updates on YouTube based on data collected through his app. In his first COVID Question Time video on Friday, he said there probably wont be another lockdown thanks to the vaccination programme. I dont have a crystal ball, but I think due to the increase in the vaccinated population, and the fact were soon going to be over this magic 70 percent of people with a vaccine or be previously infected. I think this is less likely to ravage our country or takeover, Spector said, referring to the number needed to reach the state of herd immunity. Spector said that as vaccinated people are experiencing milder symptoms, COVID-19 may become a bad cold or a mild flu instead of a really nasty infection. Therefore, Spector said he didnt think there would be another reasonable lockdown. He also questioned the effectiveness of the three national lockdowns. The experts disagree on this. And certainly in this country, according to this app, weve already locked down after the peak in the symptoms in the three lockdowns that we had, he said. [The lockdowns] definitely reduced the numbers. Whether it was the critical factor or not, is really unclear, Spector said. But [I] hope Im right, and I hope we dont get any more lockdowns, he added. PA contributed to this report. Uyghurs of the East Turkistan National Awakening Movement (ETNAM) hold a rally outside the US State Department calling on US President Joe Biden to increase pressure on the Chinese Communist Party in Washington on Feb. 5, 2021. (Alex Edelman/AFP via Getty Images) California Assembly Condemns CCPs Human Rights Abuses Against Uyghurs The California Assembly adopted a resolution May 20 denouncing the Chinese governments human rights abuses against Uyghurs, a persecuted religious and ethnic minority. Assemblyman Chad Mayes (I-Yucca Valley) authored House Resolution 41 (HR 41), which demands that the Peoples Republic of China should release the estimated 2,000,000 imprisoned Uyghurs and grant access to foreign press and the United Nations to the detention camps in Xinjiang. Mayes told the Assembly he had heard about the poor treatment of Uyghurs in the Xinjiang region of China but did not understand the human impact at the time. Then, two years ago, he met someone whose story brought their struggle from the news into his life. The nightmare Uyghur Americans face is one you cannot wake up from. Cut off from their families back home, relatives and neighbors vanish into the darkness of Chinese government-run reeducation camps, he said. International reports confirm the horror with documented cases of torture, sanctioned rape, family separation, organ harvesting, cultural eradication, and death. The treatment of these 2 million Uyghurs is a stain on the whole of humanity that we must not be silent about. Mayes said The Chinese Communist Partys (CCP) response to the international outcry is shrouded in lies and deceit, with the only truth being smuggled out in shaky cell phone videos or the sporadic texts. But even these glimmers of truth bring many families dread as the realization of what their loved ones are living through manifests. Assemblyman Marc Levine (D-Marin County) made an impassioned plea to assemblymembers to make their votes count and take a stance against the genocide. We must do more. We cant just let this continue, he said. Levine, a member of the Jewish Caucus, compared the atrocities in China to the Holocaust. He likened Chinas plan to host the 2022 Winter Olympics to Adolf Hitlers Nazi Germany hosting the 1936 Olympics in Berlin. Americans have known about Chinas persecution of Uyghurs for years, he said. We have satellite imagery documenting the construction of concentration camps back in 2017. Now, millions of women and men are incarcerated in slave camps, Levine said. Women have been forcibly sterilized, [and] two presidential administrations have had secretaries of state warn of genocide. He noted that theres a global demand for black hair, and 13 tons of it had been detained by the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol last July alonesuspected coming from Uyghur heads, [and] arriving in America in the form of weaves and wigs. Assemblyman Adrin Nazarian (D-Van Nuys) urged the Assembly to dig deeper and uncover the truth about whats happening in China before its too late. Too many lives would have been lost. We know this through history. We know that when we unravel things its already too late, he said. So if theres any hope of making a difference, nows the time for us to be that beacon of light that starts making an impact for the rest of the world. Jesse Gabriel (D-Woodland Hills) strongly backed the resolution. I read an article recently in the BBC about the systematic forced rape of Uyghur women in custody. It is among the most difficult things that I have ever read in my life, he said. The resolution cites reports of mass death and deaths of prominent Uyghur leaders selectively sentenced to death by execution or by long-term imprisonment. It also states that in 2018, Xinjiang authorities began building a vast and more permanent infrastructure of detention compounds, including new facilities designed to be cavernous to prevent natural light and surrounded by concrete walls, guard towers, and heavy barbed wire. Researchers have verified over 380 detention sites across Xinjiang that were newly built or significantly expanded since 2017. Before the resolution was adopted, 61 assemblymembers voted to become co-authors. Tina Lopez receives her first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine prior to a game between the Milwaukee Bucks and the Brooklyn Nets at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisc., on May 2, 2021. (Stacy Revere/Getty Images) California County Orders Businesses to Track COVID-19 Vaccination Status of All Employees Health authorities in Santa Clara County, California, are now requiring businesses to determine the COVID-19 vaccination status of employees. An announcement posted on the countys website this week says: All businesses and government entities must ascertain the vaccination status of personnel and must comply with the rules for personnel who are not fully vaccinated, as required under a recent county order. The order does allow an employee to decline to reveal their COVID-19 vaccination status with their employer. If the employee declines to provide the information, the business should assume the employee may be unvaccinated and follow State and local requirements for unvaccinated employees. COVID-19 is the illness caused by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) virus. The order raises obvious privacy questions. A Bay Area-based lawyer, Sandy Rappaport of Hanson Bridgett, told the Mercury News that employers generally must keep vaccination statuses of employees confidential, noting that the new order seems to mandate that employers disclose employees vaccination status because unvaccinated employees would have to wear masks at work. This order does go farther than what most employers have been doing, in that it requires employers to collect the information by either reviewing an employees vaccination card or having an employee complete a self-certification form, and the employer has to maintain records of what has been reviewed, Rappaport told the paper, saying that if an employee refuses, their bosses have tounder the orderkeep asking them their status every two weeks. Its a bit onerous, and the two-week turnaround for having to get it done is quite short, she said. Some have questioned whether the order violates the 1996 Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). That would not prevent, in my opinion, an employer from asking their employees, Are you vaccinated?' said Don Polden, a Santa Clara University law professor, according to NBC4. Polden then suggested that some businesses might fire unvaccinated employees due to the order. But county officials, in the order, claim that HIPAA doesnt apply in this case. No. HIPAA applies to certain entities, such as healthcare providers and health plans, and what protected health information they can share about their patients or members under what circumstances. HIPAA does not govern what information employers may request from their employees, the order read. The deadline for determining the vaccination status of a worker is June 1, according to the order. Employers are told to ask their employees to determine their vaccination status every two weeks and submit it to the county. While some other states have outlawed the practice of tracking workers vaccination status, California has not. County officials didnt immediately respond to a request by The Epoch Times for additional comment. The Taiwanese community in northern California held a press conference to urge the WHO to allow Taiwan to attend the upcoming World Health Assembly, in Milpitas, California, on May 18, 2021. (Nathan Su/The Epoch Times) California Taiwanese Community Urges WHO to Stop Discriminating Against Taiwan A group of local Taiwanese organizations in California held a press conference on May 18 to urge the World Health Organization (WHO) to allow Taiwan to participate in the upcoming World Health Assembly (WHA). They pointed out that the WHO shouldnt cave in to pressure from Beijing over discriminating against Taiwan. The 74th WHA will take place virtually from May 24 to June 1 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The WHA is the WHOs decision-making body. The press conference was held on Tuesday at the Culture Center of Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in Milpitas city. The event was attended by local Taiwanese associations and other groups, including the Taiwanese American Center Northern California, Hongs Foundation, Cupertino-YiLan Friendship City Association, Cupertino-Taichung Friendship City Association, Chung Hsing University Alumni Association Northern California, San Jose Taiwanese Community Care Network, and Taiwans Overseas Community Affairs Council. This year is critical [for Taiwan to attend the WHA] to prove Taiwan doesnt belong to China, said John Tsieh, the host of the press conference and a member of the local Love of Taiwan Association. Tsieh urged the WHO to recognize Taiwan as a formal member and pointed out that Taipeis observer status was only created under the political pressure from the Chinese regime. [The] Taiwanese deserve to have the basic health rights. The WHO is a world organization, and It should take care of the health and welfare of all people in the world, including [people living in] Taiwan, said Pingping Lee, adviser to the Cupertino-Taichung Friendship City Association. Lee asserted, No discrimination against Taiwan. The association is based in Cupertino, a northern California city that has a large Taiwanese population. Cupertino and Taiwans Taichung city signed an agreement in October 2016 to become sister cities, which includes a cultural exchange program that solidifies ties between both cities. Taiwan has been considered as a successful model of stemming the spread of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, commonly known as the novel coronavirus. The small island, with a population of around 23.5 million, recorded less than 1,200 infection cases as of the end of April. However, a recent outbreak this month saw the number of infections nearly double. Lee expressed deep concern about the current situation and urged the WHO to allow Taiwans participation in the upcoming WHA. She said it is important for the island to have access to WHOs information system. Taiwan was previously able to attend the WHA from 2009 to 2016 as an observer, under the name Chinese Taipei. At that time, Taiwan had a closer trade relation with China under former President Ma Ying-Jeou. However, in 2017, Beijing blocked Taiwan from participating in the WHA. The Chinese regime opposes Taiwans participation in international bodies because it views the democratic island as part of its territory, even though it has been governed as a distinct entity for more than seven decades. Beijing continues to pressure the WHO and the international community to uphold the one-China policy. Since President Tsai Ing-Wen took office in 2016, Taiwan has distanced itself from mainland China as Tsai continues to stand up against Beijings threats. Taiwans health Minister Chen Shih-chung (C) gives a thumb up as he poses with demonstrators after a press conference on the sideline of the World Health Organization annual Assembly in Geneva., Switzerland, on May 21, 2018. (Fabrice Coffrini/AFP/Getty Images) I strongly urge the WHO to invite Taiwan to join the World Health Assembly as an observer, said Teresa Keng at the press conference. Keng is a councilmember of Fremont, another northern California city that has a large Taiwanese community. Keng also serves as an adviser to the Taiwanese Chamber of Commerce of San Francisco Bay Area. Roy Yen, director of TECOs culture center in Milpitas, said at the conference, The virus has no borders the 23 million people in Taiwan should not be excluded from the WHO due to the political reasons. He praised the efforts of the local Taiwanese community in lobbying support for Taiwan. Please let Taiwan be in the WHA this year. Taiwan can help, said Catharina Gill, the president of San Jose Taiwanese Community Care Network. Gill is also a commissioner of Taiwans Overseas Chinese Affairs Commission. Gill said Taiwans success in dealing with the pandemic in the past 17 months can help WHOs worldwide operation. She also criticized Beijings recent move in preventing Taiwan from obtaining Pfizer and BioNTechs vaccines. German company BioNTech worked with with American drugmaker Pfizer in developing the first vaccine approved by the WHO last December. It was widely reported that BioNTech backed out from a $5 million vaccine deal with Taiwan at the last minute. Taiwanese Health Minister Chen Shih-chung said in a radio interview in February that the failure of the deal was due to political pressure from China. A spokesperson of Chinas Taiwan Affairs Office has denied Beijings involvement in the incident. Earlier this month, the G7 (Group of Seven) countriesthe United States, Japan, Britain, France, Germany, Canada, and Italyhave called for Taiwans attendance at the WHA. The G7 stated, the international community should be able to benefit from the experience of all partners, including Taiwans successful contribution to the tackling of the COVID-19 pandemic. Chicago Grocery Store Shootout Leaves 2 Dead, Including 16-Year-Old CHICAGOA 16-year-old boy and a 49-year-old man died after a shootout at a grocery store on the South Side of Chicago last night. Chicago police said the boy shot at two men inside the store first, who returned fire and shot the boy in the neck and abdomen. A male bystander was caught up in the crossfire and shot in the head and neck. Both were transported to the University of Chicago Hospital and pronounced dead shortly after. Police said the two suspects fled on foot. Detectives are investigating. The store, Big Salems Food Mart in the South Shore neighborhood, remained closed the morning after the shootout. The Epoch Times asked several residents and business owners in the neighborhood about the shooting, but most remained silent or simply walked away. A woman who didnt disclose her name said she saw the shooting but couldnt speak of it for fear of gang retaliation. If I could have moved out last night, I would have, she told The Epoch Times. So far this year, the South Shore neighborhood has seen 11 people killed and 76 injured. The most violent Chicago neighborhood is Englewood, on the South Side, with 17 people killed and 102 injured. Austin, on the West Side, is the second most violent enclave. The grocery store shooting came after Chicagos most violent weekend in 2021, which left 8 people dead and 44 injured. A 13-year-old boy died yesterday at a local hospital after being shot on Sunday. At a Monday press conference, Police Superintendent David Brown linked the violence spike to the pandemic. He said as pandemic lockdown measures ease up, more people come out, let go of the pent-up energy, and cause more violent crimes. Brown also warned about a looming violence spike as summer approaches. He highlighted a city-administered job program One Summer Chicago as one of the tools to deter violence. The program offers jobs and internships to young people between 14 and 24 in hope of luring them away from the streets. So far, with a total of 236 homicides, 2021 has been the second deadliest for Chicago in nearly a decade. Nine out of 10 deaths are caused by gunshots. 2021s homicide record almost matches that of 2016, Chicagos bloodiest year in recent memory. By the end of that year, Chicago saw a total of 781 homicides. Children Admitted to the Hospital With COVID-19 May Be Overcounted: Study The number of children hospitalized with COVID-19 may have been overcounted, according to a recent study published online in Hospital Pediatrics (pdf) on May 19. Researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine examined COVID-19 cases from Lucile Packard Childrens Hospital at Stanford for nine months between May 10, 2020, as the hospital began to test all of its inpatients for COVID-19, and Feb. 10, 2021. During that time, 117 children had either tested positive for COVID-19 or were hospitalized for multi-system inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C), a rare condition that causes inflammation in different parts of the body, including the organs. Of the 117 patients, nearly 40 percent of the cases were asymptomatic, 28.2 percent had mild to moderate COVID-19, 7.7 percent had severe illness, 12.8 percent had a critical illness, and 12 percent had MIS-C. It was determined that the CCP virus was unlikely to be the cause of admission in 45 percent of the patients (n=53). The CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, also known as SARS-CoV-2, causes the disease COVID-19. A child puts her mask back on after finishing lunch at a socially distanced table in the cafeteria of Medora Elementary School in Louisville, Ky., on March 17, 2021. (Jon Cherry/Getty Images) Its really important that we distinguish between children who are hospitalized with asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infections and those hospitalized for COVID-19 disease, Dr. Alan Schroeder, co-author of the study and clinical professor of pediatric critical care told Stanford Medicine News Center. Our goal is to make sure we have accurate data on how sick children are getting. If we rely on hospitals positive SARS-CoV-2 test results, we are inflating by about two-fold the actual risk of hospitalization from the disease in kids, he added. Dr. Roshni Mathew, the senior author of the study and clinical associate professor of pediatric infectious diseases, said the number of hospitalized kids who test positive for COVID-19 doesnt accurately measure the rate at which children get sick with COVID-19 but is a better measurement of the prevalence of the virus in the community. The higher the prevalence, the higher the likelihood that anyone who has to come to the hospital is going to test positive, Mathew said. Just knowing that a child is hospitalized and has the virus is not enough information to determine if they are actually sick with COVID-19. The researchers said the study was limited by the small sample size from one hospital. Severe illness from COVID-19 is rare among children. Of the more than 587 thousand deaths (due to or with COVID-19), 308 (pdf) were children as of May 13. At the start of the pandemic, children were considered to be minimally impacted and represented a very small proportion of reported infections, the authors of the study wrote. As time has elapsed, we are learning that infection and transmission rates in children, though lower than adults, are non-negligible. Multi-system Inflammatory Syndrome (MIS-C) The first case of MIS-C was identified in Delaware in April 2020. Since then, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said that 3,742 kids have been diagnosed with MIS-C in the United States, with a total of 35 deaths as of May 3. More than 3.8 million children have tested positive for COVID-19 as of May 6, and make up 0.00 percent to 0.21 percent of all COVID-19 deaths, according to a joint report (pdf) by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Childrens Hospital Association. A screenshot of the CDCs data on age groups affected by multi-system inflammatory syndrome. (Screenshot via The Epoch Times) The inflammatory syndrome affects children less than one up to 20 years old and may occur several weeks to a month after exposure to the CCP virus. The specific causes, risk factors, and long-term effects are still unknown. Dr. Christine Mikesell, a pediatrician, told Michigan Medicine in March that MIS-C cases are so low, its difficult to distinguish which children are at highest risk, adding that the rare syndrome occurs in two out of 100,000 children, or less than .01 percent of the population. She also said parents shouldnt be too alarmed about the condition. For parents, it can be alarming to see headlines focused on severely sick children, Mikesell said. But this condition can be treated, and many children who develop MIS-C dont get critically ill or require intensive care. Most importantly, the majority of children who are treated for MIS-C recover entirely, she added. But if left untreated, the condition can be life-threatening. Symptoms of MIS-C include a lingering fever that usually isnt responsive to any fever reducing medications, swollen hands and feet, cracked lips, bloodshot eyes, skin rash, unusual tiredness, and gastrointestinal symptoms. China in Focus (May 20): Beijing Slams US Navy Presence in South China Sea Beijing claims it has kicked a U.S. warship out of its territory. But the U.S. Navy hits back, saying its defending freedom for all countries. Australia and Japan are boosting their defense spending, as they both face growing military aggression from Beijing. A Chinese businesswoman once enjoyed a great career in China. But that all changed after she received a Chinese-made rabies vaccine some seven years ago. A Chinese state-run media outlet is promoting tourism in China, inviting viewers to visit a Chinese village. Its post came alongside beautiful images of the countrysidebut not Chinas. The real sights actually came from the Swiss Alps. Washington is postponing a ban targeting companies tied to the Chinese military. It was put in place to prevent Americans from unknowingly funding Chinese military development. Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more first-hand news from China. For more news and videos, please visit our website and Twitter. Chinas $55 Million Harbor Project in Sierra Leone Meets Strong Resistance The government of Sierra Leone has signed a controversial $55 million deal with the Chinese communist regime to allow it to build an industrial fishing harbor on 250 acres of its beach and protected rainforest. The West African country had previously signed the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) with China, which has been criticized by the international community as a debt trap set up by the regime. Chinas BRI (also known as One Belt, One Road) is Chinese leader Xi Jinpings grand foreign policy project launched in 2013. It aims to extend the regimes economic and political influence to countries in Asia, Europe, and Africa by recreating ancient Chinas silk road and maritime silk road for trading in the 21st century. The BRI invests Chinese capital in the construction of various high-cost infrastructure projects in more than 60 participating countries. The China-funded industrial fishing harbor deal has outraged human rights and animal welfare organizations, environmentalists, and local landowners for its potential environmental and social impact in Sierra Leone. Those critical of the deal said the project will destroy pristine rainforests, plunder fish resources, pollute the marine environment and five separate ecosystems. These ecosystems are breeding grounds for fish and support endangered birds and wildlife species, according to The Guardian, which first revealed the deal on May 17, while the details of it are still unclear. Local public policy research organizations, the Legal Research and Judicial Advocacy Research Institute, and the land and environmental public welfare organization, Namati Sierra Leone, have written to the government requesting information regarding plans to establish a fish harbor and carry out waste management operations at Black Johnson in the Western Area peninsula, a project funded by the Government of China, according to CNBC. The groups are also requesting copies of environmental and social impact assessments as well as the grant agreements signed between the Chinese regime and the Sierra Leone government. Sierra Leone Minister of Fisheries Emma Kowa-Jalloh said in a press release that Black Johnson Beachlocated on its 250-mile long coastlinewas the most suitable place for construction for technical reasons. The proposed Chinese industrial harbor will be built on 250 acres of beach land and the adjacent Western Area Peninsula National Park. The view of Tokeh Beach near Freetown, Sierra Leone, on April 29, 2012. (Issouf Sanogo/AFP/GettyImages) The waters of Black Johnson are rich in fish resources, and local fishermen supply 70 percent of the domestic fish market. There are also many endangered species in the Western Area Peninsula National Park, which is a protected area. The Sierra Leone government owns half the land required for the deal, while its taken the other half through forced acquisition of local residents property, as complained by local landowners. The governments $1.34 million in compensation set aside for affected landowners is 30 times lower than the market value of the land, according to The Guardian. Jalloh said the country has been yearning for a Fish Harbor since the early 1970s but couldnt make it happen, and with the new shift in government policy for the development of the fisheries sector, the Chinese government has given a grant of US$55m to build this platform. Since 2013 through BRI, the Chinese regime has increased overseas investment in infrastructure and economic development projects in Africa and other regions in the form of loan agreements, which has been widely criticized as setting up debt traps and causing debt crisis for participating countries. For example, Sri Lanka lost its important Hambantota port to China, as it could not pay off the loan. Sierra Leone signed a BRI agreement with China in 2018, according to Chinese state-run media Xinhua. Chinese Communist Party leader Xi Jinping (front C), South African President Cyril Ramaphosa (front L), Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi (front R), Kenyas President Uhuru Kenyatta (2nd row L), Togos President Faure Gnassingbe (2nd row C), Malawis President Arthur Peter Mutharika (2nd row R), Sierra Leone President Julius Maada Bio (last row L), Liberian President George Weah (last row C) and other African leaders clap during a group photo session during the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) 2018 Beijing Summit in Beijing, China, on Sept. 3, 2018. (How Hwee Young/Pool/Getty Images) In recent years, BRI has encountered growing pushback. Due to an increased awareness of the debt risks, Malaysia, Myanmar, Pakistan, Sierra Leone, and Kyrgyzstan, among other countries have canceled, downsized, or postponed key BRI projects. Later in 2018, after Julius Maada Bio became the president of Sierra Leone, the country canceled a $400 million Chinese-funded BRI project to build a new airport outside the capital Freetown. However, under what circumstances the Sierra Leone government has now decided to sign off on this industrial harbor deal remains unknown. The countrys citizens have recently condemned the governments lack of transparency, and they want clarification on the nature of the Chinese-funded project. Chinas Aircraft Carriers Are No Great ThreatYet Commentary When it comes to weaponry, there is rarely such a thing as the big surprise. In most cases, we know about a new, potentially game-changing weapons system years in advance. Jet fighters were speculated about years before they were actually built. We had rumors and even highly accurate illustrations of stealth aircraft long before they were officially unveiled. And very open research into hypersonic weapons has gone on for decades. In fact, about the only truly secret weapon over the past hundred years was the atomic bomb, originally shrouded in the super-classified Manhattan Project. So, while we might not know the fine details, there are few instances of being caught totally unaware by a new piece of military equipment. Take, for example, Chinas efforts to build an aircraft carrier. Admiral Liu Huaqing, the so-called father of the modern PLA Navy (PLAN), was so enamored with carriers that he once said that without an aircraft carrier, I will die with my eyelids open. (He just missed it; he died in January 2011, nine months before Chinas first carrier was commissioned.) In any event, Chinas first aircraft carrier, the Type-001 Liaoning, while a milestone in the history of the PLAN, is hardly much of a weapons system. Most are familiar with the Liaonings checkered past. Originally laid down in Ukraine in 1985 as the Riga, and later the Varyag, it was intended for the Soviet Navy. Construction on the Varyag was only 70 percent complete when work was halted following the collapse of the Soviet Union. Ukraine, which inherited the ship, stripped it bare and left it exposed to the elements for several years. The Varyag was eventually sold and delivered to China in 2001, ostensibly to be turned into a Macau casino. It was a rusted shell, without engines, rudder, weapons systems, or electronics. Even its seaworthiness was questioned. In 2005, however, the Chinese moved the Varyag to a drydock at the Dalian shipyard, where it underwent substantial repairs and reconstruction, along with the installation of new engines, radars, and electrical systems. The rebuilt carrier was commissioned the Liaoning in September 2012. Even so, the 55,000-ton Liaoning is not much of a fighting ship. Unlike U.S. supercarriers, it uses a ski-jump instead of a catapult in order to launch aircraft. This is a cheaper, less complicated solution, but it reduces the number of fixed-winged aircraft it can carry, to perhaps no more than a couple dozen fighter jets (in comparison, the new 110,000-ton U.S. Ford-class supercarrier carries around three times as many fighters). It also limits how many aircraft can be operated at any one time. Additionally, the ski-jump design means that these fighter aircraft often have to sacrifice weapons loads in order to take off. They become, essentially, flying gas cans, greatly limiting their firepower and range of operations. Basically, the Liaoning is a training ship. It operates at most 24 (and probably fewer) J-15 fixed-wing fighters, a reversed-engineered version of the Russian Su-33. Furthermore, the J-15/Su-33 is considered by some analysts to be a suboptimal solution; even the Russians are replacing the Su-33 as their main carrier-based fighter jet. And the PLAN will need all the training it can get. Carrier operations are hard. More than any other warship, an aircraft carrier is a system-of-systems in and of itself. Carriers typically have several different aircraft types aboard in a carrier air wing. A U.S. carrier air wing has four separate fighter squadrons, an electronic warfare squadron, a squadron of anti-submarine and search-and-rescue helicopters, an early warning squadron, and a cargo aircraft detachment. Moreover, the continuous and simultaneous launch and recovery of aircraft requires the careful orchestration of men and machines, all of which requires continuous practice to even begin to approach any degree of proficiency. It is doubtful that the PLAN will anytime soon attempt to duplicate the complexity of a U.S. aircraft carrier. In fact, it is telling that the PLANs second carrier, the Type-002 Shandong, while wholly built in China, is little more than a clone of the Liaoninga bit longer but still featuring the ski-jump design. A satellite image shows parts for an aircraft carrier under construction at Jiangnan Shipyard in Shanghai, China on Sept. 18, 2019. (CSIS/ChinaPower/Airbus 2019/Handout via Reuters) In fact, the Shandong is probably another stop-gap move, built to further familiarize the PLAN with carrier-based operations and to build up shipbuilding expertise when it comes to constructing such large, highly complicated vessels. Consequently, neither the Liaoning nor the Shandong really affect the military balance in the far western Pacific. Neither can project that much airpower out beyond Chinas immediate waters, even into the South China Sea. And neither would be much in a head-to-head match with a U.S. supercarrier. That said, the PLAN is hardly standing still when it comes to building up its carrier force. The Type-003 carrier is already under construction at the Jiangnan shipyards in Shanghai. This 85,000-ton vessel will be Chinas first true flattop carrier, outfitted with an advanced electromagnetic launch catapult and capable of operating nearly twice as many fighter aircraft as the Liaoning or Shandong. The Type-003 could enter service as early as 2023. Moreover, China is already planning its first nuclear-powered 100,000-ton supercarrier, the Type-004 CVN. It is speculated that the Type-004 could operate up to 100 fixed-wing and rotary aircraft. This ship could enter service by the end of the decade and will likely also serve as a model for additional CVNs. In addition, the J-15/Su-33 will likely be replaced over the next decade by an improved carrier-based fighter, probably the J-31 or even a sixth-generation combat aircraft. It is speculated that the Chinese ultimately want a fleet of at least three to six carriers, depending on whether it wants to engage in sustained operations (which would probably require around four to six carriers) or if it is satisfied with surge ops (requiring three to four carriers). This would probably entail retiring the Liaoning or Shandong (in any event, the Liaonings hull is already 35 years old), and building an additional two to three Type-004 CVNs. In any case, however, this will not happen soon, nor should we not expect delays. Carriers take a long time to build, and they are expensive. Consequently, it will probably take China 20 years or more to become a true carrier-based navy. It is coming, but it should hardly come as a surprise. There is time to prepare. Richard A. Bitzinger is an independent international security analyst. He was previously a senior fellow with the Military Transformations Program at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS) in Singapore, and he has held jobs in the U.S. government and at various think tanks. His research focuses on security and defense issues relating to the Asia-Pacific region, including the rise of China as a military power, and military modernization and arms proliferation in the region. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Australian government is looking into why China has delayed importing Australian table grapes for up to 20 days. (Giulia Scarpaleggia) Chinas Trade War on Australia May Extend to Table Grapes The Australian government is looking into why China has delayed importing Australian table grapes for the last 20 days, with Federal Trade Minister Dan Tehan stating that he wouldnt rush to conclude that the industry has become the latest victim of Beijings economic coercion of Australia. Were trying to work out what is the cause of the hold-up, Tehan told ABC on Thursday. About 80 per cent of table grape exports seem to have got in seamlessly. It seems to be the last 20 per cent where there are some issues, he said. Ive been in discussions with the industry around what theyre seeing and what theyre hearing, and we also have our post talking to Chinese officials about this. The market has a $300 million (US$232 million) trade value with China per year. While Australian growers would typically send up to 300 containers of grapes per week to China during April and May, only 125 containers per week have entered China this year. China accounts for over 40 percent of all Australian table grape exports (Von wjarek/Shutterstock) No rejections have been recorded so far, but containers are getting cleared after long delays, which could cause the grapes to rot and reduce value at a loss of $40,000 per container, according to the Australian Table Grape Association (ATGA). I believe the protocol requires only 40 boxes to be inspected. I believe up to 200 boxes have been inspected, and that is causing extensive delays, Jeff Scott, the chief executive of the ATGA, told The Epoch Times. Scott said the industry is currently working with the trade minister. He is also hoping that the Australian embassy and the agricultural councils in Beijing will be able to have a discussion with authorities in Beijing. When asked about other potential markets for Australian table grapes besides China, which accounts for over 40 percent of all exports, the chief executive said there are not many choices for the industry. Australian grapes are the largest fresh fruit export of high value, and we do send a lot of products to a lot of other countries. So the potential of selling other grapes to other countries is limited, Scott said. Scott also warned it was hard to diversify the market. We are working on market access into maybe one or two countries, he said. But he noted that it takes a long time. There are very limited opportunities for diversification for table grapes, Scott said. Police: Man Hit Woman With Paint Roller Pole By West Kentucky Star Staff MAYFIELD - A Mayfield man was arrested Thursday for allegedly assaulting a woman with a pole.The Mayfield Police Department said officers responded Thursday afternoon to a home on South 8th Street for a reported domestic assault.Police said 38-year-old Patrick Caldwell struck a woman in the head with a paint roller pole.Officers said the woman suffered serious injuries and was flown to Skyline Medical Center in Nashville for treatment.Caldwell was arrested on a charge of 1st degree assault. A factory of Taiwanese semiconductors manufacturer TSMC at Central Taiwan Science Park in Taichung, Taiwan, on March 25, 2021. (Sam Yeh/AFP via Getty Images) Chinese Threat Against Taiwan Too Dangerous to Ignore: Experts WASHINGTONThe global computer chip shortage has boosted the economic and strategic importance of Taiwan, which is home to some of the worlds largest and most advanced chip foundries. With Chinese aggression against Taiwan increasing in recent months, some experts claim that the islands independence and democracy have never been so important to Western countries. Taiwan is now the most dangerous place on earth, according to The Economist magazine, due to concerns that the Chinese communist regime could launch a military invasion of the island. Besides political and national security implications, such a scenario would inflict economic pain on many countries, including the United States. It would cause severe supply chain shocks across multiple industries that heavily rely on Taiwanese chips. People dont really grasp the implications of Chinese control over Taiwan, according to Rupert Hammond-Chambers, president of the U.S.Taiwan Business Council. Speaking at a virtual panel hosted by the Global Taiwan Institute on May 19, he said an invasion would take Taiwans chip production almost immediately offline, causing dramatic consequences for global supply chains. Semiconductor chips form the backbone of many sectors in the rapidly evolving digital economy, from automotive to smartphones to advanced weapon systems. Taiwan plays a big role in this space, accounting for 78 percent of the global foundry market. The island is home to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC), the most critical firm in the industry, due to its leadership in advanced chips. Taiwan accounts for 92 percent of semiconductor production at the most sophisticated sub-7 nanometer process levels, Stephen Ezell, vice president at the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, a technology think tank, said during the panel discussion. Taiwans prowess in semiconductors is thanks largely to its pioneering the semiconductor foundry model, meaning it conducts outsource contract manufacturing for fabulous design companies like Qualcomm, or Nvidia, or Apple. Apple alone accounts for roughly 25 percent of TSMCs revenues, he noted. United States needs to care about Taiwan greatly because Americas well-being depends greatly on Taiwans well-being, Ezell said. The pandemic has spiked demand for consumer electronics, leading to a shortage of semiconductor chips this year. Global automakers have been hit especially hard from the supply shock. Companies such as General Motors and Ford had to temporarily shutter some of their plants. The harm that the recent chip shortage inflicted on automakers prompted many governments to take action. On Feb. 17, the White House sent a letter to the Taiwanese government, asking for its help to resolve the shortage and ensure a level-playing field for American companies seeking deliveries of available supplies. President Joe Biden also signed an executive order on Feb. 24 to help create more resilient supply chains in semiconductor chips and other critical goods. He has directed federal agencies to conduct a 100-day comprehensive review to identify choke points in the supply chains. Following the review, administration officials said the White House could explore various policy options, including boosting domestic production of the chips and working with allies to develop a coordinated response to supply disruptions. US Deepens Ties With Taiwan Washington has long been cautious about the Taiwan issue for fear of provoking China, which claims sovereignty over the island. The United States doesnt have a formal diplomatic relationship with Taiwan, but maintains unofficial ties with the self-ruled island under the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act. The act authorizes the United States to provide the island with military equipment for its self-defense and set up a nonprofit corporation called the American Institute in Taiwan, which is the de facto U.S. embassy on the island. The course of U.S.Taiwan relations dramatically changed under the Trump administration, particularly with high-level visits to Taipei by senior U.S. officials last year. And just before leaving the office in January, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo lifted restrictions on contact with Taiwanese officials, marking the latest move by the United States to deepen ties with the democratic island. So far, the Biden administration is doing a really good job of consolidating what they inherited from the Trump administration, according to Hammond-Chambers. He said President Obamas tenure was the low point in U.S.-China relations over the last 20 years, calling it a grim time for U.S. national interest. Biden has recognized Chinas growing threat to dominate the semiconductor supply chain and called for a significant investment to increase domestic chip manufacturing. While Chinese companies still lag on the design and manufacturing of semiconductors, Beijing is making a huge push to boost its local chip industry. As part of its strategy to grow its domestic production and move towards self-sufficiency, Beijing has increased its cyberattacks against Taiwan in recent years. Since the United States announced restrictions on Huawei, the Taiwanese semiconductor industry has reported increased cyber attacks from China, Alexa Lee, senior manager at the Information Technology Industry Council said at the panel. Beyond cyberattacks, Taiwan also faces increased talent competition from China. Chinese companies have ramped up campaigns to attract Taiwanese engineers, Lee said, by offering huge salaries and benefits. As part of its so-called dual circulation strategy, Beijing made it clear that it wanted to tighten the dependence of international industrial chains in China, while decreasing the countrys reliance on global supply chains, according to Adam Segal, an expert on Chinese domestic and foreign policy at the Council on Foreign Relations. Speaking at the panel, Segal said the Biden administration, compared to the previous administration, has been less explicit about how it would slow China down in semiconductor production. Bidens team recognizes the importance of boosting domestic manufacturing to create secure and resilient supply chains, but moving supplier ecosystems is extremely complicated, he said. The average large company has about 5,000 suppliers across different tiers. A company like Apple has 638 suppliers in tier one and close to 7,500 suppliers in tier two. Hence, Segal noted, there should be a very strong diplomatic component to the U.S. supply chain strategy, which involves working with allies, including Taiwan, to ensure the security and independence of their supply networks. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) unveiled a revised bipartisan bill on May 18 that provides a $52 billion fund to boost U.S. chip manufacturing and research over five years. The Chinese Communist Party is aggressively investing over $150 billion in semiconductor manufacturing so they can control this key technology, a bill summary states. According to Ezell, this type of legislation is critical to provide a level playing field for U.S. manufacturers. If were going to compete in the future, it needs to be supported on a bipartisan basis across Congress and the administration, he said. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, left, appears during a news conference on Dec. 3, 2020. On right, CNN host Chris Cuomo is seen at an event on Dec. 9, 2018. (Mike Groll/Office of Governor of Andrew M. Cuomo via AP and Evan Agostini/Invision/AP) CNNs Chris Cuomo Apologizes for Helping Governor Brother With Damage Control CNNs Chris Cuomo has apologized for advising his brother, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, on containing the fallout from the governors sexual harassment allegations scandal. Chris Cuomo addressed the matter in a CNN segment on Thursday, saying he took part in strategy calls with his brother and some of his staff members, while admitting it was a mistake because it put his CNN colleagues in a bad spot. At the same time, Chris Cuomo said that he took himself out of on-air coverage of the sexual harassment allegations against his brother and insisted that he never tried to influence CNNs coverage of the matter. If youll remember, I told you, back in the beginning of March, I cant cover my brothers troubles. It wouldnt be fair, Chris Cuomo said. Now today, there are stories out there about me offering my brother advice. Of course I do. This is no revelation. I have said it publicly and I certainly have never hidden it. I can be objective about just about any topic, but not about my family. My family means everything to me and I am fiercely loyal to them. I am family first, job second, Chris Cuomo said. Nine women, including both current and former aides, have in recent months accused Gov. Cuomo of sexual misconduct. He has denied the allegations, most recently during a rare in-person briefing with reporters in upstate New York in late April, where he insisted, I didnt do anything wrong. His statement was a subtle shift from earlier remarks, where he admitted to saying things that may have made employees uncomfortable or been seen as unwanted flirtation. Chris Cuomo said in his Thursday segment that, being a journalist and a brother to a politician is unique and a unique challenge, and I have a unique responsibility to balance those roles. Its not always easy. How I helped my brother also matters. When my brothers situation became turbulent, being looped into calls with other friends of his and advisers, that did include some of his staff, I understand why that was a problem for CNN. It will not happen again. It was a mistake, he said. Chris Cuomo added that he never intended to put his CNN colleagues in a bad spot by taking part in strategy calls with his brother, saying I am sorry for that and insisting that he knows where the line is. I can respect it and still be there for my family, which I must. I have to do that. I love my brother, I love my family, I love my job, and I love and respect my colleagues here at CNN, he said. And again, to them, I am truly sorry. His remarks came on the same day that a CNN spokesperson told multiple media outlets that Chris Cuomo engaging with conversations with his brothers staff and advisers was inappropriate and wouldnt happen again. Chris has not been involved in CNNs extensive coverage of the allegations against Governor Cuomoon air or behind the scenes, a CNN spokesman told The Wall Street Journal. In part because, as he has said on his show, he could never be objective. But also because he often serves as a sounding board for his brother. County in Indiana First in State to Bar School Resource Officers From Carrying Guns A school board in Indiana this week voted to bar school resource officers (SROs) from carrying guns, the first such rule in the state. The Monroe County Community School Corporations Board of Trustees made the decision after two members delivered monologues against guns, including one who falsely claimed that no school resource officer in the U.S. has ever stopped a shooting by discharging his or her weapon. There has been no instance where an SRO prevented a school shooting with the discharge of a weapon, Jacinda Townsend Gides told a meeting, citing the Harvard Civil Rights-Civil Liberties Law Review. A search by The Epoch Times found at least three times a school resource officer shot their weapon to stop a student who was armed. I think that really goes into my decision, as well, that statistically speaking, however the SROs are functioning, weapons are not an essential part of that, Gides alleged. Gides also said she supported disarming officers because seeing the officers with guns in the school causes quite a bit of fear in me. I cant imagine how much fear that might cause for a teenager to know that sort of thing present in a situation, she added. Gides told The Epoch Times in an email: Our SROs have never discharged their weapons in the first place. There are many districts in this country and even this state where the SROs are not armed, and there are many districts in this country who have done away with their SROs altogether in the last few years. April Hennessey, another board member, opened by acknowledging that the topic was complex. Im not naive, necessarily. And perhaps even I understand somewhat thoroughly how it feels to walk into a school building and have some fear, especially on the heels of some of the events that weve seen. But I also think that we have a commitment to make to all of our students and adults in the building not to frontload our schools with fear, she said during the meeting. And I do think that for many people guns signal or signify that we have something to be afraid of. And I think for many of our students who have grown up in unsafe home environments or in complicated relationships with law enforcement, that in and of itself can be triggering, she added. Hennessey said the board has put into place alternative practices to ensure students safety. She did not respond to a request for comment for examples of those practices. All members voted for the change in policy except for Martha Street, who had attempted to push back the vote so members could study the topic further. Street did not respond to a request for comment. SROs are sworn law enforcement officers who are responsible for safety and crime prevention in schools, according to the Department of Justice. Chase Lyday, president of the Indiana School Resource Officers Association, told The Epoch Times that barring officers from carrying firearms doesnt align with the best practice of the organization or of the profession. By statute, school resource officers are tasked with keeping outside threats outside and dealing with them as they come. Without a firearm they cant deal with an outside threat, particularly one that would include a firearm, he said. They couldnt do nothing more than any other civilian. So, it certainly puts a lot of people at risk that dont have to be. Keith Williams, who is part of the association, before the vote asked members to remember that the school year is nearly over and suggested taking the summer to consider things and consider consequences, both good and bad. Several letters from concerned citizens were ready during the meeting, including one from a parent. These SROS have been asked to be armed and present at the school board meetings all year, the parent wrote. Why is it okay for them to protect you but not my children or myself? Protesters attempt to pull down the statue of Andrew Jackson in Lafayette Square near the White House in Washington on June 22, 2020. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images) Critical Race Theory: Fact or Fiction Commentary Critical race theory (CRT) is not a theory. Its a fact. Another fact: CRT is knocking at the door of global culture and all educational institutionseven our beloved churches. Once this misnomer gets a foothold in a society, then develops a track record of normalizing, it will completely change the very nature of each country around the world. And worse yet, it will alter the way humanity lives on the face of the earth. Critical Race Theory Is the Shadow Man Behind Most Cultural Issues Today The last time we saw the world focusing on race to this magnitude was shortly before Hitler took over most of the European world as a dictator. When you look into world history, each time a mass dictator was about to take global dominance, a race war erupted. The definition: CRT is a framework of beliefs within social science. Its a theory that advances that color and race are the most important identity markers for humanity. Since CRT is rooted in the issue of science, we can surmise this. Science uses CRT to examine society and culture related to categorizations of race, law, and power. Some history: The ideologies of this new movement started in the late 1980s as a replacement theory for critical legal studiesstarting in American law schools. These law schools based their proposal on two primary ideologies. One, CRT proposes that white supremacy is the greatest threat to racial equality. Two, the institutions of law must play a role in equalizing the relationship between the races. The proposal doesnt include who you are, behavior, values, environment, crimes committed, or religious beliefs. Its solely based on race. After many law institutions adopted CRT, the plan spread into other advanced educational institutions, which appears to have been a successful venture. Today, CRT groups lobby for this theory to be adopted (or forced) into the public school system. Legislation is presently being written to accomplish this feat. Big Tech: Big Tech companies are considered by most sociologists to be the highest level of educationeven above law schools. Social media tends to control the minds of the masses. It became apparent that instigators of thought reform must start with the Internet. When we think of who controls the masses, it isnt higher education that comes to mindits Big Tech. But, in reality, the liberal educators are credited for the reform of most corporate leaders who dominate the global online market. Thus, the Big Tech companies replaced, or should I say, became the educational system for the masses. CRT Supporters Tend to Be Ignorant of the Victim Mentality of Their Movement Misnomers of CRT: The primary motive within this movement is the victim mentality. This movement must dominate culture through the ideation of you are a victim of a system that is rigged against you, which is controlled by white supremacy. Another lie is that the white supremacy group is the privileged group that controls the world. Thus, any wealthy person is overtly or covertly supporting white supremacy. Its this misnomer that ignites socialisma system that takes from the rich and gives to the poor, unless youre a full-blooded socialist. Equality always embraces all races as equal. When it doesnt, it confesses a more sinister motive. Another misnomer: CRT assumes that racism occurs in all human interactions. Or should I be more specific by saying, some African-Americans live by the assumption that all whites are racists and are second-guessing the motives of black people? Fact: Not all white people second guess the motives of black people. The lions share does not. The same is true with the majority of black people. The larger numbers on both sides prove equality is working in America. So why war over an issue that has already been won? CRT Supporters Often Find Racism in Everything America is the author of CRT. It all started with the institutions that originally educated our legal people to protect the Constitution. In our culture today, its upside-down. Most law institutions spend much of their time educating and supporting those who wish to either tear down or rewrite the Constitution. And, CRT is a platform they use to do this. Many of these institutions have become un-Americanrejecting the core tenets of the American traditions; rejecting truth; primarily liberal; anti-Christian; and defending socialism over the traditional values of the American culture. CRT roots. It would be irresponsible for us to give credit to Americas law institutions. Originally, according to history, the idea started with the Enlightenment. Overall, this movement separated human thought from religious ideologies. CRT and uniting the nations. In interviewing supporters of CRT, I found that most believe that all nations must adopt this theory. Some believe its the doctrines of CRT that will unite the nations. These same supporters tend to advance the ideologies of anti-government and anti-Church radicalism; thus, believing a spiritualistic and nationalistic tone threatens equality of the races. It appears this is their primary motive in establishing a single government. CRT is all about separating. Many of our monuments and history are directly connected to founders who were authentically white supremacist. So I get their passion to revolt against politicians, church leaders, business owners, and their passion for removing all reminders of their influence. However, these men and women are a part of our history, and its impossible to remove history from history. America has spent a lot of time, money, and effort to break free from these influencers. Fact: CRT doesnt realize that not all white people are white supremacists, nor do they support supremacists all-white agenda. We have made progress in distancing the general public from their grasp. Furthermore, more time is needed to accomplish this featwithout violence and movements. Stephen R. Phinney has a masters degree in counseling psychology and a doctorate in ministry, with specialized studies in international cross-cultural affairs. He is the founder of the Institute of Ministry America and the Identity Matters Worldview Online School. He has advised many global leaders on cross-cultural affairs, including former U.S. presidents Donald Trump and George W. Bush, Ugandas President Yoweri Museveni, and multiple governors and other elected officials in Arizona. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas testifies during a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington on Jan. 19, 2021. (Joshua Roberts/Pool/Reuters) DHS to Close 2 Illegal Immigrant Detention Centers After Allegations of Abuse The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced on Thursday that it will close two illegal immigrant detention centers, both of which face allegations of abuse. DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas ordered Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to stop using the C. Carlos Carreiro Immigration Detention Center in North Dartmouth, Massachusetts. In a report (pdf) released in December last year, the Massachusetts attorney general determined that a series of institutional failures and poor decisions by the Bristol County Sheriffs Office leadership led to disproportionate use of force against the detainees at the center. Allow me to state one foundational principle: we will not tolerate the mistreatment of individuals in civil immigration detention or substandard conditions of detention, Mayorkas wrote in a memo to ICE Acting Director Tae Johnson. DHS detention facilities and the treatment of individuals in those facilities will be held to our health and safety standards. Where we discover they fall short, we will continue to take action as we are doing today. Mayorkas also instructed Johnson to as soon as possible stop using the Irwin County Detention Center in Ocilla, Georgia. A nurse and four attorneys representing women detained at the center alleged in September last year that a gynecologist at the center abused women, including by performing unnecessary procedures, like hysterectomies. The DHS announcement mentioned that the preparations for the discontinuation of the use of the Irwin County center should include preservation of evidence for ongoing investigations. Detained illegal immigrants from both facilities will be transferred elsewhere, per Mayorkass order. ICE, a part of DHS, has already significantly reduced the detainee population at both facilities. ICE maintains a nationwide system of facilities for holding noncitizens whose detention is statutorily mandated, or who pose a public safety threat or risk of flight, Johnson said in a statement. ICE will continue to ensure it has sufficient detention space to hold noncitizens as appropriate. ICE holds about 19,000 illegal immigrants for removal at about 200 facilities around the country, down about a quarter from a year earlier. About 73 percent of those in custody have no criminal record and many others have only minor offenses, according to the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse, a data-gathering organization at Syracuse University. Mayorkas has led an effort to soften some immigration policies but has insisted that illegal immigrants who pose a threat to the public and have committed serious crimes should be detained pending their removal from the country. The Bristol County Sheriffs Office operated the Massachusetts detention center jail under an agreement with DHS. The department terminated that agreement on Thursday. The Georgia facility was run by a private company under contract with the government. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Students at Hillsborough High School wait in line to have temperature checked before entering the building in Tampa, Fla., on Aug. 31, 2020. (Octavio Jones/Getty Images) Florida Teacher Gets Fired Over CRT Ban, but Parents Still Concerned Over Textbooks A Duval County teacher has been terminated from classroom instruction for refusing to remove a Black Lives Matter banner from the wall outside her classroom, violating Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis ban of Critical Race Theory (CRT) in public schools. A Duval County, Florida teacher Amy Donofrio was terminated from her position as a Language Arts teacher at Robert E. Lee High School foras Florida Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran describedhaving an entire classroom memorialized to Black Lives Matter, reported Action News Jax on May 17. The commissioner referred to censure, firing, and termination in his answer at Hillsdale College, Cheryl Etters, Interim Director of Communications for the Florida Department of Education (FDOE), told The Epoch Times. All are recommendations he makes to the Office of Professional Practices Services on an ongoing basis and are well within his power. The FDOEs Office of Professional Practices Services (PPS) investigates misconduct by educators who hold a Florida Educator Certificate or a valid application for a Florida Educator Certificate. In referring to the Jacksonville case, Etters clarified to The Epoch Times, he used terminate to indicate the decision to terminate the teacher from classroom instruction. This was done by the district, and the commissioner was in agreement. Obviously, the commissioner possesses significant authority to ensure every child has access to a world-class education free from indoctrination. Donofrio is suing (pdf) the Duval County Public School system and High School Regional Superintendent Scott Schneider, claiming her termination for not adhering to the principles outlined in Rule 6A-10.081 of Floridas Administrative Code violated her right to free speech. She is demanding a jury trial. According to the principles outlined in the rule, teachers shall not intentionally expose a student to unnecessary embarrassment or disparagement, and shall not harass or discriminate against any student on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national or ethnic origin, political beliefs, marital status, handicapping condition, sexual orientation, or social and family background and shall make reasonable effort to assure that each student is protected from harassment or discrimination. Governor DeSantis has made clear his position on CRT, Executive Office of the Governor Press Secretary Christina Pushaw explained exclusively to The Epoch Times on Wednesday. It is divisive, irrational, and has no place in our classrooms. CRT is rooted in Marxism, an anti-American ideology that has caused untold suffering and death everywhere it has been implemented. Moreover, CRT teaches discrimination based on ethnicity and racial background. The governor has zero tolerance for state-sanctioned racism, Pushaw emphasized, stressing that DeSantis adheres to the same principle expressed by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in that he believes that every child should learn to judge people not by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character. Thats why the governor has taken bold steps to make Florida the national leader in civics education, Pushaw added. The Civic Literacy Excellence Initiative that Governor DeSantis announced in March ensures that Floridas curriculum will expressly exclude CRT. Using $106 million of the states portion of the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund provided through the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriation Act, the Civic Literacy Excellence Initiative is the governors proposal to make Florida a national leader in civics education. Among other incentives, the program will reward Florida teachers who complete training and earn the Civics Seal of Excellence endorsement with a $3,000 bonus. Florida Parents Share Their Thoughts Textbooks containing CRT subject matter, coming soon to Floridas classrooms, are raising concerns for parents. Im a Florida resident with children in Florida public schools and I am in full support of Gov. DeSantis and his position on critical race theory, Lisa Jeannine Smith of Navarre, Florida, told The Epoch Times. We have a race crisis that has been created in the mind only by the mainstream media and few powerful, yet feckless leaders in our government who must create a crisis to fix, as one does not exist in present day. I want my kids learning about math, science, language arts, history, and geography, among other things, Hernando County, Florida resident and parent Jose David shared with The Epoch Times, not about a leftist agenda. I feel that its an important move for Gov. DeSantis to get involved in something that is critical for young people, David explained. They are easily influenced in schools and radical race theory, in essence teaches them that this country was founded on racism, that our whole system was based on racism, white supremacy, and all this nonsense. So, I feel its very important that he got involved. Its one thing to cover history or current events. But its another thing to praise a group like Black Lives Matter that, in my view, is doing absolutely nothing for the black community. So, when you sit there and vilify police officers to impressionable young kids, I just dont think thats good anywhere. I think its a good move for DeSantis to address this. Keith Flaugh, Managing Director of Florida Citizens Alliance (FCA), is pleased by the announcement by DeSantis that CRT will have no place in Floridas public schools. However, he is concerned about the content of textbooks, which are soon to be adopted in Floridas public school system. Weve been huge supporters of a number of things DeSantis has done, Flaugh told The Epoch Times. We think hes doing a great job on a lot of fronts, and we certainly applaud his words when he declares critical race theory as whacko theory and being banned in Florida. The trouble is, those words have to mean something. Since we have every school district in Florida buying these English Language Arts textbooks right nowthat will be in the classrooms for the next four to six years that are full of critical race theoryhow does the governor maintain any credibility by saying hes banned them when, in fact, critical race theory is rampant in the new textbooks theyre buying? These textbook manufacturers are the same publishers that gave us Common Core and they are very progressive, Flaugh asserted. In February 2020, at the direction of DeSantis, the Department of Education released the proposed Florida B.E.S.T. (Benchmarks for Excellent Student Thinking) Standards for English Language Arts and Mathematics (pdf), and announced that Common Core has been officially eradicated from Florida classrooms. So, what theyve done is a halfway job of meeting those best standards. But theyve infused into the English Language Arts curriculum and textbooksthat these school districts are buyinga really strong dose of critical race theory and all its tentacles. So, what theyve ended up with is approved English Language Arts textbooks that are full of critical race theory andas the governor puts itother whacko theories. When The Epoch Times asked Pushaw how the governor proposed to eliminate CRT from the classroom with textbooks laced with CRT, she said the Florida Board of Education guides the implementation of policy around public K-12, community college and state college education in our state. The Department of Education will release more detailed information about plans to ensure that Florida schools are not indoctrinating children with destructive ideologies like CRT, Pushaw added, assuring The Epoch Times she will follow up when those details become available in the next few weeks. What is Critical Race Theory? According to Middle Tennessee Universitys First Amendment Encyclopedia Critical race theory is a movement that challenges the ability of conventional legal strategies to deliver social and economic justice and specifically calls for legal approaches that take into consideration race as a nexus of American life. However, according to Christopher F. Rufosenior fellow at the Manhattan Institute and founder and director of Battlefront, a public policy research centerCRT is an academic discipline, formulated in the 1990s, built on the intellectual framework of identity-based Marxism. Critical race theorists have constructed their argument like a mousetrap, Rufo explained in a March 2021 edition of Imprimis for Hillsdale University in a piece titled: Critical Race Theory: What It Is and How to Fight It. There are a series of euphemisms deployed by its supporters to describe critical race theory, including equity, social justice, diversity and inclusion, and culturally responsive teaching, Rufo explained. Diversity trainers will make an outrageous claim, such as all whites are intrinsically oppressors or white teachers are guilty of spirit murdering black children, and then when confronted with disagreement, they adopt a patronizing tone and explain that participants who feel defensiveness or anger are reacting out of guilt and shame. According to Rufo, critical race theorists are masters of language construction, who realize that neo-Marxism would be a hard sell. Equity, on the other hand, sounds non-threatening and is easily confused with the American principle of equality. Our Constitutional Republic was founded on the concept of equality, Flaugh noted to The Epoch Times. But if you delve into the difference between how progressives use the words equity, versus equality, equity is equal outcomes, not equal opportunity. Canadian Foreign Minister Marc Garneau, speaks during a meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, at the Harpa Concert Hall in Reykjavik, Iceland, on May 19, 2021, on the sidelines of the Arctic Council Ministerial summit. (The Candian Press/ POOL PHOTO via AP / AP-SAUL LOEB Garneau Welcomes Ceasefire Ending 11 Day War in Gaza, Israel That Killed Hundreds OTTAWAGlobal Affairs Minister Marc Garneau says Canada welcomes a ceasefire ending the 11-day war between Israel and Hamas that left hundreds of people dead. In a statement posted on his Twitter account, Garneau says he is appalled by the tragic loss of life and urges all sides to further de-escalate tensions. Garneau says Canada is calling on Israelis and Palestinians for a renewed commitment to peace and is standing ready to support efforts toward a two-state solution. The truce took effect at 2 a.m. local time today after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus office said his Security Cabinet had unanimously accepted the Egyptian ceasefire proposal. At least 230 Palestinians were killed, including 65 children and 39 women, with 1,710 people wounded, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Twelve people in Israel, including a 5-year-old boy and 16-year-old girl, were killed. The fighting erupted on May 10, when Hamas militants in Gaza Strip fired long-range rockets toward Jerusalem. The barrage came after days of clashes between Palestinian protesters and Israeli police at the Al-Aqsa Mosque, the third holiest site in Islam, which is built on a hilltop site sacred to Jews in the holy city. Tensions were fuelled by a lengthy legal battle waged by Israeli settlers to take over properties and plan for the removal of dozens of Palestinians from the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood of East Jerusalem. With files from The Associated Press 14 Cities in LA County Issue No-Confidence Resolutions Against Soros-Backed DA Fourteen cities in Los Angeles county have issued no-confidence resolutions against District Attorney George Gascon, claiming his policies have gone too far. Diamond Bars city council passed a no-confidence motion during its May 18 meeting, with some councilmembers wishing to address Gascons perceived leniency to horrific crimes throughout the county. Gascon is making it less safe for our residents and businesses, Diamond Bar Mayor Nancy Lyon told The Epoch Times. Hes more concerned about the criminals than the victims. You cant do special enhancements on things like hate crimes, elder abuse, child physical abuse, trauma, [or] human trafficking. Even if theyre 17 1/2 years old and they committed a double murder and tortured people, they cant be tried as an adult. and hes no longer going to seek the death penalty in any case. The residents response to the agenda item was overwhelming, Lyon said, adding that shes never seen the community more involved. While most residents were in favor of the no-confidence vote, a few voiced opposition to it. One Diamond Bar resident said the council should vote against the notion, as Gascons sweeping overhaul was justifiable. The common practice of conditioning freedom solely on whether an arrestee can afford bail is unconstitutional, the person said. DA Gascons policy encourages the use of diversion programs, which provide treatment rather than prosecution in jailing for many minor offenses. Public expense jails, prisons, and courts are not the best way to manage the root causes of many misdemeanors, we must step up the availability of community support services. We must stop thinking that imprisoning people longer reduces crime or addresses issues that our society fails to address. Depriving people of life and liberty after serving a sentence only keeps them from becoming productive members of society. Conversely, some Diamond Bar residents who said they originally voted for Gascon expressed disappointment in the district attorney. While I voted for him initially, his truth was really a lie and he proved it on his first day in office, a speaker said. [We] did not elect him to destroy our system of justice. The Manhattan Beach City Council also voted in favor of no confidence in Gascon on May 18. We share the DAs desire for criminal-justice reform, Mayor Suzanne Hadley told The Epoch Times. Our concern is that the DA is choosing not to enforce the lawrather than tackle the necessary, difficult, and legislative work of true reform. The no-confidence votes follow less than a year after Gascon took office in December. Other cities to pass symbolic no-confidence resolutions include Covina, Azusa, Beverly Hills, Lancaster, La Mirada, Whittier, Santa Clarita, Pico Rivera, Redondo Beach, Arcadia, Rosemead, and Santa Fe Springs. On his first day in office, Gascon signed a special directive that announced policy changes including potential sentence reductions for inmates, a ban on sentence enhancements, and elimination of the death penalty. Gascon received $2 million in campaign funding from billionaire George Soros, who is known for bankrolling leftist politicians and organizations. Georgia Gov. Urges Educators Not to Teach Critical Race Theorys Dangerous Ideology Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R) on Thursday wrote a letter to the state Board of Education opposing the teaching of Critical Race Theory (CRT) and its dangerous ideology in public schools. This divisive, anti-American agenda has no place in Georgia classrooms, the Republican governor said in a statement on Twitter. He urged educators in his letter to take immediate steps to ensure that Critical Race Theory and its dangerous ideology do not take root in our state standards or curriculum. Kemp said that parents, students, administrators, and educators in Georgia have come to him in recent weeks with concerns about the teaching of CRT in state schools. Like me, they are alarmed this divisive and anti-American curriculum is gaining favor in Washington D.C. and in some states across the country. CRT has gradually proliferated in recent decades through academia, government structures, school systems, and the corporate world. It redefines human history as a struggle between the oppressorswhite peopleand the oppressedeverybody elsesimilar to Marxisms reduction of history to a struggle between the bourgeois and the proletariat. It labels institutions that emerged in majority-white societies as racist and white supremacist. Like Marxism, CRT advocates for the destruction of institutions, such as the Western justice system, free-market economy, and orthodox religions, while demanding that they be replaced with institutions compliant with the theorys ideology. Proponents of CRT have argued that the theory is merely demonstrating how pervasive systemic racism truly is. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in March denounced critical race theory as hateful, while Republican lawmakers in Arkansas, Georgia, Iowa, New Hampshire, and West Virginia have said that they aim to ban the teaching of critical race theory in schools, workplaces, and government agencies. Earlier this month, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee signed into law a bill mandating the teaching of CRT in schools, while Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt signed a bill banning its teaching in the states public and charter schools. Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Education has proposed a grant priority that seeks to promote controversial racial concepts in the classroom. The proposal, known as the Proposed Priorities: American History and Civics Education, would incentivize schools to teach the quasi-Marxist critical race theory to its students. One of the priorities encourages schools to incorporate culturally and linguistically responsive teaching approaches that would contribute toward what the department calls an identity-safe learning environment. Referring to the proposal, Kemp said in his letter that it is ridiculous that the Biden administration is considering using taxpayer funds to push a blatantly partisan agenda in Georgia classrooms. The state must instead focus on its goal of providing the highest quality education to every child in Georgia without partisan bias or political influence. Education in Georgia should reflect our fundamental values as a state and nationfreedom, equality, and the God-given potential of each individual, the governor wrote. The State Board of Education didnt immediately respond to a request for comment by The Epoch Times. Richard Woods, Georgias elected Republican state superintendent, said in a May 11 Facebook post for his campaign that the Georgia Department of Education has no current or proposed standards that include CRT concepts. We will not be adopting any CRT standards nor applying for or accept any funding that requires the adoption of these concepts by our state, schools, or classrooms. We will not provide trainings that seek to promote these teachings to educators and support staff, he said. Petr Svab contributed to this report. Employees of the Fulton County Board of Registration and Elections process ballots in Atlanta on Nov. 4, 2020. (Brandon Bell/Reuters) Georgia Judge Decides to Unseal Absentee Ballots in Fulton County for Review A judge in Georgia ruled to unseal absentee ballots submitted in the 2020 presidential election. Petitioners in an ongoing case will be able to review the ballots stored in Fulton County, Henry County Superior Court Judge Brian Amero said at the conclusion of a hearing on May 21. Amero plans to issue an order shortly that will set forth protocols governing a fresh scanning of the ballots, which will be done by county workers while petitioners and their experts observe. A group of voters filed a petition last year asking for a forensic inspection of mail-in ballots from the 2020 election. The petition alleged an abnormal vote increase for Democrat presidential candidate Joe Biden and an abnormal reduction in President Donald Trumps tabulation, among other alleged abnormalities. Amero allowed the petitioners in March access to scanned images of the ballots, but attorneys for the petitioners argued in court that the resolution, 200 dots per inch (DPI), was too low to perform proper analysis. The petitioners asked for images at 600 DPI or higher, and access to the ballots themselves. David Sawyer, a forensics expert, testified for the petitioners. He said he identified a discrepancy in the number of batches that were received by petitioners and the number that Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffenspergers office listed as having been examined in a risk-limiting audit. He told the judge that direct access to ballots would be best because thats the original evidence, and thats the best evidence. Lawyers for Fulton County and Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr, a Republican, argued that letting the petitioners examine the ballots outside of the presence of county workers would violate federal law. They also said a citizen audit wasnt provided for in state law, and that if the judge allowed such an audit, he should pick the auditing team or allow the parties to reach an agreement on which firms should do the audit. Amero assured them he was largely of the same mind. I have no inclination at all to release these ballots to anyone other than the clerk or the county, he said. But he pushed back on the idea that petitioners shouldnt be allowed to get better scans of the ballots or visually inspect them. That seems to be something that they have the authority and the right to do, he said. I have never seen in this case a motion to dismiss from anyone for any reason and in the absence of considering things in that way then this does take the form of a civil case where there is some discovery under state law. The parties are scheduled to meet at the Fulton County ballot storage location on May 28. Raffensperger told The Epoch Times via email: From day one I have encouraged Georgians with concerns about the election in their counties to pursue those claims through legal avenues. Fulton County has a long standing history of election mismanagement that has understandably weakened voters faith in its system. Allowing this audit provides another layer of transparency and citizen engagement. Raffensperger, who asked the judge last month not to grant petitioners access to the physical ballots, will have a representative present next week. Fulton County didnt immediately respond to a request by The Epoch Times for comment. Calloway Sheriff Resumes Defibrillator Donations By West Kentucky Star Staff CALLOWAY COUNTY - The Calloway County Sheriff's Office is revitalizing its Automated External Defibrillator program on the anniversary of a deputy's life being saved.The Sheriff's Office first implemented a defibrillator program in 2004 with help from the Murray-Calloway County Hospital Endowment and the Murray Women's Club.On May 23 of 2004, deputy Dan Galloway was off duty when he collapsed at a business. Police officers used the newly acquired equipment to save his life.Galloway is now a telecommunicator for Calloway County 911 Dispatch.Over the last 17 years, the AEDs have been used numerous times by Calloway County deputies.The AEDs from 2004 were recently taken out of service. Since then, two local businesses have donated new AEDs to the department. The Murray Bank donated five, and Mitchell's Towing donated three.An AED will be placed at the Sheriff's office, another will be placed at the Calloway County Judicial Building, and the remaining six will be assigned to deputies on patrol.The Sheriff's office hopes to acquire an additional five AEDs to equip the remaining deputies. A donation attendant working for Goodwill Northern New England at the Westbrook, store looks at a broken picture frame and a broken cat scratching post, Maine, in an undated photo. (Heather Steeves/Goodwill Northern New England via AP) Goodwill Stores Have a Message: Please Stop Donating Trash Broken furniture. Flashlights with leaking batteries. Disfigured Barbie dolls. Across the country, thrift stores have been flooded by household items, the offerings of people who have been homebound for months and are eager to clear out some of their possessions. Problem is, too many such items could most accurately be described as trash. Many of the donations are defective or worn-out itemsgifts from well-intentioned people who want to reduce waste but who donate items that simply shouldnt be donated. The thrift stores, wary of discouraging donations, say that, as always, they welcome most contributions, especially after a recession that inflicted harm most heavily on the lowest-income Americans, many of whom now depend on them. And they note that most of the items that arrive at their stores remain perfectly acceptable. But in the midst of spring cleaning season, the stores want to slow a barrage of unwanted contributions that increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. Im careful not to shake my finger at donors because without them, we wouldnt have a business model, said Megan Fink, a marketing executive at Palmetto Goodwill, which operates 31 stores in South Carolina. But we are trying to educate. For the thrift stores, such donations arent just a hassle to dispose of. They also magnify their garbage-disposal costs. The stores need time and staffing hours to process them. It actually ends up costing Goodwill rather than helping them, said David Courard-Hauri, a professor of environmental science and sustainability at Drake University. The spikes in trash expenses can divert money away from other services the agencies could spend in their communities, like workforce development programs. In Wisconsin and Illinois, stores have reported an influx of flammable and hazardous donations, including lead acid batteries. Those items increase the stores costs because they must be be disposed of by a waste removal company in an environmentally friendly way, said Julie Deming, a merchandising director at Goodwill Industries of Southeastern Wisconsin, which operates 100 Goodwill stores in southeastern Wisconsin and the Chicago metro area. Weve had all sorts of donations with people cleaning out their house, Deming said. I think its important to educate donors that we cant repair items. Informing donors of this fact wont necessarily solve the problem. Thrift workers note that many donors already know what sorts of items they should avoid contributing yet dump their trash at the stores anyway just to get rid of it. If we dont take something and they know we dont take something, they dont come when were open, said Rolf Halverson, director of operations at Goodwill Industries of Houston, which has 61 retail stores in Texas. They come in at 10:00 p.m. or in the middle of the night or run behind the store and drop off a ripped-up sofa. And that adds weight to our trash. So they put the bill on us instead of them. Broken glass, and other donations at Goodwill Northern New England, in Westbrook, Maine, in an undated photo. (Heather Steeves/Goodwill Northern New England via AP) The increase, workers say, was driven in part by temporary store closures during the pandemic. Donors were still dropping items off while stores were closed, which resulted in some donations, like couches, becoming moldy after being caught in the rain, said Barbie Parker, Goodwill Houstons vice president of fund development and community relations. Other agencies, like Finks in Charleston, also received such donations when they were closed. Some cities and municipalities were upset when donated items were left outside the stores, so Goodwill had to assign truck drivers to haul them away, said Brian Itzkowitz, an official at Goodwill Industries International. Its unclear whether or how much rising trash costs affected all 156 independent Goodwill agencies in the United States and Canada and 12 affiliates in other countries. Goodwill Industries International, of which the local independent agencies are members, doesnt collect data on trash expenses, Itzkowitz said. But last year, such costs totaled $1.2 million for Goodwill Northern New England, which operates 30 stores in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. Unusable donations became a problem for the agency even before COVID-19 struck; its trash expenses have spiked 155 percent in the past five years, it estimates. What were anecdotally seeing is that its a younger generation of donors, said Heather Steeves, the agencys communication manager. Our grandmothers knew what to donate to Goodwill. And the stuff that our grandmothers bought lasted a heck of a lot longer. It was built better; it was built with a second life designed into it. Now in the world, were seeing a lot more one-use items, she said. At the same time, we have millennials, like me, who dont want to throw stuff out. We want to act as sustainably as possible. So theres this optimism of, Im sure someone wants this old spaghetti jar to turn into a flower vase. But the truth is, they dont. Some things are recyclables or trash and should not be brought to Goodwill. Indeed, experts say the recent increase in trash costs for these stores is part of a larger trend that resellers, including mom-and-pop thrift stores, have been seeing for perhaps 15 years. We just have a lot of things in our homes and our storage units that are filled with stuff that just doesnt last long, said Cynthia Isenhour, a professor of anthropology and climate change who has been researching Maines reuse economy for years. So it breaks, and people dont know what to do with it. A lot of it is not repairable because of the low quality of the materials. The spike in pandemic-induced trash goes beyond Goodwill. Other stores, like the Farmington Thrift Shop in Farmington, Maine, say they, too, have experienced an increase in trash donations during the pandemic. Dale Bannon, the national community relations & development secretary for the Salvation Army, declined to say whether its stores have faced a spike in trash costs. But he said in a statement that it was important for people to check with the individual needs of their local thrift store. Most Salvation Army locations, Bannon said, are in need of high-quality, new and gently used items. As for Goodwill, workers say donors should check their local agencys website to make sure a particular item would be an acceptable donation. Steeves, of Goodwill Northern New England, has a simple tip for anyone interested in donating items to a thrift store: If you wouldnt give it to your judgy mother-in-law, she said then dont donate it. By Haleluya Hadero Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) speaks during a Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, on April 21, 2021. (Graeme Jennings/AFP via Getty Images) GOP Lawmakers Reintroduce Legislation to Confront CCP Espionage U.S. Senate and House lawmakers recently reintroduced legislation that would deny visas to aliens who have committed espionage or stolen U.S. intellectual propertyparticularly those with ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). We know that the Chinese Communist Party will spare no effort to steal from, and exploit, American companies and universities, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), one of the lawmakers who introduced the bill, stated according to a May 20 statement. Rubio added: If a Chinese citizen has spied on us before, we should absolutely assume he or she will do so again. This legislation prevents repeat offenders from gaining access to our country. Rubio noted in the release that CCP spies expelled from the United States currently can reapply for U.S. visas. The legislation, called the Protecting America from Spies Act, would update the Immigration and Naturalization Act to ensure that any alien who engages, has engaged, or will engage in espionage, sabotage, or other activities that are in violation or evasion of any U.S. law prohibiting the export from the United States of goods, technology, or sensitive information, according to the text of the bill (pdf). The spouse and children of the alien would also be disqualified from getting or renewing a visa, if the aliens activity that made him inadmissible to the United States occurred within the last five years, according to the bill. The Senate bill was introduced by Rubio and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and the House version was introduced by Rep. Vicky Hartzler (R-Mo.). Hartzler first introduced the measure, H.R.7326, in June 2020. Cruz, Rubio, and three other Republican senators introduced the measure, S.4345, a month later. The Chinese Communist Party takes a whole-of-state approach to espionage and intellectual property theft, and relentlessly seeks to infiltrate and steal from America and American institutions, stated Cruz. To make his point, Cruz said the Chinese regime exploited its consulate in Houston for malign purposes, instead of diplomatic purposes. The State Department ordered the Chinese consulate in Houston to close on July 22 last year, in order to protect American intellectual property and American private information. At that time, Rubio called the Houston consulate a massive spy center for the CCP. One day before the closure order, two Chinese hackers working for Chinas Ministry of State Securitythe Chinese regimes chief intelligence agencywere indicted for cyber espionage that lasted more than 10 years. They stole personal information and trade secrets and attempted to steal COVID-19 research. The threat of China and the prevalence of its spies warrant strict and steadfast action to limit their destructive espionage effortswhich is why the Protecting America from Spies Act is urgently needed, stated Hartzler, according to the statement. Christopher Wray, director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), said last year that the bureau opened one new Chinese counterintelligence investigation about every 10 hours. He also said that the bureau had over 2,000 counter-intelligence investigations related to China at that time. One FBI investigation involved Zhang Hao, a Chinese professor who was sentenced to 18 months in prison in September 2020, after he was convicted of economic espionage and theft of trade secrets. Prosecutors said that Zhang conspired with others to steal from two U.S. companies for the benefit of the communist regime in China. Also in September last year, the State Department announced that it revoked more than 1,000 visas of Chinese nationals over their ties to Chinas military. Gun rights advocates take part in a rally at the Virginia State Capitol in Richmond, Va., on Jan. 20, 2020. (Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times) Gun Rights Activist Tells Congress Education Can Reduce Shootings, Not More Laws A gun rights activist told the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Thursday that educating the public about gun safety, providing firearms training, and enforcing existing gun laws are the answers to reducing shootings, not more legislation like the two background check bills that recently passed the House. Dianna Muller founder of the DC Project, a womens gun rights group, testified in front of the House Sub-committee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security during a hearing on reducing mass shootings. She said she believes the universal background check legislation currently waiting to be considered by the Senate will only punish law-abiding citizens and prevent less affluent citizens from exercising their Second Amendment rights, instead of preventing shootings. Based on years of evidence in the towns like St. Louis, Washington, D.C., Baltimore, and Chicago, its apparent that these policies do not work. The results are the same. Knowing that average citizens are less capable of defending themselves, criminals are emboldened, crime soars, and communities are less safe, Muller told the panel in her written statement (pdf). Muller said background check laws did not stop many of the recent mass shooters from getting guns but Democrats still passed two pieces of background check legislation that will increase the cost and time it takes to acquire a firearm. Ninety-five percent of these mass killings are in gun-free zones, its a problem. Its not a gun problem its a gun-free zone problem. So it doesnt make any sense to the average American that we would defund the police, and push gun control at the same time, Muller told the House panel. Mass shooters Nikolas Cruz (Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, Florida), Devin Patrick Kelley (Sutherland Springs, Texas), Omar Mateen (Pulse nightclub, Florida), and 14 others all passed the background checks mandated by their respective states. Muller cited the state of Californias mandatory background check law as an example of background checks not stopping mass shootings. The John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Healths Center for Gun Violence Prevention and Policy found that shootings have not waned even with Californias universal background check requirements. H.R. 8, the Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2021, which passed the Democratic-led House 227 -203 with the support of eight Republicans, is said by advocates to close a loophole in gun laws by expanding background checks to those purchasing weapons over the internet, at gun shows, and through certain private transactions. Rep. Mike Thompson (D-Calif.) who sponsored H.R. 8, said the law will make people safer. Thats why Ive introduced legislation to close the private gun sale loophole. Because background checks work and expanding them would only make more people safe from gun violence. We have 90 percent of the American people on our side and its Constitutional, said Thompson in a March statement. Muller said that Democrats claim that the majority of Americans want stricter gun laws including universal background checks, is false. She cited the state of Maine and Maryland where such bills failed to pass and when they did pass in other states, it was by a slim margin. Another bill, the Enhanced Background Checks Act of 2021, passed 219-210 with only two Republicans supporting it. It gives authorities 10 business days for federal background checks to be completed before a gun sale can be licensed. Currently, background checks of buyers must be completed within three days and if it is not the sale can still be finalized. Gun owners are growing fatigued of being bullied, mischaracterized, and demonized. We are not the enemy, yet this president has vowed to defeat the NRA, which is me. So far this year alone, there are 29 bills introduced that have the Second Amendment in the crosshairs, Muller told the panel. Dara Humphries, an NRA and Glock firearms instructor, poses for a portrait in Gainesville, Ga., on June 24, 2016. (Lisa Marie Pane/AP Photo) Muller is a retired 22-year veteran of the Tulsa Police Department who worked in Narcotics, Gangs, Street Crimes, and Patrol, and is a 30-year firearms instructor. She cited in her written statement that in 2020 3.4 million women became first-time gun owners, a record number. Women have been seeking professional firearms training in the past 14 months in droves. Instructors nationwide report an increase in students up to 200%. Although trainers dont ask political affiliations or former beliefs in gun ownership, a large number of students indicated they had formerly been anti-gun, Muller wrote. Australian flag flutters in front of the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, on April 14, 2016. (Jason Lee/Reuters) How Australia and US Can Combat China Influence in Pacific: Expert Australian academic Prof. James Laurenseson says Australia and the United States need to increase their engagement with Pacific island nations if they want to combat the rise of China in the region. Laurenceson, who is the director of Australia-China Relations Institute at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), told The Epoch Times that the United States and Australia must maintain trust and strong ties in the Pacific to ensure that any Chinese civil infrastructure facilities dont become military ones in the future. Simply building a facility doesnt mean China can control it or launch military assaults from it, Laurenceson said. America could reasonably be concerned given it disrupts the status quo, but frankly, the weight of American outright military bases close to China would still dramatically outweigh that of potential dual-use facilities built by China. This comes as opposition leaders in the Pacific nation of Kiribati say China had plans to revive and upgrade an airstrip and bridge on one of that countrys islands, about 3,000kms (1,864 miles) southwest of Hawaii. The project in Kiribati was revealed when opposition lawmaker Tessie Lambourne told Reuters she was concerned about the plans and wanted to know whether the new initiative was part of Beijings Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). BRI is an infrastructure development program used by China to engage its construction and financial sectors with the world. It has been called debt-trap diplomacy as poorer nations often get trapped into taking out huge loans from China to pay for the builds which they struggle to repay. Currently, nine Pacific countries have signed on to the BRI including Kiribati, Solomon Islands, the Cook Islands, Fiji, Vanuatu, Tonga, Niue, Samoa, and Papua New Guinea. The government hasnt shared the cost and other details other than its a feasibility study for the rehabilitation of the runway and bridge, Lambourne said. The opposition will be seeking more information from the government in due course. The plan would place Chinese run infrastructure within 2,000 miles of U.S. military bases. This would provide China with a foothold into what the United States calls the second chain islands which were strongly tied to that country and its allies since World War II. Laurenceson noted that while Australia was understandably sensitive about infrastructure facilities closer to home that could be used for military purposes, theres not much that Canberra can really do about Chinas increasing engagement in the region unless it wants to pay for the new developments. If Australia isnt willing to stump up the funding to build the infrastructure the next best alternative is to have strong, respectful relations with these host countries in a bid to ensure such facilities do not move beyond civilian use, he said. Beijings Increasing Financial Hold over the Pacific Australia has moved in the past year to enhance its engagement in the Pacific with the announcement it will spend $300 billion in the region on infrastructure projects as part of the Pacific Step-Up. It has also spent millions on COVID-19 aid and increased defence ties around the regionfunding a naval centre and establishing a defence partnership with Fiji while providing naval vessels to Palau. However, Pacific nations still see China as a source of easy money, according to the president of Cook Islands chamber of commerce. According to research from the Lowy Institute, in 2019, China was the regions third-largest donor and Reuters reported that the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) had seen an increase in loans to the Pacific region over the past year as countries seek to find a way out of the COVID-19 economic downturn. China is very willing to lend money to any Pacific island nation. As much as Australia and New Zealand have encouraged the islands to look to them first, its been a lot easier getting money out of China, Fletcher Melvin, president of Cook Islands Chamber of Commerce said. Anna Powles, a senior lecturer at the Centre for Defence and Security Studies at Massey University in Wellington, New Zealand, warned that loans from the AIIB could create debt traps for participating counties, much like the BRI. If the AIIB becomes the primary lender to the Pacific and the regions economic recovery is driven by Chinese lending, then certainly there will be cause for significant concern that economic dependence could be exploited, Powles said. Husband Charged With Killing Wife 11 Years Later: Officials A St. Paul, Minnesota, man is facing murder charges about a decade after he claimed that his wife was killed by a home intruder. Nicholas James Firkus, 38, was arrested Thursday and now faces second-degree intentional murder in the death of his wife, Heidi Firkus, who was shot and killed in April 2010, officials said in an arrest warrant that was unsealed Thursday. The warrant said Nicholas Firkus had allegedly told police an intruder broke into their home, the intruder grabbed their shotgun, and shot them bothkilling his wife and injuring him. Thirty-eight seconds into the call, as Heidi was giving dispatch her address, a noise similar to a gunshot was heard, Heidi stopped speaking, and the call went dead, said the warrant, according to news reports. Before the gunshot, there is no significant background noise on the call, nor does Heidi say anything that would suggest that an intruder had actually entered the home. Ramsey County Attorney John Choi said the St. Paul Police Department has been investigating the incident since then. This is like putting together a giant puzzle, and sometimes it just takes a lot of time to bring in different pieces, and to look at that and to be able to have somebody new try to find the right piece, Michael Krause, assistant special agent at the Minneapolis field office for the FBI, said in a news conference, reported ABC News. In the warrant, Heidi Firkus called 911, reporting that someone was attempting to break into their home. Later, a phone call from Nicholas Firkus on her phone said that someone entered the home and shot her when she tried to escape. The officers found both Nicholas Firkus and his wife shot before she was pronounced dead at the scene. Nicholas Firkus told police that someone broke into their home. When he grabbed their shotgun, he struggled with the alleged intruder and the gun went off twice, hitting both him and his wife. He was highly emotional, the warrant said when he called the police, reported ABC. He said that someone had broken into their home and that he and Heidi had been shot while trying to run out the back to the garage. Near the end of the almost-seven-minute call, police can be heard entering the house. But officials in the warrant said that there was no struggle hearing during Heidis 911 call, no evidence collected to suggest that what Nicholas described was accurate, and no unidentified DNA profiles were discovered. ICE Unable to Track Most Illegal Immigrants Released Into Country As thousands of illegal immigrants are released into the United States every week, the agency responsible for enforcement is unable to keep tabs on most of them. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Acting Director Tae Johnson admitted to Congress that theres certainly some gaps in our ability to track illegal immigrants being released. After being apprehended at the border, illegal immigrants are processed by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to determine who they are and whether theyre subject to being immediately turned back under the current Title 42 public health provision. Single adults from Spanish-speaking nations are almost all subject to immediate expulsion under Title 42, according to Acting CBP Commissioner Troy Miller. But Border Patrol is also encountering more illegal aliens from non-Spanish speaking nations, in particular Brazil and Haiti. Of the 178,000 illegal border crossers encountered in April, around 62 percent were expelled quickly under Title 42, according to CBP data. The remaining 38 percent (or 68,000 individuals) were released into the interior (family units), into Health and Human Services custody (unaccompanied minors), or ICE custody (single adults from non-Spanish-speaking nations). In some border sectors, particularly the Rio Grande Valley in south Texas, the Border Patrol facilities have been so overwhelmed that many individuals werent released with the common Notice to Appear document that states a date and time to appear in court. Rather, they received a Notice to Report, which is an honor system that requires the person to check in at their closest ICE facility within 60 days. For individuals that are just released with a notification to report to ICE or to show up in court, then our ability to track those folks quite closely is much more limited, Johnson said during a congressional hearing on May 13. About 20,400 individuals have been released with a Notice to Report, and Johnson said ICE has no way to track those people or where they plan to reside, as the agencys system doesnt link to the information Border Patrol collects at the initial intake facility. Once they report to an ICE office, theyre put into our system of record, and at that point we can track those folks, Johnson said. But otherwise, we would just have to get a list from Border Patrol of the 20,000 cases and check them pretty regularly. Johnson said ICE has more success tracking individuals that are released under the alternatives to detention program, including those wearing an ankle monitor. However, illegal immigrants regularly cut off their ankle bracelets or fail to honor their obligation to check in with ICE or turn up in court. Based on the number of individuals that we enrolled in alternatives to detention in FY20, we had about 11,000 individuals abscond from the program, Johnson said. So far, in fiscal 2021 through March, Johnson said about 2,700 have absconded. Under the agencys narrowed criteria for priority removal, most of those who abscond wont be a priority for ICE to track down unless they commit an aggravated felony. Nationwide, the agency arrested 645 illegal aliens for removal in March and 1,152 in April, Johnson said. The Fall of Title 42 Johnsons biggest concern is the impending removal of Title 42. President Donald Trump implemented Title 42 in March 2020, which effectively closed the border to nonessential travel in attempts to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. It allowed for Border Patrol to turn back illegal border crossers almost immediately, rather than be placed in ICE custody for a more protracted process through deportation proceedings under Title 8. Once Title 42 is revoked, the 3,000 to 3,500 single adults that Border Patrol is currently arresting on a daily basis will have to be accommodated by ICE. At the same time, ICE has less capacity than it did during the previous border surge in 2019. ICE had around 55,000 detention beds in 2019; however the capacity was reduced to 30,000 beds in the fiscal 2021 appropriations package. Title 42 is absolutely critical, Johnson said. I dont think its a situation where its going to just be lifted electivelywe will be mandated, through some sort of court order, to lift it. Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds addresses the Republican National Committee virtual convention on Aug. 25, 2020. (Committee on Arrangements for the 2020 Republican National Committee via Getty Images) Iowa Bans Mask Mandates in Public Schools, Cities, Counties Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds on Thursday signed a bill to ban mask mandates in the states public schools, as well as in cities and counties, joining Texas. The state of Iowa is putting parents back in control of their childs education and taking greater steps to protect the rights of all Iowans to make their own health care decisions, Reynolds said in a release to news outlets. I am proud to be a governor of a state that values personal responsibility and individual liberties. I want to thank the Iowa Legislature for their quick work in bringing this bill to my desk so that it can be signed into law. Reynolds signed the bill into law after midnight, after it passed the Republican-led Iowa legislature. The law bans mask mandates in K-12th grade schools, and prevents local governments from mandating masks in businesses. Read More Iowa Senate Passes Bill to Limit Vaccine Passports Texas Gov. Greg Abbott had issued a similar order for the Lone Star state on May 18, saying that local governments that try to impose mask mandates can be fined up to $1,000, starting May 21. Meanwhile, schools are prohibited from mandating masks after June 4. Texans, not govt, should decide their best health practices, Abbott said in a statement. The two states decision on mask mandates come just days after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that people who are fully vaccinated against the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus can resume activities without wearing a mask or physically distancing, including in most indoor areas. The federal agency also released an infographic that compares certain common activities that it deems safe or not safe for vaccinated compared to unvaccinated people. The latest CDC guidance builds on its previous announcement on April 27, which said that people who are vaccinated could attend small gatherings outdoors and join in other outdoor activities without needing to wear masks. As of Thursday 8 p.m. ET, more than 126 million Americans have been fully vaccinated, amounting to about 38.1 percent of the U.S. population. A number of U.S. states have started seeing some days of no deaths due to the CCP virus in recent weeks, including Idaho, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. Texas, the second most populous U.S. state, saw a zero-death day for the first time since March 2020. Jan. 6 Commission Would Be Witch Hunt of Trump, Supporters: Rep. Hice The commission that may be established by Congress to probe the Jan. 6 Capitol breach would, if approved, turn into an effort to go after former President Donald Trump and supporters of the former president, Rep. Jody Hice (R-Ga.) says. What this is going to turn into is a witch hunt to go after Trump and Trump supporters and conservatives as a wholeI believe, at leastand the attempt ultimately is going to try to label all of us who are conservatives as potential domestic terrorists and insurrectionists and whatever else, Hice told The Epoch Times American Thought Leaders. We want answers to what happened on Jan. 6, period. That is the issue. But I have zero confidence that that is really the intent of this commission, he added. The House of Representatives on May 19 approved the bill that would create a commission to investigate the Capitol storming. The commission would be modeled on the commission that probed the 9/11 terrorist attacks. It would feature 10 members, five appointed by Republicans and five appointed by Democrats. The commissions aim would be to investigate factors that contributed to the Capitol breach, including how technology, including online platforms, financing, and malign foreign influence operations and campaigns may have factored into the motivation, organization, and execution of the breach. Most Republicans in the lower chamber, including Hice, voted against the bill, though 35 crossed the aisle. Hice said he was under the impression Democrats would not allow the GOP to have any staff on the commission. Democrats are going to be able to hire all the staff, all the attorneys, all that whatever is needed, he said. How is that bipartisan? This is going to be a one-sided commission. The commissions chairperson would be appointed by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.). The vice chairperson would be appointed by House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.). Each of those four lawmakers would also separately appoint two members. Protesters clash with police at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Jan. 6, 2021. (Julio Cortez/AP Photo) The chairperson, in consultation with the Vice-Chairperson, in accordance with rules agreed upon by the Commission, would choose staff members. A House Homeland Security Committee aide in an email to The Epoch Times highlighted that portion. This avoids any unilateral action by the Chair by requiring consultation with the Vice Chair and adherence to the internal Commission rules agreed to by a majority of the Commissioners, now equally split among Ds and Rs, the aide said. The in accordance with commission rules is actually a bigger deal than consultation, which I think many of those in opposition of the bill are missing. Pelosis office did not respond to a request for comment. The Democrat told colleagues in a speech on the House floor before the vote on the bill that the commission is designed to be impartial and experienced. Commissioners will be appointed from the highest echelon of government service, law enforcement, civil rights, civil liberties and privacy, the armed forces, intelligence, counterterrorism, cybersecurity, technology, and law, she said. The Commission will be, again, bipartisan and bicameral, with commissioners appointed by the majority and minority leadership in the House and Senate. And it will be actionable and effective culminating in a final report on the facts and causes of January 6th, along with recommendations to prevent further attacks on our democratic institutions. A major point of contention about the bill was its focus on Jan. 6, with no review of what happened over the summer of 2020, when numerous cities experienced riots. Quite frankly, we need answers to that as well: who has been responsible for those riots and those interactions and those seditious behaviors? Hice said. Why are we not looking at the entire problem, rather than just one issue that is going to then in turn, be totally dominated by them? Trump had mentioned that issue while calling for the GOP to oppose the bill. It is just more partisan unfairness and unless the murders, riots, and fire bombings in Portland, Minneapolis, Seattle, Chicago, and New York are also going to be studied, this discussion should be ended immediately. Republicans must get much tougher and much smarter, and stop being used by the Radical Left, Trump wrote in a statement this week prior to the vote. Democrats pushed to exclude any other issues from the bill and its co-sponsor, Rep. John Katko (R-N.Y.), agreed. The security breach that took place at the U.S. Capitol on January 6 was completely unacceptable. It directly threatened the safety of our staffs, U.S. Capitol Police, and fellow Members of Congress. It was a major breakdown in information sharing and preparedness, much like the shortfalls that existed prior to 9/11, and can never happen again, he said in a statement after the bill was passed. An independent, bipartisan commission will protect against politicization and enable a review that focuses solely on the facts and circumstances surrounding the security breach at the Capitol as well as other instances of relevant violence. A homeless woman pushes her belongings past a row of tents on the streets of Los Angeles, Calif. on Feb. 1, 2021. (Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images) LA Considers $24 Million Universal Basic Income Program The city of Los Angeles could become the largest city in the nation to test a universal basic income program. The pilot program, proposed as part of Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcettis 202122 fiscal year budget proposal, would provide $1,000 monthly to 2,000 low-income families for one year. The guaranteed basic income program would cost taxpayers $24 million and was set to be reviewed as part of the budget during a May 20 council meeting. After the budget and finance committee presents the financial blueprint to the city council, it will have until June 1 to adopt a budget. Garcetti said the program is an effort to end poverty in Los Angeles. Were betting that one small but steady investment for Angeleno households will pay large dividends for health and stability across our city and light a fire across our nation, Garcetti wrote in a tweet about the program on April 19. He said its based on Dr. Martin Luther Kings call for income programs. Were showing what it takes to fulfill Dr. Kings call for a basic income once and for all. While Los Angeles proposal may be the largest of its kind, other cities have started similar programs. In Oakland, California, officials announced the citys new Oakland resilient families program that is set to offer $500 per month for 18 months to low-income families of color, though it is privately funded. Within the city of Los Angeles, certain councilmembers have looked into creating their own programs to provide income. In District 9, Councilman Curren Price launched a program to provide $1,000 per month to 500 single-parent households for one year. Councilmembers Marqueece Harris-Dawson, Nury Martinez, and Mark Ridley-Thomas are considering ideas for their own programs. In Los Angeles County as a whole, the board of supervisors voted to approve a proposal for a guaranteed income program on May 18, with one of the proposals calling to pay $1,000 per month to 1,000 residents for a minimum of three years. The program echoes a similar sentiment of a pursuit to end poverty and inequities, and each program allows residents to spend the money however they wish. Any city of Los Angeles district-specific programs, as well as the county-wide program, come in addition to Garcettis proposed universal basic income program. Jon Coupal, president of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, a nonprofit that seeks to defend the rights of taxpayers, said that giving residents free money reduces work ethic during a period when the country is seeing record unemployment. Its horrible for individuals, in that people should be incentivized to work, Coupal told The Epoch Times. The work experience is quite frankly what gives people value that theyre contributing to society, and it also helps to develop social networks. Secondly, look at the employment numbers right now, there are about 3 million job postings or more, of jobs waiting to be filled according to the Department of Labor figures, he said. But we know that the enhanced unemployment benefits provided by many states have provided an incentive for people to stay home because they can make more money being on unemployment, instead of going back to work. Coupal said the push by Los Angeles leaders to create universal basic income is pure politics. Theres an old saying, If you rob Peter to pay Paul, you can always count on the vote of Paul, he said. Coupal also said that if the program is approved, the government should mandate what the money can be spent on. If its the governments money, they should absolutely be able to control how its spent. You dont want people going out and buying cigarettes and booze with this, Coupal said. It would be more consistent with existing programs, for example the SNAP program, the food stamp program, you get vouchers to buy food. Same with Section Eight housing, you get vouchers to purchase housing. The Epoch Times reached out to all 15 Los Angeles city councilmembers for comment on the universal basic income proposal, and only received a response from Councilman Mitch OFarrells office, which said he will be voting to approve the pilot program. Migrants climb a sea wall in the northern town of Fnideq after attempting to cross the border from Morocco to Spain's North African enclave of Ceuta on May 19, 2021. (Fadel Senna/AFP via Getty Images) Migrants Push for Spains Ceuta Again After Border Security Tightened CEUTA, Spain/FNIDEQ, MoroccoHundreds of migrants tried to force their way past tightened security into Ceuta on May 19, as Spain pressed on with the expulsion of thousands who had swum or climbed into its North African enclave over the past two days. Around two-thirds of the roughly 8,000 migrants who made it to Ceuta, including unaccompanied children, have been expelled, Spanish authorities say, though many of those returned said they would again try to reach Europe. As thousands gathered in the Moroccan border town of Fnideq, near the frontier with Ceuta, hundreds of them clashed after dark with Moroccan riot police, throwing stones and setting on fire a motorbike and a trash bin, a Reuters witness said. The rush of migrants began on May 17 when Morocco appeared to loosen border controls, a move widely interpreted as retaliation for Spains hosting of a Western Sahara independence leader. As dense afternoon fog descended on May 19, hundreds of young men tried to approach the six-meter-high (20-foot-high) border fence before being repelled by Moroccan police, who later urged the crowd to disperse. Others had entered the water and begun swimming toward Ceutas beach a few hundred meters (yards) away. Spanish television showed the army meeting boys as they reached the shore. Some 1,500 underage migrants are now in reception centers in Ceuta from this and previous waves, Spain said. On the northern tip of Morocco across from Gibraltar and with a population of 80,000, the enclave has periodically been a magnet for refugees seeking a quick way into Europe. But Rabat has cracked down on border traffic in recent years. Juice and a Cake I am not losing hope. I have friends in Ceuta where I can stay till I get a chance to cross to Spain, Souhail Abbadi, a man in his 20s from Tangier in northwest Morocco, told Reuters. Earlier, Spanish police and soldiers escorted long lines of Moroccans and other mainly sub-Saharan Africans through a gate back into Morocco. We were given juice and a cake, that is all, said Mohamed, from Ait Melloul in southwest Morocco, after Spanish soldiers sent him back as soon as he arrived. He and many other returnees gathered in Fnideq, where they said they were receiving no aid. Rights group Amnesty International said Spanish security forces had used violence, including beating migrants or throwing them into the sea. It also accused Morocco of using migrants as pawns in its dispute with Spain. Migrants interviewed by Reuters said they had been beaten by Spanish security forces before being sent back to Morocco. A Reuters journalist watching the arrivals in Ceuta on May 19 didnt see any beatings or people being thrown into the sea. Many of the migrants still in Ceuta were children, some as young as seven and some without families, said Spains Social Rights Minister Ione Belarre. Many of them did not know the consequences of crossing the border. And many of them want to go back, she told broadcaster TVE. Reuters TV footage showed hundreds of teenagers being processed at a warehouse where Red Cross officials gave out food and drink. What Did Spain Expect? Moroccos minister of state for human rights, El Mustapha Ramid, suggested late on May 18 that Rabat was justified in relaxing border controls after Polisario Front rebel leader Brahim Ghali entered Spain. What did Spain expect from Morocco, which sees its neighbor hosting the head of a group that took up arms against the kingdom? he wrote in a Facebook post. Madrid said it had made a humanitarian decision to allow in Ghali, whose movement seeks independence for Moroccan-run Western Sahara. In a further twist, Spains high court summoned Ghali to appear on June 1 for a preliminary hearing in a war crimes case against him, but he declined to sign the papers, a court document that was seen by Reuters on May 19 showed. A source close to the investigation said he might seek diplomatic immunity under an Algerian passport. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez didnt link events in Ceuta to Ghalis situation, calling Morocco a friend of Spain, though Rabat recalled its ambassador to Madrid for consultations. Moroccan authorities didnt respond to requests for comment. By Mariano Valladolid & Ahmed Eljechtimi Tall Ship Pinta Ready for Tours in Grand Rivers By West Kentucky Star Staff GRAND RIVERS - A replica of Christopher Columbus famous ship, will open for public tours in Grand Rivers.The tall ship Pinta will be docked at Green Turtle Bay Resort until her departure on June 1st.The original Pinta was the first ship to sight land on Columbus' voyage to the New World in 1492. Historians consider the caravel the Space Shuttle of the fifteenth century.The Pinta replica is on tour as a sailing museum. The public is invited to visit the ship for a self- guided tour. The ship will be open every day from 10 am to 5 pm through May 31. No reservations are necessary.Admission charges are $6.50 for adults, $6 for seniors, and $5.50 for students ages 5-16 years-old. Children 4 and under are free.Teachers or organizations wishing to schedule a 30-minute guided tour with a crew member can call 1-850-686-3612 or visit: ninapinta.org and click take a tour. Minimum of 15 for group rate at $4.50 per person. Mission Viejos Redevelopment Plans Too Secretive, Residents Say The city of Mission Viejo, California, is in negotiations with the owner of a former Stein Mart building to purchase the property and upgrade the shopping center. However, critics of the initiative are concerned that the negotiations are taking place without enough input from the public. They have not been transparent with this project, especially with this recent negotiation, Larry Gilbert of Mission Viejo told The Epoch Times. We deserve to know more about it. Youre not being as transparent as you could be or should be. The city has been developing a core area vision plan for several years that would upgrade the Village Center, a 50-year-old shopping plaza near Marguerite Parkway and La Paz Road. The center, which sits on 28.6 acres, comprises more than a dozen private property owners. Redevelopment plans include the construction of new restaurants and cafes, walking trails, a public park, and a recreation areacosting the city an estimated $30 million. The city council approved the core area vision plan on March 28, 2017. However, it was unable to make any progress until the owner of the former Stein Mart building approached the city regarding a sale. The city said it saw this as an opportunity to take its first steps in implementing its core vision plan. Stein Mart filed for bankruptcy and vacated the premises in 2020, according to the city. Gail Reavis, a former mayor of Mission Viejo, said the city initially reached out to the public years ago regarding the core area vision plan, but has since kept quiet and changed its plans. Theyve never presented to the citizens, the taxpayers, anything other than what we did three or four years agoa picture of what it is that they want to do and how theyre going to do it, Reavis told The Epoch Times. Now we have a different city council with a different group of priorities and what they want to do it all changed. Cathy Schlicht, also a former Mission Viejo mayor, said, The public has a right to know what the seller knows. I understand theres a need for secrecy or confidentiality in negotiating, but the public has a right to know where we are in the ballpark and what the purpose of that building is going to be, Schlicht told The Epoch Times. Schlicht said there should be a disclosure on how the city intends to advance its core vision plan. The city hasnt really come up with any plans, except its going to be $30 million, she said. Why would any property owner want to encumber $30 million in debt without an understanding of how theyre going to get a return on that investment? Schlicht said the council committed a Brown Act violation during its April 13 meeting because the agenda listed a discussion about the negotiation, but the council also discussed the core area vision plan under that item, she said. They had prepared a PowerPoint presentation on it, and thats not in the public record anywhere, she said. Councilman Ed Sachs told The Epoch Times: The only closed session information we talked about with regards to the Stein Mart purchase deals with terms and conditions, which is not a Brown Act violation of any sort. You cant mention publicly about you wanting to buy a business and starting the negotiation for the sale and purchase of a business. The city agreed upon the negotiation with the property owner on Jan. 14, 2021. As a good faith deposit, the city has paid the owners of the former Stein Mart $30,000 per month while in negotiation. The reason for that is the owner of the property could sell the property to someone else if he wanted to, so the city had to put in some money to keep the negotiations with the city property, Sachs said. The city has not revealed any plans to acquire additional properties that run adjacent to the Stein Mart parcelwhich may be necessary in order to complete its core vision plan. The city said it attempted on many occasions to work with the owner of the former Michaels property to implement its core vision plan, but to no avail. Despite several outreach efforts, the Kronicks [formerly Michaels] proved disinterested and unwilling to work with the city, the city said on its website. We will consider opportunities if and when they arise. At this point, however, we are concentrating on the former Stein Mart parcel. While additional parcels would be ideal, this parcel is a great opportunity and starting point. The city met May 11 in closed session to discuss the ongoing negotiation with the owner of the former Stein Mart. However, no public discussion of the negotiation has been held since February. Sachs said if the former Stein Mart property is purchased, the city will begin implementing the core area vision plan by building a paseo and park next to Oso Creek. He said the core area vision plan is flexible and can incorporate one or more businesses, but the city doesnt necessarily need to purchase more property at this time. We would be one of 14 property owners in that village. Thats it. Whatever the other property owners do is entirely up to them. Were not interested in buying more parcels out there. Its a revitalization of that area and the other property owners dont have to do anything. Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita attends a news conference after a roundtable on Western Sahara at the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, on March 22, 2019. (Denis Balibouse/Reuters) Morocco Blames Spain for Spat, Says Weather Caused Migrant Crisis RABATMoroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita on Thursday blamed Spain for the diplomatic spat between the two countries and said mass migrant crossings from Morocco into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta this week were due to the weather and tired border guards. Morocco had appeared to loosen its border controls with Ceuta on Monday as thousands of migrants poured into the enclave, a move widely interpreted as retaliation for Spains hosting of a Western Sahara independence leader. Speaking to Reuters, Spanish news agency Efe, and Moroccan news agency MAP in a briefing, Bourita warned that Rabat would take a more assertive stance than in the past, saying todays Morocco is not that of the past, and Spain needs to understand this. Rabat withdrew its ambassador to Madrid this week over Spains decision to hospitalise Polisario Front leader Brahim Ghali, letting him into the country with what Morocco said was an Algerian passport in a false name. It would not return the ambassador so long as the causes of the crisis persist, Bourita said. If there is a problem or a crisis it is because Spain preferred to act and coordinate with the adversaries of Morocco against the feelings of the Moroccan people in relation to a fundamental issue for the kingdom, he said. Madrid has called the influx of migrants a serious crisis for Spain and Europe and Spanish Defence Minister Margarita Robles accused Morocco of blackmailing Spain over the border issue. Bourita rejected that accusation and said the episode had shown that Morocco carries the burden of battling migration into Spain, with 20,000 security forces members deployed for the purpose. He said the influx into Ceuta, the biggest in years, was not the first such incident and would not be the last. Fine weather made it easier to swim the small bay into the enclave and border guards were fatigued after the Eid al-Fitr holiday, he added. There is no change in Moroccos land apparatus and nobody can cross via the land, he said. By Zakia Abdennebi Fishing boats moored near the Apia Fish Market in Apia, Samoa on September 13, 2015. (Mark Kolbe/Getty Images) New Samoan Leader to Scrap $100M China-Backed Belt and Road Port Project Samoas incoming prime minister has pledged to scrap a US$100 million Chinese-backed port development, saying it is excessive for the small Pacific island already saddled with major debts to Beijing. The move comes amid growing concerns over the Chinese Communist Partys (CCP) soft power push into the South Pacific region and represents a major policy shift in the nation. Fiame Naomi Mataafa, who is set to become Samoas first female prime minister, said she would look to maintain good relations with the Chinese authorities but that the project was not a priority. Samoan MP Fiame Naomi Mataafa speaks during the Pacific Parliamentary and Political Leaders Forum at Parliament in Wellington, New Zealand on April 18, 2013 (Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images) Samoa is a small country. Our seaports and our airports cater for our needs, Fiame told Reuters by telephone from Apia. Its very difficult to imagine that we would need the scale thats being proposed under this particular project when there are more pressing projects that the government needs to give priority to. The proposed wharf was earmarked for construction at Vaiusa Bay, near the capital Apia. Its construction has been a divisive issue featuring prominently in recent April elections, where incumbent Samoan leader Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi lost his parliamentary majority. Fiames stance marks a major shift away from the policies of Tuilaepa, who maintained friendly relations with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) during his two-decade long prime ministership of the Pacific nation. Former Samoan Prime Minister Tuilaepa Lupesoliai Sailele Malielegaoi (L) meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) at The Great Hall Of The People in Beijing, China, on September 18, 2018. (Lintao Zhang/Pool/Getty Images) The level of indebtedness of our government to the government of China was a pressing issue for voters, said Fiame, a former deputy prime minister who joined the opposition FAST party last year. The Global Times, a mouthpiece for the CCP, responded to the decision saying it was a minor setback for the Chinese regimes Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The BRI is the CCPs trillion-dollar, global infrastructure funding program. It has been criticised for extending massive loans to developing nations, many of which cannot service the debts. For example, in 2017, the Sri Lankan government agreed to hand over its Hambantota Port to the CCP on a 99-year lease after agreeing to convert its $1.4 billion debt into equity. Currently, China is Samoas largest creditora country of just 200,000 peopleaccounting for about 40 percent or $160 million of its external debt. Its economy relies mainly on subsistence farming, along with tourism, fishing, and coconut exports. It has also relied heavily on development funding from larger nations. A general view is seen as a local buys fish from a vendor during Sunday morning trading at the Apia Fish Market in Apia, Samoa on September 13, 2015 (Mark Kolbe/Getty Images) Incumbent leader Tuilaepa said Pacific nations had only themselves to blame if they were to fall into unsustainable debt. He backed the Vaiusu wharf project saying it would create much-needed jobs and increase trade and tourism, according to a Samoa Observer report. Faumuina Wayne Fong, member of Parliament for the Urban West regionwho has engaged in a war of words with the prime minister over the issuesaid the project potentially had military applications, reported the Samoa Observer. Why would a small country like Samoa with exports of about 30 percent of [its economic output] and imports about 40 percent of [its economy] need a wharf to cater for 12 vessels? he said. Definitely not for exports and imports hence why I say it must be a military wharf, Fong said. Taiwan Foreign Affairs Minister Joseph Wu warned in 2019 that Beijing could expand beyond its soft power efforts in the South Pacific, and eventually militarise the region. We have seen reports that China is interested in reopening this radar station in Kiribati and building a naval base in the Western Province of Solomon Islands, he said during the 2019 Pacific Islands Dialogue. I certainly dont want to see the Pacific turned into another South China Sea, with us one day all sighing that it is too late for us to do anything. Earlier this month, Reuters reported that Beijing was carrying out feasibility studies into upgrading an airstrip on one of Kiribatis islands located deep within traditionally U.S.-aligned territory. The Kiribati government has maintained, though, that the airstrip was for civilian use only. NSW Govt Brings Back Strongest Rodent Pesticide to Combat Mouse Plague The New South Wales (NSW) government has secured 5,000 litres of bromadiolone, one of the worlds strongest pesticides against rodents, as part of a $50 million (US$38.8 million) mouse trap package to help farmers combat the ongoing mouse plague. The chemical, which has been banned from outdoor usage since 2017, is currently awaiting approval from the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) before it is distributed to farmers. Experts will treat growers grain with bromadiolone completely free of charge to build a mice-free fortress to protect paddocks, Agriculture Minister Adam Marshall said in a statement. When used in conjunction with in-field zinc phosphide baiting, farmers will have a multi-layered defense against the rodents. This is an unprecedented plague with no blueprint on how to handle it, but were giving our farmers the tools they need to combat these vile vermin. As circumstances evolve we will continue to adapt our best approach to support the agricultural industry, Marshall said. NSW Farmers welcomed the assistance saying the ongoing fight with the plague has had an immense toll on residents health and well-being. Some farmers have outlaid up to $150,000 on baiting already, and weve seen lost grain fodder and damage to farm machinery, not to mention the stress that has accumulated on top of bushfires, drought, and COVID-19, NSW Farmers President James Jackson said. Dead mice at a property in Gilgandra, NSW, Australia. (AAP Image/Supplied) Once-in-a-Decade Plague Western NSW and Queensland farmers have, for months, been combatting the worst mouse plague in nearly a decade. NSW Farmers Vice President Xavier Martin said that recently the situation had gotten to the point where mice were resorting to cannibalism due to the sheer number of rodents in his fields. They eat each others heads off, and then by the time they get to the lungs and heart they tend to leave it, Martin told news.com.au. Youll find the lower half of a mouse left behindso you still have to clean it up. Australias national science agency, CSIRO, said this sort of mouse plague event occurs every 10 years. Recent seasonal conditions in the state have created the ideal situation for mice to thrive. CSIRO mouse expert Steve Henry said the mild and moist summer, particularly in northern NSW, helped the mice breed throughout the summer into autumn. It then tails off through winter. Farming practices have also changed over the years, Henry said. Water conservation and environmentally sustainable methods, such as minimum or zero tillage, have resulted in a significant increase in both available shelter and alternative food sources for mice in fields. CSIRO recommended the use of zinc phosphide-coated wheat bait to control the mouse population. APVMA has recently granted emergency use of double-strength zinc phosphide to combat the invasion. Gerard Dallow from a pest control company, Micropest, told Nine that the numbers were likely to take a hit during the upcoming winter, then once summer returned, they would turn from predators to prey. After the mice, the snakes will follow, Dallow said. Animal Activist Response However, animal rights activists People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has said the mice should not be robbed of the right to food because of the dangerous notion of human supremacy. PETA spokesman Aleesha Naxakis urged Australians not to use poison on the animals and suggested that people instead use humane traps to catch and release the rodents. Several ministers have called out the group, with Prime Minister Scott Morrison calling it pretty dopey and insensitive to the plight of farmers. Agriculture Minister Marshall also condemned the group, calling the PETA comments utter lunacy. If they had their way, our farmers would simply roll over and let these mice, which are in plague proportions in a number of areas of the State, eat everything in the paddocks and their sheds, Marshall told Canberra Times. These dribblers need to spend some time out in the regions and see what our farmers are dealing with and have dealt with through the very worst nature could throw at them the last few years. However, Naxakis has defended the comments, saying it was unfair that the mice would suffer horrible deaths and blamed the governments for not dealing with the issue earlier. Its the fault of the government because they really should have taken control of this situation earlier through humane methods like humane trapping, birth control, Naxakis told 3AW radio. Their inaction months ago has led to this situation. The situation has gotten so bad that not only farmers are suffering, but mice are suffering. Ohio Vaccination Rate Surges After $5 Million Lottery Announcement New York, Maryland rolling out similar programs The COVID-19 vaccination rate in the state of Ohio has surged after Gov. Mike DeWine announced that five residents will win $1 million each as a monetary incentive for getting inoculated, health officials said this week. Ohios Department of Health said on May 20 that from May 14 to 17, vaccination rates for people 16 and older jumped 28 percent. The Republican governor announced the states incentive program (pdf), named Ohio Vax-a-Million, on May 12. Under the Ohio Vax-a-Million program, which will be funded by existing federal pandemic relief funds, Ohio residents who are at least 18 years old and have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine are eligible to win the sum in once-a-week lottery drawings, the governor announced last week. The first drawing will occur on May 26, DeWine said at the time, noting that the Ohio Department of Health will be the sponsoring agency for the drawings and the state Lottery will conduct them. This dramatic increase in vaccinations indicates that the Vax-a-Million drawing has been impactful in creating momentum for vaccinations throughout Ohio, said Stephanie McCloud, director of the states health department. We are grateful that the drawings are helping spur Ohioans to take this important measure to protect their health, their loved ones, and their community. We are seeing increasing numbers in all age groups, except those 80 and older, who are highly vaccinated already, McCloud said. Although the rate among that group is decreasing, it is doing so at a less rapid pace, demonstrating some positive impact even in that group. DeWine said last week that the pool of names for the drawings, set to take place each Wednesday for five weeks, will come from the Ohio Secretary of States publicly available voter registration database. Residents not in the database can register on a separate website that will be made available later, the governor said. A separate incentive for younger Ohio residents will see five vaccinated 12- to 17-year-old students receive full four-year scholarships to attend Ohio public universities, including tuition, room, board, and books. The incentive program came as demand for COVID-19 vaccines in the stateand nationwidehas dwindled, in part following an 11-day pause in administering the single-dose Johnson & Johnson shot, as federal health authorities investigated reports of potentially dangerous blood clots. The CDC and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on April 24 recommended that the distribution of the vaccine continue but with warnings. New York and Maryland on May 20 also announced that they will be rolling out similar vaccine incentive programs. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo told reporters that New Yorkers who get vaccinated from May 24 to May 28 will be given a lottery ticket with a cash prize of as much as $5 million. Meanwhile, a vaccinated Marylander will be chosen at random every day for 40 days for a $40,000 prize, ending July 3, Gov. Larry Hogan said. On July 4, one person will receive a grand prize of $400,000. The Biden administration is also facing the challenge of figuring out new ways to motivate more people to get vaccinated. The White House on May 11 said that people traveling to get their shots will get free or discounted ride shares. Companies have also started offering incentives as part of an effort to encourage Americans to get vaccinated. For example, Krispy Kreme stores are offering one free glazed doughnut for people who show that they have had one or two shots of any COVID-19 vaccine. Pelosi Suggests She May Bar Unvaccinated, Unmasked Republicans From House Floor House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) suggested on Friday that Republicans who do not get vaccinated for the CCP virus and defy her mask mandate may be prevented from entering the floor of the House of Representatives and have to cast their votes in a dedicated space in the House gallery. Pelosi made the remarks during her weekly press briefing in response to reporters questions about the ongoing mask rebellion by some House Republicans who have removed their face coverings after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued guidance saying that fully vaccinated people no longer have to wear masks indoors. We have to wait for them to be vaccinated because they are selfishly [an] endangerment to other people, including staff people here, Pelosi said. An honor system as to whether somebodys been vaccinated? Do you want them breathing in your face on the strength of their honor? We could come to a place where we say, If you dont want to wear a mask and you dont want toif youre not vaccinated, dont even come to the floor. We have facilities up above in the gallery where people can come to vote, she added. Pelosi said that some Republicans have either not been vaccinated or chosen to not disclose their vaccination status. After the CDC guidance, Pelosi did not change the stringent House mask rules, prompting backlash from the GOP. Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) led an effort Wednesday to get the Office of the Attending Physician to update its guidance for mask-wearing for vaccinated lawmakers and staff while they are in the House chamber and in committee hearing rooms. But Democrats defeated it along a party-line vote of 218-210. Lawmakers can remove their masks when speaking on the House floor but otherwise must keep it on when they are in the chamber. There is no requirement for wearing masks in the Senate chamber. This is about science and governance, Pelosi said. We have to make sure that the House of Representatives chamber is not a petri dish because of the selfishness of some not to be vaccinated because it requires us to wear a mask. Democratic lawmakers say they are tired of the requirements, too, but they worry that some of their Republican colleagues have declined to be vaccinated and could spread the virus. Some GOP lawmakers opted to go without a mask during votes Tuesday, with a few taking particular care to stand in the well of the chamber to ensure that spectators, colleagues, and C-SPANs cameras could not miss them. Their defiance could come at a financial cost. Lawmakers who refuse to wear masks are subject to a fine of $500 for the first offense. Subsequent offenses can result in a $2,500 fine. In practice, however, the House sergeant-at-arms is providing a warning for the first offense. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Police Officers Answer Familys Prayer, Gift Gator Tractor Toy to Boy After His Was Stolen Arizona police officers surprised a 4-year-old boy after his battery-powered Gator tractor was stolen. The officers secured enough money to replace the boys stolen toy with a brand-new set of wheels and gifted it to him. On April 8, dad Peter Philbrook shared his heartbreak on a Facebook group after his little boy Gerald had his tractor stolen from outside their Tempe apartment complex. The tractor had been a fixer-upper for the father and son, who originally found the Gator propped up beside a garbage can. It was really sad seeing him so hurt, Steffanie Philbrook, Geralds mother, told Fox 10. He would draw pictures and tell stories of when he had his Gator and why was it gone. Peter stated in the post that the Gator isnt worth much in dollars, but it was a project that he and his 4-year-old son Gerald had bonded over, Tempe Police shared on Facebook. Philbrook claimed he would sell whatever he could in order to come up with the reward money for someone who found it. The post caught the attention of Patrol Sergeant Andrew Brookss wife, who implored her husband to intervene. After attempting, and failing, to locate the stolen Gator, Brooks teamed up with the departments L and N squads. Working with a local Walmart and the Tempe Officers Association, they managed to secure enough to buy Gerald a new Gator. On April 24, officers gathered outside the Philbrooks apartment to present Gerald with his gift. Footage shows the 4-year-old tentatively approaching his brand-new Gator in disbelief, before exclaiming, Its cooler than the other one! His mother claimed Gerald thought he was leaving the house to meet some friends at the park but was surprised to see a group of officers outside his house. Officers, the department wrote on Twitter, answered a familys prayers that morning. Gerald took his new wheels for a test drive and posed for photos, smiling with his thumbs up beside the officers who made his day a memorable one. For Brooks, just seeing Gerald smile was a reward for his efforts. We deal with so many negative things in the world, the patrol sergeant reflected, speaking to Fox 10. Just to be able to bring some joy is awesome. Its a good feeling. Watch the video: (Courtesy of Tempe Police Department) Share your stories with us at emg.inspired@epochtimes.com, and continue to get your daily dose of inspiration by signing up for the Epoch Inspired Newsletter at TheEpochTimes.com/newsletterer PolitiFact Quietly Retracts Fact Check Labeling COVID-19 Lab Origin Theory as Debunked Conspiracy PolitiFact has quietly retracted a September 2020 fact check that labeled a Hong Kong virologists claim that COVID-19 originated in a lab as inaccurate and a debunked conspiracy theory. The claim is inaccurate and ridiculous, the now-archived fact check previously said. We rate it Pants on Fire! In an updated editors note published on May 24, PolitiFact explained why it has now removed the label. When this fact-check was first published in September 2020, PolitiFacts sources included researchers who asserted the SARS-CoV-2 virus could not have been manipulated. That assertion is now more widely disputed, the note states. For that reason, we are removing this fact-check from our database pending a more thorough review. Currently, we consider the claim to be unsupported by evidence and in dispute. The original fact check from PolitiFact cited a Sept. 15, 2020, Fox News interview with Hong Kong virologist Yan Limeng, in which she said she has solid scientific evidence that COVID-19, the disease caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, is not from nature. It is a man-made virus created in the lab, the virologist and former postdoctoral fellow at the University of Hong Kong told the news network at the time. She also claimed in the interview that the virus was intentionally released by the Chinese regime, without elaborating. Yan said the viruss genome indicates that it was modified. In a Sept. 15 interview, the most-watched program on cable network television aired a conspiracy theory that has been debunked since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, PolitiFacts fact check said of the virologists claims. Social media sites such as Facebook and Instagram, which partner with PolitiFact, flagged posts containing Yans claims as false. The quiet retraction comes as Republican members of the House Intelligence Committee say they believe it to be more likely that the CCP virus originated within a Chinese laboratory than from an animal. There is overwhelming circumstantial evidence to support a lab leak as the origination of COVID-19, stated a May 19 committee report, which was led by Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.), the ranking member on the committee. By contrast, little circumstantial evidence has emerged to support the PRCs [Peoples Republic of China] claim that COVID-19 was a natural occurrence, having jumped from some other species to humans. COVID-19 first appeared in Chinas central city of Wuhan in late 2019, when a cluster of cases was linked to a local wet market. More than a year later, the origins of the virus remain unknown, though the focus has now shifted toward the theory that the virus was leaked from a laboratory at Chinas Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV). Such a leaked virus could either be a naturally occurring virus or one that had been manipulated in the laboratory. WIV is home to Chinas only P4 labthe highest level of biosafetyand its located not far from the citys wet market. A State Department fact sheet released in January stated that the WIV had been conducting experiments on bat coronavirus starting at least as far back as 2016. The institute also carried out laboratory animal experiments for the Chinese military since at least 2017. More importantly, the department stated that it had reason to believe that several researchers inside the WIV became sick in autumn 2019, before the first identified case of the outbreak, with symptoms consistent with both COVID-19 and common seasonal illnesses. The Chinese regime has denied that the viruss origin is linked to the WIV and has pushed a natural zoonotic hypothesisthat the virus was transmitted to humans from an animal host. However, Beijing has so far failed to identify the original animal species that allegedly passed the virus on to humans. According to the report, Beijing tested more than 80,000 animals and still couldnt identify the original species. PolitiFact didnt respond to requests for comment by press time. In December 2020, the fact-checking website named COVID-19 disinformation, including the claim that the virus was manipulated in a lab, as the lie of the year. Frank Fang contributed to this report. A computer keyboard lit by a displayed cyber code is seen in this illustration picture taken on March 1, 2017. (Kacper Pempel/Illustration/File/Reuters) Positive Decryption Tool Given to Irish Health Service After Ransom Attack Government says ransom has not and will not be paid The result of initial tests on a decryption tool made available to Irelands national health service has been positive, the Irish Health Minister has said. The Irish Government said on Thursdayalmost a week after a ransomware attack of the Health Service Executives (HSE) IT systemthat a decryption tool had been made available. It also insisted that no ransom had been or would be paid. It was previously reported that the ransom negotiation page on the dark web shows that Conti, a Russia-based cybercriminal group, wanted $20 million (16 million). Categorically, no ransom has been paid by this Government directly, indirectly, through any third-party or in any other way. Nor will any such ransom be paid, Health Minister Stephen Donnelly told RTE Radio 1s Morning Ireland programme on Friday. When asked why the key was made available, Donnelly said: Its unclear. It came as a surprise. We became aware yesterday afternoon that the key was being made available on a site which is linked to this criminal gang, adding that there could be any number of reasons and it was probably not useful for him to speculate. The government has said on Thursday that the National Cyber Security Centre and private contractors carried out a detailed technical process to test the tool. What theyre doing is theyre testing the validity of the key. The initial results are positive, Donnelly told RTE Radio 1. But obviously, its a detailed technical piece of work. We need to be absolutely sure that this will help restore the health systems, rather than potentially cause further harm. Donnelly said that other efforts to restore the systems are continuing in parallel. Hackers have reportedly threatened to release patient data on Monday if a ransom is not paid. HSE secured a court order on Thursday from the High Court that restrains the sharing, processing, selling, or publishing of the data. Donnelly said it probably wont stop the data being dumped online, but will help prevent it from spreading. I dont imagine that a criminal gang capable of doing what they did to our healthcare system and to patients in our country are going to be too worried about a court order, he said. However it is relevant and very applicable to people here who may seek to share that information themselves. HSE Chief Executive Paul Reid said in a media briefing on Thursday that the work to undo the damage will continue into the coming weeks. We are now in the assessment phase where were assessing all across the network to understand the impacts across the network, he said. Reid said there are 2,000 systems used by the health service and more than 4,500 servers. This is in essence the rebuilding of a legacy network of 30 years, he said. The briefing heard the impact on services included a reduction by 7080 percent in outpatient appointments each day. The HSE boss had previously said that the cost of fixing the system would run into tens of millions. PA contributed to this report. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, left, appears during a news conference on Dec. 3, 2020. On right, CNN host Chris Cuomo is seen at an event on Dec. 9, 2018. (Mike Groll/Office of Governor of Andrew M. Cuomo via AP and Evan Agostini/Invision/AP) Poynter Institute Rebukes CNNs Chris Cuomo for Advising Brother Governor on Damage Control The Poynter Institute for Media Studies has published a harsh reprimand of CNN anchor Chris Cuomo Thursday for his taking part in strategy sessions advising his brother, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, amid the fallout from the governors sexual misconduct allegations. Poyters Tom Jones argued that Chris Cuomo was deservedly under scrutiny for crossing a journalistic line following revelations that he took part in advisory calls with Andrew Cuomo and some of his staff members, with Jones calling the situation a conflict of interest that has been more than a year in the making. Stop and think about what happened here, Jones wrote. The host of a primetime show on one of the countrys biggest and most influential cable news networks is advising one of the most powerful and influential politicians in this country on how to handle serious sexual misconduct allegations. Nine women, including both current and former aides, have in recent months accused Gov. Cuomo of sexual misconduct. He has denied the allegations, most recently during a rare in-person briefing with reporters in upstate New York in late April, where he insisted, I didnt do anything wrong. His statement was a subtle shift from earlier remarks, where he admitted to saying things that may have made employees uncomfortable or been seen as unwanted flirtation. In a segment on CNN on Thursday, Chris Cuomo apologized for advising his brother, admitting it was a mistake because it put his CNN colleagues in a bad spot. At the same time, Chris Cuomo said that he took himself out of on-air coverage of the sexual harassment allegations against his brother and insisted that he never tried to influence CNNs coverage of the matter. How I helped my brother also matters. When my brothers situation became turbulent, being looped into calls with other friends of his and advisers, that did include some of his staff, I understand why that was a problem for CNN. It will not happen again. It was a mistake, Chris Cuomo said. My family means everything to me and I am fiercely loyal to them. I am family first, job second, the CNN anchor added. His remarks came on the same day that a CNN spokesperson told multiple media outlets that Chris Cuomo engaging with conversations with his brothers staff and advisers was inappropriate and wouldnt happen again. Chris has not been involved in CNNs extensive coverage of the allegations against Governor Cuomoon air or behind the scenes, a CNN spokesman told The Wall Street Journal. In part because, as he has said on his show, he could never be objective. But also because he often serves as a sounding board for his brother. AG Asks Kentucky's High Court to Rehear DUI Case By The Associated Press FRANKFORT - Kentucky's attorney general is asking the state Supreme Court to reconsider its recent ruling in a DUI case.Attorney General Daniel Cameron's office says the ruling will stand as a barrier to prosecuting many DUI cases and thereby make the roads less safe.The petition came on the same day the ruling came into play in a Kentucky lawmakers case.Republican State Rep. Derek Lewis was acquitted Wednesday of operating a vehicle under the influence.The state Supreme Court ruling was cited in a defense motion that prevented the prosecutor from presenting Lewis blood-test refusal to the jury. Japan's Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, second right, speaks during the virtual summit of the leaders of Australia, India, Japan and the U.S., a group known as the Quad", at his official residence in Tokyo, Japan, on March 12, 2021. (Kiyoshi Ota/Pool via AP) Quad Nations Plan to Include New Members Despite Outrage From Beijing With the rising threat from communist China in the Indo-Pacific region, the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue between the United States, Japan, India, and Australia has become increasingly important. Cooperation among its members has gone beyond economy, military, and supply chains. And the United States and Japan are also winning over more countries to join the Quad or participate in joint military exercises. On Friday, May 21, Joe Biden will meet South Korean President Moon Jae-in at the White House, Bidens second face-to-face summit with a foreign leader since his meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga in April. This highly anticipated summit signals how important South Korea is to Bidens Indo-Pacific strategy. According to Forbes, Seoul is likely to become an addition to the Quad. Shortly after the Biden administration took office, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan indicated that the new administration would continue the Quad mechanism. White House Indo-Pacific Affairs Coordinator Kurt Campbell also said in January that the United States should expand the Quad and focus on military deterrence to China. Subsequently, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson expressed interest in joining the Quad, according to The Telegraph. On Feb. 18, 2021, Antony Blinken held his first virtual meeting since the presidential election with counterparts from Japan, India, and Australia in an effort to curb an increasingly aggressive China. On March 12, the Quad had an online summit meeting for the first time and established working groups for epidemic prevention, cutting-edge technology, and climate change. In early April, the Quad nations set a precedent in joining a France-led military exercise in hopes of strengthening ties in the Indo-Pacific region to counter the Chinese communist regime. The alliances activities have formed a substantial deterrent to the Chinese regime, which led to outcry from Beijing. On May 18, the Chinas ambassador to Japan, Kong Xuanyou, accused the Quad of having a Cold War mentality and being 100 percent outdated in an interview with Tokyo-based Kyodo News. He urged Japan to keep a good balance between its relations with China and the United States. On May 10, Li Jiming, the Chinese ambassador to Bangladesh, pressured the south Asian country not to join the Quad lest bilateral ties suffer substantial damage. The next day, however, Lis Bangladeshi counterpart, A. K. Abdul Momen, pushed back. We are an independent and sovereign state, Momen said. We are an independent and sovereign state. We decide our foreign policy, Momen said. But yes, any country can uphold its position. But we will decide what we will do. This is a matter of the interest of our country. We did not expect such behavior from China, he added. US, Japan Considering More Countries to Join the Quad In recent years, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has eroded Hong Kongs one country, two systems and conducted increasingly frequent military operations around the South China Sea, the Taiwan Strait, and the Senkaku Islands, also known as the Diaoyu Islands in China. In January, China introduced the Coast Guard Law, which took effect on Feb. 1 and authorized its coast guard to use military force if necessary. China was accused by neighbors Japan, Vietnam, and the Philippines of attempting to challenge the established international order. The Quad is viewed as Asias NATO to effectively counter Chinas ambition in the region. Both the United States and Japan are planning to attract more partnering countries to join the alliance. After a visit to the United States starting from April 16, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga was scheduled to visit India and the Philippines to foster closer military ties. However, his plan was aborted due to a sudden CCP virus spike in India. Expert: Japans Positive Role Last month, Wang Zhin-sheng, secretary-general of the Asia-Pacific Elite Interchange Association, said in an exclusive interview with The Epoch Times that Japan had recently been playing an active role in connecting with Asia-Pacific countries within the Quad. Japans action is to contain the CCP, Wang said. The move was due to Chinas passage of its controversial coast guard law, which poses a huge threat to Indo-Pacific countries, especially Japan. Wang also predicted that future cooperation in the region will no longer be limited to military and security strategies, which is expected to expand to economy, technology, pharmaceutical manufacture, and others. For the United States and Japan, Wang added, Taiwan could also be an integral part of their readjusted Asia-Pacific strategy; and the absence of Taiwan would lead to an obvious gap in the First Island Chain. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) speaks during a Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Border Security and Immigration hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington on Dec. 16, 2020. (Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images) Rubio Unveils Bills Targeting Chinas Collection of Americans DNA Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) has introduced two bills to counter the Chinese regimes efforts to collect the genomic data of Americans through both legal and illegal means. The Republican senator, who has been a leading voice in addressing the issue, introduced the Genomics Expenditures and National Security Enhancement (GENE) Act and The Genomics Data Security Act on May 20. Beijing has for years been collecting large amounts of American health care data, using illegal methods such as cyber hacking, investments in American biotech companies, and partnerships with hospitals and universities to gain access to the sensitive information. The National Counterintelligence and Security Center (NCSC) said in a fact sheet (pdf) released on Feb. 1 that this poses serious privacy and national security risks. There is no reason for American taxpayers to be funding Beijings research or for our policies to enable access to Americans genomic data, Rubio said in a statement announcing the legislation. Its imperative that Congress take steps to confront this growing national security and privacy threat. Rubios office said that the GENE Act, which is co-sponsored by Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), would increase congressional oversight by requiring the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) to include the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and Senate Committee on Foreign Relations in its briefings. It would also increase cross-agency awareness of transactions of concern by requiring that the Department of Health and Human Services be consulted on any deal that involves a genetic data transaction. Lastly, it would direct CFIUS to rewrite its regulations to require mandatory filing for any deal that involves a company working with genetic information, Rubios office said. Meanwhile, the senators second bill seeks to prohibit any National Institutes of Health funding from going to support entities with direct ties to the Chinese regime. It would also require that every Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments Act certificate specify if a company with access to Americans health data is directly tied to Beijing. Vast amounts of genomic information (a persons entire genetic sequence) can fuel developments in the cutting-edge field of precision medicine (or personalized medicine), allowing China to overtake the United States to become a global leader in biotech, according to the NCSC. Such data can also be weaponized to target individuals in the country for intelligence and military operations. A 2019 report found that at least 15 Chinese firms were licensed to perform genetic testing or sequencing on U.S. patients, giving them access to genetic data. Americans genomic information is particularly valuable to China due to the ethnic diversity of the U.S. population, the paper noted. This is because varied data sets are more useful in research to identify genetic diseases. The Chinese regime last year passed laws to severely limit the ability of foreign firms to access Chinese peoples biological data. The Chinese regime has amassed vast amounts of American personal data through several massive cyber hacks in recent years. These include intrusions on the U.S. governments personnel agency, credit reporting agency Equifax, and health insurer Anthem, which resulted in the theft of personal information of tens of millions of Americans. Cathy He contributed to this report. House impeachment managers (L-R) Rep. Sylvia Garcia (D-Texas), Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.), Rep. Val Demings (D-Fla.), Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.) and Rep. Jason Crow (D-Col.) hold a news conference after day five of the Senate impeachment trial against President Donald Trump at the Capitol in Washington on Jan. 25, 2020. Alex Wroblewski/Getty Images Schiff: If Senate Blocks Jan. 6 Commission Bill, Dems Will Get Answers One Way or the Other Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) said Thursday that if Republicans in the Senate vote against the Jan. 6 commission bill that passed in the House this week, Democrats are going to insist on getting answers one way or the other, while speaking on CNNs The Situation Room. The National Commission to Investigate the January 6 Attack on the United States Capitol Complex Act, also known as HR 3233, is modeled after the investigation into the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The proposed measure would create in the legislative branch an independent, 10-member commission to investigate relevant facts and circumstances relating to the attack on the Capitol, and evaluate the causes of and the lessons learned from this attack. The House passed the bill Wednesday 252-175, with all 217 Democrats in favor of the measure and 35 Republicans joining. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and Minority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.)the two top House Republicansvoted against the bill. McCarthy, who was the first to formally announce his opposition to the legislation, said that its scope is too narrow and should include other political violence such as the numerous riots by leftist groups in multiple cities last year. The bill now goes to the evenly-divided Senate for a vote but Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said he, like McCarthy, will oppose the bill because of the scope of the commission. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) speaks as House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and President Donald Trump listen during a signing ceremony for H.R. 748, the CARES Act in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington on March 27, 2020. (Erin Schaff-Pool/Getty Images) CNNs Wolf Blitzer asked about what Democrats would do if the Senate votes against the commission. Schiff, a fierce opponent of former President Donald Trump and major proponent of the debunked Russia collusion narrative, suggested McConnell was not acting independently. I have to say, watching that clip of Mitch McConnell saying that after giving careful consideration, hes decided to oppose it, said Schiff. That careful consideration was no more than reading Donald Trumps statement saying you need to oppose this. The comments Schiff was referring to were made by McConnell from the Senate floor on Wednesday. After careful consideration, Ive made the decision to oppose the House Democrats slanted and unbalanced proposal or another commission to study the events of Jan. 6, as everybody surely knows I repeatedly made my views about the events of Jan. 6 very clear, McConnell said, adding that there is, has been, and there will continue to be no shortageno shortageof robust investigations by two separate branches of the federal government. Politico reported that McConnell also made comments opposing the Houses Jan. 6 commission bill at a private breakfast on Wednesday. Its not at all clear what new facts or additional investigation yet another commission could lay on top of the existing efforts by law enforcement and Congress, McConnell said. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) dismissed McConnells comments, saying the vote on the commission bill will proceed, regardless of the opposition. Here in the Senate, we will have a vote on the January 6 Commission. The only way to stop these lies is to respond with the truth, with facts, with an honest objective investigation of what happened that day. An independent commission can be the antidote to the poisonous mistruths that continue to spread about Jan. 6, said Schumer. Zachary Stieber contributed to this report. Katherine Tai, nominee for U.S. Trade Representative, testifies during the Senate Finance committee hearings to examine her nomination in Washington, on Feb. 25, 2021. (Tasos Katopodis/Pool/AFP via Getty Images) Senators Urge Biden to Reverse Disastrous Decision to Give COVID-19 Medical Tech and Intellectual Property to China A number of Republican senators are urging President Joe Bidens administration to reverse its disastrous decision to give U.S. COVID-19 medical technology and intellectual property to China under a controversial Trips waiver. The Trade-Related Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPs) waiver was first proposed by India and South Africa, and would suspend intellectual property protections for products and technologies needed for the fight against COVID-19, including vaccines, for the duration of the pandemic. On May 5, U.S. Trade Representative Trade Katherine Tai released a statement on behalf of the administration which voiced support for the TRIPS waiver. However, more than a dozen Republican senators have now voiced their concerns over the controversial waiver, stating that it would do nothing to end the global pandemic and would instead foster uncoordinated vaccine nationalism. Sens. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) sent a letter to Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo and Representative Tai on May 20, asking them to reverse the Biden administrations decision to support the proposal. In the strongly-worded letter, the senators argued that the waiver would undermine the nations global leadership in the technologies, medicines and treatments of the future and provide a boost to the Chinese Communist Partys vaccine diplomacy and enable Beijing to undercut American leadership on vaccine distribution throughout the developing world. Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) is seen in the Russell Senate Office Building in Washington, on Jan. 26, 2021. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call/Pool/Getty Images) They noted that countries such as China, India, and South Africa had falsely claimed that the waiver would speed up the development of new vaccine capacity, and pointed to a lack of technological capacity in the supply chain as the underlying reason as to why there are not currently enough vaccine doses. Vaccine production is a complex technical and logistical process, with limited technical resources (e.g., skilled scientists and technicians at companies). At best, all President Bidens giveaway to China and India and others will do is foster uncoordinated vaccine nationalism, as countries jump in to try to coerce technology transfer and manufacturing locally, the senators wrote in their letter. The letter was signed by 13 other Republican senators. It is not surprising that China, India, and South Africa want to steal our intellectual property and medical technology, the senators continued. What is surprising is that an American president, especially one who claims to be a jobs president, would force American companies to give their medical technology and manufacturing processes to foreign adversaries like China. Simply put, the Biden Administrations support for a TRIPS waiver puts Americas interests last and Chinas interests first. The senators noted that they have several serious concerns over the Biden administrations support of the waiver, and demanded to know how the president had reached this conclusion. They asked that the administration answer a string of questions by no later than June 19, 2021, including what evidence the administration relied on to conclude that intellectual property was a barrier to vaccine manufacturing and that the benefits of waiving intellectual property protections outweighed the potential costs. The senators also want to know whether Chinese leader Xi Jinping asked the administration to grant the waiver when he spoke with Biden in March, how the waiver would be implemented, and whether private citizens would be denied their ability to protect or enforce intellectual property rights in U.S. courts. Other questions include whether or not the Biden administration plans on waiving American intellectual property laws and intellectual property enforcement, including enforcement against intellectual property and trade secret theft. Under this scenario, what would happen if a Chinese national is found to have stolen trade secrets? Under the waiver, if adopted, would they not be prosecuted? And, what of the Chinese nationals currently being prosecuted? Would those cases now be dropped? the senators questioned. Rep. Earl L. Buddy Carter (R-Ga.) also showed his support for the letter on Thursday, writing on Twitter that the controversial waiver was a gift to China. The Biden Admins support for waiving IP protections for COVID-19 vaccines is a gift to China who has spent the past year trying to steal our IP, goes against our patent system and will stifle innovation of lifesaving drugs and cures by removing the incentives for investment, he wrote. In his first speech to Congress in April, Biden touted U.S.-China relations, specifically intellectual property as of one his administrations key issues. The president vowed to continue to stand up to unfair trade practices that undercut American workers and American industries, like subsidies to state-owned enterprises and the theft of American technology and intellectual property. New San Francisco police Chief George Gascon fields a question during a first news conference Aug. 11, 2009, at the Hall of Justice in San Francisco. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) Signature-Gathering Approved for Recall Effort Against DA George Gascon LOS ANGELESPetitions are available May 21 for the effort to recall Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon. Elected officials must be in office for at least 90 days before a recall effort can be started. Gascon was sworn in last Dec. 7. Recall organizers announced May 20 they had received approval to gather signatures. Gascon has drawn criticism from crime victims and prosecutors over various directives, including not seeking the death penalty, not seeking sentencing enhancements in most cases and keeping cases involving juveniles out of adult courts. George Gascon got elected by disguising a radical, dangerous, and pro-criminal agenda as criminal justice reform, but thats not what he is doing, said Desiree Andrade, organizer and spokeswoman for the effort to recall Gascon . What he failed to mention was that he would cater to the most heinous offenders in our society at the expense of victims and let cold-blooded killers back onto our streets, she said. We have no choice but to seek Gascons immediate removal from office because his twisted social experiment is jeopardizing the safety of our communities and re-victimizing victims and their families all over again. In a March 17 Zoom call coinciding with his first 100 days in office, Gascon said his changes were based on data and science that will enhance the safety for our community while reducing racial disparities and the misuse of incarceration, and he vowed that the efforts are just beginning. In the call, Gascon also said the death penalty does not make us safer. It is morally wrong and fiscally irresponsible, adding that the death penalty requires the families of murder victims to wait through decades of appeals and forces them to relive the trauma for a sentence that will never be imposed in a state where Gov. Gavin Newsom has declared a moratorium on executions. Gascon also said research suggests excessive sentences dont enhance safety but do exacerbate recidivism, leading to more victims of crime. Backers of the recall must gather valid signatures from 579,062 registered voters in Los Angeles County10 percent of the total number of votersby Oct. 27 for the recall to qualify for the ballot. Recall petitions are available online. The effort to recall Gascon began Feb. 27 with a victims vigil outside the downtown Hall of Justice where signatures for an intent to recall were gathered. The city councils of at least 14 of Los Angeles Countys 88 cities have passed votes of no confidence against Gascon, including Beverly Hills, Redondo Beach, Manhattan Beach, Diamond Bar, Santa Clarita and Lancaster. The recall attempt has drawn the backing of Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva, former Los Angeles County District Attorney Steve Cooley, former Los Angeles County Supervisor Mike Antonovich and former Los Angeles City Councilman Dennis Zine. Sinead OConnor, Felt-Truths, and Media Propaganda Commentary A puff piece on Sinead OConnor scheduled to appear in The New York Times on Sunday and timed to coincide with the publication of her memoir, with the Borat-like title of Rememberings, includes this little jog to the readers own rememberings. If you remember two things about her, writes Amanda Hess for the Times about Ms. OConnor, its that she vaulted to fame with that enduring close-up in the video for her version of Nothing Compares 2 Uand then, that she stared down a Saturday Night Live camera, tore up a photo of Pope John Paul II and killed her career. But wait! What we all thought we knew about Sinead OConnor turns out not to be trueat least not according to Shuhada Sadaqat, as Ms. OConnor has taken to calling herself, off and on, since her conversion to Islam. OConnor doesnt see it that way, writes Ms. Hess, reverting to her subjects previous family name. In fact, the opposite feels trueand then she quotes from Rememberings: I feel that having a No. 1 record derailed my career and my tearing the photo put me back on the right track. Of course she is entitled to her feelings, but why, we may ask, does the publication once known as Americas newspaper of record seek out such an opportunity to indulge them? But then we already knew, didnt we, that The New York Times has, during the last four years, also taken to reporting the news that feels true in addition to, and sometimes instead of, the kind that actually is true. It felt true, for instance, to everyone from the top to the bottom of the papers editorial staff, that Donald Trump colluded with Russia to steal the 2016 election from Hillary Clinton. And so, for over two years, they reported on this felt-truth as if it were only a matter of time before it would be confirmed as truth indeed. When it wasnt, they didnt stop believing in that felt-truth, however. They simply took up another felt-truth in the shape of what they called the 1619 Project. It felt true to them to report that the country had been founded on racism, and so they sought out a putative expert, Nikole Hannah-Jones, to say so. At length. Lots of other experts disagreed with her. Some of them have now cited the egregious historical errors in the 1619 Project as a reason for denying Professor Hannah-Jones tenure at the journalism school of the University of North Carolina. What do you suppose The New York Times feels about this? What else but that she has been the victim of a conservative backlashagainst the felt-truth, aka falsehood, of Americas genetically programed racism? Jake Silverstein, editor of The New York Times Magazine, told his New York Times colleague Katie Robertson that Nikoles journalism, whether shes writing about school segregation or American history, has always been bold, unflinching and dedicated to telling uncomfortable truths that some people just dont want to hear. It doesnt occur to him that some people may not want to hear them not because theyre uncomfortable but because theyre untrue. They feel true and thats good enough for The New York Timeswhich is as much entitled to its feelings as Sinead OConnor is. And to just as much respect for them. Its reporter Amanda Hess has her own felt truth, it seems, when she writes of Sinead OConnor that she is, no matter how hard she tries to fight it, irresistiblewhich suggests that Hess doesnt expect her piece to be read by those belonging to what must be that fairly considerable portion of the human race for whom OConnor is very resistible indeed. And yet it is trueand not just the truth of feelingsto say that the culture has changed, and lots of people have changed with it, since that fateful performance on Saturday Night Live in 1992. Hess mentions this change when she writes that Crazy is a word that does some dirty cultural work. It is a flip way of referencing mental illness, yes. But its also a slippery label that has little to do with how a persons brain works and everything to do with how she is culturally received. Calling someone crazy is the ultimate silencing technique. It robs a person of her very subjectivity. These are deep waters, but the idea of robbing a person of her very subjectivity appears to be just another way of saying that she is entitled to her own truth, the truth she feels, which in turn is another way of saying she is entitled to her own realitywhich is another way of saying shes crazy. Or rather it used to be soback in the days when reality was something we all shared and the New York Times, with some lapses, at least purported to report on that public reality rather than the merely private kind that celebrities like OConnor have since taught us to value more highly Now its those of us who still expect the news to have some remaining tether to objective rather than subjective reality who are the crazy ones. This is the moment that OConnor, on her solitary mountaintop in Ireland, and others more strategically placed for a takeover of the culture have obviously been waiting for. And guess what? We owe it all to Donald Trump. Or, rather, to the excuse the former Presidents candidacy provided to the Times and, subsequently, the rest of the media for shuttering their remaining news operations and going full bore and full time into propaganda. Like crazy, thats a word that used to have pretty unfavorable connotations for everybody; unlike crazy, however, propaganda still has them. This means that the Times and its media followers have to continue to keep up the pretense, at least most of the time, that their propaganda is really something else with the softer name of narrative. And narrative is nothing if it is not another form of felt-truth. Its the truth that you want so much to believe that youll accept any evidence, no matter how flimsy, for believing itand dismiss any evidence, no matter how persuasive, for not believing it. But thats the beauty of felt-truths, as opposed to the old-fashioned kind: they can never be falsified by mere facts. James Bowman is a resident scholar at the Ethics and Public Policy Center. The author of Honor: A History, Bowman is a movie critic for The American Spectator and the media critic for the New Criterion. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. South Carolina Gov. Signs Open Carry Bill Into Law South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster signed a bill into law this week that will make it legal in the state for concealed weapon permit holders to open carry their firearms. McMaster announced on Twitter that he had signed into law the Open Carry with Training Act, which goes into effect on Aug. 15. I will proudly support any legislation that protects or enhances a South Carolinians ability to exercise their 2nd Amendment rights, and thats exactly what this bill does, he wrote. The bill allows open carry of concealable weapons, defined as firearms with a length of fewer than twelve inches, for South Carolinians who undergo training and background checks in due course of obtaining a concealed weapon permit. The measure also waives the $50 concealed weapon permit fee. While the bill lets South Carolina concealed weapon permit holders to open carry their firearms in places of business, it does not restrict the right of businesses to prohibit open or concealed carry in their establishments. Nothing in this section prevents a public or private employer or owner of a business from posting a sign regarding the prohibition or allowance on those premises of concealable weapons, whether concealed or openly carried, which may be unique to that business, the bill states. The bill also allows local authorities to issue temporary restrictions on the open carry of firearms on public property when issuing permits for protests, rallies, festivals, or other organized events. In no event may the restriction extend beyond the beginning and conclusion of the event or beyond the location of the event. The duration of an event may not be scheduled for such a length of time as to frustrate the intent of this section, the bill states. The measure also makes South Carolina a Second Amendment sanctuary state, with provisions indicating that the state cannot be compelled by the federal government to take any legislative or executive action to implement or enforce a federal law, treaty, executive order, rule, or regulation related to an individuals right to keep and bear arms. South Carolinas new law comes after President Joe Biden on April 8 announced a series of new gun control measures via executive action. Gun rights groups including the National Rifle Association and Gun Owners of America have criticized the move. After the South Carolina law goes into effect, only four states will remain with open carry prohibitions. People walk in the beach of Valencia, Spain, on May 9, 2021. (Jose Jordan/AFP via Getty Images) Spain Ready to Welcome UK Tourists From Monday Spain said that non-essential travel from the UK and Japan will be allowed from Monday, as the European Union is expected to decide on whether to add the countries to the blocs safe list. In a press release (pdf) published on Friday, the Spanish Interior Ministry said the two countries will be added to the list of destinations not affected by the temporary restriction of non-essential travel to the EU. The Interior Ministry said that some EU member states had already given the privilege to Japan and the UK and that British tourists play a key role in the Spanish economy. The rule change also noted that the EU is discussing whether to scrap limits on travel into the bloc from the UK and Japan, and that the change is likely to be approved. Speaking at the Fitur tourism fair in Madrid, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said that Spain will be delighted to receive British tourists again into our country from Monday, according to the Spanish newspaper El Pais. However, many UK tourists wont be able to book holidays to Spain yet, as the country is still on the UK governments amber list. Spains neighbor Portugal is currently the only EU destination that is on the UKs green list, and is allowing UK tourists in the country. The UKs cabinet ministers have appealed to the public to be patient and not to go to amber list countries for holidays, as the government adopts a common sense approach instead of legal restrictions. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said that people shouldnt travel to amber list countries except for some extreme circumstance, such as the serious illness of a family member, or an urgent business reason. Theres no law prohibiting people to take a holiday in Spain, but the holidaymaker will have to pay for three CCP virus tests and self-isolate for ten days at home upon returning or face a fine of up to 10,000 ($14,200). As the UK resumed non-essential international travel on Monday, only a handful of countries and territories has been put on the green list of the traffic light system. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps told BBC Radio 4 on Thursday that the government is reviewing its lists every three weeks, and the next review is in the first week of June. In 2019, Britain sent 18 million people to Spain, the most of any country. Tourism is a mainstay of the Spanish economy. The Associated Press contributed to this report. A local resident listens to medical staff before queuing up for the COVID-19 virus testing at the Wanhua District in Taipei, Taiwan, on May 19, 2021. (SAM YEH/AFP via Getty Images) Stricken by Unexpected Surge in COVID-19 Cases, Is Taiwan Losing or Winning? News Analysis After experiencing accelerating tensions and threats from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) for months, Taiwan is now troubled with more unexpected emergent situations, namely its first significant local outbreak of COVID-19. While one commentator in Hong Kong said that the public in Taiwan should watch out for unrestricted warfare waged by the CCP, another former Taiwanese congressional assistant thinks that Taiwan is winning. Sudden Surge in COVID-19 After being looked up to as a role model for its approach for dealing with the CCP virus pandemic, Taiwan suddenly experienced a surge in local cases. As of May 20, there have been 2,825 confirmed cases and 15 deaths. Another 335 new cases were reported on Monday, setting a new record. Taiwanese health authorities said on Monday that nearly all the new cases on that day, 333, were the result of local transmission. Only two cases were identified as overseas arrivals. Taiwan also announced on Monday that from May 19 until June 18, the entry of non-Taiwanese nationals who do not hold a residence permit, including a residence visa, will be suspended. The transit of passengers to Taiwan will also be suspended. In the meantime, Taipei City and New Taipei City have upgraded their epidemic alerts to level 3 from May 15 to 28. Restrictions have been imposed for many activities and industries. Residents are encouraged to stay home, gather less, go out less, and to wear masks whenever they go out. Taiwans stock market suffered a sharp fall of 1,630 points, or 10 percent, last Friday in response to the local transmission. The market plunged a further 3 percent on Monday before bouncing back about 6 percent on Tuesday and hovering at relatively lower levels the past two day. Major Blackouts Local residents queue up for the COVID-19 virus testing at the Wanhua District in Taipei, Taiwan, on May 19, 2021. (SAM YEH/AFP via Getty Images) On Monday and last Thursday, Taiwan experienced two major blackouts within 5 days. During the outage on May 13, around 13 million households across Taiwan were affected. The power outage was blamed on a sudden accident at 2:37 p.m. at the Hsinta Power Plant in Kaohsiung. The accident caused the power plant to go into emergency shut down from 3 p.m., and power supply was not restored until 8 p.m. On May 17, the plant again experienced equipment failure, causing another round of outages for 4.15 million households. Two Smugglings in 5 Days In addition, within five days, two men successfully smuggled themselves to Taiwan in rubber boatsone on April 30 and another on May 4. According to the Kinmen Coastal Patrol, at about 4:50 a.m. on May 4, radar operators found a suspicious light in the sea north of Kinmen and detected a person onboard the irregular operating vessel using infrared. Inspectors then seized from the vessel a 20-year-old man surnamed Jiang from China. The man claimed to be from Guangxi and said he had bought a rubber boat on the Internet and sailed from Xiaodeng Island to Kinmen. I just want to come, the man said of his attempt to enter Taiwan illegally. The Taiwanese authorities are still investigating the mans motives for his smuggling attempt. Five days earlier, on April 30, a mainland man surnamed Zhou also smuggled himself to Taiwan in a military-grade rubber boat with an outboard motor. He claimed that he had set out from Fujian, China. His trip to Taiwan was unhindered, going undetected by both Chinese and Taiwanese navy, sea patrol, and shore patrol. He was only found by Taichung port workers and reported to the police two hours after disembarking. The fact that Zhou could sail to Taiwan without being found or caught has caused concern over Taiwans national security. Yao Cheng, former commander of the CCPs Naval Command, told NTDTVs Focus Talk that he thinks the two smuggling cases are very suspiciousespecially the first one. Yao said that right now, because of the highly tense situation in the Taiwan Strait, both the CCP and Taiwan have increased patrol of their coastlines. As a former navy commander, he could hardly imagine that anyone could leave the Chinese coast and sail to the sea without being caught by the CCPs patrol boats. Also, the first smuggler is from Sichuan province, an inland province. It would be unlikely for him to have experience sailing alone at sea. It is hard to believe that without a compass, he could rely solely on his cell phone to reach Taiwan. Jiang Feng, a popular Chinese language YouTuber who has 753,000 subscribers, said in his show that he suspected the CCP sent the two smugglers to test the water, and to collect hydrology information near the coast of Taiwan, in preparation for a future invasion. Taiwan Winning Despite Beijings Unrestricted War About the series of events, Tony Choi, a commentator in Hong Kong said on his May 13 show that he had received exclusive information that it was highly possible the CCP was waging unrestricted war against Taiwan. He said that during a secret meeting between the CCPs United Front Work Department and the Taiwan Affairs Office, it was suggested that Taiwan should be dealt with and taught with any means possible.Choi warned the Taiwanese government and the public to be vigilant because the CCP has no bottom line. Hsiao-Hui Chao, host of The Truth Talker Economic Forum,, a former Taiwanese congressional assistant, and senior financial reporter, told The Epoch Times that although the CCP has indeed waged unrestricted warfare against Taiwan for many years, Taiwan is still winning. She said that although this wave of COVID-19 outbreaks struck suddenly, the public in Taiwan has demonstrated a high degree of discipline and behaved very rationally. People started to stay home out of their own initiative, and also tried to help one another. The government has been transparent about the situation, and new case numbers are going down numbers peaked on Monday. She believes Taiwan can continue to do well. As to the unrestricted warfare, Chao said that the CCP has been trying hard to infiltrate Taiwan and spread misinformation to divide Taiwan internally. However, in recent years, both the government and the public have become more vigilant, and it is not that easy to confuse Taiwanese people any more. Chao doesnt think the CCP has the ability to invade Taiwan by force. Otherwise, why hasnt the CCP done it already? She thinks that, while the Chinese economy has been declining in recent years and China is actually still suffering from the CCP virus, Taiwan has been rising and is attracting more international investment. Because Taiwan shares the same values as the free world, the United States, European countries, and Japan all feel more comfortable working with Taiwan and buying products made in Taiwan. She also hopes that the U.S. government can be more aggressive in cleaning up the CCPs infiltration of the US, instead of just passively responding to the CCPs expansion. Julia Ye contributed to this report. Students wear masks as they work in a fourth-grade classroom, at Elk Ridge Elementary School in Buckley, Wash., on Feb. 2, 2021. (Ted S. Warren/AP Photo) Sunday School Teacher Arrested After Attending School Board Meeting Without Mask Authorities in New Hampshire arrested a Sunday school teacher who was attending a school board meeting without a mask and was protesting the boards mask mandate, according to attendees and family members. Kate Bossi, the mother of a child, attended the Timberlane Regional School Boards meeting at the districts Performing Arts Center in Plaistow without a mask. You are violating my rights right now. You are remiss, Bossi told police as she was arrested and led out of the building, according to the New Hampshire Union Leader. Come on, Sgt. Porter. You know this is wrong what theyre doing to our kids, another man shouting, the paper reported. Are you seriously doing this you guys. This is law enforcement. Youre not enforcing laws, youre enforcing policy. That doesnt matter, Jackie Wydola, who captured a photo of Bossi being arrested, told the officers. Wydola, the womans daughter, said that before the arrest, her mother didnt really have any interaction with the officer and just walked into the building, and when they realized that she had come into the auditorium they followed her in here. Bossi was the first unmasked person to enter the building during the meeting, Wydola told the Union Leader. When they arrived inside, Chairwoman Kimberly Farah shut down the meeting and said it would be held remotely. I didnt want to jeopardize the health of the staff and the students, Farah said. But Bossi said that she and other unmasked individuals have every right to be here, adding: I get its scary, but that should not dictate our right to be here. Earlier in May, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) relaxed guidance around mask usage indoors and outdoors for people who are vaccinated against COVID-19, saying that unvaccinated people should still wear masks. The head of the agency, Dr. Rochelle Walenksy, also told news outlets that children, who are not vaccinated, should still wear masks inside. Throughout the pandemic, mask-wearing has been a contentious issue. Several states, including Texas this week, have moved to rescind mandatory mask mandates. In recent months, there have been arguments against children wearing masks, saying the face coverings damage kids mental health and ability to develop communications skills. A 10-year-old Florida boy drew headlines after he questioned the need to children to wear masks during a school board meeting, and a mother in Georgia went viral after begging officials to end face mask mandates for kids in schools. The Epoch Times has contacted the Timberlane Regional School Board for comment. Four Dead At Beaver Dam Home, 3 Shot By The Associated Press WESTERN KENTUCKY - Authorities say a fourth body has been found at a western Kentucky home where police were called for a shooting on Wednesday.A statement from Kentucky State Police says officers went to a home near Beaver Dam to find three victims outside the residence with apparent gunshot wounds.They said a structure near the home was ablaze, and a body was found inside it on Thursday morning.Autopsies were scheduled Thursday for the first three victims found.Officials told WFIE-TV that police are not actively looking for a suspect. Suspicious White Powder Sent to Arizonas GOP Senate President Amid Maricopa Audit The Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS) confirmed it visited Republican State Senate President Karen Fanns office on May 19 to investigate reports of a suspicious package with an unidentified substance inside. The state agencys spokesman, Sergeant Jimmy Chavez, said DPS responded to the Arizona State Senate in response to a suspicious package call. The package was then taken by the agencys hazardous materials union before it was submitted to the state crime lab to investigate its contents. Mike Philipsen, a spokesman for the state Senate GOP, told media outlets that an assistant to Fann opened a letter addressed to her, adding that a small amount of substance was observed from the mailing. Out of an abundance of caution, the assistant contacted the Department of Public Safety, and its hazmat team was alerted, he said. State Sen. Warren Petersen, a Republican who chairs the state Senate judiciary panel, wrote on Twitter that someone sent an unidentified white powder to [Fanns] office, before he condemned the incident. The personal attacks on [Fann] by some media and others [are] truly disturbing. If you dont agree with the policy, disagree with it but no need to attack her personally, he wrote. Secretary of State Katie Hobbs, a Democrat who opposes the Senate-approved audit of Maricopa Countys Nov. 3 election results, similarly condemned the incident by saying its not OK, stating in reference to Fann, I hope you, your family, and your staff are staying safe. Neither Philipsen nor Chavez released any other details about the contents of the package. The Epoch Times has contacted a spokesman for Arizona Senate Republicans and Fanns office for comment. The incident occurred in the midst of a state Senate-approved ballot audit of more than 2 million votes cast in Maricopa County during last years federal elections. Republicans and their hired auditors, including Cyber Ninjas, have faced criticism from Hobbs and other officials, including Department of Justice personnel, who have claimed theyre mishandling voting machines and ballots during the audit. The auditors, however, have repeatedly said theyre following strict protocols in the handling of the equipment and ballots. White powder being sent to public officials has a dark history. In September 2001, letters with a mysterious white powder inside were sent to politicians and media members several days after the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11. The powder was later found to contain anthrax, a deadly bacteria. Since then, there have been a number of scares and hoaxes involving white powder being mailed to officials. In 2019, a Massachusetts man was sentenced to five years of probation after he admitted to mailing threatening letters to members of President Donald Trumps family, including his sons. Zachary Stieber contributed to this report. Texas Senate Passes Statewide Ban on Homeless Camps Texas GOP-led Senate passed a statewide ban on homeless encampments throughout the state that would also bar the use of public parks to provide a temporary shelter for homeless people. The ban appears to be directed at the state capitol, Austin. Under the measure, people cant camp in a public area unless they are authorized to do so. Authorized camping is for recreational purposes or if the property was approved for sheltering people who are homeless. Those who violate the law will face a misdemeanor charge punishable by a fine of up to $500, according to the legislation. The House approved the measure earlier in May, but the Senate passed the bill with two amendments and sent the final draft of the bill back to the House. The bill directs police to advise campers where they can legally stay and would tell counties and cities to direct campers towards diversion programs, said Republican State Sen. Dawn Buckingham. I hope you will join me in taking this important first step in ending this homelessness crisis, Buckingham told senators on the floor, according to the Austin American-Statesman. Buckingham also noted that those who would face penalties would have to have a shelter and you have to have those other signs of planning on living there for a while. The bill was amended after the City of Austin presented a proposal that listed 18 city parks as possible areas for homeless camps. Setting up a fence in a park and allowing one to set up their tent is not the humane answer solving homelessness, she said. That still leaves these folks vulnerable and is another way the city of Austin is trying to ignore [the] will of voters and this bill. During a May 1 ballot, voters in Austin authorized Proposition B to reinstate a ban on using parks for homeless camps. State Sen. Sarah Eckhardt, a Democrat, said the bill would not address homelessness in Texas. I understand the desire of this body to send a strong message to the city of Austin, Eckhardt said, according to the Texas Tribune. I will not defend the city of Austin for lifting a camping ban without a plan, because it did not help these poor people find their way to a home. But also I cannot support a statewide camping ban that does very little to help these poor people find their way to a home. Robert F. Babyok, Jr. (C), chairman of Louisa County board of supervisors, and local resident hold the resolution condemning forced organ harvesting in China, in Louisa County, Va., on May. 17, 2021. (Sherry Dong/The Epoch Times) 13th Virginia County Condemns Beijings Intolerable Forced Organ Harvesting Three more Virginia counties adopted resolutions in May condemning the forced organ harvesting perpetrated by the Chinese Communist regime. Since last year, officials from 13 Virginia counties have adopted resolutions against Beijings forced organ harvesting practices. In May, three counties of Virginia, including Caroline, Culpeper, and Louisa, had taken a stance against the issue. We want to make sure this message gets out because we feel its important, said Robert F. Babyok, Jr., chairman of Louisa County board of supervisors. All Americans should be aware of this travesty thats happening in China. Residents are called to be fully informed of the organ source in China as there has been little media coverage of this problem, said the statement intended to curb organ transplant tourism to China. This is one step closer to maybe giving an answer to China and saying, Hey, enough is enough,' Jack Frazier, one of the Board of Supervisors in Culpeper County, said in an interview with The Epoch Times. Jack Frazier, of the Culpeper County Board of Supervisors in Virginia, speaks at a board meeting on organ harvesting resolution on May 4, 2021. (Sherry Dong/The Epoch Times) Its just something that should not be happening. When you really look at it, its murder, he said. Thats the only way that you can look at it. I mean, you cannot take peoples organs and, you know, remove them from their bodies. Allegations of Chinas removing vital organs from prisoners, who died in the process, for transplant surgery first surfaced in 2006, and based on over 18 different kinds of evidence. More evidence was then presented in extensive reports, including a judgment by an independent tribunal chaired by Sir Geoffrey Nice, who previously led the prosecution of former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic for war crimes. The London-based China Tribunal concluded in January 2019 that forced organ harvesting had taken place in China for years on a significant scale, with Falun Gong practitioners being the principal source of human organs. Falun Gong, a spiritual practice, consists of meditative exercises and moral teachings centered on truthfulness, compassion, and forbearance. Twenty-two years ago, the Chinese communist regime launched a campaign to eradicate Falun Gong, and subjected more than 70 million adherents to harassment, detention, forced labor, torture, and forced organ harvesting. The independent tribunals report mentioned that other minority groups such as Uyghurs, Tibetan Buddhists, and house church Christians are also subject to the abuse. In the strongest possible terms, the Louisa County Board of Supervisors condemn the persecution of Falun Gong and the state-sponsored organ harvesting of all prisoners of conscience currently being carried out by the Chinese Communist regime. In the Epoch Times interview on May 13, Babyok said he hoped that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) would stop these intolerable, horrible procedures. It definitely is a good approach, said Babyok, speaking about the sanction against a CCP official announced a day before, but it is maybe the first step in a long road. He expects there could be actual enforcement, not just sanctions, to stop the crime eventually. On May 12, the State Department announced the sanction against Yu Hui, a former director of the agency tasked explicitly with persecuting Falun Gong in Chengdu city. The legislation reintroduced in the Senate and the House may shed light on the issue. In early March, U.S. lawmakers reintroduced legislation to stop Chinas state-sanctioned practice of forced organ harvesting from prisoners of conscience. If enacted, the measure would authorize the U.S. government to deny or revoke passports for people who engage in the illegal purchase of organs. For years, there have been a number of congressional hearings and resolutions condemning forced organ harvesting. Texas Senate lawmakers unanimously passed a resolution in April condemning the Chinese regimes forced organ harvesting and urging the United States to take a more aggressive stance on the issue. Eva Fu and Sherry Dong contributed to this report. President Donald Trump arrives on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 24, 2017. (Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times) Trump Criticizes Weak Republicans for Not Talking About Arizona Election Audit Republicans across the country should be talking about the 2020 election audit happening in Arizonas largest county, former President Donald Trump asserted in a new interview. Thats all people ask me. They say whats going on in Arizona? They want to talk about the election fraud. The weak Republicans dont want to talk about it. The weak or stupid or RINOs [Republican in name only], call them whatever you want, and yet the Republican voter, thats what they want to hear, Trump told One America News in an interview that first aired late Thursday. They want to hear about 2020. They want to find out, is that something that should be turned over? When they rob a jewelry store of all the diamonds and they get caught, you have to return the diamonds. They want to find out whats going on. The Republican voter wants the story. The weak Republican politician doesnt want to talk about this story because they think its bad politically, Trump said. The former president disagrees. I think its great politically, he said. An audit team hired by the Arizona Senate last month began reviewing nearly 2.1 million ballots cast in the 2020 presidential election in Maricopa County, along with machines used to conduct the election. The Arizona Republican Party has vocally supported the audit, but on a national level few GOP lawmakers have mentioned it, apart from Reps. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) and Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.). Maricopa County ballots cast in the 2020 general election are examined and recounted by contractors working for Florida-based company, Cyber Ninjas, at Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Phoenix, Ariz., on May 6, 2021. (Matt York/AP Photo/Pool) Trump singled out Sen. Mitch McConnell, the Republican leader in the U.S. Senate, alleging that if McConnell had focused more on election integrity, Trump would have won a second term in office. Other than fundraising, hes really weak, Trump alleged. McConnells office did not immediately return a request for comment. Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.), before she was voted in to replace Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) as the House of Representatives Republican Conference chair, did mention the audit in an interview last week. I support that audit, Stefanik said. Transparency is good for the American people. And again, this should be a nonpartisan issue, whether you are Republican, Democrat, independent, or conservative, transparency is important, and the audit was passed by the Arizona state Senate, she added later. Democrats have vociferously opposed the Arizona audit, accusing auditors of failing to implement property security measures. A bid by the Arizona Democrat Party to stop the audit failed in court. The Department of Justice has also raised concerns, claiming that ballots and machines were not being adequately safeguarded by contractors at an insecure facility, and are at risk of being lost, stolen, altered, compromised, or destroyed. Auditors challenged those claims, asserting there is 24-hour armed security and a slew of other measures in place. The audit is on hold this week because high school graduations are taking place at Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Phoenix, where the review is being conducted. Auditors plan to resume their work on May 24. Correction: A previous version of this article listed the wrong state for Rep. Stefanik. She represents a district in New York. The Epoch Times regrets the error. Trump to Hold Rallies in Four States Soon Former President Donald Trump plans to hold rallies in a handful of states, he said in a newly released interview. Trump, who has teased future rallies since leaving office, told One America News that he will hold some relatively soon. Well be doing one in Florida, were going to do one in Ohio, were going to do one in Georgia, were going to do one in North Carolina, Trump said in the interview, which was broadcast on Thursday. Well be announcing them very soon, over the next week or two. I think well probably start in Florida and Ohio and well be announcing the rallies very shortly, he added. The rallies Trump held after announcing his candidacy in 2015, and after becoming president, have attracted large crowds, sometimes numbering in the tens of thousands. Trump left office on Jan. 20 and has not held a rally since becoming a private citizen again. Jason Miller, a Trump adviser, told Axios previously that the rallies were likely to start as soon as late spring or early summer. Trump has been giving interviews and releasing statements in recent months, primarily criticizing President Joe Biden and Republicans he feels are not properly opposing proposals from Biden and other Democrats. Trump told One America News that people keep asking him about the ongoing 2020 election audit in Maricopa County, Arizona. While many GOP lawmakers are not talking about it, the Republican voter, thats what they want to hear, he said. The Republican voter wants the story. The weak Republican politician doesnt want to talk about this story because they think its bad politically. I think its great politically, I mean look, maybe Ill be wrong, but right now it looks like my poll numbers are higher than theyve ever been, he added. Trumps next appearance may be in early June. He is slated to speak at the North Carolina Republican Partys 2021 State Convention on June 5. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii) addresses the crowd at the Blue Jamboree in North Charleston, S.C., on Oct. 5, 2019. (Brian Blanco/Getty Images) Tulsi Gabbard Demands Chicago Mayor Resign for Blatant Anti-White Racism Former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard accused Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot of blatant anti-white racism Friday for only granting one-on-one interviews to black and brown reporters. Mayor Lightfoots blatant anti-white racism is abhorrent, Gabbard, a fellow Democrat, said. I call upon President Biden, Kamala Harris, and other leaders of our countyof all racesto join me in calling for Mayor Lightfoots resignation. Our leaders must condemn all racism, including anti-white, Gabbard, who is Samoan, added. The Chicago mayor did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Daily Caller News Foundation. Lightfoot announced earlier this week that she is prioritizing media requests from POC reporters as she commemorates the occasion of the two-year anniversary of my inauguration as mayor of this great city. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot speaks during a press outside of Wrigley Field in Chicago, Ill., on April 16, 2020. (Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) This is an imbalance that needs to change, Lightfoot tweeted. Chicago is a world-class city. Our local media should reflect the multiple cultures that comprise it. We must be intentional about doing better, she continued. I believed that when running for office. I stand on this belief now. Its time for the newsrooms to do better and build teams that reflect the make-up of our city. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the DCNF regarding Gabbards call for President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris to condemn Lightfoots blatant anti-white racism. By Mary Margaret Olohan From The Daily Caller News Foundation Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of our original content, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org. U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, the former Federal Reserve chair, holds a news conference after a two-day Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 13, 2017. (Jonathan Ernst/Reuters) US Floats 15 Percent Global Corporate Tax as Floor From Which It Hopes to Push for Higher Rate As part of its international tax negotiations, the Treasury Department on Thursday offered to accept a global minimum corporate tax of at least 15 percent, calling it a floor from which it hopes ambitious discussions will push that rate higher. Treasury made the announcement in a Thursday release, which came after two days of meetings as part of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) / G20 steering group on tax base erosion and profit shifting. As part of those meetings, discussions on the global corporate minimum tax rate began in earnest, Treasury said, adding that leaders from the Office of Tax Policy at Treasury pressed the point to steering group members that, a global corporate minimum tax rate would ensure the global economy thrives based on a more level playing field in the taxation of multinational corporations, and would spur innovation, growth, and prosperity while improving fairness for middle class and working people. Treasury negotiators further argued that, with the global corporate minimum tax functionally set at zero today, there has been a race to the bottom on corporate taxes, undermining the United States and other countries ability to raise the revenue needed to make critical investments. Earlier Treasury proposals were for a 21 percent global minimum corporate tax rate, a significantly higher level than the 15 percent it pitched to steering group members. Treasury underscored that 15 [percent] is a floor and that discussions should continue to be ambitious and push that rate higher, Treasury said, adding that it was heartened by the positive reception to its proposals and the unprecedented progress being made towards establishing a global corporate minimum tax. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen first proposed a 21 percent global corporate minimum tax rate on U.S. multinationals in April as part of President Joe Bidens $2.2 trillion infrastructure spending proposal, which would be financed largely by increasing the domestic U.S. corporate tax rate to 28 percent. The Trump administration and congressional Republicans in 2017 cut the corporate tax rate to 21 percent from 35 percent. At the same time, Treasury launched a U.S. minimum tax of 10.5 percent, known as the Global Intangible Low-Taxed Income tax (GILTI) to capture revenue shifted by companies to tax-haven countries. The Biden administrations proposed 21 percent GILTI rate was widely viewed as a starting point for renewed OECD talks on a global minimum tax. While France and Germany backed the 21 percent, other countries have pushed for a lower rate, as previous OECD discussions on the subject had centered around 12.5 percent, the same rate charged by Ireland. French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said that the latest U.S. proposal could be a good compromise while his German counterpart Olaf Scholz welcomed it as big progress. They both insisted, however, that talks should be wrapped up as planned by a July meeting of G20 finance ministers, amid suggestions from the OECD that it could take until October to finalize a deal. The Biden administrations efforts for the adoption of a global corporate minimum tax rate is a bid to at least partially counteract any disadvantages that might arise from the presidents proposal to raise the U.S. corporate tax rate to 28 percent, a move panned by Republicans and business groups as hurting the competitiveness of U.S. companies and slowing wage growth. Some economists have voiced skepticism over the Biden administrations push for a global minimum tax rate for corporations, saying not only will it frustrate the free market, but it will see little support from foreign governments. At the end of the day, any international agreement is essentially toothless due to the existence of national sovereignty, Gigi Foster, professor of economics at the University of New South Wales (NSW) told The Epoch Times. The incentive for individual countries to offer appealing tax treatment will remain, no matter how strong the international pressure on a country to conform to some nominated standard, she added. Daniel Teng and Reuters contributed to this report. A member of Houthi forces fires on alleged Saudi positions during an attack near the border with Saudi Arabia's southern region of Najran in Yemen, in this still image taken from video on Sept. 29, 2019. (Al Masirah/Houthi Military Media Center/Reuters TV via Reuters) US Sanctions Houthi Military Leaders as Peace Efforts Stall DUBAIThe United States on Thursday imposed sanctions on two Houthi military officials, the U.S. Treasury Department said, taking action over the Iran-aligned movements offensive to seize Yemens gas-rich Marib region. U.S. Special Envoy on Yemen Tim Lenderking earlier on Thursday urged the group battling a Saudi-led coalition for over six years to de-escalate and engage seriously with United States and U.N. efforts for a ceasefire needed to end the war, a top foreign policy priority for the Biden administration. He also urged the Saudi-led military alliance to remove restrictions on all Yemeni ports and airports to ease what the United Nations says is the worlds largest humanitarian crisis. The Houthis are not winning in Marib. Instead they are putting a great deal of stress on an already very fragile humanitarian situation, they are putting the lives of 1 million internally displaced people in danger, Lenderking said. He said the United States would impose sanctions on the head of the general staff leading the Houthis Marib offensive, Muhammad Abd Al-Karim al-Ghamari, and on a leader of Houthi forces assigned to the advance, Yusuf al-Madani. The Treasury in a statement announcing the sanctions accused al-Ghamari of prolonging the war and orchestrating attacks that have harmed civilians. The U.S. State Department also blacklisted al-Madani as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT). Houthi supporters hold up their weapons during a demonstration against the United States decision to designate the Houthis as a foreign terrorist organization, in Sanaa, Yemen, on Jan. 20, 2021. (Khaled Abdullah/Reuters) If there were no offensive, if there were commitment to peace, if the parties are all showing up to deal constructively with the U.N. envoy there would be no need for designations, Lenderking told a virtual media briefing. Riyadh in March proposed a nationwide truce and reopening of air and sea links to Houthi-held areas to help end a conflict widely seen as a proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran. But the Houthis have insisted that restrictions be lifted on Hodeidah port, the main entry of Yemens commercial and aid imports, and Sanaa airport before any ceasefire talks. The group has also repeatedly launched cross-border missile and drone attacks on Saudi cities, prompting the coalition to respond with air strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen. Lenderking welcomed direct talks between Saudi Arabia and Iran but said he has not yet seen positive Iranian engagement to end the Yemen conflict, which has killed tens of thousands of people and left millions facing famine. I do think this is potentially a constructive engagement and we wish both parties success because it will be not only good for overall tensions in the region but there should be positive impact on the Yemen conflict in particular, he said. The envoy said Washington wants a long-term solution beyond a ceasefire and urged Tehran to support peace talks. By Aziz El Yaakoubi Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks at a news conference to announce the annual International Religious Freedom Report at the State Department in Washington, on May 12, 2021. (Andrew Harnik/Pool/AFP via Getty Images) US Secretary of State to Meet Israeli, Palestinian Leaders Following Ceasefire Secretary of State Antony Blinken is planning to meet Israeli and Palestinian leaders to discuss recovery efforts following the recent ceasefire agreement, the department said in a statement. The news comes after the announcement that Israel and the Hamas terrorist group had entered into a mutual ceasefire agreement to end an 11-day conflict that started when Hamas launched rockets into Israel over a court case to evict several Palestinian families in East Jerusalem that triggered riots. The State Department spokesperson Ned Price said on Thursday evening that Blinken received confirmation from his counterpart in Israel that the parties had agreed to a ceasefire. Both leaders expressed their appreciation for Egypts mediation efforts, and the Secretary noted that he would continue to remain in close touch with his Egyptian counterpart and other regional stakeholders, the statement said. Price also said that Israeli Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi welcomed the news of Blinkens planned travel to the region, which will consist of a meeting with Israeli, Palestinian, and regional leaders to discuss recovery efforts and working together to build better futures for Israelis and Palestinians. The State Departments announcement also comes after President Joe Biden earlier on Thursday evening pledged to provide support to Israelis and Palestinians. The United States will replenish Israels Iron Dome missile defense system, which helped destroy Hamas rockets fired into the Jewish nation, and provide humanitarian relief for the people of Gaza and Gaza reconstruction efforts. I believe the Palestinians and Israelis equally deserve to live safely and securely and enjoy equal measures of freedom, prosperity and democracy, Biden said during a press conference. My administration will continue our quiet, relentless diplomacy toward that end, I believe we have a genuine opportunity to make progress and Im committed to working for it. The U.S. president commended the efforts for peace while also reiterating his support for Israels right to defend itself and the Jews and Arabs living within its borders from missile attacks from terrorist groups. Amid the conflict, Hamas fired more than 4,000 rockets into Israeli civilian areas beginning on May 10. Israel responded with hundreds of airstrikes and several ground strikes to take down the offending and supporting Hamas infrastructure. Netanyahu previously said in a statement to media that Israels operations were aimed at eliminating terrorist groups that threatened the safety of Israelis and to restore quiet and security to you, the citizens of Israel. U.N. Coordinator for the Palestinians on May 18 said that terrorists in Gaza had attacked trucks attempting to deliver humanitarian aid to the Hamas controlled territories. She said the actions by the Palestinian militant groups were unacceptable and that the United Nations would try to deliver more aid for Palestinians the next day. Hundreds of demonstrators marched near Papua's biggest city of Jayapura on August 29, 2019, where they set fire to a regional assembly building and hurled rocks at shops and hotels. (Cleine/AFP via Getty Images) West Papua Claims Responsibility for Death of Two Indonesian Soldiers The West Papua Liberation Army has claimed responsibility for the death of two Indonesian soldiers amid increasing tensions between Indonesia and Papuan separatists. This comes just weeks after the Indonesian government designated Papuan independence fighters and members of the Free Papua Movement (OPM) as terrorists, following the killing of the provinces intelligence chief by rebel groups in late April. According to the West Papua Liberation Army, a third Indonesian soldier was injured in the attack, following claims that Papuan separatists stole the soldiers guns, reported RNZ news. Indonesias Chief Security Minister Mahfud MD said rebel groups killed two patrolling soldiers in Dekai district in Yahukimo regency on May 18. The attack shows that the terrorist groups continue to commit violence in Papua, Mahfud told a Jakarta press conference the following day. The [Indonesian] government is committed to completely quell the groups in Papua. At least three soldiers and nine rebels have died in military and police attacks, including the death of Papuan separatist commander Lesman Waker, who Indonesian soldiers killed on May 14. Walker was killed near one of his groups hideouts. The scene of the shooting was around the village of Wuloni, which is suspected of being one of the hiding places of the Lekagak Talenggeng terrorist group, police said in a statement on May 13. Wakers group has been accused of killing the said intelligence agency officer, Brigadier General Putu Dani, who headed agency operations in the region. Indonesia has since deployed 400 soldiers following Indonesias President Joko Widodos crackdown. Indonesias chief security minister, Mahfud, said the designation of Papuan separatist groups terrorists was aimed at those pushing for the separation of the Indonesian provinces of Papua and West Papua, reported the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). The government see any Papuan organisations or people committing massive violence can be categorised as terrorists, Mahfud said. Terrorism is any action that uses violence or threats of violence to create an atmosphere of terror or widespread fear that can cause mass casualties or cause damage or destruction. Under Indonesias counter-terrorism laws, authorities have enhanced powers, including holding suspects for several weeks without formal charges. Papuan separatists have pushed for independence in the former Dutch colony for decades, saying a 1969 vote overseen by the United Nations that brought the region under Indonesian control was illegitimate. Indonesia rejects that. Last week, authorities arrested Papuan independence leader Victor Yeimo over accusations that he orchestrated some of the most serious civil unrest in decades that broke out in 2019. Reuters contributed to this report. Kentucky Gets Grant For 988 Suicide Hotline By West Kentucky Star Staff FRANKFORT - Kentucky has received $340,000 in grant funding to assist with planning and logistics for the nationwide transition to a simplified behavioral health crisis line known as 988.Vibrant Emotional Health, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline nonprofit administrator, awarded the funding.In July of 2022, the new 988 hotline will become the national dialing code for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, replacing the current phone number of 1-800-273-TALK (8255).The Department for Behavioral Health, Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities, Kentucky's 988 grant recipient, will collaborate with state leadership, suicide prevention experts, and people with lived experience to create a 988 implementation plan and support Lifeline's operational, clinical, and performance standards.On the Net: Smoke rises following an Israeli strike in Gaza as seen from the Israel Gaza Border, southern Israel, on Nov. 17, 2012. (Ariel Schalit/AP Photo) What Role Does China Play in the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict? Commentary Israel and Hamas were engaged in a military conflict this month. While the international community wants to restore peace through diplomatic mediations, China, which happens to hold the rotating presidency of the United Nations Security Council for May, has not condemned the violence. The Communist regimes motive is questionable. After a confrontation between Palestinians and Israeli police at the Al-Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem on May 7, Hamas began firing a large number of rockets at Israel. Subsequently, Israel launched an airstrike targeting senior Hamas leaders. The conflict began with the incident at the mosque, but Hamas provoked the first military strike. Speaking for the first time since the violence erupted, U.S. President Joe Biden on May 12 expressed hope that the military conflict would end as soon as possible, but also stated that Israel has a right to defend itself. The Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Israel and Palestine also went to the Middle East as a special envoy to mediate the conflict. Western Countries Condemn the Violence The U.N.s Middle East peace envoy Tor Wennesland on May 11 warned the cost of war in Gaza is devastating and tweeted, Stop the fire immediately. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stated on May 12 that we need to see a cessation of the violence and attacks, and the rocket attacks from Hamas are absolutely unacceptable. On May 12, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson urged Israel and the Palestinians to step back from the brink and called for both sides to show restraint. British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab tweeted on May 16: The UK condemns Hamass attacks on civilians, and affirms Israels right to self-defence and All sides must avoid civilian casualties. Raab said he has spoken about the violence with Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh. French President Emmanuel Macron spoke with the President of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, on May 13 and strongly condemned the rocket launches against Israeli territory by Hamas and other terrorist groups. Meanwhile, Paris also restricted pro-Palestinian rallies to prevent serious disturbances to public order. German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas blamed Hamas for the violence and said there would be zero tolerance for attacks on synagogues in our country, according to an interview with Funke media group on May 13. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said at a press conference on May 13, We believe that Israelis and Palestinians deserve equal measures of freedom, security, dignity, and prosperity. That recognition will continue to drive our approach. Blinken stressed, Israel has a right to defend itself from these rocket attacks and the fundamental difference between a terrorist organization in Hamas that is indiscriminately targeting civilians and Israel, which is defending itself and going after those that are attacking it. Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks at a news conference to announce the annual International Religious Freedom Report at the State Department in Washington, on May 12, 2021. (Andrew Harnik/Pool/AFP via Getty Images) In a call to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on May 17, President Biden expressed support for a cease-fire between Israel and Gazas militant Hamas rulers. According to the White House statement, Biden encouraged Israel to make every effort to ensure the protection of innocent civilians, while expressing support for Israel. Meanwhile, diplomats from Arab countries also aimed at restoring peace through diplomatic efforts. Beijings Response On May 7, when the Israeli-Palestinian mosque conflict took place, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi chaired the U.N. Security Council meeting and once again talked about multilateralism. He said that international rules are not a patent or a privilege of a few. Wang touted, This year marks the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China. We stand ready to work with all parties to bring multilateralism and the U.N. forward from a new starting point and jointly build a community with a shared future for mankind. After the IsraeliPalestinian military conflict broke out, the U.N. Security Council held a closed-door meeting on May 11, but did not issue a statement. It was probably due to a lack of consensus. While various countries were busy mediating diplomatically to de-escalate tension in Gaza, Wang, on the other hand, was busy meeting with the foreign ministers of the five Central Asian countries on May 12. Three days later, Wang had a phone call with the Pakistani foreign minister. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) didnt do anything to stop the IsraeliPalestinian conflict, nor did it really care about the victims of the missile strikes. Instead, it took the opportunity to criticize the United States and its allies. On May 14, Chinas state-run media Xinhua News published a report headlined The Foreign Ministry Warns the US: The Lives of Palestinian Muslims are Equally Precious. Xinhua quoted the foreign ministry spokesperson as saying that the United States, together with a handful of its allies like the UK and Germany has put on a political farce by holding Xinjiang-related issues falsely in the name of the United Nations and the United States should know that the lives of Palestinian Muslims are equally precious. A ball of fire erupts from the Jala Tower as it is destroyed in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City, controlled by the Palestinian Hamas terrorists, on May 15, 2020. (Mahmud Hams/AFP via Getty Images) The CCP did not condemn the rocket attacks provoked by Hamas, nor did it mention the deaths and injuries of the Israelis. The CCP does not believe that Israel has the right to defend itself. In a bid to take the focus away from the ongoing human rights abuses in Xinjiang, Beijing wanted to send the message that the lives of the Palestinian Muslims matter too. This is an indirect statement of the CCPs support for the Hamas terrorist organization. The answer to the question as to why a consensus was hard to reach after two U.N. emergency meetings on the issue should now be clear. As the rotating president of the Security Council in May, China first openly competed for hegemony in the U.N. meetings, but did nothing in the face of the IsraeliPalestinian conflict. It is a clear indication that Beijing seriously lacks the ability to communicate with other countries, and that it doesnt abide by the rules of fairness and justice. A global effort to de-escalate tension in the IsraeliPalestinian conflict was exploited by the CCP, which became a battlefield of its fight against the United States and Western democratic countries. The CCPs Possible Role Behind the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict The CCPs statement has repeatedly revealed its support for Hamas. Over the years, Hamas has frequently carried out armed attacks on Israel, including suicide bombings. It is regarded as a terrorist organization by Israel and Western countries. The CCP never condemned Hamas for launching rocket attacks first, but claimed that it will continue to firmly support the Palestinian people. Israel and Palestine have been in conflict for a long time, and the CCP has been repeating similar statements. There are media reports that claim Hamas rockets were provided by China. In one incident in December 2008, Hamas fired 60 rockets at Israel and Israeli security forces claimed they used Chinese-made long-range missiles. Such performance and quality are in line with the current state of the Chinese regimes weaponry and technology. While most countries hope that the IsraeliPalestinian conflict will calm down, the CCP is actually encouraging Hamas to continue its fight. Hamas took the lead in this attack, which is unprecedented in scale and intensity. I highly suspect that the CCP is behind the scenes. On the surface, the CCP is confronting the United States. However, it is aware of its lack of concrete strength. Thats why when the U.S. military is preparing to withdraw from the Middle East while strengthening its deployment in the Indo-Pacific region, it is naturally nerve-wracking for the CCP. Previously, the CCP could have counted on Russia for relief when Vladimir Putin had troops on the Ukrainian border. But the quick withdrawal of the Russian troops put the CCP back to the forefront of confronting the United States alone again, not to mention that the U.S. and Russian leaders are about to hold a summit in June. The CCP could have also counted on Iran to cause disturbance in the Middle East, but the United States and Iran are negotiating. If Iran gets a good bargaining chip, it is naturally willing to reach an agreement with the United States, which will fail the CCPs calculations. As for North Korea, Chinas little brother, it has also been quiet these days since the United States also extended an olive branch to Kim Jong-uns regime. The Chinese regimes attitude toward the IsraeliPalestinian conflict reveals its true intent to escalate the tensions in Gaza. The CCPs purpose is to shift international focus away from the tensions in the Indo-Pacific region and the South China Sea. I believe that behind all the conflicts in which Hamas initiated the strikes against Israel, the CCP was its major pushing hand. Yang Wei has been closely following China affairs for many years. He has been contributing political commentary on China for the Chinese language Epoch Times since 2019. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. What Successful Diplomacy Looks Like Commentary The experts told us the Middle East would explode in December 2017, after President Donald Trump recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. The experts similarly predicted catastrophe 15 months later, when the Trump administration recognized Israels sovereignty over the Golan Heights, a strategic region on Israels northern border previously controlled by Syria. And yet, each time life continued in the region as it had before. There were some protests and a few isolated instances of violence, but thats it. Journalists, commentators, the diplomatic establishmentthey were all wrong. So too was the prevailing conventional wisdom, which had dictated Washington groupthink for decades. In fact, rather than spur chaos, the Trump administrations staunch support for Israel, tough posture toward the Palestinians, and campaign of maximum pressure against Iran actually yielded Arab-Israeli peace in the form of the Abraham Accords. But with President Joe Biden in the White House distancing from Israel and engaging the Palestinians and the murderous regime in Iran, were witnessing massive violence in the Middle East. Palestinians are rioting in East Jerusalem, chanting bomb Tel Aviv, while Hamas fires rockets from Gaza into Israel, targeting civilians. On this May 16 episode of my podcast, Newts World I speak with one of the people most responsible for the Abraham Accords: Mike Pompeo. As secretary of state under President Trump, Pompeo led Americas diplomatic push in the Middle East. In our conversation, he recounts the thinking behind the administrations approach to the Middle Eastvaluable insights for today, as America pursues the exact opposite policies, and the region experiences a new round of violence. Of course, Pompeo had remarkable success as our countrys top diplomat beyond the Middle East. He helped moved the global consensus to recognize that the Chinese Communist Party poses the greatest threat to the West. He also prioritized religious freedom and went to extraordinary lengths to fight for people to worship God on their own terms, not as dictated by the government. Moreover, Pompeo had astonishing success in securing the release of dozens of American hostages across the world, including from Iran, Turkey, and North Korea. It was especially striking to hear him detail the emotional experience of bringing home the last three Americans being held in North Korea. Of course, Pompeo didnt just serve as secretary of state. He also served as director of the CIA and, before then, as a member of Congress from Kansas. With such credentials, Pompeo is able to speak on a wide array of issues, including the CIAs troubling push to become more woke and the Democrats bid to federalize national elections and entrench themselves in power permanently through H.R. 1. He, like most Americans, recognizes the dangers of big government and the creeping authoritarianism weve seen domestically. The Trump administration recognized the same thing. But the Biden administration believes the exact opposite: that we need more government control at home and less American leadership abroad. This is a disastrous formula that, if it continues, will damage Americaand our alliesfor years to come. From Gingrich360.com. Newt Gingrich, a Republican, served as House speaker from 1995 to 1999 and ran as a presidential candidate in 2012. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. White Farmer Sues Over Racially Discriminatory Stimulus Program A white Florida farmer is challenging part of the recent COVID-19 stimulus law in federal court because it hands out federal benefits based on the color of a farmers skin. The civil rights lawsuit, Wynn v. Vilsack, was filed in federal court in Florida on May 18 by the Sacramento, California-based Pacific Legal Foundation (PLF), a national public interest law firm. Tom Vilsack is being sued in his official capacity as U.S. Secretary of Agriculture. The plaintiff, Scott Wynn, is a white man who has been producing sweet potatoes, corn, soybeans, peanuts, and cattle on his own farm in Jennings, Florida, since 2006. Like many farmers, Wynn has suffered economic harm as a result of the CCP virus, which causes the disease COVID-19. A steep drop in beef prices and difficulty in finding farm workers reduced his income over the past year, nearly all of which went toward repaying federal farm loans. Signed into law March 11, the American Rescue Plan Act, Public Law 117-2, allows the federal government to distribute $1.9 trillion in federal funds. Section 1005 of the act directs the secretary to provide a payment in an amount up to 120 percent of the outstanding indebtedness of each socially disadvantaged farmer or rancher as of January 1, 2021. Section 1005 assumes farmers and ranchers are socially disadvantaged for no other reason than their membership in a racial group, and categorically excludes other farmers and ranchers from loan assistance if they do not belong in a socially disadvantaged racial group, according to the legal complaint. The program allegedly violates the Fifth Amendments due process clause, which requires the U.S. government to practice equal protection. Farmers and ranchers who are black, American Indian/Alaska Native, Hispanic, Asian, and Hawaiian/Pacific Islander are eligible for loan assistance regardless of whether they have suffered any racial discrimination in obtaining farm loans, farming, or elsewhere and regardless of their present economic circumstances. PLF attorney Glenn Roper told The Epoch Times in an interview that the program, which he described as racially discriminatory, is unconstitutional. Whenever government is involved in making racial distinctions and drawing lines, distributing benefits, or imposing burdens on the basis of an immutable characteristic, thats dangerous and, in our view, unconstitutional, Roper said. Supreme Court has held that if government is making racial distinctions, it needs to pass what is called strict scrutiny, which is the most rigorous sort of evaluation that the courts do. You have to have a compelling governmental interest in making racial distinctions, and then it has to be narrowly tailored so it is the most restrictive application to get at that compelling interest, and in our view, it doesnt meet either of those tests. The program brings to mind an earlier program administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that led to a class-action lawsuit known as Pigford v. Glickman, which was settled in 1999. Black farmers claimed they were discriminated against by the agencys allocation of farm loans and assistance. The government agreed to pay $50,000 to black claimants who said the USDA loan administrators discriminated against them. The proof required was minimal, critics said, which led to fraud. In 2010, Congress appropriated $1.2 billion for claims that were filed late, in addition to the estimated $1 billion already paid out. Critics said the Obama administration dispensed settlement funds using even looser evidentiary standards than those that applied in the original settlement. The program in the American Rescue Plan Act is one of the clearest examples of a race-based program that is not narrowly tailored for the interest that it is supposedly protecting, Roper said. In our view, there is just no fit between saying there was past discrimination in getting loans, and so to remedy that, were going to forgive all the people who got loans and are minorities. Wynn holds multiple farm loans, including operating loans from the USDA Farm Service Agency, that would be eligible for loan assistance under Section 1005 if he were black, American Indian/Alaska Native, Hispanic, Asian, or Hawaiian/Pacific Islander. But Wynn is categorically excluded from loan assistance under Section 1005 because he is white, according to the legal complaint. The sections race-based preferences run contrary to the principle of equal treatment under the law, according to PLF. The right to equality before the law is a bedrock American principle, the law firm stated. Government violates that when it treats people differently based on irrelevant, immutable characteristics like race. The USDA press office told The Epoch Times the disputed program will continue to operate. We will review this complaint with the Department of Justice and will continue to move forward on debt relief for qualified socially disadvantaged borrowers under the American Rescue Plan, the USDA said via email. Thu Hien Ta, 33, from Vietnam, was diagnosed with stage-3 breast cancer in early 2015. She says the ancient self-improvement cultivation practice of Falun Gong restored her health by late 2015. (Courtesy of Thu Hien Ta) Young Mom Beats Breast Cancer With Falun Gong Exercises, Gives Birth to 3rd Child A young mother felt like she was given a death sentence when doctors said her stage-3 breast cancer was linked to an estrogen disorder, which required turning off the functions of her ovaries. Struggling to endure the painful treatments, she battled through scary visions of her own funeral. Fortunately, during the darkest days of her life, she discovered hope in the form of an ancient cultivation practice of mind and body. Since then, not only has she been cancer-free but has also given birth to her third child despite being warned that her pregnancy could trigger a breast cancer relapse. Thu Hien Ta, 33, from Lam Thao District, Phu Tho Province in northern Vietnam, is a talented vocalist and stage performer and manages a family-owned small business. She shared with The Epoch Times how Falun Gonga self-improvement meditation system based on the core values, to be true, good, and endurehelped her win over lifes toughest battle. My cancer disappeared right after I practiced Falun Gong . My pregnancy was neither permitted nor expected, but it was truly a miracle. Thu Hien Ta from Vietnam The spiritual system of Falun Gong was introduced to the public in 1992 in China. By the late 1990s, roughly 70 million people were practicing Falun Gong in China alone due to its much-acclaimed health benefits. According to several state-run surveys conducted in late 1998, the Chinese authorities concluded that people practicing Falun Gong had reported noticeable improvement in their health. Their various illness symptoms either improved or totally disappeared, reported Minghui.org. Unfortunately, the communist regime overlooked all the positives and went ahead to initiate a persecution campaign in July 1999 in an attempt to eradicate the peaceful meditation system, and the persecution continues to this day. In the 21-year-long persecution, tens of thousands of adherents have been arrested, jailed, and even killed for their faith. Ironically, Falun Gong has thrived throughout the rest of the world, with currently more than 100 million people from all walks of life practicing it. Thu Hien Ta, 33, practices the fifth exercise of Falun Gong. (Courtesy of Thu Hien Ta) The Haunting Diagnosis After the birth of her second daughter in 2015, Hien started to have a strange feeling in her body. She noticed a lump on her right breast, which was initially small and hard, but in a short period of time, she could sense the lump had grown bigger. Experiencing unusual tiredness in her body, Hien went for a checkup at the Vietnam National Cancer Hospital and received the devastating news that she had stage-3 breast cancer. The diagnosis was a death sentence to me, Hien said. I felt like I was falling into a deep hole and could not find the way out. Doctors advised her to go in for immediate surgery, and Hien felt as if the world around her was collapsing. Worried over the future of her two young daughters, the young mother felt a sense of extreme hopelessness looming over her. I got the diagnosis one year after my mother-in-law passed away because of blood cancer, she said. Everything collapsed before my eyes. I felt like it was the end for me. My family members were all in shock and despair. Hien said her condition didnt show any promising improvements after the first surgery. She had already lost a lot of blood, and the tumor had grown bigger, and wider; the doctors suggested a second surgery. Hien recalled that the time of her surgery marked her mother-in-laws death anniversary. As everyone was occupied at home, Hien felt lonely and pitiful suffering in the hospital. Hien lost all her hair while undergoing chemotherapy treatment in 2015. (Courtesy of Thu Hien Ta) Hien described the period of chemotherapy as the hardest part of the cancer battle that wrecked her health, resulting in immense pain and fatigue. I endured eight sessions of chemical therapy, and my ovaries would not be functional for five years, which means I could not have babies for five years, she said. The health trauma had left her with hardcore fears that dominated her mind; she fought hard to break out of the destructive traps of the mental and emotional challenges. I could not find any light to ward off my fears, she recalled. The images of my own funeral and my daughters searching for their mom kept haunting me every night, and I could not sleep. Looking at her husband and children, Hiens eyes would well up in despondence. Despite being tired both physically and mentally, she tried to pull through for her family. I told myself to be strong and kept going without caring much about how much time I had left, Hien said. However, during her last rounds of chemotherapy, Hien wanted to give up. My physical body and my mind had reached their limits after enduring suffering for so long, she said. I constantly vomited for 48 hours and could not eat or drink anything. I remembered begging my husband to let me die. My family members were heartbroken witnessing my suffering. They looked at my two daughters and worried, thinking that my time was coming to an end. (Courtesy of Thu Hien Ta) The Turning Point After undergoing the eighth round of chemotherapy, in October 2015, Hien went home where she met her cousin, Minh Huyen Nguyen. The 64-year-old had just retired as a teacher back then and looked much younger than her age. Hien said that her cousin handed her the book titled Zhuan Falun and told her that this spiritual literature would help her out of the dark and difficult times. Zhuan Falun is the main book of Falun Gong, an ancient spiritual Buddhist practice that is based on the principles of truthfulness, compassion, and forbearance, Hien said. She carefully told me that this was the most precious book, that it would help me during this difficult time, and that I should read the book and believe in what was said in it. Hien said that, prior to her battle with cancer, she didnt believe in spirituality and, like any nonbelievers, would not think much about things that were beyond science. However, after hearing about the profound health benefits that her cousin had experienced, Hien decided to give the spiritual practice a try, initially hoping to get some more days to live with her family. After reading the entire book, I felt my body was as light as a cloud. While sleeping, I felt as if my body could levitate, she recalled. And the most miraculous part? All the diseases, the fears, and the obsession of dying, which had been haunting me, were now completely gone and no longer appeared in my mind. Hien reads Zhuan Falun, the main spiritual book of Falun Gong. (Courtesy of Thu Hien Ta) Hien said that by practicing Falun Gongs five gentle exercises, she began noticing significant changes in her body. My cancer disappeared right after I practiced Falun Gong, Hien said. I could feel it from the significant changes inside my body. I had a checkup at a military hospital, and the doctor said my bloods statistics were much better than normal. This is truly a miracle. I was moved by the core principles taught in the book. My outlook on life and worldview has taken a 180-degree turn. I now believe in the existence of gods, that everything has its predestined relationship, she added. I Hope Everyone Can Be as Lucky as I Am Three months into practicing Falun Gong, Hien experienced another miracle, as she calls it. She became pregnant with her third child despite the fact that doctors had already put her on the five-year estrogen disorder treatment plan by administering the first injection to terminate the function of her ovaries. I got the first injection of the treatment. My doctor advised me to not get pregnant or give birth, as it might increase the chance of having the cancer return and even cost me my life, she said. However, after I practiced Falun Gong, my physical and mental health had improved. I completely forgot that I was a patient. My pregnancy was neither permitted nor expected, but it was truly a miracle. Hien decided to go ahead with her pregnancy, despite her family asking her to abort the child. My family talked about women who were in the same situation and passed away before giving birth, she recalled. Hiens husband with their three daughters. (Courtesy of Thu Hien Ta) The book Zhuan Falun teaches about the predestined relationship and the origins of lives, so I treasured the small being inside my womb and was aware that the baby was arranged to come to my life and my family. I decided to keep the baby. My husband supported my decision. Hien said that, throughout her pregnancy, she was normal and fulfilled all her duties, looking after the family and completing household chores. However, as she approached the due date, an X-ray revealed that the umbilical cord was wrapped around the babys neck, and the medical staff suggested that she undergo surgery. Hien said she kept calm and held strong to her faith. A few hours later, a beautiful baby girl was born without any surgery, weighing 8.8 pounds (approx. 4 kg). Now my daughter is 4, healthy, smart, and lovely, she said. The doctor, my relatives, and friends all witnessed the miracle of Falun Gong. Having regained her health and life, Hien says she ensures to guide her children well and teach them the importance of holding tight to morality and faith. (Courtesy of Thu Hien Ta) I help my daughters to discern good from bad, to realize that everything has its negative and positive side. Gradually, they form the habit of correcting themselves during conflicts. Truthfulness, compassion, and forbearance have taken root in my daughters souls. To those who may be going through a battle similar to the one she overcame, Hien suggests to plant the seeds of kindness in your family and for the whole world. May the power of compassion help you overcome everything. I hope that everyone can be as lucky as I am, Hien concluded. Salvatorian Father Eugeniusz Grytner, pastor of St. Thomas Aquinas Parish in Bartow stands with his stole before the television for the beatification of Father Francis Jordan, the founder of his order. He and several parishioners participated via Polish television in the pre-dawn hours of May 15. During Father Grytners time working in Tanzania, he translated the prayer for beatification into Swahili and gave it to all of his parishioners to pray. He feels their faithfulness in praying this prayer must have helped in the beatification. NORWALK More than 700 students celebrated their graduation from Norwalk Community College on Thursday. The ceremony, which was held outdoors at the Hartford Healthcare Amphitheater in Bridgeport, saw 729 students receive their degrees, according to a statement from the school. The most popular majors in the class of 2021 include general studies and liberal arts, nursing and business, according to a statement. Because we celebrated with a virtual graduation ceremony last year, it is especially exciting to be able to bring the Class of 2021 together in-person this year to recognize their accomplishments, NCC CEO Cheryl DeVonish said. abigail.brone@hearstmediact.com LAS VEGAS (AP) Local and state officials in Nevada have publicized ongoing efforts to assist residents at risk of eviction as federal and state protections were delayed during the coronavirus pandemic. Officials unveiled The Southern Nevada Eviction Prevention Program during a news conference from the Clark County Commission chambers, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported Thursday. The program is a term for ongoing coordination between the countys social services department, courts, the state, nonprofits and neighboring cities. Officials are seeking available options as the federal ban on evictions is scheduled to end June 30 and a state moratorium is set to expire at the end of this month. We know that the next 12 months will be the hardest time for many of our families that are just now getting back to work, Clark County Commission Chairwoman Marilyn Kirkpatrick said. Officials have urged eligible residents to sign a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention declaration form and provide it to their landlord or property manager to qualify for federal protection. If served with an eviction notice, residents are encouraged to file a response with their local justice court and choose mediation. Now it doesnt always result in a positive result but it provides a neutral platform for the parties to come together to explore all the options that are available to them, Nevada Labor Commissioner Shannon Chambers said. Chambers, who is also president of Home Means Nevada, the agency administering the states rental eviction mediation program, said the program has already processed more than 1,000 cases since it started in October. More than 100 mediators have been hired to handle an expected surge in cases beginning July 1. Overall, I would ask patience. Were not sure what were going to see, Las Vegas Justice Court Judge Melissa Saragosa said. Were not sure whether this new surge is going to put a backlog on our ability to hold the number of hearings that we hold each week. Chambers said available options to tenants that might be revealed during mediation include rental or unemployment assistance, or agreements to reduce rent or something else. RICHMOND, Va. (AP) Several Democratic candidates for Virginia governor turned attention to the general election in a debate Thursday, seeking to portray themselves as best positioned to take on Republican nominee Glenn Youngkin. Thursday's debate, conducted virtually, was the third of four planned and the first since Republicans picked their statewide candidates in a May 8 unassembled convention. Terry McAuliffe, who preceded Ralph Northam in the governor's mansion and who is widely seen as the Democratic frontrunner thanks to his name recognition, fundraising and extensive endorsements, went straight for Youngkin in his opening statement. He called the former co-CEO of the Carlyle Group an extreme right-wing billionaire." We cannot let Glenn Youngkin do to Virginia what Donald Trump did to our country," McAuliffe said. Former Del. Jennifer Carroll Foy, an attorney and former public defender, drew notice to attacks the Republican Governors Association has lobbed her way, saying they are worried and they should be. I flipped a Republican district, while pregnant with twins and being outspent and out-endorsed. But I will never be outworked," she said. Veteran State Sen. Jennifer McClellan made the pitch that she has both the fresh perspective, in a nation that's never had a Black woman governor, and deep policy experience needed to take on Youngkin. I came to the General Assembly as a 32-year-old Black woman from the most Democratic district in the state, operating in a body that was mostly white Republican men over 50. And yet Ive been able to pass over 300 bills," she said. In a statement, Youngkin said his campaign was seeing an outpouring of support across Virginia and across party lines. He took aim specifically at McAuliffe, saying: It was abundantly clear tonight that Terry McAuliffe is just another all-talk, no-action career politician desperately clinging to power. The hourlong event was pre-taped in the morning and moderated by NBC News political director Chuck Todd. It was organized in the style of a forum, with no candidate-to-candidate conversation. Del. Lee Carter, a self-described socialist who touted that he's as likely to criticize his own party as Republicans, appeared from a bedroom, which did not go unnoticed on Twitter. Here come all the consultants attacking me because my whole apartment is smaller than Terry McAuliffes stately sitting room," he tweeted in response. "We need a governor who knows what its like to live paycheck to paycheck. When Todd asked Carter about whether nominating a socialist would be a liability for Democrats, Carter quipped that it didn't matter because they're going to call you that anyway, Chuck. Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax didnt directly invoke Youngkin and focused on his record. He touted his tie-breaking votes on Medicaid expansion and marijuana legalization and said he'd worked in office on the issues that go to the heart of whether or not people are safe, secure, and have the opportunity to achieve the American dream. Fairfax is campaigning while facing two allegations of sexual assault he strenuously denies. Yet his team admits they have affected his candidacy. Some of the event's questions dealt with how Virginia can recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. During a two-part question about how to encourage more Virginians to get vaccines and whether businesses should require proof of vaccination for crowded indoor events, McAuliffe said he thought businesses should require to see vaccination cards. Later, a spokesman contradicted that, saying McAuliffe's position was that businesses should be allowed to request proof of vaccination for crowded indoor events like concerts but he does not favor a mandate. The idea of so-called vaccine passports " has proven controversial and some Republican governors have issued orders barring businesses or state agencies from asking people to show proof of vaccination. Supporters say they could make reopenings faster and easier. McAuliffe was the first chosen to respond. The other candidates did not offer a response about vaccination cards and were not pressed on the topic. On the topic of paid sick leave, an issue where Democrats currently in full control of state government have struggled to find consensus, the candidates broadly agreed that the benefit should be available to workers who need it. McClellan and Fairfax both said the state should consider subsidies of some kind to ensure small businesses could provide sick leave and still compete. McAuliffe, who spent much time in office battling for Medicaid expansion with Republicans who then controlled the General Assembly, used his answer to highlight that Youngkin has criticized the eventual expansion, which happened during Northam's administration. Carter, who supports universal health care, said the other candidates' answers showed their willingness to keep the current health care system in place. The candidates also were asked whether they support President Joe Bidens proposal to raise taxes for those making more than $400,000. Four clearly said yes. McClellan did not give a yes or no answer but said she would support reforms to make Virginias tax code less regressive. Only Virginia and New Jersey are holding governor's elections this year. The off-year elections typically draw national attention as a bellwether for which party might have an advantage in the national midterm elections. The primary is June 8. NEW YORK (AP) A whimsical new park that appears to float on pilings above the Hudson River opened to the public just off the Manhattan shoreline Friday, four years after a fight between media mogul Barry Diller and a billionaire real estate developer threatened to derail it. The new park, called Little Island but nicknamed Diller Island while under construction, was built with $260 million from the foundation of Diller, the former 20th Century Fox CEO, and his wife, fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg. It joins a string of piers along Manhattan's west side that have been redeveloped for recreational use over the last 20 years, but its unusual design sets it apart. Little Island's flowers, trees and performance spaces rest on 132 concrete pots that the park's creators call tulip pots. The pots are set on pilings of different heights, so that paths wind through the 2.4-acre (1-hectare) park at a gentle, rolling grade. The park is reachable by two bridges. The design is from Thomas Heatherwick, who also created the Hudson Yards climbing structure known as the Vessel, some 20 blocks north of Little Island. Diller, also a major donor to the nearby High Line, has spoken of Little Island as an enchanted forest or a visit to Oz. All of it is an oasis of everything fun, whimsical, playful that we can conjure, he says in a video on the park's website. Plans for the project, part of the state-run Hudson River Park, were announced in 2014, but several lawsuits were filed arguing that the park had been planned without public input and could threaten marine wildlife. Real estate developer Douglas Durst, who had been pushed out of his position as chair of the fundraising group Friends of Hudson River Park a few years before, was revealed to have bankrolled the lawsuits filed by the nonprofit City Club of New York. Facing rising costs because of the litigation, Diller announced in September 2017 that he was pulling the plug. He agreed to revive the project the next month after Gov. Andrew Cuomo brokered a deal. We are pleased the project helped get Hudson River Park finished, Durst, the one-time lawsuit bankroller, said through a spokesperson Wednesday. The spokesperson said the reason Durst had supported the litigation was because the project hadn't gone through the required regulatory process. Little Island will be open from 6 a.m. to 1 a.m. every day, but there will be timed entry noon to 8 p.m. at least through September, executive director Trish Santini said. Entertainment including musical performances, theater and dance will start in mid-June, she said. Producer Scott Rudin, who stepped down from the Broadway League last month over allegations of abusive behavior, was part of the team planning the performances spaces but doesnt have a formal ongoing relationship with the project," Santini said. There will be a mix of free and ticketed performances at the park's a 687-seat amphitheater. A smaller stage in an area called the Glade will host additional performances. New Yorkers and visitors who walk on the High Line or bike along the waterfront have watched as Little Island was assembled, piece by piece. The concrete tulips that support the park were fabricated and pieced together in upstate New York and floated down the Hudson by barge, four at a time, Santini said. Planting started after the massive tulips, which some liken to mushrooms, were in place at the end of 2019. The park's landscaping was designed by Signe Nielsen of Mathews Nielsen Landscape Architects to evoke a leaf floating on water. It features 35 species of trees, 65 species of shrubs and 290 types of grasses, vines and perennials. Little Island's human-made hills provide views of the Hudson on one side and city on the other, but the park's carefully constructed topography makes it feel like its own little world. I think its going to represent for New York a place to come to rest and restore but also ignite their imaginations and remind us all that were creative," Santini said. "My hope is that people come back time and time again because they realize every time they come theres always something new and fun to do. MARYVILLE In its 2021 hospital rankings, the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) awarded Anderson Hospital a five-star rating. The annual CMS stars program serves as a healthcare guide to hospital quality, comprising more than 50 individual measures that include hospital mortality, avoidable readmission, hospital infections and patient experience. DENVER (AP) Colorado lawmakers are considering a bill that would convene a study of law enforcement response and training on protecting First Amendment rights and ensuring peaceful demonstrations. The measure comes after outrage by activists on Denver and local police department's response to last summer's racial justice protests for the deaths of George Floyd in Minneapolis and Elijah McClain in suburban Denver. The largely peaceful demonstrations in late May and early June in Denver and its suburbs were met with tear gas and hundreds of arrests. The American Civil Liberties Union filed lawsuits against the city on behalf of Black Lives Matter 5280 and several demonstrators who were allegedly injured by police. An amendment offered by one of the bills sponsors, Democratic Sen. Jeff Bridges at the Senate Judiciary's committee hearing Thursday, changed the bill which would have originally prohibited officials from deeming protests unlawful unless a significant number of protestors posed imminent threats to property or personal injuries. The bill now calls for a study group lead by Colorado State Patrol to evaluate law enforcement response during protests, improve communication between organizers and authorities and look at the costs and insurance for property damages and personal injuries. The research would also aim to "identify methods to differentiate between lawful demonstrators and outside agitators engaging in unlawful actions and damage, according to the amendment. What we were seeing across cities in Colorado, was basically ad hoc and in an arbitrary fashion, law enforcement deeming something to be an unlawful assembly. And there wasnt any consistency to that notion," said Denise Mayes, public policy director for the Colorado branch of the ACLU. Colorado statute has a definition for what is deemed a riot, but does not define lawful or unlawful assembly, which is why the ACLU supports creating a study group to look at these issues, Mayes said. The group would also evaluate and strengthen law enforcement training requirements for first amendment rights, crowd control, stress management and other skills to ensure peaceful demonstrations. The bill would require the group to report its findings and recommendations to the Legislature on or before Jan. 1, 2022. Steve Garcia, a major with Colorado State Patrol, said the agency would engage law enforcement, district attorneys and protest and community leaders in the discussions. Democratic Sen. Julie Gonzales, vice chairwoman of the committee, questioned why State Patrol should lead the study since the bill and amendment was introduced in response to people who had critiques of law enforcement. In response, Garcia said the study would assess topics that help bring "procedural justice" which includes voice, respect, trustworthiness and neutrality. By allowing law enforcement to lead the conversation, Garcia said it would help repair police legitimacy by allowing more direct community engagement. Gonzales also pushed back on the content of the study, noting that there have been conversations about the role of law enforcement in community, extremism and the role of the First Amendment but none have been inward looking on those topics. Where is the place to have the conversation around extremism within law enforcement? she said. I raise the question because last summer, community members were coming to me having the conversations around Three Percenters who were within the National Guard, Three Percenters who where in law enforcement agencies. The Three Percenters are an anti-government militia group who were among the extremists who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6. Stephen Schulz, president of the Colorado Fraternal Order of Police, said he did not know whether extremism within law enforcement would be included in the State Patrol-led study. Gonzales also asked the witnesses if it was an issue worth talking about. If theres any bad actors in law enforcement ... if its brought forward, those are investigated by the agencies and matters are handled the way that they should be appropriately, Schulz said. As far as extremism in law enforcement, I dont have an answer for that. The Senate Judiciary Committee laid over the bill Thursday and it will be voted on in a future meeting. ___ Nieberg is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. EDWARDSVILLE The Corner Taverns co-owner Randy Niebur spoke up during the public comment portion of a recent city council meeting about the difference video gaming makes at businesses. Niebur said he and the other owners bought the tavern at 1013 N. Main St. 19 years ago. At that time, video gaming was allowed there, as well as at the Knights of Columbus (KC) Hall, the Moose Lodge and at the American Legion Post 199, all in Edwardsville. The first nine or 10 years of our business were good and profitable, he said. The last nine or 10, without video gaming, are not good at all, as was the case with the Moose, the American and the KC Hall. Now, the Moose, American Legion and KC Hall are all in good shape with video gaming backing for them, he said, referring to the citys exceptions to its video gaming ban, which has been largely upheld since 2012. Edwardsville is one of the few Metro East municipalities that does not allow video gaming, once it was signed into law in 2009, but delayed until 2012. Former Mayor Hal Patton tried get the council to consider repealing the video gaming ban last September during the pandemic to support for-profit restaurants and bars, like Nieburs, as well as the nonprofit bars. Several area restaurants and bars were quick to jump on that bandwagon and several owners or managers attended a few meetings. After one meeting, in a closed-door session, the council decided not to let small businesses in Edwardsville in on video gaming, Niebur said. They said they would like to take baby steps, as gaming was new to them, and would consider it for small businesses after a year. Actually, the plan was to have an automatic yearly review in fall before deciding whether to expand the program. The review would have focused on revenue, complaints and presentation. In April, City Administrator Kevin Head explained what changed between the September vote and an Oct. 15 ACS meeting. The fraternal organizations approached an alderman and asked if he or she would approve video gaming for the fraternal organizations only, Head said. The restaurants, bars and gas stations within 1,500 feet of an interstate highway were removed from consideration. Aldermen SJ Morrison and Janet Stack were the most vocal opponents on the issue, he recalled. Then Niebur brought up the citys annexation of Midwest Petroleum, on Illinois Route 143 near Interstate 55. An annexation agreement for the site was approved last October by a 6-1 vote. The gas station has video gaming, which it claims is one of its most profitable revenue streams. The agreement allows annexation to be deferred for up to 20 years, or when the city approves video gaming, whichever occurs first. In lieu of deferred annexation, the owner agrees to pay $15,000 a year to help mitigate the site not paying city sales or property taxes, starting when the sewer connections are made. The company is in the midst of planned unit development (PUD) to raze the current store and gas pumps and put a larger convenience store in and double the pumps from four to eight. We need video gaming to be on the same playing field with our business in Edwardsville, Niebur said. We are in the same business as those three are: were partners, he said. They are soon to be profitable and can pay their employees more money and offer cheaper prices for their products. We cannot survive without video gaming. He said all of the taverns customers are going elsewhere, where they can play video games. Niebur also went through this, he said, to bring the new alderwomen up to speed on the issue. Niebur spoke longer than the standard three minutes for public comment. I hope the city will keep its word and re-look to allow video gaming for small businesses in Edwardsville, and even allow it for big corporations, so the city can receive their sales tax money, he said. But in no way should they allow a multi-million-dollar petroleum company to have video gaming and deny small businesses (to have it). Glen Carbon has allowed all businesses with a liquor license to have video gaming. Edwardsville should be the same way, he said. You cannot allow a few to remain in business and thrive, while other businesses are going out of business. Edwardsville says its for small business. He said the Moose Lodge received $17,000 last month and the city got $2,200 in revenue from video gaming. He finished by handing out some information sheets to the aldermen. Reach reporter Charles Bolinger at (618) 659-5735 UNITED NATIONS (AP) The Palestinians' top diplomat said a cease-fire in Gaza will enable 2 million Palestinians to sleep Thursday night but its not enough at all and the world must now tackle the difficult issues of Jerusalem's future and achieving an independent Palestinian state. Riad Al-Malki told reporters on the sidelines of an emergency meeting of the U.N. General Assembly on the conflict between Israel and Gazas militant Hamas rulers that while a cease-fire is good it doesnt address the core issue that started the violence. He said that is Jerusalem, citing the desecration by Israeli soldiers and settlers of the Al-Aqsa mosque, Islams third holiest site, and the Israeli policy of evicting Palestinians from their homes in the citys different neighborhoods including Sheikh Jarra. Israel captured east Jerusalem, along with the West Bank and Gaza territories the Palestinians want for their future state in the 1967 Mideast war. Israel annexed east Jerusalem in a move not recognized internationally, and views the entire city as its capital. The Palestinians view east Jerusalem which includes major holy sites for Jews, Christians and Muslims as their capital, and its fate lies at the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and has triggered serious violence in the past. Al-Malki accused Israel of intending to erase the multi-cultural, multi-religious character of the city of Jerusalem saying: We are opposed to that, we reject that, and well keep working to prevent that from happening. Thursdays assembly meeting began with speeches from a dozen ministers, almost all from Arab and Muslim countries, and is eventually expected to hear over 100 speakers. He said the overwhelming messages from the meeting was not only condemning Israeli atrocities and crimes in Gaza but reminding the world of the need to care for and defend Jerusalem and to work for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state. Todays events here in the General Assembly and what has been happening has refocused the attention again on the issue of Palestine, Al-Malki said. He said Israels normalization of relations with some Arab countries including the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, doesnt waive the questions of the future of Jerusalem and a Palestinian state. To the contrary, we see today that the issue of Palestine and the Palestinian question, the issue of Jerusalem and the occupation of Jerusalem, is the most important issue for all Muslims and Arabs and the world alike, Al-Malki said. We want to see the Palestinian people free and also living in their own independent Palestinian state with east Jerusalem as its capital, he said. The last direct talks between Israel and the Palestinians took place in 2014. The Palestinians broke off relations with former U.S. president Donald Trumps administration in December 2017 after he after he recognized Jerusalem as Israels capital. Trump further angered the Palestinians by presenting a two-state peace plan that would have required significant Palestinian concessions on territory and sovereignty, moved the U.S. Embassy there from Tel Aviv, cut off aid to the Palestinian Authority and rescinded a longstanding legal opinion that Israeli settlement activity is illegitimate under international law. President Joe Biden won initial but cautious plaudits from Mideast analysts when he rejected the Trump administrations unabashedly pro-Israel stance and tentatively embraced the Palestinians by restoring aid and diplomatic contacts. But he also retained key elements Trumps policies, including on settlements. In the past two weeks, the United States blocked four attempts by the U.N. Security Council to demand an end to the Israeli-Hamas conflict, saying a statement could interfere with diplomatic efforts. U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield told Thursdays assembly meeting, I dont believe there is any country working more urgently or fervently toward peace. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told reporters after Israel and Hamas agreed to a cease-fire that Israel and the Palestinians have a responsibility to observe it and to start a serious dialogue to address the root causes of the conflict." Whether a serious effort takes place to try to revive efforts to end the decades-old Palestinian-Israeli conflict remains to be seen. Guterres underscored the U.N.'s commitment to work with Israelis and Palestinians to return to peace negotiations, including through the Quartet of Mideast mediator the U.N., U.S., European Union and Russia. U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said the Biden administration is committed to working with other members of the international community over the long term to create the conditions for a lasting and sustainable peace." Israels ambassador to the U.N. and the U.S., Gilad Erdan, accused the General Assembly of hypocrisy on Thursday for supporting and not condemning Hamas, which doesnt accept Israels right to exist. He referred to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas announcement in late April that the first Palestinian elections in 15 years would be delayed. Abbas cited a dispute with Israel to call off a vote in which his fractured Fatah party was expected to suffer another embarrassing defeat to the Hamas militant group. Hamas called the move a coup. If this institution strengthens Hamas, it will make the possibility of Hamas replacing the Palestinian Authority much more likely and eliminate the chance of future dialogue between Israelis and Palestinians, Erdan said. There is nothing to discuss with a terror organization committed to your annihilation, nothing. EDWARDSVILLE On this weeks episode of Segue, Southern Illinois University Edwardsvilles weekly radio program exploring the lives and work of the people on campus and beyond, Chancellor Randy Pembrook interviews numerous guests in remembrance of Johnetta Haley, a prominent member of the SIUE and East St. Louis community. This episode of Segue airs at 9 a.m. Sunday, May 23. Listeners can tune into WSIE 88.7 FM The Sound or siue.edu/wsie. Haley, whose service at SIUE spanned nearly 48 years, passed away Jan. 30. She is best remembered for her inspirational, motivating mentorship and supportive spirit shown to everyone she encountered. Following in her mothers footsteps, Haley graduated from Lincoln University in 1945 with a degree in music education. She was a fourth-generation college student, a rarity for her era. Haley earned a masters in music from SIUE in 1972 and continued her education by studying at the University of Illinois, the University of Michigan, Georgetown University, Washington University in St. Louis and the University of Montpellier in France. After college, Haley taught at East St. Louis Lincoln High School as a vocal and general music teacher. She later became the vocal music director and chairperson of the Nipher Junior High School in Kirkwood, serving for 18 years. Haley was an integral member of the teachers who integrated Kirkwood Public Schools in 1955. Haley joined the SIUE faculty as an assistant professor in the Department of Music from 1972-1984. She then served as the executive director of the SIUE East St. Louis Center from 1984-1993. Upon her retirement, the Department of Music named her professor emeritus. Throughout her career, Haley earned numerous awards and achievements encompassing education, volunteering and business. She was recognized with a St. Louis Woman of Achievement Award in 1988 and received the Leadership Award from the St. Louis Community Empowerment Foundations Annual Salute to Women in Leadership in 2010. Most recently, Haley was awarded SIUEs Distinguished Service Award in May 2017 for her countless contributions to the University and surrounding communities. Pembrooks first guest is Tim Staples, executive director of the East St. Louis Center. Staples met Haley during high school while participating in SIUEs Upward Bound program. What was it like knowing Ms. Haley as a student? Pembrook said. Through the Upward Bound Program, we took English, math and science courses at the East St. Louis Center, Staples explained. Other students and I looked up to Ms. Haley and saw her as a role model. Everyone came to military attention when she was around, and everyone had immense respect for her. Johnetta served as the executive director of the East St. Louis Center, the position you currently hold, Pembrook noted. What did Johnetta mean to the center? I dont believe there would be a center without her, Staples replied. She was instrumental in creating our major programs that have a great effect on the East St. Louis community. Professor Haley built these programs and this center to become a full-service social and educational organization. My work today is easier because of the reputation she built. In 1994, SIUE named the Johnetta Haley Scholars Award in honor of her many contributions to the University and East St. Louis community. Rachel Stack, cheif executive officer of the SIUE Foundation and vice chancellor for University Advancement, has been instrumental in fundraising for the scholarship. Rachel, youve had the opportunity to get to know Johnetta during the last several years, Pembrook said. What stood out to you about her presence? I met Johnetta shortly after starting at SIUE in 2014, and I wanted to find out why and how she started the Haley Scholarship, Stack said. She explained how important education was to her and her family of four generations. She wanted to share this legacy with other minority students, so she used her considerable leverage and connections to create this fund. Prince Wells, associate professor in the Department of Music, described Haley as a phenomenal teacher who supported students throughout the most challenging music classes. What are some of the most memorable lessons Ms. Haley taught you? Pembrook asked. She taught me the nuts and bolts of music through music theory, Wells said. I gained an appreciation of a broad spectrum of different types of music because of her. She was always proud of her students and a mentor to us. When it came to music, she was highly regarded and widely known. Eugene Redmond, emeritus professor of English and East St. Louis Poet Laureate, reminisces on looking up to Haley during his youth, noting how erudite and graceful she was in the classroom. What was Ms. Haleys teaching and directing style? Pembrook asked. She was a strong person, a teacher who was commanding a circus and took no backtalk, Redmond explained. She was in charge throughout her life, whether she was teaching in the public schools or administering SIUE programs. We were all proud of her when she ran the East St. Louis Center. Pembrooks final guest is Karen Douglas, daughter of Haley. What did SIUE mean to Johnetta? Pembrook asked. SIUE meant a lot to my mother, Douglas said. We got our masters at the same time, and when she received a letter asking her to come on as an associate professor, she was over-the-top excited. I still have that letter and read it a couple of weeks ago. When she was able to serve the East St. Louis Center, she was delighted. My mother was always working to improve education and life for the community she worked for and grew up in. She strives for excellence, and you could see that when visiting the East St. Louis Center under her leadership. Before the show, WSIE asked all guests to describe Haley in one word. Here are their insights: inspiring, unforgettable, dynamic, supportive, brilliant, self-assured, graceful, exceptional and insightful. Thank you for joining us for an extended Segue honoring the life of professor emeritus, Johnetta Haley, Pembrook concluded. Following will be a few musical selections from her era. I hope you enjoy listening to the music, and if you were lucky enough to know Johnetta, reflecting on her life and remembering this incredible woman. Tune in at 9 a.m. on Sunday, May 23 to WSIE 88.7 The Sound to hear the entire conversation. -SIUE- Editors Note: In recognition of National Historic Preservation Month, local historian Cindy Reinhardt tells the stories behind some of Edwardsvilles historic buildings in a series of eight articles in the Month of May. The landscape at the intersection of Schwarz and South Buchanan is vastly different than the residential neighborhood that once occupied this area. The first commercial building, erected in 1926, held a Tri-City Grocery and Homekraft Bakery (now Swing City Music). About that time Charles Robertson started selling lunches from his home on the opposite corner (301 S. Buchanan). There were a series of short-lived restaurants on that corner until the Wonder Cafe was established in the late 1930s. The Wonder Cafe was replaced by a gas station in the early 1950s (now a BP Station). The SE corner where Jack in the Box is today, remained residential until the 1960s. Which leaves the northwest corner where they did something completely different. The northwest corner of Schwarz and South Buchanan Street is today the home of Annies Frozen Custard. The property was once part of the vast landholdings of the Wolf family who, beginning in the 1840s, lived in the former home of Col. Benjamin Stephenson. In 1896, the Wolf family sold three lots to architect Charles Pauly who built a house as an investment. The following year he sold it to Rudolph Frickenstein Sr., a retiring farmer. Frickenstein died in 1915 and for the next 26 years, the house was a rental property passed from one generation of his family to the next. In 1941, it was sold to the Hefer family who, three generations later, still owned the land, but not the business on the property. A Hefer family story, passed down through several generations, told of how a doctor owned the property but was very particular about who he sold it to. They were told it was only when their grandfather came along, that he agreed to sell. In truth, there was a doctor involved in the story, but he did not own the property, he rented from the Frickenstein family. Tragically, the doctor murdered his family and then committed suicide. Although it was not done in the house, it is more likely that there was a stigma attached to the property afterward, and the owners were unable to find a buyer until Hefer, who was from Staunton, agreed to buy it. Hefer then leased most of the property to Hicks Oil Company for a Hicksatomic Service Station. This brand was a chain located in numerous central Illinois towns. Since the property was a combination of several lots, Hefer was able to have the house lifted, turned and placed at the back of the lots next to the alley and facing Schwarz Street. The house would provide additional rental income for another 40 years. The Hicksatomic gas station opened in 1941. The manager of the station was George Jerome Jerry Keshner who was soon joined in operating the station by his twin brother, Clement Hubert Keshner. The brothers were born into a prominent Edwardsville family in 1910. Their maternal grandfather was Henry Trares, president and founder of the Palace Store, who later became a banker. They were not identical twins, in fact, people that knew them said they had completely different personalities. Jerry handled the books, placed orders for supplies, took care of scheduling, etc. while Hubert took care of the pumps. In those days, one or two service attendants provided full service to vehicles that pulled in. The office was a small square building of white titles with a neon sign and a clock on the top. At the time it was the only service station at that intersection. In a 1981 interview with the twins by Intelligencer reporter Dick Norrish, the twins described how the Hicksatomic and the Wonder Cafe became almost like partners for Route 66 truck bypass traffic in the 1940s. The truckers would get gas from Hicks, then cross Schwarz Street to the Wonder Cafe for a bite to eat. Later a separate garage with a lift was built on the north side of the lot where oil and lube jobs could be done. In 1960 the original building was torn down and replaced with the building that is there today. The new building was slightly larger and very modern for its time with canopy lights under the eaves, heat in the ceiling and the luxury of hot and cold running water. Annies added an addition for the coolers, and service windows in the front, but it otherwise looks the same as when the Keshner brothers worked there. Hicks was a full-service station where every customer could expect to have their oil checked, the windshield cleaned, tires checked, and of course, the gas pumped. The customers never had to leave their vehicles. It created quite a controversy when stations began the change to self-service, as many already had by the time the Keshner brothers retired. In the 1981 article, Jerry is quoted as saying, Its a crime to make people get out of their car and do all that work so the big companies can make more millions. Jerry was drafted for a short time during World War II, and Hubert took over as temporary manager. Over the years they had dozens of employees, including three Rezabek brothers, Bruce, Francis (Frank) and Richard, who worked for them over a period of ten years, but none at the same time. All enjoyed their time with the Keshners, even calling it, the best job I ever had. They were high school kids, and the Keshners took them under their wing, treating them like their own, giving advice on investments, managing money or on life. They describe Jerry as the more outgoing. Hubert was too, but he also had his idiosyncrasies like insisting on a pristine shop, something thats not easy at a service station. Bruce Rezabek remembered that when you worked at Hicks, you met everyone in town. Many individuals and businesses were customers including the citys police department and Richards Brick Company drivers who would buy gas on its account. On Wednesdays, they could hardly keep up with the crowds. Wednesday was double stamp day at the Hicksatomic. When you worked Wednesdays, he said, you never went inside. It was just one car after another. Customers were given stamps with every purchase that they put in a stamp book. When the book was full, they turned it in for a Hicksatomic prize. Meanwhile the house behind the station was managed by the Rosenthal Agency. Rosenthal collected $100 every month and sent $96 of that on to Hefer. Hubert was married in 1943, and he and his wife lived in the house early in their marriage. After that it was rented to others and by the 1970s the tenants were often SIUE students. Eric Barnett lived in the house from 1974 to 1982 and said there were usually three roommates in the house, but occasionally there were four which brought rent down to just $25 each. It was a small, one-story house, with an enclosed porch on the back that was used as a bedroom. The Keshner twins retired in 1981 and the Hicksatomic Station closed at that time. Jack Schmitt Ford was the next tenant on the property. They had the house torn down to provide additional space to display vehicles. After Jack Schmitt Ford, Annies opened in the building in 1996. Shortly after opening, they tore down the garage on the north side of the property. Annies still leases from descendants of the Hefer family, selling frozen custard to area residents from this vintage building that has its own kitschy charm. Sources for this article include materials at the Madison County Archival Library, articles from past issues of the Edwardsville Intelligencer, records from the Recorder of Deeds Offices, interviews with current and past owners and employees, and family trees developed for the families involved. If you have questions about this article, please contact Cindy Reinhardt at cynreinhardt@yahoo.com. Geneseo, NY (14454) Today Mostly cloudy skies this evening. A few showers developing late. Low near 60F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%.. Tonight Mostly cloudy skies this evening. A few showers developing late. Low near 60F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%. The European Union Thursday announced it has signed a third contract with Pfizer-BioNTech for an additional 1.8 billion doses of its COVID-19 vaccine, running from the end of this year through 2022. Announcing the new contract in a statement posted to her Twitter account, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called for 900 million doses of the current vaccines and of a serum adapted to coronavirus variants, with an option to purchase an extra 900 million doses. The coronavirus causes the COVID-19 disease. The contract also has a provision to easily allow EU member states to donate any excess doses to the WHO-maintained vaccine cooperative COVAX, which delivers vaccines to low-income nations. A hearing for two men accused of taking part in a drug robbery gone wrong last April wrapped up Friday, but a decision on whether they'll stand trial won't come for at least two weeks. It was the second day of a preliminary hearing for Justin Collins and Jesse Hinton. The first was in mid-April. Friday's hearing was mostly set aside for defense cross-examination of Collins' ex-girlfriend Courtney Houston. She had previously testified about what she knew about the crew accused of plotting to rob Raven Tre-Von Edelen, a 21-year-old Wyoming (Mich.) man, in a Campus Habitat apartment on April 20, 2020. - Advertisement - The robbery ended with Miykael Norfleat shooting Edelen, who died. Norfleat pleaded guilty Dec. 30 to second-degree murder, conspiracy to commit armed robbery and assault with a dangerous weapon. He was sentenced to 31-50 years in prison. Norfleat was also a late add to the conspiracy to rob Edelen, prosecutors have said. Five men are accused of going to Edelen's apartment to commit the robbery, including Hinton, 21, of Chicago. Collins, 23, of Mt. Pleasant, was not at the scene, but Isabella County Prosecutor David Barberi said he provided the gun and that without the gun there would have been no murder. Collin's attorney, Isabella County Public Defender Thomas Hausman, said that there was no direct evidence linking Collins to the robbery. He also asked Judge Sara Spencer-Noggle to reduce his bond from $1 million by 75 percent. He said Collins' mother, who lives in the Detroit area, said she wants him living at home. Spencer-Noggle denied the request. Barberi asked her to amend the charge of open murder to felony murder and to add a count of conspiracy to commit home invasion. Both defense attorneys requested to submit their closing arguments in writing, and Spencer-Noggle gave all three -- including Barberi -- two weeks to do so. She'll issue a written opinion on whether the two will stand trial after she's had time to review them, she said. Currently both men face open murder charges, first-degree home invasion and felony firearm charges. One of the five alleged co-conspirators, Antony Smiles, testified against both men in April. READ MORE: Sheriff: Pilot may have hit radio tower or wires before fatal crash An Elwell man killed in a plane crash east of Shepherd on Monday may have hit either a radio tower or guy wires attached to it, Midland County Summerlike temps to blow into town just in time for the weekend Two weeks ago, mid-Michigan slid into a five-day stretch of nighttime temperatures hovering right around the freezing mark. For the next coupl +5 A McGuire Elementary field trip had students visit residents at The Laurels of Mt. Pleasant A local student council group visited The Laurels of Mt. Pleasant to play games with the residents and decorate the windows and sidewalks on t Gratiot County ordered to reimburse Seville Twp. man for property seizure After four years of litigation a 68-year-old Seville Township man has won a property tax lawsuit he filed against Gratiot County. Salida, CO (81201) Today Windy with sunshine. High 83F. Winds ESE at 20 to 30 mph.. Tonight Clear skies. Low 49F. Winds SE at 10 to 20 mph, becoming WNW and decreasing to 5 to 10 mph. You can find your client key on your subscription renewal statement or call us at the Mountain Mail at 719-539-6691. Divers recovered the body of a man who fell into the Detroit River in the early morning hours of May 21. The U.S. Coast Guard, District 9, reported that they sent out a response boat from Station Belle Isle to assist in the search of a missing person after receiving notification from the Grosse Ile Police Department. The report stated that a male in his 40s fell off the back of a dinghy during mooring and did not resurface, a Coast Guard spokesman said. There were two other individuals on board who gave information to the police. - Advertisement - The Coast Guard worked with the Grosse Ile police and fire departments, as well as the Downriver Mutual Aid Dive Team in searching for the man. Lt. Kenneth Pelland of the Grosse Ile Police Department said the Dive Team was activated at approximately 5 a.m. to assist the Wyandotte Police Department with a search and rescue effort in the Detroit River, off the shore of property owned by BASF. Sign up for our daily morning newsletter Click here and then look to the right side for the sign up to the morning newsletter for The News Herald, and you can get the top headlines de Wyandotte Police Chief Brian Zalewski confirmed that divers recovered the mans body, with the assistance of the Wayne County Sheriff's Marine Unit, as well as the U.S. Coast Guard. According to Pelland, divers located the body at 8:14 a.m. approximately 10 feet from shore, in water that is 24 feet deep. He said the person recovered was one of the three individuals on a 9-foot dinghy. Zalewski said the victims body was turned over to the Wayne County Medical Examiners Office. He said the incident is an ongoing investigation, so no further details were available. Missing Trenton woman with dementia found safe in Wyandotte An elderly woman who had been reported missing out of Trenton for a couple of days was recently found safe in Wyandotte. Balloon release planned for Southgate teen killed in motorcycle crash A motorcycle crash in Trenton has claimed the life of a 16-year-old girl from Southgate. Man airlifted to hospital after car slams into rear of semitrailer on North Line Taylor police have released information on a serious car crash that called for the University of Michigan Survival Flight helicopter for assistance. China News on Women Sorry, the page you requested was not found. If you're having trouble locating a destination on Womenofchina.cn, try visiting the Womenofchina Home page The attorney who was successful in getting the name of a longtime Downriver mayor removed from this years ballot was unsuccessful in also getting four other Taylor candidates struck from the Aug. 3 primary. Attorney Andrew Paterson argued in court Friday that mayoral candidate Tim Woolley and City Council candidates Charley Johnson, Caroline Patts and Lindsey Rose should be excluded from the ballot as they had unpaid campaign fines and fees owed to Wayne County. Wayne County Chief Circuit Judge Timothy Kenny disagreed, calling Patersons claims an untimely challenge. - Advertisement - Candidates seeking to run this year had until April 20 to file their intentions. City Clerk Cynthia Bower then had until April 23 to certify the names of the candidates. Patersons challenge came after the names were certified, which the judge said was problematic for his case. In addition, the judge said, there are several disputes regarding the claimed outstanding fines and fees. In Woolleys case, for instance, he testified that he called Wayne County and was told he had no outstanding fines. In Roses case, she testified that her fines from years ago were wiped away when she filed for bankruptcy in 2019. Paterson, who filed the case on behalf of mayoral candidate Jeff Jones and council candidate Martin Drouillard, said he intends to appeal the matter to the Michigan Court of Appeals, arguing his clients have the right to face off against only eligible candidates. Kenny, who ruled in this case, is the same judge who presided over the matter that caused Mayor Rick Sollars name from being struck from the ballot. Sign up for our daily morning newsletter Click here and then look to the right side for the sign up to the morning newsletter for The News Herald, and you can get the top headlines de In that case, Kenny ruled Sollars is an ineligible candidate because he failed to file several campaign reports and resolve $2,500 in late filing fees, even though he acknowledged when he signed an Affidavit of Identity on April 15 that all required campaign reports had been filed, and he did not owe any late filing fees. In that case, Kenny said it was undisputed that Sollars filed a false affidavit and that the challenge against him was filed in a timely manner. Judge rules against Mayor Rick Sollars bid to be included in Taylors primary ballot A judge has ruled that Taylor City Clerk Cynthia Bower acted properly in excluding Mayor Rick Sollars name from appearing on the citys Aug. +2 Embattled Taylor mayor ineligible to appear on ballot; Sollars challenges city clerks ruling Failure to file campaign finance reports and pay late fees has made Taylor Mayor Rick Sollars ineligible to appear on the Aug. 3 primary ballo Temporary restraining order puts Sollars name back on primary ballot in Taylor A decision to exclude Rick Sollars name from an upcoming primary ballot in his bid for another term as Taylors mayor has been reversed at Taylor mayoral candidate Alex Garza introduces COVID-19 response plan When state Rep. Alex Garza (D-Taylor) announced earlier this month that hes a candidate for mayor, he unveiled key pillars of his COVID-19 re Listen to article The Governor of Imo State, Sen. Hope Uzodinma has stated that his predecessor, Senator Rochas Okorocha is not a registered member of the All Progressives Congress in the State. He stated this when he received the APC registration and revalidation appeal committee in Owerri, the Imo capital, on Thursday. Gov. Uzodinma maintained that he has promoted an all-inclusive process in the state, irrespective of affiliations. He, however, said he will not allow the process to be hijacked by selfish individuals. Im not unaware that some people wanted to hijack the process. What I assure everybody is that nobody will be excluded. I recall getting a phone call from the governor of Niger state, telling me that the former governor, Okorocha, complained, he said. Uzodimma, however, added that after attempts to get Okorocha to participate in the registration process, the governor called me back from Niger state and told me that from all indications, Okorocha is not serious; that instead of talking about registration, hes talking of party structure. We had issues before I became the governor. As a result, people had their sympathies here and there. But after I became governor, I dont have a choice but to unite the membership of the party, Uzodimma said. The committee I set up to supervise the registration, a few days ago, said they were approaching two million. And I told the speaker, if INEC registration in Imo state is four point something million, you must get me three million. I cannot make this type of statement if the idea is to exclude people. I think that some of our leaders in this party need help. Some people dont know how to manage life after power. That is what we call post-power syndrome. Listen to article As popularly known Russian NGO, Russkiy Mir has been operating abroad. Its primary function is to strengthen Russian language and Russian literature and culture in foreign countries. Within that framework, Asia and Africa are interesting and important for this organization. There are three meanings of this small word "Mir" which means (Community, Peace and World), and the word inspires and defines Russkiy Mir's mission to promote understanding and peace in the world by supporting, enhancing and encouraging the appreciation of Russian language, heritage and culture. Russkiy Mir promotes the teaching of the Russian language within Russia and abroad both to new learners of the language and to those who already know and love Russian, and further wish to recapture or maintain their fluency. It brings Russia's rich history to life, and showcases vibrant examples of Russian art and culture around the world. The geography is steadily expanding. There are currently 19 Russian Centers (RC) operating in Asia. The details are that there are two centers in Vietnam, seven in China, one in North Korea, one in Macau, two in Mongolia, one in Thailand, three in South Korea, and two in Japan. Russkiy Mir has 25 offices two in Vietnam, one in Indonesia, four in China, two in North Korea, four in Mongolia, six in Turkey, four in South Korea, one in the Philippines and one in Japan. The Middle East has also two Russian Centers (in Iran and Syria) and additionally, Iran as well as Lebanon have Russkiy Mir Cabinets in operation. That however, preparations are underway for the opening of a second Russian Center in Iran (University of Isfahan), in Turkey (Istanbul) and in Lebanon (Lebanese State University). Organizations in the region actively use the opportunities of the foundation's grant program. Festivals and Exhibitions, Olympiads in the Russian language feature prominently the Russkiy Mir's activities throughout the year. Besides that, there also advanced training courses and seminars for Russian teachers, as well as scientific conferences held in many countries. Furthermore, the works by Russian authors are translated and published as part of the grant program (for example in 2020, a group of scholars from Changchun University translated and published the "Anthology of Silver Age of Russian poetry flash fiction"). Russkiy Mir Foundation in Africa Africa is a priority for the Russkiy Mir Foundation. From official reports and documents, there are eight Russkiy Mir Cabinets, as its normally referred to, in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Egypt, Kenya, Madagascar, Nigeria, Republic of Congo and South Arica. The Russian Center was opened in Tanzania (The University of Dodoma). Preparations are underway for the opening of Russian Centers in Algeria, Egypt (Ain Shams University in Cairo), in Senegal (Cheikh Anta Diop University in Dakar), Russian World Offices in Guinea-Bissau (Pushkin Center for the Study of the Russian Language in Bissau), in the Republic of Cote d'Ivoire (The University of Abidjan), as well as the "Russian corner" at the National Library of Madagascar. Representatives of African countries participate in the fund's grant program, but thus far, relatively few applications have been received from this region. We strongly encourage representatives of the African continent to participate more actively in the grant program of the foundation and hope for the media's assistance in spreading information about the program. The Foundation also maintains contacts with educational institutions and organizations of compatriots from Ethiopia, Uganda, Senegal, Cameroon, South Africa and other African countries, provides information and methodological support and assists in hosting Russian language courses. General information Today, there are 117 Russian Centers in 53 countries of the world. The events of 2020 the pandemic and the related changes in people's social lives: quarantine, remote work and study - could not but affected Russkiy Mir Foundation's activities. Despite all the surprises of 2020, the Foundation has never stopped its work of promoting and strengthening the position of the Russian language and culture in the world. Russkiy Mir Foundation implemented several major international cultural and educational projects in 2020 in order to promote the Russian language and culture: - International creativity competition or contest "Pushkin worldwide" - International competition of performers of Russian romance songs "Romanciada" which in some countries had to be held in a remote format - IV International Competition of Young Journalists "Co-Creation" - International competition "Correspondent of the Russian World" - The TV quiz "Pushkin: Do you know Our Everything?" Representatives of Asian and African countries also took part in these competitions. The program "Professor of the Russian World" is actively developing. The Foundation has implemented and still is implementing a whole series of educational programs (mostly in distant learning mode) for students and teachers of foreign universities, colleges and schools with the support of leading Russian universities. Great emphasis is placed on distributing information of the Foundation's activities in support and promotion of the Russian language abroad. The Foundation has its own website: russkiymir.ru (the portal's traffic amounted to more than 1.5 million unique users from 190 countries for the first nine months of 2020) as well as a television and radio broadcasting under the title "Russkiy Mir" for the Foundation. The Foundation publishes an illustrated electronic magazine monthly. Russkiy Mir Foundation is ready to support interested institutions in promoting the Russian language, literature and culture as part of Russia's Soft Power Diplomacy. In June 2007, President Vladimir Putin signed a decree establishing the Russkiy Mir Foundation, which is a joint project of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Higher Education and Science. *Elena Khmilevskaya is a Coordinator for Asian and African Programs at the Russkiy Mir Foundation and Kester Kenn Klomegah is an expert on Russia-Africa policy. Listen to article Nairobi, May 21, 2021In response to Ethiopias expulsion yesterday of New York Times reporter Simon Marks following allegations of fake news about the ongoing conflict in the Tigray region, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement: Ethiopias decision to expel Simon Marks, without warning or explanation, exposes the governments disturbing efforts to control the narrative on the Tigray conflict and its intolerance for critical reporting, said CPJs sub-Saharan Africa representative, Muthoki Mumo. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmeds administration should immediately rescind the expulsion of Simon Marks; restore his press credentials; and ensure that local and international reporters can work freely in Ethiopia ahead of next months elections. Officials in Addis Ababa yesterday summoned Marks, an Irish citizen who has reported in Ethiopia since 2019 for the Times and other publications, and drove him to the airport, where they detained him for eight hours before putting him on a plane at about 12:30 a.m. local time, The New York Times reported. The officials provided no explanation for his expulsion and in a thread on Twitter, Marks said he was prevented from going home to collect his belongings and to say goodbye to his child. Marks reporting credentials were initially withdrawn on March 4, shortly after a reporting trip to Tigray during which he covered alleged atrocities including widespread sexual violence, but the journalists residence permit was valid until October, according to a May 13 report by The New York Times. Officials at Ethiopias Broadcasting Authority, a statutory regulator that has since been renamed the Ethiopia Mass Media Authority, accused Marks of fake news and unbalanced reporting about Tigray and said that his coverage had caused huge diplomatic pressure, according to the same report. Michael Slackman, The New York Timess assistant managing editor for international, said in the papers report yesterday: It is alarming that the government of Ethiopia treated the journalist, Simon Marks, like a criminal, expelling him from the country without even letting him go home to get a change of clothing or his passport. The documentary series "1971: The Year That Music Changed Everything" debuts Friday, May 21 on Apple Tv+ (Provided by Apple TV+) Rod Stewart is currently slated to be the first concert at the DTE Energy Music Theatre, on July 23 (Photo by Ken Settle) Gabrielle Turner, 14, receives a Pfizer COVID-19 vaccination from Registered Nurse Lisa Leventhal at a Montgomery County, Pa. Office of Public Health vaccination clinic at the King of Prussia Mall, Wednesday, May 12, 2021, in King of Prussia, Pa. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke) Michigan legislators are proposing that $500 million in state funding be made available to address dam safety and other related projects. This week marks the one-year anniversary of the 300-year flooding event in mid-Michigan after heavy rainfall caused the poorly-maintained Edenville and Sanford dams to break. Over 11,000 Michiganders were evacuated from their homes as cleanup efforts immediately got underway as resources poured in from all over the state. Midwest Flooding A look at the Sanford Dam on Wednesday, May 20, 2020. After the Edenville Dam failed and the Tittabawassee River flooded surrounding areas, ma - Advertisement - Speaker Jason Wentworth, who lives in Farwell and represents Gladwin County, helped put the plan together, alongside state Rep. Annette Glenn of Midland, state Rep. Roger Hauck of Union Township and others. In addition to funding repairs and maintenance costs, the funding would also be used to restore lake levels and replace aging facilities. This plan sets aside dedicated funds for our community and cuts through the bureaucracy to use them faster, said Wentworth. The people I talk to around here are concerned about something like this happening again and whether these old structures will ever really be fixed. I get it theres been a lot of talk and too little action." +2 Oakland County planning to remove 186-year-old Mill Pond Dam as federal lawsuit lingers Oakland County and Springfield Township are moving forward with plans to remove a 186-year-old dam to restore the natural flow of the Shiawass New report shows 79% of Oakland County's regulated dams are in fair or better condition The majority of Oakland County's regulated dams are in fair or better condition with only a small number showing signs of significant structur The new plan creates four new, dedicated funds in the state budget, focused on: One grant program for repairs identified by the Four Lakes Task Force and others around the state. One fund to focus on repairs to already-identified high-risk dams. An emergency fund for emergency response activities when disaster strikes. Another grant program focused on drawing down federal match dollars for aging dam rehab or removal statewide. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's executive recommended fiscal year 2022 budget totals $67.1 billion with a general fund budget totaling $11.4 billion and a School Aid budget totaling $14.7 million. Included in her proposed budget is $15 million to be deposited into the state's new Dam Safety Emergency Fund. Whitmer and Gilchrist help with Midland flood cleanup Gov. Gretchen Whitmer joined a community clean up in Sanford, Mich., on Thursday, May 20, 2021, to commemorate the first anniversary of the Mi According to the budget language, "The fund will be used for emergency response in situations where the dam owner fails to pay for the necessary work. In instances where dam owners are unwilling or unable to mitigate hazards caused by dam malfunction, a reserve of state resources is needed to protect the public and address environmental damage." The $500 million plan would also make several policy reforms in state law, including requiring dam owners to maintain strong safety and maintenance records, while also proving they have strong enough finances to handle potential problems. +7 State and local resources converge as thousands of Michiganders flee homes after historic flooding State and local officials are working together to provide personnel and resources to help the thousands of mid-Michigan residents that were fo Whitmer: MI Clean Water providing $500 million investment for state's water infrastructure A $500 million investment to rebuild Michigan's critical drinking water and wastewater infrastructure has been announced by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. The new legislation is planned for formal introduction in both the House and the Senate soon. Committee hearings on the bills will be scheduled soon. According to a December 2020 report issued by the Oakland County Water Resource Commissioner's Office, the majority of the county's regulated dams are in fair or better condition with only a small number showing signs of significant structural decline. According to the report, 73 of the county's 92 regulated lake level dams (46 are unregulated) are characterized as being in fair or better condition. 32 of those regulated dams are owned, operated, and maintained by the WRC under Part 307 of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act of 1994 with the others being privately (58) or publicly-owned (48). BEIJING, May 19 (Xinhua) The Museum of the Communist Party of China (CPC) is set to open soon in Beijing, the National Cultural Heritage Administration (NCHA) said Wednesday. From June, the new museum will host an exhibition on the history of the CPC, according to an NCHA press release. The memorial of the first National Congress of the CPC in Shanghai will also open a new exhibition hall to visitors shortly, said Gu Yucai, vice director of the NCHA, at a press conference in Beijing. China now has more than 1,600 museums and memorials themed on its revolutionary history. From 2018 to 2020 these institutions launched more than 4,000 exhibitions, according to the NCHA. Meanwhile, the country has registered more than 36,000 revolutionary heritage sites and possesses a collection of more than 1 million related artifacts. From 2016 to 2020, the NCHA approved nearly 400 conservation projects concerning revolutionary cultural heritage, Gu said. To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the founding of the CPC, the NCHA has recommended 109 high-quality exhibitions across the country, Gu said. (Source: Xinhua) Owners of the Woodpile BBQ, 630 E. 11 Mile Road in Madison Heights, say they took advantage of a reduced-cost liquor license program through the Michigan Economic Development Corporation that brought them more dine-in and carryout business. Madison Heights is making other existing and potential downtown businesses aware of the program as part of the DDA's downtown revitalization efforts. FILE - In this Monday, April 25, 2016, file photo, Chicago Tribune and other newspapers are displayed at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport. (AP Photo/Kiichiro Sato, File) This Aug. 13, 2020 file photo shows the University of Michigan football stadium in Ann Arbor, Mich. A report says staff at the University of Michigan missed many opportunities to stop the late Dr. Robert Anderson, who committed sexual misconduct against hundreds of patients over decades at the school. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya, file) More than 8,500 foreigners in Phuket registered to receive state vaccination PHUKET: In just two days, more than 8,500 foreigners in Phuket have already registered to receive a state-provided COVID-19 vaccination, according to Phuket Tourist Association President Bhummikitti Raktaengam. COVID-19CoronavirusVaccinehealthtourismeconomics By The Phuket News Friday 21 May 2021, 02:33PM The mass vaccination campaign continues at the Jungceylon shopping mall in Patong. Photo: PPHO The mass vaccination campaign continues at the Jungceylon shopping mall in Patong. Photo: PPHO The mass vaccination campaign continues at the Jungceylon shopping mall in Patong. Photo: PPHO Some 31.5% of the target 466,587 people in Phuket to be vaccinated have already received at least one vaccination injection. Image: PR Phuket Phuket Tourist Association President Bhummikitti Raktaengam (right) at the mass vaccination campaign at the Indoor Sports Stadium at Saphan Hin. Photo: PPHO The mass vaccination campaign continues at the Indoor Sports Stadium at Saphan Hin. Photo: PPHO Mr Bhummikitti shared the information on his Facebook page last night (May 20). Registration for all foreigners working in Phuket opened on Wednesday (May 19). According to Mr Bhummikittis post, 113,487 people in Phuket registered for the first round of mass vaccinations, and 177,932 people registered for the second round, which is currently ongoing. The post also noted that 8,563 foreigners had been registered, bringing the total number of people in Phuket registered to be vaccinated through the mass-vaccination campaign to 300,002. From information gathered by Thai officials and embassy and consular representatives in Phuket there are an estimated 11,000 foreigners currently on the island. After months of silence about when foreigners in Phuket will have the opportunity to receive a state-provided vaccine, only recently have they consistently publicly announced that foreigners working in Phuket will be vaccinated in June when the AstraZeneca vaccine will be available. So far all vaccinations provided through the mass-vaccination campaign have been of the Chinese-made Sinovac vaccine CoronaVac. Despite consistent requests from Phukets expat community, Thai officials have yet to confirm when any of the vaccines already approved by Thai Food and Drug Administration will be available from private suppliers, such as hospitals. Meanwhile, The Phuket News was today informed of a foreigner who was registered through the Phuket Must Win web portal to receive a vaccine and sent an official appointment to receive his first vaccination injection today, only to be turned away at the vaccination centre this morning and told that foreigners will not receive any vaccination injections until next month. All people in Phuket must register through the Phuket Must Win website (www..com) in order to receive a state-provided vaccine. Any registrations through the national MorProm channel will be cancelled, officials have confirmed. (See stories here and here.) This applies to all expats in Phuket, officials have also confirmed. Of note, the Phuket office of the Public Relations Department (PR Phuket) has reported that as of yesterday (May 20) 147,182 people in Phuket had already received at least one vaccination injection, some 31.5% of the 466,587 target set by officials. Phuket health officials have set a target of vaccinating 70% of the islands population in order for the island to achieve herd immunity so that the island can open to receive fully vaccinated foreign tourists from July 1. Meanwhile, to help encourage more people to be vaccinated, local officials will start conducting door-to-door knocks, Phuket Vice Governor Pichet Panapong explained yesterday. Phuket bust nets 22,000 meth pills PHUKET: Police have arrested a man and woman with 480g of crystal methamphetamine (ya ice), 22,000 pills of methamphetamine (ya bah) and just under eight grammes of heroin at an address in Rassada, north of Phuket Town. drugscrimeCOVID-19economicspolice By The Phuket News Friday 21 May 2021, 10:59AM The arrests were conducted by Phuket Provincial Police, under command of Chief Maj Gen Pornsak Nuannoo, at 6:30pm on Tuesday (May 18), according to a report by the Phuket office of the Public Relations Department (PR Phuket) made available today (May 21). Yakob Kob Salae, 36, originally from Pattani, and his girlfriend Sansanee Nan Denmalai, 27, originally from Phang Nga, were found with 485.97g of ya ice, 22,000 pills of ya bah, and 7.78g of heroin, said the report. Yakob and Sansanee were arrested at a house in Soi Kiattisin 1, Moo 2, Rassada, where police also seized a black Songkhla-registered Honda Civic car, a black-red Honda Click motorbike and a bankbook for an account holding B14,600. Yakob told police that he used to sell traditional Thai snacks Khao Kriap at a gas station while Sansinee worked as hotel staff, but the couple turned to selling drugs after they were left unemployed due to the ongoing economic crisis. Yakob and Sansinee were taken to Phuket City Police Station and charged for possession of a Category 1 drug with intent to sell. Police said they will question the couple further and continue their investigation in the hope of tracking down the drug network. Spring Sprout campaign sees Chinese vaccination drive start in Thailand THAILAND: As part of Chinas global campaign to vaccinate its overseas citizens, Chinese nationals based in Thailand started receiving the first round of COVID-19 shots yesterday (May 20). ChineseCoronavirusCOVID-19Vaccine By The Phuket News Friday 21 May 2021, 10:20AM Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha inspects a vial of the Coronavac COVID-19 coronavirus vaccine, developed by Chinas Sinovac, beside Yang Xin, Charge dAffaires of the Chinese embassy in February. Photo: AFP. So far Thailand has received 6 million doses of Coronavac, the Chinese-manufactured COVID-19 vaccine from Sinovac. A delivery of 1.5 million doses was received yesterday and a further 3 million are expected to arrive next month, explained a report by Associated Press. Of that total, 500,000 doses were recently donated by the Chinese government on the understanding Chinese nationals based in the Kingdom would be the first overseas citizens to receive the inoculation as part of what Beijing has termed their Spring Sprout program. Over 500,000 Chinese nationals based in more than 120 countries have so far benefited from the program since its launch in March, according to the Chinese Peoples Daily newspaper. It is estimated 150,000 Chinese citizens currently live in Thailand, the highest number of any nationality who are not from the neighbouring countries of Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar. Chinese are the only foreigners being vaccinated under the Spring Sprout campaign. Foreigners based in Thailand from elsewhere such as Australia, Europe, the US and Japan number around 200,000 and are mainly professionals and retirees. Currently the only way they can access COVID-19 vaccine is by travelling overseas which would incur a lengthy and expensive quarantine on their return to the Kingdom. Government cares The Spring Sprout campaign in Thailand began in downtown Bangkok yesterday at a designated vaccination centre with a banner outside reading Spring Sprout Action. Chinese national Zhang Xiaohong, 40, was one of the first to receive the jab. I am happy and proud to be able to get a vaccine on day 1 organized by my government, said the logistics company owner, adding he believes the Chinese government cares about its people. Another Chinese, 39-year-old real estate broker Qin Qing, proclaimed: I am grateful for my country and the embassy, and people who help to make it happen, from airline staff who fly the vaccines here to Thai medical workers. The Thai government had vowed to inoculate its own citizens before turning attention to foreigners residing in the country although this development may seem to have jepordised that pledge. The government has been lambasted for its seemingly slow and protracted approach to a steadfast vaccination rollout policy that has so far seen only just over 2% of its 70 million people receive a first jab and 1% a second. The recent third wave that hit the country last month has seen non-official lockdowns introduced where a raft of confusing restrictions have severely affected business, the economy and any hopes of tangible progress. Health authorities yesterday reported 2,636 new cases and 25 deaths for a total of 119,585 infections and 703 deaths since the pandemic began. Of that number, 90,722 confirmed cases and 609 deaths have been recorded since April 1. Southern Pines, NC (28387) Today Thunderstorms early, then variable clouds overnight with still a chance of showers. Low 69F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%.. Tonight Thunderstorms early, then variable clouds overnight with still a chance of showers. Low 69F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%. Today Scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Partly cloudy skies after midnight. Low 71F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%. Tonight Scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Partly cloudy skies after midnight. Low 71F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%. Tomorrow Intervals of clouds and sunshine. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 92F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph. Lower Merion man accused of trafficking methamphetamine; three pounds of drugs seized from his home Over 90% of people in Wales think health research has been important during COVID-19 pandemic More than 90% of people in Wales (91%) think health research in the UK has been important during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new YouGov survey. The poll, carried out on behalf of Health and Care Research Wales to mark International Clinical Trials Day, asked 1,000 respondents a range of questions on their understanding of coronavirus research especially research in the UK and the role it had played in overcoming the pandemic. The survey also found: 34% are now more likely to take part in health research because of the pandemic 86% feel the UK has played a significant role in finding COVID-19 treatments 87% are proud of the UK researchers and NHS staff who identified some of the first effective treatments and vaccines 91% feel grateful to the people who have taken part in the research for vaccines, tests and treatments 78% are keen for health research to be part of routine care offered by the NHS However, the majority of people who responded didnt know local NHS hospitals in Wales offered opportunities to take part in COVID-19 health research (60%) or health research unrelated to COVID-19 (71%). Professor Kieran Walshe, Director of Health and Care Research Wales, said: Our research community in Wales has been working tirelessly as part of a UK-wide effort to find safe and effective ways to tackle COVID-19 from treatments through to vaccines. Its encouraging to see how members of the public recognise the importance research has played, and is continuing to play, during this pandemic. Life-saving research couldnt happen without people volunteering to take part, so were very grateful to those who have participated and to those who plan to take part in future health research. Going forward, we need to make sure more people know their local hospital, GP surgery, pharmacy, dental practice and opticians all offer opportunities to take part in research. Research matters now more than ever and is essential to improving the health and wellbeing of people and communities in Wales. Eluned Morgan, Wales Minister for Health and Social Services, said: It has been great to see how Welsh Governments investment in health and care research in Wales has contributed to the life-saving research that has found treatments for COVID-19 and developed the vaccines which are now being so widely used, in the UK and around the world. Gwawr Evans, who took part in the Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine trial, said: I volunteered to take part in this trial mainly because this vaccine, and others, are whats going to get us out of the pandemic. It makes me feel proud to have taken part in this trial so when I hear about it on the news I feel like I have a personal connection to it. Its something that Ive been a part of and in a small way contributed to. Our world would be so different without research, its critical to us all. Its great to see from this survey that many people feel the same way about research and I would encourage them to ask their doctor or nurse how they can take part in research in the future. Visit the Be Part of Research website to find out more about how you can be a part of COVID-19 and other vital health and social care research in Wales. Ellen Booth, 57, studies at her kitchen table to become a certified medical coder, in Coventry, R.I., Monday, May 17, 2021. When the restaurant she worked for closed last year, Booth said it gave her "the kick I needed." She started a year-long class to learn to be a medical coder. When her unemployment benefits ran out two months ago, she started drawing on her retirement funds. Booth hopes to pass her upcoming exam and soon hit the job market. Guest commentary Its time for America to put the 9/11 mastermind on trial WASHINGTON (AP) President Joe Biden on Thursday signed legislation to curtail a dramatic rise in hate crimes against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and expressed pride that lawmakers who seem to agree on little else came together against hate and racism. Biden lavished praise on Democrats and Republicans for approving the bill by lopsided margins and sending it to the White House for his signature. Several dozen lawmakers attended the bill signing ceremony, one of the largest groups to visit the Biden White House during the pandemic. The House approved the bill 364-62 this week, following the Senate's 94-1 vote in April. Biden, who stressed his wish to help unite the country as he campaigned for office, said during the East Room event that fighting hate and racism should bring people together. I'm proud today of the United States, he said. The new law will expedite Justice Department reviews of hate crimes by putting an official in charge of the effort. Federal grants will be available to help local law enforcement agencies improve their investigation, identification and reporting of bias-driven incidents, which often go underreported. Some activists opposed the legislation's reliance on law enforcement. Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, who is Black and Indian, discussed reports of stabbings, shootings and other attacks against Asian American and Pacific Islander individuals and their businesses since the start of the pandemic a little over a year ago. Harris said such incidents had increased six-fold during that time. She said that while the new law brings the U.S. closer to stopping hate, the work to address injustice, wherever it exists, remains the work ahead. The AAPI Victory Alliance, a policy and advocacy organization for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, complimented Biden for quickly signing the bill. But executive director Varun Nikore said the law is only one piece in the long fight for equity and opportunity for communities of color. Nikore said Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders will use the electoral prowess they demonstrated last year to elect leaders who will advocate for their community. Ending Asian hate should never be a partisan issue, he said. The bill-signing scene at the White House was reminiscent of pre-pandemic times, and the bill itself marked a fleeting moment of bipartisanship in a Congress that has struggled all year to overcome partisan gridlock over issues ranging from COVID-19 aid to the definition of infrastructure. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and more than 60 guests from Congress, the Justice Department, and advocacy groups, along with White House aides, mingled freely and barefaced due to new public health guidance that people fully vaccinated against COVID-19 can stop wearing face masks while indoors with other fully vaccinated people. Maine Sen. Susan Collins was the only Republican lawmaker seen in the audience. At the end of the program, Harris and lawmakers who led the effort to get the bill passed surrounded Biden as he sat at a desk and signed it into law. Campaign launched to build 66,000 cardiac vehicle for heart patients in rural North Wales Awyr Las (Blue Sky) is driving a campaign to build a revolutionary mobile scanning vehicle for cardiac patients in rural communities. The North Wales NHS charity is calling on the public to help raise 66,000 towards the appeal as part of this years popular NHS Big Tea event. The Cardiac Diagnostic Vehicle will be fitted with advanced technology, allowing clinicians to journey to vulnerable patients so they can diagnose and perform assessments remotely. This innovative approach will save Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB) vital resources, clinic space and reduce waiting times as people will be seen outside their homes, in GP surgeries and hospital car parks within their community rather than having to attend medical sites in person. The idea was proposed by Advanced Cardiac Physiologists Liana Shirley and Hannah Jones, who visited more than 80 patients across North Wales during the first Coronavirus lockdown. With the number of people being admitted to hospital due to heart failure rising by more than 30% in the last five years, Liana says echocardiography services are needed more than ever before and hopes people will support Awyr Las in raising vital funds for the vehicle. When the pandemic struck last year and outpatient clinics were forced to close it quickly became clear we would have to cancel our service and watch waiting lists grow, or adapt and find a solution, said Liana. That is when we started doing home visits, journeying to all parts of North Wales in our cars with portable scanners and all the equipment we needed to carry out examinations and echocardiograms in full PPE (Personal Protective Equipment). There were challenges we were often perched on furniture, the lighting was not great and the environment unsuitable for medical assessments but it was a necessity, and the feedback we received from patients was entirely positive. But it was never going to be sustainable long-term, and thats when we came up with the idea for the Cardiac Diagnostic Vehicle, supported by clinical lead, Graham Thomas GP. Hannah added: Half of the patients we visited were diagnosed with some form of heart failure, and at least 10 of them would have been admitted to hospital. As each hospital admission costs around 4,000 we saved the NHS tens of thousands of pounds by seeing these people in their own homes. We are the only team in Wales doing this and to our knowledge there is no other Cardiac Diagnostic Vehicle in the UK, so this is a game-changer. A new Peugeot Boxer light commercial van has been sourced by a bespoke vehicle manufacturing company and will be converted into a remote medical unit complete with portable scanner, a computer desk, sink and cleaning facilities and an electric adjustable bed. From Holyhead to Hope, Liana and Hannah will soon be able to visit the most vulnerable in society, saving time and money for the health board, and, most importantly, many lives. Patients were so relieved they could still access this service despite COVID-19, that they could still have an echocardiogram without entering a hospital due to fear of contracting the Coronavirus, said Hannah. They were more comfortable and relaxed, so its vital we continue to operate in the community with this purpose-built vehicle we can do that. Liana added: This is a service that affects everyone, so we would be grateful for any support as part of the NHS Big Tea appeal. Awyr Las is encouraging the public to join the nations biggest tea break and be part of a national outpouring of thanks while raising money for the incredible NHS workers who have been there for the nation over the last year. Everyone can take part by raising a mug or holding their own virtual or physical tea party on July 5. Kirsty Thomson, Deputy Chair of NHS Charities Together and Head of Fundraising for Awyr Las, said: After so many months of isolation for many, The NHS Big Tea is a chance for everyone to join up with friends, family and neighbours, for communities to come together and thank NHS staff and each other for everything they have done over the past year. We hope people will host their own events and help us meet the cost of the Cardiac Diagnostic Vehicle, a service that will be there for people across the region and have a major impact for years to come. Over the last 10 years, Awyr Las has received more than 25m in donations. That support has helped pay for state-of-the-art equipment and new facilities, staff training, world-class research, special projects, additional services and extra patient comforts which are over and above what NHS funding can provide. To raise funds for the Cardiac Diagnostic Vehicle and sign up for the NHS Big Tea event, visit the website: www.awyrlas.org.uk/big-tea NEW ORLEANS A foursome of canoers seeking to set a speed record for paddling the Mississippi River has ended its quest after their canoe sank. On Friday, the foursome of Scott Miller, Joel Ford, Adam Macht and Perry Whitaker ended their record quest, one week after passing through Grafton-Alton area. seeking the same record. Their decision came after another foursome Rod Price, Bobby Johnson and father-daughter duo Kirk and Casey Millhone set a new record by completing the quest in 17 days, 19 hours and 46 minutes. The former record, set in 2003, was 18 days, four hours and 51 minutes. Miller, now in New Orleans, took to the groups Facebook page Friday to explain why the quest had ended. He said the group was experiencing high winds and high surf for the past couple of days, including Thursday night. We were right on the knife edge of the boat filling with water much of the time and not able to go the speeds we would ideally go, Miller said. He said the boat had filled with water earlier on three separate occasions during the quest in Minnesota, Iowa and Missouri and Thursday night was the mortal blow. According to Miller, the group was facing large waives with ocean liners on one side and barges on the other. Miller said members were screaming to go left while others were saying to go right. After a brief discussion, the group decided to call over the support boat that had been following them through the trip. The support boat team attempted to grab the canoe, but was unsuccessful. The paddlers had to jump onto the support boat, leaving the canoe to be taken underwater. Mississippi River one, Mississippi Speed Record zero, wrote Miller. Well played, Mother Nature. He said the support boat then steered though the heavy surf for another half hour before docking on a beach in a remote part of Louisiana. The surf remained heavy, he said. We were unable to move the big support boat until this morning, Miller posted Friday morning. The boat then traveled another five miles until docking in New Orleans, where the group is now resting. According to Miller, the group came about 135 miles away from completing its goal. He added that, while the foursome did not beat the world record, they did make a great memory. I think that everybody had a really good time; I know I did, he said. It was an absolutely epic adventure, far more challenging than I ever would have guessed. ALTON Nearly two years later, more than $3.7 million is coming to Alton to fix Riverview Drive and its retaining wall. Alton Mayor David Goins said the funding was a wonderful opportunity for Alton. Everybody involved is committed to making our city better and making things right that have not been right for some time, Goins said. Im excited about being a part of seeing this progress happen. In May 2019, city officials began monitoring the retaining wall and sidewalk on Riverview Drive just west of Riverview Park in Alton after cracks were found following heavy rains. In August 2019, part of the bluff at Riverview Park eroded, prompting officials to close Riverview Drive to protect public safety. Along with closing the street near Riverview Park, Alton Public Works Department workers used sandbags to channel water away from the affected area. The retaining wall above ground had wide cracks and a fairly new section of sidewalk has cracked and separated. Since then Alton officials have negotiated with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Illinois Emergency Management Agency to secure money to address the problem. On Friday federal and state officials confirmed Alton will receive $3,759,186 to assist in the project. Last month the city reported the total project is expected to cost about $5,012,240. Of that amount, a mitigation project expected to cost $581,532 is planned to prevent future re-occurrences by installing a stormwater collection and diversion system in Altons Christian Hill area. FEMA will provide a 75 percent federal share of eligible reimbursable expenses for this project. The money will be used to restore the failed retaining wall and repair the roadway, sidewalk, fencing and stormwater drainage along Riverview Drive. This grant funding will not only reimburse costs to repair important city infrastructure but fund efforts to help protect it from future disaster-related damage, said Kevin M. Sligh, acting regional administrator, FEMA Region 5. IEMA Director Alicia Tate-Nadeau said the state was grateful for its partnerships with FEMA to help our communities rebuild stronger and more resilient in the wake of the longest flood in Illinois history in 2019. To date, the federal government has obligated more than $52 million through the FEMA Public Assistance program to help local governments, like the City of Alton, recover from the 2019 flood, she said. Moving forward, to build more resilient communities we must work together at the local-state-and-federal level to increase mitigation projects along our riverways to minimize the risks of future flooding. WOOD RIVER The Madison County Health Department has added two more schools in Alton and Highland to the list of upcoming COVID-19 vaccination sites. The MCHD will offer vaccinations June 3 at Alton High School and June 9 at Highland Primary School. Earlier this week the MCHD also announced vaccination clinics at Granite City High School on May 24, Triad High School in Troy on May 27, Trimpe Middle School in Bethalto on June 2 and Collinsville Middle School on June 7. All four are planned for 3:30-7:30 p.m. Additional clinics are planned May 25 at the Hamel Community Center and May 21-25 at the Gateway Convention Center in Collinsville. The MCHD is accepting walk-ins at the vaccination clinics, but appointments are requested. Vaccinations are available for people 12 and older. The COVID-19 Moderna and Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) vaccines are only approved for those 18 and older. Minors 12-17 years old must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. They do not need an ID or birth certificate; however, a parent or guardian will be asked to show their ID. Minors who are 16-17 years old are only eligible to receive the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, must show a photo ID (e.g. drivers license, school ID, etc.), proof of age, and must be accompanied by a parent or guardian to their appointment. To schedule an appointment, people can click the green appointment link at www.madisonchd.org. People needing help scheduling appointments can call 618-692-8954 ext. 2 on Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. On Friday the MCHD announced it will no longer release daily COVID-19 vaccination numbers. The Telegraph will continue to report Madison County data released by the Illinois Department of Public Health. On Friday the IDPH reported 194,858 COVID-19 vaccinations so far in the county. IDPH officials said 95,565 county residents or 36.14% of the countys population are now fully vaccinated for COVID-19. More Information Vaccinations Total: 194,858 Fully: 95,565 (36.14%) Source: MCHD COVID-19 cases by county Madison - 30,182 (499 deaths) Jersey - 2,689 (49 deaths) Calhoun - 524 (5 deaths) Greene - 1,386 (48 deaths) Macoupin - 4,917 (112 deaths) Montgomery - 3,748 (73 deaths) St. Clair - 28,001 (515 deaths) Clinton - 5,769 (90 deaths) Bond - 2,070 (24 deaths) Monroe - 4,359 (93 deaths) Randolph - 4,140 (84 deaths) Washington - 1,646 (25 deaths) Source: IDPH & MCHD COVID-19 cases by ZIP code 62002 (Alton) - 3,547 62010 (Bethalto) - 1,360 62067 (Moro) - 319 62035 (Godfrey) - 2,068 62037 (Grafton) - 195 62012 (Brighton) - 779 62014 (Bunker Hill) - 361 62052 (Jerseyville) - 1,693 62095 (Wood River) - 1,270 62084 (Roxana) - 164 62048 (Hartford) - 132 62087 (South Roxana) - 182 62018 (Cottage Hills) - 317 62024 (East Alton) - 939 62025 (Edwardsville) - 3,740 62034 (Glen Carbon) - 1,473 62062 (Maryville) - 986 62294 (Troy) - 1,945 62040 (Granite City/Pontoon Beach) - 4,528 62234 (Collinsville) - 3,638 62249 (Highland) -2,186 62281 (St. Jacob) -425 62097 (Worden) - 299 62088 (Staunton) - 745 62069 (Mt. Olive) - 313 62033 (Gillespie) -537 62626 (Carlinville) - 976 62016 (Carrollton) - 433 62044 (Greenfield) - 182 62092 (White Hall) - 395 62082 (Roodhouse) - 276 62047 (Hardin) - 181 62022 (Dow) - 131 For a complete list of cases by ZIP code, visit https://www.dph.illinois.gov/covid19/covid19-statistics. Source: Illinois Department of Public Health See More Collapse As of midnight Thursday 10,767,013 vaccines have been administered in Illinois. The seven-day rolling average of vaccines administered daily is 76,812 doses. The IDPH reported 64% of Illinois adults have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose and 47% of Illinois adults are fully vaccinated. On Friday the IDPH reported 35.41% of the residents in Jersey County were fully vaccinated according to the IDPH. Other fully vaccinated rates were 29.95% in Calhoun County, 34.08% in Macoupin County and 25.95% in Greene County. Vaccination clinics are set May 24 in Virden and Girard and May 25 in Gillespie. For details and appointments visit http://www.mcphd.net/. No COVID-19 related deaths were reported by the MCHD on Thursday, leaving the county total at 499. On Friday the IDPH reported two additional COVID-19 related deaths in Madison County, a man in his 50s and a woman in her 70s. There are sometimes discrepancies in the number of cases and deaths reported at the state and local levels, in part because of the volume of cases, and also as each local department forwards the information and it is verified. Local health officials have said the cases eventually reconcile as the reporting catches up. Late Thursday the MCHD reported 33 new confirmed and probable COVID-19 cases, as well as 687 new tests. To date, Madison County has recorded 30,157 cases and 324,044 tests. There were 20 COVID-19 patients in Madison County hospitals Wednesday, two on ventilators. The IDPH on Friday reported 1,573 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 and 21 additional COVID-19 related deaths statewide. To date, the IDPH has reported 11,373,457 cases, including 22,556 deaths. Statewide there were 1,426 COVID-19 patients in hospitals on Thursday night, including 360 in intensive care units and 206 on ventilators. The preliminary seven-day statewide positivity for cases as a percent of total test from May 14-20 was 2.2%. The preliminary seven-day statewide test positivity for the same period was 2.8%. The MCHD on Thursday reported a three-day positivity rate of 2.64%, a seven-day rate of 3% and a 10-day rate of 3.1%. For more COVID-19 information, visit https://coronavirus-response-madcoil.hub.arcgis.com/, www.madisonchd.org or Facebook @madisonchd. Also visit www.co.madison.il.us or Facebook @madisoncountyil for more vaccination news and daily updates. For The Telegraphs online vaccine tracker, visit https://www.thetelegraph.com/coronavirus-vaccine-tracker-alton-illinois/. For additional vaccine locations visit https://coronavirus.illinois.gov/s/vaccination-location. Local and statewide information also is available at www.dph.illinois.gov. Click the coronavirus banner. For health-related questions about COVID-19, people also can call the IDPH hotline at 1-800-889-3931 or email dph.sick@illinois.gov. EDWARDSVILLE The Madison County Board rejected one appointment and declined to act on several others at Wednesdays board meeting. The reappointment of David Schwind to Madison County Flood Prevention for a new three-year term failed on an 11-17 vote. The appointments of Donald Sawicki to the Flood Prevention Board, Cedric Irby to replace Ron Jedda on the Madison County Transit District Board, and Nick Mason to replace Nathan Kincade on the Wood River Drainage & Levee District, died for lack of a motion. Those three appointments had been tabled from last months meeting over complaints by several board members that a new county administrator and IT director had not been appointed. Those positions were filled during a special meeting last week. A number of appointments were approved, including the reappointment of Joe Dauderman to the Madison County Assessors Office; Steve Smith to the Madison County Board of Review; Billy Dillow to the Marine Community Fire Protection District; and Ryan Cunningham to the Troy Fire Protection District. The county board chairman is responsible for appointments to more than 70 boards and committees, ranging from cemetery boards to regional agencies. The board also took action on two labor agreements, approving new three-year contracts with Teamsters Local 525. In separate resolutions contracts were approved for workers in Animal Control and the Highway Department. The agreements call for no increase the first year, with negotiations reopened for increases the second and third years. In other business, the board: Approved a funding resolution for the reconstruction of Johnson Road in Granite City, with the countys portion to be $133,250. The project includes milling, resurfacing, ADA compliant sidewalks and curb and gutter work on the section between Illinois 203 and Terrace Lane. Approved a funding resolution for Phase 2 of the reconstruction of Siler Road from Wenzel Road to Seminary Road, at a cost of $4 million in Rebuild Illinois funds. Approved the purchase of yellow and white traffic marking paint from Ennis-Flint Inc. of Greensboro, N. Carolina, at a cost of $39,644. Approved $85,408.11 in repairs to a lift station in Madison County Special Service Area 1. Approved a service agreement with AT&T for the Madison County 911 system for $398,064 for one year. Approved a maintenance agreement for the IT Departments ArcGIS software at a cost of $71,734.06. Approved the purchase of 50 fireproof filing cabinets for the Circuit Clerks Office at a cost of $42,187. The new cabinets are needed to store original copies of wills because of new state regulations. EDWARDSVILLE An East Alton man faces several drug and weapons-related felonies, including a Class X methamphetamine charge. Dwayne K. Miller, 46, was charged May 20 with unlawful possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine, a Class X felony; unlawful possession of weapons by a felon, a Class 2 felony; and resisting a peace officer causing injury, a Class 4 felony. The case was presented by the Madison County Sheriffs Department. According to court documents, on May 18 Miller allegedly was found to be in possession of between 15-100 grams of methamphetamine with intent to deliver, and a knife. It was noted he has a 2019 conviction for aggravated fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer in Madison County, making him ineligible to possess weapons. Miller also allegedly struggled with a detective from the sheriffs department during his arrest, causing injuries to the officers face and arms. Bail was set at $150,000. Other drug- and alcohol-related felony charges filed May 20 by the Madison County States Attorneys Office include: Melodi J. Rodgers, 52, of Bethalto, was charged with aggravated driving under the influence with no insurance, a Class 4 felony. The case was presented by the Illinois State Police. On March 22 Rodgers allegedly was found to be driving a 2001 Chevrolet truck under the influence of drugs, and was not covered by liability insurance. Bail was set at $15,000. Stacey L. Hamlet, 59, of East Alton, was charged with unlawful possession of methamphetamine, a Class 3 felony. The case was presented by the East Alton Police Department. On May 19 Hamlet allegedly was found to be in possession of less than five grams of methamphetamine. Bail was set at $15,000. Joseph W. Richards, 26, of Alton, was charged with unlawful possession of methamphetamine, a Class 3 felony. The case was presented by the Madison County Sheriffs Department. On May 19 Richards allegedly was found to be in possession of less than five grams of methamphetamine. Bail was set at $15,000. Teresa L. Moerlien, 39, of Madison, was charged with unlawful possession of a controlled substance, a Class 4 felony. The case was presented by the East Alton Police Department. On May 19 Moerlien allegedly was found to be in possession of less than 15 grams of Alprazolam. Bail was set at $15,000. ALTON Nearly $65,000 has been distributed to 53 civic organizations. courtesy of the Grandpa Gang and Christmas Wonderland. Despite COVID-19 precautions limiting some displays last year, a record number of visitors attended Christmas Wonderland during the 2020 holiday season meaning the volunteer Grandpa Gang is able to increase its donations to local organizations. We are so pleased with the financial support we received, considering the unusual year we had with the pandemic, said Dick Alford, head grandpa of the Grandpa Gang. We had a lot of folks looking for any reason to get out of the house and they came to Christmas Wonderland, he said. We had many people coming to see us for the first time. Presented by the Grandpa Gang, the 2020 Christmas Wonderland featured more than 4 million lights strung throughout Rock Spring Park. COVID-19 concerns canceled the traditional Enchanted Forest and visits with Santa Claus; Alford said the features are expected to return this holiday season. The financial support we received in 2020 means we can help others in our surrounding communities and that is the true meaning of the holiday season, Alford said. Area organizations receiving financial donations from Christmas Wonderland include: 1st Presbyterian Church 4th & Alby 5As Animal Shelter Alton Amphitheater Commission Alton Boys & Girls Club Alton Fireworks Committee Alton Godfrey Kiwanis Alton Godfrey Rotary Club Alton High School Class of 64 Alton Juneteenth Committee Alton Optimist Club AMH White Cross Pride, Inc./Gordon Moore Project Backstoppers-Captain Jacob Ringering & Luke Warner Behavior Alternatives Bethalto Boys & Girls Club Beverly Farm Foundation Boy Scout Troop #101 Bright Hope Chapter E.S. Crisis Food Center Cub Scout Pack 3001 Dunbar Lodge 97 East Alton American Legion Scholarship Fund East Alton Rotary East End Improvement GRWC Wood river Womens Club Gordon Moore Park Smith Fund Got Faith Grafton United Methodist Church Hope Community Center Hope Rescue Impact Land of Lincoln Honor Flights Mississippi Valley Christian School North Alton Godfrey Business Council Oasis Womens Center Otter Creek Historical Society Phi Tau Omega Society Power of the Giraffe Pride, Inc. Riverbend Animal Shelter Riverbend Community Center Riverbend Community Food Pantry Salvation Army Senior Services Plus Scheffel Boyle St. Peter Lutheran Church St. Vincent De Paul Society TreeHouse Wildlife center Wreaths Across America YWCA. Each year The Grandpa Gang a group of retirees and volunteers organizes and designs the Christmas spectacular of cascading lights, tunnels and displays known as Christmas Wonderland. Each evening during the holiday season, the park sparkles against the night sky with millions of glistening lights, all hung by volunteers and the gang. Each year, the group also gives a portion of the attractions seasonal revenue to local charities. Christmas Wonderland began in 1997 as a grass roots movement when volunteers began decorating the entrance to Rock Spring Park for the holiday season. In 2003, those efforts evolved into Christmas Wonderland. Alford said volunteers are always needed to help with Christmas Wonderland projects. Informational meetings will be held in August, and the transformation of Rock Spring Park will start in September. Volunteers typically work three to five days a week from 8 a.m. to noon helping with tasks like setting up wooden displays and hanging lights throughout the park. To volunteer, contact Alford at 618-781-2482. Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-06 23:56:41|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close KATHMANDU, May 6 (Xinhua) -- Another record high of 9,070 COVID-19 infections were reported in Nepal on Thursday though most people are obeying a government order to stay at home. The Ministry of Health and Population said a total of 8,970 cases were confirmed through the polymerase chain reaction tests and the remaining 100 infections were confirmed through the antigen tests. Meanwhile, 54 more deaths were reported in the last 24 hours, the third day in a row for the country to see more than 50 deaths. Nepal has been witnessing an unrestrained surge in COVID-19 cases since April 18 when 1,015 cases were recorded. The number has hit a new high each day ever since, resulting in the hospitals being overwhelmed with coronavirus patients. Nepali health experts say the reported cases do not represent the true prevalence of the scourge. "The data released by the Nepali government are of just those who were tested after developing symptoms of the disease," Dr. Binjwala Shrestha, an assistant professor at Tribhuvan University Institute of Medicine, told Xinhua. "If you conduct tests among all the people in a community, you can find several-times-higher infections than currently reported cases." Shrestha cautioned that as long as the chain of infections is not broken at the community level, it would not be enough to defeat the virus by only adding hospitals beds and health facilities. Dr. Archana Shrestha, an associate professor of the public health department at the Kathmandu University, told the press that Nepal is still in an early stage of the infections from the second wave. "Nepal has witnessed one third of potential infections so far and two thirds of infections are yet to take place," she said. The Ministry of Health and Population has projected 11,000 infections in a single day in the worst-case scenario. Enditem MADISON, Wis. (AP) The November trial of Kyle Rittenhouse, an Illinois man charged with killing two people during chaotic protests that followed the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Wisconsin last year, will take up to two weeks, attorneys said Friday. Prosecutors and Rittenhouses attorneys confirmed with Kenosha County Circuit Judge Bruce Schroeder during a 10-minute status conference that the trial will begin Nov. 1. Both sides said they dont expect the proceeding to last the full two weeks. In a sign of the intense publicity surrounding the case, they also told the judge they plan to send out questionnaires to prospective jurors to ask them about their background and beliefs. The questionnaires can help attorneys decide whom to strike from the pool. Attorneys in the trial of a white former police officer who was convicted of killing George Floyd in Minneapolis used such questionnaires. Schroeder said he wants to see the questionnaires by Aug. 1. Rittenhouse appeared in person in the courtroom for the first time since he was arrested last year. COVID-19 protocols have forced him to appear via video at previous proceedings but those restrictions have been lifted. He sat at the defense table dressed in a blue suit, blue tie and a black surgical face mask. He said nothing. Prosecutors say Rittenhouse, who was 17 at the time, shot and killed two people and wounded a third in August after traveling from his home in Antioch, Illinois, to Kenosha. The city was in the throes of several nights of sometimes violent demonstrations after Officer Rusten Sheskey shot Blake, leaving the Black man paralyzed from the waist down. Rittenhouse and his attorneys have said he went to Kenosha to protect businesses. Video shows Rittenhouse, armed with an assault-style rifle, shooting Joseph Rosenbaum, Anthony Huber and Gaige Grosskreutz. Rosenbaum and Huber died. Grosskreutz survived his wounds. Cellphone footage shows Rittenhouse, who is white, walking past police lines with his hands up and his rifle still slung over his shoulder even as protesters screamed that he had just shot people. He turned himself in to police in Antioch several hours later, maintaining that the three men attacked him and he fired in self-defense. He has since become a polarizing figure in the national conversation over police brutality and racism. Conservatives have held him up as a symbol for gun rights and praised him for pushing back against anti-police protesters, even going so far as to raise $2 million to cover his bail. Others contend he escalated tensions by walking around the protest with a rifle. Rittenhouse's attorney, Mark Richards, has said in court documents that Rittenhouse and his family have moved into an undisclosed safe house because they've received multiple threats. ___ Follow Todd Richmond on Twitter at https://www.twitter.com/trichmond1 The Keystone Sanitary Landfill is under investigation by the state attorney generals office, a spokeswoman said Thursday. Although she could not comment on the nature of the investigation, press secretary Molly Stieber confirmed in an email that the office is investigating the Louis and Dominick DeNaples-owned landfill in Dunmore and Throop. Scranton resident Samantha Maloney, who is one of three locals working with the attorney generals office in its investigation, said the investigation appears to be about leachate, which is the liquid that percolates through trash piles. The other individuals declined to be identified. State Department of Environmental Protection spokeswoman Colleen Connolly declined to comment, directing all questions to the attorney generals office. The landfill pretreats its leachate and pipes it to Pennsylvania American Waters Scranton wastewater treatment plant. Utility company spokeswoman Susan Turcmanovich said Pennsylvania American Water received a request from the attorney generals office to provide documents and information regarding one of its Industrial Pretreatment Program customers who uses the Scranton wastewater system. The company has responded to the AGs request for information and will continue to respond to any additional requests, Turcmanovich said in an email. Michele Dempsey, a core member of anti-landfill expansion group Friends of Lackawanna, said they are aware of the investigation. Since the AGs office believes something at the landfill merits investigation, we look forward to seeing what the results are, she said. Maloney first contacted the attorney generals office in 2017 with concerns regarding the landfills leachate and then contacted the DEP. On Nov. 6, 2019, Maloney sent a letter to Lackawanna County District Attorney Mark Powell asking that he refer the matter to the attorney generals office for investigation. Maloneys initial request pertained to the landfills use of a sewer line through Green Ridge and its effects on air quality, water quality and the health and safety of the Scranton residents. That has since expanded into the potential for radioactive material from fracking materials, known as technologically enhanced, naturally occurring radioactive material, or TENORM, contaminating the Lackawanna River, Maloney said. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, a TENORM is a naturally occurring radioactive material that has been concentrated or exposed to the accessible environment as a result of human activities such as manufacturing, mineral extraction, or water processing. Maloney specifically noted her concerns over radium, which is classified as a TENORM. Radium occurs at trace levels in virtually all rock, soil, water, plants and animals, but oil and gas production can concentrate it, according to the EPA. When drilling for oil or gas, the rock is ground into small pieces, known as drill cuttings, and can contain radioactive elements that were inside the rock, according to the agency. Chronic exposure to high levels of radium can result in increased incidence of bone, liver and breast cancer, according to the EPA. Landfill consultant Al Magnotta said he was unaware of the investigation when contacted by phone Thursday. He added, however, that there is absolutely no fracking waste in Keystone. The landfill accepts well drilling cuttings when wells are bored, but they are much, much, much different and have nothing to do with fracking, he said. The well drilling waste is treated before it arrives at the landfill, and Keystone has a sophisticated radiation detection system, Magnotta said, explaining it is sensitive enough that drivers pacemakers have triggered it. If the system detects something, they isolate it, determine what it is, separate it and send it back, Magnotta said. In December 2019, the landfill applied to the DEP to treat its own leachate to a higher degree before discharging it into Eddy Creek and Little Roaring Brook, though it has since narrowed the request to only Little Roaring Brook. As part of the documentation for the wastewater request, the DEP includes a May 12, 2016, letter addressed to Louis DeNaples providing preliminary limits for the discharge of treated wastewater into Eddy Creek. In its letter, the DEP wrote, As the facility accepts fracking waste, the following additional limits will apply. When asked about the language, Magnotta emphasized the drillings the landfill accepts are not fracking waste. We do not take it, he said. Anybody who says we do is just absolute freaking nonsense. Magnotta said he has never seen radium on leachate testing reports. With a DEP decision looming to determine whether the landfill can continue accepting waste for the next four decades, tripling its volume of garbage, Maloney hopes the attorney general offices investigation can prompt Gov. Tom Wolf to issue a moratorium, halting the decision until the investigation is completed. The landfill has the capacity to continue accepting waste until April 11, 2023, under its current phase, according to its expansion plans. If approved, the landfill would add an additional 94 million tons of waste, with maximum daily leachate generation estimates ranging from about 39,000 to 100,000-plus gallons, according to the expansion plans. The DEP is still finalizing its decision, which is expected soon, Connolly said. Police are investigating a Wednesday trespassing incident at the Scranton School District Administration Building. Citing information police garnered from Robert Rucker, the district's director of facilities, grounds and operation, Sgt. Robert McCool said the incident occurred about 5:45 p.m. Wednesday. Rucker was notified later Wednesday, and police were dispatched to the building at 425 N. Washington Ave. about 9:40 a.m. Thursday. Rucker told police the incident involved a white male with sandy blond hair, McCool said. The investigation is ongoing. Scranton teachers will soon vote on a contract proposal that includes changes to health care and no retroactive pay for prior school years. Negotiating teams from both the union and school district met Wednesday, with the district proposing a best and final offer. Those words automatically trigger a vote by the membership, now scheduled for June 3, said Rosemary Boland, president of the Scranton Federation of Teachers. However, the proposal still adheres to the requirements of the recovery plan, with any raises coming from savings from within the contract. That means projected savings from changes to health care, eliminating extra duty compensation pay and requiring secondary teachers to teach an extra period would be used to provide raises. The issue of settling this contract is a very, very serious one, said school board President Katie Gilmartin, who attended the negotiation session Wednesday. I want to see teachers well compensated, well respected, and we also need to operate in the confines of the recovery plan. Boland has not ruled out a strike this school year, which ends June 17. The approximately 700 teachers and more than 100 paraprofessionals will soon complete their fourth year of working under the expired agreement. Under the proposal offered by the district Wednesday, teachers hired prior to Aug. 31, 2018, would move three steps on the salary scale between the 2020-21 and 2022-23 school years. Of those 404 teachers, 128 would reach the top step on the salary scale and receive an average $21,469 salary increase. The remaining 276 teachers would receive an average annual salary increase of $1,424 or $4,272 over the three remaining years of the proposal, according to details provided by the school board. The 76 teachers hired after Aug. 31, 2018, would receive two step movements over three years, each receiving an average annual salary increase of $1,424 or $2,848 over the three remaining years of the proposal. The proposal also includes annual $500 bonuses for this year and the next two years for the 234 teachers currently on the top step of the salary scale. Teachers would receive raises retroactive to the start of this school year, but some teachers, who should have reached top scale the year after the contract expired, would give up about $60,000 in retroactive pay with the proposal. Scranton teachers, who start at the lowest salary in Lackawanna County, receive gradual raises until the 16th step, when they receive a more than $20,000 raise. Boland said the unions executive committee will review the proposal next week, and she and others still have considerable concerns about the referenced-based pricing health care plan proposed by the district. The districts maintenance and clerical union has already agreed to the change, and the school board also voted to implement the new plan for members of the Act 93 group, including principals and some administrators. Meanwhile, Boland said Thursday she fears the district will be unable to open its doors in the fall. Over the last year, more than 40 teachers have left the district for other jobs not retirement and she knows others have recently interviewed in other districts. Many paraprofessionals, who spent much of the school year furloughed, have also found jobs elsewhere, Boland said. With a teacher shortage impacting many districts, prospective employees will not want to work for Scranton, she said. Last month, the district had 14 teaching jobs it could not fill. I dont know how we can open our doors in September, Boland said. Superintendent Melissa McTiernan said as the district prepares to reopen fully in September, the administration will monitor staffing needs. This is a difficult time for our district, no doubt about it. Its unfortunate were losing great teachers, she said. We are committed to making sure we fill those positions with great teachers. Hello, dear readers, and welcome to another yes-were-still-talking-about-the-vaccines column. Your questions on the topic continue to fill our mailbox, and well keep answering as many as we can. Weak immunity: We have heard from a number of readers with weakened immune systems or who are living with immune system disorders such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis and HIV. They are asking if its safe for them to get the vaccine. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that this group of people can get vaccinated with the same caveats as the general population that they have not had an allergic reaction to other vaccines, and they are not allergic to the ingredients of the coronavirus vaccine. (These are available at the FDA website, FDA.gov.) Due to their impaired immune systems, however, not everyone in this category will have a robust response to the vaccine. Its important to continue protective behaviors masks and distancing when in public and among people outside of the immediate circle. Pregnancy: In that same vein, weve had questions from pregnant women as to whether its safe for them to get the vaccine. Based on a recent survey of 35,691 pregnant women between the ages of 16 and 54 who received the vaccine and were monitored afterward, the answer, so far, is yes. Pregnant women did report a higher incidence of injection site pain, but no other adverse effects were seen. Neither the Moderna nor Pfizer vaccines contain a live virus, and the mRNA in the vaccine does not alter human DNA or cause genetic changes. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists urges pregnant women who are uncertain about the vaccine to talk to their doctors about any concerns they may have. Too soon?: Several readers have written to say they worry about the rapid release of the coronavirus vaccine, that it was developed too fast. Although its true the vaccine against COVID-19 became available quickly, the mRNA technology that the vaccine is based on has been in development for decades. This includes mRNA vaccines that targeted other coronaviruses, including the SARS and MERS viruses. In those instances, the outbreaks quickly subsided, and vaccines were not needed. Unlike in previous vaccine development, this was a global effort. The genetic code of this particular coronavirus was released within days of sequencing, and the money that flooded into vaccine development allowed all aspects of the process to proceed at a rapid pace. Testing followed the usual rigorous process, with unprecedented numbers of volunteers asking to take part. OTC meds: Some readers are worried that because they took over-the-counter pain meds prior to receiving the vaccine, they wont be fully protected. Although the CDC counsels against taking NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories) in a bid to avoid side effects, the advice arises out of an abundance of caution. There is no hard evidence that doing so will blunt the efficacy of the vaccine. If you did, dont worry. But its still advised that you dont. Many of you asked if booster shots will be needed. It appears that yes, this is a possible scenario. Well keep an eye on this topic and share with you what we learn.ASK THE DOCTORS appears every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. It is written by Eve Glazier, M.D., and Elizabeth Ko, M.D. Send questions to askthedoctors@mednet.ucla.edu, or write: Ask the Doctors, c/o Media Relations, UCLA Health, 924 Westwood Blvd., Suite 350, Los Angeles, CA, 90095. Conference scheduled This years Refresh Your Faith conference for Catholic women will be held both in person and via livestream on June 19. The conference this year boasts a theme of With Merciful Love, and is an opportunity for women to explore and deepen their faith and spirituality in light of these challenging times, according to the organizers of the annual conference. The keynote speaker is Therese Bonopartis, co-founder of Entering Canaan Ministry: Healing After Abortion, who will share her journey of healing through divine mercy. Featured speakers include the Rev. Chris Alar of the Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception, who will reveal the beauty and power of the message of divine mercy; and Sister Virginia Joy, a member of the Sisters of Life religious order who will speak of the love that frees you to live in the truth of who you are. The day will also include Eucharistic Adoration, the rosary and a Mass celebrated by Bishop of Scranton the Most Rev. Joseph C. Bambera. Cleveland-born Christian musician Taylor Tripodi and her band will perform uplifting and inspirational music throughout the day. Jeannine Lesante, vice president of marketing at her family-owned video production company, SamSon Productions/SSPTV, and public speaking professor at Kings College, is the hostess. Participants will also enjoy a continental breakfast, lunch and shopping at the Catholic Vendor Marketplace. Members of the conference board for 2021 include Deborah Kennedy, chair; Stephanie Westington, chair and treasurer; Cecilia Carr, bus groups and Good Samaritan tickets; Mary Carroll Donahoe, marketing and diocesan liaison; Janine Evanish, promotion; Christine Gianuzzi, promotion; Dede Henderson, volunteers; Mary Lee Martines, catering; Kim Kross Novak, hospitality; Ann OBrien, vendor; Patricia OReilly, parish coordinator and Cursillo liaison; Kathy Ostrowski, liturgy; Mary Rable, newspaper articles; Kim Rupp Marchese, promotion; Valerie Sagheddu, decor/logistics; Ronda Schiavone, Catholic Vendor Marketplace; and Tracy Tully, music and Altus for Women liaison. Cost to attend the conference is $40 for in person and $20 for virtual. Student tickets are $20 and religious women are welcome free of charge. Volunteers are also needed; those who sign up for four hours at the conference will receive a free ticket. The conference begins at 8:45 a.m. on Saturday, June 19, under an open-air tent at Marywood University. The conference will follow recommended guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Diocese of Scranton for masks and physical distancing for those attending in person. For more details and to register, visit cwcnepa.com. High notes Bobby Solfanelli and Jennifer Lynett Richmond were guest speakers at the April 15 meeting of the Rotary Club of the Abingtons and told members their compelling story on how it is important to donate an organ during or following your life. Solfanelli, who suffered from pulmonary disease, dropped out of college 26 years ago and received a heart and double lung transplant at the University of Pittsburgh. Five years ago, Richmond, his good friend, donated a kidney to Solfanelli when he needed another organ transplant. Richmonds brother, Scott Lynett, also donated a kidney 15 years ago to an unknown recipient. JERUSALEM Israel and Hamas agreed to a cease-fire Thursday, halting a bruising 11-day war that caused widespread destruction in the Gaza Strip, brought life in much of Israel to a standstill and left more than 200 people dead. At 2 a.m. local time, just as the cease-fire took effect, frenzied life returned to the streets of Gaza. People went out of their homes, some shouting Allahu Akbar or whistling from balconies. Many fired in the air, celebrating the truce. Like the three previous wars between the bitter enemies, the latest round of fighting ended inconclusively. Israel claimed to inflict heavy damage on Hamas but once again was unable to halt the Islamic militant groups nonstop rocket barrages. Almost immediately, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faced angry accusations from his hard-line, right-wing base that he stopped the operation too soon. Hamas, the Islamic militant group sworn to Israels destruction, also claimed victory. But it now faces the daunting challenge of rebuilding in a territory already suffering from poverty, widespread unemployment and a raging coronavirus outbreak. Netanyahus office said his Security Cabinet had unanimously accepted an Egyptian cease-fire proposal after recommendations from Israels military chief and other top security officials. A statement boasted of significant achievements in the operation, some of which are unprecedented. It also included a veiled threat against Hamas. The political leaders emphasized that the reality on the ground will determine the future of the campaign, the statement said. The fighting erupted on May 10, when Hamas militants in Gaza fired long-range rockets toward Jerusalem. The barrage came after days of clashes between Palestinian protesters and Israeli police at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound. Heavy-handed police tactics at the compound, built on a site holy to Muslims and Jews, and the threatened eviction of dozens of Palestinians by Jewish settlers had inflamed tensions. The competing claims to Jerusalem lie at the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and have repeatedly triggered bouts of violence in the past. Hamas and other militant groups fired over 4,000 rockets into Israel throughout the fighting, launching the projectiles from civilian areas at Israeli cities. Dozens of projectiles flew as far north as Tel Aviv, the countrys bustling commercial and cultural capital. Israel, meanwhile, carried out hundreds of airstrikes targeting what it said was Hamas military infrastructure, including a vast tunnel network. At least 230 Palestinians were killed, including 65 children and 39 women, with 1,710 people wounded, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Twelve people in Israel, including a 5-year-old boy and 16-year-old girl, were killed. Editor: It has been 20 years since the death of Jason Miller, who died May 13, 2001. He had just turned 62. Some people feel a connection with him via his key role in the 1973 horror classic, The Exorcist. But I hope he will be more fondly remembered by fellow actors who drew inspiration from him and by audience members who saw him practice his craft at many Scranton Public Theatre productions in which he starred and directed. I have two strong reasons for remembering him vividly the two projects we had barely begun to work on when he died. The first was Doctor Deliverance, the play about the trial of an assisted-suicide doctor, which I wrote at Jasons request given SPTs success with that genre, for an original courtroom drama on a controversial social topic. We made only sporadic progress in shaping the material because of his many interruptions at the time in staging his one-man play Barrymores Ghost. But the project that haunts me most is the memoir he had finally agreed to work on with me barely a month before he died, after having resisted the idea for a long time. I was delighted when he changed his mind. In any event, what we all lost was the chance to get his story, in all its detail, all its light and darkness, from the man himself. Many rumors and much speculation and misinformation swirled around him, as it always does around certain public figures. It would have been a worthy, and I hope lasting, contribution to set his side of the record straight. Unfortunately, we dont have that, but I hope on this 20th anniversary we can cherish the memories we have. JACK McDONOUGH SCRANTON Editor: The Republican Party and its allied political action committees are infamous for their practice of airing political ads full of distortions, if not outright lies. A recent ad by American Action Network that has aired locally is simply outrageous, because the premise of the message is totally made up. It is an ad against House Resolution 3, the Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act. The commercial states unequivocally that Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi wants China to make our medications in what the message calls a socialist prescription drug takeover. Of course, the bill would do no such thing, not even close. Its goal, clear as crystal, is to lower prices for high-priced drugs through fair drug price negotiation and to protect the Medicare program from excessive price increases, and establish an out-of-pocket maximum for Medicare Part D enrollees. The only foreign countries mentioned in the bill are our allies and they are included only to provide other nations drug prices for comparison. China is not among them. Its focus is on 125 drugs for which there was an estimated greatest net spending in the United States, including insulin. The price of insulin is a major source of controversy in that the prices have been jacked up, creating life-threatening situations for many citizens. In this astonishingly false ad the American Action Network, a conservative advocacy group, only wants to create doubt, attack Pelosi its favorite target with baseless lies. It drags Rep. Matt Cartwright, of Moosic, into the mix, attempting to create guilt by association. The advocacy group, and its backers, dont give a hoot for the truth. Republican Party members lament high drug prices at election time to pretend that they care. But when push comes to shove, they protect Big Pharma and rake in the political contributions. JAMES SHUTA DICKSON CITY Editor: I find myself in complete disbelief over whats happening at our border. According to reports, children are being left alone with no parents who simply dont care or hope that things will turn out for the best. The Biden /Harris administration has failed these children and the people of the United States. Shame on this administration. Some people would like to name a street in Scranton after President Joe Biden and should rethink that and put it on hold. The border is a complete disaster because of the way they handle it on a daily basis. Vice President Kamala Harris was put in charge of the southern border by Biden and she has failed. Stop the inhumanity thats taking place. ROBERT OMALLEY MOSCOW Editor: More than 60 state and federal courts, including multiple judges that former President Trump appointed, rejected his false claims that the 2020 election was stolen from him. Trump faces serious criminal and civil probes, especially but not limited to his pleas for election officials in Georgia, to find him enough votes to overturn the outcome of that states presidential election in his favor. How corrupt is that request, made by a sitting president? That is only one of many alleged crimes that indicates Trump may have a very serious defect in his psychological makeup and must never again hold any political office. As his second impeachment trial should have shown, Trump could be in jail now. Instead, Senate Republicans found Trump not guilty. There are good Republican legislators, Rep. Liz Cheney for one. She stands for truth over lies. If the Republican Party wants to move forward, it must dump Trump now. JOSEPH GIRGENTI SCRANTON Editor: Lets face it: 12 years of education is not enough in todays world. The American Families Plan would give every American two years of free community college instruction. It will make college more affordable for millions of students. PAUL BACON HALLANDALE BEACH, FLORIDA London, KY (40741) Today Thunderstorms early, then variable clouds overnight with still a chance of showers. Low 67F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%.. Tonight Thunderstorms early, then variable clouds overnight with still a chance of showers. Low 67F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%. Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-19 23:42:33|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Li Jinkuan (L), a Chinese language teacher, and Shida Joseph Yacoub, a psychologist at Juba Teaching Hospital, pose for a photo at the hospital in Juba, capital of South Sudan, May 19, 2021. South Sudanese health workers have started learning the Chinese language at Juba Teaching Hospital in the country's capital city. This will strengthen collaboration between local staff and Chinese doctors in the country. (Photo by Denis Elamu/Xinhua) JUBA, May 19 (Xinhua) -- Chinese characters like bu (no in English) are repeated aloud by several South Sudanese health workers after Chinese language teacher Li Jinkuan in a wide room at the Juba Teaching Hospital in the capital city of South Sudan. Mary Angela, a 34-year-old South Sudanese nurse, is among the 50 health workers attending the medical Chinese language course being taught by the eighth batch of the Chinese medical team in South Sudan. Angela is eager to learn the language to enable her to understand medical instructions given to her by the Chinese doctors. Angela admitted that prior to enrolling for the language lessons, she has been finding it hard to communicate instructions from Chinese doctors to local patients. She now hopes to master the language to make up for her past failures. "I am interested in learning Chinese for the reason that we have some of the Chinese working with us here, and sometimes when they communicate with us, we end up missing the information we are supposed to get from them. I felt it better to learn the language so that I understand it myself rather than someone translating on my behalf," Angela told Xinhua in Juba on Wednesday after attending her lesson. Angela also hopes to improve on her communication skills when she gets the chance to travel to China for her medical studies. "These days a lot of people are traveling, sometimes you may go to China for studies so it is very important to learn Chinese language so that if you go there you will be able to communicate with Chinese people," she added. Shida Joseph Yacoub, one of the psychologists participating in the medical language course, said some of her South Sudanese colleagues she worked with in the past learned Chinese language and they inspired her to enroll for the ongoing language course. "Chinese language is a nice language. I used to hear colleagues I worked with speak it and I picked interest in learning the language," said Yacoub. Yacoub disclosed that learning the language will ease medical exchange programs between China and South Sudan. South Sudanese health workers have over the past years been traveling to China for education while Chinese medical teams have been coming to work in the country. "South Sudanese are sent to China for education and medical treatment. It is very important for us to learn Chinese language because there will be no need for translation," said Yacoub. She added that it will also help strengthen collaboration between medical staff in Juba Teaching Hospital and Chinese medical teams in South Sudan. Maker Isaac, director of Juba Teaching Hospital, said he is pleased to participate in the ongoing medical Chinese language course not only to learn the Chinese language and culture but also to strengthen existing relations between the two countries in the health sector. "China is a major development partner in South Sudan and the Chinese are working closely with us in Juba Teaching Hospital, I want to be very close to them and understand their culture," said Isaac. Meanwhile, Li who is fluent in English said he is already impressed by the progress so far shown by the South Sudanese health workers in grasping Chinese characters. He also revealed that the good relations between the two countries are making more South Sudanese interested in learning the Chinese language. "A lot of doctors and nurses come for the training not just because they want to learn Chinese language. It's because of the strong cooperation between South Sudan and China. Learning Chinese language provides education and economic opportunities and also opportunity to learn Chinese culture," said Li. "They are eager to learn because they pay keen attention to details, I have observed they are learning the language faster. I think everybody here can learn Chinese language," he added. Enditem MARISSA BERGEL, Wheeler softball, senior: Bergel hit a two-out, two-run single in the seventh inning to lift Wheeler past Holy Cross, 9-7, in the Class S state tournament. The hit was part of a five-run rally in the inning. JOEY GUARNIERI, Westerly track & field, senior: Guarnieri placed first in two sprints at the Southern Division championships. He won the 100 (11.19) and the 200 (22.73). JOSH MOONEY, Stonington track & field, sophomore: Mooney placed first in the 110 hurdles at the Class M state meet in 14.65. He also finished second in the 300 hurdles (39.87) and second in the javelin (160-0). MARGARET WEEDEN, Chariho track & field, junior: Weeden finished first in the high jump at the Southern Division championships. Weeden cleared 5-1 and also placed sixth in the triple jump at 31-5. Vote View Results Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-20 21:40:05|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close A farmer harvests wheat on the outskirts of Lahore, Pakistan, May 20, 2021. As the agricultural sector of Pakistan is the backbone of the national economy, the country's officials and experts believe that the enhanced cooperation under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) can greatly help Pakistan modernize the sector, ensure food security and improve local people's livelihood. (Photo by Sajjad/Xinhua) by Raheela Nazir ISLAMABAD, May 20 (Xinhua) -- As the agricultural sector of Pakistan is the backbone of the national economy, the country's officials and experts believe that the enhanced cooperation under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) can greatly help Pakistan modernize the sector, ensure food security and improve local people's livelihood. According to the figures from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, the agricultural sector contributes about 24 percent of the country's gross domestic product (GDP), accounts for half of employed labor force and is the largest source of foreign exchange earnings. Pakistani Prime Minister Imran khan said recently that the government has been seeking support from China to boost the agricultural sector of the country to ensure sustainable development and prosperity. Pakistan is heading towards the modern agriculture, and the country will be following China's footsteps to uplift agro-based industries, Khan said, adding that in order to further elevate the sector, the government has made it one of the key cooperation areas under the CPEC. In January 2021, China and Pakistan launched an online platform to collect and display information and achievements of agricultural and industrial cooperation between the two countries, aiming at enhancing bilateral cooperation under the CPEC in the two sectors. In a conversation with Xinhua, Pakistani Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Syed Fakhar Imam said that enhanced cooperation with China in the field of agriculture can bring a green revolution in Pakistan and give stimulus to the economic and social development. "Pakistan and China have a long history of agricultural cooperation, and the country (Pakistan) has excelled in many areas due to enhanced bilateral agricultural research and development activities," Imam said, adding that China has not only established its agricultural sector on modern lines, but also extended its help to countries including Pakistan under the Belt and Road Initiative of which the CPEC is a flagship project, to boost agricultural development. China has been assisting Pakistan to improve the production of cash crops by imparting valuable knowledge and technology transfer. The country has also provided Pakistan with unprecedented support during the worst locust attack last year by sending experts, equipment and chemicals, saving the country from the threat of massive food shortage, he said. Highlighting various possible areas of agricultural cooperation between the two countries, the minister said that there is great potential in the fields of seed industry, agricultural material and machinery, agricultural product processing, agricultural investment and supporting service systems such as warehousing, cold chain and logistics to promote the transformation and upgrading of the agricultural sector. The country can further consolidate its strength in agriculture by learning from China's past success stories and upcoming development designs in agricultural science and technology, and mechanization, Chairman of the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) Muhammad Azeem Khan told Xinhua. "The cooperation will not only improve the crop production and ensure food security, but it will also be a fate changer for the people of Pakistan," he said. Talking about the challenges faced by the sector, the PARC chairman said that Pakistan's agricultural productivity has recently been declining due to a number of factors including climate change, drought, diseases and pests, which has largely impeded economic growth and caused food security concerns. Crops like cotton and wheat have been direly affected recently due to severe climate change and unexpected rains in the country, he said, adding that cotton products contribute to a large part of the country's exports, so Pakistan is in need of cooperating with China to produce resistant varieties to better cope with adverse impacts of climate change. Muhammad Ansar, chairman of agronomy department at Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, said that Pakistan must adopt a global and international perspective in their business practices in order to make its agricultural products more competitive in international markets to earn valuable foreign exchange. The use of old cultivation and production methods, negligence on international market quality certification systems and quality control standards, and least understanding of consumers' needs have been the reasons behind the less demand of Pakistan's products in the international market, Ansar told Xinhua. Pakistan can seek Chinese help in improving production technology and product quality, and expanding sales market to increase exports to various countries including China, one of the major destinations for the country's exports, he said. "With the formation of prudent trade policies and high value-added products in the agricultural sector, the country can develop a huge consumer market in China," Ansar said. Enditem The FTSE 100 has ended the week more or less where it started, managing to close just above 7,000 after a turbulent week. The UK bluechip index closed flat at 7,018 and the FTSE 250 also ended the day little changed at 22,399, while the pound hit $1.42 earlier today before settling at around $1.416 just after the London market close. Retail sales surged by 9.2 per cent in April as lockdown eased and shops reopened, figures from the Office for National Statistics showed today. Clothing sales were up nearly three-quarters and there were strong signs of a recovery in the hospitality industry. Nationwide Building Society revealed its annual profit climbed from 466million to 823million in the year to April 4 after it improved interest income and margins and cut almost 100million in administrative costs. The number of UK billionaires hit a record 171 while their fortunes have soared by more than a fifth as they shook off the financial toll of the pandemic, according to the latest Sunday Times Rich List. Shares in guarantor lender Amigo Loans, which is awaiting a court decision on a rescue plan, fell as much as 50 per cent this morning after a temporary suspension of share trading was lifted. > If you are using our app click here to read Business Live Building materials firm Travis Perkins has declared its shareholders are in line for a payout after it revealed its plumbing and heating business is being sold. The FTSE 250 group is selling the division for 325million to an affiliate of Miami-based private equity house H.I.G. Capital and expects to complete the transaction sometime in the next three months. It forms part of the company's strategy to streamline its portfolio, which it outlined at the end of 2018 and included plans to achieve 20million to 30million in cost savings and boost its general merchanting arm. Offload: Travis Perkins is selling its plumbing and heating distribution arm for 325million Also included in that roadmap was the goal to enhance the performance of Wickes, the Northampton-based home improvement retailer that Travis Perkins demerged last month. The company said that thanks to its 'strong balance sheet and robust liquidity,' it was in a position to reward shareholders via a mix of a 35 pence per share dividend and, depending on market conditions, a share buyback scheme. Chief executive Nick Roberts said: 'A significant amount of work has gone into improving the P&H business over the last few years, and I am sure that the business will continue to make excellent progress under the ownership of H.I.G.' He added: 'Following on from the demerger of Wickes in April 2021, the group has now executed the planned actions to simplify its portfolio, and the strength of the group's balance sheet enables us to return the net proceeds to shareholders. 'Looking forward, the group has a bright future as the leading provider of building products in the UK, and we look forward to setting out our plans later in the summer to continue to drive growth.' Due to the essential classification of the construction industry and higher demand for home improvement among locked-down consumers, Travis Perkins has benefited from a strong recovery in sales following a dip in the early stages of the lockdown. Separation: Travis Perkins's sale of its plumbing and heating distribution arm comes a month after it demerged Wickes, its Northampton-based home improvement retailer In the first half of 2020, total sales plummeted by a fifth as builders across Britain downed tools, and national lockdowns forced the group to close branches. During last summer, it announced that around 2,500 jobs and 165 stores would be axed as Roberts stated the firm was not expecting pre-Covid trading levels to return 'for some time.' Trading did pick up steam though, and following a recovery in construction activity, Travis Perkins said it would pay back 50million in business rates relief and furlough money that it received from the government. Its most recent results covering the three months to April 28 showed like-for-like sales growth of 17.4 per cent, with revenues at its Toolstation retailer climbing 42 per cent and its merchanting business increasing sales by 15.5 per cent. Home improvement: The UK has been undergoing a DIY boom since the start of the pandemic Meanwhile, on a two-year measure, sales were 11.8 per cent higher, with Toolstation revenues up by two-thirds as the company experienced robust demand in repair maintenance and improvement activity. By contrast though, B&Q owner Kingfisher has performed comparatively better than Travis Perkins. Yesterday, it revealed like-for-like sales in the first quarter rose by 23 per cent to 3.4billion, with French divisions Brico Depot and Castorama all doubling their sales numbers. The company warned though that supply chain issues, such as the cost of raw materials and shipping, would continue to affect them for at least six more months. Shares in Travis Perkins closed trading 0.56 per cent higher at 16.25 on Friday. An agreed takeover offer worth 110million from PerkinElmer made Immunodiagnostic Systems one of the weeks top risers. The shares rose 47 per cent to 375p, a shade below the 382p a share offer price. The diagnostics group said that the takeover will allow it to speed up its growth plans while cooperating more closely with existing partner Euroimmun, which is also part of the PerkinElmer group. In other acquisition news, the market gave the thumbs-up to the conditional acquisition of Saracen Fund Managers by AssetCo. Immunodiagnostic was one of the weeks top risers after a 110m takeover by PerkinElmer Shares in AssetCo rose 37 per cent to 1,950p after agreeing to pay 2.75m for Saracens, of which 664,774 will be paid in cash with the remainder settled in shares. Saracen is a small fund management firm with great potential. Its business model, people and product offering are its key assets and are an ideal fit for AssetCo, said Peter McKellar, the deputy chairman and chief executive officer of AssetCo. ESG environmental, social and governance issues are becoming more important to investors, which might explain why Itaconix shares reacted positively to the news that the company had received the London Stock Exchange's Green Economy Mark in recognition for its contributions to the global green economy. Itaconix generated 96 per cent of its 2020 revenues from the sale of plant-based products, the company noted. The bio-based speciality polymers company is perhaps best known for having its polymers included in homecare detergents and cleaners. The share rose 26 per cent this week. It is not often the case that shares rise after the company taps the market but Galantas Gold managed that rare feat this week after completing its share placing at C$0.30 per unit, raising just shy of C$8million. Eric Sprott, the well-known Canadian resources investor, acquired 6.3million units for C$1.9million, through his vehicle 2176423 Ontario Ltd, giving him an 8.6 per cent stake in Galantas. With the financing done and dusted, Roland Phelps retired as chief executive to be replaced by Mario Stifano, an experienced mining executive who has raised significant capital for a number of mining and resource companies in exploration, development and production such as Lake Shore Gold Corp. Galantas Gold, an Anglo-Canadian company, owns and operates the producing gold mine near Omagh, County Tyrone, in Northern Ireland. The shares rose 42 per cent this week to 40.5p. Staffline Group, the recruitment and training group, did not get off so lightly after it tapped the market, issuing shares at 50p a pop. The stock ended the week 16.5 per cent lower at 58.7p after it raised 44m from the share issue. The company is seeking to raise up to a further 4.4m through an open offer of shares at the same price. The company intends to use the net proceeds of the proposed placing and subscription to reduce group indebtedness and to provide working capital for growth. The group's average net debt in the first quarter of 2021 reduced by 14.5million to 54.9million (including deferred VAT) as a result of cost-savings initiatives. The group said it has benefited from a 46.5million Covid VAT deferral that will be repaid in eight equal monthly instalments starting next month. Lastly, in last weeks column, we said no weekly small-cap movers feature this year seems complete without an entry on Hurricane Energy and the trend has continued, with the shares up 93 per cent on the week at 1.275p after activist investor Crystal Amber Fund called for an extraordinary general meeting to oust five non-executive directors and put its own two appointees in place. The fund, which owns 14.7 per cent of the company, said it had provided it with funds totalling 25million in three tranches since 2013 but had since lost faith in the board. Tune in next week (probably) for the latest developments in this saga. Amigo shares halved in value yesterday as its fate hung in the balance. After a temporary suspension, the struggling firm's stock resumed trading and immediately plummeted as much as 53 per cent lower. The guarantor lender's shares had been frozen while it awaited the outcome of a nail-biting legal battle, which it says will either save it or ruin it. But the freeze was lifted yesterday - even though the court has not yet published its verdict. Investors were spooked and sent the shares crashing 34,3 per cent, or 8.08p, to 15.5p at the close. John Cronin, an analyst at Goodbody, said investors were worried 'by the fact that Amigo could fall into liquidation'. Facing a deluge of mis-selling claims, the firm is seeking permission from the High Court to cap compensation payouts to nearly one million customers. This would mean people who bring successful claims will only get between 10 per cent and 23 per cent of what they are owed. The plan won unlikely support from Amigo's customers, who fear they will get nothing at all if the lender collapses. In a dramatic twist, however, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) waded in to challenge the rescue plan at the last minute. The watchdog argues that customers should not unfairly lose out and that Amigo's investors must step in to fund the claims in full. But the intervention has plunged the company's future into doubt, after bosses warned the lender will 'go insolvent in very short order' if the court ruling does not go their way. The company requested that its shares be temporarily suspended on Wednesday while a court hearing took place. But after no immediate judgment that day and no further news on Thursday, Amigo had the suspension lifted yesterday. In its announcement, the firm stressed it was 'not aware of any inside information', had not received any judgment and did not know when one would be issued. It said it had not ruled out requesting another suspension in future depending on the circumstances when a judgment is finally issued. Amigo, which was once branded a 'legal loan shark' by MPs, lends to customers with poor credit ratings. It charges 49.9 per cent APR and borrowers need a family member or friend to act as a guarantor. The firm was forced to set up its compensation scheme last year when rules around affordability checks changed. Thousands of customers helped by claims management companies (CMCs) complained they had been given loans they were never able to repay. The compensation bill quickly ballooned, prompting Amigo's bosses to realise it would not be able to meet the total predicted cost of 150m. Instead, the company came up with a compensation scheme worth up to 35m. But the plan must be approved by a High Court judge. Arguing against its proposals, the FCA has said Amigo should tap its shareholders and bondholders for more money, so it can give customers the full amount they are due. Amigo chief executive Gary Jennison has rubbished that suggestion, saying that with just two major institutions and 8,000 individual savers on its shareholder register it would stand little chance of success. Amigo's troubles come after rival Provident Financial revealed it was closing its 141-year-old doorstep lending business, because its own level of complaints meant it could no longer turn a profit. Provident Financial has proposed its own similar 50million compensation scheme for mis-selling claims. London is set for a fresh wave of floats this summer as more companies tee up plans to go public. Following debuts by Dr Martens, Darktrace and Deliveroo among others, restaurant chain TGI Fridays and commodities trader Marex are the latest firms to announce listings in the City. Oxford Cannabinoid Technologies, a pain treatment firm which is backed by rapper Snoop Dogg, saw its shares soar as it made its debut yesterday. Hot summer: London is set for a fresh wave of floats as more companies tee up plans to go public And it emerged that financial technology star Klarna, valued at almost 22billion, and maternity clothes chain Seraphine were exploring possible floats. Klarna boss Sebastian Siemiatkowski said his firm has been holding talks with the Government, which is trying to attract more technology businesses. Hours later, it was reported that Seraphine's private equity owner, Mayfair Equity Partners, was set to hire bankers to look at float plans. Siemiatkowski said the Square Mile could steal a march on rival European cities by becoming a hub for fintech innovation and good regulation. 'That is going to benefit London standing outside the EU. People expected all the banks would move away [after Brexit]. I think it's the opposite,' he told the FT. Plans to float TGI Fridays later this year were unveiled as part of the winding down of private equity investment trust Electra. The trust told investors that it has recently valued the restaurant business at 146.2million but it could fetch a higher float price as the hospitality sector recovers from the pandemic. Electra is also set to spin off and float footwear business Hotter Shoes on Aim, London's junior stock market, with a value of 19.2million Meanwhile, Marex confirmed reports that it will take advantage of the commodities boom with a listing in mid-June. It did not provide a valuation but it is thought the London Metal Exchange broker could be worth 500million. A best buy table-topping savings bank suspended its shares as its chief executive of 13 years suddenly resigned ahead of a review of its 'financial controls and reporting processes'. PCF Bank, a 60.2million AIM-listed lender which obtained its banking licence in 2017, halted trading in its shares at 23p on Wednesday, 'pending a further announcement'. The bank does not appear to be in financial trouble and savers' deposits are protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme. It added on Friday that chief executive Scott Maybury, who had been with the financial firm since it was founded in 1994, had resigned with immediate effect. PCF Bank offered best buy 12, 18 and 24-month fixed-rate bonds at the time of publishing The news came two days after it told the markets 'trading in the group's shares has been temporarily suspended while the group undertakes a further review in relation to its financial controls and reporting processes'. The bank told This is Money in a statement: 'PCF Bank will provide an update to the market in due course. There is no change to day-to-day business, and PCF Bank continues to operate as usual with clients, brokers and customers.' It has frequently featured in and topped best buy tables since it opened its doors to everyday savers four year's ago. Prior to today's news it sat in second place in the one-year tables, paying 0.79 per cent on 1,000 or more. It topped the 18-month tables with a rate of 0.8 per cent, and was again in second in the two-year tables with a rate of 0.85 per cent. The bank primarily lends to borrowers looking to fund vehicle purchases, property developers in need of short-term bridging finance, and to businesses in need of asset finance. Per its latest financial results, it held 339million in deposits at the end of last March, up from 267million in September 2019. It had 7,800 customers, suggesting the average deposit was 43,461. Under the Financial Services Compensation Scheme, up to 85,000 held with a bank or building society is safeguarded if the deposit taker fails, meaning if the worst were to happen savers on average would be safe. However, per its latest financial update is does not appear to be in any trouble, with a Core Equity Tier 1 ratio of 17 per cent at the end of March 2020. This is a capital ratio which measures the ability of a bank to withstand losses. A ratio above 12 per cent is seen as healthy for British banks. It also made a pre-tax profit of 2.6million in the six months to the end of last March, and an 8million profit in the 12 months to the end of September 2019. In a trading update published towards the end of this March the bank said it 'entered this crisis in a strong financial position' and 'continues to be cash generative and profitable.' Carrollton, GA (30117) Today Mostly cloudy this evening. Scattered thunderstorms developing after midnight. Low 68F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%.. Tonight Mostly cloudy this evening. Scattered thunderstorms developing after midnight. Low 68F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%. News Board backs principals, superintendent in split decision over staff reductions EAST MONTPELIER The Washington Central School Board was hopelessly divided, the districts administrators were unambiguously united, its superintendent endured another blistering verbal assault courtesy of the co-president of the teachers union, and nothing changed Wednesday night. Mistakes were made on that there was near-universal agreement during a meeting that drew a virtual crowd that topped 100. Even the most informed participants offered dueling views of a process that was widely panned and effectively ended on the strength of Chairwoman Flor Diaz-Smiths tie-breaking vote. Though Diaz-Smith didnt realize the import of her vote when she cast it Wednesday night, she snapped a 5-5 tie ending a push to restore previously approved reductions to portions of part-time art and music positions. The close vote capped a spirited hour-long discussion during which some board members echoed residents and faculty members who spoke moments earlier in railing against a decision that building-based principals unflinchingly backed. Two weeks after being asked to reexamine the board-approved reductions and accompanying reassignments, principals even one who has announced he will be stepping down at the end of the school year stood by their previous recommendation. Though some acknowledged communication could have been better and the timing was unfortunate, all agreed the changes wont result in a loss of student contact time in any school, despite a reduction of the equivalent of a half-time music position and a part-time art position. Most of the music reduction was achieved through attrition and a plan to have one of the music teachers split time between elementary schools in Berlin, where she now works, and Calais, where the music teacher is leaving. That change and the accompanying reduction to the part-time art position at Berlin Elementary School, was instantly controversial and helped fuel the Washington Central Educators Unions recent no-confidence vote in first-year Superintendent Bryan Olkowski. Wednesdays meeting opened with Berlin parents Chris Winters and Allison Levin renewing their call for the cuts to be reversed and faculty members, led by Kate McCann, taking fresh aim at Olkowski. Winters said he feared the backwards decision could irreparably damage trust in the district by validating fears expressed by those himself included who were wary of the state-mandated merger. Please reject any proposal that reduces in any school without full transparency and buy-in from the communities, he said. Otherwise, youll be using exactly the same process that we were afraid of as we were moving toward consolidation. Levin agreed. You have the money, you have the opportunity, you have the choice for Plan B even if the administration hasnt provided you with one, she said. McCann, who teaches math at U-32 Middle and High School and is co-president of the union, blamed Olkowskis lack of transparency, poor communication skills, (and) failure to work collaboratively with the school community for a decision she believed should be reversed and for the unions loss of confidence in his ability to lead the district. Bryan Olkowski has single-highhandedly worked to undermine the collaborative and equity-based culture that our district has spent years developing, McCann said. His record this year reveals someone not interested in listening to others, but who is instead intent on disempowering administrators, teachers, parents and students by pushing his agenda as the only way forward without any process or student-centered approach. McCanns wasnt the only harsh critique of Olkowski and the process and those public comments set the stage for his brief remarks and the board discussion that followed. Olkowski recounted a budget-building process that occurred amid economic uncertainty fueled by the pandemic and projections of out-sized tax increases for Berlin, Calais, East Montpelier, Middlesex and Worcester. He said passing the budget and preserving jobs were priorities and through attrition and retirement both missions were accomplished with the exception of fractions of two positions both at Berlin Elementary School. Like each of the elementary school principals, Olkowski said he stood by the decision, but acknowledged issues with the process that satisfied the April 1 deadline in the teachers contract, but not by much. The board voted to approve the reductions in force during a special meeting on March 29. In hindsight ... this is not nearly enough time for effective and thoughtful communication, Olkowski said, vowing to do better. I will continue to learn and adapt to the expectations related to informing stakeholders about leadership team decisions, he said. It is my hope that all stakeholders will work with me and the leadership team on this. For their part, board members expressed wildly different recollections of the budget development process. Though none indicated they knew what positions could potentially be affected, some, like Steven Looke and Dorothy Naylor, suggested the board wasnt out of the loop until the last minute. None of this was a surprise to me, Looke said. I heard this and understood this in December. I dont think we knew specifically what buildings were going to be impacted, but we knew what these cuts were, we discussed it, part of the discussion was the board preferred to know specifics and that information wasnt available. School Director Jonas Eno-Van Fleet said none of those conversations involved reductions in force that he learned of for the first time days before the special meeting at which they were approved on his motion. I feel sandbagged, I feel a little bit gaslit, I feel deceived, and not trusted to make appropriate decisions, he said. I feel like information was kept from me to protect the passage of the budget because it was known that this would be a controversial topic and it was kept under wraps until the very last minute. Thats one explanation. Retiring Business Administrator Lori Bibeau offered another. Bibeau reminded board members the budget she presented them in December reflected more than $390,000 in staff-related reductions. The thinking at the time was that a mix of attrition, including a board-approved early retirement option, and the non-renewal of some of the 42 temporary contracts approved for this year would negate the need for any reductions in force. Bibeau said she didnt realize until mid-March that there were no temporary contracts in art and music which elementary school principals have been discussing since 2018 would require minor reductions in force. This was not an intentional sleight of information or intentional act by any one party and the superintendent (Olkowski) wasnt even here when this conversation started, Bibeau said. I feel like somebody needs to say that. Like Looke, Naylor said, the reshuffling of the allied arts programs at the elementary school level was consistent with her understanding of what was discussed in December and paraphrased elementary school principals shared scheduling concerns with respect to the boards decision to earmark money for a district-wide strings program several months months before Olkowski was hired. Even if you give us all the violins in the world, we have to fit it into the day that is now demanding more time for literacy and math, she recalled. Naylor, who is stepping down later this month because she is moving from Calais to Bennington, acknowledged the process wasnt perfect and concerns raised by Eno-Van Fleet and others on the board, on the districts payroll and in the community, werent completely without merit. However, she said, none of them warranted overruling the unanimous recommendation of elementary school principals who knew it wouldnt be popular. There have been mistakes made, she said. Lets not beat a dead horse. Though Eno-Van Fleet acknowledged the case the principals made on paper and at the meeting was extremely convincing, he said he would not support it. The process here has alienated many, many, many people. I am one of them, Eno-Van Fleet said. So even though I find the argument (for the staff reductions) entirely convincing ... Im going to vote to restore the cuts simply as a protest (because) I feel like this board was misled. Eno-Van Fleet did joining board members Chris McVeigh, Diane Nichols-Fleming, Lindy Johnson, and Jonathan Goddard in supporting McVeighs motion to restore the cuts. Looke, Naylor and board members Kari Bradley and Jill Olson opposed the motion and were joined by Diaz-Smith, whose vote was decisive. david.delcore @timesargus.com Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-20 22:39:34|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Photo taken on May 19, 2021 shows the launch ceremony for the construction of Unit 3 of the Xudapu nuclear power plant in Huludao City of northeast China's Liaoning Province. (Xinhua/Yao Jianfeng) BEIJING, May 20 (Xinhua) -- A ground-breaking ceremony of a China-Russia bilateral nuclear energy cooperation project was held Wednesday, marking new achievements and heights in the comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era between the two countries. Units 7 and 8 of the Tianwan nuclear power plant and units 3 and 4 of the Xudapu nuclear power plant, the largest China-Russia nuclear energy cooperation project to date, was launched at the ceremony, which demonstrates cooperation outcomes in high-end equipment manufacturing and sci-tech innovation between the two countries. Aerial photo taken on May 17, 2021 shows an overview of the Tianwan nuclear power plant in Lianyungang City, east China's Jiangsu Province. (Xinhua) This year marks the 20th anniversary of the signing of the China-Russia Treaty of Good-Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation. Multiple ongoing projects are helping expand ties and advance bilateral relations to a higher level. Energy cooperation has always been deemed the most important area of practical collaboration between the two countries. As of Dec. 2 last year, the China-Russia east-route natural gas pipeline had delivered 3.85 billion cubic meters of gas. The pipeline has been regarded as a milestone in China-Russia energy cooperation and a model of in-depth integration and win-win cooperation between the two sides. The southern section of the pipeline, comprising a total length of 1,509 km, is under construction from Yongqing county in Hebei province to Shanghai. A major tunnel of the southern section is being built underneath the Yangtze River in east China's Jiangsu Province. It kicked off construction on May 18. Aerial photo taken on May 21, 2020 shows workers at the construction site of the Changling-Yongqing section of the China-Russia east-route natural gas pipeline in Pengdianzi Township of Qian'an City, north China's Hebei Province. (Xinhua/Yang Shiyao) China and Russia have designated the years of 2020 and 2021 "Year of Scientific and Technological Innovation" in each other's country. In April this year, the two sides issued a statement on jointly building an international scientific research station on the moon. Major strategic projects in the fields of nuclear energy and space research embody important directions of China-Russia cooperation, with a visible trend to accelerate the promotion of such projects, said Liu Huaqin, director of the Eurasian Institute of the International Trade and Economic Cooperation Research Institute, Ministry of Commerce. Bilateral cooperation in the digital economy, green economy, artificial intelligence, 5G and big data is also flourishing, creating "new space" for scientific and technological innovation and development between China and Russia. Practical cooperation has provided strong support for high-quality economic and social development of the two countries. The bilateral trade between China and Russia from January to April this year reached 40.21 billion U.S. dollars, up 19.8 percent year on year, exceeding 40 billion U.S. dollars in the first four months for the first time, official statistics showed. Agriculture, manufacturing, high-tech industries and trade in services are expected to become new highlights of pragmatic cooperation between the two countries, Liu noted. remaining of SUPPORT LOCAL JOURNALISM! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. NORRISTOWN Montgomery County has a full slate of events scheduled to honor the areas fallen heroes this Memorial Day. Its a very somber holiday, and we want you to have a peaceful, and reflectful Memorial Day, and recognize that for a lot of us veterans, were remembering our fallen comrades, and just keep that in mind, and be kind to each other like you would any other day, said Dennis Miller, director of Montgomery Countys Office of Veteran Affairs. While the COVID-19 pandemic remains a presence, Miller offered up some ways people can pay tribute to veterans whove made the ultimate sacrifice by placing flags at gravesites and participating in ceremonies. - Advertisement - This years programming is in stark contrast to the events of last year. Due to health and safety concerns in the COVID-19 pandemics early days, officials put off the distribution of 59,000 flags to a number of organizations in anticipation of the holiday. Memorial Day honors those who have died while in service to our nation. We owe these individuals our deepest gratitude. We have purchased the flags for this year, but we are going to postpone distributing them. Bringing these large numbers of groups together creates the very situation that we have been working so hard as a community to avoid, said Montgomery County Commissioners Chairwoman Val Arkoosh during a press conference last year. Montgomery County Commissioners Vice Chairman Ken Lawrence Jr. cited health and safety concerns for handing out large quantities of flags to various community groups while a stay-at-home order remains in effect. The decision not to distribute the flags for Memorial Day was made in the interest of public health, and I just want to be clear these flags will be distributed, Lawrence said, referring to the decision for a later distribution date head of July 4, 2020. Memorial Day U.S. Army Veteran Walt Hartnett plants a flag at a veteran's grave on a past Memorial Day. That decision was difficult for U.S. Army veteran Walt Hartnett, commander of veterans of foreign wars for VFW Post 1074 in Conshohocken, to process. I understand why some people might think thats a good enough day to do it, but the Fourth of July has nothing to do with remembering those who have passed on, Hartnett told MediaNews Group last year. Memorial Day is the day we remember. Were never going to not let the veterans be remembered. Memorial Day is the culmination of were not going to forget you. Wed never celebrate Sept. 11 on Sept. 13, he continued. So its kind of a slap in the face to the veteran community." Memorial Day U.S. Army Veteran Walt Hartnett's daughter, Hailey, plants a flag at St. Matthew Cemetery. Montgomery County Commissioner Joe Gale blasted his colleagues during a board meeting last May, alleging he was outnumbered two-to-one on the matter. Frankly, Im embarrassed that they dont have that opportunity, Gale said during his opening comments last year in reference to veterans' and flag tributes for Memorial Day. However, Gale said he still found a way to participate. Last year, I raised money at a private charity to supply the flags, and I know they were very grateful to make sure these fallen heroes were honored, and its great that we have the ability to do it this year, Gale said on Thursday. As cases of the novel coronavirus continue decreasing locally, Miller stressed that thered be a mixture of virtual and in-person programming opportunities. He added that the outdoor setting would incorporate a social distancing component to the weekends events. In addition to placing flags at the graves of fallen veterans, there will be a ceremony taking place on May 28 where 77 flags will be placed on the lawn of the Montgomery County Court House in downtown Norristown. Miller said that each flag represents 1,000 deceased veterans interred in our county. For more information about the placements of flags at veteran gravesites, visit montcopa.org/VeteransAffairs. There will also be a Memorial Day tribute video on May 31 featuring the names and pictures of service members killed in action during the Vietnam War, Miller said in his presentation. Marking the 50th anniversary of the start of the Vietnam War, Miller emphasized the importance of highlighting those Vietnam-era veterans. The Montgomery County Vietnam Veteran Memorial has been dismantled due to the Justice Center Construction, Miller said in his presentation. The county will replace the memorial on the new justice center campus. Obviously, it saddened all of us to have to take those memorials down for construction, Arkoosh said during Thursdays meeting. But they will be back absolutely. Theyre in very, very safe storage, and I think this is a wonderful way to acknowledge the individuals whose names are on that memorial, and we can connect with them in a little bit different way this year so thank you for being so creative with that. The trio of Montgomery County Commissioners praised Miller for his efforts organizing the upcoming events and working to help veterans in the midst of a global public health crisis. Mr. Miller, thank you for your service to our country, but thank you for your service to our veterans here in Montgomery County, Lawrence said. Youve done an excellent job in running the office and reaching out to our veterans to make sure that they get the services that they have earned. Thank you for all your hard work in planning Memorial Day, Lawrence later said. Thank you for your words to remind us to be kind, and remind us that for some of our veterans, it can be a very tough day as they remember their fallen brothers and sisters. Any veteran or surviving spouses in need of assistance should contact TeamVeterans@montcopa.org, or call the veteran hotline at 610-213-4022, which is available from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Cindy Rooy is the author of the Bible study Trusting God Through Troubles & Tears and a contributing author in devotional books and magazines. To contact Cindy, email her at cr4Him@gmail.com. Webster Groves, MO (63119) Today Scattered clouds with the possibility of an isolated thunderstorm developing late. Low near 75F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 30%.. Tonight Scattered clouds with the possibility of an isolated thunderstorm developing late. Low near 75F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 30%. Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-21 00:06:03|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close -- Fourty years ago, Chinese ornithologist Liu Yinzeng rediscovered seven wild crested ibises -- which were thought to be the last remaining specimens in the world -- in the Qinling Mountains of northwest China's Shaanxi Province. -- Years of unrelenting efforts have yielded promising results. It is estimated that there are more than 5,000 crested ibises in the world today. Yangxian County, where the last seven crested ibises were found, has now turned into an Eden of the auspicious bird species. -- Hear what Liu and others tell British conservationist Terry Townshend about the positive and inspiring story of bringing species back from the brink of extinction -- the rediscovery and recovery of the crested ibis. Photo taken on Aug. 2, 2020 shows a crested ibis flying in Yangxian County, northwest China's Shaanxi Province. (Xinhua/Lan Hongguang) XI'AN, May 20 (Xinhua) -- British conservationist Terry Townshend described his return to Yangxian County, dubbed the "hometown of the crested ibis," as a great honor, not only because he got to see these majestic birds once again, but because he was able to drop in on a prominent figure whose name has become synonymous with this still endangered species. Sunday marks the 40th anniversary of rediscovery of the crested ibis. Townshend, with a particular interest in birds, has been living and working in China for over 10 years. Invited by Xinhua's China Chat show, he paid a visit to 85-year-old veteran ornithologist Liu Yinzeng, widely known and esteemed for his rediscovery of the crested ibis 40 years ago. "We hear a lot of negative stories about losing species, so it's really important to hear positive stories and to know that species can be saved and brought back from the brink of extinction," Townshend said. British conservationist Terry Townshend (1st L) and Xinhua journalist Miao Xiaojuan (1st R) talk with Liu Yinzeng, an ornithologist with the Institute of Zoology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences at Liu's home in northwest China's Shaanxi Province, April 12, 2021. (Xinhua/Xu Yongzheng) Believed to have existed for over 60 million years, the crested ibis, known as "the Oriental gem," is one of the oldest bird species in the world and once flourished in China, the Korean Peninsula, Japan and Russia. The bird was designated as an internationally protected bird in 1960. Yet the widespread use of pesticides and fertilizers, hunting and habitat loss due to deforestation brought the birds to the brink of extinction. The crested ibis was once thought to be extinct, yet its population has undergone a miraculous revival thanks to decades of conservation efforts made by researchers like Liu and many local people who believe the bird is auspicious. THE IBIS MAN Kin, Japan's last crested ibis born in the wild, died in 2003 at the age of 36, well over 100 in human years. A figure deeply rooted in Japanese history and culture, the crested ibis was first recorded in the "Nihon Shoki" (Chronicles of Japan), a history of the nation compiled in the year 720. When famous Japanese environmental journalist and scientist Ishi Hiroyuki lamented the death of Kin in a 2017 article, he also claimed that Kin's demise did not mean the extinction of the species. "The same species of crested ibis was found to still exist in China," Hiroyuki wrote. "Researchers in China were successfully breeding other wild crested ibises that they had discovered earlier." Liu Yinzeng was the man who led a small team that found seven crested ibises, two adult pairs and three fledglings, in Yangxian of northwest China's Shaanxi Province on May 23 and 30, 1981. They were thought to be the last remaining specimens in the world. Photo taken on Jan. 28, 2021 shows two crested ibises by a river in Yangxian County, northwest China's Shaanxi Province. (Photo by Tao Benyao/Xinhua) Before their exciting discovery, Liu and his colleagues at the Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences had painstakingly conducted field research for three years, trekking over 50,000 km across China in search of crested ibises. Yet their search was in vain. "At that time, I had prepared my paper concluding that the crested ibis had become extinct," Liu recalled. Yet before the survey team formulated their final judgment on the extinction of crested ibises in China, Liu requested a field visit to Yangxian. His faith paid off, and his new paper was published in 1981 in Current Zoology, then known as Acta Zoologica Sinica, titled "Recovery of Japanese Crested Ibis in Qinling Range." Photo taken on Nov. 23, 2020 shows a crested ibis perching on a tree in snow in Yangxian County, northwest China's Shaanxi Province. (Photo by Wang Ping/Xinhua) "It was an important decision to declare their extinction to the world. If I were to do this all again, I would do the same," Liu said. "When it comes to scientific work you must be rigorous, nothing can slip through the cracks." Upon catching sight of the long-beaked, red-faced birds, Liu had mixed feelings. He was gratified that their efforts had not been in vain, while at the same time, he felt no relief, instead worrying whether such a tiny population could survive. The team members safeguarded the birds around the clock, spreading butter on trees and installing protective devices to deal with predators such as snakes. THE PROMISED LAND "Giant pandas are savage beasts, though they look cuddly," Liu said, noting that the proximity of crested ibises to humans makes it possible for the birds and people to keep each other company, thus the protection of this particular species differs from that of other animals. The locals love the birds. They like to call them "red cranes" instead of crested ibises, believing the color red symbolizes prosperity. Yangxian has turned into an Eden of crested ibises. To better protect the species, the local government has introduced bans on hunting in the bird's habitats, cutting down trees where it nests, using chemical fertilizers and pesticides in its foraging areas and firing guns in its breeding areas. Photo taken on June 20, 2020 shows crested ibises foraging in the paddy fields in Yangxian County, northwest China's Shaanxi Province. (Photo by Xia Yongguang/Xinhua) Furthermore, protective nets were installed on both sides of a section of track of the Xi'an-Chengdu High-speed Railway in Yangxian, to prevent any damage to the birds. Hua Ying, president of the Yangxian County Bird Watching Association, transformed his front yard into a sanctuary for the crested ibises a few years ago. He has been a volunteer since 1993, promoting knowledge on the protection of the crested ibis in local schools. Now he runs a homestay for bird enthusiasts and photographers. Every morning, people can find crested ibises walking through the paddy field in front of Hua's homestay. According to Hua, crested ibises are extremely sensitive to their living environment, which means the villagers must ensure they employ organic farming methods, planting crops such as black rice, so as to live in harmony with the local wildlife. British conservationist Terry Townshend (C) and Xinhua journalist Miao Xiaojuan (L) observe crested ibises with Hua Ying, president of Yangxian County Bird Watching Association, at Hua's courtyard in northwest China's Shaanxi Province, April 13, 2021. (Xinhua/Xu Yongzheng) "Back in 2003, I proposed to forestry and wildlife protection authorities that the local government should help promote the sales of our pollution-free products," Hua said. He also suggested the county should develop its tourism industry and build facilities like a bird-watching platform to minimize the impact on the crested ibises brought by birders. "Happily all my ideas were adopted," Hua said. A REMARKABLE COMEBACK China took the rediscovery of the crested ibis seriously and started captive breeding of the birds in 1991. Years of unrelenting efforts have yielded promising results. It is estimated that there are more than 5,000 crested ibises in the world today. The bird's habitat in China has risen from less than 5 square km in 1981 to 15,000 square km today. There are more than 3,000 crested ibises in Yangxian alone, according to Liu. China also donated five crested ibises to help rebuild the species in Japan in the 1990s, while Japan has been supporting the protection of the crested ibis habitat in China through both governmental and non-governmental projects. The bird has become a bridge of friendship between the two countries. Japan was able to artificially breed more crested ibises from pairs brought over from China. The several hundred birds living today in Japan are all descendants of these Chinese trailblazers. Undated file photo shows crested ibises flying in the rural area of Yangxian County, northwest China's Shaanxi Province. (Photo by Zhang Yueming/Xinhua) "Properly balancing the relationship between species protection and human development is a subject for our long-term exploration in the future," Liu said, adding that such work goes beyond the scope of biology and wildlife conservation. "I have a special connection to the crested ibis, and decided to live with the bird for the rest of my life," said the retired avian expert, who came back to Yangxian three years ago and has remained there ever since. Hanging on the wall of Liu's living room is a group photo taken in July 2019. In the picture, Liu is sitting in the middle of the front row, holding a bouquet of flowers and celebrating his birthday with some 50 crested ibis researchers from around the country. (Reporting by Ma Yunfei, Miao Xiaojuan, He Zhanjun and Fu Ruixia) (video editor: Miao Xiaojuan) -Israel and Hamas will cease fire across the Gaza Strip border as of 2 a.m. on Friday (2300 GMT Thursday), an official with the Palestinian Islamist faction said, bringing a potentially tenuous halt to the fiercest fighting in decades. Israels security cabinet said it had voted unanimously in favour of a mutual and unconditional Gaza truce proposed by mediator Egypt, but added that the hour of implementation had yet to be agreed. The development came a day after U.S. President Joe Biden urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to seek de-escalation, and amid mediation bids by Egypt, Qatar and the United Nations. A Hamas official told Reuters the ceasefire would be mutual and simultaneous. Rocket attacks by Hamas and allied Islamic Jihad had resumed after an eight-hour pause on Thursday, as Israel continued shelling that it said aimed to destroy the factions military capabilities and deter them from future confrontation after the current conflict. Since the fighting began on May 10, health officials in Gaza say 232 Palestinians, including 65 children and 39 women, have been killed and more than 1,900 wounded in aerial bombardments. Israel says it has killed at least 160 combatants in Gaza. Authorities put the death toll in Israel at 12, with hundreds of people treated for injuries in rocket attacks that have caused panic and sent people rushing into shelters. On Thursday, Biden discussed Gaza with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and the White House said reports of moves toward a ceasefire were encouraging. U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric confirmed that U.N. Middle East Envoy Tor Wennesland is in Qatar, adding: We are actively engaged with all the relevant parties for an immediate ceasefire. SOURCE: REUTERS Provided ALBANY Two Albany Police officers apprehended an Albany man and took his loaded handgun off the streets after he fired shots in the area of First Street and Lexington Ave. early Thursday morning, the police department said in a statement. The officers were on their regular patrol around 1 a.m. when they heard several shots being fired. They responded to find evidence of gunfire and several individuals on the street taking cover to avoid injury, police said. No injuries were reported. Jessica Christian/AP WINDSOR, Calif. (AP) After refusing to quit for more than a month, the mayor of a California wine country town who has been accused of sexual assault by nine women has resigned from the job. In a statement addressed to residents of the town of Windsor, Dominic Foppoli continued to deny the women's claims and suggested that a new allegation made against him by a former reality TV star was driven by the San Francisco Chronicle's reporting on him. NEW BERN, N.C. (AP) The world's largest fishing and recreational boat builder on Thursday announced its acquisition of North Carolina-based Hatteras Yachts, with plans to upgrade Hatteras operations in New Bern as White River Marine Group seeks to boost saltwater vessel sales. WRMG, a subsidiary of the company that operates Bass Pro Shops and Cabela's, aims to create 500 new jobs at its proposed Craven County operations by 2025, according to state Commerce Department officials. BANGKOK (AP) Chinese citizens living in Thailand began being vaccinated on Thursday as part of China's global campaign to inoculate its nationals living and working abroad. China recently donated 500,000 vaccine doses, and Thailand agreed in turn to inoculate Chinese nationals as it slowly rolls out shots for its own citizens to contain a coronavirus surge that has sickened tens of thousands in the past two months. Yang Xin, minister counsellor at the Chinese Embassy, said Beijing's Spring Sprout program would benefit tens of thousands of Chinese in the country. An estimated 150,000 Chinese citizens live in Thailand. China has so far supplied 6 million vaccine doses to the country, most of which Thailand purchased. The Thai government has said it will vaccinate Thais before inoculating most other foreigners, regardless of risk factors or age. Just over 2% of Thailand's 70 million people have received a first vaccine dose and about 1% have received a second. The government hopes to inoculate 70% of its people by the end of the year, but has been criticized for taking too long to start vaccinating. Chinas official Peoples Daily newspaper says more than 500,000 Chinese citizens in more than 120 countries have benefited from the Spring Sprout vaccine program since it was launched in March. In downtown Bangkok, a Chinese volunteer with a white mask, transparent shield and blue gloves stood in front of a red banner reading Spring Sprout Action flanked by the flags of China and Thailand at a vaccination center. A dozen people waited to get a cursory medical check as nurses, accompanied by a translator, gave Chinese-made Sinovac shots in another room. I am happy and proud to be able to get a vaccine on day 1 organized by my government, said Zhang Xiaohong, 40, who runs a logistics company in Thailand. He said he believes the Chinese government cares about its people. Qin Qing, a 39-year-old real estate broker in Bangkok, said she was a bit nervous before getting the shot and felt slightly dizzy afterward. I am grateful for my country and the embassy, and people who help to make it happen, from airline staff who fly the vaccines here to Thai medical workers," she said. Thailand had largely contained coronavirus cases last year by closing its borders, enforcing mandatory quarantines and actively tracing contacts of those found to be infected. The measures devastated its lucrative tourism industry but kept the pandemic at bay, for the most part, until early April. Then a surge that began in high-end nightspots in central Bangkok spread rapidly as people were allowed to travel during a mid-April national holiday. On Thursday, health authorities reported 2,636 new cases and 25 deaths for a total of 119,585 infections and 703 deaths since the pandemic began. Of that number, 90,722 confirmed cases and 609 deaths have been recorded since April 1. A partial lockdown in recent weeks has made limited headway in containing outbreaks, especially in Bangkok and in prisons. The capital has been hit especially hard, with thousands of cases surfacing in slums, crowded low-income housing and camps housing construction workers. Thailand has a population of about 70 million. More than 2.5 million are from neighboring countries, including Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar. Many are employed on construction sites and in factories. Chinese nationals are the most numerous foreigners living in Thailand who are not from neighboring countries. They are the only foreigners being vaccinated under the Spring Sprout" campaign. Natapanu Nopakun, deputy Foreign Ministry spokesman, said Thursday there are around 1.3 million legal migrant workers in Bangkok and its vicinity and more than 1 million illegal ones across the country. The Labor Ministry intends to inoculate them as well because their high mobility is a risk factor in curbing infections. Another 200,000 foreigners from Australia, Japan, Europe, the United States and elsewhere are mostly professionals and retirees. For now, they can only obtain COVID-19 shots by traveling overseas and would face lengthy, expensive quarantines on their return. Groups representing Americans living in Thailand sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken last week asking the government to supply some of the millions of unused vaccine doses available in the U.S. to inoculate American citizens in Thailand. PRAGUE (AP) Thousands of people rallied against the Czech Republic's justice minister Thursday, accusing her of undermining the independence of the country's legal system and spreading misinformation about the investigation of a huge ammunition depot explosion allegedly caused by Russian spies. The protesters in Prague called on Czech Justice Minister Marie Benesova to resign and said if she does not, they will hold more rallies across the country next week and march through the capital on June 1. Benesova was the only member of the current coalition government who backed President Milos Zeman after he said that the 2014 blast could have been caused by human error or some other cause. The demonstrators repeatedly accused Zeman of treason. Known for his pro-Russian views, Zeman claimed there was no conclusive evidence about the Russian involvement in the ammunition explosion. His words were widely repeated by Russian media and authorities. All other government ministers, including Prime Minister Andrej Babis, as well as lawmakers and officials briefed on the investigation, said thats not true. Banesova, a close ally of the president, strongly criticized the countrys prosecutor general, Pavel Zeman, for his public comments on the blast investigation. The prosecutor general resigned from his post last week, citing pressure from the justice minister. The demonstrators demanded leaving the naming of a new prosecutor general until after the next general election, set for October. Czech leaders said on April 17 that they had evidence pointing to the participation of two agents from Russias military spy agency in the depot explosion that killed two people. Russia has denied that. The same two Russians were charged by British authorities in absentia in 2018 with trying to kill former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter with the Soviet-era nerve agent Novichok in the English city of Salisbury. The findings resulted in a serious diplomatic crisis between the Czech Republic and Russia, with dozens of diplomats ordered to leave their respective embassies. ALBANY New Yorks largest nurses union issued a statement Friday opposing the states new mask policy, arguing its premature to relax the mandate and puts those most at risk of severe disease and death from the coronavirus in harms way. The New York State Nurses Union, which represents over 42,000 health care workers, raised several concerns about the states decision to follow the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's recent recommendation, which says fully vaccinated individuals no longer have to wear masks or socially distance except in certain specific circumstances. The statement noted that the new policy depends on people being honest about whether they have been vaccinated or not. The CDCs new guidance ignores the unfortunate politicization of masking and vaccinations in American society and seems to believe that everyone will be honest about their vaccination status, the union said. The group also said its likely that people who have not been vaccinated or those who are not yet fully vaccinated will choose not to wear masks because many businesses and venues will be hesitant to demand proof of vaccination. Indeed, on Wednesday, business owners across the Capital Region said they were unsure how to enforce the policy change, especially after an exhausting year of fighting with customers over masks while the face coverings were still mandatory. Neither the state nor the CDC offered guidance concerning how businesses or venues should enforce the new mask recommendation. The union also noted that only 42 percent of New Yorkers are currently fully vaccinated, which remains far below the herd immunity threshold of at least 70 percent that public health experts say is needed to drastically reduce the risk of future outbreaks. Many are still at risk of exposure, they said, including frontline workers, those who have had difficulty accessing the vaccine due to lack of transportation or an inability to wait in long lines, children under the age of 12, and those under the age of 18 who while eligible for the Pfizer vaccine may have limited access due to their communitys inability to store vaccine doses at ultra-cold temperatures. Throughout the COVID-19 crisis, the CDC has made decisions that are not backed up by science nor adequately protective of workers and public health, NYSNA said. If the CDC errs on the side of safety, there may be some unnecessary inconvenience. But when it errs in the opposite direction, the publics health, and many lives, may be lost. bbump@timesunion.com TROY The New York Civil Liberties Union has sued the city of Troy to force the release of police officers disciplinary records that it claims were unlawfully denied. The city and its police department have have not granted or provided any response to 75 percent of the state Freedom of Inform Law request filed on Sept. 15, 2020, the NYCLU said in its lawsuit submitted Thursday in state Supreme Court in Rensselaer County. Troy residents have the right to know the substance and volume of complaints made against their officers, and the Troy Police Department cannot remain steadfast in ignoring requests for misconduct records made on behalf of the constituents they have sworn to protect and serve, said Melanie Trimble, Capital Region Chapter director of the NYCLU. No police department can shirk their responsibility to be transparent any longer. We will fight resistance to accountability wherever we see it and continue working to end the secrecy shrouding evidence of police misconduct across New York state, Trimble said. John Salka, a spokesman for Mayor Patrick Madden, said Friday that the city "does not comment on issues pertaining to litigation." The lawsuit states the city provided 205 pages of collective bargaining materials, 26 pages of use of force guidelines, 10 pages of blank police forms, 3 pages of demographic information, and 2 pages about the Police Objective Review Board. Missing from the citys response to the FOIL request were documents regarding officer discipline, complaint history of active TPD (Troy Police Department) officers, or any documents responsive to the other portions of the Request, the lawsuit continues. The NYCLU said the records provided by the city were a small percentage of the FOIL submission. The records requested include officer disciplinary files, use of force reports, stops, civilian complaints, policies, investigative reports, diversity, training, and collective bargaining agreements. The NYCLU filed the records request after the repeal of 50-a, a section in the state civil rights laws that had previously shielded police disciplinary records from public disclosure. The Troy Police Department cannot ignore the fact that 50-a was repealed, and police transparency is essential to police accountability, said Bobby Hodgson, senior staff attorney and the NYCLU. The legal action against Troy is part of the NYCLUs statewide police transparency campaign to obtain records about police conduct. The NYCLU has sued the Rochester, Syracuse, Freeport and Buffalo police departments for withholding records. The NYCLU intervened in a lawsuit filed in Schenectady to obtain police records. The NYCLU asks for a court ruling directing the city to fulfill its information requests and for attorney costs and expenses related to the case. The New York City law firm of Latham & Watkins LLP provided pro bono counsel to the NYCLU for the case. Troy and its police department have been criticized recently by leaders in the Black community, activists and residents for expanding the size of the police force to 137 officers with plans to hire six new community police officers instead of investing in community services. GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) Palestinians rallied by the thousands Friday after a cease-fire took effect in the latest Gaza war, with many viewing it as a costly but clear victory for the Islamic militant group Hamas. Israel vowed to respond with a new level of force to further hostilities. The 11-day war left more than 250 dead the vast majority Palestinians and brought widespread devastation to the already impoverished Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip. But the rocket barrages that brought life to a standstill in much of Israel were seen by many Palestinians as a bold response to perceived Israeli abuses in Jerusalem, the emotional heart of the conflict. Like the three previous wars, t he latest round of fighting ended inconclusively. Israel claimed it inflicted heavy damage on Hamas but once again was unable to halt the rockets. Even as it claims victory, Hamas faces the daunting challenge of rebuilding in a territory already suffering from high unemployment and a coronavirus outbreak, and from years of blockade by Egypt and Israel. The conflict brought to the surface deep frustration among Palestinians, whether in the occupied West Bank, Gaza or within Israel, over the status quo, with the Israeli-Palestinian peace process all but abandoned for years. The continued volatility was on display when clashes broke out between Palestinian protesters and Israeli police following Friday prayers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, a flashpoint holy site in Jerusalem sacred to Jews and Muslims. Clashes there earlier this month were one of the main triggers for the war. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu fended off criticism from his hawkish base who said he ended the offensive prematurely without a more decisive blow to Hamas. Israel had done daring and new things, and this without being dragged into unnecessary adventures, he said. Its forces caused maximum damage to Hamas with a minimum of casualties in Israel, he added. Netanyahu warned against further attacks, saying, If Hamas thinks we will tolerate a drizzle of rockets, it is wrong. He vowed to respond with a new level of force against aggression anywhere in Israel. He said Israeli strikes killed more than 200 militants, including 25 senior commanders, and hit more than 100 kilometers (60 miles) of militant tunnels. Hamas and the Islamic Jihad militant group have only acknowledged 20 fighters killed. Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh said in a televised speech from the Qatari capital of Doha that the war opened the door to new phases that will witness many victories. He called it a quantum leap that will build support among Palestinians for resistance rather than failed negotiations. The Gaza Health Ministry says at least 243 Palestinians were killed, including 66 children, with 1,910 people wounded. It does not differentiate between fighters and civilians. Twelve people were killed in Israel, all but one of them civilians, including a 5-year-old boy and 16-year-old girl. Celebrations erupted in Gaza, the occupied West Bank and east Jerusalem at 2 a.m. when the cease-fire took hold. In Gaza City, thousands took to the streets, and young men waved Palestinian and Hamas flags, passed out sweets, honked horns and set off fireworks. At noon prayers at Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, hundreds held similar celebrations, waving flags and cheering Hamas. It was unclear what sparked the ensuing violence, in which police fired stun grenades and tear gas, and Palestinians threw rocks. Israeli police said they arrested 16 people. Similar clashes broke out in parts of the West Bank. Gazans had a day of recovery after 11 days of Israeli bombardment. Shoppers stocked up on fresh fruit and vegetables at a Gaza City open-air market that reopened after being closed during the fighting. Workers swept up rubble. Life will return, because this is not the first war, and it will not be the last war, said shop owner Ashraf Abu Mohammad. The heart is in pain, there have been disasters, families wiped from the civil registry, and this saddens us. But this is our fate in this land, to remain patient. Residents in the hard-hit town of Beit Hanoun surveyed wrecked homes. We see such huge destruction here, its the first time in history weve seen this, said Azhar Nsair. The cease-fire is for people who didnt suffer, who didnt lose their loved ones, whose homes were not bombed. Rescue workers were still recovering bodies. Five were collected Friday in the town of Khan Younis, including that of a 3-year-old, the Red Crescent emergency service said. Tens of thousands returned home after sheltering in U.N. schools. At the peak, 66,000 people were crammed inside, but on Friday the number fell under 1,000, U.N. spokesman Sephane Dujarric said. After the cease-fire, the U.N. sent 13 trucks with food, COVID-19 vaccines, medical supplies and medicines into Gaza. The world body also allocated $18.6 million in emergency humanitarian aid. The bombardment struck a blow to the already decrepit infrastructure in the small coastal territory, home to more than 2 million Palestinians. It flattened high-rises and houses, tore up roads and wrecked water systems. At least 30 health facilities were damaged, forcing a halt to coronavirus testing in the territory. The fighting began May 10, when Hamas militants in Gaza fired long-range rockets toward Jerusalem. The barrage came after days of clashes between Palestinian protesters and Israeli police at Al-Aqsa. Heavy-handed police tactics at the compound and the threatened eviction of dozens of Palestinian families by Jewish settlers had inflamed tensions. Competing claims to Jerusalem have repeatedly triggered bouts of violence. Israel captured east Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza in the 1967 war and the Palestinians want them for their future state. Hamas and other militant groups fired over 4,000 rockets at Israeli cities. Dozens landed as far north as the bustling commercial capital of Tel Aviv. Israel, meanwhile, conducted hundreds of airstrikes. A senior Israeli army official said it hit 1,600 military targets. The United States, Israels closest and most important ally, initially backed what it called Israels right to self-defense against indiscriminate rocket fire. But as fighting dragged on and deaths mounted, the Americans increasingly pressured Israel to stop the offensive, and Egypt brokered the cease-fire. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken plans to visit the region to discuss recovery efforts and working together to build better futures for Israelis and Palestinians. the State Department said. He spoke Friday with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who asked that Washington follow up on stopping Israeli measures in Jerusalem, like raids on the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the planned evictions of Palestinians from the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood, Abbas office said. President Joe Biden welcomed the cease-fire. He said the U.S. was committed to helping Israel replenish its supply of interceptor missiles and to working with the internationally recognized Palestinian Authority not Hamas to provide humanitarian aid to Gaza. Later Friday, he said there has been no shift in his commitment to Israels security, but insisted a two-state solution that includes a state for Palestinians remains the only answer to that conflict. Speaking at the end of a visit by the president of South Korea, Biden also played down the idea that the newly ended fighting had opened a rift among Democrats, as scores of Democrats split with Bidens quiet diplomacy with ally Israel to publicly demand a cease-fire. My party still supports Israel, Biden said. Lets get something straight here, he added. Until the region says unequivocally they acknowledge the right of Israel to exist as an independent Jewish state, there will be no peace. The Palestinian militants claimed Netanyahu had agreed to halt further Israeli actions at Al-Aqsa and the Sheikh Jarrah evictions. An Egyptian official said only that tensions in Jerusalem will be addressed. Netanyahu faced heavy criticism from members of his hawkish, nationalist base. Gideon Saar, a former ally who leads a small party, called the cease-fire embarrassing. Itamar Ben Gvir, head of the far-right Jewish Power party, told Israeli TVs Channel 13 that, with the cease-fire, the government spat in the face of residents of southern Israel, and said it should topple Hamas and reoccupy Gaza. ___ Krauss reported from Jerusalem. Associated Press writers Isabel DeBre in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Laurie Kellman in Tel Aviv, Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations, Jamey Keaten in Geneva, Iris Samuels in Helena, Montana, and Karin Laub in the West Bank contributed. Media reports on Thursday indicated that Egyptian efforts to broker a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip might be nearing success, but no official announcement had been made. The death toll after 11 days of fighting stood at 230 in Gaza, including 65 children, according to local health officials there, and 12 in Israel, according to its authorities. The UN said more than 72,000 Palestinians had been displaced in Gaza. Hamas began firing rockets into Israel on May 10 for what it said were Israeli rights abuses against Palestinians in Jerusalem. Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and Israel's 21 percent Arab minority staged a general strike on Tuesday in protest of the fighting and an Israeli policy that denies Palestinians rights given to Jews, according to an Associated Press report. Israel rejects the characterization, saying all its citizens have equal rights, and blames the conflict on Hamas, the report said. Speaking with reporters Thursday afternoon, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he was going to be speaking with Israeli Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi soon. "I'm prepared at any time to go to Israel, to the Middle East, if that would serve the purpose of moving beyond violence and helping to work on improving the lives for Israelis and Palestinians alike," he said. "Right now, we're focused on, hopefully, seeing that these reports are real." Hamas officials told Reuters the cease-fire was to begin at 2 a.m. local time Friday in Gaza. The cease-fire was announced after a meeting late Thursday of the prime minister's Security Cabinet in Jerusalem. At the UN, Israel's ambassador said his government wanted a cease-fire, "but only after significantly degrading Hamas' terror machine." "This is not a war between Israel and the people of Gaza," Ambassador Gilad Erdan said. "This is not a war between Israel and the Palestinians. This is a war only between Israel and Hamas. We will never apologize for defending our citizens, even if some countries here might be happy to see a greater number of dead Jews." The cease-fire was welcome news. "That is good," Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki told reporters at the United Nations where he participated in a meeting on the situation. "The carnage, the aggression, the attack will stop. It is good that the Palestinian people, the more than 2 million of them [in Gaza], will be able to go to sleep tonight knowing that they will have a brighter tomorrow. But that's not enough, that's not enough at all." He cautioned that the issues that triggered this latest round of violence the situation for Muslims at their holy sites in Jerusalem and the evictions of Palestinian families in parts of the city -- must be addressed. The United States also had been working to broker a cease-fire between Israel and the Palestinians on Thursday at the United Nations. "Over the past two weeks, the United States has approached this crisis in Israel and Gaza with a singular focus -- bringing an end to the conflict as quickly as possible," U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield told the UN General Assembly. "We have not been silent." The Biden administration had blocked efforts at the UN Security Council to issue a condemnation of the fighting and call for a truce, drawing criticism from some countries. All 15 council members must agree on such statements. Thomas-Greenfield, who is a member of President Joe Biden's Cabinet, said no other country had been working as urgently as the U.S. to stop the fighting. She said American diplomats had held more than 60 meetings at the highest levels, including at least five by Biden. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had reiterated his call for an immediate cease-fire, saying it was urgent that hostilities be de-escalated to prevent an "uncontainable cross-border security and humanitarian crisis." As the diplomats talked, there was more cross-border firing early Thursday. Israeli airstrikes hit Gaza City and the towns of Deir al-Balah and Khan Younis. German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas traveled to the region Thursday to meet with Israeli and Palestinian officials. He called the visit "a sign of solidarity with the people on both sides who fear for their lives day and night, as Israel must defend itself against Hamas' rocket terror." "It is about how the international community can contribute to an end to violence and a resilient cease-fire," Maas tweeted. "And we need to talk about how to pave the way back to peace negotiations." Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-21 03:15:57|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi speaks at a news conference in Rome, Italy, on May 20, 2021. The Italian government on Thursday approved a 40-billion-euro (48.9-billion-U.S. dollar) relief package to support the country's businesses and workers affected by the COVID-19 restrictions. The new relief measures included 17 billion euros of financial aid to companies, and nine billion euros for business credit support, according to Prime Minister Mario Draghi. (Str/Xinhua) ROME, May 20 (Xinhua) -- The Italian government on Thursday approved a 40-billion-euros (48.9 billion U.S. dollars) relief package to support the country's businesses and workers affected by the COVID-19 restrictions. The new relief measures included 17 billion euros of financial aid to companies, and nine billion euros for business credit support, according to Prime Minister Mario Draghi. Another four billion euros will be destined to the labor market, with various measures to support the most vulnerable workers and unemployed people. In addition, the package will also extend financial support to 370,000 more self-employed workers, said Draghi. However, the prime minister warned that the country will not reach a "sustained growth" until the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) -- mostly funded through the European Union (EU) recovery program -- starts being implemented. "We expect the economy to bounce during this quarter already, so our forecasts for the year will likely be revised upwards," Draghi said at a joint press conference. Draghi said that the ongoing coronavirus vaccination plan was a main driver behind the moderate optimism. More than 29 million doses of vaccines had been administered across the country and 9.3 million people had been fully immunized as of Thursday, official figures showed. "The success of the COVID-19 vaccination plan is allowing us to carry on with the reopening under what we call a 'calculated risk'... and, if we defeat the pandemic, the country is going to go back to growth," Draghi said. Among other measures, the support package will make it easier for young people to get a first-home mortgage, including a state guarantee for low-income young couples up to 80 percent of their entire financial exposure. It also allocated 50 million euros for the current year to a new Italian fund for basic scientific research in an effort to reverse the current brain drain of Italian researchers. (1 euro = 1.22 U.S. dollars) Enditem GERMAN FLATTS State Police said one of the westbound lanes is reopened after a tractor trailer crashed on the Thruway near Little Falls and spilled its cargo onto the highway. The left lane remains closed but traffic is no longer being detoured off the highway at exit 29A. ALBANY Supporters of an automatic, portable retirement savings plan administered by the state are hoping that long-sought goal becomes reality this year. And while its been proposed in the past, the latest plan, which was already approved by the Assembly, includes an opt-out component that could overcome previous objections. There are millions of New Yorkers that dont have that secure retirement, said New York City Democratic Sen. Diane Savino, who is sponsoring the bill in her chamber. New York City Democrat Robert Rodriguez sponsored it in the Assembly, which passed it earlier in May by a bipartisan vote of 125-22. Dubbed the Secure Choice act, the measure would set up state-administered Individual Retirement Accounts or IRAs for people who work at businesses that dont offer retirement benefits. While many employers offer 401(k) tax-deferred plans or defined-benefit pensions, lots of businesses, especially smaller ones dont, said supporters. Under this proposal, employers would have to offer the plan but they wouldnt have to fund it other than paying the one-time cost of helping to set it up through a yet-to-be-established state entity that would administer the plan. The state would then contract with investment firms to handle the accounts. Employers with at least 10 workers would have to participate if they dont offer another option. The plan would be auto-enroll, meaning workers would automatically be contributing to these portable accounts unless they opt out. Employees would automatically contribute 3 percent of their pay, but they could increase it if they wanted to. California, Oregon and Illinois have similar systems and New York City is adopting one as well. There have been opponents to such plans. In California, a small-government group fought the plan in court but U.S. Court of Appeals judges upheld the state system known as CalSavers. Supporters of the bill, during a Friday Facebook talk moderated by WMHT-TV news host Dan Clark and put on with the Empire Page news aggregator, spoke at length about the vast numbers of people nearing retirement with no savings, essentially aging into a state of poverty. Each day, 10,000 Americans turn 65, noted Angela Antonelli, executive director of the Center for Retirement Initiatives at Georgetown Universitys McCourt School of Public Policy. She added that more than half of the nations private-sector employees have no vehicle to save for retirement. Many of those, added Rodriguez, are Black, Hispanic or Asian people who may work in small mom-and-pop businesses that may not have the means to set up retirement plans. Many people in the state of New York use Social Security as their sole source of income and thats a problem, added Bill Ferris, state legislative representative for the AARP, which has long pushed for such a plan. Savino said the opt-out feature is new this year, which is why she believes the bill may pass in the full Legislature after prior attempts have failed. Everyone thinks that when they are 22 or 23 they arent going to be 52 or 53, said Savino. They always think they have time, to save for retirement. Shareholders of Tribune Publishing, one of the countrys largest newspaper chains, approved a $630 million takeover bid by hedge fund Alden Global Capital on Friday, the company said in a brief statement. Alden, which already owned nearly one-third of Tribune, stands to take full control of the Chicago Tribune, Baltimore Sun and other Tribune papers. Through its Digital First Media chain, Alden owns the Boston Herald, Denver Post and San Jose Mercury News. Tribune offered little additional detail beyond the fact that it expects the deal to close on May 25. In a statement, Alden said the move reaffirms our commitment to the newspaper industry" and its focus on retooling publications so they can operate sustainably over the long term." The Alden deal is just the latest major acquisition of a newspaper company by an investment firm dedicated to maximizing profits in distressed industries. The collapse of print advertising as readers migrated to digital publications has rocked the traditional newspaper business. Publishers have shut down more than 2,000 papers over the past 15 years and half of newsroom jobs have disappeared. Investment firm owners are often criticized for valuing profits over the mission of local journalism, and Alden is no exception. The deal drew opposition from many of the companys journalists in an unusual spate of employee activism. They set up rallies, tried to find local buyers and begged for a rescue in their own newspapers. They had rooted for a higher bid from hotel mogul Stewart Bainum in the belief that it would be better for local journalism, although that never came to fruition. They lobbied Tribune's No. 2 investor, Los Angeles Times owner Patrick Soon-Shiong, to vote no and scuttle the deal. In a blog post, the president of the union representing Tribune journalists lamented that Tribune's shareholders had let everyone down by approving the deal, but said the union would continue to hold Alden Global Capital accountable. Confusion arose earlier in the day when a spokeswoman for Soon-Shiong said he abstained from the vote. According to Tribunes April 20 proxy statement, which states that approval of the deal required the votes of at least two-thirds of shares not owned by Alden, an abstain vote counted the same as an against vote. Neither Tribune nor its board made any public comments on vote result until late in the day Friday. In its statement, Tribune effectively confirmed earlier reporting attributed to unnamed Tribune officials that Soon-Shiongs ballots were submitted without the abstain box checked, and so were counted as yes votes toward the Alden takeover in accordance with the instructions on the ballot. Tribune did not name Soon-Shiong directly, but said that proxies from one of the company's largest shareholders were submitted in this fashion. Soon-Shiong's representative, Hillary Manning, said the billionaire viewed Tribune as a passive investment and that he is focused on the revitalization of the L.A. Times and the San Diego Union-Tribune, which he bought from Tribune in 2018. Soon-Shiong stands to gain about $150 million from his Tribune stake. Legal experts agreed that if Soon-Shiong left his ballot blank, he likely did so deliberately. One possibility, said Andrew Verstein, a UCLA School of Law professor, is that Soon-Shiong intended to vote yes but didnt want to take flak for that vote. If you say yes, people yell at you for selling out the newspaper," he said. Alden became Tribunes largest shareholder in 2019. The union representing Tribunes journalists says the hedge funds cost cuts have already led to shrinking newsrooms and closed offices. A 2020 report from the University of North Carolinas journalism school said the combination of Alden and Tribune would be the countrys second-largest newspaper publisher by circulation, behind Gannett. Tribune itself is no stranger to cost cuts and shrinking newsrooms. After emerging from bankruptcy in 2012, it split from its TV broadcasting arm in 2014 and since then has bought and sold papers including the Los Angeles Times (sold), the San Diego Union-Tribune (bought and then sold) and the New York Daily News (bought, then hit with layoffs that cut its editorial staff in half ). Its annual revenue has fallen by more than half since 2015, and by the end of 2020 its number of full- and part-time employees stood at 2,865 people, just 40% of its headcount five years earlier. Overall, publishers have shut down more than 2,000 papers over the past 15 years; half of newsroom jobs have disappeared. Investment firms have played a significant role in consolidating the industry as online competition drew away readers' attention and ad dollars. Hedge fund Chatham Asset Management bought newspaper chain McClatchy in an auction last year following the company's bankruptcy, beating a bid from Alden. A newspaper company managed by private equity firm Fortress bought Gannett in 2019 with a high-interest loan from another private equity firm. The newspaper company, which retained the Gannett name and is publicly traded, has since ended the management arrangement with Fortress. An expected higher bid for the whole company from the hotel mogul Bainum never fully materialized after he was unable to find a buyer for the Chicago Tribune. Hansjorg Wyss, a billionaire from Wyoming who had expressed interest in owning the Chicago Tribune, joined Bainum's bid, then subsequently dropped out. He did not say why. Prior to his bid for all of Tribune, Bainum struck a side deal to buy Baltimore Sun Media from Tribune for $65 million via a nonprofit. In a statement, Bainum said that while his efforts to buy Tribune have fallen short, his focus now is on Baltimore and Maryland, where he is evaluating various options to create nonprofit newsrooms. __ An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that Alden would gain control of the Los Angeles Times in a successful bid for Tribune. The newspaper is owned by Tribunes No. 2 investor, Patrick Soon-Shiong, and is not part of the Alden deal. MIAMI (AP) Allies of Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele, including his Cabinet chief, have been included in a list of senior officials in Central America deemed corrupt by the U.S. State Department, according to a copy of a report obtained by The Associated Press. The emergence of the list of purportedly five corrupt officials is likely to heighten tensions with Bukele, who is facing intense pressure from the Biden administration over the removal of several Supreme Court justices and El Salvadors attorney general. The U.S. has made strengthening democracy one of the pillars of its policy toward Central America, saying that rampant corruption is one of the root causes of illegal immigration. A copy of the report, which was sent Monday to members of the U.S. Congress, was provided to The Associated Press by a Democrat staffer on the condition of anonymity because it has not been made public. The list was originally included as a classified annex of a report sent to Congress in April in response to an appropriations request last year pushed by Rep. Norma Torres, a California Democrat who chairs the Central America caucus. That larger list contained the names of 12 Honduran and Guatemalan politicians accused of corruption or believed to have ties to drug trafficking organizations. The list of five Salvadoran officials deemed to have engaged in significant acts of corruption during their terms in offices was declassified May 4, according to the new report. Unlike the bulk of Guatemalans and Hondurans on the list, none of the Salvadorans have been indicted or sanctioned in the U.S. and their inclusion on the list would appear to have no immediate legal consequences. It nonetheless is likely to further strain relations between the Biden administration and Bukele, who has shown no willingness to back away from his consolidation of power that has drawn condemnation from senior U.S. officials and lawmakers of both parties. Bukeles fledgling New Ideas party swept February legislative elections by a landslide, taking control of the unicameral congress and immediately voting this month to remove the corruption-fighting top prosecutor and several high court magistrates who had blocked the presidents agenda. While Bukele remains wildly popular at home after decades of corrupt rule that followed the end of the countrys bloody civil war, his critics in the U.S. say that in concentrating power he is undermining already fragile institutions. El Salvador is a sovereign country and President Bukele was democratically elected. He makes his own decisions, Sen. Patrick Leahy, chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, said Monday in a lengthy statement. But the choices he and his allies in the Salvadoran Congress make, that are eviscerating El Salvadors democratic civilian institutions and empowering the armed forces, have consequences for U.S.Salvadoran relations. The most prominent official on the list is Bukeles Cabinet chief, Carolina Recinos, who has worked alongside the president since his entry into politics as a small town mayor for the Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front created by leftist guerrillas following the end of the civil war. There were no details of Recinos alleged wrongdoing. Also named is Rogelio Rivas, who last month was replaced as minister of security and justice. The State Department said Rivas allegedly awarded his own construction company several noncompetitive, unadvertised contracts to build police stations and other buildings that fell under his official capacity and then inflated the cost of materials. Also included is lawmaker Guillermo Gallegos, a founder of the GANA party that broke with El Salvadors bipartisan system to support Bukeles presidential run in 2019. Two former FMLN lawmakers Sigfrido Reyes and Jose Luis Merino, the latter a former vice minister of foreign relations in the FMLN government that preceded Bukeles administration are also included. Fourteen members of the U.S. Congress, both Democrats and Republicans, wrote letters to the State and Treasury departments in 2017 requesting that Merino be investigated and sanctioned for ties to regional criminal groups. El Salvador's presidential office didnt respond to a request for comment from Bukele and said Recinos was not available. Rivas didnt respond to a request for comment and it was impossible to locate Merino. Bukele, who has accused the U.S. of heavy handedness, used irony to dismiss the report, a copy of which circulated earlier Monday on social media. He said he was shocked that El Salvador's friends after checking their archives could not find a single instance of corruption inside the conservative ARENA party a favorite target of his. Maybe they think they are all saints, he wrote on Twitter. Thats why they insist we return them to power. Reyes, an opponent of Bukele who has sought exile in Mexico after being criminally charged in El Salvador for corruption from his time in the legislature, called the accusations baseless and ridiculous. The State Department frequently lies to the world to meet its objectives. 18 years ago they swore that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction. They are still searching for them! he said on Twitter. A State Department spokesperson declined to comment on the non-public report but said that fighting corruption is at the center of the Biden administrations approach to the so-called Northern Triangle countries of Central America since corruption inhibits democratic governances, undermines security and stifles economic growth. ___ Joshua Goodman on Twitter: @APJoshGoodman - Associated Press writer Marcos Aleman in San Salvador, El Salvador, contributed to this report. REYKJAVIK. Iceland (AP) The Biden administration is leading a campaign against Russian attempts to assert authority over Arctic shipping and reintroduce a military dimension to discussions over international activity in the area. As Russia assumed the rotating chairmanship of the Arctic Council on Thursday, the U.S. rallied other members to oppose Moscows plans to set maritime rules in the Northern Sea Route, which runs from Norway to Alaska, and its desire to resume high-level military talks within the eight-nation bloc. Those talks were suspended in 2014 over Russia's actions in Ukraine. The effort reflects growing concerns in Washington and among some NATO allies about a surge in Russian military and commercial activity in the region that is rapidly opening up due to the effects of climate change. Russia has expressed similar suspicion about NATO's motives. At a meeting of Arctic Council foreign ministers in Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the group should maintain its focus on peaceful cooperation on environmental issues, maritime safety and the well-being of indigenous people in the region. Blinken left Iceland after the meeting to deliver the same message in Greenland, which attracted international attention when former President Donald Trump expressed interest in buying the world's largest island from Denmark and later cancelled a state visit to Copenhagen when his interest was widely mocked and rejected by the Danes and Greenlanders alike. Asked whether the Biden administration had dropped Trump's interest in the purchase of Greenland, Blinken replied: I can confirm that is correct." At the same time, Blinken lauded the re-establishment of a U.S. consulate in the Greenlandic capital of Nuuk and said the administration hoped to boost cooperation with island on a variety of fronts starting with climate change. Earlier Thursday in Iceland, Blinken told his counterparts that the Arctic is a region for strategic competition that has seized the worlds attention. But the Arctic is more than a strategically or economically significant region. Its home to our people, its hallmark has been and must remain peaceful cooperation. Its our responsibility to protect that peaceful cooperation and to build on it. Blinken stressed the importance of upholding effective governance and the rule of law to ensure that the Arctic remains a region free of conflict where countries act responsibly. He had previously questioned the legality of the proposed Russian maritime rules and expressed deep reservations about Russia's military activity in the far North. Several other foreign ministers, including those from Canada, Iceland, Finland, Norway and Sweden, echoed Blinken's call to keep the Arctic peaceful and free of conflict under the authority of international, rather than that of individual countries. Representatives of indigenous Arctic populations urged that their voices be heard. We are concerned over the level of recent angry and provocative rhetoric, said James Stotts of the Inuit Circumpolar Council. We do not want to see our homeland turned into a region of competition and conflict. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who had earlier this week dismissed the U.S. criticism because the Arctic is our territory, our land," questioned NATO's motives in deployments of bombers and submarines to the area. On Thursday, he said resumption of an Arctic Council military dialogue would contribute to stability. It is therefore important to extend the positive relations we have within the Arctic Council to encompass the military sphere as well, first of all by revitalizing multilateral dialogue on military issues between the general staffs of the Arctic states," Lavrov said. He said later at a new conference that resuming that dialogue would be a priority for Russia while it heads the council. We have not received any nos so far but we have not received any positive reaction, either, Lavrov said. So we have decided that within the next three years we will create the proper conditions so that this particular aspect of common security will once again be part of the work of the Arctic Council. The outgoing council chair, Foreign Minister Gudlaugur Thor Thordarson, of Iceland, did not appear enthusiastic. Everything that we can do as nations to lower tension and see stability is something that, of course, should be looked into very positively, but I think its important to keep the council as it is, he said. Lavrov also cast aspersions on NATO and the U.S., which he accused of acting with arrogance toward Russia and its security concerns. He took particular aim at Norway, which he said was amending its laws on foreign military presence to allow for the constant rotation of military equipment and personnel. Were especially concerned about what is going on close to our borders and Norway is indeed a very close neighbor of ours," he said. "We have very good relations with Norway. Nevertheless, the issues related to heightened military tensions due to military deployments in Norway and in the Baltics are still very present. He called the rotational presence a play on words to describe what is actually a permanent presence. This is not the first demonstration of this highbrow approach that our Western colleagues are now taking in the international arena," he said. We are going to undertake necessary measures in order to ensure our security, but our priority and our preference really is dialogue. Lavrov also proposed a summit of Arctic Council leaders to be held at some point during Russia's two-year chairmanship and said Moscow is keen to foster cooperation. We encourage you to maintain and seek consensus in the council to continue constructive cooperation, Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde told Lavrov. Albany County Executive Daniel P. McCoy and local nonprofit Grassroot Givers on Thursdayed unveil the Little Free Library at the Albany County Helderberg-Hudson Rail Trail, at the Slingerlands trailhead off Kenwood Avenue. McCoy will be joined by representatives of Grassroot Givers, the Rotary Club of Delmar, among others. Members of Ballston Lake Cub Scout Pack 83 volunteered, along with some 72 other volunteers and scout troops at Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake Clean Up Day, which began in the early 1970s as a grass roots, educational, environmental initiative. The major sponsors are the Ballston Lake Improvement Association and the BH-BL Business and Professionals Association. (Joann Devoe) Jose Luis Magana/AP More than four months have passed since the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. We watched in disbelief and horror as American citizens stormed the building, forcing lawmakers and law enforcement to run for safety. Federal authorities have been working to identify and charge all those responsible. The most recent reports from the Department of Justice indicate that more than 410 defendants have been arrested since the attack and an additional 100 more arrests are expected in the future. Prosecutors have called the case "unprecedented" in scale, and the government said in a March court filing that the Capitol attack "is likely the most complex investigation ever prosecuted by the Department of Justice." Farmington, WV (26555) Today Thunderstorms during the evening will give way to partly cloudy skies after midnight. Low 62F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Locally heavy rainfall possible.. Tonight Thunderstorms during the evening will give way to partly cloudy skies after midnight. Low 62F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Locally heavy rainfall possible. Farmington, WV (26555) Today Thunderstorms early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Low 62F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Locally heavy rainfall possible.. Tonight Thunderstorms early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Low 62F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Locally heavy rainfall possible. Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-21 03:40:36|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close A firefighter is seen fighting a wildfire at the seaside resort town of Schinos near the city of Corinth, Greece, on May 19, 2021. A wildfire started on Wednesday night at Schinos and ripped through a vast forest. (Photo by Vassilis Psomas/Xinhua) LOUTRAKI, Greece, May 20 (Xinhua) -- Greek Deputy Minister for Civil Protection and Crisis Management Nikos Hardalias on Thursday warned of a difficult night ahead, as a wildfire that broke out late Wednesday night was still raging in seaside resorts an hour's drive west of Athens. "It will be a difficult night. We ask everyone in the wider area to be on alert. We are giving battle under tough conditions. We give battle to protect human life, to have as little damage as possible, to extinguish the fire and protect the natural environment," he told a press briefing in Athens that was broadcast on Greek national broadcaster ERT. Meanwhile, efforts continued to bring under control the front which extends across ten km at the outskirts of Loutraki and Alepochori, two popular seaside resorts, with strong winds up to 8 on Beaufort scale hampering efforts, the official said. No injuries have been reported, but an unspecified number of houses have suffered damages, according to authorities. Some 5,000 acres of land, mainly forested zones, have already been scorched down, and hundreds of locals have been evacuated as a precautionary measure, Hardalias announced. At least ten settlements have been evacuated, while 265 firefighters assisted by two dozen water-dropping helicopters and aircrafts, as well as police officers, armed forces and volunteers, were battling the flames. Argyro Mourtzoukou, a resident who had been living in the area for over 20 years, was among those who had to leave their homes. "We did not expect the fire to reach us so fast and uncontrollably. I will leave, I will leave my house and I will go to Megara (nearby town) so as not to lose my life," she told Xinhua. The area is not densely populated and most properties are holiday residences which were not inhabited at the moment, Vassilis Vathrakogiannis, the Fire Brigade's spokesperson told Greek national news agency AMNA. According to preliminary data the fire started in an olive grove next to a dense pine forest near Schinos settlement, and an investigation into the circumstances is underway, the minister said. At the same time, Public Power Corporation units were working to restore power supply in the region after power lines were damaged and the Health ministry advised residents of the affected area and the wider region, including Athens, to avoid staying outdoors for long unnecessarily. Clouds of smoke and ash spread across a zone of 60 km, reaching the Greek capital. Greece suffers from several destructive wildfires mainly during summer due to high temperatures or arson. In July 2018, over 100 people lost their lives when a blaze swept through the seaside resort of Mati, some 30 km east of Athens. Enditem Authorities say a former nurse at a Tennessee high school who had more than 700 illicit images of juveniles has been charged in federal court with attempted production of child pornography May 20, 2021 Digital marketing is the go-to tool for improving business performance in the modern world. Gone are the days when the primary marketing strategy involved fliers, newsletters, and allocated space in the local trade brochure. Digital marketing is a multi-million-pound industry, and it's prudent that businesses invest in the right tools to drive business productivity, so what should you focus on? Website You must create a professional website that's clear, informative, and user-friendly. When a customer visits your site, they are there for a specific purpose in mind and want to see what you have to offer immediately. Therefore, a visually appealing site will draw people in and determine if they stay or search elsewhere. For example, if you look at royalvegascasino.com, you'll find various bold colors used for ultimate engagement. In addition, there is a list of games they offer and images to attract the viewer. In addition, there are clear explanations about how to set up an account, privacy and safety issues, and benefits offered, such as mobile device optimization. You should decide if you want your website to contain lead functions such as 'click here for information or actions such as 'purchase/buy here'. It's useful to bear in mind that most people want cost information from the main website if you're selling a product or service. If price is dependant on certain factors, you could offer a price guide. Social media tools More people are using social media than ever before, so companies can utilize the traffic to help grow their business. Social media has a big impact, and there are several programs you can use to help build your brand and increase traffic and leads. For example, advertising software offers tools such as automated publishing, analytics, and conversion tracking that all provide information on how well your business is doing while using digital tools to identify gaps. Email marketing Email marketing allows companies to set up campaigns that are focused and connect with leads. You can deliver messages to subscribers with information on offers, business changes, prices, and events, which build relationships and help maintain customer loyalty. Email marketing doesn't have to be costly, there are plenty of free tools available, so research online for the right one for you. Most email marketing tools will have templates you can customize and add videos, texts, and images. You can add built-in links to your website, and you can even track who has opened the link so you can streamline and customize offerings. SEO SEO (search engine optimization) helps improve traffic to your website. Companies specializing in SEO use keyword research and analytic tools to identify search volume and how high they are ranked. They can then suggest adjustments you need to make to your website to ensure you rank high too. With the right information, you can then optimize and target the right audience and drive business sales. In addition, accessing this kind of data to identify trends helps identify changes that are needed within the business, saving time and money in the process. There's no doubt that digital marketing is the way forward for the business. So embrace the benefits of technology and watch your company grow. The cloud-first strategy is the best solution for businesses that are looking to increase efficiency and reduce costs. The cloud has many benefits, but one of the most successful is its ability to create a centralized data repository for all your business's information. With this type of system in place, any problem can be quickly fixed because you have access to all your systems from anywhere at any time! 1. Cloud-first solutions are more cost-effective than on-premise solutions The cloud is the best solution to help businesses stay ahead of the competition and increase efficiency because it offers many benefits such as centralized repositories where all business information can be accessed at any time from anywhere; lower costs than on-premise solutions; scalability to accommodate an ever-growing customer base; easy integration with legacy systems without expensive hardware upgrades required. Instead of relying on outdated on-premise solutions, business owners should migrate to a cloud environment that will help their company grow and stay competitive in the digital age. Of course, some business owners are still sceptical about the benefits of a cloud-first approach. They might point to security and privacy concerns, lack of control over data, or other obstacles as reasons not to adopt this new technology - but well look at these arguments in more detail below. 2. Companies can focus on what they do best, while cloud providers handle the infrastructure and security Cybersecurity is often an argument brought up against a cloud-first approach. The truth is, while it is possible for a company to get hacked, the chances of an attack succeeding are lower if they have invested in cybersecurity measures. Protecting your assets should be every business owners priority - and with cloud-first solutions like Office 365 ProPlus from Microsoft (News - Alert) , you can focus on what matters most instead of keeping up with old technology In other words: migrating to a cloud solution is not only easier but safer than upgrading or relying on outdated infrastructure that might require costly upgrades in order to keep working properly. Business owners who haven't yet made the switch may not realize how much time and money will be saved by moving their data offsite rather than running updates themselves. For example, as we mentioned earlier, businesses typically need a dedicated IT team to manage and maintain their on-premises infrastructure. But with cloud solutions like Office 365 ProPlus, you can take care of everything yourself (either by logging into a web browser or using an app). 3. It's easier to scale up when you need it because you don't have to invest in hardware or software upfront On-premises and hybrid solutions are often unable to scale up quickly when a company needs it, so you might need two or three data centres in order to meet the demand. Cloud solutions can be scaled as needed and provide high availability for your business--so if one site goes down, there's another location that will continue working without any disruption. Businesses who have moved their data into the cloud are also able to provide better customer service because they're not relying on email alone (and paying expensive per-minute charges). With cloud-first solutions like ones from AWS, Google (News - Alert) , and Microsoft, businesses don't have to worry about large investments upfront: They only pay for what they use every month instead of buying all the equipment at once. 4. Collaboration is made possible because of the internet and a company's ability to share files with other people anywhere in the world Cloud-first solutions make it possible because of the internet and a company's ability to share files with other people anywhere in the world at any time. For example, Dropbox (News - Alert) is an app that allows users to store work documents on their computer or phone before sending them elsewhere as needed. It provides easier access than emailing attachments back and forth, so employees can get things done right away without having to wait for someone else who has control over those resources (and hopefully not be out). Plus, they can collaborate in real-time with solutions like Google Docs to make sure everyone has the latest copy, even if it's an early draft. 5. The cloud offers better disaster recovery options where data is stored offsite so if there is an emergency, your data will still be available Compared to on-premises hardware, the cloud is more secure because it's not physically onsite and less vulnerable to natural disasters. Even if a disaster happens, the maintenance of the cloud is way more straightforward as it's usually provided by the cloud supplier. For this reason, the recovery time after a disaster is usually significantly lower than what you would experience with on-premises infrastructure. Multi-cloud is yet another safety mechanism. If one cloud goes down, there are others you can switch to. 6. You can use as much or as little bandwidth as needed without having to buy expensive equipment for peak periods of usage which saves money over time You pay as you go. Instead of buying expensive machines before you need them, the cloud-first model means that only pay for what you use. Scaling up becomes childishly easy, and so does scaling down, for whatever reason. You don't even need a dedicated team to manage that, contrary to regular on-premises infrastructure which requires an entire IT team to manage. This type of payment model leaves you far more flexible and cost-effective. Conclusion All in all, cloud-first is the best solution as it offers a myriad of benefits for any business, from startups to enterprises and everything in between. Cloud-first takes advantage of a multitude of safety mechanisms, you can pay as you go with ease and save money over time. It also allows you to scale up or down at will without any dedicated team required like regular on-premises infrastructure which requires an entire IT team to manage. Cloud-first gives entrepreneurs far more flexibility and cost-effectiveness by taking into account all these factors for them in one neat package that's easy for anyone to use. May 21, 2021 Theres no doubt that technology has revolutionized many things, both in business and in everyday life. One of these areas is the quality of service you can offer your customers and how you can improve their experience. Here are six ways technology can help businesses to do more. 1. Easy Online Ordering Whether youre looking to operate solely through an e-commerce store or youre a physical store looking to branch out, offering online ordering capabilities is a better way to provide your customers with what they want (and need). Not only that, but with the rise of the online world, its crucial for any business to explore the online potential to ensure that they are not getting left behind in a competitive market. Not only do you need to offer online ordering potential if you can, but you need to make it as smooth and simple as possible. Technology can help you to do that if you use the right website hosting, software, and features to create an easy experience. 2. Connect Through Social Media Customers will love reaching out on social media, and if youre providing a platform for them to connect with you, you can learn more about them, communicate with them and answer questions and queries in an easier way. As a business, you should always be looking to take advantage of social media, especially when it comes to connecting with your target market. 3. Offer Improved Customer Service Giving a comprehensive customer service experience is key, and technology can enable this on many fronts. Using technology, you can open up many key channels of communication to improve your customer service offerings. This could be: Live chat software to solve problems there and then Video chat Social media messaging and conversations Email chains Other instant messaging services, such as Facebook (News - Alert) Messaging or WhatsApp 4. Offer Subscription Services If youre a business that can offer subscription services with your product, this is a great way to market long-term potential, gain repeat orders and build better connections. Ongoing subscription services can make it a lot easier for customers who know what they want regularly and can easily manage an online account. This is especially helpful for busy people, such as working parents who want an easy subscription box for kids like with www.kidpik.com. 5. Build Customer Loyalty Technology is the way to go when thinking about forming long-term connections with your customers for repeat business. You can more easily provide your customers with what they need, remind them of past orders, treat them to deals and email mailers, and help them build an ongoing account with you. Technology makes long-term business loyalty much easier to create and helps you to reach out at the right moments. 6. Use Analytics to Better Understand What Your Customers Want As a final point, using analytics online for customer behavior and search behavior will help you to tailor your business to the habits of your buyers. Only through using good analytical software can you learn valuable insights into how your customers are behaving and what they are responding positively to in regard to your business. [May 21, 2021] AM Best Withdraws Credit Ratings of Metropolitan General Insurance Company AM Best has withdrawn the Financial Strength Rating of A (Excellent) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating of "a+" (Excellent) of Metropolitan General Insurance Company (Warwick, RI) and concurrently removed it from the rating unit to which it had been assigned. The rating unit, collectively is referred to as MetLife Auto & Home Group, now consists of Metropolitan Property and Casualty Insurance Company and six fully reinsured subsidiaries, as well as Metropolitan Group Property and Casualty Insurance Company (also domiciled in Warwick, RI). The Credit Ratings (ratings) of Metropolitan General Insurance Company, as part of MetLife Auto & Home Group, were placed under review with negative implications (see press release dated Dec. 11, 2020). The under-review action on the ratings followed the announcement that Farmers Group, Inc. had entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Metropolitan Property and Casualty Insurance Company and certain wholly owned subsidiaries in a cash and stock transaction. This transaction finalized on April 7, 2021. The rating actions on Metropolitan General Insurance Company follow the conclusion of this transaction, which resulted in the company remaining under the ownership ofMetLife, Inc., while Farmers Group, Inc. has assumed ownership of the rest of MetLife Auto & Home Group as anticipated. The ratings of MetLife Auto & Home Group, now part of Farmers Group Inc., are being assessed separately from this action and thus remain under review with negative implications at this time. This press release relates to Credit Ratings that have been published on AM Best's website. For all rating information relating to the release and pertinent disclosures, including details of the office responsible for issuing each of the individual ratings referenced in this release, please see AM Best's Recent Rating Activity web page. For additional information regarding the use and limitations of Credit Rating opinions, please view Guide to Best's Credit Ratings. For information on the proper media use of Best's Credit Ratings and AM Best press releases, please view Guide for Media - Proper Use of Best's Credit Ratings and AM Best Rating Action Press Releases. AM Best is a global credit rating agency, news publisher and data analytics provider specializing in the insurance industry. Headquartered in the United States, the company does business in over 100 countries with regional offices in New York, London, Amsterdam, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore and Mexico City. For more information, visit www.ambest.com. Copyright 2021 by A.M. Best Rating Services, Inc. and/or its affiliates. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210521005446/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-21 04:45:13|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close NAIROBI, May 20 (Xinhua) -- China's willingness to support Africa in dealing with the twin challenges of conflict and COVID-19 pandemic as expressed at the recent United Nations Security Council (UNSC) meeting is a sign of great brotherhood, African political and international relations experts have noted. This came after Wang Yi, State Councilor and Foreign Minister of China, which holds the Presidency of the Council for May, on Wednesday called on all capable countries to urgently provide COVID-19 vaccines to Africa that is facing a severe challenge in vaccine access. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on the occasion said of the 1.4 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines administered to date globally, only 24 million have reached Africa. As the world faces the possibility of an uneven recovery from COVID-19, Guterres warned that it is clear the crisis is feeding many drivers of conflict and instability in the region. "The international community should give more help on anti-pandemic supplies, medicines, technology and funding, especially through ways including non-reimbursable assistance, preferential procurement, technology transfer, and cooperative production, so as to ensure the accessibility and affordability of vaccines in Africa," Wang said. In the face of the once-in-a-century pandemic, China and Africa are willing to jointly launch a partnership initiative to support Africa's development, Wang said. He called on the international community to beef up support for Africa in such areas as fighting the pandemic, post-pandemic reconstruction, trade and investment, debt relief, food security, poverty reduction and alleviation, coping with climate change, as well as industrialization. UNSC MEETING COMES AT OPPORTUNE MOMENT Cavince Adhere, a Kenyan international relations researcher with a focus on China-Africa relations, noted that the high-level meeting by the UNSC came at an opportune moment. "Africa remains the most economically afflicted region by the global health crisis. The pandemic has wiped out millions of jobs, created social vulnerabilities, and pushed an estimated 114 million people back into absolute poverty," Adhere told Xinhua. Due to the pandemic, real GDP in Africa is projected to grow by 3.4 percent in 2021, after contracting by 2.1 percent in 2020, according to the African Economic Outlook 2021 report released by the African Development Bank Group. "While the rest of the world is increasingly leveraging vaccination as a rational and sustainable way of the pandemic, African countries can hardly access vaccines," Adhere observed. Only 1.48 percent of the continent's population has so far been vaccinated against COVID-19, according to the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Mulenga Lwansa, Quality Assurance Director at Medical for Quality Healthcare in Zambia, said it is an uphill battle to secure vaccines in Africa. "The rich countries are able to respond. For poor countries, we are at the mercy of those rich countries." "It's very important that we have to have global vaccine equity. In fact, the South African President has called it Vaccine Apartheid because countries are hoarding the vaccine. It's a shame of the developed world who are being very protective of supplying vaccines to Africa and the rest of the third world," said Costantinos Bt. Costantinos, professor of public policy at the Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia. SPIRIT OF TOGETHERNESS Sherrif Ghali, a professor in politics and director of the Institute for Legislative Studies at the University of Abuja, Nigeria, told Xinhua that the good relations between China and Africa express the spirit of oneness and togetherness. Ghali said Africa and China represent each other and support each other at the United Nations, noting that China is doing what a responsible global power should do. Ghali observed that no country in the world can deal with global challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic on its own, and Africa in particular needs support from the international community. During the meeting, Wang Yi said China has been a staunch supporter of Africa in the COVID-19 fight. Forty-six Chinese medical teams based in Africa stood up to the challenge instantly to support local response efforts; China has sent 15 ad hoc medical expert teams to Africa and swiftly set up a cooperation mechanism for Chinese hospitals to pair up with 43 African hospitals; China has been, and is, providing vaccines to over 30 African countries on the basis of their urgent need, said Wang. China has fully implemented the G20 Debt Service Suspension Initiative, signed or reached agreement with 16 African countries on debt service suspension, and canceled the debts of 15 African countries in the form of interest-free government loans that were due to mature by the end of 2020 within the framework of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, said Wang. "We expect the initiative to facilitate actual collaboration among international partners, to assist Africa in containing the pandemic, boost economic recovery, and deal with development and security challenges," said Ghali. Enditem [May 21, 2021] American Equity to Name New Chief Financial Officer American Equity Investment Life Holding Company (NYSE: AEL) announced today that Chief Executive Officer Anant Bhalla is taking on additional responsibilities as interim Chief Financial Officer. Ted Johnson will no longer serve as Chief Financial Officer effective today and will work on an orderly transition until later in 2021, when he will exit the company. The company has launched a formal executive search for a new Chief Financial Officer by retaining executive search firm Egon Zehnder. President and Chief Executive Officer Anant Bhalla remarked, "We thank Ted for his service and wish him well in his next opportunities. We are peased he will remain with the company through the coming weeks to work on transition matters." ABOUT AMERICAN EQUITY American Equity Investment Life Holding Company, through its wholly-owned subsidiaries, is a leading issuer of fixed index annuities through independent agents, banks and broker-dealers. American Equity Investment Life Holding Company, a New York Stock Exchange listed company (NYSE: AEL), is headquartered in West Des Moines, Iowa. For more information, please visit www.american-equity.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210521005517/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 21, 2021] Honigman's Intellectual Property Department Achieves Chambers USA Ranking for the First Time in Illinois Honigman LLP is proud to announce that its Intellectual Property Department appears on the Chambers USA 2021 rankings, published by Chambers and Partners, for Intellectual Property in Illinois. Gregory Morris, leader of the firm's Life Sciences Intellectual Property Litigation Practice Group, also appears on the 2021 Illinois list with a ranking and "Notable Practitioner" distinction. According to Chambers, Honigman's IP lawyers are "extremely strong in biotech patent litigation" and "a group of highly talented lawyers who work together effectively as a group." The Illinois ranking, along with the Band 1 listing in Michigan in 2021 and recent expansion in Washington, D.C., further reinforce the Department's national prominence. Honigman partners J. Michael Huget, Anessa Kramer and Intellectual Property Department Chai Jonathan P. O'Brien also received individual rankings. Honigman's Intellectual Property Department is comprised of more than 120 lawyers and legal professionals who handle all aspects of Intellectual Property procurement, enforcement and transactions for clients in a wide variety of industry sectors including automotive, consumer goods, media, life sciences, energy, internet related services, artificial intelligence and other high-tech companies. The firm takes a comprehensive, pragmatic business approach when designing and implementing global prosecution and maintenance strategies, handling U.S. contentious proceedings before U.S. courts and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, coordinating and directing global defensive and enforcement efforts, and securing mergers, acquisitions, sales, and licenses. The Chicago team has contributed meaningfully to growing the firm's intellectual property client roster and has produced new client wins for automotive, consumer goods and life sciences companies, including top tier pharmaceutical and biotechnology corporations. A key component of this growth is newly-Chambers listed partner Greg Morris, whose leadership in life sciences intellectual property litigation has garnered the trust of his peers and clients alike. When the office opened its doors in 2015, Morris was tapped to launch the national Life Sciences Patent Litigation Practice, including post-grant proceedings. According to Chambers, Morris "draws upon an impressive scientific background to advice life sciences companies in high-stakes patent disputes, including Hatch-Waxman litigation and IPR proceedings" and is "a great communicator who really digs into the science and explains things in layman's terms." While the Chicago members of the firm's Intellectual Property Department regularly advise multinational household name brands from the manufacturing, consumer goods, media and high-tech sectors, the group's continued success in the life sciences sector, particularly for pharmaceutical and biotechnology clients, has earned itself a spot as a trusted market leader. Chambers is an independent research company operating across 200 jurisdictions delivering detailed rankings and insight into the world's leading lawyers. Each year, Chambers USA publishes an annual guide to the leading law firms and lawyers in all 50 states, based on the research of trusted analysts, who assess the firm's work and opinions from external market sources, with an emphasis on client feedback. Firms and lawyers also need to demonstrate sustained excellence in order to be ranked in the guide. More information about the Chambers rankings is at https://chambers.com. About Honigman Honigman is an Am Law 200 full-service, general business law firm with more than 325 attorneys across the country in Chicago, Michigan (Ann Arbor, Bloomfield Hills, Detroit, Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo and Lansing), and our newest office in Washington, DC. Our lawyers counsel clients on complex issues in more than 60 areas of law. Honigman's Chicago office opened its doors in 2015 as part of the law firm's strategic growth plan aimed at better serving clients and expanding its national reach. Our Chicago lawyers focus primarily on corporate and highly complex U.S. and international financing transactions, life sciences intellectual property and patent litigation, and insurance recovery and counseling. For more information, visit www.honigman.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210521005240/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 21, 2021] John Helms, a top-rated criminal defense attorney in Dallas, is selected to Super Lawyers. Dallas, May 21, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Super Lawyers, an independent rating service of outstanding lawyers, has recently listed John Helms, a Dallas-based criminal defense lawyer, as part of its top tier of attorneys in the White Collar and General Litigation practice areas. Peer recognition, professional achievement in legal practice, and other cogent factors are taken into account in the Super Lawyers selection process. As mentioned in Johns Super Lawyers profile, this designation is awarded only to a select number of accomplished attorneys in each state. John is a former federal prosecutor for the Northern District of Texas who never lost a trial or appeal as a prosecutor. He is known among his legal peers for his fighter mindset in representing his clients in criminal defense litigation. On his website bio, John expressed how grateful he is for his clients for genuinely appreciating the efforts he put into defending them in court. Over the course of my career, Ive found that my clients truly appreciate the time, effort, and creativity I put into every case. I am here to help you when you need help themost. That is a responsibility I take very seriously, John shared on his website. About Super Lawyers Super Lawyers is a rating service of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. The patented selection process includes independent research, peer nominations, and peer evaluations. About John Helms John Helms is a Dallas criminal defense attorney who specializes in both trials and appeals. He graduated from Dartmouth College and from the University of Texas School of Law, where he was on the Editorial Board of the Texas Law Review. He was admitted to legal practice in 1990. He then clerked for the Honorable Charles Clark, Chief Judge of the Fifth Circuit District Court of Appeals. He next worked for one of the most prestigious litigation boutique firms in the country, Susman Godfrey, where he made partner a year early. He then became a federal prosecutor in the United States Attorney's office for the Northern District of Texas, in Dallas. While there, he never lost a trial or appeal. Mr. Helms has been a trial lawyer for more than three decades. He has represented some of the biggest corporations in the country, such as Microsoft, Bank of America, ACE Cash Express, and Philip Morris. https://johnhelms.attorney/ Media Contact: R. William 214-666-8010 Attachment Super Lawyer John M Helms in Dallas Texas [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 21, 2021] MDxHealth Announces Favorable Draft Medicare Coverage for the SelectMDx for Prostate Cancer Test Press release IRVINE, CA, and HERSTAL, BELGIUM 07:00 CET May 21, 2021 MDxHealth SA (Euronext Brussels: MDXH) (the "Company" or "MDxHealth") a commercial-stage innovative molecular diagnostics company, announces that Palmetto GBA, a Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC) that assesses molecular diagnostic technologies under its MolDx program, has issued a draft foundational Local Coverage Determination (LCD) for Biomarkers to Risk-Stratify Patients at Increased Risk for Prostate Cancer. The draft foundational LCD identifies evidence supporting the clinical utility of the SelectMDx for Prostate Cancer test and, when finalized, would support coverage of the test for qualified Medicare patients throughout the United States. We are pleased that Medicare has taken this important step toward providing coverage for SelectMDx a test that can help improve the disposition of men at risk for aggressive prostate cancer, stated Michael McGarrity, CEO of MDxHealth. Medicare coverage, coupled with the recent inclusion of our SelectMDx test in the 2020 National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Guidelines for Prostate Cancer Early Detection, further validates the use of SelectMDx to provide clinicians with actionable information, significantly improving the early detection of clinically significant prostate cancer. The draft LCD can be found here, and the draft coverage article can be found here. About MDxHealth MDxHealth is a multinational healthcare company that provides actionable molecular diagnostic information to personalize the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. The Company's tests are based on proprietary genetic, epigenetic (methylation) and other molecular technologies and assist physicians with the diagnosis of urologic cancers, prognosis of recurrence risk, and prediction of response to a specific therapy The Company's European headquarters are in Herstal, Belgium, with laboratory operations in Nijmegen, The Netherlands, and US headquarters and laboratory operations based in Irvine, California. For more information, visit mdxhealth.com and follow us on social media at: twitter.com/mdxhealth, facebook.com/mdxhealth and linkedin.com/company/mdxhealth. For more information: MDxHealth info@mdxhealth.com Important information The MDxHealth logo, MDxHealth, ConfirmMDx and SelectMDx are trademarks or registered trademarks of MDxHealth SA. All other trademarks and service marks are the property of their respective owners. This press release contains forward-looking statements and estimates with respect to the anticipated future performance of MDxHealth and the market in which it operates. Such statements and estimates are based on assumptions and assessments of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which were deemed reasonable but may not prove to be correct. Successful commercialisation of the Company's tests depends, in large part, on the availability of coverage and adequate reimbursement from government and private payers. The final determination for Medicare coverage of SelectMDx remains pending following the Company's submission of an update to its technical assessment under the MolDx program and there can be no assurance that such coverage request will be granted or, if granted, that it will be maintained. Actual events are difficult to predict, may depend upon factors that are beyond the Company's control, and may turn out to be materially different. MDxHealth expressly disclaims any obligation to update any such forward-looking statements in this release to reflect any change in its expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based unless required by law or regulation. Attachment PDF [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 21, 2021] Michael Baker International Promotes Two Leaders in Mid-Atlantic Region COLUMBIA, S.C., May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Michael Baker International, a global leader in engineering, planning and consulting services, announced today that John Walsh, P.E., has been promoted to Senior Vice President and Regional Director for the Mid-Atlantic Region, and Renee Tison, P.E., has been named Vice President and Office Executive for Columbia, Greenville and Charleston, South Carolina. In these new roles, Mr. Walsh and Ms. Tison will provide leadership, support and vision in the firm's Mid-Atlantic Region. Both will be based in Michael Baker's Columbia, South Carolina, office. "I am confident the expertise John and Renee bring to their leadership roles will help us accelerate growth and deliver project excellence for our clients throughout the company and Mid-Atlantic Region," said Mike Brescia, P.E., Chief Operating Officer of Michael Baker International. "These two key promotions speak to the impressive talent we have within our company and the colleagues who are ready to step up for our clients, lead our people and lead our business." Both Mr. Walsh and Ms. Tison bring decades of experience to their new roles: John Walsh , P.E. , most recently served as Office Executive for the Carolinas and has more than 30 years of experience in Infrastructure Programs and Project Management, aswell as management and leadership of multidisciplined, large-scale organizations. Mr. Walsh's career has focused on delivering and managing complex Transportation, Environmental, Architecture, Aviation, Water and utilities projects. Prior to joining Michael Baker in 2014, he spent 25 years with the South Carolina DOT, completing his tenure as Deputy Secretary for Engineering. Mr. Walsh holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from Clemson University . , most recently served as Office Executive for the Carolinas and has more than 30 years of experience in Infrastructure Programs and Project Management, aswell as management and leadership of multidisciplined, large-scale organizations. Mr. Walsh's career has focused on delivering and managing complex Transportation, Environmental, Architecture, Aviation, Water and utilities projects. Prior to joining in 2014, he spent 25 years with the South Carolina DOT, completing his tenure as Deputy Secretary for Engineering. Mr. Walsh holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from . Renee Tison, P.E., most recently served as Office Manager of Michael Baker's Columbia, South Carolina , location, and will now oversee offices across the state, including Columbia , Greenville , and Charleston . Since joining Michael Baker in 2000, Ms. Tison has negotiated and managed large contracts, including the $180 million I-85 Design-Build widening in Cherokee County and the $75 million Nexton Parkway Interchange west of Charleston, South Carolina . She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the University of South Carolina Columbia . About Michael Baker International Michael Baker International is a leading provider of engineering and consulting services. The firm's Practices encompass all facets of infrastructure, including design, civil engineering, planning, architecture, environmental, construction and program management. For more than 80 years, the company has been a trusted partner, providing comprehensive services and solutions to commercial clients and all branches of the military, as well as federal, state and municipal governments. Embracing emerging technologies and the latest innovations like intelligent transportation and design-build project delivery Michael Baker is an industry leader that delivers expertise and quality. The firm's more than 3,000 employees across nearly 100 locations are committed to Making a Difference for clients and communities through a culture of innovation, collaboration and technological advancement. To learn more, visit https://mbakerintl.com/. Contact: Julia Covelli julia.covelli@mbakerintl.com (866) 293-4609 View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/michael-baker-international-promotes-two-leaders-in-mid-atlantic-region-301296917.html SOURCE Michael Baker International [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 21, 2021] Myovant Sciences Receives Positive CHMP Opinion for RYEQO (Relugolix Combination Tablet) for the Treatment of Women With Uterine Fibroids CHMP opinion recommending approval based on data from the Phase 3 LIBERTY program in women with uterine fibroids Gedeon Richter will commercialize RYEQO for uterine fibroids, if approved, in Europe Relugolix combination tablet for uterine fibroids is also under U.S. FDA review with a target action date of June 1, 2021 BASEL, Switzerland, May 21, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Myovant Sciences (NYSE: MYOV) today announced the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency has adopted a positive opinion recommending the approval of RYEQO (relugolix 40 mg, estradiol 1.0 mg, and norethindrone acetate 0.5 mg) for the treatment of moderate to severe symptoms of uterine fibroids in adult women of reproductive age. The European Commission will review the CHMP recommendation, and a final decision on the Marketing Authorization Application is expected to be available in approximately two months. The decision will be applicable to all 27 European Union member states plus Iceland, Norway, and Liechtenstein. Over 25% of women of reproductive age develop uterine fibroids. This chronic disease can cause debilitating symptoms that have a significant impact on quality of life and require long-term treatment, yet there are currently limited treatment options in Europe and many women are faced with the decision to undergo surgery to alleviate symptoms, said Roberta Venturella, M.D., Ph.D., Associate Professor, Magna Grcia University of Catanzaro and investigator in the LIBERTY program. The CHMPs positive opinion further validates RYEQOs potential to effectively address heavy menstrual bleeding and pain associated with uterine fibroids and serve as an important new treatment option for patients and physicians. This positive CHMP opinion represents an important step in advancing our mission to redefine care for women living with uterine fibroids, said David Marek, Chief Executive Officer of Myovant Sciences, Inc. We look forward to Gedeon Richters launch of RYEQO, if approved, as a new treatment option for uterine fibroids. The positive opinion recommending approval is based on safety and efficacy data from the Phase 3 LIBERTY program, which consisted of two replicate, 24-week, multinational clinical studies (LIBERTY 1 and LIBERTY 2), a one-year extension study, and a randomized withdrawal study assessing the safety and efficacy for up to two years of relugolix combination therapy (relugolix 40 mg plus estradiol 1.0 mg and norethindrone acetate 0.5 mg). Results from the LIBERTY 1 and LIBERTY 2 studies were published in the New England Journal of Medicine in February 2021. In March 2020, Myovant and Gedeon Richter entered into an exclusive license agreement for Gedeon Richter to commercialize relugolix combination tablet for uterine fibroids and endometriosis in Europe, the Commonwealth of Independent States including Russia, Latin America, Australia, and New Zealand. Under the terms of the agreement, Myovant continues to lead the global development of relugolix combination tablet while Gedeon Richter is responsible for local clinical development, manufacturing, and all commercialization for its territories. Relugolix combination tablet for the treatment of uterine fibroids is also under review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, with a target action date of June 1, 2021./p> About Uterine Fibroids Uterine fibroids are noncancerous tumors that develop in or on the muscular walls of the uterus and are among the most common reproductive tract tumors in women. In addition to an individual's genetic predisposition, estrogens are well known to play an important role in the regulation of fibroid growth. Although uterine fibroids are benign tumors, they can cause debilitating symptoms such as heavy menstrual bleeding (frequently resulting in anemia and fatigue), pain (including painful periods, abdominal pain, painful intercourse, backache), increased abdominal girth and bloating, urinary frequency or retention, constipation, pregnancy loss, and, in some cases, infertility. These symptoms can also lead to loss of productivity at work, limitations in normal activities of daily living, and social embarrassment. About RYEQO RYEQO (relugolix 40 mg, estradiol 1.0 mg, and norethindrone acetate 0.5 mg) is being evaluated for the treatment of moderate to severe symptoms of uterine fibroids in adult women of reproductive age. RYEQO contains relugolix, which reduces the amount of estrogen (and other hormones) produced by ovaries, estradiol (an estrogen), which may reduce the risk of bone loss, and norethindrone acetate (a progestin), which is necessary when women with a uterus (womb) take estrogen. RYEQO is not approved for any indication in any geography. About Myovant Sciences Myovant Sciences aspires to redefine care for women and for men through purpose-driven science, empowering medicines, and transformative advocacy. ORGOVYX (relugolix) was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2020 as the first and only oral gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) receptor antagonist for the treatment of adult patients with advanced prostate cancer, and relugolix is also under regulatory review in Europe for men with advanced prostate cancer. Our lead product candidate, relugolix combination tablet (relugolix 40 mg, estradiol 1.0 mg, and norethindrone acetate 0.5 mg), is under regulatory review in the U.S. and Europe for women with uterine fibroids, has completed Phase 3 registration-enabling studies for women with endometriosis, and is being assessed for contraceptive efficacy in healthy women ages 18-35 years who are at risk for pregnancy. We are also developing MVT-602, an oligopeptide kisspeptin-1 receptor agonist, which has completed a Phase 2a study for female infertility as part of assisted reproduction. Sumitovant Biopharma, Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma Co., Ltd., is our majority shareholder. For more information, please visit our website at www.myovant.com. Follow @Myovant on Twitter and LinkedIn. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In this press release, forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, all statements reflecting Myovant Sciences expectations, including: statements regarding Myovants aspiration to redefine care for women and for men; the expectations of commercialization and launch of RYEQO for uterine fibroids in Europe by Gedeon Richter, if approved; the expectations of the European Commissions review of the CHMP recommendation and the timeline of its final decision on the Marketing Authorization Application and the application of such decision in the European Union; and Myovants expectations regarding the potential benefits of RYEQO and it serving as an important new treatment option for uterine fibroids, if approved. Myovant Sciences forward-looking statements are based on managements current expectations and beliefs and are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors known and unknown that could cause actual results and the timing of certain events to differ materially from future results expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including unforeseen circumstances or other disruptions to normal business operations arising from or related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Myovant Sciences cannot assure you that the events and circumstances reflected in the forward-looking statements will be achieved or occur and actual results could differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Factors that could materially affect Myovant Sciences operations and future prospects or which could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations include, but are not limited to the risks and uncertainties listed in Myovant Sciences filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including under the heading Risk Factors in Myovant Sciences Annual Report on Form 10-K filed on May 11, 2021, as such risk factors may be amended, supplemented or superseded from time to time. These risks are not exhaustive. New risk factors emerge from time to time and it is not possible for Myovant Sciences management to predict all risk factors, nor can Myovant Sciences assess the impact of all factors on its business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements. You should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements in this press release, which speak only as of the date hereof, and, except as required by law, Myovant Sciences undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of such statements. Investor Contact: Ryan Crowe Vice President, Investor Relations Myovant Sciences, Inc. +1 (650) 781-9106 investors@myovant.com Media Contact: Albert Liao Director, Corporate Communications Myovant Sciences, Inc. +1 (650) 410-3055 media@myovant.com [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 21, 2021] NASA Invites Media to Launch of Boeing's Orbital Flight Test-2 WASHINGTON, May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Media accreditation is open for prelaunch and launch activities for NASA's Boeing Orbital Flight Test-2 (OFT-2) mission to the International Space Station, the second uncrewed flight test of the company's CST-100 Starliner spacecraft for NASA's Commercial Crew Program. Liftoff on the United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket with Starliner is targeted for 2:53 p.m. EDT Friday, July 30, from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The uncrewed mission will test the end-to-end capabilities of the Starliner spacecraft and Atlas V rocket from launch to docking to a return to Earth in the desert of the western United States. Following a successful completion of the OFT-2 mission, NASA and Boeing are targeting late 2021 for NASA's Boeing Crew Flight Test (CFT), Starliner's first flight with astronauts aboard. OFT-2 and CFT will provide valuable data toward NASA certifying Boeing's crew transportation system for regular flights with astronauts to and from the space station. U.S. media also may apply separately for a photo opportunity during the rollout of the Starliner spacecraft from Boeing's Commercial Cargo and Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The operational activity is targeted for approximately 4 a.m. EDT Saturdy, July 17. Media accreditation deadlines for both OFT-2 launch and the photo opportunity are as follows: U.S. media interested in being on-site for a photo opportunity of the Starliner rollout must apply for credentials by 4 p.m. Friday, June 25 . . U.S. media interested in covering the OFT-2 launch must apply for credentials by 4 p.m. Friday, July 2 . . U.S.-based international media without U.S. citizenship interested in covering the OFT-2 launch must apply by 4 p.m. Friday, June 11 . All accreditation requests should be submitted online at: https://media.ksc.nasa.gov NASA continues to monitor developments related to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and Kennedy will grant access to only a limited number of media to protect the health and safety of media and employees. Due to COVID-19 safety restrictions at Kennedy, international media coming from overseas will need to follow quarantine requirements. The agency will follow guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the agency's chief health and medical officer and will immediately communicate any updates that may affect media access for this launch. For questions about media accreditation, email: ksc-media-accreditat@mail.nasa.gov. For other questions, contact Kennedy's newsroom at: 321-867-2468. Reporters with special logistics requests for Kennedy, such as space for satellite trucks, trailers, tents, electrical connections, or workspaces, must contact Jerry Bernfeld at: jerrold.s.bernfeld@nasa.gov by Friday, July 9. NASA's Commercial Crew Program is working with the American aerospace industry through a public-private partnership to launch astronauts on American rockets and spacecraft from American soil. The goal of the program is to provide safe, reliable, and cost-effective transportation to and from the space station, which will allow for additional research time and will increase the opportunity for discovery aboard humanity's testbed for exploration. The space station remains the springboard to NASA's next great leap in space exploration, including future missions to the Moon and eventually to Mars. For launch coverage and more information about the mission, visit: https://www.nasa.gov/commercialcrew View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/nasa-invites-media-to-launch-of-boeings-orbital-flight-test-2-301297092.html SOURCE NASA [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 21, 2021] Pennsylvania, Texas Students to Hear from Astronauts on Space Station WASHINGTON, May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Pennsylvania and Texas students have opportunities next week to hear from astronauts aboard the International Space Station. The Earth-to-space calls will air live on NASA Television, the NASA app, and the agency's website. On Tuesday, May 25, NASA astronaut Megan McArthur and ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Thomas Pesquet will answer prerecorded video questions starting at 10:10 a.m. EDT from students at more than 10 school districts and independent schools in Chester and Berks counties, in Pennsylvania. Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, who represents the area in Congress, will share prerecorded opening and closing remarks. "As a self-proclaimed space geek, I couldn't be more excited for our upcoming event with NASA astronauts up in the International Space Station," Houlahan said. "When I was younger, I wanted to be like Sally Ride, the first American woman in space. She broke so many barriers and serves as an important reminder that you can't be what you can't see. I'm so grateful that students in our community will get to ask these incredible astronauts a number of questions and learn about the wonder of space and the importance of STEM education." The event will be held irtually. Media interested in covering the event should contact Connor Lounsbury at 540-905-3226 or connor.lounsbury@mail.house.gov. On Wednesday, May 26, NASA astronaut Megan McArthur will answer prerecorded video questions starting at 9:25 a.m. from Robinson Elementary students in Seabrook, Texas. NASA astronaut Bob Behnken will give prerecorded opening remarks. McArthur, a current International Space Station crew member with the Crew-2 mission, is married to Bob Behnken. McArthur piloted the same Crew Dragon Behnken flew in May 2020 during the Demo-2 test flight, the first crewed flight of that spacecraft. The event will be held virtually. Media interested in covering the event should contact Travishia Hewitt at 281-284-6500 or tpickenshewitt@ccisd.net. Linking students directly to astronauts aboard the space station provides unique, authentic experiences designed to enhance student learning, performance, and interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Astronauts living in space on the orbiting laboratory communicate with NASA's Mission Control Center in Houston 24 hours a day through the Space Network's Tracking and Data Relay Satellites. For more than 20 years, astronauts have continuously lived and worked on the space station, testing technologies, performing science, and developing the skills needed to explore farther from Earth. Through NASA's Artemis program, the agency will return astronauts to the Moon, with eventual human exploration of Mars. Inspiring the next generation of explorers the Artemis Generation ensures America will continue to lead in space exploration and discovery. Follow America's Moon to Mars exploration at: https://www.nasa.gov/topics/moon-to-mars Follow NASA astronauts on social media at: https://www.twitter.com/NASA_astronauts See videos and lesson plans highlighting research on the International Space Station at: https://www.nasa.gov/stemonstation View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/pennsylvania-texas-students-to-hear-from-astronauts-on-space-station-301297100.html SOURCE NASA [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 21, 2021] Redefining the enterprise-grade PaaS platform with Kingdee Cloud Cosmic V4.0 SHENZHEN, China, May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- On 8 May, at the 2021 Kingdee Cloud Cosmic Summit, Xu Shaochun, Chairman of the Board and CEO of Kingdee Group, together with a number of government officials, managements of central enterprises and state-owned enterprises and large-scale private enterprises, lifted the hammer and smashed the hand "constricting the neck" of the enterprises by outdated IT concepts and platforms, and released the Kingdee Cloud Cosmic PaaS platform v4.0. It was announced at the summit that the original Kingdee Cloud Cosmic was officially split into two platforms, namely PaaS and SaaS. The PaaS platform would inherit the Kingdee Cloud Cosmic brand, while the SaaS application would become a standalone brand called "Kingdee Cloud Constellation". Wang Jianwei, deputy director of Industry and Information Technology Department, Yang Xueshan, former deputy head of Industry and Information Technology Department, Song Zhiping, president of Listed Companies Association, Wang An, academician of Chinese Academy of Engineering, chairman and secretary of the Party Committee of China International Engineering Consulting Corporation, Ding Liguo, chairman of Delong Steel, Tao Jingwen, director of Huawei, Professor Chen Chunhua, a renowned management scientist and other persons participated in and attended the summit. Platforms serve as key to success, and each enterprise is becoming a software company Sudden changes in international affairs, industry and consumption lead to dramatic changes in management, and drive high-frequency iterations of corporate capabilities. The traditional IT models and platforms are no longer sufficient to support the innovation and development of enterprises under high uncertainty. Kingdee believes that this is an era where platforms serve as the key to success. With the help of digital platforms, enterprises are being transformed into dual roles of users and customized developers, and each enterprise is becoming a software company. As a result, a high-performance enterprise-grade PaaS platform is in high demand. With the launch of the Cosmic PaaS platform, Kingdee became the software company behind the software companies. A true enterprise-grade PaaS platform is necessarily business-oriented Kingdee began to focus on platform capabilities as early as 2000. In order to efficiently complete tens of thousands of development extensions each year, Kingdee extracts high-frequency and general-purpose enterprise business scenarios, encapsulates them into reusable functional modules, under the development ideas of metadata-driven and model-driven, and finally formed the self-developed patent "Kingdee Dynamic Domain Model (KDDM)". It is known that Kingdee has invested nearly RMB5 billion in R&D on enterprise-grade platform and won over 110 patents, including four national patent awards and over 70 related software copyrights. "Cloud-native, Low Code is standard for PaaS development platforms, enterprise-grade PaaS is unique in its model-driven and business accumulation, and the unique technology of Cosmic PaaS is dynamic domain model." Zhao Yanxi, executive vice president of Kingdee China, emphasized, "a true enterprise-grade PaaS platform is necessarily 'business-oriented', with IT as ancillary only." Overcoming the "bottleneck" problem, Kingdee will rebuild the enterprises' confidence in Chinese softwares "What really constricts the neck isn't technology, but our thinking model. What Kingdee wants to get back is not market share, but the confidence of Chinese enterprises in Chinese softwares." Xu Shaochun said. Kingdee not only serves the world-class enterprises, but also helps Chinese enterprises to benchmark themselves against world-class enterprises. Since its launch in 2018, Kingdee Cloud Cosmic has been examined by over 400 large-scale enterprises, and efficiently and steadily expanded or replaced the existing system of the enterprises: a large multinational enterprise shortened the original two-month iteration cycle to 14 days; 12 sub-systems of Conch Profiles and Science under Conch Holdings were connected through visual drag-and-drop design and extensive enterprise-grade templates, realizing the smooth running of the whole process of production and sales; a number of Top 500 enterprises including Huawei, State Power Investment, China Tobacco Yunnan, PetroChina International and HAECO Xiamen achieved digital transformation through Kingdee Cloud Cosmic and Kingdee Cloud Constellation. After this split of product and brand, the platform strategy of Kingdee Cloud has basically taken shape, presenting a "One Arrow with Multiple Stars" layout with the Kingdee Cloud Cosmic PaaS platform as common base, while Constellation, Galaxy and Stellar serving as SaaS platforms for large, medium, small and micro enterprises respectively. Fully open up the Cosmic platform ecology to promote the development of SaaS industry At the summit, Kingdee issued an open letter to domestic and foreign software manufacturers, calling on its peers to embrace the reform of enterprise software together. Xu Shaochun believed that the essence of success of the enterprise SaaS model is "customers succeed with win-win ecology". In the platform era, enterprises will no longer be constrained to a single manufacturer or platform, but will pay more attention to the value and capabilities created by digital systems for their businesses. Therefore, Kingdee is willing to open up its nearly 30 years' accumulation in technology and experience to provide enterprise-grade PaaS platform technical standards for the whole industry, and open up the core technologies and ideas of dynamic domain model within the year, enabling ecological developers to accumulate their own component models. In the next five years, Kingdee will provide an ecological strategic investment fund of RMB2 billion to build PaaS with enterprises, partners and friends, and to serve as the ecology to each other. On the scene, Kingdee, together with China Academy of Information and Communications Technology, KylinSoft, EasyStack, Dameng Database, S.F. Express, Sangfor, KPMG, Intel and other government agencies signed strategic cooperation agreements with more than ten well-known domestic and foreign enterprise software and hardware manufacturers and consulting companies, aiming to grow together on the Kingdee Cloud Cosmic and win the large enterprise market together. At the same time, Kingdee announced its strategic investment in RPA manufacturer i-Search, which is to further improve the data platform and intelligence capabilities of the Cosmic platform following its strategic investment in Dtwave. "The enterprises have woken up. How can the enterprises providing management software still pretend to sleep?" Host Jiang Changjian commented on the letter from Kingdee, "The reason why Kingdee smashes these shackles is to build up the industry's confidence in Chinese management software, and we have reason to believe that Chinese software is able to make the first-class contribution to the development of the world software industry." "Kingdee is willing to open up its technologies and ideas over the past 30 years to all enterprises and developers. Kingdee Cloud Cosmic PaaS will significantly enhance the resilience of enterprise digitalization and enable Chinese enterprise management software to rise globally!" Xu Shaochun said. For further information, please contact: Kingdee Software (China) Co., Ltd. Brand and Marketing Department Xu Xuelin Tel. 0755-86072725 Email: superxxl_xu@kingdee.com About Kingdee International Software Group Company Limited Kingdee International Software Group Company Limited ("Kingdee International" or "Kingdee") was established in 1993. It is listed on the Main Board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (stock code: 0268.HK) and headquartered in Shenzhen, the PRC. Adhering to the core values of "Acting in all Conscience, with Integrity and Righteousness", the Company is committed to helping businesses achieve their growth targets and let the sun shine on every company through dedicated services. It strives to provide them with the most trusted enterprise service platform. Through persistent efforts to explore China's Cloud enterprise service market, according to IDC, Kingdee has retained the largest share in the enterprise application software sector for fast-growing enterprises for 16 consecutive years, and has grasped the biggest share in the enterprise-grade ERM SaaS (as known as Cloud ERP) and financial Cloud services industry for the forth consecutive year. Kingdee is currently the only SaaS cloud service provider of Chinese enterprises selected into Gartner's global market guide, and has become the only Chinese SaaS company winning the 2020 IDC SaaS Customer Satisfaction Award. Kingdee's diverse Cloud services and products are the preferred choices of leading enterprises. They include "Kingdee Cloud Cosmic" (a new generation of enterprise-grade PaaS platform), "Kingdee Cloud Constellation" (SaaS solutions for large enterprises), "Kingdee Cloud Galaxy" (SaaS solutions for medium-sized enterprises), "Kingdee Cloud Stellar" (SaaS solutions for micro and small-sized enterprises). With its strengths in management software and Cloud services, Kingdee provides services and products to more than 6.8 million enterprises, government agencies and other organizations around the world. For further information, please contact: Wonderful Sky Financial Group Ltd. Cecilia Ip / Jing Fang Tel: (852) 3641 1317 / (852) 3970 2172 Email: kingdee@wsfg.hk View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/redefining-the-enterprise-grade-paas-platform-with-kingdee-cloud-cosmic-v4-0--301296644.html SOURCE Kingdee [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 21, 2021] Sceye Reaches Stratosphere; Flies at 64,000 Ft. Sceye, a developer of high-altitude platform stations (HAPS), announced today that it successfully launched its stratospheric platforms and flew at an altitude of 64,600 ft. The announcement comes on the heels of Sceye's long-range record for maintaining data connection in OpenRAN at a distance of 140km. With financial support from the State of New Mexico, the company also joins a consortium of New Mexico-based telecommunications companies and tribal entities to pilot delivery of universal broadband access to the Navajo Nation. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210521005050/en/ Sceye's stratospheric platform getting ready for launch (Photo credit: Sceye) "We view the successful flight and the record setting data connection as a significant milestone for our technology; one that could dissolve the rural broadband barrier," said Sceye CEO Mikkel Vestergaard Frandsen. Sceye's unmanned stratospheric platform launched from Roswell at 11:20 a.m. MDT on Wednesday, May 19. It landed safely that afternoon at 1:30 p.m. MDT. The company recently conducted tests to determine the data connection range of its systems. Standard LTE (News - Alert) technology allows for a range of 100km; Sceye's systems have added an additional 40km, setting a long-range record in LTE OpenRAN architecture. Sceye's combination of technologies can cover areas as wide as 27,000 square miles with high-speed broadband for all users of fixed and mobile, carving a path forward to providing true equitable access. Sceye, Sacred Wind Communications, CellularOne, PVT Networks, Santa Fe Indian School, and Navajo Technical University are banding together with the goal of achieving 100% connectivity across the Navajo Nation. According to the Navajo Tribal Utility Authority, 60% of the Navajo Nation's over 300,000 residents do not have fixed Internet access. "Theconsortium is a major leap forward in closing the digital divide for the Navajo Nation," said John Badal, CEO of Sacred Wind. "Sceye's tower-in-the-sky approach could avoid building hundreds of new cell towers across the State and the accompanying need to use tribal lands." In partnership with the consortium, Sceye will pilot one of its HAPS over an area of approximately 6,000 square miles to demonstrate 100 Mbps download speeds to homes, schools and clinics, which is the FCC's (News - Alert) gold standard for rural area broadband. "The State is excited to support this innovative effort by Sceye and its partners to bring more affordable broadband and telecommunications to tribal and rural communities throughout the state," said Economic Development Cabinet Secretary and Spaceport Authority Board Chair Alicia J. Keyes. Sceye aims to provide universal broadband to help lift billions of unconnected and under-connected people out of poverty, conduct high-resolution, real-time Earth monitoring to combat climate change, and early detection and interception of natural disasters before they spiral out of control. About Sceye Sceye is a material science company founded in 2014 to unleash the possibilities in the stratosphere by uplifting and connecting all people, and protecting our planet. The company has developed a new generation of stratospheric platforms to provide universal and equitable connectivity, improve climate change monitoring, natural resource stewardship, forest fire monitoring and better detect and contain disasters before they spiral out of control. Sceye continues the humanitarian work of founder & CEO Mikkel Vestergaard Frandsen. As owner and former CEO of the public health companies Vestergaard and LifeStraw, he led innovations in material science that have saved millions of lives. LifeStraw water filters have helped nearly eradicating Guinea worm disease, and PermaNet, bed nets made from innovative fibers that release microscopic doses of insecticide, have helped reduce global malaria deaths by more than half. About Sacred Wind and the Sceye-New Mexico Consortium Established in 2006, Sacred Wind is the only privately-owned local rural telco created primarily to bridge the digital divide for tribal communities in New Mexico. It broke new ground in 2008 by successfully completing a trial of fixed wireless equipment for USDA loan and grant purposes. Since then, it has implemented innovative methods to bring broadband service to previously unserved homes in other rural areas of New Mexico and was selected by Microsoft (News - Alert) Airband as a rural partner in the development of innovative fixed wireless solutions for the State. SBi, dba CellularOne, provides mobile and fixed wireless services primarily on tribal lands in New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah and has the largest mobile wireless infrastructure developed on Navajo Lands, providing 4G and 3G broadband and voice services in its footprint. PVT, dba Penasco Valley Telecommunications Cooperative, is a rural telecommunications company headquartered in Artesia, NM and employs landline and fixed wireless technologies to provide voice and broadband services to its customers. It possesses the fastest fiber-based interconnections in southeastern New Mexico. Navajo Technical University (NTU), with its main campus in Crownpoint, NM, is a Navajo Nation higher education institution that offers a high quality educational experience in a supportive, culturally diverse environment. NTU is led by visionaries experimenting in new Information Technologies for the advancement of its students and the Navajo Nation. NTU is a major figure in the testing and expansion of broadband services via the newly allocated 2.5 Ghz spectrum. Santa Fe Indian School (SFIS) was established in 1890 to educate Native American children from across the Southwest. SFIS measures itself by how well it develops "the Ideal Graduate", who pursues an education while reinforcing their tribal culture, working productively with others, and acquiring critical thinking and creative problem solving skills. SFIS plays a leadership role in pursuing opportunities for tribal communities with the use of technology and has contributed to the development of several broadband projects to benefit tribes in New Mexico. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210521005050/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-21 04:54:35|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Flags of the European Union fly outside the EU headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, May 21, 2021. The European Union (EU) recommended on Thursday to open its external borders to non-essential travel into the bloc if travellers have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong) BRUSSELS, May 20 (Xinhua) -- The European Union (EU) recommended on Thursday to open its external borders to non-essential travel into the bloc if travellers have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19. The Council of the EU, representing the 27 member states, adopted a recommendation that eases the COVID-19 restrictions for non-EU travellers whose origin countries report no more than 75 cases per 100,000 inhabitants over the last 14 days. Before the criteria were updated on Thursday, the upper limit was 25 cases. EU member states are now encouraged to waive testing or quarantine for third-country travellers who have received the last dose of a vaccine approved by the European Medicines Agency. The drugs regulator has so far greenlighted four vaccines -- Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson. EU countries could also lift the restriction on non-essential travel to those who have received the last recommended dose of a vaccine on the list of the World Health Organization for emergency use. An emergency brake mechanism is created, and reciprocity should be taken into account case by case, said the EU Council. The decision was made on the basis of a proposal presented by the European Commission in early May, which aims to salvage the bloc's tourism industry as vaccination campaigns are progressing worldwide. Also on Thursday, the EU Council reached a provisional agreement with the European Parliament on the introduction of a COVID-19 certificate system that can facilitate the free movement within the bloc. The commonly recognized digital certificate will be able to prove a traveller is fully vaccinated, or tests negative, or has recovered from the infection, and the holder of the certificate is thus free of travel restrictions. The system is supposed to be temporarily in place for 12 months. A vote on the proposition is expected to take place at the parliament's plenary in June. Enditem [May 21, 2021] Tuya Empowers Partners in the Central and Eastern Europe Region to Be More Competitive SHENZHEN, China, May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Working with a reliable partner is essential as the market becomes more competitive. And in the Central and Eastern Europe region, Tuya Smart (NYSE: TUYA), a leading global IoT cloud platform, gains its recognition of trustworthy partners through collaborations. EPS-Connect, a leading company in Hungary, teams up with Tuya to improve EPS-Connect's development of a variety of system solutions that resolves different businesses' needs. "For us, it is important to work with leading IoT companies and Tuya has developed into one of the most important global players in IoT," said Peter Ecsedi, Chief Executive Officer of EPS-Connect. Another successful partnership is working with Wojnarowscy Sp. z o.o. (owner of Spectrum LED and Spectrum SMART brands) in Poland. Wojnarowscy Sp. z o.o., a leadng lighting company, has developed smart lighting products combining with Tuya's technology. The interconnection helps consumers to visualize smart lighting products and to understand how these products can enrich their family and work-life through interaction with Spectrum SMART lighting systems in Wojnarowscy Sp. z o.o. exhibition hall. With the support of Tuya's technology development, Tervix, a well-known smart home provider in Ukraine, is developing more suitable smart home products for the Ukrainian market. PaaS platforms, Tuya Hotel, and Tuya Community promise to assist Tervix to create more smart home products and accentuate the needs of creating a smart home system in complex environments. "Cooperation between Tervix and Tuya will invigorate the development of an integrated and affordable smart home in Ukraine and neighboring countries. I believe that joint projects will be able to ensure recognition and desire to purchase smart home products from the Tervix brand based on the Tuya Smart app," said Roman Buhai, Owner and General Director of Tervix in Ukraine. Tuya is not only producing smart and innovative products with outstanding quality to the local customers but is also enabling its partners to be more ascendant through developing brands and services tailored to the need of the market. Furthermore, Tuya will work with more promising partners and consolidate the existing ones to stabilize the development of the smart home sector. For more information, please visit: Tuya's website, LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube. SOURCE Tuya Smart [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 21, 2021] Yuexiu Property Entering into Strategic Cooperation Agreement with Kingdee Group To Discuss and Build Industry Digital Platform together SHENZHEN, China, May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Kingdee Software Group Company Limited (the "Kingdee International", "Kingdee" or "Company", together with its subsidiaries, collectively referred to as the "Group"; Stock Code: 0268.HK) announced that Kingdee Software (China) Co., Ltd. (the "Kingdee", "Kingdee China") and Yuexiu Property Company Limited (the "Yuexiu Property") entered into a strategic cooperation agreement in Shenzhen Kingdee Software Park. Both sides will promote the digital and intelligent construction of Yuexiu Property and the property industry based on Kingdee Cloud Cosmic. Lin Feng, vice chairman and general manager of Yuexiu Property, Wu Wei, vice general manager of Yuexiu Property, Zhang Yong, rotating president of Kingdee China, Lin Bo, chief financial officer of Kingdee, Yang Ming, senior vice president of Kingdee, and Xing Wenji, general manager of Kingdee Wojia Cloud, were present. Yuexiu Group is one of the top 500 Chinese enterprises. As a subsidiary of Yuexiu Group, Yuexiu Property is one of the first comprehensive property development enterprises in China. It is reported that this is not the first time for the two sides to cooperate. As early as 2002, Yuexiu Property has already started to use Kingdee's K/3 products, later upgraded to EAS system in 2009, and then applied Kingdee Cloud Cosmic products in 2020. Kingdee has been committed to helping Yuexiu Property realize digitization. Over the past 19 years, both sides have maintained friendly cooperation with each other. Lin Feng, vice chairman and general manager of Yuexiu Property, fully affirmed the achievements of the strategic cooperation at the current stage between the two sides at the signing site. He said, "Yuexiu Property has rich experience in property development and property management. Kingdee Software is among the first-class in the fields of management software and platform structure construction. Next, Yuexiu Property will comprehensively promote Kingdee Cloud Cosmic for in-depth application. The strategic cooperation between Yuexiu Property and Kingdee is the integration of the industry advantages of the two enterprises. We hope to take this as a new starting point to deepen the strategic cooperation between the two sides." Kingdee Cloud Cosmic once again joined hands with a 100-billion-level real estate enterprise to promote the digital and intelligent construction of Yuexiu Property and property industry, and strengthen the strategic cooperation between Kingdee and Yuexiu Property. Both sides will actively embrace advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, cloud computing, big data and the Internet of Things to boost the leapfrog development of Yuexiu Property's businesses and build an innovation service platform that would be a benchmark of the industry. In the cooperation with Yuexiu Property, Kingdee will always adhere to the vision of "becoming the most trustworthy enterprise service platform" and provide good services. Zhang Yong, the rotating president of Kingdee China, said, "This strategic cooperation marks that both parties, on the continuation of the past and prospect of the future, carry out all-round and in-depth cooperation. Kingdee will give full play to its 28 years of enterprise service experience and Kingdee Cloud Cosmic's enterprise-grade PaaS platform capabilities to help the digital construction of Yuexiu Property and property industry." In the era of digital economy, the need for digital transformation and intelligent upgrading have become the consensus of all enterprises. In the future, Kingdee and Yuexiu Property will conduct all-round exchanges and cooperation in the fields of construction technology, intelligent engineering, digital twin, smart community and smart property, and discuss and build industry digital platform together to jointly construct a new property ecology. About Kingdee International Software Group Company Limited Kingdee International Software Group Company Limited ("Kingdee International" or "Kingdee") was established in 1993. It is listed on the Main Board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (stock code: 0268.HK) and headquartered in Shenzhen, the PRC. Adhering to the core values of "Acting in all Conscience, with Integrity and Righteousness", the Company is committed to helping businesses achieve their growth targets and let the sun shine on every company through dedicated services. It strives to provide them with the most trusted enterprise service platform. Through persistent efforts to explore China's Cloud enterprise service market, according to IDC, Kingdee has retained the largest share in the enterprise application software sector for fast-growing enterprises for 16 consecutive years, and has grasped the biggest share in the enterprise-grade ERM SaaS (as known as Cloud ERP) and financial Cloud services industry for the forth consecutive year. Kingdee is currently the only SaaS cloud service provider of Chinese enterprises selected into Gartner's global market guide, and has become the only Chinese SaaS company winning the 2020 IDC SaaS Customer Satisfaction Award. Kingdee's diverse Cloud services and products are the preferred choices of leading enterprises. They include "Kingdee Cloud Cosmic" (a new generation of enterprise-grade PaaS platform), "Kingdee Cloud Constellation" (SaaS solutions for large enterprises), "Kingdee Cloud Galaxy" (SaaS solutions for medium-sized enterprises), "Kingdee Cloud Stellar" (SaaS solutions for micro and small-sized enterprises). With its strengths in management software and Cloud services, Kingdee provides services and products to more than 6.8 million enterprises, government agencies and other organizations around the world. For further information, please contact: Wonderful Sky Financial Group Ltd. Cecilia Ip / Jing Fang Tel: (852) 3641 1317 / (852) 3970 2172 Email: kingdee@wsfg.hk View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/yuexiu-property-entering-into-strategic-cooperation-agreement-with-kingdee-group-to-discuss-and-build-industry-digital-platform-together-301296642.html SOURCE Kingdee [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 20, 2021] Lookout Wins Three Cyber Defense Magazine Global InfoSec Awards SAN FRANCISCO, May 20, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Lookout, Inc. , an integrated endpoint-to-cloud security company, today announced that it has been awarded the titles of Mobile Endpoint Security Market Leader, Next-Gen Security Company of the Year, and the Publisher's Choice for Network Security and Management by Cyber Defense Magazine (CDM), a leading electronic information security magazine. CDM spent the past six months vetting roughly 3,200 companies that create and offer the most respected information security products and services. The winning companies are being recognized because of their innovations and focus on attempting to stop tomorrow's breach, today. "We scoured the globe looking for cybersecurity innovators that could make a huge difference and potentially help turn the tide against the exponential growth in cyber crime. Lookout is absolutely worthy of these coveted awards and consideration for deployment in your environment," said Gary S. Miliefsky, Publisher of Cyber Defense Magazine. "We're thrilled to be recognized across multiple cybersecurity categories by Cyber Defense Magazine. We knew this year's program would be competitive so we're proud to have been recognized for our industry-leading efforts," said David Richardson, Vice President of Product, Lookout. "Our mission is to secure and empower productivity in a privacy-focused world, where work and play can happen anywhere. We've integrated endpoint security with SASE so enterprises can secure their data from endpoint to cloud in a manner that respects personal privacy. We give them complete visibility and insights into everything, so they provide precise and seamless access without putting their data at risk." Lookout Mobile Endpoint Security is a proven solution that was first introduced in 2015. It's powered by the Lookout Security Graph, which analyzes telemetry data from nearly 200 million devices and 140 million apps, and continuously ingests and analyzes millions of URLs every day. By leveraging machine intelligence, Lookout secures customers against phishing, app, device and network threats in a manner that respects user privacy. The use of machine learning on data in the Lookout Security Graph enables Lookout Mobile Endpoint Security to automatically detect threats even if they have never been seen before. Lookout Mobile Endpoint Security offers: Zero Trust access to corporate data from any iOS, Android or ChromeOS device. access to corporate data from any iOS, Android or ChromeOS device. Continuous protection against phishing attacks across all apps that make outbound network requests including social media apps, messaging apps, SMS, work and personal email. attacks across all apps that make outbound network requests including social media apps, messaging apps, SMS, work and personal email. Custom policies based on an organization's risk tolerance, ensures devices remain compliant with internal and external mandates. If a device exceeds the acceptable risk level, Lookout blocks access to corporate resources to protect data, sends remediation instructions to the employee and reports the issue in the Lookout Mobile Endpoint Security console. Lookout expanded into the emerging Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) market with the acquisition of CipherCloud. The combined strength of Lookout Mobile Endpoint Security with the CipherCloud SASE technologies, including Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB), and Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA), create a unique market opportunity for an all-encompassing, integrated, endpoint-to-cloud security solution. Click here to learn more about the Lookout Secure Access Service Edge Solution. Additional Resources: Sign up for a free trial of Lookout . of . Follow the Lookout blog and join the conversation on LinkedIn and Twitter . and join the conversation on and . Subscribe to the Lookout Endpoint Enigma podcast. About Lookout Lookout is an integrated endpoint-to-cloud security company. Our mission is to secure and empower our digital future in a privacy-focused world where mobility and cloud are essential to all we do for work and play. We enable consumers and employees to protect their data, and to securely stay connected without violating their privacy and trust. Lookout is trusted by millions of consumers, the largest enterprises and government agencies, and partners such as AT&T, Verizon, Vodafone, Microsoft, Google, and Apple. Headquartered in San Francisco, Lookout has offices in Amsterdam, Boston, London, Sydney, Tokyo, Toronto and Washington, D.C. To learn more, visit www.lookout.com and follow Lookout on its blog, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Contact Lookout PR: press@lookout.com About Cyber Defense Magazine With over 5 Million monthly readers and growing, and thousands of pages of searchable online infosec content, Cyber Defense Magazine is the premier source of IT Security information for B2B and B2G with our sister magazine Cyber Security Magazine for B2C. We are managed and published by and for ethical, honest, passionate information security professionals. Our mission is to share cutting-edge knowledge, real-world stories and awards on the best ideas, products and services in the information technology industry. We deliver electronic magazines every month online for free, and special editions exclusively for the RSA Conferences. CDM is a proud member of the Cyber Defense Media Group. Learn more about us at https://www.cyberdefensemagazine.com and visit https://www.cyberdefensetv.com and https://www.cyberdefenseradio.com to see and hear some of the most informative interviews of many of these winning company executives. Join a webinar at https://www.cyberdefensewebinars.com and realize that infosec knowledge is power. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/lookout-wins-three-cyber-defense-magazine-global-infosec-awards-301296468.html SOURCE Lookout [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 20, 2021] ECP Becomes First Assisted Living Software Provider to Earn ONC Certification ECP announced today that their software platform has achieved certification from the Office of the National Coordinator of Health Information Technology (ONC) for meeting criteria under the 2015 Edition Cures Update, the most recent criteria available. ECP is the leading provider of web-based clinical, business, and compliance software to over 2,000 assisted living communities and other long-term care providers. ECP believes that its clinical platform is the first primarily assisted living focused software platform to receive ONC certification. Certification will help ECP connect to state health information networks, helping public health officials and senior living communities share data to fight COVID-19 and futue pandemics. ECP's core clinical products include electronic medication administration records (eMAR) and electronic health records (EHR) used in assisted living communities, group homes, and intellectually and developmentally disabled care settings across the country and globally. "ONC certification will help communities using ECP share data with other systems, including state health information networks, improving the quality of care and allowing for more data-driven and outcome-focused decision making," said Adam Aisen, CEO of ECP. "ONC certification will also help ECP customers comply with evolving regulations requiring greater data-sharing with public health authorities to assist with coordinating responses to future pandemics. ECP could not be more excited to be on the forefront of the data-driven future of both long-term care and public health." "In 2021, New Jersey is becoming the first state to require all long-term care communities, including assisted living and memory care, to connect to a state health information network, the New Jersey Health Information Network. Over time, we expect other states to follow suit. ONC certification applies nationally. As the last year has demonstrated, effective collaboration between long-term care providers and public health officials is crucial to effective responses to public health crises," said Nicole Shelton, Compliance Specialist at ECP. ECP was tested and certified by SLI Compliance, an ONC Authorized Test Lab and Certification Body, to be in accordance with applicable certification criteria put forth by the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Certification does not represent an endorsement by HHS or ONC. For certification information about ECP Version 8.0, please see https://ecp123.com/certifications/. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210520006134/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 20, 2021] Intelligent Automation Leader Laiye Appoints Ronen Lamdan To Head International Expansion BEIJING, May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Following on from $50 million in series C+ funding in a round jointly led by Ping An Global Voyager Fund and Shanghai Artificial Intelligence Industry Equity Investment Fund, Laiye is pleased to announce the appointment of Ronen Lamdan as the CEO International. As the CEO International, Ronen will lead the international expansion of Laiye. Building on the recent establishment of its new overseas office in Singapore which serves as the headquarters of the Asia Pacific region, Laiye will seek to partner with prominent enterprises Asia/Pacific and Europe, Middle East and Africa, while collaborating with small and medium enterprises to deliver productivity, transformation and growth that serves our customers and empowers our communities. Ronen Lamdan has over 15 years of experience leading Sales and Marketing for some of the world's largest and most successful Enterprise Software companies. Most recently, he served as the Managing Director at WorkFusion, a top 4 RPA vendor and the leader in AI-powered Intelligent Automation. Ronen is a thought leader in cognitive automation, artificial intelligence and process optimization across industries. Ronen held leadership roles at Microsoft, IBM, FileNet ($1.6B acquisition), NetSuite ($9.3B acquisition), Mercury ($4.5B acquisition) and a numer of startups. "We warmly welcome Ronen into our team, and we believe that Laiye would be better prepared with him on board, to enable more customers to transition from the legacy RPA approach to Intelligent Automation using business user-friendly AI which enables them to run operations more efficiently, at lower cost, with higher accuracy and build digital skills in the workforce. Additionally, Laiye will continue to recruit high-skilled talent in vertical industries to unlock new opportunities in the global marketplace." said chairman and CEO of Laiye, Wang Guanchun. "I'm excited to announce my new role, and looking forward to leading, inspiring and building out my global teams and partnering with our customers to drive exponential efficiency, efficacy and compliance across their business operations. Laiye is perfectly positioned to deliver productivity, transformation and growth that serves our customers and empower our communities." Ronen said. Laiye and its solution is a unique confluence and integration across process, record and document, communication and collaboration. It has accomplished several milestones through its innovative product offerings and fast developing ecosystem over the past year. Its annual RPA software subscription revenue soared with an impressive 900% year-over-year growth, and has an expansive community with nearly 400, 000 developers and more than 500 partners. Laiye's ambition aims to foster the world's largest developer community for software robots and build the world's largest bot marketplace in the next 3 years. And the company plans to certify at least 1 million software robot developers by 2025. As the CEO International, Ronen will help Laiye to expand globally. Laiye plans to hold its first global webinar on this May 25th. Ronen, other C-level members from Laiye, and Analyst from Forrester will together share their unique views about RPA+AI industry. Please Stay tuned. About Laiye Laiye has rich experience in RPA + AI and helps business and people realize their full potential by optimizing the human-machine collaborative alliance with sophisticated, dynamic, productivity-enhancing digital, low-code "workforce solutions". Laiye delivers the deepest, most advanced AI/RPA/NLP solutions to help businesses become more efficient, effective, agile, and successful. And it frees people to focus on meaningful, innovative, mission-critical initiatives. Core technologies include robotic process automation (RPA), process mining, natural language processing (NLP), conversational intelligence, text recognition, and image recognition. www.laiye.com/en SOURCE Laiye [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 20, 2021] The Wondershare Affiliate Program Is Open for Everyone to Join Wondershare, a leading digital software technology company is launching its affiliate program and is free for everyone to join! Affiliate programs are designed for people to promote products or services on their websites, social media or blogs, and earn a commission when people buy them or send traffic. When you sign up to this program, you get a merchant's affiliate link which you can share with your community. This link will keep track of the visits or transactions you provide, accounting for your final commission. Wondershare Affiliate Program, Open for Everyone! Want to make passive income from the comfort of your couch? It is possible with Wondershare! We have competitive affiliate programs across a wide range of products. All you need to do is sign up and get started! Why Choose Wondershare As Your Partner 1. Wondershare has powerful products. Wondershare is a globally trusted company with a wide array of products. All of them have a great conversion rate, guaranteeing the success of this partnership. Some of our best-selling productsinclude: Filmora X- The most versatile and complete video editing tool PDFelement - An affordable, Robust, Smart PDF Editor UniConverter - A one-stop video converter all sorts of media files Dr.Fone - The complete mobile tool set for all your needs Recoverit- The ultimate and professional data recovery tool 2. Up to 50% commission rate. By becoming a top affiliate partner, you can receive a 30% ~ 50% commission rate. We understand the problems that you may encounter with affiliate marketing, that's why we have a dedicated exclusive affiliate marketing manager service to handle any problem you may face in the process. 3. Reliable Third-Party Affiliate platform Furthermore, Wondershare has partnered with Commission Junction, a reliable affiliate platform service as its official affiliate platform. This platform manages publishers and advertisers so that they can fully monetize their effort. When you sign up with Commission Junction, your application will be reviewed shortly. Once it is accepted, you can search for the Wondershare products that you want to promote and become an official partner. About Wondershare Founded in 2003, Wondershare is a global leader in software development and a pioneer in the field of digital creativity. With powerful technology, the solutions we provide are simple and convenient, making Wondershare trusted by millions of people in more than 150 countries worldwide. www.wondershare.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210520006137/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 20, 2021] The very first move in the cement industry - Asia Cement Corporation's "Full Shore Power" for a Green, Low-Carbon Port TAIPEI, May 20, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- In the face of the global wave of green supply, Asia Cement Corporation (TWSE:1102) has been developing low-carbon process technologies in the hope of contributing to environmental sustainability. However, in addition to mining and production, energy saving and carbon reduction in cement transportation should not be overlooked. Therefore, Asia Cement Corporation announced on May the 12th that it has completed a full shore power project for cement vessels. In other words, Asia Cement Corporation's cement carriers will no longer use generators on board to supply electricity while berthing at port, but will instead use the Taipower power supply onshore. This will reduce the consumption of fuel , save over 1,474 tonnes of fuel per year and effectively reduce 5,329 tonnes of CO 2 emissions, which is the very first move for the cement industry in Taiwan. Asia Cement Corporation currently has four cement carriers responsible for transporting cement produced by the Hualien plant to various ports of Taiwan and to overseas markets. In the past, the cement carriers have mainly used fuel oil to generate electricity for the various needs on board, which resulted in noise and air pollution. In order to reduce the impact on te sea, the ecology and the environment, Asia Cement Corporation has completed the two-phase shore power project in the ports of Kaohsiung, Taichung, Keelung and Hualien and on the four cement carriers, with a total investment of NT$37.39 million. According to Asia Cement Corporation, the full shore power project is not only in line with the government's concept of promoting green harbours, but is also in line with the global trend of port transformation. The seemingly simple theory, however, involves issues such as the tidal range in the harbour, the area of the quay, and the different design specifications for different vessels. The schedule of each vessel and weather factors have to be taken into consideration as well. All of this made the construction extremely difficult. Despite this, the team responsible for the project overcame all challenges. The design, supervision and commissioning were all developed in-house, without any need to seek help from overseas manufacturers. Thanks to this technological independence, Asia Cement Corporation was able to continue to carry out full shore power projects on cement vessels even during the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak without being affected. Asia Cement Corporation also explained that its shore power engineering system has been proven to not only reduce air pollution emissions such as carbon dioxide, sulfides and nitrogen oxides, but also significantly improve the unloading efficiency of cement carriers, reducing the unloading time by 50%. In addition, the complete shutdown of the generators will reduce the wear and tear on the equipment, extend its service life, and optimise manpower resources by redirecting the saved operational manpower to other maintenance tasks. Asia Cement Corporation's unique technological capability is not only applicable to all Asia Cement Corporation's cement carriers, but can also be extended to other maritime operators in the future, which is of great significance in helping to create a low carbon green port. Asia Cement Corporation's General Plant Manager, Mr Chang Tzu-Pong, highlighted that in April this year, Asia Cement Corporation passed the rigorous international Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi) review and became the fourth cement company in the world to set a carbon reduction target, specifically responding to the global climate control well-below 2C. Now Asia Cement Corporation is the first cement company to complete the installation of a shore power system for cement carriers. Asia Cement Corporation is not only aiming to be a model of energy efficiency in the industry, but also to reverse the stereotype of the cement industry and transform it into an environmentally friendly green industry. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-very-first-move-in-the-cement-industry---asia-cement-corporations-full-shore-power-for-a-green-low-carbon-port-301296638.html SOURCE Asia Cement Corporation [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 20, 2021] Vital input of Asia Pacific region in dealing with complex challenges of human infertility SINGAPORE, May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The 10th Congress of the Asia Pacific Initiative on Reproduction (ASPIRE) this month addressed latest advances in human fertility treatment in the region with outcomes that will help shape the future of assisted conception throughout the world. A total of 7,769 fertility specialists from 116 countries participated in the congress that was presented in virtual format because of ongoing concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic. The on-line format - https://aspire2021.cme-congresses.com was an outstanding success with expert speakers discussing and dissecting new developments in scientific research and clinical practice in response to growing demand for fertility treatment around the world. Globally, one in six couples experience infertility, which is defined as the inability to conceive after a year of unprotected intercourse or the failure to carry pregnancy to a live birth. The causes of infertility are equally shared among male and female partners. Fertility care involves the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of individuals living with problems of the reproductive system. Since the first IVF birth in 1978, more than eight million people have been born as a result of this procedure. ASPIRE 2021 Scientific Chairman, Professor Tzeng Chii-Ruey, said the Congress allowed fertility scientists, clinicians, nurses and counsellors to engage on a wide range of issues as nations confront falling fertility rates that will have serious social and economic consequences. "Apart from the active participation of thousands of expert registrants, the ASPIRE 2021 Congress featured an important exchange program with other world bodies including the American Society for Reproductive Medicine," Professor Tzeng said. "Participants in the Congress were also prominent members of organisations such as the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology, the Fertility Society of Australia and New Zealand, the British Fertility Society and assisted reproductive technology peak bodies in countries including the Philippines, India, Pakistan, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, China, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Japan, Taiwan and Singapore." Topics on the Congress program, which concluded on 10 May, included: the impact of COVID 19 on the reproductive system, particularly among males; access to and affordability of assisted reproduction, especially in low to middle income countries; the need for ongoing research on the health of offspring from assisted reproductive technologies; social and medical aspects of fertility preservation; new developments in reproductive genetics and associated ethical, legal and societal ramifications; advances in the treatment of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and endometriosis; adjuvant, or add-on therapies in IVF; and the role of artificial intelligence in assisted reproductive technology. Professor Tzeng said leading scientists and clinicians from the Asia Pacific region made a vital contribution in advancing knowledge on these issues and they engaged in compelling question and answer sessions with expert speakers from other parts of the world. A powerful focus of the Congress was on ethical challenges including growing application of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) compared with conventional IVF when male factor infertility is not present, and comparing pregnancy outcomes. "The Congress also addressed the need for a cautious approach to new developments in reproductive gene editing, which ultimately could allow for the programming of embryos for physical attributes and IQ in offspring, and strict guidelines governing this technology," he said. "It also became clear that access to surrogacy needs to be re-evaluated for specified patients in the Asia Pacific region particularly for women with congenital absence of the uterus and others with hysterectomy." Outgoing ASPIRE President, Professor Budi Wiweko, said the depth and diversity of issues addressed at the Congress would translate into clinical practice around the world to help improve outcomes for couples striving to achieve their dream of parenthood. Full recordings from the scientific program can be accessed on the Congress website until April next year. The 11th Congress of the Asia Pacific Initiative on Reproduction in 2022 will also be held in virtual format. SOURCE ASPIRE 2021 Virtual Congress [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 21, 2021] Puerto Rico - Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses Sydney, May 21, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Just released, this edition of BuddeComm report outlines the latest developments and key trends in the telecoms markets. - https://www.budde.com.au/Research/Puerto-Rico-Telecoms-Mobile-and-Broadband-Statistics-and-Analyses/?utm_source=GNW These disasters caused considerable destruction of telecom infrastructure, which in turn led to a marked decline in the number of subscribers for all services. Compounding these difficulties have been a long-term economic downturn which encouraged many people not to resume telecom services after these were restored. After some delay, the FCC in late 2019 issued an order relating to the release of funds to help rebuild telecom infrastructure. Although Puerto Rico is a US territory it lags well behind the mainland US states in terms of fixed-line and broadband penetration. This is partly due to high unemployment rates (and consequently low disposable income) and poor telecoms investment in a market largely dominated by the incumbent Puerto Rico Telephone Company. This dominance was augmented after the company was acquired by the largest wireless operator in Latin America, America Movil, in 2007. The acquisition by Liberty Global of the remaining cable TV operator Choice Cable, completed in mid-2015, created a monopoly player in this sector. Liberty Cablevision (renamed Liberty Communications of Puerto Rico in 2020), now wholly-owned by Liberty Globals LLA division, is in a stronger position to capitalise on scale, and so provide improved services based on greater investment and on the use of technology based on the DOCSIS3.1 standard. Liberty Communications has also become better placed in the bundled service market following LLAs acquisition of AT&Ts wireless and wireline units in Puerto Rico. The mobile market has been impacted by several mergers and acquisitions ove the last few years. In early 2017 Sprint and Open Wireless agreed to merge their networks in a bid to offer better market competition by increasing their scale and combining spectrum holdings. The T-Mobile US acquisition of Sprint Communications was approved in April 2020, and LLAs acquisition of AT&Ts Puerto Rican and US Virgin Islands operations was finalised in October 2020. The activities of large multinational telcos such as America Movil, T-Mobile US, and LLA, continue to impact the Puerto Rican market. Operators have secured spectrum in the 600MHz and 3.5GHz bands, thus enabling them to expand the reach of LTE services and launch services based on 5G. The growing number of submarine cables landing in Puerto Rico is helping to drive down the cost of telecom services, creating a demand for streaming content from abroad. The uptake of cloud-based applications for both business and individuals is also creating a heightened demand for affordable services. BuddeComm notes that the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally. Since 2020 the telecoms sector, to various degrees, has experienced a downturn in mobile device production. It was also difficult for network operators to manage workflows when maintaining and upgrading existing infrastructure. Overall progress towards 5G has been postponed or slowed down in some countries. On the consumer side, spending on telecoms services and devices is under pressure from the financial effect of large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes. However, the crucial nature of telecom services, both for general communication as well as a tool for home-working, has offset such pressures. In many markets the net effect will continue to be a steady though reduced increased in subscriber growth. Although it is challenging to predict and interpret the long-term impacts of the pandemic, these have been acknowledged in the industry forecasts contained in this report. The report also covers the responses of the telecom operators as well as government agencies and regulators as they react to the crisis to ensure that citizens can continue to make optimum use of telecom services. This can be reflected in subsidy schemes and the promotion of tele-health and tele-education, among other solutions. Key Developments: selects Ericsson to modernise its core network, considers spinning off its submarine cable network; FCC announces winners of Auction 105 for 3.5GHz spectrum, with Claro and Aeronet Wireless Broadband securing concessions; Blackburn Networks to build Boriken submarine cable system; T-Mobile Puerto Rico launches Project 10Million initiative to deliver connectivity to school children; Report update includes the regulators market data to October 2020, telcos operating and financial data to Q4 2020, Telecom Maturity Index charts and analyses, assessment of the global impact of Covid-19 on the telecoms sector, recent market developments. Companies mentioned in this report: Aeronet Wireless Broadband, AT&T, Blackburn Networks, Puerto Rico Telephone Company (Claro), America Movil, Ericsson, Everynte, Liberty Cablevision, Liberty Latin America (LLA), Liberty Puerto Rico, Liberty Mobile PR, OneLink Communications, T-Mobile Puerto Rico, Open Mobile, Sprint PCS, Choice Cable, WorldNet Telecommunications Read the full report: https://www.budde.com.au/Research/Puerto-Rico-Telecoms-Mobile-and-Broadband-Statistics-and-Analyses/?utm_source=GNW Nicolas Bombourg: nbombourg@budde.com.au Europe office: +44 207 097 1241 Oceania Office: +61 280 767 665 [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 21, 2021] "Pineapples from Guangdong, China, a burst of flavor in every bite" appears on the China Screen of Times Square, New York GUANGZHOU, China, May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Recently, a poster themed "pineapples from Guangdong, China, a burst of flavor in every bite" has been repeatedly aired on a huge screen 19.5 meters high and 12.2 meters wide at the Times Square, New York, USA, according to Xinhua Screen Media Co., Ltd., who tenants the China Screen. The pineapples from Guangdong takes on the world, which shows the trend of the local brands of agricultural products going global, and also demonstrates to the world China's firm determination to modernize its agriculture and rural areas. China's pineapples mainly come from Guangdong, while Guangdong's mainly come from Xuwen, a county known in South China as "te land of pineapples". Pineapples have been grown in the county for hundreds of years, and it now accounts for more than 38 percent of the country's pineapple production. Recently, the juicy, sweet and nutrient pineapples with golden appearance from Xuwen have topped the hot topic of microblog and also taken on the high speed rail to sell to 14 provinces and cities like Beijing, Shanghai and Gansu. Various cuisines made from pineapple serve on the table, waking up taste buds and recollecting delicious memories. In order to publicize the pineapple from Guangdong and promote farmers' sales, the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Department of Guangdong Province has carried out the "12221" Guangdong Pineapple Marketing Action 2021, which aims to spread quality pineapple to overseas markets by organizing purchasers in sales areas and cultivating purchase assistants in production areas, obtaining global market information and its way of transmission and guiding the production and sales based on big data. After exporting to Japan, Russia, Kyrgyzstan and other countries and regions, the pineapples will also go to West Asia, South Asia and other markets. While exploring new markets across the world, the pineapple also sets off a good start for agricultural products from Guangdong to go global. Image Attachments Links: Link: http://asianetnews.net/view-attachment?attach-id=391772 Caption: "Pineapples from Guangdong, China, a burst of flavor in every bite" appears on the China Screen of Times Square, New York. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/pineapples-from-guangdong-china-a-burst-of-flavor-in-every-bite-appears-on-the-china-screen-of-times-square-new-york-301296808.html SOURCE Xinhua Screen Media Co., Ltd. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-21 05:05:39|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Video: The giant panda cub Xiao Qi Ji at the Smithsonian's National Zoo in Washington, D.C., the United States, on May 20, 2021 makes its first public appearance, one day before the zoo is scheduled to fully reopen after the COVID-19 pandemic. (Xinhua) "We love the giant Panda. That is something that we share with every Chinese citizen," says Steve Monfort, the zoo's director. WASHINGTON, May 20 (Xinhua) -- Born in the U.S. national zoo in Washington at the height of the pandemic, panda cub Xiao Qi Ji, now 9 months old and in good shape, made his first public appearance on Thursday and will soon welcome in-person visits by his avid fans across the country as the zoo is set for a phased reopening. The cub, whose name translates into English as "little miracle," stepped out of his room around 7:30 a.m. ET for a one-hour media preview, together with his mom Mei Xiang and dad Tian Tian. While the parents walked slowly with poise and grace and quickly found their spots to sit and enjoy the early morning bamboo treats, Xiao Qi Ji ran toward a tree with his head and butt shaking adorably and stayed atop the branches until ultimately falling asleep there. The pandemic has forced the Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute to shut down for most of the months starting last March, but panda lovers have already familiarized themselves with Xiao Qi Ji since the cutie's formal webcam live debut back in January. "Yesterday they weighed him and he was 45 pounds," Bryan Amaral, senior curator of mammals at the zoo, said of Xiao Qi Ji in an interview with Xinhua. "So clearly much bigger than when he was born. And I think people will be surprised when they get to come and see him in person ... And also a little bit unfortunate that people weren't here to be able to see some of that development happen in person, but he's doing great." Photo taken on May 20, 2021 shows the giant panda cub "Xiao Qi Ji" (little miracle) during a media preview at Smithsonian's National Zoo in Washington, D.C., the United States. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) Amaral was not at all worried about any potential psychological impact on the famed panda household caused by the absence of visitors during the pandemic. For one thing, he said, it's been a normal phenomenon for captive animals that the number of zoo visitors reduces in winter times. On the other hand, since the zoo has adopted a staged, slow reopening, "I don't suspect there's going to be any negative effect on the animals whatsoever," Amaral said. Steve Monfort, the zoo's director, said judging from all the parameters that have been closely monitored by the care staff, Xiao Qi Ji "is growing up as a normal, healthy, and happy cub." Speaking to Xinhua while Xiao Qi Ji was adjusting to a comfortable position on the tree, Monfort said pandas clearly like to see visitors and presumably "know that people love them," but the fact that they have been very well taken care of during the pandemic has contributed to them remaining unaffected by what could otherwise be a potentially harsh environment. "When the visitors are not here, our animal care staff is very attentive to their needs, providing them with a lot of stimulation in their environment, special food treats, and lots of enrichment activities," he said, adding that as a result, the pandas are doing "extremely well" psychologically and physiologically, and that they "will be happy to see people back." Photo taken on May 20, 2021 shows the giant panda cub "Xiao Qi Ji" (little miracle, L) during a media preview at Smithsonian's National Zoo in Washington, D.C., the United States. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) On Friday, the zoo will reopen at 20 percent of its full capacity, admitting 5,000 to 6,000 visitors on a daily basis. That means Xiao Qi Ji, for whom the world is still full of wonders, no longer has to wait too long before getting his first peek at the visitors. "Today is probably the most people that he's seen in his life really," Amaral said of Xiao Qi Ji, adding there probably will be a day in the near future when the little bear comes to realize that the world is a different place. Yet, "animals in general are really resilient, and I think they'll do great," he said. On the visitors' part, those who wish to see the giant pandas must obtain a separate free timed pass, the Asia Trail/Panda Pass, for each person in their party. "You will need to wear a mask for giant Panda viewing," Monfort said. "We have to have a limited number of people come each day because the pandas spend a significant amount of time indoors in air conditioning and in a space that requires us to have restrictions on the numbers of visitors." For the Chinese visitors who are planning a trip to the zoo especially for seeing the pandas, Monfort has some special words. "We love the giant Panda. That is something that we share with every Chinese citizen, I'm sure," he said. "So we welcome you come and see our pandas. I've seen your pandas and your breeding facilities in China. So we're welcoming you. And really, we share something in common, which is that we love pandas and we want to save them." Undated photo taken in November 2020 shows the giant panda cub "Xiao Qi Ji" at Smithsonian's National Zoo in Washington, D.C., the United States. (Smithsonian's National Zoo/Handout via Xinhua) The national zoo received its first pair of giant pandas, dubbed China's "national treasure," in 1972 as a gift from Beijing after the ice-breaking China trip by then President Richard Nixon. The zoo has since collaborated with Chinese professionals in studying and preserving the species, while the two sides have built excellent partnership and friendship. "We are extremely proud of our long history of nearly 50 years of collaborating with our Chinese colleagues," Monfort said. He said no matter how the political relationship between Washington and Beijing may evolve, as a conservationist, he has and will always focus on saving the pandas, which he stressed are a "great species," from distinction and "making sure that they thrive in nature." Speaking of the partnership between the two countries dedicated to panda caring and research, Monfort said the U.S. side is committed to making the relationship, already stronger than ever before, yield greater success in the decades to come. "I think it's one of the most special and productive partnerships that we've ever been involved in. And I count, many of my colleagues in China as not just colleagues, but as friends," he said. Once classified as an endangered species, giant pandas are now listed as vulnerable thanks to efforts by China and its international partners to restore and preserve their habitats. To Monfort, the cooperation between the United States and China in panda preservation is "a great symbol of how partnership can work effectively and how we can get together on something that's really bigger than ourselves and make a difference." [May 21, 2021] Fisker Set to Make First All-electric Papal Transport Fisker Inc. (NYSE: FSR) (Fisker) - passionate creator of the world's most sustainable electric vehicles and advanced mobility solutions - is set to develop the first all-electric vehicle for the Holy See, Pope Francis, after a historic visit to Vatican City. Fisker co-founders, Henrik Fisker and Dr. Geeta Gupta-Fisker, during a private audience with Pope Francis on Thursday, presented a vision for the design of an all-electric papal transport. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210521005097/en/ Fisker Inc. - passionate creator of the world's most sustainable electric vehicles and advanced mobility solutions - is set to develop the first all-electric vehicle for the Holy See, Pope Francis, after a historic visit to Vatican City. Fisker co-founders, Henrik Fisker and Dr. Geeta Gupta-Fisker, during a private audience with Pope Francis on Thursday, presented a vision for the design of an all-electric papal transport. (Photo: Business Wire) "I got inspired reading that Pope Francis is very considerate about the environment and the impact of climate change for future generations," says Henrik Fisker. "The interior of the Fisker Ocean papal transport will contain a variety of sustainable materials, including carpets made from recycled plastic bottles from the ocean." An all-electric papal transport will provide the first exhaust-free and emissions-free experience for those gathered for blessings by His Holiness. The spacious interior of the Fisker Ocean SUV supports a large, modern, all-glass cupola, offering accessibility and visibility for Pope Francis to greet the faithful. This specially created Fisker Ocean will be the first all-electric papal transport - adding to a long line of iconic designs from the pen of Henrik Fisker. The company plans to deliver this singular version of the Fisker Ocean to the Pope next year. The Fisker Ocean is projected to start production on November 17, 2022. There are currently more than 16,000 rservation holders for the Ocean, which will offer incredible value and features that compare favorably to competitive EVs across the entire price range. The Fisker Ocean starts at $37,499 in the U.S. (excluding applicable subsidies) and 32,000 in Germany (including VAT and applicable subsidies). It will be available in premium versions that include compelling features such as Ultra High Range (approximately 350 miles), all-wheel drive and many more yet to be announced. For more information or interview inquiries, contact Fisker@GoDRIVEN360.com. About Fisker Inc. California-based Fisker Inc. is revolutionizing the automotive industry by developing the most emotionally desirable and eco-friendly electric vehicles on Earth. Passionately driven by a vision of a clean future for all, the Company is on a mission to become the No. 1 e-mobility service provider with the world's most sustainable vehicles. To learn more, visit www.FiskerInc.com - and enjoy exclusive content across Fisker's social media channels: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn. Download the revolutionary new Fisker mobile app from the App Store or Google Play store. Forward-Looking Statements This press release includes forward-looking statements, which are subject to the "safe harbor" provisions of the US Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements may be identified by words such as "feel," "believes," expects," "estimates," "projects," "intends," "should," "is to be," or the negative of such terms, or other comparable terminology and include, among other things, the quotations of our Chief Executive Officer and statements regarding the Company's future performance and other future events that involve risks and uncertainties. Such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements contained herein due to many factors, including, but not limited to: Fisker's limited operating history; Fisker's ability to enter into additional manufacturing and other contracts with Magna, or other OEMs or tier-one suppliers in order to execute on its business plan; the risk that OEM and supply partners do not meet agreed upon timelines or experience capacity constraints; Fisker may experience significant delays in the design, manufacture, regulatory approval, launch and financing of its vehicles; Fisker's ability to execute its business model, including market acceptance of its planned products and services; Fisker's inability to retain key personnel and to hire additional personnel; competition in the electric vehicle market; Fisker's inability to develop a sales distribution network; and the ability to protect its intellectual property rights; and those factors discussed in Fisker's Annual Report on Form 10-K under the heading "Risk Factors," filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the " SEC (News - Alert) ") and other reports and documents Fisker files from time to time with the SEC. Any forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made, and Fisker undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this press release. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210521005097/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 21, 2021] Blackstone Announces Appointment of Alasdair I. Cathcart, An Accomplished Global Energy Executive, as a Senior Advisor Blackstone (NYSE:BX) today announced the appointment of Alasdair Cathcart as a Senior Advisor to Blackstone Energy Partners. Previously, Cathcart was a senior executive at Bechtel, a leading global engineering and construction firm, where he led several divisions, including Power and LNG. Bechtel has a long history of helping its customers plan and develop projects that improve resiliency and increase access to sustainable, cost-efficient energy. David Foley, Global Head of Blackstone Energy Partners said: "Alasdair will be a great advisor to our team as we seek out new opportunities to support the ongoing transition to cleaner, more efficient and affordable energy. Our entire global team and broad platform will benefit from Alasdair's depth of experience and expertise in many different segments of the energy and power market." Bilal Khan, Senior Managing Director at Blackstone, said: "We are actively continuing our strategy of investing in the development and construction of new capacity to help generate and deliver energy efficiently, which is essential to support economic growth and improvement in living conditions around the world. Alasdair's decades of hands-on experiece supervising the construction of large and complex energy assets worldwide will be an invaluable resource to our team." Alasdair Cathcart said: "I look forward to advising the team at Blackstone and adding value as they seek out new ways to support the ongoing global energy transition. Blackstone has been a pioneer in the development and construction of energy projects around the world and is well positioned to help accelerate the move to cleaner and more efficient energy use globally." Alasdair has over 30 years of experience in the energy and infrastructure sectors, most recently as President of Bechtel's global Oil, Gas & Chemicals business headquartered in Houston, Texas, where he was responsible for 8,000 professional staff and 40,000 craft professionals and managed seven business lines. Prior to that role, he served as General Manager of the LNG business line, responsible for strategy, business development and project execution. From 2010 to 2013 he was President of Bechtel's global Power business. He joined Bechtel in 1989 and served the company in a variety of leadership positions in corporate and project roles in nine countries. Blackstone Energy Partners Blackstone Energy Partners is Blackstone's energy-focused private equity business and a leading energy investor with a successful long-term record. The Blackstone Energy Partners team has invested over $18 billion of equity globally across a broad range of sectors within the energy industry. Our investment philosophy is based on backing exceptional management teams with flexible capital to provide solutions that help energy companies grow and improve performance, thereby delivering cleaner, more reliable and affordable energy to meet the needs of the global community. In the process, we build stronger, larger scale enterprises, create jobs and generate lasting value for our investors, employees and all stakeholders. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210521005198/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 21, 2021] Media Alert: QuickBooks Town Hall Spotlights Barriers to Capital for Minority- and Women-Owned Small Businesses At a virtual QuickBooks Town Hall event this week, small businesses met with leading experts to discuss the importance of access to capital to fuel recovery for small businesses, including opportunities and challenges for minority and women-owned businesses and ways the private and public sectors can help these underserved markets. Cedric Richmond, former Congressman and Senior Advisor to the President and Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement, and Luke Voiles, vice president and general manager of QuickBooks Capital, participated in the Town Hall on May 20, 2021. It was moderated by Emmy-award winning journalist Lisa Ling. "The American Jobs Plan will create a new grant program through the Minority Business Development Agency that will help small, Brown- and Black-owned manufacturers access private capital," Richmond shared during the hour-long conversation. "We want to expand access to contracts and capital assistance to small businesses. Technical assistance is important. You need the access to capital to build your business. We'll provide direct support including increasing access to federal contracts and investing more than $110 billion in financing and federal assistance programs and target aid to small businesses." The conversation comes at a time when access to capital for small businesses of all types and sizes is imperative for financial recovery. To understand the challenges small businesses are facing related to securing funding and dealing with unequal access to funding, Richmond and Voiles discussed the following topics with a virtual audience of small business owners: Where minority and women-owned businesses can go for loans and funding assistance beyond the Payroll Protection Program How fintech platforms like QuickBooks are uniquely serving smaller businesses' financial needs The growing need for financial inclusion and how it is being addressed by the private and public sectors The role of the White House Office of Public Engagement in helping small businesses and working with the SBA How small businesses that are typically underserved have successfully acquired grants or loans According to a recent survey from Intuit (News - Alert) QuickBooks, as of March 2021 small businesses have made almost three times as many funding applications, on average, as they did during the first nine months of the pandemic. Black- and Hispanic-owned businesses have been the most likely to seek funding during the pandemic, with up to 80% applying for a loan or line of credit since March 2020, according to the survey. Below are some transcript excerpts from the event, which have been lightly edited for length and readability. The full event can be viewed here. On how new lending approaches like QuickBooks Capital are helping small businesses today: Luke Voiles: "The core mission of Intuit is to power prosperityaround the world for our customers and we want to simplify and automate financial aspects of small business. Especially for young or minority- or women-owned businesses, it's difficult to get access to capital. Forty percent of the loans that we've made have been to businesses that have been in business for less than two years. Capital is a massive bridge and we are committed to helping our customers get more access that they can't otherwise." On the opportunities that alternative data sets can provide in increasing capital to underserved businesses: Luke Voiles: "From March to December of last year, minority- and women-owned businesses were proportionally more negatively affected by the pandemic. Minority-owned businesses are also more likely to be denied loans. We believe that leveraging real-time alternative data can help small businesses get access to capital." On how real-time data can open up new capital opportunities: Luke Voiles: "There's currently a chicken and egg problem for many underserved communities just to get considered - and this goes for both consumer and small businesses. For small businesses specifically, it's a challenge to know which credit score matters. One thing that has QuickBooks excited is the datasets we have that can break through those barriers. Lenders can use real-time data, with customer consent, to open up credit to borrowers who aren't part of the club yet. If small businesses open up access to datasets like these, we can use data to help break down barriers for underserved populations." On the steps small businesses take to fund their businesses: Allison DeVane, Teaspressa: "You don't know what you don't know when you first start. I took out the credit cards, got loans. It's hard to think the only way I could get access to capital was by going on Shark Tank. I'm still taking it day by day and leaning into the pivot, and building it brick by brick. Right now all I'm coming across is predatory lending." On making an impact in the boardroom to get funding: Dana Donofree, AnaOno: "As women, we had a hard time in the boardroom. There are stats that prove women have a difficult time in front of investors. We're all starting businesses in an effort to solve a problem. I was called a niche business. Make sure you are selling yourself first." About the QuickBooks Town Hall Series Intuit QuickBooks connects customers, small business owners, and self employed with lawmakers, business leaders and other experts. Today's virtual town hall, the first of 2021, was moderated by award-winning journalist Lisa Ling and featured Cedric Richmond, former Congressman, Senior Advisor to the President and Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement, Intuit's Luke Voiles, and live video questions with small business owners Allison DeVane (Teaspressa Tea) and Dana Donofree (AnaOno), well as questions submitted by other attendees. More than 2,500 people registered for the event and more than 600 watched live. QuickBooks is committed to connecting its customers, and small businesses overall, with the experts they need to succeed. This Town Hall is an example of this continuing commitment. About Intuit: Intuit is a global technology platform that helps our customers and communities overcome their most important financial challenges. Serving approximately 100 million customers worldwide with TurboTax, QuickBooks, Mint and Credit Karma, we believe that everyone should have the opportunity to prosper. We never stop working to find new, innovative ways to make that possible. Please visit us for the latest information about Intuit, our products and services, and find us on social. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210521005072/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 21, 2021] Clearing the Air: A Reduction-Based Solution to Nitrogen Pollution with a Novel Catalyst GWANGJU, South Korea, May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Our reliance on fossil fuels as a primary energy source has pushed air pollution to an all-time high, resulting in several environmental and health concerns. Among the major pollutants, nitrogen oxide (NO x ) accumulation can cause severe respiratory diseases and imbalance in the Earth's nitrogen cycle. Reducing NO x accumulation is, therefore, an issue of utmost importance. Recently, the conversion of NO x into harmless or even useful nitrogen products has emerged as a promising strategy. Particularly appealing to scientists is the reduction of NO x to hydroxylamine (NH 2 OH), which can be utilized as a renewable source of energy. The "make-or-break" step that determines the formation of hydroxylamine is the catalytic electrochemical reduction of nitric oxide (NO), which can either yield hydroxylamine or nitrous oxide (N 2 O), depending on the electrolyte pH and electrode potential. Studies show that for hydroxylamine formation to dominate over N 2 O formation, very acidic electrolytes with a pH less than 0 are required. However, such a harshly acidic environment rapidly degrades the catalyst, limiting the reaction. "The development of a new catalyst with high activity, selectivity, and stability is the next challenge," says Prof. Chang Hyuck Choi from the Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST) in Korea where he works on the catalysis of electrochemical reactions. In a recent study published in Nature Communications, Prof. Choi nd his colleagues from Korea and France investigated NO reduction in the presence of a new iron-nitrogen-doped carbon (Fe-N-C) catalyst made of isolated FeN x C y moieties bonded to a carbonaceous substrate. The catalyst was chosen for its high selectivity for the NH 2 OH pathway as well as its resistance to extremely acidic conditions. The team performed in operando (i.e., during the reaction) spectroscopy and electrochemical analysis of the catalyst to determine its catalytic site and the pH dependence of NH 2 OH production. They identified the active site of the catalyst as the ferrous moieties bonded to the carbon substrate where the rate of NH 2 OH formation showed a peculiar increase with decreasing pH. The team attributed this peculiarity to an uncertain oxidation state of NO. Finally, they achieved efficient (71%) NH 2 OH production in a prototypical NO-H 2 fuel cell, establishing the catalyst's practical utility. Moreover, they found that the catalyst exhibited long-term stability, showing no signs of deactivation even after operating for over 50 hours! The approach not only reduces harmful air pollutants, but also provides a useful byproduct that may find use in ushering in a renewable energy society. "Apart from the applications of hydroxylamine in the nylon industry, it can also be used as an alternative hydrogen carrier. Thus, the new catalyst will not only help reduce the amount of NO x pollutants in our atmosphere but also lead us to a renewable energy future," Prof. Choi explains. We can breathe easy knowing that the team's findings take us a few steps closer to a pollution-free renewable energy society. Reference Title of original paper: Selective electrochemical reduction of nitric oxide to hydroxylamine by atomically dispersed iron catalyst Journal: Nature Communications DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-22147-7 About Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST) Website: http://www.gist.ac.kr/ About the author Prof. Chang Hyuck Choi is an Associate Professor in the School of Materials Science and Engineering at the Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST) in Korea. Contact: Nayeong Lee 82 62 715 2114 310419@email4pr.com View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/clearing-the-air-a-reduction-based-solution-to-nitrogen-pollution-with-a-novel-catalyst-301296773.html SOURCE Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 21, 2021] Want to Start a Business? Here's the Ultimate Guide for You... BOSTON, May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Harvard MBA and serial entrepreneur Bob Adams has put together an extremely comprehensive free guide, 100 Steps to Starting Your Own Business, covering absolutely everything from finding your business idea to writing your business plan and creating your marketing. Including plenty of real-life examples from his personal experience starting 17 businesses, Adams shows new entrepreneurs how to avoid common pitfalls (don't name your business after yourself!) and how to start a business right (be differentiated from your competitors!). Adams says "Almost anyone can start a business if they really want to. You don't need a lot of money or experience." Adams started most of his businesses with less than $2,000 including his book publishing company which he eventually sold for $40 million. "Keep your day job for as long as possible," says Adams. "This way, you will feel less pressured and you will be able to carefully plan out your business." "A great business starts with a great idea!" states Adams. "And there's a ton of exciting business ideas out there." But unfortunately, he notes that many entrepreneurs end up with bad business ideas. Finding a business idea is only one part of creating your business model, says Adams. Determining how your business will be diffeent from your competitors is just as important if not more so. "You don't want to give first effort to being better than your competitors," advises Adams. "Instead you first want to be different!" Adams warns that "Many entrepreneurs do not really differentiate their business from their competitors. They end up competing on price, resulting in low profits." Will your small business need a business plan? "Absolutely!" confirms Adams. "Even a one-person startup needs a business plan." Concerned that you don't have the ability to create financial projections for your business? "Don't worry," assures Adams. "If you can add 2 + 2 and get 4 - most of the time - then you have what it takes to create your financials." What about marketing and finding customers? "There's a lot of great ways for a small business to attract customers today," says Adams. "Digital marketing is awesome because it allows you to precisely target your audience. You can test a tiny budget. And you can create the ads yourself." Adams does warn that finding the right marketing mix can be tricky. So, he suggests "Only spend very tiny amounts of money on marketing until you find out what works for you." Adams also recommends low-cost guerilla marketing: "This is the kind of marketing that I used to build my businesses - not expensive advertising." Adams concludes that "if you follow the 100 steps in my guide you'll avoid the common mistakes made by rookie entrepreneurs and dramatically increase your chances of success." So, if you're ever thinking about starting your own business, here's your chance to get a super comprehensive step-by-step guide by a highly experienced entrepreneur who's been there and done it - 17 times. About Bob Adams Bob Adams has started 17 businesses ranging from a bicycle rental business (Bob's Rent-A-Bike) to a book publishing company (Adams Media) and several online businesses (including BusinessTown). He has authored or co-authored 16 books on business and created 52 online courses for entrepreneurs. He has an MBA from Harvard Business School. About BusinessTown BusinessTown is a leading e-learning platform for starting and running a business, featuring over 130 online courses taught by highly successful entrepreneurs and industry experts. Contact: Ben Bisson 857-523-8720 310434@email4pr.com View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/want-to-start-a-business-heres-the-ultimate-guide-for-you-301296770.html SOURCE BusinessTown LLC [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 21, 2021] Reliable Robotics Drives Market Innovation in Commercial and Government Sectors With Key Executive Hires Reliable Robotics, a leader in autonomous aircraft system development, today announced the hires of Myles Goeller, Chief Business Officer and Dr. David O'Brien, Director of Government Solutions. They join as the company gears up for the next development phase of its dual-use flight technology to support rising ecommerce demands globally and increasing interest in Regional Air Mobility (RAM) domestically. The company also recently engaged with the Air Force to determine how its system can support government missions. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210521005093/en/ Reliable Robotics Expands Leadership Team with Myles Goeller, Chief Business Officer and Dr. David O'Brien, Director of Government Solutions (Photo: Business Wire) With a bold vision for the future of air transportation, Reliable Robotics aims to accelerate change with its remotely operated aircraft system. The versatile autonomy platfom can be ported to various aircraft types, and once certified for general aviation, remote pilots will be empowered to fly any plane from any location. These new appointments demonstrate the company's commitment to serve broad industry applications for autonomous aircraft to improve speed and efficiency, and expand access to more places at lower cost. As Chief Business Officer, Goeller will lead go-to-market strategy and commercial partnership opportunities worldwide for Reliable Robotics. He brings over 20 years of strategic business and new market development expertise, as well as operational and investment experience within the aviation, aerospace and logistics industries. His deep background spans airlines, airports, cargo, logistics, maintenance, repairs and operations (MROs) as well as governments. Previously, Goeller built the leading specialized aviation and aerospace advisory business in the world as part of the core leadership team of Seabury Consulting. He spent a decade establishing the company's Asia Pacific practice based in Hong Kong. Seabury worked with leading airlines, OEMs, integrators, airports and governments around the world on strategy, turnarounds, acquisitions, financing and operational improvements. The company was later acquired by Accenture (News - Alert) , where Goeller most recently held the position of Managing Director in the Travel and Hospitality Practice. As Director of Government Solutions, O'Brien will engage with the Department of Defense and the Federal Government to identify areas of support for mission success, as well as with Universities for institutional research advancement. His multi-industry career and operational leadership experience extends over 38 years across the military, government and private enterprise including aerospace, software and information technology, global e-commerce, manufacturing and operations. O'Brien served in the United States Air Force in leadership roles including Director of Acquisition Venture Strategy and Initiatives where he pioneered multi-domain, creative commercial strategies, and connected the Air Force with innovative providers and global venture equity investors. As a Major General, he received the Distinguished Service Medal and the Defense Superior Service Medal. In his commercial industry roles, he negotiated strategic deals for Lockheed Martin, Sun Microsystems (News - Alert) and the Oracle Corporation, resulting in greater shareholder value and enterprise success. "Both the private and public sectors are increasingly under pressure to find more efficient and cost-effective air transport solutions," said Robert Rose, Co-Founder and CEO. "Bringing Myles aboard to build out our commercial organization, and David to collaborate with military and government entities interested in automation, will strengthen our capabilities to address these needs." During this period of accelerated growth, the company is actively recruiting world class talent. More at www.reliable.co/careers/. About Reliable Robotics Corporation Launched by SpaceX (News - Alert) and Tesla veterans, Reliable Robotics is revolutionizing commercial aviation with its autonomous flight technology. Their accomplishments were recently selected as a Collier Trophy finalist for 2020's greatest achievements in aeronautics or astronautics in the United States. The company's systems will enable a future where air transportation is safer, more convenient, more affordable, and transformative to the way goods, and eventually people, travel around the planet. Please visit https://reliable.co for more information. Reliable Robotics Corporation and its respective logos are trademarks, registered trademarks, or service marks of the company. Other products and company names mentioned are the trademarks of their respective owners. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210521005093/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 21, 2021] Sensyne Health Signs First US Strategic Research Agreement with St. Luke's University Health Network Sensyne Health plc (LSE: SENS) ("Sensyne" or the "Company" or the "Group"), the Clinical AI company, today announces that is has signed its first Strategic Research Agreement ("SRA") in the United States of America with St. Luke's University Health Network (St. Luke's), a leading U.S. health system serving patients in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. The agreement will enable the ethical application of clinical AI research to improve patient care and accelerate medical research. This agreement represents an important first step in Sensyne's mission of building an international resource for medical research using real world evidence. The St. Luke's dataset covers 2.5 million de-identifed unique patients, from a patient population of approximately one million people across 12 hospitals and over 300 outpatient locations. Consistent with Sensyne's approach with all of its relationships with health systems, this research will be undertaken to the highest standards of information governance and data security and in accordance with The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). All data supplied to Sensyne for research will be de-identified by St. Luke's beforehand, will remain in the U.S., and the provision of the data will operate under an agreed set of data processing procedures. Founded in 1872, St Luke's University Health Network is a fully integrated, regional, non-profit network of more than 16,000 employees providing services at 12 hospital sites and 300 outpatient sites. Dedicated to advancing medical education, St. Luke's is the preeminent teaching hospital in central-eastern Pennsylvania. In partnership with Temple University, St. Luke's established the Lehigh Valley's first and only regional medical school campus. St. Luke's flagship University Hospital has earned the 100 Top Major Teaching Hospital designation from IBM (News - Alert) Watson Health nine times and seven years in a row, including in 2021 when it was identified as the number one 'Teaching Hospital in the Country'. St. Luke's joins 11 National Health Service (NHS) Trusts in the U.K., covering more than 13% of the U.K. population, which hve partnered with Sensyne sharing anonymized clinical datasets to enable the discovery of new treatments, increase disease understanding, and advance clinical trial design. Under the terms of the agreement, St. Luke's will receive 115,541 ordinary shares of 10 pence nominal value ("Ordinary Shares") in Sensyne Health plc subject to receipt of a section 593 valuation report by the company. In addition, St. Luke's will receive 346,621 warrants to subscribe for Ordinary Shares at a subscription price of 10 pence per warrant subject to the achievement of specific performance conditions. From the date of admission to trading, the new ordinary shares will be subject to lock-in and orderly market provisions for 12 months. St. Luke's will receive a royalty on revenues that are generated by Sensyne from the research undertaken under this agreement. Chad Brisendine, VP and Chief Information Officer of St. Luke's said: "At St. Luke's, we are committed to caring not just for the health and physical safety of our patients, but also for the safety and privacy of their information. In an information and data-driven world, we are always looking for ways to lead our industry towards more effective and nuanced approaches to data protection and privacy for patients. Sensyne's ethical model represents the kind of approach we need to embrace to advance our clinical and financial goals while meeting our patients' expectations of us as trusted stewards of their healthcare information." Lord (Paul) Drayson, PhD, CEO of Sensyne Health, said: "We are proud of the results we have achieved to-date in partnership with the U.K.'s National Health Service and we are excited to apply our pioneering partnership model in the United States with a respected leader like St. Luke's. Healthcare data saves lives, and our aim is to build the world's best resource for the ethical use of anonmymized and de-identified patient data for medical research. This new partnership represents an important step towards that goal." About Sensyne Health: https://www.sensynehealth.com/ Sensyne Health plc (LSE: SENS) is a clinical artificial intelligence company operating a unique business model - a for-profit plc making a positive social impact, sharing the financial returns it makes with health systems. The company applies clinical AI in the healthcare and life science industries. In healthcare, Sensyne delivers remote patient monitoring and real-time decision-making systems for healthcare organizations and their patients. In life sciences, Sensyne analyses large complex anonymized data sets to help life sciences companies accelerate the development of new medicines. About St. Luke's University Health Network: https://www.slhn.org/ Founded in 1872, St. Luke's University Health Network is a fully integrated, regional, non-profit network of more than 16,000 employees providing services at 12 hospitals and 300 outpatient sites. With annual net revenue in excess of $2.5 billion, the Network's service area includes 11 counties in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Dedicated to advancing medical education, St. Luke's is the preeminent teaching hospital in central-eastern Pennsylvania. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210521005031/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] University of Phoenix to Host Webinar Panel Discussion About Employer's Role in Supporting Employee's Mental Health and Wellness University of Phoenix will host an employer mental wellness webinar panel, May 26, 2021, from 9-10 a.m. PST. The panel will examine the importance of mental well-being in the workplace and how to create a culture where mental health is as important as physical health. They will also discuss what steps employers need to take to support employees with mental health and wellness services. The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the American workplace in unprecedented ways and has been a cause of increased anxiety and stress for many employees. University of Phoenix recently released the Career Optimism Index study that revealed American workers consider mental health challenges a barrier to career progression. The Index also found when it comes to career advancement, mental wellness was ranked just as important as skills development (37%). Overall, 34% of American workers said mental health impacted their work performance over the past year. Ignoring mental health concerns can hurt an organization's productivity, professional relationships, even the bottom line. But many employees feel uncomfortable sharing their mental health struggles and may be reluctant to get the help they need. Along with the webinar, University of Phoenix will sponsor Emotional Life Skills at Work (ELS), a one-hour online class about mental health and emotional well-being forregistrants of the webinar*. The ELS course was developed by Give an Hour to provide tips and strategies for coping with mental health and wellness challenges in the workplace. The ELS course will be accessible for a full year upon receipt. *Limited registrations available. The webinar will be moderated by Randy Phelps, chief executive officer, Give an Hour. Panelists include: Rebecca Armstrong, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, North Melissa Buffalo, Interim Chief Executive Officer and Deputy Director, American Indian Cancer Foundation Amber Naslund, Principal Content Consultant, LinkedIn Cheryl Naumann, Chief Human Resource Officer, University of Phoenix Laura Lynn Smith, Division Vice President and General Manager, ADP To register for the panel, visit: The Employer's Role in Employee Mental Wellness Tickets, Wed, May 26, 2021 at 9 a.m. | Eventbrite About University of Phoenix University of Phoenix is continually innovating to help working adults enhance their careers in a rapidly changing world. Flexible schedules, relevant courses and interactive learning help students more effectively pursue career and personal aspirations while balancing their busy lives. We serve a diverse student population, offering degree programs at select locations across the U.S. as well as online. For more information, visit phoenix.edu. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210521005085/en/ [May 21, 2021] Singapore Data Center Market Investment Analysis and Growth Opportunities Report 2021-2026: Assessments by Colocation, Hyperscale, and Enterprise Operators DUBLIN, May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Singapore Data Center Market - Investment Analysis and Growth Opportunities 2021-2026" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. Singapore data center market size will witness investments of USD 5 billion by 2026 This report on the Singapore Data Center market offers an elaborative analysis of the existing and upcoming facilities, datacenter investments in terms of IT, electrical, mechanical infrastructure, general construction, and geography. It discusses market sizing and estimation for different segments with respect to the investment in the facilities. According to the Government Technology Singapore, the government spent around USD 3.5 billion on ICT procurement in FY20, focusing on the development of new tech tools to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, the development of citizen- and business-centric digital services, development of ICT systems on the cloud region, modernization of government ICT infrastructure; and application of data analytics, artificial intelligence (AI) and sensors in the public sector. With the internet penetration of 85% and the broadband speed pegged over 200 Mbps, Singapore has the highest average broadband speeds in Southeast Asia. The country accounted for over 40% of the data center area developed in Southeast Asia in 2020. The demand for data centers has also heightened the use of the existing data center capacity (MW) in the market, with colocation service providers witnessed a strong uptake for their data center spaces by existing customers. Cloud service providers and video conferencing service providers have contributed majorly toward colocation uptake archiving. Key Highlights of The Report: Over 30% of organizations have implemented cloud computing in Singapore due to the increased demand for data services from consumers and the growth in connected devices due to the increased demand for data services from consumers and the growth in connected devices The public cloud market spending crossed USD 2 billion in 2020, and is expected to grow significantly during the forecast period in 2020, and is expected to grow significantly during the forecast period Facebook invests in its first self-built facility in Singapore , which is likely to be operational by 2022 , which is likely to be operational by 2022 The Singapore region accounted for over 40% of the data center area developed in Southeast Asia in 2020 region accounted for over 40% of the data center area developed in in 2020 IoT-enabled devices have witnessed a high demand for monitoring and surveillance services with the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, especially in the healthcare sector The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic has increased the demand for data center services owing to the increase in internet-related services and the shift to remote working by organizations The Electricity regulator Energy Market Authority (EMA) plans to import 100 MW of green energy from Malaysia by the end of 2021 to promote the consumption of green energy in Singapore . by the end of 2021 to promote the consumption of green energy in . AWS is building its first renewable power project in the region to generate over 60 MW of power. Fuel cells can be installed in the facilities in Singapore to reduce the OPEX for operators. Singapore Data Center Market Insights In 2020, the implementation of 5G and the increased usage of the internet increased the demand for cloud-based storage solutions among organizations in Singapore Data centers adopt higher bandwidth switchesat the aggregator layer, which includes 40/100 GbE switch ports The demand for SDDs and NVMe SDDs is growing from cloud service providers and managed hosting providers in the country The adoption of (DRUPS) Diesel Rotary Uninterruptible Power Supply systems, including flywheel UPS and diesel generators, is high among the service providers in Singapore The implementation of the carbon tax in the region has prompted data center operators to opt for high-efficient gas generators to reduce carbon emissions. Lithium-ion battery solutions with low CAPEX than traditional VRLA systems are observing high adoption in the facilities. Singapore Data Center Market Insights In 2020, the implementation of 5G and the increased usage of the internet increased the demand for cloud-based storage solutions among organizations in Singapore . . Data centers adopt higher bandwidth switches at the aggregator layer, including 40/100 GbE switch ports. The demand for SDDs and NVMe SDDs is growing from cloud service providers and managed to host providers in the country. The adoption of (DRUPS) Diesel Rotary Uninterruptible Power Supply systems, including flywheel UPS and diesel generators, is high among the service providers in Singapore . . Implementing the carbon tax in the region has prompted data center operators to opt for high-efficient gas generators to reduce carbon emissions. Lithium-ion battery solutions with low CAPEX than traditional VRLA systems are observing high adoption in the facilities. The emergence of nickel-zinc batteries and the high adoption of 48V DC UPS systems will also provide a major boost to the Singapore data center market share. data center market share. Increased deployment of artificial intelligence and machine learning workloads will increase the application of liquid-immersion and direct-to-chip cooling systems. Singapore Data Center Market Vendor Landscape A host of IT infrastructure providers, construction contractors, support infrastructure providers, and investors constitute the Singapore data center market. Vendors are involved a flurry of infrastructure and construction activities. Arista Networks, Broadcom, Cisco Systems, Dell Technologies, Hewlett and Packard Enterprise (HPE) are some of the leading IT infrastructure providers. The market also witnessed the entry of new player Stratus DC Management, which has planned data center development in Singapore. IT Infrastructure Providers Arista Networks Broadcom Cisco Systems Dell Technologies Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) Huawei Technologies IBM Inspur Lenovo MiTAC Holdings NetApp Quanta Cloud Technology Wistron (Wiwynn) Construction Service Providers Arup Group AWP Architects Aurecon Group AECOM Cundall DSCO Group Fortis Construction Faithful+Gould Gammon Construction HDR ( Hurley Palmer Flatt ) ) Kienta Engineering Construction LSK Engineering M+W Group (EXYTE) NTT FACILITIES GROUP PM Group Sato Kogyo Support Infrastructure Providers ABB Bosch Security Systems ( Robert Bosch ) ) Caterpillar Cummins Eaton Fuji Electric HITEC Power Protection KOHLER-SDMO Legrand Mitsubishi Electric Corporation Piller Power Systems Rolls-Royce Power Systems Rittal Schneider Electric Vertiv Group Data Center Investors AirTrunk Operating BDx (Big Data Exchange) Digital Realty Equinix Facebook Iron Mountain NTT Global Data Centers Keppel Data Centres ST Telemedia Global Data Centres The segmentation includes: Existing Vs Upcoming Data Centers Existing Facilities in the region (Area and Power Capacity) South East North List of Upcoming Facilities in the region (Area and Power Capacity) Singapore Data Center Investment Coverage Infrastructure Type IT Infrastructure Electrical Infrastructure Mechanical Infrastructure IT Infrastructure Server Storage Network Electrical Infrastructure Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) Generators Transfer Switches and Switchgears PDUs Other Electrical Infrastructure Mechanical Infrastructure Cooling Systems Rack Cabinets Other Mechanical Infrastructure General Construction Building Development Installation & Commissioning Services Building Design Physical Security DCIM Tier Segments Tier I & Tier II Tier III Tier IV Target Audience Datacenter Real Estate Investment Trusts (REIT) Datacenter Construction Contractors Datacenter Infrastructure Providers New Entrants Consultants/Consultancies/Advisory Firms Corporate and Governments Agencies Why Should You Buy This Research? Market size available in the area, power capacity, investment, and colocation revenue. An assessment of the Singapore data center investment in the market by colocation, hyperscale, and enterprise operators data center investment in the market by colocation, hyperscale, and enterprise operators Data center investments in terms of area (square feet) and power capacity (MW) across cities in the country A detailed study of the existing Singapore data center market landscape, an in-depth industry analysis, and insightful predictions about the Singapore data center market size during the forecast period data center market landscape, an in-depth industry analysis, and insightful predictions about the data center market size during the forecast period Snapshot of existing and upcoming third-party facilities in Singapore Facilities Covered (Existing): 38 Facilities Identified (Upcoming): 4 Coverage: 3 Regions Existing vs Upcoming (Data Center Area) Existing vs Upcoming (IT Load Capacity) Data center colocation market in Singapore Market Revenue & Forecast (2020-2026) Retail Colocation Pricing Wholesale Colocation Pricing For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/khs2iy Media Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager press@researchandmarkets.com For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1904 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/singapore-data-center-market-investment-analysis-and-growth-opportunities-report-2021-2026-assessments-by-colocation-hyperscale-and-enterprise-operators-301296853.html SOURCE Research and Markets [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 21, 2021] Exchange Bank Declares Second Quarter Cash Dividend On May 18, 2021, the Exchange Bank Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $1.20 per share on common stock outstanding to shareholders of record at the close of business on June 4, 2021. The dividend is payable June 18, 2021. The cash dividend is unchanged from the prior quarter's dividend of $1.20 per share. 50.44% of the Bank's cash dividend goes to the Doyle Trust which funds the Doyle Scholarships at the Santa Rosa Junior College. FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION: The following appears in accordance with the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: This press release may contain forward-looking statements about the Company, including descriptions of plans or objectives of its management for future operations, products or services, and forecasts of its revenues, earnings or other measures of economic performance. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. They often include the words "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "intend," "plan," "estimate," or words of similar meaning, or future or conditional verbs such as "will," "would," "should," "could," or "may." Forward-looking statements, by their nature, are subject to isks and uncertainties. A number of factors - many of which are beyond the Company's control - could cause actual conditions, events or results to differ significantly from those described in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. The Company does not undertake to update forward-looking statements to reflect circumstances or events that occur after the date forward looking statements are made. About Exchange Bank Headquartered in Sonoma County and founded in 1890, Exchange Bank is a premier community bank with assets of $3.1 billion. Exchange Bank provides a wide range of personal, commercial and trust and investment services with 18 retail branches in Sonoma County, a commercial branch in Roseville, and trust and investment offices in Santa Rosa, Roseville and Silicon Valley. The Bank's legacy of financial leadership and community support is grounded in its core values of Commitment, Respect, Integrity and Teamwork. Exchange Bank is a 15-time winner of the North Bay Business Journal's (NBBJ) Best Places to Work survey, a recipient of the 2020 North Bay Community Philanthropy Award and the 2020 Healthiest Companies in the North Bay Award. NorthBay biz magazine named Exchange Bank the 2020 Best Consumer Bank and Best Business Bank. The Petaluma People's Choice Awards named Exchange Bank the Best Local bank and the North Bay Bohemian's Best of 2020 Readers Poll named Exchange Bank the Best Business Bank and Best Consumer Bank. Exchange Bank can also be found in the NBBJ's Book of Lists as a leading lender and wealth management advisor-retaining the #1 position in SBA 7(a) lending in Sonoma County for 2020. www.exchangebank.com. Member FDIC - Equal Housing Lender - Equal Opportunity Employer View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210521005051/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-21 05:31:10|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close An Israeli rescue team member works at a site hit by a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip, in Ashkelon, southern Israel, on May 20, 2021. Both Israel and Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip, have accepted an Egyptian-brokered deal to cease fighting at 2 a.m. Friday local time (2300 GMT Thursday) to end the 11-day bloodshed. The heaviest fighting between Israel and Gaza militants since 2014 has so far killed 232 Palestinians, including 65 children and 39 women, and 12 Israelis. (Ilan Assayag/JINI via Xinhua) JERUSALEM/GAZA, May 20 (Xinhua) -- Both Israel and Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip, have accepted an Egyptian-brokered deal to cease fighting at 2 a.m. Friday local time (2300 GMT Thursday) to end the 11-day bloodshed. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office announced that the Israeli security cabinet approved on Thursday night the Egyptian-brokered ceasefire with Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The decision came after a 2.5-hour discussion and was "unanimously" approved by the ministers, according to the office's statement. "The political echelon emphasizes that the reality on the ground will determine the continuation of the military campaign," the statement noted. Hamas politburo chief Ismail Haniyeh was informed of the timing of the truce by Egypt, Hamas spokesman in Gaza Hazem Qassem said. The Egyptian mediator informed Hamas that Israel had agreed to a mutual ceasefire, "and therefore we also agreed to the ceasefire," a Hamas source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity. "We have obtained guarantees from the mediators that the aggression on Gaza will stop," Hamas leader in Lebanon Osama Hamdan told the news website Al Resala. Taher al-Nouno, the media advisor of Haniyeh in Gaza, said the Palestinian armed resistance will be committed to the agreement as long as the Israeli side is. Israel has been launching massive raids on the Palestinian enclave with airstrikes, artillery shellings and drone attacks since May 10, in response to the rockets fired by Palestinian militants in Gaza to retaliate for Israel's violation of the sacred Islamic holy site of Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. This is the heaviest fighting between Israel and Gaza militants since 2014, which has so far killed 232 Palestinians, including 65 children and 39 women, and 12 Israelis. Egypt, which has been leading the international mediation to end the Israeli-Palestinian bloodshed, will send two security delegations to Israel and Palestine to ensure the implementation of the truce, Egypt's official MENA news agency reported Thursday. "Cairo will send two security delegations to Tel Aviv and the Palestinian territories to follow up the implementation procedures," the report said. Enditem [May 21, 2021] Education ERP Market worth $25.2 billion by 2026 - Exclusive Report by MarketsandMarkets CHICAGO, May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- According to a new market research report "Education ERP Market With Covid-19 Analysis by Component (Software, Services), Deployment Type, End User (K-12, Higher Education), Application (Student Management, Academic Management, Finance & Accounting Management), Region Global Forecast to 2026", published by MarketsandMarkets, the market size is projected to grow from USD 12.7 billion in 2021 to USD 25.2 billion by 2026, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 14.7% during the forecast period. The Education ERP Market is gaining traction due to availability of cloud-based ERP solutions, need of automated management to carry out business processes in academic institutions, enhanced performance of administrative modules increasing the need for managing academic processes, and rising enrollments in the higher education sector. Browse in-depth TOC on "Education ERP Market" 225 Tables 50 Figures 211 Pages46 Ask for Report Brochure: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=225190725 Software segment to account for largest market share during the forecast period Software segment accounts for largest market share during the forecast period. Education ERP is an integrated software suite for managing and controlling numerous processes in educational institutions, such as schools, colleges, and universities. The software suite comprising various modules for applications, such as admissions, timetable management, learning management, examinations, fees management, library management, hostel management, payroll, HR, communication, and transport management. The implementation of ERP software in educational institutions facilitates enhanced student-faculty communication, tracking, and better decision-making through real-time data and analytics, convenient access to resources and institutional services, and automation of administrative processes, thereby enabling institutions to provide a digital campus experience for their students. K-12 segment is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period K-12 segment is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. Schools are deploying ERP systems to carry out various administration activities. They are trying to incorporate digital learning methods. They are using learning management system to deliver lessons and upload study materials and assignments. Schools are also offering access to video-based content with augmented and virtual reality, making learning more interactive and engaging. They are nowadays using portals for parent-teacher communication. It allows parents to receive information related to school events, timetable, attendance, results, examinations, homework, and academic progress. Several schools which operate school buses are utilizing the transport module in the school ERP software, which is equally beneficial for schools and parents. It helps schools to manage their school bus routing and trackin and keep a record of the details of the drivers and buses. Academic Management segment is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period Academic Management is expected to exhibit a higher CAGR during the forecast period. Academic management includes designing the teaching pedagogy, course management, setting up timetables, assignment management, and examination management. Education ERP software comes with various modules to automate academic management processes. Learning management system supports the goals of educational institutions by providing a digital classroom experience with innovative teaching methodologies. It offers a collaborative digital workspace enabling faculties to deliver online lectures, share educational resources, and conduct discussions through communication channels. The timetable management module helps schools and colleges of various size to schedule and manage timetables seamlessly. It also automatically allocates a substitute staff to a class during the absence of any faculty. Examinations module help in handling crucial operations, such as scheduling exams, defining grading criteria, setting up question papers, generating hall tickets, conducting proctored online exams, paper evaluation, and final scorecard generation, thereby simplifying the tasks of faculties. The recent shift to remote teaching and learning models is expected to drive the growth of this segment. Speak to Research Expert: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/speaktoanalystNew.asp?id=225190725 APAC is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period APAC is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. APAC is one of the fastest-developing regions in the world and has the largest student population, making the region highly profitable for the Education ERP Market. The region is expected to be the fastest-growing market in the global education ERP software market due to the expansion of the customer base for the education ERP software users and the emerging trend of education ERP hybrid development. Educational institutions in APAC are focusing on the implementation of digital solutions and the encouragement of the use of ERPs to seamlessly integrate key processes of an education institute, which include academic, financial, administrative and infrastructure, and communication. The rising significance of video-based learning in various economies, such as India, China, and Japan, will also contribute to drive the market in the region. Key and innovative vendors in the Education ERP Market include Anubavam (US), Blackbaud (US), Brainvire (US), Edumarshal (India), Ellucian (US), Entab (India), Focus Softnet (UAE), Foradian (India), Infor (US), Jenzabar (US), LIBSYS (India), Lighthouse Info Systems (India), Microsoft (US), Oracle (US), Prolitus (India), Ramco Systems (India), Sage (UK), SAP (Germany), Serosoft (India), Skolaro (India), Sparkrock (US), TCS (India), Tyler Technologies (US), Unit4 (Netherlands), and Workday (US). Browse Adjacent Markets: Software and Services Market Research Reports & Consulting Related Reports: Higher Education Market by Component (Solutions and Services), Solution (Student Information Management System, Content Collaboration, Data Security and Compliance, Campus Management), Deployment Type, Vertical, and Region - Global Forecast to 2025 https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/higher-education-market-192416446.html Cloud ERP Market by Component (Solution and Services), Business Function (Accounting and Finance, Sales and Marketing, and Inventory and Order Management), Industry Vertical, Organization Size, and Region - Global Forecast to 2025 https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/cloud-erp-market-190169866.html About MarketsandMarkets MarketsandMarkets provides quantified B2B research on 30,000 high growth niche opportunities/threats which will impact 70% to 80% of worldwide companies' revenues. Currently servicing 7500 customers worldwide including 80% of global Fortune 1000 companies as clients. Almost 75,000 top officers across eight industries worldwide approach MarketsandMarkets for their painpoints around revenues decisions. Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors. MarketsandMarkets now coming up with 1,500 MicroQuadrants (Positioning top players across leaders, emerging companies, innovators, strategic players) annually in high growth emerging segments. 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Contact: Mr. Aashish Mehra MarketsandMarkets INC. 630 Dundee Road Suite 430 Northbrook, IL 60062 USA: +1-888-600-6441 Email: sales@marketsandmarkets.com Research Insight: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/ResearchInsight/education-erp-market.asp Visit Our Website: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com Content Source: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/PressReleases/education-erp.asp Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/660509/MarketsandMarkets_Logo.jpg [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 21, 2021] Instacart and 7-Eleven Expand Nationally, Unlocking Faster Convenience Delivery SAN FRANCISCO, May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Instacart, the leading online grocery platform in North America, today announced the expansion of its collaboration with 7-Eleven, the world's largest convenience retailer, to nearly 4,000 new stores nationwide. With this expansion, Instacart now delivers from nearly 6,000 7-Eleven stores, reaching nearly 60 million U.S. households across the country. To make it easier for customers to instantly connect to their favorite convenience retailer and get the goods they need, customers also now have access to 7-Eleven delivery via Instacart in as fast as 30 minutes. Today, consumers nationwide can choose from thousands of essential products from 7-Eleven - including pantry staples, household items, alcohol, snacks, over-the-counter medication, and more - to be delivered from the store to their door. With today's announcement, 7-Eleven delivery via Instacart is now available across 33 states and Washington D.C. Customers across seven states - including California, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Missouri, New York and Ohio - and Washington D.C. now also have access to alcohol delivery from 7-Eleven stores in as fast as 30 minutes. The companies plan to scale alcohol delivery to more states and stores over the coming months. "We know the way customers shop for their groceries and goods varies week-by-week. Sometimes people need a full fridge and pantry restock and other times they just need a few things quickly like some snacks for the kids, a bottle of wine for dinner or over-the-counter medication to nurse a headache," said Chris Rogers, Vice President of Retail at Instacart. "As more people turn to Instacart to help put food on their tables, we've seen customer demand for convenience retailers increase over the last year, with convenience orders on Instacart up by more than 350% since last August. To meet this growing demand, we're proud to expand with 7-Eleven to nearly 6,000 stores, and give customers across the country access to thousands of essential goods they can now have delivered often in as fast as 30 minutes." "7-Eleven strives to be the world's leader in convenience, which means giving customers what they want, when, where and how they want it," said 7Eleven Senior Vice President and Head of Digital Raghu Mahadevan. "Customers on Instacart can now benefit from thousands of products to be delivered from a 7-Eleven store to their door in30 minutes or less." Customers can begin shopping from 7-Eleven's broad assortment of convenience products on Instacart by visiting www.instacart.com/711 or opening the Instacart app on their mobile device. An Instacart shopper will pick and deliver the order within the customer's designated time frame either on-demand or scheduled in advance. Customers ordering alcohol via Instacart must be over the age of 21, are required to enter their date of birth at checkout and present a valid government ID at the time of delivery. With the 7-Eleven expansion, Instacart today works with more than 600 beloved national, regional and local retailers, including unique brand names, to deliver from nearly 55,000 stores across more than 5,500 cities in North America. From fresh produce, pantry staples, and convenience essentials to household items, beauty and wellness products, and electronics, Instacart is committed to giving customers access to the goods they need delivered to their door from their favorite retailers. About Instacart Instacart is the leading online grocery platform in North America. Instacart shoppers offer same-day delivery and pickup services to bring fresh groceries and everyday essentials to busy people and families across the U.S. and Canada. Instacart has partnered with more than 600 beloved national, regional and local retailers, including unique brand names, to deliver from nearly 55,000 stores across more than 5,500 cities in North America. Instacart's delivery service is available to over 85% of U.S. households and 70% of Canadian households. The company's cutting-edge enterprise technology also powers the ecommerce platforms of some of the world's biggest retail players, supporting their white-label websites, applications and delivery solutions. Instacart offers an Instacart Express membership that includes reduced service fees and unlimited free delivery on orders over $35. For more information, visit www.instacart.com . For anyone interested in becoming an Instacart shopper, visit https://shoppers.instacart.com/ . About 7-Eleven, Inc. 7-Eleven, Inc. is the premier name in the convenience-retailing industry. Based in Irving, Texas, 7-Eleven operates, franchises and/or licenses more than 77,000 stores in 16 countries and regions, including 16,000 in North America. Known for its iconic brands such as Slurpee, Big Bite and Big Gulp, 7-Eleven has expanded into high-quality sandwiches, salads, side dishes, cut fruit and protein boxes, as well as pizza, chicken wings and mini beef tacos. 7-Eleven offers customers industry-leading private brand products under the 7-Select brand including healthy options, decadent treats and everyday favorites at an outstanding value. Customers can earn and redeem points on various items in stores nationwide through its 7Rewards loyalty program with more than 40 million members, place an order in the 7NOW delivery app in over 1,300 cities, or rely on 7-Eleven for bill payment service, self-service lockers and other convenient services. Find out more online at www.7-Eleven.com , via the 7Rewards customer loyalty platform on the 7-Eleven mobile app, or on social media at Facebook , Twitter and Instagram . View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/instacart-and-7-eleven-expand-nationally-unlocking-faster-convenience-delivery-301296698.html SOURCE Instacart [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 21, 2021] MULTIPOINT Group Signed an Agreement to Distribute Forescout Solutions in Israel and Eastern Europe KEFAR SABA, Israel, May 21, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Multipoint Group , value-added distributor of Cyber Strong Solutions, and Forescout , the leader in Enterprise of Things security, announced an agreement to distribute Forescout solutions in Israel and Eastern Europe. MULTIPOINT Group will work through its distribution channels and sales network to expand Forescout's market share and better protect organizations across the region. Shachar Ratzon has been appointed Regional Forescout Sales Manager to accelerate sales. Leveraging his rich experience, Ratzon will expand Forescout's sales in Israel and deepen the company's presence in Eastern Europe through MULTIPOINTs Group offices in Romania, Serbia, and Greece. Ratzon joins MULTIPOINT Group after more than a decade working for Bezeq International in several sales and product management roles, including Cloud Services Product Manager, Enterprise Customer Portfolio Management, Juniper Networks Product Manager, and Cisco Products Presale. Ratzon brings to MULTIPOINT Group a technological background, including a BSC in Engineerig from Ariel University, military service at a tech unit, and IT industry certifications. Ratzon also holds an MBA in Business Administration from Kiryat Uno Academic College. "Mr. Ratzon's deep understanding of the enterprise needs and challenges is a great fit for promoting high level products of companies like Forescout. A company addressing the challenges of leading enterprises, including banks, national infrastructure companies, and security organizations," said Ricardo Resnik. "The combination of MULTIPOINTs Group distribution network in the EMEA region, and the innovation that Forescout brings to the cyber world, brings great value for all - partners and customers." Shahar Ratzon, Regional Forescout Sales Manager: "It's exciting to work with a company that is at the forefront of innovation in the cyber world," says Shachar Ratzon. "I look forward to bringing complete visibility and control capabilities to organizations across our entire distribution regions." Forescout Technologies, Inc. actively defends the Enterprise of Things by identifying, segmenting, and enforcing compliance of every connected thing. Fortune 1000 companies trust Forescout as it provides the most widely deployed, enterprise-class platform at scale across IT, IoT and OT managed and unmanaged devices. The company's Eyesight solution continuously monitors the network and assesses the configuration, state, and security of connected devices to determine their compliance posture and risk profile. Forescout demonstrated its leadership by publishing a recent study led by Forescout Labs revealing vulnerabilities in TCP / IP protocols that expose hundreds of millions of devices worldwide to threats. The study, named Memoria, has already revealed more than 40 vulnerabilities, including critical ones that allow attackers to control connected devices, including routers, medical equipment, cash registers, home electronics, and more. Forescout's platform expands MULTIPOINTs Group Cyber Strong portfolio allowing Detection, Monitoring , Control, and Protection. MULTIPOINT Group expanded its global operations over the past year by establishing offices in Dubai, Romania, and Serbia, along with its office in Greece. Through the signing of a strategic cooperation agreement with Spanish distribution company Ingecom. Contact: Ricardo Resnik Harashot 12 Kefar Saba Israel 74-701-7027 http://Multipoint-group.com info@multipoint-group.com [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 21, 2021] William H. McRaven Joins Lazard Lazard Ltd (NYSE: LAZ) announced today that William H. McRaven has joined the firm, effective immediately. McRaven, a retired US Navy four-star admiral and former head of the US Special Operations Command, will be a Senior Advisor in the firm's Financial Advisory business. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210521005397/en/ (Photo: Business Wire) "Bill McRaven is one of the world's most respected leaders with a deep, broad and distinctive knowledge of the constantly changing world stage," said Kenneth M. Jacobs, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Lazard. "The combination of his experience and understanding of the global geopolitical environment is a perfect fit with Lazard." "We welcome the ability to offer our clients and bankers access to Bill's invauable perspectives as we navigate the rapidly evolving global landscape together," said Peter R. Orszag, Chief Executive Officer of Financial Advisory, Lazard. Admiral William H. McRaven retired from the US Navy as a four-star admiral in 2014. During his 37-year military career, he commanded special operations forces at every level, eventually taking charge of the US Special Operations Command. His career included service during Desert Storm and both the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. McRaven oversaw Operation Neptune Spear, the raid that killed Osama bin Laden in May 2011. He is currently a professor of National Security, LBJ School of Public Affairs, the University of Texas. From 2015-2018, he was chancellor of the University of Texas system, overseeing 14 institutions with 220,000 students, 20,000 faculty, and over 80,000 health care professionals, researchers and staff. McRaven is a New York Times best-selling author of several books, including Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your LifeAnd Maybe the World; Sea Stories: My Life in Special Operations; and The Hero Code: Lessons Learned from Lives Well Led (April 2021). About Lazard Lazard, one of the world's preeminent financial advisory and asset management firms, operates from more than 40 cities across 25 countries in North America, Europe, Asia, Australia, Central and South America. With origins dating to 1848, the firm provides advice on mergers and acquisitions, strategic matters, restructuring and capital structure, capital raising and corporate finance, as well as asset management services to corporations, partnerships, institutions, governments and individuals. For more information on Lazard, please visit www.lazard.com. Follow Lazard at @Lazard. LAZ_FAPE View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210521005397/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 21, 2021] Astroport Space Technologies, awarded a NASA Technology Research contract for lunar construction SAN ANTONIO, May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Astroport Space Technologies, Inc. was awarded a NASA Phase 1 Small Business Technology Transfer contract (STTR) for development of its lunar regolith melting technology for constructing landing pads on the Moon. Astroport and its research institution partner, The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) will jointly develop technology for an "Induction Furnace-Nozzle for Forming and Placing Lunar Regolith Bricks for Landing Pad Construction". NASA selected 289 small businesses and 47 research institutions to receive Phase I funding for its 2021 SBIR/STTR program . Astroport was one of only four Texas companies selected for this year's STTR program. Astroport Space Technologies, Inc. is a deep tech space start-up with headquarters in San Antonio, Texas. The company was founded in 2020 as a subsidiary of Exploration Architecture Corporation (XArc), also based in San Antonio. Founder and CEO, Sam Ximenes, a San Antonio native and Space Architect said, "With NASA's return to the Moon with outposts and base camps, and commercial ventures for mining and even space tourism we see a market for space civil engineering construction developing within the next decade With this initial small contract we hope to plant the seeds for a San Antonio industry to become known for expertise in space construction processes and manufacturing. We believe San Antonio's heavy construction industry should start positioning now for access to this future market." Ximenes went on to say, "The development of a space economy will not be achieved solely by 'space experts' like aerospace engineers and scientists. There are a number of disciplines required from our community and from around the world that will need to come together. For example, Astroport was recently selected by a South Australian government sponsored space incubator program ( ICC Venture Catalyst ) to develop partnerships with Australian companies that bring expertise in mining excavation and mineral beneficiation processes. Similarly, here in San Antonio our robotics, cyber, and heavy construction industries all go into the mix of knowledge of design and processes needed to support space architecture and construction on planetary surfaces." Astroport's Lunar Regolith Melting and Lunar Regolith Binding stabilization and solidification technologies are used for manufacturing feedstock for lunar construction. Astroport's technology addresses two challenges of space construction: (a) converting indigenous source material (regolith) into durable construction feedstock and (b) robotic emplacement and assembly of the same into surface structures such as landing pads, roads, and habitats. The project research will be conducted at Astroport's R&D laboratories at Tech Port San Antonio and laboratories at UTSA. About Astroport: Astroport Space Technologies Inc. is a space construction and materials manufacturing company turning planetary resources into durable feedstock for autonomous 3D construction printing of lunar surface infrastructure. Headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, Astroport was founded with a vision to design, deploy, and operate interplanetary landing ports to facilitate safe, reliable, and efficient spaceflights to the Moon, Mars and beyond. Astroport currently operates as a technology venture arm of Exploration Architecture Corporation (XArc), a space architecture consulting design and engineering firm established in 2007. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/astroport-space-technologies-awarded-a-nasa-technology-research-contract-for-lunar-construction-301297001.html SOURCE Astroport Space Technologies, Inc. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 21, 2021] Bell Media and Its Partners Receive 48 Awards at the 2021 Canadian Screen Awards Critically acclaimed CTV Original drama TRANSPLANT receives four accolades for its inaugural season, including Best Drama Series and Best Lead Actor, Drama Series for Hamza Haq, and the fourth and final season of CARDINAL is honoured with three awards including Guest Best Guest Performance, Drama Series for Shawn Doyle The first season of Crave's CANADA'S DRAG RACE wins five awards including Best Reality/Competition Program or Series For the second year in a row, CTV's MARY'S KITCHEN CRUSH wins Best Lifestyle Program or Series and Best Host, Lifestyle for series host Mary Berg, and CTV Comedy's CORNER GAS ANIMATED receives back-to-back wins for Best Animated Program or Series CTV NATIONAL NEWS WITH LISA LAFLAMME is recognized once again as Best National Newscast, while W5 takes home Best News or Information Program Films supported by Bell Media take home 19 wins, including Best Motion Picture for Beans, a leading seven Canadian Screen Awards for Blood Quantum, and five for Akilla's Escape To tweet ths release: https://thelede.ca/S7OewI TORONTO, May 21, 2021 /CNW/ - Bell Media congratulates its production partners, team members, and talent on their extraordinary achievements at the 2021 Canadian Screen Awards. With a total of 48 awards across television, digital, and film, Bell Media continues to be recognized for its commitment in championing and creating exceptional and engaging original Canadian content. Delivered through virtual presentations during Canadian Screen Week, Bell Media was honoured with 29 Canadian Screen Awards in the television categories, more than any other private broadcaster. 19 awards went to Bell Media-supported feature films, including a leading seven wins for Blood Quantum, five for Akilla's Escape, and Best Motion Picture for Beans. Several of these titles are available now for streaming on Crave. "We are inspired by the accomplishments of the creatives who continue to produce the very best Canadian series, content, and films," said said Karine Moses, Senior Vice-President, Content Development & News, Bell Media. "We are proud of the industry-leading content that Bell Media and its production partners have produced this year, telling diverse and compelling stories across our news, scripted, factual, reality, and lifestyle programs." To view full press release, click here SOURCE Bell Media [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 21, 2021] Baltic States Data Centre Market Landscape Report 2021-2025 with Profiles of the Data Centre Providers Including Infonet & MCF Data Centre DUBLIN, May 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Baltic States (Estonia - Latvia - Lithuania) Data Centre Landscape - 2021 to 2025" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. This new report considers the growth of Data Centre space, power, pricing for the Baltic region covering Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. The analyst forecasts that the Baltic States (Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania will see a 58% revenue growth over the 4-year period mid-2021 to mid-2025, equivalent to a CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) of 14.4 percent per annum. The report shows the revenues for Cloud and Data Centre Market forecast over the period from the beginning of 2021 to the beginning of 2025 and provides profiles of the Data Centre providers in the Baltic States. About the Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania Data Centre Landscapes There are over twenty Data Centre Providers across the three states hosting in just under 50 facilities. The facilities if compared with for example the Nordics countries, are relatively small with the largest being in Lithuania with a DC space of just over 3,000 m2, followed by Infonet's in Estonia with a space of 1,725 m2. 74% of the DC facilities located in the Baltic States have less than 1,000 m2 of Data Centre Space. There is an investment in the region with the MCF Data Centre facility in Estonia to become the largest facilit in the region currently under construction and is due to be completed by the end of 2021 with up to 14,000 m2 of Data Centre raised floor when built out. Key Topics Covered: Estonia Data Centre Landscape Estonia Data Centre Summary Estonia - Digital Statistics Summary - Digital Statistics Summary A simplified map of Estonia The key sub-sea cable systems connecting Estonia The key domestic fibre networks available in Estonia The Key third-party Data Centre Providers & Facilities in Estonia The Key Data Centre Provider Profiles in Estonia Estonia Data Centre space forecast Estonia Data Centre power in kWH The key Data Centre Clusters in Estonia Estonia Data Centre Pricing Forecast Estonia Data Centre Revenue Forecast Estonia Public Cloud Revenue Forecast The key trends for the Estonia Data Centre market Estonia Data Centre Outlook The Data Centre Landscape in Latvia Data Centre Summary Digital Statistics Summary The key sub-sea cable systems connecting Latvia The key domestic fibre providers in Latvia The key third-party Data Centre Providers & Facilities in Latvia The key Latvian Data Centre Provider Profiles Latvia Data Centre Space Forecast Latvia Data Centre Power Forecast Latvia Data Centre Power in kWH The key Data Centre Clusters in Latvia Latvia Data Centre Pricing in Latvia A Data Centre Revenue Forecast in Latvia A Public Cloud Revenue Forecast in Latvia The Key Trends for the Latvia Data Centre Market Latvia Data Centre Outlook Lithuania Data Centre Landscape Data Centre Summary Lithuania Digital Statistics Summary The key sub-sea cable systems connecting Lithuania The key domestic fibre networks in Lithuania The key third-party Data Centre Providers & Facilities in Lithuania The key Data Centre Provider Profiles in Lithuania Lithuania Data Centre Space Forecast Lithuania Data Centre Power Forecast Lithuania Data Centre Power in kWH The key Data Centre Clusters in Lithuania Lithuania Data Centre Pricing A Data Centre Revenue Forecast for Lithuania A Public Cloud Revenue Forecast for Lithuania Companies Mentioned Infonet MCF Data Centre For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/ppro3n Media Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager press@researchandmarkets.com For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/baltic-states-data-centre-market-landscape-report-2021-2025-with-profiles-of-the-data-centre-providers-including-infonet--mcf-data-centre-301296913.html SOURCE Research and Markets [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 21, 2021] Newsweek Highlights Bermuda in Its Newest Country Reports Feature Bermuda was featured in Newsweek's latest country report as part of the outlet's 'live and work' series. The report covers Bermuda's efforts to relaunch its tourism sector and build a future-proof economy through the convergence of innovative technologies and financial services. The report will be published in the international version of Newsweek in over 55 countries and will be live on Newsweek.com. The report features commentary from government and business leaders, including Bermuda's Premier the Hon. E. David Burt, JP, MP; Finance Minister, The Hon. Curtis L. Dickinson, JP, MP; Bermuda Business Development Agency (BDA) CEO Roland Andy Burrows; BDA Chairman Stephen Weinstein; Bermuda Monetary Authority (BMA) Deputy CEO Craig Swan; and AXIS Capital CEO Albert Benchimol. The report includes 21 interviews that highlight the strength of Bermuda's business industry and economy and details the strategies the country has employed to direct the economy in a post-pandemic society. Mr. Burrows said, "In this special report, readers will learn how Bermuda is a safe and stable jurisdiction with a pro-business environment that embraces innovation. Through initiatives such as the Economic Investment Certificate (EIC) and the Bermuda tech summit, Bermuda has crafted various options for business leaders around the world to experience the Bermuda difference and to do business here. The BDA remains committed to supporting business development in Bermuda and advocating internationally on Bermuda's behalf, positioning it as the jurisdiction of choice to do business, especially climate risk finance." Newsweek's live and work series examines the world's most successful citizen by investment programmes and explores the global talent migration phenoenon. Through its EIC and Work from Bermuda Certificate initiatives, Bermuda has attracted professionals and high net worth individuals to relocate to and work from Bermuda. The jurisdiction's thriving business sector, innovative and sophisticated culture, and beautiful natural setting make for an ideal living and working environment, further cementing Bermuda as a top business destination. The Hon. Curtis L. Dickinson, JP, MP, Bermuda's Minister of Finance said, "For those who are looking to start a business here, whether it's in the insurance/reinsurance industry, or any other industry, they can hit the ground running fairly easily. Bermuda is not only a safe place to work from, we are a jurisdiction that has built our reputation for being a place that does good business with good people. "The government, the regulator and industry have a fantastic and long-standing relationship of collaborating. These three stakeholders are all located within one mile of each other; enabling people to get together to get things done. For me, there is no better place in the world to have a successful career and raise a family." Erica Smith, Executive Director, Bermuda Economic Development Corporation (BEDC) said, "Bermuda's proximity to the United States makes our Island a perfect jurisdiction to conduct business or to vacation. We have a preeminent banking and insurance industry and an infrastructure that lends itself to easy access to imported goods. Bermuda can be considered one of the most beautiful places in the world, which creates an attractive environment for visitors and those considering relocating here for work." Arthur Wightman, Territory Leader, PWC Bermuda, said, "This is a very innovative and dynamic place, and at the same time, well-regulated. That gives investors the confidence to raise billions of dollars of capital in Bermuda. This symbiosis between the commercial and regulatory landscapes allows agility, speed to market and customer responsiveness and at the same time global regulatory excellence. This fosters a solution-oriented approach to some of the world's largest protection gap challenges all under the regulatory incubation setting championed by the Bermuda Monetary Authority." To view the Bermuda Newsweek country report, click here. CONNECTING BUSINESS The BDA encourages direct investment and helps companies start up, re-locate or expand their operations in our premier jurisdiction. An independent, public-private partnership, we connect you to industry professionals, regulatory officials, and key contacts in the Bermuda government to assist domicile decisions. Our goal? To make doing business in Bermuda smooth and beneficial. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210521005505/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 21, 2021] Compass Health Achieves Major Broadway Campus Redevelopment Milestones: Celebrates Virtual Grand Opening for Phase One and $14 Million in State Funding for Phase Two This month, Compass (News - Alert) Health marks two significant milestones in its Broadway Campus Redevelopment project, a state-of-the-art regional center to support behavioral health needs across Northwest Washington. Its phase one permanent supportive housing facility officially opened on Friday, May 21, following the May 18 approval of $14 million in state capital funding to support its phase two facility for intensive behavioral health services. "Today, we're two transformative steps closer to our goal of enabling individuals to receive innovative, evidence-based care in their communities, helping to prevent escalation to inpatient care and easing the burden on local hospitals, law enforcement and homeless services," said Tom Sebastian, Compass Health president and CEO. "We're honored that our state legislators, Governor Inslee, and our community as a whole have rallied behind us to support this shared vision." With the phase one grand opening coming on the heels of the phase two funding, the project is delivering solutions for some of the region's most pressing challenges by expanding housing and access to intensive services for community members with behavioral health needs. During the phase one virtual grand opening ceremony, Compass Health invited community members to see the inside of the phase one building, including its 82 units of supportive housing for homeless and low-income residents who have access to behavioral health services. As part of the ceremony, Sebastian narrated a building walkthrough, accompanied by remarks from U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell of Washington, U.S. Representative Rick Larsen, Washington State Senator June Robinson, Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers, Everett Mayor Cassie Franklin, Executive Director of the Washington State House Finance Commission Steve Walker, and Compass Health Board Chair Jonalyn Woolf-Ivory. The video walkthrough and other project details are available for viewing on the Broadway Redevelopment page of Compass Health's website. The facility's residents will include eligible veterans who are experiencing homelessness, under the Housing Authority of Snohomish County's VASH (Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing) Voucher program; community members experiencing homelessness referred by Investing in Futures, Snohomish County's Coordinated Entry process; and individuals transitioning back into the community from Western State Hospital and other treatment settings. About one-third of the project's 10,000-square-foot ground floor is dedicated to services including mental health treatment, peer support, homeless outreach and hosing stabilization. "Permanent supportive housing is a known and proven solution for people experiencing chronic behavioral health issues in their lives," said Washington State Senator June Robinson, who is also a member of Compass Health's Campaign Executive Committee. "These are our friends and neighbors who want to live in community, and this facility will support that by providing a permanent roof over their heads as well as support services so that folks can recover and feel safe and stable." Phase one is just the first step of the three-phase project. The recently approved $14 million in the state's capital budget supports the design and construction of phase two: an advanced facility for intensive behavioral health services to replace Compass Health's 70-year-old Bailey Center building on Broadway Avenue. The 82,000-square-foot building will accommodate one 16-bed evaluation and treatment unit and one 16-bed crisis stabilization unit, and will house a range of crisis, triage and high-frequency intensive services. These programs include The Program for Assertive Community Treatment (PACT), which is a wraparound, evidence-based intensive outpatient treatment program designed to assist adults with severe and persistent behavioral health disorders; and Adult Intensive Outpatient Services Program (IOP), which serves individuals with severe and persistent behavioral health disorders whose needs are better met with more frequent contact and outreach. The facility will also add the Expanded Community Support (ECS) program, which provides enhanced services to support adults and older adults who require placement in adult family homes or skilled nursing facilities, but who have difficulty maintaining their placement due to significant mental health needs. The 16-bed inpatient evaluation and treatment unit will allow Compass Health to serve an additional 250 clients annually in the most acute setting outside of a psychiatric hospital. This will amount to more than 5,000 days of total care where clients can remain in their community-an approach that facilitates family visits, seamless care coordination efficient transition to after-care. In total, the facility is estimated to provide 30,587 points of service to approximately 1,500 adults each year. As part of the community safety net, these services ultimately alleviate the pressure on other law enforcement and community responders, helping clients avoid jail and hospital emergency department. The state-of-the-art facility will also impact neighbors and local businesses as part of the efforts to transform the aesthetic of Everett's core. "With phase two, we are creating a purpose-built facility that reflects the exceptional quality, sophistication and respectfulness of our intensive behavioral health services - a dynamic that will benefit every single member of our community," said Tom Kozaczynski, Compass Health's chief development and communications officer. "Individuals from all backgrounds across the region will access our services as a turning point to recovery, and this has a range of benefits including enabling hospitals and first responders to focus on their core roles rather than managing complex behavioral health needs. Ultimately, phase two - like the entire campus - will serve as a direct resource for our community members and partners across Northwest Washington." Additionally, phase two represents a key part of the region's economic stimulus, creating an estimated 150 to 200 jobs during design and construction and employing 130 behavioral health and medical professionals long-term. Phase three of the campus redevelopment, still in the early design stages, is projected to focus on integrating behavioral health services with a primary healthcare clinic and pharmacy, in addition to supporting other services. "Compass Health has long served as one of the region's foremost community behavioral health providers, and this project is just another example of their innovative approach to ensuring a full continuum of care," said Jonalyn Woolf-Ivory, Compass Health board chair and recently retired Sno-Isle Libraries executive director. "Celebrating the grand opening of the permanent supportive housing facility, coupled with the support from the state, is further testament to the organization's commitment to leading by example and transforming care region-wide." Compass Health hopes to continue its legacy of advocacy throughout the three stages of the project. "We're excited to share these significant milestones with our community, and the feedback from our state leaders confirms that we are on the right path to make a positive impact on the lives of the people we serve," said Sebastian. "What started as a plan for transforming care in the region has manifested in a new building to address housing needs and substantial next steps for executing the other project phases - the best part is that we're just getting started." For project updates, visit the Compass Health Broadway Campus Redevelopment here: www.compasshealth.org/broadwayredevelopment. About Compass Health Compass Health is Northwest Washington's behavioral healthcare leader. A community-based healthcare agency, Compass Health integrates behavioral health and medical care services to form a key section of the community safety net and serve clients and others in need of care and support. From comprehensive mental health treatment to crisis prevention and intervention, supportive housing, children's services, community education and much more, the non-profit organization serves people of all ages throughout Snohomish, Skagit, Island, San Juan, and Whatcom counties. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210521005510/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [May 21, 2021] Schlichter Bogard & Denton Reaches $13 Million Settlement on Behalf of Columbia University Employees in 403(b) Excessive Fee Case Schlichter Bogard & Denton, LLP, a leading national law firm based in St. Louis, today filed a preliminary settlement approval motion on behalf of Columbia University ("Columbia") employees and retirees in their suit against the university involving their 403(b) retirement plan. The plaintiffs in the case, filed in August 2016, sued for alleged breach of fiduciary duty under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act ("ERISA"). The settlement terms include the creation of a $13 million settlement fund for the plaintiffs, as well as substantial non-monetary relief involving changes in the 403(b) plan. The complaint, Cates, et al. v. Trustees of Columbia University, et al., was filed in the U.S. District Court in the Southern District of New York and was scheduled to be one of the first cases to go to trial in that federal court since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The case was part of a group of cases filed by Schlichter Bogard & Denton, which were the first 403(b) cases ever filed alleging excessive fees under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act ("ERISA"). The complaint alleged, among other things, that Columbia breached its fiduciary duties by causing plan participants to pay excessive fees for administrative and investment services. Columbia has denied it committed any fiduciary breach in its operation of the plan. After the lawsuit was filed, the Columbia fiduciaries consolidated the plans' administrative services and capped costs to a lat, per-participant fee, returning excess revenue to the plan participants. Columbia has agreed, with consent of an independent consultant, to request competitive bids for administrative services again in the next 3-4 years. Columbia has also agreed to maintain the lowest share class of plan investments in annuities and mutual funds, to continue to use an independent consultant to make recommendations, to prohibit the recordkeeper from using confidential information obtained from plan participants to sell other investment and wealth management services, and to ensure all participants are informed of their ability to move assets out of frozen investment options. Schlichter Bogard & Denton will monitor compliance with these terms for a three-year period. "We are pleased that this settlement, which came on the eve of trial, includes both monetary and non-monetary relief for plan participants, including financial compensation and significant non-monetary improvements to the plan going forward. These key changes will enable Columbia employees and retirees to build their retirement assets for many years to come," said Jerry Schlichter, founding and managing partner of Schlichter Bogard & Denton, attorneys for the plaintiffs. Recognized as pioneers in ERISA litigation, Schlichter Bogard & Denton filed the first cases alleging excessive fees in 401(k) and 403(b) plans. In 2009, the firm won the first full trial of a 401(k) excessive fee case against ABB. The firm also handled Tibble v. Edison, the first and only 401(k) excessive fee case to be argued before the United States Supreme Court. In that case, the firm won in 2015 a landmark unanimous 9-0 decision in which both the AARP and the Solicitor General wrote supporting briefs for the plaintiffs. Federal judges have referred to both Jerry Schlichter and his firm as "preeminent" in the field of 401(k) fee litigation and as not only demonstrating "extraordinary skill and determination," but also making "a significant, national contribution." Moreover, federal judges have lauded that Mr. Schlichter and the firm "educated plan administrators, the Department of Labor, [and] the courts" about fees and fiduciary obligations. Finally, federal judges have described Mr. Schlichter as a "private attorney general" who has had a "humongous effect" in causing fees to come down by over $2 billion annually in the entire 401(k) industry. Copyright 2021, Schlichter Bogard & Denton, LLP. All rights reserved. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210521005532/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-21 06:20:18|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close People walk near the headquarters of the European Commission in Brussels, Belgium, May 19, 2021. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong) EU member states are now encouraged to waive testing or quarantine for third-country travellers who have received the last dose of a vaccine approved by the European Medicines Agency. The drugs regulator has so far greenlighted four vaccines -- Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson. BRUSSELS, May 20 (Xinhua) -- The European Union (EU) recommended on Thursday to open its external borders to non-essential travel into the bloc if travellers have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19. The Council of the EU, representing the 27 member states, adopted a recommendation that eases the COVID-19 restrictions for non-EU travellers whose origin countries report no more than 75 cases per 100,000 inhabitants over the last 14 days. Before the criteria were updated on Thursday, the upper limit was 25 cases. EU member states are now encouraged to waive testing or quarantine for third-country travellers who have received the last dose of a vaccine approved by the European Medicines Agency. The drugs regulator has so far greenlighted four vaccines -- Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson. A train runs through a residential area in Brussels, Belgium, May 18, 2021. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong) EU countries could also lift the restriction on non-essential travel to those who have received the last recommended dose of a vaccine on the list of the World Health Organization for emergency use. An emergency brake mechanism is created, and reciprocity should be taken into account case by case, said the EU Council. The decision was made on the basis of a proposal presented by the European Commission in early May, which aims to salvage the bloc's tourism industry as vaccination campaigns are progressing worldwide. A woman waits at the exit of Vienna International Airport in Austria on May 19, 2021. (Photo by Georges Schneider/Xinhua) Also on Thursday, the EU Council reached a provisional agreement with the European Parliament on the introduction of a COVID-19 certificate system that can facilitate the free movement within the bloc. The commonly recognized digital certificate will be able to prove a traveller is fully vaccinated, or tests negative, or has recovered from the infection, and the holder of the certificate is thus free of travel restrictions. The system is supposed to be temporarily in place for 12 months. A vote on the proposition is expected to take place at the parliament's plenary in June. NASHVILLE Tennessee insurance consumers will gain new protections for their personal, medical and financial information with the recent passage by the Tennessee General Assembly of the Insurance Data Security Law. Signed by Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, the law takes effect July 1, 2021. I want to thank Governor Bill Lee and the members of the General Assembly for the swift passage of this important legislation which represents an important step forward in helping Tennessee address cybersecurity threats in the insurance industry, said TDCI Commissioner Carter Lawrence. The law modernizes, defines and toughens existing security measures that Tennessee insurance carriers must take to protect consumer information. Under the new law, insurance carriers must: Identify internal or external threats that could result in unauthorized access, transmission, disclosure, misuse or destruction of consumers private information. Develop, implement and maintain an information security program based on its individual risk assessment with a designated employee in charge of the information security program. Investigate any cybersecurity breach and notify the Insurance Commissioner of a cybersecurity event if the licensee is a domiciled insurer or if more than 250 Tennesseans are impacted. Spearheaded by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), the creation of model legislation that formed the basis for Tennessees law was created with the input of national regulators after a succession of data breaches exposed millions of Americans personal information. The NAIC made cybersecurity and consumer data protection top priorities. The model legislation was the result of a two year collaborative process that resulted in a model law that could be adopted by various states. Tennessees adoption of the bill is critical for the Commissioner and the Department to have the tools they need to better protect Tennesseans sensitive consumer information, said Assistant Commissioner for Insurance Bill Huddleston. In an effort to raise greater awareness among consumers about cybersecurity, TDCI reminds consumers to familiarize themselves with the NAICs Cybersecurity Consumer Protections. Questions about your insurance policy or need to file a complaint? Contact the TDCI team at 1-800-342-4029 or 615-741-2218. Visit us online to file a complaint. ### DISTRICT 27 CLAY COUNTY SR-53 bridge repair over Dry Fork Creek (LM 1.3) and Mill Creek (LM 2.5): The contractor will continue work on Phase 2 and the southbound lane will remain open. The northbound lane will remain closed and a temporary signal system will be used to facilitate the flow of traffic through the work zone. Motorists are encouraged to use caution and be prepared to stop while approaching the work zones located at LM 1.35 and 2.50. RESTRICTIONS: Loads wider than 11' should seek alternate route. [Mid-State Construction Company, Inc./Moore/CNU198] CLAY COUNTY SR-52 resurfacing from SR-53 (LM 20.6) to west of Poor House Road (LM 23.6): The contractor is continuing work on resurfacing SR 52. As work proceeds, the contractor will shut down one lane in each direction of SR 52 and will utilize advanced warning signs and traffic control devices to direct traffic to the proper lane to travel through the work zone. Motorists are encouraged to obey the posted speed limit and be cautious while traveling through the work zone. [Asphalt Paving Systems, Inc./Moore/CNV005] CLAY COUNTY SR-53 resurfacing from near the Obey River (LM 9.0) to the Kentucky State line (LM16.6): The contractor will resume work on resurfacing SR 53 from LM 9.0 to LM 16.6. As work proceeds, the contractor will shut down one lane of SR 53 and will utilize flaggers and advanced warning signs to control the flow of traffic through the work zone. Motorists are encouraged to obey the posted speed limit and be cautious while traveling through the work zone. [Asphalt Paving Systems, Inc./Moore/CNV005] CLAY AND JACKSON COUNTY SR-135 and SR-151 resurfacing in Clay County and on SR-151 in Jackson County: The contractor will continue work on resurfacing SR 135 and SR 151. As work proceeds, the contractor will close one lane of traffic at a time. Advanced warning signs and flaggers will be utilized to allow for the flow of traffic through the work zone. Motorists are encouraged to use caution and obey posted speed limit. [Hudson Construction Company/Moore/CNU139] CUMBERLAND COUNTY I-40 repair of the bridges over SR-1 (US-70) at MM 328.5: Eastbound I-40 near MM 328 is reduced to one lane 24/7 to allow bridge repair over SR-1 (US-70) at Crab Orchard, TN. During this period, westbound I-40 may be reduced to one lane 24/7 to continue bridge repair. The contractor has installed a portable smart work zone system to assist motorists. However, delays can be expected. SR-1 (US-70) will be reduced to one lane with traffic signals near LM 24 at Crab Orchard, TN for bridge repair. Motorists should exercise caution and pay attention to the temporary traffic signals as they travel through the work zone. RESTRICTIONS: Loads over 16 feet wide on eastbound I-40 should seek an alternate route. [Mid-State Construction Company, Inc./Bradley/CNU145] CUMBERLAND COUNTY I-40 resurfacing from the SR-101 ramp (MM 321) to east of SR-1 (US-70) (MM 329): During this period, the contractor will have lane closures both eastbound and westbound on I-40 at Daddy's Creek Bridges in Cumberland County (near mm 326). This work involves repairing the epoxy overlay on the bridges and will require one lane to be closed in each direction 24 hours a day. Work is expected to be complete by Friday May 28, 2021. [Rogers Group, Inc./Bradley/CNT364] CUMBERLAND COUNTY SR-28 (US-127) bridge construction and paving from north of I-40 (LM 17.8) to near Potato Farm Road (LM 22.7): Construction signs have been installed with erosion control and clearing activities in progress. Motorists should use caution while traveling through the work zone. [Jones Bros. Contractors, LLC/Bradley/CNV009] CUMBERLAND COUNTY SR-1 (US-70) paving near Arthur Seagraves Road (LM 2.5) to near Woodridge Lane (LM 6): The contractor will be performing safety-related construction activities that may require lane closures on SR-1 (US-70) between Arthur Seagraves Road and Woodbridge Lane. Construction signs will be installed, and flaggers will be present to direct traffic when needed. [Rogers Group, Inc./Bradley/CNU919] CUMBERLAND COUNTY SR-101 (Peavine Road) grading, drainage, and paving from Firetower Road to Westchester/Catoosa Boulevard: Motorists should use caution while driving along Peavine Road and be alert for changes in traffic patterns. The posted speed limit has been reduced from 45 MPH to 35 MPH within the work zone. The existing speed limit within Fairfield Glade remains at 30 MPH. Temporary lane closures and/or traffic stoppages may be needed as paving, traffic signal work, and other construction activities continue. Motorists should reduce speed on Peavine Road and be alert for construction personnel/equipment entering and exiting the roadway. [Rogers Group, Inc./Bradley/CNQ921] DEKALB COUNTY SR-96 (DALE RIDGE RD.) TDOT Maintenance eastbound from LM 11.0 to LM 11.2: SR-96 is reduced to one lane with temporary signals from LM 11.0 to 11.2. This will remain in effect until slope stabilization work completion. DEKALB AND WARREN COUNTY SR-56 construction of bridges and paving from south of Warren-Dekalb county line (LM 24.5) to East Bryant St. (LM 2.9): The contractor will continue installing concrete box culverts and drainage structures. Grade work, bridge work, paving operations, and utility work on the new roadway alignment are ongoing. Traffic is still using the existing SR-56; however, motorists are advised to use caution and watch for construction equipment adjacent to roadway. Flaggers may be present to move equipment across roadway, unload equipment, or complete utility work. The contractor currently performing grade work inside Smithville City Limits between Dearman Street and East Bryant Street. A traffic shift in this area will remain to allow contractor to complete work. A diversion remains in place for Williams Road to allow contractor to construct new alignment. The speed limit has been reduced to 45 mph in the construction zone. Motorists should use caution in this area and watch for flaggers and construction equipment. [Jones Bros. Contractors, LLC/Harris/CNT011] FENTRESS COUNTY SR-85 rock fall mitigation at LM 3.8: The contractor continues working on the rock fall mitigation located at LM 3.8. During this work, a signed detour route will remain in place to allow traffic to bypass the work area. The closure will remain in effect during the entire project; the estimated completion date is 05/30/21. [J and M Grading Division, LLC/Moore/CNU276] FENTRESS AND OVERTON COUNTY SR-85 emergency slide repairs at various locations: The contractor continues work near LM 21.0 in Overton County on SR 85. During this work, the roadway will be completely closed, and a signed detour route will be in place to allow motorists to bypass the work zone. The estimated project completion date is 05/28/21. [Wright Brothers Construction Company, Inc./Moore/CNT154] PUTNAM COUNTY SR-24 (MONTEREY HWY.) Utility Work northbound from LM 33.53 to LM 36.37: single lane closure between Bee Rock Road and West Bishop Avenue. Signage, flaggers, and barrels will be present. Motorists should use caution through the area and be aware of personnel and equipment between 8 AM and 4 PM beginning 04/08/21 through 05/26/21. [2020-311] PUTNAM COUNTY SR-135 (Burgess Falls Road) grading, drainage, signals and paving at the intersection of West Cemetery Road (LM 6.6): Brief stoppages in traffic should be expected during daytime hours as the contractor works near the roadway. Motorist are advised to use caution and be alert to all construction signage while traveling through the work zone. [Rogers Group, Inc./James/CNU270] PUTNAM COUNTY SR-24 (US-70N) slide repair near LM 30.1: The contractor has installed barrier rail and began excavation work. Traffic will be reduced to one lane and controlled by temporary traffic signals at each end of the project. Be prepared to stop when traveling through the work zone. [Rogers Group, Inc./James/CNU359] WHITE COUNTY SR-1 (E. BOCKMAN WAY) both directions from LM 13.2 to LM 14.7 for slope stabilization: Roadway is reduced to one lane from LM 13.2 to 14.7. The westbound lane is shifted from LM 14.4 to 14.7. This will remain in effect until slope stabilization work completion, which is anticipated to be 5/21/21. Sunset Rock will be closed for the duration. [TDOT/Maintenance/MAINT] DISTRICT 28 BLEDSOE COUNTY SR-30 (STATE HWY. 30) Utility Work both directions from LM 0.05 to LM 10.32: Mobile lane closure along SR-30 between SR-30 and SR-127 intersection and the Bledsoe County line. Signage, flaggers, and cones will be present, motorists should be aware of personnel and equipment between 9 AM and 2 PM between 03/15/21 through 06/15/21. [2020-408] BLEDSOE COUNTY SR-30 slope stabilization at LM 12.5: Roadway is reduced to one lane. Traffic is controlled by signals. [TDOT/Miner/MAINT] BLEDSOE COUNTY SR-28 (US-127) paving from north of Harvey Lewis Drive (LM 21.8) to the Cumberland County line (LM 29): The contractor will begin working on US 127 (S.R. 28) from Harvey Lewis Drive to the Cumberland County Line starting the week of May 24th. The roadway will be reduced to one lane controlled by a flagging operation when workers are present. Please use caution when traveling through the area. [Asphalt Paving Systems, Inc./Voiles/CNV002] BLEDSOE COUNTY SR-30 bridge repair over the Sequatchie River (LM 10.36): The contractor will be working on SR-30 on the bridge over the Sequatchie River. The road will be reduced to one lane controlled by a traffic signal while repairs are made. Please use caution when traveling through the area. [Jamison Construction, LLC/Voiles/CNV003] COFFEE COUNTY I-24 TDOT Maintenance westbound from MM 111 to MM 109: A lane closure set up by maintenance for floating in the I-24 WB #2 lane will be used to pave 2 short locations between MM 111 and 109. One work zone will be set up to cover both locations. Date: Thursday 5/20/2021 Starting time: will start setting out signs at 6 PM Stopping time: when the jobs are completed - estimated time 11 AM to 1 AM. Location #1: MM 110.8-110.6 #2 lane and I-24 WB Exit 111 on ramp acceleration lane. Ramp closure - Due to safety, the 111 WB on ramp will need to be closed for 1-3 hours to safely pave location #1. Once location #1 is complete, the work zone will be changed to open the on-ramp ASAP. The ramp is estimated to be closed for 1-3 hours. Location #2: MM 109.7-109.5 #2 lane and shoulder. COFFEE COUNTY SR-55 (WILSON AVE.) TDOT Contractor both directions from LM 1.9 to LM 2.6: During this reporting period, the contractor will intermittently close shoulders and the far-right travel lane during daylight hours to operate utility excavation equipment. This will begin on Tuesday 05/25/21 and continue through Thursday 05/27/21. Motorists should proceed with caution through the area and be aware of signage, personnel, and equipment. COFFEE COUNTY SR-2 (US-41) resurfacing from near I-24 (LM16.8) to near Old Hillsboro Highway (LM 21.5): During this reporting period this project is in the final stages, contractor will be installing the delineators followed by inspections and addressing any possible punch list items. Work may be possible each day 7AM to 7PM. Motorists are advised to use caution while traveling through the work zone and be alert of all signage, traffic control devices, personnel, and equipment. The road may be reduced to one lane to accommodate the work being performed; safety personnel will be present. [Volunteer Paving, LLC/Hussein/CNV008] COFFEE COUNTY SR-55 safety improvements from Belmont Road (LM 10) to Bowling Alley Road (LM 10.2) in Manchester: Weather Permitting, the contractor will be implementing a lane reduction daily between the hours of 7AM and 7PM to support project excavation work followed by paving installation of new turning lanes. Motorists should proceed with caution through the area and be aware of signage, personnel, and equipment. [Rogers Group, Inc./Hussein/CNU316] GRUNDY COUNTY SR-56 Utility Work both directions from LM 20.19 to LM 25.69: Mobile lane closures along SR-56 from the intersection of SR-56 and SR-108 to the intersection of SR-56 and Store Door Road. Motorists should use caution and be aware of personnel and equipment when traveling through the work zones. Signage, cones, and flaggers will be present between 7 AM to 4 PM starting 08/31/20 through 05/31/21. [2020-440] GRUNDY COUNTY SR-56 slide repair between LM 26.3 and LM 26.6: The road will remain one lane controlled by a temporary traffic signal while contractor completes slide repairs in the area. Motorists should use caution in the area and watch for flaggers and equipment. [Dement Construction Company, LLC/Harris/CNU355] MARION COUNTY I-24 westbound MM 166 to MM 167 slope stabilization: Right Shoulder closure from mile 167 to 166.4 West bound direction of I-24. Traffic Control signs are installed notifying of the shoulder closure. [GeoStabilization International, LLC /Miner/MAINT] MARION COUNTY SR-27 (US-HWY. 72) TDOT Bridge Maintenance northbound at LM 3.95: Bridge Maintenance will be repairing the joint at the bridge on SR-27 over Battle Creek at MM 3.95 on Wednesday, 5/26/21 from 8 am until 3 pm. Traffic control will be in place for this project. SEQUATCHIE COUNTY SR-28 (HWY. 28) Utility Work both directions at LM 4.17: Lane closures on SR-28 between Little Ponderosa Trail and Wilson Road. Motorists should use caution and be aware of personnel and equipment when traveling through the work zones. Signage, cones, and flaggers will be present between 9 AM to 2 PM starting 05/04/21 through 05/26/21. [2021-282] SEQUATCHIE COUNTY SR-8 (US-127) repair of bridge over the Sequatchie River (LM 12.7): The contractor will be working on SR-8 on the bridge over the Sequatchie River. The road will be reduced to one lane controlled by a traffic signal while repairs are made. Please use caution when traveling through the area. [Southern Constructors, Inc./Voiles/CNU148] VANBUREN COUNTY SR-111 resurfacing from Sequatchie County line (LM 0) to north of Feedstore Drive (LM 12.5): The contractor has begun resurfacing operations on SR-111 from the Sequatchie County line to Log mile 12.51 in Van Buren. One lane will be closed while resurfacing operations are taking place. Please use caution when traveling through the area. [Strawser Construction, Inc./Voiles/CNU298] DISTRICT 29 BRADLEY COUNTY SR-2 (S. LEE HWY.) Utility Work northbound from LM 8.21 to LM 8.44: Lane closures between Grove Ave NW and Harrison Pike. Signage, flaggers, and cones will be present. Motorists should use caution through the area and be aware of personnel and equipment for nighttime and daytime work between 8 PM and 6 AM and 9 am to 2 pm Monday- Friday with an estimated completion 06/30/21. [2020-423/424] BRADLEY COUNTY SR-74 (OCOEE ST. N.E.) Utility Work both directions from LM 16.26 to LM 16.88: Shoulder and single lane closure between Westview Drive NW and Keith Street NW. Signage and cones will be present. Motorists should use caution through the area and be aware of personnel and equipment between 9 AM and 3 PM with an estimated completion 06/11/21. [2020-193] HAMILTON COUNTY I-24 interchange improvement at SR-2 (US-11, US-41, US-72, Broad Street) and SR-58 (Market Street): During this reporting period, the contractor will be performing utility relocation work throughout the project limits, installing new drainage structures, and performing initial grading work for retaining wall construction. A traffic shift on I-24 eastbound has been implemented near MM 178 to allow for new construction on the right shoulder of the interstate. Brief intermittent lane closures are possible during daylight hours on SR-2 (Broad St.) and SR-58 (Market St.) to allow for moving equipment and utility relocation. [Wright Brothers Construction Company, Inc./Wagner/CNU011] HAMILTON COUNTY I-24 Replacement of Belvoir Ave. bridge over I-24 and I-24 bridges over Germantown Road near MM 183: Single and double alternating lane closures on I-24 EB and WB will be used on 05/20/21 and between 05/23/21 and 05/26/21 from 9 PM and 6 AM. There will be single lane closures in the north and south directions of Germantown Road under the I-24 Bridge and at the intersections of Germantown with North and South Terrace on 05/20/21, 05/21/21, and between 05/24/21 and 05/26/21 from 9 PM and 6 AM. [Bell and Associates Construction, LP/Blevins/CMGC03] HAMILTON COUNTY I-75 at I-24 Interchange Reconstruction: Phase 3 traffic alignments have been implemented. Watch for trucks entering and exiting project. Traffic should expect multiple lane shifts traveling through the interchange. Lane closures will occur Sunday nights through Thursday nights between 9 PM and 6 AM at the following locations: I-75 NB MM 1, I-75 SB MM 3 and I-24 EB MM 184.0 Traffic pacing may occur throughout interchange Sunday nights through Thursday nights between 9 PM and 6 AM. Additionally, there may intermittent shoulder closures at various locations for access to the median and roadside areas. The Welcome Center is closed until 05/27/2021 to complete ramp work. The speed limit has been reduced to 45 MPH throughout the interchange. ***Weekend work scheduled between 05/21/2021 9 PM and 05/24/2021 5 AM on I-75 SB. The contractor will close the left two lanes between MM 3 and MM 2 to complete concrete pavement repairs. Motorists should be aware of heavy work truck traffic during this time. *** [C.W. Matthews Contracting Company, Inc./Blevins/DB1801] HAMILTON COUNTY US-27 (I-124) widening from I-24/US-27 interchange to north of the Olgiati Bridge over the Tennessee River, including widening the Olgiati Bridge: Thursday 05/20/21 thru Wednesday 05/26/21 7 AM to 6 PM Temporary right lane closure will be in place for southbound US-27 from the Olgiati Bridge to Exit 1C or ITS testing. [Dement Construction Company, LLC/Curtis/CNP230] HAMILTON COUNTY SR-27 (MARKET ST.) Utility Work both directions at LM 4.9: Shoulder and single lane closure along Market Street between West 26th Street and Underwood Street. Signage, drums, and cones will be present. Motorists should use caution through the area and be aware of personnel and equipment between 9 AM and 3 PM starting 04/29/21 through 05/26/21. [2021-106] HAMILTON COUNTY SR-319 (HIXSON PK.) Utility Work northbound from LM 8.14 to LM 8.11: Shoulder and single lane closure between Big Ridge Road and Gold Crest Drive. Arrow board, signage and cones will be present. Motorists should use caution through the area and be aware of personnel and equipment between 9 AM and 2 PM starting 05/19/21 through 06/02/21. [2021-091] HAMILTON COUNTY SR-29 (US-27) repair of the bridge over Big Soddy Creek (LM 20.6): The contractor will be performing bridge & roadway repair on the SR-29 bridge over Big Soddy Creek. During this report period the contractor will have one lane of SR-29 north-bound closed. At least one lane of traffic in both directions shall always remain open. [Mid-State Construction Company, Inc./Osbonlighter/CNU046] HAMILTON COUNTY SR-2 (US-64, US-11) improvement of the intersection at Edgmon Road in Collegedale (LM 22.7), including grading, drainage, and paving: Extra care should be taken while trucks are entering and exiting the roadway. One lane might be intermittently closed while work is ongoing. The public is advised to be aware of the newly established traffic pattern at the intersection. Additional flaggers will be onsite as needed. [Talley Construction Company, Inc./Osbonlighter/CNU012] HAMILTON COUNTY SR-312 resurfacing from south of Henry Road (LM 6.9) to west of SR-58 (LM 14.2): During this reporting period, there will be intermittent lane closures on this road as the Contractor will have flaggers directing traffic for the construction operation. The motoring public should expect possible long delays. [Wright Brothers Construction Company, Inc./Curtis/CNV087] HAMILTON COUNTY SR-317 (Apison Pike) improvement project from SR-321 (Ooltewah-Ringgold Road) to east of Layton Lane: Lane closures and flagging operations will be required on SR-317, Apison Pike, to install power poles and transfer lines. The flagging operations will be performed on 05/20/21, 05/21/21, 05/24/21, 05/25/21, and 05/26/21 from 7 AM to 1 PM and 3 PM to 7 PM. Closures will last about 2 hours per location. The contractor will have intermittent flagging operations during daytime non-peak hours for utility work, delivery of materials and equipment. [Wright Brothers Construction Company, Inc./Osbonlighter/CNT336] HAMILTON COUNTY SR-319 (Amnicola Highway) bridge repair over SR-153: Contractor will be performing bridge repair operations on the Amnicola (SR-319) bridge over SR-153. During this project, SR-319 will have lane closures in place. Bridge repair over 153 will be performed between 8pm & 6am. During repair operations at least one lane of traffic shall remain open in both directions. [Mid-State Construction Company, Inc./Osbonlighter/CNV053] HAMILTON COUNTY SR-8 (Bachman Tubes, US-41, US-76) tunnel cleaning: On Thursday May 20, from 8 PM-6 AM, the contractor will be closing the Bachman Tunnels in East Ridge to clean the tunnels. There will be a signed detour for the traveling public to use. [Diamond Specialized, Inc./Curtis/CNU182] HAMILTON COUNTY The construction of an S.I.A. to VW: The contractor will be grading, paving, constructing retaining wall(s) and installing signals & lighting on S.I.A. route connecting Ferdinand Piech Way & Volkswagen Dr. **The roadway is not open to traffic**. The traveling public should be alert to the entrance and exit of construction vehicles from the jobsite onto the connecting roadways. Flaggers may be onsite directing traffic. [Talley Construction Company, Inc./Osbonlighter/CNU221] MCMINN COUNTY I-75 at SR-30 (Exit 49) and SR-305 (Exit 52) interchange improvements: During this reporting period the contractor will be working at Exit 52 widening the entrance and exit ramps. This work will require long term shoulder closures of SR305 at the I-75 interchange. On 05/20/21, flaggers will be present to regulate traffic during a concrete pour. Brief delays are possible accessing I-75 SB and NB from SR305 from 5 AM to 8 AM. Motorists are advised to reduce speed in the work zone and watch for workers on the interstate ramps. [APAC - Atlantic, Inc./Wagner/CNU352] POLK COUNTY SR-33 (HWY. 411) Utility Work both directions from LM 9.9 to LM 14: Mobile lane closures SR-40 junction to Ocoee River Bridge as crews transition work zone. Motorists should use caution and be aware of personnel and equipment when traveling through the work zones. Signage, cones, and flaggers will be present between 9 AM to 3 PM with an estimated completion of 06/25/21. [2019-245] POLK COUNTY SR-40 (US-64) bridge over the Ocoee River: During this reporting period, the contractor will be working on foundations for the new bridge and relocation of utilities on the east side of the river. The right shoulder of SR-40 (US-64) is closed for the duration of this work. Brief intermittent lane closures are possible on SR-40 (US-64) Monday through Friday 8 AM to 5:30 PM to allow for utility work and moving equipment/supplies. Motorists are advised to reduce speed in the work zone and watch for trucks entering/leaving the highway. [Charles Blalock and Sons, Inc./Wagner/DB1802] POLK COUNTY SR-40 (US-64) emergency slope stabilization near LM 20.5: During this reporting period the contractor may have brief intermittent closures of the shoulders of US-64 to perform final clean-up and to work on the punchlist. Motorists are advised to reduce speed in the work zone and watch for vehicles parked on the shoulders of US-64. [Wright Brothers Construction Company, Inc./Wagner/CNU909] RHEA COUNTY The grading, drainage, construction of bridges, paving and signals on a S.I.A. route serving Nokian Tyres: Construction activity at the Nokian Tyres SIA project continues just North of Dayton, TN. The traveling public should be alert to construction vehicles entering and exiting the site. SR-29 traffic will continue to experience slight lane shifts with no shoulders at the entrance to the SIA roadway but there will be no lane closures on SR29. [Dement Construction Company, LLC/Curtis/CNU014] REGION WIDE REGION 2 on-call guardrail repair and new guardrail installation on various Interstate and State Routes: The contractor may have short term shoulder and/or lane closures to perform guardrail repair. These closures will take place on the interstate nightly from 7 PM to 6 AM Sundays through Thursdays and daily on state routes. At least one travel lane will always remain open to traffic on the interstate, and flaggers will be present on state routes during any work that is performed. [Cumberland Guardrail, Inc./Harris/CNU107] REGION 2 preventative and unscheduled maintenance of Chattanooga SmartWay Intelligent Transportation System: The contractor may have short term shoulder and/or lane closures to perform preventative or unscheduled maintenance to the local SmartWay Intelligent Transportation System. At least one travel lane will always remain open to traffic. Flaggers will assist with traffic control as needed. [NABCO Electric Company, Inc./Osbonlighter/CNT354] REGION 2 TDOT Maintenance drainage work: There will be possible short-term lane and shoulder closures at various locations in Region 2 to clean rock and debris from ditches on an as-needed basis. One lane will always be maintained. [TDOT Operations/Maintenance/R2MAINT] REGION 2 TDOT Maintenance pothole repair and pavement patching: There will be possible short-term emergency lane closures at various locations in Region 2 to repair potholes and patch pavement on an as-needed basis. Depending on location and severity these repairs may be done during the day or at night. In addition to performing the work, regional Operations crews will also provide traffic control. [TDOT Operations/Maintenance/R2MAINT] REGION 2 TDOT mowing operations: There will be possible short-term lane closures at various locations on interstates and state routes in Region 2 to perform mowing activities on an as-needed basis. In addition to performing the work, regional Operations crews will also provide traffic control. [TDOT/Maintenance/R2MAINT] REGION 2 The random on-call cable barrier repair on various Interstate and State Routes: The contractor may have short term shoulder closures to perform cable rail repair. Both travel lanes will always remain open to traffic on the interstate during any work that is performed. [LU, Inc./Harris/CNU303] REGION 2 The sweeping and drain cleaning on various Interstate and State Routes: There will be an area wide sweeping operation on selected regional state routes and interstates. This activity will be supported by a mobile lane closure. Hours of activity are Sunday through Thursday night between 8 PM and 6 AM during this reporting period. The drain cleaning operation will be having an intermittent lane closures on I-75 SB and NB starting from MM 17 to MM 5. The lane closures will from 8 PM to 6 AM Thursday and Monday thru Wednesday of this reporting period. [Sweeping Corporation of America, Inc./Curtis/CNU328] RESTRICTIONS CLAY COUNTY - CNU198: Loads wider than 11' should seek alternate route. CUMBERLAND COUNTY - CNU145: Loads over 16 feet wide on eastbound I-40 should seek an alternate route. Motorists are encouraged to use caution and obey reduced speed limits in all TDOT work zones, regardless of lane closure activity. Information in this report is provided to the Department of Transportation by the contractors. Most work is weather dependent and subject to change due to inclement weather. All times are local. From your desktop or mobile device, get the latest construction activity and live streaming SmartWay traffic cameras at www.TNSmartWay.com/Traffic. Travelers can also dial 511 from any land-line or cellular phone for travel information, or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/TN511 for statewide travel or Chattanooga area alerts @Chattanooga511 or any of TDOT's other Twitter pages. As always, drivers are reminded to use all motorist information tools wisely and Know Before You Go! by checking travel conditions before leaving for your destination. Drivers should never tweet, text, or talk on a cell phone while behind the wheel. In 2016, the Tennessee Department of Transportation lost three workers in the line of duty. All three were struck by passing motorists. Those tragedies bring the total number of TDOT lives lost to 112. We don't want to lose another member of our TDOT family. We're asking you to WORK WITH US. To learn more, go to the website at https://www.tn.gov/tdot/work-with-us/. ### Here's a quick peek at pandemic politics tonight as opposing factions square off in this fight for the future of a clandestine school dress code in the name of public health. Check-it . . . Mere moments after the Kansas City Mayor & most of the Council passed an effort to snag more than 40 million bucks from the KCPD, the response has been fast & furious from Missouri politicos. To wit . . . POLITICOS ACROSS MISSOURI ARE LINING UP TO SMACK DOWN MAYOR Q FOR HIS DEFUND KCPD EFFORT!!! The mayor had to keep his plan secret from nearly half of the council and now that it has been exposed to the public, the slapdash language of the legislation has already been picked apart. According to one insider . . . "It's not going to hold. The ordinance is unconstitutional and puts forward a very broad interpretation of legislative language used to fund Kansas City police. Even the most liberal judge wouldn't uphold this plan . . . It has already started, the Republicans are tearing the mayor's idea apart and it's only going to get worse." To wit . . . Here's initial reaction and push back that has already started . . . Check-it . . . State legislators from Northland call for special session following Kansas City council's vote on KCPD funding KANSAS CITY, MO (KCTV) --- Following news of the Kansas City council approving the reallocation of millions of dollars in police funding, multiple state legislators suggested that an emergency session may be required in Jefferson City. The council, by a 9-4 vote, approved two ordinances that reallocates $44 million in police funding to a new Community Services and Prevention Fund. Parkville senator pans Mayor Lucas' KCPD plan KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A key state lawmaker from Parkville called a plan to reallocate more than $40 million of the Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department budget "extremely disappointing." Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer, who represents Buchanan and Platte counties, said the plan to put the money toward a new community services and crime prevention fund is "defunding the police." Developing . .. A fight in the 18th & Vine Jazz District sparked one of the worst mass shootings the Kansas City East side has suffered this year. A beloved local was murdered in the fracas and gunfire spent dozens of patrons scurrying away in fear. Today the prosecutor announced a litany of charges against a suspect who was recently captured by police: Man charged in April deadly shooting of Kansas City gym owner near 18th and Vine KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A Kansas City man is facing charges in connection to the April 25 deadly shooting of 34-year-old Gary Taylor near 18th and Vine Street. Taylor owned a local gym, Power House Fitness. Jackson County prosecutors Thursday charged 29-year-old Jerronn Anderson with first-degree murder and armed criminal action. Kansas City man charged in fatal shooting of fitness trainer near 19th, Vine A Kansas City man has been charged in connection with the fatal shooting of a fitness trainer near 19th and Vine streets last month.Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker said Jerronn Anderson, 29, was charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action in the killing of Gary Taylor on April 25.According to court documents, surveillance video showed the shooting and helped detectives track the suspected shooter's movements after the shooting.While reviewing the various cameras, court documents said detectives saw Taylor walking south on Vine Street with two of his friends. Officers from KCPD were attacked by rioters, castigated by activists and denounced by many local leaders for the murderous actions of Derek Chauvin in Minneapolis. It's only fair to let them have their say . . . Read more . . . Members of KCPD reflect on anniversary of George Floyd protests KANSAS CITY, Mo. - As part of our work marking how the 2020 murder of George Floyd has affected Kansas Citians, I wanted to speak to someone that was part of the group front and center in the subsequent protests. I recently sat down with Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department Capt. Deeveloping . . . Mayor Q's ambush of KCPD is complete. His effort garnered a clear majority and for the moment it seems as if control of cash now rests with council. Here's the MSM rundown . . . The city council voted 9-4 to pass two ordinances, with all the city council members from the Northland voting against the measure. More than a dozen officers sat in the room watching as it happened. The ordinances take $42.3 million directly out of the police budget. The plan then commits $45.3 million to be used by the police department for crime prevention, community engagement, and outreach. Supporters explained that it is basically a transfer while increasing the budget by $3 million. They say it will help reduce the high number of homicides that have plagued the city. However, this is mainstream view of today's fight over police funding. Reaction online has been far worse. Thanks to a Northland council lady for making things more clear to local residents . . . Second District Councilwoman Teresa Loar's hot take on Mayor Q's effort . . . "I certainly hope no one needs a police officer in the near future. Cause they ain't gonna be there!" Another worthwhile quote from Council Lady Loar . . . "This is absolutely the worst piece of legislation I've seen since I've been here at city hall." Moreover . . . Kansas City residents are correct to be suspicious of this massive money move given ongoing council support anti-crime programs that haven't really helped to curb the local murder rate and basically serve to fund politically connected activists. Check the links . . . Kansas City Council swiftly approves two ordinances changing KCPD funding KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Just hours after it was introduced, the Kansas City Council has passed two ordinances that change funding for the Kansas City Police Department. Mayor Quinton Lucas introduced two ordinances Thursday that will drastically change funding for the city's police department and also establish a new Community Services and Prevention Fund. Kansas City council passes mayor's plan to reallocate part of KCPD budget Major funding changes are on the way for the Kansas City Police Department. Just hours after Mayor Quinton Lucas announced a plan Thursday to move millions from the police department budget to other crime prevention efforts, the city council passed it.The city council voted 9-4 to pass two ordinances, with all the city council members from the Northland voting against the measure.More than a dozen officers sat in the room watching as it happened.The ordinances take $42.3 million directly out of the police budget. Kansas City Mayor And Council Seek Local Control Of Police Budget Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas introduced a plan Thursday that would reallocate the police department's budget, giving local leaders more authority to spend money on crime prevention, mental health services and the root causes of violent crime. Kansas City, Missouri, City Council adopts KCPD reform, accountability measures KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The Kansas City, Missouri, City Council Thursday passed two ordinances that clear the path for a change in funding is allocated to the Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department. Both ordinances passed by a 9-4 vote margin. In a Thursday morning news conference , Mayor Quinton Lucas announced the city legislation along with nine council co-sponsors. Kansas City community debate ensues after police funding changes announced KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Many Kansas Citians are speaking out about two ordinances proposed Thursday by Mayor Quinton Lucas. The city council swiftly approved the measures during a Thursday afternoon meeting. The two ordinances will drastically change funding for the city's police department and establish a new Community Services and Prevention Fund. Developing . . . @IsaacAvilucea on Twitter Isaac Avilucea is The Trentonians main municipal scribe. A two-time prior restraint winner and testicular cancer survivor, he relishes his reputation as the "Mean Girls" reporter that followed his 18-day stay at the now-defunct North Adams Transcript. Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-21 10:34:29|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Chen Fangying (R) pays a home visit at Alimalik Village of Akto County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, May 12, 2021. Chen Fangying, a 24-year-old village teacher, is from southwest China's Guizhou Province. When she graduated from college two years ago, she chose to become a teacher in Xinjiang. The primary school where Chen teaches is located in the Kunlun Mountains, more than 1,800 kilometers away from Xinjiang's capital city Urumqi. "For me, this is the life I should live in my twenties," said Chen. Chen Fangying has more than ten classes every week, including Chinese, English and Music. In addition, she is also required to work with other teachers to develop solutions to help local teachers improve their capacity. Meanwhile, Chen often communicates with parents during home visits to help improve learning environment. Chen values the studies of 14 students in third grade most. According to local education policy, starting from the fourth grade, students are required to go to the County, 380 kilometers away from the village, to enjoy higher quality education. Chen is full of expectations for these students who will enter the fourth grade this September. She insists they should read more books so that they can learn more about the world outside the mountains. In her daily teaching, she focuses on activating the classroom atmosphere through novel teaching methods, broadening students' horizons and helping them build up confidence. In recent years, more and more tourists have come to the village. In the beginning, the students were shy about talking to tourists. However, Chen always encourages them to express their ideas with confidence. Now, they are much more outgoing. Chen is genuinely happy with the growth of her students. It's meaningful for Chen that the students would remember she had taught them after they walked out of the mountains and moved to the cities. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu) Terre Haute, IN (47803) Today Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 69F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 69F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph. Canton, GA (30114) Today Thunderstorms likely this evening. Then a chance of scattered thunderstorms overnight. Low 69F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%.. Tonight Thunderstorms likely this evening. Then a chance of scattered thunderstorms overnight. Low 69F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%. Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-21 10:39:12|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, May 21 (Xinhua) -- China's State Council Information Office on Friday issued a white paper on the peaceful liberation of Tibet and its development over the past seven decades. The white paper, titled "Tibet Since 1951: Liberation, Development and Prosperity," reviewed Tibet's history and achievements, and presented a true and panoramic picture of the new socialist Tibet. "This will help to counter the propaganda spread by a number of Western countries and their allies and provide the international community with a balanced account of the enormous transformation that has taken place in Tibet," said the document. On May 23, 1951, the Agreement of the Central People's Government and the Local Government of Tibet on Measures for the Peaceful Liberation of Tibet (the 17-Article Agreement) was signed, officially proclaiming the peaceful liberation of Tibet. The year 2021 marks the 70th anniversary of the historic event. With the peaceful liberation of Tibet, the people of Tibet broke free from the fetters of invading imperialism for good, embarking on a bright road of unity, progress and development with all the other ethnic groups in China, according to the white paper. In the new era, under the strong leadership of the Communist Party of China Central Committee with Xi Jinping at the core and with the vigorous support of the whole country, Tibet has made new progress in various fields, including eradicating extreme poverty, said the document, adding that "a brand new socialist Tibet has taken shape." Besides a foreword and a conclusion, the white paper consisted of ten sections, "Tibet Before the Peaceful Liberation," "Peaceful Liberation," "Historic Changes in Society," "Rapid Development of Various Undertakings," "A Complete Victory over Poverty," "Protection and Development of Traditional Culture," "Remarkable Results in Ethnic and Religious Work," "Solid Environmental Safety Barriers," "Resolutely Safeguarding National Unity and Social Stability," and "Embarking on a New Journey in the New Era." Enditem TORONTO (AP) Canadas most populous province is resuming use of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, but only as a second dose for those who'd received it initially, officials said Friday. Ontario and several other provinces stopped giving out first doses of Oxford-AstraZeneca earlier this month on concerns over reported links to rare blood clots, which previously led some European countries to restrict its use. The Ontario government said that decision was also based on the increased supply of alternative vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna and a downward trend in cases. The province also has delayed giving second vaccine doses in order to get as many people covered by a first shot as possible. While protocols initially called for a three-week interval, studies found a longer gap often was more effective. Ontarios chief medical officer for health, Dr. David Williams, said informed consent is needed to get the second dose of AstraZeneca. Those who got the first dose between March 10 and March 19 will be eligible as soon as next week for the second shot. The government said data from the U.K. strongly suggests a much-reduced risk of the rare blood cots in second doses of AstraZeneca. Williams said it is one in 600,000. Ontario has more than 50,000 doses of the vaccine set to expire at the end of the month and officials don't want to waste them. The province said nearly a million Ontarians aged 40 and over received the AstraZeneca vaccine as their first dose between March 10 and May 11. Canada has overtaken the U.S. in the percentage of people with at least one dose, but Canada has only fully vaccinated about 3% of the population. Second doses are expected to be administered for most adults in June and July in Canada. Canada has relied largely on the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. Plans to distribute the first 300,000 doses of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine in Canada remain on hold after Health Canada learned part of them were manufactured at a Maryland facility where the U.S. Food and Drug Administration had uncovered manufacturing violations. Meanwhile, federal Transport Minister Omar Alghabra said Canada is extending the ban on direct passenger flights from India and Pakistan for another 30 days until June 21. There had been a disproportionately higher number of positive cases among those traveling on flights from India and Pakistan. A society is judged by the way it treats its most vulnerable, with just over thirty seven thousand Sinopharm vaccines remaining, more elderly persons were turned away from health centres on day two of the walk-in vaccination drive. Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-21 10:49:50|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, May 21 (Xinhua) -- Over the years, Western anti-China forces have continued to interfere in China's Tibetan affairs in an attempt to sabotage its social stability, said a white paper released by the State Council Information Office on Friday. Prior to the peaceful liberation of Tibet, the U.S. government had established contacts with pro-imperialist separatists in Tibet, said the white paper titled "Tibet Since 1951: Liberation, Development and Prosperity." Since the 1980s, Western forces have played an active role in all the outbreaks of unrest that have taken place in Tibet. In recent years, Western anti-China forces have intensified such attempts, said the white paper. Enditem The ambassadors of the G7 countries expect that Ukraine will complete land reform by July 1. According to Ukrinform, the diplomats wrote this on the Twitter account of the UK Presidency of the G7 Ambassadors' Support Group in Kyiv. We look forward to Ukraine completing the steps needed for effective implementation of land reform when the market opens on 1 July. This includes monitoring of land ownership and transactions, public info on land users and owners rights, and credit access for small farmers, reads the report. The ambassadors also welcomed the adoption by the Verkhovna Rada of draft law No.2194 on land decentralization and draft law No.2195 on electronic land auctions. The diplomats described them as "another step towards delivering Ukrainian President Zelenskys and the Cabinet of Ministers commitment to transparent and fair land reform, which will create huge opportunities for Ukraine's prosperity." As reported by Ukrinform, in late April, the Verkhovna Rada passed a law, which provides for the abolition of unnecessary permits and duplication of procedures for verification of land management documentation (project registration number 2194). On May 18, Ukrainian MPs passed law 2195 "On Amending Certain Legislative Acts Regarding the Sale of State and Municipal Land Plots or Rights to Them (Lease, Superficies, Emphyteusis) through Electronic Auctions". iy The Ukrainian Ministry of Economic Development, Trade and Agriculture expects that within a month the European Union will publish its position on the size of quotas for exports of Ukrainian products. According to an Ukrinform correspondent, Deputy Minister of Economic Development, Trade and Agriculture Taras Kachka said this during the presentation of the study "Strategic Guidelines for Deepening Ukraine's Trade and Economic Relations with the EU under the Association Agreement". "We discussed this with the European Union that within a month we will hear the EU's position on what they are ready to do on these positions [increasing the size of quotas], said Kachka. As Ukrinform reported, according to the Ukrainian Agribusiness Club (UCAB), exports of Ukrainian agricultural products to the European Union in 2020 decreased by 10.8% compared to 2019. At the same time, last year Ukraine closed 11 quotas for duty-free exports to the EU for such groups of goods as honey, sugar, cereals and flour, processed starch, processed tomatoes, grape and apple juices, eggs, corn, poultry, starch and cereal processed products. iy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada Marc Garneau and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken discussed the aggressive actions of the Russian Federation against Ukraine. Their talk took place on the margins of the 12th Arctic Council Ministerial Meeting in Reykjavik, Iceland, according to Global Affairs Canada. "Minister Garneau and Secretary Blinken addressed the challenges posed by Russia and its disruptive actions, notably the large-scale troop movements, without prior notification, in and around Ukraine and the illegal annexation of Crimea," the statement reads The diplomats also discussed the ongoing violence in the Middle East, including the devastating situation in Israel, the West Bank and Gaza, and China's unfriendly actions. "Furthermore, they looked to align efforts to address the challenges that Chinas actions present to the international rules-based order, including its coercive and unfair economic practices and human rights abuses, while cooperating with China on areas of common interest, such as climate change," the ministry said. ish Canada strongly condemns Russia's illegal annexation of Crimea and other aggressive actions against Ukraine. According to an Ukrinform correspondent, this issue was discussed at a meeting between Canadian Foreign Minister Marc Garneau and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. "Minister Garneau reiterated Canada's unequivocal condemnation of Russia's illegal invasion and annexation of Crimea and expressed Canada's concern over Russia's recent destabilizing actions in and around Ukraine," Global Affairs Canada reported. Garneau also expressed "Canada's long-standing concerns regarding other destabilizing behaviour by Russia and the deteriorating human rights situation." "He stressed that respect for opposition voices, independent media, dissidents and civil society is a fundamental part of freedom and democracy. He called once again for the release of opposition figure Alexey Navalny," the report reads. Both parties also discussed other topics, including the situation in Venezuela and Nagorno-Karabakh. op NATO continues to pursue an open-door policy and continues to support Ukraine in security and defence sector reforms, but a decision on Ukraine's Membership Action Plan is unlikely to be made at the NATO summit in June this year. "The next summit of the Alliance will be short enough because it was supposed to take place in the fall but will be held in June. We had many meetings both at the level of NATO ambassadors and at the level of my immediate counterparts such as Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoana, assistants Secretary General. We talked about some important points, the decision on the Annual National Programme and, of course, the open-door policy. We obviously understand that this year's summit is not the summit where the decision on MAP will be made," Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Olha Stefanishyna said during a press conference following a three-day working visit to the EU and NATO in Brussels on Thursday, an Ukrinform correspondent reported. At the same time, she pointed out the importance of the fact that the discourse on obtaining a MAP exists not only in Ukraine, but in all NATO Member States as well. "Perhaps, this is a historical process that is beginning right now, in this political cycle," Stefanishyna noted. She informed that Ukraine and NATO had launched practical consultations on the implementation of projects under the Enhanced Opportunities Partnership based on a roadmap previously submitted to the NATO Secretary General by the President of Ukraine. Separate talks between Ukraine and NATO during the visit, according to the Deputy Prime Minister, focused on strengthening intelligence data sharing, especially in the context of the recent escalation in the east. "By the end of this year, we expect appropriate technical decisions to be made technically possible on our part. In addition, General Khomchak [Colonel-General Ruslan Khomchak, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine] visited the NATO Headquarters at that time. We discussed issues of strengthening our cooperation on Ukraines involvement in international exercises, including those related to Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty [on collective defence]," Stefanishyna said. ol Warsaw plans to pay special attention to the situation in eastern Ukraine during the OSCE chairmanship in 2022. We agreed on a visit to eastern Ukraine in preparation for Poland's OSCE chairmanship. It is a matter of examining the situation on the ground and paying special attention to these topical issues during the chairmanship, Deputy Foreign Minister of Ukraine Vasyl Bodnar said in a comment to Ukrinform following the Ukrainian-Polish political consultations at the level of deputy foreign ministers of both countries which took place in Warsaw on Thursday. He added that a visit would be made at the level of minister or deputy minister of foreign affairs of Poland. The Ukrainian diplomat informed that the schedule of visits of the first persons of both states was discussed during the consultations. He reminded that President of the Republic of Poland Andrzej Duda would visit Ukraine on August 23-24 to participate in the Crimean Platform summit and celebrate the 30th anniversary of Ukraines independence. At the same time, a possible visit of Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal to Poland was discussed. There is an agreement in principle on such a meeting. We will wait for a concrete answer from the Chancellery of the Prime Minister of Poland on the date," Bodnar stated. The diplomat also informed that the parties discussed the Ukraine Reform Conference which will be held in Vilnius on July 6. He noted that Warsaw had also agreed to host the conference in the future and negotiations on the date were underway. As noted, the security situation, in particular, countering Russian aggression and disinformation actions of the Kremlin, and efforts to oppose the implementation of the Nord Stream 2 project were discussed during the consultations. "Poland demonstrates full support for Ukraine in these issues," Bondar said. According to the diplomat, economic cooperation, cooperation in the energy sector, enhancement of efficiency of the checkpoints on the Ukrainian-Polish border, implementation of educational projects, and protection of the rights of national minorities in Ukraine and Poland were also touched upon. In addition, the parties discussed issues related to complicated historical issues, in particular, restoration of places of memory and conduct of search and exhumation works. ol First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Emine Dzheppar has informed Rob Taylor, Deputy Secretary for Europe, Middle East and Africa at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of New Zealand, about preparations for the inaugural summit of the Crimean Platform. Their conversation took place through video conferencing on May 20, according to the press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine. "The approval of the state strategy of de-occupation and reintegration of Crimea was an important step towards achieving our strategic goal the restoration of Ukraine's sovereignty over Crimea by political and diplomatic means. Our state relies on international cooperation and active support of Ukrainian efforts by international organizations and states, as well as by the expert community," Dzheppar stressed. "We are deeply concerned over Russia's military buildup on Ukrainian borders, as well as human rights violations in Crimea committed by the Russian occupation administration. New Zealand has consistently supported UN resolutions in support of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity," Taylor said. Dzheppar also informed her colleague about the work of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on developing public and economic diplomacy of Ukraine. "The President of Ukraine has identified economic diplomacy and investment promotion as key priorities of Ukraine's foreign policy, so we sincerely welcome the strengthening of trade and economic cooperation and tourism between our countries. I hope to be able to greet you not only in Kyiv, but also in my native Crimea," the first deputy minister added. As reported, the Crimean Platform is a new consultative and coordination format initiated by Ukraine to improve the efficiency of the international response to the occupation of Crimea, respond to growing security challenges, step up international pressure on Russia, prevent further human rights violations, protect victims of the occupation regime and to achieve the de-occupation of Crimea. Ukraine actively invites other states to join this international initiative. The first Crimean Platform summit is scheduled for August 23, 2021. ish Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin only after he is convinced that the meeting will concern Crimea and the war in eastern Ukraine. Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba said this in an interview with Radio NV, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. "The meeting will take place when we, Kyiv, make sure that at this meeting we will be able to discuss in detail the key issues for us," he said. Kuleba named the war in eastern Ukraine and the occupation of Crimea as key issues. "And the main topic of conversation is, of course, the end of the war and peace in Ukraine ... We will meet with Putin to talk only about Donbas and Crimea," the minister emphasized during the interview. According to him, preparations for this meeting are progressing very hard due to the refusal of the Russian president to discuss the war. However, Kyiv intends to continue negotiations with Russia on a meeting of the two leaders. As Ukrinform reported, on April 20, Zelensky addressed Putin, inviting him to meet "in any part of the Ukrainian Donbas where war is ongoing." On April 22, Putin said he was ready to meet with Zelensky in Moscow, but he added that the issue of ending the war in eastern Ukraine would be discussed only after the Ukrainian authorities hold talks with "DPR and LPR leaders." On April 26, Zelensky said he had instructed the head of his office, Andriy Yermak, to hold talks with representatives of the Russian presidential administration about a possible meeting with Putin. ish NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has held a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris during which both parties discussed preparations for the next NATO summit in June this year and international security and stability problems, including the situation in Ukraine and Russia's aggressive behavior. According to Ukrinform, the text of Stoltenberg's statement following his talks with Macron has been published on the NATO website. "We also discussed the situation in Ukraine. Russia still has troops in and around Ukraine and more troops now than before the recent escalation. So we need a peaceful resolution. And I commend France's active role in the Normandy format," Stoltenberg said. He stressed that NATO remains vigilant, because this is part of a disturbing pattern of Russian aggressive actions. At the same time, according to Stoltenberg, NATO remains committed to its dual-track approach of defense and dialogue with Russia. One of the main topics discussed at the meeting between Stoltenberg and Macron was preparations for the NATO summit to be held in Brussels on June 14 this year. During the meeting, the allies will discuss ways to further strengthen ties between Europe and North America, as well as the areas of the Alliance's development under the NATO 2030 initiative. Both parties also discussed current NATO operations, including in Iraq, as well as the situation in Afghanistan. op The American Chamber of Commerce in Korea sent a letter to Cheong Wa Dae last week asking for the release of Samsung chief Lee Jae-yong from prison. The call came ahead of President Moon Jae-in's first meeting with his U.S. counterpart Joe Biden in Washington on Friday. AmCham warned Korea's "status as a strategic partner to the U.S. was at risk if Samsung, the world's biggest chipmaker, was not more fully engaged in supporting Biden's efforts" to boost semiconductor supplies, according to the Financial Times. AmCham Chairman James Kim told the daily, "We believe that a pardon of the most important executive of Samsung is in the best economic interest of both the U.S. and Korea." AmCham consists of about 800 American companies doing business in Korea. Commenting on pardoning Lee on May 10, Moon said, "Though it's said that the matter is in my hands, it's not an easy issue that I can decide as I please." Instead he pledged to listen to many opinions before making a decision. Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-21 11:00:48|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close PORT OF SPAIN, May 20 (Xinhua) -- Keith Rowley, prime minister of Trinidad and Tobago, thanked China for donating of COVID-19 vaccines to the Caribbean nation on Wednesday. Speaking at the vaccines' handover ceremony, Rowley said China has long given selfless help to the economic and social development of Trinidad and Tobago, and that especially since the outbreak of the pandemic, China has provided his country with several batches of medical supplies and shared its experience in fighting the pandemic. All of that has played an important role in the country's full vaccination, its pandemic control as well as economic recovery, and has shown China's global pledge as a responsible nation and the close partnership between the two countries, he added. Chinese Ambassador to Trinidad and Tobago Fang Qiu said China's assistance to the people of Trinidad and Tobago fully demonstrates their brotherhood of helping each other and overcoming difficulties together, and is another vivid example of the comprehensive cooperative partnership between the two countries. China is willing to strengthen cooperation with Trinidad and Tobago in such fields as pandemic prevention and control, public health and economic recovery, the ambassador said, adding that both sides will work together to overcome the pandemic and achieve development goals. As of Wednesday, Trinidad and Tobago has accumulated 17,669 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 331 deaths from the disease. Enditem Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Ihor Zhovkva and the Honorable David Morrison, Foreign and Defence Policy Advisor to the Prime Minister of Canada, discussed the security situation in Donbas and support for Ukraine within the G7. This was discussed during a virtual meeting between the two officials on May 21, Ukrinform reports with reference to the press service of the Presidents Office. In particular, Zhovkva told his interlocutor about the recent aggravation of the security situation in Donbas, as well as about the threats associated with the buildup of Russian troops along the Ukrainian border. He thanked Canada for its strong diplomatic support, which, combined with the efforts of other partners, helped stop the dangerous military escalation around Ukraine. Zhovkva also informed the Canadian side about the progress of negotiations in the Minsk and Normandy formats on a peace settlement in eastern Ukraine. The parties discussed issues of further deepening Ukraine's relations with NATO, in particular its Euro-Atlantic aspirations and prospects for obtaining a Membership Action Plan. Zhovkva noted the importance of a phone conversation between President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky and Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau, which took place in early April. He also thanked Canada for its consistent political support for Ukraine, in particular within the Group of Seven. David Morrison assured that the issue of supporting Ukraine will be included in the agenda of the forthcoming G7 summit in Great Britain. During the online meeting, the modalities of the Canadian side's participation in the inaugural summit of the Crimean Platform in Kyiv on August 23 this year, as well as practical aspects of its future activities were discussed. In addition, the interlocutors exchanged information on the situation with the coronavirus pandemic in the two countries and discussed the possibility of supplying additional vaccines to Ukraine in the future. As reported, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky and Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau discussed the escalating situation in eastern Ukraine in a phone call on April 6. Trudeau pledged his continued support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. ish The so-called Supreme Court of Crimea illegally sentenced Ukrainian citizen Ivan Yatskin to 11 years in a maximum security penal colony. "Today, the so-called Supreme Court of Crimea controlled by the Russian occupation authorities passed an illegal sentence to Ukrainian citizen Ivan Yatskin in a fabricated criminal case over alleged collection and transfer of information, which constitutes Russias state secret, to Ukraine," Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights Liudmyla Denisova posted on Facebook. According to her, Yatskin was sentenced to 11 years in a maximum security penal colony and one year of restriction of liberty of administrative supervision after the prison term ends. "This illegal sentence passed by the so-called court is a demonstration of systemic political repressions by the occupying power against our citizens, who freely express their pro-Ukrainian views in the territory of the temporarily occupied Crimea," Denisova stressed. She called on the international community to respond to the illegal trial and increase pressure on Russia to protect the rights of citizens, who remain in the temporarily occupied Crimea, and to release all Ukrainian citizens illegally detained by the aggressor country. As reported, Yatskin was detained on October 16, 2019, and stayed in the Lefortovo pre-trial detention center in Moscow. According to lawyer Nikolay Polozov, Yatskin was injured by frostbite in the winter because he was kept in the freezing cold without shoes for about 40 minutes. On April 13, a "court" in the temporarily occupied Crimea began hearing the case of Yatskin, accused of treason and collaboration with the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU). According to the Russian investigation, while in Simferopol from February 14 to March 30, 2016, Yatskin allegedly communicated with his acquaintances from among law enforcement officers on behalf of the SBU, "collecting personal data of employees of the Interior Ministry's operational search bureau in the Republic of Crimea." While in Ukraine from April to July 2016, he allegedly transferred those data, which constitute a state secret "via the Internet, as well as during personal meetings with SBU officers." ol Ontario's Superior Court of Justice has ruled that the shooting down of a Ukraine International Airlines (UIA) passenger plane near Tehran in January 2020 was an intentional act of terrorism. "The plaintiffs have established that the shooting down of Flight 752 by the defendants was an act of terrorism and constitutes 'terrorist activity'..."Justice Edward Belobaba wrote in his decision issued Thursday, CBC News reports. According to him, "the missile attacks on Flight 752 were intentional and directly caused the deaths of all onboard." Iran did not defend itself in court to refute the plaintiff's evidence, making this a default judgment. The suit's defendants include Iran, the country's armed forces, Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps and Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. The court decision is a way for victims' families in Canada to seek damages from Iran for the death of their loved ones. As reported, on January 8, 2020, Ukraine International Airlines plane (Flight PS752) heading from Tehran to Kyiv crashed shortly after taking off from the Imam Khomeini International Airport. There were 176 people on board nine crew members (all Ukrainians) and 167 passengers (citizens of Ukraine, Iran, Canada, Sweden, Afghanistan, Germany, and the UK). On January 11, Iran admitted that its military had accidentally shot down the Ukrainian passenger jet. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) accepted full responsibility for the downing of the Ukrainian airliner. On March 17, 2021, Irans Civil Aviation Organization released the final report on the crash of the Ukrainian passenger plane in January 2020. The report blamed an error by an air defence operator for the accidental downing of the Ukrainian plane. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba called Iran's report an attempt to hide true causes of the plane crash. ish Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal has said that there are enough funds for the purchase of coronavirus vaccines in Ukraine. He said this in his report in the Verkhovna Rada on the government's implementation of the Verkhovna Rada resolution of October 20, 20202 on measures to combat the spread of COVID-19, according to an Ukrinform correspondent. "We'll vaccinate for free everyone who wants to be vaccinated. We thank MPs for allocating sufficient funds UAH 10 billion - from the state budget. There is an agreement with the World Bank for $90 million, part of which will be spent on vaccines. We will receive another 50 million euros from the European Investment Bank so as to conduct the vaccination," Shmyhal said. He recalled that under direct contracts with manufacturers, Ukraine should receive 34 million doses of vaccines, and another eight million doses of vaccines are to be delivered through the COVAX Facility. "The plan remains in place: to vaccinate the majority of the adult population by the end of the year," he said. In particular, together with supplies via COVAX, Ukraine is to receive 21.2 million doses of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, ten million doses of Novavax vaccine, more than ten million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine and almost two million doses of Sinovac vaccine. Shmyhal also said that in Ukraine, according to opinion polls, the share of citizens who are ready to be vaccinated has increased. "At the beginning of the year, according to various opinion polls, about 30%, a maximum of 40% of Ukrainian citizens were ready to be vaccinated. An April poll by UNICEF showed that 63% of citizens were ready to be vaccinated," he said. Shmyhal called such an increase in the number of people willing to be vaccinated an achievement for the government. Vaccination against COVID-19 in Ukraine started on February 24, 2021. op Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal has called on the Ministry of Health to speed up the work on the production of vaccines in Ukraine, including against coronavirus. He said this in his report in the parliament on the government's implementation of the Verkhovna Radas resolution on the measures to combat the spread of COVID-19, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. We are working on this now. More efforts are needed to do this, and this was one of the requirements for the previous health minister, these were his promises to the president and me. We held a number of meetings with Ukrainian scientists, but as you see, the vaccine has not been developed. Now I hope that with the new head the ministry will work on this direction more actively, said Shmyhal. The prime minister stressed that along with the purchase of foreign vaccines, it is necessary to develop domestic ones, to develop the capacity of the national scientific system, to develop vaccines not only against coronavirus, but also against other diseases. As previously reported, newly appointed Health Minister Viktor Liashko said that three vaccines against COVID-19 are being developed in Ukraine. One of them is being developed at Lviv Institute of Cell Biology, the other at Palladin Institute of Biochemistry and the third at the private company Diaprof-Med. The Cabinet of Ministers approved the allocation of UAH 100 million for the program to resume vaccine production. iy Soldiers of the National Guard delivered humanitarian cargo from the Republic of Latvia to Avdiivka and Toretsk, Donetsk region, the press center of the Joint Forces Operation (JFO) Headquarters has reported on Facebook. The central municipal hospital in Toretsk, the only hospital in this frontline town, received new medical equipment. The second part of the humanitarian cargo was delivered to Avdiivka and handed over to the civil-military administration. The aid will be distributed among local residents. The JFO recalled that certificates for receiving humanitarian aid from Latvia were handed over in Kramatorsk on May 19. The event was attended by Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Dmytro Razumkov, Speaker of the Saeima of the Republic of Latvia Inara Murniece, Head of the Donetsk Regional State Administration Pavlo Kyrylenko, and Chief Chaplain of the Latvian National Armed Forces Elmars Plavins. "This time, the total weight of humanitarian aid transported by the National Guard officers was about 10 tonnes. Most of the cargo is casual clothing for children and adults and medical equipment," the report reads. As Ukrinform reported, Speaker of the Saeima Inara Murniece said at a briefing in Avdiivka that the Republic of Latvia, as a member of EU and NATO, is always ready to help Ukraine. ish 05/20/2021 Contacts for media: UMass Lowell Christine Gillette, 978-758-4664 or Christine_Gillette@uml.edu FORGE Laura Teicher, 617-519-7527 or laura@forgemass.org WPI Colleen Bamford Wamback, 508-688-4858 or cbwamback@wpi.edu LOWELL, Mass. A group of Massachusetts research institutions and organizations led by UMass Lowell has received a $3.3 million federal grant to continue its efforts to ensure the Commonwealth is prepared to face the ongoing challenges of COVID-19, future pandemics and other public health crises. Through UMass Lowell, the project has been awarded a $3.3 million CARES Act grant by the U.S. Department of Commerces Economic Development Administration (EDA). The funding will go to continue the production of personal protective equipment (PPE), expand into other medical supplies, devices and equipment, and to develop related training and curriculum with the goal of creating new jobs and economic opportunities following the pandemic. The groups work builds on the work of the Massachusetts Manufacturing Emergency Response Team (MERT), an effort launched in 2020 to help Massachusetts manufacturers pivot to produce critical items for the fight against COVID-19. Since March 2020, MERT-assisted companies produced over 15 million pieces of PPE, ventilators and other critical items. This latest effort, MERT 2.0, will create a sustainable network to support the Massachusetts and regional manufacturing ecosystem, building on the work conducted by the first MERT, made up of universities, industry and government. MERT 2.0 will help address continued demand for new medical protection and testing supplies, with masks and testing becoming essential to reopening workplaces, and will also help fill gaps and strengthen connections critical to supporting future domestic production and supply chain capacity. This EDA grant will help bring together the combined assets of our Massachusetts ecosystem great research universities, state and nonprofit economic development drivers and federal partners to support the growth of the startups and small and medium manufacturers who make up our domestic supply chain, said Julie Chen, UMass Lowells vice chancellor for research, innovation and economic development. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we all learned how important this supply chain is to our community. By establishing a network to assist these companies in connecting to prototyping and small-lot manufacturing, technical experts, business and market analysis experts, workforce development, and other suppliers and customers, we will create a foundation for an agile and resilient technology-and manufacturing-based economy. The impacts and lessons of the last year are still fresh in our minds, including the challenges around PPE supply, said Carolyn Kirk, executive director of the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative, a state economic development agency. This new federal award will help us to build on those lessons, developing new programs to strengthen our supply chains and to help prepare Massachusetts manufacturers to respond to future needs of our health care system. UMass Lowell, with its deep engineering and manufacturing expertise, is a perfect home for this new program. MERT 2.0s work will include addressing recovery and resiliency by strengthening the domestic supply chain in Massachusetts and the Northeast region for manufacturing personal protective equipment, medical devices such as ventilators, and medical test kits. MERT 2.0 will also support workforce development and manufacturing through development of training and curriculum related to this supply chain. MERT 2.0 also includes critical infrastructure in the form of testing and prototyping facilities. The MERT effort emerged during the Commonwealths initial COVID-19 response from the existing trust and organizational infrastructure of the advanced manufacturing community in Massachusetts, which stepped up in a big way. This EDA grant enables the continuation and expansion of this work to continue to strengthen the manufacturing ecosystem in a very community-connected way, said Ben Linville-Engler, industry and certificate director for MITs System Design and Management program. COVID-19 forced all of us to rethink what we do, the services we provide and our ability to respond in a time of great need, said Sara Saberi, WPI assistant professor of industrial engineering. We have identified new opportunities that will allow us to become more agile, efficient and better prepared. There is more work to be done and WPI is proud to be part of the team identifying these critical capabilities for the future. We are excited to be contributing to this important initiative; this grant will enable AFFOA to continue assisting regional manufacturers in producing critical PPE products, further strengthening our domestic supply chain resiliency and US manufacturing, said Alexander M. Stolyarov, Ph.D., chief executive officer of Advanced Functional Fabrics of America (AFFOA). "MassRobotics is excited to continue work with the regions small and mid-sized manufacturers, said Tom Ryden, MassRobotics executive director. Through our programming and events, we help bring together innovative startups and existing technology organizations to nurture the next generation of talent and promote economic growth in Massachusetts. We believe robotic automation is capable of having a direct impact on business needs, and were fortunate to help spur that innovation with grants like this. MERT 2.0 is comprised of organizations that collectively became a machine pivoting Massachusetts manufacturers to produce much needed PPE for Massachusetts health care and emergency response workers, said John Killam, MassMEP president. In the following 12 months, Massachusetts produced greater than 15 million pieces of PPE and is on track to produce 110 million pieces built a year. MassMEP provided the key connections and led deployment of resources to the manufacturers pivoting. Participating in the planning and execution of MERT turned into a very rewarding experience for MassMEP. I am very thankful for the MassMEP team who made this their top priority. FORGE is grateful to the advocacy and efforts of regional leaders including Rep. Tom Golden and UMass Lowell Vice Chancellor for Research and Economic Development Julie Chen. The important work to respond to the pandemic, including that of the Massachusetts Emergency Response Team (MERT), has underscored how crucial thriving manufacturing and innovation are to our ability to come through black swan events like the COVID-19. These ecosystems are now more collaborative than ever here in the Commonwealth and FORGE is proud to be a part of the MERT 2.0 project which will ensure we continue to leverage lessons learned to strengthen innovative manufacturing and agile production in the state, said Laura Teicher, executive director of FORGE. In line with our mission of helping innovators navigate the journey from physical prototype through to commercialization and impact at scale, FORGE will build regional engagement through events and provide concierge support for engaging startups and innovators, providing guidance to them to right-fit resources, expertise, and testing, prototyping and manufacturing services. An informational meeting for how small and medium manufacturers can apply for access to resources such as expert consultants, prototyping and testing, and workforce development will be held in the summer. More information will be posted at www.uml.edu/research/fdc/ UMass Lowell is a national research university offering its more than 18,000 students bachelors, masters and doctoral degrees in business, education, engineering, fine arts, health, humanities, sciences and social sciences. UMass Lowell delivers high-quality educational programs and personal attention from leading faculty and staff, all of which prepare graduates to be leaders in their communities and around the globe. www.uml.edu Thirty-five-year-old internally displaced Nigerien and mother of four, Aissa Modi, stands beside a firewood distribution at a site in Zarmaganda, Ouallam, with a shelter kit distributed by UNHCR. Three months ago she fled N'zouett village near the Malian border in search of safety. UNHCR/6M. Productions Temperatures in Niger easily soar above 45 degrees Celsius. But when it rains, flash floods wreak havoc across the country. It is in this harsh environment of the rocky highlands of Nigers Tillaberi region, that Aissa Modi has found safety in Ouallam town. Forced to flee last August from Nzouett, a town near the unstable border area with Mali, the 35-year-old mother of four walked for days to reach Ouallam, the closest town thats currently home to over 2,700 internally displaced Nigeriens and over 5,600 Malian refugees. Now, the threat of floods looms and is likely to force more people to leave their homes, further increasing their humanitarian needs. Last year, the floods that hit Niger were fatal according to government figures, 80 people died and over 460,000 people were affected across the country, most of them rendered homeless. I was a homeless woman in my own country. UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agencys Associate Field Officer in Ouallam, Abdoulahi Tambari Agali explained that more people are expected to escape the imminent floods. We expect hundreds of families to seek refuge here in the coming months, he said, adding that old shelters like those that displaced people like Aissa have been using need to be replaced urgently. Their shelters have become fragile and offer little protection from the strong winter winds and the cold, he added. Shelter kits are ready for distribution for refugees and internally displaced persons in Ouallam, Niger. UNHCR/6M. Productions When they first arrived in Ouallam, Aissa lived with her elderly mother and her children in a flimsy shelter, with barely any protection from the elements. We had nothing. We were sleeping under a roof made of branches and when it rained, we had nowhere to go, she explained. I was a homeless woman in my own country. With the approaching rainy season, UNHCR, with the support of Japan has provided emergency shelters to 7,000 people, including Aissas family. They received shelter kits including tarpaulins, mats, wood, ropes and construction tools to build simple yet sturdy shelters. Nigers Ministries of Environment and Humanitarian Action against Natural Disasters are also overseeing wider flood preparation measures in the region. The assistance has offered displaced families some relief after they escaped incessant attacks and intimidation by armed groups in the Tillaberi and neighbouring Tahoua regions, which straddle the volatile border areas of Mali and Burkina Faso. Increasing numbers of Nigeriens have been uprooted from their homes. By the end of 2020, some 140,000 people had fled, more than double the total of those displaced the year before. For the first time since I fled, I feel like a proper citizen. Nigers security situation is impacted by the wider regional instability that recently pushed the number of internally displaced people in Africas Sahel region which includes Burkina Faso, Mali, Chad and Niger to above two million for the first time. But ongoing violence means the numbers have continued to rise, with over 102,000 people displaced so far in 2021. We were not safe, recalled Aissa. Armed men came every week, often at night, on their motorcycles and stole all the valuable items we had our cattle, our jewellery and even our clothes. I was afraid for my life. For now, Aissa is grateful for the shelter they have, which has made a big difference in their lives. For the first time since I fled, I feel like a proper citizen. I miss my land, but I feel like we are living in a village again, she says. Oregon, WI (53575) Today Thunderstorms likely, especially this evening. Hot. Low 69F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Thunderstorms likely, especially this evening. Hot. Low 69F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%. Register for a FREE account to keep reading! Register now for a FREE account to keep reading. No cost and no credit card required! Access up to 5 articles per month when you register, or get unlimited access to all of our content online starting at $1.99 now! Already registered? Click the log in link below Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-21 11:00:49|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Since the establishment of their diplomatic relations on May 21, 1951, China and Pakistan have forged an all-weather friendship and conducted all-round cooperation. As an important pilot project of the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative and one of the main platforms for deepening bilateral cooperation, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has been bearing fruit. Launched in 2013, the CPEC is a corridor linking Gwadar port with Kashgar in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, which highlights energy, transport and industrial cooperation. According to the data recently released by the Chinese Embassy in Pakistan, a total of 46 CPEC projects are under construction or have been completed, and the corridor has brought 25.4 billion U.S. dollars in foreign direct investment to Pakistan and created 75,000 jobs for the locals, serving as a focal point for China and Pakistan to drive practical cooperation. Xinhua's Jiang Chao visits some of the iconic sites in Islamabad that bear significance for the friendship between China and Pakistan. Produced by Xinhua Global Service Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-21 11:09:33|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, May 21 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping has been pledging for concerted global efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic and calling for a better global governance in the public health domain. China has been promoting global cooperation to tackle the common challenge since the begining of the worldwide health crisis, in the meantime sharing experience, offering medical aids and vaccines to other parts of the world. Earlier this month, Xi held a phone conversation with United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. Xi stressed that the most important task for the international community remains fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, saying that the world should strengthen cooperation and reject political manipulation. Noting that major countries should set an example by providing more public goods, Xi said that China has provided vaccine assistance for more than 80 developing countries and exported vaccines to more than 50 countries. China has decided to offer vaccines to the UN peacekeeping operations and the International Olympic Committee, and will continue to actively support COVAX and make continuous efforts to eliminate the "vaccine divide," Xi added. When addressing the opening of the 73rd session of the World Health Assembly (WHA) via video link in May 2020, Xi announced concrete measures to boost the global fight against COVID-19. In his speech, Xi said, "China will provide 2 billion U.S. dollars over two years to help with COVID-19 response and with economic and social development in affected countries, especially developing countries." China will work with the UN to set up a global humanitarian response depot and hub in China, ensure the operation of anti-epidemic supply chains and foster "green corridors" for fast-track transportation and customs clearance, he said. "COVID-19 vaccine development and deployment in China, when available, will be made a global public good," said the president. Xi also proposed to strengthen global governance in the area of public health in his WHA speech, saying that "in view of the weaknesses and deficiencies exposed by COVID-19, we need to improve the governance system for public health security." In a phone conversation with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron in March 2020, Xi said China stands ready to work with France to encourage all relevant parties to step up coordination and cooperation within such frameworks as the UN and the Group of 20 (G20), engage in joint prevention and containment, improve global health governance, help developing countries and other countries in need with capacity-building, and cushion the epidemic's impact on the world economy. In November 2020, when addressing the G20 Riyadh Summit via video link, Xi said the most pressing task of the moment is to shore up the global public health system and contain COVID-19 and other infectious diseases, highlighting the importance of building up capacities for tackling global challenges. At the invitation of Mario Draghi, prime minister of Italy that holds the G20 presidency, and Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, Xi will attend the Global Health Summit and deliver a speech via video in Beijing on Friday. Enditem For full access, please log in, register your subscription or subscribe. Try for 99 a month for two months, cancel or pause anytime. The family of a young man who died after being held at the Valley Street jail is suing, saying corrections officers and jail nurses ignored th Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-21 11:29:53|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, May 21 (Xinhua) -- No country or government in the world has ever acknowledged the "independence of Tibet," said a white paper issued by China's State Council Information Office Friday. Enditem LAST SUMMER, after months of protests and riots in response to the murder of George Floyd, the phrase mostly peaceful, often used by the media and Democrats to describe the protests, achieved parody status thanks to a CNN clip. We may never know if a Manchester police officers act of kindness to a teen would-be shoplifter will make a difference in the teens life. But it certainly brightened the day of a lot of Manchester residents and others who read our story or saw the TV newscast about Officer George Morales. Union Springs, AL (36089) Today Scattered showers and thunderstorms, especially during the evening. Low 72F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight Scattered showers and thunderstorms, especially during the evening. Low 72F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%. Leather manufacturer exports during first ten months of FY 2020-21 grew by 13.29 per cent as compared to the exports of the corresponding period of last year ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 21st May, 2021 ) :Leather manufacturer exports during first ten months of FY 2020-21 grew by 13.29 per cent as compared to the exports of the corresponding period of last year. During the period from July-April 20-21, Leather Manufacturer worth US $ 467,789 thousand exported as compared to worth US $ 412,908 thousand of same period of last year. According the data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, the exports of Leather Garments increased by 7.41 per cent, worth US $ 238,924 thousand were exported as compared to the exports of US $ 222,445 thousand of same period of last year. Meanwhile, Leather Gloves exports increased by 18.59 per cent, worth US $ 215,265 thousand were also exported in current financial year as compared to the exports of valuing US $ 181,528 thousand of same period of last year. During the period under view, Other Leather Manufacturer exports increased by 52.21 per cent, worth Us $ 13,600 thousand were exported in current fiscal year as compared to the exports of valuing US $ 8,935 thousand of same period of last year. Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 20th May, 2021 ) :Bangladesh authorities on Thursday imposed a lockdown in five Rohingya refugee camps in the country's southeast after a spike in coronavirus cases in recent days, officials said. The restrictions barred gatherings and movement between camps, which are home to more than 100,000 Rohingya refugees, Bangladesh's deputy refugee commissioner Shamsud Douza told AFP. "We imposed the restrictions from today after sudden spikes in coronavirus cases in the five camps," he said, adding Wednesday saw a single-day record in new infections. Bangladesh authorities have set up 34 camps in the country's southeastern district of Cox's Bazar for nearly 900,000 Rohingya refugees, who fled persecution and violence in Myanmar. They included some 740,000 Rohingya refugees who fled a deadly Myanmar military offensive in August 2017. Douza said aid workers have been restricted in the camps, allowing only a bare minimum people who work in health, food and gas distribution to enter. On Wednesday alone, 45 Rohingya tested positive for the virus out of 247 tested, said local health coordinator Toha Bhuiyan. The same number was also tested positive on Thursday. "All five camps have been completely closed," he told AFP. "The infection number is alarming," Anupom Barua, the Principal of Cox's Bazar Medical College, told AFP. Barua has been monitoring the coronavirus situation in the camps since last year. Since the virus was detected last year in the camps, Bangladesh authorities have tightly controlled visitors entry into the area, amid fear that Covid-19 could wreck havoc in the squalid and extremely congested settlements. The restrictions helped keep down cases and deaths. An international aid worker told AFP that the authorities have already used loudspeakers to warn people in the camps of the restrictions. The worker said the number of cases have also jumped among the host Bangladeshi population in Teknaf, prompting the authorities to impose a lockdown in the southern-most border town. A senior police officer told AFP that authorities have stepped up security and set up checkposts in the settlements. Bangladesh launched a Covid-19 vaccination drive in February and some six million people have got one or two doses, but that campaign has not reached Rohingya refugees. (@ChaudhryMAli88) Brussels, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 20th May, 2021 ) :The European Parliament and EU member states reached a deal Thursday paving the way for a Covid-19 certificate that will help open up travel in Europe for the key summer season. "We have white smoke," tweeted EU justice commissioner Didier Reynders after a fourth negotiating session between MEPs and diplomats from Portugal, which holds the EU's six-month rotating presidency. The deal will allow for anybody living in the EU's 27 countries to secure a digital health pass by the end of June that displays their vaccination status, results of Covid-19 tests or whether they have recovered from a coronavirus infection. It is seen as a key tool to save the European summer vacation period, allowing countries dependent on tourists to reopen to visitors less likely to bring Covid with them. "This is an important step towards restarting EU free movement as safely as possible, while providing clarity and certainty for our citizens," said EU health commissioner Stella Kyriakides. Other countries around the world have moved in the same direction, including Israel with its "green pass", and Britain, which has told its citizens that some international travel will be permitted with an app from its National Health Service (NHS). The EU's health pass will initially be used only for travel within the European bloc and will be legally valid for 12 months. Any extension will require a new legislative process. According to negotiators, MEPs failed in a bid to make free Covid tests available to all unvaccinated citizens, securing only a call for "affordable" testing across the EU. The European Commission also promised to make at least 100 million Euros ($122 million) available for the purchase of rapid tests. In addition, the deal allows for member states to recognise vaccines that are not authorised in the EU -- a demand of Hungary, which has relied heavily on unapproved Russian and Chinese vaccinations for its rollout. - 'Step forward' - Liberal MEP Sophie in 't Veld regretted that the Parliament had not been able to push through its more far-reaching demands. Nevertheless, she described the agreement as "a tangible step forward for citizens". France, Malta and the Netherlands are among the countries piloting the EU's pass. The test involves making sure that digital keys used to authenticate the passes work correctly, and that it is interoperable across different countries' systems. The pass, while mostly designed to be accessed via a smartphone app, also has to be able to be authenticated in paper form. The technology was developed by German companies T-Systems and SAP. The certificate is on the agenda of the summit of European heads of state and government scheduled for Monday and Tuesday in Brussels. Thursday's agreement will then have to be formally approved by a full session of the European Parliament, whose plenary is scheduled for June 7-10 in Strasbourg. (@FahadShabbir) New Delhi, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 20th May, 2021 ) :States across India ordered emergency measures Thursday to counter a surge in the rare deadly "black fungus" infection among coronavirus sufferers. Two new states declared epidemics of Mucormycosis while New Delhi and other major cities have opened special wards to treat thousands of cases of the infection commonly known as black fungus. India normally deals with less than 20 cases a year, but the infection has become a new threat from the coronavirus wave that has killed 120,000 people in six weeks. The infection, which some doctors have blamed on the high use of steroids to combat Covid-19, kills more than 50 percent of sufferers within days. In some cases, eyes and upper jaws are removed by surgeons to save lives. Authorities have not said how many people have died from black fungus. But a government alert to state authorities on Thursday said teams of reconstruction and general surgeons as well as ear, nose and throat specialists had to be readied to treat the growing number of sufferers. Gujarat and Telangana states became the latest to declare black fungus epidemics, a day after Rajasthan. Maharashtra state has reported more than 2,000 cases. Gujarat, home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has about 1,200, officials said. Ahmedabad civil hospital, one of Gujarat's biggest, was treating 371 cases, according to a spokesman. Health officials said there were about 400 cases in the government hospital in the city of Rajkot. - 'Indiscriminate use of steroids' - New Delhi set up special wards at three hospitals to cope with increased black fungus numbers. There are more than 200 black fungus patients in New Delhi hospitals, with dozens on waiting lists for beds, according to media reports. The IT hub of Bangalore opened special wards on Wednesday which filled within hours, doctors said. Anti-fungal drugs are the latest shortage to hit India's stretched health system and social media has been flooded with requests from relatives of Mucormycosis sufferers pleading for help to find medicine. Black fungus is caused by organisms called mucormycetes, which can enter the body through breathing or skin injuries. These are naturally present in soil and decaying organic matter, but once inside humans, they can infect air pockets behind the forehead, nose, cheekbones and between the eyes and teeth. Some doctors say there has been panic use of steroids to combat Covid-19 which has helped the spread of black fungus. "Indiscriminate use of steroids to treat Covid-19 patients should be avoided," Maharashtra's Health Minister Rajesh Tope said Wednesday. Other doctors say the unhygenic conditions in some hospitals when putting coronavirus patients on oxygen cylinders has allowed black fungus to take hold. Coronavirus patients with diabetes and a weakened immune system are particularly prone to attack. Many of the drugs used to fight the coronavirus suppress the body's immune system that would normally ward off a fungal infection. UNITED NATIONS, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 21st May, 2021 ) :Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi met with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres Thursday afternoon and discussed the grave situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including Jerusalem, and also updated him on developments in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu & Kashmir (IIOJ&K) The meeting took place on the sidelines of the Special Session of the UN General Assembly on Palestine. FM Qureshi is in New York as part of Pakistan's extensive diplomatic outreach efforts to mobilize international support for the Palestinians. During the meeting, according to a Pakistan Mission press release, the foreign minister conveyed the strong sense of outrage on behalf of the entire Pakistani nation over Israel's use of indiscriminate and disproportionate force against the Palestinians, resulting in the loss of numerous lives, including dozens of women and children. He also called for ensuring protection of Palestinian civilians, allow humanitarian access to the Occupied Palestinian Territory and initiate an emergency UN humanitarian assistance plan for the Palestinians. The foreign minister underscored that peace in the region can only be achieved through the realization of a two-state solution and through the establishment of a viable, independent and contiguous Palestinian state with pre-1967 borders and Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital. The Foreign Minister also briefed the UN chief on the deteriorating human rights and humanitarian situation in IIOJ&K, including continued extra-judicial killings. He conveyed Pakistan's deep concern at the continued incarceration of Kashmiri political leaders in crowded conditions despite the coronavirus pandemic, leading to the death of prominent Kashmiri leader and Chairman of Tehreek-e-Hurriyat Jammu and Kashmir, Ashraf Sehrai in Indian custody. He urged Guterres to use his good offices and mediation to resolve the Jammu & Kashmir dispute, including by calling on India to rescind its illegal and unilateral actions of 5 August 2019, and to allow the Kashmiris to exercise their inalienable right to self-determination as enshrined in the relevant UN resolutions. He also reiterated Pakistan's call for further strengthening the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP), which monitors the ceasefire line in the disputed region. In addition, Foreign Minister Qureshi highlighted Pakistan's constructive efforts to facilitate the Afghan peace process, and expressed the hope that the Afghan parties would seize the opportunity and reach an inclusive, politically-negotiated settlement, resulting in lasting peace and security in Afghanistan. Expressing deep concern at the rising tide of intolerance, discrimination, violence and Islamophobia against Muslims, he urged the need for the relevant UN bodies to address this challenge, as well as to take effective measures against the threat posed by violent nationalist, supremacist, far right and extreme-right wing terrorist groups and ideologies. The foreign minister called for a strong international response to Covid-19 based on solidarity and cooperation to support global economic recovery, and in this regard recalled the five-point action plan for recovery from the pandemic proposed by the Prime Minister Imran Khan. (@fidahassanain) Police say that blast has taken place at Boghra Chowk's chicken market while rescuers arrived there are shifting the injured to nearby hospital for treatment. CHAMAN:(UrduPoint/UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News-May 21st, 2021) At least six peopled were killed and 14 others injured in bomb blast in th city on Friday. Police and rescuers reached the spot and started shifting the injured to a nearby hospital for treatment. According to the police, an emergency was imposed at the district hospital. The blast took place near JUI-I Nazriyati senior Vice-President Maulana Abdul Qadirs car. The JUI-leaderalso fell injured and was taken to a nearby hospital. Police, however, said that he was discharged from the hospital was sent to home. ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 21st May, 2021 ) :In Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, Indian authorities have imposed curfew and other restrictions to prevent the march and prayer meetings already announced by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, the Chairman of Hurriyat Forum. According to Kashmir Media Service, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq had called for a complete shutdown and a march towards Mazar-e-Shuhada in Srinagar, today, to pay tributes to prominent martyred Hurriyat leaders, Mirwaiz Molvi Muhammad Farooq and Khawaja Abdul Ghani Lone, as well as the martyrs of Hawal massacre on their martyrdom anniversaries. All Parties Hurriyat Conference had also given the call for the shutdown on the occasion. Srinagar-based media reports said that the authorities have decided to strictly enforce corona curfew on May 21, marking Mirwaiz Molvi Muhammad Farooq and Khawaja Abdul Ghani Lone's martyrdom anniversaries. The reports citing official sources said that Inspector General of Police Vijay Kumar held meeting with all DIGs and SSPs through virtual mode to take stock of the situation. "It was decided that police shall enforce strictest corona curfew tomorrow (21 May)," the officials said. As per the programme announced by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, besides the shutdown and march, an extensive campaign was launched on social media, which would continue till 21st May (today) to highlight the Kashmir cause and the Indian machinations against the Kashmiris. Posters and banners will also be displayed all across the occupied territory. Prayer meetings will be held all across the territory, today. The people in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan and all across the world are going to hold protest rallies and prayer meetings today. Special prayers would be offered in Faisal Masjid, Islamabad, and a protest will be held there on the occasion. Meanwhile, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq remained under house arrest on his father's martyrdom anniversary. He had been under illegal and arbitrary house arrest since August 5, 2019. (@FahadShabbir) Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting (MoIB) Farrukh Habib has urged the parliamentarians to play their due role for ensuring enactment of the 'Protection of Journalists and Media Professionals Bill 2021', tabled by the government in the National Assembly (NA) on Friday. ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 21st May, 2021 ) :Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting (MoIB) Farrukh Habib has urged the parliamentarians to play their due role for ensuring enactment of the 'Protection of Journalists and Media Professionals Bill 2021', tabled by the government in the National Assembly (NA) on Friday. "Today, the Protection of Journalists and Media Professionals Bill 2021 has been tabled in the National Assembly. Now, it is responsibility of the entire House to ensure its enforcement by passing this bill, so that all forms of exploitation can be eradicated," he said in a tweet on Friday. Farrukh also gave special credit to Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain and Minister of Human Rights Shireen Mazari for the initiative. Federal Minister for Communications and Postal Services Murad Saeed said on Friday issuance of commemorative postage stamp on 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and China was a testimony to the time-tested and everlasting friendly relations ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 21st May, 2021 ) :Federal Minister for Communications and Postal Services Murad Saeed said on Friday issuance of commemorative postage stamp on 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and China was a testimony to the time-tested and everlasting friendly relations. He stated this while addressing at the unveiling ceremony of the Commemorative Postage Stamp on the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and China here at ECO Postal Staff. Ambassador of the People's Republic of China Nong Rong, Secretary Communication Zafar Hasan, Director General Pakistan Post Khalid Javed and other senior officials of Pakistan Post were also present on the occasion. The minister said that friendly relations between Pakistan and China are higher than Himalaya and deeper than the ocean. He further stated that China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a joint venture is going to change the future course of history in the region in terms of socio-economic development. "For both the countries and region, CPEC will be a game changer, he further added. Murad also extended special gratitude to the Ambassador of the People's Republic of China for gracing the occasion. He said China is the most trusted and time tested friend of Pakistan and both the neighboring countries cherish their friendship more than any other. "Since its establishment on May 21, 1951, the relationship between both the countries has built on its strength of its successive achievements and has become formidable with each passing day and year", he said, adding that the leadership of the both countries is committed to taking this relationship forward. Murad Saeed said the commemorative stamp has a special significance to highlight the importance of both the ports i.e. Gwadar Port Pakistan and Zhuhai Port China. "Gwadar Port, as a part of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is a game changer not only for Pakistan but the whole region as the socio-economic development of the region is largely dependent upon as this project. Due to its unique geographical location Gwadar port provides crosscut link to all Central Asian states including Afghanistan and Russia", he added. The minister said that China has always extended its support to Pakistan in time of needs. He also appreciated China support to Pakistan on the Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IOJK). He said that Pak-China friendship was not only at government level but also enjoying people to people contact. The minister further said that next week Multan-Lodhran Motorway project foundation stone would be laid; adding that after 20 days, work would also be started on Sialkot-Kharian Phase-1. He said work would also be commenced on Khariyan-Rawalpindi in current year. He said that Hakla-Dera Ismail Khan Motorway project would be completed by July and will be inaugurated in August. Murad said entire nation was standing with brothers of Palestine and Solidarity Day with Palestinians was observed today in the country. Ambassador of China Non Rong said that great honour to participate in the inauguration ceremony of commemorative postage stamp. He said that it was jointly designed by Pakistan and China. He said that Pakistan and China was iron brothers and our relations have become a role model. "We are working together under the leadership of Pakistan and China to further strengthen our bilateral and friendly relations. He said that this stamp was small in size but great in influence, adding that mutual understanding allow Pak-China to further move forward and promote people to people contact between the two brotherly countries. China Ambassador highly appreciated the issuance of commemorative stamps on the eve of 70th diplomatic relationship between the two friendly counties and stated that the unprecedented Pak-China friendship is cherished equally by both countries,Earlier, In his welcome remarks, Secretary Ministry of Communications Zafar Hasan said that Gwadar Port has immense potential to connect Pakistan and China with the world. He said that Pakistan Post and China Post both administration have great opportunities to further strengthen its partnership. National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) has announced Vaccination Policy for Pakistanis Working abroad on Work Visa, Students Studying Abroad (study visa) & Registered Seafarers ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 21st May, 2021 ) :National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) has announced Vaccination Policy for Pakistanis Working abroad on Work Visa, Students Studying Abroad (study visa) & Registered Seafarers. According to the details issued by NCOC, many countries around the world, incorporations, various employers, universities, shipping companies have made vaccination as mandatory for entry, work, study, stay and traveling etc. Therefore, in order to facilitate those Pakistanis who are working abroad on work visa(other than Pakistanis having dual citizenship), students studying abroad and Seafarers, NCOC has devised policy for their vaccination. All Pakistanis over 18 years, who have got work visa for the first time, or already working abroad and have come back on leave or for any reason can get vaccinated as per following procedure. Any Pakistani (any gender, over 18 years of age) who has work visa or iqama can get vaccinated. He/she must walk-in to any CVC, show passport, visa or iqama to CVC staff. The CVC staff will check passport and visa / iqama, make data entry and administer vaccine. The entry will be made into NIMS by CVC staff. In case of any problem due to age, connectivity or tech issue, data will be maintained manually and will passed on to NCOC as per procedure. Later on the data will be entered by Provinces in NIMS. Certificate for vaccination will be issued from NADRA website or office as per standard procedure. Sharing further details, NCOC said that any Pakistani (over 18 years) having a valid study visa for any country can get vaccinated from any CVC as per following procedure. a Walk-in to any CVC, show passport and study visa to CVC staff. While, CVC staff will check passport and study visa make data entry and administer vaccine. The entry will be made into NIMS by CVC staff. In case of any problem due to age, connectivity or tech issue, data will be maintained manually and will be passed on to NCOC as per existing procedure. Later on the data will be entered by Provinces in NIMS as per existing procedure, it added. However, the certificate for vaccination will be issued from NADRA website or office as per standard procedure. NCOC further informed that any registered seafarer (over 18 years) can get vaccinated from any CVC as per following procedure. They may walk-in to any CVC, show Registration Certificate as Seafarer to CVC staff. CVC staff will check Registration Certificate make data entry and administer vaccine, it added. It was stated that entry will be made into NIMS by CVC staff. In case of any problem due to age, connectivityor tech issue, data will be maintained manually and will be passed on to NCOC as per existing procedure. Later on the data will be entered by Provinces in NIMS as per existing procedure. Certificate for vaccination will be issued from NADRA website or NADRA office as per standard procedure, NCOC mentioned. While giving further details, NCOC said that clinicals guidelines for vaccination issued by MoHNSR&C for age limitation should not be violated in any circumstances especially for age (40 years and above for AstraZeneca and 18 years and above for Sinopharm, Casino & Sinovac) and duration among two does (12 weeks for AstraZeneca, 3 weeks for Sinopharm and 4 weeks for Sinovac). NCOC has given tasks of various Ministries in Vaccination of Pakistanis going Abroad. The Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development will publish procedure on its website, circulate it on social media and will inform all concerned. While, Ministry of Foreign Affairs is requested to share it with missions abroad for dissemination of information to Pakistanis working abroad for guidance. The Ministry of Maritime Affairs will be responsible to pass information and coordinate vaccination of seafarers. As per NCOC details, Ministry of education will update all students going abroad by uploading on website, using social media and by informing concerned institutions. (@ChaudhryMAli88) The opposition parties in the National Assembly led by Leader of the Opposition Shehbaz Sharif on Friday hold a rally and handed over a resolution to the United Nations office in Islamabad ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 21st May, 2021 ) :The opposition parties in the National Assembly led by Leader of the Opposition Shehbaz Sharif on Friday hold a rally and handed over a resolution to the United Nations office in Islamabad. Addressing the participants of the rally, Shehbaz Sharif strongly condemned the naked Israeli aggression in Palestine. Israel martyred innocent Palestinian people, including women and children, during days of violence in the Gaza Strip besides leveling scores of buildings to the ground. "We have submitted the resolution passed by the National Assembly to a representative of the United Nations," he said. The resolution reflected the sentiments of the entire Pakistani nation, he added. Shehbaz Sharif urged the UN to implement its resolutions so that peace and calm could return globally. "No durable peace can be brought unless the longstanding issues like Palestine were not settled," he said. National Assembly Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri also visited the UN office along with opposition lawmakers to hand over the resolution. (@fidahassanain) President Arif Alvi and Chinese President Xi Jinping have expressed the resolve in the congratulatory letters exchanged by the two leaders on the occasion of 70th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. ISLAMABAD: (UrduPoint/UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News-May 21st, 2021) President Dr Arif Alvi and Chinese President Xi Jinping have vowed to deepen bilateral cooperation and achieve high quality development of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). The resolve was expressed in the congratulatory letters exchanged by the two leaders on the occasion of 70th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. In his letter, President Xi Jinping said China and Pakistan are all-weather strategic cooperative partners that stood firmly by each other on issues of core interests and major concerns. He said the mutual trust and friendship between the two countries have gone through the test of 70 years of international changes and remain rock-solid, and have become the most valuable strategic asset of the two peoples. He said the construction of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has achieved remarkable results, bringing tangible benefits to the people of both countries besides providing strong impetus to the regional prosperity. In his letter, President Arif Alvi reaffirmed the commitment to further elevate Pakistan-China friendship to new heights and build closer China-Pakistan Community of Shared Future in the new era. Arif Alvi said both the countries have remained friends in good and bad times. He said despite difficulties, both the countries have rendered immense sacrifices to achieve their objectives. He said Pakistan-China friendship is guarantor of peace in the region. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Imran Khan and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang in their congratulatory letters to each other on the occasion of 70th anniversary of Pak-China diplomatic relations expressed strong commitment to further strengthen their All Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership to create a brighter and promising future for the peoples of two countries. In his letter addressed to the Chinese Premier, Imran Khan said both the countries are closely coordinating to celebrate this year in a befitting manner enabling the peoples of two countries to truly understand the depth, the breadth and the vitality of this relationship. Imran Khan said the two countries have made indefatigable efforts to foster, cement, and strengthen their ties. Our time-tested relationship is built around lasting values of mutual respect, mutual trust, and mutual understanding. Prime Minister Imran Khan reaffirmed his government's firm commitment to the expeditious completion of CPEC projects saying this will open up tremendous opportunities for growth and development in the region. Imran Khan thanked China for their invaluable support to Pakistan in the fight against Covid-19. The Chinese Premier said his country has been consistent to prioritize Pakistan in its foreign policy, and is willing to make joint efforts with it to develop the all-weather strategic cooperative partnership to a higher level in the next 70 years. Le Keqiang said China and Pakistan are friendly neighbours linked by mountains and waters. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations, both countries have enjoyed firm political mutual trust, close economic cooperation, and ever-increasing people-to-people friendship. The Chinese Premier said both the countries helped each other in the face of Covid-19. He said we have achieved new progress for the development of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. He said there are broad prospects for China and Pakistan to build an even closer community with a shared future in the new era. Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-21 14:31:19|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, May 21 (Xinhua) -- China's State Council Information Office Friday issued a white paper on the peaceful liberation of Tibet and its development over the past seven decades. The white paper, titled "Tibet Since 1951: Liberation, Development and Prosperity," reviewed Tibet's history and achievements and presented a true and panoramic picture of the new socialist Tibet. "This will help to counter the propaganda spread by a number of Western countries and their allies and provide the international community with a balanced account of the enormous transformation that has taken place in Tibet," said the document. On May 23, 1951, the Agreement of the Central People's Government and the Local Government of Tibet on Measures for the Peaceful Liberation of Tibet (17-Article Agreement) was signed, officially proclaiming the peaceful liberation of Tibet. The year 2021 marks the 70th anniversary of the historic event. With the peaceful liberation of Tibet, the people of Tibet broke free from the fetters of invading imperialism for good, embarking on a bright road of unity, progress and development with all the other ethnic groups in China, according to the white paper. In the new era, under the strong leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee with Xi Jinping at the core and with the vigorous support of the whole country, Tibet has made new progress in various fields, including eradicating extreme poverty, said the document, adding that "a brand new socialist Tibet has taken shape." Enjoying a stable social environment, economic and cultural prosperity and a sound natural environment, people in Tibet now lead better lives and live in contentment, it noted. In addition to a foreword and a conclusion, the white paper consisted of 10 sections, "Tibet Before the Peaceful Liberation," "Peaceful Liberation," "Historic Changes in Society," "Rapid Development of Various Undertakings," "A Complete Victory over Poverty," "Protection and Development of Traditional Culture," "Remarkable Results in Ethnic and Religious Work," "Solid Environmental Safety Barriers," "Resolutely Safeguarding National Unity and Social Stability," and "Embarking on a New Journey in the New Era." While hailing seven decades of transformation, the white paper also slammed Western anti-China forces for continuing to interfere in Tibetan affairs as a means of disrupting China, and accused the 14th Dalai Lama and his supporters of trying to promote "Tibetan independence" by provoking incidents to jeopardize peace and stability in Tibet. "All the people of China, including Tibetans, will resolutely safeguard national unity, protect national sovereignty and fight all separatists and anti-China forces, particularly Western anti-China forces," said the document. After summarizing its successes in leading the people of Tibet to stability and prosperity, the CPC proposed guidelines for governing Tibet in the new era. China will ensure that the four main tasks embodied in the guidelines -- ensuring stability, facilitating development, protecting the eco-environment and strengthening the frontiers -- will be implemented, the document said. "This will ensure success in building a prosperous, harmonious and beautiful new socialist Tibet underpinned by unity, civility and modernization," it added. Enditem Wendy R. Sherman, the Deputy Secretary of State for the US, will be traveling to a number of cities around the world in the coming weeks, with the first two stops being in Brussels and Ankara, the State Department said on Friday WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 21st May, 2021) Wendy R. Sherman, the Deputy Secretary of State for the US, will be traveling to a number of cities around the world in the coming weeks, with the first two stops being in Brussels and Ankara, the State Department said on Friday. "Deputy Secretary of State Wendy R. Sherman will travel to Brussels, Ankara, Jakarta, Phnom Penh, Bangkok, and Honolulu May 25 to June 4," the State Department said. Sherman will begin her trip in Brussels, where she is expected to meet with a variety of foreign counterparts representing Belgium, the EU, and NATO to discuss issues including COVID-19 recovery and combating the influence of malign foreign actors. She will also lead the first meeting of the US-EU Dialogue on China. Following this, Sherman will travel to Ankara. There, she will engage with various representatives of the Turkish government and civil society to discuss the US-Turkey relationship, particularly within the context of working together as NATO allies. In addition to these initial destinations, Sherman will travel to Southeast Asia where she will meet with officials in Indonesia, Cambodia, Thailand, and finally, Hawaii. Europe's top court ordered Poland on Friday to halt the extraction of lignite -- a low-quality brown coal -- at its Turow open-cast mine after a complaint from the neighbouring Czech Republic Luxembourg, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 21st May, 2021 ) :Europe's top court ordered Poland on Friday to halt the extraction of lignite -- a low-quality brown coal -- at its Turow open-cast mine after a complaint from the neighbouring Czech Republic. The Czechs argue that the vast operation to mine lignite is a cross-border environmental hazard and breaches EU law. The Luxembourg-based Court of Justice of the European Union ruled in favour of the Czech Republic's request to suspend mining pending a final ruling on the case. "Poland must immediately cease lignite extraction activities in the Turow mine," a statement said. "The pleas of fact and law raised by the Czech Republic justify the granting of the interim measures sought." In operation since 1904, the mine supplies coal mainly to a local power station. Poland's largest energy group PGE, which owns both the mine and the plant, is planning to extract coal at Turow until 2044. PGE wants to expand the mine from 25 to 30 square kilometres (10 to 12 square miles) and extract coal from a depth of up to 330 metres (1,000 feet). The Polish ministry of climate and environment extended Turow's mining licence by six years in March 2020, despite protests from the Czech Republic and Germany. The European Commission said last December that Poland had misjudged the environmental impact of the mine and misinformed its neighbours about its plans. The court ruling said that, on the face of the matter, Polish legislation allowing an open-cast mining project to be extended without an environmental impact assessment could break EU law. And it deemed it "sufficiently likely" that continuing to exploit Turow would "have negative effects on the level of groundwater in Czech territory". The court also said Poland had failed to prove its claim that shutting the mine would force the closure of the power station and lead to local power outages. (@ChaudhryMAli88) MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 20th May, 2021) Foreign investors bought 53 percent of Russia's new euro-denominated 15-year Eurobonds and 35 percent of additional bonds maturing in 2027, Andrey Solovyev, Global Head of Debt Capital Markets at VTB Capital, one of the organizers of the placement, told reporters. The Russian Finance Ministry placed on Thursday two tranches of Eurobonds worth a total of 1.5 billion Euros ($1.83 billion): new 15-year bonds worth 1 billion euros with a yield of 2.65 percent and an additional issue of securities maturing in November 2027 worth 500 million euros at a price of 98. 5 percent of nominal. According to Solovyov, the total number of bids for both tranches exceeded 100. The bid book at its peak for the new issue exceeded 1.4 billion euros, and 700 million euros for the additional issue. Investors from Russia bought 47 percent of the new issue, from Germany and Austria 22 percent, Asia and the middle East 14 percent, the UK 7 percent, France 6 percent, the rest 4 percent. Investors from Russia bought 65 percent of the additional issue, Asia and the Middle East - 20 percent, France 11 percent, the rest took 4 percent. (@ChaudhryMAli88) A Liberian political party headed by former warlord Prince Johnson, who was recently nominated to a top defence post, said Friday that the United States opposition to the move was a "travesty" Monrovia, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 21st May, 2021 ) :A Liberian political party headed by former warlord Prince Johnson, who was recently nominated to a top defence post, said Friday that the United States opposition to the move was a "travesty". Johnson, a brutal figure in the West African country's first civil war from 1989-1997, was elected head of the Liberian Senate Committee on Defence and Intelligence on Tuesday. A failed presidential candidate and a senator, the 68-year-old sent shockwaves around the world after a video showed him calmly sipping beer while looking on as his men tortured former president Samuel Doe to death in 1990. Johnson was the head of the Independent National Patriotic Front of Liberia (INPFL) during the civil war, which fought both rival warlord Charles Taylor's forces and those of President Samuel Doe. In addition to Doe, he is accused of killing hundreds of Liberians including popular musicians and members of Doe's ethnic group. Washington condemned the move this week. In a statement, the US embassy in Liberia pointed to Johnson's "gross human rights violations" and said it would not work with the former warlord. However, Johnson's Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction (MDR) party responded in a statement dated Thursday but published on Friday that the US position represented a "travesty of justice". "He has not been indicted, trialed nor found guilty," MDR said, adding that Johnson sees the civil war as a "matter of the past". Liberia's two civil wars -- from 1989 to 1997 and from 1999 to 2003 -- were characterised by a litany of abuses attributed to all sides including massacres of civilians, torture, rape and drafting of child soldiers. Some 250,000 people were killed and the country -- one of the poorest in the world -- was brought to its knees before being ravaged by an Ebola outbreak in West Africa. Washington is a traditional ally of Liberia, which is Africa's oldest republic, founded in 1847 by freed US slaves. Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif and EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell have held phone talks, during which they exchanged views on the progress made at the ongoing negotiations on the revival of the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), held in the Austrian capital of Vienna, Iranian Foreign Ministry said on Friday MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 21st May, 2021) Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif and EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell have held phone talks, during which they exchanged views on the progress made at the ongoing negotiations on the revival of the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), held in the Austrian capital of Vienna, Iranian Foreign Ministry said on Friday. According to the ministry, the officials spoke by phone on Thursday. "Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and European Union Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell discussed the latest developments pertaining to the Vienna talks and the considerable headway made with the negotiations," the ministry said in a statement. In the conversation, Zarif welcomed efforts made by EU External Action Service in the negotiations and stressed that the administration of US President Joe Biden had to abandon the approach advanced by his predecessor, Donald Trump, regarding the nuclear deal to make the Vienna talks "fruitful. " The Austrian capital has been hosting the in-person meetings of JCPOA parties since early April. So far, three working groups were created, with two of them working on lifting US sanctions and the nuclear issues, while the third is looking into the sequence of steps necessary to restore the nuclear deal. Following the latest round of talks in Vienna, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the parties agreed to begin holding expert and technical consultations, as well as drafting an agreement. In 2015, Iran signed the JCPOA with China, France, Germany, Russia, the United Kingdom, the United States, Germany, and the EU. The deal required Iran to scale back its nuclear program and considerably downgrade its uranium reserves in exchange for sanctions relief. Washington withdrew from the deal under the Trump administration in 2018, reimposing Western sanctions on Tehran over its nuclear program. Italy's Five Star Movement (M5S) once threatened to upend the political order, but today the party founded by a stand-up comedian has little to laugh about as it risks imploding Rome, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 21st May, 2021 ) :Italy's Five Star Movement (M5S) once threatened to upend the political order, but today the party founded by a stand-up comedian has little to laugh about as it risks imploding. Just three years ago, the then proudly anti-establishment M5S won a stunning 33 percent of the vote in a landmark general election win that propelled it into power. But it currently has no formal leader, is hopelessly divided and is languishing in the polls after several policy U-turns and broken campaign promises. "They are really on the rocks," commented Piergiorgio Corbetta, an emeritus professor at the University of Bologna who has written extensively about the rise and fall of the M5S. The movement remains part of Prime Minister Mario Draghi's national unity government and the largest party in parliament. But between a quarter and a third of its lawmakers have left or have been expelled from its ranks, while it is half as popular as it was in 2018, polling at under 17 percent. Former premier Giuseppe Conte has been tapped to take over and revive the party, but his nomination has been blocked by in-fighting. They are now, according to Corbetta, "totally irrelevant" in Draghi's government, holding just four out of 23 ministerial posts, and politically drifting, with their putative alliance with the centre-left Democratic Party (PD) a work in progress. "I can't deny that it is a difficult and tense period," M5S lawmaker Sergio Battelli told AFP. "The movement has evolved, it has changed, it has made some errors... but the M5S is here to stay." MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 20th May, 2021) Pirates attacked a fishing boat and kidnapped its five crew members in the Gulf of Guinea in the vicinity of Ghana, maritime security firm Dryad Global said on Thursday. "Pirates are understood to have kidnapped 5 crew members comprised of the following individuals: Captain- Korean; Chief Officer- Chinese; Second Officer - Chinese; Chief Engineer - Chinese; Bosun - Russian," the firm said. According to the statement, the incident occurred on Wednesday evening 65 nautical miles south of Tema city. The company's account of the attack suggests that a speedboat with eight pirates on board approached the fishing boat, whereupon five armed pirates took control of the vessel, sailed 100 nautical miles south, and abandoned it. The Gulf of Guinea remains the world's most dangerous place for commercial ships in terms of piracy. The International Chamber of Commerce's maritime bureau estimates that this part of the Atlantic accounted for nearly half of all reported attacks in the first quarter of 2021. A Polish company on Friday launched the world's first industrial production line of solar panels based on groundbreaking perovskite technology, which could revolutionise access to solar power for all Wroclaw, Poland, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 21st May, 2021 ) :A Polish company on Friday launched the world's first industrial production line of solar panels based on groundbreaking perovskite technology, which could revolutionise access to solar power for all. Named after the Baltic goddess of the sun, Saule Technologies makes sheets of solar panels using a novel inkjet printing procedure invented by company founder Olga Malinkiewicz. "We're scaling up, going from laboratory to production line," said Malinkiewicz, whose firm is based in the southern city of Wroclaw. Photovoltaic panels coated with perovskite film are light, flexible and can easily be fixed to almost any surface to produce electricity even inside buildings. Manufacturing costs are down thanks to the inkjet printing procedure for perovskites, which makes it possible to produce the panels under lower temperatures. Malinkiewicz developed the processing method in 2013 while still a PhD student at the University of Valencia in Spain. Her discovery earned her an article in the journal Nature as well as an award from MIT and top spot in a competition organised by the European Commission. Now, "we're opening the world's first factory of perovskite solar cells," she told AFP. She said "demand already exceeds production capacity", which is estimated initially at an annual 40,000 square metres (430,550 square feet). The first commercial orders have come in from the internet of Things and construction sectors. The company has received funding from Poland's green energy leader Columbus Energy and multimillionaire Japanese investor Hideo Sawada. The firm is now preparing to launch on the Warsaw Stock Exchange and is also mulling new factories in Europe or perhaps Japan. "Of all the photovoltaic systems in Europe, only four percent are manufactured on the continent," said Malinkiewicz. "We're on the same page as the European Union when it comes to the importance of building them in our region," she added. MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 21st May, 2021) A new batch of rockets has been fired from the Gaza Strip at southern Israel minutes before the ceasefire enters into force, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said on Friday. On Thursday, the Israeli security cabinet unanimously adopted Egypt's initiative for a bilateral unconditional ceasefire, which would take effect at 23:00 GMT on Thursday. Hamas has also confirmed its plans to abide by the truce. "More rockets are being fired at southern Israel from Gaza. An important reminder: 4,340+ rockets have been fired at Israel since last Monday by terrorists in Gaza," the IDF wrote on its Twitter page. Thirty men from Morocco made it over a border fence to reach the Spanish enclave of Melilla overnight, authorities there said Friday, after a record number of migrants made it to Spain's other North African territory earlier in the week Madrid, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 21st May, 2021 ) :Thirty men from Morocco made it over a border fence to reach the Spanish enclave of Melilla overnight, authorities there said Friday, after a record number of migrants made it to Spain's other North African territory earlier in the week. More than 8,000 migrants swam or used small inflatable boats to cross into Spain's Ceuta territory from Monday as the Moroccan border forces looked the other way, taking Spanish authorities by surprise and raising tensions between Madrid and Rabat. Madrid has since sent more than 6,000 of those migrants back and stopped new entries into Ceuta. But there have also been a smaller number getting into Melilla, Spain's other coastal enclave some 400 kilometres (250 miles) to the east. Authorities in Melilla said that on Wednesday night "30 people entered our city, all men of legal age and of Moroccan origin". It said that there were six attempts overnight to get over the border fence, which is several metres high. In a previous attempt at dawn on Tuesday, 85 migrants from a group of more than 300 managed to get over the fence. Other attempts have been made throughout the week. The migrant influx came as tensions simmered between Spain and Morocco over Madrid's decision to provide medical treatment for the ailing leader of the Western Sahara independence movement, who has Covid-19. Analysts say Morocco had sought to put diplomatic pressure on Spain to recognise its sovereignty over Western Sahara, a former Spanish colony mainly under Moroccan control. However after accusing Morocco of "aggression" and "blackmail," Spain sought to lower the tone on Friday. Spanish Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska said "there was a disagreement, but between two countries that know and respect each other". We must ensure that "this disagreement is as short as possible," he told Spanish radio Cope. Ceuta and Melilla have the European Union's only land borders with Africa and have long been a magnet for migrants seeking a better life in Europe. Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-21 14:45:40|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close MANILA, May 21 (Xinhua) -- China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region has won the fight against rubella, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday, noting Hong Kong has achieved rubella-free status. The Manila-based WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific said its Regional Verification Commission for Measles and Rubella Elimination verified that Hong Kong "had met all elimination criteria, including the interruption of transmission since 2016, for a period greater than 36 months" at its annual meeting held virtually from May 17 to 21. At the meeting, the WHO said Hong Kong now joins Australia, Brunei, China's Macao, New Zealand and South Korea as countries and areas to successfully interrupt the endemic transmission of the virus that causes rubella. Takeshi Kasai, WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific, said the success of Hong Kong with rubella elimination "underscores the importance of strong systems for routine immunization and surveillance for infectious diseases." The WHO said the rubella elimination in the region continues to progress while challenges remain, warning that several countries and areas in the region are still experiencing rubella outbreaks among adults. The WHO said the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted essential immunization services, leaving millions of children unprotected from measles, rubella, and polio. Rubella is a contagious viral disease that often infects children and young adults. It can cause a miscarriage or serious birth defects in a developing baby if a woman is infected while pregnant. Enditem Father Alphonsus Bello, a parish priest in northern Nigeria was killed, while another priest, Father Joe Keke was kidnapped in an attack by armed bandits. By Vatican News staff writer Father Alphonsus Bello, a parish priest in northern Nigeria, was found dead on Friday morning, while another priest, Father Joe Keke was allegedly kidnapped by unknown bandits, a symptom of the rising state of insecurity in the country. At the time of his death, Fr Bello was the parish priest of St. Vincent Ferrer Catholic Church, Malunfashi, Katsina State. Fr Keke was a priest in residence. Confirming the news, the National Director of Social Communications of the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN), Fr Mike Umoh, in a statement, said that Fr Bellos lifeless body was found on a farmland behind the Catechetical Training School in Malumfashi. Attack at night Father Umoh said Fr Bellos tragic death comes after an earlier report at about 1:35 am by the Dean of Malumfashi Deanery, Fr Stephen Ojapah, MSP, who pointed out that the parish house of St. Vincent Ferrer had been attacked by a group of about fifteen bandits. Frs. Alphonsus Bello and Joe Keke were abducted by the group of bandits during the attack. The whereabouts of Fr Keke, 75, is still unknown and the kidnappers have not made contact. Pope Francis receives the ambassadors of several countries as they present their credential letters. He highlights the importance of a culture of care and the role of diplomats in the development of a global consensus to respond to the ethical challenges facing the world. By Vatican News staff writer Pope Francis, on Friday, addressed the new Ambassadors of Singapore, Zimbabwe, Bangladesh, Algeria, Sri Lanka, Barbados, Sweden, Finland and Nepal, as they presented their credential letters to the Holy Father. I am pleased to welcome you as you present the Letters accrediting you as Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassadors of your countries to the Holy See, said the Pope to the diplomats. The Pope expressed gratitude for their presence in spite of the challenges to travel caused by the pandemic, and asked them to convey his sentiments of gratitude and esteem to the Heads of States that they represent. Need for a culture of care Pope Francis turned his thoughts toward the numerous challenges caused as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, which has aggravated the social and economic crisis around the world. On a personal level, many have lost loved ones and their means of livelihood," the Pope noted. "Families, in particular, are facing grave economic difficulties and often lack adequate social protection. At the same time, he continued, the pandemic has made us more conscious of our interdependence as members of the one human family and our need to be attentive to the poor and the vulnerable in our midst. The Holy Father, therefore, called on societies to take concrete, courageous steps to develop a culture of care that can inspire new relationships and structures of cooperation in the service of solidarity, respect for human dignity, mutual assistance and social justice as we seek to emerge from the present crisis. Challenges for the international community The Pope went on to lament the growing difficulties experienced by the international community in seeking common and shared solutions to the problems of our world. In this regard, he pointed to pressing global issues, including migration and climate change, as well as the humanitarian crises that often trail them. He also drew attention to the economic debt that burden many countries and the ecological debt that we owe to nature, as well as to peoples affected by human-induced ecological degradation and loss of biodiversity. He stressed that these issues are not simply political or economic, but are rather questions of justice that can no longer be ignored or deferred. In fact, he insisted, they entail a moral obligation towards future generations, for the seriousness with which we respond to them will shape the world we leave to our children. The Church at work for a better society Addressing the diplomats, the Holy Father underlined the important role of their work in the development of a global consensus capable of responding to these ethical challenges facing our human family. The Pope also reiterated the Holy Sees support, through its diplomatic representations and activity within the international community, for efforts to build a world in which the human person is at the centre, finance is at the service of an integral development, and the earth, our common home, is protected and cared for. Likewise, through her works of education, charity and healthcare worldwide, the Church seeks to advance the integral development of individuals and peoples, and in this way contribute to the cause of peace, the Pope noted. Invitation to prayers for the Holy Land Recalling the escalation of violence and hostilities going on in the Holy Land in recent days, Pope Francis renewed his call for all parties to pursue "the paths of dialogue and peace. He also invited all the pastors and the faithful of the Catholic Church to unite themselves spiritually in prayer with the Catholic Ordinaries of the Holy Land as they gather on Saturday to celebrate the Vigil of Pentecost in Saint Stephens Church in Jerusalem and to implore the gift of peace. May every community pray to the Holy Spirit that Israelis and Palestinians may find the path of dialogue and forgiveness, be patient builders of peace and justice, and be open, step by step, to a common hope, to coexistence among brothers and sisters, Pope Francis urged. Pope Francis invites Bishops from all over the world and all Catholics to join in prayer in a Pentecost Vigil celebrated by Catholic ordinaries at St. Stephens Church in Jerusalem. By Vatican News The universal Church will unite in prayer at the Vigil of Pentecost celebrated in Jerusalem on Saturday evening. Pope Francis announced his appeal for Catholics around the world to take part on Friday morning, at the end of his address to new non-resident Ambassadors accredited to the Holy See. The Pope invited the Churches around the world to pray and implore peace in the Holy Land, joining the celebration promoted by the Catholic ordinaries in the Holy City. My thoughts, Pope Francis said, turn to the events taking place these days in the Holy Land. I thank God for the decision to halt the armed conflicts and acts of violence, and I pray for the pursuit of paths of dialogue and peace. Tomorrow evening, the Catholic Ordinaries of the Holy Land, together with their faithful, will gather to celebrate the Vigil of Pentecost in Saint Stephens Church in Jerusalem and to implore the gift of peace. I take this opportunity, added the Pope, to ask all the pastors and faithful of the Catholic Church to unite themselves spiritually with this prayer. May every community pray to the Holy Spirit that Israelis and Palestinians may find the path of dialogue and forgiveness, be patient builders of peace and justice, and be open, step by step, to a common hope, to coexistence among brothers and sisters. These last words echo the appeal for peace in the Holy Land already made on 16 May. In October, Pope Francis will open a three-year synodal journey with three phases (diocesan, continental, universal) of consultations and discernment, culminating with the assembly in October 2023 in Rome. By Salvatore Cernuzio One listening to the others; and all listening to the Holy Spirit. To make the synodality desired by Pope Francis since the beginning of his pontificate concrete and visible, the next Synod of Bishops, scheduled for October 2023, will not only be celebrated in the Vatican but in each particular Church of the five continents, following a three-year itinerary divided into three phases: diocesan, continental and universal. The synodal journey, from the solemn opening in October 2021 to the assembly in 2023 An integral synodal process The General Secretariat announced the new synodal itinerary on Friday in a document approved by the Pope. The fullness of the synodal process can only truly exist if the local churches are involved that process, the document states. For a genuine participation of the local churches, there also must be the involvement of other ecclesial bodies in this process, such as the Synods of the Eastern Catholic Churches, the Councils and Assemblies of the Churches sui iuris, and Episcopal Conferences, with their own national, regional, and continental entities. A decentralised Synod The Synod was conceived by Pope Paul VI as a way to continue the collegial experience of the Second Vatican Council. During the ceremonies commemorating the 50th anniversary of the institution of the Synod of Bishops, Pope Francis expressed his desire for a common path for laity, pastors, the Bishop of Rome. Now, for the first time, a "decentralised" Synod is being celebrated. Solemn opening with the Pope in the Vatican The synodal path will begin at the Vatican, in the presence of the Pope, on 9 and 10 October 2021 with a time for encounter and reflection, followed by a moment of prayer and the celebration of the Eucharist. Diocesan phase: consultation and participation of the People of God The particular Churches will begin their journey on Sunday, 17 October, under the presidency of the diocesan bishop. The objective of this phase is the consultation of the People of God. To this end, the Secretariat of the Synod will send a preparatory Document accompanied by a Questionnaire and a Vademecum with proposals for carrying out the consultation in each particular Church. The same Document will be sent to Curial Dicasteries, Unions of Superiors and Major Superiors, unions or federations of consecrated life, international lay movements, Universities or Faculties of Theology. Each bishop, before October 2021, will appoint a diocesan representative as a point of reference and liaison with the Bishops Conference; the Conference, in turn, will appoint a representative or team to coordinate with the General Secretariat of the Synod. The diocesan discernment will culminate in a Pre-Synodal Meeting. The contributions will be sent to their own Episcopal Conference. The bishops, gathered in assembly for a period of discernment, will make a synthesis which they will send to the General Secretariat of the Synod. This first stage will be completed by April 2022. Once the material has been obtained, the first Instrumentum laboris will be drafted, which will be published and sent to the particular Churches in September 2022. Continental phase: dialogue and discernment This will mark the beginning of the second, continental phase, scheduled to take place from September 2022 to March 2023. The aim is to engage in a dialogue on the Instrumentum laboris. At the end of the their discussions, each continental grouping will draft a final document, which they will send to the General Secretariat in March 2023. The Secretariat will then draft a second Instrumentum laboris, based on the responses. Publication is planned for June 2023. Universal phase: the bishops of the world in Rome The synodal journey will culminate in October 2023 with the celebration of the Assembly of Bishops in Rome, according to the renewed procedures established in 2018 by Pope Francis in the Constitution Episcopalis communio. Nine new billionaires were made through COVID-19 vaccine inequity The nine new billionaires have a combined net wealth of $19.3 billion, enough to fully vaccinate all people in low-income countries 1.3 times. Meanwhile, these countries have received only 0.2 per cent of the global supply of vaccines, because of the massive shortfall in available doses, despite being home to 10 per cent of the worlds population. In addition, eight people who were already billionaires who have extensive portfolios in the COVID-19 vaccine pharma corporations have seen their combined wealth increase by $32.2 billion, enough to fully vaccinate everyone in India. Campaigners from the Peoples Vaccine Alliance whose members include Global Justice Now, Oxfam, and UNAIDS have analysed the Forbes Rich List data to highlight the massive wealth being generated for a handful of people from vaccines which were largely public funded. Anna Marriott, Oxfams Health Policy Manager said: What a testament to our collective failure to control this cruel disease that we quickly create new vaccine billionaires but totally fail to vaccinate the billions who desperately need to feel safe." These billionaires are the human face of the huge profits many pharmaceutical corporations are making from the monopoly they hold on these vaccines. These vaccines were funded by public money and should be first and foremost a global public good, not a private profit opportunity. We need to urgently end these monopolies so that we can scale up vaccine production, drive down prices, and vaccinate the world. Vaccine billionaires are being created as stocks in pharmaceutical firms rise rapidly in expectation of huge profits from the COVID-19 vaccines over which these firms have monopoly control. The alliance warned that these monopolies allow pharmaceutical corporations total control over the supply and price of vaccines, pushing up their profits while making it harder for poor countries, in particular, to secure the stocks they need. Earlier this month, the US backed proposals by South Africa and India at the World Trade Organisation to temporarily break up these monopolies and lift the patents on COVID-19 vaccines. This move has the support of over 100 developing countries, and in recent days countries like Spain have also declared their support, as has the Pope and over 100 world leaders and Nobel laureates. Despite this, other rich nations, including the UK and Germany, are still blocking the proposal, putting the interest of pharmaceutical companies over whats best for the world. Italy, who are hosting the G20 Global Health Summit tomorrow, are continuing to sit on the fence on the issue, as are Canada and France. Heidi Chow, senior Policy and Campaigns manager at Global Justice Now, said: As thousands of people die each day in India, it is utterly repugnant that the UK, Germany, and others want to put the interests of the billionaire owners of Big Pharma ahead of the desperate needs of millions." The highly effective vaccines we have are thanks to massive amounts of taxpayer money so it cant be fair that private individuals are cashing in while hundreds of millions face second and third waves completely unprotected. It is a sad indictment of the loyalties of some current governments that a handful of people working for pharmaceutical companies have been allowed to become billionaires off the back of publicly-funded efforts to end the pandemic. Topping the list of new billionaires who have cashed in on the success of COVID-19 vaccines are the CEOs of Moderna and BioNTech, each with a wealth over $4 billion or more. The list also includes two of Modernas founding investors and the companys chair as well as the CEO of a company with a deal to manufacture and package the Moderna vaccine. This is despite the fact the vast majority of funding for the Moderna vaccine was paid for by taxpayers. The final three new vaccine billionaires are all co-founders of the Chinese vaccine company CanSino Biologics. Winnie Byanyima, executive director of UNAIDS, said: While the companies making massive profits from COVID-19 vaccines are refusing to share their science and technology with others in order to increase the global vaccine supply, the world continues to face the very real risk of mutations that could render the vaccines we have ineffective and put everyone at risk all over again." Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-21 14:50:58|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, May 21 (Xinhua) -- The seven decades since the peaceful liberation of Tibet have witnessed sustained success in the region, which is embracing an even better future. On May 23, 1951, an agreement on the peaceful liberation of Tibet was signed. The document, known as the 17-Article Agreement, opened a new chapter in Tibet's history. China on Friday issued a white paper detailing the historical facts about the momentous event and hailing seven decades of transformative progress in the plateau region. While offering an authoritative account on a period of Tibetan history that has often fallen victim to distortion by external anti-China forces, the white paper, meticulously documented, presented a true and panoramic picture of today's Tibet. In the new era, a new socialist Tibet has taken shape, marked by a stable social environment, economic and cultural prosperity, a sound natural environment, and substantial improvements in people's lives. What Tibet has achieved manifests the vitality of China's regional ethnic autonomy policy and progress in human rights protection. The facts offer a powerful rebuttal to lies about Tibet -- baseless accusations of "repression" or "human rights abuse" that are in fact the same anti-China smear campaigns by certain forces who plot to destabilize the border region. The peaceful liberation in 1951 and the democratic reform in 1959 threw Tibet's wretched past into the dustbin of history and shattered the wishful thinking of believers in the "Shangri-La" myth that sought to keep Tibet in a backward primitive state. Tibet's gross regional product has grown from 129 million yuan in 1951 to more than 190 billion yuan (about 29.5 billion U.S. dollars) last year. By the end of 2019, all the 628,000 registered poor people and 74 poor counties in the region had shaken off poverty, marking the end of absolute poverty in Tibet for the first time in history. Notably, Tibet's development did not come at the cost of the environment. Indeed its natural environment remains among the most unspoiled anywhere on Earth. Over the past decades, the Tibetan culture has been well preserved, freedom of religious belief fully protected, and the people's sense of national identity further heightened. The Tibetan language, both spoken and written, is widely used and the region offers 15 years of free education. For many years, Western anti-China forces have interfered in Tibetan affairs as a means of disrupting China. The 14th Dalai Lama and his supporters have continued to try to promote "Tibetan independence" by provoking incidents to jeopardize peace and stability in the region. All these attempts have proved futile. China will never allow anyone to sabotage the stability and prosperity of the region. Its determination to safeguard national sovereignty and ethnic unity is iron-clad. The 70th anniversary of Tibet's peaceful liberation coincides with the year in which China embarks on a new quest to fully build a modern socialist country. With the nation's concerted efforts to realize its rejuvenation, the people of Tibet are facing an even brighter future. Enditem The Constitution of Vietnam recognises the National Assembly (NA) as the highest organ of state power. The NA, a 500-deputy unicameral body elected to a five-year term, meets twice a year. The NA appoints the president, the prime minister, the chief justice of the Supreme Peoples Court of Vietnam, the head of the Supreme Peoples Procuracy of Vietnam, and the 21-member government. Constitutionally, the NA is the highest-level representative body of the people. It has the power to draw up, adopt, and amend the constitution and to make and amend laws. It also has the responsibility to legislate and implement state plans and budgets. Through its constitution-making powers, it defines its own role and the roles of the Vietnamese state president, the prime minister, the government, the local peoples councils and peoples committees, the Supreme Peoples Court, and the Supreme Peoples Procuracy. The NA can elect and remove government ministers, the chief justice of the Supreme Peoples Court, and the procurator general of the Supreme Peoples Procuracy. Finally, it has the power to initiate or conclude wars and to assume other duties and powers it deems necessary. Source: Law on Organisation of the National Assembly Over the past few weeks, many localities nationwide have been decorated with flags, posters, and banners to welcome the upcoming election of the 15th National Assembly (NA) and all-level peoples councils for the 2021-2026 tenure. Nguyen Thi Mui, chairwoman of the National Fatherland Front Committee of Trung 1 Sub-quarter in Xuan Dinh ward in Hanois Bac Tu Liem district, is among some cadres in her locality who have been, since late March, on duty at the communal house where long lists of information for local voters and candidates running for the NA and peoples councils are posted. We are on duty on rotation, Mui told VIR. Voters can visit the house to check whether their personal information is correct or not. They can also study the lists of candidates running for the NA and peoples councils before voting. We will also have to visit their homes to deliver voting cards. High hopes Cadres like Mui number tens of thousands in Hanoi and millions across Vietnam who will on May 23 vote for candidates for the elections which were said to be of great significance by Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong at an online meeting on May 8 with over 2,400 Hanoian constituents. The elections offer an opportunity for people to exercise their right to vote for virtuous and talented deputies who represent the peoples will and aspirations to the NA and all-level peoples councils, thus contributing to building, consolidating, and completing the rules-based socialist state of the people, by the people, and for the people, under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam. Nguyen Thi Ngoc Diem from Hanois Hai Ba Trung district, on behalf of the attendants at the meeting, spoke to the Party chief that constituents are pinning high hopes on the NAs strong measures to effectively implement goals for national development over the next five years and beyond stated in the resolution of the recent 13th National Party Congress. The new NA is also expected to pay more attention to protection of national sovereignty, control of power, and fighting against corruption and COVID-19. We Vietnamese people are expecting to see a more prosperous nation with all people living happy lives. We hope to see a good new NA with righteous and talented members, Diem said. On May 9, NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue met with constituents in Vinh Bao and An Lao districts of the northern port city of Haiphong. He committed that he and the NA Standing Committee will continue renewing and improving the quality, efficiency, and effectiveness of the legislatures operation, while promoting its democracy, creativity, and transparency in order to ensure that the NA is really the highest representative organ of the public which will have to ameliorate the quality and effectiveness of laws and regulations, as well as of the decision on national vital issues, including macroeconomic issues. The new NA will contribute to making the economy bigger, in service of people and enterprises. We are doing a good job in economic development, Chairman Hue said. Vietnam surprised the world with its impressive control of COVID-19 and its inspiring economic growth rate of 2.91 per cent in 2020, and an average annual 6.8 per cent in the 2016-2019 period, making the country one of the worlds top 10 nations with the highest growth, and also one of the 16 most successful emerging economies in the globe in 2020. Last year, the economys GDP was estimated to be about VND6.3 quadrillion ($273.9 billion), up by VND263 trillion ($11.43 billion) against 2019, ranking fourth in Southeast Asia, with total export-import turnover of $543.9 billion and a record trade surplus of $19.1 billion, notably amid a strong decline in global trade. The World Bank is expecting Vietnams economy will continue to flourish in 2021. By all standards, Vietnam has managed the crisis very well. Looking ahead, Vietnams prospects appear positive as the economy is projected to grow by about 6.8 per cent in 2021 and, thereafter, stabilise at around 6.5 per cent. This projection assumes that the COVID-19 crisis will be brought gradually under control, notably through the introduction of an effective vaccine, said the World Bank in its recent economic update for Vietnam. Under the resolution of the 13th National Party Congress, the Party has specified goals for Vietnam. Concretely, the nation will become a developing country with modernity-oriented industrial development by 2025; a developing nation by 2030 with modern industrial development and upper-middle income; and a developed economy with high income by 2045. Vuong Dinh Hue - Chairman, National Assembly To absolutely ensure security and safety of the election day for the 15th National Assembly and all-level peoples councils for 2021-2026, it is necessary to fully understand the significance and importance of the task of ensuring security and safety in all security forces and other stakeholders. In addition, the Ministry of Public Security is required to combine closely with units of the National Election Council, the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Health, the Party committees and peoples committees of cities and provinces, and all-level election committees to thoroughly review all tasks on ensuring security and safety, and successfully serving the election day. They also have to provide consultancy on perfecting schemes and plans on election protection, while having to stand ready to solve complicated situations that may happen at election sites, especially in locations hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. What is more, they also have to exercise the tasks of forecasting and timely and effectively addressing issues about security and order in all areas. All conspiracies and anti-election activities from reactionaries, political opportunists, and hostile forces have to be prevented. Besides this, we must timely push up repressions against all types of crimes, especially criminal damage, drug trafficking, and cybercrime, and turn away misunderstanding and distorted information on the internet. Readiness According to the Politburos conclusion on the directions for the NA elections, deputies to the NA and peoples councils at all levels must be loyal to the nation, the people, and the Constitution of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, and make all-out efforts to broadly promote the doi moi process, allowing Vietnam to advance towards becoming an equitable, democratic, and civilised society. The Party Central Committees Organisation Commission has issued guidance on personnel work for the upcoming elections, providing detailed stipulations on standards for full-time deputies. Nominees for full-time NA deputies must have been included in existing personnel planning for the positions of full-time NA deputies or deputy minister or equivalent. Meanwhile, at the local level, they must have been included in existing personnel planning for the position of director of a department or equivalent. There are several new features in the upcoming elections, including a regulation requiring that a candidate must win the confidence of over 50 per cent of voters in his or her residential area. Ngo Sach Thuc, Vice President of the Vietnam Fatherland Fronts Central Committee, said that voter confidence is an important measurement of eligibility during the selection of candidates. The National Election Council has announced the official list of 868 candidates who will run for 500 seats in the NA at both central and local levels. Of the candidates, the number of NA deputies at the central level will be 203, and 665 come from the local level. Of the total figure at central level, 11 are from Party agencies, five from the State President Office and judicial agencies, 129 from NA agencies, and 15 from the government or government agencies. The number of ethnic minority deputies is 163, while those who are not Party members number 70. For voter Mui from Xuan Dinh, she told VIR that the leadership of her locality is mobilising local residents to make thorough preparations for the elections. We hope that candidates who are voted to the NA or peoples councils at all levels will be outstanding ones, truly representing the peoples ownership so that the upcoming May 23 election date will really be a big festival for the entire population, she said. In our locality, preparations for the upcoming election have been actively carried out including the establishment of electoral bodies, the issuance of guiding documents especially personnel work, promoting communication activities about the election, settlement of complaints and denunciations related to the elections as well as ensuring security, order and safety for the election, Mui added. Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi (L) and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen arrive for the Global Health Summit at the Villa Doria Pamphili in Rome on May 21, 2021, to discuss on how to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic and how to prevent it happening again. The EU is expected to announce a new initiative to support local manufacturing in Africa as the leaders emphasise the importance of scaling up vaccination efforts, including through the Covax vaccine-sharing programme. Tiziana FABI / AFP European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen made the announcement alongside Prime Minister Mario Draghi of Italy, the country which as the current chair of the G20 is co-hosting the meeting. World leaders are expected to use the summit to emphasise the importance of scaling up vaccine efforts across the world, through donations, boosting manufacturing and avoiding national exports bans. The EU will announce a new initiative to support local manufacturing in Africa, officials said, as von der Leyen said vaccines must reach "everybody, everywhere". "Team Europe aims at donating at least 100 million doses to low and middle-income countries by the end of 2021," she announced. Speaking alongside her in Rome, Draghi added: "As we prepare for the next pandemic, our priority must be to ensure that we all overcome the current one together. "We must vaccinate the world -- and do it fast." The final declaration is not however expected to endorse the contentious idea of a temporary global waiver on patent protections for coronavirus vaccines. Instead, the leaders will advocate the use of other tools such as voluntary licensing agreements and technology transfers, officials said. India and South Africa have for months led calls to temporarily remove the intellectual property protections on vaccines to boost production, a position recently backed by Washington but which has met with scepticism in Brussels. The summit, which with the exception of Draghi and von der Leyen is taking place virtually, is expected to result in 16 guiding principles for the future. A influential report warned earlier this month that the catastrophic scale of the Covid-19 pandemic, which has killed over 3.4 million people worldwide, could have been prevented. The Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response said a "toxic cocktail" of dithering and poor coordination meant the warning signs went unheeded. G20 leaders will pledge Friday to invest in global healthcare systems and staff, to better exchange of data and improve surveillance of human and animal diseases, EU and Italian officials said. Both Brussels and Rome emphasised the diverse cast -- from Brazil and India, to the United States, Turkey, China, Russia and Singapore -- as proof that the world can come together to deal with Covid-19. Some 20 heads of state and government and 12 international organisations, including the World Health Organization (WHO), African Union, WTO and World Bank, are taking part in the summit. There was no new supply of either industrial zones (IZ) or ready-built-factory (RBF) being launched into the market in the first quarter of 2021 and Dong Nai and Binh Duong provinces continue to account for the largest proportion of total stock of both sectors. Paul Fisher, country head in Vietnam for JLL Other localities still have a long journey to catch up to Binh Duong and Dong Nais IZ supply as these two are the oldest-developed industrial markets. In terms of RBF supply, Dong Nai overwhelms other provinces due to its well-developed industrial base and sufficient land bank for RBF developers to penetrate. The transacted land acquisitions which took place generally started last year. Industrial properties in the south remained significantly desirable for manufacturers to penetrate, although the pandemic still poses potential issues for the market. Due to healthy demand, both industrial land and RBF recorded high occupancy rates at nearly 86 per cent and 82 per cent respectively, an increase of 0.60 per cent and 0.76 per cent compared to Q4 of 2020. Industrial land recorded transactions were those which have been negotiated since last year, whilst RBF witnessed new leasing expansions of existing tenants rather than newcomers. Land price and rental rates enjoyed good momentum with industrial land remaining the hottest sector for both newcomers as well as manufacturing expansion needs of existing investors, backed by Vietnams strong economic fundamentals. Therefore, most IZ developers in southern markets still maintained strong momentum to raise land prices reaching new high at $111 per square metre, up 8.1 per cent on-year in the first quarter of 2021. Whereas RBFs rents averaged at $4.5 per sq.m per month across the region, increasing 3.1 per cent on-year which was driven by the healthy demands of small- and medium-sized enterprises as they expanded operations. Overall, the supply for industrial properties in the south is expected to rise further in the next five years to capitalise on the increasing demand in the region. Local authorities have shown further plans to establish new IPs of over 23,000 hectares in the future, which will be in the existing notable markets surrounding Ho Chi Minh City. The RBF market also stays buoyant, with the expected new launch of roughly 897,000sq.m RBFs by the end of 2021. Like the southern provinces, no new supply in industrial land and RBF was introduced into the northern market in the first quarter of this year. The cumulative leasable land area in the market reached 9,500ha, while the total supply of RBF stood at approximately 1.8 million sq.m. Bac Ninh and Haiphong dominated the total supply in both sectors thanks to their strategic locations and improvement in the business environment. RBF suppliers have begun to adopt the recently-coined Industry 4.0 Factory to better support users in facilitating RBFs operations. It includes for instance a virtual factory tool to provide clients with RBF virtual tours; or a customer service app to keep clients up to date with current operations in RBFs in a more timely manner. Occupancy rates remained healthy despite waves of COVID-19 infections. The batch of infections in the northern area in late January led to the postponement of new investments into the region, and the lockdown in Hai Duong in particular froze most of transactions in IZs in the first quarter of 2021. Nevertheless, thanks to the strong influx of foreign investment in high-tech industries starting in the second half of 2020, the average occupancy rate of IZs recorded a healthy rate of 75 per cent, whereas occupancy rate of RBFs stood at 98 per cent in the first quarter of 2021. Given the healthy demand, backed by Vietnams strong industrial fundamentals and combined with IZ developers strong confidence in the long-term investment horizon, land prices reached a new peak of $107 per sq.m in the first quarter of 2021, up 8.1 per cent on-year. Meanwhile, RBF rents also showed an increasing trend, at 5.8 per cent on-year, of which Bac Ninh recorded the strongest growth rate of nearly 9 per cent on-year fuelled by the launch of high-quality RBFs. To lure foreign investment, localities in northern areas have shown strong commitment to promote IZ systems, with over 10,000ha of additional supply in the future. In addition to existing markets, second-tier provinces including Hung Yen, Hai Duong, and further north of Hanoi like Bac Giang and Vinh Phuc are emerging as potential destinations for foreign investors. Rents in those areas are expected to accelerate to on-year growth of 8-10 per cent. VNLIFE aims to bag around $200 million in its next fundraising round VNLIFE had approached Facebook for investment, but the two sides were not able to reach a mutual agreement, according to DealStreetAsia. VNPAY is a Vietnamese e-payment services provider with a close-knit partnership with 40 banks, five telecommunications companies, and more than 20,000 enterprises. Last December, VNPAY was named as the second unicorn in Vietnam (startup with valuation of $1 billion), after VNG, and also one of 12 unicorns in Southeast Asia in 2020. The firm was listed as a unicorn in the "e-Conomy SEA 2020" report by Google and its partners, with other high-profile companies like Softbanks ride-hailing firm Gojek (now GoTo after a recent merger with Tokopedia) and Alibabas e-commerce player Lazada. In July 2019, Japan-based Softbank Vision Fund and Singapore-based sovereign wealth fund GIC were reported to invest $200 million and $100 million, respectively, to further the growth of VNLIFE. However, official data from VNLIFE's financial statements revealed that the company only received more than VND4.5 trillion ($195.65 million) in 2019. According to German statistics portal Statista, Vietnams e-payment market is predicted to reach a total payment value of $15 billion in 2021. The sector is also expected to grow by 15 per cent annually until 2025. Besides VNPAY, VNLIFE is also developing other services like vehicle-sharing platform Dichung, tourism app Tripi, and booking services Dinogo and Mytour. In World War II, Chinese forces were usually outmatched by their Japanese adversary in every way. But sometimes, leadership could make all the difference. By early 1942, the Japanese military occupied much of China, nearly all of Southeast Asia, and was making rapid progress throughout the Pacific. Allied strategists looked for ways to bring down Japan, and looked to Burma, then a part of the British colonial empire in India. Burma was seen as the key to establishing a supply route to the Republic of China, which was hard-pressed to hold out against superior Japanese forces, much less go on the offensive to drive them out. A road through Burma connecting with Chinas southwest border would offer great aid to the Chinese defenders and hasten Japans defeat. China had begun work on the so-called Burma Road as early as 1937, the year all-out hostilities with Japan began. However, following the raid on Pearl Harbor and Japans lightning advance, much of Burma also fell. The Japanese advanced with impressive speed; by May they would be at the Chinese border and cut off the Burma Road. Burmese and Chinese laborers using hand tools to reopen the Burma Road. (Image: U.S. Army Signals Corps) In April 1942, a 7,000-man British force found itself surrounded by a similar number of Japanese troops in Yenangyaung, central Burma. Led by commander Lt. Gen. William Slim, the defenders were able to demolish the oil fields in the area and deny them to the enemy. However, they had seemingly no way of escaping the encirclement. As the Japanese closed in, another party joined the fray. The Chinese 113rd Regiment, part of the countrys expeditionary force in Burma, came to relieve the British. But their odds were unfavorable: the Regiment had just 1,100 personnel, of which just 800 were combat troops. By April 14, the British were running out of food and ammunition. Despite the desperate situation, the Chinese force delivered a heavy blow against the Japanese 33rd Division, which outnumbered them more than eight-to-one. Hundreds of Japanese were killed in action, and the British force was able to retreat safely. The commander of the 113rd Regiment was Gen. Sun Liren, a man who would come to earn the nickname Rommel of the East, after the daring and principled German general, as well as the moniker Jungle Fox. From taxation corps to national hero Sun had wanted to bring an entire Chinese division the 38th to bear against the Japanese; however, his superior, Gen. Luo Zhuoying, had refused. Undeterred, Sun sent small units to harass the enemy, disorienting them badly. After that, the Chinese troops attacked the Japanese all at once, pushing them back and taking a key position. A Chinese battalion commander was killed in the fighting. More than 500 British prisoners of war, including missionaries and journalists, were rescued from captivity. The victory at Yenangyaung was a rare win for the Allies in the early stages of the Pacific War the name for World War II in Asia after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Sun Liren would go on to score more triumphs in the China-India-Burma theater, playing a key role in eventually driving out the Japanese military from Burma and opening the Burma Road. Sun Liren directs Chinese soldiers in Burma, 1942. (Image: Unknown photographer/Public Domain) Born in eastern China to an intellectual family, Suns father forbade him from studying military science. Instead, as a young man, Sun travelled to Purdue to major in civil engineering. But upon completing his studies at Purdue at the age of 25, Sun applied for the Virginia Military Institute. He graduated in 1927, armed with knowledge that would set him apart in the campaigns yet to come. China at the time was divided between numerous warlord factions, most claiming to be the nations true leader. As Suns father was an official in the former imperial government, Sun could have joined his provincial military faction and landed a high post. Instead, he decided to enter the armed forces of the Nationalist government, which was still comparatively weak, and start his career at the bottom. Sun was first assigned to the Military Police Instructional Corps in 1930, quicking becoming a major in command of a battalion. The effectiveness of his training earned him praise from Chiang Kai-shek, leader of the Chinese republic. He was transferred to the General Corps of Taxation and Police, where he was given the rank of colonel. In 1933 he served with distinction against the communist rebellion in southern China. His tax police regiment (about 1,000 men) quickly became famous, as Sun regularly accomplished missions that were considered challenging even for a division (roughly 10,000 men, though Chinese divisions of the time were often much smaller) to take on. Fighting the Japanese in China and Burma While the war in Europe began in 1939 with the German invasion of Poland, China had already been battling Japan since 1937, losing millions of people, cities, and industry as the well-armed and well-disciplined Imperial Japanese Army swept aside the Chinese with their terrible coordination and hopelessly obsolete weaponry. The first major battle of the war was fought at Shanghai, where Sun Liren personally entered combat and took part in seven assaults on the enemy. While leading a charge, Sun was severely wounded, being hit by 13 pieces of shrapnel. From Shanghai, the Japanese advanced to Nanjing, taking the Chinese capital in a frenzy of mass murder and rape. In 1938, a massive battle at Wuhan saw over 1 million Chinese casualties; the city was lost, but the Imperial Army did not have the strength to advance further. As one of the few experienced officers left in the Chinese army after its repeated defeats, Sun Liren was assigned to southwestern China to train green troops. After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, there was new hope of collaboration between China and the Western Allies. Sun was placed in charge of the 38th Division, and deployed to Burma. Sun Liren inspecting an American 240 mm artillery piece in 1945. (Image: Public Domain) In August 1942, after the British retreat to India, Suns forces were re-assigned to the Chinese Army in India, and received American training and arms. In the Burma Campaign, Suns 38th Division led an attack into the Hukang River Valley. He encountered and defeated the elite Japanese 18th Division known as the king of jungle warfare. In another engagement a couple months later, the 38th Division defeated a force seven times its size. Sun earned great respect from British and American counterparts, and even the Japanese feared him as the god of war. In addition to his skill as a military leader, Sun Liren also had access to tanks, a weapon almost completely unavailable to other Chinese commanders. The machines were supplied by the Americans, as the Chinese did not have the capability to construct their own when the war with Japan broke out. This inspired the comparison between Sun and the German general Erwin Rommel, who often spearheaded German panzer offensives in the French and African battlefields. Years of harsh fighting paid off in 1945, when the Japanese were completely dislodged from their positions and the Burma Road finally reopened. However, by that point the war in the Pacific was already nearing its end. Sadly, Sun Lirens defeat would not come at the hands of a foreign enemy. After World War II, the civil war between the Nationalists and Chinese Communist Party (CCP) reignited. While Sun defeated many communist units in the northeastern provinces and other regions, factional struggles in the Nationalist forces led to Suns demotion at a critical period in the war. The Nationalists were defeated and forced to Taiwan, where the Republic of China still exists today. In 1954, Sun was accused of a U.S. plot to overthrow President Chiang and put under house arrest, a charge lifted only in the late 1980s. He passed away in 1990, shortly prior to his 90th birthday. U.S. President Joe Biden is due to meet Friday with South Korean President Moon Jae-in. Moon is only the second world leader Biden has hosted since taking office in January. The visit may be Moons final trip to the United States as head of state and the last chance to fulfill campaign pledges before his term ends. The discussions between the two leaders are set to occur just a few weeks after the Biden administration finalized its months-long review of North Korea policy, one that signals a departure from previous administrations by pursuing a calibrated, practical approach, said White House press secretary Jen Psaki. This shift in rhetoric one that strays from the Obama-era strategic patience, while refraining from making flashy deals has yielded a sense of calm as Moon and Biden prepare to engage in talks, said Jean Lee, director of the Korea program at the Wilson Center in Washington, D.C. When you use that rhetoric, that fire and fury, it gives North Korea the justification to test, and when they have that, it means the arsenal gets that much stronger, Lee said. The steadiness consistently being exuded by the Biden administration is designed to avoid this escalation of tensions we saw in the early parts of the Trump presidency. Moon welcomed this open-ended approach in a nationally televised speech marking his four-year anniversary on May 10. Issuing a call to action to restore inter-Korean dialogue, he vowed to do everything he could to restart the clock of peace. I will consider the remaining one year of my term to be the last opportunity to move from an incomplete peace toward one that is irreversible, Moon said. North Korea is expected to be near the top of the meeting agenda. But while the two leaders have mutually vowed to work toward the ultimate goal of achieving a complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, experts say Bidens incremental approach may potentially frustrate Moon in achieving his promised goal of securing a peace regime. Despite these variances in timelines, upholding the alliance between the U.S. and Republic of Korea will remain the top priority, said Kim Heung-kyu, who teaches political science at Ajou University in South Korea and is the director of the China Policy Institute. The Wilson Centers Lee echoed these observations, adding that North Korea will be closely watching the summit and that the joint meeting will send a signal to the North that Moon has Bidens ear, which is a position of strength that Moon is keen to establish. Japan, China The Moon-Biden summit will mark Bidens second in-person meeting since he took office in January. The first was also with an Asian leader, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga. Together the two meetings serve as a strong indicator of the Biden administrations broader commitment to forging peace and security across the Indo-Pacific region, bolstering the U.S.-ROK-Japan trilateral security alliance, and preparing to strike back at Chinas growing influence. Some of Washingtons larger agenda items may have South Korea walking a tightrope though and will heavily depend on to what extent South Korea decides to participate, said Park Won-gon, who teaches North Korea studies at Ewha University in Seoul. With Korea-Japan relations still deadlocked, Biden is trying to make headway with the trilateral alliance before granting Korea and Japan space to find common ground on policies, Park added. When it comes to the role of China in the North Korea equation, Moon and Biden will likely try to encourage it to instill a positive influence on North Korea, said Kim, and encourage the North to move toward diplomatic engagement. But South Korea will also be careful to play its cards prudently while sandwiched between two superpowers. As the U.S. responds to greater Chinese assertiveness and aggression, South Korea will seek to strike a balance between nurturing its strong relationship with the U.S. while not jeopardizing relations with China, its largest trading partner. COVID vaccines Apart from getting North Korea to join the negotiating table, experts suggest vaccine shortage issues may also be a topic of discussion Moon may want to push for. The shortage has been one of the reasons Moons approval ratings have dropped in recent months and starkly contrasts with South Koreas reputation as a pandemic-era success story for its rigorous test-and-trace program. The summits success ultimately might be determined by whether Moon manages to procure faster access to vaccines, a South Korean official told Reuters. The summit may also open a conversation about how South Korea and the U.S. can partner to play a role in global vaccine development and distribution in the future. But the more immediate challenge for Biden and Moon involves reaching a mutual decision on engaging North Korea while ensuring their timelines align. The challenge for Moon and Biden during this summit will be managing their differences behind closed doors while presenting a united front so that North Korea cant drive a wedge between them, said Lee. Juhyun Lee contributed to this report Former Khmer Republic official Chhang Song has been hospitalized in an extremely critical condition, his family said on Friday. The wife of Chhang Song, who was information minister and military spokesperson for the Khmer Republic, issued a clarification statement after rumors circulated that the 82-year-old man had died. He is still alive, Sum Sarun told VOA Khmer on Friday from Long Beach, United States, where the couple resides. He was briefly [in a coma] before being saved by the doctors in their last efforts. Chhang Song is on life support at Long Beach Memorial Medical Center, she said, where he is being treated for kidney inflammation, heart problems, and complications from a stroke. Sum Sarun said her husband had been admitted on multiple occasions since April 26, after doctors diagnosed him with kidney inflammation. His health deteriorated after he had a heart attack in the nursing home on May 13. Without medical machines assisting and medicines, he may not be breathing now. For the time being, he is between life and death. What comes next is uncertain but I pray for gods to keep him with me because there are only two of us, she said. Chhang Song was a press liaison for the Khmer Republics military operations during the civil war between 1970 and 1975 after which he rose to become the information minister and a close aide to Lon Nol, who was head of state. He was part of Lon Nols entourage that left Cambodia in early April 1975, shortly before the Khmer Rouge captured Phnom Penh and took control of the capital. Delivery of Covishield vaccines to Cambodia through the United Nation's COVAX mechanism will likely be delayed as India has barred exports to deal with a surge in COVID-19 cases, said a UN spokesperson. Cambodia has so far received 324,000 doses of the Covishield, which are India-made Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines. According to COVAXs delivery schedule, Cambodia should receive 1.1 million doses at the end of May. The [rest of the] 1.1 million doses due to be received by Cambodia by the end of May through the COVAX Facility are likely to be delayed as a result of the supply constraints related to AstraZeneca/Serum Institute of India vaccines coming from India, said Rudina Vojvoda, communications chief at UNICEFs Cambodia office. The United States announced earlier this week that it would donate millions of doses from its stockpiles to the COVAX mechanism, providing a stimulus to the global vaccination effort. The COVAX Facility was created to ensure equitable distribution of vaccines to developing and least developed countries. It covers vaccines for 20 percent of the countrys population. Developed nations and the EU have been widely criticized for ordering and hoarding vaccines beyond their needs. According to The One Campaign, an anti-poverty organization, the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia Japan, and the European Union have one billion excess doses than needed to vaccinate their entire populations. Experts estimate that hoarding of vaccines could result in severe delays in vaccinating the world's poorest nations some estimates suggest vaccinations could take as long as the end of 2023. It risks prolonging the pandemic if there are deadlier and more infectious mutations of the virus. India has exported 63 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine to almost 100 nations. This was done through the COVAX Facility, commercial sales, and donations made to smaller South Asian, Caribbean, and African nations. With a surging outbreak that is registering more than 4,000 daily deaths, India has all but stopped its contributions to the COVAX facility to meet its domestic demand. UNICEFs Rudina Vojvoda said this has caused supply challenges for COVAX-facilitated vaccines to Cambodia and elsewhere. Globally, UNICEF and COVAX continue to be in close contact with India around restarting vaccine deliveries from Serum Institute of India (SII) as soon as possible, Vojvoda said, referring to the AstraZeneca vaccine manufacturer in India. Apart from Covishield, Cambodia has received around five million doses of Chinese-made Sinovac and Sinopharm vaccines, the latter recently approved for emergency use by the World Health Organization. Prime Minister Hun Sen cited the global vaccine shortage to justify the heavy reliance on Chinese vaccines in comments he made on Thursday, adding that he requested four million doses from the United States. This week, the US government said it would distribute some 80 million doses from its vaccine stockpiles through the COVAX Facility after it was criticized for storing millions of doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine, which is not approved for emergency use in the country. US President Joe Bidens pledge is likely to thwart Russias and Chinas vaccine diplomacy efforts, but made no mention of fellow Quad member India. This will be more vaccines than any country has actually shared to date five times more than any other country more than Russia and China, which have donated 15 million doses, he said from the White House on May 17. Chad Roedemeier, a spokesperson for the US Embassy in Phnom Penh, said the shipment of the US-donated vaccines would happen before the end of June. The United States will work with COVAX and other partners to ensure these vaccines are delivered in a way that is equitable and follows the science and public health data, Roedemeier said. The United States will not use its vaccines to secure favors from other countries. The COVAX Facility received a shot in the arm after the Sinopharm vaccines were approved by the WHO last week. The vaccine would bolster efforts to provide more access to vaccines for recipient countries, said WHO chief Tedros Adhanom. UNICEFs Vojvoda said there was no indication that Sinopharm had been made part of COVAXs vaccine portfolio as yet. We do not have any update at this time from COVAX whether Sinopharm will be part of COVAX distribution in the future or not, she said. No media source currently available The URL has been copied to your clipboard The code has been copied to your clipboard. President Joe Biden toured an electric vehicle plant in Michigan Tuesday, making the case for his $174 billion electric vehicle plan. White House Correspondent Patsy Widakuswara has this report. Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-21 16:42:59|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Workers transport Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine at the Phnom Penh International Airport in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, April 28, 2021. (Photo by Phearum/Xinhua) BEIJING, May 21 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping has been pledging for concerted global efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic and calling for a better global governance in the public health domain. China has been promoting global cooperation to tackle the common challenge since the begining of the worldwide health crisis, in the meantime sharing experience, offering medical aids and vaccines to other parts of the world. Earlier this month, Xi held a phone conversation with United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. Xi stressed that the most important task for the international community remains fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, saying that the world should strengthen cooperation and reject political manipulation. Noting that major countries should set an example by providing more public goods, Xi said that China has provided vaccine assistance for more than 80 developing countries and exported vaccines to more than 50 countries. A citizen receives a dose of the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Chinese pharmaceutical company Sinovac in Bangkok, Thailand, May 12, 2021. (Xinhua/Rachen Sageamsak) China has decided to offer vaccines to the UN peacekeeping operations and the International Olympic Committee, and will continue to actively support COVAX and make continuous efforts to eliminate the "vaccine divide," Xi added. When addressing the opening of the 73rd session of the World Health Assembly (WHA) via video link in May 2020, Xi announced concrete measures to boost the global fight against COVID-19. In his speech, Xi said, "China will provide 2 billion U.S. dollars over two years to help with COVID-19 response and with economic and social development in affected countries, especially developing countries." China will work with the UN to set up a global humanitarian response depot and hub in China, ensure the operation of anti-epidemic supply chains and foster "green corridors" for fast-track transportation and customs clearance, he said. "COVID-19 vaccine development and deployment in China, when available, will be made a global public good," said the president. Xi also proposed to strengthen global governance in the area of public health in his WHA speech, saying that "in view of the weaknesses and deficiencies exposed by COVID-19, we need to improve the governance system for public health security." A medical worker prepares a dose of COVID-19 vaccine on a mobile vaccination vehicle outside the Donghua Gate of the Palace Museum in Beijing, capital of China, April 13, 2021. (Xinhua/Zhang Yuwei) In a phone conversation with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron in March 2020, Xi said China stands ready to work with France to encourage all relevant parties to step up coordination and cooperation within such frameworks as the UN and the Group of 20 (G20), engage in joint prevention and containment, improve global health governance, help developing countries and other countries in need with capacity-building, and cushion the epidemic's impact on the world economy. In November 2020, when addressing the G20 Riyadh Summit via video link, Xi said the most pressing task of the moment is to shore up the global public health system and contain COVID-19 and other infectious diseases, highlighting the importance of building up capacities for tackling global challenges. At the invitation of Mario Draghi, prime minister of Italy that holds the G20 presidency, and Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, Xi will attend the Global Health Summit and deliver a speech via video in Beijing on Friday. Funeral Announcements A daily list of current funeral annoucements as heard on KXRA 1490 AM/100.3 FM News Updates The daily news, sports, and events delivered daily from Voice of Alexandria. Sports Update This current sports headlines delivered daily from Voice of Alexandria. Upcoming Events This email is the events of the area delivered daily from Voice of Alexandria. Breaking News The big news. Sent only as it happens. Just 12 minutes ago, a 4.9-magnitude earthquake struck near Dali, Yunnan, China. The tremor was recorded in the evening on Friday 21 May 2021 at 9:21 pm local time, at a shallow depth of 10 km below the surface. ... The European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) reported a magnitude 4.3 quake in Turkey near Malatya, only 8 minutes ago. The earthquake hit early evening on Friday 21 May 2021 at 7:06 pm local time at a very shallow depth of 7 km. The exact magnitude, epicenter, and depth of the quake might be revised within the next few hours or minutes as seismologists review data and refine their calculations, or as other agencies issue their report. ... A strong magnitude 5.9 quake occurred this afternoon at 9.09 pm local time under the sea about 50 km from East Java's southern coast. Thanks to its great depth of 115 km, it did not cause shaking strong enough at the surface to cause any significant damage, but it was widely felt across most parts of Java and neighboring Bali as a light vibration lasting a few seconds. ... Just 13 minutes ago, a 5.1-magnitude earthquake struck near Dali, Yunnan, China. The tremor was recorded early morning on Saturday 22 May 2021 at 2:29 am local time, at an intermediate depth of 118.7 km below the surface. ... If you felt it , report it through our site or app right now! 2 people was killed and 17 others injured after 4 #earthquakes over 5.0-magnitude jolted Yangbi County in Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, SW China's Yunnan Province on Friday night. Rescue forces have been dispatched to the quake zone, and rescue efforts are underway. pic.twitter.com/lIv7AYOpSR Support us - Help us upgrade our services! Weather reports Tsunami alerts Design upgrades Faster responsiveness Earthquake archive from 1900 onwards Additional seismic data sources Improved content in English Download and Upgrade the Volcanoes & Earthquakes app to get one of the fastest seismic and volcano alerts online: Android | IOS to get one of the fastest seismic and volcano alerts online: We truly love working to bring you the latest volcano and earthquake data from around the world. Maintaining our website and our free apps does require, however, considerable time and resources.We need financing to increase hard- and software capacity as well as support our editor team. We're aiming to achieve uninterrupted service wherever an earthquake or volcano eruption unfolds, and your donations can make it happen! Every donation will be highly appreciated. If you find the information useful and would like to support our team in integrating further features, write great content, and in upgrading our soft- and hardware, please PayPal or Online credit card payment )., these features have been added recently: The European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) reported a magnitude 4.3 quake in Turkey near Malatya, only 8 minutes ago. The earthquake hit early evening on Friday 21 May 2021 at 7:06 pm local time at a very shallow depth of 7 km. The exact magnitude, epicenter, and depth of the quake might be revised within the next few hours or minutes as seismologists review data and refine their calculations, or as other agencies issue their report. ... A strong magnitude 5.9 quake occurred this afternoon at 9.09 pm local time under the sea about 50 km from East Java's southern coast. Thanks to its great depth of 115 km, it did not cause shaking strong enough at the surface to cause any significant damage, but it was widely felt across most parts of Java and neighboring Bali as a light vibration lasting a few seconds. ... Just 13 minutes ago, a 5.1-magnitude earthquake struck near Dali, Yunnan, China. The tremor was recorded early morning on Saturday 22 May 2021 at 2:29 am local time, at an intermediate depth of 118.7 km below the surface. ... State media reported that at least 2 people were killed and 17 others injured after a series of strong quakes hit Yangbi County in the southwestern Chinese province of Yunnan near the city of Dali earlier today. Following several quakes of magnitudes up to 5.3, the strongest shock occurred after about 5 hours of calm on late Friday 21 May evening at 9.48 pm local time. ... Following the deadly magnitude 6.0 quake earlier today in the southwestern province of Yunnan, China had another large - actually much larger - earthquake less than 5 hours later: ... If you felt it , report it through our site or app right now! Support us - Help us upgrade our services! Weather reports Tsunami alerts Design upgrades Faster responsiveness Earthquake archive from 1900 onwards Additional seismic data sources Improved content in English Download and Upgrade the Volcanoes & Earthquakes app to get one of the fastest seismic and volcano alerts online: Android | IOS to get one of the fastest seismic and volcano alerts online: We truly love working to bring you the latest volcano and earthquake data from around the world. Maintaining our website and our free apps does require, however, considerable time and resources.We need financing to increase hard- and software capacity as well as support our editor team. We're aiming to achieve uninterrupted service wherever an earthquake or volcano eruption unfolds, and your donations can make it happen! Every donation will be highly appreciated. If you find the information useful and would like to support our team in integrating further features, write great content, and in upgrading our soft- and hardware, please PayPal or Online credit card payment )., these features have been added recently: We have re-opened our newspaper office to the public in Stowe. Our South Burlington and Morrisville offices remain closed, except by appointment. Face masks are mandatory, and appropriate social distancing must be practiced, at all locations. Please email or call us with questions, news or updates; and read our local coronavirus coverage. Read News Three Hinesburg teens have been charged with hate crimes for defacing pro-LGBTQ chalk artwork at Hinesburg Community School earlier this month. Two of the teens were also charged with unlawful mischief and the third with accessory before the fact. Hinesburg Police officers responded to the school May 9 to find about 12 chalk drawings made by students covered in black liquid. Police chief Anthony Cambridge said it seemed the perpetrators specifically targeted the flags, since many other nearby drawings and notes were left untouched. According to VTDigger, school officials estimated clean-up costs at $1,500. Cambridge said he did not know which school the teens attended. They were identified via video surveillance footage. The case heads to the states attorney. Huntsville Police Department Community Resource Officers busted a suspected illegal gambling operation on Thursday. Police said 24 gambling machines were seized at a business in the 2,900 block of Pike Avenue. Police said the investigation is ongoing and arrests may come later. Under Alabama law, its illegal to possess a gambling device or slot machine to be used for unlawful gambling activity, police said in a Facebook post. Memorial Day weekend marks the unofficial start of summer, and summertime means more people out on the waterways. WAAY 31 spoke with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency about safety tips for Memorial Day weekend. Enough life jackets and a life preserver are a must when you're getting your boat ready for the upcoming season. Cpl. Robert Ping of the Alabama Marine Patrol Division said there are two things people should keep in mind when they head out on the water for Memorial Day weekend. Holiday weekends we usually get an influx of traffic on the waterways. We get a lot more people from the state, we get a lot of people from out of the state. So, the two things that I want to address today, No. 1 is safety, the other thing is courtesy," he said. The Marine Patrol Division will be on the water making sure everyone is staying safe. They say boat owners need to make sure their boat has enough life jackets, a working fire extinguisher, a sounding device, and a life preserver. Many people became new boat owners during the pandemic. Jake Mayo with the Alabama Marine Division said he anticipates seeing some Boating Under the Influence, and wake zone violations. Its not like the highway out here. A lot of people come out here to unwind, they think its just fun," said Mayo. "Not a lot of people are aware of the marine laws that we have in the state of Alabama. The Marine Division suggests more experienced boat drivers be out on Memorial Day weekend since the water is expected to be very crowded. They will be offering courtesy inspections next week. You can head out to the Guntersville Marina to make sure your equipment is in proper condition. Dr. Anthony Fauci along with the CEO of Pfizer say vaccinated people may need a Covid-19 booster shot as soon as 8 months after they are fully vaccinated. Dr. Karen Landers from the Alabama Department of Public Health says it's too soon to know exactly what a booster shot roll out will look like. Pfizer's vaccine arrived at hospitals around the country on Monday. Pfizer's vaccine arrived at hospitals around the country on Monday. "If boosters are recommended, or when they are recommended, we will have a template provided to us basically regarding how to configure a booster program," says Landers. She says the distribution will probably look similar to the vaccine roll out they have done so far. As far as the purpose of a Covid-19 booster shot, Landers says, "it's to boost the immune response, or basically a reminder to the immune response that you've seen this before, your body knows that you have been around this vaccine before and now your body will mount a response, if you will, to the booster." Landers says the booster will basically be the same product and dosage that vaccinated people have taken so far. People will most likely be able to return to the original place where they got their primary series of shots, or even go to a different site that is offering booster shots. As far as informing people on when to get their booster shot, Landers says it could be a recall type system to tell people they are due for a booster vaccine. A Florida man is now free on bond after his arrest for child rape in Decatur. Investigators say 26-year-old, Keith Norris Williams, met the child on the dating app, Badoo. According to court records, Williams met the child in her backyard, where the sex act happened. In February, Norris friend requested the 11-year-old child's Facebook Page. The account, run by the child's father. Williams unknowingly exchanged messages with the girl's father. After the communication, the parents called Decatur police. On May 15, Williams was extradited from Florida, where he serves in the United States Air Force. Decatur Police said in a statement, "he was charged with first-degree rape, traveling to meet a child for an unlawful sex act, and electronic solicitation of a child." Parents may not know how to have conversations with their child on cyber safety. Beth Jackson with the National Children's Advocacy Center said as soon as children are allowed access to technology, parents should start having conversations about online platforms. "Immediately, it's just like talking about what theyre allowed to do, and why there might be some other sites are theyre not allowed to do," said Jackson. Jackson said there's no way to keep your child completely offline. "Theres always some kid on the playground or school bus or somewhere where they can say look what I found, and you want them to come to you," said Jackson. Jefferson said if parents start the dialogue, their children will feel more comfortable talking about harmful situations. "We know they get access early and not necessarily when were around," said Jackson. Conversations should discuss more than social media and online behaviors. "Sexuality education needs to happen early and often," said Jackson. "From the time they start asking up until early adulthood." Jackson said open conversations will allow your child to know what's wrong and what's right. ConnectSafely.org can be a resource for parents. It educates technology users on safety and security online. One Colbert County school celebrated winning a national achievement on Friday. The G.W. Trenholm Primary School was awarded the National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence Lighthouse School award. The Lighthouse School Award is the highest honor out of four levels awarded by the National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence. This is a great achievement any year, but especially after the struggles teachers have faced during the pandemic. "In what will be remembered as one of the most challenging years in education, our school was awarded the National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence, Lighthouse School, the highest honor," says Principal Veronica Bayles. An external team interviewed teachers, parents, and students to see how the school ranked in categories such as leadership, instruction, and student achievement. Although G.W. Trenholm Primary School is the only school in the county to achieve this award, the principal says the entire state of Alabama should share their pride. "It's really important though to think about someone from outside of Alabama coming in and looking at the quality of education we have here in Alabama schools, so it's really for every school in Alabama not just G.W," says Bayles. She went on to add that winning this award makes her faculty want to work harder to continue to provide a quality education. The award will be presented in December during the Blue Ribbon Schools conference in Orlando. One small town band is getting a big opportunity to represent the state of Alabama at the 80th Anniversary Pearl Harbor Commemoration. But in order to get there, they need to raise a hefty $120,000. "We all really want this and we've all worked so hard, and you know we're overlooked a lot and I just feel like this would show people that we are doing something here," says baritone Olivia Aponte. For the Colbert County High School Band, this is an opportunity to put their town on the map. "It's crazy because even people who live 30 minutes away haven't even heard of Leighton, so the fact that we're going to be able to represent the state and go all the way to Hawaii is just so amazing," says drum major Jaidyn Quillen. But in order to get to Hawaii, they have to come up with $120,000. "Colbert County is designated as a low-income area so most of these students will not leave this area just on a normal basis, especially to a place like Hawaii, and this is their opportunity to do that," says Logan Pouncey, band director. Students are working hard to raise those funds through T-shirt sales, concession stands, and a GoFundMe. But they're also just thankful to be recognized. "We've all been growing in so many different ways and knowing that we've gotten up to this point to be invited to the Pearl Harbor that's just amazing," says Quillen. The band director says he's honored his band gets to honor those who fought in World War II, saying music gives the students a better appreciation for our country. "I'd say it gives them a feeling of patriotism. I tell them especially when we learn the Star Spangled Banner every year, this is the most important song you will ever play. It is more important than any of the show music, any of the contest music, because without that, what people have sacrificed to us, we wouldn't have a band," says Pouncey. An anonymous donor will match their fundraising efforts if they can raise $50,000 by the end of the month. The band director says they are on track to meet their goal. If met, 49 students from the Colbert County High School band will travel to Hawaii in December to perform at the memorial ceremony. See the GoFundMe HERE Decatur, IL (62521) Today Partly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 72F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 72F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph. Notorious attack on Michelangelo's Pieta occurred on 21 May 1972. 49 years ago today, a crazed Hungarian called Laszlo Toth climbed over an altar rail in St Peters Basilica and attacked Michelangelos Pieta with a geologist's hammer, while screaming: I am Jesus Christ risen from the dead. The Renaissance masterpiece, which portrays the Madonna holding the dead body of Jesus after he was taken down from the cross, suffered extensive damage from Toth's approximately 15 hammer blows. Toth was apprehended by bystanders The attack, which took place in front of horrified pilgrims, saw Toth knock the Madonna's left arm at the elbow, chipping off her eyelid and a significant part of her nose. The 33-year-old Toth was quickly restrained by bystanders, including the American sculptor Bob Cassily who hit the assailant several times before pulling him away from La Pieta. Before and after the restoration of La Pieta The chapel floor was littered with around 100 fragments from the statue which Michelangelo carved from a single block of Carrara marble before it was unveiled in 1499. Some of those present pocketed these chipped remains as "souvenirs," with at least one person subsequently repenting and sending the ill-gotten memento back to Rome anonymously from the United States. Restoration of the Pieta The Vatican was faced with a dilemma regarding the restoration, with art historians divided on how to proceed. Some experts said the statue should remain in its damaged state, others argued that it should be fixed but distinguishing clearly the restored parts from the original. Laszlo Toth In the end the Vatican opted for an integral procedure invisible to the naked eye, according to Reuters, resulting in one of the most delicate and complex art restorations in history. The operation saw restorers spend more than five months identifying all the fragments, some minuscule, before beginning to piece them together with invisible glue and powder ground from Carrara marble. When the painstaking restoration was complete, about 10 months after the attack, the Pieta went back on display - this time behind bulletproof glass. What happened to Laszlo Toth? In view of his apparent insanity, Toth was never charged with the crime. In January 1973 he was committed to a psychiatric hospital in Italy. Toth was released in February 1975 and deported from Italy to Australia, where he had studied prior to the Pieta attack. Australian authorities did not detain him and he faded into oblivion, reportedly living a hermit-like existence in a remote part of New South Wales. Toth died on 11 September 2012. Former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroder has been ordered to pay his Korean wife's ex-husband W30 million for destroying their marriage (US$1=W1,132). The ex-husband had sued for W100 million. Schroder began a relationship with Kim So-yeon, who is 26 years his junior, in 2015 when she interpreted for him at an international conference. Both were married to other people at the time. Their relationship became public in September 2017, when Schroder's then-wife blamed Kim for her divorce on social media. Schroder denied this, and Kim divorced her husband in November 2017. The couple announced their relationship at a press conference in Seoul in January 2018. That prompted Kim's ex-husband to file the lawsuit just before Schroder and Kim tied the knot in October 2018. It was the ex-German leader's fifth marriage and Kim's second. Through his lawyer, Schroder denied wrecking Kim's first marriage, but the Seoul Family Court did not believe him. A court official said, "W30 million is a big amount in adultery lawsuits and shows that the judge accepted a significant portion of Kim's ex-husband's claims." According to the ruling, Kim's ex-husband could apply for the seizure of Schroder's assets in Korea and put them up for auction if the ex-chancellor fails to pay up. If Schroder has no assets here, as seems likely, the jilted husband would have to see if a German court will recognize the ruling, but Germany has no adultery laws. Korea only legalized adultery in 2015 after a Constitutional Court ruling, but civil suits can still be brought. Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-21 17:28:16|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, May 21 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping said Friday that he stands ready to work with Pakistani President Arif Alvi to deepen bilateral strategic communication and pragmatic cooperation, and to promote high-quality operation of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). He made the remarks in an exchange of congratulatory messages with Alvi on the 70th anniversary of the establishment of China-Pakistan diplomatic relations. Xi said he is willing to join hands with the Pakistani leader to build a closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future in the new era for the benefit of both countries and their people. In his message, Xi said that China and Pakistan are all-weather strategic cooperative partners and firmly support each other on issues concerning their respective core interests and major concerns. The mutual trust and friendship between the two countries have withstood the test of the changing international landscape over the past 70 years and always remained rock solid, he said. In recent years, with joint efforts of both sides, the construction of the CPEC has achieved remarkable results, bringing important benefits to the two peoples and adding strong impetus to regional prosperity, he added. Noting that China and Pakistan have shared weal and woe and helped each other sincerely in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, Xi said the two countries' ironclad friendship has been further upgraded. The Chinese president also expressed his hope that the China-Pakistan friendship will flourish forever. On the same day, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang also exchanged congratulatory messages with Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan. In the message, Li said China has always prioritized Pakistan in its foreign policy, and is ready to work with Pakistan to lift their all-weather strategic cooperative partnership to a higher level in the next 70 years. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-21 18:20:36|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, May 21 (Xinhua) -- Ireland opened its first learning center in China Thursday to offer college education to Chinese students who can not travel to Ireland right now due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Irish Learning Center, located in the University for Science & Technology, Beijing, will start its first semester in the coming September. The learning center is aimed at providing a better learning environment for students who choose online courses and prepare to obtain degrees in universities and colleges in Ireland, said Peng Jianqun, president of the ILC. The establishment of the center "marks the beginning of a new way of Irish-China education cooperation," said Irish Ambassador to China Ann Derwin, who addressed the inauguration ceremony. She added that Ireland understands education in a way much deeper than just books and lectures, and places great value on things like experience, community, life skills, "and most important of all, friendship." The ambassador wished the center a great success and a bright future for cultural and educational exchanges between the two countries. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-21 18:29:52|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, May 21 (Xinhua) -- A judiciary delegation from China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) concluded its four-day visit to Beijing Friday. The delegation, led by Andrew Cheung Kui-nung, chief justice of the Court of Final Appeal of the HKSAR, has been in Beijing at the invitation of Zhou Qiang, chief justice and president of the Supreme People's Court (SPC). Members of the delegation visited the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, the SPC, the Supreme People's Procuratorate, the Ministry of Justice, as well as the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council. They also visited the SPC intellectual property court and the Beijing Internet Court. During their visit, the delegation members engaged in discussions with their mainland peers on professional issues. The SPC will support the exchanges between mainland courts and the HKSAR judiciary, Zhou said while meeting with the delegation, adding that he expects the HKSAR judiciary to thoroughly and accurately implement the Constitution, HKSAR Basic Law and the national security law for the HKSAR, and to comprehensively implement the "patriots administering Hong Kong" principle. Yang Zhenwu, secretary-general of the NPC Standing Committee, also met with the delegation and briefed the members about the country's system of people's congresses and about relevant decisions and legislative efforts by the NPC and its Standing Committee on major Hong Kong-related issues. They also discussed issues concerning relevant systems and mechanisms related to the Basic Law. It was Cheung's first visit to Beijing since he assumed office as the chief justice of the SAR's Court of Final Appeal in January. He said the visit enhanced the SAR judiciary's understanding of the country, noting that he will lead the SAR's judicial authority to perform its duties and safeguard the constitutional order in the HKSAR as prescribed by the Constitution and the Basic Law. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-21 20:08:11|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close A health worker takes a swab sample from a man to test with Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) for COVID-19 in Bhopal, the capital city of India's Madhya Pradesh state on May 21, 2021. India's COVID-19 tally surpassed the 26 million mark on Friday, at 26,031,991, with 259,551 new confirmed cases reported in the past 24 hours, said the federal Ministry of Health. (Str/Xinhua) HONG KONG, May 21 (Xinhua) -- Asia-Pacific countries remained on high alert as more and more confirmed COVID-19 cases and deaths were reported on Friday. India's total tally surpassed the 26 million mark, at 26,031,991, with 259,551 newly confirmed cases in the past 24 hours, said the federal Ministry of Health. Meanwhile, 4,209 more deaths were recorded, bringing the death toll to 291,331. After a decline on Thursday, the single-day deaths once again crossed the 4,000-mark. There are currently 3,027,925 active cases in the Asian country, a drop of 101,953 cases in the past 24 hours. Malaysia reported 6,493 new infections, bringing the national total to 498,795, the Health Ministry said. Health Ministry Director-General Noor Hisham Abdullah said in a press statement that two of the new cases are imported and 6,491 are local transmissions. Another 50 more deaths were reported, bringing the death toll to 2,149. Some 4,508 patients were released after recovery, bringing the total number of cured and discharged to 444,540 or 89.1 percent of all cases. The Philippines' Department of Health (DOH) reported 6,258 new infections, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the Southeast Asian country to 1,171,403. The death toll climbed to 19,763 after 141 more patients died from the viral disease, the DOH said. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday called for "greater solidarity for collective, coordinated, and comprehensive responses" in the ongoing fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, saying "inward-looking policies will lead us nowhere." The confirmed cases in Indonesia rose by 5,746 within one day to 1,764,644, with the death toll adding by 186 to 49,073, the health ministry said. According to the ministry, 4,570 more people were discharged from hospitals, bringing the total number of recovered patients to 1,626,142. Thailand announced to extend the state of emergency to the end of July as the country grappled with its worst COVID-19 outbreak so far that has shown no sign of improvement. The Center for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) on Friday approved the extension of the emergency decree nationwide until July 31 to contain the spread of the virus, according to CCSA spokesman Taweesin Visanuyothin. On Friday, the country reported 3,481 new cases, raising the total tally to 123,066, and 32 new fatalities, taking the death toll to 735, according to the CCSA. As of Thursday, the country has administered more than 2.64 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines, with more than 920,000 people having received both doses, while more than 1.7 million having received the first doses, according to the spokesman. Pakistan's death toll from COVID-19 crossed the 20,000 mark after 102 more people died from the pandemic during the last 24 hours, a statement from the National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) said on Friday. According to the NCOC, the overall deaths in the country now stand at 20,089, with the highest number of deaths in eastern Punjab province which has recorded 9,704 fatalities, followed by southern province Sindh with 4,869 deaths and northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa where 3,875 deaths were reported. The NCOC said a total of 51,528 tests were conducted during the last 24 hours and 3,070 cases were reported, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 893,461. South Korea reported 561 more confirmed cases, raising the total tally to 134,678. Of the new cases, 171 were Seoul residents and 161 were people residing in Gyeonggi province. Nineteen cases were imported, lifting the combined figure for this category to 8,835. Six more deaths were reported from the coronavirus epidemic in the Asian country, bringing the death toll to 1,922. Cambodia confirmed 460 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, pushing the national case tally to 24,157 so far, the Ministry of Health (MoH) said in a statement. The new infections included 445 local cases and 15 imported cases, the MoH said. The Southeast Asian nation also reported another 824 recoveries, taking the total to 16,524, the statement said, adding the death toll increased to 165 after one new fatality was recorded. Enditem Washington, IN (47501) Today Scattered thunderstorms early, then becoming clear after midnight. Low around 70F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Scattered thunderstorms early, then becoming clear after midnight. Low around 70F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%. Trusted local news has never been more important, but providing the information you need, information that can change sometimes minute-by-minute, requires a partnership with you, our readers. Please consider making a contribution today to support this vital resource that you and countless others depend on. Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-21 20:19:31|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, May 21 (Xinhua) -- China has honored its commitment and carried out large-scale global humanitarian actions to help the world fight the COVID-19 pandemic, Chinese President Xi Jinping said Friday. Xi made the remarks while delivering a speech at the Global Health Summit via video in Beijing. Notwithstanding the limited production capacity and enormous demand at home, China has honored its commitment by providing free vaccines to more than 80 developing countries in urgent need and exporting vaccines to 43 countries, Xi said. "We have provided 2 billion U.S. dollars in assistance for the COVID-19 response and economic and social recovery in developing countries hit by the pandemic," Xi said. China has sent medical supplies to more than 150 countries and 13 international organizations, and provided more than 280 billion masks, 3.4 billion protective suits and 4 billion testing kits to the world, Xi said. A cooperation mechanism has been established for Chinese hospitals to pair up with 41 African hospitals, and construction for the China-assisted project of the Africa CDC headquarters officially started at the end of last year, Xi noted. He added that important progress has also been made in the China-UN joint project to set up in China a global humanitarian response depot and hub. "China is fully implementing the G20 Debt Service Suspension Initiative for Poorest Countries and has so far put off debt repayment exceeding 1.3 billion U.S. dollars, the highest deferral amount among G20 members," Xi said. Enditem Pinder and Ross, both optimists by nature, were in for a terrible shock. More tests showed Pinder had a large tumour in his bladder. Rosss recollection and well come back to how accurate recollections are at times like this is that in that first meeting, they were told it was serious but that the specialist avoided saying the C word. For most of us, it will be nothing. For some, theres a life-altering diagnosis lurking on a sheet of paper somewhere. A mind-numbing blow about to descend. Does it make a difference how that blow is delivered? If youve ever had that kind of conversation in a doctors surgery, youll recall the lurching feeling those words produce, the skin on your forehead tightening, the blood draining as you conjure up all nightmare possibilities, even when the GP adds, Look, it may be nothing but Id just like to be sure. Pinder, she says, hadnt had any symptoms to suggest anything was wrong. However, some abnormalities showed up in his blood markers and a urine test. The GP said he didnt like the look of them and arranged for Pinder to see a specialist. So there they were, aged in their 60s, with their daughter grown up, free to do as they pleased. They had already run a hotel in Sri Lanka during a wild career change and now the scheme was to sell their house in Sydney, move to Barcelona indefinitely and set up an Airbnb business. Id just had a big 60th birthday party for 150 people, recalls Ross. I was on top of the world and so was John. One month later, he had a routine medical check-up as part of our visa application. That was how it began. In May 2013, Dasha Ross and her husband of 27 years, John Pinder, were preparing for a grand adventure. Ross is a well-respected documentary maker and Pinder was a prominent figure in the comedy and cabaret scene. In his prime, the producer was a big, ebullient man, famous for his signature giant yellow glasses, booming presence, and pack-a-day smoking habit. It was Pinder who co-created the Melbourne International Comedy Festival in the 1980s. There was nothing funny, however, about the news that lay in store. Rosss impression that they were getting information only if they asked for it is probably correct to a point. It echoes the experiences of other patients and families who have been surveyed (many also mention feeling rushed in their brief appointments with specialists, rarely getting through their list of questions). There are protocols in much of the Western world now for these difficult encounters and one is that medical professionals should feel out what people want or need to know at any particular time, rather than dictate the discussion. I needed information. Its how I deal with things when Im anxious I try to find a solution. Johns way of dealing with the cancer and I understood this was to steel himself to go through this process, which he suspected was going to be hideous on every level. Denial is a safe place and thats where he went. I asked lots of questions about the treatment and questions about survival rates, Ross remembers. He didnt offer the information but hed answer if I asked. He gave the percentage breakdown for survival. The long-term prognosis for people with bladder cancer is not good. They also need to be sure of what theyre dealing with. It was the subsequent exploratory surgery that confirmed Pinder had muscle-invasive bladder cancer, an advanced form of a cancer often linked to smoking. The specialist may have felt he was being kind, or at least accurate. Few words in the English language alarm people more than cancer, and doctors have generally always struggled with how to break bad news to patients not just about cancer but about other terminal or life-changing illnesses, whether its motor neurone disease, multiple sclerosis, type 1 diabetes, a failing heart or Alzheimers. He never referred to cancer, Ross says. So this entire conversation took place where he spoke about the tumour. Now, that was correct, in that it was a tumour in the bladder, but it was like he was being coy. I felt like saying, Is it cancer? Is that what weve got here? I needed to know what we were dealing with. The highest increased heart rate was with a very experienced, very senior doctor, says Dunn, of the 2015 study he conducted with Dr Joanne Shaw. When the door opened and she [the wife] walked into the room, his heart rate was 168. Most peoples heart rate is around 70. The very act of delivering bad news can more than double a doctors heart rate , says Stewart Dunn, Professor of Psychological Medicine at the Royal North Shore Hospitals Sydney Medical School. And thats when the doctor is just delivering bad news in a training session, with an actor role-playing the patient. For example, a woman who has to be told her husband has suddenly died from a second heart attack. Breaking bad news is such a significant part of medicine that there are hundreds of academic papers on the subject. It even has its own acronym, BBN. Its the emotionally charged side of medicine many young doctors, and even some highly experienced ones, dread. No wonder theres an inclination to sweeten the facts, muddy the waters, or hold back some of the harsher truths until the time seems right which might be never. Back then, the diagnosis was sobering but there was a plan of action. The outlook was still hopeful. Thats what they heard. Thats what they clung to. Barcelona would have to wait. Looking back, I realise that it is incremental, the way they give you information, Ross says. Theyre not laying it all on with a trowel in the first instance, like a bucket of cement thats going to set and overwhelm you. Its like they dont want to alarm or upset you, or perhaps catastrophise the situation. That might work for some people but I wanted to know everything I could. In fact it was only a couple of generations ago, back in 1961, that a US study found 90 per cent of American doctors preferred not to disclose a cancer diagnosis to a patient. (In 1979, just 18 years later, the same research questionnaire showed a complete reversal and 90 per cent of physicians preferred to disclose this information to their patients.) We take it for granted now that a doctor will tell us the bad news, if there is any. That wasnt always the case. Around the world, medicine has a long tradition of doctors withholding information from patients. Its still common in certain cultures for the patient not to be told a serious diagnosis, the idea being that the family, not the ill person, carries the burden of knowing. Its still an issue for some families and their doctors in countries including India, Turkey, Iran, Japan, Italy and Spain. He said, I cant believe it either, I saw him this morning and he was sitting up in bed making jokes, and so on. By the time theyd got to the end of that time, theyd both travelled the same path. The difference being, of course, only one of them had lost a life partner. On the other hand, only one of them has to deliver life-shattering news to people, day after day. People often want to know how can they use their time. Thats what theyre really asking you. Theres nothing you can say in those three minutes to change it. Some doctors would keep badgering, You have to realise and so on. Instead he colluded with her in her disbelief. Interestingly, one blunter received the highest rating from the observers, in terms of causing the least distress. Not because of his bluntness, but because he allowed time after delivering the news for the shock to penetrate. Says Dunn: The woman had to go from, I went home from the hospital this morning after seeing a husband who was getting better. Youre now telling me I live in a world without a husband. To make that transition is huge. It takes three minutes before even the first bit of that starts to sink in. Dunn has noticed three distinct styles of delivering bad news. There are the blunters, who do it in less than 30 seconds. The person walks in, Im very sorry. Your husband has died. Bang. Then the forecasters, who do it in two minutes. They fire a few warning shots. So you hear the warnings of bad news coming. Then there are the stallers, who actually want you to say, Oh my god, has he died? so they dont have to say it. Its almost like theyre saying, I want you to feel safe to deal with this reality but you need to say it yourself, so then I know youve got it. The longest we saw took six minutes. He used every euphemism in the book before he could bring himself to say passed away. Patients often say they want the truth, but how much truth do they actually want? The whole truth or just the good bits? Do they want to know, for example, how long theyve got left to live? But if someone is blindly optimistic in the face of continuing evidence the disease is progressing, that creates such a cognitive dissonance that it becomes destructive. It can also get to a point where you are being so ruthlessly optimistic that you refuse to discuss things with other people that you must discuss. If youre positive and you have grounds for sustaining that positivity, yes, that would have a benefit, says Dunn. All the studies looking at survival have found improved quality of life in people who are optimistic. Not all of them have been able to show longer survival. Even now, good specialists are still mindful of how certain information, and their own manner, can affect a patients health. Western medicine is increasingly acknowledging a mind-body connection. For example, severe depression and chronic stress in cancer patients have been shown to affect the immune system. But how much does something like positive thinking help? Its hard to say. Withholding a distressing diagnosis was a kind of benevolent deception, operating within a paternalistic model of medicine where doctor, or tradition, knew best. And, of course, there were fewer treatments on offer back then. It was felt the truth would only depress patients and possibly hinder their recovery or survival. It wasnt unknown for doctors in Australia to withhold medical information like this back then, either. A husband would ask for his wife not to be told, for example, or children would ask that an elderly parent be kept in the dark. That request still happens within some cultural groups here. (Dunn remembers a man once holding a knife to his throat and threatening to kill him if he told his wife she had cancer. The professor took it in his stride. He says the woman knew she had cancer but understood her husbands protectiveness. Dunn and the patient worked out a kind of code to get around it.) People often want to know how can they use their time, how long theyll be well enough to do the things they want to do. Thats really what theyre asking you, not exactly when theyre going to die, says Professor Fran Boyle, a medical oncologist who took over from Stewart Dunn as director of the Pam McLean Centre at Sydneys Royal North Shore, a centre dedicated to clinical communication skills training. So the conversation might be: Can I take a trip to Vienna in two years time and a way of answering that might be, No, but you could this year. Or Will I live to see my daughter start school? Maybe, but youll certainly live to see other milestones. Medical oncologist Professor Fran Boyle says people often want to know how long theyll be well enough to do the things they want to do. Credit: Back in those early months of 2013, Dasha Ross remembers how hopeful she and Pinder were. But much of that hopefulness, it seems, rested on a misapprehension. Pinder understood that a short initial operation to remove the tumour via a cystoscope put up the urethra might be enough to resolve the tumour problem. But that first operation didnt resolve it and John felt cheated, Ross says. He felt hed been led to believe that removing the tumour would be the end of it. The urologist had mapped out the best-case and worst-case scenarios but, of course, John only heard best-case. So when he came out of that surgery, which was so painful, and they did the post-operative test to find that there were still traces in the wall of the bladder, he felt hed been sold a pup. When people are already in a state of high anxiety, they rarely hear everything that is being explained to them. In the late 1990s, Dunn and colleagues Martin Tattersall and Phyllis Butow ran a study that gave patients a takeaway recording of their initial consultation with an oncologist. Even after listening to it another two or three times at home, 10 days later the patients only recalled about 25 per cent. Dunn points out that places such as the Sydney Medical School now put students through compulsory training in how to communicate with patients, empathise and handle emotions subjects that were once regarded as peripheral to the practice of medicine. But psychology can only go so far in calming a thudding heart or opening the paralysed mind of a patient whose life is unravelling in a medical suite. Even with a companion by our side, even with our jotted notes, many of us will be making the most important decisions of our lives on the best way to go forward having taken in only a fraction of what has been said. Breaking and hearing the news of an initial diagnosis is challenging enough, but at least the doctor can soften the blow of yes, you have cancer with the tagline: and heres what we can do about it. Its infinitely more challenging to have to tell a patient their treatments have failed, or that the illness is terminal. No doctor or patient wants to have that conversation. In the 21st century, we have come to expect miracles, not disappointments. Medical technology is focused on defying death at any cost. Its not in the business of making its inevitability easier to accept. And that has consequences. US surgeon and writer Atul Gawande says patients with a terminal illness and their families can become focused on beating this thing at any cost often allowing that to overshadow issues of quality of life. Credit:Quentin Jones As US surgeon and medical writer Atul Gawande observes in his thoughtful book Being Mortal, patients, or very often their families, can become so hooked on beating this thing that they become blind to what once mattered in terms of quality of life. Theyll try anything, even aggressive end-of-life treatments almost certain to cause only pain and suffering. Gawande himself remembers discussing the possible benefit of an experimental treatment with a patient with a very advanced cancer, even though he knew that benefit was sheer fantasy. Discussing a fantasy, he writes, was easier less emotional, less explosive, less prone to misunderstanding than discussing what was happening before my eyes. Its much easier to give another dose of chemotherapy than it is to say, Its not working, and how would you like to spend the last four weeks of your life? Thats in the US, home of medical litigation. However, that awkward dance around the cold, hard truth can happen here, too. Its much easier to give another dose of chemotherapy, agrees medical oncologist Fran Boyle, than it is to say, Its not working and how would you like to spend the last four weeks of your life? Would you like to spend them with mouth ulcers or not? Or would you like to spend them at home with your family rather than being carted off to hospital with a fever? A kind of double bind creeps in. Doctors may be waiting for patients to ask key questions and to signal they want to have that blunter discussion. Patients may also assume their doctors are actively recommending this course or that, because wouldnt they have advised against it otherwise? An Australian woman, who didnt wish to be named, told Good Weekend about her brother, who died from an aggressive multiple myeloma, aged 53. The cancer was already terminal when diagnosed and he was offered palliative chemotherapy. The first round didnt do anything, his sister remembers, and he felt absolutely dreadful. He looked into it all and decided hed rather die peacefully than have any hopeless prolonging with more chemo. But heres the thing. When he told his doctors, they said they were enormously relieved, that thats what they would have done in his circumstances but they hadnt wanted to guide or push him to that decision. A lot of specialists havent come to terms with the fact that a terminal diagnosis isnt a reflection of failure on their part. Boyle agrees that some oncologists and professionals, who are reluctant to be seen as bullying or high-handed, may have stepped out of the frame a little too much. We swung so far away from paternalism that we forgot about maternalism, she says. That idea that mother is really attuned to your situation, can listen and give you good advice. Thats probably what everybody wants in their doctor. You dont want somebody to just clinically hand you a list of choices and say, Here, choose from the menu. But they are tough conversations and you do feel like youre treading on eggshells. Gawandes point is that while theres nothing wrong with hoping to beat the odds, people should also be prepared for the outcome thats vastly more probable. That preparation might include discussions about accessing, much earlier in the piece, the many supports and comforts offered by palliative care. Several studies have shown that early palliative care can help patients not only to live better but also to live longer. Palliative care specialist aka the Deathtalker Molly Carlile, says we have forgotten how to make death a part of life. Credit: With luck, that talk takes place when it should. All too often it doesnt, says Molly Carlile, a Queensland-based specialist in palliative care who is known as the Deathtalker. Shes a great believer in death literacy and the notion that the more we talk, the less we fear. She and her family find it normal to spend part of every Christmas sitting around the table updating their advance care directives. We have forgotten how to make death a part of life, Carlile says. She remembers being saddened by an article about a well-known young woman dying from breast cancer. It was heartbreaking. There she was, actively dying, unconscious, Cheyne-Stoking in bed [the stop/start breathing that indicates death is very close], and her father lent down and said to her, Dont give up the fight, Carlile recalls. Look, I understand where that comes from but if he had said, I love you so much and Im going to miss you, that would have been so different. Loading Doctors are human. They hope for the best. They like to give it a shot. They can also be reluctant to admit defeat. Theyre in the business of fixing people, says Carlile. Not just doctors, but also nurses, allied health people, notoriously feel a sense of failure if theyre not able to fix the problem. A lot of specialists havent come to terms with the fact that a terminal diagnosis isnt a reflection of failure on their part. Carlile isnt suggesting that health professionals should brutally dash all hope or not offer new or experimental treatments or that people shouldnt try them if thats what they want. She does, however, have strong views on the meaning of hope and the benefits of talking openly, with empathy and compassion. Hope is about realistic hope, in my view. If people have a poor prognosis and you have that conversation with them, then you can refocus and say, Okay, whats really important to you now? Is managing your physical independence, or your fatigue, more important to you than managing pain? The ultimate goal is to enable them to do as much of the stuff that matters to them, not you, in the time they have. If its, I want extra time and I dont care if the side effects are terrible, thats a fair choice. If its, Id rather have less time and not have my head in a bucket for the next two months, thats a fair choice, too. Now, you cant have that conversation unless the person is aware they dont have as long as they may have anticipated. You might imagine that, faced with a terminal diagnosis, people would have many deep and emotional talks at home about death, fears, the other partners future, and everything in between. Not always. In fact, many people are more likely to pour out their innermost thoughts and fears to a trusted GP or sympathetic nurse, than burden their own partner, and vice versa. Three years ago, Sarah Rosemonts husband Alex (not their real names) was diagnosed with Stage IV colorectal cancer and Stage IV prostate cancer. Both of them have known from the start that his illness is incurable, but they have studiously avoided talking about how long he might have, or about Rosemonts life beyond his. Its like speaking about it makes it real, and therefore maybe it will happen quicker, Rosemont says. You feel like you might conjure it into being. Neither of us have talked about it. We only talk about the treatments. Its hard to know if youre protecting them or theyre protecting you. When I put the same question to Alex, he says: I used to think a bit about dying [when I was first diagnosed] but I dont anymore. Sarah and I really dont talk about it. Whats there to talk about? I dont see it as something we should be dwelling on. Molly Carlile says its understandable if people facing a pencilled-in date with death dont want to talk about it. However, there can come a point when they do, even if its just to weigh up whether or not to continue a treatment. Its a conversation well-meaning friends or family can unwittingly deflect or block. Loading Ive known carers who havent known how to pick up on the cues that the person is throwing them, says Carlile. A lot of people in that situation throw cues all the time. Like, I doubt Ill be around next Christmas, and the family goes, Oh, dont be silly, of course you will. What would Christmas be without you? The whole conversation is snuffed out like a candle. So then they try other things like, Id really like to do an advance care plan, and its, Oh, you dont need to do that yet. What are you thinking about that for now? So all of the attempts by the person to say, in code, I want to talk about this, get shut down. Its not surprising we want to run from the subject. Whats a better response? Stop what youre doing, Carlile advises. Sit down with them, take their hand and say, Tell me about that, explain to me what you mean. Show them youre ready to listen if they want that conversation. Theyll let you know if they dont. Faced with a terminal diagnosis, some people prefer to talk with those other than their partner or friends. Credit:Getty Images Were never truly prepared to lose people we love. Its why we only hear what we want to hear, clinging to any small comforts as we reckon with the unbearable. Even with everything Sarah Rosemont had been told or had read about the likely course of her husbands type of cancer, she was shocked when a scan in January showed his tumour had grown significantly and metastasised further. It was our first time back after the Christmas break and the oncologist said, I havent got good news. Ive got the scan and the blood results, and the drug that youre on is no longer working. So now we have to think about how we go on. And then she was saying, There will be no pain and obviously well keep you at home as long as we can while Sarah can look after you. Theres a wonderful palliative care unit at [the local hospital]. We were sitting there in shock. It was like wed gone from, How was your Christmas and your latest treatments not working, to palliative care and therell be no pain and youre on your way out. She didnt say that last bit, but that was the indication. It was like, My god, what just happened to us? This is really heavy. Rosemont now thinks her understanding of Alexs progress over the three years, or her wishful expectations, didnt fit with what the oncological team thought it was making clear. Knowing the illness wasnt curable hadnt stopped her shining the most positive light on the results. I think it was this word tracking, Rosemont says. Theyd say, Its tracking as we expect and that sounded promising. But they meant, as they expect. As in, what youd expect with a Stage IV cancer. What I expected was completely different. The speed of it shocked me. It was like wed gone from a jog to a sprint. For Dasha Ross and John Pinder, the news went from bad to good, early on. After an eight-hour operation in the middle of that first year to remove his bladder and prostate, followed by months of chemotherapy with appalling side effects, Pinder was declared to be in remission. They werent promised it would be forever but they were given the green light to move to Barcelona. They had only been there four or five months, however, when Pinder started getting back pain. And suddenly the news went to awful. Dasha Ross says knowing her husbands life expectancy forced her to go on autopilot: I just went numb and into kind of management mode. Credit:Tim Bauer In October 2014, he flew back to Australia for tests. The cancer had metastasised to his bones. He was told it was terminal and immediately put on a palliative care regime at home, with a life expectancy of between six to 12 months. Was it helpful to have an idea of how long he had? I dont know if it was helpful, Ross says now. But it was shocking. The only way I could deal with it was to go on autopilot. I just went numb and into kind of management mode. Suddenly he had all these aides special chairs, a walker, a wheelchair. It was too dreadful, too awful. But John completely accepted that he was dying. He said hed done everything in life hed wanted to do. Now she was the one running from the painful truth. Frail and ill and terribly thin, Pinder developed a high fever and delirium one week in February 2015. An ambulance took him to the hospice. Yet even with all those red flags fever, ambulance, terminal cancer, hospice Ross was stunned, a few days later, to learn he had almost died. I almost fell through the floor when they told me that. She felt betrayed that the palliative care staff, for whom she otherwise has great respect, hadnt spelt it out at the time. They, presumably, thought she realised death was hovering. It was denial, she admits now. It was always denial. Emotionally I couldnt accept he was going to die, even though my rational mind heard that. I heard John say on several occasions, I have nothing to regret and Im ready. But I wasnt ready for him to go. Loading He went back home, but they avoided talking about the inevitable, or how she would cope on her own. It was just an ever-present truth. We were dealing with the day-to-day moment of it all. Instead, they talked about fabulous times theyd had together. Streams of friends dropped in to reminisce while Pinder, buoyed by opioids, held court. About four days before his death that May, Pinder called her over. He used to sleep a lot but one day he said, I need to have a serious conversation with you. Come and lie down here. So I lay down beside him. He said, I cant do this any more, its too hard. Its not going to get any better and I cant stand the pain. Ross looks sad at the memory but then laughs, remembering how life slips between the profound and the absurd. The next day we lay down together again and went through all the passwords, which was hilarious because he was so zonked out he couldnt remember them all. It took hours. Two nights later, Pinder fell over getting out of bed and was taken back to the hospice. He died there, aged 70, with Ross and their daughter present, close on two years from that day in the GPs office. In a final piece of Pinder showmanship, choreographed by him before his death, some of his ashes were blasted off the balcony of Sydneys Bondi Icebergs, with fireworks and tears and cheering. A loud, wordless salute to a life well-lived, and a death foretold. To read more from Good Weekend magazine, visit our page at The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and Brisbane Times. The fact that so many adult Australians are reluctant to get a vaccine should change attitudes in the community and policies in the government. Only 4 per cent seem to be anti-vaxxers with a permanent objection. The question in the survey was about the next few months which means the government has a chance to change those views. Loading The missed opportunities in the vaccine rollout are no secret. Australia needed a bigger deal with Pfizer and a first deal with Moderna last year for mRNA vaccines when we relied too heavily on AstraZeneca. Yet the European Union decision to block vaccine exports was not Morrisons fault, and the government struck a smart but secret deal to get supplies from Britain instead. Stating the obvious can be a risky business these days, as Virgin chief Jayne Hrdlicka found when she reminded us that people die from COVID-19, but the basic problem with the vaccine rollout remains global supply. The truth is that Australia is doing well with the supply it can get, within the limits of the CSL laboratory in Melbourne and Pfizer facilities in the US and Europe. Global pharmaceutical companies are putting a priority on the countries where the virus is killing people in their thousands. Australia is not a priority. Even now, with CSL producing about 1 million doses a week, the supply is still not enough. Because the vaccine requires two doses, the federal government has to keep a large amount (not exactly half, but about 40 per cent) in reserve. This explains the absence of an advertising campaign to overcome vaccine hesitancy. There is no rush to sign people up if there are no vials left when they get to the clinic and roll up their sleeves. And it is probably too late to fix the doubts about AstraZeneca. It has proven to be a highly effective vaccine, even with one dose, when compared with Pfizer. Taking two doses of either vaccine cuts the risk of contracting COVID-19 by as much as 70 per cent. The concerns about blood clots, and the sudden decision by Australian scientific advisers in April to recommend Pfizer for those under 50, suggest it would take more than an advertising campaign to change minds. The government has to live with that advice from its experts. It would be foolish to tell older Australians they have to have AstraZeneca whether they like it or not. (On a personal note, merely for transparency, I am registered to get the AstraZeneca vaccine within a week or so.) Loading No wonder Health Minister Greg Hunt wants people to know there will be more options soon. Right now, we want to encourage everybody over 50 to be vaccinated as early as possible, Hunt said on Wednesday. But weve been very clear that as supply increases later on in the year there will be enough mRNA vaccines for every Australian. Labor critics had a field day on Twitter with that comment, declaring it idiotic, but what is Hunt meant to do? Deny people a choice of vaccine? Pretend the Pfizer doses are not on their way? Trick people into taking AstraZeneca? Shipments from Pfizer are meant to reach about 600,000 doses each week from early July only six or seven weeks away. This is supposed to continue through to the end of September, when there will be another big increase in volume. The commercial rights holders for global animation sensation Bluey have given one of Melbournes most expensive private schools approval to use the beloved cartoon characters to promote itself to prospective parents. It is the first time an Australian school has been given permission to use the Bluey brand for self-promotion. A still from Firbank Grammars Facebook page, promoting an upcoming appearance of Bluey. Brighton-based Firbank Grammar School, which charges annual fees of $18,165 in prep and $32,727 in year 12, will put on a live and interactive Bluey performance with paid actors on Saturday, at which parents can also learn about the schools early primary and prep programs. The college denied it was using Bluey as a lure for prospective parents. A Firbank Grammar spokesperson said the public event was merely a chance for children to see a show and do colouring-in activities. Jerusalem: A truce between Israel and Hamas took hold on Friday after the worst violence in years, but brief clashes broke out around Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem where similar scenes had touched off the Gaza conflict. Israels bombardment of Gaza and militant rocket attacks on Israeli towns ceased after 11 days under an agreement mediated by Egypt, which is negotiating with both sides on ways to maintain stability. Palestinians run from sound bombs thrown by Israeli police in front of the Dome of the Rock shrine at al-Aqsa mosque complex in Jerusalem on Friday, Credit:AP The Gaza violence was set off in part by Israeli police raids of East Jerusalems Al-Aqsa Mosque compound and clashes with Palestinians during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Thousands had gathered there for Friday prayers, with many staying on to demonstrate in support of Gaza. Israeli police fired stun grenades towards Palestinians, who threw rocks and petrol bombs at officers, a Reuters witness said, and Palestinian medics said some 20 Palestinians were wounded. Washington: US President Joe Biden says he hopes the unconditional ceasefire agreed to by Israel and Hamas after 11 days of fighting opens the possibility of a more longstanding peace between Israel and Palestine. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus office said his security cabinet had voted unanimously in favour of a mutual and unconditional truce in Gaza while Hamas said the ceasefire would be mutual and simultaneous. US President Joe Biden welcomed the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas. Credit:Abaca Speaking at the White House after the announcement, Biden said he commended Netanyahu for his decision to agree to a ceasefire. He also reiterated his belief that Israel has a right to defend itself from Hamas rocket attacks. Wilmington, DE (19810) Today Occasional light rain tapering to a few showers late. Low around 60F. Winds ENE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%.. Tonight Occasional light rain tapering to a few showers late. Low around 60F. Winds ENE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Wilmington, DE (19810) Today Occasional light rain tapering to a few showers late. Low around 60F. Winds ENE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%.. Tonight Occasional light rain tapering to a few showers late. Low around 60F. Winds ENE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%. Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-21 20:28:56|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, May 21 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping's vision of a common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security strategy for Asia remains alive and strong seven years after he addressed an international summit in China. "We need to innovate in our security concept, establish a new regional security cooperation architecture, and jointly build a shared, win-win road for Asian security," Xi said in his keynote speech at the fourth summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) in Shanghai, China, in May 2014. Xi's remarks carry great significance in a world faced with major changes, and resonate with foreign experts and officials. The security concept by President Xi has offered a "China solution" to the world in the field of international security, said Tursunali Kuziev, professor at Uzbekistan's University of Journalism and Mass Communications, adding that an Asian community with a shared future is the route towards development and prosperity. Xi's security concept becomes even more important in light of the current COVID-19 pandemic, said Adil Najam, a member of Pakistani Prime Minister's Advisory Council on Foreign Affair. Najam believes that not only Asia, but also the world should practice the security concept, adding that it is of great importance to uphold multilateralism and safeguard fairness and justice in building an Asian community with a shared future. Xi's proposals have laid the foundation for closer connectivity between the people of Asian countries and reflect their aspirations to pursue regional peace, security, stability, prosperity and sustainable development, said Sheradil Baktygulov, consultant at Krygystan's National Institute for Strategic Studies. The CICA has contributed to confidence building and cooperation among its member states, said Prak Phannara, commercial attache of the Royal Embassy of Cambodia in China. Major progress has been made in the CICA mechanism, he said, adding that Xi's concept has been reflected in China's contributions to the CICA. Xi's concept has benefited regional security, said Yuri Tavrovsky, head of the Expert Council of the Russian-Chinese Committee for Friendship, Peace and Development. The strategic trust, mutual benefit, multilateralism, fairness and justice advocated by China will be a "beacon" in international relations, Tavrovsky added. Enditem Hezbollahs shadow loomed large during Israel and Hamas two-week battle, with the possibility it could unleash its arsenal of missiles - far more powerful than Hamas - in support of the Palestinians. Reporter I cover a range of stories for WDRB, but really enjoy tracking what's going on at our State Capitol. I grew up on military bases all over the world, but am a Kentuckian at heart. I'm an EKU alum, and have lived in Louisville for 30 years. Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-21 20:36:48|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan addresses the inauguration ceremony of the Karachi Nuclear Power Plant Unit-2 (K-2) in Islamabad, capital of Pakistan on May 21, 2021. Speaking virtually at the inauguration ceremony of the Karachi Nuclear Power Plant Unit-2 (K-2), Imran Khan said that Friday marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, and apart from the ever-strengthening bilateral ties, the people-to-people contacts have also become deep-rooted with the passage of time. (Press Information Department/Handout via Xinhua) ISLAMABAD, May 21 (Xinhua) -- Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan said on Friday that the cordial relations between Pakistan and China are growing deeper and stronger day by day. Speaking virtually at the inauguration ceremony of the Karachi Nuclear Power Plant Unit-2 (K-2), Khan said that Friday marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, and apart from the ever-strengthening bilateral ties, the people-to-people contacts have also become deep-rooted with the passage of time. He said that the reason behind the deep-rooted bond is that "Pakistanis believe that China is a friend which will always stand by them in their hard times, which has developed an emotional association in their hearts with China." "We are lucky that our deep friendship is with a country from which we can learn a lot. The way China progressed quickly has a great example for Pakistan to learn," the Pakistani prime minister said. Khan lauded China for making a huge success in eradicating absolute poverty. "I will say that eradicating poverty is just like winning a big battle, and it did not happen in one day. I believe that Pakistan can learn how to lift its people from poverty." He said that the greatest mission of his government is to lift people out of poverty and China is a great example for the ruling party because "there is no other country in the world which has set such an example to follow." Khan also said that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor will open new prospect of development in the fields of agriculture and industrial development with the support of China after bringing great improvement in energy supply and infrastructure in Pakistan. Khan said that his country badly needs clean energy projects and the K-2 will carter the need, adding that the power plant will not only enable the transfer of technology from China but also equip local people with skills to use the state-of-the-art technology. The K-2 is the first foreign nuclear power unit using Hualong One, a Chinese domestically designed third-generation reactor that has a design life of 60 years and meets the strictest safety standards in the world. Enditem WWII veteran Art Raderer was born in Louisville on May 22, 1918 during WWI. He celebrates his 103rd birthday with a drive-thru party in St. Matthews on Saturday. Thank you for Reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. Bill Burt and George Bremer discuss the NFL schedule and Tom Brady's return to New England; Elton Hayes and Kevin Brockway reflect on Coach K's retirement; and Clay Horning breaks down the worst defensive play in baseball in recent memory. Help us understand what you value in community conversations so we can make our digital offerings more useful. This survey will only take a few minutes to complete. By taking the survey, you'll be entered into a drawing for one of three $100 gift cards to your choice of the following businesses: Hooked on Toys and Sporting Goods, Safeway/Albertsons, FredMeyer and Target. Click here to take survey Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-21 20:42:48|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close KUWAIT CITY, May 21 (Xinhua) -- Kuwait welcomes the cease-fire agreement reached between Israel and Hamas, the Kuwaiti Foreign Ministry said on Friday. In a statement, the ministry applauded the international efforts to help reach the cease-fire agreement, hailing Egypt's role in this regard. The agreement is a step to help save lives and end the violence for which "the Israeli occupation authorities bear responsibility," the statement said. However, achieving stability in the region requires concerted international efforts to resume the peace process in the Middle East and to establish an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, in accordance with the resolutions of international legitimacy and the Arab Peace Initiative, the statement added. An Egyptian-brokered cease-fire agreement came into effect on Friday at 2:00 a.m. Palestinian time (2300 GMT Thursday) between Israel and Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip. Enditem LANSING, Mich. (AP) The Republican chairman of Michigan's House Oversight Committee on Thursday sent Gov. Gretchen Whitmer 43 questions about a trip to visit her ailing father in Florida, saying further investigations may occur if she does not answer within a week. The Democratic governor has come under scrutiny for using a jet owned by prominent business executives and largely covering the cost with Michigan Transition 2019, a nonprofit fund that was initially established for inauguration events. The tab was $27,521, with Whitmer personally paying $855 of that amount. JoAnne Huls, Whitmer's chief of staff, said the account defrays the governor's travel costs when they are consistent with the fund's purposes. Wayland Rep. Steve Johnson's inquiry came a day after a conservative group, Michigan Rising Action, filed a complaint with the IRS alleging that Whitmer's personal March 12-15 trip fell outside the purpose of the account, which is to promote the common good and general welfare of the residents of, and visitors to, the state of Michigan and to lessen the burdens of government. The organization's payment for the chartered flight was a private benefit to the governor, according to the filing. Huls has said the flight complied with the law and was not paid for at taxpayer expense. Whitmer has said she did work as governor during the trip. When a family member of mine needs a little help, though, I'm going to show up, she said last week. Johnson wants to know details such as who else was on the plane and whether there was any official or state purpose for the travel. A lack of details has dogged Whitmer since the trip was revealed in April. "These questions are both reasonable and important to giving the people of Michigan certainty that their governor is following proper procedures and acting within the bounds of the law, Johnson wrote in a letter. Whitmer spokesman Bobby Leddy said her office would review the letter, which it had not received yet. A message seeking comment was left for a lawyer for Michigan Transition 2019, which functions under the name Executive Office Account. ___ Follow David Eggert at https://twitter.com/DavidEggert00 The views expressed by public comments are not those of this company or its affiliated companies. Please note by clicking on "Post" you acknowledge that you have read the TERMS OF USE and the comment you are posting is in compliance with such terms. Your comments may be used on air. Be polite. Inappropriate posts or posts containing offsite links, images, GIFs, inappropriate language, or memes may be removed by the moderator. Job listings and similar posts are likely automated SPAM messages from Facebook and are not placed by WFMZ-TV. Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-21 20:52:38|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, May 21 (Xinhua) -- China on Friday urged the U.S. administration and Congress to listen to domestic rational voices on bilateral relations and take a correct view of China's development and China-U.S. relations. Foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian told a press briefing there are increasing objective and rational voices against demonizing China from insightful U.S. people. These voices are undoubtedly in the interests of the United States and the U.S. people. According to a report on Politico, a U.S. political news site, more than 60 activist groups and at least four prominent lawmakers are stepping up their criticisms as the Senate pushes through a package of anti-China bills this week. The bills are backed by members of both parties and the White House. The activist groups are worried new anti-China policies will inflame racism against Asian Americans. "The goal of China's development is to enable the Chinese people to live a happier and better life, not to compete with the United States," Zhao said. He added that China is committed to developing a relationship with the United States that is non-confrontational and based on mutual respect and win-win cooperation. On the other hand, he said China will continue firmly safeguarding its sovereignty, security, and development interests. "We hope that the U.S. administration and Congress will listen to the objective and rational voices from all walks of life in the United States and take a correct view of China's development and China-U.S. ties. The United States should also stop unwarranted slandering of China, stop concocting negative China-related bills, and do more things conducive to the development of both countries and to world peace, stability and prosperity," Zhao said. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-21 20:58:48|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close by Xinhua writers Gao Zun, Shang Sheng and Hu Huhu URUMQI, May 21 (Xinhua) -- Many deemed it a rash decision when Chen Fangying bade farewell to the glitter and glamor of city life two years ago to teach at a school in a remote mountain village in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. However, every single day spent in the village has only made the 24-year-old realize that her decision could not have been more right. Chen hails from Guizhou Province in southwest China and spent her student life, from primary school to university, in the province. After graduating from a university in the provincial capital of Guiyang with a bachelor's degree in music in 2019, she surprised everyone by choosing to teach at a primary school in Alimalik Village located in southern Xinjiang's Akto County. Tucked away in the mighty Kunlun Mountains, the village is some 1,800 km away from Xinjiang's regional capital of Urumqi, the nearest metropolis, and over 3,000 km away from Chen's hometown in Guizhou. Most villagers in Alimalik are ethnic Tajiks. "It was actually quite an easy choice. I was keeping a promise I had made to the students in Alimalik," Chen said. Reminiscing her rendezvous with Alimalik, she said she first visited the village in 2018 and was left fascinated by its beautiful natural landscape and the hospitality of the locals. Having learned from the villagers about the lack of teachers in the only primary school there, she volunteered to teach at the school for three months. "When the volunteer program was over, I told my first-grade students that I would come back and teach them again," she said. "I'm just glad that I could keep my promise." Chen currently teaches more than 10 classes every week, covering Chinese, English and music, at the Alimalik primary school. The school has 41 students from first to third grade. According to the local policy, students from the fourth grade and above will pursue further studies in the nearby county where better education resources are available. "Ten classes per week are indeed a handful, but I want to teach them as much as possible before they go to the new school," Chen said. Besides teaching, Chen also serves as the academic dean of the school, working on teaching plans with local colleagues to improve their teaching capabilities. Chen said that seeing her students achieve positive changes makes her immensely proud. "Most of them used to be very shy and timid. They didn't dare to think out of the box to explore more possibilities of life and would rather hide behind me on espying strangers," she said. "So I encouraged them to freely express their ideas in class and tried to help broaden their horizons by using multimedia teaching equipment." "Their confidence has obviously grown. Some of them even volunteered to serve as guides or interpreters for tourists visiting the village," she said. "It is satisfying to see that I have helped make a difference." Enditem Quincy, IL (62301) Today Partly cloudy with a slight chance of thunderstorms overnight. Low 71F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 30%.. Tonight Partly cloudy with a slight chance of thunderstorms overnight. Low 71F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 30%. Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-21 21:20:24|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Chinese President Xi Jinping attends the Global Health Summit and delivers a speech via video in Beijing, capital of China, May 21, 2021. (Xinhua/Huang Jingwen) BEIJING, May 21 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered a speech at the Global Health Summit via video in Beijing on Friday. Please see the attachment for the translation of the full text of the speech. Enditem Download the Full Text Working Together to Build a Global Community of Health for All Remarks by H.E. Xi Jinping President of the Peoples Republic of China At the Global Health Summit 21 May 2021 Your Excellency Prime Minister Mario Draghi, Your Excellency President Ursula von der Leyen, Dear Colleagues, It gives me great pleasure to attend the Global Health Summit. Last year, the G20 successfully held an Extraordinary Leaders Summit on COVID-19 and the Riyadh Summit. Many important common understandings were reached on promoting global solidarity against the virus and boosting world economic recovery. The past year and more have seen repeated resurgence and frequent mutations of the coronavirus. The most serious pandemic in a century is still wreaking havoc. To clinch an early victory against COVID-19 and restore economic growth remains the top priority for the international community. G20 members need to shoulder responsibilities in global cooperation against the virus. In the meantime, we need to draw on experience both positive and otherwise, and lose no time in remedying deficiencies, closing loopholes and strengthening weak links in a bid to enhance preparedness and capacity for coping with major public health emergencies. Here, I want to make five points on what we need to do. First, we must put people and their lives first. The battle with COVID-19 is one for the people and by the people. What has happened proves that to completely defeat the virus, we must put peoples lives and health front and center, demonstrate a great sense of political responsibility and courage, and make extraordinary responses to an extraordinary challenge. No effort must be spared to attend every case, save every patient, and truly respect the value and dignity of every human life. Meanwhile, it is also important to minimize the potential impact on peoples life and maintain general order in our society. Second, we must follow science-based policies and ensure a coordinated and systemic response. Faced with this new infectious disease, we should advocate the spirit of science, adopt a science-based approach, and follow the law of science. The fight against COVID-19 is an all-out war that calls for a systemic response to coordinate pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions, balance targeted routine COVID-19 protocols and emergency measures, and ensure both epidemic control and socio-economic development. G20 members need to adopt responsible macro-economic policies and step up coordination to keep the global industrial and supply chains safe and smooth. It is essential to give continued support by such means as debt suspension and development aid to developing countries, especially vulnerable countries facing exceptional difficulties. Third, we must stick together and promote solidarity and cooperation. The pandemic is yet another reminder that we humanity rise and fall together with a shared future. Confronted by a pandemic like COVID-19, we must champion the vision of building a global community of health for all, tide over this trying time through solidarity and cooperation, and firmly reject any attempt to politicize, label or stigmatize the virus. Political manipulation would not serve COVID-19 response on the domestic front. It would only disrupt international cooperation against the virus and bring greater harm to people around the world. Fourth, we must uphold fairness and equity as we strive to close the immunization gap. A year ago, I proposed that vaccines should be made a global public good. Today, the problem of uneven vaccination has become more acute. It is imperative for us to reject vaccine nationalism and find solutions to issues concerning the production capacity and distribution of vaccines, in order to make vaccines more accessible and affordable in developing countries. Major vaccine-developing and producing countries need to take up their responsibility to provide more vaccines to developing countries in urgent need, and they also need to support their businesses in joint research and authorized production with other countries having the relevant capacity. Multilateral financial institutions should provide inclusive financing support for vaccine procurement of developing countries. The World Health Organization (WHO) should speed up efforts under the COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access (COVAX) facility. Fifth, we must address both the symptoms and root causes as we improve the governance system. The pandemic is an extensive test of the global health governance system. It is important that we strengthen and leverage the role of the UN and the WHO and improve the global disease prevention and control system to better prevent and respond to future pandemics. It is important that we uphold the spirit of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, fully heed the views of developing countries, and better reflect their legitimate concerns. It is also important that we enhance our capacity of monitoring, early-warning and emergency response, our capacity of treatment of major pandemics, of contingency reserve and logistics, of fighting disinformation, and of providing support to developing countries. Colleagues, In this unprecedented battle against the pandemic, China has, while receiving support and help from many countries, mounted a massive global humanitarian operation. At the 73rd World Health Assembly held in May last year, I announced five measures that China would take to support global anti-pandemic cooperation. Implementation of those measures is well underway. Notwithstanding the limited production capacity and enormous demand at home, China has honored its commitment by providing free vaccines to more than 80 developing countries in urgent need and exporting vaccines to 43 countries. We have provided 2 billion US dollars in assistance for the COVID-19 response and economic and social recovery in developing countries hit by the pandemic. We have sent medical supplies to more than 150 countries and 13 international organizations, providing more than 280 billion masks, 3.4 billion protective suits and 4 billion testing kits to the world. A cooperation mechanism has been established for Chinese hospitals to pair up with 41 African hospitals, and construction for the China-assisted project of the Africa CDC headquarters officially started at the end of last year. Important progress has also been made in the China-UN joint project to set up in China a global humanitarian response depot and hub. China is fully implementing the G20 Debt Service Suspension Initiative for Poorest Countries and has so far put off debt repayment exceeding 1.3 billion US dollars, the highest deferral amount among G20 members. In continued support for global solidarity against COVID-19, I wish to announce the following: China will provide an additional 3 billion US dollars in international aid over the next three years to support COVID-19 response and economic and social recovery in other developing countries. Having already supplied 300 million doses of vaccines to the world, China will provide still more vaccines to the best of its ability. China supports its vaccine companies in transferring technologies to other developing countries and carrying out joint production with them. Having announced support for waiving intellectual property rights on COVID-19 vaccines, China also supports the World Trade Organization and other international institutions in making an early decision on this matter. China proposes setting up an international forum on vaccine cooperation for vaccine-developing and producing countries, companies and other stakeholders to explore ways of promoting fair and equitable distribution of vaccines around the world. Colleagues, The ancient Roman philosopher Seneca said, We are all waves of the same sea. Let us join hands and stand shoulder to shoulder with each other to firmly advance international cooperation against COVID-19, build a global community of health for all, and work for a healthier and brighter future for humanity. Willmar, MN (56201) Today Partly cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 57F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 57F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph. Today Scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Partly cloudy skies after midnight. Low near 70F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%. Tonight Scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Partly cloudy skies after midnight. Low near 70F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%. Tomorrow Intervals of clouds and sunshine. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 91F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph. The library welcomes back all its book sale shoppers for its Spring Book Sale fundraiser beginning today, Thursday, May 20, through Saturday, May 22, then again Monday, May 24, and Tuesday, May 25, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. With safety concerns in mind amid the coronavirus pandemic, the sale will take place in the Book Cellar pf the library, and will be by appointment only. Visit https://signup.com/go/PqNwPXO to make appointments. The sale features over 70,000 items sorted in more than 50 categories - histories, biographies, wellness, cookbooks, art books, religion, sports, travel, and science fiction; all levels of books and AV for children and teens, and so many more; gently used, collectible, rare books, DVDs, CDs, books on CD. Thursday through Saturday items are priced as marked; Monday is $10 per bag, and Tuesday is $5 per bag. All proceeds benefit the library. The library, and the sale are closed on Sunday. All safety protocols will be followed amid the coronavirus pandemic: Masks covering noses, and mouths, use of hand sanitizers and physical distancing. Reading with peers Four eighth grade students are welcoming kids to the Silver Club Virtual Book Club on Saturday, May 22, from 3 to 4 p.m. The students, Kendra W, Sydney F, Lena O, and Grace H are all girl scouts and the club is part of their Girl Scouts Silver Award. The book club is for anyone in the fifth grade through the seventh grade, and will meet once a week over Zoom for eight sessions through July 10. Members will be added to a Google classroom where information, extra activities, and more will be available. See the librarys registration link for details. Registration is required for each session. Zoom links will be emailed shortly before the start of each program. To register, visit www.wiltonlibrary.org. Poetry session Poetry lovers gather with the virtual program, Poetry Discussion with Janet Krauss: The Poetry of Lucille Clifton on Tuesday, May 25, from 10:30 to noon. The nonprofit organization, Poetry Foundation, noted that she was discovered as a poet by Langston Hughes (via friend Ishmael Reed, who shared her poems), and Hughes published Clifton's poetry in his highly influential anthology, The Poetry of the Negro (1970). A prolific, and widely respected poet, Lucille Cliftons work emphasizes endurance, and strength through adversity, focusing particularly on African American experience and family life. Janet Krauss has recently retired from teaching English at Fairfield University, and has two poetry books published, along with having been published in the Amethyst Review magazine five times. Registration is required online in order to receive the Zoom invitation link. A readings packet will be emailed in advance of the program. There is no charge. Email Michael Bellacosa at mbellacosa@wiltonlibrary.org with any questions. Visit www.wiltonlibrary.org to register. Making a case for Black voting rights On Tuesday, May 25, from 5 to 6:30 p.m., Wilton High School Social Studies teacher, Meredith Ramsey will moderate the program, Harvard Case Project Discussion: Martin Luther King Jr. and the Struggle for Black Voting Rights. Participants will read in advance an actual case study written by Harvard Professor Dr. David Moss, author of the book, Democracy: A Case Study. They will take part in a discussion that will have them consider the struggle for voting rights over the course of U.S. History, and evaluate strategies. This is a virtual program that participants will need to register for online in order to receive the reading link, and the Zoom invitation link. The case study link will be made available in advance. The Zoom invitation link will be provided the day of the discussion. The program is co sponsored by the library, and the Wilton League of Women Voters. Visit www.wiltonlibrary.org to register. Colorful doodling Children, and their adults get creative and learn together in More Zooming Child-Adult Zentangle Fun in Color on Wednesday, May 26, from 3:30 to 5 p.m. Nobody needs to be a great artist yet everyone can enjoy the fun. This class will work equally well for first timers, and people who have a bit more experience with art. Children in the third grade through the sixth grade, along with their adults will be doing beginner tangles in color. Registration is required. Register all attendees. Participants will be contacted to pick up supplies a few days before the program. The Zoom link will be distributed the morning of the session. Email alilienharper@wiltonlibrary.org with any questions. Visit www.wiltonlibrary.org to register. Family Zen Children ages four-years-old to seven-years-old are invited to join Virtual Family Meditation, with their grown-ups on Thursday, May 27, from 4 to 4:30 p.m. Wilton resident Anju Pandey will lead this meditation class as part of Mental Health Wellness month. The 30-minute Zoom session will give participants a taste of mindfulness in a fun, easy setting with some breathing exercises, games, and book reading. Only one person in the family needs to be registered. Zoom links will be sent the day of the program. There is no fee. Questions may be emailed to aszabo@wiltonlibrary.org. To register, visit www.wiltonlibrary.org. The library program, The College Timeline: What To Do When, is tonight, Thursday, May 20, from 5 to 6 p.m. Visit www.wiltonlibrary.org for information and to register for any of the librarys virtual programming, for information about the Digital Library, or any of the librarys databases. For those Wilton residents needing a library card to access the Digital Library, call 203-762-6334. If anyone has questions about accessing or using the Digital Library, email reference@wiltonlibrary.org. Jeannette Ross / Hearst Connecticut Media Wiltons Economic Development Commission, (EDC,) is hosting a webinar on Wednesday, May, 26, 2021, from 7 to 8 p.m., to discuss flexible workspace opportunities in Wilton. A brief presentation will be made by Mike Robinson, area manager of the company, Regus, (a division of the company IWG,) about some of the smaller, more flexible share options in the area. Also on the webinar will be Lee Wilson, a commercial real estate landlord in Wilton, to discuss small office options that may be available in the town. Winchester, VA (22601) Today Steady light rain this evening. Showers continuing overnight. Low 61F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%. Locally heavy rainfall possible.. Tonight Steady light rain this evening. Showers continuing overnight. Low 61F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%. Locally heavy rainfall possible. Viewed of Take Five - This is your final free article during this 30 day period.Stay in touch with all of the news from Winchester, Frederick and Clarke. Sign up today for complete digital access to The Winchester Star. When the province wanted to reach out to the faith community in southern Manitoba about COVID-19 vaccinations, it needed someone from its ranks who not only grew up in the region but was a person of faith, as well. When the province wanted to reach out to the faith community in southern Manitoba about COVID-19 vaccinations, it needed someone from its ranks who not only grew up in the region but was a person of faith, as well. It found the perfect candidate in Cordella Friesen. Friesen, assistant deputy minister in the department of conservation and climate, was born in Altona and raised in Niverville, where she was a member of a Mennonite church. A graduate of Bethany Bible Institute in Hepburn, Sask., and Canadian Mennonite University in Winnipeg, the 41-year-old has been a member of the Manitoba vaccine implementation task force for the past five months. MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Cordella Friesen is an Associate Deputy Minister in the department of Conservation and Climate and a member of the province's vaccine task force. "When I heard the government wanted to do this outreach, I was immediately interested," said Friesen, who lives in Winnipeg. "I said I was willing to help." Since starting in the role last month, Friesen has had three meetings with southern Manitoba Mennonite pastors, and also with leaders at Providence University College and Seminary in Otterburne. "I see myself as a bridge between government and the faith community in southern Manitoba," she said of the meetings, which she described as "listening exercises." So far, she has met with about 30 church leaders, including representatives of the Mennonite Brethren and Mennonite Church Manitoba conferences, as well as a group of Mennonite pastors from various churches in Steinbach, with more to come. I see myself as a bridge between government and the faith community in southern Manitoba." Cordella Friesen In addition to being knowledgeable about southern Manitoba, Friesen, a member of Winnipegs Bethel Mennonite Church, also understands the differences between the various Mennonite groups. "Mennonites, like the rest of southern Manitoba, are not homogenous," she said, noting its important to know who the various leaders are and how the different conferences organize themselves. This includes understanding the congregational model favoured by Mennonites, where each church is autonomous and can make its own decisions. "There is no one person who can get every church to go in one direction, so you have to have multiple conversations," she said. "Since I know how the conferences structure themselves, I could enter the conversations knowledgably and respectfully." MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Friesen will be reaching out to the faith community in southern Manitobaespecially among Mennonitesabout vaccinations. What Friesen heard during the meetings was the importance of utilizing trusted, local community leaders to make the case for vaccinations. "There was a clear sense of respect for local leadership in the faith, political and economic areas," she said. Another part of the message: opinions about vaccination vary not only from group to group, but within churches, too, and anti-vaccination sentiment is not widespread among churchgoers. "There are pockets of hesitancy, for a variety of reasons, but, for the most part, people are supportive of getting vaccinated," she said. The church leaders also indicated communication from the government could be clearer about issues such as herd immunity and public health orders. There is no one person who can get every church to go in one direction, so you have to have multiple conversations." Cordella Friesen Do you appreciate the extensive faith coverage by the Free Press? Become a supporter of the Religion in the News project! Your contribution of $10, $25 or more can help us keep offering trusted coverage of faith in Manitoba. Become a supporter Click here to learn more about the project. "Questions were also raised about the role of the church during a pandemic," Friesen said, noting it isnt something modern pastors have had to preach on before. Pastors also shared ideas for encouraging more people to get vaccinated, such as enlisting support from physicians in their congregations to offer advice and information, along with helping members make vaccine bookings and driving them to the appointment, if needed. One interesting and unexpected experience, Friesen said, are all the Mennonites in the provincial government who "are coming out of the woodwork" to offer advice and connections. Beyond the pandemic, Friesen views the meetings as the start of conversation about future of faith, health and wellness, and how government and churches can work together. "I love it," she said. "Its a privilege to be able to use my role in government, my background in southern Manitoba and my faith in this way." faith@freepress.mb.ca BOSTON (AP) A highly contagious disease originating far from America's shores triggers deadly outbreaks that spread rapidly, infecting the masses. Shots are available, but a divided public agonizes over getting jabbed. BOSTON (AP) A highly contagious disease originating far from America's shores triggers deadly outbreaks that spread rapidly, infecting the masses. Shots are available, but a divided public agonizes over getting jabbed. Sound familiar? In this image provided by the American Ancestors & New England Historic Genealogical Society, a digitized copy of a page from a handwritten 18th century diary by the Rev. Ebenezer Storer, during a period of smallpox, in Boston, shows a March 1764 entry that includes a prayer Storer wrote after arranging to have his own children inoculated. In the prayer, Storer praises the discovery of means used in the late 18th century to treat the disease. (American Ancestors & New England Historic Genealogical Society via AP) Newly digitized records including a minister's diary scanned and posted online by Boston's Congregational Library and Archives are shedding fresh light on devastating outbreaks of smallpox that hit the city in the 1700s. And three centuries later, the parallels with the coronavirus pandemic are uncanny. How little we've changed, said CLA archivist Zachary Bodnar, who led the digitization effort, working closely with the New England Historic Genealogical Society. The fact that were finding these similarities in the records of our past is a very interesting parallel, Bodnar said in an interview. Sometimes the more we learn, the more were still the same, I guess. Smallpox was eradicated, but not before it sickened and killed millions worldwide. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say the last natural outbreak of smallpox in the United States occurred in 1949. In 1980, the World Health Organization's decision-making arm declared it eradicated, and no cases of naturally occurring smallpox have been reported since. But in April 1721, after an English ship, the HMS Seahorse, brought it to Boston, it was a clear and present danger. By winter of 1722, it would infect more than half of the city's population of 11,000 and kill 850. Much earlier outbreaks, also imported from Europe, killed Native Americans indiscriminately in the 1600s. Now, digitized church records are helping to round out the picture of how the colonists coped when it was their turn to endure pestilence. The world's first proper vaccination didnt occur until the end of that century, when an English country doctor named Edward Jenner inoculated an 8-year-old boy against smallpox in 1796. Before then, doctors used inoculation, or variolation as it was often called, introducing a trace amount of the smallpox virus into the skin. The procedure, or variations of it, had been practiced since ancient times in Asia. Jenner's pioneering of vaccination, using instead a less lethal strain of the virus that infected cows, was a huge scientific advance. Yet just as with COVID-19 vaccines in 2021, some took a skeptical view of smallpox inoculations in the 18th century, digitized documents show. To be sure, there was ample reason to worry: Early smallpox treatments, while effective in many who were inoculated, sickened or even killed others. The Rev. Cotton Mather, one of the era's most influential ministers, had actively promoted inoculation. In a sign of how resistant some colonists were to the new technology, someone tossed an explosive device through his window in November 1721. Fortunately, it didn't explode, but researchers at Harvard say this menacing message was attached: Cotton Mather, you dog, damn you! Ill inoculate you with this; with a pox to you. Among the recently digitized Congregational Church records are handwritten diary entries scrawled by the Rev. Ebenezer Storer, a pastor in Cambridge, Massachusetts. On March 11, 1764, as smallpox once again raged through Boston, Storer penned a prayer in his journal after arranging to have his own children inoculated. The deeply devout Storer, his diary shows, had faith in science. Blessed be thy name for any discoveries that have been made to soften the severity of the distemper. Grant thy blessing on the means used, he wrote. Three weeks later, Storer gave thanks to God for his great mercy to me in recovering my dear children and the others in my family from the smallpox. For Bodnar, the archivist, it's a testament to the insights church records can contain. They're fascinating, he said. They're essentially town records they not only tell the story of the daily accounting of the church, but also the story of what people were doing at that time and what was going on. Follow AP New England editor Bill Kole on Twitter at http://twitter.com/billkole. WASHINGTON (AP) In the early days of the pandemic, New Jersey Rep. Tom Malinowski scolded those looking to capitalize on the once-in-a-century health crisis. FILE - In this March 10, 2021, file photo, Rep. Tom Malinowski, D-N.J., speaks during a hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington. Malinowski has scolded those looking to capitalize on the once-in-a-century pandemic. But the two term Democrat is not heeding his own admonition. Records show he's bought or sold as much as $1 million of stock in medical and tech companies that had a stake in the virus response. (Ken Cedeno/Pool via AP, File) WASHINGTON (AP) In the early days of the pandemic, New Jersey Rep. Tom Malinowski scolded those looking to capitalize on the once-in-a-century health crisis. This is not the time for anybody to be profiting off of selling ventilators, vaccines, drugs, treatments, PPE (personal protective equipment), anywhere in the world, the two-term Democrat and former assistant secretary of state told MSNBC in April 2020. He did not heed his own admonition. Since early 2020, Malinowski has bought or sold as much as $1 million of stock in medical and tech companies that had a stake in the virus response, according to an analysis of records by The Associated Press. The trades were just one slice of a stock buying and selling spree by the congressman during that time, worth as much as $3.2 million, that he did not properly disclose. The issue of congressional stock trading took on a new urgency last year when at least three senators were the subject of inquiries about whether they made financial decisions based on insider information. Though no one was charged, their dealings stirred outrage and highlighted the limitations of the Stock Act, a 2012 law intended to curtail stock market speculation by lawmakers. Malinowski's trades received little attention at the time. Yet his subsequent failure to report his trading activity to Congress as required by law, which was first reported by Business Insider, have made him the latest to face scrutiny, with two complaints filed against him with the Office of Congressional Ethics. When millions were out of work and markets were hemorrhaging, Malinowski snapped up securities at bargain prices profiting when valuations recovered. In other cases, he sold shares before they fell substantially, according to the AP's analysis of a list of trades that his office said he made in 2020. He also engaged in the controversial practice of short-selling stocks, placing bets that the values of specific businesses would decline at a time when many companies were pleading with the government for a financial lifeline. It boggles my mind why he's doing it, said Richard Painter, a University of Minnesota law professor who served as President George W. Bushs ethics attorney and later ran for Senate as a Democrat. "It's a huge conflict of interest and not an acceptable situation. There is no indication Malinowski acted on inside information to make his investment decisions. Still, its difficult to assess the full scope of his financial activity. Nearly six months after 2020 drew to a close, mandatory reports to Congress detailing his trades have not been made public. In an interview Thursday, Malinowski said his failure to file was a mistake that I own 100%. He said the reports, some of which were due over a year ago, have been submitted though not released by the congressional ethics office, which did not respond to a request for comment. Malinowski said his broker handles all of his trading decisions and he does not speak to the firm about specific transactions. His office provided a statement from the firm, Gagnon Securities, stating that it made trades without Congressman Malinowskis input or prior knowledge. At no point in the last 25 years have I directed, suggested, or even asked questions about a particular trade being made by my brokerage firm, Malinowski said. He said the one exception was a request to sell stock that he was obligated to get rid of after joining President Barack Obamas State Department in 2014. He also said he was in the process of setting up a blind trust to hold his financial portfolio, which he will have no control over. He said other members of Congress should do the same. Painter noted that Malinowski had ultimate control over his account when the trades were made, a fact the congressman acknowledged. Of course he is going to say his broker makes all the decisions," Painter said. The Stock Act, which proponents initially said would end stock speculation among members of Congress, passed with bipartisan support in 2012 in the wake of a stock trading scandal. The law bars members from using inside information to make investment decisions and requires that all stock trades be reported to Congress within 45 days. Yet in the nearly 10 years since it was enacted, no one has been prosecuted under it even as many members continue to conspicuously trade. I thought no congressman or senator would want to get caught in that sort of controversy, even if it just had the appearance of insider trading, said Craig Holman, a lobbyist for the Washington-based government watchdog group Public Citizen. But clearly theres still a significant number of members of Congress who still want to abuse their access to insider knowledge. Trades by Malinowski follow a familiar, albeit less overt pattern when compared with others who have drawn scrutiny. In March 2020, he bought between $190,000 and $625,000 worth of stock as the virus drove a market collapse, records show. Some of the companies he invested in were developing COVID-19 testing or therapeutics to combat illnesses caused by the disease. Last June, he bought between $1,001 and $15,000 worth of shares of TFF Pharmaceuticals, which is developing an antibody treatment. They have nearly doubled in value since. In November, he sold between $15,001 and $50,000 worth of stock in drug maker Merck, which he had not previously disclosed owning. The companys value tumbled two months later after it announced it would end its efforts to develop a COVID-19 vaccine. In at least one case Malinowski benefited from exceptional timing. In February 2020, days after members of Congress were briefed on the virus, records show Malinowski sold between $1,001 and $15,000 shares in Kimco Realty, a company that owns shopping centers across the U.S. A month later, when the companys share price dropped nearly 50%, he bought back far more stock in the company, worth somewhere between $15,001 and $50,000. Theyve increased in value by 50% since. I dont think it would be possible for any investor in the market to instruct their broker not to take into account the most important thing happening in the economy, Malinowski said of the pandemic. But it is Malinowskis short selling of stocks that government watchdogs find particularly troubling. "A shorting congressman? Its just nuts, said Painter, the ethics lawyer. A short sale is a stock transaction where an investor borrows shares in a company and sells them in hopes of buying them back later at a lower price and pocketing the difference. Its a practice that during the pandemic has come under criticism from some economists and academic experts because it has the potential to throttle existing market anxiety, drive rumors and lead to irrational buying decisions that could harm otherwise solid companies. Xu Jiang, a Duke University business school professor, said members of Congress face a moral responsibility during such times. There is merit to banning short selling during a crisis period, said Xu Jiang. It can drive rumors and take down viable firms. Malinowski has been a prolific short seller throughout his time in Congress. Its unclear whether he short sold in 2020 because the list of stock transactions released by his office is incomplete. But a recent disclosure reveals he short sold between $62,000 and $230,000 worth of stock in at least six companies in 2021. It is part of how investment on the stock market works in our capitalist system, Malinowski said, later adding, "I don't think there's anything inherently wrong with Americans engaging in these kinds of normal investment activities." Whether Malinowski's trading will pose a liability with voters will be tested as he campaigns for a third term and Democrats are on defense trying to hold their narrow House majority. Republican Sens. David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler, of Georgia, both lost their runoff bids for the Senate in January after their own stock trades became a major campaign issue, handing control of the chamber to Democrats. Both were investigated by the Justice Department, but ultimately cleared. Perdue had dumped between $1 million and $5 million worth of stock in a company where he was formerly a board member. After markets crashed, he bought it back and earned a windfall after its price skyrocketed. Loeffler and her husband, the CEO and chairman of the parent company of the New York Stock Exchange, dumped millions of dollars in stock following a briefing on the virus. Republican Sen. Richard Burr of North Carolina drew perhaps the most scrutiny for his trades. He stepped aside as chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee chairman after the FBI obtained a search warrant to seize a cellphone. Burr and his wife sold between $600,000 and $1.7 million in more than 30 transactions in late January and mid-February, just before the market began to dive and government health officials began to sound alarms about the virus. Burr was captured in a recording privately warning a group of influential constituents in early 2020 to prepare for economic devastation. The Justice Department investigated Burr's actions, but cleared him of wrongdoing. Despite the spate of cases, congressional leaders have shown little appetite for strengthening stock trading rules. Yet the temptation to use insider information remains. We are constantly apprised, before the public has the information, about what specific provisions might benefit particular entities, said Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., who sponsored a bill that would ban lawmakers from stock trading. What you saw during COVID was one of the most horrific examples. It's not the first time Malinowski has run afoul of government trading rules. As an assistant secretary of state during the Obama administration, he agreed to sell shares held in CNinsure Inc. following his 2014 confirmation to the post. In a letter to a State Department ethics lawyer, he acknowledged that the investment in the Chinese insurance company, now known as Fanhua Inc., posed a heightened prospect of a conflict of interest given his work, which dealt heavily with human rights abuses, including those by China. Yet the stock remained in his portfolio for over a year, well beyond a 90-day window to sell that he agreed to, records show. He sold it for more than he initially reported it to be worth, collecting somewhere between $15,001 and $50,000 in June 2015, following a period in which the stocks value was held down following allegations of fraud made against the company. Malinowksi said he instructed his broker to sell the shares earlier, but it failed to do so. They were sold after he sent a June 2015 email inquiring about them. As we discussed last year, I cant hold Chinese stocks (or any stocks from countries that might pose conflicts with my State Department job, which, to be safe, would include any country outside Europe/Canada). Could you make sure this is sold? he said, according to an email provided by his office. Some members of Congress, acknowledging the shortcomings of the Stock Act, are proposing a bipartisan bill that would require lawmakers to place assets like stock in a blind trust. I dont know that you should be buying and selling stock when the people we represent are facing what will invariably be the most horrific and challenging years of their lives, said Rep. Abigail Spanberger, a Democrat from Virginia who is co-sponsoring the bill with Republican Rep. Chip Roy of Texas. If you are not willing to make certain sacrifices to be in public service, then perhaps there might be a different job thats best for you. WASHINGTON (AP) In the early days of the pandemic, New Jersey Rep. Tom Malinowski scolded those looking to capitalize on the health crisis, saying it was not the time for anybody to be profiting from selling goods to combat the pandemic. WASHINGTON (AP) In the early days of the pandemic, New Jersey Rep. Tom Malinowski scolded those looking to capitalize on the health crisis, saying it was not the time for anybody to be profiting from selling goods to combat the pandemic. The two-term Democrat did not heed his own admonition. Since early 2020, Malinowski has bought or sold as much as $1 million of stock in medical and tech companies that had a stake in the virus response, records show. The trades were just one slice of as much as $3.2 million in trades he did not properly disclose. The issue of congressional stock trading took on a new urgency last year when at least three senators were the subject of inquiries about whether they made financial decisions based on insider information. Though no one was charged, their dealings stirred outrage and highlighted the limitations of the Stock Act, a 2012 law intended to curtail congressional stock trading. Malinowskis trades received little attention at the time. Yet his failure to report his activity to Congress as required by law, which was first reported by Business Insider, have made him the latest to face scrutiny. He snapped up securities at bargain prices after markets plunged profiting when valuations recovered. In other cases, he sold shares before they fell substantially, according to an analysis of a list of Malinowski's 2020 trades released by his office. He also engaged in the controversial practice of short selling stocks, placing bets that the values of specific businesses would decline. It boggles my mind why hes doing it, said Richard Painter, a University of Minnesota law professor who served as President George W. Bushs ethics attorney. There is no indication Malinowski acted on inside information. Still, its difficult to assess the full scope of his financial activity. Nearly six months after 2020 drew to a close, mandatory reports to Congress detailing his trades have not been made public. In an interview Thursday, Malinowski said his broker handles all of his trading decisions and he does not speak to the firm about specific transactions. His office provided a statement from the firm stating that it made trades without Congressman Malinowskis input or prior knowledge. At no point in the last 25 years have I directed, suggested, or even asked questions about a particular trade being made by my brokerage firm, Malinowski said. He also said he was in the process of setting up a blind trust to hold his financial portfolio, which he will have no control over. Painter noted that Malinowski had ultimate control over his account when the trades were made, a fact the congressman acknowledged. Of course he is going to say his broker makes all the decisions, Painter said. The Stock Act passed with bipartisan support 2012 in the wake of a stock trading scandal. The law forbids members from using inside information and requires that all stock trades be reported to Congress within 45 days. Yet in the nearly 10 years since it was enacted, no one has been prosecuted under it even as many members continue to conspicuously trade. Trades by Malinowski follow a familiar, albeit less overt, pattern when compared with others who have drawn scrutiny. In March 2020, he bought between $190,000 and $625,000 worth of stock as the virus drove a market collapse, records show. Some of the companies he invested in were developing COVID-19 testing, or therapeutics to combat illnesses caused by the disease. Last June, he bought between $1,001 and $15,000 worth of shares of TFF Pharmaceuticals, which is developing an antibody treatment. They have nearly doubled in value since. In November, he sold between $15,001 and $50,000 worth of stock in drug maker Merck, which he had not previously disclosed owning. The companys value later tumbled after it announced it would end efforts to develop a COVID-19 vaccine. I dont think it would be possible for any investor in the market to instruct their broker not to take into account the most important thing happening in the economy, Malinowski said of the pandemic. But it is Malinowskis short selling of stocks that government watchdogs find particularly troubling. A short sale is a stock transaction where an investor borrows shares in a company and sells them in hopes of buying them back later at a lower price and pocketing the difference. Its a practice that during the pandemic has come under criticism because it has the potential to throttle existing market anxiety, drive rumor and lead to irrational buying decisions that could harm solid companies. There is merit to banning short selling during a crisis period, said Xu Jiang, a Duke University business school professor. It can drive rumors and take down viable firms. Malinowski has been a prolific short seller throughout his time in Congress. A recent disclosure reveals he short sold between $62,000 and $230,000 worth of stock in at least six companies in 2021. Whether Malinowskis trading will pose a liability with voters will be tested as he campaigns for a third term. Republican Sens. David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler of Georgia both lost their runoff bids for the Senate in January after their own stock trades became a major campaign issue. Both were investigated by the Justice Department, but ultimately cleared. Perdue had dumped between $1 million and $5 million worth of stock in a company where he was formerly a board member. After markets crashed, he bought it back and earned a windfall after its price skyrocketed. Loeffler and her husband dumped millions of dollars in stock following a briefing on the virus. Despite the spate of cases, congressional leaders have shown little appetite for strengthening stock trading rules. Yet the temptation to use insider information remains. We are constantly apprised, before the public has the information, about what specific provisions might benefit particular entities, said Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., who sponsored a bill that would ban lawmakers from stock trading. LONDON (AP) British broadcaster BBC, seen as a respected source of news and information around the world, is facing questions at home about its integrity following a scathing report on its explosive 1995 interview with Princess Diana. FILE - In this Nov. 21, 1995 file photo a selection of front pages of most of Britains's national newspapers showing their reaction to Princess Diana's television interview with BBC journalist Martin Bashir. Prince William and his brother Prince Harry have issued strongly-worded statements criticizing the BBC and British media for unethical practices after an investigation found that Bashir used "deceitful behavior" to secure Princess Diana's most explosive TV interview in 1995. (AP Photo/Martin Cleaver, File) LONDON (AP) British broadcaster BBC, seen as a respected source of news and information around the world, is facing questions at home about its integrity following a scathing report on its explosive 1995 interview with Princess Diana. Britains justice secretary said Friday that the government would review the rules governing oversight of the BBC after an investigation found that one of its journalists used deceitful behavior to secure the interview and the corporation obscured this misconduct for 25 years. Princes William and Harry, Dianas sons, excoriated the BBC late Thursday, saying there was a direct link between the interview and their mothers death in a traffic accident two years later as she and a companion were being pursued by paparazzi. The interview on the Panorama program came under renewed scrutiny after Dianas brother, Charles Spencer, complained that journalist Martin Bashir used false documents and other dishonest tactics to persuade Diana to grant the interview. As a result, the BBC commissioned an investigation by retired Judge John Dyson, who released a 127-page report on his findings Thursday. It wasnt just the decision of a reporter or a production team, there were decisions made much further up the chain about the conduct of these individuals that have now proved, according to Lord Dyson, to be unfounded and wrong, Justice Secretary Robert Buckland told the BBC. And therefore, government does have a responsibility to look very carefully to see whether the governance of the BBC does need reform in the light of these devastating findings. The BBC, founded in 1922, is Britains publicly funded but editorially independent national broadcaster. The rules governing its operations are set out in a royal charter that requires the corporation to be impartial, act in the public interest and be open, transparent and accountable. A mid-term review of the BBCs governance is scheduled to begin next year. Martin Cleaver / The Associated Press Even before the Dyson report, the BBC was under pressure from some members of Prime Minister Boris Johnsons Conservative Party who believe the broadcaster has a liberal bias. Johnson said he was concerned about the findings and hoped that the broadcaster would make sure nothing like this ever happens again.'' At the heart of the scandal were documents made to look like bank statements, falsely suggesting that members of Diana's inner circle were being paid to spy on her. Spencer alleged that Bashir used the documents to gain his trust so Spencer would introduce the journalist to Diana. He also alleged that Bashir made up stories about the royal family to strengthen Dianas belief that there was a conspiracy against her. When graphic designer Matt Wiessler, who had been commissioned by Bashir to create mocked-up documents, saw the program, he immediately made the connection between his commission and the interview. He brought his concerns to BBC management, but he has long contended that they made him a scapegoat. He said there is a culture within the BBC that "the little people'' don't need to be addressed. His business faltered after the BBC blacklisted him from assignments. Only under duress do we get some sort of apology and some sort of acknowledgement, he told the BBC. Amid the outcry following the report, the BBC's director-general, Tim Davie, said the broadcaster should have made greater effort to get to the bottom of what happened at the time and been more transparent about what it knew.'' But the BBC also insisted that it had strengthened rules making it possible to outpoint failings. There has been radical change over the past 25 years. We now have a thorough and industry-leading whistleblowing scheme, which provides clear and independent routes to raise concerns and, if necessary, direct access for whistle-blowers to a non-executive director on the BBC board,'' the BBC said. That is very different to the past. In the interview, a major scoop for Bashir, Diana famously said that there were three of us in this marriage referring to her husband Prince Charles relationship with Camilla Parker-Bowles. Her candid account of her failing marriage was watched by millions and sent shockwaves through the British monarchy. Bashir went on to forge a successful career on both sides of the Atlantic. He conducted another bombshell interview with Michael Jackson in 2003 for ITV and worked for both ABC and MSNBC. He returned to the BBC in 2016 as religion editor. James Harding, the director of BBC News at the time Bashir was re-hired, apologized and said responsibility for the journalist's return sits with me. Bashir, who resigned this month citing ill health, apologized for faking the documents. But he said it had no bearing whatsoever on the personal choice by Princess Diana to take part in the interview.'' The impact of the interview lives on. Prince William, 38, said the interview had created a false narrative about Diana that should be corrected by the BBC and news organizations. It is my view that the deceitful way that the interview was obtained substantially influenced what my mother said, he said in a broadcast statement. The interview was a major contribution to making my parents relationship worse and has since hurt countless others. William also criticized the BBCs woeful incompetence in investigating complaints about the program. What saddens me most is that if the BBC had properly investigated the complaints and concerns first raised in 1995, my mother would have known that she had been deceived, he said. She was failed not just by a rogue reporter but by leaders at the BBC, who looked the other way rather than asking the tough questions. SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) California no longer will require social distancing and will allow full capacity for businesses when the state reopens on June 15, the state's top health official said Friday. FILE - In this Thursday, May 13, 2021, file photo, a posted sign thanks visitors for wearing masks in Santa Monica, Calif. California's top health official says the state will no longer require social distancing and will allow full capacity for businesses when the state reopens on June 15. State health director Dr. Mark Ghaly said Friday, May 21, that the state envisions loosening many of its rules in mid-June as coronavirus cases continue to fall and vaccine rates continue to rise. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez, File) SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) California no longer will require social distancing and will allow full capacity for businesses when the state reopens on June 15, the state's top health official said Friday. Were at a place with this pandemic where those requirements of the past are no longer needed for the foreseeable future, Secretary of California Health and Human Services Dr. Mark Ghaly said. He said dramatically lower virus cases and increasing vaccinations mean its safe for California to remove nearly all restrictions next month. The state of nearly 40 million people has administered nearly 35.5 million vaccine doses, he said, and more than three-quarters of residents over 65 have received at least one dose. As one result, the state in mid-June will end its color-coded four-tier system that restricts activities based on each countys virus prevalence. Limits on how many people can be inside businesses at any one time will disappear, he said, and there will no longer be (physical distancing) restrictions for attendees, customers and guests in business sectors. FILE - In this Thursday, May 13, 2021, file photo, visitors react after seeing a friend arrive on the pier in Santa Monica, Calif. California's top health official says the state will no longer require social distancing and will allow full capacity for businesses when the state reopens on June 15. State health director Dr. Mark Ghaly said Friday, May 21, that the state envisions loosening many of its rules in mid-June as coronavirus cases continue to fall and vaccine rates continue to rise. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez, File) That won't mean an abrupt end to wearing masks, he said, but the state will adjust its guidelines to correspond to national guidelines. Officials already announced this week that they would wait until mid-June to follow the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's new mask guidelines that say its safe for fully vaccinated people to skip face coverings and social distancing in virtually all situations. The federal guidelines state that everyone should still wear masks in crowded indoor locations such as airplanes, buses, hospitals and prisons. Californias workforce regulators are separately developing safety rules that will continue to apply to employers, Ghaly said. FILE - In this Thursday, April 1, 2021, file photo, Dr. Mark Ghaly, Secretary, California Health and Human Services, left, inoculates California Gov. Gavin Newsom, right, at the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza in Los Angeles. California's top health official says the state will no longer require social distancing and will allow full capacity for businesses when the state reopens on June 15. State health director Dr. Ghaly said Friday, May 21, that the state envisions loosening many of its rules in mid-June as coronavirus cases continue to fall and vaccine rates continue to rise. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes, File) "I cant emphasize enough how the vaccine has allowed us to get to a place where we can safely do the things that we loved to do before the pandemic," said Los Angeles County health director Barbara Ferrer. The state's lingering deaths, she said, "are almost all among people not fully vaccinated. This is preventable. The state will still require vaccine verification or negative test results within 72 hours for indoor events with more than 5,000 attendees. State officials will also recommend that organizers of outdoor events with more than 10,000 people require attendees to provide verification that they have been vaccinated or have tested negative for the coronavirus. Those who cant or dont provide the verification should be encouraged by organizers to wear masks, Ghaly said. FILE - In this Tuesday, May 4, 2021, file photo, dressed in a Star Wars costume, Tim Brehmer, right, sits in a booth as customers gather to celebrate the Star Wars Day at Scum and Villainy Cantina, a geek bar located on Hollywood Blvd, in Los Angeles. California's top health official says the state will no longer require social distancing and will allow full capacity for businesses when the state reopens on June 15. State health director Dr. Mark Ghaly said Friday, May 21, that the state envisions loosening many of its rules in mid-June as coronavirus cases continue to fall and vaccine rates continue to rise. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File) Im very confident in their decisions and very confident this is the right move, said Dr. Monica Gandhi, an infectious disease expert at the University of California, San Francisco. Gandhi said there is plenty of evidence that vaccines are effective and California has done a good job of distributing doses. State officials do not anticipate that they will create or require a vaccination passport or other formal verification, Ghaly said. FILE - In this July 22, 2020, file photo, Tyson Salomon, left, gets a pedicure outside Pampered Hands nail salon in Los Angeles California's top health official says the state will no longer require social distancing and will allow full capacity for businesses when the state reopens on June 15, 2021. State health director Dr. Mark Ghaly said Friday, May 21, that the state envisions loosening many of its rules in mid-June as coronavirus cases continue to fall and vaccine rates continue to rise. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis, File) The more than three weeks of lead time before the changes go into effect will provide ample time for our businesses, organizations and residents to prepare for these changes, Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger said. California also plans to follow federal CDC guidelines on travel, meaning it will not be discouraged except in places where visiting is not advised. We have weathered the storm, and I am hopeful that this finally signals our return to normalcy, Barger said. A group lift weights in a fitness class at Lift Society Friday, May 21, 2021, in Studio City, Calif. California's top health official says the state no longer will require social distancing and will allow full capacity for businesses when the state reopens on June 15. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez) California was the first state to issue a statewide shutdown as the virus emerged in March 2020 and it was the nation's epicenter for the disease at the start of 2021. More than 61,000 people have died from the virus in California, the most in any state in the nation. Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, has said for weeks that the state expected to generally lift most business and social restrictions by June 15. I think our shared objective has always been to get the economy open as quickly as we can by safely doing so, said Dee Dee Myers, director of the Governors Office of Business and Economic Development. Newsom faces a recall election this fall driven in large part by those frustrated with his restrictions during the pandemic. Restrictions around eating and drinking, open bars, buffets, things like that will all go away, she said. People can now also plan with certainty for weddings, conventions and large sporting events, a really important milestone" as officials try to reinvigorate the economy. On some recent days, newly reported infections in California have fallen below 1,000 and there are currently just over 1,300 people hospitalized with the virus. The state's current positivity rate is just 1%. Lifting restrictions will inevitably result in some increased transmissions, but the health care system should be able to handle them and local officials can still impose additional limits if there are outbreaks, Ghaly said. Health officials will continue tracking whether virus mutations start breaking through vaccinations, which he said could mean renewed health measures. Were going to be watching that very closely," he said. "But I think we are in a place statewide where we have a significant number of people vaccinated and protected. This story has been corrected to say that more than 61,000 people have died from the coronavirus in California, not nearly 63,000. Associated Press writer Kathleen Ronayne contributed to this story. Canada Goose is a company that Canadian consumers identify with, both because its cold-weather apparel is in demand and because it has leveraged a sense of national pride both in its name and in the companys insistence that its products are made in Canada. Canada Goose is a company that Canadian consumers identify with, both because its cold-weather apparel is in demand and because it has leveraged a sense of national pride both in its name and in the companys insistence that its products are made in Canada. Including three production facilities and about 1,200 employees in Winnipeg, it now has operations and stores around the world so it had the challenge of managing a global workforce amid regional lockdowns during the pandemic. In a presentation to the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce on Thursday, Kara MacKillop, executive vice-president people and culture for Canada Goose, spoke about the approaches her corporation took, emphasizing some of its core values, including empathy and authenticity. MacKillop said that when the first pandemic shutdown occurred in the spring of 2020 there was a realization that many employees who could not work because factories were shut down would not be able to get immediate access to government programming. The company created an employee assistance fund bankrolled by CEO Dani Reisss own salary which he donated, along with contributions from other staffers salaries. "For me, that stood as a testament to the strength, the empathy and those authentic connections we have with our team," MacKillop said. But early in 2021 unsuccessful unionization efforts at its Winnipeg factories brought out claims of a "climate of fear" amid a mostly immigrant workforce as well as concerns about lower piece-rate at the non-unionized factories in Winnipeg than at unionized Canada Goose factories in Toronto. MacKillop did not address unionization issues, but in an interview with The Canadian Press earlier this year, Reiss said the number of unionized workers at his company has grown more than 175 per cent in the past 20 years. "We respect the rights of all workers, we respect the rights of everybody to unionize, and we have always enjoyed a great relationship with the union," he said. MacKillop said the company now has an inclusion advisory council. Earlier this year, a company official told the Free Press it has gone out of its way to hire and train a diverse workforce in Canada and in particular in Winnipeg. "Looking forward," MacKillop said, "We are hiring our first-ever director of diversity and inclusion who will drive our diversity and inclusion strategy that will be integrated across all areas of our business with focused initiatives and programs." She said a hybrid model of remote working has proven successful during the pandemic and that in the future some version of working from home will be implemented at Canada Goose, but there are no plans to go entirely virtual. She also acknowledged the pandemic has taken an emotional toll on the workforce and the company is developing programs that will allow employees to feel emotionally supported. "A focus on health and wellness will continue to be a top priority," she said. "We will make sure mental health offerings are in place and are annually reviewed. Weve always had health and wellness policies and recently we have established a wellness council with expanded wellness benefits." After what sounded like a rancorous unionization drive last year which ended in a Manitoba Labour Board ruling in the companys favour (riding on what union officials said was "technical issue") MacKillops descriptions of the companys human resource policies may be of some reassurance to workers. Last week, Canada Goose reported a fourth-quarter profit of $2.9 million, up from $2.5 million a year ago, as its revenue rose more than 30 per cent. In its outlook, Canada Goose says it expects total revenue for its 2022 financial year to top $1 billion. martin.cash@freepress.mb.ca Nearly one-third of federal correctional officer jobs in the United States are vacant, forcing prisons to use cooks, teachers, nurses and other workers to guard inmates. Aaron McGlothin, union president at the Federal Correctional Institution at Mendota, stands in front of the prison during a protest against staffing shortages, near the prison entrance in Mendota, Calif., Monday, May 17, 2021. (AP Photo/Gary Kazanjian) Nearly one-third of federal correctional officer jobs in the United States are vacant, forcing prisons to use cooks, teachers, nurses and other workers to guard inmates. At a federal penitentiary in Texas, prisoners are locked in their cells on weekends because there are not enough guards to watch them. Elsewhere in the system, fights are breaking out, several inmates have escaped in recent months and, in Illinois, at one of the most understaffed prisons in the country, five inmates have died in homicides or suicides since March 2020. The Justice Department budgeted for 20,446 full-time correctional officer positions in 2020, but the agency that runs federal prisons said it currently employs 13,762 officers. The Bureau of Prisons insists that many of its facilities still have a full complement of officers who focus solely on maintaining order. Decisions to use other staff as guards are based on a facility's needs and are made to ensure critical positions are covered, the agency said. Staff members also may be pressed into duty as correctional officers "during irregular periods such as a pandemic, the agency told The Associated Press. For years, the Bureau of Prisons has been plagued by systematic failures, from chronic violence to high-profile deaths. But the staffing crisis is reaching a breaking point, and the pandemic hasnt helped. Nearly 7,000 employees were sickened with COVID-19. Officers were sent to hospitals to guard inmates being treated for the virus. Four staff members and 235 inmates died. Overworked employees are burning out quickly and violent encounters are being reported on a near-daily basis. At a prison in Illinois, there are so few staff that officers are sometimes forced to work 60 hours of overtime in a week. At a facility in California, a fight broke out among inmates soon after a teacher was sent to fill in as an officer. The expanded use of that practice, known as augmentation, is raising questions about whether the agency can carry out its required duties to ensure the safety of prisoners and staff members while also putting in place programs and classes such as those under the First Step Act, a criminal justice overhaul that received wide bipartisan support in Congress. You cant do programming, you cant have safety, you cant have a lot of things that make prisons operate without proper staffing," said Kevin Ring, the president of the advocacy group Families Against Mandatory Minimums. The bureau insists everyone working at its facilities is a trained, sworn correctional worker, regardless of position or job title. All 35,000 employees are told when they are hired that they should expect to perform law enforcement functions, the agency said, even if they are signing on as counselors or teachers. But pulling employees away from other duties up to twice a week means they have less time to do their regular jobs such as teaching classes, reviewing release paperwork and providing vital inmate services. When they augment you, youre not doing your job that youre hired for, said Jonathan Zumkehr, the union president at the federal penitentiary in Thomson. If youre a counselor, youre not able to counsel the inmates. If youre a case manager, youre not able to do the First Step Act. Those are two days that youre not going to get back. The issue came up when wealth financier Jeffrey Epstein took his own life while in one of the most secure jails in the country, the Metropolitan Correctional Center in New York. One of the two prison workers assigned to guard Epstein the night he killed himself was a warehouse worker who was augmented to work as a correctional officer. Both were working overtime because of staffing shortages. Union officials have raised the alarm about staffing problems, even holding a rally this week outside a medium-security prison in Mendota, California. But federal efforts to attract more workers with 25% recruitment bonuses have, so far, barely made a dent. Starting salary is just under $43,500, with some promises of making up to $62,615. But thats much less than what even some other federal agencies are offering, not to mention competition from police departments, state prisons, oil refineries, factories and warehouses. Were tired of the agency putting a price tag on our lives, said Aaron McGlothin, the union president at FCI Mendota in California. Weve had staff members killed in the line of duty. Weve had staff members injured in the line of duty. At what point do they realize theyve got a problem to fix, and quit putting a Band-Aid over it? The bureau says it hired nearly 4,000 new staff members in 2020 more than in prior years and that more than 500 additional hires are on the way. The agency said it is offering retention incentives for hard-to-fill positions and to keep around employees who are eligible to retire, and holding recruiting events regularly. The situation could become even more dire as federal prisons brace for an influx of inmates. Right now there are 152,376 prisoners in 122 facilities. The Bureau of Prisons is ending contracts with private lockups the Mendota prison was set to receive 400 inmates from a for-profit facility in Texas and is likely to seek the return of nearly 5,000 people who were released on home confinement during the pandemic. At the high-security penitentiary in Thomson, Illinois, where several inmates have been killed or killed themselves in recent months, about 20 nonofficer workers are augmented each day and officers are forced to work overtime in 16-hour days that sometimes add up to 60 hours or more of overtime per week. Last week, the agency suddenly recalled correctional officers who had been temporarily reassigned to help out at some of the systems most understaffed facilities. Bureau officials said those employees were sent to locations experiencing staff shortages, for training purposes, and to provide additional security as needed and the jobs were never meant to be permanent. People familiar with the matter said the decision to recall the staffers was driven by cost-cutting and came after a blistering internal financial review. The people were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. The Bureau of Prisons would not say how much money was spent on augmentation in the past few years. Records reviewed by the AP show skyrocketing costs from both augmentation and overtime. At the federal prison in Beaumont Texas, officials spent $8.1 million on overtime last year. The overall agency annual budget is close to $7.8 billion. The bureau said it must rely on overtime and reassigning other staff members when an insufficient number of correctional officers are available to cover an institutions critical custody posts. This is not a new practice," the agency said in a statement. "It is important to note that staff assigned to our institutions are professional law enforcement officers first, regardless of their occupation. All staff are trained accordingly and are expected to perform law enforcement functions during routine and nonroutine situations. But correctional officers say theres a difference between patrolling the same cell blocks each day keeping skills and senses up and moonlighting there periodically. The staffing situation in Beaumont is so severe that prison officials have turned to just locking inmates in their cells on weekends because officials do not have enough officers to guard the prisoners. Visiting at the prison has been suspended until further notice. __ Sisak reported from New York and Balsamo from Washington. On Twitter, follow Michael Sisak at twitter.com/mikesisak and Michael Balsamo at twitter.com/mikebalsamo1 and send confidential tips by visiting https://www.ap.org/tips/ WARSAW, Poland (AP) The European Unions top court on Friday ordered Poland to immediately stop mining brown coal at the Turow mine, on the border with the Czech Republic and Germany. WARSAW, Poland (AP) The European Unions top court on Friday ordered Poland to immediately stop mining brown coal at the Turow mine, on the border with the Czech Republic and Germany. The Czech Republic filed in March for an injunction, saying the open-cast lignite mine in Poland drains ground water away from inhabited areas and has other negative effects on Czech residents. The decision by the EUs Court of Justice is a temporary measure pending the courts final judgement on Prague's complaint. Poland is heavily reliant on coal and had argued against the decision, which was praised by environmental campaigners. This ruling is a welcome reprieve for people living on the front line of this crisis, who have been forced to live with the mine gulping their drinking water and undercutting their houses, said Kathrin Gutmann, campaign director for the Europe Beyond Coal group. The message for polluters like PGE is clear: The rules are the same for everyone, and they are there to protect everyone. In January, the German city of Zittau, just across the border from Turow, also took Poland to the EU's court, saying the mine was harming the city and was draining away groundwaters. Polands state PGE energy group, which runs the lignite mine, argues that the mine needs to continue operations for years to allow Poland to phase out black coal in line with the European Union's climate policies. It said on Twitter the court's decision is a path toward a wild, uncontrolled transition to green energy that threatens an unplanned loss of jobs and livelihoods. Planning to stick to coal mining beyond 2030 will mean that Poland's region around Turow will miss out on EU's funds for so-called Just Transition that economically helps localities that turn away from producing coal. It would thwart Poland's hopes of being the biggest beneficiary of the 17.5 billion-euro transition fund. Black coal accounts for over 48% of Poland's energy production compared with under 17% from lignite. Turow also has a lignite power plant. Polish Climate Minister Michal Kurtyka recently extended the mine's license until 2044. Poland's new energy plan says the last black coal mine will be closed no later than 2049, but critics and environmentalists say the country's inefficient coal mining must end sooner. The court said the previous 2026 license for Turow had infringed EU laws because it was granted without prior environmental evaluation. The order by the court's Vice President Rosario Silva de Lapuerta said due to its negative effects the Turow mine must immediately cease lignite extraction activities. The Czech government filed the suit after not finding a solution in talks with Poland on the subject, but says the dialogue will continue. Almost 25% of Poland's energy comes from renewable energy sources like wind, solar, hydropower and biofuels. Follow all AP stories on climate change issues at https://apnews.com/hub/climate. DEARBORN, Mich. (AP) A new electric version of Ford's immensely popular F-150 pickup truck might just be the catalyst that hastens America's transition from gasoline to battery-powered vehicles. Jim Farley, Ford Motor Company's chief executive officer, stands next to the company's new Ford F-150 Lightning, Wednesday, May 19, 2021, in Dearborn, Mich. On the outside, the electric version of Ford's F-150 pickup looks about the same as the wildly popular gas-powered truck. The new truck called the F-150 Lightning can go up to 300 miles per charge, with a starting price of just under $40,000. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio) DEARBORN, Mich. (AP) A new electric version of Ford's immensely popular F-150 pickup truck might just be the catalyst that hastens America's transition from gasoline to battery-powered vehicles. Jim Farley, the company's new CEO, calls the introduction of an electric version of the nation's top-selling vehicle a watershed moment for Ford as well as for the auto industry. The new truck, called the F-150 Lightning and due in showrooms by next spring, will be able to travel up to 300 miles (480 kilometers) per battery charge and tow up to 10,000 pounds (4,500 kilograms) . Yet Ford's commitment to the EV F-150 is hardly without risk. The company spent millions to develop the truck at a time when sales of electric vehicles remain minuscule just 2% of the U.S. auto market. Many truck owners will be reluctant to switch from gasoline engines. And there's the distinct possibility that at least in the early months and perhaps years of production, automakers could run short of EV batteries and the scarce precious metals needed to make them. The Associated Press spoke recently with Farley about electric vehicle sales and a global chip shortage that has hindered auto production. The interview was edited for clarity and length. Q: Why is the Lightning so important to Ford, and why are you offering an electric version before other models? A: Were starting with our icons because we know the customers the best and we can surprise them with the best execution. But the real key is the scale. We sell 1.1 million (F-Series) units a year. So these customers really trust us. If theres a company whos going to take them into an electric future, its Ford. Q: Youre at a base price of roughly $40,000. With a $7,500 federal tax credit, will you be even cheaper than a gas-powered F-150? Jim Farley, Ford Motor Company's chief executive officer, stands next to the company's new Ford F-150 Lightning, Wednesday, May 19, 2021, in Dearborn, Mich. On the outside, the electric version of Ford's F-150 pickup looks about the same as the wildly popular gas-powered truck. The new truck called the F-150 Lightning can go up to 300 miles per charge, with a starting price of just under $40,000. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio) A: Its going to be pretty close. It depends on the specifications. The vehicle is faster than a Raptor (F-150 high performance gas version.) It'll power your house for three days or a heck of tailgate. We have the latest interior technology, over-the-air updates. You could argue its going to give the internal combustion product a heck of a run. Q: How long do you think it will be until the majority of vehicles you sell are battery electric? A: A lot of it will depend on government support, the infrastructure (charging stations) build-out, as well as a support for the purchase. We have a $7,500 benefit still at Ford. So it depends on what happens with government policy, and whether that tips the scale for a lot of customers. It has in Europe. China is moving fast. We're totally sold out with the Mach E (Electric SUV). On the West Coast, it's already changed quickly. Itll be a matter of time before that sweeps across the country. Q: You have said the global semiconductor shortage will halve your normal production in the second quarter. Do you see that shortage ending this year? A: These components are a high percentage of our build-of-material these days, and we cant really continue to run just-in-time inventory on components like this. Its a real game changer in how we look at our supply chain. We are seeing some positive indications from chip producers. The big change is the Renesas facility (a chip factory in Japan that was damaged by fire) coming back online. As that facility ramps up to 100%, we'll feel a lot more confident. So were not through this. Im not going to give any predictions about what the second half looks like. Q: Does that 50% production loss figure for the second quarter change? A: Certainly in the second half we see much less impact. We had about 200,000 units of lost production in the first quarter. The second quarter is going to be the most difficult. We see, conservatively, a couple of hundred thousand units of risk in the second half. Q: You've mentioned that you may buy chips directly from the factories and stockpile them. Is this going to change the way Ford buys critical parts? A: I really do think so. This is a really significant event. Its not really black swan events, Renesas is, but it's really more kind of dealing with the realities of a different supply chain focused on electronic components. Silicon is a big part of every vehicle. I do think that everythings on the table. Weve also learned that you have to engineer flexibly for these components. You may have to have a design on the shelf in case something runs lean. Q: You have said you may move from having huge inventories on dealer lots to an order-from-the factory business model? A: Most of our customers do their shopping online now. We just are expanding our e-commerce platform. There are a couple of pieces that are now starting to come together. The first is a reservation system, so that people are more likely to order what they want versus going into the dealership and ordering off the inventory. We have to make it easier. We've done that. The next thing is, our order-to-delivery has to improve. The next thing is very large-scale remote pick-up and delivery. Q: Dealers say that people would embrace four weeks from order to delivery. Is that realistic? A: Thats about what we see in Europe. About 50% of our retail customers in Europe order their car. It's somewhere between four and six weeks. It all depends on how popular the model is. Theres a big benefit for us on the cost side and marketing. But on the F-150, with millions and millions of combinations, we have to do a lot of complexity reduction to pull that off. Q: Would I have to pay more for my F-150 because of this? A: The whole system will be a lot leaner, and the company doesnt have to do the public advertising. Theres a lot of efficiency gains that customers really dont benefit from today. There will be lower costs, which we'll pass on to the customers. It generally will not be a big change for customers. I just think theyll save a lot of time. Q: Ford has plans to build its own electric vehicle batteries. Do you see these as being union plants, and will they pay as much as jobs now do at Ford powertrain plants? A: Michigan is a good example, where we make the F-150. Thats a UAW plant. VanDyke (in Sterling Heights, Michigan) is another one. Theyre making motors for the F-150 electric. The jobs are changing. We think that by working with the government and our UAW partners, we can secure American jobs as we move to e-mobility. Its critical for our country. Its critical for Ford. One of the real game-changers in this area is (battery) cell production. By in-sourcing cells, not just motors, power electronics, things like that, we have the opportunity to create more jobs. And although the vehicles are 30%-plus more efficient to make, by in-sourcing batteries, we can offset that risk. Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-21 22:11:35|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Olof Skoog, head of delegation of the European Union to the United Nations, addresses the plenary meeting of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) on the situation in the Middle East and the Palestine question at the UN headquarters in New York on May 20, 2021. (Evan Schneider/UN Photo/Handout via Xinhua) by Xinhua writer Wang Jiangang UNITED NATIONS, May 20 (Xinhua) -- The plenary meeting of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) discussing the situation in the Middle East and the Palestine question Thursday witnessed a big turnout seldom seen during the year-plus pandemic era. After both the UN Security Council and a meeting of European foreign ministers failed to reach unified positions on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, countries of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and Arab Group turned to the UNGA for international support. More than 100 speakers took the floor and voiced their concerns, complaints, condemnations and solutions regarding the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, which resulted in more than 200 deaths and several thousand injuries over the past 10 days. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on the international community to do its utmost to help bring a ceasefire in the Israel-Palestine conflict. "I call on all members of the international community to do everything in their power to enable the parties to conflict to step back from the brink," the UN chief told the plenary meeting. "The fighting must stop immediately. I appeal to all parties to cease hostilities, now and I reiterate my call on all sides for an immediate ceasefire," he said. General Assembly President Volkan Bozkir, who chaired the in-person meeting, echoed the calls for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, urging the parties to "step away from the brink." Noting that the question of Palestine is the longest standing issue on the UN peace and security agenda, he said that the occupation, compounded by political impasse and lack of negotiations, is "the main underlying source of instability and perpetuation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict." Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi told the meeting that "there is no moral or military equivalence between the beleaguered Palestinian people and the powerful Israeli military machine. Instead, it is a war between a military occupier and an occupied people." He called on the Assembly to mobilize all humanitarian help for the devastated population in Gaza and the other occupied Palestinian territories, stressing that Israel must open all access points to Gaza to ensure the delivery of aid. He went on to call for the deployment of an international protection force to the region. The onus for restoring peace rests on Israel, he said, adding that it is only through decisive action that the United Nations can restore its credibility as a keeper of international peace and security. Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Malki said that "the Palestinian people are facing many disasters," adding that they have never let go of their struggle. "Israel is attempting to displace forcibly Palestinian families from East Jerusalem in order to erase any Arab Palestinian presence in the city, with the compliance of the military and settlers," he said. Every country in the world has a responsibility to hold Israel accountable, he said, calling on the international community to not just "watch and idle." Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said that the world must not remain silent in the face of unspeakable brutalities and oppression against Palestinian people, because such a silence is equal to complicity. Calling for a diagnosis of the root causes of the conflict, he pointed to the continuing Israeli provocations in Jerusalem, the desecration of the Aqsa Mosque compound and the forced evictions of the Palestinian people. Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said the conflict in the Occupied Palestinian Territory is asymmetric by nature, with the issue of occupation at its core. The international community owes Palestinians a long-overdue territory where they can live peacefully, and it must be able to prevent the reoccurrence of atrocities, Marsudi added. Praising Palestinians for their tenacity in defending their rights, Kuwait's Foreign Minister Sheikh Ahmad Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Sabah said the United Nations was established to spare future generations the scourge of war. Drawing attention to the 86 Council resolutions concerning this issue, he stressed that it is time to activate international political and legal mechanisms to hold the occupying power accountable. Tunisian Foreign Minister Othman Jerandi said that no crime could be worse that killing innocent children, referring to the 65 kids who died in the recent violence. The continuation of occupation and settlement is aimed at changing the composition of Palestinian towns, he said, adding that Israel will continue to act above the law unless held accountable. Olof Skoog, head of delegation of the European Union to the United Nations, in its capacity as observer, condemned the indiscriminate rocket attacks by Hamas and other military groups on Israeli territory, and expressed support for Israel's "right to self-defense," but warned that it must be carried out in a proportionate manner. He went on to reiterate the bloc's strong opposition to Israel's settlement policy and said it will be important not to proceed with the evictions in Sheikh Jarrah. Voicing support for the efforts of the Special Coordinator and the Quartet, Juan Ramon de la Fuente Ramirez, permanent representative of Mexico to the United Nations, said that, nevertheless, it is the Council that must take a position immediately. Chinese Ambassador to the United Nations Zhang Jun, also the rotating president of the Security Council for the month of May, said that the Security Council held four meetings on the situation in the Middle East and proposed a draft statement to urge all parties to cease hostilities. Most Council members supported the call for a ceasefire, he said, emphasizing the importance of the international community speaking with one voice to find a just solution to the conflict. Israel, in particular, should exercise restraint, he said, emphasizing that no "so-called precise strike" can avoid civilian causalities. There is a need to earnestly implement UN resolutions and protect the rights of the Palestinian people, said the Chinese ambassador, adding that Israeli settlements are in violation of international law and are at the core of the Palestine question. Noting that the confounding effects of conflict, the COVID-19 pandemic and lack of aid has produced a dire situation on the ground in Gaza, he said that as such, Israel should lift the blockade on Gaza and facilitate the supply of aid to the territory. Enditem The diplomatic flurry was over and Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu was on the phone telling President Joe Biden that it appeared the furious fighting between Israel and Hamas was about to end. President Joe Biden speaks about a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas, in the Cross Hall of the White House, Thursday, May 20, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) The diplomatic flurry was over and Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu was on the phone telling President Joe Biden that it appeared the furious fighting between Israel and Hamas was about to end. But Biden remained wary even after the afternoon phone call with the prime minister. Things still could go crosswise with hours to go before the cease-fire took effect, Biden's team reasoned. Nervous White House aides dialed contacts in Tel Aviv and Cairo to suss out whether the truce would hold. Officials in both the U.S. and Israel worried that another barrage of Hamas rockets could sink the Egyptian-brokered agreement, according to an official familiar with the conversations. Then came another call from Netanyahu his second to Biden that day with reassurances for the American president that the 11-day war really was halting. Biden's first extended foreign policy crisis, one he handled largely by avoiding the cameras and maneuvering instead behind the scenes, had abated. The president went before cameras in the Cross Hall of the White House to describe intensive high-level discussions, hour by hour, literally by the United States that involved Egypt, the Palestinian Authority and other Middle Eastern countries. All of it, he said, came "with an aim of avoiding the sort of prolonged conflict weve seen in previous years when the hostilities have broken out. The calls between Biden and Netanyahu were a small sample of the furious diplomacy that the White House conducted. The president and senior aides had over 80 engagements, by phone or in person, in search of an endgame to the fighting, according to the White House. Biden's speech celebrating the cease-fire lasted just 31/2 minutes and was delivered in time for evening news broadcasts. He reiterated his belief that Israel has a right to defend itself, expressed condolences for Palestinian civilians who died in the Israeli bombardment and promised that humanitarian aid to Gaza Strip was on its way. It was an enigmatic, and perhaps fitting, bookend to the sort of messy Mideast crisis he had hoped to avoid, particularly early in a presidency already oversubscribed with managing the public health and economic tumult caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The conflict had also exposed a rift between Biden and members of his own party. The president who over nearly 50 years in national politics has burnished a reputation for unwavering support of Israel leads a Democratic Party that has trended toward a far more divided outlook on the proper path to peace between Israel and the Palestinians. Republicans were all too eager to try to make political use of the situation. Biden had studiously avoided extensive public comment about the Israeli military strikes. But he faced increasing pressure from Democrats to speak out against the Israelis as the death toll climbed in Gaza and as tens of thousands of Palestinians were displaced by the aerial bombardment. Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut expressed relief at the cease-fire and commended Biden and his team for their work. But he also laid out ongoing worries, saying, "I am deeply concerned that without meaningful progress towards a two-state future, the conditions of despair will deepen, further fuel extremism and lead to a tragic renewal of the cycle of violence. The cease-fire announcement came after Biden on Wednesday stepped up his pressure on Netanyahu, telling the prime minister that he expected significant de-escalation of the fighting by days end, according to the White House. But Netanyahu came right back with a public declaration that he was determined to continue the Gaza operation until its objective is achieved." Biden's advisers were not overly concerned that Netanyahus comments seemed to reject the president's public call to ease off, said the official, who was not authorized to publicly discuss private discussions and spoke on condition of anonymity. In fact, soon after Wednesday's conversation between the leaders, the Israelis signaled to the White House that they were prepared to propose a time for a cease-fire, according to officials. Netanyahu, who saw daily polling that showed the vast majority of Israelis opposed a cease-fire, was looking for assurances that if such an offer was extended it would, in fact, be accepted. And he wanted the Biden administration's help. Biden on Thursday morning called Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi and asked him if he could guarantee that Hamas and other militant groups in Gaza would abide by a cease-fire if Israel agreed to a deal. El-Sissi told Biden that he was confident the answer was yes. And the White House quickly relayed that to the Israelis. Hours later, Netanyahu sat down with his Cabinet. For the roughly 2-1/2 hour meeting, White House officials who had been in nearly continuous contact for days from the Israelis heard nothing from Tel Aviv. When it ended, Netanyahu called Biden and told the president that the Cabinet had approved the cease-fire. The Israelis wanted it to take effect quickly in hopes of mitigating chances that Hamas would attempt to rain rockets on Tel Aviv in the final moments of the war. Still, Netanyahu conveyed some trepidation that the deal could fall apart. About 40 minutes later, as Biden was preparing for his remarks, Netanyahu called again and told the president he was confident the cease-fire would stick. While Biden and aides were deep in the backchannel efforts, domestic pressure was building on the president. On Tuesday, while in Michigan to visit a Ford facility, Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib confronted Biden at the airport and called on him to speak out forcefully against the Israeli strikes. Also this week, Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York introduced resolutions to block the sale of $735 million in military weaponry to Israel that had already been approved by the Biden administration. Let us hope that the ceasefire in Gaza holds," Sanders tweeted Thursday evening. But thats not enough. Our job now is to support desperately needed humanitarian and reconstruction aid to Gazas people, and find a way to finally bring peace to the region. Biden advisers had concluded in the first days of the crisis, as Hamas fired hundreds of rockets on Israel, that a call from the president for Israeli restraint would have fallen flat. At the same time, early in the crisis, there was deep worry inside the White House that the fighting could escalate into something that would take months to tamp down. As the outside calls for Biden to speak out more forcefully grew, the president and top aides privately made the case to Israeli officials that time wasnt on their side. Biden and Netanyahu have known each other for more than 30 years and have frequently butted heads. Their conversations throughout the crisis probed one another as they tried to game out a path forward, according to officials. Netanyahu insisted that his half-dozen conversations with Biden during the fighting were "warm and friendly." Biden in the calls referred to Netanyahu by his nickname, Bibi," while the prime minster addressed the president as Joe. "I told him that any country coming under fire from thousands of rockets on its cities would not sit with folded hands, and I told him that we will halt the fighting once we achieve the objectives of the campaign," Netanyahu said. "The president understood this and this is exactly what we did. Biden ended his own brief remarks about the cease-fire on a hopeful note: I believe we have a genuine opportunity to make progress, and Im committed to working for it. ROME (AP) A global health summit that underlined the growing disparity between rich and poor countries during the pandemic closed Friday with pledges by pharmaceutical companies to deliver more than 1.3 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines to low- and middle-income countries this year. The Pfizer logo is displayed at the company's headquarters, Friday, Feb. 5, 2021, in New York. Pfizer and BioNTech have pledged to deliver 2 billion doses of their COVID-19 vaccine to middle- and low-income countries over the next 18 months. The companies made the announcement, Friday, May 21, 2021 at a global health summit in Rome.(AP Photo/Mark Lennihan) ROME (AP) A global health summit that underlined the growing disparity between rich and poor countries during the pandemic closed Friday with pledges by pharmaceutical companies to deliver more than 1.3 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines to low- and middle-income countries this year. Italian Premier Mario Draghi, host of the Rome summit that brought together the Group of 20 and the European Unions executive arm, called the contributions by private companies significant and staggering. The pledges made include 1 billion doses from American pharmaceutical company Pfizer and German company BioNTechs, 200 million from Johnson & Johnson and 100 million from Moderna. They will be provided at cost for low-income countries and at a low profit for middle-income countries. Pfizer and BioNTech pledged an additional 1 billion for next year, while European Union nations promised another 100 million doses for this year. Many of the European deliveries will take place place through the U.N.-backed COVAX program, said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who co-hosted the summit. COVAX aims to ensure equitable access to COVID-19 shots for low-and middle-income countries. Earlier this week, the program suffered a major setback when its biggest supplier, the Serum Institute of India, announced it would likely not export any more vaccines until the end of the year due to COVID-19 crisis on the subcontinent. The pharmaceutical companies did not specify if their pledges would be fulfilled under any particular umbrella. But Draghi said the commitments made Friday in some measure reflect a desire to remediate the injustices and inequities when in the most difficult moments some closed themselves and ignored the rest of the world. Both he and von der Leyen expressed confidence that the pledges would be honored. These companies have committed their whole reputations to this. It is a very, very important move that really will change the landscape, Draghi said, adding that international organizations like the World Health Organization and the World Trade Organization would have a role in ensuring the commitments. Von der Leyen said the doses pledged by European countries were carefully considered, so we feel responsible and accountable. As vaccination campaigns continue to progress in the Western world, poorer countries are struggling to acquire supplies. The U.N. Security Council expressed concern this week about the small number of doses that have reached Africa. Last week, World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus urged rich countries to donate their vaccines before immunizing younger populations, including children. Experts warn that allowing the virus to spread unchecked anywhere in the world could lead to the emergence of potentially dangerous variants. During Fridays global health summit in Rome, Draghi said that nearly 1.5 billion vaccine doses have been administered in over 180 countries worldwide. Yet only 0.3% were in low-income countries, while richer countries administered around 85%. The differences in the vaccination rates are staggering, the Italian leader said. Not only are these disparities unacceptable, they are also a threat so long as the virus continues to circulate freely around the world it can mutate dangerously and undermine even the most successful vaccination campaign. To address inequalities and contain the pandemic, the head of the World Trade Organization said on the eve of the summit that its also crucial to diversify vaccine manufacturing and to have more production taking place in Africa and Latin America. The European Union raised many of the same points WTO Director-General Okonjo-Iweala made, specifically looking to increase manufacturing production in Africa. Today, Africa imports 99% of its vaccines, and this has to change, EU executive von der Leyen said. And therefore, team Europe is launching an initiative with African partners to develop vaccine production in Africa. The initiative will develop a number of regional hubs distributed across the continent and it will draw on the full toolbox of team Europe, including 1 billion euros ($1.2 billion) of investment. Despite a recent call by the United States to waive COVID-19 vaccine patents as a way to increase supplies, participants at the summit were expected to insist that intellectual property rights were an important tool to boost vaccine production. There is a lack of consensus among EU countries on a temporary waiver of patent rights for COVID-19 vaccines. EU officials have argued that waiving patents would yield no short-term or intermediate improvement and could even have a negative impact. Draghi said Italy is open to the idea on the condition that the any waiver measure is targeted and time-limited and does not undermine incentives for pharmaceutical companies to innovate. MADRID (AP) Spain is revving up for a return of summer tourists, with Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Friday offering an upbeat outlook after his government lifted travel restrictions on British visitors and the European Union moved a step closer to allowing cross-border travel. People wearing face masks to protect against the spread of Coronavirus walk along La Rambla in downtown Barcelona, Spain, Saturday, May 15, 2021. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti) MADRID (AP) Spain is revving up for a return of summer tourists, with Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Friday offering an upbeat outlook after his government lifted travel restrictions on British visitors and the European Union moved a step closer to allowing cross-border travel. Sanchez said those two developments will bring a very much better summer than last year, when the tourist industry in one of the worlds most popular vacation destinations was crushed by limits on travel and gatherings due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We are hugely thrilled at the prospect of our tourism industry recovering, of the streets of our towns and cities filling up once more, he told an annual tourism congress in Madrid. Spain, Sanchez said, will be delighted, extremely delighted to receive British tourists again. Spain is lifting its restrictions on travelers from the United Kingdom beginning Monday. In 2019, Britain sent 18 million people to Spain, the most of any country. People stand close to a tree as the sun sets on a spring evening, in Pamplona, northern Spain, Wednesday, May 19, 2021. (AP Photo/Alvaro Barrientos) However, Sanchez didnt mention that Spain is on the U.K. governments amber list, meaning people traveling back to the U.K. from Spain still need to go into quarantine for 10 days and get multiple COVID-19 tests a consideration that is likely to dampen enthusiasm for a Spanish holiday. Britons who can't work from home likely will not be going to Spain until the rules change. Sanchez said it was extraordinary news that the EU is poised to introduce by July 1 a system of COVID-19 travel certificates for EU citizens, allowing them to travel freely across the bloc. Tourism is a mainstay of the Spanish economy and Sanchez expressed hope that it can be the engine that hauls the economy forward after the economic devastation of the pandemic. The tourism sector accounted for 12% of Spanish GDP in 2019, but that plummeted to just under 6% in 2020. Follow more of APs pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic and https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-vaccine American travelers are about to get their second new airline of the spring. FILE - This file photo provided by CeanOrrett shows David Neeleman with Breeze aircraft. Breeze Airways said Friday, May 21, 2021, that it will begin flying May 27 and expand by July to 16 cities, mostly in the Southeast and central U.S. Breeze, the creation of JetBlue Airways founder David Neeleman, is targeting secondary cities that are largely overlooked or abandoned by bigger carriers. Neeleman says 95% of Breeze's early routes have no other nonstop flights. (CeanOrrett via AP, File) American travelers are about to get their second new airline of the spring. Breeze Airways said Friday that it will begin flying May 27 and expand by July to 16 cities, mostly in the Southeast and central U.S. Breeze, the creation of JetBlue Airways founder David Neeleman, is targeting secondary cities that are largely overlooked or abandoned by bigger carriers. Neeleman says 95% of Breeze's early routes have no other nonstop flights. Like fellow startup Avelo Airlines, which began flying in late April on the West Coast, Breeze plans to offer low base fares to attract leisure travelers, who are returning from pandemic lockdown faster than business travelers. The new airlines hope their timing is right. U.S. air travel is recovering rapidly, although it remains about one-third below pre-pandemic levels. The plunge in travel means that used planes are plentiful and cheap, and there is a ready labor supply among pilots and other workers who lost their jobs at bigger airlines. To survive, the newcomers must avoid antagonizing larger competitors that could crush them. Several other budget carriers also pursue vacation travelers, and one of them, Frontier Airlines, already announced plans to challenge Avelo in Burbank, California. Breeze said its first flights will connect Charleston, South Carolina; Tampa, Florida; and Hartford, Connecticut. Other destinations will be added each week through July 22, stretching from Providence, Rhode Island, to San Antonio, Texas. Breeze will start with 13 Embraer jets, some of which it is getting from another Neeleman airline, Brazil's Azul. Neeleman said in an interview that Breeze will achieve trip costs 20% to 25% less than those of bigger airlines, allowing it to serve smaller markets and still become profitable by year end. Breeze has ordered 60 slightly larger Airbus A220 jets that it expects to begin receiving in October at a rate of one per month, which should let it operate longer flights. The airline had to retool one cost-saving tactic a plan to hire college students as flight attendants and pay them $1,200 a month plus tuition help and company-provided housing. They could not remain flight attendants after leaving school, so this approach would prevent them from gaining seniority that leads to higher wages at other airlines. The largest union of flight attendants blasted the plan. A Breeze spokesman said the airline wasn't attracting enough applicants. Breeze is now advertising for flight attendants without the current-student requirement, although it still has a partnership with a college in Utah to provide candidates. David Koenig can be reached at www.twitter.com/airlinewriter WASHINGTON -- President Joe Biden said Friday there has been no shift in his commitment to Israels security, but insisted a two-state solution that includes a state for Palestinians remains the only answer to that conflict. Palestinians on a horse carte loaded with belongings, pass by destroyed homes, to which they returned following a cease-fire reached after an 11-day war between Gaza's Hamas rulers and Israel, in town of Beit Hanoun, northern Gaza Strip, Friday, May 21, 2021. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra) WASHINGTON -- President Joe Biden said Friday there has been no shift in his commitment to Israels security, but insisted a two-state solution that includes a state for Palestinians remains the only answer to that conflict. Biden spoke at a White House news conference on the first full day of a cease-fire after 11 days of Israeli-Hamas fighting that killed well over 200 people, most of them Palestinians in Gaza. Biden, speaking at the end of a visit by the president of South Korea, also played down the idea that the newly ended fighting had opened a rift among Democrats, as scores of Democrats split with Bidens quiet diplomacy with ally Israel to publicly demand a cease-fire. My party still supports Israel, Biden said. Lets get something straight here, he added. Until the region says unequivocally they acknowledge the right of Israel to exist as an independent Jewish state, there will be no peace. RAMALLAH, West Bank Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has received a phone call from U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken following the cease-fire between Israel and Gazas militant Hamas rulers. Abbas office says the two discussed the latest developments in the call on Friday evening. The Palestinian leader urged the Biden administration to pressure Israel to halt the violence in east Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank. The statement said Abbas appreciated U.S. efforts to provide humanitarian aid and mobilize the international support necessary for the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip, in coordination with the Palestinian Authority. The U.S. State Department has said that Blinken would visit the region next week to discuss recovery efforts and working together to build better futures for Israelis and Palestinians in the wake of the truce. Blinken and Abbas are to meet during the visit. The cease-fire was brokered by neighboring Egypt after the U.S. pressed Israel to wind down its campaign on Gaza. UNITED NATIONS The United Nations has allocated $18.6 million to Gaza for emergency humanitarian needs and plans to launch a flash appeal next week for funds to cover needs over the next three months. A group of Muslims from different countries living in Japan march towards the Israeli Embassy in Tokyo on Friday, May 21, 2021, as they protest against Israel fighting against Palestinians in the recent war in Gaza. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae) U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said humanitarian chief Mark Lowcock allocated $4.5 million from the U.N.s emergency relief fund for Gaza on Friday, following the cease-fire between Israel and Hamas militants who control the Gaza Strip. Earlier in the week, Lowcock released $14.1 million from the fund. Dujarric said the U.N. was able to send 13 trucks with food, COVID-19 vaccines, disposable medical items, drugs including emergency medicines, and first aid kits into Gaza following the partial reopening of the Kerem Shalom crossing from Israel as the cease-fire took hold. Dujarric said the Erez passenger crossing was also opened temporarily for senior humanitarian officials to enter Gaza including Philippe Lazzarini, the head of the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees known as UNRWA, and the U.N. humanitarian coordinator for the region, Lynn Hastings. The U.N. spokesman said the cease-fire announcement led to a mass exodus from UNRWA schools where thousands of Palestinians had sought safety. The number still in UNRWA schools on Friday dropped to less than 1,000 from a high of over 66,000. TEHRAN, Iran Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has congratulated Palestinians in the Gaza Strip after a cease-fire with Israel took effect in the territory, calling the truce a victory over the criminal Zionist regime. Iran's state TV website carried a letter by Khamenei addressed to the Palestinians on Friday, in which he also urged for prosecution of Israel's archenemy Israel and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in international courts over the Gaza campaign. Iran has been a close ally of Hamas and other militant groups in the Middle East. In his letter, Khamenei also urged all Muslim countries to rally in support of Palestinian people, whether by strengthening Palestinian forces, with financial support that is needed today more than before, or by rebuilding the infrastructure that was destroyed in Gaza. Separately, Irans powerful Revolutionary Guard in a statement on its website, sepahnews.com, echoed Khamenei's congratulations to Gazans on their victory." And the spokesman for Iran's foreign ministry, Saeed Khatibzadeh, tweeted a message to Palestinians: Your resistance forced the aggressor to retreat. ISLAMABAD Pakistans prime minister says he hopes the Palestinian people will one day have their own country and says he believes that the world opinion was changing in their favor in the wake of devastating Israeli airstrikes on Gaza. Palestinian Rahaf Nuseir, 10, looks on as she stands in front of her family's destroyed homes, to which they returned following a cease-fire reached after an 11-day war between Gaza's Hamas rulers and Israel, in town of Beit Hanoun, northern Gaza Strip, Friday, May 21, 2021. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra) Imran Khan spoke after a cease-fire between the Islamic militant group Hamas and Israel went into effect early Friday. In a televised video message, he thanked his countrymen for holding nationwide rallies to express solidarity with the Palestinians. The latest Israel-Hamas war erupted May 10 and after 11 days of fighting, at least 243 Palestinians were killed, including 66 children and 39 women, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Twelve people in Israel, including a 5-year-old boy and 16-year-old girl, were killed. Earlier in the day, thousands of Pakistanis rallied in the capital, Islamabad, and elsewhere in support of Palestinians. Pakistan is among few countries with no diplomatic ties with Israel. TOKYO Japan's foreign minister has welcomed the ceasefire that took effect Friday between the Islamic militant group Hamas and Israel. Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi expressed respect for mediation efforts by the United States, Egypt and other countries. He also stressed the need for all involved parties to continue their efforts toward achieving a two-state solution in the Middle East that will bring peace to the region. Also Friday, hundreds of people in Tokyo, many of them from Muslim countries, gathered outside the Israeli Embassy for a pro-Palestinian rally where people chanted who is the terrorist? and Israel is the terrorist." Some Japanese residents also joined the protest. GENEVA The World Health Organization has tallied significant trauma needs in Palestinian areas, where at least 243 people have been killed during 11 days of fighting between Palestinians and Israelis. WHO spokeswoman Margaret Harris said a total of 8,538 people had been injured across Palestinian areas during the violence, and 30 health facilities in Gaza had been damaged -- with one clinic fully destroyed and another sustaining significant damage. She said damage to infrastructure was impeding the access of ambulances. The comments to a U.N. briefing in Geneva came as humanitarian aid workers assessed the fallout from the latest fighting between Hamas militant fighters and Israeli forces. Fabrizio Carboni, regional director for the Near and Middle East at the International Committee of the Red Cross, estimated there were several hundred pieces of unexploded ordnance strewn about in Gaza and said medical supplies were a pressing need. Matthias Schmale, Gaza director for UNRWA, the U.N. aid agency for Palestinian refugees, cited a window of several hours on Friday during which aid and supplies could be brought in through the Kerem Shalom crossing point into Gaza. Speaking by video from Gaza City, he noted that a central laboratory that carries out testing for COVID-19 had been made dysfunctional by a massive bomb explosion. Supporters of a Pakistani religious party chant slogans during a rally in support of Palestinians in the Gaza conflict in Islamabad, Pakistan, Friday, May 21, 2021. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed) Alluding to a cease-fire that took effect overnight, he said it feels like a fragile cease fire and lamented the unbearable and unacceptable cost this has had for the civilian population. And I know that applies to people in Israel, too. TEHRAN Irans Revolutionary Guard has unveiled a new drone named Gaza, amid heightened tensions between Israel and the Palestinians, the countrys state TV reported Friday. The report said the wide-body drone has a 35-hour flight duration and is capable of carrying 13 bombs more than 2,000 kilometers ( 1,240 miles). TV also said in addition to military surveillance, combat, reconnaissance missions, the Gaza drone can monitor forests, help rescue operations and providing assistance in natural disasters such as floods and earthquakes. Gen. Hossein Salami, chief of the powerful Revolutionary Guard, said during the unveiling ceremony that we called it Gaza so that God willing it can be an eternal honor for those who are resisting the Zionist invasion.'' Iran does not recognize Israel and supports anti-Israeli militant groups like Palestinian Hamas and Lebaneses Hezbollah. ANKARA, Turkey Turkey has welcomed the cease-fire in Gaza but is also calling for a two-state solution to ensure a permanent end to the conflict. A Turkish Foreign Ministry statement on Friday said Turkey expects the international community, and especially the U.N. Security Council, to act in order to bring a complete end to the persecution of Palestinians. The ministry said: In order to prevent the recurrence of the pain and tears in Palestine, it is necessary to ensure that Israel is made accountable internationally for its crimes and lifts the inhumane blockade imposed on Gaza. The statement also called for an end to the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories in order to achieve a lasting, fair and comprehensive solution, and added that Turkey would continue to support the Palestinians just cause. JERUSALEM Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned Gazas militant Hamas rulers against any further rocket attacks following a cease-fire. Muslims from different countries living in Japan chant slogans against the recent Israeli Palestinian conflict in Gaza after they marched to an area near the Israeli Embassy in Tokyo on Friday, May 21, 2021. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae) In a speech hours after the truce took effect on Friday, he said, if Hamas thinks we will tolerate a drizzle of rockets, it is wrong. He vowed to respond with a new level of force against any expression of aggression against communities around Gaza and any other part of Israel. Israel and Hamas fought an 11-day war, their fourth since the Islamic militant group seized power in Gaza from rival Palestinian forces in 2007. COPENHAGEN, Denmark Norway's foreign minister says her country is very concerned" about the high casualty rates in Gaza, the suffering of the civilian population and the great devastation. Norwegian Foreign Minister Ine Eriksen Soereide made the comments as her country announced stepping up humanitarian aid to Gaza by 30 million kroner ($3.6 million). That comes on top of 71 million kroner ($8.5 million) in humanitarian aid to the Palestinians that the Scandinavian country has given so far in 2021. The money will be channeled through the United Nations and humanitarian organizations. In a separate statement, Jan Egeland, head of the Norwegian Refugee Council, said now that the guns have finally gone silent, let us not mistake this calm for normality. Egeland said that leaders in the U.S., Europe and the Arab world should "push Israel and the Palestinians to work out a way that will end this unsustainable injustice. BEIJING China says it will offer cash and 200,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines to Palestinians caught up in the latest fighting in Gaza. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian on Friday told reporters that $1 million would be provided as emergency humanitarian assistance and another $1 million would go to UNRWA, the U.N. agency that provides vital assistance to the 75% of the enclaves population who are refugees. China will continue to provide humanitarian support within its capacity and actively participate in the reconstruction of Gaza according to the needs of the Palestinian side, Zhao said at a daily briefing. The fighting has brought Gazas health care system to the brink of collapse and its COVID-19 vaccination drive, already slow, has stopped, according to WHOs top official in Gaza, Sacha Bootsma. China has become a major exporter and donor of COVID-19 vaccines, taking a leading role in what some have termed vaccine diplomacy. China is a strong supporter of the Palestinian cause but also maintains robust ties with Israel. ISLAMABAD Pakistans foreign minister has welcomed a cease-fire between Israel and the Hamas- militant group that rules Gaza. According to a Foreign Ministry statement, Shah Mahmood Qureshi said he hoped latest the cease-fire announcement could help revive efforts for a negotiated settlement of the Palestinian issue. Qureshis comments came Friday as Pakistanis across the country began gathering for anti-Israel rallies to express solidarity with Palestinians. Pakistan is among few countries that do not have diplomatic ties with Israel. BRUSSELS The European Unions top diplomat is welcoming the Gaza cease-fire, but he says only a revival of long-term peace talks can ensure that such fighting does not flare up again in the future. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said Friday in a statement that we commend Egypt, Qatar, United Nations, United States and others who have played a facilitating role in this. Borrell says the situation in the Gaza Strip has long been unsustainable. Only a political solution will bring sustainable peace and end once for all the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. He says that restoring a political horizon towards a two-state solution now remains of utmost importance and that the EU stands ready to help both sides achieve that. The EUs support for a two-state solution is long-standing, but the 27-nation bloc is divided over how to handle relations with Israel and the Palestinians. On Tuesday, Hungary blocked the publication of a joint statement on the conflict. PARIS The French minister of foreign affairs is praising the Gaza cease-fire as the outcome of diplomatic efforts involving Europeans, the United States and several Arab countries. In a statement, Jean-Yves Le Drian praised the fundamental role of Egypt in the talks that led to that result. He said the cessation of hostilities was the absolute priority to protect civilian populations and avoid an extension of the conflict. The statement said France seeks to play a role in reviving peace talks between Israel and Palestinian authorities, and wants to see humanitarian aid resume to the region, particularly to Gaza. BERLIN Chancellor Angela Merkel has urged Germans to behave responsibly as large parts of the country relax more pandemic restrictions at the start of the Pentecost weekend. French robot "Pepper the droid" looks at the signal from a staff member at the exhibition "Robots The 500-Year Quest to Make Machines Human" in the Hong Kong Science Museum, Wednesday, May 19, 2021. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung) BERLIN Chancellor Angela Merkel has urged Germans to behave responsibly as large parts of the country relax more pandemic restrictions at the start of the Pentecost weekend. She says caution is needed to avoid further shutdowns. German regions have gradually started easing restrictions recently as new coronavirus cases decline steadily, accompanied by an accelerating vaccination campaign. Beer gardens, cafes and restaurants in Berlin and elsewhere started serving customers outdoors for the first time in months on Friday provided they present a negative COVID-19 test or a vaccination certificate. People drink outdoors on bar terraces in Marseille southern France, Wednesday, May 19, 2021. Cafe and restaurant terraces reopened Wednesday after a pandemic shutdown of more than six months deprived people of what feels like the essence of life in France. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole) By Friday, most of Germanys 400 cities and counties had a weekly case number below the threshold of 100 per 100,000 inhabitants that triggered strict lockdown measures. But top officials stressed the need to remain vigilant. The countrys disease control agency reported 8,769 newly confirmed COVID-19 cases Thursday and 226 deaths. Germany has reported 87,128 confirmed deaths since the start of the pandemic. - THE VIRUS OUTBREAK: A health worker reacts after receiving a dose of COVAXIN vaccine for COVID-19 at a vaccination centre in Mumbai, India, Thursday, May. 20, 2021. Indias vaccination drive is faltering just at the time when it is needed the most. The number of daily administered doses has fallen by about half over the last six weeks, from a high of 4 million a day on April 2 to around 2 million or less this week. (AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade) Pfizer-BioNTech pledge 2B doses to less wealthy nations Germany opens beer gardens, cafes; Chancellor Merkel urges caution IOC VP: Tokyo Olympics will be held despite state of emergency Sniffing Labrador retrievers join Thai coronavirus fight Nurses march with torches to demand increases in their salary, professional recognition, and better working conditions in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Wednesday, May 12, 2021, amid the new coronavirus. (AP Photo/Victor R.Caivano) Follow more of APs pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic and https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-vaccine HERE'S WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING: NEW YORK A study of schools in Georgia suggests improving ventilation seemed to slow the spread of the coronavirus about as much as masks. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday published the study online. Its based on surveys last fall of 169 Georgia elementary schools, which had taken various steps to control the spread of the virus. People drink outdoors on a bar terrace in front of the Louvre museum in Paris, Thursday, May 20, 2021. Cafe and restaurant terraces reopened Wednesday after a pandemic shutdown of more than six months deprived people of what feels like the essence of life in France. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena) The researchers concluded that COVID-19 cases were 37% lower in schools that required teachers and other staff members to wear masks, compared to schools that did not. Cases were 39% lower in schools that took steps to improve ventilation, like opening windows and doors, using fans, or using air filtration systems. Schools that used high-efficiency particulate absorbing filtration (HEPA) systems had case rates that were about half as high as those that didnt. MONTPELIER, Vt. Gov. Phil Scott says Vermont will lift all remaining pandemic-related restrictions ahead of the July 4 plan if the state reaches 80% of eligible people vaccinated against COVID-19. That would mean nearly 28,000 more residents need to get the shots. He says Vermont leads the nation with over 70% of residents ages 12 and older getting at least one dose. Nurses march with torches to demand increases in their salary, professional recognition, and better working conditions in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Wednesday, May 12, 2021, amid the new coronavirus. (AP Photo/Victor R.Caivano) He says people between the ages of 18-29 can help accelerate the timeline the most. Its a group lagging in vaccination rates. WASHINGTON Former President Barack Obama and actor Eva Longoria are joining a social media chat next week about COVID-19 vaccines and the pandemics effects on women, particularly women of color. Made to Save, the United State of Women, Supermajority and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services are hosting Mondays event on Facebook Live. Organizers say the event is part of a week of activity designed to address concerns among women about the vaccines and to encourage women to get vaccinated and to help others get their shots, too. Nurses march with torches to demand increases in their salary, professional recognition, and better working conditions in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Wednesday, May 12, 2021, amid the new coronavirus. (AP Photo/Victor R.Caivano) Made to Save is a national public education campaign working to build public trust in the COVID-19 vaccines. Made to Save and United State of Women are part of Civic Nation, which is chaired by Obama White House adviser Valerie Jarrett. ROME American pharmaceutical company Pfizer and German company BioNTech have pledged to deliver 2 billion doses of their COVID-19 vaccine to middle- and low-income countries over the next 18 months. The companies, which together developed the first vaccine to be authorized for use in the United States and Europe, made the announcement Friday at a global health summit in Rome co-hosted by the European Unions executive arm and Italy. Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla says they expect to provide a billion of the doses this year and another billion in 2022. People wearing face masks, wait to walk across a traffic intersection in the famed Ginza shopping neighborhood in Tokyo on Friday, May 21, 2021. Japan has approved the use of two new vaccines - Moderna and AstraZeneca - hours ahead of an expansion of a state of coronavirus emergency that will cover roughly 40% of the population. Its the latest effort to contain a worrying surge in infections nine weeks ahead of the opening of the Tokyo Olympics.(AP Photo/Hiro Komae) It was unclear whether the deliveries would take place through the U.N.-backed COVAX program, which aims to ensure equitable access to COVID-19 shots for low-and middle-income countries, or if nations would get the doses at a reduced price. The summit is drawing the Group of 20 industrial and emerging market nations, the heads of international organizations and representatives of global health bodies. As vaccination campaigns continue to progress in the Western world, poorer countries are struggling to acquire supplies. This week, the U.N. Security Council expressed concern about the small number of doses that have reached Africa. BEIRUT Lebanon has relaxed coronavirus restrictions as reported infections and deaths continue to decline. A Catholic nun is inoculated with AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish Church that turned into a temporary vaccination center in Quezon City, Philippines on Friday, May 21, 2021. Philippine officials have been ordered not to disclose in advance the COVID-19 vaccine brands to be administered in immunization sites after those offering newly arrived Pfizer shots drew big crowds in what could be an indication of public preference for Western vaccines.(AP Photo/Aaron Favila) The government is allowing cinemas and theaters to reopen at reduced capacity for the first time in more than a year. A government pandemic committee recommended the relaxed measures on Friday, a day after Lebanon recorded its lowest one-day death rate in months. Only seven COVID-19 related deaths and 394 cases were reported on Thursday. The committee also allowed organizing weddings, conferences and trade shows at reduced capacities, but urged professional syndicates to delay holding elections for another month until the downward trend is confirmed. So far about 10 % of the nearly 6 million people living in Lebanon have received at least one vaccine since February. Nurses march with torches to demand increases in their salary, professional recognition, and better working conditions in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Wednesday, May 12, 2021, amid the new coronavirus. (AP Photo/Victor R.Caivano) The World Health Organization says the Eastern Mediterranean, which includes Lebanon, has reported a decrease in cases in the last two weeks in 17 out of 22 countries in the region. Lebanon has registered nearly 538,000 confirmed coronavirus cases and 7,660 confirmed deaths. BANGKOK, Thailand Thailand announced its national vaccination rollout for next month and its first locally transmitted cases of the coronavirus variant discovered in India. The government says it will begin its nationwide vaccination campaign on June 7. Nurses march with torches to demand increases in their salary, professional recognition, and better working conditions in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Wednesday, May 12, 2021, amid the new coronavirus. (AP Photo/Victor R.Caivano) An official says 15 cases of the Indian variant were found in a camp for construction workers in Bangkok. The government has banned the arrival of any non-Thais from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal to help prevent the spread of the variant. The government says a national state of emergency will be extended to the end of July to help contain the virus. TOKYO The IOC vice president in charge of the Tokyo Olympics says the games will open in just over two months even if the city and other parts of Japan are under a state of emergency because of rising coronavirus cases. John Coates spoke on a virtual hookup with Tokyo organizers after three days of meetings. The Olympics are set to open on July 23. Coates says the Olympics will go on even if local medical experts advise against it. Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, testifies during a Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions hearing to examine an update from Federal officials on efforts to combat COVID-19, Tuesday, May 11, 2021 on Capitol Hill in Washington. Fauci says whether vaccinated Americans will need a booster shot may depend on possible variants during an interview on CBS This Morning Friday, May 21. (Jim Lo Scalzo/Pool via AP) He says advice from the World Health Organization assured him that all of those measures that we are undertaking are satisfactory and will ensure a safe and secure games in terms of health. Recent public opinion polls indicate 60-80% of Japanese oppose hosting the Olympics. Coates suggested public opinion might improve as more Japanese get fully vaccinated. That figure is now about 2%. IOC officials say they expect more than 80% of the residents of the Olympic Village, located on Tokyo Bay, to be vaccinated and largely cut off from contact with the public. About 11,000 Olympic athletes and 4,400 Paralympic athletes who arrive in August -- are expected to attend. No international fans are allowed. CAIRO Egypt has received its first shipment of raw materials necessary to begin manufacturing Chinas Sinovac coronavirus vaccine. Eva Longoria arrives at the 2019 Hollywood Foreign Press Association's Annual Grants Banquet in Beverly Hills, Calif. on July 31, 2019, left, and former U.S. President Barack Obama appears at the Gathering of Rising Leaders in the Asia Pacific in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Dec. 13, 2019. Longoria and Obama are joining a social media chat next week about COVID-19 vaccines and the pandemics effects on women, particularly women of color. Made to Save, the United State of Women, Supermajority and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services are hosting Mondays event on Facebook Live. (AP Photo) The shipment from Beijing landed at the Cairo airport on Friday carrying raw materials to produce 2 million doses of the vaccine, according to airport officials. The plane also carried 500,000 doses of the Chinese Sinopharm vaccine. In April, Egypts Holding Company for Biological Products and Vaccines (VACSERA) signed an agreement with Chinese biopharmaceutical company Sinovac to produce vaccines locally and distribute them to the rest of Africa and the Middle East. China currently has five vaccines in use in its mass immunization campaign, three inactivated-virus vaccines from Sinovac and Sinopharm, a one-shot vaccine from CanSino, and another by Anhui Zhifei Longcom. So far, only Sinopharm has secured the World Health Organization emergency approval. Since Egypt rolled out its vaccination program in January, which included AstraZeneca, only 1.5 million people out of a 100-million population have received the shots. So far, Egypt has received more than 2.5 million doses of the Sinopharm vaccine and over 3.3 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine through the global COVAX initiative, according to Health Minister Hala Zayed. Tourists wear face masks to curb the spread of COVID-19 as they listen to a tour guide outside the ancient Colosseum, in Rome, Friday, May 21, 2021. The easing of travel restrictions this week have favored travel and tourism. (Cecilia Fabiano/LaPresse via AP) Egypt has recorded 250,000 coronavirus cases, including more than 14,5000 confirmed deaths. MADRID Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez is offering an upbeat outlook for his countrys tourism industry. He said Friday the outlook has improved after his government lifted travel restrictions on British vacationers and the European Union moved a step closer to allowing cross-border travel. Spain is lifting its restrictions on travelers from the United Kingdom beginning Monday. In this photo provided by El Salvador's presidential press office, The New England Patriots team plane is parked on the tarmac of the airport in San Salvador, El Salvador, Wednesday, May 19, 2021. The team plane has delivered Chinese-made Sinovac COVID-19 vaccines. (El Salvador's presidential press office via AP) Sanchez said those two developments will bring a very much better summer than last year, when the tourist industry in one of the worlds most popular vacation destinations was crushed by limits on travel and gatherings. In 2019, some 18 million British people traveled to Spain. TOKYO Japan has expanded a coronavirus state of emergency after it approved the use of two more vaccines to help contain a surge in infections, nine weeks ahead of the scheduled opening of the Tokyo Olympics. The government will add the Okinawa prefecture, home to most of the U.S. military forces stationed in Japan, to the state of emergency on Sunday. Although theres no forced lockdown, the state of emergency allows prefectural governors to demand that shops and public establishments close or shorten their hours. Bobby, a Labrador Retriever in training, sits front of a human sweat sample after detecting the COVID-19 coronavirus at the Veterinary Faculty of Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, Thailand Friday, May 21, 2021. Thailand has deployed a canine virus detection squad to help provide a fast and effective way of identifying people with COVID-19 as the country faces a surge in cases, with clusters found in several crowded slum communities and large markets. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit) It has expanded from the hotspots of Osaka and Tokyo in late April to other regions this month, currently covering 42% of Japans population. Japan also approved the production and use of Moderna and AstraZeneca vaccines. So far, just 4% of the population has been vaccinated using the Pfizer shots. The nation has recorded more than half of its 12,000 coronavirus deaths since February. The number in serious condition hit a record high this week. Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga has pledged to finish vaccinating its 36 million elderly population by the end of July. Recent polls indicate more than 80% of Japanese oppose hosting the Olympics, which are scheduled to begin July 23. WASHINGTON Dr. Anthony Fauci says vaccinated Americans would not necessarily need to get booster shots this fall for further protection from COVID-19. A heath worker in protective suit takes nasal swab sample of a man to test for COVID-19 in Gauhati, India, Friday, May 21, 2021. India's confirmed coronavirus cases and deaths remained below record levels in the last 24 hours, but authorities are worried about fungal infection that attacks those with weak immune systems. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath) Fauci, the nations leading infectious disease expert, told CBS This Morning on Friday that scientists would be tracking data on the virus and possible variants. He says it was still possible an additional shot would be needed later this year to ward off possible infection. Fauci also urged Americans to continue to follow CDC guidelines. He stressed those who havent been fully vaccinated still need to wear masks even if they are largely spending time with people who have been inoculated. The doctor also says those attending indoor sporting events, like the NBA playoffs starting this week, should follow the masking policies of the arena. GENEVA The vaccines alliance Gavi signed an agreement to buy 200 million doses of the one-shot Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine in a boost to the U.N.-backed initiative to distribute vaccines to poor countries. In a statement Friday, Gavi said the deal was made with the goal of the 200 million vaccines being made available this year. This week, the U.N. initiative known as COVAX suffered a major setback when its biggest supplier, the Serum Institute of India, announced it won't export any more vaccines until the end of the year. Instead, India will deal with the explosive surge in infections and need for vaccines on the subcontinent. Gavi says the 200 million J&J doses would be available to both poor countries relying on vaccines, in addition to rich countries who joined COVAX as a way to guarantee themselves extra vaccine shots. Earlier this month, Canada received more then 600,000 doses of AstraZeneca from COVAX. As a one-dose vaccine, the J&J vaccine has particular relevance for places with difficult infrastructure, said Gavi CEO Dr. Seth Berkley. Gavi said it is still in discussions with J&J to buy another 300 million vaccines for next year. Still, J&J has suffered multiple production problems in the U.S. and Europe and regulators earlier paused the use of the vaccine to investigate reports of a very rare blood clot. Officials concluded the advantages outweighed the risks. Shareholders of Tribune Publishing, one of the countrys largest newspaper chains, approved a $630 million takeover bid by hedge fund Alden Global Capital on Friday, the company said in a brief statement. Alden, which already owned nearly one-third of Tribune, stands to take full control of the Chicago Tribune, Baltimore Sun and other Tribune papers. FILE - In this Monday, April 25, 2016, file photo, Chicago Tribune and other newspapers are displayed at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport. Shareholders of Tribune Publishing, one of the countrys largest newspaper chains, will vote Friday, May 21, 2021, on whether to be acquired by a hedge fund that already owns one-third of the company and favors aggressive cost-cutting to boost profits. (AP Photo/Kiichiro Sato, File) Shareholders of Tribune Publishing, one of the countrys largest newspaper chains, approved a $630 million takeover bid by hedge fund Alden Global Capital on Friday, the company said in a brief statement. Alden, which already owned nearly one-third of Tribune, stands to take full control of the Chicago Tribune, Baltimore Sun and other Tribune papers. Through its Digital First Media chain, Alden owns the Boston Herald, Denver Post and San Jose Mercury News. Tribune offered little additional detail beyond the fact that it expects the deal to close on May 25. In a statement, Alden said the move reaffirms our commitment to the newspaper industry" and its focus on retooling publications so they can operate sustainably over the long term." The Alden deal is just the latest major acquisition of a newspaper company by an investment firm dedicated to maximizing profits in distressed industries. The collapse of print advertising as readers migrated to digital publications has rocked the traditional newspaper business. Publishers have shut down more than 2,000 papers over the past 15 years and half of newsroom jobs have disappeared. Investment firm owners are often criticized for valuing profits over the mission of local journalism, and Alden is no exception. The deal drew opposition from many of the companys journalists in an unusual spate of employee activism. They set up rallies, tried to find local buyers and begged for a rescue in their own newspapers. They had rooted for a higher bid from hotel mogul Stewart Bainum in the belief that it would be better for local journalism, although that never came to fruition. They lobbied Tribune's No. 2 investor, Los Angeles Times owner Patrick Soon-Shiong, to vote no and scuttle the deal. In a blog post, the president of the union representing Tribune journalists lamented that Tribune's shareholders had let everyone down by approving the deal, but said the union would continue to hold Alden Global Capital accountable. Confusion arose earlier in the day when a spokeswoman for Soon-Shiong said he abstained from the vote. According to Tribunes April 20 proxy statement, which states that approval of the deal required the votes of at least two-thirds of shares not owned by Alden, an abstain vote counted the same as an against vote. Neither Tribune nor its board made any public comments on vote result until late in the day Friday. In its statement, Tribune effectively confirmed earlier reporting attributed to unnamed Tribune officials that Soon-Shiongs ballots were submitted without the abstain box checked, and so were counted as yes votes toward the Alden takeover in accordance with the instructions on the ballot. Tribune did not name Soon-Shiong directly, but said that proxies from one of the company's largest shareholders were submitted in this fashion. Soon-Shiong's representative, Hillary Manning, said the billionaire viewed Tribune as a passive investment and that he is focused on the revitalization of the L.A. Times and the San Diego Union-Tribune, which he bought from Tribune in 2018. Soon-Shiong stands to gain about $150 million from his Tribune stake. Legal experts agreed that if Soon-Shiong left his ballot blank, he likely did so deliberately. One possibility, said Andrew Verstein, a UCLA School of Law professor, is that Soon-Shiong intended to vote yes but didnt want to take flak for that vote. If you say yes, people yell at you for selling out the newspaper," he said. Alden became Tribunes largest shareholder in 2019. The union representing Tribunes journalists says the hedge funds cost cuts have already led to shrinking newsrooms and closed offices. A 2020 report from the University of North Carolinas journalism school said the combination of Alden and Tribune would be the countrys second-largest newspaper publisher by circulation, behind Gannett. Tribune itself is no stranger to cost cuts and shrinking newsrooms. After emerging from bankruptcy in 2012, it split from its TV broadcasting arm in 2014 and since then has bought and sold papers including the Los Angeles Times (sold), the San Diego Union-Tribune (bought and then sold) and the New York Daily News (bought, then hit with layoffs that cut its editorial staff in half ). Its annual revenue has fallen by more than half since 2015, and by the end of 2020 its number of full- and part-time employees stood at 2,865 people, just 40% of its headcount five years earlier. Overall, publishers have shut down more than 2,000 papers over the past 15 years; half of newsroom jobs have disappeared. Investment firms have played a significant role in consolidating the industry as online competition drew away readers' attention and ad dollars. Hedge fund Chatham Asset Management bought newspaper chain McClatchy in an auction last year following the company's bankruptcy, beating a bid from Alden. A newspaper company managed by private equity firm Fortress bought Gannett in 2019 with a high-interest loan from another private equity firm. The newspaper company, which retained the Gannett name and is publicly traded, has since ended the management arrangement with Fortress. An expected higher bid for the whole company from the hotel mogul Bainum never fully materialized after he was unable to find a buyer for the Chicago Tribune. Hansjorg Wyss, a billionaire from Wyoming who had expressed interest in owning the Chicago Tribune, joined Bainum's bid, then subsequently dropped out. He did not say why. Prior to his bid for all of Tribune, Bainum struck a side deal to buy Baltimore Sun Media from Tribune for $65 million via a nonprofit. In a statement, Bainum said that while his efforts to buy Tribune have fallen short, his focus now is on Baltimore and Maryland, where he is evaluating various options to create nonprofit newsrooms. __ An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that Alden would gain control of the Los Angeles Times in a successful bid for Tribune. The newspaper is owned by Tribunes No. 2 investor, Patrick Soon-Shiong, and is not part of the Alden deal. LAS VEGAS (AP) Federal authorities have ordered a complete recall of a Las Vegas-based bottled water brand Real Water and ordered the company to surrender records in investigations of at least one death and multiple cases of liver illness among people who reported drinking it. LAS VEGAS (AP) Federal authorities have ordered a complete recall of a Las Vegas-based bottled water brand Real Water and ordered the company to surrender records in investigations of at least one death and multiple cases of liver illness among people who reported drinking it. Brent Jones, company president, and attorneys for the company and the bottler, AffinityLifestyles.com Inc., did not immediately respond Friday to email messages about a U.S. District Court order issued Wednesday. The order stopped the production and distribution of the product marketed primarily in Nevada, Arizona, Utah and California. Jones and the company did not contest the order, called a consent decree, or admit wrongdoing pending further hearings. Telephone numbers for Jones and the company were no longer in service. The product is sold as premium alkalized drinking water in distinctive boxy blue bottles touting E2 Electron Energized Technology. Labels say it is infused with negative ions and offers healthy detoxifying properties. The federal civil complaint calls the product brand Re2al Water Drinking Water," and says it is treated with chemicals including caustic lye and a mineral salt. Water is drawn from the Las Vegas-area municipal supply, according to the complaint, filtered and processed with potassium hydroxide, or lye, the chemical potassium bicarbonate and magnesium chloride, a salt. Defendants claim to use a proprietary ionizer apparatus to apply an electrical current to this mixture, which allegedly creates positively charged and negatively charged solutions, the complaint says. It says the negatively charged solution is marketed as E2 Concentrate taste-enhancer for coffee, tea and wine and diluted in tanks and packaged for home delivery and commercial sales as alkaline Real Water. The complaint alleges the manufacture and distribution of adulterated and/or misbranded bottled drinking water and chemical concentrate that may have been rendered injurious to health. The consent decree requires the company to recall and destroy all the product produced before Wednesday; to turn over to the FDA records about processing, bottling and distribution; and to submit to unannounced inspections of company facilities in Las Vegas, suburban Henderson, Nevada, and Mesa, Arizona. The company is committed to paying the cost of FDA activities at a rate of more than $100 per hour, and it must notify the agency before any change of ownership, reorganization or bankruptcy. The Las Vegas-based Southern Nevada Health District on Thursday reported five more cases of liver illness believed to be linked to Real Water, including the death of a Clark County woman in her 60s who had underlying medical conditions. The report brought to 16 the number of acute non-viral hepatitis cases tied by the district to the product. Several negligence and deceptive trade practices lawsuits in state court allege many more injuries. They accuse Jones, Real Water and Affinitylifestyles.com Inc. of causing a womans death; liver damage to children and internal organ damage to adults leading to hospitalizations; and at least one liver transplant. A case pending in U.S. District Court in Las Vegas seeks class-action status on behalf of anyone injured in the U.S. after buying Real Water. In court filings, the company acknowledges the FDA investigation but not that Real Water caused illnesses. Jones, a former Nevada state Republican lawmaker, issued an apology in mid-March on the company's drinkrealwater.com website and an assurance that "the lessons learned in this will drive further improvement in the brand. The FDA issued a statement in April calling it crucial" for people not to "drink, cook with, sell or serve Real Water alkaline water. OTTAWA - Canada welcomes a ceasefire ending the 11-day war between Israel and Hamas that left hundreds of people dead, Foreign Affairs Minister Marc Garneau says. Canadian Foreign Minister Marc Garneau, speaks during a meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, at the Harpa Concert Hall in Reykjavik, Iceland, Wednesday, May 19, 2021, on the sidelines of the Arctic Council Ministerial summit. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Saul Loeb/Pool Photo via AP OTTAWA - Canada welcomes a ceasefire ending the 11-day war between Israel and Hamas that left hundreds of people dead, Foreign Affairs Minister Marc Garneau says. In a statement posted on his Twitter account Thursday night, Garneau said Ottawa urges Israelis and Palestinians to bring down the temperature. "We are appalled by the tragic loss of life and urge all sides to further de-escalate tensions," he said. Garneau said Canada is calling on Israelis and Palestinians for a renewed commitment to peace and is standing ready to support efforts toward a two-state solution. The truce took effect at 2 a.m. local time Friday after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said his Security Cabinet had unanimously accepted the Egyptian ceasefire proposal. At least 230 Palestinians were killed, including 65 children and 39 women, with 1,710 people wounded, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Twelve people in Israel, including a 5-year-old boy and 16-year-old girl, were killed. Aiman Shakra, president of the Palestinian Canadian Congress, which is a national umbrella organization for Palestinian-Canadian groups, said the ceasefire is a relief for the community in Canada. "We are relieved but we stay cautious to say (the truce) would hold and lead to recognition of the Palestinians' rights to offer them safety and justice," he said in an interview with The Canadian Press. Shakra said his organization has sent letters to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Garneau and opposition leaders to express the disappointment and dissatisfaction with the federal government's policies and explain how Canada has failed to protect the human rights of Palestinians. "The government says it supports a two-state solution," he said, "yet the government's action, even statements, try to give full support to the Israeli government." Shimon Koffler Fogel, the president of the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, which is a Canadian Jewish advocacy group, said his organization is relieved the missile attacks launched by Hamas have abated, and that the threat to further loss of life has greatly diminished. "The ceasefire is an important milestone and any development that results in a suspension of hostilities has to be welcomed," he said in a statement. "But the situation remains fragile and sustaining relative calm will demand that all stakeholders reflect responsible and considered decisions and actions." Fogel said Canada must engage and encourage Palestinians to appreciate that support for Hamas translates into further suffering for Palestinians and Israelis alike. "Like all countries committed to peace, Canada is limited to playing a supportive and perhaps facilitative role," he said. "Only the direct parties to the conflict can move things forward." Thousands gathered across Canada in pro-Palestinian protests over the last two weeks. Last weekend, large demonstrations broke out in Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa and Vancouver. More rallies and vigils were held during the week. In Toronto, a group of activists protested Friday outside the Israeli consulate and covered the building's steps with red paint. Rabbi David Mivasair, a member of Independent Jewish Voices, said in a news release the death and destruction inflicted by Israel in Gaza cannot be washed away. "The ceasefire doesn't end the injustice and oppression, he said. Jewish human rights organization Bnai Brith Canada called out the rise of antisemitism in the wake of recent fighting between Israel and Hamas. The organization said the antisemitic assaults recorded so far this month easily surpasses the total of all assaults last year. This past week has been a shocking and harrowing experience for the Jewish community, said Michael Mostyn, chief executive officer of Bnai Brith Canada in a news release. For the first time in their lives, many have had their sense of safety and security in Canada seriously challenged." The fighting between Israel and Hamas erupted on May 10, when Hamas militants in Gaza Strip fired long-range rockets toward Jerusalem. The barrage came after days of clashes between Palestinian protesters and Israeli police at the Al-Aqsa Mosque, the third holiest site in Islam, which is built on a hilltop site sacred to Jews in the holy city. Tensions were fuelled by a lengthy legal battle waged by Israeli settlers to take over properties and plan for the removal of dozens of Palestinians from the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood of East Jerusalem. The competing claims to Jerusalem lie at the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and have repeatedly triggered bouts of violence in the past. On Friday, Palestinians rallied by the thousands in the West Bank, Gaza and Jerusalem after the ceasefire took effect, with many viewing it as a costly but clear victory for Hamas. Clashes broke out between Palestinian protesters and Israeli police following Friday prayers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound. Israeli police fired stun grenades and tear gas at Palestinian protesters who hurled rocks while waving Palestinian and Hamas flags. Israeli police said they arrested 16 people. Protesters also clashed with Israeli troops in parts of the occupied West Bank, which has seen violent demonstrations in recent days linked to Jerusalem and Gaza. Thousands also took to the streets of Gaza as the ceasefire took hold at 2 a.m. Celebrations also broke out overnight in East Jerusalem, Gaza and across the occupied West Bank. Israel captured all three territories in the 1967 war and the Palestinians want them for their future state. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 21, 2021. with files from The Associated Press. This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Facebook and Canadian Press News Fellowship. Drawing from public health information about the COVID-19 immunization campaign, teachers are doing what they do best teaching, on the subject of vaccine hesitancy and scientific literacy. Drawing from public health information about the COVID-19 immunization campaign, teachers are doing what they do best teaching, on the subject of vaccine hesitancy and scientific literacy. Many educators give students accurate information about the vaccine during casual conversations and lessons about health, science and media literacy. One Winnipeg teacher livestreamed his immunization appointment to students to walk them through the process and provide factual information about it. Mark Dewar has also helped students who want to sign up for an appointment, navigate the process. "Were constantly talking about current events and whats been going on in the world and whats been king in the last year has been COVID," said Dewar, who teaches high schoolers. Late last week, the province sent school divisions and independent schools a letter penned by Dr. Joss Reimer, medical lead of the vaccine task force, about the expanded criteria for the Pfizer-BioNtech vaccine. The letter, which was provided in English and French, indicates anyone aged 12 and older can book an appointment, and it outlines how to do so. "This is an important milestone in Manitobas COVID-19 immunization campaign. We look forward to seeing you and your family at an immunization clinic soon," Reimer wrote. She assured families the vaccine has been tested and found to be both safe and effective for youth by Health Canada. Noting the presence of highly contagious variants, broad community transmission and high case counts, as well as more serious illness in younger people during this third wave, she recommended immunization as the best form of protection. Theres no doubt the latest wave has been especially difficult on school communities, with rising cases among students and staff, said Brian OLeary, superintendent of Seven Oaks School Division. Transmission in cohorts has been more common in the third wave, OLeary said, noting there was one point in recent weeks where 18 staff members in a Seven Oaks school were either quarantining at home or teaching remotely because of a classroom exposure. He said the division recently worked with public health to put together a circular on vaccines. Teachers in the Louis Riel School Division have reported sharing information about vaccines and eligibility with their students, although no divisional directives have been issued regarding discussing vaccines in class to date as has been the case in most divisions. "We have not sent any divisional directive to our schools about discussing vaccinations in class, however, thats not to say this or other topics surrounding the pandemic arent discussed," said Amanda Gaudes, senior communications co-ordinator for the River East Transcona School Division, in an email. A provincial spokesperson said Manitoba is putting together a broader communications plan for vaccines that is inclusive of all ages. Meantime, youth can get a jab at either a super site or urban Indigenous clinic. Saskatchewan has announced schools will host pop-up immunization clinics next month, but Manitoba continues to tout super sites as the most effective model for getting needles into arms. Citing new reports that the Pfizer vaccine can be stored at warmer temperatures than first believed, it may be viable for divisions to host vaccination sites in Manitoba, said Christian Michalik, superintendent in Louis Riel. Michalik said the division plans to explore the option. maggie.macintosh@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @macintoshmaggie Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-21 22:13:19|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BAGHDAD, May 21 (Xinhua) -- The repeated attacks by Iraqi militias acting outside of state authorities on the U.S. embassy and U.S.-led coalition forces across the country are holding internal and external messages. The attacks against Iraqi military bases housing U.S.-led coalition forces in the provinces of Anbar, Salahudin, and Erbil were carried out by shadowy militant groups to pressure U.S. forces to leave Iraq. Earlier this month, Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi told local media that "the absurd rockets do not target the Americans," stressing that the Iraqi military bases are only housing U.S.-coalition advisers and trainers for the Iraqi forces. Al-Kadhimi's comment came after U.S. experts and advisers for F-16 fighter jets withdrew from Balad Air Base, some 80 km north of capital Baghdad, after a series of rocket attacks targeted the base in Iraq's Salahudin province. "Balad Air Base contains Iraqi aircraft and Iraqi forces, and what is happening embarrasses Iraq," al-Kadhimi said. The militia's attacks did not cause serious human and material losses, but strongly caused embarrassment to al-Kadhimi, who has said that bringing armed groups under state control is a goal of his administration but finds himself increasingly helpless in reining the groups. Nadhum Ali Abdullah, an Iraqi political analyst in the Arab Forum for Iranian Policy Analysis, told Xinhua that the militias' attacks bear local, regional, and international messages. Locally, Iraqi Shiite militant groups close to Iran have always tried to strengthen Iranian influence in Iraq and the region in general, according to Abdullah. "Iraqis are afraid of the growing role of the uncontrolled militias because they have the power of weapons and money that enable them to directly influence the security, political and economic situation in the country," Abdullah added. On the regional level, the militias want to ensure that any strengthening of relations between Iraq and the Arab world, especially Saudi Arabia, won't be at the expense of Iran's interests in Iraq, he said. Abdullah also believes that Iran's negotiations with the United States over the Iranian nuclear file were at the core of the attacks. "The rocket attacks can support the Iranian position in the nuclear negotiations, as the Iranian side can maneuver the issue of militias with addressing the nuclear file," Abdullah concluded. Abdul-Aziz al-Jubouri, another Iraqi political analyst and a teacher at Media College at the Iraqiya University in Baghdad, told Xinhua that the attacks embarrassed al-Kadhimi and Iraqi negotiators during the rounds of the so-called U.S.-Iraqi strategic dialogue. Four rounds of the strategic dialogue have been held so far between the two sides since June 2020. The meetings aimed to discuss a timetable to withdraw U.S.-led coalition combat troops outside the country, in addition to discussing security and counterterrorism, economics and energy, political issues, and cultural relations. "The latest dialogue round was held on April 7, 2021, under the request of the Iraqi government, partly in response to pressure from Shiite political parties close to Iran that have frequently demanded the remaining U.S. forces to leave Iraq," al-Jubouri said. A joint statement by the video teleconference meeting said that the two sides agreed to redeploy the remaining U.S.-led coalition combat troops outside Iraq in light of the increasing capacity of the Iraqi security forces in fighting against the extremist Islamic State (IS) group. The statement avoided mentioning full withdrawal from Iraq, and the U.S. intention was clear when the top commander of U.S. Central Command Kenneth McKenzie told U.S. lawmakers later in April that he does not foresee a full U.S. withdrawal from Iraq. "The United States seeks to keep some 2,500 U.S. troops in Iraq under the pretext of ensuring the IS extremist group will not be able to reconstitute itself, and this only means the continuation of the proxy conflict on Iraqi soil between U.S. forces and Shiite groups loyal to Iran," al-Jubouri added. Many Shiite militias surfaced in Iraq, particularly after Jan. 3, 2020, when a U.S. drone struck a convoy at Baghdad airport, which killed Qassem Soleimani, former commander of the Quds Force of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, deputy chief of Iraq's paramilitary Hashd Shaabi forces. Their death in the U.S. airstrike outraged many Iraqi lawmakers in the parliament to pass a resolution after two days of the airstrike, requiring the government to end the presence of foreign forces in Iraq. "The parliament resolution to end the presence of foreign forces in Iraq has been used repeatedly by some Shiite factions to legitimize their attacks against U.S. forces in Iraq, and some political parties have used it to pressure al-Kadhimi's government to demand U.S. forces to leave Iraq," al-Jubouri concluded. Enditem A three-day weekend arrives the third week of each May, and is treated by many Canadians as a miracle of the calendar. A three-day weekend arrives the third week of each May, and is treated by many Canadians as a miracle of the calendar. Extra time, it brings with it the possibility of 24 more hours of opportunity: to go for an extra-long walk, to sit in that chair and not stand until the last page of the novel is flipped, or maybe, to just sit in that chair and do nothing at all. SUPPLIED Sara McIvor-Prouty and husband Shawn have made new traditions the past two years. For some, that extra day, that minor miracle, has historically meant a stay at a family cottage or a trip to the camping ground where the charred scent of bonfire sticks to their hair and blankets like a bur that wont let go. For others in Manitoba, it has meant taking a long drive east, across the border into Ontario, to pitch a tent or swing open the rickety screen door to a dusty cottage porch, with walls covered in old family photographs of relatives here and gone. For all, for now, there has been a temporary change of plans. "We didnt go last year either," says Chris Nauta of Winnipeg, whose parents bought a 900-square-foot cottage near Grand Bend, Ont., on the shores of Lake Huron, in 1976, not a long drive from their home in London. "Of course, I miss it." In the daytime, as children, Nauta and his brother would swim, but it was more like living in the water with occasional excursions onto dry land. His dad was always on a boat, and when it got dark, there was always a fire that lasted past midnight. Barbecue for dinner. Extra time. SUPPLIED Chris Nauta (second from left, bottom row in a 1978 photo) is counting down the days until he can go back to his family cabin in Grand Bend, Ont. The miracle of the calendar usually brings Sara McIvor-Prouty east from Winnipeg, across the border and into the natural beauty of the Crown lands in Ontario, where as a Metis harvester, she picks medicines such as spruce tips and Labrador tea, and later in the summer, berries of many colours. She and her husband have been going for more than 20 years, bringing their children, now teens, along for the ride. "I love Ontario," says McIvor-Prouty, who lived there for four years and whose husband is from there. "Im connected to that land because Ive spent a lot of time on it." Where they often go for the long weekend is Amesdale Lake, near Kenora, where they walk the trails and spend time with family. Marshmallows. Kayaks. Extra time. Neither this year nor last year has brought Nauta to the pale-yellow cottage on the lake or McIvor-Prouty to the serene surroundings where theyd normally be on the third weekend in May. That hurts, says Nauta. Its frustrating. Hed celebrated his 40th birthday in 2010 at the cottage with his brother, his relatives, and his wife. He was planning to do the same for his 50th last June. Other plans. Because Ontario has had its borders closed to Manitoba and Quebec since April, similar to measures in place last year, and because Manitoba's chief provincial public health officer is again begging Manitobans to stay home, thats what Nauta is doing. "We might go for a drive instead, just around here, maybe leave the city, where we wont get out of our vehicles. Well just go for the drive," he says. "I am not the type of person to fight this." McIvor-Prouty made other plans, too. Her family bought a little camper last year, and were going to spend the three days parked on a relatives property near Matlock, keeping to themselves while eating bannock and homemade jam. And McIvor-Prouty is planning to explore where she can pick medicines in Manitoba for the time being; new traditions for that extra time have begun while others wait on ice. More other plans: Manitobans are restricted from visiting with people outside their households, even outside, the province announced Thursday. Instead, theyll stay home. "With everything thats happening, we dont need to go. We want to do everything we can to stop the spread, and we can enjoy ourselves here," she said. "Weve made the most of it." Everything, she says, goes in circles. Which means that some day, though not on these three days, shell be back. Maybe August. Maybe September. Maybe 2022. Nauta, 51, has a similar feeling as to when he can take that long, familiar trip east. He knows not going now is for the best, and that going later, whenever that may be, it will feel well worth the wait. He may reschedule his 50th birthday party for the day he turns 52 or 53, and hope nobody is counting the candles too carefully. One day, when its safe, he will have a party at that little yellow cottage on the shores of Lake Huron. He wont be wasting his extra time. ben.waldman@freepress.mb.ca The province's police watchdog has recommended no charges be laid against a Winnipeg police officer who fatally shot a man believed to be high on magic mushrooms when he wouldn't stop stabbing a man in front of a Charleswood home. The province's police watchdog has recommended no charges be laid against a Winnipeg police officer who fatally shot a man believed to be high on magic mushrooms when he wouldn't stop stabbing a man in front of a Charleswood home. The final report of the March 10, 2020, incident released Friday states police officers tried to stop the attack by repeatedly used Tasers on the 27-year-old man and trying to pull him off. When the attack continued and it looked like the victim could die, an officer shot the attacker in the back from less than two metres away. The attacker, who is not named in the report, was rushed to Health Sciences Centre, where he died of his injuries. "It is my view that the use of lethal force by the subject officer was justified as it was based on reasonable grounds and necessary to save (the victim's) life," civilian director Zane Tessler concluded in the 12-page report. The entire incident was captured by a home's security video, which "materially corroborated the evidence of all the witnesses," Tessler noted. "In conclusion, there are no grounds to justify any charges against the subject officer," he wrote. Police were called to the house in the 100 block of Kowalsky Crescent after getting a call at 4:47 a.m., that a man was attacking another man with a weapon. When officers arrived, they found a man was attacking a defenceless male with a knife on the street, and both men were covered in blood. The officers deployed "multiple" tasers at the man and tried pulling him off by grabbing his shoulders and hair and kicking him, but the attack continued until the officer concluded she had to shoot him or the victim would die. MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS FILES The entire incident was captured by a home's security video, which "materially corroborated the evidence of all the witnesses," civilian director Zane Tessler noted. The officer who shot the man who provided the IIU with a written statement and her notes said the victim "appeared to be severely injured and covered in blood. "(He) appeared to be severely injured and incapable of defending himself as he pleaded for help," and, with all other use of force options unsuccessful and fearing for the victim's life, she warned him one last time "just stop and you won't be hurt" before firing once when he continued the attack. The IIU report said the incident began when a male and female resident of the house woke up at about 4:30 a.m., to see a man who had been living there for a week standing beside them holding a knife. The male resident was able to take the knife away from the man during a struggle. The attacker left and returned, armed with scissors. The attacker started stabbing the man and biting him on his genitals and elsewhere, the report states. During the attack, the man yelled at his partner to call 911, to which the attacker said "No... don't call 911." The man was able to get away, but when he heard the attacker attacking the woman, he returned, and the two managed to get the scissors away from the attacker. When the attacker again armed himself with a knife, the male victim ran out the door and onto the driveway, but the attacker tackled him and started stabbing him, including in the eye, before police arrived. The male victim was treated for several stab wounds, and bite injuries to his neck, face and other parts of his body. He suffered permanent loss of vision to his right eye. The woman suffered cuts to her hand, large gashes behind her right ear and a large cut across her forehead. The male victim later told IIU investigators the attacker was normally a loving and caring individual, but he would become "a monster" when he ingested large quantities of magic mushrooms. He believed the attacker was high on the drug and also suffered from undiagnosed schizophrenia. The victim said the attacker was more like "a demon and not the person he knew... it was like the demon attacking him appeared to be enjoying himself... and wanted to kill him." An autopsy found the cause of death was a gunshot wound to the lower back torso. A toxicology report found no drugs, alcohol or other substances, but the RCMP's national laboratory does not have a way of confirming whether psilocin, known as magic mushrooms, was in the man's system. kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca WINNIPEG - Manitoba is asking the federal government for dozens of health-care workers to help fight rising COVID-19 numbers. Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister speaks to reporters after meeting with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, not shown, on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, on Friday, Nov. 8, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang WINNIPEG - Manitoba is asking the federal government for dozens of health-care workers to help fight rising COVID-19 numbers. Manitoba needs up to 50 critical care nurses, 20 respiratory therapists and up to 50 contact tracers from Statistics Canada, Premier Brian Pallister said after talking with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday. "This is going to be, we hope, a temporary thing and a short-term thing, but the sooner we get a little bit of backup help here, the better," Pallister said. Manitoba is in the grip of a third pandemic wave and has record numbers of new cases and people in intensive care. There were 595 more cases of COVID-19 and three more deaths Friday. The five-day test positivity rate has grown steadily in recent weeks and stood at 14.1 per cent provincially and 16.1 per cent for Winnipeg. Five intensive care patients were sent to Ontario to free up bed space this week. "All of our resources are being stretched," said Lanette Siragusa, chief nursing officer. Incoming health-care workers would be immediately deployed to three hospitals in Winnipeg that have intensive-care units, she added. Pallister said officials from the two levels of government have been discussing the idea for about a week. He said the prime minister was supportive of the idea. "I thanked him for that and, clearly, we're not asking for anything that others haven't already needed," he said, referring to help received in some provinces hit earlier by the third wave.Dozens of health professionals from the military and Canadian Red Cross were deployed to Ontario and Nova Scotia last month. The prime minister's office confirmed receiving Manitoba's request for additional federal assistance and committed to working with the province to provide additional supports. Siragusa said the third wave has been unique because patients are younger and require longer stays at the hospital. Dr. Jazz Atwal, deputy chief provincial public health officer, said the health system is at a critical juncture and he implored people to get their vaccinations. A review found there were 331 people hospitalized for COVID-19 between May 1 and 16. Of those, 82 per cent had not received a vaccine. Of those who were vaccinated, the majority had been infected before or within 14 days of getting a dose. Almost half were people under the age of 50, Atwal said. Atwal added that many people had not even been tested for COVID-19 before they were ending up with severe complications in the hospital. Winnipeg Mayor Brian Bowman, who spoke separately with Trudeau Friday, said he is disappointed with the provincial government's pandemic response to date. Physicians across Manitoba warned weeks ago that growing COVID-19 cases would put a heavy strain on hospitals. "Every week (the government is) reacting to rising case counts, when doctors and many in our community, myself included, have said we need strong proactive measures," Bowman said. The mayor reiterated calls to increase fines for people who break public health orders. He also said non-essential retail businesses should be closed. Stores are allowed to remain open at 10 per cent capacity. The Opposition New Democrats said the government should have expanded intensive care capacity long ago. "The government could have been proactive and trained people, hired people, done the preparation throughout the first and second wave of the pandemic," NDP leader Wab Kinew said. Health officials also announced that all Indigenous people in the province would be able to start booking appointments for their second dose of vaccinations starting Monday. Dr. Marcia Anderson, who is the public health lead for First Nations, said First Nations people have made up 40 to 60 per cent of admissions to intensive care during the second and third waves. "Getting fully vaccinated will provide a greater level of protection to you as an individual, to your loved ones and to your community." This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 21, 2021 Police involved in the fatal shooting of an escaped robbery suspect could have done things differently, but thoughts that another course of action would have spared the life of 18-year-old Bill Saunders will remain just speculation, a judge has ruled. Police involved in the fatal shooting of an escaped robbery suspect could have done things differently, but thoughts that another course of action would have spared the life of 18-year-old Bill Saunders will remain just speculation, a judge has ruled. "Possibly, use of lethal force on Mr. Saunders would not have been required," provincial court Judge Lindy Choy wrote in an inquest report released Thursday. "Sadly, it will never be known. "While there may have been another way of approaching the apprehension, we must be cautious not to second guess decisions which were made during a high stress and rapidly unfolding scenario," Choy wrote. Saunders was killed Nov. 15, 2017 following his escape in a stolen police van. But it was Saunders escape and police actions that precipitated it that ultimately led to his death, and was at the "heart" of the inquest, Choy wrote. Saunders was arrested Nov. 12 on suspicion of robbing a video lottery terminal worker on Lake Manitoba First Nation, 170 kilometres northwest of Winnipeg. He was taken to the Lundar RCMP detachment, where arrangements were made two days later to transport him to Winnipeg. Const. Terry Davis, a member of the RCMPs court liaison unit, had already worked a full shift when he was assigned to drive Saunders to Winnipeg, the inquest heard. FAMILY PHOTO Bill Saunders in a family photo taken 2015-16. En route to Winnipeg on Nov. 14, Saunders asked Davis if he could pull over so he could relieve himself. Davis agreed to undo Saunders handcuffs after he complained they were too tight, as well as his jacket, at which point Saunders attacked Davis, choking him from behind, Davis testified. Saunders kicked Davis in the chest and beat his head with a baton before Davis was able to grab his pistol and shot Saunders in the shoulder. Saunders attacked Davis a second time, wrenching the pistol from Daviss hands before jumping in the police van and driving away. Choy wrote that the circumstances preceding Saunders escape raised several "red flags": Davis had already completed a full shift prior to driving Saunders and was working alone; Davis had only "basic" information about the charges against Saunders, leading him to falsely assess Saunders as a low safety risk; the court liaison unit at the time had no set policy for how to conduct prisoner rest stops. A subsequent review of surveillance video inside the police van showed Saunders in possession of what appeared to be a plastic knife. "If this item had been found earlier, it would have better informed Const. Daviss risk assessment," Choy wrote. A prisoner escort policy has since been updated to require continuous risk assessments and that a prisoner be removed from a vehicle while in transport only if their safety or that of a police officer or the public is at risk. WAYNE GLOWACKI / FREE PRESS FILES Investigators on Highway 417 near Lake Manitoba First Nation where Saunders was shot by RCMP in 2017. An independent review recommended police be required to provide a minimum of two officers for prisoner transports. "In my view, while a two officer escort undoubtedly provides greater safety and security, if policy safeguards are adhered to and a proper risk assessment is conducted, transport of remand prisoners can reasonably be carried out by a single officer," Choy said. After his attack on Davis, Saunders drove to his parents home in Eriksdale, where he used a bolt cutter to remove his leg shackles, packed a duffle bag and then left. Saunders led police on a high-speed chase early in the morning of Nov. 15 before he lost control of the van on Provincial Road 417 near Lake Manitoba First Nation, and veered into a ditch. As officers on scene waited for the tactical team to arrive, Saunders continued to shift the van back and forth in an attempt to get out of the ditch. The inquest heard police considered a number of tactics to stop Saunders should he get out of the ditch, including ramming his vehicle or discharging a gas canister into the van. When the tactical team arrived, officers approached the front of the van before branching off into two groups. Two officers testified they were in the direct path of the van when Saunders put it in drive and began accelerating. "Perceiving the members to be in immediate risk of death or grievous bodily harm, both started shooting almost simultaneously," Choy said. "They continued to fire until the van stopped its forward motion." An independent use-of-force report provided to court concluded the officers use of lethal force was consistent with RCMP policy, given their belief Saunders was armed and driving toward them. The same report found that had police chosen to deploy gas into the van earlier, the tactical team officers might not have had to approach the van in the way that they did. WAYNE GLOWACKI / FREE PRESS FILES Saunders led police on a high-speed chase before he lost control of the van. Choy wrote that officers "created a self-generated jeopardy" when they approached the front of the van. "It was submitted by counsel for the Saunders family that (tactical team officers) acted hastily and forcefully, and I do not disagree with this statement," she wrote. "That being said, (their) approach to the situation must be considered in the context of their information regarding an escaped remanded prisoner who had already violently attacked another officer, stolen his vehicle and sidearm and left him for dead. "In hindsight, the technique was not flawless but the facts do not warrant any recommendations relating to how the apprehension unfolded." dean.pritchard@freepress.mb.ca Ontario Provincial Police are urging Manitobans to stop trying to visit their cabins until after restrictions are lifted, after turning away dozens of people from the border daily. Ontario Provincial Police are urging Manitobans to stop trying to visit their cabins until after restrictions are lifted, after turning away dozens of people from the border daily. "People are trying to use loopholes, and still get turned around," Const. Jason Canfield told the Free Press. Starting a month ago, his Kenora division got used to turning back three to four people a day at the Manitoba border. But that number has risen as the weather has improved, with around 30 people being turned away daily. On April 19, Ontario set up checkpoints at interprovincial borders to stop all travel that isnt essential, such as medical care, transporting goods or exercising Indigenous rights, to stop the spread of COVID-19. Since then, Manitoba businesses have sought written guidance from the OPP on which of their workers can still enter Ontario as part of their jobs. But Manitobans have taken it upon themselves to try to enter Ontario by making up excuses, such as claiming they have to work without a clear, essential reason, Canfield said. "We have people driving all the way to the border and get turned around, just because they dont have a legit reason," he said. He was not sure how many people still cross into Ontario on the Trans-Canada Highway, and was not aware of the OPP charging anyone for driving through the checkpoint. Canfield said Americans who have property in the area havent visited since summer 2019, and that local contractors can do checks on cabins for their owners. Anyone who claims their cottages security alarm has gone off will not be allowed over the border, Canfield said, noting police officers are supposed to respond to such incidents. "If its not for an essential reason, dont do it. Thats what it essentially boils down to," Canfield said. Its unclear how long the border ban will stay in place. Ontarios stay-at-home order is set to expire June 2,and on Thursday, the province announced a plan to start lifting restrictions as of June 14. That new plan did not mention checkpoints at borders with Manitoba and Quebec. In Kenora, the Home Hardware store has been delivering lumber to cabins owned by Manitobans, and tucking it into secure places. "We understand that the cottagers actually need to get some supplies down here, and we do our best to accommodate their needs, without having them jeopardize their health," said manager Josh Melanson. "That way when they come here, they can just go straight to their cottage." Ontarios Northwestern Health Unit had just 27 active cases on Thursday. A spokesman said it is trying to keep its health-care system intact, in part since Manitobans have been transferred to the Thunder Bay hospital. He was not sure if any cases or outbreaks in the past month had been linked to Manitoba visitors. Meanwhile, the OPPs marine unit is continuing its regular patrols of boats, and will approach any vessel that seems to be crossing the border. "Were not out to charge everybody. Our biggest thing right now is just education," said Canfield. "We are trying to not have our numbers explode here, and have people travelling here from other places has kind of been the No. 1 reason why things have ballooned everywhere." dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca Danny Smyth might command Winnipeg's police officers, but on Thursday he was a concerned citizen who watched as officers rescued a woman from the Red River. Danny Smyth might command Winnipeg's police officers, but on Thursday he was a concerned citizen who watched as officers rescued a woman from the Red River. The police chief, whose backyard is next to the river, said a 37-year-old woman is alive because of the bravery and teamwork of his officers. "I was an eyewitness to this rescue and experienced it both as a concerned citizen and chief of police," he said. The incident began when a neighbour banged on his door at 1:30 a.m. Smyth said when he went outside he could hear the woman "clearly seemed to be in crisis and in distress." He phoned 911 and soon police officers and firefighters arrived. "My backyard looked like a scene from a movie for a short period of time as our members were out with flashlights frantically trying to search the riverbank to locate and spot her in the water." Smyth said there were two challenges: "It was very dark last night and the water is still very cold." He said the woman was about 15 metres offshore and was drifting northward. "Suddenly, the woman went silent," said Smyth. "From my perspective, I was worried the cold water and the length of time she had been in the water was sapping her strength. "It was really a helpless feeling as I wondered if I was going to witness a drowning." Officers sprang into action. Four of them stripped "to their skivvies" and jumped in the river. They pulled a long rope out to the woman, tied it around her and pulled her to shore. "I held my breath, worried about the woman in the water, and now worried about the members who swam out to save her," he said. "I can't tell you how relieved I was when I saw them successfully take hold of the woman and make it back to shore safely." The woman was taken to hospital in stable condition. Smyth said the officers went above and beyond the call of duty. "I witnessed first-hand the bravery and the risks that our members were willing to take to save a life," he said. "I know this is not a one-off. I know our members are out there every day going above and beyond to meet the cries of help in the community. I witnessed the teamwork, the courage and the willingness to engage. It is nothing short of commendable." kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca They may not be dropping from trees and piling up on sidewalks just yet but the cankerworm population is surging in some Winnipeg neighbourhoods. They may not be dropping from trees and piling up on sidewalks just yet but the cankerworm population is surging in some Winnipeg neighbourhoods. The city is tracking "high populations" of cankerworms in Transcona and Elmwood as it gets set to battle the critters citywide, said Ken Nawolsky, Winnipegs superintendent of insect control. "When you get that kind of level on those areas, it can completely defoliate all the trees," said Nawolsky. "If no action is taken, the tree would lose all its leaves (which take weeks to grow back) Our focus is to try to prevent that from happening." Wolseley and Fort Rouge appear to have rising numbers of the pests, while other areas have moderate or low cankerworm numbers, he said. The city will start spraying for the critters at 9:30 p.m. Sunday, weather permitting, initially focusing on East Elmwood, Kildonan Crossing, Munroe East, Talbot Grey, Tyne Tees, Radisson, Victoria West, Kern Park and Kildare Redonda. Cankerworms are in their fourth year of a five-year cycle. That means this year will bring the second-highest population before it peaks in 2022 and declines after that, said Nawolsky. Winnipeggers will likely start to notice cankerworms in June, once theyve grown larger and begin dropping down from trees, said Taz Stuart, director of technical operations for Poulins Pest Control. "Then our workload increases substantially. When theyre big, especially, cankerworms are hanging on those lovely little strings that people oh so hate, and then they start crawling all over your cars and the actual fecal matter gets on the cars as well. It gets to be a slippery situation, especially when its raining," said Stuart. Poulins will begin treating private properties for the critters next week. "Youll see parts of the city have a higher priority than others Theres hot spots," said Stuart. City spraying is expected to occur throughout Winnipeg from Sunday to Friday over five to six weeks, though it must be cancelled when there's heavy rain or the wind exceeds 20 km/h. The city will spray tree leaves on public property, including boulevards, parks and cemeteries, with the biological product Btk. The treatment kills the cankerworms within a few days after they ingest it. Those who dont want their properties sprayed can apply for a 30-metre buffer zone on each side of their home by calling 311. Joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga THE bright red-and-orange flames engulfing forests are iconic, recognized, and an understood threat. New research, however, casts light on a new aspect of that threat: so-called zombie fires. Eric A. Miller photo Aerial view of the Seven Mile Slough fire in Alaska in May 2011. Smouldering hot spots (marked a) endured the winter, burning in the soil layer below the spruces. THE bright red-and-orange flames engulfing forests are iconic, recognized, and an understood threat. New research, however, casts light on a new aspect of that threat: so-called zombie fires. When an intense wildfire burns, it not only exists above ground where it is visible, but it also burns the earthy contents of the soil beneath the surface. Researchers from the Netherlands, Canada, and the United States are examining how underground fire can smoulder through the winter months, only to rise above the surface again come spring. "What we have found out about these fires is that they really prefer these lowland areas where we have these thick organic soils, and also areas that enable really intense burning," said Rebecca Scholten, a PhD student at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam who led the research. Using remote-sensing technology, Scholten tracked where large fires burned in the fall of one year, and then followed up in the spring to see if fire re-emerged towards the edges of where it had previously seemed to die out. The research paper, published this week in Nature, tracked the number of times this had occurred in Alaska and the Northwest Territories between 2002 and 2018. While such zombie or overwintering fires didnt overall account for much of the area burned in total, in 2008, one zombie fire accounted for 38 per cent recorded in the state. While fire managers in the industry have been aware of this phenomenon for some time, it is the first study Scholten could find documented in a scientific journal. The project began with co-author Sander Veraverbeke, an associate professor at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, exploring trends in the Arctic wildland fires. He believed he had discovered these zombie fires occurring on multiple occasions. "I got in touch with some fire managers from the area that I knew. And the question was, Is this possible? And they quickly confirmed it. They had a list of cases maybe 45 in total for Alaska, and Northwest Territories together most of them originating from these 2014 and 2015 fire seasons." Veraverbeke then convinced Scholten to dig into the question for her thesis. "I remember some disbelief in the beginning," Veraverbeke said with a laugh during an interview. Hot summers that produce larger, more intense fires yield fires that burn deeper underground, as well. The researchers theory is because climate change will make these conditions more frequent, there are likely to be more zombie fires in the future. However, there might be mitigating factors, Scholten said, since climate changes impacts are so varied. For example, if conifer trees are replaced with deciduous trees, the fires may not lead to the same extent of underground burning. While there is still a great deal unknown about what allows them to smoulder for months on end in the coldest parts of the world, researchers believe the layer of snow on top of the thick soils insulates the fire somewhat. The paper only looked at instances where this phenomenon occurred in the Northwest Territories and Alaska. The Manitoba Wildfire Service confirmed instances of zombie fires seen in the province, though they are rare. sarah.lawrynuik@freepress.mb.ca The provinces largest school board has taken the rare step of suspending one of its trustees until the end of the school year because of her social media posts. The provinces largest school board has taken the rare step of suspending one of its trustees until the end of the school year because of her social media posts. Jennifer Chen, who represents Ward 6, will be barred from all trustee duties, including attending meetings and receiving material related to in-camera agendas, until June 30. Chen was found to have breached the Winnipeg School Divisions trustee code of conduct twice in less than a week, "while also defying the board of trustees by resisting to act in good faith and failing to respect the code of conduct and the boards established due process," said a news release published late Thursday. Earlier in the week, the board voted to censure Chen for a tweet she posted about requesting the board discuss collective bargaining with teachers at a confidential meeting. Salary negotiations have been contentious, as local educators repeatedly called on the board to fast-track and finalize a contract before the province passes legislation to create a centralized teacher bargaining model. (A four-year agreement, which will result in a reduction of 110 to 120 teaching positions, was ratified late Thursday.) Upon the boards request, Chen deleted the tweet in question. She then posted on Twitter Wednesday that she was saddened the board censured her for "tweeting about teachers," and indicated she believes in transparency and accountability to staff, parents and community members. Chen said Friday she takes responsibility for her actions, but defended her tweets, saying she needed to advocate for teachers and inform her constituents about being penalized for what she felt was advocacy work. "Im saddened that I wont be able to advocate for the people in Ward 6 during this duration of suspension. I represent schools and families in one of the most diverse and lowest income communities in Canada and I have been an outspoken trustee on our board," she said. "To me, the role of trustees is not about rubber-stamping, its about responding to the needs of the community and speaking up." Chairwoman Betty Edel said Chen was not censured for advocating for teachers as her tweet suggested, but for breaking bylaws regarding confidential matters. "We need to stop this myth that only one trustee cares," said Edel, noting many trustees have been engaging in discussions about contract negotiations behind the scenes. She added, "To be a team member on the school board means that we all respect each other and that we all tell the truth about each other and that we all focus on the needs of the Winnipeg School Division." maggie.macintosh@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @macintoshmaggie MANITOBA can no longer toy with water strategy as a boutique environmental issue handled by individual regions, cities and towns on an ad hoc basis. Instead, we must make it the core economic development issue that it is, with a plan that transcends artificially created municipal borders. Opinion MANITOBA can no longer toy with water strategy as a boutique environmental issue handled by individual regions, cities and towns on an ad hoc basis. Instead, we must make it the core economic development issue that it is, with a plan that transcends artificially created municipal borders. Theres strong evidence that investors are now carefully scrutinizing how seriously regions are managing climate risk. Last year, BlackRock Investments CEO Larry Fink made the point crystal clear, stating "Climate risk is an investment risk," and now requiring stringent climate-risk disclosure of the firms BlackRock invests in. Elsewhere in the United States, insurance brokers are explicitly factoring in climate risk to property, housing, infrastructure and entire regions advising on which states are the most "climate-change prepared." The absence of a serious water strategy in this province is concerning. Manitoba is blessed with enough water sometimes more than enough only some of the time. Our climate is historically right at the transition between sub-humid and semi-arid, and the science is clear: climate change will push us toward more aridity. The Winnipeg Metropolitan Region (WMR), which represents 18 rural municipalities, cities and towns, including Winnipeg, has been working on collaborative thinking, partnerships and leadership for a comprehensive climate-change strategy. Its part of the Draft Plan20-50 currently under consideration by provinces minister of municipal minister relations as part of Bill 37. To a significant degree, Manitobas 2017 Climate and Green Plan created the political space to address climate change as a core economic-development issue. What the WMR is doing with the draft plan is looking at climate change from a long-term and strategic perspective to determine how the region can work together for coherent policies on land use, including agriculture, water supply, watershed management, density patterns, transportation and infrastructure investment that build resilience to the impacts of climate change. Our regional climate change strategy takes advantage of many key technological and big data advances: global climate model projections of future temperature and precipitation, the large investment in data acquisition made by the province that enables accurate, high-resolution flood risk mapping, as well as modern 3D visualization technology, to help decision-makers understand real-world risk to infrastructure and opportunities for modern, climate-resilient asset management. We can visualize in great detail what well experience in another "flood of the century." We know what major transportation corridors and which sections of towns will be underwater. Draft Plan20-50 also recognizes our vulnerability to drought. The climate models are clear: we should anticipate more and longer-duration drought cycles in the region than we have had in the past. With many municipalities in the region reliant on surface water for potable water supply, this raises immediate concerns regarding water treatment plant operation and, once again, it supports the contention that the areas around Winnipeg are stronger when they work together. A climate-aware regional plan bodes well for enticing investment to the WMR; investors increasingly expect a coherent long-range plan for building climate resilience as a prerequisite for their entry. The time to act on climate change is now. But it cant be done alone, with municipalities acting in silos. Instead, it needs to be done with a clear shared regional plan, based on evidence-based research. Draft Plan20-50, which is the result of thousands of hours of input from researchers, consultants, academics, politicians and planners, is the best remedy for what is the inevitable. Hank Venema CEO and a senior engineer at Strategic Community Consulting Inc., which provided peer-review guidance during preparation of Draft Plan20-50. hank@strategiccc.ca Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-21 22:21:34|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close DHAKA, May 21 (Xinhua) -- The World Bank has approved 600 million U.S. dollars for two projects in Bangladesh to increase the employability and livelihood opportunities of more than 1.75 million poor and vulnerable populations, including youth, women, disadvantaged groups, and returnee migrant workers, and build their resilience against future shocks like the COVID-19 pandemic. "In Bangladesh, the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the livelihoods of thousands of people, particularly, female workers, youth, and returnee migrant workers," Dandan Chen, Acting World Bank Country Director for Bangladesh and Bhutan, was quoted as saying in a statement on Friday. "These two projects will help empower and mobilize rural poor people, prepare them for the future job market and support entrepreneurial opportunities, especially for women and disadvantaged groups." The 300-million-U.S. dollar Accelerating and Strengthening Skills for Economic Transformation (ASSET) Project will equip more than one million youth and workers with skills needed for the future of work. And the 300-million-U.S. dollar Resilience, Entrepreneurship and Livelihood Improvement (RELI) Project will help improve the livelihoods of about 750,000 poor and vulnerable rural people across 3,200 villages in 20 districts. Enditem Parks were never part of the original urban plan. North Americas earliest cities were purpose-built, dense and dreary; designed around industrial factories and the droves of people rushing in from the countryside to work at them. Cities were all function and no form. Parks were never part of the original urban plan. North Americas earliest cities were purpose-built, dense and dreary; designed around industrial factories and the droves of people rushing in from the countryside to work at them. Cities were all function and no form. It wasnt until the 1830s that urban planners started recognizing the value of greenspace as a way to increase property values and cure what was known as "urban malaise," brought on by city dwellers disconnection from nature. Those factors, along with a push from the City Beautiful Movement, led to an enthusiastic era of park building in Canada. JOHN WOODS / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS People have been flocking to Winnipegs parks this spring. During the past 14 months, urbanites have rediscovered the power of parks as an antidote to what might be described as "pandemic malaise." Winnipeg parks have seen a drastic uptick in visitation during the pandemic some greenspaces, such as La Barriere Park south of the city, have seen a 90 per cent increase. Unfortunately, the recent rush back to nature has had some not-so-picturesque side effects. Related Items Click to Expand Articles May 18, 2021: Smelly trash competes with fresh-air freedom in city parks during lockdown Julia-Simone Rutgers In a Free Press story this week, residents reported overflowing garbage bins, litter and food waste strewn across their beloved parks. Its an unsurprising problem, considering how many more people are visiting parks right now, and its one the city of Winnipeg should be doing more to address. Public outdoor spaces are virtually our last available haven under the current strict public-health restrictions. At a time when there are precious few options for a change of scenery, a socially distanced picnic or a walk in the neighbourhood park can serve as a much-needed break from the claustrophobic reality of our daily lives. Its not news that mental health is suffering amid the pandemic the New York Times recently popularized the term "languishing" to describe the sense of stagnation and emptiness many people are currently feeling. In Canada, residents are reporting high rates of anxiety and depression owing to the public-health crisis, according to a national poll by Mental Health Research Canada. Until COVID19 case numbers start dropping and vaccination rates rise higher, we wont be able to ease the restrictions that are weighing people down. In the meantime, spending time in nature is a proven salve to the stress of the pandemic. Until COVID-19 case numbers start dropping and vaccination rates rise higher, we wont be able to ease the restrictions that are weighing people down. In the meantime, spending time in nature is a proven salve to the stress of the pandemic. Winnipeg is the land of (almost) 1,000 parks. The city has 973 parks of varying size and usage, to be exact, and keeping them clean is the duty of the public works department. Its unclear at the moment, however, how many employees are responsible for garbage pickup in parks. The fact trash receptacles are often overflowing suggests park users are trying to do the right thing with their litter, but the infrastructure (garbage cans) and service schedule (frequency of emptying) appears to be lacking. SUPPLIED Overflowing garbage at Munson Park off Wellington Crescent. City officials say theyre aware of the issue, and are offering temporary reassignments for recreation and leisure staff to park maintenance crews this summer. At the same time, the city has made it clear theres no room in the budget for additional garbage cans a measure that would seem to offer a quick and easy solution. Because theyre shared public spaces, its everyones responsibility to keep parks clean. In order for visitors to do their part and throw garbage in the bins, those bins need to be available and usable. With long-awaited warm weather finally arriving, people want to be outside. They need to be outside. Its up to the city to ensure that unsightly, smelly, overloaded and underserviced trash receptacles dont deter them from seeking that necessary respite in public spaces. Second-dose COVID-19 vaccine appointments are starting in Manitoba today, and as of Monday, all Indigenous people living in the province will be able to start booking their second appointments. Second-dose COVID-19 vaccine appointments are starting in Manitoba today, and as of Monday, all Indigenous people living in the province will be able to start booking their second appointments. Second-dose booking opened for Manitobans with certain high-risk medical conditions at 11:45 a.m. today. Indigenous people, which includes First Nations, Metis and Inuit, are next in line for second doses because of the disproportionate impact the virus is having on them, said Dr. Marcia Anderson, public health lead for the First Nations Pandemic Response Coordination Team. First Nations people have been more likely to be hospitalized with COVID-19 throughout the second and third waves of the pandemic. Booking can be done starting 11:45 a.m. Monday for Indigenous people online at https://protectmb.ca or by phone at 1-844-626-8222 (1-844-MAN-VACC) to book appointments at super sites, pop-up clinics or urban Indigenous clinics. Daily hours of operation are from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. The vaccine task force is expected to make an announcement next week about opening up second-dose appointments to more Manitobans. It will be done based on the timing of the first-dose appointment. Between 40 to 60 per cent of Manitoba's COVID-19 intensive-care admissions are First Nations people, most who live in urban environments, even though they make up only about 10 per cent of Manitoba's population. As of Thursday, roughly 34 per cent of Manitoba's COVID-19 patients were Indigenous. "That's why it is so important to get our communities both on- and off-reserve fully vaccinated as soon as possible," Anderson said during a briefing with reporters Friday. For now, Manitobans are being advised that their second dose should be the same type of vaccine they received for their first dose. Manitobans can go to any clinic for their second-dose that offers the same type of vaccine they received the first time. They don't necessarily have to go to the same clinic. Manitoba's vaccine task force is still considering whether to allow mixing of vaccine doses, which would mean that Manitobans could receive a different type of vaccine for their second dose than they did for their first. During the briefing, Dr. Joss Reimer, medical lead of Manitoba's vaccine task force, said they are waiting for the results of a U.K. study Indigenous people in Manitoba can begin booking their second-dose appointments Monday as long as it's been at least 21 days since they received the Pfizer vaccine or 28 days since they received the Moderna vaccine. First Nations people living on reserve were given first access to a first dose, and First Nations people living off reserve didn't have the same access right away. Vaccine uptake is still lower among First Nations people who live off-reserve in Manitoba, Anderson said; it is at around 30 per cent, compared with 67 per cent among people living on-reserve. Anderson said more people were vaccinated at urban Indigenous vaccine clinics in the past week than at any other point in the vaccine rollout. There were more than 2,000 Indigenous people vaccinated in an urban area last week. A survey of Indigenous people who were hesitant to get the vaccine showed trust was a factor, Anderson said, but she said the task force hopes vaccine uptake will improve as people access good information about it. "I just want to acknowledge that there are very valid reasons why people may be wary of this, including things we've talked about before like medical experimentation without consent for First Nations people, like viral transmission that happened when smallpox-infested blankets were spread among First Nations people. So it's understandable why some people would still feel wary and have mistrust of the vaccine and of the health-care system," Anderson said. People with medical conditions that lower their immune systems are being prioritized for access to second doses of the vaccines. The list of eligible medical conditions, which was chosen based on the likelihood that people with these conditions would not have been able to generate as much immunity to COVID-19 following a first dose, according to Manitoba's vaccine task force, includes: those receiving hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis those with liver cirrhosis due to any cause or portal hypertension those with severe heart failure those with cancers including solid tumour and blood (leukemia/lymphoma) who will or are receiving chemotherapy, immunosuppressive therapy or immune checkpoint inhibitors (e.g., nivolumab, pembrolizumab) those receiving one or more of the following medications: B cell therapies (e.g., rituximab, ocrelizumab); Cyclophosphamide; Alemtuzumab; calcineurin inhibitors (cyclosporine, tacrolimus); chronic dose prednisone (more than 20 mg/day); mycophenolate; and JAK inhibitors (e.g., tofacitinib) those who have received or are on the list to receive a solid organ transplant those who have received a stem cell transplant or CAR-T therapy at least three months ago those with Down syndrome those with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) individuals receiving home care more than four times per week or receiving 24/7 Community Living Disability Services supports (or as per family physician determination of equivalent levels of family support). People with those conditions can book their second-dose appointments now. katie.may@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @thatkatiemay Doctors are concerned Manitoba lacks contingency plans for emergency rooms and intensive care units, as the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic surges on. Doctors are concerned Manitoba lacks contingency plans for emergency rooms and intensive care units, as the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic surges on. A new survey by Doctors Manitoba indicated physicians would support calling in the military or asking for help from other provinces, because theyre concerned about the lack of nurses and lack of space in ICUs. The group representing more than 4,000 physicians across the province submitted the report Thursday to Shared Health, and provided a summary of the results to the Free Press, based on 54 responses gathered from emergency room and critical-care doctors earlier this week (May 17-19). It says 93 per cent of doctors surveyed dont have enough information about contingency plans, and 90 per cent are worried patients wont get the care they need as a result. Doctors were unanimously concerned about the lack of ICU nurses, and 92 per cent were concerned about the ability for hospitals to make additional intensive-care space in the third wave. About 80 per cent of critical-care doctors have already picked up additional shifts to meet the demand in ICUs, according to the physicians surveyed, the report states. Doctors Manitoba submitted 27 recommendations to the province in November 2020. There has been progress on some issues, such as improving access to personal protective equipment and trying to keep surgeries running, but doctors still havent been given triage protocols or adequate information on contingency plans, the report states. katie.may@freepress.mb.ca Manitoba's COVID-19 crisis deepened Friday as more critically ill patients were transferred to Ontario, Winnipeg's test positivity rate hit a new high and the province sought help from Ottawa for a health-care system pushed to the brink. Manitoba's COVID-19 crisis deepened Friday as more critically ill patients were transferred to Ontario, Winnipeg's test positivity rate hit a new high and the province sought help from Ottawa for a health-care system pushed to the brink. Manitoba announced 594 new cases, nearly matching Thursday's single-day record of 603. The test positivity rate provincially climbed to 14.1 per cent, while Winnipeg's rate swelled to a record 16.1 per cent. The number of critically ill patients transferred to Ontario hospitals rose to five earlier in the day, with two more scheduled to be flown out in the evening, bringing the total number to seven. Officials have said as many as 20 ICU patients, in total, may be transported to five northwestern Ontario hospitals in the coming days, but there are already indications the demand for transfers may be significantly greater. Manitoba's COVID-19 infection rate over the past two weeks has soared to 470 per 100,000 in population the highest in the country and more than twice the national average. With case numbers skyrocketing and hospital staff already stretched thin, Premier Brian Pallister spoke with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Friday morning to request 50 critical care nurses and 20 respiratory therapists. Manitoba's health system is on the brink of being overwhelmed, says Shared Health chief nursing officer Lanette Siragusa. (Ruth Bonneville / Winnipeg Free Press files) "Our health system is on the brink of being overwhelmed. Contingency plans are being triggered and people are tired," Shared Health chief nursing officer Lanette Siragusa told a media briefing Friday. On Wednesday, Manitoba transferred three ICU patients to Ontario hospitals. On Friday, the government announced that two more critically ill patients had been sent out of province, and late in the day it said that another two would be flown out. Of the latter two patients to be transported, one was expected to be transferred to Ottawa, a spokesperson said in a statement, while the other was headed to North Bay. "This additional option (moving patients beyond northwestern Ontario to the nation's capital) provides critical care teams in Manitoba the opportunity to move patients identified as appropriate for transfer in a timely manner, which will help with patient flow," the spokesperson said. In addition to transferring patients to Ontario, contingency plans involve more cuts to non-urgent surgeries to free up nurses and the addition of more ICU beds. Asked about the possibility of sending critically ill patients to Saskatchewan, Siragusa said "nothing is off the table." Pressed further, she said "conversations are just now beginning to happen" with Saskatchewan, but "nothing is firm (and) no contracts are in place at this time." Hospitals are working to identify more ICU patients stable enough to be transferred to Ontario as the demand for critical care beds rises sharply and with no let-up on the immediate horizon. On Thursday alone, 10 new patients were admitted to Manitoba ICUs. As of early Friday, 129 patients were in ICUs, including 79 with COVID-19 or who were recovering from the virus. That equalled the high during the second wave. As of Friday, the number of critical care beds was increased to 140, nearly double the province's pre-COVID baseline capacity. Health officials have said as many as 170 could be activated, although staffing remains a limiting factor. Most COVID-19 patients not vaccinated An analysis of COVID-19 hospital admissions during the first half of May shows how important it is to get vaccinated, says Dr. Jazz Atwal, the province's deputy chief public health officer. At a briefing Friday, Atwal said 82 per cent of the 331 virus-related hospital admissions from May 1 to 16 involved people who had yet to be vaccinated. click to read more An analysis of COVID-19 hospital admissions during the first half of May shows how important it is to get vaccinated, says Dr. Jazz Atwal, the province's deputy chief public health officer. At a briefing Friday, Atwal said 82 per cent of the 331 virus-related hospital admissions from May 1 to 16 involved people who had yet to be vaccinated. Another eight per cent had received one dose of vaccine, but not before two weeks had elapsed the time it takes for the vaccine to become effective. Of those admitted to hospital, nearly 50 per cent were under the age of 50. Meanwhile, 85 of the 331 COVID patients hospitalized required critical care. Of the 85, 78 per cent had not been vaccinated at all, and another 16 per cent had got their first shot fewer than 14 days before entering hospital. "There was no one admitted to the ICU during that time who had two doses of vaccine," Atwal said as he encouraged all Manitobans to get their shot as soon as they're able. "The vaccine protects people from getting sick and seriously ill," he said. NDP Leader Wab Kinew said he wanted to push back against the Pallister government for seeming to want to blame people who are in ICUs for their current health status by sharing numbers around the vaccination status of these folks. Many of the people in the ICU now likely werent eligible to have been vaccinated soon enough prior to being exposed to the virus, he said Friday. We need a government taking action but not one that is blaming people in ICUs, Kinew said. Many people were saying lets accelerate the vaccine rollout, many were saying lets staff up the ICUs. I cant help but feel this is another tactic to shift blame away from the governments responsibility to fight the pandemic. Larry Kusch and Carol Sanders Close Reducing the number of scheduled surgeries is expected to free up 50 nurses to care for COVID-19 and other critically ill patients. Another 37 nurses have completed a two-week orientation program in critical care and will join hospital ICU teams, Siragusa said. Under questioning from journalists, Dr. Jazz Atwal, the province's deputy chief public health officer, defended Manitoba's public health orders. The crisis now facing the province could have been avoided if more Manitobans had followed the rules, he said. "I don't think this is a failure of any one particular entity," Atwal said. "Every Manitoban needs to look in the mirror." Manitobans have gathered in defiance of public health orders and failed to stay home or get tested when they got sick. "They're having a tube put down their throat (in hospital) and that's when their first COVID test is. That's not adhering to (health officials') messaging," Atwal said. The government also announced Friday that Health Minister Heather Stefanson was undergoing a necessary medical procedure and would be absent from the legislature for the remainder of the spring sitting, which ends June 1. The announcement came a day after Stefanson held a news conference to announce long weekend restrictions and urge Manitobans to stay at home. The province did not say when Stefanson will return. Recipe for disaster The Manitoba Association of Health Care Professionals says the growing number of critical patient transports and the acute shortage of specialized respiratory therapists needed to perform them "are a recipe for disaster." click to read more The Manitoba Association of Health Care Professionals says the growing number of critical patient transports and the acute shortage of specialized respiratory therapists needed to perform them "are a recipe for disaster." The transports to Ontario this week have highlighted a longstanding and increasingly precarious issue, president Bob Moroz said Friday. The inter-facility transport team consists of respiratory therapists and paramedics based at HSC in Winnipeg. It is responsible for a variety of patient transports within Manitoba and out of province, including ground transportation and flights, and non-emergent transports of critical COVID patients bound for the ICU. The team has seen a marked increase in transports due to the pandemic and a surge in recent days due to the third wave, putting the therapists in an "impossible situation" where they're being pulled in too many directions, Moroz said in a statement. Carol Sanders Close "The timing of her return will be based on the advice of her physician," a statement said. The medical procedure is being done in Manitoba, Blake Robert, director of media relations, later confirmed. He said it is "medically necessary and is taking place on the recommendation of her physician." Deputy Premier Kelvin Goertzen, a former health minister, will serve as acting health minister. with files from The Canadian Press larry.kusch@freepress.mb.ca carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca Carol Sanders Legislature reporter After 20 years of reporting on the growing diversity of people calling Manitoba home, Carol moved to the legislature bureau in early 2020. Read full biography Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister has officially become the pandemic poster boy for too little, too late. Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister has officially become the pandemic poster boy for too little, too late. Case in point: on Thursday the premier held a news conference on short notice to discuss two major announcements. First, new restrictions would be put in place over the long weekend to help stem the rising tide of new COVID-19 infections. And second, the province will initiate an incentive program to help motivate people to get vaccinated. As of Saturday at 12:01 a.m., all interactions with people outside household members are forbidden, even outdoors, and only one person from a household is allowed to enter a business at any one time. There's little doubt that additional restrictions were needed. Test positivity and daily case counts have skyrocketed. The hospital system is officially under water; a handful of ICU patients have been sent to northwestern Ontario. But there are two problems with Pallister's approach. First, it's way too late to introduce restrictions to curb behaviour this weekend. And second, even though the restrictions are harsher, they fall well short of a total lockdown. Non-essential businesses remain open. Provincial parks remain open. The ban on interactions outside household members is severe, but it still falls well short of a stay-at-home order that has been pro forma in other jurisdictions that have had considerably more success in controlling COVID-19. This latest tinkering with the public-health orders is a perfect example of the fatal flaw in the Pallister government's pandemic strategy, which ignores clear and unambiguous epidemiological evidence of an impending outbreak, while also tuning out the pleas from scientists and medical professionals outside government for more swift and severe action. Pallister was repeatedly warned things were going to get worse. Indeed, the government's own epidemiological modelling showed a complete lockdown was needed weeks ago to prevent us from descending into a full-blown third wave. And what did Pallister do when confronted by all this evidence and all those pleas? He and his health officials tinkered with public-health orders, slowly rolling back liberties and increasing the magnitude and scope of restrictions, even as outside experts told the premier it was futile. The only approach to successfully contain COVID-19 outbreaks is to respond with the full force of social and economic restrictions at the very first sign of surging transmissions. The jurisdictions that have used this approach have spent fewer days under any kind of restrictions, and have experienced far fewer confirmed cases and deaths. The premier, as is his way, has ignored those examples and the experts, and forged ahead with what is largely the same strategy employed last fall when the second wave of COVID-19 hit the province. The hundreds of Manitobans who died during that outbreak are a testament to both the flaws in the government's response and the premier's stubbornness. The late introduction of long-weekend restrictions is an excellent case in point. It seems as if the Pallister government is unaware that many Canadians start their May long weekend by taking off for the lake Thursday night, turning a three-day holiday weekend into a four-day mini-vacation. Ontario Provincial Police are already reporting a significant increase in Manitobans trying to bluff their way into Lake of the Woods cottage country. If that's happening on our eastern border, you can bet a lot people have already set out for cottage communities and campgrounds inside the province, unaware or possibly unconcerned about these latest restrictions. The May long weekend signals our emergence from the doldrums of winter. It is, in almost every way, a holiday built on group social interactions, and based on that fact alone, a plan of action should have been announced weeks ago. The cost of delaying this announcement could be significant. The lateness erodes support for public-health orders in general, and this government in particular. If people are breaking the rules, and there is evidence that they are, it has to be, in part, because the government has lost the ability to get people to buy into the bigger picture. The ban on interactions outside household members is severe, but it still falls well short of a stayathome order that has been pro forma in other jurisdictions that have had considerably more success in controlling COVID19. Adding to the madness of this situation is the constant assertion by Pallister, his cabinet ministers and public-health officials that our current crisis is the result of people not obeying the rules, and not the government's own laggardly and confusing behaviour. In the fictional world concocted by the Pallister government, this third wave is driven by a population that is too exhausted by the pandemic to pay attention to the fine details of public-health orders. As well, Pallister and government officials continue to claim they could not have reacted sooner because they had no way of telling that things would become this bad, this quickly. As Health Minister Heather Stefanson said repeatedly Thursday, "there is no pandemic rule book. We continue to live day by day, sometimes hour by hour." That may be an accurate description of the Pallister government's whole strategy, But with respect, there is a playbook and it has been written by countries that have successfully beaten COVID-19 back, and by science. If Pallister and his government really don't know where the playbook is now, there's a good chance they're never going to find it. dan.lett@freepress.mb.ca The Pallister government is being accused of failing to protect Manitobans, as critically ill patients are transferred to Ontario, ICUs overflow, and COVID-19 case counts hit record levels. The Pallister government is being accused of failing to protect Manitobans, as critically ill patients are transferred to Ontario, ICUs overflow, and COVID-19 case counts hit record levels. "I think everybody, to a person, is looking at this and going, Oh, my God, I cant believe that they let it get this bad,'" Dr. Anand Kumar, a medical professor and critical care physician in Winnipeg, said Thursday. "Its not something any of us ever dreamed that we would see something like this in this country. Its surreal, to be perfectly honest with you." With ICUs operating at capacity, hospital staff must decide who goes into intensive care and who does not, Kumar said. JOHN WOODS / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES "I think everybody, to a person, is looking at this and going, Oh, my God, I cant believe that they let it get this bad,'" Dr. Anand Kumar, a medical professor and critical care physician in Winnipeg, said Thursday. "There are a bunch of people that, in the past, we would have brought to the ICU because they can get better care there and make it less likely that theyll deteriorate or die. But we cant offer that to them right now," he said. "So thats being triaged as we speak, and anybody who says otherwise is lying to you." Kumar said hospitals are not triaging patients for life support. "If we dont get additional support in the immediate future, and if we become unable to transport people out of townthen triaging in that sense is a consideration," he said. "But my understanding of the plan, such as little that weve been told, is that we would never triage life support... We will ask the nurses and staff to just take care of more patients, using nursing ratios that are nuts." "Its not something any of us ever dreamed that we would see something like this in this country. Its surreal, to be perfectly honest with you." Dr. Anand Kumar Currently, staffing ratios in ICUs are anywhere from two to 2.5 patients per one nurse. The standard is one to one. News of 603 new COVID-19 cases Thursday is making everyone currently working in ICUs "extremely nervous," Kumar said. Before Manitoba Health announced the record new case count, and chief provincial public health officer Dr. Brent Roussin announced new public health orders, Premier Brian Pallister held a news conference. He told Manitobans their fate is in their own hands. "I never promised Manitobans we wouldn't go down this path," Pallister said. "I said to Manitobans numerous times, 'The future is in your hands,' and said quite clearly, 'Play defence.'" When asked how hospitals will manage in the coming weeks, Pallister said he has confidence in health leaders, no matter how grim things get. "They've assured me they have a plan," he said. "I think we're in the darkest days. "Clearly, case numbers are very, very high and unsustainably high. It's important to understand that we are availing ourselves of every tactic and technique we can possibly use, given the limitations of the resources that are always a real factor in every jurisdiction at all times but are especially evident at this point in time." When asked about the recent need to send ICU patients to Thunder Bay, Ont., for care, the premier said: "Numerous measures" have been taken prior to the pandemic "to strengthen ICU capacity and those measures have been continued to be taken and accelerated." Ontario open for patients Ontario will take as many ICU patients as Manitoba needs to send, Ontario Health's incident command interprovincial liaison says. "You can always count on us," Dr. Sean Moore said Thursday from Kenora. click to read more Ontario will take as many ICU patients as Manitoba needs to send, Ontario Health's incident command interprovincial liaison says. "You can always count on us," Dr. Sean Moore said Thursday from Kenora. The neighbouring provinces have a "longstanding relationship, with patients put first," the emergency medicine doctor said. "We've developed a very, very efficient, integrated plan to transfer critically ill patients from Manitoba to Ontario and we'll continue to do that" for as long as it's needed. The Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre has accepted three Manitoba ICU patients so far, and could take one or two more, president and chief executive officer Rhonda Crocker Ellacott said. A network of Northern Ontario hospitals including Thunder Bay, Sudbury and Sault Ste. Marie could accommodate a total of 20 Manitoba ICU patients, Crocker Ellacott said. If the closest hospitals can't take any more Manitoba patients, they'll be transferred beyond Northern Ontario to Toronto and further afield, Moore said. "We have expanding capacity throughout the province." A few pandemic "hot spots" in Ontario are getting worse, "but the majority are getting much better. It's really fortunate that our capacity is getting better at a time when Manitoba is seeing the highest numbers in Canada. We can take people right now." Carol Sanders and Katie May Close "We've offered health-care services to northwestern Ontario residents for many, many years now," estimating some 20,000 Ontarians per year travel to Manitoba for hospital services. "This is a reciprocal benefit of that good service." However, it shouldn't have come to this, says the union representing respiratory therapists caring for Manitoba ICU patients and on medical flights. "It's decisions and cuts that have been made that have brought us to this point," said Bob Moroz, president of the Manitoba Association of Health Care Professionals. "Our respiratory therapists have been struggling mightily with capacity issues, overtime, double shifts, lack of any kind of breaks," Moroz said. "I think the transfer of these patients from Manitoba into Thunder Bay, really gives a bit of a peek behind the curtain to the pressures our members have been facing." KEVIN KING / POOL When asked about the recent need to send ICU patients to Thunder Bay, Ont., for care, Premier Brian Pallister said: "Numerous measures" have been taken prior to the pandemic "to strengthen ICU capacity and those measures have been continued to be taken and accelerated." Manitoba NDP Leader Wab Kinew also had no problem singling out political opponents: "The PC government is to blame for why we're here now." Health and labour experts warned Manitoba's ICU capacity was understaffed and unprepared for a crisis, and now it's arrived, he said Thursday. The premier saying it's "reciprocal" when Manitoba sends ICU patients to Thunder Bay is a "false equivalence," Kinew told reporters. "These are two entirely different situations. When northwestern Ontarians come to Manitoba, they do so to access services that are not available in their region," Kinew said. "In this instance, Manitobans are being sent to Ontario because we ran out of the capacity to care for people." "These are two entirely different situations. When northwestern Ontarians come to Manitoba, they do so to access services that are not available in their region." NDP Leader Wab Kinew Earlier, the premier tried to reassure those Manitobans worried an ICU bed won't available if they need it. "We're doing our absolute best in an unprecedented time to provide the services that we can provide to all people who need them," Pallister said. "We've taken steps throughout this pandemic to prepare. "We introduced more severe restrictions than other provinces; we introduced better enforcement than other provinces. We have introduced very, very strenuous public health orders... in anticipation of increased need for those orders," the premier said. Manitoba may ask more provinces and the military for help with overtaxed hospitals, he said. "Nothing is off the table in respect of getting additional help." with files from Larry Kusch carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca The province will keep its public health order enforcement focused on fines, not court injunctions, even as anti-mask rallies loom and COVID-19 cases rise. The province will keep its public health order enforcement focused on fines, not court injunctions, even as anti-mask rallies loom and COVID-19 cases rise. "Enforcement matters, because right now our (infection) numbers are not good in Manitoba," Justice Minister Cameron Friesen said Thursday. "On a per capita basis we have assigned more fines than any other jurisdiction in Canada." Last week, Nova Scotia issued a court injunction aimed at preventing public gatherings that defy public health orders. The court order prohibits all protest activity during the provinces state of emergency and has come under fire by the Canadian Civil Liberties Union as "unjustifiable." Alberta Health Services was granted a pre-emptive court injunction against a planned protest by a rural cafe owner and supporters this month. "Its an idea that has been discussed. Every good idea is on the table We will continue to look at the Nova Scotia example and decide if that is right for Manitoba," Friesen said. Prodded by reporters, Friesen suggested court injunctions could make matters worse. "Its important that Manitobans have clear and coherent messages on the need to comply," he said. "At the same time, you want to make sure you arent doing something that would also incite others to start joining and adding to the numbers of these gatherings. That is all part of the strategy We are there, we are in force, we are handing out tickets, but we are thoughtful about our approach." If the province were to pursue a court injunction it would have to prove "irreparable harm" would result if it were not granted, said University of Manitoba law professor Gerard Kennedy. "Usually in public health emergencies, its not that hard to prove irreparable harm," Kennedy said. Unlike public health orders, violating a court injunction could land offenders in jail, Kennedy said, noting a court injunction removes any doubt that the action is illegal. "As of right now, you could argue that certain outdoor rallies, if they are conducted with masks and with sufficient distancing and few enough people, dont violate the health order at all. By getting the injunction, there is no more doubt about that," he said. A blanket injunction, such as the one issued in Nova Scotia, could be difficult to enforce, Kennedy said. "Saying that you cant have an anti-mask rally anywhere in Manitoba, full stop, is arguably a little too vague. Does that mean that two people cant go in front of the leg, 500 metres apart from each other and hold signs? You would have to get a little more tailored than that, because the court will not want someone to potentially go to prison for something that was insufficiently precise." with files from The Canadian Press dean.pritchard@freepress.mb.ca The Manitoba government has vaccinated more than half of the adult population against COVID-19 and is on track to hit 70 per cent by the first week of June, but Premier Brian Pallister said Thursday that will not be enough. The Manitoba government has vaccinated more than half of the adult population against COVID-19 and is on track to hit 70 per cent by the first week of June, but Premier Brian Pallister said Thursday that will not be enough. "I think we must aim higher," Pallister said. "The higher percentage of vaccinations we can achieve, the sooner we can get through this third wave." On the same day Manitoba shattered the record for COVID-19 infections and as the provinces critical-care system was pushed beyond its limit, the premier appealed to Manitobans to sign up for the shot. "Manitobans have a choice, and you have an important choice to make," Pallister said. "I respect the fact that each of you has to make that choice, but I also know that were all in this together; that youre not alone in your decision and the consequences of it." "Do it so you can see family and friends. Do it so you can have dinner and a movie Do it so you can go to church," Pallister said. "Do it for your own reasons, but do it for others as well." As of Thursday, 55.4 per cent of adult Manitobans had received at least one dose of the vaccine, placing Manitoba fifth among the provinces (excluding Quebec). Saskatchewan has vaccinated 62.4 per cent of its adult population and leads the country, outside of the territories. British Columbia and Ontario have immunized about 58 per cent of adult residents, followed by Alberta at 56.3 per cent. Quebec has stated that 51.4 per cent of its population has been immunized, despite data suggesting a higher inoculation rate. On Thursday, Pallister said achieving 75 per cent vaccination coverage in Manitoba will not be enough. "I dont think that its helpful to talk about herd immunity," Pallister said. "Some still talk about herd immunity at 75 per cent. What that means for Manitoba is we still have 400,000 people that dont have protection against COVID." Next week, the province will announce a program to encourage people to be immunized and ensure people show up for their second shots this summer. "Were forming a Team Manitoba comprised of representatives from businesses associations, community groups, many others, to gather creative ideas for how we can effectively reach out and incent Manitobans to do the right thing and get the vaccine," Pallister said, adding that such programs have been used in other jurisdictions with some success. The exact percentage of a population that needs to be vaccinated to reach herd immunity. However, experts estimate that having 70 to 75 per cent of a population fully immunized could significantly reduce spread of the virus, though more infectious variants may call for higher coverage levels. Vaccine coverage also needs to be high across demographics and geographic regions. The second dose of the vaccine is necessary to extend and increase the immune response in most people. Manitoba will begin booking second dose appointments on Friday, starting with people who have certain health conditions. On Wednesday, Manitoba administered 12,046 vaccine doses, bringing the total number of vaccinated Manitobans to 603,418, though owing to data backlogs that number may be under reported. A total of 692,301 doses have been given in Manitoba and another 14,447 appointments were scheduled on Thursday. More than 80 per cent of people 60 years of age and older have been immunized with at least one shot. Sixty-seven per cent of people age 50 to 59 and 52 per cent of people age 40 to 49 have been immunized. There are currently 129,189 doses available in the province, including about 30,700 doses that are being used for the second dose campaign on First Nations. This week, the province expected to receive 111,300 more doses and planned to administer approximately 96,731 shots between May 24 and May 30. danielle.dasilva@freepress.mb.ca Most bars or home mixologists can easily whip up this quick summer cocktail. Ben Heller, operations manager at 17th Street Barbecue in Murphysboro, Illinois, suggests pairing a quality beer with freshly squeezed lemonade. Though a traditional shandy is typically half beer and half lemonade, Heller prefers the added complexity of grapefruit. A lager will suffice in this recipe, but Heller recommends a pale ale. A little bit of hops goes well with citrus, Heller says. Just make sure the beer and lemonade are cold before you pour them into a frosted mug. Myriad versions have been invented since this drink first appeared in the 1850s, so there are plenty of options, but this recipe couldnt be simpler. Grapefruit Shandy 5 oz cold lemonade 1 oz freshly squeezed grapefruit juice 6 oz cold pale ale or lager beer lemon twist, for garnish In chilled pint glass, stir together lemonade and grapefruit juice; pour beer on top. Serve cold with a lemon twist for garnish. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-21 22:22:05|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close MOSCOW, May 21 (Xinhua) -- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Friday that both U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and he were "very frank" in their meeting on Wednesday in Iceland. Blinken listened attentively after accusing Russia of interfering in the U.S. presidential elections and launching cyber attacks on important systems, Lavrov told reporters. The U.S. side provided no evidence to prove these charges, he said. In their first meeting in the Icelandic capital of Reykjavik, Lavrov and Blinken expressed willingness to cooperate but also admitted "serious differences" amid the two countries' tense relations. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told a daily briefing on Friday that Russian and U.S. diplomats are making efforts to mend bilateral relations. He said that mutual understanding between scientists, technologists, students and visionaries can become "the foundation for normalizing ties." Enditem Discussion Participants spent another half hour asking questions and engaging in conversation after Jungs presentation. Paulson said that portion of the program was not live streamed in order to create a safer space for discussion. Kanno said hes worried about the safety of his eight grandchildren but is also optimistic. I dont think were ever going to erase racism, he said, but I think we can challenge it, and certainly people like myself and my children, if we have some economic, social, political power, were going to meet that challenge and its not going to be so pervasive, I think. Native Hawaiian Kehaulani Jones, of Baraboo, said she appreciated Jung mentioning native Hawaiians during his address because we are so often forgotten. She agreed with his message about learning to be kinder and recognizing we are all ignorant, but said she disagreed with the idea that racism cant be eradicated. I think its possible. I think once we recognize our ignorance and act accordingly, we can get rid of it. It doesnt have to exist, Jones said. One of two people facing felony burglary charges after a Delton resident called police about suspected burglars in the home was sentenced in Sauk County Circuit Court. Jessica M. Hackett, 25, of Neillsville, was found guilty of burglary after pleading no contest to the charge. A misdemeanor charge of drug paraphernalia possession was dismissed, but read in, meaning it was considered in sentencing. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} Circuit Court Judge Michael Screnock sentenced Hackett to one year in prison and three years of parole. According to Wisconsin court records, Hackett has previously been convicted of felony attempted burglary, burglary, vehicle theft and escaping from jail. A second person charged in the case, 27-year-old Cody L. Forsythe-Murdock of Reedsburg, is still facing charges of burglary and bail jumping. He recently stood mute during an arraignment April 13 and proceedings continue to be scheduled. Both were accused of breaking into a home in the E10000 block of Fern Dell Road at Pioneer Park in order to steal items from the residence. The caller said the unit had possibly been broken into and that people could still be inside. When deputies entered the residence, they called out but didnt receive an answer. After searching the home, they found Forsythe-Murdock and Hackett hiding under a couch in a storage room. The Market may be used by all students and families in the district from 2 to 4 p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, Hansen said. Though leaders expect that most of The Markets users will be students from the high school, the district will keep providing weekend snacks to elementary students and their families who have barriers to accessing The Market. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} The program will also provide elementary classroom teachers with up to 50 percent of their snacks throughout the school year and provide food for a smaller market with less perishable foods at Bartels Middle School. Most of the food at The Market will be purchased at a discount from Second Harvest Foodbank, including nonperishable items and fresh and frozen items. Its a tremendous amount of food, Hansen said of the program. Its really meant to be a way to use food thats already available to us and that everybody can use. If you have a student attending school in the district, your family can use it. Teachers will have the option to bring their classrooms into The Market from 2 to 3:15 p.m., which Hansen said she expects will help to eliminate any stigma attached to accessing the food. Teachers may also issue passes to students to go and access the food during class. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} Dodd put together a panel to discuss the municipal judge position because it was important to get a variety of opinions on who should be the next municipal judge regardless of experience. Kindschi said there are many unknowns in this position and admitted he has no experience in the court. A lack of experience is not unheard of in Wisconsin municipal courts. State statutes say the municipality decides on the qualifications. For the city of Portage municipal court judge, the only requirement is being an adult resident of either Portage or Endeavor. Kindschi laid out three goals he has for his term on the bench. The first is to maintain justice and the rule of law, the second is to respect the ordinances the village of Endeavor and the city of Portage have established and the third is to respect the defendants in the municipal court. The municipal judge seat will be on the ballot again next year and Kindschi is not sure if he will run in that race. I will be waiting to see about running for election, Kindschi said. I am committed to finishing Judge Pulsfus term, that is my goal at this point and well see about next year. Urban Data and Analytics: emerging opportunities in Johannesburg and South Africa In this blog, we explore developments in Johannesburg and South Africa relating to the use, re-use, and application of urban data. We live in an era of abundant data, but inequities and asymmetries in accessing this data have considerably stunted the collective capability to apply and re-use it for positive change. In this blog, we explore developments in Johannesburg and South Africa relating to the use, re-use, and application of urban data. In previous blogs, we demonstrated how urban data is generated, utilised and shared internally in the City of Johannesburg to support planning, investment, and decision making, as well as for reporting and documenting impact. The South African data ecosystem also comprises private-sector data suppliers. These often provide data, analytics and information in cases where the public sector does not provide data, or when the data requires specialist analysis. Examples of commonly used private data and analytics companies include: GeoterraImage, IHS Markit, Lightstone, Quantec and Municipal IQ. Certain research institutes such as the South African Cities Network (SACN) and the Gauteng City Region Observatory (GCRO), especially its Quality of Life surveys, also provide high-level urban data to city governments. Open Data Developments in South Africa City governments around the world have implemented the principle of sharing city data as a civil right through online open data platforms, with varying success e.g. New York, Raleigh NC, Nairobi. Where stable open data platforms and communities have been established, the successful use and re-use of public (and private) data have produced collaborative data partnerships and communities. These have been able to extract insights, analysis and value from data, and develop new products, technologies and insights.1 South African cities and municipalities, however, have been relatively slow to embrace open data. In 2015, the South African Cities Network (SACN) developed the South African Cities Open Data Almanac (SCODA) with the open data advocacy NPO Open Data Durban, now known as Open City Labs (OCL). SCODA was intended to be a website where city municipalities could contribute data either as a regular data dump or in real time. This did not happen as planned, and the platform today primarily maintains SACN generated data and reports. Durban shoreline, South Africa. Photo by Jason Briscoe. Some reasons for the platforms limited use include it being external to municipal control; the lack of defined objectives to host specific datasets; and concerns that data would be misused or used for commercial purposes. Without the support of participating municipalities, the two NPOs did not have the financial resources or buy-in to realise SCODAs initial intent. Additional reasons for the reluctance to adopt open data at the time included political considerations, concerns over the governments data liability, the existing relations between the private and public sector concerning data, and distrust of big data techniques because of a dearth of related skills and fear of redundancies. Furthermore, as open data in South Africa has been championed by NPOs there is an idealistic bent to existing initiatives, such that they have not explored the commercial potential of open data and how the private sector might derive benefit from such initiatives. There have been subsequent metro-led open data initiatives since, though the scope and impact of these have remained limited. Examples include eThekwini Municipalitys Durban Edge Open Data Platform. Established in 2011 by the Citys Economic Development Unit, this platform provides datasets, economic and multi-sectoral analysis and insights in publications and through interactive, analytical dashboards. Arguably a more successful open data platform is the City of Cape Towns open data portal. The portal currently offers 146 datasets; primarily spatial data, but also data relating to such diverse topics as air quality, budgets, business licenses and wastewater discharge. The platforms success can be attributed to the City taking responsibility for the data that is accessible on the platform. The data is also regularly updated and has continued to improve over time, creating a portal that is trusted, internally and externally accessible, and easy to use. Similar factors have contributed to the success of other South African open data platforms such as Municipal Money, a National Treasury Website providing Treasury data concerning municipal finances and the South Africa Data Portal by Statistics South Africa, which also provides high-level data sets. It can be argued that despite the abundance and availability of data, there remains a reluctance to adopt and embrace open-data platforms in South Africa, particularly at the municipal level. An initiative by the South African Cities Network (SACN) and the South African Council on City Data (SACCD) to identify and map actors, initiatives, and stakeholders in urban data presents a picture that is mainly dominated by government agencies, and a few established private sector and academic data providers. Stakeholder Map from the South African Council on City Data. Image credit: SACCD stakeholder mapping Conclusion The open data movement has progressed from a first wave, which focused on securing the freedom of information; through a second wave, within which governments and organisations provided open data, deepening transparency. In the current third wave, focus has shifted to greater collaboration, sharing and re-use of both public and private-sector data for evidence-based policy making, innovation, and value creation.2 This requires data stewardship within organisations, concerted capacity building, legislative and regulatory shifts, and the establishment of technologies and systems that allow for data use and re-use within an environment of responsible and ethical data use. There have been considerable shifts in South Africa, most recently with the production of the National Data and Cloud Policy which promises the development of a National Open Data Strategy. The continued development and establishment of open data portals within national and local government departments is also encouraging. Govt data canvas for South African public sector entities. Image credit: Open Data South Africa Toolkit Further information The Open Data South Africa Toolkit provides a comprehensive database of data resources in the country. President Joe Biden signed into law on Thursday a bill that is aimed at countering a rise in anti-Asian hate crimes during the coronavirus pandemic, saying the legislation is part of the nation's first step toward unity. 'I believe, with every fiber of my being, that there are simple, core values and beliefs that should bring us together as Americans. One of them is standing together against hate, against racism -- an ugly poison that has long haunted and plagued our nation,' Biden told a group of advocates, agency officials and a bipartisan group of lawmakers inside the East Room of the White House. 'Today I can say that because of all of you ... you've taken that first step.' In a sign of progress toward more normalcy since the start of the pandemic, Thursday's bill signing marked the first time a large group publicly gathered inside the White House unmasked since the start of the Biden administration. Vice President Kamala Harris, the first South Asian to serve in her role, said acts of hate are 'nothing new' and part of her 'lived experience,' telling the audience in the East Room ahead of the signing that the new law brings 'us one step closer to stopping hate, not only for Asian Americans, but for all Americans.' But she added that 'our work will not be done' following the bill signing, saying, 'Here's the truth: racism exists in America, xenophobia exists in America, anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, homophobia, transphobia-- it all exists. And so, the work to address injustice wherever it exists, remains the work ahead.' The legislation, called the Covid-19 Hate Crimes Act, will create a new position at the Justice Department to expedite review of potential Covid-19-related hate crimes and incidents reported at the federal, state or local level. It will also direct the Justice Department and Health and Human Services to work with community-based organizations to issue guidance raising awareness of hate crimes during the pandemic, and would require the attorney general to issue guidance to work with state and local law enforcement agencies to establish online reporting of them. Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement that the signing marks an 'important step toward protecting everyone in our country from acts of hate and intolerance.' 'This new law will help speed our response to hate crimes and provide resources to law enforcement to improve hate crime reporting,' Garland said. 'The law will assist law enforcement in targeting its efforts, which will help to prevent these devastating crimes and to respond efficiently and effectively to crimes, when they occur.' The legislation passed in the Senate with an overwhelming 94-1 vote in April. And earlier this month, the House voted 364-62, with all the no votes being Republicans. The bill was introduced by New York Democratic Rep. Grace Meng and Hawaii Democratic Sen. Mazie Hirono. During his remarks on Thursday, Biden thanked Democrats and Republicans, including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, for the passage of the bill. He also thanked the families of Heather Heyer and Khalid Jabara for their contributions to the legislation. The President recalled his visit to Atlanta in the wake of a series of deadly shootings at spas in the area. Eight people were killed in those shootings, six of whom were Asian women. 'We heard about the pain, their fear, anger, and all that existed in the community, feelings. They felt invisible -- not seen,' Biden said, later adding that 'the conversation we had in Atlanta is one we're hearing all across the country, that all of this hate hides in plain sight.' 'We heard out too many Asian Americans have been waking up each morning this past year, genuinely -- genuinely -- fearing for their safety,' Biden remarked, saying Asians in the US have been 'living in fear for their lives' and are being 'attacked, blamed, scapegoated, harassed during this pandemic.' 'Grandparents afraid to leave their homes even to get vaccinated, for fear of being attacked. Small business owners targeted and gunned down. Students worried about two things: Covid-19 and being bullied,' he continued. Reported hate crimes against Asians in 16 of the nation's largest cities and counties are up 164% since this time last year, according to a recent study from the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at Cal State University San Bernardino. Separately, Stop AAPI Hate, which tracks reports of racism and discrimination against Asian Americans, says it has received more than 6,000 firsthand complaints since last year. The group began tracking violence and harassment on March 19 last year as more Asian Americans were verbally and physically assaulted while erroneously being blamed for the Covid-19 pandemic. Biden called for Americans to 'speak up' about hate crimes, adding that 'silence is complicity.' He also underscored that the US is 'unique among all nations in that we are uniquely a product of a document' and not of a religion or ethnicity. 'Every time we let hate flourish we make a lie of who we are as a nation. I mean it literally. We cannot let the very foundation of this country continue to be eaten away like it has been in other moments in our history and happening again,' Biden asserted. Early in his tenure as president, Biden signed an order which established that it is the policy of his administration to condemn and denounce anti-Asian bias, specifically addressing anti-Asian bias in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. The order came in stark contrast to terminology frequently used by former President Donald Trump, GOP officials and Trump administration officials to refer to Covid-19 during Trump's time in office. The World Health Organization and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provided the official terminology for the virus in February 2020 and the global health organization also advised not to use geographic locations in naming diseases because it creates a stigma. This story has been updated with additional developments on Thursday. Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas have agreed to a ceasefire, after more than a week of conflict left hundreds dead, most of them Palestinians. The truce signals an end to the immediate bloodshed, but will likely leave both sides further apart than ever. Over 11 days, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) carried out a devastating aerial bombardment of Gaza, while the Palestinian militant group Hamas fired thousands of rockets into Israel, in violence that has underscored how elusive a longer term peace agreement has become. Israeli airstrikes killed 232 Palestinians, including 65 children, according to the Hamas-run health ministry there. At least 12 people in Israel, including two children, have been killed by Palestinian militant fire from Gaza, according to the IDF and Israel's emergency service. A senior Hamas leader told CNN that the truce, under terms brokered by Egypt, would commence at 2am local time on Friday. 'The Security Cabinet convened this evening. And accepted unanimously the recommendation of all security elements -- the Chief of Staff, the head of the Shin Bet, the Head of the Mossad, and the head of the National Security Council -- to accept the Egyptian initiative for a mutual unconditional ceasefire that will go into effect at an hour to be agreed upon later,' read the statement from the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Celebrations of the truce could be seen in Gaza and Tel Aviv following the announcement. In the early hours of Friday morning, a CNN reporter could see cars honking in the streets in joy, while a voice broadcast from a nearby mosque praised God. In Tel Aviv, the news drew a mix of reactions, from relief to skepticism. 'I think its good the ceasefire is good for humanitarian reasons to let civilians relax a little bit on both sides. I am skeptical though that it will really be kept for a while,' said 22-year-old Tzvika Geft to Reuters. 'I don't think Israel has achieved much. I mean there no ... no agreements about the future, nothing. But I guess good to have a bit of break.' Eleven days of war News of the ceasefire came with a flurry of parting shots; just moments after the ceasefire was announced and before it formally began, sirens warning of rocket attacks sounded yet again in towns and villages in Israel close to the Gaza Strip. Since the conflict began, Palestinian militants have fired more than 4,000 rockets into Israel, according to the IDF. Many have been intercepted by Israel's Iron Dome defense system. The longest lull in rocket fire from Gaza -- of more than eight hours -- took place overnight into Thursday, while Israeli military action continued. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) meanwhile have carried out a devastating aerial bombardment of Gaza, targeting Hamas' vast tunnel network and other infrastructure. Some 72,000 Gazans have been displaced, UNICEF said Wednesday. The Israeli Prime Minister's Office made clear Thursday that its military will be instructed to re-start its campaign against militant groups in Gaza if they are deemed to be failing to keep their side of the agreement. 'The political leadership emphasizes that the reality on the ground will determine any decision to resume the military campaign,' the statement said. The truce follows a whirlwind of diplomatic attempts to push for a ceasefire. US President Joe Biden and his administration had dialed up messaging on Israel over the past few days, including in Biden's fourth call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday. In hastily arranged remarks from the White House delivered one hour before the truce was due to take effect, the US President credited his administration's own 'quiet and relentless diplomacy,' along with efforts by Egypt, in arriving at the agreement. 'We've held intensive high-level discussions, hour-by-hour, literally, (with) Egypt, the Palestinian Authority and other Middle Eastern countries with an aim of avoiding the sort of prolonged conflict we've seen in previous years when the hostilities have broken out,' Biden said. Biden did not become more combative with his Israeli counterpart until recent days, when he bluntly told Netanyahu the violence needed to stop. But he did so privately, and hardly addressed the situation in person during the 11 days it raged on. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres also welcomed the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, but said more remained to be done. Guterres told reporters he wants a return to negotiations between Israel and Palestinians, and called for robust humanitarian aid distribution to residents in Gaza. 'I stress that Israeli and Palestinian leaders have a responsibility beyond the restoration of calm to start a serious dialogue to address the root causes of the conflict. Gaza is an integral part of the future Palestinian state and no effort should be spared to bring about real national reconciliation that ends the division,' he said. The Secretary General had earlier called for an immediate ceasefire in a impassioned speech in New York. 'If there is a hell on Earth, it is the lives of children in Gaza today,' he said, according to a transcript of his remarks. Hostilities between Israel and Hamas erupted after weeks of tension in Jerusalem, where a group of Palestinian families faced eviction from their homes in East Jerusalem in favor of Jewish nationalists. In addition, during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, there were a series of incidents which Palestinians saw as highly provocative, including the closing of a popular meeting place near the Old City, and the entrance of Israeli police into the Al Aqsa mosque on a number of occasions. There were regular clashes in and around the mosque compound during which police fired stun grenades and rubber coated bullets while Palestinians threw stones. Hundreds of Palestinians and some Israeli police officers were injured in the unrest. UTICA, N.Y. Utica police say a missing 17-month-old was found safely, after he couldn't be located for several hours. Utica police issued a missing persons alert for Arell Outten on Thursday afternoon. Police say the Arell was at his grandmothers house Thursday morning, when his uncle, 28-year-old Divone Outten, picked him up around 10:30 a.m., and was expected to be gone only for a short time. The family started to worry when they couldnt get in touch with Divone by 3:30 p.m., and called police. The alert was issued around 5:15 p.m. Police say the child was located Thursday evening in Amsterdam. ROME, N.Y. A convicted sex offender was arrested Thursday after allegedly raping a 12-year-old girl at a home in Rome on May 17. The sexual abuse allegation was reported to the Oneida County Sheriffs Office Child Advocacy Center on Thursday. Following an investigation, 45-year-old Steven Johnson was arrested at his residence and charged with first-degree rape. He was arraigned and remanded to the Oneida County jail without bail. An order of protection has been issued on the victims behalf, and she has been offered services through the Child Advocacy Center. Johnson is already on parole following a previous rape conviction in 2006. He is considered a Level 2 sex offender, according to the New York state registry. Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-21 23:59:29|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close DHAKA -- Instant action is needed by governments and pharmaceutical companies to fix a COVID-19 vaccine supply crisis in Asia as countries run out of stocks while suffering grim record daily death tolls, a global humanitarian organization said Friday. According to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), Nepal and Bangladesh have run out of vaccines while India and Indonesia have both vaccinated around 3 percent of their populations.(Bangladesh-IFRC-Vaccine Supply Crisis) - - - - TOKYO -- Japan's Cabinet on Friday green-lit a one-year extension of the deployment of Self-Defense Force (SDF) troops in the United Nations (UN) peacekeeping mission in South Sudan until May 31 next year, in a move that may prove to be contentious with opposition parties and the public. The Cabinet's decision was based on a resolution made in March by the UN Security Council to extend the mandate of the UN mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) by one year.(Japan-SDF-Sudan Mission) - - - - HONG KONG -- The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government Friday reiterated that it will continue to handle matters related to Hong Kong-Taiwan relations in accordance with the HKSAR Basic Law, the one-China principle as well as the Basic Principles and Policies of the Central Government regarding the Handling of Taiwan-related Matters in Hong Kong. In response to media inquiries regarding the temporary suspension of operations of the Hong Kong Economic, Trade and Cultural Office (Taiwan) (HKETCO), a spokesman for the HKSAR government said that Hong Kong-Taiwan relations are a special component of the cross-Strait relations. Since Hong Kong's return to the motherland, the HKSAR government has fostered and developed Hong Kong-Taiwan relations in a pragmatic and steady manner.(Hong Kong-Taiwan-Relations) - - - - ISLAMABAD -- Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan said on Friday that the cordial relations between Pakistan and China are growing deeper and stronger day by day. Speaking virtually at the inauguration ceremony of the Karachi Nuclear Power Plant Unit-2 (K-2), Khan said that Friday marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, and apart from the ever-strengthening bilateral ties, the people-to-people contacts have also become deep-rooted with the passage of time.(Pakistan-China-Relations) Enditem Poland, N.Y. - Renewable energy is potentially taking over space in Deerfield, that some residents deem as irreplaceable. Thursday night, over at Poland Volunteer Fire Department the Deerfield Preservation Coalition, which included about a dozen displeased residents from Deerfield and Poland, expressed their concerns about the potential building of solar farm in their neighborhoods. The Deerfield Planning Board and a solar company have been in talks to put in 14,000 solar panels across 40 acres of land near the corner of Route 8 and North Gage Rd. The Planning Board approved this project in March but due to legal action that the preservation coalition took, the Planning Board rescinded its decision for now. Residents call the solar company the "bad guys" and believe that they are taking advantage of towns like Deerfield. They also say that the Planning Board disregarded the Master Plan of the town which states that the goal of the town preserve character and charm of Deerfield and maintain its role as a residential community, commercial growth is only allowed in places that do not impact residential neighborhoods, and to ensure the integrity of the agricultural district. The Preservation Coalition plans on writing a letter to the Planning Board prevent the development of the solar panel farm. They plan to pursue legal action until they cant anymore. The Deerfield preservation group wants to present to the planning board now in order to delay the June vote. The Planning Board's next vote is Wednesday, June 9 at 6:00 pm at Deerfield Town Hall. Utica, N.Y. - New information released by Utica Police on Thursday paints a scary scene of what it was like inside Columbus Elementary School in Utica on Wednesday. Police say when a man attempted to get into the school wielding a knife Wednesday afternoon, that sent the school in lockdown and sent the school's principal and staff finding places to hide. It happened around 3:50 P.M. after students had been dismissed. Police say 33-year-old Zax Ei is a parent of a 6-year old girl who attends Columbus Elementary School and for whatever reason he was trying to get into the school using a large pocket knife to try to do damage to the main entrance door. Police say this was the second time on Wednesday Ei had been to the school. Police say he had tried to pick up his daughter before noon but was told he couldn't take her. because of an ongoing custody case and ultimately he came back later in the day after kids were dismissed. Police do not know his motive for wanting to break into the school, whether he was actually targeting someone he had come into contact with earlier in the day. The school immediately followed protocols and declared a lockdown and contacted 911. Utica Police arrived within minutes. Officers, including Chief of Police Mark Williams, attempted to speak with the Ei, however he was non-compliant and refused to remove his hands from his pockets. After several moments, it was determined that due to the threats presented and his prior actions, the officers would have to physically confront him. Police say as officers tried to take him into custody, Ei aggressively resisted arrest and a struggle ensued. After some time the he was detained, and upon searching him, a silver knife was located in the pocket where his hands were. During the course of the struggle several of police officers received minor injuries as well. Ei is facing several charges including criminal mischief, menacing, criminal possession of weapon, obstructing governmental administration, resisting arrest and petit larceny. The Utica Police Department and Utica City School District will be providing additional security in the coming days to ensure the safety of its staff and students. NEW YORK MILLS, N.Y. New York Mills Union Free School was on lockdown for a period of time Thursday after a student made a threat that was later deemed not credible. School officials say a boy made a grand threat during the lunch period while on campus. Oneida County sheriffs deputies were called to the scene to investigate, and did not find anything at the scene to indicate the threat was credible. The student was removed from the school after the threat. School officials would not provide the students name, age or grade level. The sheriff's office is not pursuing any charges at this time. Fire destroyed a house on West Linden Street in Rome, but it also spread to the neighbors house, and it was all caught on camera. "The cameras caught it all until it completely burned down. The cameras were filming as it was being burnt." Kiki Ayton explained how her son Ty was in the shower, while her other son Hunter was asleep inside the house when it caught fire. As soon as Ty saw the flames he screamed for his brother to get out. "By the time I got downstairs when I was putting my shoes on, the back door was completely engulfed and the whole kitchen area was mostly on fire too." Hunter never heard the fire alarms going off in the kitchen because he was in a deep sleep, and says his brother saved his life. "He woke me up you know. I could have died in that fire, and maybe if he wasnt there I dont know how I would have woken up." Ty Ajaun Ayton says: "The fireit was coming through the back door. It was crawling up into our room, so if I didnt wake him up it probably would have you knownot had a good ending." The boys had just escaped out the front door while their neighbor Jim Lemmerman was trying to save their house at the back door. "I kept shooting water at it until the fire department showed up because they werent even here yet." Kikis basically living out of the back of her car, but shes not looking for any charity, shes just grateful both her boys were able to escape the fire. "Now Im homeless because as you can see the Marshall put you know its unhabitable. I have a few things that I can salvage from in there, but everything else is done. Its trash, so I have to start all over and . I dont know.Im just praying for the best." Kiki and her boys are staying in a hotel for the next 2 weeks while she looks for a new place for her and her family to live. WASHINGTON (AP) Fewer Americans sought unemployment benefits last week the latest encouraging sign for the rebounding U.S. economy just as Republican-led states are moving to cut off a federal benefit for the jobless. Twenty-two states, from Texas and Georgia to Ohio and Iowa, plan to begin blocking a $300-a-week federal payment for the unemployed starting in June, according to an Associated Press analysis. Recipients have been able to receive the $300 federal benefit on top of their regular state unemployment aid. The payment, which lasts nationwide until Sept. 6, was included in President Joe Biden's $1.9 trillion financial rescue package. In addition to the 22 states that have said they will end the benefit, two more, Florida and Kansas, are considering doing so. Those 24 states all have Republican governors and state legislatures. As a result of the action, about 3.5 million people will have their benefits reduced in the coming months, according to Oxford Economics. The moves in those states to cut off federal jobless benefits coincide with a steady decline in the number of Americans seeking unemployment aid, which fell last week to 444,000, a new pandemic low, the Labor Department said Thursday. Jobless claims have now dropped in five of the past six weeks, a sign that the economy keeps strengthening as consumers spend freely again, viral infections drop and business restrictions ease. In addition to ending the extra payment, most of the same states are also withdrawing from programs that provide jobless aid to self-employed or gig workers and to people who have been unemployed for more than six months. Among them is Latricia Hampton, who worries that without the $300 weekly federal check, she will fall behind on her mobile phone and internet bills. Those smaller bills are what Im going to have to get rid of, said Hampton, 40, who lives in Gary, Indiana. That might not sound like much to some people, but thats another barrier to me finding work. Thats my kids who cant do schoolwork at home on the computer." Hampton had worked at a hair salon near Gary until last April, when it shut down because of the pandemic. Now, she spends hours a day applying for jobs on her phone but has yet to make it past the interview stage. She also has had trouble finding jobs that fit with her two young children's schedules, who are 4 and 8. "Its not like I can just go pick up a job at McDonalds, and thatll solve my problems, she said. I have two young kids. They need me, and when Im not there, they need to be cared for. Im a working-class single parent. We still need help in this pandemic, not pushed off the edge of a cliff and told to fly again. About 16 million people were receiving unemployment benefits during the week ending May 1, the latest period for which data is available, the government said Thursday. That is down from 16.9 million in the previous week, and it suggests that some Americans who had been receiving aid have found jobs. In Oklahoma, Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt said this week that the state will end the federal benefit on June 26. That was unhappy news for Gilbert Cruz and his wife, Marrissa Enloe-Cruz, whose graphic design company in Tulsa has suffered a collapse in business since the pandemic struck. Both received jobless aid under the program for self-employed. Now, theyre unsure what theyll do, especially because theyre uneasy about sending their 7-year-old son back to school before being vaccinated. Its going to mean picking and choosing what bills to pay, or getting behind on things, Enloe-Cruz said. It will mean whether or not were able to put food on the table. Eliminating the $300-a-week payment is one of several measures that states have taken to restrict or eliminate jobless aid and press more recipients to seek work. That trend gained momentum after the April jobs report, released earlier this month, showed that employers added far fewer jobs than expected, in part because many couldnt find enough workers. Research suggests that roughly half the unemployed are receiving more income from jobless benefits, when you include the weekly $300 federal supplement, than their former jobs paid them. An analysis by Bank of America found that people who earned under $32,000 at their old jobs are likely now receiving more in unemployment aid than they did from working. Yet some point to the steady decline in the number of Americans receiving jobless benefits as evidence that most of the unemployed are still willing to take jobs when they're available. Todays data indicates that unemployment aid is not keeping workers on the sidelines," said Andrew Stettner, a senior fellow at The Century Foundation. Emergency unemployment aid is doing what it is meant to do: Serving as a temporary lifeline while workers search for and return to work. In July last year, four months after the pandemic tore through the economy, roughly twice as many people as now 32 million were receiving some form of unemployment benefit, though that figure was likely inflated by fraud. As recently as late February this year, about 20 million people were receiving aid. Even so, 19 states say they will also cut off all benefits for the self-employed and gig workers, who became newly eligible for jobless aid under a relief package that was enacted in March last year. They will also drop out of a federal program for people who have been out of work for more than six months. Those moves will end all benefits for approximately 3.6 million of the nearly 16 million people receiving aid about one in four of current recipients according to the Century Foundation. In addition, 35 states have reinstated a requirement that jobless aid recipients search for work in order to keep receiving benefits. That requirement had been suspended at the start of the pandemic, when many businesses were closed and Americans were encouraged to stay at home. In Dayton, Ohio, work evaporated for Terri Ashman, a house painter, and her husband, Steve, a remodeler, after the pandemic hit in March of last year. They struggled to obtain unemployment benefits because of delays that resulted from a flood of applicants that overwhelmed many state workforce agencies. Eventually, they did receive aid and began to save money, in part because of the $300-a-week federal payment. By then, they had moved in with Terri's mother after a period of homelessness. They now have nearly the entire $8,000 payment they need for their new home in Celina, near Dayton. They are required to pay a years rent because of their credit problems. But the two have little else saved and were counting on the continued federal payments through September to pay bills. Terri Ashman, 54, just received her second coronavirus vaccine shot, but she struggles with asthma and high blood pressure. She said she is willing to work even minimum wage jobs. But first she needs to get back on her feet. We finally were almost able to crawl out of this hole, she said. Without (the $300), we're going to be living on the edge of the cliff. ____ AP Writers Sean Murphy in Oklahoma City and Andrew Welsh-Huggins in Columbus, Ohio, contributed to this report. Some of the more than 60 cats brought in to the Woonsocket Animal Shelter are being properly cared for by Animal Control Officer Jackie Michalowski. If you wish to adopt any of the cats please call 401-265-2057 or email her at aco@woonsocketri.org. Shell Philippines Exploration BV holds 45 percent operating interest in Service Contract 38 (SC38), which includes the producing Malampaya gas field. It provides 30 percent of the energy needs for Philippines. Shown here is Shell's Malampaya gas-to-power project phase-3. (File Photo) HAGUE, NETHERLANDS: Shell Petroleum NV said it has signed an agreement with Malampaya Energy XP Pte Ltd (a subsidiary of Udenna Corporation), for the sale of its 100 percent shareholding in Shell Philippines Exploration BV (SPEX). SPEX holds a 45 percent operating interest in Service Contract 38 (SC38), which includes the producing Malampaya gas field. The base consideration for the sale is $380 million, with additional payments of up to $80 million between 2022 to 2024 contingent on asset performance and commodity prices. The transaction is targeted to complete by the end of 2021. Since it began commercial operations in 2002, Malampaya has supplied a significant portion of the Philippines energy demand and it will continue powering the country with indigenous gas following a safe transition of the asset and its experienced workforce, said Wael Sawan, Shells upstream director. Todays announcement is consistent with Shells efforts to shift our upstream portfolio to one that is focused on nine core positions. SPEX staff will continue their employment under the new ownership, providing continuity and contributing to ongoing operational reliability and safety. Malampaya and its staff have made significant contributions to the Philippines and are expected to continue playing an important role in providing energy for the Philippines. This deal has no impact on other Shell businesses in the country. Shell will continue to pursue opportunities in the Philippines where it can leverage its global expertise in line with its strategy, it said. Worldofchemicals News President Joe Biden has become increasingly impatient with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu following a blunt phone call May 19 in which the US President set a deadline for violence to ease between Israel and Hamas. Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-22 01:20:52|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close UNITED NATIONS, May 21 (Xinhua) -- United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday urged the Group of 20 (G20) countries to take the leading role in ending the COVID-19 pandemic by partnering with the United Nations. "I urge G20 countries, in collaboration with the United Nations, to assume a strong leadership role in ending this devastating global pandemic," the UN chief told the Global Health Summit, a virtual daylong conference aimed at coordinating worldwide efforts against the COVID-19 pandemic. Speaking about the global effort to contain the virus, the top UN official said that grossly unequal access to vaccines, tests, medicines and supplies, including oxygen, have left poorer countries at the mercy of the virus. "Recent surges of COVID-19 in India, South America and other regions have left people literally gasping for breath before our eyes," he said. "The pandemic is still very much with us, thriving and mutating," he warned. Guterres said that vaccinating quickly and thoroughly around the world, together with continued public health measures, are the only way to end the pandemic and prevent more dangerous variants from gaining a foothold. "But so far, more than 82 percent of the world's vaccine doses have gone to affluent countries. Just 0.3 percent have gone to low-income countries," he said. "The G20's Rome Declaration is a significant step to provide equal access to vaccines. But we need a follow-up mechanism, backed by the political will to translate the declaration into a global vaccination plan," said the secretary-general. "We have many initiatives. But we must make sure that they add instead of subtract. We must make sure that there is a coordination at those different initiatives, some of them just announced today," he added. "I repeat my call for the G20 to set up a Task Force that brings together all countries with vaccine production capacities, the World Health Organization, the ACT-Accelerator partners and international financial institutions, able to deal with the pharmaceutical companies and other key stakeholders," he continued. The Task Force should address equitable global distribution by using the COVAX facility, said the secretary-general. "It should aim to at least double manufacturing capacity by exploring all options, from voluntary licenses and technology transfers to patent pooling and flexibility on intellectual property rights." "The G20 Task Force should be co-convened at the highest levels by the major powers who hold most of the global supply and production capacity, together with the multilateral system," said Guterres. "We are at war with the virus. And if you are at war with the virus, we need to deal with our weapons with rules of a war economy, and we are not yet there. And this is true for vaccines, and it is true for other components in the fight against the virus," he added. According to the UN chief, by now, COVAX should have delivered 170 million doses around the world. But due to vaccine nationalism, limited production capacity and lack of funding, that figure is just 65 million. "I call on G20 countries to lead by example and contribute their full share of funding," he said. "A global coordinated effort on vaccines can end this pandemic," said the secretary-general. "The world needs political commitment at the highest level to take internationally coordinated, cross-cutting measures and transform global pandemic preparedness." "Together, we can, and we must build a healthier, safer, fairer and more sustainable world," the UN chief stressed. Enditem The 2017 death of Maggie Long, an Asian American teen whose body was found in her Colorado home, is now being investigated as a possible hate crime by the FBI. CNN affiliate KMGH reports. The school year draws to a close on unsteady footing at Montgomery Public Schools (MPS) in Alabama. Over the past year, courageous teachers protested the premature, unsafe reopening of school buildings, beginning in October, with no aid from the local Alabama Education Association (AEA). Between November 2020 and January 2021, eight MPS educators died from COVID-19, forcing the school board and superintendent to temporarily concede to fully remote teaching and learning. Beyond the direct attacks on teachers lives, the push to turn public schools into privately run charter schools has deepened over the past year. In response to these developments, a group of educators in Alabama launched the Alabama Educators Rank-and-File Safety Committee, wholly independent of the unions and both big business parties. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer) With summer break less than two weeks away, teachers and parents remain in the dark about the districts plans for summer school and the fall semester. A teacher, whose name will be changed at her request, spoke to the World Socialist Web Site about the latest developments. They told us there is a teacher shortage, but just pink-slipped a whole bunch of teachers. A pink slip is when they dont renew your contract. They could pink-slip them over summer just so they dont have to pay them, and then hire them back in August. The teachers are very upset, but some people feel like its freeing, because this year has shown them that they are not appreciated, said Clare. There will be summer school, but we dont know how. Theyre also having an enrichment program for students to catch up from learning loss. Will they put them all together in person or online? We dont know yet. Also, they are incentivizing teachers and workers to come and work for summer schools with $50 an hour paycafeteria, custodian, teachers. Imagine, for a custodian thats more money than theyve ever seen. MPS is using the $129 million in CARES Act money but not to retrofit schools. The money was supposed to be used to make the schools safe, not to pay people to come into the schools that theyre not making safe. Clare spoke of the continued difficulty of teaching students both remotely and in-person at the same time. She said, Im teaching sun-up to sun-down. Some days we get a break and some days we dont, maybe 30 minutes. Just enough time to eat lunch. Some parents are not available to talk until evening or afterwards, so I have to be available and working 24 hours a day. Im having a hard time getting everything done. Also, the program we use to teach online, the server now crashes on a regular basis. It may crash during school time, so Im not able to teach. Or after school, as Im putting in all the grades, it crashes and I have to do it over again. The coronavirus remains a deadly and widespread threat in Alabama, as in the rest of the United States and world, despite the politically-motivated moves by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to normalize the pandemic and mass death by releasing guidelines last week that allow vaccinated individuals to not wear masks indoors. One independent Alabamian, Frank McPhillips, created a blog to monitor the states COVID-19 cases. Franks Alabama COVID Newsletter posted on May 15 about an alarming increase in the states daily COVID-19 cases. The figures he cites are confirmed by the official data released by the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH). For the week of May 15, Alabama was one of two states, along with its neighbor Mississippi, where new daily COVID-19 cases increased from the week prior. The average decline in new daily cases across the US was 21 percent, while Alabamas cases increased by 99 percent. Excluding backlogs, the seven-day moving average of new daily cases in Alabama jumped to 831, more than doubling from 329 three days prior. The increase was uniform across the states counties, with the 10 most populous counties in the state showing a double, or even triple, increase compared to the counties prior seven-day averages. In Jefferson County (Montgomery), on May 15 the new daily case rate was 658, compared to the prior seven-day average of 187. Franks Alabama COVID Newsletter notes that as of May 18, Alabama is now averaging 16.8K doses administered per day, a 19% decrease compared to the week before. It has given at least one dose to 40.7% of the States eligible (12 and older) population, which ranks 49th in the nation. With 541,000 confirmed cases, at minimum 11 percent of the states population has been infected with COVID-19. Experts agree that cases in the US and worldwide, which would include individual states, are vastly underreported. Alongside the continued spread of the virus, MPS administrators are trying to suppress information about COVID-19 cases in schools. Clare reported that teachers across the district are aware of COVID-19 cases not being reported. In her school, after two students tested positive for coronavirus after falling ill, the principal tried to prevent the cases from being reported. The school nurse, once informed by other staff, did report the cases to the Alabama Department of Health. This is not unique to Clares school though, as she has spoken with teachers elsewhere who have seen the same thing. Its going on in all of the schools. I hear it from other teachers, other staff workers. Its coming from all areas. Additionally, the level of contact tracing has been further reduced. They are saying now that we wont contact trace if there is a possibility of a case. It has to be proven by a positive test. If the student is sent home with symptoms, they wont contact trace until the parents get the student tested. An immigrant student at Clares school was sent home sick, with the school telling his parents to get him tested. The family was charged $125 for the COVID-19 test. The effect of waiting for a positive test result means the virus can spread for days between the time a child becomes sick and getting results back. The child has already been around everybody. You have no contact tracing for days. Alabama, like many states across the US, is taking advantage of the green light by the latest CDC mask guidelines to cut back both on public health measures and on pandemic unemployment assistance. The states mask mandate expired on April 9, weeks before the CDC guidelines were even released, despite the states dismal vaccination numbers. Speaking to the priorities of the ruling class, Republican Governor Kay Ivey declared, Alabama is open for business. Alabama classrooms are open for students. Yall, Alabamians are getting back to living. Birmingham is the only city to still require masks in public. Ivey also announced earlier this month that on June 19 the state would end participation in the four federal pandemic unemployment programs, which give a meager $300 per week to workers unemployed due to the pandemic. Explicitly advocating for pandemic policy based on the interests of the business elite, Ivey said, As Alabamas economy continues its recovery, we are hearing from more and more business owners and employers that it is increasingly difficult to find workers to fill available jobs, even though job openings are abundant. Commenting on the announcement, Clare remarked that the message being sent is screw you if youre sick. Businesses are having a hard time hiring people. Well, they wouldnt have a hard time hiring people if they paid them correctly and protected them correctly. This is a crack of the whip to get back to work. Such a message is familiar to teachers, who have been left to figure it out throughout the past year. Clare noted that the message that MPS has conveyed during this time is, Dont complain and dont say anything. Teachers are literally disgusted with the profession after this year. I hear people saying, I hate what I do now, I never did before. Theyre crying because theyre having to leave a profession they love or used to. Teachers are in the most underpaid position. And now weve endured disrespect, mistreatment and death. As for Clare, who suffers from long-term complications from a COVID-19 infection likely contracted at work, the district will not allow paid time off to go to the necessary doctor appointments. She commented, The job screws you over by making you go to work when you were sick, and now is penalizing you by telling you you will not be allowed to use COVID relief to take care of long-term symptoms. But you have to go to the doctor because youre sick. I also need to pay my bills. Another important development in Montgomery is the continued push to convert public schools in the district into charter schools. Bellingrath Middle School in Montgomery and Ivy Classical Academy in Prattville, a suburb of Montgomery, received $1.5 million and $1 million in grants respectively to fund the charter projects. Both schools are scheduled to open as charter schools in the fall of 2022. The grants were awarded by New Schools for Alabama, a charter school support organization as listed on its website, which itself received $25 million in grants from the federal Department of Educations Office of Innovation for the purpose of establishing 15 charter schools in Alabama over a five-year period. Montgomerys Davis Elementary is also slated to open as a charter school in fall 2021, and received $1.5 million in grants. As the WSWS has previously noted, the funds being used to convert public schools into privately-managed charter schools could have been used to retrofit the public school buildings, which are plagued with mold, mildew, vermin and antiquated air systems, and to fund social support services for students, both of which are desperately needed. Alabama educators, parents and all workers have a continued and difficult fight ahead of them against the government and business elites efforts to force the population to accept the pandemic, the cutting off of essential financial assistance for the unemployed and the continued attacks on public education. This fight cannot be won within the framework of the corporatist trade unions, which have colluded with national, state and local governments to force workers back to deadly jobs. We urge Alabama educators, parents and students to join and help build the Alabama Educators Rank-and-File Safety Committee to carry forward a genuine struggle in defense of lives and public education! Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-22 01:25:47|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close KUWAIT CITY, May 21 (Xinhua) -- Kuwait launched on Friday an urgent relief campaign to support the Palestinian people. The campaign was organized by Kuwait's Ministry of Social Affairs in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and some charity associations. The campaign started on Friday afternoon with the participation of more than 31 charitable societies who inaugurated a website to raise funds aiming to rebuild Gaza after the bombing attacks. About 2 million Kuwaiti dinars (about 6.65 million USD) from more than 48,000 people were raised in the first several hours of the campaign. According to Hanaa Al-Hajery, Social Development Assistant undersecretary in the Ministry of Social Affairs, this campaign comes within the framework of cooperation to support the Palestinian people. It was initiated as the Kuwaiti government decided to back the Palestinians after the recent events in Jerusalem and Gaza, Al-Hajery said. Enditem An anti-democratic and racist ban imposed by the Australian government, blocking its own citizens seeking to return from the coronavirus catastrophe in India, is claiming victims with a Sydney man dying in a Delhi hospital last Sunday. The tragic news came as Prime Minister Scott Morrison admitted this week, for the first time, that there are more than 11,000 Australian citizens stranded in India who want to leave. His Liberal-National Coalition government had previously given hazy estimates of around 9,000 in that dire plight. Those earlier figures were accompanied by assertions that 900 of the citizens were classified as vulnerable, meaning they would be at significant risk of succumbing to COVID-19 infection. The new total figure of citizens trapped in India means it is likely that there are more than a thousand in the vulnerable cohort. The government has given no indication of how many of them have been infected or hospitalised, and it is not even clear that such tallies are being kept. The 2,000 or so people who were not previously included in the official figures have presumably been given no assistance, even of a token character, by the Australian authorities. Hundreds, or even thousands, may already have contracted a potentially-deadly disease, under conditions in which their ability to access any treatment, amid the breakdown of Indias hospital system, is in doubt. Govind Kant [Credit: Trina Solar] The death of the Sydney man, Govind Kant, was announced by his family and reported in the press earlier this week. Kants passing has provoked substantial anger on social media, especially from Australias large Indian community. Thus far, however, not a single corporate publication has published an editorial or prominent comment on the significance of his death. Labor and the other opposition parties have not made any great issue of the tragic fatality. The muted reaction from the political and media establishment is aimed at covering for the Morrison government. Kants death was not an accident or the result solely of the lethal characteristics of COVID-19. He was the victim of an Australian government policy that was all but guaranteed to result in death. The callous government blockade on citizens returning from India amounts to criminal negligence of an almost homicidal character. If the actions of a private citizen so blatantly resulted in a fatality, the question under discussion would be whether they should be charged with murder or manslaughter. Kants death followed increasingly urgent demands from medical experts for the government to lift the blockade. Two days before his passing, Associate Professor Adam Kamradt-Scott, a global health security expert, told the Age: We should be bringing them home, full stop. The risk is that they will succumb to the illness and die. On the same day, Sunny Joura, another Australian citizen stranded in India, bluntly declared: If I die, the Australian government will be responsible. The government has flatly rejected all of the warnings, declaring that its blockade is proportional and appropriate. In comments dripping with cynicism and contempt for the disastrous consequences of his governments policies, Morrison responded to Kants death by stating that India is a dangerous place its a tragedy when we lose an Australian anywhere, and sadly that happens all around the world when people are in dangerous places. So I feel for the family, but it is not a safe place. The ban was imposed on April 30, when Health Minister Greg Hunt activated draconian provisions in the Biosecurity Act. Hunt explicitly threatened anyone who sought to circumvent the blockade with criminal prosecution, resulting in fines of up to $66,000, and five years imprisonment. The ban formally elapsed on May 15, but the government has merely continued it in another form. Only one repatriation flight has so far transported citizens from India to Australias Northern Territory. The flight had been allocated 150 passenger capacity. But it travelled with only 77 after 42 tested COVID-19 positive, and another 31 were deemed close contacts and blocked from the plane. It has since emerged that the testing entity that Australian airline Qantas is using recently failed a certification test. Some of those who tested positive and were barred from the flight later returned a negative result. In any event, the government has insisted that no citizens who test positive will be repatriated. Australian High Commissioner to India Barry OFarrell stated last weekend that those stricken with the disease would have to deal with the COVID that they have or continue to isolate to prove that they dont have COVID. Such was Kants fate. He was a 47-year-old businessman, whose story appears to be common among many of the stranded citizens. Kant travelled to India in early April, to attend the funeral of his mother. He sought to leave the country in mid-April but was unable to get a flight. He reportedly succeeded in booking an April 24 flight, but by then had contracted the virus and been admitted to a Delhi hospital. Kant died several weeks later on May 16. The government travel ban has claimed other victims. Sydney woman Sonali Ralhan has told SBS news that her 59-year-old father, an Australian permanent resident, died on 5 May in a private New Delhi hospital after contracting COVID-19. Ralhan stated that both of her parents had been seeking to leave India since late last year but had been unable to book a flight. She wrote on Facebook that she was highly disappointed to be an Australian citizen, and highlighted the plight of her mother, who remains trapped in India. Now all I have left is my mother, who has been abandoned by her own government of Australia, Ralhan wrote. Another 51-year-old Australian citizen Sunil Khanna perished late last month after contracting COVID in India. He reportedly died on April 29, a day before the travel ban was imposed. If Australian authorities were aware of his passing, it means they responded to the tragedy by implementing a blockade that condemns thousands more to the possibility of the same fate. The brutal blockade has highlighted the criminally-negligent and profit-driven response of the Australian ruling elite to the pandemic. While the country has recorded fewer infections and deaths than many other parts of the world, the health and safety of ordinary people, has repeatedly been subordinated to the interests of the corporate elite. One of the factors leading to the imposition of the ban was the shambolic character of Australias hotel quarantine. Except for one centre in the Northern Territory, all returnees are still being sent to private hotels in the major cities, which are incapable of preventing airborne transmission and lack medical facilities. The hotels, which have been the source of a spate of outbreaks, continue to be staffed by untrained, low-paid, casual staff who are often compelled to work multiple jobs because of the poverty-level wages. While nothing is being done to resolve the quarantine problems, and the de facto Indian travel ban remains in place, prominent politicians and corporate executives have initiated a campaign for a hasty resumption of international travel. Jayne Hrdlicka, the CEO of Virgin, one of Australias two largest airlines, sparked public outrage this week when she insisted that border restrictions would need to be lifted immediately, even if people may die. Those who are spearheading the campaign for the resumption of travel are flying the false flag of opening Australias borders. But to a man, they have supported the ban on Australian citizens returning from India. In other words, they want an end to border restrictions for the wealthy political and business elite, and an end to any impediment on profit-making activities, but are happy to erect a barrier to citizens requiring evacuation and urgent medical care. The situation again demonstrates that the pandemic cannot be tackled within the framework of the capitalist profit-system. Governments around the world are providing only a pittance to India and other historically-oppressed countries that are being battered by the resurgence of COVID-19. At the same time, the ruling elites are rushing to lift the few safety restrictions and lockdown measures that remain, creating the conditions for a further spread of the coronavirus, and ever-greater levels of illness and death. We, the Amazon workers of the BWI2 Independent Rank-and-File Committee, voice our support for, and are in agreement with, the International Committee of the Fourth Internationals April 24 statement calling for the building of the International Workers Alliance of Rank-and-File Committees (IWA-RFC). We send our greetings to other workers across the globe involved in the struggle to protect themselves and their families from the capitalist system and the sacrifice of lives for profit during the pandemic. As the speakers at the ICFIs International Online May Day Rally demonstrated, the experiences of working people are mirrored throughout the globe. Though our languages and cultures may be different, our struggles are the same. We endorse the call for the IWA-RFC because workers need a collective voice to speak through. Without it, we have nothing. We are vulnerable to whatever the capitalist system wishes to do to us. The pandemic has revealed just how interconnected society is. Whether it is in schools, hospitals, factories, transportation, logistics, retail or food services, the pandemic has revealed how essential we are to one another. Baltimore Amazon warehouse (Source: GovPics) In contrast, the billionaire capitalists who profit from our labor are not only inessential, they are downright harmful. In the case of Amazon, the internet retail and shipping giant, tens of thousands of Amazonians in the United States alone have come down with COVID-19. Some have died. The BWI2 Rank-and-File Committee and the World Socialist Web Site International Amazon Workers Voice have regularly spoken up for our fellow Amazonians. When Poushawn Brown, a 38-year-old Amazon worker in Northern Virginia, died mysteriously after working in Amazons COVID-19 testing department, our committee was the only organization to issue a statement demanding that the truth about this tragedy be revealed. Our committee demands: The release of all information relating to the death of Poushawn Brown, including job requirements, on-site interactions and potential exposures. This should include internal company communications and deliberations about how it should respond to Browns death. Full financial and medical support for the Brown family, paid for by Amazon. All the claims that Amazon is a generous and even progressive employer are lies. Amazon has clawed back basic safety precautions and hazard pay bonuses throughout the pandemic, even as things have gotten worse and the corporation has made record profits from the increased need for shipping and delivery. A study put out late last year discovered that Amazons profits were so great that the corporation could have quadrupled our hazard pay and still had money left over. Amazons former CEO Jeff Bezos is currently the worlds richest human in terms of personal wealth. We solidify ourselves with the ICFI and agree with its position that a true workers organization will strive to unify workers in a common worldwide struggle, opposing every effort by capitalist governments and the reactionary proponents of the innumerable forms of national, ethnic and racial chauvinism and identity politics to split up the working class into warring factions. This is not the attitude of the official bureaucratic organizations calling themselves trade unions in the United States. In Bessemer, Alabama, the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU) is recoiling from an election defeat in which Amazonians at the BHM1 fulfillment center voted two-to-one to reject its advances. Amazonians in Alabama rejected the RWDSU even after the union gained unprecedented support and endorsements from figures such as the Democratic President of the United States, Joseph Biden as well as a number of prominent Democratic and Republican politicians. In its organizing drive, the RWDSU did not appeal to workers as a class. It appealed to workers at the BHM1 warehouse, which has a majority African American workforce, in racial terms. It did this while refusing to raise a single demand of Amazon to improve conditions at the warehouse. So poor are the conditions for Amazon workers that one month after the vote concluded, a worker died at the BHM1 warehouse. The RWDSU, which is appealing its election loss at BHM1, didnt so much as issue a statement about it! Furthermore, we reject with contempt the efforts of President Joe Biden and his administration as well as the Democratic Party to target us Amazonians for a top-down unionization drive, which sought to pit us against our fellow workers throughout the world. In recent comments, both President Biden and Republican Senator Marco Rubio, a supporter of the RWDSUs campaign, have advocated for trade war against China. In comments last month, President Biden stated that the United States must win the 21st century in a competition against China. He claimed that the latter was deadly earnest about becoming the most significant and consequential nation in the world. Comments like these do nothing for workers, but divide them from each other in a race to the bottom. The official trade unions support these efforts. Rather than support such a stunt, we hereby affiliate the BWI2 Independent Rank-and-File Safety Committee with the IWA-RFC, and call for our fellow Amazon workers to do the same. The Israeli armed forces bloody slaughter of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip has provoked criticisms in Moscow, Beijing and Tehran. These statements, however, only underscore the class gulf separating the sentiments of billions of workers, horrified at the Israeli onslaught against the defenseless enclave, and the mealy-mouthed positions of capitalist regimes across Eurasia. The Kremlin, which has close ties with Israel, struck a hypocritical pose of neutrality between Israel and Gaza, calling for the so-called Middle East Quartetcomprised of the United Nations, the United States, the European Union and Russiato negotiate a peace deal. Children wave Palestinian flags during a protest supporting the children in Gaza, in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Thursday, May 20, 2021. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser) Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said, We condemn attacks from both sides, targeting residential areas. We believe the international community must not be indifferent to what is happening. There is the Quartet of international mediators who are directly obliged to contribute to the solution of the Palestinian question. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov warned that the Israeli attack could trigger a broader war. Stating that Moscow is extremely concerned about the increasing number of human casualties, he euphemistically declared, In general, the region has a rather fragile security system, a huge lack of mutual trust, and a long-standing potential for regional conflicts, which does not contribute to stabilization. Israel dismissed an announcement by the Russian foreign ministry that it had called in Israeli diplomats on Wednesday to say that further civilian casualties in Gaza are unacceptable. It responded with a statement that it would set no timeframe for ending the attacks on Gaza. As for Beijing, it appealed to Washington to negotiate with Israel. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi asked Washington to shoulder its responsibilities, taking a just position in Sundays UN Security Council debate on Palestine. Yi also warned against military escalation, calling to prevent the situation from further deteriorating, to prevent the region from falling again into turmoil. Significantly, Yi also indicated that China could host Israeli-Palestinian talks, stating: China reiterates its invitation to peacemakers from Palestine and Israel to come to China for dialogue, and welcomes negotiators from Palestine and Israel to hold direct talks in China. Yi refrained from asking Israel to immediately halt the slaughter, however, only asking that it end the blockade and the siege of Gaza as soon as possible, guarantee the safety and rights of civilians in the occupied Palestinian territory, and provide access for humanitarian assistance. When Beijings appeals to Washington failed, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian complained Tuesday that US vetoes paralyzed the Security Council. People cannot help asking whether this is the diplomacy of values and human rights the US government has announced. Why has the US been so callous about the Palestinian peoples human rights while it keeps talking about upholding Muslims human rights? This was apparently a discreet reference to the staggering hypocrisy of Washingtons backing for Israels war on Gaza, while it mounts a campaign of lies accusing Beijing of carrying out a genocide of Muslim Uyghurs in western China. Complaining that the US focus has completely shifted to major-power competition, Chinas state-run Global Times criticized Washington, remarkably, for not being involved in the Middle East: In order to focus on China and Russia, Washington is eager to retreat from the Middle East and does not want to invest in new energy and resources for the sake of Palestine-Israel peace. But Washington must be made to know that justice cannot be buried alive. In fact, imperialist wars in the Middle East in the three decades since the Soviet and Chinese Stalinist bureaucracies restored capitalism in 1989-91 have made one thing clear. It is pointless to appeal to US or European imperialism for justice. Since the Stalinist dissolution of the Soviet Union removed the main military counterweight to Washington, they have waged aggressive wars for regime change, including in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Syria, leaving millions dead and entire societies shattered. In particular, they have repeatedly given unstinting support to one-sided Israeli massacres in Gaza in 2009, in 2012, in 2014 and now in 2021. Chinas economic rise as a cheap-labor haven for transnational corporations has of course increased its influence in the region. The Global Times reported that China is now the Arab countries largest trading partner, with a yearly trade volume of nearly $240 billion, as China imports 250 million tons of crude oil from them. The Jerusalem Post called China-Israel trade a marriage made in heaven, growing from $50 million to $13.1 billion from 1992 to 2017, making China Israels third-largest trading partner. China even recently signed a $400 billion, 25-year trade deal with Iran. US imperialism remains the dominant financial and military power in the region, however, and it has backed Israeli attacks against Gaza. This underlies the bankruptcy of any perspective to defend Gaza that does not rely on mobilizing international opposition in the working class to imperialism and war. While there is deep opposition in the Israeli, American and international working class to social inequality and the politically criminal official handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, Moscow, Beijing and Tehran are incapable of and hostile to appealing to such sentiments. The Russian, Chinese and Iranian regimes fear growing working class opposition at home. Beijing is preparing a deeply unpopular increase in the pension age, even as over 400 billionaires in China have collectively amassed over US$2 trillion in wealth. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani noted that his regime is terrified that amid the pandemic, people, facing hunger, poverty and unemployment, would go into the streets. The Iranian regime felt compelled to make more critical statements on Gaza, amid pro-Palestinian protests in Tehran and mounting anger across the Middle East. The war in Gaza follows US and Israeli provocations against Iran, including murderous sanctions on critical health supplies amid the COVID-19 pandemic and Israels criminal attacks on Irans uranium enrichment facility at Natanz. After Israelis struck the Qatari Red Crescent building in Gaza, the Qatari Foreign Ministry condemned Tel Aviv on Monday. Moreover, Turkeys state-run Anadolu Agency reported that its photojournalist Mohammad Dahla was injured on Wednesday by an Israeli missile in Gaza, after two Anadolu Agency journalists were injured while covering Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip last week. Israel also bombed a media center housing AP and Al Jazeera operations in Gaza. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani told Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that Palestine is the most important common issue of the Islamic community in a Sunday phone call. According to the IRNA news agency, he said that confronting the crimes against Palestine and immediately stopping killing oppressed and defenseless people is critical, adding, Islamic states should cooperate to utilize the capacity of international bodies such as the United Nations and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to confront the Zionist regimes aggression. Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif reportedly canceled a scheduled visit to Vienna after Israeli flags were hoisted on government buildings to show support for the Israeli war. He tweeted: As US-made munitions rain down on innocent Palestinians, US gives another $735M in precision missiles to Israel to kill more children with more precision. Zarif also criticized reactionary regional regimes, including Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco, who have normalized relations with Israel, saying: The massacre of Palestinian children today follows the purported normalization. Tehran is, however, in talks to restore relations with Saudi Arabia, a key architect of this normalization and a leading ally of the Israeli government. This underscores the cynicism of Iranian policy and the urgent necessity of building an international antiwar movement based on a socialist program in the international working class to halt the attacks on Gaza. The massive COVID-19 outbreak at Canadian Natural Resources Horizon oil tar-sands worksite in northern Alberta claimed another workers life Tuesday, bringing the publicly acknowledged death toll among the workforce to three. With the local health system collapsing, the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo, where the Horizon mine and most other Canadian oil tar-sands operations are located, declared a local state of emergency late last month. Since then infections and deaths have continued to surge. CNRLs Horizon oil tar sands operation (Wikipedia) The latest victim was a worker in his 60s, who had two children and seven grandchildren. He had been employed at CNRLs Horizon site as a pipefitter from late March. Alberta has been ravaged by a third wave of the pandemic directly attributable to the Canadian ruling class policy, implemented by the federal Liberal government and with especial gusto by the provinces United Conservative Party (UCP) government, of prioritizing corporate profits over saving lives. Currently Alberta has among the highest per capita infection and active COVID-19 case rates in North America, and in proportionate terms Wood Buffalo is the hardest-hit region in Alberta. According to local public health officials, there are currently 30 workplace and 19 school outbreaks in Wood Buffalo, and 31 COVID-stricken patients are hospitalized at the Northern Lights Regional Health Centre (NLRHC) in Fort McMurray, Wood Buffalos principal population centre. Eight of the 31 are in intensive care (ICU), but just during the past week 16 other ICU patients were transferred from NLRHC to Edmonton hospitals. Across the province, there are 241 COVID patients in ICUs. In anticipation of a continuing wave of infection and death, the UCP government is hastily building more field hospitals, even as it orders schools across the province, with the lone exception of those in Wood Buffalo, to reopen next Tuesday. Throughout the pandemic oil-sands mining operations and the work camps that support them have been designated an essential service by the hard-right, Jason Kenney-led UCP government, and have thus been exempt from any restrictions on their operating at full-tilt. When the government was recently compelled to announce a new rule that workplaces with 10 or more infections must close, the energy sector was excluded as an essential service. As of Wednesday, the CNRL Horizon outbreak, now the largest in Canada, had infected 1,496 workers. There have been dozens of other COVID-19 outbreaks at other CNRL and oil tar-sands operations across Alberta. The more infectious virus variants, including the B.1.1.7 British variant and the P1 Brazilian variant, make it impossible to contain aerosol viral spread at a packed work camp with transient workers from across the country. Several CNRL workers told Global News that lunch breaks in particular have acted as superspreader events, since the workers are crammed into small trailers with no possibility for social distancing. They fit six people to a table and six tables per lunch trailer, explained one worker. Thirty-six workers in a trailer. That is the exact situation my shift was forced to (endure) as well. CNRL Horizon work camp lunchroom. (Supplied by a Horizon worker) Despite the extremely dangerous conditions, many workers have no choice but to risk their lives in order to make ends meet. Many are working a 12 days-on and two days-off rotation, meaning they remain at camp even when off work. Workers who display symptoms or whose test comes back positive must remain at the isolation wing of the camp, where they do not receive adequate care or even follow-up from medical professionals. The World Socialist Web Site interviewed Greg, a veteran of oilsands camp work, who explained the conditions confronting tens of thousands of workers throughout Albertas highly-profitable energy sector. Its important that the public knows that outbreaks like at CNRL Horizon or Cargill (meatpacking plants) are not some sort of anomaly, he said. These are not accidents, but the inevitable result of the federal and provincial governments callous back-to-work and herd immunity policies, dictated to them by the business elite. Currently Im working on a new plastics plant in Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta, which has been labelled as essential all throughout the pandemic. But Canada can get plenty of plastic from other plants domestically, or even import it. How can this company be allowed to put more than 2,000 workers and their families at risk for a redundant plastics plant that just generates more landfill? The only essential thing about this plant is that it can accumulate profit for its wealthy investors, regardless of the cost to the working class. As the WSWS previously reported, the COVID-19 outbreak at CNRLs Horizon site began last October. But as the company brought many more workers on site for its labour-intensive spring maintenance turnaround in April, the virus spread like wildfire through the camp, nearby communities, and even across Canada as workers returned home, infecting scores each day. Oilsands workers commute from across Alberta and many migrant workers fly in from and return to Newfoundland and the other Atlantic provinces. Global News interviewed the distraught wife of a critically ill worker, a father of eight children, who caught COVID-19 while in the CNRL Horizon camp in April. Recounting an experience that has undoubtedly been shared by thousands more families, she explained, This job was important to our family as COVID-19 resulted in my husbands place of work being shut down over a year ago. It has been difficult to find employment and so (when) this opportunity was given to him, we gratefully accepted. Describing his condition in the camp after his infection, she said, He was only able to speak in one- or two-word answers, so I asked him to call for medical help because he hadnt received medical check-ins, physical check-ins for seven days at that point. The 51-year-old worker was subsequently evacuated to the University of Alberta hospital in Edmonton, where he was put on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), a machine that pumps and oxygenates a patients blood outside the body, allowing the heart and lungs to rest. When Global News asked Alberta Federation of Labour President Gil McGowan for his reaction to the interview, he said he doesnt point the finger at oil companies for the dozens of COVID-19 outbreaks. He claimed, The problem was that the provincial government had set the (COVID-19) standards too low for workplaces. These comments are breathtakingly cynical coming from an organization that from the spring of 2020 has appealed to the anti-worker UCP government to reopen the economy safely amid the worst pandemic in a century. This campaign, combined with the unions steadfast opposition to any worker job action to shut down unsafe workplaces so as to save workers health and lives, provided Kenney with the political cover he needed to eliminate any restrictions on the operations of big businessa move that was demanded and welcomed by the provinces big oil companies in particular. That McGowan now seeks to whitewash the responsibility of these multi-billion dollar corporations for the disastrous conditions they have helped create in workplaces and for families across the province, all in the name of ensuring payouts to shareholders, underscores that his organization stands on the side of the bosses, not of working people. The World Socialist Web Site urges energy workers in Alberta to draw the necessary conclusions and take up the fight to build new organizations of struggle to combat the pandemic and save lives. Rank-and-file safety committees are urgently required at every workplace to wage a struggle for the shutdown of all nonessential production with full pay for all workers, the provision of the best safety equipment and health care to those workers who must continue on the job, and financial and social support for families until the pandemic is brought under control. These measures can be paid for by confiscating the vast sums of wealth hoarded by the major oil companies and their super-rich shareholders, as part of a worker-led counter-offensive to place the protection of workers health and very lives ahead of the accumulation of private profit. The Israeli security cabinet voted unanimously late Thursday to a mutual and unconditional cessation of hostilities, according to a statement from the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. News reports said a ceasefire brokered by Egypt had been agreed to between Israel and the Palestinian groups, Hamas and Islamic Jihad, and was set to take effect at 2:00 a.m. on Friday (7:00 p.m. Eastern Time). A Hamas official also confirmed the agreement with the Reuters news agency, saying the ceasefire would be mutual and simultaneous. Palestinian mourners shout slogans and wave Palestinian flags during the funeral of Mohammad Kiwan, 17, whose family says he was killed in clashes with Israeli police Thursday, May 20, 2021. (AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean) It is unclear how long the ceasefire will last before Israel resumes its decadeslong violence against the Palestinians. However, as the smoke clears, the massive toll of the Israeli onslaught on Gaza has come into view. The Gaza Health Ministry reported on Thursday afternoon that at least 232 people have been killed, including 65 children, and more than 1,900 have been wounded by the Zionist regime. As of Wednesday, the UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that the casualties in the West Bank stood at 25 deaths, including four children, and 6,309 wounded. Total casualties in Israel were reported at 12 dead and 796 injured on Wednesday. Meanwhile, the UN OCHA said on Thursday that more than 90,000 Palestinians have been displaced from their homes over the past 11 days by Israels assault on the Gaza Strip. The OCHA report stated that hostilities resulted in additional displacements, bringing the cumulative number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) to about 91,000, including 66,000 seeking protection in 58 UNRWA schools across Gaza and over 25,000 staying with host families. OCHA spokesman Jens Laerke also told the Turkish Anadolu Agency, Overall, the situation remains alarming. Hostilities between Israeli forces and armed groups in Gaza continued for the ninth day yesterday, but at a lesser intensity. On the other hand, clashes between Palestinians and Israeli forces across the West Bank, including in East Jerusalem, intensified. In remarks at the White House after the announcement of the ceasefire, US President Biden fully backed Israels violent assault, declaring, The United States fully supports Israels right to defend itself against indiscriminate rocket attacks by Hamas and other Gaza-based terrorist groups that have taken the lives of innocent civilians. Biden also said he commended the Israelis for bringing the immediate conflict to an end after 11 days and, during a call earlier in the day, the President assured Prime Minister Netanyahu of continued US military support. Just one day before the ceasefire announcement, Biden was praising Netanyahu for making progress in degrading the capabilities of Hamas and other terrorist elements. As reviewed yesterday on the World Socialist Web Site, responsibility for the murderous campaign by the Israeli Defense Forces on Gaza lies squarely with US imperialism. The bombardment of defenseless Palestinians is being carried out with weapons and funding provided by the US government and with the endorsement of both the Democrats and Republicans in Washington D.C. Al Jazeera reported that Palestinians in Ramallah celebrated as the ceasefire took hold early Friday, according to correspondent Safwat al-Kahlout, who said the sounds of fireworks and gunshots into the air could be heard. Thousands of people went into the street to celebrate, al-Kahlout said as Palestinians considered the ceasefire to be a victory. An example of the violence directed against innocent civilians was an Israeli air raid on a Gaza family home, which killed a Palestinian man with disabilities, his pregnant wife and their three-year-old daughter, as reported by Al Jazeera on Thursday. Relatives and authorities said that Eyad Salha and his wife, both age 33, were preparing to eat lunch on Wednesday, when a missile tore through the seaside buildings facade and destroyed all three rooms in their Deir el-Balah flat, in the central Gaza Strip, Al Jazeera reported. Salhas brother said the man had been unable to walk for 14 years and was not an armed fighter. What did my brother do? He was just sitting in his wheelchair. What did his daughter ever do? What did his wife do? he told the AFP news agency. The China National Space Administration (CNSA) has successfully landed and deployed the rover component of its Mars mission Tianwen-1. The lander and rover safely touched down on Mars during the early hours of May 15, China time, according to Chinas state media. The rover, named Zhurong, was brought online in the following days, and its first images were released by the CNSA on May 19. The first two images from the Zhurong rover released by the CNSA show the rover still sitting on its lander waiting to be deployed, and on the surface of Mars with its solar panels and antenna extended. Credit: China National Space Administration The landing makes China the third country to achieve a soft landing on the Red Planet, after the Soviet Union and the United States, and second after the US to land and deploy a rover on the Martian surface. The CNSA also achieved a new landmark in planetary explorationhaving a successful orbiter, lander and rover as part of the agencys first mission to Mars, an immense scientific and technical achievement. Tianwen-1 also deployed a small camera during its cruise to Mars to take a self-portrait of the spacecraft en route to its final destination, another first. The ejected camera took several photographs of its parent ship and transmitted them to Tianwen-1 via radio, which were then sent back to Earth by the spaceship. Zhurong is a bit larger than the extraordinarily successful Spirit and Opportunity missions launched by NASA in 2003 and is of similar design. It has six articulated wheels to overcome small obstacles on the Martian surface, is powered by solar panels and communicates back to Earth using Tianwen-1 as a relay (with Europes Mars Express as a backup). The rover is slated for 90 sols (Martian days) of operations, and one hopes for a longevity and legacy to match or exceed that of its US-built predecessors. The Tianwen-1 mission (heavenly questions) was launched last July on a Long March 5 heavy launch vehicle, which has a comparable thrust-to-weight ratio to the Soviet Proton-M, the European Ariane 5 and the American Delta IV. The missions ongoing accomplishments are a credit to the hundreds of operators in China, as well as those assisting from Argentina, Austria, France and the European Space Agency. A self-portrait of the Tianwen-1 in deep space from an ejected camera while the spacecraft was cruising to Mars. Credit: China National Space Administration The probes were launched during the same launch window used by the United Arab Emirates Hope spacecraft and NASAs Perseverance rover, a space flight path which takes advantage of the orbits of Earth and Mars to minimize the fuel needed to reach the fourth planet from the Sun. All three missions arrived at Mars this past February within a few weeks of each other. Instead of immediately deploying the rover, however, the controllers of the Tianwen-1 elected to use the orbiter to more carefully map out potential landing sites for Zhurong. The landing itself took nine minutes, and as is characteristic of Mars missions, because of the vast distance between Earth and Mars, had to be entirely automated. Comments from CNSA officials indicate the rover is operating as designed. The science objectives for both the rover and orbiter are extensive and ambitious. Like all Mars missions, the overall goals are a deeper understanding of Mars geological history and ongoing searches for signs of extraterrestrial life. In particular, both Tianwen-1 and Zhurong will use a combined 13 cameras and other scientific instruments to study the chemical composition of the Martian soil and atmosphere, get detailed topological characteristics of dry riverbeds, volcano reliefs, glaciers and areas where wind erosion is prominent, analyze the climate and magnetic field of the planet, and use ground-penetrating radar from both vehicles to map subsurface water ice. The landing site is in the southern portion of Utopia Planitia, a massive basin in Mars northern hemisphere which is thought to have once been under water billions of years ago. Indeed, data from NASAs Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter revealed in 2016 that there is a great deal of ice underneath the surfaceabout as much water as contained in Lake Superior. One of the goals of Zhurong and Tianwen-1 will be to more accurately map this ice. There are many other intriguing geological features in the region, including cone-shaped features that were likely formed from volcano lava, or even mud. On Earth, so-called mud volcanoes are associated with methane production by bacteria. While that is much more unlikely on Mars, scientists from both China and the United States have expressed a great deal of enthusiasm for an up-close study by Zhurong of these cones, which have so far only been imaged from orbit. Of course, such scientific and technological achievements by China bring with them a great deal of geopolitical baggage. After the release of the first Zhurong photos, NASA Administrator (and former US Senator from Florida) Bill Nelson offered, Congratulations to the China National Space Administration on receiving the first images from the Zhurong Mars rover! The statement continued, I look forward to future international discoveries, which will help inform and develop the capabilities needed to land human boots on Mars. His tone was much more confrontational toward China, however, in testimony before the House Appropriations Committees commerce, justice and science subcommittee that occurred at the same time NASA released his official statement. [China] is a very aggressive competitor, he proclaimed. Theyre going to be landing humans on the moon. That should tell us something about our need to get off our duff and get our Human Landing System program going vigorously. Underlying such comments are worries that Chinas rocket technology could eclipse that of the United States, which is seen by the Biden administration as a mortal threat to its continued military build-up against China in the Indo-Pacific region. This pivot to Asia began under the Obama administration and was continued under Trump as an attempt by American capitalism to force China to bow to the international rules-based order, the post-World War II economic and security framework dominated by US imperialism. Moreover, the Space Force created by then-US President Donald Trump is directly aimed at ensuring US military dominance in all spheres, especially outer space. The US has also announced plans for a space station orbiting the Moon, which would inherently militarize not just orbits around the Earth and Moon, but also the space lanes between them. While there is no concrete evidence that China is using its space program to develop new military hardware, the launch vehicles, guidance systems and communications networks needed to land on Mars have obvious potential military spin-offs. And these technologies are being further developed. China has announced many more Mars missions in the near future, as well as others to the Moon, including lunar missions that may be crewed. The country has also launched the first module of its own space station, the Tiangong, which will be about the size of the decommissioned Soviet/Russian space station Mir. It did so isolated from virtually every other countrys space program, particularly the US-led International Space Station. Under 2011 legislation, NASA is forbidden from any technology or knowledge exchanges with China. Its sponsor, Republican Frank Wolf, declared, We dont want to give [China] the opportunity to take advantage of our technology, and we have nothing to gain from dealing with them. In a rational world, such comments would be laughed at as parochial at best, if they were noticed at all, overshadowed by celebrations at the CNSAs triumphs. The agencys further missions would not be hidden behind a shroud of secrecy cast by the Chinese government and viewed with hostility by the American government, but fully integrated into a globally coordinated space program to understand Mars and the Solar System as a whole. Such a vision of unified space travel, however, will never manifest as long as the world is divided up into rival capitalist nation-states. This week, several rollout meetings were held by the United Auto Workers (UAW) Local 699 on the most recent Tentative Agreement (TA2) for approximately 2,500 Nexteer auto parts workers at the former General Motors plant in Saginaw, Michigan. The proposed contract is widely recognized by workers as a repeat of a rotten deal rammed through by the UAW in 2015 after a strike that lasted less than 24 hours. An effort by the UAW to push through a prior version of the deal was defeated by 85 percent in February of this year. Picketing Nexteer workers in 2015 (WSWS Media) The purported purpose of the meetings was to give workers information about the agreement in advance of the vote, which is being conducted today between 4 a.m. and 8 p.m. However, many workers reported that they were not even provided with the full, 230-page contract document. Instead, a vague, three-page highlights summary, which sugarcoats the agreement, was released to the membership while the full agreement was only leaked in a private online forum. Several Nexteer employees reported to the WSWS that the meetings were a farce where little or no information was provided. In many cases, UAW officials tried to intimidate workers who challenged them. Speaking about a meeting on Wednesday, one worker told the WSWS Autoworker Newsletter, First off, they held these meetings in the plant as opposed to the union hall, which meant that nobody could ask any questions without management being there to oversee. Secondly, the machines were still running while the meetings were going, so nobody could hear anything. I saw a guy raise his hand and tell the union rep that he had been standing there for 20 minutes and he couldnt hear a single word of what he was saying. Another Nexteer worker gave the following account. The rollout meeting was a JOKE. We could barely hear anything and there was time for only two questions. One of my co-workers approached the bargaining chairman and asked a question about the new classifications. Then, the chairman told him to shut the f[***] up not once, but twice, and gave him the finger. When he told the other union rep standing there that he wished to document the chairmans harassment, she simply shook her head and walked away. The union reps are even trying to stop people from discussing the details about the contract online, the worker continued. Referring to the Facebook online discussion forum saginaw unions no holds bar, from which the WSWSs material was removed this week, the worker said, I saw that workers posts have been being removed from Facebook. I believe one of the admins of the no holds bar group is on the UAW electoral board, so he could be in the unions pocket. I saw someone posted a poll trying to tally who was voting no and who was voting yes, and they removed it. Its all very shady. Theyre desperately trying to control this conversation. Another employee denounced the contract, which introduces a Semi-Skilled classification of employee. The categorization would create a layer of essentially low-paid apprentices on the shop floor who would be used to siphon off as much work as possible from the higher-paid skilled tradesman. This is a component of a broader attempt by the company to carry out a sweeping attack on the workforce, further casualizing the workforce and shifting health care costs onto the employees. I really hope this contract gets shot down. Im a no vote for sure. While it tries to make it look like there are more opportunities for in-house employees, actually it pits specialized and general workers against one another, driving the price of all labor down. Every employee loses out on this deal in the long run because while the unskilled workers might have the chance to earn a bit more, they wont make nearly what they deserve, and itll be a fraction of what theyre currently paying out to the journeymen. He continued, Our union has absolutely no backbone. Paying dues to them is literally like giving a donation. Another worker spoke to the WSWS on the contract. I am definitely voting no, and I think it is going to be a close vote. I know a lot of people who are planning to vote no. The biggest issue for me is that they want to hire part-timers who will work 30 hours a week. There will be 334 part-time workers who will be in a special classification. A lot of the newer people say they are just going to lay off those who were recently hired to be replaced by the part-timers. One reason they want this classification could also be that the company will save money because that group will not get the health insurance. They have to pay out of every check for it. The union is telling us that with the new part-time hires the company wont have to go into critical status, which means that the company can enforce mandatory overtime. They claim we wont lose overtime if we want it, but we will not go criticalthat is, we wont be forced into overtime so much. A handful of the legacy workers who are left now make the $23.50. By the end of the contract, they expect everyone will be at $21.50 except, of course, those part-time workers! The worker continued, Then there is the whole issue of the onsite medical. They are trying to get us to leave our own doctors by offering several perks if you go to the onsite medical clinic. I really dont want such a personal thing as going to my doctor being done where I work. I have a pretty good doctor now, and a long relationship, but I want my privacy. When it comes to COVID infections in the plant, they hypocritically take the opposite approach. While theyre trying to get everybody to go to an onsite doctor, when someone tests positive in the plant, they wont tell you who it is because of privacy concerns! They dont let you know when someone around you has had it, and there is no special sanitizing and disinfecting. I have been here more than a decade. The union is telling us to vote for the contract. They say Oh, this is the best contract ever. I have to say things have really changed. Once I was so happy and proud to be a union worker. But now the union is letting the company get away with anything. I am really disgusted. I think it would be a good thing to have something new, independent committees. I would like to see that happen. I would be a part of that. The union is like a business, everything for the company The WSWS Autoworker Newsletter urges Nexteer workers to follow the example of the Volvo Truck workers in Virginia who have formed the Volvo Workers Rank-and-File Committee to provide a voice for workers and create a fighting organization to defend their interests against the corporations and the company-controlled UAW. To get more information about building a Nexteer rank-and-file committee, e-mail autoworkers@wsws.org or go to www.wsws.org/workers. New Zealands Labour Party-led government, which includes the Greens, has escalated its attacks on the working class with an impending reset of immigration policy to target wealthy investors while limiting entry for those classed as low-skill and low-wage workers. In a May 17 speech setting out the governments intentions for immigration, Economic Development Minister Stuart Nash said its policies would include making it harder for employers to take on workers from overseas, other than in areas of genuine skills shortages. A participant in a Wellington protest last week opposing the governments immigration policies (Credit: WSWS) Nash, who was filling in for Immigration Minister Kris Faafoi, said once the borders fully open after COVID-19 shutdowns there will be no return to previous immigration settings. That path is a continuation of pressures on our infrastructure, like transport, accommodation, and downward pressure on wages, he declared. The government would encourage employers to hire, train and upskill more New Zealanders to fill skill shortages. The move is in line with Labours 2017 immigration policy, carried through with its then-coalition partner, the right-wing anti-immigrant NZ First Party, to slash net migrationat that time around 70,000 a yearby up to 30,000 by cutting back on international students and low skilled workers. Labour has simultaneously kept New Zealands annual refugee intake at just 1,500, one of the lowest in the world. In October 2019, Labour introduced new class-based restrictions on immigration, blocking thousands of parents from joining their adult children in New Zealand. Under changes to visa requirements, a resident or citizen must now earn over $106,000 a year to bring one parent, or $159,000more than three times the median salaryto bring two. Officials estimated that 85 percent of parents on the waiting list were ineligible for residency under the new rules. Until the border closed in March 2020, there was a policy in place to import temporary workers and fee-paying students while making it much harder for migrants to gain permanent residency. In the past decade, the number of people on temporary work visas doubled from fewer than 100,000 to more than 200,000. There was a huge increase in demand for residency, with around 80 percent of applications under the Skilled Migrant Category coming from onshore applicants. While tightly controlled, immigration has contributed to 30 percent of the total population growth since the early 1990s. Currently one in four New Zealand residents was born abroad. Temporary migrant workers make up almost five percent of New Zealands labour forcethe highest share compared to other OECD countries. Entire industries, such as tourism, retail, hospitality and agriculture, have become dependent on these highly-exploited workers, who have no rights to unemployment and other benefits. COVID-19 has seen immigration grind to a halt. The country had a net migration gain of just 6,600 people last year. This has, according to Nash, given a once-in-a-generation chance for sweeping policy change. The reset threatens to force thousands of visa holders and current residents into a no-mans land. Those targeted for restrictions are on the two lowest skill level bands. The only ones unaffected are low paid fly-in-fly-out seasonal workers from Pacific island countries. Like governments internationally, Prime Minister Jacinda Arderns government is responding to the social crisis triggered by COVID-19 by scapegoating immigrants and stoking nationalism. The economys reliance on low-wage workers is presented as the fault of immigrants, when in fact it is due to policies imposed by successive governments and trade unions, who have suppressed wages and attacked living standards over the past three decades. On May 12 and 13 hundreds of migrants rallied in Wellington, Auckland, Christchurch and regional centres to protest their dire situation. Many have relatives who have been stranded for more than a year outside the country, separated from their families, jobs and homes. Thousands, including many designated as skilled workers, are facing delays of two years or longer after applying for residency. Those who are turning eighteen face losing their current status and becoming non-persons in the complex immigration system. Many migrants hit back publicly at the government. Aeron Davis, a doctor who moved from London last year, told Radio NZ he feared it would take years to obtain permanent residency. His two teenage children cannot get jobs or go to university without paying exorbitant international fees. Davis fears thousands of families are similarly waiting in limbo with fewer employment rights, social benefits and less security. The government has already created border exceptions to allow more than 200 wealthy international investors to enter the country over the next 12 months. Under the so-called Innovative Partnerships Programme and Trade and Enterprise Investor Programme, representatives from global companies are given open entry, purportedly to encourage direct investment, job creation and skills. Defending the new immigration regime, Ardern said the use of migrant labour had been a type of exploitation by some employers and served to suppress wages, which was unfair to migrants and New Zealander workers. The line was echoed by the trade union funded Daily Blog, which declared that mass immigration has undermined domestic wages, created a housing crisis and put enormous stress on our infrastructure while contributing to climate change and migration worker exploitation. Fewer migrants means less competition for jobs and houses for the domestic working classes, it falsely claimed. In fact, the move has nothing to do with eliminating rampant exploitation but is aimed at dividing workers and suppressing resistance to deepening austerity measures. The Labour government has just imposed a three-year wage freeze across the public sector and changed industrial laws to put the trade unions at the centre of policing the lowest paid workers, including tens of thousands of non-union members, through mis-named Fair Pay Agreements. Anti-immigrant demands have been a cornerstone of the Labour Party and the trade unions for over a century. From its founding in 1916, Labour was fiercely nationalist and stoked divisions in the working class by encouraging racism and xenophobia. Like its Australian counterpart, Labour supported what was widely known as the white New Zealand policy, which imposed drastic restrictions on immigration from China and other Asian countries. The restrictions remained, in one form or another, until the 1970s. The trade unions continue to agitate against foreign workers. The Maritime Union and E tu have both used the COVID-19 pandemic to insist on protecting the jobs of New Zealanders first. In 2018, Unite applauded a government decision to temporarily ban migrants from working at Burger King. Last year, FIRST Union sought to divert attention from its role in defending the company in a pay dispute by criticising the government for allowing NZ Bus to bring in foreign drivers. Anti-China rhetoric is meanwhile being stepped up to prepare the population for a looming US-led war against China. Between 2017 and 2020, Labour and the Greens were in government with the NZ First Party, which regularly demonised Chinese, Indian and Muslim immigrants. This year has seen a sharp increase in attacks against Asian immigrants, amid a propaganda offensive over Beijings purported influence in the countrys politics, businesses and academia and bogus claims that Chinas Wuhan laboratory was responsible for the outbreak of COVID-19. The US House of Representatives passed a resolution Wednesday calling for the establishment of a bipartisan commission to investigate the January 6 attack on Congress. The bill passed the House by a vote of 252 to 175, but Republican Senate Leader Mitch McConnell and other top Republicans declared their determination to block the passage of the bill in the upper chamber. At least 10 Republican senators would have to join the 50 Democrats to overcome a filibuster against the bill, and only a handful have indicated they would support the bill after ex-President Donald Trumpthe instigator of the January 6 coup attemptdemanded that congressional Republicans block the proposal. The U.S. Capitol is seen as national guard members pass by on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, May 20, 2021. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana) It was Trump who invited the fascist mob to Washington on January 6 for a rally outside the White House, then gave a speech urging them to march on the Capitol and fight for him. At the Capitol, they broke through police lines that had been deliberately weakened and stormed into the building seeking to halt the congressional certification of the Electoral College votes that gave Democrat Joe Biden a sizable victory. The pro-Trump attackers chanted in support of hanging Mike Pence, Trumps vice president, because he was presiding over the joint session of Congress. They voiced their desire to kill House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other Democrats. The violence of the attack was such that 140 Capitol police were injured. These events took place only 135 days ago, but already there is a concerted effort to bury them, to dismiss their significance, even to purge them from the collective memory of the American public. This was epitomized by the Republican House backbencher, Andrew Clyde, who declared that what transpired on January 6 was nothing more than a normal tourist visit. (There are photos from that day of Clyde joining other representatives in desperately barricading the House chamber against the attacking mob.) The Democratic-led effort to establish a bipartisan commission to investigate the January 6 attack is not, however, a genuine effort to expose the forces involved in the attempted coup detat. That is demonstrated by the constant invocation of the 9/11 Commission, by Speaker Pelosi and other leading Democrats, as the model for the probe they wish to conduct. The 9/11 Commission was an official whitewash of the events of September 11, 2001, which deliberately concealed the connections between US intelligence agencies and the Al Qaeda hijackers, who were permitted to enter the United States, enroll in flight schools, and prepare their coordinated assault, even as the CIA and FBI tracked their movements and did nothing to interfere. The mindless excuse of failure to connect the dots was advanced to disguise the reality that the military-intelligence apparatus allowed the attacks to go forward because this served a definite strategic goal: creating a political climate in the United States in which the projection of American military power into the Middle East and Central Asia could be carried out, through the invasions first of Afghanistan and then Iraq. If anything, the proposed January 6 Commission will be an even greater exercise in political cover-up, since the party that incited the attackwith baseless claims that the 2020 presidential election had been stolenwould be given equal say in the conduct of the investigation. It is as though, in the aftermath of a multimillion-dollar bank robbery, when the gunmen were brought to trial, the getaway driver and the lookouts were seated in the jury! As usual in the operation of the American two-party system, the Democrats pleaded endlessly with the Republicans, made one concession after another, only to have the Republicans arrogantly denounce the final result of the negotiations as insufficient. Thus, Pelosi conceded equal numbers on the commission, although the Democrats have majorities in both houses of Congress, and no subpoenas to be issued without Republican approval. But after Fridays announced agreement between the Democratic chairman of the House Government Oversight Committee and the Republican ranking member, who had been delegated by Pelosi and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy to work out the deal, the Republicans reneged on it in a matter of days. As late as Monday, May 17, the House and Senate Minority Whips, Representative Steve Scalise and Senator John Thune, indicated that the Republicans were not seeking to block the establishment of a bipartisan commission. On Tuesday, however, came the intervention of ex-President Trump, who issued a statement denouncing the proposed commission and demanding, by name, that McCarthy and McConnell shut down all discussion of it. McCarthy, evidently tipped off in advance from Mar-a-Lago, had already issued a statement Tuesday morning declaring his opposition. McConnell was still professing himself undecided about whether to back the commission and willing to listen to the proposal. But on Wednesday, hours after Trumps statement was made public, McConnell announced himself flatly opposed to what he called the House Democrats slanted and unbalanced proposal. The Democratic response during the debate on the House floor was to attack the Republicans from the right. Ohio Democrat Tim Ryan denounced the Republican position as a slap in the face to every rank-and-file cop in the United States because they opposed a bipartisan investigation of people hitting the Capitol Police with lead pipes across the head. He added, for good measure, that abandoning bipartisanship undermined the position of the United States if were gonna take on China. Such comments are not only reactionary, they are a diversion from the central issue posed by the January 6 events. The fascist attack on Congress was an attempt to overturn the 2020 election, in which 81 million people voted for Biden, and to keep Donald Trump in the White House as a dictator in all but name. While spearheaded by fascist groups like the Proud Boys, the attack was only possible because of a systematic stand-down by the massive military and police apparatus that surrounds the seat of the American government, including tens of thousands of National Guard and Army troops. One of the most critical aspects of the coup attempt was the deliberate delay in the deployment of these forces to the Capitol, despite appeals by congressional leaders and even Vice President Mike Pence that they be mobilized. A critical role was played by Trumps appointees at the Pentagon, acting Secretary of Defense Christopher Miller and Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy, who controlled the activities of the D.C. National Guard and for three hours and 19 minutes (199 minutes) rebuffed pleas from the Guard commander, General William Walker, that he be allowed to send his troops to rescue those besieged in the Capitol. In a statement published March 5, 2021, the WSWS explained: The events of January 6 were far from a surprise. For months prior to the insurrection, there was an ongoing political crisis during which the president of the United States made clear that he would not accept the peaceful transfer of power. The intelligence agencies and military were well aware of the plans and threats targeting the date of January 6, in particular. Rather, a decision was made not to act as a definite political strategy was implemented. For more than three hours, the fascistic groups had virtual free rein over the Capitol building. The militarily trained elements within the rioters knew that they were being given time to seek out hostages among the Senators and Representatives. In that event, Trump would have declared a state of emergency, shut down Congress, delayed indefinitely the certification of Bidens victory, and opened negotiations that would have resulted, in one form or another, in a Democratic capitulation to the continuation of his presidency. The military only stepped in and secured the Capitol after it became clear that the attack had failed to achieve its objectives and Trump had publicly called it off. The WSWS statement drew the following conclusion: No investigation carried out under the auspices of the Democratic Party will serve to expose the forces involved in the conspiracy. As a party of Wall Street and the military itself, the Democrats are terrified of the political and social consequences of the revelations. The one hundred and ninety-nine minutes of January 6 are a warning. As serious as the event was itself, no less significant is the response. Democratic rights cannot be entrusted to any faction of the ruling class or its political representatives. The working class cannot be left unprepared for the next stage. It must organize itself independently, on the basis of its own program, in opposition to the capitalist system. The impending demise of the Democrats political fig leaf of a bipartisan commission into January 6 only further vindicates this assessment. We are publishing below the slightly edited text of a speech given by Tom Peters, a leading member of the Socialist Equality Group (New Zealand), at a public webinar on May 8 titled Ten years after the Pike River mine disaster: Political lessons of the struggle for the truth about the deaths of 29 men. It has been more than a decade since the disaster at Pike River mine claimed the lives of 29 men. Despite repeated promises that their bodies would be retrieved and the truth told about what happened, the opposite has been the case. The management of Pike River Coal sent men underground, day after day, into a mine that they had been warned was extremely dangerous, and that could have exploded at any time. They gambled with mens lives for the sake of profit. This criminal operation was assisted by the government regulators and the Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union (EPMU), which had 71 members working at Pike River, who did nothing to protect these workers. The 29 deaths were not an unavoidable accident, just as the overwhelming majority of the 6 million deaths from the pandemic were not necessary or inevitable. We are living through a global catastrophe not because the coronavirus cant be contained and beaten but because governments and big business have refused to take the necessary measures such as lockdowns and factory and school closures. Tom Peters, Socialist Equality Group (New Zealand) Decisions have been made to prioritise production and profit over human life, starkly revealing the real, brutal face of capitalism. Last October, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson reportedly blurted out during a meeting with his inner circle: No more f***ing lockdowns, let the bodies pile high in their thousands! That is the attitude of the British ruling class and its counterparts globally. Governments would not be able to get away with this murderous policy without the collaboration of the trade unions. There is not one country where these organisations have mounted a campaign to defend workers from the virus or from the destruction of their living standards. Likewise, Pike River reveals the real character of these organisations. They are thoroughly undemocratic and led by a privileged upper-middle-class bureaucracy, who are close to the Labour Party and whose interests are intertwined with those of big business. They oppose strikes and any action that could disrupt businesses, because that would also impact on the material interests of the well-paid union bureaucrats themselves. Let us review what happened at Pike River. The causes of this disaster include the sweeping deregulation of the mining industry by successive governments. In 1992, the National Party government abolished worker-elected safety check inspectors; these were workers who were authorised to clear a mine if they considered it dangerous. The number of mining inspectors employed in the Department of Labour plunged during the 1990s from about 20 people to just one specialist mining inspector at the time of the disaster, who was responsible for thousands of mines and quarries throughout New Zealand. Companies were allowed to self-regulate and Pike River operated more or less without oversight. When Helen Clarks Labour Party government was elected in 1999, none of these attacks were reversed, and the unions did not mount any campaign to force the government to act. In fact, the destruction of mining regulations was part of a sweeping pro-business agenda, begun by the Labour Party government in 1984, led by Prime Minister David Lange. It privatised telecommunications and prepared other industries for privatisation, including railways and forestry, by transforming them into profit-making enterprises and sacking tens of thousands of workers. National protections and subsidies for industries such as agriculture were abolished, which devastated many farmers. The goods and services tax was introduced, while taxes for the rich and for corporations were slashed. These brutal attacks on the working class led to soaring unemployment and social inequality that this country has never recovered from. The 1980s Labour government was seen as a model for right-wing restructuring, which mirrored what was happening under President Reagan in the United States, Margaret Thatcher in Britain and the Hawke/Keating Labor government in Australia. In response to the globalisation of production, governments went about scrapping any restraints on profit making, including health and safety red tape. All of this was done with the collaboration of the unions. These organisations, internationally, transformed themselves into industrial policemen, working with the state and big business to ensure orderly redundancies, suppress strikes, and to defend the ability of their countrys businesses to compete and make profits on the world market. The deregulatory frenzy affected the construction industry, leading to thousands of unsafe and leaky buildings. The cheaply built and extremely unsafe CTV building, constructed in Christchurch in 1986, collapsed in seconds during the earthquake less than three months after Pike River, killing 115 people. The CTV building before and after the 2011 earthquake in Christchurch. The building collapsed in seconds, killing 115 people due to the buildings extremely unsafe design. (Source: Wikimedia Commons) These were the conditions in which Pike River developed during the 1990s and 2000s, under National and Labour governments, and eventually opened in late 2008. Mining companies were now competing against rivals internationally with much lower wages and operating costs. To cut costs, Pike Rivers leadership committed so many egregious safety violations, its impossible to mention them all. The mine had no suitable emergency exit, as required by law. It had grossly inadequate methane monitoring, ventilation and drainage systems. Its main ventilation fan was installed underground, which is never done in underground coal mines anywhere in the world because of the dangers it poses. The royal commission in 2012 documented many of these facts, many of which were already known by the company, the Department of Labour, and the EPMU. This image shows one of the many complaints made to management by Dene Murphy, a shift supervisor, about poor ventilation. Nothing was ever done to address the issue. Masaoki Nishioka, a Japanese hydro-mining expert who did some work for Pike River, told the commission that he warned chief executive Peter Whittall, manager Doug White, and others about the dangerous lack of ventilation. He was also ignored, and he quit one month before the explosion, because, he told the commission, I felt the mine would explode at any time. The mine owners decided that to bring the mine up to standard would have been too expensive. Pike River had already borrowed tens of millions of dollars from its largest shareholder NZ Oil and Gas, and from the Bank of New Zealand. The mine could have been shut down by the Department of Labour [DoL], which was warned in November 2008 about a series of methane gas ignitions underground. The Department sent letters to the company expressing concern but did not issue a prohibition notice or prosecute anyone. The EPMU had the power to stop production by going on strike, but it also did nothing. The union revealed to the royal commission that it knew about the methane gas ignitions in 2008 and the lack of a proper emergency exit. On one occasion a group of miners walked off the job to protest the lack of emergency equipment underground. The union kept quiet about all of this, and Pike River was allowed to continue lying that it had an impeccable safety record. The EPMU leader at the time of the explosion was Andrew Little. Later, in 2014 he became the Labour Party leader, until he was replaced by Jacinda Ardern shortly before the 2017 election. He is now the minister responsible for Pike River, tasked with shutting down the underground investigation. Examples of Andrew Littles promises as Labour Party leader in 2016 and during the 2017 election campaign. (Source: Facebook) During that election campaign, Labour declared that Little supported the Pike River families from day one. In fact, on the World Socialist Web Site, the day after the disaster, we pointed out that Little was already rushing to defend the company, before the dust had even settled. Little told Radio NZ three days after the first explosion: Every mine on the West Coast takes great care when it goes into production and I dont think Pike River is any different to that. Theyve had a good health and safety committee thats been very active. So, theres been nothing before now thats alerted us to any greater risk of this sort of incident happening than at any other time. This was the union trying to cover up the conditions, over which it had presided, that led to the disaster. Government and opposition parties alike defended Pike River Coal and its chief executive Peter Whittall, who was treated as practically a hero in the media. Green MP Kevin Hague speaking in parliament on November 25, 2010, glorifying Pike River Coal CEO Peter Whittall On November 25, for example, Green Party MP Kevin Hague said this in parliament: I will single out Peter Whittall I will take this public opportunity to convey the Green Partys thanks, our enormous sympathy, but also our tremendous respect for the integrity, responsibility, and compassion that he has unfailingly shown. Jim Anderton, leader of the Progressive Party and former leader of the pseudo-left Alliance, made a similar comment, saying Whittall had shown calm, intelligent leadership and great strength at a difficult time. At a memorial service, Peter Whittall spoke along with Prime Minister John Key and the governor-general. He declared, While we mourn our lost mates, we are still working continuously to bring them home. As we wrote at the time, the fact that Whittall was given this platform to pose as a great mate to all his workers, while his company was officially under investigation from police and the DoL proved that the governments real priority was protecting the company. It also showed that the royal commission, announced by Key just a few days earlier, had nothing to do with holding anyone accountable. On December 1, 2010, we wrote: Its purpose is not to establish the truth about the conditions that led up to the disaster. On the contrary, as government spokesmen, including Energy Minister Gerry Brownlee have intimated, it is to put on a show of learning the lessons so that the way can be cleared for the industry to move onallowing the unrelenting pursuit of profits to resume. This proved absolutely correct. The royal commission was forced to make public several of the flagrant safety breaches at Pike River, but it had no power to compel testimony from Whittall and others, who refused to answer questions that would incriminate them. It recommended some cosmetic changes to health and safety laws that have done nothing to address the real cause of workplace deaths. In 2019 there were 108 workplace deathsthe worst toll in nearly a decade. That was the year of the White Island eruptionanother avoidable tragedy, caused by the utter negligence of tourism companies which made immense profits from taking people to visit this extremely dangerous active volcanic crater. The Department of Labour and the police protected Pike River chief executive Peter Whittall. Twelve charges against him for breaches of health and safety were dropped in a backroom agreement with Whittalls lawyer, in exchange for a one-off payment to the families from Pike River Coal. The Supreme Court later found that this deal was unlawful, but the charges were never reinstated. Meanwhile the police had quietly dropped their initial investigation into the disaster. For years the Pike River families waged an extremely significant campaign for truth and justice. When the National Party government reneged on its initial promise to re-enter the mine and recover the bodies, and tried to permanently seal up the mine, the families blockaded the road to the mine in late 2016 and 2017. Dean Dunbar, whose son Joseph was just 17 when he died at Pike River, at the families blockade in 2016. (Source: Uncensored Pike Facebook group) They received widespread support from working people as well as small businesses. Meanwhile, the EPMU, which had changed its name to E tu union, abandoned the families. It has now endorsed the governments decision to end the underground investigation. With the 2017 election approaching, however, the Labour Party and its allies, NZ First and the Greens, sprung into action, seeking to contain the anger over Pike River and exploit it for votes. All three parties declared they would immediately re-enter and investigate the mine. Some family members have raised that NZ First put pressure on Labour to promise to re-enter Pike River. But it would be a dangerous mistake to have any illusions in this right-wing party. NZ First was founded as a breakaway from the National Party in 1993. Before that, Peters was part of the government that launched the sweeping deregulation of the mining industry. In the Ardern government, Winston Peters was deputy PM. His main priority was not Pike River, but spending billions of dollars on the military and strengthening the alliance with the United States. Jacinda Ardern and Andrew Little promised that the new Pike River Recovery Agency would work closely with the families to see that justice was done. Here is one example from after the election. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Minister for Pike River Recovery Andrew Little, announcing the formation of the Pike River Recovery Agency on November 20, 2017 But now the government is completely disregarding their wishes by refusing to even contemplate a further exploration of the mine workings beyond the roof-fall, where there is likely to be crucial evidence. Andrew Littles sudden announcement in March, the reneging of election promises, the pretence that promises were never made, has come as a shock to many people. But it did not surprise us. We wrote on January 6, 2018: The Labour-Greens-NZ First coalition government is posturing as a friend of the Pike River families. It is undoubtedly concerned that continuing protests over the disaster could become a focal point for broader working-class opposition to poverty wages, dangerous working conditions, and a regulatory and judicial system rigged in favour of big business and the rich The WSWS warns that the governments pledges cannot be trusted. We completely reject the Ardern governments claim that there isnt enough money to properly investigate the 29 homicides. Under the pretext of the pandemic, billions of dollars have been found to bail out mostly large businesses, including Fletcher Building, Air New Zealand, SkyCity, which have sacked thousands of workers. Billions more dollars are being printed by the Reserve Bank to buy up bonds from the commercial banks. Hundreds of millions are now being spent to renovate parliament. There is limitless money for the banks and big business, and nothing to secure the basic rights of working people who have died in a preventable disaster. NZ Oil and Gas, the major shareholder in Pike River, has not been made to contribute one cent to the recovery effort. The Ardern government has used different tactics to try and achieve what the National Party was unable to do: to shut down the investigation and make sure that no one faces any serious charges. The Pike River families were able to mount a determined struggle against the National Party government by maintaining their political independence from every party in parliament and from the unions. They ran a democratic committee where all the families could have a say. Labour calculated that it needed to divide the families and stop them from appealing directly for support from other workers. As part of the Pike River Recovery Agency, the government set up a Family Reference Group [FRG], which it falsely said would represent the majority of the 29 families. The FRG is an unelected body which only has three family members, and two advisors, Rob Egan and Tony Sutorius, who have very close links to the Labour Party and the trade unions. The majority of the families were left out of important decision-making. When the FRG issued a statement on March 30th, declaring that the families accepted Andrew Littles advice that there will be no more government money to go further into the mine, many families objected that they had not been consulted. These experiences contain critically important political lessons about the role of Labour Parties and the trade unions. The ruling class is increasingly relying on the unions to suppress the class struggle. In the United States, Democratic President Joe Biden and the leading Republican Marco Rubio have both campaigned in favour of unionisation at Amazon. They are not doing this to advance workers interests. Rather, these big business politicians are terrified by the prospect of a rank-and-file movement of workers emerging outside their control. Nurses on strike in 2018. (Source: WSWS Media) The same tendency can be seen in New Zealand, where the Ardern government is relying on the unions to block workers resistance to its brutal wage freeze policy announced this week. The NZNO and the teacher unions, which pushed through sellout agreements in 2018 and 2019, will again be called upon to suppress the immense anger brewing up among their own membersjust as Pike River Coal relied on the EPMU to suppress opposition to the conditions in its mine. What is the way forward? There is undoubtedly widespread anger and disillusionment about the unions. In 1985 nearly half of all workers were in a union. Ten years later, it was down to 20 percent and today the figure is below that. In the private sector, just 7 percent of workers are union members. In opposition to the union bureaucracy, our movement, the International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI), ahead of our annual online May Day rally, called for the building of an International Workers Alliance of Rank-and-File Committees (IWA-RFC). We explained that this initiative will work to develop the framework for new forms of independent, democratic and militant rank-and-file organizations of workers in factories, schools and workplaces on an international scale. The working class is ready to fight. But it is shackled by reactionary bureaucratic organizations that suppress every expression of resistance. The IWA-RFC will be a means through which workers throughout the world can share information and organize a united struggle to demand protection for workers, the shutdown of unsafe facilities and nonessential production, and other emergency measures that are necessary to stop the spread of the virus. We advanced this call within the framework of the perspective of world socialist revolution. The formation of new workers organisations is not a substitute for the building of the revolutionary party. Action is required, but serious action must be based on program and principles. Sustaining and developing a network of independent organizations requires the development of a socialist leadership in the working class. The Pike River deaths and the subsequent cover-up demonstrate the urgent need for a genuine socialist party. This is the only way to combat the enormous political pressure that is brought to bear by the ruling class to disarm and divide workers, through the instruments of the Labour Party and the unions, and all their allies. The disaster has also exposed the pseudo-left organisations that hover around Labour, the Greens and the union bureaucracy and falsely call themselves socialist. These include the International Socialist Organisation [ISO], Socialist Aotearoa and Organise Aotearoa. The ISO last wrote about Pike River in 2012, in an article that presented the EPMU as a vehicle for defending workers and covered up its role in paving the way for the disaster. On the ninth anniversary of the disaster, in 2019, Organise Aotearoa published a Facebook post also promoting the unions as a means to ensure workplace safety. These are not socialists, but groups representing the interests of the upper middle class. Instead of fighting to unify workers and expose Labour and the unions. They defend these organisations, while obsessively promoting divisive identity politics, based on race, nationality, gender and sexuality. The ICFI fights to unify workers internationally, against capitalism. We have described the pandemic as a trigger event in world history that has intensified and exposed all the contradictions inherent in capitalist society. To defend policies that are leading to mass death and record social inequality, politicians around the world are promoting authoritarian and outright fascist forces. And to counter its economic decline, the United States is now threatening war against China and Russiawhich would be a nuclear war that would threaten the very existence of human civilization. Because New Zealand has experienced only 26 deaths from the pandemic, it is portrayed internationally as an exception, a progressive country with a kind and compassionate prime minister. This is a fraud. Pike River and the CTV building collapse show that New Zealand is not immune from global developments, which are pushing workers and young people to the left. We are in a period of history, like the First World War and the Great Depression, where the future of humanity will be decided in revolutionary struggles, involving masses of people. The First World War was only ended by the intervention of the masses of workers and peasants in the Russian Revolution, led by the Bolshevik Party, which sparked revolutionary uprisings throughout Europe. Today too, the immense crisis facing the world cannot be resolved outside of a revolution. That is why workers and young people listening to this meeting must make serious political decisions. There is more than enough wealth in the world, if it was not hoarded by a tiny number of billionaires, to end inequality and to organise society along rational, scientific lines, to put an end to nation states and therefore to put an end to war, and to address climate change. I urge everyone listening to study our perspective, read our articles and make the decision to join the Socialist Equality Group and fight to build a section of the International Committee of the Fourth International in New Zealand. Thank you for your attention. Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-22 01:29:41|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, May 21 (Xinhua) -- China's Ministry of Education on Friday urged solid COVID-19 prevention and control measures to be taken during upcoming national exams and other school gatherings. The ministry stressed the health monitoring of those to attend the upcoming college and high school entrance exams, school anniversary gatherings, graduation ceremonies, and tournaments. The number of people attending major gatherings should be limited, especially events taking place in confined spaces, according to the ministry. Education departments and universities should follow local vaccination policies and help teachers and students receive vaccines, the ministry said. Enditem The long-standing crisis of public healthcare in rural Australia has been brought to light by the coronial inquest into the tragic death of Alex Braes. In September 2017, the 18-year-old fitter and turner presented to the emergency department of Broken Hill Hospital, in far-western New South Wales (NSW), with sepsis from Streptococcus, a blood-stream infection that is fatal if not treated urgently. Despite worsening leg pain from an ingrown toenail, where the infection originated, Braes was sent home three times. Once admitted, he needed to be transferred to a larger hospital, but a lack of beds in Adelaide led to his evacuation being delayed for several hours. Though finally transported to Sydney, it was too late to save his life. Alex Braes (Credit: ABC Four Corners, family photograph) The death has traumatised Braes family and hospital staff alike. Justifiably outraged at the poor care of his son, John Braes told the inquest of his horror and sadness when he saw that Alex had searched can pain kill you on Google just before his death. The lack of ambulances in Broken Hill meant John had to drive his son to hospital. The understaffed hospital had just one triage nurse in the emergency department, one porter for the hospital and no available wheelchairs. Doctors and nurses of the hospital described Braes on his final admission as the sickest patient ever seen at Broken Hill. Dr. Ali Baalbaki, who looked after Braes during his final admission to the hospital, said he was so traumatised by the experience that for the last four years I never celebrated my birthday because its concomitant with that event. The facts revealed by the inquest indicate that Alex Braes death was a disaster waiting to happen. The emergency department did not even check his vital signs, owing to a business rule of the hospital preventing nurses from initially checking them on arrival. Triaged to a non-urgent category each time he presented, Braes was seen at 3.30 a.m. on his first visit by an exhausted doctor eight hours into a 12-hour night shift, who misdiagnosed him. Only one doctor covered the entire 108-bed hospital overnight, indicating a grossly understaffed facility. The testimony of health workers at the inquest indicated little has changed at the hospital since Braes death. NSW Health issued the usual pro-forma statements, with Health Minister Brad Hazzard of the Liberal-National state government saying that it would address the issues arising from the inquest. However, staff at Broken Hill Hospital have raised concerns regarding the facility for years. Dr Kerrie MacDonald, a paediatrician, told the Australian Broadcasting Corporations Four Corners program in 2019 that she and other senior doctors had requested an independent review of the hospitals patient care in March 2017, and for a risk register to document shortcomings in June 2017, well before Braes death. Subsequently, MacDonald noted that most of the senior staff had left, their concerns unheeded. Since Alex died, 10 of the 18 senior doctors working at Broken Hill Hospital left the town over the next one to two years, she said. I spoke to all of those doctors and seven out of 10 gave the reason as the poor clinical governance that was in place. To date, no measures have been taken to improve care at Broken Hill, as a complaint to the state ombudsman in 2020 by five of the same senior doctors made clear. While the tragic case and inquest have primarily focused attention on the failures of staff and management at Broken Hill, the persistent understaffing and inadequate facilities are not unique to one hospital. They reflect decades of attacks on public healthcare by federal and state governments, both Liberal-National and Labor. Broken Hill is a remote mining town of less than 20,000 people, 1,100 kilometres from the state capital of Sydney. Like much of rural Australia, it has suffered immensely from the decades-long destruction of industry and working conditions, initiated by the Hawke-Keating federal Labor governments of 1983 to 1996 and continued by governments ever since. The consequent unemployment, poverty, and poor access to health and recreation facilities has resulted in NSWs high rate of avoidable deathspreventable where timely access to medical care is availableat 189 per 100,000 persons. The Australian Institute for Health and Welfare (AIHW) reported in 2018 that remote areas such as Broken Hill had an avoidable death rate of 248 per 100,000 persons, compared to 91 in major cities. People in remote areas have a median life expectancy up to 16 years shorter than in cities, with a rate of death up to 80 percent higher. Rural and remote areas comprise some of the most oppressed sections of the working class, including indigenous communities. Since coming to office in 2011, the NSW state government, now headed by Premier Gladys Berejiklian, has systematically underfunded the public health system. The result has been a deterioration in services. From 2014 to 2018, AIHW reported that the number of NSW patients seen on time in emergency departments declined from 75 to 72 percent. Average waiting times for elective surgery remained at 330 days, with substantial increases in delays for cardio-thoracic and neurosurgery. While claiming to have released its largest health budget in 2019, leaked internal documents indicated that the state government intends to cut spending by 20 percent over 10 years, to address a supposed $710 billion funding gap in the state budget. This shortfall is in part the consequence of a $50 billion cut to public hospital funding over the past decade carried out by the federal Liberal-National government, elected in 2013. These cuts continued those inflicted by the previous Greens-backed Labor government, including the introduction of fee-for-service hospital payments that slashed overall funding to hospitals. This process has been implemented with the assistance of the unions. When 150 nurses and midwives in Sydneys Blacktown Hospital went on strike last year to protest understaffing and poor infrastructure that had led to the deaths of five babies in two years, the NSW Nurses and Midwives Association shut down the strike without any demands being met. Likewise, when 20 obstetricians at Blacktown Hospital threatened a mass resignation over similar concerns, the Australian Salaried Medical Officers Federation opposed their action. The crisis in rural healthcare is one more indication of the precarious state of the healthcare system, which would be unable to deal with a serious surge in COVID-19 infections. Governments have also opposed sufficient lockdown measures against coronavirus outbreaks and persisted with an inadequate hotel quarantine system that has led to numerous virus leaks. The constant claim by governments that there is no money to provide for basic healthcare needs is fraudulent. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, federal, state and territory governments have so far poured some $450 billion into corporate coffers by way of support packages and subsidies, while the federal Liberal-National government has continued to spend a planned $575 billion on the military over the next decade, preparing for war. Texas Governor Gregg Abbott signed a reactionary heartbeat abortion ban into law on Wednesday de-facto banning abortions, on the very same day that Quintin Jones was executed following a rejection by the Texas parole board to spare his life and Abbotts decision to ignore Joness plea for clemency. The Republican governors actions mark a definite escalation of the assault on democratic rights in the United States. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (AP Photo/Eric Gay) Jones was convicted in 2001 for the murder of his great-aunt, Berthena Bryant. Bryants sole surviving sibling forgave Jones in a clemency petition, and both she and Joness twin brother asked the governor and the state pardons board to commute his sentence. Abbott and the pardons board ignored these appeals. Notably, media were not allowed to witness the execution, the first time reporters have not been present at a Texas execution in over 40 years. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice later apologized, claiming that it was an error and the result of miscommunication. Serious questions as to whether Jones had an intellectual disability that exempted him from the death penalty were raised in legal filings by Joness lawyers, who argued that the psychologist testifying for the state was using a discredited psychopathy checklist. A Texas A&M professor speaking to the Texas Tribune called the checklist unreliable, unscientific, and misleading in capital cases because [it] cannot reliably predict behavior in prison. The draconian anti-abortion bill approved by Abbott has no exceptions for instances of rape or incest, instead claiming that public and private agencies provide...emergency contraception for victims of rape or incest. Justifying this, the bills sponsor, Republican Senator Bryan Hughes, stated cynically, Lets harshly punish the rapist, but we dont, we dont punish the unborn child. That is, if someone gets raped in Texas, she will be forced to have the rapists child under threat of the state. The state government has overseen the deaths of more than 50,000 Texans from COVID-19, and has now executed a person on the same day as it enacted the anti-abortion law. The government has no moral standing whatsoever to be claiming to care about the lives of anyone. The legislation allows for civil charges and a $10,000 fine to be brought against those providing abortions after the detection of a fetal heartbeat. This also applies to anyone connected to the abortion, including anyone who knowingly engages in conduct that aids or abets the performance or inducement of an abortion, including paying for or reimbursing the costs of an abortion through insurance or otherwise, opening the door for a flood of lawsuits by conservative activists and anti-abortion organizations. This threatens already heavily defunded abortion clinics with bankruptcy as well as most who are seeking abortions, with Texas abortion funds decrying the bill as a clear effort to put their organizations and affiliates in legal jeopardy. Amanda Williams, an executive director of one of these fundsthe Lilith Fundstated to CNN that If we were to be hit by frivolous lawsuits left and right, I mean, this would really prevent us from doing our work in a lot of ways, noting that no legal budget existed in the fund. The reason for the provisions in the law that allow for civil suits against those connected to abortions was elaborated by State Senator Hughes, who stated it was to encourage people to bring these claims. So the Legislature has made it, has determined that illegal abortions should be discouraged, and so enabling private citizens to bring those suits is one way to do that. He also stated that it was calculated to be useful against higher court challenges. Texas joins 13 other states, including South Carolina, Oklahoma, Idaho, Ohio, and Tennessee, where fetal heartbeat abortion bans have been signed into law, though none of them have yet taken effect. The bills are part of an obvious attempt to overturn the landmark 1973 Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade that established the legality of abortion under the 14th Amendment. Underlying the seriousness of the attacks on abortion, the 63 extreme-right majority Supreme Court, led by the far-right Amy Coney Barrett, who is against abortion, has elected to take up a 2018 Mississippi anti-abortion law that limits abortions to up to 15 weeks after being struck down by a federal judge in Mississippi in 2018 and being upheld in 2019 by the Fifth US Circuit Court of Appeals, with the case scheduled to start in October and end in June 2022. The Associated Press (AP) reports that the concept of fetal heartbeat was coined by Ohio anti-abortion activist Janet Folger Porter. The notion advanced by conservative activists of fetal heartbeat conflicts with medical science, conflating embryonic heartbeat with that of a fully formed child that can survive outside of its mother. Dr. Michael Cackovic, a maternal fetal medicine specialist, explained to the AP that heartbeat laws utilize our amazing technological advances that allow the detection of embryonic cardiac activity and nothing else. Cackovic also stated, referring to the flutter described by anti-abortion activists like Porter who claim abortion stops a beating heart, that you cannot hear this flutter, it is only seen on ultrasound. A 2013 study from the University of Leeds found that while four chambers could be identified as early as the eighth week of pregnancy, this remained a disorganized jumble of tissues until at least the 20th week. A guide from the British National Health Service states that only babies born at 24 weeks have a chance of survival, while those before this time cannot live because their lungs and other vital organs are not developed enough. A parent information guide for babies born 20 to 22 weeks old by the South Australian Department of Health notes that A normal pregnancy lasts for about 40 weeks. Babies born after only 20 to 22 weeks are so small and fragile that they usually do not survive. It continues to point out that Their lungs, heart and brain are not ready for them to live outside the womb. The implication of this is that at this stage the fetus cannot be considered a child, as it lacks the developmental characteristics that set a fetus apart from a childsufficient development of the brain, lungs, and heart such that it can exist independent of the mother. A meeting of the Educators Rank-and-File Safety Committee (UK) has unanimously supported a resolution in defence of victimised London bus driver David OSullivan. Many of the meetings participants had read Mondays appeal published on the World Socialist Web Site and had already donated to the crowdfund appeal, distributing it on social media and among colleagues. David OSullivan The fight taken up by OSullivan resonated with educators at Tuesday nights meeting. Education staff have repeatedly been forced into unsafe schools as part of the governments drive to end all lockdown measures. Despite schools serving as a key vector for the transmission of coronavirus, the Johnson government has insisted they remain open as the linchpin of efforts to force parents back to work, producing profits for business. The education unions, including the National Education Union, have fully collaborated with these efforts. Dozens of educators have been victimised for opposing the unsafe reopening of schools, but they have received no support from the education unions. The meeting passed the following resolution: This meeting of the Educators Rank-and-File Safety Committee (UK) calls for the reinstatement of bus driver David OSullivan, sacked for upholding workers rights to health and safety during a pandemic that has claimed the lives of more than 60 bus workers in London. OSullivan, 57, was sacked on February 3, after he sounded the alarm over the spread of infections at Cricklewood bus garage. The rate of fatalities among London bus drivers is three times the national average, with the families of those killed demanding answers. That a bus driver has been sacked for upholding his colleagues rights to a safe and secure workplace under Section 44 of the Employment Rights Act (1996) is a serious assault on the democratic and social rights of the working class. We stand in solidarity with London bus drivers and key workers everywhere whose safety has been sacrificed to protect the profits of the corporations, their shareholders and the super-rich. We condemn the actions of Unite the union in colluding with the bus companies and Transport for London, presiding over a hostile environment in which illness, death and victimisation is stalking workers on a daily basis. OSullivans experience will resonate with educators across the UK who have been forced to work in crowded schools with little protection under conditions where children were significant vectors for the spread of the virus. Some 570 educators have dieda fact the unions colluded with the government in covering up for months. Teachers have been victimised for raising safety concerns. The ending of mask wearing in classes in the face of a surge of the new Indian variant of the virus is placing workers at even graver risk of serious illness and death. OSullivans sacking is a test case for the rights of workers everywhere. We call on working people to donate to his legal appeal, send messages of support and pass resolutions in your workplace or community group. An injury to one is an injury to all! We pledge to do all we can to alert educators to this decisive campaign. Educators told the WSWS why they support the fight for Davids reinstatement. Colin, an early years teacher said: I stand with David O'Sullivan and have donated to his case. This goes far beyond just an unfair dismissal, and touches core issues about who/what is expendable at the cost of operation. The pandemic has made it abundantly clear who has paid the dearest. The virus knows no discrimination, but the vast disparity of those who it has affected the most shines a harsh light on the discrimination of humankind, most of all from the top. We are expendable fodder, to call for our rights to safety is to rise above our station. Any dissent must be quashed to ensure murderous compliance to callous policy. David O'Sullivan is bravely taking this head on. And is fighting for what is rightly all of ours. There is no doubt in my mind this will be fought hard by the bus companies (and the lot), hoping litigation can be squashed by deep pockets. But these fights are so important, because a public inquiry will give no justice. Empty platitudes and lessons learned are of little solace to the real harm many have had to endure. Why should it be the role of key workers to risk it all? Why should speaking up for your legally protected rights end in termination? Why should we sit by and take blow after blow? Enough is enough. I stand with David O'Sullivan because it is the right thing to do, and I stand for the many in the world who can't. Please take the time to consider pledging to his case and spreading the word. Helen, a primary school teacher, said: As an educator, I know that so many workers have lost their lives or their health to this disease and been forced into dangerous workplaces, either needlessly or without adequate protection. In my area, a fellow union member has died of COVID-19 contracted in the workplace. As a victimised union rep myself, I know that many people like David, who have been brave enough to take action on these matters in order to protect the lives and health of their colleagues and families have been victimised as a result. In a number of cases this victimisation has resulted in dismissal. This is a calculated campaign by managers and employers to crush the unions and put an end to workers' rights. People may read this and imagine that people in David's situation must have done something wrong that we are not being told about. I can assure you that they have not and that these cases are happening up and down the country. This victimisation needs to stop, and this is an important test case in the fight for workers right to speak out, to organise, and, more importantly, their basic right to a safe workplace. Brian, a supply teacher from Merseyside, said: Im in full support of Dave OSullivan and the brave stance he has taken to protect his fellow workers from the deadly effects of COVID-19. Its shocking to read how Dave and his fellow bus workers have been forced to transport non-essential workers, throughout the pandemic, with minimal protection from virus and no support from his employer or the union. I have donated to the fund to provide support to Dave and encourage other workers to do so as well. Frankie, a university tutor said: I support the campaign for the reinstatement of David OSullivan because his decision to exercise his basic rights at work was right and necessary to protect lives from the pandemic. The reopening risks another deadly wave of the pandemic. Students have been told to once again travel across the country to their campuses, and social distancing on buses is quickly becoming a dead letter, as companies pack in as many passengers as possible to maximise profits. Its transport workers like David who are on the front line of this dangerous situation and we all must support their right to safe working conditions, and to refuse to work when it endangers them and the community. Id encourage everyone who wants to defend workers rights and prevent the uncontrolled spread of the coronavirus to join me in supporting his crowdfunding campaign to appeal his dismissal and share the case widely on social media. What you can do: Donate to the crowdfund https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/test-case-for-key-worker-rights-during-pandemic/ Send a message of support https://wsws.org/en/topics/campaigns/defend-david-osullivan#comment Pass a resolution at your workplace https://wsws.org/en/topics/campaigns/defend-david-osullivan#resolution Complete the bus workers COVID-19 survey https://form.jotform.com/210722972144048 Visit the campaign page https://wsws.org/defend-osullivan The US Department of Labor (DOL) reported Thursday that combined federal and state unemployment claims last week topped 500,000, demonstrating that over a year after the worst public health disaster in a century and steepest economic crisis to hit the working class since the Great Depression, millions of workers continue to struggle to find safe, well-paying and consistent work. For the week ending May 15, according to the report, an estimated 444,000 workers filed for state unemployment, while over 95,000 initial claims were filed under the CARES Acts Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program, designed for so-called gig and contract workers. Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt gestures as he speaks during a news conference Monday, May 17, 2021, in Oklahoma City. Oklahoma will end a $300-a-week federal supplemental unemployment benefit next month. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki) The nearly 540,000 combined claims between state and federal programs are over twice the pre-pandemic average of 225,000. Overall, some 15,975,000 jobless claims were filed across all programs, and under any other circumstances, the figures in the report would be considered catastrophic. However, the somewhat stagnant trajectory of new jobless claims is being hailed in the capitalist press as a sign that the economy is back on track. On Thursday, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki claimed the jobless numbers were a vindication of the Biden administrations economic policies and the American Rescue Plan, which halved federal unemployment payments from the $600-a-week under the CARES Act to only $300. In reality, over 8 million jobs have yet to return since March 2020, with last month's jobs report revealing that roughly 2.7 million workers have been out of work for over a year, representing about 29 percent of all jobless workers. Following Aprils job report, which showed only 266,000 new jobs were added, well below Wall Street economists hyped expectations of 1 million new jobs, a coordinated campaign by businesses and governors alike emerged, demanding an end to all pandemic-related unemployment benefits in order to resume the exploitation of the working class and boost the production of profits. Unconcerned with the health and wellbeing of the majority of the population, Wall Street and their politicians are attempting to blunt demands by workers for safe jobs and increased wages by ending the miserly federal unemployment benefits included in the American Rescue Plan. The $300 federal unemployment supplement is set to expire September 6, however, as of this writing, 22 states have announced they will be terminating the benefit by the end of July, affecting some 3.6 million people. While every state so far that has announced it will be ending the supplement is governed by a Republican, Democrats have signaled they support the ending of benefits as well. Meanwhile, the Biden White House, in its trademark fecklessness, has claimed it can do nothing to prevent Republican governors from denying unemployment benefits to eligible workers. Speaking for a growing number of Democrats and their wealthy backers, Democratic West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin told Politico last week he will never vote for another extension of unemployment benefits given the existence of vaccines, of which less than half of the population has received a single dose in the US. Even as states move to close down COVID-19 testing centers and lift all remaining mask mandates and social distancing restrictions, the seven-day weekly average of coronavirus cases remains above 30,000 with nearly 600 reported deaths daily. Republican Governor of Montana Greg Gianforte led the charge to eliminate the federal benefit earlier this month. Demonstrating how the attack on workers unemployment benefits is a bipartisan class policy, Gianforte was backed by Montana Democratic Senator Jon Tester. Tester said he agreed with his proposal to eliminate the checks in June, telling Politico it was not an unreasonable thing to do. In a separate recent comment to the Missoula Current, Tester emphasized that its important to get people back to work as soon as possible. I know theres a lot of businesses out there looking for people to go to work. New Hampshire Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen, likewise, agreed with Manchin and Tester, telling Politico that federal unemployment benefits should not be extended. While no Democratic governors have so far announced their intention to eliminate the federal unemployment benefit early, at least 37 states, Democratic and Republican alike, have enacted rules requiring anyone collecting jobless aid to search for work and provide proof they are doing so. This time-consuming process is designed to frustrate workers in need of aid and is compounded by the fact that dilapidated state unemployment systems and broken phone trees often result in eligible workers losing out on their benefits while trying to adhere to changing unemployment eligibility rules. In Wisconsin, Republican legislators have advanced legislation to excise the weekly payments, which Democratic Governor Tony Evers said he was strongly considering vetoing, but that he had not decided yet if he would. There is no doubt that many other Democratic governors are likewise considering ending the payments. While capitalists complain of lazy workers and of a labor shortage, the fact is that millions of working class families have been affected by the virus, leading to over 910,000 deaths in the US. Many working age adults have been killed by the virus and millions more are hesitant to return to low-wage jobs where they must come face to face with customers. In general, the jobs which are available are generally low-paying with inconsistent schedules. The DOL report revealed that Nevada, heavily reliant on the tourist industry, has the highest unemployment rate in the country, at 6.1 percent. In Las Vegas, where casinos are set to resume 100 percent capacity limits on June 1, many previously laid off workers who have been called back to work have been forced to accept reduced pay or fewer hours. Its very frustrating every day I work there, there is no certain time, an MGM worker explained to the World Socialist Web Site. Even before the pandemic, he noted, I remember almost a month where I have no days to work. How can you survive and pay your obligations if you are not making days? I dont want to go back there. Another Nevada worker explained the difficult situation educated workers like herself find themselves in, Ive been told I am over qualified because of my masters degree, but then I am struggling with even getting a job with my masters, so what am I supposed to do? As jobless workers struggle to survive, find work, pay their bills and feed their families, the CEOs overseeing the lowest paid workers in the US increased their compensation by 29 percent last year, for an average increase of $4 million, while workers wages declined by 2 percent, a $550 decrease. The following is an open letter written by the Volvo Workers Rank-and-File Committee (VWRFC) at the New River Valley Plant in Dublin, Virginia to UAW International President Rory Gamble, UAW Secretary-Treasurer Ray Curry, and UAW Local 2069 President Matt Blondino. Volvo workers can contact the VWRFC at volvowrfc@gmail.com or text to (540) 307-0509. On Sunday May 16, we the workers at Volvo Truck in Dublin, Virginia voted down the tentative agreement you brought back and asked us to approve. The result was not even close. We packed the union hall to vote by 91 percent against the toilet paper you called a contract. Despite your arrogant predictions that the contract would pass by 60 percent, the opinion of rank-and-file workers was loud and clear. All of us, core and non-core, skilled trades, assembly and salaried workers, said with a resounding voice: No! Volvo Truck workers last month [Source: UAW 2069] Your TA came after a series of rotten maneuvers. Before you began your negotiations with the company, you carried out a survey supposedly to find out what workers wanted, which you simply ignored. Then you called us out on a strike without proposing any demands that we were fighting for. On April 30, you abruptly declared that the strike was over and that a tentative agreement was reached. You sent us back to work after two weeks of sacrifice on the picket lines without having a chance to look at, let alone vote on, the agreement. Then followed the lies and bullying: Rosy highlights that painted over a rotten sell-out combined with threats that this was the best we could get. Only by demanding the contract details did we learn anything real about the agreement, and once we learned what you had really done, we swiftly and decisively rejected it. Now you are carrying out a new survey of workers while we remain on the job stockpiling trucks for Volvo. No doubt you intend to send this survey to the same place you sent the last oneinto the trash. So that there be no mistake, we, the rank-and-file workers of Volvo, make the following declaration: First, we will not accept any contract that is negotiated behind closed doors. All negotiations must be supervised by a representative of the rank-and-file workers. We will not accept another contract proposal cooked up behind our backs, for the simple reason that this would only produce another sellout. Second, we outline here the minimal basis for an agreement that workers will accept: A 25 percent across-the-board wage increase to restore income lost over the last three contracts. Maintain current health insurance rates and coverage. Fully paid health care benefits for retirees, with no copays or premiums. End the multi-tier wage system and transfer all workers to top-tier pay and benefits. Eliminate the Alternative Work Schedule and keep current overtime rules. Implement a COLA clause to meet the soaring prices of consumer goods. Five personal days for all workers, not just salary workers. A $3,500 contract ratification bonus. We are not interested in hearing talk about how the company cannot afford these demands. Even in the midst of our strike, Volvo reported $1 billion in profits in the first three months of 2021 alone. The stock price has doubled in the past 12 months. Martin Lundstedt, the CEO, makes $51 million a year. Third, any resumption of strike activity cannot be used to starve us into submission in order to get us to agree to the same deal we already defeated. Strikers must be provided with full income for the duration of, and from the beginning of, any strike, paid for from the $700 million UAW strike fund that has been built up with our dues money. Fourth, we will not accept another attempt to force a contract through with lies and threats. Any new agreement must be provided in full to all workers with two weeks for us to review and discuss before a vote. The company is already saying that it is confident that both sides in this dispute can reach an agreement. But let us be clear: One of these sides is us, the rank-and-file workers of Volvo. It is our lives and livelihoods at stake. We have mouths to feed, bills to pay, and children to educate. These are not requests but demands. And we are prepared to fight for them. Sincerely, The Volvo Workers Rank-and-File Committee To all Volvo workers: We cannot fight for our interests if we dont have our own organization that is accountable to us, not to the company or the UAW officials. The Volvo Workers Rank-and-File Committee is this organization! Join the VWRFC! Email us at volvowrfc@gmail.com or text to (540) 307-0509. As deaths decrease in the immediate aftermath of Aprils second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil, the number of new cases is already rising again since the beginning of May. The rolling average of new daily cases has increased from 56,533 on April 26 to 64,665 on May 19, well on its way to reaching the levels of the March surge that resulted in a historically unprecedented population decrease in April in many states, including heavily populated states in the south and southeast, as a direct result of COVID-19 deaths. Vaccine arrives in the state of Para (credito: Jader Paes/Ag.Paras) Since April, the death toll has been decreasing, dropping to 1,901 on May 17. However, since March, both the death toll and the number of new cases have remained above the scale of the first wave of May-August of last year. A May 13 report from the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz) pointed out that The continuing high level observed, despite the slight reduction in the severity indicators, demands that all safety measures be maintained because a third wave now, with such high rates, could represent an even graver health crisis. Brazil has registered a total of more than 15,800,000 cases and 440,000 deaths so far, ranking as the second country with most deaths for more than a year before Indias current deadly surge saw it surpass fatalities in both Brazil and the US on Thursday. Fiocruz warned that a new surge, given the current scenario of high incidence rates, will be catastrophic. It will also present an opportunity for the emergence of new variants of the virus due to the intensity of transmission, as we have seen in other regions and countries. These warnings have not stopped the drive to reopen the economies of every state in Brazil, covered up by lying claims that the stabilization of cases means that the pandemic is under control. Since April 18, right-wing Brazilian Social Democracy Party (PSDB) Sao Paulo state Governor Joao Doria has announced transition phase measures, reopening the economy, based on a small decrease in ICU occupancy rates, going from more than 90 percent in April to 79 percent this week. The current number of occupied ICUs in Sao Paulo is above 10,000, much worse than during the first wave, when it reached a peak of 6,500. There are currently seven states with ICU beds filled to over 90 percent, and seven others reporting rates above 80 percent. During a press conference Wednesday, Dorias Health Secretary Jean Gorinchteyn declared that the increase in infirmary occupation rates confirmed the effectiveness of vaccination efforts, increasing the number of patients with light symptoms, while the growing number of new cases in the state was the result of an increase in testing. On Wednesday, Doria declared a new stage in the reopening of the economy, increasing hours businesses are allowed to remain open, and raising the limit of people indoors to 60 percent, starting on June 1. Since April, during the second wave, state governments throughout the country started reopening their economies, including in states governed by the Workers Party (PT). In Ceara, where PT Governor Camilo Santana reopened businesses and schools for small children in April, the number of new cases has increased for the past three consecutive weeks. The states ICUs are currently 93 percent occupied. This did not stop the states health secretary from declaring this week that transmission rates are already stabilizing. Meanwhile, the grave risks posed by the stabilization in the number of new cases are being covered up by the mainstream media, which is promoting the provision of small batches of vaccines as a major advance in the fight against the pandemic while at the same time reporting on the weekly changes in opening hours of stores, restaurants and gyms, along with the reopening of schools. The latest achievement, representing full vaccination for four percent of the population, was announced with relief by the media on Monday, amid reports of a full stoppage of vaccine distribution due to shortages throughout the country. The efforts by governments and the media are aimed at staving off a wave of opposition in Brazil, as the slow pace of immunization amid high levels of new coronavirus cases is creating the conditions for an explosion of popular anger over the pandemic policies of the ruling class. They clearly foresee the danger that the mass demonstrations that have rocked Colombia for more than a week will spread to Brazil and throughout the region. The attempts to promote the vaccination efforts as the only effective response to the pandemic were exposed by a recent study published as a pre-print article on May 12. The study estimates that 16.9 percent of all Manaus infections by the Brazilian variant P.1 in 2021 were, in fact, reinfections, illustrating the effects of letting the virus spread through the population without social distancing or contact tracing measures. In a recent interview, Dimas Covas, the Sao Paulo state government Coronavirus Contingency Center interim chief and president of the Butantan Institute, one of the two facilities producing vaccines in the country, declared that an effective vaccination campaign would only become a reality by September or October. In March, federal Health Minister Marcelo Queiroga postponed the end date for restricting full vaccination to health workers, the elderly and other priority groups from April to September. The efforts of Fiocruz, one of the vaccine production centers, have faced consecutive setbacks, mainly due to delays in imports of materials necessary for production. Such delays occur while the efforts of global immunization are disrupted by the competition of all major capitalist powers, refusing to lift patents for vaccines and blocking vaccine materials from being exported. Moreover, attempts by the mainstream media to promote themselves as defenders of the use of masks are belied by reports about the new CDC guidelines allowing for the end of mask and social distancing mandates in the US. A report by Estado de Sao Paulo on the new guidelines echoed the Biden administrations propaganda campaign, stating, The measure tries to offer guarantees that some semblance of normal life can come back and adding, The new orientation comes while half of American adults have already received at least one vaccine shot against COVID-19, according to the CDC. The unscientific idea that mask mandates can be relaxed after half the population gets one shot is in fact a program of mass infection, being supported by Estado and the corporate interests which the newspaper represents. Last month, Folha de Sao Paulo published an article making the bogus claim that the reopening of schools had no effect on new cases in the largest school district in the country. One of the authors, Joao Paulo Cossi Fernandes, worked at the Lemann Foundation during 2016-2017. The foundation is one of the major education NGOs and think tanks that worked alongside the government in pushing through national educational reform in 2017, which resulted in the further worsening of working conditions for teachers and is set to end night classes by 2022, spelling the exclusion of millions of students who have to work during the day. Since last year, the foundation dedicated itself to promoting the return to schools, in tandem with state governments throughout the country, using the false claim that children are not significant vectors of transmission for the coronavirus. That the coronavirus cannot be put under control in one state or country without a global coordinated response is again being shown by the deadly toll of the pandemic in India and its neighboring countries. This week, the southern-most states of Brazil were put on alert for new cases after the appearance of the Indian variant in Argentina. Moreover, the May 13 Fiocruz report declared four Brazilian states were already showing a tendency of increase in new cases, posing the risk of a third wave that could spread out of control throughout the region. The criminal response to the pandemic by the government, based on the profit interests of banks and corporations, must be met with an organized struggle by the working class in Brazil and internationally. The International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI) is proposing the formation of the International Workers Alliance of Rank-and-File Committees (IWA-RFC) as a coordinated global response of the working class to the global pandemic. This must be part of the fight to overthrow the capitalist system, which is unable to produce a rational, humane response to the pandemic and to build a socialist society, that is, a society based on human need. BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (WTHI) - An Indiana college will require a vaccine for staff, faculty, and students. Indiana University announced on Friday that those on campus would need to be fully vaccinated starting in the fall semester. According to a release by the university, this will allow them to lift most restrictions on masking and social distancing. The requirements say you must be fully vaccinated by August 15 or when returning to campus on August 1. This is what IU say if you do not meet the vaccine requirement: "IU has outlined strong consequences for those who choose not to meet the COVID-19 vaccine requirement and do not receive an exemption. Everyone is strongly encouraged to get the vaccine as soon as possible not only for your own health and safety but for those around you as well. For students, they will see their class registration cancelled, CrimsonCard access terminated, access to IU systems (Canvas, email, etc.) terminated, and will not be allowed to participate in any on campus activity. Faculty and staff who choose not to meet the requirement will no longer be able to be employed by Indiana University. Working remotely and not meeting the COVID-19 vaccine requirement is not an option." Read the full release here. As for schools in Terre Haute, none of them have made any vaccine requirements at this point. Tupelo Partly Cloudy 91 Hi: 90 Lo: 71 Feels Like: 102 More Weather Columbus Partly Cloudy 87 Hi: 88 Lo: 71 Feels Like: 99 More Weather Oxford Partly Cloudy 88 Hi: 87 Lo: 68 Feels Like: 98 More Weather Starkville Partly Cloudy 88 Hi: 89 Lo: 69 Feels Like: 100 More Weather Scattered to patchy rain and some isolated to scattered thunderstorms are expected for our area on our Thursday night and Friday. All of this is due to a lingering bit of low pressure in the area. Some of the rainfall could be heavy at times. WATER VALLEY, Miss. (WTVA) - Many rural Mississippians have been forced to travel out-of-county to receive their vaccine shots. Water Valley and Yalobusha County residents have the chance to receive their shots this weekend. The state health department set up a pop-up site at the Water Valley Fire Department at 109 N Main Street. On Friday, the site will move to the senior center in Oakland (61 Walnut St.), and the site will return to the Water Valley Fire Department on Saturday. Water Valley Mayor Donald Gray said county officials worked hard to get them here. WTVA reporter Chelsea Brown spoke with Gray about the sites and the challenges many rural residents face. Watch the interview in the video above. TUPELO, Miss. (WTVA) - Tupelo police released the name of the person accused of killing another man Tuesday night. Police said 43-year old Kortoris Burks is being held without bond for first-degree murder. Kortoris Burks, Source: Lee County Sheriff's Department Fatal shooting on King Street in Tupelo on May 18, 2021. Fatal shooting on King Street in Tupelo on May 18, 2021. Fatal shooting on King Street in Tupelo on May 18, 2021. Fatal shooting on King Street in Tupelo on May 18, 2021. Kortoris Burks, Source: Lee County Sheriff's Department Police Capt. Chuck McDougald said officers responded at 6:00 that night to the 300 block of King Street. An adult male was found dead at the scene, according to police. Lee County Coroner Carolyn Green later identified the shooting victim as Lorenzin Brown, 24, of Tupelo. An autopsy will be performed. Hong Kong: CHP probes 1 imported case The Centre for Health Protection today said it is investigating one additional imported COVID-19 case involving a 29-year-old woman from Indonesia. A total of 30 cases have been reported in the past 14 days, including five local cases, of which one is from an unknown infection source. Regarding an overseas case involving an 18-year-old woman announced yesterday, the centre said further information revealed that she stayed at the Cosco Inn in Kennedy Town from April 29 to May 5. The building will be included in the compulsory testing notice. Meanwhile, people in relation to specified premises are reminded to undergo compulsory testing before the deadlines. For information and health advice on COVID-19, visit the Government's dedicated webpage. This story has been published on: 2021-05-21. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-22 01:37:29|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close NANNING, May 21 (Xinhua) -- The first batch of fresh mangoes exported from Cambodia directly to China arrived at the Qinzhou Port in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region on Friday. Transported in six containers, the mangoes will be sold in markets in Beijing, Henan, Liaoning, Zhejiang, Shandong and other regions across China. The shipment reflects the growing agricultural cooperation between the two countries, with mangoes the second fruit after bananas to be directly exported from Cambodia to China. The Qinzhou Port is a key point on the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor and along the Belt and Road. In recent years, the port has opened several fruit shipping express lines linking China with Thailand, Vietnam and other Southeast Asian countries to facilitate agricultural products' exports to China, said Chen Silu, general manager of the Beibu Gulf Port Group. In the future, the port will open more similar express lines, providing a convenient customs clearance point for Southeast Asian fruits to enter China and even be exported to central and eastern European markets, said Chen. Enditem HOLLY SPRINGS, Miss. (AP) Officials say a Mississippi inmate has died several days after he was assaulted by fellow prisoners. News outlets report 40-year-old Torrie Ellis died at a hospital Thursday. Ellis had been serving a life sentence at Marshall County Correctional Facility in Holly Springs. Management and Training Corp., the private company that runs the prison, said in statement that Ellis had been severely beaten by three other inmates May 12 on an outdoor walkway at the prison. An autopsy is being conducted to determine the exact cause of death. Ellis was sentenced to life in prison after being convicted of the 2001 murder of Rita Funderburk at a grocery store she owned in Coahoma County. OKOLONA, Miss. (WTVA) - Forget figuring out which came first the chicken or the egg? Local farmers will be satisfied if youngsters at least know the two are related. Students from Okolona, Plantersville and Verona took a field trip to the Market in Okolona on Thursday as part of the annual Field Day. They learned the origins of the food that ends up on their plates. The Mississippi Minority Farmers Alliance, along with many other agencies, has been hosting some form of Field Days since 2016. On Thursday, the students received a 2-hour tour of the farm, stopping at 14 different learning stations. TUPELO, Miss. (WTVA) - Tupelo police arrested two more suspects for Tuesdays fatal shooting that happened on King Street. Police arrested Justerrica Pegues, 29, of Tupelo, and Amari Johnson, 20, of Aberdeen. Kortoris Burks, Source: Lee County Sheriff's Department Kortoris Burks, Source: Lee County Sheriff's Department Fatal shooting on King Street in Tupelo on May 18, 2021. Fatal shooting on King Street in Tupelo on May 18, 2021. Each faces first-degree murder for the death of Lorenzin Brown, 24. So far, police have charged three suspects in the case. Kortoris Burks, 43, also faces first-degree murder. Related - Burks charged in fatal Tupelo shooting According to police, investigators believe an argument during a drug deal led to the shooting. Pegues and Johnson did not receive bonds. According to police, Johnson was out on bond at the time for a November 2020 murder in Aberdeen. Related - Aberdeen murder suspect captured in Minnesota Charleston, WV (25301) Today Thunderstorms early, then variable clouds overnight with still a chance of showers. Low 67F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%. Localized flooding is possible.. Tonight Thunderstorms early, then variable clouds overnight with still a chance of showers. Low 67F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%. Localized flooding is possible. Morgantown, WV (26505) Today Partly to mostly cloudy skies with scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Low 62F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight Partly to mostly cloudy skies with scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Low 62F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%. Morgantown, WV (26505) Today Thunderstorms this evening, then skies turning partly cloudy after midnight. Low 63F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Locally heavy rainfall possible.. Tonight Thunderstorms this evening, then skies turning partly cloudy after midnight. Low 63F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Locally heavy rainfall possible. Charleston, WV (25311) Today Thunderstorms this evening followed by occasional showers overnight. Low 66F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%. Localized flooding is possible.. Tonight Thunderstorms this evening followed by occasional showers overnight. Low 66F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%. Localized flooding is possible. Clarksburg, WV (26301) Today Thunderstorms early, then cloudy skies after midnight. Low 62F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%. Locally heavy rainfall possible.. Tonight Thunderstorms early, then cloudy skies after midnight. Low 62F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%. Locally heavy rainfall possible. David Adler, Ph.D., is a noted author who lectures nationally and internationally on the Constitution, the Bill of Rights and presidential power. His scholarly writings have been cited by the U.S. Supreme Court and lower courts by both Democrats and Republicans in the U.S. Congress. Adlers column is supported in part through a grant from Wyoming Humanities funded by the Why it Matters: Civic and Electoral Participation initiative, administered by the Federation of State Humanities Councils and funded by Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Adler can be reached at david.adler@alturasinstitute.com. Amber McReynolds, chief executive officer of the National Vote at Home Institute, is shown in the Cherry Creek shopping district in Denver on May 18. McReynolds has been confirmed by the U.S. Senate to serve on the Board of Governors of the U.S. Postal Service. Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-22 02:04:07|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Chinese President Xi Jinping attends the Global Health Summit and delivers a speech via video in Beijing, capital of China, May 21, 2021. (Xinhua/Huang Jingwen) BEIJING, May 21 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday pledged to provide more COVID-19 vaccines to the best of China's ability to the world, calling for rejection of vaccine nationalism to make vaccines more accessible and affordable in developing countries. Xi made the remarks via video at the Global Health Summit, which was co-hosted by Italy, which currently holds the G20 presidency, and the European Commission. REJECTING VACCINE NATIONALISM "It is imperative for us to reject vaccine nationalism and find solutions to issues concerning the production capacity and distribution of vaccines, in order to make vaccines more accessible and affordable in developing countries," Xi said, calling for upholding fairness and equity to close the immunization gap. Having already supplied 300 million doses of vaccines to the world, China will provide still more vaccines to the best of its ability, he said. The Chinese president also pledged to support its vaccine companies in transferring technologies to other developing countries and carrying out joint production with them. "Having announced support for waiving intellectual property rights on COVID-19 vaccines, China also supports the World Trade Organization and other international institutions in making an early decision on this matter," he said. Xi proposed setting up an international forum on vaccine cooperation for vaccine-developing and producing countries, companies and other stakeholders to explore ways of promoting fair and equitable distribution of vaccines around the world. "Vaccines are powerful tools in the fight against the pandemic. Yet, the problem of uneven vaccination has become more acute, as some developed Western countries are hoarding vaccines while offering nothing but superficial lip service to countries in urgent need," said Su Xiaohui, a researcher with the China Institute of International Studies. Notwithstanding the limited production capacity and enormous demand at home, China has honored its commitment by providing free vaccines to more than 80 developing countries in urgent need and exporting vaccines to 43 countries. MAKING EXTRAORDINARY RESPONSE In the face of continuing ravages of the pandemic, with repeated resurgence and frequent mutations of the coronavirus, Xi called for putting people's lives and health front and center, demonstrating a great sense of political responsibility and courage, and making extraordinary responses to an extraordinary challenge. He called on G20 members to adopt responsible macro-economic policies and step up coordination to keep the global industrial and supply chains safe and smooth. "It is essential to give continued support by such means as debt suspension and development aid to developing countries, especially vulnerable countries facing exceptional difficulties," Xi said. China is fully implementing the G20 Debt Service Suspension Initiative for Poorest Countries and has so far put off debt repayment exceeding 1.3 billion U.S. dollars, the highest deferral amount among G20 members. China has also provided 2 billion U.S. dollars in assistance for the COVID-19 response and economic and social recovery in developing countries hit by the pandemic. At the summit, Xi announced that China will provide an additional 3 billion U.S. dollars in international aid over the next three years to support COVID-19 response and economic and social recovery in other developing countries. In addition to financial aid, China has sent medical supplies to more than 150 countries and 13 international organizations, providing more than 280 billion masks, 3.4 billion protective suits and 4 billion testing kits to the world. "China has indeed walked the talk, demonstrating its undertaking as a major responsible country," Su said. BUILDING A COMMUNITY OF HEALTH FOR ALL "The pandemic is yet another reminder that we humanity rise and fall together with a shared future," Xi stressed. The Chinese president called for championing the vision of building a global community of health for all and firmly rejecting any attempt to politicize, label or stigmatize the virus. Political manipulation would not serve COVID-19 response on the domestic front. It would only disrupt international cooperation against the virus and bring greater harm to people around the world, he said. Xi said G20 members need to shoulder responsibilities in global cooperation against the virus, and lose no time in remedying deficiencies, closing loopholes and strengthening weak links in a bid to enhance preparedness and capacity for coping with major public health emergencies. Stressing the need to address both the symptoms and root causes, Xi suggested strengthening and leveraging the role of the UN and the WHO and improving the global disease prevention and control system to better prevent and respond to future pandemics. "It is also important that we enhance our capacity of monitoring, early-warning and emergency response, our capacity of treatment of major pandemics, of contingency reserve and logistics, of fighting disinformation, and of providing support to developing countries," Xi said. "The virus respects no borders or races, and COVID-19 serves as a stark reminder that countries must rise above differences in geography, race, history, culture and social system and work together for a community with a shared future," said Feng Zhongping, director of the Institute of European Studies of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. Enditem WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 19: The Department of Justice headquarters stands on February 19, 2020 in Washington, DC. A Department of Justice spokesperson is denying that Attorney General William Barr is considering resigning after his critical comments about President Trump Trump tweeting about ongoing Department of Justice cases. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images) ORG XMIT: 775481664 ORIG FILE ID: 1201922029 The Trump Justice Department secretly obtained 2017 telephone and email records for a CNN reporter in yet another example of the administration's attempt to use journalists' communications to pursue government leak investigations. CNN disclosed Thursday that Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr was informed in a May 13 letter that prosecutors had obtained two months of phone and email records between June 1, 2017 and July 31, 2017. The Justice notification, according to the network, included the reporter's Pentagon extension, her home and cell phones and her personal email accounts. Earlier this month, the Washington Post reported that Justice obtained 2017 phone records involving three of its reporters who covered the investigation into Russia's interference in the 2016 presidential election. In the CNN case, a Justice spokesman Thursday confirmed the records involved 2017 communications and that the "process to seek these records was approved in 2020." "Department leadership will soon meet with reporters to hear their concerns about recent notices and further convey Attorney General (Merrick) Garlands staunch support of and commitment to a free and independent press," Justice spokesman Anthony Coley said. In its report, CNN President Jeff Zucker condemned the Justice action. "We are asking for an immediate meeting with the Justice Department for an explanation," Zucker said. Citing the Justice notification, CNN reported that the government had obtained phone "toll records," which would include calls made to and from the targeted phones and the length of the calls. "The letter said that the Justice Department had received 'non-content information' from Starr's email accounts, meaning the recipient, sender, date and time would be included, but not the content of the emails," the network said.. CNN said Justice did not disclose why it sought Starr's communications, though the network said the Pentagon correspondent was involved in reporting on "U.S. military options in North Korea that were ready to be presented to Trump, as well as stories on Syria and Afghanistan." Story continues This is a big story that just got bigger," said Bruce Brown, executive director of the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press. "That a journalist from another news organization had communications records seized by the Trump Justice Department suggests that the last administrations efforts to intrude into reporter-source relationships and chill newsgathering is more sweeping than we originally thought. "The Justice Departments current leadership should provide a detailed explanation about what exactly happened and why, and how it plans to strengthen protections for the free flow of information to the public. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump administration secretly collected CNN reporter's phone records Valery Sharifulin/Getty The developed world isnt just hoarding COVID vaccines. Its hoarding the best COVID vaccines. And that has spurred some developing countries to make do with Russian and Chinese shots that arent as thoroughly tested or as effective as the leading jabs. This uneven distribution of the best vaccine underscores a huge and growing equity problem as the world scrambles to contain the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Vaccine inequity isnt just about quantity of shotsits about quality, too. If you live in North America or Western Europe, youve probably got fairly easy access to the most effective and trustworthy of the roughly dozen major COVID vaccines. If you live in Latin America, Africa, or South Asiathe so-called Global Southyoure probably in a very long line for a limited supply of vaccines. And theres a good chance the only vaccine available to you is Russias Sputnik V or Chinas Sinopharm or Sinovac jabs. There are some signs the Russian and Chinese vaccines work just fine. But then, there are more signs that they dont. Some countries are eagerly snapping up all the Russian and Chinese vaccines they can. Others have rejected the jabs. A lack of reliable, accessible data only exacerbates the confusion. We really dont know how well Sputnik V, Sinopharm, and Sinovac work. At worst, these vaccines do not provide the protection they are expected to, particularly against increasingly prevalent variants, Shaun Truelove, an epidemiologist at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, told The Daily Beast. Heres How America Could Actually Vaccinate the World In the United States, everyone over the age of 12 is eligible for shots, and U.S. states have millions more doses than they have eligible residents. Better yet for Americans, the only vaccines the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved for emergency use in the United States are also the best and most thoroughly tested jabs from Massachusetts-based Moderna, New York-based Pfizer, and Johnson & Johnson in New Jersey. Story continues Extensive data from large-scale trials and multiple independent studies indicate that the two-dose vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer are around 95-percent effective at preventing symptomatic illness. Data shows that the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine is around 70-percent effective against symptomatic illness. All three vaccines are nearly 100-percent effective at preventing severe illness that could require hospitalization and result in death. The European Medicines Agency has signed off on the Moderna, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson vaccines as well as a two-dose shot from AstraZeneca, headquartered in Cambridge in the United Kingdom. The European Union has ordered 2.6 billion doses; 238 million have already been deliveredenough to vaccinate around a third of the EUs roughly 450 million people. The United Kingdom, which left the EU in January 2020, has approved the Moderna, Pfizer, and AstraZeneca vaccines. The U.K. has ordered hundreds of millions of doses for its 67 million people. As of mid-May, the country is close to two-thirds vaccinated. Compare the high vaccination rates in the United States and Europeespecially the U.K.with the global average. Eighty-four percent of doses administered globally by mid-March were in rich countries, according to an analysis by The New York Times. Less than 1 percent of doses were in poor countries. The vaccines available in the United States and Europe are, broadly speaking, plentiful and effective. And the regulatory structures around them are very thorough. In April, the FDA and U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention briefly pulled the Johnson & Johnson vaccine after a couple dozen people, out of seven million Americans whod received the vaccine, suffered potentially serious blood clots. After 11 days of study, the agencies resumed distribution of the vaccinealbeit with a warning about the very unlikely possibility of clotting. The FDA, meanwhile, has declined to approve the AstraZeneca vaccine, owing to some irregularities in the large-scale trials of the jab. Some of the vials the company shipped for the trials last year accidentally contained only a half-dose of the then-experimental vaccine, thus corrupting the trials data. European regulators approved the AstraZeneca vaccine, only to reconsider last month when a small number of people whod gotten the shot came down with blood clotsthe same extremely rare problem thats associated with the Johnson & Johnson jab. The European Medicines Agency ultimately endorsed the AstraZeneca vaccine a second time, stressing that the protection the vaccine offers outweighs any risk of complications. A Vaccine for Lots of Coronaviruses Could Be in Your Future Now compare the thoroughness, openness and extreme caution that U.S. and European regulators have demonstrated with the rushed, secretive and seemingly reckless approach of their Russian and Chinese counterparts. With urging from the Chinese government, Chinas pharmaceutical industry developed COVID vaccines at a mad sprint. State-owned pharma Sinopharm and private firm Sinovac, both based in Beijing, quickly developed two-dose vaccines using traditional inactivated-virus technology, which essentially injects dead virus in a person in order to stimulate their immune system. China approved its first inactivated-virus vaccine way back in June. Russia was hot on Chinas heels. The government-run Gamaleya Institute in Moscow modified two common adenoviruses to produce the two-dose Sputnik V vaccine. Mass-production started in August. The best Western vaccines use messenger-RNA tech that includes no actual virus, and instead delivers genetic information to a persons immune system, teaching it how to fight the pathogen. It took time for developers to get the mRNA vaccines right. The FDA didnt green-light a vaccine, Modernas mRNA jab, until December. Despite beating mRNA vaccines to market by six months, and despite being in wide circulation across the developing world, the Chinese pharmas still havent released their large-scale trials data. Gamaleya has been cagey with its data, too, despite having a four-month head-start on Western pharmas. In February, The Lancet, a leading U.K. medical journal, published an analysis of Gamaleyas large-scale vaccine trials. The analysis, conducted by a team of Russian scientists, claimed the Sputnik V vaccine was more than 90-percent effective in preventing symptomatic COVID. But other scientists are skeptical. Last week, The Lancet published a retort from a team led by Temple University biologist Enrico Bucci. The Temple team claimed it asked the Russian scientists who endorsed Sputnik V to share their data, and the Russians declined. The Russians apparent reluctance to show their work has raised eyebrows. There are important questions that have been raised about the completeness, accuracy and availability of data to be able to fully assess safety and efficacy, Julie Swann, a systems engineering professor and vaccine-distribution expert at North Carolina State University, said of Sputnik V. Bucci and his team and Swann are not alone in expressing their concern. The European Medicines Agency has been reviewing Sputnik V for several months and has yet to approve it. It may never. Brazilian regulators, who have a reputation for thoroughness, outright rejected the Russian vaccine. The Next Big COVID Disaster Could Be Here The Chinese vaccine has its own problems. When Brazilian scientists ran their own trial of the Sinovac vaccine in January, they concluded it was just 50 percent effective. Early this month, the World Health Organization belatedly endorsed the other Chinese vaccinethe one from Sinopharm. Around the same time, the Seychelles suffered a major COVID outbreak despite having vaccinated 60 percent of its population with Sinopharm. Breakthrough cases, where the virus infects a vaccinated person, were alarmingly widespread. A couple weeks later, authorities in the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain urged local recipients of that Chinese jab to get three doses instead of the prescribed two in order to shore up the vaccines apparently low effectiveness. All over the world, holes are appearing in the Sinopharm vaccines protections. We are seeing breakthrough infections at a seemingly higher rate in countries that rely on these vaccines for the majority of the population, Amesh Adalja, a public-health expert at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, told The Daily Beast. The warning signs are clear. Its possible Russian scientists arent being totally honest about Sputnik V. And the Chinese vaccines might not work very well. Still, these jabs are in high demand as COVID continues to rage across much of the world and rich countries such as the United States hoard much of the best vaccine. No fewer than 40 countriesmany of them in the relatively poor Global Southare distributing the Chinese vaccines. Naturally, they include China itself. Beijings goal is to produce up to five billion doses this year in Chinese factories alone, around half for export. Meanwhile, 50 countries, including many in Latin America, are giving out Sputnik V. India, which is still suffering through a devastating surge in COVID cases, has inked a deal for nearly 400 million doses of the Russian vaccine. Big orders for Sinopharm, Sinovac, and Sputnik V jabs make sense when you consider the restrictions many Western countries have placed on their own locally-developed vaccines. The U.S. government requires Moderna, Pfizer, and Johnson & Johnsons American factories to fill huge domestic orders before exporting doses. The British government added clauses to its vaccine contracts that require firms to make up for shortages in the U.K. by diverting doses from other countries. The more rich countries hoard the best vaccine, the more pressure poor countries will be under to take chances with the second-best vaccines. We should do what we can to make sure that sufficient vaccines are produced to cover people around the world, Swann told The Daily Beast. The best case is that we do this as quickly as possible with vaccines that have been demonstrated to be safe and effective. But 18 months into the pandemic, with vaccines still in short supply across most of the world, were way past best case. To be sure, even a less effective vaccine is better than no vaccine at all. But the sustained popularity of the Chinese and Russian vaccines speaks as much to countries desperation as it does the vaccines worth. The worlds rich countries have developed some really effective and trustworthy vaccines. Until these countries share that vaccine wealth, poor countries have little choice but to make do with whatever vaccines they can get their hands on. Even if those vaccines arent very effective or trustworthy. The ethical issues, Truelove said, are absolutely daunting. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now! Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. Photo Illustration by The Daily Beast/Getty The Trump Organization, which is neither organized nor a big business organization, always struck me as an oxymoron, half-jokes Tim OBrien, a senior columnist at Bloomberg, to Molly Jong-Fast, host of The New Abnormal. But with the announcement from New York Attorney General Letitia James that shes joining forces with Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance on a criminal investigation into the organization, name semantics is the least of the leaderships problems. Subscribe to The New Abnormal on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Amazon Music, or Overcast. To listen to our weekly members-only bonus episodes, join Beast Inside here. Already a member? You can listen here and sign up for new episode email alerts here. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Theyre all going to start to have to figure out Is it worth it to continue to throw our lot in with Donald or to find our own lawyers and protect ourselves, says OBrien. A prison term is a pretty ugly outcome, and money doesnt really keep people from avoiding that. Seriously, though, Molly wants to know: Could Trump go to jail? Well, yes and no, as OBrien explains in the latest episode of The New Abnormal. However, its not just Trump on their radarAllen Weisselberg seems to be as well. If Weisselberg knows everything hes been there for since the mid-70s and if he flips and has records and evidence and tape recordings, anything like that, that shows Trump had knowledge of anything these people think is criminal, it will get tricky for Trump, OBrien says. Republicans Are Trying to Steal Your Vote, and Dems Are Snoozing Through It Then, senior politics editor Matt Fuller comes back on the show and reveals how painfully clear it is that the GOP has no idea how to talk about Jan. 6, and Daily Beast gender reporter Emily Shugerman breaks down Texas latest abortion ban, which includes suing people who help the women who get them. Plus! Andy Levy joins as co-host for the episode and talks about how little McCarthy cares about poor kids, why Andrew Giuliani is the most pointless failson of all the failsons (even Don Jr.), and whether Matthew McConaughey could stand a chance against heartless embryo Gov. Greg Abbott. Story continues Listen to The New Abnormal on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon, and Stitcher. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now! Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. (Independent) Newly obtained footage shows Louisiana state troopers ordering Black motorist Ronald Greene to lie on his stomach and remain face down in shackles, following a violent arrest where he was choked, pepper sprayed, punched in the head, and Tased. Footage from the ultimately fatal 2019 encounter has been released for the first time this week, with the Associated Press obtaining new video that showed a state trooper shouting at Mr Greene to stay on his stomach. Dont you turn over. Lay on your belly. Lay on your belly AP reported Trooper Kory York shouting at the shacked man. You better lay on your f****** belly like I told you to! You understand? he added. An autopsy report, also kept secret until now, suggested the heavyset Mr Greene died from head injuries and the manner of his restraint, while noting he had high levels of cocaine and alcohol in his body, as well as a broken breastbone and torn aorta. The report did not reach a conclusion on whether the death was a homicide, accidental, or undetermined, which is unusual. There were lacerations of the head inconsistent with motor vehicle collision injury, Arkansas State Crime Lab pathologists wrote in their report. These injuries are most consistent with multiple impact sites from a blunt object. Louisiana State Police initially said a car crash caused his death, and didnt mention officers using force on Mr Greene. The 10 May encounter, now the subject of a federal civil rights investigation, began after the 49-year-old Mr Greene lead officers on a high-speed chase through rural highways near Monroe, Louisiana. Once officers caught up with Mr Greene, they stunned, punched, and dragged him across the ground face-first as they arrested him and put him in hand and leg shackles. Im your brother! Im scared! Im scared! Mr Greene, who is Black and was unarmed, can be heard telling the white troopers. Before he even gets out of his car he is repeatedly jolted with a stun gun. Story continues The new video captures officers talking about the brutal takedown before one switches off their body camera. I beat the ever-living f out of him, choked him and everything else trying to get him under control, Trooper Chris Hollingsworth says in the new video. All of a sudden he just went limp. ... I thought he was dead. You all got that on bodycam? another officer asks over the phone. Mr Hollingsworth then turns off his body camera. Officers ordered Mr Greene to remain on the ground, where he stayed face-down for more than nine minutes, moaning. His attorneys have compared the arrest to the now-famous video of George Floyd, where Minneapolis police officers knelt on top of him for more than 9 minutes during an arrest last year, ultimately killing him. The troopers arresting Mr Greene were also shown on video obtained earlier this week using sanitiser wipes to remove his blood from their hands and faces, with one heard saying: I hope this guy aint got f****** Aids. A spokesperson for the Louisiana State Police declined to comment to the Associated Press due to the federal investigation. Several minutes pass without Mr Greene on camera before he appears limp and unresponsive, bleeding from his head and face, before being put on an ambulance gurney and cuffed to the siderail. There were six troopers at the scene of the arrest, but not all had their body cameras on and their microphones cut out at times making it unclear what is happening when Mr Greene is offscreen. They murdered him. It was set out, it was planned, Mona Hardin, Mr Greenes mother, said on Wednesday. He didnt have a chance. Ronnie didnt have a chance. He wasnt going to live to tell about it. The family has filed a federal wrongful death lawsuit, arguing troopers brutalised him and left him beaten, bloodied, and in cardiac arrest before covering up the cause of death. Among the officers on the scene, Mr York was suspended without pay for 50 hours for dragging Mr Greene and for deactivating his body camera, while Mr Hollingsworth later died in a single-vehicle highway crash. With reporting by the Associated Press 7 day print subscribers enjoy unlimited access to yakimaherald.com Enter the LAST NAME and the 7 DIGIT phone number on your print subscription account to connect your print subscription to your yakimaherald.com account. Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-22 03:05:25|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close People celebrate the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Beirut, Lebanon, on May 21, 2021. (Xinhua/Bilal Jawich) -- The conflict, lasting 11 days, saw the firing of thousands of rockets and missiles; -- At least 243 Palestinians killed, 66 of them children; -- 12 Israelis were killed, including two children; -- Analysts say situation still fragile after cease-fire. GAZA, May 21 (Xinhua) -- As the 11-day conflict between Israel and Palestinian militant groups in the Gaza Strip was brought to an end, local analysts in Gaza said the big loss and external pressure had urged both sides to accept the cease-fire. Calm dominated the besieged coastal enclave on Friday after the cease-fire between Israel and the militant groups, led by the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) in the Gaza Strip, came into effect at 2 a.m. local time (2300 GMT Thursday). It is the longest round of violence that broke out in the Gaza Strip since the last large-scale air and ground offensive on the enclave in 2014. This round in Gaza was started following tension between Israel and the Palestinians in East Jerusalem. The health ministry in Gaza said that during the 11 days of violence, at least 243 Palestinians were killed, including 66 children, and 1,910 others were injured. In the meantime, 12 Israelis were killed, including two children, and 300 were injured. Palestinian children inspect their destroyed houses in an Israeli airstrike, after the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, in the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah, on May 21, 2021. (Photo by Khaled Omar/Xinhua) Ahmad Rafiq Awad, a political analyst from the West Bank, said that regional and international parties exerted intensive pressures on Israel and the Palestinian factions to stop the fight. "I believe that Israel faced heavy international pressure to end the fighting in Gaza," Awad said. He also said that Israel failed to defeat Hamas and other militant groups in the Gaza Strip, while Israel doesn't want to lose its ties with some Arab countries. Photo taken on May 19, 2021 shows explosions following Israeli airstrikes in the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah. (Photo by Khaled Omar/Xinhua) Egypt said it will send two security delegations, one to Gaza and the other to Tel Aviv, to follow up the implementation of the agreement that it brokered between the two sides. Mukhaimar Abu Saada, the political science professor at al-Zahar University in Gaza, said that the latest violence in Gaza indicated a new phase in the conflict between the two sides. Abu Saada believes that the recent round of fighting brought the Palestinian issue back to be "a central issue in the Middle East." A Palestinian child sits at his house destroyed in an Israeli airstrike, after the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, in the northern Gaza Strip town of Beit Lahia, on May 21, 2021. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua) Meanwhile, Aadel Shadid, a political analyst from the West Bank and expert in Israeli affairs, said that neither Israel nor Hamas had a desire for a long-term war in the Gaza Strip, adding that "both are convinced that this war would only achieve more tragedies and destruction." However, Shadid warned that the situation is still fragile and violence can erupt at any moment because "the two sides accepted the cease-fire, but refused each other's conditions." Coronavirus Coverage Because of health and safety concerns, the Herald-Republic is allowing unlimited access to our COVID-19 stories and resources. If you are able to support local news by subscribing, support our journalism. Click here to begin your subscription and access all of our local coverage. Our directory features more than 18 million business listings from across the entire US. However, if we're missing your business, add your business by clicking on Add Your Business. Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-22 04:17:58|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close ROME, May 21 (Xinhua) -- The leaders of the Group of Twenty (G20) issued here Friday a joint declaration at the close of the Global Health Summit aimed at coordinating worldwide efforts against the COVID-19 pandemic. The Rome Declaration is made up of 16 "mutually reinforcing principles" that "reconfirm our commitment to global solidarity, equity, and multilateral cooperation" and to promoting "sustained financing for global health," the G20 leaders wrote. "We affirm our support for efforts to strengthen supply chains and boost and diversify global vaccine-manufacturing capacity, including for the materials needed to produce vaccines, including by sharing risks, and welcome the vaccines technology transfer hub launched by the WHO," the declaration read. During a joint press conference at the close of the summit, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen expressed their satisfaction with the outcome of the event, which was organized by the Italian G20 Presidency in partnership with the European Commission. "I am very pleased with this summit because of the strength of the commitments that were undertaken, and the absolute conviction and sincerity with which they were made," Draghi told reporters. The Rome Declaration is "groundbreaking and historical because for the first time you have the G20 (members) all committing to basic principles," von der Leyen said. The most important of those principles, she said, is multilateralism, which runs like a golden thread through the Declaration. "This is a very clear 'no' to health nationalism, to export bans, to bottlenecks," von der Leyen explained. "Supply chains have to be open. All the G20 members have agreed on that." Draghi followed up by saying that: "the involvement of multilateral organizations such as the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) will be the forums where countries will agree on the removal of export bans, the removal of property rights, and ensuring the continuous flow of the supply chains ..." "We have discovered that a complete openness of boundaries is essential to produce vaccines in huge quantities and to make sure they are distributed to everybody," the Italian prime minister pointed out. Von der Leyen stressed that the three leading Western manufacturers of COVID-19 vaccines have made major pledges going forward. "Pfizer/BioNTech has committed to delivering one billion doses of their vaccine this year to low-income countries, at zero profit," she said, adding that Johnson & Johnson has committed to delivering 200 million doses and Moderna said it will deliver 100 million doses, under the same terms, this year. Von der Leyen added that Team Europe -- which consists of the EU, its member states, the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) -- will donate 100 million doses to low-income countries this year. Also taking part in the summit was WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who joined a session on the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator partnership. Also known as ACT-A, the partnership was launched by the WHO in April 2020 to support a coordinated global effort to develop tests, treatments and vaccines to fight COVID-19. In his closing remarks on Friday, Tedros noted that: "Yesterday alone, more than 13,000 people around the world lost their lives to COVID-19 -- nine every single minute. Today the number will be similar ... and people will continue to die as long as the global disparity in vaccines persists." The WHO chief went on to say that while "the rapid development of COVID-19 vaccines is a triumph of science ... their inequitable distribution is a failure for humanity." He called on G20 members to fully fund the ACT Accelerator ... to share more doses faster ... and to scale-up manufacturing as a matter of urgency, through sharing technology and know-how, and waiving intellectual property provisions, with a focus on Africa." Also attending the one-day virtual conference were representatives from international organizations such as the United Nations, the African Union, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the World Bank, and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Apart from the G20 members, Singapore, Spain and the Netherlands attended the summit as guest countries. Friday's summit built on the Coronavirus Global Response, which is the European Commission's campaign for universal access to affordable coronavirus vaccination, treatment and testing. The campaign launched in May last year has raised 15.9 billion euros (19.4 billion U.S. dollars) so far in pledges. Enditem Now 76, Oliva said he still has trouble swallowing and his shoulder still hurts five years after the incident. There is no sound to accompany the images from the day, but Oliva appears to be waiting in line to go through security and at no time physically resists the officers. He said the trouble began when an officer asked him for his identification, which he indicated he already had put in a bin that was about to be scanned. The officers and Oliva dispute precisely what was said. But at one point, Officer Mario Nivar approached Oliva with handcuffs at the ready. As soon as Oliva reached the metal detector, Navir grabbed him, applied a chokehold and wrestled Oliva to the ground. Oliva said he heard a popping sound as his shoulder was wrenched behind his back. Oliva was charged with disorderly conduct, but the government later dropped the charge. Nivar was assisted by two other officers, Mario Garcia and Hector Barahona. James Jopling, Nivar's lawyer, declined to make his client available for an interview or to respond to questions himself. But lawyers for the other men described Oliva as obstinate in refusing to comply with repeated requests for identification and said the officers acted appropriately. New Delhi: If you are looking to invest in gold at great prices, here is a chance for you. The Sovereign Gold Bond Scheme 2021-22 series I that had opened for subscription on Monday (May 17, 2021), will close on Friday (May 21, 2021). Bonds will be issued on May 25. The issue price for Sovereign Gold Bond Scheme 2021-22 has been fixed at Rs 4,777 per gram, the Reserve Bank of India said. The government, in consultation with the RBI, has decided to offer a discount of Rs 50 per gram less than the nominal value to those investors applying online and the payment against the application is made through digital mode. "For such investors, the issue price of gold bond will be Rs 4,727 per gram of gold," the RBI said. State Bank of India (SBI) has listed out 6 golden reasons to invest in Sovereign Gold Bonds. SBI tweeted: Here's a golden opportunity! 6 golden reasons to invest in Sovereign Gold Bonds. SBI customers can invest in these bonds on https://t.co/YMhpMwjHKp under e-services. Know more: https://t.co/H4BpchASeA#Gold #GoldBond #SGBWithSBI pic.twitter.com/47HiRKNHWH State Bank of India (@TheOfficialSBI) May 17, 2021 1. The investors will be compensated at a fixed rate of 2.50 per cent per annum payable semi-annually on the nominal value. 2. Secure, no storage hassles like physical gold. 3. Liquidity tradable on exchanges: Bonds will be tradable on stock exchanges within a fortnight of the issuance on a date as notified by the RBI. 4. No GST and making charges unlike physical gold. 5. Can be used as collateral for loans: Bonds can be used as collateral for loans. SBI says that the loan against SGBs would be subject to decision of the bank/financing agency and cannot be inferred as a matter of right. 6. No capital gains tax on redemption. What is Sovereign Gold Bond Scheme? Sovereign Gold Bond Scheme are government securities denominated in grams of gold. They are substitutes for holding physical gold. Investors have to pay the issue price in cash and the bonds will be redeemed in cash on maturity. The Bond is issued by Reserve Bank on behalf of Government of India. How will the Sovereign Gold Bond Scheme be sold? The bonds will be sold through scheduled commercial banks (except Small Finance Banks and Payment Banks), Stock Holding Corporation of India Limited (SHCIL), designated post offices, and recognised stock exchanges viz., National Stock Exchange of India Limited and Bombay Stock Exchange Limited. Who can buy Sovereign Gold Bond Scheme? The Bonds will be restricted for sale to resident individuals, HUFs, Trusts, Universities and Charitable Institutions. It is necessary to have dispensaries where people learn to purchase products that they need according to their requirements. But brands that help communities to open their businesses are even better - brands like Traditional DTLA. Like its main competitor, STIIIZY, Traditional DTLA is also vertically integrated, therefore it controls its supply line from start to finish thus ensuring a very smooth business for entrepreneurs. Traditional DTLA is a pharmacy in the Los Angeles area of California that sells cannabis. Its main aim is to cultivate high-quality cannabis while also giving back to the community at the same time. Between the brand and the community, there is a shared development strategy in place. Traditional DTLA has built a very special customer base for itself by offering only the best quality cannabis to its customers since it began almost a decade ago. Traditional DTLA also grows its cannabis which is then processed and sold to customers without the use of a third party. The company was known for selling medicinal cannabis in the beginning but it now sells cannabis in the form of a wide variety of products. Traditional DTLA has also shifted to vertical integration, as it aids in the brand's development. The brand is one of the many cannabis dispensaries in the city. After the legalization of cannabis, a slew of dispensaries sprung up all over Los Angeles, attracting people from all walks of life making it dangerous if not distributed properly to the community without educating them first to its dangers or benefits too. Traditional DTLA is one of the few dispensaries that not only grows but also sells its own brand of futuristic and exquisite cannabis to customers. It's no surprise that they have such a large and active customer base. Their ambition is to become the world's largest cannabis company, and to that end, they are dedicated to assisting the local community as much as possible. This means that they run projects such as charity food trucks that feed the homeless in various areas of Los Angeles, a non-profit podcast, and other notable initiatives. They also have a devoted staff who would do their best to look after you. The company is also well-known for its sponsorship of a variety of gaming events to promote the safe use of its products as well as to spread awareness about the positive health benefits of the products. (Disclaimer- Brand desk content) New Delhi: Petrol and diesel prices were yet again hiked on Friday, leading prices to newer highs as oil marketing companies decided to revise rates. Petrol price on Tuesday was increased by 19 paise per litre and diesel by 29 paise, pushing rates across the country to record highs and that of petrol in Mumbai just a few paise short of breaching Rs 100 a litre. In Delhi petrol prices stands at Rs 93.04 per litre and diesel at Rs 83.80 per litre according to a price notification of state-owned fuel retailers. A litre of petrol in Mumbai now comes for Rs 99.32 and diesel is priced at Rs 91.01 per litre. Here is looking at the price difference of diesel and petrol in four metro cities on May 21, 2021. City Petrol Diesel Delhi 93.04 83.80 Mumbai 99.32 91.01 Chennai 94.71 88.62 Kolkata 93.11 86.64 Rates had already crossed Rs 100-mark in several cities in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra and with the latest increase, price in Mumbai too was inching towards that level. Fuel prices differ from state to state depending on the incidence of local taxes such as VAT and freight charges. Rajasthan levies the highest value-added tax (VAT) on petrol in the country, followed by Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. Since March last year when the government raised excise duty on fuel to an all-time high, petrol price has increased by a record Rs 22.99 per litre (after accounting for a handful of occasions when rates fell) and diesel by Rs 20.93. Central and state taxes make up for 60 per cent of the retail selling price of petrol and over 54 per cent of diesel. The union government levies Rs 32.90 per litre of excise duty on petrol and Rs 31.80 on diesel. Live TV #mute Mumbai: Bollywood actors Zareen Khan and Anshuman Jha starrer 'Hum Bhi Akele, Tum Bhi Akele' has ranked among the top 5 content this week in the Ormaxs weekly OTT ratings. The film which celebrates the idea of love beyond genders and sexualities got great praise from fans online. Expressing his happiness over the positive response, lead actor Anshuman Jha said, Im grateful to the audience who have liked the film (Encourages us), disliked the film (helps us grow) & for starting conversations on Acceptance. This love for our film is my mothers blessing. 2Million+ Views Worldwide for Hum Bhi Akele Tum Bhi Akele in Week 1 is a sign of changing times of acceptance. Narratives are changing. And I am grateful to the audiences for the love they have showered on Veer & Mansi. Our seniors have Diwali releases, Christmas releases, Eid releases - I, as a young artist, would like to have a May 9th (Mother's Day) Release every year, going forward now." The actor's last release was 'Mastram' in 2020 which has done 1000 million views to be the biggest Web Series in India ever. Amanda Cutting of Game Of Thrones and Magicians fame was the intimacy coordinator, the first Indian show to ever hire an Intimacy Specialist on the show where Jha had again stressed on the process of creating a character. Hum Bhi Akele Tum Bhi Akele is written and directed by Harish Vyas. It is produced by Anshuman Jha and Navey Mittar under the banner of First Ray Films. The film released on May 9, 2021, on Hotstar. New Delhi: The Indian Navy and Coast Guard officials on Friday (May 21) recovered two more bodies from Arabian Sea days after a powerful cyclone sank a barge off the country's west coast, killing 51 people on board. Cyclone Tauktae, the most powerful storm to barrel into the west coast in two decades, has so far killed at least 51 others after wreaking havoc in the states of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka and Kerala. Mumbai Police issues FIR against captain of barge P-305 Meanwhile, the Mumbai Police today registered an FIR against the captain of barge P-305 and some other persons after it sank in the Arabian Sea during cyclone Tauktae. The case was registered under section 304 (2) (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 338 (causing grievous hurt to any person through rash or negligent act) and 34 (common intention) at the Yellow Gate police station here. Rakesh Ballav, the captain of the barge, and others have been named in the FIR, a Mumbai Police spokesperson told PTI. ONGC announces cash relief for affected families, survivors of sunk barge State-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) announced cash relief for families of the deceased and survivors of the private contractor-operated barge that sunk in the Arabian Sea after being battered by a severe cyclone. ONGC said an immediate relief of Rs 1 lakh will be provided to the 186 survivors of the sunk barge and Rs 2 lakh for the dead and missing persons' families. ONGC said an immediate relief of Rs 1 lakh will be provided to the 186 survivors of the sunk barge and Rs 2 lakh for the dead and missing persons' families. At least 51 persons died and 24 are still missing after barge P-305 of Afcons lost anchor and hit an unmanned installation before capsizing earlier this week. Caught in high-velocity winds and swelling sea, all the anchors of the Barge P-305 gave away, leading it to drift uncontrollably. It "hit an unmanned platform of ONGC resulting in water ingress and eventually capsized at around 1700 Hrs of 17 May 2021," the statement added. Live TV NEW DELHI: Amid the growing number of mucormycosis or 'black fungus' cases across the country, several states have declared it a notifiable disease under the Epidemic Diseases Act 1897. These states include Rajasthan, Gujarat, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Karnataka, and Assam. It may be noted that the Centre had on Thursday urged the states and Union territories to make black fungus or mucormycosis a notifiable disease under the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897, stating that the infection is leading to prolonged morbidity and mortality among COVID-19 patients. In a letter, the Health Ministry said in recent times, a new challenge in the form of a fungal infection -- mucormycosis -- has emerged and has been reported among COVID-19 patients in many states, especially those on steroid therapy and deranged sugar control. "This fungal infection is leading to prolonged morbidity and mortality among COVID-19 patients," Joint Secretary in the ministry Lav Agarwal said in the letter. The treatment of this infection requires a multi-disciplinary approach consisting of eye surgeons, ENT specialists, general surgeons, neurosurgeons and dental maxillofacial surgeons, among others, and the institution of the Amphotericin-B injection as an antifungal medicine. "You are requested to make mucormycosis a notifiable disease under the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897, wherein all government and private health facilities, medical colleges will follow the guidelines for screening, diagnosis, management of mucormycosis issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). "And, make it mandatory for all these facilities to report all suspected and confirmed cases to the health department through the district-level chief medical officers and subsequently, to the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP)," the letter stated. Meanwhile, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging him to allow the eligible pharmaceutical companies to manufacture Amphotericin-B in the country. After the Central governments letter, these states have declared Black Fungus An Notifiable Epidemic Gujarat Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani on Thursday declared Mucormycosis (Black Fungus) an epidemic in the state. Govt and private hospitals/medical colleges treating the disease will have to follow guidelines by Union Health Ministry as well as ICMR for screening, diagnosis & treatment, according to a statement by Gujarat CMO. Tamil Nadu Going in line with the advisory of the Central government, the Tamil Nadu government on Thursday declared black fungus or Mucormycois as a notifiable disease under the Epidemic Diseases Act after nine people were found to have been infected with it in the state. Currently nine people are being treated for the disease, of which six are old cases and three, new ones. Seven of them are diabetic all are stable, health secretary J Radhakrishnan said. Telangana The Telangana government has declared mucormycosis or black fungus as a notifiable disease under the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897. In a notification, the Telangana government said, Fungal infection mucormycosis is hereby declared as a notifiable disease under Epidemic Diseases Act 1897. All government and private health facilities shall follow guidelines for screening, diagnosis and management of mucormycosis issued by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India and Indian Council of Medical Research, it added. Rajasthan Mucormycosis (black fungus), which is primarily affecting people recovering from COVID-19, has been declared an epidemic in Rajasthan, officials said on Wednesday. Currently, the state has around 100 black fungus patients and a separate ward has been made at Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Hospital in Jaipur for their treatment. Mucormycosis has been notified as an epidemic and a notifiable disease in the state under the Rajasthan Epidemic Act 2020, according to a notification issued by the states principal health secretary Akhil Arora. Odisha The Odisha government also declared mucormycosis, a rare fungal infection caused by a group of molds, as a notifiable disease under the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897, the health and welfare department said in a statement on Thursday. Several COVID-19 patients across the country were, of late, found to have contracted the potentially fatal infection. On May 10, the Odisha government had announced that the first case of mucormycosis, commonly called 'black fungus', has been detected in the state. Karnataka Karnataka Health Minister K Sudhakar on Thursday said Mucormycosis or black fungus infection is now a notifiable disease and no hospital or medical centre having the capacity to provide treatment should deny admission to patients. He said an official government order towards this will be notified soon. Sudhakar, who is also in-charge of the Medical Education Department portfolio in a series of tweets said the treatment of post-covid Mucormycosis or black fungus found in some cases requires a multi-disciplinary approach involving ENT specialist, anaesthetist, ophthalmologist and maxillofacial surgeon. Live TV New Delhi: Amid scare of mucormycosis or black fungus, the Maharashtra government has requested the Centre to approve the allocation of Amphotericin B injection which is used to treat the infection. Maharashtra Health minister Rajesh Tope, after a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday (May 20), informed that the state has already put out an order to procure over 2 lakh injections but the manufacturing company is awaiting the Central governments approval. "We requested the Central Government to approve the allocation of Amphotericin B injection which is used to cure Mucromysis. We have already made the purchase order for 2 lakh injections but the company which provides it is waiting for approval from the Centre to allocate the same," Tope was quoted as saying by ANI. He added, "Mucromysis is on the rise in Maharashtra. The Centre must clear the path for allocating the injections." On Tuesday, Tope had informed that there are about 1,500 black fungus infection cases in Maharashtra. Amid increasing cases of black fungus infection across the nation, many states including Rajasthan, Gujarat, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Karnataka, and Assam have declared it a notifiable disease under the Epidemic Diseases Act 1897. Meanwhile, 29,911 new COVID-19 cases, 47,371 recoveries and 738 deaths were reported in Maharashtra in the last 24 hours, as per the state health department data. The infection tally reached 54,97,448, including 50,26,308 total recoveries and 85,355 deaths. There are currently 3,83,253 active cases in the state. (With ANI inputs) Live TV New Delhi: An IAF MiG-21 Bison aircraft crashed during heavy rain in a field in Punjab's Moga district, killing its pilot Squadron Leader Abhinav Choudhary. The aircraft was on a training sortie from Suratgarh in Rajasthan when it crashed in Langeana village on Thursday night. He was 29-year-old and was married in 2019. The Indian Air Force has ordered a Court of Inquiry to ascertain the cause of the accident and said it condoles the tragic loss of its officer. The pilot's body was found about two kilometres from the crash site, barely 200 metres from a couple of big 'havelis'. "Had the aircraft crashed over these houses, it could have caused heavy casualties," Singh told PTI over the phone. He said the pilot appeared to have deployed a parachute in a bid to land safely. "It seems he broke his neck upon impact on the ground," he added. Zee News Anchor Sachin Arora on Friday (May 21) narrated in this segment why MiG-21 are called 'Flying Coffins' and the reason India still uses them. According to the information we got, the aircraft had taken off from Suratgarh in Rajasthan for Jagraon near Ludhiana and was on the way back after a training sortie when it crashed. It is speculated that the accident occurred due to fire in the engine of the aircraft. During this incident, Squadron leader Choudhary tried to eject himself from the plane, however, he could not open his parachute and the aircraft fell on the ground. The mortal remains of Chaudhary were found two kilometers away from the wreckage of the plane. Notably, this is not the first such accident in this year. Earlier on March 18, a MiG-21 Bison aircraft had also crashed in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, in which Bharti Air Force Group Captain Ashish Gupta lost his life. In these two MiG plane crash, Indian lost two of his heroes. Here, in this segment, we will do a DNA analysis of the MiG series fighter jets and why these fighter planes are also called 'Flying Coffins' of our country. In 1960, the Chevrolet company a car 'Impala' in India in 1960s. The four-wheeler created a lot of buzz in the country and saw many customers. However, with time, the country saw several new models and brands of four-wheelers being launched with latest features and upgradation. Now imagine if a person is asked today to drive a car that was purchased almost 50-60 years ago, equipped with old-age features. It is understandable that the car cannot be run today; and this applies to MiG series fighters too. Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa had raised the issue in 2019 where he stated that the Indian Air Force is flying a 44-year-old MiG-21 aircraft, while no one even drives a car for that long. "And yesterday, in the accident in which the country lost one of its brave soldiers, they were flying this aircraft," he said. MiG series fighter aircraft have been the backbone of the Indian Air Force for the last 50 years. The Indian Air Force (IAF) has received more than 850 MiG fighter aircraft since 1960. Not only this, these aircraft played a decisive role for the country in 1965 India-Pakistan war, in 1971 war, and then in the 1999 Kargil war. The lifespan of these aircraft may have exceeded 50 years, but even today an upgraded MiG-21 aircraft can hit any modern aircraft in the sky. This was proven in the year 2019 when Wing Commander Abhinandan Vardhaman of the Indian Air Force shot down Pakistan's fifth-generation modern aircraft F-16 with a MiG-21 Bison aircraft. In simple words, the fighting ability of these aircraft of MiG series is still intact and it is unmatchable, however, if experts are to be believed, the record of these aircraft is not very good in terms of safety. And hence, planes of this series have often been termed as 'Flying Coffins' of our country. Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-22 05:00:59|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close UNITED NATIONS, May 21 (Xinhua) -- United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday called for sustainable lifestyle choices, sustainable production and consumption in order to better protect the planet. "Everybody has a part to play. Sustainable lifestyle choices are the key. Sustainable production and consumption is the answer. This is the overarching theme of this year's Biodiversity Day," the UN chief told the COP15: Road to Kunming, Building a Shared Future for All Life on Earth, a virtual webinar on biodiversity organized by the permanent mission of China to the United Nations, the secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity, and the Food and Agriculture Organization. COP15 refers to the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity. May 22 is the International Day for Biological Diversity. In 2021, the theme is: "We are part of the solution." "The choice to live sustainably must be made available to everyone, everywhere," the secretary-general noted. Noting that "COVID-19 has reminded us of the intimate relationship between people and nature," the top UN official said that land-use change and encroachment on wild habitats is the primary path for emerging infectious diseases, such as Ebola and COVID-19. "Three-quarters of new and emerging human infectious diseases are zoonotic," he said. "Tackling the current COVID-19 crisis provides an opportunity to recover better." "This is a landmark year for restoring balance with nature, tackling the climate emergency and getting ahead of the pollution crisis," said the secretary-general. "Our efforts to protect biodiversity will be key," he said. "Our solutions to the current crisis must expand opportunity, reduce stark inequalities and respect planetary boundaries." Guterres said that this year, governments will meet in Kunming, China, to finalize an ambitious new global framework for biodiversity "that can protect nature, restore ecosystems and reset our relationship with the planet." "It is essential that they succeed. The rewards will be tremendous," he said. "Many solutions already exist to protect our planet's genetic diversity on land and at sea. But we must employ them," said the UN chief. "We will all be losers if we don't achieve peace with the planet," he noted. Enditem New Delhi: Amid an alarming rise in the number of black fungus cases across the country, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) has issued a new set of guidelines for the identification of high-risk patients in the COVID-19 ward and to protect them from deadly mucormycosis. Black Fungus or mucormycosis is a rare fungal infection. It is caused by a fungus named mucor, which is found on wet surfaces. Cases of mucormycosis are rapidly rising among COVID-19 survivors, causing blindness or serious illness and even death in some cases, health officials have warned. The guidelines issued by AIIMS list out signs for which patients and their caretakers must keep a lookout for early detection of black fungus or mucormycosis so that medical staff is alerted on time and timely treatments save lives. The new guidelines were released by AIIMS Dr Rajendra Prasad Centre for Ophthalmic Studies for early detection and prevention of mucormycosis in AIIMSs Covid Ward. The AIIMS COVID Portal has a complete brochure on Mucormycosis, recognition of onset and treatment by doctors. Who are the high-risk patients in the COVID ward? The AIIMS pamphlet online says many patients with Mucor are noted to be RTpcr +ve at >10 days from onset. This may represent the immunocompromise-related persistence of COVID infection. According to doctors, cases of mucormycosis, also known as black fungus, are being seen among Covid patients who were administered steroids to treat symptoms, and particularly among those who are suffering from diabetes and cancer. Medical experts have pointed to strong links between diabetes and infection. Also, Covid-19 has a tendency to worsen diabetes and also precipitate diabetes in previously normal individuals. The high risk COVID patients to be monitored are: -Patients with uncontrolled diabetes, diabetic ketoacidosis, and diabetics on steroids or tocilizumab -Patients on immunosuppressants or anticancer treatment, and patients with a chronic debilitating illness -Patients on high dose steroids and/or long duration of steroids or tocilizumab Severe Covid cases -Patients on oxygen supportnasal prongs, by mask, or on a ventilator -Ophthalmologists have been asked to conduct a baseline examination of these high-risk patients, followed by weekly examinations till the time of discharge. The guidelines also stress on follow-up examination, depending on the patients condition either every two weeks for six weeks, or once every month for three months. What are the symptoms for early detection of black fungus? -Nose bleeding, abnormal black discharge -Nasal congestion -Head and eye pain -Swelling near the eyes, blurred vision, red eyes, less visibility, difficulty in opening and closing the eye -Numbness or tingling feeling on the face -Difficulty in opening the mouth or chewing something -Toothache, swelling inside or around the mouth What to do if you have symptoms of black fungus? AIIMS has also laid out guidelines on what to do if a patient shows symptoms of black fungus -Contact an ENT doctor immediately, contact an eye expert or contact a doctor who is treating a similar patient -Follow the treatment every day. If you have diabetes, then monitor blood sugar -If there is any other disease, keep taking medicines and monitor it -Do not take steroids or any other medicines on your own. Take medication only after consulting the doctor -Get MRI and CT scan done on the advice of the doctor. The nasal-eye examination is also important How it can be treated? This infection can be treated via intravenous (IV) medication or through surgery. A patient infected by Black Fungus generally needs a type of injection for 21 days. The basic cost of this injection is around Rs 9,000 per day. During the first phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, the fungal infection typically came to light a couple of weeks after patients were discharged, Dr Hetal Marfatia, professor and head of the ENT department at the government-run KEM hospital in Mumbai. Niti Aayog Member (Health) V K Paul had on Friday said that mucormycosis cases were being found in patients with COVID-19. VK Paul said, "When a patient is on oxygen support, it should be ensured that water does not leak from the humidifier (to prevent the growth of the fungus)." He also called for "a rational usage" of steroids and medicines such as Tocilizumab to treat COVID-19 patients. Black Fungus declared Notifiable Epidemic Amid the growing number of mucormycosis or 'black fungus' cases across the country, several states have declared it a notifiable disease under the Epidemic Diseases Act 1897. These states include Rajasthan, Gujarat, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Karnataka, and Assam. It may be noted that the Centre had on Thursday urged the states and Union territories to make black fungus or mucormycosis a notifiable disease under the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897, stating that the infection is leading to prolonged morbidity and mortality among COVID-19 patients. Live TV New Delhi: Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Friday (May 21) visited Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg districts in Konkan region which were affected by Cyclone Tauktae. He ordered the officials to assess the loss of crops, caused by the cyclonic storm, within two days in order to take decision regarding the financial aid. "I have asked that the panchnama (assessment) of horticulture and agriculture losses be completed in two days. After the completion of the procedure and getting an idea of the extent of the damage, a decision on the financial aid will be taken, the Maharashtra CM was quoted as saying by PTI. Thackeray arrived at Ratnagiri in the morning where he interacted with the district authorities. After his Ratnagiri tour, he visited Sindhudurg district. Meanwhile, the Navy and the Coast Guard on Thursday recovered more dead bodies and continued their search for 37 other missing persons in connection with the death toll on the barge that sank in the Arabian Sea when Cyclone Tauktae battered the region. The cyclone had made landfall in Gujarat on Monday night and affected several coastal districts of Maharashtra. (With PTI inputs) Live TV New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate on Friday (May 21) raided at least 10 premises linked to businessman Navneet Kalra and his associates in Delhi-NCR as part of a money-laundering probe linked to a recent case of alleged hoarding and black-marketing of oxygen concentrators, officials said. The concentrators are in short supply as they are being anxiously scoured by those gasping for breath amid the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country. Official sources said the searches are being conducted on at least 10 places in the national capital region under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The raids are aimed to gather additional evidence, they said. The ED had recently booked Kalra and others under the anti-money laundering law, taking cognisance of a Delhi Police FIR filed on May 5 after policemen raided some restaurants and premises owned and linked to Kalra. The police had recovered more than 524 of these life-saving machines from these premises and it was alleged that they were being hoarded and sold in the black market. Kalra had denied any wrongdoing and claimed that the consignment was kept for regular sale. He was sent to 14 days judicial custody by a local court here on Thursday. Police have said the concentrators seized from Kalra's restaurants were imported from China and were being sold at an exorbitant price of Rs 50,000-Rs 70,000 each as against a cost of Rs 16,000-Rs 22,000 each. They further claimed that the people were being misinformed that the concentrators have been bought from Germany, however, in reality, they were imported from China with only 20 per cent efficiency. Along with Navneet Kalra, ED is also conducting raids at Kalra's father-in-law Sirajuddin Qureshi. Sirajuddin, along with his wife and son, works as a meat export in the name of Hind Agro Industries. For this, he took a bank loan facility of Rs 200 crore from PNB, which was later increased to Rs 357 crore. The bank had given this facility to him for the export purpose, however, the police claimed that Sirajuddin Qureshi used these funds for the local market and also shifted a lot of money to his other company, which was not involved in any business. On August 24, 2020, on the complaint of PNB Bank, the CBI registered a case and conducted raids in Delhi and Aligarh. Later, it registered a case of money laundering against him. The agency, officials had earlier told PTI, will probe if the oxygen concentrators were illegally hoarded and sold to the family members or caregivers of coronavirus-infected patients at exorbitant prices, thereby leading to generation of "proceeds of crime" as defined under the PMLA. The ED is empowered to question and record the statements of the accused and it can even attach their properties during the course of investigation, following which it files a charge sheet before a special PMLA court seeking their prosecution under the anti-money laundering law. Kalra was nabbed by Delhi Police Crime Branch sleuths from Gurgaon on Sunday night and was formally arrested the next day. He was on the run for over a week since the seizure of more than 500 oxygen concentrators from his restaurants like Khan Chacha, Town Hall, and Nega and Ju. An oxygen concentrator is a vital medical equipment used to provide oxygen to COVID-19 patients and they are in high demand amid the second wave of the pandemic being witnessed by the country at present. The police have pressed charges under Section 420 (cheating), 188 (disobedience to order promulgated by public servant), 120-B (criminal conspiracy) and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code, Essential Commodities Act and the Epidemic Diseases Act against Kalra and others. Four employees of Matrix Cellular company, including its CEO and vice president, were also arrested in this case by the police. They were, however, granted bail by the court. Kalra is alleged to have purchased the concentrators from Matrix Cellular, which had imported them. Live TV New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday (May 21) will interact with doctors, paramedical staff and other frontline health workers of Uttar Pradeshs Varanasi to review the working of COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 hospitals. Addressing the healthcare workers through video conferencing at 11 AM, PM Modi will also discuss efforts to tackle the ongoing second wave of COVID-19 in his Lok Sabha constituency, as per ANI report. Further, he will assess the working of various COVID-19 hospitals in Varanasi including Pandit Rajan Mishra Covid hospital, which was recently established through the joint collaboration of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Indian Army. Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh reported 238 fresh COVID-related deaths, which took the death toll to 18,590 on Thursday. While 6,725 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours pushed the caseload to 16,51,532, as per state government data. On Thursday, PM Modi had held a review meeting on COVID-19 with District Magistrates (DM) and field officials of 10 states including Uttar Pradesh. West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee was also present at the virtual meet. Live TV Nwe Delhi: The farmers union body Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) on Friday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to resume talks over the three farm laws that had sparked a farmers' agitation in several parts of the country since November 2020. The farmer unions wrote a letter to PM Modi on Friday saying it cannot give up the struggle since it is a matter if life and death for the protesters. Despite several rounds of talks between farmers and government representatives the deadlock over the three farm laws remains. The government has maintained that the new laws are pro-farmer. Meanwhile, Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) spokesperson Bhopal Singh appealed farmers sitting at Delhi borders to postpone the agitation saying that they must stand with the nation during the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. It was prompted after reports of two deaths at the protest site. "Two farmers died at Singhu border due to coronavirus. If farmers will keep dying like this who will agitate? I would like to request to farmers, that looking at the crisis in the country, we must postpone agitation for the time being," Singh was quoted as saying by ANI. The agitators are gathered along Delhi's borders, with thousands of farmers parked there since the protest began. They mostly constitute of farmers from Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh. The protesters want the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, Farmers' (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020, and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020, rolled back and a new law made to guarantee minimum support price for crops. New Delhi: Israel will compensate kin of Soumya Sathosh at par with its own nationals killed in the terror attack. Soumya, an Indian national was killed in a Hamas rocket attack in Israel's Ashkelon. The caregiver is survived by a nine-year-old son and her husband. Rony Yedidia Clein, Israel's Charge d'affaires said in a virtual presser. "Israeli people see her sacrifice as making her into honorary citizen.. they see her one of their own because of what happened to her," he said. Soumya along with two Thai nationals who were killed in Hamas rocket attack will get the full benefit from Israel's national insurance institute that it gives to all Israelis who are killed in terror acts, by law. The bodies was sent to their respective countries by the Israeli govt and their family will receive the benefits. Notably, in a gesture seen as a break from protocol, Israel's Charge d'affaires in Delhi was present at the airport when Soumya's mortal remains arrived in India. Later, Israel's Consul General to South India, Jonathan Zadka had visited her family in Kerala to pay homage. Asked about India's reaction, diplomat Rony said, "We have had conversations with Indian counterparts and had and understanding with them," adding, "Indian public has expressed a great amount of support and we are very very happy with that". India had spoken at both United Nations Security Council and United Nations General Assembly on the situation, something that is being described as a "good statement" by Israeli Diplomat. In the statement, India's envoy to UN TS Tirumurti had condemned the Hamas rocket attacks, while urging both sides to urge restraint. Israel and Hamas agreed on a ceasefire which came into effect at 4.30 am IST on Friday, May 21. The 11-day conflict saw the death of more than 200 Palestinians, mainly in Gaza, and 12 Israeli Nationals. The conflict broke out after violence in Jerusalem and the possible eviction of Palestinians in the Sheikh Jarrah and Silwan neighborhood in the city. New Delhi: Noted environmentalist, leader of the Chipko movement and Padma Vibhushan awardee, Sunderlal Bahuguna, succumbed to COVID-19 on Friday (May 21) at AIIMS Rishikesh. He was 94 years-old and was known for his passion for environmentalism. Bahuguna was admitted to a hospital after his family claimed he was complaining of having a fever. After testing positive for COVID-19, he recieved treatment from the hospital but unfortunately did not recover. Meanwhile, India reported 2,59,591 new COVID-19 cases and 4,209 deaths in the last 24 hours, the Union Health Ministry informed on Friday. According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), as many as 3,57,295 people recovered from the COVID-19 disease across the country in the last 24 hours, which is more than the fresh cases reported. "The cumulative caseload in India now stands at 2,60,31,991. There are 30,27,925 active COVID cases in the country," the Ministry said. As many as 2,91,331 people have succumbed to the COVID-19 infection in India, while the recovery tally has mounted to 2,27,12,735. Live TV Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin urged President Ram Nath Kovind to accept the State Government`s recommendation in September 2018 and pass orders to remit the life sentences of all the seven convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case. In the letter, Stalin asked the President to direct their immediate release and argued that the convicts have been undergoing the agony of imprisonment for about three decades. The letter mentioned the convicts - S Nalini, Murugan, Santhan, AG Perarivalan, Jayakumar, Robert Payas, and P Ravichandran. The Chief Minister pointed out the original death sentences of Nalini and three others had been commuted by the Supreme Court to life imprisonment. "The majority of political parties in Tamil Nadu have been requesting the remission of the remainder of their sentences and for the immediate release of all the 7 convicts... This is also the will of the people of Tamil Nadu," the letter read. He further reminded that the same had been requested by the Tamil Nadu government on September 9, 2018. "The purported obstacle for exercise of the power of remission was the pendency of the investigation by the Multi-Disciplinary Monitoring Agency of CBI," the Chief Minister wrote, adding that it has been clarified by the respective stands of the Union Government and CBI before the Supreme Court that there is no connection between the remission of the sentence and investigation. He further said that the seven had already suffered `untold hardship and agony in the past three decades` and had paid a `heavy price`. "There has already been an inordinate delay in the consideration of their pleas for remission," he wrote, mentioning that in the present COVID-19 pandemic situation, courts were also recognising the need to decongest prisons. Gandhi was assassinated on the night of May 21, 1991 at Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu by a suicide bomber, identified as Dhanu, at a poll rally. (With inputs from news agency ANI) Live TV New Delhi: The founder and former editor-in-chief of Tehelka magazine, Tarun Tejpal, has been acquitted of rape charges in Goa court on Friday (May 21, 2021). The former journalist was accused of sexually assaulting a colleague in an elevator of a five-star hotel during his magazines event in Goa in November 2013. A session court in Goa acquitted Tarun Tejpal of all charges in a case of sexual assault. Tarun Tejpal denied the allegations but was arrested on Nov 30, 2013 and was later released on bail in May 2014. Goa: Former Editor-in-Chief of Tehelka Magazine, Tarun Tejpal acquitted of all charges in the alleged sexual assault case against him. (File photo) pic.twitter.com/peaMdXUfHV ANI (@ANI) May 21, 2021 Tarun Tejpal, in the statement, thanked the court and said, "In November 2013, I was accused of sexual assault by a colleague. Today, the sessions court acquitted me. In all these years, several lawyers came to our aid and we owe them all a debt." "The past seven and a half years have been traumatic for my family as we have dealt with the catastrophic fallout of these false allegations on every aspect of our public, professional and personal lives," the statement added. Tarun Tejpal faced trial under IPC sections 341 (wrongful restraint), 342 (wrongful confinement), 354 (assault or criminal force with intent to outrage modesty), 354-A (sexual harassment), 354-B (assault or use of criminal force to woman with intent to disrobe), 376(2)(f) (person in position of authority over women, committing rape) and 376(2)k) (rape by person in position of control), according to PTI. Live TV New Delhi: The social media these days is full of names of anti-COVID drugs as India battles the second wave, in the midst of all the gloom two ministers share a fun Twitter banter on who is behind naming these medicines. Telangana minister and Working President of Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), K T Rama Rao or KTR as he is popularly known, has been relaying requests and arranging resources for anti-COVID drugs for those in need on his Twitter account. Sharing a list of names on Twitter, he wrote: On a lighter note, any idea who comes up with this unpronounceable names for meds? Posaconazole, Cresemba, Tocilzumab, Remdesivir, Liposomal Amphoterecin, Flavipiravir, Molnupiravir, Baricitinib...And the list goes on In his next tweet he said, "I suspect Shashi Tharoor Ji 'Pakka' has a role to play in this." I suspect @ShashiTharoor Ji Pakka has a role to play in this https://t.co/zO024Pq0Oa KTR (@KTRTRS) May 20, 2021 Not to shy away from a fun banter the Congress leader responded that sayingnot guilty' and proceeded to teach Twitter some more new words. Not guilty! How can you indulge in such floccinaucinihilipilification, @KTRTRS? Left to me I'd happily call them "CoroNil", "CoroZero", & even "GoCoroNaGo!" But these pharmacists are more procrustean.... https://t.co/YrIFSoVquo Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) May 21, 2021 The Thiruvananthapuram MP's response was recieved with much gusto as netizens could not help but crack up. For those who are wondering, the Oxford dictionary defines 'floccinaucinihilipilification' as the action or habit of estimating something as worthless while procrustean', means enforcing uniformity or conformity without regard to natural variation or individuality. Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-22 05:27:00|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Rescuers prepare to depart for the earthquake area in Dali, southwest China's Yunnan Province, May 21, 2021. A 5.6-magnitude earthquake at 9:21 p.m. (Beijing Time), and a 6.4-magnitude earthquake at 9:48 p.m. jolted Yangbi Yi Autonomous County in southwest China's Yunnan Province, according to the China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC). (Xinhua) BEIJING, May 22 (Xinhua) -- Two work teams have been dispatched to quake-hit areas in the Chinese provinces of Yunnan and Qinghai, according to the Ministry of Emergency Management (MEM) Saturday. The ministry initiated an emergency disaster relief response soon after a 7.4-magnitude earthquake hit Maduo County of Golog Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Qinghai Province at 2:04 a.m. Saturday Beijing Time. A work team was dispatched to Qinghai by the ministry and China Earthquake Administration to check the disaster situation and direct rescue work and disaster relief, said the MEM. The epicenter, with a depth of 17 km, was located at an area about 4,230 meters above the sea level, with a sparse population, according to the ministry. The earthquake occurred in pastoral areas, where brick and wood bungalows are mostly scattered, which may cause damage to a small number of houses, said the MEM, and the disaster situation is being further verified. At least one person was killed and 22 others injured as of 3 a.m. Saturday after a 6.4-magnitude earthquake jolted Yangbi at 9:48 p.m. (Beijing Time) on Friday, the MEM reported. A work team has also been sent to the area. Enditem New Delhi: The Telangana state government examinations department is gearing up to release the results for Class 10th on Friday (May 21, 2021). Telangana State Secondary School Certificate (TS SSC) results will be announced today. The State Education Minister Sabitha Indra Reddy will be the one to announce the results for TS SSC or Class 10. Candidates need to note that, once announced, they will be able to check their scores on the Telangana Boards official website- bse.telangana.gov.in. Earlier, the Telangana State Secondary School Certificate or Class 10th exams were cancelled in view of increasing COVID-19 cases in the country. Following the announcement of the cancellation of the Class 10th examination, the state board revealed that the students will be awarded marks on the basis of internal assessments. The state government had said that it has been decided To award grades duly considering their performance in the internal assessment marks for 20 percent (one formative assessment was conducted instead of two formative assessments due to the Covid-19 pandemic situation) and scale up to 20 percent of internal marks to 100 percent marks. As per the Telangana governments data, over 5 lakh students had registered for Telangana SSC exams this year. These students will be able to view their scorecard, after the official announcement, by entering their roll numbers at bse.telangana.gov.in. The candidates are advised to download their scorecard for future reference. Live TV Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa has called a meeting with state ministers and senior officials on Friday and Saturday (May 21, 22) to review the decision on the extension of lockdown. According to Chief Ministers Office (CMO), many ministers and experts have suggested extending the lockdown as the number of deaths and Covid-19 positive cases have increased though testing numbers brought down in Karnataka, reported news agency PTI. The extension of lockdown in the state will be taken a day before it is scheduled to end on May 24. Amid the surge in COVID-19 cases, the Karnataka government imposed a full lockdown from May 10 as the state was reporting over 10,000 COVID-19 cases every day. Under the lockdown, essential stores are functional from 6 am to 10 am, and the movement of people has been restricted except for emergencies and vaccination purposes. Meanwhile, it reported 28,869 new COVID-19 cases, 52,257 recoveries and 548 deaths in the last 24 hours on Thursday. According to the state health ministry, the total case tally in the state has reached 23,35,524, with 5,34,954 active cases and 23,854 fatalities so far. Live TV Mumbai: At least 13 Naxals were killed in an encounter with state police's C-60 commandos in Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra early on Friday. The skirmish took place around 5.30 AM in the dense forest at Kotmi in Etapalli, where the Naxals had gathered for a meeting, said Sandeep Patil, Deputy Inspector General of Gadchiroli. #UPDATE | At least 13 Naxals were neutralized in a police operation in the forest area of Etapalli, Gadchiroli, says Sandip Patil, DIG Gadchiroli#Maharashtra ANI (@ANI) May 21, 2021 Based on specific inputs, the police party, comprising C-60 commandos, had launched a search operation in the forest, he said. However, the ultras spotted the police party and opened fire, following which the C-60 commandos retaliated, in which 13 Naxals were killed, he said. The encounter lasted around an hour, after which the remaining Naxals escaped into the dense forest, said Ankit Goyal, Superintendent of Police, Gadchiroli. Bodies of the Naxals have been recovered from the spot and a search operation in the area is still on, he said. Live TV New Delhi: Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie was recently seen in one of her most bizarre and challenging photoshoots to promote her initiative for World Bee Day on Thursday (May 20). The photoshoot was in collaboration with National Geographic and saw the stunning actress standing still whilst covered in bees for 18 minutes! The strange feat was performed with utmost planning and meticulousness to keep the bees calm and prevent them from swarming and stinging the actress, as per a statement by the photographer and beekeeper Dan Winters. In the video, the 'Salt' actress is seen standing still and only moving her face as hundreds of bees rested on her body and face. Check out her shocking photoshoot: In the caption, the photographer explains how he managed to execute the shoot. He explained that he hired his friend Konrad Bouffard, a master beekeeper, to help. He revealed that they used Italian bees for the shoot which kept calm throughout the shoot. As per the caption, every crew member on set was wearing a protective suit, except Angelina and the environment had to be quiet and fairly dark to keep the bees calm. He wrote, " I hired my friend Konrad Bouffard, a master beekeeper, to help. He contacted the entomologist who formulated a special pheromone (known as queen mandibular pheromone, or QMP) for Avedon and worked with him to capture the image of beekeeper Ronald Fisher, which appeared in his book "The American West." The entomologist offered to let us use the actual pheromone from the Avedon shoot. We used Italian bees, kept calm throughout our shoot by Konrad. Everyone on set, except Angelina, had to be in a protective suit. It had to be quiet and fairly dark to keep the bees calm." He also spoke about applying a certain kind of pheromone on Jolie's body so that the bees would collect it in the desired spot. "I applied the pheromone in the places on her body where I wanted bees to congregate. The bees are attracted to the pheromone, but it also encourages them not to swarm. We also placed a large number of bees on a board that rested in front of her waist," he wrote. Actress Angelina Jolie took this bold step to pose with bees as she has been involved with UNESCO to build 2,500 beehives and restock 125 million bees by 2025. Her passion for bees and preserving them led her to create a portrait covered in bees. E-commerce giant Amazon has added Pakistan to its sellers' list-making Pakistani entrepreneurs eligible to sell on the platform, the Commerce Ministry announced on Friday. The ministry said that Pakistani manufacturers would gain access to a worldwide e-commerce platform with Amazon and it would open up a new chapter of the supply chain where Pakistani manufacturers could sell directly to customers. "This marks the accomplishment of a milestone of the National e-Commerce Policy, and is the outcome of sustained engagement with Amazon since the last quarter of 2019," it said. The listing will encourage manufacturers to work back from customer needs, design new products, offer high quality at competitive prices and also access new market segments, it said. The ministry said that Eric Broussard, Vice President, Amazon International Seller Services, said in his message that by connecting with and forming part of the global e-Commerce network, "an excellent opportunity has been created for Pakistani entrepreneurs". We are excited to announce that as of today, Pakistani entrepreneurs are eligible to sell on Amazon. We are eager to work with Pakistans dynamic business community, including small and medium-sized sellers, and help connect them with customers around the globe, he said. Adviser on Commerce and Investment Abdul Razzaq Dawood said that the Ministry of Commerce will continue discussions in the Focus Group for Amazon to further guide Pakistans business community to make the best use of this opportunity. In order to reap full benefits, a lot of hard work has to be done in training, quality assurance, improvement in logistics, payment systems, customer relationship management etc., he said. Pakistan remained off Amazon's list of sellers despite the company's presence in neighbouring India, and Pakistani retailers wishing to sell their products on the marketplace would register their companies from other countries. After being added to the list, Pakistani merchants will be able to sell their products on the platform with ease. However, it will take time to fully utilise it as reportedly, the Ministry of Commerce initially shared the names of only 38 exporters with Amazon for registration. Live TV #mute New Delhi: ByteDance's founder Zhang Yiming has announced that he will step down as the chief executive officer (CEO) and will hand over the reins to co-founder and HR head Liang Rubo. In an internal letter on Wednesday, Yiming said he will transition to a new role at the end of 2021, focusing on long-term strategy, corporate culture and social responsibility. "After several months of thinking about this, I came to the conclusion that transitioning out of the role of CEO, with all of the related day-to-day responsibilities, would enable me to have a greater impact on longer-term initiatives," Yiming said in the letter. "Our success over the last nine years has been predicated upon our ability to innovate at just the right moment in the development of the industry. Notably, this has included applying machine learning to mobile and video products," he added. He also said that he lacks some of the skills that make an ideal manager. "I am more interested in analysing organisational and market principles and leveraging these theories to further reduce management work, rather than actually managing people," the founder said. Recently, Nikhil Gandhi, the India Head of ByteDance-owned short video-sharing platform TikTok, decided to quit and was currently serving his notice period. After the company folded its India business, Gandhi was redesignated as TikTok Head for the Middle East, Africa, Turkey and South Asia. TikTok roped in Gandhi in the year 2019 as its India head to drive the next phase of growth for the Chinese short video-sharing platform. However, in 2020, the Indian government said it was banning 59 apps developed by Chinese firms, including TikTok, over concerns that these apps were engaging in activities that threatened the national security and defence of the country. New Delhi: The world of animal videos is limitless and entertaining to the hilt. In the latest viral hit a one-horned rhino is showing off its talent by playing the keyboard. Now, you must have seen so many people playing a keyboard but have you ever seen a rhino playing? If not then you must watch it. This talented rhino is named Bandhu and is just 12 years old and resides in Denver zoo. He celebrated his birthday on May 18. The video was shared on the official account of Denver Zoo on Instagram with the caption, Happy Birthday, Bandhu! Our resident male greater one-horned rhino turns 12 today! It might be his birthday, but Bandhu wanted to treat you all to a special song he wrote all by himself. Using his prehensile lip to compose a tune is just one of the many ways we can use enrichment to mentally and physically stimulate the birthday boy. Look out for Bandhu in Toyota Elephant Passage on your next visit to Denver Zoo! Watch the talented rhino playing the keyboard: In the video, one of the female staff of the zoo brings a keyboard in front of Bandhu-the rhino and he immediately starts playing with its upper lip. The comments section is filled with astonishing compliments like, Hes so talented, He is amazing!, Love that lip Bandhu, Give that man an Emmy! This adorable video went viral within a couple of hours and got more than twenty thousand likes and views. Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee will contest bypoll from the Bhawanipore assembly constituency as sitting MLA Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay resigns from the seat on Friday. Chattopadhyay formally submitted his resignation to West Bengal Legislative Assembly Speaker Biman Bandyopadhyay. He confirmed that Mamata Banerjee will be contesting from Bhawanipore as she needs to get re-elected to the assembly within six months to hold on to the chief ministers chair. "The CM had won twice from Bhawanipore. All party leaders discussed and when I heard she wants to contest from here, I thought I should vacate my seat, there's no pressure. Nobody else has courage to run govt. I spoke to her. It was her seat I was just protecting it," Chattopadhyay was quoted as saying by ANI. West Bengal | TMC's Sovandeb Chatterjee resigns as MLA from Bhawanipore "I have enquired from him if he has resigned voluntarily and without coercion. I am satisfied, and I have accepted his resignation," says West Bengal Assembly Speaker Biman Banerjee pic.twitter.com/qJtScYHUnO ANI (@ANI) May 21, 2021 Banerjee had in the last two assembly elections contested and won from the Bhawanipore but this time she decided to contest from Nandigram against turncoat Suvendu Adhikari. However, Banerjee lost the seat to Adhikari. KOLKATA: In a major development, the Calcutta High Court on Friday ordered that the four TMC leaders arrested by the CBI in connection with the Narada alleged bribery case be kept in house arrest instead of custody in jail. The high court also referred the matter to a larger bench. The Kolkata high court order is in tune with the recent judgment of the Supreme Court in the Gautam Navlakha case. The court also said that the Narada case would now be heard by a larger bench, explaining that one of the judges on the bench thought it fit to grant interim bail, while another did not. The judges of the division bench - presided by Acting Chief Justice Rajesh Bindal - differed in opinion over vacating a stay given by it on bail granted by a special CBI court to ministers Subrata Mukherjee and Firhad Hakim, TMC MLA Madan Mitra and former Kolkata mayor Sovan Chatterjee. The bench, also comprising Justice Arijit Banerjee, finally directed that the leaders, placed under judicial remand so far, will remain in house confinement for now. West Bengal: A two-judge bench of Calcutta HC divided over the stay order. One of the judges Arijit Banerjee is ready to grant bail while the acting Chief Justice is in favour of house arrest in Narada case. Matter to be referred to the larger bench ANI (@ANI) May 21, 2021 Hearing in the case is still in progress following prayers from both sides for further arguments on the court's house arrest order. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the CBI, has pleaded for a stay on the execution of the order. The high court had on Monday night stayed the lower court's decision to grant bail to the four leaders. Top TMC leaders Firhad Hakim, Subrata Mukherjee, Madan Mitra and Sovan Chatterjee were arrested by the CBI in the Narada case earlier this week. The four leaders were arrested on Monday morning from their residences in the city in connection with the Narada sting case that is being investigated by the CBI on an order by the high court. The sting operation was conducted by journalist Mathew Samuel of Narada News, a web portal, in 2014 wherein some people resembling TMC ministers, MPs and MLAs were seen receiving money from representatives of a fictitious company in lieu of favours. At that time, the four arrested politicians were ministers in the Mamata Banerjee government. The sting operation was made public ahead of the 2016 assembly elections in West Bengal. Live TV KOLKATA: The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the West Bengal Police has summoned Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Lok Sabha member Arjun Singh in connection with an old economic offence case. The alleged economic offence was committed when Arjun Singh was a Trinamool Congress (TMC) legislator. The Barrackpore BJP MP has been asked to appear before EOW Cell, CID on May 25 at 11 AM. #Breaking: BJP MP Arjun Singh summoned by CID in connection with an alleged economic offence case. He has been asked to appear before EOW Cell, CID on May 25 at 11am. pic.twitter.com/dESiUzWxEg Pooja Mehta (@pooja_news) May 20, 2021 The first information report (FIR) was lodged on July 28, 2020, more than a year after Singh wrested the Barrackpore Lok Sabha seat from the TMCs then incumbent MP Dinesh Trivedi who has also joined the saffron camp. When quizzed if he would visit the CID office, Singh said that he will decide after consulting his lawyers. The state police had earlier raided the residences of Singh and some of his relatives in connection with the case. In August last year, police raided Arjun Singhs home in connection with the case which allegedly involves financial irregularities to the tune of Rs 11 crore at Bhatpara municipality and a local cooperative bank. Singh was chairman of the Bhatpara municipality from 2010 to 2019. He left the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and joined the BJP in March 2019. He also headed the banks board. It may be noted that the Mamata Banerjee government is at loggerheads with the Centre over the CBI action against senior TMC leaders in Narada sting operation case. Recently, Trinamool Congress leaders and cabinet ministers Firhad Hakim and Subrata Mukherjee, MLA Madan Mitra, and former Kolkata Corporation Mayor Sovon Chattopadhyay were arrested by the CBI in a five-year-old Narada sting operation case On May 18, Mitra and Sovon Chatterjee were rushed to SSKM hospital after they complained of breathlessness. Violence erupted outside the CBIs Kolkata office after Mamata Banerjee sat on dharna to protest the arrest of four of her Trinamool Congress leaders. Live TV Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-21 12:33:25|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close KAMPALA, May 20 (Xinhua) -- Ugandan lawyers have sued the government for approving a private company to clear parts of a natural forest for sugarcane growing. Pheona Wall, president of Uganda Law Society (ULS), said in a statement that they seek to have the civil division of the High Court in Kampala declare null and void a decision by National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) to allow Hoima Sugar Limited to clear 5,500 hectares in the Bugoma Forest Reserve in the mid-western district of Kikuube for sugarcane growing. The ULS petitioned in conjunction with Environment Shield Limited, a civic organization specializing in climate, natural resources and Resource Rights Africa, a research organization that advocates the promotion and protection of people's rights, saying the NEMA decision is fraudulent. The applicants also want the court to declare that the pre-environmental and social impact assessment report by Hoima Sugar was shallow, inaccurate and misleading, hence threatening the right of Ugandans to a decent, clean and healthy environment. The petition came a week after the High Court ruling in Kampala that authorized the government decision to allow Hoima Sugar to clear the forest reserve, about 250 km mid-west of the country's capital, Kampala. Enditem Brussels: The European Union (EU) has recommended to open its external borders to non-essential travel into the bloc if travellers have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19. The Council of the EU, representing the 27 member states, adopted a recommendation that eases the Covid-19 restrictions for non-EU travellers whose origin countries report no more than 75 cases per 100,000 inhabitants over the last 14 days. Before the criteria were updated on Thursday (May 20), the upper limit was 25 cases, Xinhua reported. EU member states are now encouraged to waive testing or quarantine for third-country travellers who have received the last dose of a vaccine approved by the European Medicines Agency. The drugs regulator has so far greenlighted four vaccines -Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson. C EU countries could also lift the restriction on non-essential travel to those who have received the last recommended dose of a vaccine on the list of the World Health Organization for emergency use. An emergency brake mechanism is created, and reciprocity should be taken into account case by case, said the EU Council. The decision was made on the basis of a proposal presented by the European Commission in early May, which aims to salvage the bloc`s tourism industry as vaccination campaigns are progressing worldwide. Also on Thursday (May 20), the EU Council reached a provisional agreement with the European Parliament on the introduction of a Covid-19 certificate system that can facilitate free movement within the bloc. The commonly recognized digital certificate will be able to prove a traveller is fully vaccinated, or tests negative, or has recovered from the infection, and the holder of the certificate is thus free of travel restrictions. The system is supposed to be temporarily in place for 12 months. A vote on the proposition is expected to take place at the parliament`s plenary in June. Live TV Athens: Greek firefighters battled for a third day on Friday (May 21) a wind-driven blaze that burned through pine forests about 60 km (37 miles) west of the capital Athens and forced hundreds of people to evacuate from their homes. Firefighters battled overnight to contain the fire that burned homes as black smoke filled the sky above costal villages where police were calling on citizens to leave. More than 10 villages and two monasteries have already been evacuated. "We are optimistic that during the day, with the improved weather conditions, the fire will be contained," Deputy Citizens` Protection Minister Nikos Hardalias told a briefing. The blaze broke out in a forest at a small seaside holiday resort on the Gulf of Corinth on Wednesday (May 19) and moved eastward into the western Attica province on Thursday (May 20), fanned by strong winds. No deaths or injuries were reported as some 270 firefighters, 18 airplanes, three helicopters, municipal staff and volunteers sought to extinguish the fire. There have been no estimates yet of the value of damages. Greece has bitter memories of a 2018 blaze that tore through the seaside town of Mati near Athens, killing 102 people in a matter of hours. The country often faces wildfires during its dry summer months that also mark the peak of the tourism season. Environmental campaigners say an increasing number of wildfires around the world is a symptom of climate change. Gaza: A truce between Israel and Hamas began on Friday (May 21, 2021) at the hour set by Egyptian mediators, and U.S. President Joe Biden pledged to salve the devastated Gaza Strip with humanitarian aid after the worst fighting in years. President Joe Biden on Thursday (May 20, 2021) pledged humanitarian and reconstruction aid for Gaza as the US President hailed a deal to end 11 days of fighting between Israel and Hamas. The US President was also criticized by fellow Democrats in the state for not speaking out more forcefully against Israeli actions. Joe Biden addressed the media at the White House shortly after the news of the ceasefire agreement came out. US President while promising to replenish Israel's Iron Dome missile defense system, said, "We remain committed to work with the United Nations and other international stakeholders to provide rapid humanitarian assistance and to marshal international support for the people in Gaza and in the Gaza reconstruction efforts." US President also added that this reconstruction aid for Gaza would not be provided in partnership with Hamas, which the United States labels a terrorist organization, but with the Palestinian Authority. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he "welcomes the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas" adding that "after 11 days of deadly hostilities. I extend my deepest condolences to the victims of the violence and their loved ones. Additionally, President Biden also defended his remarks and approach in handling the crisis after many Democratic lawmakers in the country urged him to adjust his stance defending Israel's right to self-defense. The US President revealed that he made over six phone calls to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, followed by conversations with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and President of Palestine Mahmoud Abbas on the issue. "I believe the Palestinians and Israelis equally deserve to live safely and securely and enjoy equal measures of freedom, prosperity and democracy," Biden said. "My administration will continue our quiet, relentless diplomacy toward that end. I believe we have a genuine opportunity to make progress and I am committed to working for it," he said. Palestinians, many of whom had spent 11 days huddled in fear of Israeli shelling, poured into Gazas streets. Mosque loud-speakers feted "the victory of the resistance achieved over the Occupation (Israel) during the Sword of Jerusalem battle." In the countdown to the 2 a.m. (2300 GMT Thursday) cease-fire, whose timing Hamas had publicly confirmed but Israel had not, Palestinian rocket salvoes continued and Israel carried out at least one air strike. Each side said it stood ready to retaliate for any truce violations by the other. Meanwhile, Gaza health officials confirmed that over 232 Palestinians, including 65 children, had been killed, while more than 1,900 people have been wounded in airstrikes. On the other hand, Israels officials revealed that it had killed at least 160 combatants. Authorities put the death toll in Israel at 12, with hundreds of people treated for injuries in rocket attacks that caused panic and sent people rushing into shelters. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said, Israeli and Palestinian leaders had a responsibility beyond the restoration of calm to address the root causes of the conflict, he told reporters with serious dialogue. Gaza is an integral part of the future Palestinian state and no effort should be spared to bring about real national reconciliation that ends the division, he said. (With inputs from Reuters) Live TV Tokyo: The Japanese government on Friday (May 21) gave the green signal for two more COVID-19 vaccines developed by AstraZeneca and Moderna pharmaceutical giants to be added to the nation`s vaccine portfolio, Kyodo news reported. The experts have met on Thursday (May 20) to assess data from Japan`s own clinical trial in addition to those from overseas. They confirmed the efficacy of the two vaccines and today, the health minister could officially authorise them, according to NHK World. People aged 18 or older are likely be eligible. But officials may later recommend a minimum age limit for the AstraZeneca vaccine because of the risk of rare blood clots. The EU drugs regulator published data that shows young people are more likely to develop them. The Moderna vaccine is expected to be administered at large-scale vaccination sites, which are likely to be open in Tokyo and Osaka next Monday (May 24). But the AstraZeneca vaccine will not be used in public inoculation programs for the time being because of rare blood clots. The health ministry plans to carefully decide what age groups can be given the AstraZeneca vaccine. At present, only the Pfizer vaccine is in use as Japan`s law requires clinical trials in the country. Inoculations started in February for frontline workers before broadening to include senior citizens in April. Less than 5 per cent of Japan`s population have received at least one dose, a far lower proportion than other G7 countries, it further reported. Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, whose public support has fallen amid criticism over his pandemic response, has vowed to ramp up to 1 million shots a day and finish inoculating the elderly by the end of July, Xinhua reported. In Japan, more than 5,700 new infections were reported on Thursday, as well as over 100 deaths. New Delhi: Israel has expressed its regret over Pakistani foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi expressing in an anti-semitic manner. Antisemitism, a form of racism in which a person shows hostility and discrimination against Jews. In response to a WION question at a virtual presser, Israel's Charge d'affaires in Delhi Rony Yedidia Clein said, anti-semitism should be "dealt seriously and rigorously and I'm sorry to hear Pakistan FM also expressed himself in an anti-Semitic manner." Pakistani foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, who has courted controversy many times in the past, during an interview with CNN said," Israel is losing the media war despite its connections" and "deep pockets" and ability to "control media" to which he was questioned over those remarks. The video has since then got viral in many parts of the world including in Israel. Rony Yedidia during her response to the incident explained while she hasn't seen the interview, "unfortunately, there have a lot of anti-Semitic comments and actions coming up over the last couple of weeks, its something that we are very sorry to see...this Anti Semitism we have seen around the world" but this is "something the international community should be condemning, in fact, the international community has started to condemn anti-Semitism whatever traces". Pakistani foreign minister is in New York to take part in the session of the United Nations General Assembly on the Israel Palestine issue that took place on Thursday. The foreign minister has been very active since the Israel Palestine conflict began 10 days ago, speaking to a number of his counterparts from West Asia trying to drum up support for the Palestinian cause in line with Islamabad's stated policy. Live TV London: Two doses of the Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine may be around 85% to 90% effective against the symptomatic disease, Public Health England (PHE) said on Thursday (May 20), while cautioning that it did not yet have enough data to be conclusive. Britain has suffered one of the worst death tolls globally from the pandemic but has also had one of the fastest vaccine rollouts, generating a lot of data about the use of the shots in real-world settings. It was the first country to roll out AstraZeneca`s vaccine, which faced questions over the construction of its clinical trials, the efficacy of the vaccine and the optimal gap between doses of its shot. PHE said the preliminary findings were the first of its kind on the effectiveness of two doses of AstraZeneca in a real-world setting but cautioned that it had "low confidence" in the findings, and the results would be inconclusive until more evidence was gathered. In a weekly surveillance report, Public Health England said the estimated effectiveness of the AstraZeneca vaccine, invented at the University of Oxford, was 89% compared to unvaccinated people. That compares to 90% estimated effectiveness against symptomatic disease for the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine. "This new data highlights the incredible impact that both doses of the vaccine can have, with a second dose of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine providing up to 90% protection," vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi said. AstraZeneca welcomed the preliminary findings. "This latest real-world data from PHE adds to the growing body of evidence that demonstrates the effectiveness of our vaccine against COVID-19," a spokesman said. "It is reassuring to see the data from both the Pfizer and Oxford AstraZeneca vaccines. They are essentially comparable in terms of effectiveness against symptomatic disease, which is very high after two doses," said Michael Head, Senior Research Fellow in Global Health at the University of Southampton. Britain has been rolling out the shots manufactured by Pfizer and AstraZeneca since December and January respectively, and in April also started deploying Moderna`s vaccine. PHE said there was a "small reduction in vaccine effectiveness" from 10 weeks after the first dose of the Pfizer shot before the second shot is given. Britain extended the gap between doses to 12 weeks, though Pfizer warned there was a lack of evidence of its efficacy outside the three-week gap used in trials. Last week, Britain cut the gap between doses down to 8 weeks for the over 50s, aiming to give maximum protection to more vulnerable people in light of concern about the B.1.617.2 variant first found in India. Jerusalem: The top United Nations envoy to Israel and the Palestinian territories is welcoming the cease-fire in the latest war between Israel and the Hamas- militant group that rules Gaza. Tor Wennesland, UN special coordinator, said early Friday (May 21) on Twitter that he extends his deepest condolences to the victims of the violence & their loved ones. He also thanks Egypt and Qatar for their work with the UN in brokering the deal that ended 11 days of fighting. He added that now the work of building Palestine can start. The United States on Thursday defended its efforts to broker a ceasefire in renewed fighting between Israel and Palestinian militants after Washington found itself isolated at the United Nations over its opposition to any Security Council action. "We have not been silent," U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield told the 193-member U.N. General Assembly as it met to discuss the violence. "In fact, I don`t believe that there`s any country working more urgently and more fervently toward peace." The United States has repeatedly objected to a U.N. Security Council statement since fighting erupted 11 days ago between Israel and Hamas militants and other groups in Gaza. The United States then expressed opposition on Wednesday to a French push for a council resolution on the conflict. When U.S. President Joe Biden spoke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday, he said the United States believes "Israel is now in a position to begin winding down the conflict and we expect a significant de-escalation to begin," Thomas-Greenfield said. Live TV New Delhi: Leaders from around the world on Thursday (May 20, 2021) welcomed the news of a ceasefire between Israel and Palestine which ended the more than 11-day conflict that caused destruction on both sides as thousands of rockets were fired between them. Israeli security cabinet on Thursday unanimously adopted Egypt's initiative for a bilateral unconditional ceasefire, which took effect at 23:00 GMT on Thursday (May 20). At least 217 Palestinians and 12 Israelis have died in the conflict. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed the ceasefire between Israel and Palestine and called on all parties to observe it. "I welcome the ceasefire between Gaza and Israel after 11 days of deadly hostilities," Guterres said on Thursday. "I call on all sides to observe the ceasefire." European Council President Charles Michel has also welcomed the ceasefire reached by Israel and the Gaza Strip-based Hamas Islamist group. "Welcome announced ceasefire between Israel and Hamas ending the 11-day conflict. Opportunity for peace and security for citizens must be seized," Michel tweeted. Welcome announced ceasefire between Israel and Hamas ending the 11-day conflict. Opportunity for peace and security for citizens must be seized. Charles Michel (@eucopresident) May 20, 2021 US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that he spoke with leaders from both Israel and Palestine and welcomed his confirmation that the parties had agreed to a ceasefire. "I spoke with @IsraelMFA @Gabi_Ashkenazi today and welcomed his confirmation that the parties had agreed to a ceasefire, mediated by Egypt," Blinken tweeted. "I will be traveling to the region in the coming days and look forward to meeting the Foreign Minister and other Israeli, Palestinian, and regional leaders," he added. I spoke with @IsraelMFA @Gabi_Ashkenazi today and welcomed his confirmation that the parties had agreed to a ceasefire, mediated by Egypt. Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) May 21, 2021 UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said that all sides must work to make the ceasefire durable and end the unacceptable cycle of violence and loss of civilian life. "Welcome news of a ceasefire in Israel and Gaza. All sides must work to make the ceasefire durable and end the unacceptable cycle of violence and loss of civilian life. UK continues to support efforts to bring about peace." Canada welcomes the news of a potential ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinians, but it is only the beginning, Canada`s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Bob Rae said on Thursday (May 20). UN General Assembly President Volkan Bozkir said he is ready to convene another special meeting on the Palestinian question if such action would be necessary. "We will watch it - if the ceasefire is implemented or not," Bozkir said on Thursday (May 20). "If necessary, and if it is found useful, I will convene another meeting on Palestine to keep the pressure, if necessary, on the parties." On Tuesday (May 18), the UN General Assembly held an emergency meeting on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Later in the day, the Israeli security cabinet unanimously adopted Egypt`s initiative for a bilateral unconditional ceasefire, which would take effect at 23:00 GMT on Thursday (May 20). Hamas has also confirmed its plans to abide by the truce, Sputnik reported. The United States will provide rapid humanitarian aid and reconstruction assistance to the Palestinians in Gaza after the conflict between Hamas and Israel, US President Joe Biden announced. "We remain committed working with the United Nations and other international stakeholders to provide rapid humanitarian assistance and marshal international support for the people of Gaza and the Gaza reconstruction efforts," Biden said. The US president vowed to coordinate assistance with the internationally recognized Palestinian Authority and not Hamas, which de-facto rules Gaza. Live TV Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-21 20:14:43|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close NAIROBI, May 21 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's Ministry of Agriculture said Friday that the country's tea industry, which saw sluggish production, distribution and marketing due to COVID-19 restrictions, is recovering at a faster pace. Peter Munya, cabinet secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Cooperatives, said the industry has adapted very quickly to the new normal and is now in a stable state. "Amidst the pandemic, tea production was significantly enhanced by 24 percent in 2020 to stand at 569 million kilograms against 458 million kilograms recorded in 2019," Munya said in a statement released in Nairobi marking the International Tea Day. Kenya's tea export for 2020 rose by 4 percent to 518 million kilograms, up from 496 million kilograms recorded in 2019. And earnings from tea export, at 120 billion shillings (about 1.11 billion U.S. dollars), also slightly improved, against 1.08 billion dollars in 2019. Munya said domestic consumption of tea remained at the same level of 2019, at 41 million kilograms. Peris Mudida, director of Tea Directorate at the Agriculture and Food Authority, said Kenyan tea has marched into new markets in Russia, Poland, Iran, Kazakhstan, Jordan and Nigeria, and that farmers have diversified their farming to engage in higher-value specialty teas such as purple, oolong and white teas. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-21 21:03:36|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close MOGADISHU, May 21 (Xinhua) -- At least three people were killed on Friday in a roadside blast in the Garasbaley neighborhood on the outskirts of Somalia's capital Mogadishu, police officials and witnesses said. An officer who declined to be named told Xinhua that a bomb planted at the roadside went off as a convoy carrying the commissioner of Garasbaley was passing by. "The commissioner and two of his bodyguards died in the blast," said the officer. Witnesses told Xinhua that they heard a heavy blast. "As we were going out of a mosque, we heard a huge blast; people said government officials have died in the blast," Daud Heyle, a witness said. No group has claimed the responsibility for the latest attack. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-21 21:15:36|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close by Olatunji Saliu and Guo Jun ABUJA, May 21 (Xinhua) -- Oyeronke Adegbile stands by a wooden boat at a beach in Lagos, the biggest coastal city and the economic hub of Nigeria, smiling and listening to several fishermen pouring out their complaints about the hardship of life as they are busy picking fishes off their fishing net. Adegbile is here on a beach cleaning activity, part of the efforts of a non-governmental organization she founded to promote marine protection in local communities. The 40-year-old marine researcher with Nigerian Institute for Oceanography and Marine Research(NIOMR) is widely referred to as "Madam Sea Turtle" by the coastal communities she frequents together with her colleagues because of her seemingly "overzealous" dedication to the protection of sea turtles. However, the "Madam Sea Turtle" always finds herself caught in the quandary between conservation and survival, and the fight to protect marine life and the tradition and livelihood of a vast majority of people living in coastal communities. Adegbile did not know there are sea turtles in Nigeria until 2009 when she went for a field trip as a NIOMR researcher in a fishing community in Lekki, a coastal area of Lagos, and saw a sea turtle shell. Adegbile recalled when she graduated from the University of Lagos in 2002, she traveled for an international conference on marine protection in Britain. "One of the participants at the conference asked me if there were sea turtles in Nigeria and prior to that time I had never heard of sea turtles being in Nigeria. So, I said we didn't have them and I don't know anything about them," Adegbile told Xinhua. However, she got back to Nigeria with that question lingering on her mind until her field trip in 2009. "I was able to establish that we have sea turtles nesting in Lagos. We formed a little group with my colleagues and we started going out to the coastal communities to ask if they have found any sea turtles," she said. The answer was affirmative. Later, Adegbile was involved in a sea turtle nesting survey for her PhD research, so she went to coastal communities more frequently to check where they nested. "I realized that the government vehicle was not moving fast enough for the sea turtle work, so I decided to start a cause around the sea turtle. That was when I started the cause on sea turtle monitoring," she said. THE HARD FIGHT To Adegbile's astonishment, sea turtles seem not to have a happy life in the country as they are often regarded as either foods or foes by coastal communities. "The first time I encountered one in one of the communities, it almost caused a riot because the people said that this was just like a cow to them and what they do after capturing it is to share it among the community," she said. She was there then on a sea turtle survey together with one of her colleagues. She tried her best to get them to release it but they insisted on collecting 50,000 naira (about 140 U.S. dollars). "That was way out of my reach. I felt threatened. The young men in the community were hostile towards us. My partner and I had to exit from the community," she said. Adegbile said local communities believe the sea turtle is meat to them. "They think that you are taking away from them their food without giving them anything in replacement." The fishermen also have their own personal vendetta with the sea turtles because they do not target the sea turtles deliberately, but the sea turtles enter into their nets as by-catch, Adegbile said. "The sea turtle is trying to feed on some fish that has aggregated in the net, the net closes up on it, and the turtle is trying to free itself from the net. So, the net is shredded into several pieces," she said. The fisherman went back and got mad because these nets were costly for them. And they also have a belief that whenever a turtle is the first catch, then it is a bad omen because they know that they would not catch anything else for that day. "They are determined to keep that turtle to fend for their family because their wives and children are waiting at home for the day's catch," Adegbile said. PROGRESSES MADE "Madam Sea Turtle" has not been scared away from sea turtle protection by the existent difficulties. She frequented the coastal communities in Lagos, telling people the sea turtles are endangered, and they are covered by several international and regional conventions. "I always quote those laws anytime I see them. That was how I got stuck with the name 'Madam Sea Turtle'," she said. Adegbile teamed up with some like-minded friends to establish in 2013 the Marine and Coastal Conservation Society of Nigeria(MCCS), a non-governmental organization, with the objective of bringing about marine conservation action in the west African country. One of their activities in the organization includes regular beach clean-up, an important part of the marine protection sensitization campaign through which they find more partners. "Now, we have a group chat where we notify ourselves when a sea turtle has been spotted so that it can be rescued and released quickly. We use all sorts of tactics to get the sea turtles released," said Adegbile. So far, MCCS has well over 500 volunteers in Lagos alone. Isreal Balogun has been working as a volunteer for MCCS at a fishing community in the Ibeju Lekki area of Lagos for three years now. "They enlightened me on the usefulness of sea turtles and their importance to the ocean." The barkeeper in his 30s told Xinhua that he goes from one community to the other to rescue sea turtles. "Now they do call me whenever a sea turtle is captured in their communities. I pay them some money and they release the sea turtle to me," Balogun said. "There are still some who still eat the sea turtle, but the number has reduced unlike how it used to be," he said. Segun Yahaya, a 58-year-old local fisherman told Xinhua that until he encountered "Madam Sea Turtle" and her team, he never knew that sea turtles, like other marine wildlife, are endangered. Yahaya does not eat sea turtles because he does not like the smell. And it wasn't a problem for him to stop capturing them, he said, adding sometimes he gets cash compensation for each turtle he releases back into the ocean. "Not all my fellow fishermen understand the need to preserve the sea turtle," he said, "If we are getting the right assistance from the government we will be more environmentally conscious." THE WAY AHEAD As issues around climate change continue to manifest across the world. In Nigeria, rising temperatures are one of its effects. This, Adegbile said, might be deadly for the marine species. "The temperature that is warming up is affecting the beach sand and also affecting the ocean itself. A lot of species have temperature-dependent reproduction," she said. For instance, in the case of sea turtles, the hatching of the eggs, when they are laid, depends on temperature. If the temperatures are rising, it means there are fewer hatching successes. Adegbile said there is a need for more sensitization of the people in the grassroots and the government on the importance of marine protection. According to local media, Nigeria's Minister of State for Environment Sharon Ikeazor revealed in a statement in September 2020 that the absence of marine protected areas in the most populous African country, with about 853 km coastline, prompted the government to initiate plans for projects to assist in the control of coastal erosion, restoration of polluted areas and protecting marine animals. Adegbile expects to see a sea turtle sanctuary set up by the government in the near future, as a way to both promote sensitization of marine protection and explore the opportunity in tourism. "The only challenge we have is funding. We have limited support from here and there, and we are hoping that things would get better because we do have a lot of marine conservation action that we want to do in Nigeria," she said. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-22 00:03:23|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close KAMPALA, May 21 (Xinhua) -- Uganda's ministry of health on Friday warned that the country's isolation facilities and intensive care units are filling up due to the resurgence of COVID-19 cases. Ruth Aceng, minister of health told reporters here that the situation is worrying and the public needs to take great precaution. She said the isolation facilities and intensive care units, especially at the Mulago National Referral Hospital in Kampala are currently full, following the daily increase of the COVID-19 cases. "I want to appeal to Ugandans to take COVID-19 very seriously and take this resurgence as more dangerous than the first," said Aceng. "If people are not careful, we may end up losing very many people than we did before. Apparently Ugandans seem to have forgotten that we have COVID-19 and people are back to their normal lives," she said. She warned that citizens no longer want to adhere to the standard operating procedures to prevent the spread of novel coronavirus in the country. "People don't want to wear masks, sanitize and social distance. The situation is not good. If you are eligible for a bed right now (admission), you may have to go on a waiting list," said Aceng. Uganda on Friday started the second phase of COVID-19 vaccination, with just 488,986 people having received the jabs of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine in the east African country. "My appeal to you is to take this issue (resurgence) very seriously and protect yourselves. If you are eligible for vaccines, get vaccinated. The vaccine is safe and effective," said Aceng. Uganda received its first 964,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine from the World Health Organization (WHO)'s COVAX initiative and the Indian government in March. The Ugandan government has prioritized access to vaccines for more than 21.9 million people at higher risk, including those working in the medical field, teachers, social workers, security personnel, the elderly and those with underlying medical conditions. Uganda on Friday registered 147 news cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of infections to 43,370, with 42,429 recoveries and 350 deaths. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-22 02:55:44|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close GABORONE, May 21 (Xinhua) -- Botswana and China on Friday signed the Economic and Technical Cooperation Agreement in Gaborone, Botswana. Speaking at the signing ceremony of the agreement, Peggy Serame, minister of Finance and Economic Development, said Botswana and China relationship has come a long way during which, Botswana benefited in a number of sectors including transport, education, agriculture and environment. "It is therefore important that this kind of relationship is nurtured to ensure stronger economic cooperation," said Serame. Chinese Ambassador to Botswana Wang Xuefeng said the two countries enjoy good bilateral relationship and a long history of good interaction and tradition of friendship, stressing that the most important task at the moment is the recovery of the economy because "our two countries have the same goal that is to make a happy life for our people." The two countries stood together in solidarity in fight against the COVID-19. In April, Botswana received 200,000 doses of Sinovac vaccines from China as a gift of life, added Ambassador Wang. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-22 06:14:15|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close People carry coffins of deceased military officers to the site of funeral at the National Military Cemetery in Abuja, Nigeria, May 22, 2021. A Nigerian air force aircraft crashed on Friday evening near an international airport in Kaduna state, northwest of Nigeria, killing several people on board, including Chief of Army Staff Ibrahim Attahiru. (Photo by Robert Oba/Xinhua) ABUJA, May 21 (Xinhua) -- A Nigerian air force aircraft crashed on Friday evening near an international airport in Kaduna state, northwest of Nigeria, killing several people on board, including Chief of Army Staff Ibrahim Attahiru. Edward Gabkwet, air force spokesperson, said in a statement on Friday an air crash involving a Nigerian air force aircraft occurred on Friday evening near the Kaduna International Airport. "The immediate cause of the crash is still being ascertained, more details to follow soon," said Gabkwet. A press release from the state house later on Friday confirmed Chief of Army Staff Ibrahim Attahiru and other military officers were killed in the crash. "President Muhammadu Buhari is deeply saddened over the air crash that claimed the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, and other military officers," said the statement. Buhari described the crash as "one mortal blow to our underbelly, at a time our armed forces are poised to end the security challenges facing the country," according to the statement. At least eight people including Attahiru were aboard the aircraft when the crash happened, military sources quoted by local media said. The incident on Friday was the third air crash involving Nigerian military jets this year. On Feb. 21, seven Nigerian air force officers died when a military jet reported engine failure and crashed near the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport in Abuja. Another military jet involved in the anti-terror war against Boko Haram in the country's northeastern state of Borno had reportedly lost contact with the radar on March 31. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-21 09:31:39|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close CANBERRA, May 21 (Xinhua) -- Medical experts have warned Australians over 50 not to delay getting their coronavirus vaccines despite blood clot fears. Omar Khorshid, the president of the Australian Medical Association (AMA), told News Corp Australia on Thursday that with winter approaching Australia is "vulnerable to a coronavirus outbreak." "The best way to protect our community is for the vulnerable to be vaccinated, especially those aged over 70, who are vulnerable to very bad outcomes if they contract coronavirus," he said. His comments were a response to Health Minister Greg Hunt, who implied earlier that over-50s currently eligible for the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine could choose to wait until doses of the Pfizer and Moderna mRNA vaccines are available late in 2021. Due to blood clotting concerns, the Australian government endorsed a new vaccine rollout plan in April that will fast-track vaccinations for over 50s with AstraZeneca doses and offer the Pfizer vaccine to people under 50 years. However, Khorshid warned that over-50s who delay vaccination over blood clot fears will not be high on the priority list for the Pfizer or Moderna shots "because they've chosen not to have the vaccine available to them." "That would be a bad thing for Australia if we had a large number of our vulnerable population not vaccinated because they had this perception that one vaccine is better than the other when the data does not at all show that," he said. Bruce Willett, the vice-president of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP), said it would be an "enormous risk" for anyone to delay vaccination. "The risk-benefit analysis is clear that people need to go and get it - it's a risky strategy to wait," he said. "My advice to my patients is get vaccinated, do it now." The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) on Thursday announced six new cases of blood clotting in Australia linked to AstraZeneca vaccine, including five who were above 50 and one 18-year-old. It takes the total number of cases of clotting disorder linked to vaccines in the country to 24. As of Friday morning, there have been 3.38 million coronavirus vaccines administered in Australia. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-21 14:18:40|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close SUVA, May 21 (Xinhua) -- Fiji reported on Friday five new confirmed cases of COVID-19, bringing the total tally to 195 in the Pacific island nation. According to the Fijian Health Ministry, the new cases were members of one household in Nasinu, a town near Fiji's capital city of Suva, and they all have been under home quarantine following the discovery of that coronavirus cluster last week. Permanent Secretary for the Health Ministry James Fong said that the health authorities are sure that more cases are present in the Fijian community. Through widespread compliance to Fiji's existing health guidelines over the pandemic, Fiji can break the new chains of transmission even as new cases are detected, and eventually make lessened restriction on people's movement and greater economic activity possible, he added. Meanwhile, Fiji's Ministry of Education said Friday that all schools across the country will remained closed until June 21. Fiji has so far reported 129 recoveries and four deaths from COVID-19 since recording its first confirmed case in March last year. Currently, like Fiji's major cities of Lautoka and Nadi, Suva and Nausori, a town about 19 km northeast of Suva, also have been under a lockdown. Viti Levu, Fiji's main island where Suva is located, still maintains a curfew islandwide from 6:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m. every day. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-21 14:50:37|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close GHAZNI, Afghanistan, May 21 (Xinhua) -- A roadside bomb blast has left two civilians dead and one civilian injured in Afghanistan's eastern Ghazni province, a local official said on Friday. The blast occurred as a cargo truck touched off an improvised explosive device (IED) planted by Taliban militants in the province's Nawur district on Thursday evening, district chief Tahir Zaheer told Xinhua. The truck was destroyed in the blast and the wounded man was transported to a district hospital by local villagers, he said. Militants in the Asian country have been using home-made IEDs to make roadside bombs and landmines to target government forces, but the lethal weapons have also inflicted civilian casualties. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-21 16:23:19|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close QALAT, Afghanistan, May 21 (Xinhua) -- Five policemen and seven Taliban militants were killed during armed clashes at a police station in Afghanistan's southern province of Zabul Thursday night, the provincial council chief confirmed on Friday. "The militants armed with guns and rocket propelled grenades stormed a police station in Shahr-i-Safa district at midnight, triggering clashes which lasted for hours," Zabul Provincial Council Chief Ata Jan Haqbayan told Xinhua. "A senior police officer in-charge of a police command in the district was among the martyred policemen," the provincial council chief said, adding the policemen in the station fought back and forced the militants to retreat. The mountainous province has been the scene of heavy clashes in recent years. Violence lingers in the Asian country as Taliban militants have been attempting to seize small towns or districts by launching hit-and-run ambushes against Afghan national security forces. While the U.S. and NATO troops have been leaving the country, violence in the country is on the rise. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-21 16:56:32|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close MANILA, May 21 (Xinhua) -- Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday called for "greater solidarity for collective, coordinated, and comprehensive responses" in the ongoing fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, saying "inward-looking policies will lead us nowhere." During a virtual conference held by Nikkei, a Japanese economic newspaper, Duterte said that his country supports "all avenues for increased production of COVID-19 diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines." He said that collective international action can only complement national responses, which should be "people-centered and holistic." Noting how the pandemic reinforces "deglobalization trends," Duterte reaffirmed the Philippines' support for "a free and rules-based multilateral trading system." "The key to recovery and shared prosperity remains the free movement of goods, capital, and services, as well as the harnessing of valuable human resources. Despite the pandemic, opportunities for growth remain," Duterte added. The Philippines' Department of Health (DOH) reported on Friday 6,258 new COVID-19 infections, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the Southeast Asian country to 1,171,403. The death toll climbed to 19,763 after 141 more patients died from the viral disease, the DOH said. The Philippines, with a population of 110 million, has tested over 12 million people since the outbreak in January 2020. Meanwhile, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said on Friday that the government has created a small working group to "study and formulate protocols for inbound international travel of fully vaccinated individuals." The Department of Tourism and the Department of Foreign Affairs will co-chair the group, Roque added. The Philippines barred the entry of foreign tourists into the country when it imposed a strict coronavirus lockdown in mid-March last year. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-21 19:34:46|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close ULAN BATOR, May 21 (Xinhua) -- Three people, including an 11-month-old baby, lost their lives after their vehicle drowned while trying to cross a river in northern Mongolia, the country's Emergency Management Agency said Friday. The incident happened in the Orkhon River in the Shaamar subdivision of Selenge province on Thursday evening, the agency said, warning citizens to prevent possible water accidents. A total of 13 people, including four children, have been killed in water-related accidents in the country so far this year, according to the agency. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-21 20:39:02|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close ULAN BATOR, May 21 (Xinhua) -- Mongolia will count all paper ballots of the upcoming presidential election by hand, the information technology center under the General Election Commission (GEC) said Friday. "False information and disputes related to ballot counting machines arise during almost every election. Therefore, we will count all paper ballots of the upcoming presidential election by hand," the center said. Mongolia has set June 9 as the date for its next presidential election. The GEC has officially registered three politicians as presidential candidates, namely Ukhnaa Khurelsukh, chairman of the ruling Mongolian People's Party, Sodnomzundui Erdene, former chairman of the opposition Democratic Party, and Dangaasuren Enkhbat, a former legislator. Enkhbat is the candidate from the Right Person Electorate Coalition, which won one seat in the regular parliamentary elections held in June 2020. Political parties or coalitions that have at least one seat in parliament are eligible to nominate their candidates for the presidential election. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-21 02:45:52|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close TALLINN, May 20 (Xinhua) -- The implementation of digital government and the challenges and prospects of a sustainable and inclusive digital society topped the agenda of the three-day e-Governance Conference 2021 that ended here on Thursday. The event was attended in-person or virtually by 50 digital government experts and leaders, along with Estonian President Kersti Kaljulaid and Jutta Urpilainen, the European Commissioner for International Partnerships. The participants assessed the digital transformation processes and lessons in 13 countries, including Australia, Albania, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Japan, Kenya, Uganda and Ukraine. The e-Governance Conference is an annual event organized by the Tallinn-based e-Governance Academy since 2015. It is supported by the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and co-financed from the funds of development cooperation and humanitarian aid. The e-Governance Academy is a think tank and consultancy founded for the creation and transfer of knowledge and practice in the area of public sector digital transformation. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-21 10:47:36|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close SARAJEVO, May 20 (Xinhua) -- Bosnia and Herzegovina's (BiH) goods exports in the first four months of 2021 amounted to 4.2 billion convertible marks (2.6 billion U.S. dollars), up 25.7 percent year-on-year, the country's Agency for Statistics said on Thursday. The imports totaled 6.1 billion convertible marks (3.8 billion U.S. dollars), up 12.5 percent, according to the agency. The coverage of import by export was 68.5 percent, and international trade in goods deficit amounted to 1.9 billion convertible marks (1.2 billion U.S. dollars), it said. Exports to the European Union (EU) countries, BiH's most important trading partner, amounted to 3.1 billion convertible marks (1.9 billion U.S. dollars) in the same period, up 27.4 percent year-on-year. Imports from the EU amounted to 3.7 billion convertible marks (2.3 billion U.S. dollars), up 12.9 percent. BiH's exports to the signatory countries of the Central European Free Trade Agreement -- Albania, North Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, and Serbia -- was up 27.5 percent year-on-year, while imports was up 15.1 percent. The country's top export products were metal goods, furniture, and electricity, whereas the top three import products were petroleum and petroleum products, vehicles, and iron and steel. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-21 20:00:28|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close by Xinhua writers Ma Qian, Zhang Xin BEIJING, May 21 (Xinhua) -- A politically motivated decision made by the European Parliament on Thursday to freeze the ratification of a bilateral investment treaty with Beijing does not conform to their shared interests, and once again exposes some European politicians' deep-seated prejudice towards China. However, the European Union (EU) should join China in making sure that their mutually beneficial cooperation can always move forward in the right direction, instead of being consumed by ego and bigotry. First and foremost, media reports said the decision demands that China lift its sanctions on several European individuals and entities. The truth is that China took those moves as legitimate and necessary countermeasures. Brussels first imposed sanctions against the Chinese side based on unwarranted accusations over the so-called human rights issue in Xinjiang. China has to act. Reaching the landmark China-EU investment pact is no easy feat. It has taken seven long years and 35 rounds of talks for the two sides to complete its negotiations late last year. It is fairly unfortunate for the hard-won progress to come to a sudden halt. Also, the treaty is not a "gift" given by one party to the other. The deal will benefit both sides, not just China. For the record, the treaty has promised European businesses broader market access in sectors like financial services, and a fairer investment environment in China. The uncertain future of the pact will simply disappoint those in Europe who eagerly want a share of the business opportunities available in the ever-opening Chinese market. Over the years, China and the EU have always been each other's important partner for practical cooperation. Moreover, since the establishment of their diplomatic ties, the two sides have faced all sorts of challenges, yet their relationship has always managed to move forward. For the moment, the two sides must work together to overcome all kinds of obstacles in the treaty's ratification process, given the complex international political landscape. The good news is that there are still many rational voices supporting the treaty. China, as always, has the sincerity and willingness to enhance win-win cooperation with the EU. It is hoped that Brussels can discard its political prejudice towards China, gain a clear understanding of the mutually beneficial nature of bilateral cooperation, and properly manage its differences with Beijing. The past seven years have clearly demonstrated that it is possible for the two sides to navigate difficulties via candid dialogue, and come to agreements on their shared interests. The two sides should summon similar political wisdom and courage to bring the treaty back to the right course. Enditem George Prochnik at Literary Review: As a tormented young anarchist pacifist pining for radical deliverance while cooped up at home with his parents in Berlin during the First World War, Gershom Scholem felt absolutely committed to one cause: Zionism. The only problem, he acknowledged in his journal, was that Zionists had not yet defined the contents of their ideology. As far as Scholem was concerned, Zionism had no political implications. It did not necessitate an oceanic ingathering of the Jewish people from the diaspora. There was no imperative to farm the Holy Land. The movement, in the eyes of the future pioneering scholar of kabbalah, was a humanistic, anti-bourgeois endeavour that probably required a commitment to living in Palestine or thereabouts. But it did not require the acquisition of sovereign control over territory, let alone taking possession of land belonging to the Arab peoples resident in the country. more here. by Chris Horner How should people on the progressive side of politics view patriotism? That question continues to vex those who would connect with what they suppose are the feelings of the bulk of the population. The answer will vary a good deal according to which country we are considering the French left, for instance, has a very different relationship to la patrie to that of the US or the UK. In the case of the former, the side cast as traitors has historically been seen as the right. In the USA, at least in the second half of the 20th century it has been very different: those who protested against the Vietnam war were cast as the anti patriots. And today, we still hear that the left hates our country. The accusation is a damaging one, and has been wielded with glee by conservatives whenever they have the chance. So there is a tricky task for the left, it seems: to be seen as with and not against the mass of people in their identification with the nation and its history, without abandoning an internationalist perspective that rises above the narrow nationalism of the conservative. I want to suggest here that we need to see that there is a problem with both the approach that seeks to inhabit the abstraction of simplistic universalism and the one that would rush into the warm embrace of parochial particularism (my country, right or wrong at its extreme). Instead, we need to see that the universal is something emergent, in and through the particular struggles and questions with which we are confronted. It is a concrete universal. The leftist who only wants to point out the crimes and iniquities of her country, as if that would somehow win over people to a better, properly internationalist position engages in an exercise in futility. At its extreme it is the no borders approach which castigates anyone who seems to express an attachment and loyalty to the traditions and achievements of the imagined community that people call their country. Imagined it may be, but there are real and material facts that underly the way people have experienced history, and these cannot be just wished away. And imagination is a powerful thing. Most people experience their reality as being bound up with something they call their country. Attack that as simply a lie or an evil and you will be seen as attacking the people themselves, with predictable results. This takes us nowhere, and simply plays into the hands of those who would characterise the left as the enemies within who hate their country. Then there is the other route: sometimes known as progressive patriotism. The idea is to show that one identifies strongly with the nation, moving in a direction that disarms accusations of disloyalty and places oneself in the warm stream of popular feeling. Again, the dangers are obvious. It is all too easy to slide into an uncritical acceptance of Our National Story or to look like an inauthentic poseur, wrapping oneself in the flag and holding a populist pint of beer. But there are other approaches, not all of them so flat footed. One is of highlighting the positive, progressive things that have happened in the history of the nation which one can be feel authentically proud. Heroes and battles are recalled. The people who fought for the vote, the Levellers in England, the revolutionaries and campaigners against slavery. One problem here is that of affective resonance: people cant thrill to a story they dont know exists. So the stories need to be retold before the point can be made. I take it that a part of the projects of EP Thompson, Howard Zinn and Peter Linebaugh is just this: to allow the submerged stories to resurface. This is valuable and important, but it takes time to reach the wider population beyond the left, if it ever does. Typically, that part of the centre left that has its eyes on electoral success is tempted to affirm the moments in history that everyone thinks they know already. These are typically cast as victories against foreign foes, especially those in World War 2: Pearl Harbor, Battle of Britain, D Day etc (it was, after all, a war against fascism). At this point whatever argument was being made about a progressive take on the nation and what it is can get lost. We bow our heads on Remembrance Day. We are all glad Hitler was defeated and most people admire the men and women who accomplished it; we forget the problematic histories of the empires that accomplished it We get into even greater trouble when centre left parties interpret the left-patriotism move as one of putting out more flags: talking up British or American values of tolerance, liberty and fair play (as if, say, the Dutch and Canadians lacked them). The centre left party that takes this route can quickly lose its way. In recent history this has also been associated with left/centre parties adopting a conservative social policy that demonises immigrants, encourages militarised policing, a punitive criminal code and a war on benefits recipients. All in the name of being with the people and winning elections. But the right can always out do the left here. Triangulating rightwards can leave you without an identity that anyone can see as different from the opposition, which then encourages the they are all the same response in the electorate. And it can look like what it often is: inauthentic cosplay with flags. Moreover, the right will always have more and bigger flags to wave: a culture war over who is the more patriotic is something the right loves and usually wins. There is no easy answer to all this, and I am not pretending to have one. But I do want to make a few suggestions. The International-at-all-costs and screw the locals line is obviously distasteful and useless. This includes the version of the progressive neoliberals of the centre left: the Clintons, the Blairs and so on. They stripped the job security from those they were supposed to represent in the name of globalisation, and then lectured the locals on the importance of retraining for jobs that had gone abroad to cheaper labour markets. Then they launched wars of choice in the name of international human rights. One can sort of see the appeal of a Trump or a Brexit party after all that. But even the saner iterations of the internationalist approach are problematic. They takes the universal (all humanity?) As the Good Thing. The trouble is that no-one is at home in the Abstract Universal. No one is just a human: we are all also people who live in particular places with specific aims and issues. The opposite problem haunts the left patriot. This is because s/he is lauding the particular over the universal. This rarely ends well, for the reasons we have discussed. The right loves the particular; the national community, the volksgemeinschaft, Our Boys in Uniform, Our Flag and the dangerous or toxic others outside or within the national body that must be eliminated. So its a dangerous game for the left to play. The particular gets homogenised into a national community, a thing we have and they dont: this is effectively the USP of the Right and the left goes there at its peril. At its worst, it steals the clothes of the right and gets to look and sound as parochial and xenophobic as they are. So whats to do? There is no easy answer, no answer that is easy and right. But here are a few thoughts. First, we must remember that a nation, a people, a citizenry isnt identical with the national state: a population will be found to be diverse and anything but at one with itself. And the state isnt politically neutral container into which one can pour whatever one likes: it represents class interests, and furthers those interests by propagating myths about itself to the people it rules. These have to be contested, not acquiesced in. Second, it isnt sealed off from the rest of the world its history and its present is utterly entangled with that of others, particularly its neighbours and a lot of the outside is in here and vice versa. The modern population is a polyglot and multi coloured thing. We are them. Part of the problem with the liberal left is that it takes as its starting point a fantasy about the people it aims to win over. We and they need to stop imagining a mono culture of hardworking, male, white men who dont like foreigners and who do or did industrial work. The working class includes delivery drivers, waiters, cleaners and much more, women, young precarious workers, people of colour this is the new working class and it is not always to be found in the places it once inhabited. And are these people, whether old or new working class, all socially conservative and chauvinistic? All the polls suggest this is a vast and patronising oversimplification. Of course, a part of population is inclined to to be conservative. But if we want to develop a strategy that is authentically left and progressive and has a chance of resonating with others we have to stop relying focus groups to tell the left what to say, as just repeating received opinion merely hardens the thing you want to change. A vision of a transformative project, one that really offers something improve the material conditions of the 99% is what has a chance. Not more of the same. The events and traditions that have their roots deep in the national history and which are also worth invoking are national and international. They have often been when a sense that what is right, what we stand for, also applies to them. That they are like us, when we struggle with and for each other. Some of that will be more immediately relevant to the home population: for example: letting thousands of ones fellow citizens die of coronavirus is unpatriotic and the left could make that point with some force. And the best of our past ought to inform our present: like the English Levellers in 1649 who went to the ports to try to persuade Cromwells men not to invade Ireland; the International Brigades in 1936-9 who fought fascism; Sophie Scholl defying Nazi Germany; the anti Vietnam war activists; the dead of Kent State University; the anti Iraq War protests. And there is the noble example of the Scottish workers who not only refused to work on war planes due to be sent to Pinochets fascist regime in Chile, but blocked their removal. These people all stood for what was best in their own traditions that also transcended the merely local. This is forging a concrete universal, one that emerges from and in the actions of people in and across borders. Plenty of examples lie before us right now. It would be good, for instance, to see our countries act on their rhetoric of freedom and rights, to do something to help the Palestinians save their land, their rights and their dignity. And if our leaders will not do it, then we must show them we do not accept their inaction. Now thats what Id call patriotism. Minna Zallman Proctor at Bookforum: I would imagine that anyone approaching Edmund Gordons comprehensive biography, The Invention of Angela Carter, has a memorable first time with Carter. When it comes to cult figures of the intelligentsia, the story of the first time is practically de rigueur. Gordon himself mentions his own in his epilogue. During a post-university year in Berlin, he came upon a secondhand copy of The Magic Toyshop, which Carter had described to her editor in 1966 as a Gothic melodrama about a sort of South Suburban bluebeard toymaker & his household. A writer Gordon admired, Ali Smith (an iconoclast of her own order), had spoken highly of Carter, whose reputation hed previously thought had something off-putting about ita sense, perhaps, that she was just for girls. Nonetheless, he bought the novel and tore through it in a few intoxicated hours, stunned by the fearless quality of the imagination on display and by the luminous beauty of the prose. Carters fiction (like the figure of Angela Carter herself) occupies an array of literary territories. She was a postmodernist and a feminist, a fabulist and an inadvertent scholar, a columnist and a cultural critic. more here. Hong Kong: Temporary suspension explained The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government today announced that it temporarily suspended the operations of the Hong Kong Economic, Trade & Cultural Office (Taiwan) (HKETCO) because it could hardly fulfil its founding purpose, and to protect the safety and rights of its Hong Kong staff. In response to media enquiries, the Hong Kong SAR Government explained that in recent years, Taiwan has grossly interfered in Hong Kongs affairs on repeated occasions and created irretrievable damage to Hong Kong-Taiwan relations. It stated that most notably, Taiwan has launched the so-called Hong Kong Aid Project and unilaterally established the so-called Taiwan-Hong Kong Office for Exchanges & Services under the Taiwan-Hong Kong Economic & Cultural Co-operation Council (THEC), offering assistance to violent protesters and people who tried to shatter Hong Kong's prosperity and stability. The provocative acts of Taiwan are inconsistent with the goal of the Hong Kong-Taiwan Economic & Cultural Co-operation & Promotion Council (ECCPC) and the THEC, which is to promote exchanges and co-operation between Hong Kong and Taiwan, and also go against the founding purpose of the THEC. The Hong Kong SAR Government expressed utmost regret over Taiwans actions and stressed that Taiwan's series of actions in recent years has severely damaged Hong Kong-Taiwan relations, gradually jeopardising the operating environment for the HKETCO in Taiwan. On the other hand, it pointed out that staff of the HKETCO have been threatened by radicals in Taiwan. Such circumstances have posed uncertainties for the staff and narrowed the room for promoting Hong Kong-Taiwan exchanges in various areas. As the HKETCO could hardly fulfil its founding purpose, and to protect the safety and rights of its Hong Kong staff, the Hong Kong SAR Government eventually decided to temporarily suspend the HKETCOs operations. It added that all Hong Kong staff members have already left Taiwan and returned to Hong Kong. The Hong Kong SAR Government pointed out that Hong Kong-Taiwan relations are a special component of the cross-strait relations. Since Hong Kong's return to the Motherland, the Hong Kong SAR Government has fostered and developed Hong Kong-Taiwan relations in a pragmatic and steady manner. In 2010, the ECCPC was established as a non-official platform for discussing co-operation between Hong Kong and Taiwan, with an aim of enabling positive interactions between the two places. The HKETCO commenced operation in Taipei in December 2011 to promote economic, trade and cultural exchanges between Hong Kong and Taiwan, in accordance with the 1992 Consensus. During the HKETCO's temporary suspension of operations, the Hong Kong SAR Government said it will continue to handle general enquiries and requests for assistance made by Hong Kong residents in Taiwan, as well as provide Taiwan residents with information related to Hong Kong, through the hotline services of 1823 and 1868 and the GovHK website. The Hong Kong SAR Government reiterated that it will continue to handle matters related to Hong Kong-Taiwan relations in accordance with the Basic Law of the Hong Kong SAR of the People's Republic of China, the one-China principle as well as the basic principles and policies of the central government regarding the handling of Taiwan-related matters in Hong Kong. The Hong Kong SAR Government added that it will closely monitor the development of the situation and consider the way forward for the HKETCO in a holistic manner. This story has been published on: 2021-05-21. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. New Braunfels, TX (78130) Today A mix of clouds and sun. High 92F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight A few passing clouds. Low 74F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph. Woburn, MA (01801) Today Generally cloudy. High 68F. Winds ESE at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Cloudy skies with periods of rain late. Low 57F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch. Woburn, MA (01801) Today Overcast. High 68F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Cloudy with occasional rain late. Low 56F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch. INDIANAPOLIS May in Indianapolis is all about racing, and guests at the Indianapolis Zoo can get into some fast-paced fun during the 42nd running of Zoopolis 500 presented by the American Dairy Association Indiana on Wednesday, May 26. Considered the greatest spectacle in tortoise racing, this beloved event features the Zoos racing radiated tortoises who provide a unique spin on the Indianapolis 500. The days festivities begin at 10am at the Entry Plaza where guests can meet the 500 Festival Princesses and get pictures with a 500 Festival Pace Car. Additional pre-race festivities take place at the Arena, where visitors can meet snake ambassadors at the Snake Pit and enjoy complimentary Deans TruMoo chocolate milk chugs (while supplies last). Race fans can enjoy Zoopolis 500 analysis beginning at 11:15am with one of the Zoos tortoise experts as well as IndyCar expert Dave Furst as the emcee and Indianapolis 500 champion Tony Kanaan as the grand marshal. The tortoises and their animal care team will take center stage at 11:30am for a parade lap, joined by the 500 Festival princesses and American Dairy Association mascot, Buttercup. Immediately following the parade, Kanaan will drop the green flag on the feature race, and guests can cheer on their favorite tortoise as they speed toward the finish line. A tray of delicious fruits awaits animals in the winners circle while the winning pit crew will enjoy cold bottles of milk provided by the American Dairy Association Indiana. Support Local Journalism Now, more than ever, the world needs trustworthy reportingbut good journalism isnt free. Please support us by making a contribution. Contribute Following the race, guests are invited to meet the winning tortoise and pit crew animal care staff who can answer turtle-related questions. Later in the day, visitors can stop by Deserts for a special tortoise chat and to learn more about the Zoos efforts to help these critically endangered animals in Madagascar. One of the Zoos longest running traditions, Zoopolis 500 activities are free for Zoo members and included with general admission. Visitors are encouraged to review current safety guidelines as well as reserve timed-entry tickets in advance at IndianapolisZoo.com. ### About the Indianapolis Zoo The Indianapolis Zoo protects nature and inspires people to care for our world. Located in White River State Park downtown, the Indianapolis Zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and the American Alliance of Museums as a zoo, aquarium and botanical garden. Visit IndianapolisZoo.com Bruce Willis, Olga Kurylenko and Michael Rooker are to star in 'White Elephant'. The trio have boarded the cast of the action-thriller that will be written and directed by Jesse V. Johnson. The story centres on Gabriel Tancredi (Rooker), a former marine turned mob enforcer who must battle his conscience and code of honour when he is forced to clean up a botched assassination job by his protege Carl. Willis stars as Arnold, the top man in the mob while Kurylenko plays Vanessa, a police officer who has spent years trying to bring down Arnold and his crime syndicate, and teams up with Gabriel to do so. Jesse has penned the screenplay with Erik Martinez for the movie, which is currently shooting in Georgia. BondIt Media Capital are financing the flick with Corey Large producing for 308 Enterprises. Support Local Journalism Now, more than ever, the world needs trustworthy reportingbut good journalism isnt free. Please support us by making a contribution. Contribute Meanwhile, Bruce has recently signed up to star in 'The Fortress' trilogy. The 66-year-old actor has boarded the film series with Jesse Metcalfe and Chad Michael Murray also starring in the flicks directed by Cullen Bressack. The first installment has begun production in Puerto Rico and will be shot back-to-back with the sequel. The third movie is set to be filmed in the future. The plot revolves around a top-secret resort for retired US intelligence officers as a group of criminals led by Balzary (Murray) breach the compound, hellbent on revenge on Robert (Willis) forcing the retired officer and his son (Metcalfe) to save the day. 'The Fortress' has been developed by Randall Emmett and Emile Hirsch with the script being written by Alan Horsnail. The first two movies will be produced by Emmett and George Furla, Luillo Ruiz and Chad A. Verdi. Tim Sullivan, Nick D'Angelo, Caesar Richbow and Danny are executive producing. Dispatch from Crame No. 1070: Sen. Leila M. de Lima on Red-tagging of Atty. Carlos Castillo Jr. of IBP Zambales Chapter I join the legal community in condemning the red-tagging of fellow lawyer, Atty. Carlos Castillo, Jr. of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP)-Zambales Chapter. For responding to the call for urgent legal assistance of arrested youth activists, Atty. Castillo is now being called a terrorist. A death sentence for anyone who is considered an enemy of the State. Another lawyer, Atty. Angelo Karlo Guillen, who was stabbed by unidentified assailants last March, was also previously red-tagged for responding to detained activists in Iloilo City. Goaded by the NTF-ELCAC, the vilification and harassment of those who stand for truth and justice continues. A threat to our lives and our practice of the legal profession also imperils the lives and future of those who seek legal recourse, especially the poor. The government's response to our call for government aid and efficient health programs amid the pandemic is red-tagging and more red-tagging. This must stop. I urge my colleagues in the Senate to urgently act on the immediate passage of Senate Bill No. 2121 criminalizing red-tagging; and on my proposed Senate Resolution No. 689 seeking to enact measures that would secure the safety and welfare of professionals serving the people and fighting against injustice in our country. End red-tagging! Defund NTF-ELCAC! Ibalik ang hustisya! (Access the handwritten copy of Dispatch from Crame No. 1070 here: https://issuu.com/senatorleilam.delima/docs/dispatch_1070) Press Release May 21, 2021 De Lima deplores red-tagging of Zambales lawyer Opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima has bewailed the red-tagging of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) Zambales Chapter member Atty. Carlos Castillo Jr. by a certain Facebook page named "Lakbay Kapayapaan." De Lima, a social justice and human rights champion, lamented how the rampant harassment of professionals, especially justice and truth seekers, are motivated by the continued red-tagging activities of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC). "I join the legal community in condemning the red-tagging of fellow lawyer, Atty. Carlos Castillo, Jr. of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP)-Zambales Chapter. For responding to the call for urgent legal assistance of arrested youth activists, Atty. Castillo is now being called a terrorist. A death sentence for anyone who is considered an enemy of the State," she said in her Dispatch No. 1,070. "Goaded by the NTF-ELCAC, the vilification and harassment of those who stand for truth and justice continues. A threat to our lives and our practice of the legal profession also imperils the lives and future of those who seek legal recourse, especially the poor," she added. Last May 10, a Facebook post on Lakbay Kapayapaan entitled "WAG NA LANG MAG-ABOGADO KUNG TERORISTA ANG TUTULUNGAN MO!!!" shows a video of Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founder Jose Maria "Joma" Sison edited alongside a photo of Castillo. In the said video, Sison expressed his support for the League of Filipino Students (LSF). "Gawin ang lahat ng magagawa para ibayong lumakas ang LFS, ang masa ng mga estudyante at sambayanang Pilipino para sumulong at magtagumpay ang pambansang demokrasya, Mabuhay ang League of Filipino Students. Palakasin ang LFS at ibagsak ang rehimeng US-Duterte," said Sison in the video. It may be recalled that "Zambales 11" members of the LFS were reportedly arrested as they were on their way to the Labor Day rally at Angeles City in Pampanga last May 1. Police officers flagged down their 15-seater van at a checkpoint due to alleged violation of physical distancing protocol. Castillo served as the legal counsel of "Zambales 11" students when they underwent inquest investigation after such arrest. Amid the recent incident and the unrelenting red-tagging in the country, De Lima urged her Senate colleagues to urgently act on the immediate passage of Senate Bill No. 2121 which seeks to criminalize red-tagging; and on her proposed Senate Resolution No. 689, to enact measures that would secure the safety and welfare of professionals serving the people and fighting against injustice in the Philippines. "The government's response to our call for government aid and efficient health programs amid the pandemic is red-tagging and more red-tagging. This must stop," she said. "End red-tagging! Defund NTF-ELCAC! Ibalik ang hustisya!," added De Lima, the most prominent political prisoner under the Duterte regime. Novel immune checkpoints have applications for cancer, autoimmune disease treatment The immune system is a complex balancing act; if it overreacts or underreacts to foreign molecules, there can be serious health consequences. For cancer patients, tumor progression is often accompanied by immunosuppression, meaning their bodies can't fight off pathogens the way they should. By contrast, for people with autoimmune diseases like type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and multiple sclerosis, their immune systems overreact and attack the body itself. Both of these reactions are influenced by a series of molecular checkpoints found in both immune cells and cancer cells. In immune cells, these checkpoints are supposed to prevent the immune system from mounting a response that is too strong and attacks healthy cells. For people with autoimmune diseases, these checkpoint molecules do not function properly. In cancer cells, they bind to immune cell receptors and inhibit their function to a degree that makes patients vulnerable to severe illness and infection. Dr. Laijun Lai, a research professor in the Department of Allied Health Sciences in the College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources, has used bioinformatics and gene engineering techniques to develop a series of recombinant proteins and antibodies for a novel set of checkpoint molecules to address both of these concerns. Lai recently published a paper on the effectiveness of this invention in EMBO Molecular Medicine and has a patent pending for this invention. Scientists made a major breakthrough when they identified several checkpoints, specifically PD-L1, PD-1 and CTLA-4, within the last decade. There are several FDA-approved medications that produce recombinant proteins to treat autoimmune disease, and antibodies to block the inhibitor activity of these checkpoints for cancer patients. However, not all patients respond to these treatments since there are many other checkpoints at work. Using a bioinformatics approach, Lai identified three additional checkpoints: CD300c, ERMAP, and TAPBPL found in both immune cells and cancer cells. The bioinformatics approach identified the checkpoints that were most likely to be relevant based on their genetic and structural similarities to previously identified molecules. Each molecule binds to a specific immune cell receptor to send an inhibitory signal and uses different mechanisms to check immune cell responses. "The expression pattern of our molecules are different from existing checkpoint molecules and, probably, a different subset of patients will respond to them," Lai says. Lai's group used genetic engineering to develop recombinant proteins from the genetic blueprint of these proteins. Lai has demonstrated that these recombinant proteins can successfully suppress T-Cell function in animal models of autoimmune diseases. On the other side, Lai's group developed antibodies that can block the inhibitory activity of these checkpoint molecules. He found the antibodies enhance antitumor immunity and inhibit tumor growth in animal models. These therapies can be combined with exiting antibodies for PD-L1, PD-1 and CTLA-4, or on their own for patients who do not respond to those treatments. "Our antibodies against these checkpoint molecules have the potential to be used in the treatment of cancer patients who are resistant to the anti-PD-1, PDL1, and CTLA-4 antibodies and can also be used in combination with existing antibodies to enhance the antitumor effects," Lai says. ### In addition to this recent publication in EMBO Molecular Medicine, Lai and his collaborators have published their findings about this technology in other high-impact journals including Frontiers in Immunology, and Cellular and Molecular Immunology. Lai's research was supported by more than $7 million total funding from the National Institutes of Health, Connecticut Innovations, and the American Cancer Society. The next step for this innovation is to use their recombinant human proteins in clinical trials to treat autoimmune disease, develop human antibodies and continue their functional studies with the final goal of using them as novel therapeutics for cancer. This story has been published on: 2021-05-21. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Press Release May 21, 2021 Senate Passes Bill Amending Retail Trade Law The Senate approved on third and final reading a measure that aims to further relax qualifications for foreign retailers to enter the Philippines. Voting 20-0-0 the chamber, Wednesday, May 19, 2021, passed Senate Bill No. (SBN) 1840, seeking to amend Republic Act (RA) No. 8762, otherwise known as the Retail Trade Liberalization Act (RTLA) of 2000. Sen. Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III, chairman of the Committee on Trade, Commerce and Entrepreneurship and sponsor of SBN 1840, said the proposed measure aims to encourage foreign investments by removing some barriers for foreign retail investors interested to engage in retail trade in the country. Under SBN 1840, the paid-up capital for foreign retail enterprises will be lowered to P50 million from the current $2.5 million. Under the current RTLA, foreigners are allowed to set up enterprises with a minimum paid-up capital of $2.5 million and in no case shall the investment for establishing a store will be less than $830,000. The proposed measure also mandates foreign retailers' country of origin to allow the entry of Filipino retailers. To protect the micro and small enterprises in the country, SBN 1840 will require foreign retailers who wish to put up more than one physical store to invest at least P25 million for each store. "It is the policy of the state to promote consumer welfare and protect investments that will bring down the cost of products for Filipino consumers and create a competitive retail environment that encourages innovation," Pimentel said. The amendatory bill also removes the pre-qualification requirement for foreign retailers to have been in retailing business for the past five years and should have at least five retailing branches anywhere in the world. SBN 1840 also requires foreign retailers to maintain the P50 million paid-up capital in the Philippines at all times and failure to do so would subject the foreign retailer to penalties and be restricted to engage in any future business in the Philippines. On the hiring of employees, the bill requires all foreign retailers to comply with the applicable provisions of the labor code on the determination of non-availability of competent, able, and willing Filipino before engaging the service of foreign nationals. The bill also encourages foreign retailers to have a stock inventory of products that are made in the Philippines. "I believe that through this initiative, additional capital will be infused into our economy and jobs will be created helping us recover from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic," Pimentel said. SBN 1840 is a consolidation of Senate bills introduced by Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon, Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel "Migz" F. Zubiri, Senators Win Gatchalian and Imee Marcos. Egypts sovereign Fund (TSFE) and the Arab Republic-based financial service company EFG Hermes Holding have acquired 76 percent of Arab Investment Bank (AIB). The acquisition deal, EFG Hermes have the majority share of 51 percent and will increase the paid-up capital in the bank to EGP 5 billion ($319 million) and will subscribe to 423 million newly issued shares of the bank at a price per share of EGP6.03 and a total value of EGP2.55bn. TSFE will on the other hand subscribe to 207 million newly issued shares of AIB at the same price per share, for a total value of EGP1.25bn and control 25 per cent of AIB. AIBs main shareholder, state-run National Investment Bank, will now control 24 per cent of the financial institution. With the new structural change, AIB will focus on serving small and medium enterprises as a driver for inclusion, TSFEs CEO Ayman Soliman said in the joint statement. Tunisian Prime Minister Hichem Mechichi Thursday told a cabinet session that the North African country will play an important role in the reconstruction of its eastern neighbor ravaged by several years of internal fighting sponsored by foreign countries. Speaking at the session focused on the cooperation between the two countries, Mechichi, Webdo Tunis reports, stressed the close and harmonious relations that link the two countries at the official level but also in trade, investment and cooperation between structures, institutions and businessmen of the public and private sectors in Tunisia and Libya. In addition to the fraternal, social and historical neighborly relations with Libya, Tunisia, within the framework of its economic, trade and investment relations, works to support and strengthen joint cooperation and create a promising economic movement that will bring mutual benefits and open up new development prospects in both countries, he added. The head of the Tunisian government also called for the need both countries to develop cooperation agreements and open new horizons for economic transactions to include promising areas of joint cooperation, through much anticipated high-level visits aimed at strengthening cooperation, the online media reports. Libya destroyed by 10 years of internal fighting between factions following removal of former leader Muammar Gaddafi in a NATO-backed revolution, has been endowed this year with an interim central government. Government of National Unity (GNU), tasked to lead the oil-rich African country until December when Libyan people will elect a new central authority. Tunisia played a key role in the establishment of the GNU as it hosted in January the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum whose delegates elected the heads of the GNU and the Presidential Council. A house help who stole her employers items after she slashed her salary has pleaded guilty to a charge of theft by servant. Rose Kemunto Achoka was accused of stealing among others; sweatpants, face towel, and car keys, from Joyce Momanyi at her home in Kileleshwa on May 3. Appearing before Kibera chief magistrate Joyce Gandani, Ms Kemunto admitted stealing the items worth Sh22,500. Ms Momanyi is said to have left her house under the care of Ms Achoka when she travelled to Mombasa in early March this year. The househelp said they differed on phone the next month after Ms. Momanyi cut her salary by Sh1,500. Achoka was employed on a monthly salary of Sh7000. The accused said she used the complainants suitcase to dupe security guards that she was not leaving employment. The guards would later inform Momanyi that Achoka had left with a bag, prompting her to return to Nairobi. She found the items missing from her house and filed a report with the police. Officers traced Achoka to Mukuru kwa Reuben where police recovered the items. In her defense, the accused told the court she took the items as ransom to force Ms. Momanyi to pay the Sh1,500 before returning them to her. Magistrate Joyce Gandani sentenced Achoka to a two-month jail term or an alternative of paying a Sh8000 fine. Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC) has been accused of negligence after a man was electrocuted at the Makutano junction in Kanduyi, Bungoma county on Thursday, May 20. Witnesses said the deceased Felix Kiplangat Bor, a bodaboda rider, had stopped to wash his bike when he was struck and killed on the spot. Kenya Power wamelegea sana, ikifika kukata stima wanakimbia lakini maneno ingine wanalegea sana, a rider told Citizen TV, adding: Tunaomba Governor wetu Wycliffe Wangamati atusaidie kutatua janga hili. Bodaboda riders in the area demanded that Kenya Power compensates Kiplangats family. He was survived by his widow and a toddler. The riders also blocked a road in protest and demanded that the police and the power company take action. Also Read Kenyans to Blame for Majority of Fatal Electrocutions, says KPLC Police arrived at the scene and moved the body of the deceased to Bungoma District Hospital Mortuary. Kenya Power later issued a statement terming the incident as unfortunate. The utility firm explained that Kiplangat was washing his motorbike at a roadside pool that had come into contact with an electric cable that had fallen after a truck knocked down a pole. Our team from the Bungoma office immediately went to the site and alerted the police of the incident, and the body of the deceased moved to the Bungoma District Hospital Mortuary, Kenya Power said on Wednesday. Police have commenced investigations into this incident and the Company will work closely with them to ensure that we have a way forward, the company said. Kenya Power would like to take this opportunity to express its condolences to Bors family and assure them of our commitment to conclude the matter. The Government of Japan has pledged Ksh 212million to Kenya as part of a grant of about Ksh 1.2 billion to 11 countries in the East and Southern Africa region. A statement from the Japanese embassy said the donation is aimed at improving the cold chain capacity for COVID-19 vaccines roll out. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in Kenya, Japan has been contributing to the fight against the virus by providing medical equipment and PCR test kits, Ambassador of Japan to Kenya HORIE Ryoichi said. Japan is now committed to supporting the improvement of the vaccination programmes all over the world by contributing about 21.2 billion Kenya Shillings to the COVAX facility, an international mechanism led by Gavi, CEPI, WHO and UNICEF. The funds will support Kenya in its COVID-19 vaccination efforts, especially through the procurement of equipment for vaccine storage, distribution and continuous temperature monitoring, the envoy noted. The funding will also be used to support the installation of new equipment and provide training to the healthcare workers on how to operate the equipment. However, having the vaccination itself has no meaning if the country does not have sound cold chain capacity, the envoy noted. Thats why we decided to provide this emergency grant to ensure equitable access and swift distribution of vaccines in Kenya. Japan has decided to co-host the Vaccine Summit on 2nd June and I am sure that we will continue to contribute towards the global fight against COVID-19 including the enhancement of vaccine access. At the same time, the embassy said the funds will also strengthen the existing immunization system so that Kenya will continue to benefit when the pandemic is over. UNICEF is very grateful to the Government of Japan for supporting children and families in Kenya at this time of need, UNICEF Representative to Kenya Maniza Zaman said. As we work to leave no one behind, we must ensure that vaccines reach those in greatest need, wherever they live. Vaccines also protect the health care workers, teachers and parents who care for children. This new funding provided by Japan will provide a vital boost to the roll-out of COVID-19 vaccines in Kenya, while also protecting routine immunisation for children and strengthening the health system. COLUMNISTS Basia's Corner REMEMBER ME. I am a Polish botanist and politician born on May 9, 1895 in Krakow and my name is Stanislaw Kulczynski. I was a professor of Lwow University, its rector from 1936. I resigned my position at the university in protest of the institution of ghetto benches in 1938. In writing to the Minister of Education that, "If one destroys a power plant, it is dark at once, but if one destroys the universities, it is dark 50 years hence." As a member of the Polish Secret State, I took part in underground education in Poland during World War II. After the war, when Lwow was annexed by the Soviet Union, I moved to "Regained Territories (Wroclaw) where I became active in the Wroclaw University and Wroclaw Politechnic. I joined the Stronnictwo Demokratyczne party and was elected to the Sejm and I became member of several governmental commissions. I was deputy chairman of the Polish Council of State from 1956 to 1969 and was one of four acting chairmen of the Chairman of the Council of State from Aug. 7 to 12, 1964. I was awarded the Order of the Builders of People's Poland in 1964, the Order of the Banner of Labor 1st class, and the Grand Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta. The University of Wroclaw and the University of Technology awarded me an honorary doctorate in 1965. I passed away at the age of 80 in Warsaw on July 12, 1975. TRADITION/CUSTOM. With the coming of the Romans, the Druids as a group were destroyed, but their customs and superstitions which had spread over England and Wales as well as across the Irish Sea became traditional. When they reached American shores, their symbolic significance became and is still part of the American scene. One of these May Day customs popular in New England at one time was dainty baskets covered with crepe paper, filled with fresh flowers, decorated with bows and confections hung on doors. After ringing the bell, the donor ran away and hid, a search followed often unsuccessful. However the American Indian celebrated May or Spring festival with sun dances around a pole fastened by thongs to represent the rays of the sun. The multicolored ribbons streaming from the modern May pole began as a symbol of the sun rays. In all parts of the ancient world, it was a good omen to circle with the sun with merry Maypole dances skipped in the same directions as of old. (To be continued.) POL INTEREST. Whitsuntide/Pentecost-Zielone Swiatki is Sunday, May 23, the festival of spring. At this time farmers decorate their homes with festoons of greenery and flowers. Also on this day the cattle and fields are blessed to ensure a good crop. POLONUS POLISH PHILATELIC SOCIETY. In the Bulletin of the PPPS issue of June 2018 is an interesting article "Charity is the Spice of Riches" by Raimundas Marius Lapas. He writes about the activities of the Jewish Committee for the relief of war victims in Wilno that commenced in then German occupied Wilno during WWI on April 29, 1915. There is also a new translation service that Polonus has arranged with the Lithuanian Philatelic Society to translate Lithuanian materials. Currently the Translation Services Committee now can handle Polish, Russian, Ukrainian and Lithuanian free of charge. For additional information contact Andrew Katz at katz95040@yahoo.com. Dan Lubelski and John Rudnicki are members and stamp dealers offering the finest quality of classic to current Polish stamps as well as specialized items, check their website. Also visit Bieniecki Int'l for authenticated issues of Poland (auction format) from proofs, errors and pre-war II postal cards. Join the Polonus Polish Philatelic Society today and support the oldest Polish Philatelic Society. Visit polonus.org. SPRING/FLOWER. The dandelion is one of nature's purest diuretics and was known during the Middle Ages as "piss-a-bed." (The current superstition is: If you pick dandelions you will wet your bed.) In the 16th century the flower was called "lion's tooth" in England and "dent-de-lion" in France, which later became anglicized to the current dandelion. Known by children and lovers throughout the world as "love's oracle," the dandelion foretells romance when its puffball of seed is scattered helter-skelter by someone blowing and reciting the eternal chant, "He loves me, he loves me not." As a weather forecaster, the dandelion has limited use, but it is believed that if the flower does not open in the morning it will rain, and if it blooms in April and July, it will be hot and rainy throughout the summer. The flower is thought to be good for the liver or against rheumatism and to purify the blood. Dandelion juice is rumored to work as a tonic on any number of organs. CURIOUS. Back in the 1st century A.D. "in wine there is truth" was a common proverb. The ancients, who loved wine, believed that it contained spirits. When wine was drunk the spirits of the wine became active, and as we all know, spirits never lie. They therefore believed that spilling wine was a warning by the spirits that bad luck was on the way. The counter charm to that was to place some of the wine behind the ears with the middle finger of the right hand. Also, spilling champagne is a bad omen. Actually sparkling wine was invented by accident when several monks put a cork in their wine bottles instead of the usual stopper. The wine mixed with the cork, it created the carbonic acid needed for carbonation. However, the church believed that the carbonation was an evil spirit and champagne was outlawed. 16:47 | Lima, May. 21. "The reactivation measures were expanded and improved over the last six months," the Head of State said in a televised address to the nation to provide a report on the six months as head of the Transition and Emergency Government. "We have expanded business support funds, which benefit micro and small businesses, family farming, artisans, and the tourism sector. Therefore, we allocated more than S/4 billion (over US$1.069 billion) from the public budget," Mr. Sagasti indicated. "We also increased the budget for the Trabaja Peru (Work Peru) Program , which has generated more than 120,000 temporary jobs in more than 1,100 districts nationwide," he added. #PresidenciaInforma | El presidente de la Republica, @FSagasti, presentara a la 1:00 p. m. el informe a los seis meses de gestion del Gobierno de Transicion y Emergencia.#ConfianzaYEsperanza pic.twitter.com/aXTicNcUXa By APD writer Shristi Kafle Nepal government has extended gratitude towards the assistance provided by the Chinese government to help Nepal fight against Coronavirus pandemic. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement on Thursday evening and briefed about the support provided by China till date since the starting of second wave of the pandemic. "The Government of Nepal appreciates and thanks the Government of the Peoples Republic of China and its provincial Governments for the generous support at this difficult time," the statement reads. As per the ministry, the Government of the Peoples Republic of China, the Provincial Governments as well as other organizations in China provided various life-saving medical equipment and supplies to help Nepal fight against Coronavirus. As a part of grant assistance, China provided 3,500 oxygen cylinders and 10 ventilators, out of which 2,000 oxygen cylinders and 10 ventilators have already been airlifted and the rest of the oxygen cylinders are being delivered at Rasuwagadhi border port shortly. Similarly, another consignment of 40 portable ventilators, 20 automated analyzers, 10 DR machines, 20 portable ultrasound, and 30 anesthesia machines worth 5 million RMB is being handed over to the Nepali side at Tatopani border port by next week, it informed. It further shared that China has announced additional grant assistance of 5 million RMB under which items such as 650 oxygen concentrators, 20,000 oxygen nasal cannulas and 20,000 oxygen face masks will be provided to Nepal by next month. The Government of Sichuan Province of China delivered by a chartered aircraft on May 19, 2021 medical supplies that include 300,000 disposable surgical masks, 162,880 N95 masks, 10,000 medical protective clothing, 500 ear thermometers, 50 non-contact infrared thermometers equivalent to 3.06 million RMB. Only on Thursday, the Government of the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) of China had handed over the first batch of 150 liquid oxygen cylinders to the Consulate General of Nepal in Lhasa. It has been informed that the donated Liquid Oxygen is equivalent to 30 thousand liters of liquid oxygen. The liquid oxygen cylinders are expected to arrive in Tatopani border port on 22 May. Meanwhile, the TAR Government of China has announced to provide additional medical equipment and materials that include 200 ICU beds, 5 ventilators, 10 oxygen concentrators, 800 oxygen gas cylinders with oxygen and 15,000 antigen kits. Besides, the Red Cross Society of China is providing Nepal Red Cross Society 90 oxygen concentrators, 2000 coverall and 700,000 surgical masks, which are being handed over on Friday. Meanwhile, several private organizations in China have also provided medical equipment such as oxygen concentrators, oxygen regulators and valves, oxygen cylinders to Nepal. The medical equipment and materials are managed by Ministry of Health and Population, the ministry informed. Nepal has recorded over 100,000 positive cases and more than 5,500 fatalities by the virus till date. (ASIA PACIFIC DAILY) YEREVAN, MAY 21, ARMENPRESS. A criminal case was opened into the shooting by Azeri troops in the direction of a civilian and a group of servicemen of the Artsakh Defense Army near the village of Shosh. The civilian and the Artsakh servicemen were carrying out engineering works at a military position when they came under fire. The prosecutor generals advisor Gor Abrahamyan said that the Azeri servicemen opened gunfire from firearms for 7 minutes with intent to kill and destroy property motivated by ethnic hatred. The civilian who was operating an excavator and the servicemen survived because they were able to take cover. The excavator was damaged. Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan A view of a forest in Makit county, Kashgar prefecture of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, May 20, 2021. (Xinhuanet/You Huiyuan) BEIJING, May 21 (Xinhuanet) -- Makit county of Kashgar prefecture in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region becomes more green with the help of wind-proof and sand-fixing ecological forests. Makit county, located on the edge of the Taklimakan Desert, is surrounded by sand on three sides. With about 90 percent of its area desert, the county's environment was very fragile and people's lives were plagued by sandstorms. In 2012, a government-led project was launched to plant forests, largely improving the ecological environment here. After the project was implemented, the frequency of sandstorms in Makit dropped from more than 150 days in 2010 to less than 50 in 2018. Meanwhile, precipitation increased from just over 50 millimeters in 2010 to over 100 millimeters in 2018, according to local meteorological authorities. In addition to combating desertification, the greening project has also contributed to improving people's living quality. According to the local authority, about 270 villagers were hired as forest rangers, each earning a monthly salary of more than 4,000 yuan. The project also provides people with opportunities to plant cistanche, a kind of traditional Chinese herb, significantly increasing villagers' income. People visit in a forest in Makit county, Kashgar prefecture of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, May 20, 2021. (Xinhuanet/You Huiyuan) YEREVAN, MAY 21, ARMENPRESS. Secretary General of the Council of Europe Marija Pejcinovic Buric has responded to the letter of Armenian President Armen Sarkissian relating to the quick return of all Armenian prisoners of war and civilian captives from Azerbaijan, the Presidents Office told Armenpress. We continue closely following the humanitarian and human rights situation in and around Nagorno Karabakh. In its turn, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe has expressed its concerns over the reports according to which not all persons detained in the context of the 2020 conflict have been exchanged, the CoE Secretary General said in her response letter. She also informed that the PACE Migration Committee is preparing a report titled The Humanitarian Consequences of the Conflict Between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Let me assure you that the Council of Europe will do everything possible within its mandate to assist the two member states for achieving lasting peace and prosperity in the region, and will use every opportunity to raise humanitarian and human rights-related issues, the CoE chief said Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, MAY 21, ARMENPRESS. President Armen Sarkissian held a meeting with caretaker Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. Sarkissian and Pashinyan discussed the situation at the Armenian-Azerbaijani border and the course of actions in the direction of repelling the Azerbaijani military units that have invaded Armenian sovereign territory and ruling out infringements against Armenias territorial integrity, according to a news release issued by the Prime Ministers Office. Opinions were exchanged over Armenias stance and presented pre-conditions on the issue of starting delimitation and demarcation. It was underscored that necessary conditions for starting relevant discussions in this discussion will be created only in case the [Armenian stance and pre-conditions] are satisfied. Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, MAY 21, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian Ministry of Defense reports no significant changes in the situation at the border with Azerbaijan, where the Azeri troops have breached the state border of Armenia. It said that an incident has taken place in the evening of May 20. In the evening of May 20 an altercation took place between Armenian and Azerbaijani troops near Lake Sev. The altercation was reportedly caused by the videos which were earlier published on Armenian and Azerbaijan news outlets and social media. The command of the troops was able to resolve the altercation. The Ministry of Defense urges to refrain from spreading such videos. They dont anyhow help in resolving the issue peacefully, and contribute to unnecessary increase of tension. Generally the situation is stable. The Armenian military units are fully controlling the situation and continue to keep the Azerbaijani troops blocked. Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, MAY 21, ARMENPRESS. The Human Rights Defender of Armenia has carried out fact-finding activities in Gegharkunik province, his Office told Armenpress. In particular, the Ombudsman carried out fact-finding works in Verin Shorja village of Vardenis community, adjacent pastures, Kut village of Geghamasar on May 15 connected with the gross violations of rights of border residents caused by the illegal presence of Azerbaijani troops in Armenias sovereign territory. The evidence gained by the Ombudsman confirms the necessity of his proposal to create a security zone to guarantee the rights of border residents. The Office of the Ombudsman stated that the results of the visit will be summed up, and actions will be taken for the protection of the rights of border residents. Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, MAY 21, ARMENPRESS. Member of Parliament Ruben Rubinyan from the ruling My Step bloc denies rumors on an alleged verbal agreement on surrendering any village or territory of Armenia to Azerbaijan. Speaking to reporters in parliament, Rubinyan mentioned that the potential delimitation documents full version was published by the opposition the day before. He assured that there is no other document under discussion. Weve all seen the working version, and it doesnt contain any word on ceding any territory. The Armenian side has said that the discussion of this document can happen only in case of the Azerbaijani military formations returning to their original positions, he said. He said all reports alleging that secret, verbal agreements exist on surrendering villages to Azerbaijan are fake news. Rubinyan reiterated that the delimitation and demarcation document can only be signed in case of the Armenian sides condition is fulfilled, i.e. the withdrawal of Azeri troops from the Armenian sovereign territory. Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, MAY 21, ARMENPRESS. The demarcation and later on the delimitation processes between Armenia and Azerbaijan must be a part of the conflicts comprehensive peaceful settlement process, in which the issues of de-occupation of Artsakhs territories and determining the final legal status of Artsakh must be addressed first, under the auspices of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship, Armenian foreign ministry spokeswoman Anna Naghdalyan said in response to the questions of media outlets. Question: More than a week has passed since the incursion of the Azerbaijani armed forces into Armenias sovereign territory. Can you, please, present the foreign ministrys position on the current situation? Answer: Proposing conditions by the use of force or its threat is a gross violation of international law. Armenia will not give in to such pressures. Armenia also rejects the import of the so-called disputable territories fake agenda, which could be a dangerous precedent for the justification of the use of force also in other regions. By not fulfilling its commitments assumed by the November 9 trilateral statement, in particular those relating to the repatriation of Armenian prisoners of war and civilian captives and other humanitarian issues, Azerbaijan is again demonstrating its behavior of deliberately rejecting the international commitments. The demarcation and then the delimitation processes between Armenia and Azerbaijan must be a part of the conflicts comprehensive peaceful settlement process, in which the issues of de-occupation of the territories of the Republic of Artsakh and determining the final legal status of Artsakh must be addressed first, under the auspices of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship. In such situation the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of the Azerbaijani armed forces from Armenias sovereign territory to their initial positions as of May 11 can create necessary conditions for considering the emerging issues within political-diplomatic tools. Question: How would you assess the international reaction to the situation? Answer: Our international partners, which act from the positions of international law and are sincerely interested in the stability and security in the South Caucasus, have expressed their unequivocal position that Azerbaijan must immediately and unconditionally pull back its troops from Armenias sovereign territory. Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, MAY 21, ARMENPRESS. Caretaker Foreign Minister of Armenia Ara Ayvazian gave a speech at the 131st session of the CoE Committee of Ministers, during which he referred to the necessity of adequate international reaction to the behavior of Azerbaijan. As ARMENPRESS was informed from the press service of the Foreign Ministry of Armenia, Ayvazian said in his speech, ''This year was remarkable in terms of the 20th anniversary of Armenia's membership to the Council of Europe. During these years the CoE contributed and continues to contribute to the strengthening of democracy in Armenia. We are committed to the ideologies and values of the Council of Europe. But, on the other hand, in the broader context of European democratic security, we are witnessing the decline of those values and the moral defeat. Last year Azerbaijan unleashed a bloody war against the people of Artsakh. The war was accompanied by massive violations of human rights and international humanitarian law. Those violations have been properly documented not only in Armenian but also in international sources, by organizations such as Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and Freedom House. The European Court of Human Rights has taken interim measures against Azerbaijan regarding hundreds of captives, whose captivity was confirmed by that country, demanding information about them, which, however, was not received. The Court even informed the Committee of Ministers in a public notice that Azerbaijan does not cooperate. The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe also expressed deep concern during the last plenary session. By refusing to return POWs, Azerbaijan continues to violate international humanitarian law and human rights''. Highlighting the role of the CoE in addressing numerous humanitarian, cultural and religious issues in Artsakh, Ara Ayvazian said, ''So far, the Committee of Ministers has not adequately responded to the blatant violations of statutory and conventional obligations by Azerbaijan. The lack of a tough response to the massive and gross human rights violations in Nagorno-Karabakh encouraged Azerbaijan to pursue the same policy toward the Republic of Armenia in an attempt to occupy border areas and deprive the local population of its livelihood. Mr. Chairman, the Council of Europe was established to build greater unity among its member states. In this regard, the Council of Europe has managed to unite almost all of Europe under one roof, to develop legal standards that guide cooperation between member states in various fields. However, there is a deep chasm between some Member States. And as long as perpetrators of atrocities are allowed to be on an equal footing with those who continue to believe in the values of democracy and human rights, that chasm will only deepen. If we do not give new impetus to our efforts to ensure democratic security throughout Europe, our most important goal of greater unity in Europe will remain an illusion, especially for those living in conflict zones''. YEREVAN, MAY 21, ARMENPRESS. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Artsakh issued a statement on the resolution adopted by the European Parliament on May 20, which demands the immediate and unconditional release of all Armenian prisoners of war and civilians taken hostage during and after the 44-day war. As ARMENPRESS was informed from the press service of the Foreign Ministry of Artsakh, the statement runs as follows, We welcome the adoption of the resolution of the European Parliament (EP) on 20th of May following the urgent debate where inter alia the European Parliament demands the immediate and unconditional release of all Armenian prisoners, both military and civilian, captured during and after the war unleashed against the people of Artsakh by the Azerbaijani-Turkish tandem. We commend the efforts of the overwhelming majority of EP members to address this issue of humanitarian emergency by keeping constant pressure on Azerbaijan to ensure that Azerbaijan respects its own international obligations, particularly, with regard to ECHR and Geneva Conventions. This resolution is a significant contribution to the collective efforts of the international community to return the Armenian prisoners back home. We also note with satisfaction that the resolution attaches great importance to the security of Artsakh and the protection of its cultural heritage in territories currently under Azerbaijani occupation. It is commendable that the European Parliament insists that Equal Rights and Self-Determination of Peoples are imperative principles for determining the future status of Nagorno-Karabakh. We also welcome the resolution adopted on May 19th by the European Parliament on May 19 calling on the EU and its Member States to add the racist right-wing extremist Grey Wolves movement to their terrorist list, to ban their associations and organisations in EU countries. The resolution is a crucial step toward fighting extremism and racism in the region. It will also be a clear and important message to rogue states that the international community stands up to their genocidal policies. In new docuseries, Prince Harry again insists his family lacks empathy Harry and Meghan relocated to California after announcing in January 2020 they would quite frontline royal duties In a new documentary series set for release Friday Prince Harry is once again emphasizing that his family turned a blind eye to the struggles of his wife Meghan Markle, saying he will "never be bullied into silence." The series comes out a day after the release of an independent inquiry in Britain that found that a BBC journalist used falsified documents to land a sensational 1995 sit-down with Princess Diana, the mother of Harry and his elder brother William, in which she detailed her troubled marriage to Prince Charles. "I thought my family would help, but every single ask, request, warning, whatever it is, just got met with total silence or total neglect," Harry said concerning his wife's depression after the birth of their son Archie. Both Harry and his spouse have already detailed mental struggles, with Meghan saying she had suicidal thoughts in 2019. In the Apple+ series entitled "The Me You Can't See" -- which Harry co-produced with Oprah Winfrey -- the grandson of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II says he felt ashamed going to his family, because he knew "that I'm not going to get from my family what I need." Focused on combatting the stigma surrounding the issue of mental health, the new docuseries doesn't drop any new bombshells, but it sees the youngest son of Prince Charles and Diana deal a new blow to Windsor Castle. The couple sat with Oprah at length for a CBS interview broadcast in early March, triggering the royal family's biggest crisis since Harry's mother died in a car crash in 1997. In the new series Harry focuses criticism particularly on his father, who previously has been accused of indifference towards his children. "My father used to say to me when I was younger, to both William and I: it was like that for me, so it's going to be like that for you," the 36-year-old also known as the Duke of Sussex says. "That doesn't make sense. Just because you suffered that doesn't mean that your kids have to suffer," Harry says. Story continues "In fact quite the opposite. If you suffered, do everything you can to make sure that whatever negative experiences that you had, you can make it right for your kids. - Mental health priorities - Harry has spoken to his father multiple times since the Oprah interview came out, notably after the funeral of his grandfather, Prince Philip, according to British media. But their relations remain tense. The majority of Britons hold unfavorable opinions of Harry and Meghan, according to a recent YouGov poll, as Prince Charles' ratings have jumped. Some British press accuses the couple of both denouncing media treatment and using coverage to boost their image. In the series Harry says that as a boy he felt powerless to protect his mother, who was constantly hounded by the press. On Thursday, journalist Martin Bashir apologized for using fake bank statements to persuade Diana to let him interview her for the BBC. In the series Harry also details his experience with therapy, saying it has "equipped me to be able to take on anything" and especially helped him cope with the death of his mother when he was 12. He said being with Meghan helped him realize the importance of mental health: "I knew that if I didn't do the therapy and fix myself that I was going to lose this woman who I could see spending the rest of my life with." The Duke and Duchess of Sussex in January 2020 announced they would quit frontline royal duties. They relocated to California, where Meghan is from. Harry says in the show his greatest regret is not "making more of a stance earlier in my relationship with my wife and calling out the racism" the former actor faced from British press and social media. The prince doesn't direct any accusations of racism towards his family in the documentary, though in March he said a relative was concerned over his son's skin color before he was born. That allegation shook Buckingham Palace, with Prince William, Harry's brother, jumping to defend the institution: "We're very much not a racist family." tu-jwp/mdo/ch/dw Australia's endangered Mountain Pygmy-possum has found a friend in a far-flung place, with a Czech Republic zoo donating almost $200,000 to save the critically endangered species. A breeding facility being built for the possum in Lithgow in the NSW central tablelands will have the benefit of a $190,000 donation from Prague Zoo. The gift is partly motivated by the catastrophic bushfires of 2019-20. The zoo set up a public fundraising page at the beginning of 2020. The reaction from the Czech public was "incredible", says the zoo's director Miroslav Bobek. "We soon raised over $1 million which enabled us to help support endangered species in Australia and we did not want to miss the Mountain Pygmy-possum which was also threatened by climate change," he said. "When we learned about the innovative Burramys Project, we did not hesitate to support construction of a breeding facility in Secret Creek Sanctuary." Only about 1500 of the possums remain in NSW and Victoria. UNSW researcher Hayley Bates says the animals are vulnerable to high temperatures. Climate change has drastically reduced the number of their favourite meal, Bogong moths. "Two mild winters in a row with reduced snowfalls could be all that's required to cause extinction of this species," said UNSW palaeontologist Mike Archer. The Burramys Project will allow the possums to breed in captivity and give scholars a chance to study them. Researchers will also conduct monitored trial releases into lowland wet forests, where the modern day Mountain Pygmy-possum's ancestors thrived. The University of NSW, the Australian Geographic Society, the Australian Ecosystems Foundation and the Australian Wildlife Society have also provided funding for the project. Clouds of financial troubles are moving away from Essar Oil UK. It has secured more than $850 million fund from various sources to replace the earlier loan and access additional capital. The Ruia family controlled refining major is believed to have received the major funding from Apollo Global Management and a few other banks. The $850 million funding includes bilateral arrangements with many of the refiner's key customers on enhanced payment terms and other long-term financing, linked primarily to crude supply. The company will have to repay over $500 million towards the credit raised against receivables from Lloyds Bank. The British lender had ceased acting as Essar's main banker after the company ran into financial troubles due to pandemic-led disruptions. The company, which owns and operates the 2 lakh barrels per day (bpd) Stanlow Refinery, said it has been working for the transition of the refinery to a "Low Carbon Energy Provider". It is building two blue hydrogen production hubs at Stanlow, which will attract $1.06 billion in investments, the company said. Prashant Ruia, Chairman of Essar Oil UK, said the company has moved into a positive and progressive phase with the economic recovery in the UK. "We look forward to furthering our investments in exciting new technologies, securing high-tech jobs and the Stanlow's future at the heart of the UK's green revolution," he added. According to the management, the product sales at Essar Oil UK have improved with the easing of lockdown restrictions in the country. The oil refiner expects to generate positive earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) of $40 million in the ongoing quarter. In comparison, it had negative $18 million EBITDA in the corresponding quarter of 2020. It generated of $300 million EBITDA before the pandemic. The company also expects benefits from the anticipated recovery in aviation fuel demand in the coming months. It is also planning to conclude further financing by June, besides delivering operational cost reduction initiatives during the year to further improve the position. Essar Oil UK operates the Stanlow Refinery located on the south side of the Mersey Estuary near Liverpool. It produces 16 per cent of UK's road transport fuels and processes 10 million tonnes of crude and feedstocks annually. Since acquiring Stanlow Refinery in 2011, Essar claimed it has invested $1 billion in the business. The refinery is the mainstay business of the Ruia family at present. ALSO READ: Google-backed mental health startup Wysa raises $5.5 mn in Series A funding ALSO READ: Anand Mahindra-backed Agnikul raises $11 million in funding round led by Mayfield India What started out as six stainless steel cages in a garage with no climate control proved to be too cold for the cats, so Nicole came up with an idea. She decided to approach her family, who own the Oldest House in Moravia B&B on Main Street, to ask if she and Patty could use the loft in the barn out back. Now they have insulation, heat, electricity and space to help several more cats. They have become their own entity, have just completed their 501(c)(3), and hope to get funding for the program. Until now, they have always existed solely on donations of money and goods. Now that they are tax-exempt, donations are tax-deductible. The village of Moravia provided some funding last year to help offset expenses and provide more traps. These traps are available to village residents, as is assistance in trapping the cats. Now, you may ask, what exactly is a community, or feral cat? A feral cat is one that has never really had any exposure to or interaction with humans. The animals may have been born into this life, abandoned or lost long ago. They form colonies, and very few will be able to become pets without a lot of work and patience. The county's vaccination rate could get a significant boost next week. The Cayuga County Health Department, along with East Hill Medical Center, will hold vaccination clinics for students age 12-17. The department is obtaining doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to administer at the clinics. While there are three COVID-19 vaccines available, only the Pfizer vaccine has been approved for ages 12-17. In its situational update, the health department urged residents to get vaccinated now that the state has eased its mask mandate. Cuomo issued an executive order amending the previous mandate. Now, anyone who is vaccinated does not have to wear a mask in most public settings. Businesses could set their own mask rules. "With mask mandates being reduced in certain places we want to make sure the community continues to be protected," the department wrote. "One way to be protected is to get vaccinted. The purpose behind the vaccine is to lessen one's chance of serious illness, hospitalization and death." In other news: A Port Byron resident who admitted in March to sexually abusing three children was sentenced to more than a decade in prison by a Cayuga County Court judge this week. William C. Evans III, 37, was arrested in June by New York State Police and charged with a single count of second-degree criminal sex act. At the time, troopers said he subjected a child younger than 15 to sexual acts. Evans has been in Cayuga County Jail since that arrest. In September, a Cayuga County grand jury indicted him on five charges first-degree criminal sex act, third-degree rape and third-degree criminal sex act, which are all felonies, plus two counts of the misdemeanor of endangering the welfare of a child. According to the indictment, those charges stemmed from sexual abuse that started in 2013, when the sex abuse victim was 12, and continued over the next several years. Before the meeting, Jacobs said that the only difference from the most recent draft budget to the current proposal is the levy increase, which she noted would roughly be the amount needed to cover the $260,000 cost for acquiring some vehicles for the Auburn Police Department. Those vehicles were removed from an earlier draft of the budget before getting put back in at the council's request last week. Police Chief Shawn Butler said before the meeting that APD would be getting six vehicles. A five-year replacement plan for police vehicles began around 2017, Butler continued, but the department didn't acquire new cars last year due to cuts prompted by the pandemic. He noted vehicle plants shut down last year because of the outbreak, so they wouldn't have been able to purchase new vehicles anyway. This plan allows the APD to have more "reliable vehicles" due to less wear and tear and have less maintenance costs, Butler said. Plus, he added this lets the APD transfer their "previously enjoyed" vehicles to other city departments. Diane VanDe Hei, CEO of the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies, explained that as the costs of delivering and treating water rise, millions of low-income families lack the funds to pay for the utility. She said the federal support would supplement local ratepayer aid programs. Adam Krantz, CEO of the National Association of Clean Water Agencies, said the bill introduced by Blunt Rochester and Katko recognizes there is a gap between the costs of public water services and whether households can afford the bills. "The costs of clean water have grown significantly and while programs exist for helping Americans afford other essentials food security and home energy no similar program has been in place for water," Krantz said. "We look forward to further work with Congress to help advance this legislation." Katko is the lead Republican cosponsor of the bill. Two other Democrats U.S. Reps. Debbie Dingell and Rashida Tlaib are original cosponsors. "By providing necessary financial assistance through EPA, the Low-Income Water Customer Assistance Program Act would help to ensure every family in our community has access to clean water and promotes significant investments in the modernization and repair of our water systems," Katko said. Politics reporter Robert Harding can be reached at (315) 282-2220 or robert.harding@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @robertharding. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. NEW YORK CNN said Thursday it was "inappropriate" for anchor Chris Cuomo to have been involved in phone calls with the staff of his brother, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, where strategies on how the governor should respond to sexual harassment allegations were allegedly discussed. The network was responding to a story in The Washington Post that said Chris Cuomo had joined a series of conference calls with aides and advisers. The host of CNN's "Cuomo Prime Time" encouraged his brother to take a defiant position and not resign, the Post said, quoting two people present on one of the calls that the newspaper did not identify. CNN said in a statement that Chris Cuomo has not been involved in the network's coverage of the allegations, either on the air or behind the scenes, because he could not be objective and often serves as a "sounding board" for his older brother. "However, it was inappropriate to engage in conversations that included members of the governor's staff, which Chris acknowledges," the network said. "He will not participate in such conversations going forward." The network did not announce any disciplinary action against its show host. All of it, he said, came "with an aim of avoiding the sort of prolonged conflict weve seen in previous years when the hostilities have broken out. The calls between Biden and Netanyahu were a small sample of the furious diplomacy that the White House conducted. The president and senior aides had over 80 engagements, by phone or in person, in search of an endgame to the fighting, according to the White House. Biden's speech celebrating the cease-fire lasted just 3 minutes and was delivered in time for evening news broadcasts. He reiterated his belief that Israel has a right to defend itself, expressed condolences for Palestinian civilians who died in the Israeli bombardment and promised that humanitarian aid to Gaza Strip was on its way. It was an enigmatic, and perhaps fitting, bookend to the sort of messy Mideast crisis he had hoped to avoid, particularly early in a presidency already oversubscribed with managing the public health and economic tumult caused by the coronavirus pandemic. ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) New York Attorney General Letitia James said Friday that an ongoing investigation surrounding Gov. Andrew Cuomo will conclude when it concludes, and said she has ignored criticism from his top aide that the probe is politically motivated. James told reporters the ongoing investigation into whether the governor sexually harassed women, including female employees, is very thorough and comprehensive. Her office is also probing whether Cuomo illegally used state resources to write and promote his COVID-19 leadership book, for which the Democrat is set to earn over $5 million. Im not going to respond to any personal attacks on me and/or my office," James said at her New York City office Friday. I deal with over 1,800 employees who are professional. We come to work each and every day focusing on the law and the facts, and politics stops at the door. Anything other than that, obviously I ignore. Cuomo is facing allegations that he abused his power by inappropriately touching and sexually harassing women who worked with him or met him elsewhere. Accusations range from groping under a womans shirt and planting unwanted kisses, to asking unwelcome personal questions about sex and dating including whether an employee would have sex with an older man. Tesla CEO Elon Musk has announced that his US-based electric vehicle manufacturer is all set to enter the Russian automotive market. Addressing an event in Russia via video link, Tesla boss Musk said that his company is also keen on opening business in other neighbouring countries like Kazakhstan and the CIS countries soon. Musk said the company is considering Russia as one of the possible locations for its second Gigafactory, Tesla's facility to produce electric vehicles, in the European continent. "I think we will soon be present in Russia. I think it will be amazing. We also need to look more broadly at Kazakhstan and other CIS countries. This is important to us," he said. (Also read: Tesla factory in the UK? Elon Musk in England sparks Gigafactory rumours) Elon Musk also said that all transport will be electric in the future, with the exception of rockets. He recently said, "Driving a gasoline sports car is going to feel like a steam engine with a side of quiche." During the conversation, Elon Musk urged the United States and Russian government to hold dialogue at a time when their ties are languishing at post-Cold War lows. "There is a lot of talent and energy in Russia and I think there should be more dialogue and communication between Russia and the United States," Musk said via video link at a forum on Russian education in Moscow. Tesla, the leading electric vehicle manufacturer based in California, has only one gigafactory outside United States. The Tesla production facility in Shanghai, China was also its second globally. (Also read: 0 to 100 in 1.1 seconds? SpaceX package may make Tesla Roadster quickest ever) Tesla is currently trying to start up its first gigafactory near Berlin in Germany, while its second US plant in Texas is all set to begin production soon. Tesla is also planning to open a manufacturing facility in Asia, but outside China, in its plans to expand market in the sub-continent region. Tesla has already set its foot in India, one of the biggest car markets in Asia, where it will start selling its electric cars soon Mental health startup Wysa has managed to raise $5.5 million in its Series A round of funding. The round was led by Boston-based investor W Health Ventures. Other major participants in the Series A round of funding for the AI-powered mental health startup were Google Assistant Investment program, and existing investors pi Ventures and Kae Capital. Wysa stated that it will use the amount raised to support its offering to employers who are interested in expanding their mental health benefits. The firm will also use the funds to scale up Wysa's sales team and therapist network. The startup had conducted pre-Series A funding in 2019 led by pi Ventures along with Kae Capital and others. With the addition of the amount raised from the latest round of funding, the Boston and Bengaluru-based startup has raised nearly $9 million in funding till now. Wysa's internal data stated that 60% of the working population struggles with negative thoughts, anxiety, isolation or sleep issues. They prefer to deal with these problems themselves rather than seeking clinical help. To such individuals, Wysa offers a clinically approved, responsive, AI-guided safe space that listens like a person, and scales like a product. Wysa also works with organisations and customises its support to employee needs with complete anonymity. "For the first time, employers use data to understand how the mental wellbeing of their employees is constantly changing, and how it compares against benchmarks," Wysa co-founder and CEO Jo Aggarwal, said. Over 90% of users say Wysa helps them feel better after just one session, and over 75% of users have more than five sessions. Pankaj Jethwani, executive vice-president at W Health Ventures, said, "We are impressed with Wysa's uncompromising clinical safety and unparalleled patient-centricity. It maintains a near-perfect rating from approximately 100,000 reviews resulting from over 100 million conversations". "As we enter the second year of the pandemic, so many people are struggling and seeking mental health support. Wysa is an example of how technology is helping millions of people access everyday mental health support and self-care tools without being gated by a clinical diagnosis. We are thrilled to deepen our relationship to support Wysa's next phase of growth," Jethwani added. "On the back of a disruptive AI engine trained for mental health conversations, Wysa brings an effective and cutting-edge approach to solve this [mental health] problem at global scale," Manish Singhal, founding partner, pi Ventures, said. Also Read: Nutraceutical startups get COVID boost; vitamin C, zinc supplements in high demand At a time when the country can use all the support it gets to strengthen its medical infrastructure, EV manufacturing company Omega Seiki Mobility has stepped up to fight the battle against coronavirus. It has collaborated with the Haryana government to open a dedicated Covid-19 Oxygen Hospital at Sanjay Colony in Faridabad. The 50-bed facility that will provide services free of cost. The EV company, part of the Anglian Omega Group, airlifted oxygen concentrators from South Korea that can provide the life-saving gas to 30 patients at a time in its Oxygen Hospital. "We even have an ambulance ready in case the condition of some patient deteriorates and needs to be shifted to another hospital with an ICU on immediate basis," said Dr Randeep Singh Punia, CMO, Faridabad, Haryana, who was present at the inauguration event. (Also read | Cars can wait, Covid won't: Maruti starts multi-speciality hospital in Gujarat) The Oxygen Hospital currently has four doctors and 20 medical staff on duty but has provisions to deploy more staff and increase the capacity to 250 beds. "During this worse than ever situation, we want these facilities to reach the underprivileged," said Uday Narang, Chairman, Omega Seiki Mobility. The auto company will be investing 100 crores towards the healthcare sector and also set up a medical oxygen plant and Covid testing facility in the near future. "We have started with this one hospital and plan to build more," Narang added. (Also read | Hero MotoCorp joins fight against Covid-19, sets up 100-bed facility in Gurugram) Apart from these, Omega Seiki also plans to start 'Mobile Oxygen Camps' in its Rage+ electric three-wheeler for Tier II and III cities. The company has said that the vehicle will be fitted with an oxygen concentrator that will be able to provide oxygen to 25-30 people at a time. Further, the company is also providing food, delivering oxygen cylinders, running errands and providing medicines via its electric vehicles in Faridabad. Various auto companies have come forward to assist - directly or indirectly - in the fight against the second wave of Covid-19 pandemic in India. Tesla's trouble in China seems far from over. Its CEO Elon Musk's attempt to placate the Chinese authorities over suspicion of Tesla cars being used as a tool to spy has not been able to cut the ice so far. In the latest developments, sources say that some of the Chinese government offices have now been ruled as a no parking zone for Tesla's electric cars. In the latest move, at least two government agencies in Beijing and Shanghai have been instructed verbally to stop allowing Tesla electric cars being parked near the offices. (Also read: Trouble in paradise? Tesla-China love boat may have hit stormy weather) The decision has been taken due to security concerns over cameras placed inside the Tesla electric vehicles. The same concern has been raised with Tesla earlier as well. China had recently come down hard on Tesla cars being parked in high-security zones like military complexes thinking that these EVs can be misused to spy and store sensitive data. The State Council Information Office (SCIO), which handles media requests for China's government, and Tesla China officials have not responded on the latest developments yet. Tesla cars have cameras installed inside which are used for advanced drive features like park assist, autopilot and self-driving. Some of the Tesla cars have a camera even inside the cabin to keep an eye on the driver's attention span, among others. Earlier, Tesla CEO Elon Musk had denied that his EV manufacturing company pose any such threats to China. Days after the March ban on Tesla cars in military complexes, Musk told China that if his company used cars to spy in China or anywhere, it would be shut down. In an attempt to placate the authorities, Tesla had also clarified that cameras on its electric cars aren't activated anywhere outside of North America and that customers in the US too had the option of either having these cameras on or off. China remains Tesla's second biggest market outside United States. Around 30 per cent of Tesla's global sales come from China, the world's biggest market for auto industry. China is also the first country outside Tesla's home base in California, where it had set up its gigafactory manufacturing facility. Located in Shanghai, the facility is used by Tesla to produce Model 3 sedans and Model Y SUVs. A century ago Henry Ford came to Brazil and established the town of Fordlandia, hoping to become an Amazonian rubber baron, but retreated deep in the red. Now the automaker he founded is once again licking its Brazilian wounds, having abandoned production in the challenging market after burning through roughly 61 billion reais ($11.6 billion) in the past decade. Ford Motor Co announced the closure of its manufacturing plants in January, dealing a heavy blow to its more than 5,000 workers in the country and almost 300 dealerships. Previously unreported corporate filings show the scale of the financial woes that led to the decision. Ford had burned through $7.8 billion, the bulk in accumulated losses but also some cash injections, according to the documents filed in Sao Paulo state, where the automaker is registered in Brazil. Add to that the $4.1 billion that Ford will shell out to extricate itself from its commitments, and the price tag for the Brazilian operation rises to almost $12 billion. Almost all the losses and cash injections were in the past eight years, when the company has lost about $2,000 for every car it sold, Reuters calculations based on the filings and sales data indicate. Ford, which does not separate out Brazil from South America in its financial results, declined to comment on the losses, cash injections and calculations. The expensive retreat of the U.S. heavyweight underlines the risks for global automakers in Brazil, a country seen not long ago as one of the most promising growth markets in the world, but where tax, labor and logistics costs are high. The COVID-19 pandemic has strained finances while Ford's problems also reflect, in part, a strategic misstep that saw it lag rivals in transforming its lineup of unprofitable compact cars into higher-margin SUVs, according to half a dozen sources familiar with the company's Brazilian operation. Ford had in fact drafted a plan to shift into SUVs, larger cars with higher profit margins, but was too slow to implement it, they said. "There were no other viable options," Lyle Watters, Ford's head for South America, told Reuters in a statement about the decision to exit the country. Watters, who will start a new Ford role in China in July, cited an "unfavorable economic environment, lower vehicle demand (and) higher industry idle capacity" for the Brazil retreat. He declined to comment on the SUV project, saying he would not "speculate on new product plans." A Ford spokesman in Brazil said the company was implementing "a lean and asset-light business model in the region, with a truly customer-centric mindset". BRAZIL VS MEXICO File photo of a traffic movement on a busy road in the Brazilian city of Sao Paulo. Brazil is largely a lossmaker for global car companies, despite the government providing federal subsidies totaling $8 billion over the past decade and a 35% import tariff to shield local production. Domestic costs are high. Even though local factories can make 5 million cars a year, more than double the number sold in the country, exports are minimal because prices are uncompetitive. And it costs automakers money to keep factories open while operating at low capacity. Mexico, by contrast, exports more than 80% of the cars it makes, helped by free-trade agreements with the United States and Canada, making it an attractive alternative for the same carmakers that already operate in Brazil. A 2019 study by consultant PwC found that selling a Mexican-made car in Brazil was 12% cheaper for an automaker than selling a locally-made vehicle, including production, tax and logistics costs. The study was commissioned by Brazilian auto industry group Anfavea, which is lobbying the government to reduce taxes and labor costs. The high Brazilian costs mean even carmakers who pivoted earlier than Ford to higher-margin SUVs, like the Brazilian units of players like Volkswagen AG, General Motors Co and Toyota Motors Corp, are struggling to stay in the black. Volkswagen Brazil has lost $3.7 billion since 2011, according to the corporate filings in Sao Paulo state. GM Brazil has received $2.2 billion in cash injections since 2016, and Toyota Brazil last year required forgiveness on $1 billion of inter-company debt, the documents showed. Volkswagen and GM and Toyota all declined to comment on the filings figures. The Brazilian economy ministry did not respond to a request for comment about the Ford exit and problems faced by the auto sector. PROSPECTS PLUMMET Ford failed to develop a viable production business in Brazil despite a practice of pursuing tax subsidies, which totaled more than that of its rivals over the past decade. Since 2011, Ford has reaped about $2.6 billion in tax subsidies, or a third of all federal automotive incentives distributed in that period, according to Reuters calculations based on official tax forfeiture figures. Ford declined to comment on its tax benefits. In 2013, however, the business outlook began to change, as commodities prices crashed and dragged the local currency with it, sending Brazil into a deep recession made worse by corruption scandals. At the time, it was the world's fourth largest auto market. It now ranks seventh. Weak domestic demand and the uncompetitive exports pushed Ford to quintuple its bulk fleet sales between 2011 and 2019, and deepen the discounts to 30% or more, a person familiar with the pricing said. Ford headquarters in Dearborn, Michigan, shored up its Brazilian subsidiary with $1.3 billion in cash injections, in nine transfers between March 2018 and January 2021, according to the Sao Paulo corporate filings. By late 2019, Ford was considering the key strategic shift to manufacture SUVs in Brazil and had three models planned, according to three of the source Yet many of its competitors had already been revamping their lineup to produce such vehicles for about two years. "The truth is, Ford failed to modernize its product lineup at the same speed as its rivals," said Ricardo Bacellar, automotive head at KPMG's consulting arm in Brazil. In the end, the SUV plans never came to fruition. By April 2020, the economic pain wrought by the pandemic forced Ford to reevaluate its plans for Brazil, the automaker has said. Still, Ford made commitments to the government as late as November last year to invest more in Brazil and told its dealers in December that it expected improved sales in 2021, according to a government announcement and the dealers' association. Yet just weeks later, it halted production. It closed its three plants, the largest one in Camacari, in the northeastern state of Bahia. It retains only a small operation selling imports, a niche market for high-end cars that the import tariffs make prohibitively expensive for many people. On Thursday, Ford launched its new Bronco Sport SUV in Brazil. Made in Mexico, it is exported to the U.S. where it starts at $26,820. In Brazil, where per capita income is much lower, Ford said the Mexican-made car will retail for $48,000. While Ford sold 18,000 cars in Brazil in April 2019, it sold 1,500 cars in the same month this year. This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed. But when Jan overhears a tax accountant at the pub (Damian Lewis) talking about the thrill he got in part-owning a race horse (an investment that nearly ruined him and his family), she gets an idea. Jan has no history with horses but she's raised whippets and pigeons before, and she soon digs into issues of Horse & Hound and other resources. She finds an ill-tempered mare and buys her for 350 quid. It's quickly apparent that Jan isn't motivated by money or prestige but simply by the joy of having something to do, an animal to care for and a new race to run. Her zeal inspires those around her, including the dozen or two others from around their small former-mining village a butcher, a drunkard, a widow who join in a syndicate, tossing in money to help pay the fee to breed the mare with a successful racehorse and train the foal that comes from it. They first meet beneath the quarter-operated lights of a pub pool table, and in not too long they're merrily riding together in a bus on the way to the track, with little reason to expect to win but plenty of songs to sing along the way. If the circus is coming to town, I might as well have a front-row seat, says one. Hepp said the levels of the virus found in the schools wastewater have been relatively low up until this point, which is not indicative of a widespread outbreak, she said. The wastewater is still at relatively low levels indicating that a very small number of people have it, but it's still there. So just being aware that it is there can be a powerful tool for the choices parents decide to make for their children, Hepp said. If COVID-19 wastewater levels began to increase on a particular campus, FUSD spokesperson Zachery Fountain said the district would likely implement further mitigation measures. Each situation is different, so we have to evaluate. We try to follow our procedures, figure out the scope and scale of the situation and make the appropriate decisions. We also try to make sure we are not impacting education, Fountain said. It's a delicate balance. Hepp said once the program provides the weekly test results to FUSD, it is then up to the district to decide how to utilize them. She added that school's notices are usually sent out within a day of the results. Letters informing of COVID-19 levels in the wastewater have been sent by multiple schools in the district dating back to January. ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. More than two dozen farms in southern New Mexico have applied for a program that will pay them not to plant their fields as water managers look for new ways to stretch resources in the drought-stricken state. Its the first phase of a multiyear pilot project being managed by the Office of the State Engineer. State Engineer John DAntonio has described the program as essential for ensuring the aquifers in the lower Rio Grande remain at sustainable levels in the future. The Legislature approved funding for the effort last year and the state began accepting applications from farmers in the fall. The Interstate Stream Commission is now processing 27 contracts totaling more than $900,000 and covering just over 2 square miles of farmland. While that represents just a fraction of the agricultural real estate that stretches from Elephant Butte Reservoir south to the Texas border, state officials are looking to develop more tools that can be used to better manage water, especially during extended drought. New Mexico also is on the hook for ensuring a certain amount of water is delivered via the Rio Grande to Texas each year as part of a decades-old water sharing agreement. RTHK: UK plans to fly the flag with new aircraft carrier The first operational deployment of Britain's flagship aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth to Asia will show countries such as China that Britain believes in the international law of the sea, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Friday. Johnson said the Carrier Strike Group, which will interact with more than 40 nations on the deployment through the Mediterranean, Indian Ocean and South China Sea to Japan, would project Britain's values as well as its military capabilities. "One of the things we'll be doing clearly is showing to our friends in China that we believe in the international law of the sea, and in a confident but not a confrontational way, we will be vindicating that point," he told broadcasters on board the carrier in Portsmouth Naval Base, south England. "We don't want to antagonise anybody, but we do think that the United Kingdom plays a very important role, with friends and partners, the Americans, the Dutch, the Australians, the Indians many, many others, in upholding the rule of law, the international rules-based system on which we all depend." (Reuters) This story has been published on: 2021-05-21. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Setting aside Union Finance Ministry's submission that maximum possible tax relief has been given on the COVID relief front, the Delhi High Court today ruled that charge of Integrated Goods and Services Tax (IGST) on imports of oxygen concentrators meant for personal use or gift is 'unconstitutional'. While delivering its judgment on the petition filed by an 85-year old COVID patient whose relative had sent oxygen concentrator from the US, the High court also quashed a May 1 circular of the Finance Ministry notifying 12 per cent IGST on oxygen concentrators imported for personal use or gift. The bench of Justice Rajiv Shakdher and Justice Talwant Singh said, "We hold that imposition of IGST on oxygen concentrators that are imported by individual and are received by them as gifts (i.e. free of cost) for personal use is unconstitutional." A May 3 notification of the Ministry of Finance, meanwhile, exempted the import of oxygen concentrators for charity from IGST in view of the pandemic. While hearing the petition challenging the imposition of the tax on concentrators, the High Court had asked the ministry to consider exempting them for the personal use and gift category too. However, the government counsel told the bench earlier this month that the matter had been escalated to the highest level in the Finance Ministry, which is of the view that maximum relief has already been provided in the form of IGST cut on import of oxygen concentrators from 28 per cent to 12 per cent. ALSO READ: Microsoft provides 125 oxygen concentrators to Noida Authority ALSO READ: Oxygen concentrators with less than 5 lts per minute capacity unfit for COVID patients: CDSCO There is a lot to love about bees. They are crucial to growing many of our favorite and healthiest foods as they move pollen from plant to plant, pollinating more than a hundred fruits and vegetables including strawberries, potatoes and apples. But many bee species are under threat as a result of changes in land use, pesticides, intensive agriculture and climate change, but there are steps you can take to help them thrive. In honor of World Bee Day on May 20, here are five things you might not know about nature's hard-working pollinators. 1. Bees like to 'waggle dance' Bees can communicate and make decisions by dancing. When a honeybee scouts out and inspects a new nest it uses a waggle dance to advertise and debate its merits. The better the site, the longer and harder the bee dances. If another bee bumps into a dancing bee, she will go off to inspect the site, and if she likes it, she, too, will waggle. Police contacted the youth at the Juvenile Probation Office after probation officers found a controlled substance in his vehicle. An investigation determined that he was actively selling marijuana online, and he had money in his possession from drug sales. The teenager was taken into custody and transported to the Law Enforcement Center. A probation officer did a juvenile intake evaluation and he was taken to a secure juvenile detention facility. He was arrested for possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute and possession of money used to facilitate a drug transaction. MADRID (AP) Spain is revving up for a return of summer tourists, with Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Friday offering an upbeat outlook after his government lifted travel restrictions on British visitors and the European Union moved a step closer to allowing cross-border travel. Sanchez said those two developments will bring a very much better summer than last year, when the tourist industry in one of the worlds most popular vacation destinations was crushed by limits on travel and gatherings due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We are hugely thrilled at the prospect of our tourism industry recovering, of the streets of our towns and cities filling up once more, he told an annual tourism congress in Madrid. Spain, Sanchez said, will be delighted, extremely delighted to receive British tourists again. Spain is lifting its restrictions on travelers from the United Kingdom beginning Monday. In 2019, Britain sent 18 million people to Spain, the most of any country. On Thursday, my priority bill, LB 103, was passed on final reading by a vote of 44 to 3. Now we wait to see if the bill is signed into law. It is my fervent hope that the bill will help the Beatrice 6 receive their funds a little faster and ease the tax burden on the citizens of Gage County. LB 103 would allow the state to appropriate $2 million to Gage County in July of this year and again in 2022, to be used towards paying off the federal judgment. The session is winding down, but the pace of work has been anything but slower. Around 50 bills have been on the agenda each of the last two days on final reading, interspersed with several hours of filibusters. We will recess for the next four days, necessary for the Governor to sign or veto the bills. Then we will come back next week to take up motions to override, if any, and adjourn sine die on Thursday, which becomes the last day of the session. Since we already know we will be back in late September to work on redistricting, we will be adjourning just a few days earlier than the allotted time for this session. The pandemic delayed the census numbers, which are required before we draw district maps, so redistricting could not be accomplished inside our sessions' 90 day time frame. There will be maps for the 49 legislative districts, our three congressional districts, the Supreme Court, Public Service Commission, Board of Regents and State Board of Education. Each of these will have a separate bill with a hearing and debate during the special session this fall. Before we convene, there will also be public hearings in each congressional district during the summer. The dates will be publicized on the legislative website at www.nebraskalegislature.gov. We will be debating LR 134 on Wednesday, the 26th, the resolution that outlines the substantive criteria to be used during the 2021 redistricting process. Note, this is an LR, legislative resolution, not a bill (LB), which can affect your search on the webpage. As with all sessions and hearings, you can watch live on Nebraska Public Media, by clicking on the link on the right side of the webpage noted above. The state added 119 new COVID-19 cases on Friday, up from the 100 cases reported on Thursday. The number of Montanans killed by the pandemic remained at 1,604 on Friday with the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services reporting no new deaths. Residents getting their vaccine shot continues to increase. So far 788,507 people have received a dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. In all, 377,927 Montanans are fully vaccinated. The Centers for Disease Control and prevention considers a person completely vaccinated two weeks after receiving a second required dose. County health departments are offering walk-in vaccine clinics at multiple sites throughout the state, and information on vaccine availability can be found at vaccines.gov. As of Friday the state had 932 active cases of the virus. Overall, Montana has seen a total of 111,161 COVID-19 cases, 108,625 of which have recovered. COVID-19 hospitalizations have remained relatively steady. On Friday, the state had 56 residents in the hospital due to COVID-19 infections, up from 54 on Thursday and 55 on Wednesday. The virus has put a total of 5,201 residents in the hospital since the start of the pandemic. Crews from Billings Public Works were working Monday morning to clean up mud and debris that caked onto the streets of North Park after the Bi Republicans immediately objected to the language. They also disagreed with the legislations broad latitude to investigate the causes of the insurrection, saying that it should also be focused on other types of violence in the country, including riots in cities after the death of George Floyd at the hands of police last summer. The bill negotiated by Thompson and Katko removed the quotes from Wray and it contains far more specific language about the scope of the investigation, keeping the focus to Jan. 6. Republicans, including Trump, have argued that the scope of the investigation is reason to oppose the bill. SHIFTING POSITIONS McCarthy and McConnell have each suggested in recent months that they might be open to a commission. McCarthy sent Pelosi a letter in February saying that any legislation to form the panel should have commissioners evenly divided by party, equal party signoff on subpoena power and no predetermined findings or conclusions all of which were satisfied in the final bill. McConnell signaled he might be willing to vote for it just days ago, saying on Tuesday that he was open to the bill. By Wednesday, both men had come out against it, and rank and file Republican senators gave a variety of shifting explanations for why they opposed it. Many said they had not read it. We cannot solve the physician shortage by simply creating more medical students. Currently, there are more medical school graduates than there are internship and residency opportunities, the letter stated. Colorado-based RVU, which has a second campus in Ivins, Utah, said that to date it has helped health care facilities create 18 new residency programs yielding 327 resident positions. The school also has a record of having close to 96% of its graduates land a residency. Among the criteria for accrediting RVUs Billings school is a demonstration it has arranged enough partnerships with medical facilities where medical students could do their clinical rotation training. Billings Clinic has declined to partner with RVU after two of its executive representatives made ethnically and gender-charged comments that the hospital said are "inconsistent with Billings Clinic's core values." In Grand Junction, Colorado, Community Hospital had been offering clinical opportunities for RVU students but is severing its relationship with the medical school over misunderstandings that have since been cleared up, said RVUs Dr. David Park, who will be dean of the Billings school. Economic impact The new limits don't apply to sentences handed down before HB 553 was signed, but Department of Corrections Director Brian Gootkin, former Gallatin County sheriff tapped to lead the agency in December, is happy with the change all the same. "It's hard to say just because we're going forward," Gootkin said when asked about how the new law will tamp down caseloads for probation officers. "But obviously we expect that to affect our caseload in a good way." The need for HB 553 was up on display on in a legislative budget hearing in March. The Department of Corrections was making a plea to lawmakers to fund new probation officers, having already been denied once. Gootkin was up against the consequences leveled against the agency for his predecessor's mistakes in implementing the changes lawmakers had passed over several sessions. Up until that hearing, lawmakers were holding back on resources his office had requested to address the probation division's needs. The International Monetary Fund on Friday unveiled a $50 billion proposal to end the COVID-19 pandemic by vaccinating at least 40% of the population in all countries by the end of 2021 and at least 60% by the first half of 2022. Doing so, IMF officials say, would inject the equivalent of $9 trillion into the global economy by 2025 due to a faster resumption of economic activity, with rich countries potentially benefiting the most. The crisis has killed more than 3.5 million people across the world, and projections point to highly unequal health prospects well into 2022, which poses "severe risks for the world," the IMF said. read more IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva told a health summit hosted by the European Commission and Group of 20 major economies that it made sense for rich economies to boost donations to ensure a faster end to the pandemic. "Advanced economies - asked to contribute most to this effort - would likely see the highest return on public investment in modern history, capturing 40% of the GDP gains and roughly $1 trillion in additional tax revenues," she said in her prepared remarks. The proposal, drafted by IMF chief economist Gita Gopinath and staff economist Ruchir Agarwal, builds on efforts already under way by the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator, United Nations, World Health Organization and other groups. Implementing the plan would cost some $50 billion, with $35 billion to be paid for by grants from rich countries, private and multilateral donors, and the remaining $15 billion to be funded by national governments using low- or no-interest financing available from multilateral development banks. G20 countries had already recognized the need for some $22 billion in grants to tackle the crisis, leaving some $13 billion in additional grants needed to reach the $50 billion, the IMF authors said. The plan calls for upfront financing, vaccine donations and moves to ensure free cross-border flows of raw materials and finished vaccines, as well as some $8 billion in investments to diversify and increase vaccine production capacity worldwide. The IMF projected some 1 billion doses could be donated this year even if countries prioritized their own populations, and 1 billion additional doses should be produced by early 2022 to handle downside risks, such as new variants that require booster shots. While the vaccine supply was still limited, it called for $30 billion in spending on widespread testing, sufficient therapeutics and preparations for vaccine deployment, as well as $2 billion to evaluate and implement dose-stretching strategies. Without urgent actions, many emerging and developing countries might have to wait until the end of 2022 or later to bring the pandemic under control, they said. Also read: Covaxin stock for 18-44 year age group over in Delhi; capital awaits Centre's help Also read: Covid-19 vaccinations to triple; 14 crore doses to be produced in a month by July The governor and the tribe have also feuded over whether the tribe was consulted before the event last year. The tribe this week charged the governor with falsely claiming that the tribe was consulted on the fireworks event. However, the two sides disagree on what even constitutes a government-to-government consultation. Court documents show that Steve Vance, the Cheyenne River Sioux tribe's historical preservation officer, attended two days of tribal cultural survey meetings hosted by the Park Service in February 2020 to discuss the event. A tribal council member also attended one of the meetings, which the Park Service listed as tribal consultation meetings in court filings. But Remi Bald Eagle, a spokesman for the tribe, said that their attendance didn't mean the tribe engaged in a consultation with the Park Service. Only the full tribal council or the tribal chairman are authorized to do that, Bald Eagle said. Representatives from other tribes at the meetings also expressed at the time they were not authorized to engage in a formal consultation. "Neither were there on behalf of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe," Bald Eagle said. Lange has indicated he'll likely decide by June 2 whether to issue a preliminary injunction order to force the Park Service to allow the fireworks this summer. HELENA The Montana Board of Regents on Thursday asked the state Supreme Court to block a new law that would allow people to carry guns on public university campuses while the justices decide who has the constitutional authority to set such policies. The regents voted unanimously Wednesday to challenge the parts of House Bill 102 that would allow students and staff who meet safety certifications to carry concealed firearms without a permit on campuses starting June 1. Montana's Constitution says the regents have the full power, responsibility and authority to supervise, coordinate, manage and control the state university system. The bill's sponsor, Republican Rep. Seth Berglee of Joliet, said in a statement Wednesday that it is "unfortunate that the Board of Regents has chosen to sue to block HB102 because they think their authority is so absolute that they can deny a student's constitutionally protected rights." The U.S. Supreme Court said in a 2008 ruling that the Second Amendment right to bear arms isn't unlimited. It was the most flexible, cost effective selection of resources, portfolio of resources from the RFP with the most benefit for our customers, said Jo Dee Black, a NorthWestern spokesperson. Its got diverse ownership. Its got diverse resources, which is important for reliability and it was the most cost-effective. Jeffrey Smith of 350 Montana, a green energy advocate, said NorthWesterns proposal is really a decision about what energy sources power Montana into the future. In that sense, Smith said, the choice is a determinative like Montanas decision 40 years ago to develop the Colstrip Power Plant. This is a decision that we make every 30 or 40 years. Colstrip is in its waning moments, lets say, and thats 35 years along. And there was a lot of discussion about whether to build those mine mouth thermal generators before we decided, Smith said. We should go through a similar exercise now at looking at whats best. Were finding that cleaner forms of energy are also the cheaper forms of energy and NorthWestern Energy has an inherent conflict of interest because it owns gas reserves. Of course theyre going to go with what they can make the most money on, but is that best for Montana? Whats best for the ratepayers in the long run. Those are the questions we need to start asking. It was happening all over the country, he noted. "People were fleeing inner cores and going all over the country and it caused a huge construction boom that nobody saw coming," Bangs continued. "And the supply chain for building materials got stretched immediately and building costs got stretched very drastically. We knew we had to do something different to make Villagio work." Villagio Apartments rendering A rendering of what the new Villagio apartments will look like. The project's planners knew they had a difficult task ahead of them when they started meeting, Bangs said. "At the time we were going forward with this dream, we knew two things," he said. "We knew it would be very hard, technical and frustrating because of the tax credit program. And being 200 units, it was going to be much harder and take longer and be much more technical, but we had a great team." The second thing they knew was Missoula needs the Villagio. "The rental market is slowly getting worse and worse and without something on the scale of the Villagio there wasn't going to be any way of making a difference in the rental market," Bangs said. Speaking on a Zoom press conference for the groundbreaking, Bangs said houses all over Missoula are being sold "for huge prices" and renters are being evicted. To ensure historic Sheep Creek flows during operation, mitigation surface water is leased from irrigators for in-stream flow, thus protecting Sheep Creek and the Smith River some 19 stream miles away. Tailings, the finely ground rock left after copper is removed, are filtered and dewatered before cement is added with approximately half of the cemented tails placed back underground and the remainder deposited in a double-lined cemented tailings facility (CTF). Our robust CTF model is arguably the best-known approach for managing tailings worldwide resulting in a state-of-the-art zero-failure facility. Industry leaders, including the United Nations Dam Commission, recognize the benefits of zero-failure designs and request an industry-wide movement to this approach. Once we have finished mining, we will reclaim all of the mine site, returning it to its current ranchland use. As a reclamation safeguard, we will be fully bonded as required by Montana law. Economic opportunity McKinnon stated flatly, "The Legislature's unilateral attempt to manufacture a conflict by issuing subpoenas to the entire Montana Supreme Court must be seen for what it is." Similarly, Justice Jim Rice, a former Republican legislator, went to court to challenge the subpoena issued to him in the matter. He argued that such subpoenas were part of a "campaign" by the Legislature and executive branch "to discredit and undermine the integrity of the court." In granting Rice's request to block the subpoena, Lewis and Clark County District Court Judge Mike McMahon wrote Tuesday that he would have to be "blind" to not see that the Legislature's recent subpoena for Rice's records is not a legislative effort but instead a clash over records of political interests. The people of Montana would have to be blind, too, not to see the same thing. Overall, the Republican effort's goal is clearly to reshape the courts in a way to make them more complaisant to the Legislature and the governor. In the May 14 Billings Gazette, I read the article, Arntzen asks about antiracism and darn near choked on my coffee. She has requested an opinion from the attorney general regarding the legality of a federal grant American History and Civic Education that requires recipients to incorporate teaching the history of systemic racism in the United States in the classroom. She stated this would cause division in our classrooms and communities, and endorsed the proposition that ignorance is bliss. The Office of Public Instruction then went on to state that the state of Montana was not and has not ever applied for this grant. Good grief. First, some news for the superintendent: Montana has this year enacted laws to restrict access to the ballot, couched in words to the effect that these laws are crafted solely to protect the sanctity of the voting process. Balderdash. These laws will impact our citizens who live on reservations, without the means to drive the required distance to cast an in-person ballot, effectively denying them the right to vote. For the record, there has not been any proven voter fraud in the 2020 election in Montana, thus this new voting restriction law is aimed squarely at those the Republican majority does not want to vote. That is classic Jim Crow, otherwise known as systemic racism, and of course, Arntzen does not want that taught. Since the grant comprises such a large part of the Dover Island project, some of the people involved are worried about the delay. An environmental assessment would be the next step for the NRDP should Gianforte approve the project. The bottom line is, were in communication with the governors office, and we havent heard from them yet, Stickney said. We have to wait for the approval of the governor. YRPA will have to raise the rest of the money for the $1.26 million purchase price. The Montana Fish & Wildlife Conservation Trust and Phillips 66 have already agreed to donate $300,000, Wilson said. He expects another $600,000 will be needed to make improvements to the property, like restoring the 100-year-old Dover home, building a parking area and removing fences. The hope is to open it up late in the fall of 2022, he said. But if it takes longer, thats OK. Vision Virginia "Ginnie" Sindelar is matter-of-fact about the land sale to YRPA. Despite years of laboring to make a living on the farm, a place she and Jim raised a family, Ginnie said, Im thrilled. That was Jims dream, but I got a lot of people mad at me for doing it. On May 8 two dead fin whales were pushed into port in San Diego, California, on the hull of a destroyer. It was the latest in a heartbreaking string of whale fatalities caused by vessel strikes off the West Coast. The more than two dozen whale deaths reported there from collisions between 2014 and 2018 may understate actual deaths by 20-fold. So on Monday the Center for Biological Diversity sent a notice to the National Marine Fisheries Service and U.S. Navy demanding the agencies consult on ways to avoid killing endangered whales or well be forced to sue. These dead whales are grisly proof of the Navys dire ongoing threat to vulnerable marine mammals. Were asking the Biden administration to find a better balance of marine protection with military readiness, said Kristen Monsell, the Centers oceans legal director. Please help us save whales and other species with a gift to our Saving Life on Earth Fund. Do it now and your gift will be matched. The Reserve Bank of India Central Board has approved transfer of Rs 99,122 crore as surplus to the central government. This will be for the accounting period of nine months ended March 31. It has also decided to maintain the Contingency Risk Buffer at 5.50 per cent. The decision was taken during the 589th meeting of the Central Board of Directors of Reserve Bank of India on Friday held through video conferencing. "With the change in the Reserve Bank's accounting year to April-March (earlier July-June), the Board discussed the working of the Reserve Bank of India during the transition period of nine months (July 2020-March 2021) and approved the Annual Report and accounts of the Reserve Bank for the transition period. The Board also approved the transfer of Rs 99,122 crore as surplus to the Central Government for the accounting period of nine months ended March 31, 2021 (July 2020-March 2021), while deciding to maintain the Contingency Risk Buffer at 5.50%," said the apex bank in a statement. The board reviewed the current economic situation in light of the adverse impact of the second wave of COVID-19. It also looked into the global economic situation as well as the policy measures taken by the apex bank to mitigate the challenges arising from the second wave. The meeting was attended by RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das, Deputy Governors Mahesh Kumar Jain, Dr Michael Debabrata Patra, M Rajeshwar Rao, T Rabi Sankar and other Directors of the Central Board including N Chandrasekaran, Satish K Marathe, S Gurumurthy, Revathy Iyer and Sachin Chaturvedi. Debasish Panda, Secretary at Department of Financial Services and Ajay Seth, Secretary at Department of Economic Affairs also attended the meeting. Also read: More COVID-hit businesses may need loan restructuring: Banks to RBI Also read: RBI fines City Union Bank, 3 other lenders over violation of directions Trump and his defenders in the House GOP who voted to oust Cheney from her leadership post have thus deliberately sought to undermine American confidence in the elections, a tactic which, when imitated, will destroy our democracy. Once deliberate falsehoods about the outcome of an election are peddled with success, and recognized as an effective tactic, there will be no turning back from its use by unscrupulous candidates for office at every level, in every state across the nation. Think of the implications of such a groundless assertion. Like the false assertion of an unlimited presidential emergency power, as Justice Robert H. Jackson said in the Steel Seizure Case, the claim of a rigged election has no end. At that point, American democracy, the rule of law, the peaceful transition of power, and the confidence in the outcome of free and fair elections the fundamental pillars of our Constitution will have vanished. That, dear readers, lays bare the existential threat posed by the false claims of a rigged and stolen election. That, it should be emphasized, lays bare the critical need, more than ever, to speak truth to power. I looked down at the paper and these are some of the notes that had been jotted down on it by the little girl. So I am in foster care with (she names the names) but my mom, I would love to give her a big surprise and she would love hearing from you. (Name) is my adopted dad and he watches Yellowstone all the time. I been through a lot but seeing you today changed my heart. Thank you. Please can you send me letters and emails? I love you and Rip (Cole Hauser) and Beth Dutton. Signed, The girl thats too young, from Baker, Montana. Smith then wandered over to the flatbed trailer upon which hed eventually sit while Von Kral quickly painted the picture of him, in front of the large crowd, for charity. With the trailer still hooked up to a pickup truck, he ducked under the arching neck of the trailer and took a few moments to compose himself and I turned away to give him that time alone. Eventually he got up on the trailer, Von Kral painted his portrait, the crowd cheered and the painting was auctioned off for $5,500. "The Legacy Fund is really becoming a tremendous asset to the state of North Dakota," he said. In the last nearly two years, the fund has accumulated more than $761 million in earnings. A panel of lawmakers throughout the next 1 years will continue researching ways to use the earnings, with findings and recommendations to go to the 2023 Legislature. In-state investments One bill directs the board to invest a target 20% of the Legacy Fund in the state, putting half in equities, or investing in companies in the state, and the other half in infrastructure loans to local governments and a business loan program through the state-owned Bank of North Dakota. The bill takes effect Aug. 1. Functioning as essentially an arm of the bill is the State Investment Board's nascent in-state investment program, which targets a 3% allocation of the fund toward private capital. The program could go as high as 6%. About 1-2% of the Legacy Fund is invested in North Dakota. -- Mandan City Engineer Justin Froseth, on a summerlong, $3.8 million project on Main Street. q q q "It's been very hard on them and me." -- Michaella Lanz, 14, an eighth grader at St. Mary's Academy in Bismarck and one of the first area adolescents to get the COVID-19 vaccine, on not being able to visit her grandparents during the coronavirus pandemic. q q q "Mild winters are certainly helpful for mule deer; not only did we have a mild winter out west, we pretty much didnt have winter. They made it through the winter in good shape and will be going into the fawning season in about as good of condition as one could expect in North Dakota." -- State Wildlife Chief Jeb Williams, on an annual spring survey showing that western North Dakota's mule deer population remains robust. q q q E-Commerce for Retail - Support Your Digital Transformation During the Covid-19 Pandemic Even after theres a widespread return to normal, the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic is expected to have long-term impacts across nearly every industry. Naturally, the recommendations to stay at home caused a stark rise in online shopping but what were the other impacts of the pandemic on the retail industry? Access this e-guide to explore: The commerce challenges of 2020 of 2020 E-commerce for retail for retail Digital transformation in the era of COVID-19 And more One-of-a-kind R&D company lets innovation soar Draper is a leading engineering innovation company that addresses important global challenges in space, on the ground, and in human cells. This resource showcases how Draper has been partnering with Dell Technologies to fuel their companys IT innovations and drive human progress. Open now to take a closer look at the Draper story. ITAI A $21.3 million plan to convert an abandoned, unfinished hotel on Sweet Home Road into student apartments will receive an estimated $3.5 million in tax breaks after the Amherst Industrial Development Agency board of directors approved the incentives Friday morning. The OK for the development, dubbed Sweet Home Flats, came hours after the Amherst Planning Board on Thursday night reviewed and approved the project site plan and determined the work would not harm the environment. New York City-based DMG Investments plans to buy the six-story, 88,395-square-foot structure and surrounding 2.4-acre site at 1265 Sweet Home Road, near the University at Buffalo North Campus, for $5.8 million. The company would convert the existing structure into 130 student apartments for $8.4 million and tack on an annex that would add 17,000 square feet and 24 units at a cost of $2.6 million, for a total of 154 market-rate apartments, mainly studio and one-bedroom units. Soft costs such as engineering work, along with spending on furniture, bring the total to $21.3 million. IDA staff reviewed the financial projections for the conversion and determined the project isn't financially feasible without the incentives, which include about $2.9 million in property tax breaks and $625,000 in sales and mortgage-recording tax breaks. UN chief Antonio Guterres welcomed the ceasefire between Gaza and Israel after 11 days of deadly hostilities and stressed that Israeli and Palestinian leaders have a responsibility beyond the restoration of calm to start a "serious dialogue" to address the root causes of the conflict. Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire on Thursday, halting a bruising 11-day war that caused widespread destruction in the Gaza Strip. I welcome the ceasefire between Gaza and Israel, after 11 days of deadly hostilities. I extend my deepest condolences to the victims of the violence and their loved ones, Guterres said as the ceasefire was announced. As of May 19, the conflict had claimed the lives of at least 208 Palestinians, including 60 children, and injured thousands more, Secretary General had said adding that the continued indiscriminate firing of rockets by Hamas and other militant groups towards population centres in Israel, resulting in at least 12 fatalities including two children, and hundreds of injuries, is also unacceptable. Earlier in the day, in his address to the UN General Assembly meeting on the Situation in the Middle East and Palestine, Guterres had expressed shock over the continued air and artillery bombardment by the Israeli Defence Forces in Gaza. Guterres appealed to the international community to work with the United Nations on developing an integrated, robust package of support for a swift, sustainable reconstruction and recovery that supports the Palestinian people and strengthens their institutions. I stress that Israeli and Palestinian leaders have a responsibility beyond the restoration of calm to start a serious dialogue to address the root causes of the conflict. Gaza is an integral part of the future Palestinian state and no effort should be spared to bring about real national reconciliation that ends the division, Guterres said. The UN chief underscored the United Nations' deep commitment to working with Israelis and Palestinians, and with its international and regional partners, including through the Middle East Quartet, to return to the path of meaningful negotiations to end the occupation and allow for the realisation of a two-State solution on the basis of the 1967 lines, UN resolutions, international law and mutual agreements. Calling on all sides to observe the ceasefire, Guterres commended Egypt and Qatar for the efforts carried out, in close coordination with the UN, to help restore calm to Gaza and Israel. Responding to a question on what the next steps should be after the ceasefire announcement, Guterres said it will be very important to stabilize the ceasefire. "I think it will be very important to have a robust programme of humanitarian aid and recovery for Gaza. And I think it will be very important to revitalize the peace process, to restart the peace process in order to have a two-State solution. Hamas and Israel have been engaged in some form of conflict since the Palestinian group was founded in the 1980s. The conflict this time began as Hamas fired a barrage of rockets at Jerusalem in response to several police raids on the Aqsa Mosque, one of the holiest sites in Islam, and the planned evictions of several Palestinian families from their homes in the city. Also read: Over 3,200 rockets from Gaza wreak havoc on Israeli cities in latest war BRUSSELS (AP) The European Union's executive arm on Thursday finalized a third vaccine contract with Pfizer and BioNTech through 2023 for an additional 1.8 billion doses of their COVID-19 shot to share between the bloc's countries except for Hungary, which opted out of the deal. A Grand Island man who was charged, along with three of his family members, for his role in a couple of local bank robberies faces a maximum of 50 years in prison following his guilty plea in U.S. District Court, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. He will be sentenced Sept. 2. Prosecutors said Timothy L. Mulvey, 34, pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated bank robbery. Mulvey's parents and a sister have all been charged with obstruction in the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Violanti, who is handling the case, said that Mulvey was wearing a disguise on June 27, 2018, when he entered the Northwest Savings Bank on Grand Island Boulevard on Grand Island, approached a teller and displayed in his waistband what appeared to be a handgun before demanding cash. The teller passed Mulvey about $2,044 in cash before he left the bank. On July 11, 2018, Mulvey robbed the M&T Bank on Military Road in Niagara Falls, and again wore a disguise. Mulvey, carrying a bag, approached a teller and demanded cash. He pulled halfway from his bag what looked like a black gun. The teller passed him about $913 in cash before Mulvey exited the bank. Byron confirmed that Bonito went to Brazil, but didn't know when or why. The city sources, who would not speak on the record because of the pending litigation, said Abbott contended that because Bonito was drawing a salary, she had to be available except during specified vacation periods. "There's no rules or regulations regarding administrative leave," Byron said. "She was never directed or ordered to remain available to report to work. She was out of work for 19 months on administrative leave, never called once to come back in." "There really is no basis to fire her," attorney Paul J. Cambria Jr., who represented Bonito during the state's investigation, said Friday. "Whatever this reason was, it was simply a pretext." Mayor Michelle M. Roman denied the firing was a pretext, but declined further comment. Police Board President Flora M. Hawkins referred questions to Abbott. Abbott did not respond, nor did Corporation Counsel Laura Miskell Benedict. Officer Kevin S. Lucinski, president of the Lockport police union, said he could not comment on the case. OLAF FUB SEZ: Advice from English poet Alexander Pope, born on this date in 1688, Be not the first by whom the new are tried, nor yet the last to lay the old aside. . . . TICKET TO RIDE The BBC Band, Buffalos Beatles tribute group, will have one of their dreams fulfilled Saturday. SiriusXM satellite radios Beatles Channel 18 will play their rendition of the Fab Fours In My Life during the noon hour. According to the bands drummer, Gary Astridge, the group was contacted and told that their recording caught the ear of the channels producer, who liked it and decided to air it. . . . CHANCES GALORE Diamonds in the Ruff, an animal rescue organization, will hold Baskets in the Barn, a raffle with hundreds of baskets, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday in Rapids Fire Hall, 7195 Plank Road, Lockport. Tickets are $5 a sheet, five sheets for $20. Winners will be called at 4:30. . . . "It doesn't take you out of the mix for funding, and I think the Empire Corridor under a Biden administration probably gets something," the official said. "But the reality is it probably has an effect on how much you get. If you are up against a high-speed rail project in North Carolina or on the West Coast, I think the government would rather throw money at a project that's ready to go rather than one that needs further study." Cuomo has had little to say about wrapping up the study. Instead, in his 2020 State of the State address, he called for convening a panel of engineers to "re-examine and rethink strategies" for bringing high-speed rail to New York. That was 16 months ago, and the panel has yet to be established. A DOT spokesman said the department is working with the governor's office to have a panel selected "in the near future." 'Amtrak Joe' Biden got the nickname "Amtrak Joe" because he took the train from his home in Delaware to Washington, D.C., over the course of three decades while serving in the Senate. He's now in the position to make a transformational change in passenger rail service. In an interview Thursday, Malinowski said his failure to file was a mistake that I own 100%. He said the reports, some of which were due over a year ago, have been submitted though not released by the congressional ethics office, which did not respond to a request for comment. Malinowski said his broker handles all of his trading decisions and he does not speak to the firm about specific transactions. His office provided a statement from the firm, Gagnon Securities, stating that it made trades without Congressman Malinowskis input or prior knowledge. At no point in the last 25 years have I directed, suggested, or even asked questions about a particular trade being made by my brokerage firm, Malinowski said. He said the one exception was a request to sell stock that he was obligated to get rid of after joining President Barack Obamas State Department in 2014. He also said he was in the process of setting up a blind trust to hold his financial portfolio, which he will have no control over. He said other members of Congress should do the same. Painter noted that Malinowski had ultimate control over his account when the trades were made, a fact the congressman acknowledged. Of course he is going to say his broker makes all the decisions," Painter said. RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) North Carolina unemployment benefit recipients could get bonuses of $1,500 if they return to work soon under a measure unveiled Thursday by Republican legislators. A Senate committee discussed but did not vote on the proposal, which is designed to get people off of unemployment benefits that are boosted by supplements from the federal government. Employers are struggling to fill job vacancies as the post-coronavirus economy is surging. Under the measure, the supplements would be used to give $1,500 to benefit recipients who start a new job by June 1, then lowered to $800 if they begin a job by July 1, according to media reports. It goes against the grain to me that we got to pay people to go to work, said Republican Sen. Tom McInnis of Richmond County. But we dont have a choice. McInnis said he recently spoke to a factory operator who may be be forced to fill an upcoming order overseas if he cant find enough workers at home. Gregg Thompson with the National Federation of Independent Business in North Carolina told committee members the idea is unique, and something that I think will work. BRUSSELS (AP) European Union citizens can start packing for summer vacations in the bloc's 27 nations without having to worry about quarantines: they soon should be able to travel freely across the EU. European Union legislators and member countries found a compromise Thursday for launching COVID-19 certificates before the height of the summer holiday season, a move aimed at boosting travel and tourism following the restrictions of the coronavirus pandemic. The various players managed to reconcile their differences during another round of discussions, paving the way for the trans-border travel passes to be introduced. Officials said the system should be up and running by July 1. This agreement is the first step to get the Schengen Area back on track," European Parliament rapporteur Juan Fernando Lopez Aguilar said, referring to Europe's passport-free travel zone. It will make all the difference, and it wont be repeating the nightmare of Summer 2020. The European Commission said the certificates will be issued in digital format and designed to be shown either on smartphones or paper. It guaranteed that a very high level of data protection will be ensured. ANKARA, Turkey (AP) Turkey's competition watchdog said Friday it was told by WhatsApp that the chat app won't apply a controversial privacy update following an investigation, but the announcement was contradicted by the Facebook-owned app, which said it still plans to roll out the update for Turkish users. Its a fresh sign of the confusion between regulators and the tech company over the update to WhatsApps terms of service and privacy rules, which has raised concerns that users are being forced to agree to share more of their data with Facebook. Germany last week ordered Facebook to stop processing WhatsApp user data over concern about the changes. The changes were initially announced at the start of the year but delayed after a backlash sparked by a wave of confusion and misinformation among users, including those in Turkey. Users were given a May 15 deadline to agree to the update. Turkish users, worried about the possible sharing of their personal information, began downloading alternative messaging applications such as Signal, Telegram or the Turkish app, Bip, which was developed by mobile phone operator Turkcell. Many chose to close down their WhatsApp accounts even though the messaging app assured that the content of messages would remain encrypted. Share of Adani Transmission rose 5 per cent to hit a 52-week high and was locked at 5 per cent upper circuit of Rs 1,455.20 today. The company has now surpassed Adani Ports to become the second most valuable Adani Group company. Market cap of Adani Transmission rose to Rs 1,59,939.88 crore on BSE. As per the data, Adani Green Energy is the most valuable group company with a market cap of Rs 2,03,392.24 crore. The share of transmission and distribution business arm of the Adani Group has delivered more than 700 per cent returns to its shareholders in the last 12 months. The share stood at Rs 178.6 on May 20, 2020. It has zoomed to Rs 1,455.20 today, translating into gains of 714 per cent during the period. In comparison, Sensex clocked 63 per cent returns during the period. The stock ended 4.93 per cent higher at Rs 1,454.25 against previous close of Rs 1,385.95 on BSE, with only buyers seen on the counter. It has gained 232 per cent since the beginning of this year. Adani Transmission share stands higher than 5 day, 10 day, 20 day, 50 day, 100 day, and 200-day moving averages. The company reported robust earnings for the quarter ended March 2021. It reported a consolidated net profit of Rs 257 crore in Q4 against a profit of Rs 59 crore in the year-ago quarter. Revenue from operations grew 3 per cent to Rs 2,276 crore in the last quarter against Rs 2,220 crore a year ago. "ATL's two acquisitions (APTL and WKTL) during the year will bolster its pan-India presence, consolidating further its position as the largest private sector transmission company in India and moving it closer to its goal of 20,000 ckt km of transmission lines by 2022," said Mr. Anil Sardana, MD & CEO, Adani Transmission Ltd Meanwhile, CLSA has stopped coverage on Adani Transmission. Earlier, it had a sell rating and a target price of Rs 146. The brokerage house noted that the stock is driven by speculative interest and lack of 'real' effective liquidity', keeping valuation at a stratospheric 16 times premium to the sector. "Adani Electricity Mumbai's FY20 results validate our argument that this expensive acquisition is hurting the bottom line, as the company reported a loss after accounting for the accrued yield on perpetual debt taken to fund the M&A," added CLSA. Recently, the company has signed definitive agreements with Essel Infraprojects Limited (EIL) for acquisition of Warora-Kurnool Transmission Ltd. As per the agreement, WKTL will develop, operate, and maintain transmission lines aggregating to 1,750 ckt km. The two significant, 765 kV inter-state transmission lines link Warora to Warangal and Chilakaluripeta to Kurnool via Hyderabad, with a new 765/400 kV sub-station at Warangal, which shall be built and operated as a part of the agreement. ATL has a cumulative transmission network of 17,200 circuit km, out of which ~12,350 ckt km is operational and 4,850 circuit km is at various stages of construction. The forever-wild protection of the public forest preserve, enshrined in the New York Constitution since 1894, was recently affirmed in a historic decision by the New York Court of Appeals. The court ruled in favor of Protect the Adirondacks, which argued it would violate the constitution to cut more than 25,000 trees, and clearing over 27 acres of forest land on the forest preserve in the Adirondacks, to build 27 miles of wide snowmobile trails. Article 14, Section 1 of the Constitution, the famed forever-wild clause, safeguards the 3-million acre Forest Preserve in the Adirondacks and Catskills. In every way, these are the peoples lands. They belong to everybody and are open to everybody. The clause states that the forest preserve shall be forever kept as wild forest lands. They shall not be leased, sold or exchanged, or be taken by any corporation, public or private, nor shall the timber thereon be sold, removed or destroyed. Not a single word of it has changed in over 125 years. One such region is Western New York, home to the research-focused University at Buffalo. To boost the areas chances of winning one of the designations, the Buffalo and Rochester areas are preparing to submit a joint application. The chances appear to be good. A recent report by the Brookings Institution ranked 35 potential growth centers, based on population size, university STEM research and other factors. The report rated Buffalo Niagara 19th and Rochester fifth. Other cities included Albany, ranked third, and, in the top spot Madison, Wis. The bills supporters are wise, politically and economically, to scatter new hubs around the country. Not only does that approach encourage broad bipartisan support, but it can help propel parts of the country where prosperity has often lagged. The bills genesis lies in its acknowledgment of the critical role government funding played in scientific research during and after World War II. Its original name, the Endless Frontier Act, borrowed from the title of a report published in July 1945. President Franklin D. Roosevelt commissioned Vannevar Bush, an electrical engineer who directed U.S. government research during World War II, to apply wartime lessons into proposals for federal support of science during peacetime. At a recent Clarence School Board meeting, Superintendent Geoffrey Hicks held up a large sign that read Pro Life, Stop Killing the Unborn, and All Lives Matter. When questioned, Hicks said in a statement that I had no idea what was written on the sign yet in the photo he is clearly gazing directly at it. Its important to note that in current social parlance, the expression All Lives Matter is a very common and completely ignorant rebuke to the Black Lives Matter movement. Is this how the Clarence school district embraces its students of color? Meanwhile that same day, outside the school building, there was a preplanned and advertised Oppose Planned Parenthood rosary rally being held. This kind of gathering doesnt belong on or near school grounds. Obviously, Hicks actions and leadership surely cross the line between religion and state education. This supervisory negligence is yet another feature of a fully underwhelming tenure by Hicks. May 29 Steuben County Tailgating Party to benefit Ducks Unlimited starting at 11 a.m. at the Campbell American Legion, Campbell. $40 entry fee includes one-year DU membership. https://ducksunlimited.myeventscenter.com/event/Steuben-Co-Tailgating-Party-40043. May 29-30 ASA Qualifier Archery Shoot at Allied Sportsmen, 12846 Clinton St., Alden. Cost to qualify is $25. Shooting times are 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. on Saturday, 9 a.m. on Sunday. Please arrive at least 45 minutes before shooting time. To preregister, contact John Floriano at 725-5822. For more info contact Kevin Ulrich at 430-1059. May 29 Statewide muskellunge season opens (except for Great Lakes). Minimum size is 40 inches and one fish per day. May 29-31 National Lake Trout Derby on Seneca Lake. $10,000 grand prize. Call 315-789-5520 for more info. May 30 60th Anniversary Sporting Clays Shoot at North Forest Rod and Gun Club, 6257 Old Niagara Road, Lockport. Shotgun start at 9 a.m. 100-bird event. Register by May 28 at www.scorechaser.com. Call Ashley at 698-5892 for more info. (Bloomberg) -- With one of his first major moves at the helm of UniCredit SpA, Andrea Orcel added tens of millions to the banks bottom line. The question is whether the cost will be even higher in the long run. UniCredits new chief executive officer shocked investors with a decision to skip a coupon payment on $3.6 billion of hybrid bonds due later this month, an abrupt u-turn after the lender had reiterated just weeks ago it intended to pay. A net loss in 2020 meant the bank wasnt required to make the payment under the bonds terms, and it could skip the next three coupons to save about 120 million euros in total. Thats not small change for a bank that had 809 million euros of net income in the past four quarters. Many debt investors didnt see it coming, and the step sent bonds plunging. But Orcels gamble paying off will depend on whether the fallout is limited to the hedge funds that own the decade-old notes or causes a wider knock to confidence in the firms debt. The latter could prove costly as Orcel seeks to finance acquisitions to boost UniCredits flagging growth. The fact they are not paying is crazy, said Jerome Legras, a managing partner and head of research at Axiom Alternative Investments, which holds some of the notes. Why would we trust them on AT1 bonds? The decision is an early indicator that Orcel -- known for his work ethic and single-minded approach at UBS Group AG -- intends to continue in a similar vein at UniCredit. Hes already slimmed down the management ranks and cut back on co-head structures to simplify decision-making at the bank, while at the same time continuing with a lawsuit against Banco Santander SA. UniCredit reviewed the matter of whether to pay the coupon after the recent management change, taking a decision coherent with the terms of the notes, a spokesman said by phone in response to questions on why the bank changed its mind in recent weeks. UniCredit took steps last year to update terms of the so-called CASHES, short for Convertible and Subordinated Hybrid Equity-Linked Securities, allowing it to pay the coupons even if it failed to make a profit or distribute a dividend. Story continues We would advise investors not to buy on the dip, given the lack of clarity on the topic, CreditSights analyst Paola Biraschi wrote in a note. The CASHES bonds, issued more than a decade ago in the aftermath of the financial crisis, had already been the subject of controversy after a London hedge fund accused the bank of boosting its capital strength by misclassifying them in 2018. The issue fizzled after the European Banking Authority sided with the bank, saying it found no clear evidence to support the hedge funds claim. The bonds have fallen 10 cents on the euro to about 51 cents since Thursday afternoon, according to prices compiled by Bloomberg, the lowest since February. UniCredits Additional Tier 1 bonds have already pared some of their losses from earlier Friday. The asset class is a sweet spot for investors because the deeply subordinated notes, which help absorb losses in a crisis, offer much higher yields than many other parts of the credit market. That may help offset the reputational damage to UniCredit from not paying the CASHES coupons. Buyback Impact While this can be a negative surprise for the CASHES bond holder, this should not affect the banks ability to pay dividend on 2021 profit nor impact the announced buyback, Azzurra Guelfi, an analyst at Citigroup Inc., wrote in a note Friday. UniCredit plans to distribute 447 million euros in a mix of cash dividends and share buybacks on 2020 earnings to comply with the European Central Banks limits on capital returns. Once that ban is lifted, UniCredit plans an additional 652 million-euro buyback. The bank earlier this month joined European peers in posting stronger-than-expected first quarter results amid a surge in trading and lower provisions for bad loans. Mitsubishi UFJ Investor Services & Banking (Luxembourg) SA, which is acting on a fiduciary basis on the notes, couldnt be reached for comment. (Adds context on skipped payment from first paragraph.) More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com Subscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source. 2021 Bloomberg L.P. Luc LeBlanc was diagnosed as a confirmed case of the mystery brain disease in January. (Submitted by Luc LeBlanc - image credit) Luc LeBlanc was almost relieved when he was diagnosed as a confirmed case of the mystery brain disease that has afflicted 48 New Brunswickers so far. After months of worry, frustration and questions, he thought he would finally get some answers. Instead, there has only been more worry and more frustration. And so many more questions. He wonders how he got the disease. He wonders how bad it will get. He wonders how long he will live. He wonders if the disease is contagious, and if his two children will get it. "I have a lot of questions," LeBlanc said. "Nothing [has] really been answered." In an interview with Information Morning Moncton on Thursday, the Dieppe resident, 41, said his ordeal began years ago with recurring "cloudiness." He'd walk into a room, for example, and forget how he got there. That progressed to deeper disorientation, then panic attacks "just from the fear of it all." Eventually, he was referred to Moncton neurologist Dr. Alier Marrero and underwent MRIs, bloodwork, a spinal tap and a CT scan. On Jan. 9 of this year, Marrero diagnosed him as having a mysterious brain disease, one of a cluster of cases that has since reached a total of 48 confirmed and suspected cases. So far, the disease has only been found in New Brunswick. Six people have died. LeBlanc was told Public Health would be in contact with a detailed questionnaire "within days." More than four months later, he said he still hasn't heard from them. "I never received any call, nobody contacted me at all, I never got the questionnaire," he said. "It's depressing, because all my symptoms are full-blown." Moncton neurologist Dr. Alier Marrero, seen here in a file photo, is leading the province's investigation into the brain disease. (Tori Weldon/CBC file photo) Alarmed by 6-month gap between appointments LeBlanc is also troubled by the lack of information being shared by the Health Department, and by the infrequency of appointments with Marrero, who is now leading the province's investigation of the cases. "In April, I saw him and I was really concerned. I did a physical and he said it was stabilized," he said. "He upped my anxiety meds and said we will meet back in six months and do more tests." Story continues LeBlanc was alarmed. "I said, 'Well, that's ridiculous, it's like a ticking bomb. I could pass away before that six months.' " I had to go to a Facebook group to get a feel of what's going on, what are the symptoms, all those questions. - Luc LeBlanc, diagnosed with mystery brain disease Marrero assured him his symptoms are not as advanced as some other cases, and some people live with this disease "for a long time." "I had other questions, but he brushed them off a bit," and referred him back to his family doctor to discuss the results of the physical. LeBlanc tried to get answers from his family doctor, but was told his questions were best directed to a neurologist. His next appointment with Marrero is not until October. In the end, LeBlanc said, "I had to go to a Facebook group to get a feel of what's going on, what are the symptoms, all those questions." He was referring to a private Facebook group for patients and families of patients with the mystery disease. Started by Steve Ellis, whose father, Roger, is one of the suspected cases, the Mystery Neurological Disease NB Support Group now has 338 members. CBC News requested comment from Marrero through the Health Department, which handles his media inquiries, but was told that "the department is unable to comment on specific cases." "The department understands there is concern in the community," spokesperson Bruce Macfarlane said in an email Wednesday afternoon. "But due to the relatively low number of cases, we will not be releasing more personal information as it could lead to a privacy breach for patients." Luc LeBlanc with his wife, Anick, and their son Simon and daughter Britany. LeBlanc said he worries about whether the disease is contagious, and whether his children will be prone to it. (Submitted by Luc LeBlanc) Public Health's duty to inform the public, LeBlanc says The situation has left LeBlanc feeling like he's been left to cope with this disease on his own and in the dark. He's calling for Public Health to reach out to every one of the 48 patients to help ease their fears in any way they can. "To my knowledge, they haven't spoken with anybody at all," he said. "I know they're trying their best, it's a new disease, but Public Health has a job to do to inform the public ... to just bring awareness to it." LeBlanc acknowledged that Public Health may not actually know much more, if anything, than they've already made public on the neurological disease information website at the government's gnb.ca website. But he thinks they still have a responsibility to those New Brunswickers grasping for any kind of feedback. "It's a big mystery and for myself, I don't know how long I'll be completely sane," he said. "I would like to know what's the next step of the decline to put my mind at ease, to not wake up and just feel more and more that I don't know what to do." Asked why patients have not yet been contacted by Public Health, spokesperson Bruce Macfarlane said the department has completed the questionnaire and is "still in the process of obtaining all contact information and signed consent forms from cases under investigation." "Public Health New Brunswick will be in touch by phone to conduct interviews with individuals very soon," he said. CBC News journalists are working diligently to try to learn more about this disease. If you or a family member have information you'd like to share with us, please email neuro-nb@cbc.ca. N.B.'s mystery disease: What we know so far What is it? An unknown neurological disease with similarities to Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, a rare and fatal brain disease, or prion disease. What's a prion disease? A prion disease is a rare disease that pertains to a misfolded protein in the brain. The abnormal folding of the prion proteins provokes a chain reaction that destroys neurons and creates holes in the brain. When was it discovered? The first occurrence was retroactively found to have occurred in 2013, after the possible existence of a cluster of disease was first recognized by the CJD Surveillance System at the Public Health Agency of Canada in 2020. In 2019, 11 additional cases were identified, with 24 more in 2020 and 12 so far in 2021. When was it made public? A March 5 internal memo from Public Health to health-care professionals was obtained by Radio-Canada and reported by Radio-Canada and CBC News on March 17. Where are the cases? The disease has so far only been identified in New Brunswick. It appears to be concentrated on the Acadian Peninsula in northeast New Brunswick and the Moncton region in the southeast. How many cases are there? Forty-eight cases have now been identified. How many patients have died? Six people have died of the mystery disease, according to neurologist Dr. Alier Marrero. The six are included in the 48 cases so far. Who has been affected? The disease affects all age groups and affects males and females equally, according to the Public Health memo. About half of the affected individuals are between 50 and 69 years of age. What are the symptoms? Symptoms include changes in behaviour, sleep disturbances, unexplained pain, visual hallucinations, co-ordination problems and severe muscle and brain atrophy. Is it contagious? Because the cause has not been determined, it is not yet known whether the disease is contagious. What are the possible causes being researched? Despite many similarities, tests for Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease have so far ruled out known prion diseases. Scientists are currently looking into the possibility that this is a new variant of a prion disease or a new disease entirely. Neurologists and scientists suspect the cause might be exposure to an as-yet-undetermined environmental toxin. Who's researching it? The disease is the subject of investigation by an all-Canadian team of neurologists, epidemiologists, scientists, researchers and other experts. Moncton neurologist Dr. Alier Marrero is leading the research in New Brunswick. In Ottawa, senior scientist and Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Surveillance System director Michael Coulthart is leading the research. In April, Horizon Health Network launched a special clinic to assess people experiencing early-onset cognitive decline as cases of an unknown brain disease continue to pop up. Province's website The province has launched an information webpage on the mystery neurological disease, which it updates with new information. It is found on the government's gnb.ca website, and is called New Brunswick Cluster of Neurological Syndrome of Unknown Cause. LONDON (Reuters) -Russia's spy chief on Tuesday denied responsibility for the SolarWinds cyber attack but said he was "flattered" by the accusations from the United States and Britain that Russian foreign intelligence was behind such a sophisticated hack. The United States and Britain have blamed Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR), successor to the foreign spying operations of the KGB, for the hack which compromised nine U.S. federal agencies and hundreds of private sector companies. "These claims are like a bad detective novel," SVR Director Sergei Naryshkin, a close ally of Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin, told the BBC in Russian. Asked directly if the SVR was responsible for the SolarWinds attack, Naryshkin quipped with a smile that he would be "flattered" if the SVR had been responsible for such a sophisticated attack but that he could not "claim the creative achievements of others as his own". Naryshkin said he did not want to accuse the United States of being behind the attack but quoted from documents leaked by former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden to suggest that the tactics of the attack were similar to those used by U.S. and British intelligence agencies. The United States and Britain cast Russia as a dangerous former superpower which they say has poisoned enemies with nerve agents and radioactive isotopes, meddled in Western elections and carried out hacking operations across the world. Naryshkin said such accusations were absurd and that Russia was not responsible for the cyber-attacks, poisonings, hacks, or meddling in elections that it was blamed for. The hack of SolarWinds, which was identified in December, gave access to thousands of companies and government offices that used its products. Microsoft President Brad Smith described the attack as the largest and most sophisticated attack the world has ever seen". Britain's GCHQ cyber spying agency said that it was highly likely that SVR was responsible for the SolarWinds attack. Story continues Asked about a view that only 10% of Russian intelligence operations in Europe were uncovered, Naryshkin, who along with GRU military intelligence boss Igor Kostyukov, is one of Russia's two most powerful spy chiefs, smiled and raised his eyebrows. He added that correspondence between Russian intelligence and Britain's Secret Intelligence Service, known as MI6, had been re-established. (Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge; editing by Kim Coghill and Philippa Fletcher) Academics / Advising Screaming Eagles Orientation - Virtual Come learn more about resources at USI as you begin your academic journey with us! Screaming Eagles Orientation will be provided virtually using the Zoom platform. These virtual orientations will last around 90 minutes and will provide a great opportunity for new students to meet staff, faculty, current and other new students; to ask questions; and to learn about resources available to help them be successful at USI. We offer a separate Virtual Parent and Family Orientation session at the same time. This session will focus on meeting staff and faculty and answering parent and family members' questions. Students will need to make a reservation for these session in myUSI. Students just need to look for the Screaming Eagles Orientation app. When students are making their reservation, they will have the opportunity to sign up parents and family members for their own virtual orientation session. The Zoom links for these programs will be sent in the confirmation. More information and additional resources are available at USI.edu/orientation. Evers said he thought the expansion of paddlewheel raffles under the bill would further threaten the exclusive rights of tribes in Wisconsin to conduct Class III gaming, as guaranteed under tribal compacts. Sen. Andre Jacque, R-De Pere, said the bill was a commonsense measure to allow meat raffles and other popular fundraisers hosted by community organizations, churches and non-profits to survive. On Friday, he called for the Legislature to override the governors veto. Lets be clear: these organizations already have charitable gaming licenses, Jacque said in a statement. I do not understand why Gov. Evers has it in for these groups. Surely the Governor has better things to do than making charity fundraising a crime. Evers vetoed the last paddlewheel raffle bill in March 2020, but when he was asked by a reporter for his reasoning, the governor was unable to say. Air India on Friday said that it has suffered a massive data breach, resulting from an attack on its servers by unknown hackers. Air India had talked about the hacking attack earlier in March, but the company says that it is only now when it has been able to ascertain that data of some 4500000 fliers has been leaked. This leaked data includes credit card details but according to Air India not the CVV or CVC number as well personal details like date of birth. Air India says that it is sending an email to affected consumers. The company says that it is also investigating the whole incident, the hacker attack as well as data breach, further. Here is what we know about the Air India hacking attack and the data breach. According to Air India, servers of its partner who processes passenger data were hacked earlier this year. These servers belong to the SITA PSS system that stores and processes passenger data. In other words, when you book a ticket with Air India, the data related to it is stored on the SITA PSS system. The SITA PSS systems were hacked earlier, though Air India does not specify when that happened. However, it says that it received information from the data processor on February 25 about the hacking attack. Subsequently in March, Air India said that some of its servers have been hacked. The company says that initially it wasn't known that there was also a data breach due to the hacking attack. But on March 25 and on April 5 it was informed by the data processor that private and sensitive details of nearly 4500000 passengers had been leaked in the hacking attack. The leaked information includes credit card number and other credit card details, date of birth, ticket number, passport information, contact numbers, and even frequent flier number and the Star Alliance details. But, and so says Air India, the CVV or CVC numbers of credit cards or PIN details have not been leaked because these details Air India does not store. Air India says that passengers who have been affected by the data breach took a flight with it between August 26, 2011 to February 20, 2021. This also means that the hacking attack on SITA PSS servers happened between February 20 and February 25. Air India says that it is sending emails to affected customers, telling them the details of the hacking attack. Irrespective of whether you get an email from Air India or not, ideally you should change your password if you have an account with Air India. Air India says that after the hack, its IT support moved quickly to re-secure the servers. It says that it has not noticed anything abnormal or strange with the affected servers after they were rescued. In its statement, Air India says: "This incident affected around 4,500,000 data subjects in the world. In respect of credit cards data,CVV/CVC numbers are not held by our data processor. Further, our data processor has ensured that no abnormal activity was observed after securing the compromised servers." The leak of Air India data is one more high-profile data breach that has taken place in India this year. Earlier, there was some data belonging to Airtel users that was floating on the web. Then There was a data leak from Big Basket, something that also reportedly affected some Flipkart users because the passwords and IDs were kept common by users. One difference between other data breaches and the one that Air India has suffered is that at least Air India is informing customers, even if it is doing so in a limited way. But given that India lacks a proper Data Protection Law as well as a lax regulatory requirements when it comes to data handling, most companies don't even bother to go public or inform their customers when they suffer data breach. The Covid-19 pandemic challenged many businesses to quickly adapt to different technologies and ways of working, pivoting to work-from-home models almost overnight. These pressures paved the way for three trends that continue to impact the business landscape in 2021. 1. Rapid Digital Transformation During the pandemic, digital business transformations that would have otherwise taken years were expedited over several months. A McKinsey survey shows the rate of digital adoption in 2020 accelerated by almost seven years globally, and almost ten years in emerging economies like Asia-Pacific. Offline retail stores shifting to ecommerce models, paper currency to contact-free credit transactions; employment in many front-line positions contracting while thousands of back-office employees began working from home; government agencies transforming brick-and-mortar services to consumers availing these services virtually: The examples of digital transformation sparked by the pandemic seem endless. 2. Evolution of the workplace Rather than fulfilling job roles, people are now performing tasks. In this new age of working, many individuals have more control over their work schedules. They can decided when and where to work. When the pandemic hit, the need for business continuity pushed businesses to adopt more remote-friendly business practices and technologies from assigning laptops and shifting desktops to home, to using virtual private networks (VPNs). Remote connectivity and communication increased across industries and is having a big impact on the traditional job market. Businesses are considering more flexible working models (contract, freelance, crowdsourcing) to match their flexible operations. Many executives expect to increase their reliance on freelance workers in the coming years. Likewise, employees are feeling less tied to work and are opting for greater flexibility themselves. They are opting for positions at companies with greater work-life balance, that allow them to work remotely from more affordable or desirable locations, or that will provide them the growth opportunities. 3. Anywhere Operations Companies now see remote work as a permanent, long-term strategy. In a post-Covid world, Gartner predicts that almost half of the workforce will continue to work from home. Work is no longer a place to commute to, but a job that can be done almost anywhere. Identified as one of Gartners top strategic technology trends for 2021, so-called anywhere operations go beyond working from home and can be defined as an operating model that supports customers everywhere, enables employees anywhere, and manages the deployment of business services across distributed infrastructures. Gartner (News - Alert) estimates that by the end of 2023, 40% of organizations will have applied anywhere operations to deliver optimized and blended virtual and physical customer and employee experiences. Top 3 challenges Technology is the backbone of an always-on, anywhere-operations business model. However, IT teams must overcome these top three challenges to support future businesses. Security of enterprise data: Unsecured Wi-Fi, data breaches, devices outside the corporate network and distracted workers, are a few of the many reasons why security is paramount. Remote workers often lack adequate bandwidth. This can delay downloading of critical patches to software and applications, exposing security loopholes for cybercriminals to exploit. Cybercriminals know remote workers are vulnerable. Thats why cybercrime has increased since the pandemic hit. Phishing attempts, ransomware attacks, and other forms of cybercrime continue to break new records. Remote access: When hundreds of thousands of remote workers suddenly access infrastructure that is built only for a small number of remote workers, technology can struggle to handle the extra load. Theres nothing more frustrating than not being able to access resources that help you do your job effectively. Not only are popular legacy tools like VPNs not suitable for large remote teams, they also are a popular vector for cyberattacks. Solutions like DirectAccess have also been considered viable options, however, they too are plagued with scalability and security issues. Supportability of devices: Most employees lack a sophisticated work environment when they are working remotely. This can result in machines breaking down, devices failing, and increased calls to the help desk. Employees may be kept waiting until a backup device or replacement is ordered. In case of troubleshooting, its logistically and financially difficult to send a support person to every employees home. How virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) can help With technologies like cloud-based VDI quickly becoming a top choice for IT leaders, adoption of cloud-based VDI is likely to increase significantly beyond the pandemic. Recent estimates suggest the VDI market is set to grow to a staggering $30 billion by 2026. DaaS technologies like cloud-based VDI from Citrix and Microsoft, for example, are ideal for IT leaders looking for a future-ready solution that can also secure competitive advantage for their businesses. With VDI, employees access a virtual PC that is hosted in the organization's central infrastructure (on the cloud). This approach has several benefits: VDI desktops run in the cloud and in data centers so security updates can be done at a moments notice. The approach is secure by design, so users can use any device to access corporate data and resources. In case of damage or breakage, devices can be replaced instantly; any spare tablet, smartphone, etc. can be used as a back-up device. All troubleshooting can be handled remotely, so employees no longer need to rush to the help desk for help with unknown hardware or software issues. Less IT friction means a happier workforce which translates to improved productivity. The IT department was once considered a negative cost center. Now, IT departments have become positive change agents that can give the business an edge. Smart DaaS technologies like cloud-based VDI serve as catalysts for transformation, helping to catapult traditional businesses to a truly evolved, transformed, resilient digital business. About the Author Seshu Venkata is General Manager of cloud and infrastructure services at Wipro Limited, and Global Head for Wipros Virtuadesk. He has over 20 years of professional experience in the IT Industry and has represented Wipro (News - Alert) in leading industry conferences and events across multiple domains. Recipient of the prestigious Wipro CEO Award for best intellectual property (IP) development, Best Digital Transformation Solution Awards from Citrix (News - Alert) , Nutanix, Business Week, Seshu leads the Virtuadesk practice where he is responsible for overseeing product development, enterprise application development, infrastructure management. He has played a key role in developing next-generation transformative VDI offerings across global geographies. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 20) Davao-based business tycoon Dennis Uy further cemented his status in the Philippine market, with a majority stake in the Malampaya gas facility now under his belt. Shell Petroleum N.V., in a statement on Thursday, said it has signed a sale-purchase agreement with Uy's Malampaya Energy for the sale of its 100% shareholding in Shell Philippines Exploration B.V. or SPEX. SPEX has a 45% operating interest in the Malampaya gas field. The deal means the Davao businessman won over the bid of tycoon Manny Pangilinan. San Miguel Corporation and Petron president Ramon Ang had also previously shown interest in pursuing the project. "We are tremendously proud of Malampaya Energy for acquiring one of Shell's most successful natural gas assets in Asia, which of course includes the world-class SPEX team currently operating Malampaya," Uy was quoted as saying in a separate statement issued Thursday. The base consideration for the acquisition is set at $380 million, Shell Petroleum said, noting that Malampaya Energy may have to shell out an additional $80 million "between 2022 and 2024 contingent on asset performance and commodity prices." The transaction is being eyed for completion by end-2021. Following the agreement, Uy now owns 90% of the gas field in offshore Palawan. Last year, the tycoon also bought the 45% stake of Chevron. The government's Philippine National Oil Company-Exploration Corporation (PNOC EC) is left with the remaining 10%. "Since it began commercial operations in 2002, Malampaya has supplied a significant portion of the Philippines' energy demand and it will continue powering the country with indigenous gas following a safe transition of the asset and its experienced workforce," said Wael Sawan, Shell's Upstream Director. The gas project has contributed more than $10 billion in revenues to the Philippine government to date. Dennis Uy's business empire Uy, reportedly a good friend of President Rodrigo Duterte and a supporter of his 2016 election campaign, has been building his empire for the past years reaching the industries of oil, shipping and logistics, real estate and property development, education, tourism, and infrastructure. READ: Davao City business magnates top donors in Duterte campaign His latest venture is the country's new major telco player DITO Telecommunityenvisioned to be the tough challenger to the duopoly of Globe Telecom and PLDTwith an investment of over 257 billion for five years. DITO Telecommunity, which Uy leads as chairman and CEO, has strong backing from Udenna Corporation and state-run China Telecommunications. It is now up and running in select areas across the Philippines, hoping to provide a head-to-head battle against the dominant players, and eventually corner a significant portion of the telco industry. RELATED: DITO Telecommunity boasts 500,000 subscribers after March launch Just this Tuesday, the President signed into law the bill granting DITO Telecommunity a fresh 25-year franchise. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 20) - American model and television personality Tyra Banks hailed Filipinos following the recent Miss Universe pageant. Banks reshared a Twitter post by Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray, who congratulated Rabiya Mateo for continuing the country's years-long streak of placing in the competition. The model said in her post: "Pretty Pinoy Power Forever!" Gray responded to Bank's post with a crown emoji. This is not the first time that Banks praised Filipino beauty queens. She also complimented Gray's slow-motion turn during her Miss Universe stint, as well as Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach "smize" - or smiling with the eyes - during the evening gown round of the international pageant. The Philippines has been placing in the Miss Universe pageant for 11 consecutive years. The streak started in 2010 after Venus Raj placed fourth runner-up. In the past 11 editions of the pageant, the country produced two winners, four runners-up, one Top 6 finalist, and four semifinalists. As K-Pop idols, American celebrities, and social media stars influence the desires of the Philippine market, local beauty companies and Philippine distributors of global brands have pushed beauty products that could work for our local climate, and address pent-up demand coming from salon closures. As hair roots show and manicures chip away, here are the beauty solutions that did well in sales according to brand managers one year out from the first lockdowns. The rise of serums The longer people stayed at home, the more time they had to research what to add to cart. Indeed, if you start typing out why are serums -, Google will fill the rest of the search bar with so expensive and clicking on that will yield a WebMD result: Because active ingredients are more expensive than thickeners, serums are also the costliest product in many skin care lines. ... Serums are made of very small molecules, so the skin absorbs them quickly and deeply. Bright Plus Serum, 5,550 (30mL). Photo from CLARINS PHILIPPINES French brand Clarins developed a fast-absorbing serum that serves as an oxygen shot for the skin. (It aims to help the skin breathe better and in turn, look brighter.) During its first month of release, it generated 25% of the brands sales in the country and quickly found its way to the brands current roster of top 20 products. A gap for a cheaper alternative was identified by the Philippine headquarters of LOreal Paris. The opportunity to offer a product that was luxurious but attainable was right in line with the brands equity in masstige prestige for the masses. So they started to promote their Revitalift Crystal Micro Essence, a lightweight essence more liquid than a serum infused with salicylic acid (a pimple fighter, in the time of maskne). Revitalift Radiance Booster Duo, 2078. Photo from LOREAL PARIS - PHILIPPINES The product did so well, accounting for more than half of the total growth of the brands online skincare business in 2020, that it prompted LOreal to bring in the matching serum. They are now packaged together as a two-step regimen the Revitalift Radiance Booster Duo which clinched the number one spot for best-selling serum and essence in Lazmall. To this day, reps from the brand told CNN Philippines Life, the duo is their number one bestseller. Ash hair color takeover From Blackpinks Jennie Kim to pop sensation Ariana Grande, global tastemakers sported their fresh ash-colored locks technically blue, green, or purple pigments invisible to the untrained gaze that makes the hair look silvery. Part-brunette, part-silver, and part-blonde, it is the hair equivalent of the smoky eye. Excellence Cool Ash Hair Color, 449. Photo from LOREAL PARIS - PHILIPPINES Seeing that lockdowns shuttered salons, the Philippine home base of LOreal Paris responded by making this salon color trend more accessible to consumers by dropping their widest assortment of Excellence Cool Ash hair colors online it is presently the number one hair color brand on Lazmall and Shopee Mall. The brow effect History has long perpetuated the lipstick effect: a behavioral economic phenomenon that reveals consumers look for small luxury indulgences such as premium lipstick during recessions, downturns, and hard times in general. But as prolonged mask-wearing diminished the need for wearing lipstick, customers reached for an above-the-mask beautifier, especially eyebrow makeup. Benefit Brow Microfilling Eyebrow Pen, 1,660. Photo from BENEFIT COSMETICS PHILIPPINES Early this year, Benefit Philippines released its Brow Microfilling Eyebrow Pen and witnessed their sales double coming from their most recent pre-pandemic brow product launch, says country general manager Donna Shaw. It quickly became known for its ability to create natural and feathered brows through a three-prong tip that quickly draws on precise hair-like strokes. Perfect for rushing into a Zoom call you somehow forgot about. Hands-free and contactless options Life in lockdown conditioned us to keep our liquid essentials in atomizers to bring with us wherever we go. Shiseido did the same by transforming their best-selling Ultimune Serum into mist form. Formulated to minimize hand-to-face contact, the Ultimune Defense Refresh Mist promises the same skin immunity-boosting properties of the serum but delivered through touch-free application. Shiseido Ultimune Defense Mist, 3450 (30 mL with 30mL refill bottle). Photo from SHISEIDO PHILIPPINES Its good news for people battling maskne face mask-triggered acne. Gienah Contreras, assistant training manager of Shiseido in the Philippines, explained the science: The skin underneath the mask is actually put in an abnormal condition which makes it more susceptible to damage... Our skins inner defenses decline under higher temperatures. Since its release in 2020, the Ultimune Defense Refresh Mist has helped Shiseido perform better in the skincare category across all its online storefronts in the Philippines, according to Contreras. The search for anti-blue light protection In work-from-home settings, continuous and daily exposure to blue light from our screens penetrates the skin, creates reactive oxygen, and ultimately causes damage to skin cells. Acknowledging the longer hours we spend in front of monitors and phones, Happy Skin released a new line of both beauty and skincare products infused with damage-repairing Anti-Blue Light Technology. Fresh Morning Dew Collection, starting at 399. Photo from HAPPY SKIN The Fresh Morning Drew | At Home Edition includes aqua cooling setting powder, serum foundation, color adapt stick, lightweight UV sunscreen mist, cooling lip and cheek tint, and a sunscreen gel primer. Beauty enthusiasts easily found a space for the collection in their new day-to-day summer routines. Its like having make-up but you dont feel like you are wearing any, Kate, a Lazada customer, raved. Since its launch, Happy Skin has been able to consistently keep its position within the top five make-up brands in Lazada, says CEO Jacqe Gutierrez. At the moment they have the monopoly on the indoor protection kit. Co-founder Rissa Mananquil Trillo said, That's where the real beauty and benefit of being a homegrown brand lies we possess the ability to respond to the local market and innovate more quickly. The new need for hand care In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, the World Health Organization (WHO) commenced the #SafeHands challenge a social media campaign promoting hand hygiene that went viral through the active participation of celebrities, athletes, and politicians across all digital platforms. Adventurer Roll Up, 2,880. Photo from AESOP PHILIPPINES While carrying antibacterial products is compulsory, its excessive use leads to drier skin. Aesop was quick to recognize this concern as they instituted on-the-go hand care. The recently released Adventurer Roll Up is a portable hand care kit designed for travelling further afield and running quick errands. Delivering a three-step hand care regimen that washes, sanitizes, and moisturizes, the Adventurer Roll Up features a rinse-free hand mist, wash, and balm packed in a compact pouch made from recycled material. The lockdown has been so hard on my hands and being a designer myself, I find my hands are always dry or cracking but honestly this has really changed my life, Anette, a customer, shared her first-hand experience with the kit on the brands instagram post. Clean Slate Moisturizing Hand Purifying Spray, 159. Photo from HAPPY SKIN Homegrown brand Happy Skin also found a way to remedy post-sanitizer parched skin through their Clean Slate Moisturizing Hand Purifying Spray. Again, acknowledging the moisture-stripping properties of most cleansing products, the brand infused their travel-friendly lavender-scented and hypoallergenic sanitizer with a mix of hydrating ingredients such as Aloe Vera to keep hands soft, smooth, and sanitized. Sleep-adjacent beauty Beauty Sleep Face and Body Mask, 875 (125g), from Lush Philippines Sleep quality also took a severe decline throughout the pandemic. When ECQ was re-introduced in March this year, the vegetarian beauty brand Lush, experienced a stark 134% increase in sales according to senior marketing officer Kesh Tatlonghari for its Beauty Sleep face and body mask as it targeted consumers struggling with sleeping problems and dull skin caused by inadequate sleep. Somewhere in their tagged stories, a customer review reads, This mask actually really did put me to sleep last night. The best part? I woke up with soft and glowing skin. Photo from LANEIGE PHILIPPINES Korean beauty label Laneige also revised the formula of their award-winning Water Sleeping Mask. Initial clinical trials in 2020 were conducted among women aged 20-39 who slept less than six hours a day and 91.19% of participants described the feeling of their skin as having slept well. Set to release in the Philippines in June, the new and improved Water Sleeping Mask now features a probiotics complex that protects the skin from harmful skin conditions externally and internally. Erin Pacheco, Laneige parent company Amore Pacifics brand general manager in the Philippines, believes the term beauty has grown more intertwined with health, if not already synonymous. DIY facial Vita-C Triple Exfoliating Facial, 3,950 (80mL). Photo from MURAD PHILLIPPINES As its fairly hard to visit our dermatologists and professionals, a beauty brand on the more clinical side of things, Murad noticed an increasing number of consumers willing to invest in premium skincare items that could mimic the effects of professional treatments. Consumers forgoing their periodical skin up-keep appointments to avoid close physical contact turned to alternatives like Murads Vita-C Triple Exfoliating Facial which promises the same afterglow from a pro-grade microdermabrasion facial. A recent Lazada customer wrote about how her first encounter with the product exfoliated her dead skin cells and by the second use, her complexion visibly lightened. Murads two-day takeover of Rustans e-commerce site focused on the Vita-C Triple Exfoliating Facial catapulted the brand into the top ranking skincare brand on the site. Mediterranean Clay Mask, 180 (50g). Photo from RRAW SKINCARE On the clean and natural side, local brand RRAW Skincares plant-derived clay masks regained popularity as their loyal following started their hunt for at-home treatments to shrink the pores, decongest the face, and calm those pesky spots from, well say it again: maskne. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 21) A recent survey revealed that only about half or 51% of adult Filipinos are confident on the governments evaluation of the COVID-19 vaccines. Of this number, 18% of the respondents said they are very confident and 34% somewhat confident, based on the Social Weather Stations poll. Meanwhile, 31% said they are uncertain, and 17% are not confident. Confidence on the evaluation is highest in Mindanao at 58%, followed by Visayas (55%), Metro Manila (49%), and the rest of Luzon (47%). The government started its immunization program in March. Prior to this, earlier surveys revealed that vaccine confidence among Filipinos is low due to safety and efficacy concerns. To address this, the government implemented several information drives to properly educate the public regarding the coronavirus shots that the country will use. Several top government officials and medical chiefs were also vaccinated publicly to improve vaccine confidence. Respondents were also asked about their willingness to be vaccinated, of which 32% said they are willing to receive their coronavirus shot, 35% uncertain, and 33% unwilling. Among respondents who are very confident on the evaluation of the government, 58% said they are willing to be inoculated. Meanwhile, those willing to be vaccinated said they will do it for their safety and protection against the coronavirus (41%), or to avoid contracting the virus (30%). Other common answers were: for familys protection against COVID-19 (9%), to stop the spread of the virus (6%), required in workplace (6%), it is safe and proven effective (5%), to be able to go out without the worry of catching coronavirus (4%), it is for free (4%), following what is being required (3%), I already got my vaccine (2%), because others received theirs already (1%), and others (2%). Among those uncertain and unwilling to get immunized, top reason cited was the possible side effects at 39% and 30%, respectively. Other reasons given by those uncertain and unwilling were its not safe and effective, they might die or have heard reports of fatality due to vaccination, they do not trust the vaccine, they have comorbidity or are too old, or they might get sick or might contract the virus, among others. Per area, percentage of those willing to receive a COVID-19 jab is highest in Metro Manila (41%), followed by Mindanao (34%), Visayas (32%), and Balance Luzon (28%). Willingness to be vaccinated also increases with education at 50% among college graduates, 34% among junior high school graduates, and 25% each for elementary graduates and non-elementary graduates. Confidence on the governments evaluation, meanwhile, does not depend on the respondents educational level. The First Quarter 2021 nationwide survey was conducted from April 28 to May 2 through face-to-face interviews of 1,200 adults 18 years old and above. The sampling error margins are 3% for national percentages and 6% for Balance Luzon, Metro Manila, the Visayas, and Mindanao. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 21) More Filipinos will lose their jobs amid the COVID-19 pandemic as Alaska Milk Corporation (AMC) announced it will lay off some 200 employees from its manufacturing plant in San Pedro, Laguna. "On 15 May, AMC had to make a difficult, but necessary, decision to undergo an organizational transformation in line with its parent Company, Royal FrieslandCampina's global directive to optimize business operations," the dairy company said in a statement dated May 20. Alaska said these adjustments are expected to keep majority of its workforce employed for a longer period, while also maintaining the affordability of its products. "The decision to let go of some of our employees in San Pedro, Laguna based on redundant positions was a painful one for all of us at Alaska. We understand that this is a difficult time for those who will be affected," the company's corporate affairs director Atty. Maria Angela Esquivel said. The affected employees, which will part ways with the firm effective July 1, are assured of a support package - including severance pay "above the minimum mandated by the law," monthly grocery allowances, product allowances, and added gratuity pay, Esquivel added. Alaska will also retain the health benefits of these individuals and their dependents until year-end. Esquivel also said a screening process is ongoing to allow an "objective and transparent" evaluation of employees to be let go. "Nakikipag-usap kami sa mga miyembro ng union na sumali sa mga screening interviews para malinaw naming maipaliwanag ang mga pagkakataon nilang magpatuloy sa Alaska, o kung paano namin masusuportahan ang mga ito sa pag transisyon sa iba pang trabaho," she said. [Translation: We are discussing with union members who joined the screening interviews so we can clearly explain their chances to remain with Alaska or how we can support them as they transition to other jobs.] The Alaska Milk Workers' Union held a protest against these developments earlier this week, according to a Facebook post by mass organization Anakbayan Calamba. Esquivel said the company has been setting up job fairs and employment seminars to aid the employees affected by the layoffs. They have also been coordinating with the Department of Labor and Employment and Public Employment Services Office for new job opportunities for these individuals, she added. Companies all around the world have been forced to scale down operations and lay off personnel as they fight to survive the economic turmoil caused by the coronavirus crisis. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 21) While Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Benjamin Diokno sees how cryptocurrencies could possibly transform the way people conduct financial transactions for good, he has a word of caution for those interested in them. "They have really the potential to revolutionize the delivery of financial services and further support of financial inclusion," Diokno told CNN Philippines' The Exchange with Rico Hizon, citing Bitcoin and Ethereum as examples. However, the BSP chief flagged the "very high degree" of anonymity among parties conducting transactions using the virtual assets. "Therefore it makes them very vulnerable for use in money laundering and terrorism financing. So you have to be wary about that. As a regulator, we should be wary about that," he said. Diokno likewise cited the frequency by which the values of cryptocurrencies change. "The value fluctuates so much so how can you make that as a medium of exchange?" he said. CNN International anchor and correspondent Julia Chatterley told The Exchange in a separate interview that cryptocurrencies were originally made to be a medium of exchange. However, transactions are recorded in a ledger the crypto part being the protection of data involved as much as possible. She also noted how this "very early technology" which utilizes blockchain is rather "incredibly volatile." Just this week, Bitcoin easily the biggest cryptocurrency there is nosedived to the $30,000 level after China ramped up its crackdown against digital coins as reported by CNN Business. While it has already climbed above $40,000 as of Thursday, CNN Business noted that Bitcoin has lost over 30% in market capitalization since its $64,000 peak in mid-April. "When you've got a central bank like China's that's looking at this and recognize both the benefits of a digital currency but also the threats it represents, those are regulators that aren't gonna be afraid," Chatterley said. This is also the risk for the cryptocurrency market: other regulators stepping in and stating what can and cannot be done, she noted. This is the case "especially when you have players like Elon Musk coming in, sending out a tweet and that sends the market up 10% one day and down 10% or 20% another day," Chatterley added. Earlier this month, Bitcoin's value began to sink after the Tesla chief executive officer announced they are dropping plans to accept the digital currency as payment for their electric cars, according to CNN Business. But why do people still lean towards cryptocurrencies despite their unpredictability? Chatterley said it's the size of its returns that entice people as everyone seeks ways to make money amid these trying times. "You have to be very careful about how much money you're putting into this and you have to be willing to take on some very steep losses," CNN's First Move anchor said. "Longer term, this could be a great investment. Shorter term, you have to be buckled up and strapped in and be prepared for extreme, extreme volatility." "Much like you would trade a stock, understand the story behind them and you'll probably better educated about investing in them," she advised. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 21) In line with its goal to promote digital payments inclusive for businesses and consumers alike, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas aims to widely roll out the national QR code standard in a few months. "We have launched na [already] what is called QR Ph. That will be the standard, and that will be on stream by second half of the year," BSP Governor Benjamin Diokno told CNN Philippines' The Exchange with Rico Hizon. The central bank launched the person-to-merchant pilot of QR Ph just this April, with consumers able to use their respective codes in buying goods from establishments such as department stores, pharmacies, and restaurants, Diokno said. Individuals holding accounts in the following banks with InstaPay may now use QR Ph in paying for purchases in participating merchants: - AllBank (A Thrift Bank) Inc. - Asia United Bank - China Banking Corporation - Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation - Robinsons Bank - UnionBank - PayMaya "Any of the merchants who have an account with these banks and institutions can have a QR (code)," the BSP chief said. This shift to digital payments is in line with the central bank's goal of promoting financial inclusion especially for small businesses and consumers, allowing them to perform day-to-day transactions without turning to the "usual, more formal form like for example, use of credit cards or cash," Diokno added. The central bank governor also reiterated this targeted transition is "consistent" with their goal to propel the Philippine society towards being "cash-light" from its current "cash-heavy" state. "So for example, you'll ride a tricycle or ride a jeepney or buy goods from the sari-sari store, you can just choose your QR code," Diokno said. "Isn't that a better way of transacting business?" The government has encouraged the use of cashless payments and reduce physical contact amid the COVID-19 pandemic, while still helping small businesses and workers stay afloat amid the global health crisis. (CNN) Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella on Friday responded to recent news about the conduct of the company's founder, Bill Gates, that raised questions about the tech giant's workplace culture. Nadella referenced an investigation Microsoft initiated two years ago into an affair between Gates and an employee that took place in 2000, and which was reported this week amid coverage of Gates' divorce from his wife, Melinda French Gates. The employee relationship, which Gates' representatives have acknowledged, reportedly took place while he was chairman of the board and chief software architect at Microsoft. "The Microsoft of 2021 is very different from the Microsoft of 2000," Nadella said in a Friday interview on CNBC. "To me and to everyone at Microsoft, our focus on our culture, our diversity, our inclusion, in particular, the everyday experience of our people is super important, it's a huge priority." The interview follows a range of allegations and reports this week about Bill Gates' workplace behavior at Microsoft and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. CNN has not independently confirmed the allegations. A Microsoft spokesperson on Sunday confirmed to CNN Business that the company "received a concern in the latter half of 2019 that Bill Gates sought to initiate an intimate relationship with a company employee in the year 2000." "A committee of the Board reviewed the concern, aided by an outside law firm, to conduct a thorough investigation," the spokesperson said. "Throughout the investigation, Microsoft provided extensive support to the employee who raised the concern." Bill Gates left Microsoft's board in early 2020, though a Gates spokesperson has said the decision was unrelated to the investigation. At the time, the company said he would continue to serve as a technology adviser to Microsoft leaders. The company has not responded to multiple requests for comment from CNN Business about whether he still holds this role. "There was an affair almost 20 years ago which ended amicably," a spokesperson for Gates said in a statement to the Wall Street Journal earlier this week. "Bill's decision to transition off the board was in no way related to this matter. In fact, he had expressed an interest in spending more time on his philanthropy starting several years earlier." Nadella said on Friday that Microsoft's review of a concern that was raised nearly two decades after the incident took place speaks to the company's culture. "Anyone can raise any issue, even an issue from 20 years ago. We will investigate it, take action to the satisfaction of the person who raised it; we have no forced arbitrations," Nadella said. "I feel that we have created an environment that allows us to really drive that everyday improvement in our diversity and inclusion culture, which I think is a super important thing." He added that the company has had a policy requiring employees to disclose workplace relationships in place since 2006. "Overall, the power dynamic in the workplace is not something that can be abused in any form," Nadella said. "The most important thing is for us to make sure that everybody is comfortable in being able to raise any issues they see and for us to be able to fully investigate it." This story was first published on CNN.com, "Microsoft CEO responds to news of Bill Gates' affair with employee." Uh-oh! It could be you, or it could be us, but there's no page here. Welcome Guest! You Are Here: Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 21) Senator Imee Marcos is calling on the government to check if its plan to rehabilitate the decades-old Agus-Pulangi hydropower plants in Mindanao holds water. The Agus-Pulangi Hydropower Complex, composed of seven mostly run-of-river hydroelectric power plants, is a "burning issue," Marcos said during a Senate hearing on the proposed removal of the expiration period of the Joint Congressional Energy Commission. The complex is currently owned by state-run Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corporation (PSALM) and operated by the National Power Corporation, but the government can soon choose to have it privatized as the ten-year ban under the Electric Power Industry Reform Act or EPIRA lapses. Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) chair Agnes Devanadera said Mindanao stakeholders have appealed for the deferment of the privatization "in view of the very low rate that is being given to our consumers in Mindanao." PSALM President and CEO Irene Joy Besido-Garcia confirmed an ongoing feasibility study for the rehabilitation project. Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez earlier said improving the complex's generating capacity would shift most of Mindanao's energy requirements to hydropower, attracting investments from companies that seek to expand operations in areas powered by clean energy. In April, the World Bank approved an initial funding of $700,000 to kick-start preparations. "At the moment, the direction is really to rehabilitate it to make sure it is in good condition despite the fact that we have not been really discussing any form of privatization for it. What's important is that we keep it running," Besido-Garcia said. Marcos questioned if it's worth the cost to address issues of a "very old plant." The hydro plants have been operational for more than three decades. "Medyo dapat pag-isipan na natin kung sulit pa rin itong ginagastos na labis-labis at kausapin na rin lahat ng mga stakeholders kung anong maaaring gawin kasi naispoiled na tayo sa napakababang singil diyan sa Agus-Pulangi," Marcos said. [Translation: We should rethink if it's worth the excessive expenses and talk to all stakeholders on what should be done because we have been spoiled by the low cost of consumption there at Agus-Pulangi.] "Maybe a more realistic approach involving other stakeholders and new technology is in order because we can't simply keep extending beyond 2026 and plowing in hard-fought funds into what maybe too old to maintain after all?" she added. Besido-Garcia said while the rehabilitation work is a long-term process, PSALM's corporate life is only until June 2026, and would need congressional help to address its "looming end." The EPIRA gives the PSALM discretion on whether or not to privatize the Agus-Pulangi hydro plants, in consultation with Congress. Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, chair of the Senate Committee on Energy, said this is one of the many reasons for the need to extend the life of the Joint Congressional Energy Commission (JCEC) an oversight body set to expire in June. "That consultative process can come in the form of this oversight committee," Gatchalian said. The Department of Energy, ERC, PSALM, and representatives from concerned offices and organizations all expressed support for Gatchalian's proposal to make the JCEC a permanent commission so it can continue to look into the implementation of various energy policies. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 21) China is hoping for a "positive outcome" from its bilateral meeting with the Philippines scheduled this Friday, where officials are expected to tackle issues surrounding the South China Sea. In a press briefing Thursday, China's Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian confirmed Beijing and Manila will hold their sixth bilateral consultation mechanism (BCM) on the South China Sea. Expected to attend the virtual event are Chinese Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs Wu Jianghao, Philippine Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Elizabeth Buensuceso, and other representatives from the foreign affairs, defense, agriculture, and environment sectors. "They will exchange views on the current situation in the South China Sea and maritime issues between the two countries, and discuss ways to further expand exchanges and cooperation on maritime search and rescue, fisheries, ecological conservation, scientific research, and other areas," the spokesperson said. "We hope this meeting will produce positive outcomes," he added. Established in 2017, the BCM became a platform for the two countries to discuss "confidence-building measures and promote maritime security and cooperation," according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry. No other details about the meeting were provided so far. The bilateral talks come amid the flurry of diplomatic protests filed by the Philippines against the East Asian giant over the presence of Chinese vessels in Philippine waters. The latest protest lodged by the Department of Foreign Affairs was against China's "unilateral" fishing ban in the South China Sea. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 21) The Department of Health on Friday appealed to physicians to avoid instructing their patients to request for a specific COVID-19 vaccine brand as the government works to improve vaccine confidence in the country. Health Undersecretary Vergeire said they have received several reports that some doctors are giving these instructions to their patients. She said all brands can be given to sick patients. However, patients undergoing cancer treatment or transplant, those with HIV or any autoimmune disease, those taking steroids, or bedridden patients, need to secure medical clearance before their inoculation. "Sana rin po tayo ay hindi magkaroon ng preference dahil wala namang sinabi base sa mga pagaaral na merong mga bakuna na specific lang sa isang sakit at ito lang ang dapat ibigay sa sakit na ito. Wala po tayong ganung pagaaral," she said in a media briefing. [Translation: I hope we will not have a preference because no study shows that there is a specific vaccine for an illness. There is no such study.] The health official asked for the help of medical societies to instead work with the government to help build the trust of Filipinos in COVID-19 vaccines. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 21) The Department of Health, while assuring that all COVID-19 vaccines in the country are safe and effective, said the public will be given the right to refuse if they are assigned a brand they are not comfortable accepting. However, they stand to lose their spot in the priority list. Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire on Friday said those who will go to the vaccination sites will be informed of the brand they are receiving on the day itself. Their vaccine-specific final consent will be necessary for the inoculation to proceed. If an individual rejects a specific brand, their preferred one will be indicated on the supposed day of the vaccination, the health official said. They can receive their choice if they are up for vaccination again and the brand they want is available. "Mapupunta siya sa huli ng linya dahil supposedly she was already master listed and scheduled but she refused itong chance na ito. Kaya siya ay magkakakroon ng marka sa master list. Pagka nagkaroon na ng brand na gusto niya at sakali ay marami ang supplies natin, matatawag siya. 'Yun po ay uncertain," Vergeire said during a media briefing. [Translation: They will move to the bottom of the line because they were already included in the master list but they refused their chance. It will be noted in the master list. If their preferred brand is available, they will be called back, but that is uncertain.] She also said the right to first refusal previously accorded to healthcare workers during the first weeks of the inoculation drive rollout in March is no longer applicable since there are now four vaccine brands in the country namely Sinovac, AstraZeneca, Sputnik V, and Pfizer. The government's latest directive not to inform vaccinees of the brand they will receive prior to their arrival to the vaccination site drew mixed reactions. This instruction came after the public crowded a vaccination site in Paranaque City after learning they were deploying vaccines made by American company Pfizer. The DOH said the government has to step in to prevent another scene of overcrowding and address the prevalent issue of brand preference. "Hindi tinatanggal ng gobyerno ang karapatan ng bawat isang taong makapamili sa mga bakunang meron po tayo sa ating bansa. Ito ay purely voluntary pa rin at kayo pa rin ang magdedesisyon, kaya lang the government has to intervene kasi nakikita natin na nagkakaroon ng issues sa brand preference," Vergeire said. [Translation: The government is not taking away your right to choose from the vaccine brands in the country. It is still purely voluntary and it is up to you, but the government needs to intervene because we see that brand preference has given rise to issues.] DOH assured that all COVID-19 vaccines allowed for emergency use the country are equally safe and effective. Real-world data also shows that all vaccines can prevent hospitalizations, deaths, and even symptomatic infections. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 21) The Inter-Agency Task Force leading the government's pandemic response has created a panel to study and come up with protocols for the entry of fully vaccinated individuals to the Philippines, Presidential spokesman Harry Roque announces. Roque said two agencies will lead the study. "Bumuo ng small working group na magaaral at gagawa ng protocols para sa inbound international travel ng fully vaccinated individuals to be chaired by the Department of Tourism and co-chaired ng Department of Foreign Affairs," Roque said in a briefing. [Translation: A small working group was created to study and formulate protocols for inbound international travel of fully vaccinated individuals to be chaired by the Department of Tourism and co-chaired by the Department of Foreign Affairs.] The DOT said separately it has proposed to the IATF the possibility of setting up a 'green lane' that will facilitate the entry of foreign visitors who have completed their COVID-19 vaccination. "The Green Lane will pave the way for the reopening of our tourist destinations to leisure travelers who are now fully vaccinated. It will give the jobs back to many of our tourism workers and gradually revive the tourism industry under safe conditions," Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo Puyat said in a statement. In a separate interview with CNN Philippines, Puyat clarified the proposal only seeks to lower the required quarantine days for fully vaccinated inbound travelers. She added the proposal is still at an "exploratory" phase. "We wanted to discuss that maybe for fully vaccinated, if it's possible to lower the quarantine days. Not 10 days, it could be 7 days," Puyat told News Night, citing developments in neighboring countries like Thailand and Hong Kong. "But these are all talks. Nothing is set in stone, it's just exploratory, but of course, we have to be ready," she added. Puyat said the department is also looking at discussing guidelines on domestic travel for fully vaccinated individuals. Can vaccinated senior citizens go to the malls? Meanwhile, the IATF will look into the proposal to allow senior citizens who have completed their COVID-19 vaccination to visit malls. "Antayin po muna natin na tuluyang ma-vaccinate na ang lahat ng ating mga seniors at pag-aaralan naman po natin kung pupwede na," Roque said. [Translation: Let's wait for all seniors to be vaccinated first and then we will study if it can be allowed.] Currently, seniors are only allowed to go out to access essential goods and services and physically register for the national ID system. Experts said senior citizens have a high risk of being severely ill if they catch the coronavirus. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 21) President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday called for "greater solidarity" as the world continues to battle the COVID-19 pandemic. "We are only as strong as our weakest link as a country and as a region, and as one global community," Duterte said during his speech at the Nikkei Future of Asia Conference, which was attended by government and business leaders from all over Asia Pacific. "This is why we need greater solidarity for collective, coordinated, and comprehensive responses," he added. "Inward-looking policies will lead us nowhere." Duterte also thanked the partners behind the COVAX facility a global initiative that seeks member countries' equitable access to coronavirus vaccines for helping developing nations including the Philippines. The chief executive underscored the importance of ensuring universal and fair access to COVID-19 vaccines amid the global health crisis. The Philippines has received vaccines developed by British-Swedish firm AstraZeneca and US drugmaker Pfizer through the help of the COVAX facility, which is led by the World Health Organization, vaccine alliance Gavi, and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 21) The House Committee on Human Rights approved on Thursday a comprehensive anti-discrimination bill covering a wide array of protected attributes. The committee approved the consolidated version of the unnumbered substitute bill during a virtual hearing. It seeks to ban discrimination on the basis of ethnicity, race, color, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, sex characteristics, language, religious belief or expression, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth and other status. Prior to the bills approval, the committee discussed in detail the bills provisions on discrimination, inciting others to commit acts of discrimination, as well as protection against abuses by state and non-state actors. Human Rights Commissioner Karen Gomez-Dumpit suggested that the provision on the denial of right against profiling be refined to make a distinction between criminal profiling and profiling based on protected attributes. For purposes of information, maybe what we can do is to decouple profiling based on prohibited grounds versus criminal profiling, which is allowed in law enforcement, she said. Gomez-Dumpit explained that the law allows criminal profiling based on actual witness accounts and the pursuit of a person who committed a crime. She said profiling alone does not equate to arrest, since probable cause is necessary for law enforcers to apprehend someone. The proposed measure also orders agencies, corporations, educational institutions, as well as anyone providing employment, housing, and education and delivery of basic goods to create a non-discrimination and equal opportunity committee that will investigate possible cases of discrimination. (CNN) Rasha Abu Askar tested positive for Covid-19 less than two weeks ago. So too did her husband, Musa Abu Askar, leaving the couple unable to look after their four young children, a situation that many parents around the world have dreaded during the pandemic. But this couple live in Gaza and their problems are bigger than childcare arrangements. Two days after they sent their children to their grandparents' apartment -- which is conveniently in the same building as theirs -- the worst violence in years erupted on their doorstep between Israel's powerful military and Palestinian militant group Hamas, armed with rockets and mortars. Musa Abu Askar says that he and his wife have no access to health services, despite their worrying symptoms, and they are struggling with the separation from their children -- aged 10, 8 and two 4-year-old twins -- as Israeli airstrikes pound nearby. "I am still sick. I can't see my children -- they are at their grandparents' place. My wife is infected too, and we're not receiving any services from the health ministry. We only have some medicine," he told CNN by phone from his home. Rasha Abu Askar can't help but think of the worst -- even though her children are so close by, she worries she may never see them again. "The fear of losing one of your children and the idea of not being around them in this hard time is so terrifying. I keep calling them to calm them down and tell them that I am beside them," she said. While death and destruction has occurred on both sides, it's Gaza that is being decimated. According to the Israeli military, Hamas has fired over 3,750 rockets toward Israel, killing twelve people, including two children. According to Gaza's ministry of information, Israel has carried out more than 1,800 airstrikes there, destroying buildings and infrastructure. At least 230 Palestinians, including more than 60 children, have died in the bombing campaign, according to the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry. On Monday, an airstrike that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) say was targeting Hamas also damaged a nearby Gazan ministry of mealth building, shattering its windows and cutting its power. In the building was one of Gaza's main testing coronavirus centers and labs, the ministry said. On Thursday, the facility was still out of action, according to the ministry of health. The ministry's undersecretary, Dr. Yousef Abu Al-Reesh, told CNN earlier that authorities had been turning to privately-run labs to process a very limited number of tests available only to people fleeing to Egypt via the Rafah crossing. The IDF denies deliberately targeting the building, and the Israeli Air Force on Sunday accused Hamas of purposely installing its operational centers near civilian populations. The center was just one of many facilities and services that have ground to a halt in Gaza in this latest round of violence. A UN report citing Health Ministry data in April showed a 60% increase in active Covid-19 cases in Gaza, though infections appeared to be abating by the end of the month. Less than 2% of Gaza's population had received at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine at the end of April -- a stark contrast to Israel, which has outpaced most of the world in vaccines, inoculating more than 60% of its people with at least one dose so far. Now Gaza residents, authorities, medical staff and humanitarian agencies are worried the enclave could be hit by a third wave of Covid-19, especially in the dozens of schools run by the UN's relief agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), which have been transformed into shelters for most of the 72,000 Palestinians who have been displaced by the bombing. The Ministry of Health believes the wave is already here. "The third wave of Covid has already started, with 30% of people being tested proving positive," the ministry said in a statement, adding that more than 100 people were being treated for the disease in intensive care units. Dr. Rami Al-Abadlah, the ministry's director for the Safety and Infection Control Unit said the health system was under enormous strain and that services were collapsing. "Things are getting harder. Schools are so crowded with people, there's no social distancing -- we are definitely going to face a health catastrophe. We're simply not able to get to all infected people," he said. UNRWA says it is struggling to meet the needs of so many people while preventing the coronavirus' spread. "We are very worried about UNRWA schools-turned-shelters becoming super spreaders, given the overcrowding. In 2014, UNRWA schools did serve as shelters to Palestine refugees in Gaza who were running for their lives, and who slept for days or weeks in UNRWA schools because they expected the schools to be safer than their homes," Tamara Alrifai, an UNRWA spokeswoman, told CNN. "This time around the situation is made much more complex by Covid-19 -- the high (infection) rates in Gaza and the low rates of vaccination," she said. Perhaps the only factor preventing an even bigger health crisis is that Gaza's population is very young. UNRWA was administering vaccines in several of its centers in Gaza, but has put a pause on them since violence flared. "My colleagues in Gaza described a nightmare scenario already on the first day of the conflict, saying the worst thing that can happen is to have people whose homes are destroyed rush to our schools in the middle of this pandemic. Sadly this is what happened." On top of the usual provisions -- food, clean water, sanitary systems and beds -- the agency now has to source enough personal protective equipment to keep the shelters safe. "Such organizing is extremely difficult in the absence of a ceasefire, let alone in the middle of major destructions of buildings, factories, and health centers," Alrifai said. Mahmoud Saleh, a nurse working in a specialized Covid-19 medical center in Gaza, said that they too were pausing vaccinations and that testing was near impossible. Getting infected people to keep isolating is also a challenge, he said. "We cannot impose a rule that prevents infected people from leaving their houses. They have to run from the ongoing attacks on Gaza, and find a shelter or any safe place to hide with their families." This story was first published on CNN.com "Airstrikes turned Gaza's schools into shelters. Officials fear Covid-19 may turn them into super-spreader centers". (Reuters) Myanmar's junta-appointed election commission will dissolve Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy Party (NLD) because of what it said was fraud in last November's election, news outlet Myanmar Now said on Friday, citing a commissioner. Myanmar Now said the decision was made during a meeting with political parties that was boycotted by many including the NLD. The NLD's election conduct was illegal "so we will have to dissolve the party's registration," the chairman of the junta-backed Union Election Commission, Thein Soe, was cited in the report as saying. "Those who did that will be considered as traitors and we will take action," he added. A spokesman for the junta and for a pro-democracy national unity government, which includes ousted members of the NLD, did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Myanmar's army took power on February 1 alleging fraud in the November election that was swept by the party of Suu Kyi, who fought for democracy for decades before tentative reforms began a decade ago. The electoral commission at the time had rejected the army's complaints. Security forces have killed more than 800 people in protests since the coup, the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners activist group says. Fighting has also flared between the security forces and ethnic minority guerrilla groups. Since her arrest hours before the February 1 coup, Suu Kyi has been held in detention and faces numerous charges filed in two courts the most serious under a colonial-era official secrets act, punishable by 14 years in prison. Suu Kyi, 75, has been permitted to speak with lawyers only via a video link in the presence of security personnel. Her co-defendant is Win Myint, the ousted president. Opponents of the military have formed a National Unity Government, which operates under cover or through members based abroad. It has announced it is setting up of a People's Defense Force to challenge the junta. This story was first published on CNN.com "Myanmar's junta-appointed electoral body to dissolve Suu Kyi's party, report says" (CNN) After taking back the House in 2018, Nancy Pelosi called herself "a bridge to the next generation of leaders" and agreed to a deal: she'd serve again as speaker for no more than four years. Time is now ticking and no one knows what Pelosi will do in 2022. Confidantes of the 81-year-old speaker reject any rumors she might quit before the end of this Congress, saying doing so would only embolden Republicans and undercut her ability to raise millions to save her party's imperiled majority. She has yet to say if she will mount a reelection bid next year, though her campaign continues to raise millions in case she runs for the seat she's held since 1987. While Pelosi has previously indicated that this is her last term as speaker, she hasn't completely shut the door quite yet, fueling speculation she could ultimately seek to prolong her 18-year tenure ruling the House Democratic caucus. Democrats and Republicans are watching her next moves closely, given that her decision would have a seismic impact across the political spectrum, fuel Democratic jockeying to replace her on Capitol Hill and prompt a scramble to replace her in her liberal-leaning district -- potentially with one of her daughters. "Everyone assumes this is her last term, but no one knows for sure," said one of the confidantes, who asked for anonymity to discuss the speaker's future candidly. "People don't realize how hard it was to win (the speaker's race) last time." (Pelosi's office denies that the race was difficult.) The same source echoed the line of many of her other trusted allies: Stepping aside before the end of 2022 doesn't seem to be in the cards. "If she left early, she would be blamed for losing the House," the source said. "She doesn't want to look like a loser." Questions about her future come as she is shepherding President Joe Biden's multi-trillion dollar agenda with the slimmest House Democratic majority in decades, while methodically building a huge war chest to steady Democrats' shaky chances of keeping the House. The speaker might provide more clarity about her next steps later this year, once Democrats are through the heavy dose of legislating on enormous infrastructure projects and expanding the social safety net. In San Francisco, a handful of prospective candidates are already seen as potential replacements, including one of her daughters -- although no credible Democrat is taking steps in public to build a campaign yet. On Capitol Hill, the speaker's future is an issue that her top lieutenants are wary of discussing -- even privately -- worried that any hint of jockeying to replace her will create tension in the ranks. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, a New York Democrat widely seen as her likely heir apparent, sidestepped questions when asked if he would support Pelosi again if she ran for speaker next Congress, saying Democrats are focused on advancing the Biden agenda. "I'll let the drama, in terms of internal House dynamics, exist over on the Republican side of the aisle," Jeffries told CNN. When asked if he would run for the top Democratic job if it opened up, Jeffries said: "We have a tremendous speaker, one speaker at a time, and we all stand strongly behind her." Confronting a daunting path ahead While Pelosi remains mum about her own future, she is tapping into her massive donor network in a furious bid to keep their imperiled Democratic majority next year. She's already raised more than $32 million in the first three months of 2021 for Democrats, part of over $1 billion she's earned for the party in the past 20 years, as she counsels her allies to prepare in the off-year for an all-out war in the 2022 campaign year. Those political efforts -- along with going toe-to-toe with then-President Donald Trump and her history of muscling major legislation through the House -- have helped her maintain a deep reservoir of support across the House Democratic caucus, though a small faction of both moderates and progressives is leery of seeing her leadership continue. Rep. Abigail Spanberger, a Democrat from a swing Virginia district, noted she's voted against Pelosi for speaker twice and would do so again if she tried to run in 2023. "If that's the case, I'll be three for three," Spanberger said. "She's previously said that this would be her last term as speaker so I suspect that she would stick to that. But since 2018, I think I've been consistent on the fact that I think we really need new voices spreading the word." On the left, New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who was lobbied by Pelosi's allies to back her for speaker in 2021 and ultimately did, said the jury is out for 2023. "I feel like just the history of the party overall has been to almost sideline progressive priorities, racial justice priorities, priorities for the working class, health care, et cetera," Ocasio-Cortez told CNN when asked about Pelosi. "And I don't think that any selection of leadership should ever be a de facto thing." Ocasio-Cortez did not commit to supporting Pelosi again for speaker, saying that "a lot of it depends on the unique constellation of the caucus, at a given moment." "So it's not just about an individual person," the liberal Democrat added. "It's about: Who is our caucus? What is the moment? And what is the alignment at that time." Yet even with some skepticism in the ranks, it's clear Pelosi maintains the dominant position in her caucus -- and would be the odds-on favorite to keep leading it if she wanted to, especially if Democrats managed to hang on to the House majority. When asked if he'd support Pelosi if she stayed, House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn said: "Yep." But the No. 3 House Democrat was less clear when asked if he would seek the top job if she decides it's time to hang it up. "Good Lord, I was born and raised in South Carolina, you got to know I spent all my life contemplating," Clyburn said of running to be House Democratic leader or speaker. "I'm still contemplating." Key legislative moment awaits speaker Pelosi's legacy as the first female speaker is assured. She is reviled by the right and beloved by many on the left for shepherding major legislation through Congress, including the Affordable Care Act, Dodd-Frank Wall Street overhaul bill, multi-trillion dollar bills to address a global pandemic and to twice impeach Trump. Pelosi is now focused on two colossal priorities -- passing the Biden administration's $1.8 trillion plan to expand the social safety net and its $2.3 trillion jobs and infrastructure package -- all with a single-digit margin of error. Some of her allies say the challenges in Congress are too great to discuss the issue of Pelosi's future. "She has shown enormous discipline and internal cohesion, even with a slimmed-down majority, in what is always a raucous group of people and contentious group of people to begin with," said Virginia Democratic Rep. Gerry Connolly. "So I guess there may very well be a time where we are going to have to deal with the subject. But that's not right now." Nadeam Elshami, a former top Pelosi staffer, told CNN, "It seems like sometimes people are more interested in her than in what she's doing or what she's trying to pass." He said that her list of accomplishments are "mind-boggling"and that the speaker is "amazing" at keeping her plans "close to the vest." "No one knows," he added. But some sources expect her to step down when this term expires in early January 2023, although no one is certain. When asked if she had made a decision about running for reelection next year, Pelosi sidestepped the question. "You know what, I'm going to have a town hall in San Francisco right now," Pelosi told CNN last week, referring to a virtual event she was holding in her suite in her Capitol suite. Drew Hammill, a spokesman for Pelosi, said: "The speaker is not on a shift, she's on a mission." Her allies said it's a decision she won't reveal to anyone -- not even close family members -- until she's ready to. "There's a lot of speculation from even her staff or friends of hers and they all mean well, but at the end of the day it's her decision and she's going to decide herself and no one's going to change that," said a former Pelosi aide. The top three House Democrats -- Pelosi, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer and Clyburn -- are 80 years old or older, and have held their roles for the past 14 years. It remains to be seen what Hoyer, her longtime No. 2, decides to do. "Frankly, as you see on our side, nobody seems to be uncomfortable with the leadership," Hoyer said when asked if he would consider a run for the job. "And I have not talked to the speaker about it. And I'm not thinking about it, so we'll leave it till that bridge comes." Pelosi's refusal to leave office may have motivated some potential successors to quit the House in the past. But Pelosi's decision could finally allow someone from the next generation to take over. Jeffries, the 50-year-old No. 5 House Democrat, is viewed as the likely successor to Pelosi, but others, including California Reps. Karen Bass and Adam Schiff could potentially run for the gavel -- while other ambitious members may emerge. Her decision could also allow more junior members to take a step up the leadership ladder, including Rep. Katherine Clark of Massachusetts and Pete Aguilar of California. "Yeah, with any of these you kind of serve at the pleasure of your colleagues," Aguilar, the caucus' vice chairman, said when asked if he'd look to move up. "I want to be in the House for a while, and I would love the opportunity to continue to work to be helpful." Pelosi's daughter a possible contender for House seat Back home, Pelosi's retirement would spark an intense battle for a safe, long-awaited House seat. State Sen. Scott Wiener, former San Francisco Supervisor Jane Kim, state party vice chair David Campos, state Assemblymember David Chiu, Supervisor Matt Haney, and Pelosi's daughter Christine, who's active in the national and state Democratic party committees, are all viewed as potential House candidates if she leaves office, according to multiple California Democratic operatives. Christine Pelosi has privately told allies she is interested in holding public office, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter, though she did not respond to inquiries seeking comment about her mother's House seat. Some Democrats pointed to a possible candidacy of Mayor London Breed, but her spokesman said she would not run for Congress in 2022 if Pelosi decides to retire. Pelosi will ultimately have to make a decision before the March 11 filing deadline to run for her House seat. Even though Pelosi pledged years ago to not serve as speaker after this term, a decision to not run for reelection would still come as a shock to Democrats in a district that has long relied upon her. "I mean, to me it would be, kind of, wow," said Hene Kelly, a California Democratic Party activist who admires her. There would be a number of considerations for a House primary in a deeply Democratic city, including ideology, experience, race, gender and sexual orientation. Kelly said people "probably would really want to have a woman" to replace Pelosi, and said "a lot of people are saying that they think" the speaker's daughter would run. But Sam Garrett-Pate, the communications director for Equality California, said "if and when" Pelosi decides to leave, the LGBTQ+ group is "hopeful" that Wiener would run, calling him a "principled, progressive champion." While these California Democrats maintained that they want Pelosi to serve as long as she'd like, some allies could not even entertain the thought of her leaving office. And in Washington, some previous Pelosi skeptics are on board. Rep. Jim Cooper, a blue dog Tennessee Democrat who has opposed her speaker bids in the past but backed her this year, called Pelosi "indispensable to the current Congress." Asked about the next Congress, Cooper said she's indispensable to "Congress, period. The Biden presidency really needs Nancy Pelosi as speaker." "She knows how to corral the caucus," Cooper said. "And that's one of the hardest things to do in politics." This story was first published on CNN.com 'Democrats brace for momentous decision: Will Pelosi run again?' For the CPL summer reading program, Keyes handles the programming for adults, Young Adult Librarian Jessica Wilkinson is in charge of the teen group while Childrens Librarian Brad Hruska manages the kids' programs. Before COVID, my numbers were over 300 for the adults, Keyes said, adding that she believes Hruska to have up to 1,000 kids on his side. I'm hoping to get close to that again (and) kind of get back into what we used to be. Already, attendance has been increasing, she noted. I've done some programming, (and) I've already seen some great attendance, Keyes said. So I'm thinking that we'll do really good this summer. The kids' events expected to draw large groups will be held at the Frankfort Square in downtown Columbus, Keyes added. Wilkinson said she sees about 30 attend her teen events, with approximately 70 to 100 people partaking in the reading portion. We're guessing we're going to have a bigger crowd than last year, but probably not as much as the previous year since we're still kind of getting out of COVID, Wilkinson said. It should be pretty big this year. I think everyone's kind of ready to get out and do stuff. Hannah Schrodt is the news editor of The Columbus Telegram. Reach her via email at hannah.schrodt@lee.net. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. SALEM, Ore. (AP) Oregon officials are betting that the desire to win $1 million in a lottery will boost the percentage of Oregonians who are vaccinated against the coronavirus. With only half of the people living in Oregon either fully or partially vaccinated, Oregon Lottery officials approved a plan Friday to hold a lottery. Those who have been vaccinated by June 27 will be eligible. Its never been easier to get a vaccine, so dont miss your shot to enter, Gov. Kate Brown said. She told reporters this is an effort to raise the percentage of adult Oregonians who get vaccinated to 70% in order to fully reopen the state. The Oregon Health Authority says 50% of Oregonians are vaccinated, with 39% having completed the series and 11% in progress. If Oregonians have received at least a first dose of Pfizer, Moderna, or Johnson & Johnson, they are automatically entered to win through the states vaccine database. Brown, responding to a question at a Zoom news conference, said people who are in Oregon illegally and have been vaccinated are also eligible to win the prize. Other states are also trying the tactic, including New York, Maryland and Ohio. Govt-and-politics editor's pick featured Cumberland County Midstate legislators criticize Cumberland Valley prom policy, say schools could be penalized for vaccine rules Sentinel file School buses leave the main Cumberland Valley School District campus at the end of the first day of school in August 2020. Gleim Keefer Local legislators are laying into Cumberland Valley School District for permitting outside guests at its high school prom Saturday only if those guests are vaccinated against COVID-19 with one legislator alleging that the state House Appropriations Committee would retaliate financially against schools that have vaccine requirements. Reps. Barb Gleim and Dawn Keefer, both Republicans whose districts encompass portions of the school district, have voiced their objections to the policy, with Gleim writing that the Legislature would consider de-funding schools over such issues. We also told State College that if they require student vaccinations for entry, the appropriations committee will consider cutting their funding, Gleim wrote in an email to CV school board members on May 14, describing the districts policy as un-American. Keefer wrote in a Facebook post that the district was discriminating against those who did not want the COVID vaccine. School officials were taken aback by the reaction, according to those familiar with the issue, given that the policy is more permissive than what Cumberland Valley High School had previously planned. Midstate lawmakers use language from Idaho law to ban transgender athletes from women's sports PA House Bill 972, dubbed the Fairness in Womens Sports Act, would seek to prevent biological males from competing as women in any publicly-backed scholastic athletics. Pre-COVID, the high school allowed prom attendees to bring a guest from outside the school system as long as that guest was under 21 and filled out a registration form. Earlier this year, the high school said that no outside guests would be allowed at the 2021 prom, with school officials reasoning that, while the COVID transmission risk of students was a known quantity over the past 14 months of distancing and contact tracing, allowing outside guests would be a much greater hazard. But last week, after the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued new guidance regarding fully vaccinated people, some students asked if they would be allowed to bring outside prom dates if those individuals had received a full COVID vaccination. The administration found no reason not to, according to CV Superintendent David Christopher, and advised students that guests could attend as normal if they provided proof of vaccination. This was something that our senior students, who wanted to have guests from outside CV attend prom, shared with us after the rule change from the CDC as part of their request to allow their fully vaccinated guests to attend, Christopher wrote in a message to The Sentinel. Prom Plans: Midstate high schools turn to outdoor events District spokesperson Tracy Panzer said prom guests who cannot receive the vaccine due to medical or religious prohibitions would be considered on a case-by-case basis. Christopher said the prom policy does not extend to other school functions. While there may be a belief that allowing fully vaccinated individuals who are not CV students to attend the prom signals some greater desire to create vaccination requirements for all students, this is quite simply not the case, Christopher wrote. State and federal regulations already dictate vaccination requirements for enrolled students, such as the measles and polio vaccines which have been required for decades, and Cumberland Valley has no intention of acting outside of any rulings from higher authorities, Christopher said. But the local legislators dont see it this way. Keefer wrote on Facebook that its prom now, but wait until this fall when schools try to force vaccines to return to full in-person teaching. That fear among conservatives of what they predict will be increasingly stringent vaccine rules has been an animating issue in the Pennsylvania Legislature in recent weeks. Republicans seek to pass bills that would prohibit government entities, and in some cases private businesses, from enforcing any kind of requirement regarding COVID vaccination. DOH: 25 new cases of COVID-19 for Cumberland County Wednesday There were 24 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 in the county in Wednesday's report (down two from Tuesday), with three in intensive care units and four on ventilators. Gleims email further indicates that punitive fiscal measures may also play into the equation. The Pennsylvania House GOP caucus has not yet responded to an inquiry from The Sentinel as to whether the appropriations committee has in fact considered de-funding an offending school as Gleim described. Gleim also has not responded to a request for comment. In a phone interview, Keefer said that ideas had been put out there regarding funding, but believed the discussion was primarily around funding for state colleges with vaccine requirements. If they are [creating requirements] then we need to look at how we are supporting them, Keefer said. State College Area School District has laid out a prom policy identical to Cumberland Valleys regarding vaccination for nonstudent attendees, according to a recent feature in Lions Digest, the schools student newspaper. In her Facebook comments, Keefer argued that COVID vaccination for students was unnecessary because kids arent spreaders. Children can, in fact, spread the coronavirus, although studies over the past year have yielded varying results as to if they are more or less likely to be vectors compared to the general population. Studies earlier in the pandemic showed children being less likely than the average person to transmit the disease. More recently, however, wider data modeling has suggested patients under age 20 may be more likely to infect others relative to adults 60 and over. The CDC advises that COVID prevalence in schools is largely a function of spread in the outside community, but that this can be amplified if proper measures are not taken in schools to reduce transmission. Three COVID vaccines are approved in the U.S. for people age 16 and over, and the CDC recently recommended allowing the administration of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine to those as young as 12. In a conversation with The Sentinel, Keefer rejected the idea that vaccination was beneficial in order to prevent students from spreading COVID to more vulnerable populations. We dont vaccinate to protect you from spreading something, Keefer said. We dont require people to get it to protect the whole society, thats not how weve done it, we say you can get vaccinated to protect you. There were moments when being pregnant during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic was just plain awkward. Lockdown orders were issued about a month after Jessica Poe found out she and her husband, Justin, were expecting. The Lower Frankford Township couple saw few people outside of immediate family and close friends, and Jessica was only visible from the chest up in Zoom meetings with committees and co-workers, which presented a dilemma. Do you randomly announce at a meeting that youre pregnant? Do you mention it in an email? Its something that naturally speaks for itself when youre in person, she said. The pandemic disrupted the common experiences of pregnancy. Baby showers were canceled or held virtually. Spouses werent allowed to attend doctors appointments. Changing guidelines added an air of uncertainty to an already anxious time. And some moms-to-be felt so alone. Changing guidelines Everything just feels like a blur. This past year went so fast and so slow at the same time, Nakia Perry said. Nakia and her husband, Christian, found they were expecting in early October 2019. The early, less frequent visits to the doctor proceeded as normal for the Lancaster couple. The lockdown began, though, as the frequency of the visits picked up. Christian could no longer allowed to go along, and Nakia could not use FaceTime for him to be there virtually or record video to watch later. By that time, Christian said he had been at the big appointments where parents hear the babys heartbeat and find out the gender. It was the smaller, more frequent appointments that I wasnt able to be part of, he said. Jessica and Justin, too, had a mixed bag on doctors visits. There were two or three that I was in the parking lot, waiting, he said. It was another half-hour of suspense. Timing could mean the world during a pandemic pregnancy. For Jessica, the in-depth ultrasound normally scheduled at 20 weeks had to be delayed by two weeks. In that two weeks, the guidelines changed. At 20 weeks, Justin would not have been allowed to attend. At 22 weeks, he could. I cant imagine being in that one alone, Jessica said. What the Poes experienced wasnt unusual. Dr. Chavone Momon-Nelson, a Carlisle obstetrician and gynecologist, said that early in the pandemic only the patient could enter the office for visits. At times that provided not a little bit of stress, but that was a lot of stress for patients, she said. As the COVID case numbers dropped going into the summer, the office allowed one support person to enter the office for appointments, but that changed again when the fall surge of cases hit. At any given moment, the best Momon-Nelson could do was tell a patient what the guidelines were for both office visits and for delivery at the hospital at that time and warn them that the guidelines could change on a dime. Most patients understood that, she said. Sometimes the significant others could not be at the appointments and sometimes they could be at the appointments. The office incorporated telemedicine into the practice as part of their creative scheduling to reduce the number of people in the office, Momon-Nelson said. Thats part of taking the lemons from COVID and making lemonade, she said. Telemedicine was something that was being used within health care, but with COVID-19 and this pandemic, it really pushed the envelope of how we could use telemedicine to our advantage. The advent of telemedicine marked a difference between the first and second pregnancies for Carlisles Hilary Masland Comeau. In July, Hilary and her husband, Jared, found out they were expecting their second child and she immediately called the doctor to schedule her first appointment. With their first son, Walden who is now 2, that visit was in the office at around seven or eight weeks. This time, there was a Zoom call at eight weeks and an in-person visit at 10 weeks that seemed to Hilary to be longer than she remembered from the first pregnancy. It was almost like a double appointment since they didnt see me earlier on, she said. From the start, Hilary went solo to the appointments. She said that might have been harder for some, but she expected to have some of them on her own anyway since her husband is a teacher. The hard ones were the big appointments like the 20-week ultrasound. That one was more of a lonely appointment. Otherwise, it didnt impact me too much, she said. Missing traditions Being pregnant during COVID meant no special maternity photo shoots and no baby showers unless it was done virtually. Even the classes that are offered to soon-to-be parents were affected by the pandemic. The Perrys signed up for everything, including classes on CPR, breast feeding and labor procedure. The classes were replaced with links to information. We were expecting to be able to bond with other young parents. As you can imagine, we were very nervous and this class was to put us at ease and provide the information that we were looking for, and it all got canceled, Nakia said. Classes were also canceled for the Poes, but they were given a Zoom option. It was nice that they adapted and offered that to us. Definitely different, Jessica said. Im sure it would have been a different experience if we could have gone in person. The couples were also cautious about their own exposure to COVID during pregnancy. When shopping for baby items, Jessica read reviews and ordered online rather than evaluating items in a store. Nakia said she and Christian basically went into isolation out of concerns that a bout with COVID would affect her lung capacity and, by extension, not give the baby the oxygen he needed. We didnt do all of the things that we thought would happen in our first normal pregnancy, she said. COVID was so new and everyone didnt know how it was spreading at first. We just didnt want to risk my health or the babys health because of it. Hilary missed the human interactions from being pregnant in the workplace, like quick talks over coffee when people would acknowledge the baby bump. I felt like I was kind of hiding in my house with the second, she said. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} Arrivals The ebbs and flows of the waves of the pandemic meant families couldnt be sure what the rules at the hospital might be when the big day came. What rules were in place in February might be different in March or April, said Hilary, who was due in April. It was hard to say what exactly I would be faced with. Christian and Nakia welcomed their son, Christian, on June 1. At the time, the state began lifting lockdowns, but restrictions were still in place at Lancaster General Hospital. Nakia went through the first two and a half hours of labor by herself while the hospital ran tests, including a COVID test. Thats not how I imagined the beginning of my delivery experience, Nakia said. For Christian, the waiting was the hardest part. As a first-time dad, he said, your mind is racing anyway. Youre anxious and you dont know exactly whats going on and you have to sit in the parking lot. Youre driving as fast as you can to get to the hospital and then, once you get there, its a waiting game, he said. With everything thats going on right now and I had to sit in my car and wait to be able to go in. Once Christian came into the hospital, he had to stay until their son and Nakia were discharged. If he left, he would not have been allowed to return. The restrictions also prevented Nakia and Christians mothers from being in the hospital. Both women had multiple children, and Nakia hoped to have them in the room to watch for the warning signs of the complications that affect Black women during pregnancy. I think I would have felt more at ease if our mothers who went through this were there, she said. She wasnt alone. Momon-Nelson also saw Black patients who were concerned that their support system would not be able to be at the hospital. Black women experience complications at a rate significantly higher than that of their white counterparts, including risk of death, postpartum hemorrhage, preeclampsia and preterm birth, Momon-Nelson said. When we acknowledge that there is an issue, we acknowledge that Black women die from pregnancy-related complications three to four times that of white women. We look at Black women as a potential complication in itself, she said. Michele Breneman, a NICU nurse at UPMC Harrisburg, said they did see some cases in which a baby was born to a mother who was positive for COVID. Protocols were set up to transport the newborn to the NICU through a closed system to prevent exposure to the rest of the hospital. In those cases, the mother was not allowed to see the baby for 10 days if she was not showing symptoms. If she was symptomatic, that time was extended to 20 days. In one case, the mother was in the ICU with a severe case of COVID, resulting in an emergency C-section. Doctors, respiratory therapists, NICU staff and other medical personnel came together to know exactly what they had to do to protect the child. We really had to think outside the box to make sure we had the best care and safe care for the baby in that situation, Breneman said. Parents of babies in the NICU were allowed to visit their children at anytime, provided they were not positive for COVID, she said. After her son, Hugo, was born on March 28, Hilary couldnt wait to get out of the hospital. She wanted to introduce Hugo to his big brother and she missed the visits from family members that had broken up the day when she was in the hospital with her first son. Hilary and Jared asked to leave early, and were permitted to do so. We rushed our time in the hospital because we didnt have visitors. It made us feel like we were ready to leave early, she said. Though visitors were allowed to drop off gifts for Nakia and Christian, they were not allowed to enter. That was the biggest thing, just not being able to share that moment and have the visitors come that usually would have come, Christian said. Jessica and Justin, however, welcomed the time alone with their newborn. I didnt think that was a negative thing, Justin said. We were able to have privacy and give full attention to the doctors and everything. Momon-Nelson said its possible that the new normal in a post-COVID world will continue to limit visitors. Having a whole bunch of people in and out of the hospital. Is that necessarily the best thing? Is that necessarily the best thing for Mom, baby and even Dad as theyre trying to really bond with their new baby? she said. Looking ahead The new parents proceeded with caution after taking their newborns home. For Christian and Nakia that meant making sure his grandparents were masked when they came to visit. Jessica and Justin made sure to bundle up their son to take him outside for visits with family. Both families kept to themselves at a time when they might otherwise have been celebrating their new arrivals. Jessica saw the time as a bit of a break for a new mom. The first month youre just so overwhelmed with everything anyway so youre not even thinking about going out, she said. Its kind of nice that you dont even have the pressure to do anything. That isolation, though, has not been a positive for some new moms. Momon-Nelson has been concerned about rising issues with mental health among expectant and new mothers, especially post-partum. Quarantines and social distancing meant that the mothers or grandmothers who would have been there to help and provide support in those exhausting days could not be there. A lot of patients were feeling a lot of stress and anxiety because with COVID it was the unknown, she said. With COVID, it wasnt really sure who was going to be available to come to the hospital and who could be there and who could not be there. Noting that vaccines are the passport to opening up, Momon-Nelson said the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology says women who are pregnant and breastfeeding are safe to get the COVID vaccine regardless of whether its the Moderna, Pfizer or Johnson & Johnson vaccine. A recent article in the New England Journal of Medicine included preliminary information from the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines showing there were no neonatal deaths as a result of the vaccinations. Overall, these vaccines are safe in pregnancy. I wouldnt necessarily say recommended, but they are safe, she said. She said she spends time at every visit talking to her patients and answering their questions about the vaccine, and supporting their decision either way. I want them to make a decision for their health based off of facts and not based off of fear or some conspiracy, she said. Hilary, who was vaccinated while pregnant, is hoping Hugo is developing the antibodies first through the vaccine itself and now through breastfeeding. Other than that, she doesnt hold any additional concerns for her second child in regards to the pandemic. Im probably concerned the same amount I was with my first child in that I want people just to be smart and wash their hands and follow those simple rules, she said. With vaccinations on the rise and cases of COVID-19 declining, the families are venturing out. Theyve been going to parks, taking walks and slowly, cautiously introducing their little ones to the world. As with everything for these pandemic babies, timing is the difference-maker. Jessica and Justin are hoping the pandemic continues to subside through the summer to give them a chance at a first birthday party for Henry. Christian and Nakia were hoping for the same with Christian, but with only a few weeks until the big day, they dont think it will happen this year. In my mind, I thought that COVID would not have lasted this long. Im sure a lot of people thought that, she said. Email Tammie at tgitt@cumberlink.com. Follow her on Twitter @TammieGitt. Concerned about COVID-19? Sign up now to get the most recent coronavirus headlines and other important local and national news sent to your email inbox daily. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. The Nagol is Back! VTOs guide to this years Nagol, plus where to stay and play in south, central and north Pentecost. What Ive come to learn about Capt. Maples is he came from a long line in his family that served in the military to defend the values and freedoms we enjoy in this country, he said, citing the military service of Capt. Maples brothers, Adolphus, and Harold, who was a Tuskegee Airman as well. Three other Maples brothers, Junious, Leroy and Roger, served during the 1950s. Its a family that reveres patriotism, honor and country, Rep. Brown said. His service would not be possible without the buffalo soldiers on the western frontier in the 1800s, nor the Harlem Hellfighters of World War I. As a former Army aviator, I know my service would not have been possible, certainly not in the cockpit, had it not been for Capt. Andrew Maples and the hundreds, if not thousands of Tuskegee aviators and navigators who proved that regardless of race, geography, ethnicity or background, that all of us can and should have an opportunity to serve our country. Offering remarks from the bench, Doris Maples Walker described her brother as The big brother you wanted to have. When Zann first contacted me, I didnt believe what she was saying, Walker said. My family is truly honored today because Orange County has stepped up and I say thank you, thank you, thank you. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. It draws a very sympathetic portrait of the person in that situation and or really makes us try to understand how somebody gets that, said Watson. Were all one step away from doing something desperate. The series was a critical hit in Britain, with The Independent saying You wont see more blatant awards fodder this year, but that doesnt mean Too Close wont win them, or that theyll be undeserved. The Guardian called it a fantastically compelling, brilliantly scripted whydunnit. Watson is quick to credit Gough whose stage work includes People, Places and Things and Angels in America as an intense talent able to capture damage and explosiveness. It was amazing to go onto the dance floor with somebody like that, Watson said. She and Salaman have known each other since nursery school and through their teens as both pursued acting careers. They both starred as 13-year-olds in a production of As You Like It, with Salaman as Rosalind and Watson as Celia. Salaman, who appeared on The Bill from 1999 to 2001 before turning to writing, handed over the manuscript of Too Close to Watson even before it was published, telling her friend it might make a good TV piece. Elizabeth City police had declared the protest an unlawful assembly at 8:27 p.m. The News Leader reported that police threatened to arrest protesters under a law that prohibits standing, sitting or lying on a street or roadway. Nagaishi and Cutler briefly walked into Main Street to film and watch one of the arrests happening. Ramsey tweeted that the journalists, who had traveled from Staunton, were doing a public service" and that being taken into custody will not stop them from doing their jobs for readers. The News Leader reported that it's not clear whether either of the journalists will be charged. Demonstrators had gathered to protest a prosecutor's decision that sheriffs deputies were justified in fatally shooting Brown in April because the Black man struck a deputy with his car and nearly ran him over while ignoring commands to show his hands and get out of the vehicle. Attorneys for the family who watched body camera footage have said repeatedly that he was trying to drive away from deputies serving drug-related warrants and posed no threat. For copyright information, check with the distributor of this item, The News Leader. Fairfax says the other person in the room spoke with him and several of his friends after Watson raised her allegations, saying they were false. This person has not responded to interview requests from the AP, which could not independently confirm the claim that there was an eyewitness. The friends Fairfax cited couldnt be reached by the AP. Watson and her attorney have not commented on whether a third person was present and a spokesman did not respond to an inquiry from AP for this story. The outcome has been the same with other news outlets that have asked. Fairfax calls the nondenial exonerating. Its dramatically unfair whats been done to publicly accuse someone of something so serious, for it to be false, and then to simply walk away, he said. As for Tyson, who also declined an interview request through her attorneys, Fairfax says they stayed in touch after the encounter and she once asked him to meet her mother. In her initial statement, Tyson said they never spoke again. She argued that its often impossible for officers to detect the race of a driver before they are stopped and noted enforcement often follows public complaints about crime, speeding and other problems. Local police officials also said it was premature to draw conclusions from the data. Police in Prince William County told the Prince William Times that they are ready to adjust our traffic enforcement efforts if necessary but that it would be misleading and irresponsible to draw any conclusions at this point. Black and Hispanic drivers accounted for more than 57% of stops in the county. Bryan Kennedy, a public defender in Fairfax, questioned the suggestion that police dont know the race of a driver when they initiate a stop, noting that while it may be true in some cases, officers also frequently describe in their reports initiating stops because a driver matched a suspects description. But he agreed that the numbers are likely a reflection of where police are choosing to conduct enforcement. Its where police are observing people commit these traffic violations, which is communities of color, Kennedy said. Community leaders said targeted enforcement doesnt excuse the disparity. RICHMOND Gov. Ralph Northams office announced steps on Thursday designed to help ease a backlog of requests for pardons and smooth the application process. Northams office said in a news release that theres been a major influx of pardon petitions during his administration and that of previous Gov. Terry McAuliffe. Northam has declined to disclose the number of cases in the backlog or the number of state employees assigned to investigate cases. The governors office redesigned its pardon website and petition portal and is eliminating a requirement that petitioners obtain a copy of their criminal history from the Virginia State Police, which can be expensive. The launch of this new website and petition portal furthers the governors commitment to transparency and good government for the people of Virginia, Secretary of the Commonwealth Kelly Thomasson said in the release. Enabling Virginians to submit their petitions online also improves efficiency of the clemency process, allowing pardons staff to spend less time opening and sorting mail and more time reviewing petitions. After the design process is finished in late 2023, construction will begin, Hitchin said. The museum likely will open in 2025. Museum officials said they will seek the opinions of the community and stakeholders throughout the design process. Mayor Bobby Henderson spoke to the crowd in attendance and thanked former Mayor Terry Short for telling him about this project. Henderson said the museum campus will benefit the community by attracting tourists. This is a milestone project for our city, Henderson said. Were bringing a well-known museum into our city that will allow us to be known all around the state and all around the world as a museum city. Were going to see growth in Waynesboro that we have never seen before. The idea for establishing an interpretive center focused on natural resources can be traced back to the first Virginia Fly Fishing Festival, initiated by Waynesboro Downtown Development Inc. in 2000. It is a direct outgrowth of their vision to build the education pavilion in Constitution Park. Officials anticipate the museum will attract 65,000 visitors per year, including 40,000 tourists. A feasibility study by Chmura Analytics said the museum will bring in an average of $335,000 in its first five years of operations, with expenses of around $250,000, according to the projects website. Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. RICHMOND, Va. (AP) A Virginia prison inmate has pleaded guilty to mailing threats to an assistant U.S. attorney who prosecuted him. The Richmond Times-Dispatch reported that Rondale Latte Claud on Wednesday admitted that while he was an inmate at the Augusta Correctional Center on March 2, 2020, he wrote a letter to the prosecutor accusing him of turning his son and his family against him. He closed the letter by writing that if things get hard: "I will just go out the easy way which is killing myself ... and you," the statement of facts filed in court said. In a second letter, on April 14, 2020, Claud again threatened harm to the prosecutor identified only as P.O. in court documents saying he was affiliated with a gang that had members who could help him and that he knew where P.O. and his family lived. Claud faces up to 10 years in federal prison. Sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 17. According to the U.S. Attorney's office, Claud's 2019 federal conviction stemmed from a 2018 incident outside a 7-Eleven store in Newport News in which he fired a handgun. The story of the Access Hollywood tapes, in which Trump boasted about grabbing women by their privates, also ended in a puff of smoke. Supporters and foes alike thought this could end Trumps chances of winning the election. It turned out that many regular people who listened to Trumps vulgar monologue heard mainly locker room talk. As much as I disliked Trump, that was my impression. How naive it now seems to think that these revelations would have derailed either of these mens presidencies. Partisans trying to scuttle the 2018 nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court jumped on charges of sexual assault dating back to his high school days. I found Christine Blasey Fords account that he and another student jumped on her during a drunken party to be plausible. But what were the details, really? These were high school kids. According to Fords testimony, when the second student tried piling on the bed, they all fell off and she left the room. I can understand a woman fuming about that show of disrespect, but if this was a horrendous crime, why did she wait 36 years to go public with it? Bangladesh: Groundwater depletion in Barind region threatens regional livelihoods by Dulal Abdullah May 21,2021 | Source: Dhaka Tribune Scanty rainfall and excessive heat have created an alarming situation for farmers and fishermen in the Barind region as rivers in the region run dry and the groundwater level depletes. Moktar Ali, a farmer from Puthimari village in Chalan Beel, said: The groundwater became scarce as soon as the Bangla month of Chaitra arrived. Since then, it has been difficult to irrigate our lands properly because the low water pressure takes up much time and costs money. Fisherman Baru Hawladar from Serkol Srirampur Jelepara (fisherman colony) in Natores Singra said: The Padma, for the most part, has dried up, giving rise to big chars. Besides, many more rivers, including Baral, Atrai and Gorai, the main tributaries of the Padma, are now suffering the same fate. We cannot fish if the rivers dont hold any water. According to sources, the average groundwater level in Paba upazila near Rajshahi was just over 20ft during the dry season in 1975. The water level dropped below 30ft in 1995 and about 66ft in 2010. Ghulam Sabbir Sattar, professor of environmental sciences at Rajshahi University, said: There is a direct correlation between groundwater and river levels; one helps recharge the other. However, these normal functions of nature are being disrupted due to climate change and drought. If the rivers cease to exist, it will adversely affect regional livelihoods, he added. The region's annual rainfall never exceeded 1,400mm in the seven years till 2018, which is 45% less than the national average of 2,550mm, said prominent hydrologist Prof Chowdhury Sarwar Jahan of Rajshahi University. Last year, however, the region witnessed 1,800mm of annual rainfall. The areas of Nachol and Gomostapur in Chapainawabganj; Tanore and Godagari in Rajshahi; and Porsha, Sapahar, and Niamatpur upazilas in Naogaon are over 47m higher than sea level. There are areas in the same districts which are only around 10m above sea level, he noted. "Paddy farming using only groundwater can have a toll on the availability of drinking water in these high and arid areas," he said. Groundwater provides 75% of the water needed for rice irrigation in Bangladesh, the world's fourth-largest rice-producing country. The Bangladesh Rice Research Institute estimates that around 3,000 litres of water are required to produce one kilogram of Boro rice. "This estimate does not even take into account the use of water in rice mills," Prof Chowdhury said. Wheat and maize require around 400-600 litres of water per kilogram production, he said. As such, grain production in the region should use surface water for irrigation, he recommended, adding a focus on less water-consuming fruit and vegetable farming can help preserve groundwater in the region. The region's groundwater level was only 30 feet below in the 1970s when farmers used surface and rainwater for irrigation and tubewells for drinking water, said BMDA's Superintending Engineer Abdur Rashid. With the BMDA installing deep tubewells in the 1990s, farmers began cultivating three crops a year, turning the northwest into one of the country's major grain-producing regions, he said. Following the BMDA's lead, solvent farmers and businesspeople installed their own deep tubewells. In 2012, when the BMDA stopped installing fresh deep tubewells and moved to focusing on surface water, private tubewells continued to flourish for agricultural and industrial use. Around 70% of the Barind region's annual groundwater extraction of 13,710 million cubic metres is done by unregulated private deep tubewells, according to a rough estimate by the BMDA recently. This amount of water would fill up around 1.8 million ponds -- each 2m deep and covering one bigha. In February 2018, the lowest groundwater level was recorded in Nachol upazila at 107 feet below the surface, a fall of over 28 feet since 2005, when the level was at 78.8 feet. "The fall is still on," Rashid said, adding that the levels go as low as 130 feet below the surface at the end of the irrigation season. Meanwhile, President Joe Biden on Thursday hailed the cease-fire in the fighting, saying he sees a "genuine opportunity" toward the larger goal of building a lasting peace in the Middle East. Biden credited the Egyptian government with playing a crucial role in brokering the cease-fire and said he and top White House aides were intensely involved in an "hour by hour" effort to stop the bloodletting. "I believe the Palestinians and Israelis equally deserve to live safely and securely and enjoy equal measures of freedom, prosperity and democracy," Biden said. "My administration will continue our quiet, relentless diplomacy toward that." The president spoke soon after Israel and Hamas announced a cease-fire would go into effect, ending an 11-day war that caused widespread destruction in the Gaza Strip and brought life in much of Israel to a halt. The fighting erupted on May 10, when Hamas militants in Gaza fired long-range rockets toward Jerusalem. The barrage came after days of clashes between Palestinian protesters and Israeli police at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound. Heavy-handed police tactics at the compound, built on a site holy to Muslims and Jews, and the threatened eviction of dozens of Palestinians by Jewish settlers had inflamed tensions. Have you heard of Yes on IP13? It removes exemptions from animal cruelty laws. Do you kill pests on your property ants, hornets, snails, slugs, spiders, mice, etc.? Do you use pest control? Do you or your children catch bugs, snakes, etc., to play with them? Do you buy or eat meat or eggs raised in Oregon? Do you raise animals for food? Do you breed animals cats, dogs, rabbits, etc.? Do you fish, hunt or trap animals? It will be illegal, and you will be prosecuted. Do you like attending rodeos, fairs, circuses, zoos, anything or places that transports animals? Animals will not be allowed to be transported. Animals cannot be marked-tattooed, chipped, branded, etc. Animals cannot be bred. Farmers will not be allowed to continue animal practices that have been around for centuries. No more breeding or slaughtering. This initiative says good-bye to the animal grooming, fishing and poultry industries, animal farming, animal breeding, hunting, fishing or trapping, etc. in Oregon. Veterinarians are exempt, but you might not be able to spay or neuter your animals. Rebecca Eigel Tangent Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 ANNETTA RAMSAY, Ph.D., has lived and worked in Denton for many years. Her husband, Randy Hunt, of Historic Denton, contributed research to this article. Denton, TX (76205) Today A mix of clouds and sun. Hot. High 91F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight Some clouds. Low 73F. Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph. According to local press reports, the Gabonese government is preparing to sell more shares held in three companies relating to telecoms, water and energy, and banking. Putting the sale down to a lack of cash and a need to build up financial resources, the reports say that according to the 2021 finance law, the countrys parliament has now authorized the state to sell its assets held in the Gabon Energy and Water Company (SEEG), the Gabonese Banking Union (UGB) ) and Moov Africa Gabon Telecom. At the moment, the states share of SEEG is 51 percent, of UGB 26.09 percent and of Gabon Telecom 49 percent. The recently passed law specifies that the assets in all three groups will be reserved for Gabonese investors. According to TeleGeography's CommsUpdate the state previously sold a 51 percent stake in the telecom operator to Maroc Telecom and currently owes the majority shareholder around $18.4 million. It adds that the Gabonese state will retain a holding in Gabon Telecom in order to monitor its progress. Gabon Telecom SA is the largest telecommunications company in the country, which has a population of just over two million; it has interests in both fixed and mobile communications. Gabon Telecom was privatised in 2007 when Maroc Telecom bought a 51 percent stake in the operator. In June 2016 Maroc Telecom merged Gabon Telecom with Moov Gabon, reducing the number of mobile network operators in the country from four to three. Maroc Telecom recently announced plans to rebrand its eleven subsidiaries in Africa as Moov Africa, effective from the beginning of this year. Maroc Telecom had an estimated 1.4 million subscribers in Gabon in the first half of 2020.